The Advocate 09-27-2025

Study of Toledo Bend watersales planned

Communityexpresses concerns about possible Texasdeal

BY DAVID J. MITCHELL

Staff writer

For nearly 15 years, the state agency in charge of Louisiana’s half of Toledo Bend Reservoir has periodically considered selling water to investors seeking to supply Texas—amovethat hasgained new traction with recent interest from aDallas company

But people who live around the lake and businesses thatcounton recreation there have opposed the idea, fearing asale could lower water levels too much, leaving homeowners’ docks high and dry and harming the fishing Toledo Bend is famous for Seeking to address thoseconcerns, the Sabine River Authority of Louisiana has agreed to hire a firm to analyze how suchwater sales could affect the lake, which straddles the Louisiana-Texas border The authority plans to spend about $50,000 for computer models measuringthe impactofwithdrawing anywhere from 200,000 to 800,000 acre-feet of water per year.

Gary Moore, an authority board member who leads acommittee studying the idea, saidthe analysis will take through the end of year andthat no decision on saleswould be made until 2026.

Authority officials have contended their own analysis of decades of water management show that what the Texas company,Aqueduct Partners LP,isseeking could be managed in away that keeps the lake at current levels

ButMoore acknowledged those opposed to the plan don’ttrust what the authority has been saying, necessitating the third-party analysis.

“So, we don’thave much choice buttodothis,” saidMoore, Sabine

ä See WATER, page 6A

SHOWDOWN

President Donald Trumpshakes handswith James Comey, then directorofthe FBI, in theWhite House in 2017 BLOOMBERGFILEPHOTO

By ANDREWHARRER

TrumpcelebratesComey charges, butcritics sayhe’stargeting rivals

BY JILL COLVIN Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump’sunprecedented retributioncampaign against hisperceived political enemiesreached new heights as hisJustice Departmentbrought criminalchargesagainst alongtime foeand he expanded his efforts to classify certain liberal groups as “domestic terrorist organizations.”

DaysafterTrump publicly demanded action from his attorney general and tapped his formerpersonal lawyer to serveasthe topfederal prosecutor in Virginia, former FBIDirector James Comey,alongtime target of Trump’s ire, was indicted by agrand jury for allegedly lying to Congress during testimony in 2020.

Hours earlier Thursday, Trumpsigned a memorandumdirecting his Republican administration to targetbackers of what they dubbed “left-wing terrorism” as he alleged withoutevidence avast conspiracy by Democrat-aligned nonprofit groups and activiststo

finance violent protests.

The developmentsmarked adramaticescalation of thepresident’sextraordinary use of the leversofpresidential power to target his political rivals and his efforts to pressure the Justice Department to pursue investigations— and nowprosecutions —ofthose he disdains. It’sa campaign that begansoon after Trumpreturned to office and one that critics see as an abuse of power that puts every American who dares to criticize the president at risk of retaliation.

“Donald Trump has made clear that he intends to turn our justicesystem intoa weapon forpunishing andsilencinghis critics,”said Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. The Comey indictment came less than aweek after Trump installed aformer White House aide and confidant to the role of U.S. attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia. The president had forced the ouster of his previous pick

ä See SHOWDOWN, page 5A

Hazing victim’s family files suit

Southern fraternity, membersaccused of wrongful death

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Awrongful-deathlawsuit was filedFridayinthe 19th Judicial Court by the family of Caleb Wilson, the Southern University fraternity pledge who died during a hazing ritual earlier this year

The lawsuit targets acollection of institutions and individuals, includingthe national chapter of Omega Psi Phi fraternity, the Beta Sigma chapter of thefraternity on Southern’scampus, the state of Louisiana as represented by the Board of Southern University,and the fraternity members accused of orchestrating the ritual that led to Wilson’s death.

“No parents shouldhave to bury their child because of senseless and preventable actions.”

URANIA BROWN WILSON AND COREyWILSON SR., in ajoint statement

Wilson, a20-year-old trumpet player for Southern University’s famedHuman Jukebox marching band, died after he was punched in the chest four times while pledging for Omega Psi Phi inside a warehouse at 3412 Woodcrest Drive.

Three Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothersare accusedofpunching the lined-up pledges, with one specifically accused of punching Wilsonwitha pair of black boxing gloves immediately before his death.

The brothers then allegedly changedWilson’sclothes, drove

ä See HAZING, page 7A

SouthernUniversity’sHuman Jukebox.

Specialjudicialelections topballotasearly voting begins

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

for the seat that became vacant on the 19th Judicial District Court after Judge WilsonFieldsresigned to move to the state’s1st Circuit Court of Appeal in March.

Thecandidatesrunning to be one of the 15 judges on the 19th Judicial District bench, which serves East BatonRouge Parish, are Dele Adebamiji, Elzie Alford Jr., Vicky Jones and Vernon Thomas. ForBaton Rouge’sCity Court, two Republicans arerunning to replace Judge Carson Marcantel, whoresigned in February.Can-

didatesBrenden Craigand Calli Boudreauxare running to serve on the five-judge CityCourt bench. In addition to candidateraces, three propositions are on the ballot: n The Downtown Development Districtisseeking the renewal

ä See VOTING, page 7A

Blake Baker leadsa resurgent LSU defense.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Caleb Wilson played trumpet with

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS

ICE officer disciplined for shoving woman

NEW YORK A federal immigration officer who shoved an Ecuadorian woman to the floor at a Manhattan court is “being relieved of current duties,” the Department of Homeland Security said Friday in a rare rebuke of one of its officers.

The altercation, which was captured on videos that spread quickly on social media, unfolded after the woman’s husband was arrested at an immigration court in New York City

Footage shows the woman approach the immigration officer following her husband’s arrest, pleading with the officer in Spanish and at one point saying “You don’t care about anything,” before he pushes her into a wall and then onto the floor of a crowded hallway

“The officer’s conduct in this video is unacceptable and beneath the men and women of ICE,” said Tricia McLaughlin assistant secretary at DHS, which oversees immigration enforcement. “Our ICE law enforcement are held to the highest professional standards and this officer is being relieved of current duties as we conduct a full investigation,” she added.

It is uncommon for the Trump administration’s DHS to discipline immigration officers for aggressive tactics across the U.S. Ex-financier, assistant face trafficking charges

NEW YORK Retired financier Howard Rubin was arrested Friday on sex trafficking charges for allegedly trafficking dozens of women including former Playboy models, to be sexually and physically assaulted during encounters in his Central Park penthouse in a soundproofed room described in court papers as “The Dungeon.” Authorities announced the arrest of Rubin and his former personal assistant, Jennifer Powers, on charges in an indictment unsealed in Brooklyn federal court. Rubin was arrested Friday at his rental home in Fairfield, Connecticut, while Powers was arrested at her home in Southlake, Texas, authorities said Rubin was expected to be arraigned later on Friday Messages for comment were sent to multiple lawyers for both of them.

During a three-decade career, Rubin worked at various financial firms, including Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns and Soros Fund Management.

Prosecutors said Rubin and Powers abused the women between 2009 and 2019 after recruiting them to fly to New York to engage in sex acts with Rubin in exchange for money

Trump orders Earhart records declassified

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump announced Friday that he has ordered the declassification and public release of all government records about aviator Amelia Earhart, who vanished in 1937 during an attempt to fly around the world.

Trump said it’s an “interesting story” that has “captivated millions.” He said people have asked him whether he’d consider declassifying and making public everything the government has on her “She was an Aviation Pioneer, the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, and achieved many other Aviation ‘firsts,’” he wrote on his social media site. “She disappeared in the South Pacific while trying to become the first woman to fly around the World.

“Amelia made it almost three quarters around the World before she suddenly, and without notice, vanished, never to be seen again,” he continued. “Her disappearance, almost 90 years ago, has captivated millions I am ordering my Administration to declassify and release all Government Records related to Amelia Earhart, her final trip, and everything else about her.” Earhart and her navigator, Fred Noonan, disappeared while flying from New Guinea to Howland Island as part of her attempt to become the first female pilot to circumnavigate the globe. She had radioed that she was running low on fuel. The Navy searched but found no trace.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEFAN JEREMIAH

Defiant Netanyahu speaks at the U.N.

Leader says Israel

‘must

finish the job’ against Hamas

BY JENNIFER PELTZ, ADAM GELLER and FARNOUSH AMIRI Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS Surrounded by critics and protesters at the United Nations, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told fellow world leaders on Friday that his nation “must finish the job” against Hamas in Gaza, giving a defiant speech despite growing international isolation over his refusal to end the devastating war Western leaders may have buckled under the pressure,” he said. “And I guarantee you one thing: Israel won’t.”

Netanyahu’s speech, aimed as much at his increasingly divided domestic audience as the global one, began after dozens of delegates from multiple nations walked out of the U.N General Assembly hall en masse Friday morning as he began.

Responding to countries’ recent decisions to recognize Palestinian statehood, Netanyahu said: “Your disgraceful decision will encourage terrorism against Jews and against innocent people everywhere.”

As the Israeli leader spoke, unintelligible shouts echoed around the hall, while applause came from supporters in the gallery Seats allotted to the United States — which has backed Netanyahu in his campaign against Hamas — and the United Kingdom were filled by low-level diplomats instead of senior ambassadors or officials. Many seats were vacant; by Iran’s empty chairs stood a compilation of photos of children that Tehran said were killed during Israel’s war there in June.

“Antisemitism dies hard. In fact, it doesn’t die at all,” said Netanyahu, who routinely accuses critics of antisemitism Netanyahu faces international isolation, accusations of war crimes and growing pressure to end a conflict he has continued to escalate. Friday’s speech was his chance to push back on the international community’s biggest platform.

He used it to cast Gaza as the lone remaining front in a wider war, listing recent military missions by Israel to target its enemies and contain threats to its security in Iran, Lebanon, Syria and Yemen. Those efforts have “opened up pos-

sibilities for peace,” he said, noting that Israel has begun negotiations with Syria to reach security arrangements with the new government in Damascus. The final challenge, Netanyahu said, is to root out what he called the “final remnants of Hamas.”

He frequently praised U.S. President Donald Trump, his chief ally in his political and military approach in the region.

As he has often in the past at the United Nations, Netanyahu held up visual aids — including a map of the region titled “THE CURSE,” which chronicles Israel’s challenges in its neighborhood. He marked it up with a large marker He wore — and pointed out — a pin with a QR code to a site about the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas attack that led to the war and about the Israeli hostages taken by the militants.

In what Netanyahu cast as an effort to reach captives still being held in Gaza, the Israeli government set up loudspeakers to blast the speech into the territory, though the military has pushed Palestinians away from its borders The prime minister’s office also claimed that the Israeli army had taken over mobile phones in Gaza to broadcast his message, though AP journalists inside Gaza saw no immediate evidence of Netanyahu’s speech being broadcast on phones there.

In Wadi Gaza near Gaza City, where Israel launched another major ground operation earlier this month — Palestinians who followed the speech responded with a mix of exhaustion and enduring commitment to their long-sought state.

“Whether he likes it or not, sooner or later, the Palestinian people will gain independence,” said Moneir Talib, who has been displaced from Gaza City.

Amjad Abdel Daiym expressed similar feelings but added: “We are psychologically, physically, morally and financially tired from everything. When he says that he wants to continue the war to eradicate Hamas members, or Hamas movement or the Hamas government, I only see that the war is continuing against poor people like us.”

Hamas, meanwhile, accused Netanyahu of making false justifications to continue the war “If he were truly concerned about his captives, he would have stopped his brutal bombardment, genocidal massacres, and the destruction of Gaza City,” Hamas said in a statement on its website. “Instead, he lies and continues to endanger their lives.”

Thune: Shutdown can be avoided if Democrats

‘dial back’ demands

High court keeps Trump’s funding freeze in place

Ruling threatens billions of dollars in foreign aid

BY MARK SHERMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Friday extended an order that allows President Donald Trump’s administration to keep frozen nearly $5 billion in foreign aid, handing him another victory in a dispute over presidential power

With the three liberal justices in dissent, the court’s conservative majority granted the Republican administration’s emergency appeal in a case involving billions of dollars in congressionally approved aid.

Trump said last month that he would not spend the money, invoking disputed authority that was last used by a president roughly 50 years ago.

The Justice Department sought the high court’s intervention after U.S. District Judge Amir Ali ruled that Trump’s action was likely illegal and that Congress would have to approve the decision to withhold the funding.

The federal appeals court in Washington declined to put Ali’s ruling on hold, but Chief Justice John Roberts temporarily blocked it on Sept. 9. The full court indefinitely extended Roberts’ order

The court has previously cleared the way for the Trump administration to strip legal protections from hundreds of thousands of migrants, fire thousands of federal employees, oust transgender members of the military and remove the heads of independent government agencies.

The legal victories, while not final rulings, all have come through emergency appeals, used sparingly under previous presidencies, to fast-track cases to the Supreme Court, where decisions are often handed down with no explanation.

Trump told House Speak-

er Mike Johnson, R-Benton, in a letter Aug. 28 that he would not spend $4.9 billion in congressionally approved foreign aid, effectively cutting the budget without going through the legislative branch. He used what’s known as a pocket rescission. That’s a rarely used maneuver when a president submits a request to Congress toward the end of a current budget year to not spend the approved money The late notice essentially flips the script. Under federal law Congress has to approve the rescission within 45 days or the money must be spent. But the budget year will end before the 45-day window closes, and in this situation the White House is asserting that congressional inaction allows it to not spend the money The majority wrote in an unsigned order that Trump’s authority over foreign affairs weighed heavily in its decision, while cautioning that it was not making a final ruling in the case. But that was cold comfort to the dissenters. “The effect is to prevent the funds from reaching their intended recipients — not just now but (because of their impending expiration) for all time,” Justice Elena Kagan wrote in her dissent, joined by Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Ketanji Brown Jackson. The Trump administration has made deep reductions to foreign aid one of its hallmark policies, despite the relatively meager savings relative to the deficit and possible damage to America’s reputation abroad as people lose access to food supplies and development programs. The high court’s decision “further erodes separation of powers principles that are fundamental to our constitutional order,” said Nick Sansone, an attorney with Public Citizen Litigation Group who represented the AIDS Vaccine Advocacy Coalition in the case. “It will also have a grave humanitarian impact on vulnerable communities throughout the world.”

BY MARY CLARE JALONICK Associated Press

WASHINGTON Senate Majority Leader

John Thune is rejecting Democratic demands on health care as unserious but says a government shutdown is still “avoidable” despite sharp divisions ahead of Wednesday’s funding deadline.

“I’m a big believer that there’s always a way out,” the South Dakota Republican said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday “And I think there are offramps here, but I don’t think that the negotiating position, at least at the moment, that the Democrats are trying to exert here is going to get you there.”

ton over government funding, stretching back through several administrations.

Thune said Democrats are going to have to “dial back” their demands, which include immediately extending health insurance subsidies and reversing the health care policies in the massive tax bill that Republicans passed over the summer Absent that, Thune said, “we’re probably plunging forward toward the shutdown.”

It’s just the latest standoff in Washing-

President Donald Trump was the driving force behind the longest shutdown ever during his first term, as he sought money for a U.S.-Mexico border wall. This time it is Democrats who are making demands as they face intense pressure from their core supporters to stand up to the Republican president and his policies. Democrats have shown little signs of relenting, just before spending runs out Wednesday Their position remained the same even after the White House Office of Management and Budget on Wednesday released a memo that said agencies should consider a “reduction in force” for many federal programs if the government closes meaning thousands of federal workers could be permanently laid off.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, of New York, said the OMB memo was simply an “attempt at intimidation” and predicted the “unnecessary firings will either be overturned in court or the administration will end up hiring the workers back.”

Thune

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds up a map Friday while speaking at the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly at U.N. headquarters.

Governor: More federalagentscomingtoMemphis

BY JONATHAN MATTISE and TRAVIS LOLLER Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. For two weeks, Memphis has been bracing for an influx of National Guard troops after President Donald Trump announced his intention to deploy them to the city.OnFriday,residents finallylearned more aboutthat plan, and it looks to be very different from the deployments in Los Angeles and Washington, D.C. Tennessee Gov.Bill Lee said Friday that the troops will be partofasurge of resources to fight crime in the city that includes 13 federal agencies and statetroopers.

The National Guard troops will be from Tennessee, and they will be deputized by the U.S. Marshals Service to support local law enforcement in the majority Black city

The Republican governor said the troops willnot make arrests and willnot be armed unless local law enforcement officials request it. Lee has previously said he doesn’t think there will be more than 150 Guard members deployed to Memphis, buthe latersaidthe number is still in the planning stages. Apost on the city’swebsite says, “Guardsmen and wom-

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee speaks Fridayabout the National Guardand federal agencies arriving in Memphis, Tenn., during anewsconference.

en will beeasily identifiable in their standard uniforms that they wear every day Theguardsmen and women will not bewearingmasks.”

It continues: “Armored tanks will not be aresource used in this mission.”

“The story of crime in Memphis is about to be a story of thepast,” Leesaidat anews conference in Memphis where he stood withcity, state andfederalofficialsincluding the Memphis mayor

and police chief.

The “Memphis Safe Task Force” will begin operations next week, Leesaid. He could notgiveanexact timeline for when each agency would start to deploy resources to thecity,saying it will occur in phases.Hesaid agents from the FBI, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration will arrive next week.

He saidhewillnot declare

Tropical weatherslamming Caribbean, maystrikeU.S.

By The Associated Press

MIAMI Dangerous tropical weatherbrewed Friday in theAtlantic Oceanwith Humberto intensifying into amajor Category 3hurricane and asystem forecasters dubbed “Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine” striking the Caribbean and taking aim at the Southeast United States. Hurricane Humberto had maximum sustainedwinds of 115 mph, the Miami-based National HurricaneCenter said in an advisory.Humberto was expected to keep strengthening over the next several days and churned Friday afternoon about 430 miles northeast of the northern Leeward Islands. Humberto could produce life-threatening surf and rip currents forthe northern Leeward Islands, the Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and

Bermudaover the weekend, forecasters said Meanwhile, atropical storm warning associated with Potential Tropical Cyclone Nine was issued for the CentralBahamas. The center of thetropicaldisturbance was about 55 miles north-northwest of theeastern tip of Cuba, forecasters said.Ithad topwinds of 35 mph. Atropical storm watchwas issued for portions of the northwestern Bahamas.

The hurricane center said the potential cyclone was likelytobecome atropical depression— thenextname in the alphabet would be Imelda —onSaturday.By Sunday,itcouldbea tropical storm.

Theforecastput thesystem on track to approach the Southeast U.S. over the weekendand into early next week

South Carolina Gov.Henry McMasterdeclareda stateofemergency over the storm Friday evening saying while there was uncertainty, thestate needed to prepare. The declaration allows state emergency officials to begin coordination with local and federal governments andassures people will be eligible for federal aid.

Earlier in the day, crews in Charleston, SouthCarolina,were gettingsandbags together,checking high water vehicles and preparing pumps to get any floodwater out of the city

“Even though this has not formed yet,weare treatingitasifweare expecting some kind of impact. That’s critical. We don’twant to downplay the scenario,”

ChiefFire MarshalMichael Julazadeh saidatanemergencyCharlestonCity Council meeting.

Housepanel chairdemands briefingonTikTokdeal

BYDIDI TANG Associated Press

WASHINGTON Thechair of aHouse committee that pushed for the law demanding TikTok be spun off from its Chinese owners has requested an urgent briefing from the White House, one day after President Donald Trump signed an executive order supporting aproposed deal that would put the popular social video platform under U.S. ownership. In astatement released Friday,Rep. John Moolenaar,the chair of the Select Committee on the Chinese

Communist Party,praised theproposed deal as “an important step” in transitioningownership of theTikTok platform to American hands but he emphasized that“divestment was not thelaw’s only requirement.” “The law also set firm guardrails that prohibit cooperation between ByteDance and any prospective TikTok successor on the all-important recommendation algorithm, as well as preclude operational ties between the new entity and ByteDance,”Moolenaar said. The Michigan Republi-

can’sstatement marksthe first congressional effort to conduct oversightintothe negotiations over TikTok, coming nearly two weeks after Chinese and American officialsmet in Spain to discuss aframeworkdivestment deal for TikTok. TrumponThursdaysigned an executive order providing support for the deal, and saidChinese President Xi Jinping agreedtomove forward with negotiations. The White House didn’t respond to an inquiry from The Associated Press regardingthe urgent briefing.

astate of emergency

While the Republican gov-

ernor has embraced federal intervention, Memphis Mayor Paul Young has taken a pragmatic approach. Young, who is aDemocrat,has said he never asked for National Guardtroops but recognized theywill come regardless of his opinion.

“Mygoal is to make sure that as resources come into ourcommunity,wefind ways to use them effectively and for thebenefit of the residentsofour great city,”he said at the news conference.

While discussing the deployment, both Republican and Democratic officials have noted recent decreases in someMemphis crimemetrics. Young noted thatcrime rates in Memphis have been falling but “we have alot of work to do to getcrime at a level where people really,really feel it.”

Both Young and Lee emphasizedthatthe surge of resources is not intended to be aquickfix but rather a sustainedeffort.

“It will operate as long as it takes,” Lee said.

“Successlooks like Memphis being asafe city, Memphis beinga placewhere people have no concerns about going outwith their

family,about locating their business,” he said,adding, “When peoplerecognizethe city of Memphis as one of the safest places in America, that’ll be success.”

In addition to the federal troops and agents, Lee said the state will provide $100 milliontoMemphis for public safety initiatives as well as 300 statetroopers. That will allow 100 troopers to be on the ground at any one time. Lee said that’sasignificantincreasefor Shelby County,where Memphis is located. For its part, the Memphis Police Department hasmore than 2,000 full-time police officers. The Shelby CountySheriff’s Office has morethan 600 law enforcementdeputies, with hundredsmorewho work in corrections.

Leeand otherofficials have said federal authorities were already focusing on Memphis.Thatincludesanoperation the FBI says has resulted in approximately 500 arrestsand about101 federal indictments of violent criminals since May Trumpfirst deployed troops to Los Angeles in early June over Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’sobjections by putting the CaliforniaNationalGuardunder

federaljurisdictiontoprotect federal property from protests over immigration raids.The guard later helped protect officers during immigration arrests. Alongside 4,000guard members,700 activeduty Marines were also sent. California sued over the intervention. In Washington, about 2,000 members of the National Guardwere part of Trump’s surge of law enforcement in thecapital that began last month.

Trump has veered back and forth on sending troops to Chicago —attimes insisting he would act unilaterally to deploy them and at other points suggesting he would rather send them to NewOrleans; Portland, Oregon; or acityina statewhere their governor “wants us to come in.” Last week, he said Chicago is “probably next” after Memphis.

On Thursday,Trump renewed his vow to send troops to Portland, where an ongoing protest outside the ICE facilityhas drawn his attention.The nightly protests take placeoutside the city’s ICE facility,which is well outside the city’sdowntown. On arecentnight,there were acouple of dozen protesters.

DAILyMEMPHIAN PHOTO By PATRICK LANTRIP

Assata Shakur, fugitive Black activist sought by U.S., dies

BY PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press

Assata Shakur, a Black liberation activist who was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S. prison where she had been serving a life sentence for killing a police officer, has died, her daughter and the Cuban government said Shakur, who was born Joanne Deborah Chesimard, died Thursday in the capital city of Havana due to “health conditions and advanced age,” Cuba’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Shakur’s daughter, Kakuya Shakur, confirmed her mother’s death in a Facebook post.

Officials in New Jersey, where Shakur had been arrested, convicted and imprisoned, said she was 78.

A member of Black Panther Party and Black Liberation Army, Shakur’s case had long been emblematic of the fraught relations between the U.S. and Cuba. American authorities, including President Donald Trump during his first term, demanded her return from the communist nation for decades. The FBI put Shakur on its

list of “ most wanted terrorists,” but, in her telling — and in the minds of her sup-

porters she was pursued for crimes she didn’t commit or that were justified. Shakur had previously been indicted multiple times in connection with robberies and the murder of two police officers, but all of the charges had either been dismissed or resulted in her acquittal.

Then, on May 2, 1973, she and two others were pulled over by New Jersey State Police troopers because the car they were driving had a broken taillight.

A gunfight ensued and one of the troopers, Werner Foerster was killed and another was wounded One of Shakur’s companions was also killed.

The New York City native fled but was eventually apprehended. She was found guilty of murder, armed robbery and other crimes in 1977 and was sentenced to life in prison.

Shakur’s prison stint was

short-lived, though. In November 1979, members of the Black Liberation Army, posing as visitors, stormed the Clinton Correctional Facility for women, took two guards hostage and commandeered a prison van to break her out.

Shakur disappeared before eventually emerging in 1984 in Cuba, where Fidel Castro granted her asylum.

Offering Shakur safe harbor was one of the most famous examples of Cuba aligning itself with what it describes as revolutionary forces struggling against the oppressive capitalist empire to the north.

Much like Cuba supported anti-colonial and left-wing forces in Africa, Central and South America, the Cuban government saw the armed Black liberation movement in the U.S. as part of a global revolutionary struggle.

New Jersey State Assem-

blyman Michael Inganamort, who sponsored a resolution last year calling on Cuba to extradite Shakur, lamented Friday that “justice was never served” in Foerster’s death, while the labor union representing New Jersey officers dismissed Shakur “for her crime and cowardice.” New Jersey Gov Phil Murphy and State Police Superintendent Patrick Callahan said they would “vigorously oppose” any attempt to repatriate Shakur’s remains to the U.S.

“Sadly, it appears she has passed without being held fully accountable for her heinous crimes,” they said in a joint statement. “Unlike his killer, Trooper Foerster never had a chance to live out his days in peace.”

Sundiata Acoli, who was also convicted in Foerster’s killing, was granted parole in 2022 after being imprisoned for nearly three decades.

BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

AUSTIN,Texas Police named a dead man Friday as a new suspect in the 1991 unsolved killings of four teenage girls at an Austin yogurt shop, saying DNA evidence led to a “significant breakthrough” in the brutal crime that has haunted Texas’ capital and stumped investigators for decades.

In a statement, Austin police said DNA tests led investigators to Robert Eugene Brashers, who died by suicide in 1999 during a

standoff with law enforcement. He has since then been linked to several killings and rape in other states.

The announcement came amid renewed attention on the case with the release last month of “The Yogurt Shop Murders,” an HBO documentary series. Police said the case remains open and scheduled a Monday news conference to detail their findings.

The murders stunned Texas’ capital city and became known as one of the area’s most notorious crimes. Austin police investigators and

prosecutors had stumbled over the case for years as they waded through thousands of leads, several false confessions and badly damaged evidence from the burned-out crime scene.

“Our team never gave up working this case,” Austin police said.

Amy Ayers, 13; Eliza Thomas, 17; and sisters Jennifer and Sarah Harbison, ages 17 and 15, were bound, gagged and shot in the head at the “I Can’t Believe It’s Yogurt” store where two of them worked. The building was then set on fire.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Assata Shakur, a Black liberation activist who was given political asylum in Cuba after her 1979 escape from a U.S prison where she had been serving a life sentence for killing a police officer has died at age 78 her daughter and the Cuban government said.

because he wasn’tsufficiently responsive to calls from Trump to bring charges againsthis longtime targets.

“This kind of interference is adangerous abuseof power,” Warner said. “Our systemdepends on prosecutors making decisions based on evidence and the law,not on the personal grudges of apolitician determined to settle scores.”

The first former president convicted of afelony —for falsifying business records to hide hush-money payments to conceal an alleged affair —Trump won the White House despite a host of other legal troubles over his alleged retention of classified information after leaving the WhiteHouse in 2021 and his role in stoking denials of his 2020 electoral defeat that culminated in the Jan. 6attack on the Capitol.

Thursday’smoves were the latest in aconcerted effort by Trump to wield the vast powers of his office in unparalleled ways to punish his enemiessince returning to the Oval Office in January Duringhis campaign, Trump made clear this was his intention if he returned to office “In 2016, Ideclared: Iam your voice,” he said in 2023

“Today,I add: Iamyour warrior.I am yourjustice. And for those who have been wronged and betrayed, Iam your retribution.”

Earlier this week, he signed an order designating adecentralized movement known as antifa —short for “anti-fascists” —asadomesticterrorist organization, amove testing broad First Amendment protections enjoyed by organizations operatingwithin the United States. The Thursdaymemo went further,targeting liberalleaning groups and donors, and “represents asignificant abuse of power where the government is either changing the law or bending definitions to try and investigate and punish their political opponents in away that is real-

ly unprecedented,” said Caitlin Legacki, of Americans Against GovernmentCensorship, which was founded to fight theTrump administration’s weaponization of the federal governmentagainst its political rivals. As for Comey,she said, “It reeks of selectiveprosecution, it reeks ofvindictive targeting and calls into questionthe integrity of many of thecharges being brought by the office.”

Trump, meanwhile,denied Friday that he’sonacampaign of retribution.

“It’sabout justice,really It’s not revenge, it’sabout justice. It’salsoabout the fact thatyou can’tlet this go on,” he told reporters. “They are sick, radical left people and theycan’tget away with it.”

Asked who is next on his list, he responded: “It’snot alist, but Ithink there’ll be others.”

Beyond Comey,Trumphas also pressured prosecutors to bring mortgage fraud charges against New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought amassive civil fraud case against the president. Attorney General Pam Bondi last month named a special prosecutor to investigate mortgage fraud allegations against James and Democratic U.S. Sen. Adam Schiff of California, another top Trump target. Both have deniedwrongdoing.

The Justice Department has also begun examining

mortgage fraud allegations againstLisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governorwho’s won success in lower courts in challenging Trump’seffort to remove her from her job in amove she says is designed to erode the central bank’s independence.Trump hasappealed to theSupreme Court to allow him to oust her.

On Friday, Trumpcalled on Microsoft to fireformer Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, whom he has long held agrudge against,from herposition as president of global affairs.

“Monaco’shaving that kind of accessisunacceptable, andcannotbeallowed to stand,” he wrote. Trump previouslystrippedher of hersecurity clearance, along withnumerous others.

He has also strippedSecret Service protection from a slewofformer officials,including his 2024 Democratic rival, Kamala Harris, members of former President Joe Biden’sfamily,and people who’ve fallen from favor, including his onetime national securityadviser John Bolton and his former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Trump hasalso targeted majorinstitutions, revoking securityclearances for attorneys at law firms he disfavors, pullingbillions of dollars in federal research funds from eliteuniversities,and securing multimillion-dollar settlements against media organizations

in lawsuits that were widely regardedasweak cases Earlier this week, he threatened ABC over the network’sdecision to allow late-night host Jimmy Kimmeltoreturntothe airwaves

“I think we’regoing to test ABC outonthis. Let’ssee how we do. Last time Iwent after them, they gave me

$16 Million Dollars. This one sounds even morelucrative,” Trump crowed. And his administration has fired or reassigned federal employees for their earlier work, including prosecutors who worked on cases against him. TheJustice Department also fired Comey’sdaughter Maurene Comey,from her job as aprosecutor in the Southern District of New York.She hassincesued, saying the termination was politically motivated.

Tr ump, meanwhile, cheered the Comey indictment, saying “JUSTICE IN AMERICA!” had been served, even as Comey denied wrongdoing and expressedconfidenceinbeing acquitted at trial.

Theindictmentwas the culmination of apressure campaign that burst into public view over the weekend when Trump aired his frustrations with Bondi on his social media site and demanded she move forward with charges against Comey, James and Schiff.

“Wecan’tdelay any longer,it’skilling our reputation and credibility,” he wroteon Truth Social Saturday.“JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”Hesaidhewould nominate LindseyHalligan, his formerpersonallawyer anda WhiteHouse aide,to serveasU.S. attorney forthe Eastern District of Virginia to quicken the pace after the ouster of chief prosecutor Erik Siebert, who resigned underpressure to bring charges against James. The charges against Comey cameeven as prosecutors in the officehad written a memo detailing concerns about the pursuit of an indictment andtheir likelihood of success at trial.

The former FBI director said in avideo he’sinnocent butknew “standingupto Donald Trump” would come with costs.

“My heartisbrokenfor theDepartmentofJustice, but Ihave great confidence in the federal judicial system, and Iaminnocent,” Comey said.

Parish’srepresentativefor the authority

During recent meetings, officials received afresh dose of that community opposition, hearing skepticism of the math and fearsthat thestate could one day need the water it sells.

“I don’tthink anybody sitting on this boardcould play Godand saywhen this lake’sgoing to have water,” said64-year-old Mike Hubbell, who lives along the lake near Many.“If it don’tcome, you don’thave it. We need to keep what we got and manage it.”

The amount of water being considered by the analysis is significant.If600,000 acrefeet were removed allat once from southeastLouisiana’sLake Maurepas, which averages10feetdeepover 59,500 acres, it would just about be drained dry

An acre-foot is the amount of water it takes to cover an acre, or about 75% of afootball field, afoot deep.

About 65 miles long tipto tip, Toledo Bend is far bigger anddeeper than Maurepas. Covering 186,000acresat normal levels, Toledo Bend was built in the mid-1900s as arecreational and electrical power generation reservoir by damming the Sabine River,filling the rugged, piney valley that surrounded it withwater

Looking back over 56 years of operation, authorityofficials said that in all but two of those years, they could have maintained the lake level required by state law while selling upto 800,000 acre-feetofwater, tappingabout 7% of the average amount that flows into it annuallyfrom the Sabine and rain runoff.

Authority officials see water sales as apotential replacement for revenue from power generation as the dam’spair of 50-year-old generators approach the end of their lives. Water sales, even at lower, older proposedprices, are

30 times morelucrative than electrical sales for equivalent amounts of water.Replacing the generators, Moore points out, could cost $30 million each Aqueduct Partners in June proposed buying 200,000 acre-feet of waterper year, but noted they wanted significantly more if possible. The company says that for economicand practical reasons, it preferscontinuous, guaranteed withdrawals —not timing themto wet months more flush with water —but alsosuggested it could buy in amounts tied to “objective triggers such as lakeperformance, operationaloutcomes, potential other sales.”

“This wouldallow SRA-LA to move forwardresponsibly, after observingimpacts of thewater sales thereby retaining flexibility,” Aqueduct Partners said in aletter to the authority

The Louisiana and Texas authorities splitthe reservoirwater 50-50. Each has theright to sell about 1million acre-feet of water annuallyfrom behind the dambut must divide the revenue. Louisiana officials have told residentsduring meet-

ings that they areanalyzing up to 800,000 acre-feet because their sister agency in Texas is interested in selling up 600,000 acre-feet from its share of the lake.

They cited legislative testimony earlier this year from Texasofficials about potential sales.

In an interview Friday however, Travis Williams, deputygeneral manager for the Sabine River Authority of Texas, disputed that, saying the agency wasn’t looking at 600,000 acre-feet in sales, though it could sell more.

“Aswesit heretoday, we have no active discussions withanybody about water sales,”Williams said.

If theLouisiana authority decidestopursueanout-ofstate sale, it needsapproval from aseries of local and state officials: four of the six parishes around the lake, twolegislative committees and the governor Such asale would likely be fought by business owners like Bill Bolton,who rents camps along the lake off La. 1215.

Bolton, 73, says the authority wouldbegivingupa commodity critical forgrowth that can’tbereturned.

him to the hospital and lied to medical staff about how he had been injured. Wilson was pronounced deadat 3a.m. on Feb. 27.

“The loss of Caleb has devastated our family in ways only someone who has lost achild can begin to comprehend. No family should ever have to receive that phone call. No parents should have to bury their child because of senseless and preventable actions,” Urania Brown Wilson and Corey Wilson Sr., Caleb’sparents,said in a joint statement Friday

Wilson’sparents said that, since their son’sdeath, they have “discovered the horrifying truth about underground pledging, hazing, andthe needless loss of lifecaused by longstanding and dangerous so-called ‘traditions.’”

Wilson’sfamilyisrepresentedinpart by attorney Jonathon Fazzola, alawyer who specializes in hazing cases. Fazzola represented the family of Max Gruver,the LSU freshmanwho died in 2017 of alcoholpoisoning after afraternity hazing ritual, in asimilar wrongful death

VOTING

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of a10-mill propertytax that would generate about $741,390 every year,for five yearsbeginning in 2027, for the development, operation and improvement of facilities and services of the district.

n The Concord Estates Crime Prevention District is asking for an annual “parcel fee” of $69.50 to be collected every year for six years,beginning in 2026,that would generate about $20,443 a year for crime prevention and security in thedistrict

n The Southern Heights Neighborhood Crime Pre-

case, securinga$6.1 million verdictfor hisparents.

Institutions

BothOmega Psi Phi Inc. and Southern University’s board are notedasdefendants in the wrongful death suit.

Tony Clayton, chair of Southern’sBoard of Supervisors and districtattorney for the 18th Judicial District, told TheAdvocate on Friday that Southern should not be held responsiblefor the criminal actions of a studentactingoff of school property.

“I don’tsee how Southern is liable for that,” Clayton said. “I don’tsee how you blame Southern for the renegadeactionsofthis kid.”

He added thatSouthern is prepared to hearthe lawsuit and show that they didn’t encourage thekindofdangerousbehavior that led to Wilson’sdeath.

“I have no sympathy for thekid whopunched (Wilson), it was uncalled forand there is acourt system in place to handle him,” Clayton said.

The suit lists five past hazing deathsconnected to Omega Psi Phi prior to 1990, which led the fraternityand other Divine NineGreek organizations to officially end

ventionand Improvement District is seekingthe renewalofaparcelfee for10 years, beginning in 2026. The fee wouldnot exceed $100 per year in the first years; after at least five years it would increase to no morethan$150per year

Theestimated $51,800 generated bythe fee every year would go to crime prevention, security,beautification andimprovements In Ascension Parish, voters in District 11 will choose aParish Council member Jennifer DeFrances and CoreyPerrillioux, both Republicans, are the candidates forthe Prairievillearea seat. Theseatbecame open earlierthisyear when former councilmember

slaughter as the fraternity brotheraccusedofdeliveringthe punches to Wilson before he suffered aseizure and later died.

All three are defendants in the wrongful death suit as well, and are accused in the lawsuit’spetition of failing to live up to theirobligation to report underground hazing and to refrain from it themselves.

filing, accused of failing to report underground hazing and failing to call for medical assistance in the immediate aftermath of Wilson’s seizure, instead conspiring to drive him to the hospital andeventuallylie aboutthe circumstances leading to his death.

thepledging process and its required hazing.

These deaths were all tied to strenuous physical activity,physical beatings or alcohol poisoning.

The endofthe official pledging process pushed hazing underground, the suit’spetition states, and created the division between “true” and“paper” membersofDivine Nine Greek organizations.

Southern is being accused of failing to protect Wilson’s health in multiple ways, including by having arelationship with thenational Omega PsiPhi fraternity andlargely promoting Greek Life as safe andbeneficial fortheir students to engage in.

Twofaculty members at Southern were also included as defendants: Safiyy Abdel-

Michael Masonresignedto take ajob at Howard UniversityinWashington, D.C.

In Livingston Parish,voters in the Parks and Recreation of Denham Springs district willonceagain vote on renewing a15-mill property tax for 10 years. Voters in December defeated the renewal. The renewal was set to beginin2026. It was aclose call, with 52% of district voters saying no. With council approval, the vote is being brought back. Runoff elections, if needed in the candidate races, will be held Nov.15.

Email Ellyn Couvillionat ecouvillion@theadvocate. com.

Ra’oof, theassistantdirector of bands, and Adagio Coleman, Southern’scoordinator of student conduct. Both men were also graduate membersofOmegaPsi Phi. Fraternity brothers Wilson’sdeath led to criminal charges against three Omega Psi Phi fraternity brothers: CalebMcCray, 24, Kyle Thurman,25, andIsaiah Smith, 29.

While Thurman and Smith both have acount of criminal hazing, McCray has an additional count of man-

Thefilingstates the responsibility not to engage in hazing is found in both state law and Omega Psi Phi’s “zero-tolerance” hazing policy

Isaiah Smith is noted as having additional responsibilitiestopreventhazing as the undergraduate chapter’s officer overseeing recruitmentand intake.

Unlike the criminal proceedings, Friday’swrongful death suit also targets other fraternity members who are accused of being present at the warehouse ritualthe night of Wilson’sdeath.

Seven other fraternity brothers are named in the

Isaiah Smith’sfather, Todd Smith, is also named adefendant in the case and is accused of allowing the fraternity brothers to use the warehouse on Woodcrest Drive forthe ritual. Todd Smith’sbusiness California Hardwood Floor Co. leases the warehouse, and another of hissonswas in attendance at the ritual alongside Isaiah Smith. Todd Smithisalsoa graduate memberofOmega Psi Phi and, as such, had aresponsibility to uphold the fraternity’szero-tolerance policy on hazing, according to the petition.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.



benefits end with retirement, paying dental bills out-of-pocket cancome as ashock, leading people to put off or even go without care. Simply put —without dental insurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage.

Third party blamed for 911 outage

AT&T

says disruption was not statewide

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

AT&T, the telecommunications giant that handles emergency communication infrastructure for most of the country said

Thursday’s hourslong 911 outages across Louisiana were caused by a fiber line being cut in Mississippi.

A spokesperson for the company said unnamed third parties are responsible for the line being cut. “9-1-1 service continues to op-

erate normally across previously affected areas,” AT&T said in statement sent Thursday evening.

“The issues were caused by fiber cuts made by third parties.”

AT&T said at no time did any of the three affected states have outages that were statewide.

More than a dozen law enforcement agencies in Louisiana re-

ported a lack of connection to the 911 emergency line in their parishes, including: East Baton Rouge, Orleans, Jefferson, Lafayette, Rapides, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Bossier, Caddo, Terrebonne and Lafourche. Multiple Mississippi counties also reported outages.

Many of these agencies de-

At 13th Gate’s newest Baton Rouge experience, Séance, horror-seekers

A FRIGHT

TO THE

BY MADDIE SCOTT | Staff writer

Talking with the dead always goes swimmingly, right?

One of the country’s top haunted houses is right here in Baton Rouge, and it opened a new attraction Friday, with more frights, terrors and screams.

At 13th Gate’s newest experience, Séance, horror-seekers can join a ritual led by the eerie character duo of Madam Morgan Dupre and Doctor Nicholson, who interact with an entity known as Marie Widlock. The show is located in Carnevil Haunted Midway, which is across the street from the 13th Gate.

The immersive horror show is something different, said 13th Gate owner Dwayne Sanburn

“It’s an adrenaline rush,” Sanburn said.

“We make you feel very unsafe, although you’re very safe.”

When living in Louisiana, it’s hard to talk about the paranormal without paying homage to New Orleans. Séance’s exterior and interior design draws inspiration from the Crescent City’s architecture.

“It has definitely a New Orleans feel to it — that old history to it,” Sanburn said. “Certainly, the story of Marie Widlock and all of the characters fit that.”

The first show ran at 6:30 p.m. Friday, with exactly 30 seats available to create an intimate atmosphere. Because Séance has time-ticketed entry, arriving on time is a must.

as Marie Widlock.

FINISH

ABOVE: The newly added Frankenstein’s lab is ready for the first guest at 13th Gate.

LEFT: Frankenstein’s monster lines part of the hallway near the new lab display on Thursday.

scribed the outage as statewide, and most issued alternative numbers for residents to call or text for help.

A statement from the Union, Mississippi Police Department gave some context on 911 infrastructure and how failures like

Man pleads guilty to first-degree murder

Victim’s family reacts to two consecutive life sentences

BY BOB WARREN Staff writer

AMITE More than a year after being arrested in the brutal slayings of a mother and daughter that stunned a quiet northshore community, a subdued Daniel Callihan pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of first-degree murder

In exchange for Callihan’s guilty plea, the 21st Judicial District Attorney’s Office agreed not to take him to trial and ask a jury to sentence him to death Callihan received two consecutive life sentences in prison, handed down by state District Judge Brian K. Abels at the Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse in Amite. In June 2024, Callihan killed 35-year-old Callie Brunett and her 4-year-old daughter, Erin, who he kidnapped along with her 6-year-old sister Brunett’s body was found in her home in Loranger; her daughter’s body was found near Jackson, Mississippi, where Callihan and a woman identified as an accomplice, Victoria Cox, were apprehended after search that spanned portions of Louisiana and Mississippi.

Brunett’s older daughter survived and was found near where Callihan was caught. Callihan watched impassively as Callie Brunett’s sister, Brandi Hosch, gave a victim’s impact statement for the family in the packed courtroom. She said Callihan deserves worse than a life behind bars, but the family wanted

Staff writer

Baton Rouge police have made one arrest in a string of convenience store armed robberies and expect to make more, officials said. Jacobey Cossett was arrested this week and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison on six counts of armed robbery with a firearm.

“Detectives believe the incidents are connected due to the close timeline and matching suspect descriptions,” police said in a news release.

Several of the robberies happened on the same days. The dates and locations of the robberies are:

n Circle K, 4959 Evangeline St., Aug. 31.

n Smiley 75, 2332 Chippewa St., Sept 1. n Kangaroo Express, 12390 Scotland Ave., Sept. 1.

On Sept. 3, there were three robberies:

n Tim’s Food Mart, 824 N. Ardenwood Drive. n Exxon, 10888 Scotland Ave.

n Cousin’s Food Mart, 6288 Airline Highway.

“In several of the incidents, a suspect jumped over the counter to access the cash register while a second suspect stood by, holding another employee at gunpoint,” police said. The investigation into the robberies is ongoing, and additional arrests are forthcoming, police said.

Anyone with information on the robberies is asked to call BRPD’s Armed Robbery Division at (225) 389-3845, or call Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

can join a ritual led by the eerie character duo of Madam Morgan Dupre, front, and Doctor Nicholson, who interact with an entity known

Callihan

Former N.O. 911 head found guilty in wreck cover-up

Tyrell Morris accused of falsifying records

BY MISSY WILKINSON and JOHN SIMERMAN Staff writers

A New Orleans jury convicted the city’s former 911 director late Friday on all charges related to an alleged cover-up of a 2023 vehicle collision he admitted causing from the witness stand hours earlier.

Tyrell Morris was found guilty on charges of malfeasance in office, insurance fraud, false personation of a peace officer and seconddegree injuring of public records. The jury of six deliberated for less than an hour before returning its verdict.

Criminal District Judge Simone Levine ordered Morris, the former director of the Orleans Parish Communication District, jailed pending an Oct. 1 sentencing date, and two Orleans Parish sheriff’s deputies handcuffed him after the verdict came in about 4:45 p.m. Morris, 39, was accused of falsifying records to avoid a drug and alcohol screen after the incident on the night of his birthday in May 2023, when he collided in his public vehicle with another car on Elysian Fields Avenue about 10:30 p.m. Prosecutors claim he flashed his blue lights after the collision, though he wasn’t an officer falsified a report to an insurance com-

pany claiming the other driver was at fault and altered the policy of the agency he ran, the Orleans Parish Communication District, to avoid a test.

Morris acknowledged to WWLTV, and again from the witness stand Friday that he was wrong but called it all a mistake rather than a crime. Over a few hours on the witness stand, he told the jury he was sober and on a “cleanse” when the collision took place as he headed to drop off the car at the district before he headed for a work trip to California Morris, who resigned in 2023 after five years at the agency’s helm, denied allegations that he tried to alter its records to make it appear he wasn’t required to submit to a test since no one was injured in the collision. Morris claimed he “would have happily” taken a drug and alcohol screen.

“It wasn’t something I thought I was required to do,” he said.

Under questioning from his attorney, Ralph Whalen, Morris testified that three friends showed up in town two days before the collision, and they’d celebrated his birthday that night, a Friday, with a Ludacris show at Jazz Fest.

Morris said he’d stopped drinking by that Sunday, when he said he needed to pack for a weeklong work trip to California. He said he lounged with his friends and did laundry but “slept most of the day.”

He said he woke up around

10 p.m. and headed to drive his vehicle back to the district, per policy, when the wreck happened. Morris said he’d been “catching up on all the alerts from my nap” and may have been distracted.

After the collision, he recalled activating his blue lights “as a safety mechanism.” Prosecutors claim he was impersonating a police officer as a form of intimidation.

Only much later, as he watched a video of the collision with WWL Louisiana reporter David Hammer, did he see that his claim that his vehicle hadn’t moved was wrong, Morris testified. He realized then, he said, that he was at fault.

“I was stunned,” Morris testified.

“Wow I never had this perspective. It does look like my vehicle moved.”

He realized then that his insurance claims, denying fault, were mistaken. Morris said he’d never reviewed the video before then.

“Honestly, I didn’t want to,” he said. “I had to protect myself. My mental health It was a difficult time of life.”

Assistant District Attorney Corey Tassin challenged Morris over his brief run this year for mayor, noting he’d been disqualified for falsely claiming on a qualifying form that he’d filed his last five years of tax returns. Morris responded that he’d read otherwise and hadn’t read the whole form.

Former ADA could seek new trial

Gary Haynes was convicted in kickback scheme

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Is Gary Haynes, the former Lafayette assistant district attorney who was convicted on federal bribery charges last week, going to seek a new trial?

A 12-person federal jury on Sept. 18, after hearing eight days of testimony and arguments, unanimously found Haynes guilty on six charges related to a kickback scheme involving the pretrial intervention program he ran in the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office in Lafayette. Federal rules give a person 14 days from the date of their conviction to file documents seeking a new trial. Haynes’ defense attorney, Todd Clemons, on Tuesday asked for an additional seven days to review

the record of the trial. Clemons wrote that the defense team “needs additional time to review the trial record and to confer with the defendant regarding the potential grounds for a motion for new trial,” Clemons wrote. “The requested extension is necessary to fully consider the merits of said motion and to file same if that is deemed the appropriate course of action.”

He did not return a call for comment Thursday

U.S. Assistant Attorney Luke Walker did not oppose the request. U.S. District Court Judge David Joseph, who oversaw the trial, granted the extension, giving Haynes’ team until Oct. 9 to decide if they will request a new trial.

Haynes is scheduled for sentencing by Joseph on Dec. 17.

Three men who pleaded guilty to their roles in the bribery scheme are scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 1 in Lafayette federal court. Donald Washington, the attorney for one of them, Joseph Prejean, is asking the judge to delay his sen-

tencing hearing until Nov 12-21 or Dec. 1-5. The delay, Washington wrote, is to give him more time to prepare for the hearing, where witnesses are expected to testify on Prejean’s behalf. Letters also are expected to be submitted to Joseph on behalf of Prejean, he wrote.

Neither prosecutors nor Prejean’s probation officer objected to the delay Prejean entered a plea deal in December 2023, pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery. He admitted he accepted payments from offenders to take classes from vendors like himself with the pretrial intervention program to clear their criminal records. Participating vendors split the money with Dusty Guidry, who worked in the pretrial program, and Haynes Prejean, Guidry and vendor Leonard Franques are scheduled for sentencing Oct 1. Guidry testified in Haynes’ trial Franques did not testify, but wore a recording device and allowed the FBI to videotape a meeting in early 2022 between himself, Haynes and Guidry.

Man bitten by alligator while fishing in canal

Victim currently in stable condition, officials say

BY MICHELLE HUNTER Staff writer

A 35-year-old man was hospitalized Thursday morning after he said an alligator clamped down on his foot while he was fishing near a canal in Westwego, authorities said. Westwego police and paramedics were dispatched to a home on West Drive in Westwego just before 8:30 a.m. after receiving a call for medical help, according to Capt. Eric Orlando.

OUTAGE

Continued from page 1B

these can occur following the outages. “911 networks depend heavily on fiber optic cables to carry calls. In Mississippi, those lines run under highways, through rural areas, and between carriers,” the department’s statement read. “When one line gets cut, calls are usually rerouted. But if multiple cuts happen at once (like we saw

The injured man told police he’d been fishing on a nearby canal that runs parallel to West Drive, between the West Bank Expressway and Fourth Street, Orlando said.

The man said he slipped from the bank, into the water That’s when an alligator grabbed his foot and began rolling, Orlando said.

The man was able to make his way to the home of a friend on West Drive. He was taken to University Medical Center in New Orleans, Orlando said.

The man was in stable condition Friday morning. He suffered a broken knee and leg and had cuts on his leg and foot, according to authorities.

Early voting for the Oct. 11 election starts Sept. 27 and ends Oct. 4, excluding Sunday, Sept. 28, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Runoff elections, if needed, are scheduled Nov. 15. The deadline to request an absentee ballot is Oct. 7 by 4:30 p.m., other than for military and overseas voters, through the Secretary of State’s Voter Portal at geauxvote.org or your Registrar of Voters Office. On election day, the polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. The ballots in Ascension, East Baton Rouge, Iberville, Livingston and West Baton Rouge parishes are as follows:

D = Democrat N = No Party Affiliation

R = Republican ASCENSION PARISH

PARISH COUNCIL, DISTRICT 11 Jennifer DeFrances, R Corey Perrillioux, R EAST BATON ROUGE

PARISH

DISTRICT JUDGE, 19TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT

COURT Dele Adebamiji, D Elzie Alford Jr., D “Vicky” Jones, D Vernon Thomas, D CITY COURT JUDGE Calli Boudreaux, R Brenden Craig, R

DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT DISTRICT TAX

RENEWAL

To renew the 10-mill property tax, generating about $741,390 a year, for five years beginning in 2027 for planning, development, management, operation and improvement of the facilities and services of the district. CONCORD ESTATES CRIME PREVENTION DISTRICT PARCEL FEE

To levy an annual parcel fee

$69.50 for six years beginning in 2026 and generating an estimated at $20,433 a year for crime prevention and security in the district.

SOUTHERN HEIGHTS NEIGHBORHOOD CRIME PREVENTION AND IMPROVEMENT

DISTRICT PARCEL FEE

To renew for 10 years, beginning in 2026, the fee not to exceed $100 per year and to increase after at least five years to no more than $150 per year, generating an estimated $51,800 a year for crime prevention, security, beautification and improvements.

IBERVILLE PARISH

CONSTABLE, JP WARD 4 Harry “Gil” Banta Jr., N Helen Hall Dotson, D PLAQUEMINE TAX RENEWAL, 1 OF 2 To continue to levy a 3.1-mill property tax generating an estimated $133,000 a year for 10 years beginning in 2027 for the Police Department.

PLAQUEMINE TAX RENEWAL, 2 OF 2 To continue to levy a 3.1-mill property tax

property tax generating an estimated $4.250 million a year for 10 years beginning in 2026 for operations and maintenance.

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH

CONSTABLE, JP WARD 2 Amanda Jewel Southon, N Duane Vince, N

FRIGHT

Continued from page 1B

The attraction will be here for the year Sanburn said.

Keep in mind, the show has effects like sudden air blasts, strobe lighting, wind, scent effects and audio effects. Individuals who are pregnant prone to seizures, have a heart condition, have a pacemaker or are claustrophobic are not recommended to participate.

After summoning the dead at Séance, folks can walk across the street to 13th Gate’s haunted house and experience the new Frankenstein’s Castle, a segment with gorecovered lab equipment, chemical experiments and a familiar green monster

Three decades of frights

Sanburn has been in the business

GUILTY

Continued from page 1B

The claustrophobic atmosphere of this basement boiler room at 13th Gate haunted house sits ready for opening night.

of scaring adrenaline junkies since 1991, opening 13th Gate 10 years later in 2001. With lines of people often wrapped around the building and down the street, 13th Gate was named the country’s top haunted house in 2024 by haunted house directory hauntworld.com.

In the midst of Halloween season, it seems like Sanburn probably has one of the most fun jobs out there.

Hisofficeshelvesarestockedwith horror movie props like a Freddy Krueger glove signed by lead actor Robert Englund. He also has a relic of the “Evil Dead” shotgun, known as the boomstick signed by lead actor Bruce Campbell and director Sam Raimi.

His favorite holiday is no surprise. “I have always loved Halloween,” Sanburn said. “It’s probably from a childhood love of that time of year The fall, the mystery and all the fun things that Halloween allows you to do.”

today), there may be no backup path.” That led to residents in Louisiana and Mississippi being unable to make 911 calls. Livingston Parish was one oasis of sustained connection amid Thursday’s outages. The Livingston Parish Sheriff’s Office attributed this to their Next Generation 911 system, which replaced legacy copper wire technology with a modern, Internet Protocol (IP)-based infrastructure. In a promotional video for the system released in 2024, Sheriff

Alligators are not an uncommon sight in Westwego, considering the area and its proximity to Bayou Segnette State Park, Orlando said.

“We’re not heavily flooded with alligators, but we do get calls about them,” he said. “We’ve had calls in the recent past of gators in people’s driveways.”

The state Department of Wildlife and Fisheries will be notified to determine whether the animal is a nuisance alligator that requires relocation, Orlando said.

“He has undergone one surgery to his leg but will require further surgeries to repair his injuries,” Orlando said.

Email Michelle Hunter at mhunter@theadvocate.com.

Jason Ard said Livingston 911 operators would “be among the first to serve and protect using the newest technology available.” Livingston Parish 911 Director Jack Varnado said the Next Generation 911 system would help prevent lines from dropping during hurricanes and floods citing how Livingston’s 911 center was underwater during the 2016 floods and had to relocate.

“We were successful, but that took time, and in our business, time is of the essence,” he said.

to make sure Callie Brunett’s surviving daughter doesn’t have to see him again inside a courtroom.

“You do not deserve this grace,” she said.

Hosch called Callihan “a monster, a predator, a murderer, a rapist, a thief and a coward.”

“This cannot be undone, forgotten, forgiven or ever coped with,” she said. “It sickens me that you get to live.”

Quoting from St. Paul’s letter to the Romans, she added, “Do not take revenge but leave room for God’s wrath.”

“You are a demon,” she told Callihan.

There was a heavy police presence as Callihan, in handcuffs and wearing a gray-blue jumpsuit, entered Abels’ courtroom. Abels asked Callihan several questions throughout the proceeding to gauge his understanding. Callihan answered clearly “Yes, sir” to each of the judge’s questions. Callihan’s plea Friday followed his guilty plea in August to federal charges of kidnapping resulting in death and transporting a minor across state lines to engage in criminal sexual activity stemming from the murder and kidnapping. He also faces life in prison on the federal convictions and is scheduled to be formally sentenced in federal court in November Callihan also is due in court Monday in Hinds County, Mississippi,

where his attorney, Kerry Cuccia, indicated he will enter guilty pleas in crimes he has been charged in Mississippi. Outside the courthouse, Cuccia said he was satisfied with the outcome of the Tangipahoa Parish case.

“Everyone saw the wisdom of the result,” he said.

Asked if Callihan has expressed remorse, Cuccia said “this is a different man than the person who committed these acts.”

He said Callihan is now medicated, which he should have been for years.

“He knows exactly why he’s here today,” Cuccia said. “He can never make amends. This is the only thing he can do.”

Scott Perrilloux, district attorney for Tangipahoa, Livingston and St. Helena parishes, said the Brunett family was satisfied with the proceedings.

“Hopefully the community will start healing,” he said. The process “has taken its toll.”

As part of the plea, Callihan will serve the life sentences for the Tangipahoa Parish conviction first, a symbolic gesture prosecutors wanted for the family and the community

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LAFAYETTE

WESTWEGO

Haynes

4B

■ Saturday, September 27, 2025

■ theadvocate.com

Old Hammond Highway,at11a.m

Causey,Judy

CharletFuneralHome, 4230 High Street in Zachary, at 11 a.m.

7200 Maplewood Drive, at 11 a.m.

Daffin Jr., Jerry SealeFuneralHomeinDenham Springs at 11 a.m.

Daggs,Earnestine

St.Benedictthe Moor Catholic Church in Napoleonville at 11 a.m.

Ellis Sr., Clarence NewSunlight BaptistChurch, 1777

AmericaStreet,at11a.m

Franklin,Fredrick Hour of Prayer Ministries,5211Ford Street,at10a.m

Green,Glenn Hall Davisand SonofPlaquemine 58790 IronFarmRoadinPlaquemine, at 11 a.m.

Harrison, Catherine Saintsville C.O.G.I.C.,8930 Plank Road at 11am

Hogan, Willona DisciplesofOutreachMinistryat11

a.m.

Jones, Danielle NewHomeMinistries, 1616 Robert C.BlakesDrive in NewOrleans, at 10

a.m.

Mackie,Gloria

St.MaryMissionary BaptistChurch 9067 Highway 1inLettsworth, at 10

a.m.

McCray-Bell, Doris NewHope BaptistChurch,5856 GreenwellSprings Road at 10am.

Millet, Catherine Most Sacred HeartofJesus Church 616 EMainSt, Gramercy,LAat11am.

Perry,John Mount Hope BaptistChurch, 9654 Highway 10 in Ethel, at 11 a.m.

Sandefur, Lana Chapel of Rush FuneralHome, Oakdale at 2pm Slay Jr., James ResthavenFuneralHome, 11817 JeffersonHighway,at2:30p.m Tillman, Mae

Mt.PilgrimBaptist Church,8900 GravoisLaneinMaringouin, at 11 a.m.

Obituaries

Bickham, Austin Scott

It is with deep love and heavy hearts that we share the passing of Austin Scott Bickham, 32, of Baton Rouge, LA, who left us on September 13, 2025. Austin was deeply loved and will be truly missed. Austin was born on November 30, 1992, in Baton Rouge, LA to Charles Bickham Jr. and Alicia A. Bellgraph. From the very beginning he brought joy and light to everyone around him. Outgoing and friendly, Austin could strike up aconversation with anyone,and he never met astranger. Austin spent much of his life working alongside his dad in the familybusiness. When he wasn't working there, he worked on atugboat where he enjoyed being on the water. Austin also loved to cook, stay active in the gym, and cheer on the LSU Tigers and Kansas City Chiefs. Above all, Austin cherished his family and friends and made sure they always knew it. Never missing an opportunity to tell them I love you". Austin is survived by his two loving Sons; BlaizeO'-

Connorand KaganO'Connor; Father, CharlesBickham Jr; Sisters, Kaylin Bellard, Madisyn Napoli Emerson, Morgan Bellgraph, Jada Bickham, and Maya Bickham; Grandparents, Charles Bickham Sr and Myrtis Hayes. He is preceded in death by hisMother, AliciaBellgraph; Grandfather, Daniel P. Bennett; and Grandmother, Linda P. Bennett

Blanchard, Edgar Paul 'Ed'

EdgarPaulBlanchard, known as “Ed”,passed awayon Thursday,Sep‐tember25, 2025, at West Towne in Port Allen, at the age of 88. He wasa native and resident of Brusly.Ed was theownerand opera‐tor of Brusly Exxon. He also workedwithhis brotherfor manyyears at Kool-Eze Heating andAir Condition. VisitingwillbeatSt. John the BaptistCatholicChurch onMonday, September29, from 10 a.m. until Rite of Christian Burial at 12 p.m. conducted by Deacon Sammy Collura. Burial will followinthe church ceme‐tery. Pallbearerswillbe Bradley Chapman, Danny Catoir, Tate Catoir,Danny CatoirII, John Blanchard and WayneDupuy.Edis survivedbyhis twodaugh‐ters, KristiBlanchard Catoirand husband Danny, and KelliBlanchard Chap‐man and husband Bradley; three grandchildren, Leighanna Catoir (Brant Rebelle), Tate Catoir (Hai‐ley Shirley),and Danny CatoirII(Kinsey Arnaud); great grandchildren, ParkerRebelle;and grand‐dog, Peanut Chapman. Ed was preceded in deathby his wife,Ann Lynnell LandryBlanchard;parents Eli andEdnaGilchrist Blan‐chard;siblings, Norwood Blanchard and wife Do‐lores,InezCrowson; mother-in-law,Lucille “Sis LeGlue; andson-in-law, Jason Smith. Ed always had agarden andhe sharedhis harvestwith others. He wasa dailyvisi‐tor at Back Brusly Grocery and wouldridearound towntobesurenothing was outofthe ordinary Pleaseshare memories at www.wilbertservices.com

Chapman, Clarence

ClarenceChapman, a native of Clinton and aresidentofDenham Springs, La, passed awayonThursday, September18, 2025, at his home. He was 74. Clarence was adevoted husband, father,grandfather,great-grandfather brother, uncle,and friend. Visiting at Glen Oaks Baptist Church, 7200 MaplewoodDr. in Baton Rouge on Saturday, September 27, from 9amto11am, with servicestobegin promptly thereafter. Serviceswillbe conducted by Rev. Marvin Parks. Internment at Hickory Nut CemeteryinClin-

ton, La. He is survivedby his children, Darryland LaShawn (Isaac); sister, Alfreda; brother, Leroy; grandson, Caleb (Sylvia); great-grandchild,Lily; and twoGod children, Courtney C. (Alphonso)and McKenzieW.Hewas preceded in death by his parents, CharlieHaysand Laura Chapman; spouse, AnnieChapman; brother, Clyde Chapman; sister, Lue Vicey Jackson; and nephew, David Armstead.Services entrusted to Richardson Funeral Home in Clinton, La.

DaffinJr., JerryRichard 'BigDaddy'

Alovinghusband, father,son, and brother, Jerry Richard Daffin Jr 67, of Baton Rouge, LA,passed away peacefully, with familypresent,atOur Lady of theLake HospitalonAugust 30, 2025. He was born on April 18, 1958, in New Orleans, LA

He is survivedbyhis wife of 26 years, Kathleen CookDaffin of Baton Rouge, LA;his son, Jacob Cook;his mother, Eleanor Soniat Hutzler; his father, JerryRichard Daffin Sr (Gretchen); brothersTerry (Mary), Joel (Kim), and Tim (Melinda); and numerous nieces and nephews. Memorial Service willbe held on Sept. 27, 2025 at SealeFuneral Home (11am -12pm) withpre-service gathering (9am- 11am).

Danielle

Danielle Jones, 52 years old, on September 9, 2025, transitionedfromthis earthly journey to theloving arms of herSavior, Jesus Christ. Devoted daughterofCeola Jones and the late Jesse Watkins; Companion of Jermaine Tobias; MotherofPaula, Ja'On, and Kenari Jones and thelate JaronJones. Grandchildren: Saylor and Suede Edwards and Jaden Petersen; 13 sisters and brothers; and ahost of otherrelatives and friends.

Home-going Celebration Services on Saturday, September 27, 2025, 10:00 a.m.,AtNew Home Ministries,1616Robert C. Blakes Drive; viewing from 9:00-10:00 a.m.;Bishop SamuelR.Blakes, Pastor; Interment Providence Memorial Park &Mausoleum; Professional Funeral Home,incharge.

Laiche, James Benton'Jimmy'

James Benton Laiche, 90, of Montgomery,TX, passed away on September19, 2025 surrounded by family.Hewas born April 8,

1935, in Brittney(St. Amant), LA,toAmelia (Savario)and Vernon Laiche

Known to most as "Jimmy" or "Paw Jim", he was abeloved husband,father, grandfather and uncle.

In his youth, he earned thenickname "The Flash" and "Running Jimmy" for his remarkable speed as a half back at Gonzales High School and laterat Louisiana StateUniversity.

He was an advocate of job-preparedness for high schoolstudentswho were not college-bound

James was alifelong avid fisherman; and was renowned in his circle for hiscajun cooking. No one couldboilorfry seafood quitelikeJim.

He was aproud life member of theUnited AssociationLocal 198 in BatonRouge,LA. He willbedeeply missed.

He is preceded in death by hisparents, Amelia and VernonLaiche,and his sisters, Carolyn(Ronald) Hernandez and Laverne (Dee) Gautreau.

He is survivedbyhis loving wife, Donna Laiche; his brother, Douglas (Liz) Laiche; his childrenJames "Benny" Laiche Jr.,Steve (Andi) Laiche,Jill (Tim) Schexnayder, Joni Allen, and Lena (John) Scaramuzzo;extended family members Ericand Rhonda Blank; his grandchildren, Shanna (Ron) Savoy, Britt (AmandaBadeaux) Laiche, Laura Laiche, Ashley (Adam) Badeaux, Justin Schexnayder, Mason Shuhart and Morgan Shuhart as wellasgreatgrandchildren: Reeve Savoy, Adelai Savoy,Davy Savoy, BentonLaiche,Hudson Laiche,and Robbie Badeaux.

Serviceswillbeheldat St.Anthony of Padua, The Woodlands, TX on TuesdayNovember 25that 11am.

In lieu of flowers,the family requeststhat donations be madetoSt.Jude or contribute morespecifically to theGoFundMe "Support Silas's Fight Against Leukemia" for SilasBlank who is currently undergoing treatmentatSt. Jude.

Olson, Hildred Mae Hildred Olson, born September 23, 1927, passed away at home in BatonRouge September 25, 2025, surrounded by family and friends. She waspredeceased by her husband Herbert Olson and sonTodd Olson, and is survivedbyher sonMark Olson (Nancy), her daughterKristi(Marcie), her sisterLouise Bradley, and her grandchildrenAngela, Lewis, Lee, and Lori. In lieu of flowers,the family re-

quests donations be made to thecharity of your choice death by hisgrandparents Adaand WalterSmith Sr andEmile"Rocky"and MaryannMayeaux, as well as hisin-lawsJim and June Hill. Acelebration of Walter'slifewillbeheld at 6 PM,Monday, September 29th, 2025, in thechapelat Lakeside Funeral Home in Woodstock, GA. The family will receivefriends from 4 PM untilthe time of the service at thefuneral home

Smith III, Walter Swan

WalterSwanSmith III age 55, passed away suddenlyathis home in Marietta, GA, on the morningof September 23, 2025. He wasbornJune7,1970, in Hammond,LA, as thefirst of threesonstoDeborah andWalter Smith Jr WaltergrewupinBaton Rouge,LA, wherehemet hisloving wife Karen Hill andtrained as an electrician. He followed hisheart from Baton Rouge to Vicksburg, MS,beforesettling in theAtlanta area and startinghis family.

Walterwas amusician andenjoyed singing and playing guitar anychance he got. He taughthis children at ayoung age to develop alove for music by teachinghis son Tyler bass guitar andhis daughter Kellyn drums. Together they wouldplaysongs, somethingWalter likedto call "jamming". He lovedto spend evenings jamming with hisfriends, playing covers or original songs he wrote. When he wasn't playing music, Walterenjoyed huntingwithhis longtime friend Brad Galik; hosting neighborsand familyfor crawfish boils andparties; andspoiling hisdogs Henri, Denali, and Celeste.

Walterworkedat PhoenixStampingGroup for nearly 29 years. He was always proudofwhat he accomplished there, whetheritwas helpingto move facilitiesorkeeping theplant running. Hisfamily is gratefultothe Phoenixcommunity forthe support they have given Walter andhis family throughout theyears.

Walterissurvived by Karen,his wife of 32 years; hischildrenTyler and Kellyn;their partners Kory Bock andMark Brand; his parents Deborah andWalter Jr.; hisbrothersWade andWarren;his sisters-inlaw Angela andJennifer; brother-in-law MikeHill (Amy); sister-in-law Hedy Pickering(Ray) and many nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles,and other family andfriends whowill miss himdeeply. He wasprecededin

Stiles, Megan Eileen Megan Eileen(Young) Stiles, 47, formerlyofHarrison, Arkansas, passedon September 18, 2025, in Park City, Kansas. Megan wasborninBaton Rouge,Louisiana, on March11, 1978, lived in and attendedWalker, Louisiana schools, moved to Arkansas in 1997, recently relocatedtoWichita, Kansas to further her career as aparalegal assistant. Shepreviously taughtPre-K at St.John's Episcopal DaySchool in Harrisonand was aPilates Studioowner &privateinstructor in theHarrison area. Shehad many interests such as artisticdrawing horses,rock climbing, country& rock music and always enjoyed floating theBuffalo National River among manyother hobbies.She waspredeceased by father, Bobby L. Young Sr and asister TerryY.Williams. Megan is survivedby herhusband, David K. Stiles; two children, Aivyn S. Parkerand Mattie L. Stiles; two grandchildren, threestepchildren,Ariel, Brandon and Mackenzie Stilesand several stepgrandchildren; twosisters, Casey N. Burchand Darla Y. Nichols; abrother,Bobby L. Young Jr;her mother, Margarett J. Young;and numerousnieces, nephews, cousins andother family.

Final arrangements have been made in Wichita, Kansas, with amemorial for familyand close friends at alater date.

Chapman, Clarence Glen Oaks BaptistChurch,

Jones,

Wall Street snaps out of its 3-day losing streak

NEWYORK U.S. stocks climbed Friday and trimmed their losses for the week after a report showed that inflation is behaving roughly as economists expected, even if it’s still high. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% and broke its three-day losing streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 299 points, or 0.7%, and the Nasdaq composite added 0.4%. All three indexes pulled closer to the alltime highs they set at the start of the week. Stocks got some help from a report showing that inflation in the United States accelerated to 2.7% last month from 2.6% in July, according to the measure of prices that the Federal Reserve likes to use. While that’s above the Fed’s 2% target, and it’s more painful than any household would like, it was precisely what economists had forecast Profits on flipping homes at 17-year low LOS ANGELES It pays less and less to buy and flip a home these days.

From April through June, the typical home flipped by an investor resulted in a 25.1% return on investment, before expenses. That’s the lowest profit margin for such transactions since 2008, according to an analysis by Attom, a real estate data company Gross profits the difference between what an investor paid for a property and what it sold for — fell 13.6% in the second quarter from a year earlier to $65,300, the firm said. Attom’s analysis defines a flipped home as a property that sells within 12 months of the last time it sold.

Home flippers buy a home, typically with cash, then pay for any repairs or upgrades needed to spruce up the property before putting it back on the market

The shrinking profitability for home flipping is largely due to home prices, which continue to climb nationally, albeit at a slower pace, driving up acquisition costs for investors.

“We’re seeing very low profit margins from home flipping because of the historically high cost of homes,” said Rob Barber Attom’s CEO “The initial buyin for properties that are ideal for flipping, often lower priced homes that may need some work, keeps going up.”

The median price of a home flipped in the second quarter was bought by an investor for $259,700, a record high according to data going back to 2000, according to Attom.

The median sales price of flipped homes was $325,000, unchanged from the first quarter, the firm said.

Boeing’s ability to certify Max jets restored

Boeing is getting back the ability to perform final safety inspections on 737 Max jetliners and certify them for flight more than six years after crashes of the then-new model killed 346 people the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday

The FAA said it decided to restore the aerospace company’s authorization to issue airworthiness certificates for Max and 787 Dreamliner passenger planes starting Monday following “a thorough review of Boeing’s ongoing production quality.” Federal regulators took full control over 737 Max approvals in 2019, after the second of two crashes that were later blamed on a new software system Boeing developed for the aircraft. The FAA ended the company’s right to self-certify Dreamliners in 2022, citing ongoing production quality issues. Going forward, Boeing and FAA inspectors will take weekly turns performing the safety checks that are required before aircraft are cleared for delivery and declared safe to fly The FAA said the arrangement will free up more of its inspectors to conduct “rigorous” quality checks on the production line at Boeing plants.

BUSINESS

Fed’s favored inflation gauge accelerates

BY PAUL WISEMAN AP economics writer

WASHINGTON

The Federal Reserve’s favored inflation gauge accelerated slightly in August from a year earlier

The Commerce Department reported Friday that its personal consumption expenditures price index was up 2.7% in August from a year earlier, a tick higher from a 2.6% year-over-year increase in July and most since February

Excluding volatile food and energy prices, so-called core PCE inflation showed a 2.9% increase in prices from August 2024, same as in July The increases were what forecasters had expected.

Prices rose 0.3% from July, compared to a 0.2% increase the month

before. Core prices rose 0.2%, same as in July

Separately, the report showed that inflation-adjusted consumer spending rose a healthy 0.4% from July, same as the month before, largely on a 0.7% increase in spending for goods; spending on services such as travel and dining out rose just 0.2%.

“The resilience of the US consumer was on show once again,” Michael Pearce of Oxford Economics wrote, though he cautioned that spending ”is being driven by households at the top of the income distribution.”

Incomes rose 0.4%, same as the month before inflation. Income for the self-employed and business owners rose 0.9% for the second straight month. Wages and salaries

rose 0.3% from July, dipping from a 0.5% increase the month before. Inflation has come down since rising prices prompted the Fed to raise its benchmark interest rate 11 times in 2022 and 2023. But annual price gains remain stubbornly above the central bank’s 2% target. Last week, the Fed went ahead and reduced the rate for the first time this year, lowering borrowing costs to help a deteriorating U.S. job market. But it’s been cautious about cutting, waiting to see what impact President Donald Trump’s tariffs have on imports have on inflation and the broader economy For months, Trump has relentlessly pushed the Fed to lower rates more aggressively, calling Fed Chair Jerome Powell “Too

Late” and a “moron” and arguing that there is “no inflation.”

Last month, Trump sought to fire Lisa Cook, a member of the Fed’s governing board, in an effort to gain greater control over the central bank. She has challenged her dismissal in court, and the Supreme Court will decide whether she can stay on the job while the case goes through the judicial system.

The Fed tends to favor the PCE inflation gauge that the government issued Friday over the better-known consumer price index. The PCE index tries to account for changes in how people shop when inflation jumps. It can capture, for example, when consumers switch from pricier national brands to cheaper store brands.

Trump puts import taxes on pharmaceuticals, furniture, trucks

BY JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will put import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1.

The posts on his social media site showed that Trump’s devotion to tariffs did not end with the trade frameworks and import taxes that were launched in August, a reflection of the president’s confidence that taxes will help to reduce the government’s budget deficit while increasing domestic manufacturing.

While Trump did not provide a legal justification for the tariffs, he appeared to stretch the bounds of his role as commander in chief by stating on Truth Social that the taxes on imported kitchen cabinets and sofas were needed “for National Security and other reasons.”

Under the Trade Expansion Act of 1962, the administration launched a Section 232 investigation in April about the impacts on national security from pharmaceutical drug and truck imports The Commerce Department launched a 232 investigation into timber and lumber in March, though it’s unclear whether the furniture tariffs stem from that.

The tariffs are another dose of uncertainty for the U.S. economy with a solid stock market but a weakening outlook for jobs and elevated inflation. These new taxes on imports could pass through to consumers in the form of higher prices and dampen hiring, a process that economic data suggests is already underway

“We have begun to see goods prices showing through into higher inflation,” Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned in a recent news conference, adding that higher costs for goods account for “most” or potentially “all” of the increase in inflation levels this year

The president has pressured Powell to resign, arguing that the Fed should cut its benchmark interest rates more aggressively because inflation is no longer a concern. Fed officials have stayed cautious on rate cuts because of the uncertainty created by tariffs.

Trump said on Truth Social that the pharmaceutical tariffs would not apply to companies that are building manufacturing plants in the United States, which he defined as either “breaking ground” or being “under construction.” It was unclear how the tariffs would ap-

Move ends dayslong blackout after Charlie Kirk comments

BY WYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS AP business writer

NEW YORK Nexstar Media Group joined Sinclair Broadcast Group in bringing Jimmy Kimmel’s latenight talk show back to its local TV stations on Friday night, ending a dayslong TV blackout for dozens of cities across the U.S The companies suspended the program over remarks the comedian made in the wake of conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s killing The move means “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” will return to local TV on Nexstar’s ABC affiliates in 28 cities, along with the 38 stations where Sinclair agreed to restore the show The show will also return to Sinclair’s local TV markets from Seattle

ply to companies that already have factories in the U.S.

In 2024, America imported nearly $233 billion in pharmaceutical and medicinal products, according to the Census Bureau. The prospect of prices doubling for some medicines could send shock waves to voters as health care expenses, as well as the costs of Medicare and Medicaid, potentially increase.

The pharmaceutical drug announcement was shocking as Trump has previously suggested that tariffs would be phased in over time so that companies had time to build factories and relocate production. On CNBC in August, Trump said he would start by charging a “small tariff” on pharmaceuticals and raise the rate over a year or more to 150% and even 250%.

According to the White House, the threat of tariffs earlier this year contributed to many major pharmaceutical companies, including Johnson & Johnson, AstraZeneca, Roche, Bristol Myers Squibb and Eli Lilly among others, to announce investments in U.S production. Pascal Chan, vice president for strategic

to Washington, D.C.

Disney-owned ABC suspended Kimmel on Sept. 17, following threats of potential repercussions from the Trump-appointed head of the Federal Communications Commission. Sinclair also condemned the host confirming that it would stop airing the show the same day

The Maryland-based broadcast giant, which is known for conservative political content, called on Kimmel at the time to apologize to Kirk’s family — and taking it a step further, asked him to “make a meaningful personal donation” to Turning Point USA, the nonprofit that Kirk founded On the day Kirk was killed, Kimmel shared a message of support for Kirk’s family and other victims of gun violence on social media which he reiterated during his Tuesday return to ABC. He had also called the conservative activist’s assassination a “senseless murder” prior to being taken off air Kimmel’s original comments

policy and supply chains at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, warned that the tariffs could harm Americans’ health with “immediate price hikes, strained insurance systems, hospital shortages, and the real risk of patients rationing or foregoing essential medicines.”

The new tariffs on cabinetry could further increase the costs for homebuilders at a time when many people seeking to buy a house feel priced out by the mix of housing shortages and high mortgage rates. The National Association of Realtors on Thursday said there were signs of price pressures easing as sales listings increased 11.7% in August from a year ago, but the median price for an existing home was $422,600.

Trump said that foreign-made heavy trucks and parts are hurting domestic producers that need to be defended.

“Large Truck Company Manufacturers, such as Peterbilt, Kenworth, Freightliner, Mack Trucks, and others, will be protected from the onslaught of outside interruptions,” Trump posted.

didn’t otherwise focus on Kirk. He instead lambasted President Donald Trump and his administration’s response to the killing. The comedian did not apologize on Tuesday, but did say “it was never my intention to make light of the murder of a young man” and acknowledged that to some, his comments “felt either ill-timed or unclear or maybe both.”

He also used a blend of humor and pointed messages to emphasize the importance of free speech.

Even after Disney brought Kimmel back to its national airways, both Sinclair and Nexstar continued to preempt the show New episodes of the show air Monday through Thursday Friday night’s rerun will be of Tuesday’s show so viewers of Sinclair stations can see Kimmel’s emotional return to the air

In its statement Friday, Sinclair pointed to its “responsibility as local broadcasters to provide programming that serves the interests of our

communities, while also honoring our obligations to air national network programming.”

The company, which operates 38 ABC-affiliated stations, added that it had received “thoughtful feedback from viewers, advertisers and community leaders representing a wide range of perspectives,” and noticed “troubling acts of violence,” referencing the shooting into the lobby of a Sacramento station.

As a result of Sinclair and Nexstar’s boycott, viewers in cities representing roughly a quarter of ABC’s local TV affiliates had been left without the late-night program on local TV The blackouts escalated nationwide uproar around First Amendment protections — particularly as the Trump administration and other conservatives police speech after Kirk’s killing. They also cast a spotlight on political influence in the media landscape, with critics lambasting companies that they accuse of censoring content.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL PROBST

Containers are piled recently upon a cargo terminal in Frankfurt, Germany. President Donald Trump said Thursday that he will put import taxes of 100% on pharmaceutical drugs, 50% on kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities, 30% on upholstered furniture and 25% on heavy trucks starting on Oct. 1

OPINION

Harris book has pettyslurs,slights

There’snolaw that says apoliticianhas to write a book after abig election. Kamala Harris,the former vice president, was not requiredtowritea book about her losing2024presidentialcampaign. But she wrote one anyway,and nowa lotofpeople, those favorable to Harrisand those not, arewondering why shedid.

Byron York

They’re wondering becauseHarris, who might ormight notbeconsidering another run for president in 2028,seems determined to irritatesome of thepeople whose helpshe might needinthe years ahead.What’sworse, shedoes it in aremarkably petty way

The book, “107 Days,” is not filledwith attacks. It is filledwith slights. In one chapter,Harris goes through the notes she made of the reactions thatsome topDemocratshad when then-PresidentJoe Bidendroppedout of theraceand almostinstantlyendorsed Harris For example, both Billand Hillaryquickly told Harris they supported her and would do anything she asked to help. James Clyburn, the South Carolina congressman and powerbroker,saidsimply,“Let’sgo. I’mall in.”

But Harris saysGavinNewsom,the governorofHarris’ home state of California,respondedwith: “Hiking Will call back.” (Harrisfollows that with aquickparenthetical: “He never did.”) In fact, Newsom endorsed Harris that very day,afew hours later, in whatthe Los Angeles Times called a“show of California unity.” Why nitpickabout that at this late date,especially given Newsom’srising statusinthe Democratic Party?

Harrisalsonotified GretchenWhitmer, thegovernor of Michigan, who Harrissays responded with,“Ibelieve you’ll win, but Ineed to letthe dust settle, talk to my colleagues before Imake apublic statement.” There was certainly nothing wrong with that, and indeed Whitmer endorsed Harris thenextday,but why publish herconfidential communicationswith the suggestionofinsufficient enthusiasm for her party’sticket?

Then there is Harris’ treatment of the Democratic governor of the most important swing state in thecountry,Pennsylvania.

Harris does not reallycriticize Josh Shapiro. Butshe says just enough mildly negative things about himto make clear he couldnever make the cut to serve as her vice presidential running mate Harris describes at some length the processshe went through to interview Shapiro

Besides the two principals,a keyplayerinthe story wasStorm Horncastle, aformer Netflix executive Harris called her “indispensable socialsecretary”and manager of the vice presidential residence Eager to keep Harris’ decision-making process asecret, Horncastle arranged to pickShapiro up in aschool parking lot. Harris suggests thatShapiro didnot want things to be kept asecret,thathe wantedtobeseen being driven into the vice president’scompound. When Horncastle told Shapiro he hadtosit in the back seat and duck, “she thought he seemed alittle disappointed by that,” Harris writes.

Once in the house, there was ameasuring-the-drapes moment when Shapiro “peppered [Horncastle] with questions about the house, from thenumberofbedroomstohow he might arrange to getPennsylvania artists’workonloan from the Smithsonian,” Harris writes. Afterthe meeting, stilltryingtokeep thetalkssecret, Horncastle took Shapiro back to the original pickup spot and instructed his state trooper to take thegovernoron aroute that did notpassinfront of the vice president’s residence, so reporters would notsee Pennsylvania state vehicles driving past.

“[Horncastle] was disappointed, ten minuteslater,to see those very cars on CNN, cruising right by the residence,” Harris writes.

Finally,when Harris passedoverShapiro and chose MinnesotaGov.Tim Walz asher running mate, she tried to quickly call Shapiro with the newsbefore he could learn it in the press. “[Former Biden White House counsel] Dana Remus later letmeknowthatJoshhad been trying to reach me earlier that morning,” Harris writes. “ TheonlyreasonIcould imagine for him calling was that he’d intuited he wouldn’tbethe choiceand wanted to withdraw first, so it would be seen as hisdecision.” So what’swith all that? Let’stake it asa fact that Harrisjustdoesn’tlike Shapiro. Fine. Whatdoes shethink willbeaccomplished by the quibbling and fault-finding? In the bigger picture, if Harrisdoes indeed harbor hope of being the Democratic nomineein2028, shecan probably forget it, but not for any of thereasons explored in “107 Days ”The simple factis, theparty does not like to renominate past nominees wholost, andthat seems unlikely to change now. And that is thekey fact of 2024 for Kamala Harris:She had herchance,and she lost

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

Masksare hiding athreat that is worsethanCOVID

Iwant to ask everyone, “Are you confused by what is going on?

Do you understand how what has happened (history)can be erased or reinterpreted in ways that deny events?”

Ilike to think we aresmarter than falling for that kind of action.Ilike to think we learnfrom our experiences.

Let me give you an example. We lived through COVID and learned all sorts of things: We could work off-site; we wanted to protect ourselves and others, so we learned (again)the power of hand-washing; we learned new ways to help our neighbors; we masked up —and yes,that was controversial, which brings me to thepoint of this letter

Who arethe people wearing masks today? On thenews, we see masked, covered men and women of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and police. Given that we’vebeen thrown up in the air by pronouncements from the Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention, and admitting that

Iamnot aperson caught up in conspiracy theories, Idowonder whether,inthose places where masked government agents are showing up —schools, churches, home improvement stores, courthouses,etc. —theymight be better off reverting to COVID times and have all people connect virtually and not in person.

Some Catholic bishops have toldtheir parishioners that they are excused or canattend Sunday Massvirtually Iwould hope thatimmigration judges would be able to issue the same possibility. Whatever the governmental agents in masks are defending themselves against, I, for one, would work hardtohave the people Iserve avoid catching it. Afterall, as we found out withCOVID, we affect each other.Better be safe than sorry —avoid the maskedpeople becausemaybe theyhave something that is catching and may make you verysick.

BONNIE KEARNEY NewOrleans

The headline for Mark Ballard’s story,“Johnson netsbig wins for Trump, GOP,”accurately pointed to whyMike Johnson’sleadership is ultimately afailure. Hiswins for his president and party are major losses for the country and its people. The genius of the One Big BeautifulBill that Johnson and his crew passed is that the parts that will hurt theMAGA voters the most won’tbeimplemented until after themidterm elections.

But, given President Donald Trump’sneed to inflict as much pain for as long as possible, his slashand-burn approach to all governmentinstitutions will impact his voters much earlier.Nothing that I write will convince any of Trump’s followers that they will soon feel the pain of his policies, but Idowant it recorded that they were warned.

ROBERTSAKAKEENY NewOrleans

What the Second Amendment really guarantees

Stephanie O’Rourke’sletter on Aug. 25 on the Second Amendmentiswell-written but suffers from false assumptions about why the Second Amendment exists. O’Rourke states that “the Second Amendment guarantees the right to self-defense.” Of course, the Second Amendment says no such thing. It begins, “A well-regulated militia”— this is the key clause often ignored. The Amendment continues, “being necessary to the security of afree state” —not an invididual —“the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”

That is, before there werewellregulated police forces at the local level, all adult males had to be prepared to be armed and organized into apolice force under regulations. This is local community in action, not afree-for-all forindividual action or self-defense.

MAX REICHARD NewOrleans

Statenot doing anything to lessen suffering of animals

In astate that lauds hunting, provides no support to parish shelters fordomestic animals and has aDepartment of Wildlifeand Fisheries that does nothing to help injured wildlife, whyisanyone surprised that people whowant to help wildlife(deer,nutria) have no support from the DWF? Oh, wait—just moreanimals to kill.

Iwas appalled at the story about the confiscation and euthanizing of deer,particularly the deer that had lived with rescuers forseven years. What wasthe point, really? Just to carry out alaw that has no compassion? Just like everything else the state of Louisiana fails to do about all animals.

JANET MACDONELL Covington

LSuAToLe mISS 2:30 p.m.

SATurdAy •Abc

RI SI NG WIT H BAK ER

BY WILSON ALEXANDER Staff writer

Since the beginningofthe 2024 season, everyLSU defensivemeeting the night beforeagame has started with around of trivia.

OneFriday last year,linebacker Whit Weekswas stumped. LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker had asked him what bone babies are notbornwith.

“I wasupthere trying to answer it, and Iwas like, ‘Oh, gosh. Ihave no idea,’” Weeksrecalled withalaugh. “Now,I know which bone babies aren’tborn with.”

The answer is kneecaps —sort of. Whenbabies are born, their kneecaps are made of cartilage that eventually turns intobone.

Bakerasksthe questions beforethe defense reviews tape. Twoplayers stand in frontofthe room, and their teammates try to guess who will getthe question right. Baker has quizzed them on Louisiana’sstate flower (magnolia), what city is the crawfish capital of the world (Breaux Bridge)and whatstate is farthestfrom the sea (South Dakota), trying to keep them loose.

Forthe firsttimeinalongtime, defenseisLSu’s strength. Theunit’sleaderisabig reason why. ä See LSU, page 2C

GarrettNussmeier LSU,Quarterback

LSU GAMEDAY

LSU at Ole Miss

2:30 p.m Saturday, Vaught-Hemingway Stad., Oxford, MS

TV: ABC | Line: Ole Miss by 1½

Radio: WDGL-FM, 98.1; WWL-AM, 870; WWL-FM, 105.3; KLWB-FM, 103.7

Ole Miss

“It’s pretty funny, honestly,” Weeks said, “because you get some dudes up there and it’s like, ‘What state are we in?’ and they hardly know what state we’re in right now.”

The trivia questions reveal one of the things players like most about Baker He gets serious with them when he needs to, but not when it’s unnecessary By starting the meetings with something relaxing, players believe the former Tulane linebacker still understands what it’s like to feel tense and anxious the night before a game.

“I enjoy how consistent he is, how he interacts with us,” senior safety Jardin Gilbert said. “He’s like one of the boys in the locker room. He understands when to play, when not to play.”

Now in his second year, Baker has No. 4 LSU playing its best defense in a long time. The Tigers have allowed 10 points or less in four straight games, their longest such streak since they had five straight in 2011. They are allowing 9.3 points per game, which is tied for ninth in the country, before they face No. 13 Ole Miss at 2:30 p.m Saturday

at Missouri, former LSU defensive end Paris Shand said, “You could just feel a vibe right away, and I just thought that vibe had the makings for a great defense because of the person who was leading it.”

Shand, who played at LSU from 2023-24 and liked the previous staff as well, noticed Baker’s willingness to bend his aggressive, blitz-heavy scheme around the players that he had at the time. Baker called more Cover 2 than he ever had before because the defensive backs couldn’t handle playing press man coverage the whole game.

But Shand saw something else that helped just as much. He got the sense everyone wanted to be coached by Baker

He’s not just a guy who’s sitting back and calling plays. He’s right there, hands on, and he’s a person you want to play for.”

MANSOOR DELANE, LSU cornerback

This is the first time LSU has opened a season by allowing 10 points or less in four straight games since 2006, and it could be the sign of a real turnaround LSU gave up at least 21.8 ppg for the past seven seasons. But Baker may have brought the defense back.

“I love how much he loves the game, and I think it rubs off on our players the way we play aggressive and fast,” senior cornerback Mansoor Delane said. “That comes from the head man.”

‘You want to play for him’

The last time LSU played at Ole Miss, it gave up a school-record706yardsand55pointstwoyearsago. LSU coach Brian Kelly fired defensive coordinator Matt House and the rest of the defensive staff after the season. As he interviewed Baker, his pitch included the idea of restoring the LSU defense. When Baker arrived after spending two years

STAFF PREDICTIONS

WILSON ALEXANDER

OLE MISS 24, LSU 21

Lane Kiffin can take advantage of LSU’s aggressiveness to design some explosive plays but LSU still will keep the Rebels under their season averages, giving itself a chance to win in the fourth quarter. The problem is the offense. Can the Tigers take advantage of an Ole Miss run defense that ranks last in the SEC? They haven’t shown they can yet so the home team gets the edge

REED DARCEY

LSU 28, OLE MISS 24

The Lane Kiffin-Blake Baker chess match is getting most of the pre-game attention and rightfully so. But this one should boil down to how you feel about Garrett Nussmeier. Is he healthy? It sure looked like he was last week, which means the LSU offense should operate more like it did against Clemson and less like it did against Florida, concerns at right tackle and in the run game be damned.

“It’s more than just scheme because you want to play for him,” Shand said. “He brings a great energy all the time and he’s just someone that leads well. And on top of that, he brings a lot of pressure and he coaches the defense well.”

After LSU brought back a lot of the same players from the year before, it went from being ranked 78th nationally in points allowed per game (28) to 59th (24.3 ppg) in Baker’s first season.

“Those are good, tough kids that played hard for us,” Kelly said, “but we were a little short in some areas.”

Knowing the roster needed to improve, LSU spent about $18 million on this team, Kelly said, a significant increase that helped sign a top-ranked transfer class and retain important players. LSU added seven defensive transfers who are either starters or key rotational pieces, improving its front-end talent and depth.

Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin called LSU’s three starting transfer defensive backs — safety Tamarcus Cooley, safety AJ Haulcy and Delane “probably the three most expensive portal DBs in the market.”

“And they got them all,” Kiffin said. “They did a great job with that, and now they’re coaching them well.”

Kelly said “better players” have made the biggest difference this season. He pointed out the defensive players feel the same way about Baker last year as they do now, and the defense still

SCOTT RABALAIS

LSU 26, OLE MISS 22

Get ready for another classic in this tremendous rivalry. The Rebels should have a bonkers home-field advantage and a Lane Kiffin offense is never to be discounted But LSU has a better quarterback than either Ole Miss signal-caller and by far the better defense. The key will be LSU finally getting the running game going The fact that the Rebels are allowing 5 yards per carry indicates the Tigers will.

KOKI RILEY

OLE MISS 24, LSU 17

The first team to 30 points on Saturday should win this game Ole Miss easily is facing the best defense it’s seen this season, while the LSU defense will have its toughest task yet against Lane Kiffin’s explosive attack That side of the ball has the most intrigue, but the Tigers’ struggles on offense are more concerning than anything else. The Rebels being at home gives them an edge.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU defensive coordinator and linebackers coach Blake Baker speaks with his players during a timeout in the second half of a game against Louisiana Tech on Sept. 6 at Tiger Stadium.

finished in the bottom half of the SECinmost major metrics. All the defensive coaches, Kelly said, are better becauseofthe players.

“His abilitytocommunicateand relate certainly createsanenergyabout thegroupthat they enjoy working with him,” Kelly said.“It’s positive coaching, but demanding. It’sexactly what I’m looking for.And then along theway, he has developed ascheme that isvery difficult with the right players, and he’sgot theright players.”

Energeticand open-minded

In the middleofthe season last year,then-defensive tackle Gio Paez sent Baker ahighlight he foundonsocial media of ablitz that Georgia ran out of adouble mug front.Baker installed it before the next game.

Paez appreciated Baker’swillingness totake feedback and listen to his players. It’san essential part of Baker’sphilosophy.Heoften asks where they feel most comfortable on the field because he believes that’swhere they will play theirbest.

“He’sanopen-minded coach,” Paez said. Baker sets the tone for the defense with his energy and optimism. He has joked withplayers during workouts and brought themtohis house in the offseason to eat crawfish. Before the season started, Baker had custom T-shirts made for the defensive players with the nickname “Bayou Bandits” on the front and atiger whose face is partially covered by abandana. More than one player called him “one of the boys” because of how he interacts with and relates to them. It comes naturally.Baker wore abold purple suit with whitebuttons and peak lapels as he walkedintoTiger Stadium for LSU’sfirst home game.

“It’shardnot to bringenergywhenthe bossman is bringing it every single day ” Weeks said. Baker can meetthe players on their level, and they said their conversationsoften have nothing to do with football. They believe he tries to understand who they are, helping create trust. Paez said Baker “has avery unique way of being personable with everybody in the room.” He will yell and curse, but he wants to build relationshipswitheveryoneonthe defensewhile encouraging players to lead themselves

“When coaches or people in that position don’t have to fake who they are or anything like that, it makes theguysgoharder forthem,”Paez said. “Weall knew that Baker was goingtoride behindus, so it makesusride for him andpush even harder through the hard times.”

And, of course, there arehis cleats.

Baker wears cleats to every practice, something he has done since he wasa graduate assistant. He juked afreshman cornerback during adrill early in preseason campand danced into theend zone, butmostly, thecleatshelp his coaching style.

If aplayer struggles to understand something through vocal instruction, Bakerwill demonstrate what he wants rather than tell them repeatedly,aquality appreciatedbystar linebacker Harold Perkins and others. Oneday last year,Baker hit ablocking sled as he worked with Perkins.

“He’snot just aguy who’ssitting back and calling plays,” Delane said. “He’srightthere,hands on, and he’saperson you want to play for.” Adefensive revival?

Jacobian Guillory knows what an LSU defense is supposedtolook like. He has played on the team longer than anyone else as asixth-year senior,making him the most familiarwith the program’shistory But for his entire career,LSU’spasthas

STAFF PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK

LSU defensivecoordinator and linebackers

coach BlakeBaker,center,shouts from the sidelines in the second half of agameagainst Florida on Sept.13atTiger Stadium

served only as areminder of how the defense has fallen short of expectations. Since his freshmanyear in 2020, LSUnever hasfinishedbetter than 30th nationally in points allowed pergame.

“LSU defense, it hasbeen away for so long,” Guillory said,“andI think with this group, we’re going to bring it back.”

It has helped, multiple players said, to be in the system for asecond year.They know how Baker wants drills done better than they did before, and he has learned how individual players need to be taught.Hewill talk to them multiple times, drawtheir responsibilitiesonawhiteboard or take them onto the field, depending on what works best for them.

“It really helps you visualize where you fit in into the whole scheme,” sophomore linebacker DavhonKeys said, “and understanding conceptually where you are makesitalot easier to play fast andunderstandwhere you’re supposedtobeatall times.”

So far, LSUhas played like oneofthe best defenses in thecountry.Ithas allowedonly 64 yards rushing per game, and it already has the same number of interceptions(six) thatithad last seasonafter picking off Florida quarterback DJ Lagway fivetimes.

With theimproved roster,Baker can call alot of blitzes and man coverage. His defensehas given the team something to lean on as theoffense struggled during a4-0 start.

Now that Clemson and Florida have dropped to 1-3withsputtering offenses,Ole Miss is expectedtotestthe LSU defense more thanany other team this season.Ole Miss hasscored 44.8 ppg and is one of the national leaders in explosive plays. However,ithas not faced adefense like LSU’s, either Guillory is aware of LSU’scurrent streak, andheknows onemoregameallowing10 points or lesswould tie the 2011 team, one of the best defenses in school history.Heuses thatasa goal for his teammates, trying to give themperspective on what they can achieve.

“Wewant to be better than the 2011 defense,” Guillory said. “Wetruly strive for that.”

For more LSU sportsupdates, sign up for ournewsletter at theadvocate.com/ lsunewsletter

Report:Durhamdoubtfulvs. OleMiss

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

LSUrunningbackCaden Durham is doubtful to play on Saturday in the Tigers’ road clash with Ole Miss, ESPN reported on Friday Durham,LSU’sleading rusher,injured his ankle in the second quarter of the Tigers’ win over Southeastern Louisiana last week. LSU listed Durham as questionable on Wednesday,when the SEC releasedits first availability reports of the week. Then Kelly said on Thursday that he’d be agame-time decision. Now,according to ESPN, Durham

is unlikely to suit up.

His absence should free upmore work for Ju’Juan Johnson, the sophomoreLafayette nativewho’semerged as the Tigers’ No. 2running back. Againstthe Lions, he rushed for 43 yards andtwo touchdowns on eight carries.

LSU also can hand theball to five-starfreshmanHarlem Berry,junior Kaleb Jackson or a mixofreceiverssuchasZavionThomasand Barion Brown. Berry (87 yards) andThomas (86 yards)are theTigers’ second- and third-leading rushers this season, respectively Durham has 52 carries for 213 yards and two touchdowns.

(1-0) at Lehigh (4-0), 11 a.m.

(0-1) at Yale (1-0), 11 a.m. Duke(2-2) at Syracuse (3-1), 11 a.m.

Georgetown(2-2) at Columbia(0-1),11a.m. Norfolk St. (1-3) at Wagner (0-4), 11 a.m.

New Haven(2-2)atDuquesne (1-3),11a.m.

Delaware St. (3-1) at Sacred Heart (3-1),11a.m.

Dartmouth (1-0) at CCSU (2-2), 11 a.m.

Holy Cross (0-4)atFordham (0-4), noon LIU Brooklyn (1-3) at Stonehill (1-3),noon

Albany(NY) (1-3)atNew Hampshire(2-2), noon

Towson (2-2) at Bryant (2-2), noon Morgan St. (1-3) vs.Miles(0-1)atIndianapolis,2 p.m. California (3-1) at Boston College (1-2), 2:30 p.m.

Rice (3-1) at Navy (3-0), 2:30 p.m.

Morehead St. (2-2) at Presbyterian (4-0),noon

Georgia Sou. (2-2) at James Madison (2-1),12:30 p.m.

Howard (3-1)atRichmond (2-2), 1p.m.

Utah Tech (1-3)atAustinPeay(2-2), 1p.m. Hampton (1-3)atElon(2-2), 1p.m.

Alabama St. (2-1) at Florida A&M (1-2), 2p.m.

Alabama A&M (3-1)atBethune-Cookman(1-3),2 p.m.

W. Carolina (1-3)atCampbell(1-3), 2:30 p.m.

Furman (2-1)atSamford(0-4), 2:30p.m.

Tennessee (3-1)atMississippi St. (4-0), 3:15 p.m.

Tennessee Tech (3-0)atTennesseeSt. (1-2), 3:30 p.m.

TexasSouthern(0-3)atMVSU(0-3), 4p.m.

Mercer (2-1)atETSU (2-2), 4:30 p.m.

The Citadel (1-3)atChattanooga (1-3), 5p.m.

Nicholls (1-3)atE.Kentucky (1-3), 5p.m.

Liberty (1-3)atOld Dominion (2-1),5 p.m.

SC State (2-2) at Charleston Southern (0-4), 5p.m.

Middle Tennessee (1-3)atKennesaw St.(2-2),5 p.m.

Jacksonville St. (2-2)atSouthernMiss. (2-2), 6p.m.

SE Missouri (1-3) at UT Martin(0-4), 6p.m.

THENATION

THINGS TO WATCHINWEEK5

Who, what andwhere to keep an eyeoninthisweek’sgames around thenation

Tide,Bulldogsclash in SECbattle No. 17 Alabama visits No. 5Georgia on Saturdayand needs awin over the Bulldogs to protect its CollegeFootball Playoff hopes. Crimson Tide quarterback Ty Simpson steers theoffense and completed 24 of29 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns, including twoto Ryan Williams, in aWeek 3 winoverWisconsin. History could be on Bama coach Kalen DeBoer’sside. He is 15-3against Top25teams, and the Tide beatNo. 2Georgia 41-34 in Tuscaloosa last season in DeBoer’s first SEC game as Alabama’s coach.

1. GEORGIA

Record: 3-0overall,1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 1

Huskiestakeontop-rankedBuckeyes Washington’sprogram-best22-gamewinning streak at Husky Stadiumisupagainst its toughest challenge yet: theNo. 1team in the country. Ohio State will make its first visit to Washington (30) in nearly twodecades on Saturday. OhioState (3-0) has adefining winfrom aWeek 1 victory overthen-No. 1Texas. Washington running back Jonah Coleman leadsthe nation with nine rushing TDs, and quarterback Demond Williams has been an efficientdual-threatoption. OhioState has not allowedarushing TD thisseason.

CanPennState avenge loss to Ducks?

TheNo. 3NittanyLions have spent thenine months since their 45-37loss to Oregon in the Big Tenchampionship game retooling their wide receiving corps and reimagining their defense.The high-flying Ducks areriding the nation’slongestactive regular-season winning streak. Penn State has deployeda newdefense coordinated by JimKnowles, whohelped lead Ohio State to theNCAA championship last season. Behind quarterback Dante Moore, the Ducksare seventhinscoring offense and 12th in total offense. 2 1 3

—AssociatedPress

LSU-OleMissrivalry hasitall

Last week: Idle

This week: vs.Alabama,6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

2. LSU

Record: 4-0overall,1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 2

Last week: Defeated Southeastern Louisiana 56-10

This week: at OleMiss, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

3. TEXASA&M

Record: 3-0overall,0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 3

Last week: Idle This week: vs.Auburn, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

4. OKLAHOMA

Record: 4-0overall,1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 5

Scott Rabalais

The argument can be justly made that there have been more big games this century in LSU’sfootball rivalrywith Alabamathan any other.Orthat there have been more memorable moments when the Tigers tangle with the Florida Gators. But for apure, colorful, dripping with history,deep-fried Southern football rivalry, it’s hard, actually impossible, tobeat LSU versus Ole Miss. Just the mention of these two ancient rivals getting together for atussle, either in Tiger Stadium or like this Saturday at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium, makes one want to talk of days of old, to quote an old Irish folk song. The mind flips back to Billy Cannon’sHalloween night streak to immortalityin 1959, the Chinese Bandits,Archie Manning scrambling for atouchdown, Johnny Vaught’s ever-present fedora, and the clock in Tiger Stadium standing on 0:01,allowing LSU to run two plays in the final four seconds and stun Ole Miss 1716 in 1972. People have “bombed” the Tigers’ practices on Ole Miss week with “Go to hell LSU!” leaflets. And this week, thekind of thing that you cannot possibly make up: LSU linebacker Whit Weeks and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’sdaughter Landry announced to the world that they are dating. Love. Hate. History.And football. What more could you want than that?

Well, how about acompelling, nationally relevant matchup?

For the first time since Cannon’slegendary punt return in 1959, both the No. 4-ranked Tigers (4-0, 1-0 SEC) and No.13 Rebels(4-0, 2-0) bring perfect records intotheir annual clash, setfor 2:30 p.m. on ABC. And, for agame in which both teams are listed in the national polls, it’sthe highest-ranked matchup since 1962. After literally yearsofspeculation, the Southeastern Conference finallyrevealed its new nine-game scheduling format set to begin in 2026. Not surprisingly,the conference made LSU and Ole Miss annual opponents. It was awise decision, becausethis series is an SEC cornerstone.

The only thing lacking between the Tigers and Rebels is adecent trophy.Somethinglike Paul Bunyan’sAxe (MinnesotaWisconsin) or,yes, even The Boot between LSU and Arkansas.BothLSU and Ole Miss have tried to gain traction in

recent years with theMagnolia Bowl, and thereisatrophy if youwant tocall it that.ComparedtoThe Boot, it lookslike something someone knocked together in high school shop class and got aB-minus for producing.

Nonetheless, LSUhas it, wants to keep it, andOle Miss wants it back.LSU coach Brian Kelly indicated Thursday night on his radio show that theTigers aren’t in agiving mood

“We’re going to keep that Magnolia Bowl trophy right here in Baton Rouge where it deserves to be,” Kelly said. That won’t be easy

The Rebels havefound aleader for their offense from amost unlikely source: quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, atransfer from Division II Ferris State. If he starts Saturday —Kiffin sketches around the edges of injury information like he’s guarding thenuclear codes then we’ll knowthat Chambliss hasofficially become theLou Gehrig to previousstarter Austin Simmons’ Wally Pipp. Chamblisshas torched the Rebels’ past two victims

Arkansasand Tulane —for a combined 834 yards and five touchdowns withnoturnovers in leading Ole Miss to 41-35 and 45-10 victories.After LSU’sdefense took the measureofClemsonquarterback Cade Klubnik and Florida QB DJ Lagway could this rising star out of nowherebethe best quarterback the Tigers have faced?

Here’sone thingthat’s without question: LSU’swill be the best defense Chambliss will have faced. Kiffin’soffense has madestarsout of alot of quarterbacks, someofmodest means—a testamenttohis offensive genius. ButLSU’s speed, pressure and deception will be something Chambliss (or Simmons) hasn’tyet faced. LSUdefensive coordinator BlakeBaker is likely to test Chambliss with so manydifferent angles, he’ll think he’staking ageometry midterm. Ultimately,the gamecould well come down to not strength versus strengthbut weakness versus weakness: theTigers running gameagainst theRebels runny defense. Ah,the resistible force col-

lides with themovable object like two bowls of pudding jammed into theback of the fridge. LSU ranks 111th nationally in rushing with 116.8 yards per game. Ole Miss ranks 120th in rushing yards allowed with 190.5 per game. Whoever can overcome their glaring flaw best is likely to wind up winning this one. An important point to remember is thatalossisn’tacrippling blow to either team’shopes for the 12-team College Football Playoff. It does,likely,slice that team’smargin forerror in half. The squad that comes out on the short end Saturdaycan, at this point, realistically only figure on one morelossifitwants to reach the CFP Will the home team winfor thesixth straight year in this series, or will LSU come up with the potentially good omen of its first win in Oxford since 2019, awin on the Tigers’ way to that season’snational championship?

However it goes, it should be dramatic —another page in the great history of this essential rivalry

Last week: Defeated Auburn 24-17 This week: Idle

5. TEXAS

Record: 3-1overall,0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 4

Last week: Defeated SamHouston 55-0

This week: Idle

6. OLEMISS

Record: 4-0overall,2-0 SEC

Previous rank: 8

Last week: Defeated Tulane 45-10

This week: vs.LSU,2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

7. VANDERBILT

Record: 4-0overall,1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 6

Last week: Defeated GeorgiaState 70-21

This week: vs.UtahState,11:45 a.m. Saturday (SEC Network)

8. MISSOURI

Record: 4-0overall,1-0 SEC

Previous rank: 11

Last week: Defeated SouthCarolina 29-20

This week: vs.UMass,6:30p.m.Saturday (ESPNU)

9. TENNESSEE

Record: 3-1overall,0-1 SEC

Previous rank: 7

Last week: Defeated UAB56-24

This week: at MississippiState,3:15p.m

Saturday (SEC Network)

10.MISSISSIPPI STATE

Record: 4-0overall,0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 9

Last week: Defeated Northern Illinois38-10

This week: vs.Tennessee,3:15p.m Saturday (SEC Network)

11.ALABAMA

Record: 2-1overall,0-0 SEC

Previous rank: 12

Last week: Idle

This week: at Georgia, 6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

12.AUBURN

Record: 3-1overall,0-1 SEC

Previous rank: 10

Last week: Lost to Oklahoma 24-17

This week: at TexasA&M,2:30p.m Saturday (ESPN)

13.SOUTH CAROLINA

Record: 2-2overall,0-2 SEC

Previous rank: 14

Last week: Lost to Missouri 29-20

This week: vs.Kentucky, 6:45 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network)

14.FLORIDA

Record: 1-3overall,0-1 SEC

Previous rank: 15

Last week: Lost to Miami26-7

This week: Idle

15.ARKANSAS Record: 2-2overall,0-1 SEC

Previous rank: 13

Last week: Lost to Memphis32-31

This week: vs.Notre Dame,11a.m Saturday (ABC)

16.KENTUCKY Record: 2-1overall,0-1 SEC

Previous rank: 16

Last week: Idle

This week: at SouthCarolina, 6:45 p.m. Saturday (SEC Network)

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU linebackerWhit Weeks, standing,amps up the crowd before the snap in the first halfbetween the Tigers andLouisiana Tech on Sept.6 at TigerStadium. Weeks and Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin’sdaughter Landryannounced this week theyare dating,adding to the lore of the LSU-Ole Miss rivalry.

Europe takesbig lead on first day

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. Europe’sbest showed Friday that points,not panache, is what matters in theRyder Cup.

Jon Rahm,Rory McIlroy and To mmy Fleetwood he lpe d

Team Europe silence the crowd at Bethpage

Black and re minded the Americans that playing at home won’tmake it any easier to gettheir hands on that17-inchgold trophy

The Europeans won both sessions —before andafter President Donald Trump was there —and had a51/2 to 21/2 lead going into Saturday

“It’s agreat dayfor Europe,” McIlroysaid. “Wewould have absolutely taken this.”

The twobiggest American stars, ScottieScheffler and Bryson DeChambeau, lostboth their matches. Scheffler didn’treach the 17th hole in either of his losses. Scheffler becamethe first No. 1 player since Tiger Woods in 2002 at The Belfry to lose both of his matches on opening day of the Ryder Cup.

BY TOYLOYBROWN III

Staff writer

Southern (1-3)hasn’tbeaten Jackson State (2-1) since 2020, losing the last six matchups.

During the skid, Jackson State has won by an averageof19.5 points.Inthe last meeting in the Southwestern Athletic Conference championship game, the Jaguars fell41-13.

Those past results haven’tbeen topof mind forSouthern as it prepares to face its rival at 6p.m. Saturday atA.W.Mumford Stadium.

“We’re in the here and now,” Southern coach Terrence Graves said. “We’re focusingonthis game, because we can’tdoanything about the championshipgame. That game’sbeen played soall we can do now is we gotta live in the precious present.”

It’sthe first game that will countinthe SWAC standings for both teams.Tostart withawin, the Jaguars knowtheycan’t have turnovers.

Graves wasopentosharing what hadled to Southern’smostrecent lossesagainst theTigers.

“Turnovers, plain andsimple,” he said.

“You go back to thechampionship game, it’s 10-10 at halftime, andthenyou come outinthe secondhalf, andweturn the ball over four times, and the wheel comes off thewagon.”

Graduate student tight end Dupree Full-

er hasplayedinthisrivalry four times. He agreed with his coach about avoiding selfinflictedmistakes.

“Executing is the main problem,” Fuller said. “Ifyou don’texecuteinany game againstanopponent who’snot that good, you’re notgoing to win. So even if youplay agood opponent like Jackson State, execution is key. So,noturnovers, smart ball, no penalties. It’sthe keytosuccess.”

Jackson State, the reigning Celebration Bowl champion, has been votedthe No. 1 HBCU teamonboth BOXTOROW’s media andcoaches poll every week sincethe preseason Southern knows themargin of error isn’twide enough to survive multiple turnovers. The Jaguars already have three interceptionsand fourfumbles through four

Andthe Americanswere lucky the deficit wasn’tslightly worse. McIlroy hada 12-footbirdieputt, the final shot of along day,that broke just leftofthe cup as he and Shane Lowry settled for ahalve with Patrick Cantlay and former LSU star Sam Burns. Trumpbecamethe first sitting U.S. president to attend the Ryder Cup. He was behind protective glassatfirst, then walkedtothe first tee for the afternoon session withDeChambeau. He left alittle

ä See RYDER CUP, page 10C

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO Europe’sShane Lowrycelebrates after abirdiebyRoryMcIlroyon the 17th holeatBethpageBlack on Friday in Farmingdale, N.y

ing phenomenal football.”

surprised by it,” Granderson said. Allen picked up right where he leftoff last season, abig reason theBills are 3-0 heading into Sunday’sgame at Highmark Stadium against the winless Saints. The oddsmakers in Vegas have the Bills as thefavorites to winthe Super Bowl. They opened this week as overwhelming 161/2-point favorites against the Saints. For the Saints, this is astep up in weight class as faras quarterback play.During

This will be the first time since 2021 the Saints have faced aplayer whowon MVP the previous season. The Saints dominated that day, beating Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers 38-3 in the season opener in agame moved to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Ida. The Saints kept Rodgers in check as he threw forjust 133 yards with twointerceptions and adismal 36.8 quarterback rating. Duplicating that success against Allen will be no easy task.

him the ‘MillionDollar Arm.’ He saw something in himfrom thebeginning, and we always knew he was talented ” Fast-forward to the present, and every

outsideofthe Laramie, Wyo-

knows just how talented Allen is.Seven months ago, Allen stepped on stage at the Saenger Theatre in downtown New Orleans to receive the NFL’s Most Valuable Player award. He’s off to another MVP-caliber start to this season. “For him to be the2024 MVP is impressive, but we’re not

in this league,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “He’splay-

Saints defensive tackle Davon Godchaux, in his first season in NewOrleans, spent the previous seven seasons with the MiamiDolphins and New England Patriots. Being in the AFC East, Godchaux faced Al-

See WALKER, page 6C

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By ADRIAN KRAUS

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen passes against the Miami Dolphins during the first half on Sept. 18 in Orchard Park, N.y.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Southerntight end Dupree Fuller is tackledbyAlabama State safety Deontre Morris on Sept. 6atA.W.MumfordStadium. Fuller and the Jaguars returnhomeSaturdaytofaceJackson State.

See SOUTHERN, page 7C

Saints hope to shake penalty bug

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

Kellen Moore didn’t have the numbers this time.

Days earlier the New Orleans Saints coach looked at a sheet to note how his team committed only three penalties in practice — and those were called on the scout team, not the starters. But on Friday, the 37-year-old said he couldn’t recall the total number of penalties after a whole week of practice.

But Moore was left encouraged

“We’ve spent a lot of time (on it),” he said. “Our guys are acknowledging it. It’s on everyone’s mind in a heavy way, which is a good thing.”

Notebook

Ahead of Sunday’s road game against the Buffalo Bills, the Saints are tied for the league lead in penalties with 31 after three games. Fourteen of those have come on the offensive side of the ball, with pre-snap errors such as false starts and illegal shifts consistently putting the Saints behind the chains.

Moore has harped on the issue since training camp when the Saints had officials at practice nearly every day He added emphasis after a penalty-heavy performance last weekend against the Seattle Seahawks, as a crew of six officials was at practice this week.

Moore said the amount of penalties in practice has been “similar, if not a touch less” and that the team had to do better

“Pre-snap penalties are definitely a big thing we’re talking about,” said rookie tackle Kelvin Banks, who had three penalties against the Seahawks, including two false starts.

“That’s something you can control. Last game, I had a pre-snap penalty and it’s like, ‘I know I can control it.’

“I was really hard on myself because I understand I’m hurting the team by making us back up 10

more yards.

“It’s different things like that we harp on the most, and I feel like we did a good job during practice.”

Young out

Saints pass rusher ChaseYoung will miss his fourth straight game with a calf injury after he was ruled out Friday ahead of Sunday’s game against the Bills.

The team also will be without guard Dillon Radunz who is out for a second straight game with a toe injury

But for the first time this year, the Saints are expected to have their projected starting offensive line as Trevor Penning (toe) will make his season debut. Taliese Fuaga, who has been hobbled by a back and

knee injury, also is good to go after being a full participant over the last two days.

Wide receiver Devaughn Vele (hip) was listed as questionable.

Young originally suffered the calf injury days before the season opener against the Arizona Cardinals The team’s pass rush has struggled without him as the Saints rank last in total pressures and quarterback pressure rate through three games, according to Next Gen Stats. The Saints re-signed Young to a three-year, $51 million deal this offseason after he recorded a career-high 73 pressures.

Palmer ready

With Vele questionable, wide

receiver Trey Palmer could make his season debut for the Saints.

After the Saints claimed the wide receiver off waivers from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last month, Palmer has been inactive for the first three games — including last week when he missed the outing because of a hip injury

But Palmer practiced throughout this week and wasn’t given an injury designation ahead of Sunday’s game. If Vele can’t go, Palmer likely would be active for the first time. He has 51 catches for 557 yards and four touchdowns in 32 career games across two seasons.

Moore said the Saints have full confidence in Palmer if he’s needed to play

QB Daniels, WR McLaurin out for Sunday

Associated Press

ASHBURN, Va. — The Washington Commanders will be without offensive star players Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday, coach Dan Quinn said. Daniels knee injury has not progressed enough for the doctors to clear him, Quinn said on Friday The franchise quarterback was also out last week in the team’s 41-24 victory over the Las Vegas Raiders.

Backup Marcus Mariota will again get the start.

“He’s working incredibly hard, round the clock, to get back,” Quinn said. “Ultimately, doctors

haven’t cleared him just yet.”

Wide receiver McLaurin, who missed all of training camp amid a contract dispute, was ruled out with a quad injury that kept him out of practices all week.

Washington did not place the 2024 second-team All-Pro on injured reserve, but McLaurin sought additional medical opinions on the injury Quinn declared the receiver’s status as “week-toweek.”

“See what next week brings and where he is at,” Quinn said.

Speaking with reporters on Wednesday, Daniels said he “felt good” but acknowledged the decision to play or sit was not his to make.

The Commanders are also without their other starting outside receiver Noah Brown (groin), and blocking tight end John Bates.

Rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt (knee) is expected to play against the Falcons after participating in Friday’s practice.

Both of Mariota’s starts, his first since 2022 with Atlanta, will have come against two of his former teams. The 2022 campaign with the Falcons ended abruptly after Mariota was benched following a 5-8 record as the starting quarterback.

He completed 15 of 21 passes for 207 yards and one touchdown against the Raiders.

AP PHOTO By NICK WASS

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin is brought down by Las Vegas Raiders cornerback Kyu Blu Kelly during a game on Sunday in Landover, Md.

IN BRIEF FROM

Aces defeat Fever for 2-1 lead in semifinal series

Jackie Young scored 25 points in her home state and NaLyssa Smith added 16 points, leading the Las Vegas Aces to an 84-72 victory over the short-handed Indiana Fever on Friday night in Game 3 of a best-offive WNBA semifinal series. The Aces lead 2-1 and would reach their third WNBA Finals in four years with a win Sunday in Indianapolis.

Las Vegas star A’ja Wilson had a poor shooting night. She made a 3-pointer to open the game, then missed her next 11 shots. The fourtime MVP finished with 13 points on 6-of-20 shooting and had eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks. Chelsea Gary had 15 points and six assists. Kelsey Mitchell led Indiana with 21 points and Lexie Hull finished with 16 points and 10 rebounds.

Continued from page 5C

len twice a year

“He’s elite,” Godchaux said “A guy that is going to carry his teammates. It’s a great opportunity I look at it as a great challenge.” Saints safety Justin Reid, who played the previous three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, played Allen and the Bills five times in the last three years. The Bills got the best of his team in the three regularseason meetings, but the Chiefs won both rematches in the playoffs.

“This is what really makes him special,” Reid said. “Can he make all the throws? Yes, absolutely He can make every throw you want him to. But when things don’t go right, he just finds a way to make something explosive happen. Whether it’s scrambling or running, or whatever it is

with one of those backyard plays where a play breaks down and he’s just running around in the pocket.” When Allen does run, then comes the hard part of trying

to bring him down. They don’t make a whole lot of 6-foot-5 and 237-pound quarterbacks

“He’s not easy to bring down,” Reid said. “His ability to be creative on the fly is what separates

the great ones.

“He’s been really good at that, so the emphasis is containing him in the pocket.”

History is perhaps on the Saints’ side. They have won their past four trips to Buffalo, including a 47-10 beatdown in 2017.

But Josh Allen was still in college then. He was drafted the next year

Allen has faced the Saints once, a 31-6 Bills victory in the Superdome in 2021. Allen threw four touchdowns in that Thanksgiving night game.

He was sacked twice.

One of those sacks was by his former college teammate.

“His arm talent and his IQ for the game and his athleticism are impressive,” Granderson said. “It always has been.

“But we’re going to get after him.”

The Saints have to to stand a chance.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

other medical updates: Rookie guard Cedric Coward is expected back and center Jaren Jackson is expected to return in 4-6 weeks.

Cubs slugger Tucker returns from IL as DH

The playoff-bound Chicago Cubs reinstated slugger Kyle Tucker from the injured list on Friday and placed him in their lineup batting fourth as the designated hitter against the St. Louis Cardinals for the opener of their final regularseason series.

Tucker had been out since Sept. 2 with an injured left calf, then went on the 10-day IL on Sept. 6. He rejoined the Cubs on Tuesday after going to Florida last week for additional treatment.

Tucker is hitting .270 with 22 homers and 73 RBIs in 133 games this season.

He’ll be held out of his regular position, right field, for the time being as the Cubs ease him — and his potent bat back into the lineup for the postseason.

Ohtani tops jersey sales for third season in a row

Shohei Ohtani topped Major League Baseball’s jersey sales for the third straight year heading into the end of the regular season as Paul Skenes and Cal Raleigh entered the top 20.

MLB’s top seven remained unchanged from its listing at the All-Star break. Ohtani, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way star, was followed by New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge, Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman and shortstop Mookie Betts, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and outfielder Juan Soto, and San Francisco third baseman Rafael Devers.

Ohtani is just the fourth player to lead in three consecutive years after Derek Jeter (2010-12), Judge (2017-19) and Betts (2020-22).

Stanley Cup champion Panthers lose their captain Florida captain Aleksander Barkov could miss the entire regular season because of a knee injury, a major blow to the Panthers and their quest to win a third consecutive Stanley Cup. Barkov got hurt Thursday in his first official practice of training camp and was undergoing surgery Friday, coach Paul Maurice said. Barkov is expected to miss several months, which calls the entire season into jeopardy and essentially ends any chance of him representing his native Finland in the Milan-Cortina Olympics this coming February Barkov was in surgery on Friday while Maurice was addressing reporters. Once the surgery ends, the Panthers said they would release more details which are

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADRIAN KRAUS Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen takes off on a run against the Miami Dolphins on Sept 18 in Orchard Park, N.y

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler reacts after a penalty by his team against the Arizona Cardinals in New Orleans on Sept. 7

GAMEDAY

Bethune-Cookmanonthe rise

BY RASHAD MILLIGAN and TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writers

EnteringWeek 5ofthe college football season, league play begins in earnest Saturday for much of theSouthwestern Athletic Conference. With eightSWACteams coming off byeweeks, Bethune-Cookman is theonlyteam to show significant movement in this week’s SWAC football power rankings. Here’s where each teamstands with SWAC play firing up:

1. JacksonState

Record: 2-1overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 1

Last week: Bye

This week: at Southern, 6p.m. Saturday, ESPN+

PASSING

Cam’RonMcCoy

50.00%,316 yards, 2TDs,2INTs Ashton Strother

64.29%,127 yards

RUSHING

Trey Holly

51 carries, 267yards,5.2 avg, 3TDs

Cam’RonMcCoy

30 carries, 177yards,5.9 avg, 2TDs

RECEIVING

Darren Morris

9catches,115 yards, 12.78avg,TD

CamJefferson

8catches,104 yards, 13.00avg,TD DEFENSE

HoracioJohnson

30

Extra points: TheTigers have the topdefense in the SWAC. JSU allows five fewer points per game (17.3) than the nearestprogram in the conference, Alabama State (22.7). One thing coach T.C. Taylor wants theteam to cut down on are turnovers. The Tigers have committed aconference-worst 32 penalties for 294 yards.

2. Alabama State

Record: 2-1overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 2

Last week: Bye

This week: at FAMU, 2p.m. Saturday

Extrapoints: ASUcoach EddieRobinson is seeking his first win over FAMU afterlosing to the Rattlers in threeconsecutive seasons. Robinson’soffense, which leads theSWACwith an average of 36.3 points agame, has only scored 37 points total in the past threemeetings with FAMU

3. AlabamaA&M

Record: 3-1overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 3

Last week: 49-7 win vs. Lane

This week: at Bethune-Cookman, 2p.m. Saturday

pact on the SWAC East, but recent history shows that FAMU should have the edge.The last time ASU beat FAMU was back in 2003 when the Hornets won 3822 in the Detroit Football Classic at Ford Field.FAMUwas in the MEACthen.

6. Southern

SWAC POWER RANKINGS

Previous rank: 11

Last week: 35-9 win vs. Edward

Waters

This week: vs. Alabama A&M, 2p.m. Saturday

This week: vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 6p.m.SaturdayinMemphis, Tenn.3.0

AUGUST

23 vs.N.CarolinaCent.*L,14-31

30 at Miss.ValleyState W, 34-29

SEPTEMBER

6vs. AlabamaState L, 7-30

13 at Fresno StateL,7-56 27 vs.Jackson State 6p.m OCTOBER

11 at Bethune-Cookman4 p.m.

18 vs.Prairie View A&M4 p.m.

PREDICTION

JACKSON STATE31SOUTHERN

17: Usually,you can throwout past performances when predicting the outcome of rivalrygames.But Jackson State has playedmuch better than Southernsofar this season, thanks to an elite defense that is allowing the fewest yards and points pergame in the SouthwesternAthletic Conference. It’sdifficult to imagine the Southern offense, which has seventurnovers through fourgames, finding enough success.

Toyloy BrownIII SWAC STANDINGS

Extrapoints: TheBulldogsare one of the hotter teams enteringSWACplay,havingwon their pastthree games. Coach Sam Shade still needs histeamtoput together acomplete performance against tougher competition, and Bethune-Cookman is likely better than its 1-3 record indicates.

4. PrairieView

Record: 2-2overall, 1-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 4

Last week: 27-24 win vs. Northwestern State

This week: vs.Grambling, 6p.m. SaturdayinDallas

Extrapoints: The State Fair Classic, whichisplayedatthe Cotton Bowl in Dallas, should be one of the better gamesonthe SWAC slate this weekend. Ayear ago, Prairie View walked away with a36-34 victory over Gramblinginfive overtimes. ThePanthers have won sixofthe past seven gamesinthe rivalry

5. FAMU

Record: 1-2overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 5

Last week: Bye

Thisweek: vs. Alabama State, 2p.m. Saturday

Extrapoints: The outcomeofthis game will have asignificant im-

SOUTHERN

Continued from page5C

games. QuarterbackCam’Ron McCoy,who is atransferfrom Jackson State, is responsible for fiveofthosegiveaways this season. Graves said the decision on a starting signal-caller wouldbe made based on whopracticed thebest this week. Jalen Woods is currentlyina“return to play” protocol after his concussion in thesecondquarter of the Jaguars’ 34-29 win over Mississippi Valley StateonAug. 30.

McCoystartedinthe 56-7 loss to Fresno State but struggledduring three drives, completing 1of4 passes for 4yardsand had aloss of 6yards on fiverushes. Junior Ashton Strother relievedhim and led atouchdown drive and finished thecontest, completing 9 of 14 passes for 127yards in his three quarters.

The team has preached the importance of ball security and forcing turnovers of their own all season. Gravessaidhemadea change in the team’spractice routine toimprove those areas.

Record: 1-3 overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 6

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Jackson State, 6p.m. Saturday,ESPN+

Extrapoints: The Jaguarsmight have to rely on their defenseto lead the way as SWAC play begins. It remains to be seen who will be the starting quarterback against JSU, but Ashton Strother showed against Fresno State that he might be the best passing option forco-offensivecoordinator Fred McNair

7. Grambling

Record: 3-1 overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 7 Last week: 31-28 win vs. East Texas A&M University

This week: vs. PrairieView, 6p.m Saturday Extrapoints: Lastyear’sfive-overtime defeat to Prairie View began arough run for Mickey Joseph’s squad in his first season as coach. It was thefirst loss of six over the final eight games. Awin in the Cotton Bowl stadium on Saturday could mark aturn in the right direction to start SWAC play

8. Bethune-Cookman

Record: 1-3 overall, 0-0 SWAC

Instead of having most of its turnover circuits early in practice, theJaguarsnow have them spread throughout to challenge players whenthey arefatigued. TheJaguarssaw somepositive results as theyhad zero turnovers against FresnoState, andalso forced and recovered afumble Southern, whohas scored just six touchdowns, is playing astout Jackson State defense that is allowing the fewestyards(282.7) and pointsper game (17.3) in the SWAC.

Florida transfer Quincy Ivory is leading the way. The seniordefensive endhas 25 tackles, seven tackles for loss andthreesacks Graves said his group wants to containIvory

“Your goal is not to stop him,” Graves said. “You do things schematically,you attack him. The thing that youdon’t do is youdon’t runaway fromthemall the time, because alot of times that’scounterproductive.” Graves is confident that Jackson State can’tstop his team’sstandoutedge rusherCkelby Givens. TheseniorfromShreveport has 18 tackles, 91/2 tackles forloss, 61/2 sacksand twoforced fumbles.

TheSouthern defensewill ben-

Extrapoints: It wasunderstandable when the Wildcats gave acombined 87 points to FIUand Miami in thefirst two weeks, but the 55 points allowed to South Carolina State had to raise alarmsfor the defense. Thankfully,that group played better last week against Edward Waters. We’ll find out if that’satrend against Alabama A&M.

9. Arkansas-PineBluff

Record: 1-2 overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 8

Last week: Bye

Thisweek: vs. AlcornState, 6:05p.m. Saturday in Memphis, Tenn.

Extrapoints: TheGoldenLions have abottom-three defense in theconference, giving up an average of 38.7 points per game. Arkansas-Pine Bluffalso gives up the SWAC’ssecond-most rushing yards per gameat216.0. Against astruggling Alcorn Stateoffense, UAPB’sfortunes should improve. The gamewill be played at Simmons BankLiberty Stadium.

10.AlcornState

Record: 0-3 overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 9

Last week: Bye

efitfrom the return of preseason All-SWAC second-team safety Herman Brister,who is coming back from an injury,Graves said. Offensively,running back Mike Franklin is expected to produce after not playingagainst Fresno State. Graves said after thelast game that the 6-foot-2, 225-pound tailback was held out to ensure he’s prepared for the start of SWAC play

Franklin, who is averaging4.9 yards per carry,will continue to be the thunder to Trey Holly’s lightning. TheHolly,anLSU transfer,isaveraging 5.2 yards per carry and has three touchdowns. Jackson State,while strong, isn’t infallible.The Tigers are averaging 98 penalty yards per game, which is the mostinthe conference and 10 more than the closest team.Their passing attack also hasbeen underwhelming, sitting eighth in the SWAC in passing yards per game (178).

Starting quarterback JaCobian Morgan, who missed thelast game because of an injury butis expected to return against Southern,has zero passing touchdowns andiscompleting only 50.9% of hispassesintwo games. His139

Extra points: Alcorn State is arguably the mostdisappointing team in the SWAC so far.The Braves werepickedtofinish secondinthe SWAC West. Following abye, Alcorn has to turn things around in ahurry or it could be along season forsecondyear coach Cedric Thomas.

11.Texas Southern

Record: 0-3overall, 0-1 SWAC

Previous rank: 10

Last week: Bye

This week: at Mississippi Valley, 4p.m. Saturday Extrapoints: TexasSouthernhas to hope it found itsoffenseinthe bye week after scoring atotal of 10 points over their past twolosses againstCalifornia and Lamar. Thankfully forthe Tigers, the opponent this week, Mississippi Valley,isallowing 49.7 points agame.

12.MississippiValleyState

Record: 0-3overall, 0-0 SWAC

Previous rank: 12

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Texas Southern, 4p.m. Saturday

Extrapoints: Considering MVSU has played tough FCScompetition through the first three games, the Delta Devils may notbequite as bad as their 0-3 record indicates. Ahard-fought 34-29 loss to Southern in the opener has to give first-year coach TerrellBuckley someconfidence his team can compete most Saturdays in the SWAC.

yards passing per game is the second-lowest in the conference among starters, above only McCoy, and his longest pass is 22 yards Southern wants to exploit its opponent’sflaws but is keen on maximizing itsown strengths. After the bye week and another week of preparation, wide receiver DarrenMorris —who leads the team with115 yards receiving —said he believes in this group more than ever “Real confident, probably the mostconfident I’ve been all year,” he said. “From GameOne,Iwas confident in them to this game now.Like Isaid, we justgot to go out there and executeand be 100%.”

Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy brown@theadvocate.com.

PHOTO By RICK GUy

Southerndefensiveend CkelbyGivens sacks Jackson State quarterbackJaCobian Morgan during the SWAC championship game at Veterans Memorial Stadium in Jackson, Miss.,onDec. 19.

Dutchtown piles up points after slow start vs. Prairieville

QB Fletcher accounts for four touchdowns

BY TERRY ROBINSON

Contributing writer

Separated by less than 7 miles, Dutchtown and Prairieville figure to develop into one of the area’s fiercest rivalries.

But Friday night offered little evidence of that potential as the Griffins overcame a slow start to blow past the Hurricanes 42-7 at Griffin Stadium.

Junior quarterback Owen Fletcher accounted for four touchdowns and senior receiver Martell Rogers had two touchdown receptions to lead Dutchtown, which moved to 3-1 and 1-0 in District 5-5A.

“It’s a start,” Dutchtown coach Guy Mistretta said of the districtopening win. “It means nothing once we get into next week, right? It’s 1-0 this week, and we have a big one next week against St. Amant.”

The Griffins overcame a sluggish start as the visiting Hurricanes (1-3, 0-1) opened the game with an 80-yard touchdown drive for a 7-0 lead.

“They came out ready to play ” Mistretta said of Prairieville “It’s impressive what they’ve done in one year in building that program. They came out really ready to play I didn’t feel like we were emotionally ready with the type of energy that they brought.”

Mistretta said the Griffins had to match the Hurricanes’ energy afterward.

“Thank goodness we were able to adjust and pick that up later in the game,” he said.

The Griffins finally did in the second quarter, bouncing back with two touchdowns to take a 13-7 advantage into halftime.

Dutchtown’s first score finished a 75-yard drive in nine plays. Fletcher’s back-to-back passes to Rogers for 15 and 12 yards keyed the drive. Fletcher did the scoring honors, taking it in on a keeper from 9 yards out to tie the game at 7-7.

Two possessions later, the Griffins took the lead on a 30yard scoring strike from Clay Walker-Vice to Rogers with only five seconds remaining in the half.

“For us, it’s a lot of mental stuff,” Prairieville coach Mike Schmitt said. “We’re still very young. We don’t really have that solid program yet We’re still building it. They were able to get the momentum right before the half.”

The Griffins pulled away with a 22-point third quarter, thanks to two one-play drives. The onslaught started on the Griffins’ second possession of the second half when Derrick Walker-Vice turned a short screen pass from Fletcher into a 32-yard touchdown and a 20-7 lead.

On Dutchtown’s next possession, Fletcher found Rogers for a 48-yard score. Derrick Walker-Vice added a two-point conversion pass from Fletcher

After the Griffins recovered an onside kick at the Prairieville 45, Clay Walker-Vice connected with tight end Zach Dotten for a 45-yard scoring pass to make it 35-7. Fletcher added a 4-yard touchdown run early in the final quarter to set the final score.

Prairieville got on the scoreboard first when Hurricanes running back Tahj Wallace had several key runs on the opening drive to get Prairieville deep into Griffins territory The sophomore then darted through a hole on the left side for a 39yard touchdown run and a 7-0 lead.

Live Oak makes big lead stand vs. Walker

BY CHARLES SALZER

Contributing writer

The Live Oak offense was in high gear Friday night when the Eagles opened their District 5-5A schedule at Walker With quarterback Cayden Jones leading a dangerous passing attack, Live Oak jumped to a three-touchdown lead before holding on for a 38-31 win.

Jones was impressive by completing 25 of 32 passes for 270 yards and two touchdowns He also had a team-high 49 yards rushing and two more scores, but it took a late defensive stop for the Eagles (2-2, 1-0) to secure the win.

The game appeared to be out of hand early in the fourth quarter, but Walker (1-3, 0-1) scored twice to slice a 38-17 deficit down to one score. The Wildcats had a chance with two minutes left but stalled on downs at midfield.

GOING GREEN

Plaquemine defense comes up big in win

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Plaquemine cornerback Roderick Bingham knew his chance would come.

The senior defensive back knew he would face a heavy Brusly pass attack, and in the second quarter, his opportunity to pounce on a pass came.

Panthers quarterback Drake Vincent dropped back and threw an errant pass right to Bingham. He picked off the pass at his own 12-yard line and saw nothing but green grass in front of him en route to a pick-six.

“We’d been preaching all night,” Bingham said. “If the ball goes like that, nobody will catch me.”

His pick-six proved to be the difference in a 20-12 win to open District 6-4A play for Plaquemine (3-1) on Friday night at Brusly Bingham finished with two interceptions. Senior DB Travis Riley also had two picks in the win.

“They’re three-year starters,” Plaquemine coach Donald Williams said. “There’s a lot of expectations on those guys.”

The Plaquemine defense bent but rarely broke against Brusly throughout the game. The Panthers drove into the red zone, coming away with just two touchdowns on six trips to the red zone.

score. Less than two minutes later, quarterback Jayce Evans found Cadeyn Lewis streaking down the left sideline for a 70yard touchdown.

Walker forced a three-and-out to get the ball back, then stalled at midfield after picking up one first down.

Evans finished 16-of-25 passing for 222 yards Wilson had 17 carries for 95 yards.

“I thought we played poorly in the first half,” Walker coach Chad Mahaffey said. “We gave the ball away a couple of times and had some rough play on special teams. We’ve been struggling to put four quarters together, offense and defense, and that’s what it was like tonight.”

“I knew this game would be a battle. I love that we were able to give ourselves a cushion, but it’s football. You have to battle through the ups and downs.”

“I knew this game would be a battle,” Live Oak coach Randall Legette said. “I love that we were able to give ourselves a cushion, but it’s football. You have to battle through the ups and downs.”

RANDALL LEGETTE, Live Oak coach

Jones had a hand in most of Live Oak’s ups with touchdown passes of 29 and 38 yards to Cash Davis and two scoring runs, the second a 29-yarder early in the fourth. With its back to the wall, Walker responded with its best effort of the night on both sides of the ball The Wildcats defense didn’t allow a first down the rest of the game and the offense had a chance to even the score.

The near comeback started with Javion Helms’ 61-yard catch-and-run that set up Jayden Wilson’s 4-yard rushing

Both teams were stymied by penalties in the early going. Live Oak got going on its second possession behind the arm of Jones.

Taking advantage of a short Walker punt, Live Oak went 47 yards in three plays. Jones connected with Tazein Sykes for 13 yards, and one play later he found Davis alone behind the defense for a 29-yard touchdown. Calvin Ursin’s two-point run made it 8-0.

Walker picked up a 32-yard field goal from Matthew Landry, but Live Oak had answers. Davis keyed a 69-yard drive with two receptions for 58 yards, and Jones picked up the touchdown with a 1-yard sneak.

Leading 15-3, Live Oak added a third touchdown with the help of defensive pass interference. That set up the Eagles at the Walker 23, and one play later Brayden Felton swept around left end for the score.

Walker picked up a touchdown late in the half, but Live Oak took a 22-10 lead into halftime.

This past week in practice, Williams’ side emphasized red-zone defense, which came up huge in the win.

“We just made sure we made an emphasis on even if things don’t go our way, of making sure we stopped them once it turned to that point,” Williams said.

Brusly (3-1) had one last chance to score with 2:32 left in the game, but Riley nabbed Vincent’s fourth interception of the game.

“We had to come into a big environment and play a big-caliber team,” Riley said. “We shut them down.”

The Panthers drove into the red zone on their first drive but saw it cut short by Riley’s first interception of the game.

The Green Devils capitalized on the turnover with a touchdown. Plaquemine ran the ball eight straight plays to open the drive. Junior QB Brennan Miles then dropped back for the first time and found junior wideout John Walker for a 37-yard score midway through the first quarter

Later in the quarter, Brusly senior corner Jude LeJeune picked off Miles. The turnover set up a Brusly touchdown to tie the game at 6-6.

The first quarter was chippy with 10 combined penalties, including one before the kickoff when a Plaquemine player planted a flag on the Brusly midfield logo.

Plaquemine scored on its next drive, relying again on running backs junior Spencer Collins and senior Austin Young. A 6-yard rushing touchdown by Young put the Green Devils back in front.

Vincent threw another interception inside the 20 on the ensuing drive, which led to Bingham’s pick-six.

“As the head coach, I’m telling everybody to back up so we don’t get a sideline warning,” Williams said. “I didn’t even get to see him cross the pylon.”

Midway through the third, Brusly squandered another chance inside the 10 with another interception to Bingham.

The Panthers finally found pay dirt with 11:13 left in the fourth quarter Brusly had one more chance to tie it late before a pick sealed the Plaquemine win.

“Our model this year and going into the summer was learning how to handle adversity,” Williams said. “I think we took a step in the right direction tonight.”

Woodlawn uses turnovers, QB’s legs to win

BY CHRIS CHAPPLE Contributing writer

The Woodlawn defense forced three turnovers, and senior quarterback Cayden Randall scored on two long runs as the Panthers overpowered West Feliciana 34-7 on Friday night in a nondistrict battle. Woodlawn (2-2) got two defensive touchdowns and scored a season-high in points Senior defensive end Cedric Jones recovered a fumble and ran 84 yards to put Woodlawn up 6-0 with 5:06 left in the first quarter Randall scored on a 62-yard run with 3:09 left in the second quarter and added the two-point conversion run for a 14-0 lead West Feliciana got a 15-yard scoring run from Ean Hills with 22 seconds left before halftime to make it 14-7. Randall added an 86-yard touchdown run with 9:55 remaining in

the third, and junior Jaylen Knox scored 17 seconds later when he stripped the ball from a West Feliciana player and ran 33 yards with the fumble to score. Knox also had an interception in the fourth quarter to end a good drive for the Saints (2-2). Randall finished with 158 yards rushing on nine carries. He split time at quarterback with Ricky Mitchell. Mitchell was 5-of-8 passing for 82 yards with an interception Trinton Bennett had three catches for 78 yards.

“Our defense really played good,” Woodlawn coach Tramon Douglas said. “We really picked it up in the second half. We have a great defensive line. Cayden Randall showed that he can be our guy at quarterback. Jaylen Knox is a big-time playmaker for us.” Randall said he trusts his offensive line.

“I just read the gaps and hit the hole,” he said. “We knew we had to go big on offense for homecoming.” Knoxsaidhereadtheplayperfectly on his recovery for a touchdown.

“When I saw the running back come through the hole, I saw he was holding the ball loose, so I just made a play on the ball,” Knox said. “I had two turnovers last week, too. I read the quarterback on the interception.” Hills led West Feliciana with 70 yards rushing on 14 carries. Quarterback Brooks Hebert passed for 115 yards.

“I thought our guys came out ready to compete,” West Feliciana coach Terry Minor said. “We played better early in the game. We need to finish some drives. My guys are learning.”

D’Aaron Sibley forced and recovered a fumble on the first play of the second quarter for West Feliciana.

over Brusly

PHOTOS By APRIL BUFFINGTON

Plaquemine quarterback Brennan Miles hands the ball off to Austin young during a game against Brusly on Friday at Brusly High School.

Brusly’s Marion Irving, right, runs the ball as Plaquemine’s Hagen Collins closes in on him during their game on Friday. Plaquemine won 20-12.

THE VARSITYZONE

East Ascension tops Denham Springs

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS Contributing writer

It was the exact template East Ascension coach Brock Matherne

wanted his team to follow

The Spartans, who had scored consecutive touchdownsfor a two-score lead early in thefourth quarter,held onto their final possessionfor 13 plays anddrained nearly 10 minutes off theclock. That helped lock up a26-20 victory Friday over Denham Springs in the District 5-5A opener forboth teams at EA’s SpartanStadium.

“It’spart of who we want tobe,” Mathernesaid. “Wewanttorun the ball. We want to be able to get alead and hold onto the ball. Kudos to the offense for running that four-minute offense and taking awaytheir timeouts.”

East Ascension (3-1) rallied from aone-point deficit with backto-back touchdowns in less than a minute to match its best start in six years. The Spartans answered amomentum-swinging77-yard TD from Da’JeanGolmondtohis twin brother,Da’Sean, at the 6:10 mark of the third, with amethodical11-play,51-yard drivethattook over five minutes off the clock.

Junior quarterback Zayden Smith passed for a5-yard touchdown to Mason Coton —only the

thirdpass of the drive —and DawsonLandryrecovered afumbleatthe Yellow Jackets 22 on the ensuing kickoff. Smith connected with Jason Blackburn for 21 yards on first downand then

kept it from ayardout to make it 26-14 on Anthony Authement’s extra point.

“You can’tbeupordown and let theemotions of the game get to you,” saidDenham Springs coach

Brett Beard, whose team got a 3-yard TD from Da’Jean Golmond on thefinal playofthe game.“We had opportunitiestoput them in a real bad spot, and we’re just not doing it.”

Smith, afirst-year starter, sparked an offensive output of 380 total yards, including 239 yards rushing on 48 carries. He combined for 206 yards (141 passing, 65 rushing) and three touchdowns, including apairoffirsthalf rushing scores.

Blackburn topped the Spartans with 86 yards anda scoreon21 carries, while Jeremyah Merriweather had four receptions for 44 yards.

Senior defensive back Quentin Clay had apair of interceptions, the second of which gave Denham Springs (2-2) theballbacktoset up the team’s77-yard TD for a1413 edge

Da’Jean Golmond was9of22 for 205 yards and aTDtoBrentonPaulfor a7-0 lead in thefirst quarter.Healso added33yards on eight carries, and De’Sean Golmond hadthreecatches for 106 yards.

EA led13-7athalftime on the strength of a10-play,80-yard drive that consumedjust under five minutes.

The Spartansdid the majority of their damage on the ground with nine plays covering 44 yards, and Smith kept the final 3yards on third-and-goal with 1:02 showing.

“I thought our defense played lights-out all night,” Matherne said.“We talkedabout ateamwin, andI thoughtthatwas theultimatewithall three phasescoming togetherfor ateam win. That’sthe kind of programwewanttobe.”

FOOTBALLREPORT

YardsRushing 39-148 15-19

kick) WHS: Randall86run (Matthew Sicardkick) WHS: Jaylen Knox33fumblereturn (run failed) WHS: BrianCarter 4run (Sicard kick) East Ascension 26, Denham Springs 20

2-28

Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0

Penalties-yards6-55 7-55

SCORINGSUMMARY DenhamSprings 70 76 —20

EastAscension 0136 7—26

DSHS: Brenton Paul 13 pass from Da’Jean Golmond (Jonathan Bravo kick)

EAHS: Zaylen Smith 45 run (Andy Authement kick)

EAHS: Smith 3run (kick blocked)

DSHS: Da’Sean Golmond 77 pass from Da’J. Golmond (Bravo kick)

EAHS: Mason Coto 5pass from Smith (run failed)

EAHS: Jason Blackburn1run (Authement kick)

DSHS: Da’J. Golmond 3run (kick failed) LiveOak 38, Walker 31

Team LiveOak Walker First Downs 18 13 YardsRushing 28-150 25-114

YardsPassing 270 222 Passes(C-A-HI) 25-32-1 16-25-0

Punts-avg.4-31.5 2-33

Fumbles-lost 0-0 0-0

Penalties-yards6-45 6-50

SCORINGSUMMARY

LiveOak 814106 —38 Walker 0107 14 —31

LOHS: Cash Davis 29 pass from Cayden Jones (CalvinUrsin run)

Coupee Catholic 28 Woodlawn 34, West Feliciana 7 Team WF Woodlawn First Downs 12 7 YardsRushing 28-102 29-219 YardsPassing 115 94 Passes (C-A-HI) 18-37-1 6-13-1 Punts-avg.6-29 3-30.33 Fumbles-lost 5-2 1-0 Penalties-yards7-65 6-70 SCORINGSUMMARY W.Feliciana0 70 0—7 Woodlawn 68137 —34 WHS: Cedric Jones 84 fumble return (kick failed) WHS: Cayden Randall 62 run(Randall run) WFHS: Ean Hills 15 run(Trey Rogers

WHS: Aaron Stern 32 FG LOHS: Jones 1run (Matthew Landry kick)

LOHS: Brayden Felton 8run (Landry kick)

WHS: JayceEvans 1run (Sternkick)

WHS: Tyler Whisman 12 pass from Evans (Sternkick)

LOHS: David 38 pass from Jones (Landrykick)

LOHS: Landry23FG LOHS: Jones 29 run(pass failed)

WHS: Jayden Wilson 4run (Stern kick)

WHS: Cadyn Lewis70pass from Evans (Sternkick) Plaquemine 20, Brusly 12 Team Plaquemine Brusly First Downs 15 21

PHOTO By CHRIS PARENT

East Ascension quarterback Zaylen Smithjumpsinto the end zone for atouchdownduring agame against Denham Springs onFridayatEast Ascension Spartan StadiuminGonzales

Clintonchurch hopesto‘pack thepews’ with family,friends

The desire to worshipalongside her husband led Perlae Shropshire to join Union Chapel Baptist Church in Clintonmore than 25 yearsago

“Justlike Ifell in love with him, I fell in love with the church,” she said. “Union Chapel is asmall church but aclose-knit family church.”

Over the years, Shropshire, 80, has faithfully served as aSunday school teacher, choir presidentand is one of the “captains” helping lead the historic congregation toward a new chapter: the building of anew sanctuary

The annual “Pack aPew/Family andFriend Day” service plays a role in that effort. This year’scelebrationisscheduled for 1p.m.Sunday at the church, 12489 Union Chapel Lane. The theme is “Celebrating God’sGift of Familyand Friends.”

See MATTERS, page 2D

CDCups alarmon kissing bug disease

BY MARGARET DELANEY Staff writer

Although the name sounds endearing, the “kissing bug” disease is nothing to fawn over.The disease is now being consideredasanendemic classification, according toan August report from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Kissing bugs,also known as easternconenose bugsortriatomine, can bite faces and infect humans with Chagas disease. Chagas is aparasitic infection thatcan cause fever,aches and, in severe cases,heart and gastrointestinal failure.

“The problem with Chagas is that it’sachronic disease that takes years to develop, someonecould die without knowing they have it,” said Dr.Norman Beatty,aclinician at the University of Florida whocontributed to the CDC research and report.

The parasite, and its symptoms, can remain dormant in the body from one year to three decades after infection. Chagas disease does not spread from person-to-person nor does it spreadfromcasualcontact with infected animals

About half of all kissingbugs carry the parasite that causes Chagas disease,T.cruzi,which is passed when the insects defecate. Scratching the bite or rubbing eyes can push the infected fecal material inside the body

“Most people find out they have Chagasdisease when they give blood,” saidAaron Ashbrook, an urban and peri-urban entomologist at Louisiana State University’sAgCenter Chagas disease can be treated with twodifferentmedications benznidazole or nifurtimox. Both kill the parasite and are fully effective in curing Chagas if given early —the acute phase lasts around twomonths

See KISSING BUG, page 3D

BY CATHERINE S. COMEAUX | Contributingwriter

hey’llput haironyour chest!” was my father’s guarantee when he offered my brothers and Ifresh sliced tomatoes from hisgarden. Guess who refusedtomatoes most of her childhood?

Inow grow them myself (tomatoes,not hairs on my chest) and have found adelightful tomato pie recipe that’sbright with thetaste of late summer, while its butterycrust elicits cozy fallfeels. The dish is perfect for afall picnic when cool fronts are promising to interrupt the lingering heat.

Fall tomatoes in south Louisiana aretypically harvested in September and October.Mykids will start talking about this tomato pie when the first green fruits set on the vines.Thisiswhen leafmunching hornworms and juice-sucking stinkbugs start noticing tomatoes too.

Over the years I’ve discovered ways to manage these natural insults.I’ve perfected my hornworm flinging technique (which lands them by the bird feeder), but even when the bugs get afew bites,myimperfect tomatoes still tastedelicious andlook beautiful in thispie.

Tomato Pie is served up at aneighborhood potluck pie picnic.

PHOTO By BRETT HONDOW

conenose kissing bug (Triatoma sanguisuga), carries Chagas disease.

PHOTOSBy CATHERINE S. COMEAUX

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,Sept.27, the 270th day of 2025. There are 95 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On Sept. 27, 1996, the Taliban, the extremist Islamic movement in Afghanistan, drove the government of President Burhanuddin Rabbani outof Kabul, the capital, and executed former President Najibullah. Also on this date: In 1779, John Adams was named by Congress to negotiate the Revolutionary War’speace terms with Britain.

In 1939, Warsaw,Poland, surrendered after weeks of resistance to invading forces from Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union during World WarII.

In 1940, Germany,Italy and Japan signed the Tripartite Pact,formallyallying theWorld WarIIAxis powers.

In 1964, the government publicly released the report of the Warren Commission, which concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in assassinating President John F. Kennedy In 1979, Congress gave itsfinal approvaltoforming the U.S. Department of Education.

In 1991, President George H.W.Bush announced in atelevised address that he was eliminating all U.S. ground-launched battlefield nuclear weapons and called on the Soviet Union to match the gesture.

In 2013, President Barack Obama and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani spoke by tele-

phone, the first conversation between American and Iranian leaders inmore than 30 years.

In 2018, Christine Blasey Ford testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee that she was “100%” certain that shewas sexually assaulted by Supreme Courtnominee Brett Kavanaugh when they were teenagers, and Kavanaugh then told senators thathewas “100% certain” he had done no such thing. Kavanaugh was confirmed on Oct. 6ofthat year

In 2021, R&Bsinger R. Kelly was convicted in asex trafficking trial in New York after numerousallegations of misconduct withyoung women and children; afederal appeals court upheld the convictions and his 30-year prison sentence in 2025.

In 2023, NASA astronaut Frank Rubio sets aU.S. record of 371 days in space,returning to Earthfrom the International Space Station withRussian cosmonauts Sergey Prokopyev and Dmitri Petelin.

Today’sBirthdays: Musician Randy Bachman (BachmanTurner Overdrive) is 82. Actor LizTorres is 78. Baseball Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt is 76. Singer and actor Shaun Cassidy is 67.Comedian and podcaster Marc Maron is 62. Actor GwynethPaltrow is 53. Actor Indira Varma is 52. Musician-actor CarrieBrownstein is 51. Actor Anna Campis43. Rapper Lil Wayne is 43. Musician Avril Lavigne is 41. Actor Jenna Ortega is 23

PROVIDED PHOTO

NewUnion Chapel Baptist Church in Clinton is working to complete its newsanctuary.

MATTERS

Continued from page1D

The Rev.Mary Moss,ofSt. Alma Baptist Church in Lakeland, will serve as the guestspeaker

Union’s“Pack aPew/Family and Friend Day” serves two vital purposes: to bring families and friends together for worship, and serveasa fundraiserfor the building project that launched five years ago

For a“Pack the Pew” service, church members, includingthe five captains, invite family and friends to worship in an effort to fillthe pews. This year,invitees have been asked to donateto the church’sbuilding effortsto replace the present sanctuary, built in 1967.

“Everybody gets involved,and every year there’safriendly competition where we can all work for the same goal,” Shrosphire said. “My family is big, and my husband’sfamily is big, so we’re anticipatingquite a few people.”

The goal this year is to raise at least $20,000, said the Rev Terrell Hookfin, who has been Union’spastor for nearlytwo years. Hookfin added that thetotal cost is expectedto be around

$600,000.

“All the funding will be going toward our new project on the inside of ournew building. We have completed theoutside, so we’reraisingmoney and asking friends and family to sow seeds into ourministry to complete the inside,” he said.

Addingspecial meaning to thefamily day atmosphere for Shropshire: The guestspeaker Moss,isher younger sister

“She’s adynamic speaker,” Shrophsire said.“When Ihave questions, that’swho Icall. And she’s always lifting me,too. She’llchastise me, too, and I have to tell her sometimes, ‘I’m thebig sister.’”

Aretired elementaryschool teacher with morethan 45 years in the classroom,Shropshire said one of her greatest joys at Union is teachingadult Sunday school.

“I love teaching God’sword,” Shropshire said, whotaught at schoolsinLivingston,St. Charles andEast Feliciana parishes.“I learn more when I’m teaching Sunday school than thepeople that I’m teaching.Ican feel thespiritworkinginmeand strengtheningme.”

ContactTerry Robinson at terryrobinson622@gmail.com.

Serves 6-8. Recipe is adapted

1garlic bulb

3tablespoons olive oil, divided

1¼ cup all-purpose flour,plusmore for dusting

½teaspoon salt

½teaspoon dried thyme (or a combination of herbs likeoregano and basil)

½cup (1 stick) unsalted butter,chilled

¼cup ice water

2ounces (about ½cup) Parmesan or Asiagocheese, grated

1½ pounds (about 4medium sized) ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced¼ inch thick

Saltand pepper to taste

3-5fresh basilleaves, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Place the garlic bulb on asheet of aluminum foil, drizzle with one tablespoon of olive oil, then fold the foil over the garlic to seal. Bake for 45 minutes on abaking sheet.Removeand allow tocool.

TOMATOES

Continuedfrom page1D

The recipe caught myeye over 20 years ago in aMartha Stewart Livingmagazinewith its photos of flawless tomato slices arranged in aFibonacci-inspired mandala.

The recipe called for fontina cheese made with milk from a meditating cow grazed on organic alfalfa. It yielded just theright amount of dough to fit a14-inch tartpan with aremovable bottom (madebyyour local tinsmith). Complicated —but Iripped and saved thepage anyway

3. In alarge bowl, whisk together flour,salt and dried herbs.

4. Useacheese grater to grate butterinto the flour mixture. Usea pastry cutter or two forks to combine the butter andflour mixture until it resembles coarse meal

5. Slowly addthe icewater to the flour-butter mixture, gently stirring and tossing with arubber spatula until the dough formsa ball.

6. Place theballofdough on a sheet of plastic wrap andflatten intoadisk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate at least one hour (or overnight).

7. Raise oven temperature to 450 F.

8. On alightly flouredsurface, roll out chilled dough to an 11-inch circle, about 1/8-inch thick. Place dough in a9-or10-inch piepan andcrimp theedges. Chill for30 minutes.

My attempts at following Stewart’srecipe have been less than precise since Ifirst tracked down fontina cheese at alocal grocery store (in thespecialty cheese section). My tomatoes oozed beautiful red juice and were lumped instead of laid neatly like Stewart’sina perfect “circular pattern overlapping slightly.” Fourteeninch tart pans do not exist —not in stores and not online. Inever did locateour local tinsmith but have since adjusted theingredients to fit atypical pie pan. If you have access to fresh fall tomatoes,use them.Ifnot, try a local grocery store with areputation for good produce. The sugars

9. Squeezethe roastedgarlic cloves from their skins into the chilled pie crust —spread evenly with aspatula to cover the bottom

10. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup of cheese. Arrange the tomatoes in acircular pattern, slightly overlapping the slices.Season with salt andpepperand drizzlewithremaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

11. Bake 30 minutesat450 Fthen sprinkle with remaining cheese and reduce the oven to 425 Fdegrees. Bake until crust turns golden, 20-30 moreminutes.

12. Cool about20minutesona wire rack. Garnish with basil.

RECIPE NOTES:

n If using store-bought tomatoes, look for firm ripe Roma or “on the vine” tomatoes. n Experiment with avariety of tomatoes. Smallergrape or plum sized tomatoes add sweetness.

in the tomatoes caramelize as this open-topped pie bakes in the oven, making even store-bought tomatoes sing with flavor

For any party,pies are transportable and give folks some direction on what to bring while giving them freedom to be as creative or as practical as they need to be. We put on apie potluck in our neighborhood, and I’malways amazed at what people come up with —both savory and sweet. If you’re worried about ending up with atable full of desserts and nothing meal-like foryour own pie potluck, assign every other invitee asavory —but let them know you’ll bring the tomato pie!

PHOTO By CATHERINE S. COMEAUX Tomato Pie

from aTomato Tart recipe printed in Martha StewartLiving, July 2005

Whyon thelips? Just why?

Dear Miss Manners: Ihave a dear friend who, every time Isee her,insists on greeting me with akiss on the lips When Iattempt to turn the other cheek (pun intended), she firmly redirects me back into position. Iamataloss for how to address it. The only silver lining of masking up was that it provided anatural barrier, one she thankfully never tried to bypass. But now,Ifind myself wondering: Should Istart wearing masks again just for her? The thought of bringing it up feels awkward, especially since she is awarm, generous and genuinely kind person. I just suspect she may have missed acruciallesson in personal boundaries.

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Gentle reader: Thetried and trusted,“Idon’t wantyou to catch anything,” said before your friendgetsa chance to lock in, is an option.If, after doing this several times, she gets suspicious andaccuses youofnot being sick, Miss Manners suggests you say, “See? It’sworking.”

Dear Miss Manners: I enjoy theater and concertsand amin aposition to treat others to these events. Iusually purchase two tickets and invite afriend who might enjoy the event.

Unfortunately,someof these friends either do not respond, or saythatthey want to waitbeforeanswering, due to other anticipated commitments (work,children’sactivities).Insome

cases,they accept, then cancel veryclosetothe event In theformer two cases, Ifollow up with an inquiry as to whether they are able to attend. If not, Ithen offer tickets to other friends. Since thecancellation is sometimes aday before, Iamleft to find another person to come at the last minute.

Often,Ineed to ask multiple people before finding one who is free. Iam unsure how to wordthese invitations, as it will seem that the person was not my first choice. Iamalso unsure if Ican contact several people at the sametime to see who can attend, then “uninvite” the person who responds last Ihave often gone alone, but don’tlike wasting a ticket that someone else may have used. What is the

proper way tohandle this?

Gentlereader: Few people will argue with afree ticket. Andreasonable people understand that they cannot always be your first choice, as long as you are equitable and transparent about it. If you are asking one at a time, say without explanation,“Ihave alast-minute ticket to aCloud Rap concert. Please let me know in the next hour if you are available.” Andthen move along to the next person accordingly.Ifoffering several people at once, you can say,“Dibs go to theperson who answers first.”

As for frequent lastminutecancelers? Miss Manners suggestsyou take them off the list entirely

Send questions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com.

When downsizing thefamilyhome

Dear Heloise: Afriend of my mother decided to downsize to atownhome after living in her large family homefor years. She decided the things that she wanted to take with her,then hired an estate sale company so as not to deal with the things that she had amassed and no longer needed over the years. After the sale was over,she called a local charity to come pick up what wasn’tsold. —Eliza Jones, in Lakewood,California

Dear Harriette: About a month ago, Ireconnected with an old friend from college. Iwas visiting his city,and we bumped into each other and have been talking ever since. He made plans to come visit me and will be here next week. I’ve never dated long-distance before, so being able to go out and do things together is ideal, but he didn’tconsult me before deciding to visit. Despite howmuch Ilike getting

KISSING BUG

Continued from page1D

—according to the World Health Organization. The efficacyofthe medication diminishes, however, the longer aperson has been infected.

Cases are not actively rising, the CDC said. However raising Chagas diseaseto an endemic could “improve surveillance,researchand public health responses” in the U.S., according to the CDC report.

“The longer aperson is living with this chronic infection, the longer patients are going to receive permanent damage,” Beattysaid. “Why do words matter? Anew endemic status could bring awareness that it exists, and that we need to screen people at risk and offer therapy, prevent development.”

Kissing bugs have been around for around 9,000 years old, according to aNational Library of Medicine study,but are more common across Latin America

to know himagain, it felt hasty that he would invite himself,purchase aplane ticket, book aplace to stay and rent a car without asking me first.He’ll be here from Sunday to Wednesday,and I work on weekdays. He also booked ahotel about 40 minutes away from where I live. This all seems poorly plannedand a bit toomuchfor me, and I’m notreally looking forward to this visit. Am Ioverreacting? —MovingToo Fast

andSouth America. Chagas disease is an endemic in 21 countries.

According to data from theCDC, 8million people in the worldhaveChagas disease —and around 288,000 peoplein theU.S.

The CDCalso estimates that of thetotal Americans with Chagas, only 10,000 were infected inside the country.Most others contracted the disease inLatin America and then traveled or immigrated to theUnited States.

Still, kissing bugs have beenfound in 32 states, and there have been cases of local transmission inpeople in eight states:California, Arizona, Texas, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana.

TheLouisiana Department of Health does not actively monitor positivecases.

“A Chagas champion, that’swhat Icall myself,” Beatty said. “I want tobe an advocate for awareness to spread awareness of this disease. Iwantthere to be moreawareness,and data,ona national andstate

Dear Moving TooFast: It sounds likethisman really likes you andwants to spend time with youinperson.There’s something sweetand intentional about that, even if it is pushy.Rather than pushing back,givehim achance.He is attemptingtoberespectful. He didn’tsay he was comingand wanted to stay in your house. He is making it as easyaspossibletobe in your company.Should he have asked you first? Yes. Shouldhehaveplanneddays that work bestfor you? Yes. Youcan remind him that youhavetowork most of the

level.”

What to look for

There arethreetypesof kissing bug in Louisiana: triatoma sanguisuga, triatoma lecticularia andtriatoma gerstaeckeri. The bugs in Louisianahave alonger lead time for infection,Ashbrook said. Akissing bug in the state would need to be on thebody for 30 minutestodefecate and infect the person.

It is common for wildlife andother animals, even dogs, to be infected with Chagas diseasefromkissing bugs. These infected animals, however,cannottransfer thedisease to humans.

“You can only getitifbitten by an infected kissing bug,” Ashbrook said.

Kissing bugs withChagas disease are common in uninhabited buildings, like hunting cabins or cabins, as well as wildlife rodent burrows, raccoon nests,armadillo burrows and structures for outdoor pets.

LSU’sAgCenter hasreceived many kissing bug inquiriesinthe last few

time he will be in town,and you probablycannot hang outevery night. Still, make an effort to spendtimewith himsoyou can seeifbuildinga bond with himisworth it. When in person,you can eventually tell himina gentleway that you found hisgesture abit too forward —but don’tstart with that. Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

weeks, according to Ashbrook,onhow to handle the pesky creatures.

Ashbrook advisespeople whosuspect they found a kissing bug to capture it in abag, freeze it and give it to theLSU AgCenter

“Wedon’t wantpeople to crush thebug,” Ashbrook said. “Thatincreases the risk of exposure. Freezing for a few days is better,and kills the bug without much mess.”

It’s important, however, thatpeople properly identify thebugsasthey arevery similar to assassin bugs, a beneficial insectinLouisiana

The kissing bugs tendto have pointierheads, Ashbrook said, while theassassin bugs are rounder at the top.

Kissing bugs are black or dark brownand have red, orange or yellow stripesonthe edge of their bodies. Theyare just alittle biggerthanthe size of apenny,can bitewithout being detected and are most active at night,according to Texas A&M University

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

Hints from Heloise

onto plain gift bags. Sometimes Iadd little threedimensional floral or butterfly stickers, too. Voila, a lovely custom gift bag! Also, the fronts of old Christmas cards are great to apply to Christmas packages to dress them up. They can be used as alarge gift tag, too. —Deb,inArizona

TheFrenchtuck

Reusinggreetingcards

DearHeloise: Someone gave ahint about reusing the backs of old greeting cards for note-taking. Ireuse the fronts instead! Icut off the fronts with their lovely art and glue or staple them

DearHeloise: Ashirt tucked only into the front is called a“French tuck.” Isuspect it was started by fashion ad photographers who wanted to show off how the jean or skirt front looks while the model is wearing atop that’smeant as an overblouse. —Lee B.,via email Email heloise@heloise com.

RELIGION BRIEFS

Unitarian Church to hostmusic festival

FROM STAFFREPORTS Matthews

The UnitarianChurchof Baton Rouge,8470 Goodwood Blvd.,Baton Rouge will hostits second annual QUUeer Fête music festival on Saturday,Oct. 4. It’safamily-friendly, alcoholfree event celebrating advocacy, liberation and social justice,and welcoming of all community members.

From4:30p.m.to9 p.m., there will be avariety of music, including the 2025 International FolkMusic AwardsArtist of the Year Crys Matthews and the Gais Do Do Band featuring Gina Forsyth,Jan Boney, Maegen andRosemary Benoit and Sam Wróbel. The evening will also include food, community resources, spoken word per-

formances by Baton Rouge Poet Laureate Kalivyn Marquix and more. Tickets begin at $15, with children 12 and younger admitted free, and are availableatquueerfete. unitarianbr.org or at the door Free gospel concertonOct.3

The Rev.Mike Vaughn will lead a“Southern and Country GospelFest” at 5:30 p.m.Friday,Oct. 3, at GoodNews Fellowship Church, 13101 La. 442 West, Tickfaw Doors will open at 5:30 p.m., andsinging will start at 6:30 p.m. with Vaughn, followed by Rick Hendrickson at 7:30 p.m This is afree concert, but alove offering will be received. Aconcession stand will serve desserts. For further information, contact Barbara Vaughn at (985) 974-0507 or mvmgoodnews.com.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep an open mind, but don't be gullible. Avoid excessive behavior or taking on more than you can handle. Life can be simple if you are true to yourself, live within your means and know when to say no.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) You've got plenty to offer. Approach life with a passionate point of view and an energetic plan to make a difference. Refuse to let anyone stifle you.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Your emotions will interfere with your decisionmaking process. Do your best to reflect before you act to avoid having to backtrack. A positive attitude will pay off

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Take care of unfinished business. Catching up will put your mind at ease and get anyone hounding you off your back. Stop wasting time on trivial pursuits.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Motivate yourself, harness your energy and pursue your dreams, hopes and wishes. Shake off negativity and adopt a positive attitude that can carry you to the victory you deserve.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Reclaim your right to do what brings you joy. Unleash your desire and motivate your mind to follow your heart. Release what and who no longer benefits you or supports your efforts.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) It'sOKtodream, but more important to turn your aspira-

tions into a reality. Invest in yourself, not in lavish entertainment or products that promise the impossible.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Take time to replenish and to enjoy life's little pleasures. Kicking back with loved ones or doing something that makes you feel and look your best will boost your confidence.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Participate in events that require skill, strength and endurance. Volunteer your time, skills or money for a cause that matters to you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Look at the big picture and analyze your options. Simplicity is the key to longevity. Discipline and determination will pave the way to a brighter future.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Anger solves nothing. Focus on what and who you know, and you'll get what you want. Learn from people with more experience and from the mistakes you've made along the way.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Stop letting outside interference determine what happens next. Take control and make your pursuit clear Pay attention to detail and present what you can do.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

TODAy'S CLUE: J EQUALS V

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

peAnUtS

zItS

FrAnK And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

dooneSbUrY

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

AnneFrank wrote, “Howwonderful it isthatnobodyneedwaitasinglemoment before starting to improve the world.”

Howwonderfulitiswhenasinglecard improves thefit andresults in alowpoint-count slam Look at the Northhand in today’sdiagram. You open one spade and partner responds two clubs. What would you rebid?

Afteratwo-over-one responsein

Standard American, anew-suit rebid by opener is forcing for one round. So a jump rebidcan be used as asplinter bid, showing good support for partner’ssuit, extra values and asingleton (or void) in the named suit.(Ithinkthat thisismuch more useful thandescribing agood 5-5 two-suiter.)

Here, South, now knowing that his three heart losers can be ruffed on the board, should control-bid (cue-bid) four hearts to suggest aslam. Then North can use some form of Blackwood.At that point,the problem will be to avoid seven clubs.

Againstsixclubs,Westleadsthespade king. Howshould South plan the play? The dealisperfect for acrossruff. But before commencing one of those, declarer should cash allofhis side-suit winners. So, after taking the first trick with dummy’sspade ace, South should play aheart to his ace and cash dummy’s diamond winners. Then he crossruffs to takeonespade,oneheart,twodiamonds, four spade ruffs in hishand, three heart ruffs on the board, and one top trump. Each defender winstrick13: West with the diamond jack and East withthe club eight. ©2025 by NEA,Inc., dist. By

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters by the addition of “s,”such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3 Additional

or sexually explicit wordsare not allowed toDAY’s WoRD InMAtEs: IN-mates:Those occupying, or confined to, asingle place of residence. Average mark38words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 54 or morewords in INMATES?

today’s thought

that planted the ear,shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see?” Psalms 94:9

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of acertain Promissory Note

b1BANK F/K/ABUSINESSFIRST BANK,SUCCESSORBYMERGERTO AMERICAN GATEWAYBANK, SUCCESSORBYMERGERTOBANKOF WEST BATONROUGE is theholderof onecertain lost CollateralMortgage Note executed by theMaker,VonaJ Ladew, 680 SharpLane, No.213, BatonRouge,LA70815 in the original amount of $10,000.00 payabletothe orderofBEARERon demand,and executed by Vona J. LaDew, which CollateralMortgage Note stipulates to bear interest at therateof21.000 percentper annum from date until paid andis paraphed “Ne Varietur”for identification with aCollateral Mortgage givenbeforeMilton D. Altazan, Notary Public in andfor the StateofLouisiana on September 10, 1997, Anyone having anyknowledge of this note,pleasecontact Charles E. Spedale, Attorney at Law, 3301 NorthBoulevard,Baton Rouge, LA 70806; Tel: (225) 343-1300 160028-Sept 27, 1t $194.02 BatonRouge Real Estate

FURNITURE Excellent condition.

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of DEONTE CRYER(DOB: 12/2/XX) please contactattorney at lawA.J Sabine at aj@sabinelawfirm.com 225-259-0052 160120-9/27-28-29-3t $97.00

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of FreddieJosephJackson,please contactB.KyleKershaw,Attorney at Law, 212 Laurel Street,Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70801,telephone number (225) 336-9600. 160342-9/27-28-29-3t $109.00

Anyone knowingthe

of

B.

Kershaw, Attorney at Law, 212 Laurel Street,Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70801,telephone number (225) 336-9600. 160322-9/27-28-29-3t $109.00

Anyone knowingthe whereabouts of Trey Bell, contactChristopher Jenkins, Atty (225) 513-8100. 160261-9/27-28-29-3t $73.00

HEALTH CARE F/TDirectorofOutpatient Physical Therapy

Qualifications:BS, MS,orDoctorate de‐gree in

credited institution. Valid Physical Therapylicense with Stateof Louisiana. Minimumfive(5) yearsex‐perience in outpatient therapyas a physical therapist. Please visitthe website, pcghorg,to complete andsubmitthe application form Applicationdeadline: October31, 2025

AREA 9 38066 WillowLakeDr.,Prairieville 8am-3pmToday!HugeFurniture Sale!Kng,Qun &Fullszbeds, buffet table, endtables, 2tvconsoles, TVs, clothing

AREA 4 FREE RENT 225-351-7449

AREA 4 NO CREDIT CHECK/LEASE! Fully furnishedapartmentsALL BILLS PAID includingpremium cable& WIFI.Pet Friendly.Staywhere you're appreciated! Call 225-434-4161 HEALTH CARE Pointe Coupee GeneralHospitalhas the following position available: F/TOccupational

anyand all projectideas foron-call disaster recovery,debris cleanup,downtreere‐moval, andemergency management consultant services in theevent of a man-made or naturaldis‐asteratState Parks Properties.The objec‐tives in soliciting infor‐mation aretopromote theState Parksmission achieveproperbalance of preservation anduti‐lization of StateParks Properties while becom‐ingmore financiallyselfsustaining,and better servethe needsofciti‐zens andofvisitorsto Louisianathrough collab‐orationutilizing Public PrivatePartnerships. TheRFI packet,which in‐cludes a timeline, in‐structions forproposal submission,and selec‐tion criteria,isavailable at http://www.opportu nitiesinlouisiana.com.

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE Interested par‐ties areherebynotified that in accordance with LACTitle 43, Chapter7, §723.C.6the Office of CoastalManagement (OCM)ofthe Department of Energy andNatural Re‐sourcesreceiveda re‐questfor aPublicHear‐ingconcerningthe fol‐lowing applicationfor a CoastalUse Permit.In‐terested partiesare hereby notified that a JointPublicHearing will be heldonTuesday,No‐vember 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM at NewWineChristian Fellowship,1929 W. Air‐line Highway, LaPlace, LA 70068. This public hear‐ingwillbea jointhearing with theU.S.ArmyCorps of Engineers, NewOr‐leansDistrict. OCMMail‐ingAddress: P.O. BOX 44487, BATONROUGE,LA 70804-4487, Phone: (225) 342-6862, Email: andi zachary@la.gov,OCM Re‐viewer:AndiZachary CUPNumber: P20240033. Name:AIR PRODUCTS BLUE ENERGY LLC, c/o AECOMTECHNICAL SER‐VICES, INC. 8555 UNITED PLAZABOULEVARD SUITE 300 BATONROUGE,LA 70809, Attn:Steve Leach. Location:Ascension,Liv‐ingston, SaintJames SaintJohnthe Baptist, Tangipahoa Parishes,LA; Proposed LCEC @Lat.3007-33N /Long. -90-55-01W (located outsidethe CoastalZone);Proposed NorthMaurepasPlatform @Lat.30-17-28.11N / Long.-90-28-32.45W;Mis‐sissippi River; Sorrento to Lake Maurepas, LA Description:Proposed cleanenergyfacilityfor production of low-carbon hydrogenand low-car‐bonammoniawithac‐cess to deep-water river andrailtransportation networks,proposed24inch carbon dioxide pipeline(±38miles), pro‐posed24-inch hydrogen pipeline(±2 miles) and proposed 4-inch natural gaspipeline(±19miles) withpig launchers/re‐ceivers, cathodic protec‐tion andaboveground pipelinefacilities, main‐line valvesites,staging andlaydown facilities; temporaryand perma‐nent

NO. 2025 -044

TO ENACT TITLE 9, CHAPTER13RELATIVETOLICENSING AND REGULATION OF TIRE BUSINESSESAND TO PROVIDE FOR RELATED MATTERS

WHEREAS, the City of St. George desires to requirelicense and regulate tirebusinesses in the City of St. George; NOW THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the St. GeorgeCity Council, State of Louisiana as follows:

Section 1. Enactment

Chapter 13 of Title 9ishereby enacted to read as follows: Title 9 LICENSING AND REGULATION OF TIRE BUSINESSES CHAPTER 13. TIRE BUSINESS LICENSES

Sec. 9:1307. Purpose.

The purpose and intentofthe City is to protect the public health, safety,and welfareofits citizens, prevent the spread of disease and creation of nuisances, and to protect and enhance the quality of its environment. Thepurposeofthis article is to institute and maintaina comprehensive program for used and waste tirestorage and disposal that does notadverselyaffectthe health, safety,and wellbeing of the public and does not degrade the quality of the environment.

Sec. 9:1308. Definitions.

As used in this article, the following words and phrases shall have the meaning ascribed to them herein:

Abandoned means waste tires and/or waste tirematerials discarded withoutadhering to the proper disposal or processing standards required by LDEQ, Title 33, Part VII, Subpart 2, Chapter 105.

Destination Facility means afacility wherewaste tires and/or waste tirematerial areprocessed, recycled, collected, stored and/or disposed of after transportation.

Disposal means the removalofwaste tires from atirebusiness to a Destination Facility by aWaste TireHauler

Illegal Disposal/Dumping means the depositing, dumping, or placing of waste tires or waste tirematerial on to any land or water so that such waste tires, waste tirematerial, or any constituent thereof mayhave the potential for enteringthe environment, or being emitted into the air,or discharged into any waters of the State of Louisiana.

Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality (LDEQ) means the body or branch of the State of Louisiana government.

Manifest means the paper mechanism provided by LDEQorother governing authority,used for identifying the quantity,type, origin, transportation, and destination of waste tires and/or waste tirematerial from the point of generation to the authorized destination.

Person means any and all persons, natural or artificial, including any individual, business, firm or association.

Processing means any method or activity that alters whole waste tires so that they arenolonger whole, such as, cutting, slicing, chipping, shredding, distilling, freezing, or other processes as determined by LDEQ. At aminimum, atireisconsidered processed only if its volume has been reduced by morethan half.

Recapped or retreaded tire means any tirethat has been reconditioned and sold for use on amotor vehicle.

Storage means location wheretires arekept prior to sale or disposal.

Tire means acontinuous solid or pneumatic rubber covering encircling or intended to encircle the wheel of an automobile, truck, trailer,tractor or other vehicle.

Tire business means any place or establishment engaged in the business of selling or reselling tires or that generates waste tires and is occupied, used or maintained for the purpose of offering,transporting, repairing, processing, storing, utilizing, of any and all types of such tires.

Tire dealer means anyperson, business or firm that lawfully engages in the sale of new or used tires.

Unauthorized waste tirepile means an accumulation of morethan five waste tires whose storage and/or disposal is not authorized by the City

Used tire means atirethat can be salvaged and sold as afunctional tireconsistent with definitions contained in the Louisiana Department of Public Safety regulations.

Wastetire means atirethat is no longer suitable for its original purpose because of wear,damage or defect and/or has been discarded by the consumer

Waste tiregenerator means any person or entity whose activities, whether authorized or unauthorized, result in the production of waste tires. This may include,but is notlimitedto, tiredealers, repair shops, salvage yards, etc.

Waste tirehauler means any person engaged in the business of picking up or transporting waste tires for the purpose of removaland transporting to atirerecyclingfacility,waste tiredisposer,processor, end user or disposal facility

Waste tireprocessor means aperson or entity that processes waste tires. Sec. 9:1309. Tirebusiness permit.

All tiredealerslocated within the City engaging in the sale or resale of tires or the generation of waste tires shall be required to obtain an annual permit from the City for anon-refundable feeof$100 annually Tirebusinesses with multiple locations must purchase apermit for each location. Therevocation of atirebusiness permit shall requirethe payment of an additional annual fee for the reinstatement or re-establishmentofthe permit.

(a) Application.Each person, firm or corporation obligated to comply with the permit requirement set forth herein shall make awritten application to the city. The application shall set forth, among other things, the following:

(1) Name, physical address, telephone number,email, and cell phone number of the applicant.

(2) ax identification number or taxpayer identification number

(3) Proofofcurrent business license issued to the applicant at the proposed business address by the City

(4) Name, mailing address, telephone number,email of the owner of the tirebusiness (if different fromnumber (1) above).

(5) Name, mailing address, telephone number,email of the owner of the property wherethe tirebusiness is located.

(6) The estimated number of tires that will be stored on site.

(7) The current physical address of the site.

(8) Astatement setting forth and describing the availablespace for properly accommodating and protecting all tires including but not limited to the type of fire protection system.

(9) Site Plan with details of fencing, buildings, containers, etc. and location of tires storedonsite

(10) Proof of insurance.

(11) Such other and further information [the] department of environmental services may require

(12) Waste Hauler Name, address, phone number,and LDEQ Waste Tire Transporter Number (may list morethan one, if applicable).

(b) Annual fees.All permit fees aredue annuallybyJanuary 1of each calendar year at the Department of Environmental Services. These annual fees shall be paid in advance of the issuance of such license.

(c) Issuance.The permitting office shall issue apermit to atire business which submits the required application, pays the fee as required in this section, and has demonstrated compliance with this section and all applicableordinances. Each tirebusiness registered in accordance with the provisions of this section shall immediatelycause such permit to be posted in aconspicuous place within the premises wheresuch tirebusiness is thereby authorized to be established, maintained or operated.

(d) Changeofownership.Any and all changes in ownershipofa tire business shall immediatelycause the revocation of apermit issued forthat tirebusiness, and shall requirethe new owner to obtain anew permit.

(e) Effective period.The permits shall be effective, beginning on January 1until December 31, after which date it shall be null and void, unless renewed.

(f) Each tirebusiness shall have six months from the effective date of the ordinance, from which this article is derived, to comply with the provisions set forth herein. Failuretocomplywith this requirement shallbegrounds for revocation of the tirebusiness permitset forth above.

Sec. 9:1310. Records

Tirebusinesses shall keep records as prescribed by the LDEQ, Title 33, PartVII, Subpart2,10519, Standards and Responsibilities of Waste TireGenerators and Sellers of Tires. Records included but arenot limited to:

(a) Purchase Orders, Records Invoices and Receipts: Pertaining to the acquisition of new or used tires.

(b) Tire Sales Invoices: Documenting the quantity of new or used tires sold.

(c) Inventory Records: Tracking the number and types of alltires on hand; categorized individually as new,used or waste.

(d) Shipping Records: Documenting the movement of alltires; categorized individually as new,used or waste.

(e) Waste TireManifests: Documenting the proper and legal processing of waste tires generated by the business.

(f) Copies of each monthlywaste tirefee report submitted to LDEQ.

Sec. 9:1311. Operational guidelines.

(a) Tiresmust be stored in accordance with Section 1312.

(b) The outdoor display of tires is limited to the building frontage only and no morethan 5tires at any given time. Display tiresshall not be placed in the right-of-way

(c) Allwaste tiresshall be separate from new or used tiresoffered for sale by the business. Waste tires must be disposed of in accordance with Section1313.

Sec. 9:1312. Storage of tires.

Atirebusiness shall properly storetires at each facility in accordance with local, state and federal law.Toeliminate the potential nuisance of litter,insect breeding, fire hazards and other health risks, each tire business shall at all times during storage:

(a) Storenomorethan 500 used tiresand/or 150 waste tires at any one timeatasingle tirebusiness.

(b) Storetires in acovered or enclosed area adequatetoexclude water from the tires, provide insect and vermin control, and to prevent and control standing water in the storage area in accordance with applicable health and safety laws, including, but not limited to, the City’s fire prevention code.

(c) Screen alltires from public view if notstored within an enclosed building or transportablecollection container.Indoor storage of tires must be in accordance with fire prevention codes and permitted accordingly.

(d) If tires arestoredbehind afence, the fence must be legally permitted, fully enclosed, aminimum of 6feet in height and maximum of 8feet in height, and which may be constructed of chain-linkwirewith fully opaque screen or other weather and damage resistant materials, including wooden pickets, metal panels, or solid plastic panels.

(e) Securetires at each facility to prevent easy access or theft. Lock, chain, or storeinside abuilding or other securable area.

(f) Accumulateand storetires in accordance with the City’s fire prevention code.

(g)Notires shall be stored closer than 10 feet from lot lines unless completelyenclosed within abuilding or transportablecollection container

(h) Isolate tires from other stored materialsthat may createhazardous products if thereisa fire,including, but not limited to,lead acid batteries, fuel tanks, solvent barrels, and pesticide containers.

Sec. 9:1313. Disposal of tires

(a) Any waste tireasdefined herein shall be properly transported to an LDEQ approved Destination Facility within 30 days.

(b) It shall be unlawful for any person or tire business to cause, suffer or allow the disposal of tiresatany place in the City including, without limitation, in or on any public highway,road, street, alley, or thoroughfare, including any portion of the right-of-way thereof any public or private property or any waters in the City.

(c) It shall be unlawful for any person or tire business to cause, suffer or allow the disposal of wholetires in alandfi l.

(d) Tiresand/or tirematerial shall be properly transported and manifested in accordance with the LDEQ, Title 33, Part VII,

Subpart 2, Chapter 105. Tirebusinesses contracting with a tirehauler(s) for the proper disposal of tires generated by such business shall requiresuchhauler(s) utilizea transmittalmanifest documentingthe pickup anddelivery of the tires to an authorized tiredisposalortirerecycling facility

Sec. 9:1314.

entry into the tire business by authorized representativesofthe City or otherwise willfully obstructs the inspection of the tirebusiness;

(b) There arerepeated or seriousviolation(s) of anyCity ordinanceby the tirebusiness;

(c) The tirebusiness fails to comply with anyprovisions of this section and/or anyotherapplicable City ordinance(s);

(d) The tirebusiness fails to comply with anyapplicable state or federal law, rule or regulation;

(e) The tirebusiness knowingly authorizes atiretransporter who is not properly permitted as required in Louisiana Administrative Code,Title 33, Part VII, Solid Waste -Subpart 2, Chapter 105 to transport tires on behalf of suchbusiness.

Sec. 9.1315. Right of entry,and inspection.

(a) Rightof-entry.Enforcementofficers shall have the righttoenter the premisesofany tirebusiness to determine whetherthe tire business useriscomplying with allrequirements of this part. Tirebusinesses shall allow the City readyaccess to allparts of the premisesfor the purposes of inspection,observation, measurement, recordsexamination andcopying, photography documentation,and the performance of anyadditional duties.

1. Whereatirebusiness hassecurity measuresinforce which requireproper identification andclearance beforeentry into its premises, the tirebusiness shall make necessary arrangementswith its personnel so that, upon presentation of suitable identification,enforcementofficers will be permitted to enterwithout delay for the purpose of performingspecific responsibilities.

2. Any temporary or permanentobstruction to safe andeasy access to the facility to be inspected shall be promptly removedbythe userupon request andshall not be replaced.

3. Unreasonable delays in allowing the City access to the premisesshall be aviolation of this part.

Sec. 9:1316. Violations and penalties.

Any tirebusiness violating or failing to comply with anyprovision of this article shall be guilty of apenalty as follows:

(a) The improperstorage or displayofone or moretires shall constitute aseparateoffense per tireand be punishable by a fine of $50 for each improperly stored tireonthe location of the tirebusiness. Each day of continuedviolation of this subsection constitutesa separate offense

(b) The transportofone or morewastetires without the required permit shall constitute aseparateoffense per waste tireand be punishable by a fine of $50 for each tirebeing transportedin violation of this article

(c) The improperdumping of aused or waste tireshall constitute a separate offense andbepunishable by a fine of $50 per tire.

(d) Failuretomaintain accurate records, as required,shall result in a fine of $125 for a first violation;and upon asecond violation within atwo-year period, apenalty of $250; andupon athirdand any subsequentviolations within atwo-yearperiod, apenalty of $500.

(e) Failuretoobtain apermit annually shall result in a fine of $250 for a first violation;and upon asecond violation andany subsequent violations apenalty of $500.

(f)UnresolvedLDEQ ComplianceOrders, LDEQ delinquent notifications, failure to file monthly tirefee report with LDEQ, or other noncompliance issueswith LDEQ in excess of 90 days shall result in termination of the TireBusiness Permit.

Sec. 9:1317. Injunctive relief

In addition to, andcumulative of, allotherpenaltieshereinprovided, the city shall have the righttoseek injunctive relief, for anyviolation(s) of this article Sec. 9:1318. Administration/enforcement.

(a) Administration andenforcementofthis section shall be pursuant to Title 4. The City,byand through its authorized representatives, is hereby authorized to enterany property regulatedbythis article at reasonable or necessary timestoproperly inspect for violations.

(b) Tirebusinesses allegedtobeinviolation of this ordinanceshall receive noticetoappear at an administrative

Sec. 9:1319. Effective Date. This Ordinance shall be effective upon publication.

This ordinance having been submitted to avote;the vote thereon was:

For: Cook, Edmonds, Monachello, Murrell, Talbot, Dellucci,Himmel Against: Absent /Abstaining /Recused:

Adoptedthis day of September,2025

Signedthis day of September,2025

Deliveredtothe Mayor on the day of September,2025

LorraineBeaman,City Clerk

Approved:

Dustin Yates, Mayor

Received from the Mayor on the day of 2025

LorraineBeaman,City Clerk

AdoptedOrdinancepublishedinThe Advocateonthe day or 2025.

159954-559766-sep 27-1t $706.86