City approved for federal program cutting insurance costs
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Youngsville property owners, for the first time, may qualify for a 10% reduction in their flood insurance.
The city, which undertook efforts to reduce the impact of flooding following the 2016 flood was approved for the first time for inclusion in the National Flood Insurance Program’s Community Rating System, Mayor Ken Ritter said last week.
Inclusion in the Community Rating System, Ritter said,
should help more than 1,500 flood insurance policyholders in Youngsville. That includes every new policy or renewed policy after April 1, 2026.
The city of Lafayette, Lafayette Parish and Carencro, meanwhile, all retained their Class 7 ratings.
Youngsville first applied in 2021 for the voluntary Federal Emergency Management Agency program that, every five years, evaluates how well communities exceed minimum requirements for floodplain management.
The city recently was accepted with a Class 8 rating, Ritter said,
which allows eligible residents and business owners to receive a 10% discount on their flood insurance. The lower the rating class, the bigger the potential discount on flood insurance premiums, said Clay Boudreaux, floodplain administrator with Lafayette Consolidated Government.
All you hear about insurance costs, Ritter said, is that they’re increasing.
“We’re committed to continue improving that rating,” he said.
ä See FLOOD, page 4A
PLAY BACK IN
Football
returns to small Louisiana town 40 years after high school team disbanded
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
For the first time in 39 years, Livingston residents donned purple and gold and packed into the stands to watch their sons, friends and students play a football game
The fans cheered for a team of 40 seventh graders wearing brand-new jerseys and representing the Doyle Tigers at a jamboree game Aug. 26 against North Corbin at Walker High School. The young team, composed mostly of boys who had never played a down of organized football in their lives, didn’t score at the preseason game.
But the players, coaches and residents all say what they are doing out on the field is bigger than any scoreboard.
“You could just feel an excitement,” Livingston Mayor JT Taylor said about the scrimmage. “The first first down, you would’ve thought we won the Super Bowl.” In 1986, the Doyle High School varsity football team played its last season, going 0-10. The school then disbanded the program after more than 20 years. Nearly four decades later, Doyle is bringing back its junior high football program,
page 4A
BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
Three Lafayette Parish schools are getting major wing additions and improvements, all designed to increase permanent capacity and address aging facilities.
L.J. Alleman Middle, Judice Middle and Acadiana High received a combined $89 million in capital funding for the construction. Judice’s renovations are expected to finish first in late 2026 or early 2027. Construction at both L.J. Alleman and Acadiana’s is slated to wrap up in fall 2027. Most of the funding — $61.5 million comes from bonds secured by the district. The other money is from
KABUL, Afghanistan Desperate Afghans clawed through rubble in search of missing loved ones after a strong earthquake killed some 800 people and injured more than 2,500 in eastern Afghanistan, according to figures provided Monday by the Taliban government.
The 6.0 magnitude quake late Sunday hit towns in the province of Kunar, near the city of Jalalabad in neighboring Nangarhar province, causing extensive damage. One resident in Nurgal district, one of the worst-affected areas in
LESLIE WESTBROOK
PHOTOS By APRIL BUFFINGTON
The Doyle Tigers run back to the sidelines after halftime against North Corbin Junior High on Aug. 26 at Walker High School. The 40 Doyle seventh graders make up the school’s first football team in almost 40 years.
Doyle’s Dallas Savant, center tries to run the ball during the Aug. 26 jamboree.
Man found dead at Burning Man festival
RENO Nev A man found dead in a pool of blood is being investigated as a homicide at the annual Burning Man art and music festival in the northwestern Nevada desert, authorities say Authorities were alerted about the man Saturday at the gathering in the Black Rock Desert about 110 miles north of Reno.
Deputies along with rangers from the Bureau of Land Management responded and “found a single white adult male lying on the ground, obviously deceased,” the Pershing County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday
The investigation has included interviewing several participants and cordoning off a perimeter in the area where the body was found in the makeshift encampment called Black Rock City The identity of the dead male was not immediately known, the Sheriff’s Office said.
Small planes collide midair; 1 dead, 3 hurt
FORT MORGAN, Colo. One person was killed and three were injured when two small planes collided midair as they tried to land at an airport in northeastern Colorado, authorities said.
A Cessna 172 and an Extra Flugzeugbau EA300 collided Sunday morning while trying to land at Fort Morgan Municipal Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration said. Both planes — each with two people aboard crashed and caught fire, the Morgan County Sheriff’s Office said.
The two on the Cessna suffered minor injuries, one of the occupants of the other plane was taken to a hospital, and the other was pronounced dead at the scene, the Sheriff’s Office said.
CDC tells employees to return to office Sept. 15
Employees at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been told to return to the office by Sept. 15, roughly five weeks after a gunman fired hundreds of rounds at the agency’s headquarters in DeKalb County, according to an internal email obtained by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Sunday
In the email that was sent Thursday by the CDC’s new chief operating officer, Lynda Chapman, she stated the agency was taking “necessary steps to restore our workplace” and would “return to regular on-site operations” by that date.
While no employees were struck during the Aug. 8 attack that left DeKalb County police Officer David Rose dead, many have been fearful about returning to the office.
Actress Robin Wright leaves U.S. for England
Robin Wright has left the U.S. for England. “America is a s***show,” the 59-year-old Golden Globe winner told London newspaper The Times. Wright, who played ruthless first lady Claire Underwood in HBO’s “House of Cards,” was reluctant to talk politics in the interview published over the weekend, but said she loved the “freedom” of living in England.
“I love being in this country
There’s a freedom of self here. People are so kind,” she said.
According to the Southern California-raised Texas native, she found life in the U.S. to be fast, competitive and filled with often “panicked” people distracted by ambition. Not so with folks in England. “They’re living,” according to Wright. Wright has been largely working in the United Kingdom for the past couple of years and renting properties, the Times reported.
Boy fatally shot after doorbell-ringing prank
An 11-year-old boy was fatally shot in Houston after a prank in which he rang the doorbell of a home and ran away, police said Sunday The boy had been ringing doorbells as a prank late Saturday evening, the Houston Police Department said in a statement. Commonly referred to as “ding dong ditching,” the prank involves fleeing before someone inside the home opens the door
International scholars accuse Israel of genocide
Latest strikes across Gaza Strip kill 31
BY WAFAA SHURAFA, SAMY MAGDY and SAM METZ Associated Press
DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip Israel launched strikes across the Gaza Strip on Monday, killing at least 31 people as it presses ahead with a major offensive in the territory’s largest city, according to health officials. Leading genocide scholars, meanwhile, accused Israel of genocide, allegations the government vehemently rejects.
Airstrikes and artillery shelling have echoed through Gaza City since Israel declared it a combat zone last week. On the city’s outskirts and in the Jabaliya refugee camp, residents have observed explosive-laden robots demolishing buildings.
“Another merciless night in Gaza City,” said Saeed Abu Elaish, a Jabaliya-born medic sheltering in the northwestern side of the city
Israel says it only targets militants and blames Hamas for civilian casualties because the militant group — now largely reduced to a guerrilla organization operates in densely-populated areas.
The world’s leading authority on food crises said last month that
Gaza was in the throes of famine — a crisis driven by ongoing fighting and Israel’s blockade, magnified by repeated mass displacement and the collapse of food production.
A total of 63,557 Palestinians have been killed in the war, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which says another 160,660 people have been wounded. The ministry doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants in its count but says women and children make up around half the dead.
The ministry is part of the Hamas-run government but staffed by medical professionals. U.N. agencies and many independent experts consider its figures to be the most reliable estimate of war casualties. Israel disputes them, but hasn’t provided its own toll. Hamas-led militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in the Oct. 7 attack and took 251 people hostage. Forty-eight hostages are still inside Gaza, around 20 of them believed by Israel to be alive.
The largest professional organization of scholars studying genocide said Monday that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza. Israel, which was established in the wake of the Holocaust, in which 6 million European Jews and others were killed, vehemently rejects the allegation. It says it takes every measure to avoid
harming civilians and is fighting a war of self-defense after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack, which Israel says was itself a genocidal act.
A resolution from the International Association of Genocide Scholars — which has around 500 members worldwide, including a number of Holocaust experts said that “Israel’s policies and actions in Gaza meet the legal definition of genocide,” as well as crimes against humanity and war crimes.
The resolution was supported by 86% of those who voted. The organization didn’t release the specifics of the voting.
“People who are experts in the study of genocide can see this situation for what it is,” Melanie O’Brien, the organization’s president and a professor of international law at the University of Western Australia, told The Associated Press.
The Israeli Foreign Ministry called it “an embarrassment to the legal profession and to any academic standard.” It said the determination was “entirely based on Hamas’ campaign of lies.”
Thousands of Israelis gathered for the funeral of Idan Shtivi, one of two hostages whose remains were recovered in a military operation last week. A private funeral was held for Ilan Weiss, the other captive.
Pope meets LGBTQ+ advocate, vows to keep legacy of welcome
BY NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press
VATICAN CITY Pope Leo XIV met Monday with one of the most prominent advocates for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church and encouraged his ministry, sending a strong signal of welcome in the early months of his pontificate.
The Rev James Martin, a New Yorkbased Jesuit author and editor, said Leo told him he intended to continue Pope Francis’ policy of LGBTQ+ acceptance in the church and encouraged him to keep up his advocacy
“I heard the same message from Pope Leo that I heard from Pope Francis, which is the desire to welcome all people, including LGBTQ people,” Martin told The Associated Press after the audience. “It was wonderful. It was very consoling and very encouraging and frankly a lot of fun.”
The meeting, which lasted about half an hour, was officially announced by the Vatican in a sign that Leo wanted it made public. It came just days before LGBTQ+ Catholics participate in a Holy Year pilgrimage to the Vatican in another sign of welcome.
The audience was significant because it showed a strong sign of continuity with Francis, who more than any of Leo’s predecessors worked to make the Catholic Church a more welcoming place for LGBTQ+ Catholics. From his 2013 quip, “Who am I to judge?” about a purportedly gay priest, to his decision to allow priests to bless same-sex couples, Francis distinguished himself with his message of welcome.
During his 12-year papacy from 2013 to 2025, Francis met on several occasions with Martin and named him an adviser in the Vatican’s communications department and a member of his big multiyear meeting on the future of the church. Still,
Francis never changed church teaching saying homosexual acts are “intrinsically disordered.”
Leo’s position on LGBTQ+ Catholics had been something of a question. Soon after he was elected in May, remarks surfaced from 2012 in which the future pope, then known as the Rev Robert Prevost, criticized the “homosexual lifestyle” and the role of mass media in promoting acceptance of same-sex relationships that conflicted with Catholic doctrine.
When he became a cardinal in 2023, Catholic News Service asked Prevost if his views had changed. He acknowledged Francis’ call for a more inclusive church, saying Francis “made it very clear that he doesn’t want people to be excluded simply on the basis of choices that they make, whether it be lifestyle, work, way to dress, or whatever.”
Prevost then underlined that doctrine had not changed. “But we are looking to be more welcoming and more open and to say all people are welcome in the church,” he said.
News of the audience was met with consternation among some conservatives who had criticized Francis’ outreach and had hoped Leo would be less accepting. Taylor Marshall, a podcaster active on Catholic social media, merely posted the official Vatican photo of the encounter on X. John-Henry Weston, cofounder of the LifeSite news site, called the audience a “nightmare scenario.”
Martin helped found Outreach, a ministry promoting LGBTQ+ acceptance, which will participate in a big Holy Year pilgrimage Friday and Saturday sponsored by Italian LGBTQ+ Catholic group Jonathan’s Tent. Significantly, the pilgrimage of about 1,200 people includes a Mass at the Jesuit church in Rome celebrated by the second-highest member of the Italian bishop’s conference.
Trump says he’s awarding Giuliani the
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Monday he will award former New York Mayor Rudolph Giuliani the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, two days after his longtime political ally was seriously injured in a car crash.
The decision places the award on a man once lauded for leading New York after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and later sanctioned by courts and disbarred for amplifying false claims about the 2020 election.
Trump in a statement on social media called Giuliani the “greatest Mayor in the history of New York City, and an equally great American Patriot.” For much of the past two decades, Giuliani’s public life has been defined by a striking rise and fall. After leading New York through the aftermath of Sept 11 he mounted a brief campaign for the Republican presidential nomination and became one of the most recognizable political figures in the country. But as Trump’s personal lawyer, he became a central figure in efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Courts repeatedly rejected the fraud claims he advanced, and two former Georgia election workers won a $148 million defamation judgment against him.
Giuliani was disbarred in New York and Washington for repeatedly making false statements about the election, and he was criminally charged in Georgia and Arizona in connection with efforts to undo Trump’s loss to Democrat Joe Biden. Giuliani, 81, was hospitalized after the Saturday night collision in New Hampshire. State police said he was a passenger in a rented Ford Bronco driven by his spokesperson, Ted Goodman, when the vehicle was struck from behind by a Honda HR-V Giuliani suffered a fractured thoracic vertebra along with multiple lacerations, contusions and injuries to his left arm and leg, according to his security chief, Michael Ragusa. On Monday Ragusa said Giuliani remained in the hospital but was expected to be released “soon.”
Friends and relatives mourn over the coffin of slain hostage Idan Shtivi, whose body was recovered in an Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, during his funeral Monday in Kfar Maas, Israel.
1.2M immigrants have vanished from U.S. labor force
BY COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press
It’s tomato season and Lidia is harvesting on farms in California’s Central Valley She is also anxious. Attention from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement could upend her life more than 23 years after she illegally crossed the U.S.-Mexico border as a teenager
“The worry is they’ll pull you over when you’re driving and ask for your papers,” said Lidia, who spoke to The Associated Press on condition that only her first name be used because of her fears of deportation. “We need to work. We need to feed our families and pay our rent.”
As parades and other events celebrating the contributions of workers in the U.S. were held Monday for the Labor Day holiday, experts say President Donald Trump’s stepped-up immigration policies are impacting the nation’s labor force. More than 1.2 million immigrants disappeared from the labor force from January through the end of July, according to preliminary Census Bureau data analyzed by the Pew Research Center. That includes people who are in the country illegally as well as legal residents Immigrants make up almost 20% of the U.S. workforce and that data shows 45% of workers in farming, fishing and forestry are immigrants, according to Pew senior researcher Stephanie Kramer About 30% of
all construction workers are immigrants and 24% of service workers are immigrants, she added The loss in immigrant workers comes as the nation is seeing the first decline in the overall immigrant population after the number of people in the U.S. illegally reached an all-time high of 14 million in 2023.
“It’s unclear how much of the decline we’ve seen since January is due to voluntary departures to pursue other opportunities or avoid deportation, removals underreporting or other technical issues,” Kramer said.
“However, we don’t believe that the preliminary numbers indicating net-negative
migration are so far off that the decline isn’t real.”
Trump campaigned on a promise to deport millions of immigrants working in the U.S. illegally He has said he is focusing deportation efforts on “dangerous criminals,” but most people detained by ICE have no criminal convictions. At the same time, the number of illegal border crossings has plunged under his policies.
Pia Orrenius, a labor economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, said immigrants normally contribute at least 50% of job growth in the U.S.
“The influx across the border from what we can tell is essentially stopped, and
that’s where we were getting millions and millions of migrants over the last four years,” she said.
‘Crops did go to waste’
Just across the border from Mexico in McAllen, Texas, corn and cotton fields are about ready for harvesting.
Elizabeth Rodriguez worries there won’t be enough workers available for the gins and other machinery once the fields are cleared.
Immigration enforcement actions at farms, businesses and construction sites brought everything to a standstill, said Rodriguez, director of farmworker advocacy for the National Farmworker Ministry
“In May during the peak of our watermelon and cantaloupe season, it delayed it. A lot of crops did go to waste,” she said.
In Ventura County California Lisa Tate manages her family business that grows citrus fruits, avocados and coffee on eight ranches and 800 acres.
Most of the men and women who work their farms are contractor-provided day laborers. There were days earlier this year when crews would be smaller Tate is hesitant to place that blame on immigration policies. But the fear of ICE raids spread quickly Dozens of area farmworkers were arrested late this spring.
Lidia, the farmworker who spoke to the AP through an interpreter, said her biggest fear is being sent back to Mexico. Now 36, she is married with three school-age children who were born here.
“I don’t know if I’ll be able to bring my kids,” said Lidia. “I’m also very concerned I’d have to start from zero. My whole life has been in the United States.”
Construction, health care
Construction sites in and around McAllen also “are completely dead,” Rodriguez said.
“We have a large labor force that is undocumented,” she said. “We’ve seen ICE particularly targeting construction sites and attempting to target mechanic and repair shops.”
The number of construc-
tion jobs are down in about half of U.S. metropolitan areas, according to an Associated General Contractors of America analysis of government employment data. The largest loss of 7,200 jobs was in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, California, area. The Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale area lost 6,200 jobs.
“Construction employment has stalled or retreated in many areas for a variety of reasons,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But contractors report they would hire more people if only they could find more qualified and willing workers and tougher immigration enforcement wasn’t disrupting labor supplies.” Kramer, with Pew, also warns about the potential impact on health care. She says immigrants make up about 43% of home health care aides.
The Service Employees International Union represents about 2 million workers in health care, the public sector and property services. An estimated half of long-term care workers who are members of SEIU 2015 in California are immigrants, said Arnulfo De La Cruz, the local’s president.
“What’s going to happen when millions of Americans can no longer find a home care provider?” De La Cruz said. “What happens when immigrants aren’t in the field to pick our crops? Who’s going to staff our hospitals and nursing homes?”
Trump plans a hefty tax on imported drugs, risking higher prices
BY PAUL WISEMAN and TOM MURPHY Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump has plastered tariffs on products from almost every country on earth. He’s targeted specific imports including autos, steel and aluminum.
But he isn’t done yet.
Trump has promised to impose hefty import taxes on pharmaceuticals, a category of products he’s largely spared in his trade war For decades, in fact, imported medicine has mostly been allowed to enter the United States duty free.
That’s starting to change.
U.S. and European leaders recently detailed a trade deal that includes a 15% tariff rate on some European goods brought into the United States, including pharmaceuticals Trump is threatening duties of 200% more on drugs made elsewhere.
“Shock and awe” is how Maytee Pereira of the tax and consulting firm PwC describes Trump’s plans for drugmakers. “This is an industry that’s going from zero (tariffs) to the potentiality of 200%.”
Trump has promised Americans he’ll lower their drug costs. But imposing stiff pharmaceutical tariffs risks the opposite and could disrupt complex supply chains, drive cheap foreignmade generic drugs out of the U.S. market and create shortages.
“A tariff would hurt consumers most of all, as they would feel the inflationary effect directly when paying for prescriptions at the pharmacy and indirectly through higher insurance premiums,” Diederik Stadig, a health care economist with the financial services firm ING, wrote in a commentary last month, adding that lower-income households and the elderly would feel the greatest impact.
The threat comes as Trump also pressures drugmakers to lower prices in the United States He recently sent letters to several companies telling them to develop a plan to start offering so-called most-favored nation pricing here. But Trump has said he’d delay the tariffs for a year or a year and a half, giving companies a chance to stockpile medicine and shift manufacturing to the United States — something some have already begun to do.
Leerink Partners analyst David Risinger said in a July 29 note that most drugmakers have already increased drug product imports and may carry between six and 18 months of inventory in the U.S Jefferies analyst David Windley said in a recent research note that tariffs that don’t kick in until the back half of 2026 may not be felt until 2027 or 2028 due to stockpiling.
Moreover many analysts suspect Trump will settle for a tariff far lower than 200%. They also are waiting to see whether any tariff policy includes an exemption for certain products like lowmargin generic drugs.
Still, Stadig says, even a 25% levy would gradually raise U.S. drug prices by 10% to 14% as the stockpiles dwindle.
In recent decades, drugmakers have moved many operations overseas — to take advantage of lower costs in China and India and tax breaks in Ireland and Switzerland. As a result, the U.S. trade deficit in medicinal and pharmaceutical products is big — nearly $150 billion last year
The COVID-19 experience — when countries were desperate to hang onto their own medicine and medical supplies underscored the dangers of relying on foreign countries in a crisis, especially when a key supplier
is America’s geopolitical rival China.
In April, the administration started investigating how importing drugs and pharmaceutical ingredients affects national security Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 permits the president to order tariffs for the sake of national security
Marta Wosinska, a health policy analyst at the Brookings Institution, says there is a role for tariffs in securing U.S. medical supplies. The Biden administration, she noted, successfully taxed foreign syringes when cheap Chinese imports threatened to drive U.S. producers out of business.
Trump has bigger ideas: He wants to bring pharmaceutical factories back to the United States, noting that U.S.-made drugs won’t face his tariffs.
Drugmakers are already investing in the United States.
The Swiss drugmaker Roche said in April that it will invest $50 billion in expanding its U.S. operations. Johnson & Johnson will spend $55 billion within the United States in the next four years.
But building a pharmaceutical factory in the United States from scratch is expensive and can take several years.
And building in the U.S. wouldn’t necessarily protect a drugmaker from Trump’s tariffs, not if the taxes applied to imported ingredients used in the medicine.
Jacob Jensen, trade policy analyst at the right-leaning American Action Forum, notes that “97% of antibiotics, 92% of antivirals and 83% of the most popular generic drugs contain at least one active ingredient that is manufactured abroad.”
“The only way to truly protect yourself from the tariffs would be to build the supply chain end to end in the United States,” Pereira said.
Brand-name drug companies have fat profit margins that provide flexibility to make investments and absorb costs as Trump’s tariffs begin. Generic drug manufacturers do not. Some may decide to leave the U.S. market rather than pay tariffs. That could prove
disruptive: Generics account for 92% of U.S. retail and mail-order pharmacy prescriptions.
Brookings’ Wosinska argues that tariffs alone are unlikely to persuade generic drug manufacturers to build U.S. factories: They’d probably need government
financing. “We have offshored so much of our supply chains because we want to have inexpensive drugs,” Wosinska said. “If we want to reverse this, we would really have to redesign our system How much are we willing to spend?”
BY SAM MCNEIL and VALENTINA PETROVA
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAMIAN DOVARGANES
Migrant farmworkers head to pick crops on an early morning in July in Fresno, Calif.
with the team playing its first season this fall.
For now, Friday night lights aren’t returning to the town of about 2,000 residents. But the district has plans to move to a high school junior varsity program in about two years, with a high school varsity team competing by 2030. The Doyle Tigers will play their regular season opener on Tuesday at Central Private School.
‘This is a very unique thing’
The return of Doyle football was announced early this year, and more than three dozen players have joined the squad. That number surpassed the expectations of coach Blaine Westmoreland.
“If you told me 40 kids were going to commit to football at a school there isn’t football at, I’d probably tell you lower than that,” he said Cade Denney, a 12-year-old left defensive end, is one of the many recruits who had never played organized football. He said he joined because he knew it was important for the school.
“I felt like it would be a good time because most of the kids haven’t played either,” the seventh grader said. He compared being on the team to a “brotherhood.”
“The opposing team has experienced players that have been playing from a young age, but that doesn’t really stop us,” he said.
Unlike most teams, the Doyle
FLOOD
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Eligible residents and business owners in the city of Lafayette and unincorporated parts of the parish, meanwhile, will continue receiving a 15% discount on their flood insurance as both entities retained their Class 7 designation.
The city of Lafayette earned 1,630 points in the five-year review, well above the 1,500 needed to retain its Class 7 rating and only 370 points from improving to a Class 6 rating and even greater discounts for residents.
Lafayette Parish, Boudreaux said, received 1,517 points.
Almost 15% of LCG’s proposed 2025-26 capital budget is dedicat-
weeks residents would approach him with some version of, “We need to get football back.”
The mayor said the town has plenty of children who grow up in Livingston but leave just to go play football, and others who spend Friday nights at other schools just to watch games.
At the start of the 2024-25 school year, Doyle hired a new principal, Ashley Sharp, and a new junior high disciplinarian, Westmoreland.
Sharp, who had worked as a principal in the parish, and Westmoreland, who had coached football in the area, would joke about bringing the sport back to Doyle before they both started their new jobs.
“It’s something that the community has asked for a long time, and there were several students that were interested in it at the time, it was right,” Sharp said.
“The vision I have is very large,” Westmoreland said. “It’s a marathon, not a sprint. This is a very long process.”
The former Doyle football teams played home games down the street at a football field where Johnny Sartwell Memorial Park is. That park is home of the school’s baseball team.
‘It’s home’
Doyle football alumni have waited for the return of the team for decades.
Mike Williams, Doyle High class of 1982 alumnus, was the quarterback his senior year He said football “back then was a real big deal” for the town.
Tigers spend their practice time not just going over plays but discovering fundamentals like wearing pads or just stepping foot on a football field
Westmoreland described the first day of the players wearing pads, saying it took most of them half of the practice to put them on correctly
He said the coaches have to instruct the players on the rules of the game while also trying to teach offense, defense and special teams, as well as building a culture.
“We’re very unique. This is a very unique thing we’re doing. It’s a different aspect of anything I’ve ever coached before,” Westmoreland said
While the process of getting the
ed to drainage, Mayor-President Monique Boulet said in a news release The projects target areas most in need to lower flood risk and protect homes and businesses when heavy rains fall.
LCG’s long-term, multipronged approach to stormwater management includes targeted drainage upgrades, low-impact development practices and a renewed focus on watershed-based planning to reduce flood risks across the parish.
One project that could improve Lafayette’s score, Boudreaux said, is a flood warning response system.
“In CRS, if we push out information to specific areas saying they’re under a flash flood warning or an evacuation notice or certain roads are closed,” he said,
SCHOOLS
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district savings. The projects are the district’s latest large-scale construction projects following the replacements of Prairie Elementary, Carencro “Bob Lilly” Elementary and Lafayette High.
L.J. Alleman
L.J. Alleman, the district’s performing and visual arts magnet school, was built in 1958. It received a wing addition and cafetorium about five years ago.
This renovation project will replace the original building to create a new administrative space and front office, library and classrooms, which will allow the district to eliminate the portable classrooms, said School Board Vice President Hannah Smith Mason, whose district includes L.J. Alleman. The gym and dance room will be refurbished
“That building has served its life,” she said. “I’m excited that we’re able to replace the portable buildings and buildings that are in dire need of repairs.”
Portable classrooms first arrived on L.J. Alleman’s campus in the 1990s, when Mason was attending the school. She said it has long been a priority of the School Board to remove those buildings from all campuses With the portable buildings gone, students won’t have to walk outside when moving between classes, which also helps make the school more secure, Mason said.
“L.J. Alleman is our most popular and biggest middle school in
Tigers on the field requires a lot of work, the coach said hearing some of the responses from residents has put into perspective how historic having a team is for the town.
Westmoreland said that during the jamboree game, someone in the stands said, “because of those 40 kids and coaches out there, I’m going to get to watch my grandson wear purple and gold.”
Rebuilding a football program
Talks of bringing football back to Livingston have lingered for decades, but things ramped up in recent years.
Residents have been asking Taylor about bringing football back since he took office nearly five years ago. He said about every one to two
“we can get points.”
LCG is doing some of that, Boudreaux said, but needs to improve its system with small tweaks to meet the program’s standards.
The city of Carencro, which was hit hard by flooding in 2012, Chief Administrative Officer Purvis Morrison said, retained its Class 7 rating, earning 1,612 points, up from the 1,509 it received five years ago. It’s difficult to get federal funds, Morrison said, but Carencro built a detention pond in the heart of the city to help reduce flooding during storms, worked on pump stations, improved drainage channels and continues to clean ditches.
Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@ theadvocate.com
the district,” she said. “Now we’re able to give families a facility that matches the quality and strength of the program.”
Judice Middle
The renovations at Judice Middle won’t change the historic 1927 building but instead replace the wing that was added in the mid1960s when the school served elementary students.
The school will get a new wing with a library, band room and classrooms that include science labs. The wing will be connected to the original building with a secure walkway It also will get an updated HVAC system.
The project is exciting for the community, addresses future capacity and eliminates the undersized wing, said School Board President Britt Latiolais, who attended Judice and whose district represents the school.
It is his last term serving on the board, and he said this renovation is one he has wanted to see completed.
“All the work I did over the last 11 years is all meaningful, but I waited my turn to get to this point and this is the celebration as I leave,” he said. “I want to leave
my community better off and the school system better off than when I got on it.”
Acadiana High
Acadiana High was built in 1968, and a few years later the “800 hall,” which has about 30 classrooms, was added to accommodate rezoning. That was the last major academic renovation at the school, Latiolais said.
The school has more than 30 portable classrooms, which will be removed with the renovation to the front of the school. It means students won’t have to walk outside to reach those classrooms, and the renovation comes with a secure vestibule for the front office.
The project will give the school more “curb appeal,” said board member David LeJeune, who represents the school and who served as its principal before retiring in 2021. “It will be something that the city of Scott and alumni can be extremely proud of,” he said. “It maintains the tradition and feel of the school and modernizes it.”
Email Ashley White at ashley white@theadvocate.com.
Bringing football back has reinforced a fun culture and climate at the school and also throughout the town, Sharp said.
Creating a football team from scratch also comes with a price tag.
The team is working toward a goal of raising $50,000 this year, the coach said.
The school announced in February it was bringing the team back and got right to fundraising. The players have sold parking for the Rock the Country concert, jambalaya and T-shirts.
The team has no regular season home games this year, and most likely won’t for the foreseeable future, as the town has no football field. The team hopes to change that one day
Jeff Taylor, Livingston Parish assessor and Doyle High class of 1982 alumnus played football Back then, some players were on the field the whole game because the team had no other options, he said.
He would play on both the offensive and the defensive lines. Then during halftime, he would trade his helmet for a saxophone and march with the band. His teammates would joke that he “spent more time on the football field than anyone else in history.”
He said losing football was a huge ordeal for the town and that alumni have “total excitement” for the first football season and will be at the games.
“We want to be there,” he said, about the alumni. “It’s home.”
Email Claire Grunewald at claire.grunewald@theadvocate. com.
EARTHQUAKE
Continued from page 1A
“Children are under the rubble.
The elderly are under the rubble Young people are under the rubble,” said the villager, who did not give his name.
“We need help here,” he pleaded. “We need people to come here and join us. Let us pull out the people who are buried. There is no one who can come and remove dead bodies from under the rubble.”
The quake hit just before midnight and was centered 17 miles east-northeast of Jalalabad at a depth of 5 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey said. Shallower quakes tend to cause more damage. Several aftershocks followed.
Footage showed rescuers taking injured people on stretchers from collapsed buildings and into helicopters as people frantically dug through rubble with their hands.
The Taliban government’s chief spokesperson, Zabihullah Mujahid, said at a news conference on Monday that the death toll had risen to at least 800 with more than 2,500 injured. He said most of the casualties were in Kunar
The quake was felt in parts of Pakistan, including the capital Islamabad. There were no reports of casualties or damage.
Home collapses
Eastern Afghanistan is mountainous, with remote areas and the quake has worsened communications. Blocked roads are forcing aid workers to walk four or five hours to reach survivors. Dozens of flights have operated in and out of Nangarhar Airport, transporting the injured to hospitals.
Buildings in Afghanistan tend to be low-rise constructions, mostly of concrete and brick, with homes in rural and outlying areas made from mud bricks and wood. Many are poorly built.
One survivor described seeing homes collapse before his eyes and people screaming for help Sadiqullah, who lives in the Maza Dara area of Nurgal, said he was woken by a deep boom that sounded like a storm approaching. Like many Afghans, he uses only one name.
He ran to where his children were sleeping and rescued three of them.
He was about to return to grab the rest of his family when the room fell on top of him.
“I was half-buried and unable to
get out,” he told The Associated Press by phone from Nangarhar Hospital. “My wife and two sons are dead, and my father is injured and in hospital with me. We were trapped for three to four hours until people from other areas arrived and pulled me out.” It felt like the whole mountain was shaking, he said ‘Numbers may increase’
Rescue operations were underway and medical teams from Kunar, Nangarhar and the capital, Kabul, have arrived in the area, said Sharafat Zaman, a health ministry spokesperson
Zaman said many areas had not been able to report casualty figures and that “the numbers were expected to change” as deaths and injuries are reported.
The chief spokesperson, Mujahid, said helicopters had reached some areas but road travel was difficult. “There are some villages where the injured and dead haven’t been recovered from the rubble, so that’s why the numbers may increase,” he told journalists.
Filippo Grandi, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, said the earthquake intensified existing humanitarian challenges in Afghanistan and urged international donors to support relief efforts.
“This adds death and destruction to other challenges including drought and the forced return of millions of Afghans from neighbouring countries,” Grandi wrote on X. “Hopefully the donor community will not hesitate to support relief efforts.”
Search and rescue support
Entire roads and communities have been cut off from accessing nearby towns or hospitals and 2,000 casualties were reported within the first 12 hours, said Sherine Ibrahim, the country director for the aid agency
“Although we have been able to act fast, we are profoundly fearful for the additional strain this will have on the overall humanitarian response in Afghanistan,” said Ibrahim. “Global funding cuts have dramatically hampered our ability to respond to the ongoing humanitarian crisis.”
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies said in a statement that immediate needs include search and rescue support, emergency health care and medical supplies, food, clean water, and restoring road access to reach isolated communities.
PHOTO By APRIL BUFFINGTON
Fans fill the stands Aug. 26 to cheer on the first Doyle football team in 40 years in a jamboree against North Corbin Junior High on Walker High School’s football field
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By WAHIDULLAH KAKAR Residents walk by a house Monday that was destroyed by an earthquake late Sunday in eastern Afghanistan. About 800 people have been killed.
PROVIDED RENDERINGS By LAFAyETTE PUBLIC SCHOOL SySTEM Work is underway for additions and improvements in Lafayette Parish at L.J Alleman Middle School, clockwise from left, Judice Middle School and Acadiana High School.
Shooting reignites debate over gun control and prayer
BY PETER SMITH and TIFFANY STANLEY Associated Press
Thoughts and prayers.
The invocation appears like a litany after every mass shooting — and the backlash is just as inevitable.
As if the slaughter of children amid screams and shattered stained glass wasn’t cause enough for grief, American opinion makers were convulsed once again last week in a debate over the role of prayer in the wake of a mass shooting, this time at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis
Those who support some legal restrictions on guns, often Democrats, say that Republican politicians who appeal to prayer are trying to distract from their own inaction on such things as red flag laws or stricter background checks on gun purchases.
“Don’t just say this is about thoughts and prayers right now. These kids were literally praying,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told a news conference after the shooting, in which an assailant killed two Annunciation students and wounded 18 other people attending Mass. Critics, especially on the right, chided the Democratic mayor
“It is shocking to me that so many left wing politicians attack the idea of prayer in response to a tragedy,” Republican Vice President JD Vance, a Catholic, posted on X. “Literally no one thinks prayer is a substitute for action We pray because our hearts are broken and we believe that God is listening.”
The debate is not just about the power of prayer In the United States — with both a large religious population and the most mass shootings in the world it’s also a polarized debate about gun control.
In other words, the episode set off rhetorical skirmishes along two of the biggest dividing lines in America’s cultural and political wars: God and guns. (That doesn’t even count the scrutiny over the motives and gender identity of the shooter, who died by suicide after the attack.)
Prayers good, ‘not enough’ Frey tapped into the principle of “Tikkun Olam,” in his Jewish faith, which speaks about repairing the world.
“The meaning there is, prayers are good but they are not enough,” Frey said on CNN. “It’s only adequate if you can attach an action to the work. And in this case, we know what the solutions are. They’ve been the same solutions three years ago, five years ago, 15 years ago.” He said if Vance would support legislation to curb gun violence, “maybe we’re not really having an argument.”
Fred Guttenberg, whose daughter was one of 17 murdered in the 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida, replied angrily to Vance’s post on X
“I am not a left wing politician.
I am the father of Jaime who was murdered in the Parkland shooting,” Guttenberg posted on X “YOU ARE MISERABLE AND WRONG. It is shocking to me how politicians like you mock and use the idea of ‘thoughts and prayers’ to cover for your prior and future inaction and the reality that I visit my forever 14 daughter at the cemetery.”
After a 2015 California mass shooting left 14 people dead, the New York Daily News ran a frontpage headline, “GOD ISN’T FIXING THIS,” surrounded by tweets from Republican politicians offering prayers in response. The
newspaper opined that “cowards who could truly end gun scourge continue to hide behind meaningless platitudes.”
Similar sentiments followed the latest Minneapolis shooting. “America prays but does not act. Gun worship is killing us,” the Rev Jacqui Lewis of Middle Collegiate Church in New York posted on X.
Republicans, in turn, have framed mass gun violence in terms of a mental health crisis or, in cases such as the Annunciation attack, hate crimes against religious groups, while emphasizing the constitutional right to “keep and bear arms.”
The debate after the Minneapolis attack quickly and starkly turned political.
Current and former White House spokeswomen also got into the mix.
Jen Psaki, who was spokesperson for former President Joe Biden, stated on X: “Prayer is not freaking enough. Prayer does not bring these kids back.”
Karoline Leavitt, spokesperson for President Donald Trump, retorted in a news conference: “In a time of mourning like this, when beautiful young children were killed while praying in a church, it’s utterly disrespectful to deride
Maduro vows ‘republic in arms’ if U.S. forces attack Venezuela
BY REGINA GARCIA CANO and JUAN ARRAEZ Associated Press
CARACAS, Venezuela Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on Monday said he “would constitutionally declare a republic in arms” if the South American country were attacked by forces that the United States government has deployed to the Caribbean
His comments during a news conference come as the U.S. government is set to boost its maritime force in the waters off Venezuela to combat threats from Latin American drug cartels The U.S. has not signaled any planned land incursion by the thousands of personnel being deployed. Still, Maduro’s government has responded by deploying troops along its coast and border with neighboring Colombia, as well as by urging Venezuelans to enlist in a civilian militia
“In the face of this maximum military pressure, we have declared maximum preparedness for the defense of Venezuela,” Maduro said of the deployment, which he characterized as “an extravagant, unjustifiable, immoral and absolutely criminal and bloody threat.”
The U.S. Navy now has two Aegis guidedmissile destroyers — the USS Gravely and the USS Jason Dunham — in the Caribbean, as well as the destroyer USS Sampson and the cruiser USS Lake Erie in the waters off Latin America.
Three amphibious assault ships — a force that encompasses more than 4,000 sailors and Marines would be entering the region this week, a defense official told The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity to describe ongoing operations.
The deployment comes as President Donald Trump has pushed for using the military to thwart cartels he blames for the flow of fentanyl and other illicit drugs into U.S. communities and for perpetuating violence in some U.S. cities.
On Monday Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil, citing a United Nations report, told his counterparts in various Latin American countries that the deployment of U.S. maritime forces is built on a “false narrative” as 87% of cocaine produced in Colombia departs through the Pacific and traffickers attempt to move only 5% of their product through Venezuela.
the power of prayer in this country and it’s disrespectful to the millions of Americans of faith.”
Talking past each other
John Fea, a historian of American politics and religion, said politicians have long called for prayers in crises such as the American Revolution and the Civil War. Most religious traditions would say that “at least prayers are appropriate in a situation like this,” he said.
But both sides talk past each other about next steps.
Everyone wanting stricter gun laws “sees the idea of thoughts and prayers as not accomplishing anything,” said Fea, a fellow at the Lumen Center in Madison, Wisconsin. And to be sure, “a significant number of those who offer thoughts and prayers at these moments also oppose gun control,” he noted.
It’s not that they don’t want action, but they are “raising questions of spiritual problems in the culture or mental health issues that need to be addressed,” Fea said. “Anything but gun legislation.”
The two major parties have starkly different religious constituencies, which reflects how they talk about prayer Republicans have drawn strong support from conservative white and La-
tino evangelicals and other white Christians; Democrats have a more diverse coalition of minority racial and religious groups and secular voters.
Catholics across the divide
Pope Leo XIV focused on the spiritual in his response, sending “heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child.” Catholic bishops reflect the divide.
“While we join our prayers with others that those injured in body and spirit will heal and that the murdered children will be received into heaven, we must also cry out for action to prevent even one more such tragedy,” said Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich. In a statement, he called for “common sense” policies to limit guns’ availability lamenting that such ideas “have been largely rejected in the name of a freedom not found in our constitution.” He also called for restoration in funding cuts to mental health.
Bishop Robert Barron called Mayor Frey’s comment’s “asinine,” in a Fox News Digital interview that he reposted on his Facebook page, which has 3 million followers. Barron is bishop of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, but has a wider reach with his Word on Fire Ministries.
“Friends, prayer doesn’t magically protect us from suffering,” Barron added in his post “At its core, prayer is raising the mind and heart to God, which is absolutely appropriate in times of deep pain.”
St. Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda, whose flock includes those at Annunciation, emphasized both prayer and action. “We need an end to gun violence,” he said.
“Our community is rightfully outraged at such horrific acts of violence perpetrated against the vulnerable and innocent,” he said.
“They are far too commonplace.
While we need to commit to working to prevent the recurrence of such tragedies, we also need to remind ourselves that we have a God of peace and of love, and that it is his love that we will need most as we strive to embrace those who are hurting so deeply.”
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By BRUCE KLUCKHOHN
JEFFERSONPARISH
JanRisher
LOUISIANA AT LARGE
Strutting with the Dancing Dolls
Iset up my appointment with the Fabulous Dancing Dolls at Southern University aweek before my home caught fire.
On Wednesday,Ilooked at my calendar and realized Iwas supposed to go to the Dancing Dolls’ practice to learn some dance moves. It seemed like such aridiculous thing to do in themidst of life being so discombobulated, but Idecided to go anyway
Boy,was that the right decision.
I’m not sure I’ve ever felt more cared for than the 90 minutesI spent with the Dancing Dolls. First, Isat on the floor and talked with three young women whoare the dance team’sleaders. They are all seniors at Southern These earnest young women told me alittle about what it’slike to be aDancing Doll—the poise, grace, effort, talent and time required to be part of theteam They allcome withyears of dance experience, but still, they practice at least three days aweek, starting at 5p.m. and finishing late into the night.
They talked about the sisterhood of the Dancing Dolls and the cherished relationships with Forever Dolls who came before them. Being aDancing Dollisabout a lot more than dancing.
“We’ve all been on other dance teams before, but it’ssomething about this sisterhood,” said Herbreyana Daniels, captain.
Iasked if they had signature dance moves. Danielssmiledas the other two team leaders looked at her and said, “That back.” Isaid, “What about her back?” Daniels stood up and gracefully bent backward as she worked magic with her arms. Shekept bending until her head nearly touched the floor —and then just as gracefully stoodright back up again.
Ilooked at the other two. Davis, aNew Orleans native, saiditwas her spins —and stood and set to spinning, more timesthan Icould count. Soija Cameron, team assistant, from Racine, Wisconsin, saiditwas her kicks and demonstrated what she meant with legs thatalmost touched the ceiling.
Other dancers began to arrive and we shifted into warmupsfor practice.
Iwas nervous. After all, these women are known around the land as being incredible dancers, but in for apenny,infor apound —here Iwas, Imight as well give it my all.
Daniels led like abenevolent sergeant. She stood in front and asked me to stand beside her.Myhead was spinning almostasfast as Davis had earlier We stretched our arms, our shoulders, our necks —mine were the only ones that creaked Iwas hopeful no one could hear them. Then we went into leg stretches. Iwas feeling pretty good about things untilDaniels didsome pretzelmove—Ithink they all puttheir nosestotheir toes or some other wizardry. Pilates didn’tprepare me for that.
Once we were done stretching Daniels said, “Now,we’ll strut.” Talk about intimidating, but I was buoyed by the DancingDolls’ spirit. They wanted me to succeed. They wanted me to have fun. The encouragement was palpable. The first step in strutting is “doll hands” —avery particular way of holding one’shandsand part of most everydance sequence the teammakes.
Schools stillseekrepairfunds
Hurricane Ida caused $400Min damage 4years ago
BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer
When Hurricane Idatore through Jefferson ParishinAugust2021, it caused widespread destruction across the state’s largestschoolsystem, resulting in an estimated $400 million in damage.
Butas the fourth anniversary of the storm arrivedFriday, dozens of major repair projects —from roof replacementstorebuildinganentire school —had yet to get underway,much less be completed.Otherprojectsare
finished, but the federal government still hasn’treimbursedthe district for thecost, according to Jefferson Parish School Board member and Facilities Committee Chair Clay Moise. District officialsmostlyblame the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s lengthyfundingapproval processfor thedelay As of this month, FEMA has agreed topay foronly18ofmore than 100 projects for which the district has sought reimbursement, Moise said. FEMA did notrespondtoarequest for comment for this story, but an agency representative told TheTimes-Picayune last year that FEMAhas taken steps to simplify thereimbursement process
Also adding to thedelay have
been repeated revisions of project cost estimates anda dispute over Jefferson’sinsurance coverage, officials said. By contrast, some school districts, suchas nearby Lafourche Parish, have managed to navigate the federal reimbursement process and are well on their way to completing Ida-related repairs.
Meanwhile, Jefferson Parish students andstaffmust makedo withbuildingsstill damaged by the storm. Around 500 students at Fisher Middle-High School in Lafitte still attend classes at a temporary campus 40 minutes away from the damaged school building School Board memberStevenGuitterrezworriesthatthe yearslong delay is holding the district backfrom making other
building upgrades that will benefit students.
“I want to look forwaystoimprove facilities,” he said in an interview,“not still be working on Idarepairs.”
Around 700JeffersonParish school buildings sustained damage from Hurricane Ida’s 150-mph winds and heavy rains. Thefallout ranged from broken windows and mangled roofs to extensive damage at Fisher Middle-High School, which was declared atotal loss.
Some schools still waiting for repairs include: n Hearst Elementary School, which needscafeteriaroof repairs and updated insulation. Estimated cost: $1.3 million.
SONG & DANCE
ABOVE: Jason Williams, left, enjoysdancing with Adrienne Williams on Sunday during the Creole Renaissance Festival, held in Rayne at the Rayne CivicCenter RIGHT: Major Handyand Jude Taylor performatthe festival.
Expansionofhotel in Covingtondelayed
Southern’s owner pauses over economic outlook, butdowntown still booming
BYBOB WARREN Staff writer
The ambitious expansion of the Southern HotelindowntownCovington,whichheralded anew wave of development when it was announced in 2022, has been delayed.
Owner Lisa CondreyWardsaid she is pumping the brakes due to questions aboutthe economy and adesire to take another look at the expansion plans.
“It just feels like taking apause right nowisthe bestoption,” she said.
But, she added, that doesn’tmean she’sstepping away from theproject
“I feel like I’ve been treading water for the past two years andthat’snot my strong suit,” Ward said. “I wantthis building to last 200 years.
When the hotel’sexpansionwas announced, city officials andtourism leaders hoped the project would attract more visitors to downtown Covington. Arow of buildings in the 300 block
of NorthNew Hampshire Streetwas demolished to make way for the hotel expansion, and Ward aimed to begin construction in May 2024 on what was then a$12 million project with 25 new rooms, seven condos and space for retail andparking.
The new addition, dubbed the“Summer House,” will be near,but notconnected to, the existing hotel, which has acommanding presence at the hightraffic corner of EastBoston Street and North New Hampshire.
“At the beginning of this,wewere readytogoforward,” Ward said in a recent interview.“Theninterest rates moved up, and there Iamlooking at 9%. There was no end in sight.”
While Ward expectsinterest rates to come down abit, other questions about theeconomy remain. “What about tariffs? Whatwill that do to construction costs?”
“It’sstill trickytimes,” shesaid. “Talk toany developer.” Ward saidholding off for now will also give the management company she brought on in April to runthe Southern Hotel, Kentucky-based Tandem Hospitality, achance to weigh in on the expansion plans.
BYCOURTNEY PEDERSEN Staff writer
With the2025-26academicyear in full swing, the Calcasieu Parish School Board has seen its enrollment increase forthe fourth year in arow
Enrollment numbers from the week of Aug. 22 show thedistricthad 27,449 studentsinkindergarten through 12th grade, nearly 400 morefrom the same timelast year,according to anews release from the district.
“Weare ecstatic about the early enrollment numbers coming in here in our district,” SuperintendentJason VanMetre said in therelease.“We know the education we can offer here is unique, and we’re grateful that our families see the value in it as well. These numbers are promising as to what lies ahead forushere in Calcasieu.” The schools that saw the largest enrollment increase are S.J. Welsh Middle School with 49 more students, Prien Lake ElementarySchool with 46 morestudents, W.W. Lewis Middle School with 45 morestudents, Oak Park Elementary School with 44 morestudents and St. John Elementary School
PHOTOSByROBIN MAy
OPINION
OUR VIEWS
Coordination amongLa. portsislong overdue
It is good to see that the move byGov.Jeff Landry andthe Legislaturetoimprove coordination between Louisiana’sbalkanizedportsystemisbearing some initialfruit.
In July,the Port of South Louisiana,which has jurisdiction overaroughly 50-mile stretchof the Mississippi River between Baton Rouge and NewOrleans,signed an agreement to build a new $25.5 million deepwater dock inAscension Parish to serve the planned HyundaiSteel plant. The catch? The dock is on land owned by the Port of Baton Rouge.
For decades, amove byone Louisianaport to establish abeachhead in another’sjurisdiction would have spurred aheaded reaction that would have turned into apolitical fightatlocal and state levels. Louisiana’sports havelong been answerable only to local leaderswho ferociously guarded their parochial interests. But that is changing. Anew board,called the Louisiana Ports and Waterways Investment Commission,was created last yearbythe Legislatureand backedbyLandry.The commission’s job is to help the state’sports, especially the five major ones on the Lower Mississippi River, work together in acohesiveeffort to keep Louisiana at theforefront of thecargoindustryin the United States.
This is avery welcome development.The Port of New Orleans, Port of Baton Rouge, Portof SouthLouisianaand portsinSt. Bernardand Plaquemines parishes move almost one-fifthof the cargo that passes through the UnitedStates every year.That’sfar more than anyother Gulf Coast port. But that advantage is not assured. Increased competition from Houstonand other ports along the Gulf Coast has grown, especially as containershipping has increased in popularity and Louisiana has fallen behind. The hope is thatwith improved coordinationand dedicated statewide prioritizing, investment can be directed in astrategic way that helps maintain Louisiana’splace at thetop of thepecking order
Thenew dock in Ascension is the first indicator of the new arrangement’sworkability.The project was one of seven key ones identifiedby the commission for public investment. Others include a$70 millionplan to deepen the Houma NavigationCanal at the Port of Terrebonne and $95 million to improveroad infrastructure around Port Fourchon.
That doesn’tmean all is smoothsailing:The plan to put amassive container terminal runby the Port of New Orleans in St.BernardParish has spurred significant opposition fromresidents and local governmentofficials.Another play,byPlaquemines Port officials,toput a container facility in thatparish,isopposed by officials at the Port of NewOrleans. And there are many other related concerns thatstill need addressing Nevertheless, these first fewsteps toward a better strategy areagood sign. ForLouisiana to move forward as akey cog in the nation’scargo infrastructure, the old, fragmented port system needs to be in the rearview
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE
WELCOME.
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
Iwriteonbehalf of Second Harvest Food Bank, joined by past chairs Elizabeth Adler,Skye Fantaci, Andrew Favret,Jan Hayden, Ben Johnson, Robert Marks, Patricia Weeks, Bert Wilson and Roy Zuppardo, whose service coversmuch of its40-year history
Stephanie Reigel’sreport that the archdiocese plans to use $60 million from nondebtor groups, including Second Harvest,tosettle alleged sexual abuse by archdiocesan employees is shocking, considering Archbishop Gregory Aymond’s Feb.23letter to thefaithful, stating “no donor funds from Second Harvest have been used or will be used to fund …the bankruptcy proceedings.”Hereiterated this commitment in aMarch 5letter to stateRep.Aimee Adatto Freeman, promising that “no donor dollars have been or ever will be used for anything other than their intended purpose.” Every dollar donated to Second Harvest is for buying, storing and distributing food and investing tosustain those operations. Alldonations, whether from businesses, founda-
Every time Isee an article that compares the incomes of high school graduates against college graduates, Icringe. Most people believe college is worth it to be qualified for betterpaying jobs. The truthisthat no one knows themonetary value of college because no one has done theappropriatestudy
The appropriate study would be to select asizable group of people who can get into college, say 100 graduating high school students with suitable SATscores. Then give everyone $80,000. Now,randomly divide this
About the Israeli war with Gaza, most people either don’tknow or have forgotten aboutHamas attacking peaceful people at amusic festival, whereover 1,000 people wereattacked by terrorists whoparachuted over them. They shot everyone until they ran out of ammunition, then they pulled out the knives. The people of Gaza
tionsorindividuals —from the $25 million donation from MacKenzie Scotttothe $5 giftsfrom good people of Louisiana and elsewhere —were given to support themission of feeding the hungry.Noone has ever given money to Second Harvest to help settle thechurch’sbankruptcy claims or bail thearchdiocese outofits obligations. While we share theoutrage over the church’srecord of abuses, the funds held by Second Harvest are to alleviate hunger and cannot and should not be used to pay thearchdiocese’sobligations. Diverting one penny from Second Harvest is contrary to donors’ intent, Second Harvest’smission and ethical principles. Any attempt to do so ignores thearchbishop’spledges to his faithful community,todonors and to friends and neighbors whorely on Second Harvest Archbishop Aymondshould know our community is watching, hoping and expecting that his actions will be as good as his word.
NICK KARL boardchair,Second Harvest
group intotwo groups of 50 each. Onegroup can only spendthe money on college while the other group can spend themoney on anything but college. Follow thesepeople forseveral years and check their incomes. My guess is that the people who put theentire sum into the S&P until retirementwould do the best financially.Yes, some people go to college because they really want to study art history or play football or find a spouse.
JAYWIERIMAN
Metairie
elected Hamas as their leadership. So they are to blame. Hamas has been stealing the food that other countries have been sending there. Israel is defending itself from unspeakable crimes andviolence. They arejustified in whatever they do.
DAVID BASSHAM Houma
Iamconfused.A recent edition sported this headline:“Audit:Medicaidpaidfor dead patients.” Ithink amore appropriate headlinewouldhave been: Audit: Insurance companies kept themoney It appears LouisianaMedicaidmade routine payments to private insurers Seems to me that blamingMedicaid alonefor theoverpayment problemis unfair.I know, having experienced this following thedeathsofboth parents,that medical bills do come in several months after aperson dies, andinsurance claims mustbefiled.
Thus,Medicaidnot throwing someone off rolls immediatelyseems reasonable WhatI findegregious is theprivate insurance companies keeping themoney Why are our politicians not outraged aboutthat? Why is Medicaidthe sole culprit?Adding additionalsources to identify deceased clientsand automatically contacting insurers to recoup overpayments is probablyano-brainer forMedicaid. Every penny of thecurrentand futureoverpaymentsshould be returned by theinsurers withnodelay once identifiedbyMedicaidand insurers are notified. Politicians are painting Medicaidand its recipients as villains, claiming fraud andwaste, trying to pushpeopleoff by making theprocess arduous,ifnot impossible,for many,and forcing Medicaid employees intoa losing position by slashing staffand curtailing theirabilityto interact withclients. Most fraudidentifiedhas been perpetrated by providers Followthe money
ROSANNA MARINO Baton Rouge
Silly me. Iused to think allthe crazies wereonthe LeftCoast. Surprise, surprise, thecommies are taking over The BigApple.The transformation of the major political parties is quiteaswap of priorities andagenda
Thank goodness Ilive in south Louisiana, andhavea governor andcity-parish president withtheir heads screwed on tight.Too badI live in St.George, where people are moreinterested in free public schoolsthaninrighteousChristian schools, so that they can afford those fancybass boats instead of paying fora proper education fortheirkids.
CLIFF
MUGNIER St. George
COMMENTARY
KATRINA YEARS
EDWARD BUCKLES on CONNECTIONS
‘Katrina Babies’
As akid, normally,the first week back to school after summer break is full of excitement.Ican still picture myself carefully laying out myuniform on the bed, placing my brand-new tennis shoes underneath and staring at them in admiration,eager to reunitewithfriends. That week in 2005 began justlike any other: my cousins,friends andI were thrilled to be back. We walked intofreshly decorated classrooms, met ournew teachers and heard what theschool year would hold.
By Wednesday,everything shifted. News reports warned that ahurricane named Katrina had entered the Gulf, and we were suddenly in itspath.
It was my first year taking geology, and my teacher,Mr. Lewis,loved science. After the Katrina news broke, hescrapped his lesson plan and began teaching about hurricanes, specifically from New Orleans’ perspective. Onedetail from that lesson has stayed with me all these years: It was the first time Ilearned our city sat below sea level
Mr.Lewis compared NewOrleanstoa bowl. “If the right hurricane ever comes andthe levees don’thold,” he said, “this bowl will fill up like cereal.” The classroom erupted withnervouslaughter, but he ended on an optimistic note: “That’ll never happen. Don’tworry about it.” By the weekend,New Orleansnatives felt asense of relief when we learned the hurricane wasn’t coming ourway after all.Ispent that Saturday theway I usually did, at my cousin Tina’s house in the7th Ward, the hangout spot forall the kids in our family.Theyhad justmoved into anew house down thestreet, and it didn’ttake long for my cousinsand me to break into the neighborhood,running around and exploringfor hours. That night, as we waited for our parents to pick us up,we said goodbye to one another without realizinghow literalthat word would become in just afew days
We never made it back forthe second week of school. Mr.Lewis’ geologylessonhad become areality. The levees broke, and New Orleans filled like abowl of cereal, just as hehad warned.At13, I was abruptly uprooted from everything Iknew.Ispent therest of my teenage years separated from my family,many permanently displaced to Shreveport,
aboutfive hours away from home, while Icame of age in apost-Katrina New Orleans, searching for identity and purpose
At 24, after ahard and emotional conversation with CousinTina about her and herkids’ Hurricane Katrina experience, Ibegan my journey making “Katrina Babies,” exploring thenarratives of the children who lived through the storm. At the time, Iwas in adocumentary class where thetopic of “global appeal” came up often.Wewere constantly challenged to thinkabout how our work could reach notonly our own communities but audiences around the world.
Time andagain, my professors and even producers suggested Itake on a projectthe rest of the world would care about because “Katrina Babies”felt “too local.” But Iwas adamant: Iwas makingthis film for New Orleans. Ididn’t care whether it would resonate globally Ieven accepted that if the film never gainedfame or wasn’tconsidered a“success” because it was too New Orleans, then so be it. Iwas still going to makeit for us.
Three years ago, Idebuted that student projectonHBO as “Katrina Babies.”
Sincethen,the film has lived on anational platform, screened nearly 100 times across theUnited States and around the world, in places like Brazil, Puerto Rico andthroughout Europe. Despite what some professors and producers once thought, this journey has shown methat “Katrina Babies” isn’tjust aNew Orleans story. It is, in fact, aglobal one.
As Cierra Chenier,aBlack New Orleanshistorian and subject in the film once said when asked why the rest of the world should care about Katrina: “Because if it can happen in New Orleans, it can also happen in your backyard.”
In recent years, climate change and environmental disasters have dominated the headlines. Forestfires, tsunamis, hurricanes,Ihear echoes of Katrina in nearly everycrisis —especially when they affect marginalized communities. And in those moments,mydocumentary hasbecomeatool for education and reflection.
At thebeginning of 2023, Iwas invited to deliver akeynote address at the University of Michigan during asymposium
honoring Martin Luther King Jr., themed “The (R)evolution of MLK: From Segregation toElevation.” My task wasto draw parallels between my process of making “Katrina Babies” and King’smission. In that speech, Ishared: “IfIdidn’t know what racism looked like before Katrina, Idefinitely knew then. The reality is that hurricanes and other disasters only exacerbate theinequalities that already exist. As Dr.King once said, ‘We must see now that the evils of racism, economic exploitation and militarism are all tied together.’” I’d been eager to get to Flint, Michigan, to learnmoreabout thewater crisis. Afterward, theorganizers brought me to a small independent play aboutthe crisis, centered on mothers and children. Isat in the front row.During theQ&A, one of thecreators suddenly paused mid-sentence, pointed at me, and said, “You’re the‘Katrina Babies’boy? Y’all werethe first!Y’all werethe first with thewater crisis.” She went on to explain how watching my film pushed her to draw connections between Hurricane Katrina and Flint.
Not long after that, Princeton Universityhosted aconversationbetween me and anonprofit organization working to care for their youth in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico. Later,I was invited to screen “Katrina Babies” in Brazil, where organizers told me: “The film is of particular interest to us as we’re organizing aspecial program on colonization and racism (and one of its consequences: environmental racism). It brings very important issues that need to be discussed in Brazil, which suffers from structural racism.” Soon after,they asked to license thefilm andintegrate it into their national education curriculum. Ioften thinkback to that film class, when Ifelt anxious and discouraged to even pursue “Katrina Babies.” Ithought it wouldn’tsucceed, that it wouldn’t resonateoutside of New Orleans. But the opposite has proven true. The film has sparked conversations around the world. It wasn’twhat Iplanned when Ifirst picked up my camera. But as climate change and environmental injustice continue to devastate vulnerable communities, I’ve cometoaccept the responsibility.
NewOrleans filmmaker Edward Buckles highlights the culture and traditions of the city in hiswork He receivedwidespread acclaim forthe 2022 documentary, ‘Katrina Babies,’inwhich he featured the stories of young peoplelikehim whohad survivedthe storm.
Throughout August and September,weare featuring reflections on the 20th anniversary of hurricanes Katrina and Rita, two storms that changed Louisiana forever
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
NewOrleans filmmaker EdwardBuckles ontop of theMississippi River leveeinAlgiers. He made adocumentary years agocalled ‘Katrina Babies.’
RISHER
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After my hands were as set in “doll hands” as possible, Daniels showed me how to hike up my left hip and take the first step with my left foot —always the left foot first, she explained.
“Take each step like you’re wearing high heels,” she said. We went through afew practice runs. Then,we lined up in acorner of the room.
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with43more students.
While the district reported enrollment of 27,071 in August 2024, at the end of the 2024-25 school yearit had 26,799 students.
The growth in thisyear’s enrollmentshows an up-
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n Joseph Elementary School requires ceiling repairs in the teacher’slounge, men andwomen’srestrooms and some classrooms. Estimated cost: $43,000.
n Woods School needs asbestos treatment in the book room of the administration building and several classrooms. Estimated cost: $68,000.
The expected cost of manyprojects has grown considerably.Recently,the SchoolBoard approved budget increases for several Ida-related repair projects, including:
n Adams Middle School repairsare now budgetedat $1.8 million, up from about $349,000 in 2023.
n Woodland West Elementary School repairs are now budgeted at $1.4 million, up from about $547,000 in 2024.
n Haynes Academy for Advanced Studies repairs are now budgeted at $4.5 million, up from $3.3 million in 2023.
The largest and most expensive project is rebuilding FisherMiddle-High School.
In May,FEMA approved nearly $70 million for the project, which came after representatives from the districtand SchoolBoard took severaltripstoWashington, D.C., to appeal to Louisiana’scongressional delegation for help moving
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Covingtonconfidence
Covington Mayor Mark Johnson said the delay is unfortunate, but he’sconfident it will happen in time.
He’salso hopeful an expanded Southern Hotel will be acatalyst for more development in Covington’sdowntown, just as the 48-room, circa-1907 main hotel has been since it opened 11 years ago.
“Lisa Ward’srenovationof the Southern Hotel was sort of like takingMentos candy and putting it in acarbonated beverage,” Johnson said with alaugh. Even with the hotel expansion lagging,hepointed out thatdowntown Covington continues to see new investment. Ablock fromthe hotel,for instance, anew buildingis nearly complete on the site of theold Star Theaterat North NewHampshire and East Gibson streets. Patrick McMath, astate senator and one of the partners developing that building, saidheexpects it to be open and occupied by Thanksgiving. The building, a$5million-plus investment, he said, will include a ground-floor restaurant, a law firm, several otheroffices and awine and cocktail lounge with arooftop patio.
Therestaurant, Feliciana will be run by New Orleansbased BRG Hospitality, which operates several other restaurants, including Shaya, Domenica and August. BRG also runs Tavi, which is next
Jaheim’s “Just in Case” begantoplay, asong I didn’tknow, but even I couldrecognize that it had quite the beat One by one,individuals struttedacross theroom Eachdancer wentonthe next 8-count. Ibegan to sweat,but LailahBrown,the young lady from Atlanta in line behind me,truly hadmyback. She helped me count. She answered questions.Icould feel her cheering me on When Iwas up,Brown and Icounted eight beats together— and Idid my
ward trend over the past fouryears.
“While our enrollment is still not back to where it was before thestorms, we are excited to have an increase in our beginning of theyear count,” VanMetre toldThe Advocate. “As our region continues to recover from thesetbacks of fiveyears ago, we have seen aconsistent growth in enrollment.
the approval process along, Moise said.The newbuilding is expected toopenin fall 2028.
Moise said some less pressingunfinished projectsinclude replacing gas windows, whichare made of two panes of glass with gassealed insidetoimprove insulation. Construction crews willneedtopullout entire wallsatone school to replace the seals. Untilthen, thebuilding can remain in operation,Moise said According to Moise, FEMA’snotoriouslylengthy reimbursement processand issues with the district’s insurance coverage have set timelines back.
Some ofthe delayisdue to cost estimates that increased afteradditional damage was found, requiring FEMA to reapprove the projects, hesaid Patrick Jenkins, thedistrict’schief operations officer,said that while higher costshaveslowed projects down,theyensure schools getall thefixes they need “I knowwedon’tnecessarily like to have budgetincreases,” hesaid at arecent School Board meeting. But in allcases, “these budget increases are going to benefit students, as wellasthe district.”
Leaders of other school districtsalsosaid that FEMA’s lengthy and complicatedreimbursement process, alongwithstaff turnover at FEMA’s regional office, have driven repair
doortothe newdevelopment on New Hampshire Street.
“It’sgoingtobeabeautiful space,” McMath said. “We’ve really put alot of thought into it.”
More dining
On the corner opposite McMath’s building, another new restaurant, The Hampshire, recently opened its doors.
It’sdinner only now onTuesdays through Saturdays,but expects to add brunchand lunch hours in thecoming months.
“Covington is kind of booming right now,”saidJonathan Cimino, whoalong with chef Ryan Gall, opened the upscalesteak and seafood restaurant. “Wethink this is a great place to be.”
Thenew restaurant occupies aspace that was most recently usedasamaritime training center,and yearsbefore that was aSears store, Ciminosaid.The redevelopmentisinthe $1 million range
Rather than competing for customers, Cimino said he sees theaddition ofanother new restaurant in the downtown as aplus that will attract evenmorefoodies to Covington.
“People areexcited here, he said of the activity.“This is adestination.”
LOTTERY SUNDAY,AUG. 31, 2025
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best strut across the room. Clearly,mine did not compare to theirs, but Istrutted nonetheless. We strutted four times Then, we began to learn catch ons —little8-count dance elements. All told, I learned four catch ons and felt quiteaccomplished in doing so. When Iaskedhow many catch ons they have, no one knew the answer.Isaid, “Like 15? 20?” They laughed. “No, morelike over ahundred,” Daniels said. An hour flewby.
This increase means that we can continue to provide expandedopportunities for studentsthat will hopefully lead to even more students becomingpart of theCPSB family.”
In August 2023, the district had27,000 students enrolled. The number was 26,581 in August2022 and 25,400 in August 2021.
While August numbers
holdups. As the Trump administration seeks to downsize or even eliminatethe agency,some experts and districtleaders say they fear even longer delays. The entireprocessis“so complex and overwhelming,” saidJarod Martin, superintendent in Lafourche Parish, which sustained around $150 million in damage during Ida. Yet, his district is nearly finished navigating FEMA’s reimbursementprocess,receiving funding to complete over 30 projects,leaving only two stalled —schools the district deemed to be total losses thatneed to be rebuilt In Jefferson Parish,confusion over Jefferson’s insurance coverage also contributed toproject delays,Moise said.
Agency policy requires districtstocarry insurance plans that meet minimum requirements to be eligible
These ladies had real practice to attend, but the truth is thatIcould have stayedand danced all night —regardlessofthe absurdity of my efforts. In all my life, Idon’tknow if I’ve ever felt so uplifted. The Dancing Dolls gave me morethansteps and struts —theygave me joy,grace and areminder of what true sisterhood looks and feel like. It was, without question, about far morethan dancing.
Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com
from 2020 are not available due to storms, on Aug. 30, 2019, the district had 31,739 students.
The district also attributed thegrowth to an increase in housing in the area.
The School Board will submit official student counts to the Louisiana Department of Education following another enrollment check in early October
to receive FEMA money after adisaster.Like many Louisiana school districts,Moise said that JeffersonParish couldn’t afford therequiredlevel of coverage, so the district appealed to the state insurancecommissioner, who approved an abated $45 million to make up for thegap in coverage.
But years later,FEMA changed its stanceand said thedistrict had failed to follow astipulation that had required theagency to sign off on the insurance commissioner’sdecision. After district officials again asked federal lawmakers for help, FEMA dropped theissue, Moise said.
“Wewereinlimbo for months and months, wonderingiftheyweregoing to deny the entire claim,” Moise said. “It was really frustrating.”
Emily
EmilyAllendorph
Svendson, 85, passedaway peacefully at herlong-time home in Boulder,CO, surroundedbyfamilyonJuly 21, 2025, only six weeksafter shewas dancing to live bluegrass music.Born April 26, 1940, in Baton Rouge,LA, she was raised in thecountrywith an affinityfor horses, nature, andCajun culture.She met Douglass Svendson at LSU, married, andtogether had twosons, Douglass and David. Emilymoved with hersonsout west to Boulder,COinthe mid 70s and spentmost of thepast twenty years in Castle Valley, UT Shewas most alive camping for weeksata time in the Southwest or West coast,caring for her dogs andhorse,hiking dancing at music festivals with friends, strikingup conversations, reading a goodbook, visiting Louisiana or sharing good food andlaughterwith family. Many meals she shared with hergranddaughterwould eruptin laughter. Emilyloved a goodadventure andwould often findherself in situationsslightly beyondthe comfortlevel of herson David. Shedeeply valued theblack womenwho helped raise herand their culture,and speaking up for justice &equality. She will be remembered as loving, wild, fiercelyindependent andcompassionate. Sheispreceded in death by herson Douglass, her brotherHarry, herformer husband Douglass and manybeloved pets. Sheis survived by herson David andhis wife Sarah and theirdaughter Maya; her son Douglass' partner Isabelle andtheir son Matthias (of Paris); and numerousrelatives. Donationsinher honor may be made to local hos-
dancing at music festivals with friends, strikingup conversations, reading a goodbook, visiting Louisiana or sharing good food andlaughterwith family. Many meals she shared with hergranddaughterwould eruptin laughter. Emilyloved a goodadventure andwould often findherself in situationsslightly beyondthe comfortlevel of herson David. Shedeeply valued theblack womenwho helped raise herand their culture,and speaking up for justice &equality. She will be remembered as loving, wild, fiercelyindependent andcompassionate. Sheispreceded in death by herson Douglass, her brotherHarry, herformer husband Douglass and manybeloved pets. Sheis survived by herson David andhis wife Sarah and theirdaughter Maya; her son Douglass' partner Isabelle andtheir son Matthias (of Paris); and numerousrelatives. Donationsinher honor may be made to local hospice or animal rescue organizations.
West University Av‐enue,Lafayette,LA. Bids receivedafter theabove specified time foropen‐ing shallnot be consid‐eredand shallbere‐turnedunopenedtothe sender. Duetolimited meetingspaces, bidders are highly encouraged to jointhe meetingvia Zoom at https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/ 82364283611?pwd=OMC bX4gImEHTEJ5wIArthq7 Lb9632D.1.The Meeting ID is 823 6428 3611. The passcodeis479075. In accordance with Louisiana RS 38:2212 vendors maysubmit their bidelectronicallyat the websitelistedabove Biddingsdocuments are available to view only at the websiteabove.Ven‐dorsmay requestthe bid package electronically fromThomasMetrejean attgmetrejean@ lafayettela.gov Vendorssubmittingbids electronicallyare re‐quiredtoprovide the same documentsasbid‐PUBLIC NOTICE Advertisementfor Bids Noticeisherebygiven thata sealed bidwillbe
Svendson,
SADSACKS?
BY MATTHEW PARAS
Staff writer
Just two daysinto training camp, New
Orleans Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks found himself getting frustrated.
After apass breakup in the back of the end zone, cornerback Rejzohn Wright celebrated the play, taunted theveteran and engaged in just enough trash talk to get under Cooks’ skin So, in the swelteringheat, Cooks threw apunch.
Akerfufflebroke out,withteammates quickly interveningtobreak up the action. Later,aftertensionsdied down, Cooks revealed he had another reason for starting the fight.
“Everybody’sdoubtingus,” Cooks said, “so that’sthe type of fire we need.
Doubting the 2025 Saintsisa popular trend these days.
Read any offseason prediction, listento any football podcast or check any gambling odds and the Saints arepredictedto be one of the worst —if not the outright worst —teams in theNFL
ESPN ranked the Saints’projected starting lineup as theleague’sworst, and the franchise was dead last in the outlet’s future power rankings pollthatexamines every team’sthree-year outlook.
Desormeaux
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
UL coach Mic hael
Desormeauxsaid Monday he didn’thave an injury update on quarterback Walker Howard There is no prognosis and Howard’smobilityhas been limitedsince he gothurt late in Saturday’s 14-12 loss to Rice.
“Cannot,” Desormeauxsaid whenasked whether he could give an update on Howard’s condition. “As of (Sunday), he wasn’tmoving around very good, but no, not right now.”
As theRagin’Cajunsprepare for amuch-needed reboundperformance against McNeese State at 7p.m.Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium, Desormeaux may not
According to oddsmakers, the Saints notonly have thelongest odds to win the Super Bowl but their win total of 41/2 wins also is the team’slowest sincebefore 1989, the last year records are available.
At DraftKings,the Saintsare themostbetteam to finish with thefewest regularseason wins —and 91% of the handle has been on the Saintstohave under 51/2 wins External expectationsaren’thighfor coach Kellen Moore’sfirst season. But
worst team?Are theSaints really going to be that bad? Is it going to get so ugly that paper bags are broken out at the Caesars Superdomeagain?
Factoringinayoung quarterback room, arookiehead coach anda rosterintransition,the reasons for pessimism are easy to see. But to gain adeeper understanding of the situation, The Times-Picayune
have hisstartingquarterback.
“We’ll see where he goes from there,” Desormeaux said. “But yeah, practice is always important.” Desormeaux stillviews UL’s
spottypassing performance in theopenerasmoreofafluke than an issue. “If you’dhave told me that we were going to haveahard time playingpitch andcatch on some
of this stuff, Iwould’ve told you that you werecrazy,”hesaid. “I’ve seen it from spring all the way through …that was the last thingIexpected.” Redshirt freshman Daniel Beale replaced Howard after the injury.Last season, Beale had to enter the SunBelt championship game after Chandler Fields went down with an injury
“Daniel has been in twoofthe crappiest situations that you can possiblybeinasa young quarterback,” Desormeaux said. “The kid is areally good football player.He’sawinner We have tons of faithinhim. That guy has been in twoof the worst possible situations you could ever be in as ayoung quarterback, and that sucks for him “If he’sgot to
1-0.
That’sall you heard during this offseason concerning LSU football. That’sall you saw around the football complex.
There was a1-0 sign on the big video board at the indoor practice facility
ä Louisiana Tech at LSU, 6:30 P.M. SATURDAy,ESPN+
There were 1-0 signs in the weight room.And there werethe purple 1-0 T-shirts LSU players wore during pregamewarmups at Clemson on Saturday,all designed to hammer homeone critical point: Find away to start the season with avictory for the first timesince 2019. Mission spectacularly accomplished. No. 9LSU got the 17-10 winatNo. 4 Clemson in the first true top-10 road opener in LSU football history.It’s only LSU’ssecond season-opening topfive win, joining a2011 winbyNo. 4 LSU over No. 3Oregon 40-27 in Arlington, Texas. Everyone, including this writer,questioned Brian Kelly’smotivational tactics. Everyone doubted everything from the rebuilt offensive line to the previously porous defense. It wasanenormous gamble forKelly and his Tigers, and he knew it. “Weput ourselves out there forcriticism and ridicule if we didn’t” win, Kelly said Monday on “The Paul Finebaum Show”onthe SEC Network. When the doomsday drumbeat meets an unexpectedly positive result, it’sa reaction like molten lava from aHawaiian volcano tumbling into the cold waters of the Pacific Ocean. Suddenly, everyone is singing the Tigers’ praises, and the 1-0 mantra has becomeapart of LSU lore. ESPN college football analyst Heather Dinich said Monday that the Tigers should be No. 1inthe country when the new polls come out Tuesday (they won’t, but LSU may be in the top three). LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier,named Monday as the SEC offensive player of the week, is suddenly the Heisman Trophy betting favorite. CBS Sports writer Jerry Palm now projects LSU to not only be in the College Football Playoffbut also to get abye into the quarterfinals in the Rose Bowl.
It’s heady stuff,but the Clemson gameisover.Now LSU must look to the rest of the season. It wasagreat achievement forthe Allies to successfully establish beachheads in Normandy on D-Day.But if they hadn’t advanced from there across Europe, they wouldn’thave wonthe war Where do the Tigers go from here? Kelly is convinced he has the answer
“You keep moving on and doing your job,” he said. “That’swhat we’ll do. We’ve got agood football team, and we’ve got to keep them focused on the next week.”
This week, frankly,doesn’thold amajor fear factor.LSU opens its homeschedule Saturday in Tiger Stadium —excuse me, THE Death Valley —against aLouisiana Tech team projected to finish middle of the pack in Conference USA. The Tigers are a hefty 371/2-point favorite.
But the obstacles will come quickly on Louisiana Tech’sheels. There are six moreranked teams on LSU’s schedule: Florida in twoweeks, Ole
STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE
Saints wide receiver Brandin Cooks(10) scuffles after aplayduring training campinMetairie on July 24.
AP FILEPHOTO By BILL FEIG
Saints fans enjoypartofthe game against the St.Louis Rams while dressed in paper bagsinthe Superdome on Dec.12, 1999. The Saints lost 30-14.
Scott Rabalais
STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP
UL quarterbackDaniel Beale mayget more snaps Saturdaywith startingquarterback Walker Howard still hobblingafter getting injured against Rice last weekend.
WOMEN’S SOCCER
6p.m.
6p.m.U.S.Open, Quarterfinals ESPN WNBA
9p.m.Indiana
Osakaousts Gauff at U.S. Open
Shereaches her first majorquarterfinal since2021
BY HOWARD FENDRICH Associated Press
NEW YORK Naomi Osaka smiled before her U.S. Open showdown against Coco Gauff began Monday —and after it ended. Between points, Osaka patted her left thigh and quietly told herself, almost in awhisper: “Come on. Come on.”
Once the ball was in play, Osaka’sstrokes were loud and on-target, producing the sortof confident, consistent and powerswinging tennis that carried her to four Grand Slam titles and the No. 1ranking. In the biggest statement yet that she is back at theheight of her game, and arealcontender for the sport’shighest honors, Osaka eliminated Gauff 6-3, 6-2 in Arthur Ashe Stadium to reachher first major quarterfinal in more than 41/2 years.
“I was super locked-in, to be honest. Iwas reallylocked in,” said Osaka, a27-year-old who was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. with her familyatage 3.“I felt like everyone wanted to watch areally great match, and Ihope that’swhat you got.”
From her side, it certainly was.
The No. 23-seeded Osaka was better throughout than No. 3 Gauff,whose repeatedmistakes during atournamentthat’s been anear-constant struggle for her really made the difference. And Gauff’s body language was quite acontrast to Osaka’s. Gauff repeatedly would put her palms up or cover her face with ahand or gesture toward her team in the stands, looking confused or upset
On Wednesday,Osaka will face No.11Karolina Muchovaofthe Czech Republic for aberth in the semifinals. Muchova, the 2023 French Open runner-up anda semifinalist in New York thepast two years, advancedwith a6-3, 6-7(0), 6-3 victory No. 27 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine.
It was Muchova who got past 45-year-old Venus Williamsin three sets in thefirst roundofthis U.S. Open.
Against Gauff, Osaka displayed thedemeanor —and, importantly,the booming serve and other
strokes —thatcarriedher to hard-court Slam championships at theU.S.Openin2018 and 2020, and at the Australian Open in 2019 and2021.
It was at the French Openlater in 2021 that Osaka helped spark a global conversation about mental health by revealing she felt anxiety anddepression.She then took aseries of breaksfrom the tour
That most recent trophy at Melbourne Parkwas the last time Osaka had even madeitasfar as the fourth round at any major until this match against Gauff, a21-year-oldfromFlorida who ownstwo major trophies. The first cameatFlushing Meadows in 2023 and thesecondatthe French Open this June.
Osakareturned tothe tourlast season after a17-month maternity leave. Her child, Shai, was born in July 2023.
“I’ma little sensitive, and Idon’t want to cry,but, honestly,Ijust hadso much funout here,” said Osaka, who first played Gauff back atthe 2019 U.S. Open,alsoin Ashe, and won that one, too.
“I was in the stands like two months after Igavebirth to my daughter,watching Coco. Ijust really wanted an opportunity to
come outhere and play,” Osaka told thecrowd. “This is my favorite courtinthe world, and it means so much for me to be back here.” Gauff came out jittery at the start. Herproblematicserve was fine; other strokes were the problem. She finishedwith33unforced errors —way more than Osaka’s 12 Plus, Osaka’s serving andreturning were terrific.She won 32 of the 38 points she served —15 of 16 when first serves landed in —and never faced asingle break point. She also convertedall four break chances she earned. Trying to rework herserveduringthis tournament with the help of biomechanics expert Gavin MacMillan, Gauff got brokenright offthe bat and was down 2-0 after just five minutes, dropping eight of theinitialnine pointswhile making fiveunforced errors.
Swiatekrolls into quarterfinals
In other action, Iga Swiatek also rolledinto thequarterfinals, rallying from down 3-1 in the first set to beatEkaterinaAlexandrova 6-3, 6-1.
“Atthe beginning, Ifelt like she was playing really fast,” said Swiatek, who is seeking her second
U.S. Open title and seventh in a Grand Slam. “I wanted to find my rhythm, but later on Ireally felt like Iwas in my bubble and in my zone.”
Up next for Swiatek is either American Amanda Anisimova or Beatriz Haddad Maia of Brazil. “The girls play late, so there’sno point nowfor me to overthink who I’mgoing to play,”Swiatek said. “I’mjust going to see who wins, and that’sit. I’ll prepare.”
Rublev eliminated
On the men’sside, 25th-seeded Canadian FelixAuger-Aliassime advanced by defeatingAndrey Rublev 7-5,6-3,6-4 in amatch in Arthur Ashe Stadium that took just over two hours.
Auger-Aliassimewon for just the second time in nine career matchesagainstRublev,the No 15 seed whoslammedhis racket after losing apoint in the second set
“AsIwon the first set, Ifelt like Iwas in control of the match,” said Auger-Aliassime, who at age25isinthe quarterfinals of a GrandSlam tournament for the fourth time.”Good win considering our head-to-head, considering how good he is as aplayer.”
Colesbecamea hitmachine forCajuns
Editor’snote:This is part of a series leading into Friday’sUL Athletics Hall of Fame induction ceremony at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium.
BY DANMCDONALD
Contributing writer
Corey Coles went for more than ayear and barely picked up abat during UL baseball practice. He didn’tface live pitching in aRagin’ Cajun game until his next-tolast season. So how did the Lafayette native become the No. 2hitter averagewise in the history of the Cajun program and go on to hit over .300 in asix-year professional career?
“Some guys, they just have that hit tool that Corey had,” said Anthony Babineaux, aULassistant coach during Coles’ career and nowchief of staff forthe Cajun baseball program. “He had great bat-to-ball skills. He wasn’t abig home run guy,even though he hit afew duringhis career, buthe would put it in play andusually put it in play hard.”
Coles was part of the UL pitching corps in his first year and was afull-fledged two-way player in hisfinal two seasons. In fact, in his final year as acollegian, he collected four saves to lead the team and compiled a3.38 ERA.
But his prowess at the plate became his calling card. The former Comeaux High standoutled the Cajunsinhitting in each of his final two seasons in 2002 (.368) and
UL lost alot of position players to graduation, Coleswanted to get more involved.
in SunBelt playthatyear with 44 hits in 24 games, including 17 extra-base hitsand sixhomers.
FSUlinebackerincritical condition after shooting
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. AFlorida State linebacker is in critical but stable conditionafter being shotwhile visiting family,the Seminoles said Monday Ethan Pritchard, a6-foot-2, 224-pound freshman from Sanford, wasinintensive care at a Tallahassee-area hospital. He was shot Sunday evening while inside avehicle outside apartments in Havana, according to the Gadsden County Sheriff’sOffice.
“The Pritchard family is thankful for the support from so many people,aswellasthe carefrom first responders andmedical professionals, and asks that their privacy be respected at this time,” FSU said in astatement. “Further updates will be provided as they are available.”
Alabama WR remains in concussion protocol
TUSCALOOSA,Ala. Alabama wide receiver Ryan Williams could miss the team’s homeopener because of aconcussion.
Coach Kalen DeBoer said Monday that Williams remains in concussion protocol and is considered “day to day” as the No.8Crimson Tide (0-1)prepares to host ULMonroe (1-0) on Saturday Amember of thepreseason AP All-America team,Williams was helped off the field midway through the fourth quarter of a31-17 loss at Florida State on Saturday after his helmet slammed into the ground following his third dropped pass of the game. Florida State safety Earl Little was flagged for targeting on the play,but the penalty was overturned after review Williams finishedthe game with five receptions for30yards.
49ersreceiver Jennings returns to practice
SANTACLARA, Calif. San Francisco 49ers receiver Jauan Jennings returned to practice Monday forthe first time in morethan amonth in asign that he will be ready to start the season. Jennings leftpracticeearly witha calfinjuryonJuly 27 and hadn’tbeen on the field foranofficial practice with the team since then.Jennings wasalso seeking a new contract,but hasapparently returnedtothe field without thatin place as the team prepares forthe opener on Sunday at Seattle. Jennings is entering the final year of atwo-year,$15.4 million contract and is seeking alongterm extension before the regular season after coming offthe best season of his career
Vanderbilt women’shoops loses guard before season
NASHVILLE,Tenn.— Vanderbiltcoach Shea Ralph announced Monday that guard MadisonGreene will miss the season due to an injury suffered during practice last week.
2003 (.371), ayear in whichheled theteam in every offensive category.His 89 hits in 2003 and 85 in 2002 ranked third and fifth in UL history at thetime. Coleswas atwo-way player at Comeauxand agood one, making the Class 5A all-state team and honorable mention on USA Today’sAll-USA squad. He was one of coach Tony Robichaux’stop signeesin2000whenthe Cajuns advanced to Omahaand theCollegeWorld Series. In his first college season, though, Robichauxused him entirely as apitcher,working in 13 games and starting four in 2001. He only threw 33 inningsbut struck out 41 on the way to a3.27 ERA and a1-0 record. But when
“He came in andtoldusthathe could hitand play outfield, that he’d done that in high school,” Babineaux said. “Westarted working him as aposition player, andwesaw that his outfield skills werereally good. He was arunner,sohewas able to track down balls.
“More importantly,hejust picked up hitting after ayear or two like he’d never let go of the bat. He wasreally productive for us andbecame amainstay in the lineup.”
In his first gameasaposition starter,UL’ssecond game that season, he went3-for-4 anddrove in both Cajun runs against Texas A&Minthe Astros College Classic.Afterthat, he never came out of thelineup.
That first offensive year, he ledthe team in hits (85), triples (three) and stolen bases (24) along with that team-leadingaverage Those numbers helped UL finish 39-23 andearna spot in the NCAA BatonRouge Regional.
Thenextyear was even better. Along with his part-time pitching performance—four savesin10 appearances and 30 strikeoutsin 29 innings —hewas the lineup’s catalyst andled theCajuns in homers (nine), RBI (56), hits (89), doubles(18), triples(seven) and stolenbases (13). Although notknown as ahomerun threat, he tied UL’s school record with three homers against UNO during aSun Belt series when he went 10-for-14 withfour homers, nine RBIs and seven runs scored. That helped him hit .427
“That first year,LSU came here to play,” Babineaux said. “Leading up to that game, Corey started to struggle against left-handers, and we were about to start batting practice andknewwewerefacing alefty from LSU. Iremember tellinghim on the field that you haven’t been productive against leftieslately andhehad to pickit up or he may come outofthe lineup against left-handedpitchers
“He just said ‘yes, sir,’ and that night he hit ahuge three-run homer that kick-startedus. He was oneofthose guys that would take information andmakesomething productive outofit.”
Coles wasa two-timeAll-Sun Belt, two-time ABCA All-South Central and two-time All-Louisiana pick on his waytoafifthround selection by the New York Metsinthe 2003 draft. Overhis six pro years, he hit .304 andwas aleagueAll-Star pick in 2006 with theDouble-A St.Lucie Mets.
“When you can run like he could, youcan squeakout 20-30 hitsayear,” Babineauxsaid, “but it wasn’tjusthis speed. He made contact andhewas asmarthitter.”
After that pro career,Coles returned to UL and finished his degreerequirements
“That says alot abouthim as apersonand aman,” Babineaux said.“He hadlistenedall those years to Coach Robeand knew how much academics meant to him, and he wanted to come back and apply those lessons he learned in college and in pro ball andfinish that up.
“Madison is in great hands with our medical team,and we will fully support her through the recovery process andher returntothe court,” Ralph said in astatement. The 5-foot-6 guard fromColumbus, Ohio, started four of 33 games played last season and led theCommodores in scoring off the benchin15games.She averaged 6.8 points and 1.2 steals over 20.4 minutesplayedper game.As afreshman, she played 11 games before aseason-ending injury Vanderbilt went22-11 last season and lost to Oregon in overtime in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
Boxer who faced Ali and Frazierdiesatage 75 CARDIFF,Wales Joe Bugner, a heavyweight who took boxing greats MuhammadAli andJoe Frazier the distance in fights in the 1970s, has died. He was75.
The deathofthe Hungary-born Bugner,who was also aBritish citizen, wasannounced Monday by the British Boxing Boardof Control, which said he died at his care homeinBrisbane, Australia. Bugner was the European championwhenhefought Alifor the first time, in 1973, in anon-title fight in Las Vegas. Aliwon on points, and Frazier did the same five months later in afight in London. Acareer spanning 32 years ended in 1999, by which time he had relocated to Australia —where he spent the final years of his lifeina care home after being diagnosed with dementia.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH
Naomi Osakacelebrates after winning amatchagainst Coco Gauff during the fourth round of the U.S. Open on MondayinNew york.
Saints cutspecial teamsace Gray
BY LUKE JOHNSON and MATTHEW PARAS Staff writers
The New Orleans Saints made asurprising move less than one week before theykick off the2025 season, releasing veteran special teams standout J.T. Gray
“There’snothing easy about this one,” coach Kellen Moore said Monday.“It’sahard one for all of us.”
Gray had been with the Saints since 2018, making himone of the longest-tenured players on the roster.Hecarved out an important role duringhis seven seasons in New Orleans, makingone Pro Bowl and three All-Pro teams as a special teams ace.
Moore said his release came down to roster flexibility.Gray was acore special-teamer whorarely saw the field on defense.
With several players on both the physically unable to perform list and injured reserve, Moore said the fluidity of the rosterinthe early weeks of the season led to the move.
“Weknow the high-quality player that he is, the impact he’shad on thisorganization,” Moore said.
“He’sareally goodplayer.But as you play the roster management part of this over the course of this season and throughout the next few weeks, there’s alot of challenges associated with that.Itwas areally tough one for us to do.”
UL
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prepare his tail off,and he’sgoing to go play really good for us. Our kids believe in himand ourstaff believes in him.”
Bealeentered Saturday on the second play of UL’s final drive down 14-12 with less than two minutesto play.Inhis career,the BatonRouge native is 10-of-32 passingfor 98 yards with an interceptionand no touchdowns.
Desormeaux hinted during Sun Belt media days in Julythere were packages being worked on for redshirt sophomore quarterback Lunch Winfield, so perhaps that could be accelerated this week.
“Yeah, probably so,” Desormeaux said.“Thething with Lunchlast week was the plan was to play him some. The flowwas just neverreal good on offense, so it justdidn’t happen that way. Butyeah, that’s definitely going to be apart of it this week.” Winfield couldprovide some of the rushing Howard brings that Beale does not.
“Lunch bringsauniqueskill set, especially if it is Daniel —kind of some of the things thatWalker did that we saw that were really good —his ability to run, scramble, make plays, extend drives,” Desormeaux said. “You lose alittle bit of that. Lunch gives you some of that.
“But like Isaid, the plan was to get him in that rhythm alittle bit anyway,just becauseIthink he’s a little bit of aspark for the team.” Another big issue for the passing game was the offensive line getting beat in several key spots.One led to astrip-sack on Howard.
“Wehad aman corner to the field and we got beatinprotection one-on-one, which happens,” Desormeaux said. “The frustrating thing,truthfully,isthatit wasn’tthe stunts that got us. It was one-on-one, and it was guys that we know can do it, andwe got to execute better.” Desormeaux said his staffquestionedanintentional groundingcall and one of the two holdingflags on punt returns, but he saidthe holding calls on the offensive line were legitimate.
“There is urgency,and there’s a lot of demanding in it,but it can’t be demeaning,” Desormeaux said “It’sgot to be, ‘Hey,here’swhat we can do to fix it.’ Youtake atechnical approach to everything, and this is why it didn’twork, because we didn’tuse this technique
“So everyone in this building’s been challenged. We allhaveto do ourjobs alittle bit better and it starts with me.”
Desormeaux gets fans’ impatience after adeflating loss on the day the Cajuns’ renovatedstadium wasunveiled, but he insists his team hasn’tlost its focus.
“I know thecharacter that’s in our building,” he said. “I know how much these guys care about it. We’re going to work our tails off, and we’re going to get it fixed. This is going to be agood football team.”
Email Kevin Footeatkfoote@ theadvocate.com.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIAGERMER
Saints safetyJ.T.Graycatches aball during trainingcampinIrvine, Calif., on July 31, 2024. The Saints released Gray on Monday after he spent sevenseasons with the franchise.
“There’snothing easy about this one. It’sahard one forall of us.”
KELLENMOORE, Saints head coach, on releasing J.T. Gray
Gray was afour-time team captain. He has led theteam in special teamstackles every year since
2019,recording 89 on thoseunits
Gray also was credited with two kick blocks and threefumble re-
SAINTS
Continued from page 1C
spoketoawide range of experts on why—orwhy not —the Saints could beinfor abrutalseason when they begin Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Theoutlook wasn’trosy
“I think they’re going to be bad,” said Seth Walder,who specializes in sports analytics for ESPN.
“I don’thave aton of optimism about this team. Evenwhenyou look at it, if things go right, Ithink the best thing they have going for themisthe division theyplay in, theschedule that they face.
“But man, Idon’t —it’shard to feel optimistic about this team.”
Thequarterback
The biggestreason people don’t believeinthe Saintscenterson themost important position in sports.
JohnnyAvello, lead oddsmaker forDraftKings, said thesportsbook’sline for theSaints suffered atwo-gameswinginterms of their projected win total (from 61/2 to 41/2)after Derek Carr unexpectedly retiredinMay with a shoulder injury
“Itcertainly wasabig adjustment,” Avello said.
Carr’sdecision left the Saints with aquarterback competition between Spencer Rattler and rookie Tyler Shough —with neither option inspiring confidence to the outside view. Rattler won thejob comingout of camp,and the second-year quarterback will look to get intothe win column after going 0-6last year as astarter.
“I don’tthink you can be overly enthused about it,”RobertMaysofThe Athletic said.
“When you’re put into apositionlike this where you have a certain plan ofhow it was going to go, and then you’reforcedto adopt adifferent plan, the answer is nevergoingtobevery good. It’snever going to be something you’reexcited about.”
The Saints are turning to Rattler initially becauseheseemed a step faster than Shough throughout camp. Moore praised Rattler’s ability to balance his aggressiveness with sound decision-making. He also said Rattler is abetter player after undergoing a“challenging” rookieseason. Still, conventional thought suggests Shough will findhis way into thelineup at somepoint thisseason so the Saints fully can evaluatethe player they drafted40th overall.
Even if Shough does play,Mays pointed to the“checkered history”of second-roundquarterbacks as another reason to taper expectations. For everyCarr and Andy Dalton toemerge as solidstarters outofthe round, there’saWill Levis. Drew Brees is theoutlier,not the norm.
“Whether it’sRattler or Shough, Ithink you’reinthe conversation for worst starter in the league,” Walder said. Not every punditviews the quarterback situation as hope-
coveries on special teams.
Saints add3 players
The Saints added three players on Monday. The Saints signed undrafted rookiedefensive lineman CoziahIzzard to the practice squad, Moore said. Izzard, 24, spent the summer with the Kansas City Chiefs and played college football at Penn State.
Later in the afternoon, the Saints also reportedly came to terms with former Pittsburgh Steelerslinebacker Eku Leota and former Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tommy Mellott.Both also weresignedtothe practice squad.
Leota, now in his third NFL season, has appeared in 11 career games. The 26-year-old spent his first seasonwith the Carolina Panthers and spent last year with the Panthers and Steelers.
Mellott, 23, moved from quarterback to wide receiver after he was drafted in the sixth round by the Raiders in the spring, potentially giving the Saints a Taysom Hill-like option on the practice squad.
Izzard is listed at 6-foot-3 and 294 pounds. He played defensive tackle in college, appearing in 50 games with seven career starts, 78 tackles and nine sacks.
The Saints added another defensive lineman after minor injuries upfront. Khristian Boyd,who made the 53-manroster,isdealing with
less. Louis Riddick, aformer safety andcurrent ESPN analyst whowas also afront officeexecutivefor two NFL teams,said there shouldn’tbearush to judge Shough. He said Moore hasthe coaching background to help his quarterbacks succeed.
Riddick said even withthe unknowns, he’s “more optimistic” than most on the Saints.
“Kellen —being so even keel like he is, having played the position at asuper-high level when he was in college and having tutored these guys in theleague like he has —Ithink if you’reayoung quarterback,you’re like,‘That’s exactlywhatIwant,’ ”Riddick said.
Theoffensive line
The Saints essentially are making three big bets along the offensive line.
Theyare counting on firstround rookie Kelvin Banks to pan out at left tackle, Trevor Penning to benefit from aswitch to guard, and 2024 first-rounder Taliese Fuaga to thrive by moving back to right tackle, the spot he dominated at college
“The floor is reasonably high,” said Brandon Thorn, an offensive line expert. “I think the talent is pretty good. And then their ceiling, Ithink they havea lotofroom to grow.”
“I look at thetackles andI think, ‘Here’sareal swing point for this team,’ ”Waldersaid
Walder said rookie tackles, even those pickedinthe top 10, are often “below average” starters, pointing to howevenAndrew Thomas of the NewYorkGiants struggled at first before developinginto an All-Pro. Even Fuaga, wholeft theSaints encouraged by his debut season,ranked57th out of qualifying tackleswitha passblock win rate of 84%, according to ESPN.
Could Banks be the exception? His preseasonwas promising. He shut down premier pass rushers such as Josh Hines-Allen and Travon WalkerofJacksonville. According to Pro FootballFocus, the21-year-old didn’tallow apressure on 31 preseason pass-rushing snaps.
Depthisaconcern.DillonRadunz is already starting at left guardinplace of an injured Penning, whoseturf toe injury may keep himout of Sunday’sopener
The Saints also have traded for two backups andclaimed another guard off waivers after injuries hittheir depth hard in the preseason.
Riddick said he’s concerned about the offensive line, in part because he wonders whether it can protect the quarterback and make hislife easier by being afactorinthe rungame. The O-line has to help New Orleansavoid being one-dimensional, he said
“They’vegot to find away to make that unit be atop-10 unit,” Riddicksaid. “They just have to Otherwise, you have no shot, especially withaquarterback situation that’sasuncertain as theirs.”
Thedefense
The hiring of Brandon Staley as
ahand injury after getting hurt in the final preseason game against the Denver Broncos. John Ridgeway also landed on injured reserve with apec injury,though he’seligible to return after he misses the first four games. With three expected signings, the Saints will have to open up a space on their practice squad. The team also has an open roster spot after releasing Gray Gold is back
The Saints will begin anew-look era forthe 2025 season with anew look.
The Saints announced Monday they’ll wear theiralternate gold uniforms forSunday’snoon kickoffagainst the Arizona Cardinals at the Caesars Superdome.
The look includes the “Gameday Gold” that’slighter than the Saints’ traditional gold pants, paired with black numbers and trim and black pants. Thehelmets arealsoblack, with the gold fleur de lis on the sides —plus dozens of mini fleur de lis forming the stripe downthe middle.
It’s the first timeinrecent memory the Saints haven’tworn either their traditional homeorroad uniformsfor their opening game. Saints editor Zach Ewing contributed to this report.
Email Luke Johnsonat ljohnson@theadvocate.com.
defensive coordinator has been generally well-received.
Defensivelinemen have raved about the “freedom”his scheme allows. Defensive backsbelieve Staley’suse of match-zoneprinciplesbetter suitstheir strengths Andpundits see Staley as asharp defensive mind, dating to the2020 season whenhecoordinated the league’s No. 1defense withthe LosAngeles Rams.
Butdoes Staley have the pieces to execute this system?
“I just don’tknow how many building blocks this team hasdefensivelythatare also suited for this defense,” Mays said. TheSaints invested asignificant amount of resources this offseasontoretool theirdefense. They traded forDavon Godchaux, giving Staley abig nose tackle.
Theysigned safety Justin Reid (three years,$31.5million)and re-signed edge rusher Chase Young (three years, $51 million) to notable contracts. Five of the team’snine draftselections were on defense.
Safety JulianBlackmon was alate additionafterTyrann Mathieu retired.
But the Saints have seven eight if the defense opens in a base look —ofthe same11defensive startersreturning from last year.Thatwas aunit that ranked 30th in yardsallowed,27th against thepass and31stagainst therun.
“Chase Youngisasolidpass rusher,but you’re notreallyexpecting aton elsewhere,” Walder said. “It’spretty hard to look at this defenseand feel like,‘Oh wow,that’sgoing to be super disruptivetoopposing quarterbacks.’ ” Mays said the defense is in transition in scheme and personnel.
Lastyear,according to FTN Fantasy,the Saints had the NFL’s fourth-oldestdefense in terms of snap-weightedage This season, cornerback KoolAid McKinstry and defensive lineman Bryan Bresee are the only startersunder26— unless rookies like QuincyRiley, Danny Stutsman and VernonBroughton can become starters.
Thatexperience is not necessarily anegative. Just look at pastSaints defenses that were considered old and dominated theleague. But age is still afocal point given the unit’sstruggles last year and Staley’stakeover of thegroup.
“It’s undeniably going to feel a little bit uneven, and it’snot even close to being the full or final picture of what it’s supposedto(be),” Mays said. “It’sa group where youcan getby, but it’s nothing that you can get excited about.”
Otherfactors
Are the Saints really going to be theworstteaminthe league? The answer depends on other teams, too. The Cleveland Brownshaveasmuch —ifnot more—ofanunsettled quarterback situationasthe Saints, seemingly putting them in the mix for the No. 1pick. The New York Giants, New York Jets and Indianapolis Colts have murky
answers at quarterback, even if punditssee theirrosters as betterthanthe Saints.
Still,how often does theteam thought to be the league’sworst actually end up finishing as such?
It’s amixed bag. Walder said three of thelast fiveteamsthat started the season ranked last in ESPN’s Football Power Index finishedthere:The 2024 Carolina Panthers, the 2022ChicagoBears andthe 2020 Jaguars.
But Walder called that an “unlucky” sample size. And even in that case,those ranked last in FPI didn’talways land the No. 1 pick. Last year’sPanthers, for instance, finished5-12, earning the eighth pick.
The bettingmarket isn’talways aguarantee, either. According to ProFootballReference,those pickedwiththe lowest over/ under win total endedupwith theworst record onlytwice the 2020Jaguars and the 2016 Browns —overthe last 10 drafts Every so often, ateam blows expectations out of the water Just askthe Saints.
The 2006 season,with Brees and Sean Payton arriving and leading New Orleans to the NFC championship game, is aprime example. But don’toverlook 2000. Jim Haslett, also afirsttime head coach, led the Saints to aworst-to-first finish.
“Sometimes you catch lightning in abottle,” Saintsgeneral manager Mickey Loomis said, noting theimportance of chemistry andbuying in. “Teams can do that. Thatall happens during thecourse of theoffseason and training camp. And then you have to stay healthy,too. Listen,health is areally important factor.”
The Saints werehit so hard withinjurieslast year that perhaps NewOrleans’ talent is overlooked.Mays, despite his lack of optimism on the season,saidhe sees the offense’s “infrastructure”asunderrated. Walder said he feelspeople have “forgotten” howgood Chris Olave is after several concussionskepthim out for most of last year
On paper, the Saints also have oneofthe easiest schedules, as their opponents combined for a .419 winpercentage last season. Avello saidthat, plus an open NFCSouth, couldbewhy the Saints exceed expectations.
The Saints mainly have avoided settingexpectations. Loomis, who often resiststhe ideathe franchise is rebuilding, did acknowledge his team is in “transition” with afirst-year coach andnew quarterback. He said he sees adifferencebetween “expectations” and “aspirations,” the latter of which still involves striving to winthe divisionand as many gamesaspossible. But what does Loomis make of so many people being down on the Saints?
“I don’tpay attention to that,” Loomis said. “That’sother people, mostofthem unqualified, making those comments.”
Email Matthew Parasatmatt. paras@theadvocate.com
New faces put smile on Hurricanes
BY TIM REYNOLDS AP sports writer
CORAL GABLES, Fla. — Miami’s new faces made quick first impressions At this time last year, Miami quarterback Carson Beck was at Georgia. Wide receiver CJ Daniels — he of the spectacular onehanded grab for a touchdown Sunday — was at LSU. Running back Marty Brown was at North Dakota State, kicker Carter Davis was at Florida Atlantic and wide receiver Malachi Toney was in high school. They didn’t waste any time making an impact for the Hurricanes, all playing big roles and combining to account for all of No. 10 Miami’s scoring in its 27-24 win over No. 6 Notre Dame on Sunday night in the opener for both teams. The Hurricanes likely will rise a bit in the AP Top 25 poll that comes out Tuesday “Now they know,” Beck said. “I tried to tell people, but they don’t tend to believe what I say That’s fine Actions speak louder than words.” Beck passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns. Daniels and Toney had scoring catches. Brown had Miami’s lone rushing touchdown, and Davis — who missed six of his last eight field goal tries at
RABALAIS
Miss, South Carolina, Texas A&M, Oklahoma and, probably, Alabamah-ha-ha-ha (sorry but the Crimson Tide’s smackdown by Florida State on Saturday was pretty amusing). There’s also the trip to Vanderbilt. Potholes on LSU’s road to the CFP are everywhere.
Speaking of Alabama and the coach its fans wish they still had, Kelly quoted Nick Saban to describe what his Tigers must do next.
“We’ve heard for many years about the rat poison from Nick,” Kelly said. “You can’t eat the rat poison. To me, more than anything else, you address that with your team. You say, ‘Look, here’s the deal: The challenge will be us. The challenge is us each and every week. That’s staying with our process, staying locked in on the things we have done so well.’ ” Kelly said staying within themselves and staying in control were part of Tigers’ successful formula on Saturday
AP PHOTO By PETER JONELEIT
Miami Hurricanes wide receiver CJ Daniels makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Notre Dame on Sunday in Miami.
pionship game. On a bigger stage Sunday night, he looked right at home.
“I felt confident,” he said. “It was nothing new to me.”
Toney reclassified to be part of Miami’s 2025 high school signing class, and he led the Hurricanes with six catches (on 10 targets) for 82 yards against the Fighting Irish, a team with what is generally considered to be an elite defense.
“We were trying to keep him a secret,” Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. “But it didn’t take long, right?”
There were tons of questions about Miami coming into Week 1.
but the Hurricanes knew they needed players to catch his passes and Daniels who started at Liberty, then went to LSU for 2024 — was a huge part of the shopping spree there.
“I’ve been chasing CJ for two years,” Cristobal said. “Every time he enters the portal, man, I miss him. We finally got him. And what a play he made. Unbelievable.”
Daniels was hurt when he got to Miami and needed time to recover from a foot injury But he began making an immediate impact anyway, and what he did on Jan. 16 with nobody watching was probably just as critical as what he did on Aug. 31 with a sold-out stadium and national TV audience watching.
FAU over the past two seasons — was 2 for 2 on field goals in his Miami debut, including the 47-yarder with 1:04 left that provided the final margin. He became the first Miami kicker to deliver a gamewinner against Notre Dame. Brown shared team-high honors in carries with returnee Mark Fletcher both getting 15 handoffs from Beck. Brown’s first Miami touchdown put the Hurricanes up 21-7 midway through the third quarter, and he got all six carries — for 22 hard-earned yards and two first downs that kept the clock moving on the drive that set up Davis’ winning kick.
Brown had been part of big games before: North Dakota State won its 10th FCS national crown last season and he had what basically was the title-sealing TD run with 2:41 left in that 2024 cham-
The Hurricanes lost No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward to the NFL after he spent his lone Miami season rewriting the school’s quarterback record book. The school’s all-time receiving leader Xavier Restrepo graduated, and all six receivers who had more than 10 catches in 2024 aren’t on the 2025 roster Running back Damian Martinez who had teamhighs of 1,002 yards, 10 rushing TDs and 159 carries last year — also is gone.
In the transfer portal era, big holes on rosters can be filled quickly and Miami excels in the portal. Beck was the biggest get,
The result was an offense that overcame two first-half turnovers and a defense that held
SCOREBOARD
Texas at Arizona, 8:40 p.m. Pro tennis US Open results Monday At USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center New York Purse: $31,620,000 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Singles Fourth Round Alex de Minaur (8), Australia, def. Leandro Riedi, Switzerland, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1. Felix Auger-Aliassime (25), Canada, def. Andrey Rublev (15), Russia, 7-5, 6-3, 6-4. Lorenzo Musetti (10), Italy, def. Jaume Munar, Spain, 6-3, 6-0, 6-1. Women’s Singles Fourth Round Iga Swiatek (2), Poland, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova (13), Russia, 6-3, 6-1. Naomi Osaka (23), Japan, def. Coco Gauff (3), United States, 6-3, 6-2. Karolina Muchova (11), Czechia, def. Marta Kostyuk (27), Ukraine, 6-3, 6-7 (0), 6-3. Men’s Doubles Second Round Kevin Krawietz and Tim Putz (4), Germany, def. Cooper Williams and Theodore Winegar, United States, 7-6 (7), 7-6 (3) Adam Pavlasek, Czechia, and Jan Zielinski, Poland, def. Lucas Miedler, Austria, and Francisco Cabral (12), Portugal, 6-4, 6-4. Michael Venus, New Zealand, and Yuki Bhambri (14), India, def. Gonzalo Escobar, Ecuador, and Miguel Reyes-Varela, Mexico, 6-1, 7-5. Marcel Granollers, Spain, and Horacio Zeballos (5), Argentina, def. Mackenzie McDonald and Ethan Quinn, United States, 6-2, 6-2 Matej Vocel and Tomas Machac, Czechia, def. Mate Pavic, Croatia, and Marcelo Arevalo-Gonzalez (2), El Salvador, 5-7, 7-6 (4), 7-5 Fabien Reboul and Sadio Doumbia (15) France, def. Marcelo Melo and Rafael Matos Brazil, 6-3, 6-4.
Maximo Gonzalez and Andres Molteni (10), Argentina, def. Jean-Julien Rojer, Netherlands, and Cleeve Harper, Canada, 6-2, 6-4. Women’s Doubles Third Round Timea Babos, Hungary, and Luisa Stefani (11), Brazil, def. Xu Yifan and Zhaoxuan Yang, China, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Diana Shnaider and Mirra Andreeva (5), Russia, def. Shuko Aoyama, Japan, and Wang Yafan, China, 7-5, 6-2. Gabriela Dabrowski, Canada, and Erin Routliffe (3), New Zealand, def. Nicole MelicharMartinez, United States, and Cristina Bucsa (13), Spain, 6-4, 6-2. Asia Muhammad, United States, and Demi Schuurs (7), Netherlands, def. Aleksandra Krunic, Serbia, and Anna Danilina (9), Kazakhstan, 6-2, 4-6, 6-4. Venus Williams, United States, and Leylah Annie Fernandez, Canada, def. Zhang Shuai, China, and Ekaterina Alexandrova (12), Russia, 6-3, 6-4. Sara Errani and Jasmine Paolini (2), Italy, def. Fanny Stollar, Hungary, and Fang-Hsien Wu, Taiwan, 6-1, 2-6, 6-3. College football Sunday’s games South Carolina 24, Virginia Tezch 11 Miami 27, Notre Dame 24 Monday’s game TCU at North Carolina, n Auto racing NASCAR statistics Cup Series points leaders Through Aug. 31 1. Chase Briscoe, 2070. 2. Denny Hamlin, 2067. 3. Kyle Larson, 2062. 4. Tyler Reddick, 2059. 5. William Byron, 2049. 6. Bubba Wallace, 2049. 7. Ryan Blaney, 2046. 8. Ross Chastain, 2045. 9. Austin Cindric, 2036. 10. Christopher Bell, 2035. 11. Chase Elliott, 2033. 12. Shane Van Gisbergen, 2027.
13. Joey Logano, 2024. 14. Austin Dillon, 2019. 15. Josh Berry, 2008. 16. Alex Bowman, 2008. 17. Chris Buescher, 682.
Ryan Preece, 643.
Brad Keselowski, 537.
Jan. 16 was the day that Beck walked into the Miami facility as a Hurricanes player for the first time The first teammate he met was Daniels. The click was immediate.
“We looked at each other and we just knew that what we had was about to be special,” Beck said. “Never met the kid. Obviously, I’d heard of him, very talented. But it was just this look of respect and knowing we had the talent and the guys to do this.”
team since a 37-10 win over No 4
Georgia in the 2019 SEC championship game.
“Our team didn’t play angry” at Clemson, Kelly said. “They played aggressive. They could have been angry and emotional and out of control, doing crazy things based on what people were saying about them, but they didn’t do that. And they can’t do that when they’re saying great things about you. You have to remove that and focus on what’s important, which is your preparation on your opponent so you can go 1-0 (again).”
LSU showed it assembled talent with this year’s $18 million roster The Tigers showed they could play like a team. They also showed maturity to deal with the pressure of a huge game in one of the most hostile environments in college football.
That maturity now has to carry LSU through the rest of the season. Expect to win, but don’t believe you have arrived. Given all of the doubters the Tigers have had, that may not be so difficult of a task.
Clemson to 31 yards rushing. It was the fewest rushing yards allowed by the Tigers since they
gave up 6 in a loss at Bama in 2021,
AP PHOTO By JACOB KUPFERMAN
LSU linebacker Harold Perkins plays in the first half against Clemson on Saturday in Clemson, S.C.
WWII Museum marks 80th anniversary of V-J Day
Staff report
Tuesday marks the 80th anniversary of the Allied victory over Japan, and The National WWII Museum will commemorate the event with a presentation about the end of the cataclysmic war
“The Surrender of Japan: Orchestrating the End of the War” will be a presentation by retired Army Col. Michael S. Bell, Ph.D. who serves as the executive director of the museum’s Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy
The presentation will take place in the museum’s Freedom Pavilion at 11 a.m.
Though the hostilities ended Aug. 15, 1945, when Emperor Hirohito addressed his people via radio the official surrender (V-J Day) was Sept. 2, ending two weeks of tense negotiations with the Japanese military The formal surrender occurred on the deck of the USS Missouri.
The events saw the end of the war responsible for the deaths of more than 400,000 American servicemembers and an estimated 65 million people worldwide. It also ushered in the use of atomic weapons.
Bell will recount stories of the protocol and procedures orchestrated by U.S Gen. Douglas MacArthur, who accepted the surrender on behalf of the Allies, offering a behind-thescenes look at the official end of the last remaining theater of war
Black Cowboy JOY
Houston.
‘Boots on the Ground’ line dance has quickly become a staple at African American reunions, weddings, parties and cookouts
BY GARY GERARD HAMILTON Associated Press
NEW YORK When Tre Little twostepped in his cowboy boots at the BET Awards preshow this summer, he was overcome with joy and gratitude.
“I used to watch this on TV every year, and I’m now performing,” said the 22-year-old Atlanta-area resident.
“I started crying tears of joy.”
He joined Southern soul singer 803Fresh to perform his massive viral hit, “Boots on the Ground.” Released in December the trail ride-inspired song and accompanying line dance have become an anticipated moment at African American gatherings, like family reunions, weddings, graduations, parties and cookouts.
The “Boots on the Ground” dance, which includes the rhythmic clacking of folding hand fans as the South Carolinian belts “Where them fans at?,” was created by Little during a work lunch break. After hearing a snippet on TikTok, he played around with a routine and posted it, without much thought
“I usually get my little six views from my family I took a nap and when I woke up, it was at 100K,” said Little, who is now in demand nationwide teaching line dance classes and hosting events. He has even been approached to create new dances. “It’s bringing people together to do a dance and share laughter.”
Beyoncé incorporated the dance into her record-breaking “Cowboy Carter” tour, and former first lady Michelle Obama and Shaquille O’Neal have publicly participated. Popular line dances are not a new phenomenon, but several factors made this song, which hit No. 1 on both Billboard’s adult R&B airplay and R&B digital song sales charts, spread at an unprecedented pace.
“With the new energy toward country music and trail ride music and African Americans’ presence in it, I think that opened up America’s eyes to what we’ve been doing down in Louisiana and Texas and Mississippi and Alabama for years,” said recording artist Cupid, known as the Line Dance King and creator of the popular “Cupid
ä See BOOTS, page 6C
Massive mountain park celebrates dog-human bond
BY AMANDA SWINHART Associated Press
ST JOHNSBURY, Vt. — Anne Pace has been hearing about Dog Mountain for years, but until earlier this month, had never made a trip to the park.
“I really wanted to see this place,” she said, during a visit to the grounds with her 1-year-old border collie, Tam. “I put a note up for my previous border collie. He was my best buddy.” Set on 150 acres tucked away on a hillside in St. Johnsbury, Vermont, Dog Mountain has become a destination for dog lovers looking to explore nature, take in art, or pay tribute to a pet. The park was created 25 years
ago by Vermont folk artist Stephen Huneck and his wife, Gwen, and features hiking trails, swimming ponds, an art gallery and a Dog Chapel where visitors can add to the thousands of photos and notes to pets that cover the chapel walls.
“It is absolutely breathtaking. That’s a lot of love when you think about each picture that’s here,” said Vanessa Hurley, who was visiting with her husband and two dogs from Ohio. “Dogs and cats both, they just bring so much enjoyment to our lives,” she said. Inspired by the bond he shared with his dogs, Huneck wanted to create a space where other animal lovers could celebrate their beloved pets, gallery manager Pam McCann said.
“Dog Mountain is really a pilgrimage place and a sanctuary,” she said.
Huneck’s sculpture, prints and furniture are featured in the gallery and scattered throughout the park, including inside the chapel he built himself. With black labs and golden retrievers carved into the ends of each pew and images of his own dog, Sally, in the stainedglass windows, his love of dogs is evident in every detail. Scott Ritchie and his wife, Julie, have been traveling the country in an RV with their three large dogs and thought Dog Mountain would be the perfect place for them to stretch their legs They enjoyed
Shuffle”
AP FILE PHOTO By ERIC CHRISTIAN SMITH Beyoncé performs during halftime of an NFL football game between the Baltimore Ravens and Houston Texans on Dec. 25 in
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN LOCHER
Bryson ‘Cupid’ Bernard, a native of Lafayette, is known as the Line Dance King and creator of the popular ‘Cupid Shuffle.’
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By AMANDA SWINHART Visitors enter the Dog Chapel at Dog Mountain, a 150-acre dog park created by Vermont folk artist Stephen Huneckin in St. Johnsbury, Vt.
FILE PHOTO
In this Sept. 2, 1945, file photo, then Japanese Foreign Minister Mamoru Shigemitsu signs Japanese Instrument of Surrender, a document signed on the deck of the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Japan.
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE Michael S Bell here giving a tour of the Liberation Pavilion at The National WWII Museum, will present ‘The Surrender of Japan: Orchestrating the End of the War’ at 11 a.m. Tuesday.
Allthe single ladies aresickofthisquestion
By The Associated Press
Today is Tuesday,Sept. 2, the 245th day of 2025. There are 120 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On Sept. 2, 1945, Japan formally surrendered in ceremonies aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay,ending World WarII. Also on this date:
In 1666, the Great Fireof London began, which would destroy more than 13,000 homes and hundreds of additional structures, including St Paul’sCathedral, over the ensuing three days.
In 1789, the United States Treasury Department wasestablished.
In 1864, during the Civil War, Union Gen. William T. Sherman’sforces occupied Atlanta.
In 1935, aCategory 5hurricane slammed into the Florida Keys on Labor Day,claiming more than 400 lives.
In 1958, President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the National Defense Education Act, which provided aid to public and private education to promote learning in such fields as math and science.
In 1963, Alabama Gov George C. Wallace prevented the integration of Tuskegee High School by encirclingthe building with state troopers. In 1969, in what some regard as the birth of the Internet, two connected computers at the University of California Los Angeles, passed test data through a15-foot cable.
In 1998, aSwissair MD-11 jetliner crashed off Nova Scotia, killing all 229 people aboard.
In 2005, aNational Guard convoy packed with food, water and medicine rolled into New Orleans four daysafter Hurricane Katrina.
In 2013, on her fifth attempt, U.S. endurance swimmer Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without the helpofa shark cage.
In 2018, ahuge fire engulfed Brazil’s200-year-old National Museum in Rio de Janeiro, as firefighters and museum workers raced to savehistorical relics.
In 2019, afire swept avessel carrying recreational scuba divers that was anchored near an island off the Southern California coast; the captain and four other crew members were able to escape the flames, but 34 peoplewho were trapped below died.
Today’sbirthdays: Former United States Olympic Committee Chairman and former Major League Baseball commissioner Peter Ueberroth is 88. Football Hall of Famer Terry Bradshawis77. Basketball Hall of Famer Nate Archibald is 77. Actor Mark Harmon is 74. Tennis Hall of Famer Jimmy Connors is 73. Football Hall of Famer Eric Dickerson is 65. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is 63. Actor Keanu Reeves is 61. Boxing Hall of Famer Lennox Lewis is 60. Actor Salma Hayek is 59.R&B singer K-Ci is 56. Electronic music DJ/producer Zedd is 36.
PARK
Continued from page1C
it so much on their first visit, they decided to come back the nextday
“It’svery rare you see something like this anywhere. We’ve been traveling all over theU.S. for five and ahalf months. Just abeautiful area,” he said McCann says the park was made for visitors like Ritchie “That’swhat it’sfor,people who really care and people who are very connected to everything around them,” she said. “Including the animals that they arethe guardiansof.
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
Dear Miss Manners: I’m asingle woman who is frequently asked aboutmy plans for marriage. The individuals making these inquiries have no business asking this question,let alone hearing the answer Itypically smile andchange the subject without answering their question.A few times, when particularly startled, Ihave responded with, “I begyourpardon.” Is there amore polite way to handle this highly impertinent question?
Gentle Reader: “If this is aproposal, Iam sorry tohave to disappoint you.”
Dear Miss Manners: I’ve been collecting silver flatware in various patterns when Isee pieces at really great prices.
Ialso love to entertain, bothcasually and semi-formally.Inboth cases, Ilove to mix up theplace settings withall of my different patterns
At this point, I’vedonated all my stainless steel flatware and only use thereal silver Is it gauche for me to be using all these silver patterns together? My china is also apattern wherein every piece is adifferent floral. My tablescape looks like alovely English garden, and to me, it’s very beautiful. Ihope you tell me I’m not committingahorrible faux pas.
GentleReader: Well, you are leaving the impression that you have descended from well-stocked families,and inherited silver from various branches. As long as you do not actually say so,Miss Manners cannot count this as a faux pas. Dear Miss Manners: Ireceived an
invitation to a60th wedding anniversary party and it states: “ABSOLUTELYNOGIFTS.”
What can Idofor the lovely couple, with whom Ihave been friends for many, manyyears? I really wanttogive them something!!!
GentleReader:Then give them something priceless: aletter of appreciation about them and their friendship.
Dear Miss Manners: For many years, Ihave been friends with a person whoisintellectually disabled. Ibecame acquainted with him and hissister,who cared for him;his sister has now died, and he is living independently Itake him on family camping trips, takehim to lunches and dinners andvisit with him often, as does the rest of my family He and my son have developed a solid friendship. After hissister died, his sister’s
longtimebest friend becamehis legal guardian. She thanks me forthe things Idofor and with him —e.g., “Thank you fortaking (name) camping,” etc. Iknew him foryears before I ever met her.Isitwrong or petty of me to resent her thank-yous? Idonot feel they are necessary, as my friendship with this man is something Ichose, not something Iamdoing out of “the goodness of my heart” or any other such sentiment.
How do Ihandle this?
Gentle Reader: By responding each timewith, “No, no, it is Iwho am thankful to have such agood friend.”
Send questions to Miss Manners to heremail, dearmissmanners@ gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners,Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO64106.
BOOTS
Continued from page 5C
(2007) song and choreography
“Their eyes havebeenopenedtolinedancing and the unity that it brings,”the Lafayette native said.
Anew take on an oldtradition
Line dancing features individuals gathered to performsynchronized, repetitive dancemoves, generally in lines, and is popular for both socializing and exercise.A major appeal is thatthere is no age limit or skill requirement, anddances can belearned in realtime. There is no consensus on theorigins of line dancing. Some historianstrace it to African celebratory tribaldances, which extended to enslaved Black Americans who sangormoved in unison during field work. Other scholars trace it to European immigrantswho brought traditional folkdances fromtheir nativelands. The country western styleisperformed to country tunes,while soul linedancing is backed by R&B, souland hip-hop.
Along with the “Cupid Shuffle,”routines to DJ Casper’s“Cha ChaSlide” (2000) andV.I.C.’s “Wobble” (2008) arecanonized in soul line dancing, as well as the most recognized 1972 song, “Electric Boogie (The Electric Slide)” by Marcia Griffiths. But “Boots on the Ground”has introduced trail rideline dancing to many Americans outsideofthe Southeast Trail rides are socialized horseback processionalstraveling to adesignated location. In Black Southern culture, it is apartyatmosphere with foodand dancing, including niche music genres likezydeco andSouthernsoul, which blends R&B, blues, gospel and country “People didn’treally know about it.…When something is trending, it makes everybody get
on thebandwagon,” said 28-year-old Jakayla Preston, who goes by the handle @_itsjakaylaa on TikTok.A professionaldancer,the Houstonian began teaching line dance classes this year after persistent requestsfromher followers, whichintensified following the “Bootson the Ground” boom.Leading classes across the country, she discovered attendance was about morethanfoot-taps and turns.
“I havepeople whoare struggling andbattling with alot of things …they’ll even sometimes cryand thankmefor hosting theclass there, or just giving them theexperience to be able come and express,” she said. “It’safeeling that’sindescribable.”
Line dancewiththe Beyoncéeffect
“Beyoncé probably had alot to do with that, as far as her‘Cowboy Carter’ album,’”said Preston,referring to theattention on trail ride line dancing.
TheGrammy’sreigning album of theyear sparked conversations about African American contributions to countrymusic and Black cowboy culture, with “Cowboy Carter” tourgoers frequently dressing thepart. The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, one of the city’s marquee events, broke its attendance record this year,and while there were several factors, many first-timers and social media users said they visited Queen Bey’s hometown to experience what she sang about.
“I never seen —ever —that many people that was out there line dancing,” said Preston, who grewupattendingthe rodeo. “It’sanamazing sight to see.”
Sharlene Sinegal-DeCuir,chair of African American and DiasporaStudies at Xavier UniversityinNew Orleans, said Beyoncé’simpact extends beyond music.
“Country westernmusic: the sound, the banjo, the violin, allthose things are African instruments,” said Sinegal-DeCuir,who grew
up in Lafayette, line dancing and listening to zydeco. “She’sbringing it to the world to let the world know,no, we’re not just getting into country —weare country.”
Thepolitical line (dance)inthe sand
Sinegal-DeCuir believes the political climate may have indirectly contributed to the success of “Bootsonthe Ground” and interest in line dancing. She notes the 92% of Black women who votedagainst President DonaldTrump, whose policiesare disproportionately affecting Black Americans, including eliminating DEI programs, federal agency mass layoffs, and cuts to SNAP benefits, Medicare and Medicaid. “Weknowhow to survivethesethingsbecause we leanonfamily,welean on community,and this joy,” said Sinegal-DeCuir.“The world is burning down, andwe’resitting here learning anew line dance because we’re tired of the political atmosphere …it’sa form of resistance.”
Cupid remembers apivotal momentduring the social justice movement, sparked by the 2020 killing of George Floyd, aBlack man who was murdered by aMinneapolis police officer He saw avideo of atense exchange between protesters and law enforcement at arally,and “CupidShuffle”began playing to ease tensions. More social videos were uploaded during that era showing his song played at protests across America.
“I realized the importance of it, as farasconnecting two people thatdon’t even see eye to eye,” saidthe “Flex”artist, who is readying a new album next month that he says will be the first all-line-dance album.“If you had to pick three songs that could bring people on two opposite sides of the fence together for amoment, then line dancing is definitelythosetypesof songs.”
“I don’tthink there’sany other genre more powerful than line dance,” he added.
Dear Heloise: Ifound that atoothbrush is agreat tool to clean thedryer lint filter
Hints from Heloise
It saves my fingernails from getting ruined and doesagreat job to remove thelint from thefilter It does not harm thefilter either —Delia Elliott, via email
I’ma hugger
Dear Heloise: Whydosome people thinkit’scutetosay,“I’m ahugger,”while coming at you for a hug?
Not everyoneisa hugger,and it’snearly impossible to graciously back away when they have their armsout afoot in front of you
It borders on being rude when aperson feels trapped like this. Thanksfor letting me have my
say —Denise, in Pearland,Texas Anothervase-giftingidea
Dear Heloise: Iliked the idea of reusing ajar to gift flowers to a host/hostess. Irecently reused a jar when going to afriend’sfor dinner,and instead of aribbon, I dressed it up this way:
Ihave alarge amount of peeland-stick chalkboard labels on hand for leftovers/storage containers. Isimply put one of these labels on the jar and write amessage. Then therecipient can wipe off the message and keep thejar regift it,orrecycle it. It’sa fun way to jazz up an old jar and repurpose it! —Starshine, in New Jersey Phototrick fortravel
Dear Heloise: We took apicture of our hotel before our tour of Rome began. After thetour,wewere left on our own to return to our hotel. We just showed the picture to thecabbie, and he immediately
got us there. —Pat Small, in College Station,Texas Ironingtrick
Dear Heloise: As aformer road warrior,I had afew mishaps with hotel ironsearly on. NowIfill theiron with water,turn it to the highest setting, use alot of steam, andiron oneofthe hotel’stowels before using it on my clothing. Also, Ialways pack acouple of sheetsofwhite tissue paper and put it over theitem before ironing. —Melinda, in Missouri Melinda, instead of tissue paper,use parchment paper.It’s safer to use with ahot iron than tissue paper —Heloise Aquick steal
Dear Heloise: Please makesure your readers are aware that a man on abicycle or amotorcycle can ride by you in acrowd, grab your purse right out of your hand, andbegone in aflash! Hang on
tight to your bag and keep it zipped always. —Melanie T.,inIllinois Back-to-school clothes
Dear Heloise: When it’stime for back-to-school shopping, I bring my kids along to shop for clothes. Iallow them to have a say in what is purchased. If they don’tlike it, they won’twear it. Of course, there are boundaries. Short shorts, crop tops and muscle shirts are a“no,” but we compromise on aT-shirt with afavorite band on it. —Jessica M., in Ohio Whitepeppervs. blackpepper
Dear Readers: Have you tried white pepperinstead of black pepper when cooking? White pepper is more intense and hotter.But hold on to your wallet; white pepper can be three times the price! —Heloise Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Ablack Lab carvedinto a wooden pewispictured in the Dog Chapel at DogMountain, aparkcreated by Vermont folk artist Stephen Huneck.
AP FILEPHOTO By MICHAEL DWyER
Levis Martin, left, and his brother Daniel join the line dance with fans during aJuneteenth celebration in Portsmouth, N.H
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Updating your space or skills to suit your needs will require specific details to lessen your chance of facing setbacks or rejections. Follow the rules and regulations and forge ahead.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Explore the possibilities, but don't go overboard. Too much can cost you or cause you to miss the point Create what's essential to your success and direct your skills accordingly.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Put all your efforts into work, money, and your health and well-being. Say no to anyone who pressures you to participate in something that doesn't interest you.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec. 21) If you are waffling, stop, look, listen and retrace your steps until you feel confident with your decision. If you accomplish what's possible, you will feel good about yourself.
CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan. 19) Home improvements will cost more than anticipated. Evaluate what's necessary and determine how to achieve your goals at a price you can afford. Expanding your interests will increase your popularity.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) A lifestyle change will point you in a direction that excites you. Say no to those trying to use you to their advantage, and start using your talents to support and promote yourself.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Question everything and everyone. Reach out
to those able to contribute to your cause. Opportunities will develop through networking functions. Keep an open mind, but don't lose sight of your goal.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Check the fine print. Nothing will be as it appears. Focus inward, pay attention to your needs, and avoid intense discussions with people who don't share your perspective or approach.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Speak up, and you'll gain respect and ensure that you get what you want. Equality is the best route forward, so don't give in to appease someone who is trying to bully you.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Don't buy into someone else's plans if you have an agenda. Taking responsibility for your happiness eliminates the possibility of others taking advantage of you.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Pare down instead of overextending yourself. An innovative approach to balancing work and your personal life will help counter depression. Live life your way.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Take nothing for granted Do the legwork and make things happen. Be the one to lead the way and to grandstand your talents for all to see. Market and promote with confidence and charisma.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
TODAy'S CLUE: D EQUALS F
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
And erneSt
SALLY Forth
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
SherMAn’S LAGoon dooneSbUrY
bIG
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Carrie Underwood, whose singing career started when she won “American Idol” in 2005, said, “If something can be said to make an awkward moment even worse, I’m going to say it.”
Somebridgebidsareintendedprimarily to make the next player’s position awkward. And in this deal there were several uncomfortable moments. How would you critique the auction? What should happen in five spades after West leads the diamond ace?
After North’s one-diamond opening, South, with a game-going hand, planned to bid first clubs, then spades, then spades again to show his 5-6. Next, West made a three-heart weak jump overcall when four hearts would have been better. If East had a heart fit they would have taken a lot of tricks; if East was very short in hearts, West was already in trouble. It was sensible for North to rebid four clubs; South rated to have at least five. And the singleton heart looked good.
NowEastmadeareallyaggressivebid with five hearts. However, South continued with five spades, strongly suggestingatleast5-6intheblacksuits Andthat silenced everyone.
Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying,
Previous answers:
InstRuctIons:
toDAY’s WoRD — BEAcons: BE-kuns: Sources of light or inspiration.
Average mark 17 words
Time limit 25 minutes
Can you find 22 or more words in BEACONS?
YEstERDAY’s WoRD — cAPIcoLA
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
For five decades, Arthur Hardyhas beenour neighbor,our guide,and thekeeperofour Carnival memories. From hisGentillykitchen tablein1977 to receiving thekey to thecityin 2024, Hardytransformed himselffroma Brother Martin band directorintothe manall aboutMardi Gras.His annual guide hasreached over 3million readers, butfor us locals,Arthurisfamily, the trustedvoice whogets it right, whorodewithRex after documentingthemfor decades,who stood with us throughthe police strikeof’79, Katrina’s aftermath,and everymagical moment in between. This 112-pagecelebration brings together the stories only Arthur couldtell, filled with photographs that capturethe parades you remember,the krewes youcheered for, andthe momentsthatmadeyou proudtobeapartof MardiGras.
Arthur Hardyhas preserved thesoulofwhat makesusNew Orleanians,making this theperfect holidaygift foranyonewho bleeds thepurple, greenand gold of MardiGras.
