Afew yearsago, Lafayette’s Second Harvest food bank saw adire need among the people they were serving The food bank, 215 E. Pinhook Road, is located in Lafayette’s70501 ZIP code, an area that encompasses almost the entirety of north Lafayette, borderedbyUniversityAvenue, Interstate 10 and St. Martin Parish. It is also markedasafood desertbythe U.S.Departmentof Agriculture,definedashavingalowincome population where at least 33% of residentslive morethan a mile from thenearestfull-service grocerystore. This isn’talways aproblem where reliable transportation is available.
Lafayette
There arelargeshopping centers in central Lafayette andCarencro, but they are mainly accessible via personal vehicle —and accordingto Second Harvest southwest regional director Paul Scelfo, around 30% of peopleliving at poverty level in the region do not have dependable transportation.
Lake Charlesmom training fortriptospace
Entergyworkera research astronautcandidate
BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer
Jenee Fox was working out four years ago when an audiobookabout spacesuits —and the differences among those made in America, Europe and Russia —piqued her attention. She had acasual interestinspace exploration before, but the bookignited anew passion.
Now,the Lake Charles power plant worker and mother has become an expert in spacesuit design and is training to be aresearchastronaut for aMarch 2029 flight.
“This isn’tjust my mission,” Fox
said. “It’s for everychild who’sever looked up at the sky and dared to wonder,‘Whatif?’” Fox, 35,was recentlynamed an astronaut candidate by TitansSpace Industries,aprivate spacetourism company headed by veteran NASA astronaut Bill McArthur.She’sone of about 50 research astronaut candidatesfrom across the globe whose training and potential orbital trip is being fully paid for by the company Fox said she hopes the mission will inspire her sons, ages 8and 5, and her community at large. Asa woman and aCatholic,she said she
BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer
It wasjust ashort walk to the front door from the driveway But RebekahPrevost, aBaton Rouge motherliving on aquietstreet acouple blocks from Broadmoor High School
STAFF FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK
Second Harvest Food Bank’srecent Makin’ Groceries mobile market at St. AnthonyCatholic ChurchinLafayette. Offering low-cost fresh produce, protein and dairyitems at locations in underservedareas, the mobile program is planning construction for
Makin’ Groceries in north
PROVIDED PHOTO
Jenee Fox performs aspace flight simulation as she trains as an astronaut researcher ahead of aplanned orbital flight withTitans Space in March 2029.
COFFMAN
2 killed in Ky. church shooting: suspect killed LEXINGTON,Ky. Two women were killed in a shooting at a Kentucky church Sunday in an incident that began after a state trooper was shot and wounded, authorities said The suspect was also killed. It began after the trooper pulled over a vehicle near the airport, Lexington Police Chief Lawrence Weathers told a news conference. After shooting the trooper, the suspect carjacked a vehicle and fled to Richmond Road Baptist Church in southwest Lexington and began shooting at people there.
“Preliminary information indicates that the suspect may have had a connection to the individuals at the church,” Weathers said. The suspect, who wasn’t immediately identified, was later killed by Lexington police.
“Please pray for everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence, and let’s give thanks for the swift response by the Lexington Police Department and Kentucky State Police,” Kentucky Gov Andy Beshear said in a social media post.
Farmworker who fell off roof during ICE raid dies
SAN FRANCISCO — A farmworker who fell from a greenhouse roof during a chaotic ICE raid last week at a California cannabis facility died Saturday of his injuries.
Jaime Alanis, 57, is the first known person to die during one of the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration enforcement operations. Yesenia Duran Alanis’ niece, confirmed his death to The Associated Press. Duran posted on the fundraising site GoFundMe that her uncle was his family’s only provider and he had been sending his earnings back to a wife and daughter in Mexico. Alanis worked at the farm for 10 years, his family said.
The United Farm Workers reported Alanis’ death prematurely late Friday The Ventura County Medical Center later issued a statement authorized by the family saying he was still on life support.
“These violent and cruel federal actions terrorize American communities, disrupt the American food supply chain, threaten lives and separate families,” the UFW said recently in a statement on the social platform X. The union does not represent workers at the raided farm.
The Department of Homeland Security said it executed criminal search warrants Thursday at Glass House Farms facilities in Camarillo and Carpinteria Glass House is a licensed cannabis grower The farm also grows tomatoes and cucumbers.
Biggest piece of Mars on Earth up for auction
NEW YORK For sale: A 54-pound rock. Estimated auction price: $2 million to $4 million. Why so expensive? It’s the largest piece of Mars ever found on Earth.
Sotheby’s in New York will be auctioning what’s known as NWA 16788 on Wednesday as part of a natural history-themed sale that also includes a juvenile Ceratosaurus dinosaur skeleton that’s more than 6 feet tall and nearly 11 feet long.
According to the auction house, the meteorite is believed to have been blown off the surface of Mars by a massive asteroid strike before traveling 140 million miles to Earth, where it crashed into the Sahara. A meteorite hunter found it in Niger in November 2023, Sotheby’s says The red, brown and gray hunk is about 70% larger than the next largest piece of Mars found on Earth and represents nearly 7% of all the Martian material currently on this planet, Sotheby’s says. It measures nearly 15 inches by 11 inches by 6 inches.
“This Martian meteorite is the largest piece of Mars we have ever found by a long shot,” Cassandra Hatton, vice chairman for science and natural history at Sotheby’s, said in an interview
“So it’s more than double the size of what we previously thought was the largest piece of Mars.”
It is also a rare find. There are only 400 Martian meteorites out of the more than 77,000 officially recognized meteorites found on Earth, Sotheby’s says.
Search for Texas flood victims briefly paused
Heavy rains bring new threat of high water
BY GABRIELA AOUN Associated Press
KERRVILLE, Texas More heavy rains in Texas on Sunday temporarily paused a weeklong search for victims of catastrophic flooding along the Guadalupe River and led to high-water rescues elsewhere as officials warned that the downpours could again cause waterways to surge.
It was the first time a new round of severe weather had paused the search since the July Fourth floods, which killed at least 129 people. Authorities believe more than 160 people may still be missing in Kerr County alone, and 10 more in neighboring areas.
In Kerrville, where local officials have come under scrutiny over the failure to adequately warn residents about the rising water in the early morning hours of July 4, authorities went door-to-door to some homes after midnight early Sunday to alert people that flooding was again possible. Authorities also pushed phone alerts to those in the area.
During the pause in searches, Ingram Fire Department officials ordered crews to immediately evacuate the Guadalupe River corridor in Kerr County, warning the potential for a flash flood is high.
Late Sunday afternoon, the Kerr County Sheriff’s Office announced that search teams in the western part of that county could resume their efforts. The Ingram Fire Department would resume their search and rescue efforts Monday morning, said agency spokesman Brian Lochte.
Gov Greg Abbott said on X that the state was making rescues in San Saba, Lampasas and Schleicher counties and that evacuations were taking place in a handful of others. Texas Task Force 1, a joint state and federal urban search and rescue team, had rescued dozens of people in the Lampasas area, Abbott said.
The latest round of flooding damaged about 100 homes and knocked down untold lengths of cattle fencing, said Ashley
EU delays
Johnson, CEO of the Hill Country Community Action Association, a San Sababased nonprofit.
“Anything you can imagine in a rural community was damaged,” she said. “Our blessing is it was daylight and we knew it was coming.”
With more rain on the way, county officials ordered everyone living in floodprone areas near the San Saba River to evacuate. Johnson said people were being moved to the San Saba Civic Center, which has become a safe, high place for people to receive aid and shelter
“Everyone is in some way personally affected by this,” she said. “Everyone is just doing what they can to help their neighbors.”
The weather system brought multiple rounds of heavy rains and slow-moving storms across a widespread area, pushing rivers and streams over their banks. Heading into the afternoon and evening, the heaviest rains were expected along the I-35 corridor and east, said meteorologist Patricia Sanchez from the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office.
“A few spots might see up to 2 to 4 (inches per hour), pretty much through the evening, before the rain, the coverage of rain and the intensity of the rain, slowly decreases,” Sanchez said.
Forecasters warned that the Guadalupe River could rise to nearly 15 feet by Sunday afternoon, about five feet above flood stage and enough to put the Highway 39 bridge under water in Hunt, the small town where Camp Mystic is located along the river
“Numerous secondary roads and bridges are flooded and very dangerous,” a weather service warning said.
The rains were also causing other waterways to swell further north in Texas, where emergency crews rescued one motorist who was left stranded in waisthigh rapids on a submerged bridge over the Bosque River The man leaned onto the vehicle for support as crews tried to reach him with life jackets.
“He drove into it and didn’t realize how deep it was,” said Jeff Douglas, president of the McGregor Volunteer Fire Department. “Luckily he was able to stand next to the vehicle.”
retaliatory tariffs on U.S. in hopes of reaching deal
BY ANGELA CHARLTON Associated Press
PARIS The European Union will suspend retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods scheduled to take effect Monday in hopes of reaching a trade deal with the Trump administration by the end of the month.
“This is now the time for negotiations,” European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen told reporters in Brussels on Sunday, after President Donald Trump sent a letter announcing new tariffs of 30% on goods from the EU and Mexico starting Aug. 1. The EU America’s biggest trading partner and the world’s largest trading bloc — had been scheduled to impose “countermeasures” starting Monday at midnight Brussels time. The EU negotiates trade deals on behalf of its 27 member countries.
Von der Leyen said those countermeasures would be delayed until Aug. 1, and that Trump’s letter shows “that we have until the first of August” to negotiate.
Europe’s biggest exports to the U.S. are pharmaceuticals, cars, aircraft, chemicals, medical instruments and wine and spirits.
“We have always been clear that we prefer a negotiated solution,” she said. If they can’t reach a deal, she said that “we will continue to prepare countermeasures so we are fully prepared.”
Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni warned Sunday that a trade war “would make us all weaker in the face of the global challenges we face together” and said Italy would actively work for a fair deal “Europe has the economic and financial strength to make the case for a fair and common-sense agreement,” her office said in a statement
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was heading to Washington for talks Monday with the U.S. administration and Congress. The right-wing government of Meloni, the only EU leader to attend Trump’s inauguration, has sought to position itself as a “ bridge” between Brussels and Washington.
Trump has said his global tariffs would set the foundation for reviving a U.S. economy that he claims has been ripped off by other nations for decades. Trump in his letter to the EU said the U.S. trade deficit was a national security threat. Trump isn’t satisfied with some of the draft agreements on trade, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett said on ABC News Sunday “The bottom line is that he’s seen some sketches of deals that had been negotiated with Howard Lutnick and the rest of the trade team, and the president thinks that the deals need to be better, and to basically put a line in the sand, he sent these letters out to folks And we’ll see how it works out,” he said.
Israeli strikes kill at least 32 in Gaza
Palestinian war deaths top 58K
BY WAFAA SHURAFA and IMAD ISSEID Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip
Israeli strikes in the Gaza Strip killed at least 32 people on Sunday, including six children at a water collection point, while the Palestinian death toll passed 58,000 after 21 months of war local health officials said.
Israel and Hamas appeared no closer to a breakthrough in indirect talks meant to pause the war and free some Israeli hostages after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Washington visit last week. A sticking point has emerged over Israeli troops’ deployment during a ceasefire.
Israel says it will end the war only once Hamas surrenders, disarms and goes into exile, something it refuses to do. Hamas says it is willing to free all the remaining 50 hostages, about 20 said to be alive, in exchange for the war’s end and the full withdrawal of Israeli forces.
Frustrated, families of some hostages demonstrated outside Netanyahu’s office Sunday evening. “The overwhelming majority of the people in Israel have spoken loudly and clearly: We want to do a deal, even at the cost of ending this war, and we want to do it now,” said Jon Polin, father of Hersh Goldberg-Polin, an Israeli-American hostage killed in captivity Throughout the war in Gaza, violence has surged in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. Funerals were held there Sunday for two Pal-
estinians, including Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musallet, killed by Israeli settlers, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry In central Gaza, officials at Al-Awda Hospital said it received 10 bodies after an Israeli strike on a water collection point in nearby Nuseirat Among the dead were six children.
Ramadan Nassar, a witness who lives in the area, told The Associated Press that around 20 children and 14 adults had been lined up to get water He said Palestinians walk some 1.2 miles to fetch water from the area. The Israeli military said it was targeting a militant but a technical error made its munitions fall “dozens of meters from the target.” In Nuseirat, a small boy leaned over a body bag to say goodbye to a friend.
“There is no safe place,” resident Raafat Fanouna said as some people went over the rubble with sticks and bare hands.
Separately health officials said an Israeli strike hit a group of citizens walking in the street on Sunday afternoon in central Gaza City killing 11 people and injuring around 30 others.
Dr Ahmed Qandil, who specializes in general surgery, was among those killed, Gaza’s Health Ministry said. A ministry spokesperson, Zaher al-Wahidi, told the AP that Qandil had been on his way to Al-Ahli Arab Baptist Hospital. In the central town of Zawaida, an Israeli strike on a home killed nine, including two women and three children, officials at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital said. Later, Al-Awda Hospital said a strike on a group of people in Zawaida killed two.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy Rain falls Sunday over a makeshift memorial for flood victims along the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OHAD ZWIGENBERG Destroyed buildings in the Gaza Strip are seen Sunday from southern Israel.
TAXCUTS
“It’sgoing be jet fuel,”Johnson told “Fox News Sunday”and anybody else who asked. “Small business owners, entrepreneurs, risktakers,the people that provide the jobs, manufacturers, farmers get assistance here, and that will lift theeconomy.”
“Waiters and waitresses with no taxontips. We get rid of all taxes on overtime pay for blue-collar workers. It’sgoing to lower inflation, create higher wages forfamilies,” added House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, in avideo released on X.
The rub for Democrats is that thenew law paysfor the tax cut’s drop in federal revenues —about $4.5 trillion over thenext decade, according to theCongressional BudgetOffice —mostly with reductions in spending on Medicaid andfood stamps. Republicans say the changes will protect those programsfor those whotruly need them.
U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,D-NewOrleans, pointsout thatmostofthe tax benefits for workingpeopleexpire in four yearsand includeprovisions that limit the breaks available to employees who work for tips, rely on overtime, or Social Security
“All they care about is making sure Trump doesn’thurt their reelectioncampaigns and givinga handout to their wealthy donors,” Carter said.
Keepingthe 2017 cuts
The biggest reduction isn’tanew tax cut. The new law makes permanent Trump’s2017 taxcuts that were set to expire, staving off atax increase that would have affected most taxpayers.
“If we hadn’tpassedthis bill, tax-
wants people “to see that science, faith and service can exist side by side.”
She works full-time at Entergy in Lake Charles while raising her children, and Fox is also pursuing her graduate certification in bioastronautics from the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. She’sspecializing in the operational safety of spacesuits worn during flight, and is training to become an astronaut.
Still, Fox’sco-workers at the Lake Charles power plantcallher “Giggles” and describeher as “justa pile of joy,” saidDamien Givens, her supervisor at Entergy She’s often the first to notice if acolleague is having a rough day and checks on the well-being of those around her,hesaid.
“It’snothing butan honor to work with her and to be able to seeher ultimately be able to get to this goal of being able to go to space,” said Givens, general managerof Entergy power plants in the Lake Charles region. “Becauseshe’s more deserving of it than anybody Icould ever think of.”
Fox is responsible for maintenance and regulatory compliance at Entergy’sLake Charles power plant. When something breaks,she’sthe onetracking down parts at all hours and instructing operators on repairs. She also
es on the American people would havegone up$4.3 trillion,” U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy, R-Madisonville, said Thursday in afloor speech. “Our economy wouldhavegone downlike afat guyonaseesaw.”
About 85%ofU.S. taxpayers will seelower taxesin2026, mostly from extending the 2017 tax cuts, according to an analysis from the TaxPolicy Center, ajointventure think tankbythe Urban Institute and Brookings Institution, based in Washington.
Had thebill not been approved, Louisiana taxpayerswould have seen a$2,135 increase, on average, in federal taxesnextyear
But that’sthe average
Lower-income filers’ taxes would saveabout $150 from what they wouldhave paid hadthe bill not passed, according to theTax Policy Center
Middle-income filers, making $66,801 to $119,200annually,would see about a$1,750 tax reduction.
Those earning over$217,100 annually would save about$12,540 in taxes—almost60% of the tax benefits, calculates theTax Policy Center
Deductions fortips
The mosttalked-about other changes will temporarilyallow workers to deduct tips andovertime pay.
About four million workers across the nation rely on tips to help pay their rent, according to the National Restaurant Association About 198,400 Louisiana taxpayers work in food service.
The law allowsthose in tipped occupations —the Treasury Department will pick theexactcategories, but they presumablywill include waiters, bartenders, andthe like —todeduct on their federal tax returnsupto $25,000 of theirtips through2028iftheymakelessthan
$150,000a year or $300,000, if mar-
searches forupgrades or new vendors for equipment that frequently fails.
“She’slike the key to the cogthat makesthe plant go,” Givens said.“She’s always in thatmindsetof, ‘Whatcan we dotomake something better?’”
Later thismonth, Foxwill transition intoanew roleat Entergy’sengineering support group.
Fox said herwork at Entergy and background in draftingprepared her for designing and repairing spacesuits.
“I’vedonea lotofpiping andmechanical design,” Fox said. “And somehow, that does actually tie back to spacesuits because of all the
riedand filing jointly
ZipRecruiter,anational employment website, estimates that servers in New Orleans earn about $27,059 per year,while thoseinLafayette make an average of $26,908 annually
At those income levels, standard deductions already will relieve the average Louisianaserver or bartender from paying mostfederal taxes. The change applies only to voluntary tips, meaning that service charges often appliedbyrestaurantsand caterers cannot be included.
Though applying to 2025 income, any taxsavings won’tbeseen until the worker files federal income tax returns, which aredue by April 15, 2026.
Employees still mustreporttheir tips if theytotal more than$20 per month. Employersstill must withhold Social Security andMedicare fees, along withstate income taxes, from tip income.
“Small businesses need to go beyond the talkingpoints andread the fineprint of the ‘no tax on overtime or tips’ section of thebill if they have tipped employees or employees who qualify forovertime pay,” said Karen Phillips, general counselfor the Louisiana SmallBusiness Association.“Underthe bill, theseemployers have newrecordkeeping and W-2reporting requirementsthatstart right now.”
Overtime deduction
Thenew law also makes overtime paytax deductible —upto $12,500 for workers making less than $150,000 annually,$300,000 for those whoare married and filing jointly.The benefit expires in 2028.
The provision only applies to the “half” portion of the“time anda half” usually paid for overtime. The “time” part— theworker’s regular hourly rate—istobereported and
tubing andhardware features.”
If Fox makes it to the company’sinaugural orbital flight,she plans to experiment on spacesuits while in orbit. The flight would allow aboutthree hoursofzerogravitytime for research before returning to Earth.
Foxhas been involved in designing every kind of spacesuit,asdifferent missions have specific needs
“And that’swhy she is an indispensable asset to the company,” said Dr.Venkataramana Vijay, the chief operating officer and chief engineer of TitansSpace Industries. “And not just to our company,but just to science in general.” Vijay and Fox’stwo research interests overlap.
He’s acardiothoracic surgeon andBoeing pilotby tradewho focuses on life supportsystems. Thosecan circulate blood and oxygen during heart surgeries on Earth, but theycan also assist with breathing andtemperature regulation during space missions.
Meanwhile,Fox has worked on integratinglife support systems into nextgeneration spacesuits. That work helped capturethe attention of Vijay andother members of the Titans’ selection committee during her interview process.
“One couldn’t be involved in spaceand notbeimpressed with all thethings that she hasbeendoing, Vijay said. “She’s acandidate who is asubject matter
taxed as annual earnings.
Thelegislation doesn’ttake into account some of the practices used by businessesthatroutinely have their employees work morethan 40 hoursper week, said Louis Reine, president of the Louisiana AFLCIO, thelargestorganized labor group in the state.
Many employers, particularly in thedistribution industry,don’tfollow the time-and-a-half practice.
“Ifyoursalary is $400 for a40hour week and you work 50 hours, insteadoffiguring your overtime at $10 an hour,they divide the $400 by the 50 hoursand that givesyou areduced rate. Your ‘half’isn’t calculated on your regular $10 per hour,it’sfigured on an $8 rate,” Reine said. “You really don’tget true timeand half.”
Social Security deduction
During last year’spresidential campaign, Trump promised to eliminate taxes on Social Security benefits. The rules Republicans used topass the One Big Beautiful Bill Actwithout Democratic input, however,forbid such achange.
Republicans cameupwith an additional$6,000 deduction on federal tax returns for Social Security recipients older than 65. The deductionapplies for 2025, to be factored into 2026 tax returns and expires after2028.
Almostall theseniors who rely solely on Social Security won’tpay federal taxes on those benefits, according to the White House.
Many seniors augment their Social Security benefits with other income, most notably from private 401(k) plans. Seniors with more than$75,000 annual income, $150,000 for married filing jointly, may not see atax reduction.
Othertax breaks
Some other major tax breaks include:
expertonspacesuitsand life supportsystem integration into spacesuits, andI don’t think we could findsomeone of that level, even if we searched all the universities.
Although tickets aboard the space planes are expected to start at $1 million, the space tourism company alsoplans to offer sponsored tickets to those who otherwisewould not be able to af-
n Increasethe child tax credit to $2,200 for every qualifying child.
n Make permanent the $750,000 principal limit for home mortgage interest deductions.
n $10,000 deduction for interest on loans to buy anew car assembled in the U.S.
n Eliminate $7,500 tax credits for electric vehicles starting Sept. 30.
n Eliminate $3,200 tax credits for energy-saving improvements on homes.
n $100,000 caponGradPlusloans for graduate students
n $200,00 cap on loans formedical and law school students
The impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Actvariesdepending on who is asked.
The Louisiana Association of Business andIndustry, theBaton Rouge business advocacy group, had warned that 76,000 jobs in the state would have been lost had the 2017 tax breaks not been renewed.
“Lower taxes, smartregulatory reforms, and policies that support domestic energy production and manufacturing are critical to Louisiana’seconomy,” Will Green LABI president,said in astatement supporting the new law.“This legislation provides tools to help businesses of all sizes invest, expand and hire more workers.”
Center for American Progress, a Washington-basedliberaladvocacy group, sees the new law differently
“By stripping away health care and food assistance from working-class people andunderminingproduction of American-made energy,the OBBBA will increase the costofliving andlower aftertaxincome for the bottom40% of earnerswhile giving thetop 20%of earners a$6,000 peryear average tax cut,” the organization said in a statement.
Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.
ford such atrip, such as high school science teachers and students with an aptitude for science and technology
For Fox and other astronaut candidates whomake thecut,the tripstospace will be free.
Their training —which ranges from scuba diving to mountainclimbing to obtaining apilot’slicense —is also covered. Astronaut candidates receive astipend
during the 21/2-year training program. “Life comes at you fast,” Givens said. “Andwithher, being amotherand working at the power plant full-time and still pursuing this goal of hers, it just shows the fight she hasinherself to put in the work to be able to pursue that dream.”
EmailMegan Wyatt at mwyatt@theadvocate.com.
TrumptomeetwithNATOsecretary general
Plan takesshape forUkraine weaponssales
BY AAMER MADHANI Associated Press
BRIDGEWATER, N.J
NATO
Secretary General Mark Rutte is set to meet President Donald Trump this week on the heels of the U.S. leader announcing plans to sell NATO allies weaponry that it can then pass on to Ukraine. NATO announced on Sunday that Rutte willbein Washington on Monday and Tuesday and would hold talks with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth as well as membersof Congress. The White House did not immediatelyrespond to arequest for comment about the visit.
Atop ally of Trump, Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham, of South Carolina, said Sunday that the conflictis nearing an inflection point as
Trumpshowsgrowinginterest in helpingUkraine fight backRussia. It’sacausethat Trump, whoduring hiscampaignmade quicklyending the wara top priority,had previously dismissedasbeing awaste of U.S. taxpayer money. “In thecomingdays,you’ll see weapons flowing at arecord level to help Ukraine defend themselves,”Graham said on CBS’“Face the Nation. He added, “One of the biggest miscalculations (Vladimir) Putin has made is to playTrump. And youjust watch, inthe coming days andweeks,there’s going to be amassive effort to get Putin to the table.”
TheRuttevisit comes as Trumplast week teased thathe would make a“major statement” on Russia on Monday and as Ukraine struggles to repelmassive andcomplex airassaults launched by Russianforces. Graham andDemocrat RichardBlumenthalofConnecticut, who appeared with South Carolina lawmaker on
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACQUELyN MARTIN
President Donald Trump, right, and firstladyMelania Trump attend the Club WorldCup final soccermatch on Sunday at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J.
Trumpmarks Butler anniversaryat FIFA Club
WorldCup final
Manattempted to assassinate then-candidate 1yearago in Pa
BY AAMER MADHANIand CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD,N.J.— President Donald Trump on Sunday marked the one-year anniversary of afailed attempt on his life, joiningfamily and close advisers at theFIFA Club World Cup final.
Trump and first ladyMelania Trump travelled from their golf club in Bedminster,New Jersey,toEast Rutherford 40 miles away to watch the final match of the U.S.-hosted tournament between Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea at MetLife Stadium.
Trump was greeted with cheers as he arrived at the stadium just ahead of the pre-matchmusical performance by singers Robbie Williams and Laura Pausini. And he got asmattering of boos when he was briefly shown on the stadium’smega-screen. The president waved to the
crowd as he and hisentourage arrivedatthe stadium luxury box where they were taking in the match.
The Trumps were joined by FIFA President Gianni Infantino for thestart of the match. Other guests in the president’ssuite included Attorney GeneralPam Bondi, Transportation Secretary SeanDuffy,Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, NFLgreat TomBrady and mediamogul Rupert Murdoch.
MetLife in alittle over a yearwill host the 2026 World Cup final.
PSG was looking to win its fourth major title of the season, exactly 100 days after it clinched Ligue 1onApril 5. Theteam added theCoupe de Francebybeating Reims 3-0 on May 24, then romped over Inter Milanseven days later in the Champions League Final.
Chelsea, however,was dominatingand helda3-0 halftime lead behind apairof goalsfrom Cole Palmer and one from João Pedro.
Sunday’smatch falls on thefirst anniversary of the assassinationattempthe survived in Butler, Pennsylvania, while campaigning for president.
Buhari dies at 82
ByThe Associated Press
LAGOS,Nigeria— Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, who led the country twice as amilitary head of state and ademocratic president,has died at 82,his press secretary said Sunday Buhari died Sunday in London, where he had been receiving medicaltreatment. He first took power in Africa’smost populousnation in 1983, after amilitary coup, running an authoritar-
CBS, said thereisalso growing consensus on Capitol Hill andamongEuropean officialsabout tapping some of the $300 billion in Russian assets frozen by Groupof Seven countries early in the war to help Ukraine.
“It’stime to do it,” Blumen-
thalsaid.
Rubio said Fridaythat some of the U.S.-made weaponsthat Ukraine is seeking aredeployed with NATO allies in Europe. Thoseweaponscould be transferred to Ukraine, withEuropean countries buying replace-
ments from the U.S., he said.
“It’salot faster to move something, forexample, fromGermany to Ukraine than it is to order it from a(U.S.) factory and get it there,”Rubio told reporters last week during visit to Kuala Lumpur,Malaysia.
French Defense Minister Sebastien Lecornu in an interview published Sunday in La Tribune Dimanche said that European officials have been making the case to the Trump administration to bolsterair defense capabilities with any coming packages.
ian regime until fellow soldiers ousted him less than 20 months later.When he was elected in 2015 on his fourth attempt, hebecame the first oppositioncandidate to win apresidential election there. Buhari rode into power in that election on awave of goodwill after promising to rid Nigeria of chronic corruption and adeadly security crisis. He led until 2023, during aperiod
NUMBER 2025-8 AN ORDINANCE ADDING TO CHAPTER 32,
IV,SEC. 32-35, RESIDENTIAL FENCING OFTHE
MUNICIPAL
WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Scottdesires to add Sec. 32-35 to Article IV.Residential Fencing of the ScottMunicipal Code in furtherance of the public health, safety and welfareofthe citizens of the City of Scott. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINEDbythe Mayor and City Cou;ncilfor the City of Scott, in regular session assembled, that Chapter 32, Article IV Residential Fencing is added to read as follows: ARTICLE IV.RESIDENTIAL FENCING Sec. 32-35.
(a) Allresidential lots constructed on shall be required to install a fence in accordance with the provisions of this article.
(b) The provisions of this article shall apply to all residential subdivisions in development and before final plat approval as of the effective date of this article.
(c) Allresidential lots in asubdivision shall meet the following requirements:
1. No fence shall be erected or permitted to remainonany lot in the Subdivision between the street and the front setback line. 2. Fences constructed between the front sill of any dwelling and the rear property line,whether parallel or perpendicular to the street and along the rear property line shall be constructed of wood, concreteorbrick.
3. Wooden fences may have metal postsprovided however that no metal or wooden postsand no runners shall be visible from any street, with the better side of the fence faced outward towardall of the streets.
4. No fence or wall serving the purpose of afence situated anywhereupon any lot shall have aheight greater than eight (8’)feet above the finished graded surface of the ground on which the said fence or wall is situated. 5. Fences erected shall be properly maintained.
(d) Allfences shall be constructed in accordance with this article before final building inspection or beforea certificate of occupancy (e) Afence not in compliance in accordance with this article shall prevent the home from passing final building inspection and/or a certificate of occupancy being issued.
(f) If the provisions of this article areinconflictwith any other articles, the provisions of this article shall rule. The provisions of this article areintended to supplement other provisions of the code of Ordinances of the city relating to residential fencing. The provisions hereinare not intended to replace any other
ORDINANCE NUMBER 2025-9
AN ORDINANCE AMENDING THE SCOTT MUNICIPAL CODE TO REVISE CERTAIN FEES AND CHARGES
WHEREAS, the City Council for the City of Scottdesires to amend various fees and charges contained in the municipal code, as hereinafter set forth; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINEDbythe Mayor and City Council for the City of Scott, in regular session
(c) Application and fees.
Permit/Review
Buhari
As her husband, Dale, pulled the family truck into the driveway on July 3, Prevost planned to run inside, leaving the groceries for him to carry She said a short prayer under her breath for protection.
That prayer was the last thing Prevost remembers.
As she opened the truck door and stepped onto the rain-slickened concrete in her sandals, a bolt of lightning struck a tree in her front yard before jumping to her, knocking her unconscious.
A ‘red flash’
Prevost has lived with an excess of caution for hazardous weather, based on past traumatic experiences with storms.
She stayed in a Prairieville school gym with her family during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, even as wind began to damage a corner of the gym. As a child in St. Joseph, Missouri, she hid in a closet while a tornado roared past outside. In 2009, she witnessed the roof of her apartment being ripped off above her during a storm.
“I always said, ‘When is the next time going to not be a close call, but the real deal’?” Prevost said. “So there’s that fear, but at the same time, weather is just so powerful and so fascinating.”
Using radar apps, Prevost has often volunteered with a group of North Carolina storm spotters.
On the day of the lightning strike, the drive home from the grocery store had been shadowed by large, dark-gray thunder clouds.
Only minutes before the couple arrived home, Prevost was taking photos of the clouds, telling her husband it was a “beautiful formation.”
Her husband, Dale, and her 10-year-old son, Kaden, witnessed the strike that sent Prevost to the hospital.
Kaden said he had been waiting at the door for his mom to come home. He described the instant as a “red
flash” that filled the whole yard.
Father and son said they heard a thunder clap closer than ever before, then saw Prevost almost lifted in the air by the force of the strike. Then, she fell forward onto the concrete, stiff as a board. Her arms were rigid at her sides.
“For 10 or 15 seconds, they both thought I was dead,” Prevost said.
She had been standing little more than 5 feet from the tree that was struck.
But despite having no memory of the rest of the afternoon, Prevost reportedly picked herself up and ran the rest of the way inside, bleeding from an ear and her nowbroken jaw.
As her family called emergency services, they said Prevost came inside the house obviously dazed, but still trying to move her children into their designated storm-safety spots in the house.
“I fell on my knees, I was bleeding everywhere from my chin and my ear, and I started saying, ‘Get my babies in the hall, call 911,’” Prevost said as she retold how the events were relayed to her
Despite her fear of the rumbling thunder outside, Prevost eventually allowed paramedics to wheel her out into the rain and onto an ambulance.
‘Miracle’ outcome
When Prevost awoke that evening, she was in the trauma ward at Our Lady of the Lake.
Staff described the fact that she survived as a “miracle.”
Around 90% of lightning strike victims survive, but researcher John Jensenius, of the National Lightning Safety Council, said anyone struck is “lucky to be alive.”
Jensenius has spent decades studying lightning strikes on people, first as a professor of meteorology and then as a researcher with the National Weather Service. He has been recording fatal lightning strikes in the U.S. since 2006.
The average person has a 1 in 1.6 million chance of being struck by lightning in a given year, or a 1 in 20,000 chance over their lifetime, according to Jensenius’ research.
Only 13 people have been killed in Louisiana by lightning strikes since the start of Jensenius’ research in 2006, while 500 have been killed across the country in that time.
Most fatal lightning strikes occur while the victims are fishing, boating or standing out on a beach. However, Jensenius has recorded the “deadly dozen” activities that victims are engaged in when killed by lightning.
Traveling to or from a vehicle is No. 10.
Doctors told Prevost they believe the lightning bolt had entered from her foot, traveling up her left side and exiting through the top of her head.
In Jensenius’s research, there are five ways that lightning can hit a person, and it rarely is a direct
strike.
In Prevost’s case, it’s possible that she was hit by a portion of the strike’s current that ricocheted from the tree and into her what researchers call a “side flash” or “side splash.”
Another possibility is a “ground current,” where the energy from a strike hitting a tree or tall object goes into the ground, before coming up through a person’s leg.
The only physical evidence that actually remained from Prevost’s strike was a bruise on the bottom of her foot and a small scab on her scalp.
Prevost, however felt echoes of the massive amount of electrical energy that had coursed through her
Not only did she smell like burnt hair a smell that remained even after multiple showers, but she said she could almost remember the path of the strike as it ran through her
“The only thing I remembered after, like a day or two later, was how it felt for the surge to run through me,” Prevost said with a shiver “And it was only for a split second I remembered it.”
Those jitters were another poststrike symptom. Prevost said she felt like she was wired on cups of coffee with how much she shook. Only now, over a week since the strike, have these begun to subside.
She also had blood work done to measure her “CPK levels,” an enzyme that plays a role in controlling the flow of energy to certain tissues in the body Victims of electrocution have higher levels of CPK in their blood, and these levels can be measured to gauge if the electricity has damaged heart or brain tissues.
Prevost’s levels indicated no longterm damage, but she said her doctors are keeping an eye on it.
Dr Mary Anne Cooper is another member of the National Lightning Safety Council and a lifelong researcher in lightning-related injuries. She said many of Prevost’s symptoms, including amnesia, nerve pain and ruptured ear drums are common in lightning strike survivors.
Both Cooper and Jensenius urge
people to take thunderstorms seriously, plan activities around when storms will be active, don’t take unnecessary risks and only take shelter inside cars or buildings.
Prevost’s worst injuries actually came from losing consciousness and falling to the ground after the strike. Her jaw was shattered on one side, forcing her to have surgery, stitches in two places and to live for the next few weeks on a liquid-only diet.
She also spent nearly a week with a tube in her neck, draining blood and fluid into a small plastic bag.
Prevost said having the tube removed was actually the most painful part of the entire experience.
Lingering effects
Her family has set up a GoFundMe to help pay for Prevost’s liquid diet and to allow her husband time off work to care for her They said their neighbors in Broadmoor have given love, support and meals. Like the experts, Prevost said the experience has made her wish that others would treat thunderstorms with more caution.
“I just really hope that people are more weather aware, because even when you think that you are safe, and you can outrun something or get over there quick, you can’t. Just don’t even chance it,” she said.
Prevost said the experience has left her scared to go outside unless the sky is clear and blue She checks her radar app religiously
The damaged tree is set to be cut down this week. Prevost’s sister Samantha Reed plans to find where the lightning’s arc is scorched into the wood and to make some kind of keepsake for her sister, “the lightning lady.”
Prevost also said the ordeal “has God written all over it.”
“In a way, prayer works. Obviously, I’m still here. I prayed before I got out of the truck, and I feel like he was protecting me, and I’m so grateful for that,” she said. “I definitely feel like he has a purpose for me. I’m just not sure what that is yet.”
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.
“Something as simple as crossing the thruway can be a barrier to getting to a store,” said Scelfo. In 2021, Second Harvest decided to address the problem by launching the Makin’ Groceries mobile market, an initiative to bring produce, meat and dairy products to people where they live. The market is still rolling, with a weekly calendar showing trips to the Gueydan Library, Lafayette’s Parc De Oaks food truck park and Our Lady of Sacred Heart in Church Point. Based on its success, Second Harvest started a mobile market in the greater New Orleans region earlier this year However, Scelfo and others recognized that a market on wheels is a limited solution to the need for a fully-stocked grocery store where people can run in on their schedule. According to Scelfo, “there was a need to create dignity, have this experience where people can go in and select and really have a shopping experience.”
At an unspecified date — Scelfo said the construction
timeline is still uncertain — Makin’ Groceries will open as a free-standing nonprofit grocery store focusing on produce and ingredients to make meals, near Second Harvest at 319 E. Pinhook Road. The mobile market will still make rounds in Acadiana’s rural food deserts, but the Makin’ Groceries store (which is also being supported by local partners United Way of Acadiana, Beacon Community Connections and others) will give people “a place in the community,” Scelfo said.
He said it’ll be around 38,000 square feet of shelving with freezers, fresh produce and retail-quality products at discounted prices. “We won’t sell donated food,” Scelfo said. “That will still be given away to people who need it.”
The plan is for the store to also provide wrap-around services for low-income shoppers, such as help signing up for Medicaid or SNAP benefits, and food nu-
trition and demonstration areas. “We can have cooking demonstrations,” Scelfo said. “If we have a group come in from the Council on Aging, we can have a demonstration on nutrition for seniors.”
Makin’ Groceries will be accessible to all, but Scelfo said there may be systems in place when it opens, such as member cards, to ensure that discounted prices and services are available for the people who need them most.
Holly Howat, who founded Beacon Community Connections in 2019 to help Lafayette residents access social services, said that Beacon will be involved with the store to help low-income shoppers learn about other services they may be eligible for
“I’m very eager for it to get up and running,” said Howart, who resigned from her role as executive director at Beacon on July 1. “We meet so many families who can’t afford food, and when we look at it, we see they aren’t enrolled in SNAP That’s money that can then be freed up for other things.”
“Everyone needs to go to the grocery store,” she said. “It’s a place you’re already going, so it’s less stigmatiz-
ing than going to this heavily-branded place where everyone knows I’m enrolling in SNAP The whole idea behind this is it preserves the dignity of people who find
themselves in challenging circumstances. Emergency boxes that’s food that someone else has packed for you. A grocery store that preserves autonomy
and dignity, that is a really great idea.”
Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
strike that then hit Rebekah Prevost in Broadmoor in Baton Rouge.
Farmland makes up onethird of La.
BY MARGARETDELANEY
Staff writer
According to the 2022 United States Census of Agriculture, there were 1.9 million farms and ranches (down 7% from 2017) with an average size of 463 acres.
In total, 880 million acres were farmed in theUnited States in 2022 —approximately 39% of the nation’s total land area.
the sizeofLouisiana’s average at 319 acres.
The parishes withthe largest averagefarm size, in acres:
n Jefferson DavisParish with 1,252 acres
n Plaquemines Parish with 1,226 acres
n Iberville Parish with 1,116 acres
n Madison Parish with 1,041 acres
n East CarrollParishwith 955 acres
785 acres.
Theparishes withthe smallest averagefarm size in acres, in ascending order:
In Louisiana, just under 8 million acres were farmed in 2022, making up 28.8% of the state’stotal land area. Jefferson Davis Parish had the largest average farm size with 1,252acres. That’s more than double the size of the national average at 463 acres, and four times
n St. John the Baptist Parish with 944 acres
n Assumption Parish with 895 acres
n St.MaryParish with870 acres
n Concordia Parish with 809 acres n St. Bernard Parish with
Marines being sent to ICE facilities
Mobilization of up to 700troopsapproved
BY MARCOCARTOLANO
Staff writer
Members of the U.S.Marine Corpsare comingtoLouisiana to aidU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement with administrative and logistical work as ICE continuesits immigrationcrackdown across the country, according to the Department of Defense’sU.S. Northern Command.
About 200 Marines will be the “first wave” assisting ICE. The Marines will mainly be sent toFlorida, butthere will be support locations in Louisiana and Texas, the government said last week.
The Marines are prohibited from direct contact with people in ICE custody or to take any part in the process of detaining people, according to the Department of Defense
“Service members participating in this mission will perform strictly non-law-enforcement duties within ICE facilities,” the newsrelease read.
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth approved amobilization of up to 700 troops from active, National Guard andreserve forces to assist ICE in response to aDepartmentof Homeland Security request from May, according to the Northern Command. Louisiana has nine detention facilities that house immigrants waiting for legal proceedings or deportation. All but one are operated by private prison firms.
n Winn Correctional Center in Winnfield
n Central Louisiana ICEProcessing Center in Jena
n Jackson Parish Correctional Center in Jonesboro
n South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile
n Richwood Correctional Center in Monroe
n Pine Prairie ICE Processing Center in Pine Prairie
n River Correctional Center in Ferriday
n Alexandria Staging Facility in Alexandria
n Allen Parish Public Safety Complex in Oberlin
The Jena facility drew national attention as the facility that housed pro-Palestinian activist andColumbia University graduatestudent
n LaSalle Parish with 92
acres
n Bienville Parish with 108
acres
n WashingtonParishwith 118 acres
n East Baton Rouge Parish with 120 acres.
Howbig areLouisiana farms? Theaverage size,inacres,offarms in each Louisianaparish. Source:2022CensusofAgriculture
TOP:
BYJOANNA BROWN Staff writer
The “Big Brother” house is anotorious place where social isolation, constantsurveillance andweekly strategy games play havoc on contestants. This summer, Lafayette native Lauren Domingue will join theSeason 27 cast of “Big Brother”tocompete for the $750,000 cash prize —ifshe’sthe last house guest
remaining. One of America’s most popular realitycompetition shows,
PHOTOSByROBIN MAy
What will Zurich Classicget getfrom LIVGolf?
Likeletter writer Kathy Higgins, Iamnot in favor of the state spending $7 million tobring the LIV tournament to New Orleans in 2026 without more details about how New Orleans and who in Louisiana would benefit from this expected $60 million LIV spending.
As amember of the Fore! Kids Foundation, the nonprofit organization that runs the PGA Zurich Classic of New Orleans, I am familiar with what’srequired to orchestrate and work such an event. We do it with hundreds of volunteers.
As anonprofit, the foundation distributes the net profitsfrom the tournament to children’s charities throughout Louisiana. According to the website, “Fore! Kids has raised just over $51 million to date, providing health care, education, and hope for over 200,000 children.” That’sa real benefit to Louisiana and it’s very transparent. Will LIV donate to Louisiana charities and educational institutions from this tournament?Who willwork the tournament as marshals, standard-bearers, concession workers and transportation drivers? How was the estimated $60 million of spendingdetermined?
If $2 million of the $7 million is used to improve the Bayou Oaks course for the tournament, what will be the increase in ongoing maintenance costs for these improvements? Will these enhancements require an increase in green fees for the everyday golfer? Without more details about all the aspects of the event, Iwould rather seethe taxpayer moneygotolocal needs, such as theUniversity of New Orleans. Doing so would have amuch longer positive impact on the city and the state as opposed to maybe aone-year event
CHARLES HIRLING RiverRidge
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
YOUR VIEWS
Let’snot pretendmarketis demandingcarboncapture
In aguest column on thefuture of Louisianaand its tietocarbon capture, utilization andstorage, Spencer Martin says global markets demand cleaner energy solutions. Respectfully,Iwould ask for some evidence of that assertion. This is amantra, but no one canproduce areceipt. There may be hard left ideologues whowant American subjugation via“cleaner energy,” but no market is demanding it. Ask Germany,which just signed along-term LNG contract last year with theU.S.and buried carbon is not in the equation As to geological advantages: While Louisiana may have somegreat geologic formationstobury carbon, we also have somethat are uniquely unsuitable and dangerous for burying carbon.Weneed to be wise. Martin says we might lose business to Texas if we don’t“lead” in carbon management. The Texas Railroad Commissioner tells me no such thing is in the plan for the Lone Star State. He
sent alettertothe House Natural Resources Committeetothat effect. I’dbegladtoshare thatletterwith anyone who is interested Martin speaks of compliance: Isay it is uniquely not our culture to comply with bad things. We shouldn’tbend our knee to climate ideologues who want to take our liberties and land. I’ll agree that captured carbon might createjobs, but put it in fuels, concrete or fertilizer.Noone is demanding it be buried except hard-left climate alarmists. At theend of his article, Martingets to the issue of billions of dollars. On this front, he is completely correct. BillionsofU.S. tax dollars are creating asynthetic demand foran activity that is unproven and probably very risky.Norational market or consumer wants or cares about burying carbon. If the U.S. tax credits disappear,burying carbon will, as well.
STATEREP.CHARLES OWEN District 30
Withdrawing from thefrayas Americanscan’t debate civilly anymore
This letter will be my last as a recent encounter with someone I’ve knownfor five years mademe realize just ageneral comment can cause aviolent reaction.
Iasked him what he thinks about the protests in California, where they wereburning stores and looting. He immediately launched into avulgar tirade against the president and vice president.
Be mindful, no mention of the president and vice president was presented in my statement. If every comment someone makes about events in the country turns out like this, this country will never heal. Ialso could have retaliated. He’s retired and earns extra money as a greeter foralarge retailer,where the employees wearblue vests. But Ichose to take the high road. As an independent, Iwant to thank everyone whoexpresses their opinions. Idon’talways agree with what’sbeing written by either side, and as someone whowould like honest roundtable debate, I know that after the first question is asked, it would devolve into an angry tirade.
DAVE HEBERT Lafayette
Reliving Cuba’s slide into totalitarianism
Isee scary similarities between the dictatorial regimeinCuba for the last 66 years and our newly elected presidential administration. Ilived in Cuba forthe first 12 years of my life, so Ihave clear memories of those times.
In rebuttal to arecent letter titled “Catholicfaithful should consider making amends to abuse victims,” IamaCatholic faithful and Idisagree.
Ilove my church and supportits local mission to providespiritual guidance and education toits parishioners.
If thatwriter had ever visited the Vatican as Idid in 2023, he might not have held thatopinion. The vastamount of priceless artwork, sculptures, busts andother pieces boggled my mind. Iasked our tour guide, alocal, how the church had amassed all this.Hesaid that at one time, the pope was considered aking,and if anyone found something of value, thechurch would take it. Ididn’tresearch that, but it didn’tmatter to me
My issueisthat themother church seemingly has so much wealth thatitcertainly can afford to assist the diocesesaround the world to help pay for theabuse of their parishpriests/religious workers, etc. Ithink most everyone would agree that the church leadership, from thelocal parishestothe Vatican,all knew abusewas being perpetrated on innocent children and did not do nearly enough to address it.
Ibelieve that, due to theirnegligence throughout thechurchleadership chain, the Mother Church, notits faithful parishioners, should be held accountable monetarily for theirsins and takeany necessary steps to compensate the victims
An early target of the Castro regimewere universities; several wereclosed by the government. The regimedid not trust the media. Eventually,newspapers and TV stations were allowed to broadcast only government-approved news.
Blind loyalty to the Castro regime was demanded in all aspects of life. The government chose the leaders of block committees based on their loyalty.Their mainduty wasto inform the higher-ups on whowas sympathetic or not to the government.
Dueprocess was nonexistent. People in my neighborhood would suddenly disappear and their families didn’tknow where they were. Reminds me of ICEkidnapping people today
TO SEND US ALETTER, SCAN HERE
OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588 Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.
MARK RICARD Slidell
What woke really meansand whyitisa threat
Ilearned in American history classes that Paul Revererode through the countryside wakinghis neighbors up to prepare for the British soldiers coming to capture revolutionary leaders. Ilearned that the Wide Awakes were ayouth organization cultivated by the fledgling Republican Party in 1860 that were instrumental in helping Abraham Lincoln to be elected U.S.president. Iremember my mother telling me to stay alert and look for cars bothways before crossingthe street.I workedfor apetrochemical company which expected me to watch out for safety hazards and to address those hazards to prevent injury to my fellow workers and myself.
These examples are part and parcel of woke philosophy that is debated in our society today.Isuggest that woke philosophy in its many forms is embedded in our cultural fabric. It won’tbediminished. It won’tbe eliminated.
Ithink that our current U.S. administration is very awake as to its intention to diminish what it labels as woke. It intends to guide us towardhiding our heads in the sand so that it can accomplish what they feelisgood —for whom, Iamnot sure.
My fellow Americans, stay awake. Stay woke.
STEPHENPASTOREK Baton Rouge
My own father was abducted by the government one day from our family table while having lunch. We did not see him again for23days. Someone reported he wascounterrevolutionary
This déjà vu has caused me PTSD.God help us.
ADATORRES NewOrleans
LOUIS SHEPARD NewOrleans Maybewhat’smissing in schoolsisn’t Ten Commandments
Maybe instead of posting and teaching the TenCommandments in the classroom, they should post and teach the Constitution.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO
Covanta is aformer
that is nowclosed.Itwas located in Delano, Calif
COMMENTARY
What ahaul! We received 553 entries in this week’sCartoon Caption Contest.There were tons of great punchlinessentinand alot of cleverpuns. Our winner,anavid viewerofcriminal justice shows, came up with acaptionthat soundedstraight out of acourtroom dramaand fitthe cartoon perfectly.Great job, everyone! As always, when we have duplicate entries,and we always do,wepick the earliestsentin. —Walt
EDWARD LASCELLE, PINEVILLE: “No, I don’t think this is agoodtime to break for lunch!”
MIRTILE DUGAS,CARRIERE, MISS.: “But judge,I didn’t know it washis worm!”
DAVID DELGADO,NEW ORLEANS: “Boy, have Igot a fish storyfor you!”
GREG STEEN, METAIRIE: “This verdict was aload of carp!”
MICHAEL B. RIEMER, JEFFERSON: “He should have neverbeen let off the hook.”
MARYMALONE, NEW ORLEANS: “What do youMEAN that this is too big for small claims court?!”
SHEREE MURRAY, BATONROUGE: “I call my first witness Charlie Tuna!”
JOSEPH KOVACS, NEW ORLEANS: “I think we’reabout to graduate to criminal court…”
SHERI LINDSEY,BATON ROUGE: “Please don’t throwthe hook at me!”
Lots of groups willbeharmed by President Donald Trump’sOne Big Beautiful Bill, which recentlybecame his One Big Beautiful Law.Among them: the poor, the young, themath-literate.
But it’salso worth assessing who will benefit from the GOP’srearrangement of fiscal priorities. The answer is not only the rich and corporations; it’salso America’sgrowing immigration industrial complex.
STUART CLARK, LAFAYETTE: “I’m afraid thebig guy’sgoing for an open and shut case!”
HARPER VICIDOMINA-MILLS (AGE 10), METAIRIE: “Isn’tthis illegal because onlysmall fish are supposed to be here, right?”
PHILLIP T. GRIFFIN, NEW ORLEANS: “I don’thavea chance; he ate my attorney on the wayin!”
HOWARD W. STREIFFER, METAIRIE: “I’m requesting an expedited ruling here!”
BOBUSSERY, NEW ORLEANS: “What do youmean,‘Where’smylawyer?’He’sright behind me.Isn’the?”
MICHELE STARNES, KENNER: “I’d like youto subpoena his stomachcontents!”
RAYAUTREY,MORGANCITY: “your Honor,I seriously object to this line of questioning!!”
GINA VILLAVASO,NEW ORLEANS: “All I toldhim was his story sounded ‘fishy’!”
BRYANREUTER,METAIRIE: “Judge, Iknowyour docket is underwater,but you’vegot to do something.”
MARYANN RIDDLE,BATON ROUGE: “Judge, help thesmall fish forachange.”
RICHIE CORVERS, RIVERRIDGE: “I plead the5th!!Now hurry up and take me intocustody.”
JEFF HARTZHEIM, FUQUAY-VARINA, N.C.: “Hesaid he wants apretrial herring.”
TIM PUJOL, MAUREPAS: “I need to reporta hostile takeover.”
MARTHA STARNES, KENNER: “I was just minding my ownbubbles!”
CHARLESE BROWN, NEW ORLEANS: “Where’sthe LARGEclaims court?”
RORY STEEN,DENVER,CO.: “I’m beginning to suspect this victory will be short-lived.”
CHARLESSMITH, ST.ROSE: “DoIreally need to explain my intimidation claim?”
LAUREN GAUTHIER, KENNER: “yes he’s mad, he’shaddock with these jokes!”
Rahm Emanuel’sstint as ambassador to Japan followed his twoterms as Chicago’smayor,which followed his 20 months as Barack Obama’sfirst White House chief of staff. But before he formally begins his likely campaign forthe Democrats’ 2028 presidential nomination, he has becomeasocial scientist.
As an avid bicyclist, Emanuel, when he retired from the mayor’soffice, took atwo-week, 900-mile ride around Lake Michigan with a friend. During the ride, he madeasociological discovery: “The worse the cellphone coverage is, the nicer people are.”
Niceness is sometimes secondary forEmanuel, whose salty vocabulary expresses the serrated edge of his personality.But his discovery of the inverse relationship between smartphones and congeniality indicates his interest in today’sculture, and his party’scontribution to its strangeness. Although politics is the Democratic Party’sbusiness, it currently has scant aptitude forit.
that for most other law enforcement agencies combined. This includes the FBI, Bureau of Prisons, Drug Enforcement Administration and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. ICEspending this year will also be larger thanmost other countries’ military budgets.
Funding for ICE agents specifically is expected to quadruple in the last year of Trump’ssecond term,according to estimates from Bobby Kogan, aformer Senate budget staffer and researcher at the Center for American Progress.
Politics is mostly talk. In an interview,Emanuel says, moreinanger than in sorrow,that too manyDemocrats speak as though their words have been “focus-grouped in a faculty lounge.” He has apoint. If the progressives whocoined the term “Latinx” had knowna fewHispanics, they would have knownthere was no interest in a “nonbinary” (more progressivespeak) namefor members of an ethnic group whohave said they prefer to be called “Americans.” Between 2020 and 2024, Donald Trumpincreased his portion of the Latino vote from 36% to 48%. When progressives refer to people in jail as “justice-involved populations,” voters are apt to be mystified, then bemused, and ultimately unlikely to fill public offices with peculiar people whospeak aprivate language.
Emanuel wishes someDemocrats would worry less about “a child’sright to pick his pronouns” and moreabout “children whodo not know what apronoun is.” He is proud of an education reform he instituted as mayor: Before handing adiplomatoahigh school senior,the student had to hand over aletter of acceptance from afour-year college, acommunity college, an armed service or avocational school.
Emanuel mused about all this afew days before the 65% of New York City’sregistered Democrats whovoted in the mayoral primary nominated (by aplurality) a33-year-old who resembles an adjunct professor of applied Trotskyism (free stuff foreveryone!) who wandered out of asatirical campus novel. In 1992, Emanuel says, Bill Clinton won while promising not to “defund” the police but to hire 100,000 moreofthem.In1996, Emanuel says, Clinton becamethe first Democratic president reelected since Franklin D. Roosevelt by running 40% of his ads promising to “end welfare as we know it.” In 2008, candidate Obamacampaigned by stressing that it is easy to father achild but hard to be afather Emanuel sees signs of incipient sanity in the fact that in this year’sgubernatorial contests, the twomost important contests, Democrats have nominated twocentrists with national security backgrounds: in NewJersey,Rep. Mikie Sherrill, aU.S. Naval Academygraduate and former helicopter pilot; in Virginia, Abigail Spanberger,aformer CIAofficer and congresswoman. (The uber-progressive president of New Jersey’steachers union finished fifth in aprimary field of six.)
Trump’snew mega-law invests $178 billion in additional immigration enforcement over thenextdecade, primarily through new funding to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.Tobeclear,this is notmerelyabout“border security,” which has significant bipartisan appeal. Democrats tried to beef it up last year,though Trump ordered Republican lawmakers not to cooperate. It’slargely for more detention centersand boots on the ground within the U.S. interior.Thismeans spending more dollars to round up gardeners, home health aides, gradstudents,nannies, construction workers, etc.
In other words, the administration is going after your family, neighbors and friends, regardless of how long they’ve been here, whetherthey present any “safety” threat or how much they’ve contributed to theircommunities.
Adollar figure this huge can be challenging to wrapone’sarms around. So here are some ways to put it in context: Trump has some flexibility on when he spends the new money Congress gave him (which comes in addition to the usual annual appropriations that immigrationrelatedagencies receive),but it’sreasonable to assume that this year’sannual budget for ICE alone will be larger than
As former president Joe Bidenhas oftensaid, “Show me your budget, and I’ll tell you what you value.” Today,American valuespoint in one direction: expanding the immigration police state. What might thesenew investments mean in practice? ICE, with thehelp of lawenforcement personnel seconded from other federal, state and local agencies, has already sown terroracross the country with far fewer resources. Agents have descended upon big cities and smalltown America alike, often masked, armed and refusing to show warrants or identification. With daily arrest quotas to meet, agentsare filling detentioncentersnot withcriminals and gangbangers,but people withnocriminalhistory whatsoever In fact while the number of convicted criminals held in ICE detention is about 1.6 times what it was before Trumptook office, the number of detainees with zero criminal convictions or charges is up nearly 14-fold, according to government data analyzed by Syracuse University researcher Austin Kocher Turns out, maintaining amassive immigration police state is expensive. ICE has been burning through cash and running lowonfunds. Meanwhile, ICE agents are still not meeting their daily quotas, and
the potential pool of people theycould be snatching off the streetsand jamming into overcrowded detention centers is rapidly expanding. That’s because Trumpisnot merelysiccing immigration forces upon those who had been undocumented (with or without criminal records).Under the stewardship of DeputyChief of Staff Stephen Miller this administrationhas also been working to “de-document” hundreds of thousands of immigrants who are here legally These include Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans who camein withadvanced permission under aBidenera program,after undergoing onerous screening abroad and securing asponsor here in the United States. It also includes Hondurans and Nicaraguans who had been living and working in the United States legally for decades, as Trumpannounced recently.Some of our Afghan allies, including many who supported U.S. military efforts at great personal risk to themselves and their families, are in the crosshairs as well. As are some Ukrainians and many,many others.
Many of these policies have been challenged in court and have either been paused or otherwise not yet taken effect. But the administrationischarging ahead anyway.The Justice Department recently announced plans to prioritize revoking citizenship from naturalized U.S. citizens. Aftera recent SupremeCourt ruling, the administrationisalso still trying to strip birthright citizenship from babies bornin the United States, including those bornto both undocumented and many authorized immigrant parents. Perhaps it’snowonder,then, thatICE needs all those funds. Have you seen the price of cribs these days?
Email Catherine Rampell at crampell@ washpost.com. She is on X, @crampell.
Emanuel is wagering that “candor and authenticity have currency,” and that “strength, confidence and optimism” can be projected by ignoring “the culture police” on his party’s left. He tickles optimism from afact about Chicago’ssummer country-music festival: It features anumber of Black singers of agenre associated with rural America. That is thin evidence fornational reconciliation, but Emanuel thinks the 2026 midterm elections will give his party momentum for2028.
He says that in midtermswhen the same party controls the presidency and both houses of Congress, turnout is usually higher forthe out-of-power party,independents break 2-1 forthat party,and turnout drops forthe inpower party.This drop might be particularly pronounced next year because manysupposed supporters of the incumbent party are actually just fans of its entertaining leader,whose absence from the ballot will makepolitics unappetizing.
Mayor Emanuel did not halt Chicago’sslide toward bankruptcy,and as anational candidate he must shed the stigmaresulting from Democratic control of sagging cities (New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc.). And there will be the dramaofwatching progressives of the “globalize the intifada” stripe (see their choice forNew York mayor) ponder acandidate whose middle nameis“Israel.”
Email George Will at georgewill@washpost. com.
WINNER: Brian Hanley, Baton Rouge
Catherine Rampell
George Will
NASA contractor lays off nearly 300 at Michoud
serviced N.O., Miss. facilities for nearly 10 years
BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer
Nearly 300 workers at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility have been laid off after the company that employed them lost its contract with the space agency, according to a notice the company sent to the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
Syncom Space Services, which provided operations and facilities maintenance at Michoud and the Stennis Space Center in Mississippi for nearly 10 years, said in a
federally mandated Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification filed with the commission that it would lay off 296 employees at Michoud at the end of last month because its contract with NASA expired June 30 and had not been renewed.
NASA declined to comment. But in a post on its website, the space agency said it had selected a new contractor, NOVA Space Solutions of Anchorage, Alaska, to take over the $822.7 million contract at Michoud and Stennis. It is not clear how many of the affected employees were based at Michoud and how many were at Stennis. The WARN notice that S3, as the company is known, filed with the commission does not specify where the jobs
were located. S3 did not file a WARN with the Mississippi Workforce Commission, according to that agency’s website.
The notice does, however say that dozens of positions were affected, including electricians, environmental technicians, engineers, maintenance workers, millwrights and power plant operators.
S3 did not respond to a request seeking comment and NOVA Space Solutions could not be reached for comment. The change in contractors does not necessarily spell long-term job losses for all of the affected workers. In many cases, new vendors with large contracts will extend offers to rehire some, if not most, of the employees into similar or comparable
positions.
Questionable future
The changes at Michoud comes just three months after Boeing, the lead contractor on NASA’s Artemis space program, said it would lay off 89 employees at Michoud, raising fresh doubts about the future of the program and the role New Orleans may play in getting astronauts back to the moon.
Even before President Donald Trump’s election last fall, NASA’s Artemis program, a $24 billion initiative to return manned crews to the moon and, eventually, to Mars, was facing cost overruns and delays.
Trump said earlier this year he wanted to phase out the Space Launch System rockets, which are built at
Michoud, that power Artemis and replace them with more cost efficient, commercial rockets But the One Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress on July 3 and signed by Trump, includes $4.1 billion in funding for two upcoming Artemis missions, as well as $120 million for improvements at Stennis and $30 million for improvements at Michoud. Still, the administration has said it wants to replace SLS with less expensive commercial rockets after the launches of Artemis II and III, scheduled for 2026 and 2027.
Any cuts to Artemis would signal yet another blow to Michoud. The facility and the parts of the space program it supports, has been
Email Stephanie
at stephanie.riegel@ theadvocate.com.
BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer
The Opelousas Police Department is looking for an escaped inmate believed to be in the area. Raymond Howard, 34, escaped Tuesday from a Madison County Mississippi, Sheriff’s Office transport van in Opelousas He escaped through a rear window when the van was parked onWallior Street, police said. Howard was in town for a hearing at the St. Landry Parish Courthouse. Witnesses said they saw Howard running across Wallior Street, past the Take 5 Car Wash. He then removed his orange jumpsuit, revealing a white Tshirt, and entered a wooded
at (337) 948-TIPS (8477).
Continued from page 1B
Mahmoud Khalil after he was arrested in New York City in March. Khalil was ordered released by a federal judge in June and he filed a $20 million lawsuit against the Trump administration on Thursday
Alireza Doroudi, 32, an Iranian doctoral student studying at the University of Ala-
bama, was also detained in Jena after he was arrested over an allegedly revoked visa He decided to self-deport to Iran.
Rumeysa Ozturk, a Tufts University student who also allegedly had her visa revoked over support for Palestinians, was detained in Basile before she was ordered to be transferred to Vermont.
ICE arrests of Louisiana residents have also made
headlines. The detention of Mandonna “Donna” Kashanian, a 47-year resident of New Orleans originally from Iran, drew local outrage and she was released following outreach by U.S. Rep Steve Scalise — the second-ranking House Republican — to Homeland Security
Email Marco Cartolano at marco.cartolano@ theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
The core stage of the Artemis II rocket is rolled out at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans in 2024. The Artemis program is facing cost overruns and delays.
Mariners take Anderson at
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
LSU baseball sophomore lefthanded pitcher Kade Anderson was selected Sundaybythe SeattleMariners with theNo. 3overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft Anderson is the third LSU player to go in the first three picks of the draft in the past three years, joining No. 1 PaulSkenes and No. 2Dylan Crews in 2023. He was acandidate to go No. 1 overalltothe Washington Nationals, but they elected to select highschool shortstop Eli Willits withthe top choice. The Los Angeles Angels followed by choosing UC Santa Barbara right-handed pitcher Tyler Bremner
“Obviously,extremely excited,” Scott Hunter, vice president of amateur scouting for the Mariners, said
“Weren’tsureifKade would get to us this year.There’s alot of mock drafts that had him one or two, butreally excitingfor theorganization.”
Anderson posted a3.18 ERA in 119 innings for the Tigers this season.
He struck out37.4% of thebatters
he faced andwalked only 7.3% of the hitters while leading the country in strikeouts by the end of the year
His180 strikeoutsplaced him third on LSU’ssingle-seasonstrikeouts list, trailing only Paul Skenes(2023) and Ben McDonald (1989).
“Whenyou geta pitcherthatcan throw four pitches and they’re plus on our scale,and he can touch 96 mph on the 130th pitch of abig game,” Huntersaid, “I think the sky’sthe limit for guys like that.”
Anderson also threw two shutouts, andBaseball America named him the2025 CollegePitcher of the Year
He wasafirst-teamAll-American and an All-SEC selection, and he was awarded the National Pitcher of the Year Award by the American Baseball Coaches Association.
“When you see kids —and you see alot of SEC players andhitters and pitchers during the course of the year that are going very high in the draft —toexcel andtoachieve what he didinjustthisone full year of college baseball was prettyimpressive,” Huntersaid.
Anderson became an LSU legend this season after guiding the Tigers to their eighth national championshipand secondtitle in three years this summer
The Louisiana native and drafteligible sophomoretossed ashutout in Game 1ofthe CollegeWorld Seriesfinalagainst Coastal Carolina LSU earned the 1-0victory before
clinching the national championship in Game 2 with a5-3 win the next day
Hisheroics in Omaha won himthe Most Outstanding Player Award at the College World Series.
“Justbeing able to watch himinthe College World Series at the end, Iwas actually on aflight comingbackfrom the combine,” Hunter said. “I think that was amoment for us that said, ‘Man,evenwhenhedoesn’t have his best stuff, he can find a way to get you.’
“
Anderson’sleap in production comes after asolid freshman season, wherehepunched out13.81 battersper nine innings andhad a 3.99 ERAin381/3 innings as a
ä See ANDERSON, page 3C
signed withLSU
alreadyleft theprogram
VANISHING ACT
BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer
Twoyearsago, Brian Kelly and his staff signed their first full recruiting class.Itincluded one player whohas already turned into astar,linebacker Whit Weeks, and afew otherswho have become starters.
But by the time the spring transfer portal closed, most of those players had left LSU before their junior year LSU signed 25 high school recruits in the 2023 class, and 15 of them (60%) are gone. Fourteen transferred,while one withdrew before he ever practiced Traditionally, juniors formed the backbone of ateam. They had developed,and they had one more season before they could leave for theNFL. But that won’t be the case this fall, and LSU isn’talone in the SoutheasternConference.
Twoyears after the2023 class arrived, eight SEC teams havelost at least halfof their high school signees, mainly tothe transfer portal. Arkansas(86%)and Mississippi State (81%) have lost the highest percentage of their classes. Missouri (28%) and Texas (28%)are tied for the lowest.
Recruiting misses are nothing new, and sometimes playersare encouraged to enter the transfer portal. The numbers show just how common it has been to lose large chunks of ahigh school recruiting class in an era with unlimited transfers, immediate eligibilityand unchecked NIL inducements.
Arkansas, now entering its sixth season under coach Sam Pittman,onlyhas
BY HOWARD FENDRICH
AP tennis writer
LONDON JannikSinnerinsistedearly on at Wimbledon that he put an excruciating loss to Carlos Alcaraz in their epic French Open final behind him. Sinner was sure that one defeat wouldn’thaunt him,wouldn’tprevent aquick recalibration and certainly wouldn’tmean athing at the All England Club.
Sure wasright about all of that.
Exactly five weeks after the devastating defeat at Roland-Garros against his rival, Sinner reversed the result, defeating the two-time reigning Wimbledon champion Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4 on Sunday to winhis first championship at the grass-court major “At the end of the day,itdoesn’treally matter how you winoryou lose the important tournaments. Youjusthaveto understand what you did wrong. Trying to work on that—that’sexactly whatwe did. We tried to accept the loss and then just kept working,” Sinner said Sunday, hisshiny gold hardwareinhis hands. “And thisis, forsure, why I’mholding this trophy here.”
TheNo. 1-ranked Sinner earned his fourth Grand Slam title overall, moving him one away from No.2 Alcaraz’stotal as the two established stars of the game separate themselves fromthe rest of the pack in men’s tennis.
Sinner, a23-year-old Italian, put an end to several streaks for Alcaraz, a 22-year-old Spaniard.
Alcaraz hadwon their past five matches, mostfamously across five sets and nearly 51/2 hours on the redclay of the French Open on June 8. Sinnertook a two-setlead,thenheld atrio of match points, but couldn’tclose the deal. Asked during Week One at Wimbledon whether that created lingering doubts, Sinner immediately replied: “Why negative feelings? Because Ilostin(that) final?” Then he continued: “No. Look, it’sa new tournament, new Grand Slam,new
AP PHOTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH JannikSinner of Italy
FILEPHOTOSByMICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU offensivelinemanLance Heard, right,blocks Auburnlinebacker Jalen McLeod on Oct. 14, 2023, at TigerStadium. Heard, a five-star offensivetackle when he
out of highschool, is one of 15 players from LSU’sClass of 2023 whohas
LSU defensiveend Da’Shawn Womack, left, dives to make atackle on South Alabama quarterback Gio LopezonSept. 28 at TigerStadium. Womack is one of 15 players from LSU’sClass of 2023who has left the program.
Gotterup earns British Open invite
He holds off McIlroy for Scottish Open win
The Associated Press
NORTH BERWICK, Scotland Chris Gotterup had a plane ticket for California to play an oppositefield event in Lake Tahoe. The only change in itinerary would be to take down Rory McIlroy at the Scottish Open before a sellout crowd expecting the Masters champion to claim his 30th title on the PGA Tour Gotterup handled it all with poise to go with his great strength.
He delivered all the right shots — the short birdie putt on the par3 12th to build a two-shot lead, the 10-foot birdie on the par-5 16th to restore a two-shot lead — and closed with a 4-under 66 to hold off McIlroy and Marco Penge of England.
The victory sends him to Royal Portrush for his British Open debut, an extended trip to links golf that is starting to suit him.
Time to cancel that flight.
“I might do it right now in front of you,” said Gotterup, the trophy
at his side that also sends him to the Masters next year for the first time.
He earned those perks Gotterup, tied with McIlroy to start the final round, drove into a bunker and had to make a nervy 4-footer for bogey on the opening hole.
That was a reminder nothing was going to come easily
“I definitely was the villain out there today,” he said “I felt like I was ready and prepared mentally today And that’s kind of what I’ve been talking about over the last couple of weeks, that I’ve kind of gotten into the mix a little bit and just faded away a little bit. And today, my goal was to hang in there tough and I felt like I did that really well.”
He finished at 15-under 265 and moves into the top 50 in the world for the first time.
“Chris played a great round of golf. He was so solid,” McIlroy said. “Made the bogey on 15 but bounced back with a really nice birdie on 16. After he got a couple
ahead, I just couldn’t claw back.”
Gotterup was one shot ahead of McIlroy when he hit his tee shot on the 196-yard 12th hole to 2 feet for birdie — McIlroy missed from 4 feet — to take command. His lead was down to one over McIlroy and Penge, but McIlroy missed a 12-foot birdie at the par5 16th and Gotterup hit a right-toleft putt from 10 feet in the heart of the cup for a two-shot lead with two to play
Gotterup was so emotional when it was over he could barely speak, rubbing his eyes before saying, “Everyone at home this is awesome. I’m not going to be able to keep it together.”
Gotterup earned one of the three final British Open spots through the International Qualifying Series, joined by Nicolai Hojgaard and Matti Schmid.
Hojgaard closed with a 64 to move up 11 spots into a tie for fourth to join his twin brother at Royal Portrush Schmid shot 71 and tied for 17th, helped by Jake Knapp’s late collapse.
Knapp was tied for the lead
through five holes, but he took double bogey on the par-3 ninth and the rest of the back nine didn’t go much better He closed with a 74, losing on a chance to win and to play next week at Royal Portrush. McIlroy had said he was playing his best golf since going into the Masters. This was the first time he had seriously contended since that Masters victory, good timing with the Open in his native Northern Ireland starting on Thursday “I’m really happy with where my game is the way I played over the weekend, the shots that I hit, how I controlled my ball flight,” McIlroy said “It has been a great week. Missing the trophy, that’s about it.”
Former U.S. Open champion
Matt Fitzpatrick had a 67 and tied for fourth with Hojgaard, picking up valuable FedEx Cup points in what has been a down year Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player coming off a two-week break, had a 67 and tied for eighth. It was his 10th consecutive tournament finishing eighth or better, a streak that began in the Houston Open.
Kim wins first LPGA major after wild finish
The Associated Press
EVIAN-LES-BAINS, France Grace Kim always dreamed of winning a major on the LPGA Tour What happened Sunday in a wild final hour at the Evian Championship was beyond her imagination.
“I don’t know how it happened, really,” Kim said after an eaglebirdie-eagle finish to win on the second playoff hole against Jeeno Thitikul.
A final round at Evian Resort that nearly saw Lottie Woad become the first amateur to win a major in 58 years ended with Kim standing upright after her 12-foot eagle putt dropped, with her hand over her mouth, motionless as she tried to digest what had transpired.
Two shots behind on the final hole, Kim hit a 4-hybrid so perfectly that it slowed at the top of a slope behind the flag and rolled back to 2 feet for an eagle and a 4-under 67 to force a playoff with Thitikul. Her approach to the par-5 18th in a playoff bounced off a cart path, over rocks and into the water, while Thitikul was in good position to make birdie. Tournament over? Not quite. Kim pitched over the pond and across the green and into the cup for birdie to stay alive.
“I was pretty bummed to find out that my ball was in the middle of the water But, again, it’s not quite
finished until the very end,” Kim said “Just wanted to make sure I got it there Yeah, just happened to have chipped it in. I don’t know if I can do it again.” Back to the 18th for a third time — twice in the playoff — the Australian again hit 4-hybrid to 12 feet. Thitikul, who missed an 8-foot birdie putt in regulation for the win, missed the green to the left and chipped to 5 feet. She never had to putt Kim holed the eagle putt to capture her first major and second LPGA title. She is the second straight Aussie to win a major, fol-
lowing Minjee Lee. “It’s a huge achievement for me,” Kim said. “I’ve had a lot of doubts early this year. I was kind of losing motivation. I kind of had to get some hard conversations done with the team. Yeah, kind of had to wake up a little bit. So to be sitting here next to this trophy is definitely surreal.”
It was a big setback for Thitikul, who along with Ai Miyazato is the only woman to have reached No. 1 in the world ranking without winning a major Thitikul’s biggest challenge had been Woad, the No. 1 amateur who
Browns rookie RB Judkins arrested on battery charge
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Cleveland Browns rookie running back Quinshon Judkins was arrested Saturday night in Florida on a charge of battery and domestic violence.
According to Broward County arrest records, Judkins was jailed overnight and was awaiting his first court appearance. The charge is described in the arrest report as “touch or strike/battery/domestic violence.” The charge is a misdemeanor A Browns spokesman said the team is aware of the incident and gathering more information.
The 21-year-old Judkins was the 36th overall pick in the April draft after rushing for 1,060 yards and 14 touchdowns at Ohio State last season. The Browns drafted Judkins to help replace veteran Nick Chubb, who signed with the Houston Texans. Cleveland also drafted Dylan Sampson from Dutchtown.
Cardinals activate Herrera; OF Nootbaar heads to IL
The St. Louis Cardinals activated catcher Iván Herrera from the 10day injured list on Sunday before the series finale against the Atlanta Braves.
In a corresponding move, the Cardinals placed outfielder Lars Nootbaar on the 10-day IL with a left rib injury Herrera hasn’t appeared in the lineup since June 19 when he strained his hamstring rounding first base after a hit in the first game of a doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox. Herrera is hitting .320 with eight homers and 36 RBIs.
Nootbaar left Saturday’s game in the sixth inning and did not return. He has battled rib pain and an intercostal strain for several weeks.
Astros All-Star Paredes will skip Tuesday’s game Houston Astros third baseman Isaac Paredes has dropped out of Tuesday’s All-Star Game to attend to a family matter Paredes was added to the roster Wednesday after Cleveland’s José Ramírez opted out to rest a nagging Achilles tendon injury Paredes was in the Astros’ lineup at designated hitter Sunday for the finale of a series against the Texas Rangers, and manager Joe Espada said he wouldn’t miss any time after the break because of the issue. It was the second straight season Paredes had been named an All-Star The 26-year-old is in his first season with the Astros after a trade from the Chicago Cubs. He entered Sunday hitting .254 with 19 homers and 49 RBIs.
Marlins All-Star Stowers goes deep three times
was coming off a win in the Irish Women’s Open and at one point had the lead on the back nine of Evian Resort. She closed with 64 and then waited to see if that would be enough.
Woad was bidding to become the first amateur to win a major since Catherine Lacoste at the 1967 U.S. Women’s Open.
Thitikul birdied the 17th to take the lead, and the Thai player was on the verge of her first major when she laid up short of the pond and hit wedge into 8 feet on the final hole.
But then Kim appeared with the sublime 4-hybrid to 2 feet for eagle. Thitikul’s birdie putt for the win just missed to the right, and she shot 67 to join Kim at 14-under 270.
“I think I’m so proud of myself on battling out there today,” Thitikul said.
Woad tied for third with Lee (68) and now has secured an LPGA card for the rest of this year and all of next year if the senior-to-be at Florida State chooses to turn pro. Woad already is in the Ladies Scottish Open and Women’s British Open.
Kim’s victory extended what already is a record streak in the LPGA Tour’s 75-year history, the 18th consecutive tournament to start a season with a different winner It also makes 13 different winners in the last 13 majors.
All-Star Kyle Stowers had his first three-homer game and drove in six runs against his former team, leading the Miami Marlins to an 11-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday Stowers is the first Marlins player to hit three homers in a game since Brian Anderson on Sept. 18, 2020, against Washington. The 27-year-old left fielder also joins fellow Marlins Mike Lowell (2004) and Cody Ross (2006) in accomplishing the feat.
Stowers led off the second inning with a shot to right against Brandon Young (0-4) to open the scoring. An inning later, he sent Young’s first-pitch curveball 398 feet for a two-run blast to rightcenter In the fifth, Stowers homered over the scoreboard in right.
Two-time champion Els withdraws from British Open
Former champion Ernie Els has withdrawn from the British Open, the second time this year he has chosen not to compete in big championships.
The R&A did not give a reason Sunday for the withdrawal of the 55-year-old South African. Els was replaced in the field by Si Woo Kim, who was next on the alternate list.
Els won the British Open at Muirfield in 2002 after a four-man playoff. He won again in 2012 at Royal Lytham & St. Annes when Adam Scott lost a late lead. Open champions are exempt to play until they are 60.
Els also chose not to compete this year in The Players Championship, for which he qualified by winning the Kaulig Companies Championship at Firestone in
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MALCOLM MACKENZIE
Chris Gotterup of the U.S competes at the Scottish Open on Sunday at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LAURENT CIPRIANI
Grace Kim of Australia, celebrates with her trophy after winning the Evian Championship women’s golf tournament on Sunday in Evian, eastern France.
SECMEDIA DAYS
ON STAGEMONDAY
LSU
Saban’sretirement, anew staffhas kept the majority of the class intact. Texas A&M, which fired coach Jimbo Fisher during the 2023 season, has lost only 42% of the class.
SOUTH CAROLINA
THE BUZZ:Ole Miss built aplayoff-caliber team aroundquarterback Jaxson Dart last season butnarrowlymissed the freshly expanded field.After arosterreset,its hopes fora CFP berth now liesquarely on the shoulders of Simmons, aredshirtsophomoreand former four-star recruit who’sbeginning his firstyear as astarter
THEBUZZ:South Carolina almostmade the Thenitbrought back Sellers, oneofthe country’s ylanStewart, one of its best edgerushers; and Nyck wide receiver oozing potential.TheGamecocks look like the top of the SEC again.
rule and won, earninghimself achancetolead Vanderbilt to another bowl win.The Commodoreswent 2-10 in 2023.Now theycan scare (and maybe evenupset) the SEC’stop programs. Just askAlabama, which learned that lessonthe hard wayinOctober
Reed Darcey
FirstClark-BueckersWNBAbattlegoestoFever
By The Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS Caitlin Clark and PaigeBueckers each produced remarkably efficient stat lines in their first professional matchup against each other Sunday
The ultimate result wasn’t nearly as close.
Clark helped Indiana dominate thesecond quarter,leading the Fever past the DallasWings 102-83. Clark had 14 points and aseason-high 13 assists, needing only 25 minutes to earn the19th double-doubleofher two-year career
Bueckers wound up with 21 points, four rebounds, four assists and four turnovers in 33 minutes in ahead-to-headmatchup that lived up to the hype of the past two No.1overall picks squaring off.
“It’sfun to watch, not as an opponent on the other sideline. But fora lotofyoungplayers that come into this league, there’sa learning curve,” Fever coach StephanieWhitesaid. “And how quickly they figure it outisalways interesting to see.Paige she’sfigured it out.”
The highly anticipatedmatchup between Clark and Bueckers was supposed to take place June 27 at Dallas. But Clark, last year’sRookieofthe Year,missed the game with an injured left groin. Indiana still won 94-86 de-
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midweek starter and late-inning reliever. To beginthisseason, Anderson rose to become LSU’sFriday night starter and never relinquished the role,serving as one half of the Tigers’ dynamic one-two punch atop their with junior right-hander Anthony Eyanson. Without Anderson and Eyanson, LSU will have to relyon new faces atop the rotation next season. But it’snot asituation
TENNIS
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surface.I’m not concerned about my level Ican play.I’m notconcerned that one loss can influence you for so long atime. Ibelieve that here is anew chance that Ican do something good.” Great, even. This time, he didn’twaver,asserting himself in amatch that featured moments of terrificplay by both men, but also the occasional lapses —and one memorable, brief, interruption right before a Sinner serve when aChampagne cork came flying out of the stands and settled on the turf.
Alcaraz stepped into the sunlight bathing Centre Court with acareer-best 24-match unbeaten run. He had won20matchesina row at the All England Club
“It’sdifficult to lose,” Alcaraz said. “It’salways difficulttolose.”
The last man to beat him at Wimbledon? Sinner,inthe fourth round in 2022.
So this served as abookendwin for Sinner,who would be forgiven for at least thinking abit abouthis collapse in their last match —es-
spite Bueckers finishing with 27 points,six assists, two steals and two blocks So WNBA fans waiteduntil Sunday fortheirnextchance. Theypreviously squared off in the 2024 Final Four when Clark helped Iowa rally past UConn 7169 to reach thenational championship game. Clark got the upperhand again Sunday,but Bueckersalsodemonstrated whysomany consider her this year’s Rookie of the Year favorite —she’snot afraid
that coach Jay Johnsonisunfamiliar with. LSU replacedits top two startersfrom2024 and2023. Afterthe 2024 season, theTigers turned to Anderson andadded Eyanson fromthe transfer portal to replace Luke Holman and Gage Jump after they were selected with the 71st and 73rd overall picksofthe 2024 draft, respectively After LSU’snational championship in 2023, Johnson had to replacePaul Skenes and Ty Floyd when Skenes was selected No. 1 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates and Floyd was picked in the second round.
of mixing it up with anyone, including Clark, on theprofessional level.
“We’re just trying to be aggressive,read what thedefenses are doing, get out in transition and do what we’ve been doing,” Bueckers saidafter matching Clark’sseven-point first quarter. “My teammates aredoing a great job setting screens, getting me open.”
Bueckers went 9of15from the floor and 2of4from beyond the arc while Clark’sshooting strug-
LSU hasoptions when it comes to replacing Anderson and Eyanson. Freshman right-hander Casan Evans emergedasanelite arm after posting a2.05 ERA and 31.7% strikeout percentage in 522/3 innings. Juniorright-hander Zac Cowan could return after a year in which he posted a2.94 ERA in 52 innings.
After thosetwo, the Tigers have plenty of returningdepth Atalented freshman class— including left-handerCooper Williams,and right-handersMavrick Rizy and William Schmidt —isexpected to makealeap in its secondseason Redshirt sophomoreright-
pecially when facing two break points while serving at 4-3, 15-40 in the fourth set Sunday
But hecalmly took the next four points to take that game before eventually taking the championship
“Veryhappy thatI (held) my nerves,” Sinnersaid. When it ended, he put both hands on hiswhite hat.After embracing Alcaraz, Sinner crouched with his head bowed, then pounded his right palm on the grass.
“Thank youfor theplayeryou are,”Sinner told Alcaraz. “It’sso difficulttoplay against you.”
Sinner hasparticipatedinfour consecutivemajor finals, including triumphs at the U.S. Open —shortly after theworld learnedabout a doping case that eventuallyled to athree-monthban —and theAustralian Open.
Wearing thesame tape joband white arm sleevetoprotect his right elbow that he has been using since falling in the fourth round, Sinner nevershowed any issues just as he hadn’twhile eliminating Novak Djokovic on Friday In the final, Sinner andAlcaraz produced scintillating points, with few, if any, half-measures.They sprinted at top speed and swung
gles continued.She was4of12 from the field and 2of7on3sbut also had five steals Thebiggest difference: Clark’s ability to get teammates involved.
Indianafinished with 30 assists on 40 baskets, including onemidway through the second quarter thatbegan witha block by Clark. All-Star center Aliyah Boston grabbed the ball, got it ahead to Clark who immediately whipped aperfect touchdownlike pass over the outstretched hands of onedefender andinto the hands of SophieCunningham for alayup midway through the second quarter
The play started a14-5 run thatput Indiana in control and allowed theFever to scorea league-high 64 first-half points.
Clark did give the Fever abrief scare, though, with an awkward collision with thebasketball stanchiononamissed layup. She stayed down momentarily and left the game for afew minutes before returning to help Indiana deliver theknockoutpunch.
“I thought my playmaking was really good, therewas no reason formetoshoot that much,” Clarksaid. “When we have five people in doublefigures, we’re going to be pretty hard to beat. We were just kind of clicking on all cylinders, moving the ball well, getting to the next action.”
handerJaden Noot and junior right-hander Gavin Guidry are eligibletobedrafted but are strong candidates to return to BatonRouge. Sophomore righthander DevenSheerin, after missingthe entire year with a torn ACL, is back pitching in the CapeCod Baseball League this summer
With Anderson andEyanson, LSU hadone of thetop pitching staffs in the nation. But even without them, the Tigers project to have astrongcoreonthe mound next year
Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.
away with full force, rarely bending to the other’swill.
From 4-2down,Alcaraz took four games in arow.That spurt included a140 mph ace that sprayed theair with acloud of white chalk dust anda set-capping, flick-of-abackhand winner at an impossible angle after barely getting his racket on the ball. As fans rose and roared, Alcaraz pointed to his ear and spun around, then pumpedhis right fist overhead. Sinnerwas undaunted,quickly breakingtoleadthe second set. He returned exceptionally,evenasAlcaraz served aggressively,which did lead to 15 aces —but also to a53% first-serve percentage and seven double-faults. Much likeatthe French Open, therewas often an unrelenting intensity to these three-plus hours, andany slight misstep created problems.Itwas Alcaraz who had moreofthose, although Sinner might have hadthe most memorable, blowing an overhead right after coming up with abehind-theback,through-the-legs half-volley in the third set In all, these guys showed why they combined to win the past seven Grand Slam trophies, and nine
Meanwhile, thehighest ratesofretention over the past two years were at Missouri, Texasand Florida, in that order Texassigned25players, including quarterback Arch Manning andlinebackerAnthony Hill,and only seven have left theteam. For comparison, LSU, Oklahoma and Tennessee signed the samenumber of recruits, but all three teams have lost at least half of their 2023 classes.
Even though the Florida Gators have gone 13-12 since thatrecruiting cycle, coach Billy Napier’sfirst full class largely has remained intact amid speculation about his job security.Only six of the 20 high school signees (30%) have transferred. For LSU, the 25-member class was supposed to setthe foundationofKelly’steam after the rocky end of the Ed Orgeron era. The group was ranked No. 5inthe country,according to 247Sports, whichisthe highest-ranked class of Kelly’stenure to this point.
Butheading intopreseason camp next month, there are only 10 players left. One of them,running back Trey Holly,remains indefinitely suspended as he awaits trial foranillegal weapon charge.
Sixofthe 11 top-200prospects,according to the 247Sports composite rankings, are gone. That includes the twohighest-rated recruits, five-star offensive tackle Lance Heard and top50 edge rusher Da’Shawn Womack. Heard left after one year for Tennessee, andWomack went to OleMiss afterstruggling to crack the rotation fortwo years. Twotop-100 wide receivers, JalenBrown and Shelton Sampson, nevercontributed before they transferred.
For the most part, the players who left were going to need to develop or could find earlier playing time elsewhere. But theonly top-100 prospect still on the team, defensive back JavienToviano,has bounced around the secondary without finding amajor role yet. So far, the biggest successhas been Weeks, whofinished second in the SEC in tackles as asophomore and will represent LSUatSEC media days in AtlantaonMonday. Twoothers, offensive linemanDJChester andcornerback Ashton Stamps, started every game last season. The rest of the remaining class has yet to make an impact, but that could change in the fall. Tyree Adams is expected to start at lefttackle after waiting behind Will Campbell, and Toviano will compete at safety. Runningback Kaleb Jackson and offensive guard Paul Mubenga could have roles. Kelly has talked often about building theroster on high school signeesand then retainingthem. He stillbelieves in that approach, butontop of losing so much from 2023, LSU only has four players on the roster who wereinthe 2022 or 2021 classes: quarterback Garrett Nussmeier,wide receiverChris Hilton,linebackerHaroldPerkins and backup offensive lineman Bo Bordelon. Of the 37 combined players in those classes, 22 of them transferred. Without ahigh rate of retention, LSU supplemented its needs through the transfer portal, especially this year.While signing the No.1class in the country,according to 247Sports, it looked for veterans who could start, trying to address the inexperience on the rostercreated by so much attrition. LSU maynot add that many transfers in the future. It still would prefer to retain its recruits, and so far, it has done abetterjob with the 2024 class. After one year,only four of them have leftthe team
of the last 12. “I’mjust really,really happy about having this rivalry with
him,” Alcaraz said about Sinner “It’sgreat for us, and it is great fortennis.”
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByKIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH
Jannik Sinner,left, of Italy
hugs CarlosAlcaraz of Spain after winning the men’ssingles final at Wimbledon in London on Sunday.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DOUG MCSCHOOLER
Indiana Feverguard Caitlin Clark goes for aloose ball during the first half of agame against theDallas Wings on Sunday in Indianapolis.
depict
Folktales as only Creoles can tell them take thespotlight in theWestBaton
BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer
“Oh, this is acutestory,” Angelique Bergeron says.
RougeMuseum
STORY TIME
She’sright, it is cute, and it comes with ahumorous twist at the end, as do mostofthe stories in the West Baton Rouge Museum’s exhibit, “Kont Kréyol-yé.”
The exhibit’stitle translates to “Creole Folktales,” which aretold through thework of local artists in themuseum’s Whitehead Gallery
The show runs through Oct. 12. Bergeron is themuseum’s executive director,and it’s HenryWatson’s wood-carvedpicture, “The Maringouins,”enchanting heratthe moment.
“This artwork illustrates the Creole folktale, ‘Lé Maringwin,’which translates to ‘TheMosquitoes’ in English,” Bergeron said. “Andit’sabout these guys who are tryingtoget through the swamp. They’resotired,sotheyfind a high ground, and theyput down their blankets andtry to sleep. Butthese mosquitoes are biting themall night. The men don’tknowwhy the mosquitoes are plaguing them. In fact, they don’tknowwhatmosquitoes are, because neither is from Louisiana.
West Baton Rouge Museum’sexhibit ‘Kont Kréyol-yé’ or ‘Creole Folktales.’The pieceshows twomen whoare not from Louisiana beingchased by mosquitoes.
‘Br’er
BY SERENA PUANG Staff writer
Anew food trailer is joiningthe growing collection of businesses
“Theyhaven’tbeen in the swampbefore, and they’re like, ‘OhmyGod,what is this creature?,’ ” Bergeron continues. “Then, the next day, they find acabin. And they’re so happy,because they’re so tired they could almost sleep standing up.”
Butwhen they settleinthe cabin for thenight,they see theglow of afirefly
“And they’re like, ‘Oh, yougotta get outta here, because the bugs came back andtheybrought a lantern to find us,” Bergeron said, turning to Watson’sdepiction of the story showing two men being chased out of acabin by giant mosquitoes.
The story is one of 28 folktales fillingthe gallery’swalls. Some aresimilar to fairy and folktales found in other cultures but with alterations to fit Louisiana’senvironment.
Here, visitors will read about the turtle and the deer instead of the tortoiseand the hare. They’ll also read it in Creole French
Which means even speakers of French aren’timmune to theotherness of this language,being that Creole French is atotally different dialect Don’tworry.A smartphone click on theQRcodeatthe beginning of the exhibit provides Englishtranslationsofall the stories. The museum hasalso published abook,“Kont Kréyol-yé, Creole Folktales,” to coincide with theshow. Its pagesare not only filled with theexhibit’s 28
ä See FOLKTALES, page 6C
Keith ‘Cartoonman’ Douglas’ painting depictsthe Creole folktale, ‘Br’er Rabbit: Why HisEars Are So Long.’
Malaika Favorite’spainting depicts the Creole folktale, ‘Br’er Rabbit&Br’er Hyena.’
Zora White, a10-year-old artist, painted her ownnose and pressed it to the paper to depict the nose prints of the sevenmen in the Creole folktale, ‘SevenLost Men.
Recent studyshows benefits of having active lifestyles
Does sustaining an active lifestyle in midlife lower the risk of dementia?
In aFebruary 2019 study highlighted in Neurology,researchers reported that staying both physically and mentally active in midlife (40s) mayprotect the brain decades later The study involved 800 Swedish womenwith an average age of 47 whowere followed for44years and who were scored in twoareas of mental and physical activities. Women whowere assigned to high levels of mental activity were 46% less likely to have developed Alzheimer’sdisease and 34% less likely to have developed dementia overall than the women in the group whoperformed lower levels of mental activity practices. With regards to physical activity, 52% of the women in the study were less likely to have developed atype of dementia associated with cerebrovascular (refers to blood flow in the brain) disease and 56% less likely to have developed moregeneral dementia than the womenin the group whoremained less physically active.
While the results indicate that levels of both physical and mental activities could affect cognition later,physician and study author Jenna Najar of the Institute forNeuroscience and Physiology at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, noted that physical activity may lower the chances of vascular dementia in particular The study’sconclusions also showed how the twoeffects mental and physical activity are distinct.
As Najar put it, “Wefound that mental activities in midlife,such as reading abook, doing crossword puzzles, singing or attending concerts, to name afew,reduced the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’sdisease, regardless of how physically active the women were. Physical activity,meanwhile, in midlife reduced the risk of more vascular forms of dementia, regardless of how mentally active the women were.”
Experts agree that more studies need to be conducted to find the physical pathway connecting lifestyle factors in midlifetospecific protective effects in the brain. Brain health has long been promoted foroverall aging and cognitive health, and in that respect, the study wasaconfirmation and offered morevalidity that being mentally and physically active can lower the risks of cognitive decline in aging. While research is still developing, strong evidence exists that individuals can reduce their risk of cognitive decline by making key lifestyle changes, including participating in regular physical and mental activity, staying socially engaged, and maintaining good heart health. According to the Healthy Brain Initiative by the Centers of Disease
and
Afull shot of HenryWatson’swood-carved artwork,‘The Maringouins,’inthe
RIGHT: Henry Barconey’s painting depicting the Creolefolktale
Rabbit: WhyHis Tail is Short.’
HenryBarcony’spainting depicts the Creole folktale, ‘The Ball at Mister Deer’s.’
STAFF PHOTOSByROBIN MILLER
Judith Braggs’ textilepieces
theCreole folktale,‘The Honest Thief,’inthe ‘Kont Kréyol-yé’ or ‘Creole Folktales’ exhibit
Stem cellsbeing researched to help with Type 1diabetes
Dear Doctors: Ihave Type 1diabetes.Itry to stay healthy andkeep my blood sugar under control, but it feels like afight every day Iread there’s astudy usingstem cells for acure. Are there any updates? Does it seem like this might lead to atreatment?
Dear reader: Type 1diabetes is achronic autoimmune disease. The immune system mistakenly targets and destroys betacells in the pancreas. These cells are mainly responsiblefor producing insulin, the hormone crucial to glucose metabolism. Without enough insulin, the body is unable to keep blood glucose within a healthy range. Ways to manage blood sugar in these cases include injectable insulin, acarefully curated diet and healthy lifestyle choices.
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday,July 14,the 195th day of 2025. There are 170 days left in the year
Todayinhistory: On July 14, 1789, in an event symbolizing the start of the FrenchRevolution, citizens of Paris stormed the Bastille prison and released the seven prisoners held there. Also on this date: In 1798, Congress passed the Sedition Act, making it afederal crime to publish false, scandalous or malicious writingabout the United States government.
In 1881, outlaw William H Bonney Jr., alias “Billythe Kid,” was shot and killed by Sheriff Pat Garrett in Fort Sumnerin present-day New Mexico
In 1933, all German political parties,except the NaziParty, were outlawed by the government of Nazi Germany
In 1960, 26-year-oldJane Goodall first arrived at the Gombe Stream Reserve in present-day Tanzania to begin her study of the wild chimpanzees living there
In 2009, disgraced financier Bernard Madoff arrived at the Butner FederalCorrectional Complex in North Carolina to begin serving a150-year sentence for his massive Ponzi scheme. (Madoff died in prison in April 2021.)
In 2013, thousands of demonstrators across the country protested aFlorida jury’sdecision oneday earlier to clear George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin
In 2016, terror struck Bastille Day celebrations in the French Riviera city of Nice as alarge truck plowed into afestive crowd, killing 86 people in an attack claimed by Islamic State extremists; the driver was shot dead by police.
In 2020, researchersreported that the first COVID-19 vaccine tested in the U.S. boosted people’simmune systemsas scientists had hoped; the vaccine was developed by theNational Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc.
Today’sbirthdays: Formerfootball player and actor Rosey Grier is 93. Actor Vincent Pastore (TV” “The Sopranos”) is 79. Music company executive Tommy Mottola is 77. Movie producer Scott Rudin is 67. Singersongwriter Anjelique Kidjois 65. Singer-guitarist Kyle Gass (Tenacious D) is 65. ActorJane Lynch is 65. Actor Jackie Earle Haley is 64. Actor Matthew Fox is 59. Rock singer-musician Tanya Donelly is 59. Olympic gold medal snowboarder Ross Rebagliati is 54. Country singer Jamey Johnson is 50. Hip-hop musician Taboo (Black Eyed Peas) is 50. Actor/writer/producer Phoebe Waller-Bridge is 39. Rock singer Dan Reynolds (Imagine Dragons) is 38.
LIFESTYLE
Continued from page5C
is avital part of healthyaging and quality of life is emerging.” Public health professionals are gaining abetter understanding of brain disorders and riskfactors, and the public health community should embrace cognitive health as apriority
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of“What My GrandchildrenTaught Me About Alzheimer’sDisease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.” Email her at thememorywhisperer@gmail. com.
Dr.Elizabeth Ko
Dr.Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
Introduced in 1922, injectable insulin revolutionized diabetes treatment. Before that, life expectancy with thedisease was just a few years. Today, even with the benefit of insulin, people with diabetes areat an increased risk of developing serious complications, including cardiovascular disease, nerve damage, kidney disease and eyedamage. As you point out, the vigilance required to manage
FOLKTALES
Continued from page5C
folktales in English and Creole but also their accompanying artwork.
Acopyofthe book is available for viewing within theexhibit Copies also are for sale in themuseum store.
Both theshow andbookare basedonthe 1931 LSU Master’s thesis by Lafayette Jarreau, who recorded folktales toldtohim by bothBlack and White Creoles in both Pointe Coupee and West Baton RougeParishes.
Bergeron’s great-uncle, Hecky Olinde, introduced her to Jarreau’s thesis 20 years ago, andthey’ve since lingered in the back of her mind.
“I’ve known that Iwanted to do something with these stories for 20 years,” she said.“When my greatuncle handed me acopy of the thesis, it was thefirst time Isaw thelanguageand humor of the old Creoles captured on thepage.”
Bergeron was born and raised in New Roads, where her own grandfather spoke Creole French, and earneda doctoral degree in French studies at LSU.
“Creole, often misunderstood, is alanguageand culture born out of diversity,” Bergeron writes in the exhibit book’sintroduction. “In ourregion,the Creole language is spoken by people of allshades and phenotypes. IamCreole, as are most people involved in this project.”
She points out that Jarreau called thelanguagea“patois,”whichreferstoLouisiana’sregional French dialects
“But, the Creole spoken in our area is afully developed language,” Bergeron said. “It’s now referred to as ‘Kouri-Vini,’ to distinguishitfromotherCreolelanguages.”
Meanwhile,Bergeron gave the jobofresearchingJarreau’sstorytellers’ biographers to author and fellowCreoleBrianCostello, founding historianand archivist of the Historic Materials Collection of thePointe Coupee Parish Library in New Roads. Creole activist,artist and producerClif St. Laurentprovided the orthography,orconventional spelling, for this area’sCreole dialect, officially called Kour-Vini. The Baton Rouge native, self-taught in thelanguage, has received certifications in linguistics from British universities of Leicester and York andtranslated Louisiana Creole texts for universities and the federal government.
Bergeron also enlisted her Creole friend,artist and former Baton
TEA
Continued from page5C
Facebook Marketplace the next day and renovated itsotheycould start aloaded teabusiness of their own. Thus,TNT was born.
What is loaded tea?
Loaded teas are vitamin-infused, tea-based energy drinks thatare known for beinghigh in caffeine while being low in calories. Covill andDemas want to offer fully customizable drinks infused with vitaminsC,B3, B6, B12, biotin,calciumand taurine.
Theteas come in 16-, 24- or 32-ounce cups (many loaded tea places only have 32-ounce cups), and the caffeine in them can go from 0milligrams to 350 milligrams of caffeine. The standard drinks with no modifications contain 80, 140 and 180 milligrams, respectively,depending on size. For comparison, the average shot of espresso contains 64 milligrams of caffeine.
“If alittlekid wants to come up, they can technically get no caf-
blood sugar can be bothdaunting and tiring. That brings us to your question. Stem cells arewhat is known as undifferentiated cells. That means they have not yet developed aspecific function, like muscle, bone or nervecells. Because stem cells are like a blank slate, they can develop into other types of specialized cells. They can alsoself-renew.These unique qualities have made stem cells the focus of research into treatmentfor awide range of diseases,including Type 1diabetes
In theclinical trial you asked about, participants were infused with stem cells “taught” to behave like betacells. It was asmall study withjust 17 patients, but thepreliminary resultswere en-
couraging. One participant’sbody began to produce insulin and release it in response to blood sugar fluctuations. On the other hand, because these stem cell infusions introduce foreign tissue into the body,they require antirejection drugs. These drugs can cause side effects that can be hard to tolerate. Several participants dropped outofthe study due to theadverse effects.
Many readers have asked for information about upcoming clinical trials into this line of research. Earlier this spring, the researchers announced they are moving on to the next expanded phase of research. As with all clinical trials, the parameters for participation are quite specific.
In this case, the study is recruiting people with Type 1diabetes
whoalso have severe episodes of hypoglycemia or have impaired awareness of hypoglycemia. Due to the antirejection drugs, it is important to remember there is also an element of risk.
The 27 locations of upcoming trials include cities in Illinois, Florida, California, Maryland, Texas, Massachusetts, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Trials in Canada and Europe are scheduled as well. For moredetails, visit clinicaltrials.gov and search for VX-880.
Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.
includes wood-carved pictures, textiles, aceramic sculpture and handmade dolls.
and has them all stick theirnoses in the mud. That’swhentheysee there are seven nose prints in the mud.”
Rouge Poet LaureateJonathan Joseph Mayers, to recruit artistsfor theshow Mayers is known throughout the statefor his promotion of the Creole language and culture through his work, and he even went as far as to hand-craft paper out of banana leaves and the fibrous sugar caneresidue calledbagasse, which he distributed tothe show’s14artists. Most of theartists painted their interpretations of the storieson Mayers’ paper, but the show also
But in the end, all 28 stories are illustrated on surfaces created from Louisiana byproducts. Among the artists are George Marks of Arnaudville;Malaika Favorite of Geismar,who mostrecently created murals for the Princess and the Frog ride in Disney World’sMagic Kingdom;and Keith “Cartoonman” Douglas, ateacher in Central’sGifted and Talented Program Douglas’ illustration for “Br’er Rabbit: WhyHis Ears AreSo Long,”appears on the book’sfront cover Andnot allofthe artists are adults.Whenone artist hadto bow out of the project, Bergeron’s 10-year-old daughter,Zora White, stepped up.She’swell-versed in CreoleFrench and hasparticipated in the museum’sFrench immersion programs. Hermost noted piece in this show is “Sét Nomm Perd, Seven LostMen,” told to Jarreau by Louis Bizette. In the story,the men seemedtohave lost amember in their group.
“One of themen is counting, but he’s only counting six menand isn’tcountinghimself,” Bergeron said. “Finally,a man comes along
feine and get somefun drink for themselves,” Covill said. The teas comein20named flavors, but people can also custom-
ize their drinks by picking abase (citrus,orangeorberry) andaddingtwo flavors.All of theteasare sugar-free, sweetened withstevia
So, making her painting as authentic as possible, White stuck her nose in paint and made seven nose prints on her picture. Bergeron and Mayers hope to tour the show,but those plans have yet to be finalized. Still, visitors have plenty of time to stop by the museum to seeHenry Watson’s illustration of Etienne Stama’s“Lé Maringwin,”where themosquitoes “çé Djab minm!”
That’sCreoleFrenchfor “the Devil himself.”
“I love that story,”Bergeron said. “Now none of them will be forgotten.”
The West Baton Rouge Museum 845 N. Jefferson Ave., PortAllen, will show “Kont Kréyol-yé,” or “Creole Folktales” through Oct. 31. Hoursare 10 a.m.to4:30 p.m Tuesday through Saturday and 2p.m. to 5p.m. Sunday Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for seniors, militaryand students. For more information, call (225) 336-2422 or visit westbatonrougemuseum.org.
Email RobinMilleratromiller@ theadvocate.com.
and made with zero multi-level marketing products, such as Herbalife. Flavors like Tiger Tango (citrus,mango,peach)and Geaux Gold (citrus, dragon fruit, pineapple)pay homage to LSU, while other flavors are anod to Covill’s homestate or the couple’sdogs. Now with the trailer,Covill and Demasare busy with sixjobsbetween them in private equity,retail, Companion AnimalAlliance and LSU.
“We’re gonna try to hopefully get this up andrunningand narrow downour jobs,” Covill said. In the future,the ownershave aspirations to expand into dirty sodasorenergy drinks, but for now,they’re going to be ironing out details at this location. Theyalso plantoparticipate in events, which might mean that some of their hours might change or fluctuate. Keepupwith them on social media for the mostcurrent hours at instagram.com/siptnt.
TNT, 3651 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge.
Email SerenaPuang at serena. puang@theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
TNT co-owner Shaylee Covill hands out adrink called TigerTangofrom the food truck.
STAFFPHOTOSByROBIN MILLER
Angelique Bergeron, left, executivedirector of the West Baton RougeMuseum and artist Jonathan Mayers worked together in putting together the stories andartwork in the museum’sexhibit,‘Kont Kréyol-yé’ or ‘Creole Folktales.’
André-Phillipe St. Romain depicts the Creole folktale, ‘A Man and His Lion.’
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Dream it, believe it and follow through. You have choices, and at the end of the day, what's important is that you have no regrets. Be open to suggestions, but follow your heart.
LEO (July 23-Aug 22) What you do will far exceed what you say. Actions speak louder than words. Watch out for people who try to slow you down. Think positive thoughts, and rewards will follow.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take better care of yourself, your reputation and your job. Concentrate on taking care of your responsibilities and helping others. Positive suggestions will take flight.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Test your theories privately before sharing your thoughts. Too much of anything will backfire. Add to your qualifications to ensure you head in your chosen direction.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Test your talents. Focus on completing tasks on time. Refuse to let partnerships suffer due to poor communication, anxiety or trust issues. Emotional spending will lead to regret.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Changing how you earn a living or handle your cash looks promising. The happier you are, the less money you'll spend. Contentment and gratitude have healing powers.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Expand your interests and friendships. Take better care of your physical well-being by
making healthy choices. Refuse to let temptation and indulgence interfere with personal and physical progress.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pay attention to detail, and you'll surpass your expectations. Use your imagination to implement changes at home. Romance is evident; however, jealousy and emotional instability are also present.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Direct your energy wisely. Show passion in all you do, and let your actions reflect your feelings. Once you express your position and digest responses from others, you'll know which path to take.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Set a budget, and you'll have more cash to enjoy your favorite pastime, hobby or entertainment. Pay attention to your emotional well-being. A fitness routine can improve your outlook.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Arguing is a waste of time. Participating in community events can foster friendships with individuals who share your values, ethics and beliefs. Broaden your horizons, and new interests will develop.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) You may crave change, but before you make a move, consider if you are trying to please yourself or someone else. Boredom will lead to regret. Use your intelligence to ward off poor choices.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Saturday’s PuzzleAnswer
La TimeS CroSSword
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER
Will Rogers said “An economist’s guess is liable to be as good as anybody else’s.”
A bridge expert’s guess is liable to be better than a lesser player’s. In this deal, how should South plan the play in four spades after West leads the club queen?
South’s jump to four spades is normal, but he might guess to rebid three notrump. North would then have to guess whether to pass (he has 4-3-3-3 distribution) or to remove to four spades (he has four trumps). Here, three no-trump has nine easy tricks.
South has four potential losers: three hearts and one diamond. In real life, he mightguessthateitherEasthastheheart ace or West has the diamond king. But in a lesson setting or a newspaper column, declarer should know that East will have thediamondkingandWesttheheartace. How can South still survive?
If declarer wins the first trick, draws trumps, and takes the diamond finesse, East wins with his king and shifts to the heart queen — the contract is kaput.
