The Times-Picayune 04-10-2025

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MARKETSSURGE AS TARIFFSPAUSED

PresidentDonald Trumpspeaksduring an event with auto racing champions at theWhite

TrumpraisesrateonChinese importsto125%

WASHINGTON Facing aglobal market meltdown, President Donald Trump on Wednesday abruptly backed off his tariffs on most nations for 90 days even as he further jacked up the tax rate on Chinese imports to 125%.

It was seemingly anattempt to narrow what had been an unprecedented trade war between theU.S and most of the world to ashowdown between the U.S. and China. The S&P 500 stock index jumped 9.5% after the announcement, butthe drama overTrump’stariffs is far from over as the administration prepares to engage in country-by-country negotiations. In the meantime, countries subject to the pause will now be tariffed at 10%.

The president hitpause in the face of intense pressure created byvolatile financial markets that had been

pushing Trump to reconsider his tariffs, even as some administration officials insisted his reversal had alwaysbeen the plan.

As stocks and bonds sold off, voters were watching their retirement savings dwindleand businesses warned of worse-than-expected sales and rising prices, all apossible gut punch to acountry that sent Trumpback to the White House last year on the promise of combating inflation.

The global economyappeared to be in open rebellion against Trump’s tariffs as they took effect early Wednesday,asignal that theU.S. president was notimmune from marketpressures. By early afternoon, Trumpposted on Truth Social that becausemore than 75 countries had reached out to the U.S. government fortradetalks and hadnot retaliated in meaningful ways, “I have

ä See TARIFFS, page 5A

Workers on the floor at the Newyork Stock Exchangewatch the action on Wednesday.

INSIDE

ä Senate Republicans express relief at decisiontopause tariffs Page 4A ä U.S. stocks soar to one of theirbest days in history. Page 6A

AWEEK OF TRUMP’STARIFFS ANDMARKET UNCERTAINTY

APRIL4

APRIL2

President Trump announces his longpromised ‘reciprocal’ tariffs —declaring a 10% baseline tax on imports across the board starting April 5, as well as higher rates for dozens of nations to takeeffect April 9.

APRIL3

Trump’spreviously announced auto tariffs begin. Prime Minister Mark Carney says that Canada willmatch the 25% levies with atariff on vehiclesimported from the U.S.

China announces plans to impose a 34% tariff on imports of all U.S. products beginning April10, matchingTrump’s new ‘reciprocal’tariff on Chinesegoods, as part of a flurry of retaliatory measures.

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Trump’s10% minimum tariff on nearly allcountries and territories takes effect.

City officialsweigh changes to trafficonBourbon Street

Aday after the release of aconsultant’stips to counter terrorisminNew Orleans, city officials are still weighing whether to close Bourbon Street to vehicles and beef up surveillance technology,even as the city’spolice force has made other shifts NewOrleans Police Department SuperintendentAnne Kirkpatrick said Wednesday that policehave alreadyset up tougher barriers around theFrench Quarter andbegun planning responses to specific emergencies —steps recommended by the firm she commissioned to help thecityse-

cure itself after adeadly Jan 1 vehicle-rammingattack

But any more significant shiftsinthe city’sapproach to keepingthe French Quarter and parade routes safe are for Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the New Orleans City Council to decide, she said.

ä See TRAFFIC, page 5A

APRIL9

Trump’shigher ‘reciprocal’ rates go into effect, hiking taxes on importsfrom dozens of countries. Hours later,his administration says it will suspend most of these higher rates for 90 days

Landry backsbills on auto insurance

Governor callsfor ‘balanced approach’tolegislation

Gov. JeffLandry will back aset of auto insurance bills he says favors neither side in what seems certain to be aclash between two powerful interest groups during the legislative session that begins Monday

“For far too long inside of this very building there has been abattle waged between insurance companiesand triallawyers,”saidLandry during anews conference Wednesday at the State Capitol.

“Both sides have plenty of blametogoaround,” he went on.“TodayI’m notheretohelpany lawyers, and I’mnot here to help insurance companies. I’mhere to help the citizens of the state.” At issue is the high cost of auto insurance in Louisiana. Landry unveiled several proposals he said are aimed at bringing downrates, calling the measures “a balanced approach that holds both sides accountable.”

The legislation he highlighted focuses mainly on howinsurance claims arelitigated.Insurance companiesand many in the business community

See INSURANCE, page 4A

Lawmakers push back on education funds request

Landry seeking $94million to fund LA GATORprogram

Abattle is brewing between Gov.Jeff Landry andLouisiana lawmakersovereducation spending.

Landry is seeking nearly $94 millionfor his signature LA GATOR program,which will give families money to pay for private school and other education expenses next school year.The program, which Landry muscled through the Legislaturelastyear, will replacestate-funded vouchers that help low-income families afford private tuition. But now apowerful state lawmaker is throwing cold water on Landry’splan.

In an interview this week, Senate President Cameron Henry,R-Metairie, said he and other

ä See EDUCATION, page 4A

NewOrleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick speaksduring a news conference on Wednesdayto discuss areport fromsecurity consultants.

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS
House on Wednesday.

Officials probe possible girl, monkey trade

A Missouri foster mother has been charged with child abuse and endangerment as authorities investigate whether she traded an adopted daughter to someone in Texas for a monkey and mistreated other children in her care.

Prosecutors said the woman, 70, was a foster or adoptive parent to more than 100 children.

Lincoln County prosecutor Mike Wood said the suspect and the woman whom the girl was staying with in Texas knew each other because both own exotic animals. He said two witnesses said they were asked to take the girl to Texas and return with a monkey Pope Francis meets with British royals

ROME Pope Francis met privately with King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Wednesday at the Vatican during the royal couple’s four-day state visit to Italy and on the occasion of their 20th wedding anniversary, the Vatican announced.

It was the first known meeting since the pope’s return to the Vatican after five weeks in the hospital for life-threatening double pneumonia. Francis had planned to have an audience with Charles, but the official state visit to the Vatican was postponed due to the pope’s health

The pope issued a new invitation for a private audience but it was subject to his health and only confirmed Wednesday morning

The mid-afternoon visit lasted about 20 minutes and included a private exchange of gifts.

NYC OKs immigration office at Rikers jail

NEWYORK New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ administration is allowing federal immigration officials to operate at Rikers Island to work on gang and drug-related criminal investigations in the city’s largest lockup.

But immigrant rights groups and Adams’ critics cast the Tuesday executive order as a concerning quid pro quo after federal prosecutors dropped corruption charges against the Democrat so he could help support the Republican President Donald Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration.

Adams announced plans to allow Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to resume operations at the jail in February after meeting with Trump border czar Tom Homan, though details of the arrangement weren’t released until Tuesday’s order

Charges dropped in ‘Catch a Predator’ fad

A judge has dismissed conspiracy and kidnapping charges against five Massachusetts college students who were accused of plotting to lure a man to their campus through a dating app and then seizing him as part of a “Catch a Predator” trend on social media.

The Assumption University students were arraigned in January and entered not guilty pleas Since then, their lawyers had filed motions seeking to dismiss the charges, saying authorities lacked probable cause to believe they committed crimes.

Following a hearing last month, a Worcester District Court judge on Tuesday dismissed the conspiracy and kidnapping charges against Kelsy Brainard, Easton Randall, Kevin Carroll, Isabella Trudeau and Joaquin Smith.

Albums enter National Recording Registry

LOS ANGELES Albums from Elton John, Tracy Chapman, Mary J. Blige and the cast of “Hamilton” are entering America’s audio canon, along with singles from Helen Reddy and Celine Dion and the music of Minecraft.

New inductees into the National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress include John’s loaded-with-hits “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road” from 1973, Chapman’s self-titled 1988 album that included “Fast Car,” Blige’s deeply introspective 1994 “My Life,” and the 2015 original Broadway cast album of “Hamilton.”

They were among the 25 recordings entering the archive in the class of 2025, Librarian of Congress Carla Hayden announced Wednesday

Officials scramble to ID victims of collapse

124 killed, hundreds injured at iconic nightclub

SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic

A crowd of people grew increasingly agitated Wednesday as they waited at the Dominican Republic’s forensic institute for news of their loved ones still missing a day after a roof collapsed at an iconic nightclub, killing at least 124 people and injuring hundreds more.

National Institute of Forensic Pathology officials read the names of 54 victims they have identified so far

“We cannot wait until nighttime!” said one woman who was waiting for news of a relative whose name she did not hear

“We’re going to go crazy!”

Officials called for calm, saying they have already delivered 28 bodies to their families but do not yet have a tally of all the bodies recovered. Officials said more than 250 people were hurt.

“The authorities are selling us false dreams!” cried out José Sánchez, whose brother and brotherin-law were still missing.

The legendary Jet Set club in Santo Domingo was packed with musicians, professional athletes and government officials when dust began falling from the ceiling and into people’s drinks early Tuesday

Minutes later, the entire roof collapsed. Concrete slabs killed some instantly and trapped dozens of others on a dancefloor where hundreds had been dancing to a lively merengue concert. In the minutes that followed, the country’s 911 system received more than 100 calls, many from people buried under rubble.

The victims include merengue icon Rubby Pérez, who had been singing to the crowd before disaster struck. His body was found early Wednesday, said emergency operations director Juan Manuel Méndez.

Rescue crews are still searching for survivors more than 24 hours after the collapse. Officials said Wednesday they have rescued 145 survivors from the wreckage of the nightclub.

“As long as they report that there is a missing person, we will be here,” Méndez said.

Rescue crews from Puerto Rico and Israel arrived Wednesday to help with the search. Officials said crews used sonar to detect what could be one person still breathing under the rubble.

Santo Domingo Mayor Carolina Mejía praised what she said were acts of love, including one Dominican who was handing out coffee to those at the scene and a man on vacation from Costa Rica who joined the search because he’s part of a rescue crew back home.

So far, only a few dozen people have been identified in one of the worst disasters to hit the Dominican Republic Those who died include a cardiologist, a government architect, a retired police officer, a retired United Nations official, the son and daughter-in-law of the minister of public works and the brother of the vice minister of the Ministry of Youth.

Also killed was MLB pitcher Octavio Dotel and Dominican player Tony Enrique Blanco Cabrera, Satosky Terrero, spokesperson for the country’s Professional Baseball League, told The Associated Press.

Israeli airstrike on Gaza apartment building kills 23

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israeli aircraft struck a residential block in war-ravaged northern Gaza on Wednesday, killing at least 23 people, health officials said, as the renewed fighting in the devastated Palestinian enclave showed no signs of slowing.

The Al-Ahly hospital said at least 23 people were killed in the strike, including eight women and eight children. The territory’s Health Ministry confirmed the figures.

The strike hit a four-story building in the Shijaiyah neighborhood of Gaza City, and rescue teams were searching for victims under the rubble, according to the Health Ministry’s emergency service.

The civil defense, a rescue group that operates under the Hamas-run government, said other neighboring buildings were damaged in the strike.

The Israeli military said it struck a senior Hamas militant who it said was behind attacks emanating from Shijaiyah, but it didn’t name him or provide further details. Israel blames the deaths of Palestinian civilians on the militant group, because it embeds itself in dense urban areas.

As it ratchets up pressure on Hamas to agree to free hostages, Israel has issued sweeping evacuation orders for parts of Gaza, including Shijaiyah. It imposed a blockade on food, fuel and humanitarian aid that has left civilians facing acute shortages as supplies dwindle. It has pledged to seize large parts of the Palestinian territory and establish a new security corridor through it.

The U.N. said the Israeli military has denied aid workers permission for more

than two-thirds of 170 attempts to move humanitarian supplies within the Gaza Strip since the ceasefire ended. U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said efforts to get dwindling aid supplies to Palestinians were “severely strained.”

The Israeli military did not immediately comment.

Earlier this week, Hamas fired its strongest volley of rockets since the ceasefire collapsed, lobbing 10 projectiles toward southern Israel.

Israel resumed its war against Hamas in Gaza last month after an eight-week ceasefire collapsed. The ceasefire brought a much-needed reprieve from the fighting to war-weary Palestinians in Gaza and sent an infusion of humanitarian aid to the territory It also led to the release of 25 living Israeli hostages held in Gaza and the return of the remains of eight others, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.

Trump says Israel would be ‘leader’ of Iran strike

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Israel would be the “leader” of a potential military strike against Iran if Tehran doesn’t give up its nuclear weapons program. Trump made the comments ahead of this weekend’s scheduled talks involving U.S. and Iranian officials in the Middle East sultanate of Oman. Trump earlier this week said the talks would be “direct” while Iran has described the engagement as “indirect” talks with the U.S.

“If it requires military, we’re going to have military,” Trump said. “Israel will obviously be very much involved in that. They’ll be the leader of that. But nobody leads us, but we do what we want to do.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu earlier this week said he supports Trump’s diplomatic efforts to reach a settlement with Iran. He added that Israel and the U.S. share the same goal of ensuring that Iran does not develop a nuclear weapon.

Netanyahu, however, led efforts to persuade Trump to pull out of a U.S.-brokered deal with Iran in 2018.

The Israeli leader, known for his hawkish views on Iran and past calls for military pressure, said he would welcome a diplomatic agreement along the lines of Libya’s deal with the international community in 2003. But that deal saw Libya’s late dictator Moammar Gadhafi give up all of his clandestine nuclear program. Iran has insisted its program, acknowledged to the International Atomic Energy Agency, should continue.

“I think that would be a good thing,” Netanyahu said. “But whatever happens, we have to make sure that Iran does not have nuclear weapons.”

The United States is increasingly concerned as Tehran is closer than ever to a workable weapon. But Trump said on Wednesday that he doesn’t have a definitive timeline for the talks to come to a resolution.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RICARDO HERNANDEZ
A rescue worker comforts a woman Wednesday during the search for survivors at the Jet Set nightclub after its roof collapsed during a merengue concert in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
hurl stones at Israeli forces Wednesday following a military raid in the West Bank refugee camp of Balata.

Courtclearsway forworker firings

Thousandsofprobationaryemployees letgo

WASHINGTON Afederal appeals court cleared the way Wednesday for President DonaldTrump’sadministration to fire thousands of probationary workers, haltingajudge’s order requiring them to be reinstated in alegal win for Trump’seffort to downsize the federal workforce. The decision comes aday after the Supreme Court also sided with the Trump administration in another lawsuit filed over mass firings.

Asplit panel for the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals found the terminationsoffederal workers should probably be appealed through aseparate employment process rather than fought out in federal court.Two judgesappointedbyRepublican

presidents sided withthe administration, while athird Democratic appointed judge dissented.

The decisioncomes in alawsuit filedbynearly twodozen states, who said the mass firings will cause irreparable burdens and expenses to support recentlyunemployed workers. They said at least 24,000 probationary employees have been terminated since Trumptook office.

The statescould still seek further review as the lawsuit continues to play out.

TheRepublican administration has argued that thestateshave no right to try to influence the federal government’srelationship with its own workers, but also had already reinstated some 15,000workers to full duty or paid leave as the lawsuits played out,accordingtocourt

documents.

Theappeals court order halts a decision from U.S. District Judge James BredarinBaltimore, who was one of twojudges appointed by Democraticpresidents whofound thatthe Trumpadministration violated federal laws in carrying out the terminations at 20 agencies in the statesthat sued.

The Supreme Courtblocked another order from U.S. District Judge William Alsup in San Francisco on Tuesday,finding that nonprofit groups lacked legalstanding to sue over the firing of probationary workers. The case still hasadditionalplaintiffs, however,and Alsup was weighing Wednesday whether to againorder reinstatement on behalf of thestate of Washington and labor groups.

Internal Revenue Service employeeDiane LeDesna leads protesters supporting federal workers in aMarch15rally outside the IRS regional office in Kansas City,Mo.

SupremeCourt allows Trump’s removalofboard members

WASHINGTON TheSupreme Court on Wednesday allowed the Trump administration to ousttwo board memberswho oversee independent agencies, fornow The action seemstosignal the court’ssupport forPresident Donald Trump’seffort to remove limits on his power to hire and fire.

Chief Justice JohnRoberts signed an order pausinga ruling from thefederal appeals courtinWashington that had temporarily restored the two women to their jobs.Theywereseparately firedfrom agencies that deal with laborissues, including one with akey role for federal workers as Trump aims to drastically downsize theworkforce.

Roberts handles emergency appeals from the nation’s

capital.Hecalledfor the two board members, Gwynne Wilcox of the National Labor RelationsBoardand Cathy Harris of the Merit Systems Protection Board, to weigh in by early next week.

It’s notclear whyRoberts would have paused the appellate ruling unless he and his colleagues believe it was likely wrong.

The immediate issue confronting the justices is whether the board members,bothinitially appointed by Democratic President Joe Biden,can stay in their jobswhile the largerfight continuesoverwhattodo with a90-year-old Supreme Court decision known as Humphrey’sExecutor.In that case from 1935, the court unanimously held that presidentscannotfire independent board members without cause.

Theruling haslongrankled conservative legal theorists, who argue it wrongly curtails the president’spower.Roberts waspartofthe current conservative majority on the Supreme Court that already has narrowed its reach in a2020 decision. Soon the high court could narrow it further or jettison it altogether In itsemergency appeal the administration also suggested thejustices should take up and decide the broader issue of presidential power.The court could hear argumentsata special sessioninMay andissue a decision by early summer Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit voted 7-4 to return Wilcox and Harris to their jobswhile theircases play out.

CAIRO— U.S. President Donald Trump’sadministration has reversed new cutoffsin emergency food aid to several nations but maintained them in Afghanistan and Yemen, two of the world’spoorest and most war-ravaged countries, according to the State Department and officialswho spoketoThe Associated Press.

It marks the latest round of abrupt cancellationsof foreign aid contracts run through the U.S. Agency for International Development and equally sudden reversals. Thewhipsawing moves come as the Republican administration and Trump adviserElon Musk’sDepartment of Government Efficiency dismantle USAID and dramatically reduce foreign assistance, assertingthat the spendingis wasteful and advances liberal causes. The United States overthe

weekend sent notices terminating funding for U.N. World Food Program emergency programs in morethan a dozen countries. Aid officials warned that the cutscould threaten the lives of millions of refugees and other vulnerablepeople, stressing the risks of further destabilizing regions ridden by conflicts.

The State Department confirmedWednesday that it had reversed those cuts in Somalia, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan,Iraq and Ecuador.It saiditwouldkeep thecancellations for Afghanistan and Yemenbut leftthe fate of food aid in sixotherunidentified nations unclear.

EveninSyria, Somalia and other crisis areas where it hadreinstated support for lifesaving foodprograms, the U.S. would workwith the U.N. to modify its funding“to better alignwithAdministration priorities,” the StateDepartment said by email. It gavenodetails.

TwoUSAIDofficials said JeremyLewin,the DOGE associate overseeingthe

dismantlingofthe aidagency,orderedthe reversal of some of hiscontract terminationsTuesday,after the AP reportedthem. The officials spoke on the condition of anonymitybecause they were not authorized to brief themedia.

TheUSAIDofficialssaid Lewin sent anote internally expressing regret for the sudden contract terminationsand reversals.Secretary of State Marco Rubio andothers hadpledged that the kind of lifesaving aidtargeted would be spared.

AUnited Nations official said the decision to restore funding came after intense behind-the-scenes lobbying of members of Congress by senior U.N. officials

The StateDepartment on Wednesday defendedsome of the new funding cuts, including for Yemen and Afghanistan, saying they were based on “credible and longstanding concernsthat funding was benefitting terrorist groups including the Houthis and the Taliban.”

RIEDEL
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO Afghan refugees rest Tuesdayatatransit station set up to facilitate Afghan refugees’ deportations on the Pakistan and Afghanistan border

Senate Republicansexpress relief at tariff pause

WASHINGTON As newsthat President Donald Trump wasbacking down on most of his tariffsreached aluncheon of Senate Republicans Wednesday,the room reacted with relief, cheers and smiles. It capped an extraordinary 24 hours in Washington in whichGOP senators had increasinglyconfronted the Trump administration with worries about the economic impactsofthe president’ssweeping tariff strategy.InSenate hearings

INSURANCE

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contend out-of-controllawsuits are hurtingthe economy,while trial lawyers and some consumer advocates arguepeople hurt in accidents are often shortchanged in court.

Someofthe measures Landry presented could limit how much money trial lawyers can win for injured clients. Others could impact the bottom line of insurance companies that naturally seek to limit what they pay out.

Both sides offered cautious supportWednesday for the governor’s ideas.

“Weapplaud the governor’sengagementonthis issue and look forward to working with the administration and legislatorstosupport real insurance reform thatcan bring skyrocketing rates under controlwhile protecting therights of Louisiana citizens,” said Connie Koury, executive director of Louisiana Association forJustice, which represents trial lawyers.

Insurance Council of Louisiana

Executive Director Rodney Braxton saidLandry offered ideas that “wecouldcertainly sit down with him and work on.”

But he also noted the insurance industry wants to seelegislation “significant enough to make real changefor the insurance marketin Louisiana.”

EDUCATION

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legislative leaders agreedlast year to fund theLAGATOR Scholarship Program at the same level as school vouchers. So he wassurprised to see Landry propose a budget for next fiscal year that includes $93.5 million for LA GATOR —more than double what the state spends annually on vouchers

“I was not remotely expecting that,” Henry said aboutLandry seeking an extra $50 million for the program. “Somehow there was amisunderstanding, which we will rectify.”

Despite Landry’srequest, Henry said he will hold firmtospending roughly the same amount as vouchers cost this school year: $43.5 million

“It will be no more” than that, he said, “because that was the original agreement.”

The governor’sspokesperson declinedtocomment Wednesday Landry is likely to fight for the money.When Henry and other state senators tried to scale back the LA GATOR billlast year, Landry attacked them in TV ads andpromoted the bill at aCatholic schoolinHenry’sdistrict

and interviews with reporters, GOP skepticism of Trump’spolicies had run unusually high, amounting to arare break with apresident they have otherwisechampioned.

Lawmakers had reason to worry: thestock market hadbeen in avolatile tumble for days, andeconomists were warning that the plans could lead to arecession.

As Republicans heard from businesses back home worried about the president’s plans and navigated thepolitical ramifications of crossingTrump, they engaged in adelicate two-step of urging the

“Significant change means policy measures that will drive down the cost of claims,” said Braxton. “Insuranceisdriven by two things: frequencyand severity —how oftenthereare accidents and how severe the damagesare.”

Here are someofthe issues and what efforts Landry saidhewould back:

Medicalbills

Louisiana’s“collateral source rules affect how much money plaintiffs canreceive in courtfor medical bills. Those rules currently allow plaintiffs to collect more money in damages than what they actually paid for medical bills,upto alimit set out in statelaw

Landry said he would support a different policythat mirrors Texas rules.

“If we adoptaTexasmodel,thenI believe we willreach afair and balanced approach,” he said, without specifyingwhatTexas does thathe would support.

Landry also acknowledged his veto last year of acollateral source proposal, amove that drewthe ire of thebusiness community.Hesaid Wednesdaythat last year’sbill “did nothing to address the problem and took therightsaway from those whoare legitimatelyinjured.”

Linkinginjuriestoaccidents

Landry saidhewould sign abill reversing aLouisiana Supreme Courtjudicial precedent known as

YetLandry may face an uphill battlesecuring extra funds for privateeducation when the legislative session startsnext week.

Last month, voters rejected a constitutional amendment that, among many other changes, would have funded salary increases for public school teachers. Now, the Legislature must find $200 million to maintain salary stipends for teachers andother school staffers —otherwise, thousands of educators could face pay cuts

Withoutraising taxes or otherwise boosting state revenue, it’s unclear how thestate could afford teacher pay and the nearly$100 million Landry wants for LA GATOR, said Jan Moller,executive directorofInvestinLouisiana, a nonpartisan think tank.

“There’sgoingtobereally tough choices that the Legislature will be forced to make,” hesaid.

TheLAGATOR program has beena top priority for Landry,as wellassome influentialadvocacy groupsand Republican donors.

It will offer eligiblefamilies tax dollars to pay forprivate school tuitionoreligible expenses, includingtutoring, textbooksand special-education services. Students whocurrently receive school vouchers will be first in linefor thenew stipends, followed by low-

president to engage in negotiations andwarning of theeconomicfallout of long-term tariffs, then shifting to praise for the president’s economic vision.

That strategy seemed to payoff Wednesday afternoon when Sen. Roger Marshall broke thenews to the roomful of fellow Republicans that Trumpwould back down on tariffs on mostnationsexcept China for 90 days.

“Itreally lightenedupthe lunch discussion,”saidSen. Mike Rounds, aSouth Dakota Republican, adding that therewerecheers,

the “Housley presumption.”

That doctrine says that if evidencepointstoacausalconnectionbetween acrash and an injury when symptoms appear after an accident,then it’s presumed the accident caused the symptoms

“This is acourt-made law that injury in anycase is assumed to be caused by the accident, and that’sabsurd,”said Landry.“This measure wouldmakeitharder for frivolous lawsuits to moveforward by making thelawyers and their clients prove theirinjuries were theresult of the car accident.”

Uninsureddrivers

Landrysaid he wants to make it harder for uninsured driversto collect apayoutafter an accident through a“no paynoplay”measure He would raise Louisiana’s “award exclusion” from $15,000 to $100,000. That wouldmean uninsured motorists couldn’tcollect on the first $100,000 in bodily injury damages.

“Weneed our no-pay-no-play concept to be strengthened because uninsuredmotorists shouldnot have the same rights as those responsible citizens who are paying to have insurance coverage,” he said.

Advertising

Landrysaid he backs abill by Rep.Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, calledthe “Louisiana LawyerAdvertising and Unfair Trade Prac-

income students and students with disabilities.

Thegrants will range from about $5,200 for families who don’t qualify as low-income to roughly $15,200 forstudents withdisabilities

Parents already are clamoring for themoney.More than 33,000 families have submittedapplicationssince March 1, according to the state Education Department. Nearly 30,000 of thoseapplicants meet theeligibility criteria.

“The high demand for the LA GATOR Scholarship Programshows thevalue this program provides to families across our state,” Landry said in astatementlast month.

Now the question is howmuch money the Legislature will give the program —which will determinehow many families get grants.

The $43.5 million that went toward vouchers thisschool year would fund LA GATOR grants averaging $7,100 for about 6,100 students, according to thegovernor’s budget proposal. The additional $50million Landry wantswould payfor grants averaging $9,300 for another 5,300 students

Besidesopposingthe extra$50 million for LA GATOR, Henry also said lawmakers need toknow how many more students the state’s

clapping and “a lot of smiles.”

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., said he was relieved by the announcementand “weall would rather see themarketrise than fall.”

Just aday before,Republican senators had presented theirconcerns in stark terms to the Trump administration, even as they were carefultodirect any criticism at the president’saidesand advisors rather than the president himself

“Whose throat do Iget to chokeif this proves to be wrong?” Republican Sen. Thom Tillis asked U.S. TradeRepresentative Jamieson

tices Act.” It would require that lawyer advertising comply with the Rules of Professional Conduct of the LouisianaState BarAssociation, banfalse, misleadingordeceptive statements in advertising and prohibit soliciting clients within 30 days of apersonal injury accident.

Landry said he also wantsprevent insurance companiesfrom passing the costofadvertising on to consumers.

“Ifthe insurance companies want to hire overpaid celebrities to appear in commercials and have geckos sipping on coffeeand riding motorcycles, well then our citizens should not have to pay forthat in their premium increases,” he said.

Landry didn’t referencea specific bill. However, abill by Rep. Gabe Firment, R-Pollock, would prohibit insurers from including certain advertising costs in their rate-setting methods.

Othermeasures

Landrysaid he wants to remake therole of the Louisiana Commissioner of Insurancetofunction more like theydoinother Southernstates, though he didn’tprovide details when asked aboutspecific changes he would like to see.

“Our insurance commissionerhas been unabletoholdinsurance companies to their word,” Landry said. “I do not believe that it is personal. Ibelieve that he does just nothave the power to be able to do that.”

privateschools can enroll. “I want to know how manyseats are available,” he said in an interviewTuesday with The TimesPicayune |The Advocateeditorial boardand reporters. “We’re not going to appropriate money and then they tell us how many seats they’re going to fill.”

Thefunding debate became more complicated lastmonth after voters soundlyrejected four constitutional amendments —including Amendment 2, whichLandry had championed.

Along with making constitutional changes to taxes and budgeting, that amendment would have freed up money to boost teacher salaries. In effect,itwould have locked in pay stipends —$2,000 for teachers and$1,000 forsupport staff— that educators have received in lieu of raises thepast twoyears. Without the money that Amendment 2would have provided, the Legislature would have to locate $200 million in the budget to re-up the stipends. Otherwise, teachers will take home $2,000 less next school year

“If they want to do ateacher pay raise, they’re going to have to find themoney,” said Steven Procopio, president of thePublic Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, aBaton Rouge-based think tank.

p term that started on July 2, 2021 andendsonJuly 1, 2025 anda

sissippi Riverwithinthe jurisdiction of SLFPA-E. Twomembers shallre‐side in JeffersonParish on the east side of the Mississippi River. One member shallresidein St.Bernard Parish.Three membersshall reside outsideofJefferson,St. Bernard,orOrleans Parishes

Twomembers shallbe professionalsindisci‐plines otherthanengi‐neering, geotechnical hydrological,orenviron‐mental sciencewithat leastten yearsofprofes‐sional experience in that discipline. At-Large Twomembers shallbe at-large,and canserve with or withouttechnical or professional qualifica‐tions. Once thenew member is appointed, thecomposi‐tion of theBoard must meet theresidency and occupational qualifica‐tionsdefinedabove HOWTOAPPLY Youmay obtain an appli‐cation by going online to www floodauthority.org or contacting: ChrisHumphreys InterimRegionalDirec‐tor, SoutheastLouisiana Flood Protection Author‐ity-East 6920 Franklin Ave. New Orleans, LA 70122 (504) 286-3100 chumphreys@floodau thority.org Thedeadlinefor receiv‐ingapplications is April 25, 2025. 134972-apr3-10-17-3t $168.34

Greer in aTuesday Senate hearing. Tillis waspressing forananswer on which Trumpaide to hold accountable if there is an economic downturn. His frustration was aimed at theacross-the-board tariff strategy that would have potentially hamstrung U.S. manufacturers, whoare dependent on materials like aluminum and steel fromChina.His home state of North Carolina, where he is up for reelection next year,has attracted thousands of foreign firmslooking to invest in the state’smanufacturing industries.

Landry said he would also support providing insurance discounts to truckers whouse dashcams, prohibiting the use of credit checks in setting insurancerates andbanning texting while driving.

Settingthe stage

Landry’sannouncement comes on the heels of aTexas turkey-hunting trip that he attended along with prominent trial lawyers, House Speaker Phillip DeVillier,Senate President Cameron Henry and others. Those involved said the excursion was at least in part aimed at brokering adeal between business interests and trial attorneys.

Henry said it was anovel attempttosee if legislators could find commonground on protecting the rights of people injured in accidents while eliminating frivolous lawsuits.

Over the past several months, legislators held aseries of committee meetings meant to unearth the primary drivers of Louisiana’s high insurance rates.

Akey playerwas Firment, the House Insurance Committee chair, whohas worked in the insurance industry for years.

On Wednesday,Firment commended Landry forhis “comprehensive”packageoflegislation aimed at striking abalance.

“I look forward to hearing these bills debated in the coming weeks,” he said.

TheLegislature couldreintroduceaconstitutional amendment to fund teacher raises, Procopio noted. However,it’sunlikely voters would have time to go to the polls again before the new fiscal year starts in July

In the meantime, lawmakers could approve another year of pay stipends —iftheysecure thefunding. One source could be the extra money that Landry requested for LA GATOR, Procopio said.

“Since the additional $50 million is aboveand beyond whatwas discussed last year,interms of just paying for the voucher program,” he said, “that’sprobably going to make it aprime target.”

Butproponents of theLAGATORprogram point to thehigh demand, saying it should receive the full amount Landry requested.

Mary Beth Derrickson, director of government relations forLABI, agroup that promotes economic developmentinLouisianaand supported the LA GATOR bill, said sheexpects Landrytopushhard forthe $93.5 million during budget negotiations. What’sunclear is whether lawmakers will go along with him

“This is ahuge priority for the governor,” she said. “We’re just going to see how it shakes out.”

TUSBROCK,ONEAL BROCK HELENLEE BROCK, CAR‐OLYN BROCKSMITH NOTICE TO SELL WHEREAS, Robert Brock, theAdministrator of the aboveEstatehas made applicationtothe Court forthe sale at private sale of theimmovable property hereinafterde‐scribed, to-wit: ACERTAIN LOTOF GROUND,together with allthe buildingsand im‐provements thereon, and allthe rights,ways, privi‐leges, servitude, advan‐tages, prescriptionsand appurtenancesthereto belongingorinunwise appertaining,situatedin theState of Louisiana, Parish of Orleans, in the THIRDDISTRICTofthe

authorized a 90 day PAUSE, and a substantially lowered Reciprocal Tariff during this period, of 10%, also effective immediately.”

Trump later told reporters that he pulled back on many global tariffs — but not on China — because people were “yippy” and “afraid” due to the stock market declines. He added that while he expected to reach deals, “nothing’s over yet.”

The president said he had been monitoring the bond market and that people were “getting a little queasy” as bond prices had fallen and interest rates had increased in a vote of no confidence by investors in Trump’s previous tariff plans.

“The bond market is very tricky,” Trump said. “I was watching it. But if you look at it now, it’s beautiful.”

The president later said he’d been thinking about his tariff pause over the past few days but he said it “came together early this morning, fairly early this morning.”

Asked why White House aides had been insisting for weeks that the tariffs were not part of a negotiation, Trump said: “A lot of times, it’s not a negotiation until it is.”

The 10% tariff was the baseline rate for most nations that went into effect on Saturday It’s meaningfully lower than the 20% tariff that Trump had set for goods from the European Union, 24% on imports from Japan and 25% on products from South Korea Still, 10% represents an increase in the tariffs

previously charged by the U.S. government Canada and Mexico would continue to be tariffed by as much as 25% due to a separate directive by Trump to ostensibly stop fentanyl smuggling.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said that the negotiations with individual countries would be “bespoke,” meaning that the next 90 days would involve talks on a flurry of potential deals Bessent, a former hedge fund manager, told reporters that the pause was because of other countries seeking talks rather than brutal sell-offs in the financial markets, a statement later contradicted by the president.

“The only certainty we can provide is that the U.S. is going to negotiate in good faith, and we assume that our allies will too,” Bes-

sent said.

The treasury secretary said he and Trump “had a long talk on Sunday, and this was his strategy all along” and that the president had “goaded China into a bad position.”

Prior to the reversal, business executives were warning of a potential recession caused by his policies, some of the top U.S. trading partners were retaliating with their own import taxes and the stock market was quivering after days of decline.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said the walkback was part of Trump’s negotiating strategy She said the news media “clearly failed to see what President Trump is doing here. You tried to say that the rest of the world would be moved closer to China, when in

fact, we’ve seen the opposite effect. The entire world is calling the United States of America, not China, because they need our markets.”

The head of the World Trade Organization, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said the trade war between the U.S. and China “could severely damage the global economic outlook” and warned of “potential fragmentation of global trade along geopolitical lines.”

Market turmoil had been building for weeks ahead of Trump’s move, with the president at times suggesting the import taxes would stay in place while also saying that they could be subject to negotiations.

Particularly worrisome was that U.S. government debt had lost some of its luster with investors, who usually treat Treasury notes as a safe haven when there’s economic turbulence. Government bond prices had been falling, pushing up the interest rate on the 10year U.S. Treasury note to 4.45%. That rate eased after Trump’s reversal.

Gennadiy Goldberg, head of U.S. rates strategy at TD Securities, said before the announcement that markets wanted to see a truce in the trade disputes.

“Markets more broadly, not just the Treasury market, are looking for signs that a trade de-escalation is coming,” he said. “Absent any deescalation, it’s going to be difficult for markets to stabilize.”

John Canavan, lead analyst at the consultancy Oxford Economics, noted that while Trump said he changed course due to possible negotiations, he had previously indicated that the tariffs would stay

in place.

“There have been very mixed messages on whether there would be negotiations,” Canavan said. “Given what’s been going on with the markets, he realized the safest thing to do is negotiate and put things on pause.”

The whipsaw-like nature of Wednesday could be seen in the social media posts of Bill Ackman, a hedge fund billionaire and Trump supporter

“Our stock market is down,” Ackman posted on X. “Bond yields are up and the dollar is declining These are not the markers of successful policy.”

Ackman repeated his call for a 90-day pause in the post. When Trump embraced that idea several hours later, an ebullient Ackman posted that Trump had “brilliantly executed” his plan and it was “Textbook, Art of the Deal,” a reference to Trump’s bestselling 1987 book.

Presidents often receive undue credit or blame for the state of the U.S. economy as their time in the White House is subject to financial and geopolitical forces beyond their direct control.

But by unilaterally imposing tariffs, Trump has exerted extraordinary influence over the flow of commerce, creating political risks and pulling the market in different directions based on his remarks and social media posts. There still appear to be 25% tariffs on autos, steel and aluminum, with more imports, including pharmaceutical drugs, set to be tariffed in the weeks ahead.

The tariffs frenzy of recent weeks has taken its toll on businesses and individuals alike.

Continued from page 1A

“There are many things that we’re doing already, but now the bigger question is before the city itself, and they must make some decisions regarding the level of closures that are acceptable to this city and to this community,” said Kirkpatrick.

“NOPD, this chief, this superintendent, works for the city of New Orleans.”

A spokesperson for Cantrell declined to comment on Wednesday On Tuesday, City Council Vice President Helena Moreno and District E council member Oliver Thomas, two leading candidates for mayor after Cantrell leaves office next year, said the plan to close Bourbon Street to vehicles, a key move the consultants advised, merits further discussion Other council members declined to comment or did not return requests for comment.

Kirkpatrick’s remarks are among the first official responses to a final report produced by global security consulting firm Teneo and former New York City and Los Angeles Police Commissioner William Bratton The 43-page report, released publicly Tuesday, takes issue with many aspects of local defenses, and offers as one key remedy extensive closures to the city’s most famous street.

Kirkpatrick declined to weigh in on whether the city should permanently close Bourbon Street to traffic, a

proposal that has already prompted pushback from residents and business owners who have said that closures could create congestion and parking issues in other parts of the French Quarter

Jane Cooper, chair of the French Quarter Management District’s board of commissioners, said Wednesday that before deciding on any closures, the city should seek further input from local stakeholders and conduct a traffic study She also said any closures should be decided as part of a broader plan for safety in the French Quarter

“Parking enforcement, traffic enforcement all need to be part of this plan,” said Cooper “What resources are going to be made available?”

It would not be the first time the city has studied the impact of street closures in the French Quarter Back in 2020, the mayor, acting in part on the advice of other consultants who also warned of terrorists wielding vehicles as weapons, floated a “No Cars in the Quarter” concept. The plan, she then said, would also serve to boost the area’s economy

The administration studied peak traffic hours and offered several proposals to close some areas to traffic, slow traffic down in other areas and create pedestrian malls.

But the idea largely fizzled amid opposition from French Quarter neighborhood groups.

Bob Simms, who until recently oversaw security initiatives for the French Quar-

ter Management District, said that he supports the latest push to close Bourbon Street to cars full-time, but that the consultants’ report left some open questions.

“We have to have some automated way of doing that,” said Simms, noting the challenge of staffing barricades. Also unclear is how the city would protect other parts of the French Quarter, such as Jackson Square, from vehicles full-time.

Kirkpatrick said that police have already implemented some of the consultants’ recommendations.

For example, the NOPD will host a “tabletop exercise” ahead of this weekend’s French Quarter Festival to test its security muscle, she said. Such behindthe-scenes discussions were routine under former Mayor Mitch Landrieu, but Teneo found the Cantrell administration does not regularly conduct them — a “critical oversight,” according to the report.

NOPD has also set up rented barriers around Bourbon Street and Jackson Square until “the city, again, makes some decisions on the types of barriers they want,” Kirkpatrick said.

Other recommendations the consultants proposed will take longer to realize — such as a suggestion that the force boost its staffing, she said. The NOPD is aiming to hire 300 additional officers to beef up a force of around 900.

“We’re doing what we can to hire the right people,” said Kirkpatrick. “But vacancies and the lack of resources impact our ability to really

serve this city in the manner it should be policed.”

Kirkpatrick said New Orleans should follow Teneo’s recommendation to create a “Fusion Center” — a centralized intelligence hub where officers would review integrated real-time crime data, intelligence report and threat assessments. The center should be equipped with “AI-driven threat detection, and predictive analytics capabilities,” the consultants wrote.

Currently, Kirkpatrick said, the city relies on intelli-

gence gathered at the state’s fusion center Dubbed the Louisiana State Analytical and Fusion Exchange, the project is a collaboration of Governor’s Office of Homeland Security & Emergency Preparedness, the Louisiana State Police, and other law enforcement agencies.

Kirkpatrick acknowledged that expanding the city’s intelligence efforts would be costly, but said she didn’t have a specific estimate.

Kirkpatrick said she disagreed with consultants’ recommendation to close

major parade routes such as St Charles Avenue and Canal Street to vehicles to allow for emergency response access.

“The reality is too residential: What are you going to do with the people who live on St. Charles?” said Kirkpatrick. “I appreciate the Fort Knox approach but is it actually something that’s viable? We have to come up with maybe a compromise.”

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House on Wednesday with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt.

BUSINESS

NOLA.COM/BIZ

BRIEFS FROM STAFFAND WIRE REPORTS

Monroe company plans

$12.5M expansion

AMonroe company that makes plastic sheeting used in consumer and industrial products willspend

$12.5 million to add production lines to its manufacturing plant.

The work will create 12 new jobs at Mid South Extrusion and 26 indirect jobs in OuachitaParish, according to Louisiana Economic Development.

This is the second expansion at Mid South Extrusion in recent months. In September,the company said it would spend $17 million to add production lines, amove that is projected to add 21 jobs. That work is set to be completed in August.

The expansions are being done to meet the growing demand for polyethylene film,a thin, lightweightsheeting used in sectors such as agriculture, consumer products, food and beverage, ecommerce and industrial.

This second expansion is set to begin in November and will involve addingmanufacturing equipment, modifyingthe plant to handle the weight and height of the productionlines, adding raw material silos and an HVAC system.

The new line should be operational in early 2026.

Once the latest expansion is complete, Mid South Extrusion will operate 16 production lines, with more than 240 workers in a 350,000-square-foot building Postal Service seeks to hike stamp costs

The U.S. Postal Service is seeking arate increase this summer that includes hiking thecostofa first-class stamp from 73 cents to 78 cents. The request was made Wednesday to the Postal Regulatory Commission, which must OK the proposal. If approved, the 5-cent increase for a“forever” stamp and similar increases for postcards, metered letters and international mail would take effect July 13.

The Postal Service contends, as it did last year when it enacted a similar increase, that it’sneeded to achieve financial stability

Former U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy previouslywarned postal customers to get usedto “uncomfortable” rate hikesasthe Postal Service seeks to become self-sufficient. He said price increases were overdue after “at least 10 years of adefectivepricing model.”

DeJoy resigned in March afternearly fiveyears in theposition, leaving as President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’sDepartment of Government Efficiency had floated the idea of privatizing mail service.

Universal chooses

London theme parksite

Universal has chosen the homeland of Harry Pottertobuild its first theme park and resort in Europe, the entertainment company and U.K. officialsannounced Wednesday

Thestudio and themeparkoperator that has drawn millions to its Potter-themed wizarding worldsand other attractions said it would begin constructionnext year justbeyondthe outskirtsof London. British PrimeMinisterKeir Starmer said the park would create 28,000 jobs and would bring opportunity,growth, and “of course, joy to Britain.”

The park will be built on a476acre site in aformer brickyard in Bedford. Construction is expected to be completed by 2031. The town is about 50 miles north of London. Universal did not say what attractions it would offer at the park, but it has builtridesaround many of its movie franchises, including“Minions,” “E.T.the Extra-Terrestrial,” “Jurassic Park,” “Kung Fu Panda” and “Fast & Furious.” The Universal resort, initially expected to include a500-room hotel, will be near amajor rail line and Luton Airport, which officials recently said would be expanded. Universal, adivision of Comcast Corp., has five entertainment andresort complexesaround the world —inOrlando, Florida; Los Angeles; Osaka, Japan; China; and Singapore.

Housevotes on overdraftfeesrule

Lawmakersmove to overturn Biden move limitingfees

NEW YORK The House voted Wednesday to overturn arulethat would have limitedbank overdraft feesto $5,following theSenatein moving to dismantle the regulation that theBiden administration had estimated would save consumers billions of dollars.

The resolution killingthe rule which passed the House217-211, will nowhead to the White House for President Donald Trump’ssignature. Republicans arguedthatthe “disastrous” regulation issued in the

final days of President Joe Biden’s term wouldhave forced banks to stop offering overdraft protection altogether and made it harder for Americans to access credit.

“Competition and innovation, not government-mandated price caps, remain the best waytoensure consumers have access to affordable financialproducts andservices,” said Arkansas Rep. French Hill, the chairman of the HouseFinancial Services Committee.

Currently,the nation’sbiggest banks take in roughly $8 billion in the charges every year,according to datafrom theConsumer Financial Protection Bureauand bank public records. Rightnow,there is no cap on the overdraft fees that banks can legally charge.

Banks and banking groups had previously sued over the rule, arguing that it wouldhave led to consum-

ers leaning on worse, less-regulated services. Republicans votedtoundo theregulation under the Congressional Review Act, a1996 lawthat allows Congress to reverse recently adopted rules.

Democrats strongly opposed the effort and said the rulewould help consumers whocan’tafford the fees. California Rep. Maxine Waters, the top Democrat on the Financial Services panel, saidthat Americans are “fed up with these junk fees” and want to get them under control.

Therule, scheduledtogointoeffect in October,was part of Biden’s effort to reduce fees that hitconsumers on everydaypurchases, includingbanking services.The CFPB estimated therulewould have saved consumers about$5billioninannual overdraft fees, or $225 perhousehold that typically experi-

ences thefees. Biden had called the fees, which can be as high as $35 per transaction, “exploitative,” and consumer advocates point out they hitbanks’ most cash-strapped customers.

When abank temporarily lends aconsumer money after their accounthas reached azero balance, the consumer is typically responsible for paying back boththe overdrawn amount andanadditional fee, which can be more thanthe original amountcharged. In one example, a $3 cup of coffee can end up costing someone more than $30.

Overdraft fees originatedduring atime whenconsumers wrote and cashed checks more frequently so that thecheckswould clearinstead of bouncing, if there was an issue of timing —but banks steadily increased the fees in the first two decades of the 2000s.

U.S. stocks rocket to historic gains

Trump’spause on most tariffstriggerseuphoria

NEWYORK U.S. stocks soared to one of their best days in history on aeuphoric Wall Street on Wednesday after President Donald Trump said he would back off on most of his tariffs temporarily,asinvestors had so desperately hoped he would The S&P500 surged9.5%, an amount that would count as agood year for the market.It had been sinking earlier in the day on worries that Trump’strade war coulddrag the global economyintoarecession. But then camethe posting on social media that investors worldwide had been waiting and wishing for

“I have authorized a90day PAUSE,” Trump said,after recognizing the more than 75 countries that he said have been negotiating on tradeand hadnot retaliated against hislatest increases in tariffs. Treasury Secretary ScottBessent later told

reporters that Trumpwas pausinghis socalled ‘reciprocal’ tariffs on mostofthe country’sbiggest trading partners, but maintaininghis 10% tariff on nearlyall globalimports. Chinawas ahuge exception, though, with Trump saying tariffs are going up to 125% against its products. That raises the possibility of more swings ahead that could stunfinancial markets. The trade war is not over,and an escalating battle between the world’stwo largest economies can create plenty of damage. U.S. stocks are also still below where they were just aweek ago, when Trumpannounced worldwide tariffs on what he called “Liberation Day.”

But on Wednesday,atleast, the focuson Wall Street was on the positive.The Dow Jones Industrial Average and Nasdaq composite leaped. The S&P500 had its third-best day since 1940. The relief cameafter doubts had crept in about whether Trump cared about the financial painthe U.S. stock market was taking because of his tariffs. The S&P 500, theindex that sits at the center of many 401(k)accounts, cameinto the day nearly 19% below

FederalReserve

Higher prices,slower hiring addressed

WASHINGTON The prospect of high inflation stemming from widespread tariffs along with weaker hiring could put the Federal Reservein adifficult spot,Fed policymakers saidinminutes fromlast month’smeeting. The minutes, released Wednesday,said that the Fed could keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged if inflationremained stubbornlyelevated.And they said it could cut its rate if growth slowed and unemploymentrose. Theminutes were for the Fed’sMarch 18-19

meeting. But if both happened at thesame time, theFed “may face difficult trade-offs,” some of the19officials on the central bank’sinterest-rate setting committee said. Rising unemployment can often lead to arecession, when theFed would normally slash its key rate to support moreborrowing and spending and stimulate the economy.Yet Fed officials would likely be reluctant to cut if inflation rose,becauseitusually seeks to cool higher prices by keeping itskey rateunchanged or even raising it if necessary

The minutesreflect discussions amongFed officials before President Donald Trump announced sweeping tariffs April 2onnearly 60 countries, alongwith a10% tariffonnearlyall nations. Trump

itsrecord set less thantwo monthsago. Wednesday’srally pulledthe S&P 500 index away from the edge of what’scalled a “bear market.”That’swhat professionals call it when arun-of-the-mill drop of 10% for U.S. stocks, which happens every year or so, graduatesinto amore vicious fall of 20%. The index is nowdown 11.2% from itsrecord Wall Street also got aboost from arelatively smoothauctionofU.S. Treasurysinthe bond market Wednesday.Earlier jumps in Treasury yieldshad rattled the market,indicating increasing levelsofstress. Trumphimself said Wednesday that he had been watchingthe bond market “gettinga little queasy.” Analysts say several reasons could be behind therise in yields, including hedge funds andother investors having to sell their Treasury bonds to raise cash in order to make up for losses in thestock market. Investors outside the United States may also be sellingtheirU.S. Treasurysbecause of the trade war.Suchactionswould push down prices for Treasurys, which in turnwould push up their yields.

said Wednesday that he had paused thetariffs for90days, though the 10% dutywould remain, as well as ahuge125% tax on imports from China. The minutesalso said that the tariffs that hadbeenannounced before the March meeting —onsteel, aluminum, and on many imports from Canada and Mexico —had already causedmany companies to delay hiring and raise prices.

SeveralFed officials, according to the minutes, said that their business contacts “were already reporting increases in costs, possibly in anticipation of rising tariffs,” or “hadindicated willingnesstopass on to consumers higher input costs that would arise from potential tariff increases.” Many of those same business

contacts“reported pausinghiring decisions because of elevated policyuncertainty,” according to the minutes. In remarks last Friday,Fed Chair JeromePowell said the April 2tariffs would likely raise inflation and slow growth. He also noted that their impact would likely be temporary,but said there was aheightened chance that they could persistently raise inflation.

Inflation has comedownsharply from itspeak in June 2022, but it has remained stubbornly elevated even before the imposition of duties. Consumer prices were 2.8% higher in February compared with ayear ago, though March figures will be released early Thursday andare expected to show inflation declining to 2.6%.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOBySETH WENIG Traders work on the floor at the Newyork Stock ExchangeinNew york on Wednesday.

Ukraine.

Ukraine: Mercenaries fighting forRussia

Countryclaims

more than 150

Chinesenationals recruited

KYIV,Ukraine Ukraineon Wednesday expanded on its claim that significant numbers of Chinese nationals are fighting for Russia’s invading army,sayingit had gathereddetailed intelligence on more than 150 mercenaries Moscow allegedly recruitedthrough socialmedia. In China, officials called the allegations “totally unfounded.”

TheUkrainian accusation and Chinese denial come as the U.S. strives to secure a ceasefire in the more than three-year war President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced Tuesday that the Ukrainian military hadcaptured twoChinese men fighting alongside the Russian armyonUkrainian soil. It was the first time Ukraine hadmadesucha claim about Chinese fighters

in the war On Wednesday,Zelenskyy said he was willing toexchangethe two prisoners of war for Ukrainian soldiers held captive in Russia. Without providing evidence, Zelenskyysaidofficials in Beijing were aware of Russia’s campaigntorecruit Chinese mercenaries. He stopped short of saying the Chinese government authorizedthe mercenaries’ involvement in Ukraine.

Zelenskyy saidUkraine has the last names and passport datafor 155 Chinese citizens fighting for the Russianarmyand that “we believe that there are many more of them ”Heshared with journalists documents listing names,passportnumbers andpersonal details of the alleged Chinese recruits, including whentheyarrived in Russia for military training and departed for service; the AP has notindependently verified the documents.

Chinahas provided strong diplomatic support for Russia since it launched itsfullscale invasion of Ukrainein February2022.Ithas also sold Russia machineryand microelectronicsthat it can

use to makeweapons, Westernofficials say, in addition to providing an economic lifeline through the tradein energy andconsumergoods. China is not believed to have knowingly provided Russia with troops,weapons or military expertise.

U.S. officials have accused Iran of providing Russia with drones, while American andSouthKoreanofficials sayNorth Korea has sent thousands of troops and ammunition to help Russia on the battlefield.

With the U.S. and Europe having provided substantial military support and diplomatic heft for Ukraine, the war has to some degree become acontest between power blocs.

Tensions between the U.S. and China have deepened in recentyears. Disputes have centeredongeopoliticalinfluence, technology andtrade —and recently escalating import tariffs between the countries have roiled global financial markets. Zelenskyy said U.S. officials expressed“surprise” when informed of the presence of Chinese mercenaries in Ukraine.

SALTLAKECITY Three Americans repatriated to the United States from Congo this week have been charged with participating in an elaborate coup attempt aimed at overthrowing the African nation’s government last year,the U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday Afourthman alleged by prosecutors to be an expert in explosives was also charged with aidingthe plot

The criminal charges arise from the same set of allegations that led to three of the defendants being detained in Congo and receiving death sentences. The sentences were later commutedtopunishments of life imprisonment before the men wereultimately transferred Tuesday into U.S. custody to face charges in an American court. Acriminal complaint unsealed by prosecutors Wednesday follows alongrunning FBIinvestigation and accuses the men of conspiring to provide weapons, explosives and other support to arebel army that

wasformedtotry to overthrow the government. Among the three Americans is 22-year-old Marcel Malanga, son of opposition figure Christian Malanga, who led the coup attempt that targeted the presidential palace in Kinshasa. The elder Malanga livestreamed from the palace during the attempt and waslater killed while resisting arrest, Congolese authorities said.

Prosecutors say the goal of the plot was to establish anew government known as New Zaire and install ChristianMalanga as its president. The younger Malanga identified himself as the “Chief of Staffofthe Zaire army”and acted as a leader of the rebel forces, court documents say ChristianMalanga,who wasborn in theCongolese capital of Kinshasa, had described himself on his website as arefugee who settledinthe U.S. with his family in the1990s.The self-proclaimed leader of ashadow government in exile sold used cars and dabbledingoldminingbefore persuading his Utahborn son to join in the foiled coup.Christian Malanga was convicted in Utah of assault with afirearm in 2001

and had charges dismissed in several other criminal cases. Marcel Malanga, Tyler Thompson Jr., 22,and Benjamin Zalman-Polun, 37, were returnedtothe U.S. Tuesday.They were expected to make their first court appearance in Brooklyn. The alleged explosives expert, Joseph Peter Moesser, 67, was due to appear in court in Salt Lake City on Thursday. Prosecutors say thataspartofthe plot, he provided explosives training and instructions at his Utah home andcontributed equipment and firearms. Thompson’sattorney, Skye Lazaro,saidWednesday she did not yet have information to share. No attorneyswerelistedincourt documents for the other three defendants. The menare charged with crimes including conspiracy to use weapons of mass destruction, conspiracy to bomb government facilities and conspiracy to kill or kidnap persons in aforeign country.Those charges, which taken together could result in lengthy prison sentences in the event of aconviction,could changeifand whenthe defendants are indicted by agrand jury

McALLEN, Texas Judges in Texas andNew York on Wednesday temporarily barred the U.S. government from deporting Venezuelans jailed in parts of those two stateswhile their lawyers challengethe Trumpadministration’suse of ararely invoked law letting presidents imprison noncitizens or expel them from the countryin times of war

The ulingsdidn’taddress the legality of President Donald Trump’suse of the Alien Enemies Act to deport Venezuelans accused of belonging to the Tren de Aragua gang, and they only applied to immigrants in federal custody in the judges’ districts

The judicial moveswere

the first to occurafter theU.S. Supreme CourtonMonday ruled the administration can resume deportations under theact, but deportees must be afforded somedue process before they are flown away, including reasonabletime to argue to ajudge that they should not be deported. Civil rights lawyers in the twostates had sued to prevent the government from deporting five men who deny being part of the Tren de Aragua gang.

Similarlegal challenges are likely to follow in other places where Venezuelans have been detained. The American Civil Liberties Union is asking the judges in Texas and New York to decide whether the administration’suse of the AlienEnemies Act is lawful when thecountry is not at war

The AlienEnemies Acthas only been used threetimes in the past, during the Warof 1812, WorldWar Iand World WarII, when it wasusedto justify the mass internment of people of Japanese heritage while the U.S. was at war withJapan.

TheUnitedStates is not at war with Venezuela,but Trump has argued theU.S. is beinginvadedbymembers of the Tren de Aragua gang.

U.S.immigration authorities alreadyhave deported more than 100 people and sent themtoa notorious prison in El Salvador without letting them challenge their removals in court.

Civil liberties lawyers brought lawsuits on behalf of threemen detained in afacility in Texasand two jailed about45milesnorthwest of New York City

PROVIDED PHOTO
Ukrainian servicemen prepare to fire amultiple launch rocket system Tuesday in the Zaporizhzhia region,

NewOrleans Forecast

State representative announces run

Willard to seek N.O. council seat

State Rep. Matthew Willard, a Gentilly native who as head of the Louisiana House Democratic Caucus has marshaled opposition to Gov Jeff Landry’s conservative agenda, is running for a seat on the New Orleans City Council. Willard will compete for the at-large seat currently held by

Council denies affordable housing complex

The Jefferson Parish Council on Wednesday denied a $49 million affordable housing project in Marrero after months of accusations from neighbors that it would harm their quality of life.

The council unanimously voted down the workforce housing apartment complex, called the Reserve at Lapalco, after dozens of speakers expressed opposition for about 30 minutes as they crowded the council chamber.

Residents complained that the project would decrease home values and increase crime and traffic in the area, and said the developer has not been transparent about the project’s specifics. They cited a petition with more than 1,000 signatures against the project and hoisted “vote no” signs.

The developer, Thomas Delahaye of CST Land Developers LLC, said in an interview after the meeting that he followed all the requirements laid out by the parish and that he plans to take legal action. He added that he felt as though officials and opponents focused on “buzzwords that carry a racial connotation” rather than the zoning application at hand.

“Let’s be honest and say that you don’t want ‘those people’ in your neighborhood,” Delahaye, a Denham Springs resident, told the chamber “We all know what that means.” Several residents denied the accusation and said they took offense to it.

“I don’t have a problem at all with affordable housing. I do have a problem with liars,” said one Marrero woman. “You’re coming into our community to build something of this magnitude and you have inconsistently spoken about the facts of this project from day one.”

The Reserve at Lapalco would have included 144 rent-restricted and income-restricted units on a vacant lot at 5401 Lapalco Blvd., a short distance from grocery stores and restaurants at Barataria Boulevard. Also nearby is another 324-unit apartment complex under construction on the site of the former Belle Promenade Mall.

“This project belongs somewhere, it just don’t belong here,” said Rodney Charles Dufour, of Marrero. With Wednesday’s vote, Delahaye stands to lose $24 million in multifamily housing revenue bonds and $1.8 million in lowincome housing tax credits approved by the Louisiana Housing Corporation last August, as well as $14.4 million in Community Development Block Grant funding

The Jefferson Parish Economic Development District had also reduced property taxes for the

council Vice President Helena Moreno, he said in a statement Wednesday Moreno, whose term in that citywide seat expires in January, is running for New Orleans mayor in this fall’s election cycle.

Willard’s entry into the at-large race sets up a showdown with one of his state House colleagues, Rep Delisha Boyd D-New Orleans, who has also said she’ll run

for Moreno’s current seat

“We deserve a safe, clean city that is free of litter, blight and discarded tires,” Willard said.

“We deserve an economic development plan that grows our city by providing quality job opportunities to everyone It is now time for us to roll up our sleeves get to work and move our city forward.”

Other Democrats considering competing for an at-large seat include Sen. Jimmy Harris, whose powerful position in the Senate has offered New Orleans a pipe-

line of state funds, and Sen. Joe Bouie, an educator and former atlarge candidate. Bouie and Harris both said Wednesday they were still deciding whether to run and that they are focused on the annual legislative session that begins Monday in Baton Rouge.

Arnie Fielkow a former atlarge member and former CEO of the Jewish Federation of Greater New Orleans who had weighed running, said in a text message Wednesday said he would not enter the race.

Boyd, an ally of U.S Rep Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, announced her campaign in December

The contest will play a crucial role in shaping the politics of a new City Council — and the way the legislative branch of New Orleans’ city government works with its new mayor, following a period of acrimony between the current council and Mayor LaToya Cantrell, who is term-lim-

ALL LINED UP

Scammers steal $1.1M from JPSO, audit reveals

As of December, about $293K had been recovered

A report released Monday by the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office revealed that scammers targeted the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office and tricked department employees into wiring more than $1.1 million into phony bank accounts. No one has been arrested in connection with the scheme, which

Suspect

appears to have occurred during the fiscal year that runs between July 1, 2023, and June 30, 2024. The department fell victim to a business email compromise scam. The thieves targeted the sales tax funds collected by the Sheriff’s Office, according to the audit report. The Sheriff’s Office is the official collector of the parish’s various taxes, including sales and property taxes. The department then distributes the funds to various government agencies, including the state, the parish and the school system. According to the audit report, a scammer reached out to a sher-

in Bywater

man’s murder held without bail

Teen had recently been released from mental facility

A teen who allegedly killed a Bywater man with a shovel and an iron days after being discharged from a mental health facility will be held without bail, an Orleans Parish magistrate commissioner ruled Wednesday. Trevor Lee Delrie, 18, an occasional guest of 61-year-old Michael Craig Hankins, allegedly

bludgeoned him to death in the bedroom of his home in the 4200 block of Royal Street last month, according to an affidavit for arrest warrant. Though it provoked public outcry and resulted in the firing of an Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office employee, the dragging of Hankins’ body down a staircase during the homicide investigation did not compromise the autopsy Coroner Dwight McKenna said Wednesday He determined Hankins died from blunt force trauma New Orleans police believe

iff’s employee while posing as an employee of an unidentified government agency

Using an email address that appeared to be from that agency, the scammer asked to change the bank account information for the agency’s sales tax receipts.

The sheriff’s employee “accepted the change request at face value and subsequently implemented the change in the JPSO online banking platform,” the report said.

The department sent a series of wire transfers to the scammer’s phony account totaling $1,106,086, the audit report said.

“Members of our team discov-

ered the theft and immediately reported the loss,” Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office Capt. Jason Rivarde said in a statement released Tuesday. “An investigation into the theft resulted in the recovery of a significant amount of the stolen funds.”

As of Dec. 30, about $293,000 had been recovered, according to the audit report. The case has been referred to the U.S. Secret Service for further investigation. The FBI called business email compromise scams one of the fastest-growing, most financially damaging internet crimes. The

See SCAM, page 2B

St. Tammany animal shelter in ‘mayday’ mode

Parish says it’s over capacity for dogs

Following a wave of recent arrivals, St. Tammany Parish government’s long-overcrowded, no-kill animal shelter system is way over capacity for dogs and is now in “mayday” mode, according to the parish.

In an announcement on Wednesday, the parish said the shelter is 70% over capacity for canines, with 215 as of Wednesday afternoon. That’s nearly 100

more dogs than it was designed to hold. The shelter is now waiving adoption fees for dogs that have been in the shelter longer than six months. In recent months, the Parish Council has taken steps to curb the parish’s unsheltered animal population, passing an ordinance that requires all cats and dogs in the parish to be spayed or neutered and increasing funds for the program that helps people pay for the spay or neuter procedure.

But there was a recent wave of owners dropping off pets and

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE Joe and Karen Doyle hang banners celebrating Archbishop Rummel High School baseball seniors before the team faced Holy Cross High School at Mike Miley Stadium recently in Metairie.
JEFFERSON PARISH

Legal group files petition in Albany murder

Innocence Project wants conviction overturned in 1998 death

A New Orleans nonprofit legal group is asking a federal court to overturn a two-decades-old murder conviction in the 1998 death of a 16-year-old pizza delivery driver in Livingston Parish.

The Innocence Project New Orleans filed a petition in the U.S. Court for the Middle District of Louisiana seeking to overturn the second-degree murder conviction of James Skinner, who was one of six people convicted in 2000 of murdering Eric Walber, an Albany High School student and football player Walber was finishing a pizza delivery shift in April 1998 when the group robbed him, beat him and then ran him over with his own car They left Walber along a road in Tangipahoa Parish, according to reports.

The petition asks the court to “end his unconstitutional conviction and punishment.”

The organization cites a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in 2016 that overturned the murder conviction of Michael Wearry who was originally sentenced to death in Walber’s killing. The Supreme Court ruled that prosecutors withheld critical evidence about key witnesses and another possible suspect.

HOUSING

Continued from page 1B

development by about 74% under the state’s payment in lieu of taxes program.

Complainants a lso flagged inconsistencies in the developers’ pitches to the board. An engineer originally told the board the project would construct “luxury apartments” and would not participate in the Housing Choice Voucher Program, commonly known as Section 8. Delahaye backtracked months later explaining it would offer “luxury-style” apartments using project-based Housing Choice vouchers.

The project faced fierce backlash over the past four months, and the parish Planning Advisory Board repeatedly delayed its vote to answer residents’ concerns and questions.

The board ultimately recommended denial of his request as a result.

“Our Planning Advisory Board voted it down 6 to 1 because, to be frank, they said you tried to pull a fast one on them,” said atlarge council member Scott Walker

MURDER

Continued from page 1B

t

New

In light of Wearry’s case, Skinner sought new postconviction appeals. But he was unsuccessful with the 21st Judicial District Court, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeal and the Louisiana Supreme Court.

Wearry served a 25-year sentence after his deathrow conviction was reversed and has been out of prison since 2023. Skinner, however, is still serving a life sentence.

Innocence Project Executive Director Jee Park, who was also an attorney for Skinner, says Skinner and the family of Walber

Delahaye denied the claim and argued that the parish will lose out on future economic development by not providing more housing options for workers who can’t afford to buy homes He owns six other apartment complexes in Baton Rouge and Livingston Parish, with another in the works in Lake Charles. He said the company also had conducted a traffic study and cited studies showing that apartment complexes do not cause crime or lower property values.

“We did exactly as your planning and zoning staff required of us,” Delahaye told the council. “The failure to develop this property will end up being very expensive for the parish. That needs to be recognized.”

A fforda ble h ou sing projects across the country overwhelmingly face similar opposition from surrounding homeowners a phenomenon termed “Not in my backyard” or NIMBY — even as the need for housing options grows.

Email Lara Nicholson at lnicholson@theadvocate. com.

Continued from page 1B

agency’s Internet Crime Complaint Center fielded $2.4 billion in losses from such scams in 2021.

There are several versions of the scheme and typically target businesses of all sizes that handle large-scale transfers of money In real estate transactions, the scammers pose as one of the involved parties and trick the victim into wiring money meant for the sale to an illegitimate bank account

The scams depend upon the thieves spoofing authentic email addresses and appearing as someone known or trusted by the victim.

“These scams are welldesigned and often appear to be from legitimate sources,” Rivarde said.

The Sheriff’s Office audit report notes that the scam was successful because department personnel failed to follow procedures to verify change requests.

deserve justice but have not received it.

The Innocence Project New Orleans has freed or exonerated over 50 people since 2001, according to its website.

Meredith Angelson the nonprofit’s deputy director, said the state courts have consistently made errors when responding to evidence they believe shows a wrongful conviction.

“The state of Louisiana has inflicted a grave injustice on James Skinner, keeping him wrongfully in prison for 25 years. The Supreme Court de-

STATE

Continued from page 1B

ited and set to leave office in January New Orleans’ perennial infrastructure woes, quality-of-life challenges and residents’ economic anxiety will heavily dictate the tone of the full slate of fall political races, which include contests for at least three open council seats, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office and the Mayor’s Office, analysts say Willard has served in the state House representing District 97, which covers parts of the Faubourg St. John, Mid-City and Gentilly neighborhoods, since 2020.

He comes from a prominent New Orleans political family: His aunt is former state legislator and City Council District E member Cynthia Willard Lewis, his uncle is Orleans Parish Criminal Court Judge Benedict Willard and his grandfather is former Orleans Parish School Board member and St. Augustine High School Principal Elliot

termined that Louisiana courts had ‘egregiously misapplied’ the law in his co-defendant’s case,” Angelson said.

In response to the petition, 21st Judicial District Attorney Scott Perrilloux said Skinner’s defense is relying on the 2016 Supreme Court ruling for Wearry, but that he believes Skinner’s case is different.

One of the most recent developments connected to Walber’s murder was in January when the federal court dismissed a 2018 lawsuit filed by Wearry, who alleged that Perrilloux

“Doc” Willard. Willard’s peers elected him chair of the House Democratic Caucus in 2023 at the start of a legislative term marked by Republicans’ expanding majorities and the GOP governor’s ambitious policy priorities.

In the first few months of Willard’s term as caucus chair, Landry’s aggressive policymaking contributed to lawmakers successfully reinstating the death penalty, eliminating parole from the criminal legal system and redrawing Louisiana’s U.S. congressional maps, among other initiatives.

Willard was a stalwart, if somewhat isolated, voice of opposition against some of Landry’s early priorities.

On the first day of Landry’s landmark crime session in 2024, the lawmaker sought to stall on the House floor as Republicans started reading in bills for the session. Each time House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, entertained motions to speed bills along by sending them directly to committees, Willard rose his arm in objection, forcing

Delrie killed Hankins sometime between March 22, when Delrie arrived in the city on a Greyhound bus after being released from a mental institution in Alexandria, and March 24, when he reappeared in Alexandria driving Hankins’ white Toyota truck Delrie had also been using Hankins’ credit cards, according to New Orleans police. He was arrested in Alexandria on March 25 after allegedly committing a hit-and-run in Hankins’ truck and was released two days later, jail records show When Delrie was released on the morning of March 27, New Orleans police had not yet found Hankins’ body However, court records show they had tried and failed to access his home on March 25 and March 26 for two wellness checks prompted by Alexandria police. At 5:57 p.m. on March 27 neighbors entered Hankins’ house, found his

body and called police. The homeowner was “on the floor in the upstairs bedroom covered in blood and with obvious signs of

said. Nearby were a bloodied

coerced false testimony from a 10-year-old witness. Perrilloux said in January that he was never concerned about the outcome but is glad the case is concluded.

“Lost in all of the false and outrageous claims is that a bright and kind 16-year-old had his life senselessly and violently taken from him almost 27 years ago by Michael Wearry and several others,” Perrilloux said after the dismissal in January

Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@ theadvocate.com.

another vote Republicans swiftly voted the bills along.

In the House, Willard has sponsored bills addressing insurance, police staffing and medical costs, among other subjects.

Some of the legislation, including a measure to make permanent Louisiana’s Fortify Homes Program, which offers incentives for homeowners to refurbish roofs to better withstand hurricanes, earned bipartisan support.

Willard had about $91,000 on-hand in his campaign account at the end of 2024, according to campaign finance records.

Last year, he spent about $32,000 in ways that appeared to boost his political profile, including travel to the Democratic National Convention and event sponsorship fees. Boyd raised $12,600 last year and finished the year with that amount on-hand, according to her ethics report.

Both Willard and Boyd held fundraisers in recent weeks.

Email James Finn at jfinn@theadvocate.com.

shared other details with his brother “Craig (Hankins) no longer wanted Delrie staying at his house and told him he had to be out by Monday (March 24),” Detective Robert Long wrote in the affidavit for arrest warrant signed March 28 by magistrate commissioner Jonathan Friedman. Delrie was booked into Grant Parish Detention Center on March 28 by the Alexandria Police Department and NOPD on one count of second-degree murder He was transferred to Orleans Justice Center At his Wednesday dangerousness hearing, magistrate commissioner Peter Hamilton ordered him held without bail.

Delrie’s defense attorney, Jay Michael Small, had no comment other than to say that he had requested a mental competency hearing, a request Hamilton granted.

“Our finance team has added additional security measures to prevent these types of thefts from occurring in the future,” Rivarde said. “We remain committed to ensuring that funds entrusted to us are safeguarded and used appropriately to keep Jefferson Parish as safe as possible.”

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

SHELTER

Continued from page 1B

abandoned animals being found in the community, according to a news release. At the same time, adoptions have slowed and rescue pulls have stopped.

The parish posted a message on its Facebook page saying: “100 fur babies need a miracle!”

A rescue pull is when a private organization takes an animal from the parish shelter and assumes control of it, Animal Services Director Rob Bremer said. That has decreased recently because those organizations’ shelters have been as full as the parish’s, he said.

“We reserve the ‘mayday’ call to our community only for these circumstances, and this should not be taken lightly,” said Bremer He said the parish has worked hard to become a no-kill shelter, but it “can only do that with our partners and community’s help and support.”

The shelter is encouraging members of the community to consider adopting an animal, though it emphasized that a pet is a long-term commitment and comes with significant financial cost. All shelter animals come vaccinated, microchipped and spayed or neutered.

“We are at a critical point and must reduce the amount of animals in our system — as dog fights, disease spread and other factors can affect the quality of life of the dogs in our wards. Our animals are our top priority and we will not keep them in inhumane conditions, but the numbers are against us,” Bremer said. The St. Tammany Animal Shelter is located at 31078 La. 36 in Lacombe. Adoption hours are from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday-Saturday Appointments are preferred but not required. The phone number is (985) 871-4513. The email is STPASprograms@ sttammany.gov

Animals available for adoption can be viewed on the parish’s website at www.sttammany.gov/pets.

Email Willie Swett at willie.swett@theadvocate. com.

PROVIDED PHOTO Footage shows an Orleans Parish Coroner’s Office employee dragging a body bag down the stairs of a house in the 4200 block of Royal Street at 8 p.m. on March 27.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING
Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office Detective Willie Turner, from left, Michael Wearry, Deputy Gary Coates, Randy Hutchinson, James ‘Pop’ Skinner and Detective Chuck Watts walk into court June 21, 2000, at the Livingston Parish Courthouse. A
Orleans nonprofi
legal group is asking a federal court to overturn Skinner’s two-decades-old murder conviction.

of

Mt.HermonB.C where she served faithfully under the leadership of Rev. Dr JohnJackson.She wasa formermemberofthe Pen‐tecostand GalileeBaptist Churches.Her most sin‐ceredesirewas to live a lifethrough which others might seeChristinher and would want to be saved. Familyand friendsare in‐vited to attend theFuneral Service on Friday,April 11, 2025, for10:00 a.m. at Mt HermonBaptist Church, 2153 N. BroadStreet,New Orleans,LA70119. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 9:00 a.m. Rev.Dr. John Jackson, offi‐ciating.Interment will fol‐low at St.Patrick Cemetery #3, 143 City Park Ave.,New Orleans,LA70119. Guest‐book Online:www.anewtra ditionbegins.com(504)2820600. Linear BrooksBoyd and DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/FuneralDirectors

vitedtoattend theCele‐bration of Life at Davis MortuaryService,6820 WestbankExpressway, Marrero,LAonThursday April 10, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Visitationwillbegin at 8:30 a.m.atthe above-named parlor. Interment: Evening StarCemetery-Harvey,LA. Toviewand sign theguest‐book please go to davis‐mortuaryservice.com.Face masks arerecommended

Bagnell Son Allen-Wheeler,Robin Tennyson, Suellen Andry, Vernette EJ Fielding Berzat,JoAnn Darce’,Cynthia BraudSr.,Delano LeeJr.,James Brooks,Emelda McCabe Jr., Harold Brown, Rita Honaker Carey, Claire Rock Jr.,Alton Champagne,Joseph Brown, Rita Reaux

Seale,Arthur Cotton, Janice West Bank Daniels, Valda Darce’,Cynthia DavisMortuary Dianis,Milan Brooks,Emelda Douglas Jr., Roy Champagne,Joseph Duvigneaud, Joseph Perry Sr., Dwight Gabriel, Bernadette SincereSr.,Charles Berzat,JoAnn Peaden

Guillot, Sylvia Mothe Henderson, Barbara Savage,Betty Hood, Dianne Savage,Sharon Irwin,Ann Tuminello,Tom Jack Sr., Russell

Robinson FH Johnson, Yasmin Cotton, Janice LeeJr.,James Gabriel, Bernadette Lewis, Cynthia Riley, Thelma McCabe Jr., Harold Smith,Ora Millsap,Vondell Obituaries NaquinJr.,Walter Payne Jr., Jack Allen-Wheeler,Robin 'Roxie'

PerrySr.,Dwight Riley, Thelma Rock Jr.,Alton Savage,Betty Savage,Sharon Seale,Arthur SincereSr.,Charles Smith,Ora Tennyson, Suellen Trahan Sr., Robert Tuminello,Tom Twickler Sr., Donald Wiltz,Ann Wolfe, Elizabeth EJefferson

Leitz-Eagan

Dianis,Milan

NewOrleans

Boyd Family

Andry, Vernette Johnson, Yasmin

DW Rhodes

BraudSr.,Delano

Brown, Rita

Daniels, Valda

Douglas Jr., Roy Henderson, Barbara

Wiltz,Ann

Gertrude Geddes

Berzat,JoAnn

Carey, Claire

Lewis, Cynthia

Wolfe, Elizabeth

JacobSchoen

Duvigneaud, Joseph Lake Lawn Metairie Irwin,Ann

Payne Jr., Jack Twickler Sr., Donald Majestic Mortuary

Allen-Wheeler,Robin River Parish BardellMortuary

Hood, Dianne TreasuresLife

Jack Sr., Russell St Bernard St Bernard

Guillot, Sylvia

Robin“Roxie” AllenWheeler enteredeternal restonFriday, March28, 2025 at theage of 61, sur‐rounded by herchildren. She wasa native of New Orleans,LA. Roxiebegan her cosmetology career while sheattended Booker T.WashingtonHighSchool She laterbecamea cook at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel where shemet her late husband Willie Wheeler.Roxie is survived byher children Auriel Allen,Angelica(MicahHa‐gans),Floyd Allen, Whitney Allen,Dajsa Allen, Willie Allen,Brianna “Hope” Veni‐son,WillAllen,McKinnie Allen,Tatianna Wheeler, Tamika(Albert Franklin), SandraWheeler,Troy(Lyn‐trell) Holmes,Undre Holmes, ParisWheeler,and ChanceWheeler andGod‐daughterCharrel Audrict. Roxie is also survived by her mother EssieAllen, sib‐lings LydiaFaust (Norman), Donetta Allen, Shedrick Allen,Deion Allen, and Byron Allen. Sheleavesbe‐hind13grandchildren and a host of nieces,nephews cousins,other familyand friends.Her familyinvites you to join them in aCele‐bration of Life at New HomeFamilyWorship Cen‐ter,1616 Robert C. BlakeSr. Drive,New Orleans, LA on Friday, April11, 2025, at 10:00 am.Visitationwill begin at 9:00 am.Profes‐sionalarrangementsen‐trusted to Majestic Mortu‐ary Service, Inc. (504) 5235872.

Andry, Vernette Wallis

Vernette Wallis Andry entered into rest on Wednesday,April 2, 2025 atthe ageof74. Shewas the wife of thelateCaryJ Andry,Sr.,and thedaugh‐ter of thelateStaffordWal‐lis,Sr.,and thelate Dorothy O’Neal Wallis Lewis.Vernette wasthe third childoften,the motherofsix:Darrell Odomes, Napoleon Odomes,Monique Veal (Byron) KeevaSullivan(Creg), Cary Andry,Jr. (Monica) Christopher Andry(Anata‐sia); grandmotherofeight bonus grandmotherof three, great-grandmother ofeight,and godmother of seven. Shewas amember

Jo AnnPeadenBerzat, age 68, wasbornonDe‐cember18, 1956, in NewOr‐leans,LA. Shedeparted thisearthly home on Thursday,April 3, 2025. She was agraduateofthe New Orleans Parish School Sys‐tem andwas an employee ofthe NewOrleans Cae‐sarsSuperdome and Smootie King Center JoAnn wasthe loving motherofLarry Joseph Berzat, Jr.(Devonda),Rod‐erick Berzat,Sr. (Calina) and TyronBerzat. Devoted sisterofTinaToledano, DwaynePeadenand HaroldPeaden, Jr.(Gloria). Sister-in-law of RoyWells JoAnn wasalsosurvived bya host of nieces, nephews,cousins,family and friends. Shewas pre‐ceded in deathbyher hus‐bandLarry Berzat,Sr.;her parents Harold Peaden,Sr. and DorothyMae Peaden; her sonTorin Berzat;her sisterShelita Wells;and her brother-in-law Troy Toledano. Relativesand friends of thefamily, also staff of NewOrleans Cae‐sarsSuperdome and SmoothieKingCenterare invited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, April12, 2025, at GertrudeGeddesWillisFu‐neral Home,2120 Jackson Avenue,New Orleans, LA 70113 at 12:30 p.m. Family Hourfrom11:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. PrivateBurial. You maysignthe guest book on http://www.ger trudegeddeswillis.com Gertrude GeddesWillisFu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.

BraudSr.,Delano

With sadnessweshare the passingofDelano Braud,Sr.,onMarch 31, 2025. Please visitwww.rho desfuneral.comtoview service information, sign onlineguestbook,send flowersand sharecondo‐lences.

Brooks, Emelda Joyce AmericaCarter

Emelda JoyceAmerica CarterBrooksentered into restonSaturday, April5, 2025, at theage of 86. She was anativeofVacherie, LAand aresidentMarrero, LA. Loving wife of thelate EugeneBrooks, Sr.Beloved motherofEugeneBrooks, Jr.,Carla (Donald) Robin‐son,Patricia(Donald) Brown, Anita(Joseph)Cur‐rent, andthe late Terry Craft,Linda Carter,and Yolanda Bruno.Daughterof the late Joseph Carter and OliviaGros. Sister of the lateClara Davis, ViolaHar‐ris,and CharlieMorton. Emeldaissurvivedby12 grandchildren,20great grandchildren,6 great great grandchildren, anda hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friendsofthe familyare in‐

Rita ReauxBrown de‐partedthislifeonMarch 29, 2025 at theage of 65 The wife of Donald Brown, Sr. anddaughterofthe late Willie D. Hill andJaneFran‐cis Reaux; Mother of Sharita,Mary, andMarvin Reaux,JohnJohnson and DonaldBrown, Sr.One sonin-law, MichaelWilliams, Sr. andone daughter-inlaw,Kovanda Reaux; sister ofBarbara Charles, Myme Otkins, andthe late Veron‐ica Hunter,Angela, Donald and AnthonyReaux and Donaldand Jerry Hill;God‐motherofDeweltress Bassronne andTerrica Bass; 3aunts, Emelda Mc‐Donald, Amelia Thomas and HelenMosley. Sheis alsosurvivedby21grand‐childrenand 6great grand‐childrenand otherrela‐tives andfriends.Relatives and friendsofthe family, pastors,officers andmem‐bersofthe GreaterAsia Baptist Church,also, Em‐ployees of RedWhite & Blue, SalvationArmyand Sisters of theHolyFamily are invitedtoattend her FuneralService at Rhodes FuneralHomeonSaturday, April 12, 2025 at 1:00 pm Visitationwillbegin at 12:00 pm.The funeralser‐vicecan be livestreamed byvisitingwww.facebook com/D.W.RhodesFuneralHo me/live.Interment:St. Vin‐centDePaulCemeteryNo. 2., 1950 Soniat St., NewOr‐leans,LA70115. Arrange‐mentbyD.W.RhodesFu‐neral Home,3933 Washing‐ton Avenue.Pleasevisit www.rhodesfuneral.comto signthe online guestbook

Claire Ruth DanielsGrif‐finCarey,age 81, wasborn onMarch 10, 1944 in New Orleans,LA. Shedeparted thisearthly home on Sun‐day,March 30, 2025. Claire attendedHolyGhost Catholic School.She wasa graduateofWalterL Cohen High School,Dillard Universityand Xavier Uni‐versity of NewOrleans Clairewas also amember ofBlessings Beyond Inter‐nationalChurch anda re‐tired AdaptedPhysicalEd‐ucation Teacher. Claire was thelovingwifeofHay‐wardCarey,Jr. Beloved motherofNicoleKalani Griffin-Shaw.Devoted sis‐ter of LauraD.Bell. She was also survived by two grandchildren,BrookeVic‐toria Griffin, F. BrettGriffin, one great-granddaughter, Ariel Ruth MarieBeck, her favoritenephew/sonEric StevenBelland ahostof nieces, greatnephews, cousins,The Big6,family and friends. Shewas pre‐ceded in deathbyher par‐entsLeonard T. Daniels, Jr and LillianC.Daniels,one sisterCarolyn Daniels, and one brotherLeonard T. Daniels III. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, April12, 2025 at First Street Peck Wesley UnitedMethodist Church 2309 DryadesStreet,New Orleans,LA70113 at 11:15 a.m.Visitationfrom9:00 a.m.until 11:00 a.m. Private Burial. Youmay sign the guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude GeddesWillisFu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.

Champagne, Joseph Gary 'Pops'

In Loving Memory of JosephGary"Pops"Cham‐pagne.Sunrise January4 1940 -SunsetApril 3, 2025 With profound sadness, we share thepassing of JosephGaryChampagne,a beloved husband, father, grandfather,son,brother and friend,who passed awaypeacefullyatthe age of85. Joseph Gary was bornonJanuary 4, 1940, in New Orleans, La.tothe lateMcCulloughand Alme‐dia Champagne. At ayoung age,hemet andmarried the love of hislifeand soulmateNitaPoche.They loved andraised3 children Shenita,Donald, andAlita. Hedevoted himselftohis family, ensuring they had the best educationand cherished annual vaca‐tions.Healsoloved all5 of his grandchildrenalways ready to providethemwith fun activities during the summer, like fishing, amusement parks, and sports. Joseph Gary wasa lifelongmemberofSt. JosephThe Worker Catholic Church where his parents made gravecontri‐butions to thechurch.He remaineda dedicated memberproudly serving asanusher,a jobthathe took very seriously. He ar‐rived earlytoserve and rarelymisseda Sunday for manyyears.Healsocom‐mittedcountless hoursvol‐unteeringfor church activi‐ties, especially at theSt. JosephThe Worker Parish Fair. Joseph Gary dedi‐cated over 40 yearstothe automotiveindustry, in‐cluding 10 plus yearsasa proud business ownerwho was,known forhis ingenu‐ity,dedication, kindness dependability, andreliabil‐ity.Hewas an avid loverof cars, especially race cars anenthusiastic fisherman, and adedicated NewOr‐leans Saints fan.Hewillal‐waysberememberedfor his kind andgenerous spirit. Hislovingspiritwill liveonthrough hisfamily and allheloved andwith whomhecameincontact JosephGaryissurvivedby his loving wife of 62 years, NitaPoche Champagne, his children, ShenitaBaker (Carlos), andAlitaT.Cham‐pagne,his daughter in law LisaSanford Champagne, his sister Audrey Cham‐pagne Lumzy, hissister-inlaw Rita P. Richards (Alton),his grandchildren, DeCarlosBaker,Sean Champagne,Christina Champagne,Ireti Akin‐wande andAyo Akin‐wande,and greatgrand‐daughterCharlotte Cham‐pagne,and many nieces, nephews,and extended familymembers.Heispre‐ceded in deathbyhis par‐entsMcCulloughand Al‐media Champagne, hissib‐lings Charles, (CJ),McCul‐lough Jr,Elwin,James (Perry), andhis sonDonald R.Champagne.Relatives and friendsofthe family, alsopriestand parish‐ionersofSt. Joseph the WorkerCatholicChurch and allneighboring churches areinvited to at‐tendthe Mass of Christian BurialatSt. Joseph the WorkerCatholicChurch, 455 Ames Blvd Marrero, LAonFriday, April11, 2025, at10:00 a.m. Father Sydney Speaks, celebrant. Visita‐tionwillbegin at 8:00 a.m.; RecitationofRosary8:45 a.m.; Tributetofollow. In‐terment:RestlawnPark Cemetery-Avondale,LA. ArrangementsbyDavis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe St Gretna,LA. To view and sign theguestbook, pleasegotowww.davismo rtuaryservice.com.Face masks arerecommended

Janice Cotton,bornto James andAnnieB.Bell, July31, 1944, shedeparted thislifeonMarch 29, 2025 ather home in Harvey,La. She was80years old. She was thesecondofthree daughters.She wasa na‐tiveofNew Orleansand Harvey, LA.She wasa graduateofLincoln High School.She wasemployed byWinn- Dixieand Jeffer‐sonParishSchool Board.

ThelovingMotherofAre‐via,Yvette,John, Ira, and the Late TyranCotton. She isthe sister of theLate Claudia Bell Cobb and RhondaOlivier.She was the wife of thelateRev JohnW.Cotton. Sheissur‐vived by 4Children, 13 Grand Children,10Great Children, 1Sister, 1Sisterin-law, anda host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and otherrelatives,and friends.Relatives and Friends of thefamilyalso employees of Winn -Dixie and JeffersonParish School BoardSystemare invited to attend theCele‐bration of Life at Second ZionBaptist Church #1, 2929 Second Street,New Orleans,La.,April 11, 2025, at10:00 a.m. Visitation will begin at 9a.m until 10 a.m.Interment will follow atRestlawnParkCemetery inAvondale, LA.Funeral planningentrusted to RobinsonFamilyFuneral Home, 9611 La -23, Belle Chasse,La70037 (504) 2082119. Foronlinecondo‐lencespleasevisit www robinsonfamilyfuneralho me.com

ValdaMarie Wilder Daniels,90, passedaway peacefully on March30, 2025, surrounded by family atPassagesHospice New Orleans after abrief ill‐ness. Alifelongresidentof New Orleans, shewas born onSeptember 1, 1934 to the unionofthe late Albert Wilder andVivianHaynes Richmond. Valdaspent her formative yearsunder the tutelageofher maternal grandparents, Elsieand BenjaminHaynes. Valdaat‐tendedF.P.RicardElemen‐tarySchool,BookerT WashingtonHighSchool and graduatedfromMc‐Donogh 35 Senior High School in NewOrleans Precociousand outspoken froma young age, shewas admittedtocollege at the age of 15 andinfouryears earneda bachelor's degree inElementaryEducation fromXavierUniversity. In 1955, shemarried thelove ofher life,William Mack Daniels.Two daughters, who thecouplelovingly raised, were born to this union.Valda worked for morethan42years in the Orleans Parish School Sys‐tem servinginmanyposi‐tions,inclusive of acting principal,but primarilyas anelementaryschool teacher forthe thirdand fifthgrades. Afterher re‐tirement, sheenjoyed both domesticand international travelwithfamily, going to casinos,attendingthe oc‐casionalSaintsgame, watchingthe Pelicans bas‐ketball gamesontelevi‐sion, andofcoursetalking onthe telephone. She leavestocherish hermem‐ory,daughters Theda Daniels-Race, PhD(Paul) and UricaDaniels Regis, MBA (Wayne). Hergrand‐childrenKylan (Chelsea), PeytonRace, andRoyce Regis remember theun‐conditional love shownby their grandmotherwho theyfondlycalledPre‐cious.Additionally,her manygodchildren, family, friends,neighbors,and the hundredsofchildrenshe taughtduringher career mourn herloss. Shewas precededindeath by her husband of 69 years WilliamMackDaniels and parents,AlbertWilderand VivianHaynesRichmond. VisitationwillbeonSatur‐day,April 12, 2025, at St RitaCatholicChurch,2729 Lowerline Street in NewOr‐leans from 9:30 am –10:30 am. Amemorialmasswill immediatelyfollow. Inter‐mentwillbeatLakeLawn Parkand Cemetery at 5454 Pontchartrain Boulevard, New Orleansfollowing the mass. Arrangements en‐trusted to D.W. Rhodes Fu‐neral Home,3933 Washing‐ton Avenue.Pleasevisit www.rhodesfuneral.com to signthe online guestbook.

Daniels, Valda MarieWilder
Carey, Claire Ruth DanielsGriffin
Cotton, Janice

Cynthia“Cindy” Lakey Darce’, age68, of Mandev‐ille, Louisiana, passed awaypeacefully on Sun‐day,April 6, 2025, with her husband anddaughterby her side.She is survived by her devotedhusband of 48 years,David A. Darce’;her daughter, ChristineDarce Donewar (Charles); and her cherishedgranddaugh‐ter,Emma Donewar. She alsoleavesbehindher mother, Ardell Krueger Lakey;sisters,DeniseCur‐rault (Jack) andLinda Rhea (Rick); herbeloved Aunt Ireneand UncleCarroll Bussell;aswellasnumer‐ous nieces,nephews, cousins,and dear friends. Cindy waspreceded in death by herson,Craig An‐thony Darce’,and herfa‐ther, Leland Dale Lakey. Cindy wasbornonSep‐tember13, 1956, in Farm‐ington, NewMexico. She graduated from Arch‐bishopBlenk High School earnedanassociate de‐greefromUSL,and later pursued herpassion for the legal fieldatTulane University, whereshe earneda Bachelor’s degree inParalegal Studies. She spent much of hercareer asa paralegaland notary publicatSessions, Fish‐man &Nathan, whereshe was admiredfor herdedi‐cation, professionalism, and deep compassion for others. Cindyfound joyin traveling,antiquing,col‐lecting glassware, and handmakingcards.One of her proudest andmost treasured roleswas be‐coming“Mimi”toher granddaughter,Emma.She willberememberedfor her warmth, herkindness, and her gift formakingothers smile.Cindy’s gentle spirit and loving hearttouched everyonewho knew her, and herlegacyoflovewill liveonthrough thoseshe helddear. Funeralservices willbeheldonThursday, April 10, 2025, at 12:30PM atOur Lady of theLake Roman Catholic Church 312 LafitteStreet,Mandev‐ille, Louisiana. Visitation willbegin at 10:30AM. In‐terment will follow at Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens, 2280 West 21st Av‐enue, Covington, Louisiana. In lieu of flowers, dona‐tions maybemadein Cindy’s memory to St.Jude Children’sResearchHospi‐tal at stjude.org/donate. E.J.FieldingFuneralHome ofCovington,Louisiana,is honored to be entrusted withthe arrangements Familyand friendsare in‐vited to sharememories and condolencesbysign‐ing theonlineguestbook at www.ejfieldingfh.com

Dianis,Milan Randolph 'Randy'

It is with heartfeltsad‐nessthatweannouncethe suddenpassing of Milan Randolph“Randy” Dianis who departed this world onFriday, April4th,2025 at the ageof80. Randy was bornonJuly14th, 1944in Louisville, Kentucky,to Milan SteveDianisand RoseEdmonds.After grad‐uatingfromSimsbury(CT) HighSchool,heserved withdistinction in the UnitedStatesMarineCorps beforeembarking on a longcareer in thefoodser‐viceindustryina varietyof managerialand leadership roles which broughthim to New Orleans. He found his passion RVingand workcamping forover25years around theUSA andMex‐ico with hislove, Bobbie. Randy lovedall outdoor ac‐tivitiesincluding softball withthe guys fishing, hik‐ing andwhite waterrafting fromcoast to coast. He took prideindriving the tourbus forBryce Canyon and lovedsharing themar‐velsofthe area.Randy is survivedbyhis wife of 35 years,BobbiePollock Cantrelle,his daughter Stephanie Dianis Campos (Michael),and many won‐derfulstepchildren, grand‐childrenand greatgrand‐children. \A visitation and remembrance will be held Saturday,April 12, 2025,

2pm-4pmat Leitz-Eagan FuneralHome, 4747 Veter‐ans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, LA.Inlieuof flow‐ers,donations canbe madetoTunneltoTowers Foundationat www.T2T org

DouglasJr.,Roy Lee

RoyLee DouglasJr. beloved companion, father, grandfather,and friend entered into eternalrest onApril 4, 2025, at theage of64. Roywas born on Oc‐tober 14, 1960, in New Or‐leans,LA, to theunion of the late RoyLee Douglas, Sr.,and EthelMae Steven‐son Douglas. He attended James Weldon Johnson, Al‐fredC Priestly,and Alcee Fortier High School.Atan early age, Roywas bap‐tized by Rev. Taylor of the Morning Star Baptist Church in New Orleans, La Roy served hiscountry as a devoted soldierinthe UnitedStatesArmyfor 4 years.Roy wasa faithful employeeofTulaneUniver‐sityfor over 30 years. He was also adedicated em‐ployeeofThe CarolCondo‐miniums.Roy's zeal forlife touched everyone he met, sohenever meta stranger Hewas always active and outgoing andenjoyed the second-lineparades.Roy is survivedbyhis loving com‐panion, Rhonda Michelle Womack, andbeloved fam‐ily memberstocherish his memory. HischildrenKey‐ona (Demetric),Tiffany, Roy III, AmberDouglas,and two bonus children,Ron‐dell(Kiara) andTerrell Martin, Jr.One sister Tremaine DouglasJeffer‐son (Steven),and one brother,Kenneth Douglas, Sr. (Dana).12grandchil‐drenand ahostofaunts, uncles, nieces,and nephews.Familyand Friends andthe employees ofTulaneUniversity, The Carol Condominiums,Tu‐laneMedical Center,Uni‐versity MedicalCenter, and Ochsner Hospital are wel‐cometoattend theser‐vices.The Celebrationof LifeserviceswillbeonSat‐urday,April 12,2025, at St James MethodistChurch 1925 UrsulinesAve., New Orleans,LA70116.The Visi‐tationisat9:00am, fol‐lowed by theFuneral Ser‐viceat10:00 am.Interment tofollowatCarrollton Cemetery, 1701 HillarySt., New Orleans, LA 70118 ArrangementsbyD.W RhodesFuneralHome, 3933 Washington Avenue Pleasevisit www.rhodesf uneral.comtosignthe guestbook

Donald

Joseph Donald Duvi‐gneaudDDS,age 91, alife‐longresidentof NewOr‐leans passedawayonApril 5th,2025 surrounded by his family. He wasthe sonof Harry andPatriciaDuvi‐gneaud(Deceased)and the brothertoHarry Duvi‐gneaudJr, (deceased) Dr Duvigneaudwas theloving husband of NancyVelasco Duvigneaudfor 66 wonder‐ful years. He wasthe fa‐therofDonna Lemm Donielle Osborn,Dondra DeSalvo and J.DonDuvi‐gneaud. He wasalsothe grandfather of Nicole LemmSpain,Hunter Lemm, BrittanyArata Campo, BrookeArata,Bryce Arata, Madison DeSalvo, AllieDe‐Salvo,Ben DeSalvoand LexyDuvigneaud. Dr Duvingeaudwas agradu‐ate of Jesuit High School, class of 1951. He graduated fromLoyolaschool of Den‐tistryin1957. Aftergradu‐ating,hebegan hiscareer asa Dental Officerinthe USNavy. As aFullLieu‐tenanthepracticed gen‐eraldentistry in SanDiego California. Thefollowing yearhewas transferredto a SubmarineTenderand there completedhis active duty. He stayed in the Naval Reservefor several years andretired with the rank of Lt.Commander

Aftercompletinghis active dutyinthe Navy,Dr. Duvi‐gneaudbegan histraining inoralsurgery.His intern‐shipand residencywere completed at CharityHos‐pital of NewOrleans.He began hispracticeasan oralsurgeon in theMaison Blanche Building,where he practiced for10years.He moved hispracticeto Metairiewhere he prac‐ticed foranadditional 33 years,retiringin2005. He was an active staff mem‐ber at ENTHospital, Mercy Hospital, andEastJeffer‐son Hospital.Hewas alife‐timememberofthe New Orleans Dental Associa‐tion. He hadmembership inthe LouisianaDentalAs‐sociation,The American DentalAssociationand the Louisiana SocietyofOral Surgeons. Dr.Duvigneaud was trulya familyman Spendingquality time with his children,grandchildren and devotedwifeof66 years.Heenjoyed riding horses, motorcyclesand flying airplanes. He loved paintingwithoilsand trav‐eling with hisfamily. He was aEucharist Minister at St. Pius Xfor over 20 years. Hecherished thesemo‐ments as beingjoyfuland fulfilling. AmemorialMass willbecelebratedFriday April 11 at 11 A.M. at St PiusX Catholic Church Visitationfrom10A.M until mass time.Friends and familyare invitedto attendthe Mass. Arrange‐ments by JacobSchoen& Son FuneralHome, 3827 Canal St.New Orleans, LA Condolences maybeleftat www.schoenfh.com.

Gabriel, Bernadette Williamson 'Bern'

Bernadette (Bern) Williamson Gabrielpeace‐fully transitioned to her heavenlyhomeonSunday, April 6, 2025, at theCarpen‐ter HouseinHarahan,La. She was79years oldand was born on September26, 1945, in NewOrleans Louisiana.A native of Port Sulphur,LA, Bernadette was thebeloved daughter ofthe late Selina andEd‐wardWilliamson. Shewas baptizedatSt. Joseph Catholic Church in Port Sul‐phur.Bernadette was unitedinholymatrimony toSherman Gabrielfor 63 years,and together they raisedseven children: Sonia (the late Paul) Mackey, Robin(Gregory) Vaughn, Suzette (Lilton) Harvey, ShaneGabriel,the lateSgt.ShellyGabriel Barthelemy, Wade (Medea) Gabriel,and Danielle (Benedict)Oguzie. Shealso cherished herbonus daughter, Natasha (MichaelJr.)Mitchell. She was preceded in deathby her siblings:the late Fran‐cis Williamson,Gloria Broussard,Geneva Williamson,Lorraine(the lateElton Jr.) Edgerson, and SusieWilliams. Bernadette wasthe proud grandmother of Tiffany (Gerald)Dillard,Cierra Gabriel,Lanisha Vaughn, Nasha (Charles)Rochester Tshonna Harvey,Jolisa (Emmette III) Sylve, Brit‐tanyand Shanna Gabriel, Sherrie andShane Dinette SethRagas,Rochon BarthelemyIII, Lacie (Korbi) Williams,Angel, WadeJr.,Cody, andCade Gabriel.She also leaves be‐hind23great-grandchil‐dren. Alovingsister-in-law toShelby(Jenny) Spear‐man andgodmother to Donna Lightell andEnid Jones,Bernadette’s mem‐ory will also be cherished byher Aunt Marjie Smith, three devotedfriends Juanita Parker,EarlFox, and Drexel Narcisse—and a hostofnieces, nephews, cousins,and otherrela‐tives.Known affectionately as“Queen B,”Bernadette was adedicated home‐maker who hada passion for cookingand lovedto feed anyone who came to her door.She wasthe keeper of allthe "tea," meaning thelatestgossip, but more importantly, she was aremarkablewoman who touchedthe livesof many. Shetook care of everyonearound her, never turninganyone away. Herkindness, gen‐erosity,and unwavering strengthmadeher atrue pillarofher family. Even as she fought alongand courageousbattlewithill‐ness, sheshowedincredi‐ble resilience.Bernadette was deeply lovedand re‐spected by herfamily, who willmissher dearly.She was preceded in deathby her parents, Selina andEd‐wardWilliamson, her daughterSgt.Shelly GabrielBarthelemy, grand‐

children Nadiaand Charles Gabriel,and her five sis‐ters. Relativesand friends ofthe familyare invitedto attendthe Mass of Christ‐ian Burial which will be heldonThursday,April 10 2025 at St.Patrick Catholic Church locatedat28698 LA-23, Port Sulphur,LA 70083. Thevisitationwill begin at 9a.m., andthe service will beginat11 a.m.FatherKyleDaveisthe celebrant andentombment willfollowatSt. Patrick Catholic Church cemetery Funeralplanningentrusted toRobinsonFamilyFuneral Home, 9611 LA-23, Belle Chasse,LA70037. Foron‐linecondolences,please visit www.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com.

Ms.SylviaCampagna

Guillot,87, passedawayon April 1, 2025. Alifelongresi‐dentofSt. BernardParish, she wasprecededindeath byher parents, Mildred and August Campagna, and twograndchildren Sylviaissurvivedbyher companion Al Lefevre, four children, 11 grandchildren, 17great-grandchildren and 2great-great-grand‐children. Sylvia marriedLi‐onelGuillotSr. in 1953, and theybecamesuccessful businessownersinthe St Bernard community.A woman of deep faith and generosity, shewillbe deeply missed. Visitation willbeatSt. Bernard MemorialFuneralHomeon Saturday, April12, 2025, from10:00 AM to 12:30 PM followedbya funeralmass at1:00PM. Shewillbelaid torestatSt. Bernard MemorialGardens.Inlieu of flowers, donationsmay bemadetoCovenant House Nola,611 N. Ram‐partSt.,New Orleans, LA 70112.

Barbara“Bobbie”Jean Smith Hendersondeparted thislifeonTuesday,April 1, 2025 at theage of 90 Beloved wife of ClydeHen‐derson. Loving daughter of the late JamesEdward, Sr and JoeMaryG.Smith.De‐voted mother of Arthalia Johnson,Shawn Swilley, Calisse Matthews, Katrina Swilley,Yolanda Briley,and Laticia Encalade.Loving sisterofWillieAnn Denton, Norland (Dorothy)Smith Noland(Gloria)Smith, Jacob Smith, Dorothy (James) Thrasher,Grace Lloyd,Juanita (Henry)Dun‐can,and thelateMary LouiseRouser, RosieBruce, MorrisWilliam (Bill) Lawrence, Joseph (Delois), and James(Mary)Smith Jr. Barbaraissurvivedbya hostofgrandchildren great grandchildren, greatgreat grandchildren, nieces, nephews, otherrel‐atives, andfriends.Rela‐tives andfriends of the family, also employees of LoyolaUniversity, Bridge CityCommunity Center, and PACE areinvited to at‐tenda FuneralService at LifeCenterCathedral,2100 AmesBlvd. Marrero, LA 70072 on Friday,April 11 2025 at 9:00am.Visitation willbegin at 8:00am –9:00am. Followingservices, pleasejoinusatHope Springs MissionaryBaptist Church,5189 N. Livingston Road, Jackson, MS 39213 at 2:00pm. Interment: Hope Springs MissionaryBaptist Church Cemetery.Arrange‐ments entrustedtoDuplain W.RhodesFuneralHome, 1020 Virgil Street,Gretna, LA70053. Please visitwww rhodesfuneral.comtosign the online guestbook share memories,and con‐dolencestothe family.

Hood,Dianne BanksDavis

Dianne BanksDavis Hood enteredeternal rest onMarch 26, 2025. Shewas the daughter of thelate Henry Wilson andRozellia VicknairWilson. Mother of Terry,Junius,Stephanie Clark,and Dale Banks. Di‐anne leaves to cherishher memories: herchildren, Ju‐niusand Dale Banks, and Stephanie Clark; anda hostofgrandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces,nephews,other rela‐tives,and friends. Family and friendsare invitedto the gravesideservice on Friday, April11, 2025, at 12 p.m.atSt. John Memorial Cemetery, LaPlace, LA Viewing will be from 10 a.m.until 12 p.m. at Bardell’sMortuary, 3856 LA 44, Mt.Airy, LA 70068. Ser‐vices entrustedtoBardell’s Mortuary. Information: 504487-2193.

AnnMcCarty Irwin passedaway on March 30, 2025, at theage of 81. She wasbornonApril 5, 1943, in NewOrleans,Louisiana. Anngraduated from Fortier High School. She workedasanadministrative secretary at Ochsner Hospital, whereshe ultimately retired. Sheissurvivedbyher husband of nearly 59 years, Horace LynnIrwin Jr.; daughters DonnaIrwin andKaren Milliken (David); sonsKevin IrwinSr. (Chauntell) andDavid Irwin(Paula); grandchildren KevinIrwin (Macie), ChelseaSchwall,Brett Schully(Victoria), Taylor Imbraguglio, KayleIrwin, JustinIrwin,James Irwin, Cody Milliken(Sarah), and Daven Milliken;and greatgrandchildrenCaroline Milliken,Sadie Milliken, Hudson Milliken,Greyson Schully, AmeliaSchully, GiannaImbraguglio, Tate Schwall,andJuliette Schwall

Sheisalso survived by hersister Dolores Hart (Verlon), as well as many nieces, nephews, extended familymembers, and friends. Shewas preceded in death by herparents, Milford Jasper andValance ManfieldMcCarty, hersisterDorothyPortera (Vincent), andher brother John Hryniewich(Sue).

Annhad adeep passion for animals andwas adedicated member of theDeep SouthAll-Breed Training ClubofGreater New Orleans, Riverside West Kennel Club of Louisiana andBoxerClub of Louisiana. Shetaught obedience and was actively involved in pettherapy, bringing comfortand joyto others by visitingschools andVAnursing homes with herbeloved dogs. Ann wasa devotedwife to Lynn, always supporting himinhis JPRD coaching andassistingwith the many tasks behind the scenes.She wasa wonderfulmother,grandmother, great grandmother, and friendtoall

In lieu of flowers, please considera donation to the Gayle andTom Benson Cancer Centerat giving.ochsner.org

Relativesand friends are invited to attendfuneral servicesatLake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd in NewOrleans,Saturday, April 12, 2025. Visitation will begin at 10am with a service to follow at 12pm. Immediately after service Annwill be laidtorest in Lake LawnPark.

InLovingMemoryof PerryFerranSt.Raymond April10,1957–June14,2005

Jack Sr., Russell

RussellJackSr. was borntoErvin Jack Sr.and Eliza JohnsononFebruary 27, 1950. Russellwas the 4th of 5children. Russell was united in holy matri‐monytothe late Laverne Jasmine on December 3, 1970. From this union, three childrenwereborn: Donyel “Trixie”JackBaldwin of Houston,Texas,Russell “Jack”Jr.,and Travis Jude Jack(Arielle Hurst).OnFri‐day,April 4, 2025, Russell peacefully sleptawayat his home.God grantedhim his wish;Three scores in ten.Russell leaves to cher‐ish hismemory: Threede‐voted children,DonyelJack Baldwin (Anthony), Russell Jr.,and Travis (Arielle). 5 grandchildren,Alexia, Eric Jr.,Harleigh, Harper,and TravisJr. Family and friends areinvited to honor Russell'slifeduringa pub‐lic visitation on Friday April 11, 2025 at New Jerusalem BaptistChurch 152 E. 6thStreet,Edgard, LA70049 from 5:00pm to 7:00pm. Asecondpublic visitationwillbeheldon Saturday, April12, 2025 from8:00amto11:00am at New JerusalemBaptist Church,152 E. 6thStreet, Edgard, LA 70049; followed bya CelebrationofLifebe‐ginning for11:00am.Inter‐mentYoung Cemetery,W 3rd Street,Edgard, LA 70049. Finalcareentrusted toTreasures of Life Funeral Services, 315 E. Airline Hwy., Gramercy,LA70052 When someoneyou love becomes amemory, that memorybecomes aTREA‐SURE”

Yasmin MarieJohnson passedawayonApril 6, 2025, at theage of 69. Yas‐min is survived by her daughterTisheaSamuels Lewis (Kyle) andson Bran‐don MichaelSamuels (Nicole).;three stepchil‐dren, Lamonica Solomon, Henry Johnson, andSharell Johnson; five grandchil‐drenKyleJr.,Nia,Brandon Jr.,Baileyand Neil;three great grandchildren, Melody, Harmony, and Eden. Sheisalsosurvived bya host of cousins, nieces, nephews, friends, and thePleasantValley MissionaryBaptist Church Family. Yasmin is preceded indeath by herhusband Willie LeeJohnson,parents Charles andDoris Sears, and grandson Joshua Jere‐miahLewis.Familyand friends areinvited to share inthe CelebrationofLife Service on Saturday,April 12, 2025, for9:00a.m.at PleasantValleyMissionary Baptist Church,5919 Morri‐son Rd NewOrleans,LA 70126. Visitation will begin at8:00a.m.Rev.Dr. Regi‐naldVarnado,Sr. officiat‐ing.Interment will follow atProvidenceMemorial Park andMausoleum,8200

EULAG. JEANPIERRE

On your birthday youare a rose with petals open wide wateredbytears we’ve cried. Youwillbeinour hearts foreverand aday Love youforever Your children,WilsonJr, Brenda,Patricia, Gwen Grandchildren, great grandchildren. Keepingmemoriesof You,RayandArleetaalive

Guillot, Sylvia Campagna
Irwin, AnnMcCarty
Johnson,YasminMarie
Henderson, BarbaraJean Smith'Bobbie'
Duvigneaud DDS,Joseph

AirlineDrive,Metairie, LA 70003. Guestbook Online: www.anewtraditionbegins com (504)282-0600. Linear BrooksBoydand Donavin D.BoydOwners/FuneralDi‐rectors

LeeJr.,James J.

JamesJ LeeJr.,age 73 passedawayathis home inMandeville, La on Sat‐urday,March 22, 2025. Jim loved God, countryand his beloved wife of 29 years and best friend,MaryLee Jim ledanexceptionally fulland interestinglife. BorninNew Orleans, La USMCVietNam Veteran, and Owner| CEOofLee Fi‐nancial Partners in Man‐deville,La. Jimwas pre‐ceded in deathbyhis wife MaryDugas Lee, parents Mr. &Mrs.James Lee, Sr., and sister DeborahLee. Jim issurvivedbyhis son James JLee,III (Lauren), grandchildren,Ava and Zoe;and sister,Sandra Lee; hissisters-in-lawMar‐cia DugasShelton (James), Barbara DugasRivet (Charles),Elizabeth Dugas Beadle(Brian);brother-in law Kennedy Joachim Dugas,Jr. (Lydia); his niecesLacey Maynor,Erin LiSik,Michelle Arceneaux, AshleyDelcambre,aswell astheir spouses, theirchil‐drenand otherfamily members anddevoted friends.Lee FinancialPart‐nersLLC wasJim andhis wife’sbusinessserving the community forover35 years as FinancialPlanner, Mandeville, LA.USMCwas a bigpartofJim’s life.A VietNam veteranwho servedonthe BoardofDi‐rectors of theMarineSup‐portGroup in NewOrleans Hehad asense of respon‐sibilitytoactiveMarines for years. Jimand wife wereROTCsponsored par‐entsand adoptedstudents atTulaneROTChosting An‐nualChristmas dinner for officers-in-training,their spouses,and children.Jim chaired Marine Corp Toys for Tots 2004-2006. LKA, Louisiana Karate School in Metairie, LA under Sensei TakayukiMikami, ninthdan JKA.Jim wasa fourth de‐greeBlack Belt in TaeKwon Doand taught self-defense toTulane’sROTCstudents. Community wasimportant toJim.Hewas agraduate ofLeadershipSt. Tam‐many’sClass of 2014, vol‐unteered at St.Tammany Hospice andwas amem‐ber of theSt. Tammany Chamber of Commerce through he andhis wife’s business, LeeFinancial Partners. Hospicevolun‐teer forSt. Tammany HealthSystemLeadership St. Tammany Classof2013 NorthshoreKiwanis Club and MenWho Cook-Hope House CAC. Anothercause close to Jim’sheart is Pro‐jectDreamcatchers founded by theLee’sto memorialize theirde‐ceasedparents.Thisedu‐cationcharity provides support forstudentsat WestbankAdult Learning Center. Jimand hiswife weregenerousphilan‐thropists to many nonprof‐its.Attended Church of the King in Mandeville and a member of theirmen’s group.Jim hada strong faith andlived hislife to the fullestwithgratitude Heloved sports,daily walks,golf, prayer,bible study,paintingabstract art,and oftenexercised Tae Kwon Do at hisresi‐dence andenjoyed sweets. Heloved people and strived to connectina per‐sonal waywitheveryone hemet,fromhis clients and fellow business pro‐fessionals. Hisimpacton his corner of theworld was immeasurable andwillbe missedbyall.The family requestsno flowersand in‐stead humblyasksfor do‐nations to be made in Jim’s memorytoSt. Tammany HospitalFoundationin support of either theHeal‐ing Arts Initiative or pa‐tient programsatSt. Tam‐manyCancerCenter. www sthfoundation.org or 1202 South TylerStreet,Coving‐ton,LA70433. Relatives and friendsare invitedto attend theMassofChrist‐ian Burial at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home,2260 W. 21st Ave Covington, LA 70433 onSaturday, April12, 2025 at11:00 am andthe visita‐tionwillbegin at 9:00 am until servicetime. Inter‐mentwillfollowthe ser‐viceinPinecrest Memorial Gardens,Covington,LA. PleaseShare aMemory on the TributeWallatwww.ejf ieldingfh.com.Pallbear‐ers:Ken Dugas, AJ Chap‐petta,Bubby Bodden,

JamesFisher, GlennDes‐latte,and CoreyThomas.

Lewis, CynthiaSanchez

CynthiaSanchez Lewis, age 64,was born on June 3, 1960, in New Orleans, LA She wascalledhometo eternal rest peacefully at homesurrounded by fam‐ily on Monday,March 24 2025. Cynthiawas edu‐cated in theOrleans Parish School System andat‐tendedJohnMcDonogh HighSchool.Cynthia was the loving mother of Terry Sanchez-Fournette (Re‐nard) andWallace Lewis. Beloved sister of Gwylen Sanchez,Bernadette Robinson, Emelda Sherman and Eric Harris.She was alsosurvivedbyher doting grandchildren Terriana Sanchez (Kealo,Jr.), Ran‐dallSanchez,Reynell Four‐nette,Blake Lewis, Walayia Lewis,and heradoring great-grandchildren Kealo Higgins III andRanali Sanchez,and ahostof nieces, nephews, cousins, familyand friends. She was preceded in deathby her parentsWarrenDavis and MarilynSanchez;her sonsBrandon andDrey Lewis;and hergreatgranddaughter Kah'lona Higgins.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theCele‐bration of Life Serviceon Saturday, April12, 2025, at HolyAnointedHouse of Prayer, 1447 Senate Street, New Orleans, LA 70122 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00a.m IntermentProvidence MemorialParkCemetery, 8200 AirlineDrive,Metairie, LA70003. Youmay sign the guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude Geddes WillisFu‐neral Home Inc.,incharge (504) 522-2525.

McCabe Jr., Harold Joseph 'Pat'

Harold Joseph “Pat”Mc‐Cabe, Jr., age 92, of Man‐deville,Louisiana,passed awayonSaturday, April5, 2025. He wasbornonOcto‐ber 21,1932, in New Or‐leans,Louisiana.Heissur‐vived by hischildren, Keith McCabe(Terry)and Karen Gunther (Richard); grand‐children, GarrettMcCabe, RyanGunther (Sarah), Kevin McCabe (Michelle), and KatieGremillion (Marc); four great-grand‐childrenand many ex‐tendedfamilymembers and friends. Harold was precededindeath by his lovingwifeof70years Joyce EngelbrachtMcCabe; his parents, Harold Joseph McCabe Sr.and Myrtle Ce‐cileClew andhis sister, Velma Caronna;his step‐mother, Edna Springman Bokenfohr McCabe andhis stepsister, EdnaMaeBo‐kenfohr Bourgeois. He was a talented athletewho playedbothbasketballand baseballatStHenry’s,St Henry’s CYO, andRedemp‐torist where he was awarded many medals and playedwith andagainst manyNew Orleansicons of basketballand baseball of thattime. He enlisted in the AirForce during theKo‐reanWar andservedfor a total of 8years,including inactive duty.His success‐ful career beganasa salesmaninthe lumber business, originally being employed by U.S. Plywood inNew Orleans. He andhis wifeweretransferred around thecountry anden‐joyed many adventures through hisemployment withChampionInterna‐tionaland GeorgiaPacific. HeservedasVPinthe Cor‐porateOffice of Champion International. After25 years away from home,he retired andreturnedto their home stateof Louisiana.Uponretire‐ment, many happymemo‐riesweremadeonPen‐sacolaBeach at theirfam‐ily condo. This made it pos‐sible forthem to be with their grandchildrenregu‐larly,who were theab‐solute lightoftheir lives.

Thetitle androleof Gramps”was averyim‐portant onetohim be‐cause he wasa fantastic and loving grandfatherand great-grandfather.Heen‐joyed workingoutside in his yard andbeing outside tosocialize with hisneigh‐borsand theneighborhood childrenwho know himas “Mr.Pat”. Harold wasa hardworker, agreat hus‐bandand father,who sac‐rificeda lottomakea good homefor hisfamily. He spent the firstyears of his career travelingand was awayfromhomea great deal. Joycewas theab‐soluteloveofhis life.They met on MardiGrasDay at F & MBar while with their families. They eloped a coupleofyears laterand had awonderful life to‐gether. He washis wife’s devoted caregiverfor manyyears andhas been brokenhearted sinceshe passedawaya year ago. In lieuof flowers, contribu‐tions in memory of Mr.Mc‐Cabemay be made to the Alzheimer’s Associationat alz.org/donate, or to St JudeChildren’sResearch Hospitalatstjude.org/do‐nate. Relativesand friends are invitedtoattend the funeralservicesonFriday, April 11, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. atE.J.FieldingFuneral Home, 2260 West 21st Av‐enue,Covington,Louisiana, withvisitationbeginning at9:00a.m.Interment will followinthe adjacent Pinecrest Memorial Gar‐dens. E.J. Fielding Funeral HomeofCovington Louisiana,ishonored to be entrusted with Mr.Mc‐Cabe’sfuneral arrange‐ments.His familyinvites you to sharethoughts, memories, andcondo‐lencesbysigning an online guestbook at www.ejfield ingfh.com

Vondell Galatas Millsap was born on January3 1939, in Slidell, LA,tothe lateNelsonJohnGalatas and RosiaLee Parker Galatas. Vondelldeparted this life on April 2, 2025, at theage of 86 in Slidell, Louisiana.

She married thelate James"Walter" Millsap in 1965 and to thisunion, one son, VincentiMillsap, was born.

Vondell is survived by her son, VincentiMillsap of Slidell,LA; her brother, NelsonGalatas of Houston, TX; grandchildren, Kyla Millsap,and Valencia Millsap of Slidell;aswell as nieces, nephews, other relatives, and friends.

Services willbeheldon Saturday, April 12, at St Genevieve Catholic Church, 58203 Hwy 433, Slidell, LA,withvisitation at 9:00 a.m. and Mass at 11:00 a.m.

It is with heavyhearts and profound sadnessthat weannouncethe passing ofour dear friend,Walter “Butch” Naquin,Jr.,80, na‐tiveand longtime resident ofThibodaux,who passed awaypeacefully on April7 2025, surrounded by his lovingfamily. He wasa dedicated public servant and abeloved figure in our community formany

years. Butchwas born on August15, 1944, in Thibo‐daux, Louisiana. He gradu‐atedfromThibodaux High School andNichollsState University. In 1969, he ob‐taineda JurisDoctorate degreefromLSU Law School.In1972, he was hired by then acting Dis‐trict Attorney,Francis Dugas,and served as the First AssistantDistrictAt‐torneyfor 18 years. In 1990, Butch hadthe honorand privilege of beingelected LafourcheParishDistrict Attorneyand served the citizensofLafourche Parishinthatcapacityfor 12years.Itwas during this timethatButch wasse‐lectedbyhis fellow peers fromacrossthe Stateof Louisiana to serveasPresi‐dentofthe LouisianaDis‐trict Attorney’s Associa‐tion. He took this opportu‐nitytomeet with localleg‐islatorstopasslegislation toensurethatvictims had rightsand that theirvoices would be heardinthe criminaljustice system Duringhis 55 year legalca‐reer,Butch hada profound and lastingimpactonthe lives he touchedand those who hadthe pleasure of knowing him. Hiscompas‐sionand empathyfor oth‐ers washis hallmark Butch’s primaryobjective and philosophy throughout his entire legalcareer was ultimatelyhis lasting legacy… “toalwaysensure thatjustice wasaccom‐plished in afairand impar‐tialmanner”.Hewas truly a manofthe people,for the people.Outside the publicarena,Butch’s pas‐sionwas practicing law withhis son, playinggolf withhis buddies,horse racing, andspendingtime withhis threegrandchil‐drenwho were theheart and soul of hislife. Butchis survivedbyhis loving and caringwifeof30years, Carol Jewell Naquin;chil‐drenBradNaquinand Alica NaquinGros; grandchil‐drenwho were Butch’s eyesand ears,MaryBeth GrosDuet(Jake), Matthew Gros, andLexiNaquin; sis‐ter,JeanPassman;and nephews,Kevin Passman (Brandi), andToddPass‐man (Allison). He waspre‐ceded in deathbyhis fa‐ther, Walter “Zot”Naquin and mother Doris“Teetsie” DoucetNaquin. Thefamily would like to thankCathy Ledet,his longtime parale‐gal,for workingalongside him forthe past 24 years. A special thankyou to his medical providersand caregiversoverthe last several months.The family alsowishestoexpress its sincere gratitudeand ap‐preciationfor theover‐whelmingoutpouringof love, prayersand support given to them during this difficult time.Inlieuof flowers, memorial dona‐tions maybemadetothe E.D.White “W”Foundation orthe City of Thibodaux RecreationDepartmentin his name.Visitationfor Butch will be held on Sat‐urday,April 12, 2025 from 8:00amto11:00 am at St JosephCo-Cathedralon Canal BoulevardinThibo‐daux, Louisiana. AMassof Christian Burial will follow at11:00 am at thechurch withburialtofollowatSt. JosephCemetery. Landry's FuneralHome, Inc. is en‐trusted with thearrange‐ments.

Jr., Jack C. 'Buddy'

It is withprofound sadness that we announce the passing of Mr. JackC "Buddy" Payne, Jr., age 81. He passed on April 6th, 2025 surrounded by his loving family.Jackwas born July15, 1943 in Shreveport, Louisianaand was agraduateofMississippi State University. Upon graduation, he entered theArmy as aSecond Lieutenant. "Smilin" Jack was aveteran of the Vietnam War where he flew UH-1 (Huey) gunshiphelicopters (Whiskey 1) in bothcom-

bat andmedevac missions. Jackwas atruehero. He selflessly volunteered to fly countless missionsto rescue hisfellowsoldiers from combat zones. His sole responsibility in war wastohelp protecthis Army brothers, just as he remained theprotector of hisfamilyhis entire life. He also served as the Louisiana NationalGuard Commander to the812th Medical Detachment based outofthe NewOrleans LakefrontAirport.Jackretiredfromthe army as a Lieutenant Colonel and became amember of the Disabled American Veterans (DAV). After serving, Jackcontinued to fly for PHIand AirLogisticsas an offshore helicopter pilot, whereheloggedmore than 30,000 hours in the air.Jack also opened a familybusiness, Payne Exterminating,which he continuedtorun up until hisdeath. Jack was known for hisabilitytolivelifeto thefullest. Whether that life wasinfishing, hunting, friendship, sports, partying or most importantly, his family... Jackalways didit Big. AndNoOne told abetterstory. Jackwas oneof Thegreats! He wasthe son of Jack andSaraPayne (deceased). He is survived by hisdevoted wife of 59 years, SharonJacobi Payne, histwo children JackC.Payne III (Sierra), WendyPayne Cooper (Kevin),and hisfour grandchildrenChristian PayneCooper (20), CaitlynnPaige Cooper (19), Chase PatrickCooper (16), andGracie Ann Payne(7). He is also survived by his sister Patricia Payne Harwell (Fonda), as well as numerousnieces and nephews. Jackwill be buriedwithfullmilitary honorsonSaturday, April 12, 2025, at Lake Lawn MetairieFuneral Home and Cemetery (5100 Pontchartrain Blvd,New Orleans, LA, 70124). Avisitationwill be held from 10am -1pm. Therewillbea small prayer service in the Chapel at 1:00 p.m. by Father Joseph Tranwith theburialtofollow in MetairieCemetery.Since, Jack wasanavidlover of animals, in lieu of flowers, the familyrequestsdonationsbemade to Animal Rescue of NewOrleans (ARNO) (160 Brookhollow Esplanade, Elmwood, LA 70123) or MetairieHumane Shelter(6213 Airline Dr., Metairie, LA 70003). To view andsignthe online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.co m

Dwight Perry, Sr.en‐tered into eternalrestat LakeviewReginal Medical CenteronMonday, March 31, 2025, at theage of 59 Hewas anativeofGretna, LAand aresidentofLa‐combe,LA. Loving father of Brandon Walker,Brandy Walker, KatrinaWalker, and Dwight Walker,Jr. Cherished grandfatherof MariahSylve,Daivion, Brandon,and Bailey Walker. Belovedson of the lateRenee Perry,Sr. and EdnaMae Perry.Grandson ofthe late Joseph Sr.and Daisy Riggins, Alfred Sr and Louvenia Perry.De‐voted brotherofRenee Perry,TyronePerry, Tremone Perry, Raynes Meyers, Irving Perry, Michael Griffin, Tammy Thomas, TinyaPerry,and the late Alfred J. Perry, Sr Dwightisalsosurvivedby a host of nieces,nephews cousins,other relatives and friends. Relativesand friendsofthe familyare in‐

vitedtoattend theCele‐bration of Life at Davis MortuaryService,230 Mon‐roe Street,Gretna, LA on Friday, April11, 2025, at 10:00a.m. Pastor James NelsonBrown, officiating. Visitationwillbegin at 8:30a.m.until servicetime atthe parlor.Interment; Woodlawn Park Memorial Cemetery-Westwego, LA Toviewand sign theguest‐book,pleasegotowww davismortuaryservice.com. Face MasksAre Recom‐mended.

Sister Thelma Bernadine Riley departed this life on Sunday, April6,2025, at her homeinSunrise,La. She was 90 yearsold.She was borninOstricia, Louisiana tothe parentsofthe late Saxon andMadelineTaylor. She wasmarried to the lateWesleyRiley. To their union,6 belovedchildren, Mona(Bernell) Trufant, Janie Marie(late Vincent), Ray,CarlSr.,(Betty), Terry, and Chanell(Ledion). Sis‐ter Thelma wasa devoted and faithfulmemberofthe First Mount Zion Baptist Church where sheserved faithfullyinvarious capaci‐tieswithinher local church.She served as the Deaconess Ministry Presi‐dentuntil herdeath,she alsoservedasthe Sunday School Superintendent for manyyears,where she would oftensingher fa‐voritesong"Rise,Shine & GiveGod theGlory." She alsoservedinthe choir, on the UsherBoard,aswellas the Mission Department President.She also served various capacities with the local association, Christian Ministers MissionaryBap‐tistGeneral Associationof Plaquemines Parish.She servedfaithfullyfor many years servinginthe Choir Department, WomenDe‐partmentaswellasthe Usher Board. Shealso servedfaithfullyfor many years within theSoutheast Louisiana Regional where she served as aYouth Counselor andDrill Team Instructor.SisterRileywill beknown foralwaysquot‐ing andlivingher favorite scripture,Matthew 5:16, Let your lightsoshine be‐foremen,thattheymay see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven."One of herfa‐voritesayings was, "You may be theonlyBible that peoplemay read." Sleep on SisterRileyand take your rest, we lovedyou on this sidebut Godloved you best. Thelma is survived by her siblings,Estelle Cole‐man (lateRobert),Beatrice Prout (lateHewitt),Ben‐jamin Taylor (Caffie),Stan‐ley Taylor,Bruce Taylor, JoAnn Smith, NormaSmith Roxanne Jones(Floyd),and Celeste Green.She is also survivedby21grandchil‐dren, 77 great- greatgrand children, 18 great- greatgreat grandchildren, her First Mount Zion Baptist Church Family,a host of nieces, nephews, otherrel‐ativesand devotedfriends Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the celebrationoflifeser‐vicewhich will be held on Saturday, April12, 2025, at Greater Mount SinaiBap‐tistChurch locatedat 27954 La -23, Port Sulphur La, 70083. Thevisitation willbegin at 9a.m and end at 11 a.m. Pastor Regi‐naldH.BurlSr.,officiating and Rev. AllenJohnson is the host pastor.Entomb‐mentwillfollowatMt. Zion MemorialParkCemeteryin Empire, La.The familywill receive guestfor awake service andmusical on Fri‐day,April 11, 2025, at First Mount Zion BaptistChurch 32471 LA -23, Empire,La., 70050. Thevisitationwillbe from6 -7 p.m.,and themu‐sicalwillbefrom7 -9 p.m.

See more DEATHS page

Riley, Thelma Bernadine
Millsap, VondellGalatas
Perry Sr., Dwight
Payne
Naquin Jr., Walter 'Butch'

OUR VIEWS

FEMA cuts cruelest to those workingtobetter prepare forstorms

“An ounce of prevention is wortha pound of cure,” says the old adage.Inanera with extreme weather events increasinginfrequency, the FEMA program known as BuildingResilient Infrastructure and Communities, or BRIC, was that ounce of prevention.Infact,for Louisiana, it was significantly more than that The program paid for elevatinghomes and building levees in areas vulnerable to punishing storms.InLouisiana, residents fromCameron to Monroe have benefited from the program. And many can point to tangible benefits from theprojects funded. Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III told thisnewspaper’s Mark Ballard thatinfrastructure improvements funded by BRIC grants, includinghigherleveesand water pump upgrades, directly led to less floodinginhis community in 2019, when Hurricane Barry hit the area. After thestorm,10homes and businesseshad flood damage. Compare that to 11,000 during 2005’s Hurricane Rita Yet, inexplicably,inaterse, unsignedstatement, the Federal Emergency Management Agency announced this week that the program was abruptly ended. “TheBRIC programwas yetanother example of awastefuland ineffective FEMA program,” the statementread. We would beg to differ.And so would thousands of Louisianans who live in flood-prone areas. There were 148 grantapplications fromour state worth about $721 million in the 2024 cycle. To add insulttoinjury,many of the grants that hadbeen approved by theprogram from2020 to 2023 were canceled, leaving local officials scrambling to find fundingtocomplete projects already in the works. Andthe agencyisseeking the return of some money already disbursed. In Louisiana, that could amountto$282 million That could mean St. Bernard Parish won’tget money to fix acresofbroken marsh that have been the source of floodingfor years, Baton Rougewon’t getfunding to deepenLSU Lakes so nearby homes aren’tthreatenedwhenitrains and Lafourche Parish won’t gethelpfor aproject to harden utility lines aroundPortFourchon, which handles 20% of the U.S. oil supply If the Trump administration truly cares about making government more efficient, we can see no better use of taxpayer dollars thanmaking communities more resilient to theeffects of extreme weather.Weknow how costlyrebuilding afterhurricanes and floodingcan be. This shouldn’tbeapartisan issue. It is shameful that Republican state officials and representativesinCongresshave been silent as ourcommunities are maligned and needed protections are cast as frivolous spending.The exception is Sen. Bill Cassidy,who said Tuesday he would askFEMAtorestore thefunding. “Wesave alot of money as anation if we proactively address the risk of flooding,” hesaid. We wholeheartedly agree and hope that other Louisiana leaders step upand defend howseriously our state has taken mitigatingour flood risks. Far from waste, our effortsshould be hailed as abulwarkfor the nation.

OPINION

Public health leadersstoking distrust in vaccines is shameful

Iread with great concern arecent report on the front page of thenewspaper about the decline in trust in doctors and public health officials in Louisiana since thepandemic, and aconcomitant decline in vaccination rates here. If thestate’snewly minted surgeon general would like toknow thereason for this decline in trust he need only look in the mirror.A public policy statement,now prominently featured on the Louisiana Department of Healthwebsite over Dr.Ralph Abraham’s signature, includes the following claim: “Within monthsoftheir approval, COVID vaccines were shown to have no third-party benefit in terms of reduced transmission, yet they were still mandated.”Inother words, anyone choosing to decline thevaccine should not worry about giving COVID to anyone else: The decision not to get vaccinated is astrictly self-regarding act.Nothing could be further from thetruth. It took me about 30 seconds of

rooting around on the National Library of Medicine’swebsite to find two peer-reviewed studies on the correlation of vaccination rates and protection against transmission, which found that COVID vaccines were consistently associated with a reduced risk of transmission. These studies found that reduced risk declined somewhat with time, and with the appearance of COVID variants(not an unusual occurrence with vaccines), but overall risk was still considerably lower than it was among the unvaccinated.

As thestate’ssurgeon general, Abraham must be at least vaguely aware of these and similar studies, which undercut the misleading claim he makes on his department’s website. Iconsider this an act of malpractice. If Abraham wants to play politics withpublic health, that’shis business, but he should not be authorized to practice medicine in Louisiana.

BRUCESMITH NewOrleans

Keep your thoughts,and your pennies

During amilitary assignment in Germany during the1980s, we were usually shopping on military bases forgroceries and basic household supplies.

The Military Commissaries and Exchanges eliminated theuse of pennies. Period For fourglorious years, Ididn’t have to messwith pennies. If thetotalended in 3cents it was rounded up to thenearest 5. If the total

ended in 2cents, it went downtothe nearest zero. Period I, as aresult, have developed apathological hate of pennies. They’re great for slowing algae growthinbird baths and outside water dishes, sometimes can be used as emergency screwdrivers or occasionally to level awonky table leg. For me, Ivote no morepennies.

BRENDAFORTMAYER NewOrleans

DefenseofUSAID ringsfalse

To the guest columnist who wrote, “Cuts to USAID have implications for the world and Louisiana,” tell me how the waste that has been found is helping the world? The intended purpose is good and needs to be continued. President Donald Trump got voted in by people like me who were angry at whatour party became. Imight not agree with some of what he does, but Isure respect and cheer his administration’sculling of waste of our tax dollars.

People who spread misinformation or only use part of it are areal problem in this country,and if the columnist was such an expert, Ithink she would have mentioned he is not cutting all aid, just the waste. Real experts use all the facts, not just the parts they want people to read or hear

MARK IRWIN Denham Springs

Embracea newvision forthe French Quarter

Iwas delighted to read Eric Gabaourel’srecent piece regarding vehicular traffic in the French Quarter.Itislong past timetohave aconversation addressing the imbalance between vehicular and pedestrian traffic in the Vieux Carré. As Gabaourel wrote, vehicular traffic should continue to flow freely along the borders of the Quarter via Canal, Rampart, Esplanade and Decatur/North Peters. Throughout the interior of the Quarter,however, steps should be taken to reduce vehicular traffic and promote pedestrian-friendly thoroughfares. Exceptions, of course, should be madefor residents and others as needed.

Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

My husband andI as well as both ourdaughters aregraduates of LSU. We are wondering whyLSU hasno interest in ourFirst Amendment. The real reason LSU removed tenured lawprofessor Ken Levy from the classroom is that it was instructed to. Gov.Jeff Landry,like President DonaldTrump, doesn’t wantour First Amendment of free speech to survive because he fears it. Howcan LSUgoalongwiththis sham? Its brand is tarnished. Whatstu-

dent would wanttoenroll in acollege that suppresses free speech andcritical thinking, where students aren’t taught to weigh arguments, challenge assumptionsand engage with people whodisagree with them?

As Alyson Neel wrote in arecent guestcolumn, that’swhat universities aresupposedtocultivate. KimMulkeystood up to Jeff Landry.You can also, LSU.

GENE SOTILE Baton Rouge

Amere seven blocks lie between the river and Rampart Street. It should be no arduous journey foranyone to park at any of the lots along the river and walkto their desired shop, restaurant, museum etc. In these days of counting steps, one would think that parking to alight onto the banquette as close as possible to one’s destination would be passé. The image Gabaourel paints of abustling, vibrant district with “cafes spilling into open spaces once occupied by parked cars” should enchant residents and visitors alike. One need only observe the activity around Jackson Square to see the benefits of pedestrian-centric planning. Hopefully,Gabaourel’svision of a French Quarter forpeople rather than cars can be realized one day

PRESTON VALOIS Covington

Johnson should notbow on tariffs

Louisiana’scitizens need U.S.Speaker of the House Mike Johnson to stand up for their interests and exert Congress’ constitutional power and duty over trade and tariffs, not kowtow servilely to President Donald Trump.

Start with Johnson’sduty —indeed, the duty of every member of Congress,but especially that of the speaker as the guardian of Congress’ institutional prerogatives —tofollow theletter and spirit of the Constitution The Constitution could notbeclearer: “The Congress shall have Power To lay andcollect Taxes,Duties, Impostsand Excises.”

Congress, not the president.

control. In this case, Trumpisciting the “emergency” power excuse, even thoughthere is noremotely reasonable way that amere trade deficit, during afull-employment economy,fits any dictionary or statutory definition of “emergency.”

independent judgment on behalf of individual constituencies, not act as rubber stamps for the president

Hillyer

If there is any one person in the country most obligated to safeguard Congress’ authority and prerogatives vis-à-vis the president,itisthe speaker of theHouse. The speaker’s office is specifically mentioned in the Constitutionand, unlikethe nation’svice president(who shares executive and legislative duties), the speakeristhe only specifically named officer who represents only the legislature’sinstitutional interests.

It is true that in several constitutionally dubious delegations of that authority,Congress has allowedthe president some unilateral tariff powers —but even then only in cases of national “emergency,” when threatsexisttonationalsecurity,whenforeign countries restrictU.S. commercein“unjustifiable,” “unreasonable” or “discriminatory” ways, and the like.

And while those dubious grantsof authority leave some wiggle room for interpretation, the words“emergency” and “national security” aren’t open-ended. They have real meanings, and those meanings do restrict the president’spower —especially when considering that they are clearly exceptions to the Constitution’sspecificity about Congress, not thepresident, having authority over tariffs.

In other words, if there’sany doubt as to whether the president canimpose atariff without Congress’ specificassent, the answermust be “no.” Otherwise, the Constitution’scarefulbalancing of power begins to wobble in the directionofauthoritarian presidential

EGG DECORATING

Easter egg painting is fun for the whole family,but this little guy seems to have launched this group into some serious creativechaos!

That’sthe firstreason why Johnson’s servility to Trump—ingeneral, actually,but specifically with regard to Congress’constitutional power over tariffs —issoinexcusable. Asked on April 7whether he would allow the House to vote on reclaiming the tariff authority it already is supposed to exercise, Johnson answered like aminor functionary,not an independent constitutional officer

“You’ve got to give thepresident the latitude, the runway,todowhat it is he was elected to do,”hetold CNN’sManu Raju.And, later in his answer: “We’re going to give him thespace necessary to do it.”

This is, well, pathetic. Congress, not thepresident, is elected to take the lead on trade policy.End of story.And thespeaker, morethan anyone else on theplanet,issupposed to insist on that. After all, thepublic electssenators andrepresentatives just as the public elects the president. Especially in the U.S.system,those congressional electionsare for delegates toexercise

So, what’sgoing on in this cartoon? youtell me.Bewitty,funny, crazy,absurd or snarky —just trytokeep it clean.There’snolimit on thenumber of entries.

The winning punchlinewill be letteredinto theword balloon andrun on Mondayin our print editions and online. In addition, thewinner will receivea signed print of the cartoon along with acool winner’sT-shirt! Some honorable mentions will also be listed To enter,email entries to cartooncontest@theadvocate.com.

In this case, unprecedentedly huge tariffs not only are terrible macroeconomic policy for thecountry as a whole (although that’sanargument for another day), but they are particularly harmful for Johnson’sown Louisiana constituency.The whole point of tariffs is to discourage importsofforeign goods. That means, of course, far less business for portsand thecities and states that rely on trade.

By tonnage, Louisianaboasts four of the ten busiest ports in thenation. Louisiana’seconomy would be horribly hobbled by aTrumpian trade war.It is no wonder that ahost of Louisiana importers and businesses that rely on imports already are raising astink against tariffs.

While thedirectors of the Port of New Orleanshave been circumspect, other port leaders (such as in Mobile) are openly asking Trumptostop his madness. AndCary Davis, president and CEO of the American Association of Port Authorities, said thetariffs are abad idea that will amount to “raising prices across theeconomy.”

Louisiana’senergy industry,alinchpin of the economy,also is likely to takea major blow,asenergy exports surely will suffertremendously from atrade war.Why would Johnson allow this?

Oneistempted to ask him, as actor Robin Williams’ character asked astudent in Dead PoetsSociety, “Are you a man or an amoeba?”

By standing up neither for Louisiana nor for thepowers of theHouse, Johnson shows morelikeness to aparamecium.

Quin Hillyer can be reached at quin. hillyer@theadvocate.com.

DON’T FORGET! All entries must include your name, homeaddressand phone number.Cell numbers arebest. Thedeadline for all entries is midnight on Thursday,. Have fun, folks!— Walt

With Walz,borderwould stillbeinacrisis

Youmight not have noticed, but Minnesota governor and losing2024 Democratic vice presidentialnominee Tim Walz is on anational tour

He is holding town halls in congressional districtswon by President Donald Trump in Iowa, Texas, Ohio, Wisconsin and more. Any time anational politicalfigure schedulesa visit to Iowa, there is speculation that he or she is going to run for president. But TimWalz?Really?

Life is too shortfor four more years

After giving the matter somethought, Ihave decided that I’ve becomeunsuited to the low art of writing newspaper columns any longer My deficiencies to participate in the current conversation are many. For one thing, Ihave never listened to apodcast. I prefer reading things, amore efficient waytogather and retain information.

“Onimmigration,” Walz said, “what we were asking for is abipartisan policythatstrengthens immigration control, that recognizes that we needa workforce here,thatthey should be allowed here legally, and that, when they gethere, they’re part of theAmerican fabric.”

Walz told CNN Sunday that while he is considering arun for athird term as governor in 2026, “I am notthinking about running in 2028.” Parse that any way you like.

Walz made alittlenews on the issue of former President Joe Biden’s decision to run for reelection when he was clearly unable to mentally and physically handle thejob. Walz blamed Biden himself —“He made thedecision”—and then added, “I would hope we would never do it again ”Then, he changed the subject.

One eye-opening part of theinterview was when Walz was asked about the Harris-Walz ticket’sposition on immigration and the disaster at the U.S.-Mexico border.His answer suggested that if Democrats had wonthe election last November,the problemat the border createdbyPresident Biden would have continued under President KamalaHarris.

Fromthat, it appears that Walz’sborderpolicywas to legalizethe migrants whowere crossing illegally during the Biden years, get them jobs andthen make sure that they are “part of the American fabric.”

At another point in the interview, Walz said, “None of us are saying we should be soft on theborder.” But that sounds pretty soft on theborder Walz continued: “I’mnot going to say what we need to do is, we need to just arrest people and ship themtoElSalvador No, what we need to do, invest the money on the border.Weneed to makesure that we have the judges necessary to adjudicate things faster.Weneed to makesure, if you’regoing to be in this country here legally,when youare, you’re going to be uplifted, celebrated and part of this great American tapestry.And thatisthe bipartisan bill we had.”

That last part was areference to legislation that Harris often claimed would fix the problemsofthousands andthousands of migrants crossing the border every day and being allowed to stay in the United States. The bill, Harrissaid

in many campaign appearances, would be the heartofher borderand immigration policy. It neverpassed Houseor Senate votes, norwould it today if Walz andHarriswere in theWhite House.

But what Walz’sinterview really brings to mind is the fact that if he and Harris hadbeen elected,the border problemwould still be with us. One of theremarkable things aboutthe second Trumpadministration is how quickly Trumpstoppedthe massive anddestructive flowofillegal crossers over theborder. The border crisis,once named in opinionpolls as oneofthe nation’smost pressing issues, virtually disappeared overnight.

“Since taking office, my administration haslaunchedthe most sweeping borderand immigration crackdown in American history,and we quickly achievedthe lowest numbers of illegal bordercrossers ever recorded,” Trump said in his March address to ajointsession of Congress.

“The media andour friends in the Democrat Party kept saying we needed newlegislation: ‘Wemust have legislation to secure the border.’But it turned outthatall we really needed was anew president.” He was right. Trumphas, of course, since moved on to other issues andcontroversies. But with hisdiscussion of the border, Walz gave us adeeply troubling glimpse of what might have been. Byron York is on X, @Bryon York.

For example, while I’ve heard of this Joe Rogan fellow,I’ve no good idea what he’sall about. Igather he endorsed Donald Trump, and that’senough forme. But then Iused to listen to Rush Limbaugh on my truck radio sometimes and generally found him preposterous. Isuspect Rogan has inherited his audience of ignorant soreheads and members of the “I hate girls” club —yearning desperately forfemale companionship, but ashamed to admit it.

Furthermore, Idonot own, nor have Iever wanted, an iPhone. My sainted wife, maybe the least “tech savvy” person you could ever meet, spends agreat deal of time struggling with hers, arguing constantly with that snippy Siri. Iget by with asteam-powered flip phone which rings about twice aweek —normally a call from somebody I’mnot eager to talk to. Gifted with the fashion sense of acowherd, I have never wanted to becomean“influencer” anyway.When Ireally wanttodress up, Igo with L.L. Bean.

Just the other day,I encountered the online meanderings of one Jack Posobiec, aright-wing influencer whocame up with abrilliant idea: “What if instead of avaccine we just were able to get exposed to aweakversion of the virus that enabled us to build the antibodies we need to fight the real thing?”

Yeah, what if?

Something else Ilearned courtesy of Kevin Drum’s invaluable website is that fewer than half of Republicans in an Axios/Ipsos poll say they trust the Centers forDisease Control for health information. Sixty-eight percent trust Trump.

Don’t tell me it’snot acult.

So yes, the mainreason I’mcalling it quits as anewspaper columnist —this will be my last outing in this space —isTrump, the incompetent sociopath and career criminal who’sgotten himself elected president of the United States. I’mnot afraid of him;mycontempt is absolute. Ijust don’twant to spend the rest of my life thinking and writing about him

That anear-majority thought him worthy of the presidency is too depressing to contemplate. One wayoranother,Trumpwill bring the American experiment to ruins. But nothing says Ihave to chronicle the catastrophe. Ionly get one life.

The happy misanthrope and Baltimore Sun columnist H.L. Mencken predicted all this more than acentury ago. “On somegreat and glorious day,” Mencken wrote in 1920, “the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’sdesire at last and the White House will be adorned by adownright moron.”

Dudes, we’re there. Donald Trumpisn’t merely ignorant; he exists in fear and loathing of anybody who’snot.

“The mostcostly of all follies,” Mencken wrote on another occasion, “is to believe passionately in the palpably not true. It is the chief occupation of mankind.”

Salon columnist Amanda Marcotte put it this way after watching one of those televised focus groups from the heartland on CNN: “What quickly becomes evident about the median voters in an American focus group is how profoundly opposed they are to even the most basic factual information. On the contrary,it’s acommunity with apathological aversion to reality,where people compulsively react to anything truth-shaped with hostility,running as hard as they can toward disinformation. They are addicted to BS.”

When chronicles are written about the decline and fall of the American republic, the opening chapters will no doubt describe the founding of Fox News and the cowardly inability of other newsorganizations to confront the reality of aSoviet-style propaganda network in their midst.

But they won’tbewritten by me, because I’ve reached the end of my rope. Idowant to thank my editors in Kansas City and at newspapers large and small whohave published my work over the years. Also, the manykind readers whohave written inquiring about my health and commenting upon my work. Thanks as well forthe brilliance and dedication of the medical professionals whohave restored my health and congenital optimism over the past year.I do look forward to haranguing poor Diane and innocent civilians downatthe dog park instead of churning out newspaper columns. Take care, y’all.

Email Gene Lyons at eugenelyons2@yahoo.com.

Byron York
Gene Lyons

nola.com ✦ The Times-Picayune

continued from Chasse (8968 Hwy23Belle Chasse,La. 70037) Satur‐day April12th2025 from noon to 3p.m.Wewillbe lookingforward to sharing stories,food,and drink. There maybesomesweet vinoora Tako Toddy.In lieuof flowerswerequest yourpresenceaswellas yourcontinued commit‐menttokeep in touchand tellthe storiesasBetty would.Mothe Funeral Homeisassisting thefam‐ily during this difficult time. The family invites you to sharethoughts, fondmemoriesand condo‐lences online at www‐mothefunerals.com

Savage,SharonFrances

AltonAnthony Rock Jr 75, of Slidell, Louisiana, passedawayonWednes‐day,March 26, 2025, in Slidell. Altonwas born on July21, 1949, in Morgan City, Louisiana, to Alton and DorisRock. Afterat‐tending Nicholls StateUni‐versity,hewas drafted into the U.S. Army and was awarded thePurpleHeart Medal forhis servicein Vietnam.In1969, he mar‐riedCherylDuhonin Amelia,Louisiana.The cou‐ple movedtoSlidell in 1978, and in 1991, they pur‐chasedArtisticFlorist in Slidell. Altonbecameac‐tivelyinvolvedinthe local businesscommunity,join‐ing theNorthshoreRotary Cluband theSlidell Cham‐ber of Commerce, where heservedasPresident in the 1993. Afterretiring, Alton became apassionate advocatefor ArmedForces Veterans. He held member‐ships in theAmericanLe‐gion, theMilitaryOrder of the Purple Heart, Vietnam VeteransofAmerica,and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He also served as the immediatepastTrea‐surer of theLouisiana VVA State Counciland as Presi‐dentofthe LouisianaViet‐nam Veterans Assistance Foundation. Additionally hewas apastCommander ofthe LouisianaMilitary Order of thePurpleHeart and wasdedicated to ad‐vocatingfor veterans rights. Altonwas preceded indeath by hisparents.He issurvivedbyhis wife of 55 years,CherylDuhonRock; two children,Bryan Rock, and RobinHerdliska (George);fourgrandchil‐dren, ZacharyRock, Riley Huebner (Zach),Abby Herdliska,and Beau Herdliska;brothers, Robert Rock, andBarry Rock;sis‐ters, JanetStewart,and BrendaHoleman;and nu‐merousother relatives. A service andinternmentwill beheldatSoutheast Louisiana Veterans Ceme‐teryonApril 11, 2025 at 11AM. In lieu of flowers, donations canbemadeto the LouisianaVietnam Verterans of Americaor the LouisianaMilitary Order of thePurpleHeart Pleasevisit www.honaker forestlawn.comtosign guestbook.Arrangements byHonaker FuneralHome, Inc.,Slidell, LA

BettyJulia Savage (Pelas) passedawaysur‐rounded by lovedoneson April 4th, 2025.She was precededindeath by her childrenBryan,Joel, and SharonSavage. Sheissur‐vived by Sean Savage (grandson), Deni Pelas Treigle (granddaughter), Tania PelasVodopija (niece),and RonniePelas (nephew)and theirfami‐lies. Shehas also left be‐hinda host of Cousins. Betty marriedJohnSavage and moveda fewtimes in Florida before settling in FortMyers.Later she sharedtimebackinher hometownofBuras, Louisiana.She andher daughterSharoneventu‐allycametostayinHarvey Louisiana.Inher time,she was always active.From sewingschoolcostumesto hunting and fishingshe was busy.Later thesport ofbowling hadher on the roads travelingnearand far to tournaments. She was proudtohaveseen so manythingsand so many places. We areinvitingall who knew hertoa celebra‐tionoflifefor Betty and SharonatKnights of Columbus Hall in Belle

Sharon FrancesSavage passedawaysurrounded byloved ones on April4th 2025. Herpassing came justhours before thepass‐ing of hermotherBetty Julia Savage (Pelas). She was preceded in deathby her brothers Bryanand JoelSavage. Sheissur‐vived by herdaughterDeni Pelas Treigle, Sean Savage (nephew), andmultiple cousins.Sharonwas born inNew Orleansbut was raisedinFlorida.She loved the outdoors. Shewas comfortable in thewoods the swamp, on aboat, or justlivingthe beachlife. Asanavidhunter and fish‐erman,she maintained a lifetimemembership to the NationalRifleAssociation. Weare inviting allwho knewher to acelebration oflifefor Bettyand Sharon atKnights of Columbus HallinBelle Chasse (8968 Hwy 23 Belle Chasse,La. 70037) Saturday April12th 2025 from noon to 3p.m Wewillbelookingforward tosharing stories, food and drink. Theremay be somesweet vino or aTako Toddy.Inlieuof flowerswe request your presence as wellasyourcontinued commitmenttokeep in touch andtellthe stories asBetty would. MotheFu‐neral Home is assistingthe familyduringthisdifficult time. The family invites you to sharethoughts, fondmemoriesand condo‐lencesonlineatwww.mot hefunerals.com

Seale, Arthur Donald

Arthur Donald Sealeof Lacombe, Louisiana passedawayonSaturday, April 5, 2025, at theage of 88. He wasbornonOctober 27, 1936, in Tupelo,Missis‐sippi to CharlesArthur Seale andLoisChristian Seale.His familymoved to New Orleans, Louisiana whenhewas just ayoung boy where he methis one and only love of hislife, Melba Wiggins Seale. He being theloveofher life, has always been hercher‐ished beloved, “He-Art, my Heart”. From thebeginning oftheir life together,he was always agentleman at heart as he wouldwalkher toschool carrying her booksand enjoying her friendship. Aman who dearlyloved hisfamily, he was knowntobea won‐derful, selfless, Christlike inspiration to allwho knew him.Healsospent much of his time watching Through the BiblewithLes Feldick, studyingthe Bible, and talking aboutscripture.Art proudly served in theArmy NationalGuard of the UnitedStatesand the ArmyNationalGuard of Louisiana formanyyears Art andMelba were mar‐riedin1959 andmoved to Metairie, Louisiana, where theyraisedtheir three chil‐dren. He wasprecededin death by hisparents, Charles Arthur Sealeand LoisChristian Seale; sister, Barbara SealeBarreca; daughter, Donna Seale Graffagnino;and son, Arlen Daryl Seale. He is survived byhis belovedwife, Melba Wiggins Seale; son, Arthur DonaldSeale,Jr. (Pamela Seale); sixgrandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren (with twomoreonthe way and oneembracedin heaven). Aservice will be

held at 1:00 p.m. on Satur‐day,April 12, 2025, with vis‐itation starting at 11:00 a.m.atHonaker Funeral Home, 1751 GauseBoule‐vardWest, Slidell, LA.Bur‐ial services will be held at ForestLawnCemetery (HonakerFuneralHome) 1751 GauseBlvd. West, Slidell, LA 70460 following the service.

CharlesSincere,Sr.,a retired auto mechanic,de‐partedthislifeatOchsner Medical Center Westbank onTuesday,March 25, 2025, atthe ageof78. He was nativeofBaton Rouge, LA and aresidentofHarvey, LA. Belovedhusband of the lateLolitaHenry Sincere. LovingfatherofMalenda T. Sumler, CharlesSincere, Jr.,Arthur Sincere, Sr Silis Sincere,JosephSincere,Al‐noraand Aldora Haynes and thelateFabianand Je‐remySincere,and Clarence Haynes. Sonofthe late Silas Sincere, Sr.and Mary Lee Sincere. BrotherofPa‐triciaFox.Father-in-law of Shetera Brice, GenaeKeitt, and CharlesSumler, Sr Brother-in-lawofWalter Fox;alsosurvivedby14 grandchildren,10great grandchildren,and host of other relativesand friends. Relatives andfriends of the familyare invitedtoattend the Homegoing Celebration atDavis Mortuary Service, 6820 Westbank Express‐way,Marrero,LAonFriday, April 11, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. Visitationwillbegin at 8:30 a.m.until servicetimeat the parlor.Interment:Will beprivate.Toviewand signthe guestbook,please gotowww.davismortua ryservice.com.Facemasks are recommended

Ms.Ora DeeJames Smith departed this life on Tuesday,March 18th, 2025 ather home in Terrytown, La. Shewas born in WalthallCountyMissis‐sippi,tothe late Odell James Sr andthe late Willie MaeGainesJames She acceptedChristatan early age. Sheattended school in Tylertown, Mis‐sissippi andthenmoved to New Orleans, La.Ms. Ora Dee "Momma"or "Grandma" as sheaffec‐tionately called by those who lovedher dearly wasa strongwilledladyand very outspoken.She enjoyedlife tothe fullest andshe found an immensejoy and satisfaction in gardening. If youknewher youknow her heartwas full once you brought hersomesoilor dirt. Just askFatmanora plant or two. Sheleavesto cherish herpreciousmem‐ories to herchildrenElnora Mahoney,WillieDean (Leroy),Encaladeand Robert"Jasper"Smith,her girls whomshe raised Atasha, Shenika, and KeishaSmith.Her sisters Rosie Magee, Gloria Sim‐mon andThannieConerly 21grandchildren,40great grandchildren and12great great grandchildren. Her bestfriendJanellJoseph, a hostofnieces, nephews, familyand friendswhom she loveddearly. OraDee was preceded in deathby her father,Odell JamesJr. sisters Sara andDorothy Smith,her grandsonsRay Smith Jr., andRyjhoun Smith.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend thecelebra‐tionoflifeservice which willbeheldonSaturday, April 12, 2025, at Robinson FamilyFuneralHome9611 La- 23, Belle Chasse,La 70037. Thevisitationwill begin at 8a.m andthe service will beginat10 a.m.Rev.Terry Nash offici‐ating andentombmentwill followatWestlawnMemo‐rialParkCemeteryin Gretna, La.Funeralplan‐ningentrusted to Robinson FamilyFuneralHome9611 La- 23, Belle Chasse,La 70037 (504) 208 -2119. For online condolencesplease

visitwww.robinsonfamilyf uneralhome.com

Tennyson, SuellenT 'Sister MaryRichard'

Sister Suellen Theresa Tennyson(AKASr. Mary Richard) passedaway on April 2, 2025, in Covington, Louisiana, at theage of 86. Born on December21, 1938, she dedicatedher life to faith, service, and education as amember of the Marianites of Holy Cross. She entered the Marianites on September 7, 1956, and professed her final vows on August 14 1961. Overthe decades, Sister Suellen served in numerous leadership roles within the congregation, includingDirector of Novices, Provincial Council member, Provincial, and Congregational Leader. Her commitment extended beyond her community as she also served as Vicar forReligious forthe ArchdioceseofNew Orleans.

Sister Suellen devoted many years to education in Louisiana. She taught at St. Cecilia, St.Rita, and Resurrection schools in NewOrleans-serving one year as principalat Resurrection- and taught at SacredHeart in Ville Platte, LA.Her dedication to spiritual formationand education was further reflectedinher serviceon theBoards of the University of Holy Cross and theCenacle Retreat House. She also ministered internationally in Yalgo, Burkina Faso, at John Paul Il Medical Center and Holy FamilyParish.

She was preceded in death by her parents, JamesTennysonand Gladys LabbeTennyson; her brother, James TennysonJr.;and her sister, PatriciaTennyson Downing.

She is lovingly remembered by her Marianite sisters as wellasher nieces Suellen Tennyson, Laura T. Butler, and Kristin D. Lassiter(Chad); nephew JamesDowning (Kim); grand-nieces TaylorButler, Madison Richard,Grace Downing,Lillian Downing, and Iris Downing; grandnephews Brennan Butler, Zachary Richard,and Levi Downing;sister-in-law Jenny Tennyson; numerous Tennyson and Labbé cousins; and longtime friend Shirley Lachmann and her family Suellen spent her last twoand ahalfyears in Louisianare-establishing connections made throughout her life-time as wellasmaking new friends every day.

Sister Suellen's life was atestament to unwavering faith and compassionate service.

She treated everyone she encountered with deep respect and always with her ever-readysmile. May her memory bring comfort to those who knew her. Visitation willbeheldat St.Benedict Catholic Church, Smith Road, Covington, LA on Thursday, April 10 from 9:00 -11:00 AM with aMass of Christian Burialat11:00 AM. Privateburialwillfollow at alaterdate. In lieu of flowers,please make donations to the Marianite Mission Fund Bagnell &Son Funeral Home and been entrusted with services.Tosignthe online guestbookplease visit Bagnellfuneralhome.com

Trahan Sr., Robert Preston'Bobby' International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, LocalUnion #130. It iswithdeepestsorrow thatweinformthe Officers and Membersofour local union of thedeath of our beloved retiredmember Robert“Bobby” Preston Trahan, Sr on March29, 2025. He will be missed dearlybyall who knew and loved him. ACelebration of lifewithhis familyispri‐vate. By Orderof: Ernest C. Corky” Cortez Attest:Rod‐ney W. Wallis,Business Manager/Financial Secre‐tary Tuminello, Tom Frank'Tommy' Tom“Tommy” FrankTu‐minello passedawayon Thursday,April 3, 2025 in New Orleans, LA at theage of 98. He wasbornon

March1,1927 in Brookhaven, MS to thelate Frank Tuminelloand Mary DamicoTuminello.Hewas a long time resident of Gretna, LA.Hewas pre‐ceded in deathby“theonly woman forhim”, hiswife of56years,Lucille Cashio Tuminello.Heissurvived byhis children,ThomasP Tuminello andMary“Suzy” Susette Oubre, daughterin-law, Jane E. Tuminello and son-in-law,E.J.Oubre Jr, hisgrandsons,Todd Patrick andMichael Tu‐minello;great grandson DominickTuminello,grand‐daughter, KimO.Cheramie, grandson-in-law,Brett Cheramie, greatgrand‐daughters,LaurenAnn and AshleyAnn Cheramie.Heis alsosurvivedbymanylov‐ing nieces andnephews Hewas preceded in death byhis brothers,Amile Charles,Frank andJoe Tu‐minello;his sisters, Rose‐maryGoens andSanta Rando.Heenjoyed along career in theoilfield, his lastpositionwas as Re‐gionalSales Managerfor HughesToolCompany and Varco Supply.Hewas a passionateLSU football, LSU baseball andSaints fan.Hewas hishappiest watchingLSU play baseball and football. He wasan avidvegetable gardener and grew thebesttasting tomatoesuntil he was96 years of age. He wasa memberofthe Archbishop Blenk KnightsofColumbus Council #1905. It washis request forno flowersand instead humblyasksfor donations to be made in his memory to TheSacred Heart Southern Missions 6050 Highway161, Walls, Mississippi 38686, www shsm.org. Relativesand friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to attend theFuneral MassatSt. Joseph Catholic Church,610 SixthStreet Gretna, LA 70053 on Friday, April 11, 2025 at 10am. Visi‐tationwillbeheldatthe church from 9amuntil 10am. Interment, Westlawn MemorialParkCemetery, Gretna, La.Familyand friends canviewand sign the online guestbook at www.mothefunerals.com

TwicklerSr., Donald R.

Donald R. Twickler, Sr passedaway peacefullyat home on April 6, 2025 at 86 years of age. He wasborn on May12, 1938, anative NewOrleanianand long time resident of Metairie LA. Donald is survived by hisbeloved wife of 64 years, Mary A. Olmstead Twickler as well as hischildren,Donald R. Twickler Jr.(Kelly), Diane Twickler French (Bryan) andDavid M. Twickler. Beloved grandfather of Christopher P. French, Michael R. Robin, Ryan M. French,Mason C. Robin, andEvan C. Twickler.Donald wasprecededindeathbyhis parents, Frederick W. Twickler,Sr. andRosie Russo Twickler, as well as hisbrother,Frederick W. Twickler,Jr. Donald attended Saint Stephen Catholic School and graduated from De La Salle High School in 1956. He served in the United States Navy from 1956 to 1959. He workedfor Edison and Lanier Electronics companies, thenretired from General Electric as acomputerrepairtechnician. He wasa parishioner of St.Edward theConfessor Church for manyyearsand attended weeklyChapelfor adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.Donald wasan avidsportsenthusiast. He enjoyedtravelingand antiquing with hiswife and friends. He lovedtoread andhad an extensivecollectionofbooks and coins Thefamilywould like to give special thanks to Vital Caring Home Healthand DependableinHome Care. Relativesand friends are invited to thevisitation andfuneral mass on Friday, April 11, 2025 at Lake LawnMetairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd.New Orleans, LA 70124. The visitation begins at 9:00 a.m. untilthe mass at 11:00 a.m. The interment will follow at AllSaintsMausoleum, whichisonthe same property as thefuneral home. To share yourfond thoughts,memories, and condolenceswith thefamily, please visit the online guestbook at lakelawnmetairie.com

Wiltz, AnnMarie

AnnMarie Wiltzpassed awaypeacefullyonSatur‐day,March 29, 2025 at the age of 82. Shewas the motherofand is survived byher sonWilliam P. Wiltz III (Trenese)and daugh‐ters: Sharon WiltzButler (ClevelandJr.), Shuntell Wiltzand Nicole Wiltz. She was thesisterof: William Moore, Elaine Turner (Ran‐dolph), LouisMoore(Debo‐rah), Glen Moore, Althea Hoard (John),Thais Du‐Bose(Richard) andCarl Moore(Shirley).Ann is alsosurvivedby9 grand‐children: Derrick, Jada, Cleveland III, Ryan,Kortnie TaylorD., Brooke, Chad‐wickJr. andTaylorG.; 6 great grandchildrenand a hostofother relativesand friends.She is preceded in death by herhusband the lateWilliam P. WiltzJr. daughterAnisse Wiltz, grandsonDevin Wiltz, par‐entsGeorgeC.Moore Sr and Marguerite Moore. Rel‐atives, friendsofthe family and employees of theOr‐leans Parish School Board are invitedtoattend a MassofChristian Burial at CorpusChristi-Epiphany Catholic Church locatedat 2022 St.Bernard Ave.,New Orleans,LA70116 on Satur‐day,April 12, 2025 for10:00 a.m.Visitationwillbegin at 9:00am. Intermentwillfol‐low at St.Bernard Memor‐ial FuneralHomeand Gar‐dens, 701 W. Virtue St., Chalmette,LA70047 ArrangementsbyD.W RhodesFuneral Home,3933 WashingtonAvenue Pleasevisit www.rhodesf uneral.comtosignthe on‐lineguestbook

ElizabethTillman Wolfe, age 74, wasonbornon March 2, 1951, in Houma, Louisiana.She left our presenceonWednesday, April 2, 2025. Sheissur‐vived by herdaughter, SamanthaTillman Robin‐son (Terry), of Baton Rouge;sonsAnthony Craig Tillman,TyroneTillman (Lucille) andDominique Talley, of Houma, KevinTill‐man (Regina) ,ofSan Anto‐nio;childrenofloveMilton Wolfe Jr., MalcolmWolfe (Karen) ,Lynette W. Celes‐tine, allofHouma;grand‐childrenJacoby (Rashanda), Bethanyand Jared Robinson,Shakanya Bias(Terrance), Tamia, Nioriaand Kamryn Tillman, JerailLawson; siblings Bev‐erlyShepherd(Lionel), Alvin TillmanSr. (Alicia) and CharlesBass; sister-inlaw JoannTillman;brotherin-lawRay Townsend; client/friend JaredArm‐strong; andmanycher‐ished nieces,nephews, other relativesand friends. She wasprecededindeath byher husband Milton Wolfe Sr.; parentsClarence Tillman Sr.and IreneSims Tillman;siblingsCalvin Tillman Sr HerbertTillman Sr.,ClarenceTillman Jr., MarshaT.Townsendand RobertLee Tillman, Angela Tillman;grandparents Joseph“Joe” Tillman, BerthaRobertson,Thomas and Lula JonesSims; sis‐ters-in-law Constance Brown Tillman, Barbara Tillman andTheonitaTay‐lor Tillman, daughter-inlaw of love Gail Marie Wolfe.Relatives and friends of thefamilyare in‐vited to join in theCelebra‐tionofher Life Serviceon Friday, April11, 2025, at Greater St.MatthewsBap‐tistChurch,183 Smith Lane, Houma, LA 70360 at 11:00 a.m..Visitationfrom 9 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. Inter‐mentCrescentFarmCeme‐tery, Savanne Road Houma,LA. Youmay sign guest book on http://www gertrudegeddeswillis.com. Gertrude GeddesWillis-Ter‐rebonne FuneralHome, Inc. incharge, (985) 872-6934.

Rock Jr., AltonAnthony
SincereSr.,Charles
Wolfe, ElizabethTillman
Smith, OraDee James
Savage,Betty Julia

SPORTS

TED WALKS

LafayettenativeScott is 1win away from Masterscaddie record,but he wantsno credit

AUGUSTA, Ga. TedScott knew in his heart he wasn’tcaddyinganymore.

Ex-Tulane player helped Gators wintitle

Until the past few weeks, Carlin Hartmanhad the same number of NCAA Tournament wins (two) in 24 yearsas an assistant basketball coach as in four seasonsplaying forTulane in theearly 1990s.

Kiss that narrative goodbye. Hartman, Florida’sassociate head coach under Todd Golden, watched a career-long dream cometrue whenthe Gators rallied to beat Houston 65-63 in the NCAA championship gameMonday night. Long one of the most respected assistants in the game, he played arole in the ultimate accomplishment forany team sport.

“The feeling is everything Iexpected and more,” he saidWednesday morning, less than 36 hours after the resilient Gators wona game they ledfor barely morethan aminute. “It’sawesome. It’s tiring. Youdon’treally sleep, and your mind is buzzing with agood buzz all the time.Whenyou come down fromthe high, you start to reflect on wow,this really happened. We are national champions.”

Scott Rabalais

The2020-21 season was ending, andsowere his15 highly successful seasons with two-time Masters champion BubbaWatson. Scott had spent 22 seasons in all “looping”and was looking to do something else.

“I was done,” the Lafayette native said. Then he got acall that changed his life from the man whose life Scott also changed.

Scottie Scheffler,a promising 25-yearold butwinless in hisfirst two full PGA Tour seasons, wanted Scotttopick up his bag.

“He said, ‘I can winthe bigtournaments,’ ”Scott recalled Scheffler saying “I thought, ‘I like the way thisguy is talking.’ ”

Alvin Kamara signed acontractextension last season and is coming off a career highin rushing yards, but it may make sense for the New Orleans Saints to pursue acomplementfor their star in whatappears to be aloaded 2025 running back class.

After years of being devalued —with the argument being that runningbacks agepoorlyand teams often can find cheap replacementsinthe draft —last season served as an argument for the position’simportance, and one had to look no further than what happened under newSaints head coach Kellen

Moore’swatch in Philadelphia.

With Moore calling plays, the Eagles leaned hardonveteran running back Saquon Barkley, who rushed for 2,000 yards in the regular season, then carried the Eaglestothe SuperBowl with an additional499 yards rushing in four postseason games. And Barkley wasn’t the only running back to power an offense last season. Derrick Henry,another 2024 free agent signing, rushed for 1,921 yards

to lead the Baltimore Ravens’ No.1rushing attack. Tworecent first-round picks, Atlanta’s BijanRobinson (1,456 yards, 14 touchdowns) and Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs (1,412 yards, 16 touchdowns)also enjoyed huge seasons. Thoseteams went a combined 49-19 in 2024. So, while running back is hardly the most pressing need on the roster,New Orleans could reap

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Keion Brookshas worn aBirmingham Squadronuniform way moretimes this season than he’s worn aNew OrleansPelicansone. So has Lester Quinones. Both of those players —along with Antonio Reeves, Elfrid Paytonand KarloMatkovic —are all playing meaningful minutesin what ended up being ameaningless finalstretch of the season for thePelicans. Their play is abig reason TJ Saint takes somuch pridein watching the Pelicans these days. Saint is in his third season as head coachofthe Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ GLeague team locatedabout 350miles away

“The word Ilike to use is ‘fulfilling,’”Saint said. “Especially the guys whowere originally on the GLeague rosterlikeLester and Keion.And EP (Payton) to an ex-

So how did Hartman, 52,get to this point?Hekeptthe sameperspective through stops at Rice (three times), McNeese State, UL,Richmond, Centenary, James Madison, Columbia, Oklahoma, UNLVand finally Florida, where he just completed his third year

“Itwas alot of hard work andkeeping your head downand not looking too far ahead,” he said. “My biggest thing when I’mcoaching these young men is to give them my very best as acoach, as adeveloper,asamentor,asafather/ uncle figure. Idon’tworry about myself. Iworry about them and the programsI workfor,and make sure Iserve them as best as possible.”

Thejourney startedin1990whenhe arrived at Tulane fromGrand Island, New York, as part of an ambitious freshman class in then-coach Perry Clark’s second year.Kim Lewis, the marquee recruitinthat group and also an assistant coach in college basketball now,recalled his first impression of the teammatewho remains his closest friend. Lewis, whose Robert Morris team threw ascare into No. 2seed Alabama in the first round of the NCAA Tournament,isthe godfather of Hartman’stwo sons.

“He had those glasses and ahigh top,” Lewis said. “I waslike, whoisthis nerdy-looking guy from Buffalo, but we instantly clicked and started talking to each other and have nevermissed a beat since then.”

Lewis andHartman were instrumental in Tulanereaching the NCAA Tournament in 1992 and 1993 for the first two times in its history (the total is three now), and winning its opening-round game both years. Hartman, an aggressive forward, finished his career ranked 10th in scoring (1,180 points), third in field goal percentage (52.8%)and seventh in steals(146),earning induction into the Tulane Hall of Fame in 2023.

ä See TULANE, page 3C

the GLeague in Birminghamisto run your daily race.”

tent. Just seeing the first part of their journey from the September workouts to our training camp and seeing them now as two-way players is really fulfilling to see.” Players whospent time with theSquadronthis season scored 54 of the Pelicans’ 114 points in Tuesday’sroad loss to the BrooklynNets. ThePelicans’ finishing lineup that closed the gap late had three players (Payton, Reeves and Matkovic) who spent time this seasoninBirmingham.

“Thisisthe most call-ups we’ve had in our four-year history as aG League franchise,” Saint said. “The whole point of the GLeague as far as the Pelicansare concerned and how we view it is to get guys ready to play in theNBA and eventually play meaningfulminutes and meaningful roles. All it’sabout in

Thesharp-shooting Reeves scored 17 points Tuesday and scored 23 in the gamebefore that. He scored a season-high 34 against the Cleveland Cavaliers in November Reeves saidithelpsbeing on the court beside guys he playedwith in Birmingham.

“It’sdefinitely fun and enjoyable having these guys out there with me,” he said. “Throughout the processwith the Birmingham situation, Iknow these guys now.Soit’s definitely fun being outthere with them.” Reeves,drafted by the Pelicans in the secondround in June,played nine games with the Squadron. Quinonesplayed in 31,the most of any Pelicansplayer. Brooksplayedin 26.

“Having familiar faces always helps,” Brooks said. “It helps put

ä See PELICANS, page 3C

AP PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP
Scottie Scheffler celebrates winningthe Masters tournament with his caddie TedScott at Augusta National Golf ClubonApril 14 in Augusta, Ga
PHOTO COURTESy AUGUSTANATIONAL GOLF CLUB
Caddie TedScott watches as Masters championScottie Scheffler pitches over Rae’sCreek to the 13th green during aMasters practice round on WednesdayatAugustaNational Golf Club.
PHOTO COURTESy AUGUSTANATIONAL GOLFCLUB Masters championScottie Scheffler exchanges clubs with his caddie, Lafayette nativeTed Scott, during the final round on April 14 at AugustaNational Golf Club.
ä See RABALAIS, page 5C

Dodgers expect 1B

Freeman to return Friday

WASHINGTON Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday he anticipates first baseman Freddie Freeman will return to the lineup Friday when the team begins a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs. Freeman took live batting practice the last few days.

Job one for Nwoko is rebound for LSU

On Jan. 29 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center, then-No. 1 Auburn corralled six offensive rebounds in one possession against the LSU men’s basketball team.

Auburn pummeled LSU’s athletic but slender frontcourt for a season-high 24 offensive rebounds, eight more than its second best outing this season.

LSU coach Matt McMahon and his staff addressed that glaring issue with the signing of Mississippi State transfer Michael Nwoko on March 31, this year’s first portal addition for the Tigers.

The 6-foot-10, 245-pound sophomore center is more physically imposing than any frontcourt player LSU had Starting bigs Corey Chest and Daimion Collins, who both have entered the portal, weigh 220 and 200 pounds, respectively

Nwoko’s frame allowed him to be a successful role player in the Southeastern Conference. He averaged 6.1 points on 52.5% from the field, 4.6 rebounds and 0.8 blocks in 15.4 minutes per game for the Bulldogs.

While rebounding is his biggest draw for LSU, his scoring ability is better than his counting stats indicate.

Nwoko’s scoring mainly came as a roller in the pick-and-roll. He’s an impressive athlete for an SEC big who can elevate for alley-oops, which pairs well with new LSU point guard Dedan Thomas from UNLV, who is a gifted facilitator Nwoko also scores after offensive rebounds, throwing down highlight-worthy dunks.

His scoring isn’t limited to dunks and being spoon-fed layups, though. He has a consistent hook shot with his right hand, which worked against some of the best centers in the conference.

He still has limited offensive skills and is not a creative finisher in the paint

The 20-year-old also could improve on making more contact on screens, maximizing the usefulness of his frame to create more space for himself and the ballhandler

His shortcomings aren’t major concerns because his main role is as a rebounder Of everyone in the SEC who played at least 14 minutes per games, Nwoko was one of seven with a defensive rebound rate of 19% and an offensive rebound rate of 13%.

His broad frame allows him to easily box out opponents and carve out space for boards. He plays with high energy, crashing

the glass on both ends.

As a freshman at Miami, he had the second-highest offensive rebound rate (11.5%), trailing a teammate who had the highest rate (12.6%) in the Atlantic Coast Conference. Nwoko must improve on defense. While it’s not a major weakness, his inability to anchor a defense is likely why he averaged just the seventh-most minutes for Mississippi State, despite starting 32 of 34 games. The Toronto native has the frame to not be overpowered but is too often caught in precarious angles, which lead to being scored on or fouling. Nwoko picked up five fouls in 14 minutes against LSU in the SEC Tourna-

ment on March 12

His 6.4% block rate is encouraging — only 15 players in the SEC had a 6.0% block rate However block rates don’t equate to great defense necessarily Collins and Chest both were on the list but were overall poor interior defenders.

The Tigers should be pleased with this addition as Nwoko is a serviceable big with bulk and a go-to offensive move. He projects best as a backup who plays around 15-20 minutes. In some circumstances, the sophomore’s rebounding prowess and size will merit more playing time

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com

Championships no longer guarantee NBA job security

These are the coaches who won NBA championships in the last six years: Joe Mazzulla with Boston, Michael Malone with Denver, Steve Kerr with Golden State, Mike Budenholzer with Milwaukee, Frank Vogel with the Los Angeles Lakers and Nick Nurse with Toronto.

Mazzulla is still with Boston. Kerr is still with Golden State. Everybody else got fired. They packed up their ring and left Malone became the latest name on that list Tuesday, when the Denver Nuggets — the 2023 NBA champions — fired him with three games left in the season, an unprecedented move for a postseason-bound team. And around the league, in the hours that followed, coaches reacted in basically the same stunned, surprised manners. The Nuggets enter Wednesday holding the fifth spot in the Western Conference playoff chase.

“Just disappointment,” New York coach Tom Thibodeau said. “It’s the unfortunate part of the business. I’ve known Michael for decades. Michael just did a phenomenal job there.” Championships no longer guarantee job security Same goes for individual awards.

Mike Brown was the unanimous coach of the year in 2023; he got fired by Sacramento earlier this year Phoenix’s Monty Williams and Memphis’ Taylor Jenkins were first and second in the coach of the year voting in 2022; they’ve both been fired now as well.

“I wake up every day saying this could be my last day,” Mazzulla said. “You have to have that type of perspective because it gives you gratitude and it keeps you hungry You have to have a healthy balance if you want this for as long as you can. At the same time, you’re very much replaceable because that’s just how it works. Every day I remind my-

WNBA, eight of the current 13 coaches (in fairness, one is an expansion team) have had their job for less than one year; seven of the 13 have a career record of 0-0 going into this season, after simply massive amounts of turnover following last season.

“That’s a sobering reality of this profession,” Miami coach Erik Spoelstra said earlier this season when told he has the second-longest current tenure in the NBA behind only San Antonio’s Gregg Popovich.

Malone’s firing was the 302nd coaching change in the NBA since Popovich became coach in San Antonio in 1996 That means, on average, the other 29 teams in the league have all had more than 10 coaching changes in the Popovich era. Malone was the fourth-longest tenured coach in the NBA right now behind Popovich Spoelstra and Kerr

And it is puzzling to coaches: four of the last six championshipwinning coaches, five of the last seven winners of the Coach of the Year award and seven of the last 11 coaches to take a team to the NBA Finals all have something in common.

They all got fired.

self of my own mortality.”

Indiana coach Rick Carlisle knows there’s not really any such thing as true job security for coaches. But he didn’t see the likes of Brown, Jenkins and Malone being let go this season.

“If anyone would’ve told me that any of these three guys would get let go during the season this year, I would’ve been shocked.

It’s disappointing,” said Carlisle, who doubles as president of the National Basketball Coaches Association. Jenkins was fired late last month with nine games left in Memphis’ season. Now Malone is out, with three games left in Denver’s season. Before this season,

there had been one other instance in NBA history of a team changing coaches with less than 10 games left in a postseason-bound year — Larry Brown leaving New Jersey with six games left in 1982-83. It’s now happened twice in the last two weeks.

“Between Taylor and between a guy like Mike Malone, they’ve done such a great job in their careers of building an identity,” Charlotte coach Charles Lee said. “I have a ton of respect for both guys.”

More than half of the current NBA coaches — 17 of the 30 — have been in their jobs for less than three years. And in the

Los Angeles Clippers coach Tyronn Lue — who won a title with Cleveland in 2016 and eventually got fired from there, too — halfseriously said coaches might want to stop winning awards.

“You see the trick now — don’t win coach of the year don’t win a championship, because you’re going to get fired in two years.

The criteria for getting hired and fired, I don’t know what it is anymore,” Lue said. And Kerr was even more succinct. Coaches are making more than ever he noted, but billionaire owners have no problem paying off those contracts if they want to make a change

“We’re all going to suffer a similar fate at some point. That’s kind of the way it is,” Kerr said.

He was placed on the injured list retroactive to March 31 after spraining his surgically repaired right ankle when he slipped in the shower at home.

Freeman is 3 for 12 with two homers and four RBIs in three games this season.

He missed the Dodgers’ opening series in Tokyo against the Cubs with left rib discomfort, and then sat out last week’s series against Atlanta before going on the IL.

Rangers place LF Langford on the 10-day injured list

ARLINGTON, Texas The Texas Rangers placed Wyatt Langford on the 10day injured list with an abdominal muscle strain, the team announced Wednesday

The 23-year-old left fielder was removed from Tuesday night’s game against the Chicago Cubs after his plate appearance in the seventh inning. He was diagnosed with a right oblique strain.

Langford started the Rangers’ first 12 games in left field and was batting .244 with a team-best four home runs. His 12 home runs since Sept. 1, 2024, rank second in the American League behind Aaron Judge’s 13 for the New York Yankees. The Rangers recalled outfielder Dustin Harris, utility player Ezequiel Duran and infielder Jonathan Ornelas from Triple-A Round Rock.

Grizzlies’ rookie hospitalized after midair dunk collision

Memphis starting guard Jaylen Wells broke his right wrist on a hard fall on his arm and head from a midair collision at the end of a fastbreak dunk during a victory over Charlotte on Tuesday, likely ending the rookie’s season right before the Grizzlies go into the playoffs. Wells was down for eight minutes before being lifted by medical personnel onto a stretcher with his head strapped in to restrict motion and taken to a hospital, where he had movement in all of his extremities, interim coach Tuomas Iisalo said.

The rookie’s father, Fred Wells, told the Memphis Commercial Appeal that his son was alert enough to ask what the score of the game was. He had pain in his face, jaw and back.

Vols find games to replace canceled Nebraska series

Tennessee and Georgia Tech will play a home-and-home football series in 2026 and 2027, the schools announced Wednesday

The Volunteers will travel to Atlanta to face the Yellow Jackets on Sept. 12, 2026. Georgia Tech will go to Knoxville on Sept. 11, 2027. The series replaces two games Tennessee had scheduled against Nebraska for 2026 and 2027. Nebraska announced in February that it had backed out of those games.

Tennessee and Georgia Tech met all but three seasons from 1954-87. Tennessee won the most recent meeting 42-41 in overtime in the 2017 Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The Vols lead the all-time series 25-17-2.

Djokovic upset by Tabilo; Alcaraz rallies for victory Novak Djokovic’s latest bid to win a 100th career title ended in another upset defeat to a familiar face.

Alejandro Tabilo, who handed the 24-time Grand Slam champion a surprising loss at the Italian Open last year, beat Djokovic 6-3, 6-4 on Wednesday in the second round of the Monte Carlo Masters. Back on clay for the first time since winning the Olympic gold in Paris last August, Djokovic said he didn’t have high expectations going into the match. Djokovic, who recently

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By WADE PAyNE
Mississippi State center Michael Nwoko grabs a rebound against LSU during the SEC Tournament on March 12 in Nashville, Tenn.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI
Denver Nuggets coach Michael Malone argues a call with referee John Goble against the Utah Jazz on March 28 in Denver.

LSU softball gives Torina her 700th win

Contributing writer

Maci Bergeron homered and Tatum Clopton pitched a threehitter to help LSU coach Beth Torina pick up her 700th career win in a 9-1 victory against Louisiana Tech on Wednesday at Tiger Park.

The No. 5 Tigers jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the first inning and finished it with four more runs in the sixth to improve to 35-5 after bouncing back from Sunday’s loss to Alabama.

Torina improved to 700-353 in 18 seasons, 14 at LSU and four at Florida International, in what she called a “complete” victory.

“I didn’t play in any of the games, but it makes me proud to think about all the women that did,” Torina said. “That’s the big deal when you hit one of those marks. It makes me really proud.

“I thought it was really a complete game, continuing to score throughout. Tatum did a good job of keeping their offense guessing. We got some people in (the game), got Maci a day off (from catching), got Jada some time (catching). We did a lot of good things throughout the game.”

Clopton, who last pitched nearly three weeks ago at Georgia, allowed an unearned run in the first inning and nothing else while striking out five and walking one on 101 pitches.

“I felt great. God bless this perfect day to play softball,” Clopton said. “It’s always a privilege to put this uniform on and represent this team and this coach that got 700 wins. It was an honor to throw that game for her.

“The working never stops, whether in the bullpen or out there (in a game). We’re always refining, sharpening and trying to

TULANE

Continued from page 1C

Clark recognized his leadership skills immediately.

“That’s what helped us become so good, so fast,” Clark said. “It was the intangibles and the character he brought into the locker room. He inspired people by his actions and how hard he played. He just had a thirst for the game.”

That thirst continued into his coaching career, which began at Rice in 1996-97 under Willis Wilson, one of several people he considers his mentors along with Clark and Jon Roth, his coach at Grand Island High. Hartman specializes in working with big men, but he develops close relationships with everyone on his teams.

Lewis spent time with Hartman in San Antonio before the Final Four and said it was clear how much Florida players loved and respected him.

Clark said Hartman never once asked him to call anybody about a job, praising him for trusting his own merits. He made steady progress except for a brief setback when he resigned from Richmond in 2008 as a result of an NCAA investigation into illegal text messaging to recruits, forcing him to land at Centenary before working his way back up.

“You develop your own relationships organically as best as possible without trying to overly sell yourself,” Hartman said. “I try to do it with a good heart and be

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

some big-time benefits by using one of its premium picks on a runner. The options behind Kamara on the roster all come with significant questions Kendre Miller is only 22 years old and has flashed the dynamic ability that made the Saints select him with the No. 71 pick of the 2023 draft, but he has missed more games (20) than he’s appeared in (14), and therefore is tough to count on. Clyde EdwardsHelaire is a former top pick who hasn’t produced more than 500 yards from scrimmage since 2021. Jordan Mims, Xazavian Valladay and Velus Jones have not proven to be more than bottom-of-the-roster players. If the Saints do bolster their backfield with one of their four Day 1 or 2 picks, here are some who could make sense.

Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty

It is hard to envision a scenario in which the Saints use their firstround pick on a running back

“I didn’t play in any of the games, but it makes me proud to think about all the women that did.”
BETH TORINA, LSU softball coach

get better.”

Louisiana Tech (25-15) jumped ahead with a run in the first inning as Elena Heng scored on Reagan Marchant’s fielder’s choice grounder

The Tigers came right back with four in the bottom half of the inning.

Bergeron slammed a two-run homer to left field, her ninth, after a single by Jalia Lassiter

After walks to Tori Edwards and Jadyn Laneaux Maddox McKee hit a two-run double to left-center field.

“It was a super cool win,”

Bergeron said. “The next game is the most important game on our schedule. I’m glad we could get through this. We have a fun weekend coming up. (On the homer) I was just looking for something down the middle and I got it.”

Pitching dominated from that point, although LSU needed a sterling defensive play from McKee at second base to save two runs in the third inning.

Louisiana Tech had runners on second and third after a walk to KB Briley and a single by Allie Furr With two outs, cleanup hitter Nicloe Hammoude hit a shot off Clopton’s glove that deflected toward McKee, who made a diving stop and threw from her knees to first base to retire Hammoude.

The Tigers tacked on a run in the fifth inning and finished

pure. You’re not always going to be perfect. You’re probably going to upset people along the way, but I’d like to think for the most part I’ve been somebody that really cares about the right stuff and cares about the people I coach.”

Hartman is at Florida because he was on the same staff with Golden at Columbia in 2012-13 and 201314.

When Florida hired Golden in 2022, he made Hartman his top assistant. Hartman had spent five years at Oklahoma with Lon Kruger recruiting Trae Young, who as a freshman became the only player to lead the NCAA in scoring and assists.

The final step is a head coaching gig. Before the NCAA Tournament, a pair of Florida assistants below him accepted offers from Columbia and Campbell. With an NCAA championship on his resume, he can afford to be more selective after coming up just short on positions he sought in the past and turning down a few others.

“I’m going to be smart and strategic in my next move, but I’ll never be an assistant at a place other than Florida,” he said. “I can say that with confidence. The head coaching job would have to be something very special.”

Those closest to him believe the time is past due.

“He is definitely head coaching material, and a lot of people have slept on that,” Clark said. “Now that he’s been part of a national championship team, hopefully he’ll get his opportunity He’s wellprepared for it.”

off Tech in the sixth. Bergeron walked, then pinch runner

Sa’Mya Jones stole second and scored on a base hit by McKenzie Redoutey In the sixth, Sierra Daniel reached third on a bunt and two

PELICANS

Continued from page 1C

your nerves at ease and helps you be a little bit more comfortable. I’m proud of all of us to have come up here and taken advantage of this opportunity that we have.”

Brooks recorded his first career double-double last week in a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. While that was a big achievement, it was Brooks’ game in February that impressed his G League coach the most. Saint remembers sitting on his couch that night watching the Pelicans playing the Oklahoma City Thunder Brooks entered the game late.

“Just seeing his readiness, which is a big thing we preach in Birmingham,” Saint said. “I was giddy watching him play.”

The G Leaguers have been forced into action in a season marred by one injury after another Pelicans coach Willie Green has used 44 different starting lineups this season

“That is always a part of it,” Green said. “Building a relationship with each and every guy and understanding what it takes to get them to play at their max. That’s the fun part about it.

The not so fun part is the losses, which are to be expected when relying on several players still trying to find their way in the NBA.

“In moments like these, learning from their mistakes while they are playing is huge for their growth,”

Penn State in 2023.

unless that scenario is to draft Jeanty Like Robinson a few years ago, Jeanty is viewed as a can’tmiss prospect and will almost certainly be selected in the first 15 picks of this year’s draft. He may be gone before the Saints are on the clock at No. 9. The 2024 Heisman Trophy runner-up is coming off an absurd statistical season during which he rushed for an NCAA-best 2,601 yards (185.8 per game) and 29 touchdowns — all for Moore’s

alma mater, by the way He often has been compared to Kamara because of his contact balance, his ability to elude defenders and his hands out of the backfield — except he does it with 4.42 speed. If Jeanty is there at No. 9, the Saints have to consider selecting him. He may not fill a 2025 positional need, but he is as close as it gets to a sure thing, and the Saints have a dearth of young impact players.

throwing errors before walks to Danieca Coffey and Lassiter loaded the bases. Bergeron came a few feet from a grand slam with a blast to the warning track for a sacrifice fly Tori Edwards, Redoutey and

Jadyn Laneaux followed with run-scoring singles to end it. LSU will be on the road for the next two weeks against No. 4 Texas A&M and No. 1 Texas before returning home for a series with No. 3 Florida.

Green said. The Pelicans (21-58) have just three games remaining. They play their last road game Thursday against the Milwaukee Bucks and then finish the season at home Friday against the Miami Heat and Sunday against the Oklahoma City Thunder Jose Alvarado, Bruce Brown and Yves Missi are all listed as questionable for Thursday’s game, so there could be even more opportunity for the guys who

Ohio St. RB TreVeyon Henderson

If the Saints want to add a home run hitter to their lineup, Henderson could be a fit. The former fivestar prospect averaged 6.4 yards per carry in his four years with the Buckeyes, including a Big Ten-leading 7.1 yards per carry as a senior He was also at his best during Ohio State’s run through the College Football Playoff, when he recorded 414 yards from scrimmage on 44 touches — 9.4 yards per touch.

Ohio State RB Quinshon Judkins

The reason Henderson wasn’t a bell-cow back at Ohio State this past season is because he was splitting the workload with Judkins, an Ole Miss transfer While Henderson served as the Buckeyes’ bigplay threat, Judkins was the more physical complement. He’s a load at 6 feet and 221 pounds, but he also showed off his athleticism at the NFL combine, where he ran a 4.48 40-yard dash.

Iowa RB Kaleb Johnson Johnson’s stock may have dipped after the NFL combine, where he ran a 4.57 40, but the top-end speed is not necessarily what teams are

played in Birmingham. Their Squadron coach believes they are prepared.

“We just try to hammer on the readiness and the details to be the most connected team we possibly can in Birmingham,” Saint said.

“Then when you get your shot, you’re used to it hopefully and you can shine in your moment.”

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

looking for out of him anyway

Though he is one of the bigger backs in the class, at 6-1 and 224 pounds, Johnson is more of a patient runner than a physical bruiser — think Le’Veon Bell. But, despite consistently facing stacked boxes thanks to Iowa’s anemic passing attack, Johnson rushed for 1,535 yards and 21 touchdowns.

Tennessee RB Dylan Sampson

The Saints already have brought a bunch of Louisiana natives back home this offseason, so why not add another? The Dutchtown High School product blew up for Tennessee last season, racking up 1,491 yards rushing and 22 touchdowns on his way to becoming the Southeastern Conference Offensive Player of the Year He’s on the smaller side at 5-8 and 200 pounds, but he proved he could handle the load against premier competition. He

touchdown).

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Pelicans forward Keion Brooks jumps to score against the Golden State Warriors at the Smoothie King Center on March 28.
AP FILE PHOTO By ADAM CAIRNS
Ohio State’s TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns in a 44–31 win over
STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
LSU coach Beth Torina coaches against Texas-Arlington on Feb 14 at Tiger Park LSU beat Louisiana Tech 9-1 on Wednesday, giving Torina her 700th career win.

THE VARSITY ZONE

Surcouf throws shutout, homers in Haynes win

Lucas Surcouf tried a new curveball grip early in the baseball season that has begun to pay dividends And it really showed Wednesday with how the junior right-hander from Haynes High School tossed a shutout in a 4-0 victory against Patrick Taylor at Mike Miley Stadium — all while he went 3 for 3 with a three-run home run and two runs scored from the No. 3 spot in the lineup. The win for Haynes (16-12, 5-1 District 9-3A) created a tie atop the district stand-

ings after Patrick Taylor (13-12, 5-1) won the first game on Monday, maki ng th em c ochampions.

“He’s really had a great year for us,” Haynes coach Steve Stropolo said. “He’s pitched against every one of the big teams that we played. He’s done well for us all year long, and at the plate he’s been outstanding. He’s hitting in the mid-.400s right now.”

Surcouf, who has three home runs this season grew

up playing soccer and tennis and decided before high school to make baseball his main sport. He played on the Haynes varsity while in eighth grade and made the all-district team as a freshman and sophomore.

This season began with Stropolo seeking improvement from his most trusted pitcher by helping him develop a better curveball.

“He basically didn’t have one,” said Stropolo, a 17year veteran Haynes coach whose coaching career began in 1985 at now-closed Ridgewood.

That changed this season. The new grip has Surcouf

keeping his index and middle fingers together as he brings them over the top of the baseball to create a 12to-6 downward motion like on a clock.

“We threw it out there, and ever since then it’s been rolling,” said Surcouf, who won his previous start by going seven innings in a 10-2 victory against Fisher “Getting good weak contact and swing and misses.”

Surcouf walked and hit a batter in the first inning but did not allow another baserunner until Ethan Christ blooped a single that landed just inside the right-field foul line with two outs in the fifth.

championship with an 8-0 win over the Purple Knights.

TAKING CARE OF BUSINESS

Brother Martin takes Catholic League title in stride after beating St Augustine

Third baseman Cole Navarro caught a popup on the infield for the final out of a win that clinched the outright Catholic League championship for Brother Martin. Navarro also was on the team that won the district championship two years ago, when a tension-filled win against Jesuit locked down the title and sparked a wild celebration.

The reaction this time at the end of an 8-0 win against St. Augustine included little more than a quick handshake line and a team photo in the outfield, perhaps because this senior-filled Brother Martin team knows there is more to play for “We’re a different team this year,” said senior Ryan

Darrah, an Arizona State signee who had three hits and drove in two runs with three runs scored on Tuesday at Wesley Barrow Stadium.

“We expect this. We’re that team. We know we’re better than anyone we’re going to play I’ve been saying that since the beginning of the year We just got to keep that confidence going.”

The win put Brother Martin, which last won a state title in 1996, three games ahead of second-place Rummel in the 9-5A standings with two district games remaining.

The Crusaders (22-6) have won 16 of the past 17 games and built an 11-1 district record during that stretch — the only loss coming 2-1 against John Curtis.

Many of the seniors on this

Brother Martin team played on varsity as sophomores when the Crusaders won the district title in 2023.

Reece Roussel was a sophomore when he doubled home the winning run in the sixth inning the last time Brother Martin won the district title. This time, he homered in the game that secured the championship.

“This group, I told them I was very proud of the way they handled themselves tonight,” coach Jeff Lupo said.

“After an emotional win on Friday, they handled themselves well and they were very processional and businesslike on how to handle themselves like a veteran club.”

Junior right-hander Blaise Tingstrom retired the first 14 St. Augustine batters and let only three batters reach

base (two hits, one walk) over six innings. Tingstrom pitched with a quick pace and has gone deep into several wins during the district season.

Patrick Laiche, on the mound when Brother Martin won against Jesuit two years ago, also was on the mound when he pitched the seventh inning against St. Augustine. Catcher Egan Prather also played in both games.

Brother Martin has won nine district championships, the past three of them with Lupo as coach.

Brother Martin and Rummel — the district champ last season — will play two games, the first set for 6:30 p.m. Thursday at Kirsch-Rooney Stadium and the second at 3 p.m. Friday at Mike Miley Stadium.

The only other batter to reach base was Hunter Smith with a double in the seventh.

Surcouf got the final two batters out with a groundout and a flyball. Surcouf pitched the final six innings with the lead after he homered in the first.

Zachary Roussel drilled a double down the left-field line and Trent Helwig drew a walk to put two runners on for Surcouf, who blasted a 3-1 pitch over the fence in left field. Surcouf led off the third inning with a single and scored from second on a two-out double by Zach Poynter

The win avenged a 6-3 win for Patrick Taylor on Monday Jeremy Gibson pitched six strong innings for Patrick Taylor and Hayden Chastant had three hits and drove in four runs in that game. The Tigers came into the second game with a seven-game winning streak. “We’ve been making plays,” Patrick Taylor coach Robert Billiot said. “We had a freshman pitcher on the mound, and we wanted him to throw strikes and that’s what he did, except in the first inning, and we gave up the home run. After that, balls were in play, and we made plays.”

Wyndham Clark, the 2023

U.S. Open champion, and Taylor Moore have committed to play in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, tournament officials announced Wednesday Clark is ranked 11th in the World Golf Rankings, following his tie for fifth in the Houston Open. He was ranked as high as third in the world at this time last year Moore is ranked 87th. The Zurich Classic will be played April 24-27 at TPC of Louisiana in Avondale. The tournament has received commitments from top-20 players Rory McIlroy (No. 2), Collin Morikawa (No 4), Shane Lowry (No. 13) and Billy Horschel (No. 20).

“Wyndham has won at the highest levels with victories in a major championship and two signature events,” said Steve Worthy, CEO of the Fore!Kids Foundation, which operates the tournament for the PGA Tour

“Both he and Taylor have had success in the Zurich Classic playing with different partners, so this pairing should be a strong one.” Clark finished third in the 2023 Zurich Classic after a tie for 10th in 2022 and a tie for 17th in 2021. He was forced to withdraw from the tournament last year because of a family medical issue. Moore finished tied for fourth in both 2022 and 2023, playing with Matthew NeSmith. Clark has posted three other top-25 finishes this

PGA Tour season after a strong 2024 campaign, when he placed in the top 10 eight times, including two second-

place finishes and a victory in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. He won the rain-shortened

Pope John Paul II boys

basketball coach Jay Carlin is heading back to retirement after two seas ons with the Jaguars, school officials announced on April 9.

“It’s just that time,” Carlin said. “I do it with mixed emotions, but it was time. I’m looking forward to the free time again. I’m very thankful to PJP for giving me the opportunity to coach a couple more years, but it was time.”

Carlin amassed a 41-23 record over the past two seasons, including a 51-50 first-round playoff victory over Northlake Christian on Feb. 28.

Coach Carlin has been an excellent role model for the students of PJP and an exceptional co-worker for our faculty,” athletic director Richard Dieudonné said in a statement.

“His passion for basketball and his positive outlook for his students and players is something that will be tough to match.” For 35 years, Carlin roamed the sidelines in St. Tammany Parish as he coached Salmen to 844 victories, including a 2009 state title. When he retired from Salmen in 2019, he had 906 career victories in 1,242 games for a .729 winning percentage as St Tammany Parish’s winningest coach. At Salmen, he won 27 district championships and made eight Final Four runs in 33 playoff appearances. He also had a state runnerup finish in 2015.

Staff report

Elizabeth Hamilton earned outstanding bowler honors with a series state record 702 and helped Chapelle defeat Dutchtown 20-7 to win the LHSAA girls bowling state championship Wednesday at Premier Lanes in Gonzales.

The Chipmunks set state records for two- and threegame totals of 2,323 and 3,444, respectively Olivia Bares bowled a three-game total of 659 to help secure the win.

Chapelle began the day with a semifinal win against St. Scholastica by a 23-4 score The boys championships are Thursday in Gonzales and the individual finals are Friday in Baton Rouge.

2024 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am after posting a 60 in the third round, the first score that low at Pebble Beach. The next month, he placed second in the Arnold Palmer Invitational and then tied for second at The Players Championship. In addition to

Carlin
GIRLS BOWLING
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Brother Martin’s Reece Roussel rounds the bases after hitting a home run against St. Augustine on Tuesday night. The Crusaders clinched the District 9-5A
Surcouf

1

SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER (USA)

Age: 28

Odds: +450 World ranking: 1 FedEx Cup ranking: 10

Masters entered; best finish: 6; 1st (2022, 2024)

Off the tee: Appears to be trending upward after a slow start to 2025 because of a hand injury. Has T2 and T3 in past four starts

THE 89TH MASTERS

2

RORY MCILROY (NORTHERN IRELAND)

Age: 35 Odds: +600 World ranking: 2 FedEx Cup ranking: 1

Masters entered; best finish: 17; 2nd (2022)

Off the tee: Arrives at Augusta in great form with wins at Pebble Beach and The Players His 10th attempt to complete the career Grand Slam means major pressure

3

COLLIN MORIKAWA (USA)

Age: 28 Odds: +1400 World ranking: 4 FedEx Cup ranking: 5

Masters entered; best finish: 6; T3 (2024)

Off the tee: Hasn’t won in 2025, but two runner-up finishes say he’s close. On a secondshot course like Augusta, his iron play could be the winning touch

Masters chairman lobbies for unified golf leagues

AUGUSTA, Ga. — Masters chairman Fred Ridley on Wednesday used the pulpit of his annual pre-tournament news conference to urge more action toward reunification between professional golf’s warring parties, the PGA Tour and LIV Golf.

“I’m not really in a position to say what form that should take as far as how the two organizations should come together, or what legal structure that may be, or what the financial aspects of that may be,” Ridley said. “What I am doing is encouraging cooperation and trying to figure out a way to get something done, regardless of what the structure of it is, to where everyone can play together again.”

The Masters is now one of only four times a year PGA Tour and LIV players compete against each other along with the other majors: the PGA Championship, the U.S Open and the British Open

“I think we all agree that four times a year is not enough to have the great players of the game together,” Ridley said.

LIV CEO attends

In a significant move, Augusta National Golf Club has invited LIV Golf CEO Scott O’Neil to attend this year’s Masters, something it did not do with former LIV CEO and co-founder Greg Norman

Ridley said he did not have specific plans to meet with O’Neil this week, but added “I know that we will have some discussions.” Echavarria wins Par-3

If Nicholas Echavarria is the Mas-

Since it started in 1960, no one has ever won the Par-3 contest and the Masters in the same year, giving rise to the notion of a “jinx.”

New voice at 16

Longtime commentator and former professional golfer Frank Nobilo takes over broadcasting from Augusta National’s 16th hole at this year’s Masters, replacing legendary announcer Verne Lundquist

Lundquist called the action at 16 from 2000-24, including Tiger Woods’ chip-in back in 2005, one of the most famous shots in Masters history “It’s Verne’s chair,” Nobilo told Golfweek on Tuesday “I’m just keeping it warm.”

Nobilo, 64, who played in four Masters from 1995-98, will also call action on holes 2, 7 and 11. Lundquist, 84, who resides in Colorado, said he will not attend this year’s tournament.

Mower math

NOTEBOOK

ters champion on Sunday night, remember he’s also the man to break the Par-3 jinx.

The Colombian golfer beat JJ Spaun in a two-hole playoff to win Wednesday’s Par-3 contest, a fun Masters tuneup played on Augusta National’s picturesque ninehole par-3 course.

They tied at 5 under par, just two of 19 golfers to turn in a score. Most players end up not completing their round because they let a family member, caddie or even a patron from the gallery take a shot or make a putt.

Ever wondered what lengths grass is cut at Augusta National? The Masters released these stats Tuesday: Fairways: 3/8ths of an inch

Second cut (primary rough): 1 3/8th inches Greens: 1/8th inch Green collars: 1/4th inch Tee boxes and green surrounds: 5/16ths inch

The last word “If you’re not ready by now you don’t really have a chance.”

— Rory McIlroy during Wednesday’s Par-3 contest

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Golf’s most anticipated major returns with sport’s biggest names

the final piece of the career Grand Slam He played a money game with Tommy Fleetwood, Jon Rahm and Shane Lowry before heading over to the Par 3 Tournament The Masters is so different from the other four majors. It has the smallest field (95 players) on the prettiest property (home of a former nursery that now boasts more than 80,000 plants of 350 varieties) and is the only major referred to as a “tournament” instead of a “championship.” And the final act Wednesday afternoon is for players to walk over to the Par 3 course with their toddlers dressed in white coveralls to

play a tournament no one wants to win the Augusta National curse is that no one has ever won the Par 3 Tournament and the Masters in the same years.

“The buildup to this event is a lot, and the sort of anticipation and we’re waiting eight or nine months for the next major to roll around from the Open championship,” McIlroy said. “To end your preparation with an afternoon like this it’s such a fun afternoon.

And then it’s time to get to work. McIlroy comes to the Masters in the best form, having already won twice this year and with arguably the most attention as he

tries for the 17th time to join the elite list of slam winners.

The betting favorite remains Scottie Scheffler, coming up on two years as the No. 1 player in the world, already with two Masters titles. Jack Nicklaus is the only player to have won three times in a four-year span.

Scheffler said he’s feeling good, even if he didn’t sound that way with his nose stopped up.

“This rain and pollen out here,” he said. “I get out of my car in the morning, my eyes start watering.

It’s a little bit worse than normal years.

“I’m feeling good,” he said.

“Sniffles aren’t going to stop me.”

4

LUDVIG ABERG (SWEDEN)

Age: 25 Odds: +1600 World ranking: 5 FedEx Cup standings: 6

Masters entered; best finish: 2; 2nd (2024) Off the tee: Expectations

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

Scott, like Scheffler a deeply devout man, prayed with his family about what to do next.

“Everyone,” Scott said, “got the same answer.”

What has happened since could, with just a smidgen of hyperbole, qualify as divine intervention.

Over the past four seasons, Scheffler has rocketed to No. 1 in the world, capturing two of the past three Masters tournaments among his 13 PGA Tour wins — plus a gold medal in last summer’s Paris Olympics — all with Scott on the bag.

Scheffler possesses immense talent that a minute few people on the planet can claim But just as clearly, Scott is a not-to-beunderestimated ingredient of Scheffler’s success.

“Ted Scott has really helped Scottie Scheffler stay in control of his emotions, to have an incredible attitude of positivity in a game that can definitely put negative thoughts in your head,” said the Golf Channel’s Todd Lewis, who composed a feature on Scott that premiered Wednesday night. “I think he has incorporated joy into Scottie’s life, and not just in a professional way He’s optimistic, positive, kind, and it is such a positive thing for Scottie.

“There is obviously no ranking for caddies. But if you ask any player, any caddie, any official, they’re probably going to say Scottie Scheffler is the world’s number one player, and he has the world’s best caddie.”

When Scheffler tees off at 9:15 a.m. on Thursday to open the 89th Masters tournament, paired with two-time PGA champion Justin Thomas and U.S. Amateur winner Jose Luis Ballester, he will be aiming to make history He is trying to join Jack Nicklaus, Nick Faldo and Tiger Woods as the only repeat Masters champions, and join Nicklaus as the only men to win three Masters in four seasons.

Scott has his own “record” to shoot for as well.

Another victory for Scheffler would make Scott, 51, just the third caddie in Masters history to be on the bag for five victories. William “Pappy” Stokes brought home five winners from 1938-56, among them Ben Hogan in 1951 and 1953. Willie Peterson caddied for the first five of Nicklaus’ six Masters victories in 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972 and 1975. Both Stokes and Peterson caddied in an era when only Augusta National’s club caddies could work the Masters.

Scott doesn’t try to deny it would be an achievement, but he also doesn’t want to claim any of the credit.

“I wouldn’t want to be in the history books as, ‘Oh, this is the caddie who won five times’ and ‘Look at me,’ because honestly, I don’t hit a shot,” he said. “Half the time it’s the wrong club or it’s hit in the wrong place

“These guys are so good at golf, I’m thankful I get to support them. If I happen to get to do it five times (at the Masters), I would be so blessed. But I wouldn’t think of that as a record for me. I live for Scottie to get in the record books as one of the best to play at the Masters. I would cherish that more than any caddie number of wins. To say I walked with the champion five times would be amazing.”

There are “horses for courses” in golf, and certainly Scheffler is a thoroughbred at Augusta National. Eighteen of his 20 rounds here have been at par or better and he’s the only man to finish

16 Masters entered; best finish: 9; T6 (2024) Off the tee: Two U.S Open wins prove DeChambeau’s major mettle, but has LIV Golf’s lack of competition tarnished his skills? Still too much talent to

65 YEARS AGO

Arnold Palmer won his first Masters in 1958.Two years later in 1960,Arnie’s Army — the name bestowed on his legions of fans — was in full force.“It was 1959 when I first saw the words ‘Arnie’s Army,’ ” Palmer said. Solders from Camp Gordon in Augusta (now Fort Eisenhower) worked Masters scoreboards and were allowed to attend for free in uniform.They were quickly drawn to the charismatic Palmer, and the “army” was born. “When I won my second Masters title (in 1960), I thanked the ‘army’ of supporters who came out to follow me,” Palmer said. He would go on to win the Masters again in 1962 and 1964, with his army cheering him on.

CADDIES WITH MOST MASTERS WINS

5: William “Pappy” Stokes: 1938, 1948, 1951, 1953, 1956

5: Willie Peterson: 1963, 1965, 1966, 1972, 1975

4: Ted Scott: 2012, 2014, 2022, 2024

4: Steve Williams: 2001, 2002, 2005, 2013

4: Nathaniel “Iron Man”Avery: 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964

3: Jim “Bones” Mackay: 2004, 2006, 2010

“These guys are so good at golf, I’m thankful I get to support them. If I happen to get to do it five times (at the Masters), I would be so blessed. But I wouldn’t think of that as a record for me. I live for Scottie to get in the record books as one of the best to play at the Masters. I would cherish that more than any caddie number of wins. To say I walked with the champion five times would be amazing.” TED SCOTT, caddie

inside the top 20 in the past six Masters.

Again, Scott helped put him over the top, as they’ve gone win, tie for 10th and win the previous three Masters.

“Teddy is so great around this golf course,” Scheffler said to Sky Sports after winning here last April. “He knows exactly where the ball needs to be put.

“He does such a good job of managing me as we go around the course. Having a clear picture of what we need to do, understanding where the wind is, understanding where the miss is, and playing the right shots. I can’t speak highly enough of him managing me, not only around this golf course but all the golf courses we play. He’s a great asset to me out there and a great friend as well.

And to think, Scott figured he was done with caddying.

“Three times I’ve tried to quit caddying and it keeps coming back to me,” Scott said. “I’ve been fortunate to work with great guys.

“I’m finishing up with the best guy The best player.”

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM Scottie Scheffler, center, and Russell Henley, right, walk off the green on the 16th hole during a practice around at the Masters on Wednesday in Augusta, Ga.

LIVING

Curried vegetables yieldbright

Best Fest

Cook up thesefavoritedishesathomeas

1. Heat oil in alarge nonstick skillet over medium-highheat

2. Add onion and green and red bell peppers and saute for 2 to 3minutes. Add the flour and mix until the flour is mostly absorbed.

3. Add the water to asmall bowl and mix in the ginger,garlic, turmeric, cumin and curry powder.Pour the water into the sauté pan and cook until the sauce thickens, 30 to 40 seconds.

4. Add the okra, mushrooms and vegetable broth. Stirwell andadd salt and pepper to taste. Bring thesaucetoasimmer, cover the skillet with alid and cook for about 5to6minutes. Stir in the cashews.

5. Divide in half and serve overthe rice.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 394 calories (48 percent from fat), 20.9 gfat (3.9g saturated,11.5 gmonounsaturated), no cholesterol, 14.4 gprotein, 47.0g carbohydrates, 11.8 gfiber,93mg sodium.

Microwaveable Brown Rice

Yields 2servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer

1packagemicrowaveable brown rice to make1½cups cooked rice

2teaspoons oliveoil

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Cook rice according to package instructions.

2. Measure 1½ cupsand set aside the remaining rice for another dinner.Add the olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.

3. Divide between 2dinner plates.

NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 226 calories (24 percent fromfat), 6.0 gfat (1.0 gsaturated, 2.7 g monounsaturated), no cholesterol, 4.2 gprotein, 38.8 gcarbohydrates, 2.4 gfiber,6mgsodium.

Areyou coming to see me on the food stage at French Quarter Fest? Y’all got your Jazz Fest tickets? Who’shad crawfish (even if it was expensive when the season started)?

SpringtimeinNew Orleansis magical. As thecity shakesoff the remnants of winter and the crazy snowwehad, thestreets come alive with vibrant music, delicious food and apalpable sense of joy that permeates every corner The mild weather,blooming flowersand festive spirit make spring theperfect time to explorethe city’sunique culture and traditions. At theheart of these celebrations are theiconic festivals that draw locals and visitors alike to experience the very soul of New Orleans.

Ahallmark of spring in New Orleans is theFrench Quarter Festival, starting April 10. Spanningseveral days in mid-April, this event —billed as the largest free music festival in the South —transformsthe historic French Quarter into amassive celebration of local music, food and culture. More than

20 stages feature everything from traditional jazz to funk and brass bands. Food is acentral element, with more than 60 local restaurantssetting up booths. Must-try dishes include crawfish étouffée, shrimpand grits, and beignets.The festival’s emphasis on local talent and cuisine makes it afavorite among residentsand visitors.

Next up, the New Orleans Jazz &Heritage Festival, April 24-May 4, showcases the best of jazz, blues, gospel, R&B and rock With alineup of local legends and international stars, it’snowonder Jazz Fest is considered one of the world’spremier music festivals. Beyond the music, however,Jazz Fest is also afeast for food lovers. Vendors line the grounds,

With lessthan two weeks away from one of Louisiana’ssweetest

Crawfish Fettuccine

Serves 4very hungry people or 6normal hungrypeople.

1pound fettuccine pasta

1tablespoon butter

1pound cooked crawfish tails 4cloves garlic, minced 1cup heavycream 6tablespoonsgrated Parmesan cheese

1tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt to taste

1. Fill alarge pot withlightly salted water and bring to arolling boil. Cook fettuccine at a boil until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8minutes. Drain.

2. Heat butter in alarge skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir crawfish and garlic in butter for1minute.

3. Pour in heavy cream;stir Add Parmesan cheese, 1tablespoon at atime,stirring constantly. Mix in parsley,season withsalt. Simmer,stirring frequently,until sauceisthickened.

4. Stir fettuccine into sauce until evenly coated; serve hot.

PHOTO By MONICA BELTON
Chef Kevin Belton’sCrawfish Fettucine
TNS PHOTO By LINDAGASSENHEMIER
Kevin Belton

In defenseofcallwaiting

Dear Miss Manners: I’m no more afan of call waiting than Miss Manners is, but Ido want to defend its limited utility.Iwas coowner and manager of asmall business for several years, and Ifrequently had to act as receptionist by answering our office phone If I’m on the phone and call waiting sounds, Iask Party Atowait 15 seconds while Icheck my other line. Iask them to call back if we’re disconnected, and I repeat my guarantee that I will get back to them in 15 seconds Iswitch to Party Bonthe second line by stating my name and asking for theirs. Then Isay immediately that Ihave to return to my other line,but Iwill definitely call them back in five or 10 or 15 minutes (whichever seems realistic for finishing Party A’scall) Under no circumstances will Iallow Party Btoexplain the reasonfor their call; if they try,Iinterrupt

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

and repeat that Ineed to hang up and I’llcall them back. If they still keeptalking, Itell them for the second time that Ihave to hang up. Then I hang up, without waiting for their consentoracknowledgment. If the whole process is handled efficiently,I’m back to Party Awithin the 15 secondsthat I promised. But some peopleinevitably persist in telling metheirstory,so Ihavetostay firm andcut them off. Am Ibeingrudebyhanging up, or is my system sufficiently polite for the modern world?

Gentle reader: Sufficiently Polite for the Modern World sounds like astandardfor those whohavegiven up caring— one stepbehind Do Whatever Comes Naturally,though perhapsbetter than the perpetually dreary Whatever MakesYou

Happy What is interesting about your situation is that busi-

ness etiquette may indeed have different rules than those that apply in the personal world. Hospitals do not takepeople on astrictly first-come, first-served basis for agood reason, and this leadsher to wonder what service your company provided. Whatever that is,the more pressing the reason for you to pick up quickly for thenext caller —say, for example, you were staffing asuicide-prevention hotline —the more reason you would have not to hang up on the current one. Andeven if youcannot stay with the current person,what justification is there for hanging up rather than putting them back on hold?

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners. com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick,1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Chef Kevin Belton’sCrawfish Bread Crawfish Bread

Serves 6to8

1baguette or loaf of French bread

½cup mayonnaise

2tablespoons butter

¾cup finely chopped Vidalia onion

2clovesgarlic, minced

1poundcooked crawfish tails

¾cup chopped green onion

1tablespoonchopped fresh parsley

1teaspoon Creole seasoning

8ounces cream cheese, softened

½cup grated Parmesan cheese

¾cup grated Monterey Jack cheese

½teaspoon sweet paprika

Chopped fresh parsley,togarnish

HUNGRY

Continued from page1D

1. Preheat oven to 375 F.

2. Slice the bread in half lengthwise and place on a baking sheet. Coat halves evenly with mayonnaise.

3. In alarge skilletover medium heat,melt the butter andsaute onion until translucent, about5 minutes. Addgarlicand cook until it releases aroma, about1 minute.

4. Add crawfish, green onion, andparsley, andcook until heated through, 4to

offering dishes that have become iconic like crawfish bread, jambalaya and cochon de lait po-boys. Don’tforget the mango freeze. Jazz Fest truly embodies the city’s dedication to celebrating music and cuisine in equal measure. Spring in New Orleans is not just aboutmusic and food; it’sabout community andthe joy of gathering together to celebratelife. Whether you’re grooving to livejazz at Jazz Fest, savoring aplate of crawfish at theCrawfish Festival, or strollingthrough the French Quarterwitha poboy in hand, thecity’sspirit shines brightest during this season. In New Orleans, every meal is acelebration, and every songisaninvita-

BERRY

Continued from page1D

“Growers did see adip in production at some point afterthe freeze,but alot of fruit has been coming in during the past few weeks,”

Dr.Mary Helen Ferguson, extension agent at the LSU Ag Center,said.

Theberry belt

The strawberry industry hasbeena source of pride for Louisiana dating back to the 1800s. Many Italian and Hungarian immigrants moved to the state for its warm weather and rich soil and decided to try their hand at growing the crop.

The industry was highly successful, and local farmers sold their strawberries to people across the country by the 1920s. In 1924, over

14,000 acres were planted, according to GingerRomero’s“The Louisiana Strawberry.”

These days, most U.S. strawberries are grown in California,but Louisiana strawberries still supply local farmers markets and grocery stores. And it depends whoyou ask, but many people saySoutheastern Louisiana strawberries are the sweetestinthe country

Berrypicking tips

If you’re ready to head out andpick berries on your own,Ferguson shared afew tips to make sure you’re selecting the best fruit.Here’s what she said:

n Pickberries that are fully ripe. Strawberries won’t ripen more once they’reoff theplant like some fruitsdo.

n Storeyourstrawberries in the refrigerator as quickly as possible.

Wife feelssecond best to mother-in-law

Dear Annie: I’m struggling with my mother-in-law, “Linda,” and it’sstarting to cause tension in my marriage. My husband, “Jake,” is an only child, and they have always been very,very close. At first,Ithought it was sweet, but I’ve come to realize that when Linda and I have adifference of opinion, Jake will always be Team Linda. Lastweek, we invited her over for dinner.I had gone to thegrocery store and bought all the ingredients for pastaand a Caesar salad, and that very afternoon, Linda called and said, “I’m really in the mood for steak.” Instead of supporting me because Ihad already prepped the menuand done thegrocery shopping, Jake agreed with her and requested that we go buy steaks instead. This is one of just countless examples, but it’sreally starting to wear on me. Ithink it’s nice that they’re close, but Idon’twant to compete with his mother How do Iget Jake to see my side without making him feel like he has to choose between us? —Odd WomanOut

5minutes.Add Creole seasoning and stir.Add cream cheese, removefrom heat, and continue to stir until cheese is melted

5. Dividemixture and spread evenly over both bread halves. Topwith cheesesand sprinklewith paprika.

6. Bakefor about 15 minutes. Turn oven tobroil and broil close to flame or heat until cheese has browned, 1 to 2minutes.Serve warm.

tion to dance.

Kevin Belton is resident chef of WWL-TV and has taught classes in Louisiana cooking for 30 years. The most recent of his four cookbooks, “KevinBelton’sCookin’ Louisiana: Flavors from the Parishes of the Pelican State,” was published in 2021. EmailChef at chefkevinbelton@gmail. com.

n Don’twash your berries beforeputting them in the refrigerator.Instead, wait until you’re abouttoeat them.

n Plan to preserveoreat your berrieswithina few days of picking. Strawberries can last up to seven days afterharvest under ideal conditions.

Wheretopickyourberries

But where can you find astrawberrypatch to indulge?Here’salist of farms.

n CM FARMS: 252 CM Farms Road,Dry Creek

n KINGSTON ORCHARDS: 7406 La. 175, Frierson

n INDIAN VILLAGE HARVEST

FARM: 1976 Guyton Swamp Road,Calhoun

n MRS. HEATHER’SSTRAWBERRY

FARM: 31458 La. 43, Albany

n LIUZZA LAND: 56211 Old

U.S. 51, Amite City

n LANDRYPOCHÉ FARM: 29955 Richardson Drive, Holden

agreeing with his mother on the steak issue, Jake dismissed your efforts and madeyou feel like an outsider in your own marriage. The first step would be telling him how his actions madeyou feel. You’re not asking him to cut ties with his mother —just to take your feelings into consideration. This doesn’thave to be a competition.

Dear Annie: Many people end up in jobs they don’t enjoy fordifferent reasons. Somefeel pressured by their parents to become doctors or lawyers. Some feel their dreamsare unrealistic or that they don’t have what it takes to be successful.

For me, the message was clear: “You’re awoman you do office work.” So I did, and Ihated it. Iwanted to be aflight attendant, but Iwas “too short.” Iloved carpentry,but that was a “man’sjob.” Photography?

My parents didn’tsee it as “real work.” Ispent my lifeproving people wrong, mastering carpentry,electrical work, photography,landscaping and even driving semis.

Dear Odd WomanOut: This isn’tabout food preferences; it’sabout respect.By

But despite all these skills, Inever fully used them It felt too late, Ifelt too

old, too tired. Now, at 70, I look back and wish Ihad pushed harder forwhat I truly wanted. To young people: follow your dreams, even when no one believes in you. Schools offer career assessments, and my kids followed theirs. If you think creatively,your passion can lead to all sorts of opportunities. For example, my son always liked gaming and ended up becoming avery successful programmer.I just hope morekids have the courage to chase what they love, no matter what others say —Unliked Careers Dear Unliked Careers: Even if you didn’tuse your skills to your full potential, the fact that you pursued them showsyour resilience and self-confidence. It’s true that young people cannot let others dictate their future, and it’salso true that it’snever too late! At 70, your experience and wisdom would makeyou agreat mentor to young people pursuing photography,carpentry or even just looking forsome career guidance. Follow your own advice and pursue those passions that you haven’t yet exhausted.

Send yourquestions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators.com.

Reader submitsdeclutteringhints

Dear Heloise: It’sthe time of year when people start spring-cleaning and adding fresh touches to their homes. Oneof thebest things that you can do to improve your homeis to declutter.When Isay “declutter,” I don’tmean throwing things out and replacing them with new clutter.Imean getting rid of itemsthat you don’t love, gifts that you don’t like, and all the craft materials for that one hobby you’re going to do …someday.These hintsmight be of help to you as you go through your home: n Don’tdothe whole house at once. Take it one room at atime, but get busy and dig in! Youmight do your closet today,and two or three days later,you can tackle the rest of the room.You’ll avoid burnout this way n Don’tsay,“Imight need this in thefuture.” It’s clutter,soget rid of it and remember that you might never need it! n Youlive in ahome, not astorage unit. Stop saving stuff that you don’tuse or like. If you haven’tworn a partydress in two years, you probably never will again.

n Donate itemstocharity or have agarage sale, but don’tbox up clutter and store it in your attic, basement or garage. Getitout of your homeand off your property n Before you buy anything new to replace what you parted with, ask yourself:“Do Ireally need this? How will this makemylifebetter?”

n Once you get rid of all the clutter,your homewill be easier to clean. You’ll improve its appearance, and it’sawonderful sense of accomplishment to open up the kitchen junk drawer and see it organized beautifully.Many people experience asense of freedom once all the clutter is gone. Goodluck, and remember to be ruthless whendecluttering! —J.L., in Massachusetts Keepingthe housecool

Today is Thursday, April 10, the 100th day of 2025. There are 265 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On April 10, 1998, the Northern Ireland peace talksconcluded as negotiatorssigned theGood Friday Agreement,alandmarksettlement to end 30 years of bitter rivalries and bloody attacks.

On this date: In 1866, theAmerican Societyfor the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals was founded in New York by Henry Bergh. In 1912, theBritish liner RMSTitanic set sail from Southampton, England, bound for New York on its ill-fated maiden voyage.

In 1919, Mexican revolutionaryEmilianoZapata was assassinated by forces loyal to President VenustianoCarranza. In 1963, thenuclear submarine USS Thresher

Dear Heloise: Our neighbor gave us agreat suggestion to lower our cooling bills during the summer He installed solar and sun screens on the windows that are on the sunny side of his house. These screens block the majority of the UV rays on the hot side of his home. So, we had amobile screen company come to install them on ours. Oh, it’ssoeasy.And I’ll do anything to save money! Ilove your wonderful column. Keepitup! —S., in California Garage door keypad

TODAYINHISTORY

(SSN-593) sank during deep-diving tests east of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, killing all 129 aboard.

In 1971, the U.S. table tennis team arrived in China at the invitation of the communist government foragoodwill visit that came to be knownas“pingpong diplomacy.”

In 2019, scientists released the first image ever madeofa black hole, revealing afiery,doughnutshape object in agalaxy 55 million light-years from earth.

Dear Heloise: Alot of folks have an outside keypad to open their garage doors. With manybrands, though, the “enter” key will also have adown arrow so you don’tneed to enter acode to get the door to go down. That being said, some folks like to leave the garage door open abit forair circulation or pet access. In this case, someone can push the enter key to cause the door to go down, then push it again so that the door will go up. Then they are in your garage. Tryit. Thanks! —C.M., in Houston

Tracking your pets

Dear Heloise: There are a number of new gadgets to monitor your precious pets, such as collars with aGPS and avideo camera. Boarding and day care places have doggy cams so that you can check on your pooch from your laptop or smartphone. —B., in Washington

Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Today’sbirthdays: Labor leader-activist Dolores Huerta is 95. Football Hall of Famer Mel Blount is 77. Author Anne Lamott is 71. Actor Peter

Mugs, shirts, hats, posters, books

Something for everyone at the Advocate Store!

Hints from Heloise

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Set your sights on something on therise.Avoid situations and people whotend to interfere. Put your time and energy into progress, not into no-win situations and empty conversations.

TAURUS (April20-May 20) Choose your path, and don't look back.It's time to show your worth, shootfor the stars and make adifference. Clear up any legal, institutional or financial matters.

GEMINI(May21-June 20) Putyouremotions aside, be realistic andset your sights on your dreams. Changing your direction or will take research, learning and fine-tuning. Youmay not be able to please everyone, but you can please yourself.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Put thought and energy into earning more and increasing your financial stability.Domestic improvementswill boostyourassets and make your life easier and more enjoyable.

LEO (July 23-Aug.22) Keep an open mind; listen, learn and put what you discover to work for you. Takeany opportunity to meet newpeople or reconnect with someone you lost touch with over the years.

VIRGO(Aug. 23-Sept.22) Take abreak and visit aplace that inspires you or helps youput things in perspective. Engage in conversationsthat push you to visualize what's possible and connect youwith people who can help you make things happen.

LIBRA(Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take atrip or attendanevent that offers insight and gives you something to think about.An emotional journey will help you recognize what's best for you.

SCORPIO(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Take on achallenge, make adifference or useyour skills, talents and experience to propagateyour plan. Victoryiswithin reach if you believe in yourself.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec.21) Pay attention to your finances. Think twice before gettingtied up in someone else's debt.Avoid drama and don't let someone's sob stories manipulate your heart

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.19) You'll crave change and be attracted to unique people and places that stimulate your creative imagination.Gowith theflow and discover what excites you most

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb.19) Creative accounting will help you manage your finances. Spend more time at home makingyourspace morefunctional. Keep your moneyand possessionssafe, and avoid jointventures.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March20) Simplify, cap expenditures and set your sights on stability,security andspending time with the people you love. Participate in activities that make you happy, ease your mind and encourage friendships. The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by nEa,inc.,dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

CeLebrItY

Sudoku

InstructIons: sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the sudoku increases from monday to sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS

James C. Dobson, an evangelical author, psychologist and founder of Focusonthe Family, said, “Don’t marry thepersonyou think youcan live with; marry only the individual you think you can’t live without.” Thatisnodoubt true. At thebridge table, though, don’t make the play you think is right; make theplay after which either your contract cannotfailorthe opponent’s contractcannot make.

In this deal, Eastisdefending against five diamonds. West leads the heart queen, and South calls fordummy’s five. How might East hope to defeat the contract?

AfterSouthopened onediamond, West made atwo-heart weak jump overcall, showing agood six-card suit and 6to 10 high-card points. East raised to four hearts, acontract that would have made when both major-suit finesses worked. However, South rebid five clubs, and North converted to five diamonds. Since neithersidewas sure who could make what, this was passed out The defendersneed three tricks to defeat five diamonds. East can see one in hearts. Hissidecannot take asecond heart, becauseWest’s overcall guaranteedasix-cardsuit.Anyminor-suittricks would come in the fullness of time.That left spades to be considered.Who should

wuzzles

be attacking that suit,West or East? Clearly East. His leading spades through South rated to be moreprofitable than West’s leading around to South. So East should win thefirst trick with hisheartaceandshifttothespadequeen Here, that works beautifully, netting the first three tricks for thedefense. ©2025 by nEa,inc.,dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

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

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

tODAY’sWORD FORFEIt: FOR-fit:Toloseorlosethe right to.

Average mark 20 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find25ormorewordsinFORFEIT?

YEstERDAY’s WORD —PREPARED

today’s thought

help is in the nameofthe Lord, who madeheaven and earth.”

marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles hidato
mallard

ScrabbleGramS

dIrectIons: make a2-to 7-letterword fromthe letters in each row. add pointsof each word, using scoring directions at right.Finally 7-letterwords get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value. allthe words are in theOfficial sCraBBlE® players Dictionary, 5thEdition.

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 -Each row and each column must contain the numbers1thorugh 4(easy) or 1through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 -The numberswithin 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

HErE is aplEasanT liTTlE gamEthat will give

numerical puzzle designedtospell outyourfortune. Count

the number of letters is 6ormore, subtract4.ifthe

left

roSe

PUBLIC NOTICE

ORLEANSPARISH

p.m. to thefollow‐ingaddress: HousingAuthority of NewOrleans Department of Procure‐ment andContracts Attn:Trudy Jackson, Con‐tracts Administrator 4100 TouroStreet NewOrleans,Louisiana 70122 Thefullscope of work andsinglecopiesofthe RFPpackage

cordance with R.S. 38:2212 (A)(1) (c)and/or R.S. 39:1954 (C)(2) (d). AA/EEO 135888-apr10-1t $37.05

REVISED OFFI CIAL

PROCEEDINGS OF THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS

REGULAR SESSION

CITY HALL: NOVEMBER 21, 2024

The Council of the City of New Orleans met this day in Regular Session, at

10:03 A.M., in the Council Chamber,City Hall, Council President, Helena Moreno, presiding.

On calling the roll, the following members answered to their names:

PRESENT: MORENO (PRESIDENT) MORRELL (VICE PRESIDENT) GIARRUSSO HARRIS GREEN

THOMAS

ABSENT:

KING (Arrived later in the meeting).

SIX MEMBERS PRESENT,CONSTITUTING AQUORUM.

ROLL CALL

AISHA R. COLLIER

ASSISTANT CLERK OF COUNCIL

INVOCATION

BISHOP BRANDON BOUTIN UNITED FELLOWSHIP FULL GOSPELBAPTIST CHURCH

PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE

HELENA MORENO

COUNCILMEMBER-AT-LARGE

AMENDMENTS

AMENDMENT TO ORD. CAL. NO. 34,841 (NO.RB-FEDERAL-SF-IG)

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

This Amendment contains aseries of adjustments to revenues to be recognized in 2025 in certain special funds, grant funds, and the Intergovernmental Revenues Fund (Fund 6699). These revenue adjustments will have corresponding expenditureadjustments in Amendment No. EB-Federal-SF-IG.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO ORD. CAL.NO. 34 841(NO.RB-OMNIBUS)

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

This Amendment contains aseries of adjustments to revenues to be recognized in 2025 in the General Fund and the Priority Multi-Year Projects Fund(Fund 1183). These revenue adjustments will have corresponding expenditureadjustments in Amendment No. EB-Omnibus.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO ORD. CAL.NO. 34 842(NO.EB-FEDERAL-SF-IG)

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

This Amendment contains aseries of adjustments to appropriations in special funds, grant funds, and the Intergovernmental Revenues Fund (Fund 6699). Fund 6699 is aplaceholder fund, meaning no actual revenue (cash) is recognized in it and no actual expenditures aremade fromit. When grants or special revenues areamended (added) into the budget, the Intergovernmental Revenues Fund is decreased by acorresponding amount, and the budgeted activities areaccounted for in the grant or special revenue funds.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO ORDINANCE CAL. NO. 34,842 (NO.EB-OMNIBUS)

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

This Amendment contains aseries of adjustments to appropriations in the General Fund and the Priority Multi-Year Projects Fund (Fund 1183). The Priority Multi-Year Projects Fund accounts separately for one-time or temporary projects or programs funded by one-time or temporary revenues.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO ORD. CAL.NO. 34,846 (TAX-1)

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

This amendment contains an adjustment to the ordinance to levy ad valorem taxes to reflect areduction in the millage levied for the purpose of paying the interest on and for the redemption of City bonds.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO ORD. CAL.34,864

BY:COUNCILMEMBERSGIARRUSSO GREEN, THOMAS AND KING

An amendment to Ord. Cal. No. 34,864 to clarify the prohibition applies to all electrically conductive balloons, including but not limited to Mylar balloons.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King, Thomas -2 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED.

AMENDMENT TO CALENDARNUMBER34,894

BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORRELL

An amendment to Ord. Cal. No. 34,894 to add definitions, clarify language, and distinguish between stormwater control measures and best management practices; and otherwise provide with respect theret

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King, Thomas -2 AND THE AMENDMENT WASADOPTED. VCC APPEAL OF ZELLA V. MAY, ZGROUP,LLC -Requesting to appeal the Historic District Landmarks Commission’s(HDLC) decision not to allow the demolition until aCertificate of Appropriateness is issued for anew construction project for the property located at 2600 St. Claude Avenue.

WITHDRAWN. (At the applicant’srequest) ZONING PETITION

ZONING DOCKET NO. 81/24 –PRAISE BE, LLC -Requesting a Conditional Use to permit abar in aMedium Intensity Mixed Use (MU-1) District, on Square90, Lots 7-10, in the Sixth Municipal District, bounded by Tchoupitoulas Street, Austerlitz Street, and Constantinople Street (Municipal Address: 3959 S. Front Street). The recommendation of the City Planning Commission being “FOR DENIAL”. WITHDRAWN. (At the applicant’srequest) ORDINANCES ONFINAL PASSAGE

CAL.NO. 34,695 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST)- An Ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into acontract of lease with SLS Studios, LLC for aportion of the St. Thomas Street public right-of-way located in the First Municipal District, being aportion of St. Thomas Street between RichardStreet and Market Street, and to fixthe monthly rent and terms of said lease, to declarethat such land to be leased is not needed for public purposes, and to set forth the reasons for said lease of land; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,841 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance to provide an Operating Budget of Revenues for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2025 in accordance with Sections 3-116, 4-206(1)(f), and 6-102 of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell,Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,842 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance providing an Operating Budget of Expenditures for the City of New Orleans for the Year 2025 in accordance with Sections 3-115, 4-206(1)(f),and 6-102(3) of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Thomas -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Morrell -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED. CAL. NO. 34,843 –BY: COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, MORENO, GIARRUSSO, HARRIS,KING,

THOMAS (BY REQUEST) -An Ordinance

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,844 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance to adopt the New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund’s “Tourism and Cultural Economy Program, Proposed Grant Scoring Matrix,” and budget for the year 2025, to be administered by New Orleans Tourism and Cultural Fund to: (1) provide services and financial support to the culture-bearers and cultural economy of New Orleans, including, without limitation, the people, enterprises, and communities that transform cultural skills, knowledge, and ideas into economically productive goods, services, and places, and (2) enhance tourism in New Orleans by strengthening the cultural economy,which attracts tourists to New Orleans, supporting events and festivals, for the year 2025; and to provide otherwise with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,845 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance to adopt the Downtown Development District’s 2025 Plan to provide additional capital and special services, facilities, and improvements for the Downtown Development District (“District”) of the City of New Orleans (“City”) for the year 2025; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:King -1

AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,846 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance relative to the levy of ad valorem taxes upon the assessed value of all property,real, personal, and mixed, subject to taxation in the City of New Orleans and relative to the levy of ad valorem taxes on property located in special development and security districts in the City of New Orleans for the year 2025, to levy millage rates for the year 2025, and to reallocate the tax receipts for astate millage; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell,Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,847 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance relative to the levy of fees on property located in special security and improvement taxing districts in the City of New Orleans for the year 2025; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,848 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

-AnOrdinance to amend and reordain Section 2-1103 of the Code of the City of New Orleans, setting fees for notarial services and related costs; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Thomas -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King, Morrell -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,864 -BY: COUNCILMEMBERS GIARRUSSO, MORENO, MORRELL, HARRIS, KING, GREEN AND THOMAS -AnOrdinance to add Section 66-292 to the Code of the City of New Orleans, to ban the public release of Mylar balloons; and otherwise to provide thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,886 –BY: COUNCILMEMBERS THOMAS AND MORENO

-AnOrdinance to establish aconditional use to permit asalvage yard in aGPD General Planned Development District (Zoning Docket 079/24), on Square207, Lots 31 and 32, in the ThirdMunicipal District, bounded by Grant Avenue, Almonaster Avenue, and Old Gentilly Road (Municipal Address: 3795 Grant Avenue); and otherwise to provide with respect thereto. (ZONING DOCKET NO. 79/24)

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: Thomas -1 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,887 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST) -An

Ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into an agreement to grant aservitude to an adjacent property owner for encroachments on/over portions of public right-of-way located at the municipal address 2421 Rousseau Street; to fixthe minimum price and terms of said servitude agreement; to declarethat such use as granted in the servitude agreement will incorporate space that is neither needed for public purposes nor shall such use interferewith the use of the public right-of-way; to set forth the reasons for said servitude agreement; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: King, Thomas -2

AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,893 -BY: COUNCILMEMBER KING (BY REQUEST) -An

Ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into that certain First Amended and Restated Lease Agreement (the “Amended Lease”) with TouroShakspeareRevitalization Company,LLC (“Lessee”) for acertain portion of ground together with all buildings and improvements thereon situated in the Parish of Orleans, Fifth Municipal District, Square5,Part 9orLot A(as part of asubdivision of Arpents 14 and 15), formerly known as the TouroShakspeareHome, and which improvements bear the municipal address of 2621 General Meyer Avenue, New Orleans, Louisiana 70114 (the “Leased Premises”);and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell, Thomas -6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: Moreno -1 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,894 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER MORRELL- An Ordinance to amend and reordain Section 26-15 of the Code of the City of New Orleans, relative to the City of New Orleans’ amendments to the adopted International Building Code, 2015 Edition; to amend therein the Stormwater Code of the City of New Orleans, which includes permitting and submittal requirements, removal of bonding requirements, fees, plan review,and various standards relative thereto; and otherwise provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell-5

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,897 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BY REQUEST) -An

Ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans (“City”) to enter into Amendment No. 1tothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between the City and Louisiana State University Agriculture Center (“LSU”) to extend the CEA’sterm for four (4) years and to increase the CEA’s compensation, as morefully set forth as Exhibit “1”; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,898 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST) -

An Ordinance authorizing the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into aCooperative Endeavor Agreement among the City of New Orleans (the City”), the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission (the “Commission”), and A’s &Aces, for aterm greater than one year,for the public purpose of supporting, promoting, stimulating public interest in, and raising and distributing funds to benefitthe construction, creation, preservation, and maintenance of public parks and playgrounds, recreational facilities, and recreational and other leisureprograms and activities in the City of New Orleans, as morefully detailed in the Cooperative Endeavor Agreement as Exhibit “A”; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,900 –BY: COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, GIARRUSSO, MORENO, KING, GREEN AND THOMAS -AnOrdinance to establish and ordain Section 2-162 of the Code of the City of New Orleans to prohibit certain expenditures of public funds relative to persons and entities contesting the city’srights relative to the EdwardWisner donation; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,911 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST) -AnOrdinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No. 1toanexisting Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”) between the City of New Orleans (the “City”), and the Municipal YachtHarbor ManagementCorporation (“MYHMC”), relative to extending the CEA for the construction of a fishing pier on City land leased by MYHMC, as morefully set forth in Amendment No. 1tothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement form; and otherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:King, Thomas -2 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED.

CAL. NO. 34,912 –BY: COUNCILMEMBER GREEN (BY REQUEST) -An Ordinance to authorize the Mayor of the City of New Orleans to enter into Amendment No. 2tothe Cooperative Endeavor Agreement (“CEA”)

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, Moreno, Morrell -5

NAYS: 0

Thomas

NAYS:

ROLL

NAYS:

ABSENT:Thomas

CAL. NO. 34,918 – BY:COUNCILMEMBERS HARRIS, MORENO, MORRELL, GIARRUSSO, KING AND GREEN -AnOrdinance to ordain Section 146-37 of the City Code to requirenotice to whenastreet will be closed to vehicular traffic; andotherwise to provide with respect thereto.

ROLL CALL: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE ORDINANCE WASADOPTED. MOTIONS/RESOLUTIONS (LYING OVER)

NO. M-24-562 CITY HALL: October 1, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

WHEREAS, SECTION 6-104 (3) of the Home Rule Charter of the City of New Orleans requires that a five-year capital program be prepared and submitted to the Council; and WHEREAS, Ordinance Calendar No. 34,843 sets forth aCapital Budget for 2025, covering the first year of the five-year program; and WHEREAS, the remaining four years, 2026-2029,ofthe five-year capital program should also be identified; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS,

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, that said budget may,fromtime to time, be amended by the New Orleans Aviation Board, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer,provided that such amendment shall not have the effect of increasing or decreasing the total amount budgeted, as herein approved.

NOVEMBER 21, 2025 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTIONTHEREOF, AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,Harris, King, Moreno, Thomas -6 NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Morrell -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-564 CITY HALL: October 1, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORENO

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Operating Budget of the Delgado-Albania Plantation Commission for the year 2025, as herein below specified, be, and the same is hereby approved: DELGADO-ALBANIA PLANTATION COMMISSION OPERATING BUDGET FORTHE YEAR 2025

ANTICIPATED REVENUES

Interest Income

$37,000 TOTAL REVENUES $37,000

ANTICIPATED EXPENDITURES Other Operating $37,000

TOTAL EXPENDITURES $ 37,000

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That said budget may from time to time, beamended by the Delgado-Albania Plantation Commission, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer,provided that such amendment shall not have the effect of increasing or decreasing the total amount budgeted, as herein approved. NOVEMBER 21, 2024 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Morrell, Morrell, Thomas -7 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

NO. M-24-565 CITY HALL: October

Giarrusso, Green, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Harris -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-566 CITY HALL: October 1, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER GREEN

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Operating Budget of the New Orleans Municipal Yacht Harbor Management Corporation for the year 2025, as herein below specified, be, and the same is herebyapproved: NEW ORLEANS MUNICIPALYACHT HARBOR MANAGEMENT CORPORATION OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2025

ANTICIPATED REVENUES Rentals, Leases, and Assessments

EXPENDITURES

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That said budget may, from time to time, be amended by the New Orleans Municipal Yacht HarborManagement Corporation, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer provided that such amendment shall not have the effect of increasing or decreasing the total amount budgeted, as herein approved.

NOVEMBER 21, 2024

THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-567

CITY HALL: October 1, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Operating Budget of the Orleans Parish Communication District for the year 2025, as herein below specified, be, and the same is hereby approved: ORLEANS PARISH COMMUNICATION DISTRICT OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2025 ANTICIPATED

CITY HALL: November 7, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER KING Denying the applicant’srequest and affirming the decision of HDLC for the demolition for property located at 2600 Saint Claude Avenue. WITHDRAWN. MOTIONS/RESOLUTIONS

NO. M-24-702 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL, GIARRUSSO, HARRIS, KING AND GREEN WHEREAS, the City wasawarded $387,523,049.00inAmerican Rescue Plan funds made available by the American Rescue Plan Act, 2021 (Public Law 117-2, signed March 11, 2021) and distributed by the U.S. Treasury; and WHEREAS, on March 23, 2023, the Council adopted Calendar Ordinance No. 34,110 authorizing the City of New Orleans to enter into aSubrecipient Agreement (the “Agreement”) by and between the City of New Orleans (the “City”)

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That said budget may, from time to time, be amended by the Orleans Parish Communication District, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer,provided that such amendment shall not have the effect of increasing or decreasing the total amount budgeted, as herein approved.

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0 ABSENT: 0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-568

CITY HALL: October 1, 2024 BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Operating Budget of the New Orleans Building Corporation for the year 2025, as herein below specified, be, and the same is hereby approved: NEW ORLEANS BUILDING CORPORATION OPERATING BUDGET FOR THE YEAR 2025

ANTICIPATED REVENUES

EXPENDITURES

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That said budget may, from time to time, be amended by the New Orleans Building Corporation, with the approval of the Chief Administrative Officer,provided that such amendment shall not have the effect of increasing or decreasing the total amount budgeted, as herein approved.

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-569

CITY HALL: October 1, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER THOMAS

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Council authorizes the Clerk of Council stafftomake any necessary technical,typographical,mathematical,and/or structural adjustments to any ordinances, motions, and amendments related to the adoption of the 2025 budget. This motion allows for the assurance of accuracy and the elimination of errors.

NOVEMBER 21, 2024 THE FOREGOINGMOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS

CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell, Thomas -7

NAYS: 0

ABSENT: 0 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-680 CITY HALL: November 7, 2024

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS

WHEREAS, Section 21.8.C.18.m of the Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance (“CZO”) permits the issuance of only one non-commercial short-term rental permit within each city block, inclusive of all lots fronting any exterior boundary of said block and all interior lots; and WHEREAS, CZO Section 21.8.C.18.r authorizes the City Council to grant special exceptions to the one-permit-per-block limit imposed by Section 21.8.C.18.mand to allow for the issuance of up to two additional noncommercial short-term rentals in any given block; and WHEREAS, Tina Marquardt has applied for aspecial exception from the Section 21.8.C.18.m block limit on non-commercial short-term rentals for the property located in Square446 and bearing municipal address 5221 Hawthorne Place; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCILOFTHE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Council, having reviewed the report and recommendation provided by the City Planning Commission staffinaccordance with Section 21.8.C.18.rofthe Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance, does hereby DENY the request from applicant, Tina Marquardt, for aspecial exception from the Section 21.8.C.18.m block limit on non-commercial short-term rentals for the immovable property located in Square446 and bearing municipal address 5221 Hawthorne Place (the “Property”). The applicant may not reapply for aspecial exception for any property in the block that includes the Property for two years from the date of this motion. BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall forwardcopies of this motion to the Executive Director of the City Planning Commission, the Department of Safety and Permits, and the applicant. NOVEMBER 21, 2024 THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6

NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-699

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green,

-6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-703 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL AND GREEN BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the report and recommendation for approval of the City Planning Commission on ZONING DOCKET NO. 75/24 –City Council Motion No. M-23-192,

further provides that the President of the City Council shall not execute any such contract unless authorized to do so by Council motion; and WHEREAS, The City of New Orleans and TouroShakspeareRevitalization Company LLC (“TouroShakspeare”) desiretoenter into aLoan Disbursement Agreement for $6,000,000.00 for the rehabilitation of and construction of 52 Affordable Rental Units, as well as twoancillary instruments to the Loan DisbursementAgreement: 1) aPromissory Note to be executed by TouroShakspeareinfavor of the City; and 2) aLeasehold Mortgage, Security Agreement, and Pledge of Lease and Rents to be executed by TouroShakspeareinfavor of the City.The Loan Disbursement Agreement is attached hereto in substantial conformity as Exhibit “A”; the Promissory Note is attached in substantial conformity as Exhibit “B”; and the Leasehold Mortgage, Security Agreement, and Pledge of Lease and Rents is attached heretoinsubstantial conformity as Exhibit “C”; NOW THEREFORE BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the President of the Council shall be added as asignatory to: 1) the Loan Disbursement Agreement and between the City of New Orleans and TouroShakspeareRevitalization Company; and 2) Promissory Note to be executed by TouroShakspeareinfavor of the City BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign: 1) the Loan DisbursementAgreement between the City of New Orleans and TouroShakspeareRevitalization Company; and 2) the Promissory Note to be executed by TouroShakspeareinfavor of the City BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall forwardcopies of this motion, including Exhibits A, B, and Ctothe City Attorney’sOffice to effectuate this request. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-705 BY:COUNCILMEMBERS MORRELL,KING AND GREEN (BY REQUEST) WHEREAS, Section 70-10 of the Code of the City of New Orleans requires that certain contracts providing for the aggregate expenditureofmore than $1,000,000.00 in city funds during the initial term and all allowable renewal terms or having an initial term of morethan one year must be signed by the President of the City Council; and WHEREAS, Section 70-10 further provides that the President of the City Council shall not execute any such contract unless authorized to do so by Council motion; and WHEREAS, The City of New Orleans, Office of Resilience &Sustainability and Toole Design Group, LCC, selected through RFP No. 3935, desireto enter into acontract for the developmentofthe Comprehensive Safety Action Plan to reduce and eliminate fatal and severe roadway crashes, for aperiod of 2years, the total compensation being $340,000.00; NOW THEREFORE

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the President of the Council shall be added as asignatory to the contract between the City of New Orleans and Toole Design Group, LLC; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the President of the Council is hereby authorized to sign the contract between the City of New Orleans and Toole Design Group, LLC, as attached hereto as Exhibit 1; and BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall forwardcopies of this motion, including Exhibit 1, to the City Attorney’sOffice to effectuate this request. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS: YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-706 BY:COUNCILMEMBER KING

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORENO

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the reappointment of Stephen Smith, nominee of the District C councilmember,asamember of the BoardofTrustees of the Finance Authority of New Orleans, effective upon approval by the Council of the City of New Orleans, for athree-year term that will expireonNovember 21, 2027, be, and the same is hereby ratified, confirmed and approved.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall immediately provide acertified copy of this motion to Stephen Smith, the Finance Authority of New Orleans, the Law Department, and the Mayor’sOffice of Intergovernmental Affairs. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6 NAYS: 0 ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED. NO. M-24-707 BY:COUNCILMEMBER HARRIS (BY REQUEST)

SECONDED BY:COUNCILMEMBER MORENO

BE IT MOVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS, That the Mayor’sreappointment of Geraldine Theresa Broussard(vice self), as amember of Morial Convention Center New Orleans, effective upon approval by the Council of the City of New Orleans, for aterm that will expireonJune 30, 2028, be, and the same is hereby ratified, confirmed, and approved.

BE IT FURTHER MOVED, That the Clerk of Council shall immediately provide acertified copy of this motion to Geraldine Theresa Broussard, the Morial Convention Center New Orleans, the Law Department, and the Mayor’sOffice of Intergovernmental Affairs. THE FOREGOING MOTION WASREAD IN FULL, THE ROLL WAS CALLED ON THE ADOPTION THEREOF,AND RESULTED AS FOLLOWS:

YEAS: Giarrusso, Green, Harris, King, Moreno, Morrell -6

NAYS: 0

ABSENT:Thomas -1 AND THE MOTION WASADOPTED.

NO. M-24-708

BY:COUNCILMEMBER GIARRUSSO (BY REQUEST)

hand delivered, or elec‐tronically submittedat www.centralbidding. com, no laterthan10:00 a.m. localtimeonMay 6, 2025. Promptlythere‐after,the bids will be publicly opened andread aloudinthe St.Charles Parish CouncilRecords Office of theSt. Charles Parish CourtHouse.The Ownerreservesthe right to reject anyand allBids in accordance with the Public BidLaw,and to disregardall noncon‐forming, nonresponsive, unbalanced or condi‐tional Bids

Bidding Documents: The Bidding Documents(Con‐tractDocuments,Specifi‐cationsand Drawings) areavailable to Contrac‐tors who are properly li‐d i L i i t tors who are properly li censed inLouisianaorto bona fide suppliersof materialsand equipment forpurchaseand/orre‐view at theoffice of the Engineer forthe con‐tract, H. DavisCole& As‐sociates,LLC.,1340 Poy‐dras Street,Suite 1850, NewOrleans,LA70112. Apayment of $150.00 in cash or checkpayableto theEngineer will be re‐quired foreachcomplete setofthe BiddingDocu‐ments. This paymentis refundable as provided in theLa.R.S.38:2212(D) PreBid Conference: A MandatoryPre BidCon‐ferencetodiscuss the scopeofthe projectand therequirementsofthe Biddingand Contract Documentswillbeheld on April22, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. theSt. Charles Parish Department of Public Worksand Waste‐water, 100 RiverOaksDr. Destrehan, Louisiana. At‐tendance of thePre-Bid Conference is Manda‐tory Each bidder must de‐positwithhis/her bid, security in theamount equalto five percent (5%) f th t t l bid i

equal to five percent (5%) of thetotal bid in theformofa certified check, cashier’scheck or bidbond. If thebid is submittedelectronically anda certified or cashier’scheck is used forbid bond,thenthe ac‐tual checkshall be deliv‐ered to theST. CHARLES PARISH COUNCIL RECORDSOFFICE,Parish of St.Charles,15045 River Road,Courthouse3rd Floor,Hahnville Louisiana, 70057. Elec‐tronic bids shallcontain allthe same documents that arerequiredin a physically deliveredbid Theoutside of thebid envelope must contain thesubmitting firm’s name,Louisiana Contrac‐tors LicenseNumber, the St.Charles Parish Project Number,and theSt. CharlesParishProject Title. St.Charles Parish is an EqualOpportunity Em‐ployer.Weencourage all smalland minorityowned firmsand women’sbusinessenter‐prises to participatein this solicitation Any personwithdisabili‐ti i i i l

and2B4-A in Square E, Parc Fontaine ExtensionNo. 2, FifthMunicipalDistrict andbounded by General De Gaulle Drive, RueParc Fontaine,MacArthur Boulevard, andKabel DriveintoLots2-B4-A1 Drive into Lots 2 B4 A1 and2-B4-A2.Municipal addressesare 4400-4440 GeneralDeGaulle Drive and3250 RueParc Fontaine.(Policy D) SD028-25 Resubdivision of Lots 8-Aand Cin Square28, Friburg, Sixth MunicipalDistrictand bounded by Audubon Street,Green Street AudubonBoulevard,and BirchStreet into Lots 8A1 and8A2.Municipalad‐dressesare 1631 AudubonStreet and7020 Green Street.(Policy A) THECITYPLANNING COMMISSION WILL HEAR PROPONENTS ANDOPPO‐NENTSTOTHE ABOVE PROPOSED SUBDIVI‐SIONS. ALLINTERESTED PARTIESARE ENCOUR‐AGED TO ATTEND AND ALLRELEVANTCOM‐MENTSCONCERNINGTHE PROPOSED CHANGESARE ENCOURAGED.THE CPC HASESTABLISHEDPUB‐LIC HEARINGRULES WITHIN ITSADMINISTRA‐TIVE RULES, POLICIES & PROCEDURES,WHICH AREAVAILABLE ON THE CPCWEBSITE: WWW NOLA.GOV/CPC.YOU MAY ALSO SUBMIT WRITTEN COMMENTS TO THEEX‐ECUTIVE DIRECTOR IN

PUBLIC NOTICEOFVACANCY Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-EastBank BoardofCommissioners

CURRENT VACANCY

Pursuant to La. R.S. 38:330.1 et seq., notice is hereby given that applications arebeing acceptedfrompersons interested in serving on theBoardofCommissioners for the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority- East Bank (SLFPA-E) Nine members serve on the BoardofCommissioners. ANominating Committee comprised of representativesofcivic,professional andacademic organizations reviewsapplicationsand recommends individuals for appointment by theGovernor andconfirmation by the Senate.The Nominating Committee is comprised of representatives from the following organizations: Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, Council for aBetter Louisiana, Louisiana Geological Survey,Association of StateFloodplain Managers, National Society of Black Engineers, UNO College of Engineering, Tulane UniversitySchool of Science &Engineering, SouthernUniversity College of Engineering, LSU College of Engineering, Louisiana Engineering Society,and American Society ofCivil Engineers.

TheNominating Committee is accepting applications for 4positions on the SLFPA-E BoardofCommissioners: Anon-resident whoresides outside of Jefferson, Orleans, or St. BernardParish to completethe remainderofa term that started on July 2, 2021 and ends on July 1, 2025 and asecond term appointed by the Governor that startsonJuly 2, 2025 andends on July 1, 2029.

Aresident of Orleans Parishonthe east bank of the Mississippi River to complete the remainder of aterm that started on October 21, 2022 and ends on July 1, 2026.

Anon-resident whoresides outside of Jefferson, Orleans, or St. BernardParish to complete theremainderofa term that startedon July 2, 2024 and ends on July 1, 2028

Aresident of Orleans Parishonthe east bank of the Mississippi River to complete the remainderofaterm that started on October 21, 2022 and ends on July 1, 2026.

RESIDENCY REQUIREMENTS

Three members shall reside in Orleans Parish on the east side of the Mississippi River within thejurisdiction of SLFPA-E.Two members shallreside in Jefferson Parishonthe east side of the Mississippi River. One membershall reside in St.Bernard Parish. Three members shall reside outside of Jefferson, St. Bernard, or Orleans Parishes.

QUALIFICATIONS

Engineering/Related Field Professional

Five members shall be either an engineer or aprofessional in arelated field such as geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental science. At least one of the three members shall be acivil engineer

Non-EngineeringProfessional Twomembers shall be professionals in disciplines other than engineering, geotechnical, hydrological, or environmental sciencewith at least ten years of professional experience in that discipline.

At-Large Twomembers shall be at-large and can serve with or without technical or professional qualifications. Once the new member is appointed, the composition of the Boardmust meet the residency andoccupational qualifications defined above.

HOW TO APPLY:

Youmay obtain an application by going online to www.floodauthority.orgorcontacting: Chris Humphreys

Interim RegionalDirector,Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East 6920 Franklin Ave., New Orleans, LA 70122 (504) 286-3100chumphreys@floodauthority.org

The deadline for receiving applications isApril 25, 2025.

don’tmiss don’tmiss don’t miss

poetry

festival

An opening gala kicksoff the 10thannual wordsmith event at 7p.m. Thursday at theSaturn Bar.Through Sunday,visit Café Istanbul inthe New OrleansHealing Center,2372 St. ClaudeAve.,for poetsfromaround the world, workshops, open mics,a memorial second-line, an international night of French poetry and more. Attendance is free but donationsare accepted.nolapoetry.com.

ABOUTLAGNIAPPE

crawfish boil

cook-off

noma egghunt

The annual hard-boiled brouhaha in the BesthoffSculptureGarden behind the museum features hundreds of (plastic) eggs scattered forkidsindifferent age groups to gather from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday.Plus, there will be arts and crafts,games, face painting, noshing and beverages,sweet treats andmusic. Tickets start at $20. noma.org/event/egghunt2025.

The Lagniappe sectionispublished each ThursdaybyThe Times-Picayune |The New OrleansAdvocate. All inquiries about Lagniappe should be directed to theeditor.

LAGNIAPPE EDITOR: Annette Sisco, asisco@theadvocate.com

COVER DESIGN: Andrea Daniel

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS: Victor Andrews, Ian McNulty,Keith Spera, Dave Walker

GETLISTEDINLAGNIAPPE

Submit events to Lagniappeat least twoweeks in advance by sending an email to events@ theadvocate.com.

ON THECOVER

Attendees of the 2024 French Quarter Festival dance in front of the Chevron Stage as Preston Frank and the Frank Family Band plays.

Photo by Sophia Germer. Keith Sperapreviewsthis year’s free festival on Page 6.

ponchatoula strawberryfest

The annual celebration of the strawberry harvest takes place Friday through Sunday, centered on Memorial Park in Ponchatoula. Sample food and dance to music on two stages amid carnival rides, arts and crafts. Festival royalty arrives in theStrawberry Parade starting at 9:30 a.m. Saturday Admissionisfree. Vendorsaccept cash only.lastrawberryfestival.com/festival.

University of Holy Cross in Algiers is thehot spot(at least for the crawfish) from 1p.m. to 5p.m. Saturday when the annual contest pits teams for top prizes. An all-you-can-eat ticket includes the crustaceans as well as corn, potatoes and sausage. Tickets start at $20 and team entry is $150, all to benefit student scholarships at the4123 Woodlawn Drive campus. uhcno.edu/crawfish.

‘seven last wordsofchrist’

Kate Walter, of Lott Quartet

Franz Joseph Haydn’smusical musings on theseven final things Jesus is reported to have said before thecrucifixion will be performed free by thelocally based Lott Quartet string ensemble at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday at Rayne Memorial United Methodist Church, 3900 St.Charles Ave. Apre-concert talkwill begin at 6:30 p.m. lott-quartet.com.

food food food

Hogs forthe CauseBBQ cook-off brings in millions

Back in 2009 two friends decided to host apig roast to raise money to help afamily in need and were able to give $7,500. This year,the organization that grew fromthis benevolent impulse brought in $5.25 million.

The 17th annual Hogs for the Cause barbecue cook-off and festival drew asold-out crowd last weekend and smashed its own fundraising record of ayear beforeby nearly $1 million.

For two days, Hogs for the Cause turned the grounds around the UniversityofNew Orleans Lakefront Arena into afestive landscape of barbe-

cueand music.Itwas alsoa showcaseofdetermined generosity and servicetoothers.

The organization supports families dealing with pediatric braincancer,and since Becker Halland Rene Louapre starteditwith that first pig roast, it hasbecome the most important funder for this work nationally.

The teams taking part fuel the giant charity cook-off with the food theyserve through the weekend and the moneythey raise throughout the year.

Along the way,theycompete forawardsacross a range ofcategories.

Email Ian McNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

Pork Belly Cartel, a team led by Gonzo’s Smokehouse, served beef cheek barbacoa and brisket boudin tacos at this year’s Hogsfor the Cause.

2025 WINNERS

Manning Family Children’sGrand Champion: Hog Addiction

Whole Hog: Hog Addiction

Ribs: Pork Illustrated

Pork Butt/Shoulder: Fire& Spice

Porkpourri: Sir-Pork-A-Lot

BestSauce: Chew Forks Farms

Blue Plate MayonnaiseBest Side: Team Stabbin

Irpino Avin Hawkins BestBacon: House of Hogs

”Just Winging It” presented by Tabasco: Fire&Spice

FanFavorite: Pork Belly Cartel

FridayNight Party: The Boar’s Nest

BestBooth: House of Hogs

BestSocial Media: 2nd Hand Smokers

Topfundraising teams

Fleur De Que: $750,000

Hogwatch: $350,000+

The Boar’s Nest: $275,000+

Team March of thePigs: morethan $275,000

Morten Andersen’s Mullets: morethan $250,000

Teamsthatraisedover

$100,000

n Bark &BiteBBQ

n DevilMoon BBQ

n Glazed &Confused

n Deswine Intervention

n Swine Krewe

n River Pork Pilots

n HouseofHogs

n Piggy Stardust

n Hoggystyle

n Mr. PigStuff

n Mr. Pigglesworth

Teamsthatraisedover

$50,000

n 2ndHand Smokers

n Swine and Dine

n Irish Brew BBQ

n The Hogfather

n Porktoberfest

n The PigEasy

n CaptainPorkenheimer

n Pork Belly Cartel

n Sir-Pork-A-Lot

n MazantNational

n HogAddiction

n Porkchopitoulas

n ChewForks Farms

n Wootay BBQ

n PigLatin

n Smokeshow Cook Squad

n The Last Mr. Pigg

n PigLit

STAFF PHOTO By

stages stages stages

Starring in Slidell Little Theatre’s production of ‘Rent’ are DelaneyDick, from left, Ezra Garner,Levi Joseph and Sky Broussard.

ä Forshows in production, visit nola.com.

livinggcconditions

‘Rent’ moving in at SlidellLittleTheatre

The “Rent” is due in Slidell, “Bing” rings in with the VictoryBellesat BB’s, crimefighters fight for love at Delgado and Crescent City Stage settles into anew spot on Magazine Street. It’sabig week on stage. Curtain up! ‘525,600 minutes’

“How do you document real life when real life’s getting more like fiction eachday?”

Victor Andrews

The opening lines fromthe titular song of “Rent” is the underlyingmessage for agroupofartists in New York City in the latterpartof the 20th centuryasthey look at life, art, love and AIDSinthe Tony-winning blockbuster thatalso won the Pulitzer Prize for author Jonathan Larson posthumously.

And the “525,600 minutes” is ayear, the basic length of the story.

Slidell Little Theatre opens the rock opera Friday,loosely basedonGiacomo Puccini’sopera “LaBohème.”

The show spans ayearoflifeand loss for the artists and friends in the Big Apple’sAlphabetCity on the Lower East Side. Hallmark songs include “Seasons of Love,” “La Vie Boheme” and “Another Day.”

Directed by Katie Harrison, the show features EzraGarner as Mark Cohen, Jevi Joseph as RogerDavis, Skylar Broussard asMimi Marquez,

NicholasAnthony SmithasTom Collins, Kobe CarruthasAngel Dumott Schunard, Delaney Dick as Maureen Johnson, AshleyKriegeras Joanne Jeffersonand Benny Zagorski as Benjamin Coffin III.The ensemble, aGreek chorus-type mélange that fills multiple roles includes Theresa Sharp, Lydia Pucheu, Nikki Bouvier, Jamie Lewis,Shelby Cascio, Sean Noggerath, CaseyJones and RueyTsay.

The show,much like real life, is mixed joy,sadness, comedy and some adult themes

The show runs at 8p.m. Fridays andSaturdays and 2p.m. Sundays through April 27 at 2024 Nellie Drive in Slidell. Tickets startat$35. Visit slidelllittletheatre.org.

Thebig ‘Bing’ theory

BB’sStage Door Canteen at The NationalWWII Museum pairs the velvety sounds of war-era crooner Bing Crosby with thesprightly Victory Belles in place of theAndrews Sisters fora showfilled withswinging wartime hits.

“Bingand theBelles”reprises some of the tunes Crosby shared with service personnel around the globe and on ArmedForces Radio.In addition to his work supporting the troops, Crosby also won an Oscar for

‘Bing &the Belles’ recreates the Bing Crosby/Andrews Sisters shows fromthe warera at BB’sStageDoor Canteen in the National WWII Museum on selected days.Taking part in the showare Keyara Mlliner,Chloé Marie, Allison Newton and Richard Arnold as Crosby.

his priestly role in “Going My Way,” appeared opposite BobHope in a slewof“Road” pictures and is perhaps best known for his starring role in “White Christmas”and “Holiday Inn.”

Framed as the Belles preparing for asurprise birthdayparty,the Ricky Graham-pennedshowfeatures RichardArnold as Crosby,who hasappeared in severallocal shows including the Jefferson Performing Arts’ production of “Holiday Inn” andthe Broadway tour of “42nd Street.”

The Belles includes arotating bevy of talented songstresses, including Keyara Milliner,Allison Newton, Chloé Marie, Courtney Andersen, BreAnna Collier and Kate Gulotta.

Amanda Zirkenbach is the director and choreographer,with Thomas Hook as the musical director.

The show runs through June 30 at 945 Magazine St. Tickets start at $20 forthe show and amatinee lunch is available on various days and times. Visit nationalww2museum.org.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

stages stages s st sttages

‘Superhero noir comedy’

Fallon Knight, Emily Boudre and Jasper LaCrosse.

Jasper LaCrosse is the Commissioner in ‘Hearts Like Fists.’

That’show Dramatists Play Service lists “Hearts Like Fists,” the show opening this week at Delgado Community College’s Theatre Department, featuring acast of students and alumni in theshow R’MyniWatson directs the show in which the dastardly Doctor Xiscreating apoison for sleeping lovers after being rejected. EnterCrimefighters, nurses by day,and some cartoon-esque “BAM! SMASH! KAPOW!” Throw in aserial heartbreaker looking for her “true purpose in life” and a heart doctor trying to create an artificial device that would be “immune from heartache’s trauma.”

Taking roles are Aaliyah Morris, Oli Richter,Cristian Gonzalez, NyxTingle, Meghan McDermott,

The show,onstage in the Timothy K. BakerTheatre in Building 1onthe college’sC Park Campus, runs at 7:30 p. Thursday to Saturday and 2:30 p.m.Sunday.Tickets start $10. Visit dcc.edu.

Anew home front

Local professional company Crescent CityStage is calling new spot home.

Executive director and co-founder Michael A. Newcomer said the 6063 Magazine St. building creates apermanent place for company’soffice and rehearsals.

“The organization believes thathaving abrick-and-mortar footprint is not only necessary but essential for us to grow and continue our educational and community outreach,”said Newcomer,a memberofthe

Actors’ EquityAssociation.“We hope thatthis space in aprime Uptown accessiblelocation is the beginning of ourexpansion of theater artsacross the metro area.”

Productions take place at Marquette Theater at Loyola

ngle, mott and night ‘Hearts sts’ gado Community IDED SByTODD

University,6363 St.Charles Ave., includingthe first-up show, “Tiny Beautiful Things,” set to open in May. Visitcrescentcitystage.com.

EmailVictor Andrews at vandrews@theadvocate.com.

DISCOVER THE ONLY WWII CAMPAIGN FOUGHT ON NORTH AMERICAN SOIL

This newexhibit examines the often-overlooked Japanese invasion of theAleutian Islands in Alaskaand the subsequent efforts to repulsethe only seizureofNorth American soil that occurred during World WarII.

events events events

Crewwith Center

Staging hang a French Quarter Festival sign near the Mississippi riverfront as music stages, food booths and various security measures are installed Monday.

Quintessential UARTER

Annual free festivalatthe riverfront offers awidevariety of localmusic andfood

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Visitors through Jackson Squarewalk through adouble layerofbarricades installed in preparation for the French Quarter Festival, which starts Thursday.

The 2025 French QuarterFestival breaks down to the numbers 42, 300, 22, 70, zero and zero.

This is the festival’s42nd edition.

More than 300 acts will perform on 22 stages.

There areapproximately 70 food vendors.

The price to enter the free festival is exactly zero dollars.

And once you’rein, you’ll spend zero dollars, at least in cash.

The big change for the 2025 French Quarter Fest, which opens Thursday and concludes Sunday,is

ä See FESTIVAL, page 8

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
The2024 French Quarter Festival starts off with aparade, of course. This year’sparade is Thursday

The Marquis de Lafayette, or at least ahighly regarded facsimile of him, will address French Quarter Festivalearly birds in Jackson Square on Saturday,the culmination of along weekend of kickoff events forthe newCabildo history exhibition “Bienvenue Lafayette.”

The exhibitionmarks the 200th anniversary of Lafayette’striumphant tour of America, celebrating thenew nation’s 50 years of independence, but especially his five-day residency in NewOrleans in April1825. He stayed in theCabildo, which underwenta mid-six-figure(in today’sfigures) makeover to ensure his comfort.

An arch, left,built in 1825 in what is nowJackson Square marked the visitof RevolutionaryWar hero Marquisde Lafayette, above. ARCHIVEIMAGES

STAFF FILEPHOTO By CHRISGRANGER

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FESTIVAL

Continued from page 6

that it is now completely cashless Anyone who shows up with paper money can exchange it for a pre-loaded RFID card in the Jax Brewery parking lot. Otherwise, the hundreds of thousands of attendees — the near-perfect forecast through the weekend will only boost attendance — will experience a festival that feels familiar and sounds like all of south Louisiana.

In its early years, the French Quarter Festival, which is produced by the nonprofit French Quarter Festivals Inc., focused on traditional jazz. But it has since expanded its offerings to include the full spectrum of indigenous sounds. Case in point: the DJ stage along the Mississippi River at the foot of Canal Street that made its debut last year

To accommodate all that music, the fest’s footprint stretches from the Old U.S. Mint on Esplanade Avenue to Spanish Plaza and the main Abita Beer Stage in Woldenberg Riverfront Park

The Mint and its New Orleans Jazz Museum host three stages. Inside on the third floor, the roster of the Songwriter Stage features several first-time performers at the festival, including Morgan Orion & The Afterburners, Marbrisa, Gina Leslie, and the Carolyn Broussard Band. A dozen brass bands light up the Louisiana Fish Fry Stage at the Mint. And students from Loyola University’s School of Music and Theatre Professions will be both onstage and backstage at the Loyola Esplanade in the Shade Stage.

If you plan to attend the festival, be aware that many streets in the French Quarter will be closed, and parking downtown will be at a premium. Ridehailing, public transportation, bicycles or good old-fashioned walking are likely better options

Here’s a day-by-day guide to the 2025 French Quarter Festival presented by Chevron.

THURSDAY

The festival kicks off at 10 a.m. Thursday with its opening parade. The parade, populated by sponsors of the festival, steps off from the 200 block of Bourbon Street bound for St. Ann Street and then Jackson Square. That’s where the NewOrleans.com Stage will

host the fest’s opening ceremony and an opening 11:15 a.m. set by Preservation Brass, a brass band offshoot of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Only six stages are open on Thursday, but they’ll host a slew of top-tier talent. That talent includes the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Beausoleil, Chapel Hart, Kermit Ruffins, Judith Owen & Her Gentlemen Callers, Tuba Skinny, Joy Clark, Water Seed, James Andrews, The Rumble featuring Big Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr and the FQF debut of Galactic’s featured vocalist, Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph.

From 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., the New Orleans Jazz Museum hosts an opening reception for “A Wonderful World,” a photography exhibition by Richard

up to 14. The big names include the Soul Rebels, Anders Osborne, George Porter Jr., Susan Cowsill, Leroy Jones, John “Papa” Gros, Keith Frank, Flow Tribe, Alex McMurray and the Original Pinettes Brass Band with special guest rapper Mia X.

Also on Friday, the nighttime “FQF After Dark” series continues with Big Sam’s Funky Nation performing at 8:30 p.m. at Good Measure inside the Barnett Hotel, 600 Carondelet St. Tickets are $20.

SATURDAY

ABOVE: The Lilli Lewis Project performs in 2024 on the Abita Beer Stage at Woldenberg Riverfront Park during the French Quarter Festival.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By KEITH SPERA

LEFT: Festivalgoers walk past the Steamboat Natchez during 2024 French Quarter Festival.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Corman presented by the Jazz Foundation of America. Many of Corman’s photos of jazz and blues musicians were taken in New Orleans. Charmaine Neville will perform during the event on the museum’s second floor; it is free and open to the public.

The ticketed, nighttime “FQF After Dark” series gets underway at The Parish of the House of Blues with Black & Loud Fest featuring Omari Neville and the Fuel, King Youngblood, Cyril Neville, Shamarr Allen, Jason Parfait featuring Down North and The Black and Loud Brass Band. Tickets start at $17.50.

FRIDAY

On Friday, the stage count bumps

The day kicks off early, at 10:15 a.m., for a special ceremony in Jackson Square commemorating the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to New Orleans. Lt. Gov Billy Nungesser is scheduled to introduce a historical reenactment of Lafayette’s address from the Jackson Square stage.

All 22 stages are up and running on Saturday. The many highlights on the day’s schedule include Irma Thomas, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Little Freddie King, Paul Sanchez & the Rolling Roadshow, Dwayne Dopsie & the Zydeco Hellraisers, the Lilli Lewis Project, Delfeayo Marsalis & the Uptown Jazz Orchestra and Tim Laughlin.

On Saturday night, the Black and Loud Fest returns to The Parish of the House of Blues for another “FQF After Dark” show Saturday’s roster includes the Black and Loud Brass Band, Ersel Garfield Bogan featuring Nikki D & the Sisters of Thunder, Irvin Mayfield, King Youngblood, Omari Neville & the Fuel and Cyril Neville; tickets start at $17.50.

SUNDAY

The French Quarter Fest finishes strong on Sunday with Big Freedia, the Lost Bayou Ramblers, Amanda Shaw, Cowboy Mouth, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles, Sweet Crude, the Creole String Beans, Rockin’ Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters and dozens more.

And the “FQF After Dark” series concludes aboard the Steamboat Natchez with a 50th anniversary jam session starting at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $50.

Go to www.fqfi.org for information.

Email Keith Spera at kspera@ theadvocate.com.

events events events

LAFAYETTE

Continued from page 7

It was a fitting spend given Lafayette’s stature in history. Abolitionist, friend to George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, one-time clumsy dance partner of Marie Antoinette — he was born of the French aristocracy and yet a major figure in both the American and French revolutions

Lafayette’s speech

Saturday’s Marquis will be Colonial Williamsburg historical interpreter

Mark Schneider, who “is known as the Lafayette,” said Becky Mackie, acting director of the Louisiana State Museum, of which the Cabildo is one of 10 satellite sites around the state.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser will warm up the crowd for Schneider, who will then re-create the address Lafayette delivered to the residents of New Orleans gathered in the (pre-Jackson Square) Place d’Armes two centuries ago.

A plaque dedication, 1825 gala and a ticketed Cabildo hospitality suite for attendees of the French Quarter Festival are among the other kickoff events.

The events are intended to raise awareness of the exhibit among locals, Mackie said. Those who visit the exhibit will get to learn or relearn the Marquis’ connection to history and then revel in the extravagant measures the city took to ensure he was properly fêted while among us.

“I think it’s going to be a great way for us to bring some additional awareness to the exhibit,” Mackie said. “We’ve got some great partners working with us on ways to enhance and build upon what I think is going to be a very commemorative event.”

Listed partners for the exhibit and scheduled events include the Louisiana Museum Foundation, the American Friends of Lafayette, the Spirit of 76 Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and America 250, now planning nationwide activities to mark the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

The exhibition itself, which officially opens to the public on Thursday, April 10 — and will remain on view through Jan. 18 — begins with an overview of Lafayette’s early life and work in pursuit of liberty in both France and the

LAFAYETTE BICENTENNIAL SCHEDULE

United States.

The New Orleans that Lafayette saw, and the large and diverse array of people he met here, is then presented.

“We talk about the demographics and the economy, the whole social situation of New Orleans circa 1825,” said Steven Maklansky, executive management officer for the Louisiana State Museum and exhibition coordinator for “Bienvenue Lafayette.” Randolph Delehanty served as guest curator for the exhibit

“What an interesting time for the city,” Maklansky said.

Part three of the exhibit is a day-byday account of Lafayette’s activities in New Orleans, one element of which was a ball at the Theatre D’ Orleans attended by more than 800 women. It was just one of several grand gestures made to welcome the visiting hero, another of which was a giant arch constructed in Lafayette’s honor in the Place d’Armes.

More than 60 feet tall, it would’ve been a striking sight from Lafayette’s quarters in the Cabildo.

“It’s just amazing to imagine how this thing towered over the city,” Maklansky said.

Key objects in the exhibit

n A Charles Willson Peale portrait of Lafayette on loan from Washington and

Lee University “This is just an iconic must-see kind of portrait,” Maklansky said. “I mean, I know I’m a museum guy, but this is the kind of painting that I would go to a museum just to see.”

n Reassembled shards of a tureen that depicts Lafayette’s home in France — apparently a piece of commemorative merch celebrating his New Orleans visit. “It’s not exactly in what we say is museum condition,” Maklansky said. “The broken tureen was thrown into a privy in the French Quarter right around the time that Lafayette is here in New Orleans or soon after, so I think that’s pretty neat.”

n Portraits from the Louisiana State Museum’s collection that demonstrate the melting-pot population Lafayette encountered here.

“We have this grand story to tell about Lafayette, about revolutions on both sides of the Atlantic, and then we tried to sort of focus it down and down and down,” Maklansky said. “What’s so interesting is that a point of focus and probably the greatest artifact in the exhibition is indeed the Cabildo itself.”

Dave Walker focuses on behindthe-scenes coverage of the region’s many museums here and at www. themuseumgoer.com. Email Dave at dwalkertp@gmail.com.

A series of events will celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s visit to New Orleans.

Thursday

9 a.m. at the Cabildo: “Bienvenue Lafayette” officially opens to the public.

Saturday

10:15 a.m. in Jackson Square: Colonial Williamsburg historical interpreter Mark Schneider will recreate Lafayette’s 1825 address to the people of New Orleans. Remarks will precede the performance and a second-line parade will follow it.

11 a.m. at the Cabildo: The Louisiana Museum Foundation and Cabildo will host a ticketed “Lafayette Lounge” hospitality suite, including access to the new exhibit, food and beverages, clean bathrooms and comfortable seating.Ticket information at thelmf.org

PROVIDED PHOTO By THE COLONIAL WILLIAMSBURG FOUNDATION/WAyNE REyNOLDS Mark Schneider portrays Marquis de Lafayette on horseback outside in Colonial Williamsburg’s Historic Area.
PROVIDED PHOTO Charles Wilson Peale’s portrait of Marquis de Lafayette, 1779

music music music

Keith Spera SOUND CHECK

French Quarter Festival takes over much of downtown this weekend, but there is plenty of music to be heard in venues across town.

ST.VINCENT

THURSDAY,ORPHEUM THEATER

JAND THECAUSEWAYS ALBUMRELEASE

FRIDAY,TIPITINA’S

DAY,THE PARISH OF THE HOUSEOFBLUES

Themembers of Jand theCauseways first cametogether at the Maple Leaf Bar over ashared affection for horn-heavy soul and R&B music. Vocalist/keyboardist Jordan Anderson andhis bandmates work the same sonic terrain as St. Paul&The Broken Bones, Nathaniel Rateliff &The Night Sweats and the MarcusKing Band, heavy on backbeats, surging horns and soulful, grittyvocals. Jand the Causeways celebrate the release of the band’sfull-length album “Motions” at Tipitina’sonFriday. TheCauseways will be joined by special guests Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, Rob Mercurio and Ben Ellman, of Galactic, plus Josh Kagler,Andriu Yanovski, Brad Walker and Aurelien Barnes. Juno Dunes opens the showat9 p.m. Tickets are $20.

lack &Loud Fest takes over The Parish of the House of Blues tivenights as part of the French QuarterFestival’s “FQF After concert series. The local edition of the national Black &Loud nd, which launched four years ago in Seattle, is curated by the gendaryCyril Neville, whose 60-year career in New Orleans musicincludes both theMeters and the Neville Brothers. “My Cameron Lavi-Jones and his band King Youngblood represent the alternative Black music and obviously since IamBlack and the bill too!” Neville said in anews release. “Very proud to be on of this national movementand roll out with these young people countrystartingwith my hometown New Orleans.” nights, theBlack and LoudBrass Band, which is curated by daughter Liryca Neville, will lead asecond-line from the Quarter Fest’sJack Daniel’sVIP tenttothe House of Blues. Cole Williams will emcee both nights at the Parish.The Thursincludes OmariNeville and the Fuel, King Youngblood, Cyril ille with Shamarr Allen on trumpet,and Jason Parfait featuring North.Saturday’sroster includes Ersel Garfield Boganfeaturing the Sisters of Thunder,Irvin Mayfield, King Youngblood, Omari he Fuel and Cyril Neville. Ticketseach night start at $17.50.

Guitarist, singer and songwriter Annie Clark, better knownbyher stage nameSt. Vincent, has carved out her own niche in alternative rock. For her 2024 album “All Born Screaming,” her seventh overall but the first that she fully self-produced, she drew on sonic references that ranged from Nine Inch Nails to David Bowie. During the Grammy Awards earlier this year,she participated in the all-star “I Love L.A.” opening number and wonGrammys forbest rock song, alternative music performance and alternative music album. In 2025, she also joined the surviving members of Nirvana Dave Grohl contributed drumsto “All Born Screaming” —tosing “Breed” at the Fire Aid benefit for Los Angeles and performed during the star-studded SNL50 Homecoming Concert. On March 28, St. Vincent released anew song, “DOA,” as part of the soundtrack of “Death of aUnicorn,” the horror-comedy starring Paul Rudd and Jenna Ortega. After kicking off the 2025 leg of her “All Born Screaming” tour in Brazil last month, St. Vincent headlines the Orpheum Theater on Thursday.Wallace opens the show.Tickets start at $45 plus fees.

Cyril Neville
Jand the Causeways
St. Vincent

music music music

OTHERNOTEWORTHYSHOWS

THURSDAY

Trombone-powered rock band Bonerama is augmented by harmonica player JohnnySansone at Chickie WahWah ($20).

Jazz guitarist Gray Sargent andhis trio are joined by New Orleansmodern jazz guitarist Steve Masakowski for shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m.at Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro. Ticketsare $30.

FRIDAY

Zydeco accordionist Keith Frank fronts his band at Chickie WahWah ($25).

Trumpeter Kevin Louis leads the traditional Palm CourtJazz Band for shows at 7:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. at SnugHarbor Tickets are $35.

The New Orleans Klezmer Allstars and Chère Élise featuring Steve Riley pair up at the Broadside ($20).

SATURDAY

Twohomegrown singer-songwriters

JoyClark,touring this spring in support of her Righteous Babe Records debut “Tell It To theWind,” and Mia Borders —team up for a double bill at the Dew Drop Hotel &Lounge (2836 LaSalle St.). Tickets start at $20.

Tipitina’sfeatures agreat double bill of contemporary south Louisiana bands, the Lost Bayou Ramblers and Sweet Crude.Tickets are $22.50.

Traditional jazz clarinetist and composer Dr.MichaelWhite leads the Original Liberty Jazz Band forshows at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m. at Snug Harbor ($35).

SUNDAY

At Chickie WahWah, longtime Dirty Dozen Brass Bandsousaphonist Kirk Joseph leads an all-star band for what is also arelease party for the new book “Donna’sBar &Grill” by Donna Poniatowski Sims, thebrass band bar’sfondly

remembered former proprietor.Tickets are $20.

Spend an evening at Tipitina’swith keyboardist and singer JonCleary and his airtight funk and R&B band, the Absolute Monster Gentlemen,asthey prepare to release anew album, “The Bywater Sessions.” Showtimeis8 p.m. Tickets start at $25.

San Francisco Bay area-based jazz trumpeter Erik Jekabson swings through New Orleansfor shows at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m. Sunday at Snug Harbor ($25).

MONDAY

Pianist, singerand songwriter Lilli Lewis celebrates her birthday with a 7:30 p.m. showatthe Broadside’sindoor Pavilion ($10).

TUESDAY

The alternative band Soul Coughing scored acouple of off-kilter hits in the 1990s with “Super Bon Bon”and “Circles” before imploding. After abreak of nearly aquarter century,frontman

Mike Doughty and his bandmates are on the road again foratour cheekily titled “Soul Coughing Plays the Songs of Soul Coughing Again.” It stops at Tipitina’sonTuesday.Tickets start at $35.

Born in Belgium and based formany years in NewOrleans, cellist, singer and composer Helen Gillet drawson classical, jazz, avant-garde and world music to create her unique sound. At Snug Harbor at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m. Tuesday,she’ll showcase material from her latest album, “ReBelle,” in a show that will include Belgian poetry, French chansons and jazz and world music ($30).

WEDNESDAY

TheTin Men play afree show at Snug Harbor at 5p.m. Later,trombonist Delfeayo Marsalis &the Uptown Jazz Orchestra swing out at 7:30 p.m.and 9:30 p.m. ($45).

JonCleary does asolo piano show at Chickie WahWah ($20).

Clark

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