WHY
HIGH? SO
Experts explain why you may be shelling out more cash than usual on eggs.
TOO EGGSPENSIVE
BY SARAH WALTON Staff Writer
Eggs prices are frustratingly high. Is it just bird flu?
In the past weeks, eggs have seemingly become a hot commodity, with Trader Joe’s seemingly always out of stock, Walmart’s prices springing from around $4 to more than $8 and Costco limiting the number of cartons customers can purchase.
Though eggs prices have steadily risen over the past year, the swift spike in pricing can be attributed to the recent rise of the avian influenza in chickens and other bird populations.
The U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention says “bird flu” is incredibly contagious between birds and is capable of killing domestic birds, with some birds carrying the disease without showing symptoms. Though the CDC says bird flu has been around since the late 1800s, a new strain of the virus emerged in aquatic bird populations in 2020. The strain then moved to infect hundreds of other species like ducks, swans and chickens.
According to the CDC, the H5N1 strain of the bird flu only took a few months to infect humans and non-bird animals after its emergence. In 2021 the virus emerged in Europe and East Asian countries. Other variants of the virus began to spread, killing 18 people in China.
The next few years saw small but contained cases across the world. It wasn’t until late 2022 that the virus began appearing in the U.S., infecting birds, foxes and other wild animals. Bird flu began to clearly affect farm animals across the U.S. last year. When these animals contracted the infection, so did humans.
Last month, a patient in Loui-
siana died from bird flu, marking the first U.S. death from the virus. Currently, the CDC and other agencies are working to minimize the spread of the infection.
William Strickland, an assistant extension agent at LSU’s AgCenter and the university’s resident bird flu expert, explained the virus and its impact on farmers, animals and the agricultural industry. He said the bird flu is “fairly highly contagious and has a very high mortality rate in our poultry populations,” and the virus and the consequential egg shortage are “probably not going anywhere anytime soon.”
Currently, many birds are
being tested and observed for symptoms. If a group of birds in a population seem to be contracting the virus and dying, farmers begin to depopulate the group with the help of the U.S. Department of Agriculture to stop the spread of the virus.
Strickland points to the fact the virus is highly contagious and that whole groups of chickens have to be killed to stop the spread of the virus to explain the strain on the production of eggs.
When farmers realize their animals are infected, they must follow guidelines to stop the spread.
Strickland highlighted the problems that come after a farmer has to depopulate their flock, including having to find a way to safely discard the dead chickens to stop the spread of the virus. Before the farmer can repopulate the farm, they have to check with the USDA to make sure it is safe and clean from bird flu.
The first and only human death from bird flu happened here in Louisiana, but Strickland cites the CDC in their knowledge that there is not much risk to humans. He also cites the USDA, saying that properly handling and cooking meat and eggs kills the virus.
“There’s a lot of other USDA safeguards in place to keep it out,” Strickland said. “As long as you properly handle and cook them, those products are safe to eat.”
For anyone worried about domesticated birds, such as chickens and turkeys, Strickland advised contacting the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. For wild birds, he
said to contact the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Daniel Keniston, an economics professor at LSU, explained how a drastic shift in egg prices and the bird flu are affecting citizens’ pockets. Keniston said one of the reasons for such a big shift could be because of how universal and prominent eggs are in the American diet.
If the high prices of eggs continue, Keniston said that people’s tastes may change, and they may adopt different eating habits to soften the financial blow. He proposed that some people may stop buying eggs or people will develop a new way of getting eggs, such as importing them.
Keniston explained product shortage and a steep rise of prices has occurred before, including during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“That was driven more by demand than supply, but during COVID we saw bottles of hand sanitizer going for $100 and stuff like that,” Keniston said. “You can get these rapid shifts in prices.”
As an economics professor, Keniston said seeing eggs’ price-shifting dynamic offers students a chance to apply what they learn in the classroom to their real life. He even thinks economics professors will use the egg shortage as an example in their classes over the next decade.
“It’s very gratifying to see what we call ECON 2000 at work here,” Keniston said. “It’s a classic case of a reduction in supply causing shortages and then causing price increases. It’s absolutely what we teach in Econ 2000.”
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GRAPHIC BY ALLEN CONEY
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
A Brown Red Old English Game chicken poses during the Redstick Poultry Show, Dec. 7 at Parker Coliseum on East Parker Boulevard on LSU Campus.
NEWS BIG IDEAS
LSU invests 1.8 million into transformative research and arts
BY SHELBY VARGA Staff Writer
LSU announced an investment of $1.8 million into research across the university at the end of last month as part of its Scholarship First Agenda.
LSU Executive Vice President, Provost and Chief Academic Officer Roy Haggerty has been using money from the provost fund for three years as part of the Big Ideas Research Grants program, a plan to remodel interdisciplinary research at LSU. The almost $2 million investment will continue this work.
“I just think the generation and propagation of knowledge is the most important thing humans can be involved in … and I think that the scholarship done at universities deserve the care and attention of the American people,” Haggerty said.
The $1.8 million will also cover equipment, travel and conference and workshop funding. Haggerty and Kimberly Lewis, the executive vice president of finance and administration and LSU’s chief administrative officer, said they believe this is the largest feasible amount they could provide to these research efforts across the entire spectrum of human experience.
The Big Ideas program funds preliminary research on a topic
with the goal of obtaining external funding. Haggerty said he wants this system to create programs that last for years and are supported mainly by external funding.
Using this system, Haggerty said LSU has already increased research funding from $300 million to $500 million a year, which supports faculty, students and the
economy by bringing revenue into Louisiana. Haggerty said he had successfully run a similar program at Oregon State University, where extramural funding increased by 50% in five years.
LSU is 75th in research expenditures nationwide out of more than 3,000 universities. Haggerty said LSU aspires to
reach the top 50, similar to schools like the University of Colorado-Boulder which obtains more than $800 million annually for research. To achieve that, LSU needs to increase funding by 5060%. Haggerty hopes to reach the goal by 2030, maintaining a 10%
RESEARCH, page 4
CAMPUS LIFE
PR students host ‘Support Your Library’ event
BY LIV TEES Staff Writer
A group of public relations students hosted an event on Tower Drive Thursday that had free books, library card signups, information about banned books and the East Baton Rouge Parish Library bookmobile to encourage college students to support their local library and use its resources beyond books.
LSU selected six public relations seniors to compete in the Bateman Case Study Competition, a national PR campaign where students compete against other college teams. Each year, the Public Relations Student Society of America selects a client for the team to promote. This year’s client is the non-profit EveryLibrary, a political action committee focused on increasing support and security for libraries nationwide.
“Our campaign is super focused on getting their name out there and stationing them as an expert in the library field,” team member Emily Panzavecchia said. “Something we are notic-
LIBRARY, page 4
Jeff Landry releases new budget for La.’s coming fiscal year
BY QUINN MARCEAUX & AVERY SAMS
Gov. Jeff Landry’s top budget and tax officials presented a plan for the coming fiscal year to a joint committee of the Legislature on Thursday, despite growing uncertainty over how potential federal funding cuts could affect the state’s finances.
With more than 50% of Louisiana’s budget relying on federal funds, potential cuts by the fed-
eral government to higher education, healthcare and infrastructure funding could create significant financial gaps for the state. Lawmakers also remain uncertain about budget items tied to the outcome of a state-wide vote in March over Constitutional Amendment 2, which was approved by the Legislature last November.
If voters pass the amendment on March 29, it would free up additional funding, allowing lawmakers to continue funding the $2,000 teacher stipend, which is currently
not accounted for in the 2025-2026 budget.
Rep. Jason Hughes, D-New Orleans, questioned Landry officials about their commitment to securing the teacher pay raise should Amendment 2 fail to pass.
“I think it would be the governor’s intent to fully fund those parishes that are coming up short based on that calculation, and certainty work with the parishes to figure that out,” said Taylor Barras, Landry’s commissioner of administration,
“It is hard to go to the public and ask for a teacher pay raise if, indeed, not everyone is getting one,” Barras said.
Alongside the uncertainty of federal funding cuts and Amendment 2, Barras briefly acknowledged a potential $196 million deficit for fiscal year 2028-2029. However, with ongoing fiscal challenges dominating the budget discussion for fiscal 2025-2026, lawmakers showed little concern over the long-term shortfall.
Despite these uncertainties, the budget includes key allocations for Medicaid reimbursement rate increases and education funding.
This includes support for the Minimum Foundation Program, which provides block grants to school districts based on need, and the LA Gator Scholarship Program, which funds education accounts for K-12 students to access tutoring, tuition assistance, and online learning.
The budget also allocates funding to the Office of Juvenile Justice to cover costs at the Jetson Center for Youth, located near Baton Rouge, including the addition of 44 beds and associated medical expenses. Additionally, $4.1 million is earmarked to address overtime costs within the office.
Landry’s budget plan sets aside possible excess funding to be allocated to shortfalls in juvenile justice and corrections, continuing the Legislature’s commitment to juvenile justice reform.
“I just want to make sure everyone understands what the Jetson facility is and how important it is,” Sen. Heather Cloud (R-Turkey Creek), said. “A key part of the tiered system is an intake facility. Prior to that legislation, we were just taking juveniles in after they were adjudicated from court, and
they were just going to wherever and whatever facility had open bed space, Cloud said.
“That meant we had some lowlevel juveniles that maybe hadn’t committed a series of crimes and maybe had different needs. And so the intake facility is the best part of what we are doing. We’ll take them in, get a good understanding of their situation, and then put them in the proper facility,” Cloud said.
This budget proposal follows a major overhaul of Louisiana’s tax system in 2024, that included significant tax cuts. The changes include a 3% flat personal income tax in 2025, reductions in corporate taxes and a temporary sales tax hike to 5% to offset revenue losses. As a result, Louisiana now has the highest combined state and local sales tax rate in the nation at 10.6%. Additionally, the corporate franchise tax will be fully eliminated by 2026, with some business tax credits set to expire in 2025. To secure support for these changes, lawmakers combined the income tax rate cut with the sales tax increase to prevent a projected billion-dollar revenue shortfall.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille Memorial Tower rises above the buildings in the Quad on Sept. 26, 2023, on LSU’s campus.
LSU Manship School News Service
AVERY SAMS / LSU Manship School News Service
Joint House and Senate committee hears plans for 2025-2026 state budget.
, from page 3
ing is that there is something to do at the library other than just checking out a book – for every generation.”
The team’s campaign slogan, “Every Chapter, EveryLibrary,” informs people that libraries offer something for every chapter of their life. The library is a resource for all ages, from children’s books to teen finance events and couples painting nights to learning how to use technology for seniors.
At the event, students had
RESEARCH, from page 3
annual increase for the next five years.
Haggerty said research at universities such as LSU is usually funded externally, typically by the federal government. He believes it is too early to tell if threats from the Trump administration to cut funding will impact LSU’s plan to continue increasing its research. Either way, Haggerty said the university will continue its research dependent on federal funding.
Increasing preliminary funding is the least that LSU can do. Haggerty said that the LSU system as a whole needs revamping to elevate to the kind of university it is trying to
the chance to take home an unknown book in an exchange known as a blind date with a book. Community members and the independent local bookstore, Red Stick Reads, donated these books to the Bateman team to provide this activity for students.
“We wrapped about 50 books, and they were all gone in 20 minutes,” team member Olivia Johnson said. “It was really awesome to see everyone being so excited and inspired about reading.”
Libraries offer a plethora of books, though historically, they
become. Labs need to be upgraded and buildings on campus need to be deeply renovated, including the development of new spaces on campus, like the new library and the Interdisciplinary Science Building.
The university must also add resources to its finance department to handle the financial and legal aspects of $800 million yearly for research alone.
Haggerty said this research is not just beneficial to LSU, but to the state as a whole. Last year, the university’s $488 million in research pursuits contributed $1.3 billion to Louisiana’s economy.
The Big Ideas program aims to bring people together, primarily by funding interdisciplinary work. The central goal of these
have banned books considered extremely radical. The team provided a table where students could take a banned books quiz to learn more about what mainstream books were deemed controversial and the reason why. Banned books vary across genres, from “Charlotte’s Web” to “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Team member Amanda MacFadyen has a personal connection with the libraries. Growing up homeschooled, she was exposed to many different types of books at libraries which stuck with her.
multidisciplinary research projects is to provide support for the arts and humanities that STEM and technical fields may already receive.
“The arts are the core part of the human experience. All of us enjoy, appreciate and benefit from experiencing the arts, so it’s a core part of a research university and deserves our support,” Haggerty said.
A problem with arts funding is that it does not have the same metrics for receiving funding as STEM fields do. Haggerty said there are conversations within the art community to try to bridge this gap, with the new dean of the College of Art and Design, Arne Flaten, being involved in this effort. Upon receiving his role
“We would always be at the public library and I feel like that was something that really impacted me,” MacFadyen said. “I felt like this was always a resource, and I could learn so much from it.”
Her favorite books growing up, “The Chronicles of Narnia” and “Harry Potter,” have both been banned at one point in time. According to an American Library Association report, the “Harry Potter” series are some of the most challenged books of the 21st century and topped the list from 2000-2005 for glo -
next semester, Flaten said working with donors and attempting to raise money to support the arts will be his top priorities.
Big Ideas research applications are sent nationally for external review, with highly-ranked applications receiving funding.
Last year, the program funded the Second Book Institute, an interdisciplinary project directed by professors Benjamin Kahan and Pallavi Rastogi.
At SBI, assistant professors writing their second book can receive support similar to that which they received during their doctoral dissertation, from formulating ideas to navigating publication. Haggerty said permanent funding for SBI has been identified, allowing it to
rifying the occult and promoting witchcraft.
“So to think about kids in schools that have libraries that aren’t able to get these books is definitely really sad to me,” MacFadyen said.
The LSU team won third place in the competition in 2023 and received honorable mentions in 2024 and 2022. This year, they aim to place and continue the school’s legacy. The team encourages students to follow their project by following their Instagram @everylibrarylsu. The winner will be announced May 8.
become part of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Humanities Center.
Examples of funded projects for this year include new treatments for brain injury, a book on empathy in conflict, efforts to create a microalgae industry in Louisiana and more that span across 10 colleges, 70 faculty members and even utilize offcampus partnerships such as the LSU AgCenter, Health Sciences at LSU Shreveport and Pennington Biomedical Research.
“The creation of knowledge and art is the most important thing human beings do because it allows us to be fully human and solve problems we have in our world, and that is what universities should be about,” Haggerty said.
ENTERTAINMENT
‘The Price is Right’ visits Baton Rouge
BY LANA LAWSON Staff Writer
“The Price is Right Live” stopped at the Raising Cane’s River Center, inviting Baton Rouge natives to “come on down” for the chance to win a trip to Costa Rica.
The city of Baton Rouge didn’t disappoint for this turnout on Wednesday, Feb. 19. Before 7:30 p.m., the line wrapped around the building. Despite windy and chilly weather conditions, over 1600 people stood in line shivering and bundled up, with hopes of becoming a winner.
Todd Newton hosted the live experience, and he kept the audience on their feet with witty jokes and humorous commentary. The live show paid homage to the late Bob Barker who hosted “The Price is Right” for 35 years until retirement in 2007.
Guests of different ages and backgrounds attended, with one feeling in common: nostalgia. For people of many generations, this was a show they could enjoy with their grandparents.
“I came because this was a childhood memory for me,” Mona Parms, a 42-year-old Baton Rouge native said.
Parms sat in the balcony and jumped with excitement as she was called on to participate in one of the games. Even though she didn’t win, Parms was still ecstatic to be part of the show.
“It was kind of euphoric,” Parms began. “Everybody wants their name to get called, they want a chance, but for me it goes deeper than that. I watched the show as a child, so actually getting my name called almost 35 plus years later - It’s an amazing feeling.”
Dorris Wells-Mullen, 64, from Prairieville, Louisiana explained that seeing “The Price
MIND GAMES
LSU Theatre show brings virtual reality to stage
BY LAURA ALLEN Staff Writer
LSU School of Theatre’s Lab Show, “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom,” serves as a warning to audiences about the dark side of suburban life.
“Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom,” written by Jennifer Haley and directed by Ethan Hood, tells the story of a group of teens as they become more and more absorbed with a new horror video game called Neighborhood 3. The teens’ concerned parents look on helplessly as they try and fail to reconnect with their children.
“I think this show is important right now because of the difference in worldview between the older generation and the current one,” Hood said. “This story predicates on the miscommunication between us and ultimately shows why it is important to make an effort to understand each other.”
The goal of the game, which takes place in a suburban neighborhood identical to their own, is to fight through hordes of zombies in order to reach the Final House and escape the neighborhood. However, it becomes clear that there is more to the game than what meets the eye as events begin to mirror those happening in real life.
The
best
BY ARIS WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The musical releases of 2025 have begun. With various artists wasting no time dropping projects, here are some of the early contenders for best albums of 2025 so far:
“Balloonerism” by Mac Miller
This posthumous release of an album that was recorded in 2014 but never released serves as a shining example of how great music is timeless.
Frequent collaborators and friends Thundercat and SZA contributed their signature touches to some tracks. Miller’s typical carefree, but intentional, tone shines through in this project. His personal philosophies, feelings of uncertainty and struggles with addiction are important subject matter in songs such as “Shangri-La” and “Do You Have A Destination?”.
This unintentionally alluding to his untimely death is a heart-wrenching and eye-opening look into his mind during this time in his life, with Pitchfork calling the project “a fully formed project that captures the rapper’s ability to make feelgood music from feelings that don’t necessarily feel good”.
“Eusexua” by FKA Twigs
Princesses for hire improve birthday parties
BY LAURA ALLEN Staff Writer
Petite Princess Company has been making children’s dreams come true for over a decade.
Owned by former LSU mass communication professor Venessa Lewis, Petite Princess Company allows people to hire character performers to make an appearance at children’s birthday parties and other events. These characters include princesses, superheroes and even swimming mermaids for pool parties.
Lewis didn’t always see herself owning a children’s entertainment company. She taught visual communication at LSU and was a professional graphic designer before purchasing the company from a graduate student.
The four main actors are each tasked with playing multiple roles,
see LSU THEATER, page 8
The set is simple, featuring distinct tableaus of a kitchen, the front of a house and a teenager’s bedroom, as well as a single lightup tree on the edge. Its simplicity allows the performance of the actors and the message of the play to shine.
of 2025 so far
FKA Twigs’ third studio album is best defined as an experience that you would understand better by simply listening to it.
“Eusexua” depicts a personal transformation, accompanied by a genre-bending nod to the techno music played at clubs and raves all over the world. The composition of the songs themselves can easily take you into a trance-like state, but the lyricism detailing her discovery of self and her sensuality will help you refocus. FKA Twigs continues to be one-of-one, remaining her beautifully eerie self, while softening up when she feels like it. Besides, who else would have North West rapping in Japanese on a track?
“Perverts” by Ethel Cain
Ethel Cain’s second self-produced LP “Perverts” explores themes such as repentance, hierarchies and shame, making it a solid follow-up of her debut album “Preacher’s Daughter.”
Cain’s knack for beautifully unraveling the insidious aspects of the American Christian faith reminds me of “Forgiven” by Alanis Morissette, a track in which the subject matter is the Catholic church’s indoctrination. Cain’s typically gothic and chilly textures are omnipresent in tracks
like “Punish” and “Onanist,” with her triggering memories of my own religious upbringing and the hypocrisy I observed in the church - in the best way possible.
This is a great listen if you’re capable of sitting with some heavy feelings after.
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” by The Weeknd
“Hurry Up Tomorrow” feels like a gilded goodbye to the persona that The Weeknd has created and maintained over the past decade.
With the album’s initial rollout consisting of billboards stating “THE END IS NEAR” in bold letters and The Weeknd expressing desires to “kill” his pop persona, some metaphorical death is certainly afoot. He isn’t the 20-something with an unlimited drug intake tolerance that he once was. Songs such as “Without a Warning” and “Cry For Me” serve as a coming-toterms of where his rise to superstar status and lifestyle choices have led him.
His affinity for hyper pop and high-tempo beats is still present, but the subject matter is different. My prediction is that The Weeknd is giving us a head’s up to let go of who he was and prepare for who he’s becoming.
“It’s interesting how it kind of just fell into my lap, and I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Lewis said. “It’s been the best experience, the best career. I love being able to wake up and–our mission is to create joy for people. You can’t ask for a better mission in your job than that.”
A typical birthday party involves a cast member getting into costume and driving to the venue. Once there, the cast member starts by taking pictures with the children, leading a sing-a-long, reading a storybook and maybe playing a game or two. To finish off, the cast member will sing “Happy Birthday” with the rest of the guests, take a few more pictures and leave.
Starting with only four cast members in 2015, the company now employs 22 cast members and boasts nearly 20,000 followers on Facebook. Petite Princess’ success is thanks to Lewis’ background in marketing and the dedication from cast members that make every child feel included.
“I think a lot of my favorite moments throughout these years have been just kind of watching my cast members get on the level with these children,” Lewis said. “And whether it’s– for instance, a deaf child, and we had a cast member learn some sign language just so she could be able to communicate with that child.”
This sort of special care and
see PRINCESSES, page 8
LSU SCHOOL OF THEATRE
Shots from LSU School of Theatre’s Lab Show “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” in Baton Rouge, La.
albums
see NOSTALGIA, page 8
CIRCA 1857
A clock and a rosary sit in a bowl.
Photos by Payton Prichard & Gabriella Guillory
A card sits on a table.
Antiques sit on a table.
A Charles Dickens book sits on a table.
A platedecorative for sale sits on display.
Page Design by Rei Zimmerman
Discover some hidden treasures in the Circa 1857 antique shop on Government Street in Baton Rouge, La. on Feb. 15.
A portrait of a fish hangs.
A vintage phone hangs on the wall .
LSU THEATRE, from page 5
categorized as Mother-Type, Father-Type, Son-Type and Daughter-Type. Despite every role being played by the same people, each character has a clear and distinct personality that highlights the actors’ range and impressive talent.
“Neighborhood 3” provides compelling commentary on suburbia and the dark realities that can hide behind unassuming walls and freshly-mowed lawns. Each character wrestles with serious personal issues, ranging from snowballingsecrets to unfettered fear, that cause their lives to spiral in chaos.
This disconnect between generations is illustrated through the younger and older characters portrayed in the play.
Madison, an avid player of Neighborhood 3, uses the game as a form of escapism. In an argument with her brother Jared, she questions why she should care about
NOSTALGIA
, from page 5
is Right” live was one of the many things on her bucket list.
“I really enjoyed myself, with the people clapping and having enthusiasm for each other,” Wells-Mullen said. “Even though I didn’t get called up, it was an experience where everyone encouraged each other, so I really enjoyed it.”
Alexandra Diaz, 27, was another attendee hoping to score big. As she sat on the edge of
PRINCESSES, from page 5
attention that Petite Princess Company shows its customers is exactly how it has become so beloved in the Baton Rouge area. Even the cast members themselves have fallen in love with the company.
Zeah Reviere, a first year LSU student majoring in digital advertising and a new addition to the company, is fulfilling her childhood dream of seeing herself in a big, fluffy ball gown. But more than that, Reviere is honored to be a real-life role model for these children.
Growing up as a Black girl who loved stereotypical girly things, Reviere recognized the importance of bonding with the
her real life when it is filled with messiness and bad people, such as her alcoholic father who constantly neglects the two siblings. Madison feels trapped in a community that, instead of facing the truth and dealing with its issues, chooses to hide from its problems out of fear.
Tobias, a father obsessed with keeping his lawn tidy, remarks that despite the neighborhood’s picture-perfect exterior, all of the adults are floundering to maintain control of their lives as they lose their grip on their children. He also laments that in trying to deny their growing fear, the parents are simply amplifying them.
The play ends on a startling realization that no matter where the characters move or what they do, they can never escape the neighborhood. In other words, every neighborhood is the same, so even if they were somehow able to get out, the family dynamics and societal expectations they experience
her seat, hoping her name would be called, Diaz reflected on the memories this show gave her over the years.
“I’ve always watched ‘The Price is Right’,” Diaz said. “I’ve been watching ‘The Price is Right’ with my grandma since I was a kid, so I had to come see it in person at least once.”
Diaz’s name was never announced, but that didn’t stop her from having a great time.
“It brings back childhood memories, but it’s also just a fun
young Black girls she meets at parties and events, so they feel just as seen as everyone else.
She recounted her recent experience of playing everyone’s favorite frog princess at the company’s Mardi Gras Ball and meeting a little girl dressed like her.
“I was like, ‘a little frog hopped down the bayou and told me what your name was,’ and then she got the biggest smile on her face,” Reviere said.
“She was like, ‘oh my gosh, the princess knows my name.’ So that was also really nice.”
Veteran cast member Varland Owens has worked for the company for five years and is a member of Petite Princess’ Hall of Fame. Before applying for
now would stay the same. Nothing would change.
“Neighborhood 3” is a thoughtprovoking cautionary tale that is well worth the watch. The final showings of “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom” are on Feb. 21 and 22 at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 23 at 2 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online. THE Daily
game show that anybody can watch,” Diaz said.
“The Price is Right” holds a special place in the hearts of many, bringing back childhood memories for most of its viewers.
“The Price is Right Live” was more than just a show, it was a chance to relive nostalgic moments and feel the excitement within the audience. For many who came out, it wasn’t about whether they won or lost, they were just happy to be able to reminisce on good times with the people they love.
Petite Princess Company, Owens had extensive experience in performance, having trained vocally for 10 years and even participated in professional and community theatre. Petite Princess seemed like the perfect fit. Still, there’s more to the job than meets the eye.
People often misunderstand how much time goes into it, Owens said. After the time it takes to get into costume and put on makeup, drive to the party, perform at the party, drive back and get out of costume, a single party can take up an entire day.
But regardless of the time commitment and other challenges that may arise, the cast members wouldn’t trade the magical memories they have made for the world.
Daniel Brandenburg, a firstyear student at LSU majoring in film and television, juggles a video editing internship, a startup photography business and his job at Petite Princess Company all at once. Despite his busy schedule, Brandenburg is so grateful to help these kids make such amazing memories.
“It is so fun and it really warms my heart to be able to be at those parties and be able to see the joy that it brings the kids and even all the guests at the party too,” Brandenburg said. “Whenever I’m at parties, whether I’m assisting a character or playing a character, I find myself smiling all the time because it’s just so joyful.”
Costs: $0.34 per word per day. Minimum: $3.75 per day Deadline: 12 p.m., three school days prior to the print publication date
LSU School of Theatre
Shot from LSU School of Theatre’s Lab Show “Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom.”
Commuter Puzzle by Stella Zawistowski
SPORTS READY FOR OMAHA?
What we learned from baseball’s series win vs. Omaha
BY ISABELLE CALLAHAN Staff Writer
LSU endured its first loss in the first game of their Saturday doubleheader against Omaha.
A high-variance weekend confirmed some strengths, introduced potential concerns and brought about new uncertainties.
Here are the main takeaways from the Tigers’ second weekend of baseball.
Is hitting a weakness?
Though a single-inning disaster from the bullpen is also to blame, LSU did nothing offensively while losing its midday game against the Mavericks on Saturday.
LSU went seven innings without any hits. Omaha set the Tigers up for success with hit batters and walks, but LSU failed to score until the last inning.
The Tigers were impatient at the plate and swinging at pitches outside the zone, leading to easy outs or missed opportunities try-
ing to play catch up.
Mavericks pitcher Ben Weber took advantage of this by working deep counts and forcing LSU hitters to chase, which slowed down the offensive production in certain innings.
But despite the negatives behind the plate, LSU’s batting lineup was on full display the next game.
The Tigers won their third game against Omaha 12-1 while showcasing their depth and ability to hit for power, a reassuring response to their first loss.
Pitching ups and downs
One of the other key aspects for LSU this weekend was the performance of its pitching staff. Starters delivered strong outings, allowing just two combined runs all series.
After starting the game with a couple of hit batters, Kade Anderson allowed just one hit through the first five innings. Two walks and two singles led to two runs before he was pulled from the game in the sixth.
“I feel like there’s a lot of room for growth, and just continue to work every day,” Anderson said.
Anthony Eyanson shut out Omaha through six full innings, striking out seven.
Chase Shores also allowed no runs, striking out six and showing great composure with runners on.
The bullpen had more variance.
Connor Benge performed well in relief for Anderson, surrendering just one run on a sacrifice fly.
In the next game, Grant Fontenot hit three consecutive batters before Benge replaced him in the seventh.
A couple of wild pitches and a single set up a three-run home run that gave Omaha five in a single inning.
The Maverick’s sole run in the series’ third game came off Jacob Mayers in the eighth, following two hit batters and two walks.
Outside of this, the LSU bull-
Women’s basketball battles back
BY TRE ALLEN Staff Writer
Heading into this game against Kentucky, LSU was 0-2 against top-15 teams on the road.
That changed from after the Tigers came back down 16 points in the first half to defeat the Wildcats 65-58.
With this win over Kentucky, LSU has now clinched a double bye in the SEC tournament and earned a top-4 seed.
Mikaylah Williams take over
The Tigers entered the second half down by 12 but the deficit felt much larger than what it was. Mikaylah Williams kept the Tigers afloat scoring nine points in the first half, but needed some help from her teammates.
While Aneesah Morrow and Flau’Jae Johnson gave Williams a hand, it was Williams who led the Tigers to victory.
Williams ended the game with 24 points and five rebounds while shooting 10-for-21 (47.6%) from the field.
The biggest moment for Williams in this game came during the last minute of the game when Kentucky stormed back in the fourth quarter.
The Wildcats ended up closing the gap and even took the
pen allowed just one hit and no runs through 8.2 innings the rest of the weekend.
Struggle on the base paths
Another area where LSU showed room for improvement was on the base paths. The Tigers were caught stealing and taking unnecessary risks on a few occasions.
“To me, nothing seemed really out of control. I just felt like we needed to make a move,” head coach Jay Johnson said.
Base running mistakes, including missed signs and poor judgment, put additional stress on LSU and prevented them from taking full advantage of scoring opportunities.
The Tigers’ roster construction offers high potential for baserunning aggression, but the team must better assess when to push the envelope and when to play it safe.
This loss can be a chance for this young team to learn from it, as it proved itself capable in their third game.
Softball sweeps weekend invitational
BY RAMI BURKS Staff Writer
LSU softball showed grit versus Southern Mississippi Saturday, picking up its 13th win on the season.
However, the Tigers did not cruise past the Golden Eagles like the teams they’ve played this season.
LSU knocked off ranked Virginia Tech and Northwestern University twice, while Southern Miss put up more of a threat to the Tigers’ undefeated record.
The team turned back to its characteristically hot bats and quick feet late in the game to blow out Southern Miss.
MALEAH BOURGEOIS / The Reveille
Baseball senior utility Luiz Hernandez (23) bats during LSU’s 4-2 win against Omaha on Feb 21 at Alex Box Stadium.
COMEBACK, from page 9
lead, but LSU stayed with it. It was a battle in the final minutes of the game.
While up by only one with less than a minute to go, Johnson found Williams at the top of the key where she buried a 3-pointer to make it a four-point game.
That shot ended up being the nail in the coffin for the Wildcats, and it was another clutch play that Williams can add to her long list from this season.
Second half domination
The first half was a half to forget for LSU.
The Tigers shot 9-for-28 (32%) from the field and 1-for-4 (25%) from the 3-point line. They also racked up ten turnovers on top of that.
There was no energy, no ball movement and overall, LSU was just getting outworked.
However, the energy shifted in the third quarter as the Tigers outscored the Wildcats 23-6 and entered the fourth quarter with a five-point lead.
The trio of Williams, Johnson
and Morrow contributed to that third-quarter barrage combining for 21 of the 23 points.
The Tigers shot 10-for-21 (47.6%) from the field and only had one turnover in that third quarter.
It wasn’t just the offense that helped propel the Tigers in the third quarter; it was the defense as well.
After giving up 38 points in the first half and allowing 10 second-chance points, the Wildcats only scored 20 points and only had four second-chance points in the second half.
The third quarter was LSU’s opening, and holding the Wildcats to 2-for-13 (15.4%) from the field allowed the Tigers to come back.
LSU’s defense tightened up in the second half
Kim Mulkey’s teams will always have one thing that will be constantly emphasized every year: defense.
The defense for the Tigers was lost in the first half.
Kentucky was able to create separation in the second quar-
BY GABBY GRAY Staff Writer
At a university where nearly every athletic program is nationally relevant, there’s never a shortage of options. There are always electric playmakers to be found.
The Reveille Athlete of the Week is LSU all-around gymnast Haleigh Bryant.
No. 3 LSU gymnastics is on a four-meet winning streak, having just defeated No. 9 Kentucky on its home turf in Lexington.
After suffering a preseason injury to her elbow while practicing on vault, the all-around gymnast has been slowly returning to each event this season, and was not expected to be back on uneven bars anytime soon, especially as LSU upsetted No. 1 Oklahoma.
“You’re a little gun shy after you have something like that,” head coach Jay Clark said, referencing Bryant’s injury. “Sometimes you gotta get over that hurdle, to understand, ‘Hey, I’m good, I’m good, I’m not going
LSU and Southern Miss played a back-and-forth game. Both teams fought back from behind, but the purple and gold took a late lead and stuck with it.
The Tigers came up with three insurance runs in the fifth inning, and McKenzie Redoutey’s hot streak at the plate continued, with a tworun double.
Redoutey also saved Jayden Heavener from her first loss of the season with an RBI single in the fourth inning to tie the game after Tatum Clopton closed the third inning.
Maddox McKee scored the first go-ahead run for LSU in the fourth inning.
Heavener started in the circle for the Tigers and gave up her first home run of her career in the second inning.
ter as the Wildcats scored 24 points while shooting 10-for-21 (47.6%) from the field and 4-for11 (36.4%) from the 3-point line.
Kentucky’s leading scorer Georgia Amoore scored eight points in the second quarter while also having three assists and getting her teammates involved.
However, the script changed in the second half as the defense from the Tigers started to stifle the Wildcats.
Amoore finished the second half shooting 2-for-9 (22%) and only scoring four points. It wasn’t just Amoore who struggled.
Kentucky shot 8-for-28 (28.6%) from the field and had nine turnovers.
One way to get back into the game if you’re struggling to score offensively is by having tough defense and forcing turnovers, and that’s exactly what LSU did.
The Tigers snatched up the ball away from the Wildcats seven times and scored nine points off turnovers.
to get hurt, and I can be aggressive.’”
And over that hurdle the 2024 SEC Gymnast of the Year climbed as she returned to bars in Lexington, competing for the all-around title alongside five-time SEC freshman of the week Kailin Chio.
Bryant posted a 9.850 on bars that night and a 39.500 for the allaround.
The 2024 NCAA All-Around Champion posted some of her highest scores against the Oklahoma Sooners with a 9.950 on both vault and floor, having returned to vault the week prior against Alabama.
“It was just really good to be out there with my team and just doing what we do every single day,” Bryant commented on her return to the vault in Tuscaloosa.
While Bryant lost the allaround title to Chio against Kentucky, her return to the competition is one that is expected to gear the Tigers against George Washington in the Podium Challenge this weekend.
doesn’t mean Southern Miss went down without a fight.
Clopton faced challenges in the circle in the shape of the Golden Eagles. They fought back, putting up quality at-bats and getting on base.
LSU’s defense came up clutch to keep themselves in the ball game early, making the routine plays and not making costly errors.
Clopton got the win in the circle, coming up clutch with big strikeouts and fielding her position with the best.
LSU topped the Golden Eagles 12-5 on 14 hits through seven innings.
The Tigers earned their stripes after this game. Not only was it the third game they had to come from behind in, this deficit was larger than any they’ve faced.
After more trouble at the top of the fourth inning, Clopton came in to end it, with LSU trailing by two.
The Tigers had a rough start, marking only the third game of the season they did not score first or score in the first inning, but that
This young team has put it together this season, showing there is no challenge too big or too small for them.
LSU will look to tackle their next challenge at the Judi Garman Classic in Fullerton, California, when it plays No. 4 UCLA on Thursday afternoon.
GRAPHIC BY JACOB CHASTANT
13TH WIN, from page 9
ALEXIS PERSICKE / The Reveille Softball redshirt junior pitcher Tatum Clopton (18) pitches the ball Feb. 8 during LSU’s 10-0 win against Charlotte at Tiger Park.
PAYTON PRICHARD / The Reveille
Women’s basketball sophomore guard Mikaylah Williams (12) celebrates during LSU’s 81-67 win against Mississippi State on Feb. 2 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.
OPINION
RFK Jr. isn’t qualified to be the country’s top health offical
BESKE’S BUZZ
KATE BESKE Columnist
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed as President Donald Trump’s health secretary last week, and there’s a reason people are shocked and fearful about this choice.
Kennedy is known for making false claims with no backing, a quality that a health leader should never have, and there are multiple topics on which he seems to have misconstrued ideas.
According to a BBC article, one of his most prominent false ideas is that vaccines cause autism, although evidence has now refuted that.
The article also highlights Kennedy’s negative feelings toward fluoride in the country’s drinking water. In a post on X, he said, “On January 20, the Trump
White House will advise all U.S . water systems to remove fluoride from public water. Fluoride is an industrial waste associated with arthritis, bone fractures, bone cancer, IQ loss, neurodevelopmental disorders, and thyroid disease.”
The pattern is evidenced again by Kennedy’s claims that COVID-19 targets caucasian and Black people, with Chinese and Ashkenazi Jews being most immune, a statement made at a press event and posted by the New York Post, which also has no scientific backing.
With all this misinformation spread from his mouth, I’m scared to have him in charge of everyone’s health. After being confirmed, he has made his next steps clear.
According to an AP article, to earn the vote as health secretary, RFK promised Louisiana senator Bill Cassidy that he wouldn’t change the current vaccination
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., waves to the media outside of the Nassau County Supreme Court
schedule; however, he now plans to investigate the childhood vaccine schedule.
He stated that he would investigate “...taboo or insufficiently scrutinized” issues regarding vaccines for children.
off limits, including pesticides, food additives, microplastics, antidepressants and the electromagnetic waves emitted by cellphones and microwaves, which will all be studied.
The article also states that Kennedy said nothing would be
While I believe it’s important to know the effects of all those things, I don’t think that he
should be calling the shots since he’s obviously misinformed on several health-related topics.
A USA Today article said that immediately following Kennedy’s confirmation as health secretary, Trump instructed his administra-
Aug. 21, 2024. see KENNEDY, page 12
STEFAN JEREMIAH / AP Photo
in Mineola, N.Y. on
Embracing your “weird” side is the best way to live your life
ANDREW’S ANGLE
ANDREW SARHAN Columnist
Have you ever had an interest or hobby that some may have viewed as “weird” or “cringy”? I know I have, and I know I’m not the only one. While some people might be embarrassed by their interests, to me, being cringe is the equivalent of being free.
We’re all unique, with various personalities and interests. We all have and enjoy different experiences, especially in college.
One of the first “cringy” hobbies that comes to mind is that some people associate band kids with being weird or unpopular.
But why must we make this assumption? If marching band members enjoy playing their instruments, why do we label them cringe? They’re expressing their creativity through the outlet of music.
We’re all creative in some capacity. We all have ideas that we want to share, and there are different outlets for these creatives. Music and theater are two common versions of these creative outlets, but some people’s creativity stems from their interests in pop culture or internet culture. Everyone has interests, and that’s what makes us human. We like to do things with friends or even alone in our free time. Hobbies can also help us meet more people and make new friends, which is an important part of social life in college.
KENNEDY, from page 11
tion to assess the “threat” posed to children by the prescription of SSRIs, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, stimulants and weight-loss drugs.
The article said in 2024, RFK speculated that antidepressants could explain the rise in school shootings despite no evidence implying this.
This topic specifically scares me because SSRIs and antidepressants are something commonly misunderstood by the general public. While I think it’s important that these medications are thoroughly researched, understood and regulated, I fear that access to the medicines for children may be diminished.
No matter how harmful the effects are, sometimes giving a child an SSRI is the only thing that can
EDITORIAL BOARD
Colin Falcon Editor in Chief
Managing Editor Jason Willis Sports Editor
Stegner
Some people may be interested in anthropomorphic animal characters, while others may be interested in various anime or manga series. These might be considered strange to the general populace, but where is the harm? If someone likes something, we shouldn’t shame them for that.
I understand why people think these things are odd, and in a way, they are odd. But just because these niches differ doesn’t mean we should scold those who belong to these groups. They’re still human, and they aren’t causing anyone harm, so what’s the problem?
I wanted to test my biases against these “cringy” hobbies, so I attended an LSU Furry Club meeting. As fully grown adults
keep them alive at the time. As an 11-year-old child, I was diagnosed with anxiety and depression, and at that age, I wanted to die because my anxiety was so bad.
Without the help of SSRIs, therapy and other mental health resources, I don’t think I could’ve pushed through my struggles throughout middle and high school. During this time of hormones and stress, sometimes a child needs access to these medications, no matter the risk.
The health secretary of our country should be someone with medical backing or, at the very least, any valid medical knowledge. I don’t think someone who has consistently misinformed the public on serious topics should be the one in charge.
Kate Beske is a 21-year-old journalism senior from Destrehan, La.
piled into the room in full costumes, I expected myself to try to hold in my laughter.
But I found out that this community is a tightly-knit one. When I walked in, I didn’t get one odd look from anyone or feel any judgment. I was welcomed with open paws, literally, and sat through the entire furry club meeting. I talked to a few members after the presentation ended, and chatter commenced.
The Furry Club members are some of the nicest people I’ve found on LSU’s campus. In fact, I’ll be the first to say that the Furry Club at LSU is probably the safest place to be on campus. It’s a completely judgmentfree zone where people openly discuss their characters. Artists
drew their characters during the meeting, and smiles were felt all around. In a place as vast and intimidating as LSU, it was nice to be able to relax and talk to people.
I went in with a preconceived notion that I’d have to sit through a grueling presentation and deal with unsavory people because that’s what I was told furries were. I was told they were all weirdos who were purely deviant in nature, but what I saw completely blew away my biases.
Similarly, I recently watched an anime series, “Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney.” I picked this franchise because I had already played the games it was based on, and I really enjoyed them, so I wanted to see how
the universe was expanded.
And when I tell you I binged the whole series, I mean it. I stayed up until 3 a.m. watching as many episodes as I could legally find. It was awesome; it helped expand on plot points that were kind of messed up in the game.
It made me appreciate the game and the legal system more, although the one used in the series is not based on the real U.S. legal system. However, it expanded my horizons and allowed me to try something new, which is not something I do often.
Nevertheless, my takeaway from this whole experiment is that it’s okay to have interests that seem weird to other people. Don’t let that inhibit your creativity, and don’t let it prevent you from trying something new. You may just find that you’ve found your people or even a new hobby, and you shouldn’t let other people’s opinions take you away from that.
At the end of the day, just because something isn’t mainstream doesn’t mean that it loses value or causes harm to anybody. Plus, some people may find our culture of tailgating and football to be weird, but that certainly doesn’t stop us from having fun.
Knowing that you can express yourself without judgment is a freeing feeling. Don’t let societal norms stop you from having fun. Embrace your cringiness, and you will be set free. Andrew Sarhan is a mass communication freshman from Baton Rouge, La.
Editorial Policies and Procedures
The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.
Quote of the Week
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
A poster board for the LSU Furry Club sits on display on Sept. 15, 2023, during the Involvement Fair on LSU’s campus.
EVAN AGOSTINI / Invision / AP Photo
Jared Leto attends The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute benefit gala celebrating the opening of the “Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty” exhibition on May 1, 2023, in New York.