The Advocate 04-04-2025 by The Advocate

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Tariffs tank markets

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK Wall Street shuddered, and a level of shock unseen since COVID’s outbreak tore through ﬁnancial markets worldwide Thursday on worries about the damage President Donald Trump’s newest set of tariffs could do to economies across continents, including his own

The S&P 500 sank 4.8%, more than in major markets across Asia and Europe, for its worst day since the pandemic crashed the economy in 2020. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 1,679 points, or 4%, and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 6%.

Little was spared in ﬁnancial markets as fear flared about the potentially toxic mix of weakening economic growth and higher inflation that tariffs can create. Everything from crude oil to Big Tech stocks to the value of the U.S dollar against other currencies fell. Even gold, which hit records recently as investors sought something safer to own, pulled lower Some of the worst hits walloped smaller U.S. companies, and the Russell 2000 index of smaller stocks dropped 6.6% to pull more than 20% below its record.

Investors worldwide knew Trump was going to announce a sweeping set of tariffs late Wednesday, and fears surrounding it had already pulled Wall Street’s main measure of health, the S&P 500 index, 10% below its all-time high. But Trump still managed to surprise them with “the worst case scenario for tariffs,” according to Mary Ann Bartels, chief investment officer at Sanctuary Wealth.

Trump announced a minimum tariff of 10% on imports, with the tax rate running much higher on products from certain countries like China and those from the European Union. It’s “plausible” the tariffs altogether, which would rival levels unseen in roughly a century, could knock down U.S. economic growth by 2 percentage points

ä See TARIFFS, page 6A

Louisiana businesses brace for price hikes from tariffs

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Louisiana businesses scrambled Thursday to understand the impact to the state and their industries of President Donald Trump’s sweeping new tariffs, as many braced for higher prices and the uncertainty that a trade war might bring.

“Nobody is immune to this. Starbucks is going to raise prices. McDonald’s is going to raise prices.”

BOB

ARCENEAUX, owner of Orleans Coffee

Trump said Wednesday that he was placing 10% acrossthe-board tariffs on all imports into the U.S., with sharply higher duties on imports from a number of trading partners, including a 34% tariff on China and a 20% tariff on goods from the European Union. Administration officials and Republican members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation argued the tariffs would lead to stronger trade deals and result in more domestic manufacturing in the long run. Economists say the new tariffs are likely to raise prices of goods for Americans by thousands of dollars each year while slowing the U.S economy

In Louisiana, industry groups and businesses big and small were bracing for the potential upheaval. Auto dealers homebuilders, restaurants, and even coffee roasters anticipate higher prices for consumers. There are some fears that large industrial projects in the state could stall as the costs of raw materials soar and demand for petrochemical products and other materials slumps. As stock markets tumbled in response to Trump’s announcement, Bob Arceneaux, owner of Orleans Coffee, a New Orleans-based wholesale roaster of specialty beans,

ä See BRACE, page 6A

EBR sets plan to shuffle funding

Four ballot measures will go before voters

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-

President Sid Edwards’ plan to shufﬂe funding from libraries and other agencies will appear before voters as four separate ballot items in November, parish ofﬁcials said.

After voters soundly rejected four constitutional amendments on Saturday parish ofﬁcials acknowledge they will need to work hard to make the plan clear to voters But they hope the approach will be simpler for voters to understand — and easier to approve.

“The voters want everything to be split up and separated so that they can have the conﬁdence that they know what they’re voting for,” said Assistant Library Director Mary Stein. “That way it’s not an all-or-nothing kind of vote. The public doesn’t care for that.”

Edwards ’ administration is trying to ﬁll a $40 million budget gap left by the incorporation of St. George.

After weeks of contentious negotiations, Edwards and the Metro Council worked out a deal that would rededicate some property taxes that currently go to libraries, the Council on Aging and mosquito control, along with an alimony tax to the city-parish general fund.

“The voters want everything to be split up and separated so that they can have the confidence that they know what they’re voting for That way it’s not an all-ornothing kind of vote. The public doesn’t care for that.”

MARy STEIN, assistant library director

Edwards and the council are hoping to place the plan — dubbed “Thrive! East Baton Rouge” — on a Nov. 15 ballot.

There are risks to putting four separate votes before the public. For example, some agencies could secure funding while others might not.

But those involved in writing the measures, like District 9 Metro Council member Dwight Hudson,

Forecasters predict active Atlantic hurricane season

17 named storms predicted, including 9 hurricanes

BY KASEY BUBNASH

Staff writer

Hurricane researchers at Colorado State University are predicting above-average activity during the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season,

citing warmer-than-normal temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the unlikely return of El Niño conditions by the season’s peak.

Researchers said Thursday at the National Tropical Weather Conference that they expect the coming season to produce 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes. Four of those are expected to develop into major hurricanes of Category 3 strength or above. This year’s April outlook may be

above average, but as CSU senior research scientist Phil Klotzbach said, “it’s not as active as we were forecasting last year at this time.” CSU predicted the 2024 season would be “extremely active” with 23 named storms, including 11 hur-

ricanes and five major hurricanes, the highest number of hurricanes ever predicted by CSU. When all was said and done, CSU’s initial forecast wasn’t too far off: Last year saw a total of 19 named storms and 11 hurricanes, with five of them classified as major Klotzbach and his team said tropical activity in the coming season, which starts on June 1 and ends Nov 30, will likely be fueled by

similar conditions, mainly aboveaverage sea surface temperatures in the subtropical eastern Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. A hurricane’s fuel source is warm ocean water, so a warm Atlantic tends to favor an aboveaverage season. When waters in the eastern subtropical Atlantic are much warmer than normal in the spring, as they are now, it often

ä See HURRICANE, page 9A

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The Port of New Orleans is an international container port

Pentagon watchdog to review use of Signal app

WASHINGTON The Pentagon’s acting inspector general announced Thursday that he would review Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s use of the Signal messaging app to convey plans for a military strike against Houthi militants in Yemen The review will also look at other defense ofﬁcials’ use of the publicly available encrypted app, which is not able to handle classiﬁed material and is not part of the Defense Department’s secure communications network.

Hegseth’s use of the app came to light when a journalist, Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic, was inadvertently added to a Signal text chain by national security adviser Mike Waltz. The chain included Hegseth, Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and others, brought together to discuss March 15 military operations against the Iran-backed Houthis.

“The objective of this evaluation is to determine the extent to which the Secretary of Defense and other DoD personnel complied with DoD policies and procedures for the use of a commercial messaging application for ofﬁcial business,” the acting inspector general, Steven Stebbins, said in a notiﬁcation letter to Hegseth.

The letter also said his ofﬁce “will review compliance with classification and records retention requirements.”

Hungary plans to quit ICC as Netanyahu visits

BUDAPEST, Hungary Hungary will begin the process of withdrawing from the International Criminal Court, an ofﬁcial said Thursday, just as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived to red carpet treatment in the country’s capital despite an arrest warrant from the world’s only permanent global tribunal for war crimes and genocide.

Prime Minister Viktor Orbán gave the Israeli leader a welcome with full military honors in Budapest’s Castle District. The two close allies stood side by side as a military band played and an elaborate procession of soldiers on horseback and carrying swords and bayoneted riﬂes marched by As the ceremony unfolded, Orbán’s chief of staff, Gergely Gulyás, released a brief statement saying that “the government will initiate the withdrawal procedure” for leaving the court, which could take a year or more to complete.

Orbán later said that he believes the ICC is “a political court.” Netanyahu’s visit to Hungary which is scheduled to last until Sunday, was only his second foreign trip since the ICC issued the warrant against him in November The ICC, based in The Hague, Netherlands, said when issuing its warrant that there was reason to believe Netanyahu and former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant had committed crimes against humanity in connection with the war in Gaza.

N.Y. Mayor Adams to run as independent

New York City Mayor Eric Adams withdrew from the city’s Democratic primary on Thursday and said he would instead run for reelection as an independent, a move intended to buy him time to save a campaign deeply wounded by a bribery scandal and liberal anger over his warm relationship with President Donald Trump.

In a video announcement, Adams said he will not run in the Democratic primary in June because his recently dismissed criminal case “dragged on too long” while the “false accusations were held over me,” preventing him from campaigning.

The decision came after intense speculation over whether Adams would remain in the Democratic primary, which has attracted several serious opponents, including former New York Gov Andrew Cuomo.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JON CHERRy

William Fraser takes photographs inside the warehouse of a damaged building of Specialty Distributors on Thursday after a tornado passed through an industrial park in Jeffersontown, Ky.

Storms kill 6 in the South and Midwest

Forecasters warn of catastrophic rains, floods this week

BY ADRIAN SAINZ, GEORGE WALKER IV and JOHN SEEWER Associated Press

LAKE CITY, Ark. — Standing alongside the twisted steel tractors on his family farm in northeast Arkansas on Thursday, Danny Qualls looked on while friends and relatives helped him begin cleaning up.

The home where he spent his childhood but no longer lives was flattened by one of many tornadoes that left behind destruction from Oklahoma to Indiana — the first in a round of storms expected to bring historic rains and life-threatening flash floods across the nation’s midsection in the coming days.

“My husband has been extremely tearful and emotional, but he also knows that we have to do the work,” Rhonda Qualls said. “He was in shock last night, cried himself to sleep.”

At least six people were killed in western Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana in the initial wave on Wednesday and early Thursday that spawned powerful tornadoes — one of which launched light debris nearly 5 miles into the air above Arkansas.

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee said it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches persisted.

“The devastation is enormous. What’s most difﬁcult about it is, you know that those are lives destroyed,” Lee said in the hard-hit town of Selmer “In some cases, true life lost, but in other cases, everything people owned, up in trees.”

Those who died included a Tennessee man and his teen daughter whose home was destroyed, and a man whose pickup struck downed power lines in Indiana. In Missouri, 68-year-old Garry Moore, who was chief of the Whitewater Fire Protection District, died while likely trying to help a stranded motorist, according to Highway Patrol spokesperson Sgt. Clark Parrott.

Forecasters warned Thursday of catastrophic weather soon ahead. Satellite imagery showed thunderstorms lining up like freight trains — taking the same tracks over communities in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the national Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.

The bull’s-eye centered on a swath along the Mississippi River and included the more than 1.3 million people around Memphis, Tennessee.

More than 90 million people were at risk of severe weather from Texas to Minnesota to Maine, according to the Oklahomabased Storm Prediction Center

Round after round of heavy rains were expected in the central U.S. through Saturday and could produce dangerous flash floods capable of sweeping away cars. The potent storm system will bring “significant, life-threatening flash flooding” each day, the National Weather Service said. With more than a foot of rain possible over the next four days, the prolonged deluge is something that “happens once in a generation to once in a lifetime,” the weather service said. “Historic rainfall totals and impacts are possible.”

Water rescue teams and sandbagging operations were being staged across the region, and the Federal Emergency Management Agency was ready to distribute food, water, cots and generators.

Water rescues were already underway in ﬂooded parts of Nashville, Tennessee, where the rain could persist for days after an unnerving night of tornado warnings that drained the batteries of some city sirens, the ﬁre department said.

Western Kentucky braced for record rain and ﬂooding in places that normally do not get inundated, Gov Andy Beshear said. At least 25 state highways were swamped, mostly in the west, according to a statement from his ofﬁce.

Flash ﬂooding is particularly worrisome in rural areas of the state where water can quickly rush off the mountains into the hollows. Less than four years ago, dozens died in ﬂooding across eastern Kentucky

Extreme ﬂooding across the corridor that includes Louisville, Kentucky, and Memphis, which have major cargo hubs, could also lead to shipping and supply chain delays, said Jonathan Porter, chief meteorologist at AccuWeather Forecasters attributed the violent weather to warm temperatures, an unstable atmosphere, strong wind shear and abundant moisture streaming from the Gulf.

Under darkened skies Thursday morning, the remains of a used car dealership in Selmer stood rooﬂess and gutted, with debris scattered across the car lot and wrapped around mangled trees. Some homes were leveled to their foundations in the Tennessee town, where three tornadoes were suspected of touching down.

“Thank God we came out without a scratch,” said Willie Barnes, who had only enough time to get into a bathroom with his wife before the storm wrecked his home.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol released video of lightning illuminating the sky as ﬁrst responders scoured the ruins of a home, looking for anyone trapped.

In neighboring Arkansas, a tornado near Blytheville lofted debris at least 25,000 feet high, according to weather service meteorologist Chelly Amin. The state’s emergency management office reported damage in 22 counties from tornadoes, wind, hail and flash flooding.

Judge to temporarily block billions in health funding cuts to states

BY DEVNA BOSE AP health writer

A federal judge will temporarily block

President Donald Trump’s administration from cutting billions in federal dollars that support COVID-19 initiatives and public health projects throughout the country

U.S District Judge Mary McElroy, appointed by Trump in 2019 but first nominated by former President Barack Obama, in Rhode Island said Thursday that she plans to grant the court order sought by 23 states and the District of Columbia

“They make a case, a strong case for the fact that they will succeed on the merits, so I’m going to grant the temporary restraining order,” said McElroy, who plans to issue a written ruling later New York Attorney General Letitia James tweeted about the judge’s deci-

sion immediately after the hearing, saying: “We’re going to continue our lawsuit and ﬁght to ensure states can provide the medical services Americans need.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Leslie Kane objected to the temporary restraining order in court but she said she was limited in the argument she could make against it, adding that her ofﬁce was unable to thoroughly review the thousands of documents under the time limitation.

The states’ lawsuit, ﬁled Tuesday sought to immediately stop the $11 billion in cuts.

The money was allocated by Congress during the pandemic and mostly used for COVID-related initiatives, as well as for mental health and substance use efforts. The lawsuit said losing the money would devastate U.S. public health infrastructure, putting states “at greater risk for future pandemics and the spread of otherwise preventable disease and cutting off vital public health services.”

Trump fires ‘some’ National Security Council officials

Move comes after far-right activist raises staff loyalty concerns

BY MATTHEW LEE, AAMER MADHANI and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Thursday that he’s ﬁred “some” White House National Security Council ofﬁcials, a move that comes a day after far-right activist Laura Loomer raised concerns directly to him about staff loyalty Trump downplayed

Loomer’s influence on the firings. But Loomer, during her Oval Office conversation with Trump urged the president to purge staffers she deemed insufficiently loyal to his “Make America Great Again” agenda, according to several people familiar with the matter They all spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel manner

Vice President JD Vance, chief of staff Susie Wiles, national security adviser Mike Waltz and Sergio Gor, director of the Presidential Personnel Ofﬁce, also took part in the meeting with Loomer, the people said.

“Always we’re letting go of people,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One as he made his way to Miami on Thursday afternoon. “People that we don’t like or people that we don’t think can do the job or people that may have loyalties to somebody else.”

The firings by Trump of NSC staff comes at a tumultuous moment for Waltz, as he ﬁghts calls for his ouster after using the publicly available encrypted Signal app to discuss planning for the sensitive March 15 military operation targeting Houthi militants in Yemen. Trump has said he stands by Waltz, who traveled to Florida with Trump on Thursday for a dinner event ahead of the LIV Golf tournament in Miami.

The Presidential Per-

sonnel Ofﬁce has ﬁred at least three senior NSC officials and multiple lower-ranking aides since Wednesday’s meeting with Loomer, according to the people familiar with the situation. NSC spokesman Brian Hughes declined to comment on the meeting or the firings, saying the White House does not discuss personnel matters.

“Laura Loomer is a very good patriot. She is a very strong person,” said Trump, who described the far-right activist as usually “constructive.”

Trump acknowledged that Loomer “recommended certain people for jobs.”

“Sometimes I listen to those recommendations like I do with everybody,” Trump said. “I listen to everybody than I make a decision.”

Loomer, who has promoted 9/11 conspiracy theories, was a frequent presence on the campaign trail during Trump’s 2024 successful White House run. More recently, she’s been speaking out on social media about members of Trump’s national security team that she insists can’t be trusted.

“It was an honor to meet with President Trump and present him with my research ﬁndings,” Loomer said in a Thursday posting on X. “I will continue working hard to support his agenda, and I will continue reiterating the importance of, and the necessity of STRONG VETTING, for the sake of protecting the President of the United States of America, and our national security.”

The NSC officials fired include Brian Walsh, a director for intelligence; Thomas Boodry, a senior director for legislative affairs; and David Feith, a senior director for technology and national security, according two people familiar with the matter.

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Israeli strike on Gaza school kills at least 27

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and NATALIE MELZER Associated Press

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip Israeli airstrikes killed at least 100 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Thursday, including 27 or more sheltering at a school in the north, according to Palestinian medical authorities, in a stepped-up offensive that Israel’s military said is intended to put new pressure on Hamas and eventually expel the militant group

The bodies of 14 children and five women were recovered from the school in the Tuffah neighborhood of Gaza City, and the death toll could still rise because some of the 70 wounded had critical injuries, said Health Ministry spokesman Zaher al-Wahidi. More than 30 other Gaza residents were killed in strikes on homes in the nearby neighborhood of Shijaiyah, he said, citing records at Ahli Hospital

The Israeli military said it struck a “Hamas command and control center” in the Gaza City area, and said it took steps to lessen harm to civilians. Israel gave the same reason — striking Hamas militants in a “command and control center” for attacking a United Nations building used as a shelter a day earlier, killing at least 17 people.

Hamas condemned the strike on the school, calling it a “ heinous massacre” of innocent civilians.

The Israeli military on Thursday ordered more residents in parts of northern Gaza to move west and south to shelters, warning that it planned to “work with extreme force in your area.”

A number of the Palestinians leaving the targeted areas did so on foot, with some carrying their belongings on their backs and others using donkey carts.

“My wife and I have been walking for three hours covering only one kilometer,” said Mohammad Ermana, 72. The couple, clasping hands, each walked with a cane. “I’m searching for shelters every hour now, not

Myanmar quake deaths rise to

BY DAVID RISING Associated Press

BANGKOK The death toll from the earthquake that hit Myanmar nearly a week ago rose Thursday to 3,145 as search and rescue teams found more bodies, the military-led government said, and humanitarian aid groups scrambled to provide survivors medical care and shelter

Information Minister Maung Maung Ohn also announced at a meeting in the capital, Naypyitaw, that 4,589 people were injured and 221 others were missing, state television MRTV reported.

The epicenter of the 7.7-magnitude quake on March 28 was near Mandalay, Myanmar’s secondlargest city It brought down thousands of buildings, buckled roads and destroyed bridges in multiple regions. Local media reports of casualties have been much higher than the official figures. With telecommunications widely out and many places difﬁcult to reach, the numbers could rise sharply as more details come in A report issued Thursday by the U.N. Ofﬁce for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs estimated that the earthquake and aftershocks have affected more than 17 million people across 57 of the country’s 330 townships, including more than 9 million who were severely affected.

“The coming days will be

Khan Younis, ofﬁcials said the bodies of 14 people had been taken to Nasser Hospital — nine of them from the same family The dead included five children and four women. The bodies of another 19 people, including

every day,” he said Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza ahead of expected ground operations.

The United Nations humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month.

The fresh evacuation orders came a day after senior government ofﬁcials said Israel said it would seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor across it.

To pressure Hamas, Israel has imposed a monthlong blockade on food, fuel and

humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle a tactic that rights groups say is a war crime.

Hamas says it will only release the remaining 59 hostages — 24 of whom are believed to be alive in exchange for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, a lasting ceaseﬁre and an Israeli pullout from Gaza. The group has rejected demands that it lay down its arms or leave the territory

Overnight strikes by Israel killed at least 55 people in the Gaza Strip, hospital ofﬁcials said Thursday In the southern city of

ﬁve children aged between 1 and 7 years and a pregnant woman, were taken to the European hospital near Khan Younis, hospital ofﬁcials said. In Gaza City 21 bodies were taken to Ahli hospital, including those of

seven children. Later in the day, strikes

more people in Khan Younis, according to Nasser Hospital, and another two people were killed in central Gaza and taken to Al Aqsa Hospital.

killed four

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

yamama Jundia, 13, who was injured in an Israeli airstrike, grieves alongside others over the bodies of their relatives, who were killed in the same strike Thursday at the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City.

Death row inmates file challenges

Defense attorneys ask La. Supreme Court to overturn executions

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

Attorneys for two Louisiana death row inmates with pending execution dates ﬁled challenges this week at the Louisiana Supreme Court, arguing that their death warrants are premature.

“The beginning of executions in Louisiana via nitrogen gas does not authorize the state to execute an individual who has never exhausted their appeals,” wrote attorneys Zachary Orjuela and Russell Barksdale in a writ ﬁled late Wednesday on behalf of death row inmate Darrell Draughn of Caddo Parish.

Attorneys for Marcus Reed, another Caddo Parish death row inmate, ﬁled a similar writ.

District Judge Donald Hathaway recently signed warrants setting a May 28 execution date for Draughn, and a June 4 date for Reed at the request of Caddo Parish District Attorney James Stewart’s ofﬁce.

Prosecutors argued that Draughn, 54, effectively abandoned his post-conviction claim years ago, and that Reed, 47, waited too long for a lawyer to ﬁle one for him, after a legal process in which his lawyers were jettisoned from the case.

Hathaway’s signature on the two warrants places Draughn and Reed at the center of a pitched legal battle over the state’s ability to execute any of the 55 prisoners who remain on death row following the March 18 execution of Jessie Hoffman Jr., which ended a 15-year hiatus for executions in Louisiana.

Ivy Woodard, a spokesperson for Stewart, insisted the two have exhausted their appeals.

“This is just the next step in the process,” she said. “The court is going to have the ﬁnal say.”

Attorney General Liz Murrill said she’ll assist Stewart’s ofﬁce in defending the two Caddo Parish warrants. The night of Hoffman’s execution, Murrill said she would push to “clear the underbrush” and move forward on death penalty cases that have sat dormant in courts for years.

Many state post-conviction cases involving death row inmates in Louisiana have sat idle, often for years, with neither side moving them forward, according to records.

Capital defense attorneys note that courts in Louisiana and nationally have repeatedly turned back death warrants where the prisoners hadn’t exhausted their state post-conviction or federal habeas corpus rights.

“If a state tries to set an execution date before the prisoner has completed their appeals, they are ordinarily entitled to a stay of execution,” said Robin Maher, executive director of the

Attorneys for two Louisiana death row inmates with pending execution dates filed challenges this week at the Louisiana Supreme Court, arguing that their

warrants are premature.

nonproﬁt Death Penalty Information Center “It would be extraordinary for a state actor to request an execution date before the prisoner has completed their appeals.”

Murrill and some district attorneys are pressing the issue, however.

Hoffman’s execution was Louisiana’s first using nitrogen gas, following a new law that Gov Jeff Landry signed last year Hoffman’s attorneys had acknowledged that he had exhausted his appeals.

The case of Draughn is “in a dramatically different posture,” his attorneys argue.

Draughn was convicted and sentenced to death in 2003 for the murder of 64-year-old Lauretta White of Shreveport. White was found on April 6, 2000, in a pool of blood in her kitchen, in what appeared to be a robbery gone awry She’d been stabbed numerous times.

An anonymous tip six months after the killing led to Draughn, then a 29-yearold neighbor who denied ever being in the house but agreed to provide his DNA, according to court records. Authorities found a match.

Draughn had an alibi supported by family, claiming he was three houses down at his grandmother’s when White was killed. But the jury didn’t buy it, and the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2007 denied his direct appeal.

Draughn’s attorneys argued Wednesday that the district attorney’s ofﬁce had no problem with an extension requested in 2011 to file a post-conviction plea. A judge never ruled, and the last activity in the case came that year — until Stewart’s ofﬁce sought an execution date last month.

Death row prisoners frequently file their own “pro se” shell petitions as placeholders. Draughn’s lawyers say Louisiana courts haven’t allowed an execution to go forward in the modern era where the condemned person didn’t have a lawyer to supplement it.

“If this Court does not intervene, Mr Draughn will be the ﬁrst condemned inmate in Louisiana to be denied the right to ﬁle a counseled postconviction application, and he will be pushed towards an execution without any court hearing his state post-conviction or Federal Habeas claims,” they wrote. “This

would be unheard of in both this state and the nation.”

Reed was convicted of murdering three brothers in August 2010 after a burglary at his home. The bodies of Jeremiah, 20; Jarquis, 18; and Gene Adams, 13; were found in Jeremiah’s silver Chevrolet Malibu, parked in the front yard of Reed’s home. At trial, Reed claimed selfdefense, but the Louisiana Supreme Court upheld his conviction and death sentence. The court found credible a pair of witnesses who testiﬁed that Reed “emerged from the darkness of the woods shooting at Jarquis, who was not carrying a weapon and who did not threaten or attack the defendant.”

The witnesses said Reed wore latex gloves and “proceeded clockwise around the vehicle, shooting out the windows in the process, as he savagely and without provocation killed 13-yearold Gene and oldest brother Jeremiah before completing his circuit by again shooting a motionless Jarquis in the head as he lay on the ground.”

Stewart argues that Reed lost his chance at post-conviction relief by failing to supplement his shell petition, which he ﬁled pro se. Prosecutors pointed to a legal ﬁght in 2019, when the DA challenged Reed’s representation by a team led by attorney Blythe Taplin who had also represented Reed on appeal.

The judge at the time had set a Dec. 30, 2019, deadline for Reed’s attorneys to supplement his petition, but the removal of the lawyers confounded that plan, and the deadline was stayed.

“Due entirely to actions of the State in prompting the removal of Mr Reed’s qualiﬁed counsel, Mr. Reed has not yet had an opportunity to avail himself of his statutory right to counsel” in post-conviction, wrote Nalia Campbell and Talia MacMath of the Mwalimu Center for Justice in their new ﬁling.

Taplin argued at the time that the district attorney’s successful bid to remove her was a response to records requests she’d ﬁled with the District Attorney’s Ofﬁce. On Thursday, Taplin said a team had been actively preparing Reed’s post-conviction application when they were tossed.

“It’s shocking to see that

States

BY LINDSAY WHITEHURST and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press

WASHINGTON Democratic officials in 19 states filed a lawsuit Thursday against President Donald Trump’s attempt to reshape elections across the U.S., calling it an unconstitutional invasion of states’ clear authority to run their own elections.

The lawsuit is the fourth against the executive order issued just a week ago. It seeks to block key aspects of it, including new requirements that people provide documentary proof of citizenship when registering to vote and a demand that all mail ballots be received by Election Day

“The President has no power to do any of this,” the state attorneys general wrote in court documents. “The Elec-

tions EO is unconstitutional, antidemocratic, and unAmerican.”

Trump’s order said the U.S. has failed “to enforce basic and necessary election protection.” Election officials have said recent elections have been among the most secure in U.S. history There has been no indication of any widespread fraud, including when Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden in 2020. The order is the culmination of Trump’s long-standing complaints about how U.S. elections are run. After his ﬁrst win in 2016, Trump falsely claimed his popular vote total would have been much higher if not for “millions of people who voted illegally.” In 2020, Trump blamed a “rigged” election for his loss and falsely claimed widespread voter fraud and manipulationofvotingmachines.

the DA is now asking for an execution warrant and complaining about delay given the role that his ofﬁce has played,” she said in a statement

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TED JACKSON

death

Judge: U.S. government mayhave‘actedinbad faith’

Contempt weighedin deportation ordercase

BY LINDSAYWHITEHURST, MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON Afederal judge said Thursday that the Trump administrationmay have “acted in bad faith” by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants outofthe country before acourt could block their deportations to El Salvador U.S. District Judge James “Jeb” Boasberg in Washington pressed aJustice Department lawyer to explain the government’sactionsin ahigh-stakes court hearing to determine whether the administration ignored his orders to turn around planes that were carrying deportees to El Salvador Thejudgesaidhecould is-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FIEPHOTO By CAROLyN VANHOUTEN

U.S. District JudgeJames ‘Jeb’ Boasberg said Thursday that theTrump administration mayhave‘acted in badfaith’ by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants out of the countrybefore acourtcould blocktheir deportations to El Salvador

sue aruling as soon as next week on whether there are grounds to find anyone in contempt of court for defying the court order. Thecase has become a ﬂashpointinabattle between the judiciary and theTrump administration amid mount-

ing White House frustrations over court orders blocking keyparts of thepresident’s sweepingagenda. Trump hascalled for thejudge’s impeachment,while theJustice Departmenthas argued the judge is overstepping his authority.

Republicansmoveahead with Trump’s‘big, beautifulbill’

BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent

WASHINGTON After along

wait, the Senate is launching action on President Donald Trump’s“big, beautiful bill” of tax breaks and spending cuts at arisky moment for the U.S. and global economy

More than amonth after House Republicans surprised Washington by advancing their framework for Trump’stax breaks and spending cuts package,Senate Republicans voted Thursday to start workingontheir version. The largely partyline vote, 52-48, sets the stage for back-to-back Senate allnighters spilling into Friday and the weekend. But work on the multitrillion-dollar package is coming as markets at home and abroad areonedgeinthe aftermath Trump’svasttariffs scheme, complicating an already difﬁcultpolitical and procedural undertaking on Republicans hope will become the GOP’ssignature domestic policy package SenateMajority Leader John Thune, R-S.D opened the chamberThursday sayingtheyexpected to be ready to begin. Trump says he’sonboard with the plan and Republicans, in control of Congress, are eager to show the party is making progresstoward

delivering on theircampaign promises. By nightfall, as voting began, oneRepublican, the libertarian-leaning Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against. All Democratsopposed launching the debate.

Democrats,asthe minority party,don’thave the votes to stopthe GOP plan. But they intend to use the procedural tools available to prolong the process.Democratsargue that Republicans are focusing on tax breaksfor the wealthy at the expense of the programs and services millions of Americansrely on for help with health care, child care, school lunches and other everyday needs

Boasbergorderedthe administration last monthnot to deport anyone in its custody under theAlien Enemies Act, a1798 wartime law Trump invoked over what he claimed was an invasion by the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua. The judge also ordered thatany planes with Venezuelan immigrants that werealready in theair be returned to the United States. That did not happen.

Boasberg, who was appointedtothe federalbench by DemocraticPresident Barack Obama, saiditappeared theadministration had triedtoget the deportees outofthe country as quicklyaspossible before a courtcould step in. He tolda JusticeDepartment lawyer he suspects the government may have “acted in bad faith throughout that day.”

“If you really believedanything you did thatday could surviveacourt challenge,

Icannotbelieve you would have operated the way you did,” Boasberg said.

The Justice Department has said the administration didn’tviolate the judge’sorder,arguing it didn’tapply to planes that hadalready left U.S. airspace by the time his command camedown.

The Justice Department has noted that the judge’swrittenordersaidnothing about ﬂightsthathad alreadyleft the U.S. andthatthe judge had no power to compel thepresident to return the planes anyway

TheTrump administration hasrefusedtoanswerthe judge’squestions about when theplaneslanded and who was on board, contending they are considered“state secrets.”

Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign told the judge that details about theflightscould be diplomatically sensitive, since

the migrants werebeing sent to athird country that had agreed with the U.S. to hold them in their prison. Ensign also repeatedly said he didn’tknow any “operational details” of those March 15 deportation ﬂights.

“I had no knowledge from my client that was the case,” Ensign repliedwhen asked if he knewduring the court hearing that day that planes were already in the air or were about to take off.

TheTrump administration is urging the Supreme Court for permissiontoresume deportations of Venezuelan migrantstoElSalvadorunderthe rarely usedAlien Enemies Act. The Justice Department says federal courts shouldn’tinterfere with sensitive diplomatic negotiations. It also claimed that migrants should make their case in afederal court in Texas, wheretheyare being detained.

this year and raise inﬂation close to 5%, accordingto UBS. Such ahit would be so big that it “makes one’srational mind regard the possibility of them sticking as low,” according to Bhanu Baweja and other strategists at UBS. Trump has previouslysaid tariffs could cause “a little disturbance” in the economy and markets, and on Thursday he again downplayed the impact as he left the White House to ﬂy to Florida.

“The markets are going to boom, the stockisgoing to boom and the country is going to boom,” Trump said. Wall Streethad long assumed Trump woulduse tariffs merely as atoolfor negotiations with other countries, rather than as alongterm policy. But Wednesday’sannouncement may suggest Trump sees tariffs more as helping to solvean ideological goal than as an opening bet in apoker game TrumponWednesday talked about wresting manufacturing jobs back to the United States, aprocess that could take years. If Trump follows through on his tariffs, stock prices may need to fall much more than 10% from their all-time high in order to reﬂectthe

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thought about what price hikesmightbeahead for the raw beans he imports from Brazil, Colombia, East Africa and “every country in Central America.”

“Nobody is immune to this,” said Bob Arceneaux, who said there’s no question the price of acup of coffee is going to go up. “Starbucks is going to raise prices. McDonald’sisgoing to raise prices.”

Nobody knows the full impact that the latest tariffs may have on Louisiana’s economy.But an analysis from theFederal Reserve Bank of Dallas from 2018 estimated that Louisiana, which is amajor exporter of reﬁned products and has ahigh concentration of petrochemical plants and other capital-intensive industries could seea7%declinein its gross state product ifa trade war were to break out between the U.S. and China.

Greg Upton, executive director of LSU’sCenter for Energy Studies, said the new tariffs are likely to have abig effect on investments in Louisiana’senergy sector The United States produces more energy thanitneeds domestically,and relies on foreign markets to purchase the fuels, chemicals, plastics, fertilizers and other goods it manufactures with that excess supply.Many of those exports come from Louisiana.

“Likely what will happen is other countrieswillfollow and implement tariffs on thoseproducts that we are exporting,” Upton said

recession that could follow, along with the hit to proﬁts that U.S.companies could take. TheS&P 500 is now down 11.8% from itsrecord set in February

“Markets may actually be underreacting, especially if these rates turn out to be ﬁnal, given the potential knock-on effects toglobal consumption and trade,” said Sean Sun, portfolio manager atThornburgInvestmentManagement, though he sees Trump’sannouncement on Wednesday

As of December,businesses had announced around $116 billion worth of new investments in Louisiana’s energymanufacturing sector to support those exports. But Upton said he expects those projectsto stall.

“Thiskind of international trade and tariff uncertainty Ithink definitely has the impact to slow those investmentsthatare being made,” Upton said On topof that, it’sunclear how thenew taxes on steel andother imports willaffect the cost of the materials neededtoconstruct those newplants,Uptonsaid.

Louisiana officials said they are hopeful that recent investment wins will persist despite the tariffs. EconomicDevelopmentSecretary SusanBourgeoissaid both Trump’sand Gov. Jeff Landry’spolicies“have led Louisiana to astringofeconomic wins”and that efforts to bringmanufacturing back to the U.S. arelikely to beneﬁt the state over time.

Shepointed to Hyundai’s recent announcement thatit plans to construct a$5.8 billion steel mill in Ascension Parish.

“Louisiana is critical to a successful American manufacturing renaissance,” Bourgeoissaid. “Wetrust thatdecisions that are good forthe long-term strength of the American economy are also goodfor Louisiana’s prosperity.”

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, echoed Bourgeois’ point about futureeconomic growth, but offered anote of caution during aninterview on CNN Thursday.

“Inthe long run, he’s right,” said Kennedy regard-

as more of an opening move than an endpoint for policy

Trump offered an upbeat reaction afterhewas asked about the market’s drop as he left theWhite House to ﬂy to his Floridagolf club on Thursday

“I think it’sgoing very well,” he said. “Wehave an operation,like when apatient gets operated on andit’s abig thing. Isaidthiswould exactly be theway it is.”

Onewild cardisthat the Federal Reserve could cut interestrates in orderto

ingTrump’s desiretoshift thebalance of global trade. “But in thelong run, we’re alldead.Short run matters too. Nobody knows what the impact of these tariffs is going to be on the economy.”

Aspokesperson for theLouisiana Association of Business andIndustry declined to comment, noting that they areholding meetings with membersthis week to get feedback on the new trade policies. The Port of New Orleanssaid it was closely monitoring the situation.

“Wewill continue to work withour customersand partners on adapting to market changesand meeting theirsupply chain needs,” said Port NOLA spokesperson Kimberly Curth.

Otherindustry leaders in thestate werebracing for potential repercussions.

StanHarris, president and CEO of theLouisiana Restaurant Association, said Trump’stariffs will raise costs “across awiderange of items.” Dan Mills, executive director of the Homebuilders Association of Greater New Orleans, said tariffs will make it more expensive to build homes at atime when thenation is facing asevere shortage in housing.

He saidindustry lobbyists aretrying to convince theTrumpadministration to issuecarve-outs for homebuilders on items likeelectrical transformers,noting that the U.S. doesn’t have themanufacturingcapacity to meet current demand.

Thenew tariffs come on top of an earlier announcement of a25% tax on auto imports, which went into effect overnight Wednesday Troy Duhon, whoisthe

support theeconomy.That’s what it hadbeen doinglate last year before pausing in 2025.Lower interest rates help by makingiteasierfor U.S. companies and households to borrow and spend. Yields on Treasurys tumbledinpart on rising expectations for coming cuts to rates,along with general fear about thehealth of the U.S. economy.The yield on the10-year Treasury fellto4.04% from 4.20% late Wednesday and from roughly 4.80% in January.

largest Louisiana-based car dealer,with 39 dealerships across eight states, said he has no doubt prices are about to rise sharply

“Thirty days from now, you’re going to see prices increase from 4% to 15% depending on the vehicle,” Duhon said.

“The administration has dropped an atomic bomb on theindustry,” he added.

Staff writer Anthony McAuley and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

That’sahuge movefor the bond market. The Fed may have less freedom to move than it would like, though. While

lower rates can goose the economy,they can also push upward on inflation. And worries are already worsening about that because of tariffs, with U.S. households in particularbracing forsharp increases to their bills. The U.S. economyatthe moment is still growing, of course. Areport on Thursday said fewerU.S.workers appliedfor unemployment benefits last week.Economists had been expecting to see an uptickinjoblessness, and arelatively solid job market has been the linchpin keeping the economyout of recession. Aseparate report said activity forU.S.transportation, ﬁnance and other businesses in the services industry grew last month. But the growth was weaker than expected, and businesses gave amixed picture of how they see conditions. Worriesabout apotentially stagnating economyand high inﬂation knocked down allkinds of stocks,leading to drops for 4out of every 5that makeupthe S&P 500.

Louisianaschools must endDEI programs

Stateeducation chiefagrees with directive

BY PATRICK WALL Staff writer

The Trump administration is giving states 10 daysto certify that schools are not engaged in what it considers illegalpracticesrelated to diversity,equity and inclusion —anorderthat could potentially threaten funding for some Louisiana schools.

In aletter Thursday,the Department of Education saidstateeducation agenciesand school districts must afﬁrm in writing that schools are complying with anti-discriminationlaws. Programs that promote diversity,equity and inclusion, or DEI, by favoring students of one race over another violate federal law and could lead to aloss of federal fundingorothersanctions, the department said.

“The continued use of illegal DEI practices may subjectthe individual or entity using such practices to serious consequences,” states the certification form that state agencies and school districts must sign.

The directive is the latest attack on diversity efforts at colleges and K-12 schools, which the Trump administration says have discriminated againstWhite and Asian studentsbyseeking to support otherstudents and employees of color.The administration already has targeted DEIprogramsin education, launchinginvestigations into universities —including Tulane —that partnered with agroup that helps Black and Hispanic studentsearn doctorates, and canceling federal grants for programs that aim to increaseteacher diversity

Any disruption in federal funding would be disastrous for Louisiana schools, which get nearly 20% of their money from the federal government. Thursday’sletter speciﬁcally threatensTitle Ifunding, which supports schools with large shares of students from low-income families. Louisiana schools got about $395 million in Title Idollars last ﬁscal year

The Trump administration’sDEI crackdown is based on the controversial argument that any program that considers students’ race violatesTitle VI of the Civil Rights Act and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard, the U.S. Supreme Court decision that restricted the use of race in college admissions. In aFeb. 14 memo, the U.S. Education Department said that “treating students differently on the basis of race to achieve nebulous goals such as diversity,racial balancing, social justice, or equityisillegal under controlling Supreme Court precedent.” Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has endorsed this reading of federal law

In aFeb. 19 letterto school districts, Brumley said his agency agrees with the federal guidance and advised schools to review theirpractices.Headded that his agency is working to keep “inherently divisive concepts” such as DEI outof Louisiana schools.

Louisiana’sEducation Department also has created its own certification letter that school districtswill

have to sign to receive federal funding that thestate distributes, according to a copy of the letter provided by the department. The letter will ask districts to affirm “the absence of DEI programs that treat students differently based onrace, engage in racial stereotyping, or create hostile environments for students of particular races.”

The federal guidance —and Brumley’s vowto strictly enforce it —could put some Louisiana schools in the crosshairs.

Undera 2024 statelaw, schools had to report any programs related to diversity,equity,inclusionand belonging that were in place between 2021 and 2024. Schools reportedhundreds of activities, including Black History Monthand HispanicHeritage Month celebrations, multicultural and gay-straight allianceclubs and anti-racism training for school staffers. Other schools reported staff training on“culturally responsive” practicesand lessons for students on “social-emotional learning.”

It’snot clear which, if any, of those programsare ongoing. And the Trump administration has not clearly deﬁned what it considers “illegal DEI practices.”

But some of the programs couldrun afouloffederal guidelines.A U.S. Education Department document states that some schools “have sought to veil discriminatorypolicieswith terms like ‘social-emotional learning’ or ‘culturally responsive’ teaching.” It also says schoolsmust consider whether Mo lar members att tile race part Eve turned Lo gone relat Gov closely issued restricting teach Am tin ed labeled FirstLine oper leans year that $538,000 raci

and achief equityofﬁcer

On Thursday,FirstLine

CEO Sabrina Pence said the organization no longerhas achiefequity officer and does not plan to continue the training. She attributed the change to the school’scompliance withthe law and “evolvingstate andfederal expectations,” adding that theefforts were paid for entirely with private funding.

Caroline Roemer,chief of theLouisiana Association of Public Charter Schools, said schools areseeking clarity aboutthe Trumpadministration’slatest DEI order She addedthatschool leaders want to ensure that they don’tlose anymuch-needed federal funds.

“Theseare complicated timesfor our schools,”she said,citingfederal policy changesunderTrump. “We’re doing our bestto navigate that change and continue to advocate for the needs of our students.”

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

Louisiana Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley saidhis agency is working to keep ‘inherently divisive concepts’ suchasDEI out of Louisiana schools.

STAFFFILE PHOTOBy LESLIE WESTBROOK

said thebestway to get the plan approvedisbyseparatingeach piece so it canbeclearly deﬁned for voters.

“It deals with four different millages. So, the most logical wayfor voters to digest the four different millageswouldbefour different items,” Hudson said.

Louisiana hasa 200-word limit for any ballot measures, which restricts how much avoter can read about aproposal before they cast their vote. Because of this, those involved with the plan think separating the items gives votersa betterideaofwhattheyare voting on In astatement Wednesday,Edwards spokespersonFalon Brown saidthe Mayor’sOfﬁce is “focused on building strong relationships with keystakeholders” to ensure all fourmillages included in the plan are approved.

“It has been carefully negotiated andagreed upon by all parties, and the goal is to demonstrate its beneﬁts to the entire city-parish,” she

said. On Saturday, Gov. Jeff Landry sawall four of hisconstitutional amendmentsrejectedbyawide margin, which Hudson said shows how important educating voters will be to get theplan passed.

“I think thoselessons just tell youthatyou have to be really proactive about getting your message outtovoters, andthatwhatever youput on theballothas to be reactive to what thevoters are askingfor,” Hudsonsaid. “Inthis

case, the most contentious one would be thelibrary,and in that case, we listened to whatthe voters were saying. They wanteda dedicatedfunding source for librariesthatdidn’tcut services And so that’swhatwe’reproviding in theplan.”

Locally,voters rejected aplan of governmentinSt. George on Saturday, and amendments to Baton Rouge’sown home-rule charter failed last November.ToStein, this means the library,Mosquito Abatement, the Council on Aging, the Mayor’sOfﬁceand Metro Council allneedtobeintentionalin campaigning for“Thrive!”

Stein saidthe amendments showed voters are skeptical of ballot items that try to cram complicated issues into smallsummaries

“When people are confused about something, they either don’t vote or they vote no,” Stein said. “Theconcern is that allthe other partners need to properly communicate what theirfunding will secure for the voters.”

The mayor’sstaffalso sees messaging as thekey to his ﬁrst major initiative coming to fruition.

“Our strategyistoinform voters

clearly,showing that the initiative benefits the entire city-parish, while maintaining transparency,” Brownsaid. Hudson said he is conﬁdent all four will pass,but if anyfails it would mean less funding forthe overall plan.

Both the Council on Aging and Mosquito Abatement aren’tdue for amillage renewal for another year, so if their millages fail, they would have timetotry again before they lose their source of revenue. As for the library,“We would have to put something else on a ballot and on the next available election to get their millage, because they would nothavearevenue source,” Hudson said. Hudson said he is hopingthe planwillbeready to be introduced to the Metro Council at the end of April, then would be heard and voted on by his colleagues in May If approved, it would then need approval from the state’sBond Commissionbeforeitisadded to the Nov.15ballot.

Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com.

La. congressmen question FEMA overhaul

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON Fretting over all the talk about a massive overhaul of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Louisiana’s two Democratic congressmen wrote President Donald Trump on Thursday morning asking for clariﬁcation about how the disaster relief agency will come out of the reorganizations being proposed.

“We have profound concerns regarding potential plans to eliminate long-term disaster recovery efforts under the Federal Emergency Management Agency, FEMA,” wrote U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, and Rep Troy Carter DNew Orleans.

No decisions have been made and no plans have publicly progressed. But Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, whose department oversees FEMA, told a March 24 Cabinet meeting that she wanted to eliminate the beleaguered federal agency that handles relief and recovery after disasters such as hurricanes, ﬂoods, tornadoes, earthquakes, wildﬁres and the like.

In 2024 alone, FEMA responded to more than 100 disasters, including two catastrophic hurricanes, that required Congress in December to approve billions of dollars in additional relief funds. Over the past four years, FEMA has provided more than $12 billion to individuals and $133 billion to

HURRICANE

Continued from page 1A

creates conditions that lead to continued above-average temperatures in the tropical Atlantic through the peak of hurricane season from August to October

A warm Atlantic can also lead to lower atmospheric pressure and a more unstable atmosphere, both of which can aid the formation of hurricanes.

La Niña conditions emerged in the Pacific Ocean in December and are still present. That’s not great news for the Gulf Coast and other tropical storm-prone regions: La Niña is associated with more hurricane activity in the Atlantic Ocean

But forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration expect this La Niña event to be a weak one, and its chances of lasting through the upcoming hurricane season are low

El Niño and La Niña are two opposing climate patterns that disrupt normal wind and current conditions in the Paciﬁc Ocean, which impacts weather patterns across the globe

El Niño and La Niña conditions can last for months or several years, according to the NOAA They generally

state and local governments, tribal nations, territories and some nonproﬁts to help in recovery efforts.

In the past week, aides to Noem, who co-chairs a presidential committee charged with developing recommendations for FEMA’s future, talked about winding down the agency’s functions by September They floated ideas to reduce costs, such as spreading FEMA’s duties to the states and other federal agencies while narrowing the scope of the agency’s obligations.

This includes FEMA’s National Flood Insurance Program that underwrites about 500,000 flood insurance policies for Louisiana businesses and homeowners who can’t ﬁnd such coverage in the private market

Louisiana has been a major recipient of FEMA assistance, with nearly a halfmillion households applying for FEMA funds since 2021.

The two representatives acknowledged in their letter that their constituents frequently complain about FEMA’s obtuse rules that slow efforts to help people get back on their feet. But they say that, without FEMA, relief would be nearly impossible in a state where median household incomes lag nearly $20,000 behind the national median and where local governments rely almost completely on federal dollars to clear debris, provide food, water blue tarps for roofs and funds for rebuilding “FEMA is on the ground

occur every two to seven years, with transitional, or neutral, periods in between. They don’t occur on a regular schedule.

While CSU researchers said La Niña conditions are expected to end within the next couple of months, making way for a transitionary period characterized by neutral conditions, there is still “considerable uncertainty” around what conditions will be present during the peak of the 2025 season

The odds of a return to El Niño, which generally creates conditions that hamper hurricane activity in the Atlantic, are low, according to CSU.

CSU researchers said there’s a 33% chance that a major hurricane will hit somewhere along the Gulf Coast, from the Florida panhandle to Brownsville, Texas. There’s a 51% chance of landfall somewhere along the entirety of the U.S. Coast.

There’s a 46% chance that at least one hurricane will hit within 50 miles of Louisiana, and a 18% chance of at least one major storm making landfall within 50 miles of Louisiana, according to CSU.

CSU has been issuing seasonal hurricane forecasts for more than 40 years, an effort to provide the best estimate of activity in the

for every hurricane in Louisiana,” Fields said. “Cuts to the organization would devastate the most vulnerable people in our state during some of the worst moments in their life.”

Carter and Fields wrote that changes being talked about also would strip away support needed to rebuild damaged communities and end investments in protections, such as levees and water pumps, that lessen damage when storms and ﬂoods hit.

“Stripping away these essential programs would leave millions of Americans vulnerable and unprotected as natural disasters become more dangerous and frequent,” Carter said.

FEMA was established in 1979 at the insistence of Southern governors who wanted a more coordinated federal relief effort. Almost from the beginning, Congress responded to complaints by noncoastal states by imposing tighter fiscal controls and expanding the agency’s mission.

FEMA was overhauled in 2003 and since then, Louisiana has received nearly $47 billion for 28 disasters more than any other state — that helped 3.5 million households and nearly 43,000 public assistance projects.

On the campaign trail, Trump said he was open to closing the agency and disbursing its functions to the states. As president, he established a committee to review FEMA operations

Atlantic during the upcoming season — not an exact measure.

The team at CSU bases its forecasts on a statistical model and four models that use a combination of information and predictions of large-scale conditions based on medium-range weather forecasts.

The models use 25 to 40 years of historical hurricane season data and evaluate various hurricane-related conditions, including Atlantic sea surface temperatures, sea level pressures, vertical wind shear levels and El Niño.

Forecasting the future is a tough business, but Klotzbach said a lot can be learned by looking at the past.

“There are these precursor signals,” Klotzbach said. So far, the 2025 hurricane season is exhibiting characteristics similar to 1996, 1999, 2006, 2008, 2011 and 2017.

The April forecast is CSU’s earliest and often most uncertain, Klotzbach said. The research team will issue forecast updates on June 11, July 9 and Aug. 6.

“There’s a lot that still can change,” he said.

The NOAA usually releases its first official hurricane season forecast sometime in May NOAA’s first forecast for the 2024 season was issued on May 23.

and recommend changes by summer The committee has not yet met.

Like Carter and Fields, the rest of the Louisiana delegation — four Republican House members and two GOP senators — have long been critical of the high cost of flood insurance and of FEMA’s often slow handling of recovery claims. Demands that FEMA explain itself are usually signed by all eight members of the delegation.

And they all have spoken in favor of “comprehensive reform” for the agency

For instance, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, wants to work with the Trump Administration “to improve FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program.” Rep Julia Letlow, R-Start, said she is glad Trump ordered a re-

view of the agency

But the entire delegation also has joined together in seeking additional funds in support of FEMA’s work.

Fields and Carter asked the Trump administration to tell them by the end of April just how FEMA will ensure response times and resource distribution will remain effective if the proposed budget cuts, stafﬁng reductions and structural changes become reality

They also want explanations on how the federal government would help communities better prepare for future disasters.

“Given the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters, how does FEMA plan to maintain or improve its mitigation and resilience-building initiatives under the proposed changes to its operational

structure?” the letter states. The 2025 hurricane season begins June 1, and already weather experts are expecting an active season — not as bad as last year but still signiﬁcant.

Weather experts say less dust is coming off the Sahara Desert in Africa and wind currents over the equator should lessen the number of storms compared with last year. But

Dismissal of moldy home suit denied

Homeowners score win in lengthy D.R. Horton battle

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

ventilation system that caused mold and leakage issues. The Dixons accuse D.R. Horton,

the nation’s leading homebuilder, of constructing scores of homes along the Interstate 10 corridor between Lake Charles and Slidell that aren’t properly built to withstand Louisiana’s blistering summer heat. The legal battle has played out in state and federal courts over the past three years. Attorneys for D.R. Horton contend the arbitration clause was a binding agreement that stipulated any legal disputes that arose would be settled in arbitration.

DOG WILL HUNT

ABOVE: Bennett and owner Maggie Brakeville pose for a picture on a giant egg while attending BREC’s Paws & Cotton Tails at the Raising Cane’s Dog Park at City-Brooks Community Park in Baton Rouge on Sunday RIGHT: Benjamin leads owner Kris Mayﬁeld through a ﬁeld of Easter eggs during the egg hunt.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Next week’s cool front could drop south

Milder weather expected after Sunday’s rains

BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer

Get ready for another rollercoaster shift in weather: Af-

ter record heat and afternoon highs nearing the 90s this week, an incoming cold front is expected to slash temperatures across south Louisiana by at least 20 degrees.

It’s not quite an “arctic front,” but National Weather Service forecaster Mike Efferson said a system coming off the southwestern U.S. is almost sure to

Louisiana temps

bring signiﬁcantly cooler temperatures to south Louisiana early next week.

“Models are really consistent with showing a front coming through,” Efferson said.

Temperatures in the New Orleans area are expected to start falling by midday Sunday on the heels of rain showers and potentially severe weather

overnight Saturday, Efferson said. By Monday daytime highs in the mid-60s are expected in New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette, with slightly cooler highs forecast on the northshore. Overnight lows could dip into the 50s in New Orleans

The lawsuit survived a recent challenge from the company, whose attorneys sought to get the case thrown out of court last month for lack of substantive evidence to back

Litter cleanup day planned in BR

Volunteers sought for ‘Love the Boot’ effort

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

April, when brown winter landscapes turn green, has been known as Earth Month globally since the 1970s in an effort to protect the environment.

Louisiana puts its own spin on that worldwide mission through ”Love the Boot Week,” established several years ago by the Mandeville-based nonprofit Keep Louisiana Beautiful. This year, the week devoted to beautiﬁcation and litter pickup statewide will be April 5-13.

In East Baton Rouge Parish, the Mayor’s Ofﬁce is encouraging volunteers to participate in a local “Love the Boot” effort, a Community Beautiﬁcation and Cleanup Day that begins at 9 a.m. on Saturday and wraps up at about noon.

“Groups like neighborhoods, churches high schools and businesses can pick an area to volunteer at,” said Matthew Edwards, community outreach coordinator with the city-parish.

Concert to draw heavy traffic in Livingston

Staff report

If you’re going to the “Rock the Country” concert to hear Nickelback or Kid Rock, or you live in Livingston Parish, you might run into some heavy trafﬁc this weekend. Thousands of people are poised to gather at the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds, located in the town of Livingston off Florida Boulevard, April 4-5 for the two-day national “Rock the Country” concert. Florida Boulevard will see the heaviest trafﬁc. Interstate 12 will also be busier, especially the Satsuma and Frost exits near the fairgrounds.

Traffic will start picking up around 1 p.m. on Friday and Saturday according to officials. Gates to the concert open at 2 p.m. The heaviest traffic will be from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. both days. Heavy traffic will resume around 11 p.m. when the concert ends.

“Our town has never experienced an event of this magnitude, so please bear with us,” the town ofﬁcials said.

ä See TEMPS, page 2B ä See CLEANUP, page 2B

2presumeddeadinplane crash

Recovery effort underway to locate pilots

BY MICHELLE HUNTER and KASEYBUBNASH Staff writers

The southeast Louisiana aviation community was left reeling Thursday by the presumed deaths of two pilots who went down with aplane that crashedWednesday night in a marsh southwest of Raceland.

LafourcheParish ofﬁcials identiﬁed those aboard as Lyle Panepinto and Lauren Menkemeller and said Thursday that recovery efforts had started.

“This is an unprecedented loss,” saidEmmett Bartholomew,a pilot and ﬂight instructor.“Both of these people are so good at what they do. It’sanabsolute shock.”

Panepinto, 70, of Gretna, was the owner of Southern Seaplane Inc., aBelle Chasse charter company started by his father in 1954. Inaddition to the business, Panepinto was an instructor and adesignated pilot examiner for the Federal Aviation Administration.

“If you were apilot and you were from around here, you had to know who he was,” said Brian Trascher, also apilot and vice president ofthe United Cajun Navy.“He’sprobably signedoff on half the pilots in the New Orleans area.”

Menkemeller,whoseage was not available, was ayoung butexperienced pilot who had areal excitement and passion for ﬂying.

“She always hada bigsmile on her face. She loved to help anyone with anything that had to do with aviation,” Bartholomew said.

Panepinto’s 1976 Cessna 210L

went down Wednesday night in a marshy area about 2mileswest of theintersection of U.S. 90 and La. 182, according to Lafourche Parish President Archie Chiasson.

Thesmall plane wasﬂying from Belle Chasse to Houmaand crashed about 8:30 p.m. Rescue crews and theLafourche Parish Sheriff’s Office searched for theaircraft but were hamperedbydarkness and thewet terrain, according to Lafourche Parish spokesperson James Duhe.

Authorities set back out Thursdaymorning and found the plane’s wreckage deep in the marsh in an area accessible only by airboat, parish ofﬁcials said. Much of the plane wasunderwater,withonly small pieces visible

Local officials spent much of the day Thursday at thesite of the crash waiting to get the green light from federal investigators to begin recovering the plane and pilots, who are likely inside.

The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration are investigating thecrash,and spokesperson Jennifer Gabris said an NTSB investigator would likely arrive Friday to document the scene and investigate the aircraft. Investigators gather flight track data, recordings of airtrafﬁc control communications, aircraft maintenance records, weather data, information about the pilots involved, witness statements, surveillance footage and more.

Apreliminary report will be availablewithin 30 days, Gabris said.

The FAAwas on sceneasof 3:45 p.m. Thursday and will likely issuea preliminary accident report within the next day,aspokesperson said.

Recovery efforts began Thursday evening. It’sunclear whythe planewent down,but theNational Weather Service of New Orleans had issued awind advisory that day for much of the region. Weather service forecaster ChristopherBannan said winds in the Houmaarea were whipping at an average of around 20 mph withgusts of 30 mph at the time of the crash. Low-hanging clouds in the area could have caused some issues, but Bannan saidthey weren’tlow enough to warrant major ﬂight cancellations or restrictions.

‘Heartbreaking loss’ Parish ofﬁcialssaidtheybelieve Menkemeller and Panepinto were out logging ﬂight hours when the plane went down.

Flight instructor Bartholomew had known Panepinto for more than15years and called him an outstandingaviatorand agentlemanwith akind demeanor

Though Panepintopresided over ﬁnaltestingfor FAApilot licenses, Bartholomew said he always assured hisstudents that Panepinto was afair and practical examiner

“His wonderful Southern and Cajun personality would very quickly put people at ease, andtheywould feel less tense during the test,” Bartholomew said.

James Karst, communicationsdirector forthe CoalitiontoRestore CoastalLouisiana,saidSouthern Seaplane is the go-to company for coastalprofessionalsinthe New Orleans area, making Panepinto a well-known ﬁgure among many local coastal groups.

“He was agreat pilot and very knowledgeable aboutcoastal land loss and restoration,” Karst said.

“Many of us at CRCL and other

coastal groups knew Lyle well. So this is atragic and heartbreaking loss.”

Whenever the Cajun Navy needed to go airborne for their search operations, Panepinto and Southern Seaplane werethe organization’s ﬁrst call, said Trascher,ofthe CajunNavy.Panepinto wasgenerous with both his timeand his planes, waiving pilotand rental fees to lend ahand.

“Allwehad to do waslet them know what was going on. They bent over backwards to make sure we could get up in the air,” Trascher said.

Trascher ﬂew withPanepinto and Menkemeller as recentlyasDecember when both ﬂew the Cajun Navy during the search forHunter Slezak, a7-year-old boy who disappeared while shrimping with his father in the waters off Dauphin Island in Alabama.

Trascher calledMenkemellera well-trained andconscientious pilot.

“She mentioned that flying for Southern was her dream job,” Trascher said.

Menkemeller had recently been hired by Southern Seaplane, according to Bartholomew.She wasn’toriginally from the New Orleansarea but metalot of local pilotsafter joining the Louisiana Wing CivilAir Patrol, acivilian auxiliaryofthe U.S. Air Force, he said. Menkemeller wasalsoaﬂight instructor “She just wanted to fly,” Bartholomew said. “She saw abright future forherself, enjoyingsomething thatshe hada passion for.

Panepintohired Menkemeller duetoher vast experience, professionalism and passion foraviation.

“It’sthe same reason Iwanted to hire her,” Bartholomew said.

NewOrleans Book Fest sets attendence record

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Producers of the New Orleans Book Festival said this year’sevent at Tulane University lastweekend attracted arecord-breaking 18,000 attendees, a20% increase over last year’scrowd of 15,000.

“Books are alive and well, and peopleinNew Orleansare interested in talkingabout them,” said festival co-chair Cheryl Landrieu,

SUIT

Continued from page1B

the plaintiffs’ allegations.

“Just because they say stuffis so does not make it so,” James Alcee Brown, D.R.Horton’sleadattorney against the Dixons, said during aMarch 24 hearing. “Whatthey’re trying to do, quite honestly,istry to keep proceedings going in this court indeﬁnitelysothatthe court won’trule on our arbitration issues. We don’tthink that’sright.”

Lance Unglesby,the plaintiffs’ New Orleans attorney,arguedthat D.R. Horton’ssales agentstoldthe Dixons the agreement they signed was just aform contractdealing with adeposit they made on the home they purchased. It never appearedinthe closing documents, and staff never used theword“arbitration” when explainingthe documents to potential buyers, he told ajudge. That nulliﬁedthe arbitration agreement because the Dixons were induced to sign as part of an elaborate fraud scheme the company orchestrated, Unglesby argued “The Dixonsnever agreed to arbitration. The Dixons never agreed to delegation,” he said. “The Dixons were told they were doing something else, and it was not. They were lied to. It was misstated and mischaracterized.”

District Judge Donald Johnson,

who this week isoverseeing the breakdown of the event’stent village and otherinfrastructure, some ofwhich willgointo storage until next year. The literarygathering, which movedtoTulane’scampus in 2022, gotalast-minute publicity boost when its keynotespeaker, Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlanticmagazine, found himself at the center of one of the biggest political and media stories

who is presidingover thecase, denied the dismissal motion after listening to more than two hours of arguments from bothsides. He determined it was too premature at this juncture to decide what deﬁnes acontract under the standards of Louisiana’scivil law.

Last week’s hearing camenearly ayear after Johnson appointed retired Orleans Parishchiefjudge Carolyn Gill-Jefferson to be aspecial magistrate, overseeing discovery in the case.

Brown, D.R.Horton’slawyer, said the companyhas turned over more than 155,000 documents of emails, sales and training memos, and internal staff reports over an eight-yearperiod.With all that, he said theplaintiffs have yettorevealany evidence of fraud. He objected to amotion to amend their petition.

TheDixons initially named Bell Mechanical,aBaton Rouge HVAC company,asadefendant in the lawsuit, allegingtheir subcontractors installed the faulty ventilation system at theDixons’ and other buyers’ homes. Disclosures made in the discoveryphase revealed it wasXcelAir Conditioning Services Inc., aBaton Rouge subcontractor, that installedthe HVAC system in the Dixons’house.

Johnson granted amotion to add Xcel Air as adefendant. Horton’s lawyers objected to the amendment and pointed to it as asign that

of the year

On March24, three days before he was scheduled to appear at Tulane’s McAlister Auditorium, Goldberg publishedanaccount of howmembers of President Donald Trump’snational security team accidentally invited himtojoin a Signal group chat todiscuss an upcoming militaryaction in Yemen. Goldberg’s presentation,which included aSignalgate discussion, drew acapacity crowd of 1,800

allofthe plaintiffs’allegationsare unsubstantiated.Brown accused their attorneys of “saying stuff that just ain’tso.”

“Their lawsuit has for thelast threeyears accused D.R. Hortonof having conspiredsupposedly with Bell Mechanical to dupe the Dixons into buying ahouse with abad Bell Mechanical HVAC system. That has been their allegation. They are wrong,” he argued at last month’s hearing.

“You don’thavethe right to sue anybody,accusing them of fraud and conspiracy,ifyou don’thave theevidencetobackitup,”Brown addedlater.“You’re supposedto do that beforeyou file alawsuit, and theydidn’tdoit. They bandied around allegationsoffraud and conspiracy like cheap Mardi Gras beads. Accusing someone of conspiracyand fraudisaserious matter. Youdon’tdothat if you don’t have the evidence.”

Plaintiffs ready

Unglesby pushed for afact-ﬁnding hearing wherehecould present exhibits,have the Dixons and otherhomeowners testifyand subpoenasales agentsthatsoldhomes for D.R.Horton. His intention is to show that the arbitration clause was akey part of D.R. Horton’s scheme to defraud purchasers. That would setthe stage forthe Dixons to gettheir lawsuit certiﬁedasa class-action claim, which

people, withanother 350 watching abroadcastinaseparate building. It was oneofmany talks at the free event that drew capacity crowds Book Fest expandedthis year to take up more space on Tulane’s campus Therewere morethan 200 speakers participating in 90 panels, plusbook signings,a culinary symposium, family activitiesand a closing concert.

would open the case to hundreds of other potentialplaintiffs across thestate who purchased homes from D.R.Horton.

“I have more thanenough evidencetoprove my case,” Unglesby said. “We’ve nowuncovered that D.R. Horton knewfor 17 years that they were building homesthat wereineffective. …I’m just ready for my hearing, judge. I’m ready to put my clientson(thestand) to talk about what happened and how they were fraudulently induced. I’m ready to prove to you, judge, thatthis was fraud.”

The plaintiffs’ legal team specifiedmorethan 80 fraud allegations against D.R. Hortonina motion for the evidentiary hearing, which was filed March 24. The aim is to keep the case out of an arbitrator’s hands. While arbitration is generally considereda cheaperand faster option than court, plaintiff attorneyssay D.R. Horton wants to drag the Dixons into arbitration under construction industry rules. That’sa “prohibitively expensive” arenathatcould cost the couple thousands of dollars in fees and filing costs.

“Hortonknew that its homeownerswould never be able to afford the fee,” the motion last week stated. “As aresult, Horton injected thearbitration clause into the Contract of Sale to insulate itself from being held accountable for its fraud scheme.”

Police:Teen dies after beingshot

Staff report

A19-year-old wasshotWednesdayafternoon afterheattempted to drive away from an argument in aparking lot.

The victim, Jayqon Bethley, drove himself to ahospitalafter the shooting and later diedfrom his injuries, according to Baton Rouge police.

Shortly after noon Wednesday, Bethleyand two unknown people argued in aparking lot at 999 Rosenwald Road, the address of an East Baton Rouge Parish affordable housing complex.

As Bethleyand apassengertried to drive away from the area, one of the suspects ﬁred multiple shots into Bethley’svehicle, police said in anews release.

Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call BRPD’sViolent Crime Unit at (225)389-4869 or Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

TEMPS

Continued from page1B

andthe 40s on thenorthshore and in Baton Rouge and Lafayette. That, Effersonsaid, means temperatures would be slightly below the usual forthis timeofyear,just afterreachingrecordhighs this week.

The cooldown could last through at least Wednesday across much of the region before things start to heat back up again.

CLEANUP

Continued from page1B

“Individuals can do it, too,” Edwards said. “Let’ssay 100 individuals say ‘I’m going to just go pick up trash’ in an area they’veseen that needs the help.”

The local beautiﬁcationday has been paired with Saturday’sHousehold Materials Collection Day,a city-parish eventheldfrom 9a.m. to 1p.m.atLSU’sTouchdown Village Parking Lot, located on South Quad Drive, Edwards said.

The pairing of events should work well forcleanup volunteers who comeacross items like empty paint cans or discarded electronics equipment, he said.

There’sachanceofrainonSaturday after 1p.m but the morning eventwill happenrainorshine if showersbegin alittleearlier than expected,acity-parish spokesperson said.

Groups andindividualsinthe Baton Rouge area can sign up to be part of Saturday’s cleanup dayat brla.gov/volunteer

“We’re asking that any group doing cleanup in East Baton Rouge Parish on Saturday post on Facebook or Instagram, with the tag #LovetheBootEBR,” Edwards said. “Wewanttoﬁnd those posts and share the posts out.”

“Wewant to recognize the people thatare doing this great work,” he said.

Email Ellyn Couvillion at ecouvillion@theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY,APRIL02, 2025

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Unofficial notification, keep your tickets

BRIEFS

Stellantis halts production at 2plants

Automaker Stellantis is temporarily halting production at aplantinCanada and aplant in Mexicoshortlyafter President Donald Trump announced a25% tariff on imported vehicles. The movewillresult in the temporarylayoff of 900 U.S. employees.

Stellantis, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, said Thursday it will be temporarily pausing production at theWindsor assembly plant in Canada for the weeks of April 7 and 14. Operations will resume at thefacility the week of April 21. The company willalso be temporarilypausing production at the Toluca assembly plant in Mexicofor themonth of April, starting on April 7. Due to the production pause, there willbetemporarylayoffs at theWarren and Sterling stamping plants in Michigan and at theIndiana and Kokomo transmission plants and Kokomo casting facility in Indiana In January,the company announced plans to reopen an assembly plant in Illinois and build the next-generation Dodge Durango in Detroitasitlooked to resolve issues with the UAW.

Average 30-year mortgage rate dips

The average rate on a30-year mortgage in the U.S. edged lower forthe second week in arow amodest but welcomeboost forprospectivehomeshoppers duringthe spring homebuying season. The rate fell to 6.64%from 6.65% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday Ayearago, the rate averaged 6.82%.

The average rate has mostly trended lower since reaching just over 7% in mid-January Whenmortgageratesdecline, theyboost homebuyers’ purchasing power.

Borrowing costs on 15-year

ﬁxed-rate mortgages,popular withhomeowners reﬁnancing their home loans, also fell this week, pulling the average rate down to 5.82%from5.89% last week. Ayear ago, it averaged 6.06%, Freddie Mac said.

Mortgage rates are inﬂuenced by factorsincluding bond market investors’ expectations for future inﬂation, global demand for U.S. Treasurys and the Federal Reserve’sinterest rate policy decisions.

The overall decline this year in the average rate on a30year mortgage loosely follows moves in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Energyinvites AI data center development

The U.S. Department of Energy said it hasidentified 16 federal sites, including storied nuclearresearch laboratories such as Los Alamos, where tech companies could build data centers in apushtoaccelerate commercial developmentofartiﬁcial intelligence technology. The sites are “uniquely positioned forrapid data center construction, including in-place energy infrastructure with the ability to fast-track permitting for newenergygeneration such as nuclear,” the agencysaid in a statement Thursday The lands identiﬁed as potential sites include anumberof nationallaboratories,such as the New Mexico-centered Los Alamos and Sandia laboratories and OakRidge in Tennessee. While the tech industry has long relied on data centers to run online services,from email andsocial media to financial transactions, new AI technology behind popular chatbotsand generative AI tools requires even more powerful computationto build and operate. Areportreleased by the Department of Energylate last yearestimated that the electricity needed for data centers in theU.S. tripled over the past decade and is projected to double or tripleagain by 2028, when it could consume up to 12% of thenation’selectricity.

Stocks lose more than $2T

Fear of recession sparks biglosses

BYMATTOTT AP business reporter

U.S. companies had trillionsof dollars in value wiped out ThursdayafterPresidentDonald Trump slappedsweepingtariffs on foreignimports.

Virtually everysector suffered big lossesasU.S. financial markets closed with their biggest one-day drop since COVID-19 flattened the globaleconomy five yearsago.

Banks, retailers,clothing, airlines andtechnology companies were amongthe hardesthit,withconsumers expected to cut spending if tariffs lead to higher prices for goods and services

Many economistscalled the tariffs much worse than expected, and investors dumped shares in companies they predict will suffer most from what is effectively abusiness tax.

In many cases that taxwill be passed on to consumers. If consumers pull back their spending becauseofhigher prices, businesses willproduce fewer goods and economic growth could stall or contract. Consumer spending makes up about 70% of economic

activityinthe U.S.

“This is agame changer,not only forthe U.S.economy but for the global economy,” Olu Sonola, Fitch Ratings’ head of U.S. Economic Research,said in areport. “Many countrieswill likely end up in arecession.”

With adrop of 4.8% in the S&P 500, more than $2 trillion in value vanished, according to Howard Silverblatt, asenior index analyst at S&P Dow Jones Indices.

Airlineshad been projecting a strong year for proﬁts. However, if Americans arefaced with higher prices for essentials,economists say that could put acrimpintheir travel budgets. That caused major carriersto see signiﬁcant drops in their stock price. United Airlineswas down 15.6%, while American Airlines dropped 10.2% and DeltaAir Lines fell 10.7%.

Most majorshoe and clothing makers have theirproductsmade outside of theU.S., meaning they will have to paya tariff, or import tax, on all the goodsthatare shipped back into the country for sale here.

Nike wasdown14.4%, while Under Armour plunged 18.8% and Ralph Lauren dropped 16.3%.

Big boxand online retailers also importamassive amount of their inventory from outside theU.S.

Amazon was down 9%, while Target fell 10.9%, Best Buy dropped 17.8% and Kohl’splunged 22.8%.

Companiesthatmakeand sell computers, smartphones and other technology sourcemanyoftheir partsfromabroad. Somemanufacture their entire products overseas,meaning they will have to pay atariffwhenthose products are shipped back for sale to consumers. Apple was down9.2%.while HP fell 14.7% and Dell dropped19%.

Bankssaw signiﬁcant drops, with Bank of America falling 11.1% and JPMorgan Chase dropping 7%. If

the economy slips into arecession, households and businesses will be less likely to borrow money as demandfor productsand services decline.

Somewhat surprisingly, automakersdidn’tget hit as hard mostother sectors didonThursday.That could be because most of Ford, GM and Stellantis’ steel and aluminum —which Trump previously announced tariffs on —already comes from the United States, reducing the direct impact the companies would feel from higher duties.

Trump’stariffs araceagainst time

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump’sexpansive newtariffs

ﬂipa decadeslong global trendof lower trade barriers and are likely, economists say,to raiseprices for Americans by thousands of dollars each year while sharply slowing theU.S. economy

The White Houseisgambling that other countries will also sufferenough pain that they will open up their economies to moreAmerican exports, leadingtonegotiations that would reduce the tariffs imposedWednesday. Or,the White Househopes,more companies— both American and foreign— will reverse theirmoves toward global supply chains and bring more production to theUnited States to avoid higher import taxes.

But akey questionfor theTrump administration will be how Americansreact tothe tariffs.Ifprices rise noticeablyand jobs arelost, voters could turn against the duties and make it hardertokeep them in place for thelength of time needed to encouragecompanies to return to the U.S.

The Yale Budget Lab estimates that all the Trump administration’s tariffs would costthe average household$3,800 inhigherprices

this year.The figure includes the impact of the10% universaltariff announced Wednesday,plus much highertariffs on about 60 countries, as well as previous import taxes on steel, aluminum and cars. Inflation could top 4% this year,from2.8% currently,while the economy may barely grow, according to estimates by Nationwide Financial. Investors turned thumbs down on thenew dutiesThursday,with the broad S&P 500 indexdropping 4.1% in afternoontrading.The Dow Jones plungedmore than 1,400 points. The only sector not selling off was consumerstaples, which consists of companiesthatsellbasic food stocks Still, Trumpoffered an upbeat reaction Thursdaywhen asked about the stock market drop as he left the White Housetoflytohis Florida golf club.

“I thinkit’sgoing very well,” he said. “Wehave an operation, like when apatient gets operated on and it’sa big thing. Isaid this would exactly be the way it is.”

TheaverageU.S.tariffcould rise to nearly 25% when the tariffs arefully implemented Wednesday economists estimate, higher than it hasbeen in more than acentury andhigherthanthe 1930 SmootHawley tariffs that are widely blamed for worsening the Great Recession. Economists note that

the United States engages in much moretrade now than it did then.

“The president just announced the de facto separation of theU.S economy from the global economy,” said Mary Lovely,senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Relations. “The stage is set for higher prices and slower growthoverthe long term.”

Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, in an interview on CNBC Thursday,saidthe policieswillhelp open markets overseas for U.S. exports.

“I expect most countriestostart to really examine theirtradepolicytowards the UnitedStates of America, andstop picking on us,” he said. ”This is the reordering of fair trade.”

But aformertrade official from Trump’sfirst term, speaking to reporters on condition of anonymity to talk candidly about the impact, suggested that Americans, includingthose who voted for Trump, may have difficulty accepting the stiffduties. Americans “have never faced tariffslikethis,”the former official saidThursday. “The downstream impact on clothing and shoe stores, it’sgoing to be pretty significant.Sowe’ll have to see howthe Trump voters view this …and how long their support for these policies goes.”

Someexporters overseas may cut their prices to offset someof the tariffs, and U.S. retailers could eat some of the cost as well. But most economists do expect much of thetariffs to feed through to higher prices. The tariffs will hit many Asian countries particularlyhard,with dutiesonVietnameseimports rising to 46%and on goods fromIndonesia to 32%. Tariffs on someChineseimports will nowbeashighas 79%. Those three countries are the topsources of U.S. shoeimports, withNike making abouthalfits shoes last year and one-third of its clothes in Vietnam.

The Yale Budget Lab estimates allTrump’stariffs this year will push clothing prices 17% higher

On Thursday,the Home Furnishings Association, whichrepresents morethan 13,000 U.S. furniture stores, predicted that the tariffs will increase prices between 10% and46%.Vietnam and China are the top furniture exporters to the U.S. The associationsaidmanufacturers in Asia are offsetting some of the costs by discounting their products and lowering ocean freight rates, but that won’tbe enough to avoidpricehikes. Even domestically madefurniture often relies on imported components, the association said.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByDAMIAN DOVARGANES

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

Willie MaeSimsArce‐neaux departed this life on Saturday, March22, 2025 ather residenceinNew Or‐leans,LA. Shewas 86, ana‐tiveofBelle Rose,LA. Visi‐tationonFriday, April4 2025, at Williams & SouthallFuneralHome from 4:00pm to 6:00pm VisitationonSaturday, April 5, 2025, at FirstIsrael Baptist Church from 9:00amtoreligious ser‐vices at 11:00am.Inter‐mentinthe church ceme‐tery. Arrangements by Williams &SouthallFuneral Home, 5414 Hwy1, Napoleonville,LA(985)3697231. To sign theguest book or offercondolences, visit ourwebsite at www williamsandsouthallfune ralhome.com.

It is with great love and sadness that we announce the passing of our father, Sidney James Allison, who left us on the evening of March 27, 2025. Born on February 7, 1937, he was raised in Zachary, Louisianabyhis parents, James and Mae Nell Allison. Sidney's life was filled with kindness, patience, and much love for his family and friends. Sidney graduated from LSU with a degree in business, and was alifelong fan of Tiger football. He was also a proud veteran, having served in the US Army National Guard for 7years, where he excelled in marksmanship. This came in handy for years as he tried to rid his yard of pesky squirrels. For many years he loved sailing on his boat, the "Misty". He also enjoyed planting seasonal flowers and keeping his yard in tiptop shape. In recent years, you could often find him rocking on his front porch and visiting with his neighbors. Sidney was adevoted husband to his wife, Gayle, who preceded him in death after 61 years of marriage. He was aproud fatherof his two daughters, Cathy and Cyndi, andGrandad to his five grandchildren and one great-grandson. Sidney is survived by his loving family, daughters and son-in-laws, Cathy and Rob Gough, Cyndi and Barry Breau; his grandchildren, Michael Sonnier (Tori), Loren Gough Enloe (Tyler) Kodiak Gough (Dakota), Brandon Breau, Hallie Breau (fiance' Bryant); great-grandson, Owen Enloe; sister, Norma Delatte (Allen),brother, Wayne Allison (Ann), brother-n-law, Harris "Bubba" Chustz (Leta), nieces, Alison Williams, Laura Ladnier, Kelly Fowler, Nancy Norwood, and nephew, Todd Barkley. Visitation will be held at Greenoaks Funeral Home on Saturday, April 5, 2025, from 9am until funeral serviceat11am. Aprivate burialwill be held following the services. In lieu of flowers, please consider donations to the American Heart Association. The family would like to thank Pinnacle Home Healthfor the wonderful care of their father.

or leaveapersonal note at www.rabenhorst.com.

In lieu of flowers,the family asks that donations be madeinTrey's name to CoburnCares(Coburn Cares,POBox 2177, Beaumont,TX77704-2177, attn: Melisa Winn) or to acharity of your choice.

Alfred E. "Trey" Berlin III, 74, aresidentofBaton Rouge, passed away unexpectedlyathome on March23, 2025.Born in HavredeGrace, MD, on November 23, 1950, Trey grewupinAlexandria, LA, and graduated from Bolton High School in 1968. He attended LSU-A beforetransferringtoand graduating from LSUinBaton Rouge, which becamehis family home forthe next 54 years. Trey is precededin death by his parents, Alfred Elmer "Buster" Berlin Jr. and MabelProtho Berlin;his sister,Belva Ann Berlin Dewey;his brother, John Berlin;his wife of 36 years, Mary Evelyn D. "Winkie"Berlin;and his wifeof10years, Tanna Glaser Berlin

AFuneralService will be heldat11:00 a.m.,Satur‐day,April 5, 2025, at Vin‐centFuneralHomeof Abbevillehonoringthe life ofTimothy Marren Creswell, 86, who passed awayonApril 2, 2025, at his residence.Those serving aspallbearers will be Matt Creswell, Larry "Slim" Landry, ChuckLandry, ToddGranberry,Debbie Tabchouri,and Scott Bertrand. Aprivate burial willbeheldatBancker Cemeteryata laterdate. A visitationwilltakeplace at Vincent FuneralHomeof Abbeville, locatedat209 S. Saint CharlesSt.,onFriday from3:00p.m.to7:00p.m witha rosary beingprayed at6:00p.m.Visitationwill alsocontinue on Saturday from9:00a.m.until the timeofservices. Timwas bornonJune 9, 1938, in Abbeville, andgraduated fromMount Carmel High School.Hewas an avid fisher andhunter,who could usuallybefound withone of hiswell-loved dogs by hisside. He retired fromUNOCALasDirector ofLogisticsin1997 after over40years of employ‐ment. Timwas apassion‐ate anddedicated leader in his community.Heled with humility, wisdom,and heart.Among themanyor‐ganizations that benefited fromhis serviceare the AbbevilleHarborand Ter‐minal District,Governor’s AdvisoryCommissionon Coastal Protection, Restoration andConserva‐tion, Boys’and Girls’ Club ofAbbeville, Vermilion ParishOffice of Emergency Preparedness, United Way, and RedCross. He is sur‐vived by hiswifeand best friendof32years,Lynwood GeorgeCreswell; twosons, MarcCreswelland hiswife, Salina, andMattCreswell and hiswife, Julie; sister, CherylCreswell; stepson, ToddGranberry andhis wife, Jennifer;stepdaugh‐ter,DebbieTabchouri;six grandchildren;and three great-grandchildren.Heis precededindeath by his parents,WarrenPaul Creswelland theformer Camille Brasseaux. Allfu‐neral arrangements are being conductedbyVin‐centFuneralHomeAbbeville(337) 893-4661.

Leon JEllzey, III, aresi‐dentofZachary,passed awaypeacefullysur‐rounded by hisfamilyon Monday, March31, 2025 at the ageof86. He wasa US Navyveteran anda mem‐ber of Local198 for47 years.MemorialVisitation willbeonSunday, April6, 2025, from 2:00 pm -4:00 pmatCharlet Funeral HomeinZachary andwith the serviceat4:00pmcon‐ductedbyRev.Randy Rich‐mond. AMasonic Service willbeconducted at 3:30 pm. He is survived by his wifeof62years,Brenda Smith Ellzey.Children, Scott Ellzey,BethEllzey Berteau (Craig), KevinEl‐lzey (Kay)and KennethEl‐

lzey.Fourgrandchildren, SheaMalbreaugh(Trey), Kristen Dunn (Beau),Leon Jay Ellzey (Susan)and ShelbyRoark (Tre’).Five great grandchildren, Skye Dunn, RhettDunn, Ella Kate Roark,Brayden Mal‐breaugh,and Noelle Ellzey due May2025. Twosisters, SandraEllzeyBates (Billy) and MissyEllzeyBurton (Larry). He is preceded in death by hisparents,Leon and Gladys Ellzey,two sis‐ters, AnnSamueland Lynda Page.Father-in-law and mother -in-law, RoyL and andBennieMae Easley Smith.Leonwas afaithful memberand past master ofPlainsLodge 135. He was alsoanEagle Scout. Share sympathies, condolences, and memories,atwww CharletFuneralHome.com.

Susie Pearson Hayward, born July 18, 1948, was the third of four children.She departed this life on Sunday, March23, 2025, at her home in Baton Rouge,LA, surroundedbyfamily. She was76yearsold and anative andresident of Baton Rouge,LA. Susie is survivedbyher daughterCynthia Jackson (Gerard)ofBaton Rouge LA; threesons, Donaldson Hayward (Lorriane) of Baton Rouge,LA, Ledell Hayward (Karrell)ofTallahassee,FL, andMichaelHayward of Baton Rouge,LA; tengrandchildren; fourteen great-grandchildren; twosisters, Ida Ricardand Lillie PearsonofBaton

He is survivedbyhis sons: AlfredElmer "Bubba" Berlin IV (Melanie) of Asheville, NC; Michael Berlin (Anne) of Asheville, NC; and BrianBerlin (Mathilde)ofNew Orleans, LA. He is also survivedby his grandchildren: Perry Berlin and Molly Berlinof Asheville, and John, George,and Bernard "Bear" Berlin of New Orleans. Trey is also survived by his stepdaughters: Allison Roberson of Baton Rouge, LA; Angela Andrus (Frankie) of Baton Rouge, LA; Ashley Howard (Tim) of Spring, TX; and Amy Traylor-Nikolaus (Emily) of Baton Rouge, LA, alongwith their children. Additionally, he is survived by hisdear and special friend, Susan van Bueningen. Trey enjoyed asuccessful and fulfilling 50-year careerwith Coburn Supply Company.Starting in the warehousein1972, he quickly rose through the ranks due to hisstrong leadership and exceptional people skills. He retiredin 2022 as SeniorVice President and amemberofthe Board of Directors. Trey was instrumental in the growthand success of Coburn's and wasknown throughout the company as amentorand friend—respected and beloved at everylevel of theorganization. An Eagle Scout, Trey took pride in his time with Troop 12 in Baton Rouge, whereheencouragedand mentored young scouts in their journeytoward the rank of Eagle Trey loved fishing, cooking,music, skeetshooting, chess, traveling,and awell -madeOld Fashioned. Family and Friends are invited Saturday, April12 to TrinityEpiscopal Church, 3552 Morning Glory Ave, BatonRouge, LA 70808for avisitation beginning at 1:30 PM untilthe start of the service Requiem Eucharist at 2:30 PM, followed by areception.Treywillbeinterred at alater date in Pineville. Family and friends may signthe online guestbook

Edgar, Catherine Catherine "Cappy" Calhoun Edgar, 83, of Lafayette,Louisiana, was calledtoher heavenly home on March 14, 2025. Visitation willbeApril 5at Cypress FuneralHome (www.cypressfunerals.co m) in Maurice from 9a.m. to noon, followedbya celebration of life and resurrection. In lieu of flowers, donations may be madeto The Blinded Veterans Associationwww.bva.org, St JudeChildren's Research Hospital,orthe charityof thedonor'schoice.

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Ellzey III, Leon J.

Hayward, Susie Pearson

Creswell, TimothyMarren

Berlin, Alfred E. 'Trey'

Allison, Sidney

Rouge, LA; one brother Leroy Ricard of Baton Rouge, LA; and ahost of other siblings, relatives, and friends. Susie is preceded in death by her husband, Donaldson Hayward Sr.; her son, AlonzoHayward Sr.; her daughter,Sheila Hayward; her parents, Neola Pearson Ricard and Ledell Scott; her brother, Herman Ricard Sr.; anda host of other relatives and friends. Services will be held on Saturday, April 5, 2025,at 10 AM at Second Baptist Church, 914 NAcadian Thruway W, Baton Rouge, LA 70802, with Pastor Leo D. Cyrus Officiating. Services are entrusted by A. Hamilton Platinum Funeral Service.

Honore, Lacey Jane

Lacy B. Honore, aloving and devoted wife, sister, aunt, grandmother and friend gained herheavenly wings (departed this life) on Monday morning, March 31, 2025, at Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center. She was born October 20, 1944, in Baton Rouge, LA. She is survived by host of loving relatives and dear friends.

Lacy is preceded in death by her husband, Paul B. Honore, her parents,Almeta W. Bouligny and George A. Bouligny; five sisters, Joyce B. Burchell, Susie B. Anderson, Bernadine P. Bouligny, Fannie B. Singleton and Joan B. Kasey. Memorial service willbe held at St. Francis Xavier, 1150 South 12th Street, Baton Rouge, LA on Saturday, April 5, 2025. Service will begin at 10:00 a.m. and will be conducted by Father Henry. DesselleFuneral Home in chargeoffuneral arrangements.

Lawson, George

George Lawson passed away peacefullyonSunday, March 30,2025atthe age of 90 in Dallas, Texas. George was born in Battle, Louisiana, in East Feliciana Parish, but resided most of his life in Baker, Louisiana. He leaves to cherish his memory his devoted sons, George Lawson (Travis Battle)ofDeSoto,Texas, Darrell Lawson (Paulette) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; two step-sons, Odis Gilmore (Marie) of Port Allen, Louisiana, and Zale Gilmore of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; three stepdaughters, Kathy Gilmore Pate of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Emmalean Jenkins (Spahne) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and Dietra Wilson of Baton Rouge, Louisiana;two brothers, Robert (Ora) Lawson of Baker, Louisiana, and Donald (Peggy) Lawson of South Carolina; two sisters, Gloria D. Williams of El Paso, Texas, and Laura Jean

Lawson of Baker, Louisiana;several grandchildren; and ahost of nieces, nephews, cousins, relatives,and cherished friends. Family and friends areinvited to to attend a viewing which willbeheld at RockZion Baptist Church,1768Alabama Ave. Baker, LA 70714 on Saturday, April 5, 2025from9am until the celebrationofhis life begins at 11am. Interment willfollow in Hillcrest Memorial Gardens, Baker, Louisiana.Arrangements entrusted to Schaffer FamilyFuneral Home

LeBlanc,GaryLee

GaryLee "G-Water" LeBlanc, 58, was bornon August 09, 1966,and passed awayonThursday, March 27, 2025.A native of Donaldsonville,La.,and a resident of Baton Rouge La. Services willbeheld on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at The ChurchInternationalofDonaldsonville, 613 W 7th St.,Donaldsonville,LA. Visiting from 9:00 amuntil funeral servicesat10:00 am

Belovedas"Papa" to his family and "Ted"tocountless friends, NorrisA Melancondied on Tuesday, April 1, 2025 at hishome in New Roads, LA.Ted was born April 25, 1928 inMorganza, LA and remained there until 2008, when he movedtoNew Roads, LA Tedworked in the family business, MelanconCafé, until enrolling at SLI(now UniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette). He graduated from SLIwith adegreein Agribusiness. Ted was a veteranofWWIIand the Korean Conflict. During both deployments, he servedhis country as an army medic, which landed him at West Point Hospital in New York at the end of his second Tour.Upon returning home, he beganan agricultural business, The Purina Feed Service and Hardware Supplies,while also teaching the latest farming programs in the rural areasofPointe CoupeeParish.Some of his treasuredaccomplishments include charter and board member of:Falser RiverAcademy,Peoples Bank (now Synergy Bank), and Raccourci Hunting Club.Hewas adevoted husband,father, grandfather,and friend to many after flashing thatwonderful smile. Hisstrong Catholicfaithwhich he practiced and liveddaily, was instilled in him by his Sicilianmotherwho immigratedtoAmerica. This past February, Ted and his wife Jane werehonored by Bishop Duca for being the longest livingmarried couple in the Diocese of Baton Rouge. Ted is survivedby his beloved wifeof75 years, Jane Witty Melancon; three sons:Mickey, Robin, Kevin and wife

Dana; one daughter, Marsha and husband Bourg Langlois; and sister-in-law

JoAnn Melancon. He also leavesbehind 22 grandchildrenand theirspouses and 22 great-grandchildren.Heispreceded in death by twograndsons, Beau Chad Melancon and James Casie Melancon; parents, Norrisand Mary Melancon; twobrothers, Bernie and Clayton Melancon; twosisters, Juanita Mullerand PatRamagos. Visitation willbeatSt. Ann's Catholic Church in Morganza, LA on Saturday, April5,2025 from 9:00 am until religious service at 11:00 am followedbythe burial in thechurch cemetery.Ted will be remembered forhis humility,simplicity, sharp business mind, courage, faith, devotion to duty, and joyofliving and sincere interest and compassion he demonstrated toward all he met.Memorial donations may be madeto CatholicofPointe Coupee 405 LouisianaSt. New Roads, LA 70760.

AnativeofNew Roads, LA passed away peacefully at theage of 42. Survived by her mother Pam Mitchell;children, Devonte Hill, Travion and Tearron Terrance; brothers, Tazin Hill, Earl Mitchell,and Dave Mark; grandfather, George Hill,Sr.,other relatives and friends. Visitation on FridayApril4,2025 at AWesleyFaith Center 152 Hwy 3050 in Morganza from 3to 6pm. Religious services Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 10:00 A.Msame location. ConductedbyPastorKevin Morris, officiating. Interment at Little Rock Baptist Church cemetery in Morganza, LA

Jana Denise Clark-Nero was bornonDec. 31, 1958, to theUnionofHorlisL Clark and Lizzie LeeClark, she was anative and resident of BatonRouge, LA Jana was agraduateof ScotlandvilleHighSchool Class of 1976, as well as a graduateofSouthern Universityand Louisiana State University, and amember of AlphaKappa Alpha Sorority.Janacame to knowChrist at an early age and was baptizedby thelate Rev, J.G. RichardsonofJordan Stone B.Con June 21, 1970. Janalast attendedGreater King David B.C, under theleadership of PastorJohn Montgomery of BatonRouge, LA Always beingfocused and careerdriven, Janareceived numerous certifi-

cates whileemployed at EXXON Mobile Refinery

Jana Denise Clark-Nero is remembered by her Pastor Tyrone (Ronnie) E. Lee (Evie S. Lee), her loving god-daughter Latrice Lee, alongwith Domonie Jr (DJ), De'Myria, Jer'Mya Kar'Mya, Genard Jr. (Gouda), Ty'Rhen, Camari, and Camden) and special friends, William(Tanka) Bigbee (Linda Bigbee), Royce D. Johnson, and ReginaldJ.Johnson. Janaispredeceasedby her parentsHorlisL.Clark and Lizzie LeeClark, Lloyd Nero (husband), and loving god-daughter Ty'Quencia Lee. Visitationwillbeheldon Saturday April 5, 2025 at SaintsvilleCOGIC at 8930 Plank Rd.Baton Rouge, LA from9AM to 11AM with services to follow.

Charles(Chuck) Portier, 68, of Albany,LAsadly passed away on March 27, 2025, at his home in Hammond, LA.Charles was along-time resident of Albany, LA,served in the United States Army during his younger years, and worked as aConcrete Batch Masterfor Barber Brothers Contracting Co in BatonRouge,LAfor many years. In his spare time, he enjoyed fishing, cooking, playing chess, and regaling his family,friends, and others with hiscolorful and outlandish storiesfromhis youth, travels, and past adventures. Charles is survivedbyhis wife Tracey Gayle Portier of Hammond, LA,his children: Aykut (AJ) Reyesand wife Danielle (Elle)Reyes of Tampa, FL, EricPortierofTX, Daniel Portier and wife Lori Portier of Cedar Hill, TX, Charlie Gayle and wife Heather Gayle of Walker, LA, JeannieWilson and husband James Wilson of Greenwood, AR,Sandy Nickens and husband Charles "Cha -Chi" Nickens of Livingston, LA,WendyGayle of NJ,and Amanda LeBouef of Walker, LA,24grandchildren,6 greatgrandchildren,and 3siblings. He was preceded in death by his father, brother,and grandmother As perCharles's request, no funeral or memorial servicewillbeheld.

The fullobituary can be found at www.rabenhorst.com

Robinson,Helen MarieDouglas

HelenMarie Douglas Robinsonentered into eter‐nal rest at herresidence in Baker,Louisiana on March 22, 2025. Viewingat Greater Mt.CarmelBaptist Church,Rev.CleeLowe, pastor, on Saturday,April 5,2025 at 9:00 am untilCel‐ebrationofLifeService at 11:00 am conductedby Rev.Jerry Hanible; inter‐mentatSouthernMemor‐ial Gardens.

Tellis “Tell” Anthony Smith passedawayonSat‐urday,March 29, 2025, at The CarpenterHouse in Baton Rouge, LA.Hewas 46, anativeofDonald‐sonville, LA anda resident ofLawton, OK.Visitation onSaturday, April5,2025, atSt. CatherineofSienna Catholic Church from 9:00amtoreligious ser‐vices at 10:00 followed by MassofChristian Burial at 11:00am.Interment in As‐cension of OurLord Catholic Church Cemetery ArrangementsbyWilliams & Southall FuneralHome, 101 Loop 945, Donald‐sonville, LA 70346 (225) 4731900. To sign theguest book or offercondolences visit ourwebsite at www williamsandsouthallfune ralhome.com.

Weldon Elliot Willing‐ham,a resident of Gonza‐les,passedawayonFriday, March 28, 2025 at hishome. Hewas 60 yearsold andre‐tired from ExxonMobil. Vis‐itation will be at FirstBap‐tistChurch in St.Fran‐

He is survived by hispar‐ents, Graceand Mike Kennedy,his uncle and aunt,Jackand NeenaWill‐ingham. He is preceded in death by hisson,Blake El‐liotWillinghamand his grandparents, JR andEliza‐bethWillinghamand RobertLee andLuCenie Dedon.Pallbearers will be RobertCraven, Matt Schlingmeyer, JasonScott JRCain, andJackWilling‐ham.Weldonloved travel‐ing,especiallytoScotland and Alaska.Hewas an avid sportsfan andenjoyed doing home improvements onall hishomes.Share sympathies, condolences, and memories at www.Cha rletFuneralHome.com

DorothyWright"DotTee" Wilson enteredinto eternal rest at BatonRouge General MedicalCenterBluebonnetonMarch 29, 2025. Shewas an 81-year old native of Alto, Louisiana anda resident of Baton Rouge. Viewingat ShilohMissionaryBaptist Church on Monday,April 7, 2025 at 8:00 am;Delta Sigma ThetaSorority, Inc. Omega OmegaRitualat 10:15 am;Celebration of LifeService at 11:00 am conducted by Rev. Fred J. Smith;interment at Oak Grove Cemetery.Survivors include herdevoted chil‐dren, Bryfordand Danett Wilson;sister, Alma Cherry;nieces, nephews, other relativesand friends. Arrangementsentrusted to Miller& Daughter Mortu‐ary

York, Elizabeth Jenkins 'Tay-Tay'

Elizabeth Jenkins York 95, of Baton Rouge,LA, peacefully passedaway March28, 2025. She was born June 4, 1929, in Plaquemine,LA. Survivingare herchildren Florence Ann, Claudette,Gregory, Cassandra, devoted great grandson, Noel(Bianca), and ahostofother extended familymembers. The serviceswill take place Saturday, April 5, 2025 at 1PMwith aviewing starting at 9AMuntilservicesbeginatMount Airy Baptist Church,62440 ReverendCalvin Jenkins St Plaquemine,LA70764. The remains are entrusted to Roscoe Mortuary, Plaquemine, LA.

Wilson,Dorothy Wright 'Dot-Tee'

Portier, CharlesChuck

Mitchell,Tericka

Smith, Tellis Anthony'Tell'

Melancon,NorrisA.'Ted'

Nero, JanaDenise

Roberts, Harry Heil

Willingham,WeldonElliot

OPINION

Cuttinguniversityresearchisbad forLa.

Proposed cuts in federal funding for universities have raised alarmoncollege campuses nationwide. But those alarm bells should be echoing across every segment of our society

That’sbecause the dollars universities receive in federal support translate into lifesaving cures and treatments, pathbreaking discoveries, technological advancementsand economic growth that impact each of us. The level of cuts being considered will have devastating consequences for our state—imperiling vital studies in cancer diabetes, Alzheimer’s,hypertension, heart disease and other life-threatening conditions, while vastly decreasing the enormous economic impact Louisianauniversities make in their communities.

Michael A. Fitts GUEST COLUMNIST

Take Tulane, for instance. Our operations, capital investments, research and other activities touch every segment of communities throughout Louisiana, making a$5.2 billionannual impact, supporting more than 30,000 jobs statewide and generating

$88.2 million in annual state tax revenue. Much of this economic impact is derived from ourresearch enterprise. Forinstance, our staff includes 350 Louisiana residentsemployed at theNational Primate Research Center in Covington, with an annual economic impact of $107 million in St.Tammany Parish and aspecial focus on biodefense that is integral to ournational security Cuts to research funding will cause job losses in numerous sectors reliant on the success of universities,along with attendant decreases in taxrevenue. Federalfunding also provides ﬁnancial aid, loans, work-study programsand other mechanisms that makeitpossible for more of ourchildren to attendcollege, thus improving their own lives andincreasing the number of higher-income, higher-taxpaying residents in ourstate.

Tulane andits fellow universities also keep ourbest and brightest studentshere at home, while attracting the country’s leading researchers and scholars.

Name another industry that both recruitsand produces such an educated and skilled workforce for our state. Andthis beneﬁt is morecritical than ever today when Louisiana leads the nation in population loss.

Universities are avital part of Louisianalife, but too often we have failed to demonstrateour intrinsic value to our cities and country as well as our absolute reliance on the support of both. We have appeared disconnected, elite and aloof when we should have presented ourselves as partners in improving life for all.

Somehave wondered why universities —especially private ones like Tulane —need public support at all. Why can’twepay our own way? The truth is, Tulane spends morethan $50 million in institutional funds each year to support our research. Andwe provide millionsmore in student aid through programs suchas LouisianaPromise, which meets thefull ﬁnancial need of attending Tulane, with no loans, for Louisianastudents from families that make less than $100,000 per year Many have pointed to Tulane’s

Currenthealthcareeconomics harmingdoctors andpatients

At the beginning of this year,Medicare hit doctors with apay cut. Congress must reverse that cut soon —and enact apermanent fix in the way it pays doctors. Absentaction, many independent physician practices may be forced to shut their doors That’snot hyperbole, it’sreality.That would deprive countless patients of access to highquality,lower-cost care in their communities. It’sthe fifth consecutive year doctors have seen reimbursement from Medicare decline. At the same time, the costs associated withrunning a practice are set to rise 3.5% this year Medicare reimbursement has been shrinking for along time. When adjusted for inflation, it’sfallen 33% since 2001. When independent physicians can no longer pay their overhead, they have few options for staying in business. They can try to negotiate higher payments from private insurers —anear impossibility,given the leverage the insurers’ huge size affords them overdoctors. They can reduce services. They can close up shop. Or they can sell their practices to larger entities.

endowment as asource formaking up the proposed decrease in governmentfunding —cuts that could cost Tulane as much as a half abillion dollars annually Butauniversity endowment is not asavings account that can be drawn from forany purpose. The spending of our endowment income —like that of all universities —islegally restricted to speciﬁc purposes designated by donors. In fact, the lion’sshare of Tulane’sendowmentalready goes to support ﬁnancial aid forstudentsand research and thus could notbeused at Tulane to cover any loss in federal funds.

Butnomatter how much auniversityspends, no entity,private or public, can provide the support for tomorrow’s discoveries on the scale of the U.S. government. And this funding is not ahandout. It is an investment —apublic-private partnershipinthe case of Tulane and other nonproﬁt institutions —that reapsvast beneﬁts. From thepolio vaccine to the internet to mappingthe human genome and exploring the farreaches of space, university-led research is responsiblefor someofhumankind’sgreatest advancements.

Federal funding to fuel university discovery is also asound ﬁnancial investment of taxpayer money.According to the organization United forMedical Research, the awarding of $228 million in grants and contracts to Louisiana researchers by the National Institutes of Health during the 2023 ﬁscal ear directly supported 3,426 jobs and $600 million in economic activity in Louisiana.

Nationally,every dollar in NIH-funded research results in $2.46 of new economic activity

That return on investment is likely even higher foruniversities in Louisiana, where dollars go further than in the Northeast or West Coast, hometoother major universities.

In aword, Louisiana is acosteffective, high-value research hub whose universities —which are economic engines fortheir communities —need strong federal support to continue to ﬁnd the cures fortomorrow,build the workforce of today and makea lifesaving return to our state and nation.

MichaelA.Fitts is thepresident of Tulane University.

Decliningvoter turnout isn’tjustdisengagement

Paul Berggreen GUEST COLUMNIST

happy to add physiciansto their employment rolls because they’re asource of referrals for tests andprocedures. Referrals can be big moneymakers. Medicare payshospitals more than private practices or ambulatory surgery centersfor exactly thesame services everythingfrom cancer screenings andX-rays to chemotherapy infusions andheart-imaging procedures.

All this hospital-driven consolidation has serious implicationsfor patients.

When an independent practice in their community closes, they may have to paymorefor thesame care they had been receiving. Hospitals’ higher reimbursement rates can result in patients facinghigher costsharing responsibilities than if they’d received the care in an ofﬁce or independentambulatory surgery center.They may be forced to travel to ahospital that’smuchfarther away for thecare they need

after the physician caring for thebeneficiary moved from an unaffiliated privatepractice to ahospital affiliation.

Congress has thepower to reverse these trends —and protect the viabilityofindependent physician practice —byraising Medicare reimbursement for physicians. Undoing theill-advised 2025 pay cut and making doctors whole this year as part of this year’s budget reconciliation process are astart.

The bipartisan Medicare PatientAccess and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025, which was introduced in January by U.S. Rep. Greg Murphy, R-N.C., and has been co-sponsored by 120 of his colleagues, bothRepublican and Democrat, would do just that.

Louisianavoters today are increasingly choosing not to participateinthe electoral process. With the exception of presidential elections, registered voters are more likely to stay home than turn out to vote, even in high-proﬁle elections such as the race for governor

Although the presidential election attracts wider interest than any other,turnout rates have declined over theyears. In the 1980s and 1990s, three-fourths of registered voters participated. Since 2000, two-thirds of registered voters have turned out in presidential elections.

Many doctors have opted for this last path and joined large hospitals, health systems or vertically integrated insurance companies that now deliver medical care. In the last ﬁve years, nearly 75,000 doctors have signed on as employees at hospitals and health systems. For reference, there are about one million physicians in the United States. Hospitals acquired 2,800 additional physician practices in 2022 and 2023. As of January 2024, they owned nearly 70,000 physician practices. That number has grown 12% since 2019. Hospitals have been all too

Thegradual disappearance of private practices has also given largehospitals, health systems and vertically integrated payers like UnitedHealthcare license to raise their own prices, sincethey face less competition.Astudy by theNational Bureau of Economic Research found that physician services delivered within largehealth systems cost upto26% more than those delivered by independent practices. And there’snoevidence that thehigher priceslead to better care or outcomes for patients.

Consolidation is driving Medicare’s costs up, too. According to astudyoffive specialties conducted byhealth care consultingfirm Avalere, total Medicare expenditures per beneficiary peryear increased an averageofmore than $1,300 in the12months

ButCongress must not stop there. It’stime to index Medicare reimbursement to inﬂation —permanently For years, lawmakers have applied all manner of temporary ﬁxes and patches tomitigatethe impact of Medicare reimbursementcutsfor physicians. Such slapdash policymaking makes no sense —and creates uncertainty for physicians about whether they’ll be able to absorb the rising costs of running apractice, recruit and retain top-notch staff and invest in cutting-edge technology and equipment.

Medicare reimbursement for hospitals has more than kept pace withinﬂation over thepast quarter-century.Independent physicians deserve thesame treatment. By enacting such policy,Congress can expand access to care and help preserve competition within our health care market. That’s always healthy

Paul Berggreen is agastroenterologistand president of the AmericanIndependent Medical Practice Association. He is agraduate of theLSU School of Medicine.

Voter interest in gubernatorial elections does not match the enthusiasm for presidential elections. On average, from 1983 to 1995, 71% of registered voters cast aballot for governor.However,turnout rates have fallen off signiﬁcantly since then. From 1999 to 2019, voter turnout across primary and runoffelectionsfor governor averaged 45%.

Turnout in the2023 gubernatorial primary was just 36%, continuing this downward trend. In the past 10 gubernatorial elections, seven had turnout rates of less than 50%.

At ﬁrst glance, it may seem that Louisianavoters have becomemore apathetic about participating in bothpresidential andgubernatorial elections.However,structural factors may better explain declining turnout rates. For example, the National VoterRegistration Act of 1993, also known as the Motor Voter law,made voter registration more accessible, increasing the number of registered voters.

This expansion can lower turnout rates as apercentage, even if the absolute number of people voting remainsstable or grows. Additionally,more people are not afﬁliating with apoliticalparty and registering as nonparty independents, a group that historically turns out at lower rates than those registered with the major parties.

The Motor Voter law led to an increase in the number of registered voters in Louisiana. In 1990, there were 725 registered voters

per 1,000 citizens of voting age. By 2000, following the passage and implementation of the Motor Voter law,that number increased to 853 per 1,000. Since then, registration rates have remained relatively stable, with 862 registered voters per 1,000 citizens of voting age today The proportion of registered no-party voters in Louisiana has increased over the decades, while the proportion of those registered with the twomajor parties has declined. In 1990, 918 of every 1,000 registered voters wereregistered with either the Republican or Democratic Party,while 82 per 1,000 were noparty voters. By 2000, no-party voter registration had risen to 179 per 1,000, while major party registration fell to 821 per 1,000. That trend has continued. By 2024, 279 of every 1,000 registered voters identiﬁed with no party,while major party registration declined further to 721 per 1,000. The number of registered no-party voters has increased, but their turnout rate remains lower than that of registered Republicans or Democrats.

Over the past six presidential elections, the average overall turnout rate was 67%. Republicans had the highest turnout at 76%, followed by Democrats at 68%, and no-party voters at 54%. Turnout among noparty voters was 13 percentage points lower than the overall average.

Acombination of factors, easier registration through the Motor Voter law and the growing proportion of less-engaged no-party voters helps explain Louisiana’sdeclining voter engagement. Although registration rates in Louisiana increased, voter turnout did not rise at the samerate. This trend, coupled with the fact that no-party voters typically participate at lower rates, has contributed to the overall decline in Louisiana’svoter participation.

Edward Chervenak is the director of theUNO Survey Research Center

Ed Chervenak GUEST COLUMNIST

COMMENTARY

ROOM FOR DEBATE THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACy

TheDepartment of Government Efficiency has beengiven broad authority by President DonaldTrump to slash thefederal bureaucracy. It hastaken aim at what it describesaswaste,fraud and abuseindepartments and agencies throughout government.There’snodoubt that DOGE has reduced the size of government withhundreds of thousands of job cuts, butisitmaking thefederal bureaucracy more efficient? Hereare twoperspectives:

DOGE is making things almost comicallyinefficient

Asenior aide to PresidentDonald Trump once said the administration hoped to traumatize civil servants, an objective it has handily accomplished through arbitrary layoffs and other indignities. But government workers are not theonly victims Taxpayer dollars are being abused, too, as the “Departmentof Government Efﬁciency” makes the federalgovernment almost comically inefﬁcient.

n At the IRS, employees spend Mondays queuedupatshared computers to submit their DOGEmandated “ﬁve things Idid last week” emails. Meanwhile, taxpayer customer service callsgounanswered.

Trump’sstrategyseeking to transformbureaucracy

On March 11, the Department of Education issued anews release announcing that it had “initiated a reduction in force impacting nearly 50% of the department’sworkforce.”

resources forchildren with disabilities and special needs,” will be “fully preserved.”

n At the Bureau of Land Management, federalsurveyors are no longer permitted to buyreplacement equipment.So, when ashovel breaks at afield site, they can’t just drive to the nearest town or hardware store. Instead, work stopsasemployees track down one of the few managers nationwide authorizedtofile an officialprocurement form and order new parts.

n At the Food and Drug Administration, leadership canceled the agency’s subscription to LexisNexis, an onlinereference tool that employees need to conduct regulatory research. Some workers might not have noticed this lossyet, however,because the agency’sincompetently planned return-to-ofﬁce order this week left them too busy hunting for insufﬁcient parking and toilet paper.(Multiple bathrooms have runout of bath tissue, employees report.)

I’ve spent the past few weeks interviewing frustrated civil servants, whose remarks typically rotate throughpanic rage and black humor.Almost none are willing to speak on the record because of concerns about purges by the U.S. DOGE Service.But their themesare easy to corroborate: Routine tasks take longerto complete, grinding down worker productivity.DOGE is also boggingdown employees with meaningless busywork,which sets them up to be punished forneglecting their actualduties.

“All this talk of warﬁghterethos, and our ‘priority’ is making sure thereare no three-year-old tweets withthe word‘diversity’ in them,” said aPentagon employee “Crazy town.”

What counts as DEI wrongthink also changesalmostdaily,meaningemployees must perform the same word-cleansing tasks repeatedly

One NASA employee said they were asked multiple times to scourperformance plans and contracts for offending terms. The ﬁrst sanitization came shortly after Trump’sDay 1executiveorderre-

writer’scity of residence.TheAdvocate|

published. Letters

garding DEI, and resulted in deleting references to “diversity” and “equity.” Weeks later,more banned words (“environmental justice,” “socioeconomic”) were identiﬁed,and thescrubbing began anew.Mere hoursafterthat, someoneinupper management emailed staff again to say those new deletion orders were “not NASA policy and should not be used,” andtold workers to simplycheck thecontracts for compliance with the executive order Whatever that means. Meanwhile, NASA’s real work languishes.

Another Kafkaesque executive order requires agency heads to send the White House alist, within 60 days, of their agency’s “unconstitutional regulations” theultimate “When did you stop beating your wife?”-style directive. Meanwhile, somefederal paymentshave stopped. Credit cards used for routine purchases havebeen canceled or had their limits shrunk to $1. Contracts are being arbitrarily canceled midway through.

DOGE ofﬁcials appear to wrongly believe this saves money But thereare costs to, say,not feeding the Transportation Security Administration’sbomb-snifﬁng dogs. Andifcontracts lapse when they could have been easily extended,projectsmust restart thetimeconsuming and expensive bid process

At the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, for example, no contracts maybeinitiated or extended withoutsign-off from thecommerce secretary, creatingabottleneck. OneNOAA contract that expires soon is for maintenance and repair of the all-hazards weather radio network, which broadcaststornado warnings and watches,amongother life-anddeath alerts. The contract has been stuck in limbo, just as an already-deadly tornado season is getting underway

“They’re like akid in anuclear power plant runningaround hittingbuttons,”said MaxStier,president of the Partnership for Public Service (which actually focuses on government efﬁciency), when asked about DOGE’smeasures. “Theyhave no sense of thecascade of consequences they’re causing.”

TheIRS,meanwhile, is deleting all nonEnglish forms and notices, employees were told.This will mean less taxpayer compliance and more work for employees. Lose-lose, if you’re trying to keep thegovernmentefﬁciently run.

These days, that’sa big “if.”

Email Catherine Rampell at crampell@ washpost.com.

When President Donald Trumpwas inaugurated, the release said, the Education Department had 4,133 employees. After the new cuts, thedepartment will have 2,183 workers.

That was areduction of 1,950 federal employees. Of that number,572 accepted either an offer to resign and then not have to workbut still be paid through Sept.30, or an offer to accept abuyout of up to $25,000 immediately.The remaining number of departing workers, 1,378, would be placed on administrative leave before being ﬁred.

The lawsuit from the Democratic states essentially argues that it is impossible to fully preserve the core functions with 2,183 employees, the number leftafter the cuts and buyouts.

The Democratic attorneys general of 19 states and the District of Columbia filed alawsuit seeking to stop the administration from making the cuts. The suit is led by NewYork state attorneygeneral Letitia James —you may remember herasthe official who campaigned on apromise to get Donald Trumpand then sought to destroy theTrumpfinancial empire with alawsuit that many experts deemed baseless. The states’ lawsuit claims thepresident does not have the constitutional authority to makefar-reaching cuts in theEducation Department or in other federal agencies like it. It is true that, in addition to whatever educational goals it waspursuing, Congress in effectset up aseries of booby traps for any president who might want toget rid of the DepartmentofEducation That reality was very much in evidence when it came time, on March 20, to hold aWhiteHouse event announcing what some had hoped would be theeffort to “eliminate” the DepartmentofEducation. Surrounded by conservative educational reformers, Trumpwas very careful with his words. “In afew moments, Iwill sign an executive order to begin eliminating the federal Department of Education once and for all,” he said. Trumpnoted that the administration and the new secretary of education, Linda McMahon, had already cut the number of departmentemployees by nearly half. But he stressed that thedepartment’s“useful functions,” which he defined as “Pell grants, Title 1funding [for low-incomeschools],

But Trumpsaid those key functions will remain. On March 21, the day after the White House event, he announced that he is moving management of the DepartmentofEducation’shuge $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration. The president also said that management of the Education Department’sspending on special needs students and nutrition programs would be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services. But even as Trumpcut the staffthat administered them at the DepartmentofEducation, he might have to add stafftomanage them at the Small Business Administration and the Department of Health and Human Services.

Will there be anet reduction in federal workers involved? Maybe. If Trumpends up cutting 1,950 workers at the Education Department —that is, if none are reinstated via the various legal actions now underway how manywill be added elsewhere? That’sunclear.And what functions of the Department of Education will be “sent to the states”? That’salso unclear.And what functions, like the massive student loan program,might be privatized, as someconservatives want? That’sprobably unlikely So is this worthwhile? Many conservatives wanttosee areduction both in the size and scope of the federal government. Failing that, they,like nearly everyone else, would like to see an increase in efﬁciency.IfTrump’saction does nothing morethan reduce the size of the bureaucracy involved in handing out billions of dollars in taxpayer money,and makethe remaining part moreefﬁcient, that would be a plus. Despite the recent Democratic and media lionization of federal workers, the fact remains that the federal bureaucracy is too big, too slow-moving and too resistant to innovation. Taking it on is aworthwhile start. Byron York is on X, @Bryon York

Catherine Rampell Byron York

Baton RougeWeather

SPORTS

UN ED

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Flau’jae Johnson isn’tdone withcollege basketball yet.

The LSU women’shoopsstarchose not to declarefor the 2025WNBA Draft,accordingtoaWednesday report from The Athletic, bypassing the chance to begin her professional career ayear early soshe can play her ﬁnal season of NCAA eligibility.

League rules allow Johnson to declare for the draft because she will turn 22 yearsold laterthisyear.

But the rising senior is now reportedly returning to college basketball, something she hinted at on Sunday after her LSU team lost in the NCAA Tournament’sElite Eight to UCLA.

“Once Itastethe national championshipmoreand more,” Johnson said,“Ifeel likethat national championship Ihave, yeah,Iwas abig factor in it, but there were bigger factors.Iwant my own one, you know what I’m saying? Where Ileadthe team. That’swhat you really want.”

On Sunday,Johnsonalmost willed LSU back to the Final Four.She scored 24 of her 28 points in the second half of the No. 3seeded Tigers’ loss tothe No.1 seed Bruins. UCLA had simply built too largeofa lead. Apivotal

second quarter,the entirety of which theyplayed while All-American center Lauren Betts battled foul trouble on thebench, swung 10 points in their favor

Coach Kim Mulkey saidLSU ceded too manyopen looksfrom 3-points range

And Johnson expressed dissatisfaction with the result, saying she wanted to accomplish more before her collegiate career ended.

“I feel like Iain’treally do nothing, for real,”Johnson said. “I mean,wegoing to Elite Eights, but that’s not no successfor me. Some people have to be in theEliteEight. Idon’twant to be in no Elite Eight. Iwant to be in the Final Four.”

Johnson is now theﬁfth notable age-eligible player to pass on the draft. Betts already decidedthatshe was returning to college, andsotoo didUConn guard Azzi Fudd, Florida State guard Ta’NiyaLatson andNotre Dame guard Olivia Miles.

Both Latson and Miles, however,are in thetransfer portal, searchingfor places wheretheycan playtheir senior seasons. Before Monday,Miles was theprojected No. 2overall pick, according to recentmock drafts by bothESPN and The Athletic.

ä See LSU, page 3C

LSU guard Flau’Jae Johnson takes ashot against SanDiegoState in the first quarter of their NCAATournamentgame on March 22. Johnson reportedlydid not declare for the 2025 WNBADraft. STAFF PHOTO By

MICHAEL JOHNSON

BY SCOTT RABALAIS Sports columnist

If fans attending the gymnastics regional at Penn State on Thursdaywereexpecting to see ﬁreworks from No.1overall NCAA seed LSU,they didn’tget it. Instead, the Tigers put on aclinic in solid, consistent, no drama gymnastics. Nothing too high, certainlynothing too low, just solid routine after solid routine throughout the lineup. When it was over,LSU hadfollowed its three-wordmantra to theletter —“Thrive and advance” —with a198.100 total that was by farthe best of either semiﬁnal session at Rec Hall in University Park, Pennsylvania. “Survive andadvance,” LSUcoach Jay Clark said, “is anegative.”

Aside from apropensity for hoppy landings, there was nothing negative for the Tigers on this night, as they brushed up againsttheir NCAA-best 198.115 National Qualifying Score entering the regional with ä See REGIONAL, page 4C

BY RODWALKER Staff writer

Jose Alvaradohas played more games in aNew Orleans Pelicans’uniformthan anyoneelse who is available for the rest of this season. Alvarado, already one of theteam’smost popular players, is suddenly the team’s best and most reliable player

It’swhy his name is now thelast one called when the starting lineupsare introducedat games in the Smoothie King Center

This is Alvarado’steam now as thePelicans limp to the ﬁnishline of one of the most disappointing seasons in franchise history

“When you have guys like CJ andZion and Trey Murphy whocreate so much attention,you get theeasier shots,” Alvarado said. “Now they are all out and the scouting (reports) are more about youinthat sense. The guys know my weaknesses and not my weakness, so they test you mentally.You’ve got to continue to make shots and continue to improve. You’re goingtoturn the ball over,but you’vegot to keep going. You’re going to miss shots, but you’ve got to keep shooting.”

“WecountonJose alot,” saidPelicans’ coach Willie Green. “Wecount on himwhen he’snot starting. We countonhim when he’s starting. He’ll have agreat opportunityin front of him to finishup theseason ” Alvarado put that leadershipondisplay Wednesdaynight.The Pelicans didn’t geta win, but Alvarado finished witha team-high 17 points and 10 assists in aroad loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. It was his second double-double of theseason and the third of hiscareer. It was also his first timeleading the Pelicans in scoring this season.Alvarado shot 7-of-16 from the floor,but also missed all five of his 3-point attempts. He also had four turnovers.

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

NORMAN, Okla. The relationship Kade Anderson haswithNate Yeskie transcends baseball. Anderson is LSU’s ace pitcher and Yeskie is his pitching coach. But as tears well up in Anderson’s eyes,heexplainsthattheir bond is closer to father and son. “That (relationship) is something thathas helpedmealot,” Anderson said. All they didonThursday night at L. DaleMitchell Field was play abaseball game against Oklahoma, but it won’tbeanight either of them will ever forget. Anderson tossed acomplete gameshutout. Thesophomore left-handerstruck out

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

NBA playoff chase enters ﬁnal days

By The Associated Press

It’s playoff-positioning time in the NBA.

Going into Thursday, there are 89 games left in the season. The 10 Eastern Conference postseason teams are set; Cleveland, Boston, New York and Indiana are in the playoffs, Detroit and Milwaukee are on the brink of joining them, while Orlando, Atlanta, Miami and Chicago are in the likely play-in ﬁeld. In the Western Conference, Oklahoma City is the No. 1 seed and Houston is in the playoffs. The Los Angeles Lakers, Denver, Golden State and Minnesota enter Thursday holding playoff spots, with the Los Angeles Clippers and Memphis chasing them and trying to stay out of the play-in. Dallas and Sacramento are ﬁghting for play-in berths, with Phoenix, Portland and San Antonio still alive for those as well.

Add it up, and 23 of the 30 teams are still playing for something other than lottery odds with a week-and-a-half to go in the regular season.

Thursday’s games

Orlando at Washington — Big for the Magic in terms of East play-in seeding.

Milwaukee at Philadelphia — The Bucks are on the brink of clinching a playoff berth Minnesota at Brooklyn — Not a must-win, but might feel like it for Wolves in their quest to avoid the play-in.

Memphis at Miami — Grizzlies are sliding (lost four straight), Heat are sizzling (won six straight)

Portland at Toronto — Blazers’

slim hopes for West play-in probably would require winning out.

Golden State at LA Lakers — Potential ﬁrst-round matchup. Stephen Curry LeBron James. Need we say more?

National TV schedule

It’s a TNT doubleheader

Thursday, with Grizzlies-Heat at 7:30 p.m. Eastern and WarriorsLakers at 10 p.m Eastern.

NBA TV has a doubleheader Friday: Phoenix at Boston (7:30 p.m.) and Denver at Golden State (10 p.m.).

Betting odds Oklahoma City (+175) is favored to win the NBA title, according to BetMGM Sportsbook,

followed by Boston (+190), Cleveland (+500), then Denver and the Lakers (both +1400) and Golden State (+1600).

Key dates

April 11 — All 30 NBA teams play April 12 — No games. April 13 — All 30 NBA teams play, end of regular season.

April 15 — The No. 7 and No. 8 ﬁnishers in both conferences play to start the play-in tournament. Winners are the No. 7 seed for the playoffs; losers will host play-in elimination games on April 18.

April 16 The No. 9 and No. 10 ﬁnishers in both conferences play Winners move on to April 18; los-

ers are ﬁnished for the season.

April 18 — The April 15 game losers play host to the April 16 game winners. Winners are the No. 8 seed for the playoffs; losers are ﬁnished for the season.

April 19 — NBA playoffs begin.

Numbers watch

n Oklahoma City’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has 69 consecutive 20-point games, something only Wilt Chamberlain (who twice had 80-game single-season streaks), Oscar Robertson (who had a 76-game single-season streak) and Michael Jordan (who had a 69-game single-season streak) have done in the same season. OKC plays Friday at Houston.

n The league record for 3-pointers made in a season is on pace to fall on Sunday There have been 30,853 made 3s so far this season; the record is 31,579, set last season.

n Boston (1,356) is seven 3-pointers away from matching the single-season team record, set two years ago by Golden State. The Celtics are on pace to break that mark Friday at home against Phoenix.

n For the first time, the NBA could have three players make 300 3-pointers in a season. Detroit’s Malik Beasley has 295, Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards has 292 and Golden State’s Stephen Curry has 282.

Stat of the day

San Antonio’s Chris Paul, a month or so shy of turning 40, is the NBA’s second-oldest player behind LeBron James. And Paul is on pace to start all 82 games this season — which would make him the second-oldest player in NBA history to do so, behind Utah’s John Stockton.

Zalatoris, Dunlap to team up at Zurich Classic

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Young PGA Tour stars Will Zalatoris and Nick Dunlap will team together in this year’s Zurich Classic, tournament ofﬁcials announced Thursday

Zalatoris, 28, and Dunlap, 21, will form one of the youngest teams in the tournament, which will be played April 24-27 at the TPC of Louisiana in Avondale.

U.S. set to host 2031

FIFA Women’s World Cup

The United States and the United Kingdom looked set on Thursday to be picked by FIFA next year as hosts of Women’s World Cups expanded to 48 teams from 32. Their respective intentions to bid for the 2031 and 2035 editions are alone in the contests after a ﬁrst deadline to enter the race passed. The first formal bid documents must be signed by the end of April. FIFA president Gianni Infantino told European soccer ofﬁcials the governing body received one expression of interest to host the 2031 event from the U.S. with the possibility of other countries in the CONCACAF region joining the project. That long-promised bid would likely include Mexico.

USC star Watkins named AP’s Player of the Year

TAMPA, Fla. — JuJu Watkins, the sensational sophomore who led Southern California to its best season in nearly 40 years, was honored Thursday as The Associated Press women’s college basketball Player of the Year Watkins, whose Trojans won the Big Ten regular-season title for its first conference crown in 31 years, received 29 votes from the 31-member national media panel that votes on the AP Top 25 each week. Notre Dame’s Hannah Hidalgo got the other two. Both were ﬁrst-team AP All-Americans. Watkins became just the fourth player to win the award in her sophomore year, joining Oklahoma’s Courtney Paris (2007) and UConn stars Maya Moore (2009) and Breanna Stewart (2014). The AP first started giving out the award in 1995 and Watkins is the ﬁrst Trojans player to win it.

Raiders sign QB Smith to 2-year contract extension

LAS VEGAS The Raiders and new quarterback Geno Smith have agreed to a new deal.

Smith, 34, will ink a two-year, $75 million extension that keeps him under contract through the 2027 season with Las Vegas. The value of the extension can increase to up to $85 million if certain incentives are met. The Raiders acquired Smith, who previously played for coach Pete Carroll in Seattle, from the Seahawks on March 7 for a thirdround pick.

Smith signed a three-year, $75 million contract with Seattle in March 2023 He had one year left on the deal and was due a $16 million signing bonus March 16. His 2025 salary of $14.8 million was not guaranteed on his previous contract.

Zalatoris teamed with Davis Riley to ﬁnish tied for fourth at the 2022 Zurich Classic, just two weeks after ﬁnishing in a tie for sixth at The Masters.

He was one of the top players on tour before injuring his back at the 2023 Masters. In seven tournaments this year, he has posted three top 25 ﬁnishes, the best a tie for 12th in The American Express. He is ranked 63rd in the latest World Golf Rankings.

Last year he tied for second in The Genesis Invitational and tied for fourth in the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He recorded three top 10 finished in 2020-2021, including a second-place finish in his debut at The Masters. In 2022, he finished second at both the

“Nick has already won two titles, one as an amateur, in his ﬁrst season on the PGA Tour,” said Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, which operates the tournament for the PGA Tour “Will had great success prior to injury and bounced back extremely well in 2024 after missing nearly a full season from major back surgery.”

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

Alvarado also grabbed two rebounds and had one of his trademark Grand Theft Alvarado steals on Clippers’ guard James Harden. It was a bounce-back performance for Alvarado, who wasn’t pleased with how he played three nights earlier in a home win against the Charlotte Hornets. In that game, Alvarado ﬁnished with 12 points. He shot just 4-for-16 from the ﬂoor, including 1-of-7 on 3-pointers

“To be honest, I played like s***,” Alvarado said after that win.

But despite that tough self criticism, Alvarado delivered in the clutch moments to lead the Pelicans to victory over the Hornets. He got fouled while making a reverse layup to give the Pelicans a lead with 31.4 seconds left. Then

after a Charlotte turnover, he drove to the basket and dished out an assist to Keion Brooks that ended up being the dagger

“It was down the stretch and they said go make a play and I did what I thought was best,” Alvarado said.

James Borrego, ﬁlling in as head coach that night with Green out for personal reasons, wasn’t surprised about Alvarado’s late-game heroics.

“He’s a winner,” Borrego said. “He loves being in those moments.” Unfortunately for Alvarado and the Pelicans, there haven’t been manywinningmomentsthisseason. ThePelicanswilltakea21-55record into Friday’s game against the Los Angeles Lakers (46-29) at Crypto. com Arena. The avalanche of injuries wrecked this Pelicans’ season.

“The positive is that it’s a season that Jose gets to grow,” Alvarado said, speaking in third person. “Young guys get to grow A

PGA Championship, when he lost a three-hole playoff, and the U.S. Open in Brookline, Mass.

The former Wake Forest AllAmerican recorded eight top 10 finishes in 25 events during his debut season in 2020 and won the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year

Dunlap, who is ranked 41st in the world, is one of the top rookie players on tour this season and will be making his debut at the Zurich Classic.

He won the American Express tournament in 2024 as a 20-yearold amateur While still an amateur playing on a sponsor’s exemption, he became the first amateur to win on the PGA Tour since Phil Mickelson in 1991 and the second youngest winner in the last 90 years on Tour

The Huntsville, Alabama, native recorded seven top 25 finishes last year including a tie for ﬁfth in the BMW Championship of the FedExCup playoffs. He won the Barracuda Championship on the DP World Tour in July becoming the first player in PGA Tour history to win as an amateur and professional in the same season. Like Zalatoris, Dunlap also won the Arnold Palmer Award as the PGA Tour’s rookie of the year Dunlap and Tiger Woods are the only golfers to win both the U.S. Junior Amateur and the U.S. Amateur titles in the same year. Dunlap is the ﬁrst amateur player to have won the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur, and a PGA Tour event.

day against LeBron James, Luka Doncic and the Lakers. After that, they return home Sunday to face Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks. Alvarado’s name, like it has been the past few home games, will be the last one called when the starting lineups are announced. He doesn’t take it for granted.

“Without these fans or without the people giving me the conﬁdence they give me, honestly I don’t know where I’d be at mentally with this game,” Alvarado said. “They help me. This is tough. I haven’t been playing well, but these guys are staying there with me and giving me conﬁdence and helping me believe in myself and in my game.”

chance to see what you’re capable of doing. …The younger guys and me are learning a lot. I’m learning as this process goes on and it’s going to get me better later in my future. I have to understand that.” The Pelicans face a stiff test Fri-

It’shisteamfortherestoftheway The Pelicans are counting on him.

“For him, it’s just continuing to build on what he’s done,” Green said. “Adding to his game on both ends of the ﬂoor and continuing to be a leader for our group.”

UCLA’s Close is named AP Coach of the Year

TAMPA, Fla. — Cori Close, who led UCLA to its first women’s Final Four during one of the best seasons in school history, was named The Associated Press Coach of the Year on Thursday The Bruins earned the No. 1 ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll for the ﬁrst time ever, holding the spot for 14 weeks as they piled up win after win on their way to grabbing the top overall seed in the NCAA Tournament.

“I’m thankful to be surrounded by the players and staff I have,” Close said. “It’s a really nice thing. It does give me an opportunity to say thank you to all the people who have poured into me all the years.”

LSU’s Tejedo comes up short of cut in ANWA LSU freshman Rocio Tejedo came up short Thursday in her attempt to make the cut in her second trip to the Augusta National Women’s Amateur shooting a second-round 2-over par 74 to finish at 2 over 146 for 36 holes at Champions Retreat in Evans, Georgia. Thirty-two players comprising the low 30 and ties made the cut at 1 under 143 or better and will play the final round Saturday at Augusta National Golf Club. Tejedo surged to 3 under early in her first round Wednesday but finished at even par 72 in a tie for 30th. The 18-year old from Spain, ranked 30th in the world, couldn’t get any momentum going Thursday, managing just one birdie with a

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KyLE PHILLIPS Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, right, drives to the basket as Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris defends Wednesday in Oklahoma City.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado reacts after hitting a 3-pointer against the Memphis Grizzlies on March 9 at the Smoothie King Center

LSU’s Carter talks NBA draft, possible return

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

NIL money The transfer portal.

These topics dominate the college basketball airwaves and are the main reasons why players of all levels want to continue playing for as long as possible.

True seniors like LSU’s leading scorer Cam Carter aren’t immune to wondering if one more season is a possibility “Man, 100%,” Carter said when asked if he’s wondered if he could play a fifth year. “Me and my brother, literally 30 minutes ago, was just talking about this because we saw somebody in my (high school) class say they were entering the portal.”

Efton Reid, coincidentally a former LSU freshman, is an example of a true senior who exhausted his four-year eligibility, spending his last two seasons at Wake Forest, and is now entering the transfer portal.

While Carter has toyed with the idea of staying another year, he fully intends on pursuing his NBA dreams after increasing his scoring average by two points and his 3-point percentage by nearly 10% from his junior season at Kansas State.

The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 16.4 points on 42.5% ﬁeld-goal shooting and 39.2% 3-point shooting, 4.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game for LSU (14-18).

NBA preparation and family time

After coach Matt McMahon and the Tigers declined their automatic bid to the National Invitation Tournament, Carter took a twoweek break from basketball.

He gave his body the much-deserved rest it needed after playing all 32 games and averaging the fourth most minutes in the Southeastern Conference (33.2)

Once his break concluded, he returned to the gym to sharpen his skills for NBA evaluators.

The earliest he’ll be able to prove himself is April 16 at the start of the 71st Portsmouth Invitational Tournament. He was one of 64 players invited to the seniors-only camp that exposes players to NBA scouts and other personnel.

When he’s not in the gym, Carter

Continued from page 1C

Johnson did not appear in either projection because she hadn’t declared.

Had she thrown her name into the pool of draft prospects and come off the board in the first round, she would’ve earned a ﬁve-ﬁgure annual rookie salary

Each year Johnson is believed to pocket seven ﬁgures worth of name, image and likeness earnings through brand deals that will follow her to the WNBA when she declares.

Now, because Johnson is passing on this year’s draft, she’s in line for a pair of even larger paydays. LSU will soon start sharing around $20 million of revenue with its athletes, pending final

has enjoyed being with family in his hometown of Donaldsonville.

During the season, he mainly stayed in his apartment and traveled with the team. The end of his senior year marked a period where he could be more present with people like his grandmother, whose love and knowledge are invaluable.

“Whenever I’m not at peace (or) whenever I am at peace, she just provides me with even more clarity because she has so much wisdom,” the 22-year-old said.

Possible LSU return

Carter plans to enter the NBA draft and jumpstart his professional career

However, he said returning to college, if possible, would be a good “backup plan,” depending on the feedback he receives from NBA teams.

“Having that option to come back to college and dominate for a year,

approval of the landmark House settlement, though it’s so far unclear exactly how the athletic department will distribute that cash among its top programs. Coach Brian Kelly told The Advocate in February, for instance, that he expects his team to receive $13.5 million for it to use during the 2025-2026 school year

The WNBA could also have a new collective bargaining agreement in place before the 2026 season. A potential deal would likely usher in larger pay scales for the next batch of rookies, the group that Johnson can join once she wraps up her senior season.

As a junior the LSU star averaged a career-high 18.6 points point game, to pair with a 5.6 rebound average and a 2.5 assist average. She shot 47% from the ﬁeld and 38% from 3-point range.

“Flau’jae Johnson was the ﬁrst McDonald’s All-American that I

to show the league that whatever they felt like I was missing, that I can do,” Carter said.

The issue in this scenario is that as things stand, he’ll have to get a waiver from the NCAA for another season.

The current rule states studentathletes can’t compete in any Division I college sport for more than four seasons in a ﬁve-year window. The bonus year due to the COVID pandemic is no longer in effect.

One exception to the NCAA’s rule includes medical hardship waivers.

Carter hasn’t officially looked into potentially playing another college season, but said he’ll discuss it with his agent. If there’s a chance he can come back, he would want to do it in purple and gold.

“If I can get a waiver and we can get that done, I would want to spend another year at LSU and go out the right way.”

signed at LSU,” Mulkey said on Sunday “I had not coached and won anything at LSU, and she came to LSU. So she jumpstarted our program, really And then the portal helped us. We brought in Angel (Reese) and lots of other players. But Flau’jae was a high school All-American, and we got her.”

Johnson can now return to the Tigers, alongside co-star Mikaylah Williams, and try to lead them back over the Elite Eight hump. LSU is also adding four recruits that comprise the nation’s No. 1 freshman class, and they can bring back incumbent contributors such as Jersey Wolfenbarger Kailyn Gilbert, Mjracle Sheppard and Jada Richard. So far, Mulkey and her staff have lost two players to the transfer portal: starting forward Sa’Myah Smith and veteran point guard Last-Tear Poa.

Texas, S. Carolina familiar foes in Final Four meeting

BY ALANIS THAMES AP sportswriter

TAMPA, Fla. — Among the many things Texas coach Vic Schaefer admires about South Carolina’s Dawn Staley, her consistency stands out the most.

UConn’s Geno Auriemma has set the standard in women’s basketball with 24 Final Four appearances and 11 national titles, both records.

For Schaefer, Staley — who’s in her seventh Final Four and seeking her fourth title, all in the span of 11 seasons — is next.

“I have a great deal of respect and admiration for both of them because they have done it at an incredible level,” Schaefer said.

“And they’re very consistent year in and year out. In any profession, y’all, no matter what you’re doing, that’s what you strive for If you’re worth your salt, you’re trying to be the best.”

Schaefer’s Longhorns will meet Staley’s Gamecocks Friday night in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament, with Texas trying to stop South Carolina from playing for a second straight title.

The teams, both No. 1 seeds, know each other well. The national semiﬁnal will be their fourth time playing this season. South Carolina won two of three, including last month in the Southeastern Conference Tournament ﬁnal.

Staley is in the Final Four for the ﬁfth straight season as South Carolina tries to become the ﬁrst repeat champ since UConn won four straight from 2013-2016.

She’s also had plenty of success against Schaefer When he coached at Mississippi State, his Bulldogs went 0-3 against South Carolina during the 2016-17 season, including losing to an A’ja Wilson-led Gamecocks team in the national championship game. None of that matters to Staley “We’re not going to rely on our success against them to say, ‘Hey, we beat them,’ ” she said. “I’m looking at the loss from this year and how we can prevent that.”

The team with the rebounding edge has won each of the previous three meetings. South Carolina outrebounded Texas 42-40 on Jan 12 and won in a blowout. Texas won on the boards in the rematch, with a 42-35 advantage, and beat South Carolina by four points. When the Gamecocks blew out the Longhorns in the SEC Tournament, South Carolina pulled down 37 rebounds to Texas’ 35. The more impressive stat from that game was how the Gamecocks dominated in the post, scoring 40 points in the paint and limiting the Longhorns — who take pride in overwhelming opponents near the basket to 18 points in the paint. Chloe Kitts, South Carolina’s 6-foot-2 forward, said her team is clearly at a size disadvantage against Texas, which has 6-6 center Kyla Oldacre and 6-4 forward Taylor Jones. Rebounding could come down to the Gamecocks’ guards.

Close uses lessons learned from UConn’s

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

TAMPA,Fla.— When Cori Close was starting out at UCLA 14 years ago, she called Geno Auriemma and asked if she could ﬂy across the country to watch his UConn team practice during the NCAA Tournament because her team wasn’t playing in March Madness.

It was Close’s ﬁrst head coaching job, the Bruins had ﬁnished the season with a losing record and she wanted to see what made Auriemma’s team so successful. Auriemma was happy to oblige and Close watched his team up close. She came back with her staff in the fall to try to learn more.

“He’s a master teacher He’s done it in a style of play that I really enjoy just personally especially on the offensive end,” said Close, who was named AP Coach of the Year on Thursday “Trying to think about as a young, firstyear coach at that point what was that going to look like for me. It wasn’t just Coach Auriemma. (Chris Dailey) and their assistant coaches, their whole program, just letting someone in in the middle of the NCAA Tournament and learn, I think it’s a huge credit to them.”

Over the past four decades, the Huskies have won a record 11 national championships and are nearly a perennial Final Four participant.

The Bruins have been climbing steadily over the past few seasons, earning the school’s first No. 1

Auriemma

ranking earlier this season and now are appearing in the Final Four for the ﬁrst time. Their opponent on Friday night will be UConn. “If I had known, I wouldn’t have let her in,” Auriemma said, laughing. But then he was reflective of the experience.

“Basketball is basketball, you know? And it’s our job to share it if we have anything that’s worth it, and if they think that we have something that’s worth it,” Auriemma said. “You can’t worry about anything else. Our relationship — and through USA Basketball, Cori and I got to know each other a little bit.

“We both share a passion for wines. And so her energy and all that she has, that she brings is just infectious, I think. And I’m glad when coaches have success. That’s what we’re here for.”

This isn’t the ﬁrst time the teams have met in the NCAA Tournament. UConn beat UCLA in the Sweet 16 in 2017 and 2019. A lot more is at stake now with the Bruins on the biggest stage for the ﬁrst time.

UConn is a veteran of the Final Four reaching the national semiﬁnals for the 16th time in the past 17 seasons.

“There’s four teams left out of hundreds in the NCAA, so we’re just so grateful,” Huskies star Paige Bueckers said. “But we know like the journey isn’t done.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Cam Carter takes a shot from the corner against Florida Gulf Coast in the first half of their game on Dec. 8 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

Back from injury, LSU’s Edwards now in top form

BY JIM KLEINPETER

Contributing writer

LSU third baseman Danieca Coffey’s season-ending injury last year has been well documented as a major blow to the Tigers’ season There was another injury that might have been just as signiﬁcant Freshman ﬁrst baseman Tori Edwards had six at bats and one hit when she tore a ligament in her foot and had to the rest of the 2024 season watching from the bench. This time around, she’s wasted no time establishing herself as an offensive force, not only for the No. 5 Tigers but in the Southeastern Conference overall. Edwards has roared to a big start in her career Among SEC players, her 13 homers tie her for second, her 53 runs batted are third and her .885 slugging percentage second as the Tigers play host to No. 24 Alabama this weekend in a three-game series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. (SECN+)

A highly-prized recruit from Edward S. Marcus High School in Flower Mound, Texas — the same school that produced Tigers starting quarterback Garrett Nussmeier — took the injury in stride and is now making up for lost time, just like Coffey Edwards trails only senior inﬁelder Coffey on the team in bat-

ANDERSON

Continued from page 1C

“I’m speechless about that performance,” junior Jared Jones said. “Obviously, my freshman year with Skenes here, I’ve seen a lot of great pitching performances

Not a lot of words to describe what just happened.” Anderson used his full arsenal to fool Sooners hitters throughout the night. The changeup was an effective weapon low and away to right-handed hitters. The fastball was consistently thrown for strikes. He wasn’t afraid to mix in his curveball with his slider Yeskie controlled what Anderson threw and when from the jump. But for reasons beyond baseball, it wasn’t an easy night for him. Yeskie’s father died on Thursday

“I think it was the ultimate display of toughness tonight to stay in the game like that,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “(To help Kade) execute in the midst of that going on I think it speaks to who coach Yeskie is. And who he is, to me, is a great friend and the best pitching coach in college baseball.” After LSU’s pitchers and catchers concluded their annual postgame meeting, the two embraced with a big hug and tears streaming down Anderson’s face.

“It’s funny how those kind of things happen in (those) situations,” an emotional Anderson said. “So it’s obviously tough Feel for him The type of guy he is, he will continue to get to work and kind of go at it.” To finish the game, Anderson forced a pop out to second base, fly out to right field and fielded a ground ball hit back to him for the ﬁnal out. He ended the night throwing 135 pitches, blowing past his previous career-high of 101. Johnson said that Anderson get-

ing average (.461 to .423) and hits (47-44) while showing a knack for hitting homers with runners on base. She has hit three grand slams and three three-run homers. Her most prodigious blast had an exit velocity of 84 miles per hour and hit the top of a palm tree, easily clearing both outﬁeld retaining walls. On Tuesday she hit a threerun homer that put LSU ahead of McNeese State in the sixth inning on the way to a 12-2 victory

Although she sat more than she played, Edwards took last season’s disappointment as a learning experience.

“I knew what I was able to do coming into this program,” Edwards said, “getting hurt last year, learning from so many people, what it takes, that the season is long and hard, seeing people persevere gave me a good basis. I’m happy with where I’m at and the work I’ve put in I wouldn’t say I’m surprised by how I’m doing but I’m not going to let up. I know there’s more in the tank.”

LSU coach Beth Torina said Edwards was impressive during recruiting not just as a power hitter but as an all-around athlete with uncommon knowledge and in-

JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL

LSU pitcher Kade Anderson delivers a pitch against Mississippi State in the first inning on March 27 at Alex Box Stadium.

ting an extra day of rest (eight days off instead of seven) before his next start on Friday against Auburn factored into his decision to keep him in the game.

“I think the tempo he was pitching with, it seemed like he was getting ahead in the count more as the game went along,” Johnson said.

“And I did not think they were seeing him very well. (It was a) combo of his tempo and they were clearly disrupted. So I felt like I would give them momentum by taking him out of the game.”

He did, however, acknowledge that if a runner had reached base in the seventh, eighth or ninth innings, and he was forced to pitch out of the stretch, he would’ve come out of the game.

“The fact that he was getting stronger, the fact that he’s well conditioned for it,” Johnson said.

“It was, honestly, some of the easier decisions in a tight game we’ve had this year.”

LSU’s offense was held at bay by Oklahoma right-handed starter Kyson Witherspoon for most of the night. But it only took two innings to hand the Sooners’ ace the loss.

The ﬁrst run came across in the

LSU pitcher Noot

ﬁnding groove again

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

The eighth inning on Sunday morning was an important moment for LSU baseball. With a six-run lead, coach Jay Johnson needed someone to prevent Mississippi State from clawing its way back into the ballgame. LSU was going for the sweep, so after freshman lefthander Cooper Williams hit the leadoff batter Johnson turned to sophomore right-hander Jaden Noot out of the bullpen. Why did Johnson put Noot in the game? Perhaps he was banking on the Califronia native’s recent success as a midweek starter Maybe he thought Noot’s improved command would be beneficial for an LSU bullpen that had walked ﬁve batters and hit three others on the night.

Whatever his reasons were, the move worked. Noot tossed two scoreless innings, striking out two batters and allowing just one hit as LSU won 17-8 to ﬁnish off the series sweep.

“He just kind of reminds me of that 1990s big league starter that you can count on throwing strikes with three or four pitches,” Johnson said. “And you look up and it’s ﬁve or six innings and there’s only one run on a board.”

vocate last April. “I don’t know what the problem could have been.”

Heading into the 2023 season, Noot and Shores were the prized freshman arms on a club that eventually won the national title without either of them. Noot got hurt ﬁrst, needing Tommy John surgery before the season even started.

The injury sidelined Noot for the next year and a half. He returned on April 6, 2024, and threw just one inning against Vanderbilt, walking two batters and surrendering a three-run home run. A second injury then sidelined him for the rest of the year

All of that missed time resulted in Noot getting lost in the shufﬂe. Incoming freshman arms and new faces from the portal seemingly overtook him on the depth chart.

But Noot kept on working. To help make up for lost time on the mound, he pitched for the Falmouth Commodores in the Cape Cod Baseball League last summer He wasn’t very successful — he had a 7.15 ERA in 111/3 innings — but his experience did help him in one respect.

stincts for the game.

“She’s a really intelligent player,” Torina said. “Heady; she has a lot of knowledge of the game, does great prep work, has great conversations. She’s more than just a great athlete. That’s part of what makes her so incredible She’s got all of the tools to be one of the best.”

Torina said Edwards is one of many players that have beneﬁted in pitch selection from new assistant coach Bryce Neal Her 17 walks indicate a high patience level for a freshman.

“She’s worked really hard on that (pitch selection). Bryce has had a huge inﬂuence on her with that,” she said. “It’s something they’ve put in a lot of time on.”

Edwards said she stayed positive through the injury and subsequent rehab work by leaning on Coffey

“It wasn’t my ﬁrst major injury in sports,” Edwards said. “I like to keep a positive aspect in mind, so I took it as a learning moment. I was able to regroup and see how the season was going to go from the inside. I used it to fuel me so that when I was able to play I’d be ready to go.

“I’m continuing to grow and get better The level of play gets more challenging each year I knew after the work I put in I’d be able to go out and attack.”

third inning when freshman Derek Curiel cracked a two-out double before Jones drove him in with a single. Facing a full count, Jones slapped a slider on the outer half to the opposite ﬁeld.

“I just wanted to get a pitch up and drive in a run,” Jones said. “Coach Johnson always says, ‘Get the one when there’s one to get.’ So that’s all I was trying to do.”

The Tigers (28-3, 8-2 SEC) went down in order in the fourth but then tallied another run in the ﬁfth inning thanks to a leadoff double from senior Luis Hernandez and a run-scoring double by junior Chris Stanﬁeld.

Witherspoon exited after allowing a leadoff double to Hernandez in the seventh. The Oklahoma (236, 5-5) star ﬁnished the night allowing six hits and had as many strikeouts as doubles allowed (four).

“He just did a good job mixing pitches,” Jones said. “Obviously, he’s one of the best pitchers in the country. Throws really hard, and then with that cutter slider (he did) a good job keeping us hitters off balance.”

MLB.com lists Witherspoon as the No. 26 overall prospect in this summer’s draft. He entered Thursday’s contest with a 2.31 ERA and 64 strikeouts in 39 innings (seven starts).

“What a win,” Johnson said. “What a win to beat that guy.”

The Tigers’ offense ended the night with just six hits. Hernandez led the charge with a pair of doubles, but the top six hitters in the order went a combined 3-for-23 with one extra-base hit.

“I thought (we had) really quality at bats when we needed them the most,” Johnson said.

LSU and Oklahoma square off for Game 2 of the series on Friday First pitch from L. Dale Mitchell Park is set for 6:30 p.m and the game will be available to stream on SEC Network+.

After an injury-plagued first two seasons, Noot has been one of the Tigers’ better arms this year, particularly since the start of Southeastern Conference play. He has a 3.07 ERA in 142/3 innings with 18 strikeouts and six walks. Saturday was his ﬁrst appearance in the SEC and only his second ever conference outing. But over his last 12 innings, he’s allowed just two earned runs and three walks.

“I don’t get caught up in roles,” Noot said. “I don’t think any of us really have one other than the starters on the weekend, obviously But anyone can do whatever everyone else is doing.”

In some respects, Noot’s recent rise shouldn’t come as a surprise There was a reason why Perfect Game pegged Noot as the No. 1 pitcher in California and the No. 33 player in the nation from the 2022 class. Even then, he had a fastball that reached the mid 90s.

His high school coach Jerry Royster called him a “straight power pitcher.”

“For him not to go in the ﬁrst round,” Royster told The Ad-

REGIONAL

Continued from page 1C

their ﬁfth straight score of 198 or better and seventh this season overall. It is the third-highest NCAA regional score in program history as LSU advanced to the NCAA’s round of 16 for the third straight year

To Clark, LSU’s consistency goes back to the way the Tigers (21-2) have prepared ever since their season-worst performance, a 196.875-196.600 loss Jan. 24 at Arkansas.

“The debacle at Arkansas got their attention,” Clark said bluntly. “We haven’t been perfect in training, but their mindset shifted. The back half of the season, the past ﬁve or six weeks, is where we like to be this time of year.”

Serving as living, breathing reminder to the Tigers of that disappointment in Fayetteville was No 16-seeded Arkansas, which also advanced to the regional final with a 197.550. Michigan was third at 197.050, followed by Maryland (196.825) in fourth.

In Thursday’s first semifinal, No. 8 Michigan State edged out Kentucky 197.625-197.525 as they both advanced.

The top two teams from Saturday’s regional ﬁnal, set for 4 p.m., will advance to the NCAA Championships, April 17-19 in Fort Worth, Texas. Saturday’s competition will be streamed on ESPN+. LSU never recorded anything less than a 9.85 and never anything higher than a 9.95, that coming from Aleah Finnegan in the anchor spot on vault in the Tigers’ ﬁnal rotation after the meet had already been decided. Nineteen of LSU’s 24 scores were 9.90 or better, and the lowest score LSU counted all night was a 9.875 on balance beam by Kylie Coen. All eight other teams competing at Penn State on Thursday had to count at least

“Mainly the reason I went out there (was) just to get some more experience against college guys, get on the mound again because it’s been so long,” Noot said. “But I wouldn’t say it helped me gain some conﬁdence or anything. It was more so just getting more comfortable with what I’m doing and how to do it.”

After dusting off some rust in the Cape, Noot returned to Baton Rouge and started out the season in the bullpen before earning his first career start on March 18 against UNO. It was a rocky ﬁrst inning, but by the end of it he allowed just one earned run in four frames.

Noot has continued to pitch well ever since. However, even after his best outing during the wee hours on Sunday morning, he doesn’t feel like he’s 100% back to being the pitcher he was before the injury

“I’m not there yet,” Noot said.

“I just keep working, keep getting better.”

How will he know when he’ll be back to his old self? Noot isn’t sure. But whenever that happens, it could spell trouble for the rest of the SEC. “Once it happens, you just know in your mind, ‘Alright, that’s what it is,’ “ Noot said. “Like, you just, your body gets it, I guess.”

one score of 9.775 or lower “Every time we compete we just talk about getting base hits,” LSU freshman Kailin Chio said. “We don’t need to hit home runs. We don’t need to do anything extraordinary “We know this team is great. Our normal every time will be enough.”

Chio continued her extraordinary debut season with another strong performance tying for ﬁrst in the session in the all-around with Finnegan with 39.625s. Senior Haleigh Bryant was fourth at 39.575.

Finnegan’s 9.95 on beam tied for the regional title in that event. Finnegan and Chio were also part of a five-way tie for first on floor in LSU’s session with 9.925s. The meet was marred at the end when Arkansas, finishing on floor, saw its anchor Frankie Price suffer what coach Jordyn Wieber called a lower leg injury Price, who landed her tumbling pass on her knees, had to be carried off the floor as her Razorbacks’ teammates looked on in tears. In the first semifinal, Michigan State showed it was a strong threat to advance to nationals behind the effort of Gabrielle Stephen. The Spartans’ senior had a perfect 10 on vault in the afternoon session and won the regional all-around title with a 39.750. Ohio State (196.400) was third in the first semifinal, while host Penn State (196.225) was fourth. Lincoln has surgery

LSU freshman Kaliya Lincoln did not accompany the Tigers to Penn State because she recently underwent surgery to correct a shoulder injury that has hampered her since before she arrived on campus. Lincoln, an alternate for the 2024 U.S. Olympic team, likely faces about three months of rehabilitation, Clark said. The Frisco, Texas, native last competed March 7 against Georgia.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU first baseman Tori Edwards jogs home for a run against Charlotte on Feb 7 at Tiger Park.

Dunham stays hot, blanks Episcopal

Ashworth tosses shutout as Tigers win fifth straight

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS

Contributing writer

Don’t look now but Dunham’s softball team is on the kind of roll that can carry a team far in postseason play

Sophomore pitcher Catherine Ashworth delivered a completegame masterpiece, and the Tigers did their damage early on offense for a 4-0 District 8-2A victory Thursday over Episcopal at Laura Kelley Field.

“I think the team’s bonded more and we’ve finally figured out what’s worked for us the best,” Ashworth said Dunham (12-3, 2-0 in 8-2A) extended its winning streak to a season-high five games and remained in position to win the league’s championship when Slaughter Charter (6-10, 2-0) visits next

Wednesday

“We challenged them earlier in the season with some really tough teams and we got better each time we played those teams,” said Dunham coach Jeff Hand, whose team is seventh in the Division III select power ratings. “That set us up for the back half of the season to be conﬁdent and as successful as we are.”

Ashworth ﬁnished with Dunhan’s third shutout of the season. She allowed three hits with walks while striking out three.

“She competes for us,” Hand said of Ashworth, who threw 52 of her 68 pitches for strikes. “Staying motivated and positive is something we work with her on, and it was one of her best performances of the season. She didn’t have any free passes, and our defense played really good behind her to help her out. Her attitude on the mound was awesome and we’re really proud of her.”

Ashworth aided her own cause during a two-run, two-out, RBI single to center The Tigers took advantage of two Knights errors for two unearned runs.

“I told the girls I was very proud of them,” Episcopal coach Heidi Hebert, whose team fell to 7-7 overall and 0-2 in district. “I thought (starting pitcher) Abigail (Castille) did a great job. They only scored in the ﬁrst two innings, and we held them from there.”

Dunham added two more runs in the second once again after two were out. Shortstop Mollee Day singled home Faith Gardner while another error on the play enabled Presley Hand to score.

Castille, who threw 52 of 68 pitches for strikes, kept Dunham scoreless over the ﬁnal four innings with no walks and one strikeout.

Dunham’s defense was ﬂawless

and turned in several solid plays to help keep Ashworth’s shutout intact.

Presley Hand literally had a hand in three key plays at third base, grabbing line drives to end the fourth and for the second out of the sixth. The Tigers turned a double play in the seventh after Castille’s lead-off single when Camille Istre made a catch in medium right ﬁeld, turned and threw to ﬁrst baseman Ellie Dowling for the second out.

“It’s always easier whenever the atmosphere is really good,” said Ashworth, who ended the game with a strikeout. “I thought everybody was in a really good mood

Everyone was having fun and today just felt good.”

Wright shows off speed in Dutchtown

LSU

BY CHARLES SALZER

Contributing writer

Top performances are nothing new for Destrehan High’s Phillip Wright, and he proved that again Thursday night at the Dutchtown Invitational track meet.

An LSU football signee, Wright showed off his speed on the track winning both the 100- and 200-me-

ter dashes. “Right now it’s going pretty good. I’m building for the state meet so I can do better,” Wright said. The numbers showed him doing well at Dutchtown. He won the 100 with a time of 10.34 seconds, a personal record that is also the fastest state time so far this season. The time also rates among this year’s outdoor top 25 nationally, but Wright outdid that near the end of the meet in the 200. In a race he won by more than one second over second-place ﬁnisher Caleb Hilton of Zachary, Wright’s time

of 20.65 is the fourth-best time nationally

The overall quality of the meet and its competitors provided an ideal chance for teams to sharpen their skills.

“Once we get into April we use meets like this to try and put the pieces of the puzzle together,” said Zachary coach Chris Carrier, whose girls’ 4x100 team won its event with a state best time of 47.58. We’ve been playing around with the rotation of our 4x100 team, and the group we had tonight looked pretty good. We might stick with them.”

The Zachary girls ﬁnished ﬁrst in the team competition with 100

points Host Dutchtown outpaced the boys competition with a total of 104 points. The Dutchtown girls got a pacesetting win from Keira Melan, who ran 2:15.20 in the 800. Melan has battled an injury but came back with a personal record on Thursday

“When I ran at the Texas Relays (on Saturday) everything clicked,” Melan said. “It was like I knew how to run again. I felt good at practice on Monday and coming into this race, I knew everything would be back.”

Another notable effort came from East Ascension’s Kiristen McGirt with a personal best throw of 148 feet, 11 inches in the discus. It was a Louisiana-best toss that rates 19th nationally There were other performances that rated among the state’s best. Destrehan’s Marley Richard won the 100 with a time of 11.51. It was a time that rates 17th nationally East Ascension’s Kiristen McGirt won the discus with a personal best throw of 148 feet , 11 inches. It was a Louisiana-best toss that rates 19th nationally In the girls 100 hurdles, Dutchtown’s Vivian Cayton came out on top at 14.65. On the boys side, Central Lafourche’s 4x800 relay time of 8:02.93 was the state’s fastest so far

Atlanta Braves begin season 0-7, its worst in nine years

BY CHARLES ODUM

ATLANTA The Atlanta Braves’ longest winless start since 2016 has left manager Brian Snitker desperate for a recovery he hopes begins with the team’s home opener against Miami on Friday night Atlanta blew a 5-0 lead and lost 6-5 on Shohei Ohtani’s ninth-inning homer on Wednesday night. The loss left the Braves 0-7 for their worst start since their 0-9 opening in 2016, when they ﬁnished last in the NL East.

performance-enhancing drug use.

Right-hander Reynaldo López was placed on the 15-day injured list because of an inﬂamed right shoulder

tive arena,” Snitker told reporters.

“And what we’re going through is tough. Very tough.”

The Braves are the only team in the majors still looking for their ﬁrst win, and the pain of the woeful start has been made worse by losing two players Left ﬁelder Jurickson Profar, the team’s leadoff hitter and top offseason addition, was suspended for 80 games for

Snitker, who has enjoyed a run of seven consecutive postseasons, including the 2021 World Series championship, and six straight NL East titles, didn’t try to hide the pain of the latest loss.

“I wouldn’t wish this on anybody honestly you know in a competi-

The Braves were swept by San Diego in four games to open the season before three straight losses in Los Angeles.

“There’s nothing you can do but just continue to ﬁght your way out of it and show up,” Snitker said, adding that the performance “was more of a real game than we’ve played, I think, in six days.

A lack of hitting was the glaring weakness for most of the devastating road trip. After scoring only nine runs in their first six games combined, the Braves appeared to break out of their funk by taking an early 5-0 lead on Wednesday night. They failed to score after loading the bases with no outs in the sixth. Closer Raisel Iglesias gave up Ohtani’s tiebreaking homer in the ninth.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Destrehan’s Phillip Wright, right, pulls away from Zachary’s Caleb Hilton, center, and Woodlawn’s Keylen Sonnier in the 100-meter dash at the Dutchtown Invitational on Thursday in Dutchtown

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Dutchtown’s Vivian Cayton, right, catches East Ascension’s Katie Truett midway through the 100-meter hurdles at the Dutchtown Invitational. Cayton

TURNING 55

Help BREC’sBaton RougeZoo celebrate this milestone birthdayatZippityZoo Fest from 9:30 a.m. to 5p.m. (groundsclose at 6p.m.) Saturdayand Sunday. Children’s Village, education stations,a food court, animal encounters and entertainment. Regular admission applies.brzoo.org

THINGS TO DO THIS WEEKEND

FOUR-LEGGED FUN

The Great RoverRoad Run, which raises moneyfor the LSU VeterinaryTeaching Hospital’sGood Samaritan Fund, takes off at 8a.m.Sundayfrom the RiverRoad levee, across from LSU VetMed on Skip Bertman Drive. Register forthe 5K or 1-mile FunRun (about 9:30 a.m.) for$25, or just bring your dog out forastroll. runsignup.com.

ART ACCELERATED

BREC Art’sthird annual ArtFest at Baringer ArtCenter runs from 10 a.m. to 1p.m

Saturday.The free event will include a morning of cool artdemos, acommunity art piece, projects foryoung artists, fun music, treats, displayofart created by students in BREC classesand adult artvendors and young artist vendors. brec.org

HITTHE RIGHTNOTE

Sultry bluessoundsset to wash over downtown Baton Rougeat this weekend’sfest

BY JOHN WIRT Contributing writer

Local talent will rule the stage at the Baton Rouge Blues Festival.

BATONROUGE BLUES FESTIVAL

5p.m. Friday,12:30 p.m Saturdayand 11:30 a.m Sunday l NorthBoulevard, downtown l brblues.org

“Wecould fill three weekendswith local talent,” BluesFestival executive director Lauren LambertTompkins said. “We’re proud of how much local talent we’re showcasing this year,and we’re also booking some incredible touringacts.”

Blues Fest 2025 runs Friday, Saturday and Sunday on ﬁve stages along North Boulevard in downtown Baton Rouge. Opening night features three nationally known young local performers —singer-pianist Hanna PK,singer-guitarist Jonathon“Boo-

gie” Long and former “American Idol” ﬁnalist Jovin Webb. National acts at this year’sfestivalinclude CedricBurnside,the grandson of the late north Mississippi hill country bluesstar R.L. Burnside, and Adia Victoria, a Nashville-based singer-songwriter originally from Spartanburg, South Carolina. Anew attraction,Baton Rouge blues artist Kenny Neal’santique car show,parksSaturday only at theOld StateCapitol. “There’sa crossoverofinterest in theblues and antique cars,

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

ROCK THECOUNTRY

Fridayand Saturday l Livingston Parish Fairgrounds, 19869 Fairgrounds Road, Livingston l Tickets are $119.99 and up l rockthecountry.com

The town of Livingston hasnever rocked like this before. In alineupled by Kid Rock and Nickelback, thetwo-day Rock The Country —A Festival ForWeThe People descends on the Livingston Parish Fairgrounds on Friday and Saturday It’s areturn trip to Louisiana for the music festival, which made a2024 stop in Gonzales,also featuring Kid Rock. TheAscension Parish event drew morethan 23,000 fans, with outof-parish visitors exceeding 20,000. This year,the festival is traveling to 10 towns, with Livingston kicking it off.

“It’sthis simple,Rock TheCountry isn’tjust amusic festival,it’sa movement,” said Kid Rock.“It’sa place for hard-working, Godfearingpatriotstogather as one and celebrate freedom, music andthe party of theyear.” KidRock, 54,bornRobertJames Ritchie, began his career in the Detroithip-hopscene. He transitioned to rap rock, followed by country rock. His breakthrough album, 1998’s “Devil Without aCause,” sold 14 millioncopies. Among his biggest songs are “Cowboy” (1999), “Picture”(2002) and “All Summer Long” (2008).

‘Diners, Drive-Ins& Dives’ to featurearearestaurants

Guy Fieri’sred convertible, complete with a‘FLVRTWN’ license plate, has aprime parking spot outside Dempsey’sin February.

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

ThreeBaton Rougerestaurants will be spotlighted on episodes of Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins &Dives” soon. Host Guy Fieri and his crew shot the episodeswhile he wasinLouisiana in February forSuper Bowl-relatedevents and other appearances. In the show,Fieri travels around the

country visiting classic hometown favorite eateries, going into thekitchens towatch theirspecialtiesbeing created, and chatting with patrons about what’sontheir plates. First up is Phil’sOyster Bar &Seafood Restaurant, 4335 Perkins Road,at8 p.m. Friday Theepisode is titled “Flavortown Finds.” “This trip,Guy Fieri’sgettin’ into major flavor with thesenew finds! In Gaines-

ville, Florida, abig-time bagel joint is doing things their way,servin’ up both Nova andcarrot-style lox on salted rosemary,plus amushroom muffuletta umamibomb,” theepisode synopsis states. “There’sserious seafood in Baton Rouge,crossing Creole crawﬁsh with cheesecake andchargrillin’ out-of-bounds oysters. Anda Naples,Florida, spotiscrankin’ outkiller culinary,like prime-time pas-

tramiwith pickled relish and knockoutgnocchiwithpork ragu.” NextisDempsey’s, 13580 Coursey Blvd, at 8p.m. Friday, April 11, in an episode called“Sandwich Shenanigans.” “This trip, Guy Fieri’s diggin’ into killer combos between the bread! There’sbig-timeTexas BBQ with fine dining flair in

BLUES

Lambert-Tompkins said. “Kenny’scalling all of his friends and organizing the show.”

The local acts LambertTompkins is especially enthusiastic about includethe Juke Joint Juniors,a band thatgrew out of the West Baton Rouge Museum’s Blues After School program. The Juniors perform at 12:45 p.m. Saturday

“These are high school students who go to the museum on Friday afternoons to learn how to play the blues,” she said. “They’re really talented.”

On another note, LambertTompkins hopes that festgoers will supportthe Blues Festival by buyingdrinks, food and T-shirts from the event’svendors.

“We’re struggling to keep the festival free,”she explained. “A big portionof our income comesfrom drink sales, so peoplebringingtheirown drinks affects us. Imaginehow much you’d spend otherwise for aticket to afestival of this size with this much talent.”

While admission to the festival is free, VIP passes are available for purchase. Some of the 30 acts at the Blues Festival are previewed below KennyNeal n 6:30 p.m. Saturday, Visit Baton Rouge Swamp Blues Stage

The senior member of Baton Rouge’sNeal family of musicians,Kenny Neal is asecond-generation Baton Rouge bluesman who’s made international impact. His dozens of honors include aGrammy nomination for his 2016 album, “Bloodline.” Neal followed that project with 2022’s“Straight from the Heart.” In February,he released the single “Devil’s in the Delta.” Aduet with his son, Micah Willis, the song fuses Neal’sswamp-blues sound with Willis’ soul music style.

“Now Iknow how my dad, the late, great Raful Neal, felt when Ishared the stage with him,” Nealsaid. “As a young kid and ayoung man, it was athrill to perform alongside my father.Heinspired my love of music. I followed in his footsteps and launched my own career Now,I’m passing the torch to my own son.” Neal’sdaughter,Syreeta; brother,Lil’ Ray; and more

Continued from page1D

Dallas,pairing the-bomb brisketwithsmokedmushroom duxelles and piling prime-time pork with apple slaw.Then,inGainesville, Florida, areal-deal deliis plating aspot-on Cubano and aturkey-short rib mashup, au-jus style,” according to the synopsis. “And aBaton Rouge joint is puttin’ their stamp on po-boys, dishing out boudin balls with remoulade, plus rockin’ roast beef and shrimp with aCreole kick.”

Also, Iverstine Farms

Neal family members are also performing thisyear ChrisThomasKing n 5:30 p.m. Sunday, VisitBaton RougeSwamp Blues Stage

Like KennyNeal, Chris ThomasKing is asecondgeneration Baton Rouge bluesstar. During hismore than40-year career,he’s released two dozen albums andco-starredwith George Clooney in the Coen brothers’ 1930s-setSouthernfable, “O Brother,Where Art Thou?”King won aGrammy Award for his contribution to the ﬁlm’smultiplatinum soundtrack album. In 2021, Kingadded author to hiscredits with the publicationof“TheBlues: The Authentic Narrative of My Music and Culture.” Part memoir, part reenvisioned blueshistory,the book was the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’sOne BookOne Community selection for 2023.

Lost BayouRamblers

n 1p.m. Sunday, Watermark Slim HarpoStage

Though the two-time Grammy-winning Lost Bayou Ramblers has boldly and loudly carried Cajun music into the21stcentury,this Acadianaband never lost touch with its traditional roots. Following aGrammy winin2018 forthe sonically and musicallydaring “Kalenda” album,Lost Bayou Ramblers won asecond golden statuette in 2024 for its collaboration with the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra,“Live: Orpheum Theatre NOLA.”

Launched in 1999 by brothers Andre and LouisMichot, Lost BayouRamblers’ credits also include the soundtrack for“Beasts of the Southern Wild”; touring with Arcade Fire; and collaborationswith the Violent Femmes’Gordon Ganoand thePogues’ Spider Stacy

In addition to Lost Bayou Ramblers’ group performance on the bigWatermark SlimHarpoStage, frontman Louis Michot will playsoloatthe Arts Council of Great Baton Rouge Front Porch Stage.

D.K. Harrell

n 5p.m. Saturday, Visit Baton Rouge Swamp Blues Stage

In March, D.K. Harrell, a26-year-old blues singerguitarist fromnorth Louisiana, signed with the world’s greatest blueslabel, AlligatorRecords in Chicago. His forthcoming album,to be released in June,willjoin the

Butcher,7731 PerkinsRoad, will be featured at 8p.m Friday,April 18,inanepisode titled “Sandwiches, Seafood andSweets.”

“Guy Fieri’sgettin’ into next-level seafood, sammies and more! First,afarm-totable joint in Baton Rouge is knocking outa killer Cuban and going hog wild with headcheese,”the synopsisstates “In Gainesville, Florida, thebomb bakery is rockin’ both savory andsweet with their artisan artichoke croissant and an off-the-chain chocolate cake. Plus, asoul food spot inTallahassee, Florida, is giving pineapples the spotlightwiththeirsignature

350 recordings Alligator has released since 1971.

Especiallyinfluenced by B.B. King though he is, Harrell blends blues-rock, Americanaand funk-blues into asound of his own.

“The past gives ablueprint that Ican add myself to,” he said. “I progress by keeping all the genres in themold.”

Alligator Records founder andpresident, BruceIglauer,cited Harrell as being “at theforefront of the exciting newgeneration of blues musicians.With his elegant guitar playing andstraightfrom-the-soul vocalsand mesmerizing talent as alive entertainer, he has, in just twoyears, moved from being an opening act to headliner at festivalsall over Europe.”

Jontavious Willis

n 3:30 p.m. Sunday,Watermark Slim Harpo Stage

Acoustic bluesmaster Taj Mahal says Jontavious Willis is “a great new voice of the21stcenturyinacoustic blues.” Mahal lauds the Georgia native’ssinging and distinctive guitar playing.

“There’snot abluesman alive whocan pick his instrument up andplayitlike that,” Mahal said.

Willis’ album debut, 2016’s “BlueMetamorphosis,” received great reviews. His second studio project, “Spectacular Class,” earned aGrammy nomination.

“The bluesisthe most important musical genre and theroots of many others,” Willis said. “Deeper than that,it’saculturalthing for me andmyheritage. When I play the blues, I’m connecting with those who came before me, aspiritual-type thing.”

Unselfish Lovers of theBlues n 1:30 p.m. Sunday,Chris Whittington Family LA-1 Stage

Unselfish Lovers of the Blues graduated frombassist and musiceducatorDavid Hinson’sband school for grown-ups, the Adult Music Club. Performing blues and rhythm-and-blues from the 1950s and ’60s, the Unselfish Lovers have made multiple appearances at Phil Brady’s Bar&Grill and Beauvoir Park. The seven-member group’slovingly crafted arrangements,harmony vocals and, as the band’sofficial bio says, “dancing tunes and romancing tunes,” has madethe Unselfish Loversa local favorite.

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@ msn.com.

seafood bowl and outrageous oxtail nachos.”

While in Baton Rouge, Fieri commented, “You’ve got the greatest food scene. You’ve got thenicest people —abig small town.”

Fieri, 57, is also known for his other Food Network series, including “Guy’s Grocery Games,” “Guy’s BigBite” and “Tournament of Champions.” The latter is currentlyairingits sixth season, withNew Orleans chef NiniNguyenamong the competitors.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

By The Associated Press

Today is Friday, April 4, the 94thday of 2025. There are 271 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On April 4, 1968, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., 39, was shotand killed while standing on abalcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, Tennessee. King’sdeathtriggered awave of unrest in cities acrossthe United States thatkilled 43 people and injuredmorethan 3,000.

Also on this date:

In 1975, Bill Gates and PaulAllen founded Microsoft in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In 2012, afederal judge sentenced ﬁve former New Orleanspolice ofﬁcers to prison for thedeadly Danziger Bridgeshootings in the chaotic days following Hurricane Katrina.

COUNTRY

Continuedfrom page1D

“We’re really looking forwardtohitting the road andvisiting some amazingtowns, especially in places we’ve neverplayed before,” said Nickelback bassist Michael Kroeger “There’ssomething special about connecting with fans in thesecommunities, and we’re readytobring our best andtruly rockthe country. Can’twait to seeyou all out there!”

Canadianrockers Nickelback’s 2002 single “How YouRemind Me” marked the band’smainstream breakthrough. Between its ﬁrst album,“Curb,”in2006 and its most recent project, 2022’s“Get Rollin,’” the band has sold morethan 50 millionalbums worldwide. Nickelback’smost popular singlesinclude “Photograph,” “Rockstar” and “Far Away.” In addition to the headliners, Rock the Country’s

(The verdicts in the case were later set aside by the judge, whocited prosecutorial misconduct; the ofﬁcers pleaded guilty in 2016 to reduced charges.)

In 2015, in North Charleston, South Carolina, Walter Scott, a50-year-old Black motorist, wasshot to death while running away from a traffic stop; Officer Michael Thomas Slager,seen in a cellphone video opening fire at Scott, wascharged with murder. (The charge, whichlingered after afirst state trial ended in amistrial, was droppedaspart of adeal under whichSlager pleaded guilty to afederal civil rights violation; he was sentenced to 20 years in prison.)

In 2023, Prosecutors in New York unsealed a historic 34-count felony indictment of Donald Trump, alleging that he conspired to

lineup will feature Southern rock kings Lynyrd Skynyrd, Jo Dee Messina, Gavin Adcock,TreatyOak Revival, Shenandoah, Mark Chesnutt, Deana Carter,Little Texas, Brianna Calhoun, Logan Crosby,Them Dirty Roses, Rehab, Afroman and DJ Slim McGraw

Ticket prices range from $119.99 fora single-day Friday ticket to $449.99 fora weekendVIP pass. Tent and RV camping options are also available. Go to rockthecountry.com for tickets and moreinformation. Rock The Country will also visit:

n Knoxville, Tennessee: April 25-26

n Poplar Bluff, Missouri: May 2-3

n Ocala, Florida: May 9-10

n York,Pennsylvania: May 30-31

n Hastings, Michigan: June 13-14

n Little Rock,Arkansas: June 20-21

n Ashland, Kentucky: July 11-12

n Sioux Falls, South Dakota: July 18-19

CHOIR: 9a.m., Spring Fling!, LSU Hilltop Arboretum, 11855 HighlandRoad. BACK TO CALENDAR

EGYPTIAN ARTAND

ARCHAEOLOGY: ADAY OF HANDS-ON HISTORY: 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Louisiana Art &Science Museum,100 S. River Road. Visitors of all ages can engage with the captivating history,art, and cultureofancient Egypt through fun and educational activities. General admission applies. lasm.org

FAMILYHOUR STAR-

GAZING: 10 a.m., Irene W. Pennington Planetarium at the Louisiana Art& Science Museum, 100 S. River Road. Learn about the stars and constellationsinthe local nighttime sky followedbyanallages show. lasm.org.

TALES FROM THE OAKS CHILDREN’S BOOK FESTIVAL: 11 a.m.-3 p.m., Twin

FILEPHOTO

An expandedselection of nativeplants will among the offeringsatthe LSU Hilltop Aboretum’sSpring Fling! Plant Sale this weekend.

OaksElementary School, 819 Trammell Drive. Author meet-and-greets, livereadings,craft activities,healthand wellness booths, music, entertainment and concessions

MONTHLY CONTRA

DANCE: 4p.m.6:30 p.m., St. Alban’s Chapel, corner of Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive Newcomer instruction at 3:45p.m. Singles and couples welcome. $7 per person; free forﬁrsttimers.Louisianacontrasandsquares.com or (225) 803-9194.

SYD BUTTS “BLUE HOUR” INSTALLATION

CLOSINGRECEPTION: 6p.m.-8 p.m., Glassell Gallery,Shaw Center forthe Arts, 100 Lafayette St. Free. eventbrite.com.

SATURDAYSUNDAY

SPRING FLING! PLANT

SALE: 9a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdayand noon4p.m. Sunday, LSU Hilltop Arboretum 11855 Highland Road

Expanded selection of native plants, more than 300 species of nativeand traditional trees,shrubs, perennials,vines ferns, camellias and grasses. Plant experts will be on hand to assist with plant selections. https:// lsu.edu/hilltop/ events/spring_ﬂing/ spring_ﬂing.php.

SUNDAY FREE FIRST SUNDAY:

Louisiana Art &Science Museum, 100 S. River Road; Old State Capitol,100 North Blvd.; Magnolia Mound Plantation 2161 Nicholson Drive; LSU Museum of Art, 100 Lafayette St.; and LSU Center for River Studies, 100Terrace Ave. Free admission to allexhibitsand installations, plus reduced price entry to LASM’sIrene Pennington Planetarium shows STORIES AND STORIES:A COLLABORATIVE BOOK SIGNING AND ARTEXHIBITION:

2p.m.-4 p.m., Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge,233 St Ferdinand St. The EastBaton Rouge Parish Prison Reform Coalition partnering withthe ArtsCouncil to showcase acollaborativeinteraction between journalist and author TomAswell on thepublication of his 10th book and sculptor Becky

artsbr.org.

ELIZABETHAN GALLERY: 680 Jefferson Highway. Group show. Call (225) 9246437 or followthe gallery’s Facebook page.

GLASSELL GALLERY: ShawCenter for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St.“Blue Hour” by SydButts, through Saturday.

IN DEMAND ART STUDIOS: 5800 One Perkins Place, Suite 5D.“This is Our Garden,”featuring the work of eightBaton Rouge-area women artists.

LOUISIANA ART&SCI-

Gottsegen, who created the “Exonerated” exhibition. Free.

TUESDAY

FLEXAND FLOW

YOGA: 6:30 p.m.,Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, 315 NorthBlvd. Rotating instructors and a variety of techniques. Free.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 6:30 p.m., Burgersmith, 18303 Perkins Road. Collect your team andjockey for ﬁrstplace.loom.ly/yCKtQ4.

WEDNESDAY

TRIVIA NIGHT: 6:30 p.m Burgersmith, 27350 Crossing Circle,Suite 150, Denham Springs. Collect your team and jockey for ﬁrst place. loom. ly/y-CKtQ4.

THURSDAY RED STICK FARMERS

MARKET: 8a.m.to noon, Pennington BiomedicalResearch Center,6400 Perkins Road. Farm-fresh produce, goods and more. facebook.com/ redstickfarmersmarket.

LANGUAGEINMOTON FILM FESTIVAL: 5:30 p.m., Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St. Acelebration of global storytelling,showcasing the powerofforeign-language cinema. $15. manshiptheatre.org.

BATONROUGE ZYDECO VS.MONROE

MOCASSINS: 7p.m., Raising Cane’s River Center Arena, 275 S. River Road. $10-$25+. ticketmaster.com.

TRIVIA NIGHT: 7p.m Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, 315 NorthBlvd. Test your trivia skills with your friends and family.Free.

ONGOING

ARTGUILD OF LOUISIANA: Independence Park Theatre, 7800 Independence Blvd. Email cherie. gravois@gmail.com or call (225) 413-6941. artguildlouisiana.org.

CAPITOL PARK MUSEUM: 660 N. Fourth St “Billy Cannon: They CalledHim Legend,” throughJan. 10. (225) 342-5428 or louisianastatemuseum.org

CARY SAURAGE COMMUNITY ARTS CENTER SHELL GALLERY: 233 St. Ferdinand St. “Exonerated: Portraits of the wrongfully Convicted,”through May14. Hours are from 9a.m. to 4p.m weekdays and 10 a.m. to 2p.m. Saturday.

FRIDAY

JONATHON “BOOGIE” LONG/ JOVIN WEBB /HANNA PK: Live After Five,Rhorer Plaza, 5p.m.

LONGNECK SOCIETY TRIO: City Café, 5:30 p.m.

ORIGINAL MUSIC GATHERING: La Divina Italian Café, 6p.m

DON POURCIAU &KONSPIRACY: El Paso, Denham Springs, 6p.m

KIRK HOLDER: GalvezSeafood, Prairieville, 6p.m

TAYLOR NAUTADUO: Crowne Plaza, 6p.m

JOEY HOLAWAY: 18 Steak at L’Auberge, 7p.m

CHASE TYLER BAND: St Jude Church Fair,7 p.m.

ENCE MUSEUM: 100 S. River Road. “Discoveries on the Nile: Exploring King Tut’s Tomb and the Amin Egyptian Collection, through Oct. 31. (225) 344-5272 or lasm.org.

LSU MUSEUM OF ART: ShawCenter for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St.“Golden Legacy: Original Art from 80 Years of Golden Books,”through May 25. (225) 389-7200 or lsumoa.org.

LSU TEXTILE & COSTUME MUSEUM: Human Ecology Building,TowerDrive,LSU campus. “Color Me Fashion,” morethan 45 lookswith related accessories spanning approximately 100 years of fashion history from c. 1890 to 1990. Exhibit runs through Aug. 15. (225) 578-5992 or email textile@lsu.edu.

MAGNOLIAMOUND

MUSEUM +HISTORIC

SITE: 2161 Nicholson Drive. Guided and self-guided tours. Hours arefrom 10 a.m. to 4p.m Monday-Saturday and from 1p.m.to 4p.m.Sunday. brec. org/facility/MagnoliaMound.

OLD GOVERNOR’S MANSION: 502 North Blvd. Open for tours. Hours are9a.m.to 4p.m.Monday-Friday. Free admission. oldgovernorsmansion com.

OLD STATECAPITOL: 100 North Blvd. “America’s Sacred Freedoms in the First Amendment, yearlong exhibit. Free admission. louisianaoldstatecapitol.org.

USS KIDD VETERANS

MUSEUM: 305 S. River Road. Displaysof avariety of artifacts that celebrate veteran and naval militaryhistory.Note: Vessel is in Houma for drydock repairs. usskidd.com.

WEST BATONROUGE

MUSEUM: 845 N. Jefferson Ave.,Port Allen. “Blues Festival Posters Through the Years,” through Sunday. (225) 336-2422 or westbatonrougemuseum.org.

Compiled by Judy Bergeron. Have an open-to-the-public event you’d like to promote? Email details to red@ theadvocate.com. Deadline is 5p.m Friday for the following Friday’s paper

Queen Baton Rouge,9p.m.

TAYLOR NAUTA: Fred’s on the River,Prairieville,9p.m.

THE AWEN TRIO: Hayride

Scandal,10p.m. THE RHYTHM APOSTLES: Brickyard South,10p.m

SUNDAY CAMPYLE: Galvez Seafood, Prairieville,10:30 a.m.

CASEYSABA: St Jude Church Fair, 10:30 a.m.

JUSTIN BURDETTE TRIO: Superior Grill MidCity, 11 a.m.

ROBERTCALMES: Cocha, 11 a.m.

BRENT ARMSTRONG: Leola’s Café,11a.m.

HENRY TURNER JR. &ALLSTARS: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8p.m

CHRIS OCMAND: Riverbend Terrace II at L’Auberge, 8p.m.

CHRIS LEBLANC BAND: Phil Brady’s, 8p.m

THE LEE SERIO BAND: Charlie’s Lounge, Addis, 8p.m N’TUNE: The Showroom, 9p.m

DOWNBEATLOUISIANA: The EdgeBar at L’Auberge, 9p.m.

JOHN RUIZ JR.: The Vineyard, 9p.m

THE DRUNK UNCLES: Fred’s on theRiver, Prairieville, 9p.m

SATURDAY

MICHAEL GIBNEY: Leola’s Café, 11 a.m.

BATONROUGE BLUES FESTIVAL: North Boulevard,noon

RYAN FORET &FORET TRADITION: St Jude Church Fair 1p.m

OPEN JAMSESSION: The Smokey Pit, 4p.m

CORDON BLUEZ BAND: El Paso, Sherwood, 6p.m

DON POURCIAU &KONSPIRACY: Pedro’sSiegen, 6p.m

MATT TORTORICH: 18 Steak at L’Auberge, 7p.m

CATEGORY6: St Jude Church Fair,7 p.m.

ACOUSTIC NIGHT W/HENRY TURNER JR.: Henry Turner Jr.’s Listening Room, 8p.m

RHETT ANTHONY: Riverbend Terrace II at L’Auberge, 8p.m.

BRYCEBROUSSARD: Spanky’s, Prairieville, 8p.m.

LA SOUTHBOUND: Backstreet Lounge, 8p.m

DAMON KING &BOJAMISON: The Vineyard, 9p.m

JOVIN WEBB: Jack’s Place, Port Allen, 9p.m

SWEET SOUTHERN HEAT: The

BATONROUGE BLUESFESTIVAL: NorthBoulevard,noon

JAZZ BRUNCH: RedStick Social, noon AFTER 8: St Jude Church Fair, 1p.m.

NATALIE &SOUTHERN ACCENT: Fred’s on theRiver, Prairieville,3 p.m

LYNN DRURY: ChowYum, 4p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: FatCat Saloon, Prairieville, 7p.m.

MONDAY

VICTOR, SKIP &CARRIE: Phil Brady’s, 6p.m.

CHRIS LEBLANC: Superior Grill MidCity, 6p.m.

TUESDAY

CAMPYLE: Superior Grill MidCity, 6p.m.

EDDIE SMITH: On The Half Shell, Prairieville,6:30 p.m

ANDREW DUHON: Manship Theatre, 7:30 p.m

WEDNESDAY

CLAYTONSHILLING: BLDG 5, 5:30 p.m

RHETT ANTHONY: GalvezSeafood, Prairieville, 5:30 p.m

GARRETT REMSON DUO: Superior Grill MidCity, 6p.m.

KIRK HOLDER: Bin77, 6:30 p.m

BO BURKES: On The Half Shell, Prairieville,6:30 p.m

SONGWRITERS OPEN MIC W/ HEATHRANSONNET: Coop’s on 621, Gonzales, 7p.m.

SONGWRITERS NIGHT: Louisiana LegendsLounge Denham Springs,7 p.m

ANDYPIZZOTRIO: Hayride Scandal,7:30 p.m

DIXIE ROSE’SACOUSTIC

CIRCLE: Teddy’s Juke Joint, Zachary,8 p.m

EDDIE SMITH BAND: La Daiquiris,8p.m.

OPEN MIC JAM: Brickyard South,8 p.m

THURSDAY MUSICIANSFÊTE: West Baton Rouge Museum, Port Allen, noon

MIC W/AMANDAJO HESS: Istrouma Brewing, St. Gabriel, 6p.m.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Keep your thoughts and feelings to yourself. Gather information first before you address issues based on half-truths. Focus more on verifying facts.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Stick to the facts and keep explanations short and to the point, and you'll maintain a steady pace forward with little interference.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Take a load off. It's time to create opportunities and utilize your attributes to gain recognition and rewards. You'll get a unique perspective when conversing with someone from a different background.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Put your emotions aside and your energy into something positive and constructive. How you choose to use your time and talents will determine your success. Focus on what brings the highest returns.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Concentrate on something you enjoy doing. Let your creative imagination take the lead, and see what develops. Touching base with past associates will help put different lifestyle changes in perspective.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Participating in an event, meeting or pastime that encourages positive change or helps you get the backup you require to reach your goals is in your best interest.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Leave your comfort zone and venture into unknown territory. It's up to you to make things hap-

pen. Invest more time and money into developing what excites you most.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Diversify, try something you've never done before and engage in conversations that offer a unique perspective. Question your long-term plans and consider what it takes to reach your destination.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Listen carefully and devise a plan to help you take the road less traveled if it will help you reach your destination.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Separate feelings and money. Buying things you don't require to service an emotional need will leave you in the lurch. Success comes to those who put in the work and effort.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Declutter your space and make room for something you want to pursue. Having a place that facilitates your dreams, hopes and wishes will be the pick-meup you need.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Explore activities and pastimes that interest you. Socializing, networking and interacting with people searching for something new and exciting will not disappoint you.

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: A EQuALs V

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place thenumbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box containsthe samenumber onlyonce. The difficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER

Mignon McLaughlin, ajournalist and author who wrote two volumes titled “Neurotic’sNotebook,” said, “For the happiest life, days should be rigorously planned, nightsleft open to chance.”

Thehappiest bridge player rigorously plans his campaigns, although sometimes his success is open to chance, depending on where the missing high cards are located. In this deal, South is in three no-trump. AfterWestleadsthediamondqueen,how should Southplanthe play?

Remember that when you open one or two no-trump, do not be neurotic about aweak suit. It is your partner’s job to coverthatsuit; youcannot be expected to do everything.

South starts with eight top tricks: one spade, two hearts, onediamond and four clubs. In isolation, by far thebest chance of aninth winner is to take two spade finesses. One will work 76 percent of thetime.

However,thosefinesses areinto the West hand, thedefender who presumablyholds thediamond length. Declarer should duck thefirst two diamond tricks, then takethe third with dummy’sace, being relieved to seethat the suitis4-3, not 5-2. ThenSouth plays aspade to hisjack. West wins, cashes hislast diamond, and shifts to aclub.

Howshoulddeclarercontinue?Itlooks obvious to win with dummy’s jack and to take the second spade finesse. However, South has asecond chance to get home, unlikelythoughitmaybe.Heshouldtake the club trick in his hand andcash his top hearts. Yes, only just under 10 percent of thetime will thequeen drop, but it is better than nothing before— probably —falling back on thesecond spade finesse. ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

EachWuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words mustbeoffour or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD HERnIAL: HER-nee-ul: Protruding through connective tissue or through awallofthe cavity in which it is normally enclosed.

Average mark29words

Time limit 40 minutes Can youfind38ormore words in HERNIAL?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —VERBEnA

today’s thought

is good for me that Ihave been afflicted; that Imightlearn your statutes.” Psalms 119:71

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

wuzzles

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls BeforeswiNe

garfield

B.C.

LOTS

servi‐tudesand dedicationsas more fullyshown on said map.

Acting

andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, November 15, 2024 andtomedi‐rected,I didseize and will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www. bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: THEUN‐OPENED SUCCESSION OF ANDUNKNOWN HEIRSOF DONALD RAYHARDEN A/K/ADONALDRAY HARDEN A/K/ADONALD R. HARDEN A/K/ADON‐ALDHARDEN, JENNIFER HARDEN JORDAN A/K/A JENNIFERH.JORDAN A/K/AJENNIFERJORDAN, ANDCHRISTOPHER HARDEN

Allthatparceloflandin City of BatonRouge,East BatonRouge Parish State of Louisiana, as more fullydescribed in deed O.R. book 804, page 1335, ID#012-5590-8, beingknown anddesig‐natedasLot 241, Forest HeightsPark.

TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITH Appraisement and accordingtolaw SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish

ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $239.78

SHERIFF'SSALE

Suit No:(17) 755392

CV3ALPHA RE LLC SOLELY IN ITSCAPACITY AS SEPARATE TRUSTEE FORCV3 ALPHATRUST VS JBJREALTYLLC

BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana

Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, November 22, 2024 andtomedi‐rected,1 didseize and will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www. bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales,offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: JBJREALTY LLC

TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITHOUTAppraisement andaccording to law. SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $227.04 g mortgaged property be‐longingto: REXCONRAD BOWDEN,JR. ONE(1) certainlot or parcel of ground,to‐gether with allthe build‐ings andimprovements thereon, situated in the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana, in that subdi‐vision knownasTHE COUNTRYCLUBOF LOUISIANA. anddesig‐natedonthe official plan thereof, on file andof record in theoffice of the Clerkand Recorder of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana, as LOTNUM‐BEREIGHTEEN (18),PAR‐CELEIGHT (8), said sub‐division,saidJot having such measurements and dimensions andbeing subjecttosuchservi‐tudesand restrictions as aremoreparticularly shownonsaidmap TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITH Appraisement and accordingtolaw SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $211.71

TEXASVS JEFFREY P. MARTIN BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, December 12, 2024 andtomedi‐rected,I didseize and will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales,offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: JEFFREY P. MARTIN ONE(1) CERTAINLOT OR PARCEL OF LAND,TO‐GETHER WITH ALLTHE BUILDINGSAND IM‐PROVEMENTS THEREON, SITUATED IN THECITYOF ZACHARY, PARISH OF EAST BATONROUGE STATEOFLOUISIANA, IN THAT SUBDIVISION KNOWNASZACHARY TERRACE, FIRSTFILING, ANDBEING DESIGNATED ON THEOFFICIALPLATOF SAID SUBDIVISION RECORDED AS ORIGINAL 46 OF BUNDLE 4499 OF THEOFFICIAL RECORDS OF THEPARISHOFEAST BATONROUGE,STATE OF LOUISIANA, AS LOT58, SAID SUBDIVISION TERMSOFSALE: Cash

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(17) 757211

CADENCEBANK(FOR‐MERLYKNOWN AS BAN‐CORPSOUTHBANK) vs PINNACLE HOMESAND PROPERTIES LLC; JABARI ALEXANDERAND SHANTELC.ALEXANDER

SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $239.78

SHERIFF'SSALE

SOsheriffsales,offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: SILASM CASHER AKASILAS CASHER ANDEUGENIA H. CASHER AKAEUGENIA CASHER Acertain lotorparcelof ground,together with all thebuildings andim‐provementsthereon,sit‐uatedinthe Parish of East BatonRouge,State of Louisiana, in that sub‐division knownasPark Forest Subdivision, Third Filing,all as shownon theofficial mapofsaid subdivisionon file andof record in theoffice of the Clerkand Recorder for thesaidParishand State, as Original 85, Bundle 67885, as LotNumber Four HundredThirty-Five (435),saidsubdivision said

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(17) 757385 MIDFIRST BANK vs THE UNOPENED SUCCESSION OF LENORA GUILLORY BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, February 05, 2025 andtomedi‐rected,I didseize and will,beginning at10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales,offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: THEUN‐OPENED SUCCESSIONOF LENORA GUILLORY One(1) certainlot or par‐celofground,together with allthe buildingsand improvements thereon, andall therights, ways privileges,servitudes, appurtenancesand ad‐vantages thereuntobe‐longingorinanywise ap‐pertaining,situatedin theParishofEastBaton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana, in that subdi‐vision knownasFOUN‐TAIN PLACE, anddesig‐natedonthe official map of said subdivisionon file andofrecordinthe office of theClerk and Recorder forthe Parish of East BatonRouge StateofLouisiana,as LOTNUMBERFORTY-ONE (41),saidsubdivision said lotmeasuring Sixty (60) feet frontonCrown Avenue,bya depthof TwoHundred (200) feet between parallel lines; said lotbeing subjectto aThirty-Five (35) foot servitudeacrossthe rear forpublicutilities.Sub‐ject to allpreviously recorded building restric‐tions, servitudes,build‐ingset back lines; and oil, gasand mineral, reservations,con‐veyances,servitudesand leases of record TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITHOUTAppraisement andaccording to law. SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $252.56

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(17) 757999 LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐INGLLC vs ANTHONYT BRADYAKA ANTHONY BRADY

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(17) 758466 LOANDEPOT.COM, LLCVS CARRYANDERSONEMER‐SON, WIDOWOFERNEST EMERSON, DECEASED BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid, in theabove entitled andnumbered cause, dated, February 25, 2025 andtomedi‐rected,I didseizeand will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales,offerfor sale at public auctionthe followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: CARRYAN‐DERSON EMERSON, WIDOWOFERNEST EMERSON, DECEASED ONE(1) CERTAINLOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND,to‐gether with allthe build‐ings andimprovements, thereon, andall of the rights,ways, privileges, servitudes,appurte‐nances andadvantages thereuntobelonging or in anywiseappertaining situated in theParishof East BatonRouge,State of Louisiana, in that sub‐division knownasBak‐ersfield, FirstFiling, and designated on theoffi‐cial plan thereof, on file andofrecordinthe Of‐fice of theClerk and Recorder of theParishof East BatonRouge, State of Louisiana, as LotNum‐berTwo HundredsixtyOne(261 ), said subdivi‐sion,saidlot having such measurements anddi‐mensions andbeing sub‐ject to such servitudes andrestrictionsasmore particularly shownon said map.

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(32)

Two(2) certainlotsor parcelsofground,to‐gether with allbuildings andimprovements thereon, situated in the City of BATONROUGE ParishofEASTBATON ROUGE, Stateof Louisiana, in that subdi‐vision thereofknown as WHITEPLAINSand being designated on theoffi‐cial subdivisionmap,on file in theoffice of the Clerkand Recorder for said parish andstate at ORIG 69, BNDL 2737, as

Suit No:(17) 756763 BANK OF SUNSET AND TRUSTCOMPANY vs REX CONRAD BOWDEN,JR. BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, January08, 2025 andtomedirected, Idid seizeand will,be‐ginningat10:00 o'clock a.m. on May07, 2025, via an online auctionsiteat www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales, offer forsaleatpublicauction thefollowing described d b

BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, January30, 2025 andtomedirected, Idid seizeand will,be‐ginningat10:00 o'clock a.m. on May07, 2025, via an on line auctionsiteat www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales, offer forsaleatpublicauction thefollowing described mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: PINNACLE HOMESAND PROPERTIES LLC; JABARI ALEXANDER ANDSHANTEL C. ALEXANDER One(1) certainlot or par‐celofground,together with allthe buildingsand improvements thereon, andall of therights, ways,privileges, servi‐tudes, appurtenances andadvantagesthere‐untobelonging or in any‐wise appertaining,situ‐ated in theParishofEast BatonRouge,State of Louisiana, in that subdi‐vision knownasNORTH GOODWOOD,and desig‐natedonthe official plan thereof, on file andof record in theoffice of the Clerkand Recorder of the Parish of East Baton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana, as LOTNUM‐BER10, SQUARE 6, said subdivision, said lothav‐ingsuchmeasurements anddimensionsand beingsubject to such servitudes andrestric‐tionsasare more partic‐ularly shownonsaid map.

TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITH Appraisement and accordingtolaw

TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction WITHOUTAppraisement andaccording to law. SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff East BatonRouge Parish ADVERTISED DATE April04, 2025 May05, 2025 $232.15

NOTICE 19thJudicialDistrict Courtfor theParishof East BatonRouge C-759881; Division 21

SHERIFF'SSALE Suit No:(17) 757753 PLANET HOME LENDING LLCVSSILAS M. CASHER AKASILAS CASHER AND EUGENIAH.CASHERAKA EUGENIACASHER BatonRouge,LA 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of Seizure andSaleissuedout of thehonorable court aforesaid,inthe above entitled andnumbered cause, dated, February 03, 2025 andtomedi‐rected, Idid seizeand will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onMay 07, 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tion site at www bid4assets.com/EBR

Onecertain lotorparcel of ground together with allbuildings andim‐provements thereonand allthe rights,ways, privi‐leges, servitudes,appur‐tenances andadvan‐tagesthereuntobelong‐ingorinanywise apper‐taining, beingsituatedin theParishofEastBaton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana, in that subdi‐vision knownasSouth‐ernHeights Subdivision, Second Filing,Section 5, anddesignatedonthe official plan thereof, on file andofrecordinthe office of theClerk and Recorder of theParishof East BatonRouge,State of Louisiana, as LotNum‐berFiveHundred TwentyThree-A(523-A),said subdivision, said lothav‐ingsuchmeasurements anddimensionsand beingsubject to such servitudes as areshown on said subdivisionmap TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der, at Public Auction

Suit No:(17) 758654 21 ST MORTGAGE CORPO‐RATION vs JAQUANNA JANELL FERGUSON 19thJudicialDistrict Parish of East Baton RougeState of Louisiana Acting under andby virtue of Writ of SEIZURE AND SALE issued outof thehonorable court aforesaid, in theabove entitled andnumbered cause, dated, February 27, 2025 andtomedi‐rected,I didseize and will,beginning at 10:00 o'clocka.m.onWednes‐day, April16, 2025, viaan online auctionsiteat www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales.,offer forsaleatpublicauction thefollowing described mortgagedpropertybe‐longingto: JAQUANNA JANELL FERGUSON 2017 CAVALIER/ BUCCA‐NEER 16 X82MOBILE

PUBLIC NOTICE 19thJudicialDistrict Courtfor theParishof East BatonRouge C-759881; Division 21 This is to serveaslegal notice to Eric D. Scott, in hisindividualcapacity, that he is anamed party to theabove-referenced matter in the19thJudi‐cial District Court.