The Acadiana Advocate 09-13-2025

CharlieKirkkilling suspectarrested

BY ERICTUCKER,ALANNA DURKIN RICHER, JESSE BEDAYNand HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

OREM, Utah

A22-year-old Utah man who was arrested and booked on murder charges in the assassination of Charlie Kirk held deep disdain forthe conservativeactivist’s provocative viewpointsand indicatedtoa family memberthat he was responsible for the shooting, authorities said Friday.

The arrest marked amajor breakina case that shocked the countryand raised freshalarms about political violence in a deeply polarizedUnitedStates.

Tyler Robinson had become“morepolitical” in the run-up tothe shootingand

mentioned during adinner with family that Kirk would be visiting Utah, Gov.Spencer Cox said at a news conference. The Republican governor cited as evidence engravings on bullet casings found in therifle that authorities believe was used in the attack, as well as chat appmessages attributedtothe suspect that aroommate shared with law enforcement.

ThegovernorcreditedRobinson’s family with helping turn him over toauthorities.

“Ladies andgentlemen,wegot him,” Cox said soon after the arrest was first heralded by President Donald Trumponthe Fox News show“Fox &Friends.”

Robinsonisbelievedtohaveacted alone, and the investigation is ongoing, Cox said. He was arrested on suspicion of capital murder,weapons and obstruction offenses. He was expected to be formally charged Tuesdayahead of an initial court appearance.

Robinson’sarrest lateThursday capped

22-year-old Utah manhad become ‘morepolitical,’ governor says ä See SUSPECT, page 5A

La.’sfirst carbon capturewellgetsapproval

Residentsquestion long-termimpacts of industry

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL Staff writer

hasdrawn serious concerns from residents who question its long-term impacts. The orderfromthe stateDepartment of Energy andNatural Resources comes morethan a yearand ahalf after the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency granted it authoritytopermit wellsfor the technology, which injects high-pressure carbon di-

oxideina near liquid stateinto formations deep underground. Issued based on welldrilling, seismic testing, computer modelingand other data,the new Class VI permit near Hackberry would allow an arm of Sempra Infrastructure to build awell that could pump up to 2million metric tons of carbondioxide annually for 20 years under Black

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

“Well, looks like thefedswill be back,” Jessica Broussard, aformer employee of the Lafayette District Attorney’sOffice recalled telling Assistant District Attorney Gary Haynes before the FBI raided his office in May 2023.

Broussard testified Friday morning in Haynes’ federal bribery trial in Lafayette. Her comment referredtoaprevious bribery schemeinthe District Attorney’sOffice, when Mike Harsonwas district attorney.Haynes’ wife, Barna, Harson’s longtimeassistant, went to federal prison for her role in that scheme. In that case, aLafayette private investigator,Robert Williamson, gave cash and items to Haynes and other employees to fast-track mostly operating-while-under-the-influence cases through thejudicialsystem and clear their records quickly Prosecutors were prohibited from telling jurors that Haynes’ wife wasinvolved in the earlier scandal. Broussard worked in the District Attorney’sOfficewhenthe FBIraideditin2011. She opened the door forthem,she said. Awitness forthe government, Broussard testifiedFridaythat shewas working in the office of Frederick “Fritz” Welter,anassistant districtattorneyinthe 15thJudicial District, when Haynes, who wasincharge of thepretrialinterventionprogram, asked hertorefer aspecificcasetohis office without consulting with Welter first.

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Theshare of Louisiana students who regularly miss school dropped 2percentage points last year —anotable improvement after absenteeism rates climbed two years in arow The state’schronic absenteeism rate hit 22.5% during the2024-25 school year, downfrom 24.6% theyear prior, according to data recently released by the state Department of Education. It still hovers slightly above the pre-pandemic rate of about 18% in 2018-19. The decline is positive news for Louisiana, which, despite being one of only three states whereaverage reading scores have rebounded to pre-COVID-19 levels, has struggled to address rising absenteeism.

Tyler Robinson

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON

UtahGov.Spencer Cox speaks Fridayatanewsconference as Utah Department of Public SafetyCommissionerBeau Mason,left, andFBI Director Kash Patellisten in Orem, Utah.

PHOTO PROVIDED By DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS Men stand outside an Ebola treatment center Sept. 7 in the remote Bulape Health Zone, Kasaï province, Democratic Republic of Congo, that was set up following the outbreak of the Zaire strain of the Ebola virus.

Ebola vaccine reaches epicenter of outbreak

KINSHASA Congo Limited access and required funding are the key challenges facing health officials trying to respond to the latest Ebola outbreak in southern Congo, the World Health Organization said on Friday It is the first Ebola outbreak in 18 years in Kasai province, a remote part of Congo with poor road networks, which is more than 621 miles from the nation’s capital of Kinshasa.

A United Nations peacekeeping helicopter was used to help deliver 400 vaccine doses to the epicenter, in the locality of Bulape, on Friday, Patrick Otim, WHO’s program area manager, said at a briefing in Geneva.

An additional 1,500 doses will be sent from the capital of Kinshasa, he said.

“We have struggled in the last seven days with access but are collaborating with MONUSCO (U.N. peacekeeping mission in Congo) now,” Otim said.

While the WHO and Congolese authorities have “ramped up efforts to have a full scale response” on the ground, “we need to be able to pay for the operations,” he added.

Since the outbreak was confirmed on Sept. 4, the number of suspected cases has increased from 28 to 68, Africa’s top health agency said on Thursday The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or Africa CDC, has so far reported 16 deaths.

WHO’s projected cost for the current outbreak over the next three months is $20 million while Congo’s national response plan is estimated at $78 million, said Otim.

A major concern has been the impact of recent U.S. funding cuts. The U.S had supported the response to Congo’s past Ebola outbreaks, including in 2021 when the U.S. Agency for International Development provided up to $11.5 million to support efforts across Africa.

At least 193 killed in 2 Congo boat accidents

KINSHASA Congo Two separate boat accidents this week in northwestern Congo killed at least 193 people dead and left scores missing, authorities and state media reported Friday The accidents happened on Wednesday and Thursday in the Equateur province.

One boat with nearly 500 passengers caught fire and capsized Thursday evening along the Congo River in the province’s Lukolela territory, Congo’s humanitarian affairs ministry said in a report. The report said 209 survivors were rescued following the accident, involving a whaleboat near the village of Malange in Lukolela territory

A day earlier, a motorized boat capsized in the Basankusu territory of the province, killing at least 86 people, most of them students, state media reported. Several people were missing, but the reports did not give a figure of how many It was not immediately clear what caused either accident

U.N. votes for two-state solution

BY EDITH M. LEDERER Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS — The U.N General Assembly voted overwhelmingly Friday to support a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and urge Israel to commit to a Palestinian state, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vehemently opposes.

The 193-member world body approved a nonbinding resolution endorsing the “New York Declaration,” which sets out a phased plan to end the nearly 80-year conflict.

The vote was 142-10 with 12 abstentions.

Hours before the vote, Netanyahu said “there will be no Palestinian state.” He spoke at the signing of an agreement to expand settlements that will divide the West Bank, which the Palestinians insist must be part of their state, saying, “This place belongs to us.”

The resolution was sponsored by France and Saudi Arabia, who cochaired a high-level conference on

implementing a two-state solution in late July, where the declaration was approved. The nearly two-year war in Gaza and the broader Israeli-Palestinian conflict are expected to be at the top of the agenda of world leaders at their annual gathering at the General Assembly starting on Sept. 22. The Palestinians say they hope at least 10 more countries will recognize the state of Palestine, adding to the more than 145 countries that already do.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, said the support for the resolution reflects “the yearning of almost everyone, the international community to open the door for the option of peace.”

Without naming Israel, he said, “We invite a party that is still pushing the option of war and destruction, and attempts to eliminate the Palestinian people and steal their land, to listen to the sound of reason — to the sound of the logic of dealing with this issue peacefully, and for the overwhelming mes-

sage that has resonated in this General Assembly today.”

But Israel’s U.N. Ambassador Danny Danon dismissed the resolution as “theater,” saying the only beneficiary is Hamas.

“This one-sided declaration will not be remembered as a step toward peace, only as another hollow gesture that weakens this assembly’s credibility,” he said.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, reiterated its opposition to the New York Declaration and the General Assembly resolution endorsing implementation of the two-state solution.

The resolution “is yet another misguided and ill-timed publicity stunt that undermines serious diplomatic efforts to end the conflict,”

U.S. Mission counselor Morgan Ortagus said. “Make no mistake, this resolution is a gift to Hamas.”

The declaration condemns “the attacks committed by Hamas against civilians” in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, a rare condemnation by Arab nations of Hamas.

World’s tallest sunflower is a tribute to Ukraine

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO and OBED LAMY Associated Press

FORT WAYNE, Ind. — When Ukrainian immigrant Alex Babich stands in his Indiana backyard craning his neck to look 35 feet into the sky he isn’t just staring at a sunflower He is looking at his roots — and his future legacy

The flower, nicknamed “Clover” and confirmed Wednesday by Guinness World Records as the tallest sunflower ever measured, stretches as high as a telephone pole.

Achieving the feat holds special significance for the 47-year-old Babich since sunflowers are the national flower of Ukraine.

Born and raised in Ukraine, he immigrated to the U.S. at age 14 in 1991 after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster Seven years ago, he started growing sunflowers as a symbol of his love for his home country Babich’s first sunflower was 13 feet tall, then 15, then 19

Quickly, he began asking himself, “How far can we take this?” Babich said the record-breaking flower was the result of “trial and error over years.”

“It’s one of my kids,” he said. “You’re out there every day taking care of it.”

Babich’s 10-year-old son also had an important contribution that earned the towering flower its name.

He would climb onto the scaffolding and place fourleaf clovers on the sunflower’s leaves, for good luck.

“I’m going to die someday, but the stories of this flower will live on,” he said. When measuring day came on Sept 3 Babich was nervous.

About 85 people had gathered to watch, including several master gardeners from a local university and representatives from the Allen County Department of Weights and Measures. Babich was on a WhatsApp call with a representative from Guinness World Records. A camera crew was filming, and a drone flew overhead.

Even Icy D. Eagle, the mascot of the Fort Wayne Komets minor league ice hockey team, was there, according to Guinness.

They used a 40-foot cherry picker to measure the flower Clover was 35 feet and 9 inches, 5 feet taller

than the previous world record holder in Germany

“It’s very emotional,” Babich said “It’s as good as it gets for someone who grows giants.”

Growing up amid food shortages in Ukraine sparked Babich’s love for gardening. His affection for sunflowers deepened after Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

“We just pray that the war will end, that the killing will stop,” Babich said

The sunflower has long been a national symbol representing peace in Ukraine, and since 2022, it has become a symbol of solidarity with the country

Judge releases redacted document used to justify search of Bolton home

BY ED WHITE Associated Press

A judge on Friday released a heavily redacted document used to justify a recent search of the home of John Bolton, who was national security adviser during the first Trump administration, saying that revealing more could harm a criminal investigation

The FBI’s search warrant affidavit said there was probable cause to believe classified information and national defense information were being illegally kept at Bolton’s Maryland home. Bolton has not been charged with a crime.

A coalition of news organizations had urged a judge in Maryland to unseal records related to the Aug. 22 search, citing a “tremendous public interest” that outweighed the need for continued secrecy U.S Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan, however, said limits were necessary

“The investigation involves matters of national security and highly classified materials to which the public has no right of access,” Sullivan said.

More than a dozen pages in the affidavit have partial or full redactions. The FBI seized phones, computer equipment and typed documents.

Bolton served for 17 months as national security adviser during President Donald Trump’s first term, clashing with him over Iran, Afghanistan and North Korea before being fired in 2019. He has criticized Trump’s approach to foreign policy and government, including in a 2020 book, “The Room Where it Happened,” that portrayed the president as ill-informed.

The search warrant affidavit says a National Security Council official had reviewed the book manuscript and told Bolton in 2020 that it appeared to contain “significant amounts” of classified information, some at top secret level.

The Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people, mainly Israeli civilians, and took about 250 hostage. Of those, 48 are still being held, including about 20 who are believed to be alive.

It also condemns Israel’s attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure in Gaza and its “siege and starvation, which have produced a devastating humanitarian catastrophe and protection crisis.” Israel’s offensive against Hamas has killed over 64,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry, which doesn’t distinguish between civilians and combatants.

The declaration envisions the Palestinian Authority governing and controlling all Palestinian territory, with a transitional administrative committee immediately established under its umbrella after a ceasefire in Gaza.

“In the context of ending the war in Gaza, Hamas must end its rule in Gaza and hand over its weapons to the Palestinian Authority,” the declaration says.

BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

NEW YORK Federal health officials intend to award a contract to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute to investigate whether there is a link between vaccinations and autism, according to a government procurement notice.

The Troy, New York, engineering school is getting the no-bid contract because of its “unique ability” to link data on children and mothers, according to the notice posted this week.

Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to questions about the notice, including how much the contract is for or what exactly the researchers intend to do.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading voice in the antivaccine movement before President Donald Trump selected him to oversee federal health agencies, announced in April a “massive testing and research

effort” to determine the cause of autism by this month. He has repeatedly tried to link vaccines to the condition.

An RPI biotech engineering professor, Juergen Hahn, has used artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques to look for patterns in blood samples of children with autism. Hahn “is renowned for the quality and rigor of his research,” RPI officials said in a statement acknowledging the intended grant.

“If this project is awarded, he intends to publish the results of his work at the conclusion of the project,” the statement added. The notice raises many questions, said Alycia Halladay, who oversees research activities and grants for the Autism Science Foundation.

Scientists have ruled out a link between vaccines and autism, finding no evidence of increased rates of autism among those who are vaccinated compared with those who are not.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL CONROy

Alex Babich climbs on the structure that surrounds his nearly 36-foot-high sunflower that holds the world record for the tallest flower at his home in Fort Wayne, Ind., on Thursday.

Trump says he’ll send Guard to Memphis

BY JONATHAN MATTISE Associated Press

NASHVILLE,Tenn.— President Donald Trump said Friday he’ll send the National Guard to address crime concerns in Memphis, Tennessee, his latest test of the limits of presidential power by using military force in American cities.

Speaking on Fox News, Trump said “the mayor is happy” and “the governor is happy” about the pending deployment. Calling the city “deeply troubled,”

he said “we’re going to fix that just like we did Washington,” where he’s sent the National Guard and surged federal law enforcement.

Tennessee’s Republican governor embraced the troop deployment as part of a broader law enforcement surge in Memphis, however Trump’s assertion drew pushback from the Democratic leader of Memphis, which is majority Black.

“I did not ask for the National Guard and I don’t think it’s the way to drive down crime,” Mayor Paul Young told a news conference Friday, while acknowledging the city remained high on too many “bad lists.”

Several Memphis leaders said they welcome federal help but don’t think it needs to involve the military Young committed to trying to help the deployment strengthen

the community without distracting from ongoing law enforcement efforts. He said federal officials should aim at the “root source of violent crime” and mentioned rehabilitation and mental health services, jobs and housing needs.

Gov Bill Lee said he planned to speak with the president on Friday to work out details of the mission

He said he’s still ironing out the best role for the National Guard alongside the FBI state Highway Patrol, city police and other law enforcement agencies.

“I’m grateful for the President’s unwavering support and commitment to providing every resource necessary to serve Memphians,”

Lee said in a statement. “Memphis remains on a path to greatness, and we are not going to let anything hold them back.”

The governor’s consent to the National Guard stands in sharp contrast to Democratic leaders in states like California and Illinois, who argue similar deployments undermine local authority and inflame tensions. The president has also suggested he could send soldiers to New Orleans, another majority-Black city led by Democrats in a Republican-leaning state.

Crime down, but troops coming

Since deploying the National Guard to Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., Trump has openly mused about sending troops to some of the nation’s most Democratic cities — including Chicago and Portland, Oregon — even as data shows most violent crime in those places and around the country has declined in recent years.

Trump said Friday he decided

to send troops into Memphis after Union Pacific CEO Jim Vena — who regularly visited the city while on the board of FedEx urged him earlier this week to address crime there.

The president’s announcement came just days after Memphis police reported decreases across every major crime category in the first eight months of 2025 compared to the same period in previous years. Overall crime hit a 25-year low, while murder hit a six-year low, police said.

Memphis high-profile killings

Despite the overall decrease, Memphis has dealt with stubborn gun violence problems for years. In 2023, the city set a record with more than 390 homicides.

Memphis has also seen several

high-profile killings in recent years. Rapper and independent music label owner Young Dolph was fatally shot at a cookie shop in November 2021.

In September 2022, schoolteacher Eliza Fletcher was kidnapped during an early morning run, and her body was later found near a vacant duplex. Days later, a man went on a daylong shooting rampage as he drove through the city leading to a citywide shelter-inplace order Three people were killed and three others wounded.

Republican state Sen. Brent Taylor, who backs the Memphis troop deployment, said Friday the National Guard could provide “administrative and logistical support” to law enforcement and allow local officers to focus on policework. The state’s two Re-

publican U.S. senators support the intervention.

The governor said Thursday the deployment would add momentum to an ongoing FBI operation in Memphis alongside state and local law enforcement which “has already arrested hundreds of the most violent offenders.”

The legal details

Asked Friday if city and state officials had requested a National Guard deployment — or had formally signed off on it — the White House didn’t answer It also didn’t offer a possible timeline or say whether federal law enforcement would be surged in connection with a guard deployment, as happened when troops were deployed to Washington.

Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU’s National Security Project, said in a news conference Friday that she could not speak directly to the legality of sending National Guard troops to Memphis because she doesn’t know whether the troops would be deployed under state or federal authority and what the legal justification would be.

Using soldiers for civil law enforcement, she said, “leaves our Fourth and Fifth Amendment rights searches, seizures, due process safeguards — in the hands of people who are not trained to uphold them, and it can chill the exercise of our First Amendment rights.”

In Washington, D.C., where the president directly commands the guard, Trump has used troops for everything from armed patrols to trash cleanup without any legal issues.

Critics see Supreme Court bowing to Trump

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WACO, Texas Justice Brett Kavanaugh says the genius of the American system of government is that no one should have too much power, even as he and other conservatives on the Supreme Court are facing criticism for deferring repeatedly to President Donald Trump.

Invoking the list of grievances against King George III that the nation’s founders included in the Declaration of Independence, Kavanaugh said Thursday the framers of the Constitution were set on avoiding the concentration of power

“And the framers recognized in a way that I think is brilliant, that preserving liberty requires separating the power No one person or group of people should have too much power in our system,” Kavanaugh said at an event honoring his onetime boss, Kenneth Starr, a former federal judge and solicitor general celebrated by conservatives who died in 2022. Trump’s aggressive effort

to remake the federal government did not come up inside a gymnasium on the campus of McLennan Community College in Waco.

Across the street from the event, though, several dozen protesters offered a different view of Kavanaugh and Trump.

“Basically, the Supreme Court has handed the country to Trump,” said J.W LaStrape, the head of the Baylor University Democrats who was among the protesters.

“BK- Trump Flunky,” one banner said. “Shame on You. No One is Above the Law,” a placard read in a reference to the court’s 2024 decision, which Kavanaugh joined, that helped Trump avoid prosecution for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss.

The court’s liberal justices also have objected to the conservatives’ repeated votes in favor of Trump’s emergency appeals to the Supreme Court, including the most decision this week to allow the resumption of sweeping immigration operations in Southern California.

Kavanaugh’s appearance in Waco highlighted Kavanaugh’s long history with Starr, most notably his stint as a prosecutor in Starr’s independent counsel investigation of President Bill Clinton. Starr became a household

name in the late 1990s because of his investigation of Clinton’s affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky

Kavanaugh pushed Starr to ask Clinton in graphic detail about phone sex and specific sexual acts, according to a 1998 memo.

“The President has disgraced his office, the legal system and the American people by having sex with a 22-year-old intern and turning her life into a shambles callous and disgusting behavior that has somehow gotten lost in the shuffle,” Kavanaugh wrote.

Starr followed Kavanaugh’s advice and his report, filled with the salacious details, was released in full by House Republicans, who ultimately impeached Clinton for lying under oath. The Senate acquitted him.

At a dinner honoring Starr a year later, Kavanaugh said Starr deserved a seat on the Supreme Court, though he acknowledged it was unlikely

In 2018, Starr was among those who publicly defended Kavanaugh, then a Supreme Court nominee, as he faced sexual misconduct allegations, including from Christine Blasey Ford, who said he groped her at a party when they were teenagers and

ICE officer shoots suspect after being dragged by car in Illinois, officials say

BY CHRISTINE FERNANDO and REBECCA SANTANA Associated Press

CHICAGO A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a suspect who tried to evade arrest Friday in a Chicago suburb by driving his car at officers and dragging one of them, officials said The shooting outside the city follows days of threats by the Trump administration to surge immigration enforcement in the nation’s third-largest city and less than a week into an operation labeled “Midway Blitz” by federal officials targeting the so-called sanctuary policies in Chicago and Illinois.

The Department of Homeland Security said in a news release that the officer was trying to arrest a man with a history of reckless driving who had entered the country illegally, but he refused officers’ orders and instead drove his car at them. An ICE officer who was hit and dragged by the car felt his life was threatened and opened fire, the department said.

ICE said both the officer and the driver from the shooting in the majority Hispanic suburb of Franklin Park, about 18 miles west of Chicago, were taken to a local hospital, where the suspect was pronounced dead.

ICE identified the suspect as Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez. The Associated Press was not able to immediately reach Villegas-

Gonzalez’s family members. Immigration advocates and local officials said they knew little about him as of Friday afternoon. The officer has not been identified.

“We are praying for the speedy recovery of our law enforcement officer He followed his training, used appropriate force, and properly enforced the law to protect the public and law enforcement,” Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.

Illinois Gov JB Pritzker said he is aware of the shooting and demanded “a full, factual accounting of what’s happened today to ensure transparency and accountability.”

Video from the scene shows police tape and traffic cones blocking off parts of the street where a large food distribution truck and gray car can be seen from a distance.

Multiple law enforcement vehicles were surrounding the area.

At a Friday news conference, immigration advocates argued that the Chicago area shooting represents how militarized immigration enforcement harms communities and demanded transparency and accountability from ICE agents involved in the shooting.

“The Trump deportation machine is out of control and operating with no transparency or accountability and leading to senseless harm to our communities,” said Lawrence Benito, executive director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights.

tried to remove her clothes.

Kavanaugh forcefully denied the allegations in an emotional statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, harking back to Starr’s investigation when he said “revenge on behalf of the Clintons” was part of the motivation for what he termed a “calculated and orchestrated political hit.”

Starr’s widow, Alice, introduced the justice Thursday, saying she was distraught when Kavanaugh’s character was called into question.

“Not one bit of negative press was true,” she said, adding that she was well familiar with such criticism from her husband’s time as independent counsel.

Starr served as dean of the Pepperdine University Law School in the Los Angeles area and then as president of Baylor University also in Waco. But he was forced out of the Baylor job in 2016 in the midst of a sexual assault scandal involving players on the school’s football team. A school-commissioned report found that Baylor did little to respond to the allegations.

Dream Address Awaits

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOSE LUIS MAGANA

Members of the Louisiana National Guard patrol the grounds of the Washington Monument at the National Mall in Washington on Sunday

Young Trump

HAYNES

Continued from page 1A

Haynes pressured her to refer the case, she said, despite her objections that Welter should be made aware.

“I said, ‘absolutely not,’” Broussard recalled. When Haynes insisted, she recalls responding, “Well, looks like the feds will be back.”

On his way out of her office, Haynes “backed out, looked at me, smirked and

WELL

Continued from page 1A

Lake southwest of Lake Charles.

Creating more than 200 construction jobs and up to 10 operating jobs, the project will include a proposed well site, compression facility and a 9-mile pipeline routed along existing rights of way to minimize impact.

It is among 33 being proposed statewide, according to a June 20 state tally. While it is the first approval in Louisiana, a handful have been permitted nationwide.

The storage operation by the Sempra arm, Hackberry Carbon Sequestration, would allow the company to cut the carbon intensity of its nearby liquefied natural gas facility, Cameron LNG, in a remote corner of Cameron Parish. The LNG is exported overseas.

Hackberry Carbon officials said the permit is an important milestone, but cautioned that the project needs additional engineering, commercial agreements and other approvals before the company can seek state authority to inject CO2 underground

“If that authorization is received, the project could reach final investment decision (FID) and then would move forward with the construction and commissioning of the CO2 pipeline, and the capture and compression facilities,” officials said in a statement.

They said they would follow the highest industry standards, “using proven and highly regulated protocols.” The storage area has the capacity to accept CO2 from other companies besides Cameron LNG the officials added.

State officials said the authorization to inject is more of an in-house permit that comes after drilling verifies well conditions are as expected.

The CO2 would be stored approximately 5,000 to 10,000 feet below the earth’s surface in a series of layers

ABSENTEEISM

Continued from page 1A

After absences spiked nationwide during the pandemic, most states saw their numbers fall in recent years — but until last school year, Louisiana’s rate continued to rise.

Worried that the state’s recent academic progress would be lost unless something was done state and local education leaders have made improving attendance a priority, and now those efforts appear to be paying off.

“I believe in what we’re doing, and I believe in our academic strategy,” state Superintendent of Schools Cade Brumley said in an interview Wednesday “If more kids are in school every day, they’ll have greater access to that strategy that’s producing results.”

Systems make strides

left,” Broussard said. Haynes faces six federal charges, including conspiracy to commit bribery, bribery using a cellphone in aid of bribery (two counts), conspiracy to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice. He allegedly conspired with Dusty Guidry, a former contract consultant with the pretrial intervention program, and Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques, to en-

roll more offenders into the PTI program, where they were steered toward classes offered through Franques’ business. The alleged offenders paid Franques’ company to take the courses. He allegedly agreed to split the proceeds with Haynes and Guidry Haynes and Guidry were hired by District Attorney Don Landry shortly after he took office in January 2021. Guidry who pleaded guilty

in March 2023 to three felony counts in a plea deal with federal prosecutors, is implicated as the architect of the kickback scheme as well as a Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries kickback scheme.

On Thursday, he testified that he was talking on the phone with a co-conspirator in the wildlife and fisheries scheme when Haynes overheard the conversation and said he wanted in.

The two men already were involved in a kickback scheme in the pretrial in-

tervention program in the District Attorney’s Office, he said. Guidry and Lafayette businessman Leonard Franques were almost finished setting up a scheme with thenLDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet where boaters and hunters with minor violations would pay to take online courses from Franques’ business, splitting proceeds among the three

The scheme was similar to what Guidry, Franques and Haynes were doing in the Lafayette District Attorney’s

Office, he said. The state agency, Guidry said, was 20 times bigger than the Lafayette pretrial program and could produce more revenue The trial continued Friday afternoon. Assistant U.S. Attorney John Luke Walker expected to call at least two witnesses Friday and finish up his case with another appearance by Doug Herman, the FBI’s lead investigator on the case, possibly on Monday

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate.com.

separated by what geologists believe to be impermeable shale rock, according to a well application.

The storage layers between the shale contain highly concentrated brine that isn’t suitable for drinking. The nearest freshwater aquifer stops at 1,090 feet underground.

The approval is the first for an actual, operating well in Louisiana. Previous approvals by the state were for test wells.

At the end of 20-year injection period, the total size of the underground plume has been modeled at 1,989 acres, according to a permit application. But the CO2 plume is also expected to keep growing to the west, projected to cover 2,325 acres in 120 years.

Hackberry Carbon’s modeling showed, however, that the highest pressure carbon dioxide, which would be at concentrations that could escape to the nearest drinking water aquifer if an underground pathway were available, would cover a far smaller area than the full CO2 plume

This concentrated area would be a mile or more from the nearest underground faults or oil and gas or other wells, the company’s consultant says Long-term CO2 plume projections have important implications for Louisiana’s government and its future taxpayers. Under state law, the sequestration operations and their massive reservoirs of underground CO2 become the responsibility of the state 50 years after injection ends.

State officials say they are making sure measures are in place to protect taxpayers long-term and avoid the kind of liability Louisiana currently has with orphaned oil and gas wells.

Rural opposition

Grassroots opposition has grown in some areas of conservative-leaning rural Louisiana where the major storage operations are proposed. Those proposals range from southwest Louisiana to Liv-

by 2 percentage points, and the rate in Orleans Parish dipped by half a percentage point.

Tensas Parish, a tiny rural district with about 300 students, saw the biggest overall reduction in chronic absenteeism: Its rate fell from roughly 44% in 2023-24 to 33% last school year

Tensas Parish Schools Superintendent Joyce Russ said that her staff has made a concerted effort over the past two years to stay on top of attendance data, identify students who are at risk of becoming chronically absent and reach out to families before the problem snowballs.

The most important strategy has been creating a welcoming school community where students feel seen and heard, Russ said, adding that she makes a point of forming a relationship with every child

“Kids need people in their lives who they know will be there for them, who they can count on,” she said. “That’s what I try to do.”

speed of permitting from some legislators. But a group of rural legislators also pushed during the spring session, with limited success, for bills that would block or restrict carbon storage and its delivery pipelines.

Speaking this month before industry executives, Dustin Davidson, the current secretary of DENR, acknowledged that the review process was taking “a long time,” though the department was working to expedite applications.

ciated CO2 line near La. 27, posing a risk to a key evacuation route. Industry groups, however, pointed to the large economic impact. State economic development officials have said that Louisiana has seen $61 billion in new projects with carbon capture storage or carbon capture utilization and storage, or CCUS, since January 2024.

Several of the state’s largest school systems experienced minor reductions in chronic absenteeism, defined as students who miss 10% or more of a school year.

Jefferson Parish and East Baton Rouge Parish saw their rates drop by 3 percentage points last school year, while Lafayette’s fell

Though most districts’ absenteeism rates declined last school year, 13 saw their numbers rise, including Cameron Parish, which increased by more than four percentage points, according to data.

Two districts, Richland and St. Tammany saw no change.

ingston and Tangipahoa parishes between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

Skepticism of climate change, feared impacts on water aquifers, CO2 pipeline leaks, land expropriation for pipelines and taxpayer support for projects have blended into a stew of opposition for some rural residents. Environmentalists also oppose the technology because they say it is unproven and will help prevent the transition away from fossil fuels to clean energy Industry officials and scientists say the technology is sound, well-suited for Louisiana’s geology and would allow important industries to decarbonize and be more competitive in foreign markets.

Though the projects may need other permits for pipelines, wetland impacts and other needs, DENR is the sole agency examining the nuts and bolts of the injection and storage facilities. The administrative process, with some public input, has required companies to drill test wells and collect proprietary seismic data to understand the underlying geology, produce modeling of carbon plumes and lay out methods for long-term monitoring.

Some seismic data remains secret even after projects go out for public hearings.

DENR issued the permit Sept. 5, but it wasn’t posted online until this week.

DENR officials detailed ways that they and Hackberry will be able to track

Focus on attendance

State leaders have put effort into reducing absenteeism.

In June, the state Education Department released guidance encouraging districts to focus on prevention methods and improving school culture, rather than punitive measures, to draw chronically absent students back to school. The department also encouraged districts to submit attendance data to the state more frequently to earlier spot students at risk of falling behind.

Brumley said that getting timely, reliable attendance data from districts is a critical first step in improving attendance statewide.

“We have much more confidence in the quality of the data,” he said, “which will be able to help us drive future decisions.”

Leaders in sectors beyond education have also been eager to help.

Louisiana Chief Justice John Weimer, who said he was alarmed by rising absenteeism, earlier this year proposed a “Solutions Summit” that would bring together stakeholders from across the state to discuss solutions to the absenteeism crisis.

The first-of-its-kind event took place Monday in Alexandria, drawing nearly 400 participants who work in school districts, court systems and community-based

the movement of the CO2 plume through the years, primarily through seismic and microgravity testing. The agency noted this and other continued testing should catch something that doesn’t match the modeling.

Department officials added they’ve reviewed geologic data and Hackberry Carbon’s still-confidential seismic information and are confident the plume will move west over the decades, not east toward existing wells, and that “no mapped” underground faults are “expected to impact movement or containment of the carbon dioxide plume.”

After a carbon injection well in Illinois leaked, federal officials recommended that the protective metal casings needed higher levels of chromium than previously required to resist corrosion from the acidic combination of CO2 and water Hackberry plans to have these chromium-heavy casings anywhere the wellbore touches carbon dioxide and in other pieces of well equipment, as well as corrosionresistant cement Long-term monitoring for equipment failure is required.

“Portions of the well that will not be in contact with carbon dioxide won’t be exposed to the same type of corrosive environment, so construction using other types of materials is acceptable,” department officials said.

Earlier this year, former DENR chief Tyler Gray faced questions about the

groups.

“What we need is buy-in from local areas and support from the state to help them implement guidance,” Weimer said in an interview

“We can’t dictate what the solutions are, but we can gather everyone together to collaborate.”

Davidson said he wasn’t “going to sugarcoat it,” but the review process for carbon injection wells has been difficult.

Complications include Louisiana’s more complex and varied geology, the newness of carbon capture technology for DENR and the proximity of some projects to communities.

“So, we have been taking our time to ensure not only that we do it, but we get it right because, at the end of the day, the most important thing when it comes to these permits is having defensible standard,” Davidson said.

‘Landmark decision’

Some industry groups hailed the permit as key in a necessary transition for Louisiana companies, while one environmental group accused the state of charging headlong into an unproven technology

Scott Eustis, community science director for Healthy Gulf, said DENR “is undertaking a new era of destruction of our waters and our coastal wetlands before fixing the hundreds of idle and broken oil wells in Black Lake, or ensuring the drinking water for Sulphur.”

He noted at least 149 inactive or older oil and gas wells are within 2.5 miles of Black Lake and 259 active drinking wells north of the injection zone. Eustis said Hackberry should have to plug those inactive wells, though the company’s application says they are far from the projected plume.

He also raised concerns about the safety of an asso-

Somewhat different from permanent carbon storage, like Sempra’s project, CCUS involves the reuse of carbon dioxide stored underground for things like enhanced oil recovery, in which CO2 pushes out more oil and gas from depleted fields.

“This landmark decision not only cements Louisiana’s role as a front-runner in carbon capture in the U.S., but also directly addresses surging global demand for low to zero-carbon products,” said David Cresson, president and chief executive officer of the Louisiana Chemical Association and Louisiana Chemical Industry Alliance. There’s also a competitive aspect to winning these permits and making vast storage areas available for use. Greg Upton, executive director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies, pointed to an analysis showing the state may only need five to seven storage hubs to see meaningful carbon dioxide reduction.

Environmentalists and others have criticized the CCUS aspect of CO2 storage as not truly keeping planetwarming carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere. The One Bill Beautiful Bill Act which Congress adopted in July with the advocacy of President Donald Trump, increased tax credits for CCUS, potentially enhancing incentive to pursue this version of carbon storage. CF Industries near Donaldsonville recently announced plans to pump carbon dioxide from some of its operations into old oil fields for enhanced recovery Sempra’s Hackberry project, instead, proposes permanent underground storage.

Louisiana was one of just four states where chronic absenteeism rose during the 2023-24 school year, according to data from 46 states compiled by FutureEd, a think tank at Georgetown University As of Sept. 2, only seven states had released absenteeism numbers for the last school year All but one, Colorado, saw improvements over the previous year, though none has yet returned to pre-pandemic levels, according to FutureEd.

Email Elyse Carmosino at ecarmosino@theadvocate. com.

Guidry

Brumley

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

The storage operation by the Sempra arm, Hackberry Carbon Sequestration, would allow the company to cut the carbon intensity of its nearby liquefied natural gas facility, Cameron LNG, seen here in October 2022.

Southern lawprofessor’s social mediapostprobed

Onlinecomments made aboutCharlie Kirk’s death

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

SouthernUniversity officials are investigating alaw professor after she allegedly made comments on social media aboutCharlie Kirk’s death. The probe comes amid anationwide crackdown on jokes about his death or remarks critical of Kirk, a conservative commentatorassassinated Wednesday in Utah.

In Louisiana, Acadian Ambulance said an unnamed employee who posted acomment mockingKirk’s death was fired.Across thecountry,

teachers, firefighters andanMSNBCcontributorhave reportedly been investigated or terminated for comments.

At Southern University,Law CenterCommunications Director I’TyonnieV.Jackson said thecenter “is aware of arecent social media post involving one of our employees that has raised concern.”

“Theviews expressed in that post are theindividual’s own and do not reflect the values or positions of theLaw Center. We arereviewing this matterinaccordance with the institution’s personnel policies and procedures,” she wrote. “The Law Center is committedtofosteringan environment of respect, inclusivity and professionalism both online and offline.”

Southern didnot name the professor.The postsappear to have been

deleted from social media.

In screenshots widely circulating online,the posts in question include adescription of Kirkas“an evil person” and the statement that the poster“will 1000% wish death on people like him.

“I can have empathy for his children, but nothing for him,”the post read. “Sorry not sorry This is a man who degrades women on the daily.Underthe guise of Christianity.”

According to WAFB TV,Southern University Board Chairman Tony Clayton saidthe professorwas suspended.

BY MICHELLEL.PRICE

Associated Press

WASHINGTON In aweek when Americans witnessed apublic political assassination, oceans of angry words anda collectivesense of horror and exhaustion, one man stepped up to amicrophone and said something that stood out: It doesn’thave to be like this.

That man, Utah Gov. SpencerCox, appeared weary,emotional, at times angry and on the verge of tears Friday. Whilehehad the country’sattention, he used themoment to ask his fellow Americans to turn down the temperature. Cox, long an advocate for civility,said he didn’t “want to get too preachy.” But he described the moment as one where the country’s very ideals were on the line. He made an impassioned plea for Americans and young people in particular to use the horror of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’sassassination as an inflection point to turn the country away from political violence and division.

“This is our moment: Do we escalateordowefind an off-ramp?” Cox tolda news conference in Utah as he announced authorities had asuspect in Kirk’s killing in custody.“It’sa choice.”

Throughout hispolitical career,Cox, atwo-term Republican governor,has issued pleas for bipartisan cooperation and at times drawn national attention for his empatheticremarks.

HisspeechonFridaywas his most emotional and prominent example yet, as he urged an appeal to common ground and humanity to forgeabetter society.It was amarked departure from the bellicose rhetoric often employed in recent years by U.S. politicians, especially President Donald Trump, who is known for provocative language and has blamed Kirk’skilling on “radical left” rhetoric.

‘Politicsfeels like rage’

On Wednesday,after Kirk’skilling, Cox made an initial plea. On Friday, acknowledging he was running on only90minutes of sleep afterdays of the manhunt for Kirk’skiller and heated rhetoric unfurling online, he went further Hisvoiceappearing to break at times, Cox said that theresponsetoviolence and hate canbemore violence and hate. “And that’sthe problem with political violence,” he said. “It metastasizes because we can always point the finger at theother side.And at some point, we have to find an off-ramp, or it’sgoing to get much, much worse.”

“History will dictate if this is aturning point for our country,”hesaid. “But every single one of us gets

to choose rightnow ifthis is aturning point forus.”

The 50-year-old governor, whohas four children who are teenagers and young adults,directed some of his remarks to young people: “You are inheritingacountry where politicsfeels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option.”

But, Cox said, adifferent path is possible: “Your generation has an opportunity to build aculture that is very different than what we are suffering through right now.”

He saidthe 22-year-old suspect in Kirk’skilling had become “more political”in the run-up to Wednesday’s shootingonauniversity campus.

Cox also spokeofthe harms of social mediaand said it was terrible that Kirk’sslaying was “so gruesomely displayed” for everyone to watch online.

“Weare not wired as humanbeings biologically, historically wehavenot evolved inaway that we are capable of processing those types of violent imagery,” Cox said. “This is not good for us. It is not good to consume. Social media is acancer on our society right now.

Nothingnew forCox

As governor,Cox has sought to curbthe harms of social mediaonyoung people, signing laws that require social mediacompanies to verify the ages of their users and disablecertain features on accountsof minors.

Though he livesinheavily Republican Utah, where little bipartisan action is needed for his party to enact its agenda, Cox has for years emphasized respect and unity. As governor, he hasconsistently invoked a need forcivility —atrait that’sathomein the culture of theChurch of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, afaith to whichCox and many in the state belong. His more moderate tone became rarer as Utah’spoliticsdrifted rightward in theTrump era. Ata statewideconventionof Utah Republicans in April 2024, Cox was booed. “Maybe youhate that Idon’thate enough,” Cox told the crowd.Hestill wonhis state’sGOP primary and reelection in November In 2016, Coxdrewnational attentionfor hisremarks after amassshooting at agay nightclub in Orlando, Florida. Then, he called for people to come together and appealed to their “better angels.” He also apologized for having been unkind while in high school to students he later learned were gay He alsodrewattention during his 2020 campaign for governor,inwhich he appeared in televisionads with his Democratic opponent as they pledged to “disagree withouthating each other.”

SUSPECT

Continuedfrom page1A

afrenetic day-and-a-half search that just hoursearlier seemed stuck when authoritiespleadedfor tips andleadsfromthe public.

Theassassination while Kirk was speaking at Utah Valley University reverberatedacross the country because of his outsize influence in conservative circles, his close connections with Trumpand because of the questions it raised about the escalating toll of political violence thathas spanned the ideological spectrum.

“This is ourmoment: Do we escalate or do we find an off-ramp?” Cox asked, making an impassioned plea for young people to bridge differences through common ground rather than violence. “It’s achoice.”

Newdetails

Authorities, who have yettoreveal amotive, described evidence they said shed potential light on the slaying.

Ammunition foundwith the weapon was engraved with taunting, anti-fascist and meme culture messages, including onebullet casingthatsaid,“Hey, fascist! Catch!” Cox said.

In addition, aroommate shared with authorities messages from the chatting app Discord that involved acontact named Tyler and discussed arifle wrapped in atowel, engraved bullets and ascope, the governor said. AMauser .30-caliber, bolt-action rifle was found in atowel in awooded area along the path investigators believe Robinson took after firing asingle shotfrom a distant roof and thenfleeing.

The clothes thesuspect worewhenconfronted by lawenforcementlate Thursdaymatchedwhat he had on when he arrived on campus, anda family memberconfirmed he drove a gray Dodge Challenger like the one seen in surveillance videothatrecordedRobinson driving to theuniversity the dayofthe shooting, Cox said.

Robinson’sfather recognizedhim from thephotos released by the FBI and told him to turn himself in Robinson refusedatfirst, but thenchanged hismind, according to alaw enforcement officialwho spokeon the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation. His father contacted their youth pastor, who also occasionally works withthe U.S. marshals and called the agency so Robinson could turnhimself in. Meanwhile, investigators continued to dig intothe background of Robinson, who was admittedtoUtah StateUniversity, about 80 miles north of Salt Lake City,onaprestigious academic scholarship, according to avideo of him reading his acceptance letter posted to afamily member’ssocial media account. However, he attendedfor only onesemester in 2021, auniversity spokesperson said. Robinson currently is enrolled in an electrical apprenticeship program at DixieTechnical Collegenear his hometown,asuburbof St.George in southernUtah. He is registered as an unaffiliated voter and does notappear to have aprior

In response to the posts, LouisianaAttorney General Liz Murrill released astatement in which she calledthem “abhorrent.”

“Whatever your opinionisof Charlie, his assassination marked adark day forall Americans andshould be resoundingly condemned,”she added. “This individualhas aconstitutional righttohave opinions and social media amplifies them. But she does not have aright to teach at apublic law school.”

Murrill made similar remarks following reports that aNew Orleans firefighterposted comments about Kirk. In those, she said Kirk’s“life workwas promoting free speech andthoughtful, prepared civil discourse.”

But the Foundation for Individual

“She hasbeen suspendedeffectiveimmediatelybased on the cause that she participatedinconductthatwas prejudicial to the university,” Clayton told the station. “The school will investigate this matter to finalize terminating her from the university.”

Rights andExpression, acollege campus freespeechorganization, called the national firings “a cancel culture that undermines American values.”

“Charlie Kirk’sassassination was an attack on free speech andopen discourse. In afree society,we must not be afraid to express our views, no matter how strongly some might oppose them,” the organization said. “That’sthe point of free speech.But it is precisely forthat reason why we must not respond to mockery of Kirk’sassassination by cancelingeveryonewho offendsus: because that too creates asociety where people areafraid to express themselves.”

Email ChristopherCartwright at christopher.cartwright@ theadvocate.com.

about gun violence when a shot rang out. Kirk reached up with his right hand as blood gushed from the left side of his neck.

Twodayslater,law enforcement officers continued to sweep the UtahValley campus forevidence while the announcementofanarrest brought somerelief.

criminal record. His address was still listed as his parents’ home, abouta31/2-hour drive southofthe campus where Kirkwas shot. Family members of Robinsondid notimmediately return messagesseeking comment. It was notclear if he had alawyer At his family’shome, windowcoverings were drawn, and apickup truckblocked access to the driveway.There was aheavy law enforcement presence, with several police vehicles parked along the street, which was closed at bothends

‘Hedidn’tdeserve this’

Kirk was aconservative activist whobecame apowerful political force by rallying young Republican voters andwas afixture on college campuses, where he invited debate on social issues.

Kirk co-founded the nonprofitpolitical organization Turning Point USA, based in Arizona.Hehad beenspeaking at acampus debate on the first stop of his “AmericanComebackTour” at the time of Wednesday’sshooting. He was taking questions from an audience member

“There’sbeen thislike really heavy,dark weight pressed over my heart and soul for the last two days, and waking up to the news of the shooter being capturedtoday,itisa great thing,” said Creighton Baird, whowas close enough to the stage to see horrific images that continue replaying in his mind.

Trump, whowas joined by Democrats in condemning the violence, said he would award Kirk the Presidential MedalofFreedom, the nation’shighest civilian honor Vice President JD Vance and his wife,Usha, escorted Kirk’scasket to hishome state of Arizona aboard Air Force TwoonThursday

“He wanted to help young people, and he didn’tdeservethis,” TrumpsaidFriday.“He was really agood person.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByLINDSEy WASSON

WendyLucas, aUtah ValleyUniversity student, kneels at a memorial set up for Charlie Kirk at Utah ValleyUniversity in Orem, Utah, on Friday

BY DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY,Mo. Missouri

Republicans handed President Donald Trump apoliticalvictory Friday,giving final legislative approval to aredistrictingplan that could help Republicans win an additional U.S. House seat in next year’selections.

The Senate vote sends the redistrictingplantoRepublican Gov.Mike Kehoe, who said he will signitinto law soon. But opponents immediately announced areferendum petition that, if successful, could force a statewidevote on the new map.

“This fight is not over.Missouri voters —not politicians —will have the final say,” said Elsa Rainey,a spokesperson for People Not Politicians, which is leading the referendum effort

U.S. House districts were redrawn across the country after the 2020census to account for population changes. ButMissouri is the third state to take up mid-decade redistricting this yearinanemergingnational battlefor partisan advantage ahead of themidterm elections.

Republican lawmakers in Texas passed anew U.S.House map last month aimed at helping their party win five additional seats. Democratic lawmakersinCalifornia countered with their own redistricting

DAVIDA.LIEB

Opponents ofaRepublican plan to redrawMissouri’sU.S.House districts marchthrough ahallway outsidethe state Senate chamber in Jefferson City,Mo., on Wednesday.

plan aimed at winning five more seats,but it still needs voter approval. Other states also are consideringredistricting.

Democrats need togain just three seats to win control of the House, which would allowthem to obstruct Trump’sagenda and launchinvestigations intohim.

On his social media site Friday, Trump toutedMissouri’s“much fairer,and much improved, Congressional map” that he said “willhelp sendanadditional MAGA Republican to Congress in the 2026 Midterm Elections.”

Republicans currently hold sixofMissouri’s eight U.S House seats. The revised map passed the Republican-led state Houseearlier this week as the focal point of aspecial session called by Kehoe thatalso includesa proposalmaking it harder for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments to win voter approval. That proposal, whichstill needsvoter ratification, would require future initiated amendments to pass in each of Missouri’scongressional districts instead of by a

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON Senate Demo-

cratic Leader Chuck Schumer weatheredbacklashfromDemocrats earlier this year when he voted with Republicanstokeep the government open. But he’s now willing to risk ashutdown at theend of the month if Republicans don’taccede to Democratic demands. Schumer says he and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries are united in opposing any legislation that doesn’t include key health care provisions and acommitment not to roll them back. He argues that the country is in adifferent place than it was in March, when he vigorously argued against ashutdown, and he says

he believes Republicans and PresidentDonald Trumpwill be heldresponsible if they don’t negotiate abipartisan deal. “Things havechanged” since the March vote, Schumersaid in an interview with TheAssociated Press on Thursday.Hesaid Republicans have since passed Trump’smassivetax breaks and spending cuts legislation, whichtrimmed Medicaidand other government programs, and Democratsare now unified.

Ashutdown, Schumer said, wouldn’t necessarilyworsen an environment in which Trump is alreadychallenging theauthority of Congress. “Itwill get worse with or without it, because Trump is lawless,” Schumer said. Schumer’sthreat comes as Republicans are considering

ashort-term stopgap spending measure to avoida Sept.30 shutdown and as Democrats face what mostsee as two tough choices if the parties can’tnegotiate adeal —vote with Republicanstokeepthe government open or let it close indefinitely with no clear exit plan. It also comes amid worsening partisan tensions in theSenate, where negotiations between the twopartiesoverthe confirmationprocess broke downfor a second time on Thursday and Republicans are changing Senaterules to get around Democraticobjectionstoalmostall of Trump’snominees. Democrats arealso fuming over theTrump administration’s decision to unilaterally claw back $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid just as negotiations

Mo.mapsadvance;lawsuitsahead

simple statewide majority.No other state has such astandard.

The Republican-led Senate passedboth measures Friday afterchangingthe chamber’s rules, then shutting off Democraticopponents. Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck said afterward that he plans to help gather the more than 100,000 signatures needed in 90 days to force areferendumonthe redistricting plan.

Kehoehas promoted thereshaped districts as away to amplify “Missouri’s conservative, common-sense values” in Washington, D.C. Missouri’srevised map targets aseat held by Democratic Rep.Emanuel Cleaver by shaving off portions of hisKansas City district and stretching the rest of it intoRepublican-heavy rural areas.The planreduces thenumber of Black and minority residents in Cleaver’s district, partlybycreating a dividing line along astreet that hasserved as ahistorical segregationline between Black and white residents.

Twolawsuits already have been brought, including one filed Friday on behalf of voters that contends mid-decade redistricting isn’tallowed underthe Missouri Constitution. Ahearing is scheduled forMonday on another lawsuit previouslyfiled by theNAACP

over the spending deadline weregettingunderway in late August Trump said Friday to not “even bother” negotiating with Democrats. He said Republicans will likely put together a continuing resolution to keep funding thefederalgovernment. “If you gave them every dream, they would not vote for it,” Trumpsaid, adding “wewill get it through because the Republicansare sticking together.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., has repeatedly said that Schumer needs to approach Republicans with aspecific proposal on health care, includinganextension of expanded governmenttax credits formanyAmericans who get their health insurancethrough theAffordable Care Act.

BY GEOFF MULVIHILL Associated Press

Thegovernors of Arizona, Illinois,Maine and North Carolina on Friday joined the growing list of Democraticofficials who have signed orders intended to ensure most residents can receive COVID-19 vaccinesat pharmacies without individual prescriptions. Unlike past years, access to COVID-19 vaccines hasbecomecomplicated in 2025, largely because federal guidance does not recommend them fornearly everyone this year as it had in the past.

Here’salook at where things stand. CVSHealth,the biggest pharmacy chain in theU.S., says itsstoresare offering the shots without an individual prescription in 41 states as of midday Friday

But theremaining states —Arizona, Florida,Georgia,Louisiana,Maine,North Carolina, Oregon, Utah and West Virginia, plus the District of Columbia —require individual prescriptions under the company’s interpretation of state policies. Arizona, Maine and North Carolina are likely to come off that list as the new orders take effect there.

“I will not stand idly by while the Trump Administration makes it harder for Maine people to geta vaccine that protects their health and could very well save their life,” Maine Gov. Janet Mills said in thestatement. “Through this standing order,weare stepping up to knock downthe barriers the TrumpAdministration is putting in the way of the health and welfare of Maine people.” At least 14 states —12with Democratic governors, plus Virginia, where Republican Glenn Youngkinisgovernor —haveannounced policies this month to ease access. Friday’sorders are expected to change thepolicyinall threestateswhere they were put into place.

North Carolina’s orders were narrower than most.They apply to everyone age65and over andpeople who areatleast18and have arisk factor.Other adults would still need prescriptions. Officials said the order takes effect immediately,but that all pharmacies might nothavesuppliesonhandright away In past years, the federal government has recommended the vaccines to all Americans above the age of 6months.

This year,the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved them forpeople age 65 andoverbut said they should be used only forchildren and younger adults whohave a risk factor such as asthma or obesity That change cameasU.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy fired the entire Advisory CommitteeonImmunization PracticesinJune, accusingofthemofbe-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By

Landry wants leftover broadband funds

Money would go toward state initiatives

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

A new plan for spending Louisiana’s share of a $42 billion federal grant program for speedy internet will cost less than before.

Gov Jeff Landry wants that leftover money to stay in Louisiana.

Lafayette council OKs budget

$803M in funding covers roadwork, courthouse renovations

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

The Lafayette City and Parish Council approved Mayor-President Monique Boulet’s 2025-26 operating and capital budget. The budget , which covers the fiscal year from Nov 1, 2025, through Oct. 31, 2026, totaled $803.7 million when first introduced. It marked the largest budget in the Lafayette Consolidated Government’s history

Several revitalization projects received funding, including Johnston Street improvements, University Avenue Corridor, Carmel Drive sidewalks, a turn lane on Pinhook Road, and Cormier Road improvements, Jamie Boudreaux, chief communication officer with LCG, wrote in a news release.

It also secured funding to complete parish courthouse renovations. New positions will be added to LCG, including an economic developer dedicated to the Lafayette Utilities System.

The budget also increases internal staff in the Parks, Arts, Recreation, and Culture department in an effort to reduce contracted work.

Funding for road and bridge improvement received more than $31 million.

Police and fire will be funded to the tune of $81 million from the city’s general fund It also includes an increase in funding for rural fire protection. The city will be investing in special vehicles for the fire department to handle medical calls. With adoption, the Homewood and Coulee Ile Des Cannes detention ponds are expected to be completed.

The city also aims to implement a new home elevation, property buyout, and drainage betterment program. At the time of introduction, the budget contained $500,000 in seed funding to help elevate homes subjected to repeated flooding.

“This budget represents not only an investment in critical infrastructure and services, but also a shared vision for a stronger, safer, and more resilient Lafayette Parish,” Boulet wrote in a statement.

At the time of introduction, it included funding for the first phase of a $17.5 million project to renovate an aging city hall, but faced council pushback. The $5.5 million earmarked for the project was removed from the budget and returned to a bond reserve account.

Email Stephen Marcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

ficial intelligence, education and workforce training.

“This approach would vividly demonstrate the business and financial savvy that is a hallmark of your department and the Admin-

In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick this week, Landry heaped praise on the Trump administration and requested that leftover Broadband Equity, Access and Deployment grant funds be spent on “state-led initiatives” in Louisiana that advance national goals around arti-

istration overall,” Landry wrote before conjuring a potential headline: “’President Trump and Secretary Lutnick to reinvest billions of dollars of program efficiencies in AI and America First Policies,’ focused on rural/urban economies while generating an even higher return for the taxpayer.”

Louisiana had been set to get $1.35 billion in funding from the bipartisan BEAD program, cre-

ated under the Biden administration in 2021 to build high-speed internet connections across the country This year, the Trump administration overhauled the grant program’s rules. The state’s new plan, submitted in August, would spend $499 million to connect households across the state, about $250 million less than its previous proposal. (The first plan also included $500 million for “nondeployment” funds, including for rural health care and virtual education.)

“The current administration has done the right thing in ripping out a lot of the regulations and red tape,” said Veneeth Iyengar, executive director of the state broadband office, in an interview Friday “We were efficient before We’re even more efficient now.”

The state wants to spend the remaining grant funds via its state agencies toward federal goals outlined in Landry’s letter “Congress granted NTIA clear authority to

An atypical attraction

Audit: La. pregnancy centers lack oversight

Millions budgeted for services

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

The Louisiana

are

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

ABOVE: Residents look at a UH-60M Blackhawk while on display at Moncus Park on Thursday in Lafayette. The Blackhawk was there as part of the 5th annual Great American 9/11 Pickleball Club Challenge hosted by Red’s, and the challenge is America’s largest pickleball fundraiser.

LEFT: Two-year-old Joseph, no last name given, sits at the controls of a UH-60M Blackhawk.

Acadian Ambulance employee fired after post

TikTok video mocks Charlie Kirk’s killing

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

Acadian Ambulance fired an employee after the employee allegedly mocked the killing of Charlie Kirk in a social media post. The unidentified employee posted disparaging remarks on TikTok related to the assassination Wednesday of the conservative activist. The video has since been removed and the employee terminated, Acadian Ambulance wrote in a statement.

“We are aware of a recent personal social media post by one of our employees. The post was

not reflective of our company’s mission and values or the high standard of professional conduct we expect from every member of our team. The post was removed and the person is no longer employed by Acadian Ambulance Service,” the statement read. Several posts on Facebook criticized the video, with some asking Acadian Ambulance to intervene The employee could be seen wearing a company uniform overlain by the text, “Dare I say Kirk reaped what he sow[sic]?” ”Our team members dedicate their lives to caring for others in their moments of greatest need. We expect and hold one another accountable to uphold

Boulet

ä See LANDRY, page 2B

5arrestedincheck fraudscheme

Victim was Kenner police chief

BY MICHELLEHUNTER Staff writer

Five Georgia residents are behind barsafter they unknowingly targeted the mailboxofthe Kenner chief of police, authorities say, to steal mail as partof acheck fraud scheme.

Suspicions were raised when Chief Keith Conley got aphone call on Tuesday from Shauntell Porter, an employeeata bankin New Orleans, asking him to verify whetherhe’d written alargecheck that someone hadjust come in to cash.

“When acustomer doesn’tusually write large checks like that, it raises flags for me,” said Porter, afinance center supervisor who trains employees to spot fraud. “I thought, ‘Let me reachout anddig into this alittle more’ because it didn’tfeel right.”

Kenner police say Porter’ssuspicions were on the money Conley had indeed written acheck that very morning and placed it in his mailbox for pickup by his postal carrier.But the amount had been altered and increased, Kenner Police Deputy Chief Mark McCormick said. Conley immediately reviewed hishomesurveillance cameras and found video of acar pulling up to his mailbox and stealing the contents.

The nervous thief grabbed hisbelongings and fled the bank before authorities arrived, McCormick said. ButKenner police used details from the chief’s surveillance video and licenseplate recognition cameras to identify and track the suspects’ vehicle —a black Nissan Altima —to ashort-term rental apartment in New Orleans, McCormick said.

By Tuesday night, five

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pursue this path,” Landry wrote,citing language in the law that allows the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, an executive branch agency overseeing the BEADprogram, to “make available to the eligible entitythe remainder of the grant funds allocated …”

“Weachieved another $250 million in savings,” Iyenger said Friday.“And we thinkit’sanawesome opportunity to leverage those dollars to create a one-plus-one-equals-five opportunity.”

The funds could go to state agencies to push “cutting-edge efforts” to improveoutcomesinareas of health care where Louisiana struggles, he said, including maternal health care and chronic disease.

Louisiana was the first state to submit its revamped plan to the NTIA, which has not yet approved it, Iyenger said.

States’ plans were due to the NTIA in early September.Last week, the NTIA announced that 36 of the 56

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suspects had been arrested at thelocation: Christine Smith,57; Anthony Lowe, 61; Pierre Watson, 39;Anthony Ferrell, 42; and Steven Chandler Jr., 42, all of Georgia, McCormick said. Investigators with the Major Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Homeland Security Investigations helpedservea searchwarrantatthe rental property and seize stolen mail, including checksand equipment usedto create fake checks, according to authorities.

Thesuspects were being held Fridayatthe Orleans Parish jail. Once transferred to Jefferson Parish, they willbebooked with three countsof mail theft, McCormick said. Local and federal authorities have been battling large-scale mail theft for the past fewyears. Crooks alter checkstosteal cash from bank accounts or use identifying information in the letters to applyfor credit cards or commit other financial crimes, authorities said.

The JeffersonParish Sheriff’sOfficein2022 went as far as to warn the public to stop using blue U.S. Postal Service collection boxes for outgoing mail after the boxes were repeatedly looted by thieves.

Since then, USPS has worked to secure its blue boxes or removethem fromuse in some locations altogether,according to McCormick.

“I think that kind of killed alot of the way (mail thieves) did their business,” he said. “They had to evolve from there.

Investigators suspect the crew from Georgia, and others who target mail, followed daily delivery routes,checkingneighborhoods for homemailboxes with raised flags signaling outgoingmail.

“It’skindofa redflag,” McCormick said. Curbside mailboxes are particularlyvulnerable

PHOTO PROVIDEDByKENNER POLICE

Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley, left, presents cookies and gifts to Shauntell Porter abank employeeinNew Orleans whonotified Conleypersonally that someone tried to to cash astolen check in his name.

becausethieves don’teven have to approach ahouse. They can just pull up and open the mailbox.

Thus far,Kennerinvestigatorshave identified three victimswhose mail was stolen by the suspects from Georgia. Authorities are trying to identifythe othervictims in the case. Policeknow the suspects paid visits to Chateau Estates and Grandlake EstatesinKenner, as well as some areas in Metairie, McCormick said.

Kenner police are asking residents to review their surveillance video around Sept. 9for the suspects’ black NissanAltima, which has aFlorida licenseplate Residents should also check their bank accounts for anysuspiciousactivity, including checks cashed for inappropriate amounts.

“Now is the time. We have themincustody,and we can make them re-

sponsible for the crimes they’ve committedifthose victimscome forward,” McCormick said. Conley stopped by Porter’sbankbranch on Friday to thank her for her actions, which prevented others from having their money stolen. He came bearing cookies, ateddy bear and other Kennerpoliceswag.

In addition to routinely checking their accounts, Portersaid residents can ward offfraud by asking their bank to notifythem whenever checks of acertain amount or higherare submitted.

“I want everybody to be alert,”Porter said.“It’s so inconvenient when someonetakes money that people go out every day and work hard to earn.”

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate. com.

Jeff Landrywantsthe

to stay in

states and territories had submittedtheir final proposals.Othersrequested extensions.

“In theplans submitted today,statesare already projectingsavings of at least $13billion for American taxpayers,” the NTIA saidina news release, “driven by arise in participation by theprivate sector,increased matching commitments by subgrantees, and asurge ofinnovative technology solutions

to deliver high-speed connectivity.”

Someanalystshave pointed to signs that theTrump administration could favor returning excess funding to theU.S. Treasury

“Since thebeginning of the Trump Administration the CommerceDepartment hassentnumerous signalsthatthe states will have to return all funds not spent on connecting unserved and underserved locations,”Blair Levin, an

analyst for New Street Research,wrote this week,according to an Ars Technica report.

But it’slikely states would push back on such astance. Iyengar said Friday that he expects other governors to follow Landry’slead,makingtheir own formal or informal requests.

Landry asks Lutnick to issueguidance on the use of theremaining funds by Oct. 1.

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Auditor Mike Waguespack stated.

As of June 2025, 12 of the state’s38centers held contracts with the department to participate in theprogram. Each was eligible to receive up to $100,800 annually,paidona fee-for-service basis at arate of up to $300 per client per month.

Nearly all reached their funding caps by midsummer, with the department paying outabout $1.17 million. The Legislature had allocated $4 million for the first year,leaving $2.8 million unused.

Lawmakers have since cut the pregnancy center general fund budget by more than half, to $1.74 millionin thecoming fiscal year.DCFS plans to backfill with $2.26 million in federalwelfare dollars through theTemporary Assistance for Needy Families program. At the same time, the agency intends to more than double the cap on payments per center,toalmost $250,000.

Health services

State lawlimits funding to four categories of services: counseling, referrals, classes anditems such as diapers and car seats. Most centers offerother services,some of which are considered health care services. All 12 offered ultrasounds; nearly half prescribed medication or provided screenings for sexually transmitted infections.

Pregnancy centers in Louisiana are notlicensed as medical providers and, unlike some states such as Connecticut, Illinois and Colorado, do nothavetodisclose thatstatustoclients

Their growth has coincided with the closure of Planned Parenthood’sNew Orleans clinic this month, whichdid not provide abortions but was alicensed center that provided medical services.

Without regulation,there are no state requirements that ultrasounds or other services be conducted andinterpreted by aprofessional.

Thecenters are not subject to patient privacy laws like HIPAAordata confidentiality agreements.

“Because pregnancy centers are not regulated, clients do not have the abilitytofile a complaint against aprovider or pregnancy centerifanadverse eventtakes place,”the report stated.

Erica Inzina,policydirector for Louisiana Right to Life, said it was misleadingtosuggest centersoperate outside proper safeguards because theemployees whowork there are subject to the licensingrequirements of their profession. Louisiana Right to Lifehas consistently supported legislationthatfunds andpromotes pregnancyresource centers.

While some centers reportedhavingaphysician on staff (9 of 12 saidtheyhad a licensed physician connected to the center), there is no state requirement that ultrasounds be performed or interpreted by qualified medical professionals.

Abortion rights activists have longcriticized pregnancy centers. In a2022 report, theabortion rights group Lift Louisiana saidthe centers providelittletonomedical care, operate without oversight andspread medically inaccurate information,suchas suggesting abortion is more dangerous thangivingbirth, or causes breast cancer or infertility, claims which are not backed by data.

”It is irresponsible andinsulting that our legislators are choosing to spendmillions of

statefunds paying unregulated pregnancy centers instead of investing in legitimate public health interventions,” said Alex Moody,staffattorney for Lift Louisiana. Moodypointedout that last year apregnancy center in New Iberiareleased thefull names, last menstrualperiod anddue date of 13 clients without their permission.

”Because theyare nota licensed and regulated health care provider,they have facednoconsequences, Moodysaid The audit suggested that Louisiana lawmakersconsider prohibiting acenter fromadvertising itself as a health care facilityorrequiringlicensure for centers that providehealth care.Alabama, Massachusetts and Californiahavepregnancy centers licensed through the state health department. Hawaii requiresthe centerstocomplywithHIPAA.

Data collection

DCFS contracts showed thattheyallowed billing for categories notincludedin statelaw,suchasnursing services. The contracts also did not define other services, instead grouping them in categories such as “programmatic data.”

Theagency also did not make the pregnancy centers show whatspecific services were provided or showproof of thatservice. Centers were simply paid$300 for each clienttheyreported,nomatter what was provided.

Thedepartment’scontracts require centerstosubmit monthly reports showing how manyclients received counseling,referrals or classes Yetonce centers reached their annual caps, the agency stopped collecting data. DCFS told auditors it will begin enforcing those rules. Supporters of the centers said it was amatterofwording. “On the surface it may look like they arenot in alignment, but in reality the services that can be billed for are indeed subcategories of one or allthe eligible services,” Inzina said in an email.

Future generalcontractor Under the law, DCFS must eventually hand administration of theprogram to a single nonprofit “general contractor,” whichwould subcontract with pregnancy centers statewide. That change isn’t expected until2027.

Auditors warned that outsourcing couldeat into funds for services, since the contractor will be entitled to an administrativefee. They pointed out that the law doesn’t cap what theycan charge. Florida’scontractor charges 8.3%,while Oklahoma’sreceives a20% administrativefee.

Louisiana Right to Life said the reporthighlighted aneed for the general contractor, “despitethe auditor’ssuggestion to thecontrary,” because acontractor would address most of their concerns. In awrittenresponse, the department agreed with all audit recommendations. The agency said newoversight policies willtakeeffect next year

inthe field and online,” the statement continued. The firing at Acadian comes amid anationwide crackdownonjokesabout his death or remarkscritical of Kirk, aconservative commentator assassinated Wednesday in Utah. Kirk, the 31-year-old CEO andco-founder of Turning Point USA, was shot and killed Wednesdaywhile speaking at an event on Utah

Valley University’scampus Tyler Robinson, 22, of Utah, wasarrestedFriday inconnection with themurderand is beingheld at Utah County Jail. Elsewhere in Louisiana, Southern University officials are investigatinga law professor shortly after she allegedlymade comments on social media aboutKirk’s death.

LawCenter Communications Director I’TyonnieV Jackson saidthe center “is aware of arecentsocial mediapostinvolving one of our employees that has raised

concern.”

“The views expressed in that post are the individual’s ownand do notreflect the values or positions of the Law Center. We are reviewing this matter in accordancewith the institution’s personnelpolicies andprocedures,” shewrote. “The Law Center is committed to fostering an environment of respect,inclusivity and professionalism bothonline and offline.”

Email StephenMarcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Gov.

leftovermoneyfrom a$42 billion federal grant program for speedyinternet

Louisiana.

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Nexus’ DevDays

features $5K prize

Nexus Louisiana is calling for innovators across the state to solve industry issues.

DevDays will hone in on Louisiana’s key industries like health and energy in a competition for a $5,000 prize. It’s the second programming series the organization has announced for this fall and will run in tandem with its Tech Tailgates, an invitation-only networking event at LSU football home games.

Louisiana has the most important raw ingredients for innovation: real-world problems and experts to solve them,” Nexus Louisiana CEO Tony Zanders said in the release. “DevDays is a scalable attempt to partner with industry to increase our ecosystem’s shots on goal, and do so in a way only Baton Rouge can do.”

The competitions will take place on Fridays at Nexus headquarters and winners will be announced the next day at Tiger Stadium.

Competitors will also have VIP access to the Tech Tailgates. Zanders said earlier this month that the Tech Tailgates will tap into Baton Rouge’s love for football.

The first challenge on Oct 24 will center on ClimateTech, in partnership with technology company Baker Hughes, and competitors will search for carbon management solutions. Nexus is working with Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL), a statewide initiative focused on accelerating the clean energy transition, for the event.

Consumer sentiment falls on job worries

U.S. consumer sentiment fell in September to the lowest since May and long-term inflation expectations rose for the second straight month, as concerns about the labor market and prices weighed on the economic outlook.

The preliminary September sentiment index declined to 55.4 from 58.2 in August, according to the University of Michigan. That was below all but one economist’s forecast in a Bloomberg survey

Consumers expect prices to rise at an annual rate of 4.8% over the next year, unchanged from the previous month, data released Friday showed. They saw costs rising at an annual rate of 3.9% over the next five to 10 years, a jump from the 3.5% rate seen last month.

U.S. employers added just 22,000 jobs in August, and consumer prices rose at the fastest pace since the start of the year Costs of several key household expenses like groceries and gasoline climbed

Boeing workers reject latest contract offer

Another contract proposal has been rejected by Boeing workers who have been on strike for nearly six weeks at three Midwest plants where military aircraft and weapons are developed

The vote on Friday refusing the latest proposal sends the workers back to the picket lines, according to the union representing the 3,200 striking workers who build fighter jets, weapons systems and the U.S. Navy’s first carrier-based unmanned aircraft. Fifty-seven percent of members voted against the proposal, the union said.

“Boeing’s modified offer did not include a sufficient signing bonus relative to what other Boeing workers have received, or a raise in 401(k) benefits,” the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers District 837 said in a statement.

“We’re disappointed our employees have rejected a 5-year offer, including 45% average wage growth,” said Dan Gillian Boeing Air Dominance vice president and general manager, in an emailed statement

“We’ve made clear the overall economic framework of our offer will not change.”

BUSINESS

THEADVOCATE.COM/news/business

Stocks end week near record

BY STAN CHOE Associated Press

NEW YORK — Wall Street coasted to the finish of its best week in the last five on Friday as U.S. stocks hung near their record levels.

The S&P 500 barely budged and edged down by less than 0.1% from the all-time high it set the day before The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 273 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.4% to its own record set on Thursday Stocks have rallied with expectations that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate for the first time this year at its meeting

next week. Such a move would give the economy a kick-start, and mortgage rates have already dropped in anticipation of it

Expectations for a cut have built as recent reports suggested the U.S. job market could settle into the precise balance that Wall Street has been betting on: slow enough to convince the Fed that it needs help, but not so weak that it will mean a recession, all while inflation doesn’t take off.

A lot is riding on whether that bet proves correct. Stocks have already soared on it And if the Fed ends up cutting interest rates fewer times than traders expect, in-

cluding three this year the market could retreat in disappointment That’s even if everything else goes right, and the economy does not fall into a recession and President Donald Trump’s tariffs don’t send inflation much higher Oracle sank 5.1% and was the single heaviest weight on the S&P 500 index. But that shaved only a bit off its surge from earlier in the week, when it soared to its best day since 1992 amid excitement about its winning multibillion dollar contracts related to artificial-intelligence technology Another company that’s benefited from the AI frenzy, Super Micro

Computer rose 2.4% after saying it’s begun high-volume shipments of racks using Blackwell Ultra equipment from Nvidia that can be used for AI.

Microsoft climbed 1.8% after European Union regulators accepted the tech giant’s proposed changes to its Teams platform, resolving a long-running antitrust investigation.

The European Commission said Friday that Microsoft’s final commitments to unbundle Teams from its Office software suite, including further tweaks following a market test in May and June, are enough to satisfy competition concerns.

Soybean farmers face ‘dire’ export orders due to tariffs, seek bailout

BY CHRISTOPHER VONDRACEK, J.P LAWRENCE and BROOKS JOHNSON

The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS)

WASHINGTON It’s a bad year for a good soybean harvest as tariffs decimate export orders. Minnesota farmers were in the nation’s capital this week pleading for a bailout Historically, Minnesota sends two out of every three rows of soybeans overseas, typically to feed livestock. China has often bought the bulk of those exports.

As of early September, Chinese buyers have yet to book any shipments of American soybeans from the upcoming harvest That’s a far cry from the 12 million to 13 million tons they’d booked by this time last year traders told Reuters this week.

For Gail Donkers, who farms in southern Minnesota, it hurts to see plentiful four-bean pods growing waist-high — a sign of a robust season.

Without solid customers, she has held off selling her beans, hoping to avoid a loss. Donkers, chair of the Minnesota Soybean Research & Promotion Council, flew to Washington this week to meet with Minnesota’s congressional delegation.

Because of the trade war with China, U.S. soybeans cost about 20% more than South American beans. That’s due to trade duties imposed by the Chinese government in response to President Donald Trump’s increased tariffs on goods bound for the U.S market.

China is buying cheaper Brazilian soybeans, dragging down prices for American soy farmers

“Brazil can fill almost all of China’s needs that leaves all of us American producers sitting here holding the bag,” said Dennis Fultz, a farmer in southwestern Minnesota’s Lyon County In 2016, China bought more than 40% of its soybeans from U.S farmers. As of last year, that had dropped to about 20%, customs data shows.

Earlier this week Rep Glenn “GT” Thompson, a Pennsylvania Republican and the House Agriculture Committee chair, told Agri-Pulse Newsmakers that he could see a future Farm Bill repurposing tariff revenue for farm aid.

“I’m advocating that, just a fraction of that money would be invested in our farmers,” Thompson said.

During the first Trump administration’s

BY FATIMA HUSSEIN Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump’s tariff policy, immigration crackdowns and sweeping tax and spending law are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year before they improve next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The CBO on Friday released new economic projections for the next three years, updating the outlook it originally released in January, before Trump’s inauguration.

The latest figures, which compare fourth quarter changes, show the unemployment rate, inflation and overall growth are expected to be worse this year than initially projected, while the economic picture is expected to steady in subsequent years. The CBO outlooks attempt to

trade war with China, farmers received $23 billion in cash bailout payments in 2018 and 2019.

From the basement of a hotel on Capitol Hill, Donkers said Wednesday she’s wondering exactly when Washington will offer aid, since the current market drop is due to the tariff war

“We have to have something,” she said “We never want to take a payout. But we’ve been working for 40 to 50 years to build these relationships across oceans.

The futures price on soybeans sits just over $9 a bushel now down from highs closer to $15 at the beginning of the decade. Across the Upper Midwest, early-season anxiety has given way to panic, especially as median farm income is expected to be in the red across the board this year

“It’s a pretty dire situation,” said Darin Johnson, president of the Minnesota Soybean Growers Association “We’re in a tough spot.”

Like other farmers, Johnson is “sitting on a fair amount of soybeans” that in past years would be headed on railcars toward the Pacific Northwest, and then Asia.

The China-sized hole in American farm

set expectations for the economy in order to help choices made by congressional and executive branch policymakers. It does not forecast economic downturns or recessions, with its estimates generally reverting back to an expected average over time.

But Friday’s outlook showed the degree to which Trump’s choices are altering the path of the U.S. economy, suggesting that growth has been hampered in the near term by choices that have yet to show the promised upside of more jobs and lower budget deficits.

Kush Desai, a White House spokesperson, told The Associated Press, “Americans heard similar doom-and-gloom forecasts during President Trump’s first term, when the President’s economic agenda unleashed historic job, wage, and economic growth and the first decline in wealth inequality in decades.” Overall, the CBO expects real

exports’ balance sheet means farmers like Johnson will need bins to store beans until prices improve. But there is only so much space to store grain for long periods, and an ample corn harvest is also on the horizon. Johnson said farmers are hoping for some signal from the federal government to calm their anxieties.

“I think we’re at the stage if we don’t have any trade deals that are officially signed in the very near future yes, we’re going to need some aid of some sort,” Johnson said. A Department of Agriculture spokesperson in an email did not address the current situation but blasted the Biden administration for handing off a $50 billion agricultural trade deficit. America ran a trade surplus for decades until 2019, during Trump’s first administration

The spokesperson said the agency is refocusing its efforts on farmers, pointing to $10 billion in emergency aid to crop farmers at the beginning of the season to help finance this year’s planting, based on results in 2024. There is talk on Capitol Hill that another aid package for farmers is in the works — but it’s unclear whether that would come from Congress or the administration

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GLEN STUBBE Minnesota farmers have few to no buyers for a high-yield year for soybeans, mainly because China is buying its soybeans from South America, not the U.S., as a tariff war continues.

ASSOCIATED

ANOTHERVIEW

Thepolitics of Trump’s health

Chatter continues aboutDonaldTrump’shealth. Is he sick?Ishedying? Has he died? Socialmediahas been full of speculation.

Some of the speculation is just part ofthe nation’s obsession with the current president. Said comedian JonStewart, “It does say something about the ubiquity of DonaldTrump in our livesthatwe don’thear from him for20minutesand we’re like: ‘He’s dead!’”

Ron

Faucheux

Trump’sfans see this obsession as an unfair attempt by the media to weaken confidence in his leadership. His foes fear the endless torrent of information about him camouflages more important things, suchasthe president’smishandling of majorissues Your guess is asgood as mine when it comes to Trump’shealth. We knowhehas anunhealthy diet,lives under amountain of stress,gets little sleep, has chronic venous insufficiency and is nearing 80. But that doesn’tmean he’sdying or incapacitated.

Rumors about presidentialhealth are nothing new. Joe Biden’smental and physical condition was debated forhis entire term —but it wasn’tuntil his woeful 2024 debate performance that the fitness issue detonated live, in living color, for alltosee

Unfortunately,presidents hiding serious health issues is nothing new.Rememberthe president who had secretcancersurgery on ayacht?Few Americans do. Duringhis second term, the56-year-oldGrover Clevelandfeltasoreness on the roof of hismouth It was cancer.Ostensibly to avoid apanicthat could worsen the nation’stroubledeconomy,Cleveland decided to have surgery under the guise of avacation cruise His doctors removed part of his upper jaw andpalate. Later,theyfitted hismouth with adental prosthesis so he’d look and sound as he did before the operation. Cleveland’sstaff liedabout it. They saidhesimply had two teeth pulled. Cleveland served out his presidential termand lived 15 additional years. Only afterhis death did the public findout what happened.

How about the president who had astroke thatleft him partially paralyzed,damaged hisvision and likely impaired his judgment?

Woodrow Wilson suffered two mild strokesbefore he entered politics. While traveling across thenationselling his plan to create aLeague of Nations afterWorld WarI,hewas felled by athird and more seriousstroke, which paralyzed his left arm, leg and face.His wife physician and private secretary meticulously hid the 63-year-old president’scondition. For months, they carried out presidential duties behind closeddoors. Wilson died three years after he left office At 39,FranklinRoosevelt was diagnosedwith poliomyelitis. From then on, he was unable to walk, stand or do common chores unaided. As president,hecarefully hid the extent of his paralysis. The nation’snews media helped by not showing awkwardpictures or news reels Roosevelt,the master politician, created the “illusion of mobility” to changethe optics, if notthe reality,of his disability.His brightsmile, cigarette holder and crinkled hat were props to shiftfocusaway from his paralyzed bottomhalf toward his strongerupperhalf. Achain-smoker,FDR’s health started declining in the early days of World WarII. In 1944,shortly before he was elected to afourth term, medical testing showed he had severe hypertension, coronary artery disease and congestive heart failure. He lookedincreasingly sick and alarmingly older than his 62years. His physicianmisledthe press —and maybe evenRoosevelt himself—about hisprecarious condition. Struggling to keep up with official duties during the final months of the war, he died just11weeksinto his fourth term. Seen as ayoung and vigorous leader, John Kennedy hadchronic healthproblemsthroughout his 46 years; most werekept secret during his lifetime. At 30,Kennedy was diagnosedwith Addison’sdisease, an adrenal insufficiency. Hisphysician estimated he’d live less than ayear.Healso sufferedfromback pain and numerous other ailments; he receivedthe last rites multiple times.Todull pain and keepgoing, he used numerous medications, some dangerous, that could lead to impaired judgment, nervousnessand moodswings.The fullstory of JFK’s healthwasn’ttold untilafter his assassination.

“The report of my death hasbeengreatly exaggerated,” said Mark Twain In the modern world of instant communications, sois everything else.

Ron Faucheux is anonpartisan political analyst, pollster andwriter based in Louisiana.

Keep Katrinalevee failures frontand center in coverage

Desiree Stennett chose afascinating subject for her Aug. 14 article, “20 years later,the children of Katrinahave grown up. Here’show the storm shaped their lives.” An entire generation of children was affected by thetraumatic upheaval of that event, and I’m glad that Stennett chose to writeabout it

The reference to Hurricane Katrinahaving “drowned thecity” was poetic, but concerning in that it implies that the catastrophic flooding of New Orleanswas an inevitable result of the storm.Iwas relieved when, about halfway through the article, Ifinally saw areference to “the floodwall and levee failures.” As new generations comeup, and older generations leave us —taking their

knowledge withthem —itisimportanttocontinually reiterate the fact that the flooding of NewOrleans was aman-made disaster caused by the failure of our levee system due to mismanagement by the ArmyCorps of Engineers. As Ritchie Blink says in the final sentence of the story,“Ithink we’ve gotten better.…But Ithink we’ve forgotten some of those lessons.” News articles such as Stennett’scan help refresh our collective memories so thepublic can continue to hold our governmentand the Army Corps of Engineers accountable for keeping us safe as we head into the ever-uncertain future.

SANDYPARKER NewOrleans

Microphone isn’tequal to amedical degree

So U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, RLafayette, andRobert F. Kennedy Jr., secretary of Healthand Human Services, two bright medical minds, are against vaccinations? Wait! Neither of them has any medical training of any substance whatsoever.So, why should anyone give an iota of credence to their opinions, which fly in the face of the opinions of actual medical doctors, such as the Ameri-

can Academy of Physicians, who vouch, on the basis of actual evidence, for thenecessity and safety of these vaccines, even forinfants and children? Unfortunately,just having apublic podium does not confer ascientific IQ on any politician. We should beware of those who think it does.

CYNTHIA CAMPBELL Marrero

Papercan’t printliestomakeIsraellookbetter

In an Aug. 20thletter,author Susan Levin expressed that she had “grown rather weary” of the newspaper’spublishing reportsthat from July 10-21, 369 Palestinians had been killed by Israeli forces in Gaza. She noted correctly that the terrorist organization known as Hamas had committed anumber of atrocities over the years against Israel, but during this July period, she specifically referred to five Israeli casualties reported. She concluded by requesting that the newspaper provide

more“balance” in its coverage. I’m not quite sure what the newspaper can do short of misinformation to achieve this “balance.” News needs to remain actual newsand theidea of “balanced”newsisafantasy.And “fair andbalanced” news requires even more mental gymnastics and additionally carries the risk of being taken to court and heavily fined for themisinformation it takes to create the illusion.

JIM WRIGHT Baton Rouge

Columnistcapturedwhatmakes La.culture special

This is athank-you notetoKateb Nuri-Alim Shunnar regarding “Between Stories and Steam”inthe newspaper Aug. 18. Howrefreshing it is to be able toenjoy reading such awell-written article which places

great value on cherishing and preserving theculture of our families of origin and valuing the wisdom of our parents and grandparents.

SANDRA CLEMENT Thibodaux

In Louisiana, nearly 1million people depend on Medicare for their health coverage, but our doctors are struggling to keep up. That’sbecause the way Medicare pays physicians is fundamentally flawed. Unless lawmakers institute significant changes, the consequences of this chronic underpaymentwill prevent patients from accessing critical care. When adjusted forinflation, Medicare reimbursement to doctors has declined by 33% since 2001. These inadequate payment rates, coupled with aworkforce shortage, rising costs and burdensomeadministrative red tape, are hurting independent clinicians. Many are deciding to stop seeing Medicare patients or shut down their practices altogether rather than fight this uphill battle.

Iimplore Sens. John Kennedy and Bill Cassidy to address Medicare payment reform and help Louisiana doctors. An inflationadjusted payment system would enable physicians to maintain their practices and continue delivering high-quality care to all patients.

ANITADHANRAJANI pediatric rheumatologist

No need forregret; Trumphas lowered priceofeggs

Responding to the person who wished she hadn’tvoted forPresident Donald Trumpbecause her coffee prices are up: Maybe you could use the money you saved because your eggs have dropped 39% in the past six months, cereal, sugar and dairy are now at fiveyear low prices, Gasoline is down 29% and other energy sources are also dropping. Maybe you could give this president your support and see the policies go into action and benefit the entire American public. And enjoy your reduced federal taxes. With those savings, maybe you could buy your coffee and drink it, too.

SHARON BOSTWICK Mandeville

GAMEDAY

FLORIDA AT LSU 6:30 P.M. SATURDAy • ABC

An ACL injury sidetracked Harold Perkins’ dream of reaching the NFL, but a new position and return to health have put him back on his path

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

He felt his right knee shift and the discomfort that followed, but as he slowly walked toward the locker room inside Tiger Stadium with a towel draped over his head, Harold Perkins thought he avoided the worst

That’s what he told himself at first. Maybe his knee was tweaked or hyperextended. One coach recalled hearing that might be the case, only for an athletic trainer to tell him a few minutes later that Perkins likely had a torn ACL

“He was trying to go back out,” said Perkins’ mother, Bertha Walton. “I said, ‘Son, you can’t go back out there. It’s OK to sit out the remaining couple of minutes.’ He was like, ‘No.’ And I was like, ‘Son, you can’t do it.’ ”

His adrenaline was still pumping when Perkins went home after LSU beat UCLA on Sept. 21. At least 20 family members had come over from Houston and New Orleans. Perkins said he can get close to 50 at some games, and they always meet up at his house. They tried to keep things normal. Walton cooked smothered oxtails, cabbage and cornbread. They cracked jokes. He walked around like nothing was wrong, holding out hope even though his knee was swollen. He didn’t want anyone to feel sorry for him.

“Bro, I think I’m really good,” Perkins said Perkins stayed up late that night. He usually does after games, sometimes until 4 a.m., because it can be hard for him to relax again Once he awoke, the adrenaline had worn off. That’s when he realized, “Oh, yeah, I’m messed up.” An MRI later that morning confirmed the diagnosis of a torn ACL. His junior season ended after four games.

When he signed as a five-star linebacker in the 2022 recruiting class, Perkins thought he would graduate and leave LSU in three years The injury changed his plan. Although Perkins said he received a second- or third-round NFL draft grade, he re-

turned to LSU for his senior year

“What I’m rushing for, you know what I’m saying?” Perkins said. “Rushing for nothing. I got unfinished business here. That’s really how I looked at it. I can’t leave here with unfinished business.”

Everyone has seen what Perkins is capable of. With rare closing speed, he became one of the best defensive players in college football during the second half of his freshman year His debut set high expectations for the rest of his career and Perkins has been pursuing them ever since.

A year after the injury, he may finally chase them down.

‘In a dark space’

One day in August, Perkins sat in LSU’s team room. He mindlessly rubbed his right knee as he talked about the injury

“It’s just a habit,” he said. “When I was hurt, this is all I used to do. It’s like me biting my nails. Just found something else to do.” Perkins had been hurt before. He has scars from getting cleated, and he practiced with a brace on his left arm one spring. But he believes there’s a ä See LSU, page 2C

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON/ILLUSTRATION

By TANyA RAMIREZ

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difference, as coaches have often told him, between hurt and injured This was the first time he had ever been injured and needed a major surgery

“I wouldn’t say I was scared, but I was worried,” Perkins said. “I was raised good, raised to lean on the Lord. But at the end of day, I’m human. So you’re gonna have a bunch of bad thoughts run through your head, like I did at the time.”

When Perkins heard the diagnosis, his mom said she “could see the devastation on his face.”

People who know him well never had seen him like that before. He’s usually upbeat He has an easygoing smile. Former LSU safety Major Burns, a close friend and Perkins’ roommate the previous two years, said people gravitate to him because of his energy

For about a month after the injury Perkins withdrew He struggled to accept what happened. He said he was “in a dark space.” He didn’t want to talk. He couldn’t decide whether he wanted to cry or fight. He got tired of hearing people tell him everything happens for a reason. Unless they had gone through something similar, he thought they couldn’t really understand.

Most of all, Perkins felt like he let everybody down. He’s a people pleaser to the point that LSU coaches have talked to him about learning how to relieve the pressure he puts on himself. They don’t want him to think he has to make every play or support everyone, but Perkins feels responsible for his family and team.

In 2005, Perkins was a baby when his family waded through the water in Uptown New Orleans to evacuate after the levees failed during Hurricane Katrina His mom resettled their family in the Houston area. They stayed as others returned home because she wanted to raise them somewhere she thought was safe.

Walton, a single mother, worked 16-hour shifts as a certified nursing assistant. She told her six children to keep God first and move forward when times got tough. When Perkins was 7, she taught him how to cook for himself. He would clean the house and iron clothes so she didn’t have to when she got home.

“He always did it,” Walton said. “He always has been like that. He big on family.”

After the injury he couldn’t for a while.

“When I was in that phase, I just didn’t want to be bothered because, like I said, I was hearing the same stuff from everybody,” Perkins said. “It’s like, I hear what y’all saying, but I’m just not trying to hear that right now, for real.” Road to recovery

Two days after the injury Perkins’ grandfather visited him in Baton Rouge. They talked while they watched Monday Night Football.

“Very encouraging,” Walton said, “because my dad, he don’t leave the house for nobody.” Near the end of his life, Alvin Walton Sr. used

STAFF PREDICTIONS

WILSON ALEXANDER

LSU 20, FLORIDA 17

The LSU defense looks like the strongest unit on the field, and Florida quarterback DJ Lagway has to make his first SEC road start at night in Tiger Stadium That will make the difference in a lowscoring game Florida still has enough talent to beat anyone on its schedule, and the LSU offense hasn’t proven itself yet So, as Lee Corso would say, closer than the experts think

REED DARCEY

LSU 27, FLORIDA 20

Florida’s loss last week wasn’t as bad as it looks South Florida is a good team — and now a bona fide College Football Playoff contender. The problem for the Gators is almost every opponent left on their schedule is better than the Bulls. A lot better. Their gauntlet starts with a nighttime road game at LSU, which uses the opportunity to prove that its defense is legit.

a cane because he developed a limp after falling when he suffered a minor stroke. Going up steps was tough. He couldn’t handle the ride to Tiger Stadium or sitting in the stands, so he never came to Perkins’ LSU games. When family members tried to persuade him to go, Perkins defended his grandfather’s decision.

Walton Sr was a Vietnam veteran who served in the Marine Corps. He later became a carpenter and painter He and his wife, Carolyn, were married for 49 years. He influenced Bertha Walton’s parenting style, and he was the person she called when she needed advice. When he was hard on Perkins, she wondered why

“He said Harold had a lot of potential in him,” Bertha Walton said. “If you don’t be hard on him, his potential’s not gonna come out. He said, ‘I don’t want him to be a follower, because he was born and created to be a leader.’ “

Three weeks later, Perkins woke up after surgery in Dallas with the urge to use the restroom. He told the staff he needed to pee. “I’m talking about bad,” Perkins said. They told him to get up and walk with his crutches. Perkins was confused. Could he really put pressure on his knee? They reassured him that the ligament was repaired, but he didn’t trust it yet.

At first, Perkins hesitated to push himself. He asked his mom to tie plastic sleeves around his leg before he took a shower Pretty soon, she pointed out nothing was wrong with his hands. Bertha Walton dealt with him like her other patients She and his uncle, Alvin Walton Jr., bought him a chair for the shower

“Mom, you don’t know,” Perkins’ mom recalled him saying. “It hurts.”

“I know it probably do hurt, son, but it ain’t going to hurt for a long time,” she said. “This is a temporary hurting.”

He needed to move so his knee wouldn’t get stiff Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Rashee Rice was in Dallas rehabbing a knee injury at the same time, and he encouraged Perkins. Talking to others who had gone through season-ending injuries, like Burns and former LSU defensive tackle Maason Smith, helped him understand he wasn’t alone. He read his Bible and prayed a lot.

“That’s really what changed my mindset, let me know that you’re still worth it,” Perkins said. “It’s all about confidence. And that’s what I felt like it really was. My confidence was just gone because, like, I’m not myself no more.”

Perkins stayed in Dallas for about a week as he started his rehab. Two days after he got home, his grandfather died on Oct. 26. Walton Sr., 72, had been diagnosed with colon cancer, something he hid from his family

Around the same time, Perkins began to pull himself out of his funk. And when LSU played Clemson in the season opener, he wrote “LLPAPA” on a piece of eye black.

Long Live Papa

Regaining his confidence

Last fall, Perkins had to make a decision about the NFL draft. He entered his junior season LSU Continued from page 1C

SCOTT RABALAIS

LSU 24, FLORIDA 16

The Gators are a desperate team. Lose to the Tigers and their season likely spirals out of control and Billy Napier eventually gets fired. Despite its issues, LSU has proven dominant in some respects against Clemson and Louisiana Tech In a low-scoring tug of war, the Tigers defense rises to the challenge, giving the LSU offense time to put together enough drives to win a one-score game.

KOKI RILEY

LSU 21, FLORIDA 17

The LSU offense struggled last weekend against Louisiana Tech, but Florida’s attack looked even worse against South Florida. The Bulls are a quality team, and the Gators are bound for some offensive improvement, but LSU has lost in Death Valley just once on a Saturday night since Brian Kelly took over in Baton Rouge Tigers take this game in a close, low-scoring affair.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins poses for a photo on June 18 at the team’s practice facility Through two games, Perkins has eight tackles, two tackles for loss, one sack and three hurries.

viewed by some analysts asthe top linebacker in the class, but that wasn’tthe case by thetime he got injured.There were questions about his position, and it was unlikely that he couldparticipate in the pre-draft process.

Minh Luu, the directorofOllin Athletics and Sports Medicine in Houston, showed Perkins messages fromscouts he knewsaying they would draft Perkins high without him running the 40-yard dash. His momtold him he could declare anyway,too. He would show everyone what he could do once he got to theNFL Perkins felt just as confident in himself, saying, “I just needed to getmyfeet in thedoor Once my feet was in the door,Iwas going to kick that b**** down.”

Perkins said it took timetodecide, though an LSU source said the team knew early onhewould stay.Hetold Luu, who he has trained with for a couple years, that he had alot to prove.Hethought of himself as afirst-roundpick, and he wanted to guarantee teams viewed him the same way. “I want anormal,slowrecovery,” Perkins’ mom recalled him saying at one point. “If it heals normally, next year around this time, I’llbeready.I don’thave to worryaboutnothinggetting reinjured or nothing getting retorn. Idon’t want nothing but God to heal my legnormally in His time.” By coming back, Perkinsthought he could put himself and his family in abettersituation. He declinedtodiscuss his compensationfromNIL and revenue sharing.

“It’slike, man, Icould leave. Icould trust myself and bet on myself. Icould dothat. Butwhy do that when my main goal here was to come here and leave alegacy?” hesaid,gesturingtoward abuilding where LSU has photos of its best playersonthe walls.“SomethingthatwhenI have my kids, Icouldcome back andtheycould see me all over.” By the end of the spring, Perkins wasfully cleared. He did most of his rehab at LSU,but whenever theteam had abreak, he returned toHouston. In the mornings there, he sawLuu, who coordinated with LSU’sathletic trainingstaff, for physical therapyand strength and conditioning. In the afternoon, he worked with defensive backs coach Jacory Nicholsorpass rush specialist BrandonJordan on skill development. He wanted to do so much that they had to keep him off thefield sometimes.

“He’sreally amutant, man, the way he’sable to be great at everything he does,” said Jordan, whose company says it has trained more than 200 NFL pass rushers. “But you can see why he’sgreat at everything he does because he’sout there working. Idon’tknow too many people that workharder than Perk.”

At first, Perkinsstilldidn’ttrust his knee. Nichols and Jordan could tell when he tookextra,choppy steps coming out of abreak. He had to learnhis knee couldhandlethe pressure, and as the summer rolled around, he began to movelike he used to.

LSU linebacker Harold Perkins, left, celebrates withlinebacker Whit Weeks after abig stopin thesecond half of their game against Louisiana Tech on Sept.6 at TigerStadium.

“shutdown half thefield” from the spot because of his athleticism Where Perkins should play has been an ongoing debate.Whenhebroke out as afreshman with 71/2 sacks and 13 tackles for loss, LSU primarily used him as an edge rusher and spy linebacker.But he was recruited withthe idea that he would develop at inside linebacker,aposition LSUhead coach Brian Kelly has often saidhe would need to play in the NFLbecause of his size. For two straight offseasons,LSU tried to turnhim into one.

Theposition did notstick. Perkins lastedone game his sophomore year before moving to outsidelinebacker,and he returned to inside linebacker when Baker was hired to replace Matt House. Baker thought he could play there.One coachsaidthere were times that Perkins would shut down preseason practice last year because he was so dominant When theseason started,what theysaw in practicedid not follow. Perkins playeda coupleof games at inside linebacker before getting moved around again. He recorded 17 tackles, 11/2 tackles for loss, no sacks and no hurries before theinjury.The past two years, hismom thought he put too much pressure on himselftotry to carry theteam.

It’slike, man, Icould leave. Icould trust myself and bet on myself. Icould do that. But why do that when my main goal here wastocome hereand leave alegacy?”

HAROLD

Nicholsput himthrough the same drills as thedefensive backs, even though he was the only linebacker at the sessions. Jordan taught him to run withhis handsup, refining hispassrush technique. With linebacker drills in between, he prepared forall three levels of the defense. Multiple coaches said it’srare for one player to work on all of thatatonce,especially at ahigh level.

PERKINS LSU

linebacker

“Top five,” Nicholswould tell him. “Top five.” Prepared fora breakout

Around the end of the 2024 season, Perkins metwith LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker.Asthey talked, Baker asked Perkinswhatposition he wanted to play.Baker oftenposes this question to his players becausehewants them to be where they feel most comfortable

“Whatever you want me to play,coach,” Perkins replied.

“No, Harold, what do you wanttoplay?” Baker said.

“Coach,”Perkinssaid,“IthinkI’llbebestatStar.”

Baker called Perkins “tailor-made” forthe position,a hybrid role usuallyfilled by defensive backs. He gets to blitz and drop intocoverage while playing in space, which Perkins thinks showsoff his versatility.Baker moves him around in different packages. Burns, who played Star last season,believesPerkins can

“I don’tfeellikeitdidn’twork out,” Perkins said. “I feel like different strokes for different folks. Icould do it. ButI ain’ttrying to have people reaching up to me when the ball snapped. I’m trying to be free and go makethe plays. That’swhy Ireallyfeltlike Star was better for me because it’s read and react.”

Perkins thought the LSU coaches over the past two years tried to put him in aspot thatwould make him successful. He wanted to do whatever was asked of him Burns said “if theyneeded him to put his hand in the dirt, he would.” Butthis year,hehas tried to speak up moreabout what he sees and thinks.

“If Iwas the type of person to be like, Igot to have s*** my way,wewill always bump heads,” Perkinssaid. “I never been that type of person. I’ll play nose guard if it was best for the team.”

Through two games, Perkins has eight tackles, twotackles for loss, one sack and three hurries before No. 3LSU playsFlorida. Going into the year,Burnswondered whether peoplehad forgotten Perkins could wreck agamebecausehe wasout forsolong. If they did, Perkins reminded them at the end of LSU’s17-10 win at Clemson.

With Clemson at LSU’s 14-yardline and aminuteleft in the fourthquarter,Perkins and junior linebacker Whit Weeks blitzed on fourthdown. As soon as quarterback Cade Klubnik rolled out, Perkins sprinted from the other side of the line. He chased down Klubnik and forced an incompletion, apotential sign of what’stocome.

“I thinkhe’sevenbetternow,” Weekssaid, “thanhewas his freshman year.”

(0-2), n Saturday’s games EAST Towson (2-0) at Maryland (2-0), 11 a.m.

Lehigh(2-0) at Duquesne (1-1), 11 a.m. Sacred Heart (1-1)atLIU Brooklyn (1-1),11a.m.

St. Francis (Pa.) (0-2)atCCSU (1-1),11a.m. Howard (1-1)vs. Morehouse (0-0) at E. Rutherford, N.J., noon Lafayette (1-1) at Georgetown (2-0), noon

Marist (1-1) at Wagner (0-2), noon Rhode Island (2-0)atHolyCross (0-2), 1p.m.

Bowie St. (0-0)atDelaware St. (1-1), 2p.m.

Uconn (1-1) at Delaware (1-1), 2p.m.

Norfolk St. (1-1) at Rutgers(2-0), 2:30 p.m. Pittsburgh(2-0) at West Virginia (1-1), 2:30 p.m.

Fordham(0-2) at StonyBrook (0-2),2:30 p.m.

VMI (1-1) at Bucknell(1-1), 2:30 p.m.

Stonehill (0-2)atMaine (0-2), 5p.m. West Liberty (0-0) at RobertMorris (0-2), 5p.m.

Bentley (0-0) at Bryant (1-1), 5p.m. E. Kentucky (1-1)atMarshall(0-2), 5p.m. New Haven(0-2) at Albany (NY) (0-2), 6p.m. SOUTH Memphis (2-0) at Troy (1-1), 11 a.m. William &Mary (1-1) at Virginia (1-1), 11 a.m. Davidson (0-2) at Tennessee Tech (2-0), noon

Elon (1-1)atW.Carolina (0-2), 1:30 p.m.

Tuskegee (0-0)atJackson St. (1-1),2 p.m.

Georgia (2-0) at Tennessee(2-0), 2:30 p.m. Richmond(1-1) at North Carolina(1-1),2:30 p.m.

Furman (1-1)atCampbell(0-2), 2:30 p.m.

Lindenwood (Mo.) (0-2)atCharleston So.(0-2),3 p.m.

Alabama A&M (1-1)atTennessee St. (1-1), 3:30 p.m.

Miles (0-0)atAlabama St. (1-1), 4p.m.

FAU(1-1) at FIU (1-1), 5p.m.

Fayetteville St. (0-0)atNCCentral (1-2),5 p.m.

Bethune-Cookman (0-2)atSCState (1-1), 5p.m.

Monmouth (NJ)(2-0)atCharlotte (0-2), 5p.m.

Merrimack (1-1)atKennesaw St. (0-2), 5p.m.

Stetson (1-1) at Chattanooga (0-2),5 p.m.

Wofford(0-2) at Mercer (0-1), 5p.m.

Alcorn St. (0-2)atMississippi St. (2-0), 5p.m.

Appalachian St. (2-0)atSouthernMiss. (1-1),6 p.m.

Morehead St. (1-1)atAustinPeay(1-1),6 p.m.

AlbanySt. (Ga.) (0-0)atFloridaA&M (0-2), 6p.m.

Old Dominion (1-1)atVirginia Tech (0-2), 6p.m.

Hampton (1-1) at NC A&T (0-2), 6p.m.

Erskine (0-0)atPresbyterian (2-0), 6p.m.

S. Illinois(1-1)atUTMartin(0-2), 6p.m.

Jacksonville St. (1-1)atGeorgia Southern (0-2), 6p.m.

Murray St. (0-2) at Georgia St. (0-2),6 p.m.

The Citadel (1-1) at Gardner-Webb (1-1),6 p.m.

Northeastern St. (0-0)atNorth Alabama(0-2),6

(1-1),6:30 p.m. East Carolina (1-1)atCoastal Carolina (1-1), 6:30 p.m. New Mexico St.(2-0) at LouisianaTech(1-1),6:30 p.m. Duke(1-1)

(2-0),2:30 p.m. Morgan St. (0-2)atToledo(1-1),2:30 p.m. SMU (1-1)atMissouri St.(1-1),2:30 p.m. Youngstown St. (2-0)atMichigan St.(2-0),2:30 p.m. SE Missouri (1-1)atN.Dakota St.(2-0),2:30 p.m. UL (1-1)atMissouri (2-0),3p.m. E. Washington (0-2)atN.Iowa(1-1),4 p.m. Liberty (1-1)atBowlingGreen (1-1), 4p.m. Drake(1-0) at S. Dakota St. (2-0), 6p.m. Valparaiso (1-1)atW.Illinois(0-2),6 p.m. Umass (0-2)atIowa(1-1),6:30 p.m. SOUTHWEST Samford(0-2) at Baylor(1-1),11a.m. Washington St.(2-0) at North Texas(2-0),2:30 p.m. Incarnate Word (1-1)atUTSA(0-2),2:30 p.m. Oregon St. (0-2)atTexas Tech (2-0),2:30 p.m.

(1-1)atTexas Southern (0-2), 6p.m.

View(1-1) at Rice(1-1),6p.m.

St. (3-0)atCent. Arkansas (1-1),6p.m.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

THENATION

THINGS TO WATCHINWEEK3

Crimson Tide to test Badgers defense No.19Alabama (1-1) lost at Florida State in its opener before rolling to avictoryover UL-Monroe last week.Wisconsin (2-0) wanted to upgrade adefense that slipped into mediocrity last year.The Badgers have responded by shutting out Miami (Ohio) 17-0 and beating Middle Tennessee 42-10 in their first twogames.Now comes a much bigger test,as Wisconsin is 0-6 against Top25teams during coach LukeFickell’s three-year tenure, including a42-10 home loss to Alabama last year

Bulldogs look to sustain win streak over Vols Georgia has reeled off eight straight wins over the Vols for its longest streak in arivalry that started in 1899. Coach KirbySmart’s lone loss came in hiscoaching debut in 2016 on alast-second Hail Mary. The defending SEC champcomes into the conference opener forboth teams ranked sixth.No. 15 Tennessee (2-0) scored aprogram-record 72 pointsina rout of East TennesseeState. At NeylandStadium, the Vols have wonnine straight and are 21-1 since the startofthe 2022season.The lone loss? Georgia.

Irish seek first win of seasonvs.Aggies No. 8Notre Dame (0-1) will spend Saturday tryingtoget its season back on track when No. 16 TexasA&M (2-0) comes to town Coach Marcus Freeman is more willingtounleash CJ Carr against the Aggies knowingan 0-2 startcouldknock the Irish out of the playoff picture early on.The Aggies rely heavily on QB Marcel Reed, whoaverages 5.8 yards per carrywhile throwing for509 yards and seven TDs in the first twogames. But the challenge will be facinganopponent as talented as the Irish after opening with UTSA and Utah State.

—AssociatedPress

Rivalryampsupasannualgameindoubt

It was always going to be ahuge game. No matter the records. No matterwhat happened in the first two weeks ofthe season. Why? Because it’sLSU versusFlorida That’swhy.It’sbeen aseason-defining game on both teams’schedules for seemingly forever.The rivalry, theanimosity,is simmering like atailgate gumbo(accompanied by adiced alligator tail appetizer,of course).

1. LSU

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 1

Last week: DefeatedLouisiana Tech 23-7

Thisweek: vs.Florida, 6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

2. GEORGIA

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 2

Last week: DefeatedAustin Peay 28-6

Thisweek: at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

3. TEXAS

Record: 1-1 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 3

Last week: DefeatedSan Jose State38-7

Thisweek: vs.UTEP,3:15 p.m. Saturday(SEC Network)

4. OKLAHOMA

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 9

Last week: DefeatedMichigan 24-13

Thisweek: at Temple, 11 a.m. Saturday (ESPN2)

5. AUBURN

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 5

Last week: DefeatedBall State 42-3

Thisweek: vs.South Alabama, 11:45 a.m. Saturday(SECNetwork)

6. MISSOURI

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 12

Last week: DefeatedKansas 42-31

Thisweek: vs.UL, noon Saturday(ESPN+, SECNetwork+)

7. VANDERBILT

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 13

Last week: DefeatedVirginia Tech 44-20

Thisweek: at South Carolina, 6:45 p.m. Saturday(SECNetwork)

8. SOUTHCAROLINA

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 6

Last week: DefeatedSouth Carolina State 38-10

Thisweek: vs.Vanderbilt, 6:45 p.m. Saturday (SECNetwork)

“I’m not abig fan of theFlorida Gators,” LSUquarterback GarrettNussmeiersaid Tuesday,asly smile curling across his face. “I can’twait to get in DeathValley andfeelthat environment.It’sgoingtobe awesome. It should be everything that makes LSU football so compelling: atraditional rival, anight game (mostly) and a packed house insideTiger Stadium (6:30 p.m., ABC) TheGatorsmay have been an upset victim to South Florida last week,18-16. And LSU may have pulled off one of theseason’s biggest wins for anyschool two weeks ago at Clemson,17-10. But that’sall pre-show diversions waiting in line for aDisney World headliner attraction now.This is the Southeastern Conference opener for bothteams. Thebig leagues. Anditmeans so much once again. No.3LSU is trying to get thewind back in its sails from the Clemson game,awind that was deflated somewhat bylast week’s uneven23-7 win over LouisianaTech. Florida is likely trying to saveits season and thejob of fourth-year coach Billy Napier.Eight of the Gators’next10opponents are ranked, five of them in thetop 10. If Florida lets another win slip through its fingers then there is little if any hope forthe rest of the season.

All week long, both teams engaged in a long-distance tango of dueling availability reports, moving acouple of key chess pieces into position for Saturday’sshowdown. Mostnotably,LSU says center Braelin Mooreisprobable after spraining his ankle on the Tigers’ first offensive play against Louisiana Tech. Florida counters with defensive lineman Caleb Banks, theiceberg of LSU’stitanic 27-16 loss in Gainesville last year, who will apparently see his first action of the year after suffering alowerleg injury in preseason camp.

The Tigersremember last year’sdismantling in The Swamp, thethird of three straight defeats last season that trap-doored LSUfrom thetop 10 to out of CFPand SEC contention. Not that revenge seems to be part of the equation for the Tigers this week. They know Floridahas enoughfirepower to be dangerous. No need to get overly worked up about what didn’t work last year

LSUcoach Brian Kelly had aterm for it Thursday on his weekly radio show:

“Wedon’twant abunch of show dogs” against theGators, Kelly said. “Wewant hunting dogs.”

Forwhatever reason, LSU dogged it against Louisiana Tech, agame played in the emotional trough between Clemson and Florida.

The Tigersmadeittheir ever-present goal for months to be 1-0 after Clemson. Now they try to point their effortstowinning agame that, with Southeastern Louisiananextweek, would be 99.9% likely to putLSU at4-0 going intothe season’snext bigshowdown with Ole Miss.

Butasbig as it is when the Tigers play the Rebels, or Alabama, or Texas A&M, for generations of LSUfans, Florida is the gold standard of SEC rivalries.

There’sanother facet to this game run-

ning under theclassic “Wehate you/We hateyou more” emotions. There’sthe knowledge that this year’sgame could be theend of an era of sorts, andwe’re not talking about Napier’shot seat. LSUand Floridahave played each other every year since 1971, but that is likely coming to aclose. The SEC finally adopted anine-game conference schedule starting in 2026, with three permanent and six rotatingopponents. No word is expected who those permanent opponents will be until sometime after theregular season, but it seemsgeographically unlikely that one of those three will be LSU-Florida.

That’sfairer in some waysfor LSU, which for years had to deal with the Gators and the gauntlet that was the SEC West every season. Now that divisions are gone, theannual East-West LSU-Florida rivalry remains, but perhaps in itslast annual go round.

The SEC needs to play nine games, but it’salso sad that this rivalry that has produced so manygreat games is acasualty of progress.

Just to recall afew: 1982, the debut of theDalton (Hilliard) and (Garry) James gang as LSU stuns No. 4Florida 24-13 1997, LSU takes down No. 1for the first time, beating Florida28-21 …2007, LSU wins 28-24 over eventual Heisman winner TimTebow,converting five fourth downs …2020, The Shoe Game, Marco Wilson sends Kole Taylor’scleat flying through the foggy Gainesville air as LSU stuns No.6 Florida37-34.

Will this game add achapter to the list? When it’s LSU-Florida, that’salways what is expected.

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

9. MISSISSIPPISTATE

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 16

Last week: DefeatedArizona State 24-20

Thisweek: vs.Alcorn, 5p.m. Saturday (ESPN+, SECNetwork+)

10.TENNESSEE

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 7

Last week: DefeatedETSU 72-17

Thisweek: vs.Georgia, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

11.OLE MISS

Record: 2-0 overall, 1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 11

Last week: DefeatedKentucky 30-23

Thisweek: vs.Arkansas, 6p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

12.TEXAS A&M

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 10

Last week: DefeatedUtah State 44-22

Thisweek: at Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m. Saturday(NBC)

13.ARKANSAS

Record: 2-0 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 14

Last week: DefeatedArkansas State56-14

Thisweek: at Ole Miss, 6p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

14.ALABAMA

Record: 1-1 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 8

Last week: DefeatedUL-Monroe 73-0

Thisweek: vs.Wisconsin, 11 a.m. Saturday (ABC)

15.FLORIDA

Record: 1-1 overall, 0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 4 Last week: Lost to South Florida 18-16 Thisweek: at LSU, 6:30 p.m. Saturday(ABC) 16.KENTUCKY

Record: 1-1 overall, 0-1

Previous rank: 15

Last

Scott Rabalais

STAFF FILEPHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSUlinebacker Whit Weeks, right, pursues Florida quarterback DJ Lagway in the second half of theirgameNov.16atBen Hill Griffin Stadium in Gainesville, Fla.

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

COLUMBIA, Mo. TheULRagin’Cajuns areroughly afour-touchdown underdog at noon Saturday against No.25 Missouri.

But with two games under their belts and two games left before the start of Sun Belt Conference play,coach Michael Desormeauxknowshis squadis very much in the development stage. Alack of execution at times has kept the depth chart abit in flux in several areas, including cornerback,wide receiver and now the offensiveline because of arecentrash of injuries.

In only his third collegiate game, true

freshman Brent Gordon is scheduled to start at cornerback forthe Cajuns on Saturday

“He just competes,” Desormeaux said of the decisiontostart Gordon.

“He’sa really good athlete and he’s competitive. He’sdiligent. He’s everything we were kind of hoping he’d be.

We felt early on he had achance to play alot this year

“There’sa lotofpressure every-

where. Yougoout there and you play to win. You’ve gottodoyour job well to win.”

Seniorwide receiver Rob Williams certainly wasn’tsurprised that Gordon got thenod early on this season.

“Brent is adog,” Williams said. “You might sayhe’syoung or he’s not as experienced, but he’sadog. Whenyou’re adog,thatage andclass, thatdoesn’t matter when yougoing outand working every day

“Brent actually asks for our perspective.He’ll ask, ‘Soifyou’redoing this and Iput my here …’ He craves feedback.That’sone bigthing Ilikeabout Brent.”

Gordon and the UL secondary will

face an explosiveMissouri passing game, led by quarterback Beau Pribula (53of67, 617yds,5TDs, 0INTs) who hasorchestratedanoffense averaging 51 points agame so far.

The Tigers have rushed for480 yards in two games, led by AhmadHardy with 212 yards andtwo scores.Jamal Roberts has contributed 176 yards and atouchdown.

Aiding Pribulainthe passinggame are top receivers Kevin Coleman with 16 catches for 174 yards and atouchdownand Marquis Johnson with seven catches for155 yards and atouchdown. Tight end Brett Norfleet is abig

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

When Saints coaches scoutcollege playersfor the NFL draft, they tag elite special teams prospects with aspecial code: 37. That, of course, is thejersey number worn by Saintsspecial teams legend Steve Gleason To no one’ssurprise, IsaiahStalbird earned a“37” tag last year when the Saints evaluated the speedy linebacker from South Dakota State. The tag fits. In many ways,Stalbird is acarbon copyof Gleason.Elitemultisport athlete. Undersizedbut productive college linebacker.Undrafted free agent who wasn’tinvitedtothe NFL scouting combine Stalbird arrived in New Orleans with little fanfare.But,likeGleason, once he steppedonthe field, hiseffortand playmaking abilitywereimpossible to ignore. “All he’sdone since he got here was showupin practice and make flash plays,” special teams coordinator Phil Galiano said. “I kept telling ourguys (coaches, scouts), ‘This guy can bespecial.’” Stalbird has been just that so far.Afterearning a spot on the 53-man rosterbyleadingthe Saints in special teams tackles during the preseason,hewas dominantinthe season opener againstArizona.Stal-

birdwas credited with four of the team’ssix special teams tackles,including akey stop on the Saints’ final kickoff that penned theCardinals at their own 26-yard line. Stalbird’sfreaky athleticism paired withwhat coaches and teammates say is an insatiable desire forfilm study and game-plan preparation have vaulted him to the front of the special teams units. He’squickly becomeaplayer

JoshAllenand Lamar Jackson didn’tplaya snapinthe preseason. They didn’tneed it. Allenand Jackson werespectacular in their first game action of theseason. Jacksonled the Baltimore Ravenstoa15-point, fourth-quarter lead only to watch Allenrally the Buffalo Bills to a 41-40 victory So much forrust. Allen was33-of-46 passing for 394 yards with two touchdown passes and two more rushing. Jackson was 14-of-19 passing for 209 yardsand twotouchdowns plus70yards rushing and another score.

“It’strusting, trusting our process,trusting ourother 10 guys on thefootball field, trusting what Joe’s(offensive coordinator Joe Brady)calling, and really sticking to our fundamentals and how we worked duringtraining camp, and really just trying to pickup where we leftoff from last year,” Allen said.

The reigning NFL MVP sat out the entire preseason for the first time in his career,but Allen was

sharp against atough defense. He had251 of hispassingyards in the fourth quarter Jackson, atwo-time MVP and three-time All-Pro, hasn’tplayed in thepreseason since 2021. He just steps on the field and dazzles whenever he gets an opportunity NFLcoaches have to makedifficultdecisions each preseason, choosing whether to rest starters or put quarterbacksinharm’s way in meaningless games. Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love injured his hand in an exhibitiongame but was readytoplay in Week 1. Sitting out doesn’tmeanguys will be ineffective.Allenand Jackson demonstrated that. So did Aaron Rodgers. Playing in preseason games doesn’tguarantee success early in the season, either Footballisateam sport.There area lotoffactors that determine aquarterback’s performanceand whether an offense clicks right from the start. Rodgers was amongthe 10 starting quarterbacks who didn’tget anyrepsinexhibition games. He was outstanding in the

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

the Cajuns’ rushing

STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

Saints linebacker Isaiah Stalbird reacts after making a stop againstthe Jacksonville Jaguars on Aug. 17.

Duncan

Lafayette Renaissance beats Abbeville

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

Another week and it’s another dominating performance by the Lafayette Renaissance Tigers. Behind a stifling defense and a balanced offensive attack that excelled on the ground and through the air the Tigers cruised to a 48-6 victory Thursday over the Abbeville Wildcats.

“We’ve come a long way in two years,” said Tigers coach Hunter Landry, whose program has won the first two games of the year for a second consecutive season.

“These freshmen took their licks last year, but the overall growth of this program has been unbelievable. The seniors have worked extremely hard to get to this point. We don’t take any wins for granted.”

Defensively, the Tigers (2-0) held the Wildcats to 210 yards of total offense (83 passing, 127 rushing), recorded three sacks, forced two turnovers and stopped Abbeville on four of five fourth-down attempts.

“Defensively, what an unbelievable job,” Landry said “Those guys have been playing really good football on that side of the ball. Abbeville has some really good skill players that have the ability to score in one play But our defense did a great job of keeping them bottled up.”

The Tigers defense was led by Tyler Yokum, who recorded two sacks, and defensive backs Jaymien Zenon and Tremaine Jones both of whom had interceptions.

“We forced a couple of turn-

overs and had some three and outs,” Landry said “We also made a big stand to keep them out of the end zone late in the game. They had eight plays inside the 10-yard line, and we kept them out That was great.”

With the defense doing its part, the offense led by junior quarterback Kennan Brown — lit up the scoreboard early and often. Brown completed 17 of 28 passes for 197 yards and four touchdowns that were caught by four receivers.

“Kennan is like having another coach on the field,” Landry said.

“We have thrown a lot at him, and he has done a great job of handling

it. He did a great job (Thursday).”

Brown threw touchdown passes to Shamar Taylor, who led all receivers with three receptions for 54 yards, Brenden Miles, Ashton Joseph and Ja’Courey Duhon. Taylor also had a 35-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter

The Tigers rushing attack was propelled by Jaydon Polk and Da’Marion Green, who combined for 140 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. Polk finished with a team-high 80 yards on 10 carries, while Green rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries. However, it was far from a perfect night for the Tigers, who

committed a plethora of penalties that could be detrimental once they reach the district portion of their schedule. The Tigers were flagged 19 times for 169 yards on the night.

“We definitely have some things we need to get cleaned up,” Landry said “We’re fortunate that those penalties didn’t hurt us more than they did. We know things like that can be the difference between winning and losing. We’ll get back to watching the film and study so we can get those things corrected.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Rayne guts out dramatic win over Northwest

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

RAYNE When considering all the things that had to go right for Rayne to pull off a dramatic 36-33 win over Northwest on Thursday, Wolves coach Kaine Guidry had to fight back tears of pride.

“I got a little emotional because we’ve got 43 kids dressed,” Guidry said. “Our numbers were down. We knew that coming into the season. Some kids didn’t come up the field at all. In early September, that’s unheard of and we had one kid cramp. Very proud of our kids’ effort.”

That one player who cramped was Syncere Smith, who scored the game-winning touchdown with 35.4 seconds left from the 3-yard line.

Smith’s run culminated a 12play, 71-yard drive in 6:19. The key plays on the drive were Austin Judice’s 10-yard completion to Smith for a first down and then a 34-yard connection with Lon Paul Moody

“The ball was on the ground, so I had to roll out to my right and he (Moody) did a heck of a job to climb the defense and he got open,” Judice said. “The catch, it was an amazing catch.”

The drama wasn’t over in this nailbiter, however Northwest had taken a 33-29 lead on a 20-yard pass to Jayden Lazard from Justin Chavis with 6:54 left to play

The Raiders had scored quickly all night, so 35.4 seconds seemed like enough time. Northwest reached the Rayne 16 and attempted a potential game-tying field goal with 3.8 seconds left, but the snap was low and bobbled to end the game.

“Man, you look at Northwest and they’re scary,” Guidry said. “The quarterback’s good, the receivers are good and the running back is as good a back as we’re going to see all year That was a great team win. That’s really all I can say.” Indeed, the Wolves overcame Ke’von Johnson’s 214 yards and

four touchdowns on 14 carries, as well as two receptions for 36 yards.

That’s where the truly difficult part comes in. Knowing his defense had little chance to contain Johnson, the Wolves had to have long, sustained drives.

The execution was impressive.

First was a 17-play, 71-yard drive in 9:38 and then 10 plays covering 74 yards in 4:56.

In the third quarter, Judice orchestrated a 16-play, 80-yard drive in 9:40 for a 29-20 lead.

When that drive ended, Rayne’s offense had reeled off 57 plays to only 12 for Northwest.

“As an offense, we were just trying to shove it down their throats

— just run the clock, run the clock, run the clock.”

The final numbers were 73 plays for the Wolves to 26.

“We preach ball control,” Guidry said. “We preach 3 yards 3 yards at a time.” The Wolves had balance as well.

Judice ran it 19 times for 45 tough yards in addition to 8-of-14 passing for 141 yards and a score.

“He’s a really good decision maker back there,” Guidry said of Judice. “There’s a lot of pieces to that offense. We’ve got a bunch of formations, a bunch of quarterbacks.”

Moody had eight carries for 51 yards, in addition to four catches for 75 yards.

Rudolph Peter sat in the first half with an injury but flourished in the second half with 56 yards and a score on 11 carries.

“He was fighting a hamstring injury, so we were trying to limit him a bit,” Guidry said.

Another big part of Rayne’s strategy was going for it on fourth down. Giving the ball up to Northwest just wasn’t an option.

The Wolves converted their first five fourth-down chances, including from their own 32 and 29.

“We were going for it, no doubt about it,” Guidry said.

Still, that doesn’t explain all the obstacles. Senior center Izra Jackson suffered an AC joint sprain in his shoulder in the second half, making many of his snaps bounce, leaving Judice to field them and still get the play off.

“That kid gutted it out,” Guidry said of Jackson “That kid had nothing left I can’t say enough about his effort and his will to finish.” In the end, the yards weren’t very different. Rayne outrushed the Raiders 240-214 and outpassed Northwest 141-120. Once again, the tortoise beat the hare.

Commanders’ Wise out for season, Ekeler injured Washington Commanders defensive end Deatrich Wise will miss the rest of the season after having quadriceps surgery, and the team believes running back Austin Ekeler tore his right Achilles tendon in a loss to the Green Bay Packers on Thursday but is awaiting tests to confirm the severity of that injury, a person with knowledge of the situations told The Associated Press on Friday Wise is a 31-year-old in his ninth NFL season who joined the Commanders this offseason after playing his entire career with the New England Patriots.

He was injured in the first half of Green Bay’s 27-18 victory while trying to block an extra-point attempt. Wise was driven off the field and raised his right fist as he was taken away

FanDuel to pay Jaguars about $5M in theft fiasco

FanDuel has agreed to pay the Jacksonville Jaguars roughly $5 million to help offset the nearly $20 million that a former employee stole from the NFL franchise and deposited at the sportsbook, a person familiar with discussions said Friday

The deal was finalized earlier this year, the person said. It came a year after financial manager Amit Patel pleaded guilty to stealing $22 million through a virtual credit card system the team used for expenses.

FanDuel is one of the NFL’s official gambling partners, so it made sense to find an amicable resolution with the Jaguars and avoid a potentially expensive legal battle. The Jaguars declined comment, as well as FanDuel.

Phillies pitcher Alvarado out for rest of the season

Relief pitcher Jose Alvarado of the Phillies will miss the remainder of the season after being placed on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm strain Friday. Alvarado was 4-2 with a 3.81 ERA in 26 innings pitched over 28 appearances this season. He served an 80-game suspension for performance-enhancing drugs from May 18 to Aug. 18 after testing positive for exogenous testosterone.

He was 4-1 with a 2.70 ERA and seven saves at the time of the suspension usually serving as the club’s closer

The Phillies acquired closer Jhoan Duran from Minnesota at the July 31 trade deadline, and he has dominated in the role ever since.

Matsuyama

leads BMW PGA Championship

Hideki Matsuyama made two eagles in shooting 8-under 64 to take a one-stroke lead over a trio of European Ryder Cup players after the second round of the BMW PGA Championship on Friday Matsuyama made 11 birdies this week along with eagles at two of the four par-5s in the second round to be 12 under for the tournament. At the 17th he chipped in from the edge of the green to jump into the lead late in the day Viktor Hovland (66), Ludvig Åberg (69) and Justin Rose (66) were leading the pursuit of Matsuyama in their last event before the Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black from Sept. 26-28.

There are 11 members of the Europe team playing this week and only rookie Rasmus Hojgaard (5 over after 75) failed to make it.

Astros place McCullers on 15-day IL with soreness

The Houston Astros placed righthander Lance McCullers on the 15day injured list with soreness in his pitching hand, general manager Dana Brown said Friday before the Astros opened a three-game series in Atlanta. McCullers flew back to Houston from Toronto to have his hand evaluated. McCullers made two relief appearances in September, including one Thursday in a 6-0 loss to the Blue Jays He is 2-5 with a 6.88 ERA with 12

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Lafayette Renaissance defender Jaymien Zenon, left, intercepts the ball before racing downfield to the 1-yard line against Abbeville on Thursday.

SunBeltmissesout on bigwins

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

No Sun Belt teams sprung big upsets last week

There was one pretty impressivescare,though, in an overall improved performance from Sun Belt programs.

The Troy Trojans endured a transition season ayear agoafterlosing coach Jon Sumrall to Tulane after back-to-back league championships. The Trojans led 16-3 at Clemson last Saturday and trailed 20-16tothe Tigers after three quartersintheir 27-16 loss. Elsewhere, South Alabamaalmost knocked off Sumrall’sGreen Wave, serving notice the Jaguars may be moreofafactor in the Sun Belt West Division race than some anticipated

1. JamesMadison

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 1

Last week: Lost at Louisville 28-14

This week: Open date

Extrapoints: The Dukes lost at Louisville,but the box score was pretty kind to James Madison, so no reason to panic. The Dukes were tied 14-14 after three quarters, had 19 first downs to 12 for Louisville and the total yards battle was avirtualstalemate at 264-263. James Madison made it harder on itself with an interception and a lost fumble.That’senough to stay on top

2. TexasState

Records: 2-0overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 2

Last week: DefeatedTexas-San Antonio 43-36

Thisweek: at Arizona State, 9:30 p.m. Saturday (TNT)

Extra points: TheBobcats had a really nicewin over UTSAdespite givingup25first downs. A year ago, Texas Statelost 31-28 to ArizonaState before the nation realizedhow good the Sun Devils were. The Bobcats outgained Arizona State 400-327. The Bobcats didgive up 245 yards rushing last week

3. Troy

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 6

Last week: Lost at Clemson 27-16

This week: vs. Memphis, 11 a.m. Saturday(ESPNU)

Extrapoints: Taking Clemson to the wire didn’t appear fluky.Two badbounce interceptions thrown in the thirdquarter might have been the most fluky aspect of Troy’s road loss. Clemson outgained the Trojans316-301. Thatsolid effort catapults Troy into thetop three. Nowthe Trojans take on aMemphisteam comingoff a38-16 road win over Georgia State.

4. AppalachianState

Records: 2-0overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 4

Last week: Defeated Lindenwood 20-13

This week: at Southern Miss, 6p.m.

Saturday(ESPN+)

fire. Now the UL offensiveline has depth issues because of injuries.The only thingin UL’s favoristhe Tigers are comingoff an emotional win over rival Kansas, so perhaps Missouri will have abit of a letdown.

Kevin Foote

Extrapoints: The modest victory over Lindenwood suggests Appalachian State’srise lastweek was premature. Time may show that to be thecase, but understand the Mountaineers outgainedLindenwood 503-216, only to be foiled by three fumbles and an interception. Running back RashodDubinion rushed for 194 yards, and quarterback AJSwann threwfor 294 yardsand two touchdowns.

5. UL

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 5

Last week: Defeated McNeese 3410

This week: at Missouri, noon Saturday (ESPN+)

red-zone threat with 10 receptions for85yards and threetouchdowns. Winorlose, the Cajuns needtoshow improvement in the passing game

Starting quarterback Walker Howard suffered likely aseasonending injuryinthe opener and redshirt freshman Daniel Beale started his first game last week. And dropped passes are approaching double figures through two gamesfor the Cajuns.

“Practice has been really good,” Desormeaux said. “I thought we’ve thrown and caught it better this week thanwehad since camp.” Shelton Sampson has fivecatch-

Extrapoints: The Cajuns leaned on their rushing attack to the tune of 315yards to pull away from McNeese. There are still some lingering questions. Howlong will it take forthe UL passing game to get moreproductive? Andcan the defenseget off to quickerstarts? We may not get the answersat Missouri on Saturday,but we’ll know soon enough.

6. SouthAlabama

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 11

Last week: LosttoTulane 33-31

This week: at Auburn,11:45 a.m.

Saturday (SEC Network)

Extrapoints: Perhaps dropping the Jags four spots last week after a lacklusterwin over Morgan City was premature. South Alabama nearly knocked off Tulane, missing the game-tying two-point conversion in the final minute. Quarterback Bishop Davenport(17-240, 231 yds, 2TDs), running back Kentrel Bullock (24-107, 1TD) andreceiverDevin Voisin (8-152, 2TDs) displayed their potential.

7. Arkansas State

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 3

Last week: LosttoArkansas 56-14

This week: vs.Iowa State, 3p.m.

Saturday (ESPN2)

Extrapoints: Tworeally cool games in arow for the RedWolves.The problem is, last week’shistoric showdown with Arkansas didn’t go very well. The Razorbacks put up 630 yards behind a321-yard rushing attack.Arkansas State did convert 10 of 19 third downs and owned the time of possessionedge 37:20 to 22:50. The Red Wolves host No. 14 Iowa Statethis week.

8. OldDominion

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 7

Last week: DefeatedNorth Carolina Central 54-6

This week: at Virginia Tech, 6p.m. Saturday (ACC Network)

Extrapoints: It’sdifficult to getanythingout of ablowout win against

es for 63 yards, but nobody else has morethan 25 yards receiving.

“The vibe has been the same,” Williamssaid. “Weknowwhat we can do.It’sjust aboutgoing out there and doing it. It’sjust that sometimes things don’tclick right away when you want it to, but eventually it’sgoing to click.”

Williams said the UL secondary has been supportive.

“Theyknowwecan do more thananybody,” Williamssaid. “They’ve been giving us their best and letting us know it’s going to happen. It’s going to come together at one point.”

Sophomore Charles Robertson is listed as astarterinthe slot against Missouri. “I think he’sbeen really,really consistent,”Desormeauxsaid of Robertson. “Wemoved him in

inferiorcompetition,sowe’lldismiss last week’swin.The Monarchs did knock off Virginia Tech 20-17 two years ago, so they won’t be intimidated against theHokies. After competing well at Indiana in theopener,another good showing against at Power Four team could elevate OldDominion in the poll.

9. Georgia Southern

Records: 0-2 overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 8

Last week: Lost to USC59-20

This week: vs.Jacksonville State, 6p.m.Saturday (ESPN+)

Extrapoints: As expected, the West Coast trip was nightmarish forthe Eagles.Georgia Southern gave up 755 total yards against USC, including446 on the ground. After along trip home, relief may not come easy.Jacksonville State is 1-1 with a17-10 loss to Central Florida and a34-24 win over Liberty.That’snot acupcakebyany stretch

10.SouthernMiss

Records: 1-1 overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 9

Last week: Beat Jackson State 3820

This week: vs. AppalachianState, 6p.m. Saturday (ESPN+)

Extrapoints: This Sun Beltopener will give us abetterindication on Southern Miss. Last week, the Golden Eagleswere +2 in turnovers, and Jackson State had12 flags to only four for Southern Miss, butthe Eaglesoutgained Jackson State only 363-322. This will be abattle of two of the league’s best quarterbacks, so should be very telling showdown.

11.UL-Monroe

Records: 1-1 overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 10

Last week: Lost to Alabama 73-0

This week: Open date

Extrapoints: Like many of the teamsinthe SunBelt, we don’t knowmuchabout ULM after two games.Alabamawas in afoul

that Hspot, that slot receiver spot alittle bit, and that’sbeen areally good move forhim.” Williams is encouragedby Beale’sapproach.

“I feel like Daniel is the same guy,” he said. “He’snever tooup, never too down. Ihaven’tseen any difference in Daniel.”

Thewin over McNeeseState lastSaturdaywas powered by more than300 yardsrushing, led by Bill Davis collecting acareerhigh 132 pointsand twoscores Zylan Perry also has 140 yards on 25 carries in twogames.

This week, the running game will have anew-look offensive line withleft guard Kaden Moreau out with an injury.Matt Broussard replaces him,and several backup linemen are out as well. Missouri is talented on defense.

mood when it pummeled the Warhawks. ULM has been on the opposite end of shutouts in its first two games. Now the Warhawks are on abye week.

12.Coastal Carolina

Records: 1-1overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 12

Last week: Defeated Charleston Southern 13-0

This week: vs. East Carolina, 6:30 p.m.Saturday (ESPN+).

Extrapoints: After abad loss to Virginia, Coastal Carolina had an uninspiring win over Charleston Southern. At least that’sthe way it seemed by glancing at thefinal score. The boxscore showed the Chanticleers posted 27 first downs andoutgainedthe Buccaneers 384-153, but they were thwarted by three interceptions.

13.Georgia State

Records: 0-2overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 14

Last week: Lost to Memphis 38-16

This week: vs. Murray State, 6p.m. Saturday (ESPN+)

Extrapoints: The Tigers lost to Memphis, but total yards were tight at 401-389. Transfer quarterback TJ Finley seemed to adjust pretty quickly at 21-of-29 passing for 201 yards and an interception in his first game. Receiver Ted Hurst hadseven receptions for 97 yards.

14.Marshall

Records: 0-2overall, 0-0 Sun Belt

Previous rank: 13

Last week: Lost to Missouri State 21-20

This week: vs. EasternKentucky, 5p.m. Saturday (ESPN+)

Extrapoints: TheThundering Herd almostcaptured theirfirst win in thistransition campaign, leading 20-7 in the third quarter.Missouri State passed for 388 yards and outgained Marshall by 200total yards.

Eastern Kentucky should be a great opportunity to get that first win, although the Colonelsbeat Houston Christian last week after gettinghandled by Louisville in the opener

“If we’re going to have trouble moving them upfront, that’sgoing to be aproblem,” Desormeaux said.

“They’re big, long andathletic. Then if you’ve got to throw it, theyplaya lotofman coverage, so you’ve got to wininman.” UL outside linebackers coach Mike Giuliani said the Cajuns defense is ready forthe challenge.

“Welive forthat opportunity to go play,” he said. “That’sthe defense we wanttobe. Put it on our backs and let us go do it.

“The firemen don’tshow up and ask who started the fire. They just start fighting the fire. That’sour job. Ithink our guys have agreat attitude.”

Email KevinFoote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF FILE PHOTOByHILARy SCHEINUK

South Alabamaquarterback Bishop Davenportenjoyed an explosive performance in aclose loss against Tulane last weekend.

DUNCAN

Continued from page 5C

That Stalbird even made it to the NFL might be considered an upset. He was born in Chicago, the youngest of four children raised by his mother, Nicole Stalbird. Soon after Nicole moved the family closer to her Nebraska roots in Broken Bow, Nebraska.

In 2005, a move to Minneapolis led to a stint at Mary’s Place shelter, where Nicole sought protection from a troubled relationship. She then moved the family to Kearney, Nebraska, to regroup and rebuild their lives, and Isaiah entered foster care. It was there that Isaiah met Cathy and Larry Mohlman, who were friends with his foster parents. Nicole later enrolled Isaiah in Cathy’s in-home day care, where his bond with the Mohlman family grew In 2013, after Nicole welcomed Isaiah’s youngest sibling, Gabriel, into the family, he eventually moved in with them at Nicole’s suggestion. Four years later, when Isaiah was a senior at Kearney High School, he officially became the adopted son of Larry and Cathy Mohlman.

“I knew that for him to have a fighting chance, he needed to be in a different environment,” Nicole Stalbird said. “He needed to learn how to be a man. God placed (the Mohlman) family in our path early on for a reason.”

Larry, a finance manager at a Kearney auto dealership, and Cathy, a teacher, had three children of their own: Dakota, Sierra and Savannah. Buoyed by the stability discipline and support he needed, Stalbird thrived in his new surroundings.

He starred in football, track and wrestling at Kearney High School, where he earned all-state honors as a 5-foot-11, 190-pound safety and wide receiver for the Class A state runnerup Bearcats. In the state championship game, he blocked a punt for a touchdown, but it wasn’t enough Omaha North defeated Kearney 27-20.

“He was devastated,” Larry Mohlman said about the loss. “As he sat there and

SCOREBOARD

watched (Omaha North)

celebrate, I put my arm around him and told him, ‘Watch what they’re doing. For them, it’s the peak For you, there’s more coming.’ Mohlman’s words proved prophetic. Stalbird elected to walk on at Nebraska instead of accepting scholarship offers from NebraskaKearney and Wayne State and a preferred walk-on opportunity at Wyoming He blocked two punts as a redshirt freshman before electing to transfer to South Dakota State, a powerful FCS program in Brookings, South Dakota.

Stalbird blocked a punt in his first game at South Dakota State. He moved to linebacker and became a leader on a nationally ranked defenses.

“Transferring to South Dakota State was a blessing for him,” Nicole Stalbird said. “The coaches there really poured themselves into him as a person, not just as a football player who could help them win games.”

Stalbird’s athleticism and production landed him on the radars of NFL teams. But his “tweener” size — smaller than most NFL linebackers and too big to play safety led most teams to view him as a late round or undrafted free agent prospect.

The Saints signed him as an undrafted free agent, and he yo-yoed between the practice squad and active roster for most of his rookie season He finished with three special teams tackles in three games.

“We really liked him coming out of college,” Galiano said. “His physical traits, he’s very explosive, he’s very fast, and he’s stronger than you think He has the ‘it factor’ for special teams.”

Stalbird plays with enthusiasm that is noticeable to observers and infectious to teammates. After almost each of his four tackles against the Cardinals, Stalbird was mobbed by teammates on the sideline, a testament to his popularity.

“I want my teammates to feed off me,” he said “The big thing on (special) teams is just the want-to, the effort.”

It helps to have a fearless attitude, 4.4 speed and the quick-twitch explosiveness of a 37½-inch vertical leap.

Most of all, Stalbird has embraced his role. He has a keen understanding of

RUSHING_Washington, Croskey-Merritt 4-17 Daniels 7-17, Ekeler 8-17. Green Bay, Jacobs 23-84, S.Williams 2-24, Golden 2-15 Love 3-12. PASSING_Washington, Daniels

Green Bay, Love 19-31-0-292. RECEIVING_Washington, Samuel 7-44, Ertz

his strengths and weaknesses as a player and has impressed the Saints with his drive to improve. His teammates and coaches rave about his humility and professionalism, qualities forged by his extraordinary life journey

“I could have looked at (life) goals and said, my life’s not going to be anything, I’m going to fall into the same cycle — but I knew I wanted to change that,” Stalbird said. “I wanted to write my own narrative. Knowing my background and the things that have happened in my life, theoretically, I’m not supposed to be here. But if you put in the work and believe in yourself and stay grounded in faith, anything’s possible.”

It’s a message he repeats often when asked to speak to schools or youth groups. He delivered a similar message to the football team at Long Beach (Miss.) High School on Tuesday, where he spent part of his off day, surprising the players with $15,000 in donated football equipment from a local moving and warehousing company

“As a mom, I’m just infinitely proud of the downto-earth, kind-hearted person he’s become on and off the field,” Nicole Stalbird said.

Added Larry Mohlman: “Seeing his determination and having that dedication to do what it takes to be the best and understanding that it’s not just about football. If anybody deserves a shot, it’s Isaiah.”

The Saints have a rich history of great special teams players. Gleason, Tyrone Hughes, Michael Lewis, Fred McAfee, Chris Banjo and J.T Gray set a standard of excellence that earned the Saints league-wide respect and recognition. Stalbird hopes to follow in those large footsteps and live up to the “37” legacy

“It’s just a blessing for me to be here in an NFL locker room,” he said. “I know that whatever circumstances I had, I know I didn’t have it the worst. Hopefully, my story can inspire someone else who is going through some (tough) circumstances of their own. It took a village for me to get here, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.”

Email Jeff Duncan at jduncan@theadvocate.com.

PRESEASON

Continued from page 5C

opener, tossing four touchdown passes to lead Pittsburgh to a win.

Some of the others had slower starts.

Baker Mayfield was out of sync early for Tampa Bay but made clutch throws to rally the Buccaneers to victory

Dak Prescott posted a 76.6 passer rating, though the Cowboys had several dropped passes.

Jared Goff and the entire Detroit offense had a rough time against Green Bay in John Morton’s first game as offensive coordinator

Meanwhile, quarterbacks who played in the preseason had mixed results.

Joe Burrow threw for just 113 yards and one touchdown, but Cincinnati still edged Cleveland 17-16.

Patrick Mahomes lost another wide receiver to an injury and needed a while to get the Kansas City offense going in a loss to the Chargers in Brazil.

Tua Tagovailoa had one of his worst games as a pro, tossing two interceptions in Miami’s lopsided loss to Indianapolis.

Bo Nix threw two picks but Denver held on to defeat Tennessee.

“It’s probably the toughest part of our position, in my opinion, is bouncing back from the negative because you work really hard, you get one shot at it, and every once in a while when you miss it, it’s tough because that’s what you just want to think about it, you just want to fix it so bad that that’s what you’re thinking about,” Nix said. “The real advantage, the real edge, is when guys can just go to the next play, move on Glad it’s Week 1, not Week 21, and

make these mistakes now and learn from them.”

Justin Herbert played in his first career preseason game this season and came out firing against the Chiefs. He finished with 318 yards passing, three TDs and had a 131.7 rating for the Chargers.

Geno Smith appeared in all three preseason games and looked like he was in midseason form in Week 1. Smith threw for 362 yards to lead Las Vegas to a win. “I think it’s all the time we spend together all the time in the meeting rooms just hearing his voice and directly from him exactly what he wants to get accomplished with each and every play,” Smith said about building chemistry with offensive coordinator Chip Kelly “When I think about Chip, man, like he’s so cerebral and such a smart coach, and he’s always thinking of the next thing, the next layer to attack the defense. And that’s something that I’m always doing as well.” Week 2 could bring different results for everyone, but no preseason won’t be an excuse for anyone.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEFFREy T. BARNES Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen celebrates the team’s 41-40 win over the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.

TerryRobinson FAITH MATTERS

BatonRouge couple sees fitness as aservice

Personaltrainers Stevenand Jacquole Johnson are flexing their physical andspiritual muscles to help people achieve holistichealth through a Christ-centered approach.

The Baton Rouge couple and longtime fitness enthusiasts founded FLXX (Fit Living Exceeding Expectations) Fitness and Wellness in January with the core principles of fitness, faith and family

“It’sall connected to theultimate calling in that we want to be able to show the best way we can all attain wellness is beingright with God and having the right perspective on how we view our lives,” said Steven Johnson, an associate minister at Calvary Third Baptist Church in Baton Rouge. “It’s just more of asense of giving ourselves to the community and being the light in away that God has called us to be.”

The mission at the center is to help people flourish in mind, body and spirit, Jacquole Johnson said. She spent five yearsasahealthcoach before gaining her personal training certification last year

PROVIDED PHOTO

Jacquole and StevenJohnson, owners of FLXX Fitness and Wellness

“Our goal is to advance Christ’skingdom, and thevehicle to do that happens tobe fitness and health,” she said

The Johnsons said the guiding scripture for FLXX comes from 3John 1:2: “Dear friend, Ipray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting alongwell.” The couple uses the verse about physical and spiritual health to remind people not to neglect one for the other Amobile company,FLXX brings fitness to popups, churches, community walks, Zoom workouts and home visits through both its nonprofit and for-profit arms. Its third major event, “Ignite: A FLXX Wellness Experience for Educators,” is set for 9a.m.to 12:30 p.m. Sept. 13, at Calvary Third Baptist Church, 1911 Georgia St., BatonRouge. The theme of the event is “Fan the Flame. Fuel the Mission” from 2Timothy 1:6: “For thisreason Iremind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through thelaying on of my hands.” Visitors will have accesstoaworkout, brunch and panel discussion Among the guest speakers will be Rodney Q. Freeman, alongtime East Baton Rouge

ä See COUPLE, page 10C

‘I GOTTORIDE THEWAVE’

He blew up

TBY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

eenage singer-songwriter

Noah James crafts music

fromhis childhood bedroom in Prairieville. Hisinstruments,including afew guitars, line the wallnexttohis sticker-covered closet door

James is aTikTok-viral, 18-yearold Baton Rouge native who has already made anamefor himself in the country music industry.Hejust got signedbySony-ownedSanta Anna RecordsinDecember 2024, based in Nashville, andreleased hisfirstEP, “The Tracks,” with six songs.

“In my mind, Ithought this was going to come five years from now,” James said about getting signed. “Never thought at 17 that this would ever even be possible.”

Afterposting videos of his raw vocals and guitar strumming for three years, Jameshas climbed to almost 300,000 followers on TikTok. He’s most known forhis covers of countrysinger Zach Bryan and his poetic lyrics about love. In Prairieville, his favorite place to writefrom is his room.

“IfIcome in here andplay, then I’m walking around and playing,”

time to experiment with music

“One thing we do with homeschooling is we want to nurture each of them wherever theirtalents lay,”saidJames’mother, TianyDavis.“We knewthatwe wanted to support him in it, but he really did it all on his own.”

James said he started taking music seriously at age15, the same time when he started to post videos on TikTok.Hetaught himself how to play the guitar,and it didn’ttake long forhis first videotogoviral in March 2024 when he covered “Burn, burn, burn” by Zach Bryan. The video has over 150,000 views.

“I got to ride the wave with this,”

James said he thought to himself after seeing the success of his video.

In December 2024, he covered anotherZachBryansongthatalmost has 4million likes, nearly half of the overall8.5 millionlikes on his account. By the timehehit 10,000 followers, he was already skyrocketing to 20,000 followers.

he said.

TikTok fame

James grew up in Prairieville and was constantlyaround music. His father was aprofessional jazz player,and being homeschooled with his brothers gave James even more

“I was just posting on TikTok, having fun, just writing songsand hoping someonewill likethem,” James said. So when Santa Ana Records contacted him in September 2024 with

ä See JAMES, page 10C

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

Courtney Degraw and Nikki Rowland are moms from Watson who took aTikTok video idea and turneditintotheir ownmobile bookstore. The twowomen have been friends for20years, having metinbusiness class their senior year at Walker High School.

The longtime friends took a giant step for their next chap-

ter, whichiswhere thenameof their business, Chapter Twenty comes from. They bought atrailer,gutted it and built out acozy bookstore on wheels, readyto rollthrough their communityto spread the joy of reading. In August,

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

Noah James plays asonginthe backyard of his home in Prairieville.

James shows off abracelet tied around his guitar that reminds himself to ask, ‘What would Jesus do?’ at his home in Prairieville.

Writetofriendhow deeply youfeel

Dear Miss Manners: There’sawoman I’ve known for more than 40 years. We wereclose when our children were young, but we have not been in regular contact for many years. Istill care alot about her,and believe the feeling is reciprocated. She’sbecome more isolated by healthchallenges over the last couple of years, and my invitations to meetfor lunch have been rebuffed. Ihaven’ttaken it personally She’sfacing surgery in afew days, and Ihad the epiphany that an old-fashioned phone call would be welcomed. We talked formore than an hour,about awide range

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

of topics, andmysense was that we were both having agood time. As we were winding down, she got serious and said some kind things about me. Iwas touched and told herhow appreciative Iwas. In themoment, Ifelt that if Isaid theequivalent of “I like you, too,” it would seem like Iwas only sayingitbecause she had said it first.Am I wrong not to have respondedwith something similar? Her remark was differentintonethan the rest of theconversation,and seemed to come outofthe blue. Idovalueher and our friendship over the years. It just would

RELIGION BRIEFS FROM STAFFREPORTS

Inclusive Louisiana plans

Mass at St. Margaret’s

Inclusive Louisiana will host a Eucharist Celebration (Mass) followedbyareception at St. Margaret’sEpiscopal Church, 12663 Perkins Road, Baton Rouge,from 6p.m.to8 p.m. Monday,Sept.22.

“Inclusive Louisiana is aministry of the EpiscopalDiocese of Louisiana to proclaimand embody God’sall-inclusive love for LGBTQ+persons and their allies,” according to anews release. All are welcome.

Cathedral celebrates the music of Palestrina

St. Joseph Cathedral, 401 Main St., Baton Rouge, willhost a special choral concert at 5p.m. Sunday featuring the combined voices of the St. Joseph Cathedral Choir andthe Schola Singers of Most BlessedSacrament Church

Theprogram honors the 500th

anniversary of the birth of Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina (1525-1594),alegendary composerknown for his service to 11 popesand his long tenure as choir directorofSt. Peter’sBasilica.

Selections will follow the liturgical calendar,with music from Advent, Christmas, Holy Week, Easter, Pentecost and Christ the King. Theconcert will open andclose with Italian sacred organ music. An Italian-themed reception with savory and sweet treats will follow in theCathedral Parish Hall. This free event is open to the public.

Mission Sundayat

Nathaniel Baptist Church

Nathaniel BaptistChurch, Highway33South, Centreville, Mississippi, invites the public to “Mission Sunday” this weekend at 11 a.m. The Rev.William Wells, pastor of theBay Ridge Baptist Church, will be guest speaker

TODAYINHISTORY

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,Sept. 13, the 256th day of 2025. There are 109 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On Sept. 13, 1993, at theWhite House,Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and PLO chairman Yasser Arafat shook hands after signing an accord granting limited Palestinianautonomy. Also on this date:

In 1788, the Congress of the Confederation authorized the first national election and declared New York City thetemporarynational capital

In 1948, Republican Margaret Chase Smith, of Maine, was elected to the U.S. Senate; she became the first woman toserve in both houses of Congress.

In 1997, afuneralwas held in Kolkata, India, for Nobel peace laureate Mother Teresa In 2008, crews rescued people from their homes in an all-out

COUPLE

Continued from page9C

Parish School System educator and pastor of Calvary Third and Providence No. 2BaptistChurch in Ethel; Jonathan Coats,principal of Northwestern Elementary School in Zachary; Sandra Adams Douglas, CEO of SOAR EducationConsultingLLC; and Briana Coats, registered dietitian and founder of BeWell Foundation.

Mental health will also be part of the conversations.

“A lot of people mentally are suffering. There’salot of mental health crises that people are notpaying attention to,” Steven Johnson said. Fitness is apassion and ministry for the Johnsons,who are bothSouthern Universityengineering graduates in addition to being certified personal trainers. Jacquole Johnson, 39, credits a health coach and others for helping her to healthier habitsand a mindset. She says she struggled with her weight, but she lost30 pounds three years ago andhas kept it off since She said her transformation was more than physical.

“Only when Istarted integrating thespiritualside,Ilooked at health as not just gettinginto some jeans but also honoring God with my body,because our bodies are atemple,” shesaid. “Wellness is worship.”

have felt reactive to say so in that moment. If Idid err,how should Iaddress my failure to respond in kind?

Gentlereader: Your friend’swords touched you because they were genuine and spontaneous. No doubt she was also feeling sentimental in the face of her upcoming surgery.Had you immediately responded in kind, it might,as you say,have felt disingenuous. Butifitisbothering you, Miss Manners suggestsyou get really, really old-fashioned and write her aletter expressing afew thoughtful things about her and thefriendship. Not only will this be authentic and touching, it will also give her something to read while she recovers

Dear Miss Manners: I’ve been invited to acasualbackyard party for alow-country boil. I’d like to attendand spend time with my friends, but my shellfish allergy meansIcan’tpartake of thefood. Is it impolite formetobring my own snack?Should Ioffer to bring aside dish to share? Or should Ijust eat before the party? My husband thinks Ishould send my regrets to avoid the awkwardness of not eating the food on offer

Gentlereader: Eat beforehand. Alerting the hosts in advance will only make them go into apanic, trying to ensure there is somethingfor you to eat (although there are likely to be non-shellfish

sides as well). It mayalso make them abit resentful since their menuplans werealready in the title of their party If anyone asks whyyou are not eating, Miss Manners suggests you say,“Iknew what Iwas getting into, but I’mafraid I’mallergic to shellfish. Ijust wanted to spend timewith everyone —enjoying the low-country part of the party,ifnot the boil.”

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

JAMES

Continuedfrom page9C

search for thousands of Texans whohad stayed behindovernight to face HurricaneIke. In 2021, school resumed for New York City public school studentsinthe nation’s largest experimentofin-person learning during theCOVID-19 pandemic. Today’sbirthdays: Actor Barbara Bain is 94. Nobel PeacePrize laureate ÓscarAriasis85. Rock singerDavid Clayton-Thomas (Blood, Sweat& Tears) is 84. Actor Jacqueline Bisset is 81. Singer Peter Cetera is 81. Actor Jean Smart is 74. Recordproducer Don Wasis73. Chef Alain Ducasse is 69. Rock singer-musician DaveMustaine (Megadeth)is64. Olympic gold medal sprinter Michael Johnsonis58. Filmmaker Tyler Perry is 56. Fashiondesigner StellaMcCartney is 54. Former tennis playerGoran Ivanisevic is 54. Country musician Joe DonRooney (Rascal Flatts) is 50. Singer-songwriter Fiona Apple is 48.Actor Ben Savage is 45.

Steven Johnson, 43, said their focusonphysical and spiritual health has led to ahealthy marriage after 16 years.

“Wesee theoneness that God has established through marriage being lived out, and that’s something that Ihold near and deartomyheart,”hesaid. “In the early part of ourmarriage, we were out of alignment, but thank God we keptthe journey.”

He added: “Toget to thepoint of beingaChrist-centered organizationhas comeasa result of ourtrust in God.”

Running the organization together hasbeen ajoy for JacquoleJohnsonafteryears of managing abusiness alone.

“Likenightand day. They don’t even compare —just having that support andsomebody to lean on,” shesaid

TheJohnsonsencourage peopletoform connections with others instead of experiencing their health journeysinsilos

“God created us to be in community.We’re not supposed to be isolated andalone,” he said.

“We’re all abouthelping meet peoplewhere they are. No judgment, all love and encouragement.”

Formore information on the Ignite and FLXX, go to www flxxwellness.com oreventbrite. com/e/ignite-a-flxx-wellnessexperience-for-educatorstickets-1574218191989.

Contact Terry Robinson at terryrobinson622@gmail.com

an offer,James and his family and friends were ecstatic.

Poetic lyrics piquedaninterest

Jamesdidn’tgrowuplistening to country music. When he began his mission to find his voice, he drew inspiration from pop musicians like Michael Jackson, Justin Bieber,Shawn Mendesand Ed Sheeran.

“I’mgoing to be honest, pop musicwas not working,” James said withalaugh. “So Igot more into Noah Kahan. That’swhen Ifound out about Zach Bryan.”

James fell deeper into country andfolk music, discoveringmusicians like Tyler Childers, Morgan Wallen and mostsignificantly, Zach Bryan. Poeticlyricspiqued James’interest,hesaid, which happens to be alot of Zach Bryan’s discography

Anotherinspiration is “The Notebook,” afilm adaptation set in 1940s SouthCarolinafollowing two loverswithunapproving parents, and James was actually named after themain character,Noah. “Noahand Ally,theybothlived different lives,”hesaid. “She lives

BOOKSTORE

Continuedfrom page9C

“Wethought howcool it would be to have our own, and we don’thave anything likethatinour area. So we started researching, and it all happenedvery quickly,” Degraw said. Within thehour,Degraw was looking online for possibilities. They found abus for sale, but soon realized that business model was alittle unrealistic.Instead,they found an 8-by-20 race-car trailer thatwould workasa bookmobile. Degraw’s husbandchecked it out and brought it home.

“We’ve spent thelast month endlessly working on it,” Rowland said. “Itwas super crunchy and gross, andnow it’s,like, really cozy, and it makes you want to be in there.”

While working on their bookstore-to-betrailer, Degraw and Rowland continued on withtheir busy lives, including running a balloon decor business, The Clubhouse Balloons and More, together

Degraw is also astay-at-home mom who homeschoolsher two children, and Rowland is amom of threewho works at Baton Rouge Country Club as amanager Rowland said thatthey are most proud of actually following through and doing what they set

amore richand privileged life, while he livesamore poor [life], andyou got to work for everything.”

It took James until he was 16 years old to watch the movie, and it immediately becamehis favorite romance movie. Anditmotivated thelyrics behind his song “The Tracks,” asong he wrote with his olderbrother Micah andMicah’s girlfriend.

When it comes to experimenting withsound, James is eager to implement different instruments in his music,like the banjo and fiddle. He just learned how to play theharmonica and wasquick to feature it in the intro of “Set Free.”

“I got it for Christmas and been trying my best on that,” he said. Next steps, live performances WhenJames sets foot on stage, he says his nerves instantlyvanish when he starts to sing.

JamesfliestoNashville aboutevery month, where his record label is based. He’sperformed at several venues and remembers the first time, in March at Dierks Bentley’s Whiskey Row,when the fans in the crowd began to sing his own songs along with him

“It’sthe best feeling ever,” James said. “The dopaminerush from that is stronger than any-

out to do.The women chose natural wood luxury vinyl tile flooring, white shelving, dark green floral wallpaperand acheerful natural wood doorwith windowstocreate awelcoming ambiance.

“We’re very excitedthatwewent through with it so quick and made avision come to life,” Rowland said.

Degraw says that the process of watchingagutted-out trailerwith no floors becomeafully functioningmobile store has been an incredible experience.

thing, especially whentheystart singing the samesong with you.” Food, family and culture remain important to James.

“I’m abig nature guy,” he said. “I think the nature around me has influenced me alot. The people, the culture.” He admires Louisiana-born musicians who still connect themselvestothe state despite hitting fame, like Lainey Wilson and Tim McGraw.James loves where he grew up, regularly eating jambalaya,gumbo andcrawfish when in season.

In Baton Rouge, James is set to perform at 7p.m. Sept. 18, at The Station Sports Barand Grill, 4608 Bennington Ave. The showisfree to attend, but customers must be 18 years or older to attend.

His EP includes six songs: n “Set Free” n “Love Run Cold”

n “SameOld Things” n “The Tracks” n “Kind Tired Eyes” Music is alanguage thateveryonespeaks, James said, andhe wants people to know they’re not alone. He hopes his music can bring people together

“God gave me the giftofmusic,” James said. “And I’mdoing music to inspire and bring alittle hope to the world.”

Self-proclaimed huge readers, the two women want to bring books to areas with less access to bookstores, but they also have communityengagement in mind. They see this business as away to connect with other local Livingston Parish businesses.

They put acall-out on their Facebook page to local businesses that want to “add alittle charm, alot of books, andawholelot of community” to places that provide aspot to set up. They hope to be at different locationsinthe area each week. They are also available forprivate events. People can book themobile bookstore forparties, book clubs and festivals.

Degraw and Rowland have stocked the Chapter Twenty shelves with avariety of novels and nonfiction, both new and preowned books.

Chapter Twenty mobile bookstore will be open from8 a.m. to 2p.m. Sept. 14, at Luxe 38 Cafe & Lounge, 34130 La. 16 in Denham Springs, and 8a.m.to1 p.m. Sept. 20, at the Zachary ToyStore, 4860 La. 19 in Zachary. Chapter Twenty will also havea grand opening event at the end of themonth.FollowChapter Twenty, LLC on Facebook andInstagram for more information.

Email Joy Holdenatjoy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

STAFFPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Noah James sings with aharmonica around hisneck while playing an unreleased song at his home in Prairieville

PROVIDED PHOTO

The race cartrailer before the Chapter Twenty renovation.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Open discussions will help you determine your next move. Mix business with pleasure, and something unexpected will offer the boost you need to reach your target.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Ask what's entailed or expected of you before you volunteer or commit to asubscription or ongoing donation. Attend gatherings that foster connections with like-minded individuals who share your thoughts andvalues.

scoRPIo(oct. 24-nov. 22) Keep afriendly demeanor andavoid unnecessary altercations with random people. How you carry yourself and treat others will make adifference to how your day unfolds.

sAGIttARIus (nov.23-Dec. 21) Create opportunities. Personal growth will come through the conversationsyou engage in and the places you travel to. Listen, take notes and update your plans accordingly.

cAPRIcoRn(Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Broaden your plans to fit your needs. Assertive action will ensure you get things done and attract positive attention. An steady, streamlined cash flow will keep you in thegameand entitle youto ahefty payback

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) You are overdue for achange. Be the one to kick things off. Achange that saves you money will also reduce stress and give you extra cash for entertainment or a special treat

PIscEs (Feb.20-March 20) Ultimatums will turn into emotional battles. Take a moment to consider what's truly important to you. Compromise and kindness will go along way when dealing with difficult individuals.

ARIEs(March 21-April 19) Use your imagination and deliver your message with gusto and charisma. Trust and believe in yourself, anddevoteyourtime and energy to making progress.

tAuRus(April 20-May 20) Pay attention to where your money goes. Emotional spending or underestimating the cost of aproject will set you back. Exercising will help ease stress.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Letyouractions speak for you. How you conduct yourself today will determine the extent of your achievements. Distance yourself from people and groups that ask for too much.

cAncER(June 21-July 22) Jumping to conclusions will lead to trouble. Be open, ask questions and determine what's best for you before you engage in events or activities that are costly or indulgent.

LEo (July23-Aug. 22) The changes you implement will have alasting impact on how you live and those with whom you spend the most time. Don't share personal data or family secrets.

Thehoroscope, an entertainment feature, is notbasedonscientific fact ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

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

toDAy's cLuE:c EQuALs X

CeLebrItY CIpher For better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY Mother GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle basedona9x9 grid with severalgiven 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 the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

Bridge

By PHILLIPALDER

Robert Fitzgerald, atranslator of ancientGreekandLatinwhodiedin1985, said,“The test of agiven phrase should be: Is it worthy to be immortal? ‘I guess I’ll split’isnot going to be immortal.”

Bridge players occasionally have to guessabout asuitsplit.But they prefer not to need afavorable split to get home. This deal, as if you could not guess, is an example.

South is in five diamonds.Weststarts with thespade ace and another spade. Declarer takes thetrick and cashes the diamond ace, West discarding aspade. How should Southcontinue?

Southwas toostrong to open one notrump, showing 15-17 points.When West leaped majesticallytothree spades,indicatingaseven-card suit and some 6-10 high-card points, North bravely competed with four diamonds. Now South wondered about suggesting aslam, but had alot of losers.

Declarer had two aces to concede, so needed theclub finesse to work.Healso could not afford asecond heart loser, but did not wish to rely on a3-3 break or the 10 dropping doubleton.

South played adiamond to dummy’s king and called for the 10.Tokeep declarer out of the dummy, East covered with his jack. South won with his queen, played adiamond to dummy’s

wuzzles

eight, and took the club finesse. When it won, declarer cashed the club ace and now carefully ledthe heart jack. East wonand returned aheart, but South then leddummy’s club jack and ruffed away East’s king.Backtodummy with aheart, declarer cashed the club 10 and discarded hislast heart. Nicelydone! ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By AndrewsMcMeel 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 mustbeoffour or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may notbeused. 4. Proper nouns, slang words,orvulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD nItRIFIEs: NYE-trih-fyes: Oxidizes salts to nitrites.

Averagemark 28 words

Time limit 60 minutes

Canyou find 56 or more words in NITRIFIES?

yEstERDAy’sWoRD— VAnQuIsHInG

thought “And why callyou me, Lord,Lord,and do not the things which Isay?” Luke 6:46

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato mallard