The Acadiana Advocate 07-20-2025

Millerdiscusses thehistoryofJackMiller’s Bar-B-Que Sauce, on the 70thanniversary, in Ville Platte on July 10.Jack Miller started selling the condimenttothe public in 1955.

AWESOME SAUCE

For70years

Jack Miller’s condimenthas played astarring role at many Louisianacookouts

BY JOANNA BROWN |Staffwriter

When asouthLouisiana restaurateur named Jack Millercreated a new barbecue sauce to useinhis Ville Platte restaurant, the American Inn, he had no way of knowing that the concoction would go on to play astarring role at the cookout for generations of Louisiana families.

Jack Miller’sBar-B-Que Sauce, which Miller beganselling tothe public in 1955, is acondiment heavyweight for Cajun households

Seventy years later, the brandisso well-loved that it’seven spawned a

on July 10.

new menu item at restaurants and lunch counters acrossAcadiana: the Jack Miller’sburger

It’satender patty kept hot and moist in avat of Jack Miller’s, before being placed on abun, dressed with moresauce, andwrappedin foilsothe bun steamstogether with the hamburger and barbecue

sauce. It’s especially satisfying when purchasedfromacartat afestivalorsome other outdoor event. Theresultisaflavor explosionthat can’tbereplicated with any othersauce anywhere else in thecountry

ä See SAUCE, page 8A

“It’sstill everything that he (Jack Miller) used back in the ’50s, when he first started. He would mixit like abaker,pouring thesaltand seasonings in hishand and measuringitout. Ihad to watch him, weigh it all out, and write it down.”

KERMIT MILLER, Jack Miller’sson and CEO of JackMiller’sBar-B-Que Sauce

Visa fraud arrestsrock threesmall La.towns

Residentsreact to alleged scheme involving four lawmen

BY JOSEPH CRANNEY |Staff writer

OAKDALE— Ann Odom,73, has lived her whole life in this small city at the ankle of Louisiana’s boot. And for the past three decades, she’s owned aflea market and gift shop about 10 minutesnorth in tiny Glenmora.

On Thursday,aday after policechiefs in Oakdale and Glenmora were indicted on fraud charges, along with Oakdale’s city marshaland the police chiefinaneventinier nearby hamlet, ForestHill, Odom stood in her store and tried making sense of it. One thought came to mind.

“Money is the root of all evil,” she said.

The arrests of four elected local lawmen, following ayearlong federalinvestigation, stood out even in apart of western Louisiana that hasseen itsshare of disgraced officials. The 62-count indictment unsealedlast week includesallegations of fakedpolicereports,fraudulent visas forforeign nationals and tens of thousands of dollars in alleged bribes. It portrays Rapides and Allen parishes as an epicenter of immigration fraud on awide scale. According to prosecutors, each of those four lawmen was pliedwithstacksofcashbythe owner of alocal fast-food franchise and two convenience stores. Then, hundreds of people received visas based on phony police reports that portrayed them as crime victims or witnesseswho werehelping authorities.

All four lawmen pleaded not guilty on Thursday in federal court in Alexandria.

Theindictment ripped throughthisthree-town

ä See ARRESTS, page 9A

Landry shakes up troubled division’s leadership

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN |Staff writer

As the agency continues to struggle with staffing shortages andrecruitment, Gov.JeffLandryhas announced that Rebecca Harris will take over as secretary of the Department of Children &Family Services.

Landry saidina news release that Harris will replace David Matlock, who hasheaded the agency since early 2024.

Harris’ “experienceinoperationalimprovement andher commitment to protecting our most vulnerable children make her the right choice to lead DCFS,” Landry said. “I have full confidence she will strengthen this department anddeliverpositive outcomes forour mostvulnerable citizens.”

ä See CHIEF, page 9A

Steve Thomas caps and labels the bottles of Jack Miller’sBar-B-Que Sauce

PHOTOSByROBINMAy

Kermit

Tourist boat capsizes in Vietnam, killing 34 HA LONG BAY, Vietnam A boat carrying tourists capsized during a sudden thunderstorm in Vietnam on Saturday afternoon during a sightseeing excursion, killing 34 people, state media reported. Eight others remain missing.

The Wonder Sea boat was carrying 48 passengers and five crew members — all of them Vietnamese — during the tour of Ha Long Bay, a popular destination for visitors, according to the reports.

Rescue workers saved 11 people and recovered the dead near the site of the capsizing, VNExpress newspaper said. Authorities had earlier reported that 12 people had been rescued, but later revised the figure to 11. The boat turned upside down because of strong winds, the newspaper said. A 14-year-old boy was among the survivors, and he was rescued four hours after being trapped in the overturned hull.

The newspaper said that most of the passengers were tourists, including about 20 children, from Hanoi, the country’s capital.

10th person dies after Massachusetts fire FALL RIVER, Mass. — A tenth person has died after a fire that tore through an assisted-living facility in Massachusetts last weekend, officials confirmed on Saturday Brenda Cropper, 66, died at a hospital Friday, according to Bristol County District Attorney Thomas M. Quinn III. She had been in critical condition all week, he said. Because of a miscommunication, her death for a time this week had been announced prematurely, officials have said.

The fire, which erupted Sunday evening, left some residents hanging out windows of the three-story facility screaming for help.

The cause remains under investigation, but the district attorney’s office says it does not appear suspicious Fall River Fire Chief Jeffrey Bacon says the blaze started in a room on the second floor At least 30 people were hurt as thick smoke and flames trapped residents inside. Records and accounts from staff raise concerns about conditions at Gabriel House before the blaze.

U.S. imposes limits on Mexican flights

The Trump administration imposed new restrictions Saturday on flights from Mexico and threatened to end a long-standing partnership between Delta Air Lines and Aeromexico in response to limits the Mexican government placed on passenger and cargo flights into Mexico City several years ago.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Mexico’s actions to force airlines to move out of the main Benito Juarez International Airport to the newer Felipe Angeles International Airport more than 30 miles away violated a trade agreement between the two countries and gave domestic airlines an unfair advantage. Mexico is the top foreign destination for Americans with more than 40 million passengers flying there last year

“Joe Biden and Pete Buttigieg deliberately allowed Mexico to break our bilateral aviation agreement,” Duffy said of the previous administration

“That ends today Let these actions serve as a warning to any country who thinks it can take advantage of the U.S., our carriers, and our market. America First means fighting for the fundamental principle of fairness.

All Mexican passenger, cargo and charter airlines will now be required to submit their schedules to the Transportation Department and seek government approval of their flights until Duffy is satisfied with the way Mexico is treating U.S. airlines.

It’s not immediately clear how Duffy’s actions might affect the broader trade war with Mexico and negotiations over tariffs A spokesperson for Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum didn’t reply immediately to a request for a comment, and she didn’t mention the restrictions at an event Saturday

Israeli troops kill 32, Gaza officials say

Palestinians were trying to reach U.S. group’s food distribution sites

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL BALAH, Gaza Strip

Israeli troops opened fire Saturday toward crowds of Palestinians seeking food from distribution hubs run by a U.S.- and Israelibacked group in southern Gaza, killing at least 32 people, according to witnesses and hospital officials.

The shootings occurred near hubs operated by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, which launched operations in May The U.S. and Israel seek to replace the traditional U.N.-led aid distribution system in Gaza, asserting that Hamas militants siphon off supplies.

The U.N. denies the allegation.

While GHF says it has distributed millions of meals to hungry Palestinians, local health officials and witnesses say Israeli army fire has killed hundreds of people as they try to reach the hubs. GHF’s four sites are in militarycontrolled zones.

Israel’s army, which isn’t at the sites but secures them from a distance, said Saturday that it fired warning shots near Gaza’s south-

Children sit in their tent Friday at a camp for displaced Palestinians, located near a rainwater collection reservoir that has been contaminated by sewage and garbage, following Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City

ernmost city of Rafah, after a group of suspects approached troops and ignored calls to keep their distance. It said the incident occurred overnight when the distribution site was closed.

GHF said that there were no incidents at or near its sites and added, “we have repeatedly warned aid seekers not to travel to our sites overnight and early morning hours.”

Most of Saturday’s deaths occurred as Palestinians massed about 2 miles from a GHF aid distribution center near the southern city of Khan Younis.

Mahmoud Mokeimar said

that he was walking with masses of people, mostly young men, toward the hub. Troops fired warning shots, and then opened fire.

“The occupation opened fire at us indiscriminately,” he said. He said that he saw at least three motionless bodies on the ground and many wounded people fleeing.

Akram Aker, another witness, said that troops fired machine guns mounted on tanks and drones between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m.

“They encircled us and started firing directly at us,” Aker said. He said he saw many casualties on the ground.

Sanaa al-Jaberi said that there was shooting after the site opened as people seeking aid broke into a run.

“Is this food or death? Why? They don’t talk with us, they only shoot us,” she said, and showed off her empty bag.

Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said that it received 25 bodies. Seven other people, including one woman, were killed in the Shakoush area, hundreds of meters or yards north of another GHF hub in Rafah, the hospital said.

Dr Mohamed Saker, the head of Nasser’s nursing department, said that it received 70 wounded people.

He told The Associated Press that most people were shot in the head and chest.

“The situation is difficult and tragic,” he said, adding that the facility lacks medical supplies Some of the wounded, including a child, were treated on the floor One boy stood patiently, holding up a blood bag for someone on a stretcher Meanwhile, Fares Awad, head of the Health Ministry’s ambulance and emergency service in northern Gaza, said that two people were killed in Gaza City when an airstrike hit a tent in a camp sheltering displaced families.

In central Gaza, Al-Awda Hospital said that 12 people were killed in an airstrike including police official Omar Aqel. Two children, including an infant, and five women — all relatives of Aqel — were among the dead.

Al-Awda Hospital said that it also received two people killed by an Israeli strike on a group of people in Bureij, and that another strike on a group of people along Salah El Din street in central Gaza killed a child. Another strike on a house in the Gaza City neighborhood of Sheikh Radwan killed at least four people, according to the Health Ministry’s ambulance and emergency service. A strike on a cart in Tal al-Hawa in northern Gaza killed another four people, the service said.

Car strikes crowd outside L.A. venue, injuring 30

Bystanders attack driver, who was shot

BY DAMIAN DOVARGANES Associated Press

LOS ANGELES A vehicle

rammed into a crowd of people waiting to enter a performance venue along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles early Saturday, injuring 30 people and leading bystanders to attack the driver authorities said.

The driver was later found to have been shot, according to police, who were searching for a suspected gunman who fled the scene along Santa Monica Boulevard in East Hollywood.

It was not immediately clear if the driver was shot before or after the crash or why he drove into the

Russia

By The Associated Press

Russia launched a massive attack on Ukraine overnight into Saturday with hundreds of drones, killing at least one person, part of a stepped-up bombing campaign that has dashed hopes for a breakthrough in efforts to end the more than 3-year-old war Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X that Russia fired over 300 drones, along with more than 30 cruise missiles.

One person died in the Black Sea port city of Odesa, which was hit with more than 20 drones and a missile, Mayor Hennadii Trukhanov wrote on Telegram, while five people were rescued when a fire broke out in a residential high-rise building

According to Zelenskyy, six other people were wounded in the attack on Odesa, including a child, and critical infrastructure was damaged in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region.

DAMIAN DOVARGANES

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By

A vehicle sits on the sidewalk Saturday after ramming into a crowd of people waiting to enter a nightclub along a busy boulevard in Los Angeles, injuring 30 people.

crowd, a police spokesperson said.

Twenty-three victims were taken to hospitals and trauma centers, according to police. Seven were in critical condition, the Los Angeles Fire Department said in a statement

Fire Capt. Adam VanGerpen said a line of people

— mostly female — were waiting to enter Vermont Hollywood when they were struck by a Nissan Versa that also hit a food vending cart and valet stand. “This was a very chaotic scene,” said VanGerpen, a public information officer

People inside came out to help victims in the minutes

The Ukrainian president also thanked international leaders “who understand how important it is to promptly implement our agreements” aimed at boosting Ukraine’s defense capabilities, including joint weapons production, drone manufacturing and the supply of air defense systems.

Russia has been intensifying its long-range attacks on Ukrainian cities. It now often batters Ukraine with more drones in a single night than it did during some entire months in 2024, and analysts say the barrages

are likely to escalate. On July 8, Russia unleashed more than 700 drones — a record.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said it shot down 71 Ukrainian drones overnight into Saturday Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin said that 13 drones were shot down as they approached the Russian capital.

In other developments, Ukraine’s foreign minister accused Russia on Saturday of deporting Ukrainian citizens into Georgia and leaving them stranded without proper identification.

before emergency crews arrived, he said.

The driver, whose gunshot wound was found by paramedics, was also taken to a hospital. Police did not identify him or disclose his condition.

The person suspected of shooting him was described as a man in a blue jersey with a silver revolver

“This is under police investigation,” VanGerpen said.

“This will be a large investigation with the LAPD.”

Vermont Hollywood was hosting a reggae-hip hop event from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., according to its online calendar There was no immediate

response to a phone message left with the business.

A fight broke out outside the venue beforehand, according to Maria Medrano, who with her husband was there selling hot dogs. Shortly afterward, she said, the car hit the people, and the couple narrowly escaped when it crushed their stand.

“The car stopped once it hit the hot dog stand, it got stuck there,” Medrano told The Associated Press from the hospital.

“If not, I wouldn’t be here to tell” the story After the crash she heard what sounded like gunshots.

“Everyone started running,” Medrano said.

Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COMor337-234-0800

News Tips /Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM

Obituaries: 225-388-0289• Mon-Fri9-5; Sat10-5;ClosedSun

Advertising Sales: 337-234-0174•Mon-Fri 8-5

Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111• Mon-Fri8-5

Subscribe: theadvocate.com/subscribe E-Edition: theadvocate.com/eedition Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

PHOTO PROVIDED By UKRAINIAN EMERGENCy SERVICE

A residential building burns Saturday after a Russian air attack in Odesa, Ukraine.

Syria urges Bedouin tribes to commit to ceasefire

BY SALLY ABOU ALJOUD and OMAR ALBAM Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria Syria’s in-

terim President Ahmad alSharaa urged Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes Saturday to “fully commit” to a ceasefire aimed at ending clashes with Druze-linked militias that left hundreds dead and threatened to unravel the country’s postwar transition.

Despite the call, clashes continued in the southern province of Sweida.

Government forces that were initially sent to restore order but effectively sided with the Bedouins against the Druze were redeployed to halt renewed fighting that erupted Thursday in the southern province of Sweida. The violence also drew airstrikes against Syrian forces by neighboring Israel before a truce was reached.

In his second televised address since the fighting started, al-Sharaa blamed “armed groups from Sweida” for reigniting the conflict by “launching retaliatory attacks against the Bedouins and their families.” He also said Israeli intervention “pushed the country into a dangerous phase.” Israel had launched dozens of airstrikes on convoys

of government fighters and even struck the Syrian Defense Ministry headquarters in central Damascus, saying it was in support of the Druze who form a substantial community in Israel and are seen as a loyal minority, often serving in the Israeli military Reports had surfaced of Syrian government-affiliated fighters executing Druze civilians and looting and burning homes over the four-day violence.

The U.S. envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, announced that Israel and Syria had agreed to a ceasefire early Saturday Al-Sharaa made no direct reference to the agreement in his speech, but said “American and Arab mediations stepped in” to restore calm.

Addressing the Bedouins al-Sharaa said they “cannot replace the role of the state in handling the country’s affairs and restoring security.” He also said: “We thank the Bedouins for their heroic stances but demand they fully commit to the ceasefire and comply with the state’s orders.”

Meanwhile, a prominent Druze leader, Sheikh Hikmat Al-Hijri, who opposes the current government and has distanced himself from the two ceasefires an-

from various provinces

Syria, before heading to the southern

clans and Druze militias.

nounced on Tuesday and Wednesday, said that an agreement brokered under the sponsorship of guarantor states contained several measures aimed at de-escalating tensions in Sweida. They include the deployment of checkpoints outside the province’s administrative borders to contain clashes and prevent infiltration, a 48-hour ban on entry by any party into border villages, and safe, guaranteed passage for remaining mem-

bers of the Bedouin tribes still inside the province. Sharaa reiterated that Sweida “remains an integral part of the Syrian state, and the Druze constitute a fundamental pillar of the Syrian national fabric,” vowing to protect all minorities in Syria. He also thanked the United States for its “significant role in affirming its support for Syria during these difficult times,” as well as Arab countries and Turkey, which

mediated Wednesday’s truce.

More than half of the roughly 1 million Druze worldwide live in Syria

Most of the other Druze live in Lebanon and Israel, including in the Golan Heights, which Israel captured from Syria in the 1967 Mideast War and annexed in 1981.

The U.N. estimates more than 87,000 people have been displaced in Sweida province since July 12 due

to heavy shelling, sniper fire and abductions. Entire communities have fled on foot, with many now crammed into overcrowded schools, churches and public buildings under dire conditions, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report. Infrastructure damage has cut electricity, water and telecommunications in much of the area, it said. The main hospital in Sweida was operating at just 15% capacity due to staff shortages and a lack of fuel. The security situation is also endangering humanitarian workers. The White Helmets, also known as the Syrian Civil Defense, reported that one of its emergency team leaders went missing on July 16 while responding to a call for help from a U.N. team, OCHA said. Meanwhile, Jordan, Syria, and the U.S. agreed on a set of practical steps to bolster the ceasefire, including the deployment of Syrian security forces and the release of detainees from all sides, Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said on Saturday The announcement came after a meeting between Barrack, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani and his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi.

Congo, Rwanda-backed rebels move toward ending conflict

Parties sign declaration of principles

BY CHINEDU ASADU Associated Press

DAKAR, Senegal — Congo and Rwanda-backed rebels on Saturday signed a declaration of principles in Qatar to end decadeslong fighting and commit to a comprehensive peace agreement that

would include the restoration of state authorities in key eastern cities controlled by the insurgents. Congo and the M23 rebels committed to “building trust” through various measures, including an exchange of prisoners and detainees as well as restoring state authority in all parts of the country, including rebel-held areas, Mohammed bin Abdulaziz bin Saleh Al-Khulaifi, Qatar’s minister of state, said at a briefing.

It was not immediately clear if the declaration involves M23’s withdrawal from cities it controls, as the two parties seemed to interpret the agreement differently Bertrand Bisimwa, an M23 leader, said on X that the declaration is “not a question of withdrawal but of mechanisms for empowering the state, enabling it to assume its prerogatives and obligations.” M23 spokesman Lawrence Kanyuka

told The Associated Press in a telephone call: “We are in Goma with the population and we are not going to get out.”

However, Congolese government spokesman Patrick Muyaya said the declaration takes into account “the nonnegotiable withdrawal” of the rebels, followed by the deployment of government forces and institutions.

Backed by neighboring Rwanda, the M23 is the most

prominent of more than 100 armed groups fighting for control in Congo’s mineralrich east. With 7 million people displaced in Congo, the U.N. has called the conflict in eastern Congo “one of the most protracted, complex, serious humanitarian crises on Earth.”

Saturday’s signing is the first direct commitment by both sides since the rebels seized two key cities in eastern Congo in a major advance early this year A fi-

nal peace deal is to be signed no later than Aug. 18, and it “shall align with the Peace Agreement between Congo and Rwanda,” facilitated by the U.S. in June, according to a copy of the declaration seen by AP M23 had been pushing for the release of its members held by Congo’s military, many of them facing the death sentence. Congo had requested the withdrawal of the rebels from seized territories.

PUBLIC NOTICE TO LAFAYETTEPARISH CITIZENS

LouisJ.Perret, ClerkofCourt andChiefElectionOfficial forthe Parish of Lafayettewill hold four (4) meetings forpersons interested in becoming certified to serveasfollows:

COMMISSIONER

Wednesday, July 23, 2025 at 5:30 pm Thursday,July24, 2025 at 10:00 am and5:30 pm Wednesday, July 30, 2025 at 5:30 pm Thursday,July31, 2025 at 10:00 am and5:30 pm

Location:Lafayette ParishCourthouse 1stFloor,JuryAssembly Room

Please attend onemeeting that is at themostconvenienttimefor you!

This meetingisfor thosewho have NEVER SERVED as an election commissioner. Payis$200per Election with required school attendance

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED:

1. ALafayette Parish registered voterwho is able to performthe essentialduties of acommissioner.

2. Aseventeen (17)yearold whoisparticipating at a12thgrade levelorhas completed a12thgrade education

3. Aqualified voterofthisstate or aregisteredvoter of anotherstate whoisastudentataninstitution of higherlearninginLafayette Parish (Mustprovide studentidentification or feebill showingcurrent enrollmentand acopyofhis/her proofofvoter registration)

4. Must nothavebeenconvicted of an election offense as definedinChapter 10 of theLouisiana Election Code

5. Must notberequiredtoregisterasasex offenderorchild predator pursuant to R.S. 15:542.

6. Lawenforcementofficersshall notbeeligible to serve.

Please call ourElectionDepartmentat337-291-6368ifmoreinformation is needed

PLEASE NOTE: CAMERAPHONES ARE NOTPERMITTED IN THE LAFAYETTEPARISHCOURTHOUSE.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GHAITH ALSAyED Bedouin fighters

gather Saturday at Umayyad Square in Damascus,

province of Sweida to join clashes between Bedouin

Trumpchisels away at powerofcompliant Congress

BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent

WASHINGTON “Mr.President, this is the gavelused to enact the ‘big, beautiful bill,’”House Speaker Mike Johnson said at aWhite House signing ceremony on the Fourth of July “I want you to haveit,” he said.

Handing over the gavel delighted President Donald Trump who, seated behind a desk outdoors, immediately tested it out with afew quick thumps.

The moment left amemorable mark on ahistoric day.The gesture reflected atraditional nod of honor, from one leader to another,a milestone of the Republican Party’spriority legislation becoming law.But the imagery also underscored asymbolic transfer of political power,from Capitol Hill to the White House as acompliant Congress is ceding more and more of its prerogative to the presidency.

Since Trump’sreturn to the White House in January,and particularly in the past few weeks, Republicans in control of the House and Senate have shown an unusual willingness to give thepresident of theirparty what he wants, regardless of the potential risktothemselves, their constituents and Congress itself.

Republicans raced to put the big package of tax breaks and spending cuts on Trump’sdesk by hisIndependence Daydeadline.

Senators had quickly confirmed almost all of Trump’s outsider Cabinet nominees

despite grave reservations overRobert F. KennedyJr. as health secretary,Pete Hegseth as the Pentagon chief and others. House Republicans pursued Trump’s interest in investigating his perceivedfoes, including investigating Democratic President Joe Biden’suse of the autopen But at thesame time, Congress hit the brakes on one of its own priorities, legislation imposing steep sanctionsonRussia over its war on Ukraine, after Trump announced he was allowing President Vladimir Putin an additional 50 days to negotiate apeace deal, dashing hopes for aswifter endto theconflict.

This past week, Congress was tested anew,delivering on Trump’srequestto rescind some $9 billion that lawmakers had approved but that theadministration wanted to eliminate,includingmoney for public broadcastingand overseasaid.It was arare presidential request, achallenge to thelegislativebranch’spower of thepurse, that has not been usedindecades.

“We’relawmakers. We should be legislating,”said a defiant Sen. Lisa Murkowksi,R-Alaska,asshe refused to support the White House’s demand to rescindmoney forNationalPublic Radio and others.

“What we’re getting now is adirectionfrom the White Houseand being told,‘This is the priority. We want you to executeonit. We’ll be back with youwithanother round,’”she said. “I don’tacceptthat.”

Tech CEOresigns aftercontroversy over Coldplay concertvideo

BY ALEX VEIGA AP business writer

Atech company CEOhas resigned after controversy over avideo captured on the big screen at aColdplay concert. Andy Byron resigned from his job as CEO of Astronomer Inc.,according to astatement posted on LinkedIn by the companySaturday

“Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to setthe standard in both conduct and accountability,andrecently,thatstandard was not met,” the company said in its post on LinkedIn.

The move comes aday after the company saidthat Byron had been placed on leave and the board of directors had launched aformal investigation into the incident, which went viral.

Ashort video clipfrom Coldplay’sconcert Wednesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed aman and awoman cuddlingand smiling, his arms wrapped around her, as she leaned back into him.

When they sawthemselves on the big screen, her jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and shespun away fromthe camera.Heducked outofthe frame,asdid she.

LeadsingerChris Martin had asked the cameras to scan thecrowd for his“Jumbotron Song,” when he sings afew lines aboutthe people the cameralands on.

“Either they’rehaving an affair or they’rejustvery shy,”hejoked.

Internet sleuths identified the manasthe chiefexecutive officer of aU.S.-based companyand the womanas its chief people officer.

Pete DeJoy,Astronomer’s co-founder and chief product officer,has been tapped as interim CEO while the company conducts asearch forByron’ssuccessor

It’s easy to miss, but most concert venues have signs informing the audiencethat they could be filmed during theevent. Look forthem on the walls whenyou arrive and aroundthe barareas or toilets. It’scommon practice especially when bands like to use performances for music videos or concertfilms.

PresidentDonald Trumpholdsa gavelonJuly4 after he signed hissignature billoftax breaks and spending cuts at the White House in Washington while surrounded by members of Congress.

Congress, the branch of government the Founding Fathers placed firstinthe Constitution, is at afamiliarcrossroads. During the first Trump administration, Republicans frightened by Trump’sangry tweets of disapprovalwould keep their criticisms private.

Those who did speak up Liz Cheney of Wyoming in theHouse and Mitt Romney of Utah in the Senate, among others —are gone from Capitol Hill.

One former GOP senator Jeff Flake of Arizona, who announced in 2017 during Trump’sfirst term that he would notseek reelection thenext year,isimploring Republicans to find abetter way “The fever still hasn’tbro-

ken,” he wroterecently in The New York Times. “In today’s Republican Party, voting your conscience is essentially disqualifying.”

But this time, the halls of Congress are filled with manyRepublicans who came of political age with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movementand owe their ascenttothe president himself. Manyare emulating his brand and style as they shape their own.

Anew generation of GOP leaders, Johnsoninthe House and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have pulled closer toTrump.They are utilizing the power of the presidency in wayslarge and small —tobroker deals, encourage wayward lawmakers to fall in line, even

to set schedules.

Johnson, R-Benton, has openly pined for what he calls a“normal Congress.”

Butshortofthat, thespeaker reliesonTrump to help stay on track.WhenRepublicans hit an impasse on cryptocurrency legislation, aTrumppriority,itwas the president who met with holdouts in the Oval Office late Tuesday night as Johnson called in by phone.

The result is aperceptible imbalance of power as the executive exerts greater authoritywhile the legislative branch dims. The judicial branchhas been left to do the heavy lift of checks and balances withthe courts processing hundreds of lawsuits over the administration’sactions.

“The genius of ourConstitution is the separation of power,” said Democratic Rep. NancyPelosiofCalifornia, theformerspeaker,in an interviewonSiriusXM’s “Mornings with Zerlina.”

“That the Republicans in Congress would be so ignoring of the institution that they represent, and that have just melted the power of theincredibly shrinking speakership” and Senate leadership positions, “to do allofthese things,tocater to the executive branch,” she said.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., enduredTrump’scriticism over his opposition to the tax and spending cuts bill.

Thesenatorraisedconcerns aboutsteep cuts to hospitals, but thepresident threatened to campaign against him. Tillis announced he would not seek reelection in 2026. Sen. Susan Collins, RMaine, voted against that bill andthe rescissions packagedespite Trump’sthreat to campaign against any dissenters.

One Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, appearstobepressing on unphased. He recently proposedlegislationtoforce the administration to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, something the president hadbeen reluctant to do.

“Nowhere in theConstitution does it say that if the president wants something, youmustdoit,”saidSen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in aSenate speech. “Wedon’t have to do this. We don’t havetooperate under the assumption that this man is uniquely so powerful.”

Family sues Atlantaoverhomelesscampdeath

BY CHARLOTTE KRAMON Associated Press/ Reportfor America

ATLANTA— The family of ahomeless man who died after abulldozercrushed his tent during an encampment sweep sued the city of Atlanta on Friday over his death, calling it “tragic and preventable.”

The lawsuit filed by Cornelius Taylor’ssisterand sonalleges that city employees failed to look to see if there wasanyone inside the tents in the encampmentbefore using abulldozer to clear it.Taylor,46, was inside oneofthe tents and was crushed by the truckwhen his tent was flattened, the lawsuit says. City officials hadcalled for the clearing of the encampment in preparationfor the Martin Luther King Jr.holiday.The encampment was blocks away from Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King hadpreached. An autopsy report later revealed Taylor’spelvic bone hadbeen broken andthathesuffered damage to organs and internal bleeding.

“A tent that was occupied by ahuman being was crushed by this heavy equipment.That’sobviously wrong,”attorney

Harold Spencesaid. “Nobody looked inside the tent, andif someone who looked inside had taken 10 seconds to do so, this tragedycould have been averted.And if you

don’tknowwhat’sinside,you don’tcrush it.”

ThelawsuitfiledinFulton County State Court asks for ajurytrialand seeksunspecified damages, as well

as repayment for medical expenses, funeral costs and legalfees.Itwas filedagainst the city and seven unnamed city employees, including the driver of the bulldozer

Texas’ search forflood victimsstretches into 3rdweek

BY JOHN HANNA and NADIA LATHAN Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas

Thesearch for victims of deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country is headed into its thirdweek as officials try to pindown exactly how many people remain missing and lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities’ initialresponse and providing better warning systems.

Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holidayweekend, with most deaths along the Guadalupe River in Kerr County,about 60 miles northwest of San Antonio.

The Hill Country is naturally prone to flash flooding because its dry,dirt-packed soil cannot soak up heavy rain.

The Texas Legislatureis scheduled to convene Monday for aspecial session.

Gov.Greg Abbott initially called lawmakersback to the Texas State Capitolin Austin for other reasons,but he and legislativeleaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda.

Themissing State officials had been saying about 160 people

sional districts to help the GOP’schances of retaining a U.S. House majority in next year’smidterm elections.

Abbott said lawmakers would also review authorities’ handling of thefloodingand consider improving warning systems for Hill Country residents. Kerr Countydoes not have awarning systembecause state andlocal agencies missed opportunities over thepastdecade to finance one.

blamefor the deaths as “the word choice of losers” and used an analogy that began: “Every football team makes mistakes.”

“The waywinners talkis not to point fingers,” he concluded.

Lawmakersplantovisit

Abbott has designated bills dealing with early warning systems and emergency communications as priorities for the Legislature’s special session, scheduled to last 30 days.

to the fatal floods; planning for floods; infrastructure for managing floods; and communications among first responders.

One bill already introduced by Republican Rep. Don McLaughlin would require the state’stop public health official to set building standards foryouth camps in 100-year floodplains— which FEMA definesasa high-risk area with a1% chance of flooding in any given year

wereunaccounted for after the flooding in Kerr County alone, but they now say about100 remain missing in Kerr and other counties.

Kerr County officials said the number of missing peopledecreased as victims were recovered,contact was made with people who were found safe, and some reportswerefound to be unsubstantiated or falsified. Also, they said,the missing list fluctuates as reports comeinto ahotline.

The floods laidwaste to the Hill Country.Vacation cabins, youth campscampgrounds fill the riverbanks

andhills of KerrCounty, and Camp Mystic, acenturyold Christian summer camp for girls in alow-lying area along the Guadalupe. At least 27 of its campers and counselors died.

Floodingexpands agenda

Abbott calledthe special session hoping legislators would pass ameasure to regulatea boomingbusiness in THC products after he vetoed abillthatwould have bannedthem. And since the flooding, President Donald Trumphas told the Republicans who control state government to redraw congres-

Mandiesafter heavychain around neck pullshim into MRImachine

By The Associated Press

WESTBURY,N.Y.— Aman who was pulled into an MRI machine in New York after he walked into the room wearing alarge weight-training chain around hisneckhas died, according to police and his wife, who told alocal television outlet that he waved goodbye before his body went limp.

The man, 61,had entered an MRIroomwhile ascan was underwayWednesday afternoon at Nassau Open MRI. The machine’sstrong magnetic force drew him in by the metallic chain around his neck, according to arelease from the Nassau County Police Department. He died Thursday afternoon,but apoliceofficer

who answered the phone at theNassau County police precinct wherethe MRIfacility is located said the department hadnot yet been givenpermissiontorelease the name Saturday Adrienne Jones-McAllister told News 12 LongIslandin arecorded interview that she was undergoing an MRI on her knee when she asked the technician to get her husband, Keith McAllister, to helpher get off the table.She said shecalledout to him. She told News 12 that the technician summoned into theroom her husband, who waswearing a20-pound chainthathe usesfor weight training, an object they’dhad acasual conversation about during aprevious visitwith commentslike: “Ooooooh,

that’sa big chain!

When he got closetoher, she said, “at thatinstant, themachineswitched him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI.”

“I said: ‘Could youturn off the machine, call 911, do something, Turn thisdamn thingoff!’” she recalled,as tearsran down her face. “He went limp in my arms.”

She said the technician helped hertry to pullher husband off the machine but it was impossible.

“He waved goodbye to me and then his whole body went limp,”Jones-McAllister told the TV outlet.

Jones-McAllister told News 12 that McAllister suffered heart attacks after he was freed from the MRImachine.

Gene therapymaker says it won’t halt shipmentsdespite patientdeaths

BY MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON Drugmaker

Sarepta Therapeutics said late Friday it won’tcomply with arequest from the Food and Drug Administration to halt all shipments ofits gene therapyfollowing thedeath of athird patient receiving one of itstreatments for muscular dystrophy

The highly unusual move is alatest in astring of events that havehammered the company’sstockfor weeksand recently forced it to lay off 500employees The company’sdecision not to comply with the FDA also places future availability of its leading therapy,called Elevidys, in doubt.

The FDA said in astatement Friday night that officials met withSarepta and requested it suspend all sales but “the company refused to do so.” The agency has the authority to pull drugs from the market, but the cumbersome regulatory process can take months or even years. Instead, the agency usually makes an informal request and companies almost always comply

“Webelieve in access to drugs for unmet medical needs but are not afraid to take immediate action when aserious safety signal emerges,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in astatement.

Elevidys is the first gene therapy approved in the U.S forDuchenne’smuscular dystrophy,the fatal musclewasting disease that affects males, though it has faced scrutiny since its clearance in 2023. The one-time treatment received accelerated

approval against therecommendations of some FDA scientists who doubted its effectiveness.

TheFDA granted full approval last year and expandedthe therapy’suse to patients 4yearsand older, including those who can no longerwalk. Previously it was only available for younger patients who were still walking.

Sareptasaid Friday that its scientific review showed “no new or changed safetysignals” for youngerpatients with Duchenne’swho have

earlier stages of the disease. The company said it plans to keep thedrug available for those patients.

“Welook forward to continued discussions and sharing of informationwith FDA,” thecompany said in a statement

Sarepta halted shipments last month of the therapy for older boys with Duchenne’s, which gradually destroysmuscle and skeletal strength, resulting in early death. Themovefollowed the deaths of two teenage boys takingthe therapy

Trumpand Abbott have pushedback aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reportsofflash flooding. The president called areporter “evil” forraising such issues and said he thought “everyone did an incrediblejob underthe circumstances.” Abbott dismissed aquestion about who was to

The House and Senate have formed special committees on flooding anddisasterpreparedness, and they’re planning aJuly 31 visit to Kerrville, the seat of hardest-hit KerrCounty, to hear comments from residents.

The committees are scheduled to begin with a joint hearing Wednesday to consider the state’sresponse

During arecent newsconference, Republican state Rep. Drew Darby,amemberofthe House’s committee, said lawmakers cannot bring back flood victims or undo the flooding.

“But what we candois learn from it,” he said. Hanna reported from Topeka, Kansas. Associated Press writersJamie

contributed.

By Amanda McElfresh|amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

OnanygivendayatTheVincentSenior Living,LindaNealandhergranddaughter CandyceBrasseuxarelikelytocrosspaths Neal maybeheading to awater aerobics class,agameofboureeoramealwithfriends atalocalrestaurant.Brasseuxischecking in on activities,schedulingnew ones and listeningtofeedbackfromresidentsabout what they wouldliketosee happeningat thecommunity

“Iloveseeinghersooftenandgettingto tellmywholefamilywhatshe’supto,”said Brasseux,TheVincent’slifestyledirector “Iknowtheyworryandwonderhowshe’s doing.IthinkiteasestheiranxietywhenI canseehereverydayandconfirmtothem that she’sdoing well.I also thinkithelps my grandmothertobemorecomfortable becauseshe knowsI’m righthere.”

stopinduringthedayforherlunchbreak “It’sjust like it wasatmyhouse before I movedhere,”Nealsaid.“Everyonemakes themselvescomfortableandwereallyenjoy each other’scompany.”

Brasseuxsaidshewantsallresidentsat TheVincent to feel thesameway.When someonenewissettlingin,Brasseuxmakes itaprioritytomeetwiththemone-on-one todiscussthekindsofactivitiestheyenjoy andwhattheyhopetoget outoflivingat thecommunity.Thoseconversationsalso helpreassurefamiliesthattheirlovedones willbesafeandcaredfor.InadditiontoThe Vincentstaff,residents like Neal serveas community ambassadorswho welcome newcomersand help ensure everyone is having apositiveexperience.

NealhasbeenaresidentatTheVincent sinceitfirstopenedin2020.Sheoriginally expected to live in an apartment. But, the community’sstaff recognized that Neal wouldbea perfectresidentfor an IndependentLivingcottage.The home has twobedrooms, twobathrooms,agarage anda smallyardwhere Neal hascreated agardenthatisthe envyofher neighbors.

“Ittruly is my ownhomeand Ihave my ownprivacy,” Neal said.“My life hasn’t really changed, whichisagoodthing. I stillhave my independence.I stilldrive If Iwanttogosomewhere,I cango. But, I’vealsomadealotoffriendshereandstay busy everyday.”

In fact,Neal’sIndependent Living cottagefeelssomuchlikehomethatitisn’t unusualfor herchildren, theirspouses or hergreat-granddaughtertospendthenight inherextrabedroomiftheyaren’tupfora drivebackhome.Brasseuxwillsometimes

“Wewantpeopletosee that moving into ourcommunity does notmeanyou lose your independence,” Brasseux said “There area lotofpeople, both residents andstaff,whowillinviteyoutoeventsand makesurethatyouareadjusting.But,you canstillliveyourlifethewayyouwantto. It’s aboutmakingthings easier forpeople andgivingthemthe chance to enjoythis stageoftheir lives. Each IndependentLivingapartment at TheVincent includes aprivate entrance available garage access, afully-equipped kitchen,aprivatepatiowithawaterview full-sizewasheranddryerconnectionsand spaciouswalk-inclosets.Thecommunity ispet-friendly,andwaterandgasutilities areincluded. TheVincent Senior Living is locatedat2201Verot School Road in Lafayette.Visitwww.vincentseniorliving comorcall337-329-9892for more information or to schedule atour.

Stengle in Dallas and Jim Vertuno in Austin

ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILE PHOTO By ELI HARTMAN

Campers’ belongings sitoutside one of Camp Mystic’s cabins on July7near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas aftera flash floodswept throughthe area.

Surrogates speakout aboutcoupleunder investigation

BY JAIMIE DING and HALLIE GOLDEN Associated Press

LOSANGELES Awoman who almost served as asurrogate for aSouthern California couple now under investigation by authorities said she backed out afterthe couple asked her if any of her friends would like to carry a child for them too.

Therequest as well as conflicting information she was getting left the woman, Esperanza,unnerved and she decided not to sign a surrogacy contractwith Silvia Zhang, who offered her $60,000. Esperanza spoke to The AssociatedPress onthe condition that her lastname not be used because she has not shared her surrogacy experience publicly Zhang, 38, and her husband, Guojun Xuan, 65, are now the target of an investigation by localand federal authorities after theirinfant childwas taken to the hospital with atraumatic head injury in May.Authoritieshave since taken 21 children from thecouple’s custody, many of whom were born by surrogate, said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia PoliceDepartment, near Los Angeles. Surrogacy is an agreement between parties fora woman to become pregnant, typically through an embryo transfer,and deliver ababy for the intended person or couple to raise.

The children range in age from 2months to 13 years, with most between 1and 3. Esperanza is one of at least eight women who say they were aggressively pursued by the couple to serve as surrogates. The women, many of whom were first-time sur-

rogates,say theyweregiven misleading or incomplete informationabout thecouple’s family situationand intentions. Some,like Esperanza, did not move forwardwith carrying achild for thecouple. Another who did, Kayla Elliott, is nowtryingtoget custody of ababy shebirthed in Marchfor the couple. Arcadia policesay the FBI is involved in the investigation over whether the couple misled surrogates around the country.The FBI has not confirmed its investigation.Elliott saidshe was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May Elliott worked through a businesscalled Mark Surrogacy, according to the contractshe signed and shared with the AP.California state records show acompany called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC registered at thecompany’s Arcadia home until this June. Elliot’s contract listed an El Monte address for thecompany.An AP reporter visited that location Thursdayand did not find anyone who recognized the names of the couple or Mark Surrogacy Zhang did not respond to phone calls and emails seeking comment. Lawyers for Mark Surrogacy did not respond to emailsseeking comment,nor dida fertility clinic involved in theembryo transfer In social media posts, other women who say they served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan outlined suspiciousactions including the couple not fulfilling payment obligations and weren’tpresent for thechildren’s births. Many women contacted by theAP did not respond orsaid they would only speak aftersecuringanattorney

Zhang and Xuan were arrested in Mayafter ahospital reported that their 2-monthold infant had atraumatic head injury,the result of a nanny at the home violently shaking the baby,according to Arcadia police. Arcadiapolicedid notfile charges at the time, in order to finish afull investigation, Cieadlo said, and detectives were looking into possible child abuse charges and anticipated presenting acase in afew weeks The couple toldpolice that they“wanted alarge family” and produced what appeared to be legitimatebirth certificates, including some from outside California, that list Zhang as the mother of the children, Cieadlo said. Xuan was listedasthe father on at leastsome of the birth certificates,Cieadlo said. Esperanza’s dealings with Zhang began in 2023. She hadpostedinaFacebook

group for people interested in surrogacy and received a message from Zhang.

Zhang said she and her partner alreadyhad an 8-year-old daughter in China but werehaving fertilityissues. Zhang said she was working with asurrogate who was already pregnant but that she wanted “twins,” so she waspursuing asecond surrogate.But Esperanza said things started to feel amiss after Zhangaskedif she hadany friends who also wanted to be surrogates.

“She said thatshe’sa realtorinArcadia and that’show she has alot of money and was able to afford alot of surrogates at thetime,” Esperanza said.

Esperanza backed out of the surrogacy after the lawyer for the couple abruptly hung up on her while discussing thecontract. She said the documentsaidthe couple would implant two embryos

instead of one and the section requiring background information on the couple wascut out. The couple became angry when she decidednot to move forward.

Esperanza showed text messages to the AP that showed Zhangoffering $3,000 more if she agreed to keep going, and another $2,000 bonus after afetal heartbeat is detected.

Elliott gave birth to ababy girl in March. She chose to be asurrogate because she “really wantedtogive somebody afamily.”

The Texaswoman began theprocess whenMarkSurrogacy reached outtoher directly on Facebook. She signed acontract listing Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract said Elliott would receive $65,000 in aseriesofpayments by the end of her 16th gestational week Elliott becamewary when

early in the pregnancy she flew to California to meet the couple and only Xuan showedup. As theprocess went on, Elliotthad almostno direct contact with the Xuan and Zhang, which is uncommoninsurrogacy.Mostof themessaging was through texts andemails withrepresentatives from the agency, whodiscouraged her from reaching out to Zhang.

“The agency was always like, ‘Oh, they’re very busy people,’”she said.

When she learned that the couple had at least two other surrogates having babies for them,she was told by the agency “they just want abig family.”

Elliott flewtoCalifornia for the embryo transfer,which was done at Western Fertility Institute in Los Angeles. The clinic declined to comment on the investigation.

Neitherparentwerethere for Elliott’slabor or delivery, and only Zhang showed up afew hours after the baby wasborn.The woman “didn’t seem very connected with thechild shekind of barely looked at her,” Elliott said. After handing Elliott $2,000 in cash and giving three of herfamilymembersinthe room $200 each,the woman left with the baby girl. Now,Elliott wants custody of the girl andsaysshe just hopes all the babies are safe. When the news first broke aboutthe couple,she confronted Zhang on the phone and over text. In text messages Elliott showed to the AP,Zhang wrote: “All thebabiesreally important in our life.” Golden reported from Seattle. AP journalist Christopher Weber contributed from Los Angeles.

Bangladesh’s Islamist partyprojectsforce with bigrally in Dhaka

BY JULHAS ALAM Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh Hundreds of thousands of supporters of Bangladesh’s largest Islamist party rallied in the capital on Saturday to show their strength before an election expected next year,asthe South Asian nation stands at acrossroads after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate MuhammadYunus said that thenextelection would be held in April. But his administration didn’t rule out apossibility of polls in February,which has been strongly demanded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Party and its allies. Jamaat-e-Islami, which had sided with Pakistan during Bangladesh’swar of independence in 1971, had said that it would mobilize 1million people on Saturday While Hasina was in power from 2009 until she was toppled in student-ledprotests last year and fled to India, top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were either executed or jailed on charges of crimes againsthumanity and other

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU

Thousandsofsupporters of Bangladesh’slargest Islamist party,Jamaat-e-Islami, attend arally SaturdayinDhaka, Bangladesh, in ashowofstrength ahead of elections expected nextyear

serious crimesin1971 In late March1971, Pakistan’smilitary had launched aviolent crackdown on the city of Dhaka,which was then part of East Pakistan, to quell arising nationalist movement seeking independence for what is today knownasBangladesh.

The party on Saturday placed aseven-point demand on theYunus-ledadministration to ensure afree, fair and peaceful election; justicefor all mass killings; essential reformsand the proclamation and implementation of a charter involving last year’s mass uprising. Italso wants

the introduction of aproportional representation system in the election.

Thousands of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami had spent thenight on theDhaka Universitycampus before the rally.OnSaturday morning, they continued to stream toward SuhrawardyUdyan, a historical site where the Pakistani army had surrendered to ajoint forceofIndia and Bangladesh on Dec. 16, 1971, ending the nine-monthwar “Weare here for anew Bangladesh,whereIslam would be the guiding principle of governance, where goodand honest people will

rulethe country,and there will be no corruption,” Iqbal Hossain, 40, told The Associ-

ated Press. “Wewill sacrifice our lives, if necessary,for this cause.”

Many young supporters in their20s and 30s werealso present.

Save bigonanoutstandingseniorlivingexperienceand grow with us as youmeetnew friends,explore newopportunities,and enjoyaworry-freelifestyle. Here,you will engageinexciting, adventurous, social, andenriching activities Ourapproachtoseniorcareisfocusedonthe individual wants andneeds of everyresident we serve. Whatever your preferences, our gracious andcaringstaff is readytoaccommodate. We can’t wait to welcome youhome to the ultimate in

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByJAE C. HONG

The home of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan is seen WednesdayinArcadia, Calif., where a number of children were removedfrom the couple’shomeafter achild abuse allegation in May, according to Arcadia police.

Trump’stariffthreatpushesBrazil’sLula’spopularity

U.S. pressure mayworsen legaltroubles forBolsonaro

BY GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA and MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press

SAOPAULO U.S. President

Donald Trump may have thought that pressuring Brazil with higher tariffs would helphis ally,the country’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, but the move apparently backfired.

Last week, Trump sent a letter to Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva threatening a50% import tax and directly linking the decision to Bolsonaro’strial, which he called a“witch hunt.”

“This trial should end immediately!” Trump wrote Thursday evening in a second letter, thisone addressed to Bolsonaro. He added that he had “strongly voiced” his disapproval through his tariff policy Rather than backing down, Brazil’sSupremeCourt escalated the case, worsening Bolsonaro’slegal troubles. On Friday morning, federal police raided Bolsonaro’s home and political office. Theformer president was ordered to wear an ankle monitor,banned from using social media, and hit with other restrictions.

Meanwhile, Lula —who was facing higher unpopularity,growing opposition in Congress and increasing risks to his likely reelection bid —seems to have gained politically from the situation.

Now the 79-year-old leftist Lula, in office for the third non-consecutive term of his long political career, is seeing renewed acceptance, congressional support against Trump andpleas to run one last time to defend Brazil’ssovereignty Back in thegame

Lula has appeared more energized in public since Trump’sannouncement. At anational students assemblyThursday,hewore ablue cap reading“Sovereign Brazil Unites Us” —acontrast to MAGA’s red cap. “A gringo will not give orders to this president,” he told the crowd, and called the tariff hike “unacceptable blackmail.”

The impact on Lula is not afirst.Trump’sactions targeting othercountries have boosted ideological rivals in Canada and Australia instead of strengthening his allies at alocal level.

Private pollster Atlas said Tuesday that Lula’sunpopularity had reversed course after his spat with Trump. Lula’s job approval went from at 47.3% in June to 49.7% since the tariffs battle began. The poll of more than 2,800 people was conducted July 11-13, with amargin of error of 2percentage points

The study also said62.2% of Brazilians thinkthe higher tariffsare unjustifiedwhile 36.8% agree with the mea-

sure.

EvenBolsonaro’sformer vice president, Sen. Hamilton Mourão, criticized Trump’smove as undue interference in Brazil’s politics, though he said he agreed thetrialagainstthe far-right leader is biased against him

Socialmedia analytics

firm Palver analyzed 20,000 messages about Trump on WhatsApp, Brazil’smost widely used communication platform,a day after Trump’sannouncement. Its analysis said right-wing users dominated viral content, butspontaneousconversationsleaned left, mocking Bolsonaroassubmissive anddefendingBrazil’ssovereignty

“Trump has put Lula back in thegame,” saidThomas Traumann, an independent politicalconsultant and formerspokesmanfor theBrazilian presidency who only weeksago argued that Lula hadlost his front-runner status in the presidential race as he struggled to deliver on his promises on the economy

“Trump handed it toLula on asilver platter,” Traumann said.

Business leaders who until recentlysided with Bolsonaro are having to court Lula to negotiate with Trump. Agribusiness, Brazil’slargest economicsector and atraditional rightwingstronghold, united to criticize theU.S.president’s move. Industry groups were quick to denounce thetariffs as politically motivated and lacking any commercialjustification.

National outrage

“In general,with the major exceptionofa more radical conservativewing, (Trump’smove) generated national outrage forviolatingBrazil’ssovereignty,” lawmakerArnaldoJardim, amember of thecongressionalagricultural caucus, told TheAssociated Press. Jardim, who pushed for theapprovalofareciprocity bill that could be used by Lula if there’snoagreement

until the Aug. 1deadline, hardly sideswiththe president

“Evenamong sectors that initially thought this could benefit Bolsonaro,many had to reconsider their positions,” he said.

Topcongressionalleaders who recently helped nix a Lula decree to raise atransactions tax were moving towarda head-on collision withhim. AfterTrump’s announcement, they signed ajoint statement agreeing with Lula’s promisetouse the reciprocitylaw against theU.S.

In another change, Brazil’sCongress decided to start moving on Lula’splan to give an income tax break to millionsofpoorer Brazilians.Many politicians said that suchinitiative was dead after Lula became the first president in threedecades to have adecree annulled by lawmakers. Bolsonaroremains on trial

At theSupreme Court, Bolsonaro is only getting deeper into troubleashis trial continues.

Last week,Brazil’s chief prosecutor called for a guiltyverdict, accusing the former president of leading an armed criminal organization, attempting to stage a coup and attempting violent abolitionofthe democratic rule of law,among other charges.

Thedefense will next likely present its case in the coming weeks, after which thepanel of Supreme Court justices in the trial will vote on whether to convict or acquit him

The former president also suffered moreconsequences —the court’s latest restrictions on Bolsonaro, including the ankle monitor, arepart of asecond investigation against one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, aBrazilianlawmaker who currently lives in the United Statesand is known for his close ties to Trump. He has been underscrutiny forallegedly working withU.S. authorities to impose sanctions against Brazilian of-

ficials.

SupremeCourt Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees criminalcases against Bolsonaro, said his and his son’sactions attempted to pressurethe Brazilian judiciarybyinvolving theU.S.

The court’sdecision cited both Trump’sletter to Lula and several social media posts by the Bolsonaros in support of sanctions against Brazilian officials and speaking favorably about tariffs.

“A sovereign countrylike Brazil will always know how

to defend its democracy and sovereignty,” de Moraes said. “The judiciary will not allow any attempt to subject the functioning of the SupremeCourt to the scrutiny of another state through hostile acts.”

Jair Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia, the country’scapital,thatthe ankle monitoringwas a“supreme humiliation.”

“I neverthought about leaving Brazil, Inever

thought about going to an embassy, butthe precautionary measures are because of that,” theformer president said. In astatement, Eduardo Bolsonaro accused de Moraes of trying to criminalize Trumpand the U.S. government.

“Sincehehas no power over them, he decided to make my fathera hostage,” the younger Bolsonaro said of the judge.

By Amanda McElfresh|amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

As thestate continuestobuild astrongerand morediverseeconomy,theLouisianaCommunity andTechnicalCollegeSystem(LCTCS)isserving asapowerfulengineofprogressasitsinstitutions providehigh-qualityeducationandanincreasingly largerange of services to help residentsovercome barrierstosuccess

“Ata time when so many states aretryingto figureout howtoclose workforce gaps,increase participationratesandsupporteconomicgrowth, we’refortunatehereinLouisianatohaveanetwork of colleges that arebuilt to do just that.Theyhelp connectpeopletopurpose,” said OsmarPadilla AssistantSecretary forWorkforce Development at theLouisiana WorkforceCommission. So farthisyear, more than 38,000 people have completedaneducational programatanLCTCS institution, an increase of more than 3,000over theprior year.With12institutionsand 56 total locationsacrossthe state, LCTCSoffersaccess to residentsfromall walksoflife, in largecities andrural communities. Many LCTCScredential, degree andcertificationprogramsare focusedon fivecoresectors –construction, manufacturing, transportation andlogistics,information tech-

nology andhealthcare.

“Weare in askills-first labormarket,”Padilla said.“There’sbeenasignificantwillingnessamong alot of employerstounderstandthatpeopleare learning in differentways. LCTCShas been at the forefrontofthoseconversationswithemployersand showcasing that we cantrain reallygoodpeople andhavereallygoodoutcomeswithnew ways of validatingskills.LCTCShasproventhatfolkswho earn thosecredentials andgointothe workforce arejust as strong of an employeeaspeoplewho take atraditional pathway. LCTCSVicePresidentofEducation Dr.Chandler LeBoeufsaidmuchofthatsuccess comes from meetingpeoplewhere they areand helping themsucceed.WhilesomeLCTCSstudentsenroll immediatelyaftergraduatinghighschool,othersare

non-traditionalstudentswhoareworkingtowards completinganeducationwhilefacingdailyhurdles such as transportation andchildcare needs, food insecurity,languagebarriersorbalancingtheneed forfull-time work with thedesiretoimprovelife fortheir families

To providea more comprehensive framework for thosestudents, LCTCSisinthe processof implementinganew“one-door”integratedservice model. Rather than having students navigate a fragmentedsystemofservicesontheirown,LCTCS institutions areworking with otheragenciesto bringthose resourcesunder oneroofand provide guidance to help students findassistance.

“Weknowthata lotoftimes,the main barrier to students gettinga credential or adegreeisnot aboutthelearning.It’sabouttheresourcesoutside of theclassroom,” Dr.LeBoeuf said.“Thoseare therealities that many of ourstudentsdealwith.

Having thoseofficesinone location willhelpusto triage thoseneeds andget them addressed. The goal of themodel is forstudentstoexitout of one door with acredentialinhandand apathtoward long-termstability.”

Padillasaidthatwithmorethan108,000 job openings in Louisiana, LCTCSiswell-positioned to connectpeoplewiththose opportunities.

“Wetalktoemployers everyday,and they want goodpeoplewithfoundationalskillswhoareeager tolearnmore,”hesaid.“It’sarealpositivetoseeus moving to amodel that is more person-centered andcan providethe rightresources,trainingand labormarketawareness.”

Dr.LeBoeuf said he is confident that LCTCSis well on itsway to achievingits goal of awarding at least50,000industry-basedcredentials by 2030 That goal is part of thestate’s overallmasterplan forhighereducation,which callsfor 85,000 such credentialstobeawarded

“I believeweare on target to getthere,but we want to getthere strategically,”hesaid. “We remainheavilyfocusedonindustrysectorsthatare high-wage,high-demandandalignwitheconomic development.”

LCTCSincludesBaton RougeCommunity College,BossierParishCommunityCollege,Central LouisianaTechnicalCommunityCollege,Delgado CommunityCollege,LouisianaDeltaCommunity College, Fletcher TechnicalCommunity College, NorthshoreTechnicalCommunityCollege,Northwest LouisianaTechnical CommunityCollege,Nunez CommunityCollege,River Parishes Community College,SouthLouisianaCommunityCollege,and SOWELA TechnicalCommunity College. Visit www.lctcs.edutolearn more aboutaninstitution near you.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERALDO PERES

Brazil’sPresidentLuizInácio Lula da Silvagestures Monday upon arriving at an event on the economyatthe Planalto presidentialpalace in Brasilia, Brazil.

The sauce’s singularity is part of the appeal. Unlike other styles of barbecue sauce, Jack Miller’s is textural you can see and taste the ingredients. The flavor is strong and savory but well-balanced, and it almost tastes the way it smells when a pot of Trinity on the stove is cooked down to practically nothing.

It elevates a sausage poboy. It adds an unforgettable kick to pulled pork. And through the decades, it’s become closely entwined with Cajun barbecue a barbecue experience that too often plays second fiddle to better-known regional styles from Texas, Memphis and the Carolinas.

The accidental BBQ sauce

Jack Miller was known for keeping things simple. After opening the American Inn in 1941, he started selling hamburgers, but ground beef was difficult to find once rationing began during World War II. So Miller turned to barbecuing chickens he purchased from Ville Platte locals, and he needed a tasty sauce.

“He did these barbecue lunches, and it stayed like that until he gave up the idea of opening other restaurants because he was having trouble sourcing enough for his use,” said Kermit Miller, Jack Miller’s son.

The 79-year-old CEO remembers that people started asking to buy the sauce on its own around 1953, and by 1962, Jack Miller had closed the restaurant and turned it into a mini barbecue sauce factory

The ope ration has changed very little over the past 70 years. Kermit Miller joined his father as a partner in the business around 1970, after he left the Navy They gradually bought machinery to increase production while keeping the recipe exactly

the same.

“It’s still everything that he used back in the ’50s, when he first started,” said Miller “He would mix it like a baker pouring the salt and seasonings in his hand and measuring it out. I had to watch him, weigh it all out, and write it down.”

Locally sourced products are the base of the barbecue sauce. Jack Miller’s uses mustard, hot sauce and other items from Cajun Chef, based in St. Martinville, and one of the machines still in use on the packaging line was purchased from Tony Chachere’s Creole Foods in Opelousas

It’s also still very much a family business. Based in a small factory and warehouse on Jack Miller Road in the southeast corner of Ville Platte, Kermit Miller and his son, Christian, outsource sales and distribution while placing all their attention on the products, which include Jack Miller’s Cajun Seasoning and Cajun Dip — a Jack Miller’s inspired cocktail sauce that stands in for a zestier ketchup.

“We’re the ones mak-

ing the sauce every day.

It’s a full hands-on operation,” said Christian Miller, who started working for the company full time after pursuing a career as a musician He now lives with his family next door to where Jack Miller’s is made.

The goal is to continue creating a “Cajun product” for the Acadiana area and for those who leave to have a taste of home that follows them.

“We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing as long as we can and keep it going for the Acadiana area,” Christian Miller said, “and the people who’ve been raised on it for three, four generations.”

Cajun sauce for Cajun BBQ

Louisiana barbecue is all about the seasoning instincts honed in Cajun cooking, said Brandon Hunt, an Acadiana barbecue chef and founder of Home Grill Advantage and the Stirrin’ The Pot podcast. A lot of the technique is inspired by Texas barbecue, he said. Other regional styles, like Kansas City and South Carolina, differenti-

ate with levels of sweetness and vinegar in the sauce.

“Louisiana is really unique in how we incorporate our spice into our barbecue, because Louisiana is really in your face with flavor, and that’s one of the things we pride ourselves on,” he said. “We have a hodgepodge of ethnic backgrounds and influences here, and the way we incorporate that into our cooking in general translates to our barbecue.”

Jack Miller’s has been in line with that tradition for decades now After all, the recipe was created the same way Cajun chefs build a gumbo — building and cooking down until the disparate flavors merge into something unforgettable.

The sauce is still made the same way every morning when Kermit Miller gets to the office and starts cooking the first batch of the day

Said Hunt: “Cajun cooks will just have onions, bell pepper and celery in a pan and cook that down until it’s almost obliterated and make a gravy from that. That’s just inherently cre-

ating different flavor profiles that you can build on top of. We have really good barbecue in Louisiana we have some world champions here — and that’s because we have really good cooks that know how to build flavor We take what’s available to us and build incredible flavors on top of that, and I think our barbecue is no different.”

According to the Millers, this is the right way to use Jack Miller’s Bar-BQue Sauce as a base for building the best flavors for your dish. For generations of Acadiana residents, the sauce has earned such a distinct place as a regional ingredient it’s hard to imagine doctoring it up. However when it comes to barbecuing in Cajun country, the more personal it is

the better

“I have an old VCR tape somewhere of my grandfather, Jack Miller, sitting in that chair right there saying, ‘This is a base sauce,’ ” said Christian Miller “I’m thinking, man, it’s got 17 ingredients already, and you call that the base? But he said, ‘You add more hot sauce, add some wine, add some butter Do what you want with it.’ ” That’s what makes it a true Cajun barbecue sauce or, as the Millers say, “a barbecue sauce with a Cajun accent.” It plays well with all the other flavors of Cajun country but is delicious — and distinctive — all on its own.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

PHOTOS By ROBIN MAy

Christian Miller left, and his father Kermit Miller discuss the history of Jack Miller’s Bar-BQue Sauce on the 70th anniversary, July 10 in Ville Platte.

Steve Thomas caps and labels the bottles of Jack Miller’s Bar-B-Que Sauce on July 10.

stretch of U.S. 165, where residents grappled with the sight of their current or former top municipal law officers being led away in handcuffs.

One of the indicted lawmen, Forest Hill Chief Glynn Dixon, submitted his resignation to the state on Friday

The job status of the other three — Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle, Marshal Michael Slaney and former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea — was apparently unchanged.

The lead federal prosecutor said he hoped the news of the alleged immigration fraud would travel farther — to the desk of his boss, President Donald Trump.

“It certainly is in line with his priorities,” said Alexander Van Hook, acting U.S. Attorney of the Western District of Louisiana.

Federal authorities haven’t released much information about who exactly received the forged visas. Charging documents state, “The majority of the Aliens were nonLouisiana residents.” Prosecutors said most were from India, but it’s not clear where they were living.

A spokesperson for the office declined Friday to elaborate beyond the indictment.

Chandrakant “La La” Patel, the businessman accused of orchestrating the alleged visa fraud scheme, was mostly a mystery to many locals.

Several said he was mainly known for running the Subway on Dr George B. Mowad Highway, named for a late Oakdale mayor

One customer of the Subway said in an interview that Patel often fed homeless people or donated cookies to the local high school, or at sports games Allen Parish Sheriff Douglas Hebert said Patel has no local criminal record.

The indictment claims the scheme went back years, but the fraud charges focus on alleged fake reports and applications for U visas from 2024.

A lawyer for Doyle declined to comment, and a lawyer for Slaney didn’t return a message seeking comment. Lawyers for Dixon and Onishea did not return messages seeking comment. An attorney representing Patel

CHIEF

Continued from page 1A

Harris previously served as an undersecretary and, most recently, as a deputy secretary

In a statement, Harris said she is “honored and excited to serve as Secretary during this great time of opportunity and transformation focusing on strategic commitments to improve outcomes for those we serve.”

Matlock will stay on as the confidential assistant to the secretary, according to the release, which says the changes go into effect Aug. 1.

“It was an honor to serve as Secretary of DCFS, and I’m proud of the progress

who hasn’t been arraigned in the federal case, didn’t return messages seeking comment.

Additional charges

The U visa program, created in 2000, was designed to insulate undocumented crime victims who may be cooperating with law enforcement, allowing them to remain in the U.S. while their cases play out. Patel acted as a middleman; visa seekers paid him “thousands,” and Patel in turn paid the police chiefs, the July 2 indictment alleges.

Prosecutors allege that Patel and the men used the money to buy two pickup trucks, two campsites on Bundick Lake, an RV, a 2025 Land Rover a Toyota sport van and other vehicles.

Patel’s reach extends further, according to state officials A day after Doyle’s arrest, Louisiana State Police arrested his wife, Alison Doyle, who worked in the Mayor’s Office. She is accused of rigging the bidding process so Patel could acquire two cityowned properties.

Patel paid $56,200 for two properties in quit-claim deeds from the city, both on Oct. 15, 2024, parish land records show, right around the time prosecutors allege the bribesfor-visa scheme was reaching its heights.

Law enforcement officials said the scheme involved “several central Louisiana parishes,” suggesting a wider reach, and that it could date to as early as 2015. It’s unclear if other public officials were involved.

Attorney General Liz Murrill said she expects her office will lodge additional state charges against the accused.

Talk of the towns

The day after the arrests, they were a lightning rod among groups who gathered for lunch at Fuzzie’s Restaurant in Glenmora, or for a drink at Yum Yums Frozen Daiquiris in Oakdale, many of whom gossiped while scrolling news feeds for updates.

A reporter at the daiquiri bar asked how such a large immigration scheme could happen in Trump country A patron tried to answer it simply “It’s all about that here,” he said, rubbing together two index fingers and his thumb.

we’ve made together for Louisiana’s children and families,” Matlock said in the release. “I look forward to focusing my energy on building strong, supportive environments for the children who need us most.”

The DCFS has long been criticized for its staffing shortages. A recent report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor found the agency had 140 child welfare staff position vacancies in February, up from 118 at the end of the 2023 fiscal year

The audit also found that between July 1, 2022, and Feb. 10, 2025, the number of filled child welfare positions decreased by 108. That change comes despite an alarming number of child abuse deaths that brought the agency under

said Sarah West, who owns a gift shop on South 10th Street in downtown Oakdale. “But it’s bad here. Really, really bad.”

West, 57, said she’s grown weary of the bad headlines.

A former Oakdale police chief and one of his officers were indicted in 2019 on malfeasance charges, including allegations that the chief sprung his own son from jail and that another inmate was used to mow lawns and work at a camp. The chief was later convicted on a charge of misrepresentation during booking, records from the District Attorney’s Office show

More than one local wondered aloud: Would there be more to come? In Oakdale, some weren’t surprised at the notion that their local officials were on the take, given a recent string of corruption scandals.

Oakdale is known mostly for its huge federal complex of two prisons and a prison camp off Whatley Road, if not its dominant high school girls basketball team, the Lady Warriors. It sits in the middle of Allen Parish, among the most rural and conservative areas of Louisiana, far from urban centers or debates over sanctuary cities.

About 80% in the parish voted for Trump in 2024. The area also helped reelect U.S. Rep. Mike Johnson, the House speaker Hebert, the parish sheriff, has a federal contract to house U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement detainees at the parish jail in Oberlin. He said it “absolutely” bothered him that his

scrutiny in 2022, prompting lawmakers to demand change.

In a statement, the DCFS said one of its key initiatives for the current fiscal year includes a recruitment campaign and increased staffing.

A 2022 investigation by The Advocate | The TimesPicayune found that, when adjusted for inflation, DCFS lost nearly half of its funding between 2007 and 2021. It also found that DCFS caseloads were three times the national standard.

Meanwhile, Louisiana faces a shortage of foster care families.

“As of July 2, 2025, there were more than 4,200 children in care and less than 2,000 certified foster homes,” according to the agency

fellow lawmen stood accused of letting illegal immigrants slip through. When asked if he was surprised that the misconduct came from Oakdale, he said he had “no comment on that.”

Other corruption

In recent years, the city has faced other corruption scandals.

“It’s everywhere you go,”

A 2022 state audit found that Oakdale’s longtime city clerk, who died in 2021, overpaid herself nearly $770,000 over seven years.

To some, Doyle seemed different, though he had his own history: When he was city ward marshal in 2011, Doyle was arrested on charges that he siphoned an undisclosed amount of public money and pocketed wage garnishments that were intended for creditors, according to news reports.

He pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor that was expunged, according to Hebert, the sheriff.

A former fellow Oakdale police officer and childhood friend of Doyle’s, who declined to give his name, said, “I honestly thought we wouldn’t have stuff like that once (he) became chief.”

“But …” he added, trailing off mid-sentence as he stood behind a shop counter

Invisible crime

Doyle and Slaney ran against each other for city

marshal in 2017. Slaney won, but Doyle soon became Oakdale’s police chief, winning election in 2020, state election records show Now they’re co-defendants, each accused of accepting bribes from Patel in exchange for drafting phony armed robbery complaints, which visa seekers could then use to apply for U visas.

In Forest Hill, Mayor Elizabeth Jeter said in a statement Wednesday that she was “deeply saddened” over the indictment of police chief Dixon. “Forest Hill is a strong, close-knit community and we understand how difficult this news is for our residents.”

The documents forged on behalf of noncitizens added up to an invisible crime wave, the federal indictment alleges. In reality, armed robbery was virtually nonexistent in Oakdale, according to city crime data reported to the state in 2022 and 2023.

Local law enforcement in Rapides Parish said they’ve never had any real problems with any noncitizens either way

District Attorney Phillip Terrell said the areas policed by the indicted chiefs aren’t exactly hotbeds for crime. He said he’d alert defense attorneys about any cases handled by the indicted police leaders.

“Off the top of my head, I’m not aware of any felony cases that we have out of Forest Hill or Glenmora,” Terrell said.

“There’s not much activity there, other than, apparently, the fraudulent activity.”

Staff writer Ashley White contributed to this report.

Amanda McElfresh, amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

By

This articleisbrought to youbythe LouisianaFarmBureauFederation.

More than 1,500attendees gathered in New OrleansinlateJunefortheLouisianaFarmBureau Federation’s103rd annual convention,makingit oneofthe best-attendedsessionsinthe organization’shistory.Theeventattractedadiversecrowd of farmers, ranchers, educators, policymakers andadvocates from acrossthe state, allunited by asharedcommitmenttoensuringLouisiana

agriculturehas aviablefuture. “Itwas afull crowdwithalot of positive momentum andgoodinteractions,”saidLFBF PresidentRichard Fontenot. “There were alot of youthparticipating,sowewereexcitedtoseethat. It seemstoperkeverybody up when yousee the youngergenerationgetting involved.” Some of themajor highlights of theconvention includedtheannualawardsthataregiventofarmersand growersfromthroughoutLouisiana.This year’s recipients included: •President’sAward: VermilionParishFarm Bureau •YoungFarmersandRanchersAchievement Award:FrankieandMallorySotile,AscensionParish •DiscussionMeetWinner: Abbygail Davis, St.Tammany Parish •ExcellenceinAgriculture Award: Randi Toups, LafourcheParish •YoungFarmersandRanchersOutstandingYoung Farm Woman: Courtney Gerace,St. Landry Parish •Louisiana Ag in theClassroom Teacher of theYear: KesslerLandry, MartialF.Billeaud Elementary,Broussard Inaddition,EmmaLouiseDupreeofGrantParish waschosenasthe 2025 LouisianaFarmBureau FederationQueen AlthoughFontenotisalongtimeleaderinLFBF, this year’s convention marked hisfirst serving as president. Memberselected him for another one-yearterm.Inall,Fontenotsaidtheexperience wasabit of awhirlwind, but also aproud moment forhim andhis family “Anytimeyoucanshareyourpassionanddreams withsomanyotherpeople,it’sagreatexperience,” he said.“Therewas alot of excitement andenergy

from participants,staff andvolunteers. I’mvery humbledtobere-electedaspresident andvery appreciative of theopportunity to continue to serveinthisrole.”

Many of themajor discussionsthroughoutthe convention centered on legislationand policy includingthe recent passageofPresidentDonald Trump’sBig BeautifulBillinCongress, which includesseveralagriculturalprovisions.Louisiana CongressmanClayHiggins addressedattendees directly,sharinginsightsonhowthebillwillimpact Louisianaproducers,especiallyinthefaceofrising costsand potentialnew tariffs. In addition,state dignitariesincluding Governor Jeff Landry and InsuranceCommissionerTimTemple,alongwith manylegislators,spokeabouthowLouisianalaws willimpactthe industry

“Wewereactivethispastlegislativesessionand hadsomesuccess storiestoshare,” Fontenotsaid. “Therewerealotofgoodconversationsabouthow we cankeepthingsmovingina positive direction. Thenewfederalbillmeanswehavemorerelevant economic data.Wewerelooking at 2012 data,and everyone knowsthateverythingcosts alot more now. Ithink we willsee better crop insurance componentsforproducersandabettersafetynet.It feelslikethereissomelightattheendofthetunnel.” Onereasontheconventionhasbecomesopopularisthatitisnot just aboutformalmeetingsand presentations. With family-friendlyeventslike an icecreamsocial, talent contestand queen’s contest, theatmosphereblendsprofessionalism with warmth,creatingspace forspontaneous and openconversationsamongagriculturalstakeholders from acrossthe state. “Everyonerealizesthisisagoodopportunityto have some solidarity andput ourvoicestogether,” Fontenotsaid.“It’salwaysgoodtoseefarmersand ranchers,but it’s also exciting to seepeoplefrom educationand research in attendance.Itreminds us that youdon’t have to be in direct production to be an advocate foragriculture.”

As theLFBFcontinues to shapeagricultural policy andsupport farmersand growersacross Louisiana, Fontenot said he hopesattendees can carrythepositivemomentumfromtheconvention into theirdaily work

“Ourmainpurposeattheconventionisnotonly tohavefunwithfamilyandfriends,buttodevelop policies for us to useindaily management with ourstaffandexecutiveleadership,”Fontenotsaid “Whenpeopleleave theevent,Iwantthemtofeel like they areapartofthe LouisianaFarmBureau family andthattheir voicemakes adifference.” FormoreinformationortofindyourlocalFarm Bureau,visit www.lafarmbureau.org.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Cars line the downtown area along East Sixth Street in Oakdale on Thursday.

Workers rip up the sidewalk area in front of the Oakdale Police Department on 10th Street in Oakdale on Thursday.

Top judge wants to help combat student absenteeism

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Louisiana Chief Justice John Weimer knows firsthand that regularly attending school can improve a child’s future

He grew up the eldest of five in a single-parent household in Thibodeaux. As a teen whose parents didn’t finish high school, he didn’t see much use for education and often opted to skip class to ride motorcycles instead But after a long illness caused his father to lose his auto service shop and the family struggled to make ends meet, Weimer decided it was time to take school more seriously

When a high school English teacher took an interest in him, Weimer began to nurture bigger aspirations for his life. With encouragement from his teacher, he enrolled at nearby Nicholls State University, then went on to attend LSU law school

He began his career as a judge in the 17th Judicial District Court in Lafourche Parish and taught classes at Nicholls State University for several years, before being elected to the Louisiana Supreme Court in 2001. He was appointed chief justice in 2021.

Seeing how much his life changed after he prioritized school, Weimer has become an outspoken advocate for efforts to improve student attendance. The share of Louisiana students who miss 10% or more of school days has been on the rise, with nearly 1 in 4 students qualifying as chronically absent during the 2023-24 school year

During a state education board meeting in January, Weimer pointed to studies that found students who chronically miss school are far more likely to become involved in the criminal justice system, often at a cost to

both taxpayers and communities.

Reducing the number of students who regularly miss school could help, but it will take an all-handson-deck approach, he said.

He proposed a summit where stakeholders from across Louisiana could come together to discuss factors that contribute to absenteeism and brainstorm potential legislation to present to the Legislature next spring. That meeting is set to take place Sept. 8 in Alexandria. Weimer said he hopes that by convening educators and government officials who deal with student absenteeism and truancy

teachers, principals, district attorneys, judges — they can come up with solutions that will prevent students from falling off track and, potentially, landing in courtrooms like his.

“Do we do nothing and watch these numbers grow at great expense to society,” he asked during a panel discussion on student absenteeism last month, “or do we intercede and do something?”

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

What agencies are responsible for combating student absenteeism?

Everybody brings something

to the table. I’ve talked to the District Attorney’s Association about having more of a role in the discussion, because in some places (in Louisiana), the district attorney has taken charge. Some districts report their absentee students directly to the DA’s Office, and they invite the parents in to chat. In some places, it’s the schools taking the lead.

Every district provides services, like FINS (Families in Need of Services), and they attempt to link families to the services they need to get their children to school. Recently, I heard about a student who wasn’t going to school because his shoe fell apart, and somebody with the district was able to get a hold of a pair of shoes for him.

Who will be at the state absenteeism summit in September and what will be the focus?

There will be school personnel, as well as district judges, district attorneys and public defenders.

We’re inviting anybody who plays any kind of role in truancy, from teachers, principals, office people, to people involved in FINS.

We’re still working on what the discussion topics are going to be.

The request we sent to judges was to let us know what they think they’re doing well and what challenges they face in their jurisdiction. The plan is to publish what certain (communities) have done that have been beneficial.

We don’t have to reinvent the wheel. We’re trying to come up with best practices and have everyone meet with their superintendent, district attorney and sheriff to discuss what they can do. Because each parish is so different assets, politics, financial resources — things that some places are doing will be off the table for others.

What do you see as your role in this state-

wide effort?

It’s to help facilitate and collaborate. I’m not a philosopher, I’m a judge, and sometimes I’m criticized for being too involved in social programs. But I think it’s all part and parcel of what we do. There are different people with different philosophies about how problems should be addressed, and I prefer to take a collaborative approach There is power in a robe and a gavel that other people don’t have. There is the ability to get people together and try to find solutions. That’s what this is all about.

How can schools avoid criminalizing children who are chronically absent?

The key is to get them as early in the process as you can, before it becomes chronic, before they start engaging in behavior that gets them expelled from school. That’s a whole other complicated set of circumstances that we’ll have to rely on those in education to supply some answers for As courts, we’re called upon to resolve disputes, and I tell students all the time, “You don’t want me deciding your fate.”

Do you have a message to young people who struggle to attend school? I was in the position many kids find themselves: a single-parent home with very little guidance about getting an education. I learned the hard way by watching my father struggle.

Get as much education as you can. Going to school is the first step, but if you go to be disruptive, if you go just to get a diploma, you can probably sneak out without an

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Johnsongetsfunding clawback legislationpassed

trained at LSU.

WASHINGTON By any measure, House Speaker MikeJohnsonhad asuccessful few weeks.

The Benton Republican herded acontrary clowder of HouseRepublicans to aseries of huge legislative wins for President Donald Trump, capped early Fridaymorning with final passage of arescission bill that clawed back already appropriated billions for public broadcasting and foreign aid, among other expenditures

The Senate had passed the amended measure at 2:30 a.m. Thursday,leaving Johnson less than 46 hours to get the legislation to Trump for his signature before theclawback expired.

Plenty of House membershad reasons to oppose the measure, from defunding public broadcasting to setting the precedent of allowing apresident to usurp Congress’sconstitutional power of thepurse.

But Johnson’sbiggest hurdle was afight between Republicans over publicly releasingfederal investigatory files on accused pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, afinancier who allegedly provided his prominentfriends with underage girls for sex and died in prison awaiting trial.

On July 7, Trump’sDepartment of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation released a“nothing to see here” memo. Thefiles contained “no credibleevidence” that Epstein was murdered, he committed suicide in 2019; his client list didn’texist; and he blackmailed no one, accordingtothe Justice/FBI memo.

Those were the exact allegations Trump and many of his supporters —including FBI Director Kash Patel and Dan Bongino, Patel’schief deputy —raised over the years trying to tar Democrats for not releasing the files. Now

Landrynames Lafourche president to highway job

Gov.Jeff Landry on Wednesday announced that Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III will serve as executive director of the Office of Louisiana Highway Construction, the state’s brand-new transportation agency

“Archie has been adedicated publicservant for Lafourche Parish working tirelessly to answer the needs of the southeast region,” Landry said in astatement. “Weare excited to bring Archie into the administration to serve in this new role.” Under areorganization plan approved by state lawmakers and Landry last month, the new Office of Louisiana Highway Construction is independent of the state Department of Transportation and Development. It will oversee about 4,800 miles of smaller state

in power themselves, theTrump administration didn’twant to release anything more than the memo Many in the MAGA base were enraged,and many Republicans were looking for political cover while theclock ticked down on the rescissionsbill.

“Now they are reaping what they have sown,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries,D-N.Y., told reporters Thursday Epstein had pleaded guilty andwas convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court for procuring achild for prostitution. Adecade later,federal law enforcement

roadways that don’t qualify for federal funding, including planning, construction, maintenance and repairs.

Theoffice is tasked with “privatizing functions as well as reimagining transportation project delivery,” Wednesday’sannouncement stated Landry said Chaisson will beworking together with DOTD Secretary GlennLedet, who recently left the top job at the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority

“I am confident that the days ofamore efficient transportation department are onthe horizon,” Landry said. Ledet said the appointment of Chaisson is a strong step forward for both thenew office and the state” andnoted that thetwo transportation leaders worked closely in previousroles.

“He has aproven track record of gettingthings done and has

identified 36 other underage girls, someasyoung as 14, and in 2019 charged Epstein with sex trafficking minors. On Tuesday,Johnson got in the middle of the fray when he told conservative podcaster Benny Johnson the Epstein records should be released.

“I agree withthe sentiment thatweneed to put it out there,” Johnson said. “It’sa very delicate subject but we should put everything out there and let the people decide.” Johnson seemed to be joining MAGA loyalistslike Steve Bannon againstTrumponthe issue.

been areliable partner throughout,” Ledet said. “I’m confident in his leadership and look forward to collaborating with him to improve how we deliver roadway projects across Louisiana.”

In aseparate news release announcing his resignation as Lafourche Parishpresident as of Aug. 1, Chaisson said, “I am excited to start this next chapter in my life and work alongside our governor to re-imagine the way we construct and rehabilitate our roads and bridges across our great state.

Chaisson first won election as parish president in 2019 and then again in 2023 when he ran unopposed. He is also thepresident of a group called Parishes Advocating for Coastal Endurance, or PACE.

He also served as public works director for the City of Thibodaux as well as parish administrator for Lafourche Parish.

Senate advances

U.S. attorney candidate Kurt Wall is one step away

Without mentioning anyone’s name, Trump lashed back on Truth Social calling the controversy a “scam” and a“hoax” that his “past supporters” were championing on behalf of Democrats and the news media.

On Wednesday Johnson walked back his comments, telling The Hill, aCapitol Hill politics publication, that he and Trump have always supported transparency

“I’msaying the samething the president is that, Imean, you need to have all of the credible information released forthe American people to maketheir decision,”said Johnson, alawyer

from being confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Middle DistrictofLouisiana, based in Baton Rouge, after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recommended his nomination to thefull Senate Thursdaymorning. The Republican majority on thecommittee approved Wall’s nomination by President Donald Trump. Democraticmembers on the Judiciary Committee had walked out of the hearing because of acontroversy over Emil J. BoveIII, whoTrumphas nominated for alifetime appointment as ajudge on theU.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

Judiciary Chair Sen. Chuck Grassley,R-Iowa, overrode Democratic points of order and called for avote while Sen. Corey Booker,D-N.J., accused Republicans of not following established Senate rules. Democraticmembers, who makeupaminority of the panel, walked out.

“It’s happened before and we have to movealong,” Grassley said, addingthat asimilar inci-

The White House refused to comment on conversations between Trumpand Johnson. But press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trumphad long contended Attorney General Pam Bondi should release any additional “credible” evidence.

Thursday morning’sWall Street Journal reported that Trumphad sent Epstein a“bawdy letter” in 2003. Trumpdenied doing so and threatened to sue the newspaper Trumphas long acknowledged that he and Epstein werefriends from the 1980s until the early 2000s.

As timewas running out on Trump’sclawback bill, Republicans on the House Rules Committee tired of being repeatedly called upon to vote downDemocratic and Republican amendments demanding release of the Epstein files. The panel needed to vet and forward the bill before a floor vote could happen.

After hours of committee footdragging, Johnson agreed to allow anonbinding resolution giving Bondi 30 days to “make publicly available in asearchable and downloadable format” all documents, records, communications and other evidence related to the investigation, the online political newssource Punchbowl reported at 8:39 p.m.Eastern Time Thursday

At 9:07 p.m., Trumpposted on Truth Social that he asked Bondi to produce pertinent grand jury testimony,ifthe court approved. Bondi responded at 9:09 p.m.on X: “President Trump—weare ready to movethe court tomorrow (Friday) to unseal the grand jury transcripts.” The committee forwarded the legislation.

At 12:03 a.m. Friday,only two Republicans joined 211 Democrats voting against the rescission bill —216 Republicans voted to send the measure to Trumpfor his signature.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

dent once occurred when Democrats madeupthe majority on the committee. Bove’s nomination wasforwarded with only Republican votes.

Wall’snomination was further downthe agenda and he too was approved only by Republican votes without discussion.

U.S. Sen. John N. Kennedy,RMadisonville, did not attend the hearing but had Grassley vote on his behalf Wall prosecuted violent crime, drug and white-collar cases as an assistant district attorney in Livingston Parish and before he worked in the East Baton Rouge Parish.

If the full Senate approves his confirmation in avote likely to take place next week or the week after,Wall will succeed Ronald C. Gathe Jr.asthe chief federal law enforcement officer forAscension, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee and St. Helena parishes.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, leavesthe House chamber on Thursdayatthe U.S.

THE GULF COAST

NewparkinFlorida expands public beachaccess,parking

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

This summer,Louisiana vacationers making their annual escape to Florida’sGulf Coast will find anew stretch of sugar white sand and aquamarine waves —the result of amultimilliondollar effort to expand publicbeach access.

Destin’sTarpon Beach Gulf Front Park will feature 340 feet of public beach access, along with restrooms and49freeparking spaces,including ADA-accessible and low-speedvehicle spots, according to city officials.

While the beach access atTarpon is already open, additional amenities are expected to be completed before next spring, Destin mayor Bobby Wagner said in apost on Facebook

The project is apart of abroader $26.5 million initiative by the City of Destin and the Okaloosa Board of

County Commissioners to reinvest tourism revenue in expanding access forboth visitors and residents, city officials said. Thefirst phase of the initiative, a$9million expansion at nearby CrystalBeach,has already been completed

Thetotal cost for Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Parkwas $16.75 million

Only twoyears ago, the site offered “a sliver of beach access,” according to Nick Tomecek, the public information officer of Okaloosa County. In response, the city demolished several buildings in the area and expanded the public beachfrom5 to 340 feet.

Doug Hattaway,the land conservation directorofTrust forPublic Land —the lead agencythathelped negotiate the property purchase —described the project as a“commitment to protecting public access to nature and preserving the unique coast character” of Destin. The park’sopening comes at atime

of ongoing tensionsoverlimited shorelineaccess in Destin, where large portionsofbeachfrontare privately owned, and vendor operations contributetocrowding. Wagner has saidthe city aims to “buy andbuild morepublic beaches over thenexttwo years” while addressing vendor issues.

The project also coincideswith a shift in travel patterns, as more vacationers areturning to theMississippi andAlabama Gulf Coast, drawn by less-crowded beaches andmore affordable lodging.

“Thisisall aboutreclaiming the beaches for our residents, for our tourists,”WagnersaidatMonday’sgroundbreaking ceremony. “As we allknow, there’slimited space out there, and where there’sanissues, there’salways an opportunity.”

Email PoetWolfe at poet.wolfe @theadvocate.com.

Anglerscatch 1,000-pound tiger sharkinPensacola

BY POETWOLFE Staff writer

Hours after dropping bait into the Gulf last Thursdaymorning, anglers Trey Linder and Steve Callaway hauled in an 11-foot, 8-inch tiger shark off Pensacola’s West End Beach. They tagged the shark forNational Oceanic and AtmosphericAdministration research,then posed with the slickskinned predator,prying open its jaws to reveal its rows of comb-shaped teeth before releasing it back into the water

The whole process, which started at 5a.m., took about 3minutes, the anglers wrote in aFacebook post,addingthat “experience is key.”

If there’sany time of year anglers are likely to catch atigershark, it’s now—summeriswhen coastal sharks come closer inland in search of warmer waters to give birth, NOAA shark biologist JohnCarlsonsaid last year Tigersharks arethe third mostcommonly caught coastal shark in the UnitedStates, according to theFlorida Museum. In the Gulf, theyare themostcommon shark species found in both coastaland offshore waters. Thespecies cangrow up to 18 feet in length and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, according to theFloridaFishand Wildlife Conservation Commission. Tigersharks rank just behind great whites in the number of recorded shark bites on humans worldwide.Though attacks are rare, the sharks —whose diet includes largeprey such as sea turtles can sometimes mistake people on surf or wakeboards forfood

Eatyourway alongthe Po-boy Trail

Guidefeaturesmorethan70placesinLafayette Parish

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

The po-boy is an iconic Louisiana sandwich, one that gets better the more it evolves.

The hamburger po-boy, with a perfectlycooked patty anddressings in aFrench breadbun, can give your backyard burger arun for itsmoney.Abánh mì sandwich, colloquially known across Louisiana as a“Vietnamese poboy,”earnsthe moniker withfresh meats, produceand southeast Asian flavors in ahot, chewy loaf of French bread

Expert says to leave snakes alone

Sevenvenomous snakes call La.home

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Seven venomous snakes call Louisiana home, including coral snakes,cottonmouths, rattlesnakes and copperheads

Accordingtothe Centers forDisease Control,7,000 to 8,000 people get bitten by venomoussnakes each year in the U.S., with about five of those cases resulting in death.

What’sthe cardinal rule of keeping yourself —and the snakes safe, according to experts? Leave them be.

“A lot of venomous snakes bites are the result of people tryingto kill snakes,” said ChrisAustin, curator of amphibians andreptiles at the LSU Museum of Natural Science and biological sciences professor.“All snakes would much rather slither away from you.”

It’salso easy to misidentify a snakewithout proper training, he said.

“Inall cases, it’s best to just leave them alone,” Austin said.

Venomous snakes in Louisiana

Here’sthe rundown of Louisiana’svenomous snakes,according to theLouisiana Departmentof Wildlife and Fisheries

Cottonmouth

n Types: NorthernCottonmouth

n Where they are found: Swamplands andponds, lake and stream borders throughoutLouisiana. They like dense canopies andoften coil nearwater

n Identifiers: Darktan to very dark brown/black. Black or dark brown crossbands.Whitelinefromcorner of the eye along the angle of the mouth.

Coral snake

n Types: Harlequin coral snake, Texas coralsnake

n Where they are found: Florida Parishes above Lake Pontchartrain (Harlequin coral snake),Western Louisiana as far south as Calcasieu

ä See SNAKES, page 2B

Local pizzashops are even nailing the po-boy game, with spots like Deano’sofferingpo-boys thatgive the restaurant’sfamous tavern-style pizzas arun fortheir money Now,Lafayette residentsand

visitors can experience the best, most variedpo-boys the region has to offer withaneasy-to-navigate Po-boyTrail, produced by Lafayette Travel. The self-guided trail, found on theLafayette Travel website, features more than 70 restaurantsand specialtyshops across Lafayette Parish The Po-boy Trailalsolists afew notable spots around Acadiana, suchasBon Creole in New Ibe-

ria and Mama’sFried Chicken in Opelousas. Bánh mìs appear in the “po-boy adjacent” section, alongside other notable Louisiana sandwiches like muffalettas (on the menus at Cedar Grocery and Whiskey&Vine in Lafayette) and Cubanos (at CafeHabana City).

“The Po-boy Trail is afun, flavorful way to explore the creativity of ourlocal chefs and restaurants while celebrating aLouisiana clas-

sic,” said Ben Berthelot, president and CEO of Lafayette Travel. Thebread is what mattersmost whenitcomes to crafting aclassic po-boy.You can’thavea true po-boywithout French bread,and in this area, theloaves are typically baked that morning and delivered from local bakeries like LeJeune’s, Langlinais and Poupart Bakery Visitors to the region are often unawarethat theirsandwich is

KEEP ROLLIN’

ALouisianaState Policetrooper was injured while investigating acrash in Opelousas, police say. On Thursday, shortly before 6p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop Ibegan investigatingaserious injurycrash involving atrooper on La. 190 at the intersection with La. 104. The trooper’sunit was in the right westbound lane of U.S. 90 whena2017GMC Sierra drivinginthatlane,for unknown

reasons, didnot move over and crashed into thetrooper’sunit, policesaid.

The impact pushed the trooper’sunitintothe trooper and a driver from the crash the trooper was investigating. Both the trooper and other driver sufferedmoderate injuries,and the driver of theGMC sufferedminorinjuries Thisinvestigationremains ongoing.

Manreceives sentence for rape conviction

ASt. Martin Parish man received the maximumsentence

—25years in prison —after he wasconvicted on arape charge involving ajuvenile.

Travis Alexander,ofSt. Martinville, was sentenced by Judge Roger Hamilton Jr.last week He previously pleaded guilty to the third-degree rape charge in April.

Ajuvenile, whoseage was not disclosed, reported the36-yearold Alexander raped her and was examined by aspecially trained sexual assaultnurseexaminer, 16thJudicial DistrictAttorney Michael Haik III said in anews release DNA testing from that sexual assault kit matched Alexander

Haik said. Investigators recovered incriminating statements sent by Alexander in texts. Alexander was sentenced to 25 years in prison at hard labor without benefit of probation, parole or the ability to have his sentence suspended. Third-degree rape is committedwhen anal, oral or vaginal intercourse occurs without a victim’sconsent because the victim is incapable of resisting, incapable of understanding thenatureofthe act, the victim thinks someone else is committing the act or the victim does notgive consent, accordingto state law

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

TOP: The old Cajun Field turf is rolledup makingready for thenew turf at Our Lady of LourdesStadiumonJuly12inLafayette

Last of jail escapees still at large

BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer

If he’s ever recaptured, Derrick Groves awaits two life prison sentences with no shot at parole.

It’s an incentive to remain free that appears ample for Groves, who on Wednesday completed his second month in hiding as the last, and some fear most dangerous, of the 10 Orleans Parish jail detainees who fled the lockup on May 16

Authorities had little to say this week about a search that once numbered a reported 200 personnel. A variety of state and federal agents are still after Groves, who turned 28 while in hiding. But the tips have slowed, officials said, and Groves’ whereabouts remain a mystery

“We continue to get tips on him from Crimestoppers and through the Marshals Service, and we’re actively looking at those,” said Deputy U.S. Marshal Brian Fair “Some are in-state, some are outof-state Some are ‘I saw Elvis at the gas station’ tips Others are a little bit better We continue to investigate all of those tips.”

Fair said support for the search is coming from the FBI and Homeland Security Investigations as well as Louisiana State Police. He said it’s clear Groves has had help staying hidden, but “a person or persons have not been established” as suspects in that effort.

“We do believe he’s getting help from somebody whether family or friends providing him aid, (or) giving him money while he’s on the run,” Fair said.

The reward from various agencies for information leading to Groves’ arrest is still $50,000. Darlene Cusanza, CEO of Crimestoppers GNO, did not return messages seeking comment.

A fugitive surviving off the grid for months is not so unusual, Fair said.

“Some people with survival skills will go camping, basically, for lack of better term. Head off into the wilderness I don’t think Groves is doing that, but if people are letting you stay at their place and you’re not coming out

much ” Fair said.

“Ultimately, I think we’re going to catch him. We only need to get lucky once. He’s got to look over his shoulder every day of the week.”

At the local level, the New Orleans Police Department referred questions about the search to the Louisiana State Police, the lead agency, which released a statement.

“With only one fugitive still at large, the Louisiana State Police continues to work alongside our local, state, and federal partners to investigate all information that may lead to the apprehension of Derrick Groves,” it read.

“Our focus remains unwavering, and we will not stop until Groves is in custody.”

Recent research has found that 8% of escapees from jails or other lockups used violence against community members while on the lam, and 6% committed violence against authorities who recaptured them.

Unlike Antoine Massey the last of the nine recaptured men to turn up, Groves has not announced his presence or declared himself the victim of injustice on social media since the group fled through a hole behind a ripped-out toilet, scaled a wall and crossed Interstate 10 to freedom.

Groves has been convicted of two counts of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted second-degree murder, and has pleaded guilty to two counts of manslaughter in

separate cases. He’d remained jailed locally for months awaiting his terminal sentence, after the judge recused herself and his defense lawyer received a suspension.

Darriana Burton, 28, a former Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office employee who has been described by officials as an associate and girlfriend of Groves, was arrested for allegedly helping to plan the escape. She’s one of several people outside of the escapees who are accused as accessories. A jail plumber, Sterling Williams, has been charged with helping facilitate the jailbreak.

“We continue to support a coordinated, multiagency effort to locate and apprehend Derrick Groves, as we have with the previous 9 captures including the one led by Sheriff Susan Hutson,” the sheriff’s office said Friday in a statement. “As we have stated before, we urge Mr Groves to surrender peacefully before he or anyone else is harmed.”

In the meantime, Attorney General Liz Murrill said she’s working on recommendations from an investigation into deficiencies at the jail. Murrill put her support behind a request that went before the state Bond Commission on Thursday for $15 million to go to “emergency repairs and hardening” of the Orleans Parish lockup.

That measure passed, an official with the commission said Friday

Libraries dip into rainy-day fund

Building issues force closures in New Orleans

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

When air conditioning systems fail at New Orleans public libraries, branches either shut down entirely — often for weeks at a time or access is limited to a portion of the building. And during heavy rain, staff sometimes places trash cans under leaky ceilings to catch the drips, but minimizing water damage to book collections and flooring is particularly challenging when there are multiple leaks in a single building, library Director Emily Painton said this week

As the New Orleans Public Library system moves through its busiest season, when kids are out of school for the summer, recurring building woes like aging roofs, mold, plumbing and AC issues have again shut down a handful of branches three just this month — threatening a vital community resource. Library officials say the problem has grown worse, prompting them to dip into the system’s reserve fund

SNAKES

Continued from page 1B

Parish (Texas coral snake)

n Identifiers: Red, yellow and black bands. A popular rhyme to distinguish from other snakes in the Southern U.S. is, “Red and yellow can kill a fellow; red and black, friend of Jack.” However, most snake experts would advise to leave all snakes alone rather than putting too much faith in rhymes.

Copperhead

n Types: Eastern copperhead n Where they are found: Throughout forested areas of Louisiana, not including

and inject more than $10 million toward replacing the roofs and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems across five locations, Painton said

They’ve also created a new facilities administrator position that will be charged with assessing and overseeing the 15 branches and managing construction projects.

The library system is a city agency funded almost entirely by a dedicated property tax millage. It has already pulled from its reserves $9.5 million to cover a new HVAC system, an elevator and deferred maintenance upgrades for the Main branch The Main branch and three others — Nix in Mid-City, Keller in Central City and the Children’s Resource Center — closed this month for plumbing, AC and other repairs, continuing an annual trend of emergency closures that peak in the summertime.

Jeremy Dupre, an unhoused resident, sat outside the Main Branch on a recent Wednesday While the site’s AC never “blows cold air,” he said, the branch serves as a respite from the heat and as a job search tool through the site’s computer lab

“It’s ridiculous. They shut it down every other week, it

permanent swamps and cheniers.

n Identifiers: Brown or reddish-brown with crossbands resembling hourglasses or Hershey’s Kisses. Rattlesnake

n Types: Timber rattlesnake, pygmy rattlesnake, eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake

n Where they are found: Wooded areas in most of Louisiana (timber rattlesnake), uplands and pine flatwoods in northern and central Louisiana and the Florida Parishes (pygmy rattlesnakes), pinelands in Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany Parishes with last recorded sighting in 1995 (eastern diamond-backed rattlesnake)

n Identifiers: The telltale rat-

feels like,” he said.

“Due to HVAC issues, the building cannot stay cool enough to comfortably accommodate library staff or patrons,” NOPL announced earlier this month of the downtown Main Branch. “We are in touch with our vendor to mitigate the problem.”

At the Algiers Regional Library, the second floor AC was out most of last summer, limiting access to the first floor. Patron Sharon Shirey recalled staff’s accommodations to grab books requested from the second floor’s adult section, but it was frustrating to not have browsing access.

“I’m so sad about the deplorable conditions of our libraries because so many people, especially kids, depend on them,” she said.

While the bulk of the city’s public libraries are in historic buildings — four were built over 100 years ago a handful built in 2012 are in need of the most critical repairs: New Orleans East, Robert E. Smith, Algiers Regional, Rosa Keller and Norman Mayer New Orleans officials once hailed their openings as symbols of community resilience after their predecessors were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.

tle. Red/orange band down the back (timber and pygmy rattlesnake), diamondshaped pattern with dark brown markings and pale edges (eastern diamondbacked rattlesnake).

LOTTERY FRIDAY, JULY 18, 2025

PICK 3: 3-3-8 PICK 4: 5-5-0-4 PICK 5: 4-4-2-5-1 MEGA MILLIONS: 11-43-54-55-63 MEGA

PO-BOY

Continued from page 1B

probably made with ingredients from, at most, a few miles a way and with the Po-boy Trail, they can taste the difference for themselves.

Here are a few spots from the Lafayette Po-boy Trail.

n BJ’s Poor Boys & Plate Lunches n Bon Temps Grill n Brown Skillet

n The Cajun Table

n Chris’ Poboys

n Joey’s n Julien’s Po-Boys

n Logan Farms Honey Glazed Ham

n Olde Tyme Grocery

n Pho Home n Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn

n Pop’s Poboys

n Poupart Bakery

n Uncle T’s Oyster Bar n Villager’s Cafe

Email Joanna Brown at joanna. brown@theadvocate.com.

PHOTOS By LANCE LEBLANC AND

Poorboy’s

Uncle T’s Oyster Bar at 1001 St. Mary St., Scott

Julien’s Po-Boys at 1900 W. University Ave., Lafayette

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

The Orleans Parish jail is pictured on the left in New Orleans on May 16. Ten inmates escaped from the jail.

OUR VIEWS

Allacross La., there’s good news on crime

Twoyears after astatewide political campaign in which urban crimewas amajor issue, Louisianahas seen aremarkable turnaround.

New Orleans has witnessed asteepdrop in both murder and gunviolence, with 2025 onpace to be the safest year since 1970.After averaging 200murders per year overthe last five years, the city had logged 53 as of early July.And that’s including the tragicNew Year’smorning terror attack on Bourbon Street that took 14 revelers’ lives.

Shreveport has seen far fewerhomicides in 2025 as well, with nearly half as many asat the midpoint of last year

Baton Rouge too is seeing fewerhomicides this year,down 19% compared to the firsthalfof 2024. These drops are part of anationaltrend that has officials and researchers encouraged, but also not exactly sure of howtodivvy up the credit. But there are thingshappening that aresurely partofthe larger puzzle.

In New Orleans, analyst Jeff Asher points to an infusion of resources from the American Rescue Planand federallaw enforcement agencies,the state, the city and nonprofits.

The drop in crime coincideswith —but started before —the arrival of Troop NOLA, the effective and well-received Louisiana State Police unit assigned to the city by Gov.Jeff Landry. Mayor LaToyaCantrell’sHealth Department leads a program that includes violenceinterruptionand concentratesontrauma, and nonprofits areon board tooffer therapy and community-based services.

Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, also points to aproactive focus on violent offenders by the perennially short-staffed New Orleans PoliceDepartment Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith attributed the good news in his city to anintensive focus on getting firearms out of the wronghands

In Baton Rouge —and also in NewOrleans —policehave countered staffing shortagesby ramping up partnerships with federaland state law enforcement agencies.

Other factors likely include the end of the COVIDdisruptions andthe increased use of advanced technology

We also acknowledge community-ledinitiatives like the broad-based NOLA Coalition, whichis working to build support for the NOPD andinvest in badly neededyouth services

Andwecredit Landry and Attorney General LizMurrill for crossing politicallines to offer help —aswell as local officials who disagree with them on other issues but have put those differences aside.

None of this is to say that all is entirelywell. RapesinNew Orleans are up, and BatonRouge hasseena scourge of retail theft. Thedevastating impact of violent crimeonvictims andtheir families doesn’tdiminish simply because there arefewer of them. Crimeisoftencyclical,and can tickupagain when officials let down theirguard So when progress happens, it’sworth applauding —and worth understanding, so thatthose in charge can be better prepared to keeppeople safe when the tide turns again.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

OPINION

ANOTHERVIEW

Anew trend: Gettheetoanunnery

“I feel thenuns have been expecting us.They knew ourlast nerve would disappear at some point.”

This quote comes from apiece in theonline publication Vice: “Gen Z Women Are BookingConvents Instead of Beach Houses This Summer.” They are not staying for life. Convents typically have “come and see” weekends for women discerning religious life. Thesearen’t those weekends.Theseoffer respitetoanoverwhelmed population in need of quiet time —and God.

“Monasteries and convents are now seeing waitlists as young women lineupfor akind of stillnessthat’s hardtocome by elsewhere,” according to thearticle. “No phones buzzing, no endless notifications, and definitely no smalltalk. Instead, many are spending theirdays tending gardens, attending prayer services,and catching up withthemselves.”

It is exhilarating to see. Thereis something hopeful happening. I’d say it is mysterious, except it makes all

thesense in the world. People aren’t happy,and they want to be Just in my New York metro area, theBirgittine sisters have an extraordinarily beautifulbed-and-breakfast type guesthouse on the Long Island Sound in Darien, Connecticut. Imade use of it when on deadline on abook on prayer,“AYear with theMystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living.” Ishould have stayed ayear,but the longest stretch for which Icould convince thesisters to put up with me was two weeks. Andwhile The Sisters of Life do not runaguesthouse in the same way the Birgittinesdo, they do have aretreat house they runfor the Knights of Columbus in nearby Stamford, with retreat weekends for womenand men throughout theyear The Birgittines,founded by the great mystic Bridget of Sweden, are known for theirhospitality.WhenI was looking for aplace to do a30-day retreat in thetraditionofSt. Ignatius of Loyola and his demandingly fruit-

ful Spiritual Exercises, they provided plenty of it. In the Franciscan town of Assisi, the sisters welcomedanAmerican in silence. If you don’thavethe time or energy for afull-blown retreat, you could learnfromGaryJansen, in his book (muchsmaller andcheaper than mine), “The 15-Minute Prayer Solution.”OK, so your phone may be constantly blowing up. Your baby maynot sleep anynight. The bills are making youworkextra shifts. And thatmay be only the beginning of the litany of noise in your life.You can carve out 1% of your day(which, as Jansen reminds us, equals 15 minutes). Call it self-careorwhatever makes it palatable to yourself or others, but you’re talking about1%ofyour day to try to make exclusive time for God, your creator,the creator of the universe. We don’tneed aconvent waiting list to clear up in ordertoclear our heads, refresh oursouls andremind us of what really matters.

EmailKathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@nationalreview.com.

The way we express ourselves in writing today differs greatly from the formal way of writing letters in the past.We’re so usedtofiring off emails and texts using shorthand that some habitshave become ingrained. However,there are somehabitsthat I, for one, find are overused and distracting to me as areader

Here are afew of these in no particular order.First is the use of ALL CAPS for emphasis. This has become common even though it is the equivalent of shouting at your reader.Noone likes to be yelled at,and if the POINT is powerful enough, the WORDS will create their own emphasis in themind of the reader Related,and equally common is the liberal use of the exclamation point to express anything from surprise to anger to general bewilderment. Imust admit Ioften fall into this habit as well in text messages, but when Isee it in letters, Itend to think, “It’sa letter!

The point is clear! Adding that punctuation does nothing foryour statement!”

Alsooverused are quotation marks madetoexpress “skepticism” about the“facts” or someone’s“expertise” on atopic. These perhaps are used like air quotes in real lifeconversation, but again, if you makeclear you are questioning an assertion in your argument, the words should obviate theneed forextraneous punctuation.

Lastly,Isee the use of acronymswith no explanation alot these days. Whilesomecommon abbreviations, like FBI, CIA or OMV,are understood by most people, you should never assume readers will understand acronyms used by aspecific industry or trade.

Of course, there is nothing incorrect about any of these habits, as they are just minor pet peeves. Writing does evolve. Butifwewrite to convey meaning, then we should do everything

we can to avoid turning off readers. Going to ourletters inbox for the week of June 26 to July 3, we received 62 letters. In the lead-up to the passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill, it’s notsurprising that the topic wasthe subject of the largest group of letters. Nine letters took up issuesinthe bill, while an additional four letters focusedonthe effectthat Medicaid cuts will have on Louisiana. Immigration was the next most popular topic with four letters. The case of Mandonna Kashanian, the New Orleans woman detainedbyImmigration and Customs Enforcement, prompted three more letters. When there is intense interest on a single topic, we cannot publish all your letters, but we know the topic is important and try to publish as manyviews as we can.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPage Editor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Arnessa Garrett

Kathryn Jean Lopez

COMMENTARY

As N.O. enters itspolitical season,changeisinthe air

Atime traveler from two decades back might look at the names on the fall New Orleans ballot and feel like not muchhas changed.

There’saMorrell and aWillard —incumbent JP and state Rep. Matthew—running for the two at-large City Council seats; they’re the son and nephew,respectively of the two Cynthias who represented the council districts hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina. Oliver Thomas is there too, running for mayor long after he was an at-large memberand the likely successor to Ray Nagin. Alot changed for Thomas in the interim —aguilty plea in abribery case and short stint in prison, followed by acomeback as aradio host and then on the council and now,finally,amayor’s race in which he’snolonger the clear front-runner Familiar names notwithstanding, alot’schanged in how the city elects all its politicians.

Stephanie Grace

waswidelythought that thedays of electinganon-Black mayor to lead the majority AfricanAmerican city were over.Then cameMitch Landrieuand LaToya Cantrell and allbetswereoff, whichisgood news for CityCouncilmemberat-large Helena Moreno,who has led mayoral polls sofar and fitsall threecategories. Rounding outthe toptier areformer JudgeArthur Hunter and a late entry,state Sen. Royce Duplessis.

Thatopenness on thepart of city’s electorateisone indicationofanaltered landscape.

Another is the deathofamodel aroundwhichcity politics was organized. That’smostapparent in DistrictB,where therewon’t be an electiononOct.11atall because nobody signed up to challenge incumbent Lesli Harris.

Twenty years ago, New Orleans had never had awoman mayoror one who was not anative, and it

This speaks well of how Harris hasperformed in her first term, but it also highlights something else:Thatthe BOLD organization, which used to dominatepolitics in the CentralCity core of District B, didn’tfieldacandidate, four years afterHarrisunseated BOLDstal-

wartJay Banks. Back in the day,BOLDlaunched major candidates suchasJim Singleton, Cantrell and Thomas. And other groups thatwerepartofthe city’s“AlphabetSoup” of post-civil rights organizations did the same: The Morial family’sLIFE, former U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson’sProgressive Democrats, COUPand SOUL and more.

But Thomashas moved to DistrictE in New Orleans Eastand built anew political brand, and the daughter of one of BOLD’s early leadersKen Carter,mayoral candidateEileen Carter,ismore agadfly known for leading the failed effort to recall Cantrell than acontender

The other groups are either dormant or shrunkeninstature and relevance.

Onereason is that Katrina scrambled theresidential patterns that made neighborhoodbased organizations strong. A crackdown on public corruption played apart too, snaring political leaders including Thomas, Nagin and Jefferson. Political activity has moved to television and now social media and away from the

streets. These days it’shard to find asuccessfulyounger politician who does things the old way What’s replaced it is something morefree form, shifting alliances among politicians and moreindependence amongvoters.

There arestill groups to watch. Labor,criminal justice and women’sorganizations can offer meaningful support.

Individual office holders still get involved in other campaigns; U.S. Rep.Troy Carter is helping several fellow Algiers pols run citywide, including state Rep. Delisha Boydagainst Willard and Constable Edwin Shorty forsheriff against incumbent Susan Hutson and Michelle Woodfork, the former interim police superintendent.District Attorney Jason Williams has raised money for Moreno, Woodfork and several council candidates.

Conservatives, aminority in the city, areaswing vote formayor, and have in recent years gone not withsomeone who shares their political views —none of the major candidates, all Democrats, do but theperson they think is most willing to work with them. That’sa

potential opening for someone like Hunter or Duplessis.

There’salso the barely underradar question of how manyvoters will choose acandidate based on race.

And, of course, there are matters of substance and background.

In the mayor’srace, everyone’s talking about making the city work better,which could lead voters to look forleadership on the council. Or they may decide everyone in city government is part of the problem and gravitate toward arelative outsider like Hunter or acomparatively new face such as Duplessis. Or they may remember that the last time they took achance on someone they didn’tknow wellthey got Nagin, whoended his tenure about as unpopular as Cantrell is. If one thing’sfor sure, it’sthat change is very much in the air this campaign season. Just which version of change voters will choose, at this early point, is anybody’sguess.

EmailStephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

Foryoung people,socialinterventioncan help preventcrime

Someone can be “tough on crime” and at the same time, without logical contradiction,also want to do preventive work addressing crime’s“rootcauses.”

Socialwork and prosecutorial work need not be mutually exclusive, and indeed can be complementary

Especially with nonviolent youthful offenders, an ounce of prevention can be wortha whole ton of prison doors. That’swhy it is so important that Louisiana, under oversight from the state Supreme Court, boasts programs across the state called Families In Need of Services.Even better would be if more private-sector or nonprofit groups stepped up to partner with the FINS groups and multiply the FINS’ good work.

director ofthat tri-parishFINS, told me that FINS will “create aservice plan that hasa list of providers” andalsowill provide mentorshipand accompany children to meetingsatschool or at courtstohelp thechildren and their families feel comfortable with plans to get thekids on the right track.

Quin Hillyer

As reported by this paper’sHaley Miller,the FINS group for the parishes of West Baton Rouge Iberville and Pointe Coupee is “full of success stories.” What FINS does is take “statusoffenders” —those who engage in smallscale offenses that by definition can be committed only byminors, such as truancy —and intervene to keep them out of the court system by leading them to counseling or to other resources that can help turn their lives around.

Plenty of families lack basic necessities such as running water, electricity or access to transportation.GracieBergeron,the

Little things matter,she said: “How can you go to school if youdon’thave clean clothes or you don’thave lights or even water to brush your teeth with in themorning?” Oneofthe wonderful outfits that partner with FINS is called GUMBO, for Global United Mission Benefiting Ourselves and Others. Amultifaceted nonprofit run by disabled veteranDeborahDickerson, GUMBO provides meals for thecommunity’s needy while using kids referred by FINS as kitchen workers.

“Wegive them asafe haven andweteach them skills they need: entrepreneurship skills and services skills,” Dickerson said.

“And we also discuss alot about what they would like, and who they would like, to become.”

This is exactly the sort of public-private cooperation that turns lives around, stopping kids from steps that often lead to criminality and instead helping them onto pathstoward self-sufficiency andsuccess. For example, FINS playedabig role in helping the

Families In Need of Services staff from left,

Elizabeth Engolio, supervisingjudge;and CaseyCannon, offi

July 10 at the group’s office in Port Allen.

West Baton Rouge ParishSchools cut chronic absenteeism in half, from 18.7% to 9.8%, in just one year This model of addressing root causes works elsewhere in the country,too. I’ve written before of aprogram in Mobile, Ala., called NEST Nurture children, Equip parents, Strengthen families and Transform communities —inwhich four-orfive-person teams of volunteers help juvenile offenders, sometimes of somewhat more serious crimes than FINS deal with, get on the right track.

“Wevery quickly learned there was very little hope for helping theyoung person unless we ad-

dress theenvironment in which they were living,” said Norman McCrummen, aconservative retired scholar andPresbyterian Minister whoco-founded NEST with Mobile County juvenile court judge Edmond G. Naman.

“A team wenttothe house where one of our mentees lived and found that there weremany thousands of roaches, no beds, one or two chairs, no electricity —so[we] quickly arranged to get electricity and within aweek the house had been fumigated and furniture had been provided.”

Professional researchers from theUniversity of South Alabama found that whereas the crime recidivism rate foryouthful of-

fenders nationally was 52% and forMobile County as awhole a whopping 66%, forsimilarly situated NEST participants it was just 26%.

And NEST director Carole Grant says that among NEST participants in anew “lifeskills” program,anastonishing 97% passed current grade-level testing in schools.

Imention NEST’sremarkable success so as to suggest that with alittle extra public money and with even greater engagement of public-private partnerships with wonderful groups such as GUMBO or other NEST-like groups that Louisianans might create, perhaps the state’sFINS groups could expand to cover not just “status offenders” but other moreserious but still nondangerous youthful miscreants.

FINS,NEST and GUMBO all show that individual attention, combined with assistance addressing root causes, can keep teens away from trouble and help them,instead, thrive.

“Research shows,” said FINS’ Bergeron, “that if children have one positive person in their life, whoissetting the standard and supporting them,ithas all the impact in the world.”

The moresupport Louisiana gives to FINS,the morekids will keep their heads above turbulent waters.

Quin Hillyer canbereached at quin.hillyer@theadvocate.com.

Businessman, police chiefs have wrongideaabout immigration

Boy,dopeople love this country of ours. So many people from other places like enough of what they hear and see in the UnitedStates that the number of immigrants has steadily increased in recent years.According to the American Council on Immigration,in 2023 there were about 47.8 million immigrants, roughly one in sevenpeople who live here. That’sa6.8% increase from 2018.

That’salot of people. According to Homeland Security,the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Internal Revenue Service officials, an Oakdale-based businessman worked with aLouisiananetwork of law enforcementofficials to ensure that those numbers continuetogrow with people who wantedofficialvisa statustopursue their version of the American dream. Apparently that includes buying their way in with fake police reports and bribes Afew days ago, reports surfacedthatthere were lots of law enforcement officers in Allen

Parish’sOakdale, at aSubway,the police station,the citymarshal’s home and,gulp, thepolice chief’s home.Meanwhile, federaland local officers had converged at the Rapides Parish home of, gulp, the Forest Hill police chief.

“Freck” Slaney

n ForestHill Police Chief Glynn Dixon

n Former GlenmoraPolice Chief Tebo Onishea

On Thursday,another person was charged: Alison Doyle, wife of the Oakdale police chief.

immigrants as possible as fast as possible, the feds say these people were making sure somefound away to use one Uvisa requirementtoget afour-year Uvisa by claiming to be avictim of acrime that didn’thappen.

rich, large and in charge and particularly responsible forbusiness and community organizing —and law enforcement.

They even showed up as an unregisteredgroup of law enforcement officers at theLouisiana Association of Police Chiefs Conference at theCrowne Plaza in Baton Rouge to arrest acouple of leaders who were supposed to be learningmore about how to protect and serve.

Theyearlonginvestigation involved multiple law enforcement agencies.About 200 law enforcement officers were apart of what happened,but we didn’t know whyuntil the next day.At aWednesday news conference, it was announced that several peoplehad been charged as apart of afederal indictment: n Oakdale businessman Chandrakant “Lala” Patel n Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle

n Oakdale City Marshal Michael

If you missed thefake police report/visa scam developments, Patel was charged with 24 counts of mail fraud, eight countsofmoney laundering, acount of bribery and acount of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Doyle and Dixon each got tagged withsix countsofvisa fraud, six counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Slaney and Onishea have to deal withsix countsofvisa fraud, six countsofmail fraud and two counts of money laundering. Onishea also faces six counts of visa fraud and six countsofmail fraud.

Former Oakdale cityemployee

Alison Doyle was arrested on two counts of malfeasance in office for conspiring with Patel to manipulatethe bidding process for a couple of city-owned properties.

As President Donald Trump aims to arrest and deport as many

“They’re poisoning the blood of our country Notjust in South America. Not just the three or four countries that we think about” the president said when he was campaigning in New Hampshire in December 2023.

“But all over theworld they’re coming into our country —from Africa, from Asia, all over the world. They’re pouring into our country.”

Poisoning? No. From all over theworld? Yes.

Apparentlythat includes people from India, especially those with thelast name Patel.

In theUnited States, about one in 10 people with Indian ancestryhave that surname. I’ve had anumber of Patel friends, so I know thename originates mostly in Gujarat, awestern India state, but also in Karnataka and Maharashtra. There’sageneralization that says Patels are powerful,

Based on the indictment, Patel wasn’tenforcing the law;hewas violating it. The indictment accuses him of operating an illegal service forcustomers seeking U visas whoweren’this neighbors and friends, but a“majority” were from outside of the state in India. Louisiana is losing population. We need morepeople to stay.We need morepeople to come. I’m allfor creative ways to encourage people to have babies, to help childrenget astrong, gradelevelorhighereducationand to help young people getcollege educations or laborskills thatallowthemtoearna living wage. I’m allfor enticing people from otherstatestocome here and to do whatwecan to attract immigrants, too.

But fake police reports, bribes and other illegal moves are not the way to do that.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

FILE PHOTOByJAVIER GALLEGOS

Gracie Bergeron, director;

cer,stand

Will Sutton

What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.

At least Joe Dumars and the NewOrleans Pelicans hope that’s thecase

The Pelicans want to leave all of the Summer League losses (five in five games),turnovers(100),rookie growing pains and injuries out there in Sin City

The Pelicans haven’twon a Summer League game in Vegas since 2023,astring of 11 straight losses. They went 0-5 for the second straight summer.They followed last summer up with the second-worst regular season in franchisehistory (21-61). They don’tneed this regular season to go that way,especially after Dumars —inone of his first major decisionsasexecutive

vicepresident of basketball operations gave up an unprotected 2026 first-round pick to trade up to draft Derik Queen. That draft night trade was proof thePelicans are in win-now mode. Now that SummerLeague play is over,let’stakealook at what we learned about the Pelicanswhile they were away in Vegas.

1. The curse continues. Well, at least it seems like acurse as the injury bug just keeps biting. The Pelicans, plagued by injuries all of last season, got hit withanother one in Vegas. Queen underwent surgery for atornscapholunate ligament in his left wrist Friday He suffered theinjury in Tuesday’sgame against thePortland Trail Blazers. He’ll

be evaluated in 12 weeks, which is around Oct. 10. Ateam that is already thin in the middle now all of asudden is thinner 2. Herb Jones’ extension is awin. This one didn’thappen on the courts in Vegas, but it occurred while the Pelicans were out there. The team agreed to athreeyear,$68 million contract extension with its defensive stopper,locking up its best defender for the foreseeable future. This was good value for one of the NBA’s best defenders. The Pelicansare awhole lot better when Jones is playing. When he madethe first-team NBA All-DefensiveTeam in the 2023-24

ä See WALKER, page 3C

Return of UL,La. Tech rivalrystirs memories

Louisiana Tech returning to theSun Belt Conferenceisgreat news to some and an awful development for others

If you’re acoach, player or fan who prefersshorter trips to play conference games, it was certainlyapositive development.

Kevin Foote

If you’re aULsupporter who has been battling with Louisiana Tech fans on social media, it’sanagonizing turn of events. Both views are understandable In an era where financial concerns are paramount, especially for mid-major programs, why wouldn’tyou want ageographically sound league to limit wastefulness? Imean, who reallywants to travel from Louisiana to Idaho, California and Hawaii to play aconferencegame?

On the other hand, it is kind of hard to accept aschool where everyone from the athletic director to the fans publicly have declaredthe Sun Belt Conference inferior …and now wants to play the prodigal son after not finding greener pastures abroad. All would admit Louisiana Tech’s return immediately gives UL its most hated league rival —somethingthe school has beenmissing overthe last three decades One of the Sun Belt’sgoals is regional rivalries. Adding Southern Miss was agreat step in building inherent grudgematches, regardless of game circumstances. Louisiana Tech is even better. Nothing spices up fandommore than old-fashioned, petty hatred.Tohelp setthe stagefor this bitter new leaguerivalry let’sreview the history

In football, the Bulldogs havewon the last nine meetings to takea 48-33-6 lead in the all-time series. The deficit is waylarger in women’sbasketballwithTech owning a41-3 edge. UL leads in the two diamondsports— baseball 85-75 and softball 30-15. Men’sbasketball is by far the mostcompetitive all-time series between thetwo schools with Tech owninga 74-62 lead. These five memorable showdowns come to

ä See FOOTE, page 3C

BYLUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Saints moving former first-roundpicktoguard

Abig position switch on theNew Orleans Saintsoffensive line interior could pay big dividends, but there’salsoa legitimate chance it winds up as afailed experiment

After three seasons of bad-to-average results at offensive tackle, Trevor Penning is shifting tothe inside in 2025 —a moveboth he and the Saints believe is natural and will be beneficial in thelong run. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Penning will getanopportunity to prove whether he deserves asecond deal withthe Saints. Joining Penning on theoffensive interior are thetwo longest-tenured offensive linemen in the organization, center Erik McCoy and right guard Cesar Ruiz, both of whom are comingoff injury-plagued 2024 seasons.

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

TheNew OrleansSaints no longer have to worry aboutapotential Tyler

Shough holdout The Saints rookie quarterback agreed to sign his contract Saturday and received afully guaranteed deal, his agenttoldESPN.The deal,struck before Shough was set to reportfor training camp on Tuesday,comes after thetwo sides negotiated over the

If Penning clicks and everyone stays healthy,the interior of the offensive line could wind up being the Saints’ greatest offensive strength this season.

Best case

Beforegetting to Penning andhis ideal outcome, thetrue best-case scenario involves McCoy staying healthy for the entire season. McCoy has shownhecan be durable, playing at least 99% of the offensive snaps in three of his six professional seasons. But he also has battled injuries in three of his last four campaigns, missing five games in 2021, four in 2022 and acareer-high 10 last season. Considering what the Saints areoperating with at

guaranteed amount for thefourth year of the four-year contract. The deal is projected to be worth nearly $10.8million overfour years. Shough, picked 40th overall, was one of many second-rounders whohad remained unsigned deep into July.Talks were complicated by the fact that the Houston Texans andClevelandBrowns became thefirst teams in league history to fully guaranteethe contracts for second-round picks Jayden Higgins andCarsonSchwesinger, setting

aprecedentfor theother 30 players taken in the round.

Deadlines, however,spur action. And aweek before training camp,a flurry of deals started to get done across the league.The SanFrancisco 49ers broke thedam when they agreed to terms with defensive lineman Alfred Collins taken three picks behind Shough at No. 43. San Francisco reportedly guaranteed

Rod Walker

Pelicans forward Herb Jones AP FILE PHOTO

Saints offensivelineman Trevor Penning runs drills during minicamp practice on June 11. AP FILE

PHOTOByGERALD HERBERT

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

UL starting pitcher CooperRawls pitches against LSU in the annual Wally Pontiff Jr.Classic on April 19, 2022, at Alex Box Stadium.

Logano youngest to hit 600 starts

BY DAN GELSTON AP sports writer

DOVER, Del. — Joey Logano’s first

NASCAR Cup Series start — before he would drive for heavyweight owners such as Joe Gibbs and Roger Penske — came in New Hampshire for a short-lived team called Hall of Fame racing Set to make his 600th career start, the youngest driver in NASCAR history to reach that milestone, the 35-year-old Logano has constructed a Hall of Fame career Take a look at the resume: three career NASCAR championships, a Daytona 500 victory, the youngest driver to win a Cup race, 37 career victories and seemingly tethered to the No. 22 Ford for Team Penske for as long as he can race.

“At first glance, I said, ‘Well, it’s just starts,’ ” Logano said. “But then when you start thinking about it, to be able to be around in a sport as an athlete competing at a top level for 16-plus years and hitting 600 starts, it’s pretty incredible to have a career that long.”

Logano will be 35 years, 1 month, 26 days old when he hits

No. 600 on Sunday at Dover Motor Speedway. He’ll top seventime NASCAR champion and Hall of Famer Richard Petty by six months. Consider, only three previous drivers among the 33 others in NASCAR history were in their 30s when they hit 600 starts. Logano also has topped the massive expectations set for him when he entered the sport as a teenager hyped as NASCAR’s next great driver He entered NASCAR with the nickname “Sliced Bread,” as in, the best thing since, and navigated a slow start to his career to blossom into one of the best over the last 13 years at Team Penske.

“I grew up in front of everybody

All of us change over the years as you grow up,” Logano said. “Life comes at you and you evolve and keep going with it.”

Logano qualified for his first career Cup start on Sept. 14, 2008, at New Hampshire on car owner points because rain washed out qualifying. He started 40th and was penalized only 39 laps into the

race for taking the jack with him as he exited pit road. He finished three laps down in 32nd place in the No. 96 Toyota for Hall of Fame Racing, essentially on loan from Joe Gibbs Racing to get some experience. The two teams even agreed to move JGR’s Home Depot sponsorship to Hall of Fame’s car for the 18-year-old Logano’s first race. “I didn’t think it was a big deal making my first start,” Logano said that first day “I was ready to go as soon as we started.”

He wasn’t necessarily ready for the big time.

Logano was pegged with enormous expectations to replace Hall of Famer and three-time champion Tony Stewart in 2009 for Gibbs.

Just a teenager, the enormity of the ride combined with Gibbs’ impatience made for a brief run at JGR. Logano did win his first race also at New Hampshire, in 2009 — but won only one more time before Gibbs cut him loose after the 2012 season. The timing worked out for Logano. Penske needed a driver and 2012

NASCAR champion Brad Keselowski urged his boss to sign the 23-year-old Logano, convinced a change of scenery could do wonders for his career Logano made the most of his Penske lifeline and is now the only active three-time champion in NASCAR and one of only 10 drivers in history to win three or more titles. Petty is the only driver to win his 600th career start, and he would make 1,184 overall in Cup — one of many NASCAR records he holds. Logano might not catch The King in total starts, but the driver who has never missed a race over his full-time career is in no rush to slow down.

“I would be an idiot to think you can be competing at the top level into your 50s,” Logano said. “What athlete has ever done that? Something changes at some point, but, right now, I still feel as fresh as ever I feel as sharp as ever I’m driven as much as ever I still care. I still get emotional about things, so that shows me I care a lot. With those factors still there when the end is, I don’t know yet. I don’t know.”

Shorthanded Germany beats France at Women’s Euro

BY DANIELLA MATAR

AP sports writer

BASEL, Switzerland Germany overcame France on penalties and reached the semifinals of the Women’s European Championship despite playing almost the entire match — and extra time — with 10 players. A drama-filled match finished 1-1 on Saturday, then Germany won the shootout 6-5 thanks to the heroics of Ann-Katrin Berger, who saved two as well as dispatching her own spot kick.

Germany will face World Cup winner Spain in Zurich on Wednesday That seemed improbable after less than 13 minutes when Germany midfielder Kathrin Hendrich pulled the hair of France captain Griedge Mbock and was issued a straight red card.

Grace Geyoro converted the resulting penalty but Sjoeke Nüsken headed her team level just 10 minutes later Despite being at a numerical disadvantage, Germany could have taken the lead with a penalty of its own in the second half but France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved Nüsken’s spot kick. Nüsken scored Germany’s last spot kick in the shootout It was an incredible way for

Germany to mark its 50th appearance at a Euros, more than any other team For the second straight match, Germany was forced to play the majority of the contest with 10 players Carlotta Wamser was sent off shortly before halftime of the 4-1 thrashing by Sweden in their final group match. This time it happened even earlier A France free kick was headed wide but the Video Assistant Referee spotted Hendrich yanking Mbock’s ponytail.

Geyoro stepped up and, despite the resounding jeers from the wall of Germany fans behind the goal, dispatched the penalty powerfully down the middle.

Germany knew that, with a player down, it had to take full advantage of its set pieces. Klara Bühl floated in a corner and Nüsken raced to the near post to meet it with a glancing header that looped into the far corner of the net. Despite the player advantage, France was struggling to impose itself. Delphine Cascarino thought she restored France’s lead just be-

Wizards buy out Smart, who plans to join Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers have found a point-of-attack, defensive-mind wing defender in guard Marcus Smart, who has agreed to a buyout with the Washington Wizards and plans to sign a twoyear, $11 million deal with Los Angeles. Smart, the 2022 defensive player of the year when he played for the Boston Celtics, will sign his deal after he clears waivers. He has a player option after the 2025-26 season, meaning he can become a free agent next summer Smart played in only 34 games last season, splitting time between Memphis and Washington. He dealt with a finger injury on his shooting hand last season. He averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.3% from the field.

Phillies put 3B Bohm on IL with fractured rib

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm has a fractured left rib and was placed on the 10day injured list Saturday before Philadelphia’s game agains the Los Angeles Angels.

Bohm was injured a week ago when San Diego’s Yu Darvish hit him with a pitch. He sat out Sunday against the Padres before the All-Star break, then played Friday night against the Angels in the first game back from the break.

Bohm is hitting .278 with eight home runs and 42 RBIs in 92 games this season.

Utility player Weston Wilson was called up from Triple-A Lehigh Valley prior to the Phillies’ game Saturday night game against the Angels to take Bohm’s spot on the roster

Usyk becomes undisputed heavyweight boxing champ

LONDON Oleksandr Usyk knocked out Daniel Dubois in the fifth round and became the undisputed world heavyweight champion for a second time on Saturday The undefeated southpaw retained his WBA, WBC and WBO belts and regained the IBF belt he relinquished just over a year ago. The 38-year-old Ukrainian dropped Dubois twice in the fifth — the second time with a lunging left hook. The London native looked stunned on the canvas and couldn’t beat the count.

Usyk (24-0, 15 KOs) beat Dubois (22-3, 21 KOs) for the second time in under two years. Last time was a ninth-round stoppage in Poland with a straight jab But the finishing shot Saturday was a nodoubter

NASCAR plans to skip 2026 Chicago Street Race

NASCAR is pressing pause on its Chicago Street Race, answering at least one major question about its schedule for next season.

NASCAR raced on a street course in downtown Chicago on the first weekend in July each of the last three years. But it had a three-year contract with the city, leaving the future of the event in question.

fore halftime but it was ruled out for offside.

France had a second goal ruled out after the break, following a lengthy VAR review Both sets of players were waiting to kick off again when referee Tess Olofsson ruled out Geyoro’s strike for an offside in the buildup.

Germany was gifted a chance to take a remarkable lead when France defender Selma Bacha gave away a needless penalty when she tripped Jules Brand near the byline.

But France goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin saved Nüsken’s spot kick in yet another failed penalty at Euro 2025.

The best save of the night and maybe even of the tournament — came from her Germany counterpart in extra time. A backward header from Germany captain Janina Minge had Berger scrambling back to scoop it off the line with an astonishing one-handed stop to spare her teammate’s blushes.

Melvine Malard sent a longrange screamer crashing off the crossbar with almost the last touch of the 120 minutes. It was then time for more Berger heroics.

Berger saved the first penalty she faced from Amel Majri, but Les Bleues were back level when Germany’s Sara Däbritz hit the bar with her penalty

Writing to Mayor Brandon Johnson on Friday, race president Julie Giese said the plan is to explore the potential of a new event weekend with his office and other community leaders while also working on a more efficient course build and breakdown.

Giese said NASCAR is keeping its Chicago Street Race office and plans to continue its community partnerships.

Niners continue shuffling special teams, cut Odum

The San Francisco 49ers released special teams standout George Odum on Saturday in the latest move to overhaul that unit. Odum had been placed on the non-football injury list on Friday with a knee injury and now is off the roster entirely before the first training camp practice is scheduled for Wednesday Odum had spent the past three seasons with the Niners, leading them with 759 snaps on special teams and tied for the fourth-most special teams tackles in the NFL with 36 in that span. The Niners have made major changes on their special teams

in

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHTO By DERIK HAMILTON

Joey Logano drives through a turn during a NASCAR Cup Series race at Pocono Raceway on June 22 in Long Pond, Pa.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARTIN MEISSNER Players of Germany run to celebrate after winning the Women’s Euro 2025 quarterfinals match between France and Germany on Saturday at St Jakob-Park in Basel, Switzerland.

SAINTS

quarterback this season, it would be extremely beneficial to have McCoy on the field.Not only hasheplayedata ProBowl level when he’sbeen on the field (he was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1center last season before his injury) but McCoy’sexperience and leadership also would takeabig burdenoff ayoung quarterback in terms of identifying pressures and calling outprotections.

New Orleans undoubtedly was better when McCoy was on the field last year in the fivegames he played atleast65% of the snaps, the Saints went 4-1 and scored 35 pointsormorethreetimes.That’sobviously notall on him, but he plays an integral part But McCoy is aknown commodity—and, to alesser degree, so is Ruiz.The big question mark is Penning.

He flamed out at lefttackle. TheSaints moved him to the right sidelast year, where he gave them solid but not overwhelmingly good play.Now the newcoaching staff— agroup that includes new offensive line coach BrendanNugent —isgoing to give him along look at left guard In theory,the move makes sense. At his best, Penning is an aggressive, mauling run blocker who has the strength to dominate at the point of attack. At his worst,his pass protecting technique has fallen apart when he’sasked to be in space. By movinghim to guard, the Saints areaccentuating his strengths and minimizing hisweaknesses.

Essentially,the Saints are asking a6-foot7, 325-pounder to play in aphone booth, which should be beneficial. He will have to prove he can handle some of the premier defensive tackles who play in the division —such as Vita VeaofTampa Bay andDerrick Brown of Carolina —but he will at least not have to do so on an island There is adecent chance that guard is Penning’snatural position and that he finally delivers on the promise that madethe Saints select him 19th overall in 2022. The physical ability has never been aquestion, and if the lightbulb clicks on, New Orleans maybepo-

SHOUGH

Continued from page1C

From there,deals starting flying in. Of them, Seattle Seahawkssafety Nick Emmanwori (the 35th pick), Miami Dolphins guard Jonah Savaiinaea (No. 37),New England Patriots running backTreVeyon Henderson (No. 38) and Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden (No.39) alsoreceived fully guaranteed contracts. Shough, for his part, said he was notworriedabout whether the deal would getdone. ThequarterbacktoldThe Times-Picayune in June thathewas “superoptimistic”it would get completed, andthathewas waiting to see what would happenwith the rest of the deals that had not been done.

“I want to fight for as much as we canget, but at the same time, there’salot of things thathave yet to unfold with other guys ahead (of me),” Shough said then.

WALKER

Continued from page1C

season, the Pelicans rankedsixth in the NBA in points allowed per 100 possessions. Ashoulder injury limitedJones to just 20 games last season. If he returns topreinjury form, it should instantly make the Pelicans better.The last two NBA champions (the Boston Celtics andOklahomaCity Thunder) both had two all-defensive team players on theirroster.The Pelicans have made sure they have at least onefor years to come.

“Herb Jones exemplifies all the great qualities our team values withhis toughness,competitiveness and commitmentto getting better everyday,” Dumars said.

3. Jeremiah Fears is awork in progress. It really didn’tmatter how many games the Pelicans won in Vegas. They weregoing to be judgedonthis trip by howwell theirtwo first-rounddraft picks (Fears and Queen) played. We’ll start with Fears, since he was the No. 7pick Through the first three games, Fears played like the 18-year-old that heiswhile adjusting to the NBA. Youcould seehis quickness right away.The KyrieIrvinglike handles and the Russell Westbrooklike athleticism on one dunk attempt were there. But he struggled finishing at the rim. In five games, Fears was 30 of 75 from the floor (40%) and knocked down just 4of 22 3-pointers (18.2%).But moreconcerning were the turnovers (25 total) andlack of assists (13). His fourth game, aloss to Oklahoma City,was his best when he finished with 22 points, six rebounds and sixassists. He showedenough in thatouting to let you know that hecan play in the league once he adjusts to thephysicality of the NBA game. But if the season started tomorrow,itwould be hard to insert him in thestarting lineup rightaway.Afew weeks ago, Isuggested thePelicanspursue free agent Chris Paul to mentor Fears. I feel even stronger about that, especially with Dejounte Murray still rehabbinghis Achilles injury 4. Queen also is awork in progress. Other than Cooper Flagg, selected with theNo. 1 overall pick by the DallasMavericks, there won’tbemany players in thisdraft class under alarger microscopethan Queen That’s what happens when ateam givesup afuture first-round pick foryou. Queen’s start in Vegas was abit shaky,but he showed in his third game why Dumars in-

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE

PLAYER POS. HT.WT. EXP

Erik McCoyC 6-4 303 7

Will Clapp C6-5 314 8

Cesar Ruiz G6-4 316 6

Trevor Penning G6-7 325 4

Dillon Radunz G6-6 301 5

Nick Saldiveri G6-6 316 3

Kyle HergelG 6-2 315 2

Torricelli SimpkinsG 6-5 312 R

sitioned to have an above average offensive line across the board in 2025.

Worstcase

If McCoy can’tstay on the field, that could trigger apretty rough dominoeffect for the offense

New Orleanssigned old friend Will Clapp this offseason for depth along theoffensive interior —Clapp canplaythree positions —but there’sabig gapbetween Clappand McCoy.

McCoy affects every phase of the Saints offense, and there’sonlygoing to be more on his plate this year with an inexperienced quarterback lining up behind him. If he deals with injuries again this year,itwill be difficultfor theSaints to navigate his loss even with the talent around him.

And Penning is agamble, even with veteran Dillon Radunz ready to takehis spot if he struggles. Penning is just an idea at guard right now,and even if it makes sense logically,itmay not practically.His technique issues may be just as pronounced inside as they were outside, and if there’sone thing that can turnanotherwisegood passing play into adisaster,it’sinterior pressure.

This should be an improved unit in 2025, but it’snoslam dunk.

Apredictionin10words or less

Penning plays wellenough to merit amodest extension.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@ theadvocate.com.

With thedeal now done, Shough can focus on getting acclimated forcamp andcompeting for the starting job. The25-year-old is battling Spencer Rattler andJakeHaener for the top spot.

vested so much in him. Youdon’tsee many 6-foot-9 guys with his skillset. He played well in his third and final game (17 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and two blocks). His turnovers (17 in three games) are a concern, too. While Fears plays at 100 mph, Queen plays morelike he’sdriving through aspeed zone. Sometimes that makes you question his motor (especially on the defensive end). Buthis slow pace is effective, andhis shooting touch and passing ability are impressive. Unfortunately,hewon’t get achance to workonthe thingsheneeds to work on now that he has to rehab from surgery 5. Yves Missi’sshot was missing. Missi, fresh off asecond-team NBA All-Rookie season, had his struggles finishing, too. Missishota dismal 9for 31 from the floor (29%) and also struggled from thefreethrow line(4for 13). He rebounded well andblocked shots (six in three games), but he will need to be better finishing. Lester Quinones, Antonio Reeves and Keion Brooks had their moments, as did secondround draft pick Micah Peavyand two-way playerTrey Alexander.Hunter Dickinson, signed to atwo-way contract, may be able to provide somedepth in the middle.

6. Team chemistry. OK,wewon’tmake toobig of adeal out of this one becauseit’s the norm during Summer League. After all, whoturns down achance to go hang outinVegas? But it was refreshing to see Trey Murphy,JoseAlvarado, Murray, and newcomersJordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and Kevon Looneyall sitting together court side during the Pelicans’ second game against the Lakers. It’sgood to seethat core of playersbonding before thereal workstarts.

7. All in on Zion Williamson. Dumars has made plentyofmoves this offseason. None of them will mean athing if Williamson doesn’tput thePelicans on his broad shoulders. The Pelicans will be as good as Williamson makes them. He’s themost important piece to thepuzzle. Dumars made it clear in May that he’sfully committed to Williamson. “I want him to start focusing on the responsibilities of being thebest player here andthe focal point,” Dumarssaid. “There are some responsibilities that come with that. Go represent your organization.”

So to seeWilliamson and Dumars sitting and talking along the baseline Wednesday night wasapositive sign that the two are on thesame page. Seeing thetwo of them smiling was apositive. Especially on this winless trip where smiles werehard to come by.

Continuedfrom page1C

mind when reminiscing about the rivalry: 1. Football,1976

Early on, it appeared thevisiting Bulldogs would keep then-USL from a3-0 start by jumpingout to a26-10 halftime cushion.

The Cajuns stormed back in the second half, limiting Tech’soffense to 72 yards. After cutting Tech’slead to 26-24 with six minutes left,cornerback Ron Irving’s interception set up the game-winning 11play,82-yard drive that was culminated by an Emmanuel Guidry 1-yard TD run with 1:22 left for a31-26 win.

Former Lafayette High star receiver Billy Ryckman led the nation in receiving that season for Louisiana Tech with 77 catches for 1,360 yards and 10 scores.

As the story goes, Ryckman suggested to the Tech coaching staff thereweren’t enough pass plays called in thesecondhalf. Afterthat was refuted by showing every pass play in the postgamefilm study,itwas apparent Ryckmanmeant notenough pass plays were called for him as the target.

2. Men’sbasketball, 1992

The last Cajuns basketball team to win an NCAA Tournament game was the 1992 squad that defeated Louisiana Tech 75-71 in the Sun Belt Tournament finals in Biloxi, Mississippi.

Todd Hill was the Cajuns’ leading scorer in all three games to claimtourney MVPhonors. With Eric Mouton running thepoint, it was ateam that had two 1,000-point scorers coming off the bench in Michael Allen and Tony Moore.

The Cajuns went on to knock off No.4 Oklahoma in thefirst roundofthe NCAA Tournament

3. Men’sbasketball, 1982

The Bulldogs were opening up their

UL’s Cooper Rawlspitches against Texas Christian University in the fourthinning of theirgame on June 5, 2022, at Blue Bell Park in College Station, Texas

brand-new arena, the Thomas Assembly Center,with alot of fanfare, but the Ragin’ Cajuns had other ideas. The Cajuns were coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance from the season before as the reigning Southland Conference champions and limited Karl Malone to 12 points to spoil Tech’sparty with a46-45 win.

The Cajuns returned to the NCAA Tournament at 22-7 that year,while Tech settled fora19-9 campaign but didavenge that early December loss with a76-72 win at Blackham Coliseum

4. Men’sbasketball, 1985

Twoseasons later,the Bulldogs pulled off areversal of fortunes. All signs pointed to it being the farewell gamefor Blackham Coliseum Coming off twoNCAA campaigns and an NIT final four season, the season appeared to be slipping away from the Cajuns. After an eight-game winning streak got UL to 14-8, the Cajuns lost to Marquette, McNeese State, this gameto Tech 83-76 in overtime, and then to Tulane and at Hawaii to finish the season on a five-gamelosing streak.

Instead of Tech’sovertimewin being the final gameinthe cherished old barn, the NIT committee shocked manybynot only giving the Cajuns an NIT berth but also ahome gameinBlackham where UL knocked off Florida 65-64.

5. Baseball,2022

Notall great wins in arivalry have to be from championship seasons decadesago. This recent one won’tleave the memory for along time. UL was treated rudely early on during this trip to Ruston, trailing 6-1 after three innings. On came reliever Cooper Rawls to eat up someinnings. He did much morethan that. Not only did Rawls pitch the final 72/3 innings on 115 pitches, he allowed only one run on five hits, one walkand struck out 12 to help the Cajuns notch the 8-6 victory

AP FILE

PHOTOBy THOMAS B. SHEA

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD Saints quaterback Tyler Shough throws a pass during organized team activities on June 5.

Scheffler appearsinevitableatBritish Open

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

PORTRUSH, NorthernIreland— The questionScottie Scheffler was asking of himself at thestart of theweek could very well beposed to those chasing him in theBritish Open.

What’sthe point?

Scheffler delivered another example Saturday at Royal Portrush why he has dominated golf the last three years. He was the only player in the last eight groups not to make abogey on his way to a 4-under 67 that allowed him to open afour-shotleadashegoes for the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

Schefflerhas wonthe last 10 times he has led after 54holes. It’snever easy,nomatter how he makes it look. But on this gorgeous day he was in full commandofhis game, and now is in primeposition to win his second major of the year He was helped by a6-iron to 10 feet for eagle on the par-5 seventh. He also managed three big par saves, two on the back nine,to keep everyone at adistance

“Talking of execution, he’sprobably the best in the businessright now,” Rory McIlroy said after a 5-under 66 that brought him to only withinsix shots of Scheffler

Scheffler had the golf world buzzing earlier this week when he said celebrations don’t last but afew minutes. He loves the competition. He loves the work. But in terms of fulfillment,heoften

Scottie Scheffler of the United Statesplays outofthe rough on the 11th green during the third round of the British Open on Saturdayatthe Royal Portrush Golf ClubinNorthernIreland

questionswhy he wants to winso badlywhenthe thrill of winning is fleeting.

He was at 14-under199, four shots ahead of Li Haotong of China, who delivered his own mystery by sayinghehad no idea how he recovered from the full swing yips afew years ago tobeinthe final group of amajor for the first time.

Another shot back was Matt Fitzpatrick, who was tied with Schefflerthroughsix holes butcouldn’t stay with him when the No. 1player began to pull away.Fitzpatrick missed apair of short par putts and had to settle for a71.

Thebiggest roars belonged to McIlroy,somuch that it felt as

though allofNorthern Ireland was behind him. Therewasn’tan inch of grass or gorse to be seen beyond the wall of people lining the fairways.There were 30-yard gaps along the ropes for Scheffler

McIlroy opened withthree birdiesinfourholes. The roar that shook Royal Portrush came on the par-5 12th when McIlroy holed a 55-foot eagle puttthatgave him a spark and the gallery hope —even though he still was six behind. He produced only onemorebirdie therest of the way and still faces abig climb. “I played well enough today to at least feel like Ihave achance tomorrow,” McIlroy said. “Yeah,

it’s goingtobetough to catchhim tomorrowifhekeeps playing the way he does. But if Ican get out tomorrow and get off to asimilar start to what Idid today,get the crowd going. you never know.”

But this championship is now in the hands of Scheffler, who has been No. 1inthe world longer than anyone since TigerWoods. And therewas nothing Saturday to indicate he was going to make it easy on anyone chasing him

“I’m just trying to execute, not overthinking things,” Scheffler said. “I feellike I’ve been doing the right thing so far, andI’m looking forward to the challenge of tomorrow.”

Afterhis first three-putt of the tournament —making par after reaching the par-5second hole in two shots —Scheffler made a10foot par putt that was as big as any In deep trouble behind the 11th green, he hacked out to 10 feet to save par, then saved another par from the deep grass left of the 14th fairway Royal Portrush hasanasty par 3atNo. 16 known as “Calamity Corner.” Scheffler madebirdie for thethird straight day, this time a 3-ironthat settled 15 feet below the cup.

Each shot helped him pull away from the field. Each shot moved himcloser to theclaret jug, to go along with the PGA Championship he won in Mayand the two Masters green jackets he has wonintwo in thelast four years.

McIlroy hadthe most bizarre

SCOREBOARD

N.Y. Yankees (Stroman 1-1)atAtlanta (Holmes 4-8), 12:35 p.m. Athletics(Springs 8-6)atCleveland (Williams 5-4),12:40 p.m.

(Suárez 7-3), 12:35 p.m. N.Y. Yankees (Stroman 1-1) at Atlanta (Holmes 4-8), 12:35 p.m. San Diego (Pivetta 9-2) at Washington (Gore 4-8), 12:35 p.m. Cincinnati (Abbott 8-1) at N.Y. Mets (Peterson 6-4),12:40 p.m. Kansas City (Bubic7-6)atMiami (Junk 4-1)

12:40 p.m. Boston (Crochet10-4) at Chicago Cubs (TBD), 1:20 p.m. Minnesota (Ryan 9-4) at Colorado (Márquez 3-10), 2:10 p.m. Milwaukee (Quintana 6-3) at L.A. Dodgers (Kershaw4-1), 3:10 p.m. St. Louis (Mikolas 5-6) at Arizona (Kelly 8-5), 3:10 p.m. Golf

The Open Championship Saturday At Dunluce Links Portrush,United Kingdom Purse: $17 million Yardage: 7,381; Par: 71 ThirdRound

S. Scheffler,UnitedStates68-64-67—199 -14

Hao-Tong Li, China 67-67-69—203 -10

MattFitzpatrick, England67-66-71—204 -9

H. English, UnitedStates67-70-68—205 -8

C.Gotterup, United States 72-65-68—205 -8

TyrrellHatton, England68-69-68—205 -8

R. McIlroy,Northern Ireland 70-69-66—205 -8

X. Schauffele, UnitedStates71-69-66—206 -7

B. Harman, UnitedStates69-65-73—207 -6

R. Henley,United States 72-70-65—207 -6

R. Hojgaard, Denmark 69-68-70—207 -6

Nicolai Hojgaard, Denmark 69-69-69—207 -6

Robert Macintyre,Scotland 71-66-70—207 -6

Ludvig Aberg, Sweden 73-67-68—208 -5

W. Clark, United States 76-66-66—208 -5

Harry Hall, England 73-67-68—208 -5

Oliver Lindell, Finland 72-68-68—208 -5

KristofferReitan, Norway 72-68-68—208 -5

Justin Rose,England69-71-68—208 -5

MattWallace, England73-69-66—208 -5

LeeWestwood,England69-70-69—208 -5

C. Bezuidenht,South Africa67-73-69—209 -4

K. Bradley,UnitedStates72-67-70—209 -4

Corey Conners, Canada 74-69-66—209 -4

L. Glover, UnitedStates69-72-68—209 -4

Sungjae Im, South Korea71-71-67—209 -4

D. Johnson, United States73-69-67—209 -4

MarcLeishman,Australia 73-68-68—209 -4

Tony Finau, United States 70-68-72—210 -3

T. Fleetwood, England73-68-69—210 -3

John Parry,England 72-71-67—210 -3

J.J. Spaun, United States 73-69-68—210 -3

J. Thomas, United States72-69-69—210 -3

A. Bhatia, UnitedStates73-68-70—211 -2

Sam Burns, United States 70-69-72—211 -2

B. DeChmbu, UnitedStates78-65-68—211 -2

R. Fowler, UnitedStates69-72-70—211 -2

Nathan Kimsey, England71-72-68—211 -2

T. Lawrence, South Africa73-70-68—211 -2

Hideki Matsuyama, Japan74-69-68—211 -2

Jon Rahm,Spain 70-72-69—211 -2

Jordan L. Smith, England71-68-72—211 -2

JesperSvensson, Sweden 71-72-68—211 -2

D. Berger, UnitedStates72-70-70—212 -1

moment of the championship when he went to gouge out ashot from the rough right of the 11th fairway and asecond ball emerged from the turf

“It’snever happened to me before,” McIlroy said. “It could never on any other course but alinks course.”

It ledtohis lone bogey. He respondedwiththateagle puttand probably needed more.

“Scottie is it’sinevitable,” McIlroy said. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’sbecomea complete player.” Fitzpatrick did his best to keep pace, but he misseda4-foot par puttonthe 13th,got abad bounce on the17th that ledtoanother bogey and wound up five shots behind.

“Just didn’t make anyputts. I didn’thit it close enough,” Fitzpatrick said. “Drove it wellenough, didn’thit it closeenough. Just madeway less putts than Scottie.” Scheffler will be paired in the last group with Li, whomade history in 2020 at the PGA Championship when he held the 36-hole lead, becoming thefirst playerfrom Chinatoleadinamajor.Lididn’t makehis first bogey until the 13th hole, and he dropped another shot on the 18th by driving into apot bunker

Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup, in hisfirst appearance in theBritish Open, hada 68 and joined the group at 8-under 205 that included McIlroy,Harris English (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (68).

Takumi Kanaya,Japan 71-72-69—212 -1 J. Kokrak, UnitedStates71-70-71—212 -1 M. McNealy,UnitedStates69-74-69—212 -1 AaronRai, England 69-72-71—212 -1 Henrik Stenson, Sweden 75-68-69—212 -1 J. Vegas, Venezuela 72-70-70—212 -1 ThomasDetry,Belgium72-71-70—213 E SergioGarcia, Spain 70-73-70—213 E MatthewJordan, England68-72-73—213 E J. Leonard,UnitedStates70-73-70—213 E SeppStraka, Austria 72-71-70—213 E R. Johnston, UnitedStates74-66-74—214 +1 Romain Langasque,France71-71-72—214 +1 Francesco Molinari, Italy72-71-71—214 +1 J. Spieth, UnitedStates73-69-72—214 +1 Viktor Hovland, Norway 73-69-73—215 +2

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JON SUPER

LIVING

ALouisiana evensong service endsthe day with grace

When my wife and Ivisited England for aweek in 2019, we tried hard to fit everything in. Each day,wewanted to see as much of the country as we could. But on acouple of evenings, we were reminded that true joy doesn’tcome from a race with the clock. The end of aday can be an occasion itself,somethingtobe embraced rather than evaded That idea is behind evensong, an end-of-day religious service with deep roots in Anglican tradition. The service typically includes choral songs andbrief prayers that invite reflection on the richness of the day that’spassing, the comingcalm of night. During our stay in England, my wife and Iattended evensong services at Bath Abbey and Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. We wereheartened when someone handed us a printed program at Bath Abbey that announced, “All are welcome.”

That affirming message pointed to the wisdom of stillness at the end of aday as an ideal shared among many of us regardless of our faith.

Bath Abbey has had aplace of worship at its site for more than 1,000 years. ChristChurch in Oxford was founded in 1546. Sitting in the shadow of centuries as we attended evensong in these grand old places, my wife and Iwere humbled by our smallness in the vast reach of time.

At its best, evensong is about turning inward, an idea underscored in the booklet we were given at Christ Church Cathedral. As we learned, there’snot as much activeparticipation from the congregation at evensong as at other services

“As the congregation, our participation is by prayerful, attentive listening,” the booklet noted.

Attentive listening is no small thing, as Ithought aboutrecently when my wife and Iwere invited to attend an evensong service in Louisiana. Our friend Catherine Harrell knew how much evensong had meant to us when we first learned about it in England. She let us know that St. James Episcopal Churchin Baton Rouge was havingaservice one Sunday in May

The 5p.m. service began with aprocession of the choir into the sanctuary.Itwas moving to see all the singers filing in, asharedwitness to the beauty of aday dimming toward twilight. While theservice unfolded, the light behind the church’sstained glass windows slowly mellowed as the sun sank lower outside. The program notes for the

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

HAPPIER DAYS

EBY SERENA PUANG and JOANNA BROWN Staff writers

veryone remembers that one restaurant that was the perfect place for thewhole family to visit after church, ball games or out shopping whereeveryone —from grandmaondown —could findtheir favoritefood.

For many in theSouth, that restaurant is Piccadilly.For generations, the Louisiana-based, cafeteria-style chain has served as agathering spot whereformative food anddining traditions are made.

Piccadilly was foundedindowntown Baton Rouge by T. H. Hamilton in 1944. Over the last 80-plus years, Piccadilly restaurants across thesouth have been the site of manycherishedmemories. However,times have changed, and dining habits across thecountry andlocally have shifted. AndPiccadillyhas changed with thetimes Piccadilly in itsheyday

For many in Lafayette, the restaurant represents core childhood memories, particularly Piccadilly’s OilCenter location,which opened in the early 1960s and closed in 2019. Piccadilly’smid-town location remains open at 100 Arnould Blvd. Lafayette native DavidD’Aquin, whonow livesand worksinAtlanta, always went to Piccadilly with

his family for special occasions like report card day,First Communion and the day D’Aquin became an Eagle Scout in 1993.

Therestauranthas loomed so large in his life that when theOil Center location closed, D’Aquin snaggedthe letter ‘D’ from the sign as it was being hauledoff. With help from designer Brian Schneider, nowwith the Met in New York, he restoreditintoaglowing art piece.

“Wehappened to be driving by as they were tearing it down and taking it to ajunk yard, andwebegged forit,”saidD’Aquin.“When we movedtoAtlanta,the moving company had to build acustom crate to ship it here.”

The piece servesasa reminder of allthe memories he created at the restaurant.

“Piccadilly was partofour family.The manager,Phil, knew me and remembered me all my life. It was just agood, solid place —not necessarily aMichelin-star restaurant, but there’s something comfortable about it,” D’Aquin said. “As akid Iloved it, because Icould get anything Iwanted.”

Alostlittlegirl

Lifelong Lafayette resident Leah Landers saysthatPiccadilly played asimilar role in her fam-

DannyHeitman

STAFF FILE PHOTOByKEN STICKNEy The Oil Center location of Piccadilly’sinLafayette closed in 2019.

Rioroyalty revealed at Summer Sambada

The Krewe of Rio launched its 21st Mardi Gras season with the annual Members Summer Sambada event on a sizzling Saturday nightatLePavillon in Parc Lafayette.

Kris Wartelle

Members gathered for the festive occasion to unveil the new King Dom Pedro XXI, and Queen Isabel XXI. Thisyear,John Slaughter will reign as King Dom Pedro XXI. He willbejoined by Monique Rachal, who will reign as Queen Isabel XXI. The two will preside over numerous Rio celebrations,alongwith thenewly crowned royalty for the 2025/2026 Carnival season.

The party included the famous maraca contest. If you haveever gone to aKrewe of Rio parade, you knowabout their signature maraca throws. Members of the Krewe decorate the maracas to throwtoparade revelers. During the Summer Sambada, members competefor best maracas at the Maracas Fabulosas competition. This year,Brian Crutchfield, Janine Patout, andJeanne Dunn took home the honors. We congratulate Rio’s newest royalty,and of course those talented maracas winners. Keep up the party Rio. We can’twait to see what comes next!

party

Dear Miss Manners: One of the highlights of our trip to Paris was an opera performance at the Palais Garnier.The opera, “Medee” by Cherubini, is in excess of four hours, with two brief intermissions.

Judith Martin

MISS MANNERS

We wereseated in the two front seats of abox in the first loge with three pairs of seats behind us. Without an aisle, the box occupants must seat themselves in orderfrom front to back to avoid climbing over oneanother.Weneeded tobe seatedfirst, and conversely,were thelast to exit the box. During the first intermission,

we were not able totraverse the distance to the concessions in time to get any refreshments. At the second intermission, we rushed to purchase une gorgee de Champagne et un petit sandwichjust in time for the“return to your seats” bell to ring. We hurried back to our seats, carrying ourtreats,only to find ourbox mates waiting for us to take our seatssothey could do likewise. Our choices seemed to be:A.have everyonewait while we consumed our refreshments; B. with nowastereceptacles in thevicinity,set our itemsdown on the floor to resume our seats; or C. take the items in with us and finishthem before the performance resumed. With no ushers or signage avail-

able for guidance, we selected option Casthe mostsensible. This apparently was incorrect, as almostimmediately,ayoung man from an adjoining box leaned over the railing to shout at us,“This is the opera! This is not done!”

What would Miss Manners suggest as the best course of action? Obviously,eating beforethe performance is an option, but dining quickly in aParis restaurant is easier said thandone.

Gentle reader: The chief example of rudeness here is shouting admonishments at other operapatrons.

Butalthough MissManners does not believe in starving for art, sheagrees that an opera houseisnot amovie theater Even though Handel himself played for parties, you would

not want to be surrounded by an audience chomping away on popcorn. However,she is notabove smuggling provisions into opera houses.Even in Paris, it is possible to buy takeoutfoodthat may be consumedduring intermission, as an alternative to the pricier fare

Dear Miss Manners: Is it OK to comment on aco-worker’snew hairstyle or fashionchoices? For context, Iamaman and work mostly with women. Iwould only ever share positive comments, such as, “I like your new hairstyle”or“Ilove that jacket.” Iwould never share anegative opinion, nor would I usemyremarks as away to show romanticinterest in the other

Gentle reader: Thendon’t

Perhaps there will be ladies who arecharmed. And perhaps there will be ladieswho feel that theyare there to work, not to have their looksappraised, even favorably.Dothey comment when you geta haircut?

Miss Manners suggests you use your charmtocomment favorably whenyourcolleagues do especially good work.

Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,www missmanners.com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St Kansas City,MO 64106.

PHOTOSByJDMOSELy

King Dom Pedro XXI John Slaughter and Queen Isabel XXI Monique Rachal

Tina Gautreau, AmandaLogue, Monique Rachal and Pamela Grace

Brenda and ErnieFranz

Samantha Slaughter,AnyaSlaughter and John Slaughter

Leah Pastor and Jackie Munnerlyn

Russel Heim, Erin Perez and Allison Delphin

Aaron Arceneaux and Lori Clark

Erica Landry, Kristie Poirier,Shannon Saintes and Sharon Piasecki

Richard and Lori Hurst

LOUISIANABAKES

Scones aredelightfuloneithersideofthe pond

Smith, and Southern Living 1 3 cup granulated sugar

1tablespoon grated lemon zest (or orange zest)

2cups all-purpose flour

Olivia Regard

The first time Iate ascone,I found it to be dry and uninteresting, but over time I’ve come to learn that my first experience was an aberration Scones are believed to date back to the 1500sin Scotland. The word scone originates from the Scottish word “skonn,” which means “to cut, slice or break off.” Another etymologytraces the word to Middle English “schoonbrot,” meaning “fine cake or bread.” These early versions were usuallymade with oats and fruit, or sometimes just oatmeal.

The English beganmaking sconesinthe 18th century and added currants or raisins to the recipe. It was notuntil the1840s, when the Duchess of Bedford started what would later become the tradition of afternoon tea, that the popularity of scones took off. On this side of the pond, American bakers again tweaked the recipe andincorporated baking powder in place of yeast andadded sugar to sweeten the scones. Fortunately,mymore recent experiences with scones have been delightful and presented sconesasthey should be —light and crumbly at the edges, moist on the inside. The recipe below providesagoodstarting point for experimenting with scones and presents theoption to bake with different fruit and citrus combinations. The flavor combinations are endless and afun way toexperiment in the kitchen. Serve warm with salted butter, clotted cream, lemon curd or jam along withmorning coffee or afternoon tea.

Fruit Scones

Serves 6 Recipe is by Olivia Regard, adapted from her mother, June

1tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

8tablespoonsunsaltedbutter (cut into small pieces; keep cold until ready to use)

11/2 cups fresh blueberries (or 1cup fresh strawberries, halved or quartered if large)

1/2 cup sour cream(keep cold until ready to use)

1/4 cup heavy cream (keep colduntil ready to use),plusmore forbrushing Turbinado sugar

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Place zest and granulated sugar in abowl. Using your fingers, rubthe zest into thesugar until fully incorporated and fragrant

3. Sift together the flour,baking powerand salt.

4. Incorporate thebutter into theflour mixture using your fingers orapastry cutter until the mixtureiscrumbly and pea-size butter pieces remain.

5. Toss fruit into flour mixture to combine.

6. In aseparate bowl, whisk together the sour cream and heavy cream.

7. Gently stir wet ingredients into flour mixture until dough forms.

8. Place dough on alightly floured surface and flatten into acircle approximately 12 inches in diameter Fold in half and repeat the process of flattening and folding two or three more times until dough comes together

9. Shape the dough into acircle that is approximately 6inches in diameter and1inch thick. Cutthe dough into six wedges.

10. Arrangethe wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze uncovered for 30 minutes

11. Before baking, brush the topsofeach wedgewith heavy cream andsprinkle with the turbinado sugar.Bakefor approximately 20 minutes until golden brown andedgesare crisp.

Appreciating thebeautyofflowers

Dear Heloise: Whydopeople send flowers to afuneral?

The person they’re sent to is dead and can’tappreciate their beauty.After the funeral, the flowers are usually dumped on top of the grave or thrown out. Ibelieve it’s far more important to send flowers while someone is alive and can look at them or show them off to friends. To that end, Iusually send flowers when someone in my family graduates school, when someone gets engaged, or becauseit’s some kind of holiday.It’s mainly to let them know I’m thinking of them. —Martha D., Southfield, Michigan Martha, it’sagreat idea to send flowers to people who

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,July 20, the 201st day of 2025. There are 164 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On July 20, 1969, astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon after reaching its surface in theirApollo 11 lunar module. Also on this date: In 1917, America’sWorld WarIdraft lotterybegan as Secretary of WarNewton Baker,wearing ablindfold reached into aglass bowl and pulled out acapsule containing the number 258 during aceremony inside the Senate officebuilding. In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler withabombfailed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader In 1951, Jordan’sKing Abdullah Iwas assassinated in Jerusalembya

can appreciate the thoughtfulgesture.Whileflowersat afuneral are nice, and the family usually enjoysthem, it’salso nice to see some type of recognitionfor other eventsbyreceivingflowers or aplant. —Heloise Evergreens

Dear Heloise: We have a large lot, several acres in fact, and at theback ofour propertyare some beautifulevergreens(Christmas trees). Last Christmas, someone cameonto our propertyand helpedthemselves to three of them. These were perfectpines that we loved. Now they’re only stumps! How can we prevent this from happening again this year? —Carol and Kevin, in Montana Carol and Kevin,you can spray orange, purple and yellow tempera paint on the trees. It will wash off dur-

TODAYIN HISTORY

Palestiniangunman who was shot dead on thespot by security In 1976, America’sViking 1robot spacecraft madea successful, first-ever landing on Mars. In 1977, aflash flood hit Johnstown,Pennsylvania, killing more than 80 people and causing$350 million worth of damage. In 1993, White House deputycounsel Vincent Foster Jr., 48, was foundshot to death near Washington, D.C.; it was ruled asuicide. In 2006, theSenatevoted 98-0 to renew thelandmark 1965 Voting Rights Act for another quarter-century In 2012, gunman James Holmes openedfire inside acrowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, duringa midnightshowing of“The Dark KnightRises,”killing 12 people and wounding 70 others. (Holmes was convicted of murder and attempted murder,and sentenced to life in prison.)

ing the next rainfall, but it will also discourage poachers from stealingyour trees. The pines will look odd for ashort time, but at least you’ll have your trees. Youcan find thepaint in any art store. —Heloise Mulchthickness

Dear Heloise: How thick should mulch be to protect plantsthrough thewinter?

—Gregory F.,Greenville, North Carolina Gregory,fine, organic mulch such as sawdust can be about 2inches thick.For coarser material such as straw or leaves,most gardeners recommendabout 4inches. Abag of commercial mulch found in ahardware storeora garden shop usually needs to be at least 3 inches thick. —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Today’sbirthdays: Former Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is 89. Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Olivais87. ArtistJudy Chicago is 86. Country singer T.G. Sheppard is 81. Singer Kim Carnes is 80. Rock musician Carlos Santana is 78. Author and commentator Thomas Friedman is 72. Rock musician PaulCook (Sex Pistols) is 69. Actor FrankWhaley is 62. Conservationist and TV personality Terri Irwin is 61. Rock musician StoneGossard (PearlJam) is 59. Actor Josh Holloway (TV:“Lost”) is 56. Singer Vitamin Cis 56. Actor Sandra Oh is 54. Hockey Hall of Famer Peter Forsberg is 52. Actor Omar Epps is 52. Basketball Hall of Famer Ray Allen is 50. Hockey Hall of Famer Pavel Datsyuk is 47. Supermodel Gisele Bündchen is 45. Actor Percy Daggs III is 43. Actor John Francis Daley is 40. Dancer-singeractor Julianne Hough is 37.

PHOTO By OLIVIA REGARD

Fruit scones

Hints from Heloise

PICCADILLY

Continued from page 1D

ily —aplace wherethey could meet regularly and were guaranteed to have agood time

Landerssaidthatonone occasionher mother,who was a teacher,received ateacher appreciation coupon to eat at Piccadilly.Asthe family chatted in thecrowded lunch line, they didn’trealize that 4-year-old Leah was missing.

Lander’sgrandmother,who consumed alot of true crime television, quickly had theplace in an uproar in searchofher granddaughter.Asearch began in the dining room,and agroup of people startedsweeping the parking lot to find her

“She was not one to remain calm. She barged into the men’s restroom looking for me,” Landers said. “I was soon found in the serving line in the arms of aman, aGood Samaritan, who sawanunattended toddlerand sensed something was wrong.

“On the way home, my grandfather, who was ateetotaler,told my brother he needed ashot of Wild Turkey to get over all the excitement,” she said.“At one point avehicledriving next to us recognized my family and honked their horn in jubilation. Everyone was so relieved fora happy ending.”

The incident in questioneventuallymade itsway intoher grandmother’seulogy

Speedwas toppriority

Abusy communityofpeople

The letter ‘D’ from Piccadilly’s former Oil Center location in Lafayette was re-lit with LED lighting by Brian Schneider, lighting designer at the MetropolitanMuseum of Artin Newyork City.Itnow hangs as an artpieceinDavid D’Aquin’s home in Atlanta.

CURIOUS

Continued from page1D

salesman,” said Michael Trotter,aretired vascular surgeonliving in Houma

“He was amedical doctor, but he didn’tget his training in medical school.” Trotter is the foremost expert on Tichenor, having written two extensively detailed articlesonthe doctor’slife, both published in 2010 issues of the Mississippi Journal of Medicine

Tichenor is said to have perfected his antiseptic mixture while living in Liberty,Mississippi, in Amite County,which borders Louisiana at East Feliciana and St. Helena parishes Trotter was also living in Mississippi, working in Greenville, when he wrote the articles. His interest in Tichenor was piqued during his medical training with John Ochsner, co-founder of what is now Ochsner Health in New Orleans.

“John was really interested in medical and surgical history,asamI,” Trotter said. “One of his favorite subjects was Dr.Tichenor and he was really good friends with the president of the TichenorAntiseptic Co. at the time.”

In 1993, Ochsner gave Trotter his notes from a previous presentation of Tichenor’slife and work, to which Trotter returned 15 yearslater and started his own research.

ALouisianaconnection

Answering the second part of the question about Tichenor’sconnection to Louisiana —starts at the end. Tichenorisburied in Baton Rouge.

who all knew eachother often gathered atthe restaurants. According to BrianVon Gruben, former executive vice president of Piccadilly who worked in the Piccadilly Corporate office from1971-2001, Mother’sDay was the biggest dayoftheir year

“Speedwas always top priority,” saidJohn Ward, aformer manageratvarious Piccadilly restaurants throughout his39year career.“They (owners and upper level management) expected to have 90 customers go downthe line in ten minutes.”

The restaurants sawthousands of customers aday “Forty years ago,” Ward said, “it wasa wholedifferent company.”

What happened to Piccadilly?

The story of therise and nearfallofPiccadilly is long and intertwinedwith larger trends andevents.The chainhas a much smaller footprint now both in terms of number of stores and number of patrons.

After acquiring MorrisonRestaurants Inc. in 1998, Piccadilly had about 270 locations

According to thePiccadilly website, the chain has 30 locations today,mostly concentrated in Louisiana or Memphis andAtlanta.Bythe time Ward retiredin2023, he says therestaurants rarely saw long lines.

On the business side, there aremanyreasons forthe shift. Thecompanymade several bad investments.They boughtMorrison’s Cafeterias, theirmain competitor,with locations concentrated in Florida in 1998 and converted theirspaces to Piccadillys. According to Peter Ricchiuti, business professor at Tulane where he andstudents worked to study and track numerous public companies, including Piccadilly in the’90s, this purchase was ahuge blunder forthe company becausepeople had loyalty to theirbrand of cafeteria.

pany and 69 years in business.

“Once it became private, it kind of fell off everybody’sradar because it was astock that alot of people owned in Louisiana,” said Ricchiuti.

The company filed for bankruptcy again in 2012. In 2014, it was purchased by Falcon Holdings, whichisknown for revitalizing struggling businesses.

Piccadilly and Falcon Holdings did not respond to multiple requestsvia phone, email and website contact form for commentfor this article.

Changing times

ThedeclineofPiccadilly is alsothe astory about changingtimes

Cafeteria-style dining hasfallenout of vogue, and the chain has long struggled to court the younger demographic.

By

FILE

SCHEINUK Joshua Hayes, Jr., left, and Orhan McMillan dine in at the Piccadilly at Westmoreland on Government Street in 2014. The Westmoreland location closed its doors that year

But manypeople went to Piccadilly largely because it was already right by something else: church, the mall. When malls closed or they stopped going to church, they stopped driving out of their waytogoto Piccadilly

Even die-hard Piccadilly fans visit the cafeteria less fora variety of reasons: they’re older now. The pandemic changed many people’srelationship with dining out, but even if they only visit once or twice amonth, the memories live on.

ChanWillis,69, visits once every fewmonths. He said that what he missesabout Piccadilly isn’treally about the restaurant or the food.

“The menu was completely the same, or at leastalmost completely the same,” he said. “Peopledidn’tgothereanymore because nowit’sadifferent restaurant.”

The company filedfor bankruptcy in 2003 duetopoorperformance. It was purchased by Piccadilly Investments, apartnershipbetween Los Angelesbased Yucaipa Companies and DiversifiedInvestment ManagementGroup. Thepurchase took the company private after 27 years of being apublic com-

“If you’re not from theSouth, you associatecafeterias with theworsttimesinyour life like being hospitalized or being in middle school,” Ricchiuti said. “That’s what they’refighting against.”

In an attempt to cut costs, keep up withthe times or adapt to the economy,Piccadilly also lost alot of itsdefining features: in the early 2000s they did away with cloth napkins. When Schutte graduated high school, they replaced the organ she used to playwith threebooths and alarge TV Piccadilly also doesn’tmake everything from scratch anymore. Even so, of thesevenlong-time

regulars interviewed for this article, none of them thought it was just Piccadilly —timeshave just changed. The food is still good, they said,maybe not exactly the same, but pleasant and fairly reasonably priced. What’s next forPiccadilly?

Piccadilly people have aloyalty for the business that’shard to replicate.

“Whenyour parentsget older,that’swhere they want to go and so. So maybe when that generation dies off, Idon’t know what’ll happen,” Ricchiuti said “I think it’ll definitely stay in business. It’sgot enough repeat customers.”

“When you’re aPiccadilly person,”hesaid. “You’re likely to be theretwo or threetimes aweek.”

“Piccadilly is all about family,”hesaid. “It’sabout places that youwent with your parents, with your children, maybe your extended family.”

It was aplace he could go with those he loved and spend qualitytime together.Theydidn’t even have to waitfor the food; they just satdown andstarted chatting and eating. He misses the timeinhis lifewhen getting together with his three kids over ameal waseasy

“Now,they all have their own children, their own families, their own lives, their own towns that they live in,” he said.

It’snot that Piccadilly has changed —Willis experiences it mostly the sameashealways did. The maindifference is that he’s notthe same anymore and no amount of friedcatfish can bring back the past.

Yes, Baton Rouge, where he’sburied in Roselawn Cemetery next to hiswife, in-laws, son and daughterin-law in afamily plot marked by alargemonument marked “Tichenor.”

To find the answer,Trotter backs up to thebeginning.

“When Istarted researching Tichenor,Iwanted to find outhow much of his story was true, how much was hypeand how much was legend,” Trottersaid. “Was he adoctor? Washea salesman?”

Trotter saysitwas evident earlyonthatTichenor didn’tgotomedical school, but he hadpractical training as achemist—orwhat today peoplewould think of as apharmacist

Tichenor was born April 17, 1837, in Ohio County in western Kentucky. He had harbored agreat interest in chemistry andcontinued studying it after leaving home

“By 1859, at age22, he hadmoved to Franklin, Tennessee, and wasinvolved in manufacturingexplosive guncotton,” Trotter wrote in hisfirst article for the Journal of theMississippi State Medical Association.

“At the outbreak of the Civil War, thebusiness was commissioned bythe Confederate government to manufacture gunpowder.”

Ayear later, Tichenor ran aphotography businessin Nashville. He served with the 22nd TennesseeCavalry, whichfoughtinMississippi.

“Reportedly,hespent two years studying during his time of activeservice and applied to takethe Medical Board Appointment Examination,” Trotter writes. Passed themedical test

Tichenor apparently

The original label for Dr Tichenor’sAntiseptic

passed, because he was appointed an acting assistant surgeon in the Confederate States Army, making his “doctor” title legitimate.

However,Tichenor’smain interest was in developing an antiseptic liquid to facilitate wound healing.

He left Mississippi for Red River Landing in Pointe Coupee Parish, where, Trotter says, the good doctor first bottled and sold his antiseptic.

“Today,Red River Landing is achannel mile marker in themiddle of theriver,” Trotter said.

“There’snomoreRed River Landing. If you look it up, you’ll get some GPS coordinates, and that’sit.

It’sacross the river from Wilkinson County in Missis-

sippi and near Angola, both across the river.”

In 1884, Tichenor moved his family to Baton Rouge, where he practiced medicine. The following year, he formed apartnership with the Sherrouse Medicine Co., to manufacture Dr.Tichenor’sAntiseptic.

The Sherrouse side of the business, named for business leader William John Sherrouse, of Monroe, was in charge of selling the antiseptic while Tichenor was listed as the manufacturing chemist.

When Tichenor opened theDr. G.H. Antiseptic Co. in New Orleans in 1905, his story of agangrenous leg injury during the war that he treated and healed with his concoction proved to be asuccessful advertising ploy —though Trotter pointsout that there is no written proof of the injury Opened on CanalStreet

Tichenor and Sherrouse opened aplant at 230 Canal St.inNew Orleansin1905. Today,that location is home to Harrah’sCasino. However,Dr. Tichenor’sisstill bottled in New Orleansat 4200 W. PocheCourt. Tichenor not only was inventor of the concoction but amaster marketer.He hired local musician Louis Blaketocompose the “Dr Tichenor’sMarch” and “Dr Tichenor’sWaltz,” the sheet music for both published in 1895. In theend, Tichenor really didn’tneed gimmicks to sell his goods. The antiseptic sold itself. More than acentury later,itstill does —using thesame ingredients as when it started: 70% alcohol and 1% peppermint oil, along with inactive ingredients arnica, Saccha-

rum carbonate and purified water

The ingredients combine to treat sore throats through gargling, sterilizing cuts, scrapes, minor wounds and, forsome, it’s agreat topical forinsect stings and bites.

“My son was3or4years old when he got into ahornet’snest,” she said. “The couple next-door told us to put someDr. Tichenor’son his stings. It helped him so much. It’s magic —almost instant relief.” Congress, flood control

Meanwhile, Tichenor was popular in Louisiana.

“He considered running forCongress, and he hit the nail on the head with his solutions forflood control,” Trotter said. “He spoke to anyone whowould give him apodium, but his ideas weren’tput into place until after the flood of 1927, when the Federal Flood Control Act waspassed in 1928.”

Thatwould be five years afterTichenor’sdeath on Jan.14, 1923. Trotter believeshe’sburiedinBaton Rouge because he bought the family plot in Roselawn while living there

“I would saythathis advocacy for flood control was probably his greatest accomplishment,”Trotter said. “He may nothavehad allthe kinks worked out, but his solutions were exactly right.”

Do you have aquestion about somethingin Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email yourquestionto curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include yourname, phone number and thecitywhere you live.

AT RANDOM

Continued from page1D

St. James evensong heralded it as “a poetic, deeply spiritual service rich with symbolism and mystery.”

Earlier this month, St. James had a“bon voyage” evensong service to wish its choir members well on their own trip to England to begin abrief residency at Worcester Cathedral. It wasnice to know that someofmyLouisiana friends would be experiencing evensong in England, too. Ihope it touches them as much as it touched me. Email Danny Heitmanatdanny@ dannyheitman.com.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByBRETT DUKE

Belinda Hutchinson, right, serves food during lunch time at the Piccadilly in Metairiein2024.

PROVIDED PHOTO

PROVIDED PHOTO By THE HISTORIC NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION

Ricchiuti

STAFF

PHOTO

HILARy

TRAVEL

Geta tasteofAustin’sweird,wonderful offerings

BYJUDYBERGERON Staffwriter

Austinisdefinitely not asee-itall-in-a-weekend kindof city, but overafew days, one can get a taste of all the Texas capital has to offer Situated in the central part of the state about 21/2 hours past Houston, Austin is within the greater Texas Hill Country Visitors will find hills and flat stretches, depending on the section of the city they’re in. Unlike other “concrete” metropolises, approximately 34 million trees provideacanopy overabout 31% of the city

Visit Austin reports that the city attracts around 30 million visitors ayear,many fromits reputation as “The Live Music Capital of the World,” and on top of that for its unofficial motto, “KeepAustin Weird.”

The music scene is vibrant from the blues spillingout of the legendary Antone’sNightclub to the rock, jazz, country and more you can catch when PBS’“Austin City Limits” is filmed live each week at the Moody Center.The city plays host to musicians and music lovers at several festivals during the year,among them SouthbySouthwest, the Austin Reggae Fest and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

And the part about Austin beingweird? Well, let’sjust call it eclectically charming.

Yes, people do surround the Ann W. Richards Congress AvenueBridge daily around sunset to watch the colony of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailedbatstake theirevening flight. And yes, there’seven amuseum dedicated to the strange, appropriately called, Museum of the Weird. But there are also artsy attractions suchasthe Blanton Museum of Artand the Harry Ransom Center—and outdoorsy activities like floating the San Marcos River on atube or swimming afew laps in theBarton Springs Pool.

When it’stime to dine, there’s barbecue, ramen, Japanese-Texas fusions, Southern, Thai, Italian, Ethiopian, pizza and, abig thing in these parts, breakfast tacos.

It’salways been said that when you’re visiting anew place, it’s wise to getsome inside intel from alocal. With that said, former Louisianans Maya Blitch and husband Thomas Hakim,both27, werehappy to point us to thefun they’ve found since moving to Austin two years ago.

“If someone Iknew were tovisit,I would plan aday that would startwith breakfasttacos, then we would hike one of the beautifultrails in West Lake. Iprefer the Little Fern Trail,” Blitch said Following the hike, she recommends asnack and coffee at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters. From there, the views of Lake Austin are unbeatable, Blitch said

“Often, Mozart’swill feature live music or other events, ensuringeach visit remains fun and new,” she said.

Next, she’d suggestpaddle boarding at Lake Travis or taking aswim in Barton Springs(Pool) during the warmer months.

“Alternatively,I’d recommend walking along South Congress during thecoolermonths,” she added “If the weather wasn’tgreat and thetiming worked out,I’d

By ChristopherElliott

take themto the Blanton (Museum of Art) or the Canopy (an art center) toviewsuch amazing art.”

There are,ofcourse, endless options for dinner

“For dinner,we’d recommend one of the many restaurants in EastAustin,” she said. “At the moment,I really love OKO (Filipino),Birdies(New American) and SourDuck Market (American).”

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.

situation.KLM insisted Ididn’tboard the first flight and refused to refund the $550.SoIsent the airlinemydigital boarding pass, proof of an in-flight Wi-Fipurchase, and atimestamped photo of me onthe plane. Ieven escalated the matter to my credit card companyand the European Commission. But still, nothing.Can youhelpmeget my money back? —Lauren Stokowski, Utrecht, Netherlands Ican’tbelieveKLM refused to acknowledgeyou wereonthe flight after you provided so much proof. Didthey even read what yousent them?

This is an obvious error.KLM switched your seatsonthe outbound flight to SouthAfrica but then somehow lost therecord of your seat reservation. That’s probably why the flight attendantskept interrupting you and asking for your ID. Problem is,that meant the airline had you as a“no show” for your outbound flight.KLM,like other airlines, automatically cancels your return flight when you missthe first leg of your flight Youshould never have been forced to pay for anew ticket. If you’d shown aticket agent the digital boarding pass and picture of you on the flight at the airport in Cape Town, KLM might have been able tofixit. Better yet,

you might have called the airline before yourreturn flight leftto ensure all waswell with your tickets. Youcould have also appealed to an executive at KLM once you returned. Ilist their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. Regarding your missing vegan meal, Irecommend you bring snacks in case theairline does not have thevegan meal you ordered. Airlines often forget their meal orders. KLM didn’twant to talk about your case. “This file will now be closed,” acustomer service representative told you in an email. “Any further correspondence will be filed and will remain unanswered.” That wasthe wrong answer.I reached out to my contact at KLM and asked them to have another look. “After extensive investigation, we have come to the conclusion that we charged Ms. Stokowski erroneously,” arepresentative told me. “Our customer service department has contacted her and will reimburse the $550 that she wascharged.”

Christopher Elliott is the founderofElliott Advocacy,a nonprofitorganization that helps consumers solvetheirproblems. Email himatchris@elliott.org or get help by contacting himon hissite.

The TexasState Capitol was designated as aNational HistoricLandmark in 1986. It houses the Senate and Housechambers, courtrooms, a library, an agriculture museum and more.

STAFFPHOTOSByJUDyBERGERON

The Blanton Museum of Art, on the University of Texas’ main campusindowntown Austin, features artinside and out.

AllensBoots in downtown Austin is partstore, partweekend tourist attraction. The selection is unmatched.

Our staff suggests 5 summer books

Staff report

“Cult Classic” by Sloane Crosley

Recommended by Deanna Narveson, Baton Rouge regional editor

In this book, for a month straight, the protagonist, an unmarried woman in her mid-30s, runs into each and every one of her ex-boyfriends in the same neighborhood of New York City Through the course of these meetings, she finds out that there is more going on than she thought there’s a secret society involved — and things are not quite what they seem. She also has to reckon with her own habits and choices with friends and relationships. It blends genres with elements of magical realism, thriller and rom-com.

The plot was fun with the magical elements and the setting of New York City, but the way the main character was forced to confront her past and her own behaviors was really interesting to read, the kind of thing that makes you think. The twist at the end made it all even better

“James” by Percival Everett

Recommended by Mike Smith, New Orleans environmental reporter/editor

The book is a retelling of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” through the perspective of Jim but that comes nowhere close to describing the depth and brilliance of the novel.

Parts of it amount to an inves-

tigation into identity and perception that reveal the layers of how we perceive ourselves and others. One section on minstrelsy was stunning. That said, it’s all done with a light touch, the story flowing along like the river It’s the best new novel I’ve read in a while.

“The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough

Recommended by Scott Rabalais, The Advocate columnist and sportswriter

This story follows the pioneers of powered flight and how they got from their bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio, to the birth of the aviation age. I love McCullough’s work, especially “Truman,” which he won a Pulitzer Prize for along with “John Adams.” This book isn’t in that category but considering the late historian wrote “The Wright Brothers” in his early 80s shows he still had the right stuff. I liked the book because while

we all know Orville and Wilbur Wright, we know little about the people around them. I loved the details on their con-

temporaries and competitors, and learning about what a supportive soul their sister Katharine was. It’s a quick read (the main text is well under 300 pages), perfect for summertime page turning by the pool or the lake.

”Abundance” by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

Recommended by Stephanie Riegel, New Orleans business reporter

Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson’s “Abundance” is a thoughtful look at the regulatory, political and socioeconomic reasons that have made it increasingly difficult for the United States to move forward with major projects that would benefit society as a whole, like middle-class housing, energy efficient mass transit and new medicines.

It is so insightful, so well written and simplifies through clear, concise analysis, without dumbing the subject down, so many important challenges facing our country I want to be Ezra Klein when I grow up!

“The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi” by Shannon Chakraborty

Recommended by Rich Collins, New Orleans business reporter

This is an adventure novel about a former pirate who leaves her daughter to embark on a mission to save a teenager from a powerhungry sorcerer It’s well-written and a heavily researched historical fantasy with memorable set pieces and characters. Sirafi’s ex-husband — who’s also a demon — is a scene stealer

Step inside the world of African masquerade artists

BY RIEN FERTEL

Contributing writer

“New African Masquerades: Artistic Innovations and Collaborations,” New Orleans Museum of Art and Yale University Press, 264 pages.

The New Orleans Museum of Art’s “New African Masquerades” exhibition, which closes on Aug. 10, is, so far, the city’s must-see show of the year It showcases the work of four contemporary West and Central African masquerade artists, each representing a distinct culture and creative style. African masquerade ensembles are recognizably Carnivalesque, yet not aligned with Carnival as we know it. The exquisite, multifaceted ensembles at times carry an uncanny aesthetic resonance with the suits of New Orleans’ Black Masking Indians.

Though the transatlantic Carnival connections are never explicitly stated — and the exhibit is strengthened for not belaboring this kinship — it’s easy to imagine deep, cross-cultural ties among this diverse world of street parades.

Fans of the exhibition will want to check out the accompanying catalog, which further illuminates the virtuosity of the four artists, who, despite working in deeply traditional mediums and often literally following in the footsteps of their fathers, bring innovative approaches to their work. In a series of essays, the exhibition’s four co-curators one artist pulls double-duty — also highlight the collaborative

nature of the show itself.

How do we redefine, they ask, the complicated relationship that exists between artists and individuals who hope to capitalize on their art through scholarship, exhibition, photography and, yes, the almighty dollar? For locals interested in recent debates over the buying and selling of Carnival, especially Black Masking Indian culture, this turns out to be a question too close to home to ignore.

Take David Sanou, a secondgeneration woodcarver from Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso.

His father, André, who passed away in 2015, sculpted masquerade headpieces and even carved a chair that Pope John Paul II used while receiving an audience of Burkinabé faithful in 1990. The pope blessed one of André Sanou’s carving blades, which he gave to his son.

“This was my diploma,” he proudly says.

Despite running a successful woodworking atelier, David Sanou hesitated to take part in the exhibit. Burkina Faso custom dictates that masquerades are not to be sold to outsiders, cocurator Lisa Homann explains in an essay that outlines the ethical and logistic difficulties that arose when commissioning the woodcarver

“You should know that what we did here,” he tells her “it is not permitted; it is not allowed.”

He agrees to participate, with reservations. For his masquerade ensembles, David Sanou crafts only the wooden headpieces, leaving the thick, flowing, brilliantly hued fiber body

suits, their strands dynamically extending in all directions during ritualistic dances, to other artisans. Adhering to tradition, however, their names are scrubbed from the record. In the exhibit, under David Sanou’s name, the museum labels read: “The maker of this body requests anonymity.”

Sheku “Goldenfinger” Fofanah, of Freetown, Sierra Leone, also inherited his father’s practice as a masquerade artist. Fofanah built his trade as a young teenager, taking commissions to design ensembles, colloquially called “devils.” Incorporating a wealth of materials cloth, beads, cowrie shells, gourds, wood and animal skins — he builds lavishly decorated, full-body outfits for several local masquerading societies.

The Sierra Leonean parades are “not unlike that of New Orleans Mardi Gras,” writes Amanda Maples, NOMA’s head curator of African art. “The crowd is thick with bodies and anticipation.” Of the 13 masquerade en-

sembles included in the exhibit, it’s Fofanah’s that most mirrors Mardi Gras Indian suits. The layered, beaded patchwork of both cultures is strikingly similar Eighty to 90% of masks made in Africa today are reproductions, Hervé Youmbi writes, leaving the continent’s art and artists “frozen in a colonial mindset.”

A Cameroonian artist who also acts as an associate curator of the exhibit, Youmbi collaborates with what he calls a “production chain” of working artisans to help realize his masquerades. He designs; they build. Sculptors, bead workers, dreadlock fabricators, costume designers: These collaborators often earn their daily living creating serial reproductions of classic African art for tourists and collectors.

His “hybrid masks,” as Youmbi calls them, “use Western ideas about authenticity of African masks against themselves.”

That’s some heady theorizing easily parsed with a glance at his masquerades on display.

The very American inspirations behind “Tso Scream Mask” and “Predator Ku’ngang Mask” will be immediately evident to anyone familiar with the popular action-horror film franchises referenced in the titles of these pieces.

Chief Ekpenyong Bassey Nsa, a third-generation artist from Calabar Nigeria makes ensembles for fellow members of the Ekpe Society, an organization based on ancestor veneration through public performance. These lovably outré masquerade pieces should be unforgettable to our local costume sensibilities.

Each of Chief Bassey Nsa’s ensembles features a thick, colorful, doughnut-shaped mane, made from stretched cloth or the fronds of the raffia palm, that encircles the wearer’s upper torso Meringue-like fluffs of ruffled cloth often sandwich the mane, making the whole ensemble look rather delectable.

Exhibit co-curator Jordan A. Fenton, who has built a close relationship with Chief Bassey Nsa after nearly two decades of fieldwork research in Calabar, writes that tradition-based artists are often swept to the margins of African art history He advises researchers “to foster a sense of responsibility, of reciprocity” when seeking relationships with artists.

Three weeks remain to catch “New African Masquerades” at NOMA, after which the exhibit travels to museums in Nashville, San Antonio and St. Petersburg, before ending its run at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African Art in Washington, D.C.

The exhibit will no doubt find enthusiasts in each of those communities. But here in New Orleans, where our own homegrown costume culture reigns, “New African Masquerades” demonstrates that across nations and costuming cultures there are similar challenges to be addressed, familiar lessons to be learned, and, yes, maybe even a little inspiration for next Carnival season.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

CRUSHING IT

ABOVE: Glass Half Full recently opened aprocessing facilityonParis Road in Chalmette. This machine is able to sort and process glass back intosand and also for use in newglassproducts.

RIGHT: Glass bottles have markings and symbols indicating where theywere made. Max Steitz, co-founderand chief operating officer,saidhe’sseen glass bottles make the full circle: from creation, to recycling, and back to creation in the making of another product, then back again to him.

As itsnew glasspulverizing facility kicksintogear, aLouisiana recycling startuphas to balanceits mission andcosts of growingoperations

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Franziska Trautmann, cofounder andCEO of GlassHalf Full, and Max Steitz stand on top of apile of glass thatwill be recycled into newglass products at the Glass Half Full facility on Paris Road in St. Bernard Parish.

BY BLAKE PATERSON Staff writer

Louisiana coffee roasters are raising prices as tariffs makeitmore expensive to import coffee beans adding to recentchallenges for a local industry tied to the globally traded commodity J.M. Smucker Co., which roasts coffee for Folgers, Dunkin’ and Café Bustelo at its facilitiesinNew Orleans and employs nearly700 workers, said in June that it planned to increase prices in response tothe 10% tax on all imports that President DonaldTrump announced in April. Baton Rouge-based Community Coffee said Wednesdaythat the rise in prices for green coffee beans, which it roasts before selling to consumers, forced it last month to increase whatitcharges. And French Truck Coffee, the New

Orleans-based chainwith locations in Baton Rouge and Memphis, Tennessee, told customers on Monday it was adding atemporary4%surchargeonall in-store coffee-related purchases

“Wechose thisapproach so that if the tariffs are lifted in thefuture, we can quickly adjust or remove this charge —something we wouldn’tbe able to do with permanent price increases,” FrenchTruck wroteinits email to customers. The well-known brands with big operationsin Louisiana echoed moves by other local and national firms in recent months. Americans’ coffee habitdepends almostexclusively on imported beans. Brazil, the world’stop coffee producer, supplies about 30% of the American market,followed by Colombia at roughly 20% and Vietnam at about 10%, according to federal data. Roasters often purchase beans

IDEAS INNOVATION &

On arecent weekdaymorning, employees at the new GlassHalf Full recycling facilityin Chalmette were dumping thousands of empty boozebottles and spaghetti sauce jars into machinery that pulverizes them into the consistency of gravel or sand.

It was acacophonous process, as the sound of glass smashing into metal joined the roaring of machinerytocreate an industrial symphony Afew yardsaway,justoff the banks of Bayou Bienvenue, the birds and fish were unconcerned with the commotion.

STAFF PHOTOSByCHRISGRANGER

Crushed glassoutside Glass HalfFull in St. Bernard Parish will eventuallybe turned into sand.

There,balanced on anarrowwooden pier 20 feet from theshoreline, Glass Half Full co-founder Franziska Trautmann was working withTulane University researcher Bek Markel to pump some of the company’sfreshly made glass sand into the bayou to build aseries of 32-foot circular islands. The new land was covered with cypress saplings and other greenery The juxtaposition of the two scenes was jarring: heavyindustryvs. nature’stranquility

But, takentogether, thetwo perfectly illustrate the missionofGlass Half Full, a5-year-old startup that was foundedtodivert glass from

ä See GLASS, page 2E

months, or even ayear,inadvance and many rushed to stock up before Trump’sApril tariffs wentinto effect.

Now,thosestockpiles arerunning low andimporters say many of their customers are bracing for even higherprices if Trump’sthreats of additional tariffs on major coffee producers likeBrazil go into effect.

“We’re starting to buy more, and now we’re seeing those tariff line items,” said Patrick Brennan,owner of Congregation Coffee, which operates aroastery on TchoupitoulasStreet and acafeonthe West Bank.

“I’ve been holding off on alot of price increases just to seewhatactually ends up happening,” Brennan said. “But we’re hitting thepoint soon, you know, where we’regoing to have to make adecision.”

ä See COFFEE, page 2E

STAFFPHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Lauren Fink,ofCherry RoastCoffee in Gretna, said she held offon raising prices on bags of roasted beans,but it became clear costs weren’t goingtosubside. ‘Nobodylikes to see pricesincrease, but we’re also abusiness.’

Issued July 2-15

Commercial alterations

CLINIC: 2041 NW Evangeline Thruway, description, build a metal awning walkway cover; applicant and contractor, Bagleys Property Maintenance; $13,500.

RESTAURANT: 235 Doucet

Road, description, new dining room and bar area and renovation of old bar area at Zea Rotisserie & Bar; applicant Pecot & Co. Architects; contractor, Triad Construction Services; $550,000.

MEDICAL: 1105 Kaliste Saloom Road, description, renovation of electrophysiology laboratory at Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center; applicant, Moliere Chappuis Architects; contractor, Kent Design Build; $1.5 million.

OFFICE: 1008 St. Mary Blvd., description, build three adjoining office spaces for Merakey; applicant and contractor, DMC Construction; $28,000.

SCHOOL: 516 E. Pinhook Road, description, relocate existing modular restroom building to LeRosen Prep School; applicant, Ziler Architects; contractor, Lafayette Parish School Board; $20,000 TECH: 1443 S.E. Evangeline Thruway., description, add diesel generator to existing cell tower; applicant, Swaan; contractor, APEX NCT; $14,000.

TECH: 123 Perard St., description, add diesel generator to existing cell tower; applicant, Swaan; contractor, APEX NCT; $14,000.

TECH: 2600 Moss St., description, add diesel generator to existing cell tower; applicant, Swaan; contractor, APEX NCT; $14,000.

TECH: 1923 Verot School Road description, add diesel generator to existing cell tower; applicant, Swaan; contractor, APEX NCT; $14,000.

RETAIL: 530 Settlers Trace, description, tenant buildout for Hotworx Lafayette; applicant and contractor, Domingue Construction; $175,000.

OTHER: 2513 Bonin Road, Youngsville, description, photography studio; applicant, Morley Properties; contractor, PPM Contractors; $242,000.

CAFÉ: 3905 Ambassador

COFFEE

Continued from page 1E

Lauren Fink, owner of Cherry Coffee Roasters, a specialty coffee roastery with cafes in both Gretna and New Orleans, said she was hopeful that trade negotiations would ultimately spare coffee beans. She held off on raising prices on bags of roasted beans until May, when it became clear that the rising costs to run her business weren’t going to subside.

“Nobody likes to see prices increase, but we’re also a business,” Fink said. “It’s unfortunate we can’t eat that.” Brazil tariff threats

Trump administration officials have argued that tariffs will ultimately result in better trade deals and bring industries like manufacturing back to the U.S.

Thus far only a handful of trade deals have been reached. Earlier this month, Trump threatened to impose a 50% tariff on Brazilian goods beginning Aug. 1, citing the country’s treatment of its former president, Jair Bolsonaro, who is facing charges of trying to overturn an election loss.

“You cannot understate the effect that it will have on coffee,” said Drew Cambre, sustainability manager at International Coffee Corp., a green coffee importer based in Metairie.

“It will be unfeasible for most coffee companies to purchase Brazilian coffee if the 50% tariff is charged.”

Caffery Parkway, description, construction of roof on existing building for patio for future coffee shop; applicant and contractor, Designs by Zulay; $22,000.

OTHER: 802 E. Farrel Road, description, exam room for Perret Group; applicant and contractor, Mark LaBorde Builders; $30,000.

New commercial OFFICE: 207 Fairlane Drive, description, metal building for office space and storage for SCP Pool Distributors; applicant, Chase Marshall Architects; contractor, Castle Row Construction; $2.5 million Commercial demolition

OTHER: 211 E. Verot School Road, description, none listed; applicant and contractor, Feroz Mughal; $1,000. RETAIL: 2815 Johnston St., description, none listed for property in South College Center; applicant and contractor, Raffael Raimondi; $8,000.

OTHER: 3028 N.E. Evangeline Thruway, description, fence removal at Lafayette Parish School System bus lot; applicant and contractor, Garden City Construction; $15,000. New residential 500 JUDICE LANE, DUSON: DSLD, $224,370. 115 LENOVA LANE: Manuel Builders, $174,330. 1212 E. ALEXANDER ST.: Jay Castille Construction $204,000 103 RESERVOIR ROAD, BROUSSARD: Milton Hebert Construction, $400,000. 137 RIDLEY LANE, YOUNGSVILLE: DSLD, $125,520. 213 FACILE ROAD, SCOTT: Andries Builders, $396,900 508 CAPSTONE CROSSING: Bailey Home Builders, $252,360 232 TIMBER MILL ST., YOUNGSVILLE: Bailey Home Builders, $252,360. 102 SANCTUARY LANE: Platinum Homes, $278,910. 118 VATICAN ROAD, CARENCRO: C-T Homes, $266,670 205 COTEAU RIDGE ROAD: Carencro, Rajun Cajun Construction, $478,440. 106 NEWTOWN DRIVE: Manuel Builders, $170,280.

“Chances are people won’t seen increases in price at the register for a month or two because it takes time for a coffee to get on a boat at its country of origin and make the voyage,” Cambre said. Coffee is the largest containerized import commodity at the Port of New Orleans, amounting to about 16,000 containers a year Around 42% of those imports come from Brazil, said Kimberly Curth, a spokesperson for Port NOLA. Coffee imports have been slowing in recent months, Curth said, noting that ports elsewhere are experiencing similar drops.

Even before tariffs, coffee prices have been at historic highs, primarily due to weather conditions in Brazil and Vietnam that affected the crop in those countries.

Clarke Cadzow, owner of Highland Coffees in Baton Rouge, which has yet to raise its prices, said in an email that “tariff concerns just add another layer of stress and anxiety to coffee importers, roasters, and retailers in the US as we try to keep our prices low but figure out what we need to charge to cover our costs.”

504 JUDICE LANE, DUSON: DSLD, $197,460.

502 JUDICE LANE, DUSON: DSLD, $215,820.

408 JUDICE LANE, DUSON: DSLD, $201,150.

119 CRANSTON COURT: DSLD $201,150.

331 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $179,010.

335 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $204,930.

337 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $303,120.

336 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $192,150

332 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $240,480.

330 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $243,990.

328 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $225,090.

326 WHITE PINE DRIVE: DR Horton, $201,600.

100 LISBURN DRIVE: Level Construction & Development, $266,760.

102 SUN VISTA LANE: Manuel Builders, $234,000.

104 BRATTLE COURT: DSLD $182,160.

108 BRATTLE COURT: DSLD, $202,950.

110 CRANSTON COURT: DSLD $137,610.

200 TOWNSEND DRIVE: DSLD, $126,450.

206 TOWNSEND DRIVE: DSLD $126,450.

114 SPRING MEADOWS DRIVE, BROUSSARD: AM Design, $216,300.

128 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE, BROUSSARD: DR Horton, $141,404.

130 LAKE RIDGE DRIVE, BROUSSARD: DR Horton, $177,095.

121 HARVEST FALLS DRIVE, BROUSSARD: DR Horton, $132,892.

202 HANNA DRIVE, BROUSSARD: BCS Builders, $550,000.

119 HARVEST FALLS DRIVE, BROUSSARD: DR Horton, $126,715.

205 PRAGUE AVE., YOUNGSVILLE: Blue Wing Builders, $413,000.

127 CAPE TOWN AVE., YOUNGSVILLE: Blue Wing Builders, $428,000.

207 PRAGUE AVE., YOUNGSVILLE: Blue Wing Builders, $423,000.

210 SABAL GROVE LANE, YOUNGSVILLE: James Majors, $740,000.

Only a fraction of the coffee offered at Highland comes from Brazil. Still, Cadzow said, it is “popular among customers,” and if the cost of Brazilian coffee goes up considerably, it will cause demand for beans from other regions to spike, raising prices.

Higher prices could push more customers to try and roast their coffee at home, Cambre said.

Catherine Mansell, director of products and programs at Current Crop Roasting Shop on Magazine Street, a “retail store focused on at-home, doit-yourself coffee education,” said they’ve seen an uptick in recent months in customers interested in home roasting as a way to save money

The shop has around 75 different beans from all over the world, and roasting stations that allow customers to roast beans themselves. Green coffee typically is around half the price of roasted coffee.

“It gives you a chance to play around with different roast levels and play around with regions or countries that you haven’t had before to really find your perfect cup of coffee,” Mansell said.

Still, the shop isn’t immune to market changes.

Mansell said they used to be able to purchase coffee beans on 12-month contracts. Now, the furthest out they can buy is three months.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Email Blake Paterson at bpaterson@theadvocate. com.

Louisiana’s landfills while creating material that can help restore its shrinking coastline.

Founded by Trautmann and Max Steitz when they were still seniors at Tulane University, the company is celebrating several milestones this summer

Its $5 million recycling facility, which opened in May reached full production capacity last month. In early July, it was awarded contracts from Jefferson Parish to operate two recycling collection centers. And, last week, it delivered its first order of “cullet” — glass chunks used to make new containers — to a manufacturing customer in Oklahoma. At the same time, the recycler’s operations have spread into neighboring states.

These advances into the roughly $4 billion U.S. container glass recycling market shows how far Glass Half Full has come since 2020, when Trautmann, Steitz and another Tulane senior plugged in a small machine big enough to grind one wine bottle at a time — and made their own glass sand in the backyard of Zeta Psi fraternity house on Broadway Avenue.

But while Glass Half Full is crushing it, it’s still spending more than it’s making, underscoring the constant challenge mission-driven businesses face. Trautmann, Steitz and their supporters hope the venture can traverse the daunting “valley of death” that startups face as they strive for profitability before running out of capital.

“We’re hippies forced to be entrepreneurs,” Trautmann said. “But we want to be able to keep recycling and restoring the coast without having to rely on donations and grants, so we had to build a system to do it.”

Expanding footprint

Since its frat house origins, Glass Half Full has grown dramatically in size, scope and reputation — earning social media buzz and international attention along the way Today, it runs the new Chalmette facility and a collection center in the Upper 9th Ward. It has about 25 employees.

The company gets paid to operate three drop-off locations in the French Quarter and two in Jefferson Parish. For free, it runs another 15 or so drop-off spots, mostly in New Orleans plus one in Baton Rouge.

A key part of Glass Half Full’s business is the thousands of customers across the Gulf Coast who pay for pickups. Residential clients pay $20 per month; commercial rates are based on volume.

To make these pickups, the company has assembled a fleet of a half-dozen trucks and drivers, who visit homes, bars, restaurants, hotels, offices and even schools.

“At Sacred Heart, one of our drop-off locations, you’ll see 10-year-old girls dropping off their parents’ empty wine bottles,” Trautmann said. Collection fees and contracts make up the bulk of Glass Half Full’s revenue, but they aren’t enough to cover the cost of the growing operation. That’s why the new cullet business and other potential income streams in Louisiana and

“We’re hippies forced to be entrepreneurs. But we want to be able to keep recycling and restoring the coast without having to rely on donations and grants, so we had to build a system to do it.”

FRANZISKA TRAUTMANN, co-founder and CEO of Glass Half Full

elsewhere are essential.

Last year Glass Half Full rented a 20,000-square-foot facility for glass storage and processing in Birmingham, Alabama, where it makes residential pickups.

“It’s the right distance away,” Trautmann said. “It’s also a sustainable-leaning city, and it doesn’t have glass recycling.”

There are plans to do the same in the Florida Panhandle.

Glass Half Full now accepts cardboard, plastic and other forms of recycling at some drop-off locations and delivers the material to recycling partners. But at a time when roughly 70% of container glass ends up in U.S. landfills, that highly recyclable material is still the focus.

Smashing glass

To visit Glass Half Full’s new processing facility is to quickly become accustomed to the feel of glass dust everywhere, including in the fabric of office chairs and on tabletops.

On a recent weekday Trautmann, Steitz and a visitor were dusting themselves off while workers in Day-Glo T-shirts, safety vests and hard hats received a truckload of material.

After four years of bootstrapping, the startup raised over $2 million and borrowed the rest to build the facility in the same parish where Trautmann and Steitz won a pitch competition in 2021. (They won another one two years later.)

Saints owner Gayle Benson led a group of Louisiana investors in the project. New Market Tax Credits helped sweeten the deal.

Glass Half Full leases the 3-acre Chalmette property a former landfill, from the Meraux Foundation.

Construction company RNGD built the new 10,000-square-foot metal building, where a glass processing line made from mostly refurbished equipment creates two products: glass sand and cullet.

“We start with a mountain of glass,” Trautmann said. “As it’s loaded into the hopper, we have a picker pulling out anything that would really mess up our machines. We get some really weird stuff, like crawfish shells and dirty diapers.”

High-tech sorters, imported from Europe, use lenses and air jets to divide

the glass by color and to remove contaminants like ceramic, stone and porcelain, which won’t melt in a furnace.

“It’s analyzing thousands of particles a second,” Steitz said. “It has 490 compressed air nozzles on it shooting precise bursts at pieces of glass. It’s pure genius.”

In a corner of the building, the company’s first little grinding machine sits as a reminder of how far the business has come.

70% of glass in landfills

Decades ago, many bottles in the U.S. were collected, sanitized and refilled. That still happens in many other countries.

But the U.S. moved away from bottle reuse at a large scale in the middle of the last century in favor of single-use plastic and aluminum containers. Then, for decades after reuse went out of fashion, glass recycling remained commonplace: containers would be collected, pulverized and used to make more. But the recent rise of single-stream recycling everything in one bin — means glass is getting left behind. That’s because when recycling trucks smash cardboard, paper, plastic and glass together the glass breaks and contaminates the rest of the material, so many cities stopped accepting it.

In a recent report, the Glass Recycling Foundation, a pro-recycling nonprofit, said that despite glass containers being endlessly and completely recyclable, only about 33% are recycled in the U.S., with over 9 million tons of glass ending up in landfills annually But glass recycling is not nonexistent.

There are 49 U.S. container glass manufacturing plants employing about 18,000 people, and there are about 60 recycled glass processing facilities, although none in Louisiana, Alabama or Mississippi. This is the market gap that Glass Half Full hopes to fill, and it’s counting on additional expansion and its new Oklahoma customer to fire things up.

Trautmann and Steitz hope to send cullet by rail — 100 tons at a time — to generate income that will help offset more environmental projects with Tulane, the National Science Foundation and other partners. While she manages that and other projects, Trautmann will spend as much time as possible on the new land her company helped create.

Said Trautmann: “We’re going to turn this ghost swamp into a thriving wetland again.”

Email Rich Collins at rich.collins@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER Recycled glass will eventually be turned into sand at the Glass Half Full facility in St Bernard Parish.The $5 million recycling facility, which opened in May, reached full production capacity last month.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER Moss Lelko, lead roaster at Cherry Roast Coffee, sorts coffee beans from Mexico.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Is regional cooperation key to attracting companies?

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

For the past 30 years, William H. “Bill” Hines, managing partner at Jones Walker, has been as much a fixture in regional business and civic circles as in the legal community

Q&A WITH BILL HINES

The 69-year-old New Orleans native was founding board chair of Greater New Orleans Inc. and chaired the boards of the MetroVision Economic Development Partnership The Idea Village, the Downtown Development District and the Louisiana Committee of 100 For Economic Development

And he helped lead the effort to secure an NBA franchise for New Orleans, bringing the Hornets, now the Pelicans, to the state.

During those years, Hines was also busy growing Jones Walker into one of the 145 largest law firms in the U.S.

When first elected managing partner in 2006, Jones Walker had 200 attorneys in six offices Today, it has more than 350 in 17 offices across nine states and the District of Columbia. Clients include large corporations, banks and financial institutions, emerging enterprises, family-owned businesses, professional sports teams, and state and local governments. It also has a new equine law practice and is growing a national artificial intelligence practice.

Earlier this month, Hines was reelected managing partner for a fifth consecutive five-year term, which begins in January

In this week’s Talking Business, Hines discusses the importance of regional cooperation and why he believes the business community has to do more to build bridges.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity

Why is civic engagement so important to

trina, when new investment came into the city But today it seems we have back slid. We have plenty of service providers but fewer large companies and even fewer smaller companies. You see smaller companies still headquartered here but their private equity ownership will be out of state.

So what do we need to do to address some of these problems?

We need leadership and regional cooperation. I would like to see this area reform the council of governments. It was a regional council with the mayor of New Orleans, Jefferson Parish president, at-large council members from each, plus the mayors of the five other parishes in the metro area. They all got together regularly to work on common problems. We need people to roll up their sleeves, think up projects and get them done. The silo thing doesn’t work.

Agreed. But, where is the business community? Where are the leaders that, when I was a young reporter, were a force to be reckoned with?

I think there is a younger generation that is engaged, but they need a group of elders that are connected and can help them pick projects to go after A lot of it is about just showing people how to do deals.

streets, drainage, crime and garbage pickup, that would go a long way with the business community and that would help attract new business and retain existing ones. Jones Walker created its own economic development consulting firm about two years ago. What was the thinking there? It’s called Avident Advisors and it’s headed by Tommy Kurtz, a New Orleanian and economic development professional, who had been away for several years and wanted to come home. So I said, “Why don’t you do site selection and economic development

you?

When I left for college in the mid-1970s, New Orleans was blowing and going. When I came back after law school in 1982, we had the collapse of the oil industry, which caused all sorts of problems for real estate, coupled with tax changes and other things that were all related and bad for New Orleans. It was a perfect storm. And it culminated in the 1990s, when we had the most violent year on record. People lament some of the recent challenges we’ve faced with the pandemic, the economy They need to remember, it was really bad in the 1990s. So you got involved. We sort of hit rock bottom and it

motivated business, civic and political leaders to come together, people in their 30s and 40s at the time, Republicans and Democrats, men and women, Black and White We got the Hornets to come here. We renegotiated the Saints deal. We put together a regional package to save Avondale (for several more years). We got the amusement tax off of our live musicians. We formed the Idea Village with Tim Williamson in 2002. We created GNO Inc. to address regional economic development in 2004 We did a lot of meaningful things that have continued to pay off today No question there was a flourishing in those years and also after Hurricane Ka-

It’s harder now, though. The biggest difference between the early 2000s and now is social media and 24-hour cable news. It has caused so much polarization How often do you see Democratic and Republican officials working together? Occasionally at a ribbon cutting, but it happens a lot less than it used to. I hope after this mayor’s election, we can sit down and break some bread.

What does New Orleans need in a new mayor?

We need someone who cares about business, who wants to build relationships with business. We are at the stage now that if someone could take care of

PROVIDED PHOTO Jones Walker managing partner Bill Hines, elected to his fifth consecutive

earlier this month, said he would like to see a return to more regional efforts to address common problems.

When theprice isn’tlisted, ask

Fool’s Take: Undervalued, growing

Bristol Myers Squibb

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

Idislike unexpected expenses. If an item doesn’t have aprice, Iwill make sureto find out what it is But, honestly,sometimes it’sawkward to ask. Recently,I was eating lunchwith a friend. Iwas going to surprise her and pay for hermeal Iasked theserver aboutthe daily specials and decided to order a branzino dish. My friend likedit as well and mentioned she might order it, too.

The server,however,never disclosed the price. So, of course, I asked. She looked through her notes. It was $38. Without aword, Iwentback to the menu, scanning foracheaper option. My friend followed my lead.

“Thank you, Lord,” Ithought to myself.

We didn’tdiscuss the change in our lunch choice. Iwould have still paid for my friend’smeal, but I was so relieved.Ihadn’tbudgeted to spend nearly $100 on lunch, including tax and tip.

That lunch came to mind after I read acomment adiner sent to my paper’sfood critic, TomSietsema, during his weekly online chat. This person was celebrating herhusband’sbirthday with two others. They ordered the branzino special, which was meant to be sharedby two people.

“Tosay we were stunned when we received the bill,whichcontained a$155 charge for the branzino, would be an understatement,” she wrote. “Wethought it was amistake; it wasn’t. Shame on us for not asking the marketprice for fish that evening.”

Icompletely agree withher following points: “Hoping this serves as areminder to customers to always ask the market price, but also the responsibilityofrestaurants to make diners aware of prices not on the menu, particularly when they are so wildly out of the norm.”

Aco-worker shared asimilar experience. She was visiting South Beach in Miami and ordereda drink at brunch.

“No price listed,” shesaid. “It was a$55 cocktail.”

Istartedtothink: Why do people make purchases withoutfully understanding the costs?

Embarrassment: Haveyou been in a boutique,perhaps on vacation at a swank resort,where thereare no prices onthe tags? Youmight recallthis adage:“If youhave to ask, youcan’t afford it.”Whether in an expensive shoporupscale restaurants, surrounded by seemingly affluent patrons, the last thing you want to do is appear out of place by inquiring about the cost.

Concernabout being seen as too cheap: This feeling can be surprisingly strong. It makespeople hesitant to inquire about the cost of an item, particularly when they suspect it maybebeyond their financial reach

But it is prudent to ask, even if you get odd looks. Once,while we were diningataMichelin-star restaurant, the sommelier suggestedsome wines to pair with our meal. After hearing theprices,we decidedtostickwith water.The sommelier glared at us the entire evening.

Sometimes asurprise charge is notyour fault because, intentionally or unintentionally,it’snot disclosed.

Another co-worker said that whenshe ordereda pastadish at a D.C.restaurant,the waiter asked whether she wanted“shavedtruffleswith that.”

She assumed it was free, like Parmesan cheese. In fact,the shavings cost $35, which was more than the price of the pastaentree.

Peer pressure: Twowords can strikefinancialfear in potential guests: destinationwedding. A close friendorrelative is getting married. It’sthe couple’s“big day,”you arerepeatedly told. The expectationisthatyou shouldn’t “put aprice on your presence.” So youRSVP “yes,” trying to put out of your mind the full costofattendance

Or,you areout witha group, andnobody is asking what things cost. Youdon’twanttobethe sole spendingspoiler,soyou stay silent.

Anxiety about money:Perhaps your family neverdiscussed money,or yougrewupina household where conversations about finances al-

ways ended in arguments. Your financial back story can make you hesitant to check prices because it makes you anxious.

FOMO: Social media, especially platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, have amplified “FOMO,” or the fear of missing out.There is aconstant stream of posts withpeople boasting about their designer outfits, luxury cars and gourmet dining. Youfigure fun means not worrying about aprice tag. Youspend first and worry about the costlater

Do you see your behavior in this list?

Alot of personal finance starts withcontrolling your feelings

Here’swhy you should always ask about price beforeapurchase, even if it makes you uncomfortable:

You’re living paycheck to paycheck: An unexpected cost can upend your budget, especially withthe latest inflation figures showing arise in consumer prices.Itisfar less embarrassing to inquire about aprice beforehand thantoface abill you can’tcomfortably pay

“Ask what the market price is, followed by ‘Oh, OK,I’ll have the burger,please,’”one of my followerswrote on Threads

Youhaveother financial priorities: When Istart to feel embarrassed that people might think I’m being too cheap, Ireplace thosethoughts withalist of my financial goals. Knowing how much an item costs allows you to makeaconscious choice about how and when to spend.

Youwill have moresavings and less stress: Iamalways urging people to live their financial truth. Can you afford a$155 fishspecial when you have outstanding credit carddebt and/or an insufficient emergency fund?

Make it ahabit to ask: “What is all this going to cost, including any add-ons?” Never assume anything is free.

“I don’twant to be surprised when Ireceive the check, so I don’tcarewhat they think if Iask the price,” one Instagram follower wrote.“I’m paying for it.”

That’sexactly right

Email Michelle Singletaryat michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

Thisarticle is brought to youbythe Louisiana CommercialFisheriesCoalition LLC.

Along Louisiana’scoast, fishing is morethan ajob,it’saway of life.Atthe heart of this tradition aretwo U.S.-owned and operated companies,Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvesters, whichtogether powerone of the most sustainable fisheriesinthe world and help keep jobs,innovation, and investment righthereinAmerica.

Local Companies with Deep Roots Westbank Fishing, based inEmpire,LA (Plaquemines Parish), has operatedin southern Louisiana fordecades.Itdelivers its catchtothe Daybrook Fisheries plant and supports hundredsoflocal jobs while focusing on safety,efficiency,and environmental stewardship

Founded in 2017, Ocean Harvestersoperates out of Abbeville, LA (Vermilion Parish) and provides fishing services exclusively to OmegaProtein. Ocean Harvestershas invested heavily in sustainability,safety, and professional training.

Both Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvestersoperate MARAD-compliant fleets,meaning their vessels areU.S built U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed in accordance with the U.S. Maritime Administration’s standards.This designationreflects astrong commitmenttonational maritime security

and domestic workforce development. This complianceisn’tjust alabel—it ensures these vessels areavailable fornationaldefense sealift if needed and keeps maritimejobsin the U.S.

American Jobs,American Values Westbank and OceanHarvesterssupport over 800 direct jobs and more than1,200 indirect jobs across32Louisiana parishes From deckhands and welderstomechanics, dockworkers, andtruck drivers, thesecareers offer wagesand benefits thatsupportfamilies and sustain entirecommunities

Most of theseroles don’trequirea college degree but provide rare opportunities for upward mobilityinrural Louisiana.The income earned circulatesthrough local economies—not outsourcedoverseas—ata time when manyindustries areautomating or offshoring.

Thesecompanies don’tjust create jobs— theyuphold American values of hardwork, communityinvestment, and local accountability.

Economic Impact: Fueling Communities, Feeding the World

fisherygenerates more

The Gulf menhaden

than $419 million in annual economic output, contributing $60 million in wagesand benefits and$25 million in stateand local tax revenue.

Motley Fool

(NYSE: BMY) has been pummeled in 2025, creating a rare buying opportunity forinvestors willing to look past short-term headwinds. The company recently traded at alow forward-looking price-to-earnings ratio of 7— versus about23for the S&P 500. This suggests investors have apessimistic view of the company Its dividend recently yielded afat 5.4%. While the payout ratio of 91% (the percentage of earnings being paid out in dividends) is steep, the pharma titan has successfully navigated similar pressures before.

To be fair,the company does face challenges. Wall Street expects 2026 revenue to decline by nearly 7%, driven by mounting pricing pressures, geopolitical upheaval and slowing growth in key franchises. Longer term,the company also faces significant patent expirations forsome of its blockbuster drugs. Meanwhile, the company was recentlystung by astring of clinical trial failures. While management insists these failures don’taffect core growth opportunities forthose drugs, themarket remains skeptical. But Bristol Myers Squibb’s aggressive acquisition strategy has built adiversified pipeline extending wellbeyond its existing blockbusters. The company is making progress paying downdebt from prior deals, improving financial flexibility so it can makemore value-creating acquisitions. Consider taking acloser look.

Fool’s School:Consider dividend ETFs

Toomany people chase highflying growth stocks without realizing that steady and solid dividend-paying stocks can perform better over the long run. Consider this: Astudy

by Ned Davis Research summarized by Hartford Funds found that between 1973 and 2024, companies that grew or initiated dividend payments delivered annualized returns of 10.2% versus 4.3% for nondividend stocks and 7.65% foranequal-weight S&P 500 index. The dividend payers were less volatile than their counterparts, too. Asimple and effective way to invest in dividend-paying stocks is via dividend-focused exchange-traded funds. ETFs are funds that trade like stocks, making it easy to buy or sell them within brokerage accounts. Here are ahandful of dividend ETFs that you might want to look into: SPDR PortfolioS&P 500 High Dividend ETF(SPYD): This ETF recently yielded 4.5% and delivered an average annual gain of 14.3% over the past five years (admittedly, aperiod with above-average gains forthe stock market). It tracks the S&P 500 High Dividend Index of 80 high-yielding companies within the S&P 500 index.

Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD): This ETF recently yielded 4% and averaged an annual gain of 13.7% over the past five years. It tracks the Dow Jones U.S. Dividend 100 Index, which focuses on high-yielding U.S. stocks that are fundamentally strong and have paid dividends consistently Vanguard HighDividend Yield ETF(VYM): This ETF recently yielded 2.9% and averaged an annual gain of 14.7% over the past five years. It tracks the FTSE High Dividend Yield Index, which includes hundreds of stocks with above-average dividend yields.

Fidelity HighDividend ETF(FDVV): This ETF recently yielded 3% and had an average annual gain of 18.1% over the past five years. It mostly holds stocks from the Fidelity High Dividend Index, aportfolio of large- and midcap U.S. stocks that are expected to keep paying and increasing their dividends.

Alittle digging online will turn up additional promising dividend-focused ETFs.

Proudly American: HowTwo Louisiana Companies Anchor U.S. Leadership in the Gulf Menhaden Fishery

In 2024alone, the industry procured over $62 million in goods andservices from Louisiana-basedbusinesses—a powerful economic engine forwelders, fuel suppliers, electricians,and other small businesses acrossthe state

Beyond the local economy, menhaden is vital to national andglobal food systems.These small, nutrient-rich fish areprocessedinto omega-3 oils,protein-richfeeds,and other essentialingredients used in:

•Pet food

•Aquaculture and livestock feed

•Nutritional supplements

Major U.S. companies such as Nestlé Purina Petcare, BlueBuffalo (General Mills), Mars,Purina Animal Care,and Cargill rely on Louisiana’s menhaden fishery for high-quality,domestically sourced inputs Withoutthis supply,theywouldbeforced to importfromoverseas, increasing costsand weakening U.S. supply chainresilience. Defending aDomestic Resource As pressure mountstorestrict accessto working waters,Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvestersare on the frontlines defending America’sabilitytoharvest its own renewable resources sustainably The menhaden fisheryiscertified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)—

the global gold standardfor fisheries sustainability—and is one of onlytwo Gulffisheries to hold this distinction. The companies thatoperate it areproving daily thatresponsible management, jobcreation, and environmentalprotectioncan coexist.

Their leadership also helps protect domestic supplychains.Menhaden is afoundational input foreverything from livestock feed to crawfishbait to nutritional oilsupplements Keeping this fishery in American hands is vital forbothfoodsecurityand economic security.

AProud Future for American Fishing

In Louisiana,fishing is more thana business—it’sa birthright. Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvestersare helpingtoensure thatthis legacy continues forthe next generationofAmerican fishermen.

By investing in people, staying rooted in local communities,and leading with sustainability, theyare proving whatU.S.leadership in global seafood can—and should—look like.

In an uncertain world, Louisiana’smenhaden fishery remains astory of American pride, ruralstrength, and long-term success— thanksinlarge part to the commitmentof thesetwo homegrowncompanies

La. satellite company, Army partner on research

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Covington-based Global-

star is partnering with the U.S. Army on research that could position the upstart satellite company to play a larger role in the nation’s nearly $1 trillion defense industry

In an announcement Tuesday Globalstar said the Army will research the ability of its satellites to support covert surveillance, drone operations, location targeting, logistics tracking and other missions.

The technology under development focuses on lightweight communications devices that require little power to operate and are hard to detect. They are engineered to operate in austere and remote environments, where traditional communications infrastructure is limited, undesirable or unavailable.

“This collaboration reflects our growing engagement with defense and federal partners,” Globalstar

is

announced a

CEO Paul E Jacobs said in a prepared statement. “We’re proud to bring our decades of satellite expertise and emerging terrestrial innovation to support the Army’s evaluation of next-generation satellite capabilities.”

The announcement is the second in as many weeks for Globalstar, which operates low earth orbit satellites that provide communi-

cation and monitoring capabilities in remote areas.

Earlier this month, the company announced it had inked an agreement with Elon Musk’s company SpaceX its third since 2022 — for a 2026 launch that will put nine more of its low earth satellites into orbit. A separate launch, previously announced, planned for later this year will launch eight satellites.

“The launch services agreement with SpaceX represents another important milestone as we continue to execute on our construction and launch plan,” Jacobs said.

The markets reacted positively to Globalstar’s two announcements Its stock closed higher on nine out of the 10 trading days in July to reach a new six-month high. In February, the company moved from the New York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq and executed a reverse split to boost pershare prices. Satellite war?

Globalstar’s announcements come amid a race among private companies for space superiority

In 2022, the company signed a deal to provide emergency communications services for Apple’s iPhones, a significant move that significantly boosted its relevance in the tech, communications and private space industries.

Next week, T-Mobile will

BUSINESS BRIEFS

unveil its own T-Satellite emergency phone service in partnership with the Muskowned Starlink, a development that prompted at least one industry watcher to describe Globalstar as being in a “satellite war” with Musk’s competing service.

Since the early 2000s, Globalstar has operated loworbit satellites that power a network of communication and monitoring devices used by hikers, first responders, offshore energy workers, ranchers and others living or doing business in remote areas.

The Apple partnership in 2022 was a game-changer.

After its initial $450 million investment to launch the service, Apple last year announced an additional $1.5 billion commitment to Globalstar for expansion.

That change in fortune came more than a decade after the company moved from California to Covington in a stroke of good luck for local economic developers.

Globalstar began in the

1990s as a joint project between semiconductor manufacturer Qualcomm and defense contractor Loral, but high costs and consumers’ lukewarm response to satellite phones sent the company into bankruptcy In 2004, Denver-based private equity firm Thermo Capital Partners purchased Globalstar’s assets and, later moved the headquarters to Louisiana. The idea for the relocation came from Thermo’s managing partner, Jay Monroe, who saw an opportunity to lower operating costs and take advantage of Louisiana’s digital interactive media incentives and tax credits. Monroe, a Tulane University graduate who met and married a New Orleanian, has split time between Colorado and Louisiana for decades.

In March, Globalstar said it had about 400 employees worldwide including 160 or so in Louisiana.

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Zea to expand, renovate Lafayette location

Zea Rotisserie & Bar is expanding and renovating its Lafayette location

Work at the restaurant, 235 Doucet Road, will include a reimagined bar, expanded and upgraded private dining rooms and improved curbside and group dining areas, general manager Leonard Louvierre said. There will also be upgrades to mechanical and HVAC systems. The restaurant obtained a building permit from Lafayette Consolidated Government for the work, valued at $550,000, records indicate. Construction recently began and will be completed in phases to ensure the restaurant remains open Work is expected to be completed

early next year

Zea also has locations in the greater New Orleans area, Covington, Baton Rouge, Denham Springs and Ridgeland, Mississippi. It first opened in 1997 in Harahan.

Northgate Mall to be rebranded as The Hub

The Northgate Mall will be rebranded as The Hub and will combine commerce with community, new owner Jacoby Landry said.

“I want to change the whole theme of the mall,” Landry said during a recent interview with Jan Swift on the Discover Lafayette podcast. “I want to have trees, green space, make it nice, have a lot of lighting and make it feel safe.”

Landry said he anticipates interior work on the former Planet Fit-

ness space will be finished in about six months. That’s the first work to be done after he bought the building last month.

The former Planet Fitness will house a health club and spa in partnership with his sister Rachel McCorvey of BeLuxxe Health and Wellness Center

Other concepts could include a grocery store and children’s entertainment options, Landry said.

The idea behind the rebranding was inspired by Lafayette’s nickname, Hub City, and the Interstate 10/Interstate 49 cloverleaf, which will be reflected in its new logo, he said.

Pizza Artista in Broussard to close this month

The Pizza Artista location in Broussard will close later this

month.

Chrisy Doiron, her husband, Troy and their ownership group

CTD Operations will close the pizzeria on July 27 after seven years at 219 St. Nazaire Road, Suite G.

The restaurant has faced ongoing economic challenges over the last five years, a post on social media indicated. The Doirons reached a point in which continuing to operate was “no longer sustainable,” according to the post.

“Being a part of the Pizza Artista family has been an extraordinary journey one filled with creativity, passion, and a deep connection to the communities we serve,” the post read. “The ability to craft a one-of-a-kind, Cajun-inspired pizza has been a privilege. We’re proud to have been a part of such a fantastic brand that celebrates individual-

ity, hospitality and flavor.”

Building housing French Press sold for $3.35M

The building that houses The Truss Room and the new location for The French Press has been sold to a Baton Rouge businessman for $3.35 million.

Engleman Plaza, 3822 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, was sold to a limited liability company registered to Hui “Andy” Yang, co-founder of the Fiery Crab restaurant chain, land records show BJT Development was the seller

The 11,987-square-foot building first opened about five years ago and was built on the site of the old Posado’s Mexican Restaurant. David Gleason and Caitlyn Williams, of Gleason Group, brokered the deal.

Beyond isn’taplace —it’samindset. Andit’sabeliefthathas poweredusfor over 80 years. We areJones Walker LLP,a firmdrivenbyanentrepreneurial spirit,adeepsenseofcommunity, and afierce determination to deliverexceptional serviceand valuefor our clients.

Since1937, ourfirm hasbeencommitted to workingwithcommunityleaders to develop business opportunitiesacrossthe state. We aresteadfast in continuing ourdedicationtogobeyondinadvising clientsand supportinginitiatives andorganizations that make Louisiana abetterplace to live andwork

William H. Hines,ManagingPartner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000 201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans,LA70170-5100

|KENTUCKY|LOUISIANA |MISSISSIPPI |NEW

|TEXAS

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Paul Jacobs

CEO of Globalstar, based in Covington, which has

partnership with the Army to research its satellite capabilities.‘This collaboration reflects our growing engagement with defense and federal partners,’ he said.

Gallagherhas Louisiana industries covered.

Gallagher is oneofthe largest insurance brokerage, risk managementand consulting firms in theworld. With roots in Louisianadatingback decades,we’vegrown to become the leaderinthe stateaswell.

Leading theway in Louisiana. Gallagher serves awealthofindustrieshere, including:

Globalexperience.

As aglobal provider, Gallagher focuses heavily on data analytics and forecasting and benchmarking services,while offering thought leadership on such criticaltopics as cyber risk,social inflation and AI.Ifitaffects claimsand premiums, we areonit.

Louisianaexpertise

Gallagher enteredthe market with our first office in BatonRouge in 1991. Startingwith $5 million in revenue, we’veexpandedexponentially:

Acommitmentbeyond business. Ourteam is passionateabout taking part in opportunities to makeanimpact. From supporting local charities to hurricane relief efforts, we believe in giving back to the communities across Louisiana whereweliveand work.

Notall generators arecreated equal.

units have enginessimilar to small truck engines with aradiator like anormal car.These units typically will burn less oil and will provide longer run intervals.These Liquid Cooled units come in tworun speeds 1800 rpmand 3600 rpm; Overallthe 1800 rpm modelsare knowntobethe most reliablegenerators made Optimizestocks 1800 rpmRGModels

LOUISIANA

YOUNG INSPIRATION

Louisiana child inspired ‘Grey’s Anatomy’ episode and advocates in Congress

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Denver Coleman is 2 years old, but she’s already inspired an episode of “Grey’s Anatomy” and helped blaze a trail for other children and families, a feat she accomplished before she was even born Kenyatta Breaux Coleman, Denver’s mom, is a human resource professional at Woman’s Hospital in Baton Rouge. Coleman has a passion for patient and family advocacy

Three years ago, Coleman could not have predicted that the patient and family she was advocating for would be her own.

At 35, Coleman was pregnant with her fourth child. With a high-risk OB-GYN, everything was going to plan. Leading up to her 28-week appointment, Coleman started to experience intense itching on her legs.

“That was a red flag for

PHOTO PROVIDED By ANDREW LEDERMAN AT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL

me,” Coleman said. “As a mother of three kids, and now I’m expecting my fourth, I just felt like something was off.”

The doctors saw her that day When her lab tests came back, Coleman learned that she had intrahepatic cholesta-

sis of pregnancy — a condition that affects the liver To monitor her progress, Coleman’s doctor recommended weekly ultrasounds.

Two weeks later, her first weekly ultrasound of little Denver revealed a large malformation on her brain as

well as a mildly large heart Coleman met with other specialists who suggested Denver could have a vein of Galen malformation when multiple arteries in the brain connect directly with a large central vein, instead of connecting with capillaries.

This causes a rush of highpressure blood into the vein that causes it to enlarge like a balloon and the rapid blood return to the heart can lead to pulmonary hypertension, brain injury and congestive heart failure — often immediately after birth, sometimes leading to death.

“That information was all provided to us in one visit,” Coleman said. “We were also told that because Denver’s malformation was so large in size, there was a concern that it could possibly compromise her brain tissue.”

In the family’s research,

IV therapy gains popularity

Doctors, regulators preach caution with services

BY TOM MURPHY AP health writer

IV therapy clinics are springing up around the country, touting quick ways to recover from a hangover or a hard workout. But doctors and regulators preach caution.

The services have been on a growth spurt since the COVID-19 pandemic, offering drips that promise to boost energy, gird immune systems or relieve joint pain. This is done from bags of intravenous fluids normally seen hanging next to hospital beds.

Customers must be willing to fork over as much as couple of hundred dollars for each session — in some cases for a mixture of vitamins and supplements that would be considerably cheaper in pill form.

Proponents say this approach helps customers hydrate faster and absorb more of a vitamin or supplement than they would by swallowing pills.

But Dr Sam Torbati, co-chair of emergency medicine at CedarsSinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, says the therapy mostly helps people create “expensive urine,” with the body clearing what it doesn’t use.

How many IV clinics are there?

They’re hard to count, partly because some businesses just provide IV therapy while others offer it as part of a medical spa.

The practice grew popular during COVID-19, when access to doctors became limited and people grew more concerned about their immune system health, according to the American IV Association, an industry group.

Regulators in Ohio are following the trend closely in their state, which now has around 200 clinics. These businesses were largely unheard of there before the pandemic, said Cameron McNamee, a spokesperson for the Ohio Board of Pharmacy

What should customers know about IV therapy clinics?

Doctors say there are some good questions to pose before any treatment starts.

Customers should ask the person starting the IV how long they have been doing their job and what sort of training they have, Torbati said. They also should know what’s in the IV drip. For instance, “Wonder Juice” treatment offered by the Restore Hyper Wellness franchise combines six vitamins and supplements that are available, in oral form, on the pharmacy store shelves.

Knowing all the ingredients comes in handy if someone has an allergic reaction.

Also ask where the company gets its drugs, if any are used. The answer should be a licensed pharmaceutical wholesaler, McNamee said.

See THERAPY, page 2X ä See CHILD, page 3X

PHOTO PROVIDED By KENyATTA COLEMAN

Denver Coleman, 2, advocates for rare diseases on Family Advocacy Day in front of of the office of U.S Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, in Washington, D.C.

Denver Coleman is surrounded by her parents and part of her extensive care team.

HEALTH MAKER

Specialist advocates for children in hospitals

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Hospitals can be overwhelming for adults and for children. A child life specialist’s job is to advocate for patients, families and children.

Olivia Bourgeois was born in Cutoff and graduated with an undergraduate degree from Nicholls University in childhood development.

”I’m a bayou girl all the way,” Bourgeois said.

After months of volunteering at various childhood development experiences, Bourgeois ended up at the Southeastern Child Life Specialist master’s program. Training as a child life specialist involves volunteer hours, often completed through a hospital child life program (hours can also be done at medical camps or normative play experiences), a 600-hour internship in a child life program and observation or shadow hours of an acting child life specialist. Child life specialists are certified through the Association of Child Life Professionals and must recertify every five years. Child life specialists can also specialize or be delegated to one part of the hospital. Bourgeois works in the pediatric emergency

department at Manning Family Children’s in New Orleans.

What does a child life specialist do?

Our days consists of meeting families, patients and their children to provide support and coping.

Our role could be making the hospital a more normal and comfortable environment, which we can do through normative play in our playrooms with toys — or it’s understanding what this child’s immediate health care needs are. We try to approach them

in a way that they can better understand what’s going on to them, or around them, and provide coping support.

Because I’m meeting lots of people, I have to build trust and rapport very quickly with these families and get a little insight into what their child is like.

Then, we come up with a care plan. Doctors will decide treatments or tests that need to be run but, where I come in, is advocating for the patient and the child’s needs.

For example, after getting to know the child, I’ll

tell the doctor, “I think they could benefit from maybe a medicine that helps them stay calm.”

Sometimes I work with nurses saying, “Hey, I know we have to do this blood work, but I think this child could benefit from sitting on their parent’s lap.”

Our work in the hospital is fluid — it’s back and forth. We’re a member of the interdisciplinary team for a reason.

How do you build trust with patients? Where do you start?

Well, everyone is different, and we learn a lot in school about temperament and child attachment. Sometimes we need to speak to a child, almost through a parent.

We just get on their level. We make ourselves low We always find ourselves seated, or sometimes I’ll even crouch down on the side of the bed. I want it to feel less like this medical figure walking in. I want to feel like a friend, and I talk to them as such.

I try my best to phrase things to where I’m also learning from them. I may know that we’ve got this list of tests coming up, but I’m still going to ask them, “What did the doctor say to you?” or “Have you done this before?” and “How was that last experience?”

I want to make sure they have the opportunity to tell

me what’s going on in their lives — not me telling them what’s going on. I also bring in something that makes it comfortable for children, like coloring stickers, a blanket. Those are simple things easy things to make hard conversations more comfortable. Is there something, or an experience, that motivates you to continue your work as a child life specialist?

The process of becoming a child life specialist can feel very daunting and can overtake your brain for several years. It’s highly competitive to try and get some of these experiences. I was fortunate enough to do some of my volunteering at Manning Family Children’s in New Orleans. I went from cleaning toys to observing specialists to actually being a child life specialist here.

One day, I was with a child I had built some rapport with. She was a chronic kiddo. We were giggling and laughing and talking about hard stuff. This was my first year of working, and it was a stressful day We were talking about big things that are sometimes sad.

That day, sitting in the room I used to clean toys in as a volunteer, I realized that this experience was why I did this. This is what took an extra four or five years of school and driving,

commuting and financial burdens to be able to make this impact. Every time I got to see that child, throughout her many admissions, we were able to smile and giggle and continue talking about the hard stuff.

We also have conversations with siblings about their sibling about to pass. We use our development background to approach conversations around bereavement and death to siblings a little more on their level, and based on their understanding. I had one mom after an evening with some tough conversations, I reintroduced myself when I entered the room — as I always do because I am the evening person and sometimes families get confused when I’m there during the day That mom, she turned and she said, “Oh, Miss Olivia, we’ll never forget you.” That was a moment where I felt like I could cry It shows that even in the hard days, we as child life specialists, have moments where we can tell that all we’re doing is trying to leave families with something positive and lasting in their lives.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

Dopamine menus: Give your brain some space

Mayo Clinic News Network (TNS)

ROCHESTER, Minn. You likely are accustomed to encountering a range of menus in daily life, but there is one that may be new to you: a dopamine menu. Dr Robert Wilfahrt, a family medicine physician at Mayo Clinic and an expert in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, explains “A dopamine menu is a rebranding of what psychologists or health care professionals previously called behavioral activation — ways to get yourself to do what’s best for you, instead of what you feel like doing in the moment,” Dr. Wilfahrt says.

In this case, the best route to getting that tough task done is to step away from it for a minute, do something else that feeds you energy and then dive back into the task. The purpose? To stimulate dopamine — a hormone and neurotransmitter in the brain involved in mood, attention, reward and motivation. It’s also known as the “feel-good hormone.” Dopamine comes in many forms

THERAPY

Continued from page 1X

Otherwise, the drug could be counterfeit or substandard Ohio regulators have suspended the licenses of businesses that purchased drugs on Facebook. Customers also should make sure the clinic is in decent shape when they visit

“If the office isn’t clean, then the IV room’s probably not clean either,” McNamee said.

Why are regulators concerned?

They don’t like that a nurse or a paramedic often helps a customer decide on an IV therapy and then delivers the treatment. Rules can vary, but many state regulators say a doctor, physician assistant or nurse practitioner should be involved.

The clinics often run on standing orders which are issued by a doctor with the idea that they give the nurse or paramedic permission to treat patients according to certain protocols.

Hospital emergency rooms regularly operate on the same kind of orders, according to Dr Chris Seitz, an emergency physician and chairman of the American

Dopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter in the brain involved in mood, attention, reward and motivation.

reaching for your phone to doomscroll social media

is an easy and convenient way to get a bit of a lift, but that’s not the only option. What other accessible activities can bring you joy and a happy brain break?

Examples of healthy “dopamenu” activities include:

n Going for a brief walk

n Jamming out to your favorite song

n Making a cup of tea

n Petting your dog or cat n Lighting a candle n Reaching out to a friend or family member

“The idea is to break up what you’re doing,” says Dr Wilfahrt. And if the selected menu item is purposeful, you can feel a sense of reward for small progresses. When are dopamine menus most useful? If we’re not necessarily enthusiastic about the task we’ve been assigned, we struggle to maintain attention or interest. We then risk not meeting the expectation or obligation. We feel bad about it, get flooded with remorse and have an even tougher time completing the task

due to that sense of anxiety

“It can become a vicious cycle,” says Dr Wilfahrt. “It can be easy to become avoidant when we’re in these sort of doom loops.” So how can you stop this cycle? Brainstorm Make a mental or physical list of things you can do to get recentered.

Dr Wilfahrt says the more recently rebranded concept tends to be targeted to people with ADHD, but anyone would benefit:

“It’s not a bad idea for anybody to know how to best manage energy Sitting still to labor over one idea isn’t healthy for anyone.” And while activities on your dopamine menu are meant to be enjoyable, don’t forget to go back to the hard task. A journey to the dopamine menu is meant to provide a burst of enthusiasm, not to be something that sucks you in. Consider setting a timer — perhaps for an unusual interval like 13 minutes and 17 seconds. Enjoy the boost and get back to the (real) to-do list.

IV Association’s scientific advisory board

“Many nurses saw patients before I ever could get to them in the emergency department and initiated care like IV fluids,” he said Is there too much patient involvement?

Regulators also worry about the role customers play in picking their own treatments.

“A patient cannot enter a doctor’s office or hospital and demand an IV any more than a patient can direct his or her own appendectomy,” Kentucky officials said in a March statement.

But Seitz says there should be a partnership between any care provider and the patient, with the provider helping the patient make the right decision

“Patients have a requirement and a need to be the CEO of their own health,” he said.

Patient choice feeds another worry: the mixing of ingredients for specific treatments, a practice known as compounding

South Carolina regulators said in a 2023 statement that this should result from a valid care provider order, “not from a patient-driven menu akin to a fast-food res-

taurant.”

However, proponents say the addition of vitamins or drugs to an IV treatment should not be confused with mixing prescription drugs in a lab.

“It’s just pretty simple low-hanging fruit in terms of clinical complexity,” said Jeff Cohen, a co-founder of the American IV Association.

What’s the big picture?

IV therapy clinics do provide some care. They can help cancer patients or pregnant women stay hydrated Some treatments offer relief from migraine pain.

But many drips require the creation of a sterile, soluble vitamin or supplement that is safe to put into someone’s veins. That’s more expensive to make than a vitamin that may cost a few cents a pill, Torbati said.

Customers will need to determine whether the added expense is worth it.

“Usually within eight hours, all that expensive therapy (is) peed out,” he said. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIE JACOBSON

PHOTO PROVIDED By OCHSNER HEALTH

Olivia Bourgeois, back row, third from the left, and the child life specialist team at Ochsner Health work to make the hospital a comfortable place for families and kids.

DREAMSTIME/TNS FILE PHOTO By MARy KATHERINE WyNN

Eat Fit LiveFit

Special brew: Exploringthe roots and use of chicoryincoffee

Ifyou’veeversippedacaféaulaitin theFrenchQuarter,youhavetasted chicory’ssignaturenotes.Buthiddenin thatcupisahumblerootwhosestoryis biggerthanasinglesip Tolearnmoreaboutchicory,Isat downwithFeltonJones,roastmaster andbrandambassadorforPJ’sCoffeeand NewOrleansRoast.(Youcanhearour fullconversationonmypodcast,FUELED WellnessandNutrition.)

Onethingyoumayfindsurprisingabout chicorycoffeeisthatchicoryisn’tcoffee atall.Chicoryisablue-floweredperennial plantwithataprootthat,whenroasted, addstheboldrichnessNewOrleanians havecometoexpectfromacaféaulait.A blendofcoffeeandchicorywithsteamed milk,atypicalNewOrleanscaféaulait thesedaysismadewithabout20percent chicory.Butsomeblendsareasmuchas50 percentchicory,Feltonexplained Alsoofnoteisthefactthatpure chicoryhaszerocaffeine.Backinthe day,itwassaidthatdrinkingcoffeeand chicorywould“puthaironyourchest.” Old-fashionedexpressionaside,thedark roastandrobustflavorsofchicoryonly seemliketheyshouldalsotranslateto morecaffeine.Inreality,chicorygivesusa naturallydecaffeinatedcoffeeadditive(or alternative)thatstillfeelslike‘real’coffee.

“Tastewise,there’ssomuchpotencyin straightchicorythatyoucanusejusthalf thegroundsyou’dnormallyuseforcoffee andstillgetarich,almostespresso-like shot,”saysFelton.

Abriefhistoryofchicory

ChicoryshowsupinancientRoman andEgyptianwritingsfromthousands ofyearsago,mostlyforitsuseasa digestivetonic.Seventeenth-and eighteenth-centuryDutch,Germanand Frenchcafésroastedittostretchtheir limitedsupplyofcoffeebeansduring tradeembargoes,includingNapoleon’s

Co Blockade 1814) crippling economy forb wit Europe. crossing Atla Europe thet New where nav made blen brew Orl Taste Fel chicory half norm surprised slightly think of Isee by Pr Co experiment widely

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

BY THENUMBERS

WHAT ORGANS DO LOUISIANANSNEED?

There are currently 105,501 candidates wait-listed for organ donation across the United States as of July,according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network that updates data monthly

In Louisiana, there are 1,867 candidates on the waitlist for donated organs: n 1,656 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for kidneys,

CHILD

Continued from page1X

n 132 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for livers, n 4 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for pancreases, n 66 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for kidneys and pancreases

n 33 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for hearts, n 4 patients are on the Louisiana waitlist for lungs. There are no patients on the

they found aclinical trial at Boston Children’sHospital that treated Denver’sexact condition

“What are the chances ofthat?” Coleman said. “Wewere desperate for answers.” Coleman searched online for anyone remotely relatedtothe trial, and copied them on an email reflecting her conditionand herinterest. Boston Children’sresponded in 24 hours, and the Coleman family leapt at the opportunity.

Just onemonth afterDenver’s diagnosis, when Coleman was34 weeks pregnant, shecanceledher babyshower.She and her husband, Derek, left her three children in good care with her mother and boughtone-way tickets to Boston to enter anew in utero clinical trial at Boston Children’sHospital.

Theclinical trial

The Colemans knew there was only one documented case of a family undergoing this clinical trial in the world. They would bethe first in the United States to have the groundbreaking treatment. If not diagnosed and treated early,accordingtoBoston Children’s Hospital, the malformation can causesevereproblems andmay even be life threatening Until now,babies have notbeen treated for vein of Galen malformation until they are born. Dr Darren Orbach, the lead author of the research, and his colleagues at Boston Children’sand Brigham and

waitlist for intestine, abdominal wall, head and neck, upper limb or uterus transplants in Louisiana, according to theOrgan Procurement and Transplantation Network.

In 2024, 618 donors participatedinthe transplant program in Louisiana (for all organs) 524 were deceased donors and 99 were living donors. So far in 2025, 284 donors

participatedinthe transplant program including 244 deceased and 40 living donors.

Organdonation candidates are counted as one patient waiting at more than one center,orfor multiple organs.

Dataonorgan donation registrations (counting each organ and center as one waitlist) is available at otpn.transplant. hrsa.gov

Women’sHospitaldesigned anew procedure aimedatintervening while infants are still in the womb. Because the malformation is so rare —and because theintervention is meant for fetuses with healthy brain tissue but at high risk for poor outcomes like heart failure— theteam has waited for several years to find eligible candidates. With this condition and theclinical trial, themeasurement of the malformation is extremely important, according to Coleman.The smallest widthofmalformation allowed inthe trial was 7millimeters. At the time of herfirst MRI,

Denver’swas 12 millimeters, the width of asmall pea.

“Wewere in arace against time,” Coleman said. “Any additional growth to themalformation could have compromised her brain tissue,and in thatcase, we wouldn’t have been eligible for the procedure at all.”

Denver was first of what Boston hospital hopes will eventually be 20 patients in this clinical trial. The clinical trial is still ongoing. The procedure itself was about 20 minutes, andColeman was awake for the procedure. She was given an epidural and watched as theteam strategically placed 23

•Chooseamethod.Chicoryworks instandarddripcoffeemakers,also Frenchpress,pour-over,mokapots –evenespressobaskets.(Notethat thegrindistypicallyabitcoarser thancoffee.)

•Blendtotaste.Startwitha4:1 coffee-to-chicoryratioforeveryday sipping–orfliptheratioifyou’re lookingforalower-caffeinecup. •Addmilkorkeepitblack.Fora creamycaféaulait,chicory’ssubtle sweetnessworkswellwithdairyand nondairyoptions.

Funfact

Evernoticed‘chicoryrootextract’(often referredtoasinulin)listedasaningredient infiber-richbreads,wraps,nutrition barsandevenicecream?Thatextractis indeedfromthesamechicoryplant.But theprocessingofchicoryrootfiberis completelydifferentfromthatofchicory ‘coffee,’includingtheuseofmuchlower heattopreserveitssolublefiberandgutfriendly,prebioticbenefits.

Whenchicoryrootisroastedtohigher temperaturestobeusedascoffee,nearly alloftheinulincaramelizes.That’sgreat forflavor,butthebrewwon’tretainthe samenutritionalperksoffiber-richchicory rootextract.

Onelastsip

ChicorymaydatebacktoancientRome, butitsrenaissanceisreal.Feltonshared thatit’sPJ’sCoffee’stopselleronAmazon. It’salsoabudget-friendly,all-naturaldecaf coffeealternative.And—ifourtastetest meansanything—wethinkit’ssurprisingly tastyonitsown. So,thenexttimeyoucraveaboldcup ofcoffeeafterdinner,rememberthatthe boldestbrewinNewOrleansdoesn’teven comefromabean.Givethishumbleroota try—andletusknowwhatyouthink.

coils inside of Denver’smalformation that slowed Denver’sblood flow and relievingthe stress on her heart

Doctorsnoticed asignificant change in her condition within the first hour,according to Coleman.

“If there’satestament of how successful this procedure was, Denverisdefinitely that,” Coleman said.

Denver wasborn two days later She weighed 4pounds, 1ounce. She was six weeksearly,but the procedure worked so well that Denver did notexperiencecommon complications when babies are born premature.

At dayfive, Denver was eating and nursing. After 11 days at BostonChildren’s, Denver was transferred to aneighboring NICU at Brigham Women’s hospital in Boston.The Coleman family spent just under four weeksinMassachusetts to workonher preemie milestones

“I honestlyfeel like when it comes to rare conditions, there’s notenough that’sbeing done,” Coleman said. “I kind of vowed at thattime, that if there was any opportunitytobeanadvocate, I would make that apriority.”

Mother-daughteradvocates Since surviving the groundbreaking clinical trial, the Coleman’shavenot been idle.Kenyatta andDenver together have worked in both theirLouisiana community and nationwide to advocate for rare diseasesand share Denver’s remarkablestory On Denver’sfirst birthday,the Colemans started an Amazon wish

listtoprovide blankets, toysand essentialsfor NICUs. Theygot so many responses, theyhad to keep adding to the list to keep up. With the extrafunds, from the wishlistand theproceeds from “Grey’sAnatomy,” Denver and Colemanwereabletodistribute the gifts and provide lunch for NICU caregivers at threeLouisiana hospitals.

“Whatwas supposedtobeaday of serviceturnedintoa weekend of fun,” Coleman said. “Miss Denverwas so tired andexhausted, butwewerefulfilled. We felt really good in the end.”

This year,for Denver’ssecond birthday,the mother-daughter duo hosteda community family affair and invited children with rare conditions and medically complex diagnosis to play at apark. Free snowcones,art activities, apetting zoo, Bluey cameos and more greeted the over 100 guests that came to the event.

More recently,the entire Colemanfamily made the trek to Washington,D.C., andU.S.Congress, for Family Advocacy Day

“Wewereable to collaborate and meet other families. It really put things into perspective forour family,”Coleman said. “Wewere able to understand thepower of our voice.”

Coleman, whonow serves on the Louisiana Rare Disease Advisory Council, is now looking for her next event in September forNICU awareness month.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

PHOTO PROVIDED By KENyATTA COLEMAN Kenyatta andDenverColeman, center,and the Coleman family visit the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., for Family Advocacy Day.

BROUGH TT OY OU BY

Back tSchool Bestbets forahealthystart

1 in 5

11%

Packingschoollunchescanbeaweeklychallengeforparents, especiallywhenbalancingvariety,nutritionandpickyeaters.To keeplunchesexcitingandnutritious,herearethreecreativeideas: Notyourusualbrown-baglunch:Trysalmonortunasalad wrapsmadewithGreekyogurt,spinachandtomatoesfora protein-packed,veggie-filledoption.Pairwithcrunchysideslike TriscuitThinsorParmesanCrispsandlow-sugarGreekyogurtfora balancedmeal.

Tapas-to-go:Combineapplesliceswithnutbutter,stringcheese, hummussnackpacksandBeanfieldschipsforaprotein-andfiberrichlunch.

Buildyourown“Lunchables”:Usewhole-graincrackers,cheese andleanproteinsliketurkeyorchicken.Addveggiestickswith high-proteinranchdipmadefromGreekyogurt. Involvekidsinplanningtoensuretheyenjoytheirmealswhile stayingfueledfortheschoolday!

children ages 8and younger in the United States arediagnosed with amental, behavioral or developmental disorder of

Noticethesigns.

4%

Payattentiontoshiftsinyourchild’smood,behavior,orhabits.Stress, withdrawal,orsuddenchangescouldbesignsthatsomethingdeeperisgoing on.Butalsotaketimetovalueandrecognizewhatyourchildisdoingwell.

Identifywaystorelax,connectandhavefunwithyourchild. Spendtimedoingthingsyoubothenjoy.Whetherit’sawalk,agame,orjust talking,thesemomentshelpyourchildfeelsafe,supported,andloved.

Listenwithoutjudgment.

Letyourchildknowit’sokaytotalkaboutwhatthey’refeeling.Listenwith care,validatetheiremotions,andremindthemthey’renotalone.

Seekprofessionalinterventionwhenneeded.

Ifyou’reconcernedaboutyourchild’smentalhealth,turntotheexperts. Speakwithyourchild’spediatrician,counselor,oramentalhealthprofessional todesignatreatmentplanthat’srightforyourchildandyourfamily.

Sports injury prevention tips

AccordingtotheAmericanAcademyofPediatrics,sports participationisassociatedwithreductionsinstress,anxiety, depressionandsubstancemisuseinchildren.Ithasalsobeen showntoincreaseself-confidence,self-esteem,socialskillsand academicachievement.

Toreapallthebenefits,it’simportanttostartoffontheright foot.Thefirststepisaphysicalexam.Allathletesshouldvisittheir primarycaredoctorforayearlysportsphysicalbeforethestartof theirseason.

Inadditiontoprioritizingrestandhydration,studentathletes shouldadheretoproperstretchingandcrosstrainingroutines.

Yourchildshouldwearprotectivegearthat’sintendedfora specificsportandposition.Itshouldalwaysbeworncorrectly andinspectedregularlytomakesureit’singoodconditionand fitsproperly.

TreatinjurieswiththeRICEmethod:rest,ice,compressionand elevation.Ifyoudohometreatmentandtheinjurydoesn’tresolve withinafewdays,it’stimetoseeadoctor.

ALAND’SLEGACY

Land Trustfor Louisianaholds unique events forconservation

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Not every legacy is built with concrete.

In astate where land carries deep meaning, more Louisianans are finding ways to protect the places they love. Through conservation easements, they’re ensuring theirwoods, pastures and wetlands will remain for generations to come.

Land Trust for Louisiana, aconservation nonprofit based in Covington, was formed 20years ago to help property owners protect Louisiana’snatural landscapes and resources. They now hold conservation easements on dozens ofproperties across thestate, preserving nearly15,000acres of forest,farmland, riverbanks, marsh and green spaces. These places range from a 100-year-old,family-runrice farm in Vermilion Parish,toold-growth forest near north Louisiana’s peach country

An easement is alegal agreement —typically between alandowner and an entity such as aland trust —thatspells outhow the owner can continue to use and benefit from theproperty,while restrictingdevelopment andactivities that could harm theland.

‘Peoplewanttoprotect aplace they love’

Conservation easements can also bring income tax benefits for thepropertyowner,especially for farmers and ranchers with agricultural land. But that’sthe paperwork. At theend of the day,“people want to protect aplace they love. They want to see it thrive for future generations,” according to Land Trust for Louisianaexecutive director Cindy Brown. This is what motivated agroupof friends in the Hammondarea, who started the landtrust in 2005 with thegoal of protecting old campground, Cherokee Beach,that had brought campers and tubers to the

JayAddison, left, CEOofLand Trust for Louisiana and owner of Pine Knoll Farm,stands withLand Trust for Louisiana executivedirector Cindy Brown at the organization’s annual meetinginHammond in February2023.

Tangipahoa River for decades. “Our founder,Dr. Jay Addison, grew up near thecampground and got his start workingasthe farm manager at Pine Knoll Farm, just

ä See LAND, page 2Y

Fake Facebook storiesare foolingfans

LSU football coach Brian Kelly did not rescue 165 people in the Texas floods.Neither did he decide to cover all funeral expenses and provide compensation to the families of the victimsofthe flashfloods.Nor did he convince quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to join him on the mission. The LSU Tigersfootball team did not donate $50 million to supportflood victims— despite the fake posthaving been liked by more than 4,000 people and shared by more than athousand. Country superstars Reba and Dolly didn’tride down the swollen Guadalupe River lastweek in matching orange rain jackets. Peyton Manning didn’tchange the life of apoor 13-year-old girl named Nia by paying for her to attend math camp, leading her to win anational math awardseven yearslater KingCharles didn’tcry at the French state dinner on July 8, speaking about Catherine, PrincessofWales.Instead, he spoke about England’slong and complicated history with France —and their hope for the future.

Allofthosefabricated stories appear to be artificial intelligence-generated stories pushed by Facebook pages,usually run by people in other countries, particularly Vietnam and the Philippines. Specifically,the LSUbased stories areshared from a Facebook fan page called LSU Gridiron Glory Why people make up this stuff —and what their endgameis —remains unclear.SoIstarted digging.

The LSU Gridiron Glory fan page says that eight of the page managerslive in Vietnam,two live in the U.S. and one lives in the Philippines. It alsosaid that it’sbased at 105 N. Main St., in Koosharem,Utah. The “about page” even includes aphone number

Icalled the number Awoman named Annette answered. She had no idea what I was talking about. She and her family runasmall farm. They used to accept wool and cotton from other people acrossthe countryand make yarn, but now they just farm. We chatted about my new loom.Then Iasked if she or her farmwere located on Main Street in Koosharem,population 310 people.

She said shewasn’t.

“I’m out of Koshurum,” Annette said. “That addressmight be the mercantile, or it might be achurch.”

She had no idea how her phone got associated with apage about LSU sports, but shewished she could help me with my new loom She’sthinking about getting one herself.

The hunt for other scam sites was on.

Ifound that there was asimilar SoonersGridiron Glory.Istarted digging into its “about” info and eventually learned that it uses the phone number and address for Ray’sBarbecue in Norman Oklahoma. Icalled. The waitress whoansweredsaid Ineeded to talk to Ray. He, too, was confused and told me they were not affiliated with theFacebook page, but that they serveamean version of St. Louis-style ribs

The listofsites pushing these made-up stories is long.

These types of stories are called “glurge,” defined as “stories,often sent by email or social media, that aresupposed to be true and uplifting, but which are often fabricated and sentimental,” according to dictionary.com

See RISHER, page 2Y

FILEPHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

PHOTOSPROVIDED By LAND TRUST FORLOUISIANA

LandTrust for Louisiana holds yoga in the Sunflowers, an event that supports conservation across thestate, at Pine Knoll Farm —a working horse farmand conservation easement in Tangipahoa Parish. yoga in the Sunflowersistaking placethis summer at PineKnoll Farm in Independence.

ASK THE EXPERTS

Mentoring organization wins national award

Chapter president proud of members

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

Originally from Lake Charles, Andre Harmon, a Southern University alumnus, is the current president of 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, a nonprofit organization in which African American males step forward and assume roles of community leadership, responsibility and guidance. He is in his second year of his presidency and just last year celebrated the largest intake of new members at 84 men from all walks of life.

In 1993, 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge joined 100 Black Men of America with Brace Godfrey, Jr as its founding president. The chapter has grown from six founders in 1993 to 300 members in 2025. The organization fosters and develops programs that build community by enhancing the lives of the area’s African American youth.

This year 100 Black Men of America recognized 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge with the Large Chapter of the Year award out of 103 chapters in the country

How did you get involved with 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge? I joined right about 10 years ago. I had a couple of friends who were doing some community service projects, and I was intrigued by what they were doing — mentoring young men. I’ve always had a zeal for mentoring as well, and so I decided to look into the organization. I saw they offered a lot of wonderful programs, so I decided to join right around that time.

What does winning the 100 Black Men of America Large Chapter of the Year award mean to you?

It’s one thing to do the work and try to make a difference in young people’s lives, but then when you’re recognized for your achievements, it’s really special. It motivates us as volunteers, as leaders, and then it also gives us a great talking point because

we’ve worked so hard to get them where they are. Which program are you most proud of?

I can’t say that I love all of them. I can tell you that the Project Excel, that’s the largest one. I don’t know how many children we’re going to have in August, but last year we had right at 150.

The good thing about the organization is that all of our other programs like the financial literacy program, ACT prep and Young Investors Academy are available to the kids in the mentoring program. I love all of them, but the mentoring program is probably my favorite because those are the most kids that I interact with.

We have actually touched almost every public school, alternative school and charter school in Baton Rouge through our mentoring program.

What would you like people to know about the organization that can’t be found in a press release?

I’ve sat in meetings with School Board individuals, and we actually have members on the School Board as well. And one of the things that they stressed to me is, if you can get a child as early as the fourth grade and make sure that he can read, then the rest of his school career might really take off.

Q&A WITH ANDRE HARMON PRESIDENT OF 100 BLACK MEN OF BATON ROUGE

We do ACT prep and STEM We do these things in conjunction with the Project Excel mentoring program. It’s multifaceted. We just try to do what we can, when we can I always have to make sure I give a shout out to all the volunteers of the organization who put this thing together. We have a lot of moving pieces, but the reason why we do so well is because the volunteers that we have give 110% I always love to acknowledge my members.

How are people’s lives impacted through the mentoring and programming that 100 Black Men offers in Baton Rouge? When I first started out, I remember one young man who was in middle school when I started He was shy wouldn’t talk and hid behind his mom at our first meeting. He went through the programs, joined the Collegiate 100, and we followed him from middle school all the way through college He graduated from college, and we just inducted him into the organization.

PHOTO PROVIDED By LAND TRUST FOR LOUISIANA Land Trust for Louisiana holds yoga in the Sunflowers, an event that supports conservation across the state, at Pine Knoll Farm — a working horse farm and conservation easement in Tangipahoa Parish. yoga in the Sunflowers is taking place this summer at Pine Knoll Farm in Independence.

LAND

Continued from page 1y

across the river,” Brown said. “In 2000, he purchased Pine Knoll and immediately started asking about protecting Cherokee Beach but he realized that if he wanted to conserve it, he would have to buy it, too.” Addison, an equine veterinarian specializing in Thoroughbred racing, helped found the conservation nonprofit so that Louisiana would have its own, locallybased land trust to conserve smaller, ecologically-significant properties that may fall under the radar of larger groups.

The perfect place

Land Trust for Louisiana now holds conservation easements on both Cherokee Beach and Pine Knoll Farm in Tangipahoa Parish — a working horse farm where Addison also manages new stands of longleaf pine, as part of ongoing longleaf restoration efforts by property owners and conservation groups on the Northshore. Pine Knoll Farm is a private property typically closed to the public, but as part of their awareness work, Land Trust for Louisiana hosts events on properties where they hold easements — like a birding field trip at Live Oak rice farm in Acadiana, fall hikes at the Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve and a spring paddle

trip at Maurepas Swamp.

This month, Addison is opening Pine Knoll Farm for a special day of yoga next to a mature sunflower field, where participants can pick their own flowers and take tours of the property following a gentle, all-skills yoga class.

“We’re in the heart of the Florida Parishes, surrounded by rolling hills and our native longleaf pine habitat,” said Addison. “This is something really unique for the area, in one of the most serene natural settings I can imagine.”

Brown added that the horse farm is the ideal place to unwind during the heat of summer, since the nearby river produces cool breezes across the property.

“Our goal for everyone

who participates is to leave feeling more connected to nature, themselves and to each other,” Brown said.

“One of the best ways to realize the true value of the nature that surrounds us is to immerse yourself in it.”

Yoga in the Sunflowers will be held 8 to 10:30 a.m. Saturday, July 26, at Pine Knoll Farm, near Hammond. Tickets can be purchased at the Land Trust for Louisiana website Shade, refreshments and restrooms will be available.

Editor’s note: Staff writer Joanna Brown volunteers with Land Trust for Louisiana.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

RISHER

He’s the first mentee to be inducted as a member of the organization. And now he’s this entrepreneur working on his master’s degree. Those type of things, to me, speak volumes because it’s not just about the work that we do. When you follow the kids from middle school to high school and through college, it’s a really big deal for us. It makes us feel good to know that the work that we’re doing is actually being received at that level.

Continued from page 1y

“Unfortunately, these types of posts are becoming more common on social media,” said Michael Bonnette, LSU sports information director

“We do the best we can to report them to whichever platform that they appear but other than that, there’s not much more we can do.”

Bonnette said LSU does not respond to the posts because they don’t want to give the generated posts any credibility Why are people in Vietnam and the Philippines going to the trouble of creating these AI-generated images? Money

While the Facebook pages currently lack ads, commenters on “Country Nightfall” are often approached by profiles who appear to work with the page in messages — a setup likely to lead to money requests.

Beyond that, David Ponevac, an AI-expert with Luceon LLC, says the scammers who operate these pages do so with purpose and strategy

“Facebook is a platform they use for sharing and building up a following,” Ponevac said.

“It is extremely simple to grow an audience on Facebook with fake/ outrageous stories. Then they encourage you to read the whole article, and you end up going to a site where they run ads.”

How to recognize glurge:

1. Check the story’s credibility Is it from a reputable outlet, with a named and traceable journalist or photographer? If you can’t verify authorship or source history, be skeptical 2. Examine the details.

In stories, look for vague timelines, generic quotes or phrasing that seems too smooth. AI text often lacks specificity In photos, look closely at the lines where people and backgrounds meet. AI does something funny to those areas. AI is getting better, but it often distorts these subtly Extra fingers, warped glasses or melted jewelry are red flags. Check: n hands n eyes n teeth n text. (In the Peyton Manning/Nia story the wording in photos is garbled.)

3. Does the story pull at your heartstrings? While there are certainly real stories that are touching, AI-written stories often go to the extreme They mimic emotion, but they lack nuance or contradiction — a human story usually includes complexity, flaws or unexpected details. If the story feels overly smooth, repetitive or emotionally forced, it’s likely AI.

4. Cross-reference facts. If you’re still not sure, Google names, places and events mentioned in the text. If you can’t find independent confirmation of key details, it is likely an AI-fabricated story 5. If you’re able, use reverse image search. Drop photos into Google Images or TinEye to see where else they appear If the same image shows up with different contexts or no real origin, it is likely AI-generated. In the age of AI, not every heartwarming story is real. If it sounds too good to be true especially on Facebook — it probably is.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate. com.

Andre Harmon sits with Project Excel mentees as they work on vision boards.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Andre Harmon, president of 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge

Self-defense skills canhelpkeepyou safe

Classes availablein NewOrleans

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

Though violent crime rates have dipped both nationwide and in New Orleans, self defense experts say sharpening thesenses andpracticing strength training are still important tools for staying safe.

Whether you’re walking alone afterdarkornavigating unfamiliar streets, staying safe starts with staying aware, according to local black beltdojo instructors Sharon Davidson, Natsumi Sugiyama andKaty Ancelet.

For the three instructors, selfdefense starts long before any physical confrontation.And sometimes, taking basic safety precautions, like scanning your surroundings, can be just as powerful as learning other moves or techniques.

Ancelet, who is the lead instructor for the Judo Youth Program, said the mind can often shut down when presented with adangerous situation.

“But Ithink with continual (martial arts) practice,you can override that feelingofpanic so that your body reactsevenwhen your mind isn’tquitesure what to do.”

Mind andbody

At Shotokan Academy,where students train in karate,judo and aikido, Davidson, Sugiyama and Ancelet focus on empoweringindividualswho take their classes.

Martial arts trainingenhances strength, reflexes and coordination, along with othertechniques needed for self-defense.

“There’sasatisfaction and a

sense of well-being that comes with feeling strong,which Idon’t think women are necessarily encouraged to feel,” Davidson said.

Alarge part of Davidson’s introduction to martial arts wasthe desire to gain controlover potentially harmful situations.

After yearsofpractice, the karate instructorisnow confident in herabilitytodefendherself, though she saidshe hopestonever haveto.

“I definitely think thathaving someconfidenceinyour ability changesthe way that you carry

yourself,and people can recognizethatfor sure,” shesaid. Thephilosophy

Even withoutmartial arts experience, youcan stilldeploy preventativemeasures to diminish danger

“Your brain is your first weapon for defense,” Davidson said. Sugiyamaadded that engaging in combat should be one’s last resort when encountering danger When leaving thedojolateat night, she often scans her surroundings and locates her car keys beforeheading outside.

“Martial arts is not just fitness to me,it’smorelike aphilosophy,” Sugiyamasaid.

Howtoget involved

New Orleans Shotokan Academy offers avarietyofclasses forbeginnerslookingtolearn self-defense tactics

Otherspots likeNew Orleans Shaolin offer trauma-informed self-defense courses based on the art of kung fu. If you’re interested in practicing Krav Maga —ablend of martial art stylesthatfocusonreal-world situations— consider signing up for self-defense classes at DF6

Defense Academy,where training is informed “byreal-worldexperiences, encompassing insights from thebattlefield, urban crime statistics, andcounter-terrorism strategies.”

The NewOrleansPoliceDepartment also offers afree seven-week Citizen’sPoliceAcademy program twiceayear that details theinner workings of thecriminaljustice system while offering safety tips. But above all, prevention is most important, Davidsonsaid. “A little bit more preparation and vigilance can go way farther than anything we can teach in two hours.”

At Our Lady of Lourdes JD Moncus Cancer Center,wewant to make sureyou nevermissa momentofwhat really counts. Our attentiontoyourcareisbased on adecades-long foundationofexperience and compassionate, comprehensive treatmentfor Acadiana families, includingall theresources youneed to fight cancer.That’s why we’rethe region’s trusted cancer treatmentdestination. That’s why it allcounts here. LearnmoreatLourdesRMC.com/cancer

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Krav Magaself-defense class participants learnthe best ways to punch and kick back at TriumphKravMaga.

FAITH & VALUES

Volunteer finds pristine abolitionist-era documents

Baptist archive in Massachusetts sheds light

BY MICHAEL CASEY Contributing writer

Jennifer Cromack was combing through the American Baptist archive when she uncovered a slim box among some 18th and 19th century journals. Opening it, she found a scroll in pristine condition.

A closer look revealed the 5-footlong (1.5-meter-long) document was a handwritten declaration titled, “A Resolution and Protest Against Slavery,” signed by 116 New England ministers in Boston and adopted March 2, 1847. Until its discovery in May at the archives in Groton, Massachusetts, American Baptist officials worried the anti-slavery document had been lost forever after fruitless searches at Harvard and Brown universities and other locations. A copy was last seen in a 1902 history book.

“I was just amazed and excited,” said Cromack, a retired teacher who volunteers at the archive. “We made a find that really says something to the people of the state and the people in the country It speaks of their commitment to keeping people safe and out of situations that they should not be in.”

The document offers a glimpse into an emerging debate over

slavery in the 19th century in the Northeast The document was signed 14 years before the start of the Civil War as a growing number of religious leaders were starting to speak out against slavery Split over slavery

The document also shines a spotlight on a critical moment in the history of the Baptist church.

It was signed two years after the issue of slavery prompted southern Baptists to split from northern Baptists and form the Southern Baptist Convention, the nation’s largest Protestant denomination.

The split in 1845 followed a ruling by the American Baptist Foreign Mission Society prohibiting slave owners from becoming missionaries. The northern Baptists eventually became American Baptist Churches USA.

“It comes from such a critical era in American history, you know, right prior to the Civil War,” said the Rev Mary Day Hamel, the executive minister of the American Baptist Churches of Massachusetts.

“It was a unique moment in history when Baptists in Massachusetts stepped up and took a strong position and stood for justice in the shaping of this country,” she said.

“That’s become part of our heritage to this day to be people who stand for justice, for American Baptists to embrace diversity.”

A risky declaration

Deborah Bingham Van Broek-

hoven, the executive director emerita of the American Baptist Historical Society, said many Americans at the time, especially in the North, were “undecided” about slavery and weren’t sure how to respond or were worried about speaking out.

“They thought it was a Southern problem, and they had no business getting involved in what they saw as the state’s rights,”

Van Broekhoven said “Most Baptists, prior to this, would have refrained from this kind of protest. This is a very good example of them going out on a limb and trying to be diplomatic.”

The document shows ministers had hoped “some reformatory movement” led by those involved in slavery would make their action “unnecessary,” but that they felt compelled to act after they “witnessed with painful surprise, a growing disposition to justify, extend and perpetuate their iniquitous system.”

“Under these circumstances we can no longer be silent,” the document states. “We owe something to the oppressed as well as to the oppressor, and justice demands the fulfillment of that obligation. Truth and Humanity and Public Virtue, have claims upon us which we cannot dishonor.”

The document explains why the ministers “disapprove and abhor the system of American slavery.”

“With such a system we can have no sympathy,” the document states. “After a careful observa-

PROVIDED PHOTO

The document offers a glimpse into an emerging debate over slavery in the 19th century in the Northeast.

tion of its character and effects and making every deduction with the largest charity can require, we are constrained to regard it as an outrage upon the rights and happiness of our fellow men, for which there is no valid justification or apology.”

Who signed the document?

The Rev Diane Badger, the administrator of the American Baptist Church of Massachusetts who oversees the archive, teamed up with the Rev John Odams of the First Baptist Church in Boston to identify what she called the “Holy Grail” of abolitionist-era Baptist documents. Her greatgrandfather was an American Baptist minister Since its discovery Badger has put all the ministers’ names on a spreadsheet along with the names of the churches where they served. Among them was Nathaniel Colver of Tremont

Temple in Boston, one of the first integrated churches in the country, now known as Tremont Temple Baptist Church. Another was Baron Stow, who belonged to the state’s anti-slavery society Badger also is working to estimate the value of the document, which is intact with no stains or damage, and is making plans to ensure it is protected. A digital copy could eventually be shared with some of Massachusetts’ 230 American Baptist churches.

“It’s been kind of an interesting journey and it’s one that’s still unfolding,” Badger said. “The questions that always come to me, OK, I know who signed it but who didn’t? I can go through my list, through my database and find who was working where on that and why didn’t they sign that. So it’s been very interesting to do the research.”

The Rev Kenneth Young — whose predominantly Black Calvary Baptist Church in Haverhill, Massachusetts was created by freed Blacks in 1871 — called the discovery inspiring.

“I thought it was awesome that we had over hundred signers to this, that they would project that freedom for our people is just,” Young said. “It follows through on the line of the abolitionist movement and fighting for those who may not have had the strength to fight for themselves against a system of racism.”

Once-extinct spring Chinook salmon back at Walla Walla

900 recorded in river result of decades of work

BY SUSAN SHAIN

Contributing writer

Editor’s note: This story, created by Susan Shain for Northwest Public Broadcasting, is part of the Solutions Story Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities — solutions that can be adopted around the world.

In a tiny cement room under a big steel-and-cement bridge, Jerimiah Bonifer stood at a rectangular window Through the plexiglass pane, he had an underwater view of the Walla Walla River, which flows from the Blue Mountains to the Columbia River

A camera sat trained on the window, collecting data that would be hand-reviewed by staff at the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, or CTUIR. Bonifer, who manages fishery programs for the CTUIR, was excited by what the camera had captured: more than 900 spring Chinook salmon swimming past this bridge in Milton-Freewater, Oregon, as of late June.

That number is a significant jump from past years: roughly 500 in 2024 and roughly 60 in 2023. The growing numbers of Chinook are the result of decades of work by the CTUIR, as well as extensive collaboration with the Bonneville Power Administration and the governments of Washington and Oregon.

The CTUIR, which is a union of the Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla people, soon hopes to have a self-sustaining population of Chinook, with runs big enough to allow for tribal harvest.

“With spring Chinook actually returning in harvestable numbers, we’re gonna be restoring a connection to landscape that’s been missing for quite a while,” said Bonifer, who’s a CTUIR member “This relationship with the landscape, this relationship with the foods, is essential to our culture.”

A ‘First Foods’ mission Spring Chinook went extinct in the Walla Walla River about a century ago, after infrastructure built in the river caused it to run dry in the summers. Bonifer said other factors contributed to the extinction, too: overfishing, overallocation of water, and a lack of screens on irrigation systems, which meant salmon would pour

onto farmers’ fields.

The loss of the salmon was devastating to the CTUIR. For the tribes, the fish are more than just a food source; they’re an integral part of their culture. So much so, the mission statement of the tribes’ Department of Natural Resources is to “protect, restore, and enhance the First Foods” — water, salmon, deer, roots and huckleberry that represent the region’s Indigenous people.

So in 2000, the CTUIR began making a pointed effort to bring Chinook back to the Walla Walla Basin. It started by planting adults, and later juveniles, or smolts, from the Carson National Fish Hatchery into the river

But not many salmon returned in the following years. And besides, releasing salmon from a different location seemed incongruous with the tribes’ ultimate goal of a naturally spawning local population. So the idea for a CTUIR-owned hatchery was born.

But first, the water flowing down the Walla Walla River which needed to be colder and more plentiful for the fish to survive their passage had to be addressed.

A groundbreaking new law

The tribes weren’t the only ones concerned about water in the Walla Walla Basin.

Brook Beeler, the eastern region director for Washington’s Department of Ecology, said that there had been “decades of frustration” because there wasn’t enough water to meet the needs of everyone: farmers, industry cities and tribes.

So in 2009, Washington’s Legislature developed a pilot program that gave those in the Walla Walla Basin more flexibility in managing their water Despite some successes, the program didn’t result in more water in the streams — a necessity for fish migration. And after a decade, the CTUIR asked the state of Washington for more

help.

The Legislature directed the Department of Ecology to get involved again and this time, to include the state of Oregon, as well. The result was the Walla Walla Basin Advisory Committee.

Modeled after the Yakima Basin Integrated Plan, which started in 2013, Walla Walla’s committee includes representatives from government, agriculture, business, recreation, conservation and more. The group also encourages the public to attend its monthly meetings.

“The overarching goal is to have that durable supply for everyone,” Beeler said. “People, farms and fish.”

In comparison to the pilot project, the new committee makes decisions by consensus rather than votes. Beeler said that’s been key to its success.

“Whereas before you could really just sit in your camp and vote how you wanted, now it really forces dialogue and understanding,” she said.

The committee’s biggest accomplishment, Beeler said, has been pushing for two new laws that allow the state of Washington to collectively manage water in the Walla Walla Basin with Oregon.

Now, when someone in Oregon adds more water to the proverbial water cooler that is the Walla Walla River, Washington’s Department of Ecology can preserve that water, too, ensuring it flows all the way to the Columbia River and out to sea The laws that allow this were among the first of their kind nationwide.

“It’s pretty remarkable,” said Dylan Hedden-Nicely, a professor and head of the Native American law program at the University of Idaho and citizen of the Cherokee Nation. “I think that this serves as maybe an example or a precedent for better intergovernmental, transboundary water resources management.”

While Hedden-Nicely wasn’t

familiar with the specifics of the laws or their origins, he said the notion that states worked together and prioritized fish passage was noteworthy in itself.

“Usually states, pretty jealously protect state sovereignty over water,” he said. “So just the fact that these two states are engaging with each other on this level and making agreements that might limit one state’s or both states’ control over water resources, I really think is pretty groundbreaking.”

The first time water was protected through these news laws was in 2024, as part of a cooperative effort between the city of Walla Walla, the CTUIR and a nonprofit called the Washington Water Trust.

The city, which has some Oregon water rights despite being in Washington agreed to put some of its Oregon water into an aquifer during the winter, when demand for water is lower The city then diverts less water during the dry summer months using what’s stored in the aquifers instead — thereby preserving more stream flow for fish in Mill Creek, a tributary of the Walla Walla River.

Greg McLaughlin works for the Washington Water Trust. In the West, he said there’s been a long history of litigation when it comes to water rights But that attitude has been changing, especially in this region.

“There’s a lot of places where water is this kind of place of conflict — and truly in the Walla Walla, this is a place where partners are working on behalf of one another,” he said “There’s a real spirit of, ‘We can do more together than we can separately.’”

Beeler echoed that sentiment. She brought up an old saying: “Whisky’s for drinkin’ and water’s for fightin’.”

“That has really been what water management has been, up until the last, probably, 10 to 20 years,” she said. “We’re learning that you’re much more successful when you have all the interests working together towards common goals.”

500,000 smolt

Back at the bridge in MiltonFreewater, Emily Meshke opened the lid of a big silver tank truck. About 30 salmon swam around, the water burbling around them. Meshke, who works at the CTUIR’s Imtwaha Fish Hatchery, was collecting these adult fish from the Walla Walla River to use as “broodstock.” She’ll put the fish into a holding pond to mature and spawn, thereby providing the hatchery with smolts that can be released in future years. Imtwaha, the first hatchery that’s fully owned and operated by the CTUIR, sits on a 12-acre site on the South Fork of the Walla Walla River about nine miles from Milton-Freewater

The 33,000-square-foot building has dozens of tanks that see the salmon through their first two years of life.

The hatchery’s construction was funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, as part of its legally-required efforts to mitigate the impact of hydropower dams. The company also covers the hatchery’s ongoing operating and maintenance costs. In 2023, the hatchery released 500,000 smolt the first group of fish that it had reared from eggs to juveniles into the Walla Walla River and Mill Creek. Now, those fish are returning as 4-yearold adults.

“I was just excited to see a lot of fish showing up,” said hatchery manager Thomas Tall Bull, who is Cayuse and an enrolled member of the Nez Perce tribe.

Imtwaha’s program has continued to release another halfmillion smolt every spring, with the eventual goal of having 5,000 return annually Those stark numbers reveal the limitations of these efforts: Surviving as a salmon is difficult, even with lots of help. It’s especially difficult when they must pass through a system filled with dams and other infrastructure. And when climate change is bearing down on them, too.

“I’m kind of worried about drought, kind of worried about fire, I’m worried about habitat — especially low flows and warmer temps,” Tall Bull said. “The tribe is doing their best to make up for that.”

And if the CTUIR succeed, Tall Bull said the return of spring Chinook would benefit far more than just the tribes.

Salmon “bring nutrients to the water from the ocean, not just to humans, but to all walks of life,” he said. “Everything flourishes with what salmon bring to the area, because they’re a keystone species.”

Earlier this spring, Bonifer thought there might be enough returning Chinook to have a harvest.

But the returns were about 100 fish shy of what the tribes’ Fish and Wildlife Commission was looking for The agency only opens fishing after an adequate number of salmon have been captured for the hatchery and an adequate number have escaped to spawn naturally Still, Bonifer is hopeful it’ll happen next year Or the year after that. Whenever it does, he will celebrate his people’s return to the river to catch spring Chinook, prepare them for ceremonies and feast together as they have for millennia.

“We’re not just thinking about today, we’re not just thinking about tomorrow,” Bonifer said. “We’re thinking seven generations ahead.”

PROVIDED PHOTO By SUSAN SHAIN

Jerimiah Bonifer, fisheries program manager for the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, looks for salmon in Milton-Freewater, Ore.

SUNDAY, JUlY 20, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

grams

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — sHiBBoLetH: SHIBoh-leth: A common saying or belief with little current meaning.

Average mark 41 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 62 or more words in SHIBBOLETH?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

wuzzLes

The mighty five

North opened an off-shape one no-trump, which did not have much effect on the auction.

North-South reached the best game contract available to them.

West in today’s deal was Gunnar Hallberg. Hallberg is a native of Sweden, but he has lived in London for many years, playing rubber bridge for the highest stakes he can find. He has made occasional forays into the tournament world with notable success. All the world’s best players know exactly who he is.

Hallberg started by cashing his two top hearts. Not seeing anything better to do, he continued with a third round of the suit.

Declarer ruffed with dummy’s jack and discarded a low club from his hand. He led a spade to his queen, losing to Hallberg’s king. Hallberg led a fourth round of hearts. East ruffed this with the five of spades, promoting Hallberg’s trump holding into another trick. Down one after a lovely defense. It would not have helped declarer to ruff the third heartwithdummy’ssixofspades.

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: CLASSIC COMMERCIAL BLURBS

Provide the missing word to complete the commercial blurb. (e.g., Kodak: “Share moments. Share ” Answer: Life.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. The New York Times: “All the news that’s fit to

If he then overtook the jack of spades with the queen, Hallberg would win and a fourth round of hearts would achieve the same promotion. Should declarer run the jack, Hallberg would duck and South would not be able to get off the table effectively. There is a winning play. South has to win the first round of spades with his ace and continue with the queen. That would prevent the uppercut and bring home the contract.

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Knowledge will be crucial when making decisions that will have a lasting impact. Explain your intentions and offer incentives when dealing with opposition. Live by your word and honor your promises.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Do some research and make a change that will enhance your life. Be part of the solution and do what’s best for you It’s up to you to protect your rights and create opportunities

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) A tactful approach will help ward off opposition. Refuse to let your emotions

swing wildly if someone opposes you. Don’t share your secrets or fall prey to jealousy LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Jump into action, take control and make things happen. Use your flair, enthusiasm and connections to spread the word and make a difference. Proceed with caution.

SCORPIO (Oct 24-Nov 22) Explore the possibilities, travel, attend venues that interest you, expand your mind and try new things. It’s up to you to embrace life instead of waiting for things to come to you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) You will be confused by the choices available to you. Consider what you want to do and what you must do, and plan a schedule that helps you manage your responsibilities.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Look for financial opportunities while being leery of joint ventures or shared expenses. Don’t feel obligated to pay for someone else’s mistake or try to buy someone’s love.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Hosting an event or accepting an invitation will lead to interesting encounters. Embrace the possibilities and enjoy

the people you meet along the way Put yourself out there.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Look at and consider what interests you, but refuse to commit until you can verify facts and figures. Keep in mind that your happiness is your responsibility

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Articulate, pontificate and make yourself heard. Don’t hesitate to take an opportunity to speak your mind at a public forum. It’s in your best interest to do your part.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Gather information and facts to convince

others to see things your way Being armed with knowledge instead of relying on force will help you get your way

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) If you change, others will follow. Set the pace and lead the way A quest for knowledge will take you on a worthwhile journey that points you in a promising direction.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

goren Bridge

Answers

to puzzles

super quiz

1. Print. 2. Upper.3.Diamond. 4. Finger. 5. Home. 6. Beef. 7. Break.8.Your.9.Eat. 10. Sing. 11.Wallet. 12.Neighbor.13. Bun. 14.Worth. 15.Waking.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

CryptoquoteAnswer

All waterhas aperfect memoryand is forever trying to getback to whereitwas. —Toni Morrison

word GAmeAnswer

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

sCrAbble Answers wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAtoAnswers

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly

FoXtrot/ by BillAmend

dustin /bySteve Kelley&JeffParker