The Times-Picayune 09-08-2025

SO CLOSE

Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson,right, strips the ballfrom Saints tight end Juwan Johnson, denyinga touchdown,duringthe secondhalf of Sunday’s game at the Caesars Superdome.Oh, what could have been.The New Orleans Saints nearly pulled offan improbable comeback against theArizona Cardinals in thefirst gameofthe Kellen Moore era, but Johnson couldn’t hangonto acircuscatch from Spencer Rattler in the end zonein thefinal5seconds,and theSaints fell 20-13. There was some good —Alvin Kamara scored theSaints’ 1,000th touchdowninthe Superdome. Somebad —what happened to those timeouts at theend of thefirst half?And alot of in-between. Ultimately,a youngSaints teamis0-1 with theSan Francisco 49ers coming to town nextSunday

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WhoDat Nation tailgating underway

Saints fans blend die-hard devotion, good timesand a tributetoa terribly sadmemory

BYDOUG MacCASH |Staff writer

It was two hours until game time on Sunday and thesubtribes of Who Dat Nation had established small villagesfrom the western reaches of thePoydras Street neutral groundtothe parking lots of the CentralBusiness District. Charcoalsmoke, thunderous music andthe fragrance of hopsrose into the clear blue skyabove the pop-up pavilions, canvas chairs and generator-powered big-screen TVs. Yes, tailgating was underway for the first time in the 2025-26 season, and despitewidespread

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Atailgate second-line memorializes 21-year-old HubertGauthreaux III, who wasone of the 14 victimsofaJan. 1st terrorist attack on Bourbon Street, and hisgrandparents HubertGauthreaux,75, and Victoria Gauthreaux,72, who were killed in Februarybyanimpaired driver

Candidates carveout differences on public safety

BY JOHN SIMERMAN |Staff writer

The next mayor of New Orleanswill chartanew erafor public safety in the city —and perhaps dictate their political fortunes in the process. Among the major early decisions to be made:Just who will leada shrunken New OrleansPoliceDepartment in the transition away from federal court oversight after 13 years. The mayoral race comes with the city’s residents at their safest in yearswhenitcomes to robberies, gunfire and killing, crime data shows. But that hasn’terased severalpressing safety concerns in atumultuous year

The Jan. 1vehicle massacreonBourbon Street revealed acity ill-preparedfor terror Yetmost of the year has passed with elected leaders noncommittal over just how far to go to gird one of the country’smost famous party strips.

TheProject NOLA networkofcrime cameras and its use by area law enforcement, meanwhile, have thrust New Orleans to the forefront of debate over artificial intelligence in government hands.

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patients left navigating confusion

BY EMILY WOODRUFF |Staff writer

Louisiana is heading into respiratory virusseason on thedownswing from abusy summer of COVID-19, when wastewater samples showed someofthe nation’s highest virus levels. But health officials caution that COVID-19isunusual: Unlike flu or RSV,ittypically peakstwice, once in summer andagainaround January.That makes fall an ideal timetoget avaccine, especially because newly formulated shots protect against the latest strain. But this year,new federal recommendations are complicating access. Few drugstores are carrying the vaccine in Louisiana right now,and patients are currentlyunable to walk in and getashot, even if they qualifyunder the new rules.

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STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Thomas Duplessis

STAFF PHOTO By DOUGMacCASH

Powerball winners to split

$1.8 billion jackpot

DES MOINES,Iowa Powerball players in Missouri and Texas won the nearly $1.8 billion jackpot on Saturday, overcoming astronomical odds to end the lottery game’s three-month drought without a big winner

The winning numbers were 11, 23, 44, 61, and 62, with the Powerball number being 17.

The $1.787 billion prize, which was the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot in history, followed 41 consecutive drawings in which no one matched all six numbers. The last drawing with a jackpot winner happened May 31.

Each ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $893.5 million or a lump sum payment of $410.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes.

Computer whiz declared first millennial saint

VATICAN CITY Pope Leo XIV de-

clared a 15-year-old computer whiz the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint Sunday, giving the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model who used technology to spread the faith and earn the nickname “God’s influencer.”

Leo canonized Carlo Acutis who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 80,000 people, many of them millennials and couples with young children. During the first saint-making Mass of his pontificate, Leo also canonized another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati. Leo said both men created “masterpieces” out of their lives by dedicating them to God.

“The greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of God’s plan,” Leo said in his homily. The new saints “are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces.”

The Turtles co-founder Mark Volman dies at 78 NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Mark Volman, a founding member of the 1960’s pop group The Turtles, whose hits include “Happy Together” and “Elenore,” died in Nashville, Tennessee, on Friday after a brief, unexpected illness, according to his publicist, Ame Van Iden. He was 78. Volman was known for his exuberant stage presence and distinctive vocals. In a 1967 performance of “Happy Together” posted to YouTube, Volman wears bright orange and dances around with a French horn that he doesn’t appear to play, but does place on bandmate Howard Kaylan’s head. The Turtles broke up in 1970 during an acrimonious split with their label, and a contract clause would not allow the members to perform under their own names. So Volman and Kaylan reinvented themselves as the duo Flo & Eddie, earning a reputation for their humor and versatility They toured with Frank Zappa’s Mothers of Invention, created background vocals for Bruce Springsteen, and wrote music for television shows like “Strawberry Shortcake.”

“Always funny always upbeat, and a spirited and inventive performer, we will miss him greatly,” Evan Cohen, Volman’s attorney and longtime friend, posted to Facebook. He wrote that Volman and Kaylan set an example by advocating for the rights of musicians in owning their recordings and band names. They eventually regained control of The Turtles’ music and name and began touring again.

Thousands bid farewell to Giorgio Armani

MILAN Thousands of admirers paid their last respects over the weekend to Giorgio Armani, remembered by Milan’s mayor as a “man of extraordinary elegance” who left an indelible mark on the city and the global fashion world. Armani died Thursday at 91 at his home in Italy’s fashion capital surrounded by loved ones having worked until his final days, according to his fashion house. One of his final projects was a runway show marking 50 years of his signature Giorgio Armani brand which is due to close Milan Fashion Week later this month.

More than 15,000 mourners filed over two days through the Armani theater normally dedicated to previewing runway collections.

Israel’s high court rebukes officials

Government ordered to improve nutrition for Palestinian prisoners

BY NATALIE MELZER Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday ruled that the government has failed to provide Palestinian security prisoners with adequate food for basic subsistence and ordered authorities to improve their nutrition.

The decision was a rare case in which the country’s highest court ruled against the government’s conduct during the nearly two-year war

Since the war began, Israel has seized thousands of people in Gaza that it suspects of links to Hamas. Thousands have also been released without charge, often after months of detention.

Rights groups have documented widespread abuse in prisons and detention facilities, including insufficient food and health care, as well as poor sanitary conditions and beatings In March, a 17-year-old

Palestinian boy died at an Israeli prison and doctors said starvation was likely the main cause of death.

Sunday’s ruling came in response to a petition brought last year by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Israeli rights group Gisha. The groups alleged that a change in the food policy enacted after the war in Gaza began has caused prisoners to suffer malnutrition and starvation.

Last year, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the prison system, boasted that he had reduced the conditions of security prisoners to what he described as the bare minimum required by Israeli law

In Sunday’s ruling, the panel of three justices ruled unanimously that the state is legally obligated to provide prisoners with enough food to ensure “a basic level of existence.”

In the 2-1 ruling, the justices said they found “in-

dications that the current food supply to prisoners does not sufficiently guarantee compliance with the legal standard.” They said they had found “real doubts” that prisoners were eating properly, and ordered the prison service to “take steps to ensure the supply of food that allows for basic subsistence conditions in accordance with the law.”

Ben-Gvir, who leads a small far-right ultranationalist party, lashed out at the ruling, saying that while Israeli hostages in Gaza have no one to help them, Israel’s Supreme Court “to our disgrace” is defending Hamas militants. He said the policy of providing prisoners with “the most minimal conditions stipulated by the law” would continue unchanged.

ACRI called for the verdict to be implemented immediately In a post on X, it said the prison service has “turned Israeli prisons into torture camps.”

“A state does not starve people,” it said. “People do not starve people — no matter what they have done.”

Ukraine government building damaged in Russian attack

BY SAMYA KULLAB Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine Russia hit Ukraine’s capital with drone and missiles Sunday in the largest aerial attack since the war began, killing four people across the country and damaging a key government building.

Russia attacked with 810 drones and decoys, Ukraine’s air force said, adding it shot down 747 drones and four missiles.

Associated Press reporters saw a plume of smoke rising from the roof of Kyiv’s government headquarters. It was not immediately clear if the smoke was the result of a direct hit or debris, which would mark an escalation in Russia’s air campaign, which has so far spared government buildings in the city center

The building is the home of Ukraine’s Cabinet and its ministers Police blocked access to the building as fire trucks and ambulances arrived.

Yuriy Ihnat, an air force spokesperson, confirmed to The Associated Press that Sunday’s attack was the largest Russian drone strike since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Russia also launched 13 missiles. Hits from nine missiles and 54 drones were recorded at 33 locations across Ukraine.

Ukraine’s President

Volodymyr Zelenskyy

said that four people were killed and 44 wounded. He said he spoke on the phone with French President Emmanuel Macron about the attack.

“Together with France, we are preparing new measures to strengthen our defense,” Zelenskyy said.

Marcon earlier on Sunday accused Russia of “striking indiscriminately” and said Moscow “is locking itself ever deeper into the logic of war and terror.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also condemned the attack. “These cowardly strikes show that Putin believes he can act with impunity He is not serious about peace. Now, more than ever, we must stand firm in our support for Ukraine and its sovereignty,” Starmer said in a statement.

In the Ukrainian capital, the attack killed two people and wounded 20 others, according to city officials.

Those killed were a mother and her 3-monthold child, whose bodies were dug out of the rubble, said Tymur Tkachenko, the head of Kyiv’s city administration. At least 10 locations in Kyiv were damaged, he added. Direct drone hits struck a ninestory residential building in Kyiv’s Sviatoshynskyi district and a four-story residential building in

President Donald Trump watches

Darnytskyi district.

“I just have no more words left to express what I feel towards Russia,” said Olha, a 77-year-old Kyiv resident whose apartment was damaged. She didn’t give her last name. “Although I’m an ethnic Russian myself, from outside Moscow And I’ve never thought my people would be capable of this.”

Zelenskyy called for sanctions on Russia and for strengthening Ukraine’s air defenses.

“Such killings now, when real diplomacy could have started long ago, are a deliberate crime and a prolongation of the war,” he said. “The world can force the Kremlin criminals to stop killing; only political will is needed.”

Ukraine’s Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko posted a video of herself inside the damaged government building, where she said a fire covering 8,600 square feet was put out.

“For the first time since the start of full-scale invasion, Russians struck our government headquarters in the center of Kyiv,” she said.

“It looks like Russia is not seeking peace and is not ready for negotiations. We call our partners to help close our sky Let’s strengthen sanctions against Russia. Let’s create the security guarantees system that will help stop the enemy,” she said.

yUKI IWAMURA

Trump’s U.S. Open visit sparks boos, long security lines

BY WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump was loudly booed at the men’s final of the U.S. Open on Sunday, where extra security caused by his visit led to lines long enough that many people missed the start of play, even after organizers delayed it.

The Secret Service issued a statement saying that protecting Trump “required a comprehensive effort” and noting that it “may have contributed to delays for attendees.”

“We sincerely thank every fan for their patience and understanding,” it said. Trump attended the final as a guest of Rolex, despite imposing steep tariffs on the Swiss watchmaker’s home country The U.S. Tennis Association also tried to limit negative reaction to Trump’s attendance being shown on ABC’s national telecast, saying in a statement before play began: “We regularly ask our broadcasters to refrain from showcasing off-court disruptions.”

Wearing a suit and long red tie, Trump briefly emerged from his suite about 45 minutes before the match started and heard a mix of boos and cheers from an Arthur Ashe Stadium that was still mostly empty No announcement proceeded his appearance, and it was brief enough that some in the crowd missed it. Trump appeared again to more boos before the national anthem. Standing in salute, the president was shown briefly on the arena’s big screens during the anthem, and offered a smirk that briefly made the boos louder When the anthem was over, the Republican pointed to a small group of supporters seated nearby, then sat on the suite’s balcony to watch the match intently He mostly didn’t applaud, even following major points that energized the rest of the crowd as Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz bested Jannik Sinner of Italy Trump was shown on the big screen again after the first set ended, and elicited a roar of louder boos and some piercing whistles. He raised his left fist in salute as the noise continued in the stadium, which with a capacity of 24,000 is one of the largest in tennis. The president later moved back inside the suite, where he was seen seated at a table with family members and appeared to be eating, but he was back in his seat shortly before match point. Cameras briefly flashed on Trump as Alcaraz celebrated, but his reaction to the conclusion was as muted as it had been throughout most of the match. This time, there was little crowd reaction, too. Organizers pushed the start of the match back half an hour to give people more time to pass through enhanced screening checkpoints reminiscent of security at airports. Still, thousands of increasingly frustrated fans remained in line outside as the match got underway Many seats, especially those in upper rows, stayed empty for nearly an hour

a match between Spain’s Carlos Alcaraz and Italy’s Jannik Sinner at the U.S Open on Sunday in New york.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVGENIy MALOLETKA A woman is overcome with emotion Sunday in front of a residential building heavily damaged by a Russian strike in Kyiv Ukraine.

Chicagochurchesurgecalmresistance

City bracingfor influx of federalagents

BY SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press

CHICAGO The Rev.Marshall Hatch Sr.urged congregantsofa prominent Black church on Chicago’s West Sidetocarry identification, stay connected to family and protest as thecity readiedfor an expected federal intervention

“You need to start telling people about your whereabouts, so you don’tdisappear,” Hatch said during Sunday services at New Mount Pilgrim Missionary BaptistChurch. “We’re not going to despair.We’re not going to feel threatened.We’re notgoingtogiveupand give in to fascismand authoritarianism.”

As Chicago braced foranimmigrationenforcement crackdown

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trepidation about the Saints’ chances for success, black and gold joie de vivre ruled the day. Though among one band of tailgaters, pleasure was mixed with poignancy as they memorialized three members who’d died tragically just afew months before. More about that later MississippiWho Dats Shade made all the difference on Sunday.Frank Gambino’stailgate gang from Purvis, Mississippi,was clustered beneath asycamore tree, sampling baconwrapped stuffed shrimp, cheeseburgers and such. Gambino, awholesale crawfishdealer,said he’s been leading his tailgating contingent for 22 years.So long, he said, that he’sthe only original member left. He’s even hadthree different wives sincethe group began making its pilgrimage to the Superdome, he said. Gambino’scurrentwife was sitting just afew yards away,but he suggested she notbeinterviewed, because you never know what she might say It’sclear that Gambino is acharacter.Hesaidhe’s 54 years oldand had been aSaintsfan sincehewas a kid. His dad, he said, had 17 season tickets. He used to slip somebody at the Hyatt 100 bucks to park his car Back then, Gambino said, buying aLuckyDog on the way to theDomewas abig treat. Some years, he recalled, theteam was so bad, fans hid their identities with paper bags over their heads.

Therewas amerciful breeze on Poydras Street on game day.Gambino said the Saints are going to need another kind of (Drew) Brees during this rebuilding period, and preferably in the frontoffice makingpersonnel decisions.

‘Weloveour city’ Roy Bradley’stailgating territoryisnot picturesque,

and apossibleNationalGuard deployment, churches across the city turned up their response from the pulpit. Some worked to quell fearsabout detentionand deportation while others addressed the looming possibility of morelaw enforcementonthe streetsofthe nation’sthird-largestcity President Donald Trump has threatened federal intervention in Democratic strongholds, most recently warning apocalyptic force couldbe used in Chicago to fight crime and stepupdeportations. He’srepeatedlycited the expected plans over fierce objections from local leaders and many residents who callitunnecessaryand unwanted While fears have been high in immigrant circles since Trump took office the second time, the threat of morefederal agencies and troops has also inflamed tensions, particularly in Black and

Latino communities where trust in police is fragile.

Among the church attendees was LesterBurks, a74-year-old U.S. Army veteranwho said amilitarypresence in Chicago would be threatening.

“I don’twantsoldiershere,” he said. “They are trained to fight.” Sanctuarycitiestargeted

Details on the expected intervention have been sparse, including its focus and when it’sexpected to begin.Trump’sborderczar Tom Homan said Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Union” thatfederal lawenforcement action will come to Chicago this week. He also promised more worksite enforcement operationslike the massive one at aHyundai plant in Georgia.

“You can expect action in most sanctuary cities across thecountry,”hesaid.

TheTrump administration has

repeatedly targeted, and unsuccessfully sued, over Chicago’s sanctuary laws, which are among the strongest in the nation. His administration launched anationwide immigration enforcement operation in the city in January

There is no official definition for sanctuarypoliciesorsanctuary cities. The terms generally describe limits on local cooperation withImmigration and Customs Enforcement. ICE enforces U.S. immigration laws nationwide but sometimes seeks state and local help. This time, the Department of Homeland Security plans to use a militarybase north of the city and has alerted leaders of another suburb that they’ll use afederal immigration processing center there for an operation that’ll potentially last 45 days. Meanwhile, Trump hassaidhemight send National Guardtroops to NewOrleans be-

notevenclose. It’s apatch of black gravel,bracketed by concrete barricades, under aroaring overpass. And yet it was abeautifulscene Sunday, with abunch of friends andfamilyclusteredtogether,sharing their enthusiasm for the upcoming game

At roughly 11 a.m., Bradleyannounced it was time to eat, andpeeled the aluminum foil off adelicacy he called “crack pasta.”

“I callitcrack pasta because it’s crackin,’”hesaid. Bradleysaidhe’sthe chef of apopular restaurant, and hispasta left little doubt that he wasa pro. Studded with cubed tomatoes anda blizzard of parsley, it was deliciousbefore youeven tasted it.

Youcan tellyou’re at a New Orleans tailgateparty when afan shows up toting asaxophone. Removing his baseball cap, horn man Tyronne Fountain pointed out that he and late jazzlegend Pete Fountain have three things in common: their last name, alove of music and no hair to speak of.

Bradley saidthe beauty of tailgatingisthat “everybody comestogether for the same reason.”

The team,hesaid, “could lose 10 ina row and we’re

stillgoingtobeout forthe Saints, because it’sour city and we love our city.”

Gauthreaux Strong

At aSouth Rampart Street parkinglot,the tone was both raucous and reverent. As tailgater Tempi Nepveaux tearfully explained, theWest Bankbased Who Dat tailgate group has been partying before Saints games for a decade. But Sunday would be the first time the fans had gotten together since apair of tragedies took the lives of three in thegroup.

Hubert Gauthreaux III, 21, was one of the 14 victims of theJan.1terrorist attack on BourbonStreet that stunned thecity.He and his father customarilyattended Saints games together,Nepveaux said. Unimaginably,the young man’sgrandparents,HubertGauthreaux, 75, and Victoria Gauthreaux, 72, were killed thenext month by an impaired driver Nepveauxpointedout that the Who Dat group had arranged three empty chairs under theirshade shelters, with thetrio’sfavorite beverages in the cupholders. She said the group hadalso arrangedfor the Pocket

Aces brass band to accompany them in asecond-line parade to the Dome.

fore Chicago. Trumphas already deployed the National Guard into Los Angeles andWashington, D.C., where he’s also federalized the policeforce. Afederal judge has ruledthe Los Angeles deployment is illegal.

“Wedon’t need another level of law enforcement and their presence to pretend they’re going to solve problemsrelated to violence,” U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, a Democrat, said at aSundaynews conference with other Black elected leaders on the city’sWest Side. Most of Chicago’snearly 3million peopleare Black or Latino. New Mount Pilgrim is located in the city’sWest Garfield Park neighborhood, alargely Black neighborhood which has faced persistent crimeand years of disinvestment, including five schools near the church that closed in 2013 as part of the largest masspublic closure in U.S. history

Morethan 100 fans, many wearing black T-shirts withgoldlettering that read,“GauthreauxStrong,” waved gold handkerchiefs as theymarched toward thestadium,led by aflag emblazoned with portraits of theirthree late members. Chris Peet, theman knownfor jogging through the French Quarter carrying aflag marked with the word love, in memory of the NewYear’sterror attack victims, also accompanied the parade It wasanodd blendof sport devotion, mourning and celebration. It was perfectly NewOrleans. EmailDoug MacCash at dmaccash@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTOSByDOUGMacCASH

Tailgateleader RoyBradley is surrounded by friendsand family on Sunday

RoyBradley displayshis ‘crack pasta,’a tailgate delicacy, on Sunday

Houthi rebels strike airport; Israel steps up Gaza City attacks

Airspace closed, flights halted according to the Israeli military

BY MELANIE LIDMAN and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

TEL AVIV, Israel — A drone fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels breached Israel’s multilayered air defenses on Sunday and slammed into the country’s southern airport, the Israeli military said, blowing out glass windows, wounding one person and briefly shutting down commercial airspace.

The damage to Ramon airport appeared limited and flights resumed within hours. The Houthis claimed responsibility for the strike.

The attack follows Israeli strikes on Yemen’s rebel-held capital that killed the Houthi prime minister and other top officials in a major escalation of the nearly 2-year-old conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group in Yemen.

In Gaza City, the Israeli military on Sunday leveled another highrise tower that housed hundreds of displaced Palestinians and urged people to move south as it

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

“There’s a lot 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 seeking out 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 for the 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’s a challenge for families who might be asked to pay $200 for it out of pocket. New rules

intensified its offensive on the city

Meanwhile, a breakthrough Israeli Supreme Court decision ruled that Israel was not providing Palestinian detainees in its custody with enough food to ensure basic sustenance. It ordered the state to “guarantee basic living conditions in accordance with the law” for the thousands of Palestinians in its detention facilities.

Sunday’s ruling, made in response to a petition by Israeli human rights groups alleging starvation among Palestinians in the country’s prisons, marked a rare instance of Israeli legal restraint on its own war policies that have drawn indignation and outrage abroad

After Israel’s killing of Houthi Prime Minister Ahmed al-Rahawi last Thursday, the militants vowed to escalate their attacks targeting Israel and merchant ships navigating the vital Red Sea trade route.

One of several Houthi drones launched from Yemen on Sunday slipped through Israel’s sophisticated defense system and crashed into the passenger terminal at the Ramon International Airport near the resort city of Eilat, the Israeli Airports Authority said, diverting flights over southern Israel and inflicting light shrapnel wounds on a 63-year-old man.

Houthi military spokesperson Brig Gen. Yahya Saree said the

need a prescription to be vaccinated.

In Louisiana, that change has created confusion Louisiana pharmacy law allows pharmacists to give vaccines without a prescription, as long as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, or ACIP, recommends them. If the CDC removes or limits its recommendation, pharmacists lose that authority said Sara Al-Dahir, a vaccine researcher and clinical professor at Xavier University A decision by ACIP is expected within a month, and it could heavily influence whether drugstores carry the shots and whether pediatricians will be able to give them to patients.

No availability

can evade Israeli air defenses

Saying that they were acting in solidarity with the Palestinians, the Houthis began firing missiles and drones into Israel after Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel ignited the Israeli military’s devastating campaign in Gaza.

Hamas militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted over 250 in their assault on southern Israel.

While frequent, the aerial attacks from Yemen have not caused significant damage in Israel.

people had been killed or wounded in the attack.

group had fired eight drones at Israel to signal that the rebels “will escalate their military operations and not back down from their support for Gaza.” He warned that Israeli airports “are unsafe and will be continuously targeted.”

The Israeli military said it intercepted three Houthi drones near Israel’s border with Egypt and was investigating why it failed to identify the fourth drone that struck Ramon airport as a threat.

The Houthis have stepped up their aerial attacks on Israel in recent months, including by deploying warheads with cluster munitions that scatter smaller bomblets over a large area and

Before Sunday’s assault, the most damaging Houthi attack was in May, when a Houthi missile struck near Israel’s main Ben Gurion Airport, prompting international airlines to cancel flights to Tel Aviv for months.

The Israeli military said it razed another high-rise building in Gaza City on Sunday, shortly after military spokesperson Avichay Adraee ordered the evacuation of people from a seven-story building in a southern Gaza City neighborhood and nearby tents. Al-Ra’iya Tower crumbled in a flash its facade cascading down into a heap of rubble and sending people scrambling for cover Israel said the building targeted on Sunday had been used by Hamas for intelligence-gathering activities. Hamas denied the accusation It was unclear how many

It’s the third Gaza City high-rise leveled in as many days as Israel ramps up its offensive to take control of what it portrays as Hamas’ last remaining stronghold, urging Palestinians to flee parts of Gaza City for a designated humanitarian zone in the territory’s south. Many Palestinians, exhausted from being displaced multiple time during the war, have opted to stay put rather than uproot themselves for jam-packed, increasingly unsanitary tent encampments that are unprepared to handle the influx. Others reluctantly fled even as past Israeli attacks on humanitarian zones have reinforced the feeling that nowhere is safe in the enclave.

“Every time we move to a place, we get displaced from it,” said Shireen Al-Lada’, who fled south from eastern Gaza City after her house in the once-bustling urban neighborhood of Zeitoun was destroyed.

Officials at Gaza City’s Shifa Hospital reported that Israeli strikes on a school-turned-shelter and on tents and apartment buildings killed at least 13 Palestinians, including six children and three women. The Israeli military said it was targeting militants near the school and had warned civilians to evacuate.

Without health authorities encouraging vaccination few people are asking for it.

“The demand has literally dried up,” Mills said. “You might get two people that want it, and you end up eating eight of them.”

Health authorities silent

The Louisiana Department of Health did not answer qu est io ns about availability guidance or cost.

Cassidy said. “We’ve got to fix that problem.”

At the same time, Cassidy echoed calls for transparency, citing President Donald Trump’s demand this week for the release of additional vaccine data.

“Many people think they are a miracle that saved millions of lives. Others disagree,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I want the answer, and I want it NOW.”

still prevented severe illness and death. From late September 2023 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 a 45% lower risk of being hospitalized with COVID-19 compared with people who weren’t vaccinated with that version.

would allow recommendations from other medical groups, such as the American Medical Association, to guide practice if federal guidance is lacking.

Dr Nora Oates, a pediatrician at Hales Pediatrics, said families are pressing her with questions she can’t answer due to the lack of clarity

Dozens of studies have shown the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Early clinical trials demonstrated high efficacy against symptomatic infection. As the coronavirus evolved, the drug was less effective, but

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 regulations that

“I just spoke with a family who is eagerly looking for the vaccine for their 3-yearold because they have an infant coming in two weeks, and at this point, this is a challenge,” she said. “Our patients deserve recommendations based on proper science.”

In prior years COVID-19 shots were recommended for anyone 6 months and older Under the leadership of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr the Food and Drug Administration authorized updated COVID shots only for adults 65 and older and those with at least one health condition that puts them at higher risk for severe disease. For the first time, healthy younger people will

CVS said they will currently only administer shots with a prescription, though appointments were unavailable for any age group in Louisiana on their website Wednesday Walgreens did not respond to questions about availability, but their website said a prescription was required in Louisiana, even for those who meet recommendations.

That leaves pharmacists like Al-Dahir caught “on both ends” unable to give vaccines without a doctor’s order, and often unable to bill insurers even when one is written because they will not reimburse for someone who doesn’t qualify Independent drugstores also face logistical challenges Former state Sen. Fred Mills, a pharmacist in St. Martin Parish, said wholesalers require them to buy 10 vials at a time, at a cost of about $1,100, with just a few weeks before expiration.

Dr Ralph Abraham, th e st at e surgeon general, has often criticized the COVID-19 vaccine. Last year, LDH employees were forbidden from promoting seasonal vaccines, and Abraham ended longstanding mass vaccination efforts such as flu fairs. Recently, Abraham criticized the American Academy of Pediatrics for their recommendations that all children ages 6 months to 2 years old be immunized for COVID-19.

Some of Louisiana’s largest health systems, including Ochsner Health and LCMC Health, did not respond to questions about whether they are stocking doses.

Blue Cross Blue Shield, Louisiana’s largest 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,”

Abraham

Kennedy

Cassidy

Then, there’sthe feds.

President Donald Trump said last week that he may call in theNational Guard to save New Orleans, part ofa wider intervention in Democrat-ledcities

Aday later,Trump’sJustice Department declared that it now opposesthe 2-year“sustainment plan” that theNOPDentered in January,anexit ramp from the reform agreementknown as aconsent decree thathas governed thepoliceforce since 2013 Department of Justice lawyers agreed Thursday with Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s administration that it’stime for the agreement to end

The encouraging crime statistics leave plenty of public safety issues for the city’snext political leaderto manage, saidGreg Rusovich, chair of the Metropolitan Crime Commission.

“Crime is down. But every violent crime takes a human toll,” said Rusovich, who urged more allowable uses of technology such as facial recognition.“The next mayor must grow our law enforcement presence and encourage our officers to continue proactive policing.”

Thethree majorcandidates for mayor —Royce Duplessis, Helena Moreno and Oliver Thomas —recently sketched out their respective visions on several public safety issues. The mayoral primary is Oct. 11.

NOPD staffing,leadership

The NOPD has hovered at around 900 officers after adecline of more than 20% since 2020, as it has struggled to recruit new cadets since bringing its recruiting operation in-house afew years ago.

Duplessis and Moreno agreed on aneed for more cops, while Thomas responded that the city should undertake “a thorough review of public safety spending, capacity constraints, and aclear plan to optimize funds.”

Duplessis pointed to his support in the Legislature of abill to provide tax exemptions for local first responders. He said he would rely on “real-time dataand updated projections” to guide investments in recruiting and retention.

Moreno pointed to recent steps by NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick to boost recruiting, “but if thosedon’twork, then we need to bring in professional headhunters,” she saidin her response.

There seems to be consensus among the three candidates that Kirkpatrick should stay —atleastfor now The city’sfirst permanent female police chief,and first outsiderindecades,initially tied her tenure to that of Cantrell but has since expressedadesire to stay into the next administration. Kirkpatrick joinedthe city in 2023, months after the start of ahistoric stretch of declines in violent crime

followinga 3-year surge. Homicides, nonfatal shootings, armed robberiesand carjacking reports all have slid steeply over the past two years. The rate of killinginthe CrescentCityis nearly at the half-century low reached in 2019.

“Thisisone area where things are workingwell, andIdon’tsee any need forchanges at this time,” Duplessis said. Moreno offered alitanyof qualifications forher ideal policechief and saidKirkpatrick “meetsmycriteria.”

“Her positiveperformanceand significant accomplishments in crime reduction cannot be overlooked,” Moreno said.

Thomas, too, said he’d keep Kirkpatrick, to “maintain momentum” on addressing violent crime, officer recruiting and clearance rates.

“If that progress stalls or trust erodes, I’ll makea change,” said Thomas,who as aCity Council member did not vote to confirm Kirkpatrick in 2023.

Thomas hasalsoproposed achange to an elected policechief system, which he said “ensures thechief is accountable to neighborhoods, notjusttoCity Hall.”

Response times

Delays in police responses, longmaddeningfor New Orleansresidents, have leveled off some since thepandemic. But stillmorethan 1 in 5high-priority 911 calls takemorethan20minutes, according toa City Council dashboard.

Duplessis said he favors addingmorecivilianemployees for nonemergency calls to lighten the load on sworn officers. Thomas pointed to Seattle and Houstonasmodels for diverting nonemergency calls away from police, and to Denver and Albuquerque, New Mexico, for programs that get personnel more quickly to scenes.

And Moreno cited her efforts while serving on the City Council to redirect minor car accidents, mental health crisis interventions andthe like to civilianpersonnel, to lift burdens on NOPD officers.

Thecandidatesdiffered on whether andhow the NOPD and thecity should be allowed to exploit facial recognition technology,and particularly the ability to scan faces formatches in real time. Kirkpatrick in April cut off alerts to NOPD officers from Project NOLA of live facial recognition “hits”oncriminal subjects. Shesaid later she was concerned thepractice violated a2022 city ordinance. Critics argue thetechnology enables unchecked surveil-

lance.

While Kirkpatrick has argued forexpandeduse of facial recognition with “guardrails,” Thomas recently pulled back adraft of proposedchangestoanordinance that set tight limits on the city’suse of it.Hesaid he still favors expanding the city’s use of facial recognition,amongother technologies.

“Allweneed to do is look at recent examples,suchas theNew Year’sDay tragedy on BourbonStreet in which 14 people died, andthen the mass escape of 10 inmates from OrleansParishJustice Center,” Thomas said.

Duplessis said he also supportsits use as acrimefighting tool but would oppose facial recognitionfor “surveillance or enforcementinways that target immigrants, Black residents, or any marginalized group.

Moreno cautioned that the NOPD wants to usefacial recognition like “an unblinking eye, scanning our city 24/7.”

“This is likely the reason why no other city in the country has enacted this type of local law regarding live facial recognition,” she said of aproposed endorsement of the practice by the city

Safety in theVieux Carre

The Jan. 1attack on Bourbon Street and anew law allowingpermitless concealedcarry have changed thelandscape for public safetyinthe French Quarter

Neither Morenonor Duplessis offered specifics last week on whether andhow they wouldclose BourbonStreettocars, a keyrecommendation of a consultant hiredthisyear to help New Orleans defend itself after theNew Year’s Day attack.

Moreno did sayshe favors beefing up theFrench Quarter Management District with staff to better manage rollouts of equipment and manpower along Bourbon Street. Sheargued that when it comes to security on Bourbon, there are “too many players, and no one is keeping everyone accountable.”

Duplessis said any plan of his would be guided by homeland security experts. On guns, he noted that he opposed permitless concealed carry as astate senator,saying it “makes officers’ jobsharder andour city less safe.”

Thomas,meanwhile, outlined asafety plan for Bourbon Street that he said “modernizesdaily coverage, surges smartly for big nights, andmakes agencies workasone team.”

The plan includes “soft and

hard perimeters” for special events,and other tools including bag checks, medical tents, sobering stations and DUI checkpoints.

For regularweekends, Thomas pledged an intensive program from Thursday to Sunday to include copsonfoot and bikes every block or two, alongwithvehicle barriers, emergency lanes andother steps, with a“mini unified command” underthe city’s homeland security department.

An avid hunter,Thomas saidlocal governments that seek to restrictguns hold few constitutional cards. As mayor,hesaidhis administration would enforce remaining bans, including on guns in the hands of juveniles or people who are drunk or high or in bars.

Post-consent decree

The consent decree that has governed theNOPD for adozen years appears to be on its way out. The department in Januaryentered a2-year “sustainment pe-

riod” after afederal judge and monitors agreed it had more work to do to reach full compliance. The DOJ, underformerPresident Joe Biden, agreed, but its position has changed under Trump. Now both parties —the city and federalgovernment —want out.

Duplessis describedthe NOPD as “one of the most respected policedepartments in the country for its improvements and constitutionality.That should be celebrated.”

Still, he said the consent decree “should only be terminatedoncethe conditions outlined are metand we areall confident that the progress made can be sustained.”

Moreno said she was concernedwith backsliding.

“I am highly aware that throughout its history,the NOPD has failed to hold itself accountable for its misdeeds, which is why the consentdecree hasbeen so important,” herstatement

read Thomas also didnot say when the NOPD should leavecourt oversight, only that his administration would “seek atimely,credible exit from the NOPD consent decree, notbycutting corners, butbyreplacing costly federal monitoring with alean,local accountability framework thatwe control and the public can trust. The candidates offered fewspecifics, however, over whatoversight of the NOPD might look like when the consent decree, which followed ablistering2011 assessment of the city’spoliceforce, is gone. Ultimately,Rusovich said, thewinner will be judged by results in crime reduction.

“Tone is alsocritical,” he said. “Use thebully pulpit to insist on improvements in the criminal justice system, speak up forvictims and ensure collaborationwith federal,state andregional law enforcement.”

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Mother of boy found dead arrested

Police allege abuse, negligence

BY KASEY BUBNASH and JUSTIN MITCHELL Staff writers

The mother of a 12-year-old boy who was found dead in a New Orleans East lagoon last month after a weekslong search was arrested Sunday, according to the New Orleans Police Department.

trauma and or anything that we deem to be negligent,” NOPD Assistant Superintendent Hans Ganthier said. “So this is all a pattern.”

Oliver Thomas airs first TV ad

N.O. mayor race heats up

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Oliver Thomas has launched the first television advertising buy of his campaign for New Orleans mayor as the race enters its peak stretch before the October primary Thomas, who represents New Orleans East and the Lower 9th Ward as the District E representative on the New Orleans City Council, in a 30-second segment released Thursday lists achievements within his district over the past few years. He pledges to build on that record as mayor “We’ve done so much,” Thomas says in the segment, narrating a montage of his interactions with New Orleanians and local sites.

ä See THOMAS, page 2B

Kenner

OKs dock for river cruise line stop

BY LARA NICHOLSON Staff writer

Kenner’s historic Rivertown will soon serve as the newest stop for a Mississippi River cruise line under a new agreement unanimously approved by the Kenner City Council on Thursday night.

Kenner officials paved the way for American Cruise Lines to construct a new docking facility on the site of an abandoned dock that has sat vacant since Hurricane Katrina, near LaSalle’s Landing at the southernmost point of Williams Boulevard. Once completed, the Delawarebased company will include Kenner on its several Mississippi River cruise itineraries, where up to 180 passengers will explore the city for a day before embarking on their next destination.

“By adding a stop in Rivertown, the area will experience a

At a news conference Sunday evening, NOPD officials said investigators found a pattern of negligence and abuse over the course of her son Bryan’s short life at the hands of Vasquez, his primary caretaker

“This is not the first time Bryan has been the victim of any sort of

Hilda Vasquez was booked into the Orleans Parish jail on a count of second-degree cruelty to juveniles and negligent homicide, police said.

Ganthier said Bryan’s dramatic case has proven emotionally challenging for the entire department and city, but he stressed that the investigation is not over

“We have to pursue and seek justice for Bryan,” Ganthier said.

NOPD detectives and the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services began reviewing Vasquez’s criminal history short-

ly after her son was found dead among alligators by a volunteer on Aug. 26. Last seen alive on Aug. 14, Bryan’s disappearance sparked a multiagency search effort that gripped New Orleans for nearly two weeks until his body was found in a lagoon near Michoud Boulevard and Sevres Street. The New Orleans coroner determined Bryan died from blunt force trauma and drowning suffered during an alligator attack. Bryan was described by fam-

ily members and authorities as a nonverbal autistic boy who often liked to sneak away from home to visit a nearby playground. But a Department of Children and Family Services report from 2021 said his disability was classified in an individualized education plan as a ”traumatic brain injury (nonaccidental).”

An earlier police report says Vasquez injured the boy when he was 3 months old. He’d been taken

See MOTHER, page 2B

A tale of two cities

As Bay St. Louis thrives, a nearby town struggles to hold on 20 years after Katrina

BY POET WOLFE and MARTHA SANCHEZ

The Times-Picayune and Sun Herald

On a Thursday morning, three regulars sit in cool darkness.

Two shoot pool, another sips a Coors Light. The smell of cigarette smoke clings to walls and hangs in the air

Turtle Landing Bar & Grill, tucked off U.S. 90 in Pearlington, Mississippi, was once lively, until Hurricane Katrina emptied the town and Louisiana later closed nearby bridges.

Now, 20 years after the storm, the isolation is heavier “Big time,” the bar’s owner Janyne Crapeau says, perched on a bar stool. Daylight briefly seeps in as a man comes in from fishing for bass

in the bayou and takes a seat at the bar He orders a plate of red beans and rice. Beers, at $2.50 a bottle, don’t keep Turtle Landing running. The food does. It’s the only restaurant in town.

Two decades after Katrina, Pearlington remains stranded. Unlike nearby towns that were rebuilt with the help of government aid, this one unincorporated with no form of government — never quite gained a foothold. The few businesses, fading population and grassy, vacant lots point to an uneven recovery along the Mississippi Coast.

Pearlington’s only school was washed away and never rebuilt. There is no hospital or emergency room, forcing residents to drive elsewhere for care, including Crapeau, who was diagnosed with throat cancer and makes the 45-minute trip to Gulfport every three weeks for chemotherapy.

Public buildings are scarce: a library, a community center and a volunteer fire department are all that remain.

After the storm, volunteers and

Hutson doubles down on jailbreak claims

CAMPAIGN NOTEBOOK staff reports

Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson doubled down last week on her claim that politics drove a mass breakout from the city’s jail this spring drawing stinging criticism from two of her opponents in the sheriff’s race during a candidate forum. The May 16 jailbreak was not “a breakout. It was a let-out,” Hutson told moderators at WWL

Louisiana, who hosted Hutson, former interim New Orleans Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork and Constable Edwin Shorty at its studios Thursday

“And it was very curious on the timing as well. We know that there were actors doing this to influence the election.” Voters will decide Oct 11 whether to afford Hutson, who faced widespread criticism after the jailbreak, a second term. A runoff, if needed, will be Nov 15. Woodfork, who has notched

church groups trickled into Pearlington while much of the aid was concentrated in other areas. Residents were faced with a choice: to rebuild or leave. Most fled to nearby towns with better outcomes. Bay St. Louis, 17 miles away, was one of them.

Katrina battered Bay St. Louis — destroying half the city’s homes, blowing out the bridge that connects it to Pass Christian and decimating the population. The downtown area, once busy, was essentially flattened to a blank slate.

Recovery was a yearslong effort sustained by an outpouring of assistance from the government, volunteers and locals who stayed. Public buildings, roadways and vital bridges were eventually repaired and replaced by federal money By 2013, new developers were flocking to downtown as longtime business owners rebuilt.

Today, the ghost of Katrina’s devastation is hard to find in most parts of Bay St. Louis. In Pearlington, though, it lingers just about

See CITIES, page 2B

N.O. mayoral candidates forum slated for Sept. 16 Event will be livestreamed

The Times-Picayune and NOLA.com will host a live forum for candidates in the New Orleans mayoral election at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 16. Readers are invited to submit questions they’d like to have posed to the candidates. Three candidates in the Oct. 11 primary election to replace Mayor LaToya Cantrell have been invited to participate:

state Sen. Royce Duplessis, City Council Vice President Helena Moreno, and council member Oliver Thomas. All have accepted the invitation.

The event, which will be livestreamed on all of the organization’s online platforms, is sponsored by AARP

Readers can submit questions to forum moderator Stephanie Grace at louisianatownhallquestions@gmail.com.

Early voting in the race begins Sept. 27 and runs through Oct. 4.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The Bay St. Louis Bridge, shown 10 years after Hurricane Katrina, was rebuilt with the help of government aid.

Thomas

CITIES

Continued from page 1B

everywhere

A storm-battered town

The two-lane road to Pearlington cuts through dense woods and bayous. The old river town boomed with newcomers in the 1960s, when NASA commandeered a swath of Hancock County and displaced nearby villages to build the Stennis Space Center

Now the streets are quiet

But signs of the past endure.

A man wearing a faded NASA Tshirt rides a rumbling lawn mower through his yard. A Coca-Cola delivery truck pulls past sun-bleached gas pumps to deliver sweet tea at the Rockets Express convenience store.

Down the road, Elbert Walters swivels in a desk chair at his auto body and paint shop and calls himself one of the “real die-hards.” His family arrived in Pearlington six decades ago with the influx ousted by NASA. After Katrina, he rebuilt his shop with salvaged wood Walters wears a plaid shirt and camouflage baseball cap embroidered with the words “Amazing Grace.” He studies black-and-white photographs on his wall and considers the changes.

“All this history,” he says, “seems like it got washed away.”

Two decades after Katrina made its last landfall in Pearlington, the town has succeeded and struggled The county installed water and sewage systems, but low elevation drove up insurance costs. Volunteers rebuilt wood homes, but neighbors moved away Now, the closure of several deteriorating bridges at the state line “has impacted me more than Katrina,” Crapeau says. “They ought to fix the damn highway.”

Pearlington’s story might have gone differently Tim Kellar, a longtime county leader and former chancery clerk, said he got calls after the storm from investors as far away as California. They wanted to buy the whole town.

But most die-hards wouldn’t sell. Locals say the neighbors who have left Pearlington for higher ground are usually from somewhere else. Speaking by phone last week from a county government office built with FEMA money, Tax Assessor Jimmie Ladner carefully described the place where he hunted

Continued from page 1B

double-digit leads in recent polls on the race, and Shorty both heaped scorn on Hutson’s claim.

“To suggest that it was political, for me personally it felt like she suggested that one of us had something to do with it,” Woodfork said. “And to me, that’s suggesting that we would do something criminal, and that’s truly disrespectful.”

Given a chance to rebut Woodfork, Hutson told her: “If you’re feeling guilty that’s on you.” She added that “there were actors in the system doing things they weren’t supposed to be doing.” Shorty then got his turn. “Leadership is about taking responsibility,” he said. “We still are talking about inmates scheduling a jail break for an election cycle. That doesn’t make any sense. The public knows that that doesn’t make any sense.”

Though Hutson has raised the issue in the past, it’s still not clear what political motivations or individuals she believes were behind the jailbreak. She hasn’t made direct accusations of any public officials or provided any details to

and fished as a boy

“The problem,” Ladner began, then he paused. “I hate using the term problem.”

“Part of the issue,” he said, “is the isolation.”

A town reborn

On Aug. 29, the anniversary of Katrina, Nikki Moon sits in her Bay St. Louis home and remembers that day 20 years ago. When the storm hit, she clung to a bald oak with her Scottish terrier and three guests from her bed-and-breakfast, Bay Town Inn

Today, that tree still stands by the inn. Carved into its branches are two angels, one facing the water and another looking toward Beach Boulevard, lined with busy seafood restaurants and palm trees rustling in the breeze.

Even on its slower days, the town’s rebirth is unmistakable.

On the corner of Main Street and Beach Boulevard, a couple walks into Pearl Hotel with rolling luggage. A few blocks away, in Mockingbird Cafe, a group of locals sit at a table and talk about how Bay St. Louis has transformed in the last decade.

“It is a community that came back very strongly,” Moon says, “And its people are really something special.”

Several businesses, including Bay Town Inn, began reopening on Beach Boulevard in 2013. Moon had applied for a $150,000 grant from the Hancock County Chamber of Commerce, which she said gave her “the seed money” to rebuild her bed-and-breakfast. The county’s tourism office also provided funds for advertising.

“We had no roads. We had no water We had no power,” Moon says. “Our infrastructure was starting from scratch. The city and the county had to raise the money.”

Bay St. Louis slowly came back to life, regaining its pre-Katrina identity as a quaint art colony and weekend retreat for New Orleanians.

Moon sold the inn in 2022 to Jim MacPhaille, a New Orleans developer who owns a restaurant and several other businesses in Bay St Louis. A decade earlier, he had already seen the town’s potential.

In 2013, MacPhaille purchased two buildings on Main Street. Despite its damaged infrastructure and lack of tourism, he recognized how Bay St. Louis was “eager to get things done” as storm recovery in New Orleans lagged.

But still, “business was tough,”

support her claims.

Shorty also criticized what he said was Hutson’s sluggish move to contact other law enforcement agencies and victims to notify them of the jailbreak She pushed back on that claim, arguing that she notified the Marshals Service Task Force and the inmates’ victims within a half-hour of learning of the breakout. She has said before that she “overly” relied on that service and that she should have contacted NOPD and other agencies directly All but one of the 10 inmates who escaped have been recaptured. Derrick Groves remains on the run.

Candidates were also pressed on whether they support the notion of National Guard troops deploying to New Orleans to address crime, an idea President Donald Trump suggested last week.

Woodfork said “we should never say no to partnerships,” but that officials should talk about whether one is needed in this case.

Shorty said National Guard troops “don’t want to do this kind of work” and that they are not trained to do it.

Hutson, meanwhile, said spending money to bring in federal law enforcement is a “slap in the face to our deputies, who have taken on everything that we have asked them to do.”

MOTHER

Continued from page 1B

to the emergency room with injuries that included a damaged lung, retinal hemorrhages, fractures in both legs that caused his ankles to bend outward and a skull fracture with swelling, an officer reported. She was charged in 2014 with cruelty to juveniles and seconddegree cruelty to juveniles, and later pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of negligent treatment or neglect. Nicholas Gernon, NOPD’s chief detective, confirmed Sun-

THOMAS

Continued from page 1B

MacPhaille said. “Back then, they were barely making it. We had like three or four tenants roll in and out.”

In 2018, he opened two New Orleans staples — PJ’s Coffee and Creole Creamery — in his two buildings on Main Street. Today, that once-empty corridor is filled with new boutiques and restaurants. There’s little trace of the blight Katrina left behind.

Signs of hope

Even in Bay St. Louis, the story of recovery extends beyond downtown.

A few blocks away in the Depot District, new restaurants, boutiques and other businesses have opened across from the Amtrak train station, where Bay St. Louis is a stop along the Mardi Gras Service from New Orleans to Mobile. In other parts of the city, new subdivisions are emerging with houses and condos.

Bay St. Louis also keeps growing in population According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, it’s grown faster than any other city across the Mississippi Coast in the last four years. At over 11,000 people, it’s the only coastal city in the state to surpass its pre-Katrina population.

In Pearlington, the population has steadily increased in the last two decades, but is still far from its preKatrina numbers. Census data from 2000 shows the population was just above 1,600. In 2020, there were 1,100 people living in Pearlington.

Despite the population shift, many locals have stayed loyal to their homes on the bayou, surrounded by marshes and oak trees that tunnel over country roads.

Crapeau says she sold Turtle Landing before the bridges closed, then the buyer backed out. She had plans to retire and step away from a restaurant that brought people together after the storm But for now she’s still at her bar stool, welcoming guests to her bar and grill.

She’s proud of what she’s built in Pearlington, pointing to a framed newspaper front page featuring Turtle Landing.

Walters is not sure he could rebuild after another storm But he does not want to leave the quiet community where his family has lived for generations.

“It’s home,” he says. “It’s just home.”

Email Poet Wolfe at poet.wolfe@ theadvocate.com

Duplessis accosted during church service

A neighborhood activist and Instagram personality accosted state Sen. Royce Duplessis during a church service in New Orleans on Aug. 31, spurring sharp critiques from Duplessis and one of his competitors in the city’s mayoral race. The influencer, Byron Cole, sat behind Duplessis and his wife, Krystle Duplessis, during a service at the Historic Second Baptist Church on Freret Street. Cole livestreamed to his 69,000 Instagram followers for 36 minutes as he repeatedly called Royce Duplessis an “adulterer” and a “liar,” among other criticisms.

“You bold, son. You bold enough to come sit in my church where I’ve been all my life?” he asked Duplessis as the Rev Robert Bryant Jackson delivered the Sunday sermon. “You a liar, and you’re an adulterer, and you’re going to come here and lie to these Christians?” Cole, who has a history of antagonizing public figures at city meetings and other events, did not provide evidence of the accusations he flung at Duplessis during the video and declined to elaborate on them in a brief phone interview last week.

Duplessis visibly agitated, turned to ask Cole to be quiet and

“Crime is down over the last three years. Six Flags is being revitalized after 20 years of neglect,” he said, referring to the theme park that languished in his district for nearly 20 years after Katrina, but was recently razed. “Lincoln Beach, after seven years, finally funded. But we have more to do.”

The clip hit major New Orleans-area TV channels on Thursday, part of a $125,000 purchase of TV, digital radio and billboard advertising by Thomas’ campaign. The ad blitz is set to run through Sept. 14, a campaign spokesperson said. Thomas unleashed the ads as the race is poised to heat up. Candidates have just over a month left to sell their messages to New Orleans voters, who polling shows are weary of government dysfunction and eager to embrace a candidate who they believe can turn the tide on cracked streets, rickety drainage and high cost of living.

RIVER

Continued from page 1B

high-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’s dock will only serve as a cruise stop, not a terminal 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 additional nine ships in the coming years. Five of those ships cruise the Mississippi River with more under construction, according to Frank Klipsch, a representative from American Cruise Lines.

The company averages about 20,000 passengers per year traveling through the lower Mississippi River, primarily catering to older and higher-income customers interested in domestic travel.

At each stop, passengers have the option to walk around the immediate area, stay on board, or take a shuttle bus to explore other parts of the city

“We’re not ones that overtake

to stop criticizing his marriage.

“You’re an embarrassment, bruh,” he told Cole. “You want to step outside?” Later, Duplessis said, “Get this clown out of here,” and called Cole “weak.”

The exchange came on a Labor Day weekend, marking the start of what’s expected to become the most intense period of the mayoral race, which is headed toward an Oct. 11 primary

And it underscored a new prominence in local politics of social media personalities and influencers, several of whom have sided with candidates and sold their resumes to their thousands of followers.

The son of the late civil rights advocate Dyan “Mama D” Cole, Cole is a former mayoral candidate who uses his social media platform to share his thoughts about local politics. He was once arrested for disrupting a City Council meeting.

On Aug. 31, he accused the senator of lying to Cole in the past.

Duplessis later spoke to the congregation as a guest. Cole yelled through the senator’s speech while continuing to film.

“I’m running for mayor because I want to make our city an easier place to live,” said Duplessis, who has sought to fashion himself as an outsider by targeting his opponents, current City Council members Helena Moreno and Oliver Thomas

day that Bryan was temporarily removed from the Vasquez home by the child welfare department following his visit to the ER. Once he was returned, the abuse continued. The 2021 report, which was prompted by a notice from school, states that Bryan had large bruises on his face and his inner thigh. He also had “tapeworms on two different occasions.”

Gernon said investigators believe that Bryan’s poor treatment led to “undue pain and suffering.”

Staff writer Missy Wilkinson contributed to this report.

Thomas’ mayoral bid culminates a redemptive arc he has traced since 2007, when he publicly apologized to voters, resigned his at-large City Council seat and pleaded guilty to federal bribery charges. He returned to politics by winning the District E position in 2021. Launching his mayoral campaign in March, Thomas asked voters to join him on his ongoing “comeback.” As of July he had raised the second-most cash of any major candidate in the race besides Helena Moreno, his City Council colleague, who as of July reported a $1.7 million war chest.

Yet Thomas’ ad push comes as his campaign is clawing to regain its second-place status in the race, according to polling. Since late June, when state Sen. Royce Duplessis jumped in the contest after initially saying he would remain in the state Legislature, Duplessis has edged past Thomas in polls. Moreno, the presumptive front-runner has logged just shy of 50% of voters’ support in a series of surveys by local pollsters

a community like some of those large cruise ships do,” Klipsch told the council at an Aug. 22 meeting. “We come 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 Cruise Lines and the city will each pay for half the cost to demolish the old pier American will then construct a new Rivertown dock and a 325-foot walkway connecting it to the Mississippi River Trail.

Once completed, the company will lease the space for 20 years at $12,000 per year with the option to extend by 10 years up to two times.

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

The city of Kenner will also upgrade LaSalle’s Landing and an observation deck on the levee using an $826,000 grant. The cruise stop will add to Rivertown’s economy as it undergoes a boom of new business and events, following decades of stagnation in the 12-block historic district Glaser said at the meeting that three new businesses were in the process of obtaining permits so they could move into the area as well.

Cole interjected, drawing stares from other congregants: “No way.” He continued to yell through Duplessis’ speech.

Council Vice President Helena Moreno, who is leading the race in most polls, later criticized Cole’s behavior

“I thought that it was incredibly disrespectful,” Moreno said “To come at anyone at church, no matter who they are, that’s just uncalled for.

So did Duplessis and his spouse.

“Despite the lies and the insults that were hurled against us, my heart broke for that congregation,” Krystle Duplessis said. “They were there to worship God, to uplift one another to be uplifted, and that was taken away from them today.”

LOTTERY SATURDAY, SEPT 6, 2025

PICK 3: 8-3-9

4: 4-1-9-5

5: 9-6-7-4-4

5: 8-12-31-34-36

7-10-15-17-29-31 POWERBALL: 11-23-44-61-62 (17)

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

The Pearlington Rockets Express convenience store continues to struggle with declining traffic more than three years after the closure of a stretch of U.S 90 linking Louisiana and Mississippi.

NewOrleans Area Deaths

Allen, Catherine Davis, Luevillia

Drolla,David

Gomez, Mary

EJefferson

Garden of Memories

Gomez, Mary

St Tammany

EJ Fielding

Drolla,David

Obituaries

Allen, Catherine Mary Mulé Catherine Mary (Mulé)

Allenpassed on the date of 8/28/2025 at 84 yo. Sheis survived by her husband of 62 years, Charles Allen, her daughter, Lisa (Allen)

Maxey, her grandson

Dominick Allen, and her niece Lauren Mulé Elliott. She is preceded in death by her parents, John Mulé and Mary (Cusimano)

Mulé, as well as her brother, John G. Mulé. Catherine (Cathy) was born on 11/30/1940 in New Orleans, Louisiana.

Luevillia Terrell Davis, born December 18, 1932,in Clinton, Louisiana,tothe late Emmanuel Terrell Sr. and Ethel Wilson Terrell, passed away peacefully on September 3, 2025. She married the late Otis Davis Sr., and together they moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, where they devoted themselves to raising their five children. In her later years, she was tenderly cared for by her grandson, Deldrick Hunter,

and his wife, Ashley Collins Hunter, and her granddaughter, Jehan Davis, who surroundedher with love andcomfort.She is survived by her daughters, EthelDavis and Delores (Louis)Adams. She was preceded in death by her lovinghusband, Otis Davis Sr.; daughters, Jaqueline and Bobbie Jean Davis; and son,OtisDavis Jr Avisitation willbeheldfrom9 AM to 9:45 AM and funeral service willbeat10AMon0910-2025 at St. John Baptist Church, 8540 Panola St NOLA,70118.

Drolla,David Joseph

DavidJosephDrolla passedawayonFriday, Au‐gust22, 2025, at theage of 59years.David wasbornin New Orleans, Louisiana, on the 24th dayofMay 1966 Heissurvivedbyhis par‐ents, Dale TschirnDrolla and FrancisJosephDrolla, Jr. andhis wife,Terry GlaudiDrolla, andhis sister DanaDrollaManly andher husband,David Michael Manly.David waspreceded in deathbyhis maternal

grandparents,Lorraine WaltTschirn andEdward Roosevelt Tschirn, hispa‐ternalgrandparents, Genevieve “Gam”Clark Drollaand FrancisJoseph Drolla. Davidgraduated fromSt. Paul’s School in Covington andobtainedan AssociatesDegreefrom Delgado Community Col‐legeinRadiology Technol‐ogy.Hewas employed at North ShoreRegionalMed‐icalCenterinSlidell, Louisiana,for 18 years. David then completeda ComputedTomography courseatDelgado Commu‐nityCollege andwas em‐ployedatTulaneUniversity Hospitalasa CT Technolo‐gistfor 4years.InJune of 2020, Davidcontracted Guillian-Barré Syndrome,a rareautoimmune disorder where thebody’simmune systemattacksthe periph‐eralnerves, renderinghim disabledfor severalyears prior to hisdeath.David was adevoted animal lover.Hecherished his dogs,Lilyand Apache,and his cat, TheChurdle. David finallyfound peacein death after struggling for mostofhis life with de‐pressionand anxiety. Fam‐ily andfriends areinvited toattend amemorialser‐vicefor DavidatOur Lady ofthe Lake Catholic Church,312 Lafitte Street Mandeville, on Friday morning,September 12 2025, with visitation from 10:30 a.m. until aMemorial Massatnoon.E.J.Fielding FuneralHomehas been en‐trusted with funeral arrangements.The Drolla

familyinvites youtoshare thoughts, fondestmemo‐ries, andcondolences on‐lineatE.J.FieldingFuneral HomeGuest Book at www ejfieldingfh.com

Gomez, Mary Eckert-Duhon

Mary Eckert-Duhon Gomez passedaway peacefullyather home on September 4, 2025, just shy ofher 98thbirthday. Born inSaratoga Springs, NY on September 6, 1927, to John and LeonaEckert, Mary is precededindeath by her firsthusband,Melvin Duhonand hersecondhus‐band, Harold Gomez. Sheis survivedbyher sister Jo Armstrong andbrother DickEckert, her five chil‐drenMel (Ginny), Marjory, Marcia, Mickey andMark (Jana).Her stepdaughter

Cindy, nieceRuthieMur‐phy,grandchildren Jason (Robin),Rachel(Terrance), Dana(Steve),and Jay(Lau‐ren), andher greatgrand‐childrenEmber,Lennox, Devin,Brayden,Rowan and her numerous nieces and nephews.InMary’searly years shewas aNurse Corpvolunteer,a Cub Scout denmother, asub‐stitute teacher, anda re‐tiree of Sears. Shewas a lover of puzzlesand read‐ing andwas adevoted parishioner of St.Ann Catholic Church where she volunteered to count Sun‐day offeringsand work in the church gift shop Friends andrelatives are invited to attend thefu‐neralservice on Tuesday,

September9,2025, at Gar‐den of Memories Funeral Home, 4900 AirlineDrive, Metairie, Louisiana, 70001 Visitationwillbegin at 10:00 am,witha Catholic Massfollowing at 11:00 am. Burial will follow im‐mediately after.The family would like

Davis, Luevillia Terrell

Congress hasthe powertostop judges from interfering on Ten Commandments laws

When our Founders drafted the Constitution, they intended that Congress would keep the judiciary as the “least powerful” branch of government and see to itthat judges “should be bound down by strict rules and precedentswhich serve to define their duty.” (Alexander Hamilton, Federalist 78).

Accordingly,the Constitution in Article I, Section 8, states: “The Congress shall have power to constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court.” Article III, Section1states: “The judicial powerofthe United States, shall be vested in one SupremeCourt, andinsuch inferior courtsasthe Congress may from time totime ordain and establish.” Section 2 states“with suchexceptions and under such regulations asCongress shall make.”

In summary,all federal courts except the Supreme Court were created by Congress, which defined their powers and proscribed what kind of casesthey can hear —and Congress can make exceptions to the types of cases the Supreme Court can decide.

Phyllis Schlafly’sbook, “The Supremacists,” points out the judicial misconduct takingplace all over the country where federaljudges have declaredthat thedisplay of the TenCommandments in public schools or buildings is unconstitutional “under thepretense that any mention of Godviolates the First Amendment, which states: ‘Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.’”Importantly,she states, “the acknowledgment of God in the TenCommandments is not an ‘establishment of religion’— Congress has neverpassed alaw banning the acknowledgment of God —and that Congressshould pass alaw to clarify that the courts (federal and Supreme) do NOT have jurisdiction over public acknowledgment of God.”

Now it’stime for Congress to use its constitutional powers over thejudiciary to protect religious freedom under the First Amendment. STEVE GARDES Lafayette

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR

AREWELCOME.HEREARE

YOUR VIEWS

Nurse-midwives thekey to better maternal outcomes

Iread the recent piece on nurse-midwives in the Aug. 10 Healthsection with great enthusiasm.Inmy23years as acertified nurse-midwife, Ihave lived the responsibility,the joy,the heartbreak and the humbling privilege that comes with being “with women” (the literal meaning of the word midwife)

Nurse-midwives are educated in two disciplines, nursing and midwifery,and must have aminimum of amaster’sdegree in nursing to take thenational certification exam.

Though some CNMs attend births in clients’ homes, the majority of CNMs practice in hospitals and birth centers. Iinvite readerstoexamine thewealth of evidence demonstratingthe positive outcomes associated with nurse-midwiferycare.

There is alooming shortage of OB-GYN providers on thehorizon fueled by numerousfactors, including an aging provider workforce, decrease in interest to enter the field, rising malpractice actions and burnout related to long work shiftsand call hours. In addition to aworkforce shortage,

Louisianahas some of thepoorest maternal and child health outcomes in thecountry

Large areas of the stateare maternity care deserts, meaning women who need maternity care must travel long distances to see aprovider

Nurse-midwives can and should be part of the solution to thematernal-childhealth crisis in Louisiana. The World Health Organization released astatement in June endorsing the adoption and expansion of midwiferymodels of care globally.WHO’s guidance referenced theproven health benefits for both women and their babies when cared for by midwives

Twofairly new nurse-midwifery education programsinthe stateare answering thecall, educating nurse-midwives whowill serve Louisianacommunities and makea difference for mothersand babies across thestate. Thank you for enlightening the public about nurse-midwives andthe competent,skillful care we provide.

MICHELE COLLINS deanand professor,LoyolaUniversity New Orleans CollegeofNursingand Health

Thosecheeringthe closureofPlanned Parenthood clinicsknow notwhattheydo

It’ssosad to me that the governor and right-to-life groups are celebrating the loss of health care to 10,000 women in Louisiana. Where will these women go when peoplein Louisiana wait so long for medical care? Crisis medical centers that offer no professional medical services? It seems they should call themselves Right to Hate: thepoor,people of color,women withcancer andfamilies struggling with unintended pregnancies.

As aCatholic theologian, Iendorse the 40 years of compassionate care for people of all faiths that Planned Parenthood has provided.

Johnson’s constituents see hisbetrayalof Constitution

No one on the Republican side has the decency to do the right thing. The Louisiana delegation, with the exception of U.S. Reps. Troy Carter,D-New Orleans, and Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, will do anything President Donald Trumpsays to do.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, RBenton, in particular claimstobea Christian, but he is willing to overlook all the dirty deeds that Trump has done, is doing and plans to do. Back in 2020, whenTrump ordered his supporters attack the U.S. Capitol, Johnson wastrying to get House members to sign some piece of garbage to try to overlook it and say Trump did nothing wrong whenheordered the attack on national television. Johnson says he is aconstitutional lawyer,but he does not seem to know anything about the Constitution. He comes back to Shreveport and expects us to say,“Great job” and “Weare proud of you.” Isay Johnson should be ousted and charged with being an accessory to trying to overthrow the government.

GENE ALI Shreveport

The term “the banality of evil” is a philosophical concept coined by Hannah Arendt, aJewish philosopher after attending the trial of Adolf Eichmann, whosent millions of Jews to their deaths during World WarII. Arendt concluded that individuals can commit hideous acts due to afailure to engage in independent thought and moral reasoning. Iambothered that in today’sAmerica, we have normalized and desensitized individuals to acts of evil. When cruelties are rooted in everyday routines and policies, they may be perceived as “normal” or even necessary diminishing individual responsibility and moral awareness.

OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone 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 ALETTER SCAN HERE

Just for therecord, Planned Parenthood of Louisianadid not do abortions, but they didnot judge women who were pregnant and whostruggled withvery personal decisions with their family and medical team.

Icondemn the use of state money for thesupport of fake clinics withoutmedical care called crisis pregnancy centers. Iquestion aCatholic Church that pushes aGod of judgment and condemnation for half thepeople of Louisiana and uses its parishioners and pulpit to police love, compassionatesexuality and the health care of women. My God is an inclusive Godofjustice for all. Where did my church go? ROSALINDHINTON NewOrleans

Entergynot inspiring confidenceinstability

With many recent news items about Entergy cutting power to about 100,000 people, Iwant to ask acouple of questions. It was stated that part of the problem was they had acouple of generators down and were not capable of bringing in enough power offthe grid. If this is the case, and withthem adding more solar and wind generation, how are they going to pull in power when the sun does not shine or the wind does not blow?

It couldget interesting for operations needing stable power to get it from Entergy Places like medical and computer centers, many manufacturing plants and emergency

first responders need stable power 24/7. Does Entergy have aplan to be able to cover the natural loss of supply from solar and wind?

They are planning to build three power plants in north Louisiana to supplythe AI data center.Will theyhave the abilitytobring in power if one of those units goes down (and theywill for maintenance if not forbreakage) so the AI center can continue operating uninterrupted? What impact will theloss of oneof these generators have on the local communitieswhen power is pulled from thegrid?

MICKEY CHRISTENSEN Baton Rouge

We expect evil to have atail, horns and apitchfork, appear in red or slither on the ground. It’s farmore likely that it will look like your favorite uncle or your sweet grandmother It just might cover itself in platitudes like “equality,” “social justice” and the “common good.” It could even be aprominent member of your church or in government. The lesson is that ordinary people can do the wrong thing if they don’tstep up to the moral imperative of reflective thinking. This makes this process as much of aspiritual process as it is apolitical one. Questions that need to be asked are: Is there awillingness to challenge authority or question the status quo if it is believed to be leading to unethical outcomes?

Are injustice and harmfulbehaviors being spoken out against, or is one choosing to remain silent, thereby allowing them to persist?

Are the consequences of actions for others considered, or is the focus primarily on what Iamtold?

Is a“deep and compassionate fighting spirit” being nurtured to keep goodness alive, or is one becoming complacent in the face of injustice? Youneed to think foryourself in order to describe the reality you find yourself in, so that you can then resist it.

NewOrleans

STAFF FILE PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Chelsea Fazande talks abouther pregnancy with Natalie Harvey,a certified nurse-midwife, in 2023.

COMMENTARY

FOOTBALL RETURNS!

Touchdown! We received 468 entries in this week’sfootball-themed Cartoon Caption Contest We had lots of punchlinesabout NIL and transfer portal deals,and abunch about bad refs (we all knowTHATpain!) Our winner crossed thegoalline with aconcept that wastruly off-the-wall andso very Louisiana! Well played, everyone.As always, when we have duplicate entries,and we always do, we pick theearliest sent in.Greatjob!Walt

JOEALFORD,BATON ROUGE: “They’re moving the TRANSFER PORTAL to theside lines!! NOW, the players canswitch teamsat HALF TIME!!”

PAMRIDER, BATONROUGE: “Ohboy,more opportunities to catch people on the‘Kiss Cam.’”

RICHARD SCHEGA, MANDEVILLE: “I haven’t seen the Statue ofLiberty playsince Knute Rockne was coaching.

LARRYDEBLIEUX, METAIRIE: “During half time, the transfer portal swapped the school mascots of these twoteams!”

JAYDARDENNE, BATONROUGE: “Unbelievable! The refs gotthe call right!”

KEVIN STEEN,CORPUSCHRISTI,TX: “This quarterback has thrown threeinterceptions in arow but at least he hasa TikTok famous girlfriend.”

VINCE CAPITANO,KENNER: “Whoa, doyou see that? Kellen Moore is in at quarterback.

DAVID DELGADO,NEW ORLEANS: “I thought streakers were athingofthe past.”

PHILLIP T. GRIFFIN, NEWORLEANS: “Now I’veseen it all —theyhaveanantenna on the football.

SHERI LINDSEY,BATON ROUGE: “Wait, did the referees finally call apenalty on the other team?”

RORY STEEN, DENVER, COLO.: “The first completion goes to afan in row6.”

MICHELE STARNES,KENNER: “Even the fans get flagged for excessivecelebration in thiscity!

JOHN WEGER, BATONROUGE: “The Saints aregoing all in for thisone! Pope Leois leading the Who Dat Chant.

KERIANNE STIEGLER,NEW ORLEANS: “TOUCHDOWN!This team has really come alivesince Coach replaced the Gatorade with pumpkin spice latte.

CHARLES SMITH, ST.ROSE: “Well, that’sa first, Fred. Local law firmscompeting to see whocan runthe most commercials during thehalftime.”

MARTHA STARNES,KENNER: “That pass waswobblier than aBourbon Street tourist at 2a.m.!”

JAMESTALLANT,WILMINGTON, N.C.: “Hey, look! Didn’t that used to be Alabama?”

ROBERTOMARAGONI, SAN JOSE,CA.: “That guy just put ketchup on his po-boy!!!”

STUART CLARK, LAFAYETTE: “Saints marching,Tigers roaring,Waverolling,Cajuns ragin’… football neversounded so good!”

BOBUSSERY, NEW ORLEANS: “They’re tied, butthe game is closer than the score would indicate.”

SAM JOHNSON, ZACHARY: “you knowI can’t believe this…instead of numbers the players are wearing aprice tag on their jerseys!!”

DAVIDM.PRADOS,METAIRIE: “Holy cow! That’sNick Saben wearing that Aflac duck suit!”

RICHARD MILLER, BATONROUGE: “It can’t be.The referees are getting astanding ovation!”

RALPH STEPHENS,BATON ROUGE: “A one-handed catch!!! And while he was signinganendorsement deal with the other hand!!!”

WILLIAM TAYLOR,THIBODAUX: “Wow,we’re in the booth next to MikeHossand Deuce McAllister.”

CHARLESSALEMI,BATON ROUGE: “Look, ahamburger,nachos and adrink cost more than the ticket for the game.

ToomanyAmericans goingtocollege

No matter what dictionary you consult, the definition of “emergency” is never “a chronic situation that the leader of acountry would like to address using powers not otherwise available to him.”

This, though, is how the Trumpadministration tends to define the term

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent says that the administration is considering declaring ahousing emergency, which would be its tenth emergency declaration at the national level, as wellasthe “crimeemergency” in Washington, D.C.

There is no doubt that the nation is suffering an affordability crisis in housing, although this problem isn’tthe result of exigent circumstances. Over time, we have chosen to constrict the supply of housing via awelter of zoning and environmental rules that makeithard to build.

Is this atravesty? Yes. Doesitcrimpthe American Dream? Yes. Should it be addressed? Yes, again (although it’smostly a state and local issue). Is it an emergency? No,not by any common understanding of the term

Anational emergency is British troops winning the Battle of Bladensburg and heading toward the White House in 1814. Anational emergency is Iranian radicals breaching the U.S. Embassy in Tehran and taking52U.S.diplomatsand citizens hostage in 1979.

Anational emergency is apandemic reaching our shores, killing the particularly vulnerable and sickening manymillions morein2020.

Agood rule of thumb is that anational emergency should be obvious, such that no Jesuitical or motivated reasoning is necessary.Inother words, if you have to convince people that an emergency exists, it’sapretty good sign that one doesn’t.

An emergency should also, by definition, be rare and of limited duration.

Trumpisn’tthe first president to honor these rules in the breach. As of last January, 2024, the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which Trump used to justifyhis tariffs,had been used by presidents to declare 69 emergencies, 39 of them ongoing.

Surely,few Americans realized that they lived in acountry beset by so manysimultaneous emergencies. True to form,though, Trumphas pushed this power to its max

Autumn, season of mists and mellow fruitfulness (Keats),isalso when too many young Americans head to college, where too many of them will study too little under the undemanding supervision of faculty whoteach too little. Colleges illustrate the seepage of rigorfrom American life. Since 1990, collegeenrollment has increased by 6million students (29%) Reasons for this include government tuition subsidies and“college foreveryone” rhetoric. And “degree inflation:” irrational requirements for job applicants.

Preston Cooper,then of theFoundation for Research on Equal Opportunity,reported in 2023 that applicants for a$35,600-per-year job drivingan Oscar Mayer Wienermobile (a 27-footlong motorized hot dog) had to have a bachelor’sdegree. In 2000, only 16%of prime-age workers earning $35,000 (in today’sdollars) had such degrees; by 2022, 24% did. In 1990, 9% of secretaries and administrative professionals had bachelor’sdegrees;today,33% do, andahigherproportion of joblistings require applicantstohave one.This “paper ceiling” is especially egregious in state and local governments, where 63% of those earning between $40,000 and $60,000 have bachelor’sdegrees or higher.Only 28% of such earners in the private sector do.

Arecent report from theBurning Glass Institute and the Strada EducationFoundation says 52% of recent college graduates are underemployed: in jobs notusing their college learning Meanwhile, there are 750,000 industrial jobs unfilled.

Frederick M. Hess and Greg Fournier of theAmerican Enterprise Institute document that “students spend farless time studying” than formerly.In1961, theaverage full-time student at afouryearcollegestudied 24 hours aweek; today,the figureis14hours. A2016 analysis based on data from theBureau of Labor Statistics showed that “the averagefull-time college student spent only 2.76 hours aday on all educationrelatedactivities” (classes, out-of-class studying), atotal of 19.3 hours per week The 2011 book“Academically Adrift” reported that first-year studentsspend 6.3 hours aweek doing assigned reading, part of atotal of 14.3 hours preparingfor classes, adecline of about 50% from afew decades earlier.Today,Hess and Fournier say,faculty tendtothink thefigure is just 4.9 hours preparing for classes. This,although only 40% of students hold jobs, down from 79% in the mid-1990s. Many studentsconsider writing a750word essay “long.” Although 64% of studentssay they devote “a lot” of effort to schoolwork, only 6% report spending more than 20 hours per week studying and doinghomework. In 2024, 74% of first-year studentsreported no reading assignmentlonger than 11 pages and no writingassignment longer than five pages. And51% of seniors said they had written nothing longer than 11 pages in their final year

But as effort declines, grades rise. Hess and Fournier say,“At institutions like Harvard and Yale, the mean GPAis 3.7 or higher,and 80% of grades areat least an A-minus.”

Economist Arnold Kling says that despite thelimited “natural demand” for collegeeducation (“students who are

excited by academic subjects”), graduate schools continue to churn out more PhDs (almost60,000 in 2022) than the growthofundergraduateenrollment justifies. So, artificial student demand must be stimulated.Kling says “colleges adapt by offering dumbed-down courses and grade inflation.”

Andbyteachers teaching less. Hess and Richard B. Keck, also of AEI, say light teaching loads have become badges of professional status —and require schools torely on teaching by graduate studentsorpart-time adjunct instructors. Tenured or tenure-track professors teach lessand less. Most are on nine-monthcontracts requiring them to teach 13 weeks in each semester,or26 weeks of the approximately 40 covered by thecontracts —often about 15 hours aweek each semester Instead of teaching,teachers chase grantsorparticipate in “publication inflation,”filling morethan 24,000 “scholarly journals.” This dilutes the quality of what is published —215,000 articles from 2015 to 2019 —most of them ignored.

The College Board, administrators of the SAT, says college applicants takingthe testwill no longer need to demonstrate comprehension of 500- to 750-word reading passages. Instead, the passages will be 25 to150 words, suited to theattention spans of young minds formed by browsing social media. The board says theabilitytocomprehend passages of “extended length” (the lengthofthis column, not “Middlemarch”) is not “an essential prerequisitefor college.” What worse can be said about higher education today? Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

The problem with ruling by emergency declaration is that it fundamentally distorts our constitutional system;ituses the excuse of an emergency to exercise powers that Congress never intended to grant the presidency forthe pursuit of loop routine policy preferences.

This is the issue in the tariffs case. Trump used anon-emergency —atrade deficit that has existed fordecades and that Trumphas inveighed against mostofhis adult life—to unlock apower to impose tariffs that doesn’t appear anywhere in IEEPA. The U.S. Court of Appeals, rightly,has balked and the case is inevitably headed to the SupremeCourt.

The tariffcase underlines the inherent instability of government-by-emergency If Trumphad used moreestablished and limited powers —or, even better,gone to Congress to pass his tariffs —there wouldn’t be alegal cloud around the tariff regime in which he is so personally and politically invested.

There will certainly be partisan retaliation. Whatever hesitance afuture Democratic president might have had about declaring, say,aclimate emergency will be drastically diminished by Trump’sprecedent.

If it had any institutional self-respect, Congress would go systematically through the statute books and excise all but the very moststrict and necessary emergency powers. By and large, the presidency doesn’tneed any morediscretionary power.And, in a genuine emergency,Congress tends to act. In fact, it tends to be overly hasty and overly eager to embrace fashionable ideas. This is how we got the DHSand the Office of Director of National Intelligence after 9/11, when creating new departments and agencies seemed anecessary response to the threat of terrorism.

Regardless, it can’tbethat one of the most consequential questions in our carefully constructed constitutional system is whether the president decides to call something an emergency or not.

Rich Lowry is on X, @RichLowry

WINNER: Alan Seicshnaydre, Metairie

George Will

Rich Lowry

GAME OF INCHES

Saints can’tpull offmiracle finish,fall to Cardinalsincoach

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

For amoment, theNew Orleans Saints looked like they’d pulled off the improbable comeback to start the first game of the Kellen Moore era withabang Tight end Juwan Johnsonleapt high amid three converging Arizona Cardinals defenders. He twisted his body and snared thepass from Spencer Rattler,then absorbed ashot from Arizona’sAll-Pro safety Budda Baker His hands held onto the ball as gravity brought him back downtothe turf. Andthen, as he landed in the end zone, he lost control,and the Saints lost the opener 20-13 on Sunday at

Caesars Superdome.

“At the end of the day,Ididn’tmake theplay,” Johnsonsaid.

Theball squirted out of his grip with four seconds remaining, and New Orleans’ best shot at erasing a 10-point lead in the closing minutes slipped away.Rattler’s next pass on fourth-and-10from the 18-yard line sailed incomplete.

Sunday’s defeat was thefirst in a season opener by the Saints since the 2018 season, andwhileJohnson’s missed opportunity in the closingseconds was memorable becauseofthe situation, plentyofothers came away with dirty hands.

ä See SAINTS, page 4C

N.O. lets golden opportunityslipaway in season-opening loss to Arizona

The New OrleansSaints had agolden opportunity Sunday Even moregolden than thejerseys they wore that matched theCaesars Superdomeend zones that they could only get into once.

The Arizona Cardinals were just thetype of opponent the Saintsneeded to give us a gauge on what the first season of the Kellen Moore era could look like.

The Cardinals were also just the right kind of opponent tosteal awin against, unlike some of the more daunting foes theSaints will see in thenext few weeks.

Butthis is agolden opportunity that slipped away,just likethe foot-

ball slipped away from the hands of tight end Juwan Johnson on what could have been agame-tying touchdown in the final seconds. Instead, the Saints fell 20-13 to the Cardinals. Yeah, the Saints showed somefight, which is what you want to see in ateam with so manynew faces, including a37-yearold head coach hired in February

If the Saints are going to be any good in Kellen Moore’sfirst season, though, they will need alot of things to go right. They can’tcommit just as many

ä See WALKER, page 5C

STAFFPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Arizona Cardinals cornerback Will Johnson breaks up apass in the end zone intended for Saintswide receiver Rashid Shaheed during the second halfoftheir seasonopening game Sundayatthe Caesars Superdome.

Carlos Alcaraz, of Spain, lifts the championship trophy after defeating Jannik Sinner of Italy in the men’s singles final of the U.S Open on Sunday in New york.

By SETH WENIG

Alcaraz beats Sinner, wins U.S. Open

BY HOWARD FENDRICH Associated Press

NEW YORK So maybe the first

U.S. Open final between young, elite rivals Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner wasn’t as long, riveting and dramatic as their matchup to decide the championship at the French Open Perhaps it wasn’t as seemingly meaningful and plot-driven as their showdown for the Wimbledon trophy

Still, what the No. 2-seeded Alcaraz’s 6-2, 3-6, 6-1 6-4 victory over No. 1 Sinner on Sunday did do was significant. Alcaraz reasserted his superiority over the defending champion, wrested away the top spot in the ATP rankings and left tennis fans eager for whenever their next clash will come.

They are the first two men in the sport’s history to face each other in three consecutive Grand Slam finals within a single season

“I’m seeing you more than my family,” Alcaraz joked during the

trophy ceremony, eliciting a grin from Sinner “It’s great to share the court, to share the locker rooms, everything ”

This 2-hour, 42-minute win gave Alcaraz, a 22-year-old from Spain, leads over Sinner, a 24-year-old from Italy, of 10-5 in their headto-head series, 6-4 in total Grand Slam trophies, and 2-1 in U.S. Open championships.

The match’s start was delayed for about a half-hour while thousands of fans were stuck outside Arthur Ashe Stadium going through extra security because President Donald Trump sat in a sponsor’s suite.

Perhaps the extra wait got to Sinner. Right from the beginning, under a closed roof because of rain earlier in the day, he was outplayed by Alcaraz.

“You were better than me,” Sinner said. “I tried my best today I couldn’t do more.”

This hard-court matchup followed Alcaraz’s victory over Sin-

ner across 5 ½ hours after erasing a trio of match points on the red clay at Roland-Garros in June, and Sinner’s victory over twotime reigning champ Alcaraz on the grass at the All England Club in July

They have combined to collect the past eight Slam trophies four each and 10 of 13. Novak Djokovic, the 24-time major champ eliminated by Alcaraz on Friday, took the other three.

Both Sinner, who had won his past 27 hard-court matches at majors, and Alcaraz offered glimpses Sunday of why they are so good, although it was rare that both were at a peak simultaneously Alcaraz, who ended up with twice as many winners, 42-21, was superb in the first, third and fourth sets; Sinner’s top efforts arrived in the second.

During his defeat at Wimbledon, Alcaraz was caught by a camera telling his team in Spanish: “From the back of the court, he’s much

better than me.”

Perhaps that’s why Alcaraz was aggressive Sunday with his sledgehammer of a forehand. Whenever the smallest opening presented itself, Alcaraz barged through with that shot, going big early in points, which often worked.

Sinner had dropped a total of one service game in his preceding three matches, although he dealt with an abdominal muscle issue in his semifinal. Sinner and one of his coaches said it was nothing serious, which might be right, but Alcaraz broke right away Sunday and five times in all.

Sinner made a tactical switch in the second set, going after Alcaraz’s backhand when possible. Paid off. Briefly

An hour and 20 minutes in, it was a set apiece, after Alcaraz ceded one for the first time all tournament, allowing Neale Fraser to retain his distinction as the most recent man to win every set he played at the event in 1960.

Fowles shares gratitude at HOF induction

Former LSU great thanks coaches Gunter, Starkey

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Before Sylvia Fowles could speak on Saturday, she first had to fight back some tears and shake off some nervous jitters.

Only then could the LSU women’s basketball great relay her Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame induction speech — a six-minute message of gratitude directed toward all the people who helped her shine on the high school, college, professional and international stages of basketball.

“I’m standing here tonight,” Fowles said, “because of the lifechanging people God has placed along my life.”

On Saturday, Fowles became the eighth LSU player or coach enshrined into the Naismith Hall of Fame. She was chosen on the first ballot, selected as part of a class that included other greats such as Sue Bird, Maya Moore, Carmelo Anthony and Dwight Howard

LSU reached the Final Four in all four seasons of Fowles’ collegiate career (2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008). Today, the 6-foot-6 center is still the Tigers’ all-time leader in rebounds (1,570), blocks (321), career double-doubles (86), games played (144) and postseason games played (20). Her 2,234 career points rank fifth in program history In her speech, Fowles thanked everyone she encountered at each step of her career — from coaches teammates and executives, to trainers, managers and agents. When she reached the chapter of her career she wrote in Baton Rouge, Fowles made sure to thank Sue Gunter the legendary LSU women’s basketball coach who

died in 2005. Fowles said she chose LSU because Gunter was honest with her during the recruiting process.

Gunter told Fowles, as the newly minted Hall of Famer recalled on Saturday, that she was a “good player” who could be a great player, but only if she worked hard. She didn’t promise her a starting spot, Fowles said. Instead, she had to work for it.

“See, that resonated with me,” Fowles said. “It reminded me of how I was raised. Nothing was ever given, but it was earned.”

Fowles, a native of Miami, also thanked LSU associate head coach

Bob Starkey, who coached both her and 2024 Naismith Hall of Fame inductee Seimone Augus-

tus during his first tenure with the Tigers. Starkey attended the ceremony in Springfield, Massachusetts. On Friday, he presented Fowles with her Hall of Fame jacket.

“Thank you for teaching me that there’s more to life than just basketball,” Fowles told Starkey

“You helped me understand who I am off the court counts and matters as much as it does who I am on it.” In the WNBA, Fowles played for the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx. She was a two-time Finals MVP, a four-time defensive player of the year and an eight-time allleague selection She was named WNBA MVP in 2017, a season in which she averaged 18.9 points

and 10.4 rebounds per game while shooting 66% from the field. Fowles also is shined on the international stage. She helped Team USA win gold in every Olympics from 2008-21. Only Diana Taurasi (six) and Bird (five) have won more gold medals than her In June, Fowles was enshrined into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame. Now after a quick, tearyeyed, gracious speech — she has officially joined Augustus, Gunter, Pete Maravich, Bob Pettit, Shaquille O’Neal, Van Chancellor, and Kim Mulkey as representatives of LSU in the Naismith Hall of Fame.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

IN BRIEF FROM

Hamlin nabs 59th career win, 200th for Toyota MADISON, Ill. — Denny Hamlin won from the pole position at World Wide Technology Raceway playing the strategy perfectly to lead the final 25 laps in his series-high fifth victory this season. With his 59th career win, Hamlin advanced to the second round of the Cup Series playoffs and joined Joe Gibbs Racing teammate Chase Briscoe, who finished second. The No. 11 Toyota team called Hamlin to the pits for his final stop with 44 laps left, and he cycled to the front on a caution 15 laps later The Virginia native seized the lead from Brad Keselowski on the restart, delivering the 200th win in NASCAR’s premier series for Toyota.

Chase Elliott finished third, followed by Ryan Blaney and Joey Logano as playoff drivers swept the top five spots.

McIlroy wins Irish Open after eagle forces playoff

STRAFFAN, Ireland — It turned out to be a perfect homecoming for Rory McIlroy The Northern Irishman made a 28-foot eagle putt on the final hole to force a playoff, then sealed his second Irish Open win with a birdie on the third hole of the playoffs against Sweden’s Joakim Lagergren on Sunday McIlroy and Lagergren each shot 6-under 66s on Sunday They birdied the first two playoff holes, but Lagergren found the hazard with his approach shot on the third hole to open the door for McIlroy

“To do what I did earlier in the year and then to come home and win my national Open, no matter what happens for the rest of the year, that’s a pretty cool year,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy won the Masters earlier this year to complete a career Grand Slam.

Bjorn makes clutch putt, wins Champions event

ST LOUIS Thomas Bjorn made a 35-foot birdie putt on the first hole of a playoff with Cameron Percy on Sunday to win the Stifel Charity Classic for his first individual victory on the PGA Tour Champions. Bjorn closed with a 4-under 67 to match Percy who birdied three of the last four holes in regulation for a 64 at 12-under 201 at Norwood Hills Country Club.

On the par-4 18th in the playoff, Bjorn ran in the long putt, and Percy’s birdie try from slightly closer sped by the left edge.

The 54-year-old Bjorn won for the second time this year on the 50-and-over tour

Verstappen dominates in win at Italian Grand Prix

MONZA, Italy Max Verstappen claimed a dominant win at the Italian Grand Prix on Sunday ahead of McLaren’s title contenders Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, after a dramatic start and end to the race. It was the first win since May for Verstappen – and only his third of the season — and capped a memorable weekend at Monza for Red Bull’s four-time world champion, who had posted the fastest lap in Formula 1 history at the track on Saturday to claim pole position. Norris was second, nearly 20 seconds behind Verstappen, to trim the gap to Piastri in the title race to 31 points, with eight races left. He had started the day 34 points behind the Australian driver who was not happy after he was ordered to let his teammate past toward the end of the race.

Germany gets first win in World Cup qualifying

MADRID Germany picked up its first win in Group A in World Cup qualifying on Sunday, thanks to second-half goals by Nadiem Amiri and Florian Wirtz in a 3-1 home win over Northern Ireland. Germany, which had opened with a 2-0 loss at Slovakia, next hosts Luxembourg in Sinsheim on Oct. 10.

Also, Slovakia beat Luxembourg 1-0 to top the group with six points In further action, Memphis Depay became the Netherlands’ outright all-time top scorer with two goals in a 3-2 win at Lithuania. Depay scored his 51st and 52nd goals for the Netherlands, surpassing the 50 scored by Robin van Persie, according to FIFA. Poland defeated Finland 3-1 at home with Robert Lewandowski among the scorers for the hosts.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL

Sylvia Fowles, right, smiles during her enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame as presenters Lindsay Whalen, left, and Katie Smith, center, observe on Saturday in Springfield, Mass.

NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Rodgers leads Steelers to comeback win

By The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J Aaron Rodgers threw four touchdown passes in his Steelers debut, including two in a 50-second span in the second half, and Chris Boswell kicked a go-ahead 60-yard field goal with 1:03 remaining to lead Pittsburgh to a 34-32 victory over the New York Jets on Sunday

With the Steelers trailing the season opener 32-31, Rodgers got the ball against his former team with just over three minutes left and led the offense into Jets territory On fourth-and-11 from the 42, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin opted for a field goal try and Boswell easily made the kick.

The Jets, who lost in coach Aaron Glenn’s debut had a chance to drive for a potential winning field goal when they got the ball back with 56 seconds remaining. On fourth-and-3, Justin Fields connected with Garrett Wilson for what could’ve been a first down — but Jalen Ramsey smacked into the Jets receiver, who couldn’t hold onto the ball.

The 41-year-old Rodgers then just needed to take a knee to cap a successful return to the stadium he called home the past two seasons. He was 22 of 30 for 244 yards with TD passes to Calvin Austin III, Jaylen Warren, Jonnu Smith and Ben Skowronek.

COLTS 33, DOLPHINS 8: In Indanapolis, Daniel Jones ran for two touchdowns and threw for another, and Indianapolis snapped the NFL’s longest active opening-day winless drought at 11 with a rout of Miami.

The Colts are 1-0 for the first time since 2013 and did it in Jones’ first game with the team. He went 22 of 29 for 272 yards, including a careerhigh 197 yards in the first half, as Indy scored on all seven possessions.

New defensive coordinator Lou Anarumo also had a splashy debut as the Colts came within 6 1/2 minutes of delivering their first shutout since December 2021.

COMMANDERS 21,GIANTS 6: In Landover, Maryland, former LSU standout Jayden Daniels threw for 233 yards and a touchdownn, Deebo Samuel scored in his Washington

debut, and the Commanders kept New York out of the end zone in a win.

Last seen allowing 55 points to Philadelphia in the NFC championship game, Washington’s defense had a much better time of it against the Giants. New York managed only 231 yards of offense and was particularly ineffective running the ball.

Daron Payne had a sack and batted down a third-down pass and the Commanders never let Russell Wilson look all that comfortable in his first start with New York. The Giants, who went 3-14 last season, showed enough on defense to suggest some improvement is possible. Washington didn’t score a point in the second half until Samuel’s 19-yard touchdown run made it 21-6 with 7:09 to play

RAIDERS 20, PATRIOTS 13: In Foxborough, Massachusetts, Geno Smith opened his stint with the Raiders

by throwing for 362 yards and a touchdown, rookie Ashton Jeanty rushed for his first career touchdown and Las Vegas rallied to beat New England in its season-opener

Tight end Brock Bowers had five catches for 103 yards before leaving in the fourth quarter with a knee injury Jakobi Meyers added eight catches for 97 yards. Maxx Crosby and Malcolm Koonce also added sacks to help give Pete Carroll his first victory as the Raiders’ coach. Las Vegas outscored the Patriots 13-3 in the second half. New England got within seven points on a 44-yard field goal by rookie Andy Borregales, but its ensuing onside kick rolled out of bounds.

New England was just 4 of 14 on third down in coach Mike Vrabel’s debut.

BENGALS 17, BROWNS 16: In Cleveland, Cincinnati’s defense came up with two second-half turnovers, including DJ Turner’s intercep-

Bucs ride 2 TDs by Egbuka to dramatic win over Falcons

BY CHARLES ODUM

AP sportswriter

ATLANTA Another visit to Mercedes-Benz Stadium produced more lasting memories for Emeka Egbuka.

Only eight months after helping Ohio State win a national championship by beating Notre Dame, Egbuka grabbed the spotlight in his return to Atlanta for his NFL regular-season debut.

Egbuka caught two touchdown passes, including a go-ahead 25-yarder with 59 seconds remaining, and Tampa Bay recovered after losing the lead on a marathon drive by Atlanta to beat the Falcons 23-20 in a dramatic opening game Sunday

“You can’t get much of a better ball than that,” Egbuka said about Baker Mayfield’s touchdown pass in the final minute. “... Obviously, it feels great to be able to help my team win.”

Egbuka, the first-round pick, had four catches for 67 yards.

“He’s everything we thought since he’s been here,” Tampa Bay coach Todd Bowles said. “He played with so much poise and Baker (Mayfield) played with so much poise.” Mayfield said his adjustment with Egbuka as another top playmaker for the Buccaneers has progressed “extremely quickly.”

“Just the way he carries himself,” Mayfield said. “... As you guys saw today, he’s the real deal.”

Following Mayfield’s 25-yard pass to Egbuka, Chase McLaughlin’s missed extra point gave the Falcons an opening to force overtime with a field goal.

Michael Penix Jr., who capped an 18-play drive by scoring on a 4-yard run for a 20-17 lead with 2:17 remaining, moved the Falcons into field goal position in the final minute. Younghoe Koo was wide right on the 44-yarder and his attempt wasn’t close.

“He missed it,” Falcons coach Raheem Morris said. “I’m not going to sit here and pretend I can tell you about the technique and what happened with that miss. But we got to make those kicks. Those are very makeable kicks. We’ve got to lock in and get that done.” Koo was not present when the locker room was open for reporters.

Egbuka said the Buccaneer’s last-minute answer to losing the lead proves “that we’re resilient, that we play as a team.”

Mayfield completed 17 of 32 passes for 167 yards with three touchdowns.

The Falcons had two calls overturned with successful challenges while the Buccaneers’ defense was called for two personal fouls on roughing- the-passer calls on the Falcons’ marathon drive, which covered 91 yards and lasted 8 minutes, 46 seconds.

“It felt like an eternity,” Mayfield said about the long wait on the sideline for the offense to have another opportunity.

tion with 1:24 remaining, and the Bengals held on for a victory over Cleveland.

The Bengals playing their first game under new defensive coordinator Al Golden — got the huge plays on a day when the offense sputtered in the second half.

Cincinnati, which won an opener for the first time since 2021, also benefitted from new Cleveland kicker Andre Szmyt missing a pair of second-half kicks.

JAGUARS 26 PANTHERS 10: In Jacksonville, Florida, Trevor Lawrence threw a touchdown pass, Travis Etienne ran for 143 yards and Jacksonville beat Carolina to give their new regime a debut victory Brian Thomas Jr also ran for a score for Jacksonville, which controlled both lines of scrimmage and kept Lawrence upright all afternoon.

The game was delayed 1 hour, 16 minutes because of nearby lightning strikes. The Jags led 10-3 when players and coaches headed to locker rooms and did much of the scoring after it resumed.

49ERS 17, SEAHAWKS 13: In Seattle, third-string tight end Jake Tonges caught a deflected pass for a touchdown with 1:34 remaining, and San Francisco rallied for a seasonopening win over the Seattle. Tonges entered the game having never caught an NFL pass. He finished with three receptions in relief of injured All-Pro tight end George Kittle and came down with a 5050 ball from a scrambling Brock Purdy for a 4-yard TD. Seahawks cornerback Riq Woolen got a hand on the ball, but it bounced off him and Tonges grabbed it.

Jake Moody converted the extra point to put the Niners up by four a critical conversion given that he missed two field goals earlier

Sam Darnold moved the Seahawks into position to win his debut with the franchise, hitting Jaxon SmithNjigba for 40 yards to the San Francisco 14. But on second down from the 9, Nick Bosa strip-sacked Darnold to put the game away

BRONCOS 20, TITANS 12: In Denver, Bo Nix overcame three turnovers and Denver spoiled top overall draft pick Cam Ward’s debut with

a victory over Tennessee, winning despite a sloppy offensive performance and two key special-teams blunders.

Nix threw a touchdown pass to Courtland Sutton to go with his two interceptions and lost fumble, and rookie running back R.J. Harvey’s 50-yard scamper set up J.K. Dobbins’ 19-yard TD burst up the middle that made it 20-12 midway through the fourth quarter Denver’s stingy defense held Ward to 12-of-28 passing for 112 yards with no touchdowns. Ward didn’t have an interception, but fumbled the ball away in the final minute. The Titans managed just 134 yards on 55 plays and went 2 for 14 on third down. Ward was sacked six times.

PACKERS 27, LIONS 13: In Green Bay Wisconsin, Micah Parsons’ arrival in Green Bay helped the Packers put their recent NFC North struggles behind them.

Jordan Love threw a pair of touchdown passes and Parsons had a sack in his Green Bay debut as the Packers delivered an exceptional defensive performance in a victory over Detroit.

Opening a season at home for the first time since 2018, the Packers beat the two-time defending NFC North champions after going 1-5 in divisional games last year

RAMS 14, TEXANS 9: In Inglewood, California, Matthew Stafford threw for 245 yards and a touchdown while becoming the 10th quarterback in NFL history with 60,000 yards in the air, and Braden Fiske recovered a fumble forced by Nate Landman with 1:43 to play in Los Angeles’ victory over Houston. Puka Nacua had 10 catches for 130 yards for the Rams, who went ahead on Davis Allen’s TD catch on the opening drive of the third quarter. Neither team scored again in a choppy season opener Landman, the Rams’ new starting linebacker, punched the ball away from Dare Ogunbowale after C.J. Stroud drove the Texans inside the Los Angeles 20. Stafford then hit Nacua for a 24-yard gain on third-and-long to seal the Rams’ seventh victory in nine openers under coach Sean McVay

McCarthy’s time with the Vikings has arrived

BY DAVE CAMPBELL

AP pro football writer

EAGAN, Minn. Nearly 18 years ago, as J.J McCarthy strolled out of Soldier Field after attending his first Chicago Bears game, his father stopped to buy them a program for a keepsake to mark their time together that far outweighed the home team’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings.

The next visit to the old stadium for the McCarthy family will warrant more than a few more souvenirs.

With dozens of relatives and friends in the seats, putting aside their allegiance to the Bears, McCarthy will play in his first NFL game on Monday night for the visitors who just so happened to be the opponent he saw on that first live look at professional football as a 4-year-old kid.

ä Vikings at Bears. 7:15 MONDAy ABC/ESPN

team, whether it was sending him to defensive meetings for exposure to game plans on that side of the ball, sitting him down with the virtual reality video of Darnold’s reps in practice or oneon-one time with the head coach and resident expert on the position. Quarterbacks coach Josh McCown served as another invaluable resource.

Whenever he wasn’t in the training room rehabilitating his knee, McCarthy asked questions of anyone he could get an audience with, endearing himself to the players and staff and building the foundation for the leadership role he’s now fully immersed in.

On fourth down from the 4, Penix pump-faked and then took off on a run. Tampa Bay’s Calijah Kancey held Penix’s legs as the quarterback reached across the goal line before losing possession of the ball. A review confirmed the officials’ call on the field that Penix scored before losing the ball.

Atlanta successfully challenged an incompletion to tight end Kyle Pitts and a call that Penix was down before reaching the firstdown marker on another fourthdown run inside the 5. Following that challenge, the Falcons had a first down at the 1 but needed four downs before Penix scored with 2:17 remaining. Vita Vea and Greg Gaines had roughing-the-passer penalties to extend Atlanta’s drive.

Mayfield and the Buccaneers answered quickly

“I mean, we were looking to go down and score,” Mayfield said of the decisive touchdown drive. “It wasn’t about getting a field goal to tie it.”

He’s not just suiting up, either The 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, whose debut was delayed by surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his right knee, will start at quarterback for a team with a Super Bowl aspiration stacked with Pro Bowl players at nearly every other position after winning 14 games in his absence last season.

“I just try to be completely present,” said McCarthy, who grew up in La Grange Park, a suburb less than 20 miles west of Soldier Field. “There’s going to be anxiousness, excitement and a whole lot of adrenaline, but at the end of the day that’s completely normal. It’s accepting those emotions, able to let go of them a lot quicker rather than try to deflect them and avoid them.”

While Sam Darnold thrived under coach Kevin O’Connell and his system, playing his way into a rich new contract this year with the Seattle Seahawks, McCarthy could only watch and learn.

It was hardly a lost season, though. The Vikings were particularly intentional about immersing McCarthy into every aspect of playing quarterback for this

New center Ryan Kelly, who came from the Indianapolis Colts, compared McCarthy’s composure and maturity to what he saw with veteran quarterbacks such as Andrew Luck, Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan. McCarthy was voted one of eight team captains this year, before taking his first snap.

“The whole organization holds him to a high standard, but it’s not nearly the standard he holds himself to,” Kelly said. “You rally around that because you know that he’s doing everything he can to be successful.”

The Vikings realize they’ll have to be patient this year, a unique scenario for a team in win-now mode in a daunting division that sent three teams to the playoffs last season with the last-place Bears bringing plenty of potential to join them behind new coach Ben Johnson.

But the Vikings, from the front office to the coaching staff and everyone in between, have done just about everything they could to help make McCarthy’s debut as smooth as possible. They’re not simply winging it with a quarterback who’s essentially still a rookie.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT SLOCUM Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers calls a play before a snap against the New york Jets during the second half of their game on Sunday in East Rutherford, N.J.

ROUNDUP

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DANNy KARNIK

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving runs in for a touchdown against Atlanta Falcons cornerback A.J Terrell during the second half of their game Sunday in Atlanta.

CARDINALS 20, SAINTS 13

BY THE NUMBERS

Fuaga leaves game with knee injury

BY LUKE JOHNSON AND MATTHEW PARAS Staff writers

Already down one starter on the offensive line, the New Orleans Saints saw another leave the game in the second half Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

All the injuries prompted the Saints to make a trade on cutdown day, sending a future sixth-rounder to the Cowboys in exchange for Richards and a future seventh-round pick. The recent acquisition didn’t have much time to get acquainted with his new team before it relied on him.

It was Kamara’s 86th career touchdown and the 47th he’s scored as a member of the Saints in the Superdome. Kamara has scored more touchdowns in the Superdome than any other Saints player, with Marques Colston next on the list (38).

injury Boyd was listed on the injury report with a hand injury, but he was cleared to play after he participated fully over the last two days of practice. But the Saints chose to still sit the 2024 sixthrounder, who serves as a backup nose tackle.

27-46-0-214. RECEIVING—Arizona, McBride 6-61, Harrison 5-71, J.Conner 4-5, Reiman 1-10, Benson 1-6, Mi.Wilson 1-5, Z.Jones 1-4, Higgins 1-3, Dortch 1-(minus 2). New Orleans, Johnson 8-76, Olave 7-54, Shaheed 6-33, Cooks 3-26, Kamara 2-12, Vele 1-13. PUNT RETURNS—Arizona, Dortch 3-30. New Orleans, Shaheed 2-18. KICKOFF RETURNS—Arizona, Dortch 2-44, Demercado 1-29. New Orleans, Miller 3-88, Jones 2-40

TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS—Arizona, Baker

5-5-0, Thompson 4-4-0, Ma.Wilson 4-4-0, Melton 4-2-0, Campbell 3-2-0, Taylor-Demerson 3-0-0, Collins 2-2-0, Davis-Gaither 2-2-0, G.Williams 2-2-0, Stills 2-1-0, Browning 1-2-1, Burch 1-0-0, Collier 1-0-0, W.Johnson 1-0-0, Sweat 1-0-0. New Orleans, Werner 7-2-1, Davis 6-3-0, McKinstry 5-2-0, Granderson 5-11.5, Blackmon 4-3-0, Reid 3-3-0, Yiadom 2-2-0, Jordan 2-1-1.5, Godchaux 1-2-0, Shepherd 1-2-0, Taylor 1-1-1, Bresee 1-1-0, Rumph 1-1-0, Williams 0-1-0. INTERCEPTIONS—Arizona, None. New Orleans, None. MISSED FIELD GOALS—Arizona, Ryland 46. New Orleans, Grupe 37. OFFICIALS—Referee Scott Novak, Ump Mike Morton, HL Brian Sakowski, LJ Mark Stewart, FJ Terry Brown, SJ Don Willard, BJ Tony Josselyn, Replay Matt Sumstine.

Right tackle Taliese Fuaga suffered a knee injury in the third quarter and watched the rest of the game from the Saints’ bench. Fuaga was replaced in the lineup by recent trade acquisition Asim Richards Fuaga was not listed on the Week 1 injury report but he did miss some time in training camp with what was believed to be a minor knee injury It is not yet clear if the two injuries are related.

The Saints went into Sunday’s season opener with Dillon Radunz starting at left guard in place of Trevor Penning, who missed the opener with a turf toe injury suffered during the preseason.

New Orleans also lost several of its backup options, with Will Clapp, Nick Saldiveri and Landon Young all suffering season-ending injuries during training camp.

“(Richards) came in and did really well, especially in those twominute situations,” said center Erik McCoy “He and (right guard Cesar Ruiz) had great communication; they were passing off twists and games I thought for only being here two weeks, a week and a half, that he came in and he executed at a high level.”

AK 1,000

Alvin Kamara followed a crease in the Arizona defense off his right guard and scooted into the end zone for an 18-yard touchdown that gave the Saints a 7-3 lead in the second quarter It marked a little bit of history, too.

Kamara’s run was the 1,000th touchdown scored by the Saints in the Superdome.

This season marks the 50th season the Superdome has been used as the site of Saints home games.

Broughton inactive

Vernon Broughton was the first defensive player the Saints selected in the draft this past April, but the rookie defensive lineman was a healthy scratch ahead of the first game of the season.

Broughton, a third-round pick, was among the Saints’ inactives announced 90 minutes before Sunday’s kickoff against the Arizona Cardinals Instead of keeping Broughton active, the Saints elevated defensive lineman Jonah Williams from the practice squad.

The Saints were down three defensive linemen in total: Broughton, defensive tackle Khristian Boyd and pass rusher Chase Young — who was ruled out Friday with a calf

Broughton was the only member of the Saints’ 2025 draft class who won’t suit up for Sunday’s game The Saints had nine picks, with eight making the initial 53man roster But on Saturday, New Orleans signed seventh-round edge rusher Fadil Diggs from the practice squad.

Odds and ends

Former Saints left tackle Terron Armstead served as the team’s legend of the game, and he led the pregame Who Dat chant Making his 15th start in a Week 1 game for the Saints, Cam Jordan padded his franchise-record sack total on the third play of the game, bringing down Kyler Murray for an 11-yard loss. Jordan tacked on a half-sack in the second half to bring his career total to 123.

Referees penalized the Saints 13 times in Sunday’s loss, eight of which occurred before the snap The offense turned only one of its first three red zone trips into a touchdown. The reliable kicker who had an extraordinary training camp missed a 37-yarder. A defense that gave up too many explosive plays a year ago allowed gains of 45 and 52 yards that flipped the field and set up Cardinals scores And Moore opened himself up for questions in his first opportunity to manage the game when he declined to use any of his three timeouts as Arizona drained the clock on a touchdown drive at the end of the first half.

“A lot of mistakes in there that we’ve just got to clean up and put ourselves in a much better position to be successful,” Moore said Still, the Saints had a chance to pull off the miracle finish.

Defensive lineman Bryan Bresee sparked some momentum in the fourth quarter when he leapt over an offensive lineman to get his hand on a field goal attempt that would have put Arizona up 2310. After Bresee deflected it, the kick sailed harmlessly wide of the uprights. Bresee pulled off a similar play last year against the New York Giants, leaping over the line to block a kick and preserve a win

“Just give the offense as many chances as we could at the end,” Bresee said. New Orleans then took over and looked poised to cut Arizona’s lead to three. Rattler hit Johnson

down the seam for a gain of 21, then found recent trade acquisition Devaughn Vele on the sideline for a gain of 13 A 12-yard Rattler scramble pushed the Saints inside Arizona’s 5-yard line. The Saints drive stalled there. Moore could have opted to go for the touchdown on fourth-and-goal, but after a loss pushed them back to the 5-yard line, he opted to trust his defense to get another stop and he sent the field goal unit in. That faith was rewarded when Alontae Taylor came unblocked off the edge on a third-and-4 play, wiping out Cardinals quarterback

Kyler Murray for a 15-yard loss.

Taylor, who missed several weeks with a groin injury in the lead-up to Week 1, said that sack was a direct result of some lastminute film study Saturday night.

“We knew we needed to make a play,” Taylor said. “On the sideline, (defensive coordinator Brandon Staley) told us he was probably going to make that call. It’s just film study, knowing how (Murray) escapes the pocket; it came to fruition for me. He did exactly what I thought he was going to do. I beat him to the spot.” New Orleans took over at its own

42 after the 2-minute warning, and the offense went to work.

Rattler used his arm and his legs to push the Saints downfield. He converted a fourth-and-1 by hitting Rashid Shaheed for a 5-yard gain, then spiked the ball with 13 seconds remaining with the Saints in striking distance. But Rattler’s next three passes fell incomplete, including the nearmiss to Johnson.

Rattler beat out rookie Tyler Shough for the starting job this summer In his first start under Moore, he completed 27 of his 46 attempts (58.7%) for 214 yards.

He neither threw a touchdown nor committed a turnover, finishing with a 70.6 passer rating. Arizona routinely forced Rattler to settle for underneath throws, spending most of the game in a shell coverage that limited the Saints’ opportunities to take shots downfield with their speedy receivers. New Orleans had only one play of 20-plus yards Sunday Defensively, New Orleans largely kept the Cardinals in check. The Saints sacked Murray five times and mostly limited his gamebreaking running ability The Arizona quarterback completed better than 70% of his passes but only threw for 163 yards.

The big plays hurt, though. New Orleans took a 7-3 lead early in the second quarter when running back Alvin Kamara followed a seam in the Arizona defense to the end zone on an 18-yard touchdown run. The lead did not last long, though.

On the second play of the ensuing drive, Murray unleashed a deep heave down the right sideline for receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. who beat solid coverage by KoolAid McKinstry to haul in a 45-yard pass. That explosive play set up an eventual touchdown pass from Murray to Harrison Jr Arizona’s final score was entirely set up by running back Trey Benson, who tiptoed around a diving Justin Reid in the backfield and then found nobody on the edge Benson reeled off a 52-yard run that pushed Arizona to the Saints’ 30. The other four plays on that drive netted minus-3 yards, but Benson’s gain was enough to set up a 50-yard field goal.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Cardinals safety Jalen Thompson, center celebrates breaking up a pass intended for Saints tight end Juwan Johnson during the second

CARDINALS20, SAINTS

THREEAND OUT: JEFF DUNCAN’S

THEY DIDN’T BOW DOWN

1

The Saints were six-point underdogs and played much of the game without injured starters Chase young,Taliese Fuagaand TrevorPenning,but they showedadmirable grit and made agame of itdown thestretch.TheSaints led for four minutes in thesecond quarter and were forced to playcatch-up for mostof thegame,but theybattled until the end. It wasn’t good enough to getKellen Moore awin in his head coaching debut, but there were some positivedevelopments for the Saints in defeat.

2

SPENCER RATTLER WASSOLID

The box score might not showit, but Spencer Rattler was solid in hisdebutasthe starting quarterback. He completed 27 of 46 passes for 214 yards. His passer efficiency rating was a meager 70.4, largely because of hisrelatively low 58.7 completion percentageand alackofbig plays Most importantly, Rattler commanded the offense with poise and avoided negativeplays. He did not throwan interception and was sacked just once.

ANALYSIS

3

TOOMUCHYELLOWFEVER

For the most part, the Saintsperformed fairly well in Game 1.The lone exception wastheir offensiveexecution.The Saintswerepenalized 13 times for 89 yards, with eight of thepenalties occurringonoffense.you expect the openertobealittle sloppy, but that’sway too many infractions, especially for an offense that lacks the big-play firepower to overcome it. Many of the penaltieswereprocedural mistakes by theoffense.This is an areathat will need to be addressed immediately going forward.

Moore showsgrowing painsindebut

First-year coachmakes curiouscalls during Saints opener

BY MATTHEW PARAS

Staff writer

At halftime of his firstgame as coach of the New Orleans Saints, Kellen Moore gave an answerthat left him open to ridicule.

The Saints had curiously not used any of their timeouts before the break. And by failing to do so, New Orleans was left with just 28 secondson the clock after the Arizona Cardinals’ four-anda-half-minute touchdown drive. It was an eyebrow-raising decision, one that wasimmediately questioned Moore’sinitial answerdidn’tsmooth over matters, either “Wewere justtryingto saveour timeouts as muchaswecould,” Moore told CBS. “They did agood jobofbleeding the clock and putting (themselves) in afavorable position. We didn’t get enough yards to playitout right there at the end of the half.”

Save our timeouts? For what?

It was acomment thatperhaps Moore wanted back, because when he met with reporters after the game, thefirst-yearcoach avoided using the phrase altogether when asked about the matter again.

Moore, the second time around, said he and his staff discussed the possibility but were content to letthe situation “play out” because the Cardinals also had their timeouts, and the Saintswere set to receive the ball again tostart the second half.

Moore may have better laid out his thought process, but the choiceitself still left alot to be desired in what ultimately turned out to be aone-score game.

Sunday’s20-13 loss to the Cardinals came down to awild, last-second sequence that saw the Saints’ potential game-tying rally come just short of the end zone.

It waseasytoimagine ascenarioin which thedramatics weren’t needed if the Saints, for instance, had better clock management in thefirst half. Or, if NewOrleans hadcut downonthe glaring 13 penalties that were almost afranchise record for aseason opener

Those reasons alone aren’twhy the Saints lost Moore’sdebut. But the margins matterinthe NFL, and Moore demonstrated noticeablegrowing pains in his first outing as ahead coach “We’re going to trustwhatKellen

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Saints head coach Kellen Moore, center,watches aplayagainst the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of their game Sunday at the Caesars Superdome. Moore made some eyebrow-raising decisions during Sunday’s game

does,” quarterback Spencer Rattler said, adding, “There’sriskand reward to that (scenario). We trust in what Kellen is goingtodo. We knew we had the ball coming out (ofhalftime).…We trust in what coach is calling.” Moore shookhis head when asked if having ayoung quarterback like Rattler factored into his decision to play it conservatively near the end of the first half. Instead,the coach said he was “really close” to calling atimeout andwould havealso called one if Alvin Kamara’srun had gainedmoreyards before thehalf. Rattler said Kamara wouldhavelikely needed25-30yards to trigger atimeout. The running back gained 6, and the Saints let the clock expire,down 17-10.

On the broadcast, CBS’ broadcast crew started to openly question Moore’schoice once running back James Conner gained afirst down with 1:52 left.Ifthe next two plays —a 4-yard gain anda4-yard touchdown

gottocompeteand clean things up Ilove theeffort. Ilovethe energy. I love how the guys in the locker room played. We’ve just got to play better and cleanitup.”

“Wewere just trying to save our timeouts as much as we could. They did agood job of bleeding theclock and putting (themselves) in afavorable position. We didn’tget enough yardstoplayitout rightthere at theend of thehalf.”

KELLEN

MOORE, Saints coach

unfolded exactly the same, theSaints could have gotten theball with roughly 1:30 left and atimeout still available to try and drive down thefield if Moore had called timeouts.

“Wecan play the rewind game alot; Iget that aspect of it,”Moore said. “... We had plentyoffootball ahead.”

Mooreseemed to be much more bothered by the Saints’ 13 penalties —their most in an opener since 1983. He called thema discipline issue,one thatstarted with him. Of the13flags, sevenwere against the offense. Six of the seven wereprocedural penalties, such as an illegal shiftorafalse start.

Kamara said he thought the tempo the Saints stressed contributed to the problem. Moore’soffense pushes the pace, but in hurrying up, Kamara said the urgency requires acertain amount of focus.

Three of theSaints’ penalties camein no-huddle situations.

“I’ll admit: Someofthose times, I wanted to getinthe huddlebecause I was like, ‘Man Idon’tfeellike we’re going to be able to get set correctly or get lined up correctly,’”Kamara said. “Therewerea couple timeswhere we’re going tempoand guys are running from lefttoright, trying to figure out where to line up.

“And you know,toget where you want to go, we’ve got to be precise on every single play,every single snap.”

Moore’semphasis on tempo, however,can also be seen as abright spot for the coach’s debut. The style fueled New Orleans’ near-comeback at the end of the game, and the offense’sbest moments Sunday camewhen it put the Cardinals on their heels. Rattler went13of16for 115 yards when using tempo. In someways, Moore’sfirst season will be about establishinganidentity forthe Saints. And on thatfront, it was encouraging Sunday that his team played with adistinct style and fought to the end.

But as afirst-time head coach, Moore surelyunderstandsthatevery choice every non-choice —ispicked apart. He was also questioned, for instance, on why he kicked afieldgoal on fourth-and-goal from 2:46 left whentrailing20-10.

There, Moore said he would have felt more comfortable going foritifthe Saints wereatthe 2- or 3-yard line instead of the5.Instead,hechose to cut it to aone-score game.

The decision wasupfor debate: ESPN’s analytical modelrecommended it as a“go” situation, finding atouchdownwould have boosted the Saints’ win probability to 6% instead of 4.3% with afield goal try

“The storyfor us is youcan’t beat yourself,” Moore said.

The story’sending might depend on how wellMoore learns on the job.

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

penalties (13) as points, which wasthe case Sunday Blake Grupe can’tmiss38-yard field goals. They can’tlet every tight end they face this season have his way like Arizona’sTrey McBride (six catches, 61 yards) did.

And finally,Moore can’tmake the rookie mistake of mismanaging the clock like he did late in the firsthalf. Throw all of that together, and it’seasy to see why the Saints lost aseason opener for the firsttime since 2018. The Saints entered Sunday with the longest active winning streak in season openersinthe NFL. But that streak ended, while another one continued: This was the Saints’ fifth consecutive loss. Their last win was Dec. 8against the New York Giants, agame sealed nine months ago by aBryan Bresee blocked field goal. Bresee blocked another field Sunday that gave the Saints achance late. TheSaintsresponded by driving to the Cardinals’ 18-yard line, but Spencer Rattler’s pass on the game’sfinal play fell incomplete.

“I felt like we gave ourselves a chance,” Moore said. “Ultimately,it’s not good enough.Ultimately,we are here to win football games. We’ve

The Saints’ opportunity at the end of the game will be remembered the most. But the opportunity they did NOT get in the first half shouldn’t be overlooked. Late in the first half, the Cardinals drove deep into Saints’ territory with two minutesleft. It was pretty clear they wouldscore (which they did). Moore decidednot to usehis timeouts (he hadthreeof them) to give theSaints achanceto score before the half.Itwas aquestionable decision, especially considering the Saints hadwon thecoin tosstostartthe game and deferred.

One of the mainreasonsteams defer is to try to getanextra possession at the end of the first half, knowing they also will getthe ball to start the secondhalf. Instead, the Saints took over with just 23 seconds left (as opposed to having aminuteplus if they had usedtheir timeouts) and ran the clock to go to halftime trailing 17-10.

“Wewere justtrying to save our timeouts as much as we could,” Moore told CBS at halftime. “They did agood job of bleeding the clock out and putting (themselves) in a favorable position. We didn’tget enough yards there to play it out right there at theend of thehalf.”

None of us knowwhatthe Saints

to have seen the Saints get achance there, especially after seeing how well Rattler ran the 2-minute drill late in the game. Rattler showed promise after winning the starting job in training camp. He’sstill seeking his first win as astarter,though, after going 0-6 as astarter last season. But you can’t put this loss on him.

“Weshot ourselves in the foot too muchtoday,” Rattler said. “Wecut those penalties in half, Ithink we win this game.” The road gets tougher for the Saints. After the 49ers come to town next Sunday,New Orleans travels to play the Seattle Seahawks and the Buffalo Bills. The Saints won’tbefavored in any of those three games. They weren’t favored Sunday either.But they almost stole one.

would have done with an extra minute or so to close outthe half.Maybe they go down andatleast getafield goal. Maybe theyscore atouchdown. Or maybe the drive would have just fizzled out. But you wouldhaveliked

“Wehave to figure out away to win,” said defensive end Cam Jordan. “There are no excuses in this game. It’sagameofinches. Each and every finite detail means that muchmore. Ifeel terrible that we lost, because we had achance. That’s all we want is achance, an opportunity.” They had one Sunday.Agolden one. It’stoo bad they couldn’tmake the most of it.

Email RodWalkerat rwalker@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler makesa pass against the Arizona Cardinals during the second half of their game Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.

Receiver

off to a strong start

Brown an early bright spot for LSU offense

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

When LSU had its walkthrough period before its home opener against Louisiana Tech, there was one wide receiver who seemed poised to make an impact.

“You could tell that he was ready,” LSU coach Brian Kelly said.

That player was senior wide receiver Barion Brown, the Kentucky transfer who finished the Tigers’ 23-7 victory over the Bulldogs with eight catches for a teamhigh 94 yards. After the game, Brown received the game ball.

“(He) balled out,” Kelly said.

“That’s Barion Brown, and that’s what we expected from him, and I was so happy for him.”

Through his first two games at LSU, Brown has 13 catches for 119 yards. He also nearly made an acrobatic touchdown grab in the Tigers’ season-opener against Clemson, but the catch was ruled a drop after he bobbled the ball on his way to the ground.

Despite the incompletion, he still had five catches for 25 yards in LSU’s 17-10 win. In addition to his eight catches last Saturday, he also had a 15-yard rushing carry against Louisiana Tech.

Brown had accumulated more than seven catches in a game just once in his career before Saturday It was just the fifth time in his career that he had accumulated more than 90 receiving yards in a game.

“I was just out there having fun with my teammates,” Brown said Saturday Brown was brought in over the offseason to add more speed to the Tigers offense. Despite fifth-year senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier’s big arm, LSU had trouble stretching defenses with deep passes last season. With Brown, the return of a healthy Chris Hilton and Zavion Thomas, Kelly hoped LSU’s improved speed would overwhelm defenses and make it easier for Nussmeier to toss bombs downfield this season.

Brown’s longest target on Saturday was 19 yards. His average depth of target, according to Pro Football Focus, is 13.4 yards. The touchdown that was called back against Clemson was on track to be a 29-yard catch.

“I was just out there having fun, letting the game come to me, not worrying about the receptions or what I’m doing in the game,” Brown said Saturday “I was just trying to put our team in the best position to win.” Brown hasn’t been the only LSU receiver who has excelled through two games, but the Tigers offense has been inconsistent over eight quarters of football.

LSU struggled to run the ball, and Nussmeier had multiple throws that were uncharacteristically inaccurate against Louisiana Tech. At Clemson, the Tigers had problems with finishing drives and making big plays downfield Brown and redshirt junior Aaron Anderson — who has a team-high 14 catches for 172 yards through two contests have done their part in helping the offense. The question that remains is whether enough of their teammates join them in boosting what has so far been an underwhelming LSU attack.

“Now we’ve got to make sure that that gets to everybody has the same amount of energy and confidence,” Kelly said, “that they can go out there and play like (Brown).”

Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@ theadvocate.com.

Kelly displeased with coaching effort

Lackluster win over La.

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Minutes after LSU surrendered 178 rushing yards to Nicholls State a year ago, Brian Kelly walked up to the podium and delivered a message that was not born out of frustration

“I thought they played their tails off. They were physical,” LSU’s coach said after the Tigers struggled to dominate the Colonels in their home opener last season.

“You could tell how much it meant to those young men to play here in Tiger Stadium and have a chance to play LSU.”

LSU won the game 44-21, but it had been a poor performance against an inferior opponent, much like the lackluster outing

Kelly’s team had on Saturday against Louisiana Tech.

But this time around, instead of complimenting the opponent first or simply saying that LSU needed to improve, Kelly’s tone was markedly different.

He was frustrated, and he wasn’t afraid to show it after LSU’s 23-7 win over the Bulldogs. Within his voice lay a deep sense of urgency that wasn’t there a season ago.

“We didn’t coach well enough, and we didn’t play well enough tonight, and that’s not our standard,” Kelly said. “And so they’re disappointed in that they didn’t live up to that standard. They want to do it. They just didn’t do it tonight.”

Perhaps Kelly’s urgency stems from his confidence in his roster this season.

After making numerous upgrades in the transfer portal and bringing back fifth-year senior quarterback Garrett Nussmeier, junior linebacker Whit Weeks and redshirt junior linebacker Harold Perkins, Kelly has spoken like a coach who believes he has the talent necessary to make a deep run into January

“If I didn’t think we had the

players, I’d be in here giving you the Coach Kelly spin. I’d give you everything that I could come up with about how great we are,” Kelly said. “We’ve got better players on this roster.”

With a talent-rich team, Kelly, after the game, harped on LSU’s coaching as an aspect of its program that needed to improve. The Tigers had devised an effective game plan to take down Clemson on the road a week ago, but Kelly was vexed by how he and his staff couldn’t help their players as well as they could have against Louisiana Tech.

“We got outcoached in a lot of areas,” Kelly said “Hats off to coach (Sonny) Cumbie and his staff at (Louisiana) Tech. They did a great job tonight.”

Among those points of irritation for Kelly was LSU’s rushing attack. The Tigers only averaged 2.8 yards per carry until freshman Harlem Berry broke off a 43-yard

carry late in the fourth quarter

“You’ve got to run the football,” Kelly said. “We didn’t run the football effectively tonight, and it made it difficult for us.”

But it wasn’t just LSU’s rushing attack that struggled against Louisiana Tech. Nussmeier also threw an interception and had an uncharacteristically high number of inaccurate throws.

Nussmeier’s receivers also dropped their fair share of passes, and his offensive line struggled at times with senior center Braelin Moore unavailable after he suffered a left leg injury on the first snap of the game.

“We’ve got to go back and figure out what was in our preparation, what was in our mindset when we took the field for this game that we couldn’t live up to that standard,” Kelly said. “And that’s what they’re trying to figure out right now.”

The lackluster showing didn’t

extend to LSU’s defense, which held Louisiana Tech to 154 total yards and just 12 first downs. Kelly said the unit played “pretty darn good.”

But LSU will need better fullteam efforts if it wants to reach the College Football Playoff for the first time under Kelly The Tigers showed they could play at that level against Clemson. The only question that remains is if they can consistently live up to that standard moving forward.

“This isn’t just, ‘Well, our coaches stink,’ or, ‘Our players stink,’” Kelly said “This is everybody collectively (not living) up to the standard that we have set here. And you can only do that when you believe that you have more, and we have more, and that didn’t show up tonight and that’s disappointing.”

Email Koki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.

Center’s status in question for UF; TE injured

BY KOKI RILEY and WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writers

LSU starting center Braelin Moore suffered a high ankle sprain Saturday night, according to multiple reports.

Moore suffered the injury to his left leg on the first play from scrimmage in No. 3 LSU’s 23-7 win over Louisiana Tech. He now enters the week questionable to play against Florida, according to On3. LouisianaSports.net first reported the news.

Moore, a Virginia Tech transfer is a critical piece of LSU’s offensive line. LSU coach Brian Kelly said during preseason practice he believed the unit would play well this season even though it had to replace four starters, in part because Moore sets up the rest of the group for success.”

The training staff tends to LSU offensive lineman Braelin Moore on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

On LSU’s first play against

Louisiana Tech, Moore appeared to have his left leg pinned under a pile of tacklers. He went to the locker room for tests, and though he tried to snap the ball on the sideline, he did not return to the game. Moore later changed into a walking boot.

Moore, who won SEC offensive lineman of the week after LSU’s season-opening win against Clemson, was replaced by redshirt sophomore DJ Chester Chester started every game at center for LSU last season.

Kelly said Moore would undergo an MRI on Sunday Green to miss several weeks

LSU sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green is expected to miss multiple weeks with a knee injury he suffered against Louisiana Tech, sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed Sunday to The Advocate.

Green went down Saturday night in the fourth quarter After being helped off the field, Green used crutches and wore a brace on his right knee.

Green did not suffer a seasonending injury, sources said, but the exact nature of his injury and a timeline for his return is unclear 247Sports reported Green “could be back in the next couple weeks.”

Kelly had no update on Green’s status following the game. He said Green would have an MRI on his knee on Sunday In Week 1 against Clemson, Green caught LSU’s first touchdown pass of the season. Green did not have a reception against Louisiana Tech after catching two passes for 17 yards last week.

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

BY GUERRY SMITH Contributing writer

So what happened?

Tulane survived a very slow start and a really sloppy finish before holding off South Alabama 33-31 on Saturday night in a game it dominated for the two-and-ahalf quarters in between those troublesome stretches.

Coach Jon Sumrall and his players were forced to focus on why this win was far different from the 23-3 opening-game rout of Northwestern. The Jaguars outscored the Green Wave 14-0 in the first eight minutes and again in the final 10.

“Maybe guys didn’t get going until after they scored those two times,” said nickelback Javion

White, whose interception on a last-minute 2-point try preserved the lead. “We needed to realize, ‘OK, this is going to be a game.’ We probably did have a big head with everybody telling us what we did last week. It definitely wasn’t up to our standard, but after the two touchdowns, we got rolling.”

While Tulane’s defense gave up easy touchdowns on two of South Alabama’s first three series, the offense began with a three-andout and a turnover by Retzlaff, right after linebacker Sam Howard forced a fumble that handed the ball to the Wave at the Jaguars 25-yard line.

“We just talked about staying consistent and not being down about the scoreboard,” said running back Zuberi Mobley who rushed for a team-high 82 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. “We said just do what we do and don’t look at the scoreboard. Zero-zero is our mentality just go out there and play ball. Everybody did their part.”

They did until they didn’t. After outgaining South Alabama 368141 and scoring on six of seven drives, the Wave gave up touchdown drives of 75 and 80 yards on the Jaguars’ final two series. The offense picked up two first downs with the lead but could not get a third one that would have sealed the victory

“I’m very bothered with some of the things we did tonight,” coach Jon Sumrall said. “We’ve got a long way to go. We’ve got some upcoming challenges that if we don’t get the issues cleaned up, we’re going to have some ma-

jor problems, so we better get some things fixed urgently We did not play our best football, and that’s frustrating.”

One deficiency Sumrall defended were the two roughing-thepasser penalties that aided South Alabama’s last touchdown drive.

The first one, on Santana Hopper, negated an interception by Jack Tchienchou. The next one, on Gerrod Henderson, moved the ball to the Tulane 26 and set up the second scoring catch from receiver Devin Voisin.

“There’s egregious roughingthe-passers where you see the ball’s away and the quarterback gets crushed two seconds late,” Sumrall said. “Those two I thought were guys really playing hard and they (flag or no flag) could have gone either way I don’t think there was any malicious intent. The guys were trying to rush the passer and the ball gets out a half a step or a step away.”

Voisin had 10 catches for 152 yards, burning cornerback Jahiem Johnson for a 65-yard score early Kentrel Bullock rushed for 107 yards on 24 carries after Sumrall had singled him out as dangerous on Tuesday

“I said it all week and nobody wanted to listen to me on our

team,” Sumrall said. “The back is a frickin’ great player.”

White said it was good to be challenged heading into a twogame stretch against Power Four conference schools — Duke and former Tulane QB Darian Mensah at home and Ole Miss on the road.

“I think it’s going to help us a lot,” he said. “It just shows us that we’ve got work to do It’s definitely going to humble us a little bit and allow us to go an extra step because we’ve got great opponents coming up.”

Mobley offered a similar message.

“We can overcome a lot of stuff,” he said “It was not our best game, but we can go through trial and tribulation to get a victory, honestly It’s very valuable coming from down 14-0. I like how we fought back. That just speaks to us as a team.” With 60 new players on the roster, expecting everything to go smoothly would have been a stretch.

“We talked about there was going to be adversity at some point this season,” Sumrall said. “Well, it happened to be today It was real, we looked it in the eye and were able to fight through it and find a way to win.”

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

coach Brian Kelly yells in reaction to a call against the Tigers during a game against Louisiana Tech on

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU wide receiver Barion Brown, left, runs the ball down the field against Louisiana Tech on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

McMakinwants to call games

‘for ageneration’

Staterepresentative embracingnew role

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

As it faced Louisiana Tech on Saturday,LSU was breaking in anew permanent public address announcer in Tiger Stadium for the first time since 1986

Nowthe job belongstostate Rep. DixonMcMakin,R-Baton Rouge. LSU hired him in late August to fill thevoid left by Dan Borné, thelongtimePAvoice who officially stepped down in July after health issuesforced him to miss the entire 2024 football season.

“I’m not goingtosay Iwas nervous,” McMakin told The Advocate after LSU’s23-7 win. “It was an excitement anda joy to be up there.”

Only three announcershave ever voiced games in TigerStadium since 1955. Late WAFB-TV meteorologist SidCrockerheld the job for 30 years (1955-1985) before he passed the microphone to Borné, who took overin1986 and called gamesuntil 2023. Bill Franques —the voice of Alex Box Stadium— filled in for Borne over the years and tookover thejob on an interim basis during the 2024 season.

McMakin, 39, was elected representative for District 68 in 2023. He’salso afinancial advisor,insurancebroker and attorney who has worked as aplay-by-play commentator on Catholic High football radio broadcasts and a PA announcerfor LSUvolleyball matches and softball games.

Howdid McMakin become an announcer?

It all started when he was in third grade. Ayoung McMakin wasn’tmuch of adancer,hesaid, or asinger. So he’d narrate his church’sChristmas plays instead, arolethatinspiredadecisionto work as an emcee in high school and college. LSU hired him to its team of publicaddress announcers in 2020.

Five years later,the university’sathletic department started asearch fora newpublic address voice in TigerStadium. LSU received over 40 applications. Franques was among the finalists for the job. So, too, was gymnastics announcer Mike Smith.

But LSU settled on McMakin, the son of former Tigers’ baseball player Wally McMakin, who hasanundergraduate and law degreefrom LSU

“I’ve been on that mic afew times before doing spring games,” McMakin said, “so nerves were calm, butthen again, Ifelt the pressure of 100,000 people expecting to hear your voice to be loud and be clear

“That was the goal, and Ithink Iaccomplished that.”

McMakin also will call LSU men’sbasketball games this season, like Borné did from the 1980s to 2023. LSU has saidit plans to honor Borné during a home footballgamethis year so he canofficially pass the mic to McMakin.

“I justwant to make everybody proud,” McMakin said, “and hopefully do it for ageneration to come for many Tiger fans.”

Scott Rabalais contributed to this report.

USFbreaksintoTop 25; LSUremains at No.3

By The Associated Press

Thethird weekofthe AP Top 25 college football poll showed Ohio State,PennStateand LSU retaining their slots as the top three teams as Oregon slid into No. 4and No. 18 South Florida ranked for the first time in seven years. The Bulls, who were eight spots out of the Top25lastweek, became thebiggest upward mover thanks to their 18-16 winover then-No. 13 Florida. That came after ahome win over then-No. 25 Boise State Top3unchanged

The Top25saw plenty of movement this week,but the top three didn’tbudgeafter outscoring opponents by acombined 127-7.

Ohio State remained No. 1 after a70-0 victory over Grambling State. Penn State overcame aslow start to beat FIU 34-0 and remain at No. 2, while LSU held firm at No. 3aftera 23-7 win overLouisiana Tech USFrankedafter Floridaupset South Florida jumped into the AP Top25atNo. 18. The list of unranked teams to open aseason 2-0 with bothwins coming against AP-ranked opponents is short:

1. USF did it this year vs. No. 25 BoiseState and No.13Florida

2. Oregon Stateopened 2012 with wins vs. No. 13 Wisconsin and No. 19 UCLA.

3. East Carolina managed the feat in 2008 against No. 17 VirginiaTechand No. 8WestVirginia

4. And North Carolina started its 1976 season with wins against No. 20 Miami (Ohio) and No. 18 Florida.

USF,which visits Miami this weekend, is bidding to become the fifth team to open aseason with three wins over ranked opponents. Miami did it in 1987, Michigan in 1985, Iowa in 1960 and Oklahoma in 1954.

The Bulls, coming into this season, were 2-29 in their past 31 games against ranked opponents. They’re 2-0 in such games this season.

Clemsonout of top10

Preseason ranked No. 4Clemson has yet to meet the expectations of poll voters. The Tigers fell to No. 8after aclose loss to

Abramson alum JacobyJones was honored on Thursdaybefore the startofa game against Sarah T. Reed at TadGormley Stadium. Abramson senior Ja’heimButler was picked to wear the number 9inhonor of Jones, whose mother Emily London-Jones was presented with aframed jersey.

Abramson senior Butler honors NFLlegendJones with bigplay

BY SPENCER URQUHART Staff writer

Abramsonsenior Ja’Heim Butler was nervous before the startof Thursday’sseasonopeneragainst Sarah T. Reed

That’sbecause Butlerwas awarded jersey No. 9during aceremonybeforethe start of thegame at TadGormley honoring legendary Abramson alum Jacoby Jones. Anine-year NFL veteran andSuper Bowl champion, Jones’ No. 9 Abramson jersey was framed and presented to his mother,Emily London-Jones.

Atwo-way playeratrunning back anddefensive back, Butler’sinterception with 1:29 to go in thegame put Abramson up by two scores after he returned it 50 yards for atouchdown.Butler’s pick-six would be the finalscoring play in a14-2 Abramsonwin over Reed “It was bigger than me,” Butler said. “I hada lot of motivation from my teammate Makhi Allen. He really motivated me to keep going, and it all panned out from there. It was an honor.Iwas nervous becauseit’salot of pressure from what agreat player (Jacoby Jones)was.”

Butler battled cramps during thegame but was able to contribute on bothsides of theball. He finishedwith17rushing yards on seven carries and was one of three Abramson defensive backs to re-

cord an interceptiononanight in which the Commodores hadfour interceptions as ateam

“Itwas nothing but ablessing that (Butler) made abig play,” Abramson first-year coach Gil Chartian said. “Jacoby (Jones) was smiling down on him, and he made abig playatthe end. Those typesofmoments show the character as to why thatkid should be wearing No. 9.

A2002 Abramson graduate known forelite playmaking ability,Jones’ NFL career washighlighted by his kickoffreturn touchdown forthe Baltimore Ravens to begin the second half of Super Bowl XLVII in the Superdome. The 108-yard return was the longest playinSuperBowl history

Jones, who passedawayonJuly 14, 2024, at the ageof40, was also honored with ascholarship fund namedafter him. Butler wasthe inaugural scholarship award recipient.

“I thought it wasanawesome opportunitytodosomething like this tonight,” London-Jones said. “Jacoby’sdesire wasalways to help fund education for students.”

Afterbeing shut out in the first half, Abramson broke through in thethird quarterafter running back Jaden Myers found the end zonefrom 26 yards out. Myers ledAbramsoninrushing with 47 yards on sevencarries.

Abramson nearlyscored an-

other offensive touchdownin theclosingminutes of the fourth quarter but turned the ball over on downs near the goal line.Reed drove downtomidfield before Butler’spick-sixsealedthe game for Abramson. Abramson qua rte rba ck CharlesHenry was5-of-16 as apasser for 45 yards and accounted for39rushing yards on 10 carries. JamalMatthews had astrong performance for Reed with33rushing yards on seven carries and had two interceptions. Matthewswas Reed’sleadingrusher. Ta’dellMoselywas Reed’stop receiver,finishing withfive catches for 74 yards. Abramson lost to Reed last seasonbut wasable to getredemption in this year’srivalry matchup between thetwo New Orleans East schools.

“It was big for the whole community,”Chartian said. “The whole community followed this game. Reed and Abramson have been having this rivalry for along time, so for us to be able to bring thattrophy back is atestamentto the workweput in.”

Abramson (1-0) will travel to face Collegiate Baton Rouge in Week 2onFriday, Sept.12. Reed (0-1)will be on the road next Friday against Albany

Email Spencer Urquhart at surquhart@theadvocate.com.

LSUfalls off topspotinAPpoll vote followinglacklusterwin

atalented LSU team in Week 1.

Cade Klubnik led fourscoring drives in the second half,carrying Clemson to a24-16 win after entering thegameas31-point favorites, according to BetMGM Oregon,Georgia swap spots Georgia andOregonswapped spotsin this week’spoll. Oregon moved uptwo places to No. 4inthe AP Top25after routing Oklahoma State 69-3. Georgiadidn’tget quitethe start Kirby Smart envisioned against FCSAustin Peay. The Bulldogsultimately came out on top 28-6, but it wasn’tenough to convince voters they should rank in thetop five.Georgia fell to No. 6as aresult Illinois,Florida Statejump

Illinoisbroke into the top 10 after knocking on the door for the past twoweeks.

Illinois rankedNo. 12 in the preseason poll and improvedto No. 11 after beating Western Illinois 52-3. The Fighting Illinibeat Duke 45-19 on Saturday, moving up to No. 9. FloridaState’s hot streak continued, surpassing East Texas A&M 77-3. The Seminoles cracked

Koki Riley

Despite thelack of marquee matchups across thecountry, Week 2was filled with even more surprises than Week 1inthe world of college football. Oklahoma dominated Michigan. Florida got upset by SouthFlorida. ArizonaState couldn’tsurvive thecowbells in Starkville, falling to aMississippi Stateprogram in desperateneed of abig win. Here’swhere my AP poll vote stands following thesecond week of the college football season

My AP poll afterWeek2: 1. Penn State, 2. LSU, 3. Ohio State, 4. Texas,5.Oregon, 6. Georgia, 7. Miami, 8. Notre Dame, 9. Oklahoma, 10. Illinois, 11. Clemson, 12. Texas A&M, 13. Michigan, 14. Alabama, 15. Florida, 16. Florida State, 17. Texas Tech, 18. Iowa State, 19. Auburn, 20. SouthFlorida, 21. SouthCarolina, 22. Tennessee, 23. Pittsburgh, 24. Arizona State, 25. Missouri

Just missed: Utah, TCU, Georgia Tech, Indiana

Anew No.1 team emerges Penn State leapfrogging LSU and Ohio Statedoesn’tseem logical on thesurface. Allthree teams won this week, and the Buckeyes did it in utterly dominant fashion. Butupon further reflection and another week of football, I’d like to amendmytrainofthought on these teams.

Irewarded Ohio Statelast week for its win over Texas by taking theBuckeyes over Penn State, but my questions surrounding Ohio State’soffense remain(70 points against

Grambling doesn’tpersuade me much).

Don’tget me wrong, the win over Texas wasimpressive.But given that the Buckeyes were at home and facing afirst-year starting quarterback, the victory has agreater impact on the College Football Playoff picture than it does on howIfeel about Ohio State in this moment. Dropping LSU down anotch was alittle easierthis weekafter itslackluster outing against Louisiana Tech.The Tigers’ issues running the ball resurfaced on Saturday,and Clemson’soffensive issues against Troy this week didn’tmakeLSU’swin in MemorialStadium in Week 1 look any better. What nowfor Florida, ASU?

Florida’sshocking loss to South Florida maynot look so badby theend of the year.With wins over Boise State and the Gators, SouthFlorida appears to be the early favorite to make the CFP among theGroup of 5schools. Oddly enough, the Bulls probably have the best résumé in the country

Butjustbecause the defeat wasn’tatotal embarrassment for Florida, it doesn’tmeanitwasn’t costly

The Gators face LSU, Miami, Texas,Texas A&M andGeorgia in five of its next six games. The Gators had to win on Saturday to feel confident heading into that stretch.Now,theymay be stuck fighting for bowl eligibility in coach Billy Napier’sfourth season in Gainesville despite assembling atalent-richroster.

ArizonaState’s loss to Mississippi State wasn’tjust abig deal for theSun Devils; it was also a huge lossfor the Big 12 ASUwas the favorite to repeat as conferencechampions after

returning nearly every starter from ayear ago. Therefore, losing to arguably the weakest team in the Southeastern Conference dealta tough blowtothe Big 12’sslim chances of having two teams in the CFP

Othernotes

Oklahoma took down Michigan by nine points on Saturday.But in reality,the Sooners dominatedthe Wolverines. Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood was held to a37.5% completionpercentage andOklahoma hadnearly twice as many first downs as the Wolverines. The impressive victory was enough formetopush Oklahoma into my top-10. Iwas already high on the Soonersheading into the season,but my confidence in themonly grewafter they took down an elite defensive team. Ihad afeeling the Baylor-SMU game would be ashootout, but I didn’texpect the Mustangs’ defense to fold as easily as it did at home.Missouri took SMU’sspot in the poll afterearning an impressive victory over an underratedKansassquad.

Iowa State alreadyhas three wins, including two over Power 4 teams.But Kansas State’sstrugglesand Iowa’s inept offense still leavemewondering just how good the Cyclonesreally are. AfterASU’sloss, you’d figure that their chances of winning the Big 12 arestill as good as anybody’s. Illinois’ dominant win over Duke left me abit perplexed. I was extremely high on the Blue Devils aftertheyadded Tulane quarterbackDarian Mensah this offseason. The big win for Illinois shotthe veteran team into my top-10.

EmailKoki Riley at Koki. Riley@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SPENCER URQUHART

RushTok Backlash

Whysororitiesaren’tletting prospectspost

BY SAFIYAH RIDDLE

Associated Press/ReportFor America

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. Kylan Darnell became an overnight celebrity in the TikTokniche thatdocuments the glitzy,ritualistic recruitment process for sororities. Asa 21-yearold rising senior fouryears later, she’s taking more of hersorority life offline.

Darnellhas untilnow been the embodiment of RushTok, aweeklongmarathonthathas teensat schools around the country meticulously documenting their efforts to landa cherished spot in asorority during the colorful, girly and enigmatic recruitment process known as rush week

Reactions to the content that once catapulted her to fame —depicting her life as aZetaTau Alpha member at theUniversityofAlabama —had become so negative that it was affecting her mental health,she said.

“This year it wasjustlikeawhole different level of hate,” Darnell said.

Citing aneed to protect prospects from harassment, many sororities have made similar moves, issuing

Participation often requires an eye-opening price tag

Afterspending sometimes tens of thousands of dollarsonoutfits, makeup and plane tickets, each of this week’s2,600 recruits paid$550 to participate. It’s non-refundable if theydon’tget picked. If accepted,they’ll payanaverage $8,400 asemester to live in the sorority house, or $4,100 if they live elsewhere, according to the Alabama Panhellenic Association.

adefacto banagainst talking to the press or posting on social mediaduring rushweek at Alabama, wherealmost 13,000 students participateinthe nation’slargest oncampus Greek life.

Acenturies-old tradition

Across thecountry,rushistypicallya 10-day eventwhere “prospective new members” try out sororitiesthrough rounds of activities prescribing astrict slate of outfits andetiquette. In the lead-up, girls often submit “social resumes” and letters of recommendation from sorority alums.

The pressure can be so intense that an industry of consultants now helps girls navigate the often mysterious criteria for landing a desiredsorority.Some charge up to $10,000 for months of services thatcan begin in high school.

Throughout rush, many events are invite-only.Atany point, girls canget adreaded call informing them they’ve been dropped —that asororityisnolonger interested in lettingthem join.Matchesare finally made on bidday as prospects rank topchoices and sororities makeoffers.

MorganCadenhead,now 20, gained suchanaudience on

What is meant by the “dementia stare”?

The dementia stare is acommon symptom of dementia characterized by ablank, unfocused gaze, often directed into space or at afixed point, with alack of engagement with the surroundings.

Known as glassy or gazed eyes, the vacant stare can be a result of cognitive impairment, sensory overload, or difficulty processing visual information. Additionally,itcan be away for affected individuals with dementia to try and communicate needs or express emotions when verbal communication is impaired.

Common causes of staring behavior include:

n Confusion and trouble interpreting their environment.

n Toomuch activity,noise or crowds overwhelming an individual with dementia.

n Anonverbal meansofcommunication, particularly in cases when verbal communication is hampered.

n Changes in eyesight which find it challenging to focus and comprehend visual information.

n Fixing on familiar individuals or objects to set off a recollection or sense of identification.

n Hallucinations whereby they stare at itemsorpeople they believe to be nonexistent.

n Sundowning, which is evening anxiety and restlessness associated with dementia.

n Possible illness.

Staring behavior in individuals with dementia may vary The disease has somephases when one finds moreofitthan others. Knowing the individual’shistory and dementia type helps loved ones and caregivers better grasp and handle this behavior

Arecent pollfound electronic annoyances on flights have risen 47% since 2020.

Older individuals may stare silently due to natural cognitive slowing down, visual or hearing restrictions, and emotional circumstances like loneliness or confusion. Aging may cause cognitive issues with processing speed and attentiveness. Prolonged silences could result from the need for moretimetounderstand the material and answer Problems with vision or hearing can also lead to staring. Seniors whofind it difficult to see or hear should fix their gaze to makesense of their surroundings or individuals. This can offset sensory shortcomings. loneliness, confusion and hopelessness, which may affect the behavior of an aged person. Loneliness and social isolation might lead to cognitive decline and alack of social interaction. Those with dementia may seem blank, trying to grasp their surroundings or conversations.

If an individual with dementia is staring, it is essential to stay calm and provide reassurance. Engage them with a friendly tone or questions to understand their feelings or thoughts. Redirecting their attention gently with an activity or movement can also be

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOSByBRyNN ANDERSON

Sororityrecruits line the sidewalk of sorority rowatthe University of AlabamaonAug.14inTuscaloosa, Ala.

Idealconditionsfor accurate bloodpressurereadings

Dear Doctors: Ihave read that for an accurate blood pressure reading, you should firstsit in a comfortable chair with no talking or distractions for at least five minutes. But my doctors all slap on acuff, ask questions the whole time, then exclaimthat Ihave high blood pressure. Ihave to ask forat least five minutes of quiet beforeareading. How do we convince doctors to change?

Dear reader: Adoctor’soffice is an artificialenvironment. Many people have fought throughtraffic,and perhaps for aparking space,before they even reach the door. Then, in the waiting room, they are left to manage the anxiety that can often accompanya medical visit. In our opinion,the blood pressure readings taken when someone first sits down in

SORORITY

Continued from page1D

RushTok despite being dropped that shecoveredmost of her tuition with income from social media. Then came the social cost as shewas slammed online for criticizing Greek life. Now the marketing major —featured on Lifetime’s“SororityMom’sGuide to Rush!” —said she’s lookingfor offline work.

Azealous TikTok following Afixation with rush was renewed whensororities resumed in-person recruiting after the pandemic.

Social media becameflooded with “outfit of theday”and “get ready with me”videosshowing sorority members andrecruits in well-lit rooms, sometimes flaunting exorbitantly priced designer wear or pieces purchased on Amazon, always preciselycurated.

Alabama’sGreek life got attention before, when itstraditionally White sororities racially integrated, accepting their first Black members in 2013. Targeted by protests following allegations of racial discrimination,the universityagreedwiththe Justice Department in 2016 to encourage diversity.Today,Black students outside of traditionally Black sororities and fraternities represent 2% of the total Greek membership, the university website says. Meanwhile, online attentionto rush has led to books, apolarizing

By The Associated Press

Today is Monday,Sept. 8, the 251st day of 2025. There are 114 days left in the year

Todayinhistory

On Sept. 8, 1974, one month after taking office, President Gerald R. Ford granted a“full, free, and absolute pardon” to former President Richard Nixon forany crimes committedduring Nixon’spresidency

Also on this date:

In 1504, Michelangelo’stowering marble statue of David was unveiled to the public in Florence, Italy

In 1565, aSpanish expedition established the firstpermanent European settlement in North America at present-day St. Augustine, Florida

In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam tothe British, whorenamed it New York. In 1900, Galveston, Texas, was struck by ahurricane that killed an estimated 8,000 people; it remains the deadliest natural disaster in U.S. history In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, D-La., was fatally shot in the Louisiana State Capitol building

In 1941, the 900-daySiege of Leningrad by German forces began during World WarII.

In 1951, apeace treaty with Japan was signed by 49 nations in San Francisco.

In 1957, Althea Gibson became the first Black tennis player to win the U.S. National Championships, now known as the U.S Open.

STARE

Continued from page1D

helpful. For example, suggest folding laundry or going fora short walk. It is crucial to connect with the person on afeeling level before redirecting their attention. Moreover, you could also suggest exercisessuch as short-term memory exercises,

Dr.Elizabeth Ko

Dr.Eve Glazier

ASK THE DOCTORS

an exam room,often while being quizzedabout theirmedical history,are likely to reflect that person’sblood pressureunder stress. That is why, in ourown offices, we don’tmakedecisions about blood pressuremedication based solely on asingle office value. Youare correct about theoptimalconditionsneeded to obtain an accurate blood pressure reading. In fact, they are used in the

clinical studies used to arrive at standardized blood pressure ranges. As you mentioned in your letter,this includes sittingupright in acomfortable chair that supportsthe back. The arm needs to be supported at heart level with bothfeet flat on the ground. There should be aquiet resting period of at least five minutes before the test. Andbecause blood pressure fluctuates, multiple measurements,several minutes apart, are needed for an accurateresult. Additional factors that affect blood pressureinclude time of day,temperature and exercise. Blood pressure is typically highest in themorning and lowest at night.Blood vessels constrict in acold room, which can elevate blood pressure. Heat can do the opposite. The effect of exercise,

in which blood pressure rises as theheart works to send oxygen and nutrients to the muscles, continues foratleast 30 minutes after the exertion ends. Caffeine and tobacco raise blood pressure. So can certain medications, including over-the-counter pain relievers. Being dehydrated can cause blood pressure to dip. It is also important to use the correct cuff size. Acuffthat’stoo large can cause afalse low reading, while acuffthat’stoo small can give results that are too high. Somepeople routinely have elevated readings in amedical setting, aresponse knownaswhite coat hypertension. In those cases, we advise bringing adetailed log of at-home values to share with thephysician.That information reflectsa pool of data collected

Tuscaloosa, Ala.

documentaryand the reality television series, widening the appeal of sororities in theSouthinparticular,accordingtoLorie Stefaneli, aNew York City-based consultant who flies to Tuscaloosa each year for rush.

Stefanelicoachesgirls from around the country,and about a

TODAYINHISTORY

In 1964, public schools in Prince EdwardCounty,Virginia, reopened after being closed for fiveyears byofficials attempting to prevent court-ordered racial desegregation.

In 1986, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” began the first of 25 seasons in national syndication. In 2016, California and federal regulators fined Wells Fargo a combined $185 million, alleging thebank’s employees illegally opened millions of unauthorized accounts fortheircustomersin order to meet aggressive sales goals.

In 2022, Queen Elizabeth II, who spent more than seven decades on the British throne, died at age96; her then 73-yearold son became King Charles III.

Today’sBirthdays: Former Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., is 87. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 84. Civil rightsactivist Ruby Bridges is 71. Author Terry Tempest Williams is 70. Basketball Hall of Famer Maurice Cheeks is 69. Actor Heather Thomas is 68. Singer AimeeMannis65. Actor ThomasKretschmann is 63. Alternative country singer Neko Case is 55. TV personality BrookeBurke is 54. Actor Martin Freeman is 54.Actor David Arquette is 54. TV-radio personalityKennedy is 53. ActorLarenz Tate is 50.Singersongwriter Pink is 46. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas is 44. RapperWiz Khalifais38. MLB pitcherGerrit Cole is 35. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (TV:“Stranger Things”)is23.

cognitiverehabilitation exercises, exercises for dementia patients, and mental exercises for mild cognitive impairment

Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts “The Memory Whisperer.”Email her at thememorywhisperer@gmail com.

third of her clientsenroll at Alabama. She saysmany aredrawn by thevibrant depictions of sisterhood,showing femalefriendships that can ensure girls feel seen and supported.

“That’s thereason why alot of them want to go to Alabama, is becausetheysee it on TikTok,” Ste-

ELECTRONICS

Continuedfrom page1D

substandard headphones (named by 62%ofrespondents), followed by bright screens displaying inappropriatecontent (41%), and electronic toys with sound control problems(38%).

But whyare noisy electronics such aproblem? Howcan you know if your electronics are aproblem? Andwhat can you do if you’re confronted with anoisyseatmate? The solutionsare simple,but following the expertadvice isn’t.

Whythere’s aproblem

Del Zotto isn’tthe only onewho has noticed an issue withloud electronics. Nick Leighton, host of the etiquette podcast “Were You Raised By Wolves?,”collects what he calls “etiquettecrime reports” from his listeners. And he’s noticed an uptick in reportsabout noisy headphones and other gadgets.

“Airlinesthatencourageyou to bringyourown device certainly makeiteasier to commit etiquette crimes,” he says.

It’s true.A few years ago, some U.S.airlinesbegan to remove seatback entertainment devices, particularly on someshort-haul flights. Today, it’shard to find a passenger without atablet, phone, laptop and aheadset.

Well, sometimes the headset is optional.

The result is acacophony on every flight. Youhear beeps, pings, moviesoundtracksand that really irritating sound thelanguage learning appDuolingo makes when you answeraquestioncorrectly.Itisthe world’smost annoying sound.

All thenoise creates more stress forpassengers, which provokes more in-flight conflicts between passengers and crew members. So much for friendly skies.

But forevery etiquette crime, there is aconsequence. Del Zotto didn’twanttospend sevenhours listening tohis neighbor’sheadset.

So he lent him his extra headset

“He was very grateful,” he remembers.

AremyheadphonesOK?

The worst thing youcan do on a

over time, and we find it to be a morereliable index than asingle office-based reading. Blood pressure is an important metricofhealth. We believe making medical decisions based on asinglereading is unwise. And though we don’thaveananswer abouthow to encouragesystemic change,weapplaud your approach of advocating foryourself. Patients feeling rushed are within their rightstorequest thesame environmental conditions in whichblood pressure standards were created Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla. edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles, CA, 90024.

$58,000 it costs her annually to attend Alabamafrom out-of-state. Rush can be fun andhelp girls build confidence, but it’s also an “emotional rollercoaster,”especially for girls who feel they need to reveal themselvestoamassive audience, Stefanelisaid. Sheanswers phone calls at allhours of the night during rush week.

“I’m literally atherapist, I’m talking these girls downfrom a ledge,” she said.

Numerous incoming freshmen told The Associated Press this week that they were expressly prohibited from speaking with the media or even posting aboutrush at Alabama. Darnellsaidthe most selective “Old Row” houses will automatically drop prospects who do.

“Now alot of girls just come to the university to be influencers,” she said. “Itkind of gets in theway of sisterhood.”

Some incoming freshmen —including Darnell’s19-year-old sister Izzy,with avast social media followingofher own—havechosen to post anyway, satisfyinga demand that can reach millions of viewswithin days.

faneli said. Stop posting—orelse

If they gain enough followers to become social influencers, RushTokparticipants can earn ad revenue and brand deals. Darnell’s postsbrought her financial independence, morethan covering the

plane is listen to music or watch a movie without headphones. That’s aclear breach, not only of in-flight etiquette, but of airline rules. And there are no exemptions foryoung children who haven’tfigured out howtouse headphones. If they can’tuse headphones, give them a toy.Aquiet toy

In terms of acceptable headphones, experts say anything with more than75% sound containment is good, butyou should aim for at least 90%.

Theleast leak-prone headsets are the Sony Pulse Explore Truly Wireless and the Moondrop Blessing 3, both in-ear headsets with perfect ratings. Oh, and if someonesitsnexttoyou withapairof HiFiMan Arya Stealth Magnets, you’regoing to hear everything. It’s the leakiest headset on the market. Youcan find afull list of modelsonRtings.com, aconsumer electronics site.

What should youdo?

So what if you’re seated next to apassenger who is violating several in-flight noise ordinances?

Experts agree that you should give your seatmate the benefit of the doubt. Often, they don’teven know that their headphones are leaking noise.

Staycalm. Youmight feel like lashingout at the headphone scofflaw, but don’t, says Jodi RR Smith, who runs Mannersmith Etiquette Consulting. An escalation on the plane can be aserious issue for you and your seatmate, leading to an emergency landing and you being led off the plane in handcuffs. So pleasethink before you start browbeating the passenger seated next to you. “Remember,”she says, “somepeopleare just oblivious.” Readthe cabin. Find theright moment to approach the offending headphone-wearer. It might not be theperson making all the noise, notes etiquette expert Rosalinda Randall. “For example, if you think the parent looks approachable, discreetlyrequest they provide little Johnny with earbuds,” she says. Appeal to ahigher authority If the passenger refusestoaddress the problem, etiquette experts recommendthatyou privatelyask a flight attendant to intervene. After all, most airlineshaverulesabout playing loud music, and aleaky

Izzy Darnell —who wouldn’t share herchoices forsorority ahead of Saturday’sbid day said heroldersister’s acumenhas equipped her to navigate criticism andpotentially predatorybusiness deals. But she worries about how othergirls might handlethe fame and money “I just fear what some girls will do because they think they have to,” Izzy Darnell said.

headset certainly qualifies. Don’t jab the flight attendant “call” button; instead, walk over to the galley when you can and ask. The crew members maybeable to move you to adifferent seat.

Thomas Plante, apsychology professor at SantaClaraUniversity,says it comes down to respect. “Be mindful that the world doesn’trevolve around youand your needs,” he says. OK,it’seasiersaidthandone

Iwas on arecent flight from Dublin to Istanbul when apassenger behind me started playing a kids’ TV show at full volume—no headset. It wasaclear violation of the in-flight rules they deliver before takeoff. But then, the offending passenger wasatoddler Iprobably made every mistake in the book. Istarted by giving a disapproving look to the child. The kid couldn’ttakehis eyes off the episode of “Bobthe Builder.”Next, Igave Mom the evil eye. Nothing. This went on fora while. Ifelt my blood pressure rising slowly Kidsmay love watching “Bob the Builder,” but to adults, it’spure fingernails on chalkboard. Finally Icouldn’ttakeitany longer.I swiveled around and asked Mom if she could please find apair of headphones forher snowflake. OK, Ididn’tuse the words “snowflake” —but the “please” sounded about as sincere as the parking lot guys at Disney World when they take your $30and say, “Havea magical day!” She complied. But Iwas ashamed of my behavior.Ishould have taken afew extra breaths before getting all bitchy with her.And I’m only saying this because Iknow that when it comes to noisy electronics, it’seasy to overheat. Don’t let that be you.

Christopher Elliott is an author,consumeradvocate, and journalist.Hefounded Elliott Advocacy,a nonprofit organizationthat helpssolve consumerproblems. He publishesElliott Confidential, atravel newsletter,and the Elliott Report, anewssiteabout customer service. If you need helpwithaconsumer problem, you canreach him here or email himatchris@elliott.org.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByBRyNN ANDERSON

Sorority recruits talk with former sorority members near sorority rowatthe University of Alabama on Aug. 14 in

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Do your part, volunteer, ask questions and make suggestions, and you can make a difference. A positive change in where or how you work is apparent.

LIBRA (Sept 23-Oct. 23) A change to your environment will give you the boost you need to follow your heart. Traveling, reconnecting with people from your past and reorganizing your time will change your mindset.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be careful how you use your energy. Offer suggestions, but don't waste time elsewhere when achieving your goals is your focus. Review your relationships, set clear boundaries and strive for balance and equality.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Be wary of hype and people trying to manipulate situations to fit their needs. Now is not the time to be reckless; question everything, and don't be afraid to do your own thing.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) An aggressive offer will require due diligence. Don't take on someone else's problem. Set a budget and be willing to walk away from a bidding war or a manipulative pitch.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Address domestic issues and shared expenses, and seek out innovative possibilities that could make your life easier. Home improvements that serve your needs will improve your mindset.

WonderWord

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) A change of scenery will offer insight into new possibilities. Network, be open to suggestions and prepare to find the most cost-effective and efficient way to accomplish tasks.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) You'll be challenged by people eager to compete with you. A unique approach will make it difficult for competitors to oust you from your position.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Pay attention to detail, and it will help you avoid situations that lack rules or regulations. Take care of personal business and keep up to date with what's trending.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Participating in events or organizations that interest you will require restraint. Sticking close to home and tending to unfinished business will lead to the best outcome.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Let your intuition take the lead, and you'll avoid mistakes. Choose personal growth over costly physical changes that may soothe your ego but deplete your assets LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) The more you do for yourself, the better off you'll be. Ask for proof of qualifications, references and costs. Be sure to get everything in writing.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist By andrews mcmeel syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: H EQUALS M

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS zItS

And erneSt

bIG nAte

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

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

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

BLondie

BaBY BLueS Hi

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Josh Billings said, “As a general rule, if you want to get at the truth hear both sides and believe neither.”

Then what do you do? Take half of each? Weird! Bridge is full of “truisms,” but there always seem to be exceptions to these adages. However, this deal features one with a remarkable record of reliability What is it?

South is in three no-trump West leads the diamond king. What should happen, assuming West keeps plugging away at diamonds?

North’s takeout double was very light. South’s three no-trump promised 13-15 points with diamonds held and, in principle, denied a four-card major; it was a realistic choice.

AfterSouthduckedthefirsttworounds of diamonds, West could have shifted to clubs to defeat the contract. But that was hardlyobvious.Itwasnormaltocontinue with the diamond four, his lowest being a suit-preference signal for clubs. After declarer discarded a club from the dummy, what should East have thrown?

At the table, East pitched a heart. Now South ran the heart 10 and cashed her four heart winners.

What should East have thrown this time? East broke a key rule for a second time when she discarded a spade. That allowed South to take four spade tricks and nine in all. East forgot to keep equal length with the dummy. While the board retained four cards in each major, East had to do the same, discarding clubs. Then three no-trump would have failed. © 2025 by nEa, inc., dist. By andrews mcmeel syndication

Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: nOOn gOOD = gOOD aFTErnOOn

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons:

Average

I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”

Pray with

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato mallard

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.

ken ken

InstructIons: 1 Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 thorugh 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating. 2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners. 3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner. HErE is a

Saturday’s Puzzle Answer

Scrabble GramS

Get fuzzy

jump Start

roSe iS roSe

animal crackerS

DuStin

Drabble Wallace the brave

breWSter rockit

luann

/LAKEVISTA

SWRENSTREET $2,800/mo Spacious upper3Bd/2Ba duplex in apark-like beautifulsetting!Light &brightw/lotsofwindows & hdwdflrs thru out. Lrgliv rm,din rm,kit &sun rm.Refrig/Freezer + W&Dincld.1/2 useofdbl garg JOAN FARABAUGH*

g will beopened,and pub‐liclyreadaloud.Bidsre‐ceived after theabove specified time will notbe considered TheOwner reserves the righttorejectany andall bids forjustcause.Inac‐cordance with La.R.S 38:2212, theprovisions andrequirements of this Section, thosestatedin theadvertisement for bids,and thoserequired on thebid form shallnot be considered informali‐ties andshall notbe waived by anypublicen‐tity Bids shallbesubmitted on formsprovidedbythe Owner. Envelopescon‐tainingbidsand bid guaranteeshall be sealed,markedwiththe ProjectName, andwith theContractor’snameas it appearsonthe License andthe Louisianacon‐tractor’slicense number (Unlessa contractor’s li‐censeisnot required). Theworkconsistsoffur‐nishingall labor, mater‐ial, andequipment for therehabilitationofthe West Return Floodwall as well as,any related andincidentalmaterials andwork, as perthe drawings andspecifica‐tionsprovidedinthisbid document.The site is lo‐cated alongthe West Re‐turn Floodwall in Kenner Louisiana. Theopinion of probableconstruction f h j ill

be made availableatthe time of bidopening,ei‐ther by postingsuchesti‐mate electronically or announcingaloud such estimate at thebid open‐ing. Complete Drawings Specifications, andCon‐tractdocuments maybe obtained from T. BakerSmith,LLC,6660

documents,

R.S.38:2212. Bids

or

priortobid opening.Bidsmay

bewithdrawn after bid opening duetopatently obvious,unintentional and substantialmechani‐cal,clerical, or mathe‐matical errors,orerrors ofunintentional omis‐sionofa substantial quantityofwork, labor, material, or services madedirectlyinthe compilation of thebid,if clear andconvincing sworn,writtenevidence ofsucherrorsisfur‐nishedtothe public en‐titywithin48hours of bid opening in accordance withLa. R. S. 38:2214. LOCALADVERTISEMENTS This projectwillbead‐vertisedinthe following periodicals:PERIODI‐CAL(S):DATE: THENEW ORLEANSAD‐VOCATESeptember 8, 2025 .and September15, 2025 .and September22, 2025. 157079-SEP8-15-22-3T