The Times-Picayune 04-05-2025

Jury orders Chevron to pay$745million

Moneytorestore area of coastalwetlands

BY ALEXLUBBEN Staff writer

APlaquemines Parish jury ordered Chevron to pay $745million in damages on Friday to restore an area of Louisiana coastal wetlands, a landmark verdict likely tohave wider implicationsondozens of other similar lawsuits.

The case was the first to go to trial among 41 parish lawsuits against oil companies seeking to hold themaccountable for coastaldamage.The verdict may influence how other cases proceed as Louisiana struggles to find badly neededmoney to address its accelerating landlosscrisis in the years ahead.

While coastal advocates welcomed the verdict as fair and aboost for wetlands restoration, oil and other business groups in Louisiana harshly condemned it, arguing it will harm the state’seconomy in the long run. The total cost couldbemore than$1 billion once interest is calculated

BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer

Fifteen years after agroup of New Orleans public school students sued the state Department of Education for failing to provide special education services —a lawsuit that resulted in longstanding court oversight for pub-

Attorney JohnH.Carmouche, front rowsecond from

at the Plaquemines Parish

Gov.Jeff Landry’sadministration has been largely supportive of the oil andgas industry, butitintervened in the case on Plaquemines’ behalf opposing Chevron. Landry’sspokesperson referred questions to Attor-

lic schools in New Orleans— the department and theOrleans Parish School Board say they’re ready to handlethings on their own In February,the School Board andthe state Department of Education asked U.S. DistrictCourt Judge JayZainey to enda consent judgment that

neyGeneral Liz Murrill, whocalled the verdict “fair” andthankedjurors for their work. The verdict was the culmination of

ä See JURY, page 5A

BY DOUG MacCASH Staff writer

The newtariffs announced by President DonaldTrump on Wednesday could affect the prices and availability of everything from automobiles to whiskey,including imports particularlyclose to the hearts of New Orleanians. Themasked riders in future Carnival parades mayhave to pay significantly more for the beadsand baubles they toss, according to krewe captains. That meansthe crowds along the curbs may catch significantly less.

Markets plungefor second day. PAGE 3A

China, the source of mostparade throws, was the target of some of the highest import duties. On Wednesday,Trumpadded a34% tarifftothe 20% already in place, amove that may cause the cost of Krewe d’Etat blinking beads, Iris sunglasses and King Arthur holy grails to soar Thenew import tax “isdefinitelygoing to affect prices, no question,” said Krewe of Freret parade

Afterstrugglingtocompete with imports, advocatesoptimistic

BY JOSIEABUGOV Staff writer

After decades of plunging prices and adwindling workforce, Louisiana shrimpers arecheering President Donald Trump’stariffs on countries supplying the U.S. with almost all of its shrimp. The coastal industry has for yearsstruggledto compete against cheap foreign imports and apattern of fraudulent mislabeling at seafood restaurants. But shrimpers and advocates feel renewed optimism in Trump’s“liberation day” tariffs announced Wednesday The shrimp industry’sreaction was oneofthe

4A

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

right, and his team pose

Courthouse on Friday

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MARK SCHLEIFSTEIN

Oilfield andnavigation canals cut through wetlandsonthe the west bank of Plaquemines Parish.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Officials say Russian strike in Ukraine kills 14 KYIV Ukraine A Russian ballistic missile strike Friday on a central Ukrainian city killed at least 14 people, including six children, Ukrainian officials said, as U.S. and European leaders pressed Russia to accept a ceasefire in the conflict.

At least 50 people were wounded in the strike on Kryvyi Rih — the hometown of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — in what the region’s leader Serhii Lysak described as an “assault against civilians.”

“The missile struck an area right next to residential buildings — hitting a playground and ordinary streets,” Zelenskyy wrote on Telegram.

Local authorities said the strike damaged about 20 apartment buildings, more than 30 vehicles, an educational building and a restaurant They said emergency responders were at the scene and psychologists were helping survivors Zelenskyy blamed the daily strikes on Russia’s unwillingness to end the war: “Every missile, every drone strike proves Russia wants only war.” He urged Ukraine’s allies to increase pressure on Moscow and bolster Ukraine’s air defenses.

Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for a full and immediate 30-day halt in the fighting, and the U.K. and French foreign ministers on Friday accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet in ceasefire talks to halt Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine.

“Our judgment is that Putin continues to obfuscate, continues to drag his feet,”

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy told reporters at NATO headquarters, standing alongside French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot in a symbolic show of unity

Measles cases so far this year double 2024

The U.S. now has more than double the number of measles cases it saw in all of 2024, with Texas reporting another large jump in cases and hospitalizations on Friday Other states with active outbreaks — defined as three or more cases — include New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities and since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes

The multi-state outbreak confirms health experts’ fears that the virus will take hold in other U.S. communities with low vaccination rates and that the spread could stretch on for a year The World Health Organization said last week that cases in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

Judge moves legal case of Tufts student to Vt.

BOSTON A federal judge in Boston on Friday moved the case of a detained Tufts University doctoral student to Vermont, where the Turkish national was briefly held before being moved to an immigration detention facility in Louisiana

Rumeysa Ozturk 30, was taken by immigration officials as she walked along a street in the Boston suburb of Somerville on March 25. After being taken to New Hampshire and then Vermont, she was put on a plane the next day and moved to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Basile. Ozturk is among several people with ties to American universities who attended demonstrations or publicly expressed support for Palestinians during the war in Gaza and who recently had visas revoked or been stopped from entering the U.S Her lawyers filed a petition in Massachusetts seeking her release, but Justice Department lawyers argued that Ozturk’s petition was filed in the wrong state and should be dismissed or transferred to Louisiana.

Trump abruptly fires NSA director

BY LOLITA C. BALDOR and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has abruptly fired the director of the National Security Agency, according to U.S. officials and members of Congress, but the White House and the Pentagon have provided no reasons for the move

Senior military leaders were informed Thursday of the firing of Air Force Gen. Tim Haugh, who also oversaw the Pentagon’s Cyber Command, the officials said They received no advance notice about the decision to remove a four-star general with a 33-year career in intelligence and cyber operations, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss personnel decisions.

The move has triggered sharp criticism from members of Congress and demands for an immediate explanation. And it marks the latest dismissal of national security officials by Trump at a time when his Republican administration faces criticism over his failure to take any action against other key

leaders’ use of an unclassified Signal messaging chat that included The Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg to discuss plans for a military strike. It’s unclear who now is in charge of the NSA and the Cyber Command.

Also fired was Haugh’s civilian deputy at the NSA, Wendy Noble.

The NSA notified congressional leadership and top lawmakers of the national security committees of the firing late Wednesday but did not give reasons, according to a person familiar with the situation who insisted on anonymity to discuss the matter The person said Noble has been reassigned to the office of the defense undersecretary for intelligence.

The White House did not respond to messages seeking comment The NSA referred questions about Haugh to the Defense Department The Pentagon did not respond to questions about why he was fired or provide other details.

Sean Parnell, the chief Pentagon spokesman, would only say, in a statement, that the department thanks Haugh “for his decades of service to our nation, culminating

as U.S. Cyber Command Commander and National Security Agency Director We wish him and his family well.”

Far-right activist and commentator Laura Loomer appeared to take credit Friday in a post on X, saying she raised concerns to Trump about Haugh’s ties to Gen. Mark Milley and the Biden administration and questioned the NSA chief’s loyalty to the president. Milley served as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff during Trump’s first term but has since become an outspoken critic.

“Given the fact that the NSA is arguably the most powerful intel agency in the world, we cannot allow for a Biden nominee to hold that position,” Loomer wrote.

“Thank you President Trump for being receptive to the vetting materials provided to you and thank you for firing these Biden holdovers.”

Loomer, who has claimed the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks were an “inside job,” had discussed staff loyalty with Trump in an Oval Office meeting Wednesday, according to several people familiar with the situation who spoke on the condition

Rains, floods pound South and Midwest

BY GEORGE WALKER IV and BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press

HOPKINSVILLE, Ky. — Torrential rains and flash flooding battered parts of the Midwest and South on Friday, killing a boy in Kentucky who was swept away as he walked to catch his school bus Many communities were left reeling from tornadoes that destroyed entire neighborhoods and killed at least seven people earlier this week.

Round after round of heavy rains have pounded the central U.S. for days, and forecasters warned that it could persist through Saturday Satellite imagery showed thunderstorms lined up like freight trains over communities in Arkansas, Tennessee and Kentucky, according to the national Weather Prediction Center in Maryland.

In Frankfort, Kentucky, a 9-year-old boy died in the morning after floodwaters swept him away while he was walking to a school bus stop, Gov Andy Beshear said on social media. Officials said Gabriel Andrews’ body was found about a half-mile from where he went missing.

The downtown area of Hopkinsville, Kentucky — a city of 31,000 residents 72 miles northwest of Nashville — was submerged. A dozen people were rescued from homes, and dozens of pets were moved away from rising water a fire official said.

“The main arteries through Hopkinsville are probably 2 feet under water,” Christian County Judge-Executive Jerry Gilliam said earlier

Tony Kirves and some friends used sandbags and a vacuum to try to hold back rising waters that

covered the basement and seeped into the ground floor of his photography business in Hopkinsville.

Downtown was “like a lake,” he said.

“We’re holding ground,” he said. “We’re trying to maintain and keep it out the best we can.”

A corridor from northeast Texas through Arkansas and into southeast Missouri, which has a population of about 2.3 million, could see clusters of severe thunderstorms late Friday The National Weather Service’s Oklahoma-based Storm Prediction Center warned of the potential for intense tornadoes and large hail.

The seven people killed in the initial wave of storms that spawned powerful tornadoes on Wednesday and early Thursday were in Tennessee, Missouri and Indiana.

Tennessee Gov Bill Lee said entire neighborhoods in the hard-hit town of Selmer were “completely wiped out” and it was too early to know whether there were more deaths as searches continued.

Heavy rains were expected to continue in parts of Missouri, Kentucky and elsewhere in the coming days and could produce dangerous flash floods.

The weather service said 45 river locations in multiple states were expected to reach major flood stage, with extensive flooding of structures, roads and other critical infrastructure possible.

In Christian County, which includes Hopkinsville, 6 to 10 inches fell since Wednesday evening, the National Weather Service said Friday afternoon.

The rain caused the Little River to surge over its banks, and 4 to 8 inches centimeters more could

fall by Sunday, it said.

A pet boarding business was under water, forcing rescuers to move dozens of dogs to a local animal shelter, said Gilliam, the county executive. Crews rescued people from four or five vehicles and multiple homes, mostly by boat, said Randy Graham, the emergency management director in Christian County

“This is the worst I’ve ever seen downtown,” Gilliam said.

Hundreds of Kentucky roads were impassable because of floodwaters, downed trees or mud and rock slides, and the number of closures were likely to increase with more rain late Friday and Saturday, Beshear said.

A landslide blocked a nearly 3-mile stretch of Mary Ingles Highway in the state’s north, according to the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. A landslide closed the same section of road in 2019, and it reopened last year, WLWTTV reported.

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

Extreme flooding across a 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 Swollen rivers and tributaries also swamped some parts in Ohio, and Gov Mike DeWine said about 70 roads were closed The southern half of the state was expected to see moderate flooding, which has not happened in four years, he added.

of anonymity to discuss the sensitive personnel manner A day later, Trump said he fired “some” White House National Security Council officials.

Rep. Jim Himes, ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding to know why Haugh and Noble were fired.

“Public reporting suggests that your removal of these officials was driven by a fringe social media personality, which represents a deeply troubling breach of the norms that safeguard our national security apparatus from political pressure and conspiracy theories,” Himes, D-Conn., wrote.

Sen. Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, said Friday that he has “long warned about the dangers of firing military officers as a political loyalty test.”

“In addition to the other military leaders and national security officials Trump has fired, he is sending a chilling message throughout the ranks: don’t give your best military advice, or you may face consequences,” Reed said in a statement.

Israeli strikes kill at least 17 in Gaza

BY WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Israeli strikes killed more than a dozen people in the Gaza Strip early Friday, as Israel sent more ground troops into the Palestinian territory to ramp up its offensive against Hamas.

At least 17 people, some from the same family, were killed after an airstrike hit the southern city of Khan Younis, according to hospital staff. Hours later, people were still searching through the rubble, looking for survivors.

The attack came a day after Israeli strikes killed at least 100 Palestinians.

Hundreds more have died in the past two weeks, as Israel has intensified operations, intended to pressure Hamas to release remaining hostages it took during its attack on Israel in October 2023. On Friday, Israel said it had begun ground activity in northern Gaza,

in order to expand its security zone. Israel’s military had issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of northern Gaza before expected ground operations. The U.N. humanitarian office said around 280,000 Palestinians have been displaced since Israel ended the ceasefire with Hamas last month. In recent days, Israel has vowed to 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. Israel said earlier this week that enough food had entered Gaza during a six-week truce to sustain the territory’s roughly 2 million Palestinians for a long time.

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A person rides a bike Friday in a flooded street in Hopkinsville, Ky.

Marketsplungefor second dayafter Trumptariffs

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK Wall Street’s worst crisis since COVID slammed intoahigher gear

Friday

The S&P500 lost 6% after China matched President Donald Trump’sbig raise in tariffs announced earlier this week. The move increased the stakes in atrade war that could end with arecession that hurts everyone. Not even abetter-than-expected report on the U.S.job market, which is usually the economic highlightofeach month, was enough to stop the slide. The drop closed the worst week for the S&P 500 since March 2020, when the pandemic ripped throughthe global economy.The Dow Jones Industrial Average plunged 2,231 points, or 5.5% and the Nasdaq composite tumbled 5.8% to pull more

than 20% below its record setinDecember

So far there have been few, if any,winners in financial markets from thetrade war. Stocks for all but 14 of the 500 companies within the S&P 500 indexfellFriday Thepriceofcrude oiltumbled to itslowestlevel since 2021. Other basic building blocks for economicgrowth, such as copper,alsosaw prices slide on worries thetrade war will weaken the global economy.

China’sresponse to U.S. tariffs caused an immediate acceleration of losses in marketsworldwide.The Commerce Ministry in Beijing said it would respond to the 34% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on importsfrom China with its own 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April 10. The United Statesand China are theworld’s twolargest economies.

Marketsbriefly recovered some of their losses after the release of Fridaymorning’s U.S. jobs report, which said employersaccelerated their hiring by more last month thaneconomists expected. It’sthe latestsignalthatthe U.S.job market hasremained relatively solid through the start of 2025, and it’sbeen alinchpin keeping the U.S. economyout of arecession.

Butthatjobsdatawas backward-looking, and the fear hitting financial markets is about what’s to come.

“The world has changed, andthe economic conditions have changed,”said Rick Rieder,chief investment officer of global fixed incomeat BlackRock.

The central question looking ahead is: Will thetrade war cause aglobal recession? If it does, stock prices may need to come down even more thanthey have already TheS&P 500 is down 17.4%

from itsrecordset in February. Trump seemed unfazed From Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Florida, he headed to his golf course afew miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS AGREATTIMETOGET RICH.”

The Federal Reserve could cushion the blowoftariffs on theeconomy by cutting interestrates, which can encouragecompanies and households to borrow and spend. But theFed mayhave less freedom to movethan it would like.

FedChair Jerome Powell said Fridaythat tariffscould drive up expectations for inflation.Thatcouldprovemore damaging than high inflation itself, because it can drive a vicious cycle of behavior that only worsens inflation. U.S. households have already said they’re bracing for sharp increases to their bills.

“Ourobligation is to keep longer-term inflation expectationswellanchored andto make certain that aone-time increase in the price level does notbecome an ongoing inflation problem,” Powell said.

That could indicate ahesitance to cut rates because lower rates can give inflation more fuel.

Muchwill depend on how long Trump’stariffs stick and what kind of retaliations other countries deliver Some of Wall Street is holding onto hope thatTrump will lower the tariffs after prying “wins”fromother countries following negotiations.

Trump has given mixed signals on that. On Friday, he said Vietnam “wants to cut their Tariffs down to ZERO if they are able to make an agreement with the U.S.” Trumpalso criticized China’s retaliation, saying on his Truth Social platform

that “CHINA PLAYED IT WRONG, THEY PANICKED —THE ONE THING THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO DO!”

Trump has said Americans mayfeel “some pain” because of tariffs, buthehas also said the long-term goals, including getting more manufacturing jobs back to the United States, are worth it.

On Thursday,helikenedthe situation to amedical operation, where the U.S. economy is the patient.

“For investors looking at their portfolios, it could have felt like an operation performedwithout anesthesia,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economist at Annex Wealth Management.

But Jacobsen also said the next surprise for investors could be how quickly tariffs get negotiated down.

“The speed of recovery will depend on how,and how quickly,officials negotiate,” he said.

As Wall Street reels, Trumpspendsday at golf course

Presidentsayshis tradepolicieswill neverchange

BY FATIMAHUSSEIN, CHRIS MEGERIAN and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. Two days after sending the economy reeling by announcing widespread tariffs,President Donald Trump insisted his trade policieswillnever changeasheremained ensconcedina bubbleofwealth and power in Florida. He woke up on Friday morning at Mar-a-Lago, his private club in Palm Beach, and headed to his nearby golf course afew miles away after writing on social media that “THIS IS AGREAT TIME TO GET RICH.”

Several supporters stood on the sidewalkasTrump, wearinghis signaturered

“Make America Great Again” hat and white polo shirt, glided down astreet lined with palm trees. They waved to him and he waved back,partofa ritual that

plays out every weekend that he’s in town.

TheRepublican president was not expected to appear publicly,although he’sscheduled to attend a candlelit dinner for MAGA Inc.,analliedpolitical organization,onFriday evening. He spent ThursdayinMiami at adifferent one of his golf courses, where he attended aSaudi-funded tournament. He landed in MarineOne and was picked upinagolf cart drivenbyhis son Eric.

Trump has often proved impervious to the kind of

scandalsorgaffes that would damage another politician, but his decision to spendthe weekend at his gilded properties could test Americans’ patience at atime when their retirement savings areevaporating along withthe stock market. The tariffs are expected to increase prices by thousands of dollars peryear and sloweconomic growth, and there are fears about a potential recession.

Democrats called out Trump for being in a“billionaire bubble,” as Sen. Chuck Schumer put it,while mil-

JudgesaysU.S.mustreturn mistakenly deported Md.man

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and BEN FINLEY Associated Press

GREENBELT, Md.— Afederal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to arrange for the return of a Maryland man to the United States after he was mistakenly deported to anotorious El Salvador prison, while a U.S. government attorney was at aloss to explain what happened. The ruling rejected the White House’s claim thatit lacks the powertoretrieve

Kilmar AbregoGarcia,a Salvadoran national, because he is no longer in the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has corrected deportation errors in previous years, according to Abrego Garcia’sattorney andlegal experts alike.

The government filed an appeal immediately after the decisionand an official from the Department of Homeland Security doubled down on thegovernment’s assertion that AbregoGarciais adangerous gang member whoshould notbe allowed

back into thecountry.

ICE expelled the29-yearold Abrego Garcia last month despiteanimmigration judge’s2019 ruling that shielded him fromdeportationtoElSalvador,where he faced likely persecution by local gangs.

“The record reflects that AbregoGarcia was apprehended in Maryland without legal basis and without furtherprocess or legaljustification was removed to El Salvador,”U.S.District JudgePaula Xinis wrote in her order

lions watched their investmentssink

“While the American people are trying to put food on the table, Isee thatDonald Trump’sout there playing golf,” said Sen. Ben Ray Luján, aDemocratfromNew Mexico. “The president should be listening to people across thecountry.Maybe he should go intoagrocery store,dosome walking, talking to folks.”

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Friday that thetariffs were“significantly larger than expected” and are “highly likely” to cause moreinflation —atleastin the short term but possibly in the long termaswell.

However,Trump has describedhis policiesasa painful yet necessary step to encourage companies to relocatetheir operations to the United States. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told

Tucker Carlson in an interviewreleased Fridaythat“I think we have to try this, and Ihaveahigh confidenceratio it’sgoing to work.”

The president spent Friday morning defending himself on TruthSocial,his social media platform, and vowing to stay the course.

“TO THE MANY INVESTORS COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES AND INVESTING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF MONEY,MY POLICIES WILL NEVER CHANGE,” he wrote.

Although experts have harshly criticized the tariffs, he’sfound somesupport on TikTok.Heshareda video that said “Trump is crashing the stock market” and “he’s doing it on purpose”aspartof a“secret gamehe’splaying, anditcould make yourich.”

The video featured asupposed quote from legendaryinvestorWarrenBuffett

praising Trump, but Buffett’s company issued astatement saying it was fabricated. The video also saidthatTrump’s goal is to push the Federal Reserve to lower interest rates, something that the presidentexplicitlycalled for later in the morning. “Thiswould be aPERFECT time” for Powell to cut interest rates, he wrote. “CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!” With foreign leaders scrambling in response to Trump’sannouncement this week, the president lashed out and looked to cut deals. He said he spoke with Vietnamese leader To Lamand claimed Vietnam wants to eliminate its tariffs on U.S. goods if it can makeadeal with the U.S. He also criticized China for announcing itsown tariffs on U.S. imports.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

President DonaldTrump is driven by his son, Eric Trump, as he arrivesThursdayatTrump National Doral during the LIV Golf Miamitournament in Miami.

few bright spots so far following Trump’sannouncement, which has caused markets to plummet, provoked fears of awider economic downturn and damaged relations with longtime allies.

“We’ve been dying for thelast 20 years, and the last four years have really been tough,” said Acy Cooper,the president of the Louisiana Shrimp Association. “Then Trump comes in —that’swhy we voted for him. We want change. We can’tlive like this anymore.”

Cooper,afourth-generation shrimper in Venice,has witnessed plummeting shrimp prices during his 50 years in the business. In the 1980s, he said he’d get $1 fora pound of small shrimp. This year, he got 50 cents apound.

“You know everything in this country is going up, andour shrimp are going down,” Cooper, 64, said.

According to the FDA, 94% of the seafood consumed in the U.S. is imported from othercountries

The suppliers that account for the majority of U.S. shrimp imports include India, Ecuador,Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.Trump imposedtariffs on all of thesecountries at ratesrangingfrom aminimum of 10% to as high as 46%.

Asteep downturn in the price of imported shrimpsince 2021has led the U.S. shrimp industry to lose almost half of its marketvalues, according to the Southern Shrimp Alliance, an industrygroup. But the drop in wholesale prices has not led to adecrease in market prices in the same time period.

“Consumers are not getting a deal. Idon’tcare how you look at it,” Cooper said. “When Isell shrimp for 50 cents and you eat them at arestaurant for $19, that’s the problem.”

Last month, U.S. Rep. ClayHig-

THROWS

Continued from page1A

captain Bobby Hjortsberg Carnival 2026 may be nine months away,but the process of procuringmillions of dollars of custom throws from China has begun.

“We’re already in the thick of it,” Hjortsberg said. The krewe customarily selects and designs next year’s throwssoon afterMardi Gras ends. The krewethen enters into contracts with an importer to buy them by “summer at the latest,” he said. But considering the implications of the new import taxes,“vendors don’twant to give us prices,” Hjortsberg said. Part of the problem, Hjortsberg said, is the possibility that tariffscould change over the coming months.

Vendors, Hjortsberg said, may need to quote the highest price now, but may be able to lower prices later which could prompt krewe leaders to ask themselves, “Should we wait?”

It may not be the endof the world, Hjortsberg said, but it’sadded another challenge.

Freret customarilyspends about $1 million on throws, including apercentage of locally madeproducts, which it sells to members in assort-

gins, R-Lafayette, reintroduced the Save Our Shrimpers Act alongside Troy Nehls, of Texas, which wouldprohibitfederal dollars from financing foreignshrimp farming andprocessing.

He also wrotealetter to Trump in February requesting tariffson seafood imports from China, Ecuador,Indonesiaand Vietnam. “Domestic shrimpers, fishermen andcrawfish producersinLouisiana and across the country face

ments that cost $250, $500, $750 and $1,000. Those 2026 throw packages, as they’re known,were on advance sale to ridersonthe krewe website last week, but Freret has discontinuedsales untilthe new cost of beads can be determined. The Krewe of Freret bannedplastic beadsfrom thisyear’sparade for ecological reasons and to help prevent clogged storm drains, but it imports other Chinesethrows.

Gwendolyn Rainey,captainofthe Krewe of Femme Fatale, saidshe’s concerned that theincreased cost of Chinesethrows will have an adverse affectonthe krewe in general

Sometime soon, she said, theparadinggroup will have to commit to buyingcustom throws inadvance. Butif prices are higher,the ridersmight buy less or drop out altogether,which could “leaveusinahole, adeficit,” shesaid

Considering theincreased cost of throws, risinghomeowner insurance ratesand thepossibility of an economic recession, Rainey said she won’t be surprised if Femme Fataleissmaller next year

“Wehad 34 floatsthis year,” she said.“We maynot have that again.”

ClarkBrennan, captain of the KreweofBacchus —known for its generosity with throws —said that he

significant challenges competing against foreign seafood industries that are heavily subsidized and engage in illegal dumping into the United States,” the letter stated. Whilethe U.S. bringsinseafood from across the globe, thedomesticshrimpindustry largely sells within the country.U.S. shrimpers are therefore less worried about retaliatorytariffs and welcome theimporttaxesasatooltoraise domestic shrimpprices.

has already begun negotiating with supplierstoaccommodate theincreased cost of Chinese beads, foam footballs, flying disks and such. The krewes andsuppliers, Brennan believes, should split the increased expense caused by the new tariffs.

“Wehavetoldthem they need to share in theprice increase 50/50,” Brennan said in atext message. “Bacchus is notgoing to eat all the increase costs.”

Dan Kelly is the owner of Beads by the Dozen, one of the largest Carnival throw import companies, andhe’salsothe captain of the Krewe of Endymion,a parading organization with theslogan “Throw until it hurts.” No oneknows more about the Chinese bead and bauble business than he.

Kelly said it’simpossible to determine precisely how muchCarnival merchandise is imported from China to New Orleans each year,but he estimates the value of the merchandise to be in the$35 million range.

“Absolutely,”Kelly said, “the price of everything goes up” withthe imposition of the new tariffs

Kelly pointedout that until recently,beads, plush animals andafew other items were duty free sincethey were considered children’s toysand thereforeexempt fromusual import duties.

“I don’tthink it’sgoing to solve allofour problemsfor sure, but it’sastep in theright direction,” said Jeremy Zirlott, ashrimper in Alabama anda boardmember of theSouthern ShrimpAlliance.

Driving up the cost of domestic shrimpwill help the struggling industry,Zirlott said, but pernicious fraud and ashrinking laborforce will eat away at the industry without additional support.

RestaurateurDana Honn founded theLouisianaShrimpFestival last year to support local fishers. Honn, who also co-founded Porgy’s Seafood Marketand restaurant in NewOrleans, said there’sbroad consensus among shrimpers and advocates that the tariffs will positively counterthe effectsof imports. Butthat doesn’tmean the new policies will address all of the issuesplaguing thedying industry

“The tariffmight be one part of fixing thebig problem,which is the domesticmarket purchasing alot of imports,” Honn said. “Much of the reason they’re doing it is because of misinformation,mislabeling, outright fraud.”

Honn founded the shrimpfestival in New Orleans after genetic testing uncovered mislabeling at two previous shrimp festivals in Morgan City and Gulf Shores, Alabama. Vendors were selling imported shrimpadvertised as local. Asimilar pattern came to light after arandomized testing of Baton Rouge restaurants.

“PeoplecometoNew Orleans assuming they’re eating local seafood, when quite often they’re not,” Honn said.

Anew lawthatrecentlytook effect seeks to address the mislabeling problem. As of Jan. 1, Louisiana restaurants are required to clearly state the country of origin of theshrimp and crawfish that they’re selling. Restaurants in violation could face thousands of dollars in fines.

In Honn’sexperience, consumers want to eat local catch. When

So, thecostofthoseitems could rise by more than half.

Other throws,such as the popular Mardi Gras bead bags —whichwerealready taxed —will nowbecharged tariffs as high as 102%, he estimated.

people have accurate information and understand thestakes, they are “100% on board with supporting our fishers,” Honn said.

David Williams, the founder of SeaD Consulting, which conducts rapid genetictesting forshrimp, saidthe tariffs and new legislation mean that the shrimpseason should start on abuoyant note.

“That places us in avery good situation with regard to the fisherman getting moremoney,which is what we need,” Williamssaid. “If there’s no fishing boat,there’s no shrimpindustry.”

But there are still concerns. In anticipation of tariffs, importers “over shipped” shrimptothe U.S., Williams said. The large quantities of imports and comparatively scarce amount of high-demand domestic shrimp could lead to fraud at any point during the supply chain, he warned.

He also voiced concerns over the disparity in tariffsfor thetop shrimp-supplying countries. India, which supplies the U.S. with over 40% of its imported shrimp, is facing atariff of 26% while Ecuador, whichsuppliesthe U.S. with around 25% of its imported shrimp,has the minimum universal tariffrate of 10%. Companies that farm shrimpacross the globe may redirect their Indian product to Europe, while sending moreEcuadorian supply to the U.S.

For Zirlott, whoownsthree shrimp boats, the tariffs and shrimp scrutiny is not enough to buoy thecoastal industry.What shrimpers need is government and public support to encourageyoung people to enter the field. This could mean investment into docks, boats and incentives for captains and processors, but also consumers shelling out more for local seafood.

“The public has to be willing to paymorefor thedomesticproduct we produce,” he said.

Email Josie Abugov at josie abugov@theadvocate.com.

“After aperiod of time,” he said, “everybody in all countries will figure it out.”

In the meantime, Kelly said, “It’sawaiting game.”

Kelly said he believes that some amountofimport dutiesonCarnival throws will remain in place for good, but he expects the extraordinarily high tariffs to eventually drop.

He saidhe’sasked hissuppliers in China to produce the throwsfor the 2026 Carnival and be ready to deliver, but to wait until the tariffs drop before shipping the merchandise. He can’t wait forever though. ForChinese throws to arrive before the parade season, merchandise must be shipped by early September

those benefits endwithretirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket can come as a shock,leading people to put off or even go without care

Simply put— without dentalinsurance, there may be an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’sright. As good as Medicare is, it wasnever meanttocovereverything. Thatmeans if you wantprotection,you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensive ones. The best waytopreventlarge dental bills is preventivecare. TheAmerican Dental Association recommends checkups twice ayear.

Previousdentalwork canwearout

Even if you’ve hadquality dental work in the past, you shouldn’t takeyourdental health forgranted. In fact,yourodds of having adental problem onlygoupas you age.2

Treatment

STAFF FILEPHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER

Shrimper Acy Coopersaid the industryhas been struggling for 20 years.

amonthlong trial that played out at acourthouse in Pointe álaHache. It pitted the PlaqueminesParish government, representedbylead attorney John Carmouche,ofBatonRouge-based law firm Talbot, Carmouche &Marcello, against oil giant Chevron, which was represented by ateam of lawyers led by Mike Phillips.

The lawsuit had been initially filed in 2013.

“I think this was agreat win for ourcommunity,” said Phil Cossich, an attorney on theteam that represented Plaquemines Parish. “It’sbeen along time coming. This could be agreat step in saving our coast.”

Chevron plans to appeal “to addressthe numerous legal errors that led to this unjust result,” Phillips, the firm’slawyer,said in astatement. “Chevron is notthe cause of the land loss occurringin Breton Sound.”

Jurors deliberated for about four hours before arrivingattheir decision. The damage award breaks down as $575 million for land loss, $161 million for pollution and $8.6 million for abandoned equipment, fora totalamountof$744.6million.

Plaquemines Parish hadasked the jury to award $2.6 billion

The full amount that Chevron mayeventuallyhave to pay,interestincluded, is around $1.2 billion, according to Carmouche’steam.

Chevron disputes that figure. Interest accrues from the date the case was filed.

‘Could be alifeline’

Plaquemines alleged that Texaco skirted state law by failingtoapply for coastal permits and not removing oil and gas infrastructure from its site when it stopped using an oil field in BretonSound.Itargued that massive coastal land lossand pollution canbedirectly linked to Texaco’soil and gas activity.

SCHOOLS

Continued from page1A

matter to court in 2010 and removal of the oversight would be “premature and improper.”

“Continued monitoring willprovide necessary oversightand supportso that students with disabilities can enjoy the same education as their peers,” Lauren Winkler,asenior staff attorney Southern Poverty Law Center,said in astatement.She added that the consent decree is “more than just alegal mandate, it is amoral, social and economic necessity that benefits the school community and thefuture of New Orleans.”

Aspokesperson for NOLA Public Schools did not respond to inquiries

Winkler said astatus hearing has been scheduled for June 23. In 2010, the familiesof 10 students with disabilities sued the state superintendent, state Department of Education and the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, claiming that the state did not ensure they received special education services

Chevron, which bought Texaco in 2001, said that the regulations in questionwent into effect in 1980 andwerenot intended to apply to oil and gas activity that began before that. The company doesn’t deny that land loss has occurred in theareaaroundthe site of theoil field,but maintainsthe oil and gas activity was not responsible for it.

The case has taken on outsized importance because it strikes at theheart of Louisiana’slandloss crisis. Whilethe levees holding theMississippi Riverinplace set the problem in motion, oil and gas activity has been amajor contributor due to the thousands of miles of canals cut through wetlands and becauseoffossilfuelextraction exacerbatinglandsubsidence.

As aresult of all those factors

and more, the state has lost around 2,000 squaremiles of land over the past century —about the size of Delaware. Sealevel rise is projected to greatly worsen theproblem in the decades ahead.

The state hasa 50-year Coastal Master Plan in place to salvage what it can, but it is facing severe money shortages in the near future.Ithas used billions in settlements andfines related tothe 2010 BP oilspill to pay for large-scale restoration work, but that money expires by 2032.

The Coalition to RestoreCoastal Louisiana, anonprofit that has been working to restore Louisiana’scoastfor decades,saidthat theverdict couldprovide muchneeded funding.

“Ourstate hasasophisticated,

science-based coastal master plan that will help us preserve our communities and culture, but we simply don’thavethe moneyto implement allthe projects,” said theorganization’scommunications director,James Karst. “This type of funding could be alifeline, helping us do the workthat will benefit everyone who depends on healthy wetlands.”

‘A chillingmessage’

That viewwas notsharedby Louisiana’spolitically powerful oil and business interests. The Louisiana Mid-Continent Oil and Gas Association’spresident, Tommy Faucheux, indicated that the verdict would chill economic activity and worsen the situation as aresult.

“Louisiana cannotprosperinits

current litigious climate, when misguided lawsuits can attack the industry that is our maineconomic driver,”hesaidinastatement.

“Today’sverdict sends amessage to therest of the world that Louisiana is not an attractive place for industry or new investments.”

The Louisiana Association of Business and Industry echoed that, noting that the state’soil and gas industry “supports more than 250,000 jobs and contributes billions of dollars annually to our state’seconomy,” the association’s president andCEO Will Green said in astatement. Theverdict, he added, “threatens those economic benefits but also sends achilling message to businessesacrossthe country about the risks of operating in Louisiana.”

The Pelican Institute,afreemarket think tank in NewOrleans, andGrowLouisiana,anorganization that advocates forthe energy industry in Louisiana, also issued statements saying that the verdict would cost the state jobs.

Carmouchesaidheplanned to charge ahead withthe otherlawsuits, saying thecompanies that helped damage the coast must be held responsible. His efforts followa long and politicallydivisive history of Louisiana debating if and how it should seek to force oil companies to pay forcoastal damage.

“This is just the first case in the fight to restore and renew Louisiana’scoastal and marsh areas,” he said in astatement after the verdict.

“There are 40 such cases, and our energy is focused on securing appropriate verdicts and awards for everyparish involved in these actions.Ifwecontinuetobesuccessful in our efforts, these parishes, andLouisiana,will have sent aclear message that Louisiana’s future must be built around anew balance between our energy industryand our environmental necessities.”

Email AlexLubben at alex. lubben@theadvocate.com.

from schools in New Orleans. Orleans Parish School Board joined the lawsuit in 2012. Theplaintiffs, represented bySouthern PovertyLaw Center, said that students with disabilities were denied admission to some schools because oftheirdisabilities, received punishments for behaviorsthatwere related to theirdisabilitiesand that the school district failed to ensure schoolsproperly evaluated students for disabilities, among other issues. They said theproblems were exacerbated in the years after Hurricane Katrina, when the city’s schools were split among the oversight of Recovery School District, Orleans Parish School Board and state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education In 2015, theparties agreed to settle. The school district wasplacedunder consent judgment and hiredanindependent monitor to ensure schools were complying with the rules. Zaineywrote they could bereleased from monitoring when they had “achieved substantial compliance.”

There were some bumps in the road, including the revelationin2019that the

monitor was initially assessing the incorrectschools. And, over the years, theparties have disagreed on what determines “substantial compliance.”

mentofEducation argued that the monitorshave found thestate and OrleansParish School Board to be in “substantialcompliance” since the2016-17 school year Winkler said families have

continued to complain about the same “systemic issues” that were the cause of the initial case in 2010, including being turned away from schoolsand off-the-books discipline.

“Families are frustrated,” she said. “They want the consent decree to remain in place, they don’tfeel like the state anddistrict have upheld their end of the bargain.”

In 2020, after theDepartment of Education andOrleans Parish School Board asked thecourttorelease them from the consent decree for thefirsttime, Zainey asked bothparties to work on aproposalfor how to moveforwardifoversight ended.

Winkler said the parties have worked on theproposal, but thatthe last contact the Southern Poverty Law Center had withthe school system was more than a year ago.

In thedecadesince the consent judgment, New Orleansfamilieshavereported issues with special education services.Last year the Center for Learner Equity, a national nonprofit thatpromotes high-quality special education, found that special education offerings vary widely across schools in New Orleans and that small charter-school operators especially struggle to provide afull range of specialized services.

In their February motion, the OrleansParish School Board and thestate Depart-

STAFFPHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Chevron attorneys walk past the Old Plaquemines Parish Courthouse in Pointe álaHache on Friday.

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of DennisTraceyLogan, please contactAttorney Rudy W. Gorrell@ 504-553-9588.

135240-Apr5-7,3t $85

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of SheldonClark please contact DavidJ.Motter, Atty.3500 N. Hullen Street,Metairie, LA 70002;504-3887005. 135366-Apr5-7,3t $97

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of Terrence TimothyHilliard,please call attorney RoyceDuplessisat504300-2680. 135387-4/5-6-7-3t $85.00

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of TheHeirs of Doloresand/or Armand F. Lagarde, Sr please contactDavid J. Motter, Atty.3500N HullenStreet,Metairie, LA 70002; 504-388-7005. 135338-Apr5-7,3t $109

erMiguelCruz ghtstandJeffe oolboxaircomp 135403-Apr5,1 $219.06

NOTICE IS HE 04/16/2025 ON UHAULWILL UNDERTHE JU BY PUBLIC THEHIGHE FOLLOWINGS WILL BE HELD CENTER 4449 ORLEANS, LA PURPOSEO LANDLORDSL OF STORAG CONSISTMAI ITEMS. TERM CASH.TENAN AREA AngelleWhiteR sACunitAndre okartkingbed B214airfryerp ckEvangeliaTo dressermiscb 135460-Apr5,1 $175.24

ar NOTICE IS HE 04/16/2025 ON UHAULWILL UNDERTHE JU BY PUBLIC HIGHESTBID STORAGEUNI HELD AT TU 2801 TULANE LA.FOR SATISFYING THECONTENT CONTENTS HOUSEHOLDI SALE WILL BE ANDROOM TerranceTisd nchingbagRob esbakersrack sonRM2613lea aircouchLolit chairsmiscme kinsRm2420t tomenSharonN llywalkertote tressbedfram gRM3019mat ebedframeEliz attressboxsp DickRm3413m mHumphreyR mpressorbak sawsBreeCau xspringminif 2bedframesma aYoungRM1903c creenTVRazo microwavevac

FranklintonRC, 1228 Taft Street,Franklinton,LA 70438, (985) 205-7256. BIDS SHALLBEACCEPTED ONLY FROM CONTRAC‐TORS THAT ATTEND THE ENTIRE MANDATORYPRE-

THEMANDATORY PRE-BIDCONFERENCE. AllBidsmustbeaccom‐panied by BidSecurity equalto five percent (5%) of theBaseBid and Additional BidItems (ABI)and must be in the form of acertified check, cashier’scheck or bid bond Bids shallbeaccepted from Contractorswho arelicensedunder LA R.S. 37:2150-2192 forthe classification of ME‐CHANICAL.Bidderisre‐quired to comply with

cordingtosaidplan,

andcreditors of the decedents herein,and of thisestate, be orderedto makeany opposition which they have or may havetosuchapplication, atany time,prior to the issuance of theorder or judgmentauthorizing approving andhomolo‐gatingsuchapplication and that such orderor judgmentmay be issued after theexpirationof seven (7)daysfromthe dateofthe last publica‐tionofsuchnotice, allin accordance with thelaw BY ORDEROFTHE COURT: DEPUTYCLERK Attorney:MarlinN Gusman Publication: TheNew Or‐leans

NewOrleans Forecast

Cantrell blasted over sex assault probe

Whistleblower’s

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

Two New Orleans City Council

members have asked the New Orleans Inspector General’s Office to investigate the city’s move to cut ties with a contracted worker who accused a city official of

contract ends after accusation

sexual assault City Council President JP Morrell and Vice President Helena Moreno this week asked Inspector General Ed Michel to examine “whether retaliation was a factor” in Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration’s decision to end its arrangement with contract worker

Mary Bonney, who assisted the City’s Office of Homeless Services and Strategy over the past year Bonney accused the city’s homeless services director, Nathaniel Fields, of forcibly kissing her one night while both were on the job. A city investigation found merit in her claim.

“I am livid with the retaliatory measures taken by the Cantrell administration against someone who had the courage to report such a bizarre unwanted encounter in the workplace,” Morrell said in a statement on Thursday

Changing perspectives

Citizens Training Academy offers community members up-close look at NOPD

BY MISSY WILKINSON Staff writer

A bank analyst, a bicycle advocate and a retired U.S. Army soldier were among 26 people who signed up for the latest session of the New Orleans Police Department’s Citizens Police Academy, which kicked off last month.

On March 26, the group converged on NOPD’s firing range on Gentilly Road to learn about deadly uses of force and split-second decisions — topics that appear ever more salient for a department that stands poised to exit court oversight after a dozen years under a federal consent decree.

The experience is never more visceral for the civilian student body than during the academy’s simulated shootout.

“It has changed some perspectives about split-second decision making and how it looks How it feels,” said Sgt. Shannon Brewer, who heads the civilian academy

The seven-week course gives community members an intimate view of

ä See PERSPECTIVES, page 2B

New Orleans man convicted of attempted manslaughter

NOPD officers shot at during standoff

BY JILLIAN KRAMER Staff writer

A jury on Thursday convicted a man of two counts of attempted manslaughter, finding that Michael Clark used a semi-automatic rifle to open fire on New Orleans police during a nearly seven-hour standoff in the Lower 9th Ward. No officers were injured in the Feb. 5, 2021, shooting, but

prosecutors argued this week in Orleans Parish Criminal District Court that Clark, 29, intended to kill when he fired his gun. The standoff started after Clark punched a neighbor in the face, then walked into his house to retrieve an AR-15, yelling, “You a b****. I’ll get you killed,” police reported. When officers arrived at the home in the 400 block of Tricou Street, Clark fired as he stood inside his doorway, prosecutors said. Police shot back, they said, but did not strike Clark. Prosecutors charged Clark

with two counts of attempted first-degree murder and six other felonies. In his closing arguments Thursday morning, defense attorney Ike Spears asked for lesser verdicts calling the bevy of felony charges a classic example of prosecutorial overreach. “Use your common sense and good judgment,” Spears told the jurors. Spears called 10 witnesses in the four-day trial, including several family members of Clark who testified to his character and implored the jury to show

mercy The jury returned the lesser verdicts of attempted manslaughter It found Clark guilty as charged on counts of discharging a firearm during a violent crime and resisting a police officer with force. The jury acquitted Clark of aggravated assault and possession of alprazolam. Assistant District Attorney Forrest Ladd argued that the case was cut-and-dry Even Clark’s mother, he said, testified

“It’s very problematic that after the public learned about the allegations of harassment in the recently published report, the Cantrell administration chose to respond by punishing the whistleblower hoping the story would go away.” City officials said Wednesday that they would not renew the month-to-month contract that

Tulane QB arrested in theft case

Attorneys say Finley a scam victim

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

Tulane University quarterback T.J. Finley has been suspended from the school’s football program after he was booked this week with possession of stolen property over $25,000, with his attorneys saying he was the victim of a social media scam. Court records show the case revolves around a Dodge Ram that was reported stolen in Atlanta. Finley 23 was apprehended Wednesday after a Tulane University Police Department officer was dispatched to the 6300 block of South Claiborne Avenue regarding a truck blocking a driveway according to court records.

The officer ran the truck’s license plate number, which matched the plate number registered to a different vehicle belonging to Finley according to court records.

A vehicle with the same vehicle identification number was reported stolen, according to court records, and the National Crime Information Center confirmed the Dodge Ram was reported stolen.

When Finley arrived to move the

ä See QB, page 3B

Metairie

man found guilty of murder

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

He grabbed beer after deadly beating Bartholomew

A Jefferson Parish jury deliberated for about two hours before convicting a Metairie man charged with the beating death of another man he believed had been spreading explicit rumors about his girlfriend, authorities said.

Wi nston Bartholomew, 62, was found guilty Wednesday of second-degree murder and obstruction of justice, court records said. Bartholomew had been accused of beating Gary Olver, 62, unconscious inside the victim’s Metairie apartment before having a beer at a nearby bar instead of calling for medical help, Jefferson Parish prosecutors said. Olver died two weeks later from

page 2B

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER

Natalie Juengling takes part in a virtual simulator exercise during the third day of the Citizens Police Academy at the Municipal Training Academy in New Orleans on Wednesday.

ä See PROBE, page 2B

New Orleans Police Department Sgt. Daniel Bagneris and Officer Gray show Harold John the movements required to release a gun from the holster during the third day of the Citizens Police Academy at the Municipal Training Academy in New Orleans on Wednesday.

Seven to be inducted into La. Political Hall of Fame

List includes Marion Edwards, Marsha Shuler, Don Burkett

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

Marion Edwards was a selfdescribed “nerd” in high school in Monroe, expecting to become a scientist, but instead he graduated from Loyola Law School and served as a prosecutor, judge and council member for over 50 years in Jefferson Parish.

The journalism bug bit Marsha Shuler in high school, and she went on to cover Louisiana politics for 45 years.

Don Burkett dreamed of becoming an American diplomat, but following a conversation with a former governor, he went to LSU law school and has become the longest-serving district attorney in the state’s history in Sabine Parish Edwards, Shuler and Burkett will be inducted into the Louisiana Political Hall of Fame on Saturday, joined by four others:

n Jim Harris, a longtime lobbyist for business interests who served as a press aide to then-Gov Edwin Edwards. He died in 2023.

n Charles Weems, an attorney in Alexandria who served nearly 20 years on the LSU Board of Supervisors and was instrumental in establishing LSU’s four-year university in Alexandria.

n Max Kelley, who served as Winnfield’s mayor in the 1980s. He died in 1994.

n Carolyn Phillips, the former director of the Political Hall of Fame The hall of fame, based in Win-

PROBE

Continued from page 1B

Civix had been operating on with the homeless services office after its original contract expired in December because “the work (is) now complete.” Bonney a contracted homeless outreach worker, complained about Fields in January Officials added on Friday that they had always planned to hire permanent case managers for the city’s homeless services department in April, which is why their

GUILTY

Continued from page 1B

his injuries, which included brain bleeds, broken ribs and injuries to his carotid artery, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

“Nobody deserves the ending he had. That was horrible,” Olver’s sister, Louise Wasko, 69, said Loud confrontation

Concerned neighbors found Olver unresponsive and bleeding on the floor of his second-floor apartment in the 2700 block of Mississippi Street on the evening of May 14, 2024. Olver was taken to University Medical Center in New Orleans in critical condition but never regained consciousness, according to authorities. He died on May 28, 2024. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office detectives began investigating the assault before Olver’s death. They spoke with one of the victim’s neighbors who saw Bartholomew, accompanied by a woman, force his way into Olver’s apartment on the day of the beating, according to authorities.

nfield, home to Huey and Earl Long, now numbers 250 with the latest inductees, said Randy Haynie, a Baton Rouge lobbyist who chairs the board. The latest group was chosen by a panel that includes John Georges, owner of The Times-Picayune | The Advocate.

This year’s ceremony will take place in Winnfield, north of Alexandria.

It was at Northeast Louisiana University in Monroe (now the University of Louisiana at Monroe) where Edwards decided to forgo studying chemistry and physics.

“I didn’t enjoy the labs,” Edwards said in a recent interview Looking for a different path, he left Northeast for Tulane and then decided to enroll at Loyola Law School.

“I read a lot about lawyers and the law, and that intrigued me,” Edwards recalled. “I guess I was just sort of pulled in that direction.”

He met another law student on his first day at Loyola, and that would change his life. The other student was Harry Lee, who, as they neared graduation, asked Edwards to remain in New Orleans and become his law partner

By then, the two had established a deep bond. Edwards had convinced Lee, plagued by bad grades, not to drop out of law school and

had tutored Lee before his exams to make him a better student. In 1979, Lee was elected sheriff in Jefferson Parish and became a dominant physical and political presence.

By then, Edwards was working for another powerful Jefferson Parish politician, District Attorney John Mamoulides. Edwards became the top assistant and was positioned to run to replace Mamoulides when the district attorney retired.

But Edwards decided in 1996 to run to be a trial judge in Jefferson Parish because he wanted to institute a drug court and show reluctant judges that specialized courts that offer treatment to defendants are a better alternative than simply locking them up.

Edwards kept up his drug court work after moving up to be an appeals court judge in Jefferson Parish in 1998. Defendants who have gone through drug courts, he said, are less likely to commit crimes and return to prison.

Edwards finished his career by winning election to the Jefferson Parish Council in 2019 and winning reelection four years later But he stepped down from his post in 2024, tired of the acrimony that developed between two warring colleagues.

“It’s hard for me to work like that,” Edwards said.

Lawrence Chehardy, who served as assessor of Jefferson Parish while Edwards held his powerful positions, said Edwards succeeded because he was open-minded and willing to exchange opinions with others.

“He’s always been even-tempered, smart and a gentleman,” Chehardy said.

Shuler grew up in Shreveport and spent the first decade of her career as a reporter for the Shreveport Times, covering city hall, local politics and the Legislature when it was in session.

She liked the work in Baton Rouge so much that in 1980, she moved to the Capitol Bureau of the Morning Advocate and its afternoon newspaper, the State Times.

Before leaving the paper in 2015, Shuler covered seven governors and hundreds of state legislators and wrote tens of thousands of articles chronicling the daily events in Louisiana’s capital.

“I can string together a long list of adjectives to describe ‘Marsha the Journalist’ smart, accurate, fair, well-informed, well-prepared, trusted, courteous, assertive, dogged, etc, etc.,” said Linda Lightfoot, a former executive editor of The Advocate who worked with Shuler for more than 20 years.

Shuler focused on what the politicians said and did, not wanting to delve into their personalities or

why they did things.

“I liked to put out the facts, pro and con, and let my readers make a decision on how they feel about it,” Shuler said.

After leaving The Advocate, Shuler spent eight years as a senior adviser to then-Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne while John Bel Edwards was governor She edited documents, did research and wrote policy papers.

Shuler has kept her hand in events at the Capitol by continuing to work with journalists who put together the annual Gridiron Show They devise skits that spoof the state’s politicians.

Burkett planned to work as a fingerprint clerk in Washington and attend American University’s law school at night when in 1974, he called on former Gov. John McKeithen to ask for his advice.

“Go to LSU, son,” McKeithen told him.

Burkett graduated from LSU’s law school, became an attorney in Many and seven years later, in 1984, challenged the incumbent district attorney Burkett won and hasn’t faced an opponent since then. His 41 years in office are more than any other district attorney in history, he said.

“A hands-on prosecutor, Don personally tried nearly 50 murder cases and helped secure a state-ofthe-art crime lab in Shreveport to enhance regional forensic capabilities,” his bio states.

Burkett reflected on the unexpected path his career took.

“I guess God has different plans for us than we have for ourselves,” he said. “It’s all worked out.”

Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.

arrangement with Civix is due to end on April 30. Civix and Michel did not answer questions. Morrell and Moreno’s letter to Michel expands on their February request for him to investigate the city’s handling of Bonney’s complaint, “to ensure strict adherence to codified procedures.” That request came after Bonney alleged that Fields may have been involved in her interview with the city’s Employee Relations Divi-

by a thud and silence. The neighbor then saw Bartholomew leave Olver’s place, authorities said. Three scuffles

Bartholomew admitted going to Olver’s apartment to confront the victim about sexually explicit rumors Olver had allegedly spread about his girlfriend, according to authorities.

He described a series of three fights inside the apartment during which Bartholomew claimed that Olver had sometimes been the aggressor, according to authorities.

But Bartholomew admitted that the last of those scuffles ended with him punching Olver unconscious, authorities said. Bartholomew told detectives he threw a glass of water on Olver and used some towels to clean up the blood, according to the Sheriff’s Office.

Instead of dialing 911 to seek help for the still unconscious Olver, Bartholomew walked to a bar downstairs in the apartment building and ordered a beer, authorities said. Bartholomew told investigators he returned to Olver’s apartment after finishing the drink but left again after seeing that the victim was still out cold, authorities said.

sion as she was filing her complaint against him. That would violate a city policy that interviews with the involved parties be conducted separately

In an interview Thursday, Bonney said Fields told her earlier this year that he planned to extend her contract through 2026. The city said Friday that it has an overarching arrangement with Civix for contract workers across multiple city departments that runs through

next year “Do I feel it’s retaliatory? Yes,” said Bonney “None of this, I think, has been handled correctly or fairly I held onto hope that I would get my position back because I love my job, so I was a little heartbroken to see that that was completely not an option anymore,” Bonney said. According to the letter the city sent Bonney, the “appointing authority” — Cantrell appointed Fields — will “make a determination regarding the appropriate resolution” to Bonney’s complaint, “including possible disciplinary action.”

Rules adopted by the City Council in 2018 prohibit sexual harassment and establish a process for reporting, investigation and discipline. If the investigation confirms that harassment took place, disciplinary action against the harasser may include “suspension, demotion, and where circumstances warrant, termination.”

As of Friday, Fields’ LinkedIn page and the city’s website still listed him as the head of Cantrell’s homeless services office.

Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@theadvocate. com.

The neighbor described hearing an argument followed by the sounds of a brawl through the wall, the Sheriff’s Office said The neighbor heard a woman yell, “Stop it. You’re going to kill him,” authorities said. The woman left, and the neighbor heard more sounds of scuffling followed

He still didn’t dial 911 but did phone another of Olver’s neighbors and told them to check up on the victim, according to authorities

Bartholomew now faces a mandatory sentence of life in prison for the murder conviction. Sentencing is set for April 9.

Good heart

Olver was from Lewiston, N.Y., just north of Niagara Falls. The youngest of six siblings, he grew up hunting and fishing.

After graduating from high school and attending community college, Olver moved around, living in Chicago and later Florida, working as a handyman with another sister Olver, who was divorced, moved to Metairie about 13 years ago and was self-employed doing home repair work, according to Wasko.

“He was a kind of jack of all trades,” she said.

Olver loved to cook and would often share his dishes with neighbors at the apartment complex He was well-loved for his deepfried turkeys at Thanksgiving and Christmas, she said.

“He had a good heart. He really did,” Wasko said.

Olver’s relatives didn’t learn he had been injured until five days after the assault. Wasko said her brother didn’t have an offensive mark on him, no bruises to his knuckles or the like. She didn’t believe Bartholomew’s claims that her brother had been the aggressor

“I’m positive Gary was not the first one to throw a blow That wasn’t his nature,” she said.

Wako was shocked and angered that Bartholomew got himself a drink instead of calling authorities to help her brother

“To me, that shows exactly what kind of person he is,” Wasko said.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com

CONVICTED

Continued from page 1B

that Clark had fired upon the police officers.

Ladd, who prosecuted the case with Assistant District Attorney Carlos Torres, urged the jury not to be swayed by “promises and pleas for mercy from (Clark’s) family.”

Ladd pointed to video footage that showed Clark had aimed at the officers and, at one point, took a combat stance as he fired from his doorway Clark faces 20 years in prison at an upcoming sentencing hearing.

Judge Kimya Holmes set his appeal bail at $275,000. Prosecutors had asked for $33 million. Separately on Thursday a man charged with killing a woman nearly three years ago at the abandoned naval base in the Bywater pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice. Judge Marcus Delarge sentenced 27-year-old Bradley Bingham to three years in prison under a plea agreement between prosecutors and defense attorney Michael Kennedy Bingham had been charged with manslaughter in the April 22, 2022, death of Kelly Bennett, 34.

PERSPECTIVES

Continued from page 1B

policing. Visits include the NOPD training academy, the 911 call center, police horse stables, the department’s crime lab and the Real-Time Crime Center Natalie Juengling, an analyst for Hancock Whitney Bank, is a bit of a junkie, having attended citizens academies for the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, Kenner Police Department and the FBI. Juengling said she’s driven to be a better citizen.

Retired after 32 years in the Army, Derrick Spears said he was interested in a “behind the scenes” look at the NOPD.

Allene La Spina, executive director of Bike Easy, said she uses the class to bolster the relationship between police and her nonprofit, which works to make cycling safe and accessible.

“It gives me tools to be a better advocate, and to see how we can work together more,” La Spina said.

“Because then I have a better understanding of how they’re educating their officers.”

Eye-opening simulations

At the shooting range, attendees learned to holster firearms, and they peppered officers with questions, such as “What makes special victims special?” or “What part of the body are officers trained to target?”

“We only fire the weapon as a last resort,” firearms instructor Michael Dimarco told the group as members passed around a hefty training gun.

Steve Fox, instructor for tactical police driving, provides information about what a New Orleans police officer can and cannot do during the Citizens Police Academy at the Municipal Training Academy in New Orleans on Wednesday.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

“You’ve got to aim for center mass.”

The attendee who asked about target areas said she wondered after seeing footage of deadly police uses of force — including the killing of 12-year-old Tamir Rice by a Cleveland officer in 2014 as he played with a pellet gun.

“I always think, ‘Why don’t you shoot them in a body part where it’s not so deadly?’” the attendee said.

An answer came during a simulation in which she responded to a report of a man rifling through a truck with a smashed-out window. She told the man to drop his hammer and step away from the vehicle. He said he would retrieve his papers from the truck, but instead he pulled out a gun.

“I tried to give him the benefit of the doubt,” the attendee said afterward. “And then I ended up being murdered.”

Brewer said those kinds of eyeopening moments motivated her to relaunch the Citizens Academy in early 2022 after a pause during the pandemic. There are currently two classes per year that typically attract 30 to 35 applicants each.

“It’s important for the community to hear about us directly about the work,” she said.

“It really builds trust, and that radiates out in a lot of different ways.”

Edwards Harris Kelley Phillips Shuler Burkett Weems

Morrell Moreno

Olver

ICEagentsarrest73-year-old grandfatherinLafayette

He fled Cuba andlived in U.S. for45years

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Forty-five yearsago, Jose Francisco Garcia Rodriguez fled Cuba on aship provided by the United States forpeople seeking refuge from the Cuban government.

While on his way to work on Monday,the 73-year-old grandfather was picked up by Immigration and CustomsEnforcement agents near his Lafayette home. He is being held in an ICE processing center in Pine Prairie, avillage in rural Evangeline Parish.

One of Rodriguez’sstepsons posted Monday on Facebook that his father had been taken by ICE agents at aCircle Kat the corner of Johnston Street and Guilbeau Road.

The family was quiet on the details until Thursday evening when Rodriguez’s stepdaughter,Christian Cooper Riggs of Lafayette, postedavideoonsocialmedia telling the story of her father’slife and asking for help.

Rodriguez arrived in the U.S. with just the clothes on his back, Riggs said, with no education and unable to speak English. He struggled and made mistakes, paid for them, and for the next 43 years lived agood life, raising afamily

andworking hard labor for 40-60 hours aweek,paying taxesand paying into Social Security,whichhenever used.

She did not elaborate on what kind of trouble hegot into all those years ago.

Three weeks ago, with ICEagents detaining immigrants elsewhere under PresidentDonald Trump’s policies, Rodrigueztold Riggs he was afraid ICE would pick him up and deport him.

“I said ‘No, Papa. They’re not coming for you,’”she recalled. “’They want bad guys and you’re nota bad guy.’”

Because of his earlier troubles, Rodriguez wasn’t able to become an official citizen, despite 10 years of trying, shesaid

“Wethought once he paid histime, once he did everythingthat theauthorities asked him to do, that was it,” Riggs said. “Nobody told us he had been puton aremoval list.”

Garcia was told byofficialsand lawyersthree years ago, shesaid,that it would bebetter to stop trying, to lay low and continue to work

“I understand that we have an immigration problem. Ido,” Riggs said.“Iunderstandthatour country cannot harbor every single person that crosses its borders. Iunderstand that there are really bad people that we have to find.

But startingwith a 73-year-old grandfather who has aheart condition

andwho is the primary caretaker of his wife with dementiaisnot thesolution,she said.

“It is aproblemthathas to be fixed withasurgeon’s blade. Not amachete.”

Riggs asked thepublic to contact their elected officials to ask for their help in freeing Rodriguez. And she asked for prayers.

ICE agents have reportedly been seen elsewhere in Lafayette this week.

TiffanyDeLeon Steward of Lafayette, said she saw a man in an SUV with Federal Enforcement written on it sitting in her Oakbourne neighborhood Monday watching Hispanic workersastheyput anew roof on ahouse.

Others reported on social media that they’ve seen ICEagentsinshopping centersand at astorespecializing in Hispanic food.

Trumppromised to crack down on illegal immigration,focusing on those whocommitted violent crimes.Since being sworn intooffice, he hasfollowed through on that promise in sweeping measures that include arresting, detaining anddeporting hundreds, even those who arenot accused or convicted of violent crimes.

Arecently released poll suggests thatabout half of U.S. adults approve of Trump’sapproach to immigration.

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate. com.

cy,including information on disciplinary proceedings

truck, he told policehe’d recently purchasedthe vehicle in Atlanta, according to court records. Finley,whose full name is Tyler Jamal Finley,made an initialappearance in Orleans Parish Magistrate Court on Wednesday and has been scheduled for a hearing June 1, according to court records. He was released on his own recognizance,according to court records. Tulane University officials confirmed Finley’s suspension on Thursday butwould not disclose additional informationon the allegations because of federal laws on student priva-

Attorneysspeak out David Courcelleand ScottStansbury, attorneys for Finley,said ina statement Thursday that Finley thought the sale was bythe books andwound up being the victim of aFacebook Marketplace scam Theattorneys said the football star purchased the truck outright and was presented with what he thought wasa clean bill of sale and registration, “giving TJ every reason to believe thepurchase was legitimate.” Finley claims he purchased thetruck from aman who called himself John Spillway of Mountain Adventures LLC. “TJ looks forward to

continuing to cooperate fully with the authorities in hopes of recovering the funds he lost,bringing the criminal(s) to justice, and clearing his name and reputation,” Courcelle and Stansbury said in arelease.

APonchatoula High School graduate, Finley previouslyplayed football for LSU, Auburn University, Texas StateUniversityand Western Kentucky University before transferring to Tulane in December 2024. The New Orleans Police Department said an investigation is ongoing.

Guerry Smith and Justin Mitchell contributed reporting to this story Email Marco Cartolano at Marco.Cartolano@ theadvocate.com.

Blanchard, Carmen Buring, Martin CrewsJr.,Louis Gibbons,Norma Hampton,Augustine HarrisSr.,John Meyers,Lorraine Parrott, Zachary Rabig, Harley Savage,Elaine Valenziano, Kathleen Williams,Angel EJefferson Garden of Memories

Gibbons,Norma NewOrleans

Charbonnet

Hampton,Augustine

Lake Lawn Metairie

Buring, Martin

St Tammany

EJ Fielding

Meyers,Lorraine West Bank

DavisMortuary

Savage,Elaine

Martin Stephen Buring was adevotedfather to Jonathan,Falyn, and Lance Buring.Hewas the beloved sonofJake and Margaret Buring,a loving husband, and acherished brother to Lynda Mahana (Steve),Sandra Pulitzer (Arthur), and Joseph Buring Martin lived life to the fullest, always on his own terms. He neverconcerned himself with consequences—what mattered most to him was the happiness and well-being of those he loved. Hisfamily was his world,and he found joyinseeing them smile. He graduatedfrom Echole Classique High School and laterattended Bryant &Stratton.A driven and passionate individual, Martin became asuccessful business owner,pouring his energy into everything he pursued. Those who knew Martin will rememberhim forhis bold spirit, his unwavering love forhis family, and his dedicationtoliving authentically. He leaves behind alegacyoflove, laughter,and unforgettable memories.

Mothe Crews Jr., Louis Sherwood 'Woody'

Rabig, Harley Robinson FH HarrisSr.,John Williams,Angel Obituaries

Blanchard,Carmen Rodrigue

CarmenRodrigue Blanchard, 84,residentof New Albany, Mississippi passedaway peacefully Monday,March 31,2025, at New Albany Health and Rehab.

(Class of 1980), Woody forgedlifelong bondsand earned his reputationasa vibrant and respected presenceinthe community. Hispassion forhunting and fishing naturally led him to dedicate his free time to conservation projects, serving on the boardofCoalitionto Restore Coastal Louisiana (CRCL) since1998. Woody was awardedthe CRCL's Lifetime Achievement Award forCoastal Stewardship in 2019. Eveningsathis beloved TallyHoClubwerewhere Woody's spirit truly shined— surrounded by good friends, swapping greatstories,and filling the normally quietbayou with laughter Acelebration of Woody's life will be held on Friday, April11from2 to 5 pm at The LakehouseNew Orleans. Family and friends will come togethertoreminisce, raise aglass,and honora man who was larger than life.Casual attire is encouraged

BornJuly9,1940, in Harvey, Louisiana, Mrs. Blanchard was thedaughter of the late Wilva and CarmenFaucheux Rodrigue. Agraduate of West Jefferson High School in Louisiana, shewas employed as acourt clerk for Jefferson Parish until her retirement, after which time, shewas an auxiliary volunteeratWest Jefferson Medical Center for twenty years. On January16, 1960,she married herbeloved husband, Gale,where together they raised three children and built alifewithone another. Later in life,theymoved to New Albany,Mississippi where shebecame amember of St.Francis Catholic Church and amember of theNew Albany senior program. Mrs. Blanchard'sservice willbeheldatMothe'sfuneralhomeinHarvey, LA Dateand time have not been determinedasofyet butmoreinformation to follow. Stillthe family ask that you continue to share thestories made with such asweet lady. They find comfort knowing that she is peacefullyresting,as hermemory lives on in the laughter sheshared, the loveshe gave,and the countlesslives she touched Memories willbecherishedbyher husband, Gale, two daughters, Donna Fasullo (Tony)of Marrero,Louisiana, Eydie Pullman (James) of New Albany, Mississippi and one son, Davin Blanchard of Marrero,Louisiana, two brothers, Weldon and Raymond Rodrigue, eleven grandchildrenand seventeengreat-grandchildren Sheisalsoprecededin death by herparents

LouisSherwood "Woody" Crews Jr anative New Orleanianand avid sportsman, passed away peacefullyathis home on March 25, 2025, at the ageof66. Woody, son of the late LouisSherwood Crews Sr. and Joyce Lafaye Crews,issurvived by his wife Barbee Magruder Crews;three children Louis Sherwood "Chip" Crews III (Shannon), Stephen Paul Crews (Kirsten), Kaylyn Crews Burmaster(Adam); four grandchildren Collin Crews,CatherineCrews, Alexander"Alex" Burmaster, and Elizabeth "Ellie" Burmaster; his siblingsCatherine Crews Courtney(Cory), Lynn Crews Solorio (Rudy), Beverly Crews McQuaid, and John E. Crews (Marie); many adorednieces and nephews; and his cherished cousins. Woodywas most at home in aduckblind at sunrise or at the endofa dock -rod in onehand, whiskey in the other. He had atalent forturning any hunting or fishing trip into alegendary story. And if youwerelucky enough to hear one, you'dswear youwereright there with him. He loveda good joke astrong drink, and giving the people he caredabout ahard time.Beneath the jokeswas aman who loveddeeply, always showing up forfamily and friends whenitmattered most.

Aproud member of the AlphaTau Omegafraternity at Tulane University

NormaChandlerGib‐bons of NewOrleans passedawaypeacefully on March23, 2025 at theage of 94. Shewas born on Sep‐tember 19, 1930 in Blue‐field, WV,where shegradu‐ated from Beaver High School andBluefieldCol‐lege.She obtained herB.S in Psychology from Car‐son-Newman Collegeand attended Mather School of Nursingwhere shewas crownedMissSouthern BaptistHospital, Classof 1956. Shewentontojoin thestaff of Dr.Simon Ward's OB/GYN practice Whileinnurses’ training shetook a flight from New OrleanstoTampa fora much-needed holiday. Normasaidshe chosethe open seat next to "the man wholooked harmless,”and thus mether future hus‐band.She andAshby T. Gibbons, Jr.weremarried in 1958, andwelcomed threechildrenwhile living in Metairie,LAand Mt Prospect,IL.Theywere married19years until his earlydeath.Norma spent many mid-lifeyears in Roanoke, VA whereshe worked as thenurse at Blue RidgeBehavioral Health Children’s Center in Salem, served as adeacon at CalvaryBaptist Church, andvolunteered hertime in prison ministry.She re‐turned to NewOrleans in 2001 notlongafter the birthofher favorite grand‐daughter.Theybonded over theirloveofreading, shared tastefor pimento cheesesandwiches, and theexperienceoftheir evacuation to Nashville, TN duetoHurricane Katrina. Normawas along-time member andelder at Metairie RidgePresbyter‐ianChurch,and sheen‐joyedsinging alto in the choir. Shewas apoetry loverand writer,a woman of deep faith with akeen senseofhumor,and she made themostdelicious fudge. Normawas always loyaltoher NewOrleans Pelicans andwillforever be former NewOrleans Saints'playerMarques Colston'sbiggest fan.In addition to herhusband shewas preceded in death by herparents HelenB Chandler andRobertW Chandler,sisterFrances C. Long,brother-in-lawAllen Long,and son-in-law Jack Boston.She is survived by herson AshbyTrice Gib‐bons,III; herdaughters Margaret GibbonsBoston andMaryLee GibbonsJa‐cobs;sons-in-law DavidJa‐cobs andPaulShaw; her granddaughterAshby

Gibbons,Norma Chandler

4B ✦ Saturday,April 5, 2025 ✦ nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune Chandler Glover;nephews David Long (Lynn) and Allen Long (Beth); and manyextendedfamily members andfriends.The familywould like to thank Heather,Crystal,Sonny and Levi with Compassus NorthshoreHospice for their loving care andcoun‐sel.A privateinterment willbeheldatGardenof Memories, Metairie,witha memorialservice being plannedatMetairieRidge Presbyterianfor adateto beannounced.The family requeststhatany memor‐ial giftsbemadeto MetairieRidge Presbyter‐ian Church at 215Phosphor Ave,Metairie, LA 70005 or the charityofyourchoice.

AugustineCatherine Hampton,"Moma Aug", age 78, wascalledhometo bewithher personal savior onWednesday,March 19, 2025 at herhome. Augus‐tinewas born in Indepen‐dence,LAtothe late Lee and JuliaHamptononAu‐gust18, 1946. Sheretired fromthe OrleansParish SchoolBoard andleavesto mourn herpassing,two daughters,TiffanyLewis and ChavontaaMurrayBatiste;grandchildren TiffanyDavis,Charlea and Charlaa Davalieand James Batiste,Jr; five stepdaugh‐ters, threestepsons, two Godchildren,a host of step grandchildren,nieces, nephews,other familyand friends.A CelebrationSer‐vicehonoringthe life and legacyofthe late Augus‐tineC.Hamptonwillbe heldinthe Chapel of Char‐bonnetLabat GlapionFu‐neral Home,1615 St.Philip Street,New Orleans, LA 70116 on Saturday,April 5, 2025 at 10 am.Interment Mount Olivet Cemetery 4000 Norman MayerAv‐enue, NewOrleans,LA 70122. Visitation 9amin the chapel.Pleasesignon‐lineguestbook at www.cha rbonnetfuneralhome.com. Charbonnet LabatGlapion Directors (504) 581-4411.

HarrisSr.,JohnE

With profound sadness and hearts full of love,we announcethe passingof JohnE.HarrisSr.,who de‐partedthislife, leavingbe‐hinda legacy of love, strength, andunwavering devotiontohis family. John was born on February 15 1943, in Copiah County, Mississippi,toCeasarHar‐ris andMaryJane(Green) Harris. From ayoung age, faith washis guidinglight and he embraced it whole‐heartedly as amemberof Morning Star Baptist Church in Utica, Missis‐sippi.HeattendedHines CountyPublicSchool where he laid thefounda‐tionfor aliferooted in hardwork, integrity, and familyvalues. Affection‐ately knownas"43,"John was aman of quiet strength, deep wisdom and aheart as vast as the Mississippi skies. He found joy in life's simplest plea‐sures-huntinginthe great outdoors, castinga line while fishing, andthe free‐dom of theopenroadinhis beloved dump trucks.But above all, hisgreatesthap‐pinesscamefromthe love ofhis family,whom he cherished beyond mea‐sure. John leaves behind a legacythatwillcontinue to flourish in theheartsof those he loved. He is sur‐vived by hisdevoted wife NicolePerkins Harris,and his belovedchildren: John Christopher Harris (San‐dra), Lasharne Harris,John EdwardHarrisJr.,Alissa Perkins,JohnPerkins Stevens (Leroy), andKylyn Perkins.Hewas aproud grandfather to Jayaun Har‐ris,BriaBass, Jordan Har‐ris,Jason Harris,Jasmine Harris, Justin Harris,Ken‐trell Perkins, Kaylyn Perkins,KyileePerkins, AnijahPerkins,and Aur'jin Perkins, anda cherished

great-grandfather to Jay HarrisJr.,HarmoneeHar‐ris,ZaidenMalcolm,Jason HarrisJr.,CarterScott,and Christiyaun Craig. John's loveextendedbeyondhis immediatefamily. He is lovinglyrememberedby his mother-in-law, Nedra Ann Sheridan,father-inlaw,David MichaelPerkins (Olanda), sisters-in-law, Mamie Curtis Harris,Mary Harris, EnaSheridan, Anjel‐ica Sheridan (EJ),and brothers-in-law,Leon SheridanJr. (Brittny) and BarronSheridan(Angel) Healsoleavesbehind manyspecial nieces nephews,cousins,and dearfriends from Jackson, Mississippi, Marrero, Louisiana,and Toledo Ohio, allofwhomhelda special placeinhis heart. Heisnow reunitedineter‐nal peacewiththose who precededhim in death: his lovingparents,CeasarHar‐ris andMaryJane(Green) Harris; hisbrothers, Luther Harris, RJ Harris,Andrew Harris, andAmosHarris; his sisters, DellaMae Har‐ris,PearlineHarris, Ruth Harris, andKatie Bell Har‐ris;his dear grandchild, JohnEdwardHarrisIII (Studa);and hissister-inlaw,LulaHarris. John'sun‐waveringloveand kind‐nesswillforever be aguid‐ing lightfor thegenera‐tions he helped shape. Thoughheisnolongerby our side,his spirit will live oninevery cherished memory, everystory told, and everylifehetouched Aswesay goodbye, we takecomfort in knowing thatJohn'sjourney does not endhere. Hisloveen‐dures,his presence lingers inour hearts,and his legacywillnever fade.Rest ineternal peace, John. You are deeply lovedand will beforever missed.Rela‐tives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the celebrationoflifeser‐vicewhich will be held on Saturday, April5,2025 at Robinson Family Funeral Home, 9611 LA -23, Belle Chasse,LA70037. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 9a.m., and theservice will begin at10a.m.Interment will be private.Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome(504) 208 -2119. Foronlinecon‐dolencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

Meyers,Lorraine Holleman

At 99 yearsyoung,Lor‐raine Holleman Meyers who hadeffortlesslydis‐playedand selflessly gracedher familyand friends with amplelove, gentleness, beauty,and dignity to last theirlife‐times,leftthisworld on March 19,2025, to be with her Lord Jesuswhere that Grace,Love, Gentleness, Beauty, andDignity is in abundantsupply. Lorraine was born on September9 1925, in New OrleanstoAl‐bertElliott Holleman and Agnes Montfort Blackman Holleman. Aftergraduating fromMamaroneckHigh School in Mamaroneck,NY, and while attendingL.S.U Lorrainemet ayoung Ma‐rinewho wasstudyingat the L.S.U LawCenterafter serving in thePacificin WWII, Bill Meyers.The cou‐ple wasmarried in 1948 while Bill wasinhis senior year. Family legend hasit thatBill’seagerness to marry Lorraine wasdue,in part, to theprospectofre‐ceiving an additional $32 per monthfor marriedvet‐erans attendingschool on the GI bill.Sucha legend is unfounded because, in re‐ality,Billwas smart enoughtorealize whata prize he hadinthe beauti‐ful Lorraine,and if thereis one attributethatMeyers men have,itisthattheyal‐waysmarry up with Bill being theprime example. Lorrainewas theperfect complementtoBill, and the twoserved as wonder‐ful examples fortheir chil‐drenand grandchildren. All six of herchildrenplayed tournament tennis,and she regularlyand without complaint,drove herkids and otherbudding young New Orleanstennisplayers around thecountry to compete in variousre‐gionaland national junior contests. Accordingly, she alsoservedastheir main supporter andconsoler-inchief.Despite having no tennisexperience, shenev‐ertheless proceededtodu‐tifully dischargeher re‐sponsibilitiesbymaking sureall children brought theirsweatbandstothe

matchesand reminding themto“keep your eyeon the ball.”After enduring the travails of watching hundredsofjuniorand col‐legiate tennis matches overmanyyears,she fi‐nally picked up tennis her‐selfinher 50s andenjoyed itimmensely. Shealsorec‐ognized earlyonthe futil‐ity of keepingthe dirt from the clay courts at theNew Orleans Lawn Tennis Club frombeing trackedintoher homebynot only herkids, but by theincessant pa‐radeofother out-of-town tennisaspirants being temporarily “housed” at the JeffersonAvenue home, nottomention the constantupkeep necessi‐tated by thefamily’s beloved slobbering English Bulldogs.Lorrainewas a gourmet cook,and Bill and the sixchildrenwerethe beneficiariesofthistalent for everymeal, sevendays a week,including theLSU football tailgating feasts she faithfullyprepared. She wasalsoanextraordi‐naryhostess whether the event wasa formal affair for friendsorfor agaggle ofjuniortennisplayers She made sure theMeyers house wasa Home and thatall were welcome. The Homeshe createdwas filled with laughter,lotsof horseplay,and rambunc‐tiousness. Sheloved her husband andchildren’s easyhumor.She wasable toenjoy herchildren’sin‐ternecine banter until the veryend.She waserudite and avoracious reader and could more than hold her own againstthe many lawyers in herfamily. She greatly encouraged each of her children in theirmany endeavors andvarious ca‐reersinmedicine, thelaw and artand design.Lor‐raine wasa member of the Orleans Club,the Junior LeagueofNew Orleans, the New OrleansLawnTennis Club, andservedasa memberofthe boardof the OdysseyHouse and The NewOrleans Food Bank. AfterBillpassed awayin2013, Lorraine resided at Christwood in Covington,La. andspent several wonderfulyears there where shecultivated numerousand blessed friendships with theresi‐dents andstaff. We would liketothank thestaff at Christwood andher "spe‐cial” companions,Anieth and Leona(her‘bebe’) as wellasher Visiting Angels, especiallySonia andDe‐lanie.And to Emily, herAs‐sistedLivingNurse who was an especially attentive and caring friend and healer. Sheissurvivedby her sixchildren, andtheir spouses andchildren: Dr WilliamM.Meyers, Jr.and his wife,Melissa DayMey‐ers,ofNew Orleans; Meg MeyersSmith,her hus‐band, Michael, of Wimber‐ley,Texas,and theirchil‐dren, Taylor andWalker; MarkB.Meyersand his wife, SusanHopkins Mey‐ers,ofHouston,and their children, Brent, Holly, and Anna;AndrewH.Meyers, and hiswife, Erin McKay Meyers, of Lafayette,and their children,Kathleen Andrew, Jr., William, and Matthew;MaryMeyers Howardand herhusband Michael,ofBrooklyn, NY, and theirdaughter, Mimi; and John CullenMeyers, and hiswife, SusanWorrel Meyers, of Covington, and their daughter,Emily.She isalsosurvivedbynine‐teen greatgrandchildren aswellasnumerous niecesand nephewswhom she lovedverymuch. A Memorialservice will be heldonApril 12, 2025, 2-4 pminthe Garden Room at Christwood Retirement Community,100 Christ‐wood Blvd Covington, La In lieu of flowers, adona‐tionmay be made in mem‐ory of Lorraine Meyers to the “LSU LawCenterWilliamM.MeyersEn‐dowed Scholarship” and addressedtoLSU Founda‐tion, 3796 NicholsonDrive, Baton Rouge, LA 70802. E.J. FieldingFuneralHomehas been entrustedwithfu‐neral arrangements Pleasesignthe online guestbook at www.ejfield ingfh.com

Harley CharlesRabig aged88, passedpeacefully onApril 2, 2025. He was bornonFebruary21, 1937 inLinden, NewJersey. He is survivedbyhis 3children, HarleyChristopher Rabig, Michael Thomas Rabig, Susan Kathleen Putman (neeRabig), hisbeloved stepson,David Hughes,his younger brotherWilliam RobertRabig andhis younger sister Toni Victo‐ria Passaro(neeRabig). He was preceded in deathby his wife,Jeanne Patricka Rabig (nee Hanley), father HarleyJosephRabig and motherFrances Harriet Rabig (nee Knevels) Harleyhad alongand suc‐cessful career in theUnited StatesCoast Guard, where heretired as Master Chief. Hewas an active member ofthe West Bank Rotary Club, theHorseless Car‐riage Club of NewOrleans inwhich he served as VicePresident,and hischurch GretnaUnitedMethodist Church.Hewas also apast memberofthe Crescent CityModel Railroad Club Harleywas very well known as an avid model train enthusiast,a collec‐tor of vintagevehicles. He was always the firstto lenda hand to afriendin need,and he always hada jokeonhandtomakehis friends andfamilylaugh Throughouthis numerous extra-curricularactivities, Harleymademanyfriends which serves as atesta‐menttohis friendly and cheerfulcharacter.Heal‐wayslefteveryonewitha smile.A celebrationofhis lifewillbeheldatGretna UnitedMethodist Church, 1309 WhitneyAvenue Gretna, LA on April9,2025 from9 a.m. until Service timeat11a.m.Interment LakelawnParkMausoleum, Metairie, LA.Mothe Funeral Homes handledarrange‐ments

Marrero, LA on Saturday, April 5, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Visitationwillbegin at 8:30 a.m.atthe above-named parlor. Interment: Wood‐lawnParkMemorialCeme‐tery-Westwego,LA. To view and sign theguestbook, pleasegotodavismortu‐aryservice.com. Face masks arerecommended

Valenziano, Kathleen Theresa

Kathleen Theresa Valenziano wasbornon January 3, 1963, and passed away on March31, 2025.

Kathleen was bornand raised in uptown New Orleans, attended Ben Franklin High School,and sheworked in the banking industryfor 10 years.

Kathleen marriedRob on September 15, 1984 and moved to Slidell, LA, and they lived in Slidell in Eden Isles for22years. From 1991 to 2007 she took great care of their daughter Katie. Katiewas achild with specialneedswithseveredisabilities. Kathleen and her friend, BonnieSpencerPrince, provided guidance and supportfor newmothers startingtheir special needsjourney. Thetwo wouldhave thenew motherstotheir homes for meetings and guidance Eachnew motherhad their phone numbersand were available24/7 to help mothershaving a"bad day". In thelife of special needsmothers "bad days" were notanuncommon event In 2005 afterKatrinashe andRob moved to Magnolia,TXand lived thereuntil June 2023 when they moved to Fairhope, AL.

Kathleen lovedher family very muchand was a wonderfulwife andmother.Kathleen lovedtocook andgarden,and missed both activitiesaftershe got sick.She was agreat care giverasevidencedby thecareshe gave her daughter Katie. After Katie'spassing, she helped takecare of her Mother andFather-in-law.

Kathleen will be sorely missed by her family and friends.

Sheispreceded in death by her daughter, Katherine Grace Valenziano"Katie Boo", andher father,Silas Cunningham. Kathleen is survivedby her husband, Rob Valenziano; her son, John Valenziano; mother, GaynellCunningham; brother,SilasCunningham; sister,Elsbeth Cunningham; Clint Cadenhead; andbymany auntsand uncles

Amemorialservice for Kathleen will be held at 10am on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 at theKlein Memorial Park Mausoleum Chapel 9714 FM 2920, Tomball, TX 77375.

In lieuofflowersplease donatetothe St. Tammany Associationfor Retarded Citizens (STARC).

transcendedto her heavenly home on Wednesday, March19, Parrott, Zachary Wayne Zachary Parrott of Metairie,LAdiedon14 February 2025 at his home. He is survivedbyhis sister AllisonParrottand his parentsDanny and Roberta Parrott.Zacharyhad no spouse or children.

Elaine Savage,affection‐ately knownas“Easy E” and “Lula”,was called hometorestonSunday, March 23, 2025, at theage of69. Shewas anativeof New Orleans, LA anda resi‐dentofMarrero,LA. Elaine attendedLincoln High School andwas formerly employedwithSieta Hotel, CatoosaLaw Firm andwith her sister Connie’s Clean‐ing Service. Elaine wasan exceptional cook,who was wellknown forher craw‐fish bisque,crabdressing, gumbo,okrastewand wild gamemeals.She enjoyed fishing, decorating forthe holidays, andmanicuring her lawn. Loving mother of ShelbySmith (Meltris), Shannon Savage (Moham‐mad), andTerri Lynn Sav‐age (Dexter).Devoted grandmother Wanika M. Savage, MeltrisL.Smith, Jr.,Whitley A. Smith, Malaiya M. Johnson, Devyn Tru andDyn’ver TrinitiMc‐Clue, andthe late Whitney JeniseSavage. Great grandmother of Autumn Bickman,Ayden Savage and Asia Bickman. Beloved daughterofEarlJ.“Gas” Savageand EvoraSavage. SisterofTeir(Edward) Murray, Annette Savage EvangelistAngel (Carl) Joseph, Constance(Kevin) Burns,Robin Savage,Sut‐tra Roy, Mark Smith, Earl Savage, Jr.and thelate Randall Savage.Grand‐daughterofthe late Rosie Hardgeand Emmett Craig, Sr. Aunt of ther late Dre’VaughnBurse.Niece of the late George Lee, Em‐mette,Robert, andAlbert Craig,JosephMorris, Mozel Craig,RoseCraig Morris, Henrietta Craig, andIda DeGuryTilman. Cousin of the late Kenneth“Kenny‐man”Craig.Elaineisalso survivedbyher loving companion Ernest “Uncle Boo” Mayho, hischildren Nicoleand Nicholas Mayho and hergranddogs Winter, Gigi, Blue andOreo, anda hostofnieces, nephews, cousin, otherrelatives and friends.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life at Davis MortuaryService,6820 Westbank Expressway,

2025. AngelMarie Sylve Williams wasbornFebru‐ary 6, 1952, at CharityHos‐pital in NewOrleans, Louisiana.She is theoldest daughterofthe late Beat‐rice“Bea” andthe late LazardD.Sylve.She wasa graduateofPhoenix High School,Class of 1971. She alsograduated from Delta College with acertification asa MedicalAssistantand attended Dillard University inNew Orleans, to pursue a degree in Nursing. Angel Sylve Willamswas united inholymatrimony to the lateEdwardMatthew Williams.Tothisunion four childrenwereborn, Eraion Williams (Joannie), Der‐rayon Williams,Keslyn Williams Sr.(Rekell),and the late Shondreka Williams.Angel wasthe sisterofBurnell SylveSr. (Lisa), Eric SylveSr. (the lateAndrea),Bernice Au‐gustus(Julian), Russell Sylve Sr.(Aurthrine),Terry Sylve Sr.(thelateTerry), and Greg Sylve(Violet). She wasthe loving grand‐mothertoAmbrelle Williams,AmiyahWilliams, AkeliaSmith,ElijahSmith KelseyWilliams, Bailey Williams,Kennedi Williams,and Keslyn Williams Jr.Great-grand‐motherofMichael JilesIII and Aubrielle AngelJiles. She wasthe Godmotherof Michaelin SylveSr.,the lateOlarion Etienne KendrickIsadore Sr., Her‐shell Ragas, Dontrell Smith, and Amal Mims.She wasa devoted friend of Loranda Smith,GaleWallace and manyothers. Angelmade firstcommunion andcon‐firmationatSt. Thomas Catholic Church at ayoung age.Angel wastruly a woman of Godwithstrong faith.Her favorite scripture was Psalm23: TheLordis myshepherd; Ishall not want. He maketh me to lie downingreen pastures:he leadeth me beside thestill waters. He restorethmy soul: he leadethmeinthe paths of righteousnessfor his name's sake.Yea, thoughI walk throughthe valleyofthe shadow of death,I will fear no evil: for thouart with me;thy rod and thystaff they comfort me. Thou preparesta table beforemeinthe presence ofmyenemies:thouanoint myheadwithoil;mycup runneth over.Surelygood‐nessand mercyshall fol‐low me allthe days of my life: andI will dwellinthe house of theLordforever Angel worked at Meadow‐crest Living Center as a medical assistantfor 17 years.She also worked for Plaquemines Parish School Board System untilher re‐tirement. Shewas the HeadDirectorofthe Na‐tionalGirlScoutsorganiza‐tionfor theEastbankof Plaquemines parish.Angel had aheart of goldand she fed andcared foranyone inneed. Sheloved the great outdoors, fishing, crabbing,planting flowers, but most of allher grand‐kidsand familymeant the world to her. Sheleavesto cherish herwonderful memorieswithher beloved children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, sib‐lings,nieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives, and friends. Sheispre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐entsand beautifuldaugh‐ter ShondrekaMonel Williams.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of life on Saturday April 5, 2025, at St.Thomas Catholic Church at 17605 Hwy 15, Pointe-la-hache, Louisiana,70082. Thevisi‐tationwillbegin at 9am. and servicewillbegin at 11 a.m.FatherSampson Ab‐dulai officiatingand inter‐mentwillfollowatSt. ThomasCatholicChurch Cemetery. Funeralplanning entrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneral Home 9611 LA- 23, Belle Chasse,LA 70037 (504) 208 -2119. For onlinecondolences please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

Rabig, Harley Charles

Hampton, Augustine Catherine'Moma Aug'

Savage,Elaine

Mrs. AngelMarie Sylve Williams

BRIEFS FROM STAFFAND WIRE REPORTS

China hits brakes on TikTok deal after tariffs

President Donald Trump on Friday said he is signing an executive order to keepTikTok running in theU.S.for another 75 days to give his administrationmore time to broker adeal to bringthe social mediaplatform under American ownership.

The order was announced as White House officials believed they were nearing adeal for theapp’s operationstobespun off into anew company based in theU.S.and owned andoperated by amajority of American investors,withChina’sByteDancemaintaininga minority position, according to aperson familiar with the matter

But Beijing hit the brakes on adeal Thursday after Trump announced wide-rangingtariffs around the globe, including against China. ByteDance representatives called the White House to indicate that China would no longer approve the deal until there could be negotiations about trade and tariffs, saidthe person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive details of the negotiations.

Congress had mandatedthat theplatform be divested from China by Jan. 19 or barred in the U.S. on national security grounds, but Trump moved unilaterally to extend the deadline to this weekend, as he soughtto negotiate an agreement to keep it running. Trump has recently entertained an array of offers from U.S. businesses seeking to buy ashare of the popular social media site.

But on Friday it became uncertain whether atentative deal could be announced after the Chinese government’sreversal of its position complicated TikTok’s ability to send clear signals about the nature of the agreement that hadbeen reached for fear of upsetting its negotiations with Chinese regulators.

The near-deal was constructed over the course of months, with Vice President JD Vance’s team negotiating directly with several potential investors and officials from ByteDance. The plan called for a120-day closing period to finalize the paperwork andfinancing. Thedealalso had the approval of existing investors, new investors, ByteDance and the administration.

Advisers: Think before bailing on stockmarket

The huge swingsrockingWall Street andthe global economy may feel far from normal. But, for investing at least, drops of this size have happened throughout history

Stomaching them is the price investorshave had to pay in order to get the bigger returns thatstockscan offer over other investments in the long term.

Anytime an investor sees they’re losing money, it feels bad.This recent run feels particularly unnerving because of how incredibly calm the market had previously been. TheS&P 500 is coming off a second straight yearwhere it shot up by more than 20%, the first time that’shappened since baggy pants were last in style before the millennium.

Sellingmay offer some feeling of relief. But it alsolocks in losses and prevents the chance of making themoney back over time. Historically,the S&P 500 hascomebackfromevery one of its downturns to eventually make investors whole again. Some recoveries take longer than others, but experts often recommend not putting money into stocks that you can’tafford to lose forseveral years, up to 10. “Data has shown, historically, that no one can time the market,” said Odysseas Papadimitriou, CEOofWalletHub.“No one can consistently figure out the best time to buy and sell.” Phil Battin, CEO of Ambassador Wealth Management, advises investors to lean toward “resilient sectors such as consumer staples,utilities and health care, which are less reliant on international trade.”

Powell:Tariffs likely to raiseinflation

Fedchief predicts slower U.S. growth

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

ARLINGTON,Va. TheTrump administration’sexpansive newtariffs will likely lead to higher inflationand slower growthfor the U.S. economy,Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell saidFriday Powellsaid that the tariffs,and their likely impactsonthe economyand inflation, are “significantly larger thanexpected.” He also saidthat theimport taxeswill probably leadto“at least atemporary rise in inflation,” but added that “itisalso possible that the effects could be more persistent.”

“Ourobligation is to …make certainthat aone-time increase in the pricelevel does not become an ongoing inflationproblem,”

Powell said in remarks delivered to aconference of the Society for Advancing Business Editingand Writing.

Powell’sfocusoninflation suggests that theFed will likely keep its benchmark interest rate unchangedat4.3% in the coming months, rather than cut them anytime soon. Higherborrowing costscan help slowthe economy and cool inflation.Wall Streetinvestors, meanwhile, now expect five interest rate cuts this year,a numberthathas increased since PresidentDonaldTrump announced thetariffs Wednesday Powell alsoemphasized that the full impact of thetariffs on theeconomy aren’t yetclear,and theFed will stay on the sidelines until it has moreclarity about the economy He acknowledged thatmany businesses have saidthey are holding off on newinvestments

until they geta better sense of the tariffs’ impact.

“There’sa lotofwaiting and seeing going on,including by us,” Powellsaidduring aquestion-andanswer session. “And that just seems like the right thing to do in this period of uncertainty.”

Trump, separately,urged Powell to cutrates, citing lower inflation and energy prices on his social media platform, Truth Social.

“This would be aPERFECT time for FedChairman Jerome Powell to cutInterest Rates,” Trump wrote.“CUT INTEREST RATES, JEROME, AND STOP PLAYING POLITICS!”

Economists expect that the tariffswill weaken the economy, possibly threaten hiring, andpush up prices

In that scenario,the Fedcould cut rates to bolster the economy or it could keep rates unchanged —oreven hike them—tocombat

inflation. Powell’scomments suggest the Fed will mostly focus on inflation.

Powell’sremarks come two days after Trump unveiledsweepingtariffs that have upended the global economy, prompted retaliatory movesbyChina,and sent stock prices in the U.S.and overseas plunging.

Powell’sdescription of the impact of tariffs was more negative thanjust last month, when he said that anyinflationresulting from the tariffs would likely be temporary

Weaker growth and higher prices areatricky combination forthe Fed.Typically thecentral bank would reduce its key interest rate to lowerborrowing costs and spur the economyinthe event of slower growth, while it would raise rates —orkeep them elevated —toslowspending andcombat inflation.

Chemical industry seeksruleexemptions

Groups want relief from federalrequirements to reduce emissions

BY MATTHEW DALY Associated Press

WASHINGTON— Industry groups representing hundreds of chemical and petrochemicalmanufacturers are seeking blanket exemptionsfromfederal requirements to reduce emissionsoftoxic chemicals such as mercury,arsenic and benzene.

Therequest by theAmerican ChemistryCouncil and the American Fuel &Petrochemical Manufacturers comes as the Trump administration offers industrial polluters achance for exemptions from rules imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency.

TheEPA has set up an electronic mailbox to allow regulated companies to request a two-year presidential exemption under the Clean AirAct toahostofBiden-erarules

Thechemistry council and the petrochemical group saidina letter Mondayto the EPAthat regulation of thechemical industryissupposed to be based on sound science and “reflect areasonable assessment of the risks and benefitsinvolved.”

“Unfortunately,”the groups wrote,an EPArule on air pollution from stationary sources “underminesthose important objectives and advances improper and significantly costly requirements on an unworkable timeline.”

The Associated Pressobtained acopy of the letteronFriday Costs for the rule’srisk-related requirements alonecould exceed $50 billion, the groups said, “significantly more than the $1.8billion forthe full rule thatEPA estimatedatfinal publication” last year Environmental groups have denounced theadministration’soffertogrant industry exemptions, calling the new email address a “polluters’ portal” thatcould allow hundreds of companies to evade laws meant to protect the environment andpublic health.Exemptionswould be allowedfor nine EPArules issued under former President Joe Biden, including limits on mercury,ethylene oxide and other hazardousair pollutants

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

It has been arough three months in the Haynesville Shale, said Shreveport mineralconsultantSkip Peel,who pointstothe fact that this has been the slowest first quarter there in 17 years.

Onerecent bump was the $1.2 billionpurchase by the Miamibased hedge fund Citadel of Paloma NaturalGas’relatively small position in the Shale.

East Daley Analytics,anoiland-gas-centric site thattracks mergers andacquisitions,says this deal shows there is renewed confidenceinHaynesville’spotential.

“This strategic acquisition highlights Haynesville’svalue as aleading source for U.S. LNG (liquefiednatural gas)exports,” it says The Haynesville Shale is anatural gas-rich area thatextends

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByMARK

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldinarrives before President Donald Trumpspeaks during an event to announcenew tariffs in the RoseGarden at the White House on WednesdayinWashington. Industrygroups representing hundredsofchemicaland petrochemical manufacturers are seeking blanket exemptions fromfederal requirements to reduce emissions of toxic chemicalssuchasmercury, arsenicand benzene.

Mercury exposure can cause brain damage, especially in children. Fetusesare vulnerable to birth defects via exposure in a mother’swomb.

TheEnvironmental Defense Fundaccused the chemical andpetrochemical companies —which include giantssuch as ExxonMobil, Marathon Petroleum, Chevron, Dow and DuPont —of“hiding behind their associations to get apresidential exemption from pollution safeguards that keep our kids healthy and safe.”

New EPAAdministrator Lee Zeldin “has opened aback door for hundreds of com-

through north Louisiana and east Texasand beyond.

Robert Mills, themanager of two local companies that work in oil and gas exploration and production in Ark-La-Tex and Mississippi, is notseeing great confidence.

He says thesmaller independent producersheknows are watching howlow theprice will go “I mean,everybody’s worried about bottom, not thetop,” Mills said. “Weall know thatwe’dlike to see$5(per million British thermal units), but we knowthat we’ve seen closer to $3 and that’s what kept the rig count down. And so until we see amorestabilized $4-plus, closer to $5, Ithink again, almost everybody Iknow hascompletely withdrawnfrom drilling wells. From aworking interest standpoint, it is just such a big game only the big guys can do it. Nobody else, to my knowledge,

panies to avoid complying with reasonable limitsonthe mosttoxic formsofair pollution, andthey’re rushing through it with no regard for the communities around them,” said Vickie Patton, the group’sgeneral counsel.

Granting the exemption would be “a huge blow to American families who now must worry about their loved ones breathing dirtier air,theirkidsmissing more school days because of asthma attacks and morecancer in theirfamilies,” Patton said.“Thereisno basis in U.S. clean air laws—and in decency —for this absolute free pass to pollute.”

that hasparticipated in these wells has anything but regrets for participating because these large companies that operate the wells are just absolutely skinning the royalty owners and the nonoperators, just skinning them.”

Peel said he believesasthe ownership of shale mineral rights continues to consolidate, prices should go higher

“Natural gasshouldcontinue to increase in price because consolidationhas reduced thenumberof operatingcompanies,and those companies areholding back production to increase the price.”

It is thechicken or the egg.

Aethon, the shale’slargest producer,has said it will notramp up drilling until pricesrise.Itis looking for $5 MMBtu as opposed to the$4.50projected into 2026 and the lower $3.75 projections into 2027-28.

Other companies, suchasExpand Energy,created from the

merger of Chesapeakeand SouthwestEnergy, is looking to increase theirproduction into 2026.

East Daley believes that eventual demand is going to outstrip production andthat prices could shoot to $8 MMBTU, which could be ashort-lived bump. Mills says whenprices go up, activity will, too, and then extra supply will push prices down.

“So, until we see that LNG bump and it pushes that number up into the $5 range, and of course, yes, people will start drilling,” Mills said. “And of course,yes,they’ll push it right back down to four It’sjust the way the market always hasbeen and always will be

You’ve got to learn your lessons that there’snothing easy about this energy business, and it’sgotten moreexpensiveand moredifficult over time.”

Email Liz Swaine at liz.swaine@ theadvocate.com.

SCHIEFELBEIN

OPINION

ANOTHERVIEW

Athird term forTrump?

Is the idea of athird term forPresident Donald Trump just afoolishploy to getattention—orisita real possibility?

Historically,presidents from GeorgeWashington to FranklinRoosevelt were eligible torun for unlimited terms. Washingtonrefused to runa third time,setting aprecedent to prevent amonarchialpresidency.FDR wasthe only presidentelected athird (andfourth) time.

Chances for athird Trumpterm start and end with theU.S. Constitution and, specifically,the 22ndAmendment,which was adopted in 1951, six years after Roosevelt died.Itsays: “No person shall be elected to the office of thePresident more than twice…” This limitation didn’t apply to thesitting president, Harry Truman, but did apply to all future presidents.

While the 22nd Amendmentmakes it clear that Trump cannot run for presidentagain, hisadvocates may continue searching for aloophole —something theycan bring to the U.S. Supreme Court, the ultimate arbiter, with sixofits nine justices appointedbyRepublican presidents. They willpoint outthatwhile the 22nd Amendment prevents getting elected president more than twice, it doesn’t technically preventserving as president for more than twoterms.

Here’swhat they could try:Nominate Trumpfor vice president in 2028 and JD Vance(or anothersteadfast Trump loyalist) for president. After this ticket is elected and takes office, Vancewould resignthe presidency, Trumpwould assume theoffice andappoint Vanceto be vice president —backtowhere it is now.

This would require alot of fancy foot work to pull off. First, the Republican Partywould havetoagree to the plan and nominate the Vance-Trump ticket, with all its attendant risks. Second, amajority of theElectoral College would have to elect theticket. Third, the newly electedpresident would have to keep the deal —take office, resign and turn over the presidencytoTrump There is another,perhapsfatal, obstacle to this plan: The 12th Amendment to theConstitution says that “no personconstitutionallyineligible to theoffice of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-Presidentofthe UnitedStates.”

If Trump is ineligibletobeelected president in 2028, wouldn’thealso be ineligible to be vice-president? His advocates would likely say that while their manmay notbeeligibletobeelected president again, thereis nothing that makes him ineligible to serveaspresident again and, therefore, he would not beineligible to be vicepresident based on lackof presidentialqualifications. Most legal scholarswould counterthatthe intent of the Constitution, as amended, is to prohibit sucha circumvention.

Head spinning yet?

Another way for Trump tostayinpower would be the Vladimir Putin method. In 2008,whenhecould not runfor athird consecutive term as Russia’spresident, Putin became prime minister and handedoff thepresidential title to DmitryMedvedev.Afterfour yearsunderthis arrangement, Putin wonthe next election and took backthe presidency,title andall. This method is dependentuponVance, or another agreeable Republican, winning thepresidentialelection in 2028. The new GOP president would thenappoint the 82-year-oldTrump to ahigh position, maybe chief of staff, aperch from which hecould still run the country (even though he’d be prohibited, unlike Putin, from running for president again) That’sacrass way to stay in power,although afew politicianshavetried it.One example wasGeorge Wallace in 1966. Term-limitedasAlabama’s governor,he convincedhis wife,Lurleen, to runinstead. Lurleen won and George kept power —until, tragically,his wife died 16 months after taking office The voters, of course,will have somethingtosay about all this. By the next election,theymay nothave much appetite for apolitical masqueradeofany kind. Also, Republicans could conclude thatevenjust talk of athird term is adamagingdistraction to theMAGA agenda duringthe current term. Theymay alsosee it as demeaning to Vance and other GOP prospectsfor 2028. Attempting to end-run theConstitutionisa bad idea. Respecting thelimits of presidential poweristhe best approach; let’scallitthe George Washingtonmethod Ron Faucheux is anonpartisanpoliticalanalyst, pollster and writer basedinLouisiana. He publishes LunchtimePolitics.com, anationwide newsletteron polls and public opinion.

Louisiana’spowerful congressional delegation has an opportunity to deliver an early win for seniors and against cancer.Thanks to their leadership, atransformational piece of legislation that could revolutionize our country’sapproach to cancer care is inches from the finish line. Now is the time to finish thejob. The Nancy Gardner Sewell Medicare Multi-Cancer Early Detection Screening Coverage Act concluded last Congress with nearly 400 cosponsors and more than 500 advocacy organizations across the country supporting it.Speaker Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise and SenateHealth Committee Chairman Bill Cassidy were among thebill’sstrongest supporters and worked hard to empower cancer detection champions in their caucuses and forge bipartisan agreements to advance the legislation

This bill would remove regulatory hurdles that stand in the way of seniors’ access to life-changing tools against cancer and enable Medicare coverage of multi-cancer early de-

tection tests once they have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Louisiana faces particularly high cancer risks, with cancer rates 40% higher than the national average, according to the federal statistics. Available evidence showsthat screening enables cancers to be detected at an earlier stage, before they have thechance to grow, spread and become moredeadly This approach also saves money

The U.S. spends more than $210 billion on cancer treatments each year and one study found that adoption of these MCED tests could shave $26 billion off that figure.

At theCancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana, we have been adriving force in advancing patient-centered policies. Passing this legislation would provide hope and innovative tools to millionsofAmericans in the fight against cancer.Now is the momenttoact.

MARC MATRANA, M.D trustee, Cancer Advocacy Group of Louisiana and co-chair of CAGLA’s Scientific AdvisoryBoard

Kudos to Education Superintendent Cade Brumley.The recent articlesreporting howour great state is departing from current nationaleducationpractices and returning to “building block” approaches in both reading and math disciplines is heartwarming to read anddemonstrates true leadership on his part.

As the Feb. 24 article states, Louisiana is using the “science of reading” emphasizing phonics andteaching students to “decipherwords letterbyletter and sound by sound.” The results: “Louisiana ledthe country in fourth-grade reading gains” and “outpacedotherstates in postpandemic reading improvement.” The changeswereintroduced only four yearsago

St. CharlesParish leaders call the approach “a game changer,” andLouisiana moved from50th to 16thlastyear in fourth grade reading.

Iread Cal Thomas’ recent column about our national debt and am happy that someone is bringing this to theforefront.

Iamseriously concerned about our national debt and have argued with manyabout what is currently going on. Yes, like many, Iquestion Donald Trump’s“thundering herd” approach to attempting to bring our debt down, but honestly,I’ve watched past administrations try to surgically correct wasteful spending to no positive effect Many years ago, Iwas part of bankers roundtable in Washington where we were given copies of spending documentsfromseveral federal agencies and were unanimously in agreement that almost all of the thousands of programs we analyzed should be eliminated or

reduced because they wereeither blatantly wastefuland/or didn’t come close to solving the problem they were designed to solve. This group of unbiased bankers (including Democrats and Republicans) madespecific recommendations to theOffice of Management and Budget,and to my knowledge, none of those recommendations wereever enacted.

We are putting at peril our children and grandchildren’sfuture. Debt at this level is an anchor that drags progress —progress that is thelifeblood of tomorrow forthose hopeful generations. Iamclear that without some alteration, those that follow us won’thave the hopeful future we have enjoyed CHARLESHARGON Baton Rouge

In math, “the state nowaims to do something similar,”according to Brumleycalling it “back-tobasics” in aMarch 9article. The newapproach is to ensure math foundations arefirm as students move into middle school for “abstract”questions. Foundation is the key, andstudents are lost without it.

Brumleyand his team aredemonstrating policychangesatthe state levelcan be well worth it if groundedinsolid data.

And thanks to the newspaper for going deeper into the story beyond headlines.

JOHN S. WHITE Harahan

Ron Faucheux

LSU bounces back to bludgeon Alabama

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS

Contributing writer

If there were any lingering questions about how the LSU softball team would react to dropping its first Southeastern Conference series, the Tigers quickly answered them. The fifth-ranked Tigers scored three times in their first plate appearance, scoredthree more timesinthe third inningand finished with two more in the fourth

The result was LSU’sfirst run-rule victory over No. 24 Alabama in 23 years with an 8-0 victory in the firstgame Friday of their three-game series beforeacrowd of 2,444 at Tiger Park.

“It proves our toughness and how we’re able to compete,” LSU winningpitcher SydneyBerzon said.“We’rea tight-knit group and want to fight for eachother andthe letters on our chest. Ithink tonight showed

ä See LSU, page 3C

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU third baseman DaniecaCoffeyframes the Tigers logoonher jerseyafter leading off with adouble in the first inning of agame against Alabama on FridayatTiger Park

SPORTS

Clark wants‘better’showing

BYSCOTT RABALAIS

taff writer

Thegoal of this season forthe LSUgymnastics squad,focusing on the fiveminutes n front of the gymnasts’ faces, hasserved heTigers well. LSUwon ashare of the Southeastern Conerence regular-season title,won the SEC championshipmeet andearnedits first-ever No. 1overall seedinthe NCAA championhips. But howthe 2025 Tigers will be remem-

beredcomes down nottoany one five-minutevignette but thefull saga of what happens in atwo-hourmeet Saturday afternoon. It’seither finish in the top two in the NCAA regional final at Penn State to advance to the national semifinals in two weeks or pack up theleotards and chalk for the season.

First vault is setfor 4p.m. at Rec Hall in UniversityPark, Pennsylvania. Themeet can be seen on astreamingbasis only on ESPN+. LSU was good, very good, in Thursday’s regionalsemifinal. The Tigers performed

solid routine after solid routine to post a 198.100 —LSU’s third-best score ever in an NCAA regional —toeasily outpoint secondplace Arkansas (197.550), the No. 16 national seed, which also advanced.

LSUcoach Jay Clark figures giventhe competition Saturday, his Tigers will have to be better than solid. He wants them to take what theydid Thursdaytoaneven higher level.

“We’ve gottobebetter if we think we’re going to get out of here,” Clark said. “Every time youadvance, youhavetoassumeyou have to be better.”

QUARTERBACK SH NG?

Tyler Shough

Shedeur Sanders

BYREED DARCEY Staff writer

Before she even left Spokane Arena, the site of her LSU women’sbasketball team’s Elite Eight loss to UCLA, coach KimMulkey turned her focus to next season.

“It’stime to get in the portal,” she said Sunday Mulkey wasn’tkidding. On Tuesday,she told ESPN 104.5FMthatshe hadbegun calling players who had enteredthe transfer portal on her team’sSunday evening flight from Spokane, Washington, to BatonRouge. These days, college coaches can’tafford to waste much time. The portal already had been open for six days by the time the Tigers’ season ended. Rosters were churning, and programs already were recruiting Mulkey thinks the current landscape is “broken,” but she has no choice but to navigate HowwillMulkey, LSUapproach o

ä See OFFSEASON, page 4C

After restructuring quarterback Derek Carr’scontract, all but ensuring he’d be their Week 1starter for the 2025 season,the NewOrleansSaints appear to be sitting out this year’squarterback class. Unless, of course, they aren’t.

Outside of Kellen Moore’snon-committal introductory news conference, theSaintshave pretty consistently stood behind Carr as their bestchanceatwinning right now.But Carr’sfirst two seasons with NewOrleansboth have been followed withquestionsabout whether New Orleans wouldcontinue to stickwith him, which at bare minimum hasraised fair questionsabout theorganization’sfuture at themost importantposition

Carr has two more seasons left on his contract, and he is set tocount awhopping $69.2 million against theteam’s 2026 salary cap thanks to previous restructures. Behind him, the Saints have 2024 fifth-rounder Spencer Rattler and 2023 fourth-rounder Jake Haenerasdevelopmental players.

Giventheir investment in the position,itseems unlikely theSaints —a team withagood many holes to plug anda desire to compete sooner rather than later —will use one of theirpremium draft assetsona quarterback. And with tworecent draft picks withplaying experience already on the roster, another developmental pick doesn’tseem to make much sense,either

Butlet’swade through the scenario where they buck conventional wisdom and attempt to secure their future anyway

The‘sell thefarm’ option

MIAMI QB CAM WARD: Barring something extraordinaryhappening, there’seffectively zero chance Ward is there when the Saints pick at No. 9. While there is no such thing as aconsensus in scouting players, Ward is widely viewed as the best quarterback in this class, anda team will almostcertainly snap him up with one of the top three picks —potentially even the Tennessee Titans, who hold the No.1overall selection. So,ifthe Saints really wanted Ward, theywould have to make amoveto gethim. And to ensure they got him, theywould

Jaxson Dart

the year and coach of the year have a distinctive theme. Duke star Cooper Flagg is The Associated Press national player of the year Flagg is just the fourth freshman to win the award. He joins Duke’s Zion Williamson, Kentucky’s Anthony Davis and Texas star Kevin Durant. Flagg received 41 of 61 votes. The national coach of the year ended in a tie for the first time in the award’s 58-year history Bruce Pearl of Auburn and Rick Pitino of St. John’s are the AP coaches of the year with each receiving 20 votes. St. John’s matched a school record with 34 wins. Pearl led Auburn to a school-record 32 wins and the program’s second Final Four

Ex-Tiger Carter scores 21 points in all-star game

Former LSU men’s basketball player Cam Carter showed his skills Friday afternoon with a 21-point performance in the annual NABC All-Star Game at the Alamodome in San Antonio, site of Saturday’s NCAA Final Four

Back to the title game

BY ALANIS THAMES AP sportswriter

TAMPA, Fla. — Reigning national champion South Carolina left no doubt it would return to the title game, getting 14 points from TeHina Paopao and overwhelming Texas 74-57 on Friday night in the Final Four of the women’s NCAA Tournament.

The Gamecocks are a win away from becoming the first team to secure consecutive titles since UConn won four straight from 2013-16. The Huskies faced UCLA in Friday’s second semifinal. Freshman Joyce Edwards added 13 points, 11 rebounds and six assists for South Carolina (35-3), which used its experience and poise to weather an early deficit and took control with its depth at both ends of the floor

Three South Carolina players finished in double figures — Bree Hall had 11 points — and the Gamecocks dominated Texas in the post with 40 points in the paint to the Longhorns’ 22. Madison Booker had 11 points and three fouls for the Longhorns (35-4), who were trying to reach their first championship since 1986. They were in the Final Four for the first time since 2003 after a dominant season, which was their first in the Southeastern Conference after coming over from the Big 12. Texas went 15-1 against the SEC

From left, South Carolina guard Bree Hall,

second half of their Final Four game

in the regular season and shared the conference title with the Gamecocks.

Auburn, Florida last SEC teams still standing

BY STEPHEN HAWKINS AP sportswriter

SAN ANTONIO Auburn and Florida

are the last two standing of a record 14 Southeastern Conference teams that made the NCAA Tournament. Only one of them will get to play for the national championship.

In a Final Four filled with No 1 seeds, the SEC regular-season champion Tigers (32-5) play the conference tournament-winning Gators in the first national semifinal game Saturday in the Alamodome. The matchup pits AllAmericans Johni Broome and Walter Clayton against each other yet again.

“The success that the league has had in the tournament has been pretty amazing,” Gators coach Todd Golden said. “The league obviously (got) a lot of respect, a lot of notoriety after the nonconference. Once you get to elite play, people wonder how real it is I believe the results we have had so far in the NCAA Tournament speak to that.” Florida (34-4), which has won 10 in a row since the start of March, twice during the regular season beat No. 1-ranked SEC teams. The Gators first won by 30 points at Tennessee, then a month later had a 90-81 win at Auburn on Feb. 8 that solidified how they felt about their team.

“It just gave us confidence because we always believed that we (were) the No. 1 team after we beat them,” said Alijah Martin, the only Gators player with Final Four experience (with FAU two years ago.)

“They just out-toughed us that game, they did everything that we didn’t do,” Auburn freshman guard Tahaad Pettiford said. After the tournament’s first Final Four matchup of SEC teams, the winner will play Duke or Houston with the opportunity to clinch their league’s first national title in men’s basketball since Kentucky in 2012. The last before that were Florida’s back-to-back championships in 2006 and 2007.

Some turbulence along the way Auburn, the No. 1 overall NCAA seed, began this season with an inflight disturbance caused by players on the way to a win at Houston. The Tigers were 21-1 before losing to the Gators the lone setback before that was at Duke in the

eighth game. They lost three of their last four games before the NCAA tourney “Just continue this streak that we’re on these past four games. We’ve been the most physical team of every team we’ve played against,” starting center Dylan Cardwell said, adding that the Tigers knew they could become a big bust or maybe the greatest team in school history “We chose the latter.” Facing Broome again

Alex Condon, Florida’s 6-foot-11 post from Australia, had no problem being physical with Broome when the teams first played. He plans to be again. “He’s going to be wanting to come out and prove that he’s a better player than me,” Condon

said. “So I think I did a good job last time just coming out and initiating the physicality with him. And yeah, I know I’m going to be ready to go.”

Condon had 17 points and 10 rebounds in that win over the Tigers. Broome had 18 points on 8-of-19 shooting with 11 rebounds.

Broome had 25 points and 14 rebounds in the South Regional final win over Michigan State on Sunday, but briefly left in the second half after his right elbow bent awkwardly during a hard fall. He grabbed several rebounds and with one arm after returning, but also swooshed a 3-pointer

Even with some kind of brace on his right elbow covered by a sleeve, the Tigers leading scorer said he had no pain and no limitations for the Final Four Clayton’s full 40

The only game Clayton has played every minute this season was against Auburn, four days after he missed a game while dealing with a sore ankle.

With fellow starting guard Martin out injured against the Tigers, Clayton had 19 points, six rebounds and nine assists.

Clayton was big when the Gators had to rally twice in March Madness. He scored 13 of his 23 points in the final eight minutes in a 77-75 win in the second round that ended UConn’s pursuit of a third national title in a row, then on Sunday hit two late 3-pointers as Florida came from

This came one evening after Carter finished third in the 3-point shooting contest, also in San Antonio.

Carter’s West team lost 100-91, but the Donaldsonville native was the co-high scorer in the game with his 21 points. Carter made 8 of 14 field goals, including 3 of 6 from 3-point range and 2 of 3 from the freethrow line.

Carter also had four rebounds and three assists while playing a game-high 24 minutes. David Joplin, who played for Marquette, was the leading scorer for the East team with 21 points.

Morant’s aiming-a-gun gesture earns him fine MIAMI — Ja Morant showed off an imaginary gun. The NBA hit back with a real fine. A day after Morant again used his aiminga-gun gesture to celebrate making a 3-pointer, the Grizzlies’ star was fined $75,000 by the league Friday It’s the second time this week that Morant who was suspended twice in 2023 for incidents with actual weapons — heard from the league about mimicking the act of using a gun during a game. The first interaction with the league office resulted in a warning, after Morant and Golden State’s Buddy Hield made the gesture at one another during a game on Tuesday

Harman’s 66 gives him 4-shot lead at Texas Open SANANTONIO Brian Harman found the range with his iron shots and converted eight birdie putts Friday, none outside 12 feet, for a 6-under 66 that gave him a four-shot lead over Keith Mitchell going into the weekend at the Texas Open.

At 12-under 132, Harman has his first 36-hole lead since Bay Hill a year ago, and this is the largest lead he’s had at the midway point since he led by five at Hoylake in 2023 when he won the British Open. Mitchell, who needs a victory to get into the Masters next week, had an up-and-down day that added to an even-par 72. He did make some birdies coming in holing a pair of 12-foot putts, only to take bogey from a bunker on the par-3 seventh hole and close with two pars.Harman was at 12-under 132 at the TPC San Antonio.

Former Falcons star WR Jones says he is retiring ATLANTA — Julio Jones, a seventime Pro Bowl selection and the leading receiver in Atlanta Falcons history, has announced his retirement.

The 36-year-old Jones did not play in 2024 after spending 2023 with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jones played for Atlanta from 2011-2021, setting franchise records with 848 catches for 12,896 yards.

He had 60 touchdown catches with the Falcons and was a twotime first-team All-Pro. He earned three second-team All-Pro honors. Overall, Jones caught 914 passes for 13,703 yards and 66 touchdowns in 13 NFL seasons. He led the NFL in yards receiving in 2015 and 2018.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRyNN ANDERSON

forward Johni Broome, left, and guard Miles Kelly talk during a Final Four practice

Friday in San Antonio.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN RAOUX

forward Chloe Kitts and forward Sania Feagin react late in the

against Texas on Friday in Tampa, Fla.

Tigers take turns stirring up vibes

Several players have followed Hellmers in hype huddle

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

NORMAN, Okla. His teammates called him “Bill.”

Will Hellmers was beloved by his peers during his four years at LSU. The veteran right-hander worked in a variety of roles even spending a short stint at third base as a freshman.

But if there was one role Hellmers consistently held during his time at LSU it was serving as the team’s designated hype man before games.

“We were talking about it the other day, and it’s like, Will memorized 150 speeches over the last two years,” redshirt sophomore Mic Paul said. “It’s like he had a different one every day.”

With Hellmers no longer around, a handful of players have tried to fill his old role. Junior Jared Jones, sophomore Jake Brown and sopho-

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that.” LSU (33-4, 7-3 SEC) registered its last run-rule win over Alabama 9-1 on April 6, 2002.

The Tigers, who host the Crimson Tide (27-14, 4-6) at 6 p.m. Saturday, were back at home for the first time since losing a doubleheader to South Carolina for their first series loss last weekend

“We had two really good days of prep,” LSU coach Beth Torina said. “I think the team was excited. They were fired up There was a lot of buzz around the park and a lot of excitement. Great way to get the series started that way.” Berzon (15-2) couldn’t have asked for more from her teammates. She threw 45 of 68 pitches for strikes, scattering four singles with no walks and struck out five. It was her 15th complete game and fifth shutout of the season.

“I take every single thing from each weekend,” said Berzon, the losing pitcher in last week’s finale “I look at the stuff that kind of got away from me and see how I could improve this week. Just being strong with it, keep learning, keep persevering through it all. The SEC’s hard. Just taking as much energy and confidence as I could into this weekend.”

The LSU bats were sizzling from the first inning until Jalia Lassiter’s two-run homer in the fourth inning accounted for the final score. The Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the opening inning on five hits, knock-

ä For a story on Friday’s LSU-

more right-hander Deven Sheerin are among the players who have taken on the pregame responsibility

It’s not something every Tiger is cut out for Not for me,” junior Daniel Dickinson said. I’m too quiet, locked in before the game.”

The first player to take a crack at it was Sheerin. The Mount St. Mary’s transfer will likely miss the entire year while recovering from a torn ACL, but his energy and enthusiasm made him a perfect candidate for the role on opening day

At the start of the season, he allegedly smashed a can of Monster energy drink on his head.

“I don’t know what’s going on there,” LSU coach Jay Johnson said. “But hey man, I told the team today, there’s no substitute for enthusiasm, so I guess that’s showing enthusiasm.”

Brown and Jones have taken more reps at the role recently Jones said he’ll memorize mov-

ie quotes or an old Nick Saban speech.

“We’ll see what else I can memorize and come up with,” Jones said.

Before one of LSU’s wins over North Dakota State, Jones recited a quote from the 2010 Will Ferrell comedy film “The Other Guys.” It was the scene where Mark Wahlberg’s character confronts Ferrell by saying that, “If I were a lion and you were a tuna, I would swim out into the middle of the ocean and eat you.”

“I changed it to Tigers, obviously,” Jones said, “and Bison because it was North Dakota State.”

Whatever movies, speeches or banter Jones and his teammates have come up with has mostly worked. Replicating Hellmers was always going to be a tall order but LSU entered this weekend with a 27-3 record and a 7-2 record in Southeastern Conference play

The good vibes have translated onto the diamond.

“I feel really relaxed out there,” Brown said. “I’m having a good time I love all the guys that I get to play with every day.”

after hitting a two-run

Harper says ‘only losers complain’ about how much champion Dodgers spend

BY DAN GELSTON AP sportswriter

PHILADELPHIA Phillies slugger

Bryce Harper loves LA — well, at least the World Series champion Dodgers’ freewheeling spending on their way to a nearly $320 million payroll.

A two-time NL MVP, Harper was blunt Friday ahead of a three-game series with the champs about those in baseball who whine about the Dodgers payroll and signing of Japanese stars.

“I don’t know if people will like this,” Harper said, “but I feel like only losers complain about what they’re doing. I think they’re a great team and a great organization.”

Major League Baseball’s average salary broke the $5 million barrier on opening day for the first time, according to a study by The Associated Press.

The New York Mets, with Juan Soto’s record $61.9 million pay led MLB for the third straight opening day with a $322.6 million payroll, just ahead of Dodgers at $319.5 million. Adding Blake Snell, Michael Conforto, Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates, the Dodgers boosted payroll by a big leaguehigh $69 million from opening day last year

Los Angeles’ payroll figure was held down by deferred payments. Shohei Ohtani’s $70 million salary was discounted to a present-day value of $28.2 million because it won’t be paid in full until 2035, causing him to be listed as the 18th-highest-paid player Other Dodgers with deferred payments include Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman, Freddie Freeman, Teoscar Hernández, Scott, Will Smith and Snell.

The matchup between Harper

and the NL East champion Phillies and Ohtani ‘s Dodgers had the city buzzing with another packed Citizens Bank Park.

Harper is in the seventh season of a a $330 million, 13-year contract, at the time the largest deal in baseball history The Phillies have also been big spenders in recent seasons under owner John Middleton and reached the playoffs three straight seasons. Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler will earn $42 million as the secondhighest paid player in the game. The Phillies opened with a $283.3 million payroll, third-highest in baseball.

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said during the offseason he received emails from fans concerned over the sport’s lack of a salary cap following an offseason spending spree by the Los Angeles Dodgers that sparked increased attention over the expiration of the collective bargaining agreement in December 2027.

“We need to pay attention to it and need to determine whether there are things that can be done to allay those kinds of concerns and make sure we have a competitive and healthy game going forward,” Manfred said in February Los Angeles had $353 million luxury tax payroll in winning last year’s World Series and had to pay a $103 million tax.

“That’s why guys want to go there and play L.A.’s a great city to play in, obviously,” Harper said. “They’re at the mecca of kind of the world of everything –- from food to nightlife to sports to the Dodgers to the Lakers to anybody They’re going to continue to get guys, they’re going to pull guys from the sport. If that’s bullpen, or starting pitching, international players anything like that, they’re doing what the Dodgers do.”

Hunter, Sanders put on a show for all 32 NFL teams

BY ARNIE STAPLETON AND PAT GRAHAM AP sportswriters

BOULDER,Colo.— Shedeur Sanders insisted Friday he doesn’t necessarily need the bright lights of Broadway or the Bellagio at the outset of his NFL journey He suggested he could just as easily thrive for the “Dawg Pound” fan base in Cleveland.

“I could bring cameras and eyes anywhere I go,” Sanders declared after throwing passes to a fantastic foursome of two-way star Travis Hunter, Jimmy Horn Jr., Will Sheppard and LaJohnty Wester at Colorado’s pro day dubbed the “We Ain’t Hard 2 Find Showcase.”

“It don’t matter where I go, I know the influence I have on the society and the culture,” Sanders said. “So wherever I go it’s definitely going to be an improvement than what it was before I got there.”

Colorado had a winning history before I got there. So, it’s just another day in the office, another year in the office for me. It’s the same thing over and over “I’m just thankful for the opportunity and whoever drafts me will be very lucky to get me.” Deion Sanders stuck by his proclamation that Shedeur and Hunter should go 1-2 in the draft, although he didn’t say who should be the top pick.

Hunter and Shedeur Sanders both skipped workouts at the NFL scouting combine and the Big 12 Pro Day Sanders’ brother, safety Shilo Sanders, skipped the bench press and vertical jumps that began the day at the Buffaloes’ indoor practice facility Friday, citing a sore right shoulder But he ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.52 seconds before cheering on his brother’s passes in the afternoon.

ing starting pitcher Emily Winstead (7-3) out of the game after only one out. That matched Winstead’s shortest outing of the season and the most runs she’s allowed.

“We knew that wasn’t us,” Lassiter said of the conclusion of the South Carolina series. “We knew the energy that we bring every day, and we knew we had to get to practice and work on that. We definitely brought that tonight, and we’re definitely going to bring that the rest of the series.”

Back-to-back hits from Danieca Coffey, a double, and Lassiter, a single, produced a 1-0 lead that increased on run-scoring singles from McKenzie Redoutey and Savanna Bedell. An inning after Maci Bergeron

was robbed of a home run at the wall by Alabama left fielder Lauren Johnson, LSU didn’t leave any doubt in the third with an RBI single from Maddox McKee that was coupled with a throwing error that allowed two more runs to score for a 6-0 lead. Coffey (2 for 2) singled to start the fourth and Lassiter (2 for 3, 3 RBIs) crushed a 1-0 delivery from Bama reliever Braya Hodges over the wall in left for her career-high fifth homer of the season.

“We were in this spot last weekend, and it didn’t go our way,” Torina said “We have to make sure we don’t take anything for granted. They understand this is the SEC and it requires your best game every day no matter what the day before held.”

Sanders proclaimed he’s the top quarterback in the NFL draft on April 24, although most mock drafts have the Tennessee Titans taking Miami QB Cam Ward with the No. 1 overall pick, followed by either Sanders or Hunter, the 21-year-old two-way star and Heisman Trophy winner who skipped the testing periods Friday but shined while running routes and catching passes — without gloves — from Sanders. Hunter also shunned the postworkout podium after scores of NFL talent evaluators from all 32 teams descended on Colorado’s campus for the showcase whose moniker was a nod to one of “Coach Prime” Deion Sanders’ mottos NFL Network broadcast the event and ESPN also was on hand.

The Browns own the second overall pick in the draft, followed by the New York Giants. Although both Sanders and Hunter figure to be selected in the top three picks, the Las Vegas Raiders could try to move up from sixth. Deion Sanders has said he wants Shedeur to go to the right team with the right fit and he portrayed the Browns as an ideal possibility when asked about Shedeur and Hunter having dined with Browns bigwigs Thursday night. No matter where he lands, Shedeur Sanders will be part of a rebuild, something he said he used to: “I don’t think Jackson State or

All eyes were on Shedeur Sanders and Hunter, the 21-year-old two-way star who had 96 catches for 1,258 yards and 15 touchdowns on offense and 35 tackles, 11 pass breakups, eight forced incompletions and four interceptions on defense while allowing just one touchdown last season when the Buffaloes went 9-4. Hunter who won the Heisman, Chuck Bednarik and Fred Biletnikoff awards, wants to play both offense and defense in the NFL, something that Hall of Famer Champ Bailey, the last true two-way player to come out of college, said will depend on where he lands on draft night.

“It’s about what the team allows him to do,” Bailey told The Associated Press while watching the action. “When you call the defense out there, he’s going to run out. When you call the offense out on the field, he’s going to run out. But who’s your coach? What will they allow him to do? Where he goes is going to determine how those first couple of years play out and the opportunities he gets. He’s just got to get with the right team.”

Asked what it was like throwing to this group of receivers one last time, Shedeur Sanders said, “I’m not sure that one of these guys won’t be on my team. I know them. So, who knows? Who knows if Shilo’s going to be on my team? So, there’s a lot of I-don’t-know’s right now.”

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU center fielder Jalia Lassiter celebrates

home run against Alabama in the fourth inning of their game on Friday at Tiger Park.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU first baseman Jared Jones celebrates after hitting a grand slam against UL on March 25 at Alex Box Stadium.

Ovechkin scores twice to tie Gretzky’s record

BY STEPHEN WHYNO AP hockey writer

WASHINGTON Alex Ovechkin tied

Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record by scoring the 894th of his career setting off a wild celebration on the ice with his teammates and chants of “Ovi! Ovi!” in the crowd that included the “Great One” himself.

The Washington Capitals defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-3.

Ovechkin scored on a power play with 13:46 left Friday night, stopping the game while fans rose to their feet to applaud the longtime Capitals captain Clearly emotional, he skated several laps around center ice asking for more cheers, then returned to the bench where he blew kisses to members of his family in a suite

A video montage of Ovechkin’s path to 894 played on arena video boards during the next stoppage in play He’s now one goal away from breaking one of hockey’s biggest records.

With Gretzky in attendance for the first time during the chase, Ovechkin gave him and nearly everyone else in the building reason to cheer early by scoring his 893rd goal less than four minutes in. He took a pass from Dylan Strome behind the net and banked the puck off the far post and goaltender Spencer Knight’s back and in.

“I’m so proud of the fact that I’m here tonight,” Gretzky said at first intermission. “The commissioner I talked to the other day, and Alex said don’t come here until I get to two. I thought yesterday, ‘Gosh, we better get on the plane and get up there because he might get

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second-round picks, its 2024 first-round pick (which turned out to be No. 1 overall) and its 2025 second-round pick — to select Bryce Young. The trade has been universally panned in the aftermath, as Young has struggled to establish himself.

That type of haul is about the going rate for the top pick. And, even in the event of an unexpected Ward slide out of the top 3 picks, the Saints still almost certainly would have to give up multiple first-rounders to move up. New Orleans would have to be utterly convinced that Ward would develop into a high-level quarterback, especially as the team would lack assets to build around him.

Is Ward that guy? It’s tough to say. After stints at Incarnate Word and Washington State, Ward enjoyed a superb 2024 season at Miami, throwing for 39 touchdowns against seven interceptions while finishing fourth in the Heisman Trophy voting. He’s a creative player and a talented thrower But there does seem to be more risk associated with him than some other recent QB1s. The wild-card option

COLORADO QB SHEDEUR SANDERS:

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Coming out of Thursday’s first semifinal were No. 8 Michigan State and No. 9 Kentucky The Spartans, who got a perfect 10 on vault from regional all-around champion Gabrielle Stephen, scored a 197.625 while UK was at 197.525.

To illustrate Clark’s point about being better, both Michigan State and Kentucky surpassed their season NQS (National Qualifying Scores) average. The Spartans were at 197.360, the Wildcats at 197.315, for the season.

“Both of them are worthy of going to nationals,” Clark said In Thursday’s meet, the Tigers performed inside a remarkably tight scoring band, posting nothing lower than a 9.85 and nothing higher than a 9.95. That was from senior Aleah Finnegan on beam in LSU’s final routine of the night, allowing her to tie for the regional individual title in that event.

Overall, 20 of the Tigers’ 24 scores were 9.90 or better, with 15 of them right at 9.90. Clark credited that to the skill his gymnasts exhibited during their routines

Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin celebrates after scoring his 894th goal in a game against the Chicago Blackhawks on Friday in Washington. With the goal, Ovechkin tied Wayne Gretzky’s NHL goals record

three tonight.’ When he scored four minutes in I thought, ‘Oh my God, we might be able to leave after the first period.’”

After a few seconds, Ovechkin’s personal goal song, “Shake, Rattle & Roll” by Big Joe Turner, started blaring from arena speakers as

While he is widely considered the next best quarterback prospect in the draft, Sanders’ draft projections are all over the map. Some are pegging him in the top five, others have him as a late firstrounder Some wonder whether his arm strength translates to the NFL game; others point out his success on vertical throws in college. And this isn’t even getting into the hype that goes with his family lineage as the son of Hall of Famer Deion Sanders. He’s a polarizing player who may or may not be available when the Saints’ turn comes around. If he is there, it will be fascinating to see what the Saints do.

At his best, Sanders is a pointguard style of quarterback. He led the NCAA in completion percentage (74%) and finished his two-year run at Colorado with a 71.8% completion percentage. But there are questions about how his skills will translate to the professional game that make him a high-risk, high-reward play

The buzzy options

OLE MISS QB JAXSON DART, LOUISVILLE

QB TYLER SHOUGH: Not every year is the same when it comes to the draft, but the way last year’s unfolded may provide some insight. Quarterbacks went off the board with the top three selections, which was expected, but what came next was not The Falcons shocked people when they se-

LSU men lose starter, but pick up 4th transfer

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

The comings and goings keep on rolling for the LSU men’s basketball team.

Late Thursday night, Portland junior Max Mackinnon became the fourth commitment for LSU out of the transfer portal, as confirmed by the player’s social-media account. Then on Friday, LSU starting center Daimion Collins announced on Instagram that he has decided to enter the transfer portal.

“After careful consideration,” the redshirt junior said in his statement, “I have decided to enter the transfer portal. This was not an easy decision, but I believe it is the best step for my future and continued development. Thank you Tiger Nation, for your unwavering support. I will always carry these experiences and lessons with me as I embark on this new chapter.”

but a string of small hops on the landings that prevented LSU from earning more scores like Finnegan’s on beam. Finnegan and freshman Kailin Chio tied for first place in the semifinal in the all-around with

mascot Slapshot flipped the counter in one corner from 892 to 893.

Scoring in a fourth consecutive game, Ovechkin reached 40 goals for a 14th time in 20 seasons, which is the most in league history With his second, he is at 41

lected Michael Penix at No. 8, and then two more quarterbacks went in the next four picks — J.J. McCarthy to Minnesota at No. 10, and Bo Nix to Denver at No. 12.

Six quarterbacks in the first 12 picks, two of whom — Penix and Nix — were projected by some to go as late as Day 2 of the draft. When it comes to quarterbacks, there are risers almost every year, and this year’s versions may be Dart and Shough, who have both generated buzz recently as potential first-rounders.

Dart was a three-year starter at Ole Miss after transferring from USC. He led the Southeastern Conference in passing last season (4,279) and led the country in passer rating (180.7 on the college scale, 122.7 on the NFL scale). He is not big by NFL standards, but he is sturdily built at 6-foot-2, 223. Like Sanders, there are questions about his arm strength.

There’s a lot to like about Shough, who has a prototypical build at 6-5 and 219 pounds and has the ability to push the ball downfield. But there are a lot of drawbacks, too: He suffered three season-ending injuries in college (two broken collarbones, one broken leg), ultimately playing seven seasons at three schools, and he will be a 26-year-old rookie.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Though Clark has said he has been averse to changing the chemistry of the LSU lineups this late in the season, he said he considered giving Chio a rest on floor and putting in sophomore Konnor McClain for the first time in that event this season.

scores of 39.625, while senior Haleigh Bryant was a close fourth (39.575).

Though Clark has said he has been averse to changing the chemistry of the LSU lineups this late in the season, he said he considered giving Chio a rest on floor and putting in sophomore Konnor McClain for the first time in that event this season. McClain has competed only on bars and beam this season after suffering an Achilles injury in May during a pre-Olympic meet, but Clark said it was a possibility she could perform on floor Saturday and possibly warm up on vault as well.

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OFFSEASON

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it if she wants to field a team that can return to the women’s Final Four next season. Two LSU contributors are out of eligibility: Aneesah Morrow and Shayeann Day-Wilson Two others are in the transfer portal: Sa’Myah Smith and Last-Tear Poa.

Flau’jae Johnson, perhaps the most important piece of all, reportedly has passed on the WNBA draft, but as of Friday she has neither officially announced that decision nor formally stated she’s returning to the Tigers for her senior year. The portal is open for her, too, and it will be until April 23.

“This one leaves, this one goes, this one comes,” Mulkey said. “So next year, we’ll start this thing up again and see what kind of team you have and go to work.”

Here’s a guide to LSU’s offseason, centered around the moves it can make in the transfer portal. Transfer portal

Last offseason, LSU searched the portal for a lead ballhandler and backcourt depth. This year, its most urgent needs lie in the front court.

Morrow and Smith started 28 games together this season, combining to play nearly threefourths of the total minutes Mulkey gave to all five of her frontcourt players.

LSU is set to add Grace Knox, a 6-foot-2 high school forward ranked as the sixth-best recruit in her class, according to ESPN.

But three of its five forwards and centers from the 2024-2025 team, including senior Amani Bartlett, are now out the door, which leaves Jersey Wolfenbarger and Aalyah Del Rosario as the only frontcourt incumbents.

To shore up their post spots, the Tigers can pursue some highprofile transfers.

Serah Williams, a 6-4 forward from Wisconsin, is a three-year starter, a mainstay on the All-Big Ten defensive team and one of the top portal entries of 2025. This season, she averaged 19.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks per game while shooting 49% from the field Her blocks average led the conference in both her freshman (1.9) and sophomore years (2.8).

Like Morrow, former Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon, standing at 6 feet, is a tad undersized for the position she’d play at LSU.

But the former Big Ten Freshman of the Year has earned all-conference first-team recognition in two consecutive years, seasons in which she’s led the Buckeyes to a pair of top-four NCAA Tournament seeds. McMahon averaged 16.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game

Collins is the sixth player this offseason to enter the transfer portal. He joins freshman Vyctorius Miller, redshirt freshman Corey Chest, sophomore Mike Williams, junior Noah Boyde and junior Tyrell Ward.

Mackinnon, a 6-6, 200-pound guard, made the All-West Coast Conference second team after averaging 14.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 3.2 assists. His efficiency is noteworthy as he shot 46.7% from the field, 40.7% from 3 and 88.7% from the free-throw line.

The Brisbane, Australia, native started his career at Elon where he played two seasons As a freshman he was the Coastal Athletic Association Rookie of the Year after averaging 11.3 points on 46.7% field-goal shooting. Mackinnon’s best game this was a 43-point explosion in a 9282 win over conference foe San Diego. He went 9 of 17 from the field, 7 of 9 from beyond the arc, and had seven rebounds and four assists.

Mackinnon joins UNLV point guard Dedan Thomas, Northeastern guard Rashad King and Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko as offseason additions from the portal for LSU.

Collins also thanked his teammates, coach Matt McMahon and the staff. The 6-foot-9, 200-pound Collins averaged 8.0 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.6 blocks in 20.4 minutes per game. Collins, a former five-star recruit who started his career at Kentucky, shot 58% from the field and 20.4% on 3-pointers. He started 22 games in place of Jalen Reed, who suffered a season-ending ACL injury on Dec. 3. Collins missed almost all of his true junior year during the 202324 season when he dislocated his right shoulder He suffered the same injury a few times this season but only missed two games. He played 152 more minutes this season than he did in his first three college seasons combined. One of his best games was a career-high 22 points on 8-of-10 shooting, four blocks and four rebounds in an 82-79 win over Oklahoma on Feb. 15.

this season while also converting 37% of the 3.1 shots she took from beyond the arc each night.

LSU also could take another shot at rising sophomore Kate Koval, a 6-5 center who’s now in the portal. She was the nation’s No. 5 recruit in the 2024 class, according to ESPN, and she considered the Tigers beforeshecommittedtoNotreDame. Freshman class

LSU’s No. 1 freshman class is a group of four of the seven most highly rated recruits Mulkey and her staff have signed since she left Baylor in 2021, according to ESPN rankings. Knox, 5-10 guard Divine Bourrage, 6-foot guard ZaKiyah Johnson and 5-9 guard Bella Hines can all, in some capacity contribute to next season’s team.

But how heavily can LSU rely on them?

On Tuesday, Knox and Johnson played in the McDonald’s AllAmerica Game. Knox converted two of her eight field-goal attempts and grabbed a game-high 10 rebounds. Johnson notched 11 points, four rebounds and two steals on 5-of-14 shooting from the field.

The last time the Tigers enrolled four recruits who comprised the nation’s top freshman class, they also signed the country’s top two transfers: Hailey Van Lith and Morrow Two of the four prospects (Angelica Velez and Janae Kent) transferred to different schools after their freshman seasons.

Developing and retaining this incoming class will be key for an LSU team that needs depth.

The group’s ability to contribute next season could determine how close the Tigers ultimately come to beating South Carolina in the SEC and reaching the Final Four again.

Other questions

Two All-American guards are in the portal, but will LSU pursue either of them? And are they interested in joining the Tigers?

Both Ta’Niya Latson the Florida State guard who led the nation in scoring this season — and Olivia Miles the Notre Dame star who made a surprise decision to pass on the draft — will have a long list of suitors.

With or without Latson and Miles, will LSU still pursue a transfer point guard like it has in each of the previous two transfer cycles? The two players who combined to start all but one game at the point last season (Poa and Day-Wilson) are moving on. But LSU can bring back both Mjracle Sheppard, a sophomore defensive ace, and Jada Richard, a sharp-shooting freshman from Lafayette.

And it’s also adding potential ballhandlers in Bourrage and Johnson, a pair of top-15 national recruits.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU gymnast Konnor McClain performs on the balance beam in a meet against Iowa State on Jan. 3 at the PMAC.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK SCHIEFELBEIN

Holy Cross pitcher Chris Sercovich gave up three hits and one walk in six innings before getting in trouble in the seventh inning against Rummel in Metairie on Friday. The Tigers won8-7.

THE VARSITYZONE

Up forthe challenge

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Holy Cross used the same two starting pitchers in its biggest gamesthrough the first four weeks of the Catholic League season. But Friday,with the Tigers set to play athird league game in four days, coach Kal Bonura putusual center fielder Chris Sercovichon themound against Rummel.

“I was hoping to get four or five innings out of him,” Bonura said. He gotmorethan he expected.

Sercovich pitched into the seventh inning as Holy Cross built alarge lead and then held on for an 8-7 victory at Mike Miley Stadium. He allowed only threehits and walked one throughthe first six innings but got replacedon the mound when he allowed two walks and asingle to start the seventh.

Rummel scored five runs in the seventh, and the winning run couldhave scored on awell-hit ball to center field that Sercovich caught for the second out as he ran in toward the infield

Sercovich also came throughat the plate, where he reached on a walk and scored in the third inning, doubled and scored in the fifth and stole two bases

But hispitching was most impressive.

“Wehaven’t been needing him because he’sagreat center fielder,” Bonurasaid. “But we needed himtoday,and he stepped up and competed his buttoff until the seventh inning there.”

Sercovich,a senior,feltbest about how he located his low-80s fastball so thathecould effectively usehis curveball, he said. Doing so lethim getintofavorable counts so he could “throw whatever Iwant,” Sercovich said.

Sercovichisnot ahard thrower, something he learned to use for hisadvantageearly in high school

“Itall started when we played Catholic (Baton Rouge) my freshman year,” he said. “I noticed I didn’tneed to punch anybody out. Ican just throw it andget outs that way.That’s what I’ve been doinglately.”

Sercovich left the mound in the seventh inning having allowed only two runs— an unearned run on athrowing error by thecatcher with two outs and another run on athird-strike wild pitch that let a runner score from third.

Sercovich remainedunfazed andretired10ofthe final 11 batters before theseventh.

“He’smentallytough,” said Bonura, in his first season as head

coach at his alma mater.“He ain’t scared of anything. He’ll throw it in there, give up ahome run and go throw thenext one in there.” Holy Cross (22-4, 6-4 District 9-5A) began the season witha 17-0 record —astring that included three no-hitters by Holy Cross pitchers, including onebySercovich —but every winsincethen has felt like agrind. In the latestwin,Tulanecommitment Dom Pellegrin hit two RBI singles, walked twice and gotthe finalout as thepitcher when he fielded acomebacker and threw to first Luke Appe went 2for 3withan RBI, two runs, two stolen bases andasacrifice bunt.ColtonGerrets had two singlesand two RBIs. Theloss for Rummel (20-9, 8-3) came as it tried to keep pace with first-place BrotherMartin in the Catholic League race. Brother Martin beganthe daywith aonegame lead with fourleague games remaining.The Crusaders played later Friday against St. Augustine. Holy Cross andRummelwill play asecond game that is set for 6:30 p.m.Tuesday at Holy Cross Park.

ContactChristopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

CountryDay star Ennishas ‘dream come true’ with herU.S.nationalsoftballteamexperience

BYCHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Country Day freshman Mia Ennis stood in the batter’sbox and looked toward the pitcher from theMexican national team.

This was one memorable moment for Ennis and her United States teammates during their 11-day stay in Acapulco, Mexico. Ennis was on asquad of 15-andunder softball players that wonall eight games against other countries and advanced to the World Baseball Softball Confederation World Cup to be played this summer in Italy

The setting of that at-bat,witha mariachi band playing while Ennis and her teammates took their turns batting,was something she neverhad experienced untilthen But it was part of whatshe felt was aonce-in-a-lifetime opportunity “It was just adream come true justtoplay on abig stage like that and with the all the talented girls that Iplayed with,” Ennis said. “And especially the coaches. Ifeel like the coaches were very high up there, and Iwas well supported playing against good teams like Mexico and Puerto Rico. It was incredible. Iwill never forget it.”

The quick-footed Ennis qualified for the team through aseries of tryouts during the summer in Birmingham,Alabama, andthen in December in Florida, where shewas among86girls invited for the second tryout.

She found out she made the team in January when asocialmedia notification appeared on herphone whileshe andher fa-

PHOTO PROVIDED By USA SOFTBALL

Mia Ennis, afreshman at Country Day, attempts abunt for the U.S. 15-and-under softball team at the WorldBaseball Softball Confederation WorldCup qualifyingtournament in Acapulco, Mexico.

ther were on theirway to hit in thebatting cages at Pontiff Playground.

“There was alot of yelling and immediately we called my mom,” Ennis said.“It was avery memorable day.”

Ennis began playing softball when she was 4or5years old, she said. She also played basketball andmade the all-district team for Country Day,but she recently gave up the sport so shecould put more focus on softball.

Rob Ennis, Mia’sfather and the

Riversideshuts down St.Martin’sbehind Ruiz’s strong pitching

BY CHRISTOPHER DABE Staff writer

Jayce Ruiz showed he could be abig-game pitcher when the Riversideright-handercarriedhis team to thequarterfinal roundof the Division IV select playoffs lastseason.

On Thursday,heshowed it again when he struck out 14 over 10 innings in a1-0 victoryagainst St. Martin’satMike Miley Stadium.

The 11-inning victory clinched adistrict championship for Riverside, anditcould not have come at abetter timefor Ruiz

Ruiz, ajunior, missed most of the season after he had surgery to remove the hamate bone from his left hand. The game against St Martin’swas his third as apitcher and his second as abattersince theinjury.

“It was amazing,”Ruizsaid. “I was just trying to command the zone, throwing strikes —all I could do to letmydefense help me.”

Ruiz kept St. Martin’shitters guessing formuchofthe night as they watched several called third strikesgobythem. He allowed four hits—all singles —and walked one.

“He’sour guy,” saidRiverside coach Jade Falgoust, in his first season back at hisalmamater “Heproved that last year as a sophomore, putting his team on his back andtaking themtothe quarterfinal game. He’sdone someofthe same things forus this year.”

This was thesecondyear in a row Ruiz pitchedagainst St. Martin’s. He did not look much like thepitcher who struggled with his control in awalk-filled loss last season

“He’sgot that real tight curveball that he didn’thavelastyear,” said St. Martin’scoach Bobby Ledoux, who added that “sometimes ahigh school kid will do it forfour innings,five innings. He

did it for115 pitches.”

Ruiz, who movedtoshortstop in the 11th inning because he reached the LHSAA-mandated 115-pitchlimit, credited the work he put in during the offseason with his improved control.

“A lotofweighttraining,flexibility, mobilityand stufflike that,” he said. Both starting pitchers lasted into the extra innings. Cooper Wakefield of St. Martin’sreached the pitch-count limit with the bases loaded and twoouts in the ninth inning, but reliever Bryce Helwig gotthe next batter to hit into afielder’schoice.

Riverside (16-10) produced the winning run on adisputedsafe call at first base. With arunner on second andtwo outs,Ruiz hit adribbler toward the first-base side of the pitcher,whose throw to first base pulled the first baseman acrossthe base andhis foot offthe bag.

BeforeanyoneonSt. Martin’s (12-11) could realizeit, baserunner Ayden Bullock had motored around third andreached home without atag when the late throw skippedbythe catcher Ledoux unsuccessfully argued that his first baseman had his foot on the bagwhen he made the catch. He ultimately tried to turn it into ateaching moment forhis team —thatthe team put itself in atough spotbecauseitdidn’t scoreruns.

BrockBourgeois,the starting quarterbackonthe football team, moved from shortstop to pitch the final inning forRiverside.St. Martin’sput runners on first and secondbeforethe finalbatter struck out.

Riversidehad playedseveral gamesrecently without some key hitters in thelineup because of injuries. Those players returned recently

“Finally getting those guys back andhaving Jayce out there on the mound throwing theway that he does,” Falgoust said, “and abig wintonight canhopefullykickstart us going into the playoffs.”

Contact Christopher Dabe at cdabe@theadvocate.com

head softballcoach at Country Day, notedMia’s home-to-first speed and her “being able to cover allofcenter field”among her strengths.

“I love playing center field and covering all the ground, and just havingnothingdrop out there,” she said.

Ennis did not reach base in her two plateappearances against Mexico. But the left-handed hitter did notch apair of hits during the tournament —a first-pitch bunt against Argentina for the first hit andthenaslap-hit to left fieldagainst Canada when “they needed abig hit,” she said.

Khloe Williams from Oklahoma was selected as thetournament MVP.She went11-for-18with 11 RBIsand playedfirst base. AnsleyJohnson of Sterlingtonwas anotherLouisiana girl on theteamat thequalifying tournament.

Ennis returned to theCountry Day softballteam this week.Junior catcher Alaya Boddenand freshman pitcher/third baseman

Addie Richardson are among other standouts for the Cajuns.Ennis also will pitch for her high school team.

Country Day will face Newman in agame set for5 p.m. Mondayat theJPRD Softball Complex.

“This week, I’m going to get my pitching going so hopefully we can beat Newman next week,” said Ennis, whoseteam lost to Newman 11-10 last season. CountryDay (9-2) could be seeded high enough to have ahome game when the LHSAA Division III select playoffs beginina couple of weeks. The Cajuns wereNo. 11 in the updated power ratings.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put more energyinto what you do and how you present yourself and your attributes Take the highroad and don'tlook back. Letting go of thepastishalf the battle.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Tidy up; take astab at streamlining your life and declutteringyourspace. Put your energyintoaltering your lifestyle to encourage peace of mind and more time forpurposeful pastimes.

GEMINI (May21-June 20) Bide your time Refusetolet anyone talk you into something you don't want or need. Reach out to connections, get the lowdown and make choices basedonwhat is easiest foryou.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Getyour facts straight beforeyou shareinformation. Put more timeand thought into how youuse your energy and skills to get things done andraise your profile.

LEO(July23-Aug. 22) Keep your mind motivated and movinginaninnovative direction. Learn all you can and adapt your findings to service your skills. It's up to youtofindways to stand out in a competitiveworld

VIRGO(Aug. 23-Sept.22) Introduce yourself to people andpastimes thatexcite you. Participate in communityevents andbereceptivetoadopting changes that can benefityou personally.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) Take in the atmosphere. Theinspiration you receive frominteractingwith people whoare unique,creative or knowledgeable

about subjects thatsparkyour curiosity will spur you to dig deeper

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Don't hide when you shouldbeout and about. Social events will change your perspective regarding someone of interest. Participation is your passport to better options, new beginnings and positive lifestyle changes

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Think big, but don't go over budget. Someone will interfere or try to persuade you to take on responsibilities you don't need or want. Protect your money, possessions and reputation.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Youare sitting in abetterposition thansomeone would have you believe. Listen to criticism, but decide foryourself what's bestfor you. Be passionate about the process, journey and overall outcome.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Afinancial opportunity is apparent. Buying, selling or investing moretime or money in yourself or your future is encouraged and will send you down arewarding path.

PISCES(Feb. 20-March 20) Live life your way. Follow your heart, live in the moment andparticipate in events and activities thatpump you up. Say no to temptation, excessive behavior and overspending.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrewsmcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Ciphercryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Eachletter in thecipher stands for another.

TODAy'SCLUE: HEQUALSP

CeLebrItY CIpher

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases frommonday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZardoFid

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BY PHILLIP ALDER

John Ruskin, who diedin1900, wasan English art critic andphilanthropist who alsowrote on awide range of subjects. He said, “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating;thereisreallynosuchthing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”

Some people would not agree with that, especially those who liveyear-roundin awarm climate. But at the bridge table, sometimes the weatherlooksinclement with bad suit breaks, but occasionally thesun still shines.Intoday’sdeal,how shouldSouthplayinthreeno-trumpafter West leads theheart king?

In this auction, South’stwo-diamond advance was forcing forone round. (I like this agreement. If two diamonds is nonforcing, Southhas to cue-bid two hearts firstwithall good hands. Iprefer acue-bid to promise support forpartner’ssuit.) On thesecond round, South took ashot at the nine-trick game, hopingpartner hadsomething in spades (or that West would not lead that suit).

Notice that five diamonds goes down on thelikely heartlead.

South, in asunny mood, thought he could see10easy tricks: two spades, one heartand seven diamonds. Aftertaking his heart ace, declarer cashed hisdiamond ace and sawscudding dark clouds when West discardeda club. However, he pausedand realized that it would not rain as longasheunblocked dummy’s10. Then South led aspade to dummy’sking, cashedthe ace, played adiamondtohis nine,and claimed an overtrick. ©2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is awordriddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. Forexample: nOOn gOOD =gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,”

toDAY’sWoRD WARBLERs: WAR-blers: Small birds closelyrelated to thrushes andknown for their song.

Timelimit

Canyou

today’s thought “Your wordisalamp to my feet,and alight to my path.” Psalms 119:105

Youdon’t have

stumble in the darkness of this world.Let the Lord guide youwith his truth. G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

dIrectIons: makea 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. add points of each word, using scoring directionsat right. Finally 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter havenopoint value. allthe words arein the Official sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

Puzzle Answer

info@scrabbleplayers.org.Visit

ken ken

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

WiShinG Well

HErEisaplEasanTliTTlE

thenumberofletters

Scrabble GramS

roSe iS roSe

HOME | DESIGN | GARDEN | REAL ESTATE

Theweekend buzz

It’sjust that time of the year:Home and garden calendarsare chock-full.

This weekend, there aretwo major garden events.Dan Gill has the details of the Spring Garden Show,takingplace Saturday and Sunday in City Park. on Page 4.

filesanespecially large andlovelyone. Home tours are twofoldas well. The Preservation ResourceCenter’s spring tour is featuring homes in Algiers Point on Saturday and Sunday. Seedetails on Page 16.

Tell us about your spaces

GREENTHUMB

Home &Garden Showisthis weekend. PAGE 4

ONEINAMILLION

An Uptown sidehall that’sfullof charm. PAGE 8

On Page 10, learn about Sunday’sPatio Planters of the Vieux Carre Secret Courtyards Tour, which offers apeek behind historic walls in the Quarter.Jyl Bensonpro-

Karen Taylor Gist

And, the Bywater NeighborhoodAssociation’shometour comes up on Sunday.One of its homes, an unusual modernmeets-historic remake, is featured in the coverstory on Page 12.

Welcometoabusy spring.

The InsideOut home and gardensection is published every Saturday by TheTimes-Picayune. Questions about InsideOut should be directed to the editor.

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

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Jyl Benson, Dan Gill

COVER DESIGN: AndreaDaniel

COVER PHOTO: John McCusker

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

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

INSIDE STORY

Apeek inside a blooming Quarter courtyard. PAGE 10 COVERSTORY Arock photographer finds anew muse in Bywater. PAGE 12

INSIDE INFO

Home and garden happenings. PAGE 16

REAL ESTATE TRANSFERS Recent transactions in the metroarea.

PAGE 17

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Beautifulcompoundonthe scenic Wolf Rivertotals19acres -14acres situated on thebluff,plus5 acresofwoodland andsandbeach. Parklike groundsboast 4historicstructures: amainhouse,caretaker’s cottage, log cabinguest house, anda convertedbarn. Elevated walkwayleads to huge privatedeckoverlooking extensivefrontageonWolfRiver.Don’t miss this opportunitytoown theperfect retreat, only onehourfromNew Orleans. EleanorFarnsworth 504-669-0211 LATTER &BLUM| COMPASS• Garden District 504-891-1142

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139Labarre Drive• OldMetairie$739,000 4Bd,2BaCottageCompletelyRenovated!KitchenhasMarbleCounters,SSAppls, BreakfastBar&PlentyCabinetSpaceplusLrgWalkinPantry.CrMolding,Recessed Lighting in Liv& DinRms.SpaciousPrimary Bdrm &Bathw/Lrg Tub& Shower AllNew Wiring,Roof& WindowswereUpdtd 2019.Garage+ Ofc& 2Drvwys! LOOK forMoreofMYLISTINGSinthe SUNDAY’S LIVING SECTION! CarolynTalbert 504-330-0901 KellerWilliams Realty Services 985-727-7000

NEW LISTING

216BetzPlace •Old Metairie

$575,000

Charming splitlevel 3Bd, 2Bahomew/oak wood floors,9 ft ceilings,fabulous naturallight,den w/ beautifulauthentic slate floor, cathedralceiling & picturewindows overlookingdeck& largebackyard. Primarybedroom has vaultedceiling &wonderful closet space. Separate garage &whole house generator. Sits on adelightfulstreetw/all appealingcottages. Closetothe city!

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810OrleansAvenue• HeartofFrenchQuarter $750,000 Elegantcottage w/ privatecourtyard &off-stprkgnearBourbon,Royal St &St LouisCathedral.Per Historic N.O. Collection,3-bay bricklateItalianatebracketed single shotgun collage w/ intricatelydecorated window cornices on front façade,hi-ceilings &oversized windowsallowingnat’l lightin. Kitw/modern conveniences.Ideal forentertaining, a2nd home or weekendgetaway!!! Chip Gardner• 504-236-3891 HerbertDubuisson •228-216-8456 LATTER &BLUM| Compass• 985-626-5695 www.chip-herbert.com

TRULY ONE OF A KIND!

3611 Elaine Place• BayouSt. John /Mid-City$635,000

This enchanting,circa-1920s Creole cottageisa true dollhouse dream, overflowingw/charm &character.Nestled alongthe picturesque BayouSt. John,itoffersbreathtakingviews &anunbeatablelocationin theheart of thecity’smostvibrant scene.Aseamlessblend of historic elegance andmoderncomfort,thishomeretains itsoriginalaesthetic. AprilGongora Brown 504-606-0466 HospitalityRealty

421StarlingDrive •Slidell $770,000 Beautiful5Bd/4.5 Bath Home,located in TheSettlementsection of QuailRidge &River Road Subdvs,one of E. St.Tammany’s most exclusive& desirable areas. Sits on expansive5-acrelot,w/stately oaks,front porchhandmade Bevelo lanterns, flowingfountains &stocked pond.Bkydhas a20x 40,canopy shaded,saltwater pool,surroundedbybrick.3-car garage.A Must See! Laurie Wood •985-290-1990ChipGardner •504-236-3891 HerbertDubuisson•228-216-8456Latter&Blum|Compass•985-626-5695 NEW LISTING NEW LISTING

GREENTHUMB

An attendee admires plant trimmings during the Spring Garden Showatthe Botanical Garden in CityPark in 2024. This year’sevent, whichfeatures diverse plant sales and garden product exhibits, is Saturdayand Sunday.

In southeast Louisiana, the first signs of spring arrive in early to mid-February,and they accelerate into high gear in March. By April, when many people thinkspring has finally arrived, spring is actually well along. April is theclimax of spring, not itsbeginning.

As we reach mid-May,summer is here. When you think of spring lasting from mid-February until early May,itdoesn’tseem so short.

So, now we are in midspringand nature is exploding withgrowth

Deciduous trees and shrubs have cloaked themselves with vibrant, fresh growth. Azaleas and roses are putting on acolorful show. And beds of cool-season plants like pansies, violas, dianthus and snapdragons are putting on trafficstopping displays of flowers. Amid this explosion of green growth and color,home gardeners are infected with spring fever The garden showsthat occur all

Dan Gill GREEN THUMB

STAFFFILE PHOTOBySOPHIAGERMER

GREENTHUMB

Keep cool-season pansies as long as they look good

BY DAN GILL

Contributing writer

I planted pansies for winter and spring color They look great right now They are all so full, and I hate to pull them up. Usually, I plant periwinkles for the summer. How long should I keep my pansies in ground before pulling them up to replace them with periwinkles?

— Rachel

Cool-season bedding plants like pansies, violas, dianthus, snapdragons and alyssum are at their peak right now. Even though warm, settled weather means we can begin to plant warm-season bedding plants, there is no hurry to get them in the ground.

Leave the pansies (and other cool-season bedding plants) in as long as they look good; you might as well get your money’s worth out of the planting. Pansies can easily stay attractive until late April or early May, especially if the weather stays cool to mild. If you haven’t fertilized in a while, consider fertilizing. Pansies do best when well fertilized.

Periwinkles actually prefer

your hedges. You would have to just apply the herbicide selectively to the foliage of the poison ivy and not get any on the foliage of the shrub. This would be very tedious.

My amaryllis bulbs are just beginning to bloom.After they bloomed last year, the thick flower stalk developed green balls on the end that eventually split open.Are those the seeds, and can I plant them? — Jason

you are breeding amaryllis or want to try to grow some from seeds, the developing fruit are a waste of energy for the plant.

to be planted in late April or May when the weather is warmer But whatever summer bedding plant you choose to plant to replace the coolseason plants when they fade, there is absolutely no hurry getting in your summer bedding plants planted. They have all summer to grow.

I’ve noticed that there is poison ivy growing in some of my hedges.Are there any weed killers that will kill poison ivy that is growing in hedges without hurting the hedge plants? —

Michael

There is no selective herbicide you can spray over the hedges that will kill just the poison ivy and not damage

However, you can use the cut-and-treat-the-stump method of control. Look under the hedges and find where the poison ivy vines are growing out of the ground. Cut off each vine a few inches from the ground with hand pruners or loppers and immediately treat the fresh cut stump with undiluted triclopyr (Green Light Cut Vine and Stump Killer and other brands).

The poison ivy vine stump will die and not resprout because the herbicide gets absorbed by the freshly cut surface and moves down into the roots, also killing them. The shrubs will not be harmed. The poison ivy vines remaining in the hedges will shrivel up and die and can be removed. But be careful. Even dead poison ivy vines will still cause rashes if you are allergic.

The green balls you see developing on the flower stalk after the flowers fall off are the fruit that will eventually be filled with seeds. Unless

Left on the plant, these seed pods will use up food that the plant could otherwise use to make more leaves, roots and

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Pansies can take the cold.

See ADVICE, page 7

GREENTHUMB

SHOW

Continuedfrompage4

PLANT NOW: Vegetables to plant from seeds or transplantsinApril include cantaloupe, collards, corn, cucumber,cucuzza, cushaw, honeydew, lima beans, luffa, Malabar spinach, mirliton (plant sproutedfruit), okra, pumpkin, snap beans, Southernpeas, squashes, sweet potato (plant rootedcuttings), Swiss chardand watermelon. Plant transplants of tomato, peppersand eggplant.

MULCH,TOO: Be sure to mulch newly planted beds of shrubs or bedding plants with a2-inchlayer of leaves, pine straw, pine barkor other materials to control weeds, conserve moisture and keep the soil from packing down.

PRUNE: If needed, prune springflowering shrubs when they finish blooming.Haveadefinite purpose in mind before youbegin to prune, and prune carefully to achieve your objective.

PULL WEEDS: Be sure to pull up and dispose of cool-season annual weeds such as annual bluegrass, henbit, bedstrawand chickweed growing in beds now.These weeds are setting thousands of seeds that will plague younext winter and spring if not removednow.Inlawns, mowback the weeds regularly to reduce flowering and setting seeds or apply alawnweed killer.

CALADIUMTIME: Plant caladium tubersorstartedplants in the garden this month through July Caladiums are excellent for shady areas and combine beautifully with other shade-loving

around Louisiana this time of year are agreat source of inspiration, education and an amazing selection of plants and gardening products. Founded in 1980, the Spring Garden Show in New Orleans’ City Park was the first major garden show in Louisiana, and this great show is coming up this weekend.

Spring Garden Show

The Spring Garden Show will take place Saturday and Sunday at the New Orleans Botanical Garden on Victory Avenue in City Park. Hours arefrom 9a.m. to 4p.m. on bothdays.

In addition to the diverse plant sales andgarden product exhibits, the show includes achildren’sdiscovery

Visitors browse through tents with plants for sale during the Spring Garden Showat the BotanicalGarden in April 2024.

area, educational programs, food, arts and crafts, and cooking demonstrations. Educational programstake place on both days, and the lectures feature speakers presenting locally appropriate gardening information.

SATURDAY

11 a.m.: “Creative UseofNative Plants.” Kathy Maynard, student flower show judge, will be joined by Peggy Parr, Shady OaksGarden Club member,toshow the use of native plants in indoor design.

1p.m.: “Flower Arranging.” Mary Ellen Miller (master flower show judge), Debbie Corales and Nancy Click (life flower show judges) and Marlene Alvarez (student flower show judge) present ahow-to demonstration of several kinds of floral designs. All completed designs will be given away at the end of the program.

SUNDAY

1p.m.: “Leaf Manipulation.” Donna Clark (Aurora Plantation Gardeners member and flower show chairman) will be showing ways to use leaves and branches in floral design. 2p.m.: “Drying Flowers and Leaves.” Mary EllenMiller(masterflower show judge) will demonstrate thebestmethodsof drying flowers and leaves forlong-lasting use in design.

STAFFFILE PHOTOBySOPHIAGERMER

Plants grow in ashoe at the 2024 Spring Garden Show.

STAFFFILE PHOTO

GREENTHUMB

ADVICE

Continued frompage5

ultimately more flowers. For most of us, the flower stalk should be removedwhen the flowers have faded. Follow the stalk down to where it emerges from the bulb andcut it there.

For gardeners whomay want to try their handatgrowing amaryllises from seeds, allow the pods to develop until

SHOW

Continued frompage6

SPEAKERS AT THE GARDEN STUDY CENTER

SATURDAY

Avirtual tour of theNew Orleans Botanical Garden

10 a.m.: From the City Park Rose Garden to the New Orleans Botanical Garden,Laura Boland Wright

10:30 a.m.: The Hummingbird Garden, Laura Boland Wright

11 a.m.: Highlights from the Native Garden, Usha Ramadhyani and Laurie Ricchiuti

11:30 a.m.: The ButterflyGarden, Louise Mouton Johnson

Noon: AWalking Tour of the Scent-sationalAromatic Garden, Susan Berry

12:30 p.m.: ARide Back in Time: Historic Train Garden, Peggy Howard

SUNDAY

11 a.m.: “Plants for EveryPlace: Site-Specific Species Selection.” Damon Abdi, LSU AgCenter state specialist, Hammond Research Station. Do you have ashady area or awet area, or are you just interested in finding aplant that will grow where you plantit? Learn about plants for every location in your landscape.

Noon: “MakeYour Landscape Dazzle.” Joe W. Willis, LSU AgCenter

they split open in summer and then plant theblack, paperlike seeds. It will generally take two to three years for the young plantstobloom, and they may look differentfrom the original plant.

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

It will generally takeamaryllises twotothree years to bloom when planting them from seed.

agent. Low-maintenance, highbeauty plants that will make your landscapedazzle.

1p.m.: “Growing Blueberries in the GNO Area.” Joe W. Willis,LSU AgCenter agent. Blueberries needlow soil pHand love welldrained soils. How can you successfully grow blueberries in an area where the soil is not ideal? Come to this presentation for acrash course in

Begonia maculata are sold during the 2024 Spring Garden Show

$799,000 •UPTOWN GORGEOUS DUPLEX

4BEDS/3FULLBATHS (UPPER) 3BEDS/3FULLBATHS (LOWER) High ceiling.Eachunithas its washer&Dryer! Back porch, terrace, andcourtyard.Totally renovated, fullyfurnished! 2Meters. Off street parking!

successful blueberry growing. Chef demonstrations will takeplace at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. bothdays. Admission is $12 for adults, $6 for children ages 5to12. Friends of City Park and children under 5enter free. The show is sponsored by theCity ParkConservancy,LSU AgCenter and LouisianaMaster Gardeners.

LAKEVIEW/GENTILLY

$615,000

$6,000,000 •MID-CITY 29,238 SqFt. Apremier investment opportunity includes 6front and2backbuildings,a large courtyardwithanabove-ground pool,a music stage,and parking.

WEST BANK/JEFFERSON

SOPHIA GERMER

ONEINAMILLION

Stately Uptown side-hall has charm to spare for $1.6M

BY VICTOR ANDREWS Staff writer

It isn’t often that a house fits into its neighborhood as well as the Uptown residence at 1214 Jefferson Ave.

The two-story home, framed by a stately oak and mature landscaping, seems to reach out with a welcoming embrace.

With a broad front porch and balcony, diamond-patterned windows and a glistening lead-glass front entrance, the side-hall home invites visitors to come in and relax in the more than 3,600 square feet of space. It is priced at $1.575 million.

With three bedrooms and a host of formal spaces and flexible rooms, the 1899 dwelling is ready for a new owner to move in.

Wide brick stairs lead to the fourcolumned front porch and up to the double front doors, where decorative details allow plenty of natural light into the broad foyer

Soaring up the side wall is a grand stair case that leads to the more private family spaces of the home. Across from it is the opening into the twin parlors, easily concealed behind pocket doors or left open to allow graceful flow

The bayed trio of floor-length windows wash the space in shaded light from the porch, with a handsome fireplace anchoring the front room. Golden-toned wooden floors run from the front parlor to the second, which has its own bay and another fireplace flanked by windows. More pocket doors can allow for separate spaces or a continuous area.

A mirror image of the second parlor, the formal dining room also opens onto the foyer. The circular flow of the public spaces creates a prime pattern for entertaining, with the pocket doors

The home at 1214 Jefferson Ave. fits well into the Uptwon neighborhood,

allowing for segmenting the areas at will.

A convenient hall off the dining room holds the home’s elevator, a powder room, bar and access to the kitchen and den.

The roomy casual den is a familycentric space with a variety of cabinetry and shelves, a fireplace, twin windows with fanlights and a wall of windows and doors leading to the rear yard.

A broad opening, large enough to make the kitchen part of the space yet not intrusive, leads into the fashionable culinary center Clean-lined cabinets are paired with professionalgrade appliances (including a wine refrigerator) and light counters to create a bright workspace.

A central island delineates the space and has seating for casual meals or

PROVIDED PHOTOS By ENJOLI LECOUR

a stately dwelling along one of the city’s boulevards.

A trio of floor-length windows look out over the front porch from the first of the twin parlors, which can be closed off with pocket doors.

The den of thehome adjoinsthe stylish kitchen, yet is separate. The inviting spacehas a fireplace,built-in cabinets, and windowsand doors leading tothe patio at therear.

conversation. Apantry is right at hand,plus windowsabove the upper cabinets brighten the space.

Sleeping quarters occupy the upper floor,with the possibility of four bedrooms or three plus an office. Twoofthe bedrooms, each with bayed walls, share ahall bath, and one has access to the front balcony.The additional bedroom currently serves as an office with abuiltin desk and shelves.

The primary suite occupies the back half of the upper floor, with the home’selevator opening onto the hall of thesuite. The sleeping chamberhas a bayed wall of windows.

The suite also contains two bathrooms, the largerofwhich has astanding shower,vanity and makeup station plus awalk-in closet. The smaller bath also has astandingshower and walk-in closet.

The brickedbackyard,lined with shade-giving foliageand mature plantings, is dominated by arustic, tranquil water feature but there’sstill plenty of room for al fresco entertaining.

The home also has agenerator and off-street parking.

It is listed by Margaret Stewart, of Latter &Blum |Compass, at (504) 616-4154.

One in aMillion is an occasional seriesfeaturing upscale homes forsale in the

area.

ONEINAMILLION

Abar,withstorageand an ice maker, is located in the hall between the formal dining room and the kitchen. Also in the space arethe home’selevator and apowder room.

The kitchen is stylish and yetsubstantive.

Arusticwater feature in the backyard is surrounded by the brick patiobut framed by largetrees and mature plantings.

INSIDESTORY

Hidden Vieux

Courtyard tour will feature a Quarter paradise of white and lavender blooms and water features

BY JYL BENSON

Contributing writer

Jennifer and Scott Willis’ French Quarter courtyard garden is obscured from the street by an old brick wall covered in pale gray stucco. The only suggestion of what lays beyond is a shallow, raised garden bed with white dwarf Drift roses draping

over its sides and a series of espaliered star jasmine vines interwoven with climbing New Dawn roses.

Within a year, the young roses and the jasmine are expected to conceal the wires upon which they are being trained, eventually offering only hints of the wall upon which they climb.

The effect will be formal

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN McCUSKER

The beds set within the Willises’ French Quarter courtyard are rimmed and defined with old Louisiana hard tan brick.

ABOVE: Star jasmine vines interwoven with climbing New Dawn roses are trained to climb the stucco wall. TOP: Seating areas are situated on different levels in the courtyard.

“The goals were security, privacy and the feeling of being in their own world.”

RENE FRANSEN, landscape architect

INSIDESTORY

and secretive.

The Willises called on celebrated landscape architect Rene Fransen, of Fransen and Mills Landscape Architects, to bring their garden, which spans half the depth of their French Quarter block and occupies an entire lot where another home once stood, into harmony with their circa 1910 Victorian shotgun home.

cars behind horrible iron gates.”

The iron gates that once accessed the driveway were replaced with wooden ones, painted to resemble the elegant door that replaced the iron gate used to access the family’s home via the garden.

Adding something seasonal

SECRET GARDENS OF THE VIEUX CARRE

The Willises’ new garden, completed in October, will be featured on the Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre Secret Gardens Tour, a selfguided walking exploration from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

Their own special world

“The goals were security, privacy and the feeling of being in their own world,” Fransen said. “The house is gorgeous, and they wanted the same quality on the outside. I was the project manager and planting designer on the Willis project, but the overall design was a collaborative effort between our staff and the Willises.”

Beyond the stucco wall, a parterre garden unfolds in stages, guiding visitors through a series of exterior rooms. Fransen kept an existing row of American holly trees that lined the brick wall along the northern edge of the property. They are now underplanted with Ligularia gigantea, Japanese Ardisia and dwarf shell ginger

Adjacent to the trees is a broad, flagstone driveway with ample room for three vehicles to park in a linear formation. The drive is obscured by hedges of Japanese Yew. Throughout the garden, old hard tan brick was used to edge the beds surrounding flagstone courtyards and walkways.

“Before, it was a horrible mix of new brick,” Fransen said. “It was a patio with

The Willises wanted some deciduous elements that would showcase seasonal change through both foliage and flowers. “It was an unusual request for New Orleans, where most people want tropical gardens that always look lush and full,” Fransen said.

To accommodate this, he installed Japanese maple and Chinese fringe trees, both of which shed their leaves for winter. Currently in bloom, a white fringe tree will greet guests as they arrive for the tour The tree is underplanted with gardenia, dwarf white Sasanqua and iris.

“The color palette for the Willis garden is white with touches of blue and lavender imparted through agapanthus, yesterday today and tomorrow, and iris,” Fransen said.

The steps leading up to the home are framed by a pair of mature Japanese maple trees, beginning to leaf out for spring. Across from the primary entrance, which is framed by a pair of soft terracotta Anduze urns lushly planted with dwarf yaupon and English ivy, Fransen installed a wall fountain.

A pair of silvery-leaved European olive trees frame the fountain. They are underplanted with blue agapanthus and white dwarf angel Encore azaleas, and both butterfly and lavender iris.

A deep, covered outdoor porch is both shaded and bathed in fragrance by an existing sweet olive tree.

Distinctive water features

Opposite the porch, a flag-

WHAT: The Patio Planters of the Vieux Carre’s self-guided walking tour of French Quarter courtyards demonstrates how owners adorn small spaces with greenery and flora to provide cool hideaways. WHEN: Noon to 4 p.m. Saturday TICKETS: $35 in advance, $40 cash day-of. Pick up at the Cabildo in Jackson Square, 701 Chartres St., under the alcove, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; patioplanters.net

stone walkway edged in old tan bricks is punctuated by a series of pedestals. A walkway of crushed limestone transitions from the flagstones and terminates at another flagstone courtyard, this one with a low, circular fountain at its center

Small groupings of verdigris iron furniture surround the water feature. The seating area is defined by a low wall anchored by additional pedestals. A terrace extending from the rear of the home steps down to the fountain garden.

The southern side of the garden is shaded by Vitex trained to a tree form that will bloom in summer. A rear shade bed is planted in Fatsia, Ligularia gigantea, camellia and Soft Caress mahonia.

“I designed the garden with two water features to give each space a distinct personality,” Fransen said. “The front pond has seating around its edges. The rear fountain is for private viewing from the couple’s bedroom and features elegant limestone coping. Both are easily maintained.

“Spring is marked by the leafing out of the Japanese maples and the flowering of yesterday today and tomorrow Agapanthus, hydrangea, butterfly, shade and walking iris, as well as gardenias, giant white bird of paradise and giant Ligularia, also contribute to the blooming sequence.”

Verdigris iron furniture is in harmony with the plantings.

Japanese maple trees overhang a crushed stone path leading from the Willises’ driveway to the formal rear courtyard and fountain.

Fransen

COVER STORy

Bywater

(REMIX)

ABOVE: Photographer Steve Rapport moved into his Bywater home in 2024.

RIGHT: One side of Rapport’s gallery features photography from the New Orleans chapter of his career

1880s tall ceilings, pine floors segue into a sleek, modern living area

BY JYL BENSON Contributing writer

California photographer Steve Rapport came to New Orleans in March 2022 to shoot a concert at Tipitina’s. He also went to visit Preservation Hall to meet with creative director Ben Jaffe, who had contacted him months before about purchasing prints of The Clash and David Bowie, both of whom Rapport had photographed extensively.

“I felt an instant connection to Ben, his band and Preservation Hall,” said Rapport, a native of London’s East End. “I felt I had found my spiritual home.”

Within days, Rapport had put his Pacifica, California, home on the market, purchased a home in Bywater and opened a photography gallery in the French Quarter.

The decision to move his gallery into his home led him to buy a pre-Civil War Creole shotgun a few blocks away in 2023.

Rapport’s home will be one of five featured on the 2025 Bywater Home Tour from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday

ä See MODERN, page 14

An abundance of

Rapport’s Bywater home and gallery is painted a vibrant shade of blue with claret shutters and trim, the colors of his favorite U.K. football (soccer) team, West Ham United.

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN MCCUSKER

light,

through large plate glass doors between Rapport’s living/dining room and numerous clerestory windows, provides optimal conditions for his plant collection.

Rapport wanted a sleek, stark look in the open kitchen. The cabinets from Ikea are devoid of pulls. There is no dishwasher. Panels obscure the refrigerator The oven and microwave are within the same unit. The flat-top induction range carries over the sleek esthetic. The counters and the waterfall island are made of Dekton, a carbon-neutral material composed of a blend of raw materials used in the production of glass, porcelain and quartz, renowned for its durability, stain resistance, and heat resistance. The color is Liquid Embers. The island is illuminated by bubble saucer lamps by George Nelson.

natural

imparted

MODERN

Continued from page 12

A little Bywater history

In a way, his story was a continuation of the real estate changes that began in the Bywater around the 1984 Louisiana World Exposition. Then, many long-term French Quarter residents — most of whom were creative types with limited financial means — moved downriver to the Marigny and Bywater

They restored affordable, long-neglected Victorian homes, Italianate mansions and Creole cottages with sweat equity

In 1993, the Bywater was designated as a Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places.

The neighborhood’s abovesea-level status on the Mississippi River’s natural levee spared it from the flooding that followed Hurricane Katrina, which led to an influx of more creative types who settled in and restored more of the historic architecture, often using color palettes that would be unwelcome in more sedate places.

Today, Bywater is known for its artistic vibe, diverse population and historic charm, with a compelling mix of restaurants, bars, galleries and neighborhood parks.

“There’s not much of a nine-to-five here,” said Rapport. “Not many doctors and lawyers.”

Melding old and new

When Rapport bought the shotgun a few blocks away from his original Bywater home, he worked with New Orleans architect and builder Kyle Resmondo, of MK Redbuild, to renovate the historic structure to serve as his home and gallery. They obtained a permit to demolish the unsalvageable addition at the back of the house and replaced it with a connected, modern home for Rapport in the sleek style he favors. Rapport moved into his new home in March.

“Kyle has incredible ideas,”

The home is appointed with a who’s who of midcentury modern furnishings from designers such as Ludwig

Eames Jr., and Ray and Bernice Eames, as well as Blue Dot, Philippe Starck, and George Nelson. A Verakek screen serves as a visual divider between the living room and the bedroom.

Rapport said. “He understood exactly what I wanted to do.”

‘Feeling of community’

The 12-foot ceilings and original heart pine flooring at the front of the structure give way to 10-foot ceilings and a style suggestive of the Rocio Romero-designed LV home Rapport left in Pacifica. The Chilean American architect is known for minimalist, clean-lined, customized prefab. The entire structure is now 1,162 square feet A parapet wall at the exterior rear of the structure obscures the roof’s pitch. The home is painted a vibrant shade of blue with claret shutters and trim.

“Those are the colors of West Ham United, my favorite football (U.K. soccer) team,” Rapport said. He intends to have a pair of

hallway between Rapport’s gallery and his home is lined in spectacular color images taken on his world travels. Each of the images was captured on a mobile phone and printed on aluminum, which lends vivid hues and depth.

STAFF PHOTOS By JOHN McCUSKER

Mies van der Rohe, Charles

The

BYWATER HOME TOUR

WHAT: The BywaterNeighborhood Association sponsors the tour of five homes. WHERE: Check-in for the tour is at Beanlandia, 3300 RoyalSt.

WHEN: Noon to4 p.m. Sunday

TICKETS: $30nonmembers; $25 association members. bywater.org.

Amural by NewOrleans artist Jay McCay, based on aphoto Rapport shot in his early career, features Joe Strummer of The Clash at the Lyceum in London in October 1981. The mural is visible in the driveway

crossed hammers, which are representative of the team, forged of iron and mounted to the home’sexterior in further celebration of theteam.

One enters the home through the gallery,the walls on one side of which are hung generously with prints depicting the first chapter of Rapport’scareer as aphotographerwhen he worked with such influential rock andpunk icons as The Clash, Ramones, Elvis Costello, The Cure, Eurythmics, Duran Duran, SpandauBallet, John Lee Hooker, Miles Davis, Freddie Mercury and Queen, Bruce Springsteen, Sade, Peter Gabriel, Depeche Mode, Iron Maiden,The Pogues,AC/DC, Iggy Pop, Chuck Berry and Little Richard.

Rapport was one of fewer than adozen photographers to cover the legendary Live Aid Concert at Wembley Stadium in London on July 13, 1985, a historic event watched live by 1.9billion people worldwide that raised funds for famine relief in Ethiopia.

Five years later,also at Wembley Stadium, Rapport

captured ashot of Nelson Mandela shortly after his release from aSouth African prison for his efforts to end apartheid. The image of the late civil rightsleader hangs above the doorway in the gallery

Thewalls on the opposite side of the gallery feature framed imagesfrom the New Orleans chapter of his career,which covers the New OrleansJazz &Heritage Fes-

tival, Preservation Hall, the city’sBlack Masking Indians and architecture, much of it in Rapport’sBywater neighborhood.

“I find this neighborhood so inspiring,” Rapport said. “It just blows me away that I can go to afree concert afew blocks away at Bywater Art Garden featuring multiple Grammy Award winners. Bywater spoke to me for the feeling of community.”

PRC Tour opens houses on AlgiersPoint

The Spring Home Tour of several privateresidences on the historic AlgiersPointwill be from 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Saturday and Sunday

The Preservation Resource Center is offering twodifferent types of experiences, including aself-guidedtour, with docents at each home. And guided tours will highlight key houses on the route through an enhanced architectural experience.

Homes include 232 and323 Pelican Ave., 219 Olivier St., 222 and 305 Vallette St., and 501 Elmira St. Abonusis

the MountOlivet Episcopal Church, 530Pelican Ave.

Tour headquarters is Bargeboard NOLA, 530 Powder St.Tickets start at $30. Visit prcno.org fordetails.

Discover Treasures from the Point this weekend

With morethan 90locations in the Algiers Point neighborhood, the annual porch sale Treasures from thePoint is from 8a.m. to3p.m. Saturday and Sunday

The communitywide event serves as the Friends of the Ferry’sonlyannual fundraiser Forinformation,visit treasuresfromthepoint.org.

INSIDEINFO

Free Family Sunday slated for LongueVue

Apacked day of fun and adventure are in storeSunday at

The grounds of Longue Vue House and Gardens, 7Bamboo Road,inNew Orleanswill host aflurry of activities on Sunday,including garden lectures, amarket, design talk andreading programs.

Twolectures are set for the Playhouse:

n 10 a.m.: “Gift of the Wild Things: The Legacy of Caroline Dormon and Louisiana Irises.” Bayli Q. Brossettee, curator of Briarwood: The Caroline Dormon Nature Preserve.

n 2p.m.: “Environmental Impact of Pesticides and Adopting Integrated PestManagementStrategies to Control What’s Bugging Your Home Garden.”Simeon Benjamin, plant care gardener at Longue Vue.

by theSpring Bunny is promised.

The market,from 10 a.m. to 4p.m., will include vendors for jewelry, plants, children’s items and beverages.

An arts and crafts activity table will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

The Emma Brown Reading Program from 12:30 p.m.to 1:30 p.m. will featureLady Livingston under theoaks reading withmusical accompaniment

Plus, aspecial appearance

Admission to the grounds for Louisiana residents is free, $15 for out-of-statevisitors. Guided tours will be available at reduced rates. For information, visit longuevue.com.

Pitot Housetalk set for EastBank library

The historic Pitot House on Bayou St. John in NewOrleans will be thesubject of atalk by theexecutive director of the LouisianaLandmarks Society at 7p.m. Thursday at theEast

Bank Regional Library,4747 W. Napoleon Ave., in Metairie. Stacey Pfingsten will discuss the 225-year-old West Indiesstyle building that was home to the first U.S. mayor of the city,James Pitot, in 1810. It is the only colonial Creole country house in the city open to the public.

The discussion is free. For information, visit jefferson. lib.la.us.

Hibiscus Society plans annual sale April13

Cajun hibiscus will be the highlight of the annual show and sale by the NewOrleans Hibiscus Society from 1p.m. to 4:30 p.m.April 13 at Bonnabel High School, 2801 Bruin Drive, in Kenner

Bloom entries will be accepted from 9a.m. to 11 a.m. and returned forsale at 1p.m.

Cajun hibiscus has gained popularity all over the country forits glossy green foliage with an array of colors and bloom sizes.

Experts in hibiscus care and growth will provide information on the proper balance of nutrients. Aspecial blend of granular fertilizer will be available forsale at the show.

Have ahome and garden eventcoming up? Send it to events@theadvocate.com.

PRESERVATION RESOURCE CENTER PHOTO By LIZ JUREy

The Preservation ResourceCenter’sSpring Home Tour of the historic Algiers PointwillbeSaturdayand Sunday

REALESTATETRANSFERS

NEWORLEANS

TRANSFERS ISSUEDMARCH24-28

DISTRICT 1

CAMP ST.211: $100, Watermark Orleans LLCtoInternational House LLC.

CANAL ST.4534: $565,000, Beverly Ann BroussardMonsourtoMartin J. Franklin.

MAGAZINE ST.1600: $1,100,000, 1600 Mag LLCto1600 Magazine LLC.

POLYMNIAST. 1509: $672,500, Casey D. Marburger Tysvaer and Zachary Tysvaer to 369 East MayesLLC

S. HENNESSEY ST.111-113-115: $260,000, Carroll JeanneHaase Blakeway,KathyAnn Haase and Lynn RichardHaase to NoCoffee LLC.

S. PETERS ST.1107: $215,00, Maria D. CalvoBroce to Lori AnnFos and Peter JohnFos.

DISTRICT 2

ARGONNE BLVD.6970: $479,000, Blane JeromeGaubertII, Louis Martine Pfisterer Jr. andNoelie BertonierePfistererto Robert Harvey III.

BEAUREGARD AVE. 6700: $895,000, KayM.Haram Pope to Adrienne A. Goodwin and Eric ScottGreen

BURGUNDYST. 1124: $10, Charles Avant Miller IV and Marsha Chenault Miller to Miller revocable trust.

CANAL ST.2121: $100, MJ Falgoust Inc.to2131 Canal LLC.

CONTI ST.622-624: no value stated, 622 ContiLLC to 622 Conti Street Owner LLC.

GOV. NICHOLLS ST.2009: $50,000, Flag BoyProperties LLCtoWashingtonAsset Properties LLC.

N. BROADST. 804-06: donation, no value stated, Alvin Ironsand Paulette RileyIrons to New Orleans Restoration Properties LLC.

N. JOHNSON ST.1217: $398,000, Shannon Elise Thomas Jones to Ashley G. Schneider.

ORIOLE ST.1: $2,800,000, LECReal Estate Investment LLCtoLionel Joseph Nelson

ORLEANS AVE. 3908-10: $370,000, E. Lorenz BorensteinGallery

Inc., Sacha B. Clayand Charly Borenstein-RegueiratoStephanie AlejandraBenitez.

ST.ANN ST.2226: $111,000, Odyssey House Louisiana Inc. to Alva Chase.

ST.ANN ST.2316: $91,100, City of New Orleans to DookyChase Restaurant Inc.

DISTRICT 3

ALABO ST.46514: donation, no value stated, KathyMagee to Darance Rudolph Hayes.

ARTS ST.4664: $335,000, Nesbit Clesi Holdings LLCtoRebecca Nguyen.

ATHISCOURT4011: $200,000, Building ABetter New Orleans LLCtoAbdul AzizeQuitine.

BANCROFT DRIVE 5331: donation, no value stated, Hillary Joseph CarrereJr., KeelyCarrere Thibodeaux and Kyle Lajoyce Carrere to Renee Ferguson Carrere

BANCROFT DRIVE 5331: $210,900, Renee FergusonCarreretoCharrette Investments LLC.

BASS ST.8016: $43,000, Jermaine GerardTiller and Natairie Bailey Tiller to First Home Aim To Please LLC.

BENTON ST.2401: $5,820, Cityof New Orleans to Karl W. Landry Sr.and Orlynthia L. Miller.

BENTON ST.2405: $5,875, Cityof New Orleans to Karl W. Landry

Sr. and Orlynthia L. Miller.

BURGUNDY ST.2705: $279,000, MaishaB.Joshua to Laura Mereness Perry and Winter K. Lindner.

CAMPUS BLVD.5630: $30,000, Wilma GordonBridgestoMosella GordonFranklin.

CHASE ST.8500-02: $190,000, DarleneMohr Bonis to Jamila S. Dewitt.

CHRYSLERST. 4637: $196,000, Tabrine T. Johnson to David Rayford.

CLOUET ST.3001: $90,000, Denise DianeAndrews, Kennethia ä See ORLEANS, page 18

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ORLEANS

Continued frompage18

Massey to MasseyInvestments LLC.

CAMP ST.4438: $495,000, Blanche Shumaker Landry and Stuart G. Landry to Huw C. Critchley and Madeline BerbuesseCritchley

GEN. PERSHING ST.2213-15: $515,000, Carrie Black Mazoue and Clayton Mazoue to Katelyn T. Hall.

NASHVILLE AVE. 428: donation, no value stated, Stephen Michael Cady to Stephen M. Cady

EAST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FORMARCH 21-27

HARAHAN

COLONIAL CLUB DRIVE 118: Sheila C. B. Spindel to Sheila C. B. Spindel, $350,000.

DISTRIBUTORS ROW801: Oertling Capital LLCtoMilton Morris, $1,790,000.

MONROE ST.7225: RichardN. Costa to Kyle Henson, donation, no value stated.

JEFFERSON

BERWICK ST.2914: Jefferson Parish Council to Kavin M. Zahiri, $6,750.

GRETNA ST.818-820: Alexander P. Macbeth to Shannon Meier, $310,000.

KENNER

AVANT GARDE CIRCLE 181: Melissa A. Burkett to Kisha S. N. Henderson, $162,000.

CALIFORNIA AVE. 3800: Csmc 2018 Sp3 Trust to Santa F. Lux, $115,000.

CANE BAYOULANE 228: Aravinda K. R. Parker to HebaA.Awad, $560,000.

CHATEAULATOUR DRIVE 141: AlesandraG.Vesper to James L. Glynn III, $435,000.

LAKE TRAIL DRIVE 4213: Robert D. Walsh Jr. to Michel L. Aragon, $415,000.

LUCAYA DRIVE 68: Frank A. Pace Jr. to Yeimi Alvarez, $243,500. MARTINIQUE AVE. 3857: Arm Construction LLCtoHuong Q. T. Bui, $455,000.

VILLAGE ROAD 736 101D: Rita M. Artus to Christina Weil, $115,000.

Trust.

PALMER AVE. 2801: $535,000, Nicholas A. Selby to BeataRecko Matossian and LevonManasse Matossian.

PENISTON ST.2510-12: $169,000, Succession of Carolyn Ann Johnson Smythe toTranpham Investments LLC.

PERRIERST. 4919: $255,000, Audrey Perry Price andBetty Perry CoxentoGulfcoastAllied LLC.

ROBERTST. 3426: $534,634, Dana MarizaCantuGarcia Gonzalez, Diana MarizaCantuGarcia and Mauricio G. Gonzalez to Adrien Grey MacKenzie andDavid Anton MacKenzie.

TCHOUPITOULAS ST.4866:

METAIRIE

25TH ST.8809: Christine L. N. Orona to Aj Homes LLC, $90,000.

47TH ST.3222: Miguel E. Hernandez to Rachel Ward,$355,000.

818 S. BENGAL ROAD 816: Jefferson Parish Council to VictoriaJ Pickney,$6,750.

ANTHONY ST.4204: Kodiak PartnersLLC to Albert J. JewellJr., $185,000.

ANTHONY ST.4204: Regina S. Smith to Kodiak Partners LLC, $124,000.

ARIS ST.1124: CathySutton to Elayne S. Morganstein, donation, no value stated.

ARIS ST.1124: Walter F. Weidig Jr. to CathyS.Sutton, $293,000.

BARBARA DRIVE 3780: Archie A. Whelan to Mortgage Electronic RegistrationSystems Inc., $150,000.

BAUVAIS ST.3810: Moonshot Inc.

$29,600,000, LyonsDevelopment Co.LLC to ExtraSpace Properties TwoLLC.

WEBSTER ST.1403: $100,000, John Benton Smallpage Jr. and Kathryn Favrot Smallpage to Katherine St.Eve Koerner and Parker EarlKoerner.

DISTRICT 7

20TH ST.300-302: $357,500, Gregory R. Abide and Virginia Hickey Abide to Brandon Paul Briuglio.

BELLAIRE DRIVE 6656: $695,000, Courtney Elizabeth Brdlik to AlejandraLeyton ZamoraJacobson and Peter Scott Jacobson.

BIRCH ST.8611-13: $167,000, Ann

to BrittanyA.Long, $400,000.

BAUVAIS ST.3832: Bauvais ManagementCompanyLLC to RVI LLC, $359,000.

BELLVIEW ST.3960: Hyang H.L. Park to Alexandra C. Baranski, $570,000.

BURKE DRIVE 4901: Alexis E. Aucoin to Herbert E. Aucoin, donation,novalue stated.

CLEARLAKEDRIVE 4713: Earl N. III Walker to Abigail Haydel, $360,000.

CLEVELAND PLACE 3812: Eversmeyer Family TrusttoBertucci InvestmentGroup LLC, $240,000.

DAVID DRIVE 1904: Zelma T. Bass to Darwin J. Castellanos,$145,000.

EDENBORN AVE. 2330: Big Easy Real Estate LLCtoBriereWells, $96,375.

ELISE AVE. 1312: All Star Premier Homes LLCtoAjHomes LLC, $98,000.

ä See EAST, page 20

J. Francois to Derrick Quinn and TiffanyM.Hills Quinn.

EAGLEST. 2417: $294,500, Aurelio Mireles Hernandez, Hernandez Aurelio Remodeling LLCand MariaCarmela Hernandez to Rajsun HoldingLLC.

FERN ST.3019-191/2: donation, no value stated, Helen BellJefferson to Stephen J. Jefferson.

FERN ST.3420: donation, no value stated, Helen Bell Jefferson to MarcE.Jefferson.

GREEN ST.8918: $278,000, Kim Uyen Thi Tran Jones to Courtney Noette Baker Hoergerand MichaelPaul Hoerger.

FRERET ST.8510-12: $525,000,

Karmona Family TrusttoGongga Mountain LLC.

OAKTREE DRIVE 121: no value stated, Landcraft LLCtoMarcia Culotta Bates andRyanBates.

OAKTREE DRIVE 121: $100, Marcia Culotta Bates andRyanBates to Varsha CastroGusman.

PALM ST.8934: $5,820, Cityof NewOrleans to Palm Street Development LLC.

PONTCHARTRAIN BLVD.6748: $360,000, Catherine Elizabeth FaustHudspeth and TedJoseph Hudspeth Jr. to Ryan W. Clark. SHORTST. 2220: donation, no value stated, GreggMcClean Mace to Jennifer LeeMace.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

EAST

Continued from page 19

FIELD AVE. 1113: Henry D Moskau to Emily C. Belanger, $351,000.

FRANCIS AVE. 1720: Ellen J. Crossin to Gd Properties LLC, $233,000.

GARDENIA DRIVE 1337: Joseph M. Miller Jr. to Elizabeth Cerniglia, $365,000.

HELIOS AVE. 640: Brooke G. Turnbull to Karen S. Ohara, $714,000.

WEST JEFFERSON

n TRANSFERS FOR MARCH 21-27

AVONDALE

GEORGETOWN DRIVE 329: Nadine J. Allison to Kennedy Allison, donation, no value stated.

RETREAT DRIVE 3608: Dsld LLC to Kevin Bui, $247,990.

BRIDGE CITY

OAK AVE. 748: Lisa S. Zimmer to David J. Rodrigue, $185,000.

GRAND ISLE

1057 AMARIS BLVD. 1055: Jennifer E. Laris to Nala LLC Rock, $1,100,000.

DEWBERRY LANE 155: Geauxhana LLC to Panks LLC J & J, $165,000.

GRAND ISLE PARKWAY 101: Grand Island Investments LLC to Hkt Investments LLC, $45,000.

HELIOS AVE. 936: Jno Enterprises LLC to Patti Rieth, $567,900.

HENRY LANDRY AVE. 701: Christian J. Valeton to Kyle A. Kennedy, $235,000.

HESPER AVE. 143: Sam M. Solomon to Sam M. Solomon, donation, no value stated.

LAKE AVE. 1161: Hannah Plaisance to Yvette M. T. Benedetto, $110,000

LAKESHORE DRIVE 1357: Dana R. Yuratich II to Amie Tusa, $800,000

MARYLAND AVE. 500: Saiqi Li to Lacey Bayhi, $299,000.

LA. 1 2506: Evelyn S. Guidry to Camp Erickson Properties LLC, $398,000.

LA. 1 1954: Amo Rentals LLC to Timothy J. Wiemann, $535,000.

NEPTUNE LANE 130: Lisette S. Boudreaux to Cherie Barr, $150,000.

GRETNA

AMELIA ST. 1129: Patrick A. Hero to Willie B. Brown III, $280,000.

E. VILLAGE COURT 2316: Tina H. T Cao to Hoan C. Nguyen, $315,000.

GRETNA BLVD. 37: Drake R. Rentrop to Emma T. Linam, $375,000.

GROVEWOOD DRIVE 424: J Brito to Telma R. Brito, donation, no value stated.

HAMILTON ST. 421: Renee R. Thomas to Perreyclear S. Lee, $369,835.

HARVARD AVE. 1852: William J. Landry Jr. to Luis Giron, $242,000.

HERMES PLACE 745: Bridget Ardeneaux to Damion Williams, $240,000

MELODY DRIVE 1325: Deborah A. Gerstner to Gina Ippolito, $414,975.

MORTON ST. 6208: Sara W. Lopez to Money Source Inc., $144,000.

N. STARRETT ROAD 737: Theresa B. Cangelosi to Vickie A. J. Perez, $250,000.

N. HULLEN ST. 3709: Bonita G. Naihaus to Paula Z. Doyle, $490,000.

PHOSPHOR AVE. 238: John L. Beckmann Jr. to Stacey Legacy LLC, $625,000.

ROSEWOOD DRIVE 225: Mary E. W. Wiegmann to Brandyn P.

HOLLY DRIVE 40: Vickie Chavers to Eric Eccles, $182,000.

JEFFERSON ST. 818-820: Alexander P. Macbeth to Shannon Meier, $310,000.

LAKE FRANCES DRIVE 1309: Sheila M. Wigle to Janique Bardell, $427,000.

MATADOR DRIVE 837: Henry Boudreaux to Candice Moreau, donation, no value stated.

OAK GLEN DRIVE 552: Teresa M. Rodriguez to Joshua Burton, $295,000.

SWAN CT 1504: Roderick A. Collette to Rodney Turner, $220,000.

WILLOWBROOK DRIVE 216: Alicia Davis to Tiffiny Davis, donation, no value stated.

HARVEY

ABERDEEN DRIVE 1121: Dolores A. Crespo to Ryan Albarado, donation, no value stated.

CHRISWOOD LANE 3812: Matthews Mcgary III to Parinaz E. Saravani, $180,000.

FIRST AVE. 740: Ramon Ramos Jr. to April White, $199,900.

MEADOW LANE 2153: Thuy Q. T. Huynh to Xy T. Huynh, donation, no value stated.

MELISSA DRIVE 3840: Chyna K. Wilson to Keokuk W. Lawrence, donation, no value stated.

ORANGE BLOSSOM LANE 114042: Charles Toussaint to Lorna Dorelie, donation, no value stated.

REDWOOD DRIVE 1380: Wendy S. Berggren to Doris V Jenkins, $177,900.

TIMBERLANE ESTATE DRIVE 1863: Darryl Allemond to Heddi A. Gaubert, donation, no value stated.

VINEYARD LANE 2137: Juliana Laurent to Randall K. Grafe Jr., donation, no value stated.

WEDGEWOOD DRIVE 3406: Marie Nguyen to Truong Nguyen, donation, no value stated.

Paganetti, $1,270,000.

UTOPIA DRIVE 4526: Angela Fabbra to Brent Thomas, $75,000.

WANDA LYNN DRIVE 3509: Julian Comeaux to Tatum Kinlaw, $305,000.

W. LIVINGSTON PLACE 351: Muthithar V. Allen to Tiffany D. Bozant, $1,640,000.

WHITNEY PLACE 2704 U726: Eugenia Mire to Donna Greco, $168,000.

WHITNEY PLACE 2704 U714: Imhoff Family LLC to Norman E. Katz, $168,000.

WILTY ST. 6417: Delise Invest-

LAFITTE

JEAN LAFITTE BLVD. 658: Cynthia A. S. Nicholas to Kenneth Larousse, $209,500.

MARRERO

AVE. A 522: Dylan Loup to Hancock Whitney Bank, $18,887.

AVE. G 1200: New Westbank Land LLC to Alternative Competent Care LLC, $725,000.

BELLE GROVE DRIVE 124: Julie M. Mire to Terry A. Breaux, $537,000.

BLACK OAK DRIVE 2048: Alnoco LLC to Angelica Cortes, donation, no value stated.

CORINNE DRIVE 2712: Patricia P. Judy to Sara P. Judy, $160,000. EISEMAN AVE. 624: Byron W. Thomas to Raylon J. Watson, $50,000.

FOURTH ST. 5425: David A. Prentice to Creole Dame LLC, $110,000.

GLASCO DRIVE 5801: Mervat M. M. Girgis to Ashaki Speed, $225,000.

GRAND TERRE DRIVE 4913: Maxine B. Ragusa to Valerie A. Toombs, donation, no value stated.

HILLCREST DRIVE 4013: Gladys R. Gervais to Karlton West, $236,000.

HUDSON DRIVE 5520: Luz G. Romero to Leslie B. Cotton, $215,000.

JUNG BLVD. 1040: Linda Tran to Nathaniel Smith, $285,000.

LAURIE LANE 2920: Secretary of Veterans Affairs to Gulf Coast Bank & Trust, $91,100.

MADEWOOD DRIVE 26: Josephine N. Xuan to Nhung N. Phan, $374,000.

PARK SHORE DRIVE 4416: Jwtc Louisiana LLC to Horizon One Services LLC, $41,000.

RUE LOUIS PHILLIPPE 6624: Jefferson Parish Council to Rachelle F. Mitchell, $6,750.

ments LLC to Yesenia F. L. Arguello, $277,000.

RIVER RIDGE

DIANE AVE. 305: Steven J. Ordoyne to Jeremy W. Hulsey, donation, no value stated.

PARK RIDGE DRIVE 616: David W Scheuermann to Rachel A. Sires, $285,000.

S. DILTON AVE. 235: Elizabeth Triche to Diane Mitchell, $200,000.

WILKER NEAL AVE. 319: Marx W. Leonard Sr. to Rima A. Suleiman, $19,000.

SIEGLINDE COURT 2801: Miracle Realty Solutions LLC to Martha Lemoine, $231,000.

SIEVERS DRIVE 2717: Patricia S. Sievers to Carl F. Quarrella Jr., $188,000.

ST. ANN ST. 581: Annie T. Knobloch to Jason P. Knobloch, donation, no value stated.

TERRYTOWN

E. BUTTERFLY CIRCLE 438: Dylan Ciaccio to Yaz Home Rehab LLC, $100,000.

GLENCOVE LANE 739: Ryan Fitzgerald to Joffre M. Villalva, $245,000.

WAGGAMAN

CAMELLIA LANE 12: Daja Realty LLC to Lisa Tran, $190,000.

DAFFODIL LANE 104: One Hundred Four Daffodil Lane LLC to First National Bank U.S.A., $106,250.

EVERGOLD LANE 41: Shane L. Camus to Elg Rentals LLC, $79,000. JAY PLACE 14: Dominique G. Mott to Joshua Scott, $245,500.

WILLSWOOD LANE 13: Fifth District Savings Bank to J Hembree, $165,000.

WESTWEGO

CENTRAL AVE. 1219: Dewitt A. D. Brown to Linda C. Bartholomew, $175,000.

CENTRAL AVE. 812: Christopher M. Rodrigue to Bravo Residential Funding Trust 2019-2, $73,334. LECOMPTE DRIVE 1105: Derek A. Dufrene to Tyler J. Lirette, $200,000.

OTTO ST. 127: Anthony J. Marie to Affordable Housing of Nola LLC, $127,801.

SOUTHERN COURT 124: Jefferson Parish Council to Charles Hilton, $6,750.

REALESTATETRANSFERS

ST.TAMMANy

TRANSFERS FROM MARCH 12-17

ABITASPRINGS

HILLCREST COUNTRYCLUBSUBDIVISION,LOT 5, SQUARE 45: Julia E. Adkins Herlinger to Vivian Dube, $6,000.

NEAR ABITASPRINGS, PORTION OF GROUND: BarbaraJ.Fleischer to Nancy Anderson and KarenO. Feathers, $42,000.

NEAR ABITASPRINGS,PORTION OF GROUND: Mark &Kasey LLC to Hospice Foundation of the South Inc.,$69,000.

COVINGTON

10TH ST.70355: LauraG.Brunell to Chtistopher P. Robles, $225,000.

BECKER ROAD 74345: Joseph P. Sylvester Sr. to Sherlyn J. Sylvester,donation, no value stated.

BRANCH CROSSING DRIVE 716: Mitzi Arnaud to Taylor Soileau, $245,000.

CAROL LANE 75014: Peter Yearwood to Jose Samuel P. Gallegos, $15,000.

CARROL DRIVE 76161: Holly B. Gautier to Andrew J. Gautier, donation, no value stated.

CITY OF COVINGTON, LOTS 6, 7: William T. Mason III andTheresa Puglia Mason to William Mason and Theresa Mason Living Trust, $10 and other valuable consideration.

DEER FORK CROSSING 709: Donnie FavaloratoMicah P. Wootan and KarenE.Wootan, $430,000.

DIVISION OF NEW COVINGTON SUBDIVISION, LOTS 1, 2, SQUARE 302: Margaret E. Pierson andBobbie Jean Harry WilliamstoSKC

Investors LLC, $250,000.

E. 12TH ST.413: Keith A. Ladner and Cathryn J. FrickeLadnerto Angela C.Avant Living Trust, $450,000.

EMERALDOAKS DRIVE 240, UNIT 14: Phyllis D. LeSagetoCharles V. LeSage, donation, no value stated.

ESTELLE COURT 3027: DSLD Homes LLCtoEllen Behlar, $302,355.

JOSEPH ROAD 72122: Aaron J. Shipman and Josephine Picault to Peter A. Kaiserand RachelS. Kaiser, $90,000.

MAISON DRIVE 21: Jared M. Averil to AnthonyJ.FulcoJr. and Lori H. Fulco, $283,000.

N. CORNICHE DU LAC540: Integrity Builders Inc.to KayHunt Montgomery Trust, $745,000.

N. PIERCE ST.311: Succession of Thomas E. Hecker and Norma Farlow to Noel A. Lopez Martinez and Janett Chehardy,$198,000.

NEARCOVINGTON, PORTION OF GROUND: KevinE.Henderson to WilliamJ.BloecherIII, $120,000.

RAMSEY ESTATES,PHASE 1, LOT

40: Evelyn R. Rios to Emerson A. Perez-Hernandez and Rut Y. Hernandez Santos, $30,000.

RIVER CHASE DRIVE 1073: Max V. Does Hobbs and Melissa Pearson Hobson to Kathleen T. McDowell, $349,000.

RIVER CHASE DRIVE 1089: James M. Hughes to Gary Songy and Erin Songy,$355,000.

ROBINDALE SUBDIVISION, PHASE II, LOT6SQUARE 8: Lauranne L. Adams to Cody Grimes and Melissa Plauche, $370,000.

ROSE ST.72514: Habitat for Humanity St. TammanyWest Inc. to ARJ Services LLC, $82,000.

SAGE ALLEY 116: Highland Homes Inc. to Patrick F. Nelson and Mary J. OpsalNelson,$540,211.

TERRA BELLA SUBDIVISION, PHASE 1A9, LOT309: NoraLee Womack and Nora D. Womack Farris to BrianJ.Benoit, $155,000.

TERRACE LAKE DRIVE 563: Andrew

M. Bragagnini and Melanie N. Bragagnini to DrakeB.Cooper and Toni U. Cooper, $330,000.

TOWNOFCOVINGTON, LOTS 8, 9, SQUARE 2808: Love andCharity Benevolent AssociationtoWest 30’s Redemption Co.Inc., $25,000.

TRINCHARD ROAD 75455: CJR

Investments LLCtoGarrett J. Waguespack,$246,000.

TURNBERRYDRIVE 116: Adam W. Drakeand PaigeJ.Drake to Perry L. Cookmeyerand Lisa F. Cookmeyer, $445,000. ä See TAMMANY, page 22

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,April 5, the 95th day of 2025. There are 270 days left in theyear.

Todayinhistory:

On April 5, 1933, as part of his New Deal programs, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed an executive order establishing the Civilian Conservation Corps, a Depression-era work relief program for single men aged 18-25; the programemployed more than 2.5 million men for federal conservation and safety projects over itsnineyear history.

Also on this date:

In 1614, Pocahontas, the daughter of Tsenacommacah chief Powhatan, married Englishman John Rolfe, awidower,inthe Virginia Colony

In 1764,the British Parliament passed the American Revenue Act of 1764, also known as the Sugar Act.

In 1887, in Tuscumbia, Alabama, teacher Anne Sullivan achieved abreakthrough as her 6-year-old deaf-blind pupil,Helen Keller,learned the meaning of the word “water” as spelled out in the Manual Alphabet.

In 1951, Julius and Ethel Rosenbergwere sentenced to death following their conviction in New York on charges of conspiring to commit espionage for the Soviet Union. (They were executed in June 1953.)

In 1986, two American servicemen and aTurkish woman were killed in the bombing of aWest Berlin discotheque, an incident that prompted aU.S. air raid on Libya nine days later

In 1991, former Sen. John Tower,R-Texas, his daughter Marian and 21 other people were killed in acommuter plane crash near Brunswick, Georgia.

In 1994, Nirvana lead singer Kurt Cobain died by suicide in his Seattle, Washington, home at age 27.

In 2010, acoal dustexplosion at the Upper Big Branch mine near Charleston, West Virginia, killed 29 workers.

Today’sbirthdays: ActorMichael

Helen Keller,left, 8, holds hands with her teacher Anne Sullivan during asummer vacation to Brewster,Mass., on Cape Cod.In1887, Sullivan achievedabreakthroughwith Keller,who was deaf and blind, when she learned the word ‘water.’

Moriarty is 84. Actor Max Gail is 82. Singer Agnetha Fältskog (ABBA) is 75. Rapper-actor Christopher “Kid” Reid(Kid ’n Play) is 60. Rock musician Mike McCready (Pearl Jam) is59. Country musician Pat Green is 53. Musician-producer Pharrell Williams is 52. Rapper-producer Juicy Jis50. ActorSterling K. Brown is 49. Actor Hayley Atwell is 43. Actor Lily James is 36.

Oldflamewon’t go out

Dear Annie: Iamahappily married middle-aged woman In high school, Ihad arelationship that continued off and on for afew years until he cheated on me and we finally went our separateways.

About 15 years ago, he bumped into my sister,and we got back in touch via email. It was cordial, and we mainly shared information about our spouses and children. Oneday,he called my office, and when I asked him why he was calling, he said he wanted toknow if there was “anything left ” Itold him that there wasn’t and that Ihad married my soul mate. He accepted that, and we went back to annual Christmas cards and emails of family updates.

About eight years ago, I started tofeel like Ididn’t want to continue communicating (he’d sent an email that mademeuncomfortable),so Istopped responding to his emails (he sends one every year on mybirthday)

Afew weeks ago, Igot a card at my office saying he remembered that in college, I had anew down coat that was stolen from his apartment and that he was planning on send-

ing me anew one. Irecycled thecard and thought nothing moreabout it.Last week, an expensive down coat arrived at my office with anote saying it was areplacement for theone Ilost 47 years ago. I returned thecoat.

I’m baffled. I’m not sure if Ishould email him and ask him to stop communicating with me or continue to not respond. Ithoughtthat my eight years of silence would show him that Iwasn’tinterested in communicating with him,but now Iwonder if it just created aspace forhim to fill thesilence with what he wants to believe. What should Ido? Thanks for any advice.

—Stumped

Dear Stumped: While most people would indeed interpret silence as disinterest, your ex clearly needs amore straightforward message. Send him one last email with any and everything you have leftto say.Explain howuncomfortable you feel, and though that likely wasn’this intention, you don’twish to communicate with him anymore in any capacity.Blockhim on all communication platforms. If he continues reaching out or contacting you through your work, reach outtoyour local police department for guidance on how to proceed. Your safetyand security are chief concerns in this situa-

tion.

Dear Annie: I’mwriting in response to “Grieving and Not Prepared foraConfrontation,” whose husband died before he could recoup asum of money he lent to his brother; now,she needs that money and is looking to collect. Your wishy-washy advice to this widow on how to approach her brother-in-law Simon was like advising her to take awater pistol to agunfight!

This ungrateful brother already “exploded” and made his position clear.“Grieving and NotPrepared” needs to teach this ingrate alesson, hire alawyer and subpoena the sister to verifythere was indeed aloan that he admitted he would not pay back! This irresponsible jerk should face the music. —EnoughIsEnough Dear Enough: You’re right that Simon needs to be held accountable forhis actions —or lack thereof.Seeking the advice of alawyer is asurefire way to determine what options “Grieving and Not Prepared” has in her situation. When it comes to people like Simon whoare set in their ways and don’tplay by the rules, the only hope for getting them to listen is taking action.

Send your questions for Annie Lanetodearannie@ creators.com.

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PLACE: Themostsoughtafterpremier building in theCityofNew Orleans! 1723 SQ FT Come seethisfresher

PROVIDED PHOTO By THE NEW ENGLAND HISTORIC GENEALOGICAL SOCIETy-BOSTON

Annie Lane

DEAR ANNIE