The Acadiana Advocate 09-07-2025 by The Advocate

WALK THETALK

Cajuns’running game thrivesinwin over McNeese

ABOVE: UniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette coach Michael Desormeaux, right, greets young fans during the Cajun Walk before the UL-McNeese State game at Our LadyofLourdes Stadium inLafayette on Saturday. UL and McNeese were once big rivalsfrom the late 1960s tomid-1980s Until Saturday, the twoteams have played only twice since 1986 when McNeese won38-17 in2007 and UL won30-22 in 2016. McNeese coach Matt Viator was an assistant coach withthe Cajuns from 2021-23 RIGHT: Lil’Nate and the Zydeco Big Timers playduring Cajun Walk before the UL-McNeese State game on Saturday.

STAFFPHOTOSByBRAD KEMP ä SEECOMPLETE COVERAGE OFTHE CAJUNS GAME. PAGE 1C

Newrules snarlCOVID

Pharmacies,doctors, patients left navigating confusion

BY EMILYWOODRUFF Staff writer

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

ä Trump, Kennedytakedifferent stances on COVID vaccine. PAGE 6A

Louisiana is heading into respiratory virus season on the downswing from abusy summer of COVID-19, when wastewater samples showed some of the nation’shighest viruslevels. But health ofﬁcials caution that COVID-19 is unusual: Unlike flu or RSV, it typically peaks twice, once in summer and again aroundJanuary.That makes fall an ideal time to get avaccine, especiallybecause newly formulated shots protect againstthe latest strain

Butthisyear, new federal recommendations are complicating access. Few drugstores are carryingthe vaccineinLouisiana right now,and patients are currently

Federalcase involves briberyand kickback scheme

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

The federal case against Lafayette AssistantDistrict Attorney Gary Haynes for involvement in abribery andkickback scheme in the 15thJudicial District Attorney’sOffice is setfor trial Monday Haynes, whowas in charge of the pretrial intervention program in Lafayette, was indicted

DERRY— Rolanda Teal strode onto the old plantation at Cane River CreoleNational Historical Park,blowing past amap.The anthropology professorknows this park andits stories. As astudent, she helped tell them Teal once sifted through dirtbeside the Magnolia Plantation’sslave quarters to ﬁnd dice and coins. She interviewed former tenant farmers to trace the outlines of atypical day She gave tours,once to aman who had lived there. Over theyears, theoral histories she collected madetheir way into archivesand onto the dozens of historic signs andmarkers arranged across the national park’stwo sister plantations, set afew miles apart along the winding Cane River in Natchitoches Parish.

One sign near the entrance of Magnolia describes the scale of the plantation at its height: 275 enslaved people living in 70 cabins cultivated cotton and other crops. Near those smallbrick cabins,later home to tenantfarmers, asepia sign describes the gardens thatonceencircled them, quotingfrom one of Teal’s interviews. “Wehad abig garden... Peas, okra, tomatoes, pumpkins...” Now, the 62-year-old worries about what stories this place will soon tell. Signs postedacrossthis national park’s63acres, like those at parks,

national park tellsastory of slaverythatsome fear will be erased ä See PARK, page 4A

TrialofLafayette ADAbeginsMonday

by afederal grand jury in September 2024 on six charges, includingbribery,conspiracy to commitmoney laundering, obstruction of justice and using his cellphoneinfurtherance of bribery His trial is scheduled to begin at 9a.m. Monday at thefederal courthouse in Lafayette. Jury selection is expected to be the ﬁrst order of business. Records showthe court will questionpotential jurors ﬁrst,then provide the prosecution and defense each 20 minutes for questioning. The trial could take as long as

Haynes

10 days. In the week before the trial, afederal judge denied Haynes’motiontoexclude files seized in a May2022 raidbythe FBI and Justice Departmentonthe 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Ofﬁce. Haynes had argued thatthe ﬁleswereinadmissible because they were copies, not the originals, and because folders that held the documents and mayhave contained attorney notes were not copied. The judge

STAFF

PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

RolandaTeal walks past signs for the Magnolia Plantation at Cane River Creole National HistoricalPark in Derry on Aug. 20.

Young pilot released from Antarctic air base

PUNTA ARENAS Chile An American social media influencer who has been stuck in a Chilean airbase in Antarctica for two months after landing a plane there without permission was released on Saturday back to the mainland, where he was to pay $30,000 in penalties.

Ethan Guo, who was 19 when he began his fundraising mission for cancer research, was attempting to become the youngest person to ﬂy solo to all seven continents.

But he was detained after Chilean authorities said he lied to officials by providing authorities with “false flight plan data.” Prosecutors said he had been authorized to only fly over Punta Arenas in southern Chile, but that he kept going south, heading for Antarctica in his Cessna 182Q — a single-engine light aircraft known for its versatility.

After he landed in Chile’s Antarctic territory on June 28, he was detained in a military base amid legal negotiations between his lawyers and the government Guo, who is originally from Tennessee and turned 20 in July, spent two months living in the base with limited communications and freezing Antarctic winter temperatures plunging below zero He was released by a Chilean judge on the condition that he donate the tens of thousands of dollars raised to a childhood cancer foundation within 30 days and leave the country as soon as possible. He is also banned from entering Chilean territory for three years.

Prosecutors: Woman registered dog to vote

LOS ANGELES An Orange County woman faces ﬁve felony charges after she was accused of paw-litical fraud by registering her dog to vote and illegally casting ballots for the pooch in two elections, authorities said.

Laura Lee Yourex, 62, of Costa Mesa, allegedly mailed in ballots registered under her dog’s name, Maya Jean Yourex, in the 2021 gubernatorial recall election and the 2022 primary election, according to the Orange County district attorney’s ofﬁce The 2021 ballot was accepted, while the 2022 ballot was rejected, prosecutors said Yourex allegedly bragged about the feat on social media, sharing a picture of Maya toting an “I Voted” sticker and posing with the illegal ballot in January 2022, prosecutors said. In October, Yourex posted a photo of Maya’s dog tag and a vote-by-mail ballot with the caption, “Maya is still getting her ballot,” even though the dog had passed away. She has been charged with one count of registering a nonexistent person to vote, one count of perjury one count of procuring a false or forged document to be ﬁled and two counts of casting a ballot when not entitled to vote, prosecutors said. Yourex is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday Yourex faces up to six years in state prison.

The Orange County Registrar of Voters contacted the district attorney’s ofﬁce on Oct. 28 after a resident self-reported that she had registered her dog to vote and cast two ballots in her dog’s name, authorities said. The recall attempt was ultimately voted down by 61.9% of voters. It’s not clear how “Maya” voted.

Biden picks Delaware for presidential museum

WASHINGTON Former President Joe Biden has decided to build his presidential library in Delaware and has tapped a group of former aides, friends and political allies to begin the heavy lift of fundraising and finding a site for the museum and archive.

The Joe and Jill Biden Foundation this past week approved a 13-person governance board that is charged with steering the project.

The initial vision is for the Biden library to include an immersive museum detailing Biden’s four years in ofﬁce.

Biden has deep ties to Pennsylvania but ultimately settled on Delaware, the state that was the launching pad for his political career

Israel targets more high-rises in Gaza

BY WAFAA SHURAFA and BASSEM MROUE Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip The Israeli

army issued evacuation orders and targeted high-rise buildings in faminestricken Gaza City on Saturday, calling on Palestinians to move to the territory’s south as it escalates operations ahead of a new offensive to seize the city of nearly

1 million

Aid groups warn that a large-scale evacuation would exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza City which the world’s leading hunger watchdog says is suffering from famine as a result of Israel’s restrictions on food into the territory

Most families have already been displaced several times over the nearly two-year-long Israel-Hamas war and say they have nowhere left to go, as the Israeli military has repeatedly bombed tent encampments that it had designated as humanitarian zones.

“There is no safe tent, no safe house, no safe place, no safety at all,” said Nadia Marouf, who ﬂed Israel’s offensive in the north with her children and resettled in Gaza City only to have her tent destroyed Saturday in an Israeli airstrike that wiped out a 15-story building and surrounding encampment. “Where do I go? We went to the south, there is no space in the south, where can we go?”

Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee urged Palestinians on Saturday to ﬂee to the southern Gaza Strip, announcing on social media that the army had designated the overcrowded tent encampment of Muwasi and parts of the southern town of Khan Younis as a humanitarian zone.

Aid groups have raised alarm about woefully inadequate shelter, sanitation, water and food in Muwasi. Months of bombardment have decimated civilian infrastructure in Khan Younis.

The military said in a statement that it would work to provide ﬁeld hospitals, water pipelines and food supplies within what it called the humanitarian zone.

Israel on Saturday issued evacuation warnings for two high-rises in Gaza City and surrounding tents, with Adraee, the military spokesperson, saying that the buildings were targets because Hamas had infrastructure inside or near them Soon after, Adraee said that the military had struck one of the buildings.

Hamas called those allegations “baseless lies” and insisted the high-rises were residential towers.

There was no immediate information on casualties.

Israelis have staged widespread protests over the military’s renewed assault on Gaza City, fearing it will further endanger the remaining hostages held in the strip, 20 among 48 of whom Israel believes to still be alive.

On Saturday in Jerusalem, relatives of hostages and their supporters marched down a main thoroughfare toward the residence of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, chanting and holding signs rejecting the military’s planned takeover of Gaza City and urging a comprehensive ceaseﬁre.

Fears over the fate of hostages escalated on Friday, the 700th day of the war, when Hamas released a propaganda video of two hostages — Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel — looking gaunt and exhausted while being driven around Gaza City

Daughter of Nazi officer accused of hiding artwork

Jewish art collector’s painting found in Argentina

BY BRUNO VERDENELLI and ISABEL DEBRE Associated Press

MAR DEL PLATA, Argentina

Prosecutors in Argentina on Thursday charged the daughter of a fugitive Nazi official with trying to hide an 18th-century painting from authorities following revelations that it had been stolen from a Jewish art dealer during World War II.

The federal prosecutor in charge of the case announced the cover-up charge a day after Patricia Kadgien, one of the daughters of high-level Nazi officer Friedrich Kadgien, handed “Portrait of a Lady” by Italian artist Giuseppe Ghislandi to the Argentine judiciary eight decades after it was stolen.

The fate of the work remains unclear, pending a decision in the case. The heir of Jacques Goudstikker — the Dutch-Jewish art collector who owned the painting before Nazis conﬁscated his worldfamous inventory — has made a legal claim to get the painting back, her lawyers have said.

Goudstikker died in a shipwreck in 1940 while ﬂeeing the Netherlands as German troops advanced. He sold his collection, which included Rembrandts and Vermeers, under duress and far below market price. At least 1,100 stolen works from his gallery remain missing.

The Argentine court has asked that the painting be displayed at the Holocaust Museum in Buenos Aires ahead of any further transfer abroad. The museum did not respond to a request for comment.

Patricia Kadgien, 59, and her husband, Juan Carlos Cortegoso, 62, have been under house arrest on suspicion of concealing the painting since police raided their home on

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRISTIAN HEIT

Giuseppe Ghislandi’s 18th-century painting ‘Portrait of a Lady,’ was reportedly stolen by a Nazi officer during World War II and discovered in the Argentina home of his daughter after appearing in a real estate listing

Monday for the second time in as many weeks without ﬁnding “Portrait of a Lady.”

Kadgien, with disheveled dirty-blond hair and sunglasses on her head, wore a look that mixed concern and puzzlement as she listened to Prosecutor Carlos Martínez in a jam-packed courtroom.

Martínez said that Kadgien’s and her husband’s efforts to hide the painting over several days following its sudden appearance in a real estate listing amounted to obstruction of justice.

Cortegoso gazed straight ahead, his arms crossed and a stern expression on his face.

After the hearing the couple was released from house arrest but barred from traveling abroad and required to notify the court whenever they leave their registered address.

Photos of the painting hanging in Kadgien’s living room in Mar del Plata surfaced last month for the ﬁrst time in eight decades in an online real estate advertisement.

Dutch journalists investigating Kadgien’s past in Argentina — where he took refuge after the collapse of the Third Reich — spotted “Portrait of a

DOJ talk of ban on trans people owning guns sparks outrage

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department is drawing swift condemnation from gun rights groups and LGBTQ advocates alike after ﬂoating that it was considering restricting transgender people from owning guns — a move that would all but certainly face immediate constitutional challenges if ever implemented.

The discussions come in the wake of the shooting at a Minneapolis Catholic school last month that federal ofﬁcials have said was carried out by a transgender shooter, according to a person familiar with the matter The person, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, cautioned that the talks were in the early stages and that no proposal has been ﬁnalized.

Even so, that high-level ofﬁcials in the Trump administration were discussing such an idea sparked fury across the political spectrum. LGBTQ advocates called it misguided and dangerous as the vast majority of mass shootings in the U.S. are carried out by men and do not involve transgender people.

“Transgender people are less than 2% of the overall population, yet four times as likely to be victims of crime,” GLAAD said in an email.

Trump’s administration has targeted transgender people in several ways, including removing them from military service, scrubbing some federal websites of mentions of them, trying to bar changing the sex marker on passports, seeking personal information on gender-afﬁrming care patients from doctors and clinics, and seeking to bar transgender girls and women from certain sports competitions.

The Justice Department said in a statement in response to questions about the ﬁrearms talks that the agency is “actively evaluating options to prevent the pattern of violence we

have seen from individuals with speciﬁc mental health challenges and substance abuse disorders.” But, the department said: “No speciﬁc criminal justice proposals have been advanced at this time.”

Some conservative figures have coalesced around the idea of restricting guns for people diagnosed with gender dysphoria — the unease a person may have because their assigned gender and gender identity don’t match — through a federal law that bars people from possessing ﬁrearms if they are “adjudicated as a mental defective.”

“It’s incredibly worrying that that seems to be on the table for them,” Alejandra Caraballo, a transgender rights activist and Harvard Law School instructor “This is not something that would be that incredibly difﬁcult to do logistically or practically but it would be politically explosive in terms of the backlash of Second Amendment groups.”

Guns rights advocates — including politically powerful groups such as the National Riﬂe Association and Gun Owners of America — vowed to fight any proposal that imposes a blanket gun ban targeting a segment of the population.

“The Second Amendment isn’t up for debate,” the NRA said in a social media post on Friday “NRA does not, and will not, support any policy proposals that implement sweeping guns bans that arbitrarily strip law-abiding citizens of their Second Amendment rights without due process.”

Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms called the discussions “disturbing.”

“Prohibiting whole groups of people from owning and using ﬁrearms because a sick individual misused a gun to harm and kill children is as reprehensible as restricting the rights of all law-abiding citizens because some people have committed crimes,” Alan Gottlieb, the group’s chairman, said in a statement.

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Lady” hanging above a green velvet couch in the living room during a 3D tour of the house for sale.

After recognizing it as the same portrait listed as missing in international archives of Nazi-looted art, the newspaper Algemeen Dagblad published an exposé on Aug. 25 that grabbed headlines around the world.

Alerted by international police agency Interpol, Argentine authorities raided the house and other properties belonging to Patricia Kadgien and her sister Alicia seizing a rifle a .32-caliber revolver and several paintings from the 19th century that they suspect may have been similarly stolen during WWII.

But police couldn’t ﬁnd “Portrait of a Lady.” They found scuff marks and a pastoral tapestry on Patricia Kadgien’s living room wall where the portrait had been photographed.

In presenting the charges, Martínez told the court that the couple was “aware that the artwork was being sought by the criminal justice system and international authorities” but nevertheless went to lengths to hide it.

“It was only after several police raids that they turned it in,” he said.

Chicago’s Latinos on edge over Trump threats

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO, BEN FINLEY, MELINA WALLING and SARAH RAZA Associated Press

CHICAGO President Don-

ald Trump’s plan to dispatch National Guard troops and immigration agents into Chicago has put many Latino residents on edge, prompting some to carry their U.S. passports while giving others pause about openly celebrating the upcoming Mexican Independence Day

Though the holiday falls on Sept. 16, celebrations in Chicago span more than a week and draw hundreds of thousands of participants Festivities kicked off with a Saturday parade through the heavily Mexican Pilsen neighborhood and will continue with car caravans and lively street parties.

But this year, the typically joyful period coincides with Trump’s threats to add Chicago to the list of other Democratic-led cities he has targeted for expanded federal enforcement. His administration has said it will step up immigration enforcement in Chicago as it did in Los Angeles, and would deploy National Guard troops

In addition to sending troops to Los Angeles in June, Trump deployed them last month in Washington, D.C., as part of his unprecedented law enforcement takeover of the nation’s capital.

Trump posted an illustration of himself against a Chicago-skyline ablaze with flames and helicopters on Truth Social on Saturday

“Chicago about to ﬁnd out why it’s called the Department of WAR,” he posted. Trump has ordered the Defense Department to be renamed the Department of War. He offered no details but posted, “I love the smell of deportations in the morning,” referencing a 1979 war ﬁlm.

“The President of the United States is threatening to go to war with an American city,” Illinois Gov JB Pritzker wrote on the social platform X “Illinois won’t be intimidated by a wannabe dictator.”

State and city leaders have said they plan to sue the Trump administration

The extended Mexican Independence Day celebrations reflect the size and vitality of Chicago’s Mexican American community.

Mexicans make up more than one-fifth of the city’s total population and about 74% of its Latino residents, according to 2022 U.S. Census estimates.

Parade and festival organizers have been divided over whether to move forward with precautions or postpone, in hopes that it will feel safer for many participants to have a true celebration in several months’ time. El Grito Chicago, a downtown Mexican Independence Day festival set for next weekend, was postponed this

week by organizers in order to protect people.

“But also we just refuse to let our festival be a pawn in this political game,” said Germán González, an organizer of El Grito Chicago.

In Pilsen and Little Village, two of the city’s bestknown neighborhoods with restaurants, businesses and cultural ties to Mexican culture, residents expressed disappointment that the potential federal intervention instilled such fear and anxiety in the community at a time usually characterized

by joy togetherness and celebration of Mexican American heritage. On Saturday morning, some paradegoers grabbed free, bright-orange whistles and ﬂyers from volunteers standing outside the Lozano Branch of the Chicago Public Library “Blow the whistle on ICE!” the ﬂyers read, encouraging a nonviolent tactic to raise alarm if agents appear at the event.

Magdalena Alvarado, who lived in Little Village for 30 years, took an orange whistle. “My heart is like pounding a little bit because I don’t know what to expect today,” she said.

Alvarado saw some lowrider cars, often decked out with Mexican flags, with imagery supporting the police. She wondered to herself whether they were intentionally added to garner goodwill with the law enforcement present.

Spectators held up cardboard signs painted with monarch butterﬂies, the migratory species that travels between the U.S. and Mexico. Many cheered “Viva Mexico!”

Drivers of vintage cars honked their horns and a

drummer kept time for a group of dancers bedecked in feathers. Horseback riders clip-clopped down the street, and one lifted up a large Mexican ﬂag.

Vianney Alarcon, 42, said she expects people to be targeted by immigration ofﬁcials regardless of their legal status. But in an act of deﬁance, she’ll be taking part in the festivities while bringing along her passport. “I’m still going to celebrate my heritage,” she said. “And I know for a fact that a lot of the people I know and the people commenting on Facebook are going to show up, too. What are they going to do? We’re not being disruptive if we’re celebrating properly.”

Fabio Fernandez, 39, owner of an art and T-shirt company with a residency at a Pilsen streetwear shop, called it “troubling” and “disheartening” that potential federal intervention was impacting Mexican Independence Day celebrations. He said there’s a mood of anxiety in the neighborhood, which has translated to lower sales and reduced foot trafﬁc for local businesses like his, Fernandez said.

Trump weaponizing government to settle scores, pursue agenda

BY JONATHAN J COOPER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump once a casino owner and always a man in search of his next deal, is fond of a poker analogy when sizing up partners and adversaries.

“We have much bigger and better cards than they do,” he said of China last month Compared with Canada, he said in June, “we have all the cards. We have every single one.” And most famously, he told Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in their Oval Ofﬁce confrontation earlier this year: “You don’t have the cards.”

The phrase offers a window into the worldview of Trump, who has spent his second stint in the White House amassing cards to deploy in pursuit of his interests.

Seven months into his second term, he has accumulated presidential power that he has used against universities, media companies, law ﬁrms, and individuals he dislikes. A man who ran for president as an angry victim of a weaponized “deep state” is, in some ways, supercharging government power and training it on his opponents. And the supporters who responded to his complaints about overzealous Democrats aren’t recoiling. They’re egging him on.

“Weaponizing the state to win the culture war has been essential to their agenda,” said David N. Smith, a University of Kansas sociologist who has extensively researched the motivations of Trump voters. “They didn’t like it when the state was mobilized to restrain Trump, but they’re happy to see the

state acting to ﬁght the culture war on their behalf.”

Trump began putting the federal government to work for him within hours of taking office in January, and he’s been collecting and using power in novel ways ever since. It’s a high-velocity push to carry out his political agendas and grudges.

This past month, hundreds of federal agents and National Guard troops fanned out across Washington after Trump drew on a never-used law that allows him to take control of law enforcement in the nation’s capital. He’s threatened similar deployments in other cities run by Democrats, including Baltimore, Chicago, New York and New Orleans. He also ﬁred a Federal Reserve governor pointing to unproven claims of mortgage fraud.

Trump, his aides and allies throughout the executive branch have trained the government, or threatened to, on a dizzying array of targets:

n He revoked security clearances and tried to block access to government facilities for attorneys at law ﬁrms he disfavors.

n He revoked billions of dollars in federal research funds and sought to block international students from elite universities. Under pressure, Columbia University agreed to a $220 million settlement, the University of Pennsylvania revoked records set by transgender swimmer Lia Thomas and presidents resigned from the University of Virginia and Northwestern University

n He has fired or reassigned federal employees targeted for their work, including prosecutors who worked on cases involving him.

n He dropped corruption charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams to gain cooperation in his crackdown on immigrants living in the country illegally

n He secured multimillion-dollar settlements against media organizations in lawsuits that were widely regarded as weak cases.

n Attorney General Pam Bondi is pursuing a grand jury review of the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation and appointed a special prosecutor to scrutinize New York Attorney General Letitia James and U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff.

That’s not weaponizing government, says White House spokesperson Harrison Fields; it’s wielding power

“What the nation is witnessing today is the execution of the most consequential administration in American history,” Fields said, “one that is embracing common sense, putting America ﬁrst, and fulﬁlling the mandate of the American people.”

Power is both given and

taken. And through executive orders, personnel moves, the bully pulpit and sheer brazenness, Trump has claimed powers that none of his modern predecessors came close to claiming.

He has also been handed power by many around him. By a ﬁercely loyal base that rides with him through thick and thin. By a Congress and Supreme Court that so far have ceded power to the executive branch By universities, law ﬁrms, media organizations and other institutions that have negotiated or settled with him.

The U.S government is powerful, but it’s not inherently omnipotent. As Trump learned to his frustration in his ﬁrst term, the president is penned in by the Constitution, laws, court rulings, bureaucracy, traditions and norms. Yet in his second term, Trump has managed to eliminate, steamroll, ignore or otherwise neutralize many of those guardrails.

Leaders can exert their will through fear and intimidation, by determining

the topics that are getting discussed and by shaping people’s preferences, Steven Lukes argued in a seminal 1974 book, “Power: A Radical View.” Lukes, a professor emeritus at New York University, said Trump exempliﬁes all three dimensions of power Trump’s innovation, Lukes said, is “epistemic liberation” — a willingness to make up facts without evidence.

“This idea that you can just say things that aren’t true, and then it doesn’t matter to your followers and to a lot of other people that seems to me a new thing,” at least in liberal democracies, Lukes said. Trump uses memes and jokes more than argument and advocacy to signal his preferences, he said.

Central to Trump’s 2024 campaign was his contention that he was the victim of a “vicious persecution” perpetrated by “the Biden administration’s weaponized Department of Injustice.”

Facing four criminal cases in New York, Washington and Florida, Trump said in

2023 that he yearned not to end the government weaponization, but to harness it. “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Aug. 4, 2023.

“Never again will the immense power of the state be weaponized to persecute political opponents — something I know something about,” Trump said in his second inaugural address. A month later: “I ended Joe Biden’s weaponization soon as I got in,” Trump said in a Feb. 22 speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference outside Washington. And 10 days after that: “We’ve ended weaponized government, where, as an example, a sitting president is allowed to viciously prosecute his political opponent, like me.” With that, the weaponization has come full circle. Trump is no longer surrounded by tradition-bound lawyers and government ofﬁcials, and his instinct to play his hand aggressively faces few restraints.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER Police watch during the 2025 Pilsen Mexican Independence Day parade Saturday in Chicago.

monuments, battlefields and historic sites across the country,might disappear or look very different in coming weeks.

As part of PresidentDonald Trump’sdirectiveto restore “truth and sanity to American history,” the National Park Service is reviewing signs and materials at its 433 sites for “inappropriate content.”

The effort is one way Trump’steam is trying to rid public spaces of “woke” ideology,promoting amore positive view of U.S. history Historians have warned that the moves could effectively erase difficult but important periods of the country’s past, with slavery at the top of that list.

Following the directive, a survey posted at National ParkServicesites in June asked visitors andstaff to report signs “that are negative about either past or living Americans or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur,and abundance of landscapes and other natural features.”

According to internal agency documents reviewed by The New York Times, National Park Service employeesflagged language about the effects of climate change, the imprisonment of Native Americans and the brutality of slavery At Cane River,one person reported asign recounting an attempted slave escape, questioning its naming of the enslavers and its noting of the whipping that followed.

As of late August, that sign still stood. But Interior Secretary Doug Burgum has ordered the removal of inappropriate signs by Sept 17,the Times reported Whether this sign or others like it is set for edits is unclear. Current CaneRiver staff members declinedto comment for this article, referring areporter to the National Park Service.

“We’llbeevaluatingall signage, includingnational parks in Louisiana, along with the public feedback we’ve received,” said aNational Park Service spokespersonvia email, who didn’t provide their name. “Each piece of public feedback we receive is manually reviewedand evaluated. This effort reinforcesour commitment to telling the full andaccuratestory of our nation’spast.”

To Teal, the possible revisions feel like apersonal and professional rebuke.

“It feels like alifetimeof workisbeing destroyed,” she said, stretching her arms outward.

Researchinguntoldstories

As ayoung, Black kid in the 1970s, Teal and her family traveled to state and national parks in an RV Shedidn’tsee herselfreflected in the stories told then, but didn’texpectto, either. “Itwas neverfor us, anyway,” she said.

So she became the person who collects the stories.As acultural anthropology and archaeology professor at Houston City College, Teal hasfocused herresearch on correctingnarratives and spotlighting marginalized groups. Some of Teal’s recent research uncovered new escape routes that enslaved people traveled from Natchitoches along the Cane River into Texas.

Over her career,history became more inclusive. National and state parks became regular clients.Be-

cause of Teal and historians like her,the country was reﬂecting —and attracting —communities of color at itshistoricsites, sometimes called America’sbiggest classroom

“You were startingto see it in thepark, in theimages of Black and Brownpeople on the literature,” Teal said. “Oh man, we were getting somewhere.”

‘A hotpotato’

Fromthe start, telling the story of slavery alongthe Cane River meanttalking about things peopledidn’t wanttotalk about.

Established in 1994, the park comprises two cotton Creole plantations, Oakland and Magnolia, each owned by generationsof a single family for their entireexistence, ararity.Atits height, Magnolia was “unrivaled in the region,” according to thepark. By 1860,the familyowned more enslaved people and produced more cotton than anyotherinthe parish.Evenafter theCivil War, the farm continued to be aregional force.

Areport about the park’s founding saidthatplanners

encountered “an immensely complex situation,” especially in termsofrace.

“Blacks and whites treated slavery as adelicate, nearly taboo subject for public discussion.”

Or,asa former Cane River park interpreter put it,discussing the topic with visitors meant dodging “a hot potatoand ahand grenade.”

“Slavery makes people feel either ashamed or feel blamed,” said CarlaWhitfield, alongtimeNational Park Service leader who startedasaninterpreter at Cane River in thelate 1990s.

When Betty Hertzog donated the 18 acres of Magnolia for the park, it did not include the main house, hidden by rows of grand old oaks.But it did includeeight small, brickcabins, and Whitfieldwas determined to tell thestoriesofthe enslaved people who lived in them.

The ﬁrst person she hired was an undergraduate from Northwestern StateUniversity of Louisiana named Rolanda Teal.

“She was thereal deal,” Whitﬁeld said.

Teal led ateam that col-

lected stories from more than 100 Black residents of Natchitoches Parish, interviews that would become thebasis of her book, “Natchitoches Parish,”part of Arcadia Publishing’s “Black in America” series She’sasocial historian, Whitﬁeld said, arelatively newﬁeldthatspotlights the experiences of everyday people,including those who were enslaved. Quotes from Teal’s interviews popupon signs across Magnolia,still, animating the buildings.

Whitﬁeld believes that the Trump administration won’t stop with signs.

“Actionslikethese attempt to erase thestories and silencethe voices of African-descended people who have lived in America,” she said, “further creating disinformation about my people’s experienceand the overallhistory of this country.”

‘Tiedtoastake

Outside thosesmallbrick buildings stands amodest, sun-fadedsign.

“Escaped!” it begins, before offering visitors aview into history

In 1804, at least 30 enslavedpeople,including a 2-year-old child, ranfrom ﬁve area plantations, including Magnolia,thenowned by Ambroise LeComte. Aftera scoutingpartyfound them, they surrendered.

“The freedom seekers were tied to astake in the town square andpublicly whipped,”the sign concludes, “then returned to theirowners.”

This is the language reported to the Park Service. And though one person reported the sign, others now want to see it kept —orat least documented In response to the Trump administration’srethinking of the National Park Service signs, acoalition of historiansand librarianslaunched aproject called“Save Our Signs.” They’ve been asking visitors to snap photos of signs they encounter at national parks across the country,uploading them to awebsite.

Jenny McBurney, government publications librarian at the University of Minnesota, said it’snormal for park signs to be updated over time, perhaps to reﬂect newresearch.But shesaid theTrump administration’s effort isn’ttransparent or based on employees’ expertise “This isn’tbusiness as usual,” she said.

So she andother UniversityofMinnesota librarians teamed up with the

Data Rescue Project, soliciting photos from folks trekking to national parks on their summer trips. So far,they’ve collected 6,000 photographs, including ﬁve fromCaneRiver. Of course,signs aren’t the only way this park tells its stories.

On ahot Augustafternoon, thepark’sinterpretation manager BarbaraJustice donned her tall tan hat to give atour. “Weare goingtoembark on ajourneyof200 years of history and change,” she began, standing inside Magnolia’sstorewhere,asshe noted,“it’s alittlecooler than it is outside.” The store, opened by theHertzogfamily after theCivil War, is the newest building on the tour, she said, before heading to the oldest: the blacksmith shop.

ACatahouladog named Daisyjoinedin, boundingbesidethe groupintall grass. At each stop, Justice talked about slavery.Ateach stop, she took questions. Then she posed her own: “Of course, aquestion we getquite alot is, ‘Well, what was life like forthe enslaved people?’”

The families thatowned theplantations kept documents, photosand even home videos.“It’s wonderful,” Justice said, “and yet it’salso oneofour challenges,” because so much of the park’sdocumentation comes from the perspective of the White plantationowners. There are also oral historieswith sharecropping and tenant farming families, she continued, “and that’s invaluable to us. These days, Teal, who captured manyofthose oral histories, spends most of her time between Texas, where she teaches,and Mississippi,where herpartner lives. Still, she tends to the 200 acres of farmland her grandmother acquiredover herlifetime in Sabine Parish, an hour’sdrive west of Cane River. Teal rarelyvisitsthe park where shegot herstart. The place haschangedsinceshe worked there, or even since she visited several years ago. There are new exhibits, new signs, anew parking lot. But on arecent day,she could still point to the place’sinformal geography: where in the fields water tends to pool, where in the grass snakes tendtohide Behind the slave quarters, onions sometimes sprout, all these years later

Rolanda Teal, an anthropologyprofessor,looks over historic signs at Cane River Creole National

in 1994,the parkcomprises twocotton Creole plantations, Oakland and Magnolia.

Adog stands on the porch of the former Magnolia plantation hospital at Cane River Creole National HistoricalParkinDerry

unable to walk in and get a shot, even if they qualify under the new rules

That has left doctors ﬁelding questions from patients and personal contacts alike, said Dr.Margot Anderson, an infectious disease specialist at Manning Family Children’sHospital

“There’salot of unknowns for everybody,for the pharmacies, for patients, for doctors,”Anderson said.

Most routine vaccines are available at pharmacies by design, because preventive wellness— as opposed to seekingout care once you’re already sick —needs to be as easy as possible for people to participate. Calling around for availability and potentially paying out of pocket forthe vaccine will discourage uptake. Anderson encourages all families to get the COVID-19 vaccine to prevent needing to see a doctor or serious illness, but says it’sachallenge for families who might be askedto pay $200 for it out of pocket. Newrules

In prior years,COVID-19 shots were recommended for anyone 6months and older.Under the leadership of Health and Human ServicesSecretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Foodand Drug Administrationauthorized updated COVID shots only for adults 65 and older and those with at least one health condition that puts themathigher risk forsevere disease. For the first time, healthy younger people will need aprescription to be vaccinated. In Louisiana, that change has created confusion. Louisiana pharmacy law allows pharmacists to give vaccines without aprescription,aslongasthe CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices,or

TRIAL

wrote, “Assuming theGovernment’switness testiﬁes regarding the seizure of the recordsatissue,the custody of those records and the photocopying process used to preserve the evidence, said evidence will be deemedauthenticated.”

An exhibit list from the prosecution suggests the government plans to introduce 38 clips from recordings of conversations allegedly among Haynes and two other men, one of whom pleaded guilty to involvement in the kickback scheme. They are Dusty Guidry, who worked on acontract in the DA’s pretrial diversion program withHaynes, and Lafayette businessman LeonardFranqueswho,per aplea agreement, pleaded guilty to involvement in a similar kickback scheme involving the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, but did not plead guilty to involvement in the pretrial diversion scheme, court records show.

The government’sexhibit list includes10clips labeled “consensual recording” involving the three men between Dec.14, 2021,and Feb. 3, 2022, and 28 clips andrecordings obtained through Title III electronic surveillance from Sept. 22, 2021, and Dec. 8, 2021. Most of the recordings allegedly involve conversations

ACIP, recommends them. If the CDC removes or limits its recommendation, pharmacists lose that authority, saidSara Al-Dahir,avaccine researcherand clinical professor at Xavier University Adecision by ACIPisexpected withina month,and it could heavily influence whether drugstores carry theshotsand whether pediatricians will be abletogive

betweenvarious combinationsofHaynes, Guidry and Franques.

Twoallegedly involve conversations between Guidry and Joseph Prejean, whose company,C&A Consulting, hada contract with the DA’s ofﬁce for providing services to defendantsinthe pretrialdiversion program.

Guidry pleaded guilty in March of 2023 to three federal charges, including bribery.Headmitted to so-

them to patients.

No availability

CVSsaid they will currentlyonlyadministershots withaprescription, though appointments were unavailable for any age group in Louisiana on theirwebsite Wednesday.Walgreens did not respond to questions about availability, but their website said aprescription

liciting bribes whileworking in thepretrial diversion program from approximately Jan.11, 2021, until May 9, 2022. Guidry also pleaded guiltytoabribery andkickback scheme involving theLouisiana Department of Wildlifeand Fisheries.

As partofaplea agreement, Franquespleaded guilty in January 2024 to one felony count of conspiracy to defraud the

Committee Chair Sen Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, listens to SecretaryofHealth and Human Services

RobertF.KennedyJr., as he testifies before aSenate committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions hearing at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on May14.

was requiredinLouisiana, even for those who meet recommendations. That leaves pharmacists like Al-Dahir caught “on bothends”— unable to give vaccines without adoctor’s order,and oftenunable to bill insurerseven when one is written becausethey will not reimburse for someone who doesn’tqualify Independent drugstores

United States for allegedly agreeing to pay kickbacks to Guidryand former DWF Secretary Jack Montoucet for steering to Franques’ companypeople seeking boating andhunter training. He did not plead guilty to involvement in the pretrial diversion program, according to court records.

Montoucethas beenindicted. He pleaded not guilty in June buthas not gone to trial

also facelogistical challenges. Former state Sen. Fred Mills, apharmacist in St. Martin Parish, said wholesalers require them to buy 10 vials at atime, at acost of about $1,100, with just afew weeks before expiration. Without health authoritiesencouraging vaccination, fewpeople are asking forit.

“The demand hasliterally dried up,” Mills said. “You mightget twopeople that want it, andyou endupeating eight of them.”

Health authoritiessilent

The Louisiana Department of Health did notanswer questions aboutavailability, guidanceorcost. Dr.Ralph Abraham,the state surgeon general, has often criticizedthe COVID-19 vaccine.

Last year,LDH employees were forbidden from promoting seasonal vaccines, and Abraham ended long-standing mass vaccination efforts suchasflu fairs. Recently, Abrahamcriticizedthe American Academy of Pediatrics for their recommendationsthat all children ages 6 months to 2years old be immunizedfor COVID-19.

Some of Louisiana’s largest health systems, including OchsnerHealth and LCMC Health, did not respond to questions about whether they arestocking doses. Blue Cross Blue Shield, Louisiana’slargest insurer,did not respond to questions about reimbursement.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said the restrictions are already hurting vulnerable patients.

“There have been restrictions effectively placed on access to COVID vaccines,” Cassidy said. “We’ve got to ﬁx that problem.”

At thesametime, Cassidy echoed calls fortransparency,citing President Donald Trump’sdemand this week forthe releaseofadditional vaccine data.

“Many people think they area miraclethatsaved millions of lives. Others disagree,”Trump wroteon Truth Social. “I want the answer,and Iwant it NOW. Dozens of studies have shown theeffectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Early clinical trialsdemonstrated high efﬁcacy againstsymptomatic infection. As the coronavirusevolved, the drug was lesseffective, but still prevented severe illness and death. From late September2023 through August 2024, COVID-19 vaccines prevented an estimated 107,000 hospitalizations and nearly 7,000 deaths nationwide.People who got the updated COVID-19 vaccine in fall 2024 had about a45% lower risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19compared with people who weren’tvaccinated with that version.

ACIP is scheduled to review the COVID-19 vaccine on Sept. 18.

Al-Dahir said she and her colleagues are exploring an amendment to Louisiana pharmacy regulationsthat would allow recommendations from other medical groups,suchasthe American Medical Association, to guide practice if federal guidance is lacking.

Dr.NoraOates,a pediatrician at HalesPediatrics, said families are pressing her with questions she can’t answerdue to thelack of clarity

“I just spoke with afamily whoiseagerly looking for the vaccine fortheir 3-yearoldbecausetheyhave an infant coming in twoweeks, andatthis point, this is a challenge,” she said. “Our patients deserverecommendations based on proper science.”

Email Emily Woodruff at ewoodruff@theadvocate. com.

Prejean pleaded guilty in December 2023 to afederal charge of conspiring to defraud the federalgovernment allegedly for involvement in the pretrialdiversionprogramscheme None of the men has been sentenced. Federal officials allege Haynesweakened therequirements to enter thepretrial diversion program, allowing more people into the program where they could pay to take classes and Hayneswould remove the offense from their record. Officials allege Haynes andGuidry made dealswith business owners to direct many of the pretrial defendants to their businesses forclasses in exchange for sharing the fees the defendantspaidwith Guidry and Haynes.

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

MCDONNELL

Trump, Kennedytakedifferentstances on COVIDvaccine

Butbothpraise effortsofrollout

BY SEUNG MIN KIM and MEG KINNARD Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump launched Operation Warp Speed in the throes of the COVID-19 pandemic, an effort he has credited with saving tensof millions of lives.During a Cabinetmeeting last week, he likened it to “one of the greatest achievements ever.”

Sitting at the table as aproud Trump spoke was Health and Human Services SecretaryRobert F. Kennedy Jr., who came under ﬁre at acongressional hearing Thursday for his work to restrict access to vaccines, including the very COVID-19 shots stilltouted by his boss.

The three-hour hearing exposed an odd dichotomy: One of Trump’smost universal successes in hisﬁrst term remains Operation Warp Speed, yet his handpicked health chief anda growing cadre of Trump’s “Make America Great Again” supporters are distrustful of the very mRNA vaccine technology that the president has championed. Highlighting that divide, much of thepraise of Trump’sunprecedented effort to ﬁndavaccine for COVID-19 came Thursday from Democrats.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-N.H.,calledOperation Warp Speed“amonumental achievement.” Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., told Kennedy he was ahealth hazard and said Trump, “who put forward Operation Warp Speed, which worked,” should ﬁre him. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders, who caucuses withDemocrats, said he doesn’t“usually

agree with”Trumpbut cited thepresident’s remarkson the COVID-19vaccineand said the scientific community is aligned behindhim. Republicans were also critical of Kennedy’sapproachtovaccines.

Cassidy

Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, aphysicianwhose vote for Kennedy ensured hisnarrow confi rm ation, noted theoverarching success of Op eration Warp Speed at atime when thousands of peoplea daywere dying fromCOVID-19, businesses were shuttered and much of everyday life had ground to ahalt.

“Others saiditcouldn’t be done.Wesaved millions of livesglobally.Trillions of dollars. We reopened the economy. An incredible accomplishment,”Cassidy said as he questionedKennedy.“Do you agree with me that thepresident deserves aNobel Prize for Operation Warp Speed?”

When Kennedy answered, “Absolutely,Senator,” Cassidy pivoted sharply He pressed Kennedy on denouncing the vaccinein the past, working on lawsuitstargeting pharmaceutical makers and filling vacancies on apowerful vaccine advisory committee with expert witnesses who testifiedagainstthe drugmakers, suggesting they posed aconflictofinterest.

“It just seems inconsistent thatyou would agree with me that the president deserves tremendous amount of credit for this,” Cassidy responded.

Limiting vaccineaccess

Under Kennedy,U.S. regulators havelimitedthe avail-

Trumpquestions

ability of COVID-19vaccines for many Americans.

Last month, U.S. regulators approved updated COVID-19 shots butlimited their use for manyAmericans —and removed one of the two vaccinesavailable for young children. The new restrictions are abreak from the previousU.S.policy, whichrecommended an annual COVID-19 shot for all Americans 6months andup, sparking confusion and frustration from some Americans, including parentsinterested in vaccinating healthy children against thevirus.

Many pharmacies are unwilling or legally barred from giving vaccinesoutside theuses endorsed by the Foodand DrugAdministration andother federal authorities.

Severaladministration ofﬁcials came to Kennedy’s defense on vaccines. Mehmet Oz, theadministrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, said what Kennedy wants is “integrity and honesty” in the vaccine review process.

“Democratsare, as usual, being intellectuallydishonest to try—and fail —to drive awedge between President Trumpand Secretary Kennedy,” White House spokesman Kush Desai said Thursday “Instead of playing politics and trying to getstupid sound bites,Democrats shouldspendmore time working with Secretary Kennedyand therestof the AdministrationtoMake America Healthy Again.”

TheWhite House on Thursdaydid notdirectly addressthe criticism from Cassidy.Asked later about Kennedy’stestimony,Trump said he hadn’twatched but Kennedy “means very well” and he likes the fact that Kennedy is different.

DeSantis’push

to endall Fla. vaccinemandates

BY EMILYGOODIN

Miami Herald (TNS)

PresidentDonald Trumpdistanced himself from Florida’s plans tobecomethe ﬁrst state to end all vaccine mandates —including for schoolchildren —advising caution on the issue and pointing to the many successful vaccinations available.

“I think we have to be very careful,”the president told reporters in theOval Ofﬁce on Friday “Look, you have some vaccines thatare so amazing. The polio vaccine,I happen to think is amazing,” Trump continued.“Alot of people think that COVID is amazing.You know,there are many people that believe strongly in that, but you have somevaccines that are so incredible. And Ithink youhave to be very careful when you say that some people don’thave to be vaccinated ”

Gov.Ron DeSantis and state Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo announced their intentions to remove the state’svaccine mandates on Thursday and received criticism from public health advocates.

DeSantisrosetonational prominence when, as governor,hedeﬁed COVID-19restrictions during the heightofthe pandemic. Trump’sown health secretary,RobertF Kennedy Jr., is an anti-vaxxer But Trump, who led Operation Warp Speed

to developthe COVID-19vaccine,saidsome of them aren’tcontroversial and should be taken so people don’tget sick.

“You have vaccinesthat work. They just pure andsimple work.They’re not controversialatall. AndIthink thosevaccines shouldbeused, otherwise some people are going to catch it, and they endanger other people. Andwhenyou don’thavecontroversy at all, Ithinkpeople should take it,”

he noted

Trump, aFlorida resident, received aCOVID-19 vaccine shortly before he left ofﬁce at theend of his ﬁrst terminJanuary 2021.

For decades, Florida —like many other states —has required numerous vaccines forkids attending school, including shots that protectagainst measles-mumps-rubella, polio, chickenpox and Hepatitis B. But Florida does ban COVID-19 vaccine mandatesfor students.

Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health, the agency he oversees, woulddo away with rules on vaccine mandates,which he compared to slavery

“All of them. Every last one of them,”

Ladapo said during theannouncement.

“WhoamI as aman standing here now to tell you what you should put in your body?”

All50statesand Washington,D.C., have laws requiring certainvaccinesfor students to attend school.

But the LouisianaRepublican was not the only one from his party chastising Kennedy over vaccines.

“If we’re going to make America healthy again, we can’tallow publichealthto be undermined,” SenateMajority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming,astaunchTrump ally,told Kennedy.“I’ma doctor.Vaccines work.”

Meanwhile, NorthCarolina Sen. Thom Tillis had a multitude of questions for Kennedy,including how he really feels about Operation Warp Speed, saying he’d acceptKennedy’sanswers later in writing.

Changing messages

Asked in earlyAugust about Kennedy’scancellation of the mRNA contracts, Trump said the effort was “now alongtime agoand we’re on to other things,” but said he would continue to speak on it

“Operation Warp Speed was, whether you’re Republican or Democrat, considered one of the mostincredible things ever done in this country,” Trump said. “The efficiency,the wayitwas done, the distribution, everything about it was, has been amazing.”

But Trump himself has been inconsistent in hisattitude toward vaccines. He said in asocial media post last weekthat the companies were responsible for therecentturmoil at the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention because they were not transparent about the science behind the shots. He has sometimes embraced discredited theories that vaccines could cause autism.Trump has also ferociously opposed vaccine mandates, threatening to withhold funding from schools with such policies.

The anti-vaccine move-

ment within Trump’s party hasbeengrowingsincethe earlydaysofthe vaccine. Trump himself was booed at an event in December 2021 when he revealed that he had gotten the COVID-19 booster He tried, in vain, to rally his supporters back around Operation Warp Speed and remindthemofwhathad been accomplished.

“Look,wedid something that was historic. We saved tens of millions of lives worldwide.Wetogether, all of us —not me, we —wegot avaccine done,three vaccinesdone, andtremendous therapeutics,” Trump said. “This was going to ravage the country farbeyond what it is right now.Take credit for it. Take credit for it. Don’tlet them take it away Don’ttake it away from ourselves.”

Kinnardreported from Chapin, S.C.

By Amanda McElfresh, amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Across Acadiana,South LouisianaCommunity College(SoLAcc)has become aprimary driver of opportunityfor students andavital pipeline of talent forlocal businesses.Through earlyexposure, hands-on learningand deep collaborations with employers, SoLAcc is connecting students to high-wage, high-demandcareers faster andmore affordablythaneverbefore.

Much of this work is beingmadepossiblebythe Carl D. PerkinsCongressional Act, more formally knownasthe StrengtheningCareerand Technical Educationfor the21stCentury Act(PerkinsV), whichfunds career andtechnical education(CTE) programs.AtSoLAcc,thefundingisusedprimarilyfor approvedprogramsinhealthsciences,manufacturing informationtechnologyand transportation VirginiaMaze, Grants Specialist at SoLAcc,said thePerkins fundingcan have tangible impactson studenteducation

“Ifnot forthis, ourstudentswould notalwaysbe able to trainonup-to-datetechnology,” shesaid. “Lastyear,weboughtaspecialtabletotrainstudents on non-destructivetesting.Itcostabout $80,000 It wouldbeverydifficult to purchase something like that on ourown.Perkins hasalsoallowed us to expand ournursing programinNew Iberia purchase newhigh-tech mannequins,a medicine cart andpediatric crashcart fortraining, andhire twonew instructors anda nursingadvisor,all in response to studentdemand.”

When students enroll in aCTE programat SoLAcc,theycan choose atechnical degree track, whichcan be completedinabout oneyear, or an associate’sdegreetrack,which generallytakes less than twoyears “Somestudentscomeinand arecertain about whattheywanttodo.Othersarestillnotcompletely sure,”Mazesaid. “Wehave aprogram wherethey cantakeanassessmenttopinpointsomeareas they maydowellin. It really helpstonarrowthings down.Somestudentsfollowthatand some choose adifferentpathway,but it is beneﬁcial for them to seetheir interestsand strengths.”

Regardless of theirchosenpath, more SoLAcc students than ever before arechoosingCTE DelilahJournet,SoLAccDirectorofAdmissions andRecruiting, said 58 percentofthe college’s studentswereinaCTEprogramlastyear,compared to 38 percentin2023-24.Journet said students areincreasingly drawntothe programs’faster pace,affordability andopportunity to ﬁnishwith adegreethatcan lead directly into well-payingjob

Thesmaller classsizes andcohortmodel at SoLAcc meanstheycan also form supportsystems with instructorsand fellow students “Itdefinitely keepsthem motivated to learn alongsidepeers whohavesimilar goals,”she said “Our facultyalsodoesatremendousjob because

they really gettoknowthe students well.” SoLAcc is also workingmoreclosely with area schoolstoexposemiddleandhighschoolstudentsto possible future careers. ThroughTrain &Connect Acadiana/CROP, students spendtimeoncampus andcan earn industry-based credentialsthatgive them aheadstart in theworkforce andshows them howeducation connects to careers. SoLAcc also provides opportunities forhighschoolstudentsto tour localindustriesand labs In addition,a newCTE Recruiterisprioritizing middle schoolsfor earlycareerexploration using zSpace technology.Thisvirtual realitysystemcan beplacedonamobilelabandtakentoareacampuses forhands-oncareerexploration

“Several studieshaveshown that students have ahighersuccess rate in choosing acareeriftheyare introduced to optionsatanearlier age,”Journet said.“Theseprogramsallow us to getinfront of the students andexposethemtodifferentpossibilities that they maynot have even realized areout there. AsSoLAcccontinuestoexpanditsCTEwork,Maze said thecollege relies heavilyonlocal businesses to provideguidance.Advisoryboardsmeettwiceayear to help evaluate curriculum andoffer suggestions aboutwaysSoLAcccan make sure it is teaching studentsrelevantskills.Mazesaidthatfeedbackhas been valuable multiple ways,including helpingthe collegekeepits educationalresources up-to-date “The alignmentmachine in ourautomotive programneededtobereplaced. Therewas adelay in theprocess to ordera newone.Duringthattime, we foundout from an industry partnerthatthe students wouldnot be workingonthatparticular brandintheworkforce,”Mazesaid.“Wepivotedand ordered thetypethatthose in theindustrytoldus is more relevant.Wedon’t want to teachstudents outdated skills.Those connectionswithindustry arekey forus.

Visitwww.solacc.edutolearnmoreaboutprograms at SouthLouisiana CommunityCollege

High school students gather at an admissions tableto discusscareeropportunities at SouthLouisiana Community College.

Jeannie Miller,CTE RecruiteratSouth LouisianaCommunity College, with prospectiveSoLAccstudents.

Advanced weldingstudents from SouthLouisiana CommunityCollege visitthe Port of Iberia

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Sending troops to La.linkedtocomingcrime bill

is open to theidea, posting on X: “Wewill takePresident Trump’shelp from New Orleans to Shreveport.”

Mark Ballard

WASHINGTON —Federalizing National Guard troops to patrol the streets of American cities —perhaps including New Orleans and Shreveport —isbeing discussed at the same time Republicans on Capitol Hill are preparing the ﬁrst sweeping anticrime bill in decades.

President Donald Trump said Wednesday Republican leaders are looking at what to include in the crime bill that he wants “now.”

Facing growing legal obstacles, the White House on the same day shifted its rhetoric from sending the National Guard to blue states and instead focusing on sendingtroops to red ones. Louisiana could be ﬁrst.

“We’re makingadetermination now,” Trump said during an Oval Ofﬁce news conference Wednesday afternoon. “Do we go to Chicago? Or do we go to aplace like New Orleans, where we have agreat governor,Jeff Landry, who wants us to come in andstraighten out avery nice section of this country that’sbecome quite tough, quite bad.”

Republican Gov.Landry

Kennedyinvokes ‘Alien’ in speech about shrimp

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy,RBaton Rouge, agreed, “The National Guard in Washington, D.C., demonstrated that more uniformsonthe street, whatever the color of the uniform is, makes our community safer.It is not along-term solution, but this givesusa chance to demonstratethat it is just as trueinLouisiana.”

U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, was not on board.

“I want to be clear: Militarizing thestreets of New Orleans is not the solution for our public safety.Period,” Carter wrote Trump in aletter Thursday. Carter said federal authorities could best help New Orleansbyproviding funding to recruit andbetter train police ofﬁcers, strengthen resources in the District Attorney’sOfﬁce, andrepair theOrleans Parish Prison.

Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux, aRepublican, thanked Landry for his concern, according to The Shreveport Times.

“That said, any city our size can always use additional resources in the battleagainst crime. The question is how,when, and in what form to provide

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Mandeville, used an unusual prop to argue for tougher inspections of foreign seafood in aspeech on the Senate ﬂoor:A poster-sized picture of the monster from sci-ﬁ horror movie “Alien.”

CAPITOL

BUZZ staff reports

Like other Louisiana leaders, Kennedyseized upon arecent recall of shrimp under Walmart’s Great Valuelabel. Federalinspectors found some of the shrimp were tainted with cesium-137, aradioactive isotope.

‘This is what you could end up looking like if you eatsome of the raw frozen shrimp being sent to the U.S. by other countries,” Kennedy said, pointing to the imageof the fanged, slimy creature. Kennedy argued therecall showed the needfor tougherinspections by the Department of Commerce.

“They are inspecting some of it, about 1%; on agood day,2%,” Kennedy said. “The United Kingdom inspects 50% of the farmed seafood coming into itsnation. Even China does abetterjob than the United StatesofAmerica. This is unconscionable. There is no excuse for it.” Kennedy argued the radioactivity recall highlights the value of

those resources.”

Baton Rouge andNew Orleans have aboutthe same rate of violent crimes per 100,000residents. But in 2024, youwere morelikely to be murdered in Baton Rouge andShreveport than in New Orleans, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigationstatistics and other sources.

Republican leaderspoint to how the three-week occupation by National Guard units in Washington led to adramatic decrease in murders, adding the same could be done in blue cities —amove that local leaders

promise will be met with lawsuits.

Illinois’sDemocraticGov JB Pritzker said Thursday: “We’re going to immediately go to court, if National Guard or other military troops aresentto, deployed to the city of Chicago.”

State NationalGuards are the descendants of colonial militiasand hencetheir commanders-in-chiefare the governors of thestates where they serve. Governors usually callupNationalGuard units to help with localdisasters, suchas hurricanes, anddomestic emergencies,suchasriots.

shrimp caught locally,particularly in Louisiana.

“But Iunderstand thatsome stores prefer tobuy foreign shrimp becauseitischeaper,” he said. “Now we know why: The damnstuff is radioactive.”

La. native facesSenate hearing for energy role

Thelatest nominee forthe federal panel that regulates utility companies —David LaCerte of Baton Rouge— saidThursday that he wouldbe“agnostic” when it comestopermitting newpower made from solar,windand other green sources.

“The Federal Power Act requires thatcommissionersbeneutral on these decisions andIcommit to follow the law,” LaCerte testiﬁed during hisconfirmation hearing to become one of ﬁve commission-

The District of Columbia, however, is afederal-run territory andits National Guard unitsanswertothe president

Federalizing thestate-run unitsrequires aseveralstep process that is more difﬁcult if thegovernors oppose thedecision.And even whensuccessful, troopsface asheaf of legal restrictions, such as the 1878 Posse ComitatusAct that forbids federal troops from performing domestic policing undermostcircumstances.

On Tuesday,SeniorU.S District Judge Charles

as well as FERC,” LaCerte added.

“Reducing processing time and the associated administrative burden will speed projects along, allowing those cost savings to be passed to ratepayers.”

LaCerte washead of the Louisiana Department of Veterans Affairs underGov.Bobby Jindal.

He is the White House liaison and senior adviser to the director for U.S. Office of Personnel Management,where he helped shepherd candidates through the nomination process and advised on personnel policy forthe agency that administers employment for 2 million federal workers.

The 45-year-old graduated from Nicholls State University and the LSU Paul M. Hebert School of Law.

Breyer in SanFrancisco ruledillegalTrump’sreasoning forsending troops to Los Angelesearlierthis summer to protect federal agents andbuildings.

Breyer was nominated in 1997 by DemocraticPresident Bill Clinton Houseleadership continuedtotrumpet howsuccessful theD.C.occupation hasbeen —thenturned directlytothe need forthe upcoming crime bill.

“Itisencouraging to see amuchsafer nation’s Capitol,” House Majority Leader SteveScalise,RJefferson,saidWednesday. “Anditisclearlythe result of thework of President Trump, who saidearly offhewas going to make America safeagain. And youdon’t just do it through words, youdoitthrough actions.”

Scalisethenpivoted to whathecalledweak criminallaws by theWashington council andjudgeswho are softoncrime.

“Our (House) Oversight Committee is going to be going to work next week, passing apackage of bills to address alot of those problems that D.C. created, to ﬁx it so that criminals can’tjust walk free if they want to go commit tough crimes.”

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate. com.

She faces three federal charges of assaulting, resisting, interfering and impeding federal ofﬁcers during an ofﬁcial May oversight visit to the immigration detention facility in her Newark district. McIver pleaded notguilty.She could face amaximum of eight years in prison on two of the counts and another year in the third —ifthe federal courts pursue the charges. Democratic Reps. Troy Carter, of NewOrleans, and CleoFields, of BatonRouge,voted against the Higgins resolution.

ers on Federal Energy Regulatory Commission. Among itsregulatory duties, FERCsigns off on projects such as electricity-generating plantsand transmitting power.Senators on the Committee on Energy andNatural Resources said they feared that FERC mightdiscriminate against making moreenergy using renewableresources because of actions and criticisms by theTrump administration about green energy, favoring fossil fuels instead.

“Artificial intelligence, data centers, and reindustrialization present acompounding of these issues which will require diligent planning, forecasting, andregulatory oversight from both the states

The Senate committeewill take additional questionsinwriting and then vote on afuture date whether to recommend that the full Senate approve LaCerte’snomination.

House drops Higgins’ censure motion

Higgins wassupported by the otherthree GOP members of the Louisiana delegation: House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton; House Majority Leader Steve Scalise,R-Jefferson; andRep.Julia Letlow,R-Baton Rouge. Higgins, R-Lafayette, entered his censure resolutionasthe Housewas ﬁnishingupthe paperwork after members were sent home early for the monthlong recess on July 27.

WASHINGTON —With help from ﬁve Republicans, theU.S.House tabled amotion Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins to censurea Democratic colleague whogot in trouble with immigration ofﬁcers while visiting an ICE facility

The House voted 215 to 207 to drop Higgins’ resolutionthat would have punished New Jersey Democratic U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver

Higgins washimselfthe target of acensure resolutionpresented by the Congressional Black Caucus right before the House left townfor amonth in 2024. Respondingtoasocial mediacontroversy over Haitian immigrants, Higgins used his ofﬁcial congressionalXaccount to write thatHaitians are wild, eat pets and practice voodoo. He calledHaiti the“nastiestcountry in thewestern hemisphere, cults, slapstick gangsters.” He later deleted the post. The House never voted on the censure resolution against Higgins when the chamber reconvened a month later

Our enchanting community invites you to explore life’s exciting opportunitiesand deﬁesyourexpectations of whatseniorliving should be.Weare dedicated to providing outstanding senior living experiencesfor those seeking thebest in life. At TheVincent, youenjoy an exciting,adventurous,social, and enriching lifestyle. Come by for atourand discoverthe warmth andsupport of ourcommunity foryourself!

U.S. SENATE

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Mandeville, uses aphoto of amonster from sci-fi horror movie ‘Alien’ to makehis pointabout inspections of foreign seafood.

LaCerte

Higgins

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Gov. Jeff Landryaddressed the media outsideCamp57atLouisiana State Penitentiaryin Angola on Wednesday.

BY JEFF MCMURRAY and LINLEY SANDERS Associated Press

CHICAGO When Elizabeth Rivera’s phone would ring during the overnight shift, it was usually because the bus didn’t show up again and one of her three kids needed a ride to school.

After leaving early from her job at a Houston-area Amazon warehouse several times, Rivera was devastated — but not surprised — when she was ﬁred.

“Right now I’m kind of depressed about it,” said Rivera, 42. “I’m depressed because of the simple fact that it’s kind of hard to ﬁnd a job, and there’s bills I have to pay But at the same time, the kids have to go to school.”

Rivera is far from the only parent forced to choose between their job and their kids’ education, according to a new poll conducted by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and HopSkipDrive, a company that relies on artiﬁcial intelligence and a network of drivers using their own vehicles to help school districts address transportation challenges.

Most parents drive their children to school, the survey found, and those responsibilities can have a major impact.

About one-third of parents say taking their kids to school has caused them to miss work, according to the poll. Roughly 3 in 10 say they’ve been prevented

from seeking or taking work opportunities And 11% say school transportation has even caused them to lose a job

Mothers are especially likely to say school transportation needs have interfered with their jobs and opportunities.

The impact falls disproportionately on lower-income families.

Around 4 in 10 parents with a household income below $100,000 a year said they’ve missed work due to pick-up needs, compared with around 3 in 10 parents with a household income of $100,000 or more.

Meredyth Saieed and her two children, ages 7 and 10, used to live in a homeless shelter in North Carolina.

Saieed said the kids’ father has been incarcerated since May

Although the family qualified for government-paid transportation to school, Saieed said the kids would arrive far too early or leave too late under that system So, she decided to drop them off and pick them up herself.

She had been working double shifts as a bartender and server at a French restaurant in Wilmington but lost that job due to repeatedly missing the dinner rush for pickups.

“Sometimes when you’ve got kids and you don’t have a village, you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” said Saieed, 30. “As a mom, you just ﬁnd a way around it.”

The latest obstacle: a broken-down car She couldn’t afford to repair it, so she sold it to a junk yard. She’s hoping this year the school will offer transportation that works better for her family Although about half of

EDUCATION

ISSUES

parents living in rural areas and small towns say their kids still take a bus to school, that fell to about one-third of parents in urban areas.

A separate AP-NORC/ HopSkipDrive survey of school administrators found that nearly half said school bus driver shortages were a “major problem” in their district.

Some school systems don’t offer bus service. In other cases, the available options don’t work for families

The community in Long Island, New York, where police Ofﬁcer Dorothy Criscuolo’s two children attend school provides bus service, but she doesn’t want them riding it because they’ve been diagnosed as neurodivergent.

“I can’t have my kids on a bus for 45 minutes with all the screaming and yelling, and then expect them to be

OK once they get to school, be regulated and learn,” said Criscuolo, 49. “I think it’s impossible.”

So Criscuolo drops them off, and her wife picks them up. It doesn’t interfere much with their work, but it does get in the way of Criscuolo’s sleep Because her typical shift is 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and her children start at different times at different schools, it’s not uncommon for her to get only three hours of sleep a day during the school year

Mothers are most often the ones driving their children to and from school, with 68% saying they typically take on this task, compared with 57% of fathers.

Most mothers, 55%, say they have missed work, have lost jobs or were kept from personal or professional opportunities because of

school transportation needs, compared with 45% of dads.

Syrina Franklin says she didn’t have a choice. The father of her two high schoolage children is deceased, so she has to take them and a 5-year-old grandson to different schools on Chicago’s South Side.

After she was late to work more than 10 times, she lost her job as a mail sorter at the post ofﬁce and turned to driving for Uber and Instacart to make ends meet.

“Most of the kids, they have people that help out with dropping them off and picking them up,” said Franklin, 41. “They have their father a grandmother, somebody in the family helps.”

When both parents are able to pitch in, school pickup and drop-off duties can be easier

Computer programmer

Jonathan Heiner takes his three kids to school in Bellbrook, Ohio, and his wife picks them up.

“We are deﬁnitely highly privileged because of the fact that I have a very ﬂexible job and she’s a teacher, so she gets off when school gets out,” said Heiner, 45. “Not a lot of people have that.”

Although the use of school buses has been declining for years across the U.S., many parents would like to see schools offer other options.

Roughly 4 in 10 parents said getting their kids to school would be “much easier” or “somewhat easier” if there were more school bus routes, school-arranged transportation services or improved pedestrian and bike infrastructure near school. Around a third cited a desire for earlier or later start times, or centralized pick-up and drop-off locations for school buses.

Joanna McFarland, the CEO and co-founder of HopSkipDrive, said districts need to reclaim the responsibility of making sure students have a ride to school. “I don’t think the way to solve this is to ask parents to look for innovative ideas,”

Tuesday, Sept.9,

9a.m. -12p.m.; 6p.m. -8 p.m.

RaisingCane’sRiver Center

Baton Rouge,Louisiana

NACACNationalCollege Fair

NEWORLEANS

Wednesday, Sept. 10

9a.m. -12p.m.; 5:30 p.m. -7:30 p.m.

Pontchartrain Convention and Civic Center

Kenner, Louisiana

THE GULF COAST

Taxbreaksspurred post-Katrina building

BY JEFF AMY Associated Press

GULFPORT,Miss. Rocking on his front porch overlooking the Mississippi Sound, former Gulfport Mayor Billy Hewes questionshow anyone wouldn’twant to live there

“People are always going to gravitatetothe water,”hesaid “And we haveabeautiful waterfront.”

But it was far from certain that people would return after 2005’s Hurricane Katrina, which killed 238 people in Mississippiand left only concreteslabsinmanyareas. With beachfront rebuilding crawling along adecadelater,Gulfport began offering property tax breaks to those who built near the water.Hewessaid the goal was for people to “build back better,quicker,help kick-start the economy. Where to encourage building is athorny decisionfor local governmentsinareas exposedtoﬂoodsor wildﬁres.

Despite risks including rising sea levels, places need residents and taxpayers. Like otherGulf Coast cities after Katrina, Gulfport required residents to build at higher elevations and enforced a stronger building code. But most residents near the water are in at least amoderate-risk ﬂood zone. Nationwide, many more homesare being built in ﬂood zones than are being removed.

“The local government was not necessarily thinking we need peopletobuild in thisﬂood-prone place,” Miyuki Hino, aprofessor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill who researches ﬂooding, saidofsuch decisions. “They were thinking we have this land that’sunderutilized and we can increase our property tax revenue.” Allen Baker lived through1969’s

HurricaneCamille in neighboring Long Beach and thought he knew what to expect after Katrina. But the 2005 storm was far worse.

Hishistoricbeachfronthomewas blown to bits by whatwitnesses said was atornado spun off by the hurricane.

Allalong the coast, neighborhoods between the beach anda railroad track justtothe north were shredded by abattering storm tide and winds. Recovery was slow for years.

“It waskind of spooky down here,” Baker said. “I mean,it looked like one of your postapocalyptic movies.”

Baker and his wife waited. They didn’tmove into anew home until 2016, afterGulfport beganwaiving city property taxes for seven years when owners investedcertain amountsin building south of the railroad tracks. Property owners still paid county and school taxes.

Sixtyproperties received Gulfport’s tax break before the city stopped approving new applicants in 2021, tax records show.The savings weren’thuge, typically $500 to $1,000 ayear, depending on property value. But Baker and

others said it was asign to stop hesitating and start building.

“In simple terms, it wasa green light,” Baker said.

Not every area has recovered equally.Ina lower-lying area on the westside of Gulfport,where rotting chicken and giant paper bales washed up from the port, many lots are still vacant.But oneblock inland on theeastside, attractive new houses mix with structures that survived.

Hewes also beneﬁted from the tax break, building anew home on abeachfront siteowned by his family since1904, thesecond-most valuable house built under the program, according to tax records. Hewes said he and his wife used their tax savings to build stronger “Weput alot more money into actually hardening this hometo amuchhigherstandard,” Hewes said.

Baker’scurrent housealsoexceeds Gulfport’s building code, with steel rods inside walls that tie into a3-foot-thick concrete foundation and fasten down theroof. That qualiﬁed the home for an insurance industry standard called “fortiﬁed,” which provides savings on expensive wind insurance. But

only 1,500 homes in Mississippi have fortiﬁedstatus, according to the Insurance Institute forBusiness &HomeSafety.Thatcompares with 9,000 in Louisiana and 50,000 in nation-leading Alabama.

Baker,who becameacivil engineer after ﬂying airliners, argues beachfront areas need an extrastrict building code.

“Everythingabout this houseis built to be punished,” he said. “If you seriously want to live in this environment, you have to plan for that.”

Katherine Egland, aGulfport resident who chairs the NAACP’s national Environmental and Climate Justice Committee, fears the communitymay notbeprepared for thenext big storm

“I’m not saying we didn’tmake some progress,” Egland said. “What I’msaying is we didn’tmake nearly the amountofprogress that we should have made.”

Shestill rejectshow Mississippi prioritized business recovery and says some development farther inland hasworsened rainwater ﬂooding in historically Black neighborhoods. Areas targeted by the tax break arewhiter and moreafﬂuent thanthe city overall.

“You’regiving incentives to residents south of the tracks, but at the same time, you are imperiling residents that live north of thetracks, Egland said.

Most of the first block facing the beach in Gulfport is rated as having a1%yearly chance of flooding, although what’scalled the 100-year flood zone sometimes stretches farther back. The Federal Emergency Management Agency considers almost all of the rest of the area south of the railroad track to have between a1%and a0.2% risk of flooding annually.Flood insurancegenerally isn’trequired in that moderate risk area.

Hino said it’s “absolutelytrue” that elevating abuilding reduces risk but said risk growsover time with rising sea levels, which could require someonetoelevate ahouse

multiple times over decades. And while a1%yearlyrisk of ﬂooding sounds low, those odds addupover time.

“Over the course of your 30-year mortgage, you have a40% chance of ﬂooding,” Hino said.

It’s not unusual that houses were built in aﬂood zone in Gulfport. From 2001 to 2019, more than 840,000 homeswere built in ﬂood plains nationwide, according to a 2024 University of Miami study That’sinpart because the federally subsidized National Flood Insurance Program will repeatedly pay to rebuild, no matter how high the risk

There was aplantoget more people out of Mississippi flood zones. Federal ofﬁcials considered buying out2,000 properties at the highest risk of being damaged by hurricane storm tides. The U.S. ArmyCorps of Engineers projected that a$408 millionbuyout, in 2008 dollars, would lower potential yearly storm damage by $22 million to $33 million. But Congress never appropriated the money Hino said buyoutscan create parkland that serves both as an environmental bufferand an amenity.But Hewes said he thinks Gulfport’schoices “may have done more for ourrecoverythan any sort of federalbuyout.” He said it took years for Gulfport to productively reuse land froma pre-Katrina buyout along aﬂoodprone bayou.

“Do you create an area that is blighted, that is abandoned, that is neglected after the fact?” Hewes asked.

Even without the tax break, construction is continuing in beachfront areas. But it maynot be clear how successful recovery has been until those new buildings are tested by the next major hurricane.

“Some people have built out of concrete,” Baker said. “Some people have built out of better materials. Somepeople have not. And those people are going to be in for ashock.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEFF AMy

the Mississippi Sound,former GulfportMayor Billy Hewes stands in front of his homeinGulfport, Miss.

La. Black Caucus challenges AG

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON The Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and some White Democratic legislators have asked a judge to stop Attorney General Liz Murrill’s ofﬁce from arguing that the U.S Supreme Court should overturn the state’s congressional map with two majority-Black districts.

Murrill’s argument would ef-

St. Landry School Board OKs budget

District will be left with shortfall

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

The St. Landry Parish School Board approved a 2025-26 budget that will leave the district in a $4.9 million hole if changes are not made to keep up with its declining student population.

The number presented at Thursday night’s meeting is an improvement over the $7.9 million deﬁcit the district projected just a few weeks earlier. However, Superintendent Milton Batiste III alluded to necessary stafﬁng changes.

“Another reality is there are going to be some tough decisions ahead,” Batiste said. “It’s going to have to (be), and I’m going to keep saying, some rightsizing at central ofﬁce levels, rightsizing at school levels, and we’re just gonna need everyone’s support while doing it.”

The board approved the budget with seven votes. Three members abstained.

The district’s shortfall is driven by the growth of charter schools in the parish and declining student populations. Additionally, the board plans to pay off a $9 million loan in March

Payments to charter schools have increased 128% since last year and are projected to cost the district $8.9 million. The increase wiped out the $2.5 million in yearly savings the district saw after a February vote to close schools

The district already expects to lose around 300 students per year. The opening of a new charter school, Helix AI and Medical Academy is expected to siphon off even more students, resulting in a loss of 600-700 students.

“We are working to make this as palatable as possible,” District 4’s Raymond Cassimere said. “You can’t just root up everything at one point in time; it has to be in phases. Some of these things have to happen in maybe

was necessary

fectively repeal a law passed by the Louisiana Legislature, a duty the state Constitution gives legislators and forbids an attorney general from doing on her own, according to the lawsuit ﬁled Thursday in Baton Rouge’s 19th Judicial District Court.

They allege that Murrill is join-

ing the national Republican effort to pad the GOP majority in the U.S. House. The case was assigned to Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts.

“It’s a separation of powers question,” Democratic Rep. Edmond Jordan, a Baton Rouge lawyer who signed the pleading, said Friday “The suit is to make her comply with her constitutional obligations.”

Murrill said Friday the lawsuit

is “patently baseless.” She argued she merely answered a question posed by the Supreme Court: whether Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 is constitutional.

By saying the law is unconstitutional, as Murrill did last week, Louisiana returned to its original position in the case: The state didn’t need a second majorityminority congressional district that the federal courts had ruled

“The Legislature complied with federal court orders, but that doesn’t mean we agreed with how we got here,” Murrill said.

Murrill argued state district courts have no jurisdiction over federal arguments made to the U.S. Supreme Court.

Jordan countered that state law requires challenges to a state official for not doing her job can only be heard in state district

WE CAN DO IT

Louisiana ranks 9th cheapest in country

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Murrill

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Kenner OKsdockfor rivercruise line stop

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Kenner’shistoric Rivertownwill soon serve as the neweststop for aMississippi River cruise line under anew agreement unanimously approved by the Kenner City Council on Thursday night. Kenner officials paved the way for American Cruise Lines to constructa new docking facility on the site of an abandoned dock that has sat vacant since Hurricane Katrina, near LaSalle’sLanding at the southernmost point of Williams Boulevard.

Once completed, the Delaware-based company will include Kenner on its severalMississippi River cruise itineraries, where up to 180 passengers will explore the city for aday beforeembarking on their next destination.

“By adding astop in Rivertown,the area will experience ahigh-spending demographic, an increase in on-the-ground visitors, and the opportunity for us to highlight local history and traditions,”

Mayor Michael Glaser said Glaser added that Kenner’sdock will only serve as acruise stop, not aterminal for getting on and off, so parking and trafﬁc in Rivertown shouldn’t be greatly impacted.

American Cruise Lines operates 21 small ships and riverboats across 140 U.S. stops in 35 states, with plans to build an additionalnineships in thecoming years Five of those ships cruise the Mississippi River,with more under construction, according to Frank Klipsch, arepresentative from American Cruise Lines.

The company averages about 20,000 passengers per year traveling through the lower MississippiRiver, primarily catering to older and higher-incomecustomers interested in domestic travel

At each stop, passengers have the option to walk around the immediatearea, stay on board, or take ashuttle busto explore other parts of the city.

“We’re not ones that overtake acommunity like some of those largecruise ships do,” Klipsch toldthe councilatan Aug. 22 meeting. “Wecome in and integrate with the community,go to your local vendors, go on your excursion opportunities, and enjoy that as well.”

Under the new contract with Kenner, American CruiseLines andthe city will each pay for half the cost to demolish the old pier.American will thenconstruct anew Rivertown dock anda 325-foot walkway connecting it to the Mississippi River Trail.

Once completed, the company will lease the spacefor 20 years at $12,000 per year,with the option to extend by 10 years up to twotimes.

Klipsch estimated the project would be complete in early 2027, and said there was apossibility other cruise liners could dock there in the future as well.

The city of Kenner will alsoupgrade LaSalle’sLanding and an observation deck on the levee using an $826,000 grant.

The cruise stop will add to Rivertown’s economy as it undergoes aboom of new business and events, following decades of stagnation in the12-block historic district.Glasersaid at themeetingthat three newbusinesses were in theprocess of obtaining permitssotheycould move into the area as well.

ButsomeinN.O. question if deploying National Guardis thebestapproach H

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

It was onlya few months ago that National Guard troops arrived in the streetsofdowntown New Orleans.

Armed with riﬂes and dressed in fatigues, their presencewas ashowofforce following the Bourbon Street terror attack, aimed at calming fears as the city prepared to host the Super Bowl.

Now,city residentsand civic leadersare reckoning with the likely return of thosesoldiers as part of President Donald Trump’slatest move to suggest that stoppingcrime in Democratic-ledcities requiresmilitary help.

DuringanOval Office press conference last Wednesday

Trump said he was considering sending National Guard troops to patrol New Orleans, acomment that promptedGov.Jeff Landry to quickly announce that he was behind theeffort and thankful for anyhelp the president wouldoffer. Andata Rose Garden event Friday night, he said he plans to followthrough on it.

“We’re going to come into New Orleans, and we’re going to make thatplacesosafe,” Trumpsaid.

“It’sgot alittle problem right now,a couple of headaches, like murders, alot of little murders going on, and we’re notgoingto stand for it. And we’re going to come in, we’re going to clean it up.”

TheHill reportedthat the National Guard has not received anynew deploymentorders as of Friday night.

From the tourist-heavy French Quarter to New OrleansEast and acrossthe river in Algiers,residentsfrustratedbyever-present crime and other seemingly intractable quality-of-life concerns said they would welcome federal aid.

But manyquestioned whether ashort-term deployment of soldiers on street corners would help solve the kind of deep-seated crime issues that demand nuanced policing and asustained community effort.

Jewel Bunch, owner of NOLA Nail Bar locations in the Warehouse District and in Canal Place, said she’s dealt with break-ins and vandalism,aswell as occasional teenage mischief, like four-wheelers revving and popping wheelies on the streets outsideher nail salons.

But more concerninghave beenthreats to herstaff from people who appeared to be homeless andpotentially suffering mental healthcrises. Oneofher customers, aTulane University medical student, was attacked and knocked unconscious after leaving her shop. She was skeptical that thosewere issues guard members would be able to ﬁx.

“I’m not sure that the National Guard coming in is necessarily

the answer,” said Bunch. “But I do thinkthere has to be change.” Crimehighbut falling It’s not yet clear when, or if, guard unitswill be sent to New Orleans.But if they aredeployed by Trump or by Landry,who oversees the Louisiana National Guard, they’llarriveatamoment when crimeisdeclining sharply from itspandemic spike,even as it remains abovenational and state averages

Several New Orleans residents and businessownerssaid they’ve experiencedcrime in ways that are often frustrating, occasionally violent, but far from thecinematic levelsofchaos that often drive political rhetoric.

In 2024, theNew Orleans Police Department reported 6,085 crimes per 100,000 residents—a 23% drop from theprevious fiveyear average —yet still more thantwo-and-a-half times the national average. Trump first proposeddeploying National Guardtroops to U.S. citiesinJune,sending roughly 2,000 troops to Los Angeles amid protests over federal immigration raids. He laterdeployed forces to Washington, D.C., under a declared “crime emergency” moves that bypassed local officials The actions sparkedanationwide debate overthe use of federal troopsindomestic law enforcement, though the deployments so far have not undertaken significant crime-fighting operations.

In Los Angeles, National Guard troopsmostly protected federal buildings and monitored protests but did not patrol neighborhoods or make arrests. In Washington, D.C., the Guardhas been stationed at tourist sites and monuments,provided logistical support and cleared somehomeless encampments.Troops have been seen standing watch,posing for photos with visitors and waiting for assignments.

Trump reignited the discussion on Wednesday

“Do we go to aplace like New Orleans where we have agreat governor, Jeff Landry,who wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that’sbecome quite tough, quite bad?” he said.

Landry responded in asocial media post that, “Wewill take

PresidentDonaldTrump’s help from New Orleans to Shreveport!”

Democratic politicians fired back, dismissing the plan as politically motivated and unnecessary.The city’sthree major mayoral candidates allcondemned themove, and U.S. Rep. Troy Carter pointedtodecliningcrime ratesasevidence that amilitarystyle intervention was unwarranted.

New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick was more circumspect, telling WWL Louisiana she had “noreal concerns” about federal troops in the city but adding that local law enforcement is already effectively addressing public safetychallenges.

Many residents echoed the idea thatfederal helpwould be welcomed in the city,but were skeptical about troop deployments. Stephanie Chambliss, who operates aPJ’sCoffee outlet on Read Boulevard in NewOrleans East, andisaboard member of the Greater New OrleansEastBusiness Alliance, suggested there could be betterways.

“I knowwehavecrime in the city,”she said. “But violent crime oftenhappens betweenpeople whoknoweach other —it’snot typically random.”

She saidthat the federal government could help by giving additional resources to existing crime-ﬁghting agencies, including the NOPD and local branches of federal agencies likethe Federal Bureau of Investigation. She noted that Landryhas already intervenedbydeploying Troop NOLA, aspecialized unit of the Louisiana State Police, which wasset up last year to bolster law enforcementpresence, particularly in high-crime areas like the FrenchQuarter

“There is ashortage of ofﬁcers at the NOPD, andTroop NOLA has been great in helping fight violent crime —it’smade amajor difference, not only in New Orleans East but throughout the city,”she said.

Jane Cooper,chair of the FrenchQuarter Management District for the past two years, said the Troop NOLA deployment andothermeasures have had adiscernible effect on crime reduction in the Vieux Carré, where residents and business owners payanadditional tax that

CAUCUS

Continued from page1B

helps cover the cost of enhanced patrols.

“Areyou ever going to eliminate crime completely? Are you ever going to eliminate the unhoused population? No, but great strides have beenmade,” she said.

Butshe is skeptical of theusefulness of the National Guard. She noted that the governor already has the power to deploy troops in times of emergency —like after the Bourbon Street attack.

“Tome, this National Guard talk just seems like asolution in search of aproblem,” Cooper said.

Adistraction

Some neighborhood activists likeYvonne Mitchell-Grubbalso feel that theNational Guardchat distractsfromthe focusonthe kind of work that reduces crime over time.

She has been active in the Walnut Bend Neighborhood Association on the West Bank for three decades and is currentpresident of theAlgiers Neighborhood Presidents Council, which groups all the local neighborhood associations.

Hercouncil meets regularly with Captain Christina Watson, commanderofNOPD’s Fourth District, to discuss crimeprevention issues.

“I don’tthink anyone would turn down help if it is really goingtobehelpful,” shesaid. “Crime has dropped over the last couple of years, which is great. But Troop NOLA is really not present in Algiers, andIreally don’tsee what the National Guard is going to do.”

The Algiers neighborhood group is amember of the NOLA Coalition —a broad alliance of over 600 nonprofits, civic organizations and businesses —thathas pusheda dual-track strategytoreduce crime and enhance public safety.Itcombines immediate public safety measures, particularly seeking more resourcesfor the NOPD, with long-term investments in youth services and other community initiatives.

Last year,the Algiersgroup secured state money to involve the local community,especially schools, in acleanup campaign.

“My personal opinion is when you have an area full of blight like DeGaulleManor (a housing project), that fosters crime,” Mitchell-Grubb said. “So,we wanted to clean things up.”

Academic research and decades of real-world experience show that reducing crime requiresproactive policing while also providing improvements to the environment and viable opportunities forresidents.

But the policing part is critical, and residents like Bunch feel that local government has neglected that componentfor too long.

“I think the mayor andthe City Council oweittoustocoordinate theNOPD withany other body they need to make sure there are consequences for bad actions,” she said. “We’veremoved the tools they need to enforcelaw andorder, andweneed to hand them back.”

month (with an average apartment size of 695 squarefeet),

n Mississippi at $988 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 723 square feet),

n Alabama at $1,050 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 732 square feet),

n Louisiana at $1,063 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 708 square feet),

n Kentucky at $1,072 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 697 square feet). These 10 stateshave the most expensive rent rates in the country as of August 2025, in descending order:

n New York at $2,974 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 604 square feet)

n Massachusetts at $2,555 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 722 square feet)

n California at $2,200 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 651 square feet)

n New Jersey at $2,084 per month (withanaverage apartment size of 726 squarefeet) n Connecticut at $1,872 permonth (with an aver-

n Washingto

isn’tabout what’s being arguedbefore the Supreme Court, it’sabout recognizing who the client is,” he said. After the2020 census was complete, the Legislature drew maps that favored the election of five White Republicans and asingle Black Democrat to send to theU.S. House. Agroup of Black voterschallenged that map, whichMurrill had defended on behalf of the Legislature

Thefederal courts found that enough Black residentswithsimilar interests livedclose enough togetherthatthe Voting RightsAct allowed the inclusion of second Black opportunitydistrict. Representing the Legislature, Murrill then argued that law required the second district. But,afterthe Supreme Court asked for arguments on the constitutionality of the maps, Murrill said that gave Louisiana an opening to return to its argument for theoriginal

map. The Black Caucus’s lawsuit contends Murrill switched positions “for purely political purposes, to assist effortsbythe NationalRepublican Party to maintain control of Congress in the 2026 midterm elections.” Forthe past month or so, President Donald Trump has been pressuringstate governments runbyRepublicans to redistrict now, insteadofwaiting until the next censuscompleted in 2030, in orderto turnDemocratic seats to districts thatRepublicans can win in next year’s midterms.

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate. com.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Louisiana National Guard members watch trafficdrive through a checkpoint in the French Quarter ahead of the Super Bowl.

Obituaries

2025, at St. Landry Catholic Church in Opelousas, LA. Rev. Father Neil Pettit will celebrate the Mass. Rite of Committal and interment will follow at Holy Sepulcher Mausoleum in Opelousas. Musical selections will be performed by Abigail Caffery.

Lt. Col. Carl William Scherer Jr., USAF Ret. of Youngsville, Louisiana, passed away peacefully at his residence on August 30, 2025, at the age of 90 surrounded by loved ones. Born on March 25, 1935,in Berwick, Louisiana, Carl's life was marked by dedication,service, and aprofoundlove for his country and family. After graduating from Bolton High School in Alexandria, LA, he furthered his education by receivingaBSfrom Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute and a MBA from Arizona State University. He metand married the love of his life, Mary, in 1957.Hethen pursued acareer in theAir Force which lastedover 22 years. For the past 50 years, he resided in Kenner, Baton Rouge and most recently in Youngsville, LA. Carl cherished the outdoors and had apassion for fishing. He was also adevoted fan of LSU football and baseball showcasing his school spirit and love of the game GEAUX TIGERS! Carl is remembered not only for his distinguished career and accomplishments but for his warm and engaging personality He developed lasting rela-

tionships and left asignificant impact on those who had the honor of knowing him. He is survived by son, StevenJ.Schererand wife Donna; son, Carl W. SchererIII MD andwife, Mary; son,GregoryM Schererand wife,Denise; daughter,Heidi L. Scherer; and son,Eric E. Scherer; and sister,CarleneVige'. He is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Katy Scherer, JonathanScherer, StevenSchererJr.,Alexa Scherer,MeaganScherer, SydneyScherer, Cassidy Scherer, ChristianScherer, Holden DeBord, Evan Scherer, and Conner Scherer; and ahost of nieces and his nephews: Andre Vige' and wife, Stephanie; Beau Vige' and wife, Nicole;Monique O'Toole and husband, Mat; Terry Scherer,Mark Scherer,and Selwyn Scherer and wife, Teri. He was precededin death by his wife,Mary Jane GuilloryScherer; his parents, CarlWilliam SchererSr. and EllenFae Gilmore Scherer;brother, August George Scherer; and grandson, Carl William SchererIV. Pallbearers willbehis grandsons:Jonathan Scherer,Steven SchererJr., Christian Scherer,Holden DeBord, Evan Scherer, and ConnerScherer. Visitationwillbeheldon Friday, September12, 2025, from 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. in the Skip Montet

Memorial Chapel at Lafond ArdoinFuneralHomein Opelousas. ARosary service willbeheldonFriday evening at 6:00 p.m. in the funeral home ledby Deacon BillPollingue Visitation willcontinue Saturday from 8:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m. in thefuneral home. AEulogy service willbeheldat10:00 a.m.

Lt.Col.Carl William SchererJr.,USARRet leavesbehind alegacy of honor and dedication,one that willcontinue to inspirethose who knew him. His memory willbecherishedbymany, leaving an indelible mark on the heartsofhis family friends, and allwho were touched by his kindness and spirit.

Lafond-ArdoinFuneral Home,2845 South Union Street,Opelousas, LA 70570, (337-942-2638) has been entrusted with thefuneral arrangements

OPINION

Expanding fortified roofsis theone insurance strategy we can all agreeon

Sadly,there’snosilver bulletthat can quickly endthe property insurance crisis that is plaguing south Louisiana, vastly limitingthe availability of homeowners insurance anddriving costs so high that many residents are struggling to afford to live here. But there is one approach that has widespread support, evenacrossthe oft-warring political factions thatendlessly debate howand whether to regulate insurers,inthe hope they’ll eventually return to offeringoptions and consumerfriendly coverage: encouraging as many homeownersaspossible to put on fortiﬁedroofs. With the state Department of Insurance collecting applications through the endofthe week foranew roundofgrants to help homeowners make this costly but important upgrade,we once again urge policymakers at thestate and local levelstodoall they can to help as many Louisianans as possible get new fortiﬁed roofs

The idea is straightforward. Roofs built to the “fortiﬁed” standardhave stronger shinglesthat are attached with atype of nail thatisharder for strong winds to ripout.Roof decks are sealed, and edges are strengthened.

Homes with these roofsare less costly to insure because the roofs are less likely to need replacement after ahurricane— and, just as important —are better able to protect ahome’s structure and contents from the sort of water intrusion that cancreate far more extensive damage.

The hope is that, if enough homeownersina given area make this upgrade, bettercommunity ratings will drive down rates more broadly Lawmakers have declined in recent yearsto require that insurers offer speciﬁc discountsfor policyholders with fortiﬁed roofs —a decision we hope they’ll revisit —but theDepartment of Insurance publishes alist of discountseach insurer offers. They range from around5%toas much as 50%, in afew cases.

But they have passed other policies to help easethe upfrontinvestment, and so have some forward-thinking localities.

Oneexample is anew nonrefundable taxcredit of up to $10,000 toward theexpenseofputting on afortiﬁed roof, which took effectearlier this summer And applications are open throughFriday, Sept. 12, for the latest round of 500 $10,000 grants,tobeawarded by lottery.Applicants must meet aset of criteria, including having a homestead exemption at theproperty in question. Eligible homes must be located in Louisiana’sCoastal Zone or in LakeCharles, Sulphur or Westlake.

Detailed information on rules and eligibility is available on the LouisianaDepartment of Insurance’swebsite at ldi.la.gov

We hope to see more of these grants become available in the future, as well as other policy changes that help homeowners upgradetothis new, resilient standard.

As Insurance Commissioner TimTemple put it, “This program is vitalfor protectingour state against severe weather andmaking Louisiana amore attractive place for insurers to do business.”

That’ssomething we can allget behind.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE

WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

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

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

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Propagandawar is shapingopinion

Gaza.

NEWROSS, Ireland Traveling the world as Ihave this summer exposed not only different opinions aboutmajor issues, but also adifference in how journalists in free countries and propagandistsin unfree ones report them

It’s thesame with “climate change.”

The TV networks interview only those who believe it and no one who hasany contrary opinion and information to support it.“Reporting” one side of an issue is what propagandists do.

Back to Gaza.

Sadly,much of the journalism in free countriesistoo often behaving like propagandists in unfree countries. The result is that people who consume “news” that tends to reﬂect one point of view now accept that point of view as their own. They reject, sometimes strongly,a different point of view and information thatcounterstheirs.

At the Kennedy Summer School I found this to be true. While an audience was receptive and seemingly appreciative of my appearance, when the time for questions came around things took adifferent turn. One questionwas about Gazaand Israel’s“genocide.” As Iexplained thehistory of Israel and the numerous attemptstoeradicate the Jewishpeople as far back as the events described in theOld Testament bookof Esther,the booing began. They didn’t want to hear it.Their minds had been made up, apparently from watching RTE, BBC, Sky News and reading the liberal Irish Times and The Guardian newspapers.

The recent Israeli attack on abuilding reportedly containing adevice thattracked the movements of Israeli troops resulted in the deaths of several journalistsand others who declared themselves journalists. The media and media organizations condemned the attack. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he “deeply regrets the tragic mishap thatoccurred today at the NasserHospital in Gaza,” adding thatIsrael “valuesthe work of journalists, medical staff, and all civilians” and saying the militarywas conducting a “thorough investigation.”

The media regularly ignore that Hamas hides inside hospitals, schools and other civilian locations so when Israel goes after those targets —even warning people in advancetoget out —civilians are sometimes killed to the propaganda advantage of the terrorists.

Palestinian Media Watch founder Itamar Marcus writes in the Jerusalem Post: “One of the shocking phenomena of the Israel-Hamas war is that all of the journalistsare reporting the same Hamas lies and propaganda so that there’s only one story coming out of

“The foreign media is uniformly blaming Israel for the so-called starvation in Gaza and following Hamas’ propaganda strategy,often broadcasting completely ﬁctitious images. The impact on Israel’simage in the world has been terrible, with polls showing that even American support for Israel is eroding.”

The propaganda war is important because it shapes public opinion. Public opinion is important because it inﬂuences governments (except in totalitarian states where polls are rarely taken and only asingular point of view from the dictators is fed to the masses). Iwish Icould have questioned those booing at The Kennedy School. Do they know that Hamas and other terror groups believe they have areligious mandate to eliminate Israel and kill Jews? Can they name the river and the sea that U.S. protesters chant when demonstrating for Hamas and the people in Gaza,suggesting they are on the side of those who seek Israel’seradication? What do they read and watch?

Booing aspeaker is the equivalent of putting both hands over your ears, resulting in aone-dimensional mindset brought to you by aone-sided media that no longer qualiﬁes as journalism Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditors@ tribpub.com

As autumn looms, atimetoreflect

They used to call them the dog days of August,those ﬁnal days of leisure as summer sprints to itsinevitable end. After Labor Day,news tends to pick up as people return from vacation and kids return to school. Butbefore we launch into therace towardthe holidays and the end of the year, September offers the perfect time to pause and reﬂect

I’ve been thinking alot about why we do what we do. AndI know that we set out to do alot in the Opinion pages this year to give our readers themostinteresting commentarywecan in print and online. We always get suggestions for new features or columns that you might enjoy.We listen to these, and we also keep an eye out for what other news outlets are doing. As you may have seen this year manynewspapers are pulling back from Opinion content. In apolarized nation, it can be seen as risky to pres-

ent opinions on the news of the day ButOpinion has alwaysbeen one of my favorite sections of the newspaper Ienjoy it when columnists or political cartoonists or letter writers challenge my beliefsor makemethinkofanissue in a new light Online, thereisplenty of commentary to be had. In fact, it seemswelive in an age with an explosion of opinion news. But alot of what’s there can seem more shallow In college, Iloved reading columns in print from the likes of Russell Baker in The New York Times and Charles Krauthammer in The Washington Post. Andinvarious cities I’ve lived in, there have also been great Metro columnists who gave aspin on local issues. ButIliked political and cultural commentary.Iwould clip out some of the best and carry them with me to reread again and again. There’sbeauty in agood argument wellpresented. It’s

not an easy thing to do. Thank goodness now we can read articles on our smartphones and don’t have to carry yellowed bits of paper around.

Iknow manyofyou whoread us regularly have that sameinterest in hearing viewsfrom all over.I am certainly glad that this newspaper remains committed to keeping good commentary front and center.Sometimes it’sthe only way to cut through the noise and have alittle funwhen the newsseems so heavy.Wedostrive to vary the mix of viewsthat we publish. We can always do better,however,and welcome your suggestions. Last week was ashort one due to the holiday,soI don’thave the count of letters received foryou. But we will catch up next week. Until then, keep sending your opinions in.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPageEditor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Arnessa Garrett

Cal Thomas

COMMENTARY

La.’sIsaacsondoesthe Declarationright

As we approach next year’s 250th anniversaryofthe Declaration of Independence, we should better understand, be grateful for,and celebrate “The Greatest Sentence Ever Written.” Referring to the Declaration’s famous second sentence, that is the title of asmall bookbyLouisianan Walter Isaacson, due to be released in November but which can be preorderedonline. Isaacson, the former Time editor and CEO of CNN who has written highlyregarded biographiesofLeonardo da Vinci, Ben Franklin and Elon Musk, among others,has now produced this eminently readable tract about the principles that deﬁne the United States. In doing so in just 67 spare pages including appendices, Isaacsonhopes to reinspire Americans to acknowledge and take pride in “common rights, common grounds, commontruths, and common aspirations. Democracy depends on this.” For the 35-word sentence that

so melliﬂuously proclaimsthat all men are created equal with rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, Isaacson parses each locution to give full effect to its signiﬁcance. The opening“we,”for example,receives twofull pages of discussion of “social contract theory” —somethingseemingly bred in the very bones of those of us over,say,age 60, but which seems largely unfamiliar to plenty of people under, say,40. Likewise, the phrase “created equal” gets the necessary explanation that the equality refers not to talents or wealthorsuccess butinstead applies “in termsof the political and social rights that arose” from that social contract.

Most fascinating, perhaps, is Isaacson’sexplanation of the oftunderlooked importance of the shiftfrom Thomas Jefferson’s original phrase that the Declaration’struths were “sacred and undeniable” to Franklin’s replacement that thetruths are “self-evident.” In just over two pages, Isaacson deftly illumines thecrucial point of that formulation, taken from the ideas of Scottishphilosopher David Hume,

thattheir truth was inherent in their very nature by “reason and deﬁnition” alone.

In other words, by the very existence of alegitimatesocial contract itself, the equalityof rights of those who form the contract “as autonomous individuals” —Isaacson’swords, not the Declaration’s—is, as avirtual tautology,assumed as anecessary reality by all parties.By reason, it can be no other way.Or so the Founders asserted.

Finally,Jefferson’sfelicitous phrasing about the “pursuit of happiness” means, according to Isaacson, that“it is your right and your opportunity —toseek fulﬁllment,meaning, and wellbeing however you personally see ﬁt.”

And of course, there’smore, muchmore, packed intoa quickly digestible verbal repast. Areader only wishes thatIsaacson had expanded his analysis into the ﬁrst phrase of the Declaration’snext sentence, to further explicatethe seminal notion of “consent of the governed.”

Be thatasitmay,Isaacson’s excellent new pamphlet comes at apropitious time. Many of us

who fondly remember the celebrations and civic education associated with 1976’sbicentennial celebration are greatly disturbed thatnext year’sSemiquincentennial so far seems to be eliciting mostlyshrugs.

It is crucial, we believe, that civics understanding and civil society are imbued with appreciation for the Declaration of Independence’sprinciples.

Without arenewal of these values, we lose two things of utmost importance for the American project. First, we lose even more hope of turning around the poisonous national political atmosphere. Second, we lose the conviction —aconviction once imbued deeply in American souls —that the protection of liberty is thevery reason for law and government to exist.

As it happens, Isaacson is the second prominent New Orleanian this summer to push anational effort to reinvigorate the Declaration’sspirit. Laitram Industry’s Jay Lapeyre, who is chairman of the national CATO Institute, also is promoting aproject for civic education,sponsored by the Free Society Coalition (available via

easy web search), based on the Declaration.

Indeed, this summer CATO President Peter Goettler published aletter asserting, quite rightly,that “we have to be dedicated to this commitment: giving future generations acountry as free as the one given to us. It’s simply the moral responsibility of our lives.”

To that worthy emphasis on freedom, Isaacson adds afocus on the communalnature of freely chosen associations. “Fiercely independent individuals,” he writes, should be “equally ﬁercely devoted to the community and its commons.”

As Isaacson shows, the Declaration’skey sentence, and indeed the ethos of the entire document, contains within it all of this valuation, both sacred and self-evident, of liberty and community as “two strands …woven together.” Come on,people: Let’srelearn all this ourselves, and then use it to teach the children well. The Declaration of Independence is the code that they can live by Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com.

Higginsvs. the‘sorcerers’ whoguard public health

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins ofﬁcially removed himself from the House Committee on Homeland Security Committee last week.

Isuspect I’m not the only onewho feels more secure with the LafayetteRepublican gone. Higgins quit the panel after losing hisbid tobecome its chair,whichwas atruly alarmingpossibilityfor a guy who claimed,withzero evidence, that theJan.6,2021 attack on Congress was the work of FBI agentsin“ghost buses.”

Higgins favors such conspiracies indeed, alist of his weirdclaims would more than ﬁll this column— but he can’t blame hostile Democrats for crashing his candidacy.Republicans control the House, and they went in adifferent directionand chose New York Rep. Andrew Garbarino —a“steady hand,” accordingtoHouse Speaker Mike Johnson of Benton,but someone Higgins claims representsa faction whose “coreprinciplesare quite variant from my own conservativeperspective on key issues like amnesty, ICEoperations, and opposition to the surveillance state.”

This wasn’tHiggins’ only big defeatrecently. He also tried to rally Congress tocensure Democratic U.S. Rep. LaMonica McIver, of New Jersey,who’sbeen charged with interfering with immigration enforcement officers during aMay scufflewhen Democratswere trying to conduct oversight of an immigrationdetention facility This time five Republicans crossed the

partylinetojoin Democrats in killing the measure, which called for McIver to be removedfromthe homeland securitypanel. Notably,Garbarino voted “present.”

None of this may sound like it has anythingtodowith theseparate, but just as impassioned, controversy over vaccines, but hear me out

While notraging over immigrants and ghostbuses, Higgins has lately been fulminatingover thevery idea that alocal public health department would advocate for public health.

What inspired his latest crusade seems

to have been aperfectly innocuous, lowtemperature social media post from the healthdepartment of New Orleans, acity far outside his district, noting that the American Academy of Pediatrics strongly recommends COVID-19 shots forchildren six monthstotwo years old, and recommends them for older children as well.

Higgins’totally normal, entirely proportionate response: “State sponsored weakening of the citizenry,absolute injury to our children and calculated decline of fertility.The New Orleans Health Department …whoever thehell they are …should be 100% defunded, along with the American Academy of Pediatrics. Iwill immediately pursue restriction of every federal penny that might make its way to this soon to be writhing band of sorcerers.”

“Whoever the hell they are” is actually a team led byDr. Jennifer Avegno, not asorcerer but anationally lauded emergency room physician who has heldthe job since 2018.

Avegno’sdepartment administers programsthat address everything from maternal healthtodomestic violence, from nutrition to gun violence (in conjunction with public safety agencies). It runs a program offering homehealth visits to identify problems new parents are having and set them on ahealthy course, as well as community clinics and aclinic serving homeless people.

Much of this vital, impactful workis federally funded, to thetune of $30 to $40 million ayear,soHiggins’ threat to shut it down over an informational tweet, while silly,isalso very real.

Andwhile thehealth departmentdoes

not devise its own vaccine policies, it continues to share information about vaccines and pursues policies to ease access —even as Health and Human Service Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.isbusy dismantling the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention’stradition of following the science, as the American AcademyofPediatrics and other major medical organizations continue to do.

After Higgins’sinitial eruption, here’s how Avegno explained the tweet that set it off: “The health department has aresponsibility to provide evidence-based information to our community,and fordecades, the American AcademyofPediatrics has provided evidence-based vaccination recommendations…Wewant to makesure that our community has access to those and is aware of them so that they can have the conversations that they need to have with their doctors.”

That apparently didn’tcalm Higgins down, because now he’sasking his colleagues to “protect our children and adolescents by prohibiting federal funding to state health departments and national associations that promote the COVID-19 shot,” according to aletter he sent last week. So what does this latest quest have to do with Higgins’ fruitless attempts to impose his will over homeland security and immigration? Hopefully plenty

Because if the people of NewOrleans and those served by all those other health departments out there are lucky,it’ll end up just as they did: dead on arrival.

Email Stephanie Graceatsgrace@ theadvocate.com.

Forfrantic Dems,it’sall aboutthe fight, fight, fight

The Democratic National Committee held its summer meeting in Minneapolis. There was alot to talk about. The party,ofcourse, is sufferingthrough amajor slide in popularity.AWall Street Journal poll afew weeks ago found thatvoters’ approval of the party is its lowest in 35 years. A New York Times reportin August found that, “Of the 30 states that track voter registration by political party,Democrats lost ground to Republicans in every single one betweenthe 2020 and 2024 elections —and often by alot.” Democrats have also shown a knack for getting on the unpopular side ofanumber of issues, like the border and crime. They’re also deeply divided on Israel and Gaza. And they’re in aterrible money crunch; at the end of June, the Democratic NationalCommittee reported about $15 million cash-on-hand, compared to $80 million reported by the RepublicanNational Committee. But even with all that, many

Democrats believethe single greatest problem facing theparty is that they are being too nice to PresidentDonald Trump. If you are aRepublican, youwill find that an astonishing statement. Hasn’t the Democratic Party been bashing Trump 24/7 for nearlythe last decade? Yes, they have. But now many Democratswant their leaders to get really toughwith thepresident “I’m sick andtired of this Democratic Party bringing apencil to aknife fight,” partychairman Ken Martin said at the meeting in Minneapolis.“We cannot be the only party that plays by therules any more. We’ve got to stand up and fight. We’renot going to have ahand tied behindour back anymore.”

Youmight remember that in the course of afew months in 2023, Democratic prosecutors ﬁled 91 felony charges against Trump. Other Democratic law enforcement ofﬁcials sued him in an effort to destroy his business em-

pire. Others went to court to use the14th Amendment todeclare him ineligible for ofﬁce. Andthat was after Democrats impeached Trumptwice.

Now,Democratic attorneys general and activist allies have launched an unprecedented wave of legal warfare to stop every Trumppolicy initiative. Democrats want their leaders to fight,fight,fight,even if the cause is ill-advised. That’swhy manyare cheering California Gov.Gavin Newsom’scampaign to set aside stateredistricting law to draw morelikely Democratic House districtstoanswer Texas’s effort. Given the state of red and blue districtsacross thecountry Newsom’sisprobably not agood idea —ifthere is aredistricting war,Republicans have alot more resources than Democrats do. ButNewsom is fighting! No morebringing apencil to aknife fight!Democrats also like that Newsom has taken to posting strange Trumpparodies on his and his office’sX sites. Democrats also like another

partygovernor,JBPritzker of Illinois, whoisfond of calling the president aNazi. Back in February,Pritzker devoted much of an address to the state legislature to denouncing Trump. “Ifyou think I’m overreacting, sounding the alarm too soon, consider this,” Pritzker said. “Ittook the Nazis one month, three weeks, twodays, eight hours and 40 minutes to dismantle aconstitutional republic. Ijust have onequestion —what comes next?”

By Pritzker’slogic, the United States should have been aNazi dictatorship forseveral months by now Fortunately, he was wrong. But he’sﬁghting! No more bringing a pencil to aknifeﬁght!

It’sentirely understandable that Democrats are frustrated. That happens to parties when they do not control the White House, House or Senate. Shut out of power,the Democrats have no leader —nopresident, no House speaker,noSenate leader.Inthe absence of leadership, the loudest voices in the party,those out

on the fringes, receive the most attention. And that meansmore moderate Democrats, the ones whomight lead their party out of its current mess, do not receive much notice. This is probably not apermanent situation. Despite their multitude of problems, Democrats could be in afar better place by the end of next year.They might wincontrol of one or both houses of Congress. After all, the Republican House majority is incredibly narrow the president’sparty often loses seats, and voters tend to like divided government. So Democrats have achance to improve their situation. But the answer is not ﬁling one morelawsuit, or calling TrumpaNazi one moretime, or posting one more faux-Trumptweet. The question is whether party leaders will realize that before they lose another election.

Byron York is on X, @Bryon York Email him at byronyork@yorkcomm.com

Quin Hillyer

Stephanie Grace

Byron York

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By BEN CURTIS U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, R-Lafayette

Ground-bound Cajuns get firstwin

Davis’career-high game pacesrushing attack

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

With aredshirt freshman quarterback making his ﬁrst career start,the ULRagin’ Cajuns leanedontheir rushingattack

The ground game came through in abig way with a34-10 victoryover McNeese State behind 314 yards rushing Saturdayat OurLady of Lourdes Stadium.

Bill Davis ledthe waywith acareer-high 132yardsand two scores on 19 carries, followed byZylan Perry with 92 yards on 14 carries. Redshirtfreshman Steven Blanco added 69 yards and ascore on six carries. Quarterback Daniel Beale ﬁnished 14-of22 passing for 86 yards anda touchdown.He threwhis ﬁrst career touchdown with 3:48 left —a10-yard connection with Landon Baptiste for a27-10 cushion. The scoring strike capped anine-play,39-yard drive in 5:46.

SRattler’spathtobecomeanNFL starting quarterbacknot as smooth as it onceappeared

pencer Rattler was the guy

Then all of asudden, he wasn’t.

Now he’sthe guy again —maybe temporarily,maybe for the long haul —after earning oneof the 32 most coveted jobs in professional sports.

Rattler,drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the ﬁfth round in 2024, edgedout second-round draft pick Tyler Shough in aphoto ﬁnish to earn thestarting quarterback job

It’sthe most high-proﬁle gig in New Orleans,acity that’sbeen starving forthe next franchise quarterback ever since Drew Brees walked out thedoor after the2020 season.

Jameis Winston and Derek Carr have taken their turns as Week 1starters since No. 9retired. Now it’sRattler’sturn.

Focusedonthe moment

Since being named thestarter on Aug. 26, Rattlerhasn’thad much of achance to reﬂect on where his football journey has taken him.

“I’m so focused right now on the moment that we are in,” Rattler said. “I’m in the present. Youthink of all the stuff Iwent through in the past, yeah, it’sgreat to getthrough adversity to get to this point. But now what are you going to do?”

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

GarrettNussmeierdropped back to pass on first and 10. It was his second throw of the night, and seniorwide receiverBarion Brown was wide open whilestreaking down the leftsideline. Nussmeiersaw Brown, but his pass was well short. The fifth-year senior’sunderthrow allowed the ball to deflect off Louisiana Tech defensive back Cedric Woods. The carom wascaught by his teammate,Michael Richard, resulting in an interception. It was Nussmeier’sfirstturnover of the year,but it wasn’tthe only mistake the LSU offense madeduring its 23-7 winover Louisiana Tech on Saturday night at Tiger Stadium Dropped passes and penalties slowed a Tigers’ attack that dominated the Bulldogs in timeofpossession (36:52-23:08) and total yards (366-154).

Redshirt sophomore Kyle Parker dropped apotential touchdown pass in the second quarter.Louisiana Tech had four pass breakups at halftime, mostly on throws that LSU receivers could have handled. On the ﬁnaldrive of theﬁrst half, theoffensive line gaveupa sack that essentiallyended the possession.

Besides the interception,Nussmeier had multiple uncharacteristic inaccurate passes that stunted LSU’s efficiency through the air.Healsotook an unnecessary sack in the fourth quarter that forced alonger field goal attemptfor fifth-year senior Damian Ramos.

“Wehave to execute better.That’sthe bottom line,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said at halftime.“The guys are playing hard. They’re playing a3-3-5 defense, and when you get opportunities, you’ve got to take advantage. We’ve had somedrops.”

LSUdidn’tcrack thescoreboarduntil therewere12seconds left in theﬁrstquarter,when Nussmeier found redshirt junior

That’sthe million-dollar question. What is Rattler going to do?The answer willhelp deﬁnethis 2025 season. In aquarterback-driven league, the Saints will go as far as Rattler takes them. He gets to startanswering that question in the noon season opener Sunday against theArizona Cardinals. All eyes in theCaesars Superdome will beonRattler as he becomes just thefourthSaints’ draft pick to start aseason opener,joining Archie Manning, BobbyScottand Dave Wilson. None of those previous three won much, and theexpectations (at least to those outside of the Airline Drive building) are thesamefor Rattler The oddsmakers in Vegas have

the over/under for Saints’wins this season at 41/2.A lot of thoselow expectations are because of ayoung, inexperienced quarterback room led by a24-year-old who went winless in hissix starts last season. Those six starts deserve an asterisk, considering the bad hand Rattler wasdealt. If last season was agame of Uno, Rattler played with very few Draw Fours andWild Cards. Center Erik McCoy, the heart andsoulofthe offensive line, missed ﬁve of Rattler’s starts. Rattler only threw two passes to Chris Olave, whose season endedearly because of aconcussion, andheplayed only onegame with Rashid Shaheed. Alvin Kamara missed Rattler’slast

See WALKER, page 7C

Rod Walker

BRAD KEMP

Saints release QB Haener to add DE to active roster

The New Orleans Saints won’t have a designated emergency quarterback after releasing Jake Haener to sign rookie defensive end Fadil Diggs from the practice squad, the team announced Saturday New Orleans also elevated tight end Jack Stoll and defensive lineman Jonah Williams from the practice squad ahead of Sunday’s season-opening game against the Arizona Cardinals.

TOP 25 COLLEGE FOOTBALL ROUNDUP

USF upends Florida on Gramatica’s kick

By The Associated Press

In Gainesville, Florida, Nico

Gramatica hit a 20-yard ﬁeld goal as time expired and South Florida stunned No. 13 Florida 18-16 on Saturday to give the Bulls consecutive wins against ranked opponents to start the season

Gramatica missed a 58-yarder with 2:52 remaining but got a chance to redeem himself after Florida defensive lineman Brandon Bett spit at a South Florida player on the Bulls’ next possession. Bett was ejected with a little more than two minutes to play, and the Bulls (2-0) got 15 yards and an automatic first down to spark an 87-yard drive.

It was the latest setback for embattled Florida coach Billy Napier, whose team is 1-1 for the fourth consecutive year

The Gators looked as though they would rally after freshman Vernell Brown III returned a punt 40 yards to set up DJ Lagway’s lone touchdown pass. But the Gators ﬂopped down the stretch, an all-too-familiar feeling during Napier’s tenure.

The Bulls will break into the AP Top 25 College Football Poll after upsetting then-No. 25 Boise State last week. The Gators surely will drop. South Florida became only the third unranked team since 2000 to start 2-0 by beating two ranked teams, joining 2012 Oregon State and 2008 East Carolina.

No. 1 OHIO STATE 70, GRAMBLING 0: In Columbus, Ohio, Julian Sayin threw for four touchdowns, set an Ohio State record for completed passes to start a game and fell one short of the school record for consecutive completions as the Buckeyes rolled to a victory over Grambling.

Ohio State scored on eight of its ﬁrst nine possessions and did not punt until midway through the fourth quarter It was the ninth victory in school history by at least 70 points and sixth via shutout.

Two of those wins have now come against historically Black colleges or universities. The Buckeyes beat Florida A&M 76-0 in 2013.

No. 2 PENN STATE 34, FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 0: In State College, Pennsylvania, Drew Allar completed 19 of 33 passes for 200 yards and two touchdowns and Penn State beat Florida International Devonte Ross and Khalil Dinkins caught touchdown passes, Kaytron Allen and Nicholas Singleton ran for scores and Ryan Barker kicked two field goals for the Nittany Lions (2-0), who shook off a sluggish first half and beat their second-straight Group of Five opponent. Linebacker Tony Rojas made 10 tackles, Alonzo Ford intercepted a pass and Penn State’s defense notched its first shutout since a 56-0 win over Kent State last year No. 4 GEORGIA 28, AUSTIN PEAY 6: In Athens, Georgia, Georgia failed to gain momentum for next week’s Southeastern Conference opener at Tennessee as the Bulldogs stumbled on offense in a weatherdelayed win over Austin Peay Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier each ran for two touchdowns. Frazier and wide receiver London Humphreys lost fumbles, but Georgia (2-0) made a fourth-down goal-line stop to set up a 99-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter Gunner Stockton, who passed for two touchdowns and ran for two scores in a 45-7 opening win

over Marshall, leaned on the Bulldogs’ running game against the Governors (1-1). He threw for 227 yards without a turnover

No 6 OREGON 69, OKLAHOMA STATE 3:

In Eugene, Oregon, Dante Moore threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns, freshman Dakorien Moore ran for a score and caught a touchdown pass, and Oregon routed Oklahoma State.

The loss was the biggest loss for the Cowboys (1-1) in Mike Gundy’s 20-year tenure as coach.

Ten players scored for Oregon (2-0), which had 631 yards in total offense. The Ducks had two interception returns for touchdowns in the third quarter On Oregon’s second play of the game, Noah Whittington took off for a 59-yard TD run to give the Ducks a 7-0 lead. It was the longest run of his career.

No. 7 TEXAS 38, SAN JOSE STATE 7: In Austin, Texas, Arch Manning passed for four touchdowns and ran for another and Texas rebounded from a season-opening loss to defeat San Jose State.

Manning was 19 of 30 for 295 yards and one interception in his second game as the starter He scrambled for a 20-yard touchdown run in the third quarter for Texas (1-1).

Last week he completed 10 of 17 for 170 yards with a touchdown and an interception during a 14-7 loss at Ohio State.

No. 8 CLEMSON 27,TROY 16: In Clemson, South Carolina, Bryant Wesco Jr. caught two second-half touchdown passes from Cade Klubnik, Adam Randall ran for 112 yards and a score, and Clemson survived a scare from Troy, overcoming a 16-point deﬁcit to win.

The Tigers (1-1), 30 1/2-point favorites, trailed 16-0 midway through the second quarter and 16-3 at halftime, but outscored the Trojans (1-1) 24-0 after the break. Randall ran for a 1-yard TD to cap an eight-play, 75-yard drive to open the third quarter

Clemson, which fell four spots in the AP Top 25 after losing its opener to LSU, could drop again after this unimpressive performance.

No. 11 ILLINOIS 45, DUKE 19: In Durham, North Carolina, Luke Altmyer threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns and Illinois capitalized on a series of mistakes by Duke to beat the Blue Devils for a road win against a power-conference opponent.

Kaden Feagin, Hank Beatty and Ca’Lil Valentine ran for scores, while Beatty also had a huge re-

ceiving day with eight catches for 128 yards for the Fighting Illini (2-0). Illinois led by just one at halftime but asserted itself from there and outscored Duke 31-6 in what turned into a dominating ﬁnish.

Duke (1-1) committed five turnovers, notably a muffed punt deep in its own end to set up a short field on Illinois’ first touchdown and Darian Mensah losing a redzone fumble in the first half.

No. 14 FLORIDA STATE 77, EAST TEXAS A&M 3: In Tallahassee, Florida, Tommy Castellanos passed for 237 yards and three touchdowns, including two to Duce Robinson, as Florida State routed East Texas A&M.

FSU (2-0) scored on 10 straight drives to open the game and ﬁnished with its most points in the Mike Norvell era. The Seminoles’ six passing TDs is their most in a game since 2011.

Gavin Sawchuk had three touchdowns, including a 53-yard catchand-run on fourth down that was his ﬁrst career receiving TD. The Oklahoma transfer also had a pair of 1-yard scoring runs as the Seminoles piled up 361 rushing yards, averaging 7.1 yards per carry No 16 IOWA STATE 16, IOWA 13: In Ames, Iowa, Kyle Konrardy kicked a 54-yard ﬁeld goal with 1:52 left to give Iowa State a win over Iowa, the Cyclones’ second straight victory against their in-state rival and third in four years.

Konrardy kicked a 54-yarder in the ﬁnal seconds last year to beat the Hawkeyes 20-19. His winning kick this time came after Rocco Becht led the Cyclones on a grinding 55-yard drive that chewed 6 1/2 minutes off the clock. Tamatoa McDonough sacked Mark Gronowski twice on Iowa’s last possession, with the Hawkeyes (1-1) turning the ball over on downs.

BAYLOR 48, No 17 SMU 45 (OT): In Dallas, Texas, Baylor quarterback Sawyer Robertson threw two of his four touchdowns in the final 5 1/2 minutes of regulation and redshirt freshman Connor Hawkins kicked a game-ending 27-yard field goal in the second overtime as the Bears rallied to beat SMU. Robertson was 34-of-50 passing with 440 yards for the Bears (1-1), who have won 14 meetings in a row against their former Southwest Conference rival since 1986. Bryson Washington ran for 115 yards and two scores, including a 2-yard TD in the first overtime. No. 19 TEXAS A&M 44, UTAH STATE 22: In College Station, Texas, Mar-

cel Reed threw three touchdown passes and ran for another score before leaving late in the third quarter with an injury to lead Texas A&M to a victory over Utah State.

Reed threw for 220 yards with TD passes of 34, 12 and eight yards before leaving with about four minutes left in the third quarter after taking an awkward fall and getting hit by a defender He walked off the ﬁeld after being checked out and spent time in the medical tent before jogging to the locker room. Texas A&M (2-0) led by 1 late in the ﬁrst quarter before scoring 23 straight points to take a 30-6 lead into halftime.

No. 22 TENNESSEE 72, EAST TENNESSEE

17: In Knoxville, Tennessee, Joey Aguilar threw for 288 yards and two touchdowns all in the ﬁrst half — to lead Tennessee to romp over East Tennessee State.

The Volunteers (2-0), who tuned up for the Southeastern Conference showdown with No. 4 Georgia next week, got help from Star Thomas with 69 yards rushing and three touchdowns.

Thomas, a transfer from Duke, led the Vols ground game with 69 yards.

No. 23 INDIANA 56, KENNESAW STATE

9: In Bloomington, Indiana, Fernando Mendoza threw for four touchdowns to lead Indiana to a win over Kennesaw State.

Mendoza, a transfer from University of California, completed 18 of 25 passes for 245 yards He threw scoring passes of 3, 9 and 20 yards to Elijah Sarratt and an 8-yard strike to E.J. Williams early in the fourth quarter

The Hoosiers held the Owls (0-2) to two field goals in the first half and led 21-6 at the break Kennesaw State’s Daniel Kinney finished with field goals of 28, 29 and 50 yards.

No. 20 OLE MISS 30, KENTUCKY 23: In Lexington, Kentucky for the third straight meeting, Kentucky football kept Ole Miss’ normally high-octane offense largely in check.

But unlike the Wildcats’ upset win in Oxford, Miss., a year ago, Saturday’s defensive performance was not enough to overcome a listless offensive showing in a loss to the Rebels. Kentucky drove inside the Ole Miss 30-yard line twice in the fourth quarter but was stopped on fourth down both times. The second of those drives came with backup Cutter Boley leading the offense after Zach Calzada was sidelined by a shoulder injury. Boley was sacked on fourth-and-6 after gaining just 3-yards on an option keeper on third-and-9.

No. 24 TEXAS TECH 62, KENT STATE 14:

In Lubbock, Texas, Behren Morton threw for three touchdowns, big defensive tackle Skyler GillHoward returned an interception 55 yards for a score and No. 24 Texas Tech blew out another overmatched opponent, beating Kent State 62-14 on Saturday

Cameron Dickey had two rushing TDs and Reggie Virgil added two receiving scores as the Red Raiders (2-0) led 48-0 at halftime, one point better than the margin at the break a week ago in a 67-7 victory over FCS member Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Dru DeShields threw for a touchdown and ran for a score in the fourth quarter for the Golden Flashes (1-1), who ended a 21game losing streak with a 21-17 victory over Merrimack in their opener

In releasing Haener, the Saints now only have two quarterbacks on the 53-man roster — meaning they won’t be able to take advantage of the NFL’s emergency quarterback rule, which allows for teams to dress an inactive third quarterback and play him if the others became injured.

New Orleans seemingly is comfortable with that trade-off after defensive end Chase Young was ruled out with a calf injury

Former Mets manager Johnson dies at age 82

When the winning run scored in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, the New York Mets melted into a white-and-blue swirl near home plate, celebrating their implausible comeback from the brink of defeat.

Right in the middle of all that humanity was Davey Johnson, who had arrived at the mob scene before many of his players. Those 1986 Mets with all their brashness, belligerence and unapologetic brilliance — would not have been the same without their 43-year-old manager Johnson died Friday at age 82. Longtime Mets public relations representative Jay Horwitz said Johnson’s wife, Susan, informed him of his death after a long illness. Johnson was at a hospital in Sarasota, Florida, at the time he passed.

Former LSU tennis player’s team loses U.S. Open final NEW YORK Marcel Granollers and Horacio Zeballos won the U.S. Open men’s doubles championship Saturday for their second Grand Slam title of the season, edging Joe Salisbury and former LSU tennis star Neal Skupski 3-6, 7-6 (4), 7-5. The No. 5-seeded team also won the French Open beating Salisbury and Skupski as well — to give the longtime duo its first two major titles after losing in its first three finals. Salisbury and Skupski held three match points while leading 5-4 in the third set. But Granollers and Zeballos won the next eight points, eventually getting their only break of the match when Granollers lunged to return Skupski’s serve into an open corner for a 6-5 lead. Granollers then served out the match.

Thomas reclaims WNBA’s assists mark from Clark

Alyssa Thomas had no idea she was closing in on taking back the WNBA’s single-season assist record. She was just focused on trying to help her team win and improve its playoff positioning. She topped Caitlin Clark’s mark of 337 assists set last season, but the Mercury came up short against the Connecticut Sun on Saturday, falling 87-84.

Thomas needed six assists Saturday to reclaim the mark. She got the record-breaking one on a 3-pointer by Kathryn Westbeld in the corner with 4:45 left in the second quarter She ﬁnished the game with 10 to give her 342 this season.

“I’ve been fortunate to be surrounded by so many great 3-point shooters so they make my job easy,” Thomas said.

Astros outfielder Meyers returns after two months

The Houston Astros reinstated Jake Meyers from the injured list before Saturday’s game at Texas after the center ﬁelder spent nearly two months sidelined with a calf injury

Meyers hasn’t played since July 9, when the aggravation of a strained right calf forced him to leave Houston’s game against Cleveland with the help of a trainer before the ﬁrst pitch was thrown. The 29-year-old Meyers is hitting .308 with three home runs and 21 RBIs.

“Adding Jake, his defense and his offensive production he’s been showing this year, it stretches our lineup a little

Astros manager Joe Espada said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN RAOUX South Florida kicker Nico Gramatica kicks a field goal against Florida on Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.

Nic Anderson in the end zone for a7-yard score. The touchdown ﬁnished adrive of 5:37 that startedatLSU’s 2-yard line.

The Tigers added to their lead with aﬁeldgoalonthe next drive, but Parker’sdrop prevented LSU from adding six points. LSU led 10-0 heading into halftime. What likelydidn’thelp LSU’sattack wasthe absenceofsenior center Braelin Moore for all but one play.The Virginia Tech transfer injured his left leg after the opening snap of the game and was replaced by redshirtsophomore and former starting center DJ Chester Moore had been akey piece of the LSU line throughout its win over Clemson when he won the SEC OffensiveLineman of the Week award.He was in street clothes and had aboot on his left foot in the second half.

Moore wasn’tthe only Tiger injured Saturday.Sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green was helped off the field in the fourth quarter By the end of the night, he had abrace on his right knee and was on crutches. Green had LSU’sfirst touchdown reception of the season last week against Clemson.

2-10 3-27 Punts 9-38.444 3-42.0

Fumbles-Lost 0-0 1-0

Penalties-Yards 12-130 9-77 Time of Possession 23:06 36:54

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING —LouisianaTech, Thevenin 7-22, Kukuk5-16, Baker 6-13, Burnette 4-5, Wiggins3-3, Robertson 1-2, (Team) 1-(minus 3). LSU,Berry 6-56, Z.Thomas 6-54, Durham 1329, Ba.Brown1-15, Johnson1-1, K.Jackson 3-1, (Team) 1-(minus 1), Nussmeier 3-(minus 27). PASSING —LouisianaTech, Kukuk 12-18-0-50, Baker3-8-0-46. LSU,Nussmeier 26-41-1-237.

RECEIVING —LouisianaTech, Finley 4-18, Singleton 3-21, Thevenin 3-9, Gandy 1-33, Latulas 1-5, Robertson 1-5, Burnette 1-4, Wiggins 1-1. LSU, Ba.Brown8-94, A.Anderson 8-73, Z.Thomas 4-35, N.Anderson 3-17, Durham 2-10, Sharp 1-8. MISSED FIELDGOALS —LSU,Ramos 51.

As the LSU offensecontinued to struggle, its defense dominated Louisiana Tech.

TheBulldogs had just 71 yardsand four ﬁrst downs at halftime. LSU didn’t get itsﬁrst sack until thethird quarter,but the Tigers dominatedthe lineofscrimmage andallowedjust 50yards

through theair after three quarters.

TheBulldogshad no turnovers, but they neverhad adrive that traveled more than 34 yards beforeconstructing a13-play,74-yard touchdown drive in the fourthquarter.Thatscore cut LSU’slead to 20-7.

LSU’sdominancedefensively affordedthe offense enough time to stretch its lead to threescores late in thethird quarter. Aftera nine-play,49-yarddrive on its opening series of the secondhalf that endedina punt, the Tigers found the end zone on asix-play, 33-yard drive that concluded with a 2-yard rushing score from sophomoreCaden Durham.

Despite Durham’stouchdown, LSU’s running game struggledonSaturday. Durham had 13 carries for just 29 yards after three quarters, and LSU as awhole averaged 2.8 yards per carry until freshman Harlem Berry’selectric43-yard carry with 3:41 left to play

LSU’sperformancerunning theball was areﬂection of its night on offense —inconsistent.Itwas exactly the type of performance Kellydidn’twanttosee from hisunitbeforeSoutheastern Conference play begins next Saturday against Florida(6:30 p.m.,ABC).

Email Koki RileyatKoki Riley@theadvocate.com

LSUwide receiver Zavion Thomas staysinboundsafter acatch as Louisiana Tech defensive back Jhamal Shelby dives to ﬁnish the playinthe ﬁrstquarter of their game on Saturdayat TigerStadium.

CAJUNS

Continued from page1C

The game was plagued by penalties. McNeese was flagged eight times for 105 yards whilethe Cajuns got six flags for 55 yards Down 17-7 at half, the Cowboys’ first drive of the second half seemed to have stalled on abad snap during a50-yard field goal attempt. But instead of UL getting possession, the Cajuns were flagged for lining up in the neutral zone.Fabrizio Pintontookfulladvantageby nailing the 45-yard field goal to cut UL’s lead to 17-10 with 11:50 left in the third. The Cajuns leaned even heavierontheir rushing attack in the second half UL embarked on a12-play, 65-yard drive in 6:19 that spanned the third and fourth quarters.

Tony Sterner made good on a37-yard field goal fora 20-10 UL lead with10:45 left to play.After making both field goals in the opener,he made two and missed two against the Cowboys. The first half started with offensive fireworks and then calmed down. The Cajuns’ first drivewas made easier thanks to Rob Williams’ 50yard kickoff return to the McNeese 46, settingupa five-play,46-yard drivein 1:54. APerry 28-yardrun pavedthe wayfor Davis’ 6-yard touchdown run fora 7-0 lead. Davis finished the first half with 10 carriesfor 88 yards and two touchdowns, while

UL running backZylan Perryruns withthe ball against the McNeese defense duringtheir game SaturdayatOur Ladyof Lourdes Stadium.ULwon 34-10.

Perry added 57 yards on six attempts. McNeese wasted little time tying thegame, going 80 yards on fiveplays in 2:50. A55-yard pass to Josh Jackson set up a2-yard TD runfromDevin Lippold with10:08leftinthe opening quarter. The Cowboyscollected five first downs over their next three drives, and the UL defenseforcedsomebad results.

Afterforcing apunt on theﬁrstone,Kaleb Kibodi’s 4-yard sack forced aturnover on downs at the UL 35 with 9:24leftinthe half on the second drive. On thenext drive, Jalen Clark’s interception at the 9just after thetwo-minute timeout spoiled another McNeese scoring threat.Still, the game was tied at 7-7 with

BY NATE RYAN Associated Press

No one has been more successful in the NASCAR Cup Series playoffs than Joey Logano, whohas won three championships since the introduction of threerace elimination rounds in 2014.

But it’srarely been easy for the Team Penske star, whoknows thepressure that manytitle contenders will be feelingatWorld Wide Technology Raceway outside of St. Louis.

“At some point in the playoffs, your back will be up againstthe wall, and it will be do or die,” Logano said.

That moment couldarrive for many at the 1.25-mile oval commonly known as Gateway (a reference to its moniker before corporate naming rights). Sunday’s race will be thesecond of a ﬁrst round that started with theSouthern500 battering thechampionship hopes of several drivers.

Arecord-low four championship-eligible drivers ﬁnishedinthe top 10 of the playoffopeneratDarlington Raceway as Toyotas swept the top four.The best result forHendrickMotorsports’ quartet of playoff Chevrolets was 17th by 2020 Cup champion Chase Elliott, marking the first time the winningestteam in NASCARhistory placed no drivers in thetop 15 of a Southern 500.

Logano, whoﬁnished 20th at Darlington, is among many in need of arebound at Gateway,and clutch performances have deﬁned his career.Ofhis 37 victories, 15 have been in theplayoffs,including threeen routetothe 2024 title.

Asecondcareer winat Gateway would lock the defending Cup championinto the second round ahead of thefirst-round finale Sept. 13 at Bristol Motor Speedway.The treacherous short track will cut theplayoff field from 16 drivers to the top 12 in thepoints standings.

Betweenwinning the 2022 and ’24championships, Logano suffered astunning ﬁrst-roundknockout from the2023 playoffs at Bristol, where his No. 22 Ford has

Bowman, who is tiedwith Josh Berry for last among playoff drivers at 19 points belowthe first-round cutline,has finishesof13th, 26th and 28th at the track.

AustinDillon, who is rankedeightpoints below the cutline at 14th in the standings, won last month at Richmond Raceway’s ﬂat0.75-mile oval and feels conﬁdent his No. 3Chevrolet can duplicate the speed at Gateway (where Richard Childress Racing teammate Kyle Busch won in 2023).

ﬁnishedoutside thetop 10 in nine consecutive races.

“That’swhy Gateway is an ultra-important weekend, said Logano, whoisranked 13thinthe standings, three points behind rookie Shane van Gisbergen. “The good news is we excel in those types of situations. We usually can rise to the occasion. With that said, we’ve seen the otherside before, too. We’vebeen through it enough, but we knowhow to handle it.”

He and his Penske teammates also are adept at tacklingGateway,whichis playing host to its ﬁrst playoff race after three consecutive June races since joining the Cup schedule in 2022.

Austin Cindricwon last year’srace (after teammateRyanBlaneyran out of fuel on the last lap), and hisaverage Gatewayfinish of 8.33 is his best on the circuit. Logano is even better, with an average finish of 3.0, underscoring Penske’s strength on flat tracks near amile in length. Logano has won the seasonfinale twice at Phoenix Raceway,aflat 1-mile oval.

“Atthe flattracks, our team does areally good job of staying consistent,” Cindric said. “That’swhere our team excels is beingable to apply the same things to different challenges.”

Gateway has been much tougher for HendrickMotorsports. It’sthe only Cup track without atop 10 for Elliott. Teammate Alex

“It’sjust astrong suit for us at RCR,” said Dillon, who ﬁnished 23rd at Darlington. “Last week was very disappointing because Ifelt like we had agreat week to capitalize, and we didn’t do agreat job of taking advantage. Ifeel we should be above the cutline, and Gateway is huge forus. Last year we had avery fast car, and with atop 10, Ifeel like we’regoing into Bristol just above the cutline.”

Cindric, who is ninth in the standings and 12 points ahead of the cutline, said leaving Gatewayfewer than 20 points above the cutline would be “pretty nerve-racking. I’d describe our position as fairly neutralatthe moment. But definitelynothing’sreally guaranteed, especially with as manyunknowns as there arewithBristol next week.”

Buddingstar

Southern500 winner Chase Briscoe’s3-yearold son, Brooks, became a minor celebrity afterhijackinghis dad’spostrace news conferenceatDarlington. Clips wentviral of Brooks Briscoe clowning on amicrophone as his dad attempted to answer questions about his fourth career victory

“Yeah,he’sdefinitely the life of the party,” Chase Briscoe said. “He got recognized at the mall this week.Hehad his first day of school Tuesday,and all his teachers were telling him he was all over TV.It was definitely acool experience.

“That was really the ﬁrst timeI felt as afamily we’ve gotten to experience awin. My parents and in-laws were all there. That was deﬁnitely aspecial night.”

1:53 left until intermission.

The UL offense marched 91 yards on six plays in 47 seconds. Beale’s22-yard scramble ignited the drive thatended with Davis’36yard TD run with1:06 left. Then UL got abreak when McNeesefielded arolling kickoff at the 2after attempting to get afair catch out of it. Instead, the UL defense stopped three straight running plays to force a punt

The Cajuns drew adefensive pass interference call, then a19-yard completion to KeDarius Wade set up a38yard ﬁeld goal from Sterner right before thegun for a 17-7 halftime lead.

Sterner had missed from 28 and 54 yards earlier in theﬁrst half.

The Cajuns outrushed McNeese 161-23 in the ﬁrst half

STAFF

PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Braylon Walker, Lafayette Christian

The UL commitment’s senior season is off to a great start after a thrilling 27-26 win over Rummel.

The quarterback ran for 179 yards and two TDs on 17 carries and was 13-of-23 passing for 139 yards and another score.

PREP REWIND

FIVE STARS OF THE NIGHT

Jarrison Reese, Church Point

As expected, the athletic Reese was in the middle of the Bears’ 27-14 victory over North Vermilion. He ran for 154 yards and three scores on 14 carries and caught four balls for 37 yards.

Khyrie Francisco, St Martinville Francisco went 12-of-17 passing for 164 yards and a touchdown in the Tigers’ season-opening win over Cecilia. He also ran for 128 more yards and two scores on 26 carries.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Nathan Zaunbrecher, St Edmund

The Blue Jays defense had a tough time with a 200-yard rusher from Elton, but the St. Edmund quarterback picked up the slack in a big way by connecting on 13 of 20 passes for 337 yards and two touchdowns to win the opener

The two-way performer caught four passes for 43 yards on offense, and defensively, he intercepted two passes — including one for a touchdown — in a dramatic road win over St.Thomas More.

Carencro notches big win over STM

Babineaux helps Bears to first win over Cougars since 2006

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Carencro’s Chantz Babineaux is capable of affecting the game every time he touches the football on offense.

The decision to play Babineaux both ways has paid off big for the Bears. One week after returning an interception for a touchdown in the jamboree, Babineaux accomplished the feat again in Friday’s season opener as he led the Bears to a 30-27 win over the St Thomas More Cougars.

“How about that decision to play Chantz on defense?” Bears coach Gavin Peters asked rhetorically with a laugh. “That’s two weeks in

a row He’s a special player.”

Babineaux, a Nicholls State commit, finished the game with two interceptions and a touchdown on defense and caught four passes for 43 yards.

“Coming in, we knew it would be a close game,” Babineaux said

“We knew it was going to be a dog ﬁght.”

It was the ﬁrst time the Bears have beaten St. Thomas More since 2006, Peters said.

“This is a big win,” Babineaux said. “We did it for the city.”

With the game tied 27-27 and 7:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Bears put together arguably their most impressive drive of the game. Starting from their own 25, the Bears went 65 yards in 16 plays a drive that took nearly six minutes off the clock — to reach the Cougars 10-yard line.

Bears kicker Matthew Latham then nailed a 27-yard ﬁeld goal to give Carencro the lead at 30-27

with 1:28 left in the game.

“We made some critical errors,” Peters said. “We put a lot on the backs of some sophomores. We made some big plays.”

The Cougars, who battled back from a 14-point deﬁcit in the fourth quarter moved the ball down to the Bears 31-yard line. But a lastsecond heave to the end zone was intercepted by Babineaux to seal the victory

“It’s a big win for us,” said Bears running back Christopher Baham, who rushed for 127 yards on 11 carries in the second half. “We put a lot of work in during the offseason. The whole sideline was hype, and we were just waiting for the clock to go to zero. (At the end) we were just happy it was over.”

It was a game of big plays in the ﬁrst half, as STM opened the scoring with a 41-yard punt return for a touchdown by Jared Quoyeser to take a 7-0 lead with 11 minutes remaining in the second quarter

But the Bears responded on the ensuing kickoff, when Brandon Duffy returned the kick 98 yards for a touchdown to even the score at 7-7 with 10:41 left until halftime.

On fourth down and 6 from the Carencro 41, Babineaux gave the Bears the lead when he picked off quarterback Cole Bergeron and returned it 73 yards for the touchdown.

The ﬁrst of two touchdowns for Cougars running back Carter Melancon tied the game at 13-13 going into halftime.

In the second half, the Bears came out ﬁring on all cylinders, scoring on each of their ﬁrst two drives — a 40-yard touchdown run by Baham and a 4-yard touchdown run by Khylen Taylor to take a 27-13 lead going into the fourth quarter

But the Cougars wouldn’t go away, cutting the deﬁcit to 27-20 on Melancon’s 1-yard touchdown run with 7:46 remaining in the fourth

quarter Melancon rushed for 84 yard and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

A penalty for too many players on the ﬁeld was assessed on the kickoff and allowed the Cougars to kick from the Bears 45-yard line. STM perfectly executed the onside kick, recovering the football at the Bears 35-yard line.

Two plays later, the Cougars tied the game at 27-27 with 7:30 remaining on a 10-yard touchdown run by Bergeron. Bergeron, who completed 16 of 48 passes for 145 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions, rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries.

“It’s a long season,” Peters said. “We have another big matchup next week (vs. Lafayette Christian). We’re going to enjoy it (Friday). But then we have to move on.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Lafayette Christian beats Rummel in opening nailbiter

Walker, Knights get past Raiders

BRANDON COMEAUX

Contributing writer

Lafayette Christian overcame a slow start to defeat Archbishop Rummel 27-26 in the regular-season opener Friday night at Knight Field. For the first quarter and a half, the Raiders dominated the Knights, eating up rushing yards and clock as the offense methodically drove down the ﬁeld on multiple possessions while the Knights struggled to get ﬁrst downs. Despite that domination, Rummel only had 10 points to show for it. Then, right before the half, LCA’s offense came alive.

Senior quarterback Braylon Walker, a UL commitment, capped off a four-minute, 57-yard drive with a 7-yard touchdown run to cut the Rummel lead to 10-7 just before halftime. That began a three-possession scoring stretch for the Knights in which Walker connected with receiver Brayden Allen, a Tulane commit, for a 56-yard touchdown and his second touchdown run, this one from 66 yards. Suddenly, the Knights were up 20-10 late in the third quarter, and the wind apparently was sucked out of the sails of the Raiders.

But Rummel junior running back Jaden Terrance ran an 80yard touchdown and senior kicker Robert Vargas connected on a 41yard ﬁeld goal to tie the game up at 20 with just under six minutes left When sophomore running back

Caden Bellard scored from 22 yards out to put the Knights ahead 27-20 with 1:47 left, it appeared the Knights had delivered the knockout punch. Then, a 15-yard penalty committed by the Knights following the extra point carried into the kickoff. Rummel took the return all the way to the LCA 25 before junior quarterback Tyler Holden found wide receiver Micah Green for a 25-yard touchdown to cut the lead to one point. But the extra-point kick was short and wide right, and the Knights were able to run out the clock for the victory

“It’s all about these kids,” said LCA coach Matt Sandiford, who was ﬁghting back tears while celebrating his ﬁrst victory as head coach after serving as the interim coach last season. “These guys put in the work in the offseason.”

Bellard finished with 83 yards rushing and the game-winning touchdown on 21 carries.

“My guy toted the rock tonight and found a way to be physical for four quarters,” LCA running backs coach Ty Fenroy said. Walker, who ﬁnished with three total touchdowns on 183 yards rushing and 139 yards passing, was proud of his team’s effort.

“All the hard work we put in since December helped us to be able to compete in the second half and not be tired while they (Rummel) got tired,” he said.

“We know who we are. We’re not scared of the name or the 5A team. We have to come 1,000 percent for the man on the side of us, our

LCA

Chantz Babineaux, Carencro

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Carencro’s Brandon Duffy, right, eludes the St Thomas More defense to score a touchdown during the teams’ season opener on Friday

STAFF FILE

PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Lafayette Christian QB Braylon Walker sparked the Knights in a win over Rummel on Friday.

PREP REWIND

Notre Dame run game too much for Southside

BY MIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

Southside High and Notre Dame

met Friday in the first game played at the Sharks’ new stadium in Youngsville, but the script ended up being nearly identical to last year’s matchup.

For the second consecutive year, Notre Dame raced to a 21-0 lead and held on to win the season opener by one score. After its offense was bottled up most of the evening, Southside made it interesting in the fourth quarter before falling 35-28.

“This bunch is determined,” Pioneers coach Lewis Cook said. “They practice well There is very little experience with maybe two on each side of the ball that were there (as starters) for the first game last year.”

Notre Dame scored on its ﬁrst three possessions in the ﬁrst quarter. Quarterback Drew Lejeune kept for a 2-yard score after Joachim Bourgeois ripped free for a 35-yard gain on the game’s second play

Lejeune, a converted tailback, ran for three short touchdowns and completed timely passes to wideout Brice Duhon and tight end Sam Casanova when needed

“Drew is a leader,” Cook said.

“How about those two throws he made on third down? We’re going to go as he goes.”

Notre Dame ran for more than 200 yards in the ﬁrst half and led 21-7 at halftime on sneaks of 1 and 2 yards by Lejeune and a 42-yard scamper by William Lavergne, one of two Pios to go over 100 yards on the night.

Lavergne set up Lejeune’s second score by running for a ﬁrst down on fourth and 21 from the Southside 34.

“We made up our mind that we were going to do it,” Cook said

of the trick play “Lavergne has made so many big plays for us.

It’s unbelievable.”

Southside, which was stopped on fourth down three times in Pios territory, got its ﬁrst points when senior defensive back Cameron Allen returned a kick 80 yards late in the ﬁrst quarter

Kollen Francois had a 90-yard return in the second half as the Sharks whittled the deﬁcit from 28-7 to 28-21 on touchdown runs by quarterback Parker Dies and running back Coby Broussard.

“There were a lot of positives,” Sharks coach Jess Curtis said.

“Notre Dame has a good team We knew that coming in. That’s why we play them, because we want to measure ourselves against championship teams.

Dies, who threw a touchdown pass to Broussard for the final points, rushed for 128 yards on 15 carries. He gained 64 yards on his ﬁrst 13 tries before escaping for 40 and 24 yards on back-to-back carries in the second half.

“Notre Dame was pinching on

defense, taking away Justin Williams,” Curtis said of his fullback, who ran for 15 yards on five attempts (Broussard added 23 yards on seven carries). “They did some good stuff, and we couldn’t finish drives. That’s what championship teams do. They play great red zone defense. We’re going to have to learn how to finish drives. It’s something we have to fix quickly.”

On the other hand, Lavergne and Bourgeois produced for four quarters, with Lavergne going for 121 yards on 14 carries and Bourgeois rushing for 166 yards on 22 carries. Lejeune added 30 yards on 14 carries.

“That’s just our kids,” Cook said when asked about his running backs’ deceptive power (Lavergne is 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, Bourgeois 5-9, 165). “You know, we have some kids with some bounce in their step: Will, Joe and Brice (5-8, 170). You can’t give them much room and we were determined to win the battles at the line of scrimmage.”

Catholic-New Iberia puts end to Vermilion Catholic’s win streak

BY STEVE PELOQUIN

Contributing writer

One of the more impressive streaks in high school football came to an end Friday night in the season opener in Abbeville.

In a matchup of reigning state champions, Catholic High-New Iberia defeated Vermilion Catholic 20-0 to end the Screaming Eagles’ 35-game regular-season win streak. The last team to defeat Vermilion Catholic in a regularseason game was Erath in 2021. The game between CHNI, the reigning Division III select state champs, and Vermilion Catholic, the reigning Division IV champs, was ﬁerce as expected.

“Any time you step on the ﬁeld with coach (Broc) Prejean’s VC team, you know it’s going to be a battle, whether you’re a 5A school, a 3A school, or whatever,” Catholic High-New Iberia coach Matt Desormeaux said. “They battled us with 35 guys, against us having 60. Those guys are warriors, they’re great football players, they’re well-coached, and it’s

an honor to be involved in a game like this.”

VC coach Broc Prejean concurred

“I just love playing good competition and so do our kids,” he said.

“And that program (Catholic-New Iberia) is as good of a program as you’re going to ﬁnd.”

The defenses dominated early before the Panthers scored the first points with 53 seconds remaining in the ﬁrst half. Quarterback Xander LaBauve connected with Jacob Minvielle on an 18yard touchdown pass to give the visitors a 7-0 lead

“That was a big score for us,” Desormeaux said “Their kids really know how to play and how to win games, so to score ﬁrst was big.”

After a scoreless third quarter, CHNI extended its lead at the 10:49 mark of the fourth quarter.

Michael Haik, filling in for the injured Owen Morris, scored on a 7-yard touchdown run to make it 13-0.

The Panthers, ranked fourth in the LSWA’s Class 2A poll, conclud-

ed the scoring with 7:43 remaining when Tylan Sonn scored on a 5-yard run to give CHNI its ﬁrst win over Vermilion Catholic since 2019.

Vermilion Catholic, ranked second in the Class 1A poll, had its chances but failed to score twice after moving into the red zone.

“Our defense played their tails off and gave us a chance to win,” Prejean said. “We just have to execute a little better on offense in the red zone.

“We’re disappointed, but that is a beautiful thing in a way to see so much disappointment in those kids’ eyes because that means they care so much. But this one is on us. We’re not going to make excuses We’re just going to get back to work tomorrow.”

Desormeaux said his team played hard, although not perfectly

“Sure, there were some mistakes and we’re going to try to correct those like we always do, but they really battled for 48 minutes and all we could really ask of them, so I’m very proud,” he said.

STATE SCORES

FRIDAY’S SUMMARIES

Christian 27, Rummel 26 TeamRummelLCA

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 6-60 9-92

SCORING SUMMARY Rummel3779—26

Lafayette Christian0713727

RUMM — Robert Vargas 21 FG

RUMM — Coryan Hawks 3 run (Vargas kick)

LCA — Braylon Walker 7 run (Jude Fairchild kick)

LCA — Brayden Allen 56 pass from Walker (Fairchild kick)

LCA — Walker 66 run (Fairchild kick)

RUMM — Jaden Terrance 80 run (Vargas kick)

RUMM — Vargas 41 FG LCA — Caiden Bellard 22 run (Fairchild kick)

RUMM — Luke Mocklin 26 pass from Tyler Holden (Kick failed) Erath 35, Loreauville 19

TeamLoreauvilleErath First Downs 8 19 Yards Rushing 59 248

Yards Passing 45 91

Passes (C-A-HI) 6-11-1 7-21-2

Punts-avg

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards 2-20 7-26

SCORING SUMMARY Loreauville0130619 Erath71378—35

ERA — Carter Champagne 35 pass from Jack

Landry (Carlos Arellano kick)

LOR — Blaise Romero 15 pass from Blake

Delcambre (Andrew Chambers kick)

LOR — Delcambre INT return (run failed)

ERA — Aiden Bouque 4 run (kick failed)

ERA — Bourque 4 run (Arellano kick)

ERA — Landon Lemaire 11 run (Arellano kick)

LOR — Delcambre 6 run (run failed)

ERA — Jahlil Charles 8 run (conversion good)

Rayne 35, Beau Chene 7

TeamRayneBeau Chene First Downs 17 13 Yards Rushing 186 116 Yards Passing 198 34 Passes (C-A-HI) 10-12-1 4-10-2

Punts-avg 0-0 2-39.5

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1 Penalties-yards 12-99 10-134

ORING SUMMARY Rayne7210735 Beau Chene00707 RAY — Rudolph Peters 67 pass from Ausin Judice (Adrien Campbell kick) RAY — Peters 2 run (kick failed)

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Notre Dame quarterback Drew LeJeune, center, gets a push from running back Christopher Holmes, left, during the Pioneers’ 35-28 road win over Southside.

SAINTS GAMEDAY

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH

CONTAINING KYLER

SPENCER’SCONSISTENCY

Nobodyinthe Dome is undera bigger microscope than Saints QB SpencerRattler,who wonthe training camp battle againstrookieTyler Shough.Rattler startedsix gamesas arookielastseason butwas inconsistent.He’ll haveto be more consistent forthe Saints to havea chance this season.The main keyfor Rattleristakingcareofthe ball.Hethrew five interceptions andalsofumbled five timesin 2024.It’ll also help if he canlead theSaintstotouchdownswhen they getinthe redzone. That wasan issuelastseason.

CANSAINTSSEIZE MOMENT?

HANDLE THECHAOS

If you’vekepttabs on the Saints recently,you alreadyknowhow mobile quarterbacks give them fits.Well, Kyler Murray is one of the most dangerous QBs in the league as far as howhecan beat opponents withboth his armand legs. Murrayrushed for 572 yards (averaging 7.3 yards perrush) last season. If the Saintscan’t containhim, it couldbea very long afternoon. Making the task even morechallenging is the Saintswill be without defensiveend Chase young,who is dealing witha calf injury.

TheCardinals,21stinthe league last season in yardsallowed (342.5), upgraded theirdefense Thebiggest addition wasoutside linebacker Josh Sweat, akey pieceon theEagleslastyear. Arizona’s first five draftpicks were all on defense. TheCardinals like to disguise theirpre-snaplooks andcreateasmuchconfusion as possible.Amustfor Rattleristobe awareofdisruptivesafetyBudda Baker. Saints offensivecoordinator Doug Nussmeierhas spent this week emphasizingthe importance of communication.

1 2 3 4

The Saints are pulling out all of the stops for Kellen Moore’s debut.Theyare wearing gold jerseys for the first time sincethe 2002 season.Theyare evenpainting the end zones gold. LegendaryNew Orleans rapper/ producer MannieFresh is performing at halftime. It’sthe opener,sothisverywellcould be one of the most festive crowds the Saintssee all season. Awin couldhelp seize someearly momentum for aSaints team that hasn’t lost aseason opener since 2018.

Rod Walker

‘Special’reunion

“We’ve

TheNew OrleansSaints’ game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday will be special for Brandon Staley

The ﬁrst-year defensive coordinator for the Saints will face his best friend in Arizona Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon.

The friendship between Gannon and Staley dates back decades to their formative yearsinnortheast Ohio. Gannon was from Cleveland. Staley was born and raised in Madison, about 35 miles up Interstate 90 along the shores of Lake Erie. As fourth graders, Gannon and Staley played on oppositebasketball teams in aCleveland AAU league.

Staley,then agraduateassistant at Tennessee.

“Ourrelationship started on the court playing against each other,” Staley saidThursday while takinga break from game-planning for the opener.“It’slike, who’sthis guy from thewest side of Cleveland?”

Running in the same AAU circles,Staley and Gannon became friends. Staley’s father,Bruce, coached Staley’s AAU team andeventually tried to lure Gannon to Perry High School, where Staley was thepoint guard.

Gannon elected to stay at parochial power St. Ignatius in Cleveland, where he developed into athree-sport star. He eventually landed ascholarshiptoLouisville, where he startedatsafety as atrue freshman.

Staley playedquarterback at Dayton, anonscholarship program, and nearby Mercyhurst, aNCAA Division II program. Staley andGannonstayed in touch andworked outtogether while home for summer breaks.

The bond strengthened after college, when bothGannon and Staley started coaching. Gannon eventually landed an NFL gig when he followed former Louisville coach Bobby Petrino to the Atlanta Falcons. When his old St.Ignatius teammate TomArth was looking to hire adefensive coordinator at John Carroll College in suburban Cleveland, he called Gannon, who recommended

“I was in Tennessee(with the Titans) at the time anddidn’treally want that job,” Gannontoldthe Pottstown (Pa.) Mercury in 2021. “I wanted to stay in the NFL. Tom said, ‘Well, whowould you hire?’ Isaid BrandonStaley,just because Iknew howpassionate he was and the type of coach that he is, (that) he would do an excellent job for Tom.

“Sometimes, allyou need is you’ve got to knowsomebodytoshow somebody.So Igot him in the door with Tom, and the rest was history.”

The John Carroll job was Staley’sﬁrst big break. He parlayed that into ajob as the outside linebackers coach on Vic Fangio’sdefensive staff with the Chicago Bears. From there, Staley beganameteoric four-year rise that endedwith him landing the Los Angeles Chargers head coaching job at age 38. Twoyears later, Gannon was named the head coach of the Cardinals.

“We’ve always been extremely close,” Staley said. “Andtosee him go where he’sgone, Imean, he’sdone it the right way. He’sdone it thehardway.Nothing wasever given to him. He earned it, hadtostay really patient. And then he got his opportunities, he knocked them down.” Gannon and Staley have stayedclose They stood in each other’sweddings. Staley and his wife, Amy, askedGannon to be thegodfather to their third son, Grant. Despite their strongbond, Gannon andStaley never have coached together When Staley got theChargers job in 2021, he tried to hire Gannonashis defensive coordinator,but Gannon opted forthe same gig in Philadelphia, in part

because of the opportunity to call plays.

They’ve been on opposing sidelines severaltimes. In Staley’sﬁrst year as Chargers head coach, he traveled to Philadelphia to playthe Eagleswhen Gannon was in his ﬁrst year as the defensive coordinator.The Eagles prevailed27-24.

“We’re good friends and we talk,” Gannon said. “I learned alot of ball from him, andhopefully he’slearned some ball fromme.”

Gannon and Staley are part of aproud and close-knit fraternity of northern Ohio natives who have ascended to key roles in the NFL. Among them are Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels; Texans general manager Nick Caserio and pro scouting director DJ Debick; Cardinals assistant Matt Feeney; and Arth, the Steelers quarterbacks coach.

Staley said he and Gannon trade text messages and FaceTimecalls throughout the year.They try to get together as often as possible, but those occasions have becomeinfrequent as their careers and families have grown.

The communication took arespite as the teams prepared fortheir season opener on Sunday.Staley did say the two would connect when Gannon and the Cardinals arrived in townSaturday

“It’ll be special,” Staley said. “He’sa rare guy.Wehave areally special friendship that supersedes any of this (NFL football). We know whowewere way before any of this happened.

“He’slike abrother to you, and now you’re coaching against each other.But as soon as the ball is snapped, it’son.” Email JeffDuncanatjduncan@ theadvocate.com.

WALKER

Continued from page1C

three games, he liked what he saw when theydid play together

“For the lack of experience that he does have, he just makes up for it with his demeanor,” Kamara said. “He’svery conﬁdent.He’s ahard worker.Hehas kindoflike avet-like presence,likehe’sbeen here before,like he’s done it. Now,he’sgot to do it,obviously.And I think we’ll be able to get outthere andbeable to help him out, make it easy forhim because that’swhat we’re here for.”

Afresh start

It’sunderstandable whyRattler saysthis season feels like his real NFL debut. New head coach. New offensivecoordinator. Even new gold jerseys that theteamwill break out Sunday.But none of it will matterifRattler can’tlead the Saints into thosefreshly painted gold end zones.

He threw four touchdowns and ﬁveinterceptions during arookie season that included asocial media movement called #TheAgenda, apush by avid Rattler fans who wanted to seehim play. Much of that buzz has died down now,but the guy wearing both the No. 2jersey and thechip on his shoulder is eager to prove his fans right “Yeah, you could say Ihave achip onmy shoulder,” Rattler said. “Ourwhole team has achip, which is awesome. Alot of peopleare sleeping on us, and that’s ﬁne. We want to just do what we can do and control what we can and go outthere and prove it.”

Rattler has had to prove himself for afew years now.Hemade it all looksoeasy early on, becomingalegend in his hometown of Phoenixasone of the top recruits in the country

Mike Giovando, who became Rattler’squarterback coach when he was 10 or 11 years old,isn’t surprised at his pupil’s success.

“He already had the moxie back then,” Giovando said. “I toldhim in seventh or eighth grade that Ithought he could be an NFL quarterback, and he spokeitinto existence,for sure.”

Path setstraight

Prior to his senior year of high school, Rattlerwas named MVP of The Elite 11, aquarterback competition featuring some of the best QBs in the country.Hewas so good that Netﬂixfollowed him around andfeatured him in adocumentary called “QB1: Beyond the Lights.” His brashness in the documentary rubbed some people the wrong way —for example, an episodewhen he predicted “two Heismans”inhis future.

“But his mindset really changed when he transferred to South Carolina. He really grew He’salways had the talent. Butthat mindset hascompletely changed. Youcan see it now in howheisa leader in this locker room.”

Shane Beamer was an assistant at Oklahoma who became theSouthCarolina head coach andlured Rattler there.

“I saw him during those times of adversity and how he handled it,” Beamer said. “He came here (to SouthCarolina) and just worked hard andbecamealeader.Hewas voted a captain. He didn’tforce his leadership style on anyone. It was just being agood person and treating people theright way and working really hard and being consistent.”

An unexpected opportunity

That consistency helped Rattler beat out Shough for the job.Now he’ll trytokeep it

First-year Saintscoach Kellen Moore said Rattler won’thave to look over his shoulder while Shough uses this time to watch and learn.

Four monthsago, it looked like Rattlerwould have to watch again. That all changed May 10 when Carr unexpectedly retired.

“I’ve always had alot of respect for him,”Rattler said of Carr.“He took alot of blame thathe probably shouldn’thave. I’ve got love for him. I knewthatwas my opportunity to compete, and I wasjust excited for the opportunity.”

So Rattler wenttowork in the110-degree weather in Arizona with Giovando. As much as he focused on footworkand throwing mechanics, there is another aspect of his game he says will be key this season.

“The biggest thingismental toughness and faith, and you let therest takecare of itself,” Rattler said. “I feel like I’ve always been pretty cool, calm and collected. There are times to be ﬁery.There are times to be cool and calm Being aQB, you have to bounce back and play with conﬁdence and show no fear.”

“Yeah,you could sayI have achip on my shoulder Our wholeteam has achip, which is awesome.Alot of peopleare sleeping on us, and that’sﬁne. We want to just do what we can do and control what we can and go out there and prove it.”

SPENCE RATTLER, Saints quarterback

At Pinnacle High School, he set the Arizona passing yards record on his 18th birthday. That’s also around the time he got his ﬁrst tattooonhis left chest.It’saBible verse (Proverbs3:5-6) that he leaned on during some tough timesahead “Trust in the Lord with all your heart. Don’t lean on your own understanding. Acknowledge him and he’ll set your path straight.”

“That’show Ilive,” Rattler said.“Iunderstand that it’salready written andjust go out there and do your best and trust in Him.” At the time Rattler got tatted,his path couldn’thave seemed straighter. He wasa ﬁve-star recruit signed with the University of Oklahoma, aquarterback factory thathad just produced back-to-back Heisman Trophy winners in Baker Mayﬁeld and KylerMurray. His bold “two Heisman” prediction didn’tseem too far-fetched by the time he took over as the Oklahoma starting quarterback.Heled the Sooners to theBig 12 Conference title,then entered the next season as theHeismanfrontrunner and projected No. 1pick. Path made crooked

Everything changed the followingseason whenRattler wasbenched for CalebWilliams, who eventually transferred to SouthernCal, won his own Heisman and wentonto be the overall No. 1draft pick by theChicago Bears. Saints rookielinebacker Danny Stutsman was afreshman at Oklahomathatyear andhas seen Rattler’sevolution since the2021 season. “It’snight and day,” Stutsman said.“Spencer’sdevelopment as aman andasa player has been huge. He faced alot of adversity at Oklahoma. There were games when he wasliterally getting booed by his home crowd.Thatcan really just killyour conﬁdence.

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler gives athumbs up as he warms up before a preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug.17 at the Caesars Superdome. Rattler was named the starting quarterback on Aug. 26.

2024 OFFENSIVE LEADERS

Thenextchapter

Dowell Loggains has aRattler jerseyhanging in his ofﬁce at Appalachian State, where he’sinhis ﬁrst year as head coach. He was quarterbacks coach at SouthCarolina when Rattler played there. Before that, Loggains spent 13 seasons in the NFL as an offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach, so he knows athing or two about what it takes to succeed in the NFL.

“Spencer’sinstincts and ability to process things quickly is NFL caliber,”Loggains said. “He’s equipped to do the job he’s been calledtodo. He has the elite ability to focus on thejob he needstodoand not worry aboutthe things youcan’t control. We live in aworld where every oneisgoing to criticize thefranchise quarterback. Spencer hasbeen groomedtohandle that burden.”

Rattler knows it comes with theterritory Thefan base was divided all summer long. Half wanted Rattler to be named the starter and the others preferred Shough.

“You’re going to see that in every competition around the league,” Rattler said. “You can’t listen to theoutside noise.”

Rattler is blocking that out and focusing on the guysinthe locker room

“Weone thousand percent believe in him,”

tightend Juwan Johnson said. “Webelieved in himlast year.Wedidn’tsee it in the win column. Butweknew we had something special with this guy.Heknows it.”

Shaheed calls Rattler “a born leader.”

Despite that description, Rattler wasn’t votedateam captain. He’s one of the few quarterbacks in theleague who isn’tateam captain, but he thinkshecan still lead.

“Obviously,Idon’thave as much experience as alot of these guys that are starters,”Rattler said. “But Ican build on that each week. I’m conﬁdent on what Ican do, andI thinkwehave alot of great pieces where Idon’thave to be Superman. Let thesystem work for you and you let your guys work for you.”

There was atime when Rattler was indeed Superman.Hewas supposed to be the next big thing. He still believes he can be.

That starts Sunday when he faces the Cardinals, the team basedinthe samecity where Rattler’sjourney began. BeingaWeek 1starter in the NFL is something he’sdreamed about since he was kid.

“I’m just trying to attack it and make the most out of it,” Rattler said. “And makemy story even better.”

STAFF PREDICTIONS

JEFF DUNCAN

SAINTS 20,CARDINALS 19: The Saints areunderdogs,but they have threethingsworking in theirfavor: home field, first-game enthusiasm andthe elementofsurprise. Spencer Rattlerleads theSaintstothe gamewinning fieldgoalona two-minute drive, andthe Saints extend theirNFLbest streak of season-opening wins to seven.

LUKE JOHNSON

CARDINALS20, SAINTS 16: I thinkthe Saintsdefense will be an improvedunit this year,and in Week 1, it gets theadded benefitofthe unknown.The Saints will be feisty enough to keep this game close, but Ijustdon’t have enough faith in the Saints offense to pull out the win. Givethe Cardinals the edgeinthis one.

MATTHEWPARAS

CARDINALS 26, SAINTS 17: Jonathan Gannon said his track record wasn’t “good” against Kellen Moore, but the former Eagles defensivecoordinator’s lone win over the then-Dallas offensivecoordinator came when the Cowboys were missing Dak Prescott at quarterback.The Saints are also missing Dak Prescott at quarterback. RODWALKER

SAINTS 17, CARDINALS 16: Chances are, Iwon’t pick theSaintstowin manygames this season. Butwith their recent success in openersand Brandon Staley’snew defense, the Saints figureout away

Sabalenka defeats Anisimova for U.S. Open title

BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP tennis writer

NEW YORK Aryna Sabalenka did not make many mistakes — well, until near the end — despite not sacrificing any power, and outplayed Amanda Anisimova for a 6-3, 7-6 (3) victory in the U.S. Open ﬁnal Saturday, making her the ﬁrst woman to win the tournament in consecutive years since Serena Williams more than a decade ago.

The No. 1-ranked Sabalenka picked up the fourth Grand Slam title of her career all on hard courts. This was not all smooth sailing, though. Sabalenka twice led by a break in the second set, and served for the win at 5-4. But at 30-all, so close to the trophy, she had a chance to hit an overhead and get to match point. Instead, while backpedaling, Sabalenka put the ball into the net, giving Anisimova a break chance. After that excruciating miss, Sabalenka dropped her racket on the blue court and smiled a rueful smile. A moment later, Anisimova

— a 24-year-old American — converted the break to get to 5-all and shook her left ﬁst while 24,000 or so of her closest friends in Arthur Ashe Stadium rose to applaud and shout.

Ah, but 15 minutes after the ﬂub, Sabalenka was kneeling on the court and covering her face with both hands, coming through on her third match point which made perfect sense, because she simply doesn’t lose tiebreakers This one made her 21-1 in those this year, winning her last 19.

Not since Williams took three straight titles from 2012-14 had a woman repeated as the champ in New York.

The result also meant Sabalenka avoided becoming the ﬁrst woman to lose three major ﬁnals in a single season since Justine Henin in 2006.

“All those tough lessons (were) worth this one,” Sabalenka said.

“I’m speechless right now.”

Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, was the runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open in January and to Coco Gauff at the French Open. Then, at Wimbledon in July, Sabalenka was eliminated by Anisimova. That put Anisimova into her ﬁrst

major ﬁnal, which she lost 6-0, 6-0 to Iga Swiatek. But Anisimova put that shutout behind her immediately, well enough to win a rematch against Swiatek in the U.S. Open quarterﬁnals.

“Losing in two finals in a row is great, but then it’s also super hard,” said Anisimova, who sat and buried her face in a towel after the match was over “I think I didn’t ﬁght hard enough for my dreams today.”

Sabalenka told her: “I know how much it hurts losing in the ﬁnals, but trust me you’re going to win

(one). Girl, you’re going to enjoy it even more after these tough losses in the ﬁnals.”

When Anisimova trailed Sabalenka 2-0, 30-love as Saturday’s match began, some fans might have wondered: There’s no way there’s going to be a repeat of the ﬁnal at the All England Club, right?

Right.

Anisimova grabbed the next four points to break back, capping the game with a backhand winner and a forehand winner That got the partisan fans up on their feet, shouting, and Anisimova exhaled

SCOREBOARD

Late Friday

L.A. Chargers 27, Kansas City 21 Kansas City0669—21

L.A. Chargers767727 First Quarter

LAC_Johnston 5 pass from Herbert (Dicker kick), 9:11. Second Quarter

LAC_FG Dicker 39, 13:47. KC_FG Butker 35, 4:50.

LAC_FG Dicker 36, :45. KC_FG Butker 59, :00. Third Quarter

KC_Mahomes 11 run (kick failed), 8:05

LAC_Allen 11 pass from Herbert (Dicker kick), :32. Fourth Quarter

KC_Kelce 37 pass from Mahomes (pass failed), 12:04.

LAC_Johnston 23 pass from Herbert (Dicker kick), 5:02. KC_FG Butker 27, 2:34.

A_47,627.

Comp-Att-Int 24-39-0 25-34-0 Sacked-Yards Lost 2-9 3-14 Punts 3-38.667 2-53.0 Fumbles-Lost 1-0 1-0 Penalties-Yards 10-71 6-49

Time of Possession 27:16 32:44

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Kansas City, Mahomes 6-57 Pacheco 5-25, Hunt 5-16, Worthy 1-0. L.A. Chargers, Hampton 15-48, Herbert 7-32

N.Harris 1-5, Davis 1-3, Conklin 1-2. PASSING_Kansas City, Mahomes 24-39-0-258.

L.A. Chargers, Herbert 25-34-0-318. RECEIVING_Kansas City, Brown 10-99, SmithSchuster 5-55, Kelce 2-47, Thornton 2-41 Hunt 2-10, Pacheco 2-3, Gray 1-3. L.A. Chargers, Allen 7-68, McConkey 6-74, Johnston 5-79, Conklin 2-50, Hampton 2-13, Dissly 1-18 T.Harris 1-11, N.Harris 1-5. MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.

Angel Hidalgo, Spain 70-69-63—202 14

A. Garcia-Heredia, Spain 72-65-67—204 -12

Joakim Lagergren, Sweden 70-62-73—205 11

R. McIlry, Northern Ireland 71-66-68—205 11

Rafa Cabrera Bello, Spain 68-71-67—206 -10

Oliver Lindell, Finland 68-70-68—206 10

J. Skov Olesen, Denmark 69-70-67—206 -10

T. Olesen, Denmark 66-71-70—207 -9

A. Ayora Fanegas, Spain 69-71-68—208 8 Hamish Brown, Denmark 70-68-70—208 -8

Daniel Brown, England 67-75-66—208 8

D. Hillier, New Zealand 71-66-71—208 8

S. Norris, South Africa 72-71-65—208 -8

B. Wu, United States 70-68-70—208 8

Tyrrell Hatton, England 70-68-71—209 -7

Casey Jarvis, South Africa 69-72-68—209 -7

Tapio Pulkkanen, Finland 69-69-71—209 7

B. Schmidt, England 69-70-70—209 -7

Jeff Winther, Denmark 72-69-68—209 7

Todd Clements, England 70-72-68—210 6

Thomas Detry, Belgium 73-69-68—210 -6

Romain Langasque, France 66-74-70—210 6 Niklas Lemke, Sweden 69-71-70—210 6

Shane Lowry, Ireland 69-71-70—210 -6

Clement Sordet, France 73-70-67—210 6

Alexander Levy, France 70-72-69—211 -5

John Parry, England 73-69-69—211 -5

David Ravetto, France 68-70-73—211 5

Laurie Canter, England 69-71-72—212 -4

Manuel Elvira, Spain 68-76-68—212 4

Jeong-Weon Ko, France 70-73-69—212 4

E. Lopez-Chacarra, Spain 72-71-69—212 -4

Matteo Manassero, Italy 70-74-68—212 4

Jack Senior, England 71-71-70—212 -4

Elvis Smylie, Australia 73-69-70—212 -4

R. Sterne, South Africa 71-70-71—212 4

T. Aiken, South Africa 69-75-69—213 -3

Aaron Cockerill, Canada 70-68-75—213 3

Jannik De Bruyn, Germany 70-70-73—213 3

T. McKbbn, Nrthrn Ireland 71-68-74—213 -3

Guido Migliozzi, Italy 71-71-71—213 3

Tom Vaillant, France 70-71-72—213 3

C. Bezuidnht, South Africa 72-67-75—214 -2

Alejandro Del Rey, Spain 71-72-71—214 2

Nacho Elvira, Spain 66-76-72—214 -2

Ross Fisher, England 72-71-71—214 -2

Joel Moscatel, Spain 69-73-72—214 2

A. Otgui, United Arab Em 70-73-71—214 -2

J. Vegas, Venezuela 72-72-70—214 2

B. Wiesberger, Austria 67-71-76—214 2

K. Aphibarnrat, Thailand 71-71-73—215 -1

D. Bryant, United States 72-68-75—215 1

A. Halvorsen, Norway 70-73-72—215 -1

Joost Luiten, Netherlands 73-69-73—215 -1

Alex Maguire, Ireland 70-72-73—215 1

Marco Penge, England 70-70-75—215 -1

N. Von Dllngshsn, Germany 73-70-72—215 1

M. Armitage, England 71-73-72—216 E

S. Crocker, United States 73-71-72—216 E Yuto Katsuragawa, Japan 72-71-73—216 E

K. Kobori, New Zealand 75-69-72—216 E

Z. Lombard, South Africa 67-77-72—216 E Dylan Naidoo, South Africa 74-70-72—216 E

E. Rooyen, South Africa 73-70-73—216 E

S. Forsstrom, Sweden 70-68-79—217 +1 Martin Laird, Scotland 70-74-73—217 +1

Mikael Lindberg, Sweden 69-75-73—217 +1

Paul O’Hara, Scotland 70-72-75—217 +1

P. Reed, United States 74-70-73—217 +1

Jesper Svensson, Sweden 72-71-74—217 +1

R. Williams, South Africa 72-71-75—218 +2

Auto racing

NASCAR Enjoy Illinois 300 Lineup

After Saturday qualifying; race

Sunday At World Wide Technology Raceway at Gateway Madison, Ill.

Lap length: 1.25 miles

(Car number in parentheses)

1. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 139.190 mph.

2. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 139.099.

3. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 138.902.

4. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 138.855.

5. (12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 138.752. 6. (24) William Byron, Chevrolet, 138.602.

7. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 138.457.

8. (20) Christopher Bell, Toyota, 138.410. 9. (2) Austin Cindric,

as she walked to the sideline and wiped sweat from her forehead. Soon, she led 3-2. But Sabalenka took the next four games and that set.

It began pouring before the match, so Ashe’s artiﬁcial lights were on, and its retractable roof was shut. That appeared to be a distraction at times to Anisimova, who motioned to her team in the stands that something was bothering her during ball tosses for serves.

The setup also created windless conditions, ideal for two ballstrikers who really can bring the power with good contact. And that’s what they both did from the start, striking speedy serves and deep groundstrokes with so much pace that responding was never simple.

Some exchanges were breathtaking to them, certainly and to spectators who gasped at the power during longer points. Both are aggressive during back-and-forths and rarely are risk-averse. The rewards can be huge, as can the mistakes, and Anisimova was seeking the lines with full cuts off both sides.

Of Sabalenka’s first 13 points, which helped her claim the initial two games, just one came via her own winner The other dozen arrived thanks to Anisimova’s six unforced errors and six forced errors.

By the end, Anisimova had nearly twice as many winners as Sabalenka, 22-13, and nearly twice as many unforced errors, too, 2915.

“You are so incredible,” Anisimova told Sabalenka during the trophy ceremony “I’m in awe of what you’ve accomplished, and you keep on achieving so many incredible things.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH

Aryna Sabalenka holds up the championship trophy after defeating Amanda Anisimova in straight sets during the women’s singles final of the U.S. Open on Saturday in New york.

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

Confessions of alifelong Louisiana scavenger

Like acat bringing an unlucky bird or mouse to the doorstep, my grown children sometimes like to sharenews about things they ﬁnd in their adventures out of doors. Luckily,their treasures are more benign thanwhat the proverbial cat drags in.

Earlier this summer,they were visiting each other in California when they decided to gather shells from the beach Apicture soon arrived on my smartphone —alovely image of seashellslining abeach towel, creating abanner that cheered me throughout the summer When Iﬂip through pictures from this anxious year,that snapshot will be akeeper What is it, Iwas moved to wonder,that drives our impulse to gather bright, shiny things? Maybe it’sthe primal hunter-gathererinour genes, a survival tool we’ve continued to carry into our comfortable modern lives.

Ithought about all of this over the summer as Iread the late Penelope Fitzgerald’s reminiscences about foraging for odd little treasures during her British childhood a century ago. It’snosurprise that Fitzgerald’ssharpeye for the glimmering bits and bobs of the rural English landscape would lead her to become a novelist, an occupation where agift for the small detail can be aplus. When the young Fitzgerald was sent out for errands, she’d ﬁnd time for alittle scavenging, too.

“On the way there and back, across the fields and by the roadside, Ihad my collecting to do,” she tells readers. “Feathers, pheasant feathers in particular,were needed for headdresses. My brother,when he was at home, was awarrior brave,and Iwas Minnehaha. Then there were horseshoe nails, cast horseshoes, snail shells, beechnuts, pignuts, flints, and wayside flowers. When Igot home, everything was laid out on my bedroom windowsill to be counted and recounted, one of the most reassuring activities for asmall child.”

Some of us don’toutgrow the scavenging habit, and Icount myself among the tribe.I live afew blocks from my ofﬁce, so Ioften walk to work, and the things Iﬁnd along theway tend to end up on ashelf above my desk as asmall reminder of life’svariety

“They’re talismans of asort, pointing me toward asimple reality,” Iconfessed in amagazine essay earlier this year “It’sthe idea that the sheer plenitude of my dailywalks unfolds in their inexhaustible

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

By ROBIN MILLER

Aselection from George Rodrigue’s ‘The BayouCollection’hangssalon-style in the LSUMuseum of Art’sexhibit, ‘A BayouState of Mind,’featuring 80 works by 33 Louisiana affiliated artists. The showruns through Jan. 4.

Forthe firsttime, collectorloans 40 George Rodrigue pieces forlandmarkexhibit

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

She’sthere, not in thecenter of the crowd but in aspace off to theside withjustenough separation from the others to quietly command attention.

Here,she’s “The Watchdog,” though we know her as BlueDog, inspired by George Rodrigue’swhiteterrierspaniel mix

“This is GeorgeRodrigue’sfirst painting of the Blue Dog, and we have it in this show as part of his ‘The Bayou Collection,’ ”saidMichelle Schulte, LSU Museum of Art curator

“There are 40 pieces in this collection, and this is the ﬁrst timethey’ve been on exhibit together outside the George Rodrigue Family Trust.”

Aprivate collector,who asked the museum to remain anonymous, bought thecollection and loaned it to themuseum’s exhibit, “A Bayou State of Mind,” featuring 80 works by 33 Louisiana-afﬁliated artists.

Connectedbybayous

Rodrigue’scollection dominates theshow, ﬁlling themaingallery’s walls andsettingthe framework for the story told by this exhibit —anarrativeabout thepeople, places, traditions and cultures of

PROVIDED PHOTO By TONy BERNARD

GeorgeRodrigue’s1984 painting,‘Watchdog,’ is the artist’s first painting of his iconic Blue Dog.The painting is partof his ‘The BayouCollection,’which is included in the LSU Museum of Art’sexhibit, ‘A BayouStateof Mind.

Louisiana, from cities to rural areas connected by bayous.

And though a“bayou state of mind” means something differentto the diverse regions of this state, the bayou is the lifeblood in this show

“Formeand other natives, this is more than an art exhibition, it’s acultural homecoming for many of Louisiana’smostbeloved visionar-

ies,” saidMark Tullos, executive director of the LSU Museum of Art.

Theexhibition is about how artists reﬂect, reminisce andare inspired by Louisiana, accordingto Schulte, and is broken up into three categories —“Urban Experience,” “Rural Memory” and “Water.”

Show features 33 artists

Artists represent different parts of the state, somefrom out-of-state with Louisiana connections.

“We’ve mixedthings up alittle bit,” Schulte said. “The artists who don’tactually live or come from Louisiana just came here for visits They werewandering through, and they were so inspired by the landscapeand thelandofLouisiana that they reacted upon it.”

And Rodrigue’sworks enhance this showbytelling the stories of his rural Cajun culture.

Rodrigue was69yearsold when he died in Houston in 2013. He wasborn in New Iberia and often recounted thestory of hissickly childhood, when he wasdiagnosed with polio and conﬁned to bed.

He often talked about his mom buying himapaint-by-numbers set to alleviate his boredom

Rodrigue always ended the story by noting that he turned the paintby-numbers surfaceface down and began painting on the backside.

Rodrigue eventually recovered

ä See EXHIBIT, page 4D

Didthe Choctawpeopleﬁghtalongside Andrew Jackson?

Maj. Gen. AndrewJackson, with sword raised, rallies American forces against the British in apainting depicting the American victoryatthe Battle of New Orleans in January1815.

BY MATTHEWHAINES

Contributingwriter

enough. They wondered, “Did theChoctaw tribeﬁght alongside Gen. Andrew Jackson in the Battle of New Orleans?” The short answer is yes,but the in-depthresponseisfar more

interesting. To understand it fully,we need to look at the years before and afterJackson’sfamed victory The BattleofNew Orleans, which took place in January 1815, was the culminating skirmishinthe

Warof1812 between the

Kingdom, theUnited States and their respective North

allies. Warbroke out between the countries forseveral reasons. One was that Britain —which wasengaged in the Napoleonic wars with the French —attempted to restrict trade between France and the young United States. The Americans believed this violated international law Asecond practice that upset the

STAFFPHOTO

John Prine’s story gets personal touch from La. author

Tom Piazza tells his poignant tales

BY BARBARA SIMS Contributing writer

“Living in the Present with John Prine” by Tom Piazza,W.Norton & Company 208 pages

John Prine singer songwriter, guitarist and storyteller — attracted in his life such devoted fans that they could almost be considered a cult.

Best known for songs of irony, humor and sometimes social protest, Prine touched New Orleans writer Tom Piazza with another type of song when he heard him at the Saenger Theatre in New Orleans in 2016. Prine first amused the audience with some of his witty signature songs like “Some Humans Ain’t Human.” Then, singing along on the stage his composition “Mexican Home,” he delivered a “quiet and haunting tableau of the day the singer’s father died in 1971,” Piazza writes. He continues, “At one point I realized that tears were running down my cheeks.” The experience prompted the writer to think he might like to do a profile of Prine, though he had given up a career as a prolific music writer to write novels and book-length nonfiction. In 2016, he had not done a story about a musician in 22 years.

In 2018, when Piazza again heard Prine, this time at the Orpheum Theater, he was struck by the change in his appearance. Two years earlier, he had seemed a debilitated old man, whereas at the Orpheum he played with great vigor and seemed healthy and

glowing with good humor Perhaps he had recovered from the ravages of the cancer of the neck for which he had undergone extended treatment after his diagnosis in 1998 The only noticeable effect of Prine’s rigorous rehabilitation regime was much more gravel in his voice though fans of his country and folk music were as enthusiastic as ever.

It was on that night that Piazza decided to approach Prine and his wife and manager, Fiona Prine, about doing an article on the singer for the Oxford American magazine. After the show, the Prines were cordial as they listened to Piazza’s proposal, but he was aware of being scrutinized. After a subsequent visit with them in Nashville they gave their permission with the caveat that his story not be in the usual interview format of question/answer Instead, they wanted Piazza to spend some time with them, just observing how they lived.

Piazza and the Prines agreed that the project would begin in earnest at their vacation home in

Books recount

BY RIEN FERTEL

Contributing writer

“We Came to Rebuild New Orleans: Stories of the Hurricane Katrina Volunteers” by Christopher E. Manning, LSU Press, 308 pages, and “Rebuilding New Orleans: Immigrant Laborers and Street Food Vendors in the Post-Katrina Era” by Sarah Fouts, the University of North Carolina Press, 216 pages.

Soon after Hurricane Katrina had passed, but long before the ﬂood waters had receded came the deluge of do-gooders The rebuilding of metropolitan New Orleans involved around 500 new nonproﬁts (in addition to well-established charities), over 1.5 million volunteers (as well as countless paid workers) and cost upward of $200 billion.

But as two new books show, the onerous and arguably ongoing road to recovery deeply affected the lives of New Orleans’s ﬁrstline rebuilders.

In “We Came to Rebuild New Orleans,” Christopher E. Manning focuses on the stories of seven long-term recovery leaders part of a larger oral history project he conducted between 2008 and 2013 while a history professor at Loyola University Chicago — and a drop in the ocean of volunteers who racked up over 100 million service hours in the 15 years following Katrina.

Many of the volunteers, Manning’s conversations make clear, felt compelled to come to the aid of New Orleanians from a sense of civic duty after witnessing the miserable failures of the local, state and federal governments.

“You had to do it on your own,” says Jay Welch, a longtime New Orleans attorney specializing in

Gulfport, Florida. This is how Piazza found himself in a hair-raising trek that John Prine said would be a pleasant little road trip to Sarasota for lunch. The singer had just purchased a red 1977 Coupe de Ville on eBay and before they took off, John Prine stowed a couple of gallons of water in the trunk, just in case the radiator needed some on the way That thought caused his passenger a bit of unease, which wasn’t helped when he found that though he had a seat belt, there was no buckle. He casually mentioned that he didn’t have a valid tag on the car, installing the one issued to his RV rather than applying for a valid one for his new Cadillac. When Piazza called John Prine’s attention to a police car up ahead, he admitted he couldn’t see that far, but he felt sure his vision was OK for going over the long and steep bridge into Sarasota, which made a sudden, sharp descent from a height designed to let ocean-going craft pass below Adding up these factors in his mind, the author concluded that if it was his time to die, it might as well be with a half-blind singer in a compromised antique car

In October 2018, the Oxford American article was published, but that was not the end of the Prine-Piazza story While their preparation for the article was progressing, the two had become friends, playing guitars together, showing each other techniques and riffs. They shared meals and even went shoe shopping together

The Prines visited Piazza and his partner in New Orleans; the Prines invited Piazza to Nashville. Then came a meeting in Seaside, Florida, where John Prine was headlining a songwriters’ festival, followed by a stay at the Prines’ Nashville mansion that the singer again seems to have bought on

a whim, as he had the Cadillac.

Fiona Prine said she’d like to downsize and instead her husband looked around and found them a larger home.

Though their hospitality was genuine, there was an underlying motive for this invitation. Other writers had proposed a biography of John Prine and had been turned down. The Prines, concluding a bio was inevitable, wanted to choose the biographer Tom Piazza.

The next half of the book comprises the most fascinating section, for the majority of the content is a direct transcription of John Prine telling his own story Piazza judiciously inserts comments, interpretation, setting and other relevant information, but the unedited reminiscences of John Prine give us the man in his own words and charm us with the same unassuming, friendly manner that audiences found in his live performances.

We learn that John Prine came from a blue-collar background, with a mother from Kentucky who married his father when she was 14. His father’s family had moved around to follow construction job opportunities, but had settled in Chicago. The young Prine spent the school year in Chicago and summers in Kentucky

After the basic biographical interview at the Prine home in Nashville, Piazza suggests a session at the studio of Cowboy Jack Clement, who had been a mentor for John Prine in the 1970s when the latter moved to Nashville. Piazza describes him as “… a largerthan-life character, a legendary record producer, songwriter, and Falstafﬁan bon vivant.” Clement had been with Sun Records in Memphis since the late ’50s, producing Johnny Cash, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and others. His songs

had been recorded by Elvis, Ray Charles, Dolly Parton, Hank Snow and many others. John Prine said mingling for the ﬁrst time at the Grand Ole Opry backstage made him think, “I’m in hillbilly heaven.” He had left Atlantic for Asylum Records and the record company agreed to have Clement produce it, but John Prine confessed that he defeated the effort by not taking his commitment seriously not showing up for sessions, for staying out drinking all night, and devoting his time to a new love affair, though he considered himself happily married.

Nevertheless, Clement and John Prine became fast friends, spending time together on trips to Memphis, Tennessee; Muscle Shoals, Alabama; and Los Angeles. After this round of interviews, Piazza was tiring and felt it was time to go home to New Orleans, especially since he had developed some sinus symptoms that he didn’t want to expose the singer to because of his increasing weakness. Fiona Prine then developed COVID, but after time in quarantine, she was feeling well, according to a note John Prine wrote to Piazza, also saying he could come to New Orleans on March 12, 2020, for another round of interviews. In early April, Fiona Prine wrote the author to say her husband had tested positive for COVID and was hospitalized. He died on April 26. Because their time together had lasted only two years, Piazza debated for some time whether to proceed with a book about the singer, obviously not the biography they had planned, but the story of their friendship. Finally, he decided ”deep friendship and love aren’t measured in linear time. If you are lucky enough to have had it, then you know.” Thus, we have this funny touching and very human story

the stories of Katrina’s do-gooders

free legal aid. “You had to take the individual initiative, and that’s how it happened. It was the American people. It wasn’t the government.” Yet, this inescapable spirit of self-reliance caused myriad problems.

Without any sort of centralized, coordinating network, nonproﬁt organizations were forced to compete for resources, attention and dollars. Multiple charities often received grants to gut and renovate the same address, leading to rebuilding tug-of-wars that delayed residents from returning home.

Adrian Manriquez, a longtime volunteer leader with Common Ground Relief and Operation Helping Hands who first arrived in early 2006, categorized the early years of recovery as an inherently disorganized system defined by “chaotic waste,” an atmosphere defined by the ethos: “Everyone go everywhere, and do

whatever you want.”

That mood trickled down to many of the volunteer staffers, who were overwhelmingly White, middle-class and full of youthful, idealistic energy The romance of working in the ruins of New Orleans attracted thousands from across the nation who came to do good and enjoy the culture of the Big Easy Colleen Morgan, a Tulane graduate and environmental activist who returned to the city and launched Bayou Rebirth, remembers working hard and partying harder

“We just played in the mud all day and danced all night,” she said.

But several interviewees report that this laissez-faire work environment often devolved into a toxic climate that included spending donation dollars to buy booze, rampant drug abuse, burnout, a pervasive culture of hypermasculinity widespread sexual harassment and the unchecked

egotism of a handful of named nonproﬁt leaders, including one Common Ground supervisor who doubled as an FBI informant.

In the book’s ﬁnal chapter Manning offers a handful of suggestions that boil down to better communication between federal and state agencies, among nonproﬁts, and in the tenuous ties that often exist between altruistic outsiders and locals.

In “Rebuilding New Orleans,”

Sarah Fouts, a professor at the University of Maryland, tells a similar story, honing her focus on Latin American food vendors and laborers. Immigrants made up nearly half of the rebuilding personnel, while undocumented workers constituted a quarter of the entire post-Katrina labor force. Overall, New Orleans’s Spanish-speaking immigrant community increased from 4% to 9%.

A decade before New Orleans instituted its sanctuary city policies, municipal leaders were openly hostile.

“How do I ensure that New Orleans is not overrun by Mexican workers?” Mayor Ray Nagin asked a group of local business people a month after the storm.

Oliver Thomas, the perennial City Council member and current mayoral candidate, concurred in a Times-Picayune interview

“How are we helping our restaurants that are trying to recover by having more food trucks from Texas open up? How do the tacos help gumbo?” he said.

The U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, often coordinating with the New Orleans Police Department, targeted esquinas (the corners where day laborers looked for work) and

loncheras (taco trucks) as early as March 2006, when the two organizations arrested 40 day laborers gathered at the former Lee Circle.

The ICE-NOPD collaboration only ended in 2016, as part of a federal consent decree.

El Congreso de Jornaleros (Congress of Day Laborers), among other groups, rallied in support — organizing workers across racial lines, ﬁghting worker exploitation (three-quarters of undocumented workers experienced wage theft) and helping immigrant business owners navigate the city’s byzantine permitting process (City Hall’s “One-Stop Shop” website for licenses largely remains unavailable in Spanish).

The strength of Fouts’s analysis, like Manning’s, is in the intimate portraits of lives that were, she writes, “hidden in plain sight”: vendors who ply baleadas and licuados among the trio of adjacent food and ﬂea markets that operate on the West Bank; the family that owns a restaurant in Mid-City and faces the same existential threats — displacement due to rampant redevelopment — that they did back home in the coastal Honduran town of Tela; the esquina owner who feeds the police ofﬁcer who writes her a parking ticket for violating the policy that required food trucks to move every half-hour In a city that lionizes multiethnic dishes like gumbo and po-boys, these entrepreneurs also, Fouts writes, “contribute to the cultural panache of New Orleans.”

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

TRAVEL

Take adrive up northand exploreCaddo Lake

Lake spanstwo states andmanyactivities

BY ELIZABETHDEAL Staff writer

Visiting Caddo Lake is like drawing back acurtain to ﬁnd a stunning other world.

The lake spans bothLouisiana andTexas, but to experience the swampiness, you’ll want to be near the city of Uncertain, Texas. The drive is typical of the northwest Louisiana/East Texas landscape, with blacktop roads andpine trees, dirt roads and country stores.Upon approachingthe water,however,you’re engulfed by the sights and sounds of majestic bald cypress trees covered in hanging Spanish moss, considerable-sized lily pads, wading birds and other wildlife.

One of the best ways to take in the scenery and learn about the lake’shistory is to take a boat tour,which lasts about an hour.There are ahandful of tour operators on the lake. Our guide and captain was Rich McFarland, of Caddo Lake Bayou Tours.

The boat tour can be aday trip, but many people combine avisit to the lake with astay in the historic Jefferson,Texas,because of its shared history and proximity —just a25-minute drive away Around the area, there’salso Caddo Lake National Wildlife Refuge, with over 7,000 acres of hiking and bikingtrails,and Caddo Lake State Park, which features camping, canoe rentals and Mill Pond.

Canoes,kayaksand more McFarland said Caddo Lake is the only naturallake in Texas and has the largest stand of bald cypress trees in the world. At Caddo Lake, visitors can rentcanoes at the Caddo Lake State Park or canoes and kayaks at Johnson’sRanch Marina, the oldest inland marina in Texas, opened in 1908. McFarland recommends the Turtle ShellPaddling Trail, which is in an area away from fast-moving boats.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

On ourpontoon trip, we traveled the Big CypressRiver,along with bayous and channels with interesting names like Hog WallowSwamp, Alligator Bayou, Old Folks Playground and Government Ditch —the most photographed place on the lake. Government Ditch is acanal that was cut through the trees in the 1840s.

“That allowed the big paddle wheel steamboats coming out of New Orleans tocome up the Mississippi, up the Red, right through CaddoLake, and go to Jefferson. That’s what put Jefferson on the map,” McFarland said. “The water was about 5feet higher than it is now.Jefferson wasabig deal because it was the farthest inland pointthat these big boats could get to. If you’ve been to Jefferson, you see it has that New Orleans look about it.”

When the Great Raft on the Red Riverwas removed asecond

time by theUnited States Corps of Engineers in 1873, the water drained from the lakes and bayous that the steamboats were using to travel to andfrom Jefferson.

CaddoLakeafter dark

Beyond sightseeing, Caddo Lakeisa popular spot for ﬁshing, hunting, birding and water sports, too.

Birds found at Caddo Lake include egrets, blue herons, bald eagles, osprey,pileated woodpeckers, kingﬁshers and migrating birds like the ibis and wood storks.

People can ﬁsh for crappie, bass and catﬁsh and hunt for deer, hogs, squirrels and ducks —but thelake does not issue permits to hunt alligators.

I’ve never seen Caddo Lake after dark, but theﬁlm industry has captured the eeriness of the lake at night in approximately 20

movies over the years, the most recent release being the thriller “Caddo Lake” in 2024.

Onepopular landmark seen in movies is an old ﬁsh camp house.

“You’ll see they don’tpaint it because anytimethey makea movie, that’swhat they want it to look like,” McFarland said.

An old sign on the tree next to thehouse reads, “Dick and Charlie’sTea Room House Rules: 1. There ain’tnone 2. There never was none 3. There ain’tgona be none.

People also swim,ski and jet ski in Caddo Lake, McFarland noted, despitethe lake being full of alligators

“You know,tomyknowledge, nobody’sever been eaten,” he said, “so everybody just says, ‘We’regood.’ And just keep doing it.”

McFarland said that the lake is busy withvisitors almost all year, but it’s abit slower in January

and February when the weather is cold. In late October to early November,the trees change colors forfall.

When the water isn’ttoo high, visitors can see thousands of cypress knees —part of the root system of the tree —sticking up out of the water on the side of the trunk.

“That’show they breathe. That’s how they get their oxygen. Lots of people think those are new trees, but they’re not. They’re kind of creepy looking, but they kind of give the lake that mysterious look,” McFarland said.

Wheretoeat

n Caddo Lake Lighthouse Bar and Grill,1805 Blairs Landing Road, Karnack, Texas, is open 7days a week.

n BigPinesLodge,747 Pine Island Road, Karnack, Texas, is known forits fried catﬁsh. The restaurant is accessible by boat or car and open Thursday through Sunday

n Caddo Outpost,144 Cypress Drive, Karnack, Texas, is known forits barbecue sandwiches and convenience store with breakfast and lunch.

n Shady Glade Café,449 Cypress Drive, Uncertain, Texas, is known forits chicken-fried steak. The restaurant offers breakfast and lunch only,open Thursday through Sunday

Wheretostay

n Caddo Shores Cabins, 674 Cypress Drive,Karnack, Texas

n Spatterdock Guest Houses, 126 Mossy Brake Drive, Karnack, Texas

n Caddo Lake State Park has several cabins to stay in, available to view at tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/ caddo-lake/fees-facilities/caddolodging.

n In Jefferson, Texas, there is a wide variety of lodging accommodations, including bed and breakfast sites and vacation rentals. Find moreinformation at visitjeffersontexas.com/places-to-stay Email Elizabeth Deal at elizabeth.deal@theadvocate. com.

Afterrentaldriverhitsa deer,Hertz ignoresher insurance

Hertz be held accountable fortheir lack of communication and transparency? —Victoria Muenchow,Anchor Point,Alaska

Christopher Elliott

Irented avan from Hertz, and while I wasdriving it, Ihit adeer.I immediatelyreported the accident to Hertz, filedapolice report and submitted aclaim through my Chase credit card, which offers primary collision coverage. Despite my efforts, Hertz failed to provide the necessary documentation for months, causing my claim with Chase to close due to nonresponse.Tenmonths later, Hertz suddenly sent me abill for$5,873, threatening to send me to collections After Chase settled the claim, Hertzdemanded an additional $842 for “diminished value,”but it couldn’tprovide anydocumentation or explanation for this fee. I’ve spent over ayear trying to resolve this, and I’m exhausted. Do Ihavetopay this fee, or can

Hertz should havesent you the necessary documentation, including the accident report, demand letter and itemized repair bill, promptly after the incident. Under most rental agreements, companies are required to act in good faith and provide timely communication, especially when insurance claims are involved.

Hertz’s10-month delay in contacting you is unacceptable and likely violates their own policies for handling claims efﬁciently

Youdid everything right by reporting the accident immediately, ﬁling apolice report and submitting aclaim through Chase. You

also kept meticulous records of theincident and claim

In hindsight, you could have escalated the issue sooner by reaching out to Hertz’sexecutive team or ﬁling aformal complaint with your state’sattorney general. (I publish thenames and numbers of the Hertz customer service executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.)

What is diminished value?

Hertzclaims the accident reduced thevehicle’smarket value after you hit thedeer.According to Hertz, even though the repairs may have been ﬂawless, thevan was worth $842 less. Butthere’s just one problem.Hertz didn’t bother to provide any documentation that proved thediminished value. The car rental company’s

inability to furnish documentation or aclear explanation for how it calculated this feeraises questions aboutits legitimacy

Diminished value and its cousin, loss of use, are the two mostcontroversial car rental fees. Loss of use is thetheoretical amount of money the car would have earned if it hadn’tbeen in the repair shop. (Some states have banned loss-of-use fees.) While some rental agreements may include clauses allowing for diminished value claims, it’sunderstood that companies must substantiate such fees with evidence, such as appraisals or market analysis. Hertzdidn’tdothat.

Icontacted Hertz on your behalf.

“Hertzsent me an email apolo-

gizing that everything had taken so long, and said they would waive the diminished value fee as agesture of goodwill,” you reported. “Thank you so much for your help!”

This case is areminder of the importance of paperwork —not just theirs, but yours. Thank goodness you kept excellent records of your interactions with the car rental company and the credit card company.Ifyou hadn’tdone that, you might not have had much of acase.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonproﬁt organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him on his site.

Dear Heloise: I’m asenior citizen, and I’ve had difﬁculty moving the screen pointer on my laptop usingthe mousepad. The pointer will not budge, or it will slide over the spot where Iwant it to be. Ifound that if Iwrap arubber band around my ﬁngertip, Ihave control of the pointer again. My best friend used this tip tomove thepointer on her touchscreen, and it worked great for her,too. —Nancy,inBrookville, Ohio

Killingmosquitoes

Dear Heloise: We’ve found away to help control the mosquitoes around our home. There are products that have abacteria called Bacillus thuringiensis (BT for short). It can be put in standing water such as apond or a bucket of water.The mosquitoes will then be attracted to this water and lay their eggs there.

When the eggs hatch, BT kills the larvae. Because most mosquitoes don’tﬂyvery far from wherethey are hatched, you can reduce the population of mosquitoes inyour area this way.There are also BT products that kill tomato hornworms, moth larvae, and other insect larvae. —Elaine F., in Bakersfield, California

Family gift

Dear Heloise: As you pointed out to Frances A., equally important to awill is amedical directive and apower of attorney

As aCurePSP volunteer,Iam asked about this often because progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is aterminal form of Parkinson’sdisease without acure. Itell people that these legal documentsare a“gift” for their family

Your family will be going through avery emotional time if you become incapacitated, then again at your death. Not knowing your wishes about “donot resuscitate,” not having aPOA so that

bills can be paid, and having no idea what your estate plan wishes are only adds to the emotional burden on one’sfamily

Even themost reluctant person should not want the lack of these documents to add to their family’sstress. —Allen N.,inFarmington, Connecticut

Memory trick

Dear Heloise: Toooften when Ilay down to sleep at night,Ithink of things that need to be done the next day.Idon’twant to get out of bed and write them down, so Imake asentence out of those letters andrepeat it afew times. The next morning, Ican usually remember the sentence, which then reminds me of the tasks.

For example: “Empty recycling, add hand soap to grocery list, callSusan.” Areminder sentence might be:“Randy had some soup.”

This is easier than remembering awhole list. It might be silly, but it works for me. —Jacque P.,via email

Creative thinking

Dear Heloise: My creative husband suggested to me that when Ican’tremember something, I should go back to where Iﬁrst thought of it, andthis will help my memory.Loand behold, I’ve been using this trickfor years now,and it does work! Ilove yourhints! —BarbaraM., in Tucson, Arizona Barbara, I’ve had several people tellmethatthey remember things betterifthey are chewing gum when an ideacrosses their mind. Still, others have said that if there is soft music without lyrics in thebackground, they can keep anew idea in their mind for amuch longertime. Thanks for your helpful hint! —Heloise Replacethe top

Dear Heloise: Youcan neverget thelast bit of lotion out of plastic pump bottles. So, Isave screwtops from various other bottles. When the pump has done allitcan do,Idiscard the pump andreplace it with one of the screwtops. ThenIjust turn the bottle upside down, andeventually Iget everylastdrop! Ienjoy your column andall of the great tips I have read there —Hannelore Rogers, via email

Send ahinttoheloise@heloise com.

STAFFPHOTO By JILL PICKETT

Sunlight illuminates Spanish moss hanging from branches of bald cypress trees lining Government Ditch in Caddo Lakenear Uncertain, Texas.

Hints from Heloise

Remembering Hays Town and the St. Elizabeth Foundation

BY JAMES A. GEORGE Contributing writer

How many men can say, after their race is run, that they saved hundreds of lives along the way?

Human Condition

I had the inestimable privilege of counting one such man as a dear friend, one whose life’s work included the creation of St. Elizabeth Foundation, an adoption agency through which 600-plus infants were placed. These adoptions saved the lives of countless babies through the immeasurable love of birth mothers, the love and devotion of the adoptive parents and the creative genius of one man: A Hays Town Jr Town founded St. Elizabeth with his wife Gay in 1988.

This will be my way of saying goodbye to one of the ﬁnest gentlemen I have ever known, as Town passed away on July 25 at age 90. To study the life and accomplishments of Hays, his wife, their family and the many positive contributions to the community they leave behind is to marvel at how one family and their friends could have achieved so much through sheer determi-

Seashells collected by Danny Heitman’s grown children line a beach towel in California. Heitman says even in adulthood, he’s a scavenger, too, often finding odd treasures in his daily walks.

AT RANDOM

Continued from page 1D

supply of particulars: the orphaned screwdriver, the huge rubber band, even an unclaimed 20-dollar bill.”

We scavengers tend to ﬁnd each other too, which is how I ended up comparing notes with Joanna Brichetto, a Nashville author who’s written about her own windfalls from walking city streets.

They include “an extra-heavy hotel spoon sized for coffee,” she writes, “and good as new after a trip through the dishwasher.”

All the more reason, I guess, to keep walking — and keep looking.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com

CURIOUS

Continued from page 1D

U.S. was that seamen from the United Kingdom were boarding American vessels and forcing American sailors to join the British war effort.

A third reason — and this one gets to the crux of how Choctaw ﬁghters became involved in this war they called Balbaha Ittibi, or “Foreign-Language-Speaking Battle” — is that the British opposed American expansion into the West by arming certain Indigenous American tribes in the defense of their land. Speciﬁcally, they supported Tecumseh the leader of both the Shawnee tribe and an effort to band together several tribes to oppose this American encroachment.

Tecumseh went from tribe to tribe, attempting to convince them to join his pan-Indian alliance, explained Ryan Spring, cultural research associate with the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma Historic Preservation Department.

“But, when he eventually found his way to the Choctaws,” Spring said, “things didn’t go as he planned.” Choosing sides

It was actually 1811 when Tecumseh, along with 20 Shawnee warriors, reached Choctaw lands. Those lands were centered in what is now Mississippi, but extended from parts of Louisiana all the way to Florida.

nation, hard work and inspired leadership. In the law, there is a doctrine known as sui generis, Latin for “constituting a class above,” unique, exceptional. Those who ﬁt that description are few and far between, but if ever there was a person of whom it could be said, “he was truly sui generis,” it was my friend Town. My association with him was through the St. Elizabeth Foundation, but until I started researching his life and times, I had little

EXHIBIT

Continued from page 1D

and attended what was then the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Though the Blue Dog paintings became his trademark, Rodrigue started out painting the landscapes, live oak trees and people of his ancestral home of south Louisiana.

“The collection in this show is based on ghost stories,” Schulte said. “They are a collaboration between George Rodrigue and author Chris Segura to create a book called ‘Bayou’ for the 1984 World’s Fair in New Orleans Chris wrote the ghost stories, and George illustrated them.”

This collaboration gave rise to the painting series. Different paintings have been part of private collections over the years, but now they are together for the ﬁrst time.

“Now, a collector from LSU who’s a big museum fan purchased them, and they’re now on long-term loan to us,” Schulte said. “We’re going to travel the collection after this

Jesse Allison’s and Derek Ostrenko’s mixed media sculpture, ‘The Humming Mississippi,’ resonates the sounds of the Mississippi River in the exhibit.

Tecumseh gave impassioned speeches about how the AngloAmericans were stealing native land and that something must be done to stop them. But when the Shawnee leader suggested joining together to ﬁght the American incursions, Choctaw Chief Pushmataha argued that banding against the Americans would lead to the destruction of his tribe, as well as others

The nearby Muscogee “Creek” Nation, however, was feeling the pinch of the United States’ expansion. They decided to join Tecumseh’s alliance and, by 1813, a rift had formed between the tribes preparing for war against the U.S., and those hoping to create an alliance with the Americans. That summer, the Muscogee demanded the Choctaw abandon their village of Fvkitchimponta and — with the help of Britishsupplied weapons began their military campaign against the United States. This was known as the Creek War, and is considered part of the War of 1812.

“Chief Pushmataha watched these events and knew it would be a mistake to ﬁght against the U.S.,” Spring said. “But he also knew it would be impossible to keep his young Choctaw warriors neutral.”

“Fighting in battle is a rite of passage among the Choctaw,” Spring added, “and so Pushmataha felt if his warriors were going to join the ﬁghting one way or another, it had better be on the side of the Americans.”

The Choctaw chief approached the United States, offering to raise

knowledge of the number of ways he so selﬂessly gave back to the Baton Rouge he loved, a community in which his roots ran deep.

While it may be hard for most to deﬁne a single achievement as the most important one, it would be an easy call for the more than 600 young lives Hays’ inspiration has saved over the years since the foundation’s creation.

There is no better brief description of the birth of that noble idea than the following passage from an article in the Baton Rouge

‘A BAYOU STATE OF MIND’

Runs through Jan. 4 at the LSU Museum of Art in the Shaw Center for the Arts, 100 Lafayette St. l Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday,Wednesday, Friday and Saturday; 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.Thursday and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. l Admission is $5, for age 13 and older; and free for children 12 and younger museum members, students with ID, LSU faculty and staff with ID, educators, and veterans and their families with military ID l The museum also is hosting a free public reception for the exhibit at 6 p.m. Sept. 11 with many of the exhibit’s artists in attendance. l For more information, call (225) 578-3000 or visit lsumoa.org

show comes down, and so that’s really exciting for us to be able to get George Rodrigue outside of the state in this iteration.”

Why? Because most people associated Rodrigue with his iconic Blue Dog, and though that’s accurate, the Blue Dog is really a part of the Acadian world in Rodrigue’s paintings.

Which is why the Blue Dog, or “Watchdog,” as she’s known in this show, isn’t the star but a part of the show Though this blue canine would eventually pave the way for the pop art icon that the Blue Dog has become, this ﬁrst one is different.

She’s more organic, as much a part of the landscapes as the Acadian ﬁgures. She seems to feel at home among the works by other artists artists like Malaika Favorite, whose pieces share the story of her mom hanging clothes on a line.

“So, we talk about water in all kinds of ways in this show, and we

an army to ﬁght alongside them. When Jackson called for the help of his new Choctaw allies in the summer of 1814, nearly 800 warriors, Pushmataha included, volunteered to ﬁght near Pensacola.

The Choctaw-American alliance defeated the Muscogee, freeing the partnership to focus on the wider War of 1812. Speciﬁcally of concern were the British, who by December, had amassed 11,000 soldiers in coastal Louisiana. Their objective: Capture the port city of New Orleans and win the war Choctaw join the Battle of N.O

As the Americans mobilized their defenses to meet the British before they reached New Orleans, Pierre Juzan led between 50 and 60 Choctaw from Pensacola toward St. Bernard Parish. Juzan’s family was of French heritage, though he was raised and later worked among the Choctaw in Alabama, making him a logical leader of this Choctaw contingent in the U.S. Army

After arriving in late December 1814, Juzan and the Choctaw warriors took their position at the extreme left side of the American line, abutting the swamp.

“A lot of different groups were necessary in winning the Battle of New Orleans,” Spring explained, “and the Choctaw were an essential part of that.”

On Dec. 28, for example, a large force of British soldiers attacked a force of Tennessee riﬂemen. The British killed a captain and were doing damage to the Tennessee troops when suddenly they be-

Advocate titled, appropriately enough, “Delivering Silver Linings:”

Dr Richard Tannehill and A. Hays “Sonny” Town Jr were driving home from a retreat at Manresa in the late 1980s, when Town told his friend about an idea he had to start a licensed, nonproﬁt private adoption agency in Baton Rouge.

“I saw a need,” Town said.

“There were so many young women with unexpected pregnancies who didn’t know what to do. I wanted a way to provide options and help them along the way.”

In May 1988, Town and his wife

Gay founded St. Elizabeth Foundation

As is the case with Dr Tannehill, no account of the history of Town creating the miracle which has become St. Elizabeth Foundation would be complete without noting the invaluable role of Lillie Petit Gallagher, the long-serving ﬁrst executive director of St. Elizabeth.

In remarks in the above article, Gallagher observed that St. Elizabeth gets very involved and has seen birth mothers complete their education and go on to become

successful citizens and parents.

“We have empowered them,” she said.

As for personal reminiscences, Town never failed to call his friends early on Christmas morning. Never He was unfailingly polite and civil, always.

The best way to sum up his grace would be to repeat the three-word phrase he used in signing off of every phone call (although mere printed words could never do them justice).

“Thaaank you, heah!”

He gave us grace.

He gave us civility

He gave us charm.

He gave us tranquil patience.

He helped so many and saved so many lives it would be impossible to count them all.

And so, I note my fervent wish that he is hearing us say to him:

“Thaaank you, heah!”

— George is a former Baton Rouge resident now living in Gulf Breeze, Florida

Human Condition submissions of 600 words or fewer may be emailed to features@ theadvocate.com. Stories will be kept on ﬁle and publication is not guaranteed. There is no payment for Human Condition.

Mississippi,” resonates unique sonic qualities shaped by the contours of the Mississippi River John T Scott’s prophetic woodcut, “Stop Sign,” depicting devastation in New Orleans’ streets after a storm, which was made before Katrina.

The show was originally slated for last year, but with the 20th anniversary of Katrina, the museum chose to delay it.

Meanwhile, in the show’s “Urban Experience” section, Monroebased artist Vitus Shell’s large canvases examine New Orleans’ French Quarter wrought ironwork from a different perspective.

“When people go to New Orleans, they see this wrought iron, and it’s sort of like this Gothic kind of idea of the city,” Schulte said. “People take pictures of it, but from Vitus’ viewpoint, the wrought iron was generally made by enslaved people and integrated into this architecture that’s now celebrated and viewed by tourists, but they don’t really understand the connotations and the background of it.”

talk about water in terms of reminiscence and memory,” Schulte said. “Malaika remembers her mother washing clothes and having this connection with water But then, below these pieces are pieces from her Katrina series, which reﬂect on her experiences during that.” Rodrigue isn’t alone Rodrigue isn’t alone in rooting art in Louisiana’s landscape and memory Nathalie Miebach’s sculpture, “The Baton Rouge Flooding,” reflects the blue in the blue tarps that covered so many Baton Rouge rooftops after the storm, according to Schulte. Jesse Allison and Derick Ostrenko’s sonic sculpture, “The Humming

came aware of gunshots coming from behind. Miraculously, it was the Choctaw, who had managed to sneak through the swamp and get behind the British line, inﬂicting heavy casualties on the enemy

“The Choctaw didn’t ﬁght like European and American armies, which frustrated the British,” Spring said. “The warriors would kill the pickets standing guard and then sneak into camp and do things like quietly assassinate one British soldier in every tent in the middle of the night. That was frightening and destroyed British morale in advance of the main battle.”

When the Battle of New Orleans ended with a decisive American victory on Jan. 8, 1815, the Choctaw probably believed their role would make for a positive relationship with the United States for years to come. Unfortunately, they would soon learn that was not the case. Preserving history

Less than one year after the battle, the territorial government of Mississippi recognized Pushmataha and the Choctaw for their help in the Creek War. Memories, however, proved short. Within 14 years, the new state of Mississippi terminated Choctaw sovereignty and declared that Choctaw lands belonged to America. By 1830, Andrew Jackson, now the U.S. president, signed the Indian Removal Act, pushing tribes such as the Choctaw — a tribe that answered his call for help less than two decades earlier — out of their ancestral homelands and into Oklahoma territory

Shell’s two images border New Orleans artist James Michalopoulos’ painting, “On a Normal Night,” showing his version of the historical wrought iron.

Like water, migrating through the galleries to get a last look at the ﬁrst iteration of the Blue Dog is the natural path.

After taking in the bayou-inspired exhibit, reﬂecting on the Blue Dog’s origins and what she would become in the art world is a reminder of change and Heraclitus’ quote: “No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it is not the same river and he is not the same man.”

Rodrigue’s Blue Dog would never be the same again, either Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

“They didn’t even pay Choctaw soldiers for their service in the Army like they promised,” Spring said. “The end of the war and the years that followed were a big turning point for American-Choctaw relations. Jackson needed us until he didn’t.”

Although the U.S. treated Indigenous people terribly in the decades that followed the War of 1812, Spring said he has appreciated how dedicated the National Park Service has been in recent years to ensuring the Choctaw’s important role in the war is remembered.

Annually, for example, Spring and the Choctaw Nation are invited to New Orleans to take part in a wreath-laying and reenactment of the battle. Some years, Choctaw students are asked to educate onlookers about their ancestors’ part in the conﬂict.

Efforts like this, Spring said, are essential.

“It’s impossible to tell the story of the Choctaw people without mentioning the U.S. just like it is impossible to tell the story of the War of 1812 or of the United States without talking about Choctaw Nation,” he said. “We are allies. Our histories are shared, and it’s important we learn and acknowledge the entirety of that history.”

Do you have a question about something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phone number and the city where you live.

PROVIDED PHOTO By DANNy HEITMAN

STAFF PHOTOS By ROBIN MILLER

The original woodblocks used by late New Orleans artist John T. Scott to make his prophetic large prints are included in the LSU Museum of Art’s exhibit, ‘A Bayou State of Mind.’

DININGSCENE

DistinctivedininginMobileisjustatrain ride away

Amtrak serviceis a destination dream

People stopped to watchaswe swiftly zoomed along. Some atthe patio bars in Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, waved gleefully,asdid the guys on ﬁshing boats angling by the bridge.

cana charm to be found downtownbetween A&M Peanut Shop (209 Dauphin St.), which dates to the 1940s and is ﬁlled with the clatter and aroma of an evenolder roaster at work, and, steps away,Three Georges Candy (226 Dauphin St.) with asoda fountain worthy of the Smithsonian.

Maybe this is what it’slike to be a celebrity Ithought, making people happy simply by passing by Such is the jollity packed into atrain trip along the new Gulf Coast route. It feels like good times are rolling with it.

Ian WHAT’S

McNulty

WHAT S COOKING

In August, Amtrak restored a portion of Gulf Coast train service for the ﬁrst time since Hurricane Katrina, connecting New Orleans to Mobile, Alabama, aboard its merrily-named Mardi Gras Service, making four stops in between.

Ibooked atrip for the ﬁrst weekend of service, both to experience the train and to check out Mobile, where reports of adowntown revival are growing more compelling. This was an outing builtaround a loose itinerary of eatingand drinking, and one that broughtplenty of unscripted fun at our destination. But after the train ride to Mobile, what Ifound myself anticipating most was the return trip to cap it off.

The train is comfortable, with lots of leg room and little hassle.

It’salso ajoyride.

There’sanostalgic romance to it all, the excitement of big wheels turning and spectacular scenery unspooling as the train traverses acoastal landscape of marshes and channels, cruises overbay bridges, rolls into small townsand barrels on to the nextstop.

The train horn bellows,the cars rock as the speed quickens. There’sagiddy energy aboard, like the beginning of an ocean cruise.

Atrip to check out Mobile by car is ﬁne; atrain ride to do the same is an adventure. Here are highlights of how this one unfolded. Mobile by foot,and cart

One feature of train travel is how stations tend to be in city centers, so when you arrive, it’s easy to take the town by foot.In Mobile, you walk acrossWater Streetand ﬁnd downtown attractions and amenities unfolding block by block.

We dropped bags at the Admiral Hotel (251 GovernmentSt.), freshly revampedinsidefrom a jazzy renovation that feels like Versailles by way of Vegas and adds its new high-end restaurant, Le Moyne’sChophouse. Now it was time to wander Downtown Mobile is easily walkable, but after logging many steps in the late summer heat, it was arelief to eventually catch agolf cart “taxi” from MOB City Rides, adding some breezy whimsy to covering the longer legs betweenspots (wave one down or call 251-367-7433).

Acharcuterie and cheese

Street scene.

LowerDauphin to St.Louis

is servedinample

Twonodesof downtown activityare LowerDauphin Street,a clutch of blockswithquirky shops by dayand acarousing bar scene by night, and St. Louis Street an industrialstretch wherenew breweries,bakeries and eateries are bringingfresh life. Forget the comparisons to the French Quarterand Magazine Street they sometimes draw.This is asmallercity withfar less tourism and amuchsmaller dining scene. It’sbest to take it on itsown terms. We hadablast soaking up the city’sown personality,friendly welcome and refreshingly affordable prices. Still, coming from New Orleans parts ofMobile canfeel like strollingthrough adreamscape, with familiar facets from home reconﬁguredand jumbled up differently

Walking underoverarching oak trees, you’re not surprised to see Mardi Gras beads twisted in their branchesorthe sidewalks gone wavy from their roots. There are lovely homes on one block and dilapidated structures on thenext.

Evensomeofthe street names correspond, moreorless.

Oystersall theways

One top restaurant sits abit outsidedowntown,but as an oyster hound, it hadtobeonmylist. The HummingbirdWay OysterBar (351 George St.) is tucked into the leafy Oakleigh Garden District, adjacent to downtown. Friday lunchwas busywithpeople who did notseemdestined to return to theofﬁce. Wine buckets were replenished to pair withplatters of raw oysters; moreoysters arrived broiledcasino style and in asilky-rich stew;and apile of fatcrabclaws ﬁnished withherbs stole theshow. Amucholder Mobile institu-

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,Sept. 7, the 250th day of 2025. There are 115 days left in the year

Todayinhistory On Sept. 7, 1940, Nazi Germany begananintense bombing campaign of Britain during World WarIIwith an air attack on London; known as The Blitz, the eight-month campaign resulted in more than 40,000 civiliandeaths.

Also on this date: In 1921, the ﬁrst Miss America Pageant was held in Atlantic City, New Jersey

In 1943, aﬁre at the Gulf Hotel, arooming house in Houston, claimed 55 lives.

In 1963, the Pro Football Hall of Fame opened in Canton, Ohio, and enshrined its ﬁrst 17 members.

In 1977, the Panama Canal Treaty,which called for the U.S. to turn overcontrol of the waterway to Panama at the end of 1999, was signed in Washington by U.S. President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos.

In 1986, Bishop Desmond Tutu was installed as the ﬁrst Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern

Africa.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot andmortally wounded on the LasVegas Strip; he diedsix days later In 2005, police and soldiers wenthouse to house in New Orleanstotry to coax remainingresidents into leaving the city shattered byHurricane Katrina.

In 2021, El Salvador became the ﬁrst country in theworld to make Bitcoin legal tender Today’sbirthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollinsis95. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 82. Actor Julie Kavner is 75. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (ThePretenders) is 74. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 71. Actor Michael Emerson is 71. Pianist-singer MichaelFeinstein is 69. Singer/songwriter DianeWarren is 69. Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 68. Actor Toby Jones is 59. Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV:“SaturdayNight Live”) is 58. Actor TomEverett Scott is 55. Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 52. Actor Oliver Hudson is 49. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 38. Olympic gold medal swimmer Ariarne Titmusis25. Actor Ian Chen (TV:“Fresh Off theBoat”) is 19.

tionfor oysters, Wintzell’sOyster House (605 Dauphin St.) has the quirkiness of aroadside attraction in its decor and afamily-friendly vibe, with oysters served raw or very thoroughly cooked all the ways

LowerDauphin,and lowerstill

Back closer to the river, theﬁrst block of Dauphin Street starts withacollection of fun stops expressing the moremodern(and less-divey) downtown Mobile scene.

The hopping restaurant Squid Ink Eclectic Eatsand Drinks (102 Dauphin St.) is acrossthe street from the Haberdasher (113 Dauphin St.), known for cocktails and whiskey in particular.Its sister bar upstairs, the Hatch, has aseafaring theme andabalcony Next door,there’sa pair of cute vintage shops, Soul Kiss Vintage (109 Dauphin St.) and Mobile’s House of Vintage (105 Dauphin St.), with offbeat ﬁnds.

Just around the corner,inthe basement of the Trustmark ofﬁce tower,Las Floriditas(107 St. Francis St.) is aCuban-inspired bar thatleans heavy intoits speakeasy

theme.From theechoing lobby, you descendastaircase to ﬁnd asliding bookcase revealingthe bar,but only if youhave theday’s password (accessible via thebar’s social media accounts). There’sa cool, subterranean respitetothe hot streets that feelsdeeplyhidden. While you’re exploring, duck into the venerable Battle House Hotel (26 N. Royal St.) across the street to gaze at the grand rotunda in the lobby Farm to tableatNoble South Dinner at Noble South (203 Dauphin St.) was acheck-in with an upscale casual restaurant that’s been contributing to downtown’s glow-up formore than adecade. There’sa farm-to-table ethos on themenu, acasual approach in arepurposed old building under soaring ceilings, and awine list that goes beyond the expected. Country ham with johnny cakes and pimento cheese and shrimp and grits with crab set the regional Southern tone.

Old-time appeal

Beforethe bars get rocking, there are moments of old Ameri-

Dear Miss Manners: Oneevening, quitelate at night, Ireceived a long, impassioned text from a stranger by mistake. In it,hetalked about having had a“wonderful few hours” with someoneand hoped to see them again. He also revealed some personal insecurities about their time together that are, obviously,none of my business. I’m aware that sometimes, to avoidthe difficulties of being honestabout how one feels, aperson may give a phony phone number to someone they do not plan to see again. In this case, it seems Iwas the unlucky lotto number How can Ihandle this in away that is politeand spares the sender any embarrassment? Is it best to reply to thetext right away and tellthem, “I’m sorry,but you have thewrongnumber,” as we do on thephone? Or is themortification I’d inflict on this person —since they’d know I’d read their private message—anethical no-no, and it’s bestjusttodelete the text and move on?

At the Haunted Book Shop (9 S. Joachim St.), you can browse aspooky inventory while being stalked by the house cat.

Cheese andbeer

St. Louis Street attractions are spread further apart than the Dauphin clusters, and those MOB City Rides carts comeinhandy here.

Ialways like visiting groceries as atourist, and the downtown outpost of local chain Greer’s(260 St. Louis St.) has asunny rooftop patio, where youcan take deli food, wine or even draft beers from the grocery’sown cafe.

Nearby,Dropout Bakery &Co. (358 St. Louis St.) is one of those pandemic passion project pivots that has blown up on social media.

If you arrive after noon like we did, there maybeslim pickings, but an expansion with acoffee bar is underway to up the amenities.

After afew blocks of industrial buildings and parking lots, the Cheese Cottage (650 St. Louis St.) looks strikingly like it dropped out of the sky from aBavarian village, with its high-peaked roof and trellis vines.

It’s apatio restaurant for thickly-stacked sandwiches and hugely-portioned cheese boards that pack enough forabridal party,none of it terribly fancy,but a good value (as is the wine list).

Nextdoor,what wascalled

Wingman Brewing has anew name, Fairhope Brewing Co. (656 St. Louis St.), aterriﬁc taproom from the samepeople, and an extension of the company based just downthe bay.It’sone of several taproomsthat could form their own beer tasting tour alone. The Gulf Coast train revival even reached the Fairhope taps, with one beer on special named Take the Railway IPA. Homeward bound

Mobile does not have atrain station per se, just aplatform and aparking lot. But on atip from our golf cart driver,welearned that the Renaissance Mobile Riverview Plaza Hotel (64 Water St.) has alobby bar where you can wait over adrink and peek around the corner to check on the train. On the return, riders bound for NewOrleans werejazzed forthe journey.Gratefully,noone was eating out-of-season king cake, but you could buy awedge of muffuletta or aMoonPie from the train’scafe car,which felt like arolling saloon on the evening return.

One glorious Gulf Coast sunset and less than four hours later,the train was snaking its wayback of New Orleans. It wasone more source of captivating interest on atrip that reframed the familiar forthe fresh burst of funonafast silver train.

Email IanMcNulty at imcnulty@theadvocate.com.

tion is:Would you rather know the truth, or would you not?

Judith Martin

MISS MANNERS

Andthe irony is thatmost people would ratherknow, but then chicken outwhenitistheir turn to do the actual confrontation

MissManners suggests that you simply tell the person that this was the wrong number.Let themdraw their own conclusions as to why Thereisalways the chance that they typeditwrong. Even though we both know that it is unlikely

Dear Miss Manners: Ihavealast name that my family has pronounced aparticularway through thegenerations, and that most Englishspeakers, looking at the name, pronounceinamorephonetic way If somebody asks me howI pronounce it,Itellthem, but if somebody goes ahead andpronounces it thephonetic way, Inever correct them —partly because it seems a littlerude, butmainly because I don’tcare.

An old friend, though, has learned that she’s been mispronouncing my name for several decades now.She told me Iwas rude not to correct herinthe ﬁrst

place andspare her the embarrassment of “saying it wrong” all these years. Should Ipreemptively correct people if I’mnot bothered by what they’re saying?

Gentle Reader: Not caring is as good andrefreshing areason as Miss Manners hasheard for not being rude

Still, forthe sake of your friendship, youmight tell your friend, “It neverbothered me and frankly Iamsousedtohearing it the way yousay it thatitdidn’toccurto me to correct you. But Icertainly neverwantedtoberude or make youfeel bad. Pleaseforgive me.” In the future, if it comesupotherwise in conversation, of course youmay politely tell someone the properpronunciation. To wit: “The English aresofunny about their H’s. It’sactually properly pronounced Shufﬂebottom, not Shufﬂebotham, as it’sspelled.”

Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to heremail, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St Kansas City,MO 64106.

Gentle Reader: The eternal ques-

Crossing abay bridge aboard Amtrak’sMardiGrasServicetrainonaGulf Coast journeygives aviewofwater on both sides.

STAFFPHOTOSByIAN MCNULTy

board

portions at the Cheese Cottage, part of the Mobile, Ala.’s St.Louis

ADAMS,CHESTER P

RASHELLE NICOLE

BAROUSSE, MARK D

BARRAS,JODIE F BARRETT,SKYLARELIZABETH

BARTON, BLAKENOLAN

BAUDOIN, MARCELLA ALPHA

BAUTISTARAMIREZ, CARLOS

BEAS, MATTHEW ANDRES

BECK, FAITH DANIELLE

BENOIT,JOSEPH M BENOIT, JENNIFER MARIE

BENOIT, PAUL ANTHONY

BENOIT, APRIL RENEE

BERGES, LOUIS JOHN

BERNARD,KORAH DESIREE

BIENVENU, CHERISH LATIOLAIS

BIENVENU, ANDREA MARCELLE

BLANCHARD,JESSIE L

BOLLING, DAISYDEAN

BORDELON, DONNASUE

BORDELON, ANNEMARIE B BORILL, JAKEBRYAN

BOUDREAUX, LYNZIE ELIZABETH

BOURDA, CIRA BROOK

BOURGEOIS, GERARD K BOURQUE, DEREK JAMES BOURQUE, CODY PAUL

BOWER,EARLINER

BRANCH, JEANNINE G BREAUX,KRYSLINSHAE

BREAUX,BRECK H BREAUX, WENDY SENEGAL

BRIGGS, JULIANDEKEYSER

BROUSSARD, AUSTIN JAMES BROUSSARD, BRITTNEY NICOLE

BROUSSARD, CEDRIC P

BROUSSARD, PAUL BROUSSARD, LUKE THOMAS

BROUSSARD, CLAIRE ELISE

BROUSSARD, GAVIN ROSS

BROUSSARD, SHERRY STEWART

BROUSSARD, ANDREA CLAIRE LEDET

BROWN, CHRISTINA NICOLE

BROWN, ZACHARYDARNELL

BROWN, BRIANCA TURNEY

BRUMBAUGH, DAVIDPAUL

BUFORD, MICHAELJOSEPH

BURKE,NISHARENEE

BUTLER, SAMYAH SYANNE

CADDIE, KYLEE JO

CAHANIN, JESSICAANN

CALAIS,ALTHEA BERNELL

CAMPBELL, AURIEL ZOE

CAMPBELL, LATOYANACHELLE

CARMOUCHE, CHERYL CARPENTER, MICHAEL ANDREW CARRIERE, BLAKEMICHAEL

CARTER,CARLA STEWART

CASE,JESSICAB CASWELL, BRENDA GRAY

CHAISSON,KYRON DESHAWN

CHAMPAGNE, AARONJ

CHAMPAGNE, WHITNEY A CHANDLER, TREVOR DOUGLAS

CHATMAN, ALEX DUANE

CHAVIS, GEORGIA EUGENE CHIENDA, MICHAELDANIEL CHUSTZ,CHRISTOPHER CLARK, JACK P COLARELLI, KIRKS COLBERT, VALERIE ANN COLLIGAN, JOSEPH L COLLINS, CAILEY NICOLE COLLINS, ALLENEDWARD

COMARDELLE, SARA MICHELLE COMEAUX, JAHEIMLEMOINE

COMEAUX,MARK C CONNER,CHARLENE D COOK,JAIMELAGNEAUX

COOPER,LORETTA LEVETTE CORBETT, JASON LEMI COUVILLION, BARTJAMES COWART,ALEXISBELLE COWLEY,DARRYLROSS COX, LAUREN MARIE CREDEUR,COLLIN JAMES CURNUTTE, MORGAN ELIZABETH CURTISS,WILLIAM DAILEY,CHERYL B DANIELS, DOMINIQUE MARIE

DANSER,SANDRA OSBORNE DAUGEREAU,TIMOTHYA DAVID, KENNETHJ DAVIDSON, ROBERTE DAVIS, JACOB LEE DAVIS, FLINTMICHAEL DAVIS, CONNIE PILLETTE DECUIR, IRISP DELTORO, DIANA S DEMORUELLE, JAMES SKYLER DEMOURA, RENEH

DESORMEAUX, JOSHUATHOMAS DESORMEAUX,CHARLOTTE M DESPANIE,JORDANTREMAINE DESSELLE,JOAN R DESSELLE,CHRISTOPHER SCOTT DETWILER, JANCI BIENVENU

DIAZ,JONATHAN DAVID DICK,ERIKAALEXANDER DIGGS, DOROTHY DIMITRY, BONNIE PEARL DIXON,JOSEPH DOMINGUE, BRENT J DOMINGUE, SARAH LOUISE DORSEY,BERNADETTE T DOUCET,MALIKAIANTOINE DUBEA, DEMAREAKEVANTE DUGAS,DONAB DUHON, CHAD JOSEPH DUNCKELMAN,SAULSLAVEN DUNN,JEFFERY WILLIAM DUPIS, CAEMON EZRA DUPRE, INDIA SHARI EAST,MARION C EBOKA, BEATRICE OLIKA EDMOND, EDWARD J EDMOND,SHELLY ELWELL,RYANBRICE ESCUDIER,SUZANNE W ESTRADA, ROXANNAMATILDE EUGENE,KELSHA DOONDRELL FALL,SALLY A FAUL,LANEMICHAEL FELSCHER,FALON CHERIE FERGUSON, KELSEY NICOLE FERREIRACASSIMIRO, ROSENI DE PAULA FISER, CHARLES W FITZGERALD, DAVID H FLETCHER,ALEXANDRA RAE FLORIS, JARED PAUL FOLSE, KATLYN CHRISTINE FOREMAN, JEREMYJOSEPH FOREMAN, HEIDI LIN FORESTIER, KATIE ELIZABETH FOWLER,DONALDE FOWLER, LINDSEY ANN FRANCIS, SONTERRIA QUINETTA FRANCIS, EMIREYON ERIK PAUL FRANKS, BRITTANY MICHELLE FREEMAN, KAMMIEELIZABETH FREEMAN, AARON

FREMIN,TINAREED

FURMAN, JEFFREY J GABRIEL, JUNIOR R

GALLIEN,DAMON LEE

GALLOALVAREZ, BLANCA YESENIA

GARCIA, SADIE SUZANNE

GARNER, QUEEN ESTER

GARY,CANAAN THOMAS

GATHE, JESSIE AARON

GERACI, LAUREL MARGUERITE MAREE

GEWIN, KRYSTAL RENEE

GIBSON, RODNEL ORLANDO

GILBERT, GARY JAVONN

GIROUARD, LYNN R

GLASS, KELLYE LEAR

GLYKAS, DEAN JOHNATHAN

GONZALES, DIANEFRIDLEY GOODMAN, LANDON JACORIUS

GRANGER, LINDA O GREEN,ROBERT LEE DEMTRIUS

GRIFFIN, GENEVIEVE MARIE

GUIDRY,ANDREA W GUIDRY,CARRIE VERSEN

GUIDRY,GENAMARMOTTIN

GUIDRY,JACOBI JAMAL

GUIDRY,DANIEL J GUIDRY,PHILIP TAYLOR

GUIDRY,REED D GUIDRY,SOPHIE A GUILBEAU,GRANTD GUNTHORP,DONALD JERROLD

GUO,SITONG GUTIERREZ, ROBERTO

HARB, PARKER AZAM

HARGRODER, CRYSTAL IRENE

HARKIN,LUKEWILLIAMDOMINIC

HARPER, EARL A

HARRISON, RONALD GENE

HARRISON, JEVON

HARRISON, ADRIAN B

HARVISON, NATALIE HICKS HASSAN, CAPPY HATHORN,JOHNFULTON HEBERT, HAZE DANIEL

HEBERT, ANGELA ROSE

HEBERT, CINDYJUDICE HEBERT, JONATHON J HEBERT, REBECCA O HEBERT, KAITLYN RENEE

HEBERT, BREIGHAN NOEL

HEBERT, EDWARD JOSEPH

HEBERT, STACI

HEBERT, KELLYRENEE

HEINS,CHRISTOPHER ALLEN

HENDERSON,KAYLA PAIGE

HENRY, SARAH HENRY, CONNOR MICHAEL

HERNANDEZ, TIFFANYMARIE

HERNANDEZ, JOSE CIRILO

HETHERWICK,SCOTT M HIGGINBOTHAM,MICHAEL T HILL, SHAQUILE JEVON

HOFFPAUIR, MICHELLE LETULIER

HOFMEYER, PAYTON LEE

HOLLIFIELD, DANCIA MARABELLA

HORNSBY,LUCIUS A

HOTARD, BEAU MICHAEL HOWELL, PHILLIP ROSS

HU, LI YU

HUDSON,JOSEPHINE LEEANN HUDSON,PETER DAVID

HUDSON,ADRIAHNA MONET HUDSON,CHACHEE LEMON

HUNNICUTT, CHRISTINAB

HUTCHISON, ASHLEY CAMBRE FITCH

HUYNH,ANN THI IGWEALOR,VIOLETARITETSOMA

ISADORE, KARLI DERRICA JACKSON, ASHLEY MONIQUE

JACKSON, JAMES A JACKSONAIOLA, BREANA

JAGODZINSKI, ROBERTD

JAMES, THOMAS E JAMES, NAOMIBLU

JANUARY, JACQUELINE IRENA

JEANSONNE, RICKY DEAN

JEFFERSON, CARMEN R JOHNSON, ANDREA LATRECE JOHNSON, LIONEL J JONES, DANDRE MARKAL

JONES, BEULAH JONES, SHEKIYLE

JOURNET,DYMON IMARI

KALTENBACH, CHELSEA MARIE

KELLY, LAURIE ANNE

KIBODEAUX, NEVA NIKKOL CHATTOS

KINGSLEY, SANTA ISABEL

KISER, SHARON ANNE

KIZZIAR, LORRAINES

LABBE, TAMMYC

LABRY, NICHOLAS JAMES

LACROIX, JUDE ANTHONY

LAFLEUR, LAYTON JUDE

LAGNEAUX, CHERYLF

LALANDE, DWAYNE P

LAMBERT, NATALIE FALANDA

LAMBERT, AMANDA MARIE

LANAHAN,DYLAN ELIJAH

LANCLOS, JONATHON DALE

MARIE

LANDRY, JACKIE

LANDRY, BRADLEY CHRISTIAN

LANDRY, KENDALL PAUL

LANGE,GABRIELLE MICHELLE

LANGLEY, WILLIAM

LANGLINAIS, MATTHEW JUDE

LANTIER, JONI E

LASALLE, MARYELIZABETH

LASSERE, HAILYMARIE

LAXEY,JOHNARNOLD

LEBLANC, LAURA STUTES

LEBLANC, JAMIE

LEBLANC, PATRICIA B

LEBLANC, LOUANDER B

LEBLANC, DUSTIN D LEBLANC, TAMMYE

LEGE, AVERYGRAYSON

LEGER, SKYLAR ELIZABETH LEGER, KADE PATRICK

LEJEUNE,DEREK ANTHONY LEJEUNE,DEBRA ROBERTS

LELEUX, LESLIE PHUONG THI TRAN

LEOPAUL, SHELLYBREAUX

LIM,SUSANAQ

LIZOTTE, NICOLE ELIZABETH LODGE, ALEXIS KEIRA

LONG,SUSAN ELIZABETH LYONS, LACYMICHELLE

MALBREAUX, JOHN ALBERT

MANALE, JULIE ANNA OUSSE

MANCUSO, KRISTANICOLE

MARCELLINO, SANDRA M

MARSH,DEQUEMAVERICA

MARTEL, RHEA DANIELLE

MARTIEN,ELIZABETH ANN

MARTIN,PAUL S

MARTINEZ, KEVIN JOVANY

MATTHEWS, MICHAIL LEE

MATTHEWS, WAYNEALLAN

MATTHEWS, CHARDONNAYMARIE

MATZYE, MARY KATHRYNBOURQUE

MAYER, WILLIAMCHRISTOPHER

MAYEUX, MADELINECLAIRE

MAYFIELD, LUTCHER KELVIN

MCBRIDE, JOYCE LANDRY

MCBRYDE, KAITLYN RENEE

MCCARTHY,PATRICK D

MCCONNAUGHHAY, WILLIAMPATRICK

MCGRATH, JUSTIN ROBERT

MCQUILLEN,WESLEY SCOTT

MCREARY, CLARENCE AVERY

MEAUX, LESLIE

MECHE, CYNTHIA MARIE

ROBICHEAUX

MECHE, MARCYLYNN

MELVIN,PEGGY A

MENDOZA, TAMMY MARIE

MERKL, JACKSON CLAYTON

MILLER, ELIZABETH DAWN EBARB

MILLER, DANAD

MIMS, CHRISTY BOUSTANY

MINALDI, JORDAN THOMAS

MITCHELL, NICHOLMICHELLE

MOHAMMED, MOGAHED SALEH SAEED

MONIES, FLORENCE JEANNE CROFT

MOORE, BRYANT COLE

MOORE, DANIELLE REBECCA

MORALES-ZABALA, LUDIMAR DE JESUS

MOREAU,JENNI ELISA

MORGAN,JAMES C MORRIS, SHANNON RENE MORVANT,ASHLEY BENTLEY MOUTON, EDDIE PAUL MOUTON, KARMAL R MULLEN, CHRISTOPHER JOHN MULVIHILL, ANNA M NGUYEN, DANNY NOEL, WEBER JOSEPH NOEL, CHRISTINA RENEE NOEL, JACQUE FRANCOIS NORRIS, ERIC JASON NORTHERN,RONDALL RAY OWENS, ANOTHONY PACE,STACY LEEANN PANKHURST,KIRK IRVIN PARIS, SEAN DALY PARKER, CORYCOOKE PATIN, EUGENEJ PATT,MICHELLE THIBODAUX PETE, TIERA RENEE PHOMMACHANH, SOMCHAI PICKETT,IVORYTROY PIFER, CAINE DYLAN PIROUZNIA, BRENDA B PITRE, AUSTIN R POCHE, MITCHELL LOUIS POLITO, NICHOLAS MATTHEW POOL, ADDISON CLAIRE PORTLOCK, GREGORYPETER POTIER, MARK DONNIE POTIER, HANNAH PRIMEAUX, TOBY L PUMFORD,THERESED RABER, JAMES ALAN RANDALL, LARRY JOSEPH RANDAZZO, BRITTNEY JEANNE REES, JAMES M REGGIE,TERESEB REINHOLT, ALENA MAY REYESTORIBIO, LUISRAMON RICHARD, ALEXANDER PAUL HARRY RICHARD, NEAL ANTHONY RICHARD, RANDYLEE RICKARD, JENNIFERL RILEY,BONNIE LOU RINEHART, THOMAS RICHARD RITCHEY, RICHARDD ROBERT, JEFFREYSCOTT ROBERTSON, GREGORYMICHAEL ROBIN,SARA CATHRYN ROBINSON, KIERAHTANAYE ROBINSON, MARNEKASHAVON RODRIGUEZMATUTE, JAIRO SALOMON ROLLINS, BRENTNI JADE ROMAN-LOPEZ, FRANCISCA JUDITH ROTH,JASON K ROY,ALAINA SHAVAWN ROY,JUSTIN MICHAEL RUSH, JONATHAN LUKE RUSHING, KATHERINE STANLEY SAM, RICKY JORDELL SAM, TRINA BREAUX SAMPY,LOGAN DEVON SAMY,KIROLLOS SAMIR SANCHEZ, TASHA SANDERS, HAILEY ALYSSA SANDERS, MARTY SANJIDA, SANIA SANNER, MARK E SAPP,ROBERTANTHONY SAVANT,KAREN ANN SAVOIE, CHASE CHRISTIAN SAVOY,CHRISTOPHER SCHENCK, ERIN NICOLE SCHEXNAIDER,LOGAN PATRICK SCHEXNAYDER, COREY JAMES SCHOOLER, CALVIN TIMOTHY SCHROEDER, PHILIP P SCHULTE, MARYK SCIANNEAUX, ROCKIE JOSEPH SCRIBER, BRICEJAMES SEGURA, RAMONA W SELF,KRYSTAL GUIDRY SERIALLE, KRYSTAL MARIE SHEUMAKER, CHRISTIAN NICOLE SHI, LIXIN SIMON, ROMAN SIMPSON, MARKALEN JAMES SINEGAL, FREDERICKA M SLANKARD, RITAT SMITH, JORDAN KYLE SMITH, KARI DIANE SMITH, DONALD JOSEPH SMITH, MAYLEE SNYDER, LOVELYRAYSHAWN SONNIER, AMY M SONNIER, CARL JAMES SONNIER, JOSHUA DAVID SPEARMAN, ERWYANA KIARA STACK, DELAINA JEAN STANFORD,JOSEPH JU STAPLES, PETER M STELLY, ROBERTBRENT STJULIEN, SHANIQUA RENEE STOMA, ANDREW PHILLIP STROMER, MALCOLM G STUTES, LACY NEKOLE SUNDJAJA, JULITA SWANSON, CAMILLE COMEAUX THIBODEAUX,KIM M THIBODEAUX,MARSHAS THIBODEAUX,JASON MICHAEL THIBODEAUX,AMELIA SIMONE THIBODEAUX,BRENDA RASHELL THIBODEAUX,JARET JOSEPH THOMAS, COLBY JACOB THOMAS, KANIQUE LAMONE THOMAS, ROBERNISHA EARLNIKA THOMAS, LATEISHA DANIELLE THOMPSON, CARA CHRISTINE TORRES, SILVIO PEREZ TOUCHET, BRENNON DALE TOWNSEND, RAMESH JACKBANDO DAVID AM TRAHAN, BRANTJACOB TRAHAN, KIMBLE J TRAHAN, JERRYDEE TROTTER, LAKESHA S TULLOUS, RICHARDF USE, JONATHON PAUL VADLAMANI, LALITHA ANNAPURNA VALENTIN, CANDICE BOURGEOIS VANDERSYPEN, GREGORYDOUGLAS VEILLON, DEBRA HANEY VENABLE, KAIN M VICE, KIRSTYN MCKENZIE VICTOR, RONDEL ROSS VILLIEN,GEORGETTE P VONDREUSCHE,PATSY R WALLRAVEN,MANILYN ROQUE WARD, KAREN MARIE WASHINGTON, DEVONTE TRAVIOUSTY’REK WASHINGTON, JRONSKI DQUANTIS WATTIGNY,CHARLESCLARE WAY, DAVID OLIVER WEATHERWALKS, MICHAELJOSEPH WEBRE,MOLLYELIZABETH WEGNER, KEVIN PATRICK GREGORY WELBORN, JASON BRYAN WELCH, FREDRICKJ WENG, SHENG YAO WEST,LARRY WHITE, PHIL H WHITE, ELTON WHITE, MICHELLE RENE WHITE, REBEKAH ELISE WHITNEY,JOHN DAVID WILKINS, MELANIE HANER WILLIAMS, KATHERINE DALY WILLIAMS, DAVID LEE WILLIAMS, TRE MICHAEL WILLIAMS, LENA M WILLIAMS, ALICIA LOGAN WILLIS, HOUSTON JAMES WILSON, ANDY PAUL WILTZ, CLARENCE J WILTZ, RONNY MECHELLE WIRE, AUDREY HOWLAND WRIGHT,LAWANDA XAYAVONG, BRUCE MEE YANTIS, AMANDARUTH BLOOD YOCHAM, MATTHEW LYNN YOUNG, JEROMY LANE YOUNG, KAITLYN ANN

SHAPESHIP

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

helped ferry soldiersto shore and turn the tide of the war From rocket

In the 1960s, brothers Lynn andOrinDeanbuilt the first liftboats —capable of raising themselves on long legs to form astable platform over thewater —inSt. Bernard Parish And for decades, industrial conglomerate Textronhas been making hovercraft, which move over landand water on acushion of air,inNew OrleansEast. Now,this centuries-old craft is gettingaboost from cuttingedge software, artiﬁcial intelligence and theburgeoning commercial spaceﬂight industry to evolve in ways thatlegendary boatbuilder Andrew Higgins couldn’thave fathomed.These changes mean new opportunities that are enabling existing Louisiana companiestoexpand and attracting startups to the region.

In April, Texas-based startup Saronic announced it was buyingashipyard in Franklin to manufacture autonomousvessels —essentially largewater drones —for military and commercial clients. The company, which is backed by $850 million in Silicon Valleyventure capital, promises to invest $250 million ä See BOATS, page 2E

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

routes will require years of planning and coordination by federal, state and local ofﬁcials, along with collaboration with the freight railroads,

which own the tracks, and Amtrak, whichwould operate the service. They would also require tapping into millions of federal funds earmarked for

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dino Mavrookas, co-founder of autonomous vessel startup Saronic, weldsdecorativemedallions onto an aluminum keel at

startof production for the Austin-based company’s150-foot Marauder vessel on Aug. 22 in Franklin. The companysaid

Franklin as it ramps up production.

Issued Aug. 27 to Sept. 2

Commercial alterations

SCHOOL: 1801 Kaliste Saloom Road, description, interior wall anddoor additions at Cpl. Michael Middlebrook Elementary; applicant,Ziler Architects; contractor,KSI Construction; $27,793.

OFFICE: 105 E. Convent St description, renovation to existing ofﬁce space at Lafayette City Court; applicant, Trahan Architecture + Planning; contractor, TriCon Enterprises; $95,000.

RESTAURANT: 117 S. College Road, description, close in existing pavilion of CuGino Italian restaurant; applicant and contractor,Mark LaBorde Builders; $13,000.

OFFICE: 1905 KalisteSaloom Road description, convert gym area into twoofﬁces; applicant, Watson Wealth Management; contractor, Wesley Hebert; $122,000.

SALON: 137 Albertson Parkway Suite 103, Broussard; description renovation; applicant and contractor, Ly Ly’s Hair and Nail Bar; $48,000.

INDUSTRIAL: 200Oil Patch Road Broussard; description, tenantfacility; applicant, Wesley Swain; contractor, Rise Construction;$930,000.

Newcommercial

INDUSTRIAL: 110 Sunbeam Lane description, new metal buildingfor BNSF Railway;applicant, SPEC LLC; contractor, Touchstone Engineering

Fool’sTake:

Agrowing giant

and Construction Services; $850,000.

Commercial demolition

OTHER: 2905Kaliste Saloom Road, description,temporary power pole to assist in demolitionofold

Lafayette Health Club building; applicant and contractor, Chase Group Construction;$5,000.

Newresidential

121 YORKIE LANE, DUSON: Schumacher Homes of Louisiana, $500,220.

4C EUREKAPLANTATIONROAD: Anna Maria, $670,050.

308 GREYFORD DRIVE: Matthew Comeaux,$320,940.

105 STUTES DRIVE, DUSON: Manuel Builders, $175,250.

109 BENNETT HILLS DRIVE, CARENCRO: Bret Brasseaux, $184,625.

209 GUN RUNNER DRIVE, CARENCRO: Manuel Builders,$273,625.

103 CREEK CROSSING LANE: DSLD $157,625.

105 CREEK CROSSING LANE: DSLD, $166,625.

107 CREEK CROSSING LANE: DSLD, $175,625.

102 HEIRLOOM ROW, BROUSSARD: DSLD,$139,002. 305 GRANDOAK DRIVE, BROUSSARD: Acadiana Dream Home, $250,000.

112 SPRING MEADOWDRIVE, BROUSSARD: Vincent John Construction, $220,000.

102 HEIRLOOM ROW, BROUSSARD: DSLD,$139,002.

Staff report

Tennessee-based Tractor Supply wantstoopen a Lafayette store off Ridge Road

Adeveloper for the fast-growing retailer is seeking approval from theLafayette Parish Planning Commission to build astoreat262 Ridge Road, documentsshow

PrimaxProperties, a longtime builder for Tractor Supply stores, is seeking aplat approval for the project during aMonday meeting.

Plans for the prop-

BOATS

Continuedfrom page 1E

erty, which lies just outside the Lafayette city limits,would include a 21,702-square-foot store with parking in front and on the of the building, a rendering shows. If approved, it would be the third location in LafayetteParishafter the Carencroand Scott stores. TractorSupply, which bills itself as the nation’s largest rural lifestyle retailer,iscontinuing its aggressive expansion efforts, accordingtoits latestearnings report. It opened 24 stores in the second quarter

in improvements to the shipyard and create 500 jobs over the next four years.

Twomonthslater,Bollinger Shipyards announced itswork modifying abarge to serve as a landing platform for reusable rockets,its latest contract driven by advances in commercial spaceﬂight

ACADIANA INBOX

Jones

Heath B. Jones has been hired by Bollinger Shipyards as vice president of government relations and strategic partnerships. Jones spent more than30 years in the Coast Guard, ultimatelyrising to become 14th master chief petty ofﬁcer,the service’ssenior enlisted leader and principal adviser to the commandant. As acutterman, he served as executive petty ofﬁcer and later skipper of aBollinger-built 87-foot Coastal PatrolBoat. Jones earneda host of awards forhis service, including theCoastGuard Distinguished Service Medal, the Homeland Security DistinguishedServiceMedal andthe 2012 SignalmanFirst Class Douglas Munro Inspirational Leadership Award.

Motley Fool

Taiwan Semiconductor ManufacturingCo. (NYSE: TSM) is a major supplier for leading chip companiessuch as Nvidia, Advanced Micro Devices and Broadcom. While TSMC’s second-quarter revenue grew44% year over year, steadily improving gross proﬁt margins and adisciplined cost structure fueled even more acceleration forits bottom line: Earnings per share grew by nearly 61%. Investments in infrastructure for artiﬁcial intelligence —which include data center buildouts and chips —are expected to reach $6.7 trillion by next decade. With TSMC’shuge revenue growth and estimated two-thirds share of the global chip foundry market, it appearswell-positioned to capitalize on these secular tail winds and acquire even more market share over the next several years. Despite the company’sjaw-dropping growth and robust outlook, it recently traded at aforwardpriceto-earnings ratio below25. Not only is this lowerthan most of its forward P/E ratios in 2024, but it’s also ameaningful discount compared to other leading chip stocks

There are some risks —especially becauseTSMC is based in Taiwan. That exposes the company to the impacts of any changes in U.S. tariff policy,aswell as the looming threat of China taking military action. Still,it’stough to ﬁnd abetter growth stock in the semiconductor industry for risktolerantlong-term investors. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing.)

Fool’sSchool:

What’saP/E ratio?

As you learn how to study stocks, you’llﬁnd that the price-toearnings ratio can help youget a rough ideaofhow overvaluedor undervalued astockis.

You’ll find P/E ratios for stocks already calculated for you at financial websites such as finance. yahoo.com, but here’sthe math: Take the stock’scurrent price per shareand divide it by the earnings per share over the past 12 months. (For aforward-looking P/E, divide by the expectedEPS overthe coming year.)

So if Crusty’sCrab Shack (ticker: CRABS) is trading at $60 per share with its EPS for the last four reported quarters (“trailing 12 months”) totaling $4,you’d divide $60 by $4 to get aP/E ratio of 15. Note that P/E ratios go up when the stock’sprice rises or the EPS falls —and viceversa. The P/E ratio tells you how much you’d pay per dollar of earningsifyou bought the stock. In ﬁnance-speak, astockwith aP/E of 15 might be referred to as “trading at amultiple of 15.” Generally speaking, the lower the P/Eratio, the lower—and therefore more appealing —the stock’svaluation, though an extremely low P/E should make you wonder what troubles thecompany is facing. An extremely high P/E can reﬂectvery low earnings or investorspiling into thestock and driving up its price via high demand for the shares. P/E ratios vary widely by industry,though. Slower-growing and/or capital-intensive industries such as homebuilding and steelmaking

tend to have lower average P/E ratios; industries such as semiconductors, entertainment and software tendtohave higherones. Unproﬁtablecompaniesdon’thave P/E ratios, as they have no earnings and you can’t divide by zero. When assessing acompany’sP/E you might compare its current ratio with thosefrompast years. Don’tmake investmentdecisions on P/E or other valuationmetrics alone, though. Always assess multiple factors, such as revenue and earnings growthrates, debt levels, proﬁt margins and competitive advantages.

Ask the Fool:

Splitting shares

Shares of Microsoft seem to cost more than $500 apiece —does that mean the companywill do astock split? Andwill that double my money? —Y.C., Decorah, Iowa Microsoft may indeedsplit its stock this year or next. No announcement has been made as of this writing, though. Microsoft has executed nine stock splits since going public in 1986. Seven were in the 1990s, and themost recent one was way back in 2003, when the shares split 2-for-1.The recent price of $500 pershare is far above the presplit prices for the past splits, so expectinga splittocome along is quite reasonable. Astock split won’tdouble your money,though —when astock splits,shareholders each get more shares, but the priceper share falls proportionally.Imagine you own 100 shares of Microsoft, and it splits 2-for-1 when the price is $500 per share. You’llend up with 200 shares, but thesharepricewill suddenlybearound $250. That makes your total value $5,000 presplit (100 times $500) and $5,000 post-split (200 times $250). Companiesoften split sharesto make them more affordable to the masses (among other reasons), but remember that you can always buy just one share —and via many good brokerages, you may even be abletobuy afraction of ashare.

My Dumbest Investment: Burned to aCRISPR

My dumbest investments happened after I read the book “TheCode Breaker” by Walter Isaacson —about the Nobel Prizewinner Jennifer Doudna and the science of gene editing with CRISPR (“clusteredregularly interspaced shortpalindromic repeats”) technology. Iinvested in several of the companies mentioned in the book, thinking each would soon release viable commercial products and see its valuation skyrocket. Iwaited for afew years as Iwatched each stock decline in price. Ieventually ended up selling at a significant loss.

Ilearned to stick with companies that already have viable products, sound financials and strong free cash flow.One daythese companies may fitthat narrative, butuntil then, Iwill invest in what Iknow are actual viable businesses and not potential future businesses. —O.A.M., online New technologies can be exciting, especially when it seems like there will be alot of moneymade with them, and some companies in those realmswill turn out to be great investments.But it can take along timebefore it’sclear which companies will be thebiggest winners and which once-promising companies will ﬂame out.Ifyou can’twaittoinvest, spreading your dollars over several companies andnot investingtoo muchinone technology can be smartmoves

Do you have asmart or regrettable investment move to share with us?Emailitto tmfshare@fool.com.

This shipbuilding transformation is welcome news for an industrythat has contracted since the middle of the last century,when Avondale Shipyards was the biggest private employerinthe state. More than four decades after the endoffederal shipbuilding subsidies, achanging regionaloffshore oiland gas sector means lessdemand for local productsand fewer jobs. Though shipbuilding still supports more than16,000 workersand contributes $1.5 billion to thestate gross domestic product, according to theShipbuilders CouncilofAmerica,it’snot what it once was.

BollingerCEO BenBordelon saidthe recentdevelopments give him hope.

“W eh ave been challenged through years of up anddown gasmarkets and changestohow oil and gas is produced,” he said.

“I’m gladtosee our industry moving toward a thriving segment.”

‘Nostairs, bathrooms, kitchens’

In mid-August, more than 100 people gatheredatSaronic’s new shipyard in Franklin for a keel-laying ceremony —the shipbuilding industry’sversion of a groundbreaking.

The 3-year-old company is the state’smosthigh-proﬁleentry into theautonomous vessel market, spurredonbyroughly $5 billion from the Trumpadministration to boostproduction of the high-tech machines. It joins ahalf-dozen or so existing shipbuilders in the state—ranging from legacy companies likeBollingertonewcomers like ChanceMaritimeTechnologies.

Another company, 20-year-old Metal Shark, hasbeen making autonomous vesselssince the 2010s from its shipyard directly across U.S.90fromSaronic’snew facility

Primarily fulfillingcontracts with theU.S.military but also serving commercial customers, these builders make everything from basic remote-controlled boats to highly sophisticated robotic vessels capable of charting their own course. All can go farther andfaster than traditional vessels while carrying morepayload.

Because they aren’tbuilt to carry humans, the shipsthese buildersare making don’tneed galleys, bathrooms, hallways or stairs. That makes them smaller,which meansthey can be built at the midsize shipyards found in Louisiana and other Gulf Coast states versus their bigger counterparts on the east and west coaststhat make aircraft carriers, submarines and destroyers.

“You’re notworried about the crew getting seasick, so you can design theboat so there’smuch less friction in the water,” said VibhavAltekar, chieftechnology officer at Saronic. “In the past, shipbuilders would ﬁrst build a hotel andthenyou build aboat around the hotel, but theselook more like ﬂoating data centers.”

The autonomous vessels require hardwareand software integration with theirpayload,whether that’sweapons, sensors, cameras, radar or sonar

“Wedon’t just throw it on the boat,” said Metal Shark co-owner ChrisAllard, whosecompany employs ateam of in-house computer programmers.

“The hardest part about making

unmannedboats is howtoget past acentury of technology designed to be controlled by human hands,” Allardsaid. “There arevalvesyou have to open or close, controls or switches you have to push or adjust, including the steering wheel.”

Saronic’sownershope they can manufacture up to 50 of this new type of ship each year at their Franklin facility

“This is the beginning of alongterm partnership with Louisiana,” said company co-founder Rob Lehman, who hopesto“take the legacy of shipbuilding here and bring it into the 21st century.”

Shipsfor spaceships

The rise of commercial spaceﬂight over the last 15 years has created additionalopportunities for Louisiana’s maritime industry Companieslike SpaceX and Blue Origin test and recover components of their reusable equipmentoffshore, farfrom mosthuman activity.Todothe work, they needspeciallydesigned ships, which the state’sshipbuilders are morethan happy to provide.

In July,Bollinger announced itslatest spaceﬂight-related commission: converting an existing barge into alanding platform for Rocket Lab Corp., aCaliforniabased publicly traded company that’s competinginthe nearly $600 billion commercial spaceﬂight industry

The 79-year-old shipbuilder, based in Lockport, will add blast shieldsalong with thrustersto the waterborne platform so it remains stable during landings. Communications equipment will allowemployees to control the vessel from afar

The jobisnot Bollinger’sﬁrst foray into supporting this emergingindustry,whichmadeabeliever out of Bordelon about adecade ago. “A lot of commercial vessels herewere idle because of the downturn in oil,” he said. “It was an opportunity forthe space industry to buy assets at arelatively good price, anditcreated work for shipyards to convert them.”

Bordelon’scompany is joined by several others working in this sector One of themorehigh-ﬂying venturesthat created workfor local shipbuilders is Florida-based startup Space Perspective, which

hopestosendtouristsintothe stratosphere in pressurized capsuleslifted by giant helium-filled balloons. The company,which wasacquired earlierthisyear by European rival Eos XSpace, bought an offshore supply vessel from Edison Chouest Offshore in 2022. Gulf Ship andConradShipyard retrofitted it forits new role as afloating spaceport.

GuiceOffshore, aLouisiana maritimetransportation company,isslated to support marine operations for the space tourism company,which launched an uncrewed test ﬂightlastyearbefore its acquisition.

Bollinger itself has another space-related job in the pipeline: building arocket ship transporter for United LaunchAlliance, a joint venture between Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

This project and others like it are forays into an emerging industry with potential beneﬁtsfor the state that extend beyond commerce.

“Louisiana companies supporting space research androcket science is really important,” said Tulane professor CynthiaEbinger, whochairs the school’sspace, science andengineering task force. “From that work, maybe we’ll learn things that are really helpful here on Earth. For example, almost allofour regionalobservations about coastal change come from satellites.”

Shipbuilding gap

These new lines of business for Louisiana shipbuilders come as U.S. production overall lags dramatically behind China and other global competitors.

The Trump administration has prioritized boosting the country’s maritimecapacity in an attempt to close the gap with China, which makes three warships for every one produced in America and produces morethan 200 times the commercial ships that America does.

Saronic’sLehman hopes autonomy will help the U.S. and its allies catch up.

“It offersways to simplify the build process, reducematerial costs and put more platforms in the water to rebalance the global shipbuilding numbers,” he said. Email RichCollinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Bordelon

FILE PHOTO

This aerial photograph, taken in 1983, shows the vast sweep of AvondaleShipyard, when it was one of the largest employers in the state.

PROVIDED PHOTO

U.S. Marine CorpsLt. Gen. Brian W. Cavanaugh and several Marines reviewthe capabilitiesofa vessel manufactured by Metal Shark on April 27, 2023, at abase in Virginia.

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Cajun seafood chain eyes rapid growth into new markets

Thibodaux-based Off the Hook opening first location in Lafayette

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

Off the Hook CEO Paxton

Moreaux is reeling in his next big catch.

The Thibodaux-based Cajun

Q&A WITH PAXTON MOREAUX

seafood restaurant is expanding rapidly expecting to open about four to ﬁve locations each year Its latest venture is in Lafayette, the ﬁrst location in southwestern Louisiana.

The restaurant has established itself in southeastern Louisiana, with six out of eight of its locations in the Baton Rouge area. Moreaux has his eyes set on Louisiana and Mississippi for further expansion. He said the markets are familiar with the food that Off the Hook serves and are the company’s next step geographically.

The Lafayette location is expected to open mid-November off Liberty Avenue and Kaliste Saloom Road, just down the road from competitors Raising Cane’s and Chick-ﬁl-A. In the past few years, the surrounding area has been a hotbed for residential and commercial development with the additions of The Chimes restaurant, Rouses Market and the extension of Kaliste Saloom Road.

Lafayette is no stranger to the Cajun cuisine central to Off the Hook’s offerings. But Moreaux plans to stay afloat among the crowd by staying true to their values of fresh, Louisiana-sourced ingredients and Southern hospitality In this week’s Talking Busi-

ness, Moreaux talks about Off the Hook’s performance in different Louisiana cities, its edge against competing restaurants and how he plans on reaching consumers who are not familiar with Cajun cuisine.

This interview has been edited for clarity

What have you learned so far from your locations in the Baton Rouge metro area that you’ll be taking along with you to Lafayette?

I think one thing we’ve learned as we’ve gotten farther away from our home base of the ThibodauxHouma area, that people seem to be more receptive to our type of food. It’s something really common in Thibodaux-Houma — I’m sure everywhere in south Louisiana — but really it’s a high percentage of seafood restaurants around here compared to the Baton Rouge

outskirts and Hammond, where you have a little bit more of everything. We’ve received a really positive reception as we move farther away with the type of food we’re offering.

As Off the Hook expands, what’s going to set it apart from other Cajun seafood restaurants?

It’s our quality, it’s always local shrimp, local ﬁsh, tenders, burgers not frozen We really go out of our way to work on the quality We have partnerships with John Folse to make our gumbo seasonings and batters and marinades. So, it’s that, and I think it’s truly our customer service. Southern hospitality is a point of difference in a quickservice setting. They have the Chick-ﬁl-A and the Raising Cane’s as the gold standard. So that’s kind of who we’re chasing.

As you expand to other markets, are you going to partner with the locals in that area to supply?

No, we will always have seafood from Louisiana. Why is that?

That’s just who we are as a brand and our catchphrase is “real Cajun, real fast,” so it’s all about staying true to who we are, the Cajun seafood culture and heritage that we feel. It resonates with people to say your shrimp is caught off the coast of Louisiana or always Gulf shrimp Having that local seafood makes a difference versus some of the other competitors that are just going for the cheapest foreign source. We have strict standards on the quality of shrimp and ﬁsh we bring in.

I saw that you spoke at the Livingston Young Professionals Conference and you

were talking about how you lead this team of professionals who are under 40. What does that really mean for you? How has that specific characteristic of your team impacted the company?

Everybody brings just a high level of energy and excitement every day There’s not a lot of rahrah needed. Everybody knows the mission, the vision We know our values. We know what we want to do here. It’s the communication, and it’s clear where we want to go, and people on our team are on board with that goal.

You’re looking to open four or five locations a year You are expanding pretty rapidly What is the driving force behind your expansion?

We’ve worked many years to get the concept in a place where it’s ready to scale We’re passionate about growing it and sharing that little bit about Cajun culture, heritage, seafood cuisine overall in

can assure that we have great team members. We’re always serving a great product, and we’re serving it quickly as we promise. It’s something to be determined in the near short- to mid-term future.

Beyond isn’taplace —it’samindset. Andit’sabeliefthathas poweredusfor over80years

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PROVIDED PHOTO By OFF THE HOOK

CEO Paxton Moreaux, inset, has his eyes set on expanding Cajun seafood chain Off the Hook, with more locations, four to five each year in Louisiana as well as Mississippi.

the 4-decade-old nonprofit that advocates for passenger rail expansion and restoration in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama. “It’s an efﬁcient and beautiful route that lends credibility to the others we want to do.”

‘More liquor’ than expected

Amtrak reports that 3,264 passengers rode the Mardi Gras in its ﬁrst week, traveling between various stops. The train’s maximum capacity is 134 passengers at a time and travels twice per day along the Mississippi Gulf Coast between Louisiana and Alabama. A few recent trips were completely sold out.

Looking ahead, big fall weekends including Saints games and holidays — are selling briskly, said Amtrak spokesperson Marc Magliari.

Concession sales on the Mardi Gras line also have been brisk, and “they are selling more liquor than they thought they would,” Spain said.

Investment near train stations along the Mardi Gras route is another positive indicator

Over the past four years, several restaurants and businesses have opened in the Bay St. Louis depot district in anticipation of customers being delivered to their doors.

In Pascagoula, real estate developer Joe Cloyd known for boutique hotels along the Gulf Coast — has partnered with the owners of the local Chandeleur Island Brewing Co. to renovate the former Pascagoula train depot. The project is expected to be complete by early 2026 Cloyd said he began planning the $2.5 million project four years ago, when the fate of the Mardi Gras line was uncertain.

“We were planning to do it regardless of whether the train came or not, but we were very hopeful it would happen,” he said. “We hope developers like us contributed in a small way to the deal happening.”

The ridership and development are a sales tool for Spain and other rail advocates hoping to bring the New Orleans-to-Baton Rouge and the north Louisiana routes back into action.

“It was a struggle to sell something we could show and touch,” he said. “If you go to the train station in New Orleans, now it’s full of people.”

Waiting for the train In 2015, when Barney Arceneaux was the mayor of Gonzales, the Ascension Parish city purchased an old Baptist church and some surrounding acreage as the fu-

ture home of a train station.

A decade later, the church is gone but the property is still waiting for its transformation as Gonzales hopes to one day get an economic boost when rail connects Louisiana’s capital city with New Orleans.

Now that the Mardi Gras service is running, Arceneaux said there’s a renewed sense of optimism that the line, which was discontinued in 1969 amid declining ridership, could one day return.

“Mayors along the route are loving it,” he said. “They want it to happen tomorrow.” For years, a coalition of regional rail advocates have

pushed for a New Orleansto-Baton Rouge connector to relieve trafﬁc congestion on Interstate 10, create a new hurricane evacuation route and one day connect the southern part of the state with the north.

Despite many studies and promises, the service has failed to materialize.

When the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law designated more than $60 billion for passenger rail expansion across the country, hopes were raised that trains would ﬁnally start rolling between Louisiana’s two biggest cities.

After that, there were some modest funding wins.

In 2022, Baton Rouge and Gonzales jointly applied for and received a $20 million U.S. Department of Transportation grant for planning and construction of passenger rail station infrastructure.

In 2023, DOT allocated $500,000 to Louisiana’s Department of Transportation and Development to plan the Baton Rouge-to-New Orleans route. The Southern Rail Commission received the same amount to plan the Interstate 20 route. That same year, Gov John Bel Edwards steered $20.5 million toward development of the New Orleans-to-Baton Rouge line and signed a nonbinding agreement with Amtrak to establish the service.

But the big federal dollars that fueled the completion of the Mardi Gras service have yet to arrive for the New Orleans-to-Baton Rouge line. In 2023, the Federal Rail-

road Administration denied a $108 million grant application for the project. Instead, it awarded the smaller grants and set up a process to plan and study the infrastructure needed before reapplying later for infrastructure dollars.

Now, the state DOTD has submitted the information required under the ﬁrst step of this “corridor identiﬁcation program” and is waiting for federal review and acceptance, a DOTD spokesperson said.

If the information is accepted, the state would unlock more federal funds to continue planning for a replacement bridge over the Bonnet Carre Spillway locations of stops and budget.

The roughly $11 million study will take a couple of years to complete, said Knox Ross, Southern Rail Commission chair, although previous engineering studies mean “there’s a lot of base information already available.”

N. La. route gains traction

The hanging string lights in downtown Monroe are new

The city has spent $10 million on improved sidewalks, streets, lighting and other infrastructure immediately surrounding its historic train depot in anticipation of restored passenger train service bringing visitors downtown.

“When people step off that train, we want people to see something beautiful that represents our community,” Ellis said.

A few blocks from the pro-

posed train stop, real estate developer and state Rep. Michael Echols built a new boutique hotel, The Hotel Monroe, operated by Hilton Tapestry In 2022, Echols hosted Amtrak representatives and others for a reception in the unﬁnished building when it still had dirt ﬂoors. Ellis, who was appointed to the Southern Rail Commission by Gov Jeff Landry said “the passenger rail excitement is real” in his town.

“This is one of the things I don’t get pushback on,” he said. “People want to see the line run again.”

Efforts to restore passenger rail service along the I-20 corridor date back about a decade, but the route takes on new signiﬁcance now that Facebook parent company Meta has begun construction of its $10 billion data center in Richland Parish near Monroe. The proposed route would connect that project to similar ones under development in Mississippi and to a microchip facility near Ruston.

Stakeholders believe the I-20 line could happen before the one connecting New Orleans to Baton Rouge. “The infrastructure is in very good condition between Meridian and Dallas,” said John Robert Smith, chair of Transportation for America, a policy consultant for the Southern Rail Commission. “And that route doesn’t have to travel over a swamp like the line between New Orleans and Baton Rouge.” Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

Arthur Hardylooks backat50years ofMardi Gras in NewOrleans

$35.95 $39.95 plus tax&shipping books ship Nov. 14, 2025 *cover not ﬁnal foralimited time

Forﬁve decades, Arthur Hardyhas been our neighbor, ourguide,and the keeper of our Carnival memories. From his Gentillykitchen table in 1977 to receiving the keytothe city in 2024,Hardy transformed himself from aBrother Martin band directorintothe man all about Mardi Gras. Hisannual guidehas reached over 3million readers, butfor us locals, Arthur is family,the trusted voice whogets it right,who rodewithRex after documenting themfor decades, whostoodwithusthroughthe police strikeof’79,Katrina’saftermath, and everymagical momentinbetween. This 112-pagecelebration bringstogether the stories onlyArthurcould tell,ﬁlled withphotographs thatcapture the paradesyou remember,the krewesyou cheered for,and the moments thatmadeyou proud to be apart of Mardi Gras. ArthurHardyhas preservedthe soul of what makes us NewOrleanians, making this the perfectholiday gift for anyone whobleeds the purple,green and gold of Mardi Gras. Books ship in time for holidaygift-giving!

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Hotel Monroe is blocks away from a proposed passenger train station in downtown Monroe.

PROVIDED PHOTO Monroe Mayor Friday Ellis, clockwise from top left, visits with Knox Ross, chair of the Southern Rail Commission; Todd Stennis, Amtrak, director of government affairs; and John Robert Smith, senior policy adviser at Transportation for America, on Nov. 6, 2022, at the unfinished Hotel Monroe.

Gras line along the Gulf Coast.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By IAN McNULTy

Entergy CEO cheers state’s prospects, notes misgivings

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

More than 18 months after Louisiana officials began wooing executives from Meta to the state, eventually helping land the Facebook parent company’s massive artiﬁcial intelligence data center near Monroe, Entergy Louisiana

CEO Phillip May said he sees more economic development potential in the state than at any time in his 40year career

“We have the greatest economic pipeline since the post-World War II years,” May said in an interview

Tuesday “We have growth from the traditional petrochemical sector and also a new set of opportunities.”

At the same time, however, profound and rapid changes to the nation’s energy and trade policies under President Donald Trump are threatening to chill new investments as companies grapple with the uncertainty

“Companies are trying to make 30-, 40-, 50-year decisions, and policy shifts make it hard,” May said. “If something is hurting us in Louisiana right now, more than anything else, it is uncertainty.”

The way the estimated $10 billion Meta deal came together

— less than a year separated Entergy’s initial pitch to Meta and the formal announcement by Gov Jeff Landry — was highly unusual, May said.

Multibillion-dollar investments typically take years to gel, and that means companies want to know that policies won’t change drastically

“Risk scares business and they cannot make a decision when we continue to change policy,” he said.

‘Why aren’t we in Louisiana?’

May’s comments highlighted how the Trump administration’s policies are rippling through board rooms in Louisiana and elsewhere, with business leaders working to adjust to big changes in tariffs, renewable tax credits and federal funding. But despite the uncertainty, the Entergy executive said he remained bullish on the state’s prospects.

Among the recent investments planned for the state that give him reason for optimism are Hyun-

bails on the plant after 15 years.

Dark future for renewables

“We have the greatest economic pipeline since the postWorld War II years. We have growth from the traditional petrochemical sector and also a new set of opportunities.”

PHILLIP MAy, Entergy Louisiana CEO

dai’s planned steel mill in Ascension Parish, Shintech’s expansion in Plaquemines Parish and Shell’s plan to break ground on a new New Orleans headquarters in the planned River District neighborhood in 2027.

The Meta announcement has also helped Louisiana’s credibility with other tech and infrastructure companies, according to May

“We went from having people saying ‘What is Meta doing in Louisiana?’ to having them say, ‘Why aren’t we in Louisiana?’” May said.

Entergy is building three natural gas power plants to supply electricity to the data center, including two that are adjacent to the site in Holly Ridge and one in St. Charles Parish. Meta has agreed to pay for construction and the cost of operating the plants for 15 years.

Environmental groups and advocates for renewable energy have criticized the plan and questioned whether consumers will get hit with higher utility bills if Meta

May said he isn’t worried that will happen, and argued that Meta investments in transmission infrastructure, resilience upgrades and the plants themselves represent a beneﬁt to customers.

“Louisiana customers will continue to get low-cost power from the plants,” even if Meta were to pull out after 15 years, May said, adding that by then, much of the grid’s infrastructure will need upgrades and that “customers will be paying for that as they would.”

In middle Atlantic and Northern states where large data centers have been operating for years, residential customers have seen monthly utility bills go up by 20% to 30% in some cases. May said he believes that is unlikely to happen in Louisiana, where utilities are regulated.

“Those states are deregulated,” he said. “If you’re in a competitive market like that and prices are at an all-time high, it gets passed along to everyone.”

May is concerned, however, about the future of solar projects in the state, including those in development both by Entergy and its competitors The Trump administration, with approval from Congress, did away with several types of renewable energy tax credits created under President Joe Biden’s Inﬂation Reduction Act.

Though the changes were intended to bolster the traditional fossil fuel industry, energy producing states like Louisiana were also beneﬁting from new investments in wind and solar power Now, many of those projects will never come to fruition, May said. “A lot of that stuff is not going to go because you have to have a certain amount of spend to achieve the IRA credits,” he said. “So, on solar, it will be very challenging.” Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

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Entergy

Gallagher: ALouisiana StoryofGrowth, Community andResilience

Gallagher,one of the world’slargestinsurancebrokerage,risk managementand consulting ﬁrms, has asigniﬁcantpresencein Louisiana, with arich history andadeep commitmenttothe local community. With roots in the statedatingback decades, Gallagher has grownintothe largest broker inLouisiana, providing awide array of services to businesses of allsizes acrossvarious sectors

“WhereIthink we areuniquelypositioned is thatwedon’t have that institutional mindset. We haven’talwaysbeen big.We’vealwayshad to be alittle morenimble, creativeand client-centric, said” Numa “Bumpy” Triche,regional president. “The result isthatwehavethe sizeand scale of anybody in the world, with robustdataanalytics and modeling capabilities. But our local operations arevery much integrated within the local market.”

Founded in 1927,Gallagher has expanded globally and reports $11.3 billion in total adjustedbrokerage andrisk managementrevenues in 2024 and amarket capitalization of $76.1billion as of January 30,2025.

Thecompanyhas aworkforce of nearly56,000 employees worldwide morethan 970officesglobally,and servesclients in over130 countries.

In Louisiana, Gallagher’s journeybeganwithanacquisition in Baton Rouge,which led to theestablishmentofofficesinNew Orleans and Monroe,Louisiana. Thecompanyhas strategically acquired local ﬁrms overthe years, integrating their employees and maintaining alocal focus. This growth has resulted in 18 officesstatewide and asigniﬁcant regional market share. Thecompanyhas grownits businessbyworking withpeople and organizations who sharecommon values and vision. “Gallagher has one of thelargest operations within ourSoutheastregion in terms of our footprint acrossthe stateand the various markets, Triche said. “Atthe same time, we arealwaysclient-focused, withthe people in the statebeing the ones who work with the local teams and businesses. People work with us because we provide awhite-glove service experiencewitheasyaccessibilitytoour team and our broader tools and resources. We have invested heavily in areas relatedtodata analysis and forensicaccounting in order to provide the technical and detailed support to our teams.Whatwedoisoffer ourclients access to global expertise tailored to their needs.”

As proud as Gallagher is of its growth,theyare prouder to have been able to maintainits unique culture. This cultureissummed up in 25 tenets called TheGallagher Way, aset of shared values thatemphasize ethics, integrityand aclient-centricapproach. These values were articulatedbyRobert E. Gallagher backin1984and have sinceguided the company’soperations and relationships. Keyprinciples include providing excellentrisk managementservices,supporting and respecting colleagues, pursuing professional excellenceand fostering open communication. Thecompanyculturevalues empathy, trust, leadership and teamwork, with astrong emphasis on treating everyone with courtesyand respect

Gallagher’s commitmenttoLouisiana goes beyond business. The companyhas alocalpresence, with employees deeply embedded in the community.

“Our employees see theirclients at church on Sundays,play golf with them on Saturdays,and go to lunch with them on Wednesdays,” said William Jackson, ExecutiveVicePresidentof Gallagher’s SoutheastRegion and leader of the NewOrleans operation and the region’s specialtyproducts.Our local connection is akey differentiatorfor Gallagher,combining the resourcesand capabilities of alarge global ﬁrmwith the personalized serviceofa communitybroker.

“Weteam up withlocalpartnerstomakeevery communitywejoin a morevibrantone.Fromfundraisersfor localcharities to crawﬁshboils and hurricane relief,our officesgivebacktothe peopleand places in whichwelive. As we grow larger,wemaintain close ties to the communities we serve.

Gallagher serves adiverse range of industries in Louisiana,including manufacturing, agribusiness, public sector,higher education, aerospace, energy,entertainmentand lifesciences. Thecompanypositions itself as athought leader when it comes to riskmanagementguidance on topics suchascyber risks, healthcare,marine construction AI, social inﬂation and other inﬂuences thatimpactinsurance claim costs, leading to higher premiums and impacting the insuranceindustry’srisklandscape.The team prides itself on providing expertiseand insights on keyindustries and currenteventsimpacting this region.

WILLIAM JACKSON ExecutiveVicePresidentSoutheast Region, Gallagher

Gallagher is poised forcontinued success in Louisiana,driven by its strong values, localfocus and expertise in keyindustries. Thecompany’s emphasis on client-centric service, combined with its global resources, positions it as atrustedpartner forbusinesses andindividuals seeking insurance, risk managementand consulting solutions.AsGallagher continues to grow and adapttothe evolving needsofthe market its commitmenttothe local communities remains acornerstone of its identity

BATONROUGE

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2025

9:00am– 12:00pm &6:00pm –8:00pm

Raising Cane’s RiverCenter

NEWORLEANS

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER10, 2025

9:00am –12:00pm &5:30pm –7:30pm PontchartrainConvention and Civic Center

Registeronlineat

LOOK INSIDE FORTHE MAP ANDDIRECTORYOF ALLSCHOOLS

TIPS FORATTENDING ANACAC COLLEGE FAIR

BEFORETHEFAIR

1. Register online for the fair at www.nacacattend.org to receive abarcode for easy onsite access to collegerepresentatives.

2. Be sure to complete MatchmakingTM during registration. Ask yourselfthe following questions to help determinewhatkindofschool would be best for you.Doyou wanttoattend...

•a large, medium, or smallschool?

•anurban, suburban, or rural school?

•a two-year, four-year, single-sex, or religiously-affiliated school?

3. Research colleges attending the fairtodetermine if they meet yoursearchcriteria. Finda list of participating colleges

•Baton Rouge: www.nacacattend.org/25batonrouge

•New Orleans: www.nacacattend.org/25neworleans

4. Makea list of questions to askcollegerepresentatives.

•What degree programsdoyou offer?

•What ﬁnancial aid optionsare available to me?

•What studentorganizationsdoyou have on campus?

ATTHE FAIR

1. Pick up an eventguide andbag for all of the materials youcollect.

2. Reference your MatchmakingTM results and visit those that match your search criteria.

3. Ask the collegerepresentativetoscanyour barcode. This will allowthe representative to follow up with youdirectly—and quickly.

4. Take notes. Write down what youﬁnd mostinteresting about each college.

5. Attendaworkshop session or visitthe college advising center to learn moreabout the college search process,ﬁnancial aid, and other topics.

1. Reviewcollegewebsites, catalogs, andviewbookstogather moreinformation to help narrow your choices.

2. Send athank younote/email to the collegerepresentatives youmet. This simple gesturecan show admission officials you’reserious about wantingtoattend their college.

3. Be suretocomplete the studentfairsurveyand tag us no social media

•Hashtag: #collegefair #collegefairs

The NationalAssociationfor CollegeAdmission Counseling(NACAC), founded in 1937,isan organization of morethan27,000professionals from around theworld dedicated to serving students as theymakechoicesabout pursuingpostsecondaryeducation. NACACiscommitted to maintaining best practicesthat foster ethical andsocial responsibility amongthose involved in the transitionprocess,asoutlined in the NACAC Guide to Ethical

Baton RougeNew Orleans

MAKING THE MOST OFYOUR VISIT TO A NATIONALCOLLEGE FAIR

Ready to takethe next step in your education?There’snobetter placeto exploreyour optionsthan at aNACAC National CollegeFair.

Admissionrepresentatives from schools across the country areall gathered in one place. Their goal: To encourageyou to learn moreabout their institutions,and helpyou sort through the qualities you’relooking for in acollege.

Take advantageoftheir expertise and make the most of your time by following these simple steps.

Be prepared

Beforethe bigday,visit nacacattend.org/ fairs and scan through the list of colleges and universities that will be represented. Makea note of the schools that interest youthe most, and plan to visit theirbooths at the fair. Remember: applying to collegeisahighly personal and individual process.Your criteria of what type of collegewill meet your needs best may look drastically differentfromthat of your friends and classmates,and that’s okay.Thereare colleges that will be closeto home, and ones thatare faraway. Onesthat aresmall, private schools,and ones that are large,public schools.Some willhaveyour projected major and otherswon’t. Consider your goals,strengths,areas for growth, and genuinely ask yourself “why do Iwanttogo to college?”Startingthis process without asolid answer to that question is amissed opportunity.

“Planning ahead canhelp youstay focused,” said Cynthia Kaan, aFerrisState University (MI) admission officer. “If youhavecertain schools youknowyou areinterested in, don’t limit yourself, but makelearning about those schools your priority.”

Youcan research colleges throughavariety of mediums,starting with online search engines and collegewebsites. Youcan also learn moreabout aschool through its student newspapersand alumnimagazines,social

media accounts and review-based sites that rank institutions based on their perceived strengths in academics,social life, athletics, diversity,affordability,and more.

Makeyourquestions count

Like so manyother thingsinlife, a successful visit to aNational CollegeFair is marked by quality,not quantity.

In other words: Rather than focusing on collecting abrochurefromevery college booth, makeityour goal to have in-depth conversations with afew of the collegereps on hand.

“I encouragestudents to not just stop by the table and pick up abrochure, but rather engagethe representativewith a fewquestions,” said Valencia Hamman, co-director of collegecounseling at La Jolla Country Day School (CA). “That means youwanttocome into the fair with alist of questions so you’reready forthat opportunity.”

Ahead of the fair,consider the type of environmentyou learn best in. Do youlike smaller classroomsorlargerlecturesettings? Areyou interested in internships and handson experiential learning opportunities? Consider asking collegerepresentatives for more information on these topicsand othersthat maybeimportanttoyou, such as on-campus housing, diversity of thestudent body,and support services on campus.

Keep an open mind

Yes, it’simportanttoplan ahead and select afew colleges youknowyou want to visit, but each fair drawsrepresentatives from 175to 400 campuses throughout the US and from around the globe. Youowe it to yourselfto follow-up with colleges that catch your eye.

“Do your research, but also have an open mind,”Hamman said. “Sometimes students taketime to talk with arepresentativefrom aschoolthat theyreally hadn’tconsidered beforeand it becomes apart of their list.”

Chatting with representatives from a

variety of colleges canalso help youcement your ownpreferences,Kaan noted.

“It’sjust as important to ﬁgureout whatyou don’t want as it is to ﬁgureout whatisreally attractivetoyou,”she said.

It also helpstobepresentable yourself. Dress appropriately andbesuretoturn off your cell phone to avoid interruptions while chatting with representatives.

Learn aboutthe process

What’s the dealwith college entrance tests? What do admission officers look for in acollegeessay?How canI ﬁndout if I’m eligible for ﬁnancialaid?

No matter where youend up enrolling, you’ll likely encounter at least one of these questions duringthe collegeapplication process.

Useyour visit to aNational CollegeFairto getahead start. Check out the fair’s education sessions,covering topicsranging from college costs to studentathlete eligibility andcollege selectivity.

Each fair also includes acounseling center,oftentimes an invaluable resource for students with specializedinterests

Youmay also want to speak with representatives about scheduling toursof the campuses you’reinterested in andany other in-person opportunitiesavailable to youtolearn moreabout the schools and how to apply.Someinstitutions offer prospective students information sessions and the chance to attend aclass or shadowa currentstudent.

Followup

Ask collegereps for their contact information and be suretofollowup.

“Not always,but often, the representative that is attending the collegefair is the representativethatwill end up reading your application,”Hammansaid. “Keep in touch with them; reachout with thoughtful, intelligentquestions.Thatdemonstrates interest.”

Baton Rouge's Premier Catholic University Catholic Higher EducationatIts Finest

FranU’ssimulated hospitaloffershandson,interprofessional training for future healthcare providers

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This article is brought to youbyFranU.

AtFranciscan MissionariesofOur Lady University,the Simulated EnvironmentTeaching Hospital (SETH) is acornerstone of healthcare education, offering students immersiveand interprofessional training experiences to preparethemfor real-life situations.

Located within St. Francis Hall on the FranU campus in Baton Rouge, SETH boasts arangeofsimulation suites,each mirroringcritical areasofhealthcare delivery,including intensivecare, birthing suites,pediatric and neonatal units, emergency rooms and mental health and home health scenarios.These highly

detailed environments areequipped with lifelikemannequins,high-ﬁdelity monitors,electronichealthrecord workstations and realistic equipment.

SETH alsoincludesexamand medical lab spaces,anurses’ station, X-rayrooms and setups that mimic trauma care and telemedicine.Otherenvironmentsinclude operating rooms,aphysical therapygym and medicalsurgicalrooms.

“This teaches students howtoactively intervene in real time. We arethen able to observe howstudents manageasituation,” said Dr.Tabitha Jones-Thomas,Associate Dean, Simulated Clinical Education. “The equipmentisvery sophisticated.

We program the computerstodowhat we need themtodo, so thesimulationcan take manydifferentroutes.”

SETH also encourages interprofessionaleducation by bringing together FranU students from various disciplines, includingnursing, respiratory therapy, medical laboratory science, physical therapy, nutritionsciencesand more. By collaborating within simulated, dynamic scenarios,students sharpen their technicalabilities as well as theirskills in critical thinking, teamwork, diagnostic reasoning and decision-making.

“Wedon’t want to stopa situation, because we need students to recognize

what happens as aresult of acorrect intervention, as well as what happens when theydon’t recognize the problem or don’t prioritize,”Dr. Jones-Thomas explained. “Afterwards, we have areally rich discussion and walk through all of the steps to see what happened.”

SETH’ssimulation labs areintegrated across FranU’shealth sciences programs, which include associate, bachelor’s and master’s degrees,plus doctoral-level training. This means that no matter wherea FranU studentisintheir journey to ahealthcarecareer,SETHgives them valuable lessons for the future.

Visit franu.edu for more information.

FEATURES:

● Access College Matchmaking®

● View Fair Schedule

● Location,Bus,and ParkingInformation

● Fair Mapand College Search Functionality

● DigitalNotebookfor CollegeBooth Visits

● In-App AttendeeBarcode

● Fair Announcements viaPushNotiﬁcations

● Post Fair VisitSummary Email

Delgado expands accesswith affordable educationand growing career-focused programs

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This article is brought to youby Delgado CommunityCollege.

AsLouisiana’slargest community college, Delgado continues to grow by providing affordable, ﬂexible and transferable educational opportunities.With enrollmentnow at approximately 12,600 students,Delgado offersmorethan 100programs andcertiﬁcates designed to preparegraduates to immediately enter the workforce or seamlessly transfer to afour-year university

Dr.TamikaTyson Duplessis,Associate Vice Chancellor forStudent Affairs, said manystudents aredrawn to Delgado for its value,versatility andhigh-quality education.

“Cost is always akey driving factor when students decide wheretogotocollege. The fact that Delgado is absolutely affordable and our courses transferacross thenation and beyond because of agreementswehavewith manyinstitutions meansthat students know the value of the education theyget hereisby farthe best,”she said.

One of Delgado’sfastest-growingareas is its general studies program. Emily Cosper, Dean of the School of Liberal Arts,Social Sciences and Education, said general studies serves as agatewaytoa wide range of careersand academicpathways.This year, 41 percentofDelgadostudentsare pursuing ageneral studies degree.

“A general studies degree is workforce development. Whatissopowerful is that this is averybroad-basededucation that covers multiple disciplines,” Cosper said.

“Thestudents arelearning skills in critical thinking and analysis.Theyget really good at discussing and understanding concepts.”

Delgado’sgeneral studies degrees are

discipline-specific, with concentrations ranging from humanities and ﬁne arts to psychology,allied health andmusic. These 60-credit-hour programs combine general education courses withclasses in astudent’s concentration.

All Delgado programs offer courses in multiple formats,including in-person and online, with eight-week and 12-week sessions allowing students to start almost anytime in the year.Dr. Duplessis encouraged prospectivestudents to begin with an online application at dcc.edu, then meet with an advisor to discuss course options and financial aid. She also urged them to visit campus to getasense of the atmosphereofgrowth and encouragement that will surround them.

“Weare seeing moreyoungerstudents straightout of highschool who arechoosing Delgadoﬁrst,”shesaid.“Thatispromptingus to put moreefforts into studentengagement anda true college experience.Wecan make it fun and exciting and still keep the academic rigor.”

Visit dcc.edu for moreinformation.

Southern marks major growth with facility upgrades, new programs and researchhonors

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This story is brought to youbySouthernUniversity.

AsSouthern

Facility Enhancements

Southern wasbustling with activity this summer as work wasunder way on major upgrades.These include an outdoor classroomand amphitheater, renovations at T.H. Harris Hall andthe J.S. Clark Administration Building, a revamped public safety building and turf renovations at A.M. MumfordStadium Construction began in late 2024 on the Global Innovation and Welcome Center, astate-of-the-art facility that will host events for up to 750people. The new complexwill also house Southern’s Traffic and Parking Department, as well as the Office of Research and Strategic Planning. Work has also begun on the new$68 million STEM Complex, which will replace William Henry James Hall and is expected to be completed by spring 2027 The three-story building willfeature21 studentlab spaces,16classroom spaces,a studentcommonareaand support spaces for administrators, professors and staff

Newdigital media program

In fall 2025, Southern launched anew Bachelor of Artsprogram in digital media arts.The interdisciplinaryprogram brings together theCollegeofHumanitiesand InterdisciplinaryStudies,theDepartment of Visual and Performing Arts andthe DepartmentofMass Communication to provide students with theskills needed to thriveintoday’s dynamic digital media industry

Approvedbythe Louisiana Boardof Regents, the program includes areas of concentration in digital screen arts production,digital performancefusion, visual arts and motion graphics,digital sports production and recording arts

This year,Southern is the Best of Baton RougeSilver Winner for Best Collegeor University. With more than30academic programs and representation from more than 20 countries,Southern is amelting potfor culture, education and service. It is building on that foundation withkey projects:

KeyResearchDesignation

Southern received a2025Research 2 designationfromtheAmericanCouncilon Education andthe Carnegie Foundation for the AdvancementofTeaching.

The Research 2: High Spending and Doctorate Production designation was granted to 139 institutions.Southern, oneof13HistoricallyBlack Colleges andUniversities withthe designation, utilized $12.9 million forresearch and developmentand awarded 42 research doctorates.

Southern ﬁrst received the Carnegie R2 designation for“high-research activity” in January 2022. This reﬂected an increased number of publications in refereed journals; more significant opportunities for itsgraduate and undergraduate studentstoparticipate in scholarlyactivities and research with their professors;and building nationally reputableand competitiveacademic departments, colleges,schools and centers.

PreservingHistory withGettyImages

This spring, ateam from Getty Images spenttimeoncampuswith Southern’s archives staff to help digitize andrestore fragile photographs.The project, part of Getty’sHBCUPhoto ArchiveGrant Program, aims to preserveand amplify the university’s rich history.

CassandraIllidge, vice presidentof global partnerships at GettyImagesand executivedirector of the HBCU program, said the initiativeaids HBCUslike Southern with the tools,resources and technology to preservetheir past.

“HBCUs have that opportunity to share thejoy that theybring on campus to aglobalaudience,”Illidgesaid. “This globalreach showsthatBlack people and HBCUsaccepted everyone whowanted to getaneducation at atimewhen theywere denied, and thesepictures show those narratives.”

FINISH STRONGER

Southern University and A&M College, aCarnegie R2 institution,offersavast portfolio of in-demand,affordable programs leading to bachelor’s,master’s and doctoral degrees.

Wraparound services and vibrant studentlifeactivitiesprovide aholistic educational experience foradiverse campuscommunity.

Begin whereyou are. FinishStronger atSouthern. Formoreabout Southern, scanbelow to watchour episodeof“The College Tour,” streaming on Amazon Prime Video.

HOWTOBEST PREPAREFOR COLLEGE WHILE IN HIGHSCHOOL

Your futureafter high school holds tremendous promise –you’ll makenew friends,follow your interests and, hopefully, ﬁnd asatisfying career.

However, more than athird of students who enter collegefail to graduate with abachelor’s degree within six years, according to the National Center for Education Statistics.

“Thereare tworeasons whykids ﬂunk out,” said AmyThompson, acounselor at York Community HighSchool (IL). “Theyare either academicallyunprepared or theyare emotionallyunprepared.”

Increase your chances for success by making themost out of your highschoolyears.

BUCKLEDOWNINTHE CLASSROOM

Taking rigorous classesinhigh school helpsyou getintocollege, andthe knowledgeand skills youacquirealso help prepareyou to be successful in pursuit of your degree. Seek outhonors, Advanced Placement (AP) or International Baccalaureate (IB) courses in subjects that interest you. Lookfor courses that requirelots of writing andcriticalthinking—skills you’lluse in almostevery collegeclass. Don’t panic if thematerial seems difficultatﬁrst. Developing good study habitsand time-managementskills in highschool canhelpyou persevereincollege.

Some rigorous coursesactuallyallowyou to jumpstart your postsecondary education.Students who dowell on AP tests,for example, canearncollegecredit. Some high schools also partner with local colleges to offer dual-credit courses, which canhelp acquaintyou with howcollegecoursesare structured and scheduled. Somemeet every day,while othersmeet acoupletimesa week.Somemeet in the evenings or online. In general, collegecoursesare longer and more intensive, and the volume of work is likely greaterthan whatyou’re accustomed to in high school.

Higher education entails what the titleimplies –higher standards, moredifficult subject matter,and greater expectations of youasa student.

extracurricular activities open to high school students.

“The onepiece of advice I givestudentsisdon’t just join something to pad your resume,” Thompson said.“Picksomething you’regenuinely interested in.”

By senior year,“be in a position thatshows not only your devotiontothe group,but also some levelofinitiativeor leadership,” she said. “Admission officers cansee through the applicant who joins amilliondifferentclubs in their junior or senior year.”

Universities arelooking for studentswho will make the most of the opportunities available to them. Ahigh school recordwith extracurricular activities helps showadmission officers thatyou’llbe avaluablepartoftheir campuscommunity.

Extracurricular activities,especially those with leadership positions,can help youdevelop moneyskills,aswell. It’s wise to learn howtohandle adebit or credit card,and to practice budgeting. As a collegestudent, you’ll need to set moneyaside for regularcostslike books, supplies,and living expenses.

FINISH STRONG

Your senior year of high school will be hectic.

It canbetempting to sluff off in the classroom, but stay focused.

“You need to maintain your academic performance anddoatleast as well—if not better—because youdon’t want to have your admission offer rescinded,”Thompsonsaid.

When planning your schedule, makesurethatyou’reon-trackto meet collegeentrance requirements,including at least twoyearsofa foreign languageand four yearsofmath, science,and English courses.

“Colleges want to see that youknowhow to work hard,and thatyou have taken advantageofthe courses andactivities your high school has to offer,” Thompsonsaid. “A strong ﬁnish in your senior year helps makeyou amoreattractivecandidate.”

It’sanexciting time in your life. By taking chargeofthe changes that lie ahead, youcan eliminate or minimizepressures andgoforward with conﬁdence.

BALANCINGACT:

TIPSFORADULTS RETURNINGTO

COLLEGE

Considering going backtocollege?

You’reingood company. Nontraditionalstudents nowmake up themajority of US undergraduates,and one-in-four college studentsare age30orolder

But although colleges are servinga greaternumber of adults,

1 2 3 4

finding the right program—a placewhereyou canbalance your educationwith employmentand family responsibilities—iskey to your success.

Hereare four questions every nontraditional studentshould ask when researching schools.

What is your college’s track record with nontraditional students?

Ask some tough questions:What’sthe graduation rate of nontraditional studentsatyourinstitution?Are adult studentseligible for meritaid?How much debt do students typically accrue?What’sthe averagetime to graduation?

Learning the answerscan help youdecide whichcollegeisrightfor you. It canalsohelpyou estimate how much time— and money—you’ll need to complete adegree.

What sort of ﬂexible learning optionsdoyou oﬀer?

Responsibilities at home andatwork canchangeoveryour courseoftime that you’re enrolled in college. Choosing aschool that providesavariety of course options—from in-person, to online, to hybrid—increases your odds of staying on track.

“A lot of adults have full-timework schedules or child care responsibilities,” said AmberHarnack, student successcenter director of IvyTech Community College(IN). “Theyoften need more ﬂexibilitywhenitcomes to scheduling classes.”

Also askabout student support services,such as tutoring, recommends Michelle Christopherson,directorof theCenter for Adult Learning on the University of Minnesota—Crookston campus.

“You want to make sure that youare goingtobesupported, and youwanttomakesurethatthose services aren’tgoingtoend up costing youextra,” shesaid.

What will it take to geta degree?

The majority of nontraditionalstudents have already accumulated some collegecredits by the time theyreenter highereducation.

Beforeyou enroll in anyprogram, learn whether your credits will transfer and howmanycourses you’ll need to complete adegree.

“You want to make sure that fromthe beginningyou have aclear understanding on howmuch it willcost and whatyour degree pathway will look like,” Christopherson said.

Howwill your institution help me meet my career goals?

Begin your collegesearch with theend in mind.

What’sspurring your decision to return to school? Areyou looking for advancement options in your current ﬁeld, or do youwantacareer change?

Ask collegeofficialsabout the types of jobs landed by recent program graduates.Inquire about the services offered at the campus’ career center

“Make sure that your goals match up with what thecollegeisable to provide,”Harnacksaid.“Youwanttobe certain that the degreeprogram youultimately choose is agood ﬁt.”

COLLEGE FAIR BATONROUGE

INTERNATIONAL

Bishop’sUniversity (Sherbrooke, QC CA).............. 205

McGillUniversity (Montreal, QC CA)..................... 322 Temple University -Japan Campus (Tokyo,JP) .109

ALABAMA

Marion Military Institute 229

The University of Alabama 300

The University of Alabama in Huntsville................................................................... 225

University of AlabamaatBirmingham 119 University of South Alabama 324

ARIZONA

University of Advancing Technology 131

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas 310

CALIFORNIA

Loyola Marymount University 202 University of San Francisco........................................ 204

COLORADO

United States Air ForceAcademy 227

CONNECTICUT

University of Connecticut. 325

FLORIDA

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University ...................218

Florida Institute of Technology 127

Florida PolytechnicUniversity ...................................111

Palm Beach AtlanticUniversity................................. 220

The University of Tampa 125

GEORGIA

Mercer University......................................................... 224

Morehouse College. 309

Savannah CollegeofArt and Design..........................107

LOUISIANA

AcademyofInteractiveEntertainment -Lafayette Campus......................................................... 311

Centenary CollegeofLouisiana 105

Delgado CommunityCollege. 322 FranciscanMissionaries of Our Lady University..................................................321

Louisiana Center forCollegeAccess (LCCA) 228

LouisianaState University Eunice............................308

Louisiana Tech University...........................................210

Loyola University NewOrleans 301

McNeese State University 221 Nicholls StateUniversity .............................................201

Northwestern State University ..................................303

Southeastern Louisiana University 101&103

Tulane University 230

University of Louisiana at Lafayette .............318 &320

University of Louisiana at Monroe............................ 211

MARYLAND

United States NavalAcademy.....................................219 University of Maryland Eastern Shore. 203

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology...................328

MISSISSIPPI

Belhaven University ..................................................... 208 Millsaps College..............................................................207

Mississippi State University 231 The University of Southern Mississippi ................. 304 University of Mississippi .............................................330 William Carey University 3077

NEW JERSEY

Stevens Institute of Technology.................................319

NEWYORK

AMDA College&Conservatory of the Performing Arts. 209 United States Military Academy. 305

NORTHCAROLINA

High PointUniversity....................................................505

Langston University

OREGON

University of Oregon.....................................................

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pittsburgh .............................................. 222

TENNESEE

Vanderbilt University....................................................216

TEXAS

Houston Christian University

TexasA&M University-CollegeStation.................. 200

TexasState University ................................................. 306

University of Houston 123

VIRGINIA

Virginia Tech

INTERNATIONAL

Bishop’sUniversity (Sherbrooke,QC, CA)..............605

Cardiff Metropolitan University ................................508

McGill University (Montreal, QC,CA) 208

Temple University -Japan Campus(Tokyo, JP) 300

ALABAMA

Marion MilitaryInstitute.............................................509

The University of Alabama 610

The University of Alabama in Huntsville 507

University of AlabamaatBirmingham .....................400

University of South Alabama.......................................308

ARIZONA

University of AdvancingTechnology 103 Universal Technical Institute ......................................611

ARKANSAS

University of Arkansas 608

CALIFORNIA

Loyola MarymountUniversity ...................................305

University of San Francisco.........................................204

COLORADO

United States Air ForceAcademy 607

CONNECTICUT

University of Connecticut 613

FLORIDA

Embry-Riddle AeronauticalUniversity ...................403

Florida Institute of Technology..................................603

Florida Polytechnic University 301

Palm Beach Atlantic University 402

The University of Tampa..............................................600

GEORGIA

Georgia StateUniversity 510 Life University 115

Mercer University..........................................................302

Morehouse College......................................................... 310

Oglethorpe University 511

Savannah CollegeofArt and Design.......................... 201

LOUISIANA

Centenary CollegeofLouisiana...................................101

FranciscanMissionaries of Our Lady University.. 104

Louisiana Center forCollegeAccess (LCCA)..........502

Loyola University NewOrleans 108

Loyola University NewOrleans

CollegeofMusic &Media..............................................112

Loyola University NewOrleans

School of Nursing. 110

LSU HealthSciences Center.......................................407

Nicholls StateUniversity .............................................304

Northwestern State University 411

Southeastern Louisiana University............... 100&102

University of Louisiana at Lafayette ............. 209 &211

University of Louisiana at Monroe 205

MARYLAND

United States NavalAcademy.....................................406

MASSCHUSETTS

Massachusetts Institute of Technology...................409

MISSISSIPPI

Belhaven University ...................................................... 107 Millsaps College..............................................................207

Mississippi State University 202

The University of Southern Mississippi 106 University of Mississippi .............................................405 William Carey University..............................................311

MISSOURI

SaintLouis University ...................................................111

NEW JERSEY

Stevens Institute of Technology................................. 210

NEWYORK

AMDACollege&Conservatory of the Performing Arts................................................... 307

SarahLawrence College................................................306

United States MerchantMarine Academy. 502

NORTHCAROLINA

High PointUniversity 203

OHIO

Ohio WesleyanUniversity............................................206

OREGON

Reed College.....................................................................408

University of Oregon 309

PENNSYLVANIA

University of Pittsburgh 303

RHODEISLAND

Providence College.........................................................609

TENNESSEE

University of Tennessee-Knoxville ...........................602

TEXAS

Houston Christian University.....................................606

TexasA&M University-CollegeStation 105 TexasState University 404 University of Houston................................................... 501

VIRGINIA

Sweet Briar College........................................................604

Virginia Tech ...................................................................500

Kerri Caruso, Chair, MountCarmel Academy

KristinGuidry, Tulane University

Jessica Reeg, Archbishop Chapelle High School

Andrea Rye, St.Mary’s DominicanHighSchool

Michelle Keelen, St.Augustine High School

NEWORLEANS NATIONAL COLLEGE FAIR COMMITTEE

THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF STANDARDIZEDTESTING

Requirements and philosophies around standardized testing –most commonly theSAT and ACT–have dramatically shiftedinthe last twodecades,accelerated by the COVID-19pandemic. Now, most higher educationinstitutionshave test-optional policies or have wholly eliminated standardized-test scores from considerationin the admission reviewprocess.

Colleges and universities maynow implement these policies:

•Test-optional: Under thispolicy, applicants decide if theywantto submit astandardized test scoreaspartoftheirapplication ﬁle. Optional truly means optional, andthe absenceofastandardized test scorewill not negatively impactanapplicant.Instead, the applicant will be reviewedentirely on theirhighschooltranscript andrigor of theircurriculum. Studentsshould checkindividual admission criteria, as policies may differ under certain circumstances: applying forscholarships,students who have been home-schooled, students seeking admission into accelerated BS/MD or BS/DDS programs, international applicants, andothers.

What once wasa mainstay of collegeadmission is now takingnew form.

ly in the admission process; one is not preferredoveranother.Inthese cases,test scores remain just one of numerous factorsconsidered in the admission decision.

Students whointend on takingthe SATorACT have options available to them. This includes superscore, or thepractice of combining astudent’s highest-scoringsections from multiple test dates to create one superscore. Students mayalsochoose which overall scoretosubmit, instead of theirentiretesting record, if they takethe SATorACT more than once.Tohelp coverthe costsof taking thesetests,students should consult their high school counseling offices to ﬁndiftheyare eligible for testing-fee waivers.

Additionally,students who do takethe SATorACT and ultimately apply to atest-optional institutiondonot have to submit theirscore. The general guidance is to submit scores thatfall toward theupper end or exceed acollege’spublished middle 50% range, and to refrain from submitting scores that fall on the lowend or belowthe institution’saverage range.

•Test-ﬂexible: Some institutionsthateitherrequire testing or are test-optional will allowapplicantstosubmittestscoresother than theSAT or ACTfor consideration. Examples ofthis include Advanced Placement(AP) Exam scores,International Baccalaureate (IB) Higher LevelExamresults,A-Levelresults,and more.

•Test-free: Institutions with thispolicydonot acceptorfactor standardized test results into their admissionprocess at all, believing thereisampleinformation to make an admission decisioninthe remainder of the application.

•Testing required: Underthis policy, applicantsare required to submit results from theSAT or ACT. Both tests areweighed equal-

Typically,students do not takethe SATorACT until thespringof their junior year,with most testing done in senior year.Prior,students mayhaveexposuretocollegeadmission testing through the Preliminary SAT(PSAT)orPreliminary ACT(PreACT)intheir sophomoreyear as apractice round. Forthose wherethatisnot an option, practice tests areavailable online and as hard-copybooks for purchase. Students mayalso wish to consult tutors, but should ensuretheir reputability beforemakingthatsometimes-costly investment.

Ultimately,students should remember that in this newstandardized-testing climate, their highschoolrecordand rigor of coursework is moreimportant than standardized testscores.

MOBILE REGISTRATION

REGISTERTODAYATWWW.NACACATTEND.ORG

THEBENEFITSOFONLINE STUDENTREGISTRATION

•STUDENTSREGISTER FORTHE FAIR ONE TIME.

•ITELIMINATES THE NEED FORCOLLEGE CONTACTCARDS.

•STUDENTSARE EASILYABLE TO ELABORATE ON SPECIAL INTERESTS, EXTRACURRICULARACTIVITIES, ANDACCOMPLISHMENTS.

INVESTING IN LOCALEDUCATION.

Koch Methanol St.Jamessupportseducational programs that give studentsand futureworkersthe skillsnecessary to succeedin today’sdynamic workplace.

From providing grantsand scholarships to supporting STEM programs and trade internshipsthat help studentsdevelop critical skillsin math and science, our commitment to local education runs deep. Learn

Southeastern LouisianaUniversity

Continues to Put StudentsFirst

Southeastern is committed to helping youearn your degree, your best career—your best future. Through ourhigh-value, in-demandacademic programs,you will learn from some of thebestprofessors in their ﬁelds whoput youﬁrst.Southeastern is readytohelpyou succeed.

As theuniversity celebrates its 100th year,there has neverbeen a better time to experience all thatSoutheastern hastooffer.Inaddition to ourCentennial celebration, ourcentury-longcommitmenttohelping students reachtheir dream destination remains aconstant in all that we do.

Our accomplished faculty will connect youwith internships, study abroadprograms,researchprojects and community outreach to make youmorecompetitive. And after graduation, youcan beconﬁdent knowing youhavea degree with staying power.

Theproofisinthe results.Our students and alumni are leaders in improving Louisiana’shealth and education, protecting our environment and workers, bringingartsand culture to ourarea, and strengthening business andtechnology. In addition to being top-ranked forsocial mobility,academic programs, return on investment,and much more, Southeastern hasalso been ranked as atop university by U.S.News & WorldReport.

Discover your best futureatSoutheastern, aplacewhere youcome ﬁrst,and be partofacentury-long legacy of success.

DEGREE-TO-CAREER FOCUS

Keep your edge in achanging world with adegree from Southeastern.

PERSONALIZED OPPORTUNITIES

Make your college experience more exciting, meaningful and valuable withopportunitiesbased on you.

TOPFACULTY PUTYOU FIRST

Our accomplishedprofessors put youﬁrst—in the classroom and into your future career

GETINVOLVED

Liveand lead on campus—and beyond—with student organizations for everyinterest,events all year long,Div.Iathletics, nationally ranked campus food,and new residence halls.

WITHIN REACH

Our high-value degree programs, distinctivescholarships and textbook rental program makeSoutheastern the smartﬁnancial choice.

Political sciencemajorCaroline Watson once hesitatedtomajor inpoliticalscience, settlingon communication sciences and disordersasher major at first.But nowshe’s at theepicenterof politics, advocating forLouisianans asanintern forU.S. Senator BillCassidy.

From impersonating George Washingtoninamock

Constitutional Convention to chairingthe SGA appropriationscommittee,Caroline’s Southeastern experiences fuel her desiretopursuelaw school and become acriminalprosecutor.

Caroline’s action plan

Join apre-law student association. Represent 500 political science students as an SGA senator Intern for aU.S.senator

Mentor underclassmen as an Honors ambassador Volunteer at the St.Vincent de Paul soup kitchen. Assist with hurricane relief efforts in Louisiana and Texas. Take theLSAT.

LOUISIANA

Changingprotocol

Movement canspeed up concussion recovery,Louisiana doctor says

BY MARGARETDELANEY Staffwriter

Concussion protocol for youth sports is changing in amajor way.Traditionally,guidance has been to rest and limit activity.Research now shows controlled aerobicworkoutsrestore blood to the brain alot faster,reducing symptoms and improving recovery in certain cases.

Dr.Olabode Agaja, aprimary care sports medicine specialist with the Ochsner Andrews Sports MedicineInstitute,presented this change andthe Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test in New Orleans in August.

Sports-relatedconcussions account for approximately 15% of all youth sports-related emergency department visits, with an estimated 1.9 million sports-relatedconcussionsinchildren under 18 in the U.S. each year As sports rampupacross Louisiana, Agajaurgeseveryone to studyupon updated research to improve care for

young athletes suffering concussions. Concussions arethe most challenging injuries to process and understand, according to Agaja. In the brain, there is aforce that causes an acceleration and deceleration process —a rattling of thebrain that leadstoachange in the organ’s chemical makeup. “Typically,the brain does a good job of being able to recover from strong forces,”Agaja said. “But we have to give it the ability to do so.”

If thesymptoms are worse, the brain is saying it’soverstimulated Commonphysicalsymptoms of concussionsinclude headaches, dizziness,slowing down, trouble remembering, balanceissues andnausea. Mentally,strong forcestothe head couldalso effect thebrain’semotional side, where increased levels of anxiety or depression can also occur

ä See CONCUSSION, page 3X

Nonalcoholic beer,mocktails help people stay sober, drinkless

Butthey’re not foreveryone

BY LAURAUNGAR AP sciencewriter

Several years into her sobriety,Logan Denzer decided totry nonalcoholic beer andmocktails while others around her drank real booze.

“A lot of people feel out of place”

wheneveryone else is imbibing, saidthe 27-year-old from LosAngeles, whoconsiders thesebeverages “an excellentsolution.”

Millions of Americans agree including othersrecovering from addiction, people tryingtocut down on their drinking and the risingnumber of young adultsforgoingalcohol altogether

They’vefueledabooming industry. Recentresearch shows that drinking less, or nothing at all, is a

ochsner.org/urgent-care-lafayette

much healthier way togo. Alcohol has been linked to cancers, injuries and ahost of other problems.

Still, healthexpertssay nonalcoholic beveragesaren’tfor everyone, especially if they might triggercravings for alcohol. These so-called NA drinksare meant to mimic alcohol in manyways, such as appearance, smell and taste.

“It’simportanttorecognize that these are probably not one-sizeﬁts-all products,” said researcher

Molly Bowdring of Stanford University.“Youmight see peers or friends or family members use themand have no problem with them, butitreally comes back to your own individual experience.”

Retail salesofnonalcoholic wine, beer andspirits surged to $823 million last year.That’saccording to marketresearch ﬁrm NielsenIQ, which says morethan nine in 10 NA customers also buy alcohol.

“They’re wanting to not necessarily drink during the week, or they’re wanting to switch out at aparticular occasion,” said Marcos Salazar of the Adult NonAlcoholic Beverage Association. “So they may have an alcoholic beverage andthenanadult nonalcoholic beverage. That’scalled zebra striping anditkind of extends the night.”

Retiree Ann Kopp Mitchell, who

GETTy IMAGESPHOTO By JACOB WACKERHAUSEN

Agaja

GETTy IMAGESPHOTO

Research shows controlled aerobic workouts restore blood to the brainalot faster after aconcussion,reducing symptomsand improving recovery in certain cases.

HEALTH MAKER

Screwworms not likely to spread to La., expert says

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

In early August, a Maryland resident who had traveled to El Salvador was diagnosed with New World screwworm — a flesheating parasite being the first human case of a flesh-eating parasite in U.S. Although the case was an isolated incident, the infection had many wondering if the flesh-eating maggot could spread to more people.

gots. These particular maggots will eat live ﬂesh, normal tissue, and burrow in.

Christine Navarre is the extension veterinarian for the LSU AgCenter, a professor in the School of Animal Sciences and jointly-appointed with the School of Veterinary Medicine. Generally, Navarre works to get information out to cattle producers and veterinarians. Additionally, she works in collaborative research with veterinarians across the world.

Navarre started her career as a veterinarian graduating from LSU in 1990 before moving on to both private and mixed practice settings at Texas A&M and Auburn universities. What are screwworms?

The screwworm is a type of maggot. It starts out as a fly and those flies lay eggs in wounds or they can get into the nostrils of animals. What makes these screwworms really devastating is the fly that lays the eggs. Those eggs hatch into the larva, which are the mag-

The New World screwworm can actually impact humans a little bit worse than animals. We don’t have this species in the United States. It was eradicated in the 1960s, although we did have an incursion in the Keys in Florida in 2016 but that was quickly eradicated Normal flies that we have here in the U.S. all the time, like blow flies that we see this time of year near our garbage cans, are going to only go after dead tissue. If there’s a wound and there’s dead tissue, then the normal flies are limited to feeding off that dead tissue. And, as the body starts to heal that tissue, those flies go away

The New World screwworm can go into living tissue, and continue to feed off the healthy ﬂesh

That’s what’s so concerning about this and why we want to keep it out of the United States. What animal does the screwworm originate from? How does it get to humans?

The screwworm can infest any warm-blooded animals: people, pets, livestock, wildlife, birds. It can infect all of those. When we had it in the U.S. historically, it was a problem in wildlife. Rarely is it a problem in people, but we know that it can be especially in countries where

there are a lot of those ﬂies. The case that happened here in the U.S. in Maryland was from a person that come from a country where they have the screwworm (El Salvador). Luckily, it was caught early and the USDA has been increasing the monitoring services in that area just to be safe. We really want to stress

DRINK

Continued from page 1X

recently tasted various NA beverages at Monday Morning Bottle Shop in San Diego, does a version of this

“If I want a glass of wine with my dinner I don’t feel guilty I can enjoy that glass of wine. And if I wanna have a spirit because we’re celebrating someone’s birthday, or Champagne, I will do that. But I’ll only have one, and then let it go, and then maybe go to a nonalcoholic,” she said. “It’s a way of continuing with that social pattern of drinking that I enjoy.” While a typical beer has about 5% alcohol by volume, NA drinks are only allowed to have up to 0.5%, about the same as a ripe banana. People sometimes pick them when they don’t want to be intoxicated, like before exercise or driving.

An online survey Bowdring conducted with colleagues found that the vast majority of people who drink both beverages say NA drinks help them reduce their alcohol use. That makes their growing popularity a positive trend overall, said Dr Joseph Lee, CEO of the Hazelden Betty

Ford Foundation, an addiction treatment and advocacy organization

“More and more when I go to restaurants, mocktails are just offered like they’re on the menu and it’s just part of the norm now,” said Lee, an expert in psychiatry and addiction medicine. “Those are really healthy things to see on a broader public health level.”

But there is a catch: Some drinks, like mocktails made with soda and sweet syrups, have high levels of sugar

The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugars to no more than about six teaspoons a day for women and nine teaspoons a day for men. A 12-ounce can of soda on its own contains 10 teaspoons. The picture gets murkier for people with drinking problems.

Those entering treatment for alcohol use disorder say they’ve had mixed success using NA beverages to reduce or stop their drinking, Bowdring said “They do contain a lot of the alcohol-related cues,” she said. “Because they are so similar to alcohol, it could be that they actually trigger craving for full strength alcohol and may lead people to revert to alcohol use.”

When Denzer ﬁrst got so-

ber seven years ago, she and her friends avoided drinking NA beverages.

“We were pretty opposed to it because we were like, ‘Well, this tastes like beer and we’re a year sober, and so we’re going to associate that taste with actual alcohol,’” said Denzer, who was treated at Hazelden Betty Ford “As time went on, we became more open to it.”

But it’s not for everyone, she said, “particularly for people who are either newer in recovery or who are on shaky ground.”

Experts agreed that NA drinks are more appropriate for those further along in recovery.

“Everyone’s journey is going to be a little bit different,” Bowdring said. “I encourage folks to just sort of be aware of how these drinks are impacting them.”

That’s the bottom line, even for those who aren’t dealing with alcoholism.

You should have “an honest appraisal, without judgment, about your own health risk in much the same way that most people can look at their family history and gauge their risk for everything from diabetes to breast cancer,” Lee said. “What it comes down to is: You really need to know yourself.”

that it is not in the cattle industry at this time.

How quickly can screwworms transfer or spread?

It could spread quickly

One female screwworm can lay thousands of eggs. That’s why catching it early and getting the surveillance out there is really, really important.

We want anybody who sees animals and sees mag-

gots to turn those into our state veterinarian’s ofﬁce, or call a veterinarian so that we can get those submitted. Chances are it’s not going to be a screwworm, but the if it does happen to come in, then we want to catch it as early as possible.

It is very unlikely that screwworm would infect a person in Louisiana, unless they’ve traveled. In 2022, there were over half a million Louisiana adults who had been diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lives, according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

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

Free kidney screenings to be offered at church in Marrero

Staff report

The National Kidney Foundation of Louisiana is hosting a free kidney screening for adults on Saturday, Sept. 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. at St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, 455 Ames Blvd., Marrero.

The screening includes:

n Urine and blood tests to get an in-depth measure of kidney function, n Blood pressure reading for hypertension awareness, n Kidney health education.

New oral surgeon comes to Shreveport

Ochsner LSU Health-Shreveport welcomes oral and maxillofacial surgeon Abdulrahman Hesham. Hesham specializes in advanced surgeries of the mouth, face and jaw He is skilled in surgical treatments of serious head and neck cancers, using advanced techniques like rebuilding tissues with microvascular free ﬂaps and virtual surgical planning to get the best cancer treatment and body function results.

Nurse practitioner joins North Oaks Primary Care

Nurse practitioner Lacy C. Mills has joined North Oaks Primary Care in Independence, Louisiana, a clinic of North Oaks Health System. She will treat new patients ages 12 and up starting in September.

Mills comes to North Oaks with more than two decades of health care experience at hospitals and clinics in southeast Louisiana.

Our Lady of Lourdes Health names chief medical officer

Our Lady of Lourdes Health names Dr Kenneth Habetz, a board-certiﬁed pediatric neurologist, as its chief medical ofﬁcer Habetz joined Our Lady of Lourdes Women’s & Children’s Hospital in 2016.

As CMO, Habetz will serve as the executive liaison to physicians and medical staff,

The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and reexamining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

fostering alignment across clinical teams. In this role, he will provide oversight of quality and patient care initiatives, with an emphasis on enhancing patient experience.

Ochsner announces Ferber Endowed chair

Dr Nneka Ifejika, chief scientiﬁc ofﬁcer for Ochsner Health, was named the Ferber Endowed Chair, a prestigious, three-year endowment that will support Ifejika’s research and work advancing novel approaches in stroke recovery Ifejika, who is also a mentor for faculty and residents, was selected for her leadership in clinical innovation, research and physician education.

New dermatology clinic in Shreveport

Ochsner LSU Health announced opening of the new Dermatology and Facial Plastics Clinic at 6841 Fern Avenue, Shreveport, Louisiana. This clinic is equipped with the latest technology from BOTOX to laser hair removal and intense-pulsed-light therapy Tulane tests ‘drop-of-blood’ device for trauma patients

Biomedical engineers at Tulane University look to treat trauma patients with lifethreatening blood clots using a new device. The device, about the size of a “small microwave oven,” would reduce wait times for blood clot diagnosis from hours to less than 20 minutes. At Tulane, researchers are using ﬁngerprick and venipuncture blood samples from healthy volunteers and modifying the samples to mimic the coagulopathy that occurs immediately after trauma and during transfusion therapy

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret.delaney @theadvocate.com.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana. Do you have a health story? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

Navarre

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GREGORy BULL

Bartender Shelby Campos mixes a non-alcoholic beverage — or mocktail — on Aug. 25 at the non-alcoholic Good News Bar in San Diego.

IEatFit Live Fit

BROUGH TT OY OU BY

Footballfoodies: Makeahead tailgate wraps with akick

nLouisiana,goodfoodandpassionatefansmakeforlegendarytailgates.Toeaseintogamedays,wearekeepingthecooksin mindwithmakeaheadchickenshawarmatailgatewraps.ThesetastybitesscorebigwithMiddleEasternheat,tenderchicken andchoppedsaladrolledupincrisplettuce.With36gramsofproteinandonly250caloriesperserving,thesewrapsoffer deliciouspregamingthat’sbothnutritiousandsatisfying.

Makethechicken,choppedsaladandtahiniadayinadvancetomaximizeﬂavor.Assembleongamedayandenjoy!Geaux Tigers—LSUclassof’98!

ChickenShawarmaLettuceCups

AttikiBar&GrillinNewOrleans Makes6servings

FortheChicken

1cupAttikiChickenShawarmaMarinade (recipefollows)

2poundsbonelessskinlessbreasts,cutinto strips

1teaspoonlightoliveoil

½largeredonion,thinlysliced ½teaspoonsumacorlemonpepper seasoning

TossthechickenwithAttikiChicken ShawarmaMarinadeinalargebowl.Cover andrefrigerateforatleast3hours.

Heatoliveoilinagriddleorcast-ironskillet overmediumheat.Searchickenfor3-5 minutesoneachsideuntilthechickenis cookedthrough.Addonionandcookuntil translucent.Sprinklewithsumacandremove fromheat.

FortheWraps 6largeBibblettuceleaves

1½cupsChoppedMediterraneanSalad (recipefollows)

1/3 cupTahini(recipefollows) Toassemble PilethechickenandonionintoBibblettuce leaves.Topeachwith¼cupChopped MediterraneanSaladanddrizzleeachwith 1tablespoonTahini.Gentlywrap.

AttikiChicken ShawarmaMarinade

½cupextravirginoliveoil

½cuplemonjuice

2teaspoonspaprika

2teaspoonsturmeric 1teaspooncurrypowder

1/3 teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper

¼tablespooncayenne

½teaspoonseasalt

2teaspoonsgarlicpowder

1teaspoongroundcumin

Whisktogetherallingredientsuntil combined

Perserving:250calories,9gramsfat,1.5 gramssaturatedfat,150mgsodium,4grams carbohydrate(3gramsnetcarbs),1gram ﬁber,1gramsugar(0addedsugar),36grams protein

ChoppedMediterraneanSalad

Makes1½cups

2Romatomatoes,diced 1smallcucumber,diced ¼mediumredonion,diced ¼cupchoppedfreshparsley

1tablespoonchoppedfreshmint

1tablespoonextravirginoliveoil

2tablespoonslemonjuice

2teaspoonssumac

¼teaspoonfreshlygroundblackpepper

1/8 teaspoonseasalt

Inalargebowl,combineallingredientsand tossuntilevenlymixed.Serveimmediatelyor

chillbeforeserving.

Perserving(1cup):40calories,2.5 gramsfat,0saturatedfat,25mg sodium,4gramscarbohydrate(3grams netcarbs),1gramﬁber,2gramssugar(0 addedsugar),<1gramprotein

Tahini

Makes3cups

¼cuplemonjuice

2clovesgarlic,crushed 1½cupsrawtahini

1teaspoonkoshersalt 1¼cupsicewater,plusmoreasneeded Combinelemonjuiceandgarlicina nonreactivebowl;setasidefor30minutes tosteep.

Meanwhile,whiptahiniinastandorelectric mixeronhighspeedforabout10minutes, untilit’sglossyandlight,likecakebatter.

Molly’shusband,BradSchlotterer,andher dad,FredKimball,atabackyardtailgate.

fudgyconsistency,addicewater—about¼ cupatatimeandincreasethespeedtohigh. Thesaucemaystarttolookalmostcurdled, butkeepaddingtheicewater,whippingwell aftereachaddition.Itwillsmoothout—the textureshouldbelikethatofathickmousse.

Perserving(2tablespoons):80calories, 7gramsfat,1gramsaturatedfat,80mg sodium,3gramscarbohydrate(3grams netcarbs),<1gramﬁber,Osugar,2grams protein

Usingaﬁnemeshstrainer,separatethegarlic fromthelemonjuice.Decreasethemixer’s speedtomediumandaddgarlic-infused lemonjuiceandsalt.Thetahiniwillseizeup atﬁrstbutjustkeepwhippingitatmedium speedanditwillallcometogether.

Whenthetahinihasauniformlytacky,almost

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonproﬁtinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

Overtime

Topleftoversaladonleanproteinasaplayful twistonpicodegallo.

Preparedtahiniwillstaygoodforabout5-7 daysinthefridge.Tip:Letrefrigeratedtahini warmupslightlyonthecounter,andwhip in1to2tablespoonsoficewatertorestore someofitslightness.

Elevatethewrapsforafancieroccasionby servingthemopeninanendive“spoon.”

FormoreideasandEatFitrecipes,usethe promocodeADVOCATEfor10%offTheEat FitCookbookatEatFitCookbook.com.

BY THENUMBERS

MORE THAN HALF AMILLION LOUISIANANSHAVEDIABETES

It’simportant to knowthat concussions are an evolving injury.Accordingtonew protocols, it is still vital to watch forsymptoms and notable changes closely for 24 to 48 hours after injury.

CONCUSSION

Continuedfrom page1X

In2022, there were over half amillion Louisiana adults whohad been diagnosedwith diabetes at some point in theirlives,according to data from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

On average, 13% of Louisiana adults had adiabetes diagnosis —higherthan the U.S. averageat 11.6%

The percentageofadults with diabetes increased with age, reaching 29.2% among those aged 65 years or older, according tothe CDC. People with diabetes areathigh risk of heartdisease, strokeand other serious complications, the CDC says —including kidneyfailure, blindness and lower-limb amputations.

These parishes had the highest percentages of adults with adiabetes diagnosis in 2022, reported in 2025 by CountyHealthRankings and Roadmaps, in descending order:

of whack.” He saysthat movement and regulating blood ﬂow —getting things movingagain —can accelerate healing.

and walks around the neighborhood.

n East Carroll Parish with 20% of adults with diabetes n Madison Parish with 19% of adults with diabetes n Claiborne and Tensas parishes with 18% of adultswithdiabetes n Bienville, Evangeline, Morehouse and Webster parisheswith 16% of adults with diabetes. These parishes had the lowest percentages of adults with adiabetes diagnosis in 2022, reported in 2025 by County Health Rankings and Roadmaps, in ascendingorder: n Ascension, Livingston, St. Charles and

11% of adults with

It’s important to know that concussions arean evolving injury. According to new protocols,and Agaja, it is still vital to watch for symptoms and notable changes closely for 24 to 48 hours after injury

“Weusedtoput patients in aquietspace, because ourprevious treatments were all about minimizing overstimulation,”Agaja said. “But now we know aboutthe heightened emotional side, where isolation can worsen the symptoms.” Everything is now about moderation, according to Agaja. The ﬁrst step of all patient care is education —about concussions and abouttheir uniquesymptoms Turn down the brightness of screens and lightsuntil it becomesbearable.Wear headphones to block out noise. The second symptoms start,adjust theenvironment until the symptoms completely stop. Agaja says that, with concussions, blood ﬂow changes and“things arejust out

The Buffalo Concussion Treadmill Test is agraded exercise test used after a concussion to ﬁnd the heart rate thresholdwhere symptomsworsen, also knownas symptom exacerbation.

The test, created in 2008, is meant to identify exercises forcustomized recoveryand gradually increase physical activity,helping them progress toward a return-to-playorreturn-toactivity protocol.

The treadmill test can be performed in aphysician’s ofﬁce, witha physical therapist, in ahigh school athletics ofﬁce or at home.

During the assessment, doctorsare looking at symptoms of patients on a scale of one to 10 before and after exercise —picture a treadmill going 2.5 miles an hour with an incline and slowly increasing the speed.Onceapatientgets to threepoint higherthan wheretheystarted,the exercises stop.

Patients can even mimic this process at home with fitness tracking watches

“With this test, we can get our athletes moving in asafe manner,get them feeling better,sothey don’t feel like they’re just sitting around in arut waitingfor their minds to get better,” Agaja said. The exercise testcan practically startright away, according to Agaja, but it’s important to know the limits.

Typically,85% to 90% of adults will get better after a concussion in 10 to 14 days, if they don’tpush too much and know how to limit overstimulation. For children, that recovery time canbe closer to 30 days, according to Agaja.

“Bring in movement —the earlier, thebetter,Ifind,” Agaja said. “In theory,you could probably start testing yourselfwithin afew days after symptoms. Ijust try nottooverload my patients withtoo much information Iﬁnd that balance of giving them abouta week before introducing movement to work pretty well.”

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

GETTy IMAGESPHOTO By MARIA GARCIA

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Healthtips andsupport from your pharmacy

Pharmacistsdon’tjustﬁllprescriptions.Theyarehighly trainedmedicationexpertswhoﬁllavitalroleinyour healthcareteam,dispensingmedications,providing adviceonsafeuseandcollaboratingwithother healthcareprofessionalstopromotegoodhealth.

Today,anever-increasingnumberofdrugtherapies andagingpopulationshavemadetheclinical counselingskillsofthepharmacistmoreimportant thanever.Buildingarelationshipwithyourpharmacist givesyouatrustedpartnerinyourhealthcare.

Pharmacistsworkwithyourprimarycareteamtoenhanceoverallwellnessby:

Beingaccessibleandconvenient.Pharmacistsareamongthemostaccessible healthprofessionalsyoucanturnto,oftenavailablewithoutanappointmentto answeryourquestionsonthespot.

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Melatoninisthemostcommonover-the-countersleep aid,butyoucanﬁndothersatyourpharmacy.Natural supplements,suchasmagnesium,chamomileand valerianrootcanhelppromotesleep.

Severalbrandsofnon-prescriptionmedicationsare alsoavailable,suchasUnisom,NyQuilandTylenolPM. Althoughavailableoverthecounter,these medicationsshouldbeusedwithcaution.Theycontain antihistaminesthatareprimarilyusedtotreatallergy symptomsbutareusedinsleepaidsbecauseoftheir sedatingproperties.Mostcontaindiphenhydramine, commonlyknownasBenadryl.

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Foryoungeradults,thesemedicationsmaybehelpful inshort-termsituations,buttheyarenot intendedtobeusednightly.

LOUISIANA

AdvisoryBoardChampion Awardwinner,stands

Buildingconnections

Architecthelps students gain career opportunities

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

In an ofﬁcesmellingoffreshly brewed coffee and asting of ammonia, Judith Anderson printed blueprints.

The chemicalcreates the signature blue color of architectural plans.She was in her sophomore year at Scotlandville Magnet High School andworked at CSRS Inc., printingblueprints, handling oddjobs and runningerrands forthe design and consultingﬁrm.

Now, as CSRS’architecturalprogram director,she lends ahand to Scotlandville students tohelpthemachieve the same career opportunities she had when she was astudentherself.

“I know what was poured into me,” Anderson said. “Andsoitisjust now personal to make sure that I’m pouring intoothers.”

As board president ofthe NAF Academy of Engineering Professions, Anderson sets goals for the councilbased on the needs of theschool andoversees committees on internships, fundraising and classroomengagement.Her work withNAF is avolunteer position

Working with NAFand Scotlandville, Anderson helped connect 12 Scotlandville studentswithinternships thispast summer at companies including The

Clean Green Alliance, CSRS |Tillage, FusionArchitects, Exxon, Terracon, Sales O’Brian and Raytheon.

In May,Anderson received the2025 NAF Advisory BoardChampion Award, given to individuals whohaveled in providing studentswith opportunities to preparethem for thefuture.

Anderson takes after herindustrial arts teacher Beatrice Arvie, who led the school’sTechnology Student Association thatAnderson wasapart of, and said Arvieacted as acoach to her.They stayed in contact throughout Anderson’stime in high school andcollege, andArvie eventually reeled her in to volunteering with NAF

Fornearly 20 years, the NAFcouncil at Scotlandville has used its industry connectionstoprovide job shadowing, internships and lectures for students. Thenonproﬁt strives to obtainpaid internships for its students to ﬁll theneed for industry experience and compensation they could not get elsewhere.

“Whether it’s awant or aneed, those teensare working,” shesaid. “Andso what we wanted to do was make sure that they didn’tpass up an opportunity for something that could affect the success of theminpostsecondary school, matriculating into their careers, passing up an opportunity with that because

they want to go work in aretail type environment ” NAF volunteers put together abinder for students that serves as amanual for their internship and includes objectives like working on design projects and determining target colleges. CSRS interns engage in tasks like reading ﬂoor plans andcreating spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel.Atthe endoftheir internship, they create apresentation on what they accomplished.

Anderson saidone of her mostrecent interns at CSRS learned how to use Excelduring the internship, avaluable skill to have since most high schools teach studentshow to use Google applications, andhemay have to use Excel in college.

Anotherstudent left her engineering internship concluding that shedid notwanttogointo engineering, which Anderson says is thegoal of the experiences —tonarrow down their interests.

“It’sjust giving them alittlebit of insight, andthatway you’re doing alittle bit of trialand error,” she said. “You still may endupchangingyour mind in college or once you go to certiﬁcation school, but you’ve got alittle bit of insight.”

Anderson

Exploring Louisiana aquestion at atime

Irecently spoke to asenior-level journalism class at LSU. Only about athird of the students were from Louisiana. We chatted about developing ideas fortrend stories —beyond the obvious fashion angle. What else counts as atrend and what would makeaninteresting story?

They were full of good ideas. As so often happens when Ispend timewith students, Ifeel better about the world. Iposed the following question to them:Onascale of 0-10, with 10 being the highest, how would you rate your own curiosity? I assured those who ranked themselves a10 that they likely had agreat career ahead in journalism.Yes, hard workisrequired to ﬁnd the answers, but the payoffissuch a rush.

Since the class, I’ve thought a lot moreabout being curious and the philosophical side of curiosity.Isbeing curious simply about that spark —that question that popped into your head? Or is it also about trying to ﬁgure out the answer?

In short, is it the spark or the chase?

Perhaps the answer is that curiosity is both. Asking the question is essential. Trying to ﬁgure out the answer is what turns wonder into understanding.

Turns out, philosophers have had alot to say about curiosity Plato and Socrates positioned philosophy as beginning in wonder or perplexity.The Socratic method, driven by continuous questioning, is aform of curiosity that uncovers ignorance and motivates deeper inquiry

Aristotle wrote, “All human beings by nature desire to know.” He described curiosity as an intrinsic human drive and the “love of learning.” Thomas Hobbes described curiosity as amorally neutral appetite forknowledge. For Hobbes, curiosity was one of the traits that distinguishes humans from other animals.

Nietzsche famously called curiosity “the mostagreeable of all vices.”

From my experience, curiosity deepens when Igobeyond the question. That said, researching “the answer” often unlocks morequestions and continues to convince me on anear-daily basis that “lifeismore complicated than it seems” —toquote the title of aSpanish song Ilove, “La Vida es Más Compleja de lo que Parece.”

But last week at LSU, Iencouraged the students to go beyond wondering about things. Putting questions into words is good for our brains.

Of course, trying to ﬁgure out the questions/wonderings, which is what journalists get to do on a daily basis, can also be alot of fun —and leads to turning over new rocks, meeting new people —and having unanticipated conversations.

More than three years ago, the newspaper launched aweekly feature in which we encourage readers to send us their Louisiana questions —sowecan go and ﬁnd the answers. Or,atthe very least, do our best to ﬁnd the answer

ä See RISHER, page 2Y ä See ARCHITECT, page 2Y

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

Judith Anderson, the 2025 NAF

on Aug. 20 outside Scotlandville Magnet High School as students pass by

Students VeronicaRhodes, left,Jayden Simmons, secondfrom right, and Jakarin Whitfield, right, stand with Judith Anderson, architectural program director for CSRS Inc., on Aug. 20 at Scotlandville Magnet High School.

helped these students getengineering internshipsoverthe summer.

ASK THE EXPERTS

Lafayette therapist uses holistic approach to mental health

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE

Staff writer

Kathryn Dietzway is a licensed clinical social worker and the clinical director of The Therapy Garden in Lafayette. She earned her bachelor’s degree in sociology with a minor in anthropology from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and her master’s degree in social work from Louisiana State University. She specializes in helping people heal from trauma through approaches that combine traditional talk therapy with body-based methods such as EMDR and somatic therapy She primarily works with adults who are seeking relief from the impact of trauma and want to reconnect with their sense of self.

Alongside her therapy practice, Dietzway is pursuing a nursing degree at UL. By combining her expertise in psychotherapy with medical training, she seeks to provide more integrated care that supports the whole person — mind, body and nervous system. What was the inspiration behind you pursuing nursing school?

I’ve been taking an approach to mental health counseling for about four to ﬁve years now really intensively That’s what led me to this route of learn-

PROVIDED PHOTO

Kathryn Dietzway is a licensed clinical social worker and the clinical director of The Therapy Garden in Lafayette.

ing about the connection between the mind and the body learning that mental health and physical health are not separate. Mental health occurs in the brain, and the nervous system is an important part of your body, so that’s your physical well-being. I saw gaps in mental health theory and training we weren’t getting enough of the physical side. I got to a point where I wanted to go beyond what someone can tell me in training. I wanted to get to the hard science, where I can fully and deeply understand what’s happening in my clients’ bodies mentally and physically

Q&A WITH KATHRyN DIETZWAy

LICENSED CLINICAL SOCIAL WORKER AND THE CLINICAL DIRECTOR OF THE THERAPy GARDEN IN LAFAyETTE

On a holistic level, I had to decide how I was going to get the science perspective, so I’m pursuing a psychiatric nurse practitioner route so that I’ll understand biology and medicine better Is it a hard line to balance learning and offering holistic medicine and conventional Western medicine?

Honestly, clients are hungry to understand what’s going on in their bodies. Clients usually come to me for depression and anxiety, usually related to trauma. One of the first things I do is pull out this chart that helps them look at what symptoms are normal for the nervous system state that you’re in. Maybe they’re feeling anxious in a fight-or-flight state because they’re in poverty The chart allows them to normalize their symptoms based on what the body is supposed to do whenever it’s in a stressful situation.

A lot of the time, that’s all people need — a starting point of normalizing what’s going on in their body Afﬁrming that they’re not crazy just a human being. What are some tools for people to regulate their nervous system to not

have that fight-or-flight response? For some people, the fightor-flight response is normal. So I’ll often ask what’s going on in their lives. Is there a situation in their lives that we need to work on getting them out of? Sometimes fight-or-flight is protective — for example, if someone is in an abusive situation, living in poverty, or experiencing racism. When you’re able to identify that you don’t need this fight or flight state, or perhaps that you’d like to cultivate breaks from that state, a lot of the time it starts with psychoeducation. I’ll educate them about the body, what it means to be anxious and how that helps them in some ways — an also assess what small actions, places, animals and people help them experience relief from the anxiety

Begin becoming aware of what’s going on in your body I do a body scan with people. Scan from the head to the toes, and tell me what you notice.

Anchoring is a tool where you identify safe items in your environment that make you feel safe — like a tree, plants, a soft pillow,

etc. Notice these items when you’re in a state of anxiety You can do this anywhere. It provides a micro moment of connection to something supportive, which can help the body begin to come back to homeostasis.

The next step would be learning to ask yourself what you need. That might be a gentle breath in and a long exhale. It might be talking to yourself kindly You have to talk to yourself like you would talk to a friend. How does confidence and self compassion help with mental health?

It’s huge. Before trauma therapy, I ﬁgure out if someone has self compassion yet, because if they don’t, it’s going to be hard to do trauma work. So we’ll work on that ﬁrst.

What is self compassion?

Some people have never had someone be compassionate toward them, so they don’t know how to do it to themselves.

How does your non-biased approach to therapy help yourself and your clients?

My undergraduate studies were in sociology and anthropology, which gave me a cross-cultural view on

humanity It’s important, as a therapist, that I take on an unbiased perspective because I’m here to serve all humans, regardless of background. I’m sending a message that it’s what’s best for the client, not me. Although, I’m not totally unbiased. I am still influenced by larger systemic factors. We all have implicit bias. It’s an ongoing journey where I’m reflecting on what biases I have and which ones I need to reflect on. People are not just accepted or allowed — their identities are respected and celebrated. I look at clients through a lens of how this society and world has shaped them, based on their identity As a White therapist, I may work with clients of diverse races and cultures. I acknowledge that someone may have experienced trauma from people who look like me. There’s going to be an acknowledgment of that. This lens has helped me to be able to navigate those conversations.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

Continued from page 1y

At Scotlandville’s engineering symposium last school year, students were tasked with constructing a bridge. Anderson came into the school’s engineering classes to help teams with the challenge, which Scotlandville principal Paul Jackson said gave students an “extra leg up” in their high school experience. He said Anderson has

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

connected students with internships that immerse students in scenarios they could face in the workforce. Jackson’s son interned with CSRS and assisted with determining the necessary materials on a building’s roof based on the weather in the area.

“The only thing that may be able to trump your education is the actual experience,” Jackson said. “So when you have that along with education, then you actually have the best of both

worlds.”

While the work to connect students with internships predated Anderson’s role with NAF, Jackson said her “ﬁdelity” and “passion” for ensuring career-advancing experiences are accessible to Scotlandville students made her efforts stand out among her predecessors.

Anderson’s efforts were honored at this year’s NAF Next conference. NAF Chief Executive Officer Lisa Dughi said the nonproﬁt chose to recognize Anderson

due to her unwavering commitment to bringing “lifechanging” opportunities to Scotlandville Students.

“Judith’s tireless leadership, generosity, and commitment embody the very best of our mission, and we are deeply grateful for all she does to inspire and empower the next generation,” Dughi said in an email.

Anderson grew up in North Baton Rouge and had a close relationship with her mother and grandparents. Her grandfather worked in

architecture and once she developed her interest in the field, their connection deepened. He connected her with her ﬁrst role at CSRS.

She deﬁnes architecture as her surroundings and said she loves having a role in what people see, experience and are surrounded by every day She said her award from NAF a national organization, is a testament to Baton Rouge’s ability to compete against larger school systems in other cities. While

tion simply by emailing curiouslouisiana @theadvocate.com.

years.

n Was Disney World almost built in Louisiana?

n What the heck is cabbage ball? Why do they play it in New Orleans? Anyone can ask a ques-

she expressed that it felt good to be recognized, Anderson said her volunteer work is simply what she is supposed to do.

After graduating high school, she attended Southern University She said she did not plan to remain in Baton Rouge, but she and her husband ended up with jobs in the city

“There’s still a lot of work to be done in Baton Rouge,” she said. “Why not pour into here versus having to go somewhere else?”

We explain the weekly feature as: Curious Louisiana is a community-driven reporting project that connects readers to our newsrooms’ resources to dig, research and ﬁnd answers about the Pelican State. After all, curiosity doesn’t just belong in classrooms or newsrooms — it belongs to all of us. Accepting information without questions seldom leads to a good end. So what are you wondering about Louisiana? Ask away!

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Judith Anderson, the 2025 NAF Advisory Board Champion Award winner, stands on Aug. 20 outside Scotlandville Magnet High School.

N.O. homeowners gethelptomaintain, repair homes

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE

Staff writer

The simple Gentilly Terrace shotgun that Linda Blunt owns with her husband had for decades been asource of stability forthe family.But after Hurricane Ida’swinds tore shingles off her roof and sent her insurance bill skyrocketing,the home became asource of uncertainty instead.

Bright and early on aMay morning, around 250 volunteers descended on Blunt’s quiet neighborhood to make repairs at the nearby park and on 10 homes belonging to low-income homeowners —including Blunt’s—in hopes of offsetting the rising costs of insurance, renovations, and taxes that are making it ever more difﬁcult for NewOrleans familiesto stay in their homes.

“It’slike waking up in somethingbrand new,” said Blunt as the volunteers, organized by local nonprofit Rebuilding Together New Orleans and The Home Depot Foundation, raced against hovering storm clouds to replace rotting wood on her back deck. “I see all the work they’re doing and it just motivates me more to say,‘Ineed to come alongside them and addto it.’”

Rebuilding TogetherNew Orleans, the local chapter of anationalnonproﬁt, launched in 1988 with the goal of supporting elderly and disabled homeowners struggling to maintain their homes. After Hurricane Katrina, the organization turned its focus to renovating and rebuilding stormdamagedhomes.

After Hurricane Ida and the insurance crisis that followed, the organization shifted its focus again, to repairing andreplacing homeowners’ roofs to fortified standards in hopes of bringing down their insurance costs. The organization

hasinstalled163 fortified roofs throughout the greater New Orleans area since 2023, alongwith otherrepairsaimed at making aging homessafer and healthier

The need is especially clear in Gentilly Terrace, where 68% of the neighborhood’sresidents were homeowners between 2019 and 2023, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’sAmerican CommunitySurvey —far higherthanthe city’s overall rate of 50%. And the neighborhood is disproportionately home to older people on ﬁxed incomes, whotend to struggle with maintaining their homes: 35.5%of householdsreceived social security between 2019 and 2024 compared with 27.6% in the city overall.

It’saneighborhood where people “have quietly lived in their homes for 50 to 60 years.They haveinvested so signiﬁcantly in our city

They raised their children in the same homes that they still live in,” saidcouncil member Eugene Green, whose district includes the neighborhood. “Soany hand that can be lenttothem, such as is being done today, is something that Iknow, that they’re very appreciative,” Green said That’show Blunt felt when shelearned that Rebuilding Togethercould make repairs on her home designed to bring her insurance costs down. Her propertyinsurance costshave become so expensive in recent years that shedecided to dropher coverage entirely

“You have to ask yourself, do Itake careofmyhealth or do Iroll the dice and hopefully we makeitthrough another year?” saidBlunt, who hopes that she’ll get a lower insurance quotenow that thework on her home is complete.

Blunt’sneighbor,Marie St. Germain, used her own savings to replace her roof after damage from Hurricane Ida

caused major leaks.The volunteers buzzing around her home werebusywithmore aesthetictasks—planting ﬂowers andgiving the railing on her stairs afresh coat of paint. Butshe said theimprovementswould raise her spirits.

“They’retaking my sadness away.They’re taking my anxiety,” said St. Germain, surveying the work from herfront door.“This is what Iwanted for awhile, and Icouldn’tget it done. Idon’tknow whereIwould getmoney to getsomething like that done.”

Volunteers also worked to replace playground equipment,plant magnolia trees, and build raised beds at nearby Union Playground. Civic groups have called attention to shoddy maintenance of city parks and playgrounds in recent months.

William Stoudt, director of Rebuilding Together New Orleans, said that there are many more neighborhoods in need of their attention across thecity but that the

organizations faces achallenge in meetingthe need. Federal grants “are being pulled left andright from us,” saidStoudt. “Wehave an inﬁnite numberofhomeowners that need fortified roofs andwehavea finite amount of resources.”

Theorganization got nearly 800 applications last year forassistance, the vast majority seeking aroof replacement.

“We’re never going to be able to serve everyone,” said Stoudt.“Butwedomake life-changing outcome that we serve for the clients we serve that have both immediateand generationalimpacts in every way forthose families.”

Email SophieKasakove at sophie.kasakove@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF

PHOTOSByBRETT DUKE

Volunteers build raised garden beds on May6atahome in NewOrleans.

FAITH & VALUES

For a small church, selling land meant finding its soul

BY YONAT SHIMRON

Contributing writer

Four years ago, the Rev Matt Conner presented his congregation with a stark reality: Newell Presbyterian Church had about 18 months of ﬁnancial solvency ahead. The time had come to seriously consider its future.

Chartered in 1890 in what was then a sleepy part of northeast Charlotte dotted with dairy farms and tobacco ﬁelds, the church grew, and then started a slow decline. These days about 50 people attend Sunday morning services and the church has an annual budget of $190,000.

But Newell Presbyterian has one asset increasingly in demand in the now bustling neighborhood of subdivisions and apartment complexes: land. The church sits on 9.5 acres, accumulated plot by plot by devoted church members who had long since passed on.

After forming a “dream team” to consider its options, the church recently voted to sell a 4.5-acre parcel to a nonproﬁt developer for the construction of 50 affordable townhomes right next to its sanctuary Homeowners would have to earn 80% of the area median income (about $85,000 for a family of four) to qualify The sale is expected to be inked in October

Newell Presbyterian is one of hundreds of declining congregations with underutilized space, excess land, deteriorating buildings and soaring maintenance costs. But these churches are ﬁnding that they can stanch their ﬁscal woes by selling or, in many cases, leasing some of their land and repurposing their properties for affordable housing.

At least 200 and as many as 400 houses of worship (mostly churches but also synagogues and mosques) have repurposed their property

for affordable housing over the past decade, said Nadia Mian, a researcher at Rutgers University’s Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy who is cataloging those projects.

Newell Presbyterian found that in selling its land it had found a new treasure: its soul.

“I’ve gotten to watch and be a part of a kind of spiritual growth in this space and time and a calling to be even more mission oriented,” said Conner. “This is a church getting clearer about who we are and why we exist.”

Though the church hasn’t grown in numbers, Conner said it has grown in faith and commitment, and its members speak of a renewed sense of purpose and mission, a deeper spirituality rooted in a sacred responsibility to neighbor and place.

In 2021, on the Feast of Ascension, when Christians celebrate the resurrected Jesus’ leavetaking of his disciples, Conner asked a group of church elders to walk the grassy 4.5-acre ﬁeld next to the church. “Pray, pay attention and dream,” he told them. “What do you see?”

They initially came back with different answers: a soccer ﬁeld, a farmers market, a student hub for the nearby University of North Carolina Charlotte campus. Over time, the church elders coalesced around a dream of a housing community that would nurture young families, just as the church had nurtured them 50 years before.

Trent Thompson, 71, remembered how he and his wife moved to Charlotte in the early 1980s so he could finish his undergraduate degree at the university after his service in the Coast Guard. Shortly after they found the church, their ﬁrst son was born, 11 weeks premature. Church members enveloped the young fam-

ily with care during the two months their son was in the hospital.

“The church loved us and helped us out with anything we needed, prayer requests, people visiting us, meals,” said Thompson. “That meant a lot to us.”

Freda Schlaman, 79, remembered that the church had a vibrant youth program that her two daughters loved so much so, one of them later became a Presbyterian minister “It was a small church and it was what we needed,” said Schlaman. “We fell in love with the people along the way.”

The church’s members envisioned an affordable housing complex that would allow today’s young families — many of whom are priced out of Charlotte’s competitive real estate market to do the same. They were clear they did not want to build rental apartments but rather offer working-class families — teachers, ﬁreﬁghters, social workers — homes they could afford.

That meant the church would build fewer units and likely get less money from the sale than if it had sold to a commercial developer “A lot of churches will just say, ‘Sell it. Let’s get some money

so we can have operating capital,’ ” said Thompson “But our point was, we’re not gonna do that. As the stewards of the community, we wanted to help to rebuild the idea that Newell is a community that thrives on the family concept. We wanted people that get a chance to put down roots.”

The church turned to DreamKey Partners, a nonprofit real estate development company that has worked with a handful of other churches in the Charlotte area. Church leaders won’t say how much money they will get from the sale, since the contract hasn’t yet been signed. A lot also depends on whether the city will award the project the full $3.1 million from its Housing Trust Fund, designated to provide gap ﬁnancing to developers to build affordable housing.

The church is already considering a Phase 2: renting out parts of its education building to nonprofit business incubators, perhaps starting a coffee shop, and creating a playground or park for the children.

The church’s goal, said Conner, using a biblical reference, is not to store up money in bigger barns. “We are selling some land for the

sake of this call to build up the beloved community, and honestly all it costs us is a yes,” Conner said.

Eight miles away from the Newell church, another Presbyterian congregation has also committed itself to affordable housing. Caldwell Presbyterian has converted a 14,000-square-foot building that once housed Sunday school classrooms into 21 studio apartments for people coming out of chronic homelessness. After it opens in October the church will turn the building over to a local nonprofit that will oversee day-to-day operations.

For Caldwell Presbyterian the vision is the same as Newell’s, even if the initial impetus was not. A bigger, midsized church, Caldwell wasn’t ﬁnancially squeezed. But like Newell, it saw a need.

“We’re in the middle of a profound and deep national housing crisis,” said the Rev John Cleghorn, the pastor “One of the ways the churches can make the most direct type of impact, is not only to provide the housing, but to provide a community adjacent to, in relationship with the housing. What could be more Christlike?”

Like many cities, Charlotte welcomes the churches’

building boom. The city’s Faith in Housing initiative gives faith-based organizations tools and resources to carry out affordable housing projects. A summit the city held last year brought together leaders from some 90 houses of worship for a daylong educational workshop about the hows of affordable housing and the variety of city state and federal tax credits, grants and loans.

“When you think about it, honestly, who has the most land? Religious institutions and schools,” said City Council member LaWana Mayﬁeld. “What we’re doing is creating a tool kit to help educate and energize the community to not just think about housing, but to reimagine their space.”

Charlotte’s Mayfield Memorial Missionary Baptist Church, a predominantly Black congregation that built 51 rental units for people making 30% to 80% of area median income, is a big believer in congregations working on affordable housing. “If we could get just 5% of the churches in Charlotte to do this — and not just churches but faith communities — our housing problem looks very different,” said the Rev Peter Wherry, the church’s pastor One thing Newell’s newfound mission won’t do is save the church’s finances long term. Members have no expectation that the owners of the townhomes they are building will want to join the church. And it is possible the church may dwindle in size even more. But they are also cleareyed about the larger vision of community that is driving them.

“You know, this is not our land,” said Thompson. “God created this land for us to use. This is not just for the church but for others who need it.”

Could granting water rights to birds be the best way to save them?

BY K.C. MEHAFFEY

Contributing writer

This story, created by K.C. Mehaffey with Columbia Insight,is part of the Solutions Story Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonproﬁt organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems.

If you’re in the right place at the right time, you might catch one of nature’s truly great performances.

The right time is late summer or early fall, when thousands of Wilson’s phalaropes make a stop in Oregon on their 4,000-mile migration to winter in South America

One of the right places is Oregon’s Lake Abert in the SONEC region, an acronym for the vast mosaic of lakes and wetlands stretching from southern Oregon to northeastern California.

Phalaropes stop at Lake Abert and other saline lakes in the western United States to double their body weight so they can finish the journey When they forage, phalaropes spin in circles along the lakeshore, creating a whirlpool that brings prey toward the surface, where they gobble them up

“They look like little, aquatic ballerinas,” said Teresa Wicks, the eastern Oregon ﬁeld coordinator for the Bird Alliance of Oregon. “Sometimes you see them on bodies of water where hundreds are spinning at once in these tight little circles.”

Like so many shorebirds in North America, however Wilson’s phalaropes have experienced sharp declines in population over the last few decades.

“Wilson’s phalarope populations have fallen approximately 70% since the 1980s because of extensive habitat destruction, water diversions and persistent drought,” according to the Centers for

Biological Diversity, which ﬁled a petition in March 2024 to list them as a sensitive species under the Endangered Species Act.

Wilson’s phalarope is a kind of shorebird, an order of birds sometimes called waders that can be found walking or swimming along shorelines looking for food.

In 2019, a study that looked at net population changes of 529 species of birds that breed in the United States and Canada revealed a loss of nearly 3 billion birds in the previous 50 years roughly one in four birds

A few groups — like geese, swans and ducks — grew in population.

Shorebirds and grassland birds suffered the highest declines — with populations dropping by about one-third since 1970

Various kinds of shorebirds are among the 80 bird species that depend on the SONEC region, comprised of eight counties in Oregon, California and the northwestern tip of Nevada.

Emily VanWyk, acting conservation strategy coordinator for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, says that about 70% of migratory wetland-dependent birds in the Paciﬁc Flyway some 6 million birds — will use this habitat each year.

“Oregon plays a key role in the conservation of all of those species, even those that might only spend a week or a couple of days in our state,” she says VanWyk and Sarah Reif, ODFW’s habitat division administrator, gave a presentation to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission in June 2024 as part of a series of reports on adapting to climate and ocean change It focused on the importance of the SONEC region to migratory birds.

The loss of 3 billion birds across North America wasn’t caused by one thing.

basically, meaning the wildlife area didn’t get any water,” she said. “And so, a lake was a mud puddle, the ducks came along, stirred up the botulism, and by the tens of thousands died.” (Mallards were one of the species most affected by the botulism outbreaks.)

“How do we advocate for these birds?” replied VanWyk. “How do we make an argument that’s effective, because, you’re right, this is a huge concern. We’re losing thousands of birds It’s scary.”

Despite the dire situation for many bird species in North America, Wicks sees a ray of hope.

200 sites, ranging from large, critical migratory stopovers, like Great Salt Lake, to small reservoirs and wetlands.

“Essentially the interior region was identified as a large data gap. We don’t understand a lot about the distribution of shorebirds, or about the wetlands’ health and how that’s actually impacted bird populations,” says Barbaree.

Once complete, the current surveys can be compared to surveys from 30 years ago, which will provide a better understanding of the extent of and reasons for shorebird declines in the Paciﬁc Flyway

if there’s not a certain level of decline for a portion of the species,” says Barbaree. Wicks says her hope is that all of the monitoring efforts will highlight the relationships between birds and ﬁsh and wetlands so that water can be secured to support wetlands every year

“Our goal is to protect wetlands and restore wetlands in the SONEC so they are able to support healthy bird populations,” she says.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has a long list of human-caused threats to birds, from collisions with buildings, communication towers, electrical lines, vehicles and wind turbines to poison and predation by cats.

But, the agency notes, “Habitat loss is thought to pose by far the greatest threat to birds, both directly and indirectly, however, its overall impact on bird populations is very difﬁcult to directly assess.”

The June 2024 presentation came a day after commissioners visited the upper Klamath Basin, learning about partnerships for managing water and plans to reintroduce salmon after the removal of four dams in 2024.

The upper basin includes Northern California’s Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuge, where some 60,000 birds died in 2020 from botulism. Just a few months after the commission’s visit, a second botulism outbreak killed an estimated 80,000 birds.

Dr King noted that in Klamath Basin, the wildlife refuge is last in line for getting water

“The Everglades of the West became a mud puddle,

“There’s been a lot of work to create momentum around public-private partnerships. I would say in the last five years, that has really started to take off,” she says.

One of those partnerships is a massive effort to survey shorebirds as they move through the interior portion of the Pacific Flyway each spring and fall.

The Intermountain West Shorebird Surveys began in fall 2022 and will conclude in 2026. Led by Audubon and Point Blue Conservation Science, the project is documenting the distribution and abundance of shorebirds in the interior West — information that was last collected between 1989 and 1995.

Blake Barbaree, senior ecologist with Point Blue, says the survey effort involves hundreds of volunteers and a network of more than 60 government agencies and nonproﬁt organizations.

He says it wouldn’t be possible without funding and technical support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and state ﬁsh and wildlife agencies in Oregon, California, Nevada, Utah, Idaho and Montana. In spring and fall the groups survey more than

Barbaree says one of the goals of the survey is to understand how the drying up of wetlands is tied to shorebird populations.

Some migratory bird species appear to be flexible, and when they find a stopover location has dried up they keep flying until they find a suitable spot to recharge.

“But we don’t know the cost of that,” says Barbaree.

“If I’m showing up to the lower Klamath refuge and there’s no water there this year I can keep ﬂying 50 to 100 miles to find the next place. But if I’m in a ﬂock of 100 birds, how many of them make it?

“There’s also the potential for cumulative effects

If I’m traveling from Mexico to Alaska and two spots didn’t give me food, am I going to have enough resources to make it all the way?”

Although survey data has been gathered for more than two years, Barbaree says it’s too soon to draw conclusions.

“Our hypothesis is there’s been a signiﬁcant decline (in bird populations using the SONEC region) given what we know about the wetlands systems. Whether we can support that with the data is still to be determined, but everyone will be astounded

Barbaree says that as an organization focused on gathering scientific research, Point Blue doesn’t have a position on whether advocacy groups should be trying to acquire water rights for birds and the wetlands they depend on.

“We’re trying to understand the ecosystem from the bird’s perspective, and how that’s changed over time,” he says. Still, the information they gather can be used to identify species that may need support, or speciﬁc wetlands that are most important to them.

But, Barbaree points out, water laws are complex and securing water rights for birds may not be a viable path.

He says he’d be surprised if codifying environmental use of water as a beneﬁcial use will become a reality in most places. Even so, he says, “I think in general there’s a better understanding that healthy, long-term water ecosystems are important to everyone. We have to give back. We can’t take it all.” K.C Mehaffey has been writing about the environment from her home in Twisp, Washington for nearly 40 years.

Columbia Insight, based in Hood River, Oregon, is a nonproﬁt newsroom focused on environmental issues of the Columbia River Basin and the Paciﬁc Northwest.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Avocets are shorebirds and can be found walking or swimming along shorelines looking for food.

RNS PHOTO/yONAT SHIMRON

Freda Schlaman, from left, Tim Gilland, the Rev. Matt Conner and Trent Thompson pose together at Newell Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, N.C.

SUNDAY, September 7, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — diPsoMAniAc: dipsuh-MAY-nee-ak: Alcoholic.

Average mark 51 words

Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 71 or more words in DIPSOMANIAC?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

wuzzLes

Choices

Today’s deal is from a recent tournament in Australia. South’s slightly off-shape opening bid hid his diamond suit, so West reasonably led a diamond. South had eight top tricks The contract was safe if East held the ace of hearts, plus there was a good chance West would duck his ace of hearts if he had it. To be as deceptive as possible, South won the opening diamond lead in his hand and led the seven of hearts away from his king. West knew from the bidding that South only had two hearts and saw no reason to duck his ace. West rose with his ace of hearts and shifted smartly tothequeenofclubs!Thedefense took four club tricks to defeat the contract.

South might have tried the effect of running his long suit

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: AMERICANA

(e.g., Title for the NFL annual league championship game. Answer: Super Bowl.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL

1. She was Superman’s love interest.

Answer________

2. Who played the title role in the film “Forrest Gump”?

Answer________

3. Providence is the most populous city and capital of which state?

Answer________

4. What is the largest lake entirely within the United States?

Answer________

5. What word did Billy Batson say to transform into Captain Marvel?

Answer________

This will sometimes create problems for the defense On this deal, East would have to find five discards.Hecouldonlypartwithone spade, and a club discard would mean the defense could only take three club tricks provided declarer did not release dummy’s king of clubs. Best defense would be to discard all four of his hearts.

VIRGO

slouch when there is so much you can do to advance. Get in the game and do your part, and you’ll rise to the top.

Southwould havetoread theposition, of course, but he could now prevail by playing four rounds of spades leaving East on lead with only clubs remaining. Dummy’s king of clubs would become declarer’s ninth trick

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

GRADUATE LEVEL

For what do the letters stands in the film “E.T.”?

Answer________

Writer Ned Buntline created the character known as “_____ Bill.” Answer________

The “blue and

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Choose your battles wisely and channel your energy appropriately Take the high road and bring about positive change and self-improvement. Physical activity will ease internal stress CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Place your attention on money, health and looking and doing your best Plan your day strategically and optimize your time to suit your goal. Protect your assets. AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put pressure on yourself to adjust to the

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Share your thoughts and feelings and align yourself with those who have similar concerns. A smile and a positive attitude will help you gain momentum and achieve excellent results.

changes happening around you and to move forward. Get a handle on what makes you tick, and try to incorporate a passionate attitude into your everyday routine.

PISCES (Feb 20-March 20) The ability to bend and work your way through times of trouble will strengthen your character and help you

and those you encounter will follow suit. TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Work quietly behind the scenes where interference is easier to control. Building a solid foundation that offers peace of mind will be worth more than the stress that comes from comparing yourself to others. GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Turn your attention to your surroundings and make improvements that ease stress and make your life easier to navigate. Avoid criticism and those who make you feel inadequate. CANCER (June 21-July 22) Broaden your awareness and surround your-

self with people and possessions that contribute positive vibes to your environment. Protect against injury, insult and ill health. LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Esthetics will play a role in how you feel and what you can do to improve your life. Whether you want to make physical changes to your appearance or your surroundings, the timing is good.

goren Bridge

1. Lois Lane. 2. TomHanks. 3. Rhode Island 4. Lake Michigan.5.Shazam. 6. ExtraTerrestrial. 7. Buffalo. 8. The American Civil War. 9. Charlie McCarthy.10. Captain Kirk 11. Excellent; very good. 12. Aztecs. 13. Arlington National Cemetery. 14. Leif Ericsson ("Leifthe Lucky"). 15.Jack Dempsey

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: All the thoughts of a turtle are turtle.—Ralph Waldo Emerson