Loyola University New Orleans | Since 1923 | Jan. 17, 2025 | Issue 1 | Vol. 103 | loyolamaroon.com
Loyola reacts to New Year's Day attack
By Alana Frank anfrank@my.loyno.edu
While people were out celebrating New Year’s Day, the city of New Orleans fell victim to an attack that killed 14 people on Bourbon Street and injured more than 30 people. A Texas man, Shamsud Din Jabbar, drove a pickup truck through the city’s French Quarter, where a crowd of people gathered to celebrate the day.
The people of New Orleans reacted and grieved in many different ways, including paying tribute to the victims as they were identified. They placed five-foot crosses for every victim, with candles, pictures, flowers, and any other mementos to pay tribute. The site continued the mourning process of many who were grieving the victims of this attack, and any feelings the people of New Orleans have had since the
attack.
The students of Loyola reflected on the New Year’s Day attack with a sense of loss, sadness, shock, and confusion because this was very close to where they live, and they have experienced celebrations on Bourbon Street and other places in the French Quarter.
When asked about her initial reaction to the attack, nursing freshman Angelina Nguyen talked about how shocked she was when she heard the news.
“I was just in shock because, at 2 a.m., I was coming home from Gentilly while passing by the New Orleans area, and I couldn’t have imagined that was what was going to happen on New Year’s Day,” she said.
When discussing how Loyola students could be coping with the attack, she feels Loyola’s faculty and students are trying to
stay positive.
“This is still where we stay as Loyola students, and there’s no point in holding on to such negative emotions right now because it won’t benefit us,” Nguyen said.
Mass communications sophomore
Alyssa Jones felt saddened by the attack.
“I was hurting because they came to my home and wanted to spread hate,” she said. “This street that was full of joy and culture was now a street where violence took place.”
Jones mentioned the tributes dedicated to the victims and victims’ families a few days after the attack.
“I think it was kind and a good idea because, in New Orleans, we do celebrate life and death with music, especially a second line,” she said. “That’s our culture, and I think some people thought it was weird that we opened it up and we were
second lining in the streets and being happy, enjoying celebrating together. However, from our point of view, that’s how we celebrate life.”
Biology pre-medical freshman, Carlos Andrade, mentioned how close to home this attack was for him.
“I know people that were working on Bourbon Street that night,” he said. “Who heard the gunshots and people screaming.”.
Andrade said he has been paying more attention to his surroundings and is staying more vigilant since the attack occurred.
“When I went to Comic-Con yesterday, we drove past the city, and I noticed myself looking around more,” he said.
Andrade felt a sense of shock and confusion when hearing the news of the attacks.
“You always hear about events like this, but it brings it into perspective whenever you have experienced it, have seen it happen, or when it’s close to you,” he said. “Something like that was so out of the ordinary, and this wasn’t something we could have planned. It was very sudden how something so drastic happened so fast.”
Andrade believes connecting with others and continuing to be there for the families who have experienced loss because of the attack is what the city needs to heal.
Onlookers mourn at the Bourbon Street memorial in the French Quarter in New Orleans on Jan.7, 2025. Ava Dufrene/The Maroon
STAFF LIST
Editorial
Editor in Chief Matthew Richards
Managing Editor Eloise Pickering
News Director Violet Bucaro
Deputy Campus News Editor Alana Frank
Deputy Local News Editor Mary Ella Hastings
Worldview Editor Ecoi Lewis
& Times Editor Isabella Castillo Assistant Life & Times Editor Emma Iseman
Sports Editor Alana Thompson
Wolf Editor Taylor Falgout
Copy Editor Kloe Witt
Production
Front Page Designer Daniel Garces
The Wolf Creative Director Taylor Falgout
Photo Director Heidi Herrera-Wanke
Assistant Photo Directors Sophia Renzi Ava Dufrene
Chief Illustrator Daryl Audrey Casas
Distribution Manager Eloise Pickering, Sophia Renzi
Advertising Coordinator Emily Keller
Digital & Outreach
Digital Director Frankie Esteves
Video Director James Hufnagel
Video Coordinator Christopher Nesbit
Lead Anchor Mabel Regalado-Hernandez
Social Media Coordinator Alondra Juarbe
Content Strategist Andrea Arroyo
Content Strategist & DEIB Camila Faraudo
UI/UX Coordinator Daniel Wong
Podcast Anchor Anna Seriot
PR/Outreach Director Julia Bueno
PR Manager Asia Riddle
Crisis Comm Manager Camila Torres
Contributors
Abigail Schmidt, Alyria Pierre, Anna Therapondos, Ashlyn Bobb Collins, Cecilia Calderin, Christopher Pouncy, Dominique Campbell, Eleanor BoucherFerry, Elise Beck, Gavin Crehan, James Wyrtzen, June Fernandez, Lily Bordelon, Macee Fielding, Maleigh Crespo, Mark Michel, Morgan Matteson, Myles McWilliams, Natalie Albers, Olivia Sanyal, Samantha Guillotte, Valentina Russell, Lily Haggard, Rodrigo Delgado, Callie Honeycutt, Janssen Van De Yacht, Alaina Coleman, Jada Mills, Sophia Santos
Student Media Adviser: Michael Giusti
CONTACT US
Main Office (504) 865 - 3535
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Adviser’s Office (504) 865 - 3295
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Our office is in the Communications/ Music Complex, Room 328.
Send mail to: The Maroon, Loyola University, Campus Box 64, 6363 St. Charles Ave., New Orleans, LA 70118
PUZZLES
CAMPUS NEWS
Loyola names Daniel Spangler new Chief of Police
Daniel
By Ashlyn Bobb Collins abobbcol@my.loyno.edu
Loyola recently promoted Daniel Spangler to Chief of Police following the retirement and death of former Chief Todd Warren. Spangler has been a part of the Loyola community for 14 years and has 24 years of experience in public safety and law enforcement. Before joining the Loyola University Police Department, he spent 12 years working for the Louisiana Department of Corrections, Division of Probation and Parole.
Over the past 14 years, Spangler has served as a police o cer, shift supervisor, deputy chief, and, now, chief of police.
Spangler highlighted the new and updated camera system and software that have been implemented during his time at Loyola, along with the LUPD safety app. He also said his future goal of getting a new shuttle for campus use.
“I want to have at least one shuttle that will transport people who need ramp access so that if a student or a community member has a disability and needs assistance, they won’t have to worry about making special arrangements for di erent shuttles,” Spangler said.
Spangler said his time in Shreveport, Louisiana, as a probation o cer was one of the most challenging situations he faced as an o cer.
“I spent almost three weeks in New Orleans the day before Hurricane Katrina hit,” Spangler said. “ at was probably the hardest time I had adapting. I had to leave my wife and family and come to
New Orleans.”
He also said that at the time, he didn’t know much about New Orleans, and being away from home while dealing with the crisis was one of his hardest challenges.
When discussing his leadership style, Spangler describes it as lenient and deocratic.
"His dedication and commitment to the Loyola community earned him well-deserved promotions."
Patrick Martin, Deputy Chief of Police
“A lot of chiefs tend to be authoritarian,” Spangler said. “I don’t like that. I have an open-door policy for o cers, but also for students, faculty, and other community members.”
Spangler served under and was mentored by Warren before his death, and although he was excited about his promotion, he also felt a sense of guilt
“Getting promoted, personally for me, was about the timing because of Warren’s passing,” Spangler said. “I was very excited about the promotion, but at the same time, it was bittersweet.”
He spoke highly of his Deputy Chief of Police, Patrick Martin, as someone he feels con dent can do his job and lead by example.
“Patrick is one of those people I can give a task to and not have to wor-
ry about directing him,” Spangler said. “ at’s the kind of person I like to have, someone I can be con dent in while I focus on other matters.”
When discussing their working relationship, Martin praised Spangler’s work ethic.
“His dedication and commitment to the Loyola community earned him well-deserved promotions through the ranks of police o cer, sergeant, deputy chief, and now chief of police,” Martin said. “His ability to balance a strong operational focus with genuine care for the community has made him an integral part of Loyola’s public safety success.”
Martin also said Spangler brings a higher level of professionalism and positivity to the department environment.
“Chief Spangler’s leadership style is rooted in setting an example, he never asks of others what he wouldn’t do himself,” Martin said.
Martin added that the transition to a new chief was important for maintaining a strong sense of community within LUPD.
“Having been mentored by former Chief Todd Warren, Chief Spangler has continued to maintain the positive and collaborative environment established during Chief Warren’s tenure,” Martin said. “ e department thrives under his leadership, and his emphasis on open communication and innovation has ensured that we remain responsive to the needs of our campus community.”
Loyola continues test-optional admissions policy
By Myles McWilliams mcmcwills@my.loyno.edu
Loyola University has decided to continue its test-optional admissions policy, allowing applicants the choice to submit SAT or ACT scores. Enrolling students who did not take the tests will not be required to do so before attending.
Loyola will only require an o cial high school transcript with proof of graduation. e university will review the GPA reported on the transcript, honoring the weighted GPA if it is higher. Applicants who choose the test-optional route will not have their SAT or ACT scores considered during the admissions or scholarship review process.
Political science sophomore Dex Nichols sees the policy as a positive step for Loyola.
“No matter what you get on the standardized tests, I don’t think they re ect your value as a student or as someone who wants to learn,” Nichols said.
Nichols added that the decision could make the admissions process easier for incoming students.
“I think it takes some anxiety o prospective students because there wouldn’t be the stress of being evaluated in an area that you might not feel condent in,” he said.
Mass communications sophomore Curtis Starks agreed that not requiring test scores will streamline the admissions process for Loyola applicants.
“I think Loyola going test-optional is a great thing,” Starks said. “I didn’t have to submit test scores but did so anyway for nancial aid reasons. However, if you have good scores, you should submit them anyway.”
Professor Sonny Bleicher believesdstandardized tests don’t necessarily re ect a student’s ability to succeed in class, but can reveal aspects of their demeanor.
“It does show whether you’re able to sit down and do what’s required,” Bleicher said. “So, requiring the test scores, I think, doesn’t matter as much as showing a certain level of pro ciency when test-taking.”
When discussing the value of standardized tests in the application process.
Upcoming Events
• e Martin Luther King Pilgrimage of Service event will be held on Jan. 20 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Loyola students and faculty will meet in the Magis Lounge, Danna Center.
• e Interfaith Convocation will be held in the Chapel of St. Ignatius Loyola on Jan. 21 from 12:30 to 1:45 p.m. to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.'s legacy.
Bleicher said they can o er insight into how students compare to each other and hold schools accountable.
“I think these tests can help evaluate how people compare to each other and also hold schools accountable to make sure they’re teaching you to a high enough level to meet the comparable results to other institutions,” Bleicher said.
Bleicher shared his experience while at Xavier University, a historically Black university here in New Orleans. Although Xavier is a test-optional school that has attracted more students, he believes their performance has decreased as a result.
“In other words, their graduation rates dropped signi cantly,” Bleicher said. “ is tells us something about the aptitude of students to succeed.”
Bleicher is skeptical about the potential bene ts for students from underprivileged backgrounds.
“It might open the door to more students, but it also opens the door to abuse and predatory practices, where universities take money from students who could not succeed,” Bleicher said.
• e Serve Fair will be held in the Audubon Room, Danna Center, on Jan. 23 from noon to 2 p.m.
• e 2025 January Young Alumni Pack “ irsty ursday” Happy Hour Event will be held at Port Orleans on Jan. 23, from 5:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m. All local Loyola alumni and their friends are welcome.
• e Journey to Justice event will be held Miller 112 on Jan. 23, from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm. Attendees will hear from a lawyer, Calvin Duncan, who spent 28.5 years at a slave-plantation-turned-prison, for a crime he didn't commit.
Spangler courtesy of Kyle Encar
Student looking at the Loyola University's test optional information page. Laci Barrow/ e Maroon
LIFE & TIMES
Swinging Astrids brings unique sound to music scene
By Kloe Witt vgmarino@my.loyno.edu
In the city of jazz, Swinging Astrid is one of the bands pushing the envelope in the New Orleans music scene with poetic lyricism combined with an indie rock beat.
The band didn’t form overnight, however. Since its formation about two years ago, the band has undergone multiple line-up changes. But this time, with this group, members say it feels different.
“It’s really sick to just play with people that are as talented and passionate as they are kind and determined,” Jess Araten, the band's guitarist, said.
Lead singer, songwriter and Loyola popular and commercial music senior Madeline Usher and bass guitarist Clover met through a poster at Zot’s coffee shop and have been through multiple eras of the band together. Despite having to find
“ I want to be able to provide comfort and be a voice for people who don’t feel like they have one, or feel like theirs isn’t valued. ”
Madeline Usher, Bass guitarist
new band members, they said they have stuck together waiting for the right group to come together.
“It’s given me more trust in the saying good things take time,” Usher said.
Eventually, Usher saw Jess Araten, their guitarist, perform and asked her to join. Usher said after two drummers that didn’t stick, Rob Florence was the only person she trusted to join their band as their drummer. Then, Swinging Astrid was formed and their group found their safe space between one another in just the few months they’ve been together.
“I think being able to build trust in a musical environment can sometimes be really difficult but has come really, really easily with this particular group in a way that I don’t doubt and don’t question if they fully believe the music,” Araten said.
Lyrically, the band focuses on sharing their experiences through their music.
Usher writes their lyrics and said having that trust within their bandmates makes her feel comfortable giving her lyrics to them.
“This band means, like, everything to me,” Usher said. “I feel so solid and so safe to be able to share these really intimate parts of myself and how I see the world.” Their lyrics focus on issues they
all relate to in some way. They key in on issues like depression, growing up queer, and living life as a neurodivergent person.
But this trust and ability to share her lyrics the way she feels comfortable with
Food to eat
to make music she wants.
“This is the purest form of music I think I’ve created this far,” she said. “I have just been writing what feels good for me, and then we flesh it out all together and I’m like okay, this is what I’ve supposed to have been doing this entire time.”
Even if they don’t all write the lyrics, helping to create the music and get the art out there helps the other band members to share their feelings.
“This band is an awesome vehicle of expression,” Clover said. “I find it hard to put my feelings into words sometimes. And so, I feel really grateful to be able to still express how I’m feeling musically.”
Just as they hope their music impacts their audience, it has had an impact on the band members, not just while producing but performing too.
“All of them have had a strong effect on us and we definitely do connect with them,” Florence said. “Getting to add ourselves to those songs is just really special. And then getting to perform them (the songs) on stage, it’s just cathartic.”
With their music, Usher said she hopes to provide the audience with something she feels she didn’t have most of her life.
“I want to be able to provide comfort and be a voice for people who don’t feel like they have one, or feel like theirs isn’t valued,” she said. “Because for a really, really long time, I felt like mine wasn’t.”
Although young, the band is pushing to get their name out to the masses. Early next year, they plan to have enough money to record some lyrics. They’ve also mentioned possible merch and more shows to come so that they can continue to share their work and create a community to express their emotions.
But these goals aren’t something they feel the need to rush. Although they said they are excited, the band agreed that living in this moment feels good.
“This fucking feels good while it’s happening,” Araten said. “And I really do think that it’s going to go where we want to take it. Like, it makes me feel like there isn’t a timeline that we need to be on for that to happen.”
wasn’t always the case for Usher in the past.
“I felt like I was forcing myself to sound like somebody else or fit like other people I was playing with,” she said.
And now, Usher said she is finally able
WEEKEND HOWL
Shows to see
The Delachaise Wine Bar Atchafalaya & JULIET
On the street car line, The Delachaise Wine Bar is dressed in fairy lights, red walls, and eclectic decorations. This local date night spot hosts a plethora of unique wines, beers, and plates that justify its local favoritism. The bar is favorited for its soft lights, mosue frites, and international booze. A warm-colored interior hosts Atchafalya's Louisiana cuisine. Creatively serving Southern fare, Atchafalaya's menu is wide, vegetarianinclusive, and a beautiful introduction to New Orleans's flavors .
This classic restaurant has won the heart of locals and tourists with its authentic barbeque menu and its demonstration of Southern Hospitality. The brussell sprouts, craft beers, and brisket are fan favorites. Blue Oak
Saenger Theatre | Jan. 14-Jan. 19 Carrollton Station| Jan. 17
(Left to right) Rob Florence, Madeline Usher, Jess Araten, and Clover. Courtesy of Vlad Sitnikov.
Loyola student re ects on her time as Tulane drum major
Loyola swim makes stride into new year
By Alana ompson anthomps@my.loyno.edu
e Loyola men’s and women’s swim teams have entered the halfway point of their seasons with both teams ranked in the top 25 of the most recent the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics polls.
e No. 14 ranked men’s team began the season with wins against the St. omas Celts and Life University Eagles Running Eagles. Despite falling short at home to William Carey, the men’s team placed third in their last three consecutive meets.
Similarly, the No. 18 ranked women’s team won their rst two meets of the season and came in fourth place in their last meets.
In the upcoming weeks, the teams will compete in the Sun Conference Swimming Championships on Sunday, Feb. 9 in Ocala, Florida.
By Maleigh Crespo macrespo@my.loyno.edu
Senior Willa Rudnick gets to have the best of both worlds as a jazz studies major at Loyola and a drum major for Tulane University’s marching band.
“I could have a good program that I wanted to get my degree in and also have a really fun opportunity of being in a marching band in New Orleans,” she said. “And now, recently, with a good football team [to play for].”
Rudnick said the band program at Tulane has shaped her college experience in many ways, but most notably, in the travel opportunities.
In her freshman year, Rudnick said the band traveled 8,000 miles to Dubai to perform at the World Expo.
“ at was crazy surreal because it was a school/state sponsored trip, so I didn't have to pay for it at all,” Rudnick said.
Rudnick also recalls performing at the AT&T Stadium in Dallas, the Navy Stadium in Annapolis, Md., and the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. — places she was able to visit as the band traveled to one away game per season.
“It's always really cool to get those travel experiences because those are places that I wouldn't have gotten to go otherwise,” Rudnick said. “Even if we only get to be there for a quick trip, it's still really cool to get to see another school stadium and experience a football game in another location.”
When the Tulane football team’s season ended in December with a loss against the Florida Gators in the Gasparilla Bowl, Rudnick said she was pretty emotional, not only as a band member but as a football fan.
“Our last football game was really bit-
tersweet for me,” Rudnick said. “I felt like ‘ is is not how I wanted my last game to be,’ but I still, overall, had a really, really great experience, and I've met so many wonderful people, had so many fun trips, and been at some of the best Tulane football games.”
Rudnick also has a deeper apprecia-
“Our last football game was really bittersweet for me.”
— Willa Rudnick, Loyola jazz senior, Tulane drum major
tion of college football for its atmosphere – one that she gets to be an integral part of creating.
“A lot of people will say that the difference between the college football atmosphere and the NFL [game atmosphere] is the band because the band helps create so much of the atmosphere and in uences the game day experience so much,” Rudnick said. “And I'm really proud to have been a key part of that, especially for a school that is becoming better in our conference and in general.”
Although football season has ended, Rudnick found comfort in knowing that her role in the band isn’t quite over yet as the band prepares for its spring concert season, Mardi Gras parades, and an upcoming performance at Super Bowl LIX, which is being held in the Caesars Superdome on Sunday, Feb. 9.
“We're still pretty busy,” Rudnick said.
“We're still learning dances and learning songs, and it's still super fun in the spring, especially with Mardi Gras.”
As Rudnick continues to help lead the band through these performances and events, she is also preparing for her own special occasion in the spring – her graduation.
Although Rudnick will retire her green and blue uniform, she said the community she’s built within the band will continue to stay with her, along with many of the skills she’s garnered over the years.
Upcoming matches and games
Women's Basketball
Saturday, Jan. 18 | New Orleans, La. vs. Faulkner @ 12 p.m.
Men's Basketball
Saturday, Jan. 18 | New Orleans, La. vs. Faulkner @ 2 p.m.
Men's & Women's Basketball
ursday, Jan. 23 | Mount Vernon, Ga.
vs. Brewton- Parker @ 4:30 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.
Men's & Women's Track and Field
Friday, Jan. 24 | New Orleans, La. vs. New Orleans Classic #2 @ 8 a.m.
Men's & Women's Swimming
Saturday, Jan. 25 | Mount Berry, Ga.
Viking Invitational
Jazz senior Willa Rudnick instructs the Tulane marching band. Courtesy of Bruce France
Loyola's women's team dives into the water in the University Sports Complex. Heidi Herrera-Wanke/The Maroon
Jazz senior Willa Rudnivk poses for a photo with the Tulane marchning band playing behind her. Courtesy Parker Waters
LOCAL & WORLDVIEW
New Year's attack shocks New Orleans
By Elise Beck erbeck@my.loyno.edu
At 3:15 a.m. on Wednesday, January 1, Shamsud Din Jabbar, a 42-year-old man, drove through a crowd of people on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. 14 victims were killed and 35 were injured, including two police o cers. Jabbar sped around a police blockade on Canal Street and drove straight down Bourbon. Jabbar rented a truck in Houston on December 30 and used it to execute the attack. Guns and rearms, as well as an Islamic State ag, were later found in the vehicle. Police also found two explosive devices left in coolers in the surrounding area, but they did not go o due to malfunctions with the detonator, investigators said.
is attack was unrelated to the Las Vegas cyber truck explosion that happened the same day, according to the FBI.
Jabbar, a U.S. citizen from Texas, is believed to have acted alone in the attack, and was vocal about his support for the Islamic State group through social media. In ve updates Jabbar posted to Facebook earlier that night, he detailed his plans for the attack. According to the FBI, Jabbar left a last will and testament, and originally planned to hurt his family and friends. However, he was concerned that news headlines would not focus
on the “war between the believers and the disbelievers.” Jabbar’s brother told the Associated Press that Jabbar had been isolated for the past few years.
Jabbar joined the U.S. army in 2007 and served on active duty from 2009 to 2010. In 2015, he transferred to the Army Reserve and left the military ve years later.
In 2022, Jabbar became entangled in legal trouble regarding the nances of his divorce.
“It’s completely contradictory to who he was and how his family and his friends know him,”Jabbar’s brother said. A former friend of Jabbar’s described him as quiet and reserved, often avoiding trouble.
Bourbon Street reopened on the afternoon of ursday, January 2. e Sugar Bowl College Football Playo game between the University of Notre Dame and the University of Georgia was postponed by a day as a result of the attack. In the aftermath of the attack, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell o ered a vote of con dence that the city will learn from this experience and continue to entertain.
“New Orleans is not only ready for game day today, but we’re ready to continue to host large-scale events in our city,” she said. “Because we are built to host at every single turn.”
Bird u claims rst human victim
Reports started coming in December from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) about the U.S.’s 1st severe human case of avian in uenza, or bird u, being taken to the hospital. e case was con rmed on Dec. 13. e victim was over 65 and had underlying health conditions.
O cials from the CDC said he got exposed to backyard ock and wild birds.
From April 2024 to now, there have been over 61 human cases of H5N1 bird u in North America with most of them being reported in California.
Bird u, which is caused by the in uenza
A virus, can create diseases and outbreaks in poultry & humans. While most human cases in America have been mild, it can evolve from mild to fatal depending on
your exposure to sick/infected animals. e most signi cant symptoms are high fever, conjunctivitis(red eyes), altered consciousness, and seizures. e contagious period is in the rst few days of having it. Depending on the person and their symptoms, you can be sick from it for a few days to several weeks. e complications are multi-organ failure, respiratory failure, sepsis, pneumonia, acute kidney injury, and in ammation of the brain.
So far, there aren’t any reports of the virus spreading from human to human in the US, and Louisiana o cials haven’t found another case.
Battle of New Orleans reaches 210 years
By Olivia Sanyal ossanya@my.loyno.edu
On January 8, 1815, the Battle of New Orleans occurred, between the British and the United States Army. e British Army was under the command of Major General Sir Edward Pakenham, and the United States was under the command of General Andrew Jackson. is battle was set around 5 miles southeast of the City of New Orleans on the Chalmette Battle eld. Right after the Treaty of Ghent was signed, the battle broke out and resulted in a victory for the United States.
Justin Nystrom, chair of the history department and a distinguished professor of history at Loyola said the British had their eyes on taking New Orleans to strengthen its negotiating position in the war of 1812.
“It was a sideshow for the British in the greater Napoleonic context,” he said.
" e outcome of the battle came after the signing of the Treaty of Ghent, why is this signi cant? is battle's place in history lies in how it made Andrew Jackson a bigger national celebrity than he already was, becoming a titanic gure in the rst half of the nineteenth century," Nystrom said.
“ e British were never going to keep New Orleans as Americans had pushed so far into the Mississippi River Valley that holding the port would have been ultimately impossible and undesirable,” Nystrom said. “What is important is that it made Andrew Jackson even more of a national celebrity.”
Some legacies left from the battle include the rst time a steamboat descended the Mississippi River.
“Henry Miller Shreve, the boat’s pilot,
was able to bring in ammunition and arms to the American forces just hours before the battle,” said Nystrom. is also shines a light on the steamboat age in New Orleans. On January 8, 2025, the battle reached its 210th anniversary. is was also celebrated on January 10 and 11.
One of the places to go if you want to learn more about the Battle of New Orleans recommended by Nystrom is the Chalmette Battle eld, where you can walk around the grounds where the British attacked and trenches where the Americans defended, or check out the Historic New Orleans Collection to see period maps of the battle online.
Public health demands better on vaccine promotion
e Louisiana Department of Health has implemented a new policy that bans promoting COVID, Flu, and monkeypox vaccines even though Louisiana is ranked #32 on vaccination rates. According to a recent article by NPR, “the policy would be implemented quietly and would not be put in writing. Sta ers were also told that it applies to every aspect of the health department's work: Employees could not send out press releases, give interviews, hold vaccine events, give presentations, or create social media posts encouraging the public to get the vaccines. ey also could not put up signs at the department's clinics that COVID, u, or mpox vaccines were available on-site.” is new policy has come at a time
when some politicians like Majorie Taylor Greene & Ron DeSantis, including President-elect Donald Trump's pick for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Resources, Robert Kennedy Jr., are well-known anti-vaccine activists. So far, ve bills and two resolutions have been signed by Governor Je Landry, who has also led lawsuits on federal and state vaccine mandates aimed at vaccine requirements.
"It's reckless," said Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health law at Georgetown University, told NPR. "I think it's a sign of what is about to happen under the second Trump administration."
Louisiana is tied with Oregon as the highest-ranked state in u and respiratory illness rates. Both states have
level 11 u activity. 586 people have died from the u, and 652 people were killed from COVID last year in Louisiana alone. As of December in Louisiana, only 33% of adults and 32% of children between the ages of six months to 17 years old have gotten their u shots. Meanwhile, nationally, it’s 42% for adults and 42% for children.
Public health experts are worried if other states decide to follow Louisiana's example, the US will face frightening rising levels of disease and further distrust in the nation's public health infrastructure. “ e policy is akin to "malpractice," especially given Louisiana's poor health outcomes,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, the executive director of the American Public Health Association.
Onlookers photograph memorial on Bourbon Street in New Orleans. Ava Dufrene/ e Maroon
Comic of the Chalmette Battle eld location Greer Jines/ e Maroon
LOCAL & WORLDVIEW
Playstations are o ered in exchange for guns in New Orleans
On New Year's Eve, dozens of cars lined up outside of a church parking lot in New Orleans to exchange their rearms for video game consoles.
Unchained Realities, a local nonprofit organization, created the event as part of their Nola Crown gaming program that strives to expose young people who live in the city to gaming. e event was meant to help improve public safety in response to Louisiana loosening their gun ownership laws.
Volunteers, along with police o cers, received and dismantled 32 revolvers, shotguns and semi-automatic weapons. rough buyback programs, you can trade in the guns no questions asked as long as they are functional. In this span
of six months, the city has received 94 guns through their three buyback events.
Louisiana prepares for freezing weather
Will we get snow? Is it going to be ice or just regular rain?
Forecasters aren’t sure for the southeast part of Louisiana, but we are experiencing our coldest winter yet.
As soon as the calendar turned to January, Louisiana and 13 other southern states are dealing with freezing temperatures or snowy conditions brought by Arctic air. All over Louisiana, temperatures range from the high 20s to the low 50s. So far, cold weather advisories, freeze warnings, and one con rmed death have happened in Louisiana as a result of the frigid weather.
Warming shelters have opened up across the state to accommodate anyone who lost power or is homeless.
Here are some helpful on how to deal with the weather:
• Have food on hand that can be prepared when electricity is out. And
remember to have a hand-operated can opener!
• Have extra batteries for ashlights and any other items you might need.
• Keep a supply of needed medications for people and pets.
• Pets and livestock should have warm shelter and access to fresh water that is not frozen. Bring animals like dogs and cats indoors.
• Ensure your vehicle's gasoline tank is at least half full in case you become stranded somewhere. Also, keep an emergency kit with essential tools, warm clothing, blankets or sleeping bags, water, food and any other essentials if you and your pets get stranded, suggests the National Weather Service.
• If you lose power at home, close o rooms, close blinds and/or curtains and place towels or other clothing
items at the bottom to keep from losing heat. Wear layers of clothing, and keep hats, mittens and blankets close.
• If your family is safe, check on other loved ones, neighbors and those who might be vulnerable, like the elderly or sick.
• Make sure you have a carbon monoxide detector. If you use a home standby generator, turn it o once or twice a day so that any exhaust that has built up can dissipate, according to the Louisiana State Fire Marshal. If your alarm goes o , open your doors and windows to air out the structure. Turn o your generator.
• Leave faucets in your sinks or baths slightly open so they can drip. Keep cabinet doors open so heat can reach your pipes but, if they do freeze, use a hair dryer to thaw them.
House MD: A Prescription for Perfection
By Eloise Pickering ewpicker@my.loyno.edu
Gregory House: world-renowned doctor, diagnostician, teacher, genius, self-important, manipulative, anti-social, asshole. And much to my dismay, fictional.
House is the main character of the medical drama, “House MD”, known for his cynicism, Vicodin addiction, and walking cane. Running for eight seasons from 2004 to 2012 and taking place at the fictional Princeton Plainsboro Teaching Hospital, this binge-worthy series centers around House, his diagnostic team, his love-hate relationship with his boss Lisa Cuddy, and his tumultuous friendship with James Wilson, the hospital’s best oncologist.
“House MD” touches on sensitive themes including addiction, mental health struggles, and complex ethical dilemmas. To balance the more solemn and intense moments of the series, House utilizes a form of dark humor, breaking the tension through jokes that solely punch down at every person he comes into contact with.
The soundtrack of this show is remarkable - never misses. From Pete Yorn’s “Lose You” after the death of one of House’s fellows to Radiohead’s “No Surprises” while he detoxes from Vico-
din, I have not heard one song on this show that doesn’t match the moment. I really like the vast majority of the characters. I think the chemistry between the cast is good and as realistic as possible for a TV drama, especially following season four. I wouldn’t necessarily want to be friends with most of them,
"Everybody lies."
Dr. Gregory House
as they are all debbie-downers, however they function perfectly as a humorous and entertaining team. As the show progresses, you can tell that the actors have grown closer, therefore the characters interact more naturally.
“House MD” brilliantly utilizes cameo appearances, including Dave Matthews, Meat Loaf, James Earl Jones, and most notably, Lin Manuel Miranda.
While I acknowledge I hold this series up on a pedestal, I really only have one negative comment about it: how the show has portrayed and written the female characters. I have spent a lot of time contemplating whether or not the writers have written nearly every lead female character to just be insufferable, or if it’s a level of internalized misogyny
that is causing me to dislike all of them. The show is largely male-dominated. Out of the seven or so recurring female characters, I can confidently say that I only like and enjoy two of them. The other five have a moral compass so strong that it comes off as annoying, hence why I think this could just be a misogynistic mindset that I’ve been trying to unlearn. Outside of that, I think this show is perfect. I’ve watched it over four times all the way through, so I would know. The story line progresses naturally, well-balanced between routine and the occasional plot twist, but never too much at once where it could be deemed “jumping the gun” or confusing to follow. Furthermore, the show wraps up nicely. The writers decided to end the show when they felt it had run its course, which leaves the viewer feeling satisfied. I highly recommend watching “House MD”. It’s entertaining enough to keep you focused, but is also a casual watch. From a family favorite to a sick-day binge watch, House and his team engage in ethical dilemmas that cause you to think about the world around you, and I can honestly say that this show has made me a better person.
10/10, 5 Stars, 100% rating in my book.
Courtesy of FOX
OPINION
OPINION
New Year, New Tragedies
A personal essay on recent disasters
By Nicholas Gonzales nbgonzal@my.loyno.edu
History pre-law senior Bundled up, escaping the humid winter and unscheduled rain, a climate that the people in Los Angeles are currently praying for, I lament to my therapist the recent events since the advent of the New Year. Just a week before, a friend and I stood beneath the eclipsed, frigid skies in the moon shadow of the Cathedral's steeple listening to President Biden’s address to New Orleans and the names of those killed in the terrorist attack on New Year’s Day. ose 14 names, attached to lives stolen by an individual reportedly motivated by extremist ideology, identi ed as a veteran from Texas, amongst operatic chanting, echoed throughout alleys of the Quarter. After the service, while roaming throughout the most safeguarded region in the entire country, I viewed not only a fallen city in mourning but also the bars where I had spent my night during the attack. at evening, my friends and I celebrated the approaching 2025 from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. along Bourbon Street,
even in the hours following the malicious murders, ignorant of the dead bodies several blocks away and the bomb hidden in an ice chest just a block away.
Two days into the new year, while social media blasted our screens with breaking news and families received calls from local hospitals and the coroner’s o ce, I, like my direct community, drowned in prevailing melancholy, raging disgust, questioning of faith, and the looming question of “what if.” ese questions and the possibility of being part of the list of names uttered by the speakers in the Cathedral resulted in sleepless nights. Yet nothing compared to the continuous agony of the families and friends robbed of their loved ones.
As investigations continue by city ofcials and the FBI, there lies accusations that the city failed to protect partygoers on New Year’s Eve and the presence of police was duplicitous in establishing a benign evening. What we do know is that at 3:15 a.m. on January 1, an individual motivated by extremist ideology, identi ed as a veteran from Texas, drove a white truck onto the sidewalk and down Bourbon Street, killing 14, and in-
e Cry of the Saints
By Lindy Brasher, Minister for Social
Justice
juring dozens, before his death by police. What we know is the 14 victims are not merely just victims but people who are now immortalized by an event in the timeline of history.
As strong winds carry the memory of the killed through New Orleans, horrendous waves of wind from Santa Ana carry blazes of re scorching the lands of the City of Angels. From a distance, the circle that is the sun hardly makes passage through dense smog and smoke, signifying the great loss of the Palisades, Eaton, and Altadena neighborhoods that once were and now resemble a warzone in a battle between humanity and nature. Since the res began seven days into the new year, more than 24 people have died, along with numerous animals, and more than 38,000 acres consisting of homes, schools, churches, stores, and historical landmarks. Only the standing brick replace and crisped photos are evidence that life ever existed here along the coast of the Paci c. e word “ res” does not grant justice to the devastation. e atomic inferno that stretches across Los Angeles – a footprint nearly the size of San Francisco – is merciless. In cases
In the quiet beyond the chaos, where blood has soaked the ground and the air is thick with unspoken sorrow, the saints gather, unseen, unheard. eir voices rise—not in anger, but in grief so deep it carves valleys in the heavens.
“Why, O beloved children, do you turn the beauty of creation into ashes? Why does the gift of life so often become the seed of death?”
One steps forward, hands clasped as if in prayer, though their face is a storm.
“ e madness of the world,” the voice whispers, “is born from forgetting.”
For when humanity forgets it is made in love, it becomes a stranger to itself.
It builds kingdoms on fear and violence, and calls them freedom.
of severe disaster, the world weeps for ordinary people who have lost everything. Yet, the nightmare will persist in our minds because of the seemingly immortal celebrities who have joined the ranks of ordinary victims. And so perhaps the attention of the nation will linger while reinforcing blame.
To blame for the sake of blame and politics is the name of the game. What should be the name of the game, however, is to blame for our lack of prevention methods. Blame for water not in the hydrants and regulations regarding Climate Change. Blame for street barricades and an increase in police personnel to prevent terrorist attacks. e two atrocities of the New Year are distinct, but both require community, support, and appreciation for rst responders. Undoubtedly, the atrocities will require rebuilding to rise above the ashes that cloud New Orleans and Los Angeles. e unyielding news coverage of both events led me, among others, into a pit of penetrating sorrow accompanied by an analysis of mortality. But we onlookers continue. Subsequent to the attacks and res currently sweeping through LA, I
Beside them, another weeps, tears falling like rain upon Bourbon Street. Fingers tremble, reaching toward the earth as if to touch the wounded ground.
“ ey do not see,” the voice says, “that every act of hate is a wound in the side of the Beloved.”
And yet, the saints do not condemn. eir lament is a song, aching with the weight of mercy.
“How long, O God, will they forget? How long will love stand at the door, knocking, while the world turns away?” e city does not hear them, wrapped as it is in the hum of its own despair.
But the wind carries their cry, whispering it into alleyways and through shattered glass.
It mingles with the sobs of the grieving, the questions of the bewildered:
had been to the cleaners, restaurants, and shopping. How do the loved ones of the killed on New Year’s go forth? In Los Angeles, there is nowhere to go. e therapist may recommend taking deep breaths to calm the nerves and spectate the spirit before seeking a solution.
While America mourns in anguish, America also breathes before nding a resolution among ruins. In Los Angeles, the community will struggle to respire amidst poisonous air. e chaos of the past days seems foreign, and although the attacks and the severity of the res are a novelty, chaos is not.
Derived from W.B. Yeats’ poem, Joan Didion references chaos and disintegration for social and moral order of instability through the phrase “the center will not hold.” 2025, like every year since the inception of humanity, will possess the familiar dichotomy of pain and joy. Within that dichotomy, the center will not hold. Nothing lasts, which is the only certainty. e center will not be held, yet the center can be tethered tightly, only for a time, by love and community.
“Why? Why this madness?”
And somewhere, a woman looks up, her hand clutching her Sacred Heart. She hears the faintest echo of their voices, a icker of grace amidst the ruin.
In the stillness of her trembling breath, a question begins to form—not of blame, but of hope:
“What can be healed?”
And the saints, unseen, bow their heads in silent prayer.
For even in the shadow of death, they know:
Grace waits, always.
Mary statue extends her hand. Ava Dufrene/ e Maroon
Water is dropped by helicopter on the Kenneth Fire in the West Hills section of Los Angeles, Jan. 9, 2025.
Flowers are placed at a memorial for victims of the New Years attack in the French Quarter on Jan. 7, 2025. Ava Dufrene/ e Maroon
It's time to step up for New Orleans
Adversity. Adversity is defined by the Oxford English dictionary as “difficulties; misfortune.” It is an understatement to say that our community has faced adversity. So when a terrorist attack occurs on one of the busiest streets in one of the busiest cities at one of the busiest times of year, an outpouring of support in regards specifically to the immense resilience of our city understandably upsets locals.
Resilience is a label that after a certain point loses its meaning. It’s no secret that New Orleans has been resilient for quite some time. The city is, and always has been crucial to America’s development. People forget truly how notable New Orleans has been in history beyond the fact for the first 2-3 months of the year the biggest party in the country is thrown here.
Here are some examples of what events people forget that mold New Orleans’ historical legacy.
Being one of the most important port cities in the South, the Union control of New Orleans in the Civil War was one of a few crucial turning points that decided the outcome of the war. The Hotel Monteleone in the French Quarter was originally used to house Union soldiers.
The National World War II museum is here because of how crucial the industrial sector of the city was to making sure the war machine kept steady. To think
about the people who clocked in every day and didn’t think about the jobs they were doing, but actually being so critical that they dedicate the remembrance to them- teaches you that you never really know the part you’ll play in history.
In the 1960s, in the midst of the civil rights movement, New Orleans was one of the first cities to desegregate schools with Ruby Bridges, Leona Tate, Gail Etienne, and Tessie Prevost, collectively known as the New Orleans Four. Next time you’re at Peaches Records on Magazine, look at the door and think about how it used to be a Woolworth’s, and the fact that the Woolworth's sit-ins were foundational to the civil rights movement.
In the latter half of the decade, the original World Trade Center, what was intended to be the hub of international trade for countries and corporations alike, was placed in New Orleans, several years before the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan would be built. It’s hard to imagine for many of us the idea that New Orleans was a city valued more than New York in the world of commerce.
Four years after the Stonewall riots, in many’s eyes the beginnings of queer liberation in the country, there was one of the largest massacres at a gay bar in history when burned down the UpStairs Lounge in the French Quarter.
This would maintain itself as the largest anti-LQBTQ+ massacre in history until the tragic 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando.
Hurricane Katrina needs no introduction. It was horrifying, a failure of the government to protect its people, the proven wantonness of our government and corporations alike in the face of boundless human suffering is enough to bring tears to anyone’s eyes.
But sympathy runs dry quickly.
People deride the city as dirty, degenerate, crime-ridden, and good for nothing.
After Katrina ravaged our streets people said that maybe it should’ve finished the job and made New Orleans like Atlantis, a mystical city buried by water.
But New Orleans is still here. Hundreds of thousands of people are proud to call this city home. And when the media, the government, and corporations call in to give us their thoughts and prayers- we know it’s fake, feigned, insincere, artificial, simulative, a put-on, make believe, or based on false pretenses. Any number of words or expletives aptly describes the apathy and ignorance present in the upper echelons of our governing bodies and corporate America. To put it mildly, we know they don’t care.
In spite of all the negativity, we keep going; we are a community that is built of people who care. Whether it’s Southern
hospitality, the walkable neighborhoods, or just collective trauma that brings us together, New Orleans keeps going. It keeps going in every person you wave to on the street, every person you hold the door open for, every streetcar driver you thank, every bartender you tip, and every person who believes in Bob Dylan’s old adage of “There are a lot of places I like, but I like New Orleans better.”
Is it consistently more profitable to leave this city and its people in the dust?
Yes, we all know that, which is why so often we are. It is easier for corporations and government entities, CEOs and politicians, to ensure that as long as the Mississippi is flowing, they can give us the bare minimum we need to survive. This is why New Orleans is resilient. It is because we only have each other.
When the attack happened and the Blood Center on Canal opened up its gates for a blood drive, there were people waiting in line for 6-7 hours to give blood. Employees were unprepared for how many people would arrive, including locals, transplants, retirees who moved down here recently, college students and recent graduates from far reaching parts of the country, and even some Australian tourists.
When you come here, people greet you like they’ve known you all your life, the streetcar driver will let you on for free if your phone died and you don’t have
any change, and people in the store, liquor or grocery, start talking to you as friends, you begin to understand why this city is so popular.
This city is built by its people, needs its people, and remains here because of its people. In the wake of everything that happens to New Orleans, it is the peopleyour neighbors, friends, even some kind strangers who give you cash at Cafe Du Monde because you forgot to go to the ATM beforehand- who you can be sure to rely on.
And this is how we build that support. Through recognizing that it's not the government or any corporations, or any CEO or politician to whom we owe our lives. We don’t live well because of them- our needs as a community are completely dispensable in their eyes- we live well because of each other.
So no matter what happens, continue to wave, continue to thank, continue to tip, continue to give blood, money, or time, continue to spread awareness, continue to talk, continue to remain educated, and continue to remember who your friends are, and the fight that we’re in together- New Orleans depends on it.
HOWLS & GROWLS
HOWL to New Orleans in January GROWL to potential for snow
HOWL
Smoothie King being open
GROWL to long waits at Smoothie King
HOWL to playoff football
GROWL to a 5-12 Saints season
HOWL to a new semester
GROWL to homework on Syllabus Week
HOWL free meals when parents visit
EDITORIAL POLICY
The editorial on this page represents the majority opinions of The Maroon’s editorial board and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Loyola University. Letters and columns reflect the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of The Maroon’s editorial board.
The Maroon does not represent the opinion of administration, staff and/or faculty members of Loyola.
Letters are subject to editing for length, grammar and style. Please limit submissions to 400 words. Submissions are due no later than 4 p.m. the Sunday before publication.
Please send all submissions — The Maroon, 6363 St. Charles Ave., Box 64, New Orleans, LA 70118. Email us your letters — letter@ loyno.edu.
Submissions may also be made online at www.loyolamaroon.com.
