The Acadiana Advocate 08-01-2025

Stakeholders break ground WednesdayonHotelLafayette at the site of the former Don’sSeafood

BUILDING DOWNTOWN

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

Gus Rezendecan recall vividly where he waswhen the owner of the popular Don’sSeafood and Steakhouse in downtown Lafayette was ready to sell his building Rezende, afrequent patronatDon’s as his office at the time was across the street, wasseated at Pamplona when he got acall from Ashby “Rocky” Landry Jr.’sreal estate agent, Todd Trahan.

“I’ll never forget it was March of 2020, rightbefore the governorshut down all the businesses,” Rezende said. “Todd said, ‘Mr.Rockyisreadyto sell, and you have onemonth to make adeal.’”

The deal happened, and justover five years later,work on the site officially began. The ownership group led by Rezende, Ryan Pecot, BJ Crist andJohnPeterson joined elected officialsand others in agroundbreaking Wednesday to kick off construction of the 83-room Hotel Lafayette to be built on the historic site.

Rezende’sgroup had to lineup investors on basically an abstract idea —the hotel project did not come into focus until later, after others fell through—

but it worked.The $20millionproject should be complete by late2026.

“I’m excited for this hotel,” Lafayette Mayor-President Monique Boulet said.

“It is awhole new dynamic down here. Isuspect it’sgoing to createanother level of thinking for people. We continue to evolve, we continue to growand

we continue to invite people here from all over the world.”

The 32,000-square-foot full-service boutique hotel will have amenitiesthat will make it one of the city’sunique hotels,afeasibility study indicated.

general seeksto barstates’ shield laws

BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill and her Republican counterparts are asking Congress to prevent other states from passing laws thatprotect doctorswho send abortion-inducing drugs to states that have banned them Louisiana and someother states have criminalized the use of mifepristone and misoprostol forabortion.The drugsare nowconsidered controlled dangerous substances in thosestatesand canbe prescribed onlyfor narrowmedical conditions like postpartum hemorrhages or miscarriages.

this year,Louisiana officials charged aNew

with sending aLouisiana woman medication foranabortion. But NewYork Gov. Kathy Hochul refused arequest to extradite the doctor,citing astate “shield law”that protects abortion providers.

vated to accommodategovernment administrative offices, but the building is aging and showing its wear,Boulet said. Some spaces arepoorly arrangedand cramped, while others aren’tbeing adequately used, including the former Lafayette Utilities System drive-up payment

ä See CITY HALL, page 7A

STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD BOWIE

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

Trump ally should be disbarred, panel says

WASHINGTON Jeffrey Clark, the former Justice Department official who aided President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election, should be stripped of his law license, a Washington disciplinary panel ruled on Thursday Clark played a key role in Trump’s efforts to challenge his election loss to Joe Biden and clashed with Justice Department superiors who refused to back his false claims of fraud

The D.C. Board of Professional Responsibility’s recommendation will now go to the D.C. Court of Appeals for a final decision.

Under the second Trump administration, Clark has been serving as acting head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, a part of the Office of Management and Budget that is responsible for reviewing executive branch regulations.

At issue in the D.C. bar proceedings was a letter that Clark, as an assistant attorney general in the first Trump administration, drafted that said the Justice Department was investigating “various irregularities” and had identified “significant concerns” that may have impacted the election in Georgia and other states. Clark wanted the letter sent to Georgia lawmakers, but Justice Department superiors refused.

The board said disciplinary counsel proved that Clark made “intentionally false statements” when he continued to push for the Justice Department to issue the letter after being told by superiors that it contained falsehoods.

Pat Tillman’s brother allegedly started a fire LOSANGELES A newly unsealed court document alleges that Richard Tillman admitted to police officers that he drove a vehicle into a Northern California post office and set the building on fire, “trying to make a statement to the United States Government.” It’s unclear what the statement was intended to be.

The youngest brother of late NFL star and U.S. Army Ranger Pat Tillman has been charged with the federal crime of malicious destruction of government property by fire in connection with the July 20 incident at Almaden Valley Station Post Office.

The 44-year-old San Jose resident was arrested at the scene. The criminal complaint against Tillman was filed July 23 but remained sealed until Wednesday when Tillman made his initial appearance in federal district court in San Jose.

The criminal complaint includes a statement of probable cause by U.S. Postal Inspector Shannon Roark. According to the statement, Tillman told officers on the scene that he had placed “instalogs” throughout his vehicle and doused them with lighter fluid He then backed the vehicle into the post office, exited the vehicle and used a match to set the car ablaze.

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Pat Tillman famously walked away from a three-year, $3.6 million contract offer from the Arizona Cardinals to enlist in the Army Timberlake reveals Lyme disease diagnosis

LOSANGELES Justin Timberlake has been diagnosed with Lyme disease, the former NSYNC star said on Instagram Thursday. Timberlake shared the news in a post commemorating his Forget Tomorrow tour, which wrapped in Turkey on Wednesday, adding that the disease “can be relentlessly debilitating, both mentally and physically.”

The singer wrote he considered ending the tour when diagnosed, but wrote that he “decided the joy that performing brings me far outweighs the fleeting stress my body was feeling. I’m so glad I kept going.”

“I honestly don’t know what my future is onstage, but I’ll always cherish this run! And all of them before! It’s been the stuff of legend for me,” Timberlake wrote. Timberlake canceled and postponed multiple shows throughout the tour’s run, citing health issues including bronchitis and laryngitis.

Teacher admits stabbing hikers

BY ANDREW DEMILLO and SAFIYAH RIDDLE Associated Press

LITTLE ROCK,Ark. — A teacher admit-

ted he fatally stabbed a couple he didn’t know who were hiking with two of their children in an Arkansas state park, authorities said Thursday, after a five-day search and hundreds of tips led to his arrest State Police arrested 28-year-old

being held without bond.

“He did indicate that he committed the murders,” Rhoads said during a news conference Thursday When asked to elaborate, she said: “I would call it an admission.”

Arkansas State Police Col. Mike Hagar said authorities are trying to determine a motive for the attack and have no reason to believe McGann knew the couple or their children.

But officials emphasized at the news conference that McGann, who has no criminal record, is innocent until proven guilty

Two of the Brinks’ three daughters ages 7 and 9 were with them on the hiking trail Saturday, but they were not hurt and are being cared for by family members, authorities said.

sloppy,” Rhoads said. Carter indicated the state would give a jury the option to sentence McGann to the death penalty McGann has active teaching licenses in Arkansas, Texas and Oklahoma, according to each respective government certification website. There are no infractions or suspensions noted on his public state licensures in any of those states.

Andrew James McGann on Wednesday at a barbershop in Springdale, approximately 30 miles north of Devil’s Den State Park, said Maj. Stacie Rhoads, commander of the department’s criminal investigation division.

McGann is charged with two counts of capital murder in the killing Saturday of Clinton David Brink, 43, and his 41-year-old wife Cristen Amanda Brink. McGann is

Officials said the husband was stabbed first, approximately half a mile into the park, then the mother ushered her children to safety before returning to help her husband. She was also stabbed to death. McGann was cooperative during the arrest and admitted to killing the couple soon after, Rhoads said. Police also matched his DNA to blood found at the crime scene.

“In my 27 years that I’ve been with the State Police, this is probably one of the most heinous that we’ve had, especially the aspect of just how random it was,” Rhoads said.

State Police collected photos and videos from other hikers who didn’t witness the attack but were on the trails at around the same time Police also released a composite sketch and a photo that showed a person of interest from behind.

The police then narrowed down the suspect’s vehicle, which had tape over the license plate, using surveillance footage from homes and businesses near Devil’s Den.

Within an hour of McGann being identified as a suspect, he was caught at the barber shop.

“Everyone speculates that there was a lot of thought that went into this to conceal his identity, but on the other side of that, he was very

Local leaders questioned over deadly July 4 floods

BY NADIA LATHAN Associated Press/Report for America

KERRVILLE, Texas A rural Texas county was missing some of its key leadership in the initial hours of a catastrophic flood that came barreling through the region, causing widespread destruction and killing more than 130 people. Kerr County’s sheriff and its emergency management director both acknowledged Thursday during a legislative hearing that they were asleep when it first became apparent that a major flood event was unfolding. Moreover Judge Rob Kelly, the top executive of Kerrville County, was out of town on July 4, the day of the flood

Their testimony, which came during a joint House and Senate panel of lawmakers who visited the hard-hit Texas Hill Country, revealed a lack of on-duty leadership in the key initial moments of the flooding that killed at least 136 people, including 27 youths and counselors at an all-girls camp

William “Dub” Thomas, Kerr County’s emergency management coordinator told lawmakers that he was sick the day before the flooding occurred and missed two calls with Texas Emergency Management officials. Kerr County Sheriff Larry Leitha and Thomas both acknowledged being asleep as a crisis was unfolding.

Lt. Gov Dan Patrick expressed his frustration

“I’m not pointing a finger, I’m not blaming you, I just want to set the record straight. Everyone was here that day working their ass off, and you were nowhere to be found,” Patrick said as the audience applauded.

Thomas said on the morning of July 4, he was first awakened by his wife around 5:30 a.m., about two hours after emergency rescue operations were underway, and quickly drove to the sheriff’s office.

“There was no visible flooding on my drive into the office, but it quickly became clear that the situation was escalating,” he said.

In other testimony, local officials said they needed but lacked an updated warning system, when flash flooding swept away homes and vehicles and left families begging for rescue on the roofs of their homes earlier this month.

Others who testified Thursday before an audience of hundreds of people — some who wore green ribbons in memory of the victims — called for urgent improvements for better flood warnings and flood mitigation.

Kelly said residents had virtually no warning of the impending weather catastrophe until it was too late.

“We need stronger communications and better broadband so we can communicate better,” he said, adding that poor cell service did not help those along the river “What we experienced on July 4 was sudden, violent and overwhelming.”

Leitha presented a timeline of events to lawmakers and said emergency responders realized they had an “all-handson-deck” situation as early as 3:30 a.m., when dispatchers received a call from a family stranded on their roof requesting air evacuation. But Leitha acknowledged he was not alerted of the flooding until about an hour later, at around 4:20 a.m.

Kelly testified that he was out of town at Lake Travis on the morning of the flood and woke up around 5:30 a.m.

Heavy rain pummels East Coast

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

Strong rain storms lashed the East Coast Thursday, delaying flights throughout the region and prompting emergency rescues of motorists trapped in deep water on busy highways from the Philadelphia area to New York City In New York, flash flooding briefly closed sections of major roadways and flooded train stations across the metropolitan region just as the evening rush hour approached. Commuters captured video of water pouring over a train on a platform in Manhattan’s Grand Central Terminal, while commuter rail lines into suburban

Long Island and New Jersey were suspended in places as tracks were deluged. Power lines also were impacted.

Traffic cameras and social media posts on a highway in Queens showed motorists at one point standing on the roofs of stranded vehicles and a tractor trailer nearly fully submerged. Police said they pulled cars carrying two people from the flooded stretch before the waters receded and traffic slowly resumed.

Photos and videos from Reading, Pennsylvania, showed parked cars nearly underwater and water pouring down a narrow city street. Other videos from Reading showed emergency vehicles blocking off some streets or underpasses as flood waters had rendered them impassable.

McGann was placed on administrative leave in spring 2023 while he was employed at Donald Elementary School in Flower Mound, Texas, “following concerns related to classroom management, professional judgment, and student favoritism,” according to a spokesperson for the Lewisville Independent School District.

McGann also taught at a small Oklahoma school district from the summer of 2024 until May this year He resigned to take a job in another state, according to a statement from Sand Springs Public Schools. The district said McGann passed all background checks.

$200M ballroom coming to White House this year

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON The White House on Thursday announced that construction on a $200 million ballroom will begin in September and be ready for entertaining before President Donald Trump’s term ends in early 2029. It will be the first structural change to the Executive Mansion since the addition of the Truman balcony several decades ago. Trump has substantially redecorated the Oval Office by adding golden flourishes, cherubs and other items and installed massive flagpoles to fly the American flag on the north and south lawns. Workers are currently finishing a project to replace the lawn in the Rose Garden with stone. Trump says the White House doesn’t have enough space to hold large events and he does not like the idea of hosting heads of state and other guests in tents on the lawn, as past administrations have done for the hundreds of guests who attend state dinners. The East Room, the larg-

est room in the the White House, can accommodate about 200 people. The 90,000-squarefoot ballroom announced Thursday will be built where the East Wing currently sits and have a seated capacity of 650 people. The East Wing is home to several offices, including the first lady’s, and those offices will be relocated during construction.

“President Trump is a builder at heart and has an extraordinary eye for detail,” White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said in a statement. She said the president and his White House are “fully committed” to working with the appropriate organizations to preserve the “special history of the White House while building a beautiful ballroom that can be enjoyed by future administrations and generations of Americans to come.” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Thursday that Trump and other donors have committed to raising the approximately $200 million in construction costs. She did not name donors.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy

Attendees look at a marked-up map of the Guadalupe River during a Senate and House Select Committees on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding public hearing Thursday in Kerrville Texas.

McGann

TEXAS

Trumpgetting hisway in hisglobaltrade war

BY MICHAEL WILNER

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

WASHINGTON When President Donald Trump rocked the economy with an unprecedented attack on global trade in April, the plan was dismissed as swaggering, capricious and unsustainable. Market meltdowns and price increases would teach the White Housethe true cost of its mistakes, economists warned.

Yet, four months later,Trump is largely getting his way,refashioning the global economic order around his long-standingworldview that the United States has been ripped off for decades—all before the economy can fully absorb the shock.

Prices are ticking up, but markets have rebounded, andconsumer confidence is resurgent after Trump backed down from hismostdraconian threats. Projections of alooming recession are being tempered. And ahandful of deals havebeen struck that, on their surface, give Trump much of what he wanted.

Alongroadahead

Experts still warn that the net effect of Trump’strade war will hurt the U.S. economy, slowing growth andraising prices in the short term while depressing livingstandards in the long term.

Ahandful of preliminary agreementswithimportant trading partnershavebeenannounced in recent days. But the president said Wednesday that he was committed to raising tariffs on others by Friday “THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE IS THE AUGUST FIRST DEADLINE —ITSTANDS STRONG, AND WILL NOT BE EXTENDED,” Trump wrote on social media. “A BIG DAYFOR AMERICA!!!”

That leaves the most valuable U.S. trading relationships vulnerable to devastating rate hikes that could severely roil the U.S. economy by the holiday season, when U.S. retailers make as much as a quarter of their annual sales, experts said. Trump saidWednesday he would raise the tariff on India to 25% and on Thursday extended

ASSOCIATED

Aworker focuses on steel decking in the construction of ahousing project Thursday in Portland,Maine.

Mexico’scurrent tariff ratesfor 90 days to allow more time fornegotiations.

Themost dramatic provisions in the biggestdeals struck thus far with the European Union, Japan, theUnited Kingdom and Vietnam, amongothers —lack enforcement mechanisms and are, in some cases, downright fanciful, such as an EU pledge to purchase $750 billion in American energyover thenext three years.

Yet, despite raising tariffrates in those deals up to an average of between 15% to 20% —higher than the 10%baseline that Trump unveiled in April, itself amarked increase from historic standards —Trump’s reversals on his most dramatic levies, such as a125% import duty onChinese products, have helped calm markets and buoybusiness confidence.

Thegap betweenreality and public perceptionisevident in recent economic data, which show slowing U.S. growthbut rising U.S consumer confidence

U.S. economicgrowthlastyear

“Neither the tariffs nor the side dealsseem to reflect anykind of broader strategy other than trade is bad and tariff revenue is good.”

STAN VEUGER, asenior fellowin economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute

was at 2.8%.This year,econo-

mists warnthat thecountry is still on track for less than 2% growth overall, aslowing rate not seen since theheight of the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020.

“The president’srecent push on trade has produced aflurry of agreements that, while stopping short of the sweeping free-trade deals of past administrations, have headedoff thethreat of a full-blown tariff war,” saidSung WonSohn, an economist and aformercommissioner at the Port of Los Angeles.

“The administration hasmanaged to calm immediate fearsof atrade shock while lockingina

costlier trading environment,” he added. “The dealsrepresent progress, but the toughest negotiations— with someofAmerica’s mostimportant partners —still remain.”

‘Fragile’deals

Thedeals Trump hascut so far amount to loose conceptual frameworks that have not been formalizedthrough U.S. or foreign governing systems—and will ultimately survive at the whims of a president whohas thrownout his own trade deals before.

The United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, was agenuine trade dealnegotiated by Trump himselfduring his first termin2020 that overhauled trade across the continent. Yetthat has notstopped himfrom entering a retaliatory spiralover trade with Canada and putting extraordinary pressure on Mexico’spresident, Claudia Sheinbaum,tobend to painful U.S. demands.

“It is fair to saynocomprehensive tradeagreements have been

BY PAUL WISEMAN andMATTSEDENSKY

Associated Press

WASHINGTON Appellate court judges expressed broad skepticism Thursday over President DonaldTrump’slegal rationale for his most expansive roundoftariffs.

Members of the 11-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit in Washington appeared unconvinced by the Trump administration’sinsistencethat the president could impose tariffs without congressional approval, and it hammeredits invocation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to do so.

“IEEPAdoesn’teven mention the word ‘tariffs’ anywhere,” Circuit Judge Jimmie Reyna said, in asign of the panel’sincredulity to agovernment attorney’sarguments Brett Schumate, the attorney representing theTrump administration, acknowledged“no president has ever read IEEPAthis way” but contendeditwas nonethelesslawful. The 1977 law,signed by PresidentJimmy Carter,allows the president to seize assets and block transactions during anational emergency.Itwas first usedduring the Iran hostage crisis andhas sincebeen invoked

for arange of global unrest.

Trump says thecountry’strade deficit is so seriousthatitlikewisequalifiesfor the law’sprotection. In sharp exchanges with Schumate, appellate judges questioned that contention, askingwhether thelaw extendedtotariffs at all and, if so, whether theleviesmatched the threat theadministration identified.

“If thepresident says there’saproblem with our military readiness,” Chief Circuit Judge Kimberly Moore posited, “andhe puts a20% tax on coffee, that doesn’tseem to necessarily deal with(it).”

Schumate said Congress’ passage of IEEPA gave the president “broad and flexible power to respond to an emergency,but that “the president is not asking forunbounded authority.”

But an attorney for the plaintiffs,Neal Katyal, characterized Trump’smaneuver as a“breathtaking” power grab that amounted to saying“thepresident can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants, for as long as he wants so long as he declares an emergency.”

No ruling was issued from thebench. The case is widely expected to reach the U.S. SupremeCourt.

reached reallywithany of ourtradingpartners,” said Stan Veuger,a senior fellow in economic policy studiesatthe AmericanEnterprise Institute and afrequent visiting lecturer at Harvard, referring to the settlements reached thus far as “side deals.”

Those deals, he said, “have been limited in scope, and can only be read as an effort to getthe U.S. government to calm down and focus on something else.”

“They are also very fragile, as they are ill-defined, barely formalized or not at all, and especially on the U.S. side amere product of executive action,” Veuger said.

“Neither thetariffs nor theside deals,” Veuger added, “seem to reflect anykind of broader strategy other than trade is bad and tariff revenue is good.”

Recessionfears remain

After Trump’s“Liberation Day” announcement of global tariffs April 2, nearly every U.S. financial institution issued forecasts warning that aU.S. recession thisyear wasmore likely than not.

Thoseforecasts have been downgraded—but the risk is still significant, analysts say.According to J.P.Morgan, the probability of a recession hasfallen to 40%.Apollo GlobalManagement warned that thefate of U.S. economicgrowth probably would fall on the administration’s ongoing trade negotiations with China.

“In this first round of the trade war,Trump has triumphed, at least on the termsheset out for himself. The way the EU caved, in particular,isstunning,” said Kenneth Rogoff, aprominent economist and professor at Harvard. “That said, so far the tariffs seem to have been mostly paid by U.S. importers, not foreign countriesthat export to the U.S. Eventually,now that the war has settled down, the cost will be passed on to consumers.”

Rogoff still put the odds of an “outright recessionover the next 18 months” at greater than 50%.

“It is very likely that there will be somemodest inflation over the next year and weaker growth,” he said, adding, “it is already becoming harder to find jobs in many sectors.”

PRESS PHOTOByROBERT F. BUKATy

BR JCPenney sold as part of $947M deal

A Boston-based private equity firm has reached a deal to buy 119 JCPenney stores, including the Mall of Louisiana location for $947 million.

An affiliate of Onyx Partners Ltd. is set to close on the purchase by Sept. 8, according to a news release issued last week. The seller was Copper Property CTL Pass Through Trust, a trust set up by JCPenney’s lenders as part of the reorganization after the company filed for bankruptcy in 2020. It is not clear what Onyx will do with all of the stores.

The Baton Rouge JCPenney store was the only Louisiana location listed in the portfolio The department store chain has 13 stores in Louisiana, including locations in Metairie, Lafayette, Covington Gretna, Hammond, Houma and Lake Charles.

Health care stocks push

Wall Street lower

Stocks capped a choppy day of trading on Wall Street with more losses Thursday after an early Big Tech rally faded and a health care sector pullback led the market lower

Roughly 70% of stocks in the S&P 500 lost ground, with health care companies accounting for the biggest drag on the market.

Health care stocks sank after the White House released letters asking big pharmaceutical companies to cut prices and make other changes in the next 60 days Eli Lilly & Co. fell 2.6%, UnitedHealth Group slid 6.2% and Bristol-Myers Squibb dropped 5.8%.

Gains by some big technology stocks with hefty values helped temper the impact of the broader market’s decline.

U.S. applications for jobless benefits up

WASHINGTON The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits inched up modestly last week as businesses continue to retain staff despite economic uncertainty around U.S. trade policy

The Labor Department reported Thursday that jobless claims for the week ending July 26 ticked up by 1,000 to 218,000, less than the 225,000 new applications analysts forecast.

It was the first time in seven weeks that benefit applications rose, although layoffs remain at historically low levels.

Weekly applications for jobless benefits are seen as representative of U.S. layoffs and have mostly settled in a historically healthy range between 200,000 and 250,000 since COVID-19 throttled the economy in the spring of 2020, wiping out millions of jobs.

This week, government data showed that employers posted 7.4 million job vacancies in June, down from 7.7 million in May The number of people quitting their jobs a sign of confidence in their prospects elsewhere — fell in June to the lowest level since December Hiring also fell from May

Meta Q2 results blow past expectations

Meta’s artificial intelligence spending spree appears to be paying off with investors, who sent the company’s stock soaring following a blowout quarterly earnings report Wednesday

The Menlo Park, Californiabased company easily beat Wall Street’s expectations for the second quarter, helped by higher advertising revenue and a growing user base on its flagship social media platforms. The money is helping to fund the company’s massive investments in AI development and hiring top talent at eye-popping compensation levels.

Meta is facing an antitrust case that’s now awaiting a judge’s decision and could force the company to break off WhatsApp and Instagram, startups Meta bought more than a decade ago that have since grown into social media powerhouses. The company earned $18.34 billion, or $7.14 per share, in the April-June period. That’s up 36% from $13.47 billion, or $5.16 per share, in the same period a year earlier Revenue jumped 22% to $47.52 billion from $39.07 billion

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Trump administration cancels wind plans

Lease sales were anticipated for La. coast

BY JENNIFER MCDERMOTT Associated Press

The Trump administration is canceling plans to use large areas of federal waters for new offshore wind development, the latest step to suppress the industry in the United States.

Offshore wind lease sales were anticipated off the coasts of Texas, Louisiana Maine New York, California and Oregon, as well as in the central Atlantic. The Biden administration last year had announced a five-year schedule to lease federal offshore tracts for wind energy production.

Trump began reversing the country’s energy policies after taking office in January A series of executive orders took aim at increasing oil, gas and coal production.

The Republican president has been hostile to renewable energy particularly offshore wind. One early executive order temporarily

More than 3.5 million acres had been designated wind energy areas, the offshore locations deemed most suitable for wind energy development. The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management is now rescinding all designated wind energy areas in federal waters, announcing on Wednesday an end to setting aside large areas for “speculative wind development.”

halted offshore wind lease sales in federal waters and paused the issuance of approvals, permits and loans for all wind projects. In trying to make a case against wind energy, he has relied on false and misleading claims about the use of wind power in the U.S and around the world. The bureau said it was acting in accordance with Trump’s action and an order by his interior secretary this week to end any preferential treatment toward wind and solar facilities which were described as unreliable, foreign-controlled energy sources. Renewable energies such as wind and solar provide an intermittent supply of electricity when it is windy or sunny Increasingly, batteries are getting paired with solar

and wind projects to allow renewables to replace fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal, while keeping a steady flow of power when sources such as wind and solar are not producing.

The Interior Department is considering withdrawing areas on federal lands with high potential for onshore wind power to balance energy development with other uses such as recreation and grazing. It also will review bird deaths associated with wind turbines, which are allowed under federal permits that consider the deaths “incidental” to energy production.

Earlier this month, the department said all solar and wind energy projects on federal lands and waters must be personally approved by Interior Secretary Doug Burgum.

American Eagle ad sparks debate

Campaign starring Sydney Sweeney comments on race, beauty standards

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer

NEW YORK U.S. fashion retailer American

Eagle Outfitters wanted to make a splash with its new advertising campaign starring 27-year-old actor Sydney Sweeney The ad blitz included “clever even provocative language” and was “definitely going to push buttons,” the company’s chief marketing officer told trade media outlets.

It has. The question now is whether some of the public reaction the fall denim campaign produced is what American Eagle intended.

Titled “Sydney Sweeney has great jeans,” the campaign sparked a debate about race, Western beauty standards, and the backlash to “woke” American politics and culture.

Most of the negative reception focused on videos that used the word “genes” instead of “jeans” when discussing the blondehaired, blue-eyed actor known for the HBO series “Euphoria” and “White Lotus.”

Some critics saw the wordplay as a nod, either unintentional or deliberate, to eugenics, a discredited theory that held humanity could be improved through selective breeding for certain traits.

Marcus Collins, an assistant professor of marketing at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, said the criticism for the American Eagle ad could have been avoided if the ads showed models of various races making the “genes” pun.

“You can either say this was ignorance, or this was laziness, or say that this is intentional,” Collins said. “Either one of the three aren’t good.”

Other commenters accused detractors of reading too much into the campaign’s message.

“I love how the leftist meltdown over the Sydney Sweeney ad has only resulted in a beautiful white blonde girl with blue eyes getting 1000x the exposure for her ‘good genes,’” former Fox News host Megyn Kelly wrote Tuesday on X.

American Eagle didn’t respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

A snapshot of American Eagle

The ad blitz comes as the teen retailer, like many merchants, wrestles with sluggish consumer spending and higher costs from tariffs. American Eagle reported that total sales were down 5% for its February-April quarter compared to a year earlier

Like many trendy clothing brands, American Eagle has to differentiate itself from other

midpriced chains with a famous face or by saying something edgy, according to Alan Adamson, co-founder of marketing consultancy Metaforce.

Adamson said the Sweeney campaign shares a lineage with Calvin Klein jeans ads from 1980 that featured a 15-year-old Brooke Shields saying, “You want to know what comes in between me and my Calvins? Nothing.” Some TV networks declined to air the spots because of its suggestive double entendre and Shields’ age.

“It’s the same playbook: a very hot model saying provocative things shot in an interesting way,” Adamson said.

Billboards, Instagram and Snapchat

Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers told industry news website Retail Brew last week that “Sydney is the biggest get in the history of American Eagle,” and the company would promote the partnership in a way that matched.

The campaign features videos of Sweeney wearing slouchy jeans in various settings. She will appear on 3D billboards in Times Square and elsewhere, speaking to users on Snapchat and Instagram, and in an AIenabled try-on feature.

American Eagle also plans to launch a limited edition Sydney jean to raise awareness of domestic violence, with sales proceeds going to a nonprofit crisis counseling service.

In a news release, the company noted “Sweeney’s girl next door charm and main character energy — paired with her ability to not take herself too seriously — is the hallmark of this bold, playful campaign.”

Jeans, genes and their many meanings

In one video, Sweeney walks toward an American Eagle billboard of her and the tagline “Sydney Sweeney has great genes.” She crosses out “genes” and replaces it with “jeans.”

But what critics found the most troubling was a teaser video in which Sweeney says, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality and even eye color My jeans are blue.”

The video appeared on American Eagle’s Facebook page and other social media channels but is not part of the ad campaign.

While remarking that someone has good genes is sometimes used as a compliment, the phrase also has sinister connotations Eugenics gained popularity in early 20th century America, and Nazi Germany embraced it to carry out Adolf Hitler’s plan for an Aryan master race.

Civil rights activists have noted signs of eugenics regaining a foothold through the far right’s promotion of the “great replacement theory,” a racist ideology that alleges a conspiracy to diminish the influence of White people.

Shalini Shankar, a cultural and linguistic anthropologist at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, said she had problems with American Eagle’s “genes” versus “jeans” because it exacerbates a limited concept of beauty

“American Eagle, I guess, wants to rebrand itself for a particular kind of White privileged American,” Shankar said.

Inflation gauge rose as Trump’s tariffs lifted goods prices

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON The Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge ticked higher last month in a sign that President Donald Trump’s broad-based tariffs are starting to lift prices for many goods. Prices rose 2.6% in June compared with a year ago, the Commerce Department said Thursday, up from an annual pace of 2.4% in May. Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, prices rose 2.8% in the past year, the same as the previous month, which was revised higher The figures are above the Fed’s 2% goal. The uptick in prices helps ex-

plain the central bank’s reluctance to cut its key interest rate this week, despite repeated demands from Trump that it do so.

On Wednesday, the Fed left its key rate unchanged at 4.3%, and Chair Fed Powell suggested it could take months for the central bank to determine whether the import duties will cause just a one-time rise in prices, or a more persistent increase in inflation.

Trump has attacked Powell personally and repeatedly and did so again on Thursday for the Fed’s reluctance to cut rates, calling him

“TOO ANGRY, TOO STUPID, & TOO POLITICAL, to have the job of Fed Chair.” On a monthly basis, prices ticked

up 0.3% from May to June while core prices also rose 0.3%. Both figures are higher than consistent with the 2% target.

“The above-target rise in core prices in June, upward revisions to previous months’ data and the sharp rise in core goods inflation will do little to ease the Fed’s concerns about tariff-driven inflation,” said Harry Chambers, assistant economist at Capital Economics, a forecasting firm. “If these pressures persist, as we expect, a September cut looks unlikely.”

The government’s measure of gas prices jumped 0.9% from May to June, while grocery costs rose 0.3%. Many longer-lasting

goods that are heavily imported saw clear price increases, with furniture prices up 1.3% just last month, appliances up 1.9%, and computers up 1.4%.

The cost of some services fell dramatically last month, offsetting some of the price pressures from goods. Air fares dropped 0.7% from May to June, while the cost of hotel rooms plunged 3.6% just in one month. Thursday’s report also showed that consumer spending rose 0.3% from May to June, a modest rise that suggests Americans are still spending cautiously Adjusted for inflation, the increase was just 0.1%, the government said.

INVISION PHOTO By SCOTT A GARFITT

Sydney Sweeney is the star of a new ad campaign for American Eagle Outfitters and has sparked a debate about the wordplay used in the advertising

Mourners honor NYPD officer killed in attack

BY DEEPTI HAJELA and JENNIFER PELTZ Associated Press

NEW YORK Mourners

packed a New York mosque on Thursday to honor a Bangladesh-born police officer

who embraced the job of protecting his adopted city and gave his life for it when a gunman opened fire in an office building this week

Officer Didarul Islam

“did believe in the American dream, not as something handed down but as something built with your own hands,” Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told Islam’s family and friends as his fellow officers lined up rows deep outside the Bronx house of worship

Dignitaries and members of the New York’s thriving Bangladeshi community also paid tribute to the fallen officer during a memorial that emphasized the importance he placed on his family background and service to the city

A married father of two with a third child on the way, the 36-year-old was working a New York Police Department-approved private security detail, in uniform, when he and three

other people were killed Monday at the Manhattan skyscraper that houses the NFL’s headquarters and other corporate offices.

“To our family, he was our world. To the city, he was a proud NYPD officer who served with compassion and integrity He lived to help others,” Islam’s widow said in a statement that a relative read on her behalf at the service at the Parkchester Jame Masjid mosque. After coming to the United States, Islam began building a career in the nation’s

largest police force. He described policing as “a blanket of the community, there to provide comfort and care,” the police commissioner said.

ily, saying he “made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of his fellow New Yorkers.”

Like others who spoke, Imam Zakir Ahmed highlighted the officer’s immigrant background and Muslim faith. But said Islam “lived at a time when people like him are too often feared, vilified and made to feel like outsiders.”

“It’s time for New York and America to give back to see us, to hear us, to protect our dignity, the way Officer Islam protected yours,” Ahmed said.

The eldest of several siblings, Islam supported his parents in Bangladesh, as well as his wife and two young sons in the Bronx, the imam said. The police commissioner said Islam worked a long day at a parade Sunday, then picked up private security hours Monday at the office building.

Deputy Inspector Muhammad Ashraf, the commander of the busy Bronx precinct where Islam worked, said he

was a “humble, steady and reliable” officer

“He knew what it meant to protect the place that gave him a new beginning, and in return, he gave everything back,” Ashraf said at Thursday’s service.

Another victim, real estate firm worker Julia Hyman, 27, was mourned at an emotional service Wednesday at a Manhattan synagogue. Funeral arrangements for the two others killed, security guard Aland Etienne and investment firm executive Wesley LePatner, have not been made public.

Police identified the gunman as Shane Tamura, a 27-year old former high school football player who most recently worked in a Las Vegas casino. Authorities say he believed he had a brain disease

Islam served as a school safety agent before becoming a patrol officer less than four years ago, and was promoted posthumously Thursday to detective.

In Washington, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt began her daily briefing by expressing President Donald Trump’s condolences to Islam’s fam-

Trump revives Presidential Fitness Test for schoolchildren

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE and SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Thursday reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children, a fixture of public schools for decades that gauged young people’s health and athleticism with 1-mile runs, situps and stretching exercises.

“This is a wonderful tradition, and we’re bringing it back,” Trump said of the fitness test that began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration An executive order he signed Thursday also reinvigorates a national sports council that the president stocked with former and current athletes and other figures from the sports world. Several prominent athletes joined Trump and top administration officials, including allies such as friend and pro golfer Bryson DeChambeau; and others who’ve attracted controversy such as former New York Giants linebacker Lawrence Taylor, a registered sex offender

It’s the latest athletics-related push from Trump, an avid golfer who remains enthralled with the world of sports. He played baseball in high school and plays golf almost every weekend. Much of the domestic travel he has done this year that is not related to weekend golf games at his clubs in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia was built around attending sporting events.

“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports,” Trump said “When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else. To an extent, this is one of the reasons I like golf You get away for a couple of hours.”

The announcement also came as Trump readies the United States to host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup games and the 2028 Summer Olympics. He also signed a different executive order earlier this month mandating that federal authorities clarify whether college athletes can be considered employees of the schools they play for

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr speaks as President Donald Trump listens at an event to promote his proposal to improve Americans’ access to their medical records Wednesday in the East Room of the White House.

Trump on Thursday said the council, known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, will also deal with various issues on college athletics, such as the transfer portal that has more easily allowed athletes to switch from school to school. The council, which will have up to 30 members, will also develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. The fitness test will be administered by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sitand-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let’s Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise. The Youth Fitness Test “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yUKI IWAMURA New york Police officers salute as the hearse carrying the casket

U.S. envoy arrives in Israel to monitor food distribution in Gaza

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip

U.S

President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff arrived in Israel on Thursday to discuss the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, as the death toll of Palestinians waiting for food and other aid continued to climb Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador Mike Huckabee will inspect food distribution in Gaza on Friday, the White House said.

At least 91 Palestinians were killed and more than 600 wounded while attempting to get aid in the past 24 hours, the Gaza Health Ministry said Thursday The victims included 54 people killed while awaiting food in northern Gaza near the Zikim crossing on Wednesday, the ministry said. The toll is expected to rise further as many of those killed or wounded were brought to isolated, un-

dersupplied hospitals in northern Gaza and have not yet been counted.

Israel’s military said Palestinians surrounded aid trucks and the Israeli military fired warning shots into the crowd, but reported no awareness of injuries resulting from Israeli fire.

A security official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said the gunfire came from within the crowd and resulted from altercations between Palestinians attempting to access aid.

Scenes of desperation and chaos played out again on Thursday as scores of Palestinians ran toward food aid dropped from the air in Zawaida, a city in central Gaza.

Aid providers have turned to the skies as border crossings remain closed amid severe food insecurity across the Gaza Strip.

The drops have set off stampedes and skirmishes as hungry crowds scream, fight and jostle for

the parcels. Eslam al-Telbany, a displaced woman from Jabaliya, said she was carrying a bottle of cooking oil and a sack of flour when she was attacked and bitten, ultimately dropping the items and returning home without aid.

“I went and my children prayed that I’d return with food. They haven’t eaten or drank anything for two days,” she said as she wept. Ahmed al-Khatib said someone stole a bag of flour from him, and he broke a tooth in the struggle.

Rana Attia, another displaced woman, said people felt more dignified receiving text messages telling them where to collect aid rather than randomly chasing falling parcels under the scorching heat “We don’t want them to help us that way,” she said.

Despite the airdrops the amount of aid getting into Gaza remains far lower than the 500 to 600 trucks per day that aid organizations say are needed.

at the site

HOTEL

Continued from page 1A

It will be the second but largest hotel downtown, and the development company behind the hotel is pledging to design it with a nod to the city’s history and culture. The Thrash Group, of Hattiesburg, Mississippi, had been looking at the Lafayette market for quite some time and got matched up with Rezende’s group by downtown officials.

They went public with plans for the hotel in November, and now there’s talk of coordinating with couples getting married at Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist and doing second-lines to the hotel for a reception.

It will also be located next door to Magnolia Pantry the locally owned business that will open Sunday in the old historic Sans Souci building.

“I love Lafayette,” said Joe Thrash, partner and son of founding partner Ike Thrash. “I think this is three times as many

the

people as we’ve ever had with a groundbreaking. We can feel the excitement, and it makes us far more excited to do the project.”

One big draw is expected to be Bayou Teche Brewery, the popular Arnaudville-based business that will open in the 4,500-squarefoot space on the hotel’s first floor

It’s the end of a 10-year effort to locate downtown, owner Karlos Knott said. Past efforts failed due to location or state regulations on breweries, but now the business, known for its wood-fired pizzas and crafted tiki cocktails, will open downtown.

“We met Gus and them about four years ago, and we were going to move into Don’s,” Knott said. “But when they discovered the hotel wanted to build there, the whole deal was too good to pass up. When it was a Don’s building, we were excited. But with a hotel, it just elevates the whole project.”

The hotel will get breaks on the 1-cent sales tax in the downtown economic development district and the 2-cent parishwide hotel tax over the first seven years of

operation It will get back 100% of the sales tax generated in the first two years, along with 100% of the 2% hotel tax generated in the first four years and 50% in the subsequent three years. Revenue to the EDD after those first two years should top $40,000 by the third year and $140,000 by the 10th year, according to projections done by Stephen Barnes and the staff at Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Public Policy Center at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Parishwide hotel and sales tax revenue could top $1 million after 20 years.

“When we structured this, we did it with taxpayers in mind in making sure the benefit came back to the city and parish as opposed to the private developer,” Lafayette City Council member Kenneth Boudreaux said. “I don’t think we could have come up with a better structure, and it was a collaborative effort. This is so fiscally sound it’s unbelievable.”

Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@ theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1A

Murrill and 14 other red-state attorneys general sent a letter to congressional leaders Tuesday urging them to bar such shield laws, which they argue are “blatant attempts to interfere with States’ ability to enforce criminal laws within their borders and disrupt our constitutional structure.”

“Every time someone mails abortion pills to Louisiana, it’s a State and federal crime,” Murrill said in a statement. “If the FDA won’t act, Congress must.”

As more states consider enacting shield laws or expanding existing ones, whether one state can shield providers from liability for breaking another state’s laws around abortion is still an unsettled area of law

“That is inherently a challenge with shield laws and telehealth,” said Carmel Shachar, faculty director of the Health Law and Policy Clinic at Harvard Law School.

“At a certain point, for the purposes of abortion bans, the courts will need to decide: Do we treat a telehealth abortion as happening within the state of the provider or within the state of the patient?”

Louisiana state Sen. Thomas Pressly, R-Shreveport, sponsored the legislation that in 2024 put mifepristone and misoprostol on the state’s controlled substances list after his sister’s husband

CITY HALL

Continued from page 1A

window, which previous Mayor-

President Josh Guillory had enclosed and converted into a private parking garage for himself.

Boulet said she intends to convert that into office space for the community development staff.

Escalators that remain from the Sears store would be replaced with a staircase, Boulet said, because the cost of parts and repairs to the aging escalators continues to climb.

She also would like to add public meeting space, something separate from the council meeting chamber

The renovations would take place in phases so operations and services can continue during construction.

Work would begin, Boulet said, on the side of the building facing University Avenue that houses city and parish council offices and staff.

Efforts would be made to preserve a mural on that side of the building painted by local artist Robert Dafford in 2016, she said.

The building, officials said in a news release, hasn’t kept pace with how government operates today

Key challenges, according to the news release, include:

gave her abortion pills without her knowledge. Pressly applauded Murrill’s effort.

“My sister and my niece were the victims of a violent attack by my sister’s then-husband who obtained these dangerous drugs with the intent of killing my niece and harming my sister,” he said.

“Congress should act to protect women and children, and I appreciate AG Murrill taking the lead on this important issue.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, said that chemical abortions done without medical supervision “pose severe risk” for mothers and their unborn children.

“I commend AG Murrill for her leadership to hold out-of-state doctors accountable for subverting Louisiana’s pro-life laws that protect mothers and babies,” he said.

But Congressman Troy Carter, a Democrat from New Orleans, criticized the move, saying “mifepristone is a safe and effective drug. Period.”

“By limiting its access to women who need it in Louisiana, AG Murrill is putting lives at risk,” Carter said. “Blocking its access also blatantly disregards the right to bodily autonomy Political interference in our health care is wrong, and I’ll continue to push back against dangerous actions like this.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Email Matthew Albright at malbright@theadvocate.com.

n Outdated plumbing, lighting, ventilation and mechanical devices

n Restrooms and circulation paths that are not Americans with Disabilities Act compliant

n A lack of clear signage or a defined public entrance.

Holly & Smith Architects, a Louisiana-based firm with expertise in civic and public-use design, will lead the renovations. The project will follow a phased approach, allowing City Hall to remain open during construction, minimizing disruptions to public access and services.

Several public meetings will be scheduled after the 2025-26 budget hearings are completed so residents can learn more about the renovations and offer input.

The tentative schedule is:

n Fall/winter 2025: Design development continues.

n Summer 2026: Construction bidding opens.

n Fall 2026: Construction begins.

The city and parish councils will meet in joint session at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Aug. 7 in the council auditorium at City Hall, 705 W. University Ave., to begin discussing the proposed 2025-26 budget for the fiscal year that begins Nov 1.

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@ theadvocate.com

STAFF PHOTO By CLAIRE TAyLOR

Proposed renovations to Lafayette City Hall would move the main entrance to this area of the building which faces University Avenue.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Kenneth Boudreaux, center, and Gus Rezende shake hands Wednesday following a groundbreaking ceremony for Hotel Lafayette

of

former Don’s Seafood in downtown Lafayette.

Search begins to find Savoie replacement

Appointed board will determine procedures, timeline

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

The search begins to replace University of Louisiana at Lafayette president E. Joseph Savoie, who is stepping down and transitioning to president emeritus.

Savoie has led the school since July 2008. The search procedure outlined on the UL system website says the

chairman of the Board of Supervisors, in this case Lafayette resident Mark Romero, is to appoint a search committee that includes at least six members of the Board of Supervisors and a faculty member from UL selected by the faculty senate. One of the six board members on the search committee will be a student member System President Richard Gallot Jr is to serve as chairman of the

search committee but cannot vote.

The search committee is to determine the detailed procedure and timeline for the search The committee is to present the procedure and timeline to the Board of Supervisors at its next meeting, the rules state. As part of the search, the committee is to visit the campus and receive input from the student government association, faculty

senate and alumni association, along with any other groups or individuals it deems appropriate, about the qualifications they want to see in the new president.

The search committee is to prepare a statement of the minimum qualifications for the university president. Candidates are expected to have earned a doctoral degree from an accredited higher education institution. Louisiana law says the govern-

ing board shall appoint the university president after taking into consideration the recommendations of the system president. Jaimie Hebert takes over as interim president of the school Friday He was selected by the University of Louisiana system Board of Supervisors on Wednesday Hebert has served at the university in several roles, including the past seven years as provost and vice president of academic affairs.

ABOVE and LEFT: Lafayette High football players Richmond Saunier, left, Grigore Roman and members of the Future Business Leaders of America help prepare a new garden bed for students to use at Lafayette Elementary School in Lafayette on Tuesday

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Ceiling collapses on mother, child

Family forced out of Himbola apartment

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

Thirty-two people across the Gulf Coast Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida — have contracted infections this year from a flesh-eating bacteria spread through salt water and raw shellfish, according to state health officials.

Diamond Sullivan, a resident at the Himbola Manor Apartments in Lafayette, and her two children are currently staying in a hotel after having to evacuate their home because the ceiling collapsed. On Sunday around 5 a.m., Sullivan says

No

BY JULIA GUILBEAU Staff writer

she went to check on her daughter, who was having trouble sleeping, when the incident happened.

“I heard something cracking a little, but I didn’t pay it no mind. Next thing you know the whole ceiling just fell,” Sullivan recalled. “I just remember turning my body to cover my daughter so it fell mainly on me.” Sullivan says she’s grateful she woke up when she did. Minutes after she settled into her daughter’s bed to comfort her, the incident happened Her daughter had no injuries, but Sullivan has some bruises and a scratch from a ceiling fan that fell on her Since moving to Himbola Manor Apartments two years ago, she’s encountered issues with her HVAC unit and mold in the apartment, but Sullivan says this is the worst she’s experienced.

“When I went back in there the day after, I’m walking in and you could see like in the dining area the ceiling is also about to

Independent Party voters in Louisiana

Hebert

Trustincourts, judgesa bulwarkofdemocracy

ent still received partial relief

young man to years in prison?

The rule of law is society’s security blanket. Faith in theConstitution, enabled by the rigorous demand for free and fair access to the courts, provides everyone with rights unique to America.

That foundation —that we stand equal beforeand because of the law —isdependent on judges. Their daily toil ensures the ideal becomes reality

The courthouse is the community’schurch. The judges are the guardians of that sanctuary,people who do thehard things that keep us free.

Throughout history, withits evolving changes in public opinions, it is the rule of law that maintains stability.That consistency is necessary to achievethe possibilities of democracy

The third branchofgovernment

is coequal in every state constitution.It is the most democratic and the most accessible. At thecourthouse,the people’svoice is ascendant. The judge oversees and decides disputesdirectly,face-to-face with thelitigants. Noneofuscan require theexecutive or the elected legislature to explain their positions. Only in court are questions asked that must be answered.Only in court can aperson place an adversary under oath.The faithfulguardian of this civilized conflict is the judge.The voice of the calloused hand counts just asmuch as the polished fingernail.

Today,there are someinpublic service who, in atemporary grab for power,choose to diminish thenecessity of judicial inde-

pendence. Politicianserr when they relegate thejudge’swork to an inconvenience that may be criticized or reshaped to fit selfinterested desires.

Courts are thewalls of the Alamo, thebeaches at Normandy and the monumentsinWashington. They are what guard thepeople from abuses promoted by those in power

The concept —now areality —ofajudge feeling personally attacked or pressured by the shifting political whimsofthe time is anti-American. Ajudge’s duty—their essence —isfidelity to law and fact. Regardless of the power or stature of thelitigants, thesystem has always held.

Think about this fact: In arecent oral argument before the LouisianaSupreme Court, my opponent stated that his clients “don’ttrust judges.” Yethis cli-

Used properly in theclassroom, AI canbeahugelearningboost

Teachers and schools across thecountry are working to find the right role and balancefor artificial intelligence in the classroom,and the road to gettingthere can be bumpy But AI presents enormous opportunities to uplift our education system if we use it correctly.Instead of hanging back and allowing ourconcerns to control us, the path forwardistoface AI’srole in oureducation system head-on and seize theopportunities it presents. Louisiana is already leadingthe way, blazing new trails in early childhood literacy by deploying AI in the classroom. For students who are behindonliteracy, especiallythose with learning disabilities, AI can make ahuge difference intheir ability to catch up and avoid falling behind, especially wherestaffing and school resources are alreadystretchedthin.

What AI cannot teach above all is how to think for yourself. As we incorporate AI into our curricula and strive for an appropriate role in the classroom,wemust be mindful of the value it canbring, and how thebetter attuned to AI our students are, thebetter prepared they are to compete globally

In what other area of public discourse can the integrity of the system overcome direct insults to those making the decision?

Respect andadherence to our legal system’sdecisions are the bulwark of acivil society.The foundational necessity of freedom is foundinthe courthouse.

Ajudge may have to rule against afriend or aneighbor on Friday, and enjoy their company in the cafeteria line on Sunday.That acceptance of the decision is the nutrition that feeds democracy.The application of law is never easy, but it is essential.

Deference and respect forthe rule of law come with recognition that the judge is doing the hard taskthat fewwant. Who wants to start their Monday listening to aheartbreaking victim impact statement andthen sentence a

Lawyers can pick their issues. Judges have no such discretion; at all times, their duty is to the law,the case facts and fair process. Case by case, the rule of law remains constant and consistent. It is that dependability that guarantees public trust.

This is not an aspirational wish. It comes from the perspective of apractitioner with over 50 years of experience. In ademocracy with afree-market economy nothing is perfect. But the third branch of government remains the mostdependable, consistent and accessible. The fairness of the public square —where all can witness the process —isthe lifeblood that nourishes our togetherness.

Lewis Unglesby is an attorney based in Baton Rouge.

Food security akey tool in fight forbetterhealth

As healthleadersacross the country strive to make America healthy,oratleasthealthier,werecognize the enormity of the task we face, especially in Louisiana. There are many opportunities to make Louisiana healthier. More than 14% of Louisiana adults have diabetes, and nearly 40% are obese. There arenoeasyfixes to these challenges. There is no single answer.But tackling food insecurity could have ahuge, positive impact.

Food security is aboutmore than simply having enough to eat. It means ensuring accesstonutritious food thatsupports good health. According to Feeding Louisiana,1 in 7Louisianans struggle to provide healthy meals for themselvesortheir household. Research shows thatifyou eat healthy,you’re less likely to developdiabetes and will bettermanage diabetesifyou already have it. You’re less likely to become obese. Being food secure also addresses two othersocial determinants of health —education andemployment —bymaking you more productive at school or work.

With aboutone-third of all Louisianans and more thanhalfofthe state’schildren covered at least in partbyMedicaid, Healthy Louisiana plans have aresponsibilitytobepartofthe solutiontofighting Louisiana’s food security crisis.

At our company, we are doing this in myriadways.

While we have long supported Louisiana organizations working to endhunger, in 2025, we startedour Healthy Food, Healthy Community initiative,through whichwehavefundedfood banks and invested in partnerships with local grocers andcommunitybased organizations in low-income neighborhoods.

Ronnie Morris GUEST COLUMNIST

AI’s benefits are not limited to teaching directly —itmay even have greater value as an administrative tool and assistantfor teachers. It can help teachers draft and tailor curricula andlesson plans, prepare individualized assignments and speed up grading, among othertasks

While there is no replacement forhuman teachers, AI can nevertheless free upsignificant amounts of teachers’ timesothat they can devote more of their attention to theirstudents’ unique interests and needs. Finding the right rolefor AI in theclassroom will require both patience andeffort.It is nota substitute for core skills, but there is no denyingthatit can help students who are strugglingtocatch up or students who are excelling advance even further.

Likeany other tool, AI’sreal worth depends on how we use it

If we do not adjust our curricula to make room for AI, China will assuredly not wait for us. We must instead adapt how we educate in recognition of AI’spromises and pitfalls, and that includes making sure our lessons emphasize and encourage students to engage in original thinking, with or without AI’s assistance.

That’swhy gettingajumpstartonhow we navigate learning in apost-AI world is so important Louisiana’sefforts to integrate AI into the state’s education system will not only allow us to gather real-world dataabout how and where AI is most helpful in the classroom, but also lay the foundations we need to set our studentsupfor success later

It is essential that Louisiana —and the United States as awhole —proactively engage the opportunities and challenges presented by artificial intelligence. AI is not apassing trend; it is a transformative force that will shape the future of education, work and society.Likeany tool, itsvalue depends on how and when we use it

RonnieMorris is thechairman of the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

This money hasgonetowardprograms suchasMakin’ Groceries Mobile Markets, mobile pop-up food pantries, food backpack distributions andsummerfood serviceprograms for students. That lastinitiative is especially important during the summer, when many childrenlose one of their few consistent sources of healthy meals for more than two months. By providing healthy food choices,weare helping Louisianans overcome food insecurity and building healthiercommunities.

Monetary donations areagreat starting point for delivering impact. But youwill also find ourassociates volunteering at the food pantries —unloading food pallets, packing boxesand grocery bags or handing themout to the families.

ButMedicaidhealth plans can go even further by providing medically tailoredmealsfor those with special dietary needs. For example, people with diabetes need food that will keep their blood sugarlevelsincheck.

Ourcompanyhas provided medically tailored meals as avalueadded benefit for many years, andwehavefound thatitreduces avoidable hospital readmissions. Based on this result, the Louisiana Department of Health recently gave us permission to make medically-tailored meals acovered benefit, whichwill allowusto offer this help to more of ourmembers.

The Louisiana Department of Health calls its Medicaid health plans “Healthy Louisiana” plans, and we take the responsibility to live up to thatnameveryseriously.Thatiswhy we will continue to work to address food insecurity.Itwon’tsolve all of Louisiana’shealth challenges, but making sure Louisianans have access to healthy food would be an important stepinmaking Louisiana healthy again.

Kyle Viator is market president of AmeriHealth Caritas Louisiana.

Lewis Unglesby GUEST COLUMNIST

Kyle Viator GUEST COLUMNIST

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

are displayed

in Alexandria.

COMMENTARY

ISSUE OF THE WEEK STEPHENCOLBERT

One night, Stephen Colbertwas blasting Paramount,the corporate owner of his “Late Night” showonCBS,for its settlingofwhat some saw as afrivolous lawsuitbyDonald Trump.The nextday,Colbertlearned that he would no longer have ashow. Paramount says thecancellation was duetopurely financial considerations. But others worrythat withthe show’s demise, the country is losing apoint of connection.What does late-night television mean for Americans?Hereare twoperspectives:

Thecancellationissad, butnot becauseofTrump

When Calvin Coolidge died, Dorothy Parker is saidtohave remarked, “How can they tell?” Ifelt the same way when CBS announced it was canceling Stephen Colbert’s“Late Show.” At some point, Iprobably registered that Colbert had taken over the network’slate-night franchise, but if Idid, Iquickly forgot it. I never watched theshow, because Iliterally can’trecall the last time Iwatched network television,outside of presidentialdebates.

McArdle M n

In asurvey last year by Statista, only 59% of Americans said they had watched “linear television” (read:broadcast, cable or satellite shows) in the past 12 months, down from 79% five years ago. Thatreality is visible in Colbert’sratings, which declined from 3.1 million viewers in the 2017-2018 season, to 1.9 million lastyear, with only acouple hundred thousand viewers in the critical 18-49 segment that advertisers covet. Advertisingdollars similarly fell by about 40%, driving the showtoareported $40 million loss. That, and not Colbert’spolitics, is the primary thing you shouldbethinking about when you ask why the show was canceled. The great unbundlingofthe old networks and cable packages meant that late-night shows were no longer ahot media property but an economic liability Yes, Paramount, which ownsCBS wants to consummate amerger with Skydance for which it needs theTrumpadministration’sblessing. And yes, Colbert’s highly visible ideology probably alienated viewerslooking for some light entertainment, not aheavy dose of left-wing politics. Arguably,the political inflection made the show less funny, since humor depends on surprise, and Democratic politics longago became pretty predictable But it would have been much harder to cancelashow that was making thenetworklots of money —oratleast generatingprestige and buzz.Bythe time CBS pulled the plug, late-nightshows were no longer even doing that.Sometimedur-

ing the pandemic, that cultural centrality started to erode. These days, when someone pulls out their phone to show me aclip from one of the shows, it is likely to be one that aired years ago. And that is why you should be concerned about what Colbert’s cancellation means for American democracy —not because it’sa sign of acorporation bending the kneetoawould-be dictator,but because it’sa sign of the unbundling of theAmerican public.

That’svisible even when we leave the house,whereabout theonly national experiences we seem to have in commonare Starbucksand Target.The pews of major religious denominations are sparse, the lodges and service organizations and Veterans of Foreign Wars halls are closing,libraries are morphing into social service providers and scouting is in managed decline. Meanwhile, the institutions we still have in common, such as public schools, have been riven by a divisive form of politics that often makes them feel like battlegrounds, rather than asharednational project.And America needs ashared national story,acommon understanding of something, to hold together as anation.

Butifit’snot exactly ashock —it’sstill incredibly sad to lose ashow that was a culturaltouchstone for decades. Amite dangerous,too, given that it looks as thoughCBS was appeasing apresident theshowoften opposed (even if that’s notthe case). But what’smostworrying is that we have no obvious successor to the unifying force that late-night shows usedtobe. America might no longer want the“Late Show.” Butitneeds some way to hear thesame stories, laugh at the same jokes and gather around the collectivewater cooler to talk about what they mean.

Megan McArdleinonX,@asymmetricinfo.

Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” has been canceled by CBS, effective in May.Critics of the decision are claiming politics is the reason. They are right,except the show has been too political. During its10-year run it has been aconduit for Democrats to attack President Donald Trumpand Republicans. There are rumors within the entertainment industry that Jimmy Kimmel’slate-night show on ABC may also be headed for thedoor.Nothing heard yet about the future of Jimmy Fallon andthe “Tonight Show.” While Colbert’s show was thetop-rated broadcast lateshow (2.8 million viewers, but Greg Gutfeld averages 3.289 million on Fox), it had few advertisers, astaff of 100 and Colbert was reportedly paid $20 million annually

People of acertain age will recall the nameSteveAllen, who invented the “Tonight Show” format on NBC. Steve was pure entertainment.Hewas followed by Jack Paar,who brought an intellectual depthtothe show,along with his unique brand of humor.Johnny Carson and Jay Lenofollowed, avoiding partisan politics. In a1979 interview with Mike Wallace of “60 Minutes,” Carson was asked whyhe didn’tdopolitics on the show.Hereplied: “Tell methe last time Jack Benny,Red Skelton, any comedian used his show to do serious issues.” He said serious issues are “a danger” for acomedian. “Once you start that, you start to get that self-important feeling that what you say hasgreat import you could use that show as aforum to sway people and Idon’tthink you should as an entertainer.” That attitude is what kept Carson on NBC for nearly 30 years. He was beloved by Democrats and Republicans. While he occasionally had politicians as guests (Ronald Reagan and Richard Nixon wereamong thehighest-profile Republicans, while Bill Clinton and then-California Jerry Brown were among thebest-known Democrats), Carson let thepoliticians make their political points while he kept to the middle of the

road. Iused to stay up late watching the monologues and someofthe interviews, beginning with Allen and ending with Leno. It’s not worth it anymore, unless you are aliberal and want reinforcement of viewsyou already hold. It’s the samewith manyof the award showsand whyratings forthe Oscars and Emmyshave fallen. After along day that usually includes exposure to politics in conversations or on cable TV,I suspect manypeople are hungry forentertainment. There is another reason whypeople are watching less late-night TV.Wecan access excerpts of the showsonYouTube and other platforms, while getting agood night’ssleep. For an example of funconversation and humor check out this video of Jack Paar on Carson’sshow.Apologies forthe ads: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?vQ4LHwGPH57U

Despite overwhelming evidence that people are tired of politics replacing comedy,the leftisdetermined to keep forcefeeding us the samepolitical gruel. This includes speeches from award winners, lecturing viewers about how they hate President Trump, and Republicans, as they did Republican presidents before him They are now suffering the consequences of their misguided decision.

On the day CBS announced the cancellation of his show and the vacating of his timeslot, Colbert denounced the network. He had been critical of CBS before when network owner Paramount agreed to a$16 million settlement with President Trump over aBill Whitaker “60 Minutes” interview with Vice President KamalaHarris before the election. Trumphad claimed the interview was heavily and deceptively edited to makeher sound better Colbert’sdenunciations of his employer violated another truth: Don’tbite the hand that feeds you.

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub. com.

ega

Cal Thomas

PROVIDED PHOTOBySCOTT KOWALCHyK

Stephen Colbertrecords ashowbefore astudio audience at ‘The Late Show withStephen Colbert’ last week in Newyork

Earthquakes impact Lake Pontchartrain

Water levels oscillate from distant events

BY KASEY BUBNASH Staff writer

You probably didn’t feel the earthquake that shook Alaska earlier this month or the one that brought tsunamis to the coasts of Russia and Japan on Wednesday — but Lake Pontchartrain did Two major earthquakes that occurred thousands of miles away from Louisiana this month sent

seismic waves across the globe in minutes, vibrations that local meteorologists say led to tangible impacts in the New Orleans area.

National Weather Service meteorologist Mike Efferson said both quakes caused water levels in Lake Pontchartrain to oscillate in a pattern that mirrors water sloshing back and forth in a bathtub, a phenomenon scientists call a seiche.

Efferson said he just happened to check a water level gauge in New Canal on July 16, shortly after a 7.3 magnitude earthquake

shook Alaska’s Aleutian Islands and prompted a tsunami warning.

Though the quake occurred roughly 4,000 miles from New Orleans, Efferson could see the changes in Lake Pontchartrain: water levels rhythmically rising and falling by about three-quarters of a foot over the course of an hour

“The lake was really steady and all of a sudden you see these weird little oscillations,” Efferson said.

“It’s minor but it’s measurable.”

A second earthquake on Wednesday, this time a magnitude 8.8 nearly 6,000 miles from New Orleans,

brought another seiche of a similar scale to Lake Pontchartrain. Efferson said the weather service has seen these kinds of local impacts from faraway quakes before, particularly those stemming from the region encompassing Russian and Alaska.

Whether an earthquake’s effects are felt across the globe also has to do with its strength Scientists use the Richter scale to measure an earthquake’s intensity with any earthquake of magnitude 2.5 or less considered a minor event that is not usually felt but can be re-

corded by a seismograph. Millions of these earthquakes are recorded every year Any quake that measures above a magnitude 7 is considered a major event that could cause serious damage. These quakes are few and far between. This month’s earthquakes hit in relatively remote areas and officials had reported few injuries as of Wednesday afternoon, according to The Associated Press. Email Kasey Bubnash at kasey bubnash@theadvocate.com.

VOTERS

Continued from page 1B

itself “Independent Party” or “Independent.”

Previously, under Louisiana’s open primary elections process, any person could vote for any candidate regardless of party affiliation. But under the new system that will go into place next spring, voting in primaries is limited only to those registered Democrat, Republican or no party The switch would have left thousands of Independent voters locked out of the primary process. Officials have billed the change as

necessary, saying most Independents in the state don’t consider themselves to be a member of a party

“Many Louisiana voters who are registered as Independents mistakenly believe they are unaffiliated with any political party, when in fact they are members of the Independent Party,” State Secretary Nancy Landry said in a statement. “This proactive change will allow voters formerly registered as Independents to participate in closed party primaries next year, preventing voter confusion while maximizing participation.”

Independent Party of Louisiana Executive Director William Bryan endorsed

the dissolution of the party while the legislation was being debated in April, calling it an “act of fairness.”

“We’re in support of this bill so that these voters are eligible to vote,” he said at the time.

The new closed party system will be in effect for spring contests, including those for U.S. Senate, U.S. House, Louisiana Supreme Court, Public Service Commission, and the Board of Elementary & Secondary Education.

What does no party mean?

A no party registration means someone registered to vote but not affiliated with any political party

CEILING

Continued from page 1B

fall because now I see the ceiling has a crack in it,” Sullivan says. Residents of Himbola Manor Apartments have complained for some time about problems they say are not being repaired. In 2024, city inspectors found 132 city code violations. They included mold that had been painted over, problems with plumbing, leaking roofs, pests and lack of smoke detectors and fire extinguishers In March of 2025, another inspection by the city‘s community development and planning department found 39 violations remained.

More recently, as of May 2025, the owners of Himbola Manor have accrued nearly $42,000 in fines in addition to more than $32,000 in fines they paid previously for various code violations.

“Management, the owners, nobody ever replies to help. I emailed them what

happened early Monday morning and still no reply,” said Sullivan. Sullivan said on Monday she reached out to management. A reply from management asked for details about when the incident happened. After providing a full account of the incident, Sullivan alleges, as of Thursday, she is still staying in a hotel and has not heard back from anyone yet regarding the incident.

Foresight Assets Management, which manages Himbola Manor did not return a call for comment on this story

“Honestly, I don’t even want to live there anymore after everything,” said Sullivan, whose lease isn’t up until December “My babies’ clothes, toys, diapers and everything is either wet from mildew or moldy.”

Sullivan says she has been using the last of her resources to stay at a local hotel That’s why she decided to reach out to Terrance St. Julien, founder of Pay it Forward, Lending a Helping Hand. St. Julien is known for

his work sharing stories of Acadiana residents who have fallen on hard times and raising funds for them Through his organization’s Facebook page, St. Julien shares daily posts about people in need. On Tuesday, he encouraged the community to lend their support to Sullivan. Those wishing to help can visit payitforward49.org to donate.

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, JULY 30, 2025 PICK 3: 6-5-0 PICK 4: 0-4-0-4 PICK 5: 7-9-9-6-3

When it comes primary time in April, no party voters can choose to vote in any party’s primary However, once a voter decides to vote in that party’s primary they have to stick with their choice if there is a primary runoff in spring, officials say

“The most important thing to remember is you can choose which party primary you want to participate in, or you can choose not to participate in either party’s primary and just choose to vote on local races if there are any on your ballot,” said Joel Watson, deputy secretary for communications, outreach and promotions for the Secretary of State. “However, the party you choose in that first round

BACTERIA

Continued from page 1B

vious years. Between 2013 and 2023, there was an average of 13 cases per year, according to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners.

Thirteen cases and four deaths have been reported to the Florida Department of Health. The state has been a hot spot for Vibrio vulnificus infections in prior years. In 2022, 74 people were infect-

— Democrat or Republican — you have to stick with in the second round.”

A no party voter’s ballot selection for a primary does not change their party affiliation in the voter’s registration recording, according to the state.

Other third parties

In addition to the more than 150,000 registered Independents, thousands more Louisiana voters are registered under hundreds of “unofficial” parties, including well-known third parties like the Libertarian Party, Green Party and the Tea Party

As of July, 14,976 voters were registered as Libertarian and another 2,779 were registered as Green

ed and 17 died — “an abnormal increase in cases,” the department said at the time. Many were linked to Hurricane Ian, which brought bacteria-laden floodwater into homes.

Both Mississippi and Alabama have had only one recorded case. Neither was deadly

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 1 in 5 people who become infected die, while many survivors undergo limb amputations. Symptoms include diarrhea, stom-

ach cramps, vomiting, fever and chills. People with open wounds should be cautious when swimming in brackish or warm coastal waters. Some Vibrio vulnificus infections lead to necrotizing fasciitis — a severe bacterial infection that kills the flesh around an open wound, which is why it is called a “flesh-eating” bacteria, health officials said. People with weakened immune systems should also be careful when eating or handling raw seafood.

PHOTO PROVIDED By DIAMOND SULLIVAN

The ceiling in Diamond Sullivan’s Himbola Manor apartment collapsed in her daughter’s room on Sunday while they were in bed

SPORTS

Alookat LSU’sdeep depthchart as camp begins

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU’sfourth season under coach Brian Kelly began on Wednesday as the Tigers kicked off preseason practice. It was abusy winter and spring for LSU. After regressing to a9-4 recordlast year, Kelly added arobust transfer portalclass and brought in adeep freshman class into themix with ahandful of keyreturners, including quarterback GarrettNussmeier

Here’salook at where the depthchart stands heading into the finalmonthof practice before the startofthe 2025 season.

Quarterback

Starter: GarrettNussmeier (5th-year Sr.)

Backups: Michael VanBuren (So.), Colin Hurley (R-Fr.), Ju’Juan Johnson (So.)

Breakdown: Nussmeier looked unstoppable on the first day of practice, picking apart LSU’simproved secondary withease. Van Buren is acandidate to start next season He’s avaluable backup this year whoalready has SEC experiencehaving transferred from Mississippi State. Hurley was afull participant at practice Wednesday.Hewas sidelined thisspring following aserious car crash in January. Johnson, ahigh schoolquarterback,returns to hisold position after spending last season at running back and safety.

Runningback

Starter: Caden Durham (So.)

Backups: HarlemBerry(Fr.),Kaleb Jackson (Jr.), JT Lindsey (Fr.)

Breakdown: Durham was the lead back by the end of last season. Berryand Jackson seem poised to splitrepsbehindhim,although Berry had more run with thefirst team on Wednesday.Lindsey rounds out a young room that no longer has the veteran presenceofJosh Williams.

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Kool-Aid McKinstry has thathard-to-define thing going for him right now

Whatever it is driving thatthing —a full offseason, anew uniformnumber, anew defense,a newplaying weight,adefined role,clearly expressed confidence theNew OrleansSaints cornerback has Year 2breakout written all over him

“It definitely feels like afresh start,”McKinstry said. “We’ve got new coaches, (I’ve got)anew number,Ifeel like all that is playing part intowhat’sgoing on now.” And what’sgoing on right now, in coach Kellen Moore‘s words, is “a big-time camp” for McKinstry

“He’sjust making aton of plays,”Moore said.

Those plays are coming against some of the best the Saintshave to offer.Wednesday morning, he ran downfield withRashid Shaheed and made aplay on the ball as it arrived, breaking up apotential big play

Shaheed hasburned plenty of histeammates this train-

ing camp, but as theballleftJakeHaener’shand, only one thought wasgoing through McKinstry’shead:“Get theball down; don’tlet him catch it.”

That thought turned into action, and it’snot the first time it hashappened since this new coaching staff installed McKinstry as aclear-cut starter after their arrival.Every piece of information the staffhas gathered on McKinstry is being validated on the field right now

That wasn’talways the case during his rookie season.

Going into thedraft,some viewed McKinstryasa potentialfirst-round draft pick, but he slid to the Saints in the second round —aslidethat was perhaps influenced by afoot injury that required surgery.McKinstry missed someofthe off-season program in 2024, then when he got on the field he wascarrying extra weight. McKinstry began the season as the Saints’ fourth corner.Injuries to Marshon Lattimore and Paulson Adebo eventually forced him into the starting lineup, but his play was uneven.

Saints cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstryruns adrill on Monday during training camp at the team’spractice facility McKinstryispoised to have abreakout season in his second

Quarterback, kicker among UL’s toppositions to address

It’sAugust now

The UL Ragin’ Cajuns reported on Thursdayand begin practicing on Friday to kick off the fourth camp under coach Michael Desormeaux.

On paper,there are enough areas of known strengths for UL fans to get excited about and also enough questions to contain that enthusiasm.

Of the many things the coaching staff needs to achieve during camp this month,here arethe five that top the list:

receiver corps. But no one has to remindDesormeaux he’s neededthree quarterbacks toget througheach of his first three seasons as head coach.Perhaps the Cajuns are due for ahealthy starter for doubledigit games, but you can’tcount on that.

Builddepth at QB Coming out of the spring,itwould shock everyone involved if Ole Misstransfer Walker Howard isn’tthe startingquarterback coming out of camp.

With that said, the issueinthe quarterback room runsdeeper than finding a starter Certainly,Howard needstotake abig step forward in mastering thenew offense and deepening relationships with his

That means either redshirt sophomore Lunch Winfield or redshirt

freshman Daniel Beale will also need to make huge strides. However you slice it,ULwill be playing themost inexperienced quarterbacks in along time.

Season WRsquickly

Is it possiblewe’ll all be able to join Desormeaux in chucklingover thepreseason fears about the inexperienced wide receivers crew in December? Certainly

But we’ve also seen plenty of examples of highly touted transfers not panning out

DAVID GRUNFELD

STAFFFILE PHOTOByBRAD KEMP

UL linebacker Jaden Dugger moving inside is one of the bigmoves for the Cajuns’defense this season.

Kevin Foote

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier gets hit by apad during adrillonWednesdayatthe team’sindoor practice facility.

See LSU, page 3C

WYNDHAM CHAMPIONSHIP

Pelicans sued over copyright infringement

BY RASHAD MILLIGAN

Staff writer

A Michigan artist is suing the New Orleans Pelicans for a 2024 photo shoot he said stole from what he argues are his copyrighted artworks.

Tyrrell Winston, of Franklin, Michigan, filed a 19-page complaint in the United States District Court Eastern District of Michigan, as obtained by The Times-Picayune via his attorney, Jayaram Law The suit was originally reported by Sportico.

The complaint comes after Winston said the Pelicans ignored a cease-and-desist order from his legal team in October 2024.

Winston, born in California, is known for his sculptures of deflated basketballs, arranged in “precise grid compositions,” according to the complaint and his social media pages. In 2024, the Pelicans posted photos that featured Dejounte Murray, Brandon Ingram and Daniel Theis posing in front of a grid of deflated basketballs.

“Without authorization, Defendants – a NBA team – created and publicly displayed an unauthorized work substantially similar to Mr Winston’s copyrighted work (the “Infringing Work”), which was used to promote the Pelicans via their official @pelicansnba Instagram account (the “Infringing Posts”),” Winston’s attorney said in the complaint.

The complaint said Winston holds a pair of copyright registrations for his artwork involving the deflated basketballs.

Winston was the subject of a USA Today sports profile about his deflated-basketball artwork in January 2022. He has many high-profile fans of his work, including former San Antonio Spurs point guard Tony Parker and Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert, who hired the artist to produce three “large-scale sculptures,” according to his complaint.

Detroit Pistons owner Tom Gores also bought art from Winston, and his work was featured at a ‘47 Brand and NBA event during 2024 NBA All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis.

Instagram users called the Pelicans out in the comments section under the original posts, as cited by his attorney

The complaint ends with a request to take the matter to trial in federal court. U.S. District Judge Linda V. Parker will reportedly preside over the matter.

Sportico suggested the Pelicans are likely to cite “fair use” or highlight that no one owns an idea as the defense points to dismiss the case.

Dahmen leads with 61

By The Associated Press

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Joel Dahmen

started his long-shot bid to make the PGA Tour postseason by closing with three straight birdies for a 9-under 61 on Thursday to match his career best and give him a one-shot lead over Alex Noren in the Wyndham Championship

The Wyndham Championship is the final tournament in the regular season, with the top 70 in the FedEx Cup advancing to the lucrative postseason filled with potential perks. Dahmen is 101st in the standings and would need a runner-up finish with no more than two other players to reach the FedEx Cup playoffs.

He was happy with the start — 10 birdies on a dry course at Sedgefield — and also realistic about his chances of playing next week in the FedEx St. Jude Championship.

He has one victory and three runner-up finishes in 231 tournaments.

“I mean, I’ve had like three top 2s in my career I don’t know, four of them, maybe?” he said. “I mean, it’s not even a thing, right? Yeah, great to make the playoffs, hat would be unbelievable, give me a lot of time off this fall We’ve got a baby coming so that would take some pressure off of that.

“The playoffs are a bonus for me,” he said. “I’m just going to go out and try to play good golf, and I guess if I play really well, then I get to play another week.”

Dahmen also shot 61 in the second round of the RSM Classic in 2020.

Noren missed six months with a hamstring tear and can’t reach the postseason even with a win. The four players at 63 included Mark Hubbard, who is at No 98 and who also would need a runnerup finish to advance.

Hubbard was joined by Cameron Young, defending champion Aaron Rai and Nico Echavarria, who at No. 65 needs to hold his position.

“I think t’s all about how you look at it. For me I think it kind of takes the pressure off because it’s really hard to do that and it’s not something that you’re really thinking about,” Hubbard said.

“I’ve just got to go play super well and make a ton of birdies. If that happens to fall into place that way, then that’s great.

“I think it’s easier than if I had to top-15 or top-10 because that way you’re always looking at the board where this week I’ve just got to go out and play as good as I can.”

Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott have different objectives this week and wound up with the same score at 65. Spieth had four bird-

ies over his last five holes. He is set for the postseason at No. 50, but wants to help take the pressure off when he gets to Memphis, Tennessee.

The top 50 after the first playoff event not only advance to the next week, they are guaranteed to get in all the $20 million signature events.

Spieth missed out last year, then had wrist surgery, and had to ask for exemptions into the signature events.

Scott, however is at No. 85 and would need at least third place to reach the postseason.

“I’m going to need to get like 20 under to think of anything, so I better not be 1 under through day one or I’m going to leave myself a lot of work,” Scott said. “So nice to make a few birdies. And of course as much as I think about moving on, I’d like to win this tournament.”

Also at stake this week is the first FedEx Cup bonus pool $10 million to the points leader (Scottie Scheffler) and $4 million for second place (Rory McIlroy), which they both have wrapped up.

Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley is at No. 10 and would pick up $500,000 if he can stay there. Bradley bogeyed his last two holes for a 68.

He played with Ben Griffin (67) and Andrew Novak (68), who both have Ryder Cup hopes.

Takeda, Okayama lead Women’s British Open

By The Associated Press

Wales Rio Takeda overcame a double bogey at the turn with four birdies over her final seven holes Thursday for a 5-under 67 to share the lead with Eri Okayama in a Women’s British Open that featured a Japanese surge and a mixed day for Lottie Woad. Japanese players held the top three spots at Royal Porthcawl, with Miyu Yamashita at 68. Three others were among the top 12 after an opening round in which the wind kept anyone from going low but about half the field was at par or better Takeda, one of 20 players who have won on the LPGA Tour this year, took a double bogey on the par-5 ninth hole, only to rally over the closing hole to make up ground. Okayama, who plays the Japan

LPGA, hit fairway metal to 12 feet on No. 17 for her final birdie. Woad started the month as the No. 1 amateur in women’s golf. She won on the Ladies European Tour, missed a playoff by one shot in an LPGA major and then won the Women’s Scottish Open against a strong field in her pro debut. She was the betting favorite at the final major of the year and did well to stay in the mix with a birdie on the par-5 18th for an even-par 72. Woad played alongside defending champion Lydia Ko (73) and Lilia Vu, a double major winner from two years ago, who had a 74.

“Had a good amount of birdies, just a few poor bogeys on the front nine that could have definitely

been avoided,” Woad said. “Nice to finish on par and birdie the last. It’s one of those rounds that could have definitely gotten away from me. I am happy how I hung in there and got a decent round together.”

Nelly Korda, whose No. 1 ranking she has held for the last 16 months is in jeopardy, had an early bogey and kept a clean card the rest of the way, adding three birdies for a 70. Much like Woad, that round could have produced a much higher score if not for a series of key pars, none bigger than Korda’s 12-footer on No. 16.

“Sometimes you have to get lucky when you make the wrong decision. You kind of have to bail yourself out,” said Korda, still looking for her first win this year after seven titles last season. Korda and Woad played in the afternoon, when the wind began to

McGregor loses appeal in sexual assault case

Mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor on Thursday lost his legal appeal against a civil court’s finding that he sexually assaulted a woman at a Dublin hotel.

In November a jury at the High Court in Dublin found McGregor liable for assaulting Nikita Hand, who says he “brutally raped and battered” her in a hotel penthouse in 2018. He was ordered to pay Hand almost 250,000 euros, as well as about 1.3 million euros in legal costs.

Hand, 35, successfully sued McGregor in civil court after prosecutors declined to bring charges, saying there was insufficient evidence and a conviction was unlikely

Three appeals court judges in Dublin on Thursday dismissed the appeal “in its entirety.”

Siegrist set for Wings return after missing 17 games

Maddy Siegrist is set to return for the Dallas Wings after missing seven weeks with a fracture in her right knee.

Siegrist will be available for Friday night’s game against the Indiana Fever, the team said Thursday

Siegrist, the NCAA Division I scoring leader ahead of Clark when she played for Villanova in 2022-23, has missed the past 17 games with the knee injury Injuries limited her to 11 games as a rookie two years ago Siegrist has averaged 9.4 points and 5.2 rebounds in 11 games and had her only double-double of the season with 15 points and 11 boards the game before she was injured, an 81-65 loss to Minnesota on June 8.

F1 champion Verstappen stays with Red Bull for ’26

Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen says he is staying with the Red Bull team next year, ending months of speculation over his future.

Verstappen has a contract with Red Bull through 2028. At recent races he had deflected questions about whether he’d stay with the team next year, and there had been indications that a performance-related clause could allow him to exit the contract early The details of any clause are not public.

Red Bull is more dependent on Verstappen than any of F1’s other leading teams are on any one driver Of the 192 points Red Bull has scored this season, Verstappen contributed 185, while his teammate Yuki Tsunoda hasn’t scored a point in the last six races

Schwarber defers college Hall of Fame selection

All-Star Game MVP Kyle Schwarber is deferring his selection to Indiana University’s Athletics Hall of Fame to a future year because of a rule requiring all living inductees to attend the ceremony Indiana’s induction is set for Sept. 5, a day Schwarber’s Philadelphia Phillies visit the Miami Marlins as they attempt to win their second straight NL East title.

Schwarber was selected in his first year of eligibility Indiana’s athletic department announced the selections on Thursday Schwarber was one of the school’s biggest baseball stars, leading to two Big Ten regular-season and tournament titles while ranking among career leaders in hits (238), home turns (40), runs (182) and slugging percentage (.607) while batting .341.

blow harder off the Bristol Channel, and faced a quick turnaround before starting the second round in the morning. Mao Saigo, who won the first LPGA major of the year at the Chevron Championship and Riviera Maya Open winner Chisato Iwai were in the large group at 69. That also included Mimi Rhodes of England, who leads the LET money list with three titles.

Rhodes grew up playing across the Bristol Channel, and she came over a month ago to see Royal Porthcawl ahead of her first Women’s British Open.

The wind was strong that day, which made Thursday feel more manageable.

“The members told me it was the windiest they’d ever seen it, so I played it like with a lot of wind,” Rhodes said. “So yeah, maybe I played it when it was at its toughest and now I just think it’s easier.

Hulk Hogan cause of death revealed as heart attack

Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan ‘s death last week was caused by a heart attack, according to Florida’s district six medical examiner report released Thursday Hogan, 71, whose real name was Terry Bollea, previously had leukemia and atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart rhythm, the report said. Hogan was pronounced dead at a hospital less than 90 minutes after medics arrived at his home in Clearwater to answer a call about a cardiac arrest on the morning of July 24. The report said the cause of death was “natural.” Hogan was perhaps the biggest star in WWE’s long history, known for both his larger-than-life personality and his in-ring exploits. He was the main draw for the first WrestleMania in 1985 and was a fixture for years.

Takeda

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By LM OTERO

Joel Dahmen hits off the 12th hole during the Charles Schwab golf tournament at Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 22.

and promising backups never able to reach the next level when called upon.

Yes, LSU transfer Shelton Sampson looked the part in the spring. He’s tall, runs routes well and has an obvious connection with Howard. But he also has zero collegiate receptions, so he’s still got a lot to prove.

It’s hard not to like Robert Williams and he’s got 57 collegiate receptions for 675 yards and five scores, but still hasn’t taken that next step heading into his final season.

Desormeaux often expresses KeDarius Wade’s potential, but again, it’s time to see it.

Speedy sophomore Rahji Dennis needs to get more comfortable to make an impact, but his upside is exciting Sports is largely about proving it. That’s where the receivers are.

Find a kicker

How do you replace the Lou Groza Award winner at kicker?

Unfortunately, you just don’t.

LSU

Continued from page 1C

Wide receiver

Starters: Aaron Anderson (R-Jr.), Chris Hilton (5thyear Sr.), Barion Brown (Sr.)

Backups:NicAnderson(R-Jr), Kyle Parker (R-So.), Zavion Thomas (Sr.), Destyn Hill (RSo.), Jelani Watkins (R-Fr.), Kylan Billiot (R-Fr.), TaRon Francis (Fr.), Phillip Wright (Fr.)

Breakdown: One could argue that this is LSU’s best positional group from top to bottom. Aaron Anderson, Hilton and Thomas provide returning experience, especially Anderson who had 884 receiving yards a year ago. Parker, who showed flashes a year ago, returns from a torn tricep tendon.

Brown provides even more speed to the room as a transfer from Kentucky Oklahoma transfer Nic Anderson was cleared to practice fully on Thursday after he was in a car crash on July 11. Hill, a Florida State transfer, shined on Wednesday The Tigers only added two freshman to the mix over the offseason. But with Billiot and Watkins returning, they still have a deep group of prospects.

Tight end

Starter: Bauer Sharp (5thyear Sr.)

Backups: Trey’Dez Green (So.), Donovan Green (R-Jr.), JD LaFleur (Fr.)

Breakdown: LSU’s tight ends room is deeper this season despite no longer having Mason Taylor, the program’s all-time leader in receiving yards. Sharp transferred from Oklahoma and led the Sooners in receptions last season. Trey’DezGreenhastheathleticism to turn his promise into more production. Donovan Green transferred from Texas A&M and provides more valuable experience. LaFleur is the son of former LSU AllAmerican David LaFleur Offensive line

Starters: Tyree Adams, LT (R-So.); DJ Chester, LG (RSo.); Braelin Moore, C (RJr.); Josh Thompson, RG (5th-year Sr.); Weston Davis, RT (R-Fr.)

Backups: Paul Mubenga (R-So.), Coen Echols (RFr.), Carius Curne (Fr.), Bo Bordelon (R-Jr.), Solomon Thomas (Fr.), Brett Bordelon (Fr.), Khayree Lee (R-Fr.), Tyler Miller (Fr.), Ethan Calloway (R-Fr.), Ory Williams (R-Fr.)

Breakdown: Among all the position groups, this is the unit that holds the most question marks. Chester the center last year, is the only returning starter but will likely bump out to guard to make way for Moore, a coveted transfer from Virginia Tech The only transfer who joins him is Thompson, another highly sought transfer from Northwestern.

Adams started two games last season, including at left tackle in the bowl game. Davis was a four-star recruit in the 2024 class but didn’t play

What you hope for is to find somebody who can make the easy kicks with the potential to nail a long one here and there. Before Kenny Almendares came on the scene, kicking was a revolving door The Cajuns nailing the long ones and missing the chip shots.

That’s a bad scenario for a head coach.

It’s a wide-open race between Logan Klotz, Brek Schultz and Tony Sterner

Making or missing kicks are easy to chart. There will definitely be some pressure kicks attempted for all three in this camp

Replace KC Ossai

When senior linebacker KC Ossai wasn’t on the field last season, stopping the run was a tough task.

Well, Ossai is gone now, so it’s time to find another way to limit ground games.

The biggest move to help fill that hole was moving former safety and outside linebacker Jaden Dugger inside to better utilize his athleticism. He’s up to 250 pounds now to handle the pounding.

It’s also time for former running back Terrence Williams to make an impact at linebacker after moving

much as a freshman Kelly mentioned Mubenga, Echols, Curne and Bo Bordelon as depth pieces who could contend for a starting spot. Thomas, a top50 recruit, will be out for a month with a broken fifth metatarsal in his foot

Defensive line

Starters: Ahmad Breaux (So.), Dominick McKinley (So.)

Backups: Jacobian Guillory (Graduate Sr.), Bernard Gooden (5th-year Sr.), Shone Washington (R-Jr.), Sydir Mitchell (R-So.), Zion Williams (Fr.), Brandon Brown (Fr.), Walter Mathis (Fr.)

Breakdowns: The starting spots on the defensive line are still fluid. Guillory missed nearly all of last season with an injury But if he’s fully himself by the start of the year, he’ll likely earn the nod over Breaux or McKinley Breaux was a steady surprise a year ago despite being a freshman. McKinley’s immense talent shined in spots in 2024, and Kelly has been very impressed with his offseason. Gooden, a South Florida transfer had a strong first day of preseason practice. Washington is back after recording eight tackles last year Mitchell is a transfer from Texas. Williams, Brown and Mathis give LSU depth for the future.

Edge

Starters: Jack Pyburn (Sr.), Patrick Payton (5th-year Sr.)

Backups: Gabriel Reliford (So.), Jimari Butler (Graduate Sr.), Kolaj Cobbins (R-Fr.), Dylan Carpenter (R-So.), CJ Jackson (R-Fr.), Damien Shanklin (Fr.)

Breakdown: LSU hit the portal hard by adding Pyburn from Florida, Payton from Florida State and Butler from Nebraska. Pyburn will play a big part in the Tigers’ run defense and bring more toughness. Butler provides veteran depth and Payton has 16 sacks over the past three seasons. Reliford earned some playing time last season. His role should only grow this fall. Carpenter, Cobbins, Jackson and Shanklin provide LSU a variety of younger options at the position

Linebacker

Starters: Whit Weeks (Jr.), Harold Perkins (R-Jr.) West Weeks (Graduate Sr.)

Backups: Davhon Keys (So.), Charles Ross (Fr.), Tylen Singleton (R-Fr.), Zach Weeks (Fr.), Jaiden Braker (Fr.), Keylan Moses (Fr.)

Breakdown: Perkins’ return gave LSU arguably the best linebacking corps in the nation heading into this season. Whit Weeks is fully healthy after dislocating his ankle and fracturing his tibia in the Texas Bowl. His brothers, Zach and West, provide depth for the present and future. Keys is a former four-star recruit in the 2024 class and was a rock for the Tigers last season. Expect he and West Weeks to rotate and help keep Perkins and Whit Weeks fresh Singleton, Ross, Braiker

into that role two years ago. And Kailep Edwards redshirt last season for this opportunity Having that plan work to perfection would be very gratifying for Edwards and the coaching staff.

Get corners ready

There’s little doubt there’s more raw talent at cornerback than the Cajuns had a year ago.

But again, potential doesn’t always equate to reality August camp is the time to show the coaching staff who is ready to take that next step.

The spring seemed to show Richmond transfer Trae Tomlinson is going to be a good replacement for Keyon Martin.

After that, it’s a matter of the potential guys to elevate their games. That group includes a more experienced guy like redshirt junior Lorenzell Dubose, but also younger prospects like redshirt freshman Avery Demery and redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Moses.

Desormeaux has said he believes Demery’s 6-foot-1 frame will help him to be perhaps the most promising prospect at the position in a long time.

and Moses all have the potential to step in if an injury occurs. Ross was a top-60 recruit in the 2025 class.

Cornerback

Starters: Mansoor Delane (Sr.), Ashton Stamps (Jr.)

Backups: DJ Pickett (Fr.), Ja’Keem Jackson (R-So.), PJ Woodland (So.) Michael Turner (R-Fr.), Aidan Anding (Fr.), Wallace Foster (RFr.)

Breakdown: Despite being a freshman, Pickett has the talent to start immediately. The five-star recruit was the No. 24 player in the nation, per the 247Sports Composite.

Delane is a top transfer from Virginia Tech who can also play safety Stamps is a returning two-year starter Jackson was a top recruit at Florida and worked under current LSU secondary coach Corey Raymond. Woodland earned playing time last season as a freshman. Turner Anding and Foster are multiple prospects LSU can work with moving forward.

Safety

Starters: Tamarcus Cooley (R-So.), AJ Haulcy (Sr.)

Backups: Dashawn Spears (So.), Jardin Gilbert (5thyear Sr.) Javien Toviano (Jr.), Joel Rogers (R-Fr.), Austin Ausberry (R-Jr.), Jacob Bradford (Fr.), Jhase Thomas (Fr.), CJ Jimcoily (Fr.)

Breakdown: Cooley and Haulcy are a pair of transfers poised to right the ship for a position unit that struggled a year ago. Cooley transferred from NC State, Haulcy came from Houston.

Gilbert was a starter a year ago but had a rocky campaign. Spears showed flashes in limited playing time last season Toviano moves to safety full-time after working at cornerback. LSU adds a deep freshman class to the position while bringing back Rogers and Ausberry Kicker

Starter: Damian Ramos (5thyear Sr.)

Backup: Aeron Burrell (So.)

Breakdown: Ramos returns as LSU’s third-year starter Burrell will serve as the Tigers’ kickoff specialist again while providing competition for Ramos as the placekicker Punter

Starter: Grant Chadwick (So.)

Backup: Badger Hargett (RSo.)

Breakdown: LSU added Chadwick, a transfer from Middle Tennessee, and lost Peyton Todd to the transfer portal. Todd transferred to ULMonroe after averaging 41.3 yards per attempt last season.

Return specialists

Starters: Barion Brown, Zavion Thomas

Backups: Parker, Watkins

Breakdown: Brown was a first team All-SEC return specialist last season. Thomas held the majority of the return duties for LSU a year ago, averaging 24.6 yards per kick return and 4.7 yards per punt return.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

It wasn’t a bad season by any stretch according to Pro Football Reference, opposing quarterbacks completed just 54.8% of their passes when targeting McKinstry in coverage. But there weren’t many impact plays on his rookie highlight reel.

Healthy going into the offseason, McKinstry focused on getting his body right. He paid close attention to what he ate and played a lot of basketball with a high school team near his Birmingham home — something he believes helped his conditioning. He arrived to training camp noticeably lighter carrying about 12 pounds less than his playing weight last season.

“I feel like I’m moving better, I feel like everything’s better,” McKinstry said. “I just feel like I’m better, I’m not going to lie — I feel like a better hu-

“I feel like I’m moving better, I feel like everything’s better I just feel like I’m better, I’m not going to lie — I feel like a better human being, a better person and also a better football player.”

KOOL-AID McKINSTRy Saints cornerback

man being, a better person and also a better football player.”

After Derek Carr retired in May, McKinstry snatched up his old uniform number, ditching the No. 14 he wore in 2024 in favor of No. 4. And then he dove into the new scheme brought by defensive coordinator Brandon Staley, which he feels is similar to what he played in at the University of Alabama, where he was a consensus All-American

as a junior “It’s very comfortable for me,” McKinstry said. “The plays, the techniques, everything is kind of the same as what I learned for three years under coach (Nick) Saban.”

The Saints traded Lattimore midway through last season, and let Adebo walk to the New York Giants in free agency, clearing the way for McKinstry to lock down a starting job in the secondary So far, the returns have been nothing but positive.

“This is going to be that second-year jump we felt really confident that (it) was going to be,” Moore said. “In Philly, we thought really, really highly of him, and certainly Brandon did during the draft process the year before as well when he was in San Francisco. We feel like we’re going to create a really good opportunity for him.”

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints defensive end Chris Rumph, right, and cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry chat between drills on Monday during training camp at the team’s facility

Haener shinesasShoughstruggles

Spirited practice brings both highsand lows forSaintsQBs

One of the most spiritedNew Orleans Saints practices in recent memory ended with abit of controversy and alot of trash talk. Leading the third-team offense on atwo-minute drive to close out practice, quarterback Jake Haener faced an all-or-nothing scenario from the 13-yard line with two seconds remaining.His pass toward the backof the end zone fell incomplete, causing an eruption from the defensive sideline, but alate flag flewfrom the officials working practice

The penalty was apass interference on cornerback Rejzohn Wright, whom officials deemed made too much contact with Mason Tipton in the back of the end zone. Defensiveplayers yelled at the official to no avail, saying the contactwas admissible because Haenerhad rolled out of the pocket.

Given another shot from the 1-yard line, Haener faked apitch, rolled to his right and found a wide-open Tipton in the end zone

for asituation-winning score. This time the offenseerupted. That sequence was the practice encapsulated: It wasaspirited, physical and fun nearly two hours in the Saints’ indoor facility —and one that put thequarterbacksunderduress. Here’show the numbers shook out before we go into the individual performances:

n Spencer Rattler:11-17 (44-64 overall)

n Tyler Shough:5-9 with2interceptions (25-44)

n Haener:9-13(33-47)

Thursday was Rattler’sturnto operate the first team, and once again he showed off his poise and decisiveness. With defensive

coordinator Brandon Staley sending avariety of pressure looks at all three quarterbacks, Rattler handled it well by moving off his spot in the pocket and finding his receivers downfield.

Hisbest throw came in ared zoneperiod, when he put theperfect touch on aball to RashidShaheed in theback of the end zone, dropping the passover Alontae Taylor’s reach intoShaheed’shands to close outthe period.

It wasn’ta perfect day for Rattler, who couldn’tlead ascoring drive on the two-minutedrill (the Saints took the first-team offense off the field rather than have them attempt aHail Mary from about the 35-yardline). Rattleralso had

twopasses deflected at the line of scrimmage,which has been abit of atheme in camp. But he has probably been the steadiest dayto-day of the group.

Shough’sturn running the second-team offense did not go well. After going through the first sevenpractices without turning the ball over, Shough threw two interceptions. One of them was a tip-drill interception that can be chalked up to agood play by the defense, but the second wasmore concerning.

One of the knocks on Shough coming out of Louisville washis play under pressure. With Staley throwing different looks at him Thursday,Shough had trouble keeping up. During the red zone period, with pressure coming up the middle, Shough backpedaled and threwa jump ball off his back foot,allowing safety Jordan Howden to make an easy interception.

Shough also had arough twominuteperiod that went like this: Ascramble throwaway under pressure, asack and what appeared to be astrip sack (the only clear thing wasthat he lost control of the ball). That last play was Shough’sfinal rep before he gave way to Haener

It’s tooearly to really be concerned about Shough, who is barely aweek into his first training camp. There is alot to like —in-

cluding acouple excellent throws from Thursday’spractice —and there is time for it to click into place for him. But at this stage, the game looks sped up for him. That has not been the case for Haener,who continues to look comfortable operating the offense. He only made four throws in the first three team periods, including aripped throw on an in-breaker to BubMeans,but he performed well in the two-minute setting.

Haener went 7for 9inthe final period, with one of those incompletions being the aforementioned controversial defensive pass interference call. One of those throws was aperfectly placed ball down the seam to Dante Pettis,squeezed in between converging defenders. The pass cameimmediately after Haener had taken a“sack,” reversing the field after anegative play With Haener,it’snot all about the throws, though. He mayenjoy pushing back against commentary about his arm strength, but his best traits are still his command of the offense and his ability to process the defense. That wason display during that final drive as he directed the offense, finding chunks of yards on the sidelines to set up the scoring opportunity EmailLuke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Correa reunitingwithAstrosafter tradefromTwins

HOUSTON Carlos Correa is returning to Houston, giving the Astros aneeded jolt fortheir infield with astunning trade from the Minnesota Twins ahead of Thursday’strade deadline, accordingto aperson with direct knowledgeof the deal.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because the trade hadn’t been announced. Additional terms of the swap weren’timmediately available.

Correa spent his firstseven years in Houston, where he becameone of the most beloved players in franchisehistory, helpingthe team to six playoff appearances,three American League pennants and its first World Series titlein2017 —a championship tainted by asign-

stealing scandal. The top pick in the 2012 amateurdraft and 2015 AL Rookie of the Year was part of the homegrown core that helped theAstros go from the league’s laughingstock to perennialcontenders.

Correa, who waived his no-trade clause, has exclusively played shortstop in his 11-year major league career but will almost certainly move to third base for the AL West leaders with shortstop JeremyPeña close to returning from the injured list.The Astros need helpatthird with All-Star Isaac Paredes out indefinitely with ahamstringinjury. Charismaticand an unquestioned leader in the clubhouse, Correa couldhelpgalvanize ateam that has managedtoremainatop the divisionstandingsdespitedealing with multiple injuries to both

MLBNOTEBOOK

its lineup and pitching staff.

Correareunites with second baseman Jose Altuve, who is the Astros’ longest tenured player and one of his closest friends on the team. Whenasked aboutthe possibilityofCorrea returning to HoustononWednesday,Altuve ravedabout him before saying: “So Ithink —ifanything (were) to happen, Ihope it’sthe best for him and for us.

Rays

ARANDA COLLIDESWITH STANTONAND EXITS GAME: TampaBay RaysAll-Star first baseman Jonathan Aranda collided with Giancarlo Stanton on Thursday while fielding an errant throw and exited the game.

New York Yankees slugger Stan-

tonhit asoft grounder in the fifth inning to Junior Caminero,who charged in on wet grass to make athrow.AsAranda fieldedit, his left wristappeared to collide with Stanton’sleft shoulder Aranda fell to the ground and shook his head while on his back. He was attendedtobya trainer and manager Kevin Cash before walking off thefield. Brandon Lowe moved over from second base to replace him Aranda is hitting .316 with 12 homers and 54 RBIs in 103 games this season. He hit an RBI single in TampaBay’sfour-run fourth off Marcus Stroman.

Phillies

PHILADELPHIA ADDS GOLD GLOVE OF BADER FROM TWINS: The Philadelphia Philliesacquired outfielder Harrison Bader fortwo minorleaguers

SCOREBOARD

34-32—66 -4 Beau Hossler 33-33—66 -4 Michael

-4 Chris

33-33—66 -4 KevinKisner35-31—66 -4 MattKuchar 34-32—66 -4 Robert Macintyre32-34—66 -4

Matthew McCarty 33-33—66 -4

Max McGreevy 31-35—66 -4

Thursday,their seconddeal with theMinnesota Twinsintwo days after landing closer Jhoan Duran. The 31-year-old Bader,a2021 Gold Glove winner,remains a strong defenderatall threeoutfield spots and has 12 homeruns, 38 RBIsand a.778 OPS in 96 games. Bader adds another bat to an outfield that hasstruggledtoput up big offensivenumbers.Healso has postseason experience, playing in five postseason series with the Cardinals, Yankees and Mets with a.809 OPS and five career homers. The right-handed hitting Bader could fall into aplatoon with lefthanders BrandonMarsh in center or Max Kepler in left.

ThePhillies are sending minor league outfielder Hendry Mendez andright-handerGeremy Villoria to the Twins for Bader.ESPN was first to report on the deal.

107, Phoenix101 Minnesota 100, NewYork93 Atlanta 88, Dallas 85 Thursday’s games Golden State at Washington, n Friday’s games Golden State at Chicago, 6:30 p.m. Indiana at Dallas,6:30 p.m. New York at Connecticut, 6:30 p.m. PhoenixatAtlanta, 6:30 p.m. LosAngeles at Seattle, 9p.m. Pro tennis

ATPWorld Tour National Bank open results

Thursday At SobeysStadium Toronto Purse: $9,193,540 Surface: Hardcourtoutdoor Men’s Singles Round of 32 KarenKhachanov(11),Russia, def. Emilio Nava,United States, 6-7 (6), 6-4,6-1. Alex Michelsen (26),United States, def. LorenzoMusetti (3),Italy, 3-6,7-6 (4), 6-4 Francisco Cerundolo(14),Argentina, def. Tomas Martin Etcheverry,Argentina, 6-3,6-4. Men’s Doubles Round of 32 Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo ArevaloGonzalez (1), El Salvador, def. JiriLehecka and Jakub Mensik,Czechia, 7-6 (9), 7-6 (5). Rajeev Ram, United States,and Nikola Mektic, Croatia, def. Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia, France, 6-7 (8), 6-3,10-5 Lloyd Glasspool and JulianCash (2), Britain, def. AlejandroDavidovich Fokina, Spain, and Flavio Cobolli, Italy, 6-4, 4-6,15-13. Horacio Zeballos, Argentina, and Austin Krajicek, United States, def. Matthew Ebden and Alex de Minaur, Australia,7-5, 6-2 Pro golf

Wyndham Championship parscores Thursday At SedgefieldCountryClub

Matthieu Pavon34-32—66 -4

Victor Perez32-34—66 -4

Andrew Putnam 32-34—66 -4

KevinRoy 33-33—66 -4

Sam Ryder32-34—66 -4

DavisThompson 34-32—66 -4

Vince Whaley 32-34—66 -4

Jacob Bridgeman32-35—67 -3

Frankie Capan34-33—67 -3

MattFitzpatrick 34-33—67 -3

DavidFord30-37—67 -3

Doug Ghim35-32—67 -3

Ben Griffin32-35—67 -3

Emiliano Grillo 33-34—67 -3

Garrick Higgo 35-32—67 -3

Harry Higgs 33-34—67 -3

RicoHoey 34-33—67 -3

Rasmus Hojgaard33-34—67 -3

Chan Kim 34-33—67 -3

Kurt Kitayama 34-33—67 -3

Patton Kizzire32-35—67 -3

Justin Lower34-33—67 -3

DennyMcCarthy32-35—67 -3

AIG Women’s Open parscores

Thursday At RoyalPorthcawl GC Bridgend, United Kingdom

Purse: $9.5million Yardage: 6,748; Par: 72 First Round EriOkayama 32-35—67 -5 Rio Takeda 35-32—67 -5

Miyu Yamashita 31-37—68 -4

In GeeChun 36-33—69 -3 Manon De Roey 36-33—69 -3

LauraFuenfstueck 37-32—69 -3 Chisato Iwai 33-36—69 -3 Shiho Kuwaki 35-34—69 -3 AlexaPano 33-36—69 -3 Mimi Rhodes33-36—69 -3

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Saints quarterback JakeHaener calls aplayasguard Kyle Hergel prepares to snap the ball during training camp on Mondayatthe team’s facility in Metairie.

The Associated Press

Luke Johnson

‘Sequins &Starlight’

An endofsummer celebrationatthe Louisiana Art&ScienceMuseumfrom

1p.m. to 3p.m. Fridaywill offer aTaylor Swift-inspired afternoon —aSwiftthemed craft, danceparties and atour of “Threads of Evolution: Engineering aCommunityThat Sparkles.”Regular admission applies. lasm.org

PROVIDED PHOTO

Showing at 7p.m. Saturday,the feature-film ‘The Spin’ depicts the messy life of amusicloving record store owner in the NorthernIreland town of Omagh.

Festival of Irish cinema

BY JOHN WIRT

Contributing writer

FROM THETOP

The Baton Rouge IrishFilm Festival returns to the Manship Theatre and Shaw Centerfor the Arts on Saturday for aday of movies,music anddance.

Twofeature-length comedydramas from Ireland will bookend the festival’stwo afternoon segments of short films. The shorts have beena popular staple of the festival for years.

“It’sfamily-friendly,”festival publicistLiz Walker said ofthe short-films program. “People love that and, at the end, everybody votes for their favorites. The audience chooses thewinnerofthe O’Kalem Award.”

The festival’sO’Kalem Award is named in honor of director Sidney Olcott andscreenwriter-actress Gene Gauntier.Pioneers of Irishand American filminthe early 20th century, New Yorkers Olcott and Gauntierwere professionally known as the O’Kalems.

Baton Rouge’sfestival of Irish film, presented by the Baton Rouge Irish Club, has becomea screening destination for Irish filmmakers.

“The Irish Film Institute put the call out in Ireland to the filmmakers, to send their films to us,” Walker said. “We’ve been told by the institute that, because we’ve been doing thisfor so many years and have been so consistent, filmmakers wantto submit specifically to us.”

This year’sprogram of10 short films offers six comedies andone fairytale, drama, action film and documentary each

Although “Wee Irish Film Night,” the festival’susual Friday night screenings of short films, has been afestival highlight for years, budget restrictions this year compelledorganizers to show both shorts and feature films one day only atthe Shaw Center

ä See CINEMA, page 6C

“Mostofthe sponsorsthat we ve had over the years told Twofeature films and10shortswill screen Saturday BATON ROUGE

IRISH FILM FESTIVAL

Noon to 8:30 p.m. Saturday l Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St. l $15 per screening l batonrougeirishfilmfestival.com and manshiptheatre.org

DBY JOHN WIRT Contributing writer

evon Allman’ssummer and fall touringincludesa trio of Louisiana visits. The blues-rocking son and nephew,respectively of Allman Brothers Band co-founders Gregg and Duane Allman, Devon Allman has been making his markinmusic for nearly three decades. His“Blues Summit” tour comestoBaton Rouge on Thursday and LakeCharles the following day.Hereturns to Louisiana in October for ashow in New Orleans. The “Blues Summit” tourshares its title with Allman’sguest-filled newalbum. Released last week by Germany’sRuf Records, it pairs the Devon Allman Project with five

BYBARBARA SIMS Contributing writer What is R&B, where’d it come fromand where’d it go? An array of five-star entertainers will give a musical answer to these questionswhen theManship Theatre presents the “Rhythm

special guests—young Mississippi blues star Christone “Kingfish”Ingram,Wet Willie singer andharmonica player Jimmy Hall, sacred steel guitarist Robert Randolph, Michigan-based blues singer-guitarist Larry McCray, and gospelinfluenced NewOrleans rhythmand-blues singer Sierra Green.

“I want to see things through a different lens and work with different people,” Allman said from hishome in St.Louis. “This (‘Blues Summit’)isanotherstepinthatdirection. The different textures and depth wouldn’tbepossible with it only being aDevon Allmanrecord.”

Allman’s studio guests Hall,McCray andGreen are joininghim on tour.Hehas an especially long association with Hall, the voice of WetWillie’s1974 Top10hit, “Keep On Smilin’.” WetWillie opened shows forthe Allman Brothers Band in the 1970s and Hall later joined the Gregg Allman Band.

“Jimmy played saxophone, harmonica and he gave my dad abreak in the show by singing acouple of songs in the show,” Devon Allman

Esneault

PROVIDED PHOTOByHEATHER JOHNSON

FRIDAY

LIVE MUSIC: CaneRiver

Pecan CompanyPie Bar, New Iberia, 5p.m

DERRICK SAVOIE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

DUELING PIANOS FEA-

TURING SPARKY 88: Jim

Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza &Brewery,Lafayette, 6p.m.

FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

JAMABALAYA TRIO: Randol’s Cajun Restaurant, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

HUVAL FAMILYBAND: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m

CHOKE, LA PHANTOMS, BLACKWATER CANAL: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8p.m

MATT GARYTRIO: Whiskey&Vine, Lafayette, 8p.m.

DVNEHPPY+THE BAD: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m

ROUGE KREWE: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 10 p.m

SATURDAY

DON FONTENOTBAND: Fred’s, Mamou,8 a.m.

GENO DELAFOSE &

By The Associated Press

SHOWSTOWATCH

FRENCH ROCKIN’ BOOGIE: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8a.m.

SATURDAY MORNING

JAMSESSIONS: Savoy Music Center,Eunice, 9a.m.

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9a.m. CAJUN JAM: TanteMarie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Friday,Aug. 1, the 213th day of 2025. There are 152 days left in the year

Todayinhistory On Aug. 1, 1981, MTV began its American broadcast; thefirst music video aired on the new cable TV network was “Video Killed the Radio Star,” by The Buggles.

Also on this date: In 1876, Colorado was admitted as the 38th statein the Union,less than amonth after the US Centennial (earning it the nickname “the Centennial State”)

In 1907, aweeklong boys’ camping eventbegan on Brownsea Island in southern England, organized by Robert BadenPowell; the eventisnow marked as the beginningofthe Scout Movement.

In 1936, Adolf Hitler presided over the opening ceremonies of the Summer Olympics in Berlin. In 1944, an uprising broke out in Warsaw,Poland, against Nazi occupation; the revolt lasted two months before collapsing.

In 1957, the United States and Canada announced they had agreed to create the North AmericanAir Defense Command (NORAD).

In 1966, Charles Joseph Whitman,25, went on an armedrampage at the University ofTexas in Austin that killed 14 people, most of whom were shot by Whitmanwhile he was perched in the clock tower of the main campus building.

In 1971, The Concert for Bangladesh, an all-star benefit organized by George Harrison

REVUE

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tours with his band. He also narrated and was featuredinLouisianaPublic Broadcasting’spost-Katrina film “American Creole: New Orleans Reunion,” showing the havoc of the storm andthe determination of New Orleans musicians to reunite and keep their music alive.

St. John is aversatile cabaret singer; jazz, opera and musical theater performer; and an educator honored for Excellence in Teaching She’shad popular stints as featured chanteuse in well-knownNew Orleans hotelsand amorediverse audience in her current venue in the French Quarter,the Bombay Club. She is ofteninvited to perform in festivals in Italy and other countries.

JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m CHRIS HIMEL DUO: Lakeview Park,Eunice, 5p.m.

ROCK NROSE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: JimDeggy’s Brick Oven Pizza&Brewery, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s

of The Beatles and sitar player Ravi Shankar,was held at Madison Square Garden in New York.

In 2001, Pro Bowl tackle Korey Stringer,27, died of heatstroke, aday after collapsing at theMinnesotaVikings’ training camp on the hottest day of the year

In 2004, the Ycuá Bolaños supermarket fire in Asuncion, Paraguay,killed morethan400 people.

In 2007, the eight-lane Interstate 35W bridge, amajor Minneapolis artery,collapsed into theMississippi River during evening rush hour,killing 13 people.

In 2014, amedical examiner ruled that aNew York Citypolice officer’schokehold caused thedeath of Eric Garner,whose videotaped arrest and final pleas of “I can’tbreathe!” hadsparked outrage.

In 2023, former President Donald Trump was indicted by afederal grand jury on conspiracy and obstruction charges related to his alleged attempts to overturn theresults of the 2020 presidential election.

Today’sBirthdays: Actor Giancarlo Giannini is 83. Basketball Hall of Fame coach RoyWilliams is 75. Blues musician Robert Cray is 72. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum is 69. Rock singer Joe Elliott(Def Leppard) is 66. RapperChuckD (Public Enemy) is 65. ActorJohn Carroll Lynch is 62. Rock singer Adam Duritz (Counting Crows) is 61. Film director Sam Mendes is 60. ActorTempestt Bledsoe is 52. Football Hall of Famer Edgerrin James is 47. Actor Jason Momoa is 46.

Rouge her home, she continues hersolo career as well as being a part of popular local group Phat Hat with leader Woods. Rhythm and blues is aterm musiciansadoptedinthe 1940s to describe the transition from traditional blues to include amore varied and often moreprominent andcomplicated rhythm pattern.

Cave

“R&B often had afaster,heavier beat, and was suitable for doing the new dances that came along every few years,” Esneault said.

Broussard, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

TIDUS,ARCHONA, SILVERTONE, AND GHOST

PRISM: The Loose Caboose, Lafayette, 7p.m

TET DUR: Pat’sAtchafalaya Club,Henderson, 7p.m

4-HORSES: La Poussiere

Cajun Dancehall,Breaux Bridge, 8p.m

CEDRIC WATSON &BIJOU

CREOLE: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m. THE TROYBREAUX QUARTET: Whiskey&Vine, Lafayette, 8p.m.

RUSTY BROWN BAND: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.

SHOTGUN LILLIE: Rock ‘n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 10 p.m

SUNDAY GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskey& Vine,Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: TanteMarie, BreauxBridge,11a.m.

JAMBALAYA ACOUSTIC MUSIC JAM: Tom’s Fiddle &Bow,Arnaudville 12:30 p.m

BALDUDIMANCHE—

JOHN WILSON &THE ZYDECO HOUSE ROCKERS: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m.

CAJUN JAM: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2p.m. FORET TRADITION: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club,Henderson, 4:30 p.m

RUSTY METOYER: Rock ’n’Bowl, Lafayette, 5p.m.

CATHEAD BISCUIT BOYS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m.

MONDAY

PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Café Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

TUESDAY

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant Lafayette, 6p.m.

KILLER KARAOKE: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8p.m. GROOVE ROOM: Blue

Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

WEDNESDAY DULCIMERJAM: St. Landry VisitorCenter, Opelousas, 10 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Whiskey& Vine,Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: TapRoom, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

THURSDAY

LIVE MUSIC: Whiskey& Vine,Lafayette, 6p.m.

CIGAR SOCIAL: Downtown Lafayette, 7p.m.

KARAOKE PARTY: Black Bull, Youngsville,8p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: The Tap Room, Lafayette, 8p.m.

NOUVEAU STRINGBAND: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m.

ZACH EDWARDS: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

Compiledby

MarchaundJones

Want yourvenue’s music listed?

Email info/photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY forthe following Friday’spaper.

‘Four Mothers,’showing at 12:30 p.m.

for whom they are principal caregivers.

CINEMA

Continuedfrom page5C

us that they just couldn’tdoitthis year,” Walkerexplained. “All organizations are struggling for donations and sponsorship. Look at LPB (LouisianaPublic Broadcasting), what they’re up against now.” Nonetheless, thefestivalis carrying on with three days of events.InadditiontoSaturday’s films andsponsors’dinner at the Shaw Center,Sunday is military day at the U.S.S. Kidd (includinga screening “The Last Rifleman” starring Irish actor Pierce Brosnan, 11 a.m. to 3p.m.) and Monday is pub, burger and movie night at Phil Brady’sBar &Grill (6:30 p.m.)

The festival’stwo Saturday features at theManship Theatre are both recentlyreleased comedydramas. Showingat12:30 p.m., “Four Mothers”isa contemporary story about four men andthe elderly mothersfor whom they are

ALLMAN

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said. “He hasalways been Uncle Jimmy to me.I think my dad is smiling down because I’m keeping Jimmy Hall working androcking. At 75 yearsold,it’suncanny how powerful his voice is.”

principal caregivers.

“It’s endearing,” said festival organizer Joanna Anselmo. “They take their Catholic mothers to Mass every morning.”

Aremake of the 2008 Italian film “Mid-August Lunch,” “Four Mothers” especially follows the misadventures of aspiring novelist Edward (James McArdle). Edward struggles to find timetopromote his upcoming book and care for his widowed mother (Fionnula Flanagan) while she recovers from astroke. His responsibilities escalatewhen three of his friends, all of whom aretheir mothers’ caregivers, abandon the women at Edward’sdoorstep whilethey go to Spain.

Variety movie criticGuy Lodge praised “FourMothers,” describing the film as awarm, sweet story that contains “surprising reserves of wisdom and sadness.”

Showingat7 p.m. Saturday,the feature film “The Spin” depicts the messy life of amusic-loving record store owner in theNorthern Ireland townofOmagh. Owen

“It was ano-brainertorecord that version,” Allmansaid. “And ‘Wang Dang Doodle’ is such aclassic. I knewJimmy Hall would murder it.”

Colgan plays Elvis, the co-owner of the Boneyard Records music store with his best friend, Dermot, played by Brenock O’Connor Unlike Elvis, Dermot has grown weary of themusic store. He longs to leave Omagh andbea professional musician.But Dermot dreadsthe prospect of raising aparting glass to Elvis, aman alreadyburdenedbyhis crushing fears of abandonment.

“The Spin” becomes aroad comedy when Dermot and Elvis drive southtoCountyCorkinthe Republic of Ireland on asearch forgold. The gold the lads seek sits in abox of incredibly collectible andvaluable vinyl records.

“The Spin” cast also includes Tara Lynne O’Neiland Leah O’Rourke (“Derry Girls”) and Maura Higgins (“Love Island”). Saturday’sIrish Film Festival schedule of events is available at batonrougeirishfilmfestival.com and manshiptheatre.org.

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@msn. com.

“That was crazy,” he said. “The song went to No. 2. We were on MTV and Toyota commercials. I always laugh with my wife and say ‘I’m aSpanish rock star.’ Forone summer,Iwas on top of the world.” His surprise Spanish success gave Allman the confidence to invest the income generated by the hitintoproducinghis 2006 album, “Devon Allman’sHoneytribe.”

St. John Woods

Cave launched her solo singing careerinher hometown of Las Vegas but the road companies of several Broadway plays recruited her and then followed aseries of bandtours with such stars as Stevie Wonder.Now making Baton

Themusic andthe termR&B became better known in the’50sand ’60s when Billboardand other music magazines made R&B aseparate chart,replacing the previous term, “race” records. Much of the music derivedits feel from the gospel and spiritual music that many of its early stars heard in the churches of their youth. Those fortunateticketholders for Thursday’s showwillhearnew versions of songs that are widelyknown and loved, made famous by Marvin Gaye, Tina Turner,Diana Ross, andothers. It’sgoing to make you want to dance in the aisles.

Thepowerfully vibrant “Blues Summit” albumisone of thedozen recording projectsAllman has produced for himself and others.

“This is probablymyproudest producer moment,” he said. “It wasa treat to pick which songs feature horns; to tell Kingfish, ‘Man, don’tbeshy.Playexactly like B.B. King’; and to talk the string section through ‘Real Love.’ It was an honor andapleasure to have all these folks trust me.” Allman chosetointerpret two classics for the “BluesSummit” album,Jimi Hendrix’s“Little Wing” and Willie Dixon’sChicago blues classic“Wang Dang Doodle.” His “Little Wing” recording followed Allman’sperformances of the song on the 2025 “Experience Hendrix” tour.It’smodeled after the Derek andthe Dominosrecordofthe song featuring Allman’slateuncle, Duane Allman

Prior to his “BluesSummit” project,Allman worked with his bandsHoneytribe andthe Devon Allman Project; performedand recorded with theRoyal Southern Brotherhood (with New Orleans’ Cyril Neville) and the Allman Betts Band (with Duane Betts); and enjoyed aTop 5Spanish hitwith Spain’sVargas Blues Band. Despite having amusic star father,Allmandidn’tgrowupin themusic business. The child of thelate Gregg Allman’sfirst of seven marriages, he spent mostof his childhood separated from his father.Upon meeting his father for the first time at 16 years old, Devon Allman and his long-absent dadformed an instantly close relationship. In the early 2000s,Allmantook abreak from the traveling musician’slife. During his first child’s early years, he worked at areal job and playedsoloacoustic gigs on theside. His career revivedin 2005 after he sang three songs for an albumbySpain’sVargas Blues Band. One of those songs, “How Verso Are You?,” becamea Top5 hit in Spain.

“I placed all bets on me,” he said. “I’m gladIdid. My first record cameout and Itoured theworld with it, opening for heroes and jamming with heroes. It carvedmytrajectory right there and then.”

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@msn. com.

PROVIDED PHOTOFROMDEXTERFILMS

Saturday, is acontemporarystoryabout four men and the elderly mothers

STAFF FILE PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

TheRougeKrewe band will take the stageatRock ‘n’ Bowl in Lafayette at 9p.m.Friday. Tickets are $17.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Pay attention to detail and avoid criticism. Make simple changes if they will improve your positionorhelp you gain interest in what you have to offer. An energetic, unemotional approach is best.

VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept.22) Be cautious when dealingwith institutions, government agencies and those in positions of power. Listenattentivelyandalignyourselfwith thosewho share common concerns and interests

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Set aside your emotions and let hard work anddiscipline guide your actions. Home improvementswillliftyourspiritsandencourage you to focusmore on what makesyou feel complete.

SCORPIO (Oct.24-Nov. 22) Relax; don't let what others do annoyyou.Impulsive spending is apparent. Don't spend trying to impress someone or win favors If you mustbuy someone's love, you are with the wrong partner.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec.21) Consider upgrading your skillstoensure you continue to meet demands.Focus your energy on networking, negotiations and making homeimprovementsthat lower your overhead.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan.19) Direct your energy into something enjoyableand healthy. Trust yourself andleave nothing to chance. Nurture partnerships, and something good will unfold.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Achange of location, surroundings or who you hang out with will be uplifting and make you

awareofwhat's important to you. Discourage jealousyand possessiveness in yourself and others.

PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) Pay attention to where each dollar goes. Don't leave possessions outinthe open.Someone will try to take advantage of you if given the chance. Take careofresponsibilities before moving on to more enjoyable pastimes

ARIES(March 21-April 19) Reach out to people you know who can contribute to your success and help you move forward. Mix business withpleasure; brainstorm with those who share your ideas and yearn for asimilar outcome.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Refuse to let youremotionsgetyouintrouble.Holdon to your thoughts until youare sure that whatyouhavetosayisaccurate.Rethink your strategy andthe outcome you desire, and proceed withconfidence.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Learnanew skill or update your profile to stay current withthe latest trends in the jobmarket. Embrace home improvements thatpromotemoreconvenience and comfort.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Refresh your memoryand rethink your spending habits. Address debt, and it will easestress. Be open with lovedones, andyou will gain valuable insight into how to turn a negative into apositive.

The horoscope, an entertainmentfeature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by NEA,Inc dist.ByAndrews McMeel Syndication

Celebrity Cipher cryptogramsare created from quotations by famous people, past and present.Each letterinthe cipher stands for another.

TODAy'SCLUE: BEQUALS K

CeLebrItY CIpher

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the samenumber only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

and LoiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

E.J.Smith, the future captainofthe Titanic, certainly tempted fate by saying, “When anyoneasks me how Ican bestdescribemyexperience in nearly 40 yearsatsea, Imerelysay,uneventful. Inever saw awreck norwas Ieverin any predicament thatthreatened to end in disaster of any sort.”

When you areina predicament at the bridge table, consider the various sensible options and decide between them. Look at the North hand in today’s diagram. East opens two diamonds, weak; South makes atakeout double;and West raisestothree diamonds.What should North do?

He clearly has enough strengthtoact, but to force to game with afour-diamond cue-bid would be overstating hishand, especially since the diamond king is probablyworthless.Andhewouldprefer not to guess which major to bid. Theanswer is to double. It is called responsive andsays, “I have enough strengthtoact but no suitable bid available.” South, with such astrong hand, should jump to four spades.

West leads the diamond queen. The defenders take two tricks in the suit, then play aclub. Howshould Southcontinue?

In danger of losing one spade, one heartand twodiamonds,heshould

wuzzles

assume afavorablelayout. Here, he wins the fourth trick, draws two rounds of trumps, cashes thetwo top hearts and plays on clubs.Whether Eastruffs in or discards and is then endplayed withhis trump winner, he must concede aruffand-sluff, on which South’s lastheart disappears.

©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist.

By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

EachWuzzle is aword riddle whichcreates adisguisedword, 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

or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

or

toDAY’s WoRD BuMPtIous: BUMP-shuss: Obtusely and often noisily selfassertive;obtrusive.

Average mark 21 words

Time limit 45 minutes

Canyou find36ormore words in BUMPTIOUS?

YEstERDAY’s

“Let allthe earth fear the Lord: letall the inhabitants of the world stand in aweofhim.For he spoke, and it was done;he commanded, and it stood fast.” Psalms33:8-9

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles