The Advocate 07-20-2025

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Organized retail theft spikes in Baton Rouge Authorities exploring new ways to stem inventory loss

BY AIDAN McCAHILL | Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Cars line the downtown area along East Sixth Avenue in Oakdale on Thursday. Oakdale Police Chief Chad Doyle was one of four elected Louisiana lawmen arrested following a yearlong federal investigation. The 62-count indictment unsealed last week includes allegations of faked police reports, fraudulent visas for foreign nationals and tens of thousands of dollars in alleged bribes.

Visa fraud arrests rock three small La. towns Residents react 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 a flea market and gift shop about 10 minutes north in tiny Glenmora.

On Thursday, a day after police chiefs in Oakdale and Glenmora were indicted on fraud charges, along with Oakdale’s city marshal and the police chief in an even tinier nearby hamlet, Forest Hill, 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 a yearlong fed-

eral investigation, stood out even in a part of western Louisiana that has seen its share of disgraced officials.

The 62-count indictment unsealed last week includes allegations of faked police reports, fraudulent visas for foreign nationals and tens of thousands of dollars in alleged bribes.

It portrays Rapides and Allen parishes as an epicenter of immigration fraud on a wide scale.

According to prosecutors, each of those four lawmen was plied with stacks of cash by the owner of a local 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 witnesses who were helping authorities.

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

The indictment ripped through this three-town 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.

ä See ARRESTS, page 9A

Tide Pods, baby clothes, AirPods, power tools.

These aren’t just items found in the kitchen junk drawer, but along with crawfish tails, are among the most stolen items in the Capitol Region.

Law enforcement and retailers trace their disappearances, and countless other items, to a seemingly hot new trend: organized retail theft.

“It’s basically where people take shoplifting and turn it into a business,” said Capt. Chad Jones, commander of the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office Larceny Division.

While career thieves have been around since before recorded history, in recent years the practice has gained national headlines and internet viral status as cases surge in frequency and boldness.

Retailers of all sizes, from major chains to momand-pops, increasingly describe the problem as out of control.

“We are under assault, figuratively speaking, and sometimes literally speaking,” said Barry Mince, a Louisiana-based investigator hired by retailers. “You have an increase in the sheer volume of people. It is John Q. Public these days that are conducting these activities.”

The National Retail Federation reports that “retail shrink,” or inventory loss, totaled over $112 billion in 2022 — more than double the $45.2 billion reported in 2016 — with about two-thirds of those losses attributed to theft in both years.

In Louisiana alone, retailers lost $1.06 billion to theft in 2022.

ä See THEFT, page 8A

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By BEBETO MATTHEWS

Over the past few years, local retailers have described shoplifting as out of control. Law enforcement says it’s becoming a widespread business.

Letlow’s next move biggest question in Louisiana politics

‘There is no wrong answer’ for congresswoman, consultant says

BY TYLER BRIDGES | Staff writer

three tantalizing options: Does she run for reelection, challenge What is Julia Letlow’s next U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy or seek to become president of LSU? move?

Well-liked by Republicans who That’s the burning question now in Louisiana politics. Within the either love or loathe President next 60 or so days, the U.S. rep- Donald Trump, Letlow, 44, is perresentative has to choose among sonable and positive, much more

WEATHER HIGH 93 LOW 75 PAGE 8B

likely to praise someone than tear them down.

She is serving her second full term in the House in a district that extends from Monroe through Livingston Parish and the Florida Parishes into Baton Rouge, including Central, St. George and

LSU’s campus.

She has easily won three races to the House, running the first time after her husband Luke had won the seat in December Letlow 2020 and then died three weeks later from COVID-19.

Business ......................1E Deaths .........................4B Opinion ........................6B Classified ..................... 2F Living............................1D Nation-World................2A Commentary ................7B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

Before that, Letlow served as a senior administrator at the University of Louisiana at Monroe and was a finalist to be the university’s president.

“There is no wrong answer for Julia Letlow because there’s no dead end in her political future,”

ä See LETLOW, page 10A

101ST yEAR, NO. 20

Please join us in welcoming PARKER R. SAY, MD INTERNAL MEDICINE

Dr. Parker R. Say, a native of Baton Rouge, LA, earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Biological Sciences from Louisiana State University (LSU) in 2017, and his Medical Degree from the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans in 2022. Dr. Say completed his residency in Internal Medicine at the LSU Health Sciences Center in Baton Rouge, LA in 2025.

Dr. Say has joined The Baton Rouge Clinic’s Internal Medicine Department and is accepting new patients.

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To schedule an appointment, please call (225) 246-9240

THE BATON ROUGE CLINIC AT PERKINS 7373 PERKINS ROAD BATON ROUGE, LA, 70808 (225) 769-4044

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

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.

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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-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

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

before emergency crews ar- response to a phone message rived, he said. left with the business.

The driver, whose gunA fight broke out outside shot wound was found by the venue beforehand, acparamedics, was also taken cording to Maria Medrano, to a hospital. Police did not who with her husband was identify him or disclose his there selling hot dogs. Shortcondition. ly afterward, she said, the The person suspected of car hit the people, and the shooting him was described couple narrowly escaped as a man in a blue jersey with when it crushed their stand. a silver revolver.

“The car stopped once it hit “This is under police inves- the hot dog stand, it got stuck ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAMIAN DOVARGANES tigation,” VanGerpen said. there,” Medrano told The As“This will be a large investi- sociated Press from the hosA vehicle sits on the sidewalk Saturday after ramming pital. “If not, I wouldn’t be gation with the LAPD.” into a crowd of people waiting to enter a nightclub along Vermont Hollywood was here to tell” the story. a busy boulevard in Los Angeles, injuring 30 people.

After the crash she heard hosting a reggae-hip hop event from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m., what sounded like gunshots. crowd, a police spokesper- — mostly female — were according to its online calen“Everyone started runwaiting to enter Vermont dar. There was no immediate ning,” Medrano said. son said.

Twenty-three victims Hollywood when they were were taken to hospitals and struck by a Nissan Versa GET IN TOUCH trauma centers, according that also hit a food vending to police. Seven were in cart and valet stand. “This Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 225-388-0200 critical condition, the Los was a very chaotic scene,” News Tips / Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM Angeles Fire Department said VanGerpen, a public Obituaries: 225-388-0289 • Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-5; Closed Sun information officer. said in a statement.

Advertising Sales: 225-388-0262 • Mon-Fri 8-5 People inside came out to Fire Capt. Adam VanGerClassified Advertising: 225-383-0111 • Mon-Fri 8-5 pen said a line of people help victims in the minutes

Russia pounds Ukraine with over 300 drones, killing 1 in Odesa

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.

PHOTO PROVIDED By UKRAINIAN EMERGENCy SERVICE

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

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.

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Trump chisels away at power of compliant Congress

BY LISA MASCARO

AP congressional correspondent WASHINGTON — “Mr. President, this is the gavel used to enact the ‘big, beautiful bill,’ ” House Speaker Mike Johnson said at a White House signing ceremony on the Fourth of July.

“I want you to have it,” he said.

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

The moment left a memorable mark on a historic day. The gesture reflected a traditional nod of honor, from one leader to another, a milestone of the Republican Party’s priority legislation becoming law. But the imagery also underscored a symbolic transfer of political power, from Capitol Hill to the White House as a compliant Congress is ceding more and more of its prerogative to the presidency.

Since Trump’s return 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 the president of their party what he wants, regardless of the potential risk to themselves, their constituents and Congress itself.

Republicans raced to put the big package of tax breaks and spending cuts on Trump’s desk by his Independence Day deadline.

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

despite grave reservations over Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health secretary, Pete Hegseth as the Pentagon chief and others. House Republicans pursued Trump’s interest in investigating his perceived foes, including investigating Democratic President Joe Biden’suse of the autopen.

But at the same time, Congress hit the brakes on one of its own priorities, legislation imposing steep sanctions on Russia over its war on Ukraine, after Trump announced he was allowing President Vladimir Putin an additional 50 days to negotiate a peace deal, dashing hopes for a swifter end to the conflict.

This past week, Congress was tested anew, delivering on Trump’s request to rescind some $9 billion that lawmakers had approved but that the administration wanted to eliminate, including money for public broadcasting and overseas aid. It was a rare presidential request, a challenge to the legislative branch’s power of the purse, that has not been used in decades.

“We’re lawmakers. We should be legislating,” said a defiant Sen. Lisa Murkowksi, R-Alaska, as she refused to support the White House’s demand to rescind money for National Public Radio and others.

“What we’re getting now is a direction from the White House and being told, ‘This is the priority. We want you to execute on it. We’ll be back with you with another round,’ ” she said. “I don’t accept that.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE NIKHINSON

President Donald Trump holds a gavel on July 4 after he signed his bill of tax 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 first in the Constitution, is at a familiar crossroads. During the first Trump administration, Republicans frightened

by Trump’s angry tweets of disapproval would keep their criticisms private.

Those who did speak up — Liz Cheney of Wyoming in the House 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’s first term that he would not seek reelection the next year, is imploring Republicans to find a better way.

“The fever still hasn’t bro-

ken,” he wrote recently 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 many Republicans who came of political age with Trump’s “Make America Great Again” movement and owe their ascent to the president himself. Many are emulating his brand and style as they shape their own.

A new generation of GOP leaders, Johnson in the House and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, have pulled closer to Trump. They are utilizing the power of the presidency in ways large and small — to broker 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.”

But short of that, the speaker relies on Trump to help stay on track. When Republicans hit an impasse on cryptocurrency legislation, a Trump priority, it was the president who met with holdouts in the Oval Office late Tuesday night as Johnson called in by phone.

The result is a perceptible imbalance of power as the executive exerts greater authority while the legislative branch dims. The judicial branch has been left to do the heavy lift of checks and balances with the courts processing hundreds of lawsuits over the administration’s actions.

“The genius of our Constitution is the separation of power,” said Democratic Rep. Nancy Pelosi of California, the former speaker, in an interview on SiriusXM’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 the incredibly shrinking speakership” and Senate leadership positions, “to do all of these things, to cater to the executive branch,” she said.

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., endured Trump’s criticism over his opposition to the tax and spending cuts bill.

The senator raised concerns about steep cuts to hospitals, but the president threatened to campaign against him.

Tillis announced he would not seek reelection in 2026.

Sen. Susan Collins, RMaine, voted against that bill and the rescissions package despite Trump’s threat to campaign against any dissenters.

One Republican, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky, appears to be pressing on, unphased. He recently proposed legislation to force the administration to release the Jeffrey Epstein files, something the president had been reluctant to do.

“Nowhere in the Constitution does it say that if the president wants something, you must do it,” said Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, in a Senate speech. “We don’t have to do this. We don’t have to operate under the assumption that this man is uniquely so powerful.”

Family sues Atlanta over homeless camp death Tech CEO resigns after controversy over Coldplay concert video A tech company CEO has resigned after controversy over a video captured on the big screen at a Coldplay concert.

Andy Byron resigned from his job as CEO of Astronomer Inc., according to a statement posted on LinkedIn by the company Saturday.

“Astronomer is committed to the values and culture that have guided us since our founding. Our leaders are expected to set the standard in both conduct and accountability, and recently, that standard was not met,” the company said in its post on LinkedIn. The move comes a day after the company said that Byron had been placed on leave and the board of directors had launched a formal investigation into the incident, which went viral.

A short video clip from Coldplay’s concert Wednesday at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, showed a man and a woman cuddling and smiling, his arms wrapped around her, as she leaned back into him.

When they saw themselves on the big screen, her jaw dropped, her hands flew to her face and she spun away from the camera. He ducked out of the frame, as did she.

Lead singer Chris Martin had asked the cameras to scan the crowd for his “Jumbotron Song,” when he sings a few lines about the people the camera lands on.

“Either they’re having an affair or they’re just very shy,” he joked.

Internet sleuths identified the man as the chief executive officer of a U.S.-based company and the woman as its chief people officer.

Pete DeJoy, Astronomer’s co-founder and chief product officer, has been tapped as interim CEO while the company conducts a search for Byron’s successor.

It’s easy to miss, but most concert venues have signs informing the audience that they could be filmed during the event. Look for them on the walls when you arrive and around the bar areas or toilets. It’s common practice especially when bands like to use performances for music videos or concert films.

as repayment for medical expenses, funeral costs and legal fees. It was filed against the city and seven unnamed city employees, including the driver of the bulldozer.

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BY ALEX VEIGA

ATLANTA — The family of a homeless man who died after a bulldozer crushed 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’s sister and son alleges that city employees failed to look to see if there was anyone inside the tents in the encampment before using a bulldozer to clear it. Taylor, 46, was inside one of the tents and was crushed by the truck when his tent was flattened, the lawsuit says.

City officials had called for the clearing of the encampment in preparation for the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. The encampment was blocks away from Ebenezer Baptist Church, where King had preached. An autopsy report later revealed Taylor’s pelvic bone had been broken and that he suffered damage to organs and internal bleeding.

“A tent that was occupied by a human being was crushed by this heavy equipment. That’s obviously wrong,” attorney

Harold Spence said. “Nobody looked inside the tent, and if someone who looked inside had taken 10 seconds to do so, this tragedy could have been averted. And if you

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Texas’ search for flood victims stretches into 3rd week

BY JOHN HANNA and NADIA LATHAN Associated Press

AUSTIN,Texas — The search for victims of deadly flooding in Texas Hill Country is headed into its third week as officials try to pin down exactly how many people remain missing and lawmakers prepare to discuss authorities’ initial response and providing better warning systems.

Flash floods killed at least 135 people in Texas over the Fourth of July holiday weekend, 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 Legislature is scheduled to convene Monday for a special session.

Gov. Greg Abbott initially called lawmakers back to the Texas State Capitol in Austin for other reasons, but he and legislative leaders have added flooding-related issues to the agenda.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ELI HARTMAN

Campers’ belongings sit outside one of Camp Mystic’s cabins on July 7 near the Guadalupe River in Hunt, Texas, after a flash flood swept through the area.

100 remain missing in Kerr and other counties.

Kerr County officials said the number of missing people decreased as victims were recovered, contact was made with people who were found safe, and some reports were found to be unsubstantiated or falsified. Also, they said, the missing list fluctuates as reports come into a hotline.

The floods laid waste to the Hill Country. Vacation cabins, youth camps campgrounds fill the riverbanks The missing and hills of Kerr County, State officials had been and Camp Mystic, a centurysaying about 160 people old Christian summer camp were unaccounted for after for girls in a low-lying area the flooding in Kerr County along the Guadalupe. At alone, but they now say about least 27 of its campers and

counselors died.

Flooding expands agenda Abbott called the special session hoping legislators would pass a measure to regulate a booming business in THC products after he vetoed a bill that would have banned them. And since the flooding, President Donald Trump has told the Republicans who control state government to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP’s chances of retaining a U.S. House majority in next year’s midterm elections.

Abbott said lawmakers would also review authorities’ handling of the flooding and consider improving warning systems for Hill

Country residents. Kerr County does not have a warning system because state and local agencies missed opportunities over the past decade to finance one.

Trump and Abbott have pushed back aggressively against questions about how well local authorities responded to forecasts of heavy rain and the first reports of flash flooding. The president called a reporter “evil” for raising such issues and said he thought “everyone did an incredible job under the circumstances.” Abbott dismissed a question about who was to blame for the deaths as “the word choice of losers” and used an analogy that began: “Every football team makes mistakes.”

“The way winners talk is not to point fingers,” he concluded.

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.

The House and Senate have formed special committees on flooding and disaster preparedness, and they’re planning a July 31 visit to Kerrville, the seat of hardest-hit

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

The man, 61, had entered an MRI room while a scan was underway Wednesday afternoon at Nassau Open MRI. The machine’s strong magnetic force drew him in by the metallic chain around his neck, according to a release from the Nassau County Police Department.

He died Thursday afternoon, but a police officer who answered the phone at the Nassau County police precinct where the MRI facility is located said the department had not yet been given permission to release the name Saturday.

Adrienne Jones-McAllister told News 12 Long Island in a recorded interview that she was undergoing an MRI on her knee when she asked the technician to get her husband, Keith McAllister, to help her get off the table. She said she called out to him.

She told News 12 that the technician summoned into the room her husband, who was wearing a 20-pound chain that he uses for weight training, an object they’d had

official to set building standards for youth camps in 100-year floodplains — which FEMA defines as a high-risk area with a 1% chance of flooding in any given year.

During a recent news conference, Republican state Rep. Drew Darby, a member of the House’s committee, said lawmakers cannot bring back flood victims or undo the flooding.

“But what we can do is learn from it,” he said.

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Lawmakers plan to visit

Man dies after being pulled into MRI machine

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Kerr County, to hear comments from residents.

The committees are scheduled to begin with a joint hearing Wednesday to consider the state’s response to the fatal floods; planning for floods; infrastructure for managing floods; and communications among first responders.

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a casual conversation about 12 that McAllister suffered during a previous visit with heart attacks after he was comments like: “Ooooooh, freed from the MRI machine.

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When he got close to her, she said, “at that instant, the machine switched him around, pulled him in and he hit the MRI.” “I said: ‘Could you turn off the machine, call 911, do something, Turn this damn thing off!’” she recalled, as tears ran down her face. “He went limp in my arms.”

She said the technician

By Amanda McElfresh, amcelfresh@theadvocate.com helped her try to pull her husband off the machine but This article is brought to you by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. 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

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Well-attended Farm Bureau convention blends policy, family fun and a focus on the future of Louisiana agriculture

Gene therapy maker says it won’t halt shipments despite patient deaths

BY MATTHEW PERRONE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Drugmaker Sarepta Therapeutics said late Friday it won’t comply with a request from the Food and Drug Administration to halt all shipments of its gene therapy following the death of a third patient receiving one of its treatments for muscular dystrophy.

The highly unusual move is a latest in a string of events that have hammered the company’s stock for weeks and recently forced it to lay off 500 employees. The company’s decision not to comply with the FDA also places future availability of its leading ther-

apy, called Elevidys, in doubt.

The FDA said in a statement Friday night that officials met with Sarepta 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.

“We believe in access to drugs for unmet medical needs but are not afraid to take immediate action when a serious safety signal emerges,” FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said in

a statement.

Elevidys is the first gene therapy approved in the U.S. for Duchenne’s muscular 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 the recommendations of some FDA scientists who doubted its effectiveness.

The FDA granted full approval last year and expanded the therapy’s use to patients 4 years and older, including those who can no longer walk.

Previously, it was only available for younger patients who were still walking.

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More than 1,500 attendees gathered in New Orleans in late June for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation’s 103rd annual convention, making it one of the best-attended sessions in the organization’s history. The event attracted a diverse crowd of farmers, ranchers, educators, policymakers and advocates from across the state, all united by a shared commitment to ensuring Louisiana agriculture has a viable future.

“It was a full crowd with a lot of positive momentum and good interactions,” said LFBF President Richard Fontenot. “There were a lot of youth participating, so we were excited to see that. It seems to perk everybody up when you see the younger generation getting involved.”

Some of the major highlights of the convention included the annual awards that are given to farmers and growers from throughout Louisiana.

This year’s recipients included: • President’s Award: Vermilion Parish Farm Bureau • Young Farmers and Ranchers Achievement Award: Frankie and Mallory Sotile, Ascension Parish • Discussion Meet Winner: Abbygail Davis, St. Tammany Parish • Excellence in Agriculture Award: Randi Toups, Lafourche Parish • Young Farmers and Ranchers Outstanding Young Farm Woman: Courtney Gerace, St. Landry Parish • Louisiana Ag in the Classroom Teacher of the Year: Kessler Landry, Martial F. Billeaud Elementary, Broussard In addition, Emma Louise Dupree of Grant Parish was chosen as the 2025 Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation Queen.

Although Fontenot is a longtime leader in LFBF, this year’s convention marked his first serving as president. Members elected him for another one-year term. In all, Fontenot said the experience was a bit of a whirlwind, but also a proud moment for him and his family.

“Anytime you can share your passion and dreams with so many other people, it’s a great experience,” he said. “There was a lot of excite-

ment and energy from participants, staff and volunteers. I’m very humbled to be re-elected as president and very appreciative of the opportunity to continue to serve in this role.”

Many of the major discussions throughout the convention centered on legislation and policy, including the recent passage of President Donald Trump’s Big Beautiful Bill in Congress, which includesseveralagriculturalprovisions.Louisiana Congressman Clay Higgins addressed attendees directly, sharing insights on how the bill will impact Louisiana producers, especially in the face of rising costs and potential new tariffs. In addition, state dignitaries including Governor Jeff Landry and Insurance Commissioner Tim Temple, along with many legislators, spoke about how Louisiana laws will impact the industry.

“We were active this past legislative session and had some success stories to share,” Fontenot said. “There were a lot of good conversations about how we can keep things moving in a positive direction. The new federal bill means we have more relevant economic data. We were looking at 2012 data, and everyone knows that everything costs a lot more now. I think we will see better crop insurance components for producers and a better safety net. It feels like there is some light at the end of the tunnel.”

One reason the convention has become so popular is that it is not just about formal meetings and presentations. With family-friendly events like an ice cream social, talent contest and queen’s contest, the atmosphere blends professionalism with warmth, creating space for spontaneous and open conversations among agricultural stakeholders from across the state.

“Everyone realizes this is a good opportunity to have some solidarity and put our voices together,” Fontenot said. “It’s always good to see farmers and ranchers, but it’s also exciting to see people from education and research in attendance. It reminds us that you don’t have to be in direct production to be an advocate for agriculture.”

As the LFBF continues to shape agricultural policy and support farmers and growers across Louisiana, Fontenot said he hopes attendees can carry the positive momentum from the convention into their daily work.

“Our main purpose at the convention is not only to have fun with family and friends, but to develop policies for us to use in daily management with our staff and executive leadership,” Fontenot said. “When people leave the event, I want them to feel like they are a part of the Louisiana Farm Bureau family and that their voice makes a difference.”

For more information or to find your local Farm Bureau, visit www.lafarmbureau.org.

6A ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Syria urges Bedouin tribes to commit to ceasefire

BY SALLY ABOU ALJOUD and OMAR ALBAM Associated Press

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s interim 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 doz-

ens 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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GHAITH ALSAyED

Bedouin fighters from various provinces gather Saturday at Umayyad Square in Damascus, Syria, before heading to the southern province of Sweida to join clashes between Bedouin clans and Druze militias. and has distanced himself from the two ceasefires announced 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 members 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

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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.

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Surrogates speak out about couple under investigation

BY JAIMIE DING and HALLIE GOLDEN

Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — A woman who almost served as a surrogate for a Southern California couple now under investigation by authorities said she backed out after the couple asked her if any of her friends would like to carry a child for them too.

The request as well as conflicting information she was getting left the woman, Esperanza, unnerved and she decided not to sign a surrogacy contract with Silvia Zhang, who offered her $60,000. Esperanza spoke to The Associated Press on the condition that her last name 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 local and federal authorities after their infant child was taken to the hospital with a traumatic head injury in May. Authorities have since taken 21 children from the couple’s custody, many of whom were born by surrogate, said Lt. Kollin Cieadlo of the Arcadia Police Department, near Los Angeles.

Surrogacy is an agreement between parties for a woman to become pregnant, typically through an embryo transfer, and deliver a baby for the intended person or couple to raise.

The children range in age from 2 months to 13 years, with most between 1 and 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 surrogates, say they were given misleading or incomplete information about the couple’s family situation and intentions. Some, like Esperanza, did not move forward with carrying a child for the couple. Another who did, Kayla Elliott, is now trying to get custody of a baby she birthed in March for the couple.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAE C. HONG

The home of Silvia Zhang and Guojun Xuan is seen Wednesday in Arcadia, Calif., where a number of children were removed from the couple’s home after a child abuse allegation in May, according to Arcadia police.

Arcadia police say the FBI is involved in the investigation over whether the couple misled surrogates around the country. The FBI has not confirmed its investigation. Elliott said she was interviewed by the FBI at the end of May. Elliott worked through a business called Mark Surrogacy, according to the contract she signed and shared with the AP. California state records show a company called Mark Surrogacy Investments LLC registered at the company’s Arcadia home until this June. Elliot’s contract listed an El Monte address for the company. An AP reporter visited that location Thursday and 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 emails seeking comment, nor did a fertility clinic involved in the embryo transfer.

In social media posts, other women who say they served as surrogates for Zhang and Xuan outlined suspicious actions including the couple not fulfilling payment obligations and weren’t present for the children’s births. Many women contacted by the AP did not respond or said they would only speak after securing an attorney.

Zhang and Xuan were ar-

rested in May after a hospital reported that their 2-monthold infant had a traumatic head injury, the result of a nanny at the home violently shaking the baby, according to Arcadia police.

Arcadia police did not file charges at the time, in order to finish a full investigation, Cieadlo said, and detectives were looking into possible child abuse charges and anticipated presenting a case in a few weeks.

The couple told police that they “wanted a large family” and produced what appeared to be legitimate birth certificates, including some from outside California, that list Zhang as the mother of the children, Cieadlo said. Xuan was listed as the father on at least some of the birth certificates, Cieadlo said.

Esperanza’s dealings with Zhang began in 2023. She had posted in a Facebook group for people interested in surrogacy and received a message from Zhang.

Zhang said she and her partner already had an 8-year-old daughter in China but were having fertility issues. Zhang said she was working with a surrogate who was already pregnant but that she wanted “twins,” so she was pursuing a second surrogate. But Esperanza said things started to feel amiss after Zhang asked if she had any friends who also wanted to be surrogates.

“She said that she’s a realtor in Arcadia and that’s how she has a lot of money and was able to afford a lot of surrogates at the time,” Esperanza said.

Esperanza backed out of the surrogacy after the lawyer for the couple abruptly hung up on her while discussing the contract. She said the document said the couple would implant two embryos instead of one and the section requiring background information on the couple was cut out. The couple became angry when she decided not to move forward.

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

Elliott gave birth to a baby girl in March. She chose to be a surrogate because she “really wanted to give somebody a family.”

The Texas woman began the process when Mark Surrogacy reached out to her directly on Facebook. She signed a contract listing Xuan and Zhang as the intended parents. The contract said Elliott would receive $65,000 in a series of payments by the end of her 16th gestational week.

Elliott became wary when early in the pregnancy she flew to California to meet the couple and only Xuan showed up. As the process went on, Elliott had almost no direct contact with the Xuan and Zhang, which is uncommon in surrogacy. Most of

the messaging was through texts and emails with representatives from the agency, who discouraged 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 a big family.”

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

Neither parent were there for Elliott’s labor or delivery,

and only Zhang showed up a few hours after the baby was born. The woman “didn’t seem very connected with the child ... she kind of barely looked at her,” Elliott said.

After handing Elliott $2,000 in cash and giving three of her family members in the room $200 each, the woman left with the baby girl.

Now, Elliott wants custody of the girl and says she just hopes all the babies are safe.

When the news first broke about the couple, she confronted Zhang on the phone and over text.

In text messages Elliott showed to the AP, Zhang wrote: “All the babies really important in our life.”

Notice is hereby given pursuant to Article 7, Section 23 (c) of the Louisiana Constitution and R.S. 47:1705 (B) that a public hearing of the City Council for the City of Zachary in East Baton Parish will be held at its regular meeting place in the Council Chambers at City Hall located at 4700 Main St. Zachary, LA 70791 on August 26, 2025 at 6:30 P.M. to consider levying additional or increased millage rates without further voter approval or adopting the adjusted millage rates after reassessment and rolling forward to rates not to exceed the prior year’s maximum. The estimated amount of tax revenues to be collected in the next year from the increased millage is $1,320,118.06 and the amount of the increase in taxes attributable to the millage increase is $98,767.96.

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Bangladesh’s Islamist party projects force with rally 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, as the South Asian nation stands at a crossroads after the ouster of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

An interim government headed by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus said that the next election would be held in April. But his administration didn’t rule out a possibility of polls in February, which has been strongly demanded by the Bangladesh Nationalist Par-

ty and its allies.

Jamaat-e-Islami, which had sided with Pakistan during Bangladesh’s war of independence in 1971, had said that it would mobilize 1 million people on Saturday.

While Hasina was in power from 2009 until she was toppled in student-led protests last year and fled to India, top leaders of Jamaat-e-Islami were either executed or jailed on charges of crimes against humanity and other serious crimes in 1971.

In late March 1971, Pakistan’s military had launched a violent crackdown on the city of Dhaka, which was then part of East Pakistan, to quell a rising nationalist movement seeking independence for what is today known as Bangladesh.

The party on Saturday placed a seven-point demand on the Yunus-led administration to ensure a free, fair and peaceful election; justice for all mass killings; essential reforms and the proclamation and implementation of a charter involving last year’s mass uprising. It also wants the introduction of a proportional representation system in the election.

Thousands of supporters of Jamaat-e-Islami had spent the night on the Dhaka University campus before the rally. On Saturday morning, they continued to stream toward Suhrawardy Udyan, a historical site where the Pakistani army had surrendered to a joint force of India and Bangladesh on Dec. 16, 1971, ending the nine-month war.

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By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com This article is brought to you by Olivier Group.

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With some experience under his belt and a passion for helping people grow their wealth, the then-29-year-old opened Olivier Group in Baton Rouge, fulfilling his dream of owning a financial services firm.

“Since I got into the business in 1996, I always had a vision to run a firm that would help clients and grow employees,” Olivier said.

Today, Olivier Group has a team of 14 people whose commitment to service and growth resonates deeply. The firm won the 2025 Best of Baton Rouge Gold Award for Best Wealth Management.

“We pride ourselves on being part of the community and giving the best possible service to our clients,” Olivier said. “We’ve been extremely successful and grown tremendously because of that.”

Olivier Group offers a wide range of financial planning services. The most in-demand ones include tax planning and preparing for retirement.

“When clients are starting to think about retirement, we figure out ways they can withdraw from their retirement accounts without increasing their tax burden,” Olivier said. “We work on a lot of different tax strategies to make sure that clients get the most out of their dollars and ensure they have something to pass on to the next generation in their family.”

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8A ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

THEFT

Continued from page 1A “It’s absolutely getting worse,” said local grocer Danielle Satawa. “They have become more emboldened.”

But beyond bottom lines, experts say retail theft also burdens consumers, strains the court system and shrinks state coffers.

Capital One Shopping reported Louisiana lost $47.1 million in retail sales tax revenue due to theft in 2022. Local authorities and businesses, struggling to respond, are now exploring new ways to stem the tide of sticky fingers.

“It is every bit as out of control as it was,” Jones said. “But right now we are doing something about it.”

An open invitation?

Jones has been with the Sheriff’s Office since 1997. For years he handled mostly residential burglaries, but starting in the mid2000s thieves began to prefer fluorescent-lit aisles to furnished living rooms.

While many blame social media trends or the growth of online marketplaces for spikes in retail theft, Jones says one factor driving its rise in Louisiana is a change to state law. In the mid-2000s, the limit for misdemeanor theft was raised from $500 to $1,000, with offenders typically given court summonses instead of jail time. Meanwhile, residential burglary remains a felony.

“That same person, they now can go to Walmart or Sears, steal the same item that you have at your house, and the penalty is less,” Jones said. “And they can get more for that item because it’s brand-new in the box.”

“A lot of the people that are being arrested for this are fully aware of what the (misdemeanor) limit is,” said April Landry, an assistant district attorney for East Baton Rouge Parish.

A few years ago, Jones

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was assigned to lead the EBRSO’s new Larceny Division. Last year, it reported 2,428 retail thefts — more than robberies, burglaries and vehicle thefts combined.

The line between regular vs. organized retail theft can be blurry, he said, but the latter usually involves two to three individuals sticking to what they know best. That might entail a focus on department store clothing, swiping power tools from Home Depot, or “liquor crews” that raid convenience stores. Then the loot is either resold online, on the street or to other vendors.

Many groups travel throughout the Gulf Coast, and by the time Jones gets a call from a corporation, they are usually long gone.

“They’ll steal 20 drills at a Home Depot in West Baton Rouge. Then come into East Baton Rouge and return those drills for cash,” Jones said. “Then they move to the next city.”

Once they have had their fill, the criminals will wire money back to where they are based, he added.

In June, three 19-year-olds and a 22-year-old — none from Louisiana — were arrested in for stealing from a Lowe’s in Gonzales. When Ascension Parish sheriff’s deputies pulled them over, they discovered their vehicle had been linked to nine thefts across Louisiana and Mississippi. A quick search found $25,000 worth of merchandise.

The majority of shoplifting tactics aren’t complicated, mostly because — thanks in part to the rise of self-checkout lines — they don’t have to be. Landry, the assistant district attorney, says about 90% of the cases she sees deal with “skip scanning,” where individuals avoid scanning items through self-checkout.

Others rely on more charm. One group traveling through Baton Rouge stole $10,000 in gift cards in a matter of eight hours by tricking cashiers into activating the cards without

purchase, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office.

One of the starkest local examples is the case of a Baton Rouge man who has been arrested over a dozen times since 2018 for retail theft. Court records show he often wore a surgical mask, grabbed expensive items, then fled to his car.

He has been documented stealing at least $19,000 worth of Apple products from Walmarts across Louisiana.

“It is a repeat type of situation,” Jones said. “They serve their time … then they are right back out there not making the right decisions.”

In late 2023, the man — who struggled with substance abuse — admitted to investigators that he resold many stolen items to Blue Tech Wireless, a phone repair shop on Airline Highway. Following an undercover investigation, deputies raided the store.

The owner was arrested and confessed to buying at least two Nintendo Switches, 19 Apple Watches, and 27 pairs of AirPods from the thief, according to arrest records.

Missing merchandise Satawa has served as chief financial officer for Shopper’s Value Food, a Baton Rouge grocery chain, since 1998. While not an existential threat, she says shoplifting has become a major issue, forcing her to invest in more security, and ultimately raise prices.

“That cost has to be absorbed, unfortunately,” she said.

Larger retailers may better withstand losses, but after a certain point, many report retail theft has forced them to close stores, reduce hours or remove certain items from shelves.

Some have invested in improved surveillance, locked up merchandise, or moved away from self-checkout.

Others hire private security, though most guards are trained not to confront shoplifters to avoid escalating violence.

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“Regardless of whether you have self-checkouts or staffed registers, if a major theft actor wants to remove a product from a store, it’s not going to matter.” said Mince, who represents larger retailers in the area.

Retail theft also strains law enforcement by pulling officers away from patrolling violent neighborhoods, or by overwhelming courts.

“The issue is we get so many theft cases it can kind of create a delay,” said Landry, whose office currently has a backlog of more than 11,000 criminal cases.

“What do you do with that as a prosecutor?” she said.

“You are weighing the balance of, yes there is criminal activity, but you are also trying to be cognizant of low-level crimes clogging up the court system.”

Even for the smaller number of major cases, Landry says convicting offenders under Louisiana’s organized retail theft statute — a felony — is challenging.

Current laws focus on businesses buying stolen goods rather than those stealing directly from stores.

“As our law is written, it just ends up as theft,” she said.

While Landry and others push to revise state laws, she acknowledges prison time for stealing a few hundred dollars’ worth of Stanley cups, for instance, isn’t always the solution.

Yet neither is allowing repeat offenders to roam free and continue the cycle.

“Yes, we are making arrests,” Jones added. “But what else can we do to circumvent this process to prevent it from being a revolving door? We’re willing to try whatever else, because jail is not the answer to every problem we have.”

Breaking the cycle For many first-time shoplifters, Landry will offer the chance to enroll in the city’s pretrial diversion program, which she oversees. About half choose to participate, receiving education on crime prevention

and decision-making, along with evaluations for mental health and substance abuse. Monitored directly by the District Attorney’s Office, successful completion allows participants to avoid court altogether.

“Its like being on probation, without a conviction.” she said, adding that the program has been successful, with about a 5% recidivism rate.

Recently, the District Attorney’s Office has also partnered with the 19th Judicial District Court and Criminal Justice Coordinating Council to launch a pilot program for 25 repeat offenders of retail theft. Enrollees are given a needs-based assessment and connected to resources for housing, jobs, education and financial literacy.

If they finish the program successfully, their charges are dropped.

The program has been in place for only about a year, and Landry says it is too early to assess its effectiveness (three participants, including the man who sold stolen items to Blue Tech Wireless, are set to graduate this month).

Still, the pilot has already bucked traditional notions of what drives some crime.

“We thought this would be an issue where people didn’t have adequate housing, adequate jobs or they had substance abuse issues,” Landry said. “We’re finding most of the people that are coming into the programs, they have jobs, most are making fairly decent money; however, this

is a way for them to supplement their income. … We find that interesting.”

Outside the courts, while the industry continues to invest in enhanced surveillance techniques like license plate readers, Jones says one of his division’s most effective practices has been organizing community groups, where business owners form relationships with each other on a first-name basis, and are encouraged to alert each other whenever theft occurs.

“We were able to put a big dent on what was going on at the mall,” Jones said. “So we took that on a broader scale to East Baton Rouge Parish.”

Meanwhile, Satawa has hired off-duty police officers actually able to make on-site arrests, and, encouraged by the District Attorney’s Office, joined LAMA ORCA, an alliance of retailers across the Gulf South dedicated to combating organized retail crime.

“As a local company, we didn’t know that was a thing,” she said. Now larger chains regularly share information with her, including pictures of shoplifters and effective new theftprevention strategies.

“Now that we have everybody pulling together, we’re able to track some of this organized crime, and also put a stop to some of these groups that were never on the radar,” Jones said.

Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.

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ARRESTS

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.

Continued from page 1A 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 non-Louisiana 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, 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 city-owned 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

Invisible crime

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.

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 STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON she was “deeply saddened” Workers rip up the sidewalk area in front of the Oakdale Police Department on 10th Street over the indictment of police chief Dixon. “Forest Hill is in Oakdale on Thursday. a strong, close-knit community and we understand how time prosecutors allege the asked if he was surprised police officer and child- difficult this news is for our bribes-for-visa scheme was that the misconduct came hood friend of Doyle’s, who residents.” reaching its heights. from Oakdale, he said he had Law enforcement officials “no comment on that.” said the scheme involved “several central Louisiana Other corruption parishes,” suggesting a widIn recent years, the city er reach, and that it could has faced other corruption date to as early as 2015. It’s scandals.

“It’s everywhere you go,” unclear if other public offisaid Sarah West, who owns cials were involved.

Attorney General Liz Mur- a gift shop on South 10th rill said she expects her of- Street in downtown Oakdale. fice will lodge additional “But it’s bad here. Really, restate charges against the ally bad.” accused.

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

Talk of the towns A former Oakdale police The day after the arrests, chief and one of his officers they were a lightning rod were indicted in 2019 on among groups who gathered malfeasance charges, infor lunch at Fuzzie’s Restau- cluding allegations that the rant in Glenmora, or for a chief sprung his own son drink at Yum Yums Frozen from jail and that another inDaiquiris in Oakdale, many mate was used to mow lawns of whom gossiped while and work at a camp. The scrolling news feeds for up- chief was later convicted on a charge of misrepresentadates.

A reporter at the daiquiri tion during booking, records bar asked how such a large from the District Attorney’s immigration scheme could Office show. happen in Trump country.

A 2022 state audit found A patron tried to answer it that Oakdale’s longtime city simply. clerk, who died in 2021, over“It’s all about that here,” paid herself nearly $770,000 he said, rubbing together over seven years. two index fingers and his To some, Doyle seemed thumb. different, though he had More than one local won- his own history: When he dered aloud: Would there be was city ward marshal in more to come? In Oakdale, 2011, Doyle was arrested some weren’t surprised at on charges that he siphoned the notion that their local an undisclosed amount of officials were on the take, public money and pocketed given a recent string of cor- wage garnishments that were intended for creditors, ruption scandals.

Oakdale is known mostly according to news reports.

He pleaded guilty to a for its huge federal complex of two prisons and a prison misdemeanor that was excamp off Whatley Road, if punged, according to Henot its dominant high school bert, the sheriff. girls basketball team, the A former fellow Oakdale 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 “ab8646 GOODWOOD BLVD. BATON ROUGE solutely” bothered him that his fellow lawmen stood accused of letting illegal immigrants slip through. When

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LETLOW

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that will prod her to enter the Senate race.

Continued from page 1A Several people said that Gov. Jeff Landry, who is closely aligned with Trump, said Mary-Patricia Wray, a has told them that he wants lobbyist and political con- her to run against Cassidy. sultant in Baton Rouge. “She Landry appeared as the “special guest” at a could run for reelecfundraiser for her tion and gain seniorin Lafayette on June ity in the House.

30, with checks earShe could run for the Senate and have marked for the “Leta good chance of low Victory Fund.” winning. Or she The Governor’s could return to her Office declined to comfort zone and go Trump comment. back into academia.

Cassidy already is She is a commodity facing two major Rein all three of those publican opponents long-term choices.” who want Trump’s For now, Letlow is support: Treasurer not tipping her hand John Fleming and on what she might state Sen. Blake Mido. She did not reguez, of New Iberia.

But some Repubspond to a request for an interview Johnson licans don’t think for this article. In a Trump will risk statement, she said losing Cassidy as a she was “grateful reliable vote in the for the outpouring Senate by endorsof encouragement ing Letlow, Fleming and support” and or Miguez, given added, “I remain the narrow Repubcommitted to worklican margin there.

And others say that ing with President Scalise Trump operates by Trump, Speaker (Mike) Johnson, and Major- his own set of rules, so no ity Leader (Steve) Scalise to one can be sure what he’ll continue delivering results do.

Most people interviewed for Louisiana and the naagreed that Letlow would tion.” run for the Senate only if she Running for Senate? has Trump’s blessing, which Several political insiders they say would open a spigot say she has discussed with of campaign cash for her.

For now, Cassidy has a big them the possibility of running against Cassidy, a fel- head start. He has $8.7 millow Republican who lion in campaign is running hard for a cash, is known third term. statewide and has The key question made a series of is whether Trump moves aimed at enwould endorse Letdearing himself to Trump and conserlow to punish Cassidy for voting to bar vative voters. On Trump from holding Cassidy Wednesday, Casoffice again under an sidy’s team highimpeachment article that lighted that Trump signed a accused him of “inciting bill sponsored by the senaviolence against the govern- tor that aims to help law enment of the United States” forcement officials combat with the Jan. 6, 2021, attack the scourge of fentanyl. Cason the U.S. Capitol. sidy stood directly behind Of the 30 lawmakers, po- Trump’s left shoulder during litical consultants and do- the White House ceremony.

“Anyone can enter this nors contacted for this story, most predicted that Trump race, but it won’t change the will either publicly or pri- outcome — Senator Cassidy vately endorse Letlow and will win,” campaign spokes-

person Ashley Bosch said in a statement. “He’s a solid conservative standing shoulder-to-shoulder with President Trump — working to secure our southern border, unleash American energy, and champion the America First agenda. Senator Cassidy is protecting our values and delivering real results for Louisiana.”

President of LSU? But because Letlow has a doctorate from the University of South Florida and a background in academia, some people believe that she wants to become president of LSU, a position that opened when William Tate in May announced his departure for Rutgers University. The president’s job would come with housing and a significant pay boost for Letlow.

She has already moved to Baton Rouge with her two small children and has put her house outside of Rayville, in Richland Parish, on the market for $775,000, online records show.

Letlow has to decide her next move soon because of the new congressional election schedule that requires candidates to qualify for the House or Senate in mid-January for the April 18 closed party primary.

Meanwhile, Scott Ballard, who chairs the LSU presidential search committee, said the committee will step up its efforts in August and is aiming to choose Tate’s successor by year end.

Lee Mallett, the committee’s vice chair, has publicly supported McNeese State President Wade Rousse as Tate’s replacement.

Mallett introduced Rousse to LSU health care officials at a reception at the Governor’s Mansion on June 2.

The biggest potential barrier is the U.S. Supreme Court, which said in June that it will rehear in its next term a case that seeks to overturn the current map for Louisiana’s six congressional districts. If the court does reject the existing boundaries, Louisiana might end up with a new map that gives Letlow a virtually unwinnable Black-majority district.

“If she forgoes the Senate race, she’s looking at possibly losing her own congressional race,” said Scott Wilfong, a Republican political consultant.

No matter how the court rules, the current map will almost certainly remain in place for next year’s elections, said Michael Li, a redistricting expert at the Brennan Center for Justice in New York and a Tulane Law School graduate. That’s because any court ruling will be too late to affect the 2026 elections, he said.

The Trump factor

Political circles are rife with speculation whether Letlow will challenge Cassidy.

Some political insiders say that Trump has already met privately with Letlow and offered his support.

Others insist that that hasn’t happened.

One thing is certain: She hasn’t publicly ruled out the possible race.

Another thing is certain: Trump has repeatedly shown he holds tremendous animus toward any Republican who voted to impeach him or convict him, taking great delight in the retirement or defeat of those who did.

Of the seven Republican senators who voted to convict Trump of the Jan. 6 attack, only three remain in Stay in her current job? office: Sen. Susan Collins, of Amid the uncertainty over Maine; Sen. Lisa Murkowswhat she will do next, Let- ki, of Alaska; and Cassidy.

After that vote, Trump low’s surest bet is to seek a third full term in the House. regularly belittled CasShe cruised to reelection in sidy, calling him “Wacky November with 63% of the Bill” and other schoolyard vote and is poised to hold names. that Republican-majority Cassidy has done everyseat for years. thing he can this year to

get back in Trump’s good graces.

He voted to confirm the president’s controversial Cabinet picks, including Pete Hegseth as secretary of defense and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as secretary of health. Cassidy, despite his strong support for vaccines, has not joined critics who have blasted recent moves

by Kennedy that have sowed doubt about the benefits of vaccines.

Earlier this month, Cassidy voted for Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, a measure that extends the president’s expiring tax cuts and partially pays for them by cutting Medicaid, the federal program that provides health care to the poor. The bill passed 51-50, so Cassidy’s support was crucial.

Cassidy’s staff sends out news releases each time he gets invited to the White House.

“Cassidy & Trump Continue to Work Together to Deliver Major Wins for Louisiana,” read the Cassidy campaign’s news release on the fentanyl bill signing.

At least for now, Cassidy has the financial backing of such major Republican donors as business owners Boysie Bollinger, Eddie Rispone and Richard Lipsey.

“There’s no reason I would change my support for Bill Cassidy,” Lipsey said. “I think he’s done an excellent job. I would hope there would be no confrontation between Julia and Bill. I think our president is smart enough to put that aside (the conviction vote).”

Bollinger doesn’t believe Letlow will run for Cassidy’s Senate seat because he doesn’t think Trump will support one of Cassidy’s opponents.

“It makes sense for Trump to stay out, as much as he hates Cassidy for the impeachment vote,” Bollinger said. “He got RFK (confirmed). If Trump opposed him, Cassidy has no incentive to support the Trump agenda. Trump knows that.”

Republicans hold a slim 53-47 advantage in the Senate. Murkowski, Collins,

Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky have shown a willingness to vote against Trump.

Letlow’s priorities During her campaigns, Letlow has said her priorities are getting more federal money for her district, including dollars to fix roads, bridges and sewer systems, making sure farmers receive the aid they need from the government and expanding broadband internet service in rural areas. Along with all other Republicans in Louisiana’s congressional delegation, she voted for the One Big Beautiful Bill.

Letlow, during her 4 1/ 2 years in the House, has voted with the conservative Heritage Foundation 75% of the time, compared with 89% for the average House Republican. She has a 100% voting record with National Right to Life, a leading antiabortion group.

Letlow has been building a network of donors across Louisiana and has $2.1 million in the bank, the latest campaign finance report shows. She raised money at fundraisers hosted by lobbyist Paul Rainwater at his home in Baton Rouge in March (with special guest Attorney General Liz Murrill), by business owner Phyllis Taylor in Metairie in May (with Scalise as the special guest) and by Lee Mallett at his ranch in Jefferson Davis Parish in May. Car dealer Steve Taylor is hosting an event for Letlow at his Monroe home on July 25.

“The sky’s the limit for her,” said Ryan Cross, a lobbyist for Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center in Baton Rouge.

“Congresswoman Letlow has shown in short order an ability to navigate Capitol Hill, to rise in leadership and to deliver results for the people she represents.

That’s a rarity in Congress and an asset for Louisiana.”

Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate.com.

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Trump’s tariff threat pushes Brazil’s Lula’s popularity U.S. pressure may worsen legal troubles for Bolsonaro

oversees criminal cases against Bolsonaro, said his and his son’s actions attempted to pressure the Brazilian judiciary by involving the U.S. The court’s decision cited both Trump’s letter to Lula and several social media posts by the Bolsonaros in support of sanctions against Brazilian officials and speaking favorably about tariffs.

“A sovereign country like Brazil will always know how

BY GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA and MAURICIO SAVARESE Associated Press

SAO PAULO — U.S. President Donald Trump may have thought that pressuring Brazil with higher tariffs would help his 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 a 50% import tax and directly linking the decision to Bolsonaro’s trial, which he called a “witch hunt.”

“This trial should end immediately!” Trump wrote Thursday evening in a second letter, this one addressed to Bolsonaro. He added that he had “strongly voiced” his disapproval through his tariff policy.

Rather than backing down, Brazil’s Supreme Court escalated the case, worsening Bolsonaro’s legal troubles.

On Friday morning, federal police raided Bolsonaro’s home and political office.

The former 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 and pleas to run one last time to defend Brazil’s sovereignty.

Back in the game Lula has appeared more energized in public since Trump’s announcement. At a national students assembly Thursday, he wore a blue cap reading “Sovereign Brazil Unites Us” — a contrast 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 a first. Trump’s actions targeting other countries have boosted ideological rivals in Canada and Australia instead of strengthening his allies at a local level.

Private pollster Atlas said Tuesday that Lula’s unpopularity 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 a margin of error of 2 percentage points. The study also said 62.2% of Brazilians think the higher tariffs are unjustified while 36.8% agree with the measure.

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

Jair Bolsonaro told journalists in Brasilia, the country’s capital, that the ankle monitoring was a “supreme humiliation.”

“I never thought about leaving Brazil, I never

thought about going to an embassy, but the precautionary measures are because of that,” the former president said.

In a statement, Eduardo Bolsonaro accused de Moraes of trying to criminalize Trump and the U.S. government.

“Since he has no power over them, he decided to make my father a hostage,” the younger Bolsonaro said of the judge.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERALDO PERES

Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva gestures Monday upon arriving at an event on the economy at the Planalto presidential palace in Brasilia, Brazil.

Even Bolsonaro’s former vice president, Sen. Hamilton Mourão, criticized Trump’s move as undue interference in Brazil’s politics, though he said he agreed the trial against the far-right leader is biased against him.

Social media analytics firm Palver analyzed 20,000 messages about Trump on WhatsApp, Brazil’s most widely used communication platform, a day after Trump’s announcement. Its analysis said right-wing users dominated viral content, but spontaneous conversations leaned left, mocking Bolsonaro as submissive and defending Brazil’s sovereignty.

“Trump has put Lula back in the game,” said Thomas Traumann, an independent political consultant and former spokesman for the Brazilian presidency who only weeks ago argued that Lula had lost his front-runner status in the presidential race as he struggled to deliver on his promises on the economy.

“Trump handed it to Lula on a silver platter,” Traumann said.

Business leaders who until recently sided with Bolsonaro are having to court Lula to negotiate with Trump. Agribusiness, Brazil’s largest economic sector and a traditional rightwing stronghold, united to criticize the U.S. president’s move. Industry groups were quick to denounce the tariffs as politically motivated and lacking any commercial justification.

National outrage “In general, with the major exception of a more radical conservative wing, (Trump’s move) generated national outrage for violating Brazil’s sovereignty,” lawmaker Arnaldo Jardim, a member of the congressional agricultural caucus, told The Associated Press.

Jardim, who pushed for the approval of a reciprocity bill that could be used by Lula if there’s no agreement until the Aug. 1 deadline, hardly sides with the president.

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

Top congressional leaders who recently helped nix a

Lula decree to raise a transactions tax were moving toward a head-on collision with him. After Trump’s announcement, they signed a joint statement agreeing with Lula’s promise to use the reciprocity law against the U.S. In another change, Brazil’s Congress decided to start moving on Lula’s plan to give an income tax break to millions of poorer Brazilians. Many politicians said that such initiative was dead after Lula became the first president in three decades to have a decree annulled by lawmakers.

Bolsonaro remains on trial At the Supreme Court, Bolsonaro is only getting deeper into trouble as his trial continues.

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

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

The former president also suffered more consequences — the court’s latest restrictions on Bolsonaro, including the ankle monitor, are part of a second investigation against one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, a Brazilian lawmaker who currently lives in the United States and is known for his close ties to Trump. He has been under scrutiny for allegedly working with U.S. authorities to impose sanctions against Brazilian officials.

Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who

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LCTCS fills key role in Louisiana’s economic growth with human-centered work that connects people to purpose

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This article is brought to you by the Louisiana Community and Technical College System. non-traditional students who are working towards completinganeducationwhilefacingdailyhurdles such as transportation and childcare needs, food insecurity,languagebarriersorbalancingtheneed for full-time work with the desire to improve life for their families.

To provide a more comprehensive framework for those students, LCTCS is in the process of implementing a new “one-door” integrated service model. Rather than having students navigate a fragmentedsystemofservicesontheirown,LCTCS institutions are working with other agencies to As the state continues to build a stronger and bring those resources under one roof and provide more diverse economy, the Louisiana Community guidance to help students find assistance.

“We know that a lot of times, the main barrier and Technical College System (LCTCS) is serving as a powerful engine of progress as its institutions to students getting a credential or a degree is not providehigh-qualityeducationandanincreasingly about the learning. It’s about the resources outside large range of services to help residents overcome of the classroom,” Dr. LeBoeuf said. “Those are the realities that many of our students deal with. barriers to success.

“At a time when so many states are trying to figure out how to close workforce gaps, increase participation rates and support economic growth, we’refortunatehereinLouisianatohaveanetwork of colleges that are built to do just that. They help connect people to purpose,” said Osmar Padilla, Assistant Secretary for Workforce Development at the Louisiana Workforce Commission.

So far this year, more than 38,000 people have completed an educational program at an LCTCS institution, an increase of more than 3,000 over the prior year. With 12 institutions and 56 total Having those offices in one location will help us to locations across the state, LCTCS offers access triage those needs and get them addressed. The to residents from all walks of life, in large cities goal of the model is for students to exit out of one and rural communities. Many LCTCS credential, door with a credential in hand and a path toward degree and certification programs are focused on long-term stability.”

Padilla said that with more than 108,000 job five core sectors – construction, manufacturing, transportation and logistics, information tech- openings in Louisiana, LCTCS is well-positioned to connect people with those opportunities.

“We talk to employers every day, and they want good people with foundational skills who are eager to learn more,” he said. “It’s a real positive to see us moving to a model that is more person-centered and can provide the right resources, training and labor market awareness.”

Dr. LeBoeuf said he is confident that LCTCS is well on its way to achieving its goal of awarding at least 50,000 industry-based credentials by 2030.

That goal is part of the state’s overall master plan for higher education, which calls for 85,000 such credentials to be awarded. nology and healthcare.

“I believe we are on target to get there, but “We are in a skills-first labor market,” Padilla said.“There’sbeenasignificantwillingnessamong we want to get there strategically,” he said. “We a lot of employers to understand that people are remainheavilyfocusedonindustrysectorsthatare learning in different ways. LCTCS has been at the high-wage, high-demand and align with economic forefrontofthoseconversationswithemployersand development.”

LCTCS includes Baton Rouge Community showcasing that we can train really good people College,BossierParishCommunityCollege,Central and have really good outcomes with new ways of validating skills. LCTCS has proven that folks who Louisiana Technical Community College, Delgado earn those credentials and go into the workforce Community College, Louisiana Delta Community College, Fletcher Technical Community College, are just as strong of an employee as people who NorthshoreTechnicalCommunityCollege,Northwest take a traditional pathway.”

Louisiana Technical Community College, Nunez LCTCS Vice President of Education Dr. ChanCommunity College, River Parishes Community dler LeBoeuf said much of that success comes College, South Louisiana Community College, and from meeting people where they are and helping SOWELA Technical Community College. Visit them succeed. While some LCTCS students enroll www.lctcs.edu to learn more about an institution immediatelyaftergraduatinghighschool,othersare near you.

12A ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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EDUCATION A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Top judge wants to help combat student absenteeism

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO

Q&A WITH JOHN WEIMER

to the table. I’ve talked to the District Attorney’s Association about having more of a role in the discussion, because in some Louisiana Chief Justice John places (in Louisiana), the district Weimer knows firsthand that attorney has taken charge. Some regularly attending school can districts report their absentee improve a child’s future. students directly to the DA’s OfHe grew up the eldest of five in a single-parent household in fice, and they invite the parents Thibodeaux. As a teen whose parin to chat. In some places, it’s the schools taking the lead. ents didn’t finish high school, he Every district provides serdidn’t see much use for education and often opted to skip class to vices, like FINS (Families in Need ride motorcycles instead. But afof Services), and they attempt to link families to the services ter a long illness caused his father they need to get their children to to lose his auto service shop and school. Recently, I heard about the family struggled to make ends a student who wasn’t going to meet, Weimer decided it was time school because his shoe fell apart, to take school more seriously. and somebody with the district When a high school English was able to get a hold of a pair of teacher took an interest in him, shoes for him.

Weimer began to nurture bigger Who will be at the state absenteeism aspirations for his life. With ensummit in September and what will be the couragement from his teacher, he focus? enrolled at nearby Nicholls State There will be school personnel, University, then went on to attend as well as district judges, district LSU law school. attorneys and public defenders.

He began his career as a judge We’re inviting anybody who plays in the 17th Judicial District Court any kind of role in truancy, from in Lafourche Parish and taught teachers, principals, office people, classes at Nicholls State UniversiFILE PHOTO By APRIL BUFFINGTON to people involved in FINS. ty for several years, before being We’re still working on what the elected to the Louisiana Supreme Louisiana Supreme Court Chief Justice John Weimer speaks Jan. 19 at the Living Faith Christian Center in Baton Rouge. discussion topics are going to be.

Court in 2001. He was appointed The request we sent to judges chief justice in 2021. both taxpayers and communities. — teachers, principals, district at- was to let us know what they Seeing how much his life think they’re doing well and what Reducing the number of students torneys, judges — they can come changed after he prioritized who regularly miss school could school, Weimer has become an up with solutions that will prevent challenges they face in their juoutspoken advocate for efforts to help, but it will take an all-handsstudents from falling off track risdiction. The plan is to publish improve student attendance. The on-deck approach, he said. and, potentially, landing in courtwhat certain (communities) have He proposed a summit where share of Louisiana students who done that have been beneficial. rooms like his. stakeholders from across Louimiss 10% or more of school days We don’t have to reinvent the “Do we do nothing and watch has been on the rise, with nearly 1 siana could come together to wheel. We’re trying to come up these numbers grow at great in 4 students qualifying as chroni- discuss factors that contribute with best practices and have expense … to society,” he asked everyone meet with their superduring a panel discussion on to absenteeism and brainstorm cally absent during the 2023-24 student absenteeism last month, potential legislation to present to school year. intendent, district attorney and “or do we intercede and do some- sheriff to discuss what they can the Legislature next spring. That During a state education board meeting is set to take place Sept. meeting in January, Weimer do. Because each parish is so difthing?”

8 in Alexandria. pointed to studies that found This interview has been edited ferent — assets, politics, financial Weimer said he hopes that by students who chronically miss and condensed for clarity. resources — things that some convening educators and govschool are far more likely to What agencies are responsible for complaces are doing will be off the become involved in the criminal table for others. bating student absenteeism? ernment officials who deal with justice system, often at a cost to What do you see as your role in this stateEverybody brings something student absenteeism and truancy

Staff writer

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 education.

But if you really work hard, and work with the teachers and administrators who are there to help you, you can accomplish anything you want in life.

Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate.com.

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THE STATE HOW TO TACKLE THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES FACING LOUISIANA SCHOOLS. HAVE AN IDEA? EMAIL PATRICK.WALL@THEADVOCATE.COM

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 13A

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Rules for liquids in air travel may change systems as more and more changes the TSA makes, Feds hint at travelers turned to checked whatever they are, only start at a handful of airports to pack toiletries. possible changes bags At the time the 3.4-ounce that have the technology to was implemented, the do so. Over the years, airto regulations limit FBI and other laboratories ports worldwide have adopt-

BY REBECCA SANTANA and WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

Associated Press

had found that tiny amounts of substances small enough to fit into a quart-size bag couldn’t blow up an airliner.

When the ban was eventually lifted in September 2006, consumers and businesses alike had to learn how to adapt to the 3-1-1 rule — leading to more demand for smaller, travel size bottles of anything from shampoo to toothpaste, as well as clear, “TSA approved” toiletry bags that are still seen on store shelves today.

The rule was also adopted in many countries around the world starting later that year.

Keith Jeffries, a former TSA director at Los Angeles International Airport and now vice president of K2 Security Screening Group, says whatever comes next needs to be clear for passengers.

And he knows whereof he speaks.

Jeffries was working for TSA in Albuquerque, New Mexico, when the liquids rules came down overnight.

Signage had to be changed to let passengers know of the new regulations. Barrels overflowing with toothpaste, shaving cream and shampoo had to be emptied every half hour. Jeffries remembers seeing a pair of shoes sitting in one of the barrels.

When he asked why, a TSA staffer said there was gel in the soles. “I said, ‘Please tell me I don’t have a passenger back there walking in the sterile area barefoot. And he says, ‘No, sir, they still have their socks on,’ ” he said.

“That’s how chaotic it was.”

NEW YORK — When limits on liquids were introduced at TSA checkpoints across the country in 2006, bins overflowed with bottled water, toothpaste, shaving cream and so much more. Nearly two decades later, travelers are much more accustomed to the “3-1-1 regulations” governing the size of the liquids they’re flying with, but scenes of passengers guzzling a beverage before putting their bags through the screening machines are still common.

That’s why Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem sent ripples through the traveling public when she said earlier this week that changes might be afoot when it comes to Noem the TSA’s current liquid limits.

“The liquids, I’m questioning. So that may be the next big announcement, is what size your liquids need to be,” Noem told a conference hosted by “The Hill” in Washington.

Will travelers be able to carry bigger bottles? Multiple 1-quart bags of liquids?

Those details haven’t been rolled out. But coming on top of her announcement earlier this month that travelers could keep their shoes on at TSA checkpoints, it seems a much different security ex- More than convenience perience for American air Any move to simplify the travelers might be emerg- screening process and cut down on the time it takes ing. for passengers to navigate 9/11 changed much checkpoints would be a welAirline travel changed dra- come change for everyone, matically after the Sept. 11, Harteveldt says. Because it 2001, attacks. Before that, isn’t just about convenience; airlines were responsible those lines before the securifor security and would of- ty checkpoints are the most ten contract it out to private at risk to a potential threat.

The fact that the TSA felt firms, said Henry Harteveldt, an airline industry confident enough to change analyst with Atmosphere its shoe policy earlier this Research Group. Travelers month may not save too often didn’t need to show much time from an inditheir ID at security check- vidual traveler’s perspecpoints — and people without tive, Harteveldt notes — but boarding passes, such as marks a “big step forward” family members or friends, toward cutting down the could go to the gate in some average length of the seculocations. rity process when you think “It was much more casual. about the number of people And clearly it was ineffec- going through U.S. airports tive, because 9/11 occurred,” each day. Relaxing current liquid restrictions could aid Harteveldt said.

That’s when the Depart- that effort.

Still, questions remain. ment of Homeland Security and the Transportation Se- “What we don’t know is curity Administration were what the secretary is going born, with the mandate of to announce about liquids,” preventing more terrorist Harteveldt said. “Will they remove the liquid ban altoattacks.

The liquid limits, however, gether — and can we go back didn’t kick in until 2006, af- to bringing full-sized of toiter authorities foiled a plot letries and other items with that used liquid explosives us? Will they allow people to smuggled aboard carry- bring more than one bag of on luggage. The TSA then toiletries and liquids? And briefly banned all liquids in importantly, will they relax carry-on luggage. That ban the limit on (the) quart-size lasted about six weeks, but bag itself?’ ” It’s also possible that the strained airlines’ baggage

ed some aspects of security screenings faster or differently than others.

But travelers could be confused if they’re able to bring a full-size bottle of shampoo or lotion when flying out of one airport, for example, but not on their return trip home.

“The devil is going to be in the details,” Harteveldt said.

“That’s why the rollout plan will be absolutely critical.”

Harveldt says a more streamlined process could make travelers less stressed, but others — including flight attendants and pilots who are in the skies more frequently — may object and question whether airport security is being compromised. Still, Harveldt says he doesn’t believe the TSA would make this change if the agency “didn’t feel it was authentically, truly safe.”

What of TSA PreCheck?

If shoe regulations disappear and liquid restrictions are eased, the effects could ripple into the TSA PreCheck program, in which passengers submit information like their fingerprints and the agency prescreens them for any red flags. By giving the agency this information, the traveler then gets some benefits not available to other travelers — a special line to go through and the ability to keep their computers in their bags and their shoes on, for example.

But if those benefits become more widely available to all passengers, will fewer people sign up for PreCheck?

“What is the impact on now both shoes and liquids going to have on TSA PreCheck enrollment? That is the milliondollar question,” Jeffries said. “And if I was still with TSA, I would be watching that closely over the next 12 to 18 months.”

While the prospect of increasing the current liquid limit could be a welcome change for many U.S. travelers, some experts say that the tech isn’t available in enough airports yet. Current X-ray machines used at most airports today have a difficult time distinguishing between different types of liquids, says Jeffrey Price, a professor of aviation at Metropolitan State University of Denver.

That’s key, he explains, in determining whether something is harmless or potentially explosive.

While newer computed tomography scanners are better and have begun making their way to airports, Price said in commentary published last week that it could take “another decade or more” before the newer machines are deployed at all U.S. airports.

“This is an issue that needs to be studied much more carefully than the policy to leave your shoes on,” he said in an email Thursday.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Travelers makes their way through security on Thursday at the Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tenn.

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LOUISIANA POLITICS Johnson gets funding clawback legislation passed Victory comes amid Epstein files imbroglio WASHINGTON — By any measure, House Speaker Mike Johnson had a successful few weeks.

The Benton Republican herded a contrary clowder of House Republicans to a series of huge legislative wins for President Donald Trump, capped early Friday morning with final passage of a rescission 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 Mark Johnson less than Ballard 46 hours to get the legislation to Trump for his signature before the clawback expired.

Plenty of House members had reasons to oppose the measure, from defunding public broadcasting to setting the precedent of allowing a president to usurp Congress’s constitutional power of the purse.

But Johnson’s biggest hurdle was a fight between Republicans over publicly releasing federal investigatory files on accused pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, a financier who allegedly provided his prominent friends with underage girls for sex and died in prison awaiting trial.

On July 7, Trump’s Department of Justice and Federal Bureau of Investigation released a “nothing to see here” memo. The files contained “no credible evidence” that Epstein was murdered, he committed suicide in 2019; his client list didn’t exist; and he blackmailed no one, according to the Justice/FBI memo.

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, leaves the House chamber on Thursday at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

trained at LSU. The White House refused to comment on conversations between Trump and Johnson. But press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump had long contended Attorney General Pam Bondi should release any additional “credible” evidence.

Thursday morning’s Wall Street Journal reported that Trump had sent Epstein a “bawdy letter” in 2003. Trump denied doing so and threatened to sue the newspaper.

Trump has long acknowledged that he and Epstein were friends from the 1980s until the early 2000s.

As time was running out on Trump’s clawback bill, Republicans on the House Rules Committee tired of being repeatedly called upon to vote down Democratic 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 foot-dragging, Johnson agreed to allow a nonbinding resolution giving Bondi 30 days to “make publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format” all documents, records, communications and other evidence related to the investigation, the online political news source Punchbowl reported at 8:39 p.m. Eastern Time Thursday.

At 9:07 p.m., Trump posted on Truth Social that he asked Bondi to produce pertinent grand jury testimony, if the court approved.

Bondi responded at 9:09 p.m. on X: “President Trump — we are ready to move the 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 Trump for his signature.

in power themselves, the Trump administration didn’t want to release anything more than the memo.

Many in the MAGA base were enraged, and many Republicans were looking for political cover while the clock ticked down on the rescissions bill.

“Now they are reaping what they have sown,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., told reporters Thursday.

Epstein had pleaded guilty and was convicted in 2008 by a Florida state court for procuring a child for prostitution. A decade later, federal law enforcement

identified 36 other underage girls, some as young 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 with the sentiment that we need to put it out there,” Johnson said. “It’s a very delicate subject but we should put everything out there and let the people decide.”

Johnson seemed to be joining MAGA loyalists like Steve Bannon against Trump on the issue.

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, a Capitol Hill politics publication, that he and Trump have always supported transparency.

“I’m saying the same thing the president is that, I mean, you need to have all of the credible information released for the American people to make their decision,” said Johnson, a lawyer

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

roadways that don’t qualify for federal funding, including planning, construction, maintenance Gov. Jeff Landry on Wednesday and repairs.

The office is tasked with announced that Lafourche Parish President Archie Chaisson III “privatizing functions as well as reimagining transportawill serve as executive director of the Office tion project delivery,” of Louisiana Highway Wednesday’s announceConstruction, the state’s ment stated. brand-new transportation Landry said Chaisson agency. will be working together “Archie has been a dediwith DOTD Secretary Glenn Ledet, who recentcated public servant for Lafourche Parish workly left the top job at the Coastal Protection and ing tirelessly to answer Restoration Authority. the needs of the southeast “I am confident that the region,” Landry said in days of a more efficient a statement. “We are CAPITOL transportation departexcited to bring Archie into the administration to BUZZ ment are on the horizon,” staff serve in this new role.”

Landry said.

Under a reorganization reports Ledet said the appointplan approved by state ment of Chaisson “is a lawmakers and Landry strong step forward for last month, the new Office of both the new office and the state” Louisiana Highway Construcand noted that the two transportion is independent of the state tation leaders worked closely in Department of Transportation previous roles. and Development. It will oversee “He has a proven track record about 4,800 miles of smaller state of getting things done and has

been a reliable 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 a separate news release announcing his resignation as Lafourche Parish president 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 the president 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.

from being confirmed as the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Louisiana, based in Baton Rouge, after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee recommended his nomination to the full Senate Thursday morning.

The Republican majority on the committee approved Wall’s nomination by President Donald Trump. Democratic members on the Judiciary Committee had walked out of the hearing because of a controversy over Emil J. Bove III, who Trump has nominated for a lifetime appointment as a judge on the U.S. 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals.

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

“It’s happened before and we have to move along,” Grassley said, adding that a similar inci-

dent once occurred when Democrats made up the majority on the committee.

Bove’s nomination was forwarded with only Republican votes.

Wall’s nomination was further down the 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 a vote likely to take place next week or the week after, Wall will succeed Ronald C. Gathe Jr. as the chief federal law enforcement officer for Ascension, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, East Feliciana, West Feliciana, Iberville, Livingston, Pointe Coupee and St. Helena parishes.

Landry names Lafourche president to highway job

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THE GULF COAST

PHOTO PROVIDED By SHARK & SHORE’S FACEBOOK ACCOUNT

An 11-foot, 8-inch tiger shark was recently caught off West End Beach in Pensacola, Fla.

Anglers catch 1,000-pound tiger shark in Pensacola

NORTHWEST FLORIDA DAILy NEWS FILE PHOTO By DEVON RAVINE

Beachgoers enjoy a sunny day in Destin, Fla., in 2020. The beach has expanded to feature 340 feet of public beach access, along with restrooms and 49 free parking spaces, according to city officials.

New park in Florida expands public beach access, parking

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

This summer, Louisiana vacationers making their annual escape to Florida’s Gulf Coast will find a new stretch of sugar white sand and aquamarine waves — the result of a multimilliondollar effort to expand public beach access.

Destin’s Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Park will feature 340 feet of public beach access, along with restrooms and 49 free parking spaces, including ADA-accessible and low-speed vehicle spots, according to city officials.

While the beach access at Tarpon is already open, additional amenities are expected to be completed before next spring, Destin mayor Bobby Wagner said in a post on Facebook.

The project is a part of a broader $26.5 million initiative by the City of Destin and the Okaloosa Board of

County Commissioners to reinvest tourism revenue in expanding access for both visitors and residents, city officials said. The first phase of the initiative, a $9 million expansion at nearby Crystal Beach, has already been completed.

The total cost for Tarpon Beach Gulf Front Park was $16.75 million.

Only two years 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 beach from 5 to 340 feet.

Doug Hattaway, the land conservation director of Trust for Public Land — the lead agency that helped 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’s opening comes at a time

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Hours after dropping bait into the Gulf last Thursday morning, 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 for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 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 5 a.m., took about 3 minutes, the anglers wrote in a Facebook post, adding that “experience is key.”

If there’s any time of year anglers are likely to catch a tiger shark, it’s now — summer is when coastal sharks come closer inland in search

Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe @theadvocate.com.

&1*./ 1./*0

of warmer waters to give birth, NOAA shark biologist John Carlson said last year.

Tiger sharks are the third most commonly caught coastal shark in the United States, according to the Florida Museum. In the Gulf, they are the most common shark species found in both coastal and offshore waters.

The species can grow up to 18 feet in length and weigh as much as 2,000 pounds, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

Tiger sharks rank just behind great whites in the number of recorded shark bites on humans worldwide. Though attacks are rare, the sharks — whose diet includes large prey such as sea turtles — can sometimes mistake people on surf or wakeboards for food.

Staff writer

of ongoing tensions over limited shoreline access in Destin, where large portions of beachfront are privately owned, and vendor operations contribute to crowding. Wagner has said the city aims to “buy and build more public beaches over the next two years” while addressing vendor issues.

The project also coincides with a shift in travel patterns, as more vacationers are turning to the Mississippi and Alabama Gulf Coast, drawn by less-crowded beaches and more affordable lodging.

“This is all about reclaiming the beaches for our residents, for our tourists,” Wagner said at Monday’s groundbreaking ceremony. “As we all know, there’s limited space out there, and where there’s an issues, there’s always an opportunity.”

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Civil rights work slowed as Education Department axed Data shows fewer cases resolved as Trump dismantles agency

BY COLLIN BINKLEY AP education writer

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration insists it hasn’t wavered in its duty to protect the civil rights of America’s children even as it dismantles the Education Department. Yet its own data shows the agency has resolved far fewer civil rights cases than in past years despite families filing more complaints.

The Education Department’s civil rights branch lost nearly half its staff amid mass layoffs in March, raising questions about its ability to address a deep backlog of complaints from students alleging discrimination based on disability, sex or race.

Pressed on the issue in June, Education Secretary Linda McMahon denied a slowdown.

“Not only are we reducing the backlog, but we are keeping up with the current amount with a reduced staff because we are doing it efficiently,” McMahon said at a Senate budget hearing.

By several measures, however, the output of the Office for Civil Rights appears to have fallen sharply in comparison with previous years.

A public database of the office’s resolution agreements — cases in which schools or universities voluntarily agreed to address civil rights concerns — suggests the office’s work has slowed.

The database lists just 65 resolutions so far this year, on pace to fall far below previous years’ totals. Last year the office logged 380 resolutions in total, following 561 in 2023. During President Donald Trump’s first term, the office averaged more than 800 resolutions a year, including 1,300 during his first year in office.

Other internal data obtained by The Associated Press show a similar trend.

Since Trump took office, the total number of resolved cases is down about 40% from the same time frame last year — including cases that were dismissed, mediated or reached a voluntary resolution. Compared with last year, there also has been a

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SyLVIA JARRUS

Adrienne Hazel, left, stands with her son Ricky on Thursday in Southfield, Mich.

70% decrease in the number of cases resolved through resolution agreements or action taken by a school to comply with federal law, the internal data shows.

Meanwhile, new complaints have increased 9%.

The total number of cases has now climbed beyond 25,000.

An Education Department spokesperson said the Trump administration is fixing a broken system.

“When staff levels were at their peak, OCR’s processes still proved to be ineffective, as evidenced by the chronic backlog of tens of thousands of cases that left students’ discrimination claims languishing over many presidential administrations,” spokesperson Julie Hartman said.

Parents and advocates say they’ve noticed a difference.

Adrienne Hazel filed a complaint in April after her 20-year-old son Ricky, who has autism, was placed in a public school program without a certified teacher and was not given an individual learning plan. Hazel, of Southfield, Michigan, has not heard from the federal office after receiving an automatic reply when she filed the complaint.

Things moved faster last year when Hazel filed a separate complaint for her son.

The office notified Ricky’s school, which Hazel says spurred the district to reach an agreement with her within about three months. This time, she said, it feels like she’s on her own.

“There has been zero response to this,” she said.

“He’s basically going into a babysitting situation. He’s not getting the things that he needs to grow into independence. And he’ll just be aging without getting an education.”

Marcie Lipsitt, a special education advocate in Michigan who worked with Hazel, said such stories are common.

She helps families file complaints but warns it could take at least a year before an investigation opens. Some schools have backtracked on previous agreements, she said, yet parents can’t get a response from the federal office.

“It’s horrible. I’m watching children suffer like they’ve never suffered,” she said.

“There is no accountability.”

The fate of the Education Department itself is in question as the Trump administration moves ahead with a plan to wind down the agency. A Supreme Court decision Monday cleared the way for the agency to continue mass layoffs and outsource some functions to other agencies.

McMahon previously suggested the civil rights work could be managed by the Justice Department.

Still, McMahon said in June that the office was making headway after inheriting a backlog of 20,000 cases from the Biden administration.

She told senators the office was catching up on the backlog and keeping up with new complaints.

With half the staff, many question how that’s possible.

Bayeux Tapestry set to be displayed in Britain for 1st time in nearly 1,000 years

By The Associated Press LONDON — The Bayeux Tapestry, the 11thcentury artwork depicting the Norman conquest of England, will be displayed in Britain for the first time in almost 1,000 years.

Officials said recently the treasured medieval tapestry will be on loan from France and arrive next year at the British Museum, where it will star in a blockbuster exhibition from September 2026 to July 2027.

The loan was announced during French President Emmanuel Macron’s recent state visit to the United Kingdom.

The fragile 230-foot cloth depicts the events leading up to the conquest of England by William the Conqueror in 1066. The artwork was believed to have been commissioned by Bishop Odo of Bayeux and has been displayed in various locations across France, including most recently at the Bayeux Museum in Normandy.

“The Bayeux Tapestry is one of the most iconic pieces of art ever produced in the U.K. and I am delighted that we will be able to welcome it here in 2026,” Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said in a statement.

“This loan is a symbol of our shared history with our friends in France, a relationship built over centuries and one that continues

In a June court order pausing the termination of Office for Civil Rights employees, a federal judge in Boston said the branch is “currently incapable of addressing the vast majority” of complaints.

More than 200 of the office’s employees remain on leave

while that case is decided.

The Office for Civil Rights is responsible for enforcing civil rights laws across the nation’s schools and is often a last resort for parents and students facing discrimination from schools. The office reviews complaints and, for those that meet certain criteria, opens investigations.

Others are dismissed or move to a mediation process.

Of the 65 resolution agreements reported this year, 57 were signed after Trump took office. Of those, the vast majority involve complaints of discrimination based on disability, with smaller numbers based on sex or race.

Most of the sex discrimination findings deal with keeping transgender athletes out of women’s sports, one of Trump’s campaign promises.

“OCR will continue to meet its statutory responsibilities while driving to improve efficiency and resolve the longstanding backlog,“ Hartman said.

Multiple workers in the office who spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of retaliation said caseloads have

grown too big to manage. In last year’s budget request, the office said it was becoming difficult to keep up when investigative staff averaged 42 cases per person. Some estimates put the current caseload beyond 200.

The employees said it means more cases will languish.

Another parent in Michigan, Casie Clouse, hasn’t heard from the department since she filed a complaint in May. Her son, Brady, who is blind in one eye and has a learning disability, wasn’t getting the type of help his school promised, including access to teachers’ notes and reduced coursework.

Brady, 14, made no academic progress in eighth grade, and he’s now heading to high school without the support he needs, his mother said.

“It’s been so frustrating not to even have an update at all,” said Clouse, of Ann Arbor. “He is going to go to high school and fail. I feel like my child will not get a high school diploma if he stays in Ann Arbor Public Schools.”

GOLDEN DEEDS

Honoring Philanthropy Since 1942

The Golden Deeds award is the most prestigious award in the Greater Baton Rouge area.

Since its inception in 1942, it has been awarded to only one outstanding recipient each year for philanthropic service to the community. The actions and service of the recipients have made the community a better place to live and work.

The Golden Deeds Award nominations include the nine-parish Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area which covers East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, Iberville, Ascension, Livingston, St. Helena, East Feliciana, West Feliciana and Pointe Coupee.

THE SEARCH IS ON FOR OUR 2025 GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD RECIPIENT

NOMINATE AN OUTSTANDING CITIZEN ALL NOMINATIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5 P.M. ON FRIDAY, AUGUST 22

Explain why your nominee should receive the Golden Deeds Award. Tell us in your own words about the most memorable things they’ve done in service to the community.

Tell us how their actions touched your heart; how they made a difference.

Give specific examples of what they’ve done.

Maximum of 750 words.

Nominations must meet specific requirements to be considered.

SAVE THE DATE: GOLDEN DEEDS AWARD ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

The 11th-century Bayeux tapestry chronicling the Norman conquest of England is displayed in 2019 in Bayeux, France.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11 CROWN PLAZA EXECUTIVE CENTER 4728 CONSTITUTION AVE. • BATON ROUGE Tickets $50 each • Group tables available To purchase tickets, contact Richard Flicker at flicker@premier.net or 225-931-1626

to endure,” she added.

In return, the British Museum will loan treasures from the Sutton Hoo collection — artifacts from a 7th century Anglo Saxon ship burial — to museums in Normandy. The excavation of Sutton Hoo was dramatized in the 2021 film “The Dig” starring Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan.

Other items to be loaned to France include the Lewis Chessmen, the mysterious medieval chess pieces carved from walrus tusks and whales’ teeth dating from around the 12th century that were discovered on the Isle of Lewis in Scotland.

PRESENTED BY

Mail nomination letters to The Advocate attn: Ellen Ducote P.O. Box 588 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 or email educote@theadvocate.com

community

CALENDAR Volunteer opportunities, community events, fundraisers + more.

START HERE

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EBR School Board balks at contracts

Kids’ Orchestra, BRyC programs may be revisited

BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer

In a rare and unexpected defeat for Superintendent LaMont Cole, the East Baton Rouge Parish School Board failed to approve contracts with two local nonprofits, one that teaches young children how to play music and another that helps hundreds of teenagers each year improve their chances of get-

ting into college.

Voting along racial lines, the board was unable to muster the needed five-vote majority to approve the $445,000 contract with Kids’ Orchestra and the $786,000 contract with the Baton Rouge Youth Coalition, or BRYC. The 2025-26 school year begins Aug. 7, less than three weeks from now.

Neither contract is dead, though.

The board is expected to revisit them within the next two months.

Board members opposed to the contracts argued that the district should either bring this work inhouse, or, if it hires outside providers, it should give a shot to other local organizations doing similar things.

“We can take and use that money across the board in a way that all the kids are served equitably,” said

board member Cliff Lewis.

“Fair is fair,” said board member Dadrius Lanus. “If we’re going to do this for one, or two, or three organizations, then you open the door to all organizations that can provide services to make all of our schools better.”

As an example, Lanus pointed to 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge, an organization for which he previously served as executive director.

Like BRYC, 100 Black Men has a successful ACT prep program.

“They’re raising ACT scores at

LSU-area apartment complex sold for $82M

roll along Main Street following the seventh Annual Blessing of the Bikes and

BY TIMOTHY BOONE

Runners at

Staff writer

Email Timothy Boone at tboone@theadvocate.com.

ä See SCHOOL, page 2B

Riders

Student housing demand strong

An LSU-area apartment complex was sold for $82 million to a New York investment group last week.

Timberline Real Estate Ventures of Rye, New York, purchased the Park Place Baton Rouge development at 222 E. Boyd Drive in a deal that was filed Wednesday with the East Baton Rouge Parish Clerk of Court’s Office. The seller was Park7 Baton Rouge Owner LLC of New York City.

Park Place is a 280-unit complex that opened in 2017. Park7 developed the multifamily housing complex, but sold it to Timberline along with student apartment developments in Columbia, South Carolina; Orono, Maine; and Waco, Texas.

The complex has a number of amenities, including a rooftop pool with a hot tub and jumbo TV screen, a covered parking garage, private study rooms, a fitness center and a movie theater.

This is the second LSU-area deal Timberline has made this year. In February, the investment group bought The Oliver, a 612-unit development at 4500 Burbank Drive, for $25 million.

Craig Davenport, of Cook Moore Davenport & Associates, said the sale of Park Place shows the continuing strength of the LSU apartment market. The complex changed hands for around $295,000 per unit or $110,000 per bed, one of the highest sale prices that has been seen in the local market.

From 2020 to 2024, enrollment at LSU has gone up from 30,793 students to 37,490. That’s led to a crunch in on-campus housing.

A year ago, the university was offering local freshmen a $3,000 bonus if they chose to live with their parents.

It also led to purchases by investors such as Timberline and Brookfield, a New York firm that bought the 732-unit Arlington Cottages and Townhomes complex on Ben Hur Drive in late 2024 for an undisclosed amount of money.

“I’m assuming that was another high-dollar sale,” said Davenport, who tracks the local apartment market.

The Dinerstein Companies, a Houston-based developer, recently purchased Tiger Pointe Apartments off Nicholson Drive and a vacant tract of land next to the Southgate Towers Apartments at Nicholson and Burbank, for what Davenport says will probably be two new complexes.

“All of this shows that student housing developers are hot on the LSU market right now,” he said.

some of your lowest-performing schools by an average of three points, and they’re doing it for free,” Lanus said.

Board President Shashonnie Steward sided with Lewis and Lanus.

“If there are better options, then I’m open to looking into it,” Steward said.

All three ended up abstaining.

The final vote Thursday was 4-0 on both items. Board members Carla

St. Joseph’s Cathedral on Saturday in Baton Rouge.

STAFF PHOTO

By MICHAEL JOHNSON

HOLy RIDE ABOVE: The Rev. Cary Bani sprinkles holy water around the runners and riders and their toes and bikes.

RIGHT: Riders, runners and the Rev. Cary Bani pose for pictures following he event.

Fundraiser to help Expert says it’s best buy bulletproof vests to leave snakes alone Bourbon flight to be raffled off

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Nearly a decade after a deadly attack on law enforcement officers in Baton Rouge, a local nonprofit is holding a fundraiser fueled by bourbon to help equip officers with high-tech bulletproof vests.

The Capital Area Law Enforcement Foundation is raffling off a bourbon flight valued at $70,000 to buy as many rifle-rated bulletproof vests as possible for three local departments.

The fundraiser started earlier this week on the ninth anniversary of the 2016 ambush in which gunman Gavin Long shot and killed two BRPD officers and two

East Baton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputies.

The vests that Deputy Brad Garafola, Cpl. Montrell Jackson, Officer Matthew Gerald and Deputy Nick Tullier were wearing that day were rated only for handgun fire, not the long-gun munitions Long was firing.

In the aftermath of those killings, former Baton Rouge Police Chief Pat Englade formed CALEF and began seeking better protection for his officers.

“I was a cop for 32 years, so I know what it’s like,” Englade said. “When I was first on patrol, we didn’t have vests. I mean, there just wasn’t such a thing.

“What has happened in America is that people that commit crimes have transitioned from handguns into semiautomatic

ä See FUNDRAISER, page 2B

reptiles at the LSU Museum of Seven venomous Natural Science and biological professor. “All snakes snakes call La. home sciences would much rather slither away

BY HALEY MILLER

from you.”

It’s also easy to misidentify a snake without proper training, Seven venomous snakes call he said.

“In all cases, it’s best to just Louisiana home, including coral snakes, cottonmouths, rattle- leave them alone,” Austin said. snakes and copperheads.

According to the Centers for Venomous snakes in Louisiana Disease Control, 7,000 to 8,000 Here’s the rundown of Louisipeople get bitten by venomous ana’s venomous snakes, accordsnakes each year in the U.S., with ing to the Louisiana Department about five of those cases resulting of Wildlife and Fisheries. in death.

What’s the cardinal rule of Cottonmouth n Types: Northern Cottonmouth keeping yourself — and the n Where they are found: Swampsnakes — safe, according to experts? Leave them be. lands and ponds, lake and stream “A lot of venomous snakes bites borders throughout Louisiana. are the result of people trying They like dense canopies and to kill snakes,” said Chris Ausä See SNAKES, page 2B tin, curator of amphibians and

Staff writer

2B ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

Last of jail escapees still at large SCHOOL

Continued from page 1B

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 out-of-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

FUNDRAISER Continued from page 1B

and automatic rifles now, and these vests were just not designed for that in the very beginning.”

When the idea to raise money to buy rifle-rated vests began, Englade tested a handful of vest options at a local gun range. The vest that proved the best was designed by a company called Angel Armor.

“We started with the phrase ‘all-day rifle protection,’ ” said Aaron Pettigrew, national sales director for Angel Armor. “When the events happened to Baton Rouge and in Dallas, that’s when everybody was like, well, we need rifle protection. We’re being ambushed.

It was a scene that shocked the whole entire country.”

But Pettigrew said the response of many departments was to buy “active shooter kits” that included

SNAKES

Continued from page 1B often coil near water. n Identifiers: Dark tan to very dark brown/black.

Black or dark brown crossbands. White line from corner of the eye along the angle of the mouth.

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

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. 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 man-

slaughter 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.

vests, but which were often kept in the back of a police vehicle.

“And they didn’t study what happened,” he said.

“If they’re ambushed, they don’t have that time, right?

So how can we put together a lightweight rifle-plate package that’s not going to be cumbersome.”

The company says Angel Armor vests were designed to wear for hours on end in hot or exhausting conditions, and the design is adapted to the way modern law enforcement industry thinks about body armor.

The equipment is sold exclusively to sworn first responders, the military and federal agents, according to Angel Armor.

The vests cost around $2,000, and CALEF is looking to buy as many as possible for its three chosen departments for this year: Baton Rouge police, LSU police and Southern University.

“The little departments,

we can go in and knock them out, three, four, five, six vests,” Englade said. “When you talk about hundreds, that takes a little more effort.”

Entry into the bourbon raffle costs $100 per ticket, with the winner’s name to be drawn on Aug. 15.

First prize is an EH Taylor flight of 12 bourbons, with a reported market price of $70,000. Second place is a 20-year-old Double Eagle Very Rare bourbon.

“It’s amazing watching the community rally behind the officers,” Pettigrew said.

“It means everything to their families. It means everything to them. And you know, hopefully they never have to use the gear, but in the situation that they do have to use it, hopefully that they are protecting those individuals across the board in their community.”

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

all snakes alone rather than Parishes with last recorded putting too much faith in sighting in 1995 (eastern dirhymes. amond-backed rattlesnake) n Identifiers: The telltale ratCopperhead tle. Red/orange band down n Types: Eastern copper- the back (timber and pyghead my rattlesnake), diamondn Where they are found: shaped pattern with dark Throughout forested areas brown markings and pale of Louisiana, not including edges (eastern diamondpermanent swamps and backed rattlesnake). cheniers. n Identifiers: Brown or red- Email Haley Miller at dish-brown with crossbands haley.miller@theadvocate. resembling hourglasses or com.

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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

Powell-Lewis and Emily Soulé were absent.

The board members voting yes were Mark Bellue, Mike Gaudet, Patrick Martin V and Nathan Rust.

Gaudet said he shares some of the concerns raised, but urged putting off the topic until this fall when the board reconvenes to set budget priorities for the following school year.

He objected to voting down the contracts now, “right at the beginning of the school year.”

“Effectively it would kill the program for this school year, and all the kids that would have benefited from it would not,” Gaudet said.

District policy says that items voted down can’t be reconsidered for at least 60 days, or not until Sept.

15, unless two-thirds of the board votes to revive the item. The next scheduled board meeting is Aug. 21.

To take action earlier, President Steward would have to call a special meeting.

Cole said he prefers running academic programs in-house, but that doesn’t always make sense, and in such cases “we must seek external partners who can provide those services at a high level.” He said he judged that retaining Kids Orchestra and BRYC is in line with district goals outlined in the strategic plan approved by the board in January.

“The recommendations that we brought forth are based on that process,” Cole said. “If we change the process, we may, no guarantee, we may change the recommendation.”

Representatives of Kids’ Orchestra did not respond to a request for comment.

BRYC Executive Director Lucas Spielfogel said in statement he is “disappointed” at the “unexpected” contract denial, but thanked Cole and others for their support. He said the organization will

reduce planned service expansion, focusing only on high school seniors, but he said the organization is committed to working with the district in the future.

“As we prepare to serve 500+ 8-12th-graders and 900+ alumni through our traditional out-of-school program, we will now move forward with a revised in-school plan, offering postsecondary and early-career counseling to seniors at any high schools in our original contract that choose to enlist these services,” Spielfogel said.

“We will support these efforts through our own fundraising.”

For more than a decade, the school system has contracted with Kids Orchestra to provide music lessons to elementary-age children.

BRYC first contracted with the school system in fall 2023. Last year, the district spent almost $800,000, the same amount at issue now, to establish BRYC college prep classes at a handful of Baton Rouge high schools.

Since forming in 2009, BRYC has helped hundreds of teenagers each year improve their chances of getting into a good college. Its Class of 2023 had an average ACT score of 22.23, well above state and local averages, and its students improved by 3.8 points on average during their time there.

Thursday’s meeting defeat is unusual. In his first year as superintendent, Cole has managed to maintain a steady consensus on a board previously riven with disputes. Meetings, which previously routinely stretched late into the night, are much shorter, often wrapping up now with the sun still shining.

The Kids Orchestra contract was one of Cole’s first challenges on the job. Lewis has been critical of that contract since he joined the board, and last August he made his displeasure known to the new superintendent, harping on the

relatively few schools that Kids Orchestra was then serving.

Cole worked with Kids Orchestra to extend the program to 15 schools serving a total of 445 students; the proposed contract for next year names 17 schools. That expansion in schools, however, increased the cost to $900,000 with the district handling half. The district’s share consequently increased from $175,000 to $445,000.

Lewis, however, remains opposed: “When is enough enough? We are not your funders.”

In the case of BRYC, Cole pressed the organization to focus more on ACT prep.

The new contract adds an elective ACT prep course that would be available to 200 juniors at 10 high schools. One goal in Cole’s employment contract is to increase ACT scores.

School Board members did not object to the contracts at their July 10 Committee of the Whole meeting, a meeting where the board unanimously recommended 32 contracts and agreements in short order.

But when the board met again Thursday, it was a different story. Neither Kids Orchestra nor BRYC had representatives present. After sitting in silence the week before, Lewis and Lanus now had lots to say.

The absence of PowellLewis and Soulé gave them an advantage.

“I’m curious why none of these concerns came up in committee, which is the meeting we have to discuss matters like this,” board member Rust observed.

After the meeting, Lewis said he, Lanus and Steward did not organize the defeat of the two contracts in advance.

“There was no power play, no ambush, none of that,” Lewis said. “I just went in there and voted my conscience.”

Email Charles Lussier at clussier@theadvocate. com.

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New Orleans libraries dip into rainy-day fund Building issues force closures

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 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 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.

But the new buildings began experiencing HVAC issues at least seven years after opening, according to city budget documents. Today, the units and the building’s roofs have reached the end of their life spans, Painton said.

The library system’s decision

to tap into its rainy-day fund, one typically reserved for less costly library needs, comes as the quick repairs needed to keep branches open eat at the budget. Over the past four years, New Orleans Public Libraries has spent more than $500,000 of its operating budget on repairs, according to Painton. ”These replacements are not a permanent solution in the way new system installations would be,” she said.

The move also comes as funding earmarked for the projects under the city’s capital projects budget drags on.

I n 2 0 1 9 , M a y o r L a To y a Cantrell’s administration reallocated more than $26 million in bond proceeds — that had been dedicated for library, recreation, public safety and other improvements — to pay for a controversial mental health wing at the Orleans Parish jail.

But at a budget hearing last November, Painton said the city administration informed them the money wouldn’t be returned in 2025. ”For many of these library locations, we cannot go another year making small fixes patching and hoping. The leaking roofs are particularly problematic, causing damage to our buildings, our carpets, our materials, mold, and to our reputation in the community,” she said then.

While the replacements are needed to keep the libraries operational, funding the projects through the reserves was a last resort for library officials.

Shannan Cvitanovic, director of the nonprofit Friends of New Orleans Public Library, which supports library programs and services, said it made sense for the work to go through capital projects. The city has a $2.5 billion this year for a range of longterm infrastructure and facility improvement projects, budget documents show. She also noted that prior to the capital budget reallocation, the library system completed construction plans and selected a contractor.

Now the work will have to go back to the drawing board, she said. ”We had hopes that capital projects would cover these muchneeded repairs. But we just hope that with the new administration, the procurement process to maintain the library buildings is simplified or expedited,” Cvitanovic said.

While the money will help renovate the five branches, library officials said the entire system needs attention. A first task for the new facility administrator will be establishing a comprehensive plan for improvements.

Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

St. Tammany homebuilders criticize new zoning rules

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

It was an unlikely pair.

There was Matthew Allen, an environmentalist who frequently opposes new residential development in St. Tammany Parish, and Jeff Schoen, a lawyer who regularly represents developers.

Normally on opposing sides, they both agreed at a St. Tammany Parish Council meeting in May to support an ordinance creating new building requirements in coastal areas prone to flooding. The council passed it unanimously, but it’s set to consider even more zoning changes in August, and homebuilders worry it could impact housing affordability.

The ordinance passed in May establishes a “coastal resilience” zoning area south of U.S. 190 between Mandeville and Slidell, which falls in the districts of Parish Council members Arthur Laughlin and Joe Impastato.

It requires new homes to be built 3 feet above the base flood elevation level — the water level expected in a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in a given year.

With a few exceptions, the law also prohibits the use of fill — dirt fill used to elevate homes — and restricts the storage of large equipment.

Allen thanked the council for taking a “leap of faith,” saying the regulations were “probably the biggest step forward in our development practices I’ve seen in 20 years.”

“I do think it’s a terrific initiative,” Schoen said, adding that it was important for business and development lawyers to recognize the need for a balanced approach to development.

“At this point we’re at a no-brainer,” joked council member Arthur Laughlin, who championed the ordinance and called it “my baby.” Residents in his district have been concerned costly flooding may be made worse by development in an area already prone to flooding from both rivers and Lake Pontchartrain.

But the new zoning rules have been criticized by homebuilders in the parish, who question its impact on the affordability of homes — a question the parish is asking about housing more broadly.

In August, the Parish Council will decide whether to approve a second area in Laughlin’s district for less restrictive coastal resilience zoning north of U.S. 190 and south of Inter-

state 12. Another area between U.S. 190 and I-12 in Impastato’s district could also get that zoning by the end of this year, Impastato said.

The new zoning regulations stem from a study the parish commissioned from Desire Line, a Metairiebased planning company, in response to bans on some construction south of I-12 in Laughlin and Impastato’s districts.

In the study, which kicked off in January 2024 and was finalized this spring, Desire Line found the low-lying area has significant flood risks from Lake Pontchartrain and rivers like Bayou Lacombe. A majority of the area was designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be in a flood zone, the study found, and about a third of the parish’s repetitive loss structures — or structures that flood more than once — were concentrated in that area.

The consultants found that inadequate infrastructure and a large number of homes with slab foundations built on fill were also contributing to flood risks.

They recommended lowering density in some areas and requiring “more resilient housing construction.”

“You can still build a ton of houses, it’s just not at the densities that are going to create widespread flooding,” said Alex Carter, founder of Desire Line.

Resilience Overlay District 1, for the areas south of U.S. 190 in Impastato and Laughlin’s districts, is now in effect. The less stringent Resilience Overlay District 2, which would also require raised homes, but place fewer restrictions on fill in an area between U.S. 190 and Interstate 12, has not yet been adopted.

“It’s not entirely new,” Impastato said, saying some parts of his district already had restrictions. But he said the study helped them make more informed decisions about it.

“We want to reverse the tide, so-to-speak, on flooding problems.”

“We were hoping the second resilience zone would

go back to the drawing board,” said Jenny Dexter, executive officer at Northshore Homebuilders Association, which represents residential construction professionals in St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington parishes.

Some homebuilders have criticized the two resilience overlay zones, saying more restrictions could raise costs for homebuyers.

“NHBA supports the goal of reducing flood risk and protecting property, but we have concerns that elements of the Coastal Resilience Land Use Study and the corresponding ordinance will result in unintended consequences, including reduced housing availability and affordability,” said Bubba Jenkins, a homebuilder and former chairman of the NHBA, in an email.

“There’s a lot of unanswered questions still,” Dexter said, adding she was dissatisfied with how the process of approving the regulations has gone.

Laughlin and Carter, meanwhile, said they have had numerous stakeholder meetings and public discussions about the study and its recommendations.

They also argue that the concerns about affordability are misplaced. Even if the upfront cost of a raised home might be higher, the savings, such as from lower insurance rates, reduced flood costs and higher resale value, can make a raised home cost-effective, Carter said.

In a case study published in January 2024, researchers at Louisiana State University found that a 2,500-square-foot, singlefamily rental home in Metairie that was raised by 2 feet above base flood elevation had a combined net benefit for the owner and renter somewhere between $14,978 and $23,658.

In a statement, Michael Vinsanau, spokesperson for parish President Mike Cooper, also noted the potential cost savings from the new zoning.

“President Cooper’s administration supports resilient and sustainable

construction practices which would reduce the likelihood of flood damage and improve our rating in (FEMA’s community rating system) program, which in turn, lessens flood insurance costs for our homeowners.”

Carter said it was necessary for the parish to take a two-pronged approach to planning.

“If you’re lowering density in this area, you have to raise density in other

areas that are less prone to flooding.”

Laughlin said he thought part of the concern about new zoning rules may come from a fear that it will take off across the parish, which has found itself in recent years struggling to balance growth with residents’ concerns about infrastructure.

At a Parish Council meeting in the spring, council member Pat Phillips, whose district includes an area between U.S. 190 and I-12,

suggested he might like a similar study done in his district.

Meanwhile, some longtime residents in Laughlin’s district, like Donna McDonald and Chief Elwin “Warhorse” Gillum, have praised the initiative.

“This is not going to stop all the flooding — we realize that, but it’s a tool in the toolbox,” McDonald said.

The Parish Council will have its next meeting on Aug. 7.

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4B ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Funerals Today LeSaicherre, Kerry

Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales at 11 a.m.

Noble, Bertell

Miracle Place Church, Baker at 3pm.

Obituaries Beard, Florence Mariotti

Florence Mariotti Beard, a loving wife, mother, grandmother and friend to many, passed away at her home in Amite, La. on July 15, 2025 at the age of 93. A former resident of Baton Rouge, La. and longtime parishioner of Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Church, Flo moved to Amite, La. to live with her son and quickly became a loving member of St. Helena Catholic Church. She was a devout Marian and very dedicated to her faith. Flo lit up any room she entered. She had that little twinkle in her eyes that went along with her fun loving spirit. She had a flair for fashion.

Wherever you would see her you knew she would be perfectly with dressed everything matching from her earrings down to her shoes. Flo is survived by son, Gary Beard and his wife Diane; grandchildren, Jason, Jennifer, Nathan, Nicholas, Jacob, and Jon; great grandchildren, Gabby and Ellie; her lifelong friend, Nita Vicari and all the Vicari family and many friends. She was preceded in death by her husband, Harold Beard and her son, Father Mark Beard. A spe‐ cial thank you goes out to her special caregivers and Modern Home Health and Hospice for loving our Flo Bird and taking such good care of her. Visitation will be held at St. Helena Church Hall on Monday, July 21, 2025 at 8:30 am until Mass of Christian Bur‐ ial at 12 noon. Rosary in Hall at 9 am presented by Catholic Daughters and of Columbus, Knights Amite. Entombment will follow on the grounds of Greenoaks Memorial Park.

McKneely Funeral Home, in charge of Amite, arrangements. For an on‐ guestbook, visit line http://www.mckneelys. com.

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Boudreaux; grandchildren, Tiffany Boudreaux Moreau (Scott), Logan Boudreaux, Rene Boudreaux, Ashley Boudreaux Chavez (Victor); great grandchildren, Amelia, Owen, and Sawyer, Montre Laneux, and Violet Chavez; siblings, Andy Hanson (Lynelle), Linda Bushnell (Joe), and Cathlene Lacoste; numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by her husband, Andrew Boudreaux; son, Richard Boudreaux; father, Dave Cavalier, Sr.; mother, Mabel Hanson; stepmother, Shirly Cavalier; siblings, Gloria Michelle (Angelo), Velma Menard, Dave Cavalier, Jr., Cindy Ribardi, and Joe Cavalier. Rose loved reading her Bible, watching westerns and spending time with her family.

Brown, Cornell

It is with great sadness that the family of Cornell Brown announces his passing on Tuesday, July 15, 2025, at the age of 77. A visitation will be held on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 9am until religious services at 11am at Wilbert Funeral Home, 24120 Railroad, Plaquemine, Louisiana 70764. Please find full obituary, share sympathies, condolences, and memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Cedars, Janice McDaniel 'Jan'

Boudreaux, Rose C.

Rose C. Boudreaux passed away peacefully at her home on Thursday, July 17, 2025, at the age of 89.

She was a retired caregiver, resident of Plaquemine and a native of Pierre Part, LA. Visitation will be held at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church, Plaquemine on Tuesday, July 22, 2025, from 9:30am until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:30am, celebrated by Father Parvin Jadhav. Interment will follow at Grace Memorial Park, Plaquemine. Rose is survived by her children, Timothy Boudreaux and Ellis

Janice McDaniel Cedars, 80, passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025. She was born on July 8th, 1945 to her beloved parents, Robert K. McDaniel and Gladys (Magee) McDaniel.

After graduating from Brookhaven High School, she went on to earn her Bachelor's degree from LSU. She later earned a Master's degree from LSU. She was selfless, humble, loving, brilliant and musically talented (played 7 instruments) and will be deeply missed by all who loved her. She is survived by her daughter, Dora Cedars Pharis (Sean), beloved grandchildren, Abigail Noyes and Jack Pharis, and her sister-inlaw, Georgene McDaniel.

She was preceded in death by her beloved parents and brother, Jack. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St Jude's Children's Research Hospital or the Wounded Warriors Project.

Frisby, Frederick I.

Frederick I. Frisby entered eternal rest at River Oaks Nursing Center in Baker, LA on July 14, 2025, after a long and brave battle with Prostate cancer.

He was 97 years old and a retired professor of Geography at Southern University and A & M College and Elder at First Presbyterian Church of Scotlandville. He is preceded in death by his parents, Rachel, and Rev. C.W. Frisby, first wife Bernice Edwards Frisby, sister Lennie and brothers John and Theodore, and son Carl Frisby Sr. He is survived, by his loving wife, Mary Williams Frisby and son, Kevin Frisby, and was loved dearly by his five stepchildren, Andray, Cathy, Ronnie, Derek and Tania, thirteen grandchildren, fourteen greatgrandchildren and many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends who loved and will miss him dearly.

Services will be, on July 24, 2025, at Hall Davis & Son Funeral Home, 9834 Scenic Hwy, Baton Rouge, LA 70807. Visitation will be from 10 a.m. to noon with funeral services immediately following. Interment will be at Port Hudson National Cemetery, 20978 Port Hickey Rd, Zachary, LA.

Hays, Robert Daniel 'Dan'

Robert Daniel “Dan” Hays, beloved husband, fa‐ ther, grandfather, greatgrandfather, brother, and friend, passed away on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, at the age of 85. Resident of Maurepas, Louisiana, Dan was born on May 11, 1940, in Greenville, Penn‐ Dan proudly sylvania. served our country in the United States Air Force, and later worked as a com‐ puter analyst for Dow Chemical in the chemical industry. A true outdoors‐ man, Dan enjoyed boating and hunting in his free time. He was a lifetime member of the Baton Rouge Boat Club, where he was honored to earn the title of Commodore seven times. Dan's love for music shone brightly as he en‐ joyed singing with the Gib‐ son Four, a cherished group from his Air Force days. In his leisure time, Dan could often be found relaxing on his porch in a rocking chair, savoring a cup of coffee or an ice-cold Miller Lite when the day's work was done. But above all, Dan truly cherished the role of husband, father, grandfather, and greatloving his grandfather, family more than anything else in the world. He is pre‐ ceded in death by his par‐ ents, Mary Louise and Luke Allison; sister, Patty Alli‐ son; and brother-in-law, Frank Erwin. Dan is sur‐ vived by his beloved wife of 63 years, Elizabeth “Liz” daughters, Dana Hays; LeGrange (Andrew), Vicki Banta (Brian), and Lori

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Schillace (Johnny); sister, Barbara Erwin; grandchil‐ Steven Easley dren, Kevin Banta (Melissa), Michael (Brittany), LeGrange (Janey), Matthew (Hope), Dani Banta and Blaise Schillace, Schillace (Mary); greatCharlotte, grandchildren, Demi, Jax, Kenleigh, Bay‐ lon, Brielle, Haizley, Bar‐ row, Ezekial “Zeke”, Eli, and Baby Steele; and numerous nieces and treasured nephews. The family would like to invite all who knew and loved Dan to join them as we commemorate his life. A visitation will be held at Resthaven Funeral 11817 Jefferson Home, Hwy. in Baton Rouge, on Monday, July 21, 2025, from 9:00 a.m. until funeral ser‐ vices at 11:00 a.m. Grave‐ side services will follow at Gardens of Resthaven Memory. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests donations be made to: The American Heart Associa‐ tion and Parkinson’s Foun‐ dation.

Hutchinson Jr., William Richard 'Butch'

W. R. Hutchinson, Jr. (Butch) passed away peacefully July 16, 2025 at the age of 83, surrounded by family and friends.

Born August 3, 1941 in Alexandria, Louisiana, Butch was the son of William and Bertie (McBride) Hutchinson. He was a graduate of Pineville High School and Louisiana College. In 1963 he became the devoted husband of Peggy Jean Moore. Butch and his family became residents of Central in 1977.

Butch built a successful career in medical laboratory equipment sales, working with Scientific Products, Baxter and Info-Lab. After retiring, he gave generously of his time preparing tax returns through AARP and enjoyed working at the election polls.

Known for his dry wit and sincere love for people, Butch was happiest when connecting with others and bringing smiles to their faces. Butch was a faithful member of Zoar Baptist Church for more than four decades, serving as an usher and a deacon.

An avid outdoorsman and a champion trap shooter, Butch also found joy in gardening and cooking. He loved preparing meals for family and friends using fresh vegetables from his bountiful garden. Above all, his most meaningful accomplishment was the steadfast care he provided Peggy throughout her lengthy battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Butch is survived by his three children, Karla (Davey) Hebert, William (Billy) Hutchinson III and Nancy (Karl) Whetstine; grandchildren, Anna (Ben) Saucier, Daniel (Jana) Hebert, Jaylin Ammons, Jacob (Brittany) Ammons, Liana (Cody) Perry and Merris Whetstine; great-grandchildren, Reed, Luke, Maverick, Rory, Jayden, Jase, Robby, Wesley and Dante.

He was preceded in death by parents, William and Bertie Hutchinson; lov-

ing wife, Peggy Moore Hutchinson; sister, JoAnn Chapman and great-grandson, Haiden Tanner.

A celebration of Butch's life will be held Tuesday, July 22, 2025 at Zoar Baptist Church, 11848 Hooper Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70818. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m. followed by a service at 11:00 a.m. and burial.

The family extends heartfelt appreciation to dear friend, Vickie Rabb, for the companionship and love she shared with Butch over the last several years.

Many thanks to the ICU nurses of OLOL for the compassionate care provided to Butch during his final days.

nephews; and numerous other "brothers and sisters by different mothers".

His family would like to thank the incredible staff at Ochsner's, especially Drs. Perone, Patel, and Johnson.

Naquin, Steven Don

LeSaicherre, Kerry James

Kerry LeSaicherre was a simple man with a variety of interests. He had a big heart and enjoyed helping others and spending time with his family and his many friends. He enjoyed working on his camp and fishing off the pier, listening to rock music, watching sunsets, and sunrises.

At home, he loved to sit on the porch and visit with friends. He loved the out-of -doors and fed numerous birds and animals. He was a big LSU football and baseball fan and listened to or watched all the games. He was constantly tinkering with and fixing things, his own and for others. And he grew and experimented with vegetables and fruit in his hydroponic garden.

Kerry was born and raised in Gonzales and lived nearby in Prairieville.

He died on Friday, July 18, 2025 at home as he wanted, after a brief stay at Ochsner Hospital. He had an aggressive form of mesothelioma brought about by asbestos exposure in the workplace. Kerry was 68 years old.

A Celebration of Life gathering will be held Sunday, July 20, 2025 at Ourso Funeral Home in Gonzales, 11 am - 3 pm. Friends and family are invited to celebrate his memory by sharing stories in this informal gathering and by wearing rock 'n roll t-shirts, jeans, and LSU gear.

Kerry enjoyed retirement but had several jobs in his working career. He was a jack of all trades; boiler maker, plant laborer, worked in IT on oil pipelines, did construction, and owned a light construction/handy man small business.

Kerry is survived by his daughter Jessica Dieutto (and partner Leo), 5 grandchildren, Avamarie, Blair, Siegan, Emerson, and Gannon; his sisters, Kathy LeSaicherre Conerly (Brent), Donna LeSaicherre Jones (Tim), and Danette LeSaicherre Daigle (and partner Mike), along with several nieces, nephews, great nieces and great

It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Steven D. Naquin.

Steve passed away from Liver Cancer on July 10, 2025, at the age of 71 surrounded by loved ones.

The 5th floor staff at OLOL as well as Hospice Dr. Jess Duet Anderson and Dr. Raven gave exceptional care and made sure that Steve was comfortable and was also very helpful in keeping the family informed and comforted.

Steven was known to friends and family as "Steve" or "Dee", to his close friends he was known as "Knock" and to his grandchildren as "Gramps". Steve was born on November 17, 1953, in Baton Rouge, La. and a graduate of Baton Rouge High school class of "72".

Steve was preceded in death by his parents Harold J. Naquin and Mamie Naquin, a daughter Wendy Hanhart, brother-in -law Ronald J. Vaught, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

Steve was survived by his brother John Naquin Jr., sister Sandra Vaught, his dearly loved nephew Bryan J. Naquin, Wife of 36 years Sharon Knight, son in law E.J. Hanhart, daughter Joanne Saucier and 4 grandchildren who were the light of his heart, Jules Hanhart, Ellie Hanhart, Eddie Hanhart and Justin Saucier as well as several other nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.

Steve Retired from Bell South / ATT after 45 years of dedicated service and was an avid LSU football and baseball fan, he also loved spending an entire month every year at the beach with his wife and grandchildren cooking and watching the kids play as well as always meeting new people. Another passion of his was fishing with his brother John, and lifelong friends Steve S., Mike W., and Ernie H. His favorite fishing place, his happy place was Lake Des Allemands.

Steven Naquin was always there for friends and family and loved to cook for benefits or just to bring his favorite dishes to anyone in need. He will forever be in our hearts and memories but will be missed from our sight dearly.

All friends and family are welcome to come share memories and pictures with the family and celebrate the wonderful life of Steve Naquin.

We ask that in lieu of flowers that you make a donation to your local Cancer Society.

Thank you all for the prayers and warm wishes.

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die As years roll on and days pass by.

In our hearts a memory is kept Of the ones we love and will never forget.

A celebration of life will be held from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM on 2025-08-02 at Zachary Taylor Post VFW3784, 13214 Choctaw dr. Baton Rouge, La

Powers, Donald J. 'Paw'

He was born October 16, 1941, and passed away on July 11, 2025, at home surrounded by his family. He is survived by two daughters, Mindy (Kevin) LaBauve and Denise Powers; Grandkids, Zack (Collin) Powers, Madison (Turner) Francis, Maggie "Goose" and Brody LaBauve; two great grandsons, Brooks, and Bennett Francis; two brothers, David and Lloyd Powers.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Charles Earl Sr. and Margaret Luce Powers; brothers, George, Charles Jr., Lawrence Powers, and the love of his life for 52 years, Geneva Ann "Minerva" Bourgeois Powers. He was a dedicated, loving, selfless, giving, and honest man to his wife, children, grandkids, and all who knew him. Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, July 26, 2025, in the Timothy Building at The Church International of St. Amant on Highway 431, with visitation from 9am11am with service to follow. A reception will immediately follow. Thank you to Gentiva Hospice; Renee, Craig, Shameika, Amber, and Kara. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Mesothelioma Research Foundation. Arrangements with Church Funeral Services in St. Amant, LA

Rabalais, Beverly Mayeux

Beverly Mayeux Rabalais, 95, passed away peacefully on Monday, July 14th, surrounded by family in the comfort of her home on Archery Drive, where she had raised her children and welcomed generations of cherished memories since 1962. Beverly leaves behind a legacy of endless warmth and incomparable kindness. She was a woman who could strike up a conversation with anyone and make them feel like old friends within minutes.

Though she is gone, the echoes of her infectious laughter, lively stories, and the joy she brought to every conversation will live on in all who knew and loved her. Beverly was born on July 21, 1929, to parents, Nettie T. Mayeux and Louis C. Mayeux in Brusly, Louisiana. She was brought up in Hamburg along with her beloved clan of brothers, Frank, Louis, and Murray. Though nicknamed "Petie" due to her petite stature, she exuded a larger-than-life personality and spirited wit from a young age. In 1949, at just 19 years old, she graduated with honors from ULL with a bachelor's degree in elementary education. She later earned her certification in early childhood education from LSU, driven by her passion for instructing young minds. Beverly worked 21 fulfilling years as an educator, first in the communities of Simmesport and Arabi, and finally at St. Thomas More Catholic School in Baton Rouge, where she enjoyed many years teaching pre-K and kindergarten. Known for her patience, gentle encouragement, and playful sense of humor, Beverly was a natural with children. Beverly's life was deeply rooted in faith. She was a devoted and active parishioner at St. Thomas More Catholic Church for over 60 years, and her spiritual commitment extended well beyond Sunday mass, as evidenced by her dedication to organizations such as The Catholic Daughters of America Ct. #1915 and the parish's nursing home ministries.

Beverly is preceded in death by her dear hus-

band, Eulan C. Rabalais, to whom she was married for a memorable 54 years filled with laughter, companionship, and devotion.

She is survived by her daughter, Michele Rabalais; son, Randy Rabalais and wife, Jennifer; and the light in her later years, her adored grandchild, Kristen.

The family would like to offer a heartfelt thanks to Beverly's wonderful caretakers, Mona, Tammy, Amanda, and the whole team at Audubon Home Health, for their diligent and loving support. The visitation and funeral service for Beverly will be held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at St. Thomas More Catholic Church. Visitation will begin at 12:00 PM, and the rosary will be led by the Catholic Daughters at 12:30 PM. The funeral mass will begin at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Beverly's memory to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, a cause close to her heart. Those we love don't go away, They walk beside us every day. Unseen, unheard, but always near, Still loved, still missed, and very dear.

Shanks, David Eugene

"I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

From now on there is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have longed for his appearing." Timothy 4:7-8 David Eugene Shanks was peacefully called home to be with his Lord and Savior on Tuesday, July 15, 2025 with his daughter Lori by his side.

He was born to Robert L. Shanks Sr. and Myrtie Jackson Shanks on November 30, 1946.

David was a native of Greenwell Springs, Louisiana but spent the last 15 years living in Thibodaux.

He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings Robert L. Shanks, Jr. and Ethel Marie Haik.

David was a proud graduate of LSU. He loved everything purple and gold, especially basketball.

He was an animal lover, outdoorsman, and an avid fisherman.

He spent many successful years working in the insurance industry. He was business minded, driven and had an amazing entrepreneurial spirit.

He was full of ideas and plans for patents.

David never met a stranger and referred to his closest friends as brothers and sisters.

He was kind, loving and exceedingly generous. He was a boastful storyteller and had the incredible ability to command a room.

Left to cherish his memory are daughters Amy Shanks, Lori Shanks Martin and his sons in law Harold Wilbratte and Robert C. Martin, VI. He's also survived by two grandsons — His absolute pride and joy, Robert C. Martin, VII "Sev" and An-

drew David Martin.

Services will be at 3:00 PM at Seale Funeral Home, in Denham Springs, LA on Monday, July 21, 2025 with visitation starting at 1:00 PM. Pallbearers are Harold Wilbratte, Robert Martin, Sev Martin, Andrew David Martin and dear friends Rondell Young and Austin Isibor.

In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the charity of your choice.

David left an incredible mark but would like for his passing to be a celebration — He was saved and is free at last.

Songy, Rosa Theresa Gravois

Rosa passed away peacefully on July 15, 2025, at the age of 95. She was and raised in born Vacherie, LA by her par‐ ents, Ozane J. and Louise B. Gravois, the 12th of thir‐ teen children. Rosa was the beloved wife of the late Russell D. Songy. Russ and Rosa were the proud par‐ ents of 3 daughters, Kay S. Stiles (Payne) of Metairie, Denise S. Pierce (the late Louis) of Newnan, GA and Carol S. Savoie (Tony) of Baton Rouge. Together, they enjoyed 10 grandchil‐ dren, Jay Stiles (Colleen), Russ Stiles (Jessica), Ryan Stiles (Stephanie), Lauren S. Cassara (Andy), Sarah S. Dusang (Kevin) Leslie S. Williams (Jess), Michelle S. Walker (Keith), Caroline S. Aguilar (Zach), Matthew T. Pierce, and Rachel P. Ben‐ son (Caleb). Rosa is also survived by 16 loving great grandchildren. Mom’s pri‐ ority was raising her daughters, but she also treasured bridge friends, St. Charles Parish Art Guild, finding a Gravois pa‐ triot to become a Daughter of the American Revolu‐ tion, and in her earlier years, a member of the St. Philip Catholic Daughters.

Mom and her siblings re‐ mained endeared to each other throughout their en‐ tire life. She is preceded in death by her 6 brothers, Rene, Guy, Lester, O.J., Earl and Charles Gravois; sis‐ ters, Adele, Denise, Stella, Rita, and Marie, blessed with many wonderful inlaws. She is survived by Jackie Waguespack of Thi‐ bodaux. Also survived by 2 sisters-in-law, Sr. Linda Songy and Tibby S. Davis (Chester). Mom was Aunt Rosa to countless nieces and nephews, Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral Mass on Thursday, July 24 at St. Charles Borromeo, 13396 Road, Destrehan, River 70047. Visitation will begin at 10AM, followed by ser‐ vices at Noon, officiated by Rev. Harry Bugler. Alexan‐ der Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements. In lieu of flowers, contribu‐ tions to Holy Cross Sisters, 1400 O’Day St, Merrill, WI 54452 or Dominican High School, 7701 Walmsley, New Orleans, LA 70125 would be appreciated.

from Baton Rouge High School, he proudly served in the United States Navy from 1967 to 1971, spending three and a half years stationed in Vietnam. His service was a memorable time in his life and shaped the man he would become.

In 1973, Tommy moved to Alaska, where he lived for seven adventurous years before returning to Baton Rouge, the city he always called home. Here, he built a lasting legacy by owning and operating a masonry business for many decades. Tommy was also an avid fisherman and hunter, passions that kept him close to nature throughout his life. He is survived by his children, Tami Stricker, Wade Thibodeaux, and Brett Thibodeaux; his grandchildren, Burke and Bode Stricker, and Gage and Tate Thibodeaux; and his brothers, Jimmy, Ronnie, Mike, and Ned Thibodeaux.

He will be missed by many other loving family members and friends. Tommy is preceded in death by his grandson, Reed Stricker; and his parents, Buddy and Ruth Thibodeaux. The family would like to thank Greenoaks Funeral Home for handling the arrangements. Tommy's kindness, fun loving nature, hard work, and adventurous spirit will be fondly remembered by all who knew him.

Tilley, Carole Lemoine

Shepherd in Lake Charles 1970-71, St. Augustine's in Baton Rouge 1971-78, St. Timothy's in LaPlace and St. Luke's until moving to Melbourne Florida in 2023.

Carole valiantly kept her faith, cheerfulness, composure, concern for others and sense of responsibility through 43 years of caregiving during her husband's serious disability, her own three hip replacements, two breast cancer surgeries, battle with heart disease, vascular dementia, and mild Alzheimer's.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, Rev. David J. Tilley (2020), father Dr. Joseph Downing Lemoine (1949), mother Virginia June Hawkins Lemoine (1951), niece Ginny McPherson (1990), nephew John Lemoine (2012), brother Dr. Joseph Robert Lemoine (2014), brother-in-law Carl H. McPherson, Jr. (2023) and nephew Scott K. Tilley (2025).

She is survived by her Sister: Linda McPherson, Sisters-in-law: Michele Fry (John Nagle), Dr. Hannah Lemoine. Children: Anne OConnor-Smith (Mike), David Ryan Tilley (Liezl), Dr. Margo T. Frey (Greg).

Nieces and Nephews: Nathan T. Fry, James Tilley, Melynda Kirkus, Jennifer Tilley-Voegtle, Heather Tilley, Melinda Peterson, Carl McPherson III, Betty Achey.

Grandchildren: Caitlin, Kristin and Connor Frey, Dylan Tilley, Blake and Kelsey O'Connor, Laura Miller, Jennifer Diaz, Dr. Katie Smith, Melissa DeStefano along with nine wonderful great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations appreciated at: https://onrealm.org/Sai ntLukesEpisc/-/form/give/ fire

Wilson, Mary M. 'Peggy'

Carole L. Tilley, born 1940 Cottonport, LA passed away peacefully June 9, 2025 from cardiorespiratory arrest after five weeks of diligent rehab to recover from a serious fall.

Memorial service: 11AM Aug, 2, 2025 at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on 8833 Goodwood Blvd.

Baton Rouge, LA 70806.

Carole graduated from Lake Charles High School 1958 and LSU 1962 and was an Alpha Delta Pi sorority member.

Carole joyfully sang soprano in Episcopal choirs from The University of the South 1967-70, Good

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Mary M. Wilson, “Peggy”, a resident of Wil‐ son, passed away unex‐ pectedly on Saturday, July 12, 2025. She was 71 years old and was retired from Eastern Louisiana Mental Health System and

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Thomas J. Thibodeaux, age 78, passed away peacefully at home on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

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Louisiana Department of Labor. She is survived by 2 daughters, Meg Wilson Lee and husband, Gerald and Andrea Wilson Dours and husband, Lucien “Jay”, a sister, Sandra Wilson Car‐ ruth and brother-in-law, Lynn Newman, 7 grandchil‐ dren, Emily Wilson (Kris), Dours Boatner Hannah (Cody), Lucian Dours, Jr. (Sarah), Ashton Wilson Dours, Tyler Lee, Jacob Lee, and Jared Lee, 9 greatgrandchildren, Hadley, CJ, Mary Ella, Waylon, Keegan, Connor, Kane, Harper, and Baby Luke, due July 2025.

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OPINION T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

All across La., there’s good news on crime

Two years after a statewide political campaign in which urban crime was a major issue, Louisiana has seen a remarkable turnaround.

New Orleans has witnessed a steep drop in both murder and gun violence, with 2025 on pace to be the safest year since 1970. After averaging 200 murders per year over the last five years, the city had logged 53 as of early July. And that’s including the tragic New Year’s morning terror attack on Bourbon Street that took 14 revelers’ lives.

Shreveport has seen far fewer homicides in 2025 as well, with nearly half as many as at the midpoint of last year.

Baton Rouge too is seeing fewer homicides this year, down 19% compared to the first half of 2024.

These drops are part of a national trend that has officials and researchers encouraged, but also not exactly sure of how to divvy up the credit. But there are things happening that are surely part of the larger puzzle.

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

The drop in crime coincides with — 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 LaToya Cantrell’s Health Department leads a program that includes violence interruption and concentrates on trauma, and nonprofits are on board to offer therapy and community-based services.

Rafael Goyeneche, president of the Metropolitan Crime Commission, also points to a proactive focus on violent offenders by the perennially short-staffed New Orleans Police Department.

Shreveport Police Chief Wayne Smith attributed the good news in his city to an intensive focus on getting firearms out of the wrong hands.

In Baton Rouge — and also in New Orleans — police have countered staffing shortages by ramping up partnerships with federal and state law enforcement agencies.

Other factors likely include the end of the COVID disruptions and the increased use of advanced technology.

We also acknowledge community-led initiatives like the broad-based NOLA Coalition, which is working to build support for the NOPD and invest in badly needed youth services.

And we credit Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill for crossing political lines to offer help — as well 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 entirely well.

Rapes in New Orleans are up, and Baton Rouge has seen a scourge of retail theft. The devastating impact of violent crime on victims and their families doesn’t diminish simply because there are fewer of them. Crime is often cyclical, and can tick up again when officials let down their guard.

So when progress happens, it’s worth applauding — and worth understanding, so that those in charge can be better prepared to keep people safe when the tide turns again.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence.

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

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ANOTHER VIEW

A new trend: Get thee to a nunnery “I feel the nuns have been expecting the sense in the world. People aren’t happy, and they want to be. us. They knew our last nerve would Just in my New York metro area, disappear at some point.” the Birgittine sisters have an extraorThis quote comes from a piece in the online publication Vice: “Gen Z dinarily beautiful bed-and-breakfast Women Are Booking Convents Instead type guesthouse on the Long Island of Beach Houses This Summer.” They Sound in Darien, Connecticut. are not staying for life. Convents I made use of it when on deadline on typically have “come and see” a book on prayer, “A Year with weekends for women discernthe Mystics: Visionary Wisdom for Daily Living.” I should have ing religious life. These aren’t stayed a year, but the longest those weekends. These offer stretch for which I could conrespite to an overwhelmed population in need of quiet vince the sisters to put up with time — and God. was two weeks.

Kathryn meAnd “Monasteries and convents while The Sisters of Life Jean are now seeing waitlists as do not run a guesthouse in the Lopez young women line up for a kind same way the Birgittines do, of stillness that’s hard to come they do have a retreat house by elsewhere,” according to they run for the Knights of the article. “No phones buzzing, no Columbus in nearby Stamford, with endless notifications, and definitely no retreat weekends for women and men small talk. Instead, many are spendthroughout the year.

The Birgittines, founded by the ing their days tending gardens, attending prayer services, and catching great mystic Bridget of Sweden, are known for their hospitality. When I up with themselves.” was looking for a place to do a 30-day It is exhilarating to see. There is something hopeful happening. I’d say retreat in the tradition of St. Ignatius of Loyola and his demandingly fruitit is mysterious, except it makes all

ful Spiritual Exercises, they provided plenty of it. In the Franciscan town of Assisi, the sisters welcomed an American in silence.

If you don’t have the time or energy for a full-blown retreat, you could learn from Gary Jansen, in his book (much smaller and cheaper than mine), “The 15-Minute Prayer Solution.” OK, so your phone may be constantly blowing up. Your baby may not sleep any night. The bills are making you work extra shifts. And that may 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-care or whatever makes it palatable to yourself or others, but you’re talking about 1% of your day to try to make exclusive time for God, your creator, the creator of the universe.

We don’t need a convent waiting list to clear up in order to clear our heads, refresh our souls and remind us of what really matters.

Email Kathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@nationalreview.com.

Pet peeves about common writing trends letter! The point is clear! Adding that The way we express ourselves in punctuation does nothing for your writing today differs greatly from the statement!” formal way of writing letters in the Also overused are quotation marks past. We’re so used to firing off emails made to express “skepticism” about and texts using shorthand that some the “facts” or someone’s “expertise” on habits have become ingrained. Howa topic. These perhaps are used like air ever, there are some habits that I, for quotes in real life conversation, one, find are overused and disbut again, if you make clear you tracting to me as a reader. are questioning an assertion Here are a few of these in no in your argument, the words particular order. First is the should obviate the need for exuse of ALL CAPS for emphasis.

This has become common even traneous punctuation. though it is the equivalent of Lastly, I see the use of acroArnessa shouting at your reader. No one nyms with no explanation a lot Garrett these days. While some comlikes to be yelled at, and if the POINT is powerful enough, the mon abbreviations, like FBI, WORDS will create their own emphaCIA or OMV, are understood by most people, you should never assume readsis in the mind of the reader.

Related, and equally common is the ers will understand acronyms used by liberal use of the exclamation point a specific industry or trade. to express anything from surprise Of course, there is nothing incorto anger to general bewilderment. I rect about any of these habits, as they must admit I often fall into this habit are just minor pet peeves. Writing as well in text messages, but when I does evolve. But if we write to convey see it in letters, I tend to think, “It’s a meaning, then we should do everything

we can to avoid turning off readers.

Going to our letters 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 not surprising that the topic was the subject of the largest group of letters.

Nine letters took up issues in the bill, while an additional four letters focused on the effect that 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 detained by Immigration 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 many views as we can.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | Opinion Page Editor. Email her at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

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COMMENTARY As N.O. enters its political season, change is in the air

was widely thought that the days A time traveler from two deof electing a non-Black mayor cades back might look at the to lead the majority Africannames on the fall New Orleans American city were over. Then ballot and feel like not much has came Mitch Landrieu and LaToya changed.

Cantrell and all bets were off, There’s a Morrell and a Willard which is good news for City Coun— incumbent JP and state Rep. Matthew — running for cilmember at-large Helena the two at-large City CounMoreno, who has led maycil seats; they’re the son oral polls so far and fits all and nephew, respectively, three categories. Rounding of the two Cynthias who out the top tier are former represented the council Judge Arthur Hunter and a districts hit hardest by late entry, state Sen. Royce Stephanie Hurricane Katrina. Oliver Duplessis.

Grace Thomas is there too, runThat openness on the part of city’s electorate is one ning for mayor long after indication of an altered landscape. he was an at-large member and Another is the death of a model the likely successor to Ray Nagin.

A lot changed for Thomas in the around which city politics was organized. That’s most apparent interim — a guilty plea in a bribin District B, where there won’t ery case and short stint in prison, followed by a comeback as a radio be an election on Oct. 11 at all because nobody signed up to chalhost and then on the council — and now, finally, a mayor’s race lenge incumbent Lesli Harris. in which he’s no longer the clear This speaks well of how Harris front-runner. has performed in her first term, Familiar names notwithstandbut it also highlights something ing, a lot’s changed in how the city else: That the BOLD organization, which used to dominate politics in elects all its politicians. the Central City core of District B, Twenty years ago, New Orleans didn’t field a candidate, four years had never had a woman mayor or after Harris unseated BOLD stalone who was not a native, and it

wart Jay Banks.

Back in the day, BOLD launched major candidates such as Jim Singleton, Cantrell and Thomas. And other groups that were part of the city’s “Alphabet Soup” of post-civil rights organizations did the same: The Morial family’s LIFE, former U.S. Rep. Bill Jefferson’s Progressive Democrats, COUP and SOUL and more.

But Thomas has moved to District E in New Orleans East and built a new political brand, and the daughter of one of BOLD’s early leaders Ken Carter, mayoral candidate Eileen Carter, is more a gadfly known for leading the failed effort to recall Cantrell than a contender.

The other groups are either dormant or shrunken in stature and relevance.

One reason is that Katrina scrambled the residential patterns that made neighborhoodbased organizations strong. A crackdown on public corruption played a part 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’s hard to find a successful younger politician who does things the old way.

What’s replaced it is something more free form, shifting alliances among politicians and more independence among voters.

There are still groups to watch.

Labor, criminal justice and women’s organizations 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 Boyd against Willard and Constable Edwin Shorty for sheriff 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, a minority in the city, are a swing vote for mayor, and have in recent years gone not with someone who shares their political views — none of the major candidates, all Democrats, do — but the person they think is most willing to work with them. That’s a

potential opening for someone like Hunter or Duplessis.

There’s also the barely underradar question of how many voters will choose a candidate based on race.

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

In the mayor’s race, everyone’s talking about making the city work better, which could lead voters to look for leadership on the council. Or they may decide everyone in city government is part of the problem and gravitate toward a relative outsider like Hunter or a comparatively new face such as Duplessis. Or they may remember that the last time they took a chance on someone they didn’t know well they got Nagin, who ended his tenure about as unpopular as Cantrell is.

If one thing’s for sure, it’s that change is very much in the air this campaign season. Just which version of change voters will choose, at this early point, is anybody’s guess.

Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

For young people, social intervention can help prevent crime director of that tri-parish FINS, Someone can be “tough on told me that FINS will “create crime” and at the same time, without logical contradiction, also a service plan that has a list of providers” and also will provide want to do preventive work admentorship and accompany childressing crime’s “root causes.”

Social work and prosecutorial dren to meetings at school or at work need not be mutually exclu- courts to help the children and their families feel comfortable sive, and indeed can be complewith plans to get the kids on the mentary. right track.

Especially with nonviolent Little things matter, she said: youthful offenders, an ounce of “How can you go to school prevention can be worth a if you don’t have clean whole ton of prison doors. clothes or you don’t have That’s why it is so imlights or even water to portant that Louisiana, brush your teeth with in under oversight from the morning?” the state Supreme Court, One of the wonderful boasts programs across Quin outfits that partner with the state called Families Hillyer FINS is called GUMBO, In Need of Services. Even for Global United Mission better would be if more private-sector or nonprofit groups Benefiting Ourselves and Others.

A multifaceted nonprofit run by stepped up to partner with the disabled veteran Deborah DickFINS groups and multiply the FINS’ good work. erson, GUMBO provides meals As reported by this paper’s Hal- for the community’s needy while using kids referred by FINS as ey Miller, the FINS group for the kitchen workers. parishes of West Baton Rouge, “We give them a safe haven Iberville and Pointe Coupee is and we teach them skills they “full of success stories.” What need: entrepreneurship skills and FINS does is take “status offenders” — those who engage in small- services skills,” Dickerson said.

“And we also discuss a lot about scale offenses that by definition can be committed only by minors, what they would like, and who they would like, to become.” such as truancy — and intervene This is exactly the sort of pubto keep them out of the court system by leading them to counsellic-private cooperation that turns ing or to other resources that can lives around, stopping kids from steps that often lead to criminalhelp turn their lives around.

Plenty of families lack basic ity and instead helping them onto necessities such as running water, paths toward self-sufficiency electricity or access to transand success. For example, FINS played a big role in helping the portation. Gracie Bergeron, the

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Families In Need of Services staff from left, Gracie Bergeron, director; Elizabeth Engolio, supervising judge; and Casey Cannon, officer, stand July 10 at the group’s office in Port Allen.

West Baton Rouge Parish Schools 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 a program in Mobile, Ala., called NEST — Nurture children, Equip parents, Strengthen families and Transform communities — in which four- or five-person teams of volunteers help juvenile offenders, sometimes of somewhat more serious crimes than FINS deal with, get on the right track.

“We very quickly learned there was very little hope for helping the young person unless we ad-

dress the environment in which they were living,” said Norman McCrummen, a conservative retired scholar and Presbyterian Minister who co-founded NEST with Mobile County juvenile court judge Edmond G. Naman.

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

Professional researchers from the University of South Alabama found that whereas the crime recidivism rate for youthful of-

fenders nationally was 52% and for Mobile County as a whole a whopping 66%, for similarly situated NEST participants it was just 26%.

And NEST director Carole Grant says that among NEST participants in a new “life skills” program, an astonishing 97% passed current grade-level testing in schools.

I mention NEST’s remarkable success so as to suggest that with a little 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’s FINS groups could expand to cover not just “status offenders” but other more serious 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, who is setting the standard and supporting them, it has all the impact in the world.”

The more support Louisiana gives to FINS, the more kids will keep their heads above turbulent waters.

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

Businessman, police chiefs have wrong idea about immigration Boy, do people love this country Parish’s Oakdale, at a Subway, the police station, the city marshal’s of ours. home and, gulp, the police chief’s So many people from other home. Meanwhile, federal and loplaces like enough of what they hear and see in the United States cal officers had converged at the that the number of immigrants Rapides Parish home of, gulp, the has steadily increased in recent Forest Hill police chief. years. According to the American They even showed up as an Council on Immigration, in unregistered group of law 2023 there were about 47.8 enforcement officers at million immigrants, roughthe Louisiana Association of Police Chiefs Conferly one in seven people who live here. That’s a 6.8% ence at the Crowne Plaza increase from 2018. in Baton Rouge to arrest That’s a lot of people. a couple of leaders who Will According to Homeland were supposed to be learnSutton ing more about how to proSecurity, the Federal Bureau of Investigation and tect and serve. the Internal Revenue Service offiThe yearlong investigation cials, an Oakdale-based business- involved multiple law enforceman worked with a Louisiana net- ment agencies. About 200 law work of law enforcement officials enforcement officers were a part of what happened, but we didn’t to ensure that those numbers continue to grow with people who know why until the next day. At a Wednesday news conference, wanted official visa status to pursue their version of the American it was announced that several people had been charged as a part dream. of a federal indictment: Apparently that includes buyn Oakdale businessman Chaning their way in with fake police reports and bribes. drakant “Lala” Patel n Oakdale Police Chief Chad A few days ago, reports surDoyle faced that there were lots of law n Oakdale City Marshal Michael enforcement officers in Allen

“Freck” Slaney n Forest Hill Police Chief Glynn Dixon n Former Glenmora Police Chief Tebo Onishea On Thursday, another person was charged: Alison Doyle, wife of the Oakdale police chief.

If you missed the fake police report/visa scam developments, Patel was charged with 24 counts of mail fraud, eight counts of money laundering, a count of bribery and a count of conspiracy to commit visa fraud. Doyle and Dixon each got tagged with six counts of visa fraud, six counts of mail fraud and one count of money laundering. Slaney and Onishea have to deal with six counts of visa fraud, six counts of mail fraud and two counts of money laundering.

Onishea also faces six counts of visa fraud and six counts of mail fraud.

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

As President Donald Trump aims to arrest and deport as many

immigrants as possible as fast as possible, the feds say these people were making sure some found a way to use one U visa requirement to get a four-year U visa by claiming to be a victim of a crime that didn’t happen.

“They’re poisoning the blood of our country ... Not just 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 the world 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 the world? Yes. Apparently that includes people from India, especially those with the last name Patel.

In the United States, about one in 10 people with Indian ancestry have that surname. I’ve had a number of Patel friends, so I know the name originates mostly in Gujarat, a western India state, but also in Karnataka and Maharashtra. There’s a generalization that says Patels are powerful,

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

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

Based on the indictment, Patel wasn’t enforcing the law; he was violating it. The indictment accuses him of operating an illegal service for customers seeking U visas who weren’t his neighbors and friends, but a “majority” were from outside of the state — in India.

Louisiana is losing population.

We need more people to stay. We need more people to come.

I’m all for creative ways to encourage people to have babies, to help children get a strong, gradelevel or higher education and to help young people get college educations or labor skills that allow them to earn a living wage.

I’m all for enticing people from other states to come here and to do what we can 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.

writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCAN HERE

8B ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Baton Rouge Weather TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Isolated t-storms - 30%

Mostly sunny 10%

Mostly sunny 10%

Isolated t-storms - 40%

Scattered t-storms - 60%

Scattered t-storms - 50%

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

93° 75°

LOW

95° 75°

LOW

95° 77°

LOW

94° 76°

ALMANAC

LOW

90° 76°

Weather News by Meteorologist Balin Rogers

As we wrap up the weekend and head into the new workweek, drier air will settle in thanks to building high pressure. Rain coverage will drop to isolated Sunday with barely any pop-ups through Tuesday.

However, the lack of rain will come at a cost temperatures will climb into the low to mid-90s with heat index values possibly reaching or exceeding 105, especially on Monday and Tuesday. Looking ahead to the middle and latter part of next week, we’ll be keeping an eye on a disturbance tracking across the northern Gulf. Interestingly, it’s actually moisture looping around from our recent system, circling back through the eastern U.S. and swinging south again. This system looks to boost rain chances, especially on Thursday.

LOW

91° 76°

AROUND THE REGION

THE NATION

BATON ROUGE THROUGH 5 P.M. SATURDAy

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

91°/75° 92°/74° 99° in 1907 64° in 1909

PRECIPITATION

Longview 96/75

GOOD

GOOD

READING 26 MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

MAIN POLLUTANT Nitrogen oxide

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

RIVER STAGES FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE Memphis 34 8.00 +0.60 Vidalia-Natchez 48 35.90 -0.57 Red River Landing 48 39.20 -0.80 Baton Rouge 35 23.10 -1.10 Donaldsonville 27 14.90 -0.90 Reserve 22 11.41 -0.65 New Orleans 17 7.61 -0.49 MISSISSIPPI

OHIO

Cairo

40

24.86

+1.78

19

-1.42

-0.03

18 29 8

-0.71 12.56 2.26

+0.04 -1.18 -0.01

13 15

2.64 0.73

-0.02 -0.08

47 34 29 20 12 6

18.26 13.89 12.34 10.07 7.60 3.73

-0.14 -0.79 -0.53 -0.56 none -0.29

COMITE

Near Olive AMITE

Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW

Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA

Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

0s

10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s

Hattiesburg 98/77

Alexandria 95/73

Many 95/73

AIR QUALITY TODAY

-0s

Jackson 97/77

24 hours through 5 p.m. Sat. Trace Month to date (normal) 3.89” (3.32”) year to date (normal) 36.62” (35.32”)

YESTERDAY

-10

Monroe 97/75

Shreveport 98/77

Baton Rouge 93/75

Lafayette 92/77

Beaumont 94/76

New Orleans 92/78

Lake Charles 92/76

Port Arthur 92/77

Shown are noon positions of weather systems and precipitation.

Temperature bands are highs for the day.

Houma 93/74

Forecasts and graphics, except WBRZ forecasts, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2025

Showers T-storms

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

City

TIDES HIGH

FT.

LOW

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 4:29p Shell Beach 9:52a South Point, Marsh Island 3:36a Cypremort Point 6:59a Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 6:08a Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 5:28a Wine Island 7:16a

0.8 1.6 2.0 1.7 1.4 1.7 1.8

4:00a -0.1 10:32p -0.3 5:27p -0.8 9:33p -0.3 5:51p -0.3 4:16p -0.5 6:53p -0.4

FT.

SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

HIGH

FT.

LOW

FT.

---------------

---------------

---------------

---------------

Flurries

6:16 a.m.

8:06 p.m.

1:47 a.m.

4:31 p.m.

FIRST

FULL

LAST

JUL 24

AUG 1

AUG 9

AUG 16

MAJOR

7:54a 8:48a 9:45a 10:42a 11:38a 12:07a 1:02a

MINOR

1:39a 2:33a 3:29a 4:26a 5:24a 6:20a 7:15a

MAJOR

8:24p 9:19p 10:16p 11:12p 12:07p 12:33p 1:27p

Ice

Cold

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Houston Las Vegas Louisville Miami Minneapolis

Hi

Lo W

Hi

Lo W

95 85 97 78 89 95 105 92 92 81

76 s 68 t 78 s 59 c 76 sh 79 pc 81 s 76 t 79 s 65 s

100 80 100 72 89 96 103 88 92 80

76 s 60 s 79 s 54 pc 76 sh 79 s 80 s 72 t 80 t 70 t

Amsterdam Bangkok Barcelona Berlin Brussels Cairo Dublin Frankfurt Havana Hong Kong Jerusalem

76 90 87 86 75 95 66 86 93 86 86

60 sh 80 r 75 s 67 pc 60 pc 78 pc 58 r 64 pc 74 t 81 r 67 s

73 88 83 73 71 98 66 76 91 88 89

Warm

Stationary

TODAY City

Nashville New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

MONDAY

Hi

Lo W

Hi

Lo W

95 92 96 92 100 84 97 97 73 94

76 t 78 t 77 t 71 t 82 s 63 t 78 s 78 t 65 pc 81 t

95 95 94 87 101 80 91 92 74 94

76 t 79 t 78 t 67 s 82 t 57 pc 75 t 77 c 66 pc 81 t

118 71 88 73 77 75 95 77 87 81 91

95 s 59 sh 59 s 54 r 56 t 63 t 82 c 61 sh 74 s 56 pc 79 pc

120 72 91 75 72 73 90 72 89 80 91

95 s 59 sh 62 pc 56 pc 53 pc 63 t 81 sh 59 sh 75 s 58 s 79 pc

THE WORLD

The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

Today Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.

Snow

MONDAY

SOLUNAR TABLE

NEW

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

Rain

TODAY

MINOR

2:09p 3:04p 4:00p 4:57p 5:52p 6:47p 7:39p

61 sh 80 r 71 s 59 t 59 sh 79 pc 55 sh 60 sh 73 t 82 r 70 s

Kuwait City London Madrid Mexico City Montreal Moscow New Delhi Paris Rome Stockholm Tokyo

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

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SPORTS

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

S u n d ay, J u ly 20, 2025

1Cn

Summer optimism for Pels in short supply

vice president of basketball operations — What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. gave up an unprotected 2026 first-round At least Joe Dumars and the New Orpick to trade up to draft Derik Queen. That leans Pelicans hope that’s the case. draft night trade was proof the PeliThe Pelicans want to leave all of the Summer League losses (five in cans are in win-now mode. five games), turnovers (100), rookie Now that Summer League play growing pains and injuries out is over, let’s take a look at what we there in Sin City. learned about the Pelicans while The Pelicans haven’t won a they were away in Vegas.

Summer League game in Vegas 1. The curse continues. Well, at Rod since 2023, a string of 11 straight Walker least it seems like a curse as the inlosses. They went 0-5 for the second jury bug just keeps biting. The Pelistraight summer. They followed cans, plagued by injuries all of last last summer up with the second-worst reg- season, got hit with another one in Vegas.

Queen underwent surgery for a torn scaphular season in franchise history (21-61).

They don’t need this regular season to go olunate ligament in his left wrist Friday. that way, especially after Dumars — in one He suffered the injury in Tuesday’s game of his first major decisions as executive against the Portland Trail Blazers. He’ll

Scheffler appears inevitable at British Open

be evaluated in 12 weeks, which is around Oct. 10. A team that is already thin in the middle now all of a sudden is thinner.

2. Herb Jones’ extension is a win. This one didn’t happen on the courts in Vegas, but it occurred while the Pelicans were out there. The team agreed to a threeyear, $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 Pelicans are a whole lot better when Jones is playing. When he made the first-team NBA All-Defensive Team in the 2023-24

Pelicans forward Herb Jones AP FILE PHOTO

ä See WALKER, page 5C

SA I N T S P R E V I E W I N T E R I O R O F F E N S I V E L I N E

PENNING DOWN A SPOT

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — The question Scottie Scheffler was asking of himself at the start of the week could very well be posed to those chasing him in the British Open.

What’s the 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 a bogey on his way to a 4-under 67 that allowed him to open a four-shot lead as he goes for the third leg of the career Grand Slam.

Scheffler has won the last 10 times he has led after 54 holes. It’s never easy, no matter how he makes it look. But on this gorgeous day he was in full command of his game, and now is in prime position to win his second major of the year.

He was helped by a 6-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 a distance.

“Talking of execution, he’s probably the best in the business right now,” Rory McIlroy said after a 5-under 66 that brought him to only within six shots of Scheffler.

Scheffler had the golf world buzzing

ä See OPEN, page 6C

Saints offensive lineman Trevor Penning runs drills during minicamp practice on June 11. AP FILE PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT

Saints moving former first-round pick to guard worth monitoring

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

A big position switch on the New Orleans Saints offensive line interior could pay big dividends, but there’s also a legitimate chance it winds up as a failed experiment.

After three seasons of bad-to-average results at offensive tackle, Trevor Penning is shifting to the inside in 2025 — a move both he and the Saints believe is natural and will be beneficial in the long run. Entering the final year of his rookie contract, Penning will get an opportunity to prove whether he deserves a second deal with the Saints.

Joining Penning on the offensive interior are the two lon-

AP PHOTO By JON SUPER

Scottie Scheffler looks at the lie of his putt on the 12th green during the third round of the British Open on Saturday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

gest-tenured offensive linemen in the organization, center Erik McCoy and right guard Cesar Ruiz, both of whom are coming off injury-plagued 2024 seasons.

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 Before getting to Penning and his ideal outcome, the true best-case scenario involves McCoy staying healthy for the entire season.

ä See SAINTS, page 5C

THE SOUTHERN UNIVERSIT Y AND A&M COLLEGE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS THE THIRD ANNUAL

Athletics Gala

LATANGELA

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KEITH SWEAT

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2C ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV 11 a.m.

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AUTO RACING IndyCar: Ontario Honda Dealers FOX NASCAR Cup: Automotive 400 TNT BEACH VOLLEYBALL AVP: Week 6 CBS AVP: Week 6 CBSSN BIG3 BASKETBALL LA Riot vs. Chicago Triplets CBS

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Hopman Cup Final TENNIS

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

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.

Logano youngest to hit 600 starts

BY DAN GELSTON

ä NASCAR EchoPark

AP sports writer

Automotive 400. SUNDAy 1 P.M., TNT

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

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.

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-

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.

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.

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 after struggling in 2024. The team has made changes at punter, with Thomas Morstead replacing Mitch Wishnowsky, and long snapper, with Jon Weeks replacing Taybor Pepper.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 3C

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OUTDOORS

LDWF distributes 5M Fla.-strain bass Fish released in 56 locations throughout state

weekend — and the activity it produces around the Grand Isle Marina weighstation and the Otto Candies Pavilion — Louisiana’s offshore reef fishermen should have enough quota

BY JOE MACALUSO to make it through the LaContributing writer bor Day weekend without Fishing has become a an interruption of the fourgive-and-take activity, and per-day limit and the seventhat’s what shows up this days-a-week opportunity. week in Louisiana outdoors.

The give comes from New man Wildlife and Fisheries Tommy Tuma, the 27-year work in producing then Wildlife and Fisheries wilddistributing Florida-strain life biologist, will fill the Oflargemouth bass in various fice of Wildlife’s assistant s t a g e s o f secretary position.

Tuma has been the lead Notebook growth.

The total man on forming hunting came to 5,219,797 fry, the seasons, bag limits, adjustsmallest; to fingerlings ments to rules and seasons about 2 inches long; and, on the 1.6 million acres in Phase II fingerlings, which wildlife management areas are usually around 6 inches and working with federal long. One location, Lake agencies to establish seaBuhlow, received 77 adult sons and rules on federal bass. lands within the state. He The agency’s Inland Fish- was also the agency’s reperies Section teamed with resentative concerning the Natchitoches National farm bill initiatives and Fish Hatchery and the restoration programs and Shreveport’s Cross Lake how it related to private Fish Hatchery for this and public lands incentives. stocking effort in 56 locaNew stuff tions across the state.

Notable here is the efThe curtain went down fort on the western side on ICAST, the country’s of the Atchafalaya Basin largest fishing trades show where the release indicated — the American Sportfish2,080,500 fry and 100,300 ing Association’s three-day fingerlings were carried to gathering in Orlando, FlorLake Fausse Point and Lake ida. Part of this piscatorial Dauterive. Henderson Lake whirlwind is that media and received 50,300 fingerlings. buyers get to see, and vote False River got 6,000 on, the new stuff manufacfingerlings; Toledo Bend, turers will introduce later 499,400 fingerlings; and, this year and early next Bussey Brake, 40,100 fin- year.

There are 41 categories gerlings.

Some community lakes, and the Best of Show (drum like Gretna’s City Pond, roll, please) went to the were stocked with as few FluxJet Electric Jet Kayak — yes, the first of its kind. as 300 fingerlings.

Congratulations are in Snapper count store for the Baton Rouge The latest Wildlife and area folks with BUZBE, Fisheries report on the the innovative tackle box recreational red snap- introduced four years ago per catch, through July at ICAST. This year, the BUZBE 6, shows a take of 407,853 pounds. That’s 45.6% of our guys had the top fly fishing state’s 894,955-pound annu- accessory, their Colony 28T box, and the top tackle manal recreational allocation.

With the Grand Isle Tar- agement item, their Swarm pon Rodeo coming this Hexslide.

Voted best in saltwater reel was the Quantum Cabo CB4000 spinning reel; the saltwater rod, the Flats Class Inshore rod; freshwater rod, the Tatula Cork Bass rod; and, freshwater reel, the Ballistic 3000 BAMQLT.

Hikers beware Learning more and more Louisiana folks like to get away from the heat and hike in the hills and mountains during the summer.

And that means more contact with ticks.

The Centers for Disease Control already is reporting a record-breaking spring and summer for tick-related visits to emergency rooms — and the CDC folks tell us July stacks up to be the worst month for these reports since 2017.

The CDC best advice includes: n Wearing long, lightcolored pants tucked into socks or boots, and longsleeved shirts to keeps ticks from reaching the skin. This also makes them easier to see ticks before they get to your skin; n For folks living in tick country, you need to create what the CDC calls a “tick moat” by using gravel or wood chips along property edges to discourage tick migration from wooded areas; n Removing leaf litter, prime tick hiding spots; n And, storing firewood on elevated surfaces to prevent tick-carrying rodents from using stacks of firewood as a shelter. n Ticks are notorious for transmitting diseases like Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Heartland virus and Bourbon virus — yeah, we know some folks with bourbon virus but not from ticks — and ticks can also leave victims with alpha-gal syndrome, which, according to the CDC “is a potentially life-threatening food allergy to red meat.”

LDWF FLORIDA-STRAIN BASS STOCKING NUMBERS The list of locations and numbers of Floridastrain bass stockings completed in June (A-adult; B-fingerlings; C-Phase II fingerlings; D-fry) as listed

by Inland Fisheries Section, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries: Bayou Bartholomew (B) 16,200 Bayou D’Arbonne Lake (B) 300,400 Bayou St. John (B) 3,200 Bayou Teche NWR (B)2,000 Black Bayou & Reservoir (B) 11,500 Black Bayou Lake (B) 84,200 Black & Clear Lake (B) 105,400 Black River Lake (B) 33,000 Bussey Brake (B) 40,100 Caddo Lake/James Bayou (B) 176,900 Cameron Prairie (C) 100 Caney Creek (B) 53,000 Caney Lake (B) 61,200 Chatham Lake (B) 3,100 Cheniere Brake Lake (B) 63,400 Chicot Lake (B) 32,900 Clear & and Smithport lakes (B) 15,100 Corney Lake (B) 14,600 Cotile Lake (B) 26,200 Cross Lake (B)114,100 Drainage Canals, Jefferson/ Orleans (B) 600 Eunice City Lake (B) 1,200 False River (B) 6,000 Fausse Point/Dauterive (B) 100,300, (D) 2,080,500

PROVIDED IMAGE

No ducking it

This image of the 2025-26 Federal Waterfowl Stamp will be a must for duck and goose hunters for the upcoming season, which begins in mid-September with the nine-day teal season. The stamp is available at most U.S. post offices and online from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

CALENDAR THURSDAY

ACADIANA BUGS & BREWS: 6 p.m., Pack & Paddle, 601 E. Pinhook, Lafayette. Open to the public. Email Flip Siragusa: redfish452@gmail.com.

Website: www.packpaddle. com

THURSDAY-SATURDAY

GRAND ISLE TARPON RODEO: Grand Isle Marina & Otto Candies Pavilion, Grand Isle.

Website: tarponrodeo.org.

FRIDAY-SUNDAY

DUCK HUNTERS EXPO: Fairgrounds, Oklahoma City. Delta Waterfowl event. Includes Friday’s Grand Duck Hunters Banquet. Call-makers & calling championships. Website: deltawaterfowlexpo.com

SATURDAY

BAYOU BLAST/NSCA REGISTERED EVENT: Covey Rise, 58256 Covey Rise Drive, Husser. 100-target main event, 50-target Super Sport, 5-Stand & 12-gauge true pair. Fees $45-475. Call Covey Rise (985) 747-0310. Website: scorechaser.com SACK UP FOR CLEAN WATER: 9 a.m., Howell Park, 5509 Winbourne Ave., Baton Rouge.

RSFF/No Wake Outfitters conservation, environmental & habitat enhancement days.

Email Almeida Robinson: almeidarob38@gmail.com

SATURDAY-SUNDAY

BASSMASTER KAYAK SERIES: Lake Champlain, Plattsburgh, New York. Website: bassmaster.com

ONGOING

CCA STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT & ANGLERS’ RODEO/ S.T.A.R.: Summer-long fishing contest through Sept. 1.

Multiple species categories.

CCA membership required.

Website: ccalouisiana.com

tery-applications. Call David Hayden (318) 487-5353. Email: dhayden@wlf.la.gov LOTTERY TEAL HUNT DEADLINE: July 27 for White Lake Wetlands Conservation Area. $8.50 application fee. Applications website: louisianaoutdoors.com/lottery-applications. Call Lance Ardoin (337) 536-6061. Email: lardoin@wlf. la.gov

AROUND THE CORNER

JULY 27—SOUTH LOUISIANA HIGHPOWER CLUB MATCH: 8:30 a.m., Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Range, St. Landry Road, Gonzales. CMP GSSM, NRA match rifle or service rifle, 200-yard/50-rounds match course & Prone matches. Fee $15 members, $20 nonmembers, $5 juniors. $25 annual club (first match free) & Civilian Marksmanship Program membership (allows purchases from CMP).

Call (337) 380-8120. Email Mike Burke: SouthLaHighPower@ hotmail.com JULY 28—RED STICK FLY FISHERS FLY TYING: 7 p.m., Orvis Shop, 7601 Bluebonnet Boulevard. Open to public. Handson clinic covering basics of fly tying. Materials and tools provided. Website: rsff.org JULY 31-AUG. 2—BASSMASTER OPEN/DIVISION 1: St. Lawrence River, Waddington, New York. Website: bassmaster.com AUG. 2—WOOD STORK/WADING BIRD VIEWING: 7-10 a.m., South Farm, Sherburne Wildlife Management Area.

Ponds drained exposing feeding opportunity for storks, wading and shore birds. No fee except 18 and older must have a WMA Access Annual or a Five-Day permits available on Wildlife & Fisheries website: louisianaoutdoors. com

HUNTING

LOTTERY DOVE HUNT DEADLINE: July 27 for Elbow Slough WMA. $8.50 application fee. Applications website: louisianaoutdoors.com/lot-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING

Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries technician Tracy Andrews nets several Florida-strain bass fingerlings from a tank at the False River public boat landing in New Roads in a 2014 file photo. In June, the LDWF released more than 5 million bass (fry, fingerlings and adult bass) in 56 locations across the state.

Fullerton Lake (B) 570 Grand Bayou Reservoir (B) 36,000 Gretna City Pond (B) 300 Henderson Lake (B) 50,300 Holbrook Park Pond (B) 250 Iatt Lake (B)71,000 Ivan Lake (B)10,000 Kepler Creek Lake (B)24,600 Kincaid Lake (B)38,000 Lacassine Pool (B)180,400 Lake Bistineau (B)229,900 Lake Bruin (B) 20,000 Lake Buhlow (A) 77, (B) 5,300 Lake Claiborne (B) 143,800 Lake Concordia (B) 22,000 Lake LaFourche (B) 25,900

Lake Providence (B) 44,300 Lake St. John (B) 50,600 Larto Lake (B) 80,500 Little Alabama Bayou (B) 4,000 Mill Creek Lake (B) 6,800 Millers Lake (B) 32,100 Nantachie Lake (B) 36,400 Pearl River Nav Canal (C) 3,200 Perez Park Pond (B) 300 Poverty Point (B) 20,100 Rockefeller Refuge (B) 105,800 Sibley Lake (B) 21,000 Spanish Lake (B) 26,600 Toledo Bend Reservoir (B) 499,400 Valentine Lake (B) 1,100 Vernon Lake (B) 84,000

AUG. 2—FLY FISHING 101/ REDFISH: 9-11 a. m., Orvis Shop, Bluebonnet Boulevard, Baton Rouge. Fee free. Basics of casting, rigging. No fee.

Equipment furnished. All ages, but 15-and-younger must be accompanied by an adult. Preregistration required. Call Shop (225) 757-7286.Website: orvis.com/ batonrouge AUG. 2—FRIENDS OF NRA/ NORTHSHORE BANQUET: 5:30 p.m., American Legion Post 16, 2031 Ronald Reagan Highway, Covington. Call Jeffrey Antwiller (504) 616-1140. Email: jeffreyantwiler@gmail.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshore season closed except in Breton/ Chandeleur sounds. All outside waters remain open.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Red snapper, flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Gray triggerfish, greater amberjack, bluefin tuna and gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/ federal waters.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/ boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction); Dobbs Bay Road & all roads on the Mississippi River batture east of La. 15 (Richard Yancey WMA, flooding).

DRAWDOWNS: underway on Saline, Kepler,Iatt Lake Black & Clear lakes and Wham Brake impoundment. Lake Bistineau drawdown set to begin July 28.

EMAIL: jmacaluso @theadvocate.com

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NFL PLAYER RANKINGS Mahomes voted the top QB

BY ROB MAADDI

AP pro football writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By NICK WASS

Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase reaches for a pass against the Baltimore Ravens on Nov. 7 in Baltimore.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ABBIE PARR

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson catches a pass for a first down against the Green Bay Packers on Dec. 29 in Minneapolis.

TWO CLOSE TO CALL

Former LSU stars Chase, Jefferson tie for top wide receiver in vote by AP writers

BY ROB MAADDI

AP pro football writer Ja’Marr Chase achieved the receiving triple crown. Justin Jefferson has rewritten receiving records in his first five seasons.

So which superstar pass-catcher is the best wide receiver in the NFL? It’s a tie, according to a panel of eight AP Pro Football Writers who ranked the top five players at the position, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifthplace votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Chase and Jefferson, both former LSU stars, each received four first-place votes and four seconds.

Amon-Ra St. Brown finished third, CeeDee Lamb was fourth and AJ Brown placed fifth. Tyreek

Hill, Garrett Wilson, Terry McLau- seasons. He set records for most rin and Mike Evans also received receptions by any player in their first three NFL seasons and most votes. yards in first three, four and five 1 (tie). JA’MARR CHASE, Bengals seasons.

Chase led the league in receptions (127), yards receiving (1,708) 3. AMON-RA ST. BROWN, Lions and touchdown catches (17) last Brown has three straight seasons season, becoming just the sixth of more than 100 receptions and wide receiver in the Super Bowl more than 1,100 yards receiving. era to win the receiving triple He followed an All-Pro season crown. in 2023 with another one in 2024, He was a unanimous All-Pro se- finishing with 115 catches for 1,263 lection and teamed with Tee Hig- yards and 12 TDs. Brown received three thirdgins to give quarterback Joe Burplace votes, one fourth and three row two dynamic playmakers. fifths.

1 (tie). JUSTIN JEFFERSON, Vikings

Jefferson had 103 catches for 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns last season, also earning a unanimous All-Pro selection.

Jefferson is the first player in NFL history with more than 7,000 yards receiving in just five

Lamb holds the Cowboys’ singleseason records for both receptions (135) and yards receiving (1,749), both set in 2023 when he also set an NFL record with three straight games of 10 receptions and 150 yards receiving.

He received two third-place votes and four fourths.

5. A.J. BROWN, Eagles

Brown has become one of the league’s elite playmakers since joining Philadelphia in 2022.

He had 67 catches for 1,079 yards and seven TDs in 13 games last season and played a big role in the offense for the Super Bowl 4. CEEDEE LAMB, Cowboys champions.

The three-time Pro Bowl pick A four-time Pro Bowl pick and 2023 All-Pro, Lamb put up prolific had more than 1,400 yards receivnumbers in his first five seasons. ing in each of his first two seasons Lamb had 101 catches for 1,194 with the Eagles. yards and six TDs last year, his Brown got two third-place votes third straight surpassing 100/1,100. and three fifths.

Kittle’s all-around game Barkley top RB after earns him top tight end record-setting year

BY JOSH DUBOW

AP pro football writer Perhaps no position requires a wider range of skills to succeed in the NFL than tight ends, who are asked to thrive as receivers in the middle of the field as well as being key parts to the run and pass games with their blocking.

W h i l e m a n y Kittle teams divide those roles among multiple players, George Kittle’s ability to do it all for the San Francisco 49ers as one of the most efficient receivers and top blockers helped him score the honor of being voted the top tight end in the league by The Associated Press.

A panel of eight AP pro football writers ranked the top five players at tight end, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. First-place votes were worth 10 points. Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Kittle got five first-place votes and three seconds to win the voting. Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers was the only other player selected on all eight ballots and came in second with two first-place votes, five seconds and one fifth.

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce got the other first-place vote and finished third, followed by Arizona’s Trey McBride and Baltimore’s Mark Andrews.

Detroit’s Sam LaPorta and Minnesota’s T.J. Hockenson also received votes.

1. GEORGE KITTLE, 49ers Kittle is coming off one of his most productive seasons as a receiver, catching 78 passes for 1,106 yards and eight TDs for an injuryriddled San Francisco offense. He led all tight ends and ranked third overall with 2.62 yards per route run in a sign of how efficient he is as a receiver. Kittle also remains one of the top blocking tight ends, helping him earn first- or secondteam All-Pro honors in five of the past seven seasons.

2. BROCK BOWERS, Raiders Bowers burst on the scene during a record-setting rookie season when his 1,194 yards receiving were the most ever by a rookie tight end and his 112 catches were the most ever by any rookie. The former Georgia star was a firstteam All-Pro and quickly established himself as perhaps the top receiving threat at the position in the NFL.

3. TRAVIS KELCE, Chiefs Kelce is one of the most productive tight ends ever, with his 1,004 catches and 12,151 yards receiving ranking third all time at the position. But the six-time All-Pro showed signs of slowing after turning 35 in October. He still managed 97 catches for 823 yards, but his 8.5 yards per reception were down 4 yards from his career average entering 2024 as he had significant drops in yards after catch and missed tackles forced.

4. TREY McBRIDE, Cardinals McBride, a former Colorado State star, has made steady improvement since being drafted in the second round in 2022 and reached star status last season, when his 111 catches and 1,146 yards receiving trailed only Bowers among tight ends. The only thing missing for McBride, 25, was success in the red zone, where he had only two touchdown catches — tied for the second-fewest ever for any player in a 100-catch season.

5. MARK ANDREWS, Ravens Andrews has been one of the top tight ends for years, but his production has started to tail off since he was an All-Pro in 2021.

After missing significant time with injuries in 2023, the former Oklahoma star had 55 catches for 673 yards and led all tight ends with 11 TD receptions last season. Unfortunately for Andrews, his season might be best remembered for dropping a tying 2-point conversion pass late in a 27-25 divisional playoff loss to the Buffalo Bills.

BY JOSH DUBOW

AP pro football writer Saquon Barkley’s first season in Philadelphia featured record performances on the field, a Super Bowl title and a new contract that is the richest ever for a running back.

Barkley Barkley’s performance with the Eagles also helped him score the honor of being voted the top running back by The Associated Press.

A panel of eight AP pro football writers ranked the top five players at running back, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. Firstplace votes were worth 10 points.

Second- through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Barkley got seven first-place votes and one second to win the voting easily. Baltimore’s Derrick Henry was the only other player selected on all eight ballots and came in second with one first-place vote, five seconds, one third and one fifth.

Detroit’s Jahmyr Gibbs got the remaining two second-place votes and finished third. Atlanta’s Bijan Robinson and San Francisco’s Christian McCaffrey rounded out the top five.

Indianapolis’ Jonathan Taylor, Green Bay’s Josh Jacobs and Tampa Bay’s Bucky Irving also received votes.

2. DERRICK HENRY, Ravens Anyone expecting Henry to drop off in his 30s was disappointed last season when a move to Baltimore helped spark a resurgence to his career. Henry, who turned 31 in January, rushed for 1,921 yards last season for the most for a player after turning 30, topping the 1,860 yards Tiki Barber had at age 30 in 2005.

Henry has the 11th-most yards in a season and the most for a player who didn’t win a rushing title as he remains one of the best pure rushers in the game.

3. JAHMYR GIBBS, Lions Skeptics questioned the decision by Detroit to draft Gibbs 12th overall in 2023, but he has more than delivered in his first two seasons as a dangerous runner and receiver. After a strong rookie season, Gibbs took a big step last season when he rushed for 1,412 yards and 16 TDs to go with 517 yards receiving and four more scores.

Gibbs’ 36 overall touchdowns in the regular season and playoffs are the second most ever for a player in his first two seasons, trailing only the 37 for Hall of Famer Curtis Martin.

4. BIJAN ROBINSON, Falcons

Picked eighth overall in 2023, Robinson has quickly earned his place among the top running backs in the league thanks to his skill as a runner and receiver.

Robinson ranked fourth among running backs last sea1. SAQUON BARKLEY, Eagles son in yards from scrimmage Barkley rushed for 2,005 yards (1,887), tied for sixth in touchin the regular season, falling 101 downs (15) and second in first short of breaking Eric Dicker- downs (102). son’s regular-season record because he was rested rather than 5. CHRISTIAN McCAFFREY, 49ers playing in a meaningless Week Injuries to his Achilles tendon 18 game. His 2,504 yards rush- and knee hampered McCaffrey ing including the playoffs broke last season as he played only Terrell Davis’ record of 2,476 and four games after winning AP featured a record seven TD runs Offensive Player of the Year in 2023. But when he’s healthy, of at least 60 yards.

Barkley parlayed that into there are few players more proa two-year contract extension ductive than McCaffrey, as eviworth $41.2 million with $36 denced by his 2,023 yards from million guaranteed, which is the scrimmage and 21 TDs in 16 richest ever for a running back. games in 2023.

Patrick Mahomes still stands on top among NFL quarterbacks.

The threetime Super Bowl MVP was voted the NFL’s No. 1 quarterback by The Associated Press in a preseason survey.

This time, he Mahomes had more competition for the top spot after being a unanimous choice in 2023 and 2024.

A panel of eight AP pro football writers ranked the top five players at quarterback, basing selections on current status entering the 2025 season. Firstplace votes were worth 10 points.

Second through fifth-place votes were worth 5, 3, 2 and 1 points.

Mahomes, who led the Kansas City Chiefs to consecutive Super Bowl titles in the 2022-23 seasons, finished with five first-place votes in the latest poll. Reigning NFL MVP Josh Allen got two, finishing second. Joe Burrow received the other first-place vote and came in third.

Two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson finished fourth and Jalen Hurts, who outplayed Mahomes in Philadelphia’s dominant Super Bowl victory over Mahomes and the Chiefs, was fifth. Jayden Daniels and C.J. Stroud also received votes.

1. PATRICK MAHOMES, Chiefs Mahomes had a career-low 3,928 yards passing and tied for his fewest touchdown passes with 26, but still led the Chiefs to their third straight Super Bowl appearance and fifth in his seven years as the starting QB. Mahomes, who turns 30 in September, has a chance to become only the fourth quarterback to win four Super Bowls.

He received two second-place votes and one fourth.

2. JOSH ALLEN, Bills Allen led Buffalo to a fifth straight AFC East title and edged Jackson for the MVP award last season. But Allen and the Bills again were knocked out of the playoffs by Mahomes and the Chiefs, losing in the AFC title game.

Allen threw for 3,731 yards, 28 TDs and had six interceptions for a 101.4 passer rating. He ran for 531 yards and 12 scores, becoming the first player in NFL history to have five consecutive seasons with at least 40 total TDs. He got three second-place votes, one third and two fourths.

3. JOE BURROW, Bengals Burrow set career highs last season in nearly every passing category, including yards (4,918), TD passes (43) and QB rating (108.5). He earned his second AP Comeback Player of the Year award but the Bengals couldn’t overcome another slow start and missed the playoffs with a 9-8 record.

Burrow, who started 17 games last season for the first time in his career, received a secondplace vote, two thirds and three fourths.

4. LAMAR JACKSON, Ravens Jackson is coming off his third All-Pro season and the best allaround year of his career. He threw for 4,172 yards, 41 TDs and only four interceptions, and led the NFL with a 119.6 passer rating. He also ran for 915 yards and four scores. But Jackson and the Ravens fell short in the playoffs again, losing to the Bills in the divisional round.

Jackson got one second-place vote, four thirds, two fourths and one fifth.

5. JALEN HURTS, Eagles The Super Bowl MVP appeared on just four of eight ballots despite leading the Eagles to their second NFC championship victory in three years.

Hurts, who got one secondplace vote, one third and two fifths, had 2,903 yards passing, 18 TDs and only five interceptions last season. He ran for 630 yards and 14 scores.

Hurts’ seven total touchdowns are the most by a quarterback in his first two Super Bowls.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 5C

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Quarterback Shough signs fully guaranteed contract with Saints

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy

Aliyah Boston of the Indiana Fever warms up before the WNBA All-Star Game while wearing a players’ union shirt on Saturday in Indianapolis.

WNBA commissioner says labor deal will get done

Engelbert ‘really optimistic’ new agreement will be reached by Oct. 31

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert feels optimistic that the league and the players’ union will be able to come to a new collective bargaining agreement at some point, even if it’s after the end of the October deadline.

While the two sides are far apart right now after meeting for the first time in person on Thursday since December Engelbert with more than 40 players in attendance, Engelbert has faith that a deal will get finished.

“I’m still really optimistic that we’ll get something done that would be transformational,” she said before the All-Star Game on Saturday night. “And that, next year at the All-Star (break), we’ll be talking about how great everything is. Obviously there’s a lot of hard work to be done on both sides to get there.”

Engelbert said that more meetings are planned in the future. The current CBA will expire on Oct. 31 after the season is over.

“I have confidence we can get

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C McCoy has shown he can 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 a career-high 10 last season.

Considering what the Saints are operating with at quarterback this season, it would be extremely beneficial to have McCoy on the field. Not only has he played at a Pro Bowl level when he’s been on the field (he was Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 center last season before his injury) but McCoy’s experience and leadership also would take a big burden off a young quarterback in terms of identifying pressures and calling out protections.

New Orleans undoubtedly was better when McCoy was on the field last year — in the five games he played at least 65% of the snaps, the Saints went 4-1 and scored 35 points or more three times. That’s obviously not all on him, but he plays an integral part.

But McCoy is a known commodity — and, to a lesser degree, so is Ruiz. The big question mark is Penning.

He flamed out at left tackle. The Saints moved him to the right side last year, where he gave them solid but not overwhelmingly good play.

Now the new coaching staff — a group that includes new offensive line coach Brendan Nugent — is going to give him a long 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’s asked to be in space. By moving him to guard, the Saints are accentuating his strengths and minimizing his weaknesses.

something done by October, but I’m not going to put an exact date on it,” she said. “We’ve got some room to continue negotiations if we’re close at that point.”

There’s a lot of money coming into the league over the next few years with a new 11-year media rights deal worth more than $2.2 billion, three new expansion teams that each paid $250 million in fees and many new sponsors.

The players’ top priorities are greatly increased salaries and a revenue-sharing plan, which Engelbert understands.

“We’re going to do something transformational here because we we want the same things as the players, but we want to significantly increase their salary and benefits while balancing with our owners, their ability to have a path to profitability, as well as in to continued investment,” she said.

Other areas that Engelbert discussed included: She talked about trying to expand the footprint of the league around the world. The league will welcome its first team outside the U.S. next year with the addition of the Toronto Tempo. Engelbert mentioned Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa as places that could have huge interest in the WNBA.

“I think we’re really strong domestically now. There’s a huge amount of possibilities, to turn these players into a global household being stars that they’ve now become here in the United States domestically,” she said.

The consistency of officiating has been a topic that players and coaches have been discussing a lot this season, and Engelbert said that the league is aware and will evaluate it.

“I realize consistency is the name of the game, and I think it’s something we definitely need to look at and evaluate,” she said.

“There’s an independent evaluation of our officials and there are ramifications. It’s something we need to continue to work on. As our game evolves so does our officiating, so we’re on it.”

Engelbert said the league would look at possibly expanding the length of the season in the future on the backend of the season. The WNBA can’t really start any earlier because of the NCAA Tournament, but could go into early November. There’s a good shot that will happen next year with the FIBA World Cup taking place in early September.

“We’re looking about what’s the best footprint, what’s the best number of games,” she said.

SAINTS SIGN VETERAN D-LINEMAN AHEAD OF CAMP Days before the start of training camp, the New Orleans Saints are adding a veteran presence to their defensive line.

Free agent defensive lineman Jonathan Bullard is signing with the Saints, according to a league source. The 31-year-old Bullard started 17 games for the Minnesota Vikings last year, recording a sack and a career-high seven tackles for loss.

Bullard has some history with new Saints defensive coordinator Brandon Staley. The Chicago Bears drafted Bullard in the third round of the 2016 draft, and Staley coached the Bears linebackers from 2017-18.

Most of Bullard’s usage has come as a rotational defensive lineman. He’s appeared in 116 games in nine seasons with the Bears, Vikings, Cardinals, Falcons and Seahawks, making 53 starts.

The 6-foot-3, 290-pound Bullard most likely will join a group that includes Bryan Bresee, Vernon Broughton and Jonah Williams competing for snaps as the team’s base defensive end.

Luke Johnson

INTERIOR OFFENSIVE LINE DEPTH CHART PLAYER POS. HT. WT. EXP. Erik McCoy C 6-4 303 7 Will Clapp C 6-5 314 8 Cesar Ruiz G 6-4 316 6 Trevor Penning G 6-7 325 4 Dillon Radunz G 6-6 301 5 Nick Saldiveri G 6-6 316 3 Kyle Hergel G 6-2 315 2 T. Simpkins G 6-5 312 R

Worst case If McCoy can’t stay on the field, that could trigger a pretty rough domino effect for the offense.

New Orleans signed old friend Will Clapp this offseason for depth along the offensive interior — Clapp can play three positions — but there’s a big gap between Clapp and McCoy. McCoy affects every phase of the Saints offense, and there’s only going to be more on his plate this year with an inexperienced quarterback lining up behind him. If he deals with injuries again this year, it will be difficult for the Saints to navigate his loss even with the talent around him.

And Penning is a gamble, even with veteran Dillon Radunz ready to take his spot if he struggles.

Penning is just an idea at guard right now, and even if it makes sense logically, it may not practically. His technique issues may be just as pronounced inside as they were outside, and if there’s one thing that can turn an otherwise good passing play into a disaster, it’s interior pressure.

This should be an improved unit in 2025, but it’s no slam dunk.

Essentially, the Saints are asking a 6-foot-7, 325-pounder to play in a phone 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 Vea of Tampa Bay and Derrick Brown of Carolina — but he will at least not have to do so on an island.

There is a decent chance that guard is Penning’s natural position and that he finally delivers on the promise that made the Saints select him 19th overall in 2022.

The physical ability has never been a question, and if the lightbulb clicks on, New Orleans may be positioned to have an above A prediction in 10 words or less average offensive line across the Penning plays well enough to board in 2025. merit a modest extension.

The New Orleans Saints no longer have to worry about a potential Tyler Shough holdout.

The Saints rookie quarterback agreed to sign his contract Saturday and received a fully guaranteed deal, his agent told ESPN. The deal, struck before Shough was set to report for training camp on Tuesday, comes after the two sides negotiated over the guaranteed amount for the fourth year of the four-year contract.

The deal is projected to be worth nearly $10.8 million over four years.

Shough, picked 40th overall, was one of many second-rounders who had remained unsigned deep into July. Talks were complicated by the fact that the Houston Texans and Cleveland Browns became the first teams in league history to fully guarantee the contracts for second-round picks Jayden Higgins and Carson Schwesinger, setting a precedent for the other 30 players taken in the round.

Deadlines, however, spur action. And a week before training camp, a flurry of deals started to get done across the league. The San Francisco 49ers broke the dam when they agreed to terms with defensive lineman Alfred Collins, taken three picks behind Shough at No. 43. San Francisco reportedly guaranteed 88% of Collins’ rookie contract.

From there, deals starting flying in. Of them, Seattle Seahawks safety Nick Emmanwori (the 35th pick), Miami Dolphins guard Jonah Savaiinaea (No.

WALKER

Continued from page 1C season, the Pelicans ranked sixth in the NBA in points allowed per 100 possessions. A shoulder injury limited Jones to just 20 games last season. If he returns to pre-injury form, it should instantly make the Pelicans better. The last two NBA champions (the Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder) both had two all-defensive team players on their roster. The Pelicans have made sure they have at least one for years to come.

“Herb Jones exemplifies all the great qualities our team values with his toughness, competitiveness and commitment to getting better every day,” Dumars said.

3. Jeremiah Fears is a work in progress. It really didn’t matter how many games the Pelicans won in Vegas. They were going to be judged on this trip by how well their two first-round draft picks (Fears and Queen) played.

We’ll start with Fears, since he was the No. 7 pick.

Through the first three games, Fears played like the 18-yearold that he is while adjusting to the NBA. You could see his quickness right away. The Kyrie Irving-like handles and the Russell Westbrook-like 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 4 of 22 3-pointers (18.2%). But more concerning were the turnovers (25 total) and lack of assists (13). His fourth game, a loss to Oklahoma City, was his best when he finished with 22 points, six rebounds and six assists. He showed enough in that outing to let you know that he can play in the league once he adjusts to the physicality of the NBA game. But if the season started tomorrow, it would be hard to insert him in the starting lineup right away. A few weeks ago, I suggested the Pelicans pursue free agent Chris Paul to mentor Fears. I feel even stronger about that, especially with Dejounte Murray still rehabbing his Achilles injury.

4. Queen also is a work in progress. Other than Cooper Flagg, selected with the No. 1 overall pick by the Dallas Mavericks, there won’t be many players in this draft class under a larger microscope than Queen. That’s what happens when a team gives up a future first-round pick for you. Queen’s start in Vegas was a bit shaky, but he showed in his third game why Dumars invested so much in him. You don’t see many 6-foot-9 guys with his

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints quaterback Tyler Shough throws a pass during organized team activities on June 5.

37), New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson (No. 38) and Chicago Bears wide receiver Luther Burden (No. 39) also received fully guaranteed contracts.

Shough, for his part, said he was not worried about whether the deal would get done. The quarterback told The Times-Picayune in June that he was “super optimistic” it would get completed, and that he was waiting to see what would happen with the rest of the deals that had not been done.

“I want to fight for as much as we can get, but at the same time, there’s a lot of things that have yet to unfold with other guys ahead (of me),” Shough said then.

With the deal now done, Shough can focus on getting acclimated for camp and competing for the starting job. The 25-year-old is battling Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener for the top spot.

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

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 more like he’s driving through a speed zone.

Sometimes that makes you question his motor (especially on the defensive end). But his slow pace is effective, and his shooting touch and passing ability are impressive. Unfortunately, he won’t get a chance to work on the things he needs to work on now that he has to rehab from surgery.

5. Yves Missi’s shot was missing. Missi, fresh off a secondteam NBA All-Rookie season, had his struggles finishing, too.

Missi shot a dismal 9 for 31 from the floor (29%) and also struggled from the free-throw line (4 for 13). He rebounded well and blocked 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 second-round draft pick Micah Peavy and two-way player Trey Alexander. Hunter Dickinson, signed to a two-way contract, may be able to provide some depth in the middle.

6. Team chemistry. OK, we won’t make too big of a deal out of this one because it’s the norm during Summer League. After all, who turns down a chance to go hang out in Vegas? But it was refreshing to see Trey Murphy, Jose Alvarado, Murray, and newcomers Jordan Poole, Saddiq Bey and Kevon Looney all sitting together court side during the Pelicans’ second game against the Lakers. It’s good to see that core of players bonding before the real work starts.

7. All in on Zion Williamson.

Dumars has made plenty of moves this offseason. None of them will mean a thing if Williamson doesn’t put the Pelicans on his broad shoulders. The Pelicans will be as good as Williamson makes them. He’s the most important piece to the puzzle. Dumars made it clear in May that he’s fully committed to Williamson.

“I want him to start focusing on the responsibilities of being the best player here and the focal point,” Dumars said. “There are some responsibilities that come with that. Go represent your organization.”

So to see Williamson and Dumars sitting and talking along the baseline Wednesday night was a positive sign that the two are on the same page. Seeing the two of them smiling was a positive. Especially on this winless trip where smiles were hard to come by.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.

6C ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BRITISH OPEN BRITISH OPEN SCORES Saturday

At Dunluce Links Portrush, United Kingdom Purse: $17 million Yardage: 7,381; Par: 71 Third Round S. Scheffler 68-64-67—199 -14 Hao-Tong Li 67-67-69—203 -10 Matt Fitzpatrick 67-66-71—204 -9 H. English 67-70-68—205 -8 C.Gotterup 72-65-68—205 -8 Tyrrell Hatton 68-69-68—205 -8 R. McIlroy 70-69-66—205 -8 X. Schauffele 71-69-66—206 -7 B. Harman 69-65-73—207 -6 R. Henley 72-70-65—207 -6 R. Hojgaard 69-68-70—207 -6 Nicolai Hojgaard 69-69-69—207 -6 Robert Macintyre 71-66-70—207 -6 Ludvig Aberg 73-67-68—208 -5 W. Clark 76-66-66—208 -5 Harry Hall 73-67-68—208 -5 Oliver Lindell 72-68-68—208 -5 Kristoffer Reitan 72-68-68—208 -5 Justin Rose 69-71-68—208 -5 Matt Wallace 73-69-66—208 -5 Lee Westwood 69-70-69—208 -5 C. Bezuidenht 67-73-69—209 -4 K. Bradley 72-67-70—209 -4 Corey Conners 74-69-66—209 -4 L. Glover 69-72-68—209 -4 Sungjae Im 71-71-67—209 -4 D. Johnson 73-69-67—209 -4 Marc Leishman 73-68-68—209 -4 Tony Finau 70-68-72—210 -3 T. Fleetwood 73-68-69—210 -3 John Parry 72-71-67—210 -3 J.J. Spaun 73-69-68—210 -3 J. Thomas 72-69-69—210 -3 A. Bhatia 73-68-70—211 -2 Sam Burns 70-69-72—211 -2 B. DeChmbu 78-65-68—211 -2 R. Fowler 69-72-70—211 -2 Nathan Kimsey 71-72-68—211 -2 T. Lawrence 73-70-68—211 -2 Hideki Matsuyama 74-69-68—211 -2 Jon Rahm 70-72-69—211 -2 Jordan L. Smith 71-68-72—211 -2 Jesper Svensson 71-72-68—211 -2 D. Berger 72-70-70—212 -1 Takumi Kanaya 71-72-69—212 -1 J. Kokrak 71-70-71—212 -1 M. McNealy 69-74-69—212 -1 Aaron Rai 69-72-71—212 -1 Henrik Stenson 75-68-69—212 -1 J. Vegas 72-70-70—212 -1 Thomas Detry 72-71-70—213 E Sergio Garcia 70-73-70—213 E Matthew Jordan, 68-72-73—213 E J. Leonard 70-73-70—213 E Sepp Straka 72-71-70—213 E R. Johnston 74-66-74—214 +1 Romain Langasque 71-71-72—214 +1 Francesco Molinari 72-71-71—214 +1 J. Spieth 73-69-72—214 +1 Viktor Hovland 73-69-73—215 +2 Antoine Rozner 72-70-73—215 +2 Adrien Saddier 72-71-72—215 +2 Shane Lowry 70-72-74—216 +3 J. Skov Olesen 67-76-73—216 +3 A. Novak 71-72-74—217 +4 D. Burmester 71-71-76—218 +5 P. Mickelson 70-72-76—218 +5 S. Soderberg 73-70-75—218 +5 Riki Kawamoto 72-70-78—220 +7 Matti Schmid 73-70-79—222 +9

AP PHOTO By JON SUPER

Matt Fitzpatrick looks at the lie of his putt on the 5th green during the third round of the British Open on Saturday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

Li aims to be China’s first major winner

BY STEVE DOUGLAS AP sports writer

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Li Haotong is in contention to become the first man from China, a country of 1.4 billion people, to win a major golf championship.

The No. 111-ranked Li will play in the final pairing at the British Open on Sunday with Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1.

Scheffler leads by four strokes on Li, who is alone in second place at Royal Portrush.

Here are some things to know about the Chinese golfer. In short, he’s quite a character.

Li is a 29-year-old from Hunan, China. He started out caddying for his father, who played golf while also owning a car dealership in their home city. His parents now travel the world with him as he splits his time between playing on the PGA Tour and European tour.

He turned pro in 2011 and first got on the European tour in 2016.

This is Li’s 15th appearance in a major and his best finish was a tie for third at the British Open at Royal Birkdale in 2017, when he shot a final-round 63. He was six strokes behind the winner, Jordan Spieth.

In 2020, Li was the first Chinese player to hold the lead after any

Li was involved in one of the most bizarre incidents in the history of the European tour.

While playing the French Open in 2017, Li threw his club into the water out of frustration after bogeying the par-3 11th hole at Le Golf National. Moments later, his mother rolled up her shorts and waded through the muddy pond to recover it. After she grabbed it, she returned to dry land, realized it was broken — her son had snapped it — and threw it back in the water.

After the incident, Li played the final seven holes at level par using a sand wedge as a putter.

Li once had the following in red capital letters on the back of his ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANCISCO SECO 60-degree wedge: “HAOTONG IS THE MOST HANDSOME MAN IN Li Haotong of China taps hands with members of the public as he CHINA.” walks to the 18th tee during the third round of the British Open golf Oh, and Li also follows an Engchampionship on Saturday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club, Northern lish soccer team — Sunderland.

Well, kind of. He was guided down Ireland. that road by an ex-caddie, who was round in a major championship European tour, most recently at a fan of the team from northeast thanks to a bogey-free 65 in the the Qatar Masters in February England. second round of the PGA Cham- when he holed a birdie putt from While no man from China has pionship. That left him two shots 15 feet at the last hole to secure a captured a major title, two womclear. He wound up finishing 17th. one-shot victory and wept in the en have. The first was Shanshan Li’s last major appearance came arms of his caddie.

Feng, who won the LPGA ChamHis first was nearly a decade ear- pionship in 2012. Ruoning Yin won in 2022 when he missed the cut at the British Open at St. Andrews. lier at the China Open in 2016, the the Women’s PGA Championship Li is a four-time winner on the year he joined the tour. in 2021.

McIlroy’s hidden-ball shot part of ‘incredible’ day

BY STEVE DOUGLAS AP sports writer

PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland — Rory McIlroy picked up the ball from the thick rough, held it out in front of him and burst out laughing.

It was one of the most baffling things to have happened to him on a golf course.

Maybe one of the most frustrating, too.

McIlroy was on a third-round charge at the British Open on Saturday, making birdies and generating roars from the deep galleries that could be heard from a halfmile away in this corner of his native Northern Ireland.

What derailed him was almost a trick of the mind.

With one swish of his wedge, McIlroy not only hit his designated ball out of the rough to the right of the fairway on the 11th hole but also dug out another ball that had been buried underneath the turf, unbeknownst to him.

The second ball popped out of the ground and settled between his feet, much to McIlroy’s surprise.

“I have another golf ball,” he said with a confused smile to those around him after picking it up.

“That is the most weird, ridiculous thing I’ve ever seen,” McIlroy said later.

It was just part of a roller-coaster round of 5-under 66 that McIl-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETER MORRISON

Li Haotong of China taps hands with members of the gallery as he walks to the 18th tee during the third round of the British Open on Saturday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland. Li is in second place entering Sunday. roy described as “incredible” and an “absolute pleasure.”

Three birdies in the first four holes.

That bizarre trick shot on No. 11 that led to his only bogey. A bounce-back eagle from 55 feet on No. 12 — producing, in his words, “one of the largest roars I’ve ever heard on a golf course” — and a birdie on No. 15 when his approach hit the flagstick and stopped dead, a foot from the pin.

It was classic McIlroy.

But likely not enough.

At the end of a wild day on the links off the North Atlantic, McIl-

roy trimmed just one shot off his deficit to leader Scottie Scheffler.

The gap was now six shots to a guy McIlroy labeled “inevitable.”

“The only thing that I can hope for is I get off to the same start that I got off to today, get the crowd really going,” said McIlroy, who was in a four-way tie for fourth place, “and then hopefully he (Scheffler) might be able to hear that a couple groups back and maybe feel some pressure.”

At times, it felt like McIlroy — wearing Tiger Woods red — had the support of the whole of North-

OPEN

Continued from page 1C earlier this week when he said celebrations don’t last but a few minutes. He loves the competition.

He loves the work. But in terms of fulfillment, he often questions why he wants to win so badly when the thrill of winning is fleeting.

He was at 14-under 199, four shots ahead of Li Haotong of China, who delivered his own mystery by saying he had no idea how he recovered from the full swing yips a few years ago to be in the final group of a major for the first time.

Another shot back was Matt Fitzpatrick, who was tied with Scheffler through six holes but couldn’t stay with him when the No. 1 player began to pull away. Fitzpatrick missed a pair of short par putts and had to settle for a 71.

The biggest roars belonged to McIlroy, so much that it felt as though all of Northern Ireland was behind him. There wasn’t an 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 with three birdies in four holes. The roar that shook Royal Portrush came on the par-5 12th when McIlroy holed a 55-foot eagle putt that gave him a spark and the gallery hope — even though he still was six behind.

He produced only one more birdie the rest of the way and still faces a big climb.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JON SUPER

Scottie Scheffler plays off the ninth tee during the third round of the British Open on Saturday at the Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland.

“I played well enough today to at least feel like I have a chance tomorrow,” McIlroy said. “Yeah, it’s going to be tough to catch him tomorrow if he keeps playing the way he does. But if I can get out tomorrow and get off to a similar start to what I did today, get the crowd going ... you never know.”

But this championship is now in the hands of Scheffler, who has been No. 1 in the world longer than anyone since Tiger Woods. And there was nothing Saturday to in-

dicate he was going to make it easy on anyone chasing him.

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

After his first three-putt of the tournament — making par after reaching the par-5 second hole in two shots — Scheffler made a 10foot 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 has a nasty par 3 at No. 16 known as “Calamity Corner.” Scheffler made birdie for the third straight day, this time a 3-iron that settled 15 feet below the cup.

Each shot helped him pull away from the field. Each shot moved him closer to the claret jug, to go along with the PGA Championship he won in May and the two Masters

ern Ireland on a gorgeous day when the locals came out in force to cheer on their favorite son. He got a throaty, rock-star reception at every tee, even pats on the back as he emerged from the trouble to the right of the fairway on No. 17.

This was Rory-mania in full swing, the latest and most thrilling chapter of a homecoming three months in the making after winning the Masters to join the career Grand Slam club.

“It’s almost a celebration of what I’ve been able to accomplish,” McIlroy said. “I want to celebrate with them, too. I’ve just really tried to embrace everything this week. I’m having an incredible time. I’m really enjoying myself, and I feel like I’ve given myself half a chance now.”

Six years ago, the British Open returned to Royal Portrush for the first time since 1951. McIlroy shot 79 on the first day and himself out of the championship, failing to even make the weekend as he struggled to handle the expectation of a home crowd.

This week, he’s welcomed the pressure.

Too bad for his many fans here that Scheffler is spoiling the party.

A second claret jug would be amazing for McIlroy. But whatever happens, it’s been a lot of fun coming home.

“It’s absolutely incredible to play in front of these fans,” McIlroy said.

“I’m just so excited to get one more day to be able to experience it.”

green jackets he has won in two in the last four years.

McIlroy had the most bizarre moment of the championship when he went to gouge out a shot from the rough right of the 11th fairway and a second ball emerged from the turf.

“It’s never happened to me before,” McIlroy said. “It could never on any other course but a links course.”

It led to his lone bogey. He responded with that eagle putt and probably needed more.

“Scottie is ... it’s inevitable,” McIlroy said. “Even when he doesn’t have his best stuff, he’s become a complete player.”

Fitzpatrick did his best to keep pace, but he missed a 4-foot par putt on the 13th, got a bad bounce on the 17th that led to another bogey and wound up five shots behind.

“Just didn’t make any putts. I didn’t hit it close enough,” Fitzpatrick said. “Drove it well enough, didn’t hit it close enough. Just made way less putts than Scottie.”

Scheffler will be paired in the last group with Li, who made history in 2020 at the PGA Championship when he held the 36-hole lead, becoming the first player from China to lead in a major. Li didn’t make his first bogey until the 13th hole, and he dropped another shot on the 18th by driving into a pot bunker.

Scottish Open champion Chris Gotterup, in his first appearance in the British Open, had a 68 and joined the group at 8-under 205 that included McIlroy, Harris English (68) and Tyrrell Hatton (68).

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 7C

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PRO BASEBALL LOUISIANA’S BASEBALL PROS Major league hitters Name Alex Bregman Dylan Crews Josh Smith Jake Fraley Jake Rogers David Fry Austin Nola

State ties LSU LSU LSU LSU Tulane NW State LSU

Minor league hitters Player

State ties

Pos 3B OF IF OF C 1B C

Team Red Sox Nationals Rangers Reds Tigers Guardians Rockies

G 54 45 85 49 27 32 5

AB 209 158 305 126 67 71 18

R 32 24 46 24 7 6 1

H 62 31 84 28 11 11 4

2B 18 2 16 4 2 1 0

3B 0 1 1 0 1 0 0

HR 11 7 8 5 1 4 0

RBI 35 15 24 17 8 7 0

SB 1 11 9 4 0 1 0

Avg. .297 .196 .275 .222 .164 .155 .222

OPS .919 .620 .766 .706 .547 .559 .444

Pos

Team (Organization)

G

AB

R

H

2B

3B

HR

RBI

SB

Avg.

OPS

Drew Avans Southeastern Kody Hoese Tulane Jacob Berry LSU Hunter Feduccia LSU Tre’ Morgan LSU Andrew Stevenson LSU Hayden Cantrelle UL Hudson Haskin Tulane

OF 3B 3B C 1B OF SS OF

Nashville (Brewers) Oklahoma City (Dodgers) Jacksonville (Marlins) Oklahoma City (Dodgers) Durham (Rays) Durham (Rays) Iowa (Cubs) Norfolk (Orioles)

72 65 78 70 44 50 66 41

284 231 239 243 154 156 193 108

57 34 33 48 30 13 30 13

87 58 55 66 45 44 46 22

14 13 15 11 8 12 9 4

1 1 1 3 0 1 3 1

6 4 6 8 2 3 0 1

46 21 34 45 20 19 19 17

28 1 15 2 2 17 19 4

.306 .251 .230 .272 .292 .282 .238 .204

.822 .724 .715 .829 .810 .794 .674 .610

Taylor Young Jacob Burke Tyler Robertson Cade Doughty

2B OF OF 2B

Tulsa (Dodgers) Birmingham (White Sox) San Antonio (Padres) New Hampshire (Blue Jays)

85 49 20 67

316 161 60 208

55 16 3 19

75 37 5 49

14 6 1 12

0 0 0 0

2 2 0 2

25 20 3 18

25 9 5 5

.237 .230 .083 .236

.642 .610 .311 .625

Kyle DeBarge UL Carson Roccaforte UL Gavin Dugas LSU Jordan Thompson LSU Edgar Alvarez Nicholls State Brayden Jobert LSU Julian Brock UL Cole McConnell Louisiana Tech Tommy White LSU Teo Banks Tulane

SS OF OF SS 1B OF C OF 3B OF

Cedar Rapids (Twins) Quad Cities (Royals) Wilmington (Nationals) Great Lakes (Dodgers) South Bend (Cubs) Peoria (Cardinals) Hub City (Rangers) Winston-Salem (White Sox) Lansing (Athletics) Wilmington (Nationals)

79 80 64 78 64 72 55 62 58 36

300 272 204 278 224 243 197 220 223 106

56 48 22 33 28 32 28 34 35 12

75 65 39 59 56 51 43 52 62 14

16 15 8 13 16 9 12 8 18 1

5 5 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1

6 13 5 7 4 6 2 3 10 1

49 45 25 26 24 29 22 20 34 7

47 33 2 6 6 8 9 5 3 1

.250 .239 .191 .212 .250 .210 .218 .236 .278 .132

.762 .841 .597 .631 .723 .657 .599 .665 .838 .394

Colin Tuft

C

Delmarva (Orioles)

45

126

18

27

4

1

1

11

14

.214

.659

C

FCL Astros (Astros)

13

26

5

5

0

0

0

1

2

.192

.592

W-L 6-5 4-8 1-7 6-7 6-5 3-5 1-1 1-3 3-1 2-3 1-1 1-0 0-1 2-4 1-1 1-0 0-1 0-4 0-3

SV 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 2

H 86 82 59 93 91 52 41 28 34 34 27 37 26 26 4 15 14 36 16

ER 35 27 34 51 49 23 18 10 12 15 14 16 13 9 6 9 8 22 9

BB 31 30 16 34 44 24 25 14 8 20 17 21 8 9 5 6 4 11 17

SO 93 131 52 104 112 49 44 45 43 49 33 48 15 20 8 7 19 25 21

ERA 2.94 2.01 6.16 4.19 4.63 3.55 4.05 2.55 2.77 2.85 3.71 3.00 4.62 2.79 5.59 6.75 4.41 7.52 4.34

WHIP 1.09 0.93 1.51 1.16 1.42 1.30 1.65 1.19 1.08 1.14 1.29 1.21 1.34 1.21 0.93 1.75 1.10 1.78 1.77

American League

Friday’s games

Triple A

Double A

High A

Single A Rookie

La. Tech U-High UL LSU

Tulane

Hayden Travinski LSU

Major league pitchers

Player Seth Lugo Paul Skenes Aaron Nola Kevin Gausman Will Warren Taijuan Walker Hogan Harris Phil Maton Bryan King Grant Anderson Cole Henry Jake Latz Ian Gibaut Cade Gibson Spencer Arrighetti Wade Miley Grant Taylor Brandon Young Alex Lange

State ties Centenary LSU LSU LSU Southeastern Shreveport UL La. Tech McNeese St. McNeese St. LSU LSU Tulane La. Tech UL Southeastern LSU UL LSU

Team Royals Pirates Phillies Blue Jays Yankees Phillies Athletics Cardinals Astros Brewers Nationals Rangers Reds Marlins Astros Reds White Sox Orioles Tigers

Minor league pitchers

Triple A

G 18 20 9 19 20 20 29 37 40 42 35 21 25 22 2 3 13 6 21

GS 18 20 9 19 20 9 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 1 2 2 1 6 0

IP 107.0 121.0 49.2 109.2 95.1 58.1 40.0 35.1 39.0 47.1 34.0 48.0 25.1 29.0 9.2 12.0 16.1 26.1 18.2

Player Chase Solesky Will Dion Jarret Whorff Ryan Jennings Cam Sanders David Leal Eric Reyzelman Paul Gervase Keagan Gillies Jacob Waguespack Tanner Rainey Aidan Anderson Eric Orze

State ties Tulane McNeese St. La. Tech La. Tech LSU La. Tech LSU LSU Tulane Dutchtown St. Paul’s McNeese UNO

Team (Organization) G Rochester (Nationals) 17 Columbus (Guardians) 18 St. Paul (Twins) 26 Buffalo (Blue Jays) 29 Indianapolis (Pirates) 28 Las Vegas (Athletics) 28 Scranton/Wi.-Barre (Yanks) 30 Durham (Rays) 26 Norfolk (Orioles) 28 Durham (Rays) 15 Indianapolis (Pirates) 17 Round Rock (Rangers) 13 Durham (Rays) 8

GS 16 8 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 0

IP 76.2 61.2 49.1 41.1 35.2 32.2 36.2 37.1 33.1 19.2 17.0 21.0 9.0

W-L 4-5 3-7 4-4 4-1 3-1 0-0 1-2 2-3 4-1 1-0 0-0 2-0 2-0

SV 0 1 0 0 9 1 1 3 8 0 3 0 1

H 85 72 44 36 18 30 22 25 16 10 12 14 4

ER 42 28 22 13 7 12 17 14 4 1 6 5 1

BB 28 16 12 30 16 14 39 11 6 4 9 6 0

SO 65 57 59 52 39 37 36 59 34 18 21 19 13

ERA 4.93 4.09 4.01 2.83 1.77 3.31 4.17 3.38 1.08 0.46 3.18 2.14 1.00

WHIP 1.47 1.43 1.14 1.60 0.95 1.35 1.66 0.96 0.66 0.71 1.24 0.95 0.44

Grant Rogers Gage Jump Jackson Nezuh Ricky Castro Jackson Lancaster Nate Ackenhausen Cameron Foster Donovan Benoit Cayne Ueckert Brian Metoyer

McNeese LSU UL Tulane La. Tech LSU McNeese St. Tulane McNeese St. LSU-Alexandria

New Hampshire (Blue Jays) 18 Midland (Athletics) 17 Corpus Christi (Astros) 10 Witchita (Twins) 17 Montgomery (Rays) 22 NW Arkansas (Royals) 22 Binghamton (Mets) 19 Chattanooga (Reds) 17 Knoxville (Cubs) 28 Binghamton (Mets) 19

18 15 8 10 0 2 1 1 0 0

95.2 83.1 38.2 60.0 39.0 31.1 27.1 47.1 29.2 25.0

5-7 9-3 1-5 2-3 3-1 1-1 4-2 3-1 4-1 0-0

0 0 0 2 1 0 2 0 0 2

88 57 41 65 26 27 23 47 32 8

29 20 20 32 12 11 10 24 18 6

27 25 15 15 14 17 7 24 22 16

75 103 45 56 38 36 35 49 35 31

2.73 2.16 4.66 4.80 2.77 3.16 3.29 4.56 5.46 2.16

1.20 0.98 1.45 1.33 1.03 1.40 1.10 1.50 1.82 0.96

Griffin Herring Tanner Hall Bo Bonds Dylan Carmouche

LSU Zachary UL Tulane

Hudson (Yankees) Cedar Rapids (Twins) Vancouver (Blue Jays) Eugene (Giants)

16 16 21 15

16 15 0 11

89.1 67.2 27.1 58.1

7-3 3-3 2-1 5-1

0 0 4 1

56 74 20 52

17 38 10 25

36 40 5 19

102 42 29 58

1.71 5.05 3.29 3.86

1.03 1.68 0.91 1.22

Chandler Welch Andrew Landry Kenya Huggins Fidel Ulloa Christian Little Justin Loer Sam Broderson Nathan Blasick

Tulane Southeastern St. Augustine LSU LSU LSU Louisiana Tech UNO

Carolina (Brewers) Tampa (Yankees) Daytona (Reds) Fresno (Rockies) Modesto (Mariners) Fresno (Rockets) Palm Beach (Cardinals) Fresno (Rockies)

12 15 17 27 12 27 24 30

12 14 15 0 12 0 0 0

53.2 69.1 60.1 36.2 51.0 50.0 29.2 38.2

0-5 4-4 1-2 4-2 1-4 2-2 1-3 2-2

0 0 0 2 0 2 1 13

63 74 43 28 47 61 27 33

35 33 26 7 27 27 23 16

37 30 26 13 23 30 28 16

39 68 56 46 55 43 42 46

5.87 4.28 3.88 1.72 4.76 4.86 6.98 3.72

1.86 1.50 1.14 1.12 1.37 1.82 1.85 1.27

Connor Cooke J.P. France Brady Marget Luke Holman Thatcher Hurd

UL Shaw Tulane LSU LSU

Buffalo (Blue Jays) Astros Charleston (Rays) Daytona (Reds) FCL Yankees

Double A

High A

Single A

Injured or Rehab

Editor’s note: For omissions and errors, please email sports@theadvocate.com. Stats through Friday’s games.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT MARTON

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong greets fans after the Cubs beat the Boston Red Sox on Saturday in Chicago. CrowArmstrong hit his 26th home run of the season in a 6-0 victory.

MAJOR LEAGUE STANDINGS East Division Toronto New York Boston Tampa Bay Baltimore Central Division Detroit Cleveland Minnesota Kansas City Chicago West Division Houston Seattle Texas Los Angeles Athletics

National League

W 57 54 53 52 43

L 41 44 47 47 54

Pct .582 .551 .530 .525 .443

GB — 3 5 5½ 13½

W 59 47 47 47 34

L 40 50 50 52 65

Pct .596 .485 .485 .475 .343

GB — 11 11 12 25

W 56 52 50 48 42

L 41 45 49 50 58

Pct .577 .536 .505 .490 .420

GB — 4 7 8½ 15½

Chicago Cubs 4, Boston 1 Chicago White Sox 10, Pittsburgh 1 L.A. Angels 6, Philadelphia 5 Cleveland 8, Athletics 6 Toronto 4, San Francisco 0 Miami 8, Kansas City 7, 10 innings Atlanta 7, N.Y. Yankees 3 Tampa Bay 11, Baltimore 1 Texas 2, Detroit 0 Colorado 6, Minnesota 4 Seattle 6, Houston 1

Saturday’s games

Toronto 6, San Francisco 3 Miami 3, Kansas City 1 Philadelphia 9, L.A. Angels 5 Chicago White Sox 10, Pittsburgh 4 Texas 4, Detroit 1 Athletics 8, Cleveland 2 Chicago Cubs 6, Boston 0 Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3 N.Y. Yankees 12, Atlanta 9 Minnesota at Colorado, n Houston at Seattle, n

Sunday’s games

San Francisco (Ray 9-3) at Toronto (Berríos 5-4), 11:05 a.m.

Baltimore (Rogers 2-1) at Tampa Bay (Pepiot 6-7), 11:10 a.m.

Chicago White Sox (Civale 1-6) at Pittsburgh (Heaney 4-8), 12:35 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Soriano 6-7) at Philadelphia (Suárez 7-3), 12:35 p.m.

N.Y. Yankees (Stroman 1-1) at Atlanta (Holmes 4-8), 12:35 p.m.

Athletics (Springs 8-6) at Cleveland (Williams 5-4), 12:40 p.m.

Kansas City (Bubic 7-6) at Miami (Junk 4-1), 12:40 p.m.

Boston (Crochet 10-4) at Chicago Cubs (Horton 3-3), 1:20 p.m.

Minnesota (Ryan 9-4) at Colorado (Márquez 3-10), 2:10 p.m.

Houston (Brown 9-4) at Seattle (Woo 8-4), 3:10 p.m.

Detroit (Skubal 10-3) at Texas (Eovaldi 7-3), 6:10 p.m.

East Division

W Philadelphia 56 New York 55 Miami 46 Atlanta 43 Washington 39 Central Division W Chicago 59 Milwaukee 57 Cincinnati 52 St. Louis 51 Pittsburgh 39 West Division W Los Angeles 58 San Diego 53 San Francisco 52 Arizona 49 Colorado 23

Friday’s games

L 42 44 51 54 59

Pct .571 .556 .474 .443 .398

GB — 1½ 9½ 12½ 17

L 39 40 47 48 60

Pct .602 .588 .525 .515 .394

GB — 1½ 7½ 8½ 20½

L 40 45 47 50 74

Pct .592 .541 .525 .495 .237

GB — 5 6½ 9½ 34½

Chicago Cubs 4, Boston 1 Chicago White Sox 10, Pittsburgh 1 L.A. Angels 6, Philadelphia 5 Toronto 4, San Francisco 0 San Diego 7, Washington 2 Miami 8, Kansas City 7, 10 innings Atlanta 7, N.Y. Yankees 3 Cincinnati 8, N.Y. Mets 4 Colorado 6, Minnesota 4 Arizona 7, St. Louis 3 Milwaukee 2, L.A. Dodgers 0

Saturday’s games

Toronto 6, San Francisco 3 Miami 3, Kansas City 1 Philadelphia 9, L.A. Angels 5 Chicago White Sox 10, Pittsburgh 4 Texas 4, Detroit 1 Athletics 8, Cleveland 2 Chicago Cubs 6, Boston 0 Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3 N.Y. Yankees 12, Atlanta 9 Minnesota at Colorado, n Houston at Seattle, n

Sunday’s games

San Francisco (Ray 9-3) at Toronto (Berríos 5-4), 11:05 a.m.

Chicago White Sox (Civale 1-6) at Pittsburgh (Heaney 4-8), 12:35 p.m.

L.A. Angels (Soriano 6-7) at Philadelphia (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 (Bubic 7-6) at Miami (Junk 4-1), 12:40 p.m.

Boston (Crochet 10-4) at Chicago Cubs (Horton 3-3), 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 (Kershaw 4-1), 3:10 p.m.

St. Louis (Mikolas 5-6) at Arizona (Kelly 8-5), 3:10 p.m.

BOX SCORES Chicago Cubs 6, Boston 0

Athletics 8, Cleveland 2

Tampa Bay 4, Baltimore 3

Toronto 6, San Francisco 3

Miami 3, Kansas City 1

Boston

Athletics

Baltimore

San Francisco ab Ramos lf 3 Devers dh 4 Flores 1b 4 Chapman 3b 3 Adames ss 3 Schmitt 2b 3 Lee cf 3 Matos rf 3 Bailey c 3

Kansas City

Chicago

ab r h bi ab r h bi Refsnyder lf 3 0 1 0 Busch 1b 5 1 2 1 Duran ph-cf 1 0 0 0 Tucker rf 4 1 2 1 Bregman 3b 4 0 0 0 Suzuki dh 4 0 0 0 González 2b 3 0 0 0 Crw-Amstrg cf 4 1 2 1 Abreu ph-rf 1 0 0 0 Happ lf 4 1 1 1 Anthony rf-lf 3 0 0 0 Swanson ss 3 1 0 0 Story ss 4 0 0 0 Hoerner 2b 3 0 2 0 Rafaela cf-2b 4 0 1 0 McGuire c 4 0 0 0 Yoshida dh 4 0 2 0 Bruján 3b 1 0 0 1 Toro 1b 3 0 2 0 Shaw ph-3b 2 1 2 1 Wong c 3 0 0 0 Totals 33 0 6 0 Totals 34 6 11 6 Boston 000 000 000 — 0 Chicago 210 000 12x — 6 E — Imanaga (1). LOB — Boston 7, Chicago 7. 2B — Refsnyder (8). HR — Busch (20), Tucker (18), Shaw (3), Crow-Armstrong (26), Happ (13). SB — Crow-Armstrong (28). SF — Bruján (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Boston Bello L,6-4 6 6 3 3 1 4 Murphy 2 5 3 3 0 1 Chicago Imanaga W,7-3 7 5 0 0 1 5 Keller 1 0 0 0 0 3 Brasier 1 1 0 0 0 2 HBP — Murphy (Hoerner).

Umpires — Home, Ryan Wills; First, Ryan Additon; Second, Scott Barry; Third, Will Little. T — 2:27. A — 40,703 (41,363).

Philadelphia 9, L.A. Angels 5 Los Angeles

Philadelphia

ab r h bi ab r h bi Neto ss 5 0 2 1 Turner ss 3 1 1 1 Schanuel 1b 5 1 1 0 Schwarber dh 4 2 2 4 Trout dh 4 0 1 0 Harper 1b 4 2 2 2 Ward lf 4 1 2 2 Castellanos rf 5 0 2 1 Adell cf 4 1 2 1 Realmuto c 4 1 1 0 Moncada 3b 2 2 2 1 Kemp 3b 3 1 1 0 Soler ph 1 0 0 0 Sosa 2b 3 0 0 0 Newman 3b 0 0 0 0 Marsh lf 3 1 0 0 d’Arnaud c 4 0 0 0 Rojas cf 2 1 0 1 Wade rf 4 0 1 0 Rengifo 2b 4 0 1 0 Totals 37 5 12 5 Totals 31 9 9 9 Los Angeles 000 301 100 — 5 Philadelphia 100 015 02x — 9 DP — Los Angeles 1, Philadelphia 2.

LOB — Los Angeles 6, Philadelphia 7. 2B — Trout (6), Ward (22), Schwarber (14), Kemp (6), Harper (20). HR — Ward (23), Adell (21), Moncada (8), Schwarber (32), Harper (13). SB — Turner (25). SF — Rojas (3).

IP H R ER BB SO Los Angeles Kikuchi 5 5 2 2 3 8 1 1 1 ⁄3 1 3 3 Bachman L,2-3 H,2 1 2 0 ⁄3 1 2 2 Fermin BS,0-1 0 2 Brogdon 11⁄3 1 0 0 Fulmer 1 1 2 2 1 0 Philadelphia Walker 4 9 3 3 1 4 Robert 1 0 0 0 0 1 Johnson W,1-0 1 1 1 1 0 2 Kerkering H,15 1 2 1 1 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 Banks H,3 Strahm 1 0 0 0 0 1 HBP — Bachman (Kemp). WP — Kikuchi.

T — 2:48. A — 43,124 (42,901).

Cleveland

ab r h bi ab r h bi J.Wilson ss 5 1 2 2 Martínez cf 4 0 1 0 Rooker rf 4 1 1 0 Jones lf 3 1 1 0 Butler rf 0 0 0 0 Ramírez 3b 3 1 1 2 Kurtz 1b 5 3 3 2 Manzardo dh 4 0 0 0 Langeliers dh 5 2 2 3 Santana 1b 2 0 0 0 Andujar lf-3b 4 0 2 1 Schneemnn 2b 3 0 0 0 Schumnn 2b 0 0 0 0 Rodríguez rf 3 0 0 0 Muncy 3b-2b 4 0 1 0 Naylor c 3 0 0 0 Urías 2b 2 0 0 0 Rocchio ss 3 0 0 0 Sodrstrm lf 2 0 0 0 Wynns c 4 0 0 0 Clarke cf 4 1 3 0 Totals 39 8 14 8 Totals 28 2 3 2 Athletics 000 300 023 — 8 Cleveland 002 000 000 — 2 DP — 1, Cleveland 1. LOB — 5, Cleveland 3. 2B — Rooker (23), Kurtz 2 (11), Langeliers (14), Clarke (7). 3B — Clarke (2). HR — Langeliers (14), J.Wilson (10), Kurtz (18), Ramírez (19). SB — Soderstrom (6).

IP H R ER BB SO Athletics Severino W,3-11 5 3 2 2 2 3 Perkins H,1 3 0 0 0 1 3 Sterner 1 0 0 0 1 1 Cleveland Allen L,6-8 51⁄3 8 3 3 1 4 2 Festa ⁄3 0 0 0 0 1 Enright 11⁄3 3 2 2 0 0 Allard 12⁄3 3 3 3 0 2 T — 2:24. A — 32,949 (34,788).

ab r h bi Simpson cf 4 1 1 1 B.Lowe 2b 3 0 0 0 Caballero 2b 0 1 0 0 Díaz dh 2 1 1 0 Aranda 1b 3 0 0 1 Caminero 3b 4 0 1 0 Walls 3b 0 0 0 0 J.Lowe rf 3 0 0 1 Mangum lf 3 0 0 0 Kim ss 3 1 2 0 Thaiss c 3 0 0 0 Totals 36 3 11 3 Totals 28 4 5 3 Baltimore 200 000 001 — 3 Tampa Bay 000 000 13x — 4 E — O’Hearn (2). DP — Baltimore 1, Tampa Bay 1. LOB — Baltimore 7, Tampa Bay 5.

2B — Westburg (6), Urías 2 (11), O’Neill (4), Caminero (20). SB — Henderson 2 (12), Kim (2), Simpson (27), Caballero (32), Mullins (14). SF — Henderson (1).

IP H R ER BB SO Baltimore Kremer 7 3 1 1 3 6 1 Domínguez L,2-3 BS,2-5 ⁄3 2 3 2 2 0 2 Soto ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Tampa Bay Littell 6 7 2 2 0 3 Uceta W,6-2 2 2 0 0 0 3 Fairbanks S,16-19 1 2 1 1 0 1 WP — Domínguez.

T — 2:43. A — 10,046 (11,026).

Cincinnati 5, N.Y. Mets 2

N.Y. Yankees 12, Atlanta 9

Cincinnati

New York ab r h bi ab r h bi Friedl cf 5 0 0 0 Nimmo lf 4 1 1 0 McLain 2b 4 0 1 1 Lindor ss 5 0 0 0 De La Cruz ss 4 0 0 0 Soto rf 4 0 0 0 Hays dh 2 2 0 0 Alonso 1b 5 0 1 0 Lux lf 4 0 1 0 Vientos dh 4 0 1 1 Joe lf 0 0 0 0 McNeil cf 2 0 0 0 Steer 1b 4 0 2 0 Mauricio 3b 4 0 0 0 Stephenson c 4 1 1 1 Baty 2b 3 1 2 1 Fraley rf 4 1 3 2 Torrens c 3 0 2 0 Marte 3b 3 1 0 0 Espinal 3b 0 0 0 0 Totals 34 5 8 4 Totals 34 2 7 2 Cincinnati 002 102 000 — 5 New York 110 000 000 — 2 E — Marte (5), Torrens (4). DP — Cincinnati 1, New York 1. LOB — Cincinnati 5, New York 11. 2B — Fraley 2 (6). HR — Baty (10). SB — Soto (12).

IP H R ER BB SO Cincinnati Martinez W,8-9 5 6 2 2 2 5 1 ⁄3 0 0 0 2 1 Rogers H,9 2 ⁄3 0 0 0 1 1 Barlow H,11 Santillan H,20 1 0 0 0 0 3 Ashcraft H,11 1 0 0 0 0 0 Pagán S,21-24 1 1 0 0 1 1 New York 4 2 3 Holmes L,8-5 51⁄3 6 5 2 ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 Garrett Raley 1 0 0 0 0 2 Stanek 1 1 0 0 0 1 Devenski 1 0 0 0 0 1 HBP — Holmes (Marte).

Umpires — Home, Manny Gonzalez; First, Ron Kulpa; Second, Cory Blaser; Third, Alex Tosi.

T — 2:58. A — 42,605 (42,136).

ab Holliday 2b 5 Westburg dh 4 Henderson ss 3 O’Hearn 1b 4 Laureano lf 4 Cowser cf 4 O’Neill rf 4 Urías 3b 4 Stallings c 3 Mullins ph 1

New York

r h bi 1 2 0 1 3 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 1 1

Tampa Bay

Atlanta bi Profar lf Olson 1b Acuña rf Baldwin dh Murphy c Albies 2b Alvarez 3b Harris cf Allen ss Ozuna ph

ab r h ab r h bi Gldschmdt 1b 5 1 2 0 4 1 0 0 Bellinger lf 5 2 2 1 4 0 1 1 Judge rf 4 2 1 0 4 1 0 0 Stanton dh 2 2 1 0 4 1 1 0 Chisholm 2b 5 1 1 1 3 3 2 0 Grisham cf 5 2 2 5 4 1 2 5 Volpe ss 4 2 2 4 4 1 2 0 Wells c 4 0 0 1 4 1 1 2 Peraza 3b 2 0 0 0 4 0 1 1 Rice ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 Vivas 3b 1 0 0 0 Totals 37 12 11 12 Totals 36 9 10 9 New York 000 024 114 — 12 Atlanta 001 421 001 — 9 E — Olson (3). DP — New York 1, Atlanta 1.

LOB — New York 4, Atlanta 9. 2B — Grisham (8), Goldschmidt (23), Baldwin (6), Alvarez (1). HR — Volpe 2 (12), Bellinger (17), Grisham (17), Harris (7), Albies (9).

SB — Albies (8). SF — Volpe (6).

IP H R ER BB SO New York Warren 3 2⁄3 5 5 5 3 5 Hill 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 Effross ⁄3 2 1 1 0 0 Loáisiga 11⁄3 2 1 1 2 0 Weaver W,2-3 12⁄3 0 0 0 1 2 D.Williams 1 1 1 1 1 2 Atlanta Wentz 4 2 0 0 1 2 Suero 1 2 2 2 0 0 De Los Santos 0 3 4 3 1 0 Montero H,7 1 0 0 0 1 1 Johnson H,8 1 1 1 1 0 1 Lee BS,2-7 1 1 1 1 0 0 Iglesias L,4-6 1 2 4 4 2 1 T — 3:25. A — 42,530 (41,149).

Totals 29 3 4 3 Totals 35 6 14 6 San Francisco 000 011 100 — 3 Toronto 000 004 02x — 6 DP — San Francisco 2, Toronto 1. LOB — San Francisco 0, Toronto 8. 2B — Matos (6), Barger (22), Wagner (7), Heineman (6). HR — Adames 2 (14), Heineman (3).

SF — Ramos (5). S — Clement (5).

IP H R ER BB SO San Francisco Webb L,9-7 6 11 4 4 1 1 R.Rodríguez 1 1 0 0 0 1 Walker 1 2 2 2 0 1 Toronto Lauer W,5-2 6 2 2 2 0 7 Green H,7 1 1 1 1 0 0 Little H,19 1 0 0 0 0 1 Hoffman S,23-27 1 1 0 0 0 1 HBP — Webb (Heineman).

T — 2:10. A — 42,015 (39,150).

Miami ab r h bi ab r h bi India 2b 4 0 0 0 Edwards 2b 4 2 2 0 Witt ss 4 0 0 0 Sánchez rf 3 0 1 0 Psquntino 1b 3 0 0 0 Lopez ss 4 0 1 3 Garcia 3b 4 0 0 0 Ramírez dh 4 0 0 0 Perez c 3 1 1 1 Stowers lf 2 0 1 0 Loftin lf 3 0 1 0 Wagaman 1b 3 0 0 0 Fermin dh 3 0 0 0 Hicks c 2 0 1 0 Rave rf-cf 2 0 0 0 Fortes c 1 0 0 0 Tolbert cf 2 0 1 0 Myers cf 3 0 0 0 Frazier ph-rf 0 0 0 0 Pauley 3b 2 1 0 0 Totals 28 1 3 1 Totals 28 3 6 3 Kansas City 000 000 010 — 1 Miami 100 000 02x — 3 DP — Kansas City 2, Miami 1. LOB — Kansas City 3, Miami 7. 2B — Stowers (14), Edwards (16), Lopez (11). 3B — Edwards (2). HR — Perez (14). SB — Rave (5).

IP H R ER BB SO Kansas City Wacha 6 3 1 1 1 1 Schreiber 1 1 0 0 1 1 Erceg L,4-3 1 2 2 2 3 1 Miami Quantrill 6 2 0 0 0 3 Phillips H,3 1 0 0 0 1 0 Henriquez W,6-1 1 1 1 1 2 1 Bender S,3-6 1 0 0 0 0 1 HBP — Schreiber (Hicks).

Umpires — Home, James Jean; First, Edwin Moscoso; Second, Dan Merzel; Third, Jordan Baker. T — 2:11. A — 14,292 (37,446).

Arizona 10, St. Louis 1

Texas 4, Detroit 1

St. Louis

r h bi 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0

Toronto

ab r h bi Lukes cf-rf 5 0 1 0 Springer dh 4 0 1 0 Guerrero 1b 4 0 1 0 Bichette ss 4 1 1 0 Barger rf-3b 4 1 4 0 Loperfido lf 4 0 1 0 Clement 2b 3 1 1 1 Wagner 3b 4 1 2 2 Straw pr-cf 0 1 0 0 Heineman c 3 1 2 3

Arizona

ab r h bi ab r h bi Donovan 2b 2 0 0 0 Carroll rf 5 2 3 1 Saggese 2b 1 0 1 0 Perdomo ss 5 1 3 4 I.Herrera dh 4 0 0 0 Gurriel lf 5 0 0 0 Burleson lf-1b 4 1 1 1 Naylor 1b 3 1 0 0 Contreras 1b 3 0 0 0 Suárez 3b 3 2 2 3 Fermín 3b 1 0 0 0 Del Castillo dh 4 0 2 1 Arenado 3b 3 0 1 0 McCann c 4 0 0 0 Hampson lf 1 0 0 0 Thomas cf 4 1 1 0 Winn ss 4 0 3 0 Alexander 2b 3 3 2 1 Walker rf 4 0 1 0 Pagés c 4 0 0 0 Scott cf 3 0 0 0 Totals 34 1 7 1 Totals 36 10 1310 St. Louis 000 001 000 — 1 Arizona 321 300 01x — 10 E — Pagés (4), Saggese (3), Perdomo (7).

DP — St. Louis 2, Arizona 1. LOB — St. Louis 7, Arizona 5. 2B — Arenado (14), Walker (5), Saggese (6), Thomas (13), Del Castillo (1), Carroll (16). 3B — Carroll 2 (12). HR — Burleson (12), Suárez 2 (33). SB — Perdomo (14).

IP H R ER BB SO St. Louis 1 Gray L,9-4 3 ⁄3 11 9 8 0 5 3 2⁄3 Graceffo 1 0 0 1 1 King 1 1 1 0 0 1 Arizona Nelson W,6-2 6 4 1 1 1 4 Woodford 2 2⁄3 2 0 0 0 3 1 Backhus ⁄3 1 0 0 0 0 HBP — Graceffo (Alexander).

Umpires — Home, Emil Jimenez; First, Gabe Morales; Second, Mike Muchlinski; Third, Doug Eddings.

T — 2:30. A — 42,817 (48,359).

Detroit

Texas ab r h bi ab r h bi Keith 3b 4 0 0 0 Smith 3b 4 0 0 0 Torres 2b 2 0 0 0 Seager ss 4 0 1 1 Pérez rf 3 0 1 0 Semien 2b 3 0 0 0 Greene dh 4 1 1 1 García rf 4 1 1 0 Torkelson 1b 4 0 0 0 Carter cf 3 0 0 0 McKinstry ss 4 0 0 0 Langford lf 3 1 0 0 Meadows cf 2 0 0 0 Tellez 1b 2 1 1 3 Vierling ph-cf 2 0 1 0 Higashioka c 3 0 1 0 Rogers c 2 0 0 0 Osuna dh 1 1 0 0 Sweeney ss 2 0 0 0 Heim ph-dh 1 0 0 0 Jones ph-lf 1 0 0 0 Totals 30 1 3 1 Totals 28 4 4 4 Detroit 000 000 001 — 1 Texas 030 010 00x — 4 LOB — Detroit 6, Texas 4. HR — Greene (25), Tellez (1). SB — García (10).

IP H R ER BB SO Detroit Montero L,4-2 4 1⁄3 4 4 4 3 5 2 Hanifee ⁄3 0 0 0 0 0 Hurter 2 0 0 0 1 3 Hernández 1 0 0 0 0 1 Texas 1 Rocker W,4-4 6 ⁄3 1 0 0 3 5 2 Milner ⁄3 1 0 0 1 1 2 1 1 1 0 0 Webb Umpires — Home, Tom Hanahan; First, Alfonso Marquez; Second, Carlos Torres; Third, Lance Barrett.

T — 2:24. A — 37,045 (40,000).

NEWS 24/7 ON

8C ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SCOREBOARD Odds

El Paso 6 5 5 23 24 Monterey Bay FC 6 8 4 22 19 Oakland 6 9 2 20 19 Lexington SC 4 6 6 18 17 Las Vegas 5 8 3 18 13 Orange County 5 7 2 17 18 Colorado Springs 3 6 6 15 18 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Sports Betting Line MLB Sunday

American League FAVORITE LINE at TAMPA BAY -122 at CLEVELAND -142 at SEATTLE -132 Detroit -144 National League FAVORITE LINE San Diego -120 at N.Y METS -164 at LA DODGERS -184 at ARIZONA -136 Interleague FAVORITE LINE San Francisco OFF at ATLANTA -124 at PITTSBURGH -158 at PHILA -166 Kansas City -136 at CHI CUBS OFF Minnesota -194

UNDERDOG Baltimore Athletics Houston at TEXAS

LINE +104 +120 +112 +122

UNDERDOG at WASH Cincinnati Milwaukee St. Louis

LINE +102 +138 +154 +116

UNDERDOG at TORONTO N.Y Yankees White Sox LA Angels at MIAMI Boston at COL

LINE OFF +106 +134 +140 +116 OFF +162

Friday, July 18

Pittsburgh 0, Detroit City FC 0, tie North Carolina 4, Indy 2

Saturday, July 19

Hartford 0, Rhode Island FC 0, tie Oakland 2, Loudoun 0 Charleston 3, Miami 0 Colorado at Birmingham, 7 p.m.

Tulsa at Louisville, 7 p.m.

Las Vegas at Orange County, 9 p.m.

Lexington SC at Sacramento, 10 p.m.

MLS Glance Western Conference San Diego FC Vancouver Minnesota United Los Angeles FC Seattle Portland Colorado Austin FC San Jose Real Salt Lake Houston Sporting Kansas City FC Dallas St Louis City LA Galaxy

Pro basketball WNBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE New York Atlanta Indiana Washington Chicago Connecticut

W 15 13 12 11 7 3

L 6 9 11 11 15 19

Pct GB .714 — .591 2½ .522 4 .500 4½ .318 8½ .136 12½

Minnesota Phoenix Seattle Las Vegas Golden State Los Angeles Dallas

W 20 15 14 11 10 8 6

L 4 7 9 11 12 14 17

Pct GB .833 — .682 4 .609 5½ .500 8 .455 9 .364 11 .261 13½

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Friday’s Games

No games scheduled.

Saturday’s Games

2025 All-Star Game Team Collier 151, Team Clark 131

Sunday’s Games

No games scheduled.

NBA Summer League At Las Vegas Friday, July 18 Consolation

Dallas 92, Orlando 69 Philadelphia 87, Brooklyn 83 Miami 93, Milwaukee 92 Chicago 105, Utah 92 Indiana 113, New Orleans 104 Denver 106, L.A. Lakers 84

Saturday, July 19 Consolation

Washington 94, New York 85 Houston 104, Minnesota 101 Golden State 82, Cleveland 71 San Antonio 96, Detroit 84 Portland vs. Phoenix, n

Semifinals

Sacramento vs. Toronto, 3 p.m.

Charlotte vs. Oklahoma City, 5 p.m.

Sunday, July 20 Consolation

Atlanta vs. Boston, 5 p.m.

Memphis vs. L.A. Clippers, 7 p.m.

Championship

Sacramento/Toronto winner vs. Charlotte/ Oklahoma City winner, 9 p.m.

Cycling Tour de France Saturday

25 23 25 23 24 22 22

W 13 12 11 10 9 9 8 8 7 8 7 6 5 4 3

Eastern Conference

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By THIBAULT CAMUS

Stage winner Thymen Arensman of The Netherlands climbs during the 14th stage of the Tour de France over 113.5 miles with the start in Pau and finish on in Luchon Superbagneres, France, on Saturday.

14th Stage A 113-mile mountain ride from Pau to Superbagneres

1. Thymen Arensman, Netherlands, Ineos Grenadiers, 4:53:35.

2. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 4:54:43.

3. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 4:54:47.

4. Felix Gall, Austria, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 4:54:54.

5. Florian Lipowitz, Germany, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 4:55:00.

6. Oscar Onley, Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, 4:55:44.

7. Ben Healy, Ireland, EF Education-EasyPost, 4:56:21.

8. Primoz Roglic, Slovenia, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 4:56:21.

9. Tobias Johannessen, Norway, Uno-X Mobility, 4:56:34.

10. Kevin Vauquelin, France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 4:56:43.

Also

22. Sepp Kuss, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 5:01:49.

34. Matteo Jorgenson, United States, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 5:12:31.

85. Neilson Powless, United States, EF Education-EasyPost, 5:29:19.

118. William Barta, United States, Movistar Team, 5:31:09.

Overall Standings

1. Tadej Pogacar, Slovenia, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, 50:40:28.

2. Jonas Vingegaard, Denmark, Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 50:44:41.

3. Florian Lipowitz, Germany, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 50:48:21.

4. Oscar Onley, Great Britain, Picnic PostNL, 50:49:46.

5. Kevin Vauquelin, France, Arkea-B&B Hotels, 50:50:49.

6. Primoz Roglic, Slovenia, Red Bull — BORA — hansgrohe, 50:51:02.

7. Felix Gall, Austria, Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 50:52:28.

8. Tobias Johannessen, Norway, Uno-X Mobility, 50:53:01.

9. Ben Healy, Ireland, EF Education-EasyPost, 50:59:09 10. Carlos Rodriguez, Spain, Ineos Grenadiers, 51:03:25.

Team Standings

1. Team Visma ‘ Lease a Bike, 152:43:39.

2. UAE Team Emirates XRG, 152:57:27.

3. Decathalon AG2R La Mondiale Team, 153:27:07.

4. Arkea-B&B Hotels, 153:27:08.

5. Red Bull — Bora — Hansgrohe, 153:29:38.

6. Ineos Grenadiers, 154:13:41.

7. Movistar Team, 154:20:59.

8. Groupama-FDJ, 154:22:00.

9. XDS Astana Team, 154:34:57.

10. Team Picnic PostNL, 154:46:22.

0.

Tennis Hamburg European Open Results Saturday

At Am Rothenbaum Rot-Weiss Tennis Club Hamburg, Germany Purse: $275,094 Surface: Red clay HAMBURG, GERMANY Results Saturday from Hamburg European Open at Am Rothenbaum Rot-Weiss Tennis Club (seedings in

parentheses):

Women’s Singles

Semifinals Anna Bondar (7), Hungary, def. Kaja Juvan, Slovenia, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4.

Lois Boisson (5), France, def. Dayana Yastremska (2), Ukraine, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Women’s Doubles

Semifinals Arantxa Rus, Netherlands, and Anna Bondar, Hungary, def. Julia Grabher and Sinja Kraus, Austria, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 10-5.

Soccer USL Championship Glance Eastern Conference Charleston Louisville Loudoun North Carolina Pittsburgh Detroit City FC Indy Birmingham Miami Rhode Island FC Tampa Bay Hartford

W 13 11 8 8 6 5 5 4 5 4 4 3

L 3 1 6 6 6 6 6 7 8 8 10 8

T Pts GF GA 2 41 38 16 4 37 29 12 3 27 26 24 2 26 25 20 4 22 14 14 6 21 20 22 5 20 26 28 6 18 19 24 3 18 16 24 5 17 14 18 2 14 17 25 4 13 15 21

Tulsa San Antonio New Mexico Sacramento Phoenix

W 8 8 8 6 6

L 3 5 6 4 5

T Pts GF GA 4 28 23 15 3 27 23 21 1 25 22 17 5 23 22 12 5 23 26 26

Western Conference

L 7 5 5 5 6 7 10 8 8 10 11 11 10 12 14

T Pts 3 42 5 41 7 40 5 35 7 34 6 33 6 30 6 30 8 29 4 28 5 26 5 23 7 22 6 18 6 15

GF GA 46 31 38 25 39 26 36 24 34 31 31 31 30 36 17 24 44 39 24 28 29 38 35 41 29 41 23 35 25 45

W L T Pts GF GA Philadelphia 14 5 4 46 39 22 Cincinnati 14 6 3 45 38 31 Nashville 13 5 5 44 41 25 Inter Miami CF 12 4 5 41 49 34 Columbus 11 4 8 41 38 32 Orlando City 10 6 8 38 43 32 Charlotte FC 11 11 2 35 41 39 New York City FC 10 8 4 34 29 25 New York 9 9 6 33 39 35 Chicago 9 9 5 32 44 40 New England 6 10 7 25 30 32 Toronto FC 5 11 6 21 25 29 Atlanta 4 11 8 20 27 43 D.C. United 4 12 7 19 19 43 CF Montréal 3 15 6 15 20 45 NOTE: Three points for victory, one point for tie.

Saturday, July 19

Charlotte FC 3, Atlanta 2 D.C. United 2, Columbus 1 Chicago 2, CF Montréal 0 Orlando City 2, New England 1 Miami 5, New York 1 St Louis City at FC Dallas, n Philadelphia at Houston, n New York City FC at Sporting Kansas City, n Toronto FC at Nashville, n San Jose at Seattle, n Cincinnati at Real Salt Lake, n LA Galaxy at Los Angeles FC, n Minnesota at Portland, n Vancouver at San Diego FC, n

Transactions Major League Baseball

American League THE ATHLETICS — Reinstated LHP Ken Waldichuk from the 60-day IL and optioned him to Las Vegas (PCL). Designated C Jhonny Pereda for assignment.

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with SS Wehiwa Aloy, RHP JT Quinn and LHP Joseph Dzierwa on minor league contracts.

Sent LHP Cade Povich to Norfolk (IL) on a rehab assignment.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Placed RHP Shane Smith on the 15-day IL, retroactive to July 16. Recalled RHP Wikelman Gonzalez from Charlotte (IL). Reinstated INF/OF Brooks Baldwin from the 10-day IL. Optioned OF will Robertson to Charlotte.

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S u n d ay, J u ly 20, 2025

1dn

Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

A Louisiana evensong service ends the day with grace When my wife and I visited England for a week in 2019, we tried hard to fit everything in. Each day, we wanted to see as much of the country as we could. But on a couple of evenings, we were reminded that true joy doesn’t come from a race with the clock.

The end of a day can be an occasion itself, something to be 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 and brief prayers that invite reflection on the richness of the day that’s passing, the coming calm of night.

During our stay in England, my wife and I attended evensong services at Bath Abbey and Christ Church Cathedral in Oxford. We were heartened 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 a day as an ideal shared among many of us regardless of our faith.

Bath Abbey has had a place of worship at its site for more than 1,000 years. Christ Church in Oxford was founded in 1546.

Sitting in the shadow of centuries as we attended evensong in these grand old places, my wife and I were 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’s not as much active participation 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 I thought about recently when my wife and I were 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 Church in Baton Rouge was having a service one Sunday in May. The 5 p.m. service began with a procession of the choir into the sanctuary. It was moving to see all the singers filing in, a shared witness to the beauty of a day dimming toward twilight. While the service unfolded, the light behind the church’s stained glass windows slowly mellowed as the sun sank lower outside.

The program notes for the

FILE PHOTO

The exterior of the former Mayer Hotel Building got an extensive renovation by Tandy H. Hamilton in 1950-51.

Architect A. Hays Town designed a modernist renovation which included a new façade and a complete renovation of the first two floors of the original building.

HAPPIER DAYS Beloved cafeteria started in WWII in Baton Rouge.

How has Piccadilly weathered the decades?

W

BY SERENA PUANG Staff writer

hat do you think of when you think of Piccadilly? Baby Boomers might think of trays bursting full of shrimp cocktail, crawfish étouffée or chocolate cake. Maybe even remember the age of live organ music or rushing to Piccadilly on Third Street after church? Louisiana GenXers may remember going with parents and grandparents. Those younger than that might not go at all.

Piccadilly was founded in downtown Baton Rouge by T. H. Hamilton in 1944. Over the last 80-plus years, the restaurants have been the site of many cherished memories for people in the city — and beyond. However, since its founding, the times have changed. Dining habits across the country and locally have shifted. Locally, the restaurant scene has grown significantly.

And, Piccadilly has changed.

Piccadilly in its heyday For many in Baton Rouge, the cafeteria-style restaurant is a part of their core childhood memories — with so many memories of the restaurant on Third Street and in sinceshuttered malls. Going to “the Piccadilly” was an elevated cafeteria experience: there were cloth napkins, live music, commissioned murals

FILE PHOTO By JAMES CHANCE

Five-year-old George Hendrich admires the desserts on display at Piccadilly restaurant on Essen Lane in 2006. After coming out of bankruptcy, the restaurant featured new schemes to improve business, such as Piccadilly Pete, a parrot mascot, to appeal to children. and home-cooked food. The Westmoreland mall location had chandeliers in its dining room. Many went there regularly enough for staff members to know their names.

Jeannine Gerald Schutte, 70, grew up going to the Piccadilly at Bon Marche Mall in Baton Rouge. Her family didn’t go out to eat super often in the 60s, but if they were shopping or running errands, they’d swing by as a treat. During her high school years (1968-1972), she was hired to play organ at the restaurant. As part of her payment, she got to eat a meal

there during each shift for free. Her favorite meal was mac and cheese and chocolate pie for dessert.

The restaurants were busy.

Schutte recalls soldiers stopping in by the bus-full, and readers wrote into the newspaper about their baseball or basketball teams stopping there for meals traveling to or from away games.

According to Brian Von Gruben, former executive vice president of Piccadilly who worked in the

ä See PICCADILLY, page 4D

Piccadilly is all about family. It’s about places that you went with your parents, with your children, maybe your extended family.” CHAN WILLIS, Piccadilly regular

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

Was La.’s favorite cure-all antiseptic inventor a doctor?

A package line of mouthwash at the Dr. Tichenor plant in New Orleans FILE PHOTO By ELIOT KAMENITZ

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Call George Humphrey Tichenor a renaissance man, because that’s exactly the kind of life he lived.

Businessman, policymaker, photographer, a potential Louisiana candidate for the U.S. House of Representatives — he was all of these things, not to mention the inventor of prob-

Tichenor

ably the best known antiseptic still used in the South.

He created the cure-all in 1863, patented it in 1882, and it still fills discount store and pharmacy shelves today.

Come on, say it. You know the name: Dr. Tichenor’s.

Was he a doctor?

But wait. Was Tichenor really a doctor? The salutation on the

label sparked the curiosity of lifelong Dr. Tichenor’s consumer Nelda Risher.

“Was he really a doctor?” the Olive Branch, Mississippi, reader asked. “And what is his connection to Louisiana?”

Answering the first part of the question is easy.

“He wasn’t a snake oil

ä See CURIOUS, page 4D

2D ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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COMMUNITY

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Hope Group Members of Hope Group from Broadmoor United Methodist Church gathered for lunch at Jasmines on the Bayou. They are planning to bring canned meats to their August meeting to help the food pantry. Shown are, from left, seated, Judy Burch, Beverly Grant, Charlotte Fitzsimons, Judy Wallace, Marty Bajon, Charlette Hill and Gerri Cornette; standing, Teenie Bajon, Joy D’Armond, Bonnie Kemp, Carol Wiltz, Judy Zollinger, Joyce Hazleton, Jenola Duke, Janis Mayeux and Linda Crane.

BRDDC Co-Chairs The 2025 Baton Rouge Delta Development Corporation Presentation Tea co-chairs are, from left, Shadonna Phenix, D’Shawn Valery and yoursheka D. Butler, director, BRDDC.

BRDCC presents debutantes The Baton Rouge Delta Development Corporation hosted its annual Debutante Presentation Tea, “Curating Elegance, An Afternoon with the 2025 Coterie of Debutantes,” on June 15 at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.

Twenty-one debutantes were introduced to community signaling the beginning of the cotillion season.

The debutantes are Carmen Alecia Rose Alfred, Jiselle Elizabeth Anthony, Kaila Michel Anthony, Peighton Nicole Ashley, Alexandria Nicole Bellanger, Carmi Malay Burnett, Bailee Rene’ Butler, Makenzie Lynn Fisher, Kaleigh Suzanne Garner, Anailah Rochelle Henderson, Loriana Clayna Barrow Jackson, Dynastee’ A’ariyanah Jacobs, Terranique Corianna Johnson, Madison Deshea Lathers, Danni Elise Morris, Kierra Mackenzie Parker, Dyllan Lee Robertson, Laila Deon Robertson, Ainsley BrielValliere, Addison JanineValliere and Kirsten RelynnYoung.

The evening began with greetings from Alexis Ray Russell, co-chair of Baton Rouge Delta Development Corporation. Yoursheka D. Butler, Presentation Tea co-chairperson, delivered the mediation for the afternoon. Kalonda J. Carmouche, co-chairperson, 56th Debutante Cotillion, introduced the cotillion leadership, and Inga Q. Collins, acquisitions chair, introduced the debutantes. Tiffany N. Robinson, chairperson, 56th Debutante Cotillion, delivered remarks regarding the 2025 cotillion season.

Ashley Cox Coates, BRDDC chairperson, thanked the community for attending and announced that the 21 debutantes will be presented at the 56th Debutante Cotillion at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 2 at the Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center.

After closing remarks, the debutantes and their mothers greeted their guests. A reception immediately following the receiving line topped off the event.

Yoursheka D. Butler, Lauren Clark, Shadonna Phenix and D’Shawn Valery served as co-chairpersons of this year’s Presentation Tea.

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors.

Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column.

Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger. If taking a photo of a group, have them stand or sit shoulder-toshoulder. If more than six people are in the photo, arrange them on multiple, distinct rows.

Avoid strong background light sources.

Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row.We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com.We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821.A phone number must be included.

BRDDC Debutantes The Baton Rouge Delta Development Corporation 2025 Coterie of Debutantes are, from left, bottom row, Alexandria Nicole Bellanger, Kaleigh Suzanne Garner, Anailah Rochelle Henderson, Lorianna Clayna Barrow Jackson, Addison Janine Valliere, Laila Deon Robertson, Kierra Mackenzie Parker, and Madison Deshea Lathers; middle row, Peighton Nicole Ashley, Kirsten Relynn young, Dynastee’ A’ariyanah Jacobs, Terranique Corianna Johnson, Carmen Alecia Rose Alfred, Kaila Michel Anthony and Makenzie Lynn Fisher; top row, Danni Elise Morris, Carmi Malay Burnett, Bailee Reneé Butler, Ainsley Briel Vallere, Jiselle Elizabeth Anthony and Dyllan Lee Robertson.

Attic Trash & Treasure The past presidents of Attic Trash & Treasure held their quarterly luncheon at Mansurs on the Boulevard on July 8. The group celebrated its 10th year of fellowship for past presidents. Shown are, from left, front row, Miranda Papizan, Virginia Bogan, Bobbie Stiglets, Keigh Ballard, Aleta Lester and Chris Jackson; back row, Melissa de Generes, Beverly Turner, Iris Eldred, Alice Greer, Kathleen Howell, Mary ‘Moo’ Svendson, Sandra Campbell and Linda Montagnino.

Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter Members of the Phi Mu Alumnae Chapter gathered for lunch and a short business meeting on June 25. Shown are, from left, seated, Jennie Chatelain, Alana Templet, Carol Little, Tricia Merrick and Debbie Harvill; standing, Kate Cook, Sheila yellott, Laura Collet, Leah Paternostro, Diane O’Connor and Hannah Heltz.

Baton Rouge Navy Club The Navy Club of Baton Rouge, Ship 661, USS Kidd, held its monthly luncheon at Piccadilly Restaurant on July 10. Shown are, from left, Jack Laws, Bus Di Palma, Chick Streat, Rick Munch, Tom Hirschey and Doc LeCompte.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 3D

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ARTS & CULTURE

Exhibit highlights Jewish orphanage

Stereotype-defying N.O. facility, established in 1855, was first of its kind in U.S.

New Orleans had the first purpose-built Jewish orphanage in America because New Orleans had yellow fever, an indiscriminate orphan-maker.

On view at the Museum of the Southern Jewish Experience through Jan. 25, the changing exhibit “Most Dave Fortunate UnfortuWalker nates: The Jewish Orphans’ Home of New Orleans” travels through a near-century of history.

The exhibit’s timeline starts in 1855 with the founding of an institution that defied orphanage stereotypes of the day, offering much more than shelter for its residents and initially housing widows as well as “inmates,” as child residents were then called.

Religious education was, of course, an important part of life there, but so was secular education: Isidore Newman School was founded in the early 20th century to educate students from the home.

Newman’s inaugural enrollment counted 102 children from the home as well as 23 tuitionpaying classmates from the community.

Nutrition and health care were also emphasized. The home pioneered vaccinating its children against scarlet fever and diphtheria in the 1920s. There are images in the exhibit of residents at play at a summer camp in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

“When you really think of these orphanages, you think of like maybe Annie or Oliver Twist,” said Michael Jacobs, the museum’s collections and exhibits curator. “But really, here it’s a totally different idea. These children were really given some of the best possible accommodations

at the time.

“They had baths, they had dining rooms, they had kitchens.

They had just incredible dormitories where they focused on cleanliness and being clean and orderly.”

The home wasn’t exclusively for New Orleans kids, eventually drawing residents from throughout the South and Southwest. Enrollment peaked at 173 children in 1915.

Residents remained an average of seven years. The home, which occupied a couple of locations (the last of which stood where the Jewish Community Center thrives today), survived the Civil War, two world wars and the Great Depression, but closed in 1946 when the Jewish Children’s Regional Service assumed nonresidential services for Jewish children and their families.

By the book “Most Fortunate Unfortunates” is based on a book of the same title by Marlene Trestman, which has been sold in the museum’s gift shop since its 2023 publication. Trestman was orphaned at age 11 and grew up as a foster care client of the Jewish Children’s Regional Service, successor to the Jewish Orphans’ Home.

“Marlene Trestman did an incredible job uncovering so much information,” Jacobs said. “Before her, no one really had written much on the home. I would call her the historian on the home, and without her this never would have been done.”

For her book, Trestman conducted more than 100 interviews with residents and descendants of residents. There is huge archival supplement to the book (and now exhibit) at marlenetrestman.com.

“As an author, with my co-authors out in the world, you dream

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Jewish Orphans’ Home, New Orleans, c. 1915. The back of the image includes a handscripted note, ‘Our Babies,’ possibly written by Rabbi Leon Volmer, of Little Rock, Ark., who served as the home’s superintendent from 1911 to 1926. of having movies made from (your) books, which you know, that’d be wonderful,” Trestman said.

“Very few have an entire museum exhibition on a book. And I think it just speaks to the depth of the story to be told much more than the storyteller.”

Key objects and features n A handwritten registration book dating to 1855 shows the intake entries for a brother and sister. The record shows that she had “a very pleasant disposition.”

Her brother, not so much.

n Annie Schneider’s scrapbook of photos saved when she was a resident in the early 20th century.

“I would argue this is probably one of the most historically important artifacts in this exhibit,” Jacobs said. “It’s an incredible look into the daily life of these children.” n Video displays in the exhibit present alumni profiles and oral history interviews. One voice there, resident Ralph Beerman, recalls the novelties of a daily shower and clean clothes. “And that was quite a revelation to me, because I didn’t live like that

before that time,” he says. “And I loved it.” n A cardboard suitcase that resident David Testa, admitted from Houston in 1920, carried when he left the home in 1934. “I think this really personalizes the story a lot,” Jacobs said. “When I say cardboard, I literally mean cardboard. It is light as a feather.”

Dave Walker focuses on behindthe-scenes coverage of the region’s many museums here and at www.themuseumgoer. com. Email Dave at dwalkertp@ gmail.com.

ON THE ARTS & CULTURE SCENE Irish film fest Tickets are on sale for the Baton Rouge Irish Club’s 15th annual Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival on Aug. 2 in the Manship Theatre in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St. All day passes are available, giving visitors access to both feature films, the shorts and the reception dinner.

On the schedule are: n 12:30 p.m. — Opening Film: “Four Mothers” n 2:30 p.m. — Wee Irish Shorts n 5 p.m. — F’eis Dinne’ar — More than meat and potatoes. The event will include live music and Irish dancing. Food will be provided by Bacon and Fig. n 7 p.m. — Feature film: “The Spin” The festival continues on Military Day at the U.S.S. Kidd Veterans Museum, 305 S. River Road, with a viewing of the Baton Rouge-filmed movie, “Greyhound.” Visit the Irish Film Festival website, batonrougeirishfilmfestival.com, for a posting of the specific time. The festival wraps up at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 4 with a free Pub Night at Phil Brady’s, beginning with several shorts, followed by the comedy, “Babs & Buns.”

Individual Manship film tickets are $16.05. All day passes are $82.35. Call (225) 344-0334 or visit manshiptheatre.org.

‘Singin’ in the Rain’

Tickets are on sale for Christian Youth Theatre Baton Rouge’s production of the musical, “Singin’ in the Rain,” opening July 31 in the Shaver Theatre in LSU’s Music and Dramatic Arts Building on Dalrymple Drive.

Tickets are $19-$25. Visit cytbatonrouge.org.

‘Noises Off!’

Tickets are on sale for Sullivan Theater’s production of the comedy, “Noises Off!,” opening Aug. 15 at the theater, 8849 Sullivan Road, Central.

Tickets are $23-$29. Visit sullivantheater.com.

At Glassell Gallery

LSU’s Glassell Gallery in the Shaw Center of the Arts, 100 Lafayette St., is showing work by 31 artists in its “2025 Summer Contemporary: FELT,” running through Aug. 23.

This year’s show was juried by New Orleans-based curator Emily Wilkerson from more than 300

submissions. Taking an expansive approach to feel, feeling and felt.

The selected work embraces the sensuous — touch, temperature, vibration, aura — and connects the haptic, emotional and somatic.

Hours are noon-5 p.m. Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday and noon-7 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Admission is free. Call (225) 389-7180.

temporary art, 1515 Dalrymple Drive, is showing work by artist members April Hammock, Marcus McCallister, Hye Yeon Nam and Nonney Oddlokken through July 27.

Hours are noon-6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Admission is free.

For more information, call (225) 3831470 or visit batonrougegallery.org.

‘Footloose’ tickets

Tickets are on sale for Playmakers of Baton Rouge’s production of the musical “Footloose,” opening Aug. 15, in the Reilly Theatre, Tower Drive, LSU campus.

Tickets are $20-$30. Visit playmakersbr.org.

The Manship Theatre in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St., will also host a free viewing of the PBS Kids Production of “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” at 10:30 a.m.

July 23. Though admission is free, viewers must register for a seat by calling call (225) 344-0334 or visiting manshiptheatre.org.

‘Annie’ tickets

At the Poydras Center

Tickets are on sale for Ascension Community Theatre’s production of the musical “Annie,” which continues on July 20 and 24-27, in the theater at 823 N. Felicity Ave., Gonzales.

Tickets are $20-$35. Visit actcgonzales.org.

At Baton Rouge Gallery

Baton Rouge Gallery center for con-

‘Daniel Tiger’ at the Manship

The Poydras Center, 500 W. Main St., New Roads, is showing “Plein Wild,” a collaboration exhibit between L. Charleville and Ellen Ogden, through Sept. 30.

Hours are from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. For more information, call (225) 638-6575 or visit pointecoupeehistoricalsociety. org.

Choir enrollment Enrollment is open for the fall semester of the Greater Baton Rouge Children’s Choir, a vibrant and inclusive youth choir dedicated to artistic excellence and community engagement.

For information about times, fees and requirements, call (225) 4123021. To enroll, visit gbrccmusic.org.

Workshop Show The Art Guild of Louisiana’s members “Workshop Show” will open July 10 at Independence Park Theater, 7800 Independence Park Blvd., Baton Rouge. The show runs through Sept. 11.

Hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Tuesday through Friday. Admission is free. Visit artguildlouisiana.org.

‘Sleepy Hollow’ auditions Auditions for the Iberia Performing Arts League’s production of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” will be from 4 to 6 p.m. July 27 at the Iberia Performing Arts League, 126 Iberia St., New Iberia.

For details and requirements, visit ipal.com.

New Chef. New Cocktails. New Wines.

A WHOLE NEW Chef Eric Sibley reimagines Louisiana cuisine with bold flavors and local ingredients.

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Season subscriptions are on sale now!

Visit BRSO.org or call 225-383-0500.

Adam Johnson, Music Director

4D ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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PICCADILLY

Continued from page 1D Piccadilly corporate office from 1971-2001, Mother’s Day was the biggest day of their year.

“Speed was always top priority,” said John Ward, a former manager at various Piccadilly restaurants throughout his 39 year career. “They (owners and upper level management) expected to have 90 customers go down the line in ten minutes.”

The restaurants saw thousands of customers a day.

“Forty years ago,” he said, “it was a whole different company”

What happened to Piccadilly?

The story of the rise and nearfall of Piccadilly is long and intertwined with larger trends and events. Regardless of the reasons, the chain has a much smaller footprint now both in terms of number of stores and number of patrons. After acquiring Morrison Restaurants Inc. in 1998, Piccadilly had about 270 locations.

According to the Piccadilly website, the chain only has 30 locations left across the country today, mostly concentrated in STAFF FILE PHOTO By TRAVIS SPRADLING Louisiana or Memphis and AtGuest assistant LaKisha Chatman, left, builds to-go lunches for customer Holly Annison, right, and Becky Caire at the Piccadilly To Go location at lanta. By the time Ward retired 216 Lee Drive, near Highland Road, which closed in 2019 after six months open.

The location was the second one of its kind for the chain with in 2023, he says the restaurants rarely saw long lines anymore. no inside seating.

On the business side, there pleasant and fairly reasonably are many reasons for the shift. took the company private after fighting against.”

Chan Willis, 69, visits once In the ’70s and ’80s, fast food priced.

The company made several bad 27 years of being a public comevery few months. He said that became a much larger part of investments. They bought Mor- pany and 69 years in business. what he misses about Piccadilly isn’t really about the restaurant “Once it became private, it kind the American diet, and since What’s next for Piccadilly? rison’s Cafeterias, their main competitor, with locations con- of fell off everybody’s radar be- Piccadilly’s heyday, dining out Piccadilly people have a loy- or the food.

“Piccadilly is all about famcentrated in Florida in 1998 and cause it was a stock that a lot of in general has become a bigger alty for the business that’s hard converted their spaces people owned in Louisi- thing. With rising food and labor to replicate. ily,” he said. “It’s about places costs, Piccadilly is competing to Piccadillys.

“When your parents get older, that you went with your parana,” said Ricchiuti.

According to Peter The company filed both with fast food restaurants that’s where they want to go. So ents, with your children, maybe Ricchiuti, business profor bankruptcy again which are able to provide an on- maybe, when that generation your extended family.” in 2012. In 2014, it was the-go experience for approxi- dies off, I don’t know what’ll hapIt was a place he could go with fessor at Tulane where purchased by Falcon mately the same cost and fast pen,” Ricchiuti said. “I think it’ll those he loved and spend qualhe and students worked Holdings, which is casual restaurants which have definitely stay in business. It’s ity time together. They didn’t to study and track nuknown for revitalizing less overhead and the benefit of got enough repeat customers.” even have to wait for the food; merous public comstruggling businesses. serving alcohol.

“When you’re a Piccadilly they just sat down and started panies, including Pic- Ricchiuti Piccadilly and FalIn an attempt to cut costs, person,” he said. “You’re likely chatting and eating. He misses cadilly in the 90s, this purchase was a huge blunder con Holdings did not respond keep up with the times or adapt to be there two or three times the time in his life when getting together with his three kids for the company because people to multiple requests via phone, to the economy, Piccadilly also a week.”

But many people went to Pic- over a meal was easy. had loyalty to their brand of caf- email and website contact form lost a lot of its defining features: in the early 2000s, they did cadilly largely because it was “Now, they all have their own for comment for this article. eteria. away with cloth napkins. When already right by something children, their own families, “The menu was completely Schutte graduated high school, else: church, the mall. When their own lives, their own towns the same, or at least almost Changing times completely the same,” he said.

The decline of Piccadilly is they replaced the organ she malls closed or they stopped that they live in,” he said.

It’s not that Piccadilly has “People didn’t go there anymore also a story about changing used to play with three booths going to church, they stopped because now it’s a different res- times. Cafeteria-style dining and a large TV. driving out of their way to go to changed — Willis experiences Piccadilly also doesn’t make Piccadilly. it mostly the same as he always has fallen out of vogue, and taurant.”

Even die-hard Piccadilly fans did. The main difference is that The company filed for bank- the chain has long struggled to everything from scratch anyruptcy in 2003 due to poor per- court a younger demographic. more. Even so, of the seven visit the cafeteria less for a va- he’s not the same anymore — “If you’re not from the South, long time regulars interviewed riety of reasons: they’re older and no amount of fried catfish formance. It was purchased by Piccadilly Investments, a part- you associate cafeterias with for this article, none of them now. The pandemic changed can bring back the past. nership between Los Angeles- the worst times in your life thought it was just Piccadilly. many people’s relationship with based Yucaipa Companies and — like being hospitalized or Times have just changed. The dining out, but even if they only Email Serena Puang at Diversified Investment Man- being in middle school,” said food is still good, they said, visit once or twice a month, the serena.puang@theadvocate. com. agement Group. The purchase Ricchiuti. “That’s what they’re maybe not exactly the same but memories live on.

CURIOUS

western Kentucky. He had harbored a great interest Continued from page 1D in chemistry and continued studying it after leaving home.

“By 1859, at age 22, he salesman,” said Michael had moved to Franklin, TenTrotter, a retired vascular surgeon living in Houma. nessee, and was involved in “He was a medical doctor, manufacturing explosive but he didn’t get his trainguncotton,” Trotter wrote in his first article for the ing in medical school.”

Journal of the Mississippi Trotter is the foremost State Medical Association. expert on Tichenor, having “At the outbreak of the written two extensively Civil War, the business detailed articles on the docwas commissioned by the tor’s life, both published in Confederate government to 2010 issues of the Missismanufacture gunpowder.” sippi Journal of Medicine.

A year later, Tichenor ran Tichenor is said to have a photography business in perfected his antiseptic Nashville. He served with mixture while living in Libthe 22nd Tennessee Caverty, Mississippi, in Amite County, which borders alry, which fought in MisLouisiana at East Feliciana sissippi. and St. Helena parishes.

“Reportedly, he spent two Trotter was also living years studying during his PROVIDED PHOTO By THE HISTORIC in Mississippi, working in time of active service and NEW ORLEANS COLLECTION Greenville, when he wrote applied to take the Medical The original label for Dr. the articles. His interest in Board Appointment ExamiTichenor was piqued during Tichenor’s Antiseptic nation,” Trotter writes. his medical training with Passed the medical test John Ochsner, co-founder Yes, Baton Rouge, where of what is now Ochsner he’s buried in Roselawn Tichenor apparently Health in New Orleans.

Cemetery next to his wife, passed, because he was ap“John was really interin-laws, son and daughterpointed an acting assistant in-law in a family plot surgeon in the Confederate ested in medical and surgiStates Army, making his cal history, as am I,” Trotter marked by a large monu“doctor” title legitimate. said. “One of his favorite ment marked “Tichenor.”

However, Tichenor’s main subjects was Dr. Tichenor, To find the answer, Trotinterest was in developing and he was really good ter backs up to the beginan antiseptic liquid to facilifriends with the president ning. of the Tichenor Antiseptic “When I started research- tate wound healing.

Co. at the time.”

He left Mississippi for ing Tichenor, I wanted to In 1993, Ochsner gave Red River Landing in find out how much of his Trotter his notes from a Pointe Coupee Parish, story was true, how much previous presentation of where, Trotter says, the was hype and how much Tichenor’s life and work, to was legend,” Trotter said. good doctor first bottled which Trotter returned 15 “Was he a doctor? Was he a and sold his antiseptic. years later and started his “Today, Red River Landsalesman?” own research.

Trotter says it was eviing is a channel mile dent early on that Tichenor marker in the middle of A Louisiana connection didn’t go to medical school, the river,” Trotter said.

“There’s no more Red but he had practical trainAnswering the second River Landing. If you look part of the question — ing as a chemist — or what about Tichenor’s connection today people would think of it up, you’ll get some GPS coordinates, and that’s it. to Louisiana — starts at the as a pharmacist.

It’s across the river from end. Tichenor is buried in Tichenor was born April Wilkinson County in MissisBaton Rouge.

17, 1837, in Ohio County in

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 a partnership with the Sherrouse Medicine Co., to manufacture Dr. Tichenor’s Antiseptic.

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 the Dr. G.H. Antiseptic Co. in New Orleans in 1905, his story of a gangrenous leg injury during the war that he treated and healed with his concoction proved to be a successful advertising ploy — though Trotter points out that there is no written proof of the injury.

Opened on Canal Street Tichenor and Sherrouse opened a plant at 230 Canal St. in New Orleans in 1905.

Today, that location is home to Harrah’s Casino. However, Dr. Tichenor’s is still bottled in New Orleans at 4200 W. Poche Court.

Tichenor not only was inventor of the concoction but a master marketer. He hired local musician Louis Blake to compose the “Dr. Tichenor’s March” and “Dr. Tichenor’s Waltz,” the sheet music for both published in 1895.

In the end, Tichenor really didn’t need gimmicks to sell his goods. The antiseptic sold itself. More than a century later, it still does — using the same 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, for some, it’s a great topical for insect stings and bites.

“My son was 3 or 4 years old when he got into a hornet’s nest,” she said. “The couple next-door told us to put some Dr. Tichenor’s on 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 for Congress, and he hit the nail on the head with his solutions for flood control,” Trotter said. “He spoke to anyone who would give him a podium, but his ideas weren’t put into place until after the flood of 1927, when the Federal Flood Control Act was passed in 1928.”

That would be five years after Tichenor’s death on Jan. 14, 1923. Trotter believes he’s buried in Baton Rouge because he bought the family plot in Roselawn while living there.

“I would say that his advocacy for flood control was probably his greatest accomplishment,” Trotter said. “He may not have had all the kinks worked out, but his solutions were exactly right.”

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

AT RANDOM

Continued from page 1D 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 a brief residency at Worcester Cathedral.

It was nice to know that some of my Louisiana friends would be experiencing evensong in England, too. I hope it touches them as much as it touched me.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@ dannyheitman.com.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 5D

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LOUISIANA BAKES Scones are delightful on either side of the pond The first time I ate a scone, 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 1500s in Scotland. The word scone originates from the Scottish Olivia word “skonn,” Regard which means “to cut, slice or break off.” Another etymology traces the word to Middle English “schoonbrot,” meaning “fine cake or bread.” These early versions were usually made with oats and fruit, or sometimes just oatmeal.

The English began making scones in the 18th century and added currants or raisins to the recipe. It was not until the 1840s, 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 and incorporated baking powder in place of yeast and added sugar to sweeten the scones.

Fortunately, my more recent experiences with scones have been delightful and presented scones as they should be — light and crumbly at the edges, moist on the inside. The recipe below provides a good starting point for experimenting with scones and presents the option to bake with different fruit and citrus combinations. The flavor combinations are endless and a fun way to experiment in the kitchen.

Serve warm with salted butter, clotted cream, lemon curd or jam along with morning coffee or afternoon tea.

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

Smith, and Southern Living 1 ⁄3 cup granulated sugar 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest (or orange zest) 2 cups all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into small pieces; keep cold until ready to use) 11/2 cups fresh blueberries (or 1 cup fresh strawberries, halved or quartered if large) 1/2 cup sour cream (keep cold until ready to use) 1/4 cup heavy cream (keep cold until ready to use), plus more for brushing Turbinado sugar 1. Preheat oven to 400 F. 2. Place zest and granulated sugar in a bowl. Using your fingers, rub the zest into the sugar until fully incorporated and fragrant.

3. Sift together the flour, baking power and salt.

4. Incorporate the butter into the flour mixture using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture is crumbly and pea-size butter pieces remain.

5. Toss fruit into flour mixture to combine.

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

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

8. Place dough on a lightly floured surface and flatten into a circle 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 a circle that is approximately 6 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Cut the dough into six wedges.

10. Arrange the wedges on a parchment-lined baking sheet.

Freeze uncovered for 30 minutes.

11. Before baking, brush the tops of each wedge with heavy cream and sprinkle with the turbinado sugar. Bake for approximately 20 minutes until golden brown and edges are crisp.

Fruit scones

PHOTO By OLIVIA REGARD

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6D ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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TRAVEL Get a taste of Austin’s weird, wonderful offerings

BY JUDY BERGERON Staff writer

Austin is definitely not a see-itall-in-a-weekend kind of city, but over a few 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 provide a canopy over about 31% of the city.

Visit Austin reports that the city attracts around 30 million visitors a year, many from its reputation as “The Live Music Capital of the World,” and on top of that for its unofficial motto, “Keep Austin Weird.”

The music scene is vibrant — from the blues spilling out of the legendary Antone’s Nightclub 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 South by Southwest, the Austin Reggae Fest and the Austin City Limits Music Festival.

And the part about Austin being weird? Well, let’s just call it eclectically charming.

Yes, people do surround the Ann W. Richards Congress Avenue Bridge daily around sunset to watch the colony of 1.5 million Mexican free-tailed bats take their evening flight. And yes, there’s even a museum dedicated to the strange, appropriately called, Museum of the Weird. But there are also artsy attractions such as the Blanton Museum of Art and the Harry Ransom Center — and outdoorsy activities like floating the San Marcos River on a tube or swimming a few laps in the Barton Springs Pool.

When it’s time to dine, there’s barbecue, ramen, Japanese-Texas fusions, Southern, Thai, Italian, Ethiopian, pizza and, a big thing in these parts, breakfast tacos.

It’s always been said that when you’re visiting a new place, it’s wise to get some inside intel from a local. With that said, former Louisianans Maya Blitch and husband Thomas Hakim, both 27, were happy to point us to the fun they’ve found since moving to Austin two years ago.

“If someone I knew were to visit, I would plan a day that would start with breakfast tacos, then we would hike one of the beautiful trails in West Lake. I prefer the Little Fern Trail,” Blitch said.

Following the hike, she recommends a snack and coffee at Mozart’s Coffee Roasters. From there, the views of Lake Austin are unbeatable, Blitch said “Often, Mozart’s will feature live music or other events, ensuring each visit remains fun and new,” she said.

Next, she’d suggest paddle boarding at Lake Travis or taking a swim in Barton Springs (Pool) during the warmer months.

“Alternatively, I’d recommend walking along South Congress during the cooler months,” she added.

“If the weather wasn’t great and the timing worked out, I’d

The Blanton Museum of Art, on the University of Texas’ main campus in downtown Austin, features art inside and out.

STAFF PHOTOS By JUDy BERGERON

Allens Boots in downtown Austin is part store, part weekend tourist attraction. The selection is unmatched. take them to the Blanton (Museum of Art) or the Canopy (an art center) to view such amazing art.”

There are, of course, endless options for dinner.

“For dinner, we’d recommend one of the many restaurants in East Austin,” she said. “At the moment, I really love OKO (Filipino), Birdies (New American) and Sour Duck Market (American).”

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.

ARK. 20

TEXAS

35

10 90

Dallas

LA.

45

Houston

10

San Antonio

Austin MEX. Staff map

Gulf of Mexico

The Texas State Capitol was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1986. It houses the Senate and House chambers, courtrooms, a library, an agriculture museum and more.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By Christopher Elliott

KLM charged me another $550 because I was a ‘no show’ I recently flew from Amsterdam to Cape Town on KLM.When I arrived at the gate, an agent took my boarding pass and reassigned my seat. During the flight, attendants interrupted me three times, asking for my passport and ticket to confirm I was in the correct seat. It was clear there was an error in their system.

Christopher To make matters Elliott worse, the vegan meal I had preordered wasn’t available, and I was served a meal with meat and dairy.

When I tried to check in for my return flight from Cape Town to Amsterdam, KLM told me my ticket was “out of sequence.”

They said I needed proof I was on the outbound flight, like a baggage tag or ticket

stub. I didn’t check a bag and hadn’t kept my boarding pass. KLM demanded I pay $550 to board the flight. I had no choice but to pay.

I contacted KLM customer service when I got home, explaining the situation. KLM insisted I didn’t board the first flight and refused to refund the $550. So I sent the airline my digital boarding pass, proof of an in-flight Wi-Fi purchase, and a timestamped photo of me on the plane. I even escalated the matter to my credit card company and the European Commission.

But still, nothing. Can you help me get my money back? — Lauren Stokowski, Utrecht, Netherlands I can’t believe KLM refused to acknowledge you were on the flight after you provided so much proof. Did they even read what you sent them?

This is an obvious error. KLM switched your seats on the outbound flight to South Africa but then somehow lost the record of your seat reservation. That’s probably why the flight attendants kept 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 miss the first leg of your flight.

You should never have been forced to pay for a new ticket. If you’d shown a ticket agent the digital boarding pass and picture of you on the flight at the airport in Cape Town, KLM might have been able to fix it. Better yet,

you might have called the airline before your return flight left to ensure all was well with your tickets.

You could have also appealed to an executive at KLM once you returned. I list their names, numbers and email addresses on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

Regarding your missing vegan meal, I recommend you bring snacks in case the airline does not have the vegan meal you ordered.

Airlines often forget their meal orders.

KLM didn’t want to talk about your case. “This file will now be closed,” a customer service representative told you in an email.

“Any further correspondence will be filed and will remain unan-

swered.”

That was the 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,” a representative told me. “Our customer service department has contacted her and will reimburse the $550 that she was charged.”

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems.

Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 7D

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Case of the hungry operagoers

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Sunday, July 20, the 201st day of 2025.

There are 164 days left in the year.

Today in History: 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 their Apollo 11 lunar module.

Also on this date: In 1917, America’s World War I draft lottery began as Secretary of War Newton Baker, wearing a blindfold, reached into a glass bowl and pulled out a capsule containing the number 258 during a ceremony inside the Senate office building.

In 1944, an attempt by a group of German officials to assassinate Adolf Hitler with a bomb failed as the explosion only wounded the Nazi leader.

In 1951, Jordan’s King Abdullah I was assassinated in Jerusalem by a Palestinian gunman who was shot dead on the spot by security.

In 1976, America’s Viking 1 robot spacecraft made a successful, first-ever landing on Mars.

In 1977, a flash flood hit Johnstown, Pennsylvania, killing more than 80 people and causing $350 million worth of damage.

In 1990, Supreme Court Justice William J. Brennan, one of the court’s most liberal voices, announced he was stepping down.

In 1993, White House deputy counsel Vincent Foster Jr., 48, was found shot to death in a park near Washington, D.C.; it was ruled a suicide.

In 2006, the Senate voted 98-0 to renew the landmark 1965 Voting Rights Act for another quarter-century.

In 2007, President George W. Bush signed an executive order prohibiting cruel and inhuman treatment, including humiliation or denigration of religious beliefs, in the detention and interrogation of terrorism suspects.

In 2012, gunman James Holmes opened fire inside a crowded movie theater in Aurora, Colorado, during a midnight showing of “The Dark Knight Rises,” killing 12 people and wounding 70 others. (Holmes was later convicted of murder and attempted murder, and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)

In 2015, the United States and Cuba restored full diplomatic relations after more than five decades of frosty relations rooted in the Cold War. Today’s birthdays: Former Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., is 89. Baseball Hall of Famer Tony Oliva is 87. Artist Judy 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 Paul Cook (Sex Pistols) is 69. Actor Frank Whaley is 62. Conservationist and TV personality Terri Irwin is 61.

Rock musician Stone Gossard (Pearl Jam) is 59.

Actor Josh Holloway (TV: “Lost”) is 56. Singer Vitamin C is 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-singer-actor Julianne Hough is 37. Former MLB pitcher Stephen Strasburg is 37.

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.

We were seated in the two front seats of a box in the first loge with three pairs of seats behind us. Without an aisle, the box occupants must Judith Martin seat themselves in order from front to back to MISS avoid climbing over one MANNERS another. We needed to be seated first, and conversely, were the last to exit the box.

During the first intermission, we were not able to traverse 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 sandwich just in time for the “return to your seats” bell to ring.

We hurried back to our seats, carrying our treats, only to find our box mates waiting for us to take our seats so they could do likewise. Our choices seemed to be: A. have everyone wait while we consumed our

refreshments; B. with no waste receptacles in the vicinity, set our items down on the floor to resume our seats; or C. take the items in with us and finish them before the performance resumed.

With no ushers or signage available for guidance, we selected option C as the most sensible. This apparently was incorrect, as almost immediately, a young 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 before the performance is an option, but dining quickly in a Paris restaurant is easier said than done.

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

But although Miss Manners does not believe in starving for art, she agrees that an opera house is not a movie 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 not above smuggling provisions into opera houses.

Even in Paris, it is possible to buy takeout food that may be consumed

during intermission, as an alternative to the pricier fare.

Dear Miss Manners: Is it OK to comment on a co-worker’s new hairstyle or fashion choices? For context, I am a man and work mostly with women.

I would only ever share positive comments, such as, “I like your new hairstyle” or “I love that jacket.” I would never share a negative opinion, nor would I use my remarks as a way to show romantic interest in the other party.

Gentle reader: Then don’t.

Perhaps there will be ladies who are charmed. And perhaps there will be ladies who feel that they are there to work, not to have their looks appraised, even favorably. Do they comment when you get a haircut?

Miss Manners suggests you use your charm to comment favorably when your colleagues do especially good work.

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

Appreciating the beauty of flowers Dear Heloise: Why do people send flowers to a funeral? The person they’re sent to is dead and can’t appreciate their beauty. After the funeral, the flowers are usually dumped on top of the grave or thrown out. I believe 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, I usually Hints from send flowers when someHeloise one in my family graduates school, when someone gets engaged, or because it’s some kind of holiday. It’s mainly to let them know I’m thinking of them. — Martha D., Southfield, Michigan Martha, it’s a great idea to send flowers to people who can appreciate the thoughtful gesture. While flowers at a funeral are nice, and the family usually enjoys them, it’s also nice to see some type of recognition for other events by

receiving flowers or a plant. — Heloise

Evergreens Dear Heloise: We have a large lot, several acres in fact, and at the back of our property are some beautiful evergreens (Christmas trees). Last Christmas, someone came onto our property and helped themselves to three of them.

These were perfect pines 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 during the next rainfall, but it will also discourage poachers from stealing your trees. The pines will look odd for a short time, but at least you’ll have your trees. You can find the paint in any art store. — Heloise

Mulch thickness Dear Heloise: How thick should mulch be to protect plants through the winter? —

Gregory F., Greenville, North Carolina Gregory, fine, organic mulch such as sawdust can be about 2 inches thick.

For coarser material such as straw or leaves, most gardeners recommend about 4 inches. A bag of commercial mulch found in a hardware store or a garden shop usually needs to be at least 3 inches thick. — Heloise

Tung oil Dear Heloise: What is tung oil? We just refinished the floors of an old Victorian home, and a historian told us to refinish the floors in tung oil. — Ava T., in San Francisco Ava, it is a finish for floors that many people use instead of polyurethane.

Most oils for floors are actually a mixture of different products to help them dry faster and remain durable. However, a good tung oil will last for a long time between reapplications and give you a deep luster. — Heloise Send a hint to heloise@heloise.com.

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BOOKS

Our staff suggests 5 summer books 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.

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.

Review 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-

”Abundance” by Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson

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.

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 Wright Brothers”

by David McCullough

“The Adventures of Amina Al Sirafi” by Shannon Chakraborty

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

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.

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-

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 disculture and Review tinct 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.”

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid 2. “Edge of Honor” by Brad Thor 3. “Never Flinch” by Stephen King 4. “Tusk Love” by Thea Guanzon 5. “Don’t Let Him In” by Lisa Jewell 6. “Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil” by V.E. Schwab 7. “Great Big Beautiful Life” by Emily Henry 8. “A Forbidden Alchemy” by Stacey McEwan 9. “My Friends” by Fredrik Backman 10. “The First Gentleman” by Clinton/Patterson

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins 2. “Don’t Believe Everything You Think (expanded ed.)” by Joseph Nguyen 3. “Unruly” by Lauren Wittenberg Weiner 4. “Super Agers” by Eric Topol 5. “Behind the Badge” by Johnny Joey Jones 6. “The Simple Path to Wealth (revised & expanded ed.)” by JL Collins 7. “Abundance” by Klein/Thompson 8. “The Wishbone Kitchen Cookbook”

by Meredith Hayden 9. “Everything Is Tuberculosis” by John Green 10. “Mark Twain” by Ron Chernow

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Do Not Disturb” by Freida McFadden 2. “One Golden Summer” by Carley Fortune 3. “The Tenant” by Freida McFadden 4. “Caught Up” by Navessa Allen 5. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt 6. “Lights Out” by Navessa Allen 7. “Problematic Summer Romance” by Ali Hazelwood 8. “Till Summer Do Us Part” by Meghan Quinn 9. “All the Colors of the Dark” by Chris Whitaker 10. “Fourth Wing” by Rebecca Yarros

TALKING BUSINESS Bill Hines touts regional cooperation as our best hope. 3E

South La. satellite company partners with the Army 5E

BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

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S u n d ay, J u ly 20, 2025

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CRUSHING IT

As its new glass pulverizing facility kicks into gear, a Louisiana recycling startup has to balance its mission and costs of growing operations

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

On a recent weekday morning, employees at the new Glass Half Full recycling facility in Chalmette were dumping thousands of empty booze bottles and spaghetti sauce jars into machinery that pulverizes them into the consistency of gravel or sand.

It was a cacophonous process, as the sound of glass smashing into metal joined the roaring of machinery to create an industrial symphony.

A few yards away, just off the banks of Bayou Bienvenue, the birds and fish were unconcerned with the commotion.

There, balanced on a narrow wooden pier 20 feet from the shoreline, Glass Half Full co-founder Franziska Trautmann was working with Tulane University researcher Bek Markel to pump some of the company’s freshly made glass sand into the bayou to build a series of 32-foot circular islands. The

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

ABOVE: Glass Half Full recently opened a processing facility on Paris Road in Chalmette. This machine is able to sort and process glass back into sand and also for use in new glass products.

RIGHT: Glass bottles have markings and symbols indicating where they were made.

Max Steitz, co-founder and chief operating officer, said he’s seen 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.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

Crushed glass outside Glass Half Full in St. Bernard Parish will eventually be turned into sand.

new land was covered with cypress saplings and other greenery.

The juxtaposition of the two scenes was jarring: heavy industry vs. nature’s tranquility.

But, taken together, the two perfectly illustrate the mission of Glass Half Full, a 5-year-old startup that was founded to divert glass from 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

ä See GLASS, page 2E

Franziska Trautmann, cofounder and CEO of Glass Half Full, and Max Steitz stand on top of a pile of glass that will be recycled into new glass products at the Glass Half Full facility on Paris Road in St. Bernard Parish.

State’s coffee roasters squeezed by tariffs are raising prices

BY BLAKE PATERSON

Staff writer

Louisiana coffee roasters are raising prices as tariffs make it more expensive to import coffee beans, adding to recent challenges 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 facilities in New Orleans and employs nearly 700 workers, said in June that it planned to increase prices in response to the 10% tax on all imports that President Donald Trump announced in April.

Baton Rouge-based Community Coffee said Wednesday that the rise in prices for green coffee beans, which it roasts before selling to consumers, forced it last month to increase what it charges.

And French Truck Coffee, the New

Orleans-based chain with locations in Baton Rouge and Memphis, Tennessee, told customers on Monday it was adding a temporary 4% surcharge on all in-store coffee-related purchases.

“We chose this approach so that if the tariffs are lifted in the future, we can quickly adjust or remove this charge —something we wouldn’t be able to do with permanent price increases,” French Truck wrote in its email to customers.

The well-known brands with big operations in Louisiana echoed moves by other local and national firms in recent months. Americans’ coffee habit depends almost exclusively on imported beans. Brazil, the world’s top 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

months, or even a year, in advance, and many rushed to stock up before Trump’s April tariffs went into effect.

Now, those stockpiles are running low and importers say many of their customers are bracing for even higher prices if Trump’s threats of additional tariffs on major coffee producers like Brazil 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 a roastery on Tchoupitoulas Street and a cafe on the West Bank.

“I’ve been holding off on a lot of price increases just to see what actually ends up happening,” Brennan said. “But we’re hitting the point soon, you know, where we’re going to have to make a decision.”

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Lauren Fink, of Cherry Roast Coffee in Gretna, said she held off on raising prices on bags of roasted beans, but it became clear costs weren’t going to subside. ‘Nobody likes to see prices increase, but we’re ä See COFFEE, page 4E also a business.’

2E ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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GLASS

“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.

Continued from page 1E 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

70% of glass goes to landfills

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. 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.

“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 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 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.

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 singlestream 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.”

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 Email Rich Collins at rich. melt in a furnace. collins@theadvocate.com.

Business is better in

From petrochemical manufacturers to tech innovators, Baton Rouge’s business ecosystem is complex, connected, and getting better every day. Built on the banks of the Mississippi River by a talented workforce brimming with tenacity—our region is poised for unprecedented growth.

Discover why business is better in BTR at betterinbtr.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 3E

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TALKING BUSINESS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

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.

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

Q&A WITH BILL HINES

PROVIDED PHOTO

Jones Walker managing partner Bill Hines, elected to his fifth consecutive five-year term earlier this month, said he would like to see a return to more regional efforts to address common problems. 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-

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.

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

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 work for us?” That’s how we started and it provides high end legal and economic development services for our clients. It is a small piece of what we do but it is kind of fun.

AI is a big topic in all sectors right now, and I know law firms are thinking a lot about it. What is Jones Walker doing around it?

We have fully embraced it. It’s like the internet was 30 years ago: Resisting it is going to go nowhere. So, we have created an AI team, led by four partners, and we’re developing a national AI practice that will focus on all aspects of this emerging field and how it impacts our clients.

Though right now it’s four lawyers, in four years, it will be 10 or 12 or more. We also just launched the AI Navigator — a blog on our firm’s website that is constantly updated with information and resources about AI. Our view is you either get on the train on you’re off.

It’s not unusual for successful regional firms to be acquired by big national firms.

Do you foresee Jones Walker selling?

I probably turn down more acquisitions than we’ve done. We have no interest in that. I’d much rather we run our own business and guide our own firm than be part of something that is much bigger.

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

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4E ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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When the price isn’t listed, ask

COFFEE

“No price listed,” she said. “It I dislike unexpected expenses. was a $55 cocktail.”

If an item doesn’t have a price, I started to think: Why do people I will make sure to make purchases without fully unfind out what it is.

But, honestly, some- derstanding the costs?

Embarrassment: Have you been in a times it’s awkward boutique, perhaps on vacation at a to ask. swank resort, where there are no Recently, I was eating lunch with a prices on the tags? You might reMichelle friend. I was going call this adage: “If you have to ask, Singletary to surprise her and you can’t afford it.” Whether in an THE COLOR pay for her meal. expensive shop or upscale restauOF MONEy I asked the server rants, surrounded by seemingly about the daily affluent patrons, the last thing you specials and decided to order a want to do is appear out of place branzino dish. My friend liked it by inquiring about the cost. as well and mentioned she might Concern about being seen as too cheap: order it, too.

This feeling can be surprisingly The server, however, never strong. It makes people hesitant to disclosed the price. So, of course, inquire about the cost of an item, I asked. particularly when they suspect She looked through her notes. It it may be beyond their financial was $38. reach.

Without a word, I went back to But it is prudent to ask, even the menu, scanning for a cheaper if you get odd looks. Once, while option. My friend followed my we were dining at a Michelin-star lead. restaurant, the sommelier sug“Thank you, Lord,” I thought to gested some wines to pair with our myself. meal. After hearing the prices, we We didn’t discuss the change in decided to stick with water. The our lunch choice. I would have still sommelier glared at us the entire paid for my friend’s meal, but I evening. was so relieved. I hadn’t budgeted Sometimes a surprise charge is to spend nearly $100 on lunch, innot your fault because, intentioncluding tax and tip. ally or unintentionally, it’s not That lunch came to mind after disclosed.

I read a comment a diner sent to Another co-worker said that my paper’s food critic, Tom Sietwhen she ordered a pasta dish at a D.C. restaurant, the waiter asked sema, during his weekly online whether she wanted “shaved chat. This person was celebrating truffles with that.” her husband’s birthday with two She assumed it was free, like others. They ordered the branzino Parmesan cheese. In fact, the special, which was meant to be shavings cost $35, which was more shared by two people. than the price of the pasta entree.

“To say we were stunned when Peer pressure: Two words can we received the bill, which strike financial fear in potential contained a $155 charge for the branzino, would be an understate- guests: destination wedding. A close friend or relative is getting ment,” she wrote. “We thought it was a mistake; it wasn’t. Shame on married. It’s the couple’s “big us for not asking the market price day,” you are repeatedly told. The expectation is that you shouldn’t for fish that evening.” “put a price on your presence.”

I completely agree with her So you RSVP “yes,” trying to put following points: “Hoping this serves as a reminder to customers out of your mind the full cost of attendance. to always ask the market price, Or, you are out with a group, but also the responsibility of resand nobody is asking what things taurants to make diners aware of cost. You don’t want to be the prices not on the menu, particusole spending spoiler, so you stay larly when they are so wildly out silent. of the norm.”

Anxiety about money: Perhaps your A co-worker shared a similar experience. She was visiting South family never discussed money, or you grew up in a household where Beach in Miami and ordered a conversations about finances aldrink at brunch.

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.”

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 a constant stream of posts with people boasting about their designer outfits, luxury cars and gourmet dining. You figure fun means not worrying about a price tag. You spend first and worry about the cost later.

Do you see your behavior in this list?

A lot of personal finance starts with controlling your feelings.

Here’s why you should always ask about price before a purchase, even if it makes you uncomfortable: You’re living paycheck to paycheck: An unexpected cost can upend your budget, especially with the latest inflation figures showing a rise in consumer prices. It is far less embarrassing to inquire about a price beforehand than to face a bill you can’t comfortably pay.

“Ask what the market price is, followed by ‘Oh, OK, I’ll have the burger, please,’” one of my followers wrote on Threads.

You have other financial priorities: When I start to feel embarrassed that people might think I’m being too cheap, I replace those thoughts with a list of my financial goals.

Knowing how much an item costs allows you to make a conscious choice about how and when to spend.

You will have more savings and less stress: I am always urging people to live their financial truth.

Can you afford a $155 fish special when you have outstanding credit card debt and/or an insufficient emergency fund?

Make it a habit to ask: “What is all this going to cost, including any add-ons?” Never assume anything is free.

“I don’t want to be surprised when I receive the check, so I don’t care what they think if I ask the price,” one Instagram follower wrote. “I’m paying for it.”

That’s exactly right.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

Continued from page 1E

Brazil tariff threats

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Moss Lelko, lead roaster at Cherry Roast Coffee, sorts coffee beans from Mexico. Lelko said the coffee purveyor has been using more Mexican beans in its blends due to the higher tariffs on coffee from central and south American countries.

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.”

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, do-it-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.

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.”

“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 Email Blake Paterson at has yet to raise its prices, said in an bpaterson@theadvocate.com.

Proudly American: How Two Louisiana Companies Anchor U.S. Leadership in the Gulf Menhaden Fishery

This article is brought to you by the Louisiana Commercial Fisheries Coalition LLC. Along Louisiana’s coast, fishing is more than a job, it’s a way of life. At the heart of this tradition are two U.S.-owned and operated companies, Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvesters, which together power one of the most sustainable fisheries in the world and help keep jobs, innovation, and investment right here in America.

Local Companies with Deep Roots Westbank Fishing, based in Empire, LA (Plaquemines Parish), has operated in southern Louisiana for decades. It delivers its catch to the Daybrook Fisheries plant and supports hundreds of local jobs while focusing on safety, efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

Founded in 2017, Ocean Harvesters operates out of Abbeville, LA (Vermilion Parish) and provides fishing services exclusively to Omega Protein. Ocean Harvesters has invested heavily in sustainability, safety, and professional training.

Both Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvesters operate MARAD-compliant fleets, meaning their vessels are U.S.-built, U.S.-owned, and U.S.-crewed in accordance with the U.S. Maritime Administration’s standards. This designation reflects a strong commitment to national maritime security

and domestic workforce development. This compliance isn’t just a label—it ensures these vessels are available for national defense sealift if needed and keeps maritime jobs in the U.S. American Jobs, American Values Westbank and Ocean Harvesters support over 800 direct jobs and more than 1,200 indirect jobs across 32 Louisiana parishes.

From deckhands and welders to mechanics, dockworkers, and truck drivers, these careers offer wages and benefits that support families and sustain entire communities.

Most of these roles don’t require a college degree but provide rare opportunities for upward mobility in rural Louisiana. The income earned circulates through local economies—not outsourced overseas—at a time when many industries are automating or offshoring.

These companies don’t just create jobs— they uphold American values of hard work, community investment, and local accountability.

Economic Impact: Fueling Communities, Feeding the World The Gulf menhaden fishery generates more than $419 million in annual economic output, contributing $60 million in wages and benefits and $25 million in state and local tax revenue.

In 2024 alone, the industry procured over $62 million in goods and services from Louisiana-based businesses—a powerful economic engine for welders, fuel suppliers, electricians, and other small businesses across the state.

Beyond the local economy, menhaden is vital to national and global food systems. These small, nutrient-rich fish are processed into omega-3 oils, protein-rich feeds, and other essential ingredients used in: • Pet food • Aquaculture and livestock feed • Nutritional supplements Major U.S. companies such as Nestlé Purina Petcare, Blue Buffalo (General Mills), Mars, Purina Animal Care, and Cargill rely on Louisiana’s menhaden fishery for high-quality, domestically sourced inputs.

Without this supply, they would be forced to import from overseas, increasing costs and weakening U.S. supply chain resilience.

Defending a Domestic Resource As pressure mounts to restrict access to working waters, Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvesters are on the front lines defending America’s ability to harvest its own renewable resources sustainably.

The menhaden fishery is certified by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)—

the global gold standard for fisheries sustainability—and is one of only two Gulf fisheries to hold this distinction. The companies that operate it are proving daily that responsible management, job creation, and environmental protection can coexist.

Their leadership also helps protect domestic supply chains. Menhaden is a foundational input for everything from livestock feed to crawfish bait to nutritional oil supplements.

Keeping this fishery in American hands is vital for both food security and economic security.

A Proud Future for American Fishing In Louisiana, fishing is more than a business—it’s a birthright. Westbank Fishing and Ocean Harvesters are helping to ensure that this legacy continues for the next generation of American fishermen.

By investing in people, staying rooted in local communities, and leading with sustainability, they are proving what U.S. leadership in global seafood can—and should—look like.

In an uncertain world, Louisiana’s menhaden fishery remains a story of American pride, rural strength, and long-term success— thanks in large part to the commitment of these two homegrown companies.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 5E

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La. satellite company, Army partner on research

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Covington-based Globalstar 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 CEO Paul E. Jacobs said in a prepared statement. “We’re proud to bring our decades of satellite ex-

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 STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER to execute on our construction and launch plan,” Jacobs said.

Paul Jacobs is CEO of Globalstar, The markets reacted positively based in Covington, which has to Globalstar’s two announcements. announced a partnership with Its stock closed higher on nine out of the Army to research its satellite the 10 trading days in July to reach capabilities. a new six-month high. In February, the company moved from the New pertise and emerging terrestrial York Stock Exchange to the Nasdaq innovation to support the Army’s and executed a reverse split to boost evaluation of next-generation satel- per-share prices. lite capabilities.”

The announcement is the second Satellite war? in as many weeks for Globalstar, Globalstar’s announcements come which operates low earth orbit sat- amid a race among private compaellites that provide communication nies for space superiority. and monitoring capabilities in reIn 2022, the company signed a deal to provide emergency communicamote areas.

Earlier this month, the company tions 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 unveil its own T-Satellite emergency phone service in partnership with the Musk-owned 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 low-orbit 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 Coving-

ton 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.

PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Baton Rouge

operations for the newly opened Bally’s Baton Rouge Hotel.

Houtman has more than 25 years Brad Johnson and James Houtman have been hired by Bally’s Corp. to lead food of experience working in casual and beverage ser- and fine dining, university and hotel vices at their Baton dining services and quick-service franchise restaurant ownership Rouge casinos.

Johnson manag- and management. es all restaurants, Lawson Nguyen has bars and catering joined Breazeale at The Queen Baton Sachse & Wilson.

Rouge.

Nguyen focuses Johnson has Johnson on commercial litimore than 20 years of experience in gation. the food and bevHe earned a bachelor’s from erage industry. He Nguyen LSU and a law dehas held jobs from server to leading gree from the Unifront- and back-ofversity of Houston. house operations for national and loJared Watkins has Houtman been hired by Curcal restaurants.

Houtman oversees preparations rency Bank as chief for the opening of restaurants and financial officer. lounges at Bally’s Baton Rouge ca- Watkins Watkins previously served as sino entertainment complex, which is slated to open later this year. He chief financial officer for a local also manages food and beverage community bank.

He earned a bachelor’s in accounting and a bachelor’s in the entertainment industries, both from the University of Southern Mississippi. Watkins is a graduate of the LSU Graduate School of Banking.

Planning Group as vice president of business development and operations.

Marrero has more than 26 years of experience in the hospitality inMarrero dustry. She held a variety of roles within the Hyatt brand including sales manager, director of sales and global sales director.

Marrero most recently worked for the Savannah College of Art and Design and the American Society of Interior Designers.

She earned a bachelor’s in business administration and management from Baylor University.

Heather Roemer has been promoted by b1Bank to executive vice president and chief administrative officer.

Roemer has been with b1Bank for 16 years, most recently serving as chief of staff. She has been president of Roemer the b1Bank Foundation since 2020.

She earned a bachelor’s from LSU. Roemer is a graduate of the Maj. Dwayne and Maj. Marion Durham are Southwestern Graduate School of the new leaders of The Salvation Army Banking at Southern Methodist in New Orleans.

University, where she served as The couple have 28 years of class president. experience as Salvation Army officers. They have served in MaryNew Orleans land, Florida, Kentucky, Tennessee Allison Marrero has joined Cypress and Texas.

D. Durham

M. Durham

In their new roles, the Durhams will be responsible for all programs and social services in addition to supervising disaster relief, social services, Angel Tree and Christmas campaigns. The couple will also serving as pastors to the local Salvation Army congregation.

David Favret has been hired by Compass Inc. as the new regional vice president for Louisiana and Mississippi.

Favret has more than two decades of residential real estate experience, including extensive leadership experience with Latter & Blum.

Beyond isn’t a place — it’s a mindset. And it’s a belief that has powered us for over 80 years.

We are Jones Walker LLP, a firm driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, a deep sense of community, and a fierce determination to deliver exceptional service and value for our clients.

Since 1937, our firm has been committed to working with community leaders to develop business opportunities across the state. We are steadfast in continuing our dedication to go beyond in advising clients and supporting initiatives and organizations that make Louisiana a better place to live and work.

William H. Hines, Managing Partner bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000 201 St. Charles Avenue New Orleans, LA 70170-5100

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Call Charles for your showing @ 225-266-4078 Roy Carter Realty, 2035 N. Acadian Thwy E., 225-357-6436

ACREAGE 30 Acres For Sale. Amite County, MS. $4,500/acre 601-660-6068

Baton Rouge Rental AREA 1 Baker Aea, 4BR 2BA, C H/A, $1400/mo $1400/dep 225-921-9631

KEVIN YOUNG 225-229-0443 RE/MAX PROFESSIONAL* 225-615-7755

ACRES 5 UNIVERSITY 6136 CHANDLER DRIVE, BATON ROUGE, LA 70808

MAGNIFICENT 5BR, 4.5BA home on 4 LOTS in University Acres w/Kevin Harris renovation.

Features include elegant porches, spacious living areas, chef’s kitchen with WOLF range, SubZero fridge, 2 dishwashers, warming drawer, & butler’s pantry. Bonus/media room with full kitchen & bath. Primary suite with soaking tub, huge laundry, office, outdoor kitchen, ENDLESS pool, 2.5-car garage, & WHOLE HOME GENERATOR. Exceptional design in a prime location!

$1,625,000

OPEN SUNDAY 2:00PM-4:00PM

RYN JONES 225-936-4906 RE/MAX PROFESSIONAL* 225-615-7755

HIGHLANDS 5 UNIVERSITY 121 UNIVERSITY HIGHLANDS CT, BR, LA 70808

OPEN SUNDAY 2:00PM-4:00PM

NEW PRICE! 4BR, 3BA home in University Highlands with 3,279 sq ft living area. Features wood floors, fireplace, open floor plan with three separate bedroom wings— including a mother-in-law suite. The primary suite boasts a large walk-in closet, his and her vanities, a tiled shower, and jetted tub. The backyard oasis with a courtyard and pergola offers perfect outdoor relaxation. Recent updates such as a new roof, generator, and modern appliances add to its appeal.

$655,000

SUE HEFLIN 225.241.9408 COMPASS 225.769.1500

AREA 3 2004 N 17th 3BR/2BA, C/H-A, $1350/m $700/d-225-477-7683 or 225-650-8056

AREA 5 1BR $550, 2BR $650 Tigerland. $500 Deposit. 225-475-1737

MONICA C. JARREAU

AREA 3 4Br/1Ba 5284 Clayton Dr. On Zillow $1100/mo. Sec 8 acc. 225-603-6621

AREA 5 655 North St. Subsidized eff Apts cpabr.org 225-383-5551.

TDD/TTY /711RELAY

(225) 718-3025

MOBILE HOME 1, 2 & 3 BR mobile homes, $675 & up 6061 Plank Rd. CALL 225-978-4653

BROKER/REALTOR/OWNER

monicacjarreau@gmail.com

JARREAU REALTY, LLC 3900 Oakland Road Lakeland, LA 70752 www.jarreaurealty.com

AREA 4 FREE RENT 225-351-7449 AREA 4 NO CREDIT CHECK/LEASE! Fully furnished apartments ALL BILLS PAID including premium cable & WIFI. Pet Friendly. Stay where you're appreciated! Call 225-434-4161

AREA 4 Spacious 3Br/2Ba T/H. 3333 & 3335 King Bradford Dr., near O'Neal Ln. Cnt a/c, LR w/fp. Bkyard & parking area. Appliances incl. 1500 sqft. $1300/mo+dep. $35 Application fee.

Rental vouchers acc. 504-722-5152 AREA 5 1 & 2 BR Apts, W/D, C A/H, Starting at $825/mo Deps vary 225-315-0930

A unique Mardi Gras experience in a hardcover book

VILLAGE WOODS RETIREMENT COMMUNITY 1BR & 2BR FOR SALE!

PORCHES.PICTORIALBOOK.COM

55+ Gated Condo Community, pool, clubhouse, guesthouse & planned social activities. Located between BR General and OLOL Hospitals.

ORDER TODAY!

ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished Rooms. $125/wk. $500/mo.

225-933-7560

CLASSIFIEDS.THEADVOCATE.COM

LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER IN LOUISIANA,, USA

OPEN SUN 1 - 3

RATES REPORTED JULY 17, 2025

WEEKLY BATON ROUGE AREA

MORTGAGE RATES

Rate column provided by Liberty Mortgage Information Service • Call 225-361-6565 to have your company added to “ad”

CRAIG COLEMAN

JUDE BRIDWELL

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-664-1314 • Craig.Coleman@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/Craig-Coleman • NMLS 684734

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-603-1777 • Jude.Bridwell@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/jude-bridwell • NMLS 92661

BETH H. HOLDEN

JEREMY WEIMER

HANCOCK WHITNEY

1-800-256-4636 HANCOCKWHITNEY.COM •

30 YEAR FIXED

6.875% / 0 points / APR - 6.97%

15 YEAR FIXED

6.575% / 0 points / APR - 6.49%

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-229-8783 • Bill.Holt@Hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/bill-holt • NMLS 148394

30 YEAR FHA - VA

6.125% / 0 points / APR - 6.54%

JARED GARY

ANGEL LEWIS

15 YEAR FHA - VA

5.75% / 0 points / APR - 6.33%

TIM DUBNANSKY

MICHAEL HEBERT

ADJUSTABLE

Jumbo sofr 10/1 Arm

SPECIAL

30RD - 6.125% / 0 / APR - 6.57%

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-381-0428 • Beth.Holden@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/Beth-Holden • NMLS 699394

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-978-2592 • Jeremy.Weimer@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/jeremy-weimer • NMLS 175288

NATE BEECHAM

BILL HOLT

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-248-7428 • Nathaniel.Beecham@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/Nate-Beecham • NMLS 115300

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-603-2505 • Jared.Gary@hancockwhitney.com HancockWhitney.com/jared-gary • NMLS 88626

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-252-6976 • Tim.dubnansky@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/tim-dubnansky • NMLS 82027

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-413-6094 • Angel.Lewis@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/angel-lewis • NMLS 700876

HANCOCK WHITNEY 225-715-1133 • Michael.Hebert@hancockwhitney.com hancockwhitney.com/michael-hebert • NMLS 79769

DIRECT ACCESS: www.theadvocate.com CLICK HOMES >> THEN MORTGAGE RATES Quotes above are based on loan amount equal to or above $200,000 • Conventional loan max is $484,350; Jumbo loans exceed $484,350• NQ - No Quote • Special programs include BA (Balloon), B (Bond), CS (Construction), CV (Convertible), J (Jumbo), LL (Lot Loan), RD (Rural Development) • Quotes are not guaranteed and are subject to change daily • Info provided by LIBERTY MORTGAGE INFORMATION SERVICE - 225.361-6565 • Points listed do not include Origination Fee (normally 1% of loan amount) • Rates quoted are for 30 day lock • For additional information on mortgage programs, call the lender.

FURNITURE Bedroom Set including adjustable base mattress, dresser & nightstand. All lights up. $1,000 225-268-2772

HOUSEHOLD ITEMS Pair of Alabaster & Marble table lamps w/silk shades & finials. Mint condition $200/ea 504 458 9186

Garage Sales ESTATE SALE 966 Landwood Dr. Sat/Sun 9a-3p.

Religious items, Furniture, tools, pictures, electronics, dryer, kitchen items, glassware & much more.

classifieds.theadvocate.com | 225-383-0111 or toll free 800-960-6397 Announcements Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Clarence J Garantine Jr please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

150291-July 19-21, 3t $85 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Eber Sontay Pelico please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 9060050.

150294-July 19-21, 3t $85 Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Elmore G Anderson please contact Atty. Benjamin Beychok at (225) 906-0050.

150289-July 19-21, 3t $85

Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Moses Sustatia, his succession representative(s), child(ren), and/or heirs, please contact Wyman E. Bankston, P.O. Box 305, Livingston, Louisiana 70754 at (225) 435-4980.

150338-July 19-21, 3t $109

CLASSIFIEDS

WORK

Employment

EDUCATION Iberville Parish School Board NOTICE OF VACANCY Applications are being accepted for the following position(s): High School Teacher/ Head Baseball Coach LOCATION Plaquemine High School STARTING SALARY $66,556 - $78,271 - Pay Range based on base teacher salary plus coaching sup‐ plement. Actual will depend on verified years of experience.

APPLICATION PROCEDURE Anyone interested in being considered for this position should submit an ap‐ plication @www.ipsb.net JOIN OUR TEAM DEADLINE FOR APPLYING July 21, 2025, or until filled All IPSB employees must pass a crimi‐ nal records check.

The Iberville Parish School System is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

GENERAL HELP Distributive Control System (DCS) Op‐ erator sought by Nucor Steel Louisiana LLC for the Convent, LA location. Candi‐ date must have 5 yrs exp as a process technician ensuring efficient operating parameters & utility infrastructure op‐ erations in a DCS steel mill plant. Exp must incl: Knowl of Direct Reduction Iron (DRI) steelmaking process operat‐ ing parameters, utility infrastructure operations & eqpmt. Operate & main‐ tain mfg eqpmt utilizing Distributive Control Systems (DCS) system & opera‐ tions. Completing permits & eqpmt lockout forms compliant w/ OSHA standards. Identify DRI process & eqpmt performance inefficiencies & execute solutions to maximize reliabil‐ ity. Troubleshoot DCS instrumentation & controls using self-diagnostics & var‐ ious diagnostic displays to improve plant performance. Respond To: To apply, please send resume to Attn: HR Dept., 9101 Louisiana Hwy 3125, Con‐ vent, LA, 70723 or apply online: https://jobs.nucor.com/

GENERAL HELP Jessie's Plumbing is looking for a Plumber or Plumber's Helper. Trans‐ portation required. Must Have 2 yrs New Residential Plumbing experience.

Health insurance offered after 1yr of employment. Weekly Bonuses. To Apply, Call 225-324-5029 or email re‐ sumes to charles@jessiesplumbing. com.

GENERAL HELP The Diocese of B.R. Child Nutrition Pro‐ gram is seeking FT school Cafeteria Mgrs., Cooks, & Porters. HS Diploma or Equiv. and BG Check req. Apply at www.cnpbr.org/employment.

SIGN UP TODAY

NEWS 24/7 ON

CAMPER-CAMP EQUIP 2013 17' Retro, Aluminum Ultra Light Bumper Pull Camper $7900. Call 225938-1397

Join Our Nursing Team WANT TO BUY Old Records 33's, 45's & 78's. All types of music. Call 985-259-1889 CEMETERY PLOTS Selling a Tandem (space for 2) at Greenoaks Memorial Park. Located in the West Interior of the Garden View Mausoleum. $14,000 225-772-9206

Place a Classified ad?

225-388-0111

For a complete list of opportunities and benefits, visit BRGeneral.org/Careers or call Human Resources for more information at 225-381-6464.

BRGeneral.org/Careers

Pets / Pet Services Directory PETS • SUPPLIES • SERVICES • OBITUARIES • LOST & FOUND

PLACE YOUR PET SERVICES INFORMATION IN THE PET SERVICES DIRECTORY TODAY! • IT IS FAST AND EASY! • CALL 225-383-0111 DOGS Chihuahua puppies, super $150-$350. Call 225-270-7126

Merchandise WANT TO BUY Certified buyer looking for R12, R22, & more! Call Peter at 312-500-4275 $1111 312-273-5122

Recreational Vehicles

cute

DOGS CKC YORKIE - puppies with papers vet checked first shot & worming will meet in Gulfport $350. 334 467-3416 CATS Ragamuffin & Ragdoll Kittens www.CatsByFrancy.com $1000 Up 337-230-3150 DOGS AKC Anatolian Shepherds bonded pair, miniature poodle $1K. 251-455-4024

PRINT ADVERTISING

WORKS

DOGS Toy Poodle Puppies - CKC reg 8 wks old male $700 & female $750. Had first shots & deworming. Doing great on their puppy pad! Can deliver for small fee $40 225-354-5359

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 3F

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SIMPLE ELECTRIC

Professional work • Lic/Ins/Bond.

40+ years experience No job too smalll/large

Call 225-921 2633

CALL FOR SPECIAL PRICING! INSTALL NEW ROOFS, J-W SHINGLES, METAL, ROOFING* FLAT, & REPAIRS.

MILITARY DISCOUNTS

STOP ALL LEAKS! CARPENTRY & PAINTING Lic/Ins. 225-205-9537 *Senior Citizen Discount

40 years experience

STUMP REMOVAL

Serving Baton Rouge & all surrounding areas.

We provide a full service for all your tree care needs.

House calls | NoFixNoPay

• Now Providing all equipment on rubber tracks • Low Impact to Yard

225-803-8241 | THECOMPUTERDOCTORx.com

(225) 205-9875

HEATH WISE

VETERAN OWNED

WISE GUY’S GUTTERS & PATIOS DENHAM SPRINGS, LA 70726 WISEGUYSGUTTERSANDPATIOLA.COM GOLDDOG3447@YAHOO.COM

CALL 225-305-3776 FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE

Swimming Pool Fill-In’s FIBERGLASS - GUNITE - LINER 20 Years of Experience - Licensed and Insured

Call Casey For a Free Estimate

225-329-9502

pooldemolitionbycasey.com

INSURED

Reasonable Rates for Quality Work!

• All Types Roofing & Repairs • Fllashings • Sheet Metal • Dry Wall • Carpentry C • Painting • Masonry • Flooring • Electrical Spe cialty Ventilation and Insulation

KEVIN ROBERTS La. Lic. # 64014

(225) 603-2125 Cell KMRNBR55@GMAIL.COM

HandyMan

Home Repairs

Call For A Free Estimate • I Look Forward To Working With You

• Doors • Tile • Painting • Windows & Door Awnings • Pressure Washing • Bathroom & Kitchen Repairs • Porch Roof and Metal Patio Covers

225-726-8096

Doug’s Tree Svs. 10% OFF Craig Gremillion $50 Almost Any Tree removed minus stump.

225 503-5681

FREE ESTIMATES • SENIOR CITIZEN DISCOUNTS • MILITARY DISCOUNTS

A1 CONCRETE

Remove & Replace Driveways, Patios and Parking Lots.

Install culverts.

New Construction & Commercial

25 Years Experience

Call 225-803-8013 Quality, Affordable Tree Services That’s No Bull…

Emergency Storm Service, Dangerous Tree Removal, Tree Removal & Pruning, stump grinding

Licensed & Insured. Certified Arborist. Over 40 years experience https://www.torotreeexpertsla.com/ At Toro Tree Experts, we can deliver you the highest standard of servicing for your trees.

(225) 303-8871

MINI-WAREHOUSE (CLIMATE & REGULAR), MOTOR HOMES & BOAT STORAGE UP TO 45’ DEEP

11756 Florida Blvd. Baton Rouge 70815

225-275-6900

RUSSELL CARPENTER ZACH CARPENTER

C&A HOME SOLUTIONS, UTIONS, LLC DESIGN, PLANTING, BED CLEAN OUTS, IRRIGATION, SHRUB HEDGING, MULCHING, EDGING SPECIALIZING IN DRAINAGE, FRENCH DRAINS, CATCH BASINS & POP-UP DRAINS, SOD (CENTIPEDE, ST. AUGUSTINE), NEW WOODEN FENCE INSTALL & TAKEDOWN, PROFESSIONAL CHIMNEY SWEEP & INSPECTIONS, FIREBOX REPAIR, PEST GUARD, NEW CAP INSTALLS INSURED

SHERWOOD MINI-STORAGE

FREE ESTIMATE!

Call 225.925.0610

Roofing & Maintenance R

Install & Repair Commercial • Residential Call Daniel 225-436-2759

*In-Home major appliances serviced at a charge.

WASHERS, DRYERS, REFRIGERATORS, FREEZERS, ELECTRIC & GAS RANGES

All work 35+ years of guaranteed experience No job to locally! big or small • Flashing • Gutters • Siding • Tree Pruning • Carpentry • Fences

Member of the Better Business Bureau Licensed & Insured FREE Oral Estimates to EBR Residents 50 Years Experience Please support Local Businesses

(225) 603-2125

SHERWOOD TV & APPLIANCES

FIND AND FIX LEAKS ON ANY ROOF

tree service

Denham Springs & Gonzales

FREE ESTIMATES

ON ALL TV’S THAT NEED REPAIR WHEN BROUGHT INTO THE SHOP!!

LEAK SPECIALIST

Quality Care Q

Doors & Door Hardware

Insured & Licensed Specializing in Tree Removal, Trimming, Pruning, Debris Removal Call Jay for your free estimate today

$125 First Visit - 1 Computer

STEVE ROBINS We are your go to company for your Gutter and Patio Top installations

QUALITY TREE SERVICE

THE COMPUTER DOCTORx

Most stumps $20.

FIREWOOD Free Est. • 225-333-8593 • Lic/Ins.

Handy Helper:

The solution to the task you’d rather skip.

Just call and find out.

Kevin Chester Baton Rouge & Surrounding Areas (225) 450-7174

225-338-6922

LEAKS STOPPED Free Estimates Licensed & Insured

No Job Too Big or Too Small

Ted Wells DBA

Big Jim Construction

N R f or Repairs R i on A T R f New Roofs Any Type Roof Roofing • Painting • Carpentry

Over 50 Years Experience

Residential Rentals

All Work Warrantied

225.338.6809

Commercial Leasing

PROPERTIES & HOME CARE Roofing Replacement & Repairs • Carpentry Painting • Drywall Repairs • Pressure Washing Tractor Work/Grading • Concrete Work • Remodeling Swimming Pool Fill ins • Decks & Fences

CALL BILLY • (225) 445-3139 • 40 YRS. SERVING BR

TRASH HAULING, FURNITURE & DEBRIS REMOVAL. GARAGE & STORAGE SPACE CLEANOUT. COMMERCIAL& RESIDENTIAL STORAGE LOCKER CLEAN OUTS

Fast Response! FREE Estimates WWW.BRTRUCKINGANDEMO.COM

Call 225-733-0908 LANDSCAPING

SUMMER YEAR-

ROUND CHRISTMAS & HOLIDAY LIGHTING SPECIAL!!

DISCOUNT FOR FIRST RESPONDERS

225-290-1980 / 225-993-9204

flower bed clean up/flower bed designs/irrigation/lighting pathways/prune & mulch/weeding/drainage/sod/pergola deck/power washing/stump grinding/consulting available

To advertise here, please call 225-383-0111

4F ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT July 10, 2025 PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Department, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Gram‐ bling, La. On July 29, 2025 at 2:05, P.M. for: “50018260001 CAMPUS LIVING & HOUSING HVAC PREVEN‐ TATIVE MAINTENANCE SER‐ VICES”.

At which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Any bid received after closing time will be re‐ turned unopened.

Copies of the specifica‐ tions may be obtained in electronic format by vis‐ iting the State of Louisiana, Office of State Purchasing, LaPAC Web Site, https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=53 Copies of specifications are on file in the Office of the Director of Purchas‐ ing, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, La. To obtain a copy of the specifications from Grambling State Univer‐ sity, call (318)-274-3280 or walkere@gram. e-mail edu.

Bids must be returned to the Purchasing Office at purchasingbids@gram. edu by the due date and time referenced. Bids must be submitted on the forms enclosed with the bid specification, and in strict conformity with the intent of same with‐ out modifications. Bids must be signed in ink, dated, and title of person signing the bid should be shown on the bid.

Evidence of General Lia‐ bility Insurance, Auto Li‐ ability Insurance, and Workers Compensation Insurance required for this contract. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for at least thirty (30) days.

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

bling, La. On August 5, 2025 at 2:05, P.M. for: “50018-260003” Plumber Labor and Repair Ser‐ vices.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY GRAMBLING, LOUISIANA

At which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Any bid received after closing time will be re‐ turned unopened.

Copies of the specifica‐ tions may be obtained in electronic format by vis‐ the State of iting Louisiana, Office of State Purchasing, LaPAC Web Site, https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=53 Copies of specifications are on file in the Office of the Director of Purchas‐ ing, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, La. To obtain a copy of the specifications from Grambling State Univer‐ sity, call (318)-274-3280 or e-mail walkere@gram. edu.

Bids must be returned to the Purchasing Office at purchasingbids@gram. edu by the due date and time referenced. Bids must be submitted on the forms enclosed with the bid specification, and in strict conformity with the intent of same with‐ out modifications. Bids must be signed in ink, dated, and title of person signing the bid should be shown on the bid.

Evidence of General Lia‐ bility Insurance, Auto Li‐ ability Insurance, and Workers Compensation Insurance required for this contract. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for at least thirty (30) days.

The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informalities.

Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 38:2212(B)(5) and/or R.S. 39:1594(C)(4).

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY GRAMBLING, LOUISIANA Erin Walker Director of Purchasing TO APPEAR: 7/10/25 BID DUE:7/29/25

Reporting you can trust on stories that matter

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISMENT July 16, 2025 PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Department, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Gram‐ bling, La. On August 5, 2025 at 2:05, P.M. for: “50018-260004” Electrical Labor and Repair Ser‐ vices.

At which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Any bid received after closing time will be re‐ turned unopened.

Copies of the specifica‐ tions may be obtained in electronic format by vis‐ iting the State of Louisiana, Office of State Purchasing, LaPAC Web Site, https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=53 Copies of specifications are on file in the Office of the Director of Purchas‐ ing, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, La. To obtain a copy of the specifications from Grambling State Univer‐ sity, call (318)-274-3280 or e-mail walkere@gram. edu.

Bids must be returned to the Purchasing Office at purchasingbids@gram. edu by the due date and time referenced. Bids must be submitted on the forms enclosed with the bid specification, and in strict conformity with the intent of same with‐ out modifications. Bids must be signed in ink, dated, and title of person signing the bid should be shown on the bid.

The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informalities.

Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 38:2212(B)(5) and/or R.S. 39:1594(C)(4).

An Equal Employer.

Opportunity

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY GRAMBLING, LOUISIANA

TO APPEAR: 7/16/2025 BID DUE: 8/5/2025

ADVERTISMENT

150515-jul 20-23-27-3t $88.47

July 16, 2025

INVITATION TO BID

150507-jul 20-23-aug 7-3t $87.60

Erin Walker Director of Purchasing

PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Department, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Gram‐

TO APPEAR: 7/16/2025 BID DUE: 8/5/2025

No bid may be with‐ drawn after the sched‐ uled closing time for re‐ ceipt of bids for at least thirty (30) days.

149512 July 13, 16, 20, 3t $87.60

PUBLIC NOTICE

Erin Walker Director of Purchasing

Evidence of General Lia‐ bility Insurance, Auto Li‐ ability Insurance, and Workers Compensation Insurance required for this contract.

The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informalities.

Evidence of authority to submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 38:2212(B)(5) and/or R.S. 39:1594(C)(4).

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

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PUBLIC NOTICE ---

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Legal Notices

y gram for Central Arkansas (CAPCA) is now accepting food vendor quotes to provide meal for multiple services Head Start centers, one homeless shelter in Arkansas, and Head Start location in Louisiana. We welcome all interested vendors to apply.

y submit the bid shall be required in accordance with R.S. 38:2212(B)(5) and/or R.S. 39:1594(C)(4).

An Equal Opportunity Employer.

ted in writing to the Issu‐ ing Officer, Brett San‐ difer, at bsandifer@crt. la.gov.

To request a quote packet or submit a pro‐ posal, please contact: Brittney Lewis Email: brittney.lewis@ capcainc.org Mail: 707 Robins Street, Suite 118, Conway, AR 72034 Deadline: All proposals must be received no later than 4:30 p.m. on August 1, 2025.

For additional details or to download the quote packet, please visit: www.capcainc.org 150503-jul 20-27-2t $215.22

PUBLIC NOTICE --July 16, 2025 PUBLIC NOTICE INVITATION TO BID Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by the Purchasing Department, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Gram‐ bling, La. On August 5, 2025 at 2:05, P.M. for: “50018-260002” Grounds Maintenance and Land‐ scaping Services.

Per-Bid Meeting is sched‐ uled on July 29, 2025 at 9:00am, at the GSU West Campus Site, 2776 Hwy 150, Ruston, LA 71270 At which time and place the bids will be publicly opened and read aloud.

Any bid received after closing time will be re‐ turned unopened.

Copies of the specifica‐ tions may be obtained in electronic format by vis‐ iting the State of Louisiana, Office of State Purchasing, LaPAC Web Site, https://wwwcfprd. doa.louisiana.gov/osp/ lapac/dspBid.cfm?sea rch=department& term=53 Copies of specifications are on file in the Office of the Director of Purchas‐ ing, GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY, Grambling, La. To obtain a copy of the specifications from Grambling State Univer‐ sity, call (318)-274-3280 or walkere@gram. e-mail edu.

Bids must be returned to the Purchasing Office at purchasingbids@gram. edu by the due date and time referenced. Bids must be submitted on the forms enclosed with the bid specification, and in strict conformity with the intent of same with‐ out modifications. Bids must be signed in ink, dated, and title of person signing the bid should be shown on the bid.

Evidence of General Lia‐ bility Insurance, Auto Li‐ ability Insurance, and Workers Compensation Insurance required for this contract. No bid may be withdrawn after the scheduled closing time for receipt of bids for at least thirty (30) days.

Invitation for Food Vendor Quotes Proposal

The University reserves the right to reject any or all bids, and to waive any informalities.

Community Action Pro‐ f l

Evidence of authority to b i h bid h ll b

GRAMBLING STATE UNIVERSITY GRAMBLING, LOUISIANA

147610-JUL 7-AUG 7-30T $672

Erin Walker Director of Purchasing TO APPEAR:7/16/2025 BID DUE: 8/5/2025 150512-jul 20-23-27-3t $89.31

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Culture, Recre‐ ation & Tourism, Office of State Parks (State Parks) is issuing a Request for Information (RFI) to so‐ licit any and all project ideas to add or improve facilities, operations, or services at Lake Clai‐ borne State Park (the Park) and/or increase revenue or increase cost savings and efficiencies for the Park. The objec‐ tives in soliciting infor‐ mation are to promote the State Parks mission, achieve proper balance of preservation and uti‐ lization of State Parks Properties while becom‐ ing more financially selfsustaining, and better serve the needs of citi‐ zens and of visitors to Louisiana through collab‐ oration utilizing Public Private Partnerships.

The RFI packet, which in‐ cludes a timeline, in‐ structions for proposal submission, and selec‐ tion criteria, is available at http://www.opportu nitiesinlouisiana.com. It may also be picked up between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. weekdays at the Of‐ fice of State Park, Capitol Annex, Third Floor, 1051 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, LA, 70802. Written Proposals must be re‐ ceived by State Parks at this address no later than 4:00 p.m. CT on Wednesday, October 1, 2025.

State Parks will continue its commitment to en‐ sure all projects promote our mission statement, have community sup‐ port, and support of local and state elected offi‐ cials. State Parks also commits to not proceed with any projects that will be detrimental to the local community or any local business.

All inquiries concerning the RFI should be submit‐

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PUBLIC NOTICE --19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT FOR THE PARISH OF EAST BATON ROUGE STATE OF LOUISIANA NO: P-114191 SECT. 21 SUCCESSION OF ROSEMARY LAMBERT Notice is given that the executrix of this succes‐ sion has petitioned this Court for authority to sell immovable property of the deceased at private sale in accordance with the provisions of Article 3281 of the Code of Civil Procedure, et seq. The immovable property pro‐ posed to be sold is in Liv‐ ingston Parish, municipal address 15545 Bear Island Rd., Mau‐ repas, LA. Any heir or creditor who opposes the proposed sale must file his opposi‐ tion within seven (7) days from the day on which the last publica‐ tion of this notice ap‐ pears.

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HEALTH

Special brew PAGE 3

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

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Molly Kimball

S U N D AY, J U lY 20, 2025

1N

IV therapy gains popularity Doctors, regulators preach caution with services

BY TOM MURPHY AP health writer

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.

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

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 PHOTO PROVIDED By ANDREW LEDERMAN heart failure — often immeAT BOSTON CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL diately after birth, sometimes Denver Coleman is surrounded by her parents and part of leading to death. her extensive care team.

“That information was all provided to us in one visit,” me,” Coleman said. “As a sis of pregnancy — a condi- Coleman said. “We were also mother of three kids, and tion that affects the liver. To told that because Denver’s now I’m expecting my fourth, monitor her progress, Cole- malformation was so large in I just felt like something was man’s doctor recommended size, there was a concern that it could possibly compromise off.” weekly ultrasounds.

The doctors saw her that Two weeks later, her first her brain tissue.”

In the family’s research, day. When her lab tests came weekly ultrasound of little back, Coleman learned that Denver revealed a large malä See CHILD, page 3X she had intrahepatic cholesta- formation on her brain as

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.

ä See THERAPY, page 2X

Inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities ochsner.org/community

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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

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. 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, at-

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

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 interDREAMSTIME/TNS FILE PHOTO By MARy KATHERINE WyNN est. We then risk not meetDopamine is a hormone and neurotransmitter in the brain involved in mood, attention, ing the expectation or obreward and motivation. ligation. We feel bad about it, get flooded with remorse tention, reward and motiva- “feel-good hormone.” Dopa- — reaching for your phone and have an even tougher tion. It’s also known as the mine comes in many forms to doomscroll social media time completing the task

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.

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.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIE JACOBSON

A patient is hooked up to an IV for a hangover treatment in Las Vegas.

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.

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Eat Fit Live Fit

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Special brew: Exploring the roots and use of chicory in coffee

I

f you’ve ever sipped a café au lait in the French Quarter, you have tasted chicory’s signature notes. But hidden in that cup is a humble root whose story is bigger than a single sip.

To learn more about chicory, I sat down with Felton Jones, roast master and brand ambassador for PJ’s Coffee and New Orleans Roast. (You can hear our full conversation on my podcast, FUELED Wellness and Nutrition.)

One thing you may find surprising about chicory coffee is that chicory isn’t coffee at all. Chicory is a blue-flowered perennial plant with a taproot that, when roasted, adds the bold richness New Orleanians have come to expect from a café au lait. A blend of coffee and chicory with steamed milk, a typical New Orleans café au lait these days is made with about 20 percent chicory. But some blends are as much as 50 percent chicory, Felton explained.

Also of note is the fact that pure chicory has zero caffeine. Back in the day, it was said that drinking coffee and chicory would “put hair on your chest.”

Old-fashioned expression aside, the dark roast and robust flavors of chicory only seem like they should also translate to more caffeine. In reality, chicory gives us a naturally decaffeinated coffee additive (or alternative) that still feels like ‘real’ coffee.

“Tastewise, there’s so much potency in straight chicory that you can use just half the grounds you’d normally use for coffee and still get a rich, almost espresso-like shot,” says Felton.

Continental Blockade (18061814) aimed at crippling Britain’s economy by forbidding trade with continental Europe. Settlers crossing the Atlantic from Europe then carried the tradition to New Orleans, where Civil War naval blockades made a chicory blend the signature brew of the New Orleans café au lait we know today.

Taste-test surprise

Felton and I brewed 100 percent chicory in my stovetop moka pot, using half the volume of ground coffee I would normally use. We were both pleasantly surprised — it was unexpectedly smooth, slightly sweet, and almost silky. “I used to think straight chicory drinkers were out of their minds,” Felton laughed, “but now I see why some of our customers order it by the case.”

Price check: chicory vs. coffee

Cost can be another incentive to experiment with chicory. Prices vary widely by brand, but typically, pure chicory

A brief history of chicory

•

•

•

Fun fact

is about one-third the price of premium coffee, if not a bit lower. Plus, you use only half as much per brew.

“A one-pound bag of chicory will last you a long time,” Felton noted. “For someone watching both caffeine and cost, that’s hard to beat.”

Chicory home brew: Felton’s brewing pointers • •

Start solo. Brew straight chicory at least once so you know its baseline flavor.

Use half the grounds. Start with a tablespoon of chicory per 6 ounces of water, and adjust to get your preferred concentration in subsequent brews.

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonprofit initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media.

Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

Chicory shows up in ancient Roman and Egyptian writings from thousands of years ago, mostly for its use as a digestive tonic. Seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Dutch, German and French cafés roasted it to stretch their limited supply of coffee beans during trade embargoes, including Napoleon’s

BY THE NUMBERS

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

CHILD

Continued from page 1X they found a clinical trial at Boston Children’s Hospital that treated Denver’s exact condition.

“What are the chances of that?”

Coleman said. “We were desperate for answers.”

Coleman searched online for anyone remotely related to the trial, and copied them on an email reflecting her condition and her interest. Boston Children’s responded in 24 hours, and the Coleman family leapt at the opportunity.

Just one month after Denver’s diagnosis, when Coleman was 34 weeks pregnant, she canceled her baby shower. She and her husband, Derek, left her three children in good care with her mother and bought one-way tickets to Boston to enter a new in utero clinical trial at Boston Children’s Hospital.

The clinical trial The Colemans knew there was only one documented case of a family undergoing this clinical trial in the world. They would be the first in the United States to have the groundbreaking treatment.

If not diagnosed and treated early, according to Boston Children’s Hospital, the malformation can cause severe problems and may even be life threatening.

Until now, babies have not been 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’s and Brigham and

waitlist for intestine, abdominal wall, head and neck, upper limb or uterus transplants in Louisiana, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

In 2024, 618 donors participated in the transplant program in Louisiana (for all organs) — 524 were deceased donors and 99 were living donors.

So far in 2025, 284 donors

Ever noticed ‘chicory root extract’ (often referred to as inulin) listed as an ingredient in fiber-rich breads, wraps, nutrition bars and even ice cream? That extract is indeed from the same chicory plant. But the processing of chicory root fiber is completely different from that of chicory ‘coffee,’ including the use of much lower heat to preserve its soluble fiber and gutfriendly, prebiotic benefits.

When chicory root is roasted to higher temperatures to be used as coffee, nearly all of the inulin caramelizes. That’s great for flavor, but the brew won’t retain the same nutritional perks of fiber-rich chicory root extract.

One last sip

Chicory may date back to ancient Rome, but its renaissance is real. Felton shared that it’s PJ’s Coffee’s top seller on Amazon.

It’s also a budget-friendly, all-natural decaf coffee alternative. And — if our taste test means anything — we think it’s surprisingly tasty on its own.

So, the next time you crave a bold cup of coffee after dinner, remember that the boldest brew in New Orleans doesn’t even come from a bean. Give this humble root a try — and let us know what you think.

What organs do Louisianans need?

WHAT ORGANS DO LOUISIANANS NEED?

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,

Choose a method. Chicory works in standard drip coffeemakers, also French press, pour-over, moka pots – even espresso baskets. (Note that the grind is typically a bit coarser than coffee.)

Blend to taste. Start with a 4:1 coffee-to-chicory ratio for everyday sipping – or flip the ratio if you’re looking for a lower-caffeine cup.

Add milk or keep it black. For a creamy café au lait, chicory’s subtle sweetness works well with dairy and nondairy options.

participated in the transplant program including 244 deceased and 40 living donors.

Organ donation candidates are counted as one patient waiting at more than one center, or for multiple organs.

Data on organ donation registrations (counting each organ and center as one waitlist) is available at otpn.transplant. hrsa.gov.

1,867 1,656

The number of organ donation candidates in Louisiana who are waitlisted for kidney, liver, pancreas, heart and lung donations.

132 All organs

Kidney

66

63

4

Liver Pancreas Kidney/ Heart Pancreas

Lung

4

Source: Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network

coils inside of Denver’s malformation that slowed Denver’s blood flow and relieving the stress on her heart.

Doctors noticed a significant change in her condition within the first hour, according to Coleman.

“If there’s a testament of how successful this procedure was, Denver is definitely that,” Coleman said.

Denver was born two days later.

She weighed 4 pounds, 1 ounce.

She was six weeks early, but the procedure worked so well that Denver did not experience common complications when babies are born premature.

At day five, Denver was eating and nursing. After 11 days at Boston Children’s, Denver was transferred to a neighboring NICU at Brigham Women’s hospital in Boston. The Coleman family spent PHOTO PROVIDED By KENyATTA COLEMAN just under four weeks in MassaKenyatta and Denver Coleman, center, and the Coleman family visit the chusetts to work on her preemie Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., for Family Advocacy Day. milestones.

“I honestly feel like when it Women’s Hospital designed a new Denver’s was 12 millimeters, the comes to rare conditions, there’s procedure aimed at intervening width of a small pea. not enough that’s being done,” while infants are still in the womb.

“We were in a race against time,” Coleman said. “I kind of vowed Because the malformation is Coleman said. “Any additional at that time, that if there was any so rare — and because the inter- growth to the malformation could opportunity to be an advocate, I vention is meant for fetuses with have compromised her brain tis- would make that a priority.” healthy brain tissue but at high sue, and in that case, we wouldn’t risk for poor outcomes like heart have been eligible for the proce- Mother-daughter advocates failure — the team has waited for dure at all.”

Since surviving the groundseveral years to find eligible canDenver was first of what Boston breaking clinical trial, the Colehospital hopes will eventually be man’s have not been idle. Kenyatta didates.

With this condition and the clini- 20 patients in this clinical trial. The and Denver together have worked in both their Louisiana community cal trial, the measurement of the clinical trial is still ongoing.

The procedure itself was about and nationwide to advocate for malformation is extremely important, according to Coleman. The 20 minutes, and Coleman was rare diseases and share Denver’s smallest width of malformation awake for the procedure. She was remarkable story.

On Denver’s first birthday, the allowed in the trial was 7 millime- given an epidural and watched as ters. At the time of her first MRI, the team strategically placed 23 Colemans started an Amazon wish

Staff graphic

list to provide blankets, toys and essentials for NICUs. They got so many responses, they had to keep adding to the list to keep up.

With the extra funds, from the wish list and the proceeds from “Grey’s Anatomy,” Denver and Coleman were able to distribute the gifts and provide lunch for NICU caregivers at three Louisiana hospitals.

“What was supposed to be a day of service turned into a weekend of fun,” Coleman said. “Miss Denver was so tired and exhausted, but we were fulfilled. We felt really good in the end.”

This year, for Denver’s second birthday, the mother-daughter duo hosted a community family affair and invited children with rare conditions and medically complex diagnosis to play at a park. Free snow cones, art activities, a petting zoo, Bluey cameos and more greeted the over 100 guests that came to the event.

More recently, the entire Coleman family made the trek to Washington, D.C., and U.S. Congress, for Family Advocacy Day. “We were able to collaborate and meet other families. It really put things into perspective for our family,” Coleman said. “We were able to understand the power of our voice.”

Coleman, who now serves on the Louisiana Rare Disease Advisory Council, is now looking for her next event in September for NICU awareness month.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

4X ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Back t School Best bets for a healthy start

1

2

3

Prioritize nutrition

Create safe space for mental health sharing

Boost sports benefits by preventing injuries

Is your child struggling with mental health?

1 in 5

3

Ideas for a healthy school lunch

Packing school lunches can be a weekly challenge for parents, especially when balancing variety, nutrition and picky eaters. To keep lunches exciting and nutritious, here are three creative ideas: Not your usual brown-bag lunch: Try salmon or tuna salad wraps made with Greek yogurt, spinach and tomatoes for a protein-packed, veggie-filled option. Pair with crunchy sides like Triscuit Thins or Parmesan Crisps and low-sugar Greek yogurt for a balanced meal.

Tapas-to-go: Combine apple slices with nut butter, string cheese, hummus snack packs and Beanfields chips for a protein- and fiberrich lunch.

Build your own “Lunchables”: Use whole-grain crackers, cheese and lean proteins like turkey or chicken. Add veggie sticks with high-protein ranch dip made from Greek yogurt.

Involve kids in planning to ensure they enjoy their meals while staying fueled for the school day!

children ages 8 and younger in the United States are diagnosed with a mental, behavioral or developmental disorder.

11%

of children ages 3-17 years were diagnosed with anxiety in 2022-2023

4%

of children ages 3-17 years were diagnosed with depression in 2022-2023

What parents can do to help Notice the signs.

Pay attention to shifts in your child’s mood, behavior, or habits. Stress, withdrawal, or sudden changes could be signs that something deeper is going on. But also take time to value and recognize what your child is doing well.

Identify ways to relax, connect and have fun with your child.

Spend time doing things you both enjoy. Whether it’s a walk, a game, or just talking, these moments help your child feel safe, supported, and loved.

Listen without judgment.

Let your child know it’s okay to talk about what they’re feeling. Listen with care, validate their emotions, and remind them they’re not alone.

Seek professional intervention when needed.

If you’re concerned about your child’s mental health, turn to the experts.

Speak with your child’s pediatrician, counselor, or a mental health professional to design a treatment plan that’s right for your child and your family.

Sports injury prevention tips According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, sports participation is associated with reductions in stress, anxiety, depression and substance misuse in children. It has also been shown to increase self-confidence, self-esteem, social skills and academic achievement.

To reap all the benefits, it’s important to start off on the right foot. The first step is a physical exam. All athletes should visit their primary care doctor for a yearly sports physical before the start of their season.

In addition to prioritizing rest and hydration, student athletes should adhere to proper stretching and cross training routines.

Your child should wear protective gear that’s intended for a specific sport and position. It should always be worn correctly and inspected regularly to make sure it’s in good condition and fits properly.

Treat injuries with the RICE method: rest, ice, compression and elevation. If you do home treatment and the injury doesn’t resolve within a few days, it’s time to see a doctor.

R Rest

I Ice

C

Compression

E

Elevation

Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 46 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. For 13 consecutive years, U.S. News & World Report has recognized Ochsner as the No. 1 hospital in Louisiana. Additionally, Ochsner Children’s has been recognized as the No. 1 hospital for kids in Louisiana for four consecutive years. Ochsner inspires healthier lives and stronger communities through a combination of standard-setting expertise, quality and digital connectivity not found anywhere else in the region. In 2024, Ochsner Health cared for more than 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 63 countries. Ochsner’s workforce includes more than 40,000 dedicated team members and over 4,900 employed and affiliated physicians. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit https://www.ochsner.org/.

GOODNESS | HOPE | SOLUTIONS

INSPIRED

LOUISIANA

N O L A.C O M & T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

S U N D AY, J U lY 20, 2025

Q&A: Mentoring organization wins national award PAGE 2y

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Jan Risher LONG STORy SHORT

Fake Facebook stories are fooling fans

PHOTOS 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.

A LAND’S LEGACY Land Trust for Louisiana holds unique events for conservation

BY JOANNA BROWN

An easement is a legal agreement — typically between a landowner and an entity such as a land Not every legacy is built with trust — that spells out how the owner can continue to use and concrete.

In a state where land carries benefit from the property, while deep meaning, more Louisianans restricting development and acare finding ways to protect the tivities that could harm the land. places they love. Through conservation easements, they’re ensur- ‘People want to protect a place ing their woods, pastures and wet- they love’ lands will remain for generations to come.

Conservation easements can Land Trust for Louisiana, a con- also bring income tax benefits for servation nonprofit based in Cov- the property owner, especially for ington, was formed 20 years ago farmers and ranchers with agrito help property owners protect cultural land.

Louisiana’s natural landscapes and But that’s the paperwork. At resources. the end of the day, “people want They now hold conservation to protect a place they love. They easements on dozens of proper- want to see it thrive for future genties across the state, preserving erations,” according to Land Trust nearly 15,000 acres of forest, farm- for Louisiana executive director land, riverbanks, marsh and green Cindy Brown.

This is what motivated a group of spaces.

These places range from a friends in the Hammond area, who 100-year-old, family-run rice farm started the land trust in 2005 with in Vermilion Parish, to old-growth the goal of protecting old campforest near north Louisiana’s ground, Cherokee Beach, that had peach country. brought campers and tubers to the

Staff writer

Jay Addison, left, CEO of Land Trust for Louisiana and owner of Pine Knoll Farm, stands with Land Trust for Louisiana executive director Cindy Brown at the organization’s annual meeting in Hammond in February 2023.

Tangipahoa River for decades.

“Our founder, Dr. Jay Addison, grew up near the campground and got his start working as the farm manager at Pine Knoll Farm, just

ä See LAND, page 2Y

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Attendees of The Land Trust Alliance’s annual conference check out the diverse habitat during a field trip to the Abita Creek Flatwoods Preserve near Abita Springs in September 2022. The preserve, which is a partnership of the Land Trust for Louisiana and the Nature Conservancy, is one of five Land Trust for Louisiana projects in St. Tammany Parish.

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 victims of the flash floods. Nor did he convince quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to join him on the mission.

The LSU Tigers football team did not donate $50 million to support flood victims — despite the fake post having been liked by more than 4,000 people and shared by more than a thousand.

Country superstars Reba and Dolly didn’t ride down the swollen Guadalupe River last week in matching orange rain jackets.

Peyton Manning didn’t change the life of a poor 13-year-old girl named Nia by paying for her to attend math camp, leading her to win a national math award seven years later.

King Charles didn’t cry at the French state dinner on July 8, speaking about Catherine, Princess of Wales. Instead, he spoke about England’s long and complicated history with France — and their hope for the future.

All of those fabricated 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 are shared from a Facebook fan page called LSU Gridiron Glory.

Why people make up this stuff — and what their endgame is — remains unclear. So I started digging.

The LSU Gridiron Glory fan page says that eight of the page managers live in Vietnam, two live in the U.S. and one lives in the Philippines. It also said that it’s based at 105 N. Main St., in Koosharem, Utah. The “about page” even includes a phone number.

I called the number.

A woman named Annette answered. She had no idea what I was talking about. She and her family run a small farm. They used to accept wool and cotton from other people across the country and make yarn, but now they just farm. We chatted about my new loom. Then I asked if she or her farm were located on Main Street in Koosharem, population 310 people.

She said she wasn’t.

“I’m out of Koshurum,” Annette said. “That address might be the mercantile, or it might be a church.”

She had no idea how her phone got associated with a page about LSU sports, but she wished she could help me with my new loom.

She’s thinking about getting one herself.

The hunt for other scam sites was on.

I found that there was a similar Sooners Gridiron Glory. I started digging into its “about” info and eventually learned that it uses the phone number and address for Ray’s Barbecue in Norman, Oklahoma.

I called. The waitress who answered said I needed to talk to Ray. He, too, was confused and told me they were not affiliated with the Facebook page, but that they serve a mean version of St. Louis-style ribs.

The list of sites 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 are supposed to be true and uplifting, but which are often fabricated and sentimental,” according to dictionary.com.

ä See RISHER, page 2Y

2Y ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS lll

A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Mentoring organization wins national award Chapter president proud of members

Q&A WITH ANDRE HARMON

PRESIDENT OF 100 BLACK MEN OF BATON ROUGE

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

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Andre Harmon, president of 100 Black Men of Baton Rouge

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.

Andre Harmon sits with Project Excel mentees as they work on vision boards.

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.

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.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

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.

“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.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, July 20, 2025 ■ 3Y

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Self-defense skills can help keep you safe Classes available in New Orleans

BY HANNAH LEVITAN Staff writer

Though violent crime rates have dipped both nationwide and in New Orleans, self defense experts say sharpening the senses and practicing strength training are still important tools for staying safe.

Whether you’re walking alone after dark or navigating unfamiliar streets, staying safe starts with staying aware, according to local black belt dojo instructors Sharon Davidson, Natsumi Sugiyama and Katy 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 a dangerous situation.

“But I think with continual (martial arts) practice, you can override that feeling of panic so that your body reacts even when your mind isn’t quite sure what to do.”

Mind and body At Shotokan Academy, where students train in karate, judo and aikido, Davidson, Sugiyama and Ancelet focus on empowering individuals who take their classes.

Martial arts training enhances strength, reflexes and coordination, along with other techniques needed for self-defense.

“There’s a satisfaction and a

Krav Maga self-defense class participants learn the best ways to punch and kick back at Triumph Krav Maga. sense of well-being that comes with feeling strong, which I don’t think women are necessarily encouraged to feel,” Davidson said.

A large part of Davidson’s introduction to martial arts was the desire to gain control over potentially harmful situations.

After years of practice, the karate instructor is now confident in her ability to defend herself, though she said she hopes to never have to.

“I definitely think that having some confidence in your ability changes the way that you carry

yourself, and people can recognize that for sure,” she said.

The philosophy Even without martial arts experience, you can still deploy preventative measures to diminish danger.

“Your brain is your first weapon for defense,” Davidson said.

Sugiyama added that engaging in combat should be one’s last resort when encountering danger.

When leaving the dojo late at night, she often scans her surroundings and locates her car keys before heading outside.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

“Martial arts is not just fitness Defense Academy, where trainto me, it’s more like a philoso- ing is informed “by real-world exphy,” Sugiyama said. periences, encompassing insights from the battlefield, urban crime How to get involved statistics, and counter-terrorism New Orleans Shotokan Academy strategies.”

The New Orleans Police Departoffers a variety of classes for beginners looking to learn self-de- ment also offers a free seven-week Citizen’s Police Academy program fense tactics.

Other spots like New Orleans twice a year that details the inner Shaolin offer trauma-informed workings of the criminal justice self-defense courses based on the system while offering safety tips.

But above all, prevention is art of kung fu.

If you’re interested in practicing most important, Davidson said.

Krav Maga — a blend of martial “A little bit more preparation art styles that focus on real-world and vigilance can go way farther situations — consider signing up than anything we can teach in two for self-defense classes at DF6 hours.”

At Our Lady of the Lake, we’re not just setting the standard – we are elevating it. We lead the way in healthcare, research and innovation, and what we do today is what others will strive to imitate tomorrow. Our mission guides us, and a spirit of excellence propels us – because the communities we are privileged to serve deserve nothing less. ololrmc.com/excellence

Daryl Marx, MD Robotic Surgery

Family first started by selling root beer – Zatarains –

TRIVIA WITH A LOUISIANA FLAVOR

PLAY IT TODAY!

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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

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. 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.”

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

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

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.

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?

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2025 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

instructions: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “C’esT Le puzzLe” By pam amiCK KLawiTTer aCross 1 Sonoma neighbor 5 Colt’s mama 9 22-Across letters 13 Unseasoned 18 Yellow shape on Ikea’s logo 19 K2 cover 20 Green course, in Germany 22 Rock medium 23 Hypothesis about the origin of oversized bracelets?

26 Marital acquisition 27 Deplete 28 Shed 29 Soars behind a boat 31 Classic Angela Lansbury role 33 Must-have cookbook in every Maine kitchen?

36 GI address 39 Checklist items 42 Use Zelle, e.g.

43 Scuba spots 44 Like some beach reads 46 Hill staffers 48 Actor Penn 49 Blockhead 52 “Wait, don’t forget the most important hamburger topping!”

55 Two under par 57 Piece of mind?

58 Boss Tweed cartoonist 59 Mythological ship 62 Scooby Gang leader 63 Legal agreement 66 Brewery fixtures 69 Postage scale units

71 Highlight of a military band’s museum tour?

74 Broadway opener 76 Cambodia’s continent 77 “You flatter me!”

81 Aretha’s genre 82 Trade jabs 84 Phanaeng cuisine 86 Novelist Jaffe 87 Medicare section 89 Display models made for a palace renovation?

94 Mimic 95 Act as an accomplice 98 Take a shot 99 Accomplice 100 Like most folklore 101 May honoree 102 Number of tiles played for a Scrabble bingo 104 Farm enclosure 105 Silliest cart on a hayride?

110 Make a montage, say 112 2-Down offering 113 Persia, today 116 Rapper __ B 120 Pre-honeymoon destination 121 “Why is my faucet dripping all the time?,” e.g.

125 Quick flash of light 126 Sleep soundly?

127 Hamilton-Burr showdown 128 Alma mater of Bear Grylls 129 Boot bottoms 130 Tight 131 Cheek 132 Hits head-on down 1 Big name in fusion cuisine

2 Budget alternative 3 Hill helper 4 Taylor Swift’s “Red” or Joni Mitchell’s “Blue” 5 Early web portal 6 Pool shot considerations 7 Gold-wrapped candy 8 Lambs’ mamas 9 Fire sign?

10 Whitman of “Good Girls” 11 Cottontail’s kin 12 French Revolution figure 13 2032 Summer Olympics host city 14 Covered patios 15 Improviser’s forte 16 Singer Horan of One Direction 17 Use a divining rod 21 Gibson of “The Collective” 24 “Who cares?” attitude 25 Contact no.

30 __ code 32 Club spread 34 Crude outfit?

35 Lie in the sun 36 Common web site 37 Madrid museum 38 “The Old __ Bucket”: Woodworth poem 40 Sport that may involve chopping boards 41 Takes a taste 45 “Click It or Ticket” restraint 47 Old-school paper copies 48 Sun. message 49 Shrek’s sort 50 Bass offerings

51 Made a meal for 53 Release, as a 45Down 54 Use a surgical beam 56 Steelers’ div.

60 Poe-like 61 Avignon approvals 64 “Go, go, go!”

65 Grows older 67 Actor Mahershala 68 Nebraska divider 70 Part of NSFW

goren Bridge

72 “Bad Monkey” novelist Hiaasen 73 Sandpapery 74 Cake by the sink 75 Turn salmon into lox, say 78 Some Ralph Lauren casuals 79 Nonreactive, in chemistry 80 Appetizing 81 Upscale amenity 83 Bldg. unit 85 Music scholar

wuzzLes

Oscar winner Cotillard 103 Stadiums, e.g.

105 Rugged rocks 106 “Are you listening to me?”

107 Up to, timewise 108 Cautions 109 Zip 111 __ tot 114 Some M&M’s 115 Caribbean color 117 Hayworth of

“Gilda” 118 Gloom partner 119 Cozy quarters 122 Wine la

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.

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 heart with dummy’s six of spades.

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

known for a Beethoven catalog 88 Sorcery 90 Open-mouthed 91 Heavyweight battle 92 Crushed, as an exam 93 Some fast-food outlets 96 Fancy party 97 Opts for 100 Pump number 101 “La Vie en Rose”

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 ____.”

Answer________ 2. Bounty: “The quicker picker ____.”

Answer________ 3. De Beers: “A _____ is forever.”

Answer________ 4. KFC: “_____ lickin’ good.”

Answer________ 5. American Express: “Don’t leave ____ without it.”

Answer________

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

GRADUATE LEVEL 6. Wendy’s: “Where’s the ____?”

Answer________

7. McDonald’s: “You deserve a ____ today.”

Answer________ 8. Burger King: “Have it ____ way.”

Answer________ 9. Lay’s: “Betcha can’t ____ just one.”

Answer________ 10. Coca-Cola: “I’d like to teach the world to ____.”

Answer________ PH.D. LEVEL 11. Capital One: “What’s in your ____?”

Answer________ 12. State Farm: “Like a good ____, State Farm is there.”

Answer________ 13. Taco Bell: “Think outside the ____.”

Answer________ 14. L’Oreal: “Because you’re _____ it.”

Answer________ 15. Folgers Coffee: “The best part of ____ up.”

Answer________

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

zodiaC 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

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

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 — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer All water has a perfect memory and is forever trying to get back to where it was. — Toni Morrison

word GAme Answer shoe shot silo silt site slit slob sloe slot sloth soil sole stile stole heist helot hilt

hobbies hobbit hobble hoist hole holiest hose hosel host hostile hotel isle islet istle belt best bible

bile bite bleb blest blithe blob blot boil bole bolt both obit lest list lite lithe litho

lobbies lobe lose lost ethos this those tile toil toile tole

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAto Answers