The Advocate 03-11-2025

La. oversight of Medicaid criticized

Audit questions spending for $2.4B program

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

The Louisiana Department of Health failed to properly oversee some $2.4 billion in Medicaid spending aimed at improving the health of the state’s neediest patients, according to a new report from the Louisiana Legislative

Auditor’s Office. The report, released Monday, found that over the past five years, the state’s Managed Care Incentive Program, which turned to Ochsner Health and a consortium that includes LSU Health New Orleans, LCMC Health and Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System to run the program,

spent more than half the money on administrative expenses and other costs that did not have a measurable impact on patient health outcomes.

“The sole focus of this program was to improve the health outcomes of Medicaid beneficiaries but that’s not happening,” Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack

said in an interview Monday “The funds are not making it all the way down to the hospitals that are doing the work.” The issues identified with the Managed Care Incentive Program, or MCIP, which was designed to increase Medicaid patients’ access to preventive medical care, improve management of chronic diseases and offer other services, underscored the challenges Louisiana faces as it tries to improve

the health of its lowest-income residents.

The state ranked 49th in health outcomes when the program went into effect in 2019 and has since slipped to 50th. Federal and state Medicaid funding in Louisiana was nearly $15 billion in 2024. While the MCIP program represents only 4.8% of that total, the report raises questions

ä See MEDICAID, page 4A

SIGNING ON

Belle of Baton Rouge hotel gets new name in advance of reopening

BY TIMOTHY BOONE Business editor

The Belle of Baton Rouge hotel is being rebranded as Bally’s Baton Rouge Hotel, the first step in a process to put the Bally’s name on the oldest casino in downtown Baton Rouge.

Officials with Bally’s plan to go before the Louisiana Gaming Control Board in April and request that the casino be rebranded. If that move is approved, the property will be known as Bally’s Baton Rouge Casino & Hotel.

Workers started putting Bally’s signs on three sides of the hotel Monday morning, a process that will take much of the week. Reservations are already being accepted at the 242-room hotel, which is set to open March 31. The hotel has been closed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic because of roof damage.

There had been discussion of renaming the Belle to something that paid tribute to Catfish Town. But plans changed after Standard General, the largest Bally’s shareholder, acquired all of Bally’s and The Queen Casino & Entertainment,

which is the parent company of the Belle and downtown’s other casino The Queen. Standard General completed the $4.6 billion purchase of Bally’s and The Queen a month ago.

Putting the casino under the master Bally’s brand makes sense, said Lauren Westerfield, a spokesperson for the casino company “This helps us really solidify the presence of the Bally’s brand,” she said.

Bally’s has 19 casinos across the U.S.

Officials wary of FEMA cuts

Disaster agency under review by Trump administration

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON The Federal Emergency Management Agency may not close entirely — as President Donald Trump says he’s open to — but it appears the disaster relief agency is in for rearranging Trump created a FEMA Review Council, which will convene in April, to report on the agency’s

strengths and failings and make recommendations for changes by summer A U.S. House committee hearing last week floated several ideas — including letting states carry more of the disaster burden. That would cause dramatic challenges for storm-prone Louisiana, which is particularly reliant on FEMA. Since 2003, Louisiana has received nearly $47 billion to recover from 28 disasters, according to a January Carnegie Endowment report.

Meanwhile, Trump has cut FEMA’s budget and fired 200 probationary employees while trying to force out another 800 in an

agency with about 17,000 workers. Some emergency officials and members of Congress worry that the cuts to what they think is an already understaffed agency will weaken responses for future disasters.

“I am deeply concerned about the Trump administration’s attack on FEMA and the dedicated public servants in emergency management at every level,” said Rep. Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y “The truth is that for decades, FEMA has come to the aid of the American public time and time again.

ä See FEMA, page 5A

ä See SIGNING, page 4A

Education stipend program draws families

Nearly 14,000 have signed up for scholarships

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

Nearly 14,000 eligible Louisiana families have signed up for the state’s new LA GATOR scholarship program since applications opened this month, according to new state data, suggesting that demand for the stipends will almost certainly exceed supply

The centerpiece of Gov Jeff Landry’s education agenda, the new program will give tax dollars to eligible families to help pay for private-school tuition or approved expenses, such as tutoring, textbooks or special-education services. The application period, which started March 1 and runs through April 15, is being closely watched as an early indicator of public interest in the scholarships.

Proponents are sure to point to the figures when state lawmakers convene next month to hammer out the state budget and decide on funding for programs, including LA GATOR.

The initial application numbers show that “people across the entire state are interested” in the program and “looking for opportunities for their children,” said state Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, who chairs the Senate Education Committee and carried the LA GATOR bill last year “I think that will catch legislators’ attention.”

About 16,700 families have

ä See EDUCATION, page 4A

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Roofing contractors install a temporary roof on a home in New Orleans East in 2021 as part of a program overseen by the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to help homeowners recover from the damage caused by Hurricane Ida.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Workers install the new sign on the west side of the Belle of Baton Rouge Hotel on Monday

Jury: Disney didn’t copy ‘Moana’ from story

LOSANGELES A jury on Monday quickly rejected a man’s claim that Disney’s “Moana” was stolen from his story of a young surfer in Hawaii.

The Los Angeles federal jury deliberated for only about 2½ hours before deciding that the creators of “Moana” never had access to writer and animator Buck Woodall’s outlines and script for “Bucky the Surfer Boy.”

With that question settled, the jury of six women and two men didn’t even have to consider the similarities between “Bucky” and Disney’s 2016 hit animated film about a questing Polynesian princess.

Woodall had shared his work with the stepsister of his brother’s wife, who worked for a different company on the Disney lot, but the woman testified during the two-week trial that she never showed it to anyone at Disney

“Obviously we’re disappointed,” Woodall’s attorney Gustavo Lage said outside court. “We’re going to review our options and think about the best path forward.”

In closing arguments earlier Monday, Woodall’s attorney said that a long chain of circumstantial evidence and similarities so numerous they can’t be coincidences make it clear that his story “Bucky the Surfer Boy” was the basis for the hit 2016 animated film.

“There was no ‘Moana’ without ‘Bucky,’” Lage said during closing arguments in a Los Angeles courtroom.

Defense lawyer Moez Kaba said that the evidence shows overwhelmingly that “Moana” was clearly the creation and “crowning achievement” of the 40-year career of John Musker and Ron Clements, the writers and directors behind 1989’s “The Little Mermaid,” 1992’s “Aladdin,” 1997’s ”Hercules” and 2009’s “The Princess and the Frog.”

“They had no idea about Bucky,” Kaba said in his closing. “They had never seen it never heard of it.” Musker and Disney attorneys declined to comment outside the courtroom Syria signs deal with Kurdish-led authorities

JABLEH, Syria Syria’s interim government signed a deal Monday with the Kurdish-led authority that controls the country’s northeast, including a ceasefire and the merging of the main U.S.-backed force there into the Syrian army The deal is a major breakthrough that would bring most of Syria under the control of the government, which is led by the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir alSham that led the ouster of President Bashar Assad in December. The deal was signed by interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, the commander of the U.S.-backed, Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces.

The deal to be implemented by the end of the year would bring all border crossings with Iraq and Turkey, airports and oil fields in the northeast under the central government’s control.

Prisons where about 9,000 suspected members of the Islamic State group are also expected to come under government control.

Syria’s Kurds will gain their “constitutional rights” including using and teaching their language, which were banned for decades under Assad Hundreds of thousands of Kurds, who were displaced during Syria’s nearly 14-year civil war, will return to their homes. Thousands of Kurds living in Syria who have been deprived of nationality for decades under Assad will be given the right of citizenship, according to the agreement.

Smoke billows Monday from a vessel after a cargo

off eastern England, setting

Cargo ship hits fuel tanker off England

Jet fuel pouring into North Sea from vessel

BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON A cargo ship hit a tanker transporting jet fuel for the U.S. military off eastern England on Monday, setting both vessels ablaze and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea.

All but one of the 37 crew of the two ships were brought safely ashore. One crew member from the cargo ship, Solong, was missing, the vessel’s owner Ernst Russ said in a statement

The ship owner said “13 of the 14 Solong crew members have been brought safely (to) shore.” The owner of the fuel tanker said all 23 of its crew members were safe.

The two ships were still ablaze 12 hours after the collision, British coast guards said. They said they had ended the search for the missing crew member They confirmed 36 others had been brought ashore, one of whom was hospitalized.

The collision triggered a major rescue operation by lifeboats coast guard aircraft and commercial vessels in the foggy North Sea.

The British government said it was assessing “any counter-pollution response which may be required over the coming days.” The Marine Accident Investigation Branch was investigating the cause of the collision.

The U.S.-flagged chemical and oil products tanker MV Stena Immaculate was at anchor near the port of Grimsby on Monday morning after sailing from Greece, according to ship-tracking site VesselFinder

The Portugal-flagged container ship Solong was sailing from Grangemouth in Scotland to Rotterdam in the Netherlands when it struck the tanker’s side.

U.S.-based maritime management firm

Crowley, which operates the Stena Immaculate, said the tanker “sustained a ruptured cargo tank containing Jet-A1

fuel,” when the container ship struck it, triggering a fire and “multiple explosions onboard,” with fuel released into the sea.

The Stena Immaculate was operating as part of the U.S. government’s Tanker Security Program, a group of commercial vessels that can be contracted to carry fuel for the military when needed.

The Solong’s cargo included sodium cyanide, which can produce harmful gas when combined with water according to industry publication Lloyd’s List Intelligence. It was unclear if there had been a leak.

Britain’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the alarm was raised at 9:48 a.m. Humber Coast Guard asked vessels with firefighting equipment and those who could help with search and rescue to head to the scene about 155 miles north of London.

Video footage aired by British broadcasters and apparently filmed from a nearby vessel showed thick black smoke pouring from both ships.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said details of the collision and its cause “are still becoming clear.”

Abdul Khalique, head of the Maritime Center at Liverpool John Moores University, said it appeared the crew of the cargo ship had not been “maintaining a proper lookout by radar” as required by international maritime regulations.

Greenpeace U.K. said it was too early to assess the extent of any environmental damage from the collision, which took place near busy fishing grounds and major seabird colonies.

Scientists said the environmental impact might be less severe than with a spill of heavier crude oil.

“Whilst the images look worrying, from the perspective of the impact to the aquatic environment, it’s less of a concern than if this had been crude oil because most of the jet fuel will evaporate very quickly,” said Mark Hartl of the Center for Marine Biodiversity and Biotechnology at Scotland’s Heriot-Watt University

Trump: Arrest of activist at Columbia ‘first of many’

Palestinian grad student helped lead protests against Gaza war

BY JAKE OFFENHARTZ and PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump warned Monday that the arrest and possible deportation of a Palestinian activist who helped lead protests at Columbia University will be the first “of many to come” as his administration cracks down on campus demonstrations against Israel and the war in Gaza.

Mahmoud Khalil, a lawful U.S.

resident who was a graduate student at Columbia until December, was detained Saturday by federal immigration agents in New York and flown to an immigration jail in Louisiana Homeland Security officials said Khalil’s arrest was a result of Trump’s executive orders prohibiting antisemitism.

while the court considered his case. A hearing was scheduled for Wednesday Typically, expelling a person who has permanent residency in the U.S. requires a high bar, such as that person being convicted of certain types of crimes, but Khalil has not been charged with any crimes over his activities during campus unrest last year at the university.

“We know there are more students at Columbia and other Universities across the Country who have engaged in pro-terrorist, anti-Semitic, anti-American activity,” Trump wrote in a social media post.

“We will find, apprehend, and deport these terrorist sympathizers from our country — never to return again.”

Khalil’s detention drew outrage from civil rights groups and free speech advocates, who accused the administration of using its immigration enforcement powers to squelch criticism of Israel.

His lawyers filed a lawsuit challenging his detention. A federal judge in New York City ordered that Khalil not be deported

He’s the first person known to be detained for deportation under Trump’s promised crackdown on student protests. Federal immigration authorities also visited a second international student at Columbia on Friday evening and attempted to take her into custody but were not allowed to enter the apartment, according to a union representing the student. The woman has not been identified, and it’s not clear what grounds the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency had for the visit.

Trump has argued that protesters forfeited their rights to remain in the country by supporting the Palestinian group Hamas that controls Gaza. The U.S. has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Khalil and other student leaders of Columbia University Apartheid Divest have rejected claims of antisemitism, saying they are part of a broader anti-war movement that also includes Jewish students and groups. But the protest coalition, at times, has also voiced support for leaders of Hamas and Hezbollah, another Islamist organization designated by the U.S. as a terrorist group.

The Republican administration on Monday also warned some 60 colleges that they could lose federal money if they fail to make campuses safe for Jewish students.

Doctors say Pope Francis no longer in imminent danger

Pontiff remains hospitalized

BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

ROME Doctors said Monday Pope Francis is no longer in imminent danger of death as a result of pneumonia that has kept him hospitalized for nearly a month, but have decided to keep him hospitalized for several more days to receive treatment.

In a late update, the doctors said the 88-year-old pope remains stable and has consolidated improvements in recent days, as determined by blood tests and positive responses to drug treatments.

The Vatican said the doctors had lifted their previous “guarded” prognosis, meaning they determined he was no longer in imminent danger as a result of the original respiratory infection he arrived with on Feb. 14 But their caution remained.

“However, in view of the complexity of the clinical picture and the important infectious picture presented on admission, it will be necessary to continue medical drug therapy in a hospital setting for additional days,” according to the Vatican statement.

In a sign of his improved health, Francis followed the Vatican’s weeklong spiritual retreat via videoconference on Monday in both the morning and afternoon sessions. As he did on Sunday, Francis participated in the retreat remotely from the Rome hospital where he is being treated. He could see and hear the Rev Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the papal household, but the priests, bishops and cardinals gathered for the retreat in the Vatican auditorium could not see or hear him. Pasolini is delivering a series of meditations this week on “The hope of eternal life,” a theme that was chosen well before Francis was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 with a complex lung infection The retreat, an annual gathering that kicks off the Catholic Church’s solemn Lenten season leading to Easter, continues through the week. The Vatican has said Francis would participate “in spiritual communion” with the rest of the hierarchy, from afar Francis also resumed his physical and respiratory therapy at the Gemelli hospital, and rested and prayed inbetween. Francis has been using a nasal tube for supplemental oxygen to help him breathe during the day and a noninvasive mechanical ventilation mask at night, therapy that he was continuing Monday The 88-year-old pope, who has chronic lung disease and had part of one lung removed as a young man, had what was just a bad case of bronchitis when he was hospitalized last month The infection progressed into a complex respiratory tract infection and double pneumonia that has sidelined Francis for the longest period of his 12-year papacy and raised questions about the future.

PHOTO PROVIDED By BARTEK SMIAŁEK

ship hit a tanker carrying jet fuel

both ablaze and sending fuel pouring into the North Sea

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO

A Catholic nun crosses herself Sunday during a prayer of the Rosary for Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.

Khalil

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applied online for the program since March 1, and more than 13,900 have been deemed eligible, according to data provided Monday by the Louisiana Department of Education. Roughly 1,800 of the submitted applications are still under review

The scholarships will range from $5,200 for families who don’t qualify as low-income to $15,200 for students with disabilities. Recipients will be able to spend the money on tuition at participating private schools and a wide variety of state-approved expenses, including laptops, extracurricular activities and school uniforms.

But it’s almost certain that the state will not grant scholarships to every eligible family that applies If demand exceeds funding, the state will give priority to students who currently receive school vouchers, followed by low-income students and students with disabilities.

“Participation is always going to be determined by appropriation” by the Legislature, said state Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley in a recent interview, adding that he believes Landry will “fight for funding for GATOR.”

Last month, Landry proposed putting $93.5 million into LA GATOR next school year, its first in operation. That would fund just under 11,500 scholarships, according to estimates in the governor’s spending plan If the state Legislature goes along with Landry’s

MEDICAID

Continued from page 1A

about how to effectively use the federal funding provided through Medicaid at a time when the safety-net program, which was expanded under former Gov John Bel Edwards, has since been targeted for potential cuts by Republicans in Congress and Gov Jeff Landry

“We have continued to look at Medicaid because Louisiana has spent a lot of money over the last eight years on Medicaid expansion, but we never can seem to get off the bottom,” Waguespack said Dueling networks

The report highlighted several problems with the incentive program since its inception in 2018. Among them, auditors said the dueling networks of competing hospital systems tracked different “milestones” and health outcomes, making it impossible to compare the performance of the two.

More than 18% of the program expenditures between 2019 and 2024 — approximately $437 million — went to “non-milestone” activities, such as submitting annual reports, holding annual meetings and other administrative tasks that “do not improve the quality of services for Medicaid beneficiaries.”

Additionally, around 63% of program expenditures over five years — some $1.5 billion went to “non-measurable” milestones that are not directly associated with quality health outcomes, the audit said. Among the examples cited was $7.3 million the Ochsner-run network received to “identify ideas to improve prenatal health

plan, some 2,500 eligible families would not get scholarships, based on current numbers. And the gap between supply and demand will likely grow as more families apply before next month’s deadline.

It remains to be seen whether lawmakers will agree to the full $93.5 million Landry proposed, which is double what the state spends annually on vouchers to help low-income families afford private school. LA GATOR will replace school vouchers, and current voucher students are guaranteed scholarships if they apply Last year, Senate President Cameron Henry RMetairie, and other lawmakers tried to scale back the proposed scholarship program amid concerns about its potentially huge cost and strong opposition from public-education advocates who said the program will drain resources from cash-strapped public schools while sending tax dollars to loosely regulated private and religious schools.

After Landry and proponents of the bill mounted a pressure campaign that included TV ads attacking reluctant lawmakers, the Legislature ultimately passed the LA GATOR bill mostly along party lines, with most Republicans in support and most Democrats opposed.

Now lawmakers will decide during the upcoming legislative session, which begins April 14, how much money to give the program. Their decision will determine how many families get scholarships next school year and how many will

care services,” and $4.9 million the LSU Health-run network received to hold an awards ceremony and conference.

The report while critical of the program overall and the Health Department’s lack of oversight, specifically cited problems with the network of Ochsner hospitals and affiliates, called the Quality Outcome and Improvement Network, and raised questions about a lack of documentation relating to $46 million in program money it spent on “administrative and management” and other costs.

The audit suggested that the network’s failure to account for those funds could violate the state constitution

In its lengthy response to the audit, the network’s executive director, Lane Sisung, disputed its conclusions.

Sisung said the audit “omits critical information, regarding the MCIP program, reflects a fundamental misunderstanding of applicable federal law, and includes many inaccuracies and conclusions not supported by evidence.”

He disputed the auditor’s position on the $46 million, saying that “any suggest QIN’s payments are unconstitutional is contradictory to both the facts and Louisiana law.”

“Ultimately, the report will likely result in misunderstandings by the Legislature and the public, both of which are inconsistent with the Report’s goals,” he said.

In its response to the audit, the LQN, which is headed by LSU Health Vice Chancellor Ben Lousteau, said while there are aspects of the Medicaid incentive program

be left empty-handed.

LA GATOR supporters hope the application numbers will convince lawmakers to give the program at least the amount Landry requested.

“I think the parent response sends a clear message,” said Ronnie Morris, president of the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. “Obviously there’s a significant number of parents that are interested in this opportunity.”

Students who received school vouchers this year and children from families with a total income at or below 250% of federal poverty guidelines ($80,375 for a family of four) are eligible for scholarships next school year Incoming kindergartners and public school students from families with any level of income are also eligible.

Current voucher students will continue receiving tuition money if they apply for LA GATOR. As of Monday, about half of the roughly 5,600 voucher students had signed up for the new program, but Education Department officials said they expect the number to grow In a statement Monday, Landry celebrated the initial application numbers.

“The high demand for the LA GATOR Scholarship Program shows the value this program provides to families across our state,” he said. “Expanding school choice and ensuring parents are in charge of their child’s education will continue to be our top priority.”

Email Patrick Wall at patrick.wall@ theadvocate.com.

that can be improved, “the design and implementation has been accomplished in good faith, a compliant fashion and has been integral to preserving and improving health care in our state.”

The state Health Department, in its response to the audit, agreed with the findings and said it is already making changes to the program.

In a statement Monday afternoon, the Health Department spokesperson Emma Herrock said that even before the audit, “LDH leadership reviewed the MCIP program and recognized that significant improvements needed to be made, such as a critical need for increased oversight and reevaluation of protocols to ensure that funding is correlated with improved health outcomes.”

The department began making those changes last year, restructuring the program and designing two new incentive arrangements for behavioral health and maternal health, she added.

Different milestones

The MCIP was established by the Legislature in 2018 and went into effect one year later, offering to pay the six managed care companies that administer the state’s Medicaid program an additional 5% a year if they could improve patient access to care and health outcomes.

The program was supposed to improve health outcomes by reducing emergency room visits, increasing checkups with primary care doctors and increasing preventive care screenings like mammograms and blood pressure monitoring. According to the audit,

names, Westerfield said.

including Bally’s Shreveport and the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Biloxi, Mississippi. The company is developing a land-based casino in Chicago and has rights to develop property on the Las Vegas Strip, around a proposed Major League Baseball stadium. The Queen will not change

however those companies, which include Blue Cross, Humana and United Healthcare, have had little to do with the program, which, instead, has been run by two “quality networks” — the Ochsner-run QIN, and the Louisiana Quality Network, which is run by LSU Health.

The audit faults the Health Department for allowing networks of competing hospital systems that, since the program’s inception, have not wanted to work together and have used different “milestones” to measure performance.

The Ochsner network, for instance, is measured on the outcome of its dia-

The land-based casino is set to open in the fourth quarter, Westerfield said. The casino’s aging riverboat sailed away in January and gambling operations are happening in a temporary space on land. When the land-based casino opens in the fall, it will take up 25,000 feet of the Belle’s atrium and include 800 slot machines, 20 to 25 table games, a sportsbook, a sports lounge, an oyster

betic members while LQN is measured on increasing the number of breast cancer screenings. The report found this approach was intentional and, it suggests, wasteful because it prevents “disagreements regarding the payments each network should receive based on their performance.”

The Health Department responded that it is changing the program to have a uniform set of milestones that both networks will be measured against.

The report took particular aim at the Ochsner-run QIN, questioning $38.2 million in administrative and management expenses the network incurred and another

$8.4 million paid directly to Ochsner Health for “other costs.”

Auditors, who spent months researching and preparing the report, “asked QIN and Ochsner for documents such as invoices” to support both payments but the health system refused, “stating that the documentation supporting these costs is protected under attorneyclient privilege.”

Sisung said that “QIN disagrees with the report’s recommendations and urges the state to exercise caution before taking any action.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.

Ukraine expected to propose limited ceasefire

BY MATTHEW LEE and HANNA ARHIROVA Associated Press

JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia A Ukrainian delegation set to meet with America’s top diplomat in Saudi Arabia about ending the three-year war with Russia will propose a ceasefire covering the Black Sea and long-range missile strikes, as well as the release of prisoners, two senior Ukrainian officials said Monday

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about Tuesday’s meeting, also told The Associated Press that the Ukrainian delegation is ready during the talks to sign an agreement with the United States on access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals a deal that U.S. President Donald Trump is keen to secure.

The officials discussed the confidence-building measures, with no further details, ahead of the Ukrainian negotiating team’s meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Jeddah.

Kyiv is trying to repair the damage done when Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s Feb. 28 visit to Washington descended into an Oval Office argument with Trump and Vice President JD Vance.

At stake is the military aid and intelligence previously offered by the United States that had helped Ukraine in the war but is now paused as Washington pushes for a peace agreement.

Rubio and Zelenskyy landed a few hours apart Monday in Saudi Arabia, though they were not expected to meet. Zelenskyy was to meet with the kingdom’s powerful crown prince Monday evening. Rubio also was due to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Speaking to reporters aboard his plane, Rubio said he and national

FEMA

Continued from page 1A

And they have done so while being understaffed and underfunded.”

Yet FEMA is unlikely to be shuttered entirely — the president would need Congress to do that. And Louisiana emergency leaders and members of its Congressional delegation say major changes could be good for an agency that has frequently been a source of deep frustration in the state.

“For years, thousands of Louisiana families, small businesses and local officials have called my office expressing deep frustration with how FEMA delivers disaster relief,” said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, a Jefferson Republican whose district includes hurricane-battered southeast Louisiana. “President Trump is fully aware of these problems, and I look forward to working with his administration to improve FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program.” FEMA is responding to more disasters each year — about 1,400 hurricanes, wildfires, floods and tornadoes over the past decade. Over the last four years, FEMA reported providing more than $12 billion to individuals and $133 billion to state and local governments, tribal nations, territories and some nonprofits to help in recovery efforts.

The growing expense has some conservatives talking about reducing the federal government’s role.

The Cato Institute a Washington-based conservative think tank, argues that the federal government must cut spending to deal with massive budget deficits. That includes disaster response, which the states should finance themselves.

“The states demand federal aid, and federal politicians put the costs on the national credit card,” the institute said. “Growing federal intervention displaces more efficient state, local, and private efforts. Congress should phase out FEMA aid for disaster preparedness, response, and relief.”

At a hearing last week, Rep. Dale Strong — a Republican from Alabama who chairs the subcommittee that monitors FEMA —

security adviser Mike Waltz would take stock of Ukraine’s responses in Saudi Arabia. If Ukraine and the U.S. reach an understanding acceptable to Trump, that could accelerate his administration’s push to peace talks.

“What we want to know is, are they interested entering some sort of peace conversation and general outlines of the kinds of things they could consider, recognizing that it has been a costly and bloody war for the Ukrainians. They have suffered greatly and their people

“For years, thousands of Louisiana families, small businesses and local officials have called my office expressing deep frustration with how FEMA delivers disaster relief. President Trump is fully aware of these problems, and I look forward to working with his administration to improve FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program.”

HOUSE MAJORITy LEADER

STEVE SCALISE R-Jefferson

called for the agency to shed its role in housing migrants without documentation and refugees. But he also talked about transferring more of the disaster costs to the states.

“As we contemplate how best to reconfigure or establish efficiencies within FEMA to support its operations, we must ask whether FEMA’s expanding mission set has slowly exhausted the agency’s resources and workforce preventing it from completing its core mission to the highest level of sufficiency,” Strong said.

Rep. Troy Carter, DNew Orleans, agrees that FEMA needs “comprehensive reform” but warned that “dismantling it before putting a new structure in place would leave millions of Americans, especially in disaster-prone areas like Louisiana, vulnerable to further hardship.

“States, while capable of responding to some immediate needs, do not have the resources, infrastructure, or capacity to provide the widespread, coordinated relief that FEMA can offer. We must strengthen FEMA, not dismantle it, to ensure that no community is left behind in their time of need.”

Though abolishing the agency gets most of the headlines, shuttering FEMA probably isn’t in the cards, said Jacques Thibodeaux, director of the Louisiana Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, called GOHSEP

Having partnered with FEMA for the past 20 years — the agency is still providing assistance for individuals and local gov-

have suffered greatly,” Rubio said. “And it’s hard in the aftermath of something like that to even talk about concessions, but that’s the only way this is going to end and prevent more suffering.”

He added: “I’m not going to set any conditions on what they have to or need to do. I think we want to listen to see how far they’re willing to go and then compare that to what the Russians want and see how far apart we truly are.”

Zelenskyy has said his team meeting Rubio will include his chief of staff Andriy Yermak, For-

eign Minister Andriy Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov Rubio will lead the U.S. team. The rest of Europe remains skeptical about the talks as it has been sidelined by Washington.

The European Union last week agreed to boost the continent’s defenses and to free up hundreds of billions of euros for security in response to the Trump administration’s shift in stance on Ukraine.

White House special envoy Steve Witkoff told Fox News on Monday that the pause of U.S. intelligencesharing with Ukraine has not lim-

ited defense intelligence-sharing.

“We never shut off intelligence for anything defensive that the Ukrainians need,” Witkoff said. A pause on sharing U.S intelligence that can be used for offensive purposes by Ukrainian forces remains in effect, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment and spoke on the condition of anonymity

The official suggested that progress could be made toward reinstating intelligence-sharing with Ukraine during the Saudi talks.

ernments for 10 disasters — Thibodeaux said Louisiana has “very extensive knowledge of how FEMA works.”

Louisiana GOHSEP’s annual budget is about $3.1 billion, of which about $2.8 billion is federal funding that routes through FEMA.

Thibodeaux is open to some ideas, such as moving FEMA out of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and back to the White House to allow emergency coordinators direct access to the chief executive Thibodeaux answers directly to the governor and not through several layers of administrators.

“I think that FEMA getting back to their roots is a good thing,” he said.

Slashing bureaucracy is a common theme in talk about FEMA.

The agency grew in the 1970s out of previous decentralized federal efforts at the insistence of Southern governors who demanded that disaster recovery be more coordinated. FEMA has been tinkered with ever since.

Congress passed laws, demanded regulations and expanded the agency’s mission beyond helping people and local governments recover from disasters as well as administering the National Flood Insurance Program.

Over time, myriad rules, often to ensure the federal money is being spent properly, have piled up.

For instance, in major disasters, local governments can hire companies to pick up debris in public areas. FEMA reimburses the local governments. But often homeowners need to tear out much of their houses, and there’s simply not enough room on the street side of the culvert to pile up the debris.

FEMA has to proactively waive that regulation for the local contractors to pick up debris on the privately owned house side of the culvert, which takes time.

This red tape leads to a lot of anger among disaster victims who are understandably impatient to get back on their feet.

“FEMA is badly broken and in need of reform,” said Rep Julia Letlow, a Start Republican whose district now includes parts

of the Baton Rouge area.

“I’m glad to see President Trump order a review of an agency that too often puts bureaucracy ahead of effectively helping Ameri-

cans in need. Sunshine is the best medicine, and this evaluation will provide us the information necessary to bring accountability to FEMA and competence to

our nation’s disaster response.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, meets with Prince Saud bin

Mishaal, deputy governor of Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region, right, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Monday.

Former BR restaurant building sells for $1M

The former Boil & Roux building on Coursey Boulevard in Baton Rouge has been sold for just under $1 million to a group that plans to open multiple eateries on the site, including an Indian restaurant.

Grand Wall Chinese Supper Buffet Inc. of Gonzales sold the building at 11777 Coursey Blvd. in a deal that was completed last week. The buyer was MAARS Properties LLC of Baton Rouge, headed up by Rajinder Singh. The plans are to fully remodel the nearly 5,100-square-foot building and turn it into two or three restaurant spaces, said Keith Duncan, of Kadre, who represented the buyers. One of the restaurants will be Indian, while the other will be complementary eateries, Duncan said. Plans are to open the restaurant in three to six months.

Jane Lu, of Property First Realty Group, represented the sellers.

The building has been vacant since Boil & Roux shut down at the end of 2024. Boil & Roux was at the center of controversy with its neighbors and cityparish officials for years due to repeated noise complaints permitting issues and problems with its liquor license.

Grand Wall twice sued to evict Boil & Roux, claiming the restaurant owed thousands of dollars in rent. According to the landowner’s lawyer, Jean-Paul Robert Boil & Roux agreed to vacate the premises voluntarily as part of an agreed-upon judgment in court.

Tesla tumbles again; investors bail on EVs

Shares of Tesla slid again Monday as confidence in Elon Musk’s electric car company continues to disintegrate following a post-election “Trump bump.” Tesla shares tumbled 15.4%, to $222.15. That’s the lowest Tesla shares have traded since late October, reflecting investors’ newfound pessimism as the automaker’s sales crater around the globe. Monday’s decline, Tesla’s steepest since September 2020, came with Wall Street amid a sell-off caused by uncertainty over the Trump administration’s trade policies

Many analysts have attributed Tesla’s sagging stock — and auto sales to Musk’s support of President Donald Trump and other far-right candidates around the world.

Musk pumped $270 million into Trump’s campaign heading into the 2024 election, appeared on stage with him and cheered Trump’s victory over Democratic candidate Kamala Harris in November Tesla stock soared to $479 per share by mid-December, but have since tumbled back to earth, losing 40% of their value.

Musk has become the face of the Trump administration’s slash-and-burn government downsizing efforts, known as the Department of Government Efficiency, which has promised massive federal worker layoffs and aims to drastically reduce government spending.

Ontario hikes tax on U.S. electricity exports

Ontario’s premier, the leader of Canada’s most populous province, announced that effective Monday, it is charging 25% more for electricity to 1.5 million American homes and businesses in response to President Donald Trump’s trade war Ontario provides electricity to Minnesota, New York and Michigan.

“I will not hesitate to increase this charge. If the United States escalates, I will not hesitate to shut the electricity off completely,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said at a news conference in Toronto. Ford said Ontario’s tariff would remain in place, noting a recent one-month retrieve from Trump means nothing but more uncertainty Quebec is also considering taking similar measures with electricity exports to the U.S.

Walking on oyster shells

How one small business is navigating on-again, off-again tariffs on Canadian goods

BY MAE ANDERSON AP business writer

NEW YORK At Fishtown Seafood, owner Bryan Szeliga is worried about the oysters.

Szeliga, who operates three retail and wholesale locations in Philadelphia and Haddonfield, New Jersey sells a range of seafood. But briny, slurpable oysters are the biggest part of his overall business. And 60% to 70% come from Canada. The Trump’s administration’s on-again, off-again 25% tariffs on imports from Canada — which went into effect last week only to be suspended on some items for a month on Thursday — are giving Szeliga whiplash. The flip-flopping is making it tough to plan ahead. And if the tariffs do eventually go into effect, he’ll likely need to raise prices and offer his customers fewer choices of oysters.

“Part of the problem of the ‘chaos and shock and awe’ approach to the negotiation is you can’t actually really business plan based on knowing what is and isn’t actually going to happen,” he said. “That’s a big problem.”

Szeliga started Fishtown Seafood four years ago after other jobs in the food industry including chef and working for a nonprofit. His customers include neighborhood locals and others who shop at his retail shops as well as restaurant wholesale clients.

He sources some of his U.S. products directly from fish farms but for Canadian oysters, he goes through dealers.

“They’re larger companies that aggregate from all the (seafood) producers and then distribute throughout the

ALEX VEIGA

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By MATT ROURKE

Bryan Szeliga, owner of Fishtown Seafood, says many of his suppliers of Canadian oysters are raising their prices

country,” he said.

There’s also a quality consideration.

“Canadian oysters simply have the size, flavor profile and brand recognition that our customers prefer and have grown to love,” he said.

On Tuesday, most of his suppliers told Szeliga they’d be raising prices He only made one purchase while the tariff was in effect, buying some “sweet petite” oysters from Prince Edward Island, to make sure a wholesale client had enough product. He paid the whole 25% markup himself and didn’t pass it along to his client, eating the extra cost. The suppliers’ price increases are likely to come down now that the tariffs are postponed, but only for a month.

Now that he has a month reprieve, Szeliga said he plans to adjust his own inventory and work with his wholesale clients to plan out a menu that will be less affected by the tariffs. That might mean replacing higher-priced, higherquality oysters with domestic or lower-priced Canadian offerings.

“Now that we have a picture of what this is probably going to look like, let’s just start designing out your menus so that we’re prepared and it’s not complete bedlam again,” he said. “Even if prices come down, we know prices are going to come up to X, Y, Z (when the tariffs return).” He said he’ll be asking his clients, “What products are going to work for you in a month?”

Stocks’ sell-off worsens

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK The U.S. stock mar-

ket’s sell-off cut deeper on Monday as Wall Street questioned how much pain President Donald Trump will let the economy endure through tariffs and other policies in order to get what he wants.

The S&P 500 dropped to drag it close to 9% below its all-time high, which was set just last month. At one point, the S&P 500 was on track for its worst day since 2022. That’s when the highest inflation in generations was shredding budgets and raising worries about a possible recession that ultimately never came.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq composite also fell.

It was the worst day yet in a scary stretch where the S&P 500 has swung more than 1%, up or down, seven times in eight days because of Trump’s on -and- off -again tariffs The worry is that the whipsaw moves will either hurt the economy directly or create enough uncertainty to drive U.S. companies and consumers into an economy-freezing paralysis.

The economy has already given some signals of weakening, mostly through surveys showing increased pessimism. And a widely followed collection of real-time indicators compiled by the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta suggests the U.S. economy may already be shrinking.

Asked over the weekend whether he was expecting a recession in 2025, Trump told Fox News Channel: “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.”

Trump says he wants to bring manufacturing jobs back to the United States, among other reasons he’s given for tariffs. His Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, has also said the economy may go through a “detox” period as it weans off an addiction to spending by the government. The White House is trying to limit federal spending, while also cutting the federal workforce and increasing deportations, which could hinder the job market.

The U.S. job market is still showing stable hiring at the moment, to be sure, and the economy ended last year running at a solid rate. But economists are marking down their forecasts for how the economy will perform this year At Goldman Sachs, for example, David Mericle cut his estimate for U.S. economic growth to 1.7% from 2.2% for the end of 2025 over the year before, largely because tariffs look like they’ll be bigger than he was previously forecasting. He sees a one-in-five chance of a recession over the next year, raising it only slightly because “the White House has the option to pull back policy changes” if the risks to the economy “begin to look more serious.”

DA won’t support resentencing Menendez brothers

BY CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press

LOS ANGELES The district

attorney of Los Angeles County said Monday that he does not support the resentencing of Lyle and Erik Menendez because the brothers have repeatedly lied about why they killed their parents at their Beverly Hills home in 1989.

District Attorney Nathan Hochman told reporters his decision hinged on whether the brothers’ had exhibited “insight and complete responsibility” into lies told during their trial, including their original claim that they did not kill their parents He said their repeated argument that they shot their parents in self-defense does not match the facts of the case that showed premeditated steps to plan the kill-

Hochman said.

Hochman compared the Menendez case to that of Sirhan Sirhan, who shot and killed U.S. Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in 1968. He noted that, like the Menendez brothers, Sirhan had many letters of support and was determined to be a lowrisk inmate. However, Gov. Gavin Newsom blocked his parole in 2022, saying Sirhan still poses an unreasonable threat to the public.

Hochman called it an “instructive case” because, like Sirhan, the Menendez brothers “fell short” of taking full responsibility for their crimes.

Trump predicts no government shutdown

BY NIELS LESNIEWSKI CQ-Roll Call (TNS)

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump alleged Sunday that “the Democrats want” a government shutdown at the end of this week, but he predicted that a lapse in appropriations probably will not take place this time.

“I think the CR is going to get passed. We’ll see. But it could happen,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force

One, referring to a continuing resolution that would extend current funding until the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. The current funding extension expires at the end of Friday

The wrangling over that continuing resolution to prevent a partial shutdown will dominate the agenda for both the House and the Senate this week. The House Republican majority posted

text of a stopgap appropriations measure Saturday that is not a bipartisan agreement. Democrats sought provisions to ensure that appropriated funds will actually be spent and not subject to the potential whims of the Elon Musk-led office known as the Department of Government Efficiency

“Democrats have a choice to join us or display their true intentions. Should they choose to vote to shut the government for negotiation leverage and their contempt of President Trump, they are readying to hurt hundreds of millions more,” House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole, R-Oklahoma, said in a weekend statement. “It’s a battle they lost in November, and one the people will continue to see through.”

Sen. Patty Murray, of Washington, the top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, is arguing for a shorter stopgap that would preserve the possibility of an omnibus.

ings and make it look like a gang hit.

“They have lied to everyone for the last 30 years,”

The county’s top prosecutor said he would support resentencing in the future

if the brothers “finally come clean with the court, with the public, with the DA’s office, with their own family members and acknowledge all these lies.” He acknowledged the siblings have taken positive steps toward rehabilitation, including earning advanced degrees and repeatedly scoring low on inmate risk assessments.

A resentencing hearing initiated by a court has been scheduled for later in March.

The pair began their bid for freedom in recent years after new evidence of their father’s sexual abuse emerged, and they have the support of most of their extended family

Family members of

Erik and Lyle Menendez slammed Hochman’s assertion that the brothers do not meet the standards for resentencing.

“Let’s be clear: Erik and Lyle are not the same young boys they were more than 30 years ago,” the Justice for Erik and Lyle Coalition said in a statement Monday. “They have apologized for the horrific actions they took. They have apologized to us. And, they have demonstrated their atonement through actions that have helped improve countless lives. Yet, DA Hochman is effectively asking for them to publicly apologize to a checklist of actions they took in a state of shock and fear.”

Canada’s next PM: Transition will be quick

BY ROB GILLIES Associated Press

TORONTO Canada’s next prime minister met with outgoing prime minister Justin Trudeau on Monday and vowed a quick transition.

Mark Carney said he had a long meeting with Trudeau in which they discussed U.S.-Canada relations, national security issues and the timing of the handover in power

“That transition will be seamless and it will be quick,” said Carney, adding there would be an announcement soon.

Carney a two-time central bank chief, will become prime minister after the governing Liberal Party elected him its leader Sunday in a landslide vote with 85.9% support.

Carney, 59, replaces Trudeau who announced his resignation in January but

remains prime minister until his successor is sworn in. Carney is widely expected to trigger a parliamentary election in the coming days or weeks amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariff and annexation threats. Or the opposition parties in Parliament could force one with a no-confidence vote later this month. Carney is a former Goldman Sachs executive with no experience in politics.

He navigated crises when he was the head of the Bank of Canada from 2008, and then in 2013 when 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. He helped managed the worst impacts of Brexit in the U.K.

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court agreed on Monday in a case from Colorado to decide whether state and local governments can enforce laws banning conversion therapy for LGBTQ+ children. The conservative-led court is taking up the case amid

actions by President Donald Trump targeting transgender people, including a ban on military service and an end to federal funding for gender-affirming care for transgender minors.

The justices also have heard arguments in a Tennessee case over whether state bans on treating transgender minors violate the Constitution. But they have yet to issue a decision. Colorado is among roughly half the states that prohibit the practice of trying to change a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling.

The issue is whether the law violates the speech rights of counselors Defenders of such laws argue that they regulate the conduct of professionals who are licensed by

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAMIAN DOVARGANES

Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman, at podium, speaks Monday during a news conference in downtown Los Angeles.

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2nd suspect arrested in hazing death

Southern student collapsed during ritual, police say

LOUISIANA AT LARGE BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

Law enforcement on Monday arrested a second suspect in the death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson.

Rouge police spokesperson.

Wilson died during a fraternity hazing ritual on Feb. 27, police said.

Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse Jr said Friday that Wilson’s death was the “direct result” of being punched while pledging Omega Psi Phi.

slaughter and hazing. McCray made his initial court appearance Friday afternoon, where his bail was set at $100,000, attorney Phillip Robinson said, while proclaiming his client’s innocence.

pair of black boxing gloves, according to McCray’s arrest warrant affidavit.

Maylee Samuels has been playing the dulcimer for 30 years, and in advance of a local dulcimer St. Patrick’s Day-themed workshop set for Friday, she offered me a lesson.

“It’s one of those things that if you pick it up and start playing with it, you realize how much enjoyment you can get out of it,” Samuels said.

She is right. Sitting with the long, threestringed instrument in my lap and making legitimate music, albeit alongside an expert, was a blast.

Samuels is an excellent teacher I loved harkening back to all those piano lessons remembering how to follow music with my eyes while my hands did something else. That said, even if I had come to the lesson with zero musical knowledge, Samuels would have carried on undeterred.

“A lot of people I teach don’t have any musical instrument at all,” she said. “The goal for lesson one is to be able to talk and strum and keep the rhythms going — and not even realize that you’re strumming with your hand.”

Once we had accomplished the feat of my automatically strumming with a pick in my right hand, we began to focus on my left hand hitting the right frets to get chords for songs.

“The thing that makes the dulcimer unique is, if you look at it, the frets are unequal,” Samuels said.

She explained the connection between the frets and, in my piano parlance, “the black keys” or half notes.

Based on the single hour I spent learning to play, I was amazed at how easy it was — and like Samuels said, how much enjoyment could come from strumming chords and making music with someone else. (Granted, I was steadily strumming, and she was doing fancy fingerpicking.)

Samuels teaches regular classes and jams with a group of local dulcimer enthusiasts multiple times a week. She is a part of Baton Rouge-based Lagniappe Dulcimer Society, the ones hosting the Friday workshop and concert, including Irish music to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day and a performance by Jessica Comeau.

Spending time with someone like Samuels is such a great reminder that there are people out there doing things on a regular basis that I know so little about — and just how much fun all those things can be.

Playing a dulcimer falls in that category.

Within minutes of sitting down for my lesson in Samuels’ home, we were jamming to “Bile Them Cabbage Down,” a tune based on an old English country dance, first printed in 1765 and recorded much later by Hank Williams. Samuels’ home is covered in dulcimers. She said she has had to curtail her habit of buying the instrument.

She got started on the dulcimer in the same way she said many other people do — on vacation in North Carolina.

“We stopped to get gas and this fellow had all these dulcimers hung around in his filling station,” she said. “We didn’t get one, but I kept thinking about them On the way back, we stopped again and my husband said, ‘If you really want one, go ahead.’ So I got one and came back to Baton Rouge.”

When Lauren Cooper, another Baton Rouge dulcimer enthusiast, first messaged me about learning to play the dulcimer, I will confess that I couldn’t picture exactly what a dulcimer looked like. With a bit of research, I learned some of the instrument’s long history The mountain dulcimer was

ä See RISHER, page 2B

Kyle Thurman 25, was booked into the West Baton Rouge Parish Detention Center on Monday, after he was arrested in Port Allen by West Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies and the U.S. Marshals Service,aSheriff’sOfficespokesperson said

Thurman is expected to be transferred to East Baton Rouge Parish Prison and booked on a count of felony hazing, according to a Baton

Morse also said police were preparing warrants to arrest two additional suspects.

Late Thursday, former Southern student Caleb McCray, 23, surrendered to Baton Rouge police, marking the first arrest following the death of the 20-year-old junior engineering student and Kenner native.

McCray was booked into Parish Prison on one count each of man-

Wilson, a former trumpet player for Southern’s famed Human Jukebox marching band, died after he was punched in the chest during a pledge event at a warehouse at 3412 Woodcrest Drive, Morse said. During the ritual, pledges were brought to the building and forced to change into gray sweatsuits.

With Wilson and eight other hopefuls lined up according to height, McCray and two others took turns punching them in the chest using a

All the pledges absorbed four punches from fraternity members imposing the rite of passage, authorities said. Each punch represented one of the fraternity’s “four cardinal principles”: manhood, scholarship, perseverance and uplift

Investigators were told neither Omega Psi Phi members nor pledges were allowed to bring cellphones inside the warehouse during the pledging ritual, a source close to the investigation said.

According to his arrest affidavit, McCray delivered the final blow before Wilson collapsed to the floor

ä See HAZING, page 2B

NAMES TO REMEMBER

LEFT: National Guard member Dylan David remembers his fallen comrades during an event to honor them on the 10-year anniversary of their deaths as state Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Baton Rouge, watches on Monday on the steps of the State Capitol in Baton Rouge.

120-year sentence doled out in BR rampage

Man pleads guilty to killing grandmother, stabbing mother

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

A judge sentenced a Baton Rouge man to 120 years in prison Monday, after he pleaded guilty to multiple charges tied to killing his 78-year-old grandmother, stabbing his mother and shooting three other people during an August 2021 rampage. Aaron Morgan, 32, was slated to stand trial this week for second-degree murder and 15 other charges connected to his oneman path of violence. Instead, he agreed to a plea deal sparing him a possible mandatory life sentence. Morgan copped to a reduced charge of manslaughter for kill-

ing his grandmother Dianne Gafford inside her Wimbledon Estates home Aug. 1, 2021. District Judge Gail Horne Ray handed down the maximum 40-year sentence on that charge. She tacked on another 50 years for attempted first-degree murder, after Morgan pleaded guilty to stabbing his mother multiple times in the neck and chest when she came home shortly after Gafford was killed. Morgan also admitted his guilt to armed robbery and four other counts of attempted murder Ray gave him another 30 years for those charges. Morgan lived in the residence in the 7600 block of John Newcombe Avenue with his grandmother Police found the woman dead with multiple stab wounds, severe facial bruising and a plastic strap

Man posing as doctor faces 5 years in federal prison

BR paramedic pleads guilty to fraud

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

A former Baton Rouge paramedic who posed as a doctor and wrote prescriptions under the assumed identities of two local physicians pleaded guilty to fraud charges in federal court. Samrat Mukherjee, 36, entered his guilty plea Thursday to a charge of making false statements relating to health care matters. He faces up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. U.S. District Judge John deGravelles has yet to set a sentencing date, court officials said Monday Mukherjee was a licensed

paramedic for Acadian Ambulance Service, a Lafayettebased medical transport company Federal prosecutors said he began telling friends and co-workers he was a licensed doctor even though he never completed medical school or even received his undergraduate degree. He went as far as creating a fake residency “match letter” and presenting a fake degree in 2018 that showed he graduated from the Tulane University School of Medicine. But at Thursday’s hearing at the U.S. District Courthouse in Baton Rouge, Mukherjee admitted those were all lies, U.S. Attorney April Leon said. According to the federal authorities, he was granted physician access privileges at several hospitals and saw patients at

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Student arrested in stabbing

A 17-year old has been arrested after allegedly stabbing another student at White Castle High School on Monday afternoon, according to the Iberville Parish Sheriff’s Office.

CRIME BLOTTER staff reports

The boy is being charg e d wi th on e count each of aggravated second-degree battery and carrying a dangerous weapon by a student at a school.

In a letter circulated to parents, Iberville Parish schools Superintendent Louis Voiron said the injured student, who is another boy, received immediate medical attention and was transported to a hospital. His condition is unknown but does not appear to be

life-threatening, Iberville Sheriff Brett Stassi said. The school is in close contact with the family of the victim, according to the letter

The school said it is cooperating with the Sheriff’s Office.

Shortly after the stabbing occurred at 12:44 p.m. on school grounds, White Castle High was put on lockdown as law enforcement arrived on the scene. It was lifted once the campus was secured

“We want to assure you that the safety and wellbeing of our students and staff remain our paramount concern,” the letter reads.

The school said it is providing additional counselors and support for students and staff in the coming days.

Police seek public’s help in shooting

Baton Rouge police are asking for the public’s held in an investigation into the fatal shooting of 14-yearold Derrick Dorsey on Friday

Dorsey was struck multiple times about 10:20 p.m. as he sat in an apartment in the 5900 block of Cadillac Street. He died at the scene.

Police said an assailant fired multiple times into the apartment from the outside. The incident does not appear to have been an accident, said a police spokesperson.

Anyone with information on the shooting is encouraged to contact the Violent Crimes Unit at (225) 3894869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

Doja Cat-dancing parrot stolen

BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer

Staff at Magnolia Wilds, formerly called Barn Hill Preserve, in Ethel arrived at work Sunday to a disturbing sight: A crime scene at their animal sanctuary

The gate to one of the enclosures had been forcibly removed, and upon closer inspection, they found Mango, a white-bellied caique parrot, had vanished.

The incident, which staff said appears to be a calculated theft, is being investigated by the East Feliciana Parish Sheriff’s Office So far there is no trace of their beloved feathered entertainer

“It’s so unusual out here, because we’re mostly surrounded by families and people that we know,” said Hunter Hullet, the preserve’s executive director Parrots are considered so-

PARAMEDIC

Continued from page 1B

intensive care units.

Mukherjee sported medical clothes with “M.D.” and “Flight Surgeon” insignias on them. Between May 2019 and November 2022, he called in prescriptions to various pharmacies for

RAMPAGE

Continued from page 1B

wrapped around her neck, according to an arrest warrant.

Previously, Morgan had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity and his murder trial was scheduled to begin Monday In exchange for admitting guilt, state prosecutors dismissed nine charges against Morgan for attempted armed robbery, theft of a motor vehicle and five counts of aggravated assault with a firearm on police officers. He remained calm and largely silent other than to answer the judge’s questions as he entered his guilty pleas.

“I would like to apologize to those I hurt,” he said “I would give anything to go back, control myself and my actions that day.”

Wendy Aymond, Morgan’s mother, sobbed Monday as she recalled what she described as the worst day of her life.

“To those of you who suffered because of my son, I feel the burden of what Aaron has done to you and your families,” she said shortly before she turned and faced Morgan.

“You are my son. I hate what you did, but I do not hate you,” Aymond said, speaking directly to him as he sat in the defendant’s chair “I am your mom and I will never stop loving you. You asked for my forgiveness and you have it. You had it before you even asked.”

The deadly violence start-

cially monogamous for life, and can form exceptionally strong bonds with their owners. Not so surprisingly, when 14-year-old Mango was donated to the zoo about a year ago, he wasn’t inclined to make new friends. “At first, he was very standoffish,” Hullet said Over the months, however, Mango slowly warmed up, becoming a charismatic staff favorite and appearing as a regular guest at nearby elementary schools. He was constantly talking and showing off his dance moves, Hullet said. For parrots, dancing involves a mix of pumping, bobbing and back and forth motions.

During sensory enrichment activities, Mango was known for an unusual affinity for the Grammy Awardwinning rapper Doja Cat

“They definitely have preferences,” Hullet said. “He loved to dance to Doja Cat.”

himself and other patients, claiming to be two different credentialed doctors. One of those doctors sued Mukherkjee in civil court. According to filings in that ongoing case, Mukherjee managed to get an access badge as a “resident” at Baton Rouge General Medical Center under false pretenses and was also seen entering Our Lady of the Lake

ed out as a domestic disturbance before it escalated and spilled out into the general public. Before he killed her Gafford called Morgan’s mother and told her he was acting strangely. When Aymond came to the house and confronted a bloody Morgan in the carport, he stabbed her multiple times in the neck and chest, critically wounding her, and stole her car and 9 mm Glock, deputies said.

Morgan then went to the Highland Road Marketplace in the 18100 block of Highland Avenue and shot three people in the parking lot of Alexander’s grocery store, while trying to steal their vehicles. He later found and stole an unoccupied Toyota Highlander, left unlocked and running, and led deputies on a chase down Interstate 10 in the Toyota.

Officers pursued Morgan, who drove to the CVS at Bluebonnet Boulevard and Jefferson Highway When a driver pulled behind him and called authorities, Morgan jumped out of the SUV and fired at the driver who suffered minor injuries from shattered glass.

Deputies shot Morgan multiple times when he raised a gun and took aim at them just before the officers took him into custody.

“Aaron Morgan took several pleas this morning for a total of 120 years,” East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore said in a statement afterward

“Each conviction was for a crime of violence and each victim impacted by Mr Morgan’s actions was consulted and agreed to the plea agreement. All parties involved

RISHER

Continued from page 1B

created in the Appalachian Mountains in the early 1800s, but the instrument’s history goes back much further

Even King Nebuchadnezzar recognized the allure of the dulcimer

Daniel 3:10 reads: “Thou, O king, hast made a decree, that every man that shall hear the sound of the cornet, flute, harp, sackbut, psaltery, and dulcimer, and all kinds of musick, shall fall down and worship. …”

HAZING

Continued from page 1B

and began having a seizure. Fraternity members did not call 911 after Wilson experienced the medical episode and waited to bring him to a hospital, sources said. An autopsy report mentioned in the arrest affidavit revealed a small bruise to the right side of Wilson’s chest.

According to the Smithsonian, the word dulcimer comes from the Latin and Greek works dulce and melos which combine to mean “sweet tune.”

Cooper said she began playing by showing up for a free lesson that the Lagniappe Dulcimer Society hosted two years ago.

“I showed up with a dulcimer I purchased 15 years prior,” Cooper said. From there, she said the group took her under its wings and taught her to play

“Because the group jams weekly,” she said, “I had the opportunity to grow

in a hazing incident in 2017. Louisiana’s anti-hazing law prohibits hazing regardless of whether the targeted person voluntarily allowed it Violators face a $1,000 fine and six months behind bars.

my skills quickly, learn Cajun and Appalachian tunes I didn’t know and find a really wonderful community of friends.”

The Lagniappe Dulcimer Society’s St. Patrick’s Daythemed workshop and free concert is on Friday at the Bluebonnet Library 9200 Bluebonnet Blvd., Baton Rouge. The cost to attend the workshop is $35, and the 4 p.m. concert by Comeau is free. Email laurenhcooper2020@gmail.com for more details about the workshop.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

At this time, no motive is known, though the crime echoes a string of animal thefts in 2023, when a 61-year-old man stole 12 monkeys from their enclosure at Zoosiana in Broussard. Two days earlier, a 24-year-old was arrested for stealing two Tamarin monkeys at the Dallas zoo.

The preserve is offering a $500 reward for any information that leads to Mango’s safe return.

“We are heartbroken and desperate to bring Mango home,” Hullet wrote on the preserve’s Facebook page.

Anyone with information about Mango is encouraged to call the Magnolia Wilds office at (225) 286-3003 or email info@magnoliawilds. com.

Email Aidan McCahill aaidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.

Hospital and other clinics wearing a white lab coat with “Samrat Mukherjee M.D.” embroidered on it. Mukherjee was fired from Acadian Ambulance in December 2022, when officials from the paramedic company became aware of his scheme.

Email Matt Bruce at matt bruce@theadvocate.com.

believe that this was an appropriate and just verdict.”

Several of the people Morgan victimized sat inside the courtroom with their loved ones Monday and expressed forgiveness. Some encouraged him to find solace in God while he serves time behind bars.

“What a very sad day,” said Vandy Tullis, one of the victims of Morgan’s rampage.

“But also at the same time, justice is being served.”

Beverly Debbie Thomas spent 12 days in a hospital recovering and had to undergo multiple reconstructive surgeries after Morgan shot into her vehicle while she and her autistic daughter were inside.

Thomas was shot in the cheek, shoulder and face and said she still has bullet fragments lodged in her mouth. She continues to struggle with the mental anguish of bullets whizzing through her car doors and shattering her windshield as she and her daughter screamed in horror

“It was probably the most traumatic, frightening experience I’ve ever been through,” she told the judge.

Email Matt Bruce at matt bruce@theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2025

PICK 3: 5-7-0

PICK 4: 0-0-7-5

PICK 5: 5-9-8-5-6

Wilson’s full autopsy report is not yet complete, Shane Tindall, the East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner’s Office chief of investigations, said Friday The cause and manner of his death remain undetermined pending additional tests, which likely will take several months, Tindall said.

Morse said Wilson was taken to Baton Rouge General Medical Center Police were called there about 2:40 a.m. Feb. 27, the police chief said. Before leaving the hospital, the men who dropped Wilson off said they had been playing basketball with him at a Baton Rouge park, Morse said.

In Louisiana, hazing can be a felony under the Max Gruver Act, passed by the Louisiana Legislature in 2018 and named after an LSU Phi Delta Theta pledge who died

If the person being hazed dies or is seriously injured, penalties increase to a $10,000 fine and five years in prison. The increased penalties also apply if hazing involves coerced alcohol consumption that leaves the victim’s blood alcohol concentration at or above 0.30%.

Morse told reporters Friday the case remains an “active, ongoing” investigation involving his department, the East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney’s Office with cooperation from Southern.

Southern President Dennis Shields said Friday that Omega Psi Phi was ordered to “cease all activities” at the university Additionally, the university suspended all campus club and Greek life recruiting through the academic year, Shields said.

University officials are conducting an internal investigation of Wilson’s death, and Shields said student groups face the “prospect of discipline,” and it’s possible some students could be expelled.

Southern Board of Supervisors Chair Tony Clayton,

who is the 18th Judicial District attorney in West Baton Rouge Parish, said in an interview he is pushing for the fraternity to be removed from the university In 2005, Omega Psi Phi was kicked off Southern’s Baton Rouge campus, archives from The Advocate | The Times-Picayune show The university ordered a three-year expulsion, after university officials found “overwhelming evidence” a fraternity pledge was severely beaten, with injuries that led to internal bleeding.

Meanwhile, Wilson’s family shortly after his Feb 27 death thanked the community for its “unwavering” support. Wilson’s father Corey Wilson, worked as a deputy with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office for 35 years. The elder Wilson also worked security details for Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson. Caleb Wilson’s mother is a student at Southern’s New Orleans campus. In a recent statement released by the Jefferson Sheriff’s Office, Wilson’s family said, “We are committed to seeking the truth about the circumstances surrounding Caleb’s passing and ensuring that no other family has to endure such a tragedy.”

Methodist Church 16428 Tunica Trace-Hwy 66 in Tunica, at noon.

Amoroso, Evelyn Soileau

Evelyn Soileau Amoroso passed from this life, surrounded by her family, on Tuesday, March 4, 2025 at the age of 74. She was born on January 26, 1951 in New Orleans, raised in Metairie and was aresident of Baton Rouge since 1991. Evelyn was preceded in death by her father, Perry Dewey Soileau, her mother, Lorita Mary Soileau, and her brother, Michael E. Soileau, Sr. She is survived by her husband of 53 years, August J. Amoroso, Jr., their sons, August J. Amoroso, III and wife Lauriel,Samuel D. Amoroso and wife Hannah, and adaughter, Claire A. Duplechain and her husband Michael.She is also survived by her sister, Cheryl Blum, and grandchildren Rebekah and Stephen Amoroso, and Jacob and Anna Duplechain. Evelyn was aloving wife, mother, grandmother, and teacher. Graduating from Archbishop Chapelle High School in Metairie in 1969, she met her future husband, August, and they soon began their lifelong adventure together. As an Army Wife, she traveled around the U.S.A., Europe and Asia supporting her soldier husband and raising their family in often challenging circumstances and locations; concurrently, she advanced her education and career earning abachelor's degree in education from the University of St. Mary in Leavenworth, Kansas and aMaster's Degree in Education with a Gifted Certificate from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge. In 1991, Evelyn began her teaching career in Baton Rouge at Dufroq Elementary. Once she obtained her gifted education certificate, she moved to Brownfields Elementary where she taught in the Gifted and Talented Program. She later moved toSoutheast Middle School and finally to Woodlawn Middle School where she became the Literacy Coach until her retirement in 2011 after acareer of 20 years in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System.In her retirement she enjoyed traveling with familyand friends, loving her grandchildren, hosting family dinners and in particular playing Mah Jong with her long time teaching colleagues every week. Her favorite place to be was the lake house at Old River with her grandchildren. The family wishes to thank the care providersat Mary Bird Perkins, Woman's Hospital,and The HospiceofBaton Rouge for their caring and professional service. Services will be on Tuesday, March 11, 2025 at 2 p.m. followed by memorial and visitation until 6p.m. at Rabenhorst Funeral Home East, 11000 Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, La 70815. In lieu of flowers please make contributions in her name to the Volunteers of America, South Central Louisiana, 7389 Florida Blvd., Suite 101A, Baton Rouge, LA 708064657, (225) 387-0061, www.voascla.org.

longtime member of Broadmoor United Methodist Church. She enjoyed spending time with her grandchildren, especially shopping. She loved to cook for her family and decorate for all of the holidays

Jo Ann issurvived by her husband of 66 years, Ronald F. Atwood; daughters, Rhonda Culp (Chris) and Monica Atwood; grandchildren, Jason Kuhns (Darlene), Laura Albarez (Rory), Susan Turk (Charlie)and Woodrow Day, Jr.(Heather); and great grandchildren, Hayden, Ashlyn, Cole,and Flynn. Jo Ann is precededin death by her parents; 3 brothers; and 5sisters.

Relativesand friends are invitedtojoin the family at Seale Funeral Home, Denham Springs on Thursday, March 13, 2025 for a visitation starting at 9:00 AM until the Funeral Service at 11:00 AM conducted by Reverend Tom Cook. Graveside service will immediately follow at Evergreen MemorialGardens Mausoleum.

Barbara Hoskin Blackwood passed awayather home in Baton Rouge,LA on Sunday, March 9, 2025 at the age of 91. She wasa native of Plaquemines Parish and agraduate of Buras High School.She met William C.Blackwood Sr., then married and lived a life revolving around Bill's oil and gas industrywork. Barbara was aresident of Lafayette,Houma, Moss Bluff, and finallyofBaton Rouge. Barbarawas primarily acaregiver and homemaker. She hada passion for decorating, art, and gardening. She excelledatthem all. Barbara was alifelong Catholic and volunteeredfor many church projects. She was especially proud of the banners and stained-glass windows she designed for St. Theodore Catholic Church in Moss Bluff. Avisitation will be held at St. Theodore Catholic Church inMoss Bluff on Thursday, March 13, 2025 beginning at 9:30 AM with aMass of Christian Burial to follow at10:30 AM. Interment will follow at Old RitchieCemetery. Barbaraissurvived bytwo sons, WilliamC Blackwood, Jr.(Chris) and Benny Joe Blackwood; six grandchildren, Lesley Claire Blackwood (Eric), Monica Lynn Blackwood, Jennifer Ann Higgins (Andy), Brian Paul Blackwood (Lisa), KevinMichael Blackwood (Lauren), and CourtneyLynn Andrepont; ten great grandchildren, Ava Keown, Van Hedrick, Betty Blackwood, Liza Blackwood, Andy Blackwood, Isla Blackwood, Reid Blackwood, Lana Blackwood, Levi Andrepont, Hollis Andrepont; along with numerous nieces, nephews, and godchildren. Shewas preceded in death by her husband, WilliamC Blackwood, Sr.; her parents, Benjamin and Marguerite Weber Hoskin; brother and sister-in-law, Raymond and Joycelyn Hoskin; sister and brotherin-law, Dorothy and Donald Albarado. Our gratitude goes to the Russos for including Mom in family dinners and get togethers. Special thanks to Brenda Harris and Angela Thomas for caring for Mom in her final year of life.

Hixson Funeral Home of Moss Bluff is in charge of all funeral arrangements.

Cooper, Clyde Allen 'Skip'

Romans 8:35, 38-39 *35 Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine,or nakedness, or peril, or sword? *38 For Iamconvinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, *39 nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be ableto separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord." Clyde "Skip" Allen Cooper Jr., 70, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025 aftera sevenyear battle with ALS.A longtime resident of Pride,Skip

Cooper Jr., 70, passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025 after aseven year battle withALS. Alongtime resident of Pride, Skip worked as afirefighter for the Baton Rouge Fire Department for 31 years before retiring as the Chief of Supply. He also worked as abrick mason for his entire life-originally forhis father and then independently.Every person needs a"Skip"intheir life; quick with asmile and laugh, Skip was aman who was the first to volunteer to help and thelast to leave the job. If you had aproblem, he could fix it or he had afriend who would. Skip is survived by his wife of 42 years, Susan, children Keith Cooper (Jessica), Todd Cooper (Meredith), and Michelle Kohler (Joshua); grandchildren LillianKohler, Nicholas Golden Cooper, and Lucille Kohler. He is also survived by his sister, RhondaCooper Martin (Craig), brothers Jeffrey Cooper (Vickie), David Cooper (Tanya), father-in-law Stanley Browning, sister-in-law Jayne Bacot, brother-in-law Stan Browning (Casey), and numerous dear nieces and nephews. He was preceded in deathbyhis parents Clyde and Dorothy Cooper, nephew Joshua Cooper, mother-in-law Cathryn Browning, brother-in-law Sam Bacot,and his two beloved "grand-dogs" Kira and Dallas. Visitationwill be at Zoar Baptist Church on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 from 9:00am until 11:00am. Funeral service will begin at 11:00am. Graveside service and burial will follow in Zoar Baptist Church Cemetery. Pallbearers will be his sons, his son-in-law, his brothers, and his dear friend Dale Colomb. The love and support shown to Skip throughout his battle was paramount to his comfort and perseverance; it is veryappreciated by his family. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Baton Rouge ALS Clinic, 5247 Didesse Dr, Baton Rouge, LA 70808 or Zoar Cemetery Fund.

Mary Lewis 'Hazel

Mary “Hazel” Lewis Garvin passed away peace‐fully on Saturday March 8, 2025, at St Clair Manor Nursing Home in Baton Rouge, at the age of 95. She was a native and lifelong resident of Plaquemine Hazel was a homemaker Visitation will be at Wilbert Funeral Home in Plaquem‐ine on Wednesday, March 12th, 9 a.m until religious service at 1 p.m. con‐ducted by Pastor Chuck Brownell Burial will follow in Greenoaks Memorial Park in Baton Rouge. Hazel is survived by her children, Brenda Faye Williams, Leroy “Donald” Garvin (Pa‐tricia), William “Bill” C Garvin Mary Elizabeth Garvin, Michael E. Garvin; daughter-in-law, Lisa Garvin; 16 grandchildren; 31 great-grandchildren; 24 great-great grandchildren. Hazel was preceded in death by her parents, Grover and Arminthe Mouille Lewis; son Elroy “Ronald” Garvin Sr.; 2 grandchildren; siblings, Myrtle Lively, Ida Faulkner, Fannie Aicklen, Merrick "Buck" Lewis Sr. Monroe "Stack" Lewis and Joseph "JC" Lewis Sr.; ex-husband, Elroy E. Garvin; son-in-law, Joseph Williams, Jr. Dona‐tions to the funeral home to defray funeral costs would be appreciated in lieu of flowers Please share memories at www wilbertservices. com

passed away on Friday, March 7, 2025 at theage of

86.. In her early years, Bar-

bara worked at the old El-

liot's Clothing Store in Gon-

zales where she met her future husband.She worked in accounting for years at renowned places like DynaFab, Bechtel, Lamar Lane Chevrolet, JW Contractors and lastly, Turner Industries, where she retired after 9years of service. After retiring, she volunteered locally at St. ElizabethHospital for7 years with the Ladies Auxiliary where she made many friendsand helped the community. Every ER visit or hospital stay was just another chance to see her old friends fromwhen she volunteered. No matter where she worked or volunteered she always made friends with everyone from the top of the ladder to the bottom, most of whom she still keptintouch with. Around town, Barbara was known for attending Church with friendsand sharing lunch or dinner after. She spent time with her family as much as she could through daily phone calls, misspelled text messages and unannounced visits. She loved to bake MawMaw Bread for everyone including her favorite local policemen and she was sure this would keep her from ever getting a speeding ticket.Every few weeks Barbara played cards with her friends, which was something she looked forward to and she alwayshad astash of quarters ready for agame. She loved morning coffee &biscuits, listening to good music, good food, watching kidsplay, LSU football and she loved Elvis. Barbara couldn't help herself from touching as many babies in public as possible,never forgot a birthday, anniversary or phone number. She always said she was not creative and couldn't even draw a stick person, but she spent years embroidering nearly 100 sets of pillowcases which she loved to gift to friends and family. She was proceeded in deathby her husband of 50 years, Guy (T-Poe) Gautreau; parents,Solomon and Althea Cortez Hanna; sisters,Sylvia Templet Mire and Sheila Hanna; brothers Carroll Hanna and daughter-in-law, Sharon Simmons Gautreau and survived by her brother,Charles Hanna. Barbara/ Mama/MawMaw/Old Maw is survived by her children, Roger Gautreau &wife, Paula, JefferyGautreau and wife, Angie and daughter, Wendy Ingram; grandchildren, Andrew Gautreau, Justin Gautreau and wife, Delaney, Jacqueline Gautreau, Austin Ingram and wife, Rebecca Whitney, Taylor Gautreau and wife, Lindsey &Charlie Ingram and fiancé, Ethan Weaver; great-grandchildren, McKenzie Grandeury, FelicityWoolley, Audrey Gautreau, Gavin Gautreau Harris Robertson, Lillian Goodwin, Remi Weaver and LukeGautreau (due June 2025); great-great grandchildren,Theodore and Cecelia Foster. She loved her family, was proud of each of them and would do anything for them.

Barbara was also a member of alocal Wednesday Widows group where they shared food, prayer and fellowship.The streets of Gonzales won't be the same without her "running the roads". Visitationwill be on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at St.Theresa Of Avila Church in Gonzales, Louisiana beginning at 10am, followed by mass of Christian burial beginning at 12pm. Interment to fol-

Roger Gautreau &wife, Paula, Jeffery Gautreau and wife, Angie and daughter, Wendy Ingram; grandchildren,Andrew Gautreau,Justin Gautreau and wife, Delaney, Jacqueline Gautreau, Austin Ingram and wife, Rebecca Whitney, Taylor Gautreau and wife, Lindsey &Charlie Ingram and fiancé, Ethan Weaver; great-grandchildren, McKenzie Grandeury, Felicity Woolley, Audrey Gautreau,Gavin Gautreau, Harris Robertson, Lillian Goodwin,Remi Weaver and Luke Gautreau (due June 2025); great-great grandchildren,Theodore and Cecelia Foster. She loved her family, was proud of eachofthem and would do anything for them.

Barbara was also a member of alocal Wednesday Widows group where they shared food, prayer and fellowship.The streets of Gonzales won't be the same without her "running the roads". Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 12, 2025 at St. Theresa Of Avila Church in Gonzales, Louisiana beginning at 10am, followed by mass of Christian burial beginning at 12pm. Interment to follow at New River Baptist Church Cemetery in St. Amant, Louisiana. The family would like to thank the doctors and nurses at OLOL Main Campusand OLOL Ascension Campus (St. Elizabeth) who took such good care of Barbara and spoiled her during her recent hospitalizations. Thank you also to the Acadian Ambulance teams and the many firemen for their assistance. She really loved those firemen! In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to The Catholic Daughters Of Americas, Louisiana State Court. www.lastate.cda.org

Jenkins, James Hugh 'Jimmy'

neered avast

of the

traversed throughout Baton Rouge today. Jimmy then headed the formation of Vulcan Foundry in 1965, which specialized in municipal casting and grey iron until 1996 -another staple that can still be found around Baton Rouge today. In addition to the foundry, Jimmy wasa highly innovative businessman, includingreal estate development, aircraft distribution,oil &gas investment, cable television development, and even cellular telephonedevelopment. An avid fisherman, Jimmy joined the Louisiana Departmentof Wildlife Commission and the National MarineFisheries Council, helped form the Gulf Coast Conservation Association of Louisiana in 1984 (later to become CCA), andeventually became the Secretary of the LouisianaDepartment of Wildlife &Fisheries under Governor Mike Foster 1996-2004. Throughout his tenure as secretary, Jimmy accomplished many measures to protect our fishing& gaming industry, includingsaving the redfish by eradicating gillnets. Upon retirement in 2004, Jimmy was able to spend more time enjoying his passion for duck hunting at Oak Grove Hunting Club in Creole, LA. Throughouthis impressive business career, Jimmy continued to grow his family with his wife Bobbye, including4 children, 7 grandchildren,& 12 greatgrandchildren. "Pepa" wasanever-present source of support for all, creating fond memories of early morning fishing in Cocodrie,

James H. "Jimmy" Jenkins, Jr. passed away at his home on March9,2025 at the age of 92. Born in Lafayette on April 5, 1932, Jimmy moved with his family in 1934 to set his roots in Baton Rouge -only leaving to attend Rice University in 1954. But Jimmy shortly returned home that same year to marry his grade school sweetheart Barbara "Bobbye" Blanchard Jenkins and earn his degree in Civil Engineering from LSU in 1955. Jimmy then joined the United States Air Force 1955-1958 where he cultivated his life -long love for aviation -a passion that began at the behest of his father at the mere age of 16. He then joined his father in ownership of Jenkins Construction in 1960, which pioneered avast percentage of the roads still traversed throughout Baton Rouge today. Jimmy then headed the formation of Vulcan Foundry in 1965, which specialized in municipal casting and grey iron until 1996 -another staple that can still be found around Baton Rouge today. In addition to the foundry, Jimmy wasa highly innovative businessman, includingreal estate development, aircraft distribution,oil &gas investment, cable television development, and even cellular telephonedehis passion for duck hunting at Oak Grove Hunting Club in Creole, LA. Throughouthis impressive business career, Jimmy continued to grow his family with his wife Bobbye, including4 children, 7 grandchildren,& 12 greatgrandchildren. "Pepa" wasanever-present source of support for all, creating fond memories of early morning fishing in Cocodrie, camp fires after duck hunting at Oak Grove, flying in his Twin Shrike Commander with astash of Reese's peanut butter cups under theseat, and of course "Pepa's Secret Recipe" for peanut butter &jelly. Jimmy is survived by his wife, Dr. Susan Richarm (m.2018); fourchildren: son James "Jim" Jenkins, III & wife Tammy, daughter

Blackwood, Barbara Hoskin

Garvin,

The harrowing tale of an Afghan couple who found refuge in Louisiana thanks to the efforts of East Baton Rouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore and the Association of Prosecuting Attorneys provides a poignant example of why the United States cannot simply abdicate its role on the world stage.

The couple Afghan prosecutor Freshta and her husband Hadi, who asked that reporter Patrick Sloan-Turner use only their first names due to continued fear of retaliation had been living in Pakistan since 2021, when Kabul fell after the hasty and chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops under the Biden administration. Freshta worked with the U.S. military Hadi was a university professor and journalist When the Taliban came back to power, they knew they were targets for having worked with Western forces. Fleeing to Pakistan gave them a measure of safety but left them facing the constant threat of deportation as tensions rose between the two neighbors.

Moore and the APA had been working for months to get Freshta and Hadi to safety in the U.S. It was all coming to a head in recent weeks as Pakistan set a March 31 deadline for the repatriation of all Afghan refugees on its soil. Meanwhile, in January, just as Freshta and Hadi were set to board a plane to the U.S., the Trump administration halted the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program that gave Afghans an opportunity to resettle in the United States. But last week, a federal judge paused Trump’s immigration order and Freshta and Hadi again raced to the airport. This time, they were able to make it to Seattle, and from there to Baton Rouge. Moore and others are helping them get set up in a new home. A GoFundMe was started, and donations for the family are being collected at the Louisiana District Attorneys Association office at 2525 Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

In Louisiana, we pride ourselves on our hospitality, so we have faith the couple and their two young children will find open arms here. We admire the courage and persistence of Moore and the APA as they navigated legal minefields to get to this conclusion.

But it should have never come to this. As the country retreats into isolationism amid cries of “America First,” we cannot abandon those around the world who have put America first at great risk to themselves and their families. Lest you doubt that, note that the Taliban has killed 54 Afghan prosecutors since 2021, and 50 prosecutor families remain in danger Likewise, we are dismayed that the Trump administration is also seeking to unwind humanitarian parole programs that allowed thousands of migrants from Afghanistan, Ukraine and other countries to stay in the country legally if they had a U.S. sponsor These are desperate people who have looked to our country as a lifeline and followed the rules in place at the time. We cannot in good conscience turn our backs on them.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title 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.

The newly elected mayor of Baton Rouge is working toward having the library tax imposed on property owners diverted from its original intended use, the libraries, to the city parish general fund where it could be used for any purpose, but initially to prop up the Baton Rouge police department.

I am in no way opposed to supporting the Baton Rouge police, although I do live in St. George now where they did refuse to respond once in a time

of need, saying they didn’t cover the area where I lived. My concern is if they are allowed to divert those funds, those specifically voted in to improving our libraries, then what other city-parish monies will be tagged and siphoned in to cover future Baton Rouge needs. This move to start shuffling funds out of the parish kitty to cover Baton Rouge needs should be nipped in the bud.

VELTON KNIGHT St. George

Don’t break what’s working to fix what isn’t

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

It’s always discouraging when Louisiana makes the top of the worst and the bottom of the best in the ranking of the U.S. states, but there is one area where we have bragging rights. The Louisiana library system is one of the best in the nation, and the library here in East Baton Rouge Parish is the best of a great bunch. Over the years, the library has asked voters to approve increases in our property taxes to support it, and voters have wholeheartedly agreed. Now the new mayor thinks it would be a good idea to take money from one of the best and most popular public amenities to give a pay raise to the police. I hope my fellow citizens will join me in telling him to leave the library alone. It is a rare jewel. Let it shine.

I grew up in a small town near Fort Polk, Louisiana, graduating with just 30 classmates from Pitkin High School. Back then, that was a big class. Uncle Riley from church was also “Mr McCullough,” my eighth-grade civics teacher I still remember the laminated poster in his classroom showing the three branches of government: executive, legislative and judicial. The more he taught, the more I marveled at the genius of our Founding Fathers. I loved reading the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The Founding Fathers say that, as a natural-born citizen of the United States of America, these are my Godgiven rights.

JUDY BAILEY Baton Rouge

Their system of checks and balances fascinated me. The House versus the Senate, the federal government versus the states, the popular vote versus the Electoral College it seemed like every mechanism of government had a counterweight Brilliant. When Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy were elected by the people of Louisiana, they swore an oath to protect the Constitution our Founding Fathers wrote and the institutions enshrined therein. More important than our politics or our parties are the principles of our democracy They transcend any ideology, any group of people, any one person. My question to the senators is this: Will you defend our sacred Constitution and fulfill your sworn role to counterbalance the executive branch? Or will you let power go unchecked?

DEREK LEWIS Prairieville

Like most people, I was more than a little skeptical of our new president’s scheme to make Canada the 51st state. However, upon further reflection, there may be some merit to the notion for all concerned. Making Canada the 51st state is a nonstarter, but Canada has ten provinces and three territories. The ten provinces have way more population necessary for consideration for statehood. Wyoming was granted statehood with barely 60,000 people. Plus, to sweeten the deal, part of the conditions of statehood could be retaining the Canadian health system. Perhaps even adopting it ourselves? Not only that, but of the three territories, two are pretty close to statehoodworthy populations.

All in all, that would give former Canadians 24 new senators and a slew of representatives in the House. Not to be outdone, if Greenland could dress up a polar bear or two, they could cross the 60,000 threshold, adding another couple of senators.

Having seen this, Panama is bound to get into the act.

This, of course, would evolve into U.S. states from the Darian Gap to the North Pole, and if you think the U.S. government is too big now, just imagine one given sway over the entire continent.

DANIEL DELAUREAL LaCombe

My husband is a disabled veteran, we totally depend on the VA for his healthcare. The thought that those who gave their lives to serve their country would be without much-needed services is criminal. We need to fight to make sure that these services are never touched. We need to pay attention to everything that this administration is trying to do. Our future and that of future generations is on the line. We cannot let this happen.

JERMAINE DUPLESSIS LEWIS New Orleans

COMMENTARY

Bogalusa mayor’s social media posts follow a proven strategy

Bogalusa Mayor Tyrin Truong is deploying a familiar playbook.

The embattled Democratic mayor of the Washington Parish city has been sidelined since a state district judge appointed a fiscal administrator with broad power over the town’s finances a little over a week ago. The appointment came after revelations that the city owed more than $1 million in back payroll taxes and auditors said its revenue might not be enough to cover its expenses. This is the second time in six years Bogalusa has had a fiscal administrator With many of his duties assumed by the administrator, there hasn’t been much need for Truong to be around.

But the 25-year old hasn’t slowed his social media posts, where he has launched broadside after broadside against those he says are out to get him politically

“As it goes at the present moment, the City Council is working with the State to remove me from my job,” he wrote on Facebook on Feb. 24, days before the administrator was appointed “When the powers that be can’t beat you in the streets and at the ballot box, they take it to the courtroom with lies and allegations.”

He has also insisted that the city has money in the bank and that the financial problems were inherited from the previous administration.

Truong’s social media posts seem to follow the approach taken by President Donald Trump, who has used online platforms to build immense political power

It’s a comparison the mayor has heard before.

“I’ve been told that a few times,” he chuckled when I asked if it was intentional. “The only reason I say stuff on social media is to get the word out.”

Like Trump, Truong also has a legal problem in a criminal court: He was arrested in January by Louisiana State Police on counts related to a drug-trafficking investigation, though it should be noted that Truong is not charged with using or selling drugs. He’s accused of using proceeds from drug transactions, unauthorized use of a movable and soliciting for prostitutes. And of course, a charge is just an accusation; he’s not been convicted of anything.

Those charges, he has insisted, are fabricated, the product of political enmity from District Attorney Collin Sims who, Truong says, doesn’t like him because of his work to make Bogalusa better for regular Bogalusans.

“I have been a target since day one because I wouldn’t continue with ‘business as usual’ in Bogalusa,” he wrote in a Jan 14 Facebook post. An online fundraising campaign has been started to pay his legal fees, to bring in the “best and brightest defense attorneys in the country to fight these bogus unwarranted charges,” the fund’s page says. In about two months, the fund had raised $4,200 of its $40,000 goal. Whether Truong’s efforts will be as successful as Trump’s, I can’t say One key difference is the racial element: Truong is the city’s first Black mayor and he has argued that the entrenched White power structure in the region would like to see him gone. It can’t be immediately discounted: Racism has played a long and ugly history in Bogalusa. In the near term, things are not likely to get better for Truong. They’re not likely to get better for those in his administration, either In his first week, Robert Neilson, the fiscal administrator, let five employees go. And that is just the beginning. Before he was officially appointed, he predicted he’d need to cut as must as $1 million from

the city’s payroll to bring the finances in line.

Thursday, Bogalusa took another hit when several water main breaks caused most of the city, including the paper mill, the hospital, City Hall and several neighborhoods, to lose water service. The resulting boil advisory remained in effect Monday morning, forcing school closures Truong took to Facebook to say he was aware of the problem and to imply that Neilson, a CPA with offices in Bogalusa and Covington, might bear some of the blame. “We are witnessing DOGE right here in Bogalusa, with the entire city without water and many devoted people without a job within one week of being under a fiscal administrator,” he wrote. “This is a manufactured crisis to disregard what the voters of Bogalusa wanted.” Truong, who said he has little to do while Neilson runs the city, doesn’t plan to stop. And he plans to run for reelection next year

“I plan to continue my social media strategy,” he said. “We are going to run again, we are going to prove we have staying power.”

It remains to be seen whether Truong’s approach will lead to a Trump-like comeback. But at least he knows the playbook’s good.

Faimon A. Roberts III can be reached at froberts@theadvocate.com.

Documenting the courage of Katharine Graham

Imagine this scenario: A dangerously unhinged president, enraged that a prominent newspaper is about to reveal secrets he wants to keep, leverages the vast power of the White House to threaten the paper’s owner with utter financial ruin if the information is published. Inhouse lawyers strongly advise the owner to back down, warning that the newspaper’s survival is at stake. But it is clear that the public has the right to know what the president is trying to hide. What should the owner do? What would you do?

who suffered from bipolar disorder; her education in business management by investor Warren Buffett; and her constant struggle to overcome her own insecurity and self-doubt.

Again and again, Katharine Graham defied President Richard M. Nixon’s wrath and empowered The Post to publish journalism that changed the world. The courage and integrity of this remarkable woman, whom I was privileged to know is at the heart of a new documentary — “Becoming Katharine Graham: The Only Woman in the Room” — that premiered recently at the Kennedy Center I went to the screening and was flooded with memories of my first days as a young reporter in The Post’s newsroom. That was in 1980, and Mrs. Graham — I don’t think I ever addressed her without the “Mrs.” was already a legend. The first time I actually met her, in an elevator at the paper’s old building on 15th Street NW, I could barely croak out a weak hello. The documentary by Emmy-winning filmmakers Peter, Teddy and George Kunhardt covers the sweep of Graham’s long and eventful life: the support from her father, wealthy financier Eugene Meyer, who purchased The Post in 1933; the chilly emotional distance of her formidable mother, Agnes Ernst Meyer; the brilliance and charisma of her husband, Philip Graham,

published. Letters are not to

The Kunhardts give prominence to two pivotal episodes that established Graham’s place in history: the Pentagon Papers and Watergate. An important piece of context is that Nixon seethed with contempt for the news media, which he believed had always belittled him and treated him unfairly “Never forget: The press is the enemy,” he once told Henry Kissinger his national security adviser In that conversation, he repeated the phrase four times for good measure. In 1971, a federal court ordered The New York Times to cease publishing articles based on a leaked, highly classified history of the Vietnam War that showed the government had lied to the American people for years about U.S. progress and prospects in the bloody conflict. The Times appealed the ruling but obeyed the court order. Meanwhile, The Post obtained copies of some of the Pentagon documents. Graham’s privately owned company was in the process of going public; executives warned her that publishing revelations from the secret papers could tank the stock price — and also put the broadcasting licenses of The Post’s profitable television stations at risk. Ultimately, the decision was Graham’s alone. She told her editors to publish. Less than two weeks later, in a landmark case, the Supreme Court vindicated her decision, ruling that lower courts should not have tried to restrain the Times and The Post from publishing.

With her company on the line, Graham had done the right thing.

The following year, burglars were caught trying to plant listening devices at the offices of the Democratic National Committee in the Watergate office building. Post reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein doggedly traced the bugging attempt to the White House — and ultimately to Nixon’s desk in the Oval Office.

For months, other news organizations shied away from the story while Nixon and his thuggish attorney general, John N. Mitchell, pressured and threatened Graham to call off her bloodhounds. The television licenses, once again, were at risk. The Post’s stock price plummeted.

Once again, Graham did the right thing: She backed Ben Bradlee, her larger-than-life executive editor — and not only did she support Woodward and Bernstein, but she went so far as to take their notes home at night to her stately Georgetown residence, so that if Mitchell ever tried to subpoena and seize them, he would have to come through her And once again, her bravery was vindicated: On Aug. 9, 1974, Nixon resigned. As the documentary’s subtitle notes, Graham was indeed the only woman in the room. When she took over The Post after her husband’s suicide, the CEOs of the Fortune 500 companies included 499 men — and her Few others on that list ended their careers having become an icon.

Donald E. Graham said on Sunday night that his mother never hosted a dinner party without inviting both Democrats and Republicans. She bowed to no president. I bow to her Eugene Robinson is on X, @Eugene_ Robinson.

Getting to Denmark

Sooner or later, The New York Times catches on to the news. In the case of immigration policy, the news it has caught up with is that mass immigration, legal and illegal, from less-developed countries is politically toxic.

That news was relayed in a Feb. 24 article and thread on X by reporter David Leonhardt, a writer of center-left sympathies and a keen analyst of statistics and the human realities to which they are useful clues.

“The left has lost power in the U.S., Germany, Italy and Sweden,” Leonhardt writes. “Canada and Australia may be next. And the far right is growing across the West. But there is one European country where the left has won reelection and marginalized the far right: Denmark. Why?”

His answer seems, once you think about it, glaringly obvious. “Danish progressives listened to working class voters on immigration — and reduced immigration levels.”

It’s an answer that is entirely congruent with a psephological observation in JD Vance’s muchresented (among European elites) Feb. 14 speech at the Munich Security Conference. “No voter on this continent,” Vance said, “went to the ballot box to open the floodgates to millions of unvetted immigrants.” Politicians in Denmark, unlike those in neighboring Sweden and Germany, paid attention to that.

Denmark has long been known for its high taxes and generous welfare state, as well as its democratic norms and opposition to bigotry, as shown by its citizens’ ferrying of almost all its Jews to neutral Sweden during the Nazi occupation. In his book “The Origins of Political Order,” Francis Fukuyama wrote that a nation developing a competent state, the rule of law and public accountability was “getting to Denmark.” Denmark’s national identity goes back a thousand years, and it has long ranked high among nations in trust of government and large institutions.

It’s noteworthy that in Munich Vance was careful to say “no voter on this continent,” for voters on another continent, North America, voted for opening the floodgates to unvetted immigrants in 2020 and (in Canada) 2021. Joe Biden and the Democrats made no secret that they would undo Donald Trump’s relatively effective (after a few rough months) immigration law enforcement. But perhaps many didn’t expect that the Biden administration would usher in perhaps 5 million, perhaps 7 million illegal immigrants (or that Justin Trudeau would vastly expand Canada’s previously successful policy). In retrospect, it seems a clear example of Trump Derangement Syndrome or a logical extrapolation for those “in this house we believe no human is illegal” signs. For many Americans, any restriction on migration evokes memories of their own forebears from eastern and southern Europe who arrived in the Ellis Island years (1892-1914, 1919-24), and especially for those whose ancestors might otherwise have been murdered in the Holocaust. Today, it’s not plain that the United States or European nations need and can assimilate all the millions they have been coming in, a population disproportionately of unattached, low-skill young men from low-trust Muslim or Latin cultures. Unfortunately today’s public sector institutions here and in Europe seem disproportionately staffed by people who believe that assimilation is oppression.

Plainly there is some erosion of trust. The Biden open-border policy has tilted the immigrant flow toward lawbreakers and violent young men whose crimes Trump has been highlighting. German voters in recent months have watched as Muslim immigrants stabbed three people to death in Solingen in August, killed six by driving a car into a Christmas market in Magdeburg, stabbed a baby and passerby to death in Aschaffenburg in January and, two days before the Feb. 23 election, stabbed a Spanish tourist at a Holocaust memorial in Berlin.

The result was a stinging defeat for Chancellor Olaf Scholz of the Social Democratic party, founded in 1875 (during the reign of Kaiser Wilhelm I, born in 1797), and for the same reasons as the July 2024 defeat, after failing to stop the inflow, of Britain’s Conservative party, the modern form of which was founded in 1846 (during the reign of Queen Victoria, born in 1819)

Both parties have noble heritages of opposing Nazis and prosecuting the Cold War but have been brought low

The case against immigration can be overstated. In daily life native-born Americans mix with Latino immigrants, and native-born Europeans mix with Muslim immigrants, in shopping malls and fast food restaurants routinely and politely But mass immigration of culturally diverse people tends to produce economic stress and erode the trust levels.

It’s difficult to get the balance right between the benefits and detriments of immigration. What voters have been concluding is that European and American elites have botched the job and that their task now should be “getting to Denmark.”

Michael Barone is on X, @MichaelBarone

Michael Barone

Eugene Robinson

Faimon Roberts

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Tyrin Truong, then-mayor-elect of Bogalusa, speaks Nov. 18, 2022, at his campaign office in Bogalusa.

1932, Jimmy moved with

family in 1934 to set his roots in Baton Rouge -only leaving to attend Rice University in 1954. But Jimmy shortly returned home that same year to marry his grade school sweetheart, Barbara "Bobbye" Blanchard Jenkins and earn his degree in Civil Engineering from LSU in 1955. Jimmy then joined the United States Air Force 1955-1958 where he cultivated his life -long love for aviation -a passion that began at the behest of his father at the mere age of 16. He then joined hisfather in ownership of Jenkins Construction in 1960, which pioneered avast percentage of the roads still traversed throughout Baton Rouge today. Jimmy then headed the formation of Vulcan Foundry in 1965, which specialized in municipal casting and grey iron until 1996 -another staple that can still be found around Baton Rouge today. In addition to the foundry, Jimmy was ahighly innovative businessman, including real estate development, aircraft distribution, oil &gas investment, cable television development, and even cellular telephone development. An avid fisherman, Jimmy joined the Louisiana Department of Wildlife Commission and theNational Marine Fisheries Council, helped form the Gulf Coast Conservation Association of Louisiana in 1984 (later to become CCA), and eventually became the Secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife &Fisheries under Governor Mike Foster 1996-2004. Throughout his tenure as secretary, Jimmy accomplished many measures to protect our fishing &gaming industry, including saving the redfish by eradicating gillnets. Upon retirement in 2004, Jimmy was ableto spend more time enjoying his passion for duck hunting at Oak Grove Hunting Club in Creole, LA. Throughout his impressive business career, Jimmy continued to grow his family with his wife Bobbye, including 4children, 7 grandchildren, &12greatgrandchildren. "Pepa" was an ever-present source of support for all, creating fond memories of early morning fishing in Cocodrie, camp fires after duck hunting at Oak Grove flying in his Twin Shrike Commander with astash of Reese's peanut butter cups under the seat, and of course "Pepa's Secret Recipe" for peanut butter &jelly. Jimmy is survivedbyhis wife, Dr. Susan Richarm (m.2018); four children: son James "Jim" Jenkins, III & wife Tammy, daughter Janet Jenkins, daughter Tracy Ducote &husband Raymond, and daughter Blair Kelly& husband Tim; six grandchildren: granddaughter Kelly Schneider & husband Brandon, grandson James "Jimmy" Jenkins, IV &wife Brittany granddaughter Allison Elkins, granddaughter Katie Schneider, granddaughter Beatty Arnold & husband Jeff, and granddaughter Selby Thompson; and twelve great-grandchildren. He is precededin death by wife of 62 years, Barbara "Bobbye" Jenkins; his parents, James &Willie Jenkins, Sr.; brother Ralph Jenkins; and granddaughter Anna Jenkins. Visitation will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home 9595 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge, LA on Friday, March 14, 2025 from 8:30am10:00am until funeral service at 10:00am with Rev. Chris Andrews officiating. Interment will immediately follow at Greenoaks Memorial Park. In kind with his generous spirit, donations can be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital in lieu of flowers.

early years were spent on the family farm, where he developed adeep appreciation for hard work and a special bond with his childhood horse, Bud Those early days shaped the man he became—thoughtful, patient, and steadfast in his values. His pursuit of architecture led him from Mississippi State Universityto Louisiana State University, where he studied at the LSU School of Architecture. Aproud member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, he forged lifelong friendships and cultivated apassionfor design that would define his career. In 1966, Al began working under the legendary A. Hays Town, whose influence helped shape his classical yet deeply personal approach to architecture. In 1973, he founded Al Jones Architect, embarking on acareer that spanned nearly 60 years, designing hundreds of homesthat became sanctuaries for families.

Wascome, David Christopher

Douglas Allison "Al" Jones, adevoted husband, loving father, cherished grandfather, and a renownedresidential architect, passed away on March 4, 2025, at the age of 81. Admired and loved by all who knew him, Al's legacy is woveninto the homes he designed and the lives he touched. Born in Laurel, Mississippi,on December 29, 1943, to Preston and Gladys Jones, Al's early years were spent on the family farm, where he developed adeep appreciation for hardwork anda special bond with his childhood horse, Bud Those early days shaped the man he became—thoughtful,patient and steadfast in hisvalues. His pursuit of architecture led him from Mississippi State University to Louisiana State University, where he studiedatthe LSU School of Architecture. Aproud member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, he forged lifelong friendships and cultivated apassion for design that would define his career. In 1966, Al began working under the legendary A. Hays Town, whose influence helped shape his classical yet deeply personal approach to architecture. In 1973, he foundedAlJones Architect, embarking on acareerthat spanned nearly 60 years, designing hundreds of homes that became sanctuariesfor families

On August 3, 1968, Al married the love of his life Mary GaydenFlowers, in Laurel, Mississippi.Together, they builta lifein Baton Rouge, where they raised four childrenand were blessed with twelve grandchildren—all of whom remained nearby, a testament to the strong foundation of family he cultivated. His sons, John and Ben, and son-in-law, Tim, followed in his footsteps, joining him in the practice of architecture in 1993, ensuring that his vision and passion live on through their work. Beyond his professional achievements, Al was a man of unwavering faith. His personal relationship with his Savior,Jesus Christ guided every aspect of his life. He lovedteaching God'sWord and served faithfully as aDeacon at First Baptist Church, later as an Elder at Crosspoint Baptist Church and finally as amember of Community Bible Church. He wasalso instrumental in the early years of The Dunham School, where he served many years as amember of the board, helping shape the institution that meant so much to hisfamily and community.Al found joy in the simplest of pleasures—drawing and painting, gathering with family, and spending time on the waterwith his beloved MaryGayden. He was astorytelleratheart, and in recent years, he made it apriority to remind his loved ones of a truth he held dear: allof God's blessings are given so that we may pass them on to others. Al was precededindeath by hisparents, Preston and Gladys Jones; his sister, Donna Burges; and his niece,Cyn-

On August 3, 1968, Al married thelove of his life, Mary Gayden Flowers, in Laurel, Mississippi. Together, they built alife in Baton Rouge, where they raised four children and were blessed with twelve grandchildren—all of whom remained nearby, a testament to thestrong foundation of family he cultivated.His sons, John and Ben, and son-in-law, Tim, followed in his footsteps, joining him in the practice of architecture in 1993, ensuring that his vision and passionlive on throughtheirwork. Beyond his professional achievements, Al was a man of unwavering faith. His personal relationship with his Savior, Jesus Christ guided every aspect of his life. He loved teaching God's Word and served faithfully as aDeaconat First Baptist Church, later as an Elder at Crosspoint Baptist Church and finally as amember of Community Bible Church. He was also instrumental in the early years of The Dunham School, where he served many years as amember of the board,helping shape the institutionthat meant so much to his family and community. Al found joy in the simplest of pleasures—drawing and painting, gathering with family, and spending time on the water with his beloved Mary Gayden. He was astoryteller at heart and in recent years, he made it apriority to remind his loved ones of a truth he held dear: all of God's blessings are given so that we may pass them on to others. Al was preceded in deathbyhis parents, Preston and Gladys Jones; his sister, Donna Burges; and his niece, CynthiaBurges. He is survived by his devoted wife of 56 years, Mary Gayden Jones; his children, John Jones (Ryn), Ben Jones (Rebecca), Allyson Hingle (Ty), and Gayden Landry (Tim); and his grandchildren, Anna Kathryn, Benton, Preston, and Carter Jones; Madelyn, Graham, Caroline, and Julianne Jones; Baron and Hayden Hingle; and Evie and Emma Landry. He is also survived by his brother-in-law, Pete Burges; and his niece and nephew, Viki Swynenberg (Bret) and Bart Burges. Serving as pallbearers will be Baron and Hayden Hingle, Preston, Carter, and Graham Jones, and Landon O'Connor. Al's presence will be deeply missed,but his impact—throughfaith, family, and the homes he designed—will endure for generations. His was alife well-lived,guided by purpose, love, and grace. A visitation will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home, 9595 Florida Blvd, on Thursday, March 13, 2025 from 4 pm until 7pmand will continue on Friday, March 14th at First Presbyterian Church, 763 NorthBlvd, from 9:30 am until his Celebration of Life beginning at 11 am. Al will be laid to rest in Greenoaks Memorial Park. Please visit www.greenoaksfunerals.c om to leave condolences to the family.

David Christopher Wascome, 45, passed away unexpectedly on March 2, 2025, while on vacation in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Born on September 21, 1979, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, David was a man of remarkable intellect and unwavering dedication. He graduated from Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge before attending Georgetown College in Kentucky on asoccer scholarship. Hisacademic journey continued at both the University of Arkansas and Louisiana State University, where he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Education and aBachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. Furtheringhis education, he became agraduate of Harvard Business Extension School.

David built an impressive career that began at OxyChem and culminated in hisrole as Executive Senior Vice President of Operations for International Terminals Company. His leadership and expertise were widely respected within his field.

Gary Lee Pourciau, Jr., passed away on March 7, 2025, in Erwinville, Louisiana. He was born on May 25, 1967, and was a native of Brusly, Louisiana, and a resident of Er‐winville Gary dedicated 30 years of his career to Union Pacific. Outside of work, he had a passion for hunting, fishing, and cheering on LSU, especially the baseball team. He was known for his generosity and willingness to help others, as well as his love for celebrating life with family and friends He was a devoted husband and a loving father who cher‐ished his family deeply Gary is survived by his wife of 27 years, Ashley Devillier Pourciau; sons, Jarred Pourciau and Caleb Barker; mother, Beth Dominque; mother-in-law, Judy Devil‐lier; sisters, Rebekah Knight (Sean) and Shannon Whisenand (Larry); brother-in-law, Brannon Devillier (Sherry); and granddaughter, Westlynn Chiasson, along with nu‐merous nieces and nephews He was preceded in death by his father Gary Lee Pourciau, Sr. and fa‐ther-in-law AJ “Bee” Devil‐lier. Pallbearers will be Ty Ramagos Mike Keowen Manuel “Boo” Persica, Mike Kennedy Ricky Webre, and Brandon Smith Honorary pallbearers in‐clude Jarred Pourciau, Caleb Barker, Leonie LeBlanc Lance Achee, and Nick Aber Visitation will be held on Wednesday March 12, 2025, from 5:00 p.m to 8:30 p.m. at Wilbert Funeral Home in Port Allen Visitation will continue on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Hall from 10:00 a.m to 11:00 a.m., fol‐lowed by a Rite of Christian Burial at 11:30 a.m at Im‐maculate Conception Church in Lakeland, Louisiana Entombment will take place at the mau‐soleum following the ser‐vice. In lieu of flowers, do‐nations may be made in Gary’s memory to the Coastal Conservation As‐sociation or St. Jude Chil‐dren’s Research Hospital Please share memories at www wilbertservices com.

Wascome, David Christopher

David Christopher Wascome, 45, passed away unexpectedly on March2, 2025, while on vacation in Isla Mujeres, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Born on September 21, 1979, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, David was a man of remarkable intellect and unwavering dedication. He graduated from Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge before attending Georgetown College in Kentucky on asoccer scholarship. Hisacademic journey continued at both the University of Arkansas and Louisiana State University, where he earned two degrees: a Bachelor of Science in Education and aBachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering. Furtheringhis education, he became agraduate of Harvard Business Extension School.

David built an impressive career that began at OxyChem and culminated in his role as Executive Senior Vice President of Operations for International Terminals Company. His leadership andexpertise werewidely respected within hisfield.

Beyond his professional accomplishments, David was deeply devoted to his family. He is survived by his lovingwife, Dara Burchfield Wascome; their children, Bo and Alton; his parents, Emily and Joe Wascome; his brothers, Eric Wascome (Audrey) and Joshua Wascome; his parents-in-law, Stephen and Paige Burchfield; his sister -in-law Ali Burchfield; his brother- andsister-in-law Zachary andJean Burchfield; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jesse and Mary Ruth Montegudo, and his paternal grandparents, J.D.Wascome and Betty Hostetter.

David found joy in many passionsthroughouthis

Beyond his professional accomplishments, David was deeply devoted to his family. He is survived by his lovingwife, Dara Burchfield Wascome; their children, Bo and Alton; his parents, Emily and Joe Wascome; his brothers, Eric Wascome (Audrey) and Joshua Wascome; his parents-in-law, Stephen and Paige Burchfield; his sister -in-law Ali Burchfield; his brother- andsister-in-law Zachary andJean Burchfield; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Jesse and Mary Ruth Montegudo, and his paternal grandparents, J.D.Wascome and Betty Hostetter.

David found joy in many passionsthroughouthis life. Adedicated LSU sports fan, he also loved playing soccer and watching his children compete in their own athletic endeavors. Travelingbrought him great happiness, as did staying active through OrangeTheory Fitness. Above all else, he wasanexemplary husband, father, son, brother, and friend— admired for his loyalty, strong character, and great sense of humor by those whoknew him best.

AMemorial Service to honor David's life will be held on March12, 2025, at Kingwood Methodist Church in Kingwood, Texas (1799 WoodlandHills Drive). The service will begin at 10:00 AM and conclude at 11:30 AM.

David's legacylives on through the love he shared with family andfriends. May his memory bring comfort to all who knew him.

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A running start

The New Orleans Saints introduced their new coaching staff to the local media Monday during a meet-and-greet session at the team’s facility.

The hourlong session felt a little like the first day of school, replete with name tags for reporters to help coaches put a name with a face.

Saints coaches might want to consider doing likewise.

As a whole, they’ve been on the job for a week, and the truth is, many are still in the getting-to-know-you phase as they move into offices and adapt to new surroundings.

Eighteen members of head coach Kellen Moore’s 23-man coaching staff are new representing the most dramatic overhaul since Sean Payton took the reins nearly two decades ago.

The new assistants come from all over California. Ohio. Montana. Penn-

sylvania. Texas. Illinois. A few are former colleagues of Moore. Others have ties to New Orleans and/ or the Saints. Some are NFL lifers, while others arrive via the college ranks, newbies to the league.

Over the next six months, this mashup of teachers, mentors and protégés must coalesce with the five holdovers from Dennis Allen’s staff to lead the Saints into the 2025 season.

“Obviously, it’s really exciting when

ä See DUNCAN, page 3C

One LSU pitcher not getting enough due

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU baseball continued to dominate its nonconference slate last weekend back at Alex Box Stadium, sweeping North Alabama before the start of Southeastern Conference play this weekend.

The Tigers took down the Lions 13-2 in seven innings on Friday, 6-2 on Saturday and 11-5 on Sunday

Here are five takeaways from the weekend sweep:

ä Xavier at LSU, 6:30 P.M.TUESDAy, SECN+

Cowan’s dominance

As good as freshman righthander Casan Evans has been, junior right-hander Zac Cowan is just as important for the bullpen. The Wofford transfer has a 1.23 ERA while throwing more innings than everyone minus the weekend starters. He has a higher strikeout rate (34.5%) than junior right-hander Chase Shores or freshman right-hand-

er William Schmidt. Cowan tossed 22/3 scoreless innings in LSU’s comeback win on Tuesday against North Dakota State before throwing two more shutout frames and earning a save Saturday “He’s one of the early MVPs of this team,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “I mean, every time we put him in, we win. And every time we put him in, the game’s on the line.”

Cowan entered the season as a candidate to crack the starting rotation after he threw 110 innings in 17 starts last year. There’s still a chance he earns a

starting role if one of the starters falter, but for now he’s become arguably LSU’s most valuable reliever Catching situation Freshman Cade Arrambide had a rough night behind the plate Tuesday, prompting Johnson to replace him with senior Luis Hernandez by the fifth inning. Hernandez, who has caught the majority of LSU’s games, then started on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday before getting a break Sunday

Torina: ‘Cool time’ for LSU softball

BY JIM KLEINPETER Contributing writer

The No. 4 LSU softball team has reached a transition point in its season. The competition gets decidedly tougher the rest of the way when the Tigers take on UL at 6 p.m. Tuesday at Tiger Park before hosting its first Southeastern Conference series of the season against Kentucky beginning Friday LSU coach Beth Torina’s message after Sunday’s 10-2 victory against Minnesota was simple. “If you’re not excited about what’s in front of us, you need to check your pulse,” she said. “It’s an exciting week, a cool time to be a part of this program and team. We’ve done our job in the early part of the season but we don’t want to sit on that or catch our breath. We want to go, keep the pedal down, keep building and getting better.”

The Tigers (23-1) are on a roll and nearly got off to their second consecutive 24-0 start. Their last three wins have been five-inning mercy rule blowouts, something they’ve done 10 times this season. The start is a true accomplishment after the program replaced six position starters and longtime hitting coach Howard Dobson. But the new faces have blended well with holdovers, and a new emphasis on aggressiveness on the base paths under assistant Bryce Neal has been a winning formula

Leadoff hitter and third baseman Danieca Coffey has taken her play to another level with a .547 batting average and a .667 on-base percentage. Despite her position in the batting order, her 24 RBIs are second on the team and her .734 slugging percentage is third.

Redshirt freshman first baseman Tori Edwards has eight homers and 35 RBIs with 420 average while Sierra Daniel has nailed down the job at second base with a .457 average. Transfers Avery Hodge at shortstop and Jalia Lassiter in center field have filled the voids of longtime starters Taylor Pleasants and Ciara Briggs, respectively

Home run production is down (17), but the Tigers have stolen 40 bases after getting 44 in 61 games last season. Their aggressiveness on taking extra bases has resulted in numerous errors by their opponents that have led to more runs.

“This offense is super, super special,” pitcher Sydney Berzon said.

“They do a great job of staying in their plan, staying in their processes. I love watching it.

“I want people to look at us and understand we’re going to play with 100% effort every single time. This team is truly powerful in every way — offensively, defensively and mentally We’re a tough team.”

If things had gone according to plan, the New Orleans Pelicans would be jockeying for playoff position as they go down the final stretch of the season. But the injury bug had other ideas, which is why the Pelicans are playing out the string with just 17 games remaining this season. Despite all the losses that have piled up and the next-to-lastplace position the Pels currently hold in the Western Conference standings, the fans who are still showing up to games are showing passion as if a playoff berth is on the line. You wouldn’t have known by the crowd during Sunday’s close loss to the Memphis Grizzlies that the

Clippers at Pelicans, 7 P.M.TUESDAy GSN

Pelicans are a team on pace for one of the worst records in franchise history And because of that passion during a lost season, the Pelicans owe it to their fans to let them see Zion Williamson as often as possible. Instead, Williamson sat on the bench in street clothes as the Pelicans fell 107-104 in a gritty effort against Ja Morant and the Grizzlies. Williamson sitting out on the second night of back-to-back games isn’t new That’s been the case in every game since he returned in January from the hamstring injury that sidelined him for most of November and

all of December If it was Williamson’s choice, he’d be playing in back-to-back games. But it’s a decision made by the team’s medical staff. That part is understandable. The big picture is way more important, and Williamson’s longterm health is and should be the priority

Here’s the issue: Since Williamson’s return, the Pelicans have played two back-to-back games where they played one night on the road and the following night in the Smoothie King Center Both times, the Pelicans played Williamson in the road game and then sat him for the home game.

That was the case again Sunday as he sat after playing on the road the night before in Houston.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON

New Saints head coach Kellen Moore is introduced at a news conference in Metairie on Feb 13.

Duncan

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, center sits on the bench in street clothes during the second half of a game against the Memphis Grizzlies at the Smoothie King Center on Sunday.

Rod Walker

AP WOMEN’S POLL RESHUFFLED

UCLA, South Carolina now 1-2; LSU drops one spot to 10th

BY DOUG FEINBERG

AP basketball writer

UCLA vaulted back up to No. 1 in The Associated Press women’s basketball Top 25 on Monday after beating USC for the Big Ten title over the weekend.

The Bruins, who spent 12 weeks atop the poll before losing to the rival Trojans in early February received 16 first-place votes from a national panel to jump from fourth to first. It was the second time this season that the Bruins leaped over a few teams to move up to No. 1.

UCLA topped then-No. 1 South Carolina before Thanksgiving to move up four places to claim the top ranking. LSU closed the regular season by dropping from ninth to 10th.

South Carolina knocked off previous No. 1 Texas in the Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game and moved up to second from fifth in the poll. The Gamecocks garnered nine first-place ballots.

Texas and USC going down marked just the fourth time since the 1999-2000 season that the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the poll lost on the same day, according to Stats Perform. It last occurred Nov 30, 2019, when Oregon was first and Baylor was second.

UConn remained third going into Monday night’s game against No. 22 Creighton for the Big East title.

The Huskies received the other seven first-place votes.

USC, which beat UCLA twice in the regular season, fell two spots to fourth and Texas dropped to fifth.

TCU climbed up two spots to sixth for the highest ranking in school history after topping Baylor for the Big Ten championship

Sunday

The Horned Frogs last won a tournament title in 2005 when

they were a member of Conference USA.

Duke moved up four places to seventh after it beat N.C. State for the ACC championship. It was the Blue Devils’ first tournament title in 12 years It’s also the team’s best ranking since it was also seventh on Nov 17, 2014. Notre Dame fell to eighth and N.C State was ninth.

Ins and outs

Ole Miss joined the poll at No. 25 after reaching the quarterfinals of the SEC Tournament. The Rebels were ranked for the first nine weeks of the season. Michigan State fell out of the poll.

Getting recognition

UTSA received a vote in the poll for the first time The Roadrunners finished the regular season with a school-record 26 wins, in-

cluding a 17-1 mark in the American Athletic Conference. The 17 conference victories match the school mark set in 2002-03 when the team was in the Southland Conference. The team is led by conference player of the year Jordyn Jenkins and is coached by Karen Aston. Conference breakdown

The Southeastern Conference has eight ranked teams. The ACC and Big 12 each have five while the Big Ten has four The Big East has two and the Summit League one.

Games of the week

With the power conference tournaments finished, attention turns to the mid-major showdowns. The MAAC, NEC and Ivy League all have their championships this weekend.

Duke ends Auburn’s 8-week stay at No.

1

Pelicans sign 7-foot center to 10-day contract

The New Orleans Pelicans are giving a former NBA lottery draft pick an opportunity The Pelicans announced the signing of center Mo Bamba to a 10-day contract on Monday

On Feb. 28, Bamba signed with the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G-League affiliate. Through four games in Birmingham, Bamba averaged 21 points and 14.5 rebounds.

The 7-footer out of the University of Texas was a McDonald’s All-American and the No. 6 overall pick of the 2018 NBA Draft by the Orlando Magic.

Bamba has played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Philadelphia 76ers and Los Angeles Clippers in the past three seasons. In 28 games with the Clippers this season, Bamba averaged 4.6 points and 4.3 rebounds.

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP basketball writer

Duke ended Auburn’s eightweek stay at No. 1 in the AP Top 25 men’s college basketball poll on Monday, while the Tigers dropped to third behind Houston as all three programs began preparing for their conference tournaments

The Blue Devils took advantage of back-to-back losses by Auburn to ascend to the top spot for the first time since November 2021, when Duke spent a week there in Hall of Fame coach Mike Krzyzewski’s farewell season. The Blue Devils received 52 of 61 votes from the national media panel, while the Cougars picked up five and the Tigers held onto the other four

“Just my luck to be No. 1 going into the postseason when it really doesn’t matter,” Duke coach Jon Scheyer said with a laugh “We haven’t talked about it one time. We have talked about being No. 1 when this thing is all said and done.”

The Blue Devils, who will be the No. 1 seed in the ACC Tournament when they begin play in Thursday’s quarterfinals, beat Wake Forest in a rout last week before topping rival North Carolina on Saturday in Chapel Hill.

The Cougars, the top seed in the Big 12 Tournament, climbed to their highest ranking of the season. Auburn fell three spots but will still be the No. 1 seed in the SEC Tournament, despite its close losses to then-No. 23 Texas A&M and then-No. 7 Alabama.

“Those are two teams capable of getting to the Final Four,” Tigers coach Bruce Pearl said after watching the Crimson Tide’s Mark Sears hit a buzzer-beater for a 93-

91 overtime win in Auburn’s home finale Saturday Florida, which beat Alabama earlier in the week, moved up one spot to fourth while the Crimson Tide climbed two spots to fifth in Monday’s poll. St John’s remained sixth after its overtime win over then-No. 20 Marquette on Saturday Michigan State was seventh, Tennessee dropped four spots to eighth, Texas Tech was ninth and Clemson rounded out the top 10.

While some conferences are already crowning champions and awarding NCAA Tournament berths, the ACC and Big 12 are among the power leagues that begin play Tuesday The Big Ten and SEC tournaments open on Wednesday

“My standards are probably a little bit different I think there’s areas we need to continue to get better in,” said Houston coach Kelvin Sampson, whose team rolls

into the Big 12 quarterfinals on Thursday riding a 10-game winning streak.

“I’m never going to say we’re playing our best ball because I prefer to think our best ball’s ahead of us,” Sampson said, “so we’ve just got to continue to work. That’s the bottom line. Stay humble and just keep working.”

In and out

Oregon, the eighth seed in the Big Ten Tournament, returned to the poll at No 23 while Illinois the seventh seed — is back in at No 24 Their spots came at the expense of Arizona, which lost at Kansas, and Mississippi State, which did not receive a single vote after losing close games to Texas and Arkansas last week.

Rising and falling Texas A&M made the biggest move in the poll, climbing eight

spots to No. 14 after wins over then-No. 1 Auburn and LSU. BYU jumped six spots to No. 17 after a double-overtime win over thenNo. 10 Iowa State and a victory over Utah. Wisconsin and Missouri tumbled six spots apiece this week. The Badgers fell to No. 18 after losing to Penn State on Saturday while the Tigers fell to No. 21 after losing to Oklahoma and then-No. 19 Kentucky Conference watch The SEC and Big Ten led the way with seven teams

Curry named Davidson’s assistant general manager

Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry will serve as an assistant general manager for Davidson College’s basketball teams.

The four-time NBA champion and two-time league MVP will be the first active player in U.S. major professional sports to take an administrative job with a college team.

The hire was announced Monday Curry and his wife, Ayesha, and longtime Davidson supporters Don, Matt and Erica Berman are creating an eight-figure fund to support the college’s men’s and women’s basketball teams.

Curry, who went to Davidson, says he wants their athletes to be able to compete in the top ranks of an ever-changing landscape.

Source: Dodgers to sign manager Roberts to deal LOS ANGELES — This season will mark one decade for Dave Roberts as manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers, a decorated run in which Roberts has led the team to eight division titles, four National League pennants, two World Series titles and more regular-season wins than any other franchise in baseball.

On Monday, Roberts added one more distinction to his tenure.

The Dodgers finally locked down Roberts — who has the best winning percentage in MLB history among non-Negro League managers — to a contract extension, agreeing to a four-year deal that includes an unprecedented $8.1-million annual salary according to a person with knowledge of the situation but not authorized to speak publicly

Tennis chair umpire is suspended for corruption

LONDON A national-level chair umpire in the Dominican Republic, Juan Gabriel Castro, was suspended for six years and fined $6,000 by the International Tennis Integrity Agency on Monday for manipulating scoring during matches to help someone who was placing bets. The ITIA said Castro was found to have committed 12 breaches of the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program across three matches. Castro did not respond to the ITIA’s notice of charge. He was accused of having “manipulated scoring entry to contrive the scorecard and facilitate corruption.” Someone who doesn’t respond to the ITIA’s investigative process can be found guilty of a “deemed sanction” and then have 10

ness days to appeal. Castro did not appeal.

PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy

Moore excited to have QB Carr in fold

BY MATTHEW PARAS, LUKE JOHNSON AND RASHAD MILLIGAN Staff writers

At his introductory news conference, New Orleans Saints coach Kellen Moore said he was looking forward to going through a “process” to determine whether Derek Carr would remain the team’s starting quarterback.

But now that the situation is settled, and the Saints restructured Carr’s contract to keep him for next season, Moore admitted that step didn’t take long.

“Certainly you take this job with the intentions of some of the top players being here, and we felt really comfortable with him,” Moore said Monday Moore said he’s “really, really excited” to work with Carr and that he and the front office wanted him to stay in New Orleans. The Saints opted to restructure Carr’s contract over the weekend to free up more than $30 million in salary-cap room.

The restructure came amid a report from ESPN that Carr was open to testing the market for quarterback-needy teams.

Moore said the Saints had “conversations” with Carr before settling on the restructure but was evasive on topics such as whether Carr expressed a desire to hit free agency or whether the team asked the 33-year-old to take a pay cut.

“We just talked about our obviously confidence in this situation and the ability for him to have success here,” Moore said. “I think we got a great group here from the players to the coaching staff to the environment we’re going to be able to create for him.

“We felt really, really good and comfortable with what we’re going to be able to provide.”

Saints make deal

The Saints acquired their first piece of the roster Moore is trying to build, agreeing in principle on a trade for former LSU defensive tackle Davon Godchaux In exchange, the Saints will send a seventh-round pick to the New England Patriots.

Godchaux, a Plaquemine native, was originally a fifth-round pick of the Miami Dolphins in 2017, but he made his name as a pro in New England

In four seasons with the Patriots, Godchaux, 30, did not miss a game because of injury and started all but one of the 68 games he appeared in. While he did not put up gaudy numbers as a pass rusher, he anchored the Patriots’ run defense as its nose tackle — a position New Orleans needed to address in new defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s scheme. New Orleans allowed 141.4 yards per game and 4.92 yards per carry last year on the ground, the NFL’s second-worst marks on both fronts.

Shepherd extension

The Saints agreed to a one-year extension with defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd, a source with knowledge of the situation said.

The deal, of which the terms are not yet known, gives Shepherd another year on his contract, as he was set to enter the final year of the three-year, $15 million deal that he signed in 2023. Shepherd has started 30 of his 33 games for

New Orleans over the last two seasons after spending five seasons with the New York Jets.

Shepherd had only 11/2 sacks for the Saints last season after a 31/2sack campaign in 2023 The 31-yearold has been reliable, however, as he has missed only one game in that span He missed last year’s Week 16 game against the Green Bay Packers because of an eye injury Shepherd was set to have a $7 million cap hit in 2025 with a $4.8 million base salary, though those figures could — and likely will — change after his extension.

Adebo moving on

On a busy day for NFL offseason moves, the Saints lost some depth in their secondary after cornerback Paulson Adebo agreed to terms with the New York Giants.

In 2024, Adebo grabbed three interceptions, deflected 10 passes and collected 43 solo tackles. The three picks tied with Tyrann Mathieu for the team lead.

A 2021 third-round pick out of Stanford, Adebo started in 51 of 52 games of his career, all with the Saints.

Adebo’s season ended early in 2024 when he broke his leg in October

Saints re-sign DE Young in a rush

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Chase Young is back.

The New Orleans Saints agreed to a three-year, $51 million deal with the 25-year-old pass rusher Monday sources with knowledge of the situation said. The deal contains incentives that can boost the value to $57 million.

Young’s deal also reportedly contains $33 million guaranteed, with $27.1 million coming at the signing.

The contract marks a career payday for Young, who signed with New Orleans last year on a one-year, $13 million prove-it contract that contained provisions in case the former Defensive Rookie of the Year could not stay healthy

But Young appeared in all 17 games for the first time in his career and boosted New Orleans’ pass rush.

Though he finished with only 51/2

Continued from page 1C

you get to team up as a group now it’s about us just connecting and building that togetherness as a staff,” Moore said. “We’ve got some really great teachers and really great communicators that are going to connect with the players on a really high level.”

The group faces a daunting challenge. Moore’s late arrival has forced the group to work on a compressed timeline and play catch-up with their NFL peers. He was officially hired just two days after the Philadelphia Eagles won Super Bowl LIX, and he didn’t finalize his staff until late last week. Only a week ago, many of the new assistants were still introducing themselves to one another and trading background information as they moved into the team’s headquarters on Airline Drive. Meanwhile, there are new of-

sacks, Young ranked sixth in pressures in the NFL, according to Next Gen Stats. His quarterback pressure percentage of 16.2% also represented a personal best. Drafted second overall in 2020, Young entered the NFL hyped as a generational pass rusher after a dominant college career at Ohio State. At first, he lived up to the billing with an impressive 71/2-sack rookie season that resulted in the Washington Commanders winning the division.

But Young’s career trajectory changed in 2021 when he suffered a serious knee injury that kept him out for all but three games of the next season. He also signed with New Orleans last year while needing neck surgery because of an injury from the previous season.

But Young found stability in New Orleans Coaches praised him for his buy-in and professionalism. He played nearly 63% of the team’s

fensive and defensive systems to be mastered and installed, and new personnel to be learned, scouted and acquired. The coaches will do that while living out of temporary housing and trying to relocate families and find schools for their kids.

Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley is a prime example of the whirlwind transition. He was hired Feb. 21. He barely had time to celebrate with his wife, Amy, and their three children in California before boarding a plane to Indianapolis for the NFL scouting combine, where he joined the Saints’ contingent of coaches, scouts and personnel executives for the first time.

“I pretty much got off a plane, put my stuff in my room, and then I was doing formal interviews (with NFL draft prospects) two hours later,” Staley said. “Sometimes on tight timelines like this, it forces you to get to know each other fast.” Moore is doing his best to hasten the learning process. He’s

Eagles take hits, others get QBs in free agency

BY ARNIE STAPLETON AP pro football writer

The NFL champion Philadelphia Eagles are losing two of their defensive disruptors who pressured Patrick Mahomes in the Super Bowl. Defensive tackle Milton Williams agreed to a deal with New England worth $26 million annually and edge rusher Josh Sweat is heading to the Arizona Cardinals on a four-year $76.4 million contract, people with knowledge of the terms told The Associated Press. Williams and Sweat combined for 41/2 sacks, four quarterback hits, four tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery in the Eagles’ 40-22 rout of the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl. The NFL’s 52-hour legal tampering period arrived Monday with a slew of stars getting big contracts after a weekend flurry that featured league MVP Josh Allen’s record-setting $330 million extension and Myles Garrett set to become the highest-paid nonquarterback in history

The quarterback carousel kept turning Monday with the Seattle Seahawks grabbing Sam Darnold (three years, $100.5 million) after his bounce-back season in Minnesota, and Justin Fields landing with the New York Jets ($40 million over two years) to replace Aaron Rodgers. The deals can’t be signed until Wednesday Among the other headliners were Carolina Panthers star Jaycee Horn, who became the highest-paid cornerback in the NFL with a four-year, $100 million deal that includes $70 million guaranteed. The Panthers also agreed to terms with Las Vegas Raiders safety Tre’von Moehrig on a three-year, $51 million contract. Along with Williams, the Patriots also agreed to contracts with linebacker Robert Spillane, cornerback Carlton Davis and offensive tackle Morgan Moses. The Washington Commanders made two big splashes, agreeing to terms with defensive tackle Javon Kinlaw (three years, $45 million) and acquiring standout offensive tackle Laremy Tunsil in a trade with the Houston Texans. Allen’s deal includes $250 million guaranteed. That’s an NFL record regardless of position. Meanwhile, Garrett is staying in Cleveland after the Browns gave him a record four-year contract extension that makes the fourtime All-Pro edge rusher the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history

back-to-back duds that contributed to the decision by the Vikings to let him hit the open market and turn the team over to J.J. McCarthy, who was drafted 10th overall last year

Aside from Darnold, who is heading to his fourth team in four seasons and his fifth franchise overall, two other veteran quarterbacks are among the most intriguing names on the market: Russell Wilson and Rodgers. Rodgers isn’t technically a free agent, but the Jets said they’re going to release him this week after a disappointing two-year stint in the Meadowlands.

A torn Achilles tendon ended Rodgers’ 2023 season after a handful of snaps and he went 5-12 last year coming nowhere near the 9-7 mark another former Packers great, Brett Favre, posted with the Jets in 2008 before a rebound season with Minnesota. Rodgers hopes to land somewhere so he can have a similar bounce-back at age 41, and so does Wilson, who lost his last five starts for Pittsburgh last season. Since leaving Seattle for Denver in 2022, Wilson is 17-25. Seattle’s move for Darnold came three days after the Seahawks agreed to a deal to send Geno Smith to the Las Vegas Raiders for a third-round draft pick. The Seahawks are undergoing major changes on offense, having also agreed to trade star receiver D.K. Metcalf to Pittsburgh for a second-round pick and having cut receiver Tyler Lockett.

snaps, behind only Carl Granderson on the defensive line.

“Man, I feel like in terms of I feel like I’ve pass rushed the best I have my whole entire career,” Young said last season. “You know my rookie year, I had a great year, but I don’t even think I pass rushed anywhere like I am right now, even though the sack number is not there.”

New Orleans’ commitment to Young comes as the team looks to fortify its defensive line The team also signed starter Nathan Shepherd to a one-year extension Monday and acquired defensive tackle Davon Godchaux from the New England Patriots.

Last year, Young’s signing arguably marked the Saints’ only splash in free agency And at the start of the league’s negotiating window Monday, his re-signing also proved to be the team’s first splash for this year, too.

scheduled various get-togethers outside of the office. A group attended a New Orleans Pelicans game last week. Similar events are scheduled in the weeks ahead as homes are bought and families are situated, Moore said.

“Coach is doing a great job of getting everybody to mix and get to know each other to help build the camaraderie,” new tight ends coach Chase Haslett said. “We spend more time together than we do with our families during the season, so you want to know and be on the same page with everyone who is around you.”

The calendar might say Moore is the youngest head coach in the league, but he’s mature beyond his 36 years when it comes to coaching experience. As the son of a longtime high school coach in Washington state, he’s been around the game his whole life and understands the importance of assembling a quality staff.

The assistants, after all, are the ones who work with the

Darnold went 14-3 in Minnesota before ending the season with

Among backup quarterbacks staying put are Jarrett Stidham, who agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal to serve as Bo Nix’s No. 2 in Denver, and Jimmy Garoppolo, who is staying with the Rams to back up Matthew Stafford. Denver also bolstered its stellar defense, agreeing to keep runstuffer D.J. Jones (three years, $39 million) and to sign former 49ers safety Talanoa Hufanga (three years, $45 million). Two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Haason Reddick is on the move again, this time to Tampa Bay, where he’ll make $14 million in 2025 with $12 million guaranteed. Before a holdout ruined his 2024 season with the Jets, Reddick had 27 sacks in two seasons in Philadelphia. He also had double-digit sacks for Arizona in 2020 and Carolina in 2021. The Buccaneers are his fifth team in nine seasons. The Bucs also agreed to resign receiver Chris Godwin, who is returning from a gruesome ankle injury, for $66 million ($44 million guaranteed) over three years. The 29-year-old had 50 catches for 576 yards in seven games last season.

players on a daily basis and are charged with keeping them motivated and holding them accountable. They review and grade practice performance, break down opponents’ game tape and compile the bulk of the weekly game plans.

One of the reasons the Saints shined under Payton was his ability to attract and hire good assistants. The 2018 staff, for example, featured eight assistants who had been or eventually would be NFL head coaches or coordinators: Allen, Joe Brady, Dan Campbell, Pete Carmichael, Aaron Glenn, Joe Lombardi, Ryan Nielsen and Mike Nolan. There was a noticeable dropoff in coaching talent after Payton left, in part because it wasn’t as easy to lure top assistants here in the post-Drew Brees era.

To a degree, Moore has started with a clean slate. He retained five capable assistants — Jahri Evans, Phil Galiano, Peter Giunta, Keith Williams and Brian Young

— and filled in the rest with newcomers he either worked with previously or knew about from the coaching grapevine. The energy and enthusiasm of the new group was noticeable Monday

“Fortunately for Kellen, he has a lot of relationships in a lot of different places, and we were able to take our time and not rush (the hiring process),” Staley said. “There were a lot of people that wanted to work with Kellen that have so much respect for him from afar and that wanted to coach in New Orleans with the Saints.”

A staff, like a roster, takes time to mature and ripen. The quality of Moore’s first staff will reveal itself on Sundays this fall.

But Moore wisely has placed an emphasis on character, communication skills, teaching ability and compatibility, and the first impression of this new Saints staff is a good one.

Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@ theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM

Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Milton Williams celebrates after recovering a fumble by Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes during the second half of the Super Bowl on Feb 9 in New Orleans.

FILE PHOTO By BUTCH DILL

Saints quarterback Derek Carr works against the Atlanta Falcons during the second quarter on Sept. 29 in Atlanta.

THE VARSITY ZONE

Southern Lab slows pace to get win

Kittens defeat Lincoln Prep to advance to final

BY ROBIN FAMBROUGH Staff writer

LAKE CHARLES Sometimes, a basketball team just needs to slow things down. Third-seeded Southern Lab did just that

That decision was the driving force behind a 51-46 come-frombehind win over No. 2 Lincoln Prep in the Division IV select semifinal that opened the LHSAA boys basketball tournament Monday afternoon at Burton Coliseum.

“I think everybody did their part,” Southern Lab coach Harold

Boudreaux said. “A good game plan we wanted to take the air out of the ball and it worked to our advantage. “Lincoln Prep wanted to make it a track meet. (The Southern Lab players) trusted in what we asked them to do.”

Braylon Brown scored a gamehigh 20 points, making 4 of 5 3-pointers for the Kittens (21-7), who advance to a final for the first time since winning the title in 2021. Brown also had seven assists. Charles LeGarde-Leblanc added 14 points and seven rebounds for

the Kittens. The Kittens play the Crescent City-Hamilton Christian winner in Friday’s 2 p.m. final seeking the school’s 17th title, which would tie Zwolle for the most in LHSAA boys basketball history Joseph Spann and Jabari Levingston each had 13 points for Lincoln (25-8). It was the fourth straight semifinal loss for the Panthers. The matchup featured two coaches who are former LSU players in Boudreaux and Lincoln Prep’s Antonio Hudson. The coach-

Tough schedule has Dunham primed for familiar opponent

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS

Contributing writer

When a potential tying 3-point attempt went awry in last year’s LHSAA semifinals, The Dunham School went back to work immediately

That three-point loss to University High served as a driving force that’s helped propel Dunham back to Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles where the No. 2 Tigers (215) meet No. 3 Country Day (24-6) in a Division III select semifinal at 2:45 p.m. Tuesday in the LHSAA boys basketball tournament.

“They were challenged right then in the locker room,” Dunham’s fourth-year coach Chad Myers said. “We said we had some unfinished business. We felt we could have at least made it to the championship game last year We’ve had that theme since March 4th of last year.” Dunham, a four-time state champion, is appearing in its eighth state tournament in nine years. The Tigers prepped or a matchup against seven-time state champion Country Day with a taxing schedule.

Three of the Tigers’ losses (St. Thomas More and St. Augustine) were to teams playing in the state tournament while two others lost in the quarterfinals. They are riding an 11-game winning streak and haven’t lost since Jan. 27 to Liberty (51-44), the reigning Division I select state champion and top-seeded team this season Country Day, led by its longtime coach, Mike McGuire, has won its past six games that included a 57-50 quarterfinal win over sixthseeded Catholic-New Iberia. Six-foot-three sophomore Kellen Brewer, son of New Orleans Pelicans assistant Ron Brewer, led

Dunham’s Mason Lavergne goes in for a layup as Episcopal’s Josh Heatly defends on Jan. 26 at Dunham.

the Cajuns with 22 points and 6-3 forward Hermon Dyson added 12.

The two teams will cross postseason paths for the first since 2019 when Country Day won two of its state titles over Dunham in 2017 (70-41) and 2019 (58-48). The Tigers defeated the Cajuns 47-46 in the 2018 quarterfinals en route to their state championship. Myers said his team’s 56-48 win over Madison Prep, a Division II select semifinalist, was the catalyst in the team’s winning streak that included the District 8-2A tournament crown by an average of 23.5 points.

Guard A.J. Olivier, who explod-

ed for a career-high 34 in Friday’s quarterfinal, leads a balanced scoring attack with averages of 16 points and 3.5 assists. All-state quarterback Elijah Haven and forward Gavin Blanton average 12.5 points with Blanton holding a small edge over Haven in rebounding 7.2-7.0.

“They have taken it to another level since the first week of February,” Myers said. “You can sense the urgency is higher There’s more focus.

“They had one thing on their mind at our walk-through Sunday and that’s to go get a state championship.”

Doubles Jackson Belcher-Sammy Bullentini (PB) def Chris Olivier-Wait Harrod (Dunham) 6-1,6-1 Reid Scott-Alex Leblanc (PB) def Wait Harrod-Cooper Eenigenburg (Dunham) 6-2,6-2

Lucian Pham-Bennett Lasseigne (Dunham) def Grant Mathis-Wesley Bennett (PB) 6-2,6-1 U-High 3, Denham Springs 2 Singles Wills Kellum, U-High def. Jason Hu, Denham Springs 4-6, 6-2, 1-0 (11-9) Soren Monceret, Denham Springs def. Caliway Goodson, U-High 6-1, 6-1

Doubles Joseph Sanford-Andres Reyes, U-High def. Ronen MonceretPreston Edwards, Denham Springs 6-4, 6-4 Gavin McCurley-John Wesley Chambers, U-High def. Gabe Daigle-Mason Bell, Denham Springs 6-2, 6-1

Cole Acosta-Ryan Gelpi, Denham Springs def. Patrick LovelessJosiah Hardy, U-High 6-2, 6-3

Ascension Christian 3, Baton Rouge High 2

Singles Joshua Miller, Ascension Christian def. Benjamin Daniel Baton Rouge High 6-2, 6-1

Meredith McNulty, Baton Rouge High def. Addison Le, Ascension Christian 6-0, 6-0

Asha Reedy def. Gabrielle Urban 6-1, 6-2

Doubles Ryann Beamon-Amelie Kutter def. Kaitlin Ellingburg-Abigail Berry 6-0, 6-0

Emma Brown-Ally Spencer def. Novalee Gros-Savannah

Morales 6-1, 6-1

Lillian Tessler-Sheridan Jones def. Lucy Levert-Oakley Guillot 6-0, 6-2

U-High 3, Denham Springs 2

Singles Sara Torri (Denham Springs) def Allison Gardner (U-High) 6-0 6-1

Ruston Cangelosi (U-High) def Adalyn Farrell (Denham Springs) 2-6 6-3, 1-0 (12-10)

Doubles Tilly Teague-Annie Leotta, U-High def. Macey Dry-Halle Huddleston, Denham Springs 6-3, 6-0

Kendyll Davis-Sophie McCarty Denham Springs def. Laylah Hardy-Norah Wood, U-High 6-4, 6-0

ing matchup was a small footnote in a game where Lincoln Prep found its footing first.

Two free throws by Spann with 2.5 seconds left sent the Panthers into the second quarter with an 11-9 lead.

Lincoln Prep maintained the lead and turned a two-point halftime lead into a 10-point lead less than three minutes into the third quarter, thanks to a transition layup by Levingston, which made ir 25-15.

But a 3-pointer by Brown with less than a second left in the third quarter cut the Lincoln Prep lead to one at 29-28.

The score was tied three times before two costly turnovers helped

Southern Lab take a four-point lead in the final quarter A layup by Brayden Laws made it a 39-33 lead with 5:04 remaining.

“All year we’ve been battle-tested. We’ve been behind in games,” Boudreaux said. “Sometimes, defense can create offense. Everyone believed.”

The Kittens made 51% of their shots from the floor (16 of 31). Brown was 5 of 6, including the 3-pointers.

“My teammates trust me,” Brown said. “Coach drew up the game plan, and we tried to implement it.”

Email Robin Fambrough at rfambrough@theadvocate.com

East Iberville’s dream season ends in tight one

BY ROBIN FAMBROUGH Staff writer

East Iberville’s historic season came to an end with a 41-37 loss to reigning champion Franklin in a Division IV nonselect semifinal game at the LHSAA boys basketball tournament Monday night in Lake Charles.

Afterward, Franklin coach Tremayne Johnson credited the Tigers for their effort. East Iberville made a powerful statement without winning the game.

“Hats off to coach (Donavan Maryland of East Iberville) and what he’s doing over there with that program,” Johnson said.

“You saw how back and forth it was in the last quarter It was a battle.”

The Tigers (19-15) outscored second-seeded Franklin 13-10 in the final quarter of what was the school’s first LHSAA tourney appearance since 1996.

Freshman Chase Joseph led East Iberville with 11 points. Treyshaun Mack finished with a game-high 12 points for Franklin (24-5).

The last Tigers team to reach the state semifinals included Joseph’s father, a fact Maryland noted afterward.

“You know, 29 years is a long time a lifetime,” Maryland said. “So, for us to actually have a chance to break the drought to break through means a lot.

“I have to put the blame on myself. I need to put them (East Iberville players) in a better position

to be successful. But they gave me everything they had. My hope is that this is the start of something for this program.”

The Tigers trailed by as many as eight points in the third quarter. Still, it was anyone’s game throughout most of the fourth quarter, including the final minute.

Two free throws from Marcus Holmes pulled East Iberville within 31-30 a little more than a minute into the final quarter But Franklin bounced back and led 36-30 midway through the fourth quarter

A 3-pointer by Joseph with 1:32 remaining tied the game at 36-36. Both teams missed opportunities to forge ahead. Jylon Jackson made two free throws with 53.5 seconds remaining to give Franklin a 38-36 lead.

Tyler Green made one of two free throws 32 seconds later to get East Iberville one point closer

Then came the finish.

Jeremiah Gray made just one field goal in the game for Franklin, but with 4.7 seconds remaining the senior guard stepped to the line and made two free throws to put it away

“Both teams just went at it in the fourth quarter,” Maryland said. “We both missed free throws and at the end everybody was scrambling out there.

“They (Franklin) have more experience here. We’ll look to build on this.”

Email Robin Fambrough at rfambrough@theadvocate.com

Southern men’s hoops collects 2 SWAC awards

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

After having its best regular season in more than a decade, two members of Southern men’s basketball received end-of-season awards.

teams’ 18 conference games were double-digit victories.

The last time Southern won 20 regular-season games was during the 2012-13 season when it reached the NCAA Tournament and fell to Gonzaga in the first round.

14,

Gougisha

2);

(Brown

Prep 1 (Spann) Boys

at

Mill Par 36 Team scores: 1. University, 162. 2. Zachary 180 Medalists: 1. Jayden Williams, University, 37. 2. Nelson Hines, University 40. 3. Teigen Broussard, Zachary, 40. Boys tennis Parkview 3, Dunham 2 Singles Adam Nesheiwat (Dunham) def Trevor Wilfery (PB) 6-2,6-4 Ben Mathis (PB) def Parker Allee (Dunham) 7-6(3),5-7,10-8

Brennan Pierce, Ascension Christian def. Henry Chen, Baton Rouge High 6-1, 6-0

Doubles Ved Kandula-Ryan Nguyen, Baton Rouge High def. Cole

Duhe-Harold Berry, Ascension Christian 7-6, 6-1

Gracen Shepherd-Ryan Shen, Baton Rouge High def. Kyler

Faul-Kason Tanner, Ascension Christian 7-6, 2-6, 10-7

Alexander Nguyen-Whitman Thompson, Baton Rouge High def. Benjamin Burrell-Jacob Couvillion, Ascension Christian 6-0, 6-2

Girls tennis

Baton Rouge High 5, Ascension Christian 0

Singles

Aubrey Gilly-Peyton Breard, UHigh def. Carley Mattear-Ivana Smith, Denham Springs 5-7, 6-0, 1-0 (12-10) Girls Dunham def. Parkview 3-2 Singles Jordan Hurt (PB) def Campbell Banks (Dunham) 6-0,7-6(5)

Coach Kevin Johnson earned 2025 Southwestern Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, and Andre Nunley earned the SWAC Defensive Player of the Year award. Johnson, in his second season, led Southern to a 20-11 overall record and a 15-3 conference record, finishing first in the standings. Eight of the

Last season, the Jaguars were 18-14 overall and were third in the SWAC at 12-6.

Nunley, a graduate transfer from Prairie View, was named the league’s top defender after averaging 1.6 steals and committing only 1.7 fouls per game. The 5-foot-10 guard had three games with four steals and a career-high six steals in a game. Southern earned a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed in the SWAC and will play in the quarterfinals Wednesday at 1 p.m. in Atlanta.

Southern guard

Andre Nunley finishes off a fast break with a basket against Prairie View guard Braelon Bush on Feb 15 at the F.G. Clark Activity Center

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Johnson

Yankees ace Cole to have season-ending Tommy John surgery

By The Associated Press

TAMPA, Fla. Yankees ace Gerrit Cole will have season-ending Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Tuesday

The Yankees said the 34-yearold right-hander was examined Monday by Dr Neal ElAttrache at the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute in Los Angeles. ElAttrache, the Dodgers’ head team physician, will operate.

“This isn’t the news any athlete wants to hear, but it’s the necessary next step for my career,” Cole said in a statement. “I have a lot left to give, and I’m fully committed to the work ahead. I’ll attack my rehab every day and support the 2025 Yankees each step of the way I can’t wait to be back on the mound — stronger than ever.” Cole experienced discomfort following his second spring training outing Thursday New York also is missing another starting pitcher AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, who will be sidelined for at least three months because of a strained lat muscle. Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton is sidelined indefinitely because of tendon pain in both elbows, and infielder DJ LeMahieu is out with a calf strain.

“You’ve got to be able to handle it and deal with it and maneuver,” manager Aaron Boone told the YES Network before the team announced Cole’s surgery “It’s not a death sentence for us by any means, so it’s an opportunity for someone else. The reality is Gerrit still has a lot of pitching in front of him in his career and pitching with the Yankees and we want that to be as successful as it’s been already.”

A six-time All-Star, Cole threw a perfect first inning Thursday and reached 97.6 mph in the second, when he allowed Matt Wallner’s

“You’ve got to be able to handle it and deal with it and maneuver It’s not a death sentence for us by any means, so it’s an opportunity for someone else. The reality is Gerrit still has a lot of pitching in front of him in his career and pitching with the Yankees and we want that to be as successful as it’s been already.”

AARON BOONE,yankees manager

three-run homer on a fastball in the middle of the strike zone. He also surrendered Brooks Lee’s solo homer in the third on a 94 mph fastball with a 3-0 count.

Cole signed a $324 million, nineyear contract before the 2020 season.

After winning the 2023 AL Cy Young Award, the six-time AllStar didn’t make his first start last year until June 19 because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts, and then was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts. He exercised his right to opt out of his contract on the third day after the World Series, giving up $144 million over four years and starting a two-day window for the team to void the opt-out by adding a $36 million salary for 2029. New York decided not to add the year and Cole then elected to keep his contract.

Cole is 153-80 with a 3.18 ERA in 12 seasons for Pittsburgh (201317), Houston (2018-19) and the Yankees (2020-24)

Max Fried now heads a rotation that includes Carlos Rodón, Clarke Schmidt and Marcus Stroman. Will Warren and Carlos Carrasco are among the options for a fifth starter

SOFTBALL

Continued from page 1C

So is UL, which is 13-9 while playing a difficult schedule The Cajuns have played seven games

LSU

Continued from page 1C

Finding those pockets of rest for Hernandez will be important since he’s emerged as the top option behind the plate. He arrived at LSU as a power threat (23 home runs last year at Indiana State) but has become more valuable defensively than offensively for the Tigers.

Johnson on Friday went as far as to say that he doesn’t believe Hernandez will hit as many homers this season because “we’re asking him to do something that he hasn’t done.”

“It’s most important that he catches good. That’s the most important thing,” Johnson said. “And he’s doing a really nice job of that.”

Arrambide bounced back with a cleaner performance Sunday, and redshirt junior Blaise Priester came off the bench Friday and Sunday But this week made it clear that LSU will have to rely on Hernandez while Arrambide hones in his blocking and receiving skills.

“I know he’s a great player,” Johnson said about Arrambide on Tuesday, “and I know he’ll catch again relatively soon, and we need him to be good back there.”

Here comes the power?

LSU blasted 10 home runs in three games last weekend, a stark improvement from the weekend before when the offense had three homers in three games.

The Tigers entered this year without much proven power Junior Jared Jones is its only player who had more than 10 home runs last season while playing in the SEC.

A healthy Jones is a virtual lock to hit at least 20 homers, but LSU will need the likes of junior Daniel Dickinson, senior Josh Pearson and sophomore Steven Milam to hit a few extra balls over the fence.

Anderson missing bats

Sophomore left-hander and staff ace Kade Anderson has

against SEC teams, including No 1 Texas, and owns victories against Alabama (4-3) and Ole Miss (6-5). The Cajuns play small ball even more than LSU with just eight homers, five by first baseman Emily Smith, and 22 steals.

Outfielder Kayla Falterman leads the team with a .411 average, and center fielder and leadoff hitter Maddie Hayden is batting .391 with a team-best nine stolen bases. The top pitcher is Mallory Wheeler with a 5-1 record and a 2.57 ERA.

ON DECK

WHO: Xavier (7-9) at LSU (16-1)

WHEN: 6:30 p.m.,Tuesday

WHERE: Alex Box Stadium

ONLINE: SEC Network+

RADIO: WDGL-FM, 98.1 (Baton Rouge); WWL-AM, 870 (New Orleans); KLWB-FM, 103.7 (Lafayette)

RANKINGS: LSU is No. 1 by

D1Baseball; Xavier is not ranked

made a lot of opposing hitters look silly through his first four starts. Anderson has struck out 15.4 batters per nine innings and holds a 43.5% strikeout rate this year He leads the team in both categories among pitchers who have thrown at least 10 innings. He featured his curveball more Friday after sticking to a mostly fastball-slider approach in his previous start. He struck out 11 hitters in six innings against North Alabama.

“I think that’s just how the lineup kind of was, to attack with all my pitches, honestly,” Anderson said “And I think that (pitching coach Nate Yeskie) did a really good job of kind of mixing and matching.”

PROBABLE STARTERS: LSU — TBA; Xavier — TBA WHATTOWATCH FOR: LSU has turned to junior left-hander Conner Ware and freshman right-hander William Schmidt to start midweek games this season.Xavier got swept byTennessee last week but also has wins over Stanford and Indiana.The Tigers won two out of three games in their series with Xavier last season. Koki Riley

Guidry update

Gavin Guidry, the junior righthander who has been unavailable the last three weekends with a reported back injury, played catch Saturday and Sunday in hopes of returning to the bullpen and making his first appearance this weekend against Missouri.

“The ball is coming out good, and got really good reports about the catch play (Saturday),” Johnson said. “(His) general disposition, it was very positive. He’s right next to me in the dugout and smiling, and he had a lot more positive vibes, I guess, this weekend.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki Riley@theadvocate.com.

Pelicans coach Willie Green, when asked Sunday whether the team considered sitting Williamson for the road game and letting him play the next day at

PELS TO BECOME FIRST NBA TEAM TO PLAY IN AUSTRALIA

The New Orleans Pelicans are headed down under The Pelicans will start next season with a pair of preseason games in Australia, the NBA announced Monday afternoon.

It will be the first time an NBA team has played in Australia.

The Pelicans will play against two teams in the National Basketball League, a professional basketball league in Australia.

The Pelicans are scheduled to play Melbourne United on Oct. 3 and South East Melbourne Phoenix on Oct. 5 The games will be played at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne.

The NBA, the NBL and the Pelicans also will conduct NBA Cares community outreach initiatives and lifestyle events leading up to and during the week of the games.That includes a fan night on Oct. 4

Rod Walker

JOHNSON

21 at Tiger Park

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK LSU right-handed pitcher Zac Cowan pitches against Southern on Feb 18 at Alex Box Stadium.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Pelicans forward Zion Williamson, left, and guard Trey Murphy celebrate as guard CJ McCollum slams the ball against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 11, 2022, at the Smoothie King Center

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS O’MEARA

New york yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole taps catcher Austin Wells on the arm as Cole is taken out of the game against the Toronto Blue Jays during the fourth inning of a spring training game on Feb 28 in Tampa, Fla.

Injuries present challenges for LSU gym

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Staff writer

His team is ranked No. 2 in the nation and coming off the best score in the nation in 2025 by nearly three-tenths of a point. But for LSU coach Jay Clark, every week is a new challenge.

Notebook

“E ve ry w ee k when I walk into the gym and get the news from the trainer, someone is sick or someone has to go to the doctor,” Clark said Monday Every week is also an opportunity for him to try and let go and not worry about the things he can’t control.

“As a coach, I want to control every outcome,” Clark said with a wry grin. “I’m getting better about letting go and practicing what I preach.”

Two of the hurdles going into the final meet of the regular season are the health of freshman Kaliya Lincoln and senior Olivia Dunne Lincoln competed on vault in Friday’s 198.575-197.175 victory over Georgia, but a lingering shoulder injury that will require offseason surgery prompted Clark to pull her out of the floor rotation and re-

of Friday’s meet at Auburn. The same already was expected for Dunne, who posted on Instagram on Thursday that she has an avulsion fracture of her left kneecap.

“It’s an unusual thing,” Clark said. “It usually happens to someone who’s been in a car accident or had some sort of blunt force trauma. She can’t recall anything like that.”

Dunne was on the floor for the Georgia meet and senior night activities with a brace on her left knee.

“She can force herself to function, but it’s very painful,” Clark said. “We’ve shut her down and immobilized it. I still remain cautiously optimistic that she’ll be available again, at least on bars, but it’s hard to say.”

Clark said he expects freshman Lexi Zeiss will replace Lincoln on vault at Auburn and that Coen, who filled in for Lincoln in the floor lineup, will again fill that role. Coen led off on floor and scored a 9.875.

The Tigers have an NQS (National Qualifying Score) of 197.825 to the Sooners’ 197.965. Florida is No. 3 (197.760), followed by UCLA (197.600) and Utah (197.515).

Freshman sensation Kailin Chio, who won her fifth all-around title Friday with a season-best 39.800, is the nation’s fifth-ranked allarounder with an NQS of 39.665. She is also No. 2 on vault (9.945) and tied for fourth on beam (9.935).

Sophomore Konnor McClain is sixth on uneven bars (9.925), and senior Aleah Finnegan — who recorded LSU’s first 10.0 score of the season with a perfect routine on beam Friday — is tied for ninth in that event (9.920).

No TV again

place her with sophomore Kylie Coen

“She vaulted and didn’t feel she could get her arm back,” Clark said. “It didn’t make sense to push her on floor. We’re trying to get it

to calm down and get her ready for SECs, maybe, and (NCAA) regionals.”

Clark basically ruled the 2024 U.S. Olympic team alternate out

Tigers closing gap

LSU remained No. 2 in this week’s national rankings but again closed the gap on No. 1 Oklahoma.

SCOREBOARD

games

vs. Texas

p.m

vs. Bethune-Cookman-Alcorn St.winner, 8:30 p.m. Championship Saturday’s games Semifinal winners, 9:30 p.m. Women’s national scores Monday’s games

Athletic Quarterfinal Rice 62, UTSA 58 Temple 65, Charlotte 34

Big Sky Confrence

Quarterfinal

Idaho St. 62, Weber St. 42

Montana 65, Idaho 54

Horizon League Confrence

Semifinal Green Bay 67, Robert Morris 53 Fort Wayne 83, Cleveland St. 65

Mountain-West ConferenceQuarterfinal

UNLV 80, Boise St. 70 Southland Confernce First Round Northwestern St. 66, Texas A&M-CC 63 Sun Belt Championship Arkansas St. 86, James Madison 79, OT West Coast Conference

Semifinal Oregon St. 63, Gonzaga 61

Western AthleticFirst Round Nicholls 55, Texas Rio Grande Valley 53 SWAC

At Gateway Center Arena College Park, Ga.

First Round

Tuesday’s games

Bethune-Cookman vs. Prairie View, 11 a.m

Florida A&M vs. MVSU, 5:30 p.m

Quarterfinals Wednesday’s games Texas Southern vs. Bethune-Cookman-Prairie View-winner, 11 a.m. Southern U. vs. Florida A&M-MVSU-winner, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday’s games Alabama A&M vs. Alcorn St., 11 a.m Jackson St. vs. Grambling St., 5:30 p.m.

Semifinals

Friday’s games TBD vs. Alabama A&M-Alcorn St.-winner, 11 a.m.

TBD vs. Jackson St.-Grambling St.-winner, 5:30 p.m.

Championship Saturday’s games

Semifinal winners, 5:30 p.m.

College softball

Sunday’s games

UL-Monroe 9, Detroit Mercy 1 (6 innings)

Louisiana Tech 10, New Mexico State 4 LSU 10, Minnesota 2 (5 innings)

Monday’s games None scheduled.

Tuesday’s games

UL-Monroe at Grambling, 3 p.m. Baylor at Northwestern St., 6 p.m. North Dakota State at Southeastern, 6 p.m.

McNeese vs. Minnesota, 6 p.m. UL at LSU, 6 p.m.

Wednesday’s games No games scheduled

Thursday’s games No games scheduled.

Friday’s games Grambling at UAPB, TBA UIW at Nicholls (DH), 4 p.m. Southeastern at Houston Christian (DH) 4 p.m.

at Alcorn, 4 p.m.

at Marshall, 5 p.m.

State at UL-Monroe, 5 p.m.

Tech at UTEP, 6 p.m.

Kim, 70.037. 7, Collin Morikawa, 70.125. 8, Russell Henley, 70.157. 9, Rory McIlroy 70.165. 10, Karl Vilips, 70.235. Driving Distance 1, Niklas Norgaard, 325.1. 2, Tim Widing, 323.8. 3, Aldrich Potgieter, 322.9. 4, Gary Woodland, 321.6. 5 (tie), Rory McIlroy and Karl Vilips, 320.1. 7, Alejandro Tosti, 319.8. 8, Min Woo Lee, 319.6. 9, Michael Thorbjornsen,

318.3. 10, Rasmus Hojgaard, 317.9. Driving Accuracy Percentage 1, Ben Kohles, 75.00%. 2, Takumi Kanaya 74.76%. 3, Brice Garnett, 72.65%. 4, Collin Morikawa, 72.37%. 5, Lucas Glover, 71.74%. 6, Paul Peterson, 69.37%. 7, Victor Perez, 68.64%. 8, Aaron Rai, 68.51%. 9, Kevin Roy 68.32%. 10, John Pak, 67.96%. Greens in Regulation Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. Total Driving 1, Kevin Roy, 40. 2, Karl Vilips, 46. 3, Victor Perez, 62. 4, Alex Smalley, 69. 5, Steven Fisk 70. 6, Isaiah Salinda, 77. 7, Rico Hoey, 83. 8, Daniel Berger, 92. 9, Kris Ventura, 98. 10, Taylor Pendrith, 100. SG-Putting 1, Brandt Snedeker, 1.009. 2, Aldrich Potgieter, .936. 3, Frankie Capan III, .851. 4, Lee Hodges, .847. 5, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, .829. 6, Will Chandler, .801. 7, Brendon Todd, .799. 8, Harry Hall, .717. 9, Sami Valimaki, .695. 10, Taylor Montgomery, .692. Birdie Average 1, Cam Davis, 5.28. 2, Collin Morikawa, 5.25. 3, Sepp Straka, 5.2. 4, Harry Hall, 5.17. 5, Jesper Svensson, 5.05. 6, Russell Henley, 5.04. 7, Niklas Norgaard, 5. 8, Patrick Cantlay, 4.95. 9, Adam Scott, 4.94. 10, 2 tied with 4.92. Eagles (Holes per) 1, Steven Fisk, 42. 2 (tie), Nicolai Hojgaard, David Skinns and Karl Vilips, 54. 5, Patrick Cantlay, 60. 6, Ludvig Aberg, 61.2. 7 (tie), Cam Davis, Kurt Kitayama and Trey Mullinax, 64.8. 10, 2 tied with 66. Sand Save Percentage 1, 10 tied with .00%. All-Around Ranking 1, Karl Vilips, 185. 2, Alex Smalley, 223. 3, Collin Morikawa, 302. 4, Sepp Straka, 330. 5, Justin Thomas, 381. 6, Russell Henley, 389. 7, Kevin Roy, 394. 8, Ben Kohles, 399. 9, Nicolai Hojgaard, 415. 10, Niklas Norgaard, 419. LPGA Tour Statistics Through March 9 Scoring 1, Nelly Korda, 67.75. 2, Akie Iwai, 68. 3, Yealimi Noh, 68.25. 4, Angel Yin, 68.64. 5, Lexi Thompson, 68.75. 6, Megan Khang, 69. 7, A Lim Kim, 69.13. 8, Jeeno Thitikul, 69.17. 9, 3 tied with 69.25. Driving Distance 1, Julia Lopez Ramirez, 287.25. 2, Polly Mack, 285.25. 3, Emily Kristine Pedersen, 279.25. 4, Auston Kim, 278.43. 5, Bianca Pagdanganan, 278.42. 6, Dewi Weber, 277.5. 7, Nelly Korda, 276.38. 8, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, 276.29. 9, Liqi Zeng, 274.67. 10, Elizabeth Szokol, 273.5. Greens in Regulation 1, Megan Khang, .85%. 2, Lexi Thompson, .83%. 3 (tie), Carlota Ciganda, Allisen Corpuz, Yealimi Noh and Angel Yin, .81%. 7 (tie), Haeran Ryu and Rio Takeda, .80%. 9, 4 tied with .79%. Putts per GIR 1, Saki Baba, 1.41. 2, Sei Young Kim, 1.62. 3, Yue Ren, 1.63. 4, Yuka Saso, 1.67. 5 (tie), Amanda Doherty and Chisato Iwai, 1.68. 7 (tie), Akie Iwai and Minami Katsu, 1.69. 9, 2 tied with 1.7. Birdies 1, A Lim Kim, 85. 2, Celine Boutier, 80. 3, Ayaka Furue, 78. 4, Leona Maguire, 74. 5, Rio Takeda, 73. 6 (tie), Jin Young Ko, Mao Saigo and Angel Yin, 64. 9, Jin Hee Im, 62. 10, Jeeno Thitikul, 61. Eagles

1, Minjee Lee, 5. 2, Rio Takeda, 4. 3, Lauren Coughlin, 3. 4, 14 tied with 2. Sand Save Percentage 1 (tie), Saki Baba, Jaravee Boonchant, In Gee Chun, Kumkang Park, Julia Lopez Ramirez Miranda Wang, Fiona Xu and Liqi Zeng, 1.00%. 9, Andrea Lee, .88%. 10, Paula Reto, .83%. Rounds Under Par 1, Rio Takeda, .80%. 2, Ayaka Furue, .75%. 3, Leona Maguire, .65%. 4, Celine Boutier, .60%.

5, A Lim Kim, .75%. 6, Minjee Lee, .69%. 7, Angel Yin, .79%. 8, Nanna Koerstz Madsen, .92%. 9, Pajaree Anannarukarn, .61%. 10, Yealimi Noh, .92%. 11, 2 tied with .69%. Major League Baseball

Because of the Southeastern Conference Tournament for men’s basketball, no SEC gymnastics meets will be televised again this week. The LSU-Auburn meet, which starts at 7 p.m., will be shown on a streaming basis on SECNetwork+. A win at Auburn will guarantee LSU at least a share of the SEC regular-season championship with Oklahoma, which is at Georgia at 6 p.m. Friday

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU gymnast Kaliya Lincoln performs her floor routine against Oklahoma on Feb 14 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center Lincoln currently is battling a shoulder injury.

Time to get in shape

Pruning boosts health and productivity of fruit and nut trees

Late winter is an ideal time for pruning many trees, and fruit trees are no exception. Regularly trimming away damaged and unsightly branches is key to maintaining a healthy tree with an aesthetically pleasing shape. It also triggers a hormonal response that promotes healing and regrowth — things we want to encourage ahead of spring.

GARDEN NEWS

In the case of fruit trees, pruning offers additional benefits

“You want to increase airflow and sunlight If you do need to spray your fruit trees, they’ll be easier to spray,” said LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist Michael Polozola. “But it also helps because you’ll also need to spray them less because you’ll rely on nature to help reduce that disease pressure by having that good airflow and sunlight to prevent humid pockets.”

Pruning to maximize sunlight penetration also helps produce more and sweeter fruit, Polozola said, as the increased light exposure enhances the fruit’s development and sugar content. The process of pruning fruit trees is different from pruning other trees. Fruit trees don’t always grow in a form that is conducive to producing lots of fruit or resisting disease pressure. They often need to be trained into a better shape.

LSU AGCENTER PHOTO

By OLIVIA McCLURE

LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist Michael Polozola demonstrates pruning a young peach tree to encourage a form that is more conducive to fruit production.

It’s easiest to accomplish this while trees are young and have yet to bear fruit. The goal, in general, is to ensure branches are evenly distributed on the trunk and to avoid narrow crotches, which are prone to breakage But there’s not a one-size-fits-all approach

“Each fruit tree species needs a little bit different training strategy,” Polozola said. For most fruit trees, pruning keeps their height in check so it’s easier to harvest. It also helps avoid low-hanging branches that may get too close to the ground when laden with fruit. Below is Polozola’s advice on pruning and training the shape of some common fruit trees as well as pecans, which we usually think of as nuts but actually are drupes, a type of fruit

PEACH: Polozola recommends training these trees in the open center or vase form, which features three or four main limbs that grow outward. After you bring home peach trees from the nursery, you should prune them to a single stem that’s about 3 feet tall You may have to cut off a good bit of growth to achieve this, but that’s OK, even if it looks severe.

Pruning trees back will force new branches to grow Polozola suggests using limb spacers to train the new growth to go in three to four different directions FIG: Figs can be pruned in either tree or bush forms. Polozola recommends following the open center method to achieve a tree form in south Louisiana.

Arrival time

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

Trying to follow a hummingbird’s frenzied path might give you whiplash, but starting in mid-March, Louisiana residents will have ample opportunity to spot the tiny, longbeaked birds as they make their annual migration from Mexico.

Louisiana is filled with bird enthusiasts, so the arrival of hummingbirds along the Gulf Coast is a nature lover’s ideal start to spring.

The most common hummingbird in Louisiana is the the ruby-throated hummingbird, which typically bear emerald and red feathers.

How to attract the airborne jewels

According to the National Audubon Society, it’s best to put nectar out in early March to attract hummingbirds.

Introducing tubular flowers to your garden or setting up a hummingbird feeder are other ways to see the shimmery creatures.

Hummingbird feeders usually use

mixtures with one-quarter cup of sugar per cup of water And while it’s not necessary to dye the mixture, most feeders are red, as hummingbirds are naturally drawn to the color Feeders come in all different colors, though the Baton Rouge Audubon Society suggests residents stay away from yellow feeders, as the color is a magnet for bees and wasps. Additional tips for feeders

Just like you would with a water bowl for your pets, sugar water mix-

tures need to be replaced, too.

If you are setting up a feeder, consider placing it away from predators, like cats, who may use the spot as their hunting ground.

Hanging the feeder in an area shielded from wind and direct sunlight will also preserve the nectar for longer

Fun facts

The ruby-throated hummingbird flaps its wings 60 to 80 times per second, so it’s easy to mistake the bird for a large bee.

Weighing less than a nickel, the hummingbird is known to nest on deciduous or coniferous tree branches, though some are used to human habitation and will nest on loops of chain, wire and extension cords.

Though they can fly up to 60 miles per hour, these hummingbirds have extremely short legs and are unable to walk or hop. Instead, they shuffle. And to scratch its head or neck, the ruby-throated hummingbird raises a foot over its wing.

LSU Theatre’s ‘Roleplay’ a window into campus life

Jillian Boyles, left, is Georgie, and Reynold Hunter is Jim in LSU Theatre’s production of ‘Roleplay,’ opening March 13 in the Reilly Theatre.

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Georgie dreams of becoming a poet, but she doesn’t dare tell anyone least of all her immigrant parents, who have sacrificed everything for their daughter’s education in the United States.

“They want her to go to law school and become an attorney,” said Jillian Boyles, who plays Georgie. “They’ve immigrated here from Africa, and they don’t have patience for a career path that they believe won’t make any money.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By JANE PATTERSON Hummingbirds flock to a feeder

STAFF PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Hummingbirds flit through a backyard in the Kenilworth neighborhood in Baton Rouge.

Dear Miss Manners: If we renewed the lovely fashion of wearing gloves, people wouldn’t have to fear catching germs from shaking hands or appearing rude for refusing.

Gentle reader: Why didn’t Miss Manners think of that?

Not only would it solve the problems you mention, but it would allow her to wallow in a treasure trove of forgotten customs. And as a bonus, it might alert those involved in plays and shows set in the past to use period costumes properly, which they almost never do. Even in lavish movies and television series, the supposedly refined characters eat and drink while wearing gloves, which is — ewww!

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

in the cold should not therefore be a problem. But gloves were once a routine part of a proper outfit worn outside of one’s home, regardless of the weather: cotton gloves for spring and summer, fine leather for formal occasions, and heavier leather or wool for fall and winter Oh, and slippery ones for striptease acts.

P.S. It is true that gentlemen but not ladies were supposed to remove their gloves when shaking hands But Miss Manners is hereby suspending that rule.

Removing gloves before eating is a strict rule. But if you have a glass or a canape or a fork in your hands, that is an obvious and polite excuse for not shaking hands. Just practice the regretful smile that should accompany the refusal Aside from protective gloves worn for tasks like waxing your car or dyeing your hair — during which, presumably, you don’t socialize — gloves are now chiefly worn for warmth Greeting someone outdoors

‘ROLEPLAY’

Continued from page 1D

Boyles, a sophomore theater major from Fort Worth, tells the story of Georgie, whose story is one of five in LSU Theatre’s production of “Roleplay.” The 2019 drama, developed by students and professionals at Tulane University, opens March 13 in LSU’s Reilly Theatre.

11 characters, five stories

The production follows 11 characters through their sophomore year of college as they deal with everything from friendships to sexual assault.

For Georgie, campus life includes a dream of creativity through words known only to her until her friend Jim, played by Reynold Hunter, starts reading her poetry

“Jim is a chill guy,” said Hunter, a junior English literature major from Shreveport. “He likes hanging out with friends but he’s in conflict with his masculinity He’s also a bit of an artist — a bit of a producer — and he believes he can work with Georgie lyrically.”

Snapshots of the year

Boyles and Hunter describe the play as snapshots through the school year

“You see the rise and fall of these students and the conflicts in their daily lives,” Hunter said.

Juggling several simultaneous stories in one play isn’t always the easiest job for a director but Emily K. Hamilton has directed similar plays in the past.

Hamilton is on sabbatical leave from Hamilton College’s Theatre Department in Clinton, New York.

“I miss my students, so

PRUNING

Continued from page 1D

But the tree form can be more sensitive to winter cold damage, so a bush form with multiple trunks is better for north Louisiana, he said. To grow figs as bushes, cut young trees back to about half their original height before transplanting. Prune shoots that grow upward while keeping those that grow outward.

APPLE: The modified central leader technique is ideal for apple trees Cut off upper branches that

of the children — they neglected my friend and left her lonely for many of her final months — and am not keen to give them credit by thanking them for a bequest that was A. not of their generosity and B. handled entirely by lawyers.

If I should send a thankyou note, do I address it only to the executor or to all three?

Try this when answering scams

Dear Miss Manners: An elderly friend died last year after a long decline. I was very fond of her, as she was of me, and I visited her regularly after she moved from her home to the care facility where she died I recently received a small monetary bequest My friend’s executor is the eldest of her three children. Should I write a thank-you note for this bequest, and if so, to whom should it be addressed?

Obviously I can’t write to my deceased friend, though I do think of her gratefully almost every day for her love and many kindnesses. Yet I don’t think much

Gentle reader: You do your late friend no honor by snubbing her children, at least one of whom she trusted enough to name as her executor Miss Manners hopes that you will express your condolences to the children. However complicated the relationships, they did lose their mother But no, you need not thank the family for the bequest, which was none of their doing. Any acknowledgment to the executor would be in that child’s capacity as your friend’s chosen representative. Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners. com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City MO 64106.

I welcomed the chance to work with students in this play at LSU,” she said. “Often, the pieces I direct aren’t linear but more collage style, and as director, I keep an eye on how these stories intersect and how the perspectives diverge.”

Developed at Tulane

“Roleplay” was inspired by the results of Tulane’s 2018 campus climate survey on sexual misconduct, which revealed high rates of sexual assault among students.

The resulting play project connected the team of adjunct professor Darci Fulcher filmmaker Katie Mathews, associate professor of theatre Jenny Mercein and Goat in the Road Productions with 15 students, who explored their own college experiences during a yearlong process.

may meet the trunk at narrow angles to encourage new limbs to grow

“You’re going to work on training out scaffold limbs,” Polozola said “Limbs that come out at 90 degrees are stronger and easier for sunlight and air to get through.”

CITRUS: Citrus trees typically don’t need a lot of pruning But feel free to remove branches that are crossing each other and any thorny rootstock You also can prune to control height to make it easier to protect trees during cold weather

PECAN: “Pecans are completely different,” Polozola said. These we’re aiming

Dear Heloise: I’ve read many ideas for handling scam phone calls, but I have yet to see the one that has worked so well for me: If I receive a call from a number I don’t recognize, I pick up the phone, then hang up. This serves two purposes: First, I don’t waste time talking, and second, I don’t waste time listening. My philosophy is that if it is a legitimate phone call, the person will call back. This has only happened two times in the past several months. Keep up the good work! I enjoy your columns immensely — K.A., in Diamond Bar California

Reusing scatter rugs

Students took on such subjects as identity, sex, power and consent using structured improvisations and workshops to develop scenes and characters.

The play sparked conversations on Tulane’s campus while promoting new perspectives on issues like sexual assault and toxic behavior Meanwhile, a documentary about the making of the play, “Roleplay,” was created during the process, further amplifying the voices of the students involved and the issues explored in the play

“I’ve grown a lot as an actor in this play,” Hunter said. “I feel like this play is important to the times we’re living in.”

Email Robin Miller at romiller@theadvocate. com.

to get really tall. These we are pruning lower limbs a little bit up every year to push the fork up.”

For more information on fruit trees, check out “The Louisiana Home Orchard,” a free publication available on the AgCenter website at www.lsuagcenter.com/ LAHomeOrchard. You’ll find helpful diagrams and detailed instructions for pruning various trees as well as grape and muscadine vines and blackberry plants. The publication also includes advice on choosing and planting fruit trees, recommended cultural practices and common pest problems.

Dear Heloise: Once a scatter rug has seen better days,

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday March 11, the 70th day of 2025. There are 295 days left in the year

Today in history

On March 11, 2011, a magnitude 9 earthquake and resulting tsunami struck Japan’s northeastern coast, killing nearly 20,000 people and severely damaging the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station.

On this date:

In 1918, what were believed to be the first confirmed U.S. cases of a deadly global flu pandemic were reported among U.S. Army soldiers stationed at Fort Riley Kansas; 46 soldiers would die. (The influenza outbreak would ultimately kill an estimated 20 million to 40 million people worldwide.)

In 1941, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Lend-Lease Act, which

I don’t throw it out. I’ve taken old ones (about 3 by 4 feet) and folded them in half once, then in half again, and used them as a kneeling pad while gardening. They are so soft on the knees and usually bigger than the foam kneeling pads sold at the garden centers. If they get dirty who cares! You can hose them off to clean them. — Michelle Balk, via email Trash hint Dear Heloise: I am a senior who lives alone and doesn’t generate enough food scraps to discard them often. Our city wants us to put these scraps in our green barrel, not in the regular trash. So, I keep a plastic bag in the freezer and keep my scraps frozen until I empty the bag once a week on trash day Thanks for all the great hints! — Shirley, in Bakersfield, California Food storage

TODAY IN HISTORY

provided war supplies to Allied countries during World War II.

In 1985, Mikhail Gorbachev was chosen to succeed the late Konstantin Chernenko as general secretary of the Soviet Communist Party

In 2004, three days before general elections in Spain, 10 bombs exploded in quick succession inside commuter trains in Madrid, killing 193 people in an attack linked to al-Qaida-inspired militants.

In 2010, a federal appeals court in San Francisco upheld the use of the words “under God” in the Pledge of Allegiance and “In God We Trust” on U.S. currency

In 2012, U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Robert Bales shot and killed 16 Afghan villagers — mostly women and children as they slept. (Bales later pleaded guilty and was sentenced to life in prison without parole.)

STAFF PHOTO By ROBIN MILLER

Reynold Hunter is Jim in LSU Theatre’s production of ‘Roleplay,’ opening March 13 in the Reilly Theatre.

Hints from Heloise

PIScES (Feb. 20-March 20) Move into high gear and make positive changes. Improve how you live, work and handle your money Chat with experts and people you trust to point you in the right direction.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Do something to help others. Pitching in will make you feel grateful for who you are and what you have. Expand your circle of friends and interests, and you'll discover something you want to pursue.

TAuRuS (April 20-May 20) Impulsiveness will lead to poor choices. Concentrate on one thing at a time, and you'll accomplish what you set out to do. Timing is everything; thought and planning will make you look like a pro.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Sit back for a change, and let the dust settle before you begin again. Listen to your heart instead of letting someone else bully you. Evaluate what's important.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Be cognizant of others, but refuse to let anyone outshine or manipulate you. Put your best foot forward and put your energy where it counts. Shut out negativity and those trying to lead you astray.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Refuse to let a change of plans unnerve you. Go about your business, finish what you start and set your priorities straight to avoid outside interference. Implement self-love into your routine.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Visit a destination that offers visual, mental or emotional stimulation. Trust and believe in your-

self, and you won't be disappointed. It's time to live, love and be happy.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-oct. 23) Take the time to interact with knowledgeable people, and expand your circle of friends and interests. Doors will open, and proposals will spark your imagination and help you prioritize your schedule.

ScoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Turn up the volume and put your running shoes on; it's time to get serious and get things done. Stay focused, and you'll outsmart and outdo anyone who wants to slow you down.

SAGITTARIuS (nov. 23-Dec. 21) An open mind, courage and a positive attitude will help you navigate highs and lows. Live life in the moment, and don't deny yourself the right to pursue what makes you happy.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look for alternative ways to stretch your money. Whetheryoustartabusiness,makesome investments or apply for a better-paying position,youwilldiscoveryouhavemore control over your financial future than you anticipated.

AQuARIuS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Homeimprovementsthathelptoloweryourutilitycosts or overall expenses are achievable. Do the work yourself when possible and oversee any outsourcing to ensure you get your money's worth.

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: P EQuALS V

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

Sudoku

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

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

By PHILLIP ALDER

Victor Hugo wrote, “He who every morning plans the transactions of the day, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of the most busy life.”

A declarer who every first trick plans the transactions of the deal, and follows that plan, carries a thread that will guide him through a labyrinth of a most busy deal.

That is true, but declarers must always be ready to change their plans if necessary. For example, look at today’s club suit IfSouthhasnootherworries,whatis his best play for four tricks? Then, South isinthreeno-trump Westleadstheheart six: five, jack, king. How should declarer plan the transactions of the deal?

South has seven top tricks: two spades, one heart (trick one), two diamonds and two clubs. He needs two — not three — more club tricks to get home.

In isolation, the best plan is to cash dummy’s ace, then play low to dummy’s jack on the second round. But one of the main reasons bridge retains its popularity is that the right way to play a suit mathematically will not always be the correct approach in a given deal.

Here, if East gets on play, he will lead a heart through South’s queen. That will not hurt if the hearts are 4-4, but if they are 5-3 or 6-2, the contract will fail. Declarer must work to keep East off play. South should lead a club to the king and cash the ace. Here, the queen drops and South gains an overtrick. But if the queen has not appeared (and the suit is 3-2), declarer plays a third round, hoping for the best. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By

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

Previous answers:

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

CITY OF ST.GEORGE

ORDINANCENO. 2025-005

TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 2024-002 AND THE UNIFIED

DEVELOPMENT CODERELATIVE TO IMPACTS OFLARGER

DEVELOPMENTS AND TO TAILORPROVISIONS TO CITY OF ST

GEORGE AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS

WHEREAS, on July 23, 2024the St. George CityCouncil adopted Ordinance No. 2024-002, create aPlanning Commission, aZoning Commission and aBoardofAdjustments andadoptingthe EBRUnified Development Code (with some changes) as theCity’sinterim Unified Development Code (P &ZNo. T25-01);

WHEREAS, due to concernsaboutthe impact of larger developments, oneofthe changes to the EBR UDC was to requirethat any proposed development of 15 or moreresidential units or proposed commercial development of ten or moreacres must receive approval as aPlanned Unit Development (PUD);

WHEREAS, members of thelocal developmentcommunity complained that the PUD requirement is overly burdensome;

WHEREAS, the City now believes that its concernsregardingthe impacts of larger developments can be addressed by makingother changes to the UDC and removing the PUD requirement;

WHEREAS, arepresentative of the development community worked with staffand an ad hoc group of council people and zoningcommissioners to develop such changes; and

WHEREAS, apublic hearing was held on the proposed changes on February 3, 2025, beforethe City of St. GeorgeZoningCommission at which the Zoning Commissionrecommended approval ofthe textamendment.

THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by theSt. George City Council, State of Louisiana, as follows:

Section 1: That Section 4.D.ofOrdinance No. 20224-002 providing: “Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary in the St. George UDC, any proposed development of 15 or moreresidential units or proposed commercial development of ten or moreacres must receive approval as a Planned UnitDevelopment prior to theissuance of anypermit” is hereby repealed.

Section 2: That the deletionsand additions to the UDC set forth in Exhibit A, attached hereto arehereby adopted.

Section 3: The specific terms and conditions of this Ordinance shall prevail against other ordinances of theCity to the extentthatthere may be any conflict. Exceptfor theforegoing, theuse of the subject property is subject to the terms of all applicable ordinances and regulationsofthe City of St. George, including any amendmentthereto.

Section 4: Severability If any section, subsection,sentence, clause, or provision of this Ordinance is declared by acourt of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, such declaration of invalidity shall not affect the validity of the Ordinance as awhole, or parts thereof, other than the part declared invalid. The remainder of the Ordinance shall not be affected by thedeclaration of invalidity and shall remain in force andeffect.

Section 5: Effective Date. This ordinance shall be effective upon publication.

Approved by the Zoning Commission on February 3, 2025.

Ayes:Aguillard, McAllister,McKey,Thornton

Nays: None Absent: Marien

Introduced to the City Council on February 11,2025.

ThisOrdinance having been submitted to avote, thevote thereon was as follows: Ayes: Cook, Himmel, Monachello Nays: Heck Absent: Edmonds

Introduced on January 14, 2025

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Delivered to Mayor on February 27,2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Approved:

Dustin Yates, Mayor Received from Mayor on January 2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Ordinance published in The Advocate on the_ day of 2025. EXHIBIT A

NOTE: Underlined text is new [Other provisions deleted as directed] Title 7 UNIFIED DEVELOPMENT CODE Chapter 1 GENERAL PROVISIONS

Sec. 7:1.7 Non-Substantive Errors

ThePlanning Director may correct typographical errors, numerical reference errors, spelling errors, errors in section or page numbering, andsimilar nonsubstantive changes to the text of this Unified Development Code without a public hearing, provided the changes necessary to correct anyerrors do not change the meaning of the UDC, and anychanges made aredocumented to the Zoning Commission andmade apart of its regular meetingminutes. Chapter 2 ADMINISTRATION ***

Sec. 7:2.2 Planning and ZoningCommissions

The Planning Commission and Zoning Commission areestablished in Title 1 City Organization, Chapter 5Boards and Commissions of this Code. [Deletethis section in its entirety,including the section number.] [Deletethis section in its entirety, including the sectionnumber.] [Deletethis section in its entirety,including the section number.]

Sec. 7:2.3BoardofAdjustment TheBoardofAdjustment is established in Title 1City Organization,Chapter 5Boards and Commissions of this Code. Reserved[Delete this section in its entirety,and reserve thesection number.] *** Chapter 3 PROCESSES

Sec. 7:3.1 General

Sec. 7:3.1.4 Coordinationwith Others [Delete A. Central, B. Zachary, andC Baker in their entirety,including the letters.] The Recreation and Parks Commission The plans for all projects and developments to be constructed within 1,000feet of aRecreation andPark Commission for the Parish of East Baton Rouge (BREC) designated

Type

Additions to All Other Non‐ Residential See 7:4.2.2.B., Additions

B. Additions 1. An addition that results in the site reaching the threshold for approval by adifferentapproval authority shall requirethe approval of that new approval authority 2. Exception. Adevelopment that was previously approved by the Zoning Commission following apublic hearing shall only requirea new public hearing if the addition represents 20% or more of the number of units, gross floor area, or developed site area previously approved by the Zoning Commission following apublic hearing. ** *

Sec. 7:4.2.5Criteria for Approval In order to be approved, asite plan shall:

A. Meet all the requirements of the Unified Development Code;

B.Demonstrate, with sufficient and verifiable information and data, that public facilities are, or will be beforeapproval of acertificate of occupancy,adequate to support and service the proposed development, unlessthe applicant requests and the Zoning Commission approves anadequate public facilities waiver as provided in Sec. 7:5.1.1, or the applicant agrees to enter into aDevelopment Agreement with the City beforethe certificate of occupancy as provided in Sec. 7:4.4. To provide adequate public facilities for the proposed development, the developer may be required to provide off-site improvements; and C.Beinthe public interest by not resulting in:

1. Unsafe streets or trafficaccess;

2. Overcrowding of land; 3. Overburdening of public facilities including, among others, transportation, sewage, solid waste, drainage, schools, and parks; 4. Impairment of water quality; or 5. Significant negative effects on the use, enjoyment, and value of neighboring properties caused by incompatibility of use, layout, or bulk. ** *

Sec. 7:4.3 Subdivision Plats

Sec. 7:4.3.1 Purpose ** *

B. Every subdivision of land or site or tract development within the jurisdiction of the City shall be shown upon aplat and submitted to the Planning Commission for approval or disapproval. Any plat which has been approved by the Planning Commission shall be recorded in the office of the Clerk of Court and Recorder of the Parish, and no lots shall be sold from such plat unlessand until approved as required by the Uni

of lots; and iv.Neighborhood stability relative to the frequency of resubdivision of lots.

Sec. 7:4.3.3Subdivision Concept Plans

A. Purpose. The purpose of the subdivision concept plan is to provide assurance to the applicant and the City that proposed land uses, development intensities, and street layouts areacceptable prior to or in conjunction with action on apreliminary plat.

B. Applicability The subdivision concept plan is optional, except it is required for subdivisions:

1. That will result in anet increase of fifteen (15) or morelots;

1. That will be developed in multiple phases; or

2. Of contiguous land under common ownership.

C. Composition.The subdivision concept plan shall:

1. Show and describe, on amap at aconceptual level: a. Land uses and development intensities; and b. Street layouts; and

2. Indicate any development phases, with the proposed location and schedule of each phase.

D. Process.

1. The Planning Department shall review all subdivision concept plans and forwardthe application to the Planning Commission for apublic hearing and decision.

2. The application for asubdivision concept plan may be filed, processed, and heardconcurrently with the preliminary plat for all or a portion of the land shown within the concept plan.

3. Approval of the concept plan shall constitute consent to proceed with the subdivision process subject to any conditions of approval, which may address the: a. Mix and intensity of proposed land uses; b. General street layout; or c. Phasing of development.

E. Changes. Adjustments to the concept plan may be authorized by the Planning Commission concurrently with subsequent preliminary plat submittals.

F. Period of Validity

1. Unless specifically stated in the Planning Commission approval, the concept plan approval shall lapse: a. Two(2) years after approval if the applicant has not submitted a request for apreliminary plat for the first phase of development; or b. At any time during the approved development period when development lags one (1) two (2) years behind the

Sec.

Sec.

Sec. 7:5.1 Waivers

Sec. 7:5.1.1 Waivers Granted by thePlanning or ZoningCommissions

A. The Planning Commissionmay grantapproval of waivers to thelocation of sidewalks pursuant to Sec. 7:13.8. C, in:

1.Single family residential developmentof five lots or less that is morethan ¼mile from an existing accessible sidewalk, multi-use path, commercial node, school, park, community center,orlibrary in the Suburban Character Area; or 2.Inany character area if an alternative location or surface for a pedestrian way is proposed in order to save significant trees, maintain drainage ways, or when thealternative location provides connections throughout the development.

B. The Zoning Commission may grantapproval of waivers for wireless telecommunications towers for:

1. Setbacks established in Secs. 7:14.2.2 and7:14.2.3;

2.Height to amaximum of 300feet in theRural zoningdistrict provided that the tower is designed to accommodate additional antennae and wireless transmission and relay equipmentequal in number to applicant’s present and futurerequirements or theneeds of another provider of similar telecommunicationservices pursuant to Sec. 7:14.2.3.A; and

3. Separation requirements established in Sec. 7:14.2.1,ifthe applicant certifies that the existing tower,apermitted Communication Tower site, or an existing buildingofequal or greater height does not meet applicant’sstructural specifications and applicant’stechnical design requirements, or that acollocation agreementcould not be obtained.

C. Adequate public facilities. The PlanningorZoning Commission, as appropriate, may approve an adequate public facilities waiver when the applicant can demonstrate that theprovision of adequate public facilities willrequireunreasonable expenditure, subject to the following conditions:

1. Reasons. Either:

a. The subdivision:

(1) Is for the purpose of inheritance, sale, or similar act without intention of development within five (5) years, provided that a statement to this effect is recorded on theplat; and (2)Involves no morethan ten (10) lots, with each lot being; (a) Undeveloped; and (b) At least ten (10) acres; or b. Other similar or justifiable reasons.

2. Findings. The PlanningorZoningCommission may grantawaiver of adequate public facilities only upon findingthat:

a.The waiver will not conflict with the purposes of this UDC or the comprehensive plan;

b. Granting the waiver will not confer on the applicant any special privilege that is denied by the UDC to other lands that aresimilar situated and configured;

c. Granting the waiver willnot: (1) Be contrary to thepublic interest; (2) Adversely affect property values; or (3) Adversely affect other property in thevicinity; and d. The waiver is theminimumnecessary to accommodate the situation.

D. Appeals. At the first regular meetingofthe St. GeorgeCity Council following the decision of thePlanningorZoning Commission regarding requests for all such waivers, any member of the St. George CityCouncil may introduce an appeal of said decision, with theappeal to be heardto the next zoning meeting of the St. GeorgeCity Council. Failure to appeal will make thePlanning or ZoningCommission decision final. Chapter 8 ZONING DISTRICTS

Sec. 7:8.1 Districts AreEstablished

Sec. 7:8.4 Zoning Districts ***

Sec. 7:8.4.8Special Purpose Districts

[Delete C. Commercial Gaming(CG) andD.General Airport (GA) in their entirety,and reserve the letters.]

Sec. 7:8.4.11 Design Districts *** [Delete B. Highland Design District (HDD) in its entirety,including the letter.]

Sec.7:8.4.12 Inactive Districts ***

[Delete H. Government Use (GU) in its entirety,and reserve theletter.] *** Chapter 10 OVERLAYDISTRICTS

Sec. 7:10.2 Reserved [Delete this section in its entirety andreserve thesection number.]

Sec. 7:10.3 Design Overlay Districts ** *

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

Sec. 7:10.4 Historic Overlay Districts ** *

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

[Delete this section in its entirety,including the section number.]

Chapter 13 TRANSPORTATION ** *

Sec. 7:13.3 Access and Connectivity

A. Purpose. The purpose of regulating the amount and natureofvehicular access and connectivity is to:

1. Balance the need for providing access to individual private properties withthe need to preserveanadequate level of safety and capacity on the streets providing access; and 2. Ensureadequate vehicular connections for the safe and efficient movement of people and goods, and for public safety and emergency response.

B. Access to Arterial Streets

1. Management. To support the function of arterial streets which grants priority to the movement of through traffic, the Engineering Director is authorized to manage access to arterial streets, including by: a. Limiting the number of access points from asingle development; or b. Requiring cross-access between adjacent developments with public streets.

2. SecondaryAccess. For public safety and convenience, and to the extent permitted by the arterial’sowner,morethan one (1) access shall be provided to an arterial for any:

a. Singlefamily residential development with thirty (30) or more homes; or b. Other development projected to generate more than three-hundred (300) trips per day

3. Residential Subdivisions.Wherea residential subdivision borders on or contains an existing or proposed arterial, the Engineering Director may requirethat access to the arterial be limited by any means deemed appropriate by the Engineering Director to protect the public health, safety,and welfare, with the following as examples:

a.Lots backing onto the arterial and fronting onto aparallel street, withnoaccess provided from the arterial; or b. Amarginal accessorservice road separated from the arterial by a planting strip and having access at suitable points

C New Streets. Major subdivisions,site plans requiring Zoning Commission approval, and Planned Districts shall:

1. Major Street Plan. Consider donating right-of-way for new street alignments as shown on the Major Street Plan, unlessthe Engineering Director determines that this is not feasible or desirable.

2 Continuations and New Connections. Continue existing streets from and project new streets to adjoining areas, either by construction of the street or dedication of public right-of-way as determined by the Engineering Director at intervals generally consistent with those shown in Table 7:13.3.A, Required Street Connections,except that the Planning or Zoning Commission may choose to not requirenew connections when:

a. Adjoining land is already subdivided with lots less than ahalf-acre or otherwise cannot be further subdivided; or b. Natural features or development restrictions preclude the future extension of the new street connection.

Table 7:13.3.A Required Street Connections

Character Area Minimum Interval Between Potential Connections

Sec. 7:13.9 TrafficImpact Analysis

A. Intent. The intent of this Section is to provide the information necessary to allow decision-makers to assess the transportation implications of traffic associated with aproposed development, to address the transportationrelated issues associated with development proposals that may be of concerntoneighboring residents, business owners and property owners, and to provide abasis for negotiation regarding improvements and funding participation in conjunction with an application for development.

B. Purpose of aTIA. The purpose of atrafficimpact analysis (TIA) is to:

1. Evaluate trafficoperations and impacts at site access points under projected peak period trafficloads;

2. Evaluate the impact of site-generated trafficonaffected intersections in the vicinity of the development site;

3. Evaluate the impact of site-generated trafficonthe quality of traffic flow within areasonable distance of the site of development;

4. Evaluate the impact of the proposed development on neighborhood collector or local streets in the vicinity of the site;

5. Ensurethat site access and other improvements needed to mitigate the trafficimpact of the development meet commonly accepted engineering design standards; 6. Ensurethat adequate facilities for pedestrians, transit users and bicyclists have been provided; and

7. Identify transportation infrastructureneeds and related costs created by the development and cost sharing on needed improvements.

C. TIA Required. ATIA:

1. Shall be required when thereare: a. Threshold 1. Less than 40 peak hour trips, AM or PM, and shall include: (1) The proposed trip generation and distribution with source of information; and (2) Sight distance evaluation at proposed driveway or road intersection locations; b. Threshold 2. 40 or morepeak hour trips, AM or PM, and shall include: (1) The proposed trip generation and distribution with source of information; (2) Sight distance evaluation at proposed driveway or road intersection locations; (3) Capacity analysis for existing and proposed conditions at intersections within the study area established during atraffic scoping meeting; (4) Left turnlane, right turnlane, and signal warrants at the development driveways or road intersections; (5) Recommendations for mitigating improvements to maintain or improve the existing Level-of-Service, as well as recommendations for driveway or road intersection locations and configurations;and (6) Summary of the crash history within the study area and recommendations to improve safety conditions; or c. Higher thresholds. At the discretion of the Engineering Director ahigher TIA threshold of study may be required if other factors significantly influence trafficmovements or safety,including: (1) High-crashareas; (2) Areas currently experiencing excessive trafficcongestion; (3) Areas currently undergoing substantial growth; (4) High volumes on surrounding roads affecting access to a proposed development; (5) Lack of existing left turnlanes on adjacent roadways; (6) Inadequate sight distance at access points; (7) Proximity of proposed access points to existing drives or intersections;or (8) Developments that include drive-through operations.

2. May be waived by the Engineering Director when it is determined that aTIA is not necessary to determine needed transportation improvements or that no unsafe or hazardous

provision

This Ordinance having been submitted to avote, thevote thereon was as

follows: Ayes: Cook, Himmel, Monachello

Recused: Heck Absent: Edmonds

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Delivered to Mayor on February 28,2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Approved:

Dustin Yates, Mayor

Received from Mayor on

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Ordinance published in The Advocate on the day of 2025

SEEEXHIBIT AATTACHED

CITY OF ST.GEORGE

BY COUNCIL MEMBER HECK:

ORDINANCE NO. 2025- 007 TO AMEND ORDINANCE NO. 2025-002 RELATIVE TO THE LEVY OF THE 2% SALES AND USE TAXAUTHORIZED AT THE DECEMBER 7, 2024 ELECTION AND TO PROVIDE FORRELATED MATTERS

WHEREAS, under the provisionsofArticle VI, Section 29 of the Constitution of the State of Louisianaof1974, and other constitutional and statutory authority and an election held on December 7, 2024, the City of St. George, State of Louisiana(“City”), acting through the Mayor and City Council of the City of St. George, State of Louisiana(“Governing Authority”), is authorizedtolevy and collect within theCity a2%sales anduse tax (“Tax”) upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption,oftangible personal property andupon the sale of services defined in applicable statutory authority,pursuant to the following proposition approved by amajority of thevoters (21,701 votes in favor and 5,654 votes against) at said election held on December 7,2024: PROPOSITION (SALES TAX)

Shallthe City of St. George City be authorized pursuant to La. Const. Art. VI, Section 29(B) to levy and collect aperpetual tax of 2%upon the sale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the distribution,the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption of tangible personal property,and on sales of services, as presently defined in and subject to the tax exemptionsinChapter 2ofSubtitle II of Title 47 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes beginning on April 1, 2025 in the City of St. George (“Tax”) to replace the 2%sales anduse tax previouslylevied by the Consolidated Government for theCity of Baton Rouge and Parish of East Baton Rouge with theproceeds of the Taxtobeused for general municipal purposes within theCity of St. George including but not limited to, acquiring, constructing, improving and maintaining public works with an estimated annual collection of $48,000,000and shall the proceeds of the Taxbe subject to funding into bonds as authorized by law?

WHEREAS, in compliance with the aforesaid constitutional andstatutory authority and said special election of December 7, 2024, it is the desireof this Governing Authority to provide for the levy and collection of the Tax and to provide for distribution of the proceeds thereof and other matters in connection therewith as hereinafter provided in this ordinance.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the St. GeorgeCouncil, State of Louisiana as follows:

Section 1. Enactment

SECTION 1. Imposition. Pursuanttothe authority of aspecial election held in the City on December 7,2024, the Taxishereby levied upon thesale at retail, the use, the lease or rental, the consumption, and the storage for use or consumption,oftangible personal property,and upon the lease or rental of tangible personal property andonthe sales of services in the City of St. George, State of Louisiana, as defined by law.The Uniform Local Sales Tax Code, as enacted by Act 73 of the2003 Regular Session of the Louisiana Legislatureand as it may be amended from time-to-time (collectively,the “ULSTC”), shall apply in theassessment, collection,administration and enforcement of the Tax, the provisionsofwhich arehereby incorporated by reference.

SECTION 2. Rate of Tax. TheTax is levied at therate of 2%ofthe sales price of each item or article of tangible personal property when sold at retail in the City,the Taxtobecomputed on gross sales for the purpose of remitting the amount of tax due to the City,and to include each and every retail sale subject to the ULSTC. The Taxislevied at therate of 2%ofthe cost price of each item or article of tangible personal property when the same is not sold butisused, consumed, distributed, or storedfor use or consumption in the City,provided thereshall be no duplication of the Tax. TheTax is levied at the rate of 2% of the gross proceeds derived from the lease or rental of tangible personal property,asdefined by law or of the monthly lease or rental price paid by lessee or rentee, or contracted or agreed to be paid by lessee or rentee to the owner of the tangible personal property.The Taxislevied at the rate of 2% of the amount paid or charged for taxable services, as defined by law,performed in the City

SECTION 3. Effective Date. TheTax shall be effective on April 1,2025.

SECTION 4. Term. The Taxshall remain in effect withoutlimit as to term or duration

SECTION 5. Purposes. The proceeds ofthe Taxshall be used for the purposes set forth in the proposition approved by thevoters in the special election held in the City on December 7, 2024, authorizingthe Tax, which proposition is set forth in the preamble hereto.

SECTION 6. Incorporation of Ordinance 18732 of the Metropolitan Council of the Parish of East Baton Rouge andthe City of Baton Rouge. This Governing Authority hereby incorporates and agreestothe provisions of Ordinance 18732 adopted on February 8,2023, by the Metropolitan Council ofthe Parish of East Baton Rouge and the City of Baton Rouge, as it may be amended or replaced from time-to-time, with respect to thefollowing matters:

A. Collection and Enforcement Procedures, B. Collection of Motor Vehicle and Similar Items, C. Vendor Compensation D. Exclusions and Exemptions, including Limited Exemptions, E. Interest on Unpaid Amount of TaxDue, F. Delinquency Penalty,and

G. All Other Penalties and Remedies.

SECTION 7. Collector.The Taxlevied by this ordinance is authorized to be collectedbya “Collector” which term shall mean the Director of Finance ofthe City of Baton Rouge and the Parish of East Baton Rouge (the “CityParish”).

SECTION 8. Powers of Collector.The Collector is hereby authorized, empowered and directed to carry into effect the provisions of this ordinance, to appoint deputies, assistants or agents to assist it in theperformance of its duties, and in pursuance thereof to make and enforce such rules as it may deemnecessary

SECTION 9. Revenues of Tax. All taxes, revenues, funds, assessments moneys, penalties, fees or other income which may be collected or come intothe possession of the Collector under any provision or provisions of this ordinance relating to the Taxshall be promptly deposited by

In compliance with the said special election of December 7,2024, authorizing the Tax, after all reasonable andnecessary costs andexpenses of collecting and administration of the Taxhave been paid as provided for in Ordinance 18732, as it may be amended or replaced from time-to-time, or

Section 2. EffectiveDate.

Introduced to the City Council on February 11, 2025.

This Ordinance having been submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as follows: Ayes: Cook, Heck, Himmel, Monachello Nays: 0 Absent: Edmonds

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Delivered to Mayor on February 27, 2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Approved:

Dustin Yates, Mayor

Received from Mayor on

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Ordinance published in The Advocate on the day of ,2025.

CITY OF ST.GEORGE BY COUNCIL MEMBER HIMMEL:

ORDINANCE NO. 2025 –008 TO AUTHORIZE INCURRING OF DEBT AND ISSUANCE OF $20,000,000 OF REVENUE NOTES OF THE CITY OF ST.GEORGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA, AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS

WHEREAS, the St. George City Council (the Governing Authority”), acting as the governing authority of the City of St. George, State of Louisiana (the City”) desires to incur debt and issue Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) of Revenue Notes (the Notes”), in the manner authorized andprovided by Section 1430 of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other constitutional and statutoryauthority(the “Act”), for the purpose of (i) paying start-up and ongoing costs of providing essential City services and other operating expenses of the City,and (ii) paying the costs of issuance of the Notes;

WHEREAS, the Notes shall be secured by and payable from apledge of all funds or revenues received or to be received by the City to the extent legally available for the payment of debt service on the Notes, provided that no such funds or revenues shall be so included which have been or arein the futurelegally dedicated and required for purposes inconsistent therewith by the electorate, by the terms of specificgrants, by the terms of particular obligations issued or to be issued or by operation of law (such amount being the Available Funds”);

WHEREAS, it is expressly provided that the full faith and credit of the City shall not be pledged, and thereshall be no obligation on the City to levy or increase taxes or other sources of revenue in order to pay debt service on the Notes or to transfer any funds for the payment of debt service that may result in aviolation of any law,ruling, regulation, contract or agreement applicable to the City;

WHEREAS, upon delivery of the Notes herein authorized, the City will have no other outstanding notes or other obligations of any kind or nature payable from or enjoying alien on the Available Funds herein pledged;

WHEREAS, the State Bond Commission approved the issuance of the Notes at its meeting on January 16, 2025; and

WHEREAS, the City desires to sell the Notes to the purchaser thereof and to fixthe details of the Notes and the terms of the sale of the Notes, pursuant to the commitment letter attached as Exhibit A hereto.

BE IT ORDAINED by the St. George City Council, State of Louisiana, as follows:

Section 1. Definitions

The following terms as used in the Ordinance shall have the following respective meanings, such definitions being equally applicable to both the singular and plural sense of any of such terms.

“Act” means Section 1430 of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended, and other applicable constitutional and statutory authority.

“Additional Parity Notes” means any additional pari passu notes which may hereafter be issued on aparity with the Notes pursuant to Section 8 hereof.

“Agreement” means the agreement to be entered into between the City and the Paying Agent pursuant to this Ordinance, if any

“Available Funds” means all funds or revenues received or to be received by the City to the extent legally available for the payment of debt service on the Notes,provided that no such funds or revenues shall be so included which have been or areinthe futurelegally dedicated and required forpurposes inconsistent therewith by the electorate, by the terms of specific grants, by the terms of particular obligations issued or to be issued or by operation of law

“Business Day” means aday of the year other than aSaturday,Sunday orlegal holiday for the City

“City” means the City of St. George, State of Louisiana.

“Commitment Letter” means the Commitment Letter of the Lender as attached hereto as Exhibit A.

“Costs of Issuance” means all items of expense, directly or indirectly payable or reimbursable and related to the authorization, sale and issuance of theNotes, including but not limited to printing costs, costs of preparation and reproduction of documents, filing and recording fees, initial fees and charges of any fiduciary,legal fees and charges, fees and disbursements of consultants and professionals, fees and charges for preparation, execution, transportation and safekeeping of the Notes, and any other cost, charge or feepaid or payable by the City in connection with the original issuance of Notes.

“DeliveryDate” means the date on which the Lender advances funds for the purchase of the Notes, which is anticipated to be March 12, 2025.

“Draw Period” means the period beginning on the Delivery Date and ending on the earlier of (i) the date on which the entireprincipal amount of the Notes has been requested by the City and paid to the City by the Lender,and (ii) the date that is five (5) years from the Delivery Date, during which the City is permitted to request advances of installments of the Purchase Price from theLender pursuant to Section 11 hereof.

“Draw Period Interest Payment Date” means August 1, 2025, and the first day of each month thereafter during the Draw Period, provided the Notes or portions thereof arestill outstanding at such time.

“Event of Default” shall have the meaning given such term in Section 25 hereof.

“ExecutiveOfficers” means, collectively,the Mayor or Interim Mayor of theCity and the City Clerk.

“Final Maturity Date” means February 1, 2035.

“Fiscal

“Sales

“Sales

“Variable Rate” means the

Journal

of

rate of 5.75% and amaximum rate of 8.00%; provided that if the Wall Street Journal no longer publishes the Prime Rate, then the City and Lender will identify asubstitute index rate for purposes of the Notes, which may requirethe adjustment of the discount from the

and dedication ofthe Available Funds of theCity,and thereshall be irrevocably pledged and dedicated to the payment of the Notes, an amount of such Available Funds sufficient to pay the same in principal and interest as they respectively mature. Until the Notes shall have been paid in full

delivered shall be promptly canceled by the Paying Agent. All canceled Notes held by thePaying Agent shall be disposed of as directed in writing by the City

Section 19. Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost or Stolen Notes. If (1) any mutilated Note is surrendered to the Paying Agent, or the City and the Paying Agent receive evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Note, and (2) thereisdelivered to the City and the Paying Agent such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them harmless,then, in the

andsubordinate obligationsorobligations secured

comprise aportion

aseparately-identi

sourceorsources of

withoutrestriction Section 9. Sales TaxFund; Sinking Fund TheCity anticipates levying and collectinga2%sales anduse tax in the City beginning April 1, 2025(the “Sales Tax”). The City will create a special fund known as the “City of St. George Sales TaxFund” (the Sales TaxFund”), such Sales TaxFund to be held by the Lender.The City shall deposit and shall direct the collector of theSales Taxtodeposit therevenues ofthe Sales Taxupon receipt in theSales TaxFund until required for use as determined by the City in its sole discretion.

Forthe payment of the principal of and the interest on the Notes, the City will create aspecial fund known as “RevenueNotes (2025)Sinking Fund,” (the Sinking Fund”) said SinkingFund to be established and maintained withthe Paying Agent or aregularly designated fiscal agentbankofthe City TheCity shall deposit in the Sinking Fundatleast two (2)days in advance of the date on which each payment of principal and/or interest on the Notes falls due, funds fullysufficient to promptly pay the maturing principal and/or interest so falling due on such date; provided, however,that if the City does not possess sufficient Available Funds at thetime such deposit is required, the City shall (a) deposit all Available Funds it does possess at such time onapro rata basis to the credit of the SinkingFund and any sinkingfund established for the payment of any Additional Parity Notes, and (b) thereafter deposit to the Sinking Fund and any sinkingfund established for the payment ofany Additional Parity Notes any and all Available Funds received in the futuretothe extent necessary to curesuch insufficiency.The City shall cause thedepository for the Sinking Fund, if not thePayingAgent, to transfer from theSinking Fund to the Paying Agent funds fully sufficienttopay promptly the principal and interest falling due on the Notes on such date.

After the funds have been budgeted out of the Available Funds for anyyear sufficient to pay theprincipal andinterest on the Notes and any Additional Parity Notes for that period, then anyAvailable Funds remaining inthat year shall be free for expenditurebythe City for any lawful purpose, including the redemption or defeasance of any of theNotes as determined bythe City

All moneys deposited with the regularly designated fiscal agentbank or banks of the City or the Lender or Paying Agentunderthe terms of this Ordinance shall constitute sacred funds for thebenefitofthe Owners of theNotes and shall be securedbysaid fiduciaries at all times to thefull extent thereof in the manner required by law for thesecuringofdeposits of public funds. Notwithstanding theforegoing, all or any part of themoneys in the Sinking Fund shall, at thewritten request of theCity,beinvested in accordance with the provisionsofthe laws of the State of Louisiana.

Section 10. Budget; Financial Statements. TheCity shall prepareand adopt abudget prior to the beginning of each Fiscal Year andshall furnish a copy of such budget to the Lender within 30days of adoption.Not later than 200 days after the close of such Fiscal Year,orsuch later time as may be permitted by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor, the City shall cause an audit ofits books and accounts to be made by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor or an independent firm of certified public accountants showingthe receipts and disbursements made by the City during the previousFiscal Year.Upon completion, acopy of such audit shall be furnished to theLender

Section 11. Application of Proceeds. Installments of the Purchase Price of the Notes shall be paid by the Lender to the City from time to time asrequestedbythe City in writing(which request may be via electronic communication) pursuant to one or moreRequisition Forms; provided, however,that such installments of the Purchase Price shall only be paid during the Draw Period.

The Lender shall advance installments of the Purchase Price of the Notes to the City within five (5) Business Days of the receipt of aRequisition Form from the City.The Lender shall notify the PayingAgentatthe time it pays each installment of the Purchase Price of the amountand date of such installment of the Purchase Price.

Upon receipt of any disbursementofthe Purchase Price, the City shall deposit said funds in its General Fund or in such other fund as the City may direct from time to time.

Section 12. Notes Legal Obligations. The Notes shall constitute legal, binding and valid obligations of the City and shall be the only representations ofthe indebtedness as herein authorized and created.

Section 13. Ordinance aContract Theprovisionsofthis Ordinance shall constitute acontract between the City,orits successor,and the Owner orOwners from time to time of the Notes, andany such Owner or Owners may at law or in equity,bysuit, action,mandamusorother proceedings, enforce and compel the performance of all duties required to be performed bythis Governing Authority or the City as aresult of issuingthe Notes.

No material modification or amendmentofthis Ordinance, or of any Ordinance amendatory hereof or supplemental hereto, may be made without the consent in writing of the Owners of two-thirds (2/3)ofthe aggregate principal amount of the Notes then Outstanding; provided, however, that no modification or amendment shall permit achange in the maturity provisions of the Notes, or areduction in therate of interest thereon,orinthe amount ofthe principal obligation thereof, or affectingthe obligation of the City to pay the principal of and the interest on the Notes as the same shall come due from the revenues appropriated, pledged anddedicated to thepayment thereof by this Ordinance, or reduce thepercentage of theOwners required toconsent to any material modification or amendmentofthis Ordinance, without the consent of the Owners of all of the Outstanding Notes.

Section 14. Severability; Application of Subsequently Enacted Laws. Incase any one or moreofthe provisions of this Ordinance or of the Notes shall for any reason be held to be illegal or invalid, such illegality or invalidity shall not affect any other provisionsofthis Ordinance or of the Notes, but this Ordinance and the Notes shall be construed andenforcedas if such illegal orinvalid provisions had not been contained therein. Any constitutional or statutory provisions enacted after the date of this Ordinance which validate or make legal any provision of this Ordinance and/or the Notes which would not otherwise be valid or legal, shall be deemed to apply to this Ordinance and to the Notes.

Section 15. Recital of Regularity This Governing Authority having investigated the regularity of theproceedings had in

Agent) connected therewith. Every new Note issued pursuant to this Section inlieu of any mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen note shall constitute areplacement of the prior obligation of the City,whether or not the mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Note shall be at any time enforceable by anyone and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Ordinance equally and ratably with all other Outstanding Notes. Any additional procedures set forth in the Agreement, authorized in this Ordinance, shall also be available with respect to mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes. The provisions of this Section areexclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement and payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Notes.

Section 20. Discharge of Ordinance; Defeasance. If the City shall pay or cause to be paid, or thereshall otherwise be paid to the Owners of all of the Notes, the principal of and interest on the Notes, at the times and in the manner stipulated in this Ordinance, then the pledge of the money,securities, and funds pledged under this Ordinance and all covenants, agreements, and other obligations of the City to the Owner shall thereupon cease, terminate, and become void and be discharged and satisfied, and the Paying Agent shall pay over or deliver all money held by it under this Ordinance to the City Notes or interest installments for the payment of which money shall have been set aside and shall be held in trust (through deposit by the City of funds for such payment or otherwise) at the maturity date thereof shall be deemed tohave been paid within the meaning and with the effect expressed above in this Section if they aredefeased in the manner provided by Chapter 14 of Title 39 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, as amended.

Section 21. Successor Paying Agent; Paying Agent Agreement. The City will at all times maintain aPaying Agent meeting the qualifications hereinafter described for the performance of the duties hereunder for the Notes. The designation of the initial Paying Agent in this Ordinance is hereby confirmed and approved. The City reserves the right to appoint asuccessor Paying Agent by (a) filing with the Person then performing such function a certified copy of aresolution or ordinance giving notice of the termination of theAgreement and appointing asuccessor and (b) causing notice to be given to each Owner.Every Paying Agent appointed hereunder shall at all times be abank or trust company organized and doing business under the laws of the United States of America or of any state, authorized under such laws to exercise trust powers, and subject to supervision or examinationby Federal or State authority.The Executive Officers arehereby authorized and directed to execute an appropriate Agreement with the Paying Agent for and on behalf of the City in such form as may be satisfactory to said officers,the signatures of said officers on such Agreement to be conclusive evidence of the due exercise of the authority granted hereunder

Section 22. DisclosureUnder SEC Rule 15c2-12. The City will not be required to comply with the continuing disclosurerequirements described in Rule 15c2-12 of the Securities and Exchange Commission [17 CFR §240.15c2-12].

Section 23. Publication. Acopy of this Ordinance shall be published immediately after its adoption in one issue of the official journal of the City; however,itshall not be necessary to publish any exhibits hereto if the same areavailable for public inspection and such fact is stated in the publication.

Section 24. AwardofNotes. The City hereby accepts the offer of the Lender for the Notes contained in the Commitment Letter attached as Exhibit A hereto, and any Executive Officer is hereby authorized and directed to execute the Commitment Letter on behalf of the City.Asacondition to the delivery of the Notes to the Lender,the Lender will execute astandardletter, acceptable to it and the City,indicating it has conducted its own analysis with respect to the Notes and is extending credit in the form of the Notes as avehicle for making acommercial loan to the City

Section 25. Events of Default. The following shall be Events of Default hereunder:

(ifdefault shall be made in the due and punctual payment of the principal of any Note when and as the same shall become due and payable, whether at maturity or otherwise; or

(ifdefault shall be made in the due and punctual payment of any installment of interest on any Note when and as such interest installment shall become due and payable; or

(ifdefault shall be made by the City in the performance or observance of any other of the covenants, agreements or conditions on its part in this Ordinance, any supplemental ordinance or inthe Notes contained and such default shall continue for aperiod of forty-five (45) days after written notice thereof to the City by any Owner; or

(ifthe City shall file apetition or otherwise seek relief under any Federal or State bankruptcy law or similar law

Upon the happening and continuance of any Event of Default the Owners of theNotes shall be entitled to exercise all rights and powers for which provision is made under Louisiana law

Section 26. Execution of Documents. In connection with the issuance and sale of the Notes, the Executive Officers areeach authorized, empowered and directed to execute on behalf of the City such documents, certificates and instruments as they may deem necessary,upon the advice of Bond Counsel, to effect the transactions contemplated by this Ordinance, the signatures of the Executive Officers on such documents, certificates and instruments to be conclusive evidence of the due exercise of the authority granted hereunder

Section 27. Headings. The headings of the various sections hereof are inserted for convenience of reference only and shall not control or affect the meaning or construction of any of the provisions hereof.

Section 28. EffectiveDate. This Ordinance shall become effective immediately

Introduced to the City Council on February 11, 2025.

This Ordinance having been submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as

follows: Ayes: Cook, Himmel, Monachello

Recused: Heck Absent: Edmonds

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Delivered to Mayor on February 27, 2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

Approved: Dustin Yates, Mayor

issuance pari passu obligations on aparity with this Note if agreedtobythe Lender,for the terms of which reference is made to the Ordinance.

This Note shall not be valid or become obligatory for any purpose or be entitled to any security or benefitunder the Ordinance until the certificate of registration hereon shall have been signed by thePaying Agent.

It is certified that this Note is authorized by andissued in conformity with therequirements of the Constitution and statutes of the State of Louisiana. Itisfurther certified, recited anddeclared that all acts, conditionsand things required to exist, to happen and to be performed precedent to andinthe issuance of this Note to constitute the same avalid andbinding obligation of the City have existed, have happened and have been performed in due time, form and manner as required by law,and that this Note does not exceed any limitation prescribed by the Constitution and statutes of the State of Louisiana.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF,the St. George CityCouncil, actingasthe governing authority of the City,has caused this Note to be executed in the name of the City by the manual signaturesofits Mayor and City Clerk of the City[and afacsimile of its corporate seal to be impressed hereon]. CITY OF ST.ST. GEORGE, STATEOFLOUISIANA

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk Dustin Yates, Mayor [(SEAL)]

(FORM OF PAYING AGENT’S CERTIFICATEOFREGISTRATION)

This Note is the Note referred to in the within-mentioned Ordinance.

Investar Bank, as Paying Agent

Authorized Representative

Date of Registration:[March 12], 2025

(FORM OF ASSIGNMENT)

THIS NOTE MAYONLYBEASSIGNED BY THE LENDER NAMED HEREIN WITH THE EXPRESS WRITTEN PERMISSION OF THE CITY OF ST.GEORGE, STATE OF LOUISIANA FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned Assignor hereby sells, assigns andtransfers the within note andall rights thereunder unto the following Assignee:

Name:

Address:

who by its execution below hereby certifies to the Paying Agentthat (a) it is (i) an affiliate of the original owner of this Note, or (ii) abank, or entity directly or indirectly controlled by abank, or under common control with abank, other than abroker dealer or municipal securities dealer,which certifies that it is a“qualified institutional buyer” as defined in Rule 144Aofthe Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and (b) it consents to the terms of the Lender Letter executed by the original owner of this Note as referenced in theResolution. ,Assignee Assignor

By: By: Its: Its:_

Date:____________________

1

OF INSTALLMENTS

George City Council (the Governing Authority”), acting as the governing authority of the City,do hereby certifythat the foregoing pages constitute atrue and correct copy of aresolution adopted by the Governing Authority on February 25, 2025, authorizing the incurring of debt and issuance of Twenty Million Dollars ($20,000,000) of Revenue Notes of the City of St. George,State of Louisiana, and providing for related matters in connection therewith. INFAITH WHEREOF,witness my official signatureonthis the 27th day of February 2025.

Lorraine Beaman, City Clerk

CITY OF ST.GEORGE

BY COUNCIL MEMBER EDMONDS:

ORDINANCE NO. 2025 -009

TO ENACT TITLE 6OFTHE CODE OF ORDINANCES RELATIVE TO FIRE PROTECTION AND PREVENTION AND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS

WHEREAS, the City of St. George desires to adopt the most recent edition of the National FireProtection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA 101) and the National FireProtection Association FireCode (NFPA1)and enact ordinances to provide for enforcement of the City fire code.

NOW,THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the St. George Council, State of Louisiana as follows:

Section 1. Enactment

TITLE 6- FIRE PREVENTION AND PROTECTION

CHAPTER 1. FIRE PREVENTION

Sec. 6:101. Life Safety Code.

(a) Thereishereby adopted a fire code to provide the City with rules and regulations to improve the public safety by promoting the control of fire hazards; regulating the installation, use and maintenance of equipment; regulating the use of structures, premises and open areas; providing for the abatement of fire hazards;establishing the responsibilities and the proceduresfor code enforcement; and setting forth the standards for compliance and achievement of these objectives.

(b) This city adopts as its fire code the mostcurrent editions of the National FireProtection Association Life Safety Code (NFPA101) and the National Fire Protection Association FireCode (NFPA1)asadopted by the Louisiana State FireMarshal’sOffice. The St. George FirePrevention Bureau shall maintain acurrent edition of the City’s fire code.

Sec. 6:102. Scope of code.

The requirements of the City FireCode shall apply equally to both public andprivate property,and shall apply to all structures and their occupants except as otherwise specified in this Title.

Sec. 6:103. Construction of this Title.

This Title shall be deemed an exercise of the police powers of the City for the preservation and protection of public health, peace, safety,and welfare, and all the requirements of the City fire code shall be liberally construed for that purpose.

Sec.6:104. Enforcement officers.

(a) The FireChief of the St. George FireProtection District No. 2ora person or persons designated by the Fire Chief of the St. GeorgeFireProtection District No. 2shall be responsible for the enforcement of the City’s fire code. The FireChief shall detail such members of the fire department as officers as shallfromtime to time be necessary

(b) The officers of the St. George FirePrevention Bureau shall enforce all laws and ordinances of the City covering the following:

(1) The prevention of fires; (2) The storage and use of explosives and flammables; (3)The installation and maintenance of automatic and other fire alarm systems, and fire extinguishing equipment; (4) The maintenance and regulation of fire escapes; (5) The means and adequacy of exit in caseof fire,fromfactories, schools,hotels, lodging, houses, asylums, hospitals, churches, halls, theaters, amphitheaters and all other places in which numbers of persons work, live or congregate from time to time for any purpose; (6) The investigation of the cause, origin and circumstances of fires; (7) The maintenance of fire cause and lossrecords; and (8) The provisions of Title 8necessary for safeguarding life and property against fire

(c) St. George FirePrevention Bureau shall have such other powers and perform such other duties set forth in this Title and as may be conferred and imposed from time to time by law.The FireChief for St. George Fire Protection District No. 2may delegate any powers or duties under this Title to the St. George FirePrevention Bureau.

Sec. 6:105. St. George FireProtection District No. 2.

(a) To recommend ordinances. St. George FireProtection District No. 2 shall recommend to the City Council such additional ordinances or amendments to existing ordinances deemed necessary for safeguarding life and property against fire

(b) To recommend amendments.St. George FireProtection District No. 2shall recommend to the City Council any amendments to the City’s Fire Code or ordinances deemed necessary for safeguarding lifeand property against fire

Sec. 6:106. Investigations of fires.

The St. George FirePrevention Bureau or St. George FireDepartment designee shall investigate the cause, origin, and circumstances of every fire occurring in the City by which property has been destroyed or damaged and, sofar as possible, shall determine whether the fire is theresult of carelessness or design. Such investigations shall begin immediately upon the occurrence of such a fire

Sec. 6:107. Inspections prerequisite to permit issuance. Beforepermits may be issued as required by this Title or Title 8, the St. George FirePrevention Bureau shall inspect and approve the occupancy for connection of service utilities.

Sec. 6:108. Periodic inspections.

The St. George FirePrevention Bureau shall inspect or cause to be inspected all premises on aperiodic basis and shall make such orders necessary for the enforcement of the laws and ordinances governing the sameand for safeguarding of life and property from fire

Sec. 6:109. Orders for inspection.

(a) Whenever any inspector finds in any building, or upon any premises or other places, combustible or explosive matter or dangerous accumulations of rubbish or unnecessary accumulation of wastepaper,boxes, shavings or any highly flammable materials especially liable to fire,and which is so situated as to endanger property; or finds obstructions to or on fire escapes, stairs,passageways, doors or windows, iabletointerferewith theoperations of the fire department or egress of occupants incase of fire,the inspector shall order the same to be removed or remedied, and such order shall forthwith be complied with by the owner or occupant of such premises or buildings, subject to the appeals procedure.

(b) Any

(c)