Sisters Clara Hetland, 4, from left,Haddie Hetland,9,and Audra Hetland 6, of Surprise, Ariz.,spendtime Thursday at a
headquarters in Phoenixafter the shooting death at aUtahcollegeonWednesday of Charlie Kirk, theco-founder and CEO of the organization.
FBIreleasesphotosofpersonofinterest, offers $100KrewardinCharlie Kirk’s death
BY ERICTUCKER,ALANNA
DURKIN RICHER,JESSE BEDAYN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press
OREM, Utah The shooter who assassinated conservative activist Charlie Kirk and then vanished off aroof and into the woodsremained at large more than24hours later Thursday as federal investigators appealed for the public’shelp by releasing apairof photos of the person believedresponsible. Investigators obtained clues including apalmprint,a shoe impression and ahigh-powered hunting rifle found in awooded area along the path the shooter fled. But they had yet to name asuspect or cite amotivein the killing they were treating as the latest act of political violence toconvulse the United States across the ideological spectrum.
BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer
Aspent cartridge was recovered fromthe chamber,and threeother rounds were loaded in the magazine, according to information circulated among law enforcement and described to The Associated Press. Theweaponand ammunition were being analyzed by law enforcement at afederal lab.
Theattack,carried out in abroad daylight as Kirkspoke aboutsocial issues from auniversity courtyard, was captured on grisly videos that spread on social media.
The photos of aperson in ahat, sunglasses and along-sleeve black shirt, as well as a$100,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, suggested that lawenforcement thought tipsfrom the public might be needed to crack the case. Twopeople who were taken into custodyshortly after Wednesday’sshooting at Utah Valley University were later released, forcing officials to chasenew leads on a separate person of interest they pursued Thursday One clue was aMauser .30-caliber, bolt-actionrifle found in atowel in the woods.
PROVIDED PHOTO
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is searching for this personofinterest in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk at Utah ValleyUniversity.A $100,000 reward for information
BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer
ALafayette assistant district attorney on trial in federal court forbribery involving the DistrictAttorney’sOfficeoverhearda co-conspirator talking about aLouisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries kickbackschemeand boughtinto that deal, too, according to witness testimony Dusty Guidry,who pleaded guilty in March 2023 to three felony counts in aplea deal with federalprosecutors, testifiedThursdaymorning in the trialofco-conspirator Gary Haynes, an assistant district attorney in the15th Judicial District. Haynes andGuidrywere hired by District Attorney DonLandry shortly after he took office in January 2021. At the time, Guidry said, he also worked in the pretrialdiversionprogramfor Hillar Moore, districtattorney in the 19th Judicial DistrictinEast Baton Rouge Parish, where he wasinvolvedina similarkickback scheme. Guidry wasn’tchargedinconnectionwith that scheme, according to his plea deal
ä See SCHEMES, page 5A
The federal government’smove to end the commercial amberjack season in theGulf has reignited along-standing disputewithLouisiana over the management of popular fish species. Following the federal closure, Gov.Jeff Landry wrote on social media Tuesdaythat recreationalamberjack fishingwould stay open through the end of October,even if the national fisheries agency closes the season. Louisiana argues, as it has done withother species, that amberjack numbers off Louisiana are plentiful, and that thestate’sown data is more reliable than thefederal government’s The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries divisionannounced in late August that commercial amberjack season would close Sept. 2infederal waters,anaction necessary to protect an overfished population, according to thefederal agency
See FISHING, page 5A
U.K. fires ambassador to U.S. over Epstein links
LONDON U.K Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday fired the country’s ambassador to the United States, Peter Mandelson, over his links to the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Just days before the arrival of President Donald Trump to the U.K. on his second state visit, Starmer dismissed the veteran British politician in the wake of the publication of emails that Mandelson sent to Epstein, in which he gave his support to the disgraced financier, even when he was facing jail for sex offenses.
Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty told Parliament the emails pointed to the “depth and extent” of Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein being “materially different” from what was known when he was appointed ambassador to Washington last year after the Labour Party’s election victory.
In particular, Doughty pointed to Mandelson’s suggestion in one email that Epstein’s first conviction in 2008 was “wrongful and should be challenged.”
Mandelson took up his Washington post in February after what Starmer’s government described as an “extensive” vetting process. The diplomat has voiced his deep regret over his previous links with Epstein and said he knew nothing about his criminal activities.
Child dies from measles complication in Calif
A school-age child has died from a rare complication of measles contracted in infancy, Los Angeles County health officials said Thursday
The child, who had been too young to be vaccinated when they were infected by the virus, died of subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, according to the county health department. The incurable disorder causes progressive brain damage and is nearly universally fatal.
About 1 in 10,000 people who get measles develops the disorder, but the risk is 1 in 600 for infants.
“This case is a painful reminder of how dangerous measles can be, especially for our most vulnerable community members,” said Dr Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer “Infants too young to be vaccinated rely on all of us to help protect them through community immunity.”
This has been the worst year for measles in the U.S. in more than three decades, as childhood vaccination rates decline and domestic and international outbreaks have spread. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed 1,454 cases as of Tuesday Three people have died.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is safe and is 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses. Doctors recommend kids get a shot at 12-15 months old and a second one at age 4-6 years.
Humpty Dumpty caper
sparks N.J. probe
CAPE MAY, N.J Humpty Dumpty took a big fall, and now police are hoping to crack the case.
A playful, colorful statue of the nursery rhyme icon was forcibly removed from a structure at a miniature golf course in Cape May, New Jersey, on Sunday and dumped down the street.
Local police say they’re looking for two men who are seen on video stopping at Ocean Putt Golf at around 4 a.m. Video shows one of them entering the course by climbing over a fence, grabbing and rocking the statue back and forth and pulling it off its foundation before walking off with it.
The statue, showing a smiling Humpty Dumpty with big, white head, red cheeks, a yellow bow tie, a blue jacket and gray pants, was found several properties away In a nursery rhyme, Humpty Dumpty falls off a wall and all the king’s horses and all the king’s men can’t put him back together again.
A message was left at a phone number listed for Ocean Putt Golf, whose Instagram page shows the statue above one of the course’s holes earlier this year
Cape May Police detectives asked for the public’s help in identifying the two men seen in multiple videos posted on the department’s Facebook page
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LUIS NOVA
Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro stands Thursday at the entrance of his home where he is under house arrest in Brasilia, Brazil. The majority of a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday voted to convict Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat.
Majority of Brazilian high court panel votes to convict former president
BY MAURICIO SAVARESE and GABRIELA SÁ PESSOA Associated Press
BRASILIA, Brazil
The majority of a panel of Brazilian Supreme Court justices on Thursday voted to convict former President Jair Bolsonaro of attempting a coup to remain in office despite his 2022 electoral defeat, in a ruling that will deepen political divisions and likely prompt a backlash from the United States government.
The far-right politician who governed Brazil between 2019 and 2022 was found guilty on five counts by four members of a five-justice panel. The latest to rule were Cármen Lúcia and Cristiano Zanin on Thursday, a day after another justice, Luiz Fux, disagreed and voted to acquit the ex-president of all charges.
The panel is now deciding on Bolsonaro’s sentence, which could amount to decades in prison.
President Donald Trump said hours later that he was “very unhappy” with the conviction Speaking to reporters as he departed the White House, he said he always found Bolsonaro to be “outstanding.”
The conviction, he added, is “very bad for Brazil.
Lawyers for Bolsonaro have said they will appeal the verdict to the full Supreme Court of 11 justices
The 70-year-old former president, who has denied any wrongdoing, is currently under house arrest.
Bolsonaro is the first former Brazilian president to be convicted of attempting a coup. He has not attended the court proceedings, and on Thursday morning he was seen at his house’s garage but didn’t speak to reporters.
Justice Lúcia said she was convinced by the evidence the Attorney General’s Office presented against the former president. “He is the instigator, the leader of an
organization that orchestrated every possible move to maintain or seize power,” she said.
The trial has been followed by a divided society, with people backing the process against the former president, while others still support him. Some have taken to the streets to back the far-right leader who contends he is being politically persecuted.
Bolsonaro’s trial got renewed attention after Trump linked a 50% tariff on imported Brazilian goods to his ally’s legal situation, calling it a “ witch hunt.” Observers say the U.S. might announce new sanctions against Brazil after the trial, further straining their fragile diplomatic relations.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes, who is overseeing the case, said Tuesday that Bolsonaro was the leader of a coup plot and of a criminal organization, and voted in favor of convicting him.
Lawmaker Eduardo Bolsonaro, one of the former president’s sons, on Thursday talk about his father on his social media platforms. But instead of mentioning his father’s conviction, he pushed for his amnesty, which he is seeking through Congress.
“It is time to do nothing less than what is correct just,” he said.
Fux, in his dissenting opinion on Wednesday, disagreed with de Moraes and the other two justices.
“No one can be punished for cogitation,” Fux said. “A coup d’état does not result from isolated acts or individual demonstrations lacking coordination, but rather from the actions of organized groups, equipped with resources and strategic capacity to confront and replace the incumbent power.”
Earlier Thursday, Lúcia also voted to convict Bolsonaro of organized crime in connection with the alleged coup attempt.
Lúcia allowed de Moraes to interrupt her vote and play several videos that showed Bolsonaro in front of thousands of supporters between 2021 and 2023 urging him to leave the Supreme Court. De Moraes also showed footage of some destruction inside the court’s headquarters after the riots on Jan. 8, 2023.
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer
WASHINGTON The Trump administration has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve’s board of governors by Monday, before the central bank’s next vote on interest rates.
The request represents an extraordinary effort by the White House to shape the board before the Fed’s interest rate-setting committee meets next Tuesday and Wednesday At the same time, Senate Republicans are pushing to confirm Stephen Miran, President Donald Trump’s nominee to an open spot on the Fed’s board, which could happen as soon as Monday
that Fed governors can only be fired “for cause,” which she said was limited to misconduct while in office Cook did not join the Fed’s board until 2022.
In their emergency appeal, Trump’s lawyers argued that even if the conduct occurred before her time as governor, her alleged action “indisputably calls into question Cook’s trustworthiness and whether she can be a responsible steward of the interest rates and economy.”
Trump sought to fire Cook Aug. 25, but a federal judge ruled late Tuesday that the removal was illegal and reinstated her to the Fed’s board. Trump has accused Cook of mortgage fraud because she appeared to claim two properties as “primary residences” in July 2021, before she joined the board. Such claims can lead to a lower mortgage rate and smaller down payment than if one of them was declared as a rental property or second home. Cook has denied the charges.
On Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb ruled that the administration had not satisfied a legal requirement
BY JACQUES BILLEAUD and MORGAN LEE Associated Press
TUCSON, Ariz. A federal judge in Arizona temporarily blocked the Trump administration from removing dozens of Guatemalan and Honduran children living in shelters or foster care after coming to the U.S. alone, according to a decision Thursday.
U.S. District Judge Rosemary Márquez in Tucson extended until at least Sept. 26 a temporary restraining issued over the Labor Day weekend. Márquez raised concern over whether the government had arranged for any of the children’s parents or legal guardians in Guatemala to take custody of them.
Laura Belous, attorney for the Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights Project, which represents the children, said in court that the minors had expressed no desire to be repatriated to their native countries of Guatemala and Honduras amid concerns they could face neglect, possible child trafficking or hardships associated with individual medical conditions.
Lawyers for the children said their clients have said they fear going home, and that the government is not following laws designed to protect migrant children. Belous’ organization filed a lawsuit in Arizona on behalf of 57 Guatemalan children and another 12 from Honduras between the ages 3 and 17.
The suit, along with a related lawsuit before a federal judge in Washington, D.C., responds to the Trump administration’s Labor Day weekend attempt to remove Guatemalan migrant children who were living in government shelters and foster care after coming to the
U.S. alone. In a late night operation Aug. 30, the administration notified shelters that they would be returning the children to Guatemala and needed to have the kids ready to leave in a matter of hours. Scores of children got as far as boarding planes in Texas on the morning of Aug. 31 and were set to depart to Guatemala At Thursday’s hearing in Tucson, Denise Ann Faulk, an assistant U.S attorney under the Trump administration, emphasized that the child repatriations were negotiated with Guatemala at high diplomatic levels and would avoid lengthy prohibitions on returning to the U.S. Nearly all the children were in the custody of the U.S. Health and Human Services Department’s Office of Refugee Resettlement and living at shelters in the Phoenix and Tucson areas. Similar lawsuits filed in Illinois and Washington, D.C., seek to stop the government from removing the children. The Arizona lawsuit demands that the government allow the children their right to present their cases to an immigration judge, to have access to legal counsel and to be placed in the least restrictive setting that is in their best interest.
The Trump administration has argued it is acting in the best interest of the children by trying to reunite them with their families at the behest of the Guatemalan government. After Guatemalan officials toured U.S. detention facilities, the government said that it was “very concerned” and that it would take children who wanted to return voluntarily Children began crossing the border alone in large numbers in 2014, peaking at 152,060 in the 2022 fiscal year July’s arrest tally translates to an annual clip of 5,712 arrests, reflecting how illegal crossings have dropped to their lowest levels in six decades.
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The administration asked an appeals court to issue an emergency decision reversing the lower court by Monday. If their appeal is successful, Cook would be removed from the Fed’s board until her case is ultimately resolved in the courts, and she would miss next week’s meeting.
If the appeals court rules in Cook’s favor, the administration could seek an emergency ruling from the Supreme Court. Either way the Fed is expected to cut its benchmark interest rate next week by a quarter-point to about 4.1%. When the Fed reduces its key rate, it often, over time, lowers borrowing costs for mortgages, auto loans, and business loans. Some of those rates have already fallen in anticipation of cuts from the Fed. Should Miran, a top economic adviser to Trump, win approval in time to join the Fed next week, he could push for a steeper half-point reduction to the Fed’s rate.
BY PHILIP MARCELO and LISEBERTH GUILLAUME Associated Press
NEWYORK Nearlyaquarter century has passed since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, but for many,the emotions of the day remain raw as ever
On Thursday,America marked the 24th anniversary of the deadly attacks with solemn ceremonies in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania
The commemorations were punctuated by moments of silence, the tolling of bells and the reading of the names of the nearly 3,000 killed.
“Even 24 years later,it’s heart-wrenching,” said Jennifer Nilsen, who wore a T-shirt emblazoned with an image of her husband, Troy Nilsen, as she attended the commemoration at ground zero in lower Manhattan. “It feels the same way every year.” Michelle Pizzo, wearing a shirt with the image of her late husband, Jason DeFazio, said she hoped more people could take aminute to reflect on the day
“Younger kids don’trealize that you have to remember,” she said.
Emma Williamson, 20,of Massachusetts, made apoint to travel from her college uptown to stand near ground zero, where two memorial pools ringed by waterfalls and parapets inscribed with the names of the dead mark the spots where the twin towers once stood.
“I wasn’tborn when it happened, but it was really an importantday in America,”
shesaid.“It’skind of the last time we all stuck together, and that matters.”
The9/11 anniversary,often promoted as aday of national unity,came during atime of increased politician tension.
The assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at aUtahcollege aday earlier prompted additional security measures at ground zero, where FBI Director Kash Patelwas among the dignitariesinattendance.
Vice PresidentJDVance and hiswife,second lady Usha Vance, hadplanned to attend but instead areset to visit with Kirk’s family on Thursday in Salt Lake City, according to aperson familiar with Vance’splans, but not authorized to speak about them publicly
Many in thecrowd at ground zero held up photosof lost loved ones as amoment of silence marked the exact time when the first hijacked planestruckthe iconictwin towers.
BobMenendez’s wife gets 4½
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRYNEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK FormerU.S. Sen. Bob Menendez’ssobbing wife told ajudge that her husband was “not the man Ithought he was” before she was sentenced Thursday to 41/2 years in prison for selling thepowerful New Jersey politician’sinfluence in exchange for bribes of cash, gold bars and aluxury car
U.S. District Judge Sidney H. Stein sentenced Nadine Menendez, 58,for her April conviction for colluding from 2018 to 2023 with her husband, the former Democratic chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in avariety of corrupt schemes, someinvolving assisting the Egyptian government.
Nadine Menendez, tearfully addressing the judge for several minutesbefore he sentenced her,described her husband as a manipulative liar
“I put my life in his hands and he strung me like a puppet,” she said. “The
blindfoldis off. Inow know he’s not my savior. He’snot the manI thought he was.” Standing outsidethe courthouse afterward, shesaidshe doesn’t plan to divorceher 71-year-old husband, who is servingan 11-year sentence for takingbribes, extortion, and actingasanagentofthe Egyptian government Stein told the defendant thatshe wasn’tthe person she was portrayed as during last year’strialofher husband and two New Jersey businessmen,whenthe judge said she was painted as “the true force behind the conspiracies.” But he saidshe also wasn’t the “innocent observer of what was happening around you,”asher lawyer claimed
“You knew what you were doing. Your role was purposeful,”hesaid. AssistantU.S. Attorney Lara Pomerantz said Nadine Mendendezwas “the second-mostculpable member” of the scheme, after her husband, andthat she“didsowithout hesitation.”
Lovedonesthen read aloud thenames of the victims, with manygiving personal remembrances, well wishes and updates on their lives Zoe Doyle,daughter of Frank Joseph Doyle,said her family created anonprofit in his honor that’sbuilt schools in South Africa andisfeeding and educating thousands of children.
Manuel DaMotaJr. said he remembers his father and namesake, Manuel DaMota, not just with grief, but with gratitude for theexample he set.
“In aworld filled with division andconflict,I do my best to honor my father by choosing connection, empathy and hope,” he said.
Melissa Pullis, whose husband Edward Pullis diedin the towers, saidthisyear is more difficultthanothers because two of the couple’s threechildren are getting married.
“You can’twalk your princess down the aisle,” she
said through tears. “You are missedevery day.Wewill always sayyour name, and we will always fight for justice.”
At the PentagoninVirginia, the 184 service members and civilians killed when hijackers steered ajetliner into the headquarters of the U.S. military were honored in aceremonyattended by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.
The president, in his remarks, recounted moments from that day,including snippetsofconversations from passengers who were aboard the hijacked airplanes.
“Today,asone nation, we renewour sacred vowthat we will never forget Sept. 11, 2001,” Trump said during the observance, which took place in an internalcourtyard of the building ratherthan its traditional location outside
ceivingcertain social services,including Head Start and other community health programs. Those programs were previously made accessible by afederal law in President Bill Clinton’sadministration.
its walls near thebuilding’s 9/11 memorial.
“The enemywillalways fail,” he added. “Wedefy the fear,endure the flames.”
The president, who was expected to attend aNew York Yankeesgameinthe Bronx on Thursday evening, also announced Kirk would be posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, calling hima “giant of his generation” and a “champion of liberty.”
And in aruralfield near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, aceremony attended by Veterans AffairsSecretary
DougCollins honored the victimsofFlight 93, the hijacked plane thatcrashed after crew members and passengers triedtostorm the cockpit.
Elsewhere, people marked the anniversary with ser-
Thechange was part of a broader Trump administration effort to exclude
vice projects and charitable works as part of anational dayofservice. Volunteers took part in food and clothing drives, park and neighborhood cleanups, blood banks and other community events.
In all, theattacksbyalQaida militants killed2,977 people, including many financial workers at the World Trade Center and firefighters andpoliceofficers who had rushed to the burning buildings trying to save lives. The attacksreverberated globally,altering the course of U.S. foreignand domestic policy.Itled to the global war on terrorism and the U.S.-led invasions of Afghanistanand Iraq and relatedconflictsthatkilled hundreds of thousands of civilians and troops.
BY MAKIYASEMINERA AP education writer
Afederal judge hasissuedanationwide block on a Trump administration directivethat preventedchildren in the U.S. illegally from enrolling in Head Start, a federally funded preschool program.
Head Start associations in several statesfiledsuit against the policychange by the U.S. Department of Health andHumanServices.The rulingbyafederal judge in Washington state on Thursday comesafter a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneysgeneral succeeded in temporarily halting the policy’simplementation within their own states.
With the newruling, the policy is now on hold across the country
AndrewNixon, an HHS spokesperson, said theagency disagrees with the court’s decisionsand is evaluating next steps.
In July,HHS proposed arule reinterpretation to disallow immigrantsinthe country illegally fromre-
liftssome sanctionsonits national airline
BY YURAS KARMANAU and LIUDAS DAPKUS Associated Press
VILNIUS,Lithuania Belarus
freed 52 political prisoners on Thursday as part of a deal brokeredbythe United States, which lifted some sanctions on the country’s nationalairline.
It was another sign of a possible rapprochement
between Washington and Minsk, aclose ally of Russia that has faced Western isolation for years. U.S. President Donald Trump and Belarus’ Alexander Lukashenko spoke on the phone last month, and the American leader even suggested a face-to-face meeting could be in the works.
That would be abig win for Lukashenko, who has ruled his nation of 9.5 million with
an iron fist for more than three decades. Belarushas beenrepeatedly sanctioned by Western countries both for its crackdown on human rights and allowingMoscow to use its territoryinthe invasion ofUkraine in 2022.
Butmorerecently, Lukashenko has sought to mend tieswith the West in the hopes of easing the sanctions.Hehas regularly released prisoners as away to win favor,including freeing Siarhei Tsikhanouski, akey dissident andthe husband of exiled opposition leader SviatlanaTsikhanouskaya in June.
The concession from the U.S. came aday after Poland denouncedanincursion of Russiandrones into itsterritory —saying some came from Belarus —in what Western officials called an act of aggression. NATO jets were scrambled and shot some of the drones down.
Trump, whose countryis the major military power in NATO, offered an am-
BY JON GAMBRELL, ABDEL KAREEM HANA and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press
DOHA, Qatar Benjamin Netanyahu “killed any hope” for the release of hostages held in the Gaza Strip after Israel’sattackthis week on Hamasleaders in Doha, Qatar’sprime ministersaid Thursday in remarksthat underscored wider anger among Gulf Arab countries over the strike.
Tuesday’sattack on the territory of aU.S.allykilled at least six people and alarmed countries in the Middle East and beyond, risking upending ceasefire talks mediated by Qatar and Egypt that soughttofree the Hamasheld hostages in Gaza.
“I was meeting one of the hostages’ familiesthe morning of the attack,” Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told CNN in an interview aired late Wednesday.“They are counting on this mediation. They have no other hope for that.”
“What Netanyahu has done, he just killed any hope for those hostages,” added Sheikh Mohammed, who is also Qatar’stop diplomat Hamas spokesperson Fawzy Barhoum said Israel’s attack constituted a“derailment of negotiations efforts” and showed that Netanyahu and his backers “refuse to reach adeal.”
Hamas says its seniorleaders survived the Dohastrike but that five lower-level members were killed. The militant group, which has
sometimes only confirmed the assassination of its leaders monthslater,offeredno immediate proof that senior figures hadsurvived.
Funerals for the five Hamas members and aQatari security officer who were killedinthe attack were held Thursday.Qatar’s ruling emir,Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, attended theservice.
Sheikh Mohammed arrived Thursdayatthe United Nations headquarters in New York to attendanemergency Security Councilmeeting, part of Qatari diplomatic efforts followingthe strike.
The Security Council earlier issued ajointstatement expressing “deep concern without mentioning Israel and emphasizing “de-escalation.” Approved by the 15-member council, includingthe U.S.,the statement also conveyed its solidarity with Qatarand the “vital role”it’splayedinmediating peace efforts in recent years.
At the startofthe session, Rosemary DiCarlo, theU.N.’s political chief, said Israel’s attack “shocked the world” and“potentially opens anew and perilous chapter”inthe war in Gaza
“It was an alarming escalation, especially sinceittargeted individuals who were reportedly gathered to discuss the latest U.S. proposal for a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza,” she said.
In additiontothe U.N. visit, Qataralso said it was organizinganArab-Islamic summit next weekinDoha to discuss the attack.
biguous initialresponse to theincursion,posting on his TruthSocial platform: “What’swith Russia violating Poland’sairspace with drones? Here we go!”
Trump envoyJohnCoale announced the lifting of sanctions at ameeting with Lukashenko in Minsk on Thursday
Some sanctions on Belarus national carrier,Belavia, were relaxed in light of prisoner releases so far,according to aU.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations. That will allow theairline to repair and buy parts for its planes, including Boeing aircraft.
The airline was sanctioned by the European Union, the U.S., andothers after Belarusianflight controllers ordered acommercial jet travelingfrom Greece to Lithuania to land in Minsk. Once the planelanded, authoritiesarrestedRaman
Pratasevich, adissident journalist who was on board. Lukashenko, who hasreliedonRussia’s loansand cheap energy to keep Belarus’ economy afloat, called themove “very important.”
Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus’ opposition leaderinexile, warned that theeasing of sanctions could allow Moscow,whoseaviation industry has been sanctioned, to getairplane parts through Belavia.
“Weunderstandthat this is part of the deal,”she told The Associated Press. “But lifting sanctions without systemic changes in the country could open loopholes that both theLukashenko regime and Russia will usetocircumvent the sanctions.”
That could also createnew opportunities for Belarus in its relationship with Russia. Minsk will be able to resell theparts to Moscow “at a very favorable price,” said independent analyst Valery Karbalevich,and it makes
“the Kremlin’sleash” on Belarus “a little longer.”
One of the prisoners released Thursday,veteran oppositionactivist Mikalai Statkevich, refused to cross into Lithuania and tried to return to Belarus, but was blocked by the border guards, Anatol Lyabedzka, akey activist on Tsikhanouskaya’s team,toldAP in aphone interviewfroma
NOTICE TO PUBLIC NOTICE OF PROPOSED ORDINANCE NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN, that OrdinanceNo. PO044-2025 hasbeen intro‐ducedand is proposed foradoptionbythe Lafayette Parish Council on October7,2025, wherebythe Lafayette City-ParishConsolidated Government woulddo‐nate asurplus 2003 Tanker Fire Trucktothe Parish of Acadia foruse by theMireVolunteer Fire Department whichis no longer needed for public purposes,the fol‐lowing describedprop‐erty,towit: Surplus2003 Tanker Fire Truck Description KW 2003 Serial/vin 1NKDL00X23J394801 Anyoppositiontothe proposed ordinanceshall be made in writingand filedwiththe Office of theLafayette Clerkofthe Councilwithin15days afterthe firstpublication of this notice.Ifanoppo‐sition is filed, the Lafayette Parish Council shallnot adoptthe ordi‐nanceuntil ahearing has been held /s/ Joseph Gordon-Wiltz JOSEPH GORDON-WILTZ LAFAYETTE CLERKOFTHE
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Lithuanian border crossing where theprisoners were handed over LyabedzkasaidthatStatkevichwas standing in the no-man’sland between Lithuaniaand Belarus. “Statkevichisshowing courageand strengthofcharacter,” the activist said. “He decided not to letLukashenko kickhim out of the country and is resisting aforced deportation.”
BYKIM TONG-HYUNG and HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea South Korea’spresident said Thursday that Korean companies will likely hesitate to make further investments in the United States unless Washington improves its visa system for their employees, as U.S. authorities released hundreds of workers who were detained at aGeorgiafactorysitelast week. In anews conference marking 100days in office, Lee Jae Myung called for improvements in theU.S. visa system as he spoke about the Sept. 4immigration raid that resulted in the arrest of more than 300 South Korean workers at abattery factory under construction at Hyundai’s sprawling auto plant west of Savannah. South Korea’sForeign Ministry laterconfirmed that U.S. authorities have
released the 330 detainees 316 of them Koreans —and that they werebeing transported by buses to Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson airport where they will board a charter flight scheduled to arrivein SouthKorea on Friday afternoon. Thegroup also includes 10 Chinese nationals, three Japanese nationals and oneIndonesian. The massive roundup and U.S. authorities’ release of video showing some workers beingchained and taken away,sparked widespread anger and asense of betrayal in SouthKorea. Theraid came less thantwo weeks after asummit betweenU.S President DonaldTrump and Lee, and just weeks after the countries reached a July agreement that spared South Korea from the Trump administration’s highest tariffs —but only afterSeoul pledged $350 billion in new U.S. investments, against thebackdropofadecaying job market at home
9. CO-099-2025 An ordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the Lafayette Develop‐mentCodesoastore‐classifyCaseNo. 2025-9AZONParkAvenue to Louisiana Avenue,and EastSimcoeStreet to MuddAvenue Adminis‐trative Rezoning with CUP,located generally north of East Simcoe Street,eastofParkAv‐enue,and southofMudd Avenue;819, 900 Block, 903, 915, 925, 943, 945 1001, 1007, 1023 &1113 EastSimcoeStreet,106 112, 115, 117, 118, 120 123, 124, 125, 126, 133 134, 137, 200 Block, 203 205, 211, 215, &217 West FochStreet,1010, 1100 1200, 1204, 1208, 1210 1212, 1214 &1216 Mudd
Avenue,118, 122, 130 & 136 Park Avenue,109 & 201 DuvalStreet,1202 1206, 1208 &1212 Eighth Street,and 1003 &1101 Louisiana Avenue,being rezoned from CH (Com‐mercial-Heavy)and RS-1 (ResidentialSingle-Fam‐ily)toMN-2(Mixed-Use Neighborhood), RM-1 (ResidentialMixed), CM2 (CommercialMixed) and PI-L (Public/Institu‐tionalLight), andwith a Conditional UsePermit (CUP) fora bar/loungein a CM-2 (Commercial Mixed)ZoningDistrict for 945and 1001 East SimcoeStreet.(CD&P) 10.CO-100-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the Lafayette Develop‐mentCode so as to re‐classifythe property of CaseNo. 2025-13-REZ 400 Block Renaud DriveRe‐zoning, locatedgenerally north of Renaud Drive, eastofNorth Gentilly Road, andsouth of McZealDrive;being re‐zoned from IL (IndustrialLight)toMN-1(MixedUse Neighborhood). (CD&P) 11.CO-101-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the Lafayette Develop‐mentCode andthe offi‐cialmap of theCityof Lafayette,providing for the annexation of addi‐tionallandintothe cor‐poratelimitsofthe City ofLafayette,Louisiana, CaseNo. 2025-14-REZ 2600 BlockNorth Univer‐sityAvenue Annexation located generally north ofWoodrich Lane,west ofNorth University Av‐enue,and southof LebesqueRoad; andas‐signing azoningclassifi‐cationofRS-2(Residen‐tialSingle-Family)(Dis‐trict 1).(CD&P) 12.CO-102-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the Lafayette Develop‐mentCode so as to re‐classifythe property of CaseNo. 2025-16-REZ 2020 NorthUniversityAv‐enue Rezoning,located generally northofPort‐landAvenue,eastof North University Avenue and southofCouret Drive;being rezoned fromRS-1(Residential Single-Family)toCM-1 (Commercial Mixed) (CD&P) 13.CO-103-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the FY 24/25 capitalbud‐get of theLafayette CityParishConsolidatedGov‐ernment by transferring $30,000fromthe Over‐headDoor Mainte‐nance/RPL projecttothe RadioConsolettesNew-3
at‐tendance. (Kenneth Boudreaux andABRubin) INTRODUCTORY ORDI‐NANCES
16.CO-105-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil declaring the RidgeRoadatRue du BelierRoadIntersection Improvements Project and theRidge Road at South Domingue Road In‐tersectionImprovements Project apublicneces‐sityand authorizingthe acquisition of theneces‐saryrights-of-way,im‐movable property,and other property rights requisite to theconstruc‐tionofsaidprojects, ei‐theronanamicable basis or throughthe properuse of theexpro‐priationprocess,ifnec‐essary. (PublicWorks) 17.CO-106-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil amending the FY 24/25 operating budgetand adjustingthe manning tables of the Lafayette City-Parish ConsolidatedGovern‐mentbyusing PriorYear Fund Balanceinthe amount of $1,144 for salaryadjustments withinthe UtilitiesDe‐partment. (Utilities) 18.CO-107-2025Anordi‐nance of theLafayette CityCouncil authorizing and directingthe Lafayette Mayor-Presi‐denttoexecute andsub‐mit the“Temporary Housing andShelter As‐sistanceProgram Waiver ofLandUse/Permitting Form” in accordance withLa. R.S. 29:726(F)(3) (b)(iii)(aa).(Police)
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The videos show Kirk,a close ally of President Donald Trump who played an influential role in rallying young Republican voters, speaking into ahandheld microphone when suddenly ashot rings out. Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as blood gushes from the left side of his neck.Stunned spectators gasp and screambefore people start running away
The shooter,who investigators believe blended into the campus crowd because of a“college-age” appearance, fired asingle shot from
Landry nor others in the District Attorney’sOffice knew about the kickbacks, Guidry said.
Guidry,who was acontract consultant in the Lafayette District Attorney’sOffice, said he was talking on the phone with aco-conspirator in the wildlife and fisheries scheme when Haynes overheard the conversation and said he wanted in.
Thetwo menalready were involved in akickback scheme in the pretrialintervention program in the District Attorney’sOffice, he said.
Guidry and Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques were almost finished setting up ascheme with then-Wildlife and Fisheries Secretary Jack Montoucet in which boaters and hunters with minorviolationswould pay to take online courses from Franques’ business, splitting proceeds among the three.
Thescheme wassimilar to what Guidry,Franques and Haynes were doingin the Lafayette District Attorney’sOffice,hesaid. The state agency, Guidrysaid, was 20 times bigger than the
therooftopwhere they were perched before jumping off.
“I can tell youthis was a targeted event,” said Robert Bohls,the top FBI agent in SaltLake City Trump, who was joined by Democratsin condemning theviolence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom,the highestcivilian honor in the U.S., while Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha, arrived Thursday afternoon in Salt Lake City to visit with Kirk’s family.Vance posted aremembrance on Xchronicling their friendship, datingbacktoinitial messages in 2017, through Vance’s Senate run and ultimately praying after hearing ofthe shooting.
Lafayette pretrialprogram andcould producemore revenue.
Becausethey were friends, he said he agreed to give Haynes half ofhis share from the Wildlife and Fisheries scheme.
Haynes had tobuy into both hustles,Guidrysaid, paying at least $90,000 to Franquesfor theWildlife andFisheries scheme and at least $82,000 to buyinto the pretrial diversion kickback scheme.
Franques had spent more than $200,000 to buy online courses for the pretrial diversion program, Guidry said.He did notsay how much Franques paid forthe huntingand boating online courses.
As part of the deals, Franques wanted the co-conspiratorsto paytojoin the scheme. He wantedtopay offhis investmentfor the online courses first, Guidry said, before they started dividing proceeds from the kickbacks Joseph Prejean, aLafayette Parish gymowner and formerly incarcerated personwho provided motivationalclassesfor those in the PTI program, was involved in the kickback scheme at the District Attorney’sOffice, Guidry said.
“So much of the success we’ve had in this administrationtraces directly to Charlie’sability to organize andconvene,” Vancewrote. “He didn’tjust help us win in 2024, he helped us staff the entire government.”
Kirk’scasket wastobe flown aboard Air Force Two from Utah to Arizona, where hisnonprofitpolitical youth organization, Turning Point USA,isbased. Trumptold reporters he plans to attend Kirk’sfuneral. Details have not been announced.
Kirk was aconservative firebrandand provocateur who becameapowerful political force amongyoung Republicans and was afixture on college campuses, where he invited sometimes-
He charged more to people in the PTI program who had moreserious charges Guidry said after expenses, he andPrejean split the proceeds in half. Haynes also receiveda cut that Prejean wouldgive to Guidry in an envelopeto deliver to Haynes.Sometimes, he said, he picked up theenvelope from thedesk in Prejean’s gym office. One time, he said, he put theenvelopeofmoney in Haynes’ vehicle.
If Haynes’cut of the money was large, theybroke it down intosmaller payments, whichoften coincidedwith Haynes’trips to Panama for him to use as “spending money,” Guidry said.
Prejean pleadedguilty in December 2023 to federal charges for his part in the scheme.
In January 2024, Franques also pleaded guilty to federal charges as partofaplea deal.
During Thursday’stestimony,several audio and videoclips were playedof conversations mostly between Guidry,Haynes and Franques. Someofthe phone conversations were taped by the FBI after obtaining permission for wiretaps. Others were recorded after Franques agreed to wear a
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Landry and the state fisheries agencycriticized the move as “extremelydisappointing” in aletter posted on X, signed by the governorand TylerBosworth, thesecretaryofthe Louisiana Department of Wildlife andFisheries.
“The existing federal framework has deprived Louisiana’scommercial reef fishermenofthe opportunity to harvest Greater Amberjack,” states the letter, addressed to the regionalNOAA fisheries office.
NOAA didnot respondto requests for comment.
vehement debate on social issues.
He was shotwhile attending one such event Wednesday,a debatehosted by Turning Point at the Sorensen Center on campus in what wasbilledasthe first stop on Kirk’s“American Comeback Tour.”
Theevent generateda polarizing campus reaction. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures.
Theuniversity issueda statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry andconstructive dialogue.”
Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.
Louisiana went on to end thecommercial season in its statewaters, which generally extend three milesoff thecoast.The state issuedanemergency declaration Wednesday that the season would end on Thursday.NOAA Fisheriesprojected thatthe target of 93,930pounds of amberjack would be met on Sept.2,the state fisheries agency wrote in its declaration.
Landry’sletterthis week stressed how the federal closure triggered the state closure
“This federal actionputs Louisiana’scommercial reef fishermeninthe untenable position of either foregoing their season altogether or violating the conditions of their federal permits,” the letterstates.
While the state lacks the power to override the national fishrules,the Louisiana fisheryagency maintained that if the feds close the recreational season too, the state would keep its ownwaters open
“In Louisiana fishing is a way of life,” Landry wrote on X. “That’swhy even if NOAA closes the season, we’rekeeping our waters open for recreational Greater Amberjack harvest through October 31.” Right now, there’snodiscrepancy between the fed-
eral andstate recreational amberjack rules, as waters under both jurisdictions are open for the season. But Louisiana is being “preemptive,” said Chris Schieble, deputyassistant secretary for wildlife and fisheriesdepartment, due to the commercial closure. The move also underscored an ongoing dispute over state versus federal management of recreational amberjack.Louisianaand other Gulf states have arguedthatthe federal data collection system is faulty andslow. In response, states in the region have developed their ownsystems. Louisiana’s data collection program,calledLACreel, was the first to getfederal certification by NOAA in 2018. The system hasalso been usedfor state managementofLouisiana’s recreational red snapper season “Our argument as astate is thatwehaveabetter reportingsystem that’s more timely,” Schieble said. “(The federal system) leadstothese discrepancies in data.”
The federal data collection system, called theMarine Recreational Information Program, is only used forrecreational catch. Commercial fishermenreport their landings through “trip tickets,” which are compiled and providedtofederal agencies
Richard Fischer,the CEO of the Louisiana Charter Boat Association, said that recreationalchartercaptains have been “frustrated foralong time about federal fisheries management,” including thedata collection system and increasingly short seasons.
“The federal system is broken and we need to getinto astate or regional management system, not only foramberjack, but for more species,” Fischer said.
Email Josie Abugov at josie.abugov@ theadvocate.com.
FROM WIRE REPORTS
Wall Street’s record run continues Thursday
NEW YORK Wall Street’s record-setting run kept rolling on Thursday, and stocks climbed after a mixed set of U.S. data kept the path clear for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates in order to boost the economy The S&P 500 rose 0.8% and set an all-time high for the third straight day The Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 617 points, or 1.4%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 0.7%. Both also hit records.
Treasury yields eased in the bond market following the economic reports, which were some of the final data releases left that could sway the Federal Reserve’s thinking before its meeting next week The unanimous expectation on Wall Street is that it will cut its main interest rate for the first time this year
On Wall Street, stocks of companies that could benefit from lower interest rates rallied, including owners of real estate and homebuilders. Builders
FirstSource, which sells cabinets, lumber and other building supplies, climbed 4.5%.
Centene helped lead the market with a jump of 9%. The health care company said its business results through August are tracking with the profit forecast for the year that it had earlier given. That’s more than analysts are forecasting Jobless application filings hit 4-year high
WASHINGTON — In another grim sign for the U.S. labor market, jobless claim applications jumped to their highest level in almost four years last week, virtually assuring the Federal Reserve will cut its benchmark interest rate next week.
The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits for the week ending Sept. 6 rose by 27,000 to 263,000, the Labor Department reported Thursday. That’s the most applications since the week of Oct. 23, 2021, and well above the 231,000 new applications economists forecast. It’s also the biggest week-to-week increase in almost a year
Typically the Fed would cut its key rate when unemployment rises in an attempt to spur more spending and growth. But it would do the opposite and raise rates — or keep them unchanged — in the face of rising inflation.
“The hot inflation print will not likely change the Fed’s plan to cut rates in September, but it’s possible the Fed will hold in October if inflation expectations no longer look well-contained,” said Jeffrey Roach, chief economist for LPL Financial.
Fed officials recently have expressed greater concern about the deteriorating labor market than inflation, and while a rate cut could spur economic growth and boost the job market, economists fear it could push inflation even farther above the Fed’s target of 2% European Central Bank leaves rates unchanged
FRANKFURT Germany The European Central Bank left interest rates unchanged Thursday with inflation back under control and the economy weathering Trump’s tariff onslaught better than expected.
The bank’s rate-setting council left its benchmark deposit rate unchanged at 2% at a meeting at its skyscraper headquarters in Frankfurt.
The focus in Europe has shifted to the fiscal crisis in France and any possible role for the ECB in containing potential market turmoil that could erupt from the country’s out-of-control deficit and political logjam. Bank President Christine Lagarde said after the rate decision that monetary policy was “in a good place” and that decisions are being made “meeting by meeting.” She gave no hint of future moves, saying the bank is “not on a predetermined path.”
But climate goals will be impacted, he says
BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer
Entergy Corp. CEO Drew Marsh called the three natural gas-fueled power plants the utility is building for Meta’s new north Louisiana data center big wins for the state, but they will likely keep the utility from meeting its goal to cut emissions in half by 2030.
In a speech Wednesday to more than 300 energy professionals, policymakers and students at Tulane University’s Future of Energy Forum, Marsh said the huge new power plants, expected to cost more than $3 billion, will improve grid reliability for customers statewide at a cost of pushing back some of its carbon goals.
“It makes it harder to reach our goals in the near term, but I think it has the potential to make it easier in the long term,” said Marsh, who heads the only Fortune 500 company headquartered in New
Orleans. “2030 is going to be tough, but I think we still have a good shot at 2050, because Meta can bring its $2 trillion company to bear on this problem and help us clean up.”
Entergy was instrumental in landing the $10 million Meta data center, which is heralded by some as one of the biggest economic development wins in state history Others have criticized it for its massive energy demands and over concerns about how it will affect people living nearby in Richland Parish.
The project, announced a year ago, will take up the space equivalent to about 70 football fields. Estimates are that the facility will draw twice the power that the city of New Orleans uses on a hot summer day
Meta promises more than 5,000 construction jobs and 500 permanent jobs. The power plants will likely employ another 50 people. Louisiana’s Public Service Commission voted to approve the project in August.
Marsh, a 27-year Entergy veteran, said the data center and its power plants are part of an industrial boom along the Gulf Coast and particularly on the Interstate 20 corridor connecting Shreveport to Jackson, Mississippi — that has boosted the utility’s annual growth from 5% a year to about 13%.
“As we look out to 2050, we think we could triple or quadruple our sales,” he said. “There’s just a lot going on out there.”
To meet the increased demand, Marsh said, Entergy will have to invest in a variety of power generation methods, including nuclear Marsh, who is chair of the Nuclear Energy Institute trade association, said the country needs to maintain its existing power plants and ease regulations so more can come online.
“Nuclear safety is something that is very important, but it has been overdone,” he said. “One-ina-million years type standards on things could be very, very expensive and not really generate much
incremental safety.”
The Energy Forum comes at a time of significant changes in the nation’s energy policy, when the Trump Administration has moved away from clean energy initiatives and promoted increasing domestic fossil fuel production.
Marsh’s remarks echoed others at the event, where the focus has shifted away from clean energy in favor of a more pragmatic approach. Marsh said Entergy is prioritizing affordability reliability and resilience.
“Some of the areas that we serve are some of the most economically disadvantaged areas of the country,” he said. “And a lot of our large industrial customers are competing in a global commodity market, so if our prices were to go shooting upward, that could end their ability to compete in our service territory.”
“By and large, the world is not focused on sustainability. Less so today than it was two years ago, to be sure,” he added. “But it is something that is going to come back around. That’s what we believe.”
Data puts Federal Reserve in a tough spot
BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer
WASHINGTON Inflation rose last month as the price of gas, groceries and airfares jumped while new data showed applications for unemployment aid soared, putting the Federal Reserve in an increasingly tough spot as it prepares to cut rates at its meeting next week despite persistent price pressures.
Consumer prices increased 2.9% in August from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Thursday up from 2.7% the previous month and the biggest jump since January Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 3.1%, the same as in July Both figures are above the Federal Reserve’s 2% target.
A separate government report Thursday showed that weekly applications for unemployment aid jumped 27,000 to 263,000, the highest in nearly four years. Requests for jobless benefits are a proxy for layoffs. Recent reports have also showed that hiring has weakened dramatically this year and was lower than previously estimated last year
The data raises the specter of “stagflation,” a trend that last bedeviled the U.S. economy in the 1970s. The term refers to a period of slower growth and higher unemployment along with rising inflation. It is unusual because a weak economy typically keeps inflation in check.
Such a scenario could create major headaches for the Fed as it prepares for a meeting next week, when policymakers are widely expected to cut their short-term rate to about 4.1% from 4.3%. The Fed is under relentless pressure from President Donald Trump to cut rates. At the same time, stubborn inflation while the job market is weakening is difficult for the central bank because they are diverging trends that require polar reactions from Fed policymakers to address.
Typically the Fed would cut its key rate when unemployment rises to spur more spending and growth. Yet it would do the opposite and raise rates — or at least keep them unchanged in the face of rising inflation.
Last month, Chair Jerome Powell signaled that Fed officials are increasingly concerned about weaker hiring, setting the stage for a rate cut next week. Wall Street investors
think there is an 85% chance the Fed will cut twice more after that according to futures pricing tracked by CME Fedwatch. “Consumer inflation came in mildly hotter than forecast, but not nearly high enough to prevent the Fed from starting to cut rates next week,” Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist for Nationwide, said. “The labor market is losing steam and reinforces that the Fed needs to start cutting rates next week and that it will be the start of a series of rate reductions.”
Where inflation heads next is a key question for the Fed While Thursday’s report showed inflation picked up, data released Wednesday suggested prices at the wholesale level are cooling. Economists also noted that a separate measure of inflation that the Fed prefers, which will be released in about two weeks, should come in lower than Thursday’s figures and paint a more benign picture of prices.
On a monthly basis, overall inflation accelerated, rising 0.4% from July to August, faster than the 0.2% pace the previous month. Core prices rose 0.3% for the second straight month. Many economists and some key members of the Fed think that the current pickup in inflation reflects one-time increases from Trump’s sweeping tariffs and won’t lead to a lasting inflationary trend. They argue that a weaker job market will hold down wages
and force companies to keep prices in check.
Subadra Rajappa, head of U.S. rates strategy at Societe Generale, said that while inflation was elevated last month, there were also signs that the cost of services moderated, suggesting that outside of tariffs, prices are cooling.
Yet Joe Brusuelas, chief economist at RSM, a tax and consulting firm, says that higher-income households are still spending sufficiently to push some prices higher, such as hotel and airfare costs, which leapt last month. Such spending could keep inflation stubbornly high even in a weak job market, he said.
“The Fed’s getting ready to cut into a sustained increase in prices,” he said. “Very unusual spot. We can see tariff-induced inflation in a slow, steady and methodical manner.”
Goods prices picked up last month, a sign Trump’s sweeping tariffs are pushing up costs. Gas prices jumped 1.9% just from July to August, the biggest monthly increase since a 4% rise in December Grocery prices climbed 0.6%, pushed higher by more expensive tomatoes, apples, and beef. Rental costs also increased, rising 0.4%, faster than the previous month.
Clothing costs rose 0.5% just last month, though they are still just slightly more expensive than a year ago. Furniture costs rose 0.3% and are 4.7% higher than a year earlier
FTC questions social media, AI companies on effects of chatbots
Big Tech asked what steps are taken on kids’ safety
BY BARBARA ORTUTAY AP technology writer
The Federal Trade Commission has launched an inquiry into several social media and artificial intelligence companies about the potential harm to children and teenagers who use their AI chatbots as companions.
The FTC said Thursday it has sent letters to Google parent Alphabet, Facebook and Instagram parent Meta Platforms, Snap,
Character Technologies, ChatGPT maker OpenAI and xAI.
The FTC said it wants to understand what steps, if any, companies have taken to evaluate the safety of their chatbots when acting as companions, to limit the products’ use by and potential negative effects on children and teens, and to apprise users and parents of the risks associated with the chatbots. The move comes as a growing number of kids use AI chatbots for everything — from homework help to personal advice, emotional support and everyday decisionmaking. That’s despite research on the harms of chatbots, which have been shown to give kids dan-
gerous advice about topics such as drugs, alcohol and eating disorders. The mother of a teenage boy in Florida who killed himself after developing what she described as an emotionally and sexually abusive relationship with a chatbot has filed a wrongful-death lawsuit against Character.AI. And the parents of 16-year-old Adam Raine recently sued OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging that ChatGPT coached the California boy in planning and taking his own life earlier this year.
Character.AI said it is looking forward to “collaborating with the FTC on this inquiry and providing insight on the consumer AI industry and the space’s rapidly evolv-
ing technology.”
“We have invested a tremendous amount of resources in Trust and Safety, especially for a startup. In the past year we’ve rolled out many substantive safety features, including an entirely new under-18 experience and a Parental Insights feature,” the company said. “We have prominent disclaimers in every chat to remind users that a Character is not a real person and that everything a Character says should be treated as fiction.”
Meta declined to comment on the inquiry and Alphabet, Snap, OpenAI and X.AI did not immediately respond to messages for comment.
BY BINAJ GURUBACHARYA Associated Press
KATHMANDU,Nepal— Grieving
families of protesterskilled by police duringviolent protests in Nepal this week gathered in the capital on Thursday,expressing anger at authorities and seeking information about their missing loved ones.
Families held acandlelight vigil outside ahospital morgue in Kathmandu and announced plans to meet with Nepal army officials to seek justice.
Earlier on Thursday,hundreds of people crowded Nepal’smain airport in Kathmandu to get aflight out of the country,asconfusion set in over who governs the Himalayannation after violent protests toppled the country’sgovernment.
The Health Ministry said that 34 people were killed and 1,368 wounded in protests on Monday and Tues-
day. Theywere sparked by a short-lived social media ban and fueled by broader discontent over corruption and unemployment.
Nepal’sarmy took control of thecapital Tuesday night after two days of huge protests that left the presidential residence and government buildings in flames and forced the prime ministerto resignand flee
Thetollofthe deadand wounded has been risingas reportsoncasualtiestrickledinfromother parts of the country
“Weneed to fight for justice for our family who were killed and we cannot stay silent any longer,” said Kamal Subedi,one of those at the vigil. He said his nephew was killed.
“Wehavelost our loved ones butpolitics seem totake priority right and no one has even approachedus, so now we going to fight for justice forthe honorthey deserve.”
Protesters said theyare demanding state honorsfor their loved ones and are not interested in monetary compensation.
Bhol Bahadur Bishwokarma was seekinginformation abouthis brother,Santosh Bishwokarma, who was killed by police fire.
“Wehaveheard that thebody is in the hospital morgue here but no one has confirmed that or in what condition and shape the body is in. We have not even
BY COLLEEN SLEVIN and MATTHEW BROWN Associated Press
DENVER
A16-year-old boy who had been radicalizedby an unspecified “extremist network” fired arevolver multiple timesduringanattackatasuburban Denver high school that wounded two students, authorities saidThursday Some students ran and others locked down during Wednesday’sshootingatEvergreen High School in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. One of the victims was shot inside the school and anther outside.
Thesuspect in Evergreen, student Desmond Holly, shot himselfatthe school and later died, saidJefferson County sheriff’s office spokesperson Jacki Kelley The county was also the scene of the1999Columbine High School shooting that killed 14 people. Theschool resource officer was on medical leave and two part-time officers whonow share the jobwere notpresent at thetime, she said at anews conference. The officer working at the school that day hadbeen sentearlier to anearbyaccident.
Kelley said Holly had been“radicalized by some extremist network,” and suggested authoritiescame to that conclusion after ex-
amining the suspect’s home and phone. Butdetails on howheallegedly hadbeen radicalized and by what group were not immediately released, with Kelleypromising more information at alater date. It also remained unclear if Holly knew the victims and had adisputewiththem,or if theywereshot randomly Bothwere reported in critical condition Thursday Officialsreleased astatement from the family of one of the victims, Matthew Silverstone, 18, expressing appreciation for the support they’ve received and requesting privacy as the familyfocuses on his recovery The other victim had not been publicly identified.
been able tosee the body.We demand the government address our concern at theearliest,” he said.
In the capital, residents rushedtobuy food staples like rice, vegetablesand
meat earlyThursday,when the army briefly lifted acurfew. Armed soldiers were guarding the streets, checking vehicles and offering assistance to those in need.
Many triedtoleavethe country after theairport reopened lateWednesday and international flights resumed Thursday “Itwas very difficult time for us. We hadtrouble just to get to airport and back to hotel hoping for flights but finally Ihave found aseat and am going to be flying out of Nepal,” said Raj Kumar Bika, achicken farmer who wastrying to get to New Delhi for business.
The last day of the key Indra Jatra festival was also shortened by the organizers canceling the chariot process of the living goddess in the heart of Kathmandu. Afew hundred devotees wereallowed in the old palace courtyards but the living goddess
wasnot taken out of herpalace temple. It remained unclear who would takecontrol of the government as the search for an interimleader continued. When the protests prompted Prime Minister Khadga Prasad Oli to resign Tuesday,the country’sceremonial President Ram Chandra Poudelaskedhim to lead a transitional government until anew one could be put in place. But Oli fled from his official residence, and his whereabouts were not clear Residentsofthe capital were left wondering who wasincharge. “I feel there should be an election soonest and new leaders who are able to workfor thecountry should be elected,” said Sanu Bohara,a shopowner.“After allthis what we need is peace. Ifeel there should not have been so much destruction,but that hasalready happened.”
BY MARYCLARE JALONICK and STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press
WASHINGTON Senate Republicans took the firststeps to change the chamber’s rules on Thursday,moving to make it easier to confirm groups of President Donald Trump’snominees after lastminute negotiations with Democrats fell apart.
Senate MajorityLeader John Thune’smove is the latest salvo aftera dozenyears of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. He has said the Democrats obstruction is “unsustainable” as they have drawnout
the confirmation process and infuriated Trump as many positions in his administration have remainedunfilled.
“We’re going to fix this today, and restore thelongtime Senate precedentofexpeditiousconfirmation, and the Senate’sroleasfirstand foremost alegislativebody,” Thune said.
The Senate on Thursday evening moved forward on theproposed rule change with a45-53 party linevote. Thenew rules proposal would allow theSenate to move some of Trump’snominees in groups of 48 at atime. The Republican ruleschange stops shortof speeding up votesonhigh-level Cabinet officials andlifetime judicial
appointments.
Republicanswill have to go through additional procedural steps next week for the process to be complete. And if all goes according to their plan, the first tranche of Trump’snominees— undersecretaries and staff positionsfor variousagencies across thegovernment as well as severalambassadors —could be confirmed as soon as next Thursday
The efforttochange the rules comes as both parties have obstructed each other’s nominees for years, and as both Republicans and Democrats have advocated for speeding up theprocess when they are in the majority
‘We
Lafayette joins the nation to commemorate the 24th anniversary of 9/11 attacks
BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer
Lafayette officials joined cities around the nation Thursday in commemorating the 24th anniversary of the deadliest attack on American soil.
Close to a quarter century later, the lives of nearly 3,000 people lost on Sept. 11, 2001, stand as a reminder to American unity and perseverance.
A large American flag was hoisted above the city’s memorial to the simultaneous attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Bagpipes played to close out the flag-raising ceremony
“Today we are gathered with heavy hearts and steadfast purpose to honor the heroes of the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001,” said Capt. Sean Lirette, Lafayette Fire Department’s honor guard commander “We remember the 343 firefighters who laid down their lives and not for recognition, but for duty We remember the police officers, paramedics and civilians whose courage reminded the world what true strength looks like by running toward the danger, smoke, dust and calls for help.”
Mayor-President Monique Boulet thanked the commitment, dedication, and sacrifices made by the city’s first responders.
Acadian Ambulance President Justin Back reflected on his time in the Australian military remembering everyone gathered around the TV to watch the tragedy happening more than 7,000 miles away
“We knew as young soldiers
BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business
Lafayette MayorPresident
BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer
Sarah Trotter woke up in the morning to feed her cats when her partner Kelsey Leger, told her that their Saint Streets home’s “Abide No Hatred” pride flag was missing and its flagpole damaged. She began searching around to see if the flag had fallen somewhere when Leger opened the Ring camera app to check if anything had happened overnight.
The Lafayette business owners’ footage showed a group of four people walking down their street early Saturday morning. One breaks off the group to tear down the flag before all four run away Audio, though unclear, appears to pick up on a member of the group stating, “We got two,” and possibly calling the one who tore down the flag by name. The video received around 10,000 views as of Tuesday afternoon. “I was shocked, my stomach dropped when I saw the footage. I couldn’t believe it,” Trotter said. “That was not the first thing that crossed my mind, that someone tore it down.” Leger posted the footage on Facebook when the couple learned that their home wasn’t the only one vandalized that night. A neighbor, a few blocks away, posted on the Ring camera social feed that his flag had been stolen. That neighbor would later contact the police to report the incident, the two said.
More moving up than moving down, with much room to improve. That’sagood summary of our 2025 update to the Louisiana Fact Book: Facts for the Future. Leaders for a Better Louisiana has been tracking alist of 35 important indicators of progress across five categories to measure the overall wellbeing and trajectory of our state.
First created in 2023 by the Council for aBetter Louisiana, which has now merged with the Committee of 100 for Economic Development,our combined group remains committed to making Louisianaabetter and moreprosperous state for all. That includes continuing to track how we are doing on issues that in many ways define how others perceive Louisiana. Our latest update is the third
since we launched the Fact Book, and this year’sresults are encouraging.They weren’t ayear ago. At that time, Louisiana was seeingprogress on 16 indicators, but moving in the wrong direction on 16 more. Three were unchanged.Byany measure, that was unacceptable. This year,the findings are abit more positive. We’redoing better on 20 indicators, falling behind on 13 and holding steady on two. As before, the education andworkforce issues tend to be amongthe brighterspotswith notable improvementsinoverall student performance in grades three through eight, eighth grade math andcontinued increases in theeducation attainment of our working-age population. Some ofthe economic indicators also improved.Louisiana
outpaced the nation in job growth and recorded an employed workforce of 2million people for the first time in adecade, and only thesecond time in history.We reversed amultiyear decline in population withasmall uptick in thenumber of people living in the state. While net domestic out-migration continued, it was significantly smaller than what we have seen in prior years. Still, there are some areas of ongoing concern. Both theoverall povertyrate and child poverty increased significantly.Health indicators remain troubling, particularly in terms of declining life expectancy,low birthweight babies, infant mortality andfood insecurity. AndLouisianacontinues to see growing issues with many of its small, rural water systems where more of them are running into safety and compliance issues.
Over the past few months, there havebeen conflicting narrativesabout whethercrime is decreasing in America overall or specificallyin large urban areas.These debates oftenrely on the resultsofthe Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Uniform Crime Reports. However,these reports frequently do not match public opinion. In fact,they often point in opposite directions. Why is that? How can we tell if crime is risingor falling?
The United States has traditionally used two methods to measurecrime. One is the UCR managed by the FBI. This system has been in place since the early 1930s The FBI collectscrime data that lawenforcement agencies voluntarily submit for crimes reported to, or detected by, police.
nificant statistical difference between urban and rural areas. The UCR and theNVCS aredifferent reports with different methodologies. But bothare valuable. Ignoring one over the other is aserious mistake. Experiences always outweigh the statistics.
So, what is the picture these indicators paint? Amixed bag, but moreencouragingthan we have seen since we started this project. In recent years, we have placed a concerted focus on several education and workforce issues, and it appears that we are seeing positiveresults from that.
Louisiana has also madesome policy changes that are clearly intended to spur job growth and enhance the state’seconomic competitiveness. But those changes are recent and would not account forthe improvements we have seen in the economic data so far.That gives us reason to be hopeful that the modest, but critical, economic growth we see now might continue to improve in later years.
Recently,Louisiana has made significantgains in education outcomes that have given us amajor boost in the national rankings.
That has been great to see, and it has garnered alot of positive attention. But we know that type of growth is rare, especially given the manycomplex issues we face, and the goals we set must be realistic. Still, it is entirely reasonable to expect that we should be making progress on every indicator, every year As we work as astate to improve Louisiana’scompetitiveness and economic vitality,we must not ignore the other things that are holding us back. The message that we are improving on mostindicators is agood one. Our goal now must be to sustain our progress and broaden our focus so that we can begin to impact moreofour mostchronic challenges.
Barry Erwin is the chief policy officer forLeaders foraBetter Louisiana.
The second method for measuringcrime is through the National Crime VictimizationSurvey, which has been conducted annuallybythe Bureau of Justice Statistics sincethe early 1970s.The NCVS randomly surveysover100,000 people each year to ask about their personal experienceswith crime. This is primarily how we determinethat approximatelyhalf of all crimes havegone unreported to the UCR. Thelimitation of the NCVS is that it is anationwide survey,not conductedatthe stateorcity level.
The Bureau of Justice Statistics’ NCVS released itsfirstreport in July to analyze crime data from urban, suburbanand rural areas across thecountry.Hereare the keyfindings from 2020 to 2023. About 38%ofviolent victimizationsinurban areas were reported to police, whichwas lower than thepercentages in suburban(43%) and rural (51%)areas
Thepercentage of rapeand sexual assault victimizations in rural areas that were reported to police (52%) was almostfour times higherthan the share reported to policeinurban areas (13%), and almosttwo times higher thanthe sharereported in suburbanareas (29%) Reporting to police for simple assault victimizations washigher in suburban (39%) and rural areas (46%) than urban areas (32%). For robbery,the percentage of victimizations reported to police was lower in suburbanareas (49%) than urban areas (63%). Therewas no sig-
Many communities use athird method to measure crimebyrelying on independent survey datatounderstand residents’ perceptions of safety.Having used all three methods, Ifound the third to be themost helpful for guiding our decisions to improve thepolice department.
During my time as chief of the Nashville Police Departmentfrom 2004 to 2010, we started asurvey conducted twice ayear among Nashville residents in June and December.Ofall the data we collected, this was the most important. How people feel about their neighborhood, their ability to move freely around the cityand their sense of personal and family safety are the most critical issues we must address.
While Iserved as superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department from 2010 to 2014, and continuing today,the New OrleansCrime Coalition (NOCC) has been doing similar surveys. Initially,from 2010 to 2014, NOCC conducted this survey every six months; morerecently,they have shifted todoing it once ayear.Nomatterhow often it’sdone, it remains themostvital measure of safety perceptions in New Orleansand, based on my experience, in any city across the country
It is crucial to remember that the real measure of crime is how people feel about it.This is more reliable than the UCR, which has significant gaps in reporting compared to actual crimes,and more comprehensive than the NCVS alone, because it’s notyet as detailed at the state and local level.
Irespectfully caution political and police leaders that the conversation about what the UCR reportsoncrimeislimited to what it states and what it doesn’t. We must understand how people experience crime, not just how we report or find it.A longtimecolleague of mine said it well: “Crime can be measured, but public safetyissomething that people feel.”
Ronal Serpas is theformer superintendent of the New Orleans Police Department
Mostofustakeitfor granted that we can open abank account, processapayment or apply for aloan without politics getting in theway Butacross the country,a troubling practiceknown as “debanking,”drivenby regulators in Washington, threatensthat. Debanking happens when financial institutions deny services for certain individuals or businesses based on perceived political, religious or social reasons. Arecent paper from the America First PolicyInstitute explains how political pressure from Washington regulators beginning underthe Obama and Biden administrations —weaponized regulatorstoblacklist entire industries, like firearms and crypto. When accesstobanking is politicized, it doesn’tjust hurt targeted industries. It dissolves public trust in the entire financial system. If lawful businesses and law-abiding citizens can be frozen out for their beliefs or affiliations,thennoone’saccessis secure. Here in Louisiana,we’ve taken theissueseriously.Earlierthis year,the Legislature passeda resolution urging Washington to end government-drivendebanking. That resolutionsent aclear message: Our state will notstand by while federal regulators pick winners andlosers in the marketplace. Louisiana knows the importance of protecting economic freedom, andweare willing to lead in asmart, effective way Thankfully,there are encouraging signs of progress.
President Donald Trump recently issued an executive order directing regulators to eliminate theuse of “reputation risk” —the vague and subjective standard that has been weaponizedbyregulatorstojustify politically motivated banking discrimination. He also tasked the Treasury Department to work with Congress on acomprehensive strategy to addresspoliciesatthe federallevel thatdrovegovernment debanking and come up with solutions to end the practice altogether This is ameaningful step, but it cannot be the finalword. As Loui-
siana’s ownU.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said after the orderwas signed, “This political discrimination—such as we sawwith the Obama administration’s‘OperationChokepoint’ —isunlawful, dishonest, anddecreases trust in ourbanking institutions.” He’s right. Unless reforms arelocked in through legislation, they remain vulnerable to being undone by afuture administration. That’swhy Congress must act.Bipartisan proposals suchasthe Financial Integrity andRegulation Management Act would ensure thatregulators cannotweaponize their powers to chokeoff lawful businesses. Lawmakers should take steps to update outdatedpractices such as anti-money-laundering and know-your-customer rulesto bettertargetreal threats while reducing unnecessary burdens on banks andconsumers alike. These reforms would restore fairness, strengthen oversight where it matters most and give Americansconfidence that politicshas no place in their wallets. The timing of this debate is significantfor ourstate. Last month, New Orleanshosted the State PolicyNetwork’s33rd annual meeting, bringing state leaders from acrossthe country to discuss howtodefendfree markets andindividualliberty.Louisiana hasa proud story to share —one of pushing back on federal overreach andinsisting thatgovernment stayout of Americans’ bank accounts. The principle is simple: Financialservices should never be usedasa tool for political punishment. Whether you run a small business or simply want peace of mind thatyoursavings account won’tbetargeted, every Louisiananhas astake in this fight. By standing firm, ourstate can help lead the wayinkeeping government outofthe banking systemand ensuring thatevery American hasfairaccessinthe marketplace.
MichaelLunsford is the executive director of Citizens For aNew Louisiana.
After deploying National Guard troopsfor operations in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.,PresidentDonald Trump has called for the broaderuse of the Guard to combat crimeincities,mostrun by Democrats.Thelatest list of places that Guard troopscouldbesentincludesChicago, Baltimore and NewOrleans.While it is unclear when or if those cities will seesoldiersonthe streets,opponents sayitraises keylegal questions,asthe useof themilitaryindomestic lawenforcement has long been prohibited. Butsupporters saycities should welcome anyhelp in makingthem safer.InNew Orleans, where the governor has sent in state troopers to aid local police, many sayithas largely beena success. But would the National Guard be different? Hereare twoperspectives:
Donald Trump, aman of many redhats, now wishes to wear ablue one as thede facto New Orleans chief of police.
“We’ll straighten that outintwo weeks,” Trump says of crime in NewOrleans, “easier than D.C.” Ronald Reagandescribed “I’m fromthe government and I’m here tohelp” as the most terrifying wordsinthe English language. His Republican successor hears them differently
The absence of even adebateonthe right about making afederal case of Louisiana problems indicatestoward which end of the principles-partycontinuum conservatives now lean.
It was not always so.
[Richard] Nixon kite,” persuaded National Review to withhold itsendorsement for the Republican nominee. Fedupwith Gov.Nelson Rockefeller,Sen. Jacob Javits and other Empire State Republicans, theWoodstock resident helped found theConservative Party of New York in 1962.
Frank Meyer, presentatthe creation of National Reviewand Young Americans for Freedom, afounding father of the American Conservative Unionand author of the canonical-for-conservatives In Defense of Freedom,characterized President Dwight Eisenhower’sdeployment of the National GuardtoLittle Rock as an “invasion.” He regularly criticized Republicansand castanenthusiastic ballotfor exactlyone GOPpresidentialnominee. He gained rather than lost standing Faithlessness to the party,from thetitular character of “The Man WhoInvented Conservatism”no less, provokesa confusedface emoji from younger right-wingers.
Flynn
He advised that party’snominee, James Buckley,ashedefeated aRepublican senator —NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’sfather,Charles —in1970. The following year,he becameone of the Manhattan 12, thedozen conservatives who suspended their support for President Nixon.
COLUMNIST
Meyer’sefforts to transform the GOP into avehicle for conservatives, ironically,Republicanized the tight to adegree that so few feel comfortable putting principle over party.
As early as 1954, he envisioned a“anew alignment of parties” that pushed “traditional Republicans and Southern Democrats” together into the GOP and “liberal Republicans” and “New Deal Democrats” into the Democratic Party.This dream of parties as ideological avatars rather than collections of diverse interest groups, realized long after Meyer’s1972 death, became, if notanightmare for principled conservatives, then at least at times an inconvenience.
“The aimofconservatives between now and 1956 must be to build aconsciousness of the issues sufficiently strong to nominate acandidate on the Republican ticketand elect him,” he wrote JohnChamberlain, an editor of The Freeman,after Robert Taft’s 1952 Republican convention loss to Eisenhower.“Milk and water attitudes toward Eisenhower at this pointcan only cloudthat aim. After all,hethinks thatthe revolution of the last twenty years is established, is outside of politics, andmust be accepted by every moral American.”
Chamberlain heeded his advice —and lost his job. Apro-Ike board fired the magazine’s anti-Ike editors, and Meyerlost thesmall remuneration it provided.
Apoorer Meyer persevered Meyer later noted in The AmericanMercury “littletodistinguish the Eisenhower administration from itspredecessors in the fight against creeping collectivism.”
In 1960, Meyer, arguing that“under no circumstancesshould the conservative movement be compromisedbytailing the
To challenge the wisdom of federalizing New Orleans’ crime problems suddenly calls aconservative’scredentials into question.
The tailwags the dog.
Conservatives properly rejoice at Trump securing the border,appointing strict constructionists to the bench and shuttering the United States Agency for International Development.This does not merit aperpetual hall passgranted tocheat on ostensibly shared principles.
When thepresident veers, such as with theidea to enforce local laws with federal troops, conservatives should feel free to criticize.
Frank Meyer did.
“The Republican Party deserves conservative loyalty,” he reasoned, “only to the degree that it is conservative.
Daniel Flynn is afellow at the Hoover Institutionand author of “The Man Who Invented Conservatism: The Unlikely Life of Frank S. Meyer.”
Over the past few days, Orleans Parish politicians have lined up to reject thesuggestion from President Donald Trumpthat New Orleans could benefit from having theNational Guard deployed to our city.New Orleans has always welcomed the National Guard, but this time it may be much more than just boots on the ground. If facts matter,then the success of the National Guard’s presence in preventingviolent crime in New Orleans speaks for itself. According to data from theMetropolitan Crime Commission, when the National Guard was in New Orleans for two weeksduring the 2025 Super Bowl, there was an average of 8.5 incidents of violent crime per week. The week they left, that number jumped to 14.3 incidents, a68% increase. The presence of the National Guard alone is avaluable resource, but the attention it could bring to the Orleans Parishcriminal justice system may be thereal reason our local politicians don’twant them here. All eyes are on the crime problem in Washington, D.C., since theNational Guard was deployed there. Trump has accomplished much morethan boots on the ground; he put theentire criminal justice system in D.C. under aspotlight.
money went, and the juvenile judges had refused to produce data from juvenile offenders. Council member Joe Giarrusso said, “I’m tired, candidly,of not getting data from juvenile court, and not knowing what’sgoing on.” U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,R-New Orleans, issued apredictable statement this week, suggesting that instead of sending the National Guard, Trumpshould tackle crime in NewOrleans by providing morefederal funding forpreventative programs. If facts matter,Carter would remember that President Joe Biden already tried that in NewOrleans.
Recently,D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro held anews conference to discuss thejuvenile crime plaguing D.C., thelack of accountability in juvenile court and thejudges. In referencing juvenile offenders, she stated, “They need to be held accountable, and we need to be protected.”
Pirro went on tocrucify the judges for their failed rehabilitation attempts,their refusal to incarcerate violent offenders and thelack of transparency for juvenile crime.
Pirro could have heldthat exact samenews conference in high-crime cities all over America. In 2022, violent juvenile crime reached an alltime high in New Orleans. The City Council allocated $3.5 million fornine separateprogramstoaddress juvenile crimeand rehabilitation. By May 13, 2024, the City Council admitted they had no idea where the
In 2022, Biden gave New Orleans $4.5 million to address juvenile crime. By August 2024, after the city had reigned as the murder capital, the City Council learned that no one had bothered to use the federal money either The Cantrell administration admitted before the council that they had an “influx of funds” and were never able to formulate aplan on how to spend all the money they were receiving. City officials have historically welcomed the National Guard to our city foryears, mostrecently during the Super Bowland Mardi Gras. Suddenly,now they are not welcome. Despite anational reduction in crime, NewOrleans still ranks the eighth mostviolent city in America. The last thing our local politicians wantisour criminal justice system launched onto the national stage, where it belongs. The National Guard put aspotlight on D.C. and it is sounding the alarm forother crime-ridden cities that refuse to protect victims. In what could prove one of his moststrategic moves yet, Trump’sseemingly simple idea might be the catalyst forexposing the underbelly of failing criminal justice systemsinAmerican cities that have been deprived of sunlight forfar too long.
Laura CanizzaroRodrigueisa former Orleans Parish prosecutor andfounder of theBayou Mama Bears, an advocacy group.
Williamspushes back on ‘no witness’ trials
BY JILLIAN KRAMER Staff writer
Acriminal justice watchdogtoldthe stateSenate Judiciary Committee on Thursday that prosecutors underOrleansParish District Attorney Jason Williams had “fundamentally failed” by takingmore than adozen cases to trial before ajudge with no witnesses. Williams pushed back, saying he’d disciplinedhis staffbut thatthe judge in question, Leon Roche, shoulders much of the blame for signaling his dim view of those cases,hobbling their prosecution. Williams also suggested a racist motive behind the latest attack on his leadership. His fiery responsefollowedtestimony by Rafael Goyeneche, president of the nonprofit Metropolitan Crime Commission, who detailed an April report showing two of the 12 Orleans Parish judges, Rocheand NandiCampbell, held more than half of the court’sjudge trials over three years. Campbell and Roche also acquitted defendants more often, at ratesof79% and88%,respectively In Campbell’scourtroom,
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“I just feel it’sunfortunate that whatever perspective they have of seeing that flag, ‘Abide No Hatred,’ and their mind goesstraightto, we need to tear this down.
Unbeknownst to them, you picked the wrong house,” Leger said.
The couple handed over their footagetopolice, and said they hope to identify the group of people. Leger said the issue could beresolved if the group returned the flag and apologized.
“We’re business owners here. We’revery engaged
prosecutors called witnesses andpresented evidence, accordingtorecords. But transcriptsfrom cases presented to Rocheoften lacked witnesses, evidence andevenargument by prosecutorsor defense attorneys, Goyenechesaid. He said 13 of 16 judge trials held in Roche’s courtinthe last year included no witnesses. Goyeneche argued that those verdictsare void under state law
“Itnever would have occurredto me,asaformer prosecutor,that you would go to trial and nothaveany witnesses present,” he said Roche, who took the bench in 2023, did not appear at the hearinginBaton Rouge anddid notimmediatelyreturn aphone call Thursday afternoon seeking comment. In May, JudicialAdministrator Robert Kazikdefended Roche, writing that the acquittals were“directly attributable to theOrleans ParishDistrictAttorney’s Office’sfailure to present anywitnesses, victims and/ or evidence that proves a defendant’sguilt beyond a reasonabledoubt.” Without it, “the court is left with no choicebut to find adefendant not guilty,”
in the community, like we live here too. I’m deadset on findingthem because it’s disrespectful, and Idon’t want ittokeep happening around town; it’sreallydisheartening,”Leger added.
Thefootage received even more attention when Leger shareditwiththe flag’screators and Georgiabased media company,the BitterSoutherner,which postedthe footage toits Instagram page.
The couple, who own Five-Mile Eatery,see the incidentasabnormalfor Lafayette, especially Saint Streets and the downtown area. The two have embeddedthemselvesinto the community that they view
Kazik wrote. Also testifyingThursday was Laura Rodrigue, aformer Orleans Parish prosecutor and the daughter of former DistrictAttorney Leon Cannizzaro Rodrigue argued that thecommission’sfindings cast doubt on Williams’ oversight of young prosecutors. Sen. Blake Miguez,R-New Iberia, ask if prosecutors were “colluding” with defense attorneys or others “to keep criminals on the streets” of New Orleans. Rodrigue responded that the lack of trialpreparation by prosecutors amountedto neglect.
Under questioning from thecommittee’schairperson,Sen.Jay Morris, RWest Monroe, Goyeneche said he had filed state bar and judicial misconduct complaints over those bench trials.
Williamssaid thattwo young prosecutors who chosetotake the cases to trialshould have dismissed them.
“I think it is improper,” he said, “and it should not have happened, and we have retrained those prosecutors.”
Still, he accused Roche, aformer public defender, of “jamming up young”
as open and accepting, and said their neighborhood has shown nothing but support after the incident.
“In our community,inLafayette,we’re just so loved and we love the community I’ve never felt unsafe or like Icouldn’thanga flag,” Leger said.
“Weall get together,go Cajun dancing, we eat crawfish together.Wecan share spaces with all different kinds of people,” Trotter added.
Though Trottershares Leger’s feelings towardthe city,she wondered if this is agrowing issueinothers, citing anti-LGBTQlegislation and social media platforms’pushingofwhatshe
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that we weren’tstaying young for very long. And sure enough, it wasn’ttoo long
for9/11atParc
before we were chasing this threat across thefour corners of the Earth,”hesaid.
Aseparate ceremony at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette honored two alums who were killed in the terrorist attacks
prosecutors in favor of his former colleagues. In one case, Williams said,a police officer likely didnot show up for trialbecause Roche had earlier found no probable causefor the arrest
“There is apattern,” Williamssaid, “and the pattern is the judge signaling to the police” that he viewed the evidence as weak.
Williamsarguedthat the committeeignored the city’splummeting crime rates and hisoffice’sconviction rates, which he said were morethan 85% in homicide cases. He argued the hearing was propelled by Rodrigue, longa vocal critic.
“This is clearly about something else,” he said. “I have to wonder if today’s hearing have more to do with my race, my partyaffiliation or my parish.”
Morrisdisputedthatnotion.
“You didn’tknow what was going on in your own office,” he said. “The racist cardwon’tworkhere.”
Later, Williams said he apologized if he had offended any committee members.
“I hope you allrealize that regardlessofwhat you think about me or have been toldabout me, we all sharethe same goals,”he said.
Email Jillian Kramer at jillian.kramer@ theadvocate.com.
sees as hateful and divisive messaging.
“I feel for them, Ihope that they’re able to learn from this, take astep back, and connect withus. We’re people, just like you. We want the same thing, truly We wantahappy,safe and healthy life,”Trotter said.
Email Stephen Marcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.
Obituaries
Thompson, Barry David
ACelebrationofLife will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, September13, 2025, at Northside AssemblyofGod in Crowley, LA for Barry David Thompson,Sr.,87, whowenthometobewith theLordSeptember 9, 2025, at hishomein Crowley.
Thursday.
Siew-NyaAng, a1998 graduate, died while working on the 95th floor of the World Trade Center.Robert Hymel,aVietnam War veteranand 1969 graduate, died when ahijacked plane struck thePentagon
LOTTERY WEDNESDAY, SEPT.10, 2025
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husband James; onebrother,Marion Thompson andhis wife Nancy; andone greatgrandchild,Connor Kemp. In lieu of flowersmemorial contributionsmay be made in hisname to Agape Way of Louisiana (KAJN): https://give.tithe.ly/?formI d=e2ede806-4c62-11ee-90fc -1260ab546d11 ;and/or Gideons International www.gideons.org/donate. Arrangements have been entrusted to GeeseyFerguson Funeral Home of Crowley. Hardy, Charles CathedralofSt. John theEvangelist in Lafayette at 1:30 p.m
Thefamilyisrequesting visiting hours to be held Friday from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm andSaturday from 8:30 am to 11:00 am at Northside Assembly. Intermentwill be at Woodlawn Mausoleum.
BarryThompson's life wasdevoted to sharinghis faithwith othersthrough radio &TV, as aGideon, a belovedSunday School teacher andlong-time boardmember at Northside Assembly, Crowley. He was president of theSWchapter of NRB. Hisgreatest joynext to his love forHis Saviorwas for hiswife,Annette, hischildren,grandchildren and thecherry on top, hisgreat grandchildren. He invested hislifeintopeople andthe dividendswererealized in rich,life-longfriendships in business, ministryand personally. He quotedhis mentor,R.S. King often,"If you snuggle up to Jesus, He will make aheroout of you." He took this advice to heartand spent alifeon hisknees in prayer in privatebeforeheever did anythinginpublic. His familyand manyothers wouldsay that because he snuggled up to Jesus, God didmake hima hero to many. He is survived by three children, Barry"David" Thompson,Jr. andhis wife Tammy of Abbeville, Karen Thompson Walker andher husband Darryl of Crowley, andCraig Thompson and
Joshua Bailey (Kristina) BrittanyDartez (Jason), Jason Bailey,Brooke Thompson Boxx (Aubrey), Ryan Thompson,Destin Bailey,Jonathan Thompson,and Destiny Thompson;nine great grandchildren, Jaylee Dartez, MikellePerkins, Lyra Dartez,
I’venever experience anything lik this before. very humbled.
I’m happyfor teammates, th thatIplayedw Iwant them to likethey’rep of what I’ve don and accompli so far.”
CHARLES ALEXANDER, former LSU running
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
UL defensive lineman Fitzgerald West took the opportunity to remind UL coach Michael Desormeaux that he’splayed offensive guard both at LafayetteChristian and at LSU.
Desormeaux just politely moved on.
“Yeah, Iwas tryingtomake it ajoke,but also, Ican honestly play bothsides,”West laughed. “I’ve been doingitall my life.”
ä UL at Missouri NOON SATURDAy
Thepurpose behind the interaction was theRagin’ Cajuns entering Saturday’s noon road game at No.25 Missouri shorthanded on the offensive line.
Thegamewas moved from its 3p.m. start due to “forecasted extreme heat in Columbia, andafter consultation with the National Weather Serviceand our public safety partners,”according to a releasefrom Missouriathletics.
Starting left guard Kaden Moreau“will be out for acouple of weeks” withanundisclosed injury
Backup right guard Mackey Maillhoisday to day,but won’tbeavailable Saturday after hobbling off the field against McNeese. Redshirt sophomore Matt Broussard, who was the talk of August camp on the offensive line, will start at left guard.
Moreover,backup right tackle John Bragg has left the team.
“He decided he didn’twant to play football anymore,” Desormeaux said.
Broussard figured in UL’s plansfrom the start at multiple positions,sothat’snot as much of aconcern.
But Broussard’sbackup is true freshman Jakoby Isom.
“Jakoby is going to endupplaying alot this year,” Desormeaux said. “Wewere kind of seeing if we could hold his redshirt,but we’regoing to let it go.He’sa reallygood football player who has donea goodjob for us.”
Ryan Ebrahim —redshirt senior who walked on three yearsago fromTexas
‘I’venever experienced anything like this before’
LSUgreat Alexanderreflects on upcomingjerseyretirement, TigerStadium honor
YREED DARCEY taff writer
Themorning CharlesAlexander decided here he’d play collegefootball, twocars rked outside his grandmother’shouse. ouston coachesdroveone of them. The her belonged to Jerry Stovall, an LSU ach hoping to squeeze in onelast recruitg pitch. twas signing day.Alexander —a tailback
from Galveston, Texas —still hadn’tcommitted. He wanted to go to school thatday and sit through all his classes, then decide which college program he’d play for.
Thecoaches recruiting him, however, chose not to let him wait.
“I didn’tknow whereIwas going,”Alexander said.
Now,over 50 years later,both Stovall and Alexander will have their names and jersey numbers displayed on the south façade of Tiger Stadium.LSU will formally retire
BYMATTHEWPARAS
Isaac Yiadom hasn’t ever gone back to watch film of hisyounger self, theway that defensive coordinator Brandon Staley did this offseason. But theNew Orleans Saints cornerback says he can only imaginethe differences.
Staley doesn’thave to imagine. He likes to use Yiadom’stape as an example for young corners. He shows them Yiadom from 2019. Andthen Yiadom in 2025.
“Tobeplayinglike he is now,” Staley said, “just shows you that there’salot possibleifyou just hang in there.”
To Staley,Yiadom’s tape shows astark contrast in confidence. The filmisthe journey of aplayer who’s spanned six teams in eight years, one whowas on track to be abust but has blossomed into areliable veteran.There wasDenver,New York,Green Bay,Houston, New Orleans, San Francisco and New Orleansagain.Staley and Yiadom have overlapped in three of those spots, startinginDenver,reuniting in San Francisco and now teaming up withthe Saints
against the Saints.
BY JOSH DUBOW AP pro football writer
SANTA CLARA, Calif. San Francisco
49ers quarterback Brock Purdy is “week to week” with a toe injury and Mac Jones is expected to start on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
General manager John Lynch told the team’s flagship radio station KNBR on Thursday that the team reached the diagnosis after consulting with team trainers and doctors, along with foot and ankle specialist Dr Robert Anderson
“What we’re dealing with is kind of a week-to-week thing,” Lynch said. “That’s our information. Brock’s doing well, coming back from it. We’ll just treat it as such He’s doing a nice job, doing every-
thing he can to get back out there as soon as possible That’s where we’re at.”
NFL Network reported Thursday that Purdy would miss between two and five weeks. Lynch would not confirm that report and only said that the team was pleased with the results of tests on Purdy’s toe.
“Going into the scans and all that I’ll tell you that the feeling was more on the positive side than what it could have been going in there,” Lynch said “That was a good thing. We look forward to getting Brock back, but in his stead, we’re confident in Mac and his ability to compete at a high level for us.”
Purdy hurt both his toe and left shoulder in the first half of the
opener at Seattle. He stayed in the game and led the game-winning TD drive in a 17-13 win.
Purdy missed two games last season with injuries, sitting out one game with a right shoulder injury and another with a right elbow injury Those are the only games he has missed because of injuries since taking over as starter late in the 2022 season. He did have a significant injury to his right elbow in the 2022 NFC title game that required surgery but he made it back for the opener the following season.
Jones, the first-round pick by New England in 2021, signed with San Francisco as a free agent in March. Jones and San Francisco were closely linked leading up to the
2021 draft after the Niners traded three first-round picks to get the No 3 overall selection. Shanahan was looking to draft a franchise quarterback and was debating between Jones and Trey Lance before San Francisco finally opted for Lance.
The move backfired as Lance struggled to stay healthy and adjust to Shanahan’s system. He made only four starts in two seasons before being traded to Dallas for a fourth-round pick in August 2023, having lost the starting job to Purdy, the last pick in the 2022 draft.
Jones had a strong rookie season in New England but was 4-14 with 16 TD passes, 20 interceptions and a 77.1 passer rating in 18 starts the past two seasons for New England and Jacksonville.
BY JIM VERTUNO AP sportswriter
AUSTTIN, Texas — Arch Manning and Malachi Nelson were two of the most coveted quarterback recruits in the country coming out of high school in 2023.
Both were can’t miss five-star prospects who were going to be leading two of the biggest programs and brands in college football to national title contention
Yet their respective journeys to Saturday’s matchup of Manning’s No. 7 Texas Longhorns (1-1) against Nelson and UTEP (1-1) could not have been more different
“We were both at the top of the recruiting boards in ’23 It’s going to be a fun little showdown,” Nelson said. “The environment is going to be rocking I can’t wait to get out there.”
Manning signed with Texas out of high school and stayed the course with the Longhorns, waiting as the understudy to Quinn Ewers the past two seasons.
Nelson, who some analysts rated higher than Manning coming out of high school, has taken a journeyman’s route. He signed with Southern California and spent his freshman season there, before transferring to Boise State. He lasted one season on the bench there before landing in El Paso in search of a starting role. Manning has been under an in-
tense spotlight since he landed on campus, and it has only grown hotter as Texas started the season No. 1 and he struggled in an opening loss at Ohio State.
Nelson started his career in the glitz of Los Angeles, but the buzz is far quieter now The Miners have had just three winning seasons in 20 years and haven’t won a bowl game since 1967.
Manning and Nelson both threw four touchdowns in bounce-back wins last week. Texas and Manning will be heavily favored Saturday but Nelson at least has a chance to show off the talent he showed in high school.
“I’m excited to see what he can do,” Manning said. “I wish him luck the rest of the way.”
Manning makes faces
Texas coach Steve Sarkisian denied any suggestions this week that Manning has been playing with in injury to his throwing shoulder He faced questions about it after social media posts noted Manning’s strained facial expressions on some throws.
“I’ve never filmed any of you guys when you’re using the bathroom, so
I don’t know what faces you make when you’re doing that,” Sarkisian told reporters in response.
Texas penalty problems
The Longhorns have had a rash of self-inflicted problems in their
Texas quarterback Arch Manning runs for a touchdown
San Jose State during the second half of a game on Saturday
1-1 start. Texas had 12 penalties for 112 yards last week against San Jose State. Two defensive penalties against Ohio State cost Texas a safety and aided a Buckeyes’ touchdown drive. Preseason all-American edge rusher Colin Simmons has just a half sack and five penalties through two games, and was benched briefly at the start of the second half against San Jose State.
Favorite targets Manning and Nelson have developed quick bonds with favorite receiving targets. Texas freshman Parker Livingstone has three touchdowns on six catches UTEP
junior Kenny Odom already has 14 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns.
Miners chasing Manning UTEP’s aggressive pass rush will try to pressure Manning and expose any weak links in a rebuilt Texas offensive line. The Miners have 10 sacks in the first two games.
Bright lights, big league UTEP players are eager to step into an SEC environment against one of the state’s flagship universities, Walden said. UTEP will also plays at Texas in 2027, 2029 and 2031 The last time Texas went to El Paso was 2008.
Yankees SS Volpe gets injection for labrum tear
NEW YORK New York Yankees
shortstop Anthony Volpe had a cortisone shot in his left shoulder on Wednesday after playing through a small tear in his labrum for more than four months. Before the Yankees concluded a three-game series with the Tigers on Thursday, manager Aaron Boone confirmed a report in the New York Post that Volpe underwent the injection after reaggravating a previous shoulder injury while making a diving stop in Sunday’s 4-3 win over Toronto. It was Volpe’s second cortisone shot this season. The Yankees also said the 24-year-old had a cortisone shot during the All-Star break. Boone said Volpe was not available off the bench and may miss the opener of a three-game series at Boston on Friday
Ex-NBA player Collins in treatment for brain tumor NEW YORK Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player who now serves as an ambassador for the league, is undergoing treatment for a brain tumor his family said Thursday
Collins announced he was gay in 2013, becoming the first publicly gay athlete to play in any of the four main North American sports leagues. He retired in 2014 after a 13-year career that included stops with the New Jersey Nets, Memphis, Minnesota, Atlanta, Boston, Washington and back to the Nets after they moved to Brooklyn.
Collins averaged 3.6 points and 3.7 rebounds in his career In his best season, he averaged 6.4 points and 6.1 rebounds for the then-New Jersey Nets in 2004-05.
Titans RT Latham out with hip injury vs. Rams
NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee starting right tackle JC Latham said Thursday that he will be out Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in the Titans’ home opener Latham left the season-opening loss in Denver early in the fourth quarter with an injured hip that limited him during the preseason. Titans coach Brian Callahan said Monday that Latham aggravated an issue that the lineman has been playing through. The seventh pick overall in 2024 out of Alabama started every offensive snap as a rookie, playing 1,032 snaps. Latham wasn’t available to reporters Wednesday when he didn’t practice. He said Thursday he is dealing with a strain that limits his ability to move as needed at lineman.
Mavericks sign forward Washington to extension
DALLAS The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward P.J. Washington Jr to a contract extension and are also bringing back guard Dante Exum in moves that should finalize the roster for 2025-26. The Mavericks announced the deal for Washington on Thursday A person with knowledge of the extension said the deal was worth $89 million over four years. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because terms weren’t released. Exum will be among the options at point guard until Irving returns, and part of the depth if the 11-year veteran stays healthy The 30-yearold, who was the fifth overall pick in the 2014 draft out of Australia, has missed significant time with injuries each of his two seasons in Dallas.
Gulfstream Park set to host Pegasus World Cup HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. Gulfstream Park will play host to the 10th edition of the Pegasus World Cup on Jan. 24, one of the highlights of the track’s
From
Alexander’sNo. 4athalftime of its game against FloridaonSaturday (6:30p.m., ABC), giving thatunder-the-radar recruitwho became its third all-time leading rusher an honorit’sreserved for only three other program greats: Stovall, Billy Cannon and Tommy Casanova.
“Tobeperfectlyhonestwith you,” Alexander told The Advocate in aphone interview,“I’ve never experienced anythinglike this before. I’m very humbled. Happy for myself. I’m happy for my teammates, the guys that I playedwith. Iwant them tofeel like they’re part of what I’ve done and accomplished so far. Just overjoyed.”
Alexander,68, is one of the most prolificrushers in college football history.Bythe time his collegiate career endedin1978, he had become the first SEC tailback to eclipse 4,000 career rushing yards and 40 career rushing touchdowns. Today, he and Cannon are the only LSU players who have twice finished top10in the Heisman Trophy voting.
LSU almost missed its chance to sign Alexander,who initially told Stovall that he didn’twant to move to Baton Rouge. Houston was much closer to home.
Butthe Tigers wonout in the end, Alexander said, because he thought his skillset was tailored more to their I-formation offense than it was to the veer that the Cougars were running at the time. Alexander was atrack star in high school. He had elite straight-line speed, but he lacked the short-area quickness he needed to play running back at an elite level in the SEC As afreshman, Alexander pickeduponly 301 yards on 108 rushes (2.8 yards per carry) So, he decided to skip the spring track seasontofocus on improving as arunning back. Alexander jumped rope and played racquetball.
The training unlocked Alexander’sagility,which allowed him to reach the second level of defense anduse his breakawayspeed to leave tacklers behind. He ran for 876 yards as asophomore, 1,686 as ajunior and 1,172 as asenior
Today, Kevin Faulk and Dalton Hilliard are the only LSU tailbackswith more career rushing yards than Alexander (4,035), who also has theTigers’ fifth-best career rush yards per gameaverage (92) andtheir second-highest single-season rush yards per game average (153)
Alexanderisthe only LSU player who’sever taken more than 40 carries in agame, and he diditthreetimes —once in 1978 and twice in 1977. The 311 rush attempts he tallied as ajunior in 1977 is stilla Tigers’ single-season record.
“I felt like that Igot myself in greatphysical condition,” Alexander said. “Tobeable to carry afootball sometimes 40 times a game,ittook some endurance. I gothurtsome, butI didn’thave anymajor injuries.”
After Alexander wrapped up hisLSU career,herushedfor over 2,600 yards across the seven seasonsheplayed in theNFL with the Cincinnati Bengals. He then returned to BatonRouge to work as an academic advisor for LSU athletes and adevelopment officer at theTiger Athletic foundation before he movedback to Houston to work in the oil andgas industry.
Alexander also owns the company that manufacturesanallpurpose Cajun seasoning brand called C’mon Man
LSU’sathleticshall of fame committee voted to retire Alexander’snumber in May,a movethat will give his name apermanent place in Tiger Stadium alongside thelegendary player and coach who drove to Houstonover five decadesago to makesure he’d sign with the Tigers. “It’s been ajoy,man” Alexander said. “It’sreally something thatI’m proudof, andI’m just happy that Ilivedtosee this day.”
LSU senior center Braelin Moore will be availabletoplayfor this weekend’smatchup againstFlorida, coach Brian Kelly said Thursday. “Braelin took all of the reps withthe first team,” Kelly said.“He’sreadytogo. Moore suffered aleft ankle injuryonthe first snap of LSU’swin over Louisiana Tech last weekend.Hewas listedasquestionabletoplayon Wednesday’sSoutheasternConference availability reportand spentthe end of last Saturday’sgame wearing streetclothesand awalkingboot Multiplereports on Sundaysuggestedthat Moorehad suffered ahigh ankle sprain. Kelly said thatwasn’t the case on Monday. “Wedidn’t getthe true sense that we have ahigh ankle sprain with Braelin,”Kelly said Monday.“There was nothingthat gave us that sense when we looked at the MRI that this is atightropeprocedure and he’sgoing to be out for four weeks.”
Sophomore tight end Trey’DezGreen and redshirtsophomore wide receiver Destyn Hill were also listedasquestionabletoplayonthe SEC injuryreport. Green, Kelly said Thursday, will likely bea game-timedecision as to whether he’ll be available against the Gators.
Green suffered aright knee injuryagainst Louisiana Tech.Hill fractured his left hand in Week 1against Clemson, an ailment that required surgery. Theonly other Tigerlisted on Wednesday’s injury reportwas defensive lineman Zion Williams. Kelly said Williams is in concussionprotocol. Koki Riley
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Wesleyan —isnow the backup right guard.
“Ryan is awalk-on guy whoworks his tail off for us,” Desormeaux said. “He’smore ready than some of those young guys that we’ve got. So he’ll provide good depththere for us, too.” The new backup at right tackle is redshirt sophomoreXzavier Brown (6-6, 320).
“Xzavier is ayoungguy who is coming along,” Desormeaux said.
“I’m not saying now it’shis time and he’sreallyready,but he’s been on that depth chart. If it’stimeto go, he’sgot to go.”
On the flipsideofthe injury report, redshirt sophomore J’Marion Gooch is backatreserve left tackle
after missing the first two games with an injury LBsshining Through two games, theprocess of replacing leading tackler K.C. Ossai is going better than expected Asignificantpart of the solution hasbeenplayers —includingTerrenceWilliams and Jaden Dugger —transitioning fromother positions, as wellasspecial teams standout Jake St.Andre playing more at his natural position.
Then there’sCaleb Kibodi growinginhis usual position.
“I think just knowing the second yearofbeing inthe defense, Ican playfaster now because Iunderstand the scheme better,”Kibodi said.“It canbedifficultswitching fromthe old defense to anew defense.”
Yes, the nature of theposition makes it so, but the four leading
BY LUKE JOHNSON and RODWALKER Staff writers
Afew weeks beforethe start of theregular season,the Saintsfound themselves in dire need of acapable swing tackle after Landon Young suffered an ankle injury that put him on season-ending injured reserve. So the Saints dippedinto their pool of draft resources andput together atrade for Asim Richards, sending afuture sixthround pick to the Dallas Cowboysinexchange for Richards and aseventhrounder New Orleanscouldn’thave known howquickly it would need Richards.
Taliese Fuaga played just46offensive snaps before heading to the benchwith akneeinjury against the Arizona Cardinals —and it was evident from his performance that he’d been trying to play through thepain before leaving thegame.
New Orleans called on Richards and dropped him into thefire at right tackle, andcame away pleased with hisperformance after only afew weeks with the team.
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Staley uses thephrase “the road lesstraveled” with Yiadom. And that’stechnically true: Not many in the NFL have acareer arc quite like the 29-year-old.
But in the literal sense,ashe prepares toface his former team Sunday when the Saintshost the 49ers, Yiadom has traveled alot of roadstoget to this point. Andhe’s arrived at his destination.
“If Ihad to go back, of course I wish Ididn’t(have to play for so many teams),”Yiadomsaid. “But everything happens for areason. The only benefit of it is Igot the chance to play in so manydifferent defenses for so manydifferent (coordinators), see differentoffenses, play in the AFC, in the NFC.
“I’ve hada chance to play against damn near everyreceiver in the NFL already.You know what I mean?Sothere’snomoment too big, no opponent too big. So that’s why things are good.”
Things weren’t always good. Athird-round pickin2018 outof BostonCollege, Yiadom lasted justtwo seasons with the Denver Broncos before being traded to the New York Giantsin2020. Another season led toanother trade —this time to Green Bay
Looking back, Yiadom sees his opportunity with the Packersas aturning point in his career.That year,hefelthedid everything he could to latch ontoaplace. He studiedhard. He practiced hard.But he primarilysaw actiononspecial teams,taking just9%ofGreen Bay’sdefensive snaps that season.
Headed to Houston, Yiadom was determined to move on. Not from football. But Yiadom realized his
tacklers on the defense so far are Duggerwith 14, Williams with 13 and Kibodi andSt. Andrewith seven apiece.
“It’sjustabout everybodybeing on the same page and communicating when you’re outthere,” Kibodi added. “When you know what you’re supposed to do, you tell the other guy,‘Hey,I got this,’ and now you’re feeding off each other.”
Outside linebacker coach Mike Giuliani always expected to see Williamsproducing like he has so far this season.
When Terrence first moved to linebackerinbowlprep week, he took arackatlinebacker and Isaid, ‘You might be lookingata Defensive Player of theYear in the Sun Belt right there.’That’s how good he looked.”
Very familiar with St. Andre as the specialteams coordinator,Giuliani isn’tsurprised how well he’s
Richards wasonthe field for 23 passing plays (including two spikes to stop the clock). He allowed two pressures, according to ProFootball Focus, but did not give up asack. He held up especially well on the final drive. On the sequence at the end of the game where the Saints were taking shots at the end zone, Richards stonewalledArizona’s priceyoffseason acquisition Josh Sweat on three consecutive plays. He also handled apair of defensive line stunts, passing off the outside rusher to right guard Cesar Ruiz and neutralizingthe loop defender. TheSaints mayneed to count on Richards again this week against SanFrancisco. While coach Kellen Moore suggested he doesn’tbelieve Fuaga’sinjury will keep him out long term,the second-yeartackle didnot participate in Wednesday’spractice.
Kroeger’sdebut
Punter KaiKroeger got his first taste of NFL action Sunday The undrafted rookie punted fourtimes,averaging 50.5 per punt. That average ranks ninth in
mentalitywas holding himback. If amistake happened, Yiadom would letitlingertoo much in his play. He playedtoo carefully, too cognizant of not wanting to make another mistake.
Thefollowing summer, Yiadom didn’tmake theHouston Texans’ 53-man roster —but he finally hadthe kind of training camphe wanted.
“I just started playing free,” Yiadom said. That freedom led to stability.In his second stint withthe Saints, he’snow the elder statesman in the cornerback room —even though he’syet to turn 30. His teammates affectionatelycallhim “Ike.” And Yiadomhas lovedtobea mentor: Rookie Quincy Rileysaidthe veteran always reminds him to pay attentionatall timesbecause you never know who is watching. Yiadomgives advice on what—and what not —todo.
“We’ve got asaying in our room: ‘Do it like Ike,’ ”saidthird-year cornerback Rezjohn Wright, who gleefully notes he was graduating high school whenYiadomentered theleague.
“(He’s) just been agreat example for ourprogram,” Staley said. Everystop presents the chance to gain experience, form new bonds. When he went to the49ers last year,Yiadom went to AllProlinebacker Fred Warner and showed him the handshake that he used to do with Demario Davison the Saints. That handshake would becometheir handshake.
Sometimes, Yiadom’s actions will take teammates by surprise. Afew weeks ago, Yiadom was on the phone in the team’scafeteria when then-Saints safety J.T.Gray, now withthe Ravens, becamesurprised once he overheard parts of theconversation. Yiadom was
adjusted to moreplaying time at linebacker
“Heplays toughand communicates,” Giuliani said of St. Andre.“When Jake’sinthe game, thecommunication’supand that makes Terrence anda guy like Dugger better players.”
Kickinggamebetter
At first glance, it might not seem that way,but Giuliani would give aslightly better grade to UL’s special teams in the second game.
That’sdespite new kicker Tony Sterner missing his first two field goals before later making two.
“It ain’tanability thing,” Giuliani said of themisses. “He’sgot plentyofleg. What Ilove the most about Tony is his mentaltoughness. WhenI tell you he’sunshakeable, Imean he’sasgood as it gets in that area, which Ilove. Ithink thewhole team believe that.
the league after Week 1. Kroeger,who playedatthe University of South Carolina, says it felt good to get his first real game under his belt.
“The preseason is abig deal, especially for rookies,” Kroeger said. “But that first regular season game, there’snofeeling like it. Ihad that ‘pinch me’moment afterwards when everything hit me. I’m getting to live out my childhood dream.Being aSaints fan my whole lifebecause of Drew Brees and ThomasMorstead, it wasa surreal momentfor me.” Kroeger’slongest punt was 54 yards. Twoofhis four punts landed inside the Cardinals’ 20-yard line.
Fuagareturns
Taliese Fuaga seemed confident he’d be back on thepracticefield this week,and he backed up his words Thursday Fuaga,who satout the fourth quarter of last week’sloss to the Arizona Cardinals with aknee injury,was back at Saints practice Thursdayafternoonasa limited participant.
speaking in Twi—the native language spoken in Ghana, which the cornerback grew up speaking at home.
Gray,according to Yiadom, had no idea that English, which the cornerback said he learned partly by watching “SpongeBob SquarePants” as achild, was Yiadom’ssecond language. Most teammates don’t.
“No, Idid not know that,” Wright said. “That’scrazy.”
The Saints, though, are counting on Yiadom to be morethan amentor For thelast two years, including his first stint in NewOrleans, Yiadom servedasa high-quality backup —aplayer who could fill in adequately whenneeded, leading to 13 starts in 34 games. But this year,Yiadom has been a starter from Day1.Hewas one of five Saints to play every defensive snap in Sunday’sseason-opening loss to the Arizona Cardinals. It wasn’tthe role most envisioned when the Saints signed Yiadom to athree-year,$9million deal in March. NewOrleans would draft Riley in the fourth round a monthlater,and theoutside consensus was that the twowould battleintraining camp forthe third cornerback spot. Yiadom, however,never ceded ground —hetook allthe starting snaps throughout OTAs and training camp, keeping the rookie at bay Eight years into his career,Yiadom is still finding newroads to travel.
Just don’ttell him that.
“Totell the truth, Ifeel like I’m in acompetition every single day,” Yiadom said. “I neverfeltlike I won ajob or arrived. …I’m going to keep doingwhat Igot to do to stay outthere,and that’show it’s going to be.”
“I just told him Iwant to see him leavewarmups in abetter place. It wasn’tasgood as the first week andsure enough, we missedthe first two.”
But the game beganwith Williams returning theopening kickoffwitha 50-yard return,and punter Nathan Torney got off a solid 43-yarder in his only punt.
After suffering twoholding flags in the opener,the only flag this time was lining up in the neutral zone on abotched field goal.
“Wedefinitely want to seeless penalties,” he said.“That’s frustrating. The first weeks with Courtland (Flowers) getting two of them and last week, we had the offsides on the field goal,whichcan never happen.That’sjustbad football We’re lucky it didn’tcost us worse.
“I tell the guys all the time, you can lose agame on special teams way faster than you win.”
BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer
For some football teams, homecoming week can be a distraction. But for the Lafayette High Mighty Lions, they couldn’t be happier about the celebration.
Homecoming is an opportunity to welcome back alumni and features themed dress-up days a dance and pranks such as toilet-papering houses of fellow students.
But for the Mighty Lions’ football team, homecoming signifies a return to their home stadium after playing at Lafayette Christian and Acadiana High the past three seasons. Lafayette High recently moved to a new campus and will play on its new artificial turf field for the first time.
“I gave my piece over the weekend about staying focused on what’s important,” coach Stephen Hearen said. “But it’s an exciting time. We got to practice on the field for the first time (Wednesday) and you could see how excited the players were.
“You only get four homecomings in our high school career, and this will be the first one on their own field. So they deserve to be excited.” The Lions, who will host St Martinville at 7 p.m. Friday last played
a home game on Nov 5, 2021.
“I expect the atmosphere to be great,” senior receiver Jamieon Brown said. “I expect the stands to be packed.”
“Since my freshman year, I’ve been wanting to play on our field,” senior running back Xzaban Williams said. “To now be able to play on it in my senior year, it’s amazing. The vibes around school are positive. Everybody’s hyped and the games are going to be packed.”
Playing on your home field is vital and creating a hostile environment for can make things challenging for an opposing team.
“Being able to play a true home game makes a big difference,”
Hearen said. “It makes a difference to the players and the student body There has been a level of pride that had been stripped away a little by not having your own stadium to play in. There is pride in protecting your home field.”
Hearen, in his first season as Lafayette coach, didn’t have to endure the constant road trips. But the two coaches that preceded him Garrett Kreamer and Cedric Figaro — are aware of the toll it took on the program.
“It was tough,” said Kreamer, who is now the coach at St Martinville. “Not only from a logistical
standpoint, but it was a pride thing. Having home field is something special. We had hoped at some point we would have been able to play on our field, but it didn’t come to fruition.”
Figaro, now an assistant coach at Northside, said playing the equivalent of all road games made things challenging.
“When you are on your home turf, you feel a comfort there,” Figaro said. “When you are at your house, you can kick your shoes off. But when you are at your neighbor’s house, you don’t do that unless they ask you to. Every week you are packing the kids on a bus with all of the equipment.
“It was very tough. It wears on you. It wasn’t our school. It was like we were renters or like we
were going to a hotel for the night. It doesn’t matter if you are going 10 minutes or two hours, home field pride means a lot.”
Kreamer and Figaro said there would be a strong fan turnout at Friday’s game.
“I’m looking forward to the opportunity to play there,” Kreamer said. “Obviously, I’ll be in different colors, but it will be fun.”
“It’s going to be the biggest thing Lafayette High has had in the last four years,” said Figaro, who won’t be able to attend because the Vikings have a game “If you graduated from Lafayette High, you should be there if you can. Friday is going to be huge. With the new field and the new school, this is going to be big.”
Although they will be facing
their former coach in their return to their homefield, Brown and Williams are focused on the task and not the reunion.
“It’s just another game to us,” Brown said. “St. Martinville looks pretty good (on film). They look like a disciplined team.”
Kreamer said he is focused on trying to get his Tigers to 2-0 instead of how his tenure ended at Lafayette High.
“Our focus is to keep the main thing, the main thing,” Kreamer said “I treat every game like it is a big game. Some people have called this game a ‘revenge game,’ but I won’t be calling it a revenge game. I let God fight all of my battles.” Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.
Tigers, Vikings look to go 2-0
BY MIKE COPPAGE
Contributing writer
The Westgate High School secondary had a field day with five interceptions in last week’s 28-20 win over Lake Charles College Prep, but its run defense will be in the spotlight Friday at home against Southside’s flexbone offense.
The Sharks only attempted seven passes in a 35-28 loss to Notre Dame, and four were on the final drive of the game.
“It will be an early playoff-style atmosphere,” Tigers coach Ryan Antoine said. “Southside is a Class 5A school that will be bigger and stronger than us. We have to play our type of football. We’ve never ran away from playing bigger competition. We have to play up in the playoffs (as a Class 4A program in Division I).”
Linebacker Aryo Fleming had a pick-six to give the Tigers (1-0) a 14-12 lead at halftime over LCCP
John Dauterive recorded two interceptions, while Makai Wells and Joshua John had one.
“I love the way Joshua John is playing,” Antoine said. “He had a kickoff return for a touchdown.
He’s becoming that all-purpose great that Westgate teams always have.”
The Tigers weren’t immune from the turnover bug, losing fumbles on three consecutive drives late in the game.
“I wasn’t too happy with how we played,” Antoine said. “I was happy we won the game Lake Charles College Prep is a strong ball club that gave us fits in a lot of areas.”
Antoine, who praised new defensive backs coach Damien Francis, has a goal of getting better each week
“Last week was typical Week 1,”
he said “If you’re playing your best ball in the first game, you’re probably not going to be too strong late in the season LCCP presented some things defensively we hadn’t
seen. They’re a very fast, athletic team.”
Last week, Notre Dame focused on stopping Southside’s fullback and slotbacks. Quarterback Parker Dies rushed for 122 yards on 16 carries, but fullback Justin Williams (a 1,000-yard rusher in 2024) was limited to six carries for 18 yards. No other back ran for more than 28 yards.
Northside encouraged
When asked about his team, Northside coach Jacarde Carter replied that the Vikings are trending up.
Northside, which hosts Sulphur (1-0) on Friday, trounced Ville Platte 49-6 in the season opener That came on the heels of a 6-0 jamboree loss to Southside that saw the Vikings make crucial defensive adjustments after the first drive.
“We weren’t that sharp offensively in the first half against Ville Platte, but we were defensively where most of our (20) seniors are,” Carter said. “We mainly held them to negative yardage in the
first half.”
In addition to a robust senior class, the Vikings are benefiting from the addition of coaches Vincent DeRouen and Jack Phillips. DeRouen, who coached Carter and several members of the current staff during his tenure as NHS head coach, is the school’s new athletic director after a stint at St. Martinville with Phillips, who was selected in the NFL draft and has experience as a collegiate assistant and high school head coach.
“We have a resilient bunch of guys,” Carter said “We’re building, and we’re going to fight.”
Though DeRouen’s primary focus is on defense, he is “sprinkled all over the place,” Carter said.
“You don’t limit a guy like him.”
Middle linebacker JeKaven Felix and linebacker/defensive back Kavin Mouton (three tackles for loss) combined for 13 tackles. Lineman Lederius Williams was “moving people against his will,” and Tavion Arceneaux had a picksix and a 69-yard catch on offense.
“We’re senior-heavy on the de-
fensive side,” Carter said. “Offensively, we have a good balance of youth and older guys.
“Sulphur has a solid defense that runs to the ball. We have to run the ball effectively, convert our shots in the passing game and stay on point defensively.”
Kameron Celestine led the Vikings in rushing with 61 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Sophomore quarterback Chace Dugas added 44 yards on 11 carries with two TDs.
Another sophomore, Kaleb Joseph, passed for 106 yards and two scores. Javante Broussard and 6-foot-4 senior Jai Joseph, who has a Nicholls State offer, combined for over 100 yards on five catches. Broussard had a touchdown.
Sulphur which defeated Northside last year 34-19, won its opener against St. Louis behind sophomore quarterback Dalton Shirley (12-16, 127 yards, two TDs).
“Sulphur has a solid group of kids who do things the right way,” Carter said. “They didn’t have many busted plays on defense.”
The Carden Circus brings contortionists, aerialists, magic and moretothe Lamar-Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales for performances at 11 a.m., 3p.m.and 7p.m. Saturday, and noon and 4p.m. Sunday. General admission tickets are $20 (discounts available). lamardixonexpocenter.com
In ‘SpinalTap II,’ thegroup is back with alittlehelp from some friends
BY MIKE SCOTT Contributing writer
Let’sbeunflinchingly honest: Thetrack record for comedy sequels shot in New Orleansis, frankly,less than impressive. There was 2020’s“Bill & TedFace theMusic,” which was anything but an excellentadventure. There was 2015’s“Hot TubTime Machine 2,” which was all wet. And as for 2019’s “Jayand Silent Bob Reboot” well, some things are best left unsaid. Consequently,the bar is lower than an 18-inch modelof Stonehenge for writer-director Rob Reiner’s41-years-later, New Orleans-shot mockumentary encore “Spinal TapII: The End Continues.” The question, then, isn’tif Reiner and company can clear said bar.Ofcoursethey can and of course they do.
It’swhether asequel to one of the most revered comedies of ageneration —and one that reunites the key playersfrom 1984’s“This is Spinal Tap” —can exceed its own lofty expectations by living up to the belovedoriginal. For the most part, it does.
PHOTO PROVIDED By
KyLE KAPLAN/BLEECKER STREET
Michael McKean reprises his role as rocker David St. Hubbins in the 41-years-later mockumentary sequel ‘Spinal TapII: The End Continues.’
Silliness, firstand foremost
To be clear,audiences shouldn’texpect anythingprofound here.Nothing groundbreaking. That’show sequels work, and “Spinal TapII” is no different.
Just like its predecessor,it is built on silliness, firstand foremost, taking viewers backstage for the fake preparations of afake concert reuniting the members of afake —but hilariously accurate —heavy metal band. It is finely tuned silliness, however,delivered by atrio of comedypros —Christopher Guest, MichaelMcKeanand HarryShearer —who after all these years, inhabit their characters with an easy effortlessness that helps further sell the illusion.
Even more importantly, these guys still rock. Yes, Spinal Tap’ssongs are parodies, but ä See REVIEW, page 6C
LAINEY WILSON’S ‘WHIRLWIND’ TOUR
7p.m.Friday, Raising Cane’s RiverCenter Arena, Baton Rouge l 7p.m.Saturday, Brookshire Grocery Arena, Bossier City l Tickets at ticketmaster.com.
By ERIC RyAN ANDERSON
BY JUDYBERGERON | Staff writer
Lainey Wilson sits on thefrontporch of her Nashville home on aFriday afternoon, petting her dogs
It’sararity at present —afew consecutive days off theroad —and one of country music’sreigning “it girls” is taking fulladvantage of it
Back on the tour bus this week, she headed to her favorite place: Louisiana. A14-year Nashvillian though she is,the Bayou State will alwaysbehome. The singer-songwriter native of Baskin, 33, will play the secondoftwo show dates on Friday at theRaising Cane’sRiver Center ArenainBaton Rouge beforeher next stop, Bossier City, for aSaturday night performance at Brookshire Grocery Arena.
It’sall in supportofher latest album, “Whirlwind,” released in August 2024, its 14 tracks areflection of her rise to fame.
See WILSON, page 6C
FRIDAY
ZYDECO JAM: Bayou
Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 4 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Cane River Pecan Company Pie Bar, New Iberia, 5 p.m.
MARLON G.: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.
AUDREY BROUSSARD: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
BURRIS: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
FRIDAY NIGHT JAM: La Maison de Begnaud, Scott, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
KALEB OLIVIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.
GARRETT ROSEN TRIO: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 7 p.m.
OPERA: “ORPHEUS & EURIDICE”: Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
ALPHONSE ARDOIN & ZYDECO KINGZ: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
AMIS DU TECHE & RED
MCADAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m.
GROOVE UNIT: Toby’s
Continued from page 5C
they are so well written and performed, so infused with genuine musicianship, that it’s hard not to rock along with the ridiculousness of it all.
“Bangers,” the kids would call them today, and as absurd as their lyrics often are — Guest, McKean and Shearer perform them without a trace of irony or cynicism, making them that much more amusing Elder statesmen reunite
Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.
LA ROXX: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9 p.m.
SATURDAY
DONNY BROUSSARD
BAND: Fred’s, Mamou, 8 a.m.
GENO DELAFOSE & FRENCH ROCKIN’ BOOGIE: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8 a.m.
SATURDAY MORNING JAM SESSIONS: Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9 a.m.
CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park, Lafayette, 9 a.m.
CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.
CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC
JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1 p.m.
ZYDECO CAPITAL JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center Opelousas, 1 p.m.
CAJUN JAM SESSION: Touchet’s Bar, Maurice, 2 p.m.
SPARE PARTS BAND: Cypress Cove Landing, Breaux Bridge, 3 p.m.
DIKKI DU ZYDECO
KREWE: Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 4 p.m.
OPERA: “ORPHEUS & EURIDICE”: Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
BARET FRITZ: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
CAJUN BREAKFAST: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6 p.m.
JACK WOODSON: Charley
HHH
CAST: Christopher Guest, Michael McKean, Harry Shearer, Rob Reiner, Kerry Godliman,Valerie Franco, Paul McCartney, Elton John.
DIRECTOR: Reiner
RATED: R for language including some sexual references.
RUNNING TIME: 1 hour 25 minutes WHEN AND WHERE: Now playing in wide release.
As we catch up with them all these decades later, their fictional rockers have become gray-haired and pot-bellied elder statesmen of the rock scene. They are also, we learn, reuniting for a one-night-only show some 15 years after last performing together Naturally documentary director Marty De Bergi (Reiner) and his camera crew are there to document it all, including the band’s rehearsals and the subsequent backstage drama — as they prepare for the big night.
As with the original, this isn’t a roll-in-the-aisles comedy The humor here is built as much on nuance and wordplay as anything else, zeroing in on the sublime ridiculousness of the music industry
It also squeezes as much mileage as it can out of its numerous cameos, most memorably from rock luminaries Paul McCartney and Elton John. Also figuring prominently is New Orleans itself, which serves as the backdrop for Reiner’s film.
N.O. scenery and more Reiner, who previously made 2016’s “LBJ” and 2017’s “Shock and Awe” in the city, makes effective use of New Orleans’ presence, infusing the film with its charms but without overplaying it.
You can expect obligatory beauty shots of
Continued from page 5C
Friday at baileyzimmermanmusic.com.
The tour title reflects that of Zimmerman’s recently released sophomore album.
“The album includes country radio’s #1 hit superstar collaboration ‘Backup Plan’ featuring Luke Combs as well as other hits such as ‘Lost’ featuring The Kid LAROI, ‘Holy Smokes,’ ‘Holding On’ and more,” the release states.
“The R&B Lovers Tour” will make a stop at the arena on June 5.
Jackson Square, Lafayette Cemetery No. 1 and other postcard-worthy images. But Reiner goes deeper The band’s temporary rehearsal space, for example, is at Bywater Studios on Dauphine Street (the one adorned with Brandan “BMike” Odums’ striking crayon kid mural) Their reunion concert is at Lakefront Arena, which audiences of a certain age will remember as the real-life local epicenter of arena rock back in the day At one point, legendary local bluesman Little Freddie King gets a few moments to shine as a French Quarter busker Sure, one could quibble that not every punchline lands as intended. A joke about Stormy Daniels, for example, already feels dated One could also question whether Sirs Paul and Elton are really the most appropriate on-stage match for heavy metal gods like Spinal Tap. But, then, when performers of their stature agree to appear in your film, you let them, I suppose. In the end, it all amounts to something of a cinematic victory lap, but one played with finesse and just enough fresh material to make the encore worth it. In a world of bloated reboots and soulless sequels, “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” earns its place on the setlist.
The tour features Keith Sweat, Joe (Joseph Lewis Thomas), Dru Hill and Ginuwine Tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday at Ticketmaster.com.
“With powerhouse vocals and chart-topping hits, ‘The R&B Lovers Tour’ promises to be the ultimate celebration of the genre, uniting four legendary acts on one stage,” according to the release.
Headliner will be Sweat, the award-winning pioneer of New Jack Swing whose career spans more than three decades and includes 25 million-plus records sold. His hits include “Twisted” and “Nobody.
G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
PRENTICE JAMES: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s
Brick Oven Pizza & Brewery, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6 p.m.
ABI CLAIR: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.
THE LAGNIAPPE BAND: El Paso Mexican Grill, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.
ANDREW WAIN JAZZ: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 7 p.m.
BACK ALLEY BAND: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7 p.m.
CATAHOULA BAND: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 7 p.m.
COLEMAN WILLIAMS IV, JAYKE ORVIS & THE BULL**** BROTHERS, THE LYIN SHAMES: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
DOUBLE KNOCKOUT: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
MAGNOLIA SISTERS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
STEVE RILEY & C4: La Poussiere, Breaux Bridge, 8 p.m.
LEROY THOMAS & THE ZYDECO ROADRUNNERS: Lakeview Park, Eunice, 8 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 8 p.m.
By The Associated Press
Today is Friday Sept. 12, the 255th day of 2025. There are 110 days left in the year
Today in history: On Sept. 12, 2013, Voyager 1, launched 36 years earlier, became the first man-made spacecraft ever to leave the solar system.
Also on this date: In 1940, the Lascaux cave paintings, estimated to be 17,000 years old, were dis-
Continued from page 5C
“Oh my goodness. I mean, to tell you the truth, there’s nothing like going home,” she said by phone last week. “I remember a little girl at a meet-and-greet asked me not too long ago, she said, ‘Miss Lainey, if you could be anywhere in the world right now, where would you wanna be?’ And I said, ‘home.’ And what I mean by that is Louisiana.”
The current ACM Entertainer of the Year makes trips back to her home state a few times a year, albeit sometimes with an ulterior motive.
“So I try to time it up perfectly for crawfish to be in season, but that don’t always work out,” the “Bell Bottoms Up” singer admitted “Whenever I was living in my camper here in Nashville, the first three years I was living in Nashville, I would just kind of show up back home and my family would be like, ‘I didn’t even know you were coming home.’ I said, ‘I wasn’t coming home to see y’all. I was coming home to get me some crawfish.”
With a spacious country home sitting on 12.2 acres in Music City and featuring 14 fireplaces, a gourmet kitchen, an infinity pool and sports court, many might view a camper stint as something they’d prefer to forget. Not Wilson.
“While I was doing it those three years, I just kind of felt like, man, this is what I gotta do It never really even crossed my mind to pack it up and go home,” she recalled. “Looking back on it now, I’m like, how in the world did I do that? And why in the world? You know where did that piece come from that just told me to, like, keep on holding on?”
That challenging period also yielded life lessons.
“I think it taught me a lot about perseverance and taught me that the music business wasn’t gonna be easy I’m glad that I did it, but I don’t know if I could go back and do it again,” she said.
Chances of that seem
THE CARTOONS: Toby’s Lounge, Opelousas, 8:30 p.m.
THE CHEE-WEEZ: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9:30 p.m.
SUNDAY
GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.
LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m.
BAL DU DIMANCHE — LEROY THOMAS & THE ZYDECO ROADRUNNERS: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1 p.m.
CAJUN JAM LED BY TOMMY MICHOT: Bayou Teche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2 p.m.
WAYNE TOUPS, JAMEY
BEARB & FRIENDS: Cypress Cove Landing, Breaux Bridge, 3 p.m.
FORET TRADITION: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 4:30 p.m.
JAKE SPINELLA: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
STOP THE CLOCK COUNTRY JAZZ: Feed N Seed, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
LUKE HUVAL BAND: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
STEP RIDEAU: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 5 p.m.
MONDAY
PATRICIO LATINO SOLO:
Cafe Habana City, Lafayette, 11 a.m.
SAM SPHAR: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts, Lafayette, 6:30 p.m.
TUESDAY
TERRY HUVAL & FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
JAZZ TRIO: Charley G’s Seafood Grill, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
ROB SAXXY: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
KILLER KARAOKE: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
WEDNESDAY
DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 10 a.m.
MERCREDI SHOW: TRAVIS
MATTE & THE KINGPINS: Pelican Park, Carencro, 6 p.m
LIVE MUSIC: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
WANTED WEDNESDAY
KARAOKE: The Barrel of Broussard, Broussard, 6 p.m
ANDREW WAIN JAZZ: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
JADA & KEVIN: The Tap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m.
CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
covered in southwestern France.
In 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Cooper v. Aaron, unanimously ruled that Arkansas officials who were resisting public school desegregation orders could not disregard the high court’s rulings. In 1962, in a speech at Rice University in Houston, President John F. Kennedy reaffirmed his support for the manned space program,
declaring: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
In 2003, in the Iraqi city of Fallujah, U.S. forces mistakenly opened fire on vehicles carrying police, killing eight of them.
Today’s birthdays: Actor Linda Gray is 85. Singer Maria Muldaur is 82. Author Michael Ondaatje is 82. Actor Joe Pantoliano is 74. Pho-
THURSDAY PAUL TASSIN: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6 p.m.
STREET SIDE JAZZ: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 6 p.m
LADIES NIGHT W/DJ
DONOVAN: Cowboys Nightclub, Scott, 6 p.m.
LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-nDuson, Duson, 6 p.m.
DUSTIN SONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.
WHISKEY BAY: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
ONE HUNDRED YEARS OF CLIFTON CHENIER
FEATURING C.J. CHENIER: Acadiana Center for the Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
LADIES KARAOKE NIGHT W/MYLES MIGL: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.
SWAMPLAND STRING BAND: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8 p.m.
KARAOKE PARTY W/ PANDA ENTERTAINMENT: Black Bull, Youngsville, 8 p.m
Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’s paper.
tographer Nan Goldin is 72. Composer Hans Zimmer is 68. Actor Rachel Ward is 68. TV host-commentator Greg Gutfeld is 61. Actor-comedian Louis C.K is 58. Golfer Angel Cabrera is 56. Country singer Jennifer Nettles (Sugarland) is 51. Rapper 2 Chainz is 48. Singer Ruben Studdard is 47. Basketball Hall of Famer Yao Ming is 45. Singer-actor Jennifer Hudson is 44. Actor Alfie Allen is 39.
By
Lainey Wilson poses with the awards for album of the year for ‘Bell Bottom Country,’ female artist of the year, and music event of the year and visual media of the year for ‘wait in the truck’ in the press room at the 58th annual Academy of Country Music Awards.
slim, what with her multiple CMA and AMC statuettes and a Grammy, her successful five-album discography, concert tours, clothing collaboration, her own Nashville nightspot, occasional acting gig and corporate relationships. One of the latter ties in to her “Bar in Baton Rouge” song.
“I spent a lot of weekends down in Baton Rouge at the LSU ball games. I think that might be the first place I ever had a daiquiri.
You know, south Louisiana people, they just like to have a good time,” Wilson explained. “So, whenever I was putting this record ‘Whirlwind’ together a couple years ago, I really was just trying to make sure that I was writing about things that kind of helped me keep both feet on the ground.
“It’s just cool to see like how a song idea can just become other things, you know? I mean, like at the end of the day I wrote ‘Bar in Baton Rouge,’ because I love where I’m from, and now it ended up inspiring a Coors Light campaign called Beer in Baton Rouge,” she said. For Wilson, songwriting is centered on storytelling.
“That’s why I fell in love with country music to begin with. So I felt like I knew the folks on the radio and I felt like they were talking directly to me. And I just kind of got bit by that storytelling bug,” she said. “So I’d say 90% of the time when I sit down, it always starts with an idea. So I have what I call on my phone, I call up my hook book, and I just kind of scroll through my ideas and try to put myself into the shoes of whatever it is that I’m writing about.
“Songwriting has taught me a lot about life, about myself, about other people. And, it’s given me a way to communicate when I feel like I didn’t have the words, you know? We’re all just trying to figure out how to say I love you, I miss you, or kiss
my butt in a million different ways,” Wilson said. Serendipitously, her songwriting caught the attention of “Yellowstone” showrunner Taylor Sheridan, who not only dropped a few of Wilson’s songs into the critically acclaimed cowboy drama but also eventually created the character of cowgirl/singer Abby for the Paramount series’ fifth season. “I had never done anything like that in my life, but I said, sign me up,” she recalled. “You know, if it’s a way for me to share my art and my music with the world, then even if it sounds a little scary, let’s do it but flying by the seat of my pants.”
This can-do attitude, combined with her honest songwriting and down-to-earth spirit, have led to charttopping, eye-popping album sales figures. “Whirlwind” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard Top Albums sales chart a year ago. Her previous album, “Bell Bottom Country,” was certified platinum in 2025. In addition, her “Whirlwind” tour goes global in 2026, with stops in New Zealand, Australia and more. She hopes her audiences there, and everywhere, somehow find their story in hers. She puts it like this: “That’s a songwriter’s dream, to be honest. I think people just want to feel seen and heard and connected, and hopefully they’re finding that in my music.”
VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept.22) Take control. Know what you want, put aplan in place and do what you do best. If you follow your heart, you'll find your peopleand thepastimes that make you sparkle.
LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Put ato-do list in place andresolveall issues and updates. Be open to suggestions, but be careful whom you trust. If you act in haste, you will likely find yourself having to backtrack.
scoRPIo (oct.24-nov. 22) Get moving. Participating in events or joining organizations thatfoster socializing and connection can help you gain confidence and attract engaging and supportive friendships.
sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Your intentions aregood andyour ideasunique, but your timing is off. Take abreak and give yourself achance to digest information andrethink how you proceed.
cAPRIcoRn (Dec.22-Jan. 19) Use your experience, timeand energy to bring about positivechange. Opportunities are within reach, and partnerships look promising. Share and prosper.
AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Achange won't be as it appears. Take amoment to analyze what's unfolding before you and thendon't hesitate to let others know what you are thinking and feeling.
PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Sittight, watch what's happening around you and look fora practical approach that will sat-
isfy your needs. Put your best foot forward and choose peace over discord.
ARIEs (March 21-April19) Use your imagination, and you can turn your creativity into alucrative endeavor. Attending functions will helpconnect you to peoplewho can offer positive feedback.
tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Sign up for something entertaining, engaging and physically rewarding, and you'll enjoy the outcome. Achance to join forces with someonetryingtoreach thesame goal will speed up the process.
GEMInI(May 21-June 20) Be careful what you sign up for. Someone will try to persuade you to participate in somethingcostly. Workingathometo improve your environment or lifestyle will bring the best return.
cAncER (June 21-July 22) Don't let anger take hold; staying calm and offeringalternatives will lead to progress. Home improvements will encourage you to have peopleover. Take time to pamper yourself.
LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Invest in your future. Take better care of yourself and your interests. Refuse to let emotions interfere with decisions, especially when partnerships, reputation and finances are involved.
Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squaressothat each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases fromMonday to Sunday
Puzzle Answer
By PHILLIP ALDER
PattiStanger,whotriestofindromance for millionaires, said, “Ifyou’re going to getengaged, make sure you’ve talked to your partner aboutlife together in the years to come.”
Ifyou’reforminganewbridgepartnership, make sure youdiscuss as much as possible,especially leads and signals.
Whenanexpert defends with aless experiencedplayer,hecanusuallysignal to tell his partnerwhat to do. Of course, thisassumes thatthe lessexperienced playeriswatching and interpreting correctly
However,there will be deals in which the expert will notbesure which way to turn. Today’s is an example. South is in threehearts.Westleadsthespadeseven. South wins on the board andcalls for a lowtrump. Whatshould happen after that?
South bravelyfound athree-heart weak jump overcall. Westwanted to makeanegative double, but wasnot strong enough. And East felt too weak to balancewith three spades. Note that double-dummy (everyone knows allof the cards),todefeat four spades,South must obtain aclub ruff.
To beat three hearts here, the defenders must take oneheart, two diamonds, one club and adiamond ruff. So, East must take the second trick with his heart ace. Then West should drop thenine, a suit-preference signalshowing strong diamonds. Next, East will shifttothe diamond nine. West will taketwo tricks in thesuit and give his partner aruff. Finally, East will cashthe club ace for down one. If you and your partner watch the cards closely, use low trumps to send suit-preference signals.
©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
word game
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
toDAy’sWoRD VAnQuIsHInG: VAN-kwish-ing: Subduing completely.
Average mark 22 words
Time limit 50 minutes
Can you find39ormore words in VANQUISHING?
yEstERDAy’s WoRD —InFERRInG
infer infringe inner nine feign fern fine finer finger fining fire firer firing frier fringe fringier erring refining reign rein rerig rife ring ringer genii grief grin
Forfive decades, Arthur Hardyhas been our neighbor,our guide,and the keeper of our Carnival memories. From his Gentillykitchen tablein1977 to receiving the keytothe city in 2024,Hardy transformed himself from aBrother Martin band directorintothe man all about MardiGras. Hisannual guidehas reached over 3million readers, butfor us locals, Arthur is family, the trusted voicewho gets it right,who rodewithRex after documenting them for decades, whostood with us throughthe police strikeof’79,Katrina’saftermath, andevery magical momentinbetween. This 112-page celebration bringstogether the stories onlyArthurcould tell, filled with photographs thatcapture the paradesyou remember,the krewesyou cheered for,and the momentsthatmadeyou proud to be apart of MardiGras. ArthurHardyhas preservedthe soul of what makesusNew Orleanians, making this the perfect holiday gift for anyone whobleeds the purple,green andgold of MardiGras. Booksship in time for holidaygift-giving!
