Debate centers on consultant’s official status in administration
BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer
He helps manage day-to-day functions at Gonzales City Hall He’s listed as an hourly city employee, with a budgeted yearly income of around $94,000. He drives municipal vehicles.
His job also doesn’t officially exist, depending on who you ask Wade Petite, a lawyer turned campaign consultant who founded a website dedicated to Ascension Parish politics, has courted close political partnerships and controversies for more than a decade. Now during Mayor Tim Riley’s first term in office, he’s acting in the disputed role of Gonzales chief of staff.
“There’s a position for me in the Riley administration, no matter what, whatever it is. And whatever that title is, don’t get hung up on the title because I’m going to be doing the same thing I do for the mayor every day.”
WADE PETITE, Gonzales chief of staff
Riley administration, no matter what, whatever it is,” he said. “And whatever that title is, don’t get hung up on the title because I’m going to be doing the same thing I do for the mayor every day.”
However, the city code states that violations of its ordinances are punishable with a fine of up to $500, an imprisonment of up to 60 days, or both. It classifies each day with a violation as a separate offense.
Schools face new special ed policies
Louisiana law requires cameras in classrooms, updated restraint rules
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
Starting this year, Louisiana school districts must install cameras in all special-education classrooms and make changes to their special education policies, under a new state law that puts additional safeguards in place for students with disabilities.
Under Act 479, which the Legislature passed this year schools must place at least one camera in every special-education classroom by February
The law also puts new restrictions on the practice of physically restraining students with disabilities or putting them in separate “seclusion” rooms. For example, a school nurse or other staffer must visit any student who is secluded or restrained and school personnel must file detailed incident reports. Those changes take effect Dec. 1, though districts have until May to submit updated policies to the state.
“We are making every effort to move forward with planning and preparation to meet the deadline responsibly and efficiently.” TAyLOR GAST East Baton Rouge Parish schools spokesperson
The law also authorizes the state education department to develop a free “crisis intervention” training program for school staffers on how to properly restrain students during emergencies. The training is expected to roll out this fall.
The position has never previously existed in the city government and hasn’t been approved of by the City Council. A Gonzales ordinance states that creating, abolishing or reallocating a filled or vacant position is at the council’s discretion Petite and Riley view that ordinance as an unconstitutional infringement on the Lawrason Act, a state law that dictates mayoral powers. In a letter sent to the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, Riley asked if he had the power to create the chief of staff position and if the existing ordinance is an infringement on the mayor’s power The two have also said they consulted the city’s attorneys in all the actions taken.
Homebuilder challenges ruling on suit
Judge says contracts couple signed not enforceable
BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer
When the chief judge of East Baton Rouge Parish’s district court last week rejected the arbitration contract a Youngsville couple signed before buying their home from residential developer D.R. Horton, it was the first pivotal domino in a series of potential developments for a lawsuit against one of the nation’s largest homebuilders.
The July 22 ruling made by 19th Judicial District Judge Donald Johnson preserves plaintiffs West and Alicia Dixon’s right to pursue their lawsuit against D.R. Horton in state
ä See BUILDER, page 4A
And regardless of the outcome, Petite said he’ll work for Riley and the city
“There’s a position for me in the
Some council members, including Terri Lambert, point to these penalties when talking about Petite’s unappointed position.
“This is against the law,” she said. Lambert filed an objection to Riley’s position with the Attorney General’s Office, and both sides are awaiting a response.
“Wade is just out of control,” she added. “He is out of control.”
Born and raised in the city of Gonzales, Petite readily admits he’s a controversial figure.
ä See PETITE, page 5A
The changes come after a 2024 report from the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office found that, despite warnings from advocates and the federal government that using seclusion and restraint in schools can endanger students and potentially violate their rights, the state Education Department had failed to properly monitor how public schools use the practices.
With the first day of school just weeks away, districts “should be updating their policies, engaging with stakeholders and working with contractors, if they don’t already have one, about installing the cameras to ensure they meet the deadline,” said Ashley McReynolds, program director for Arc of Louisiana, a nonprofit that advocates for people with disabilities.
Some school systems are ahead of the curve.
ä See SCHOOLS, page 4A
Nine schools in EBR to get new principals
Closures lead to several moves
BY CHARLES LUSSIER Staff writer
East Baton Rouge Parish schools
Superintendent LaMont Cole has moved a number of principals this summer, resulting in nine schools starting the school year with new leaders. Cole also continues to make changes at the Central Office, including hiring two top administrators for newly created positions. And he’s still trying to fill four more high-level administrative posts, two of them also new positions. Several of the principal moves
were prompted by a districtwide realignment plan championed by Cole that closed nine schools in May Four of the affected principals have been reassigned to lead other schools, and three have moved to administrative jobs. Two more closed schools, both charter schools, have reopened with new names, management and leadership.
The largest of the district schools with new leaders is Woodlawn Middle, with more than 800 students, while the smallest is Delmont Pre-K Center, with just 130 students.
Employees return from summer break Aug. 4 and students return Aug. 7.
Cole released a public statement
ä See PRINCIPALS, page 5A
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Mayor Tim Riley, left, talks with Wade Petite in the Gonzales city offices on Thursday.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
East Baton Rouge Parish schools Superintendent LaMont Cole has put nine principals at new schools and continues to make changes at the Central Office.
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
Israel again intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship
TEL AVIV Israel The Israeli military has intercepted a Gazabound aid ship seeking to break the Israeli blockade of the Palestinian territory, detaining 21 international activists and journalists and seizing all cargo, including baby formula, food and medicine, the Freedom Flotilla Coalition said Sunday
The coalition that operates the vessel Handala said the Israeli military “violently intercepted” the ship in international waters about 40 nautical miles from Gaza, cutting the cameras and communication, just before midnight Saturday
“All cargo was nonmilitary, civilian and intended for direct distribution to a population facing deliberate starvation and medical collapse under Israel’s illegal blockade,” the group said in a statement.
The Israeli military had no immediate comment. Israel’s Foreign Ministry posted on X early Sunday that the Navy stopped the vessel and was bringing it to shore.
It was the second ship operated by the coalition that Israel has prevented in recent months from delivering aid to Gaza, where food experts have for months warned of the risk of famine. Activist Greta Thunberg was among 12 activists on board the ship Madleen when it was seized by the Israeli military in June. In May, the coalition’s civilian aid ship Conscience sustained a drone attack off Malta that disabled the vessel.
Police seek attacker in deaths of couple in Ark.
WEST FORK, Ark. — Police in Arkansas were searching on Sunday for the attacker in the deaths of a couple who investigators said were attacked while on a wooded walking trail with their two young daughters.
Clinton David Brink, 43, and Cristen Amanda Brink, 41, were found dead Saturday at Devil’s Den State Park in Washington County in a suspected homicide, Arkansas State Police said Their daughters, who are 7 and 9, were not hurt and are being cared for by family members
Officials described the attacker as a White male wearing dark shorts, a dark ball cap, sunglasses and fingerless gloves. He was seen driving toward a park exit in a black, four-door sedan with a license plate partly covered by tape.
The car, possibly a Mazda, may have been traveling on Ark 170 or Ark. 220 near the park in a rural, wooded area with limited cellphone service police said Shea Lewis, secretary of the Arkansas Department of Parks, Heritage and Tourism, said that rangers had stepped up patrols at Devil’s Den. There was no information about a possible motive, officials said.
Extremist rebels capture town in central Somalia
MOGADISHU, Somalia The extremist rebels of al-Shabab seized control of the central Somali town of Mahaas on Sunday after an assault involving explosions and a ground offensive, according to witnesses Mahaas, in the central region of Hiraan, is located about 220 miles north of the federal capital, Mogadishu. The town is a key government outpost and a critical center in the fight against al-Shabab, which for years has been fighting to overthrow the federal government and impose Islamic law
The rebels entered the town after federal and local forces withdrew, according to residents and local officials.
“There were multiple suicide blasts just outside the town early this morning, and heavy gunfire followed,” said Ahmed Abdulle, an elder in Mahaas, speaking to local media.
Government troops and allied militias, known as Ma’awisley, pulled back shortly before alShabab fighters entered the town, he said.
Al-Shabab claimed responsibility for the attack on Mahaas through its affiliated media channels, saying it was now in control there
Terrorism counts sought in knife attack
Authorities say suspect stabbed 11 shoppers at Mich. Walmart
BY MIKE HOUSEHOLDER, RYAN SUN and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A man accused of entering a Walmart in Michigan and randomly stabbing 11 shoppers before being detained by bystanders in the store parking lot is expected to face terrorism and multiple assault counts, authorities said Sunday Grand Traverse County
Sheriff Michael Shea said a motive behind the attack by Bradford Gille of Afton, Michigan, remains unclear Gille, who Shea said had “prior assaultive incidents as well as controlled substance violations,” said very little as he was arrested. The man is expected to be charged with one count of terrorism and 11 counts of assault with intent to murder
Shea praised the quick response by law officers who arrived within three
minutes of receiving the call about the stabbing — as well as a group of bystanders who intervened and detained Gille in the parking lot of the store in Traverse City The community of about 16,000 people is along Lake Michigan.
Gille entered the store at 4:10 p.m. and remained there for some time before the attack began, authorities said. Calls began
coming in to authorities at 4:43 p.m. on Saturday and a sheriff’s deputy arrived at 4:46 p.m.
He said the “remarkable” efforts likely prevented others from being harmed, adding a 3½ inch cutting blade was used in the attack.
“I cannot commend everyone that was involved enough,” Shea said at a news conference. “When
you stop and look from the time of call to the time of actual custody the individual was detained within one minute.”
Gille remained jailed and his name did not appear Sunday in Michigan’s online jail records. Messages left Sunday with phone numbers and an email listed for Gille were not immediately returned His previous court cases
did not have an attorney’s name listed in public records. Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Noelle Moeggenberg told reporters that the terrorism charge will be brought due to the fact that the attack impacted the community, rather than one individual.
“It’s something that is done not to individual people, not to those individual victims — obviously they are most affected — but it is, we believe, in some ways done to affect the entire community, to put fear in the entire community and to change how maybe we operate on a daily basis,” Moeggenberg said. “So that is why we are looking at that terrorism charge.”
Shea said the 11 victims were both men and women and they ranged in age from 29 to 84 and included one Walmart employee Munson Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Dr Tom Schermerhorn, speaking at Sunday’s news conference, said one patient was treated and released; two were in serious condition; and the rest are in fair condition. All were expected to survive.
Israel starts daily pause in fighting in 3 Gaza areas
Military allows ‘minimal’ aid as hunger grows
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, TIA GOLDENBERG and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip
The Israeli military Sunday began limited pauses in fighting in three populated areas of Gaza for 10 hours a day, part of measures including airdrops as concerns grow over surging hunger and as Israel faces criticism over its conduct in the 21-month war
The military said the “tactical pause” from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. in Gaza City, Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, all with large populations, would increase humanitarian aid entering the territory
United Nations humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher welcomed Israel’s decision to support a “oneweek scale-up of aid” and said “some movement restrictions appear to have been eased.” But he said action needs to be sustained, vast and fast.
“Whichever path we
others, if at all. “We saw the planes, but we didn’t see what they dropped,” Samira Yahya said in Zawaida in central Gaza. “They said trucks would pass, but we didn’t see the trucks.”
Some people feared going out and having a box of aid fall on their children, Ahmed al-Sumairi said.
choose, we will have to continue to allow the entry of minimal humanitarian supplies,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said. Images of emaciated children have fanned criticism of Israel, including by allies who call for the war’s end. Israel has restricted aid to Gaza’s population of over 2 million because it says Hamas siphons it off to bolster its rule, without providing evidence. Much of the population squeezed into ever-smaller patches of land, now relies on aid.
As the military had
warned, combat operations continued otherwise Health officials in Gaza said Israeli strikes killed at least 41 Palestinians from late Saturday into Sunday, including 26 seeking aid. “I came to get flour for my children because they have not tasted flour for more than a week, and thank God, God provided me with a kilo of rice with difficulty,” said Sabreen Hassona, as other Palestinians trudged along a dusty road carrying sacks of food from the Zikim crossing.
But aid came slowly for
IS-backed rebels attack church
in Congo, killing at least 34
BY JUSTIN KABUMBA and OPE ADETAYO Associated Press
GOMA, Congo Islamic
State-backed rebels attacked a Catholic church in eastern Congo on Sunday killing at least 34 people, according to a local civil society leader.
Dieudonne Duranthabo, a civil society coordinator in Komanda, in the Ituri province, told The Associated Press that the attackers stormed the church in Komanda town at around 1 a.m. Several houses and shops were also burned.
“The bodies of the victims are still at the scene of the tragedy, and volunteers are preparing how to bury them in a mass grave that we are preparing in a compound of the Catholic church,” Duranthabo said.
Video footage from the scene shared online appeared to show burning structures and bodies on
the floor of the church.
Those who were able to identify some of the victims wailed while others stood in shock.
At least five other people were killed in an earlier attack on the nearby village of Machongani.
“They took several people into the bush; we do not know their destination or their number,” Lossa Dhekana, a civil society leader in Ituri, told the AP
Both attacks are believed to have been carried out by members of the Allied Democratic Force armed with guns and machetes.
Lt. Jules Ngongo, a spokesperson for the Congolese army in Ituri, confirmed at least 10 fatalities in the Komanda church attack However U.N.-backed Radio Okapi reported 43 deaths, citing security sources The attackers reportedly came from a stronghold about 7 miles from Komanda and
fled before security forces arrived.
Duranthabo condemned the violence in what he said was “a town where all the security officials are present.” He called for immediate military intervention, warning that “the enemy is still near our town.”
Eastern Congo has suffered deadly attacks in recent years by armed groups, including the ADF and Rwanda-backed rebels. The ADF, which has ties to the Islamic State, operates in the borderland between Uganda and Congo and often targets civilians. The group killed dozens of people in Ituri earlier this month in what a United Nations spokesperson described as a bloodbath.
The ADF was formed by disparate small groups in Uganda in the late 1990s following alleged discontent with President Yoweri Museveni.
Israel’s military said 28 aid packages containing food were airdropped, and said it would put in place secure routes for aid delivery It said the steps were made in coordination with the U.N. and other humanitarian groups. The U.N. World Food Program said it had enough food in, or on its way, to feed all of Gaza for nearly three months. It has said nearly half a million people were enduring famine-like conditions.
Antoine Renard, WFP’s
country director for the occupied Palestinian territories, said around 80 WFP trucks entered Gaza, while another over 130 trucks arrived via Jordan, Ashdod and Egypt. He said other aid was moving through the Kerem Shalom and Zikim crossings. He stressed it was not enough to counter the “current starvation.”
Gaza saw 63 malnutrition-related deaths in July, including 24 children underage 5, the World Health Organization said.
Dr Muneer al-Boursh, Gaza Health Ministry’s director-general, called for a flood of medical supplies to treat child malnutrition.
“This (humanitarian) truce will mean nothing if it doesn’t turn into a real opportunity to save lives,” he said. “Every delay is measured by another funeral.”
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TRAVERSE CITy RECORD-EAGLE PHOTO By JAN-MICHAEL STUMP
Employees and customers wait outside the Traverse City, Mich., Walmart on Saturday while law enforcement investigates a stabbing attack.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA Humanitarian aid is airdropped to Palestinians on Sunday over the northern Gaza Strip.
U.S.-EU deal sets 15% tariff on most goods
BY WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
EDINBURGH, Scotland The United States and the European Union agreed on Sunday to a trade framework setting a 15% tariff on most goods, staving off — at least for now far higher imports on both sides that might have sent shock waves through economies around the globe
The sweeping announcement came after President Donald Trump and European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen met briefly at Trump’s Turnberry golf course in Scotland. Their private sit-down culminated months of bargaining, with the White House deadline Friday nearing for imposing punishing tariffs on the EU’s 27 member countries.
“It was a very interesting negotiation. I think it’s going to be great for both parties,” Trump said. The agreement, he said, was “a good deal for everybody” and “a giant deal with lots of countries.”
Von der Leyen said the deal “will bring stability, it will bring predictability that’s very important for our businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.”
As with other, recent tariff agreements that Trump announced with countries including Japan and the United Kingdom, some ma-
jor details remain pending in this one
Trump said the EU had agreed to buy some $750 billion worth of U.S. energy and invest $600 billion more than it already is in America — as well as make a major military equipment purchase He said tariffs “for automobiles and everything else will be a straight across tariff of 15%” and meant that U.S. exporters ”have the opening up of all of the European countries.”
Von der Leyen said the 15% tariffs were “across the board, all inclusive” and that “indeed, basically the European market is open.”
At a later news conference away from Turnberry, she said the $750 billion in additional U.S. energy purchases was actually over the next three years and would help ease the dependence on natural gas from Russia among the bloc’s countries.
“When the European Union and the United States work together as partners, the benefits are tangible,” von der Leyen said, noting that the agreement “stabilized on a single, 15% tariff rate for the vast majority of EU exports” including cars, semiconductors and pharmaceuticals.
“Fifteen percent is a clear ceiling,” she said.
But von der Leyen also clarified that such a rate
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and President Donald Trump shake hands on Sunday after reaching a trade deal at the Trump Turnberry golf course in Turnberry, Scotland.
wouldn’t apply to everything, saying that both sides agreed on “zero for zero tariffs on a number of strategic products,” like all aircraft and component parts, certain chemicals, certain generic drugs, semiconductor equipment, some agricultural products, natural resources and critical raw materials.
It is unclear if alcohol will be included in that list.
“And we will keep working to add more products to this list,” she said, while also
stressing that the “framework means the figures we have just explained to the public, but, of course, details have to be sorted out. And that will happen over the next weeks.”
In the meantime, there will be work to do on other fronts.
Von der Leyen had a mandate to negotiate because the European Commission handles trade for member countries. But the commission must now present the deal to member states and
EU lawmakers, who will ultimately decide whether or not to approve it.
Before their meeting began, Trump pledged to change what he characterized as “a very one-sided transaction, very unfair to the United States.”
“I think both sides want to see fairness,” the Republican president told reporters.
Von der Leyen said the U.S and EU combined have the world’s largest trade volume, encompassing hundreds of
millions of people and trillions of dollars and added that Trump was “known as a tough negotiator and dealmaker.”
“But fair,” Trump said.
Trump has spent months threatening most of the world with large tariffs in hopes of shrinking major U.S. trade deficits with many key trading partners. More recently, he had hinted that any deal with the EU would have to “buy down” a tariff rate of 30% that had been set to take effect. But during his comments before the agreement was announced, the president was asked if he’d be willing to accept tariff rates lower than 15%, and he said “no.” Their meeting came after Trump played golf for the second straight day at Turnberry this time with a group that included sons Eric and Donald Jr In addition to negotiating deals, Trump’s fiveday visit to Scotland is built around golf and promoting properties bearing his name. A small group of demonstrators at the course waved American flags and raised a sign criticizing British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who plans his own Turnberry meeting with Trump on Monday.
Other voices could be heard cheering and chanting “Trump! Trump!” as he played nearby
Thai, Cambodian leaders to meet in Malaysia for talks
BY JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI and SOPHENG CHEANG Associated Press
BANGKOK Thai and Cambodian leaders will meet in Malaysia for talks to end hostilities, a spokesperson for the Thai prime minister’s office said Sunday. This comes following pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to end a deadly border dispute, now in its fourth day, which has killed at least 35 people and displaced more than 218,000.
Jirayu Huangsap said Acting Prime Minister Phumtham Wechayachai will attend Monday’s talks in response to an invitation from
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim “to discuss peace efforts in the region.” Anwar has been acting in his capacity as this year’s chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet late Sunday night on several social media platforms confirmed his participation as well.
“I will lead (the) Cambodian delegation to attend a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur hosted by Malaysia, co-organized by the United States and with participation of China,” he said. China is a close ally of Cambodia, and had early in the fight-
ing urged the two nations to resolve their differences peacefully, but Hun Manet’s statement appeared to be the first mentioning a Chinese link to Monday’s planned talks.
Trump posted on the Truth Social social network Saturday that he spoke to the leaders of Thailand and Cambodia and suggested he would not move forward with trade agreements with either country if the hostilities continued. He later said both sides agreed to meet to negotiate a ceasefire.
Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet said earlier Sunday his country agreed to pursue an “immediate and
Tom Lehrer, song satirist and mathematician, dies at 97
BY GILLIAN FLACCUS Associated Press
LOS ANGELES Tom Lehrer, the popular and erudite song satirist who lampooned marriage, politics, racism and the Cold War, then largely abandoned his music career to return to teaching math at Harvard and other universities, has died. He was 97.
Longtime friend David Herder said Lehrer died Saturday at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He did not specify a cause of death.
Lehrer had remained on the math faculty of the University of California at Santa Cruz well into his late 70s. In 2020, he even turned away from his own copyright, granting the public permission to use his lyrics in any format without any fee in return.
A Harvard prodigy (he had earned a math degree from the institution at age 18), Lehrer soon turned his very sharp mind to old traditions and current events.
His songs included “Poisoning Pigeons in the Park,” “The Old Dope Peddler” (set to a tune reminiscent of “The Old Lamplighter”), “Be Prepared” (in which he mocked the Boy Scouts) and “The Vatican Rag,” in which Lehrer, an atheist, poked at the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Catholic Church (Sample lyrics: “Get down on your knees, fiddle with your rosaries Bow your head with great respect, and genuflect, genuflect, genuflect.”)
Accompanying himself on piano, he performed the songs in a colorful style reminiscent of such musical heroes as Gilbert and Sullivan and Stephen Sondheim, the latter a lifelong friend. Lehrer was often likened to such contemporaries as Allen Sherman and Stan Freberg for his comic riffs on culture and politics and he was cited by Randy Newman and “Weird Al” Yankovic among others as an influence. He mocked the forms of
music he didn’t like (modern folk songs, rock ’n’ roll and modern jazz), laughed at the threat of nuclear annihilation and denounced discrimination.
But he attacked in such an erudite, even polite, manner that almost no one objected.
“Tom Lehrer is the most brilliant song satirist ever recorded,” musicologist Barry Hansen once said. Hansen co-produced the 2000 boxed set of Lehrer’s songs, “The Remains of Tom Lehrer,” and had featured Lehrer’s music for decades on his syndicated “Dr Demento” radio show Lehrer’s body of work was actually quite small, amounting to about three dozen songs.
“When I got a funny idea for a song, I wrote it. And if I didn’t, I didn’t,” Lehrer told The Associated Press in 2000 during a rare interview “I wasn’t like a real writer who would sit down and put a piece of paper in the typewriter. And when I quit writing, I just quit. It wasn’t like I had writer’s block.”
3 killed in German train derailment
BY STEFANIE DAZIO
Press
the rain was a factor German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, in a post on social platform X, said he mourned the victims and gave his condolences to their families.
unconditional ceasefire.” He said Trump told him that Thailand had also agreed to halt attacks following the U.S. president’s conversation with Phumtham.
Phumtham thanked Trump and qualified Thailand’s position, saying it agreed in principle to a ceasefire but stressed the need for “sincere intention” from Cambodia, the Thai Foreign Ministry said.
U.S. State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce on Sunday said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had spoken with the foreign ministers of both Thailand and Cambodia urging them “to de-escalate tensions immediately and agree to a ceasefire.”
Her statement added that the U.S. “is prepared to facilitate future discussions in order to ensure peace and
stability” between the two countries. The fighting flared Thursday after a land mine explosion along the border wounded five Thai soldiers. Both sides blamed each other for starting the clashes. Both countries recalled their ambassadors and Thailand closed its border crossings with Cambodia, with an exception for migrant Cambodian workers returning home.
Lehrer
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By IACQUELyN MARTIN
court. There, a jury could one day render the final verdict on whether the mold, humidity and water intrusion issues that persist in their four-bedroom home derive from a faulty HVAC system the Texasbased builder had installed in the residence when it was erected. If the company is held liable, a jury would also determine how much D.R. Horton should pay the family in damages to fix the problems.
D.R. Horton has insisted for the last three years that an arbiter should make those decisions in a different forum — an arbitration proceeding under construction industry rules. While arbitration is generally considered a cheaper and faster option than court, plaintiff attorneys say the construction industry arbitration is “prohibitively expensive” and could cost the Dixons well over $10,000 in fees and filing costs.
Attorneys for D.R. Horton will continue to press the issue, despite Johnson’s finding that the sales contracts the Dixons signed were not binding nor enforceable. The contracts included arbitration and delegation clauses that said all legal disputes would be settled by a private arbitrator, not in a court’s jurisdiction.
D.R. Horton’s lawyers notified the judge and plaintiffs’ attorneys on Thursday that they intend to file a supervisory writ that challenges Johnson’s ruling at the 1st Circuit Court of Appeal. The attorneys are relying on the appellate court for a reversal. In a memo submitted last week, James Alcee Brown, the New Orleans lawyer leading D.R. Horton’s defense against the Dixons, noted the 1st Circuit routinely sides against trial court judgments “denying enforcement of contractual arbitration right.”
“The irreparable harm in this context is that D.R. Horton would be subjected to further proceedings in a non-arbitral forum that lacks legal authority — an error that cannot, as a practical matter, be corrected on appeal from a final judgment at the conclusion of the case,” Brown wrote in his memo asking for a temporary freeze on proceedings in the Dixons’ case. The Dixons’ complaint alleges their Lafayette Parish home
SCHOOLS
Continued from page 1A
Under a different law passed in 2024, schools were required to install cameras in special-education classrooms within 90 days if a parent requested one. The state allocated $8 million for that purpose, but only $2.2 million of those funds had been used as of December 2024, according to the new bill’s fiscal note. Districts can use the leftover money to install cameras under the new state law, the bill’s fiscal note says. Around 1,600 classrooms need cameras, which cost about $5,000 to install per classroom, according to the note. East Baton Rouge Parish schools previously received $500,000 to install cameras, said Janet Armelin Harris, the district’s special education director The district
wasn’t built to stand up to Louisiana’s sweltering heat because the HVAC system is defective. Consequently, the plaintiffs contend, they’ve been forced to grapple with mold and humidity issues that would cost thousands of dollars to repair New Orleans attorney Lance Unglesby, who’s leading the Dixons’ legal team laid out the Dixons’ theory of fraud during a lengthy evidentiary hearing July 16. Unglesby aims to prove that D.R. Horton built and sold thousands of homes along the Interstate 10 corridor — from Lake Charles to Slidell between 2007 and 2024 even though company officials knew the houses had a faulty ventilation system that would cause microbial growth and leakage issues. Bell Mechanical, a Baton Rouge HVAC company, remains a defendant in the lawsuit, although it became clear in discovery phase of the case that it wasn’t the subcontractor that installed the faulty ventilation system at the Dixons’ house, as the plaintiffs originally alleged. Unglesby still insists Bell Mechanical was a key player complicit in D.R. Horton’s scheme to defraud homebuyers because it did install the HVACs in hundreds of other D.R. Horton houses.
He’s hired experts to do hygrometer readings and air quality inspections inside scores of the D.R. Horton-built homes across the state and claims the common thread among all of them is negative pressure.
Negative pressure means the indoor pressure of a home is lower that the pressure outside the building’s envelope, allowing outdoor air elements to be pushed into a house’s indoor environment.
“That’s a serious problem that D.R. Horton was aware of from the beginning,” Unglesby said.
“These homes are in negative pressure. That is the No. 1 biggest problem for homes in Louisiana.
If the home had negative pressure and it was like Arizona or in the North, that wouldn’t be a problem.
Because they don’t have that hot, humid, moist air.”
D.R. Horton has continuously denied the Dixons’ allegations and defends the integrity of its homes.
“We are committed to superior customer service and building quality homes and neighborhoods throughout Louisiana and across the United States,” company spokesperson Bethany Carle
has already installed between 25 and 30 cameras at the request of parents, she said. Now it will need to add cameras to about 200 additional classrooms. “We are making every effort to move forward with planning and preparation to meet the deadline responsibly and efficiently,” said Taylor Gast, a district spokesperson.
Schools will also need to train their staff on how to intervene with students experiencing a behavioral crisis. The state Education Department is scheduled to present information about the training, which will be provided free to schools, at next month’s state board of education meeting The law specifies topics that the training should cover Educators should learn how to deescalate conflicts, how to determine when students are at risk of harming themselves or others and how to restrain or seclude
“The reason that ruling is such a big deal was because it recognized how one-sided the process is
HVAC systems rely on supply air vents to push cool air from an air conditioner or warm air from a furnace into the home. The return vents pull the conditioned air back into the HVAC system and cycles it through again.
“The system is looking for air,”
said in an email Friday “We take homeowner concerns seriously and encourage any D.R. Horton homeowner with concerns about their home to visit drhorton.com/ warranty and submit a request.”
While D.R. Horton moves to challenge last week’s ruling, attorneys for the plaintiffs are preparing to file motions for a class-action hearing should the ruling hold up in appeals. To get a class of plaintiffs certified by the trial court, the Dixons must show what’s called a “commonality” that draws a clear link between the alleged defects of their home and the homes of other proposed plaintiffs for whom they’re poised to serve as class representatives.
Negative pressure is the commonality upon which the couple’s legal team intends to build their case for class action.
“Bottom line, what I’m going to do is show that Horton and Bell knew that the homeowners were experiencing negative pressure,” Unglesby said. “They didn’t disclose any of it to the homeowner during the warranty period. They refused to tell them the truth, refused to fix it when they knew that the people were uncomfortable.”
What is negative pressure?
When the air pressure indoors is lower than the ambient pressure outside, it causes outdoor air to be drawn inward.
During summertime months in Louisiana, that amounts to humid air seeping into homes through the attic, foundation and any unsealed crevices around windows. It often leads to fluctuating temperatures in different parts of a house and the humidity can eventually cause mold and moisture problems.
The working theory being advanced by the Dixons’ attorneys is that D.R. Horton cut corners by deciding not to install a return air grille in the master bedrooms of its homes as a way to reduce building costs.
students, when necessary in a way that’s safe and respects their rights.
Board President Ronnie Morris said the trainings will be offered in two “tiers.” One tier will cover best practices for educators who are already certified to work with students with disabilities, while the other will be for noncertified teachers and staff. Teacher preparatory programs will also be required to administer training.
In Jefferson Parish, Louisiana’s largest district, School Board member Derrick Shepherd estimated that they’ll need to train between 300 and 400 teachers and personnel. He said the district is awaiting further guidance from the state on how to roll out the training.
Anybody who interacts with children will be encouraged to take one of the training programs, he said, including secretaries, principals and other staff members.
Unglesby explained. “And instead of getting cold air to recycle, it’s sucking that hot air into the house and that’s what creates the humidity When it gets to 65-degree humidity or more, that is when you begin to have these problems with mold and moisture damage to the home.”
Unglesby pointed to a deposition last year in a separate ongoing lawsuit against D.R. Horton in Lafayette Parish that was filed by one of the Dixons’ former neighbors. Unglesby who is representing the plaintiffs in that case as well, grilled Mike Bell, one of Bell Mechanical’s cofounders, about the absence of return vents in bedrooms during the Aug. 24 deposition.
Bell testified that “the room will pressurize” if homeowners shut their bedroom doors because there’s no way for the air to escape, according to transcripts from the deposition. When Bell told D.R. Horton about the ventilation issue and recommended that it install return vents in the master suites, company officials opted against it.
“It doesn’t always happen,” he testified “The builders don’t like to pay for the extra ducts or we can’t get an extra duct downstairs in the area sometimes.”
The deposition has not been admitted as evidence in the Dixons’ lawsuit, but their attorneys hope to be able to use it if a class is certified to help bolster allegations that D.R. Horton continued to sell houses after they became aware their homes had faulty ventilation systems that caused negative indoor pressure.
Problems with contracts?
D.R. Horton challenged the district court’s jurisdiction and sought to compel the presiding judge to send the matter into arbitration.
Brown, the attorney leading the company’s defense, leaned on the sales contracts the Dixons signed in April and June 2014, both of which included arbitration clauses. In making his ruling last week, Johnson honed in on the contracts. Both were standard form contracts with what he said was “un-
reasonably” small print and single-spaced, dense blocks of text. The initial contract, copied from a printer with low toner, had ink streaks and was a blurry printout that Johnson said was “virtually unreadable.” D.R. Horton asked the Dixons to “re-execute” the contract two months later due to the poor print quality But Johnson noted key discrepancies between the two purportedly identical agreements — the price of the home was listed about $4,000 higher in the second document and determined they weren’t the same. Despite the arbitration clause, there was no evidence D.R. Horton’s sales agents explained to the Dixons that “AAA” referenced in the clause stood for the American Arbitration Association. Sales agents also failed to show the couple a copy of the AAA construction industry arbitration rules, Johnson’s judgment says. While the Dixons signed both contracts, there was no signature from any D.R. Horton representatives on the June 2014 document, even though the contract called for an “authorized officer of seller” signing it in order to make the agreement legally binding.
Johnson found credence to testimony that D.R. Horton and its representatives led the Dixons to believe the two contracts were “merely to reserve the home” they’d paid a $1,000 deposit for in anticipation of buying it.
The contract, drafted by D.R Horton, gave the company exemptions from the arbitration agreement and other options that weren’t afforded to the Dixons. The judge said the terms lacked mutuality and found no “clear and unmistakable evidence” that it was the Dixons’ intent to delegate their legal claims to an arbitrator. Johnson ruled both contracts are “not legally binding or enforceable.
“The reason that ruling is such a big deal was because it recognized how one-sided the process is for the homeowner when they begin to interact with D.R. Horton and agreed to buy a home,” Unglesby said. “It recognizes that D.R. Horton was not disclosing anything to the homeowner about the rights that they were giving up.
“Basically, these people are told the agreement is one thing, but D.R. Horton has every intention of using it a different way down the road,” he added.
If you’re not pissing somebody off, you ain’t saying anything,” he said Thursday “You want everybody to like you; don’t say anything.”
His current job is the culmination of more than a decade of political involvement. Riley and Petite met around 2015, and the two ran against each other for the Division D council seat in 2016. When Petite came in third, he threw his support behind Riley
“It was an easy call for me to support Tim, and this had nothing to do with money,” Petite said “I’ve never taken a dime from Tim Riley and I never will, right? We had just gotten to be that close to where, ‘OK, this is something I want to do. This is a candidate I feel good about supporting.’”
Council member Tyler Turner won that same 2016 race He also opposes Petite’s role in Gonzales.
“For a position to be created without consulting the council, you know, that’s going against the ordinance,” he said. “… We don’t have a chief of staff position in our organizational chart.”
In 2020, Riley campaigned again and won the Division A council seat with 57% of the vote.
When Riley ran for mayor last year Petite managed his campaign free of charge. He said he worked 18-hour days, updating daily lists of residents who had voted early so the campaign could prioritize undecided residents. That efficacy — and the political connections that come with his experience —
assist Petite in his city hall position, Riley said.
“If we have stuff that we discuss and Wade (Petite) needs to make a call to the parish president or to the CEO or whomever, we can get those answers immediately,” Riley explained. “To me, that’s phenomenal. When you can find out, you know, stuff from another government entity within a matter of minutes or seconds, you can’t beat that.”
Petite’s campaign assistance also included The Pelican Post, a local news blog he helped found about a decade ago. While it covers city and parish governments, the website also weighs in on local elections.
“Political consulting is what it really was, and what it still is, I think,” Petite said about The Pelican Post.
zational chart.
Thursday on the anniversary of his appointment as superintendent, reflecting on the accomplishments of his first year He described the realignment plan as an attempt to “reimagine how our system serves students.”
“This change allows us to reinvest resources where they are needed most,” Cole said. The newest member of Cole’s leadership team is Tiffany Jenkins, chief officer of student support, a new post She is taking over some of the duties of Stacey Dupre, a veteran district administrator with a similar title, chief officer of support and special projects, as a way of lightening Dupre’s load. Jenkins joins 10 other chiefs, the highest rung on the district administrative ladder Jenkins graduated in 1998 from Southern University with a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She’s spent her professional career as a counselor at schools in Colorado and Texas. Her most recent counselor job was at Seven Lakes High in Katy, Texas.
Another top hire is Claudette Perkins, who is the new executive director of academic strategy and interventions. Perkins retired in 2021 from the school district after holding multiple jobs, including several years as principal of Audubon Elementary Cole, meanwhile, continues to fine-tune his organi-
Of the four division heads who report directly to Cole, one position, the newly created post of associate superintendent of fiscal management, has yet to be filled.
In the meantime, leaders in that division are reporting to Deputy Superintendent Adam Smith
The latest version of the organizational chart, released in June, shows who reports to the four division heads. They include 10 chiefs and 16 executive directors, the next rung on the administrative ladder
These 26 positions are filled, except one. That position is executive director of innovative & specialized programs, which has been vacant since the retirement in February of longtime district administrator Theresa Porter
Two other administrative positions, further down the ladder, are also vacant.
One is the new position of administrative director of athletics; interviews are underway The other is director of professional development, which is being advertised; Rochelle Anderson, who has held the job for the past four years, has been reassigned to a director-level position supporting elementary schools.
None of the chiefs, and only three of the executive directors, were placed in their current jobs by former Superintendent Sito Narcisse, who took a voluntary buyout in January 2024.
Two top administrators hired by Narcisse Nichola Hall and Caron Smith — left the district in May Hall, formerly chief of human
Louisiana campaign finance records show consulting fees and advertising expenditures paid to The Pelican Post from numerous elected officials, including parish council members, judges and state politicians.
Petite, who also supported Parish President Clint Cointment, is transparent about the website’s use in supporting election campaigns.
“I worked for Clint Cointment in 2015, that’s what I do. I mean, I work for campaigns, right? That’s how I made my living, with The Pelican Post being the vehicle to get my candidate’s messages out,” he said. “And that’s what it is. I don’t run from that. And we do try to engage in honest reportage on a daily basis about the goings on.”
The website published articles endorsing Riley throughout the
resources, left to become chief operating officer of Louisiana Key Academy Smith, formerly chief of staff, left to become executive director of academic partnerships and strategic initiatives at Baton Rouge Community College.
The four schools with principals whose previous schools have closed are Audubon Elementary, Istrouma High, Progress Elementary and Wildwood Elementary
The new principals of Park Forest and Woodlawn middle schools are filling vacancies.
The principal vacancy at Park Forest Middle arose with the resignation in late May of Xavier Rawls. He was placed on paid leave in the wake of a controversial March 21 visit to his school by rapper David Catherine, aka RealBleeda, who took a video of him dancing with students, later uploaded to TikTok accompanied by his explicit song “Step 2k25.”
The rapper was out on bail for multiple drug and firearms charges as well as resisting an officer In June, Catherine was booked on a first-degree murder count in the drive-by shooting death of Teressa Calligan in September
Here are the schools where the principals have changed and who they replaced.
n Audubon Elementary: Terry Wallis, formerly principal of Bernard Terrace Elementary, which closed in May, replaces Nicole Johnson, who’s been reassigned to be principal of Claiborne Elementary n Claiborne Elementary:
2024 campaign. It also supported Division A council member Eddie Williams — calling him “THE most qualified of all Gonzales Council candidates” who won his seat last fall and has been one of two council members supporting Riley. Some of these articles have since been removed.
Petite’s methods have led to some bad blood. The Pelican Post published a secret recording of candidate Murphy Painter during the 2020 parish president election, which resulted in an ongoing defamation lawsuit. A similar secret recording operation resulted in the trial of former Parish President Kenny Matassa, who was acquitted.
Lambert said she only learned of Petite’s chief of staff position when she saw him driving a city vehicle on Airline Highway earlier this year She’s open about her objections to Petite — “he’s a bully” — leading to tense interactions between them during some council meetings.
“I don’t read The Pelican Post; I block it,” she said. “He’s hurt a lot of people in this community — a lot and he thinks he’s doing it for the greater good or something, and it’s just not. This is not how you do things.” Turner said he wants Riley’s administration to work with the council.
“I just want stuff to be done right and in order by our ordinance and the city codes,” he said “And I just want to do what’s right for the citizens and the employees.” Division B council member Kirk Boudreaux, who is the city treasurer, said he was willing to work with Riley and Petite but wanted
Nicole Johnson, formerly principal at Audubon Elementary replaces Courtney Turner, who’s been reassigned to work with the district’s charter school office.
n Delmont Pre-K Center: Ariane St. Julien, formerly principal of Progress Elementary, replaces Glenda Smith, who’s been reassigned to work with a handful of elementary schools.
n Istrouma High: Cleotha Johnigan Jr., formerly principal of Capitol Middle, which closed in May, replaces Anitra Walker, who’s been
details about how Petite is being paid. The city currently lacks a chief financial officer, he added.
The chief of staff controversy has also impacted the passage of the city’s general fund budget for the current fiscal year A vote to approve the budget failed earlier this month, and a new budget is set to be introduced Monday It includes a pay of roughly $45 per hour for Petite’s chief of staff role. With his new position, Petite is coming into a public-facing job different from his previous world of more behind-the-scenes campaign work.
He usually stands in the back hallway during city meetings. Yet when council members pose questions, Petite commonly approaches the front to answer. He discussed the nuts and bolts of Gonzales city government at length in interviews, while also suggesting a photographer from The Advocate take pictures of Riley over him.
“It’s important to me to do the best job I can for the city that I’ve called home all my life,” he said while sitting by Riley on Thursday “And anybody who wants to talk to me about anything, I’m here, and we don’t duck questions.”
No matter the outcome of the chief of staff debate, Petite said he’s here to stay And he challenged any critics to address him directly
“There’s a reason you hear all this chatter and nattering on Facebook, because they don’t have — and you can quote me on this they don’t have the balls to come in this building and ask us a direct question,” he said. “Because that door is always open.”
reassigned to be principal of Scotlandville Pre-Engineering Magnet Academy n Park Forest Middle: Arneisha Brisco, promoted from assistant principal at that same school, replaces Xavier Rawls, who resigned in May
n Progress Elementary: Shanelle Fernandez, former principal of Ryan Elementary, which closed in May, replaces Ariane St. Julien, who’s been reassigned to be principal of Delmont Pre-K Center n Scotlandville Pre-Engi-
neering Magnet Academy: Anitra Walker, formerly principal of Istrouma High, replaces Jannette Davis, who’s been reassigned to assist with alternative schools. n Wildwood Elementary: Michael Butler, former principal of Eva Legard Center, which closed in May, replaces Daniel Edwards, who’s been reassigned to be principal of Woodlawn Middle. n Woodlawn Middle: Daniel Edwards, former principal of Wildwood Elementary replaces Raquel Brown, who recently retired.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Wade Petite serves as Gonzales chief of staff.
METRO
Bagging rights
Dorian Bessie, 9, and Chance Bessie, 11, receive backpacks full of school supplies during Burreaux’s Back-to-School Kickoff at the Elite Training Academy in Baton Rouge on Sunday
Police: BR man texted teen repeatedly to solicit sex
Suspect also accused of punching girl’s mother
BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer
A Baton Rouge man was arrested after allegedly badgering his neighbor’s 14-year-old daughter for sex over multiple text messages. When the girl’s mother confronted him, the man beat her, police records show Anthony McManus, 55, was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on Tuesday on counts of indecent behavior with a juvenile, computer-aided solicitation of a minor and simple battery Police were first called to a Scotlandville residence on May 27 for a report of a disturbance.
On scene, a woman told officers that after trying to confront McManus about sending inappropriate messages to her daughter, he punched the mother in the face repeatedly, leaving with her a swollen lip and a bruised face.
The woman told officers that in these texts McManus repeatedly begged the teen girl to have sex with
him in exchange for money
Police reviewed the texts, which are described in a police affidavit as “quite specific and overt.”
In the texts, McManus promises the girl that she will “always have money” if she agrees to his offer of sex.
“And I will put $500 in your pocket just to show u,” one text reads. In others, McManus alternates between threatening and cajoling the girl, saying that he’s never had to “beg no woman n my life boo, u don’t know how special you are.”
McManus also attempted to persuade the girl to entice one of her friends to have sex with him for money
These graphic texts continued “almost non-stop” over a period of two weeks in April, the affidavit says.
At one point, the victim attempted to block McManus’ number, but he changed his phone number in order to contact her again, according to police.
In addition to inappropriate behavior with a juvenile and simple battery, McManus was booked on 13 counts of computer-aided solicitation of a minor
Email Quinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.
1 killed, another injured at Highland Road apartment complex shooting
Staff report
A woman was shot in the chest and died and a man was shot in the leg Sunday morning at an apartment complex on Highland Road.
Baton Rouge police were called about 8:45 a.m. to the scene in the 1500 block of Highland Road; the complex is next to the Walmart that also fronts Lee Drive.
Baton Rouge Police Department
Deputy Chief William Clarida said the woman and man were both transported to a hospital, where the woman died from her gunshot wound. Clarida added that the man is being treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.
Police were still working the scene at 11 a.m. Sunday. At that time, Clarida said there were no witnesses.
Overnight I-10 lane closures set
Staff report
Overnight closures of sections of Interstate 10 are set for three locationsinBatonRougethroughTuesday as part of the I-10 widening project. The Department of Transportation and Development said the nighttime closures will be at: n I-10 eastbound, from the Gov-
ernment Street exit to the College Drive exit continues Monday from 12 a.m. to 5 a.m. n I-10 westbound at the Perkins Road on-ramp from 7 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m Tuesday n I-10 westbound from the College Drive exit to the Government Street exit from 7 p.m. Monday to 5 a.m. Tuesday.
Exonerated man details legal odyssey in memoir
Activist releases book after Angola
BY JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writer
When Calvin Duncan spoke last month to a group of teen students in a New Orleans courtroom, he offered a seemingly modest regret from his youth.
“First, don’t make the mistake I made when I was 14, shoplifting for clothes,” said Duncan, 62. “That ruined my life.”
Itwasn’tthecrimesomuchasthe mugshot. Five years later, it led authorities to pluck Duncan, then 19, from a Job Corps program in the mountains of Oregon and haul him back to New Orleans to face a capital murder charge.
What followed was a flawed 1985 conviction, a life prison sentence and a 28-year odyssey for Duncan to clear his name in the killing from behind bars, as he became perhaps the most successful inmate counsel inside the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola.
In “Jailhouse Lawyer,” a memoir released this month, Duncan and appellate attorney Sophie Cull chronicle a childhood in New Orleans, raised as an orphan in an abusive home, and Duncan’s remarkable evolution behind bars as he maintained his innocence in the crime that landed him there.
Helped by lawyers from Tulane University and Innocence ProjectNew Orleans, Duncan finally won his release in 2011 in an agreement with former District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro’s office. He eventually was exonerated.
The book amounts to an intimate history lesson on Louisiana’s treatment of its imprisoned over decades, and the pivotal laws and court decisions that Duncan and others scrambled to fight or exploit from behind prison walls.
“I wanted the world to know there was once some Black men, you know, in the darkest place in the world, that rose above our situation and helped each other,” he said in a recent interview
“Because you don’t never hear those kind of stories. You generally hear stories about other people coming in and doing the heavy lifting. But we did our own heavy lifting. How we taught each other the law How we educated one another.”
Duncan this month qualified to run for clerk of Criminal Court against incumbent Darren Lombard and another challenger, Valencia Miles.
His legal career began in the New Orleans jail before his trial, with a simple winning motion for a copy of the state Code of Criminal Procedure. He soon became known as the “Snickers” lawyer, for the chewy fee he’d charge to help others.
He racked up a string of court wins from the Orleans Parish lockup, helping fellow inmates, including those in need of dentures, waiting on their court dates. Duncan convinced the sheriff to ship him at last to Angola, where a team of inmate counsel had access to training and a law library he coveted.
Duncan would become a leader and teacher in the group, even as his pursuit of records and an investigation into his own case often went sideways.
Prison advocacy
Wilbert Rideau, the acclaimed prison journalist who was released in 2005 with Duncan’s help, has credited Duncan as having “the most brilliant legal mind in
table for an agreement on his release, Duncan wrote.
Parker, a former prosecutor who left the bench a decade ago and is now running for Orleans Parish sheriff, said he couldn’t recall the case.
To Duncan, who rarely goes out without a grin, the judge’s denial appeared to seal his fate. At Angola, Duncan despaired.
“He procedurally barred me in a way that I wasn’t gonna get any relief,” Duncan said. “And that’s when I hit rock bottom, and I stayed at rock bottom. It was so bad. I saw visions of my dead friends and stuff, and I couldn’t shake that s*** at all.” Out of prison
Angola.”
Attorney Keith Nordyke, who was appointed by a federal judge to monitor conditions at Angola and provided computers for the inmate counsel, called Duncan “by far the star of the show” among them.
“I think of all of the inmate counsel, he was the most curious, the most driven to learn this stuff,” Nordyke said.
At Angola, news of new court decisions or changes in the law tended to stir immediate reaction.
“It’s their oxygen. It’s what keeps their hope up,” Nordyke said. “It tends to matter a little more to them whose ox is getting gored.”
Those prisoners also “knew the lawyers that were worth a flip and who were the hacks,” he said.
Duncan pointed to gains the inmate counsel made over the years — in decisions that secured the right, for instance, to police reports and district attorney files — only to face new hurdles, such as buying them.
“People were working in the fields for that money,” Duncan said. Or, until it was barred, selling their plasma. Duncan’s pay as an inmate counsel rose to 20 cents an hour
“That’s why people participate in the (Angola prison) rodeo, to get money to get some of their records. People think of it as a fun event, but these guys are out there working for the paper.”
Procedural obstacles
Duncan’s book recounts some of the key court opinions that helped open doors for some prisoners, and fresh legal obstacles that elected lawmakers put in place in response.
He recounts a campaign that rose up from inside Angola in 1991 after the Legislature passed a law restricting post-conviction relief petitions to three years after a conviction became final. It meant some inmates could lose out, regardless of the merits of their claims.
Nordyke, inmate counsel Norris Henderson and others hatched a plan to broadcast the news over prison radio. Duncan and others manned cell blocks to help inmates meet the new deadlines.
Recent moves by the Louisiana Supreme Court and the Legislature to further tighten the rules for post-conviction relief strike Duncan as a return to form — fresh weight against the courtroom door under the guise of finality for victims.
In his own case, former Criminal District Judge Julian Parker denied Duncan’s claims on procedural grounds before the Louisiana Supreme Court later ordered an evidentiary hearing, setting the
Duncan’s transition after his release proved swift and unusual Since leaving prison, Duncan has gone to attend law school.
While working in New Orleans as a paralegal after his release, he spearheaded two dozen challenges by prisoners to Louisiana’s nonunanimous jury law, before the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed them in 2020.
At the same time, Duncan was fixing up transitional houses for returning prisoners.
“His hobby on the side was going to the DA’s Office and scanning files and sending them to people at Angola,” said attorney Ben Cohen, who filed the split-jury challenges with Duncan’s help. It was one of many legal avenues that Duncan pressed, Cohen said.
“He was litigating people’s conditions, litigating people’s sentences. He was litigating lots of things that lost, and so it’s not as if he had some magical insight this was the one thing to litigate. He was doing all of it.”
Most of his clients had no lawyers of their own.
Duncan and Cull, his co-author, met after he’d left prison. They worked in the same legal outfit, bonding on walks and drives to Shreveport to protest a Confederate monument that no longer stands outside the Caddo Parish courthouse.
Cull said she found a source for Duncan’s drive to help others from his distant past: steps he took to protect his younger sister, or while working cleanup at age 17 in Le Pavillon hotel downtown.
“Calvin was sneaking unhoused people into the hotel so they could work while no one was looking, pay them, give them food, a place to shower, then they would go back out,” Cull said.
It was a risk he took for others before he was ever accused in a murder, Cull said.
Duncan was also committing crimes, he noted, as another lesson crossed his mind when it comes to the legal help that Louisiana prisoners can bank on after their initial appeals are done.
“They’re gonna see: You might have an overworked attorney for your appeal, but after that, your son is on their own,” he said. “And that’s the scary part.”
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER
In a new memoir called ‘Jailhouse Lawyer,’ New Orleans native Calvin Duncan chronicles his evolution behind bars at Louisiana Penitentiary at Angola as he maintained his innocence of the crime that put him there.
Funerals Today
Bonaventure,
Castello,John
Delaune Jr., Eldon
McCarthy,William Holy GhostCatholic Church,600 North OakStreet,Hammond Louisiana at 11am
Stelly,Billie
St.Jean Vianney, 16166 S. Harrells Ferry Road,at11a.m
Thomas,Stacy
Mt.PilgrimBaptistChurch at 11am
Obituaries
Russ, Elizabeth Elizabeth Russ transitioned on Thursday,
Born on August 19, 1957 to the late Bertrand and Mary Russ of White Castle, LA Sheleaves to cherishher memoryher lovingsons Kyle Hawkins, and Dean Favron both of Baton Rouge, LA.
Spears, Virginia Morrison 'Jenna'
Virginia Morrison Spearspassed awayFriday, July18atOur Ladyof the LakeHospital. Alifelongresident of Zachary, she was aretired EBR Food Service Technician and memberofNew Pilgrim BaptistChurch in Zachary whereshe served as a Deaconess.Affectionately calledJenna,she was precededindeath by herhusband Jesse SpearsJr.,parents Willieand Margaret Morrison, mother-in-law Leona Shoemaker, son RonaldJeromeSpears, daughter, Beverly Jean Spears,daughter-in-law Victoria L. Spears,sisters Marilyn McCoy, Willie Mae Riley, MaryHutson, Ruby
Morrison, brotherClarence Morrison and daughter-inlawVictoria L. Spears.She leavestocherish her memoriesa brother Henry (Willie Mae)Morrison, childrenWayne E. Spears (Denise), ConnieSpears (Bruce) Thornton, and Carl Bruce (Ethel) Spears daughter-in-law Alice Spears.Eleven grandchildren,23great grandchildren and ahost of relativesand friends. ACelebrationoflifewillbeheld at NewPilgrimB.C.located at 4277 OldWeisRd. in Zachary, LA.beginning with aViewing from5-7PM Tuesday, July29th. Viewing continues Wednesday from 9AMuntil theReligious Service at 11 AM. Arrangements entrusted to Miller &Daughter Mortuary of Zachary.
TheGolden Deeds awardisthe most prestigious awardinthe GreaterBaton Rougearea.
Since itsinceptionin 1942,ithas been awardedtoonlyone outstanding recipienteach year forphilanthropic servicetothe community. Theactions andservice of therecipients have made thecommunity abetterplace to live andwork.
Explainwhy your nomineeshouldreceive theGolden Deeds Award. Tell us in your ownwords aboutthe most memorable things they’vedoneinservice to thecommunity Tell us howtheir actionstouched your heart; howtheymadea difference Give specificexamplesofwhatthey’ve done Maximumof750 words. Nominationsmustmeet specificrequirementstobeconsidered.
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
CROWNPLAZA EXECUTIVECENTER 4728 CONSTITUTION AVE. •BATON ROUGE Tickets$50 each •Group tables available To purchase tickets, contact RichardFlicker at flicker@premier.net or 225-931-1626
Mail nominationletters to TheAdvocate attn: Ellen Ducote P.O. Box 588 Baton Rouge, LA 70821 or emaileducote@theadvocate.com PRESENTEDBY
Rouge,
Stateshould increase the homestead exemption now
In 1980, the Louisiana homestead exemption was $75,000. The median house price was $85,000.
The median house price in Louisiana today is approximately $240,000. If the ratio of the exemption compared to the median house price remained the same, the homestead exemption today would be over $200,000.
Property taxes are reassessed every four years. However,if there is asignificant change to theproperty (suchasnew constructionorrenovations),the tax assessor may make an interim assessment in between these four-year cycles. Furthermore, if the homeowner fails to pay the property tax, the local government can sell the property at auction to collect unpaid taxes. Hasthe homeowner become the tenant and the government the landlord?
The original intention of the homestead exemption was to protect homeowners and enhance their financial security. Homeowners are the backbone of afree society.They pay most of the taxes, do more to improve ourcommunities, are law-abiding and extremely family-oriented.They are the glue that holds our society together Louisiana’shomestead exemption should be increased now to reflect the 1980 ratio of exemption to median home prices. In other words, if the median house price is $240,000, the homestead exemption would be $211,200. Therefore, as home prices increase, the homestead exemption would increase at the same 1980 ratio. All homeowners would benefit, especially lowincome and middle-classhomeowners. Lower property taxes would attract newcomers to our state, it would encourage our residentsto stay,and the demand forsinglefamily dwellingswould increase dramatically Ahome should be aman’s castle, not acash cow forthe government.
JOSEPH E. BELLANDE III Chalmette
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
YOUR VIEWS
Protectblack bears, at least
untilthere’s an accurate count
As aboy in the 1950s, Iwent on several bearhuntsinthe swamps near Avery Island and havesince becomeanadvocatefor our official state mammal.
In 1987,atthe urging of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service zoologist Ronald Nowak, who had studied theuniqueness of Ursus americanus luteolus, Ifiled theoriginalpetition to list the Louisiana black bear as athreatenedspecies.
In 1992, in responsetomysuit against the U.S.Fish andWildlife Service, thebear was listed, and thepopulation has been recovering with critical habitat being recognized in federal court in 2005. The last official count wasconducted in 2006 in the coastal region using infrared photography and hair snares. Nonetheless, with no updated count,the bear wasdelisted in 2016, and we are now in the second year with an open bear hunting season.
As alifelong hunter,Ienvision afuture when hunting bears in Louisianawould be
feasible, but we are far from it.
Several thingsneed to happen
First,weneed to set agoal forabear count that would readily rebound from hunting depending on habitatsunder consideration, it could range from 5,000 to 6,000 (one-third of the estimated population circa 1900).
Second, we need an updated count using current technologies.
Third, we need to partner with neighboring states within the bear’shistorical and actual range (where Louisiana black bear hunting remainsillegal) to protect areas vital to the bear’sexistence.
This year,the LouisianaDepartment of Wildlife and Fisheries will issuebylottery 26 permitstohunt black bears. Nonhunters and those hunters who are particularly bad shots are encouraged to apply; all others should wait until we have an accurate count.
HAROLD SCHOEFFLER Lafayette
Cuttingrenewable energy credits short-sightedand will hurt Louisiana
In thearticle “How Mike Johnson, Steve Scalise and Donald Trumpgot the OneBig Beautiful Bill Passed,”Scalise is quoted as saying, “A lot of people wrotethis bill off as dead.”
We can only wish it were.
There’sbeen lots of media attention to the harmsthisbill will cause to not only the nation’spoorest, but also to all Americans inheritingarecord-breaking deficit that could easily beresolved by appropriately taxing thesuper-rich. But let’sfocus on the short-sighted elimination of theInflation Reduction Act’srenewable energyincentives. Because this makes no senseeconomically,let alone environmentally
parently,Trump’spersonal obsession with eliminating anything Joe Biden innovated “trumps” America effectively competing in afast-growing global industry.How is that “America First?”
Irespectfully ask Sens. Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy toexplain their votes forabill that eliminates green energy incentives, and why they align themselves with an administration that, despite scientific data proving that fossil fuels accelerate global warming, willfully dismisses climate change as an existential threat.
Health care system can be fixed, if we have thewill
Back in the 1980s, Iwas asecretary forthe World Health Organization headquarters in Geneva, Switzerland.
Igot apretty good overview of health care systemsand problems around the world, from cancer, AIDS,mother and child health, vaccination, tropical diseases, etc. At one point, it becameobvious to me that the United States was somesort of outlier in the world. The American health care system wasbased on profit, exclusion of ordinary illnesses, lies, gamesmanship and trickery.It’sakind of bait-and-switch system that plays with human lives. The American system is called a“health scam”by the rest of the world. Iremember thinking: “Why don’tthey just call someone and ask them how to create ahealth care system that works forpeople?” Iwas young. Ithought somehow the American governmentjust didn’tknow how to do it. That was 45 years ago. While Americans donate massive amounts of money into corporate “health scam”profits, what return are they getting on the investment? The U.S. is 48th in lifeexpectancy.The devastation of the system includes premature death, high disease rates, drug addiction, homelessness, bankruptcy,food insecurity,crime, etc. The unnecessary suffering that people endure cannot be calculated; however, we all experience it in one way or another.Maybe it’stimethe U.S. woke up and madethat phone call. The world is watching. We are all waiting.
JOAN FOX NewOrleans
Column correctly called Landry to task
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According to theEnergy Institute, in 2024, windand solar energy were thefastest growingofall energies. China produced 57% of these, with solar almost doubling in two years. This bill, in slowing down American production of renewables and EVs, will help speed up China’sdominance while strangling alreadyunderway American projects. Ap-
Coastal Louisianaisalready feeling the effects of global warming; this will only get worse without legislation and regulation. But this administration has deliberately weakened the EPAand NOAA, and the congressional majority,trapped in an echo chamber of “talking points” and outright propaganda, and afraid to challenge afickle and corrupt president, is happy to play along. Their combined legacy will be catastrophic.
FRANCESCA KELLY NewOrleans
In response to Mark Romig’s guest column on theimportance of supporting theCorporation for Public Broadcasting. Iagree. Butour family is aformer contributor to PBS Unfortunately,asthe NPRarm of CPB has turned to avery one-sided, political and sometimes bitter agenda, we have decided to stop ourPBS contributions. We are not alone in enjoying the many movies and documentaries on PBS, but the one-sided NPR political news view and stories makeitvery difficult for manyofour friends to financially support avery onesided point of view Hopefully,Ilook forward to contributing again to aless political and more balanced PBS GARYM.DAMARÉ Marrero
Quin Hillyer’scolumn on July 6 precisely and publicly nailed several of Gov.Jeff Landry’sblatantly political vetoes on several bills from this legislative session. These vetoed bills included subjects such as child school safety,tutoring, an athletic field, tennis/pickleball courts, eight parks, sewer problem repair,better bridges and roads, economic development —all for small towns and schools all across the state. As stated in the article, these were relatively small items, budgetarily speaking, plus they had previously been passed unanimously by both the Senate and the House.
Meanwhile, the governor did not veto certain other bills, some of which enjoyed the magician’s sleight of hand with state financing, and someofwhich were obvious political gifts forafew of the governor’svery supple legislators. So these lesser political entities across the state will just have to live with their rejected needs vetoed and unfulfilled —for yet another year.It’stoo bad forthem that this administration still has two and ahalf moreyears to rule with mayhem and malpractice.
JOHN BERRY Baton Rouge
STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE
ALouisiana black bearhangs out in atree near the Broadmoor United Methodist Church on May30inBaton Rouge.
COMMENTARY
CAM RANH, Vietnam The story sounds like a“Mission Impossible”script.
Fifty yearsago,near the end of the Vietnamwar as North Vietnamese troops headed south, the director of the Cam Ranh ChristianOrphanage, PastorNguyen Xuan Ha —known to everyone as Mr Ha —decideditwas time to escapeto somewhere safe.
WINNER: Erin O’Sullivan Fleming, River Ridge
COURSE PRO
Well played! We received 586 entries in this week’sCartoon Caption Contest. Ithought this might be a tough one buty’all playeditlikepros! We had alarge bucket full of funnypunchlines to choosefrom,and ourwinner hititright down the fairway! Nice job, everyone. As always, when we have duplicate entries, andwealways do,wepick the earliest sent in.—Walt
CHARLES THEAUX, PONCHATOULA:
“Did youknowhehas amancave in the windmill?”
ANDYJANES,PASS CHRISTIAN, MISS.:
“His shortgame is outstanding!”
JIM WILLIAMSON, MANDEVILLE: “Aim forhis left foot. It should ricochet back towards the hole!
LARRYDEBILEUX, METAIRIE: “I hear he bathes in the ball wash machineonNo. 1.
CAROLYN MCCARTY,SLIDELL: “He’s a mini driver!”
MICHELE STARNES,KENNER: “I think we just gothustled by agarden gnome!”
TOMMY METZ, JEFFERSON: “Heysis, don’t look nowbut Ithink this might be a ringer.”
LOIS WILLOZ, METAIRIE: “That’sthe new owner.The leprechaun invested his endof the rainbowmoneytobuy this place.”
RAYAUTREY,MORGAN CITY: “They say he’samaster on the shortputts!”
STEVE VILLAVASO,NEW ORLEANS: “He took awrong turnoff the yellowbrick road!”
D. SABRIO, METAIRIE: “Tousit’sa 25-foot putt.To himit’sa150-yard par 3!”
RALPH STEPHENS,BATON ROUGE: “Let himplaythrough. He’sthe pro here.”
MARIANO HINOJOSA, BATONROUGE: “I heard he wonthe Lilliputian Open last month.”
LYNN WISMAR, KENNER: “He must be Dutch —hejust walkedout of that little windmill!
TODD BOUDREAUX, DONALDSONVILLE: “Uncle John takes hisminigolfserious.
JIMMIEPAPIA, METAIRIE: “He’son summer vacation. During the winter,he works at the North Pole.”
JACK KNAUER, RIVER RIDGE: “Wow, there’sminiature golf, and then there’s THIS guy!”
MARTHA STARNES,KENNER: “I’m pretty sure he’s sponsored by LEGO!”
DALE STOUT,COLORADOSPRINGS, COLO.: “Wanna makealittle bet?” KIRT H. ULFERS,METAIRIE: “I hear this guy can line up putts accurately without bendingdown.
DAVIDDELGADO, NEWORLEANS: “He designed this course!”
JOE KOVACS,NEW ORLEANS: “Don’t worry, he’sjust headedhometothe castle on the 9th hole!”
SHERRIE HOLLIDAY, METAIRIE: “Is it mini golf forhim or just golf?”
TIMOTHY F. BENSON, SIOUX FALLS,S.D.: “He won’tsink the putt. He always comes up short.
GRADYMICHAEL TOWNLEY,BATON ROUGE: “yeah, he mayhavethe advantagenow but waittill he walks 18 holes!”
AMALIE THIBODEAUX, HAMMOND: “It’s allfun and gamesuntilsomebodyuses the word ‘literally’ correctly.”
STEPHEN RADCLIFFE, BATONROUGE: “Pssst… hissize is about par for this course.”
BRUCE TAMPLAIN, LAPLACE: “Webetter let himgothrough, he’sa big shot.”
EDWARD LASCELLE, PINEVILLE: “He’s also the shortorder cook at the snack bar!”
What Americansthink aboutimmigration
Recently,CBS News published anew poll with the headline, “Poll finds support for Trump’sdeportation program falls.”The story seemed straightforward. But the story behind thestory is worth looking into.
The poll found that 44% of those surveyedapproved of the way PresidentDonald Trumpis handling the issue of immigration, while 56% disapprove. After that came anumber of more specific questions. What do you think about “the Trump administration’sprogram to findand deport immigrants who are in the U.S. illegally?” Forty-nine percentapproved, while 51% disapproved.
“On matters of deportation, differences hinge on who, and how many, Americans see as being targeted, as well as the use of detention facilities,” wrote CBS. It was all pretty run-of-the-mill stuff, until this question: “Doyou think Donald Trump’spolicies are makingthe number of migrants crossing the U.S.Mexico border go up, go down, or not change?” Unlike an opinion question, this was afact-based query,witha right and awrong answer.
Sixty-four percent gave theobviously correct response —Trump has made the number of migrantscrossing the border go down. But 28%said the Trump policies have made nodifference, which was flatly wrong.And 8% said crossings have actually goneup, which was crazy wrong.
Just for the record, the Border Patrol recorded 2,206,436 encounters withillegal border crossersinfiscal year 2022, the first full year of Joe Biden’spresidency.(The government keeps thenumbers in fiscal years—fiscal year 2022
ran from Oct. 1, 2021, to Sept.30, 2022.) In fiscal year 2023, there were 2,045,838 encounters, and in fiscal year 2024 there were 1,530,523. So far in Trump’spresidency,there were8,348 encounters in February, 7,183 in March, 8,378 in April, 8,723 in May,and 6,072 in June. Youdothe math;there hasbeen an off-the-cliff drop in encounters sinceTrumpbecame president.And just to emphasize things, even of thosesmall numbers of crossings, U.S. officials arenot allowing any of the illegal crossers to stay in thecountry So how didsomany poll respondents get thesituation so wrong? Putthe 28% andthe 8% together,and you get 36% of Americanswho don’tknow what Trump has done onthe border.Ormaybe they know but will not acknowledge it.So takeacloser look into thedetails of that simple question:Have Trump’spolicies made thenumber of migrants crossing theborder goup, or down, or made no difference? Looking into the details of the poll, the numbers forDemocratic respondents were striking. Afull 43% of Democrats said Trump’spolicies have madenodifference, while an additional 10% said those policies have madeborder crossings go up. That’sa majority who either do not knoworwho reject thefacts on theborder.Just 47% of Democrats knew, or admitted, the correct answer Some ofitisjust lack of knowledge. In any poll, there will be some number of people whodon’tknow basic political facts. Butthe Democratic numbers seem larger than that. Perhaps respondentshavebeen reading and watching news outlets that largely ignore the border issuebut pay alot of attention to thedeportation issue. Or perhaps they
know thesituation on the border but just don’twant to acknowledge it. In any event, theanswers to theborder crossings question could tell us something about the answers to all the other immigration questions in the CBS poll, and perhaps in other polls as well. What do people mean when they say they do not approve of Trump’s“immigration” policy? Do they mean border security? Do they mean ICE enforcementoperations? Do they mean action against people who broke thelaw by entering the country and then broke it again by committing some other crime? Or those who broke thelaw by entering but have not committed any additional crimes?
Andwhat do they know about what theTrumpadministration is doing? Do they know about the border crossing numbers? Do they know what the ICE raids are accomplishing? Alot of that will depend on what, if any,news coverage they read and watch.
For example, for theworst years of theBiden border incursion, Fox News was the only national news organization to cover what was one of the most important stories of recent decades. People who got their news from other sources might not have known what was going on. Why did those news sources downplay such obviously consequential news? That’sanother story.The fact is, it’s entirely possible significant numbers of Americans, even now,are not fully informed on what is going on in the Trumpadministration under theheading of “immigration.” The new CBS poll, with its seemingly confusing results, appears to show that Byron York is on X, @Bryon York.
Mr.Haput 85 childrenand staff on two busesand headed for Saigon where he hopedtheycould flee to safety One of the buseswas shot at by aNorth Vietnamesesoldierand the buses separated. Somehow,they reunitedinSaigon. After renting aboat andgetting some distancefromshore, the engine quit. Forfive days, theydriftedbefore aThailand tanker approached.The captain refusedto help, but laterchanged his mind, turned around andtowed themfor awhile. After cutting the towline,agroup of fishermen towed themtowardSingapore.
Soldiers refusedtolet them ashore. Mr Ha wrote aname on apiece of paper and askeda soldierifhecould locatea missionary named Ralph Neighbour to help. Dr.Neighbour (now96),and newly arrivedinSingapore, wasmiraculously found. He picks up the story from there in an emailtome: “Singapore government kept themout on St. John’sisland. Our missionary team took clothesand food out. The U.S. embassy contacted Swiss United Nations Refugee Center.Special flight arrived. Childrenwhiskedthru Singapore on bus with windows covered.Government feared losing neutrality during war. No officialrecordtheywere there.” IknewDr. Neighbour fromwhen he was apastorinHouston, where Iworked at alocal TV station.
He calledand askedifIcould help get the orphans andstaff to the U.S. andfind temporary housing forthem. Icontacted some Washingtonofficials Iknew and permission forthem to enter the country was granted. WhentheyarrivedinHouston, achurchcouple with alarge ranch offered themshelterand food until the BucknerChildrenand Family Services in Dallas could assist with processing and adoptions.
Recently,I’ve been in Vietnamtomark the 50thanniversary of the orphans’ escape. Iinterviewed the youngest, oldest andone in between who made the anniversary trip.
SamSchrade, who was ababywhen he was rescuedfrom the streetsofSaigon, is 51 andowns asuccessful media business in Houston.
Howwould his life have been different hadhestayedinVietnam? He says the fact thatheisof“mixedrace” (American Asian) would make it “doubly hard” because native Vietnamese “look down upon suchpeople Ihavebeen told by many people Iwould nothavehad agoodlife here because of the race issue and agovernment that didn’twantme.”
Kelli St. German, now56, thinks she might have been growing coffee beans anddoing hard laborhad she notcome to America.
She also believesshe would not have developeda strong faith because of the state’s antipathy toward religion. “I became ateacher for 30 years.”
Thomas Ho,the oldest orphan, now 76, was 25 whenheleftVietnam. He helped organize the evacuation and prepared small amounts of food for the children. In America, he became achef and then studiedtobecome an engineer.Hesays if he hadstayedinVietnam, “I might not have survived, especially at my age now. Life here is very difficult. Alot of the food is notveryhealthy.”
Reuniting with these adults, many of whom Imet when theywerechildren, is areminderthat there are things far greater thanpolitics, celebrities and the petty jealousies that are the focus of too many of us. There arefew greater blessings than to have hada role in changing these lives for the better. These former orphans are blessed. So am I.
Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub. com.
Byron York
Cal Thomas
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THEADVOCATE COM | Monday, July 28, 202
We’llget abettersense of whothese Saints are when pads come on
Forget aboutall those stats you saw the first four days of Saints training camp. Disregard the number of completions and incompletions thrown by Spencer Rattler,Tyler Shough and Jake Haener thus far
ANDTHE WINNER IS ...
TheRabbyslookbackatthrilling sports year on LSUscene
There are midsummer classics —likebaseball’sAll-Star Game—and there are midsummer classics. Welcome to the latter —very much thelatter —the 2025 edition of TheRabbys. No,being mentioned inour list of some of thegreatest (and occasionally,the worst)moments from the past sports academicyear surrounding LSU athletics isn’tthe same thing as being selected as an All-Star Game starter
But, Ican guarantee anyone mentioned here will get more runsupportthan Paul Skenes gets from thePittsburgh Pirateslineup—zing!
So,without further ado, straight from the Jello Shot RoomatRocco’sindowntown Omaha, Nebraska (shameless plug, but I’m expectinganNIL deal any day now),fire up theFlau’Jae Johnson greatest hits soundtrack and enjoy our list of honorees:
Team of theyear
How can you start, or end, with anyone else but theLSU baseball team?The Tigers were consistently solid all season, found themselves pushed to the brink in the NCAA Baton Rouge regional by ashocking defeat to lowly LittleRock,then won their last eightstraight to take the regional, superregional andthe College World Serieschampionship. Wasitthe greatest of LSU’s eight CWS championship teams? Probably not. But all theseTigers had to be was the bestteam in
Scott Rabalais
their time. That they were, and now they take theirplace among this program’struly elite teams
But hey,before we go,atip of the cap to theLittle Rock Trojans, huh? They certainly can enjoy alittle offseason chuckleatbig brother Arkansas’ expense
Coachofthe year
When LSUwon the CWS in 2023, Ipredicted that it would not be the Tigers’ only title under Jay Johnson. Turns out that has been alittle like predicting asummer rainstorm in South Louisiana. In leading LSU to its second title in three seasons, Johnson has re-established LSU as the nation’spreeminent baseball program.Aprogram that is now poised —shall we say it?— for thesecond coming of aSkip
ä See RABALAIS, page 6B
BY MARK FRANK Associated Press
COOPERSTOWN, N.Y.— If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy Mixing sneaky humor withheartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born playertobe inducted intothe BaseballHall of Fame stole the show Sunday in Cooperstown. Morning showers andgloomy skies delayed theceremonies by an hour,but the moisture gave way to bright skiesand warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki’sacceptance speech. The outfielderwas joinedbypitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner,who made it in his final try on thewriters’ ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being aunanimous selection and he took ajab at theunidenti-
Youcan toss out how wellRashid Shaheed, Juwan Johnson and Mason Tipton have played, too. The real football starts Monday when the Saints put on the pads forthe first time this training camp. Through the first four days in Metairie, the stiffest competition the Saints players have faced is the downright brutal south Louisiana humidity
As the humidity increases even morethis week, so will the tension.
Expect to add afew moreskirmishes to the list to accompany the one we had between Brandin Cooks and Rejzohn Wright on Day2
Once the pads come on, we’ll get abetter gauge of what to expect from the Saints this season. Are they as bad as manyofthe national pundits say? Or do they have achance to be the latest NFLteam to turn things around in one year and be one of the biggest surprises in the league?
We won’treally be able to answer any of that until the fall.
But we’ll start getting amuch better idea soon. The first four days werebasically flag football. Or as former head coach Dennis Allen (sorry,Saints fans) described the start of
fied sports writer whodidn’tvote for him
“Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season aretwo achievements recognizedby the writers. Well, all but one,” Suzuki said to roaring laughter “By the way,the offer for the writer to have dinneratmyhome hasnow expired,” he added, with emphasis on “expired” for good measure. Apair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker,who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, andsluggerDick Allen. Parker died June 28, just amonth before he wastobeinducted. An estimated30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacenttothe Clark
From left, Mondo Duplantis, AnthonyEyanson and Kailin Chio STAFF FILE PHOTOS
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG
Baseball Hall of Fame inductees from left, Billy Wagner,Ichiro Suzuki, and CC Sabathia pose for aphoto with Willa Allen,second from right,widowofinductee DickAllen,and Dave Parker II, son of the late inductee Dave Parker,onSunday at the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremonyinCooperstown, N.y
Rod Walker
STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD Saints running backKendre Miller,left,and cornerback Alontae Taylor runadrill during training camp on Sunday at the team’s facility
See WALKER, page 3B
6p.m.Bandits vs.Talons
GOLF ROUNDUP
Kitayama wins 3M Open
By The Associated Press
BLAINE, Minn. Kurt Kitayama
finished asizzling weekend with a6-under 65 to win the 3M Open on Sunday by one shot over Sam Stevens for his second PGA Tour victory
Kitayama, who tied the tournament record with acareer-best 60 on Saturday to enterthe final round within one of the lead, birdied six of the first eight holes to take control on a91-degree afternoon at the TPC Twin Cities.
Kitayama led by one playing the par-5 18th when he hit 5-irononto the back slope of abunker. He blasted out to about 18 feet and tooktwo putts for partofinish at 23-under 261.
Matt Wallace, David Lipsky, Pierceson Coody and JakeKnapp tied for third, three strokes back. Kitayama,whose only other PGA Tour win was the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2023, moved to No. 53 in the FedEx Cup with one week remaining for the top 70 to qualify forthe postseason. He also earned atwo-yearexemptionand aspotin the Masters next year LPGA
In Irvine, Scotland,Lottie Woad
never flinched Sunday on her way to a4-under 68 to winthe Women’s Scottish Open by three shotsover HyoJoo Kim in her professional debut
The21-year-oldEnglishwoman isthe secondplayer in three years to winonthe LPGA Tour in her prodebut,followingRose Zhang in the Mizuho Americas Open atLibertyNational in 2023. Woad finishedat21-year 267and earned $300,000.
Woad was theNo. 1amateur in thewomen’s rankingwhenshe won theWomen’sIrish Open on the Ladies European Tour three weeks ago. Then, theformer FloridaState player finishedone shot out of aplayoff in theEvian Championship in France, an LPGA major, andturned pro. Nelly Korda shot 71 and finished eight shots behind Champions
In Berkshire, England Padraig Harrington wassofocused on his game that he didn’tnotice aleaderboard or see Rory McIlroy in the gallery Sundayatthe Senior BritishOpen. He closed with a3-under 67 to win hissecond senior major of theyear
Staked to atwo-shotlead, Harrington made eagle on the first
hole on theOld Course at Sunningdale andnoone gotcloser than two shots therest of theway as he becamethe fifthplayer with aSenior British Open and aBritish Open title. He wonbythreeshots over Thomas Bjorn(67) and Justin Leonard (68). Harrington joined Darren Clarke, TomWatson, Gary Player and BobCharles as players to have wonthe British Open and thesenior version.
LIVGolf
In Uttoexter,Engand, Joaquin Niemann changed his coach and hiscaddie andwon for thefifth time this year on theLIV Golf League, closing with a3-under68 in LIV Golf-UK for athree-shot victory over Bubba Watson. Niemann missed the cut in the BritishOpen last week for his second straight missedcut in amajor He made bigchangesbyleaving his coach andgetting anew caddie but found his comfort zone back on LIV Niemann haswon seven times, all in the lasttwo years,onthe Saudi-backed circuit. He has won just over $21 million this year Watsonclosed witha65, while Caleb Surratt also had a65tofinish alone in third. Legion XIII won
theteam title.
Korn Ferry
In Glennview, Illinois, Johnny Keefer played bogey-freeoverthe final10holes andpulledaway with a2-under 69 foratwo-shot victory in theNV5 Invitational, his second KornFerry Tour win of the year that secures his spot on the PGA Tour next year
Jeffrey Kang madeeagle on the par-5 18thatThe Glen Club fora 65 that allowed him to finish alone in second.NealShipley closed with a63and tied forthird along with Kensei Hirata (65) and Davis Chatfield (67).
Keefer regained the topspoton theKorn Ferry Tour points list andjoined Austin Smotherman as two-timewinners on thecircuit this year
Othertours
Brett White made eagle on the final hole for a59, and then won theCommissionairesOttawa Open with abirdie on the second hole of athree-man playoff. It was the second 59 on the PGA Tour Americasinasmanyyears. Ayaka Watanabe closed with an 8-under 64 for atwo-shot victory in the DaitoKentakuEheyanet Ladies on the JapanLPGA.
BerthelotwinsBaton RougeOpen
BYCHARLES SALZER
Contributing writer
Liberty’sStewartavoids significant leginjury
NEWYORK New York Liberty star
Breanna Stewart avoided asignificant injury when she hurt her right legina gameSaturday night, aperson familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The All-Star forward had imagingdoneand nothingmajorturned up, according to the personwho spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity Sunday because no official statement had been made. Stewart left the game nearly 31/2 minutesinto the Liberty’s101-99 loss to the Los Angeles Sparks. She had three points and arebound. Stewart seemed to injure the leg while running up the court. She went to the locker room and never returned to the bench.
“No update, hopefully she’ll be OK,” coach Sandy Brondello said after the loss.
U.S. swimteam battling ‘acute gastroenteritis’
SINGAPORE TheUnited States team at the swimming world championships in Singapore is battling acase of “acute gastroenteritis” that compromised performances on Sunday,the opening day of eight days of competition.
NikkiWarner,the spokeswoman forUSA Swimming,confirmed the outbreak to The Associated Press andsaid it hadits roots at atraining camp the American team held in Phuket, Thailand, before arriving in Singapore.
She said all American swimmers had traveled to Singapore. She declinedtosay how many had been affected with the infectious diarrhea.
The UnitedStatesswim team is trying to rebound from adifficult showing at the Paris Olympics. The Americans won only eight gold medals, their lowest total since the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
Bills WR Shavers carted off field with ankle injury
PITTSFORD,N.Y Buffalo Bills backup receiver Tyrell Shavers was carted off the field at training camp after hurting his right ankle on what proved to be the final play of practice Sunday Shavers made acatch in the end zoneand fell awkwardly while attemptingtoprotect theball from rookie cornerback Maxwell Hairston.Shavers was on theground for several minutes while beingtendedto by thetrainingstaff, leadingtocoach Sean McDermottending practice a few minutes earlier than scheduled
The 25-year-old Shavers signed with Buffalo as an undrafted rookie free agent twoyears ago, and appeared in three games with the Bills last season.
Fernandez crushes Kalinskaya at D.C. Open
WASHINGTON— Leylah Fernandez collected the biggest title of her career at the D.C. Open with her mostlopsided victory of thetournament, defeating Anna Kalinskaya 6-1, 6-2 in the final on Sunday
The left-handedFernandez, a 22-year-old from Canada whois ranked36th,earnedher fourth singles trophy —all have come at hard-court tournaments —and first at aWTA 500 event. She came quite close to aGrand Slam championship as ateenager at the 2021 U.S. Open, making it all the wayto the final in New York before losing to Emma Raducanu.
Until Sunday, the 48th-ranked Kalinskaya had not dropped aset allweek
Midway through thefinal round of the Baton Rouge Open golf tournament there was a logjam of playerswithin two shots of the lead, but afamiliar name separated himself from the pack. Greg Berthelot shot 2-under par on the back nine to pull ahead finishing off his round with abirdie at 18. It was enough to give Berthelot atwo-day total of 4-under 140 at BREC’sSanta Maria Golf Course. First-round leader Alston Manne shot 73, and finished in athreeway tie for second with Jeremy Gautreaux and Jason Humphries at 142. For Berthelot, who qualified for last year’sU.S. Amateur, the win was his fourth at theBaton Rouge Open. It was the latest in astring of amateur wins for Berthelot, aformer Catholic High golfer who playedcollegiately for Centenary “I played good,” said Berthelot, who has won seven LGA tournaments including three stateamateurs. “It wasn’tthe best,but Igot it around.Igot upand down when Ineeded to, and Imade putts when Ineeded to.”
off huge chunks of yardage with longdrives over thecorner each time. He rolled in a12-foot birdie at the 12thand followed thatwith another after knocking awedge to three feet on 13. Gautreaux and Berthelot have battled multiple times in the final round of recent tournaments. They played outofthe same cart on Sunday and were tied at 2-under through11holes. Gautreaux dropped threeshotsbehind after abogey at 13, and wasonly able to add abirdie at 16 in the closing holes. “I was close,” Gautreaux said. “I caught aflyer on 13 andmade bogey.Greg madebirdie and that was pretty much it. He birdied 12 and 13 and picked up three shots right there.”
par-5seventh despitereaching the roughjust right of the green in twoshots. He needed two chip shots to reach the green before two-putting for abogey.Healso madebogey at eight after reaching the back of the green with his approach shot.
“Today’sround was an uphill struggle,”Manne said. “I made alot of bogeys, but overallthis weekend Iplayed pretty solid.”
Manne,who recently transferred from ULM to Nicholls State where he will be asophomore, shot 69 on Saturday. He punctuated that round with an eagle at the par-5 18th. He had a chance for another finishing eagle on Sunday,but his chip shot ran 10 feet past.
Manne sank theputttoclose with abirdie.
This was the first title forFernandez since October 2023 at the Hong KongOpen.
Sovereignty ralliestowin JimDandy at Saratoga
Twoofthoseputts came on consecutive holes on the back nine, when back-to-back birdies at 12 and 13 put him in the driver’s seat. Both holes were doglegs to theleft, and Berthelotsliced
Manne, a2024 Catholic High graduate, began his round at 3-under.Amissed green at the second ledtoabogey,but he followed that with birdies at three and four He cameback to earth at the
“The goal today was just to stay in it,” Manne said. “I kept telling myself there’snot more Ican do than control what’sinfront of me. If the Lord wills it that today is my daythen today is my day.”
SARATOGA SPRINGS,N.Y.— Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes champion Sovereignty rallied after losing position heading into the final turn to win the $500,000 Jim Dandy by a length at Saratoga on Saturday Ridden by Junior Alvarado, Sovereigntyran nine furlongs in 1:49.52 and paid $3 to winasthe 1-2favorite againstfourrivals,the smallest field of his career Hall of Fame trainerBill Mott said Sovereignty would be pointed toward the $1.25 millionTravers on Aug. 23. Approaching theturn, there were afew tensemoments as it appeared Sovereignty wasretreating when losing position to the advancing Baeza and deep closers Sandman and Hill Road, leaving Sovereignty in last forafew strides.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByABBIE PARR KurtKitayama
No quarterbackwins theday in sloppy outing
QBshavearough time in finalpractice before pads come on
Let’stake alook at the numbers throughSunday’spractice —with apologies to Hall of Famer J.J. Watt, who recently derided the use of keepingtrack of training camp stats:
Rattler: 5of11(20 of 28 overall)
Robinson prepares fora busy season
BY CHARLES ODUM Associated Press
The challenge forcoach Raheem Morris is to makethe most of Robinson’sproduction while not overextending his workload.
“You definitelywanttoprotect that kind of unique athlete,” Morris said, adding that Robinson “doesn’tneed agovernor” as an artificial cap on his numberof carries.
Youcan tell that Kellen Moore has coached Dak Prescott andJalen Hurts. The New Orleans Saints coach likes his quarterbacks to use their legs,and that’s beenaconsistent partofhis offense datingback to his days of being the playcallerinDallas and Philadelphia. And throughfour days of training camp, Moore has sprinkled in specific calls that give the quarterback the chance to takeoff in space. The Saints might need it, too.
Tyler Shough: 5of10(11 of 21)
Haener: 3of3(11 of 15)
Sunday’spractice —the last session before pads comeon— turned out to be arough showing when the quarterbacks were required to use their arms,not their legs. Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener each threw interceptionsin7-on-7 drills, and all three quarterbacks were uneven when work shifted to full 11-on-11.
It wasn’tfor alack of opportunities, either.Onthe hottest day of camp so far,which required New Orleans to go inside for thelast periodofpractice, the Saintsgot extended team reps —opting to double dip with the 2’stowork on the opposite end of the field when Rattler and the starters were working in the red zone near the end of the session.
“Wedid atwo-spot drill, and we’ll do those on occasion throughout camp,” Mooresaid “It’s to maximize as many repsas we can, while not being out here for three hours.”
WALKER
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training camp three years ago, “We’ve had four days in underwear,now we get to play the game the way it’ssupposed tobe played.” Saints players are looking forward to it.
“You can’treallycall it for real until we start smacking,” said defensive end Chase Young. “It’s time.” Young is part of aSaints’ defensive front that brought in several new pieces this offseason. Veterans Davon Godchaux, Jonathan Bullard and Chris Rumph, along with rookie Vernon Broughton arenow all in the mix up front with returnees like Young, Cam Jordan, Carl Granderson, Bryan Bresee, KhalenSaunders and Nathan Shepherd. The defensive line was aweakness last season.
It’sclear the depth is better although not all of them will make the 53-man roster.It’stoo early to tell just how much better though. That’sabout to change nowthat they will don the pads and go up against an offensive line that first-year head coach Kellen Moore(and I) believe could be the strength of this team.
If Friday’spracticewas the Rattler whoballed out in the first half of games last season, then Sunday’sversion represented theRattler whofellapart in the second half.Rattler’ssplitswere so drastic last year that he had a103.3 passer rating in the first half anda46.5 passer rating afterhalftime. That inconsistency again was on full display on Sunday Rattlerappeared to let an earlierinterception by linebacker DannyStutsman snowball his play
On the turnover, Stutsman read the pass perfectly and jumped in front of Cedrick Wilson’s route at the goal line. It was Rattler’ssecond red-zone interception of camp. From there, Rattler mostly unfolded. Althoughhedid have anice touchdown to Juwan Johnson that avoided oncoming pressure from Cam Jordan,Rattler threw a ballincomplete behind an intended for Dante Pettis and closed his day with three straight incompletions. Perhapsthe incompletions were the rightreads —two of them avoided pressure— but Rattler also looked frustrated. Before his second-to-last throw, he clappedhis hands prior to the huddle As for Shough,the rookie’s most impressive moments of the afternoon occurred with his legs. He opened his first set of team drills with two straight runs, with thefirst playseeing thequarterback outrun defensiveend Carl Granderson andStutsman for agood
Saints coachKellen Moore directs aplayduring the opening dayof trainingcamponWednesday at the team’spractice facility
“It’ll be abattle,”said center Erik McCoy.”Ithink we have a super talented D-line anda supertalented O-line.Those guys arephysical. We’rephysical.I think we are going to have some battles all camp long.”
There will be plenty more battles. So far,much of the ink of training camp hasgoneto thequarterbacks and receivers. Thenon-pad days are geared towards them. Things will level
chunk of yards. Shough’smobility is an interesting wild card for theSaints: The 25-year-old can run, but his coaches at Louisville avoided using him that way given Shough’sinjury history (two broken collarbones, one broken leg) The approach worked as Shough stayed healthy for theentire campaign.
If there was aquarterback who did best of the three, it was arguably Haener.Hehad areally nice throw to Chris Olave on acomeback routethat got thedefense to bite on aplay action. Later,hehit a wide-open Bub Means in the back of theend zone for atouchdown.
Butthere were down moments for thethird-year signal-caller —lowlights that prevented him from outright winning thepractice. In 11-on-11s, he would have likely been sacked on aplay that was blown dead soon after Haener tried to climb the pocket to takeoff. Then, in theindoor 7-on7session, Haener tried to needle athrow to Chris Tyree and instead was picked off by safety Julian Blackmon in the end zone.
“Bothguys just madereally, really good plays from adefense perspective,”Moore said of the interceptions. “And quarterbacks, again, just ball placement and you know,giving us an opportunity We’ll evaluate on film and see if there are any other coaching points.”
The Saints still have weeks before they have to decide astarter, and putting on the pads this coming week will help provide clarity to their eventual decision.
ButSunday’ssession appeared to be astep back after the offense found arhythm two days earlier
Email Matthew Paras at matt paras@theadvocate.com
out more starting Monday. You’ll see the passrush. You’ll seeif the Saints can stop the run this year.Receivers’ routeswon’t always be as crisp nowthat defensive backscan getmore physical with them. We’llsee which of the running backsvying to be the No. 2guy behind AlvinKamara can block
“When youput the pads on, that’sreally when youcan see who can do what,” saidKendre Miller
Nobody is readytosee that more than Moore. This will be thefirst trueglimpseofhis team.
“That (puttingonthe pads) is a big part of it,”Moore said. “Ultimately,that’s what we are building towards. This whole entire offseason program has been built to thepoint where we are actually in pads and that’sultimately how you play this game.”
Moore says there will be abit of an acclimation period because players haven’tbeen in pads since January.The team is scheduled to have six practices in pads before heading off to California on August 6.
“I’mready to get cracking,” said Alontae Taylor If youwanttoknowmore about this year’sSaints, youshould be too. Email RodWalker at rwalker@theadvocate.com.
FLOWERYBRANCH, Ga.— Michael Penix enters his first full season as Atlanta’sstarting quarterback with the good fortune of knowing Bijan Robinson has been both productive and durable as the focus of the Falcons’ offense at running back. Robinsonwas ado-it-all back for Atlanta in 2024, hissecond pro season. He rankedthird in theleague with 1,456 yards rushing and third among all running backswith61catches.Hetiedfor fifthwith 14 rushing touchdowns and was fourth with 304 carries.
While Philadelphia’sSaquon Barkley was votedthe NFL’s top running back by The Associated Press entering the season, Robinson wasincluded in the top five.
Now,afterPenix made only three starts as arookie to close lastseason, the Falcons can be expected to takeadvantageagain of their strong running game with Robinson and Tyler Allgeier
“You have to get him the rock,” Penix said at the start of training camp. “It’ssimple as that. It doesn’tmatter how we do it. Somehow,some way he’sgot to have the rock.”
Robinson said he learned more aboutpreparing foranother busy seasonbyworking out with San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in California this offseason.
“It wasgreat,” Robinson said. “Me and him just giving each other so many tips and feeding off knowledge fromeach other on the field. …Weworkedtogether the whole month. Igot to see how he worked. He got to see how Iworked. It wasreally cool two guys coming together trying to make each otherbetter. He taught me some nuancemoves on the field, and Idid the same for him.”
“He’scertainly one of those guys thatcan carry the load,” Morris said.“Certainlyone of the guys that has carried the load for us. And you could definitely do that. But we just happen to have somereally good backs, you know? .Wehave aluxury of having aguy like Tyler on our team.”
Allgeier rushed for1,035 yards as arookie in 2022and averaged 4.7 yards per carry while rushing for644 yards on acareer-low 137 carries last season.There is an emphasis on creating opportunities to use Allgeier morethis season.
“We’ve got to find ways to get Tyleronthe field, to find ways to feature him on the field,” Morris said. It wouldn’tbeasurprise to seemoretwo-running back sets, perhaps withdefenseshaving to monitor Robinson put in motion as areceiver while Allgeier remains lined up behind Penix. Kudosfor Cousins
General manager Terry Fontenot said Sunday that Kirk Cousins hasbeen “the ultimate professional” after losing his starting jobtoPenix last season and returning as abackup, despite speculation theveterancould be traded.
“Outside, it’salot moreofa big deal than it is in thebuilding,” Fontenot said of the questions about Cousins’ status. “He shows up. He does his job just like anybody He’sbeen agreat professional. He’shandled himself well.”
WR McLaurin at camp despitecontractdispute
BY BEN STANDIG Associated Press
ASHBURN, Va Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin reported to training camp on Sunday following afourday holdout, but the 2024 secondteam All-Pro andthe team have yet to agree on newcontract terms The Commanders removed McLaurin from thereserve/ did notreport list for campand placed their leading receiver on theactive/physically unable to perform list because of an ankle injuryfrom the previous season, according to coach DanQuinn. Despitethe limbostatus, fans were thrilledwhen McLaurin walked onto the fields behind the team facility following practice, serenading him with chants of “Terry! Terry!” McLaurin spent roughly 30 minutes signing autographs and taking photos before briefly speaking with reporters. He said it’s been “tough”towatch his teammates practice and acknowledged he is dealing with the “business” side of football but primarily kept his comments to thescene.
“It feels good to be around my teammates and around my fans,” McLaurintold reporters. “I can’t beat that at all.” Quinn said before Sunday’s practicethat he was “pumped” that McLaurin was there. The coach said he spoke directly with McLaurinonSaturday.
“He is such an awesome competitor.Athis core, that’swho he is.” McLaurindid not report on Tuesdayalong withhis teammates and incurred a$50,000 daily fine for skipping the first four officialdaysofcamp. The seven-year veteran has one year remaining on athree-year,$68.2 million extension signed in 2022 but has been seeking anew deal. He set acareer-high with 13 touchdown receptions and had 1,096 yards last season on 82 receptions. The PUPlistdesignation forbids McLaurin from participating in on-field activities, but he can join teammates and coaches in meetingsand nowcountstoward the 90-player roster limit. McLaurin worked with the trainingstaffinside theteam facility on Sunday He participated in early portions of Washington’soffseason program but skipped the on-field portions of organizedteam activities and mandatory minicamp. Teammates have supported their absent receiver during camp.Quarterback JaydenDaniels andMcLaurin fueled an offensethat wascentral to Washington’ssurprising run to the NFC championship game last season.
“Just business in the NFL,” Daniels said. “Weknow Terry’s working at the end of the day, he’sstill one of our brothers.” Washington released cornerback Fentrell Cypress to open a roster spot.
STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD
STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD
Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler,center,calls aplayinthe huddle withwide receivers Chris Olave,left, BrandinCooks and Cedrick Wilson during trainingcampSundayatthe team’s practice facility.
Matthew Paras
ASSOCIATEDPRESS FILEPHOTO By BRyNN ANDERSON Atlanta Falcons running backBijan Robinson, left,and quarterback MichaelPenix rundrills during practice May27inFlowery Branch, Ga. The versatile Robinson has been getting readyinhopes of another productive year
Wallace becomes first Black driver to win at Indy
BY MICHAEL MAROT
Associated Press
INDIANAPOLIS Bubba Wallace be-
came the first Black driver to win a major race on Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s 2.5-mile oval, surviving a late rain delay, two overtimes concerns over running out of fuel and a hard-charging Kyle Larson on Sunday in the Brickyard 400. The third NASCAR Cup victory of Wallace’s career was also his most significant — his first win at one of the series’ four crown jewel races.
It snapped a 100-race winless streak that dated to 2022 at Kansas. He also won at Talladega in 2021, but this milestone victory also gave him a playoff spot. No Black driver has won the Indianapolis 500, and Formula 1 raced on the track’s road course.
“Unbelievable,” Wallace shouted on his radio after crossing the yard of bricks.
And while the final gap was 0.222 seconds, he didn’t reach victory lane without some consternation.
Larson trailed by 5.057 seconds with 14 laps to go but the gap was down to about three seconds with six remaining when the yellow flag came out because of rain.
The cars rolled to a stop on pit lane with four to go, giving Wallace about 20 additional minutes to think and rethink his restart strategy But after beating Larson through the second turn, a crash behind the leaders forced a second overtime, extending the race even more laps as Wallace’s team
Wallace
thought he might run out of gas. Wallace risked everything by staying on the track then beat the defending race winner off the restart again to prevent Larson from becoming the fourth back-to-back winner of the Brickyard. It also alleviated the frustration Wallace felt Saturday when he spent most of the qualifying session on the provisional pole only to see Chase Briscoe surpass with one of the last runs in the session.
He made sure there was no repeat Sunday, giving an added boost to the 23XI Racing coowned by basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan and last week’s race winner, Denny Hamlin, as it continues to battle NASCAR in court over its charter status.
The race inside the race the In-Season Challenge — went to Ty Gibbs, who had a better car than Ty Dillon in qualifying and on race day Gibbs finished 21st to win the inaugural March Madness-like single-elimination tournament and collect the $1 million prize
Dillon, a surprise championship round entrant after making the field as the 32nd and final driver, finished 28th.
Three-time series champ Joey Logano appeared to have the edge with 26 laps to go until his right rear tire went flat. Though he was able to drive it into pit lane for a tire change, he lost power and struggled to get back on the track, knocking him out of contention.
Pirates ace Skenes dominant again, strikes out 9 in 6 innings
The Associated Press
PITTSBURGH The Pittsburgh Pirates let Paul Skenes take on a more normal workload again What did not change was his effectiveness.
Skenes struck out nine in six three-hit innings, and the Pirates shut out Arizona for a second straight day beating the Diamondbacks 6-0 on Sunday It was the fourth scoreless outing in Skenes’ last five starts, but this time he threw 99 pitches — his most in over a month.
“Ramping him back up a little bit,” manager Don Kelly told reporters afterward.
Pittsburgh’s pitching staff is on a bit of a roll right now The Pirates beat Detroit 6-1 on Wednesday, then lost 1-0 in 11 innings to Arizona on Friday night the only run in that game was unearned after the Diamondbacks started the final inning with a man on second. Then Pittsburgh outscored Arizona 8-0 over the final two games of the series.
This was the most pitches by Skenes since he threw 105 at Detroit on June 19. In his next five starts, he did not throw more than 88.
Kelly visited the mound in the sixth, drawing boos, but left Skenes in to complete the frame.
“It’s a hot day, he’s approaching 100 pitches. We’ve kept his pitch count down a little bit,” Kelly said. “Just wanted to make sure that he was in a good spot there to finish it off.” Skenes has thrown 133 innings this year, matching his total as a rookie in 2024.
Twins
All-Star Buxton is day-to-day with rib cartilage irritation: The Minnesota Twins announced on Sunday that All-Star center fielder Byron Buxton is day-to-day with cartilage irritation in his rib cage. Buxton was pulled from Saturday’s game against Washington after he experienced discomfort in his side while running. An MRI performed on Sunday confirmed the irritated cartilage.
“It’s a good outcome,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli said
“We’ll see how he is tomorrow and so on, but to be day-to-day with what he left the game with, it’s a good thing.”
The 31-year-old Buxton is hit-
Dodgers go to 6-man rotation
BY KEN POWTAK Associated Press
BOSTON Los Angeles Dodgers
two-way star Shohei Ohtani is expected to start on the mound
Wednesday as he continues his buildup from elbow surgery that kept him from pitching all last season.
Manager Dave Roberts said Sunday before the Dodgers faced the Boston Red Sox in the finale of their three-game series that the plan is for Ohtani to work four innings at Cincinnati, with an off day to recover before hitting in a game. With the Japanese superstar working his way back along with left-hander Blake Snell, who pitched 4 2/3 innings on Saturday in his fourth rehab start for TripleA Oklahoma City, the Dodgers will be using a six-man rotation. They currently have Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Emmet Sheehan in the rotation.
HOF
Continued from page 1B
ting .282 with 23 home runs and an OPS of .905.
Blue Jays
All-Star catcher Kirk placed on 7-day injured list: The Toronto Blue Jays placed All-Star catcher Alejandro Kirk on the seven-day injured list with a concussion on Sunday
In a corresponding move, the club recalled catcher Ali Sanchez and activated him for the series finale against the Detroit Tigers.
The 26-year-old Kirk was pulled in the fourth inning of Saturday’s 6-1 victory over the Tigers after he took a foul tip off his face mask. He was replaced by Tyler Heineman.
Kirk began Sunday sixth in the majors with a batting average of .304. He has seven home runs and 47 RBIs in 88 games this season.
Yankees
Judge goes on injured list with flexor strain but no damage to UCL: Yankees captain Aaron Judge, his teammates and New York’s fan base exhaled Saturday when the twotime AL MVP learned he has a flexor strain in his right elbow but no acute damage to his ulnar collateral ligament that might cause a long-term layoff.
Judge was sent for an MRI on Saturday and missed just his second game this season, a 9-4 loss to Philadelphia. He had a platelet-rich plasma injection and was put on the injured list Sunday He hopes to return to action in 10 days to two weeks, initially as a designated hitter
“You never want to go in the tube. It’s never fun. You don’t know what’s going to show up,”
Judge said after Saturday’s game. “That’s why I kind of pushed off a lot of that imaging and stuff like that because if I don’t know what’s going on it can’t hurt you, I guess.”
Judge leads the major leagues with a .342 batting average and 1.160 OPS. He has 37 home runs and 85 RBIs for a New York team that opened a sevengame AL East lead by late May but dropped a season-high 6 1/2 games back of first-place Toronto on Saturday
“All in all, we got good news today,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said “I think all of us kind of feared the worst.”
everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted “Ichiro” several times throughout the day A sign that read “Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend” in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day
With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd.
He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career
“Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,” Suzuki joked.
He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm “already in shape” just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, “‘Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!’”
He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty
“People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits.
“Not bad, huh?” Suzuki said to more laughs.
He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for “getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.”
But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary
“Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,” he said. “When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10.
“Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.”
“Shohei is going to go on Wednesday and then he’ll probably pitch the following Wednesday, so that probably lends itself to the sixman,” Roberts said.
In Ohtani’s last start, he allowed one run and four hits in three innings against Minnesota on July 22. He struck out three and walked one, throwing 46 pitches, 30 for strikes.
Roberts feels like this season is sort of a rehab year in the big leagues and doesn’t foresee the team extending Ohtani’s workload deep into games for a while.
“I think this whole year on the pitching side is sort of rehab, maintenance,” he said. “We’re not going to have the reins off where we’re going to say: ‘Hey you can go 110 pitches.’ I don’t see that happening for quite some time. I think that staying at four (innings) for a bit, then build up to five and we’ll see where we can go from there.”
Also Sunday, the club activated right-handed reliever Blake Treinen from the injured list
and recalled left-hander Justin Wrobleski.
The 37-year-old Treinen was a big part of last season’s run to the World Series title, picking up two victories in the Series against the New York Yankees.
He has been sidelined since April 19 because of forearm tightness.
“I think the only thing I’m going to be mindful of is the up-down,” Roberts said on Treinen’s usage. “To come into an inning of leverage, I have no problem.” Wrobleski, 25, is with the Dodgers for the fourth time this season. He’s a starter now, but Roberts said he’ll work out of the bullpen.
“Just trying to get a quality arm, get some length, potentially using him in two-inning stints, three-inning stints is going to be helpful for our ‘pen,” Roberts said. “The goal is to get the best pitchers on your roster in whatever role.” To make room on the roster, LA optioned right-handers Will Klein and Edgardo Henriquez.
Now he’s reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: “‘Don’t embarrass the nation.’ ” He’s made his homeland proud.
“Going into America’s Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn’t even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.”
Sabathia thanked “the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).” He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today’s game.
“It’s an extra honor to be a part of Dave’s Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the ’80s and early ‘90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform.
“Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we’re starting to turn that around.
I don’t want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don’t want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.” Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as “roadblocks, but steppingstones.”
“I wasn’t the biggest player I wasn’t supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,” he said. Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes
(99.7%) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%.
After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.
Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami. He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a seasonrecord 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose’s major league record of 4,256. Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among lefthanders behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees. A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta. Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SETH WENIG
A man holds up an Ichiro Suzuki jersey before the National Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony on Sunday in Cooperstown, N.y
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JAyNE KAMIN-ONCEA
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani throws against the Minnesota Twins during the third inning of a game in Los Angeles on July 21.
England beats Spain in a shootout to retain title
BY GRAHAM DUNBAR AP sportswriter
BASEL, Switzerland — More drama, another penalty shootout and never giving up. England successfully defended its Women’s European Championship title on Sunday in its own special way, thriving in high tension yet again to take down world champion Spain in a shootout in the final.
Chloe Kelly lashed in her spot kick to give England a 3-1 win on penalties after a 1-1 draw after extra time.
“I was cool, I was composed, and I knew I was going to hit the back of the net,” said Kelly, whose goals decided a second straight Women’s Euros final, and also the semifinal five days earlier England goalkeeper Hannah Hampton saved spot kicks from Mariona Caldentey and Spain superstar Aitana Bonmatí, before substitute Salma Paralluelo dragged her shot wide of goal
The defending champion won the only way it knew how at this thrilling Euro 2025.
“It was the most chaotic tournament we played,” said England coach Sarina Wiegman, who has now won three straight Women’s Euros titles.
Super subs
England had fallen behind in the first half, fought back in the second and relied on its superb substitutes — including Kelly – just as it did against Italy and beating Sweden on penalties previously in the knockout rounds.
“I actually can’t believe it myself,” Wiegman said. “How can this happen? But it happens We’re just going to party tonight.”
England leveled the score in the 57th on Alessia Russo’s header from a cross by Kelly after Caldentey had given Spain the lead in the 25th finishing Ona Batlle’s cross. Spain trailed for only four minutes in the entire tournament and not for one second against England — yet could not seal its first European title against the
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Bertman-like dynasty Johnson’s level of dedication and drive is rare, and the Tigers are almost certain to benefit from it with more CWS titles in the years to come.
Headliner moment of the year
It would be easy to go with the ninth inning of the second Arkansas game in Omaha (more on that later). But instead we’re going to set the wayback machine for nearly a year ago, this past Aug. 5, when LSU’s Mondo Duplantis broke his own world record and won the gold medal in the Paris Olympics. Duplantis had already clinched the gold, but went to his third and final attempt before breaking his own mark with a leap of 20 feet, 6 inches. The amazing thing about Mondo is he has since nudged the bar higher three times since then, now putting the record at 20-7 at meet last month in Sweden His father, Greg, said before last year’s Olympics that 21 feet was feasible for his son. It
team it beat in the World Cup final two years ago.
“I think this team deserved more. At least not living with this bitter feeling,” Spain coach Montse Tomé said in translated comments.
Kelly had scored an extra-time winning goal for England at Wembley three years ago to beat Germany 2-1.
Spain’s missed chance
In extra time Spain had good possession in the England penalty area so many times yet did not force a decisive goal.
“It was cruel,” Bonmatí told Spanish broadcaster La 1, after being named best player of the tournament. “We played better, created more scoring chances, but in soccer sometimes that’s not enough ” Spain goalkeeper Cata Coll saved spot kicks from England captain Leah Williamson and the first by Beth Mead.
It was appropriate in England’s memorable tournament that Mead’s penalty had to be retaken under a new soccer rule that allows a second chance when a player scores by slipping and touching the ball twice. It did not matter after Hampton’s saves.
Classic Arsenal goals
Arsenal attackers like scoring with perfectly placed headers from inviting crosses sent to the ideal spot.
Spain took the lead Sunday with a very English goal – a full back’s cross from the byline finding the head of an Arsenal player to score, on a rain-slicked field on an overcast, cloudy day
The strong Spanish flavor leading to Caldentey’s opener was in the neat passing to find Athenea del Castillo in the penalty area and her vision to see Ona Batlle’s direct run into space.
Caldentey was in the Arsenal team that won the Women’s Champions League final in May beating a Barcelona side with six starters who also lined up for Spain
seems even more possible now for the amazing Mondo.
Surprise of the year
Why on Earth did Arkansas shortstop Wehiwa Aloy throw to third to force out Derek Curiel instead of going for the double play on Steven Milam?
Shocking surprise of the year
Seeing Luis Hernandez’s liner bounce off the shoulder of Arkansas left fielder Charles Davalan. In 33 years of covering LSU sports, I’ve never felt so sorry for an athlete competing against the Tigers.
Super shocking surprise of the year
After everything that happened in that fateful ninth inning, why did Arkansas coach Dave Van Horn pitch to Jared Jones with Hernandez at second one inning after he hit a home run? Jones did something not surprising considering LSU’s baseball history, lining an RBI single off second baseman’s Cam Kozeal’s glove for the 6-5 win that put the Tigers in the final.
Athlete of the year
Back to Skenes, who was Na-
Pogacar wins Tour de France in style
BY JEROME PUGMIRE AP sportswriter
PARIS The roads were dangerously slippery after heavy rain.
A fourth Tour de France title was all but won anyway, so finishing safely in the pack would do fine for Tadej Pogacar Especially considering Sunday’s final stage had already been neutralized for safety reasons and he just had to complete the race.
Surely there was no need to launch a seemingly pointless attack and risk crashing?
But holding back or being cautious rarely appeals to Poga ar, the 26-year-old cycling star from Slovenia. He clinched his fourth Tour title in inimitably daring style on Sunday and further cemented his place among cycling’s greats. Even though he really did not need to, and risked falling on oil slick-wet roads, Pogacar simply could not help himself. Against all logical opinion, he tried winning Sunday’s 21st and final stage with trademark uphill attacks, only to fall short of the stage win itself.
“In the end I found myself in the front, even though I didn’t have the energy,” said Pogacar, who won the Tour last year and in 2020 and 2021.
the world’s best climber, on the steepest section.
“Hats off to Wout, he was incredibly strong,” Pogacar said.
Van Aert rolled back down for a prestigious stage win on the famed Champs-Élysées. Pogacar looked weary as he crossed the line in fourth place, 19 seconds behind.
‘Peace and some nice weather’
But then it was time to celebrate title No. 4. Although don’t expect Pogacar to make any headlines on that front.
“Everyone celebrates in their own way, I just want peace and some nice weather, not like here today,” Pogacar said. “Just to enjoy some quiet days at home.”
Only four riders have won the showcase race five times: Belgian Eddy Merckx, Spaniard Miguel Induráin and Frenchmen Jacques Anquetil and Bernard Hinault.
Poga ar won four stages this year to take his Tour tally to 21 and 30 at major races, including six at the Giro d’Italia and three at the Spanish Vuelta.
The UAE Team Emirates leader praised his teammates.
on Sunday Spain used three more Barcelona players as substitutes.
The Arsenal forward line in that final, Russo and Kelly, combined to tie the Euro 2025 final. Kelly’s right-foot cross from the left was floated toward the head of Russo who guided the ball back toward the top corner of the Spain net.
Wiegman’s hat trick
England coach Wiegman has still never before been eliminated from a Women’s Euros tournament. Despite how close she came three times this month, she acknowledged after the final whistle Sunday
The top female national-team coach of her generation has a Euros hat trick after leading England to victory in 2022 and her native Netherlands to the 2017 title.
Both those titles were won as the host nation team and no England senior team, men or women, had previously won a world or continental title abroad.
Wiegman also extended the run of title-winning women coaches to eight Women’s Euros editions across 28 years. Women were outnumbered by male coaches each time.
Royal appointment
There was royalty from both nations in the VIP box at St-Jakob Park including heirs to each throne.
Prince William, the first son of Britain’s King Charles, was with his daughter Princess Charlotte. He is president of the English Football Association.
Also present were Princess Leonor of Spain and her younger sister, Infanta Sofía. At the 2023 World Cup final Sofia was at the game with her mother Queen Letizia in Sydney Australia.
After the game King Charles congratulated the Lionesses team on their “sporting skill and awesome teamwork.”
“For this,” the king wrote, “you have my whole family’s warmest appreciation and admiration.”
“Just speechless to win the Tour de France, this one feels especially amazing,” Pogacar added. “Just super proud that I can wear this yellow jersey.”
Two-time Tour champion Jonas Vinegaard finished the overall race 4 minutes, 24 seconds behind Pogacar in second place and Florian Lipowitz was 11 minutes adrift in third.
Belgian rider Wout van Aert won the 21st and last stage, which broke with tradition and featured three climbs of Montmartre hill.
Because of heavy rain and the risk of crashes, organizers had earlier neutralized the times 50 kilometers (31 miles) from the end, effectively giving Pogacar the victory — providing he crossed the finish line. He did the opposite of what almost every rider would do with victory a near certainty
As the rain teemed down, he set a tremendous pace in the Montmartre climbs as fans cheered all along the cobbled Rue Lepic, with flags and fans hanging out of windows.
Only five riders were left with Pogacar on the third ascension of the 1.1-kilometer Montmartre hill.
After fending off American Matteo Jorgenson, he was caught cold near the top as Van Aert launched a stunning attack to drop — yes, drop! — Pogacar,
“I think the second week was the decisive moment,” Pogacar said. “We took more advantage.” Lipowitz, meanwhile, secured his first career podium at a Grand Tour, the alternative name given to the three major races.
His performance, following his third-placed finish last month at the Critérium du Dauphiné, suggests the 24-year-old German rider could challenge in the near future.
Breaking with tradition
Traditionally, the last stage is largely processional with riders doing laps around Paris.
The Tour broke with tradition after the success of the Paris Olympics road race, which also took in Montmartre, famous for its Sacré-Coeur basilica.
Five in a row
It was the fifth straight year where Pogacar and Vingegaard finished 1-2 at the Tour Vingegaard was second in 2021, before beating Pogacar the next two years with the Slovenian second. When Pogacar reclaimed his title last year, Vingegaard was runner-up.
“We’ve raised the level of each other much higher and we push each other to the limit,” Pogacar said. “I must say to him, big, big respect.”
tional League rookie of the year in 2024 with an 11-3 record, 1.96 earned run average and 170 strikeouts in 133 innings pitched. This year Olivia Dunne’s boyfriend is only 5-8 because of the aforementioned shoddy run support, but with a 1.91 ERA and other stellar numbers making him one of the favorites to win the NL Cy Young Award.
Newcomer of the year
The 2025 season was supposed to be a victory lap for 2024 college gymnast of the year Haleigh Bryant as she returned for a fifth season. Bryant was excellent, though hampered much of the year by a preseason elbow injury Instead, the year ended up belonging to freshman Kailin
STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU baseball coach Jay Johnson raises the championship trophy during the Tigers’ national title celebration on June 25 at Alex Box Stadium
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRA TARANTINO
England’s Leah Williamson, center left, and Keira Walsh lift the trophy after winning the Women’s Euro 2025 final soccer match between England and Spain at St. Jakob-Park on Sunday in Basel, Switzerland.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By THIBAULT CAMUS Tour de France winner Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia crosses the finish line of the twenty-first stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 132.3 kilometers (82.1 miles) with start in Mantes-la-Ville and finish on the Champs-Elysees on Sunday in Paris, France.
CHASING YESTERDAY
Aphotographerfinds theplaceswhere time slows down on theMississippi Gulf Coast
BY DAVID GRUNFELD | Directorofphotography
Iwas sent to theMississippi Gulf Coast to shoot a story about how tourism’s booming again, five years after the pandemic. AndIgot the photos we needed —traffic backed up with golf carts and SUVs, beach bars packed, people everywhere. Butfor me,itwas about more than that. Iknow adifferent version of thecoast —before Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005. Back when the Broadwater Beach Resort was still around, and you could have fun at the retro beachfront amusement park. It had grit. Old souvenir shops, saltyair,things felt kind of frozen in time. It wasn’tfancy,but it had soul. That version’smostly gone now.The coast has changed —alot.But Istill trytomake pictures that feel like the old days.
Akid chasing seagulls,acouplebarefoot in the sand, two guys fishing in the quiet —those are thekinds of moments Ilook for.That’swhere Ifeel theold coast still lives, even if it’s just for asecond. Anddriving along Beach Boulevard, it’shard not to notice —itfeels like there’sa Waffle House every mile or two. Likelittle yellow landmarks dotting the new coast,serving up scattered, smothered, chunked and alittle bit of what’sleft of thepast
After9months, BR noodle housemakes debut
BY SERENA PUANG Staff writer
After nine months of renovations, tweaks and preparation, Noodle Bowl is open on South Sherwood Forest Boulevard. Themenufeatures Chinese hand-pulled noodleclassics such as Lanzhou beef noodle soup or tomato/beef brisket noodle soup, as well as some Southeast Asian dishes like pad thai and ahibachi menu.
Owner Ken Wang relocated with his family from Spokane, Washington, to open this shop. In an interviewinMandarin
At advanced stages of care, consider appointing a conservator
What is adult guardianship?
beef
noodles is on the menu at NoodleBowl.
Generally,adult guardianship, or conservatorship, are the same thing and different states use one name or the other.When an individual cannot make important decisions for himself or herself, ajudge appoints someone called the conservator (or guardian) to make decisions. The conservator has the legal backing of the court in all decisions, including finances, medical and personal care. There are advantages and disadvantages to setting up a conservatorship forsomeone. Aconservator is good to have because it allows family members to know that someone is making the decisions, and it gives clear legal authority to deal with third parties. And, it provides aprocess to have a judge approve major decisions. The disadvantages of appointing aconservator are that it is costly in that it requires a lawyer,filing of court papers and requires acourt hearing. It is also time-consuming with ongoing paperwork to be done. For the older adult whofeels he or she is still somewhat capable, it can be humiliating for him or her to have someone appointed as the guardian. And, family members can create conflict in choosing aconservator which can makethe overall process emotionally difficult. Many people ask whenitisan appropriate timetoseek conservatorship. If the individual has become mentally or physically incapable of making important decisions for himself or herself, then it would be wise to have acourt-appointed guardian. Additionally,ifthe individual does not already have legal documents in place, such as a living will or power of attorney, then the conservatorship would benefit in covering decisions about personal and financial matters. Further,even if the individual has apower of attorney for both health care and finances, he or she might need a conservator to make decisions about his or her personal life, such as living arrangements and who is allowed to visit. Although it’snot always easy to determine if an individual can makedecisions, ajudge understands the obvious that a conservator is viable forthose with advanced Alzheimer’sor other formsofdementia. Families wishing to set up aconservatorship need to file formal legal papers and participate in acourt hearing in front of ajudge. The physical and mental condition of the individual requiring conservatorship must be clearly presented. The individual in question does have the opportunity to contest the conservatorship. It is helpful to find alawyer whospecializes in conservatorships. Youcan contact the National AcademyofElder Law Attorneys forareferral in your area. The appointed conservator handles
Mongolian
stirfry
STAFF PHOTOSByDAVID GRUNFELD
Ayoung boyruns through a flock of seagulls on thebeach in BaySt. Louis, Miss.,asfamilies gather along theGulf Coastduring the Fourth of July weekend.
Fresh produce is for sale along the road near OceanSprings
Avintagetruck parks on the beachfront in BaySt. Louis.
The historic Biloxi lighthouse, draped with aU.S flag for July Fourth, rises over trafficinBiloxi.
Akid browsesinside acandy store in OceanSprings.
NOODLE BOWL
Heat-related illnessoccursatacellularlevel
Dear Doctors: Ican’tget my husband and his brother to take hot weather warnings seriously They’re in good shapeand think thatsince they’re younger(29 and 33) that it’sOKfor them to go out hiking in hot weather.Can you talk about why it’sdangerous for everyone when there’saheatwave?
Dear reader: It can be easy to underestimate the risks of physical exertion in hot or even warm weather.The early symptoms of heat-related illness, suchas sweating and flushed skin,are the same as what happens when you’re simply abit too hot. The danger lies in how easy it is for overheating to progress to severe heat-related illness if you don’t address early symptoms.
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday,July 28,the
209th day of 2025. There are 156 days left in the year
Todayinhistory
On July 28, 1945, aU.S.Army B-25 bomber crashed into the 79th floor of New York’sEmpire State Building, the world’s tallest structure at the time,killing 14 people.
Also on this date:
In 1794, Maximilien Robespierre and Louis Antoine de SaintJustwere executed by guillotine during the FrenchRevolution.
In 1914, World WarIbegan as Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson announced he was increasing the number of American troops in South Vietnam from 75,000 to 125,000.
In 1976, an earthquake devastated northern China, killingat least 242,000 people, according to an official estimate.
In 1984, the Los Angeles Summer Olympics officially opened; 14 Eastern Bloc countries, led by the Soviet Union, boycotted the Games
In 1995, ajury in Union, South Carolina, rejected thedeathpenalty for Susan Smith, sentencing hertolife in prison for drowning her two young sons
In 1996, 8,000-year-old human skeletal remains (later referred to as Kennewick Man) were discovered in abank of the Columbia River in Kennewick, Washington.
In 2004, the Irish Republican
Dr.Elizabeth Ko
Dr.Eve
Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
On themilder end of thespectrum is heat stress. Symptoms include excessive sweating and flushed skin. The body sweats to create an evaporative effect. Flushing sends blood to thesurface of thebodywhere theblood can cool down quicker.Other symptomsofheat stress can include headache, muscle cramps,
TODAYINHISTORY
Army formally announced an end to its armed campaign against British rule in Northern Ireland.
In 2015, it was announced that Jonathan Pollard,the former U.S.Naval intelligence analyst whohad spentnearly three decades in prison for spying for Israel, had been granted parole.
In 2018, Pope Francis accepted theresignation of U.S. Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, theemeritus archbishop of Washington, D.C., followingallegations of sexual abuse, including one involving an11-year-old boy.Both diedinApril2025.
In 2019, agunmanopened fire at apopular garlic festival in Gilroy,California, killing three people,includinga 6-year-old boyand a13-year-old girl, and wounding17others beforetaking his own life.
Today’sBirthdays: Music conductor Riccardo Muti is 84. Former Senatorand NBA Hall of Famer Bill Bradley is 82. “Garfield” creator Jim Davis is 80. TV producer Dick Ebersol is 78. Actor Sally Struthers is 78. Architect SantiagoCalatrava is 74. CBS TV journalist Scott Pelleyis68. Actor Lori Loughlin is 61. Jazz musician-producer DelfeayoMarsalis is 60. UFC presidentDana White is 56. Actor Elizabeth Berkley is 53. Basketball Hall of Famer Manu Ginobili is 48. Actor John David Washington is 41. Actor Dustin Milligan is 40. Rapper Soulja Boy is 35. Pop/rock singer Cher Lloyd is32. Golfer Nelly Korda is 27.
STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS Co-owner KenWang and his wife Mei Lin posewith their daughters, Jaycee, oldest, and Jamie,outside Noodle Bowl in BatonRouge. The largedecorativebowlwas shipped herefrom China.
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Chinese, he said he was inspired to open anoodle shop here when he noticed that Baton Rouge had several popularJapanese ramen shops but no dedicated Chinese noodle shops. Wang is dedicated to serving fresh, hand pulled noodles, and he placedawindow into the kitchen in the restaurant so that customers can watch as the noodles are prepared. The experience is like
CONSERVATOR
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their basic affairs and everyday care. Administrative matters such as Medicare, insurance, pensions, medical coverage and the like are also managed by the conservator,with meticulous record keeping required accordingly with the judge’sorders. Conservatorship typically lasts as long as the individual lives The person serving as conservator maychange in such acase in
weakness and dizziness. These occur because an increase in core temperature has begun to adversely affect the functioning of thebody’smetabolic processes. Heat stress is not an immediate danger to health. However,it’sa loud warning thatthe body is struggling to staycool. When core temperature rises much beyond the optimal range of 97 to 99 degrees Fahrenheit, the three-dimensional enzymes thatpower biochemical reactions in the body begin to lose their shape. This impairs their function and leads to the symptoms of heat exhaustionand heatstroke.
Heatstroke is amedical emergency that can cause lasting damage to the tissues of the heart, kidneys, liver and brain. Without
prompt medical intervention, heatstroke can lead to death. Keeping asafe core temperature in hot weather depends on afew factors. Air temperature is important,ofcourse. So is sunlight, which is radiant energy that directly heats the skin. Our muscles alsogenerate heat. So exercising in hot and sunny conditions exposes you to three separate sources of heat. Then there’shumidity,which affectshow muchevaporative cooling can occur.Adding up all these factors, it can be all too easy to crossthe threshold from mild discomfort to severe heat illness. Your husbandand brother-in-law are partially correct: Being healthy and in good physical shape can improve tolerance to hot weather
However,the metabolic cascade of severe heat-related illness occurs at acellularlevel.Once it begins, your leveloffitness won’t matter The only waytostay safewhile exercising in hotweather is to protect core bodytemperature. Avoidpeak heat and be aware of humidity. Wear light,loose layers to shield from thesun. Hydrate before, during andafter exertion.Ifyou have symptomsofheat stress, address them immediately.
Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.
Feelingforgotten laterinlife
Dear Annie: Ihave always considered myself someone who values friendship deeply.Ihave many friends, at least on paper,but I have noticed something that has started to weigh heavily on me. Iamalmost always the one reaching out. If Idonot initiate the call, text or invitation, days or even weeks go by in silence. It is rare that anyone checks in just to see how Iamdoing. Iam70now,and lately Ihave been feeling theache of loneliness morethan ever.Istill trytobeupbeat,loyal and supportive. Ilisten attentively,I laugh easily and Inever pretend to be perfect.Ican talk about hard things, too. Butdespite all that, Ioften find myself alone. Idonot feel like Iampushing people away,but Iwonder if Iam somehow missing something Even with my adult sons, it is thesame. Ilove them dearly,but they rarely reach out unless there is areason. Iknow everyone is
busy,but Icannot shake the feeling that if Idisappeared tomorrow,itmight take days before anyone noticed.
doing the work, it is OK to take a step back and see whonotices. It may be disappointing, but it can also be clarifying.
ashow,Wangsaid,similar to how hibachi is ashow. Outside of thenoodles, Wang recommends thesaltand pepper wings andtrying thehibachi. Since July 15, Noodle Bowl has been in its soft opening stage with alimited menu. Wang is looking for feedback on dishes and service to helphim andhis team make adjustments and decisions goingforward.Heisplanninga grand opening sometimeinAugust
Email SerenaPuang at serena. puang@theadvocate.com.
whichheorshe dies, moves away or can otherwisenolonger manage the conservator duties and responsibilities. Ajudge also has the authority to replace the conservatorifthe conservatorisrepeatedly making poor decisions or neglecting required duties.
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.”Email her at thememorywhisperer@gmail com.
Iamtrying to makethe most of this stage in life, but timefeels like it is moving quickly,and Iam scared it might run out before Ihave had the kind of connection Ilong for. Am I alone in this? Do others my age experience this, too? And moreimportantly,is thereanything Ican do differently? —Lonely in West Virginia Dear Lonely: Youare not alone. Many people, especially as they get older,find themselves in theexact position you describe. Friendships shift, families get busy and somehow the phone stops ringing unless you are the one dialing. First,give yourself credit. You are showing up with heart, humor and honesty.That is no small thing.But here is the truth: relationships are atwo-way street, and if you are always the one
Find away to
Dear Miss Manners: Avery dear friend is getting married in eight weeks. She and her betrothed compromised and negotiated a great deal to finalize theguest list, and 10 people didn’tmake the cut. Unfortunately,she mistakenly invited those persons to her bridal shower Iexplained that they may feel slighted at being invited to the shower, but not thewedding. She now wants to contact these 10 people to explain the couple’sfinancial constraints and state that while the wedding guest list was final, these folks can forgo a shower gift because they are still participating in one small way Ithink this is likesending good money after bad. What can she possibly say to the10people —all of whom eagerly accepted the shower invite—tofixthis?
As foryour adult sons, it might be timefor agentle, honest conversation. Let them know you miss them.Bespecific about what kind of connection you are looking for. They may not realize how distant they have become.
In the meantime, consider finding new ways to connect. Join a local group, take aclass, volunteer or explore something that brings you joy.Sometimes the best way to feel seen is to start where the energy is, and that may not always be with the people you expected.
Time may be moving quickly, but there is still room fornew connection and meaning. Youare not invisible. Youmatter.Donot be afraid to remind the world of that, kindly but clearly
Send yourquestions forAnnie Lane to dearannie@creators com.
includethese guests
mission to the shower.”
Rather,Miss Manners thinks your friend should take responsibilityfor her mistake. Maybe cut theflower budget or serve cheaper refreshments so that these people —who you say were eager to celebrate with her —can be invited to the wedding.
starting timefor the party.Give or take.
Dear Miss Manners: Ioften struggle with finding the right timetoserve the meal at adinner party
Should it be as soon as all theguests have arrived? Or maybe when all the appetizers are gone?
Should we set atimeinthe invitation and start eating then, even if not everyone is there yet? I’ve also heard you should wait one hour after guests arrive.
Gentlereader: It is true that Miss Manners is good at dressing up unpleasant information to be acceptable, but there are limits. There is no polite way to say, “When we trimmed ourguest list, you were thepeople we decided we could do without. Butdon’t worry: We won’tcharge you ad-
Dear Heloise: We spend all this energy saving thingstorecycle, but Iwonder just how much of it actually gets recycled. Do you know? Thanks for all your advice. —Bob S.,in Cortland, Ohio
Bob,the mostrecent dataestimates that the overall recycling rate in theUnited States is 32.1%:
n Paper andpaperboard accounts for 79.1%.
Gentlereader: Well, you don’twant to rush people to the table the minutethey arrive. But if you wait until all the appetizers are gone, your hungry guests will be nibbling on thenapkins. Youwant to serve dinner as soon as it is ready,but also leave areasonable margin to allow for varying traffic and weather conditions.
Miss Manners suggests aiming for 45 minutes after your stated
Dear Miss Manners: I’majournalist whocovers politics. It’s exhausting, especially lately But at social functions, friends, family and strangers often share their political opinions (which usually include plenty of misinformation). It often gets heated —everyone thinks they’re an expert. Trying to change the subject rarely works. Is there apolite waytoshut it down, other than just leaving?
Gentle reader: Sadly,ithas become difficult foranyone to have acivil and productive discussion of politics nowadays. But Miss Manners notices that you can offer apolite excuse: “Sorry,but Ideal with politics all day,and Ineed abreak. Can you recommendagood movie or book about something else?”
Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.
such as casual clothes, groceries, and other things that help small businesses stay afloat. My sister drovetoanother city to buy ababy gift, agreeting card and wrapping paper when she could have gotten it at abetter price in a local mall.
n Plastic is sadly only 5% to 9%.
The difficulty with plastic centers around added dyes and the lack of machinery needed for various plastic types.
n Recycling rules and regulationsdepend heavily on state, city and regional directives. For example, some recycling centers will take shredded paper while others will not. —Heloise
Shop local
Dear Heloise: Iknow it’s fun to shop at abig-box store, but Iwish morepeople would shop locally especially for common items
Iknowthere is nothing youcan do aboutthis, but Ijust wantedtoremind people thatsmall businesses need to keep their doors open and usually offer better service becausethe shopper is thelifeblood of their community No one likes offices and shops that stay empty for years. So, shop local andhelpyourcommunitythrive! —HilaryG in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania Handwrittenthank-you notes
Dear Heloise: How long after my wedding should Iwait until I thank everyone fortheir gift? Andmymother said “no” to the idea of having ageneric card printed up that simply says,
“Thank you forthe lovely wedding gift.” She thinks it’stacky We need your help. —Holly and Russell D.,inMinnesota Holly and Russell, as soon as you get back from your honeymoon, you both need to sit downand start writing out your thank-you notes. Your mother is correct; ageneric “thank you” is not appropriate. Handwrite a fewthank-you notes every night, and soon you’ll be done. Be sure to mention the gift and how you’ll use it. Always remember good manners are classy! —Heloise Paperplatesnomore!
Dear Heloise: Imade adiscovery
Many deli trays from the supermarkets have foam trays to display their food. These can be carefully cleaned and reused as picnic plates. Just makecertain you never use atray that contained raw meat of any kind. Wayne T.,inFalmouth, Maine Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.
Annie Lane DEAR ANNIE
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Hints from Heloise
LEO (July23-Aug. 22) Risetoany occasion and do your part. The wayyou approach achieving your goals will have an impact on your popularity. Put more thought into howyou present yourself to others.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Keep your financial position to yourself. The less you share, the easier it will be foryou to negotiate on your ownbehalf. Don't jeopardize your health or finances to accommodate someoneelse.
LIBRA (sept. 23-Oct. 23) Achangewill becomea revelation, encouraging you to broaden your visionwhile dismissing what's no longer working for you. Put your energywhere it counts, and you will feel the difference.
scORPIO (Oct. 24-nov. 22) Let your feelings and instincts guide you. Youwill surpass expectations if you act more than you speak. Learnasyou go and elevate your gameinreal time.
sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec.21) Pay attention to your finances, health andhome. Updating your look, getting in shape and socializing more will lead to interesting connections andinsight into what to strive for next.
cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Listen, but don't believeeverything you hear. Someone willbemoreintent on impressing you thanonsticking to facts. Get the lowdown andavoid joint ventures.
ers knowwhatyou are willingtoshare andwhat's off-limits to those who venture into your world.
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Evaluate situationsbefore youget involved.Ask questions and consider the emotional ramificationsyouractionswill have on your life and the lives of others. Take physicalprecautions to avoid injuryor illness.
ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Take time to engage in talks and conduct research thatwill lead to betterchoices. Avoid restrictions thatcompromise your health or emotional well-being. Trust your instincts.
tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Sethighstandards and make the changes necessary to achieve your goals. There is no place for angerorstubbornness. To succeed, you must firstlearntoget along with others.
GEMInI (May21-June 20) Achange of scenery will improve your attitude and feed your imagination.Networkingand social events will lead to valuableinformation andintroductions.
cAncER(June 21-July22) Dream big, but be realistic. Considerhow to make your surroundings more convenientor clear aspace to develop amoneymakingsideline. Start small andbuild from there.
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of theSudoku increases fromMonday to Sunday.
Saturday’s Puzzle Answer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
By PHILLIP ALDER
Napoleon Hill wrote booksthat explainedhow achievement actually occurs and gave aformulathat put successwithinthereachofalmosteveryone. Hill said, “Patience, persistence and perspirationmakeanunbeatable combinationfor success.”
At the bridge table, you need patience and persistence. If you arealsogetting alot of perspiration, either you should trytorelax or the air conditioning needs adjusting.Additionally,playingsuitcombinations correctly can be important. In this deal,for example, how should South trytomake four spades? AfterWest leadsthe club queen, the defenders take three tricks in the suit. Then they cast adrift with aheart to dummy’s king. North’s jump to four spades showed four-card support and 18-20 support points, counting high-cardand shortage points. It was not asign-off. If South had astrong hand, he would have headed toward slam.
Declarerneedstodrawtrumpswithout loss. The right start is alow spade from theboard —not the queen, in case East hasasingletonking.However,whenEast plays low,declarer puts in his jack.
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word,phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,” such as “bats”
Wheredoyou hurt? Give your
to the Lord.— G.E. Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls BeforeswiNe
garfield
B.C.
of theoffi‐cialrecords of East Baton Rouge Parish,Louisiana the said tractorparcelof ground having such di‐mensionsand measure‐ments andlocated as set forth in themap copy of which is of record as Original405, Bundle 9213 ofthe recordsofthe Clerk of Court, Parish of Est BatonRouge Louisiana MunicipalAddress: 8700 Florida Blvd Baton Rouge,Louisiana 70815 OWNED BY CURTIS O. STEWART
feet on Monet Drive, by adepth of168.25 feet on the Southerly sideline,and 168.86 feet on the northerly Sideline,and a width of 86.51 feet across the rear;saidLot 29 frontingof95,04 feet on Monet Drivebya depth of168.66 feet on its Southerly sideline,169,70 feet on itsNortherly side‐line, anda widthof95.05 feet across therear. Property commonly known as:844 Monet Drive,Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806
TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der,atPublicAuction WITHAppraisement and according to law.
SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff EastBaton RougeParish
TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der,atPublicAuction WITHAppraisementand accordingtolaw SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff EastBaton RougeParish ADVERTISED DATE June 27,2025 July 28, 2025 $492.45 g and being designated on a maporplanofsubdivi‐sionpreparedbyPaulC Boudreaux &Associates, Inc.,ConsultingEngi‐neers, entitled "Final Plat" of MelroseEast, First Filing forWood‐daleCommercialProper‐ties, Inc."and being dated February 26, 1968 asrevised,a copy of
ADVERTISED DATE June 27, 2025 July 28, 2025 $262.78
SHERIFF'SSALE
ing, Parish of East Baton Rouge,State of Louisiana,and beingdes‐ignated on themap or planthereof,madeby PaulC.Boudreaux and Associates,Inc E.D. dated February 26, 1968 on file in theoffice of the Clerk andRecorderofthe ParishasOriginal81, Bundle6702, as LotNum‐bersThirty(30) and Thirty-One(31 ), said lots measuring 68 feet front respectivelyonMonet Drive andhavingsuch other measurements as shown on said map. Property commonly known as:888 Monet Drive,Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70806
TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der,atPublicAuction WITHAppraisement and accordingtolaw SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff EastBaton RougeParish ADVERTISED DATE June 27, 2025 July
SHERIFF'SSALE
andwill, be‐ginning at 10:00 o'clock a.m.onJuly30, 2025, via anonlineauction site at www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales, offer for sale at public auction the followingdescribed mortgagedpropertybe‐longing to:MONET II LLC Thosecertain lots or parcels of ground (par‐ticularly an apartment complex called "Court of Three Sisters"), situated inEastBaton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, in that subdivision of theCityof Baton Rouge, knownas MelroseEast, FirstFiling d b i d i d
SuitNo: (17) 758190 LIMA ONECAPITAL,LLC VSMONET IllLLC BatonRouge,LA 19th Judicial District Parish of East Baton Rouge StateofLouisiana Acting under andby virtueofWritofSeizure and Sale issued outof the honorablecourt aforesaid,inthe above entitledand numbered cause,dated,February 26, 2025 andtomedi‐rected, Idid seizeand will, beginningat10:00 o'clock a.m. on July 30 2025, viaanonlineauc‐tionsiteatwww bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales,offer for sale at public auctionthe following described mortgaged property be‐longing to:MONET IllLLC Thosecertain lots or parcels of ground (par‐ticularly as apartment complex called "Sand‐piper Apartments"f/k/a CourtofThree Sisters Apartments")situatedin thatsubdivision known as MelroseEast, FirstFil‐
SuitNo: (17) 758191 LIMA ONECAPITAL,LLC vsMONET VLLC BatonRouge,LA 19th Judicial District Parish of East Baton Rouge StateofLouisiana Acting under andby virtueofWritofSeizure and Sale issued outof the honorablecourt aforesaid,inthe above entitledand numbered cause,dated,March 14, 2025 andtomedirected, I didseize andwill, be‐ginning at 10:00 o'clock a.m.onJuly30, 2025, via anonlineauction site at www.bid4assets.com/ EBRSOsheriffsales, offer for sale at public auction the followingdescribed mortgaged property be‐longing to:MONET VLLC Three(3) certainlotsor parcels of ground situ‐atedinthe Parish of Eat Baton Rouge, Stateof Louisiana,inthatsubdi‐visionknown as Melrose East, FirstFiling, anddes‐ignated on theofficial plan entitled "Melrose EastFirst Filing Being a Portion of theE.C.Witter Estateand locatedin Section 72, T7S, R1 E, GreensburgLandDistrict ofLouisiana,EastBaton Rouge Parish,Louisiana for Wooddale Commer‐cialProperties, Inc.,pre‐pared by Paul C. Boudreaux andAssoci‐ates, Inc.,dated February 26,1968 andrecorded March 20, 1968 at Origi‐nal 81, Bundle 6702, amended at COB209 folio 658,
SUBDNISION, EIGHTH FIL‐ING, andbeing desig‐nated on theofficial map ofsaidsubdivision on file andofrecordinthe office of theClerk and Recorderfor said Parish and State, LOTNUMBER EIGHT HUNDREDELEVEN (811 ), said Sherwood Forestsubdivision EighthFiling, said lot measuring ninety-four (94) feet frontonWar‐wickA venue by adepth ofone hundred fifty(150) feet between parallel lines,and beingsubject toa 5foot servitude acrossthe frontfor side‐walks anda 7.5foot servitude across therear for public utilitiespur‐poses;subject to restric‐tions,servitudes, rightsof-wayand outstanding mineral rights of record affectingthe property TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der,atPublicAuction WITHOUT Appraisement and accordingtolaw SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff EastBaton RougeParish ADVERTISED DATE June 27, 2025 July 28, 2025 $242.34
bid4assets.com/EBR SOsheriffsales, offerfor saleatpublicauction the following described mortgaged property be‐longing to:TANGIBLEIN‐VESTMENTGROUP LLC ONE(1) CERTAINLOT OR PARCELOFGROUND, to‐getherwithall thebuild‐ingsand improvements thereon,situatedinthe PARISHOFEASTBATON ROUGE,STATE OF LOUISIANA,inthat subdi‐visionknown as BUHLER TOWN, anddesignated onthe official plan thereof,on file andof recordinthe office of the Clerk andRecorderofthe ParishofEastBaton Rouge,State of Louisiana, as LOTNUM‐BER SEVEN(7),OF SQUARETWENTY-TWOOR NINETY(90),saidBuhler Town, said lotmeasuring Sixty Six(66')feetfront along thenorth side of Florida Street by adepth ofOne HundredTwentyEight (128')feetbetween parallellines andalong the west side of North 17thStreet (formerly Stewart Street). MunicipalAddress: 1659 Florida Street,Baton Rouge,LA70802 TERMSOFSALE: Cash to thehighest bid‐der,atPublicAuction WITHAppraisementand according to law. SidJ.Gautreaux,Sheriff EastBaton RougeParish ADVERTISED DATE June 27, 2025 July 28, 2025 $229.60 ONE (1)certain lotor
SHERIFF'SSALE SuitNo: (17) 761073 FREEDOMMORTGAGE CORPORATION vs DAR‐REN D. STINSONAND DANADIANNE JONESAKA DANADIANNE JONES STINSON BatonRouge,LA 19th Judicial District Parish of East Baton Rouge StateofLouisiana Acting underand by virtueofWritofSeizure and Sale issued outof the honorablecourt aforesaid,inthe above entitledand numbered cause, dated, April21, 2025 andtomedirected, I didseize andwill, be‐ginning at 10:00 o'clock a.m.onJuly30, 2025, via an on line auctionsiteat www.bid4assets.com/
