The Advocate 08-21-2025 by The Advocate

evolving AI landscape.’

Louisianapolicymakers endorse AI in schools

Tech leaders cheermove, but some educators areconcerned

BY PATRICK WALL |Staff writer

Louisiana’seducation policymakerswantschoolstoembrace the use of artiﬁcial intelligence, drawing cheers from sometech-industry titans but raising alarmsamong education experts whosay the hype around AI is notyet backedby strong evidence.

The stateboard of education passed aresolution Wednesday calling on the Louisiana Department of Education to lead an “ongoing AI research agenda” so thatstudentscan compete in a“rapidlyevolving AI landscape.” It cites thetechnology’s growing importance to the global economy as well as President Donald Trump’sexecutive orderinApril saying teachers and studentsshould learn to use it.

Louisiana schools alreadyare experimenting with AI programs, including one that helps students learn to read, and the stateEduca-

tionDepartmentissued guidance for schools last year on how to adopt the technology safely. The resolution pushes the departmenttoramp up those efforts.

Judge blocks vote on merger in BR

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER |Staff writer

Ajudge has temporarily blocked amajor step in Mayor-President Sid Edwards’ efforts to merge East Baton Rouge EMS with the Baton Rouge Fire Department.

On Wednesday,LouisianaDistrictJudge Ronald Johnsongranted atemporary restraining order blocking aBaton Rouge Fire and Police Municipal Civil Service Board vote scheduled forMonday

That vote is over reclassifying the position of ﬁre chief to oversee EMS, abig step in Edwards’ plan to merge the agencies.

“Werespect the legal process andwelookforward to aresolution that best serves the residents of East BatonRouge Parish,” Edwardssaidina statement Wednesday afternoon.

The case was ﬁled Tuesday by Robert Aguiluz, an attorneyfor the East BatonRouge EMS Paramedic Association and aformer Baton Rouge paramedic. In theoriginal petition, Aguiluzwritesthat the city-parish’splan of government separately deﬁnes Fire Department and EMS services,aswell as their separate jurisdictions, as EMS serves the entire parish, while BRFD mostly serves the city of Baton Rouge.

Powerplanfor Meta data center gets greenlight

Regulators approveconstruction of threeelectricity plants in La.

BY JOSIE ABUGOV |Staff writer

Ronnie Morris, the state Board of Elementary and Secondary Education president whointroduced the AI plan,saidschools mustmove quickly to keep up as the technology transforms many industries and everyday life.

ä See AI, page 4A

Several tech leaders wrote letters in supportofthe resolution, includingMattMullenweg,co-founder of the online publishing tool WordPress, and Sal Khan, CEO of Khan Academy,a nonproﬁt that produces widely used educational videos and an AI-powered tutoring program. Khan wrote that the resolution would help position Louisiana as a national leader in both education and workforce development.”

State regulators on Wednesday approved acontroversial plan to power tech giant Meta’s largest artiﬁcial intelligence data center yet, to be built in ruralnortheast Louisiana, clearingthe way forconstruction of three gas-ﬁred electricity plants. The Public Service Commission voted 4-1 in favor of the plan proposed by Entergy at ameeting in the city of Plaquemine following hours of public debate. The power plan is key forMeta’s$10 billion facility to moveforward. Theproject will be builtonformeragricultural land the size of around 70 footballfields. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg hasspokenoffurther expanding it to asize that would rival the footprint of

ä See META, page 4A

STAFF FILEPHOTOSByPATRICK WALL

The Amira AI tutoring program listens to students read and helpsthem sound out words that stumpthem. Thestate board of education passed aresolution Wednesday calling on the LouisianaDepartment of Education to lead an ‘ongoing AI researchagenda’ so that students can compete in a‘rapidly

Trump calls on Federal Reserve official to resign

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump on Wednesday called on Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook to resign after a member of his administration accused Cook of committing mortgage fraud.

Ten Commandments law partially blocked

BY MILLA SURJADI

The Dallas Morning News (TNS)

DALLAS A federal judge ruled Wednesday to temporarily block a new Texas law requiring school districts to display the Ten Commandments in classrooms.

the line from exposure to coercion.” Classroom displays of the Ten Commandments “are likely to send an exclusionary and spiritually burdensome message” to the plaintiff families’ children that they are “the other,” he wrote.

The law is set to take effect Sept. 1

Bill Pulte, director of the agency that oversees mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, urged the Justice Department to investigate Cook, who was appointed to the Fed’s governing board by former president Joe Biden in 2022. She was reappointed the following year to a term that lasts until 2038. Pulte, in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi, alleged that Cook claimed two homes as her principal residences in 2021 to fraudulently obtain better mortgage lending terms. On June 18 of that year she purchased a home in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and then two weeks later bought a condo in Atlanta, Georgia, the letter said. Before joining the Fed, Cook taught at Michigan State University

Pulte also charged that Cook has listed her condo in Atlanta, Georgia, for rent. Mortgages for homes used as principal residences typically carry lower interest rates than properties that are purchased to rent, the letter said.

Pulte suggested that Cook’s alleged actions could constitute a ﬁreable offense. Fed ofﬁcials are protected by law from being removed by a president, except “for cause,” which is generally seen as some kind of malfeasance or dereliction of duty

Pirro relaxes D.C. stance on rifles, shotguns

WASHINGTON Federal prosecutors in the nation’s capital will no longer bring felony charges against people for possessing rifles or shotguns in the District of Columbia, according to a new policy adopted by the leader of the nation’s largest U.S. Attorney’s Office. That office will continue to pursue charges when someone is accused of using a shotgun or rifle in a violent crime or has a criminal record that makes it illegal to have a firearm. Local authorities in Washington can prosecute people for illegally possessing unregistered rifles and shotguns.

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said in a statement that the change is based on guidance from the Justice Department and the Ofﬁce of Solicitor General and conforms with two Supreme Court decisions on gun rights.

The new policy also covers large-capacity magazines, but it does not apply to handguns.

Zoo’s tortoise hatchlings come out of their shells

PHILADELPHIA Sixteen critically endangered western Santa Cruz tortoises born to some very old parents got a slow walk and the red carpet treatment Wednesday at a Philadelphia Zoo event to show off the highly prized hatchlings. Animal care specialists who have watched over the 16 since they were eggs held the animals on a pathway by the zoo’s tortoise habitat. The hatchlings are said to be eating well and growing.

The pampered turtles were born in a series of hatches this year to Mommy and Abrazzo, a couple that is estimated to both be about 100 years old. Mommy arrived at the zoo in 1932, but had not produced offspring until Abrazzo was brought in nearly ﬁve years ago from Riverbanks Zoo and Garden in Columbia, South Carolina. The 16 are her ﬁrst progeny

The judge agreed with a group of multifaith and nonreligious families that the law will interfere with their children’s religious education and send a harmful message.

In a statement, Attorney General Ken Paxton said he will “absolutely be appealing this ﬂawed decision.”

“The Ten Commandments are a cornerstone of our moral and legal heritage, and their presence in classrooms serves as a reminder of the values that guide responsible citizenship,” he said. “Texas will always defend our right to uphold the foundational principles that have built this nation.”

U.S District Judge Fred Biery, in his ruling, found the law “ofﬁcially favors Christian dominations over others” and “crosses

“The displays are likely to pressure the child-Plaintiffs into religious observance, meditation on, veneration, and adoption of the State’s favored religious scripture, and into suppressing expression of their own religious or nonreligious backgrounds and beliefs while at school,” Biery wrote.

The 11 school districts named in the suit, including Plano ISD, Austin ISD and Houston ISD, are temporarily prohibited from displaying the Ten Commandments, according to the ruling. Dallas ISD is not named in this lawsuit.

“As a rabbi and public school parent, I welcome this ruling,” said Mara Nathan, a plaintiff in the lawsuit. “Children’s religious beliefs should be instilled by parents and faith communities, not politicians and public schools.”

The 16 families that are part of the federal lawsuit are Jewish, Christian, Unitarian Universalist, Hindu or nonreligious. They argued the bill “forcibly” subjects students to state-sponsored scriptural principles such as “I AM the LORD thy God” and “Thou shalt have no other gods before me.”

The families say the law is a violation of the First Amendment’s establishment and free exercise clauses, which protect the separation of church and state and religious freedom, respectively, according to court rulings.

Republican state lawmakers have said young people need God and suggested only good could come from exposure to a document that encourages students to respect their parents and not kill, steal or cheat.

They have also said Christianity is an important part of the nation’s founding and history, noting that references to God are on U.S. currency as well as in the national and

Erin picking up steam as it edges along East Coast

BY ALLEN G. BREED and JOHN SEEWER

Associated Press

RODANTHE, N.C. Hurricane Erin began strengthening again Wednesday as it creeped closer to the mid-Atlantic coast

Forecasters expect the storm to peak going into Thursday and say it could reintensify into a major hurricane.

While Erin is unlikely to make landfall along the East Coast before turning farther out to sea, its outer edge was packing tropical-force winds approaching North Carolina’s Outer Banks.

Water began pouring onto the main route connecting the barrier islands and around a handful of stilted homes precariously perched above the beach. By Wednesday evening, ofﬁcials had closed Highway 12 on Hatteras Island as surge increased and waves were growing higher while Ocracoke Island’s connection to its ferry terminal was cut off.

Authorities expect the largest swells during high tide will cut off villages and vacation homes on the Outer Banks and whip up life-threatening rip currents from Florida to New England.

New York City closed its beaches to swimming on Wednesday and Thursday Some beaches in New Jersey, Maryland and Delaware also will be off-limits.

Surfers flocked to the oceanfront in Virginia Beach, where Erin was supplying robust waves for the East Coast Surf-

ing Championships and the kind of swells that many locals hadn’t seen in awhile.

“We’re notorious for not having waves,” said Henry Thompson, who competed in the open long board event. “Usually we get a surf competition and it gets canceled due to no waves or they just run it in really bad waves.”

The championships will pause Thursday when Erin blows directly off the Virginia coast. But Thompson said he’s expecting more hurricanes and good surfing in the coming months. “Surfers, we’re dreaming of hurricanes all year,” he said.

Despite beach closures elsewhere, some swimmers were continuing to ignore the warnings. Rescuers saved more than a dozen people caught in rip currents Tuesday at Wrightsville Beach in North Carolina — a day after more than 80 people were rescued.

A combination of fierce winds and huge waves could cause coastal ﬂooding in many beachfront communities, North Carolina ofﬁcials warned on Wednesday Dozens of beach homes already worn down from chronic beach erosion and protective dunes could be at risk, said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Erin has become an unusually large and deceptively worrisome storm, with its tropical storm winds spreading across 500 miles — roughly the distance from New York City to Pittsburgh.

Trump to expand push against ‘woke’ museum exhibits beyond Smithsonian

BY DAVE GOLDINER New york Daily News (TNS)

President Donald Trump reportedly plans to expand his push to whitewash “woke” museum exhibits on slavery and American history beyond the Smithsonian.

After Trump tweeted that the Smithsonian is too focused on “how bad slavery was,” the White House said it would eventually seek to use its power over funding to force other museums to toe the line on Trump’s views about history

Trump will hold the Smithsonian “accountable” and “then go from there,” an unnamed ofﬁcial told NBC News.

Trump this week renewed the attack on the Smithsonian that he unleashed this month when he ordered a sweeping review of its exhibits, policies and stafﬁng.

He suggested the revered cultural institution, which is an independent organization but receives signiﬁcant funding from the federal government, is too fo-

cused on the evils of slavery

“The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our country is, how bad slavery was, and how unaccomplished the downtrodden have been,” Trump wrote on his social media site. “Nothing about success, nothing about brightness, nothing about the future.”

The White House ordered up a wideranging review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions ahead of the country’s 250th birthday

In a letter sent Tuesday to Smithsonian Institution Secretary Lonnie Bunch III, the White House laid out in detail the steps it expects the organization to take as part of the announced review The examination will look at all public-facing content, such as social media, exhibition text and educational materials, to “assess tone, historical framing, and alignment with American ideals,” according to the letter

Texas pledges. The families who ﬁled the lawsuit are represented by the civil liberties organizations Americans United for Separation of Church and State, the national ACLU, the ACLU of Texas and the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

A Dallas activist group and faith leaders ﬁled a similar lawsuit in June seeking to block Dallas ISD and Lancaster ISD from displaying the Ten Commandments.

If left in place, Texas public schools must conspicuously display a durable poster or framed copy of the Ten Commandments that is at least 16 inches by 20 inches. The law speciﬁes the exact wording that must be used and requires the text size and typeface be readable for a person with average vision from anywhere in the classroom.

A federal court in Louisiana last year blocked that state’s Ten Commandments law for violating the establishment and free exercise clauses, a ruling that was afﬁrmed on appeal last month.

Gabbard slashing intelligence workforce

BY AAMER MADHANI, ERIC TUCKER and ALI SWENSON Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Office of the Director of National Intelligence will dramatically reduce its workforce and cut its budget by more than $700 million annually, the Trump administration announced Wednesday Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said in a statement, “Over the last 20 years, ODNI has become bloated and inefficient and the intelligence community is rife with abuse of power, unauthorized leaks of classified intelligence, and politicized weaponization of intelligence.”

She said the intelligence community “must make serious changes to fulfill its responsibility to the American people and the U.S. Constitution by focusing on our core mission: ﬁnd the truth and provide objective, unbiased, timely intelligence to the President and policymakers.”

The reorganization is part of a broader administration effort to rethink its evaluation of foreign threats

to American elections, a topic that has become politically loaded given President Donald Trump’s longrunning resistance to the intelligence community’s assessment that Russia interfered on his behalf in the 2016 election.

Notably, Gabbard said she would be refocusing the priorities of the Foreign Malign Influence Center, which her office says on its website is “focused on mitigating threats to democracy and U.S. national interests from foreign malign influence.” It wasn’t clear from Gabbard’s release or fact sheet exactly what the changes would entail, but Gabbard noted its “hyper-focus” on work tied to elections and said the center was “used by the previous administration to justify the suppression of free speech and to censor political opposition.” The Biden administration created the Foreign Malign Influence Center in 2022, responding to what the U.S. intelligence community had assessed as attempts by Russia and other adversaries to interfere with American elections.

ORLANDO SENTINEL PHOTO By JOE BURBANK

A fisherman walks on a pier as large waves generated by Hurricane Erin crash into the jetty at Lighthouse Point Park, in Ponce Inlet, Fla., on Wednesday.

AP PHOTO By MATT ROURKE

A Philadelphia Zoo staff member holds a tortoise hatchling

Israel to mobilize 60,000 reservists for Gaza operation

BY MELANIE LIDMAN, SAM METZ and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

JERUSALEM Israel’s mili-

tary said Wednesday it will call up 60,000 reservists ahead of an expanded military operation in Gaza City

Many residents have chosen to stay despite the danger, fearing nowhere is safe in a territory facing shortages of food, water and other necessities.

Calling up extra military reservists is part a plan Defense Minister Israel Katz approved to begin a new phase of operations in some of Gaza’s most densely populated areas, the military said. The plan, which is expected to receive the chief of staff’s ﬁnal approval in the coming days, also includes extending the service of 20,000 additional reservists who are already on active duty

In a country of fewer than 10 million people, the call-up of reservists is the largest in months and carries economic and political weight. It comes days after hundreds of thousands of Israelis rallied for a ceaseﬁre, as negotiators scramble to get

Jews block a

Israel and Hamas to agree to end their 22 months of ﬁghting, and as rights groups warn that an expanded assault could deepen the crisis in the Gaza Strip, where most of the roughly 2 million inhabitants have been displaced, and many areas have been reduced to rubble.

An Israeli military ofﬁcial, speaking on the condition of anonymity in line with military regulations, said troops will operate in parts of Gaza City where they haven’t been deployed yet and where Israel believes Hamas is still active. Israeli troops in the the city’s

Zeitoun neighborhood and in Jabaliya, a refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip, are already preparing the groundwork for the expanded operation, which could begin within days.

Though the timeline wasn’t clear Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ofﬁce said

Wednesday that Netanyahu “has directed that the timetables be shortened” for launching the offensive.

Gaza City is Hamas’ military and governing stronghold, and one of the last places of refuge in the northern Strip, where hundreds of thousands are sheltering. Israeli troops will be targeting Hamas’ vast underground tunnel network there, the ofﬁcial added.

Although Israel has targeted and killed much of Hamas’ senior leadership, parts of Hamas are actively regrouping and carrying out attacks, including launching rockets towards Israel, the ofﬁcial said.

Netanyahu has said the war’s objectives are to secure the release of remaining hostages and ensure that Hamas and other militants can never again threaten Israel.

The planned offensive, announced earlier this month, comes amid heightened international condemnation of Israel’s restrictions on food and medicine reaching Gaza and fears that many Palestinians will be forced to ﬂee.

“It’s pretty obvious that it will just create another mass

displacement of people who have been displaced repeatedly since this phase of the conﬂict started,” United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric told reporters.

Associated Press journalists saw small groups heading south from the city this week, but it’s unclear how many others will voluntarily flee. Some said they would wait to see how events unfold, with many insisting that nowhere is safe from airstrikes.

“What we’re seeing in Gaza is nothing short of apocalyptic reality for children, for their families, and for this generation,” Ahmed Alhendawi, regional director of Save the Children, said in an interview “The plight and the struggle of this generation of Gaza is beyond being described in words.”

Hamas-led militants started the war when they attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing roughly 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting 251. Most of the hostages have been released in ceaseﬁres or other deals. Hamas says it will only free the rest in exchange for a lasting ceaseﬁre and an Israeli withdrawal.

Huckabee blames Europe for stalled Gaza talks, highlighting a Western divide Nations other than U.S. have called for Palestinian statehood

BY SAM MEDNICK

Associated Press

JERUSALEM U.S. Ambassador

to Israel Mike Huckabee sought Wednesday to blame a recent breakdown in Gaza ceaseﬁre talks on the decision by some European leaders to recognize Palestinian statehood.

Talks over a lasting ceasefire have repeatedly stalled since the early months of the war sparked by Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023 attack and long before there was any talk of major European states recognizing Palestinian statehood

The decisions were announced by France, Britain and other countries after the Trump administration’s Mideast envoy had already walked away in frustration from the negotiations, which happened behind closed doors. It’s unclear how and when they began to break down.

pursuit of a two-state solution as a way to address the root causes of a conﬂict that long predates the war in Gaza But the Trump administration has given Israel wide latitude to end the war on its terms.

of the remaining hostages when Hamas is confronted and destroyed!!!” Trump posted this week on his Truth Social site.

But Huckabee’s remarks in an interview with The Associated Press point to a sharp divide among Western nations about how to approach the Israeli-Palestinian conﬂict, and the rift has only deepened since President Donald Trump took ofﬁce.

Many European countries have sought to pressure Israel — the stronger party — and frame the

The White House fully supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to end an earlier ceasefire that Trump had helped broker and resume wideranging military operations, during which Israel prevented food, medicine and other goods from entering Gaza for more than two months.

Trump appears to have adopted Israel’s position that further military pressure — including a planned offensive into some of the most densely populated areas of Gaza — will force Hamas to surrender “We will only see the return

Brazilian police say Bolsonaro planned to flee to Argentina and seek asylum

BY MAURICIO SAVARESE and GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA Associated Press

BRASILIA, Brazil Brazil’s federal police said messages found on the telephone of former President Jair Bolsonaro showed he once wanted to ﬂee to Argentina and request political asylum, according to documents seen Wednesday by The Associated Press.

Bolsonaro is currently awaiting a Supreme Court ruling about an alleged coup attempt and learned Wednesday he might face another case as police formally accused him and one of his sons, Eduardo Bolsonaro, of obstruction of justice in connection with his trial.

The 170-page report said Bolsonaro had drafted a request for political asylum from Argentine President Javier Milei’s government dated Feb. 10, 2024. He saved the document two days after authorities searched his home and ofﬁce as part of the alleged coup plot investigation.

Close to that date, Bolsonaro admittedly spent two nights at the Hungarian Embassy in Brasília, fueling speculation he may have been attempting to avoid arrest

The Argentina plot is part of the wider police accusation of obstruction of justice, in which Bolsonaro has allegedly ignored precautionary measures established for his house arrest and spread content to his allies “to directly hit Brazilian democratic institutions, notably the Supreme Court and even Brazil’s Congress,” according to the report

The AP had access to the police investigation, messaging app exchanges, voice messages and reviewed the documents, which were sent to Brazil’s Supreme Court Bolsonaro would face another trial if the attorneygeneral decides to charge him.

In a 33-page letter addressed to Milei Bolsonaro claimed he was being politically persecuted in Brazil. Both are staunch supporters of U.S. President Donald Trump, who has recently repeated some of the former president’s claims in his decision to impose 50% tariffs on Brazilian exports.

Bolsonaro had his passport seized by Brazil’s Supreme Court in on Feb. 8, 2024. He has repeatedly sought to get it back, including prior to Trump’s inauguration earlier this year Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who oversees the case, rejected all requests as the former president is seen as a ﬂight risk.

Meanwhile, France, Britain and more than two dozen other Western-aligned nations have expressed mounting outrage at Israel’s actions, demanding that it halt the ﬁghting and do more to facilitate humanitarian aid. The moves to recognize Palestinians statehood — which were largely symbolic — were in part aimed at pressuring Israel to halt its offensive.

Britain explicitly linked the two, saying it would hold off on recognizing a Palestinian state if Israel agreed to a ceaseﬁre in Gaza, stopped building settlements in the West Bank and committed to a two-state solution.

Israel’s current government and

most of its political class were opposed to Palestinian statehood even before the war, and they now say it would reward Hamas and allow the militants to eventually carry out more Oct. 7-style attacks.

Huckabee, who is himself a longtime opponent of Palestinian statehood, said the “noise that has been made by European leaders recently is having the counterproductive effect that they probably think that they want.”

“If they believe that unilaterally calling for a two-state, a Palestinian state recognition, immediately brings them closer, the sad truth is it’s taking them further away,” he said.

The AP sought comment from the foreign ministries of France and Britain, which did not immediately respond.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OHAD ZWIGENBERG

Ultra-Orthodox

highway in Bnei Brak, Israel, Tuesday during a protest against army recruitment

“This thing’s moving so fast,” he told the board “Louisiana needs to decide: Are we going to be on the plane or the bus?”

‘Shocking lack’ of studies

But the board’s push to go all-in on AI is already raising concerns, both practical and philosophical.

Morris introduced an initial version of the resolution Tuesday that called for AI to be integrated into schools’ curriculum, the state to vet available AI tools, and teachers to be trained on the technology But after Education Department officials and some board members said parts of the plan would be difﬁcult or impossible to implement, Morris produced a scaled-back version that the board adopted Wednesday It simply states the department will research AI and explore the creation of a vetted clearinghouse of AI tools. Still, some education experts expressed more fundamental qualms about what they call a rush to put AI in front of students. They say the technology poses student-data privacy risks, it sometimes provides incorrect information and can be used for cheating, and there is scant evidence that it boosts student learning

“There’s a shocking lack of rigorous studies that show anything positive coming out of this,” said Benjamin Riley, the founder and CEO of Cognitive Resonance, a think tank that advocates for the responsible use of AI “Just because a technology exists doesn’t mean that it’s a useful pedagogical tool.”

MERGER

Continued from page 1A

The attorney argues Edwards is merging the two departments to address the city-parish’s budget shortfall at the expense of EMS.

“The current administration, in collusion with the Baton Rouge Fire Department, has decided that it desires to eliminate (EMS) …” Aguiluz wrote. “The Administration’s move is simply a ‘money grab.’” While Edwards’ administration has maintained that EMS’ dedicated funds will

Advancing AI

Morris, a former ExxonMobil engineer, said he consulted educators and industry experts when drafting his AI resolution. It also draws from Trump’s executive order, “Advancing Artiﬁcial Intelligence Education for American Youth,” which said students must learn to use AI and teachers must be trained to adopt it in their classrooms. Morris said that AI, which uses large data sets to train computers to do advanced tasks and solve complex problems, has the potential to ease the load on teachers

north Louisiana. Work currently underway on the facility is already leading to “exponential growth” for small businesses in the area, said Rob Cleveland, head of the economic development authority in northeast Louisiana.

“We chose Louisiana as the home for our largest data center yet for a variety of reasons, including excellent access to infrastructure, a strong workforce and a reliable grid,” said Ashley Settle, a spokesperson for Meta.

But over a dozen people from across the state urged regulators to delay the vote, raising concerns over rising gas prices, unclear job commitments by the tech company, water demands of the facility and environmental risks.

“Meta has provided no assurance that these supposed jobs are going to go to Louisiana residents,” said Miriam Abuzied, a Lake Charles resident. “With a financial and environmental impact this big, please, please push this vote.”

‘Enormous risks’

Meta’s data center will need roughly three times the amount of electricity that the city of New Orleans uses in a year, and increase Entergy’s electric needs in the state by around 30%. With the commission’s approval, the utility can now begin constructing the three new plants and other transmission infrastructure.

Two of the electricity plants will be located near the data center in Richland Parish and a third in St. Charles Parish.

Both environmental advo-

remain its own, EMS employees have remained skeptical. In this week’s court ﬁling, EMS said the upcoming vote to reclassify the fire chief would effectively give BRFD control over EMS’ budget.

Paramedic Association

President Janice Willard called the judge’s decision Wednesday a “big step for EMS employees and the citizens of the parish.” EMS employees have pushed back following Edwards’ announcement in June

“There are still so many unanswered questions,” Willard said about the merger. “This affects the livelihood

by helping with tasks like lesson planning. AI-powered programs can also provide personalized support to students, he added.

“With these tools, basically every student has a tutor in their laptop,” he told the board on Tuesday Blake Bertuccelli-Booth, a New Orleans-based tech worker and AI proponent, said he was blown away when Morris showed him a draft of the resolution. He said it would push state education leaders to partner with the tech industry, which could bring more resources into Louisiana schools.

cacy groups and oil, gas and petrochemical companies disputed Entergy’s request to build over $5 billion in new infrastructure, arguing that the plan risks increased bills for all types of ratepayers.

“The imposition of the risk to ratepayers, and the increase in Entergy returns, comes upfront, while the potential beneﬁts to the ratepayers may materialize over the course of many years but are based on speculative assumptions and thus far from certain at this time,” the Louisiana Energy Users Group (LEUG) wrote in a letter on Monday to the regulators.

LEUG is composed of around 30 companies in the state, including Exxon, Shell and Dow, which collectively spend over $5.5 billion in the state each year on electricity and other services

The Alliance for Affordable Energy, a consumer and environmental nonprofit, urged the regulators to delay the decision until October when the commissioners had originally planned to cast their votes. The Alliance had warned of grid reliability and environmental risks of the new fossil fuelpowered gas plants, which would produce pollution and climate-warming emissions.

“The commission has approved a deal that transfers enormous risks of two powerful corporations to residents of Louisiana,” Logan Burke, who leads the Alliance, said after the vote.

“I genuinely hope that the provisions that purport to protect other customers are successful. But future deals like this must have more

of everyone at EMS It affects every citizen of the parish.”

Willard and others questioned the mayor at town hall meeting on Aug. 5, with many leaving the meeting still not understanding why the merger was being pushed. “If this takeover happens, it needs to happen legally and with the full transparency to the employees and, most importantly to the citizens of the parish,” Willard said.

Email Matthew Albright at malbright@theadvocate. com.

It will “instantly bring new investment into the state and excite a lot of the leading industry professionals in a way that we would have never done before,” he said.

State already using AI Louisiana already has been exploring how schools can harness the power of AI while mitigating risks.

Last year, the state Education Department established an AI task force featuring educators and technology experts, and it released AI guidance for schools. The guidebook states the technology can be a power-

ﬁrm protections.”

Entergy has stressed that the tech company will cover all revenue for the new plants throughout the 15year contract between them.

Phillip May, Entergy Louisiana president and CEO, said in a statement after the vote that “these investments will help power one of the most advanced data centers in the world and will also reinforce our grid, create economic opportunity and support a more sustainable energy future across Louisiana.”

“Importantly, Meta is paying its share of the costs for the infrastructure needed to support its operations, ensuring that other customers are protected from those expenses,” said May

But of particular concern to opponents is the plants’ life span of up to 40 years since Meta’s contract is only for 15, potentially leaving other ratepayers on the hook if the tech company leaves. All customers will also pay for a $550 million transmission line and operational costs related to the plants.

Supporters say the plants can serve all customers if Meta leaves after its 15-year deal is up, allowing Entergy to retire older plants. But residents from Thibodaux to Monroe voiced caution.

ful tool to support student learning, but it also raises “data security and privacy concerns” and can be used for plagiarism. The state also piloted an AI-powered reading program called Amira Learning, which can give students real-time feedback as they read aloud. The program has been rolled out in 37 school districts across the state, just over half the total, and 57,000 students were using it by the end of last school year, state ofﬁcials said.

An independent study found that Louisiana stu-

“What’s the risk in waiting a little bit longer?” asked

Samm Clark, a Baton Rouge graduate student who grew up in Monroe. She described the promise of up to 500 permanent jobs by Meta for such a massive facility as “abysmal.”

A single ‘no’

For Lewis, the only of the ﬁve regulators who voiced skepticism about the plan, the risks associated with the plants were a major sticking point. Still, he said that the agreement that passed had better protections than Entergy’s initial request.

“One of the challenges that I just could not get over was the proliferation of gas turbines that we were using in the state,” Lewis said following the vote.

While the Meta plan may only affect bills by a dollar, as Entergy argued, fueling the plants as prices rise was a hazard that Lewis also wanted to see better addressed. Entergy also did not undergo a competitive bid process for the plan, as is typical, citing Meta’s fast timeline.

Lewis further questioned whether Meta would still receive all the power it needs even if the grid is strained due to high demand. A

dents in grades K-5 who regularly used the reading program saw modest but statistically signiﬁcant improvements in their reading scores, said Adam DiBenedetto, the state Education Department’s director of innovation. However, only a fraction of students used the program frequently enough to make such gains, he added.

Moving forward, the state will focus on “getting the implementation and usage of these tools right so that we do see higher effect sizes,” DiBenedetto said.

Riley, who heads the AI think tank, said other studies have found relatively low usage of online learning programs, which he attributed to students preferring human instructors “chatbots.” He also argued that while AI-powered “tutors” can correct student errors, they are less able than human tutors to diagnose and ﬁx students’ misunderstanding.

“The way they engage with you is shallow and superﬁcial,” he said.

Faith Boninger an assistant research professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, co-authored a report last year calling for a pause in schools’ use of AI. The report stated that the growing push for schools to embrace unproven and unregulated AI technology could turn teachers and students into “involuntary test subjects in a giant experiment in automated instruction.”

“There’s a lot of marketing of AI now,” she added in an interview, “but schools would do well not to rush to adopt it.”

Email Patrick Wall at patrick.wall@theadvocate. com.

forced blackout in the New Orleans area occurred in May because of spiking electricity demand. The vote took place before a judge who oversaw a recent hearing on the case was able to release her legal recommendations. Entergy and the four regulators agreed that the issues have already been thoroughly discussed, saying there was no point in further delaying such an important project.

The hearing process involving the judge is only intended to be informational. The PSC is not required to wait for the judge’s recommendations or abide by them.

Despite that, Entergy had reached a compromise prior to the vote with some of the parties involved in the case, including environmental groups Sierra Club and the Southern Renewable Energy Association, as well as hired advisers to the PSC regulators and Walmart.

Meta has agreed to provide 1,500 megawatts of renewable energy to the grid as part of the deal, though the commitment is not legally binding.

Email Josie Abugov at josie.abugov@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By PATRICK WALL

As Louisiana looks to ramp up tutoring some schools are experimenting with tutoring programs powered by artificial intelligence.

Texas House puts redistricting plan in motion

BY JIM VERTUNO and NICHOLAS RICCARDI Associated Press

AUSTIN, Texas

The Texas House on Wednesday approved redrawn congressional maps that would give Republicans a bigger edge in 2026, muscling through a partisan gerrymander that launched weeks of protests by Democrats and a widening national battle over redistricting.

The approval came at the urging of President Donald Trump, who pushed for the extraordinary mid-decade revision of congressional maps to give his party a better chance at holding onto the U.S. House of Representatives in the 2026 midterm elections. The maps need to be approved by the GOPcontrolled state Senate and signed by Republican Gov Greg Abbott before they become ofﬁcial.

But the Texas House vote had presented the best chance for Democrats to derail the redraw Democratic legislators delayed the vote by two weeks by ﬂeeing Texas earlier this month in protest, and they were assigned round-theclock police monitoring upon their return to ensure they attended Wednesday’s session. The approval of the Texas maps on an 88-52 party-line vote is likely to prompt California’s Democratic-controlled state Legislature this week to approve of a new House map creating five new Democratic-leaning districts. But the California map would require voter approval in November Democrats have also vowed to challenge the new Texas map in court and complained that Republicans made the political power move before passing legislation responding to deadly floods that swept the state last month.

Texas Republicans openly said they were acting in their party’s interest. State Rep. Todd Hunter, who wrote the legislation formally creating the new map, noted that the U.S. Supreme Court has allowed politicians to redraw districts for nakedly partisan purposes.

“The underlying goal of

this plan is straight forward: improve Republican political performance,” Hunter, a Republican, said on the ﬂoor

Democrats said the disagreement was about more than partisanship.

“In a democracy, people choose their representatives,” State Rep. Chris Turner said. “This bill ﬂips that on its head and lets politicians in Washington, D.C., choose their voters.”

State Rep John Bucy blamed the president. “This is Donald Trump’s map,” Bucy said. “It clearly and deliberately manufactures ﬁve more Republican seats in Congress because Trump himself knows that the voters are rejecting his agenda.”

The Republican power play has already triggered a national tit-for-tat battle as Democratic state lawmakers prepared to gather in California on Thursday to revise that state’s map to create ﬁve new Democratic seats.

The incumbent president’s party usually loses seats in the midterm election, and the GOP currently controls the House of Representatives by a mere three votes.

Trump is going beyond Texas in his push to remake the map. He’s pushed Republican leaders in conservative

states like Indiana and Missouri to also try to create new Republican seats. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas moved. Democrats, meanwhile, are mulling reopening Maryland’s and New York’s maps as well. However, New York can’t draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval. Democrats noted that, in every decade since the 1970s, courts have found that Texas’ Legislature violated the Voting Rights Act in redistricting, and that civil rights groups had an active lawsuit making similar allegations against the 2021 map that Republicans drew up. Republicans contend the new map creates more new majority-minority seats than the previous one. Democrats and some civil rights groups have countered that the GOP does that through mainly a numbers game that leads to halving the number of the state’s House seats that will be represented by a Black representative. The GOP used a parliamentary maneuver to take a second and ﬁnal vote on the map so it wouldn’t have to reconvene for one more vote after Senate approval.

Obama applauds California redistricting plan as ‘responsible’

BY MEG KINNARD Associated Press

Former President Barack Obama has waded into states’ efforts at rare middecade redistricting efforts, saying he agrees with California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s response to alter his state’s congressional maps, in the way of Texas redistricting efforts promoted by President Donald Trump aimed at shoring up Republicans’ position in next year’s elections.

“I believe that Gov Newsom’s approach is a responsible approach. He said this is going to be responsible. We’re not going to try to completely maximize it,” Obama said at a Tuesday fundraiser on Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts, according to excerpts obtained by The Associated Press. “We’re only going to do it if and when Texas and/ or other Republican states begin to pull these maneuvers. Otherwise, this doesn’t go into effect.” While noting that “political gerrymandering” is not his “preference,” Obama said that, if Democrats “don’t respond effectively, then this White House and Republi-

can-controlled state governments all across the country, they will not stop, because they do not appear to believe in this idea of an inclusive, expansive democracy.”

According to organizers, the event raised $2 million for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee and its afﬁliates, one of which has ﬁled and supported litigation in several states over GOP-drawn districts. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Eric Holder, who served as Obama’s attorney general and heads up the group, also appeared. Spurred on by the Texas situation, Democratic governors including Newsom have pondered ways to pos-

DeSantis targets Florida’s map, seeks changes to aid Republicans

BY ANTHONY MAN South Florida Sun-Sentinel (TNS)

Gov Ron DeSantis launched a multipronged attack on the state’s congressional districts on Wednesday, offering justiﬁcations for a mid-decade redistricting that is all but guaranteed to send more Republicans to Congress from Florida.

DeSantis also made clear he wants to concentrate on South Florida — the region that is home to most of the remaining Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation The governor repeatedly cited the Broward-Palm Beach County district represented by U.S Rep. Sheila Cherﬁlus-McCormick as the one that he believes is unfairly drawn, and should be changed He acknowledged that any changes to Cherﬁlus-McCormick’s district would involve changes to neighboring congressional districts — likely including one represented by another Broward-Palm Beach County Democrat, U.S. Rep. Jared Moskowitz. Sean Foreman, a political scientist at Barry University, said the implications of DeSantis’ statements are clear “He is setting the state for the upcoming mid-decade redistricting, which is coming to Florida. He’s laying out the conditions so Republicans can justify the need to do this in Florida,” Foreman said.

“They’re going to do it either way, with the justification or not. We’re watching what is happening in Texas, California and elsewhere It was just a matter of time before Florida would join the fray because we have a Republican majority Legislature,” Foreman said. “This is consistent with what we’ve seen in recent years.”

DeSantis’ criticisms of the state’s congressional districts are notable, among other reasons, because he was largely responsible for the districts three years ago. He vetoed the ﬁrst congressional district map and ordered Republicans in the Legislature to approve one that his ofﬁce developed. The Legislature complied.

Under that map, the Florida delegation has 20 Republicans and eight Democrats.

The governor came to Palm Beach State College on Wednesday to discuss the issue, including his claim that Florida was shortchanged after the 2000 Census and should have gotten one more congressional district.

DeSantis brought with him, and called to the lectern to speak, Attorney General James Uthmeier

“It’s clear that there’s been for a long time now a deep state effort to manipulate the Census and shift electoral power to blue states to sanctuary states,” Uthmeier said. He offered no evidence to back up his statements.

CDC cutting 600 employees, union says

BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

NEW YORK At least 600 employees of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are receiving permanent termination notices in the wake of a recent court decision that protected some CDC employees from layoffs but not others The notices went out this week and many people have not yet received them, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 2,000 duespaying members at CDC. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Wednesday did not offer

details on the layoffs and referred an AP reporter to a March statement that said restructuring and downsizing were intended to make health agencies more responsive and efﬁcient.

AFGE officials said they are aware of at least 600 CDC employees being cut. But “due to a staggering lack of transparency from HHS,” the union hasn’t received formal notices of who is being laid off,” the federation said Wednesday The permanent cuts include about 100 people who worked in violence prevention Some employees noted those cuts come less than two weeks after a man ﬁred at least 180 bullets into the

CDC’s campus and killed a police ofﬁcer

On April 1, HHS ofﬁcials sent layoff notices to thousands of employees at the CDC and other federal health agencies, part of a sweeping overhaul designed to vastly shrink the agencies responsible for protecting and promoting Americans’ health. Many have been on administrative leave since then — paid but not allowed to work — as lawsuits played out. Affected projects included work to prevent rape, child abuse and teen dating violence. The laid-off staff included people who have helped other countries to track violence against children.

sibly strengthen their party’s position by way of redrawing U.S House district lines, ﬁve years out from the Census count that typically leads into such procedures. In California — where voters in 2010 gave the power to draw congressional maps to an independent commission Democrats have unveiled a proposal that could give that state’s dominant political party an additional five U.S. House seats in a bid to win the ﬁght to control of Congress next year If approved by voters in November, the blueprint could

nearly erase Republican House members in the state, with Democrats intending to win the party 48 of its 52 U.S. House seats, up from 43. A hearing over that measure devolved into a shouting match Tuesday as a Republican lawmaker clashed with Democrats, and a committee voted along party lines to advance the new congressional map. California Democrats do not need any Republican votes to move ahead, and legislators are expected to approve a proposed congressional map and declare a Nov 4 special

election by Thursday to get required voter approval. Newsom and Democratic leaders say they’ll ask voters to approve their new maps only for the next few elections, returning mapdrawing power to the commission following the 2030 census — and only if a Republican state moves forward with new maps. “And we’re going to do it in a temporary basis because we’re keeping our eye on where we want to be long term,” Obama said, referencing Newsom’s take on the California plan.

Obama

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIC GAy

Protesters gather in the rotunda outside the House Chamber at the Texas Capitol in Austin, Texas, as lawmakers debate a redrawn U.S. congressional map for Texas during a special session Wednesday

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Lowe’s to buy building materials company

Lowe’s is buying Foundation Building Materials, a distributor of drywall, insulation and other products, for approximately $8.8 billion as the home improvement retailer intensifies its focus on professional builders.

FBM also provides metal framing, ceiling systems, commercial doors and hardware and other products that serve large residential and commercial professionals in both new construction and repair and remodel applications.

It has more than 370 locations in the United States and Canada serving 40,000 professional customers.

The acquisition is part of Lowe’s move to provide more options for professional builders.

The Mooresville, North Carolina-based company recently closed on its $1.3 billion acquisition of Artisan Design Group, a provider of design, distribution and installation services for interior surface ﬁnishes, including ﬂooring, cabinets and countertops, to home builders and property managers

Rival Home Depot has been making similar moves. In June the home improvement retailer announced that it was buying specialty building products distributor GMS for $4.3 billion Best Buy’s website to expands its wares

People will soon be able to buy Fanatics sportswear and Martha Stewart cookware, along with all kinds of electronics, on the Best Buy website.

The retailer announced Tuesday morning that it has reentered the third-party marketplace business.

It’s a low-risk, high-reward way for Best Buy to better compete with Amazon and other online outlets. And it more than doubles the retailer’s product offerings.

“We’re looking at the marketplace as a natural extension of the things that we bring to our customers today,” said Jason Bonfig, chief customer, product and fulfillment officer at Best Buy “It’s a more holistic picture of what our customer would expect and how do we make sure (they) can purchase whatever they would like to at Best Buy.” Analysts aren’t confident about the marketplace’s ability to draw in new customers and “move the needle” signiﬁcantly “Let’s say it’s furniture. If Best Buy hasn’t carried that, then they’re not going to be top of mind for someone who’s looking for that type of product,” said Anthony Chukumba, managing director at Loop Capital Best Buy opened its website to select outside sellers from 2011 to 2016, with about 200 sellers participating. However it ended the program amid low sales and confusion over returns.

LA Fitness sued for gym cancellation policies

NEW YORK The U.S Federal Trade Commission is suing the operators of LA Fitness, over allegations that they make it “exceedingly difﬁcult” for consumers to cancel gym memberships and other related services offered in their clubs nationwide. In a Wednesday complaint, the FTC accused Fitness International and its subsidiary Fitness & Sports Clubs of illegally charging consumers “hundreds of millions of dollars in unwanted recurring fees” as a result of cumbersome cancellation processes. The agency said that tens of thousands of customers have reported difﬁculties with these policies to date.

“The FTC’s complaint describes a scenario that too many Americans have experienced — a gym membership that seems impossible to cancel,” Christopher Mufarrige, director of the agency’s Bureau of Consumer Protection said in a statement.

Wall Street steadies after AI stars trim losses

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK U.S. stock indexes ended mixed on Wednesday after Nvidia, Palantir and other superstar stocks pared most of their steep losses from the morning.

The S&P 500 dipped 0.2% after trimming a loss that reached 1.1% earlier in the day and remains near its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 16 points, or less than 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.7%.

The day’s action centered again around stocks caught up in the mania around artiﬁcial intelligence technology.

Nvidia, whose chips are powering much of the world’s move into AI, sank as much as 3.9% during the morning and was on track to be the heaviest weight on Wall Street following its 3.5% fall on Tuesday

But it clawed back nearly all of Wednesday’s drop and finished with a dip of just 0.1%. As it pared its loss, so did broad market indexes because Nvidia is Wall Street’s most inﬂuential stock by being its most valuable. Palantir Technologies, another AI darling, fell 1.1% to add to its 9.4% loss from the day before, but it had been down as much as 9.8% Wednesday morning.

One possible contributor to the swoon was a study from MIT’s

Nanda Initiative that warned that most corporations are not yet seeing any measurable return from their generative AI investments, according to Ulrike HoffmannBurchardi, global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management. But the larger factor may be the simple criticism that prices for such stock simply shot too high, too fast amid the furor around AI and became too expensive. Nvidia, whose proﬁt report scheduled for next week is one of Wall Street’s next major events, had soared 35.5% for the year so far heading into Tuesday Palantir had surged even more, more than doubling. The tech stocks still have sup-

porters, though, who say AI will bring the next generational revolution in business.

Mixed profit reports from big U.S. retailers helped keep the rest of the market in check.

TJX, the company behind the TJ Maxx and Marshalls stores, climbed 2.7% after beating analysts’ forecasts for proﬁt and revenue.

The week’s biggest news for Wall Street is likely arriving on Friday, when Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will give a highly anticipated speech in Jackson Hole, Wyoming.

The hope on Wall Street is that Powell will hint that cuts to interest rates are coming soon.

Target CEO to step down amid company struggles

COO Michael Fiddelke named to succeed Cornell

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP business writer

NEW YORK Target named an insider as its next chief executive ofﬁcer Wednesday, a decision that comes as the discount retailer tries to reverse a persistent sales malaise and to revive its reputation as the place to go for affordable but stylish products.

Minneapolis-based Target said CEO Brian Cornell, who has led the company for 11 years, would step down on Feb. 1. The board of directors chose Chief Operating Ofﬁcer Michael Fiddelke, a 20-year Target veteran, to succeed him.

Target, which has about 1,980 U.S. stores, has struggled to find its footing since inflation caused pinched shoppers to curtail their discretionary spending. Customers have complained of messy stores with merchandise that did not reflect the expensivelooking but budget-priced niche that long ago earned the retailer the jokingly posh nickname “Tarzhay.”

Consumer boycotts since late January, when Target joined rival Walmart and a number of other prominent American brands in scaling back corporate diversity, equity and

inclusion initiatives, have compounded its predicament.

During a call with reporters on Tuesday, Fiddelke acknowledged many of Target’s problems For example, he said he thought the company became too focused on basic home goods during the coronavirus pandemic, when demand for cozy furnishings and kitchen tools exploded.

Fiddelke said he would step in as CEO with three urgent priorities: reclaiming the company’s position as a leader in selecting and displaying merchandise; improving the customer experience by making sure shelves are consistently stocked and stores are clean; and investing in technology Target has reported ﬂat or declining comparable sales — those from established physical stores and online channels in nine out of the past 11 quarters. On Wednesday, the company said comparable sales dipped 1.9% dip in its latest three-month period, when its net income also dropped 21%.

In March, members of Target’s executive team told investors they planned to regain the chain’s reputation for selling stylish goods at budget prices by expanding Target’s lineup of store label brands and shortening the time it took to get new items from the idea stage into stores.

“In a world where we operate today, our guests are looking for Tarzhay,” Cornell told investors. “Consumers coined that term de-

Microsoft reviews Israeli

By The Associated Press

REDMOND, Wash. — Worker-led protests erupted at Microsoft headquarters this week as the tech company promises an “urgent” review of the Israeli military’s use of its technology during the ongoing war in Gaza. A second day of protests at the Microsoft campus on Wednesday called for the tech giant to immediately cut its business ties with Israel. Microsoft late last week said it was tapping a law ﬁrm to investigate allegations reported by British newspaper The Guardian that the

cades ago to deﬁne how we elevate the everything everyday to something special, how we had unexpected fun in the shopping that would be otherwise routine.”

In August 2014, Cornell replaced former CEO Gregg Steinhafel, who stepped down months after Target disclosed a huge data breach in which hackers stole millions of customers’ credit- and debit-card records. The theft badly damaged the chain’s reputation and proﬁts.

Cornell reenergized sales by having his team rev up Target’s store brands. He also spearheaded the company’s mission to transform its stores into hubs for shipping or picking up online orders.

The move helped to reduce costs and speed up deliveries, but the in-person experience for shoppers suffered as Target diverted store workers to fulﬁlling orders placed online, according to some analysts.

The coronavirus pandemic delivered outsized sales for Target as well as its peers as many people bought items to help them work and entertain themselves at home, but the spending sprees eventually subsided.

As inflation started to spike, Target reported a 52% drop in proﬁts during its 2022 ﬁrst quarter compared with a year earlier Purchases of big TVs and appliances that Americans loaded up on during the pandemic faded, leaving the retailer with excess inventory that had to be sold off.

military’s use of its tech amid protests

Israeli Defense Forces used Microsoft’s Azure cloud computing platform to store phone call data obtained through the mass surveillance of Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

“Microsoft’s standard terms of service prohibit this type of usage,” the company said in a statement posted Friday, adding that the report raises “precise allegations that merit a full and urgent review.” The company said it will share the ﬁndings after law ﬁrm Covington & Burling completes its review The promised review was insufficient for the employee-led No Azure for Apartheid group, which

for months has protested Microsoft’s supplying the Israeli military with technology used for its war against Hamas in Gaza.

In February, The Associated Press revealed previously unreported details about the American tech giant’s close partnership with the Israeli Ministry of Defense, with military use of commercial AI products skyrocketing by nearly 200 times after the deadly Oct 7, 2023, Hamas attack.

The AP reported that the Israeli military uses Azure to transcribe, translate and process intelligence gathered through mass surveillance, which can then be cross-

checked with Israel’s in-house AIenabled targeting systems.

Following The AP’s report, Microsoft acknowledged the military applications but said a review it commissioned found no evidence that its Azure platform and artiﬁcial intelligence technologies were used to target or harm people in Gaza. Microsoft did not share a copy of that review or say who conducted it. Microsoft in May fired an employee who interrupted a speech by CEO Satya Nadella to protest the contracts, and in April, ﬁred two others who interrupted the company’s 50th anniversary celebration.

Target CEO Brian Cornell

La. National Guard troops arrive in D.C.

Federal government will foot the bill

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

The 135 Louisiana National Guard troops sent to join President Donald Trump’s crackdown on crime and homelessness in Washington, D.C., arrived Wednesday to help local law enforcement — and they will stay there “as long as the President needs them,” Gov Jeff Landry said Wednesday

The troops join a federal intervention that began about 10 days ago, when Trump issued an executive order declaring a “crime emergency” in D.C. He used that to initiate a takeover of the city’s Metropolitan Police Department, and he also deployed 800 D.C. National Guard troops to the nation’s capital. Federal agents and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are also on the ground there. In recent days, six Republicanled states, including Louisiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Tennessee West Virginia and South Carolina, prom-

ised to send over 1,000 more National Guard troops to participate in Trump’s efforts.

The federal government will foot the bill for Louisiana’s deployment and there will be no cost to the state, said Lt. Col. Noel Collins, a Louisiana National Guard spokesperson, in a statement. The Louisiana National Guard will be there “in support of the (District of Columbia National Guard) and assisting local law enforcement,”

Collins added

Out-of-state troops will perform duties such as protecting landmarks and crowd control, according to Joint Task Force District of Columbia, the military unit overseeing the D.C. Guard. They will be staying at hotels and military base housing.

It is unclear whether the Louisiana National Guard will be making arrests. Typically, federalized guard members may supplement law enforcement, but the Posse Comitatus Act bars them from engaging directly in law enforcement activities.

However, the Louisiana National Guard was deployed to D.C. under Title 32 status, according to Col-

lins. Under such status, guards are not fully federalized and remain in control of the state governor but may complete requests from the federal government, Collins said.

Title 32 deployments are not subject to the Posse Comitatus Act and may take part in law enforcement activities, she said.

“Under Title 32, National Guard soldiers often perform what are called domestic operations or Defense Support of Civil Authorities (DSCA) missions examples include disaster response, security assistance, trafﬁc and crowd control, or supporting local law enforcement,” Collins added.

Collins said the Louisiana troops will be armed with Army-issued 9 mm M17 pistols.

D.C. ofﬁcials were originally told the Guard members would not be armed, but were warned that could change in the coming days, The Associated Press reported.

In justifying his D.C. crackdown, Trump has painted an image of a lawless city where crime is out of control.

“The White House is in charge. The Military and our Great Police will liberate this City, scrape away

the ﬁlth, and make it safe, clean, habitable and beautiful once more,”

Trump wrote on social media. But critics have pointed out that crime in D.C. last year hit a 30-year low according to the U.S Department of Justice.

Meryl Chertoff, a professor at Georgetown Law in D.C. who heads the Georgetown Project on State and Local Government, said the city’s highest crime rates are traditionally in Wards 7 and 8, but that National Guard members have not been stationed there. On Tuesday evening, a D.C. official gave a similar assessment of the situation.

Soldiers “are being sent to stand around the monuments, and around the monuments is not where the crime is occurring in D.C.,” Chertoff said.

“It doesn’t make sense if your goal is actually to reduce the incidents of violent crime,” she said.

“It only makes sense if your goal is to have good visuals.”

Meanwhile, Landry has supported the president’s efforts.

“We cannot allow our cities to be overcome by violence and lawlessness. I am proud to support this

mission to return safety and sanity to Washington DC and cities all across our country, including right here in Louisiana,” he said in a statement on the social media platform X.

Some criticized the governor for sending troops out of state during hurricane season.

“In the middle of hurricane season, he is sending the national guard to play politics with Trump. Shameful,” Louisiana Public Service Commissioner Davante Lewis, a Democrat, wrote Monday in a post on X.

Landry pushed back during a news conference Wednesday

“I am not in any way worried that the amount of Guardsmen we sent to D.C. impact our ability to respond to a hurricane. Anybody who believes that doesn’t know how to count,” he said.

The Louisiana National Guard has over 11,000 members, said Collins, its spokesperson. The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Email Meghan Friedmann at meghan.friedmann@ theadvocate.com.

White House officials make appearances with troops

BY CHRIS MEGERIAN, LINDSAY WHITEHURST and MATT BROWN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’s law-enforcement crackdown on Washington expanded Wednesday and top administration ofﬁcials visited National Guard troops to support a deployment that has left parts of the U.S. capital looking like occupied territory Anger and frustration dotted the city as the vice president lauded an operation that he asserted has “brought some law and order back.”

The tense situation, which began more than a week ago when Trump took control of the local police department, appeared primed for escalating confrontations between residents who say they feel under siege and federal forces carrying out the president’s vision

of militarized law enforcement in Democratic cities. Other residents have said they welcome the federal efforts as a way to cut crime and bolster safety

As Trump ratcheted up the pressure, Vice President JD Vance and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth shared burgers with soldiers at the city’s main railroad hub as demonstrators gathered nearby The appearance, a striking scene that also included White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, illustrated the Republican administration’s intense dedication to an initiative that has polarized the Democratic-led city

“You guys are doing a hell of a job,” Vance told the troops assembled in the Union Station Shake Shack. While protest chants echoed through the restaurant, he rejected polling that shows city residents don’t support

the National Guard and the Marines in Los Angeles in response to immigration protests.

Now parts of D.C. are bristling with resentment over Trump’s approach. Spectators chanted “free D.C.” at a soccer game. Residents share sightings of immigration agents to help migrants steer clear In the Columbia Heights neighborhood, crowds jeered federal officers and flipped middle ﬁngers as they drove away.

On some nights, people bang pots and pans outside their front doors in a cacophonous display of deﬁance.

“It’s very different. It’s very quiet,” said D.C. native LaVerne Smalls, 46. “And I don’t like it. It should be full of life.”

Smalls knows D.C. has struggled with crime, but she didn’t used to feel worried walking around. “I feel even more threatened,” she said. “And I think that’s how they want us to feel.”

the National Guard deployment as a solution to crime.

Someone booed Vance loudly and repeatedly as he left. The vice president grinned and said, “This is the guy who thinks people don’t deserve law and order

Judge denies request to unseal Epstein grand jury transcripts

By The Associated Press

NEW YORK A federal judge on Wednesday rejected the Trump administration’s request to unseal grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein’s sex trafﬁcking case, joining two other judges who declined to release similar records from investigations into the late ﬁnancier’s sexual abuse of young women and girls.

Judge Richard Berman, who presided over the 2019 case, ruled a week after another Manhattan federal judge turned down the government’s request to release transcripts from the grand jury that indicted Epstein’s longtime conﬁdante Ghislaine Maxwell. Berman’s decision appears to foreclose the possibility of federal courts releasing Epstein-related grand jury testimony A federal judge in Florida declined to release grand jury documents from an investigation there in 2005 and 2007, though some material from a state case against Epstein was made public last year

The rulings were a resounding repudiation of the Justice Department’s effort to unlock the records, a move the Republican administration undertook amid a ﬁerce backlash over its refusal to release a massive trove of documents in its possession Berman and the judge in Maxwell’s case, Paul A. Engelmayer, made clear in their rulings that the grand jury transcripts contain

none of the answers likely to satisfy the immense public interest in the case.

President Donald Trump had called for the release of transcripts amid rumors and criticism about his long-ago involvement with Epstein. During last year’s presidential campaign, Trump promised to release ﬁles related to Epstein, but he was met with criticism — including from many of his own supporters — when the small number of records released by his Justice Department lacked new revelations.

A Justice Department spokesperson declined to comment on Wednesday

Each of the judges who declined to release transcripts cited longstanding grand jury secrecy rules and concluded that the government did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could justify making them public. Berman said it was the ﬁrst time since 1973 that the government sought to unseal grand jury records for “special circumstances.”

The judges also noted that the Justice Department has voluminous records related to Epstein that aren’t covered by grand jury secrecy rules. Berman wrote that the scant information contained in 70 pages of Epstein grand jury transcripts “pales in comparison to the Epstein investigative information and materials in the hands of the Department of Justice,” which he said totals around 100,000 pages.

USS New Orleans catches fire in Japan

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON The USS New Orleans caught fire Wednesday off the coast of Okinawa, according to U.S Naval Institute News

Relying on a statement from the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet, the nonproﬁt’s online news service reported that crews responded to a fire aboard the San Antonioclass amphibious transport ship, which usually carries a crew of 361. No injuries or pollution were reported, the Navy reported. The ﬁre had been contained, and the vessel was stable. The Navy said it would is-

sue a statement with more information after having a chance to investigate the matter Stars and Stripes, the military news source, reported that Japanese crews helped fight the fire, which began about 5 p.m. local time. The Navy asked vessels to stay a mile from the incident. Japanese television news stations showed images of tugboats using water cannons to subdue the ﬁre. NHK broadcast images of the incident off the coast of Naval Base White Beach, Okinawa. The USS New Orleans is part of the U.S. 7th Fleet’s amphibious ready group and can transport about 700 troops. It is working out of

a base in Sasebo, Japan, and operates with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

No Marines were aboard at the time of the ﬁre, according to the Military Times, an independent news organization that focuses on the military USS New Orleans’ current mission involves enhancing interoperability and serving as a ready response force, according to the Military Times.

The ship was built by Northrop Grumman Ship Systems of New Orleans and was christened in November 2004.

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

in their own community.”

Trump has already suggested replicating his approach to D.C. in other cities. He previously deployed

More troops have been arriving in the city, many from six Republican-led states including Louisiana. An estimated 1,900 are being deployed in total, with most posted in downtown areas.

The actions from law enforcement have occasionally veered beyond safety and crime reduction and into regulating expression. Over the weekend, masked agents took down a profane protest banner in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood — to the apparent delight of the administration, which posted a video of the incident online. “We’re taking America back, baby,” one of the agents said in the video.

REUTERS POOL PHOTO By AL DRAGO

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, from left, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Vice President JD Vance greet members of the National Guard on Wednesday at Union Station in Washington, D.C

Our Lady of the Lake plans ER upgrades

Phased project expected to decrease wait times

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Our Lady of the Lake Regional

Medical Center said Wednesday it will spend $55 million to expand and renovate its emergency department, adding 20 patient bays and treatment rooms.

The renovation will begin in three phases, starting in the fall, and is expected to last two years,

FBI operation targets gangs in BR

More than 100 arrests made, officials say

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Partnerships with the FBI and other federal agencies helped local Baton Rouge law enforcement make more than 100 gangrelated arrests this summer

The operation, which focused on four local gangs and their respective neighborhoods, seized more than 100 ﬁrearms, dozens of machine gun conversion devices, and nearly $250,000 in cash over four months.

“We targeted the Vultures, Bleedas, 60 Gang and TBG gangs, whose members are responsible for murders, drug trafficking and robberies across the city of Baton Rouge,” said Jonathan Tapp, special agent in charge of the FBI’s New Orleans field office “We hit hardest in the four neighborhoods they call home.” The Zion City, Banks, Glen Oaks and Dixie neighborhoods were outlined on a map of Baton Rouge that Tapp referred to.

The FBI brought in agents and intelligence analysts from the agency’s “violent crime rapid deployment team” to join FBI staff already permanently posted in Baton Rouge.

The move coincided with the FBI’s national Operation Summer Heat, which has the goal of “crushing violent crime across the streets of our nation,” Tapp said.

“Together we carried out 34 law enforcement operations targeting multiple locations in this few months’ time,” Tapp said. Most importantly, the majority of our operations were led by the men and women who know these streets best: troopers, officers, detectives and agents right here in Baton Rouge.”

Video released by the FBI New Orleans Field Ofﬁce showed parish sheriff’s deputies receiving a predawn brieﬁng alongside Louisiana State Police officers and FBI investigators.

In addition to the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration assisted Baton Rouge police ofﬁcers and sheriff’s deputies in the summer gang-busting. Much of the efforts involved undercover stings to snare gun and drug runners.

“To do this, you have to get out there and meet people where they’re at, meet the criminal elements where they’re at,” said Joshua Jackson, special agent in charge of the ATF’s New Orleans Field Division “And these

according to Logan Austin, the hospital’s chief operating ofﬁcer

The Lake’s emergency room has the square footage of about two football fields, said Dr Lambert Laperouse, director of emergency medical services. The department is made up of trauma bays sandwiched between two ERs.

During construction, the hospital will close one of those ERs in phase one of the project and temporarily

open a refreshed intensive care unit that will keep the current number of beds.

“We are not going down in capacity at any point,” Laperouse said.

While the entrance of the emergency room will remain the same, patients will be moved to the temporary units.

The hospital will increase transport staffing for the duration of construction in order to move pa-

tients from one section of the ER to the next.

“We have no concerns about our operational game plan during this construction Hospitals around the country have renovations all the time. This is not something new,” Laperouse said. “The word ‘construction’ can create stress. But we are prepared, and we are not stressed.”

The additional emergency medical services bays, exam rooms and treatment rooms will boost the emergency room capacity by

33%. With the expansion, hospital officials said the emergency department will be able to see an additional 25,000 patients a year — above the current volume of 85,000 patients annually

With the new treatment rooms, the hospital expects wait times to signiﬁcantly decrease.

“In an emergency people don’t want to wait,” Laperouse said. “We want to do our best to have a waitless waiting room.”

See UPGRADES, page 2B

Landry touts economic gains

Some push for nonindustrial investments in Ascension

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

In Donaldsonville, a former Louisiana capital city nestled roughly halfway between New Orleans and Baton Rouge, two stories are playing out as multinational companies look to construct large industrial facilities in the area.

One story says the area is at the forefront of an economic revival across the state that will turn Louisiana into a powerhouse in the South. The other story says the proposals will not bring the community long-term economic prosperity and instead will contribute to health inequalities across the region.

Those diverging narratives, the ﬁrst told by elected officials and business

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

For years, they forged doctors’ signatures to score pharmaceuticals as part of a Medicaid fraud scheme based in Louisiana. The three men also bilked the federal government out of thousands of dollars in aid money through fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans during the COVID-19 pandemic. On Wednesday, a Baton Rouge judge sentenced Asia Deshan Guess, Kevan Andre Hills and Devin Tyrone Stampley to federal prison for their roles in the yearslong ploy

leaders and the second by some locals and environmental advocacy groups, came into sharp focus Wednesday at the Baton Rouge Industrial Group’s quarterly meeting in Donaldsonville with the city’s Chamber of Commerce. There, hundreds converged for networking, food and speeches from Gov Jeff Landry and Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan Bourgeois. The contrasting opinions were visible from the start. As industry leaders from Hyundai and CF Industries entered the building, followed by politicians ranging from state representatives to local school board members, a black truck in the parking lot with an electronic billboard on its sides displayed a message: “$600 million: That’s what Landry’s steel plant will cost taxpayers.”

In the rural area of Ascension Parish above Donaldsonville, Hyundai intends to invest $5.8 billion in a steel mill, while CF Industries wants to build a $4 billion ammonia plant. A third company, Ascension Clean Energy, hopes to build a $7.5

The trio stood before U.S. District Judge Brian Jackson during hearings inside the U.S. Middle District Court of Louisiana on Thursday morning. Jackson gave Guess, 29, two years behind bars for charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and theft of government funds. He told her to turn herself in to U.S. marshals by Sept. 22. Hills, who was identified in court documents as “Dr Codeine,” received an eight-year sentence on charges of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft Jackson ordered Stampley to serve 104 months — eight years and eight months — in federal custody for conspiracy to commit health care fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, aggravated identity theft and burglary of a

pharmacy

billion ammonia plant in the area as well.

In his speech, Landry said he and the Legislature are “writing the greatest story that no one is talking about,” which he said was unparalleled economic growth and Louisiana becoming a leader across the southern United States.

“We have an opportunity the likes of which we never had. We can write a new book,” he said of the state’s story “Because I believe you elected me and them to change the state, and that is exactly what we’re doing.”

He pointed to the Ascension Parish projects, which include more than $17 billion in planned investments by companies should they come to fruition. He also pointed to new insurance laws, infrastructure investments and the planned $10 billion Meta data center

The event discussed Landry’s time as governor in terms of momentum and growth. Before he took the stage, a video produced by the Governor’s Ofﬁce said, “there’s ﬁnally real momentum coming

ä See LANDRY, page 2B

According to federal court documents, the three obtained DEA registration numbers for several physicians and used the stolen identities to write fraudulent prescriptions for themselves at pharmacies in the Baton Rouge area. The forged prescriptions were for promethazine, codeine, hydrocodone and other drugs. Prosecutors said they assumed the identities of 14 different licensed medical practitioners, and their scheme, which ran from April 2021 to February 2023, impacted at least ﬁve different Medicaid users. The three defendants pleaded guilty to their respective charges May 8. Jackson placed each of them on three years of supervised watch after they’re released from prison and ordered them to pay $87,663 in restitution

to the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Louisiana Workforce Commission, the Louisiana Department of Health as well as labor departments in Colorado and Maine. The judge ordered Stampley, 33, to pay more than $10,000 in restitution to a Baton Rouge pharmacy from which he stole 54 different drugs.

The defendants used their federal health insurance benefits to pay for the fraudulent prescriptions, so local pharmacies submitted claims to Medicaid to be reimbursed The trio often resold the pharmaceuticals after the prescriptions were filled. In addition to their Medicaid scheme, the defendants stole thousands in pandemic relief money and unemployment benefits, according to prosecutors.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Gov. Jeff Landry speaks during the Donaldsonville Chamber of Commerce meeting at the Lemann Center on Wednesday.

BR manaccused of secretly ﬁlming in bathroom

Staff report

ABaton Rouge man was arrested Tuesday after law enforcement uncovered at least 50 video andimage ﬁles of child pornography,secretly ﬁlmed while family andfriends used his bathroom.

John David Robinson, 59, was bookedinto theEast BatonRouge Parish jail Tuesday,and faces 25 counts of video voyeurism and 50 counts of pornography involving juveniles.

According to Robinson’sarrest records,anEastBaton Rouge Parish sheriff’s deputy assignedtothe State Police’s Bureau of Investigation, began investigating aKik account after receiving acyber tipfrom the National Center for Missing andExploited Children. Kik,an internet-based messaging app, reported that three accounts with different variationsofthe username“John Deaux” contained child sexual abuse mate-

rial, according to records.The deputy thensubpoenaed AT&T for the account’sIPaddress, which was associated with Robinson’snameand hisSouthern Hills Avenue address in Baton Rouge Asearch warrant for Robinson’sKix account uncovered nearly 900 videos and images. At least 50 ﬁlescontained nude girlsbetween theagesof13to17. Halfofthoseﬁles appear to be of girls who wereunknowinglyre-

corded in Robinson’sbathroom In Kikchats,Robinson admitted to secretly placing hiscellphone underneath his bathroom door to take videos of family members and friends, according to records.

Robinsonmentioned in Kik chats that his wife wasunaware of his account, according to arrest records. Records detail additional messagesinvolvingincest, pedophilia and voyeurism.

Ex-Bogalusaworkerpleadsguiltytomalfeasance

He says he covered up home repairsfor mayor’smom

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

Bogalusa’sformer public works director has pleadedguilty to amalfeasance in office charge and said in court documents that he helped “cover up” improper plumbing repairs the city did at the home of Mayor Tyrin Truong’smother

James Patterson,64, entered hisguilty plea on Aug. 12 in state court in Franklinton, according to his attorney,Roy Burns, of Covington. Astate grand jury had indicted Patterson andJames Morris, 58, thecity’sformer assistant public works director,in July Morris’strial is set forOctober, according to the Washington Parish Clerk of Court’sofﬁce. Morris could not be reachedfor comment. Patterson, in hisplea agreement, alleges that Bogalusa city workers installed a4-inch sewer pipe under Truong’smother’s home on April 11, 2023, even

FBI

Continued from page1B

undercover operationsare very dangerous; they’re very risky.”

During such an operation in June, an ATFagent was shot and injured by asuspect outside of the Triple SFood Mart on Fairﬁelds Avenue. Jackson said this was the only injury suffered in any of the summer’s operations across all agencies.

ATFcarried out 37 undercover operations in all. Jackson said the partnerships betweenfederal agencies and locallaw enforcementwere organizedbyGov.Jeff Landry, whobrought them together for a“huddle” in late April.

The governor said Wednesdayhewas inspired by thepast successofNew Orleans’ Troop Nola, which, beginning in early 2024, placed ateam of dedicated State Police troopers in thecity to ﬁght violent crime.

“Our hope was always that the city of New Orleans’operations, theway thatwedid it,would give us amodel that

LANDRY

Continued from page1B

out of the Legislature and Gov.Jeff Landry’sadministration.”

Landry briefly addressed criticisms, including references to the debate over carbon capture and sequestration technology,yet he argued that Louisiana shouldn’t be left behind and that criticscame with the political territory

“They say that politics is aselﬁsh business.I’ve never subscribed to that,” he said. “Because Ronald Reagan once said, ‘There is no measure …tothe amount of good that you can do if you don’tcare who takes credit.’”

The proposed investments come with asubstantial taxpayer price tag. As the truck’sbillboard stated, officials plan to spend$600million on land purchases, roads, rail upgrades and anew state-owned worker training facility

The companies will also likely see significant industrial tax exemptions, which allow up to an80% property tax reduction for companies. TheAscension Parish Council also passed an ordinance creating an economic developmentdistrict for the area, which allows taxes to be specifically reinvested in economic development projects there. Before Wednesday’sevent, some residents from Donaldsonville and Modeste —ahistoric community

though itwas not the city’sresponsibilityto do so. He estimated the cost of therepairswas at least $5,000 and said the crew wassupervised byMorris.

Burns, Patterson’slawyer,who shared acopy of theplea agreement with areporter,called it “self-explanatory.” He said the agreementmakes clear that Pattersonisa witness forthe state against Truong, who hasserved as the city’smayor since January 2023 and who was arrestedon chargesstemmingfrom adrug trafﬁcking investigation earlier this year.

The northshore District Attorney’sOffice has not commented on any connection between Truong and the charges againstPatterson and Morris. The indictment against Patterson and Morrisdoes not name Truong, but instead says the homerepairs were done on “Elected Official A’s” mother’shomeatElected OfficialA’s behest Truong did notrespond to requests forcomment about Patterson’s guilty plea.NorthshoreDistrict AttorneyCollin Sims, whose officeis prosecuting Truong, did not immediately respondtoarequest forcomment Wednesday. In previousinterviews,Truong

we could then replicate around thestate of Louisiana,” Landry said. In addition to state andfederal law enforcement, the governor was joined at the podium Wednesday by Mayor-President SidEdwards, EastBatonRouge Parish Sheriff SidGautreaux, Baton Rouge Police Chief Thomas Morse andDistrict Attorney Hillar Moore. Morse saidearlier this year that combating the activityof criminal groups, like the Bleedas,is“manpower intensive,” oftenrequiring monthsofinvestigation. The partnerships this summer eased thatburden, he said in July Landry said the partnerships between local and federal law enforcement willcontinue and areongoing in other cities in thestate.

“Today, again,marksthe beginning, notthe end, of aconstantoperationthat will continue until we seeasevere reduction in violent crime,” he said “Our hope is that we don’thave to do that anymore.”

EmailQuinn Coffman at quinn. coffman@theadvocate.com.

hasstronglydenied anywrongdoing stemming from his January arrest, claimingthe accusationsare politically andracially motivated, and vowed to ﬁght the charges againsthim.

Sims did notimmediately respondtoa requestfor comment Wednesday

4-inch sewerpipe

Patterson, in the plea,said that Truong’sthen-chief of staff, Collie Burnett, called himinto his ofﬁce on April 21, 2023, andtold him that Truong wanted them to do something aboutaworkcrew that hadbeen photographedrepairing Truong’smother’s plumbing. Imagesofthe cityworkers making the repairs hadcirculated on Facebook, Patterson said in thepleaagreement.

“I told Burnett Iwould take care of the problem,” Patterson said in theplea agreement Burnett, who is no longerwith thecity,declined to comment on Wednesday Pattersonsaidhecreated a“papertrail” to explain the repairs. He said he backdated awork orderthatfalsely reported that Truong’smother’splumbing had been damaged by city workers andalso wrote an email saying

UPGRADES

Continuedfrom page1B

The newemergency department will be designedbyPerkins &Will, anational architectural design ﬁrm basedinDallaswith experience renovating hospitals and emergencyrooms. The20new rooms will be equippedwith electrical andwiring for future medical advancements, as wellasup-to-date technologies.

The designs forthe new spaces including the waiting room, lobby and additional treatment rooms, werecreated in partbyLSU’sinterior design school. The students worked to incorporate designs aligned withthe psychology of healing: incorporating images of water and working with soothing colors like blue andgreen.

“Pictures of thebeauties of Louisiana —cypress trees and tributaries—will bring somecalming elements for patients in the emergencyroom,” Laperouse said.

Outside of thehospital,construction may limit the ability to park close to the emergencyroom. However,the hospitalwill offer complimentary parking with an attendant

officialsplantodisplacefor the proposed plants —gathered outside to push back against the proposals. Organized by theDonaldsonville-based Rural Roots Louisiana and New Orleans-based Louisiana Bucket Brigadeadvocacy groups, theresidents argued that ofﬁcials should seek nonindustrialeconomic investments TwilaCollins,a Modeste resident whohas been outspokenagainst the proposals,spoke of the generations of historyher family has there. “Wehavealot of history in Modeste. Imean, we are acommunity that loves one another.We’re there foreach other,”she said. “No

amount of money can buy the love and happiness that we share as a community in Modeste.”

Astatement from Rural Roots Louisiana Founder Ashley Gaignard, who couldn’tattend the event, pointed to what shesaidhad been decades of neglect from ofﬁcials.

“Over my 48 yearsofliving in Donaldsonville, I’vewatched the westbank overlooked and underdeveloped despiteits historic beauty strategic location and untapped potential,”the statement said.“Now

instead of investing in our community,the parish is entertaining adangerous pollutionbuild out that would require moving residents off 17,000

Continued from page1B

he hadauthorized the repair Pattersonclaims Truong thanked him“severaltimes” for “covering up” his mother’s plumbing repair,according to the pleaagreement.

The state will recommend asuspended sentence of five yearsfor Patterson, including three years of active probation,aswell as restitution in the amount of $2,732, according to the plea agreement. Patterson, in turn, has agreed to “appear before anyGrand Jury,any trial jury or any judge and to testify truthfully.”

The allegations in theplea agreement comeover seven months after Truong, 26, was accused of transactions involving proceeds from drug offenses, unauthorizeduse of amovable and soliciting for prostitutes. Though he wasarrested, Truong hasnot been formally charged. In the meantime, Truong has been effectively sidelined from power in Bogalusa. The city is now essentially being run by a state-appointed accountant with atroubled relationship withTruong.

Email Willie Swett at willie swett@theadvocate.com.

whowill move cars as needed.

The project includesa “signage and wayfinding” plan as well as valet parking to help patients and visitors navigate the hospitalwhile the construction is going on.

TheLake is oneofthreeLevel I trauma centers in Louisiana and the only oneinmetro BatonRouge It earned the designation in 2022.

LevelItrauma centersprovide the highest leveloftrauma care.

To earn the designation,ahospital must admit at least 1,200 trauma patientsper year,or240 patients with severe injuries, and provide 24-hour emergency care thatincludesoperating room availability within 15 minutes and round-theclock availability of specialists. Theymustalso be national leaders in medical educationand research “This renovationproject builds on that promise and begins to elevate andenhance our physical facility to the level of clinical excellence our team members and physicians provide in the delivery of emergency care every day,” Chuck Spicer, president of theLake, said in astatement.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

acres, displacing an estimated600 residents.”

Ascension Parish ofﬁcials are discussing creating abuyout plan for residents, while other landowners remainembroiled in eminent domain lawsuits.

The vast majority of both local and state politiciansattendedthe event inside,with several publicly supporting thecurrent plans.

Inside was awho’s who of AscensionParish politics,including state senatorsand representatives, ParishCouncil members, Donaldsonville City Council members, Sheriff Bobby Webre, Assessor Mert Smiley,schools Superintendent Edith Walker,Gonzales MayorTim Riley, Wade Petite,and at least onejudge with the 23rd Judicial District Court, Judge Toni Falterman Menard

Donaldsonville MayorLeroy Sullivan introduced Bourgeois, and Rep. Ken Brass, D-Vacherie, brieﬂy spoke and thankedsponsors and attendees of the event.

Ascension ParishPresidentClint Cointment introduced Landry,framing theinvestments as aturning point for theparish

“Theseprojectswillposition Ascension Parish as anational leader in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, sustainable industry, bringingjobs, innovation and opportunity to the people in this room,”hesaid.

“Louisiana’sfutureisbrighter than ever.Itisanhonor to welcome a governor whoishelping to make that future areality.

Hills and Stampley were accused of working in concert to file for nearly $300,000 in fraudulent PPP loans through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, andEconomicSecurity, or CARESAct,posing as smallbusiness owners seeking federal relieffunds. They falsiﬁed bank statements, tax forms and otherdocuments in their applicationssubmitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration andreceived at least $87,663 in aid, then used the funds to make personal purchases. Guess also sought CARES Act funds, making about $126,000 in fraudulent claims forunemployment insurance in multiple states during a26week span between April and October 2020. She managed to score $15,859 in unemployment payouts from the Louisiana Workforce Commissionand Maine Department of Labor, prosecutors alleged.

“I knowwhatI did. But I’ve been staying outoftrouble and doing my best ever since,” the woman said Thursday. “This experience has been rough andI’ve just been reﬂecting on what happened.”

Guess’ attorney, Lane Ewing, noted that she was 23 at the time andgot ensnared in the fraudschemeafter she’dbeen rejected formultiple legitimate SBA loans.

“She madesomereally bad decisions, andshe gotwrapped up with areally bad crowd,” he told the judge Jackson said Guess grew up with asupportive family,beneﬁted from agood education and even went to Southern University for two years before she droppedout.

“You had no business hangingout with these people,”he told her.

“I certainly hope you give strongconsideration to getting back in college,” the judge added moments later.“You’re toosmart for this. Youhaveno business being here in front of afederal judge facing years of incarceration.”

Hills apologizedtohis family members, who sat in the courtroom, and became choked up at the thought of missing outon his ﬁve children’slives.

“This is aroad in life I’ll never go down again. I’ve lost alot in life in these past 21/2 years. What Idid was selﬁsh, andat the time, Iwas only thinking about myself.Not the consequencesorthe hurt it would put on my family andmykids.” Noting Hills’ “vast criminal history,” Jackson questioned whetherhe’d changedsince his latest arrest andtold the man his family will now have to bear the responsibilityof raising his childrenwhile he’s incarcerated.

“The question is, ‘Why should Ibelieve you?’ ”Jackson said. “I’ve heard this before, and I’m sure you’ve probably told other sentencing courts the same thing.”

Stampley had no qualms abouthis crimesduring abrief statement he made before sentencing.

“I take full accountability for what Idid. It wasn’tright; it waswrong,” Stampley said. “I’mnot making anyexcuses for it. I’m just going to have to deal with whatever comeswith it today. Imean,Ijust hope you show someleniency toward me in my sentence so Ican get home in my family.”

JacksontoldStampleyhehas options fora betterlife, noting he’scertiﬁed to drive forklifts and has experience in plumbing andmechanic work.

“You have gottoﬁnd away to get yourself together.You have skills,” the judgesaid. “You have no business engaging in this get-rich-quickkind of schemethat you’ve always seemed to find yourself in. You’ve gottomakeadecision: Areyou going to be the kind of father that your kids deserve?”

Email Matt Bruceatmatt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

The Rev. Harry Joseph Sr., aDonaldsonville resident, protests industrial development in Ascension Parish before the Donaldsonville Chamber of Commercemeeting at the Lemann Center on Wednesday

Guy, Roberta

Sandy Creek BaptistChurch,22834 LibertyRoadinZachary, at 11 a.m.

Hoover, Edwin Greenoaks FuneralHome, 9595

FloridaBoulevard, at 10 a.m.

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Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home, 12012 Highway190 W. in Hammond, at 9a.m

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Mt.CarmelCatholic Church in St Francisville at 12:30 p.m

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InterdenominationalFaith Assembly, 5045Greenwell St,Baton Rouge,LAat 10aam

Obituaries

BraymerPh.D.,Hugh Douglas

Hugh Douglas Braymer,

Ph.D.

Hugh DouglasBraymer was born March 28, 1933, in Oklahoma City to Hugh John Braymer and Faye CampbellBraymer, and was their onlychild. Doug spenthis formative years in Oklahoma graduating from Capital Hill High School, and attending the University of Oklahoma on aPhillips Petroleum Company scholarship, where he earned aB.S. and Masters degree in Chemistry, and aPh.D.inBio-Chemistry. WhileatOUDoug married Marilyn Province, and they had their first child, John Allen. In 1960 he left Oklahoma to serve his military commitmentin the United States Air Force as aresearch scientist stationed at Brooks Air Force Base in San Antonio. He achieved the rank of First Lieutenant, and also served on the graduate faculty at Trinity University. During his time spent in Texas his daughter, Joffa Lyn, was born. After completion of his military service, he moved his family to Palo Alto, California where he held aNational Institute of Health Postdoctoral Fellowshipat Stanford University. In 1966, Doug was hired by Louisiana State University as an Assistant Professor in the Microbiology Department,a move that forever changed his life for the better. He spent the next 34 years at LSU achieving the rank of full professor, holding ajoint appointment with the LSU Agricultural Center, and servingasthe Vice President of Academic Affairs for the LSU System. Ahighlight of his tenure at LSU washis sabbaticaltime spent as visiting professor of molecular biology at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland, with which he maintained aclose research relationship over many years. He was instrumental in establishing the Pennington BiomedicalResearch Center, and maintained a research program there, eventually retiring as Vice President of Academic Affairs Emeritus and Professor Emeritus. But what he was most proud of were the hundreds of students he assisted, and with whom he conducted research, published research papers, and mentored as their professor. Nothing brought him greater joy than seeing the success of his students Doug was alifetime member of the Methodist Church, with most of his adult life spent at University United Methodist Church, in Baton Rouge, where he contributed in leadership positions, chaperoning choir trips, and fund raising efforts to improve the church's musical programs,particularlythe acquisitionofthe pipe organ. He was along-time proud member of the Sunrise Rotary where he served as President, and later as aLieutenant Governor. He was apassionate fan of LSU Men's Basketball having been aseason ticket holder since 1967, LSU Women's Basketball and LSU Softball.Inhis youth he loved to fly fish and camp in the Colorado Rockies Conejos River valley with his parents, who predeceased him. He is survived by his and Marilyn's children,

made to theBauxite His-

JohnAllen Braymer and his wifeLorilinGibbens Braymer;Dr. JoffaLyn Braymer;grandchildren Benand Jack Braymer; Betsy Webb and her husband Mitchell; Arden Smith Whitley and herhusband ChiofAustin, Texas; Mitchell Smith of Orlando, Florida; and great-grandchildren Lydia andAlice Webb; and former wife Marilyn Braymer.His wife GailBraymersurviveshim along with her children Courtney LeaNelson, Allison DixieSamrow,Summer Sunshine Domingue, Jonathan Franklin Kilroy, andCatherineEllen Kilroy

The family would like to thank special caregivers Rani Peters, Tiffany Davis, Daci Royaland Jearlin Dunn.Serviceswillbeon Friday August 22 at University United Methodist Church, with visitation beginning at 10amand the serviceat11am. Honorary donations can be made to St. Jude Children'sHospital in his memory

Letusnever consider ourselvesfinished nurses. We must be learning allof our lives." -Florence Nightingale. Rosalyn Sue Cordell passed away on Friday, August8,2025 in BatonRouge, Louisiana afterher battlewith Parkinson's. She wasbornon November 23, 1944 inBauxite, Arkansas to Herbert Williamand DorothyDunmire Cordell; sheenjoyed sayingthat she was brought by theturkey, but not by thestork! She graduated from LittleRock CentralHigh School in 1962 andfrom theUniversityofArkansas in Fayetteville with aBachelorofScience in Business Administration in 1966. Shemarried DexterLeake RollinsofDallasand moved to BatonRouge, Louisianain1969. Rosalyn made agracious homefor theirtwo sons, servingas Cub Scout den mother, part time substitute teacher,and realtor. Hercallingtohealthcare ultimatelyled herbackto her studies,graduating from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1987witha BachelorofScience in Nursing. She then embarked on afulfilling career in the Surgical Intensive Care UnitofOur Lady of theLakeHospital and at Woman'sHospital Knownaffectionately as "Hurricane Roz," her strengthand caring nature werememorable. Beyond her work in themedical profession,Rosalyn'screativeoutletwas through her catering company, "CakesbyRoz," known for her specialty rumcake. Rosalynserved in the Junior League of Baton Rouge,onthe Vestry of St. Luke'sEpiscopalChurch, and as aLay Eucharistic Minister at St.James Episcopal Church. She loved to entertainather home, and shetraveledwidely. She found immense joyinplayingtennisatBocage Racquet Club and in learning to scuba dive.

Rosalyn is survived by her sistersMyrlene Tedford (Robert) andKaren Cordell, bothofBenton Arkansas; her brother HerbertWilliamCordell(Becca) of Lousiville,Colorado; her son DavidCordell Rollins(Julie)ofBaton Rouge; her son Michael Dexter RollinsofMontreal, Canada; her granddaughters Sophie Rae Loubiere Rollinsand LillianSteele RollinsofBaton Rouge;her granddaughter Lila Rose RollinsofWestwood, Kansas; and many beloved nieces andnephews, Robin TedfordPerry (Roger), Charleen TedfordFrancis (Michael),MarkRollinsOlson (Tisha), Will Cordell, andAlexCordell(Linsey). The family wouldliketo extend heartfelt gratitude to CarmenDarensbourg, R.N.,and KristyMays, Yorcha Leatherman, and Jeannette Ruffin,the gentlest andmost patient caregivers. They alsowishto expressdeep gratitude to theresidentsand staff of theWilliamsburgSenior LivingCommunity fortheir supportover thepast years Visitation will be at 10:00 am on Friday, August 22, 2025 at St.James Episcopal Church in Baton Rouge, followedbya service and reception at 11:00 am.Anadditionalreception will be held at 4:00 pm at WilliamsburgSeniorLivingCommunity.Inlieuof flowers, donations maybe d h i i

torical Association and Museum:6707 Benton St., Bauxite,AR72011. sandsouthallfuneralhome.

Darensburg,Amy Hill 'Sister'

AmyHill"Sister

Darensburgentered into eternal rest at herson's residence in Gonzales Louisiana on August 16, 2025. Shewas an 85-year old native of Clinton, Louisiana.Viewing at New HopeBaptist on Monday August25, 2025 at 8:00 am until CelebrationofLife Service at 9:00 am con‐ductedbyPastorSamuel Loffon, Jr.; intermentat PortHudsonNational Cemetery. Survivorsin‐clude hersons, Richard Williams(Shirley), Gonza‐les;Leroy Williams and RonnieWilliams, and Stephen Scott, allofBaton Rouge,Louisiana;Reginald Wayne Williiams(Barbara), Zachary,Louisiana;sisters Joyce Toussaintand Dorothy Knighten,bothof Baton Rouge; 11 grandchil‐dren; 29 great-grandchil‐dren; sevengreat-greatgrandchildren;nieces, nephews,other relatives and friends. Arrangements entrusted to Miller & DaughterMortuary.

Mary Osburn Fontenot, born on February 16, 1929, left her earthlyhomeon Tuesday, August 19, 2025. Mary was anativeofColdwater, LA,but has livedher last 12 years in Oscar, LA She is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Lenard Fontenot; her son, Jeffery; sisters, Shawnee Nash and GlyndaBroadway; and her brother,Cecil Clyde Holloway, Jr. (Bubba). She is survived by her loving son and his wife, Wendelland Susan Fontenot along with8 grandchildrenand 18 great grandchildren; asister, LyndaTrahan; and her brother, BobbyGeraldOsborn; alongwithnumerous nieces whom she loved dearly. She also leavesbehind her dearest, most loving and compassionate friend, Melissa Martinez The visitation willbeheld at Coldwater Baptist Church in Natchitoches, LA,onSaturday, August 23rd from 11:00 am until 1:00 pm.The graveside service willfollow in the church cemetery.

Forte, Gustavia Dennis'Gussie'

Gustavia “Gussie” Den‐nis Fortedepartedthislife onFriday, August 15, 2025, ather son’sresidence in Belle Rose,LA. Shewas 82, a native andresidentofSt. James,LA. Visitation on Thursday,August21, 2025 Willams& Southall Funeral Home, 101 Loop 945, Don‐aldsonville,LAfrom5:00pm to7:00pm. Visitation on Fri‐day,August22, 2025, at St James Catholic Church, 6613 LA-18St. James, LA 70086, from 11:30am to MassofChristian Burial at 1:30pm. Intermentinthe church cemetery.Arrange‐ments by Williams & SouthallFuneralHome, 101 Loop 945, Donaldsonville, LA70346. (225) 473-1900. To signthe guestbook or offercondolences,visit our websiteatwww.william

Laurina Killeen Geraci, 82, anativeofNew Orleans, passedaway peacefully August 16, 2025 after a prolongedillness. She wasthe eldest daughter of Eugeneand Maxine Sandrock Killeen, as their thirdchildofsix She graduated fromAnnunciationHighSchool where she was selected for PelicanState and received theAmerican Legion award. Shemet the love of her life,Leon Philip Geraci, as afriend of her brothers. They marriedin June of 1963 and soonwelcomed their daughters, Mary Elizabeth(Liz), and thefollowing year, Lori Ann. Laurina was adevoted homemaker,schoolvolunteer,and caregiver forher aged parents. "Ms.Lee" as she was known by her patrons, worked formany years in retail in the Gentilly neighborhood of New Orleans. She workedat D'AvantiFashions, then B &B Pharmacy until it was destroyedinHurricane Katrina.She and Leon then relocated to Baton Rouge where she was adevoted caregiver to her family Though relocating from NewOrleans was hardest thing, she knew it was the safest option from allthe evacuationstheyhad enduredlivinginthe city. Leon and Laurina celebrated their50thwedding anniversary in 2013 with a trip for thewholefamily to theInn by theSea Resort in Pass Christian, MS. On thetrip, their marriage was blessed by Fr. Cuddy at St. Clare Catholic Church in Waveland, MS. Laurina was preceded in death by her parents and her brothers Michael,John, and EugeneThomas, Jr. She is survivedbyher husband of 62 years, Leon,her loving daughters Liz(Sterling) Core of BatonRouge, and Lori Ann (Ozgur) KaraosmanogluofBethesda,MD. She was adevoted "Granny"toher fivegrandchildren: Trey and Andy Core, and Leyla, Alex(Cristina) and Sara Karaosmanoglu.She is survivedbyher loving brotherand sister, Patrick Killeen and MaryL.Killeen. Also survivedbyher lifelong friend,Haroleen West. ServicesSaturday, August 23, 2025 at St.Thomas More CatholicChurch, with Visitation at 10am and a Funeral Mass at 11am. Private Internment at St.Louis Cemetery #3 in NewOrleans at alaterdate. Our family extendsour thankstoDr.Todd Cooley, and Laurina's caregiver, Shamyra Lee.

With heartsfull of love and deep gratitude, we announce thepeaceful passing of Martha Nell Richard Ledoux Gray, affectionately known to allas"Mama Nell", on August 16, 2025, at theage of 91. BornonJanuary 30, 1934, Nell liveda life that radiated grace, strength, and unwavering faith. She wasthe cornerstone of her family,a guiding light to her friends, and abeacon of hope to countless others who came to knowher simplyasMama Nell Through her words, her prayers, and her ever-open doors, she created alegacy rooted in thelove of God and thestrengthof family and community. Faith, family,and friendships were not just values she cherished—they were theveryway she lived. Her life was alivingtestimony, aministry in motion. Whether throughher warm homemade chocolatechip cookies, agentlehug, or

herfamous "ListeningEar 101 with Mama Nell"chats, she nurturedthe souls of everyoneshe encountered. Herhomeand herden were arefuge.Her voice wascomfort. Herpresence,a blessing Mama Nell never met a stranger. If you were in need,you hada motherin her. Herden,her living room, herchurch pew were sacredspaces where lives were changed.She wasa true friendand confidante, trustedbymanyto hold their stories,their tears, andtheir triumphs. In every season, she showed up,prayedover, andstood beside the peopleshe loved. As we mourn theloss of herphysical presence, we also celebrate theincrediblelegacyshe leaves behind:a legacyofprayer, kindness, laughter, resilience, anddeep,abiding faith. Sheshowedushow to live with purpose and love withoutlimits.

Shewas preceded in death by herdevoted husband, Billy Gray, Sr;daughterinlaw,Debbie Ledoux; grandson, RitchieLedoux (Morgan);and hergreatgranddaughter, Angel GraceWheat. Sheissurvivedbyher childrenDarlene Ledoux Domangue (Roy), Richard Mark Ledoux, Denise LeDouxBurstall(Blake), LynnLedouxWells (Daryl), Billy Gray, Jr (Lisa), Dione LeDoux(JimBolner), David LeDoux(Kimberly).

Sheisalso lovingly rememberedbythirteen grandchildren: ChristiDomangue Cameron (Jeremy), DanielDomangue (Kim), AimeeWheat (Brad), AshleyLedoux, Aaron Burstall(Makayla), Tyler Burstall(Allie), LaurenBurstallWardlow (Kelby), Jared Wells, Leslie WellsPaille (Nathan), Cayle Gray (Brigette),Garrett LeDoux(Sara), Kelsey LeDouxMoore (Jonathan), andGavinLeDoux.

Herlegacycontinuesin fifteengreat-grandchildren,Bryton and Brailyn Cameron, Charley Alaina, Matthew,Abigail, Grayson and Lawson Wheat,Hunnerand Brody Ledoux, Ava DeBate, McKenzie,Maddie andMatthew Burstall, Ira Wardlow, andHiram Paille

Thefamilyinvites all wholoved Mama Nell to celebrate herwonderful life at Household of Faith Church,10469 Airline Hwy. GonzalesonFriday August 22 from 5-8pm and again on Saturday, August 23 from 9am untilservice at 10:30am. Interment will followatHope Haven Cemetery, Hwy30

RobertaKaye Cutrer

Shelly Guy Bischoff, Bobby (Mandy) Guy, andChad WayneGuy;manygrandchildrenand great-grandchildren; brotherCharles (Debbie)Cutrer; andsister Orlette(Herman)Shumaker.She was preceded in death by grandchildren GabrielCasarez-Hughes andToriBanks.A woman of strongChristian faith, Robertawill be rememberedfor herlove of family andher kindness to others. Serving as pallbearers will be hergrandsons;Donald Thompson Jr Dalton Thompson,Daniel Thompson, Joshua Hughes, Joseph Carbo, Brayden Guy,James Hathaway. Visitationwill be held at Sandy CreekBaptist Church,22834 Liberty Rd, Zachary, LA 70791 on Thursday, August 21, 2025, from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM with aservice to begin at 11:00 AM.burialwill follow

T. Gregory Guzik died in theearly morning of August 19, 2025 from cancer andeffects of itsassociated treatment. He wasborn in Chicago,Ilinois on August 21,1952 to Patricia Anneand RudolphGuzik at theUniversity of Chicago Hospital andgrewupin Frankfort, Illinois. He graduated from theUniversity of Chicago with aBSin Physics in 1974, and obtainedhis Ph.D.inPhysics also from theUniversity of Chicago in June of 1980. His advisor wasJohnA.Simpson,a group leader on the Manhattan Project. He offered JaneGoodman aride when he spotted herwalkinghomeina rainstorm from theLASR laboratory wheretheyboth worked, andtheyweremarrieda year later in BondChapel on theUniversity of Chicago campus. In 1983, he started as a visitinginstructorat Louisiana State University eventually becominga Professor of Physicsand director of theLouisiana Space GrantNASA EPSCoR (LaSPACE) programs. He received the2020 NASA OutstandingPublicLeadership Medal,one of NASA's most prestigioushonors. In thecourse of his career,hetraveledtoevery continentofthe world, including four times to Antarctica wherehe stayed at the research station in McMurdo, Antarctica,trying to detect cosmic rays by sendinga specially designed instrument, ATIC, to thetop of theatmosphere viaa giant helium balloon.LSU students had an opportunity to participate, includinga flightto McMurdoina militarycargo plane, andsurvival training in the iceand mountainsofAntarctica. Subsequently, he participated in researchwith CALET, an instrumenton

Guy, 69, of Kentwood, LA, passedaway on August 18, 2025. Born July 3, 1956, in Baton Rouge,she wasthe daughterofCharles (C.W.) Cutrer andthe lateLora LanierCutrer. She is survivedbyher husband, Gary Guy; childrenLori(Donald Sr.) Thompson,Angela (Nicholas) Hathaway, Yancy (Samantha) Hughes, See more DEATHS page

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Geraci, Laurina Killeen

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Gray, MarthaNell 'Mama Nell'

OPINION

Medicaid auditshows whyweneed watchdogs

Let’stake amoment to recognize alittle heraldedpartofstate government, theLouisiana LegislativeAuditor.The ofﬁce is taskedwith ﬁnding the receipts to ensure taxpayermoney is being spent properly by agencies. While many in thepublic policy arenarely on this work, the public, too, should be aware of itsimportance.

Oneofits latest audits looked at the state’s Medicaid program. It found that over the last six years, the Department of Healthhad paid almost $10 million to insurance companiesfor Medicaid beneﬁciaries who had alreadydied. Legislative Auditor MikeWaguespackispart of Gov.Jeff Landry’sLADOGE effort, which seeks to identify and eliminatewaste in government. The Medicaid programpaysmanaged care companies aﬁxed monthly feeper Medicaid enrollee until the DepartmentofHealthdetermines that the person is nolonger eligible.The audit says that the department missed 1,072 deaths during the six-year period fromFebruary 2019 to March 2025, resultingin$9.6million in monthlyper-member paymentsmade for dead Medicaid enrollees.

The audit found these discrepanciesbylooking through basic information, like obituaries, Louisiana vital records, the Social SecurityAdministration’sDeath Master File, state records andthird-party sources, as well as vitalrecords from other states —information one would expect LDHtohave access to The overpayments spanned theadministrationsofboth Landry and Gov.JohnBel Edwards andare somewhat explainable by the federal government’ssuspensionofMedicaid eligibility conﬁrmations during the COVID pandemic, so the point of the audit is not to cast blame.Itisto determine how LDH can be abetter steward of taxpayer money

That’swhy most audits of stateagenciesinclude recommendations forthe future. In this case, LDH Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the department is working to get approvalstouse the Social Security Administration Death Master File, and it will incorporate death data from third-party sources into itsdecisions as well. To help recoup the losses, LDH also plans to withhold $4 millionfrom managed care companies that received the overpayments.

That’sawin for Louisiana taxpayers.But it also raisesquestions about how newMedicaid work requirements,passed in the OneBig Beautiful Bill, will be monitored.Weare gladLouisiana seems to be taking stepsto streamlineaid to needy individuals with itsOne Door program. But if the state has had trouble tracking who is dead or alive, it doesn’tinspireconﬁdencethat veriﬁcation of which recipientshave completed work requirementswill be smoothoreasy.

Thegood news is that we havethe Louisiana Legislative Auditor on the watch. Theauditor works for all of us. Copies of thisand allits reports are available for public viewonline at www.lla.la.gov or for inspection at its Baton Rougeofﬁce.Ifyou wanttoknowthat the government is spending yourmoney well, there’s no better resource.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

Arecent letter by state Rep.Charles Owen questions whether global marketstruly demandcleaner energy solutions or if Louisianaismerely bending to “climate ideologues.” But that view ignores theeconomic and regulatoryreality facing the industries our statedepends on.

Major trading partners —from Europe to Asia —are implementing carbon border taxes and supply chain emissions disclosures. U.S. companies are adapting to stay competitive. That’snot ideology,it’smarket pressure. If we want to keep reﬁning fuel, making fertilizer or producing steel here in Louisiana, we must show we can do it cleaner

Owen also falsely claims that Germany’srecent long-term LNG deal excludes carbon capture. In reality,both of Venture Global’snew LNG agreements with Germany’sSEFE include carbon capture and storage as acore component. Even our fossil fuel exportsnow require cleaner production to stay competitive in global markets.

As for Texas, thefacts speak for themselves. Athird of all EPAClass VI permit applications —those needed

for permanent carbon storage —come from Texas entities. That’snot environmental activists, it’soil and gas companies, manufacturers andenergy developers preparing forthe next chapter of energy growth.

Dozens of Texas business groups, including the Texas Association of Business and Texas Association of Manufacturers,have publicly endorsed thestate’sapplication to oversee carbon storage wells. Communities across Texas are eager forthe jobs and investment this industry brings. That’sthe competitive threat, and opportunity, facing Louisiana. This isn’t about subjugation. It’s about smart economics.

Louisianaalready has something Texas wants—EPA “primacy” to permit Class VI wells. That advantage is drawing CCS investment and jobshere. With smartoversight, we can continue to expand that progress across the state. If Louisiana refuses to adapt, those investments won’tdisappear,they’ll head west DESIREE LEMOINE campaign manager, IndustryMakes

Guttingenvironmental protectionsmakes no sense

Contrary to all science and reasoning, the Trumpadministration proposes revoking theendangerment rule. The rule that found “carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases endanger public healthand welfare.”Itunderpins manyenvironmental protections. We don’tneed to rely only on in vitro studies to understand the truthofthat statement

During the pandemic when people stopped commuting and traveling by air,car and boat, thehole in theozone layer shrank, the air and oceans were cleaner and the environment recovered. That was areal-world demon-

stration of the impact of greenhouse gases. As his administration has been wrong on many fronts, including vaccination policy,human andcivil rights and immigration, this proposed rule change would again makethe world less safe. Perhaps President Donald Trumpand his billionaire cronies plan to go intospace and leave an uninhabitable Earth for the rest of us. That is theonly logical explanation forwhy they believe they can safely revoke theendangerment rule.

DEIDRE CHARLOT NewOrleans

BACK TO SCHOOL

Dialysis patients need help from Congress to fightinsurers

I’m writing not just as anurse, but as awife and caregiver.Myhusband Kenneth was diagnosed with IgA nephropathy at just 20 years old. That disease slowly damaged his kidneys, leading to kidney failure and the need for dialysis, atreatment that does the work of the kidneys by cleaning the blood when the kidneys can no longer do so. For the past decade, we’ve built our life around his treatment. We started with peritoneal dialysis at home, which involvedusing acatheter and fluid exchange to filter his blood overnight while he slept. When that was no longer effective, he transitioned to home hemodialysis, whichfilters his blood through amachine during the day.Thankfully,Ken recently received akidney transplant. Through it all, I’ve been by his side, managing his care, preventing infections and falling more deeply in love.

As akidney patient caregiver and advocate, the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Marietta vs. DaVita deeply concerns me.Itallows private insurers to design plans that make it harder for new dialysis patients to stay on their insurance. That can disrupt care, cause ﬁnancial distress, limit provider options, and even jeopardize eligibility for akidney transplant.

Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, our beloved congressman, alongside U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,R-Start, can help by cosponsoring the Restore Protections for Dialysis Patients Act. Dialysis patients ﬁght too hard to manage their condition. They shouldn’thave to ﬁght well-deserved insurance coverage as well.

SHEREE STEPHENS Shreveport

Kids are heading back to school to meet theirteachers,see their friends and getstartedwith an exciting newyearoflearning! So, what’sgoing on in this cartoon? youtellme. Be witty,funny, crazy, absurd or snarky —just trytokeep it clean.There’snolimit on the number of entries.

Thewinning punchline will be letteredinto the word balloon and runon Mondayinour print editions and online.Inaddition, the winner will receive asignedprint of the cartoon along with acool winner’sT-shirt! Some honorable mentions will also be listed.

To enter,email entriesto cartooncontest@theadvocate.com. Allentriesmust include your name, homeaddress and phone number Cell numbersare best.The deadline forall entriesismidnight on Thursday. Good luck withthis homework, everyone!— Walt

Migratingfrombluetored

Maryland is experiencing anet population outﬂow

During the high inﬂation daysofthe Biden administration, many of thelessthan-well-off were forced to cut back on their spending, whetheritwas food, gasoline or in some cases medication. Some migrated from bluestates to red ones where oftentaxes, housingand prices were lower Blue state Democrats are reactingtolosing residents not by reducing taxes, but by raising them. Their philosophy seems to be that they are losing money so taxes must be raised to make up for the shortfall. The exact opposite should happen, but because Democratsare so wedded to “tax the wealthy” they can’t seeany other way Maryland Gov.Wes Moore, aDemocrat,who followed his tax-cutting predecessor Larry Hogan, aRepublican, signed abill in May which increases income taxes on residentsmaking more than $500,000ayear.Hogan’sadministration touts that it cut state taxes by $4.7 billion over his eight yearsin ofﬁce, moving the state’seconomy from 49th to 6thinthe nation ineconomic performance.Hogan claimedto have left behind a$5.5 billion surplus and $3 billion in arainy-day fund.It takes agenius —oraDemocrat —to spend such alarge surplusinsoshort a time. This is likely amongthe reasons

AWall Street Journal editorial points outthe potential political fallout for Democratsfromthis moderngreat migration.Between 2020 and 2024 the losses from states that have raised taxes and have lousy schools are as follows: “California (-1,465,116), New York (-966,209) and Illinois (-418,056).”

Which states are beneﬁting from the inﬂux of newpeople? Texas (747,730), and Florida(872,722). These two states “gained the equivalent of West Virginia. Utah, Idaho, Arizona and North Carolina also experienced arush of newcomers.”

The political beneﬁts to these lowertaxingstates (assuming any ﬂeeing Democrats don’tbring their ideology about“taxingthe rich” withthem) will beseen in coming elections. The Journal predicts Democrats could lose as many as 10 house seats in 2030, the yearofthe next census. This would likely overcome the gerrymandering California and Illinois are fashioning as they draw districts to give Democrats an even larger advantage than they currently enjoy This is what can happen when politicians are more interested in gaining or maintainingpower,ignoring theConstitution (and yes, Texas Republicans are doingthe samebut for different reasons).

Forthose who ﬂunked or didn’ttake

civics in high school, this is theway the process is supposed to work. Census datataken every 10 years in even decades determines the number of seats each state has in theU.S. House of Representatives. The House is currently fixed at 435 members, so states gaining population may gain seatswhile states with slower growth or declines may lose seats. This is the Democrats’ great fear and why some are trying to go outside theConstitution and the census to rig thesystem Followingthe census and apportionment, states redraw their congressional and statelegislative district boundaries to reflect population shifts and ensure districts have roughly equal populations. Independent RedistrictingCommissions, separatefrom state legislatures, are then responsible for drawing district boundaries, according to theCampaign Legal Center It doesn’ttake apolitical genius to realize that if people are taxed more on what they have earned, many, including businesses, will look for places that tax them less. This is what’shappening in some blue states. Democrats who thinkraising taxes on the successful will benefit them in future elections, may be sowing seeds for future electoral defeats.

Email Cal Thomasattcaeditorstribpub.com

Changing statisticianswon’t change results

Here’salife hack for readers who are trying to lose weight andare discouraged by the numbers on thescale: Take ahammer to the thing.Ifthat seems too destructive, donate it to the SalvationArmyand, if you must keep ascale in the house, buy anew model that tops out at 150 pounds. The secret behind this hack is psychology.It’shard to eat less than your body wants, which is why people who try to lose weight often fail and feel miserable.

But if no working scale is available, you can’tfail:Eat as much as you like; the numbers will never climb. Sound crazy? It is. But the president has just used aversion of this trick to deal witha sagging American jobs market

facturingboom that President Donald Trump haspromised. This is not the sort of jobs report any presidentwants to see; it’sthe kind that portends fallingapproval ratings andparty losses at the next election.

So Trumptook immediate, decisive action:Hehopped on TruthSocial and announced that he would ﬁre Erika McEntarfer,the commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

bers have been juked, and most of whom probably already know which side they’re voting for next time around.

There’ssomething interesting going on in the continuing controversy over President Donald Trump’santi-crime initiative in Washington, D.C. When Trump ﬁrst announced the move, saying crimeinthe city is “out of control,” many Democrats and their media allies denounced it with the argument that crimeisinfactfalling in the district, perhaps even to its lowest point in 30 years. Now,after aweek of heightened law enforcement and rising arrests, more and more voices are conceding that Trump is right, that crimereally is aserious and ongoing problem in the district. Some of those voices are still opposed to Trump, but at least they are now admitting there is abig problem.

Arecent Wall Street Journal report featured Ebony Payne, aneighborhood commissionerin northeast Washington who spends herevenings reviewing messages from neighbors “reporting assaults, smashed car windows, break-ins, shootings, and teenagers threatening children or even dogs.” Payne told the Wall StreetJournal that she and her neighbors “are frustrated by the city’sinability to respond to ‘out of control’ crime” and that whenthey heard of Trump’s initiative, “some residents’ first reactionwas relief.” Payne wassorelieved that she has beendisappointed that she has not seen agreater police presence in her neighborhood. “Weall wanted something to be done,” she said. “It’sjust really unfortunate that we are in this situationwhere there’sasledgehammer on our city,because we couldn’tget ahandle on our crimeproblem.” New York Timescolumnist Maureen Dowd was born and raised in Washington, the daughter of aD.C. policeofficer.Inarecent column, she wrote that, “City officials and many liberal residents are outraged about Trump’spainting D.C. as ahellscape and flooding the zone with law enforcement and troops.” Amoment later,she added, “It is also true that many D.C. residents are secretly glad to see more uniforms. No matter what statistics say,they don’tfeel safe.” Dowd herself doesn’t. She carries pepper spray,she said, because “I feel more wary walking around the city.It’sdisturbing to ask someone to unlock the Claritin at CVS because the police didn’tlock up the smash-and-grabbers.”

The columnincludes aconversation with former prosecutor Elie Honig, now aCNN legal analyst. What Honig told Dowd is aclassic of a type of commentary you might call Trump-isbad-but-he’s-right. “Yes, Trump is hypocritical and scattershot on public safety,” Honig told Dowd. “And yes, he’slikely doing this as aﬂex But he happens to be within the law here and he happens to be right.”

Last week, the profoundly anti-Trump publication The Atlantic published an article saying that Trump “has the wrong answer for how to ﬁx” Washington crime. No surprise there. But the news wasthe headline: “Trump Is Right That D.C. Has aSerious Crime Problem.” “The nation’scapital really does have along-standing and profound violence problem that will notimprove without deliberate intervention,” Atlantic said.

All of this is music to the ears of the D.C. Police Union, which represents 3,200 ofﬁcersand has supported the Trump effort sincethe beginning. “Wecompletely agree with the president that crime in the DistrictofColumbia is outof control and something needs to be done with it,” union chief Greggory Pemberton said whenthe plan wasrolled out.

For months, commentators havebeen asking why tariffs aren’tweighing on the economy more heavily.Importers —including many manufacturers have been worriedthat they will. But the headline jobs and gross domestic productdata have lookedprettygood. Then came Friday’sjobs report.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics, a unit of the Labor Department,revised its estimates for May andJune payrolls sharply downward, bymore than 250,000 jobs, and estimated that the economy added only 73,000 jobs in July,well below analysts’expectations. Virtually all these new jobscame from health care and social services. The numbers contain no sign of themanu-

This movewas so boneheaded,William Beach,who served as bureau commissioner during theﬁrst Trumpadministration, calledit“totally groundless” and “a dangerous precedent” that “undermines thestatistical mission of theBureau.”

Ahearty second to that. Trying to intimidatethe Bureau of Labor Statistics is the policy equivalent of smashing your bathroom scale. It’s banana republic stuff, anditwon’twork anybetter in the United States.

On the margin, afew voters might be fooled into thinking economic conditionsare better than they really are. But thetrick can work only so far —as the Biden administration found out when it tried to gaslight voters into believing that everything in theWhite House was going just great.

Thepeople most susceptible to the spin fall into two groups: thepresident’s base, who don’tneed it, and high-information voters who pay close attention to economic data, many of whom will understand how thenum-

Everyone will be paying closer attention to what’shappening in their own experience. Arewages rising? Are their friends and relatives being laid off? Is it easy to ﬁnd another job? If they’re getting the wrong answers to these questions, it really doesn’tmatter what numbers thebureau is putting out. That is, it doesn’tmatter politically Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers matter tremendously in other ways. They feed into agreat deal of market activity as well as vital social science, bothofwhich are possible only if the numbers are trustworthy.The statistics are also, of course, one of thepresident’s essential guides to economic policy

This guide is now tellingthe administration that it is moving in the wrong direction. Awise politician would take heed and course-correct toavoid bumbling deeper intothe woods. Instead, Trumpdecides to shoot the messenger so his supporters won’trealize he’sled them astray

Buteven if Trumpmanages to bully theguides intotelling him what he wants to hear,what then? Eventually voters will look around and notice the truth: America is losing its way MeganMcArdle in on X, @asymmetricinfo.

On Monday morning, the union tweeted what it said were numbers on D.C. crimeinthe last week, underthe Trump program, versus seven days earlier.They were robbery,down 46%; assault with adeadly weapon, down 6%;carjacking, down 83%; car theft, down 21%; violent crime, down 22%; and property crime, down 6%. That looks good. But of course, one part of the ongoing debate about D.C. crimeisthe reliability of statistics released by the Metropolitan Police Department. There have been serious allegations, and one senior ofﬁcer suspended, about cooking the books —inthis case, downgrading felonies into misdemeanors that will not show up in the serious crimestatistics. The alleged downgrading is part of the reason the unionand others in the city say that the crimeproblemis worse than Trump’sopponents insist. Let’shope the newest numbers, reﬂecting the Trump effort, are accurate.

But at least for the moment, fewer andfewer are claiming that crimeisgoing down or thatit is the lowest it has been for 30 years (that, apparently,was the creation of the outgoing Biden Justice Department). That’sapositive development; it was always slightly ridiculous for Democrats to argue that crimeinthe district is just not serious enough for federal intervention. Now,atleast, there is some agreement that the problem really exists.

Byron York is on X, @Bryon York.

STAFF PHOTO By JILLPICKETT

Motorists pass a‘Welcome to Texas’ sign as theycrossfromLouisiana into TexasonInterstate20.

ega McArdle M n Byron York

Cal Thomas

DEATHS continued from Jada Williams; hergod‐mother, Janice Julien Schonberg;aswellasnu‐merousnieces, nephews, extendedfamilymembers and cherishedfriends

the International Space Station investigating cosmic ray sources and building uponthe scientific groundwork laid by missions like ATIC. He enthusiasticallypromoted student and public involvement with science for more than 40 years. Working with BRAS and BREC, he brought the Highland Road Park Observatory—which houses asophisticated digitally controlled telescope— to life in Baton Rouge. Aminor planet discovered at the observatory, 85878 Guzik, was named after him. He started LaAces in 2003, giving Louisiana students the opportunity to launch and test micro payloads carried to the edge of space by balloon, and HASP in 2006 to accommodate more sophisticated payloads and nationwide student participation. He is survived by his beloved familyincluding his wife, Jane, twin sons Glen Alexander Guzik, and Kyle Andrew Guzik, and daughter, Kelsie Anne Guzik (Sebastian Brumfield Mejía). His older brother Rudolph Guzikdied in Chicago in 2015. Hissister, Leona (David Edwards) currently lives in South Carolina. He loved his family, his pets (especially the cats), and instilled agreat appreciation for thewonder of nature and the desire to travel all over the world in his children. A private memorial service will be held for his family.

Preceded in death by his wife Glenda Hamilton and son Carlisle Hamilton, mother Hattie Dangerfield, and father Joseph Hamilton Sr. Survived by children Dacobia and Carleton Hamilton.A funeral service will be held from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on 2025-08-22at Wilson-Woodale Funeral Home, 1553 Woodale Blvd. Henderson, Delores MaeVeronica

ForI am nowready to be offered, andthe time of my departure is at hand.I have foughta good fight, Ihave finished my course,I have keptthe faith:Henceforth there is laid up formea crown of righteousness, which theLord, theright‐eousjudge,shall give me atthatday:and nottome only, butuntoall them also thatlovehis appearing. 2 Timothy 4:6-8. DeloresMae Henderson,bornApril 30, 1945, to thelateMary and VirginHenderson Jr., de‐partedthislifepeacefully takingher last breath on earth andher firstbreath inheavenonThursday, Au‐gust14, 2025,at2:50p.m ather home in Baton Rouge,Louisiana.She was surrounded by thewarmth and comfortofher devoted family. DeloresMae Veron‐ica Hendersonwas active inSt. CatherineofSienna Catholic Church from an early age, an esteemed memberofthe Knightsof Peter Claver Ladies of Grace,FourthDegree, and St. AugustineCourt #037 consistentlydemonstrat‐ing servicewithinher churchcommunity.She leavestocherish herpre‐cious memories four beloved daughters: Dana Bell(Jake)and Trycee Allen,bothofDonald‐sonville, Louisiana; Chal‐mette Mitchell of Baton Rouge,Louisiana;and ChermiseHenderson of Prairieville, Louisiana. She isalsosurvivedbyher brother,Murry Henderson ofBaker,Louisiana;and her sisters, LindaWilliams (Oliver)and Mary Ann Comeaux (George),bothof Donaldsonville, Louisiana. Her legacy continues through hersix grandchil‐dren: Thaddeus Mitchell Jr.,Brandalyn Johnson (Brandon),JarrinBell, Bri‐ana Thomas,Jalen Cox, and Jardin Bell.She was blessedwithsix greatgrandchildren:Italy Mitchell, BrandonJohnson Jr.,Brayleigh Johnson, Brayden Johnson, Korri Bell, andBreaFelton. De‐lores is fondly remem‐bered by hergoddaugh‐ters,KatinaHaynesand

Jones, Ronald 'Ronnie'

Ronnie, age 73, passed away at his home surrounded by those he loved on Thursday, August 14, 2025.Hewas aresidentof PineGrove,Louisiana.He has beenthe proud and dedicatedowner of TriParish DoorCompany for over 25 years. Ronnieembodied countrylivingand enjoyed raising and working cattle, turkey hunting, and watching wildlife. Above all, he loved spending time with hisfamily. He willbeforever lovedand missedbyeveryone who had the opportunity to know him.

He is survived by his son,Ronald"Ron" Jones II; daughter,Carla Lovett and husband Clint; grandchildren, Ethan Lovett and wifeSydney, Dalton Lovett, Madison Jones, and MorganJones; great-grandchildren, Damian, Sarah, and Barrett Lovett; and fiancée.

Ronnie is precededin death by his mother,Mildred"Topsy" Dunlap; and grandmother, BessieDunlap.

Relatives and friends of the family are invited to attend avisitation from the chapel of Brandon G. Thompson Funeral Home 7738 Florida Blvd. Denham Springs,LA70726, on Friday, August 22, 2025from 5:00 p.m.until7:00 p.m. The visitation willresumethe following day, Saturday, August 23, 2025 from 10:00 a.m. until the Funeral Service at 12:00p.m. Interment will follow at Vickers Cemetery.A reception will be held at Lighthouse Pentecostal Church 1191 Arnold Rd.Denham Springs,LA70726. The family wouldlike to extenda special thank you to SouthernGraceHospice fortheir caretoRonnie during this time.

Condolencesand other information may be found at www.thompsoncares.com.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Brandon G. ThompsonFuneral Home.

Knighten Jr., Curtis Curtis Knighten Jr.isthe first child borntothe union of Curtis and AnnieBell Morrison Knighten. Born December 26,1956, he grew up in the first Presbyterian Church of Scotlandville Curtis graduated from Scotlandville High School in 1974.Hededicated his professional career to workinginthe familybusiness as apainter and drywallfinisher. He loved football,racing and working on cars and spending time with family. Curtis took his final rest on August 13, 2025

JamesMalone. Shewas a talentedartistwho en‐joyed singing, playingthe dulcimer, creating jewelry and beautifulstained glass pieces. Shewillberemem‐bered forher cooking, es‐peciallyher famous holi‐day treat, Mammy’sFruit‐cake. Shewas astrong Irishwoman who was loved by many andwillbe truly missed. Therewillbe a visitation andmemorial service on Friday,August 22, 2025, at FirstPresbyter‐ian Church of BatonRouge, DunhamChapel, at 10:00 am. In lieu of ﬂowers, do‐nations maybemadeto the Lyme diseaseresearch group at www lymewarrior.us/donate Sharesympathies, memo‐ries, andcondolences atwww.CharletFuneralH ome.com.

"Weare conﬁdent,I say, and willingrathertobeab‐sentfromthe body,and to bepresent with theLord.”

2 Cor5:8.Mae Jean Young MilletpassedawayonSun‐day,August17, 2025, at her homeinPrairievillesur‐rounded by herfamilyat the ageof80. Shewas born inBreauxBridgeand ana‐tiveofBayou Sorrel.Mae was ahomemaker.Visita‐tionwillbeatWilbert Fu‐neral Home,24120 Railroad Avenue,PlaquemineonFri‐day,August22nd, from 5to 9 p.m. andonSaturday, Au‐gust23rd, from 9a.m.until religious serviceat11a.m conducted by Pastor Tyler Scott. Burial will follow in Grace Memorial Park.Mae issurvivedbyher husband of64years,Columbus "Poochie" Paul Millet, Jr.; fourchildren, Marc An‐thony Millet, PearlRuth MilletRobbs andhusband Brian,ColumbusPaulMil‐let,III andwifeLiz,Laurie LynnMillet; son-in-law, Larry Davis; nine grand‐children, eightgreatgrandchildren;siblings, HaroldYoung andwife Gaye, Yvette Young Men‐doza, Gloria Young Bonin. Mae wasprecededin death by herdaughter, An‐gelaMaria MilletDavis; parents,William andMable HebertYoung;siblings, MaryJaneCurry,Bill Young,CurtisYoung,Leroy Young;great-grandchild, AtreyuCulpepper.Mae was amemberofGospel Light BaptistChurch in Baton Rouge. Please share memoriesatwww.wilbert services.com.

MollereJr.,Murray 'Mr. Lovely'

life on Saturday,August16, 2025, at ThibodauxRe‐gionalMedical Center.He was 80, anativeand resi‐dentofPaincourtville, LA VisitationonThursday,Au‐gust21, 2025, at Williams & SouthallFuneralHome from4:00pmto6:00pm. VisitationonFriday, Au‐gust22, 2025, at St.Charles Baptist Church from 8:00amreligious services at10:00am.Interment in the church cemetery ArrangementsbyWilliams & Southall FuneralHome, 5414 Hwy1,Napoleonville LA(985) 369-7231. To sign the guestbook or offer condolences,visit ourweb‐siteatwww.williamsand southallfuneralhome.com.

DianeDelcambre Tygres, 81, aresidentofSt. Fran‐cisville, died on Monday August18, 2025. Sheserved asthe Town Clerkfor St Francisvillefor over 38 years.There will be avisi‐tationatMt. Carmel Catholic Church on Thurs‐day,August21, 2025 from 10:30 am until funeralser‐vices at 12:30 pm.Burial willbeinthe church ceme‐tery. Sheissurvivedbyher husband of almost sixty years,David Tygres;three sons, DavidTygres, Scott Tygres, andChadTygres and wife Sissy; onesister, Dixie Viator;three grand‐children: Justin Tygres, Tracy Tygres,and Gage Ty‐gres; andthree greatgrandchildren:Alexa George, Livvi Tygres,and Josie Tygres.She loved reading andspendingtime withher family.

Whicker Sr., Ronald Louis

RetiredSergeantFirst Class Ronald Louis Whicker Sr.was born on January 5, 1957, in NewOrleans,LA. He enteredeternalrest on July 30, 2025, at theage of 68. Ronald leaves behind a legacyofstrength,service andlove. He is survived by ahostoffamilyand friends. Viewingwillbe held August 20th, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm, at S. L. Booker FamilyCelebration Center,1024 N. Foster Dr Baton Rouge,LA. Visitation on August 21st ,from8:00 am to 10:00 am at Interdenominational FaithAssembly, 5045 GreenwellSt, Baton Rouge,LA, with aservice to begin at 10:00 a.m. Burial will follow with Full Military Honorsat Louisiana National Cemetery, 303 WMtPleasant ZacharyRd, Zachary, LA

Antionette “Nette”Williams departed this life on Wednesday,August6,2025, atUniversityMedical Cen‐ter in NewOrleans,LA. She was 67, anativeand resi‐dentofMarrero,LA. Visita‐tiononFriday, August 22 2025, at Heavenly Star Mis‐sionary BaptistChurch 1020 CohenSt.,Marrero,LA from9:00amtoreligious servicesat10:00am.Inter‐mentinProvidenceMemo‐rialParkCemetery. ArrangementsbyWilliams & Southall FuneralHome, 5414 Hwy1,Napoleonville, LA70390. (985) 369-7231. To signthe guestbookor offercondolences,visit our websiteatwww.william

Wilson, Gilda Lawrence

Gilda Faye Lawrence Wilsonslippedher earthly bonds to be with theLord she so loved on August 9, 2025. As alifelongmember of Mt.Pilgrim Baptist Church,Gilda was awoman known for herChristian faithand herdevotion to herfamily.

Gilda retiredfromthe US Postal Service aftera distinguishedcareer.

Gilda leaves behind a loving family, including husband Irvin, sons LeTerrick andLeKendrick (Amber), grandchildrenKaitlyn andKyle, siblings Lydia (Larry)McCaleb, Dedra Evans, Gregory (Laura) Lawrenceand Darryl (Elizabeth)Lawrence,brotherin-law Johnny(Evelyn)Wilson, sister-in-law Brenda Faye Collins, alongwith numerousother relatives. The familywould like to especially acknowledge Mary W. Stewart, aspecial cousin andfriendtoGilda. Gilda wasprecededin death by herparents, Miles andMary Lawrence and brother, Ronald Lawrence. Celebration of life at MountPilgrim Baptist Church,9700 Scenic Highway, Baton Rouge,LA 70807 on Friday August 22, 2025 at 11 am.

Murray “Mr. Lovely Mollere, Jr.departedthis Malone,MaryJosephine

Mary JosephineMalone, 88, aresidentofBaton Rouge,LA, died on Monday, August18, 2025. Shewas bornand raised in County Mayo, Ireland andmoved tothe United States when she was17. Shemet the loveofher life,Dave Wenker, married, andbe‐camea military wife,tot‐ing 5daughters across the country foryears.She workedasa dental hygien‐ist foroverthirtyyears in Coloradoand Louisiana. She is survived by four daughters:Ann Slater, Kristin Levert (Keith), Kerry Wenker, andErin Orren (Jeff);son-in-law Rad Hicks;sister, Noreen Kerri‐gan;and eightgrandchil‐dren: Sean Levert,Sarah Hicks Briggs,Emily Slater, Katie Hicks, DavidSlater, McKennisOrren,Connor Orren,and ZoeHubbard She wasprecededindeath byher daughter,Laura Hicks;son-in-law Wayne Slater; sister,EileenMcSh‐erry andher husband Tom McSherry; andbrother

Howto place an Obituary Notice Howto place a Memorial Ad

EMAIL: obits@theadvocate.com OR CALL FORMORE INFORMATION: 225-388-0289 An In Memory Of”ad, is away to paytribute to your lovedone This remembranceisoften printed on theanniversaryofaloved one’s death. The deadline is twodayspriortothe day youwant your ad to appear TO PLACEA MEMORIALAD GO TO: obituaries.theadvocate.com clicksubmitanobituaryand

Millet,Mae Young

Tygres,Diane Delcambre

Williams,Antionette 'Nette'

Hamilton, Willie Adrian 'Hamp'

SPORTS

Most in-state prognosticatorssee LSUinCFP despiteClemson,Alabama missteps

TEMPERED EXPECTATIONS

How will the LSU Tigersdothisseason?

It is oneofthe most compelling questions across not only Louisiana butalso all of college football. Has allofLSU’seffort and expense this offseason been worthit? Will it payoff with aberth in theCollege Football Playoff and achance at theprogram’sﬁfth national title? (I’m still counting the 1958 title in LSU’scorner,despiteAuburn’snew and ridiculous claim.)

We polled our LSU beat staff and anumber of other prominent voices covering theTigers for their/ ourpredictionsonhow Brian Kelly’s team will fare this season.The predictions, not surprisingly,fell in apretty narrowband between 10-2and 9-3 in theregular season. No one feels like LSUisgoing to repeat 2019, but everyone clearly believes theTigers at least will be in theconversation for aCollege Football Playoff berth. Drum roll, please

WILSON ALEXANDER• THE ADVOCATE

Record: 9-3

LSU should bebetter than itwas last year,but it will play seven teams ranked in the preseasonAP Top25, starting with the difﬁcult opener at Clemson. The Tigers will be in CFP contention late in the season. It’sjust hard to get to 10 wins.

CHESSA BOUCHE •WVLA/WGMB

Record: 10-2 Throughout camp, I’ve beenimpressed with the defensiveline,

especially with transfers Jack Pyburn and Bernard Gooden. The Tigers haven’thad “dogs” upfront causing havoc and putting pressure on thequarterback.Myreal concern is the offensive line and the running game. They lost two All-American bookend tackles and returned only one true starter from ayear ago. Ithink withGarrett Nussmeier taking abig step forward in Year 2asastarter,and focusing on being amore mobile quarterback,will take alot of pressure off of the O-line.

MICHAEL CAUBLE •WBRZ

Record: 10-2

Ithink theTigers will go 10-2 on theseason, but Idon’thave aton of hope that they win the opener at Clemson. Atough opponent on the road withsome proven line play will be atall ask for atalented LSU team that’sgoing to improve as the season goes along and contend for aCFP spot that will keep everyoneinBaton Rouge happy for the holidays. Hey,maybe they even ä See LSU, page 5C

Southern WR Morris wantsto show full potential

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

Darren Morris was silent, staring into the distance while seated in the bleachers of A.W.Mumford Stadium. The 6-foot-2,190-pound Southern wide receiver crouched forward in thought for afew seconds, showing aside of himself that’scounter to the exuberance people usually associate withhim.

ä N.C. Central vs. Southern, 6:30 P.M.SATURDAy,ABC

“D-Mo” would breakdance at hisgrandmother’shouse on Christmas as akid andis still alivelypersonalityonthe team.But the 21-year-oldwas motionlessincontemplation,searching his mind and heart to describe his underwhelming 2024 season, despite leading theteam in catches andreceiving yards.

“Lastyear,I didn’tshowmyfull potential. Ididn’tshowwhatI can do,” Morris said. “I feel like the coaches didn’ttrust me anymore. Ifeel like Iwas seen as aguy who really wasn’t consistentwithit.” When he was academically ineligible to play as afreshman in 2022, he remembered coach Terrence Graves, then an assistant at Southern, sharing words of encouragement after seeing him excel against Southern’s ﬁrst-team defense in practice.

“I wasn’tmature yet,” Morris said. “I wasstilla playful kid, and he wastelling me, ‘You have allthe potential in the world, and I’mnot gonnalet you waste that.’ ” Morris’ dissatisfaction with his play partly wasbecause of patellatendonitis that hampered him all season. Worse than any physical limitation was how the nagging knee injury hurt his conﬁdence, he said.

The Southern Lab star,who had more than 1,000 yards receiving and20touchdowns as asenior,was not lightingupdefensesinthe SouthwesternAthletic Conference. His37catches for434 yardsand three touchdowns last season weren’tup to his standard.

Although the redshirt junior is aselfproclaimed jokester,he’salso self-aware. He’s thetalented Baton Rouge product who hasn’t liveduptohis college expectations. Morris’ goal in 2025istobethe standout player he knowshecan be, starting with the season opener against NorthCarolinaCentral at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in Atlanta. Despitethe presence of FCSAll-American defensive endCkelby Givens on the roster,Graves calledMorrisprobably the most talented player on the team after an Aug. 9scrimmage.

Physically and mentally,Morris never hasfelt betterentering acollege season The only thing left for him to do is prove his coach right “I want everybody to remember my name, Darren Morris, thebest receiver that’sgoing to come outofSouthern,”hesaid. No one believes in that future more than Da’Shawn Morris, his oldest brother.The 28-year-old was the ﬁrst to put aball in the hands of his youngest of three brothers. If Darren Morris dropped aball or ran the

Safety Sanker’s playmaking shines forSaints

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

Playing his first game in the Caesars Superdome, NewOrleans Saints rookie safety Jonas Sanker admitted hewanted to end his debut with a bang.

It was the ﬁnal play of Sunday’spreseason 17-17 tie against the Jacksonville Jaguars, with Jacksonville positioned at theSaints’ 42 looking to gain a few extra yardsfor a game-winning field goal attempt.Sanker was drifting toward the tight endinthe middle of the ﬁeld when he saw Jaguars quarterback Seth Henigan throw aquick slant to the right side of the offensive formation Sanker bolted in the direction of the play and suddenly the ball was right there in front of him, courtesyofcornerback Rejzohn Wright’s pass breakup.

“For me that was really justbeing in the right place at the right time, Sanker said

Broncos at Saints NOON SATURDAy,WAFB

When he snatched it out of the aironly conds remained in regulation, and Sanker d one thought: score. Hemade it to the Jaguars’ 24-yard line fore he wasknocked outofbounds.The ﬁcials determined time expired as he tumedout of bounds, though theTVbroadcast ggestedasecondmight haveremained. egame ended in adraw Probably could have played it alittle safand got out alittle earlier,” Sanker said. That may be true, but it was still amemoble homestadium debut for Sanker,who ntributed morethan aclose miss at a me-winner Jonas had alot of clips in the team meetg today,” coach Kellen Moore said. “A lot it is his play style,his effort, block deruction,meeting theballatthe point of ack. He made someplays in the passing game.

“He was on that (tape) aton, and he’s earned those opportunities. We expect him to keep growing.” With regular starting safeties Justin Reid andJulian Blackmon both being held out of thegame forprecautionaryreasons, Sanker got achance to play 100% of the defensive snaps —easily the longest look New Orleans has had at Sanker, whom it selected 93rd overallthis spring.

Sanker welcomed the opportunity after playing roughly half the defensive snaps in the preseason opener

“Seeing different looks, building camaraderieand just being comfortable,” Sanker said. “Thinking back,I really haven’tplayed alive full gamesince November of last season. So it’sgood to get out there, hit alittle bit, run around, tackle andjust feel everything full speed.”

His playmaking wasn’t limited to hisinterception.

Saints safety Jonas Sanker STAFF PHOTO By

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

LSU running backCaden Durham is tackled by Baylor cornerback LeVar Thornton in the second half of theirTexas Bowl game on Dec. 31 at NRG Stadium in Houston

Scheffler dislikes comparison to Woods

Legendary golfer inspired current No. 1 player during 2020 Masters

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

ATLANTA Scottie Schefﬂer shies away from comparisons to Tiger Woods even as the numbers are starting to make that inevitable.

Schefﬂer has been No. 1 in the world longer than anyone since Woods. He is the first player since Woods to have five-plus wins in back-to-back years. He comes into the Tour Championship on a streak of 13 tournaments in the top 10.

“It’s very silly to be compared to Tiger Woods,” Schefﬂer said. “I think Tiger is a guy that stands alone in the game of golf, and I think he always will. Tiger inspired a whole generation of golfers. You’ve grown up watching that guy do what he did week in, week out, it was pretty amazing to see.”

Scheffler was amazed by the only time he played with him in a tournament, a moment nearly ﬁve years ago that shaped the way the 29-year-old from Dallas now dominates his sport.

It was the ﬁnal round of the Masters in November 2020, both of them 11 shots out of the lead with no chance to win.

What stands out from that autumn Sunday was Woods making a 10 on the par-3 12th hole and then made birdie on ﬁve of his last six holes.

Schefﬂer remembers the opening hole just as well.

As he looks back to the start of his pro career, Schefﬂer felt he was guilty of not giving himself enough chances at winning and rarely being in the ﬁnal group “I always found myself just a little bit on the outside looking in, and that’s one of the things I learned from playing with Tiger,” he said.

“We’re in 20th place or whatever going into Sunday at the Masters. Tiger has won ﬁve Masters, he’s got no chance of winning the tournament. Then we showed up on the ﬁrst hole and I was watching him read his putt, and I was like, ‘Oh, my gosh, this guy is in it right now.’

“That was something that I just thought about for a long time,” Schefﬂer said. “I felt like a change I needed to make was bringing that same intensity to each round

Scottie Scheffler speaks before a practice round of the Tour Championship on

fler put together a final-round 67 to win the BMW Championship last

and each shot. And I feel like the reason I’ve had success in these tournaments is just the amount of consistency and the intensity that I bring to each round of golf is not taking shots off, not taking rounds off, not taking tournaments off.

“When I show up at a tournament, I’m here for a purpose and that’s to compete hard, and you compete hard on every shot.”

That’s what golf has witnessed since Scheffler finally broke through at the WM Phoenix Open in 2022, and within two months he was a Masters champion and No. 1 in the world.

It doesn’t mean he wins every week golf is still golf, an impossible game to master

This week is an example of that.

The change to the format in the Tour Championship put emphasis on getting to East Lake, and now the top 30 players start from scratch for 72 holes to see who wins the FedEx Cup

Schefﬂer has no advantage by starting at 10-under par, nor does he have a points advantage. It’s a welcome change for most players because they signed off on it. Rory McIlroy, the Masters champion, says he didn’t mind the starting strokes because great play should get some reward.

“I didn’t hate the starting strokes. I thought that the player that played the best during the course of the season should have had an advantage coming in here,”

Tiger Woods walks to the 18th green during the British Open at Royal Troon golf club in Troon, Scotland, on July 19, 2024.

McIlroy said. “But you could also argue if it was starting strokes this week, Scottie with a two-shot lead, it probably isn’t enough considering what he’s done this year.” Schefﬂer started with a two-shot lead each of the last three years and it still took him the third try to win the FedEx Cup. He loves the pressure of competing. And besides, not starting with an advantage is sure to get his attention from the start.

He has his caddie, Ted Scott, back on the bag this week as Scott is dealing with a family emergency Scheffler is quick to point out how his career took off when he brought in Scott to work with all the preparation he put into his job. This year has been as good as any considering he started late because of hand surgery, and he

added the PGA Championship and British Open to his two previous Masters titles.

But it’s not over yet. Scheffler was reminded of that in 2022 when he lost a six-shot lead in the final round to McIlroy That was the year he won his first Masters, rose to No. 1 in the world and had four victories.

But when he returned home, he was met with condolences for not winning at East Lake.

“It just irked me so bad ﬁnishing off the year where guys were like: ‘Hey, great playing, I’m sorry about how it ended.’ It’s like, ‘You know what, man, I won the Masters this year, won a few other tournaments.’ It was a pretty good year.”

The tournament starts Thursday It’s already been a good year for Schefﬂer

Falcons tackle McGary carted off during practice

Atlanta Falcons starting right tackle Kaleb McGary was carted off the practice ﬁeld with a possible lower left leg injury on Wednesday, giving the team a new challenge as it prepares for Friday night’s final preseason game at Dallas.

The Falcons said an update on McGary, a 2019 ﬁrst-round pick who has started 92 of 93 games, would be provided “at the appropriate time” following an MRI.

If the Falcons are without McGary, they will have to find a new blocker to protect the blind side of left-handed quarterback Michael Penix, the 2024 first-round pick who is entering his first full season as the starter McGary recently signed a contract extension through the 2027 season.

Bears sign backup QB Bagent to 2-year extension

The Chicago Bears signed backup quarterback Tyson Bagent to a two-year contract extension through the 2027 season on Wednesday Chicago also signed veteran running back Royce Freeman and placed running back Deion Hankins on injured reserve Bagent played in four games and threw two passes last season with Caleb Williams starting every game after being drafted with the No. 1 overall pick.

But he’s made a big impression over two seasons.

Undrafted in 2023 following a record-setting career at Division II powerhouse Shepherd University, Bagent played in ﬁve games and made four starts while leading Chicago to two wins with Justin Fields injured in 2023.

Jake Paul and Davis announce Nov. 14 fight YouTuber-turned-cruiserweight boxer Jake Paul and undefeated WBA lightweight champion Gervonta “Tank” Davis have agreed to ﬁght on Nov 14 at Atlanta’s State Farm Arena.

Paul’s promotional company, Most Valuable Promotions, and Netﬂix announced the highly unusual matchup Wednesday Netflix will stream the fight worldwide to its more than 300 million subscribers.

The 30-year-old Davis (30-0-1, 28 KOs), a three-division world champion, would be the ﬁrst star near his ostensible prime to face Paul (12-1, 7 KOs), the online celebrity who has become one of the world’s highest-paid combat sports athletes despite never ﬁghting an elite boxer

Former Southern DB Davis joins Graves’ coaching staff

BY JENNA FRYER AP auto racing writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C.

season ends Nov 8 in Florida at Homestead, which hosted the championship-deciding ﬁnale for 18 consecutive years before NASCAR shifted it to Phoenix Raceway in 2020. The race at Phoenix was given a different date in the playoffs and NASCAR is expected to rotate the season ﬁnale

Former Southern football player Kriston Davis has joined coach Terrence Graves’ staff, Davis announced on social media Wednesday Davis will serve as the assistant defensive backs coach alongside Southern defensive coordinator Henry Miller, who is also the cornerbacks coach, and ﬁrst-year safeties coach Lemuel Stinson. Davis played at Southern from 2019-23. The cornerback appeared in 31 games and had 76 tackles (56 solo), three interceptions, 22 pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery In his final season, Davis accumulated 31 tackles, one interception and a team-high 14 pass breakups. Last season, the Southern pass defense allowed just 152.3 yards passing per game.

Astros OF runs into wall, checked for concussion

Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell was being evaluated for a concussion after being carted off during Wednesday’s loss to the Detroit Tigers following a crash into the center field fence in the first inning. The Tigers led 4-0 with no one out when Dillon Dingler hit a line drive to deep center The ball deflected off Trammell’s glove just before he hit the fence. Dingler ended up with an RBI triple, giving Detroit a five-run lead. Trammell was examined by the Houston training staff and started to walk off the field before going to a knee. A cart was brought out and he was taken into the

Astros manager Joe Espada said after the 7-2

was

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MIKE STEWART

Wednesday in Atlanta. Schef

week.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By SCOTT HEPPELL

New leadership likely won’t alter trends

Three new coaches take reins in league Ascension Catholic has ruled for years

BY CHARLES SALZER Contributing writer

District 8-1A football has seen its share of coaching changes in recent seasons, and that trend will continue with new head coaches at reigning champion Ascension Catholic along with Ascension Christian and White Castle. There are other things that will likely stay the same.

Ascension Catholic, which has lost only nine regular-season games in the past eight seasons, is once again expected to be the team to beat. North Iberville, White Castle and St. John, all playoff teams last season, should be the top challengers. East Iberville and Ascension Christian will be looking for breakthrough seasons in the sixteam district.

One of the biggest coaching changes came at Ascension Catholic, where Lowell Narcisse departed after one season. That opened the door for 30-year-old Taylor

James, a Winnfield native who had been coaching in Texas. Ascension Catholic went undefeated in district play last season, finished 11-2 overall and reached the Division IV select semifinals

A repeat performance will have its challenges as the Bulldogs suffered roster hits from graduation.

None of the hits was bigger than the loss of team leader and all-state running back Chad Elzy. Trevin Simon, an all-district wide receiver, will shift to running back this season to help offset the loss.

“You can’t re-create a Chad Elzy,” James said. “Another guy has to step in and he has to do it his way The team is going to look different, but hopefully the production is

still there. Maybe a couple of years from now we can wonder how we’re going to replace Trevin Simon.”

Other important top returners are receiver Johnny Viallon and a trio of two-way players — lineman Vaughn Blanchard and backs Cy Landry and Jacob Julien The latter two will join Jayden Verner and Aidan Hebert in the defensive backﬁeld to form what may be the Bulldogs’ strongest unit.

White Castle started out 1-4 last season, but closed strong with a 4-1 mark in district play to claim second place. The biggest moment during that stretch was a 44-43 win at North Iberville in Week 8.

The district’s other team of Bulldogs will be led by ﬁrst-year coach Guy Morgan, a former Brusly assistant and St. John player White Castle will have an experienced squad with 13 seniors.

Among the White Castle leaders are three athletes whom Morgan expects to see action on both sides of the ball. Junior quarterback Javon Woods, a starter since he was in ninth grade, is also the team’s best cornerback. One of his top targets will be wide receiver/defensive back Caydon Duncan, and two-way lineman Jayvion Briley will see action at tackle and nose guard.

“Our football IQ is improving,” Morgan said. “I always tell the team that the impossible can happen. That’s our little motto.” North Iberville put together a 9-3 mark last season and placed third in district. The Bears return all-district performers in wide receiver B.J. Melancon and quarterback Justice Roy Running back Jeremy Favorite is also back, but

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JARED FREED

Bohde Larson of Sioux Falls, S.D celebrates his hit against Bonney Lake Wash., on Tuesday at the Little League World Series in South Williamsport, Pa

LLWS managers miffed at sports betting on games

BY AMANDA VOGT Associated Press

SOUTHWILLIAMSPORT,Pa This week, as usual, sports bettors can get action on Major League Baseball games from U.S.-based gambling sites. Meanwhile, at least a couple of offshore bookmakers are offering odds on games at the Little League World Series. Team managers, and Little League itself, are not pleased.

“I’m not a fan,” said South Carolina’s manager Dave Bogan, noting he goes to Las Vegas twice a year “It’s just not appropriate, it feels dirty, quite honestly.”

In news conferences throughout the Little League World Series, U.S. team managers have voiced their displeasure with gambling on their games players at the tournament top out at 12 years old. Little League International also released a statement last week denouncing sports betting on youth competition.

“Little League is a trusted place where children are learning the fundamentals of the games and all the important life lessons that

come with having fun, celebrating teamwork, and playing with integrity,” the statement said. “No one should be exploiting the success and failures of children playing the game they love for their own personal gain.”

BetOnline and Bovada are among the offshore sites offering daily odds on LLWS matchups. They are both based outside the United States and are both illegal to use in the U.S. and not subject to its laws. BetOnline is located in Panama and has offered sports betting and gambling since 1991. Bovada, a Costa Rica-based company, joined the scene in 2011.

BetOnline’s brand manager Dave Mason said in a post on X that BetOnline is making the moneylines itself and that it “ain’t easy ” He has posted odds on X throughout the tournament. Jon Solomon, the community impact director of Project Play, an initiative of the Aspen Institute’s Sports and Society program, said there are negative effects on young players whose games are the subject of betting. Such wagering, he says, is fairly common

In 2018, Project Play surveyed Mobile County, Alabama, and found that “26% of surveyed youth said they had played in a game where adults bet money on who won or the ﬁnal score,” according to its State of Play report.

The report said that tackle football, basketball and baseball were more likely to be gambled on by adults according to the children surveyed.

“This is just, you know, bets that usually sort of happen, maybe at the ﬁeld, or in the gym,” Solomon said in a phone interview “Kids are already facing a lot of pressure in youth sports these days. It is a highly commercialized industry with a lot of people already making a lot of money.”

Hawaii Little League manager Gerald Oda is adamant that gambling on these games takes away from the “beauty” of Little League.

“This is the only tournament where you’re representing your local community,” Oda said.

“It’s that innocence, that pureness that these kids show on the ﬁeld.”

the strength of the team will be defense, which will be anchored by senior linebackers Chris Armster, Jaylen Mims and Trevis Phillips.

“We’ve got a lot of speed on defense,” North Iberville coach Josh Gast said. “If we can plug gaps in the middle and be physical up front, then I like our chances against anybody.”

Those chances could mean a

higher district finish, but Gast knows nothing will be given to his team.

“We return a good amount of players and our goals are high, but we’re humble to the fact that our district is so competitive,” Gast said. “If we don’t put in the work, we could wind up toward the bottom. We’re not taking anything for granted.”

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

LOS ANGELES The governing body for Olympic-style boxing will require sex testing for all ﬁghters wishing to compete in the women’s division at its world championships next month.

World Boxing already had announced its plan to require competitors to undergo a polymerase chain reaction test or an equivalent genetic screening test to determine their sex at birth.

The rules will be implemented ahead of the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, England, in early September, the organization announced Wednesday

The tests identify the presence or absence of Y chromosome genetic material as the indicator of biological sex.

“World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and is keen to ensure it is as inclusive as possible,” World Boxing president Boris Van Der Vorst said. “Yet in a combat sport like boxing, we have a duty of care to deliver safety and competitiveness fairness, which are the key principles that have guided the development and creation of this policy.”

Paris Olympic champion

Imane Khelif of Algeria declined to enter a World Boxing tournament in the Netherlands in June, shortly after the governing body initially announced its plans to introduce sex testing.

Van Der Vorst later apologized for speciﬁcally naming Khelif, who initially planned to ﬁght in the tournament, while outlining World Boxing’s future testing plans. Khelif and fellow gold

medalist Lin Yu-ting from Taiwan excelled in Paris under a harsh spotlight of widespread scrutiny and misconception about their sex. The 26-year-old Khelif repeatedly has said she was born a woman, and she has competed at all levels of women’s amateur boxing for nearly a decade.

Chromosome testing was common in Olympic sports during the 20th century but was largely abandoned in the 1990s because of numerous ambiguities that couldn’t be easily resolved by the tests, collectively known as differences in sex development Many sports switched to hormone testing to determine sex eligibility, but those tests require governing bodies to make difﬁcult decisions on the eligibility of women with naturally high testosterone levels.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON North Iberville quarterback Justice Roy looks for a receiver during a game against St John on Oct. 12 in Plaquemine.

FILE PHOTO By APRIL BUFFINGTON

Trevin Simon of Ascension Catholic picks up a fumble against Dunham on Sept. 26 at Dunham. Simon will move from wide receiver to running back this season to replace former star Chad Elzy

NFL

Rattler findsgroovewith1st-teamreps

When aquarterback competition is as close as the NewOrleans Saints’ battle seems, it can be tempting to overanalyze everything. So when Spencer Rattler againbeganthe day with ﬁrst-team reps, thetemptationkickedin. Wasthis the sign that the coachingstaff is leaning towardRattler winning thejob? If not that, does that mean he’ll at least start Saturday’spreseason ﬁnale against the Denver Broncos?

What does it mean, if anything?

“Yeah,we’re justrotating,” coach Kellen Moore deadpanned.

Saints camp observations

Hey,itwas wo rth th e question

“Yeah, it was agood try,” Moore said. Moore unsurprisingly wasn’t about to tip his hand, and again he maintained the Saints haven’tdecided on their starting quarterback —even for Saturday’spreseason game. But after Wednesday’s practice at the Caesars Superdome, the first-year coach told reporters that Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough will play against the Broncos In the meantime,the battle continued —withRattler taking advantage of the first-team reps. He looked sharp as the afternoon practice went on, notably hitting Chris Olave for a25-yard touchdown in atwo-minute drill. Perhapseven more notable, Rattler received the majority of snaps with the starters. Shough rotated in with the first team but only for one seriesinstead of the several that previously had taken place.

“Welove to compete,” Rattler

said. “If you don’tlove to compete, then you shouldn’tbethe QB. So we all lovetocompete.”

Eventhoughthe Saints haven’t nameda starter, Moorehas used this week to simulate preparation forthe regularseason.Moore said theSaints held practice at the Superdome, for instance, to get used to theturf andthe stadium beyond what they’vealready experienced in the preseason. And that’swhy Thursday’spractice will be lighter, representing atypical Friday session before aSunday game. Even the Saints’ workload on Wednesday looked slightly differentthan usual. Mooreincorporated more exotic plays and packages,the kinds that they’d typically introduce to catch an opponent off guard in theregular season.

In team drills,Moore hadthe first-team offense go against the second-team defense and the second-teamoffense go against the first-team defense. The early portionsofcamp,bycontrast,primarilyfeatured the1’s vs. the1’s Of the quarterbacks, Rattler displayed themost consistency After aslow start that saw him go 0for 4inseven-on-sevendrills, the second-year signal-caller found a groove —including completinghis first 10 passes in 11-on-11 drills In onesituation, Rattler got the Saints into field goal range witha nice pair of completions. Later,to setupthe 25-yard strike to Olave, Rattler methodically moved the Saints down thefieldonaneightplay series. Shough’sperformance resembled hisouting from Sunday’stie against theJacksonville Jaguars He wasn’tbad by any means, but he lacked thesplashyplays that could have helped createseparation in the team’scompetition. Whenworking with the2’s,the unit allowed several penalties and pressures to disrupt his rhythm Near the end of practice, he led a 10-play drive with just 1:12 on the clock to set up a58-yard field goal from CharlieSmyth.Shough managed to get theSaints into scoring territory,despite afew errant throws and apair of sacks. Here were the numbers from the afternoon (11-on-11 only): Rattler:18-21 (141-206 overall)

Shough: 5-11 (114-187)

Garrettavoidsticketquestions, focuseson Browns defense

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

BEREA, Ohio Myles Garrett was expected to become amore vocal leader for the Cleveland Browns after signing afour-year contract extension worth $204.8 million in March. However,Garrett was quiet in his ﬁrst comments sincepicking up his eighth speeding ticket since being drafted by the Brownsin 2017.

“I’d honestly rather talk about football and this team than anything I’m doing off field other than the back to school event that Idid the other day,” Garrett said on Wednesday Garrett was asked acoupleof other times about being cited for driving aFerrari 100 mphona suburban Cleveland interstate on Aug. 9. It got contentious when the All-Pro defensive end wasasked what kind of leadership it showed to be pulled over for speeding shortly after the Browns came back from aroad game.

“I’ve answered it two different times. I’m going to need you to ask adifferent question so Ican focus on this team and not, you know, this headline you’re trying to get out of these questions you’re asking,” Garrett said.

In 2022,Garrettflipped his Porsche when he veered off arural road near his home following practice.Hesuffereda sprained shoulder,strained biceps, cutsand bruises in the wreck and was cited for failure to control hisvehicle and unsafe speed.Hemissed one game because of the accident. When it comestoon-ﬁeld matters, Garrett said he has noticed he has more leeway and aplatform to lead during this training camp. That has included conversations with the coaching staff about the ﬂow of the day’spractices and what is beingaccomplished.

SAINTS

Continued from page1C

While Sanker patrolled the deep portionsofthe ﬁeld formuchof the game, he hadacoupleofopportunities to show offthe physical play style that drew the Saints to him in the ﬁrstplace.

There wasthe play early in the third quarter when,facing a third and 8, Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens saw receiver Austin

Garrettalsonoted the changes have been more self driven instead of coming from coaches or ownership.

“I’ve heard that frommultiple accountswith some players and coaches about the bit of astyle changeI’ve had of this year and beinga bitmoreminutewiththe attention Igiveand thedetails that Ibring, making sure theguys are bringing that same detail to thegame and everybody being on thesame page,” hesaid.

“It’sgoingtogoasfar as Iwant it to go andwe’re only strong as the weakest link. Ifeel like I’ve got to continue to improve and find away toelevate my teammates, not just myself.”

Coach KevinStefanski said Garrett’sleadership is another step in hisgrowthasaplayer

“He’sseen alot in his career

He’sbeenwith abunch of different teammates and learned from those teammates. So Ithink he’s just aplayer that’scontinuing to evolve and certainlyhis leadership’s beenabig part of whowe are around here,” Stefanski said.

“So he’ssomebody that Irely on, his teammates rely on andthat’s something that he embraces.”

Despite Cleveland going3-14

Trammell open underneath with nobody on him. Trammellwas the inside receiver in atrips formation, andJacksonvilletried to clear apath for him by running an inbreaking route with the receiver immediately to hisright. It would have worked, had it not been for Sanker’srecognition.

He read what was happening, cut underneath receiver Joshua Cephus’ digroute and arrived just as Trammellcaughtthe ball. Sanker knocked thereceiver off his feet a yard shyofthe ﬁrst-down marker,

last season, Garretthad 14 sacks and finished third in AP Defensive Player of theYear voting. He also became the ﬁrst player since sacksbecameanofﬁcial statistic in 1982 to have four straight seasons withatleast 14. Garrett’smain focus is trying to get the Browns defense back on track. Cleveland hadthe league’s stingiest unit in 2023, allowing only 270.2 yards pergame but was 19th last season at 342.1 ypg.

“I thinkthere were lapses in focus and discipline when we needed to be sharper,”hesaid. “Whether that was in here or on theﬁeld.I think that it kind of leaksout. How youare every dayishow youare when you need to be that person.

Ithink how we’ve tightened up the ship andwe’vesharpenedeverything, Ithink we’ll continue to get better,and we’ll show not only glimpses but thatwewere and are that 2023 team.”

Garrett and the rest of the starters are expected to see acouple of series in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams. He didn’tplay in the ﬁrst twogames after taking part in the joint workoutsagainst the Carolina Panthers and Philadelphia Eagles.

forcing afourth down.

“(Defensive coordinator Brandon) Staley really emphasized the physicality andjust howthat has to be theidentity, not just of the defense but the wholeteam,” Sanker said. “… Ithink Idid a pretty good jobtoday,just being physical

“Just having that mindset of no onecan blockme, whether it’s a singleblock or double team. Just having that mentality everytime I’m on theﬁeld ultimately leads to youbeing able to physically im-

Jake Haener: 2-3 (80-118)

Asked whether he viewed the quarterback competition as close as Moore does, Rattler said “that’s not up to me.” He also said that he feels good and wants to keep building on his progress.

“It’sjust good competition with all of us,” Rattler said.

Email Matthew Parasatmatt. paras@theadvocate.com

DenverBroncos wide receiver Devaughn Vele takes partin drills on July 28 at training camp in Centennial, Colo. The Broncos traded Vele to the Saints on Wednesday.

Saints tradewith Broncos, pick up size at receiver

Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints ﬁnally got somesize at wide receiver,but it cost themdraftpicks.

The Saints announced theyacquired wideout Devaughn Vele fromthe Denver Broncos on Wednesday,giving them a6-foot5, 210-pound target to help in the passing game. In exchange, the Saintstradeda 2026 fourth-round pickand a2027 seventh-round selection to the Broncos. New Orleans’ acquisition of Vele marks the team’ssecond trade in recent days. On Sunday,the Saints sentdefensive tackle Khalen Saunders to theJacksonville Jaguars in exchange forcenter Luke Fortner

Thedeals also coincidentally happenedwith their preseason opponents:The Saintsplayedthe Jaguars last Sunday and are set to host theBroncos on Saturday Former Saintscoach Sean Paytonnow coaches in Denver,and theBroncos have brought on many players and coaches from

pose your will.” Later in the game, Sanker showed offhis physicalityand play recognition again. This time, with the Jaguars driving into Saints’ territory with alittle more thansix minutes remaining in the third quarter,Sanker saw ascreen pass develop to the same side of thefield where the Saints were sending acorner blitz.

He shotlike abolttothe play, detonating theplayermeanttobe thelead blocker (receiver Trenton Irwin) and driving him back into

New Orleansoverthe last two-plus years. Now,the pipeline goes the other waywith Vele heading to the Saints.

The Broncos moved off of Vele after just one season. But for a seventh-round pick ayear ago, the 27-year-old hada productive rookie season with 41 catches for 475 yards and three touchdowns.

The Saints were notably small in their wide receiver room.Asof late May,they were one of just two teams not to have awideout taller than 6-2.

It wasadeparture from how the Saints have operated whenMichaelThomas,for instance, was the big go-to option for former quarterback Drew Brees. NowVeleprovidesalarge target. The Broncos quarterbacks had a74.5% completion rate when targeting him last season. Eleven of his 12 third-down catches moved thechains. Allthreeofhis touchdowns came in the red zone. Email Matthew Parasatmatt. paras@theadvocate.com

Trammell, who fell to the ground fora1-yard gain. Reid loved seeing that.

“It gets me fired up because I was talking to him allweek about running through people’s faces the whole week,” Reid said. “... On that screen playheran through that guy and put him intohis own man. He had anumber of plays just showing his physicality and tenaciousness.”

Email Luke Johnsonat ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Teammates of NewOrleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler,center,offer congratulations after he converted atwo-point conversion to tie the game against the Jacksonville Jaguars during apreseason game at the Caesars Superdome in NewOrleans on Sunday

BYMATTHEW PARAS

AP FILE PHOTOBy DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAVIDRICHARD

Cleveland Browns defensiveend Myles Garrett stands on the field duringapractice on July 26 in Berea, Ohio.

Matthew Paras

COLLEGE FOOTBALL

CFP will limit benefits

of beating weaker foes

BY ERIC OLSON AP college football writer

The College Football Playoff selection committee announced Wednesday it will place more emphasis on strength of schedule this year when determining which teams make the 12-team ﬁeld.

The committee said in a statement that the schedule strength metric has been adjusted to apply greater weight to games against strong opponents. An additional metric, record strength, has been added to go beyond a team’s schedule strength to assess how a team performed against that schedule.

“This metric rewards teams defeating high-quality opponents while minimizing the penalty for losing to such a team,” the committee said. “Conversely, these changes will provide minimal reward for defeating a lower-quality opponent while imposing a greater penalty for losing to such a team.”

The adjustment to the evaluation process comes after some

SOUTHERN

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wrong route, he threatened to go inside.

When Morris wasn’t preparing for his wide receiver destiny, he was constantly dancing and doing backﬂips in elementary school.

Channeling that hyperactivity into the sport happened thanks to his older cousin, Nicholas King, who was a huge football fan and mentor to the Morris brothers.

“He was always there, made sure we did the right thing,” Da’Shawn Morris said of King. “When we did wrong, he told us about it, you know So it was almost like a big brother, father ﬁgure type thing.”

Darren Morris treasures those moments with King, who died at age 23 from sickle cell disease on Dec. 23, 2016

“Every time I play, I play for him because I wish he could see me now,” Morris said. “I know he’ll be proud of the things I’ve accomplished so far.”

The loss added embers to Morris’ ﬁre to succeed. Southern Lab football coach Darrell Asberry

— a former college assistant and head coach for nearly two decades — was one of the ﬁrst to see Morris shine

“He wasn’t as big as he is now, but you can tell the athletic ability in him,” Asberry said. “He’s very ﬂuid in his hips. Always had

in the Southeastern Conference complained about last season’s inclusion of — at the time of selections — an 11-2 SMU of the Atlantic Coast Conference over a 9-3 Alabama or even a 9-3 South Carolina or 9-3 Mississippi.

SMU’s losses were to an unranked BYU and a ranked Clemson in the ACC championship game.

Alabama had bad losses against Vanderbilt and Oklahoma, both .500 at the time, but also had wins over a secondranked Georgia, No. 21 Missouri and No. 14 LSU.

Prompted by concerns about how teams that don’t play in conference championship games are judged, the committee reviewed the movement of idle teams from the second-to-last ranking to ﬁnal ranking.

The selection committee reafﬁrmed that movement in the ﬁnal week should be evidencebased and did not recommend creating a formal policy prohibiting such movement.

The committee also updated its policy on recusal of selection

great hands, could come in and out of his breaks, and he could always get vertical.”

Morris’ length and speed as a deep threat were essential in Southern Lab’s state championship game in 2021. He wants to use those gifts to secure a college championship next, believing this Southern team to be the best one he’s been on Returnees like him also are motivated by a 41-13 loss to Jackson State in the SWAC title game a season ago

Tears from leaders such as former Southern receiver Chandler Whitﬁeld made Morris abandon his feelings of regret over his lackluster season. His energy was put into his craft Class, the football ﬁeld and the weight room were the only places he could be found.

“I wanted to get back to my 100% body, still go to class, but I was on to the next,” he said. “You can’t cry about it all every day, all day.”

He worked on his ability to get yards after the catch, which was his biggest struggle before. Morris said he added 10 pounds by the time he reported to preseason camp.

Coaches and teammates believe their No. 1 receiving option is poised for a breakout season. Morris senses it, too

“I feel something special,” he said “I just want to show it to the world now.”

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com

Buckeyes seek to create a new legacy during ’25

BY JOE REEDY AP sportswriter

COLUMBUS, Ohio Ohio State coach

Ryan Day has tried to make one thing clear: This season’s team is the 2025 Buckeyes, not the defending national champions.

“The team we have currently wants to leave their own legacy They’ve made that clear,” Day said. “We’ve said before that we’re not defending national champions because we’re not defending anything. They can’t take the trophy away but we’re looking to add to it and winning a championship with this team.”

The third-ranked Buckeyes go into their Aug. 30 titanic matchup against No. 1 Texas a much different squad than the one that beat Notre Dame to win the program’s eighth national championship. They had 14 players selected in the NFL draft in April, tied for the most in program history and one off the all-time mark held by Georgia in 2023. Ohio State also lost both coordinators. Offensive coordinator Chip Kelly went to the Las Vegas Raiders and Jim Knowles became the highest-paid defensive coordinator in college football with his move to No. 2 Penn State.

grow and build. But there’s no time. I mean, you got to win now,” Day said. “The best players play and that’s the way we look at it. But as you know, we want to make sure we want to have the best players in the country, developing them and retaining them, because that’s how you keep a culture in place.”

Smith will continue to generate plenty of attention after having 76 receptions for 1,315 yards and 15 touchdowns last season. That should give more opportunities for junior Carnell Tate, who had 52 catches last year Purdue transfer Max Klare should also factor into the passing attack as a good underneath option.

Lining them up

Defensive line coach Larry Johnson has had the most daunting task of the preseason with the departure of all four starters, who were drafted in the first five rounds. The defensive line has plenty of bodies, including defensive end Kenyatta Jackson Jr and defensive tackle Kayden McDonald. Johnson’s biggest concern has been finding a group that can play cohesively Defensive end Eddrick Houston has been dealing with a leg injury, but could be ready against Texas.

committee members.

A member will be fully recused from the evaluation of a team if he or she receives direct compensation from the school in question or has an immediate family member who is a football player, football staff member or senior administrator at the school. A fully recused member is not allowed to participate in any deliberations or vote concerning that school

A member will be partially recused if he or she has a secondary relationship with the school in question, such as an immediate family member employed by the institution but outside of the football program or senior administration.

A partially recused member may remain present and participate in discussions related to the team in question but is not allowed to participate in votes involving the team.

The selection committee will release its five weekly Top 25 rankings on Nov 4. The final rankings and playoff ﬁeld will be announced Dec. 7.

The Buckeyes’ cupboard though is far from empty Sophomore Jeremiah Smith established himself as one of the top wide receivers in college football last year and safety Caleb Downs is projected as a top ﬁve pick in next year’s draft. Sayin takes over at QB Sophomore Julian Sayin will be responsible getting the ball to Smith and the rest of the Buckeyes’ skill players. Day said Sayin has been very accurate passing as well as being quick in his decision making.

Lincoln Kienholz will back up Sayin, but Day said he expects the junior to get playing time throughout the season. Day would like to continue to develop quarterbacks throughout all four years, but he has realized the game has changed.

“In a perfect world, we would love to recruit high school players, develop them in the program for a few years and then watch them

“We’re not worrying about how many reps they haven’t had, how many games they haven’t played The whole idea is to get them ready to play one game and hope we can carry from there,” Johnson said.

Believe it or not

Ohio State has a national championship and two trips to the College Football Playoff since 2021, but it hasn’t won a Big Ten title the past four seasons. The last time the Buckeyes went that long without a conference championship was the six years from 1987 through 1992.

The schedule

After the opener against Texas, the most-anticipated games will be Nov 1 against No. 2 Penn State and Nov 29 at 14th-ranked Michigan. Also not to be overlooked is an Oct. 11 trip to No. 12 Illinois. The Buckeyes open Big Ten play on Sept. 27 at Washington.

GLENN GUILBEAU TIGER RAG Record: 10-2

host the ﬁrst December playoff game in Tiger Stadium this year

REED DARCEY • THE ADVOCATE

Record: 9-3

Give Kelly credit: It looks like he’s put together the deepest, most talented roster LSU has had since 2019. Will it pick up nine wins or 10? Or 11? Tough road trips to Clemson and Alabama, plus a sneaky difﬁcult game at Oklahoma, are making it hard to ﬁnd more than nine.

CORY DIAZ • GANNETT LOUISIANA

Record: 9-3

The offensive line is young and LSU will drop three games most of those likely on the road in crazy environments because of some missteps upfront. I do think LSU sneaks in the CFP as one of the ﬁnal atlarge teams.

JACQUES DOUCET • WAFB

Record: 10-2

LSU could have a really good team and still lose the ﬁrst game. If that happens, let’s not panic. I do think this is Kelly’s best roster overall with the least amount of holes. In Nuss we trust. I’m going 10-2 and a CFP berth.

LSU athletic director Scott Woodward shocks the world the day before the No. 9 Tigers open at No. 4 Clemson by proactively proclaiming LSU national champions of 2025, borrowing a page from Auburn athletic director John Cohen’s Burnt Orange Linings Playbook. LSU makes Woodward look wayward by falling 27-13. But this movie’s not over LSU recovers and wins the rest, except for a 27-24 loss at Alabama, to ﬁnish 10-2 and reach the playoffs for the ﬁrst time since 2019. Kelly showers the media with receipts and says, “See you at the national championship.”

MATT MOSCONA • WNXX-FM Record: 11-2

This is by far Kelly’s deepest and most talented team, which includes the best quarterback in the country The defense will finish top 20 for the first time since 2017. Opening at Clemson is a steep hill to climb, and I think the Tigers drop another opener But after that, I think they finish 7-1 in the SEC and beat Texas in the SEC championship game, clinching a berth in the 12-team CFP

KOKI RILEY THE ADVOCATE Record: 10-3 LSU makes the CFP with a 10-3 record, including a loss to Texas in the SEC championship

Ohio State defensive back Caleb Downs plays against Marshall during a game on Sept. 21 in Columbus, Ohio.

game. Losses against Clemson and Alabama will prevent LSU from earning a strong seed in the ﬁeld, but big wins over Florida, Texas A&M, South Carolina and Oklahoma push it into the CFP

GLEN WEST • GEAUX247.COM Record: 10-2

This season comes down to two key questions: 1) Is the LSU defense ready to embrace the havoc identity Blake Baker wants? 2) Will the LSU offense ﬁnd the right balance between the run and pass to reach its high ceiling? This is a roster built to withstand any schedule Despite a few bumps along the way (at Clemson and at Alabama), LSU has the talent and depth to be a playoff-caliber team in 2025.

SCOTT RABALAIS THE ADVOCATE Record: 10-2

I can’t with sound reasoning pick LSU to win its opener at Clemson. But I think this is a program that has learned to course correct with its collective back to the wall. The Tigers will have little room for error if they hope to reach the CFP, but I think they make it through with only one more loss, probably at Alabama.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter

AP FILE PHOTO By GREGORy PAyAN

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JOE MAIORANA

The national championship trophy sits on display before the Ohio State Buckeyes championship celebration at Ohio Stadium in Columbus, Ohio, on Jan. 26

Broilermakes forquick pork kabobs Powerpersuade

April Hamilton uses a device to prepare zucchini noodles,orzoodles, for her Zucchini Carbonara. Seethe recipe on PAGE 2D

BY LINDAGASSENHEIMER

Tribune News Service (TNS)

For aquick and easybarbecuestyledinner,Iprepared these flavorful pork kabobs under the broiler instead of on the grill. They cook in just minutes but still deliver that deliciously charred taste. Asimple sauce made from honey,mustard, and soy sauce addsaperfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors. It’sused both to glaze the pork and as adipping sauce on the side. To round out this easy summer meal, Ipaired the kabobs with cornonthe cob, quickly cookedinthe microwave for ano-fuss finish.

HELPFULHINTS: n Any type of mustard can be used. n Worcestershire sauce can be used instead of soy

BY APRIL HAMILTON| Contributingwriter

Arecent best friend/houseguestobserved me prepping dinner and said, “nozucchini for me, thanks.”

Iwent about my business knowing Ihad awin up my sleeve. Itake pride in converting almost anyone into avegetable devotee, askill Ihoned teaching hundreds of kids to cook in libraries, classrooms and church kitchens. Step one: Letthem have ahand in thepreparation andtheir interest piques. Step two: Incorporate theveggies intoafamiliar favorite and the “I loveit!” odds increase. They often come back for seconds.

First you need aZoodler.Thisisamade-up word for a device that spins vegetables into spaghetti-like strands.I heard about this conceptyears ago and laugheditoff as a fad. How is it possible for asimple countertop appliance to do such afeat?

OODLES OF ZOODLE USES

n Toss themraw witha drizzle of oliveoil, lemonjuice and asprinkle of salt and pepper fora quick side salad

n Add halved grape tomatoes, tiny mozzarella balls and ashoweroffreshbasil to theabove, subbing balsamic vinegarfor the lemonjuice, fora nice caprese ‘pasta’

n Subtheminorsupplementaramen bowl

n Add themtochicken noodle soup

n Givethemthe oliveoil, garlic and crushed redpepper treatmentfor aspin on theclassic Spaghetti aglio eolio

n Slurp themlikespaghetti

n Makethis version of carbonara

n Repeat, trying out otherveggies with the spiralizertreatment.

withthe remaining sauce by dipping the cubes intomixture. Wash, seed and cut red pepper into 2-inch pieces. Thread porkonskewers alternating withred pepper 4. Place skewers on the sheet pan and place in the boiler about 6inches from the heat. Broil 3minutes. Turn skewersoverand broil2minutes. Ameat thermometershould read 145 F. Place on two dinner plates and serve with the dipping sauce. NUTRITION INFO PER SERVING: 497 calories (25 percent from fat), 13.8 gfat (5.2 gsaturated,5.3 gmonounsaturated), 124 mg cholesterol, 40.9 gprotein, 57.2 gcarbohydrates, 4.6 gfiber 754 mg sodium.

BY LINDAGASSENHEIMER

TNS PHOTO By LINDAGASSENHEIMER Sweet and TangyPork Kabobs withCornonthe Cob

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS ZucchiniCarbonara

ä See ZUCCHINI, page 2D

Readingthe

Dear Heloise: I, too, have

an issue reading the small copy on containers at the grocery store, so Iuse my cellphone to enlarge the copy.At5feet, 1 inch tall, Ialso have ahard time seeing the price labels on the top shelves. Over time, these labels tend to curl upward, so Itake a quick photoand just delete it when I’m ﬁnished. —Lucia, via email Mobile gardening

Hints from Heloise

Dear Heloise: Iread the letter about gardening from Lester,where he talked

aboutdiggingholes. Ialso hadmykneereplaced,so now Iuse oneof those big exercise balls while gardening. Not only can you move around easier youcan getupeasier than you can from astool, which was what Iused before Ialso use it when Ineed to get into cabinets that are low to the ground

Youget theaddedbeneﬁtof strengthening yourcore as well. —Janet J.,via email Depositbox warning

Dear Heloise: Safety deposit boxes maybedifﬁcult to

access in theevent of someone’sdeath. It may take several monthsormore for access to be granted tothe estate administrator.You may not want toinclude it in the instructions for actionsthat should be done quickly after adeath. Iwas an executor in one case where the relatives also had access to the box but lived in aforeign country Due to COVID, theycould not have the United States Embassy notarize adocument thatcould grant me access. —RolfTandberg,via email Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

ZUCCHINI

Continued from page1D

Istood my ground and carried on with my normal way of making spaghetti and such and chopping vegetables the old-fashioned way before roasting or sauteing them. For aborn-in-the-kitchen cooking enthusiast, Ihave an uncanny knack for resisting the next ‘viral’ kitchen gadget. Plus, my food truck-sized kitchen has no space for excess. When my daughter came home from college and parked all but her necessities herebefore setting sail forother horizons, Iscanned the contents of her overstuffed kitchen bin for treasure.With equal parts reluctance and curiosity,Iextracted her Veggetti Pro from the bin. After teaching myself how to use the contraption, Ichanged my tune to believer.Inseconds,one zucchini becomes aserving of vegetables posing as pasta, making actual twirlable noodles from ahumble squash. Pure magic. I served aheaping plate to my “no thanks” houseguest and stiﬂed my glee as he praisedthe dish. Isuggested that certainly his wife with enviable kitchen storage has one of these spiralizers. Ilater conﬁrmed this and urged her to give it

Continued from page1D

afront-row seat. Whether you are tryingto addmore veggies to your plateorlimit your traditional pastaintake for dietary reasons, Iurgeyou to dust offthe spiralizer in the back ofthe cabinetand employits wizardry daily.Or if youare like me andhave avoided this tool, Ideclare it asoundinvestment.For less than the price of atrip to the drive-thru,you can whittle summer abundance into pure gold.

Zucchini Carbonara

Makes 4servings. You will not miss thepastain this dish. Twirlable green noodlesare cloaked with thetraditional golden sauce of pancetta,egg andlots of Parmesan.Add some crusty breadonthe side 4large-ishzucchini

1tablespoon olive oil

4ounces diced pancetta, raw bacon or guanciale

1egg plus 2egg yolks, whisked together in aglass measuring cup 1cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, divided use ¼teaspoon each saltand pepper

1. Rinse thezucchiniand trim offthe ends.Position the zucchini one by one into the spiralizer,cutting in half if necessary to ﬁt the length of themachine. Crank out thenoodles intoa pieplate or shallow bakingdish

2. Continue until youhave spiraledall the zucchini. (It will look like way too much

but will quickly cook down into 4servings).

3. Using afork, stir 2 3 cup of the Parmesan intothe egg mixture and add the salt and pepper and mix again.

4. Heat theolive oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium-high heat. When theoil shimmers, add the zucchini in batches to cook one thick layer at atime.

5. Stir withtongs to wilt the zucchini to al dente When each batch is done, lift it out withtongs into a waiting colander placedon adeep plate to catch the liquid. Each batch will cook in afew minutes.

6. Cook the pancetta in a large Dutchovenovermedium heat until browned. Add thecooked zucchini and use tongs to combine andheat through.

7. Turn the burner off and slowly pourthe egg-cheese mixture intothe zucchini mixture,turning constantly with tongs to coat thenoodles with the sauce. The heat from the pan will cook theegg intoacreamysauce.

8. Divide among 4bowls, sprinkle each with extra Parmesan andserve with crusty bread if desired. Note in atraditionalpreparation of this dish, some of the starchy pasta water is added back in to make the sauce. Since the zoodles do not absorb any of the sauce, be sure to strain off theliquid after sauteing.

Dear Miss Manners: At adinner party, my companion quietly excused herself after the meal to smoke acigarette. She went outside, over our nonsmoking hostess’sprotestationsthat inside was ﬁne. As Iescorted my friend outside, Iheard afellow guest,the wife of amutual acquaintance, shriek, “What? She SMOKES?” in atonethat would have been appropriate only if my companion had excused herself to

By The Associated Press

murder people or purchase heroin. Iignored it, but I felt like Ishould have said something. Is this kind of behavior going to becomeconventionally accepted as smoking is increasingly stigmatized? Gentle reader: One may have health concerns forthose close to you who smoke —orfor yourself,ifpeople smoke around you —but there are legitimate ways to express those concerns. The case you describe ﬁts neither

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Thursday, Aug. 21, the 233rd day of 2025. There are 132 days left in the year

Todayinhistory

On Aug. 21, 1831, Nat Turner launched aviolent slave rebellion in Virginia, resulting in thedeaths of at least 55 White people; scores of Black people were killed in retribution in the aftermath of the rebellion, and Turner was later executed.

Also on this date:

In 1858, theﬁrst of seven debates took place between Illinois senatorial contenders Abraham Lincoln and Stephen Douglas.

In 1911, Leonardo da Vinci’s“Mona Lisa” was stolen from theLouvre Museum in Paris.(It was recovered two years later in Italy.)

In 1959, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed aproclamation ofﬁcially declaring Hawaii the 50th state.

In 1991, ahardline coup against Soviet President Mikhail S. Gorbachev collapsed in the face of a popular uprising led by Russian Federation President Boris N. Yeltsin.

In 1992, an 11-day siege began at the cabin of White separatist Randy Weaver in Ruby Ridge, Idaho, as government agents tried to arrest Weaver forfailing to appear in court on charges of selling twoillegal sawed-off shotguns; on the ﬁrst day of the siege, Weaver’steenage son, Samuel, and Deputy U.S. Marshal William Degan were killed.

In 2010, Iranian and Russian engineers began loading fuel into Iran’sﬁrst nuclear power plant, which Moscow promised to safeguard to prevent material at the site from being used in any potential weapons production.

This does not, however entitle you to borrow your companion’scigarette so that you can return to the dinner table and put it out in the rude guest’sentree. Miss Manners suggests you tell your smoking companion that you are sorry for the rudeness shown her and be grateful that at least the perpetrator was insecure enough to frame it as aloud stage whisperrather than afull-throated lecture to your companion’sface.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www.missmanners.com.

In 2018, Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s former personal lawyer and ﬁxer,pleaded guilty to campaign-ﬁnance violations and other charges; Cohen said Trumpdirected him to arrange the paymentofhush money to porn star StormyDaniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal to fend off damage to his White House bid. (Trumpwas found guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to the payments in May 2024.)

In 2020, aformer police ofﬁcer whobecame known as the Golden State Killer, Joseph James DeAngelo, told victimsand family members in aSacramento courtroom that he was “truly sorry” before he wassentenced to multiple lifeprison sentences fora decadelong string of rapes and murders.

Today’sBirthdays: Rock and RollHallofFamer James Burton is 86. Singer Jackie DeShannon is 84. Film director

Country singerKacey Musgraves is 37. Soccer playerRobert Lewandowski is 37. Actor HaydenPanettiere is 36. Comedian-singer-ﬁlmmaker Bo Burnhamis35.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Zucchini Carbonara

TNSPHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER SunnyChicken Pasta Salad

LEo(July 23-Aug.22) Give andget.Take thegood with the bad and turnitinto something unique. Don'tpay for the mistakesofothers or agree to participate in someone else'sjourney if it might cost you.

VIRGo(Aug. 23-sept. 22) Keep tabs on your finances and use your skills constructivelytoensureyou enhanceyour popularitywith those who can help you reachyour goal. Stick with and trust those whoshareyour values

LIBRA(sept. 23-oct. 23) Take the high road. Don't let temptation win or anyone put you in avulnerable position. Procrastination is the enemy, and lucidity and action arethe path to victory

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) You can't change others, but youcan spareyourselfthe grief of trying. Channel your energy into somethingconstructive. Concentrate on what will help you achieve your goal.

sAGIttARIus(nov. 23-Dec. 21) Take pride in where and how you live. Make adjustments that suityour lifestyle and help youperform at your best. Look for opportunities thatoffer achance to learnand explore new possibilities

cAPRIcoRn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don'tget angry when action is necessary. Assess thesituation and take the steps to achieve optimal results.Direct your energy acutely, set aside your ego and do your best.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pull everything together.Rise to the occasion, and

you'll bring about positive changes that will surprise you and everyone else. A partnershiporagreementwill lead to monetary gains

PIscEs (Feb.20-March 20) An event offering insight intoanovel way to useyour skills will encourage you to add upgrades that help you stand out Your charmand contributions will lead to new connections

ARIEs (March21-April 19) Participation is essential if you want to receive valid inputonwhattodonext. Conversations withexpertswill help youverbalize your thoughtsand enable you to supportyour plans

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Avoidstubbornness andarguments with people who can affect your life. Listen carefully, and you'll figure out whoislooking out for your bestinterests and who is trying to exploit you.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Ahomeimprovement,office or designated workout space can significantly enhance your life. Focus your energy on research and expanding your knowledge, skills and interests

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Think big, but budgetwisely. Keep arecordofwhat you eat, drink and spend. Toomuchof anything can be detrimental, physically, emotionally and financially.

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms arecreated fromquotations by famous people, pastand present. Each letter in the cipher stands foranother toDAy'scLuE: BEQuALs M

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

LAGoon

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers The object is to place the numbers1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS Hi and LoiS

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

By PHILLIP ALDER

Pleasepermit me to show you one of my favorite deals. It occurred in 1968 while Iwas in high school, playing in a duplicateatthe Newport Bridge Club in Monmouthshire,England(nowGwent, Wales). Iwas partnering with one of our school bridge team, Tony Disley. Iopened one no-trump, showing 12-14 points. (Yes, this was aslightunderbid;it would have been reasonable to call this a 15-pointhand.) Since we were not using transferbids,DisleyemployedStayman, then optimistically raised two spadesto four spades. (Ofcourse, if he had invited with three spades, Iwould have gone on to game.)

Westledtheclubqueen.HowdidIplan theplay?

With threetop losers, at first glance, Ineeded the heart finesse to win. But then Isaw amuch better line. Iwon the first trick on the boardand called for the diamond jack. East rushed in with the ace andreturned aclub (not that it mattered).

Iwon on the board,played adiamond to my king, andled the spade queen Now West erred by playing her king. East groanedwhile winning with her aceand ledanother club, but Iruffed, drew the missing trump, and claimed an overtrick. Dummy’s heart loser went on my diamond queen. Afterward,Ilookedattheotherresults. At every table, North made two spades with only one overtrick. Perhaps all of the Easts led aheart at trick one, but I doubt it.

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word,phrase, name, place,saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

word

InstRuctIons:

toDAy’s

Average mark 22 words Time limit

Can you find33ormorewords in WALTZING?

yEstERDAy’s WoRD —nEGLEcts

today’s thought “And he taught, saying to them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer? but you have made it aden of thieves.” Mark 11:17

loCKhorNs

Howmuch praying is taking placeatour

G.E. Dean

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore