ABOVELEFT: Three-year-old BennyBaronne jumps over the sprinkler that is watering down the dancearea at the ScèneMaLouisiane duringthe festivalonSunday. ABOVERIGHT: CJ Chenier plays with the Red Hot LouisianaBand on the Scène Ma Louisiane during FestivalsAcadienset Créoles at Girard Park in Lafayette on Sunday. BELOW: Cajun musicians jam Sundayunder the Jam Tent during the festival at Girard Park. STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD KEMP
BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL |Staff writer
When his term as president emeritus ends on Dec. 31, former University of Louisiana at Lafayette President Jo-
seph Savoie will transitiontoafaculty position in UL’s College of Education, according to UniversityofLouisiana system President and CEO Rick Gallot Following asix-monthsabbatical, Savoie will moveintoafull-time tenured faculty position at thecollege in the fall of 2026. Savoie will receive his $510,000 annual salary until the newyear, accord-
Chief justice, judges spar over pay
Weimer locked in ayearslong battle over specialfund
BY TYLER BRIDGES |Staff writer
John Weimer sits atop the judicial system in Louisiana as the chief justice of the state Supreme Court.
But Weimer has spent years running into abrick wall of opposition from judges whenhetells them that they have to make adecision thatwould hit them in the pocketbook. Last week , they disregarded Weimer’splea once again.One judge even engaged in atesty exchange withhim over their disagreement. For several years, Weimer has been trying to convinceanobscure board calledthe JudicialSupplemental Compensation Fund to pay the SupremeCourt forthe timeits staffspends to administer it. The boardisunknown to the public but matters greatly to judges because it decides how much to augment their salaries from the fund, whichisfed by fees on civil court filings across the state. The fund currently boosts salaries for thestate’s364 judges by $1,050 per month beyond their designated state salary Mike Waguespack,the Louisiana legislative auditor,has sided with Weimer,saying the 1985 legislative act that created the fund requiresjudgestocover the SupremeCourt staffexpenses to administer it. Those costs run about $50,000 per year
But the judges on the board continue to ignore Weimer’sargument
ing to auniversityspokesperson. Specifics on his newsalary weren’t disclosed, only that he would earn the average of thetop threefaculty salaries in the College of Education. Savoie has bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from UL and a doctorate of education in educational leadership and administration from Columbia University’sTeachersCollege in New York, according to his university bio. The news comes two months after Savoie stepped down from the position he had held since2008. He will
Weimer
Madagascar’s president says coup is underway
ANTANANARIVO, Madagascar Madagascar’s president said Sunday that an attempted coup was underway in the Indian Ocean country, just a day after members of an elite army unit joined youth-led protests against the government and called for the president to step down
President Andry Rajoelina’s office offered no details on who was behind the attempt and no signs of violence were immediately visible on the streets on Sunday, although there was a large military presence.
A commander of the elite CAPSAT unit, Col. Michael Randrianirina, denied any coup had taken place, but the unit claimed to have taken control of all of Madagascar’s armed forces and said it had installed a new leader of the military, Gen. Demosthene Pikulas.
“We responded to the people’s call,” Randrianirina told reporters. Pikulas, who spoke alongside Randrianirina, declined to say if they had asked Rajoelina to resign, but the CAPSAT army unit appeared to be in a position of authority Madagascar has been shaken by three weeks of the most significant unrest in years in the nation. The protests were led by a group calling itself “Gen Z Madagascar,” and the United Nations says the demonstrations have left at least 22 people dead and dozens injured. The government has disputed this number
The whereabouts of the president were not immediately known on Sunday Community mourns factory blast victims
NUNNELLY Tenn. — Just miles from a rural Tennessee plant leveled by a devastating explosion, the congregants of Maple Valley Baptist Church devoted Sunday’s service to the 16 deceased victims and their families.
Several of the dozens of people praying at the small church knew someone who worked at the plant owned by Accurate Energetic Systems, which supplies and researches explosives for the military and is a well-known employer in the area.
“There’s a somber kind of vibe right now in the community just because it’s so many lives that have been affected by it,” said Pastor Jimmy Andrews of the church in Nunnelly “It’s family and friends just trying to hold each other up during this most difficult time.”
Churches across many of the area’s small close-knit communities, including another one attended by Gov Bill Lee on Sunday, did the same through vigils and services as many tried to make sense of the devastation.
“The losses are staggering,” Lee told reporters after surveying the damage by helicopter and attending Compassion Church in nearby Waverly
California beachgoers watch helicopter crash
HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. — A helicopter that was coasting above a popular Southern California beach Saturday suddenly lost control and began spiraling in midair, eventually losing altitude and slamming into a row of palms as stunned sunbathers and beachgoers looked on. Multiple videos posted online show the aircraft twirling clockwise above Huntington Beach, then plunging toward the edge of the beach, where it becomes wedged between palms and a staircase near Pacific Coast Highway
The Huntington Beach Fire Department said five people were hospitalized, including two who were in the helicopter and were “safely pulled from the wreckage.” Three other people on the street were injured. Details on their injuries were not immediately available. No cause was released.
Israel awaits freeing of hostages
Gaza ceasefire continues to hold
BY SAMY MAGDY, SARAH EL DEEB and MELANIE LIDMAN Associated Press
CAIRO Israel said Sunday that it expected all living hostages held in Gaza to be released Monday in its breakthrough ceasefire deal with Hamas, as Palestinians awaited the release of hundreds of prisoners held in Israel and a surge of aid into the famine-stricken territory.
“In a few hours, we will all be reunited,” Israel’s military chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said in a statement.
President Donald Trump planned to visit Israel and Egypt on Monday to celebrate the ceasefire announced last week in the two-year war
Israeli government spokesperson Shosh Bedrosian said all 20 living hostages were expected to be released at one time to the Red Cross, then driven to a military base to reunite with families or, if needed, immediately to a hospital. After the hostages are freed Israel was ready to release about 2,000 Palestinian detainees and receive the 28 hostages believed to be dead.
An international task force will start working to
locate deceased hostages who are not returned within 72 hours, said Gal Hirsch, Israel’s coordinator for the hostages and the missing. Officials have said the search for their bodies, possibly under rubble, could take time.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose name was booed repeatedly Saturday night at a weekly rally for the hostages in Tel Aviv, said in a statement that Monday would be a “path of healing.” Many Israelis have accused him of drawing out the war for political aims, which he has denied.
Timing has not been an-
nounced for the release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel. They include 250 people serving life sentences in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during the war and held without charge.
A Palestinian official said a Hamas delegation was in Cairo speaking with mediators about the list of prisoners. The official said Hamas is pressing for the release of Marwan Barghouti, the most popular Palestinian leader and a potentially unifying figure, along with several others serving life sentences. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the
media. There was no immediate comment from Israel, which views Barghouti as a terrorist leader Israel has warned Palestinians in the West Bank against celebrating after the releases, according to a prisoner’s family and a Palestinian official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it. Israel’s military did not immediately respond to questions.
The Israeli military body in charge of humanitarian aid in Gaza said the amount of aid entering was expected to increase Sunday to around 600 trucks per day, as stipulated in
the agreement.
“Much of Gaza is a wasteland,” U.N. humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told The Associated Press. He said the U.N. has a plan for the next two months to restore basic medical and other services, bring in thousands of tons of food and fuel and remove rubble.
Egypt said it was sending 400 aid trucks into Gaza on Sunday for screening by Israeli troops. AP footage showed dozens of trucks crossing the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing. The Egyptian Red Crescent said the vehicles carried medical supplies, tents, blankets, food and fuel.
The United Nations has said it has about 170,000 metric tons of food, medicine and other aid ready to enter
The fate of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli- and U.S.-backed contractor that replaced the U.N. aid operation in May as the primary food supplier in Gaza, remained unclear
The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, which has the equivalent of 6,000 trucks of aid waiting in Egypt and Jordan, also had no clarity on its role. A spokesperson for the agency known as UNRWA, Jonathan Fowler, said the organization has enough food in its warehouses for Gaza’s entire population for three months.
Trump leaves for Mideast to mark ceasefire deal
BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE, AAMER MADHANI and JOSEPH KRAUSS Associated Press
WASHINGTON President Donald Trump set off for Israel and Egypt on Sunday to celebrate the U.S.brokered ceasefire and hostage deal between Israel and Hamas and urge Middle East allies to seize the opportunity to build a durable peace in the volatile region.
support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
“Very excited about this moment in time,” Trump told reporters before Air Force One took off.
He said many people in both Israel and Arab countries were “cheering” the agreement, adding that “everybody’s amazed and their thrilled and we’re going to have an amazing time.”
It’s a fragile moment with Israel and Hamas only in the early stages of implementing the first phase of the Trump agreement designed to bring a permanent end to the war sparked by the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants.
Trump thinks there is a narrow window to reshape the Mideast and reset longfraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
It is a moment, the Republican president says, that has been helped along by his administration’s
The White House says momentum is also building because Arab and Muslim states are demonstrating a renewed focus on resolving the broader, decadeslong Israeli-Palestinian conflict and, in some cases, deepening relations with the United States.
Trump’s comments as the trip began followed him saying Friday that “I think you are going to have tremendous success and Gaza is going to be rebuilt” and that “you have some very wealthy countries, as you know, over there. It would take a small fraction of their wealth to do that.
And I think they want to do it.”
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final 48 hostages held by Hamas, including about 20 believed to be alive; the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel; a surge of humanitarian aid to Gaza; and a partial pullback by Israeli forces from Gaza’s main cities.
Israeli troops on Friday
finished withdrawing from parts of Gaza, triggering a 72-hour countdown under the deal for Hamas to release the Israeli hostages, potentially while Trump is on the ground there He said he expected their return to be completed on Monday or Tuesday
Trump will visit Israel first to meet with hostage families and address the Knesset, or parliament, an honor last extended to President George W. Bush during a visit in 2008. Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said Trump also was likely to meet with newly-freed hostages, too.
“Knock on wood, but we feel very confident the
Shooting at South Carolina bar kills 4, injures at least 20 others
BY LEWIS LEVINE Associated Press
ST HELENA ISLAND, S.C. — A mass shooting early Sunday at a crowded bar on an idyllic island considered to be the largest Gullah community on the South Carolina coast has left four people dead and at least 20 injured, officials said.
A large crowd was at Willie’s Bar and Grill on St. Helena Island when sheriff’s deputies arrived and found many people with gunshot wounds An estimated 5,000 or more
Gullah people living on the island trace their ancestry back to enslaved West Africans who once worked rice plantations in the area before being freed by the Civil War.
Bar owner Willie Turral was inside the establish-
ment, which was packed for a high school alumni event, when he heard shots going off “in bursts” outside He described the scene: “Screaming and panic and fear.”
The Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on the social platform X that many people ran to nearby businesses seeking shelter from the gunfire.
“This is a tragic and difficult incident for everyone,” the statement said.
“We ask for your patience as we continue to investigate this incident. Our thoughts are with all of the victims and their loved ones.”
Among the injured, four were in critical condition at hospitals Sunday afternoon. The victims’ identities were not released.
Turral said the bar was hosting an event for alumni of Battery Creek High School in Beaufort, about 10 miles northwest of St. Helena Island. He said people were having a good time when the shots were heard.
“It was scary from the inside,” he said, with “people not knowing what’s really going on outside, people trying to get to safety.”
U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace posted on X that she was “COMPLETELY HEARTBROKEN to learn about the devastating shooting.”
Willie’s Bar and Grill advertises itself as serving authentic Gullah-inspired cuisine and describes itself on its website as “not just a restaurant but a community pillar committed to giving back, especially to our youth.”
hostages will be released and this president is actually traveling to the Middle East, likely this evening, in order to meet them and greet them in person,” Vance told CBS’ “Face the Nation.”
Trump then stops in Egypt, where he and Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi will lead a summit in Sharm el-Sheikh with leaders from more than 20 countries on peace in Gaza and the broader Middle East.
It is a tenuous truce and it is unclear whether the sides have reached any agreement on Gaza’s postwar governance, the territory’s reconstruction and Israel’s
demand that Hamas disarm. Negotiations over those issues could break down, and Israel has hinted it may resume military operations if its demands are not met.
“I think the chances of (Hamas) disarming themselves, you know, are pretty close to zero,” H.R. McMaster, a national security adviser during Trump’s first term, said at an event hosted by the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies on Thursday. He said he thought what probably would happen in the coming months is that the Israeli military “is going to have to destroy them.”
Palestinians walk Sunday among destroyed buildings in Gaza City, after Israel and Hamas agreed to a pause in their war and the release of the remaining hostages.
Trump
VP warns ‘deeper’ cuts aheadfor federalworkers
Shutdown enters 12th day
BY STEVE PEOPLES
AP national political writer
Vice President JD Vance on Sunday said there will be deeper cuts to the federal workforce the longer the government shutdown goes on,adding to the uncertainty facing hundreds of thousands who are already furloughed without pay amid the stubborn stalemate in Congress.
Vance warned that as the federal shutdown enteredits 12th day,the new cuts would be “painful,” even as he said theTrumpadministration worked to ensure that the military is paid this week and some services would be preserved for low-income Americans, including food assistance.
Still, hundreds of thousands of government workers have been furloughed in recent days and, in acourt filing on Friday,the Office of Management and Budget said well over 4,000 federal employees would soon be fired in conjunction with the shutdown. The effects of the shutdown also grew Sunday with the Smithsonian announcing its museums, research centers and the National Zoo are temporarily closed going forward for lack of funding.
“The longer this goes on thedeeper the cutsare goingtobe,” VancesaidonFox News’ “Sunday Morning Futures.” “Tobeclear,some of these cuts are going to be painful.Thisisnot asituation that we relish.This is not something that we’re looking forward to,but the Democratshave dealtusa prettydifficultset of cards.”
Labor unionshave already filed alawsuit to stop the aggressive move by President Donald Trump ’s budget office, which goes far beyond what usuallyhappensina government shutdown, further inflamingtensions between the Republicans who control Congress andthe Democratic minority.
Theshutdown began on Oct. 1after Democrats rejected ashort-termfunding fix and demanded that the bill include an extension of federalsubsidiesfor health insurance underthe Affordable Care Act. Theexpiration of those subsidiesatthe end of theyear willresult in monthlycost increasesfor millions.
Trump and Republican leaders have said they are open to negotiations on the health subsidies, butinsist the government must reopen first.
Fornow,negotiationsare virtually nonexistent. Dug in as ever,House leaders from both parties pointed fingers at each other in rival Sunday
appearances on “Fox News Sunday.”
“Wehaverepeatedlymade clear that we will sitdown withanyone, anytime, anyplace,” said House Democraticleader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.“Republicans control the House, the Senate andthe presidency It’sunfortunatethey’ve taken amy-way-or-the-highway approach.”
not to care” about thepain theshutdown is inflicting.
“They’re trying their best to distractthe American people from the simple fact that they’ve chosen apartisanfightsothattheycan prove to their Marxist rising base in the Democratic Party that they’rewilling to fight Trumpand Republicans,” he said. Progressive activists, meanwhile, expressed new support for the Democratic Party’s position in theshut-
N.J. declares emergencyasnor’easternears
Alaska flooding carries away homes
BY KATHY MCCORMACK Associated Press
Anor’easter churned its way up the East Coast on Sunday,washing out roads and promptingair travel delays as heavily populated areas of the Northeast experienced excessive rain, lashing winds and coastal flooding.
Across the continentin western Alaska, the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought hurricane- force windsand catastrophic flooding to coastal communities where entire houses were pushed off their foundations Rescue boats and aircraft were dispatched to the tiny Alaskan villagesofKipnuk and Kwigillingok, where there were reports of up to 20 people possibly unaccounted for,said Jeremy Zidek, spokespersonfor the state Division of Homeland Security andEmergency Management.
“Wehave received reports that people’shomes have floated away and that people were potentially in those homes,” Zidek told The Associated Press.
Alaska
More than170 people stayed overnight at acommunity shelter in Kipnuk, where the waterlevel rose overnight6.6 feet above the highest tide. At least 8 homes were washed away, Zidek said.
Roads and boardwalks were inundated and power lines were damaged in Bethel,Napaskiak, Napakiak, and other Yukon-Kuskokwim communities
“Every effort will be made to help those hit by this storm. Help is on the way ” Gov.Mike Dunleavy saidin
closures in MyrtleBeach, SouthCarolina, as heavy rainoverwhelmedthatcity’s stormwater system
“Pleasebesafe and stay home, if possible,” Myrtle Beach officials posted on Facebook
NewJersey
astatement.
The area is among one of themostisolated in the U.S., where some communities have few roads and residentsuse boardwalks, boatsand snowmobiles to getaround, Zidek said.
East Coast
Floodwaters could rise from the Carolinas north to New Jersey, forecasters warned.
“The greatest effectsare goingtobethe coastal floodingpotential,” saidmeteorologist BobOravec with the National Weather Service in CollegePark,Maryland
Heavyrain also was forecast for southeast New England, the New York City area, and some has fallen in coastal sections farther down thecoast, Oravec said.
In NorthCarolina’sOuter Banks,anareathat’sseen significant storm damage this season,ocean overwash was came acrossHighway 12 at amotel near Buxton, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office posted online Sunday The office urged travelers to be cautious and put property owners on alert as high tide approached
Thewaves were ferocious at the Hatteras Island town of Buxton,wherea number of beachfronthomes have
fallen into the water in recent weeks. Onehouse was losing its pilings Sunday and appeared close to collapsing.
“The waves arecrashing really hard into the houses and the dunes, and it’s all eroding,” saidRobert Splawn, who was watching on the beach.
Flooding waswidespread down the coast in Georgetown County, South Carolina, whereseveral motoristshad to be rescued when rising waters inundated their cars, Emergency Services Director Brandon Ellistoldthe Postand Courier on Sunday
The weatherservicesaid parts of the county had received up to seven inches of rain.
Further south in Charleston, SouthCarolina, many streets downtownwere closed because of flooding.
Homeowner DavidGraubnerspent the weekend pumping out his property, hoping to avoid arepeat of Friday,whenthe high tide brought nearly afoot of water into his garage, where his new Corvette was parked.
“And Igot all my toys in the garageand toolsand stuff.So whatever helps. Even lowering the water by afew inches makes adifference,” Graubner told WCIV-TV Therewere several road
AllofNew Jersey has been under astate of emergency since Saturday night. It’s expected to last into Monday,authorizing thestate’s emergency services personnel to be activated as necessary.OnLong Island, Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman declared a state of emergency Sunday because of thechancehigh ocean waves may push water into bays andwaterways.
Parts of thestate are forecast to experience moderate to major coastal flooding, inland flash flooding, winds up to 60 mph, up to 5inches of rain and high surf, potentially causing beach erosion. Some volunteers were puttingsandbags at beaches.
The National Weather Serviceplaced New York City, Long Island and southern Westchester County under acoastal flood warning and wind advisory through at least Mondayafternoon. Coastal areas of suburban Long Island couldsee flooding, with up to 3inchesof rainand high winds, the weather service said.
Wind gusts of more than 30 mph were already being recorded in the region on Sunday morning.
Utilities in the area have added more than 1,600 workers to respond to the storm
“With highwind warnings andflood risks, staying alert, vigilant andtaking steps to prepare is crucial for everyone’ssafety,” New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement
Someflight delays and cancellations were announced in airports from Washington,D.C. to Boston.
downfight. Ezra Levin, co-founder of the leading progressive protest group Indivisible,said he is “feeling good about the strength of Dem position.”
He pointed to fractures in the GOP,noting that Georgia Rep.Marjorie TaylorGreene publicly warnedlast week thathealth careinsurance premiums would skyrocket foraverage Americans including her own adult children —ifnothing is done.
“Trump andGOP are right-
fullytakingthe blamefor the shutdown and for looming premiumincreases,” Levin said. “Their chickens are coming home to roost.” Andyet theRepublican administrationand itscongressional allies are showing no signsofcavingtoDemocratic demands or backing away from threats to use the opportunity to pursue deeper cuts to thefederal workforce.
Thousands of employees at the departments of Education, Treasury,Homeland Security and Health and HumanServices, as well as the Environmental Protection Agency, areset to receive layoff notices, according to spokespeople forthe agencies and union representatives for federal workers.
“You hear alot of Senate Democratssay,well, how canDonaldTrump possibly lay offall of these federal workers?” Vance said. “Well, the Democrats have given us achoice between giving low-income women their food benefits and paying our troops on the onehand, and, on the other hand, paying federal bureaucrats.” Democratssay thefirings are illegal and unnecessary
“Theydonot have to do this,” said Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona on CNN’s “State of theUnion.” “They do not have to punish people that shouldn’tfind themselves in this position.”
Trumpwarns Russia he maysendUkraine Tomahawk missiles
BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press
ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE
President Donald Trump on Sunday warned Russia that he may sendUkraine longrange Tomahawk missiles if Moscow doesn’tsettle its war there soon —suggesting that he could be ready to increase thepressureon Vladimir Putin’sgovernment usingakey weapons system.
“I might say,“Look: if this warisnot going to get settled, I’m going to send them Tomahawks,” Trump told reporters aboard Air ForceOne as he flew to Israel. “The Tomahawk is an incredible weapon, very offensive weapon. And honestly,Russia does not need that.”
Trump said, “I might tell them that if thewar is not settled —that we mayvery well.” He added, “Wemay not, but we may do it. Ithink it’sappropriate to bring up.”
His comments came after Trump spoke by phone earlier Sunday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy,and Trump said he mentioned possibly sending Tomahawks during that conversation.
“Dotheywant to have Tomahawks going in that direction? Idon’tthink so,” TrumpsaidofRussia.“I think Imight speak to Russia about that.” He added that “Tomahawks are anew step of aggression.”
Hissuggestionsfollowed Russia havingattacked Ukraine’spower grid overnight, part of an ongoing campaign to cripple Ukrainian energyinfrastructure before winter. Moscow also expressed “extreme concern” over the U.S. poten-
tially providing Tomahawk cruise missilestoUkraine. Putin himself haspreviously suggested that the United States supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine will seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington. For his part,Zelenskyy describedhis latest call withTrump as “very productive,” andsaidthe pair had discussed strengthening Ukraine’s“air defense, resilience, and long-range capabilities,”along with “details related to the energy sector.” Trump in recent weeks has taken anotably tougher tactwith Putin, after the Russian leader has declined to engage in direct talks with Zelenskyy about easing fighting.
Last month, Trump announced that he now believes Ukraine could win back all the territory lost to Russia —a dramatic shiftfrom the Republican’s repeatedcalls forKyivto make concessions to end Russia’swar in Ukraine. But the U.S. president, at leastsofar,has resisted Zelenskyy’scalls forTomahawks. The weapon systemwould allowUkraine to strike deeper into Russian territory and putthe sort of pressure on Putin that Zelenskyy argues is needed to getthe Russians to seriously engage in peace talks.
Trump said aboard Air Force One of the war: “I really think Putin would look great if he got this settled” and that “It’snot going to be good forhim”ifnot. Weissertreported from Washington. Associated Press writer Aamer Madhani contributed to this reportfromWashington.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By ALEX BRANDON
Vice PresidentJDVance speaks withreporters on Oct. 1inthe James BradyPress Briefing Room at the White House in Washington.
ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By ALLISONJOyCE
AFox Weather reporter films Sunday in front of ahouse at riskofcollapse in the midst of astorminBuxton, N.C.
California expands privacy protections
BY DAVID A. LIEB Associated Press
Immigrants selling food, flowers and other merchandise along the sidewalks of California will have new privacy protections intended to keep their identities secret from federal immigration agents.
The measure, signed into law this past week by Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom, comes on the heels of other recently enacted state laws meant to shield students in schools and patients at health care facilities from the reach of President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement actions.
Democratic-led states are adding laws resisting Trump even as he intensifies his deportation campaign by seeking to deploy National Guard troops to Democratic-led cities to reinforce U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers who are arresting people suspected of being in the U.S. illegally By contrast some Republican-led states are requiring local law enforcement agencies to cooperate with ICE agents.
“The actions of the states really reflect the polarization of the country on this issue,” said Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies at the Center for Immigration Studies, which supports immigration restrictions. “We have seen some states move to cooperate to the greatest extent that they possibly can” with Trump’s administration and others “doing what they can to try to thwart immigration enforcement in their state.”
Across the U.S., state lawmakers this year have passed more than 100 bills
relating to immigration, according to an Associated Press analysis aided by the bill tracking software Plural. The measures are divided almost evenly between those providing and denying protections to immigrants.
Immigrants comprise a significant portion of California’s urban sidewalk vendors. Some have been swept up in immigration enforcement actions, in part, because their outdoor work in public places makes them easier targets than people behind closed doors
California’s street vendors typically need permits from cities or counties. The new law prohibits local governments from inquiring about vendors’ immigration status, requiring fingerprinting or disclosing personal information — name, address, birth date, social media identifiers and telephone, driver’s license and Social Security numbers, among other things — without a judicial subpoena
The law, which will take effect Jan 1, was prompted
France’s reappointed PM names Cabinet
BY ANGELA CHARLTON Associated Press
PARIS France’s newly reappointed Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu named a new government Sunday, as he faces pressure to urgently produce a budget and quell political turmoil that is scaring businesses and investors and staining the country’s image.
The Cabinet includes several familiar faces from previous governments who hail from French President Emmanuel Macron’s centrist camp as well as allied conservatives, and some people from outside the political sphere
It is unclear how l ong this new team will last.
Macron, whose term ends in 2027, lacks a majority in the deeply fractured parliament and is losing support from his own ranks. Meanwhile Marine Le Pen’s ascendant far-right National Rally party is calling for new elections, while farleft France Unbowed wants the president to resign. Immediately after the president’s office announced the new Cabinet, the conservative Republicans party announced it was expelling the six party members who agreed to join the government.
Lecornu, a 39-year-old centrist and close ally of Macron, and his government will now have to seek compromises to avoid an immediate vote of no confidence in the National Assembly, deeply fractured among far right, centrist and left-wing camps Among new appointments is a new defense minister, former Labor Minister Catherine Vautrin, who will help oversee French military support for Ukraine and address
threats to European security posed by Russia.
Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, who oversaw security for the 2024 Olympics, becomes interior minister, in charge of national security Roland Lescure will be finance minister, a crucial job as France tries to produce a budget that tackles ballooning debt and growing poverty.
Those keeping their jobs include Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, who travels Monday with Macron to Egypt for an international ceremony marking the Gaza ceasefire.
Lecornu, France’s fourth prime minister in a year, appointed his first government a week ago — then resigned hours later amid protests by a key conservative coalition member That unleashed days of political uncertainty Macron persuaded Lecornu to stay on as prime minister and renamed him Friday Lecornu acknowledged Saturday that there weren’t “a lot of candidates” for his job and that he might not last long in the post given the country’s deep political divides. Lecornu may be forced to abandon an unpopular pension reform that was one of Macron’s signature policies in his second presidential term. Rammed through parliament without a vote in 2023 despite mass protests, it gradually raises the retirement age from 62 to 64. Opposition parties want it scrapped.
Macron’s shock decision last year to dissolve the National Assembly produced a hung parliament and political paralysis as it faces a debt crisis that has worried domestic businesses, global financial markets and EU partners.
by concerns that vendor databases kept by local governments could be accessed by federal immigration agents to target people for detention and deportation.
“We’re talking about really security —- security for businesses, security for human beings, security for people who have gone through so much,” said Sergio Jimenez, a street vending organizer with the nonprofit Community Power Collective in Los Angeles.
Additional laws recently signed by Newsom add immigration status to a list of protected medical information and prohibit schools from granting access to immigration enforcement officials without a court warrant. Another new California law directs schools and higher education institutions to immediately notify staff and students or parents when immigration officials are on campus.
Upon taking office, Trump reversed a policy restricting federal immigration agents from arresting people at
sensitive locations such as schools, churches and hospitals. Like California, other Democratic-led states responded with laws attempting to create safe places for immigrants.
A Maryland law enacted earlier this year requires public schools, libraries and health care facilities to restrict access for immigration enforcement officials unless presented with a court warrant. Nevada’s Republican governor vetoed a similar measure for schools that had been passed by the Democratic-led Legislature.
Meanwhile, a new Colorado law allows civil penalties of up to $50,000 for public child care centers, schools, colleges, health care facilities and libraries that collect information about people’s immigration status, with some exceptions. New laws in Rhode Island prohibit health care providers and landlords from inquiring about people’s immigration status. Oregon also enacted a similar law for landlords.
By contrast, Republican-
led states have passed numerous laws intended to bolster Trump’s immigration policies.
New laws in Texas, Florida and Arkansas require sheriffs who run jails to enter into federal agreements for their officers to be trained to help U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. State and local participation in the federal 287(g) immigration enforcement program — named after the section of law that created it — has exploded from 135 agreements in 21 states before Trump took office in January to more than 1,000 agreements presently in place in 40 states.
But some Democratic-led states have refused to take part A new Delaware law prohibits participation in the program, similar to statutes already in place in California and Illinois. Democratic-led Vermont also tightened its restrictions on participating in federal immigration enforcement programs, repealing an exemption that had allow it during emergencies.
A Connecticut law that took effect in October allows people to sue local governments that cooperate with federal immigration authorities in violation of the state’s “Trust Act.”
In Washington, new state laws allow workers to take paid leave to attend immigration proceedings for themselves or family members and prohibit employers from using immigration status to coerce their employees.
But some Republican-led states have enacted laws limiting benefits for people in the country illegally
A new Idaho law prohibits immigrants without legal status from receiving some publicly funded health benefits, including vaccinations, crisis counseling and prenatal and postnatal care for women. A new Louisiana law requires applicants for public benefits to be screened for legal immigration status and, if lacking it, reported to federal immigration authorities
Several Republican-led states — including Florida, Louisiana, New Hampshire, Tennessee and Wyoming — have adopted laws invalidating certain driver’s licenses issued to immigrants in the U.S. illegally Entering into this year, nearly half the states provided in-state tuition to public colleges and universities for residents living in the U.S. illegally But that number has dwindled since Trump took office and the U.S. Department of Justice began suing states. The federal lawsuits assert states are violating the Constitution by providing in-state tuition for people without legal status while not offering the same benefit to out-of-state U.S. citizens. Florida repealed its decade-old law allowing in-state tuition for students lacking legal status, effective July 1. Republican-led Texas and Oklahoma both ended similar tuition policies after getting sued by the Justice Department. Kentucky, which has a Democratic governor, also has taken steps to halt its policy after getting sued. California lawmakers attempted to enhance tuition benefits for immigrants with a first-of-its kind measure allowing community college students who get deported or voluntarily leave the U.S. to continue receiving in-state tuition while taking online courses from afar But Newsom vetoed the measure earlier this month, citing “significant constitutional concerns” that the tuition break was offered only to students who left the country and not also to residents of other U.S. states. A bill passed by New Mexico’s Democratic-led Legislature this year would have expanded in-state tuition breaks to immigrants who earned income in New Mexico during the previous two years or who attended at least two semesters of adult education courses. But Democratic Gov Michelle Lujan Grisham let the bill die without her signature.
Afghanistan says it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers
By The Associated Press
KABUL,Afghanistan Afghanistan said Sunday it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in overnight border operations, in response to what it called repeated violations of its territory and airspace. Pakistan’s army gave far lower casualty figures, saying 23 troops were killed.
Earlier in the week, Afghan authorities accused Pakistan of bombing the capital, Kabul, and a market in the country’s east. Pakistan did not claim responsibility for the assault
The Taliban government’s chief spokesman, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Afghan forces have captured 25 Pakistani army posts, leaving 30 Pakistani soldiers wounded.
“The situation on all official borders and de facto lines of Afghanistan is under complete control, and illegal activities have been largely prevented,” Mujahid told a news conference in Kabul.
Pakistan has previously struck locations inside Afghanistan, targeting what it alleges are militant hideouts, but these have been in remote and mountainous areas. The two sides have also skirmished along the border in the past. Saturday night’s heavy clashes underscore the deepening tensions.
The Taliban government’s Defense Ministry said early Sunday morning its forces had conducted “retaliatory and successful operations” along the border
“If the opposing side again violates Afghanistan’s territorial integrity, our armed forces are fully prepared to defend the nation’s borders and will deliver a strong response,” the ministry added.
The Torkham crossing, one of two main trade routes between the two countries, did not open on Sunday at its usual time of 8 a.m.
The crossing at Chaman, southwest Pakistan, was also closed. People, including Afghan refugees leaving Paki-
smoke rising after an explosion.
Pakistan accuses Afghan authorities of harboring members of the banned group Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan. Islamabad says the group carries out deadly attacks inside Pakistan, but Kabul denies the charge, saying it does not allow its territory to be used against other countries.
Pakistan is grappling with surging militancy especially in areas bordering Afghanistan. It also accuses its nuclear-armed neighbor and rival India of backing armed groups, without providing any evidence.
stan, were turned away due to the worsening security situation.
An Associated Press re-
porter in Chaman heard jets over Spin Boldak, a city in Afghanistan’s southern Kandahar province, and saw
The overnight border clashes could fuel regional instability, as India and Pakistan came close to war earlier this year after a tourist massacre in the disputed region of Kashmir
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO
Afghan refugees sit Sunday next to their belongings at a camp in Chaman, Pakistan, as they wait for opening of the border crossing point, which closed after Afghan and Pakistani security forces exchanged cross border firing
ASSOCIATED PRESS
By JAE C. HONG
SAVOIE
Continued from page 1A
with an annual salary of $510,000.
Jaimie Hebert, formerly the provost and vice president for academic affairs at UL, now serves as the university’s interim president. Savoie’s resignation has been surrounded by financial concerns. Hebert, shortly after his appointment as interim president, reported the university had run into a $25 million funding deficit. He subsequently announced the elimination of six positions. He also said the Office of Sustainability and Community Engagement has been closed and the Office of Communications and Marketing and the Office of Auxiliary Services have been restructured in an effort to reduce costs.
In a town hall meeting last week, Hebert said additional staff and faculty cuts will likely be needed to close to gap on the $25 million deficit.
“We cannot resolve this without some reductions in staff. It’s going to happen,” Hebert said. “We are going to minimize that number as time goes on. I can’t make promises; there isn’t a magic number out there that we need to look at We’re going to attempt to make as much headway as we can by cutting expenditures outside of personnel and by generating more revenue.”
Savoie, the university’s sixth president, was under a contract that was not set to end until June 30, 2026, according to a Jan. 27 letter of appointment that noted a recent satisfactory evaluation by the UL System Board.
PAY
Continued from page 1A
in an unusual public rift between a chief justice and the rest of the judicial branch. Covering the expenses would reduce judges’ monthly paychecks — and, perhaps most importantly, their retirement checks.
In a 2023 letter to the Legislative Auditor’s Office, Weimer estimated that having the fund pay the Supreme Court staff expenses would cost each judge about $150 per year and perhaps that much also in retirement pay, depending on how long he or she served. The amount of money may be small, but Weimer has been pushing the fund to make the change, as a matter of law, and Supreme Court justices and the judges on the board have just as consistently rejected his view
A testy debate
During the board’s hearing Oct. 6 at the Windsor Court Hotel in New Orleans, about 20 judges attending a conference at the hotel came
China vows to stand firm against tariff threat
Trump urges Beijing to be less confrontational
BY KEN MORITSUGU Associated Press
BEIJING China signaled on Sunday that it would not back down in the face of a 100% tariff threat from President Donald Trump and urged the United States to resolve differences through negotiations instead of threats. Trump responded by taking a less confrontational approach without retreating from his demands, while his vice president seemed to warn Beijing not to react aggressively
“China’s stance is consistent,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online. “We do not want a tariff war but we are not afraid of one.”
It was China’s first official comment on Trump’s threat to jack up the tax on imports from China by Nov. 1 in response to new Chinese restrictions on the export of rare earths, which are vital to a wide range of consumer and military products.
Hours later, Trump used his Truth Social platform to send a message to Chinese leader Xi Jinping.
“Don’t worry about China, it will all be fine!” the Republican president wrote.
“Highly respected President Xi just had a bad moment. He doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!”
Trump may have had an eye toward to U.S. financial markets on the eve of the new business week. The stock market will be
into a meeting room to watch Weimer tell the five-member board that they should respond to Waguespack before they decided how much judges should receive in supplemental pay going forward.
The auditor has determined that not paying those expenses “is a violation of the law,” Weimer said. Waguespack has also said the fund should pay the Supreme Court three years of expenses to cover its failure to do so previously
Accord ing t o Weimer, William Burris, a district court judge in St. Tammany and Washington parishes and the panel’s chair, had said at the previous meeting that he would listen to the Supreme Court rather than Waguespack because the justices were elected, while Waguespack was only an unelected bureaucrat. Burris was referring to a 2021 decision by six of the seven justices, with Weimer dissenting, that the fund was not required to cover the staff expenses.
The view of a container port is seen in Qingdao in
open Monday though bond markets will close for the Columbus Day holiday On Friday, the broad S&P 500 stock market index plunged 2.7%, its worst day in about six months after Trump’s tariff threat.
The back and forth threatens to derail a possible meeting between Trump and Xi and end a truce in a trade war in which new tariffs from both sides briefly topped 100% in April.
Vice President JD Vance said Trump was committed to protecting America’s economic livelihoods while making the U.S. more selfsufficient. He said the fact that China has “so much control over critical supply in the United States of America” is the definition of a national emergency and therefore justifies Trump’s move to impose
just voted to say that the Judicial Supplemental Compensation Fund is an independent entity This meant, he said, that they should disregard what the Supreme Court majority said in 2021.
The 1985 law Weimer added, was “immensely clear”: the fund had to use money from the filing fees first to cover the staff time for the Supreme Court before sending out the supplemental paychecks.
Judge Richard Starling, an Alexandria City Court judge and one of the four judges on the supplemental compensation board, interjected that Waguespack’s findings on the expenses were sent to the state Supreme Court and not the board. As a result, Starling said, the board could not respond to it
“I haven’t seen a bill yet that says we owe the Supreme Court,” Starling told Weimer
The chief justice was undeterred.
tough tariffs.
“It’s going to be delicate dance and a lot of it is going to depend on how the Chinese respond. If they respond in a highly aggressive manner, I guarantee you the president of the United States has far more cards than the People’s Republic of China,” Vance said on Fox News Channel’s “Sunday Morning Futures.”
“If, however they’re willing to be reasonable, then Donald Trump is always willing to be a reasonable negotiator We’re going to find out a lot in the weeks to come about whether China wants to start a trade war with us or whether they actually want to be reasonable,” Vance continued “I hope they choose the path of reason The president of the United States is going to defend America regardless.”
high amount of per diems allowed for judges while traveling. Burris cut him off.
“You’re getting off subject,” Burris said.
“It’s all very much on topic,” Weimer said, interrupting Burris.
“I understand you think the judges are overpaid,” Burris said, cutting off Weimer again. “But let’s limit it to what we’re here talking about.”
“Judge, let me respond,” Weimer said.
“I don’t like being interrupted,” Burris said and then accused the chief justice of having “an agenda.” Weimer apologized and complained a minute later when Burris cut him short again.
“You can interrupt me, but I can’t interrupt you?” Burris responded.
Weimer noted his previous apology and said, “I don’t have an agenda except doing the job I’m obligated to do.”
Trump has raised taxes on imports from many U.S. trading partners since taking office in January, seeking to win concessions. China has been one of the few countries that hasn’t backed down, relying on its economic clout.
“Frequently resorting to the threat of high tariffs is not the correct way to get along with China,” the Commerce Ministry said in its post, which was presented as a series of answers from an unnamed spokesperson to four questions from unspecified media outlets.
The statement called for addressing any concerns through dialogue
“If the U.S. side obstinately insists on its practice, China will be sure to resolutely take corresponding measures to safeguard its legitimate rights and inter-
again. You have made that same argument time and time again.”
Linda Lightfoot spoke up. A longtime reporter and editor at The Advocate until 2007, Lightfoot is Weimer’s designee on the board.
She urged the four judges on the board to offer a response to Waguespack.
“What the public is going to see is a report by the legislative auditor that’s going to make this board look not so good, unless we at least answer him and give him some reason for not paying these expenses,” Lightfoot said.
“The legislative auditor’s letter was sent to the Supreme Court and not to the board,” Burris replied, echoing Starling’s words.
Civil court case fee
ests,” the post said. In addition to the 100% tariff, Trump threatened to impose export controls on what he called “critical software,” without specifying what that means.
Both sides accuse the other of violating the spirit of the truce by imposing new restrictions on trade
Trump said in a social media post that China is “becoming very hostile” and that it is holding the world captive by restricting access to rare earth metals and magnets.
The Chinese Commerce Ministry post said the U.S. has introduced several new restrictions in recent weeks, including expanding the number of Chinese companies subject to U.S export controls.
On rare earths, the ministry said that export licenses would be granted for legitimate civilian uses, noting that the minerals also have military applications.
The new regulations include a requirement that foreign companies get Chinese government approval to export items that contain rare earths sourced from China, no matter where the products are manufactured. China accounts for nearly 70% of the world’s rare earths mining and controls roughly 90% of their global processing. Access to the material is a key point of contention in trade talks between Washington and Beijing.
The critical minerals go into many products, from jet engines, radar systems and electric vehicles to consumer electronics including laptops and phones. China’s export controls have hit European and other manufacturers, as well as American ones.
only $500,000. With so much extra money in its account, the board voted on Monday to reduce the surplus by giving all judges a one-time payment of $1,190. That’s in addition to the $1,050 monthly supplement. Only Lightfoot voted against it. Afterward, Burris downplayed his sharp back-andforth with Weimer “When attorneys disagree, things get tense,” Burris said in an interview “But that doesn’t mean he isn’t a great chief justice It just means we disagree.”
Weimer, for his part, remained unhappy
On Oct. 6, Weimer noted that the Supreme Court had
He continued making his pitch and soon began to take up another pet peeve — the
“That’s your interpretation of the law And everyone disagrees with your interpretation,” rejoined Burris. “We have disagreed with that definition of administrative expenses time and time
The supplemental fund is financed by a $31.50 fee on every civil court case in Louisiana, thanks to the 1985 law that aimed to give judges a pay raise without taxpayers directly footing the increase.
The fund currently contains $1.1 million but is obligated to have reserves of
“It’s the Louisiana twostep with the public paying the band,” he said “What’s happening is the Supreme Court is saying, ‘We’re not going to accept the funds.’ And the board is saying, hide behind the Supreme Court.” Waguespack said afterward he plans to send his findings to the compensation board members and ask them to respond.
Email Tyler Bridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.
Waguespack
Voters renew millage for schools
Staff report
Lafayette Parish voters on Saturday renewed a 7.79-mill property tax that provides funding for operations and maintenance for the Lafayette Parish school system.
Sixty-eight percent of those
Bayou Vermilion District tax gets extension
Millage helps fund Vermilionville
Staff report
Lafayette Parish voters, in a low turnout election Saturday, renewed a .75-mill property tax that funds the Bayou Vermilion District and Vermilionville.
Seventy percent of the voters who cast ballots favored renewing the tax for another 10 years.
Voter turnout for the election was low, with 7.7% of the parish’s 161,827 registered voters showing up to the polls.
There were only two items on the ballot: the millage renewal for the Bayou Vermilion District and a millage renewal for the Lafayette Parish school system.
The Bayou Vermilion District millage generates more than $2 million annually It helps fund Vermilionville, the living history museum that attracts about 60,000 visitors each year, including tourists and schoolchildren.
It also helps fund “bayou operations,” Brady McKellar, the managing director of the Bayou Vermilion District, said during a voter panel last month.
“We consider ourselves not only stewards of culture and environment,” McKellar said, “but stewards of structures that are ours to protect, and stewards of education that we can bring to families and to children and to visitors.” Reporter Ashley White contributed to this report.
Auto care initiative helps survivors of abuse
BRCC students
BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer
A collaboration of state and local agencies is bringing a free, practical service to women who are survivors of domestic violence — keeping their cars running and in good shape. Students enrolled in Baton Rouge Community College’s technical classes will provide tire changes, tire rotations and oil changes, as well as replace burned-out lights and make vehicle inspections for clients of the IRIS Domestic Violence Center.
“It is extremely important,” said Patti Joy Freeman, executive director of the Baton Rouge-based center, which serves clients in
casting ballots Saturday decided to renew the millage that provides about $20 million in revenue for the school system’s general fund. Turnout for the election was low, with only about 7.7% of the parish’s 161,827 registered voters casting ballots. The property tax, which has
LAFAYETTE PARISH
existed for more than 50 years, goes toward the district’s general fund and helps with operations and maintenance. That includes teacher salaries, transportation costs and utilities for the dis-
trict’s 46 campuses. The money collected from that tax not only funds traditional public schools, it “follows” a student if they are enrolled in a charter school School Board member Roddy Bergeron said.
Lafayette Parish voters will return to the polls in November
to decide on two Lafayette Consolidated Government renewals that fund services including road and bridge maintenance, drainage, the animal shelter rural fire departments and the coroner’s office.
Reporter Ashley White contributed to this report.
Great gathering
MARTHA SANCHEZ
ABOVE: Nick DeRouen, from left, Corey DeRouen and Jesse Derouen, of Team Geaux Reaux, cook Sunday during the 35th annual World Championship Gumbo Cookoff, hosted by the Greater Iberia Chamber of Commerce, in New Iberia
LEFT: Autumn Cooper leaves with gumbo for her brother
BELOW: The Tabasco team prepares its gumbo.
PHOTOS By LEE BALL
More must be donetosupport survivorsof
domesticabuse
To the diligent journalists who represent the voice of thestories andlives untold, Iwant to share some deeply concerning facts that have affected not only me personally but thousandsofother women and children. There is an epidemic of domestic violence in this state, but more disturbingis thelack of resources,care, solutions and protection, among other things.
After surviving physical, sexual,financial and emotional abuse, compounded withthe trauma of your experiences is the trauma of the ineffectiveness of thesocalled systems and programs in place,allegedly designed tohelp women and children fleeingthe complexdynamics of domestic violence. Ihave personally been gaslit even with proof of crimes committed against me that included stalking, harassment and financial abuse. Iwas doubted, dismissed, ignored and felt the energy of disdain as if Iwas an inconvenience.
I’m infuriated and terrified for myself and other women.As someone who has acollegedegree, works hard, comes from an educated family,doesn’tdodrugs and has never been accused of even amisdemeanor,it’sstillas if I’mtreated with disgust or perhaps doubt and even worse: as if I deserved this. My best friend was brutally murderedinadomestic violence incident. I’ve almost died myself. The trauma never goes away.Itjust absorbs into your body,waiting for somethingto wake it up from its usually short hibernation.This topic is not only apublic safety concern but it’s amental health crisis, and if not addressed, many more people will unnecessarily die. We need to start believing women and making supporting survivors a priority
MARTHABARLOW NewOrleans
If leaderswon’t lead,
National Motto: EPluribus Unum. President Donald Trump’sresponse when asked about how to combat the political extremism of the right and left: “I couldn’tcare less.” Only the voters can saveour country.The buck stops withus. JOSEPH BISHOP Abita Springs
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR
AREWELCOME.HEREARE
YOUR VIEWS
Students walk the campus of SouthernUniversity near the John B. Cade Libraryafter a threatwas made Sept.30, which caused the building to be evacuated and triggered alaw enforcement response.
Ourfuturedepends on strong,safeHBCUs
The recent terroristic threats and lockdowns atseveral historically Black colleges and universities should be awake-up call for many These incidents are not isolated; they underscore arisingdanger to campus safety, student mental healthand institutional stability.HBCUs already operate under financial andinfrastructural strain. Adding threats, fear and uncertainty to that burden impactsmore than just classrooms; it harms lives, community trust and opportunity In Louisiana, we know HBCUs represent far more than places of learning. They cultivate our state’sfuture teachers,doctors, engineers and public servants. They uplift entire neighborhoods by providing access to higher education for studentsfrom lowincomebackgrounds, many of whom are the first in their families to attend college. HBCUs are engines of economic growth, not just throughimmediate jobsand commerce, butthroughlifetime earnings and leadership opportunities. Yetchronic underfunding has left many institutions with aging facilities,
outdated labs and limited resources forsafety,mental health and academic support.
What we see now,from reductions in government grants to cuts in civil rights oversight and overstretched safety protocols, only deepens thelong-standing deficits HBCUs have faced. HBCUs deserve morethan thebare minimum so they canensure safe learning environments, modern academic facilities and robust student services. Investing in these institutions is not afavor; it is a necessityfor equity,public safety and state prosperity.
Iurge Louisiana’selected officials and our congressional delegation to increase targeted investment in HBCUs, particularly for campus security,student support, STEM facilities and civil rights protections. Alumni, philanthropists, business leaders andeveryday citizens should hold our leaders accountable. Ourfuture depends on HBCUsnot merely surviving these threats but thriving despitethem
TRAMELLE HOWARD state director,EdTrust-Louisiana
Civicgroupsshouldnot be hampered from registeringnew citizenvoters
The League of Women Votersofthe United States has been welcoming new citizens to ournation by registering them to votesince theorganization’screation in 1920. The League of Women VotersofNew Orleanshas played animportant role in registering and educatingnewly naturalized citizens since the 1940s.
In New Orleans, theLeague participates in new citizen registration events on aweekly basisand hasregistered 1,000 new voters a year under this program.
Cassidy’s supportfor vaccines too little,too late
The political cartoon by Matt Davies, published on Sept. 13, playing the race card and branding ICE as racists, was both ridiculous and despicable. The disastrous immigration policy of the Biden-Harris administration fedU.S. immigration law into the shredder
OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name and the writer’scity of residence.The Advocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND US ALETTER SCAN HERE
The policy announced by theU.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services on Aug. 29, stating that only stateand local elections officials may conduct voter registration at naturalization ceremonies, overburdens those election officials and impedes acore Leaguefunction.
The United States and our state of Louisianaare incredibly culturally diverse, as a result of waves of immigrants —somevoluntary,some fleeing persecution or brought in chains —throughout our history.Elected officials of both theRepublican and Democratic parties have championed legal immigration, while neglecting to provide fair and workable immigration policy for decades. Are these officials now prepared to pull up thewelcome mat by denying theopportunity for voter registration by groups like the League whichhave provided this service in anonpartisan manner alongside elected officials?
Registrars of voters, school boards and other government entities around the state
PHOTO By MATTHEW PERSCHALL Teisha Rezende, anew citizen, registers to vote after anaturalizationceremonyatthe National WWII Museum in NewOrleans on July 3, 2024.
have enlisted League volunteers to provide nonpartisan voter registration and education around the state for decades —aservice that theLeague and other nonpartisan civil service organizations provide free of charge, so that busy election officials can concentrate on running our elections.
Federal, stateand local governments should welcomegroups that welcome new citizens with information on how to exercise their core democratic rights and responsibilities as voters.
ROSALIND COOK president,
LeagueofWomen Voters of NewOrleans
Approximately 10 million illegal immigrants crossed our open border.The cost of this policy to American taxpayers was approximately $152 billion per year.The number of unaccompanied children that crossed our border was 534,980. The Department of Health and Human Services, which is responsible for finding sponsors, lost contact with morethan 300,000 of these children. More than 2million immigrants are knownas“gotaways,” evading the border patrol. There wasnotelling whothey are or if they wereterrorists, here to do harm to the country
There have been consequences to this policy elsewhere. Cartels kidnapped members of caravans headed forthe U.S. and demanded ransom from their relatives. They have also trafficked humans as sex slaves and drugs across our border Remember the 50 dead found in a big 18-wheeler,who died of dehydration? Trypublishing acartoon about that.
The Darien Gap, once apristine tropical jungle area, has been turned into acesspool from caravans trooping through.
The open-border Biden-Harris immigration policy did nothing for this country except contribute to its destruction. Now,inafitofhypocrisy,some Democrats are saying they are concerned about “due process.” What ajoke. That is the same as the vice president and the head of homeland security during the Biden-Harris administration having the audacity to tell us that “the border is secure.”
This policy did not benefit American citizens. It is just another tax burden on American citizens. HERBERT CANNON Baton Rouge Cartoononly
STAFF
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Russianvictory in Ukraine couldbejustthe beginning
Operations at Munich’s airport were recently halted by drones. Several Danish airports, including Copenhagen’s, and amilitary air base where Denmark stations F-16s and F-35s, have been disrupted by drones. Denmark, whose support for Ukraine has been robust, willsoon host aUkrainian weapons manufacturer Poland and Romania have experienced harassing drones. In multiple instances, “shadow ships” (worldwide, the “shadow fleet” of ships that conceal their identities and activities numbers about 1,000) have been accused of cutting undersea cables crucial to Europe commercialand military infrastructure. On Sept. 19, three Russian MiG-31s violated Estonia’sairspace before being repelled by NATO-assigned Italian F-35s. It was the fifth Russian incursion this year.Russia says blaming it forthese provocations (andfor acampaign of assassinations and sabotage in Europe) is provocative. Read on, remembering Estonia. Vladimir Putin’spurposes probably include intelligence gathering: monitoring the military responses the targeted nations make, and how quickly they make them. He also is measuring theWest’scontinuingcommitment to noncommittal dithering. Russia has launched this torrentof aggressions. The aggressed against still call this “hybrid” or “gray zone” war.Erase the adjectives. This is war
So, here are 119 pages of wartime reading: “If Russia Wins: AScenario” by Carlo Masala, professor of international politics at Munich’s Bundeswehr University,which serves Germany’sarmed forces. An immediatebestseller in Germany and then the Netherlands, the booklet has been published in London but not yet in America. His scenario is aliterary device to framea question: Suppose Russia’svictory in Ukraine “is only thebeginning”?
Masala’sscenario begins in March 2028, when two Russian brigades surge into Narva, Estonia’sthirdlargest city (population 57,000),on Russia’sborder.Eighty-eight percent of the residents are Russian-speaking, andmany have been supplied with smuggled small arms and machine guns.
Simultaneously,Russian soldiers disguised as tourists takeferries to seize the Estonian coastal island of Hiiumaa.The attack on thethree Balticstates, each aNATOmember,has begun. It is three years since Ukraine, pressured by China andthe United
States, signed acapitulation to Russia. Ukraine surrendered more than 20% of its territory, agreed to permanent neutrality (no NATO membership) and peacekeeping troops from many nations,including China. Theproject of bringing all Russianspeaking regions in what Russia calls the“near abroad” under Moscow’s control mimics Hitler’sprewar absorption of German-speakers(in Austria,the Sudetenland, Danzig)
Afterthe victory over Ukraine, Putin resigns. His chosen 47-year-old successor is hailed in theWest as “a new Gorbachev,” draining urgency from protecting the Baltics.
To show the West itsinabilityto act,Russia’snew president mimics Hitler’s“remilitarization of theRhineland.”
In March 1936, 30,000 German troops marched across Rhine River bridges to nullify the demilitarization Germany hadaccepted in 1919. Germany in 1936 spoke soothingly of having no aggressive intentions regarding neighboring nations. Its action was accepted.
Next,Masala imagines, Russian operatives orchestrate aflotilla of migrants to inflame and distract European populations, and to draw NATO frigatesaway from the BalticSea. China,Russia’saccomplice, creates a micro-crisis with aU.S. ally,the Philippines, confident that America will not risk war over areef. Russiaisconfident that America will notriskwar over an Estonian border town. Although there is asuspicious assassination (byaground-to-air mis-
sile) of theCEO of Germany’sleading manufacturer of armored military vehicles.And suspicious explosions at theport where Britain’snuclear submarines are based.
NATO convenes, and some member nations go wobbly,saying: Estonia has not properly respected the rightsof Russian-speakers. Russia’sgoals are limited. Russia’sbehavior is reprehensible but consider the “historical context.” Isn’tthe independence of the Balticstates an “artificial construct”?
The U.S. presidentopposes NATO acting, which it cannot do without U.S. reconnaissance and transport capabilities.France and Germany,withascending far-right populist parties, are also reluctant.So, Russia’snuclear arsenal deters aconventional response to alimited regional escalation —the taking of asmall Estonian town Now,return to Masala’sscenario-asquestion:What if Russia’swinning in Ukraine were only the beginning? The beginning of the enfeeblement of the United States?
Putin strolled down Donald Trump’s red carpet in Alaska, then took none of the stepsregarding Ukraine that Trump saidwere necessary for Russia to avoid“verysevere consequences.” Instead, Putin intensified Russian attacks.
Aconnoisseur of Western dithering, Putin probably anticipated the response his currentflurry of contemptuousaggressionshas elicited. Trump has said: “I don’tlove it.” Email George Will at georgewill@ washpost.com.
In the course of three days, six U.S.-based scientists have won Nobel Prizes. Every one of them studied or now works at America’s public universities. Five were affiliated with or educated by California’ssystem for higher education.
When the Supreme Court declared same-sex marriage legal in 2015, I wondered what standard they would use should polygamists appeal for similarrights. In accepting acase from Colorado Springs about whether aChristian counselorcan advise minors with gender dysphoria and samesex attractions, the Court will again face the question of free exerciseofreligion vs. theestablishment clause in the First Amendment
thought to be “unalienable” have been eroded,could find they have lost the right to influence what they believe is themoral direction of their children, should the court deliver what they would regard as an adverse opinion, upholding the Colorado law,and denying the therapist’sright to tell patients what she believes will be best for them.
The case involves the parents of a teenager who claims to be adifferent gender than the one identified at birth. The Christian parentssought help from acounselor whosharestheir faith. AColorado law bans“conversion therapy” for minors.The therapist, Kaley Chiles, says the lawsilences her and deprives young people of help.She further says she does nottry to convert anyone to her faith.
In familiar secular progressivefashion, The Washington Post founda person it identifies as atransgenderman, who it says tried to commit suicide in 2010. That person, says thenewspaper, called conversion therapy bad medicine. Parents, who have discovered that in many public schoolstheir rightsonce
As with abortion, thePost and other media regularly look for peoplewho will affirm their editorial and moral point of view They might have consulted World Magazine,a Christian publication to whichIcontribute. In October 2022, World published an article titled “Our voices cannolonger be denied.” It focused on de-transitioners,that is peoplewho have reversed or stopped their gender transition. The story profiled three women who had gone through gender transitions and later expressed regret andremorse. While thenumber is admittedly small (thanks in part,I think,tothe way the media and medical profession refuse to consider the possibility of change), they do exist. Forpeople who wish to pursue a different life with its accompanying changeinlifestyle, it’scalled being born again. It’s an experience “dis-
covered” by thesecular media when Jimmy Carter announced in 1976 his own transformation. It means when one accepts Jesus Christ as Savior,that person is given thepower to live alife different from thelife he or she had been living. For thelaw to deny atherapist, or anyone else, the right to share amessage that goes back 2,000 years and has been responsible for altering thelives of billions of people —and still does today —would impose secularism as the state religion and deny individuals the right of choice, which is sacred tothe secularistswhen it comes to abortion. So long as there is no compulsion involved and the therapist acts in compliance with the wishes of the parentsof theteenager,the Court should uphold theright of the therapist and strike down lower-court rulings that seek to deny her constitutional rights. Those include the right to freely exercise her faith and that of the teen’sparents.
If theSupremeCourt doesn’trecognize astandardbywhich truthand moralitycan be judged, it should remove theimageofMoses, thegreat lawgiver, from themarble frieze outside the SupremeCourt building.
Email Cal Thomasattcaeditors@ tribpub.com
President Donald Trump’s assault on universities, both public and private, targets the engines of American greatness. He pinned muchofiton the colleges’ failure to defend free speech and stop unruly student behavior, some degenerating into antisemitism. Point taken.
But it’smainly taken the form of shaking down universities. For his gentler audience, Trump frames it as “saving” taxpayer money
To quote the president: “Wewill cut funding by X$ and thereby save Y$.”
Over in the biology department, immunologists Mary Brunkow and Fred Ramsdell are sharing the Nobel Prize in medicine with Shimon Sakaguchi. Brunkow studied at the University of Washington and Princeton. Ramsdell got both his bachelor’sdegree and doctorate from the University of California, first at San Diego, then at Los Angeles. Sakaguchi teaches at Japan’sOsaka University As for physics, three scientists, one British, one French and one American, shared the Nobel Prize. All three, however,are now associated with UC campuses at Berkeley or Santa Barbara. The American, John Martinis, earned all his degrees at Berkeley.They won the Nobel for having discovered —bear with me —“macroscopic quantum mechanical tunneling and energy quantization in an electric circuit.”
And one of the three scientists just awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry is Omar Yaghi, who occupies achair in chemistry at Berkeley.Born in Amman, Jordan, Yaghi obtained his undergraduate degree at the State University of New York’sAlbany campus. His Ph.D. camefrom the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Our colleges and universities should be sources of American pride as well as power They are areason why,ifCalifornia were its owncountry,itwould have the world’s fourth-largest economy. To think that Trump is threatening its public universities with layoffs, budget cuts and loss of federal grants. He’strying to freeze about $584 million in grants at UCLA alone. That’sinaddition to his attempted $1 billion shakedown over unrest at the UCLA campus.
With an economy larger than Japan’s, small wonder there’samove in California to take over federal funding for scientific research with its own. Specifically,state lawmakers talk about putting a$23 billion bond measure on the 2026 ballot to replace lost federal dollars. If voters passed it, that would give California the wherewithal to make grants and loans to its ownuniversities and research companies.
California would in effect be bypassing the National Institutes of Health. The NIH is the world’sbiggest funder of medical research. And who did Trump put in charge of the NIH? Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr., an anti-vax ignoramus (excuse me,“skeptic”) who is, mentally,many cards short of afull deck.
At least 24 University of California and California State University campuses have lost NIH training grants. UC already runs six academic health centers. If California taxpayers take over that funding, universities in other states should not expect to receive a dime of it.
That said, other states share these concerns. Washington and Oregon have joined California in setting up acoalition to review scientific data and make recommendations on vaccines. An alliance with similar goals, though probably less money,isbeing set up on the East Coast. Harvard and Yale do have impressive endowments. What the great universities in the Trumpvoting heartland are going to do, Ican’t guess.
In sum, many of the smartest people in the country are being sat on by the political dunces. How dumb can America get? Trump is testing us for an answer
Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com
George Will
Froma Harrop
Cal Thomas
RUSSIAN DEFENSE MINISTRy PRESS PHOTO
ARussian sniper fires towards Ukrainian forces from an undisclosed location last week
GOTTA LOVE GUMBO
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repaired her Bay St. Louis home from HurricaneKatrina.
“I’m really over it,”she said. “I don’tthink Icould do it again.”
Earlier,Breland pulled into his old driveway.The little white house in Bay St. Louis once belonged to his grandparents, and it flooded in Katrina. Breland lived there for nearly threedecades until he and hiswife left as they neared retirement.
“That was hard,” Breland said. He turned off down the quiet block. “But the insurance is crazy.”
Living on thecoast
The storms have harmed more than property
If not for Hurricane Katrina, more neighborsmight have stayed in Lakeshore and Clermont Harbor,two waterfront communities in Hancock County,where residents onceknew each other well
Butthe federalgovernment hasrewritten elevation rules across the region andinthe two towns, which are notorious for flooding.
Ahundred employees trapped in surging water at the nearby Silver Slipper Casino had to be rescued several years ago during Tropical Storm Cristobal. Water often swamps the low-lying streets there even when storms sparethe rest of the region.
The challenges are leaving the community more splintered. Donald Wayne Graham, acounty supervisor who represents the area, said many of his old neigh-
bors have moved north to higherground.Louisiana natives are replacing them.
“They’re just different people now,” he said. “It’s notsomuchthateverybody knows everybody anymore.”
To the west, past miles of bayousand empty wood homes abandoned long ago, thedilemma is growing.
Thecostofliving
The passingyearshave worn so much of Pearlingtonthat the only sign left of some old homes are concreteslabs and crumbling brick fences thatguard tangles of wilderness like ancientruins.
“The cost of living down here don’tjustify the gamble,” Joseph Dawsey,the local fire chief, said
He turned down silent streets lined withstilted campsand drove his pickup truck past weedy lotswith creakysheds, old swimming pools shaded by moss and volunteers planting grass on theriverbank to fight erosion
Some of his neighbors are so tied to the land that they refusetoleaveuntil they are washed out. But Dawsey counts many families who have gone north. Every now and then, he wonders ifhe should join them
He passed afew newvacation rentalsand arrived at another lotwheresomeone stuck wood stiltsinthe ground and later realized they could not afford to build ahome there.
Some residents are not surewhether the federal government would let them rebuild after another big storm.
“Itmakesyou wonder what’sgoingtobehere in 10 years,”said Dawsey,whose family haslived on theland
2injured in shooting near LSUcampusonSaturday
Incident still being investigated;no arrests yet
BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer
Baton Rouge police continue to investigate ashooting that injured two people near LSU’scampus during Saturday’shomecoming football game.
Baton Rouge Police De-
partment spokesperson Lt. L’Jean McKneely Jr.said Sundayafternoon no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
The shooting took place near Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive near LSU. Acampus alert originally went out about 8:40 p.m East Baton Rouge Parish Emergency Medical Services confirmed Saturday night that two people were transported to ahospital. BRPD said Sunday that both vic-
timssuffered injuries that were not life-threatening. McKneelysaidthere was aheavy law enforcement presence forcrowd control near the area of the shooting because of ahigh volumeof pedestrianand vehicle traffic in that area. “While we were clearing it,that’swhenshots were fired,” he said. The BRPD spokesperson said the shooting wasnot connected to auniversity event.
AUTO
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nine parishes. “So much depends on avehicle anda safe vehicle. Ifeel that it is an emergency need.”
TheIRIS Domestic Violence Center repairs vehicles andsometimes even buys them for its clients when funding is available, Freeman said.
Under the new program, Safe WheelsAlliance, the center will continue to buy thecar oil and autoparts needed for maintenance, but the laborwillnow be free of charge, supplied by students in BRCC’sdiploma programs for automotive technician anddieselheavy truck technician, said Heather Guidry, dean of technical andadult
education at the college.
The work will be carried outinthe labportionofthe classes, Guidry said.
“Wewant to be able to support these survivors in our community,” she said.
Safe Wheels Alliance is the vision of Laurie Marien, who practiced family law before being named by Gov Jeff Landry to head the Governor’sOffice of Women’s Policy in 2024. Marien has made it apoint to visit all 16 domestic violenceshelterorganizations in the state;she hasthree left.
“Reliable transportation is abig hurdle to overcome” for survivors of domestic abuse,she said. “It’show they get to work on timeand take their kids to where they need to be.”
The new alliance of BRCC,
north of the interstate.
the IRIS Center,the Governor’sOffice of Women’s Policyand the Louisiana Communityand Technical College System officially begins its mission this month. It is apilot program, but organizers hope SafeWheels Alliance will growacrossthe state through future partnerships withwomen’s shelters andcommunityand technical colleges. For nearly 40 years, the IRIS Domestic Violence Center has offered crisis intervention, counseling, legaladvocacy andhousing to those whohave suffered domestic abuse.The center’s 24-hour crisis line is (225) 389-3001 or (800) 541-9706.
forfivegenerations.The truckrolled by an old home that was never raised above theflood line.
Asmallcross hung near thefront door
Real estate growth
Thephone rings allthe time.
Anthony Sheffield, areal estate agent, keepsfieldingcalls from families who want to buy land in theKiln. They have been callingsince Hurricane Katrina.
But the questions are coming moreoften now as interest from wealthy buyers increases near the coast and insurance costs rise
“A long time ago, it might’ve cost you$5,000a year to live in aflood zone,” Sheffield said. “Nowthat same thing probably costs you $10,000 ayear or more That forces people to get away from living on the waterand just move north. And alot of those guys are cashing out big time.”
Tenmileseast, 10 miles northand more than 20 feet above Pearlington, the Kiln is growing fast. Old shops have becomeapartments Astyle of country houses called “barndominiums” dot thefields.
Sheffield is planning more residential projects on large-acre lots. New subdivisions are surrounding Wyly’sfamily-run flower business, La Terre Farms. And Ladner,who did notwant to raise heryoung daughterin her old house on tall stiltsin Bay St.Louis, now lives on a secluded street withapond, agarden and horses.
Beyond theKiln
Thegrowthreaches beyond the Kiln. The number of residents livinginDiamondhead grew by more than 1,000 over the past decade.
In the past five years, developersinneighboring Harrison County have gotten permissiontobuild more than 3,000 subdivision lots
Real estate agents say some Louisiana residents are also moving into Hancock County’snorthern half, fleeing their owninsurance crises. Even Breland, abornand-raisedBay St. Louis native and alligator trapper with bayous in his blood, is embracinghis newlife in the country.Heand his wife just built their own house.
“Welove it,” he said.
Riding home oneevening this fall, Breland pulledoff theroadjustbeforeitcuts under Interstate 10. He climbedagrassyhillbelow the speeding cars and pointed to abright muralwith a message: “Greetings from Bay St. Louis.”
“This wasaKatrina monument,” he said. He stepped
closeruntil he could see the faint outline of big block letters thatwerepainted over long ago.
“KATRINA HIGH WATER 2005,”the sign once read. “A lot of people didn’t really want to remember this,” Breland said. He turned back down the hill, dodging asoggy roadside ditch, and steered his pickup truckback into the evening traffic.
Soon he was beyond the interstate, heading north in fading daylight.
The Sun Herald, based in Biloxi,covers the Mississippi Gulf Coast and is anewspartner with NOLA.com |The TimesPicayune.Readmore at www.sunherald.com.
PHOTO By LEEBALL
Ryan Guillot openswidefor aspoonful of gumboSunday at the 35th annual World ChampionshipGumbo Cookoff, hosted by theGreater Iberia Chamber of Commerce, in New Iberia.
PROVIDED PHOTO
Astudent in Baton RougeCommunity College’sautomotivetechniciandiplomaprogram works on atire at the
MAYE DAY
NewEngland Patriots wide receiverKayshon Boutte, right, catches the
game Sundayatthe CaesarsSuperdome. The Saints lost 25-19.
BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer
Drake Maye and Spencer Rattler were taken 147 picks apart in last year’sNFL draft. The New EnglandPatriots, searching for TomBrady’ssuccessor,selected Maye with the expectation that the third overall pickcould one day be the franchise’snext great quarterback. The New Orleans Saints,by contrast, took Rattler under entirely different circumstances. The fifthrounder,drafted 150th overall, was not expectedtobethe next Drew Brees. Rattler,once thought to be a potential No. 1overall pick, wassimply too good avalue to passon. But here they were on Sunday afternoon, engaged in abattle in which
their draft statusseemed to matter little. The ball failed to touch the ground for long stretches.The two men raced their offenses up and down the field. It wasn’tquiteashootout reminiscent of these franchises’ legendary quarterbacks, but there was enough action to keep theCaesars Superdome crowd enthralled. By theend of Sunday’s 25-19 loss to the Patriots, Rattler stood at alectern again to explain how thenow 1-5 Saintslostagame on the margins. Maye, at his own lectern on the other side of the building, answered questions about howhis team —now 4-2 —already has matched its win total from ayear ago.
Throw thatWeek 3game against the Seattle Seahawks out the window,and you’ll have apretty good idea of who the New Orleans Saints are. Good enough to hang around long enough to make you thinkthey will win. Butnot quite good enough to actually do so. They’ll get your hopes up, but eventually aplay or two will happen to remindyou that they were just teasingyou thewhole time. It happenedagain in Sunday’s 25-19 loss to aNew England Patriots team whose turnaround is happening at amuchfaster rate than the Saints’. The Patriots, who haven’thad awinning season since 2021, are
Rod Walker
already trending in the right direction under first-year head coach Mike Vrabel. The Saints, meanwhile, under Kellen Moore, showed once again they are still a workinprogress. Any thoughts you may have had that the Saints would carry over somemomentum from the first winofthe Moore era last weekagainst the New York Giants probably went away on the Patriots’ opening possession, when Drake connected with DeMario Douglas fora53-yard touchdownpass. It wasaresponse to the Saints, whoconnected on a 53-yard pass play on their opening
10:50a.m.NorthernIreland
7p.m.Honduras vs. Haiti CBSSN
9p.m.Costa Rica vs.Nicaragua CBSSN TENNIS
5a.m.ATP and WTATennis
9:30 p.m.ATP and WTATennis WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL
5:30 p.m. Team Hoffman vs.Team HentzESPNU
8p.m.Team V-A vs.Team Thompson ESPNU
PLAYINGFOR APENNANT
Sixstorylines to watchinthe LCS roundofplayoffs
BY NOAH TRISTER
Associated Press
There are five current franchises that have never won aWorld Series. Twoofthem still have a chance to break through this year Major League Baseball’s playoffs have reachedthe two League Championship Series, which will includethe LosAngeles Dodgers and their storiedhistory —and three other teams that are products of the sport’spost-expansion era. The Toronto Blue Jays and Seattle Mariners, both of whom began playing in 1977, meet in the ALCS. The Milwaukee Brewers, who spent ayear as the SeattlePilots before relocating to Wisconsin in 1970, face Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in the NLCS The Mariners and Brewershave never won aWorldSeries. Seattle is the only current team that has never evenwon apennant. The Marinersmade it to the ALCS via ascintillating 15-inning victory over DetroitinGame 5of theirALDivision Series. They’ll
have little time to savorthatvictory.Game1 in Toronto was slated to begin less than 48 hours later on Sunday night
Seattle had to use three of its top starting pitchers —George Kirby, Luis Castillo andLogan Gilbert in that marathon Game 5against the Tigers.4 So the Mariners are set to start Bryce Miller —who had a5.68 ERAduringthe regular season —onthree days’ rest in the opener against the Blue Jays.A rested Kevin Gausman takes the mound for Toronto, whicheliminatedthe New York Yankees in four games in their ALDS
Thereigning World Series champion Dodgers beat Philadelphia in four to earn areturn trip to the NLCS. That series starts Monday night. Milwaukee won a five-game NLDSover theChicago Cubs to advance.
Thetop seeds in both leagues —the 97-winBrewers and 94-win Blue Jays —are still alive. What to know aboutthe League Championship Series
n 1. The stars shined bright for Toronto and Seattle in the ALDS. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.ofthe Blue Jays went 9for 17 with threehome runs and nine RBIs againstthe Yankees. Cal Raleigh, thecatch-
er whoslugged 60 homers in the regular season for theMariners, was6for 21 with ahomer andfour walks against Detroit.
n 2. Ohtani, the Dodgers’ twowaystar, did not have agreat series pitching or hittingagainst thePhillies, but another Japanese standout did. RokiSasaki did not pitch much during theregular season because of injury,but he hasthrown 51/3 scoreless innings in theplayoffs, including three in Game 4ofthe NLDS, when Los Angelesbeat Philadelphia in 11 innings to end that series. Sasaki could be the answer to some of theDodgers’ bullpen woes, which is important because Milwaukee’s starting pitchers produced abetterERA during the regular season than LA’s star-studded crew
n 3. Milwaukee has reached the NLCS nine monthsafter thedeath of Bob Uecker,the team’slongtime broadcaster. TheBrewers posedwith abannerwith Uecker’s signature after knockingout the Cubs.
n 4. Dodgers-Brewers is arematch of the 2018 NLCS, which went the distance. Los Angeles wonGame 7inMilwaukee to deny theBrewers their first World Series appearance since 1982. When the Braves were in Milwaukee, theDodgers beat them in abest-
of-three tiebreaker seriesfor the 1959 NL pennant. Partof thereason the Brewers finished withbaseball’sbest record this year was because they went6-0 againstthe Dodgersduring the regular season. Allofthosegames took place during an 11-game win streakthat straddledthe All-Star break in July.
n 5. Although they entered the American League at the same time,there’s notmuchhistory between the Mariners and Blue Jays. However,the proximity to Canada might make for more fans of the visiting team at Seattle home games than theMariners would like.Seattleisinthe ALCS forthe first time since 2001, whenthe Mariners won 116 games during the regular season but were beaten by the Yankees forthe pennant. Toronto madethe ALCS as recently as 2016 but hasn’twon apennant since the second of itsback-toback WorldSeriestitles in 1993. The Blue Jays went 4-2 against the Marinersthis year,but their seasonseries was over by mid-May.
n 6. If the Mariners and Brewersreach the World Series, it’ll be thefirst Fall Classic to feature twoteams that have neverwon it before since thePhiladelphia Philliesbeat the Kansas City Royals in 1980.
Gauff beats Pegulatowin an all-U.S. final in Wuhan WUHAN,China Coco Gauffreeled offfour straight games to beat JessicaPegula 6-4, 7-5and win the WuhanOpenonSundayinallAmerican final.
The21-year-old Gauff won her secondtitle of the year,having won the FrenchOpen on clay,and she now has 11 career titles.
The third-ranked Gauff served to save the second set at 5-3 down. She held and then broke the sixthranked Pegula to love for5-5. Pegula’s forehandvolleyatthe net landed wide to give Gauff a first match point and, with Pegula on secondserve,she clinchedit with aforehand winner following abrief rally It wastheir seventh career meeting and first in afinal. Pegula leads 4-3 overall against Gauff, with whomshe has won several WTAdoubles titles.
Ugandan,
Ethiopian cruise to Chicago Marathon wins
CHICAGO Jacob KiplimoofUganda and Ethiopian HawiFeysa won the men’sand women’sraces at the Chicago Marathon by comfortable margins on Sunday Kiplimo crossed the line in a personal-best time of 2hours, 2 minutesand 23 seconds. He was 1minute, 31 secondsclear of Kenyan Amos Kipruto, the 2022 London Marathon winner, whose countrymanAlexMasai was third in 2:04.37. Conner Mantz was fourth in aU.S.-record time of 2:04:43. The 26-year-old Feysa also put in astellarperformance to win in 2:14:56 in a1-2 finish forEthiopia. She was 2:22 clear of Megertu Alemu with Magdalena Shauri of Tanzania third in 2:18:03.
Oregon State firescoach as Beavers fallto0-7
Oregon State fired coach Trent Bray on Sunday after the team fell to 0-7, its worst start to aseason since 1991.
Robb Akey will be the interim head coach forthe rest of the season pending anational search for Bray’ssuccessor,athletic director Scott Barnes said.
“I want to thank Coach Bray for the energy and determination he broughttothe role. Aformer student-athlete, proudgraduate, and dedicated mentor,Trent’sconnection to Oregon State runs deep —hewill always be aBeaver,” Barnes said in astatement.
Aweek ago, OregonState fired special teams coach JamieChristian, andBarnessaid he and Bray were evaluating the program with an eye toward making immediate changes.
Record 48 teams to play in 2026 WorldCup
Arecord48teams will play in the 2026 World Cup co-hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
On Sunday,Ghana became the fifth African nation to qualify. The 2010 quarterfinalist joins Algeria, Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia at next year’stournament. Forty-three teams will get their spots through continental qualifying tournaments. Another twowill secure their places in the intercontinentalplayoffsfeaturing six teams andscheduled forMarch 2026. The three host countries automatically qualify.
BY STEVE MEGARGEE Associated Press
MILWAUKEE Ending their recent run of playoff frustration earned the Milwaukee Brewersa new nickname from their manager
Late Saturday
Pat Murphy has referred tohis team as the “Average Joes,” a nod to their small-market status and lack of big names But after the Brewers beat therival ChicagoCubs 3-1 in the decisive fifth game of their NL Division Series on Saturdaynight, Murphy decided it was time for an upgrade.
“You can call them the average Joes,”Murphysaid, “butI say they’re the above-average Joes.” The Brewers relied on contributions from just about all of them to get past the Cubs.
Andrew Vaughn hit atiebreaking homer in the fourth inning, and William Contreras and Brice Turang also went deep. Trevor Megill, JacobMisiorowski, Aaron Ashby,Chad Patrick andAbner Uribecombined on afour-hitter,
with Uribe getting six outs for the firstmulti-inning saveofhis career
“It takes every single oneof theseguys in thelockerroom, and they’ve done it,” Turangsaid. “We’ve got to keep going.”
The Brewers, making their seventh playoffappearanceineight years, earned their first postseasonseries winsince sweeping Coloradoina 2018 NLDS.Milwaukeewas on thevergeofits second World Series berth that
year beforelosing Game 7ofthe National League Championship Seriesathometothe Los Angeles Dodgers. Now,the Brewers get another NLCS matchup with the defending World Series champion Dodgers, who beat the Philadelphia Philliesinfour games in the other NL Division Series. Game 1isMonday at Milwaukeeasthe Brewers chase their first pennant since 1982 —back whenthey played in the American League. After losingslugging shortstop Willy Adamesinfree agency and trading away All-Star closer Devin Williams last winter,the scrappy Brewers finished the regular season with the best record in the majors at 97-65.
They’ve reached the NLCS nine months after the death of Bob Uecker,who broadcast Brewers games for 54 seasons andisprobably more synonymous withthe franchise thanany player
“It was important to these guys —because it’sthe rival —tofinish the job,”Murphy said. “And they know Ueck is smiling.”
Oceania forthe first time hasa guaranteed spot —New Zealand clinched that in March. It could add another with New Caledonia going into the intercontinental playoffs
Márquez, Hoye are named crew chiefs for MLB’sLCS NEWYORK— AlfonsoMárquez is workinghis seventhLeague Championship Series, serving as a crew chiefalong with James Hoye Ryan Additon, Ben May,Adam Beck and John Libka are working the LCS for the first time, Major League Baseball said Sunday Márquez will umpire the Toronto Blue Jays’ seriesagainst the Seattle Mariners starting Sunday. Hoye, umping his fifth LCS, will head the NL matchup between the Milwaukee Brewers and defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Seven-mancrews will work each series, with one umpire offeach game.
Additonwillbebehindthe plate for the AL opener.The NL series starts Monday with Libka behind the plate.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN FROSCHAUER
Mariners players celebratewith JorgePolanco, center, after he hit the game-winning RBI single in the15th inning in Game 5oftheir ALDSagainst theDetroit Tigers on FridayinSeattle. Game1ofthe ALCSbetween the Mariners and BlueJaysonSunday ended after press time.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KAyLAWOLF Brewers shortstop Joey Ortiz yells withjoy after the team’s win overthe ChicagoCubs in Game 5oftheir NLDS on SaturdayinMilwaukee.
COLLEGE FOOTBALL
LSUdefense proves it cancorralamobileQB
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
As long as Blake Baker is coordinatingLSU’s defense, it willalways be vulnerabletoquarterback runs. The Tigers play too much mancoverage andsend toomany blitzes not to find themselves on thebusiness end of along scramble or two. That conventionalwisdom— which served as an explanation for at least acouple of the losses LSU suffered last season —isless true now,after atransfer-portal splurge infused the defense with more talent. Just ask LaNorris Sellers, the South Carolina star who ran all overthe Tigers in 2024 and struggled to find open field when he faced theirdefense again in 2025.
“He felt us today,” coach Brian Kelly said on Saturday after LSU’s 20-10 win. “He felt our football team. He felt our defense,and we made it toughfor him. We made it aphysicalgame where we got after him. And he did some really good things as well,but atthe end of the day,weheld them to 10 points, and Ithink that’swhat we were hoping for.”
LSU’srevitalized defense has now proven it can contain mobile quarterbacks —animportant box to check ahead of the next two games on its schedule. Both Vanderbiltand TexasA&M have signal-callers whocan run. Diego Pavia gained nearly 1,000 yards on the groundlast season for the Commodores, and Marcel Reed rushed forthree touchdowns to defeat theTigers in 2024 forthe
Aggies.
Quarterbacks aren’tbeating LSU that way this season. With sacks removed,Clemson’sCade Klubnik, Ole Miss’Trinidad Chambliss and Sellers combined to pickup only 170 rushing yardsintheir matchups against the No. 10 Tigers (5-1). Noneofthem have used their legs to find theend zone —or even break off arun longerthan 12 yards.
Last season, LSU let Sellers run free, giving up long rushes thatexposed flaws in the first defense it built during Baker’s tenure. Baker’ssecond defense is much stingier.OnSaturday,the Tigers limited Sellers to 74 yards on 17 carries. They tookaway his open receivers. They sacked him five times and forced him into two drive-killingintentionalgrounding penalties.
South Carolina became the fifth LSUopponent to score 10 or fewer points this season,eventhough LSU, according to ProFootball Focus, missed 24 tackles —more than double its defense’sprevious season high (11). Sellers forced 12 of those misses.
“Great quarterback,” star cornerback MansoorDelanesaid.
“Great athlete. Coach Baker preached, ‘Make him play quarterback. Make himthrow the ball.’
LSUwasn’tperfect. In the first quarter,itlet SouthCarolina running back Matt Fullerloose for a 72-yard touchdown run. On that play,pre-snap motionmoved linebackers West Weeks and Harold Perkins out of position, opening arushing lane for Fuller.All he needed to do was climb to the third
levelofthe defenseand breaka tackle attemptbysafety Tamarcus Cooley,who was too flat-footed to takethe correct angle and make a stop.
Last season,the Tigers made a habit of allowing those kinds of plays. No SEC defense allowed moreruns of 40, 50 and 60 yards in 2024 than LSU, whichfinishedthe year ranked 11thamong league teams in total defense.
Now the Tigersrarely allow chunk rushing plays. Through six games, they’ve given up only two runs of at least 20 yards —one to SouthCarolina and another to Southeastern Louisiana.Just five FBSteamshave allowed fewer this season.
“We’ve gottodosomethings better on defense as well,” Kelly said.“Some coveragethings. Some fits.”
But LSU is still playing elite defense. Only four FBS teamsare allowing fewer pointsper game (11.8) than theTigers, whorank 21st nationally in both total defense (297 yards per game) and rushing defense (102.5). LSU also leadsthe SECinpass break-ups (28),and it’stied for theleague lead in interceptions (eight).
It’sclear that the Tigers defense is better —way better
And so aretheir chances of slowing down mobile quarterbacks.
“If we clean up thosethings,” Delane said, “if we cut those things, then every (game) we play fromnow on is gonna getbetter and better andbetter,sowehave to keep cleaning those things up, and thenwe’ll be the defense we want to be.”
UL’s latest loss has differentfeeltoit
HARRISONBURG,Va.— One could argue very little changed forthe UL Ragin’ Cajuns in Saturday’s 24-14 loss to the James Madison Dukes.
It wasalso good to see Winfield so composed, facing very adverse circumstances.
BYERIC OLSON
Indiana moved up to No. 3in The Associated Press collegefootball poll Sunday for its highest ranking in program history and Texaswas among five teams enteringthe Top 25 after eight ranked teams, three of them previously unbeaten, lost over the weekend. Ohio State and Miami remained the top two teams whilethe Hoosiers earned afour-spot promotion for their 10-pointwin atthen-No 3Oregon. No. 4Texas A&Mand No.5 Mississippi tradedplaces after the Aggies’ 17-pointhome winoverFlorida andthe Rebels’ three-point homewin over Washington State. The Buckeyes strengthenedtheir hold on No. 1with asolid road win against then-No.17Illinois andreceived 50 first-place votes, 10 more than last week. Miami, which was idle, earned 13 first-place votes and Indiana got the other three
up
Indiana’s groundbreaking run under second-year coach Curt Cignetti has been oneofthe biggest stories in college football since last season. The Hoosiers went into theOregongame0-46 on theroad againsttop-five teams and, before Sunday, had never been ranked higher than No. 4. Their three first-place votes are their mostinapoll sincethey got thesame number when they were rankedNo. 6onNov.5,1945. Oklahoma plungedeight spots to No. 14 withits first loss, 23-6 to Texas. The Longhorns were thepreseason No. 1team, but aseason-opening loss at Ohio State and Week 6loss at Florida droppedthemout of theTop 25. In beatingthe rival Soooners, they held atop-10opponent without atouchdownfor thefirst time since 1979 and re-entered the
For the fourth timethis season, the Cajuns walked off the field without as manypoints as their opponent. UL is now 2-4 overall and 1-1 in Sun Belt play
However,this one didn’thave thesame feel as the first three losses. The passing gamewas so poor in the first twolosses and the defense struggled mightily in thethird one. This one wasn’t like those.
Before analyzing UL’s performance, it is essential to understand onekey truth. The Cajuns won’tface adefense as tough to run theball against the rest of theseason.
Factoring that into the equation,other aspects of the game were essentially what the coaching staff envisioned this team being.
Runthe ball, play scrappy defense andhit big plays in the passing game.
Lunch Winfield was 14-of-28 passing for243 yards and two touchdowns. The 243 yards were themost James Madison’sdefense has allowed all season.
That’sabout where UL coach Michael Desormeaux was thinking UL’s offense would be in the season opener
“Yes, we were thinking that we were going to be able to create explosivesinthe throw game,” Desormeaux said. “We did someofthattoday.It’sstill not as precise as you’d like it to be at times, but it’sgoodtohave guys that aremaking plays down the field.”
It was also good to see Robert Williams playinglikeaNo. 1 receiver with five receptions for acareer-high 134 yards on five receptions.
“He’s1,000% in on this team,” Desormeaux said.
“He knew he was coming back,” Winfield said.
Missing UL’s comeback win over Marshall because of aconcussion motivated Williams.
“I just missed them and seeing what they did last week against Marshallreally just boosted my confidence —just seeing it, watching it happen,” Williams said. “SoI feel like that’swhat snapped in my brain.”
The Cajuns rushed the ball forone first downinthe entire game. In future games, UL will be able to run it better after only 45 yards against the Dukes and Winfield will as well, settling for only 23 yards on 15 carries.
“I thought he played really well,” Desormeaux said of Winfield. “This wasareally good atmosphere and Ithought he handled it really well.”
Williamssaw the samething in the huddle.
“He wasresilient,” Williams said of Winfield. “He didn’tback downnone. When it wasn’tgoing our wayatsome point in the game, he stayed locked in with us. We let him know that we believe in him and we know he believes in us.”
The numbers weren’taskind to the defense, but that unit hung in there against tall odds. JMU’s offense ran 81 offensive plays to 57 forUL, creating a13-minute edge in timeofpossession.
“I was really proud of the waythe defense played,” Desormeaux said. “Itbounced back against areally good offense. They gave us achance.”
There wasjust agrit about the defense in this gamethat hasn’t always been there this season. Most importantly,the defense forced twofumbles and picked off apass.
“Wereally focused on punching the ball out,” UL linebacker Jack St. Andre said. “We’ve kind of struggled with thatsofar,but we’ve been saying all year when theycome, theycome in bunches.”
“So, yeah, definitely felt good to see that. Ithought we played well. Everybody played hard, really got to the football and tackled better than we have.”
Obviously,all of thisgoodwill talk after aloss only matters if the Cajuns improve in certain areas and take full advantage of not having to face James Madison’srun defense over the next six games.
“We’ve got all the Western (division) games in front of us,” Desormeaux said. “Weneed to keep building things around Lunch and get him to play well and play better forus. We’ve got to find away to generate offense even on tough days.”
The coach told his team after the gametoremember that sick feeling in their gut and makea mental note of the Bridgeforth Stadium environment.
The plan, anyway,istoreturn to Virginia in December
Penn St.fires Franklin amid midseasonfreefall
BYTRAVIS JOHNSON Associated Press
STATECOLLEGE, Pa.— From the day he was hired morethan adecade ago, James Franklin stressed the importance of creating afamily atmosphere at Penn State.
Over the course of 11-plus seasons in Happy Valley,that approach helped the Nittany Lions churnout pros and double-digit victory seasons with regularity
Yetitalso never translated into Penn State beating the programs it considers itspeerswith regularity,either. And while the stakes kept getting higher, theresults took on acertain sameness.
Until the last three weeks, anyway,when one tough loss turned into another improbableloss turned into one unforgivable loss thatendedupcosting Franklinhis job
Penn State fired Franklin on Sunday, less than24hours after a22-21 home upsetatthe hands of Northwesternall but ended whatever remote chance the preseason No. 2team had of reaching theCollege Football Playoff. Terry Smith will serve as the interim head coach for the rest of theseason forthe Nittany Lions(33, 0-3 Big Ten), who beganthe year withhopes of winning thenational title only to have those hopes evaporatebyearly October with three consecutive losses, each one more stinging than the last. Penn State, whichreached the CFP semifinals 10 months ago, fell
at hometoOregon in overtime in late September.Aroad setback at previously winless UCLAfollowed. Thefinal straw came Saturday at Beaver Stadium, where the Nittany Lions letNorthwestern escape with avictory and lost quarterback Drew Allar to injury forthe rest of the season. Franklin deflected questions about his job security afterward, as always turninghis attention toward the players. It didn’tstop the administrationfrom making the very expensive decision that it couldn’twaitany longer to act. Penn State swallowed anearly $50 millionbuyout to part ways withthe coach who putthe program back on the national map Franklin went 104-45 during his 11-plus seasons at Penn State. Yet the Nittany Lions often stumbled againsttop-tieropponents,going 4-21 against teamsrankedinthe top 10 during his tenure. Hired in 2014 in the wake of Bill O’Brien’sdeparture for the NFL, Franklin inherited ateam still feeling the effects of unprecedented NCAA sanctions in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal. Armed with relentless optimism and an ability to recruit, Franklin’sprogramregularly churnedout NFL-leveltalent, from Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley to Green BayPackersedge rusher Micah Parsons. Franklin guided the Nittany Lions to the 2016 Big Ten titleand aseemingly permanent spot in the rankings.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSUlinebacker Harold Perkins, left,chases South Carolina quarterback LaNorris Sellers, center,inthe second quarter on SaturdayatTigerStadium.
Kevin Foote H
PATRIOTS 25, SAINTS 19
BY THE NUMBERS
Hill earns 34th rushing TD
BY LUKE JOHNSON AND ROD WALKER Staff writers
Less than a year removed from a major knee injury that threatened his career, New Orleans Saints quarterback Taysom Hill scored his 34th rushing touchdown of his NFL career in the second quarter against the New England Patriots. That number is fairly significant in its own right: It moved him past NFL Hall of Famer John Elway on the all-time list for career rushing touchdowns by non-running backs into a tie for 15th place all time with Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and former Vikings quarterback Daunte Culpepper
It’s more remarkable when considering what Hill had to endure to get there. Hill suffered multiple season-ending injuries during his time at Brigham Young University He entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent and was 28 years old when he carved out his first real offensive role with New Orleans in 2018.
Now 35 years old, Hill is coming off a major knee injury that he suffered last December He’d only gone through six practices this season before Sunday’s game against the Patriots, but the Saints still dialed his number for a critical red-zone play
On the play, Hill lined up under center before the Saints’ entire offensive formation shifted to a spread look, with backup offensive lineman Luke Fortner lining up in the slot to the left. New Orleans motioned Kendre Miller at the snap, also to the left, creating some flow in the Patriots defense.
RUSHING—New England, Maye 9-28, Henderson 9-27, Stevenson 13-18. New Orleans, Kamara 10-31, Miller 8-21, Rattler 4-20, Hill 1-1.
PASSING—New England, Maye 18-26-0-261. New Orleans, Rattler 20-26-0-227.
RECEIVING—New England, Boutte 5-93, Douglas 3-71, Diggs 3-28, Henry 3-27, Hollins 2-28, Henderson 1-9, Hooper 1-5. New Orleans, Olave 6-98, Kamara 5-45, Shaheed 4-28, Johnson 2-15, Cooks 1-21, Miller 1-11, Moreau 1-9.
PUNT RETURNS—New England, M.Jones 1-6. New Orleans, Shaheed 2-21.
KICKOFF RETURNS—New England, Chism 5-129. New Orleans, Tipton 4-89.
TACKLES-ASSISTS-SACKS—New England, Spillane 5-6-0, M.Jones 4-1-1, Gonzalez 4-1-0, Elliss 3-3-0, Woodson 3-3-0, Tonga 2-2-0, Davis 1-4-0, Gibbens 1-3-0, Barmore 1-2-0, Dugger 1-2-0, Farmer 1-1-0, M.Williams 1-1-0, Landry 1-0-1, Tavai 0-3-0, Durden 0-1-0. New Orleans, Werner 5-0-1, Taylor 5-0-0, Sanker 4-1-0, McKinstry 4-0-0, Godchaux 3-4-0, Bullard 3-0-0, Bresee 2-3-0, D.Davis 2-1-0, Shepherd 2-1-0, Stutsman 2-0-0, Reid 1-2-0, Jordan 1-0-0, Riley 1-0-0, Stalbird 1-0-0, C.Young 1-0-0, Granderson 0-1-0. INTERCEPTIONS—New England None. New Orleans, None. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None.
OFFICIALS—Referee Adrian Hill, Ump Roy Ellison, HL Derick Bowers, LJ Julian Mapp, FJ Tra Boger, SJ Clay Reynard, BJ Greg Steed, Replay Bob Hubbell.
Hill took the snap and ran to the right, following a lead block from right tackle Taliese Fuaga into the end zone for a 1-yard touchdown that cut the Patriots’ lead to 14-13. Including touchdowns as a passer and receiver, Hill has now accounted for 56 total touchdowns in his career
Grupe’s bounce back
Blake Grupe had been struggling this season The Saints kicker entered the game having made just 10 of 15 field goals, including two misses last week in a victory over the New York Giants.
Grupe was perfect Sunday, making all four of his field goal attempts from 34, 48, 38 and 54 yards.
“That’s how you hang around in this league,” Grupe said. “High stakes, everything is very important Every point on the board, we need to get. Everybody’s put in a lot of work. That’s the least I can do is go out there and do my job.”
Grupe credited the work that he and holder Kai Kroeger and long snapper Zach Wood put in this week.
“We were working on some little stuff, and it’s nice to be able to see
tage of the opportunities.”
us go out there and take care of business and see results.”
Returns to health
Saints defensive end Chase Young made his season debut after missing the first five games with a calf injury Young finished with one tackle in the game. He didn’t record a sack, despite getting close to Patriots quarterback Drake Maye several times.
“It felt great to be out their running around with the guys,” Young said. “There’s nothing like it.” Young said after the game that his calf felt great.
Young wasn’t the only Saints player making a return to the starting lineup. Right guard Cesar Ruiz returned after missing last week’s game with a high ankle sprain. Ruiz, like Young, didn’t feel any effects from the injury that sidelined him.
“It felt like I had fresh legs,” Ruiz said. “I felt great being back out there.”
Rookie gets on the field
Playing time has been hard to come by for Saints rookie linebacker Danny Stutsman this year, but he got on the field in the first half against the Patriots.
Stutsman entered the game in the second quarter in place of linebacker Pete Werner He played one defensive series, making a tackle on a first-and-10 run play and playing a part in the lone Saints’ defensive drive that kept New England off the scoreboard in the first half. Werner checked back in on the ensuing drive.
The Saints put Stutsman back on the field for a series in the third quarter Before Sunday’s game, Stutsman had only played four defensive snaps this season. The third-round
pick out of Oklahoma had primarily been used in special teams, where he has played 63% of the snaps. Odds and ends
Saints linebacker Demario Davis typically handles the pregame hype speech, but Sunday he turned it over to tight end Foster Moreau to close things out Saints safety Justin Reid, a Louisiana native, led the pregame Who Dat chant After releasing Velus Jones from the active roster this week the Saints gave kick return duties to wide receiver Mason Tipton, who finished with four returns for 89 yards Rookie left tackle Kelvin Banks briefly left Sunday’s game with the athletic training staff early in the second quarter, but he returned to the field before the drive was finished Mayorelect Helena Moreno was present for Sunday’s game, watching in team owner Gayle Benson’s suite.
Rattler could only offer a variation of the same answer that he had been giving for weeks.
“It didn’t feel like we played poorly,” he said. “That’s the thing. But you know (we were) a few plays away, so we just have to figure out how to make those plays.”
The higher-picked quarterback prevailed, but Rattler did well to keep pace with Maye throughout the afternoon. They both threw 26 passes. Rattler completed 20, Maye 18. Rattler finished with 227 yards. Maye? He had 261. But the biggest difference between them was the number of thrown touchdowns — Maye’s three passing touchdowns were the reason the Saints ultimately couldn’t record a second straight victory The Saints, as well as Rattler played, only found the end zone once on a 1-yard Taysom Hill run. On Sunday, the Saints’ most consistent problem this season reared its ugly head again. The offense settles for field goals, not touchdowns. That’s been a through line through the first six games. And that’s not all on the quarterback
“That’s on me,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “We’re not doing a good enough job. I thought we moved it at a decent rate We just didn’t take advan-
The Saints are also in a constant position to need touchdowns in part due to how the defense has started these games For the fourth straight game, New Orleans’ defense gave up back-toback touchdowns on its opening series. And on Sunday, the Saints faced a quarterback they couldn’t afford to let get going.
Maye may only be in his second year, but he was still polished enough of a quarterback to exploit a young Saints’ secondary Fresh off the biggest win of his career — an upset victory to hand the Buffalo Bills their first loss of the season Maye carried that momentum into New Orleans. He saw a streaking DeMario Douglas completely fool cornerback Quincy Riley on a post route, hitting him for a 53-yard touchdown.
Maye also wasn’t fazed when a 60yard touchdown was overturned on a curious offensive pass interference penalty, rallying the Patriots with a 25-yard touchdown to former LSU standout Kayshon Boutte.
Maye was so sharp that his first incompletion, a throwaway under pressure, didn’t come until 6:39 left in the second quarter — an hour of real time into the game.
“He stayed calm and collected,” Saints safety Justin Reid said.
With the way Maye was playing, the Saints needed Rattler to keep pace — and for a while, he did just that. Fresh off the first win of his career — a victory over the New York Giants — Rattler also carried his momentum into Sunday’s contest against the Patriots. On the very first play of the game, Rattler saw the corner blitz and hit Chris Olave for a 53-yard strike. He also found a rhythm, with only one incompletion in his first 10 passes. But football is a team game. And as accurate as Rattler was early on, the Saints sent out Blake Grupe
too many times for field goals — including three plays after Olave’s big gain. Grupe hit four kicks total, two under 40 yards. The field goals didn’t allow the Saints to seize control of the game, even when Grupe’s 38-yarder gave them a 16-14 lead with 1:51 left in the first half. Maye and the Patriots instantly answered back with a textbook two-minute drill that ended with a 29-yard touchdown to
Boutte. Tack on a successful twopoint conversion, and the Saints trailed 22-16 at the half. And maybe then is when the differences in quarterback play came to haunt the Saints. Even after the Saints held the Patriots to only a field goal in the second half, Maye was still able to seal the game with a precise 21-yard, third-down conversion that let the Patriots run out the clock. Rattler lacked that kind of signature throw But that could also be considered an overreaction. The Saints missed pivotal chances to take the lead, even when Rattler had been precise. Juwan Johnson fumbled at midfield with 8:43 left. Olave’s second-down drop also loomed large on the following and final Saints possession; it could have given New Orleans a first down but instead led to a three-and-out. Afterward, Rattler was asked if he felt he had proven anything by going toe-to-toe with a member of his draft class. The 25-year-old seemed to agree with the premise of the question, telling reporters that his goal is to “put my best foot forward every game as best I can, every chance I can.”
Then he resorted to a familiar talking point.
“We’re better than our record is saying right now,” Rattler said “We’ve got to figure out a way to finish these games out.”
STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler runs against the Patriots defense during the
half of their game on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
New Orleans Saints tight end Taysom Hill spikes the ball after scoring on a 1-yard TD against the New England Patriots during the first half of the game on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
PATRIOTS 25,SAINTS19
THREEAND OUT: JEFF DUNCAN’S TOPTHREE TAKEAWAySFROMSAINTS’ LOSS
RED ZONE STRUGGLESCONTINUED
IT WAS MAYE’S DAY
1
The Saints had no answerfor DrakeMaye, especially in the first half.The second-year quarterback from North Carolinalooked likethe best playeronthe field for most of the day, completing 18 of 26 passes for 261 yards and threetouchdowns He also ran for ateam-high 32 yards. Maye’s biggest passwas his last one, a21-yard dime to Kayshon Boutte on third-and-11 to seal the game andkeep the Saints fromattemptinga game-winning touchdown driveinthe finalminutes. Maye did most of his damageinthe first half, when he strafed the Saints’ defense on 11-of-13 passing for 185 yards andthreetouchdowns. His passer rating was aperfect 158.3 in the first half.
CONTROVERSIAL CALL
2
Juwan Johnson’slate fumble wasa killer forthe Saints and did not occurwithout controversy. Officials originally ruled Johnson wasdownbefore losing the ball after his14-yard catch with 8:50 left. But theyreversed the call after a replayreviewand ruled thatJohnson fumbled, giving NewEnglandpossession at its own49. Ultimately,the Patriots had to punt, buttheywere able to runvaluable time off theclock and punt the Saints deep in their own territory because of the ruling. Kellen Moorewas not happywiththe decisionand advanced 20 yardsonto the field to dispute the ball with officials, to no avail. It was only the Saints’ second fumble of the season.
3
Thegamebox score shows that the Saints were 1for 2inthe red zone, but theyalso failedtoscore atouchdown on twoother tripstothe NewEngland 27- and 20-yard lines. Theirlone touchdown in the scoring zone came on ashortrun by tight end Taysom Hill in the second quarter of their game at the Superdome.As aresult of their shortcomings in the red zone, the Saints settled for four BlakeGrupe field goals. It was Grupe’s best game of the season aftersomeearlierstruggleswith accuracy,sothat’sa good thing.But the Saints need more touchdownsiftheywant to record more winsand reverse their 1-5start.
Rattler backsOlave aftercrucial drop
BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer
With achance to lead ago-ahead drive late in the fourth quarter,New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler felt pressuretohis left, rolled to his right and saw his top receiver come freedownfield.
On the run, Rattlerfired astrike that hit Chris Olave in the handsnear the midfield line. But it did not stay in his hands. The ball dropped to the turfincomplete, adrop in acritical moment. Had the play been made, the Saints would have had anew setofdowns pushing into NewEngland territory with about fourminutes lefttoplay trailing 25-19.
But the Saints experienced theother end of the what-if scenario.Rattler’s ensuing third-down pass sailed incomplete, New Orleans punted the ball away and never got it back
There were plenty of dirtyhands in the Saints’ 25-19lossSunday. Tight end Juwan Johnson fumbled the ball near midfield on the possession before Olave’sdrop. NewOrleans converted just three of its nine third downs. The Saints defense couldn’tget off the field in the closing minutes and generally had no answer for Patriots rising star quarterback Drake Maye. All of those things, not one play,added up toaloss.
“It’sthe NFL; the margins are really, really small, really tight,” said coach Kellen Moore. “They have good players;wehave good players. It’s amatter of taking advantage of the opportunities that are presented.
“We’renot getting it done.We’re not getting it done in those situations when we have opportunities. For myself,I have to figure out away to get us there.”
But Olave’smissed opportunities stood out because he is supposedto be the guy making the big plays when it matters. Olave was not in the locker room for comment after the game, buthis quarterback said the drops won’taffect whether the Saints go his way with the game on the line in the future.
“I’m not worried about him,”Rattler said. “He’sone of our best guys. Our top guy.And we’re going tokeep getting him the ball. We rely on him, and our confidence is high in him.”
Statistically,Sunday’sgame against the Patriots was the best of Olave’sseason by asignificant margin. He finished with six catches for 98 yards, and he
Continued from page1C
possession as well. The Saints ended up settling for afield goal, while the Patriots cashed in.
That’sbeen the Saints’ story much of the season. Their inabilityto make the most of their opportunities. Far too often, they have settled forfield goals instead of scoring touchdowns. And before Sunday,even those field goals weren’tsure things. But credit to kicker Blake Grupe for making all four of his field goals aftermaking just 10 of 15 coming into the game. But as is often the case with the Saints, they couldn’tget allthree phasesofthe game to play well in the same game. “We’re close, knocking on the door,” Moore said. “But we’re not opening it. Ihavetofind away to get better.”
The line between wins and losses in the NFL is athin one. The Saints are learningthat lesson the hard way They are now 1-5. It’stheir worst start after six games since 1999, Mike Ditka’sthird and final season as head coach. Making this start even more frustrating is the Saints have been close in games. Sunday was their third loss by seven points or less.
“Wedon’tlive in aleague where we get moral victories for being close,” said Saints safety Justin Reid. “That isn’twhat the NFL is. The NFL isn’tabout points. It’sabout W’sand L’s. We only have one Wso
got off to agreat start The Patriots sent acorner blitz on the first play from scrimmage, sending Carlton Davis from the far left flank of the New England defense. New Orleans hadthe perfectplay ready for theblitz. Davishad been lined up over Olave, andwithnobodyinfront of him, Olave ran deep andraced past Patriots safety Kyle Dugger,hauling in a53-yard pass from Rattler on the Saints’ first play of the day.
The catch matchedOlave’scareer long, which he’dset in his 2022 rookie season against the Los Angeles Rams. It was awelcome beginning for Olave, who was averaging just 7.4 yards percatch coming into thegame, well below his career average (12.5).
Beforehehauled in that bomb to start thegame, his season long was 17 yards He followed that up with some nice
catches that moved theSaints into scoring range lateinthe first half. Aftera failed Patriotsfourth-down conversion,the Saintstookover at New England’s47, and Rattler peppered Olave with quickpasses, hitting him for 9, 5, and8 yardstopushNew Orleans to the Patriots 20. On third-and-4, the Saints dialedOlave’snumberagain on aplaythey’d been working on in the week leading up to thegame.
Olave startedinthe slot and ranunderapair of in-breaking routesfrom his teammates, effectively running a wheel routetothe pylon. As intended, Patriotscorner Marcus Jones was slowed down by the traffic presented by the Saints receivers, andOlave flashed open.
Rattler lofted apass toward the pylon, Olave ran under it and he could not quitehaul it in, with the ball glancing
far.Itisa bit frustrating. Everyman in the building knows what it takes to win. We’ve just gottogoout there and execute better.”
TheSaints’ defense, which forced five turnovers last week, struggled to stop Maye and Company.Ifyou wanted areason to party in theDome for the second weekinarow,you’ll have to wait until Thursday for Breezy Bowl (theconcert by R&B star Chris Brown). Thestar on this day was Maye, who threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Twoofthose were caughtbyNew Iberia native Kayshon Boutte. Boutte also hauled in a21-
yard reception on third-and-11 that wasthe final nail in theSaints’ coffin. While thePatriots were able to count on their key receivers, the Saintsweren’t. Chris Olave was unable to reel in what would have been atouchdown in thesecond quarter Andhealsohad adrop lateinthe fourth quarter that would have extended adrive. Andtherewas the costly fumble by tight end Juwan Johnson. It all added up to another loss for a team trying to findits way “Weknow we are abetter team than what our record says,” Rattler said.
off his fingertips at the goal line. The Saints ultimately settled fora field goal.
“I thought it wasawell-executed play,”Rattlersaid. “It’sa toughone We worked that all weekand felt great aboutit. It wasthe right look,and almostmade the play.”
Mooredid notcomment on Olave specifically after the game, choosing instead to take amore global approach when asked about Olave’sdrops.
“Obviously,we’ll look at the film to evaluate all the details of it, but we had some opportunities in the passing game,” Moore said. “Wedidn’tget it done. Those are challenging plays. I getit. We just have to find away collectively as agroup to come up with moresuccess.”
Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.
“Wehave to findaway to winthese games that are one-score games.”
It’s the difference between being 1-5 and 4-2.
“Ifweeliminate the mistakes, we have achance against anybody,” Reid said. “Seriously.But we don’tstand a chance if we keep shooting ourselves in the foot. It’s just too manymistakes across the board.”
Reid, in his eighth NFLseason, says his role as aveteran is to makesure the accumulation of losses doesn’t fracture the team.
“We’re not going to let this turn into something where we’re going to start pointing fingers at each other,” Reid said. “I know the internet and everything is going to be wanting to tear us apart. The mostimportant thing is that the team stays ateam inside of the building. As long as we stay together,we’ll always have achance.”
The Saints had achance again on Sunday
“Wekeep putting ourselves in advantageous positions, but we keep drawing the wrong card,” said tight end Foster Moreau. “Wekeep drawing the adversity card. All we can do as ateam is keep putting ourselves in advantageous positions, and then when it’stimetogomake plays, that’s what we’ve got to go do. Follow the schemes. Then when it’syour turn, go makethe play.”
The Saints haven’tbeen able to do that.
They have a1-5 record to prove it.
Email RodWalkerat rwalker@theadvocate.com.
STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE
Woodson, left, recovers aball fumbled by
STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD
Saints wide receiver Chris Olave drops apass that would have converted to a first down to help keep adrive alive in the fourth quarter against the NewEngland Patriots on Sunday at the Caesars Superdome.
NFL ROUNDUP
Carolina outlasts Dallas, Fitzgerald nails game-winner
By The Associated Press
CHARLOTTE, N.C.
Rico Dowdle
warned his former Dallas Cowboys teammates last week they’d better get ready and buckle up.
“They wasn’t buckled up,” Dowdle said.
The sixth-year running back went over 200 yards from scrimmage for the second straight week and rookie Ryan Fitzgerald kicked a 33-yard field goal as time expired as the Carolina Panthers defeated the Cowboys 30-27 in a wild backand-forth game on Sunday
Bryce Young completed 17 of 25 passes for 199 yards and threw two of his three touchdown passes to rookie Tetairoa McMillan to help the Panthers (3-3) improve to 3-0 at home.
Dowdle, who spent five years with the Cowboys before signing earlier this year with the Panthers, ran for 183 yards on 30 carries and caught four passes for 56 yards and a touchdown as Carolina avenged home losses to Dallas the last two seasons.
Dowdle’s 473 yards from scrimmage over the past two weeks are a franchise record. He also became the seventh NFL player in the last 20 years to post back-to-back 200 yards games His 239 yards on Sunday also set a franchise record, breaking the previous mark of 237, set twice by Christian McCaffrey “It was personal for him and we knew that. We want to have his back,” Young said. “That’s our brother and if it’s important to him and it’s personal to him, it’s important to us.”
BRONCOS 13, JETS 11: In London, Bo Nix threw an early touchdown pass, Wil Lutz kicked a late go-ahead field goal and Denver sacked Justin Fields nine times, with the final one sealing an ugly victory over winless New York.
The Broncos (4-2) won their third in a row, but found themselves trailing 11-10 after conceding a safety
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RUSTy JONES
Carolina Panthers running back Rico Dowdle runs the ball as Dallas Cowboys linebacker Kenneth Murray defends on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.
in the third quarter against a Jets team that managed just 82 total net yards on offense.
Nix, who was 19 of 30 for 174 yards, led Denver on a 12-play 65yard drive that ended with Lutz’s 27-yard field with just over five minutes left.
Despite a horrendous offensive display, the Jets (0-6) still had the ball with a chance to drive for a potential winning score.
RAMS 17,RAVENS 3: In Owings Mills, Maryland, the Los Angeles Rams finished the first half with a goalline stand and then Matthew Stafford guided them to a pair of touchdowns to begin the third quarter in a victory over Baltimore.
The Rams (4-2) weren’t at their best, but they didn’t have to be against a spiraling Baltimore team that was without injured quarterback Lamar Jackson for a second straight weekend. The Ravens (1-5) managed a field goal on their first drive and nothing more.
It was tied at 3 late in the first half when the Ravens had firstand-goal from the 4 After Derrick Henry ran to the 1, Baltimore tried
back-to-back tush push plays with tight end Mark Andrews lining up at quarterback and sneaking. Neither worked and then Henry was stopped on fourth down.
SEAHAWKS 20, JAGUARS 12: In Jacksonville, Florida, Sam Darnold threw touchdown passes to Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp, and Seattle dominated both lines of scrimmage on its way to a victory at Jacksonville.
Smith-Njigba finished with eight receptions for 162 yards as the Seahawks (4-2) rebounded from a last-second loss to Tampa Bay at home. They had few issues traveling cross-country for an early start controlled most of the way and improved to 22-6 over the last decade in 1 p.m. kickoffs on the East Coast.
The Jaguars (4-2), meanwhile, looked every bit like a team that spent the week reveling in a Monday night victory against threetime AFC champion Kansas City Jacksonville’s first three snaps set the tone: a sack, a holding penalty and a 3-yard loss.
CHARGERS 29, DOLPHINS 27: In Miami Gardens, Florida Justin Herbert
escaped the Dolphins’ pass rush and connected with Ladd McConkey for a 42-yard catch-and-run in the final minute, setting up Cameron Dicker’s fifth field goal of the game, and Los Angeles rallied to beat Miami.
The Dolphins overcame a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter and took the lead when Tua Tagovailoa threw a 1-yard touchdown pass to Darren Waller with 46 seconds remaining. Nyheim Hines set the Chargers up at Miami’s 35 with a 40-yard return of the ensuing kickoff. On second-and-10, Herbert stepped up in the pocket, got free from the grasp of Jaelan Phillips and threw a short pass to McConkey, who broke a tackle and ran out of bounds at the Miami 17. Dicker’s 33-yard kick won it for Los Angeles (4-2), which snapped a two-game skid.
STEELERS 23, BROWNS 9: In Pittsburgh, Aaron Rodgers passed for 235 yards and two touchdowns, and Pittsburgh had little trouble with Cleveland.
The Steelers (4-1) strengthened their early grip on the AFC North by continuing their home mastery of the Browns (1-5). Cleveland’s regular-season losing streak at Acrisure Stadium hit 22 games after another lifeless performance by its offense.
Browns rookie Dillon Gabriel passed for 221 yards but couldn’t lead the league’s second-lowest scoring offense to the end zone as Cleveland failed to crack the 17-point barrier for the 11th consecutive game.
COLTS 31, CARDINALS 27: In Indianapolis, Daniel Jones threw two touchdown passes and Jonathan Taylor ran 1 yard for the go-ahead score with 4:32 left, giving Indianapolis a victory over Arizona.
Jones finished 22 of 30 for 212 yards with one interception. He also ran for a score. Taylor had 21 carries for 123 yards, and rookie tight end Tyler Warren caught six
SCOREBOARD
Philadelphia 1 (11 innings) League Championship Series (Best-of-7) American League (FOX, FS1) Toronto vs. Seattle Sunday: Seattle at Toronto, n Monday: Seattle at Toronto (Yesavage 1-0), 4:03 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Wednesday, Oct. 15: Toronto at Seattle, 7:08 p.m. (FOX/FS1)
Oct. 16: Toronto at Seattle, 7:33 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Friday, Oct. 17: Toronto at Seattle, 5:08 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Sunday, Oct. 19: Seattle or Detroit, 7:03 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Monday, Oct. 20: Seattle or Detroit, 7:08 p.m. (FOX/FS1) National League (TBS, truTV, HBO Max) Los Angeles vs Milwaukee Monday: Los Angeles at Milwaukee, 7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Tuesday: Los Angeles at Milwaukee, 7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
Thursday, Oct. 16: Milwaukee at Los Angeles, 5:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Friday, Oct. 17: Milwaukee at Los Angeles 7:38 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
x-Saturday, Oct. 18: Milwaukee at Los Angeles, 7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max)
x-Monday, Oct. 20: Los Angeles at Milwaukee, 4:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) x-Tuesday, Oct. 21: Los Angeles at Milwaukee, 7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Milwaukee 3, Chicago
Uribe S,1-1
HBP—Ashby (Hoerner).
Umpires—Home, Chris Conroy; First, Ryan Blakney; Second, Edwin Moscoso; Third, Mike Estabrook; Right, Lance Barksdale; Left, Will Little. T—2:36. A—42,743 (41,700) College football
Major scores
Saturday’s games EAST Army 24, Charlotte 7 CCSU 24, Robert Morris 12 Clemson 41, Boston College 10 Dartmouth 17, Yale 16 Delaware St. 70, S. Connecticut 23 Duquesne 52, St. Francis (Pa.) 7 Lafayette 62, Bucknell 24 Lehigh 31, Columbia 7 Maine 20, Merrimack 13 Marshall 48, Old Dominion 24 Mercer 38, Princeton 14 Mercyhurst 19, Wagner 7 Monmouth (NJ) 42, Towson 31 Morgan St. 44, Va. Lynchburg 6 Navy 32, Temple 31 Nebraska 34, Maryland 31 New Haven 69, W. Connecticut 0 Northwestern 22, Penn St. 21 Rhode Island 38, New Hampshire 27 Richmond 24, Colgate 19 Sacred Heart 32, Howard 14 SOUTH Abilene Christian 30, West Georgia 13 Alabama A&M 45, MVSU 25 Alcorn St. 42, Lincoln (CA) Oaklanders 0 Appalachian St. 41, Georgia St. 20 Bethune-Cookman 45, Southern U. 14 Campbell 38, Hampton 21 Cent. Arkansas 49, North Alabama 21 Coastal
Weber St. 27 San Diego St. 44, Nevada 10 Southern Cal 31, Michigan 13 Tarleton St. 41, Utah Tech 23 UC Davis 45, N. Arizona 24 UNLV 51, Air Force 48 Utah 42, Arizona St. 10 Wake Forest 39, Oregon St. 14 Wyoming 35, San Jose St. 28 No. 11 LSU 20, South Carolina 10 Late Saturday South Carolina 7 0 3 0 10 LSU 3 7 7 3 — 20
First Quarter LSU—FG Ramos 28, 11:52. SCAR—Fuller 72 run (Joyce kick), :25. Second Quarter LSU—T.Green 6 pass from Nussmeier (Ramos kick), 13:01. Third Quarter SCAR—FG Joyce 46, 8:39. LSU—Parker 43 pass from Nussmeier (Ramos kick), 6:38. Fourth Quarter LSU—FG Ramos 22, 1:46. SCAR LSU
First downs 20 22
Total Net Yards 317 420 Rushes-yards 45-193 30-166 Passing 124 254 Punt Returns 3-20 1--8 Kickoff Returns 2-43 1-22
Interceptions Ret. 2-0 1-0 Comp-Att-Int 15-27-1 20-33-2 Sacked-Yards Lost 5-55 0-0 Punts 4-41.75 4-55.0 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 2-1 Penalties-Yards 13-66 5-54 Time of Possession 31:41 28:14
Indy (5-1) remained perfect at home by winning its sixth straight over the past two seasons at Lucas Oil Stadium.
PACKERS 27, BENGALS 18: In Green Bay, Wisconsin, Josh Jacobs rushed for two touchdowns and the Green Bay Packers held off Cincinnati for a victory in Joe Flacco’s Bengals debut.
Jacobs had a 3-yard touchdown run in the second quarter and opened the fourth by scoring on a 14-yard burst up the middle.
Jordan Love went 19 of 26 for 259 yards with an interception and a 19-yard touchdown pass to Tucker Kraft.
Lucas Havrisik sealed the win by making the second of his two field goals, a 39-yarder with 1:52 remaining. Havrisik also kicked a 43-yarder a day after signing with the Packers because usual kicker Brandon McManus had injured his quadriceps.
BUCCANEERS 30,49ERS 19: In Tampa, Florida, Baker Mayfield’s heroics came early in the fourth quarter instead of the final minutes. Mayfield threw two touchdown passes and had a spectacular scramble to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers beat the San Francisco 49ers. After winning four games with scores in the last minute, the Buccaneers (5-1) didn’t need a late comeback.
RAIDERS 20,TITANS 10: In Las Vegas, Geno Smith passed for 174 yards and a touchdown, and Devin White led a suffocating Raiders defense as Las Vegas defeated the Tennessee Titans.
The Raiders (2-4) ended a fourgame skid, and the Titans (1-5) missed an opportunity to win consecutive games for the first time since November of 2022, a 47game stretch. Neither of the struggling teams did much on offense. They combined for 451 yards.
“I’ve neverseenanything grow this fast.” TONy SCOTT,onhis giant pumpkin
PUMPkings
By SHELBy LUM
BY ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN and SHELBY LUM AP science writer
WAPPINGERS FALLS,N.Y.— The pumpkin in Tony Scott’sbackyard weighsalmost as much as asmall car
He’sbeen tending to it for months, feeding it fertilizer and covering it with ablanket at night to keep itata stable temperature. Arollofmeasuring tape wrapped around thepumpkin gives him arough estimate of its size
“I’ve never seen anything grow this fast,” said Scott, asemiconductorengineer from upstate New York. Every year,growers like Scott push their pumpkins to thelimit They compete in annual weigh-offs with colossal fruits that are well over 2,000 pounds. Scott’spumpkin took third place this year,coming in at 1,931 pounds.
Pumpkins aren’tthe only crops that canget giant.Other membersof the gourd family like squashes,cucumbers andwatermelons are capable of asimilar feat. But the orange behemoths are especially massive and have earned aplace of honor at fall festivals and Halloween fairs.
Howtogrowagiant pumpkin
Reducing
caregiver stress starts with self-care
What can caregivers do to de-stress?
Though caring forsomeone with Alzheimer’sorother dementias can be rewarding at times, it can also be terribly stressful forcaregivers and families.
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE
PHOTO By ERICRISBERG
Apumpkin called ‘Michael Jordan,’isdisplayedalongsidemanyothers before being weighed at the Safeway50th annual WorldChampionship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., in 2023.
dreds of gallons of water in aday andmake their own food from sunlight just like regular-sized plants do Theirinternalplumbing system is more robust, allowingthemtodrink up sugary water and nutrientsfaster As theleafy patchbegins to expand, Howtogrowa giantpumpkin andreign over allother s… with help fr om science
Agiant pumpkin starts off asthe perfect seed. Growers choose seeds
thathave yieldedlarge pumpkins in the pastortest new ones.Scott andmany other growers rely on the tried-and-trueAtlanticGiant pumpkinseeds. Afterthat, it comesdowntothe right combination of water, nutrients and care. Giant pumpkins can guzzle hun-
‘YOU JUST HAVE TO ROLL WITH IT’
ä See PUMPKINS, page 8C
Canada’s last hockey stickfactory skates on
BYKELVIN CHAN Associated Press
BRANTFORD,Ontario Wearing protective gloves and earplugs, aworker feeds lengths of wood into amachine that makes an earsplittingwhine as it automatically cuts agroove into the endof each piece. Nearby,stacks of wooden wedges wait to be slotted into those grooves to form the begin-
nings of ahockey stick. Further downthe Roustan Hockey production line,other workers are busy shaping, trimming, sanding, painting and screenprintingas
8C
Wooden hockey sticks are stacked as theymove along the assembly lineat the Roustan Hockey factory, the last major manufacturer of hockey sticks in Canadain Brantford, Ontario. AP PHOTO By KELVIN CHAN
It is critical that the caregiver takes frequent breaks to step away from caregiving, taking deep breaths, stretching and exercising even forafew minutes. Ashort walk outside or time sitting in aquiet space can offer ahelpful reset forthe mind and body.Additionally, if the caregiver has access to respite care, they should consider using these services as it allows time forthe caregiver to recharge while their loved one is in asafe and comfortable care setting. Pay attention to self-care when trying to lower stress levels. Caregivers should set aside some“me time” —even if it’sashort period —todo something that helps them unwind. Watching afavorite television show,reading, taking abath, or enjoying aspecial hobby are all waystoreduce stress and put the caregiver in abetter frame of mind. Adequate sleep is crucial for emotional and physical wellbeing. Caregivers should set relaxing nighttimebedtime routines, such as going to bed at aspecific time, turning off cellphones or other devices, drinking decaffeinated hot tea, or just listening to softmusic. Self-care also includes regular physical activity,even if it is 15 minutes aday.Daily walks, yoga and other formsof exercise can reduce stress and elevate mood
Caregivers should pay attention to good nutritional choices. Nourishing the body with healthy food can increase energy levels and improve the caregiver’shealth and ability to better cope with the stresses of daily responsibilities.
Socialization is also important in reducing stress forthe caregiver.Leaning on friends and loved ones can offer emotional support or even assistance with caregiving needs or tasks. Additionally,many caregivers find it helpful to join support groups where they can share experiences with those whoare going through similar challenges. Further,caregivers may choose to seek professional help to manage their stress and to learn and develop coping strategies. There are various stressreduction techniques that caregivers can try to reduce stress. Mindfulness and meditation techniques can help the caregiver to stay grounded and reduce anxiety.Breathing and progressive muscle relaxation exercises are also stressreduction techniques forthe caregiver When caregiving responsibilities get too overwhelming, caregivers can consider,if financially feasible, to hire professional sitters to assist in certain tasks. Accepting free help from family members and friends is often difficult
Tony Scott stands with the pumpkin he grew in his Wappingers Falls, N.y., backyard.
PRESS PHOTO
Bipolardisordermay have uncommon connection
Dear Doctors: My 22-year-old son is severely bipolar,whichimpacts his life terribly.Ihave kept up with the studies that have shown success in treating bipolar witha fecal transplant. Do you know of anyopen studies right now that might take my son? We would travel anywhere to get it done. Dear Reader: Bipolar disorderis amental health condition that is marked by extreme swings in mood, energy,thoughts and behaviors. These repeated shifts fromintense elation to crushing depression can disrupt sleep, impede judgment and interfere with the ability to think clearly.As with many conditions that affect mental health, bipolar disorder existsonaspectrum. That means each case is unique, and symptoms vary in severity,frequency and presentation. But even in its
HOCKEY
Continued from page7C
The operation has origins that date back to the 1800s and has survived decades of trade globalization to hang on as the last North American commercial manufacturer of traditional wooden hockey sticks. Now it’sfacing fresh headwindsfrom the trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump, who has ripped up free tradedeals in North America andimposed tariffs on Canadian exports.
The uncertainty is making life aheadache for Roustan
“You never know” what Trump will do, said Bo Crawford, the factory’sgeneral manager.“Youjust have to roll with it and the president of the U.S. can change his mind day to day,week to week, hour to hour.Soyeah we have to dealwith it the best we can,” he said.
Roustan has spent months dealing with U.S. customer worries and navigating the trade challenges.
Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian imports, though many goods have ultimately remained exempted because they’re already covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiated during his first term.
Then, in late August, the Trump administration eliminated awidely used customs exemption for international shipments worth $800 that resulted in newuncertainty over cross-border trade, said owner and CEO Graeme Roustan.
“Even if somebody buys one or two or five or 10 sticks and it’s under $100,they’re going to be affectedbythe tariffs, so the jury is stillout on how that’sgoing to impact business,” Roustan said.
Roustan Hockey’s factory churns outabout 400,000 wooden hockey sticks ayear under the Christian, Northland and Sherwoodbrands,
PUMPKINS
Continued from page7C
growers remove smaller pumpkins so all the water and nutrients funnelinto a single fruit.
“That helps make it extra big in away that youmight not see in the wild,” saidAleca Borsuk, aplant scientist at theNew York Botanical Garden. Because of gravity,giant pumpkins grow wide but not tall. They oftenresemble lopsided, lumpypancakes. Scott’spumpkin is also lighter in color because he covers it with atarp during the day, protecting it from sunlight which can ripen and harden
SELF-CARE
Continued from page7C
as caregivers feel like they need to do everything themselves. Accepting help can prevent burnout, especially when the caregiver gives specific necessary tasks to others.
Caregivers go through arange of emotions from guilt and frustration to
Dr.Elizabeth Ko
Dr.Eve Glazier ASK THE DOCTORS
milderforms,bipolar disorder can significantly impair qualityoflife. It is commonfor thefirst indicationsofbipolar disorder to emerge in late adolescence andearly adulthood. Diagnosis includes amental health assessment, medical history and physicalexam. Oncediagnosed, treatmenttypically combines medications, such as mood stabilizers and perhaps antidepressants, with individual, group or
with about100,000 exported to the United States. It also makesplastic-bladed road hockeysticks and foam-core goalie sticks.
Crawford said shipments to theU.S. have been held up for manualinspections at theborder,where they’ve beenhit with surprise tariffs, whichthe company’s customs broker has managed to get waived
It’snot just sticks. Shipmentsofgoalie pads, which Roustan manufactures at a separate factory in Toronto, were recently flagged for an unexpected 200% tariff, which company managers said they’re trying to resolvewithnew formsfrom their shippingcompany
Thedisruption underscores the broader trade turmoil that’sleft theCanadian economy reeling Canada’seconomyshrank 1.6% in the second quarter,inthe first contraction since 2023 and the biggest decline since the COVID-19 pandemic.Exports slumped 7.5%, as uncertainty over tariffs andtrade pummeled exports to thecountry’sbiggest trading partner,the United States. Those figures overshadow the longer-term decline of Canadianmanufacturing.
Some 37,800 manufacturing jobs were lost in the year to August, accordingtoofficial data.
Real investment in industrial machinery and equipment fell in the second quarter to the lowest level since records began in 1981, experts at the National Bank of Canada pointed out in a recent research note.
“How did we gethere? Yearsofexcessiveregulation, and achroniclack of ambition by successive governments in promoting domestic transformation of our naturalresources— recently made worse by Washington’sprotectionist agenda,”wrote economists Stéfane Marion and Matthieu Arseneau. “That failure haseroded Canada’s
theskin. He waters it using an overhead sprinkler system. Howlongcan they grow?
“The answer is no,” Borsuk said. No matter howbig apumpkin gets, it’ll eventually matureand its natural agingcycle will kick in.
Scotthas nurtured giant pumpkins for eight years. It still blowshis mind watching them inflate, putting on around40poundsto50 pounds aday.Hesets up reflectivepanelsand even a fake wolfcutout to ward off hungry deer and other intruders looking for an orange-colored snack. Woodchucks have nibbledonthe pumpkin’s vines in previous years. After the all-important weighingcompetition,Scott
sadness andevenanger These emotions are very normal;however, it’simportant for the caregivers to acknowledge andprocess them as bottlingupfeelings can cause unduestress.
Overall, caregivers should focus on the aspects of caregivingthey can control andthrow perfection out the window.Taking one day at atime, setting boundaries,knowing limits,
family-focused psychotherapy Due to the unpleasant side effects of some of themedications, treatmentcan be challenging. The cause of bipolar disorder is not yet clearly understood. Previous research has suggested links to amix of heredity, mental health and environmental factors. More recently,though, growing awareness of aconnection between the gut microbiome and thebrain is leading researchers in an intriguing new direction. This connection, known as the gut-brain axis, is abidirectional communication systembetween the trillions of microbes in thegut and the brain. An imbalance in the gut microbiome has been found to contribute to inflammation, immune system dysfunction and the production of harmful metabolites This imbalance, known as gut
manufacturing baseand left us at risk of becoming irrelevant in global supply chains.”
The Roustan operation started life in 1847 as an agricultural workshop, 20 years before Canada became acountry and70years before theNational Hockey League was created.
It’sall that survives of the golden era of North American wooden hockey stick manufacturing in the1970s and’80s when there were numerous workshops in Ontario and Quebec, as well as U.S. production centeredin Minnesota.
Roustan,abusinessman whoalsoowns TheHockey News and once attempted to buy the Montreal Canadiens, acquired the operation in 2019 —bythen named Heritage Wood Specialties —and moved it from aging facilities in the town of Hespeler, 20 miles north of Brantford, hometown of hockey legend Wayne Gretzky
Nowadays,global production amounts to about 5millionhockey sticks ayear,but wood makes up only about a tenth.NoNHL player has regularly useda wooden stick in well over adecade, underlining the sport’sembrace of newer technology
Composite sticks, madeof carbon fiber and other lightweight advanced materials, are now far more popular and preferredbybothamateurs and professionals. But composite sticks are pricier becauseofthe advanced manufacturingprocesses involved.
Meanwhile, over the years, Canadianand U.S. production consolidated or moved to Asia and Mexico amid awider global shift by Western consumer brands in search of cheaper manufacturing overseas.
“It’s very hard to compete against some of the Asian markets and some of ourcompetitors that are in other countries,” said Crawford. “But our qualitykind of stands for itself.”
shows off the giant pumpkin at various themed events and drives it around on atrailer Eventually,hedonates it to be displayed or carved.
On the way to events, he often getsstopped by people who ask what he’sgot in the back.
“The first question they ask is, ‘Is it real?’ ”Scott said. “Where would you buy afake pumpkin this big?”
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from theHoward Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Educationand the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for allcontent
and creating aroutine are all ways to reduce overwhelming feelings, anxiety and stress levels.
Dana Territo is an Alzheimer’s advocate and author of “What My Grandchildren Taught Me About Alzheimer’s Disease.” She hosts“The Memory Whisperer.” Emailher at thememorywhisperer@ gmail.com.
dysbiosis, has been linked to a range of neurodegenerative diseases.These include Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’sdisease and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. As you have pointed out, there is evidence thatgut dysbiosis mayplay arole in bipolar disorder as well. It is not suggested that gut dysbiosis is the sole causeofthese diseases. However,some researchers believe modulating the gut microbiome may have therapeutic benefits. This may be done through diet, the use of specific prebiotics and probiotics, and fecal transplants. This is when aperson’scolon is infused with asolution containing fecal matterfrom ahealthy donor Afew small studies have reported successinlessening the symptoms of severe bipolar disorder through fecal transplants.
We searched at clinicaltrials. gov,the United States National Institutes of Health’sclinical trials database. At this time, there do not appear to be any new or ongoing investigations into the use of fecal transplants to manage bipolar disorder.However,several bipolar studies are exploring probiotics. Youmay find it useful to browse all of the studies listed on the site associated with bipolar disorder.Even if none are right foryour son, they are an excellent way to keep abreast of new directions in research.
Sendyour questions to askthedoctors@mednet.ucla edu, or write: Ask theDoctors, c/oUCLA HealthSciences Media Relations, 10880 Wilshire Blvd.,Suite1450, Los Angeles CA, 90024.
TODAYINHISTORY
By The Associated Press
Today is Monday,Oct.13, the 286thday of 2025. There are 79 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On Oct. 13, 2010, 33 men were rescued from acollapsed Chilean mineafter being lifted one by one in capsules 69 days after they were trapped 2,300 feet underground.
Also on this date:
In 1792, thecornerstone of the executive mansion, later known as the White House, was laid by President George Washington during aceremony in the District of Columbia.
In 1932, President Herbert Hoover and Chief Justice Charles Evans Hughes laid the cornerstone for the U.S. Supreme Court building in Washington.
In 1943, Italy declared war on Germany,its onetime Axis partner
In 1972, aUruguayan chartered flight carrying 45 people crashed in the Andes. In order to stay alive, survivors resorted to
feeding off the remains of someofthe dead; 16 people were rescued morethan twomonths later
In 1999, in Boulder, Colorado, the JonBenet Ramsey grand jury was dismissed after 13 months of workwith prosecutors saying there wasn’tenough evidence to charge anyone in the 6-year-old beauty queen’sslaying.
In 2011, Raj Rajaratnam the hedge fund billionaire at the center of one of the biggest insider-trading cases in U.S. history,was sentenced by afederal judge in NewYork to 11 years behind bars. He was released early,in2019.
In 2021, Hollywood’s Captain Kirk, 90-year-old William Shatner,blasted into space aboard aship built by Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin company; the “Star Trek” actor and three fellow passengers reached an altitude of 66.5 miles during aflight lasting just over 10 minutes. Today’sbirthdays: Gospel singer Shirley Caesar is
87. Singer-musician Paul Simon is 84. Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones is 83. Singer-musician Sammy Hagar is 78. Model Beverly Johnson is 73. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., is 67. Singer/TV personality Marie Osmond is 66. NBAcoach Doc Rivers is 64. Actor T’Keyah Crystal Keymah is 63. Football Hall of Famer Jerry Rice is 63. Comedian and actor Matt Walsh is 61. Baseball Hall of
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) Focusonyour health, wealth and security, and how youcan look,feel and do your best. Change may be calling your name, but clever moves are the key to success.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Forge ahead with aplan. Amotivatedattitude, alongside intelligence, persistence and relentless courage, will your opponents take astep back
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Proceed with caution. Hidden agendas and false information will put youina vulnerable position. Ask questions andbeaware of what others want beforemaking a commitment.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Overthinking, letting emotions lead the way and taking on too much will be your downfall. You haveplenty to gain if you focusonwhatyou do best.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Be agood listener, and you'llgain insight into howtohandle people you encounter. A domestic change that lowersoverhead andstimulates growth will payoff.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Interacting with others will enhance your ability to grow, reinvent yourself and chart your next steps. It'stimetotry newthings, meet interesting people andstretch your imagination.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Concentrate on doing what's best for you while taking care of what concerns you most. Your
input can lead to progress, newfriendships or additional income.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Domestic changesyou implementwill bring you closer to people youdeal with regularly. Alittle give and take will go along way to foster tolerance andreduce prejudice.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Aphysical change will be uplifting and encourage youtoget outand do more. Socializing will lead to interesting encounters and promptyou to rethink howyou wantto spend your energy.
CANCER(June 21-July 22) Think big, but don't overspend in theprocess. It's crucial to be forward-thinking to accommodate your long-term plans. Don't let denial stand in the way of progress.
LEO (July 23-Aug.22) Don't letangerset in whenrealization and courage are your tickets forward. An innovative approach to what works best for you will lead to comfort andjoy
VIRGO (Aug.23-Sept. 22) Interact, share ideas and utilize the information you receive to adjusthow you live your life. It'stimetomakechangesthatsuit your needs rather than accommodate others.
Celebrity Cipher cryptogramsare created from quotationsbyfamous people, past and present.Each letter in thecipher stands for another.
TODAy'S CLUE:Z EQUALS L
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
And erneSt
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
SherMAn’S LAGoon
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placingpuzzle basedona9x9 grid with several given numbers The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increasesfrom Monday to Sunday
Saturday’s PuzzleAnswer
THewiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
CurTiS
Bridge
BY PHILLIP ALDER
Harold Wilson, whowas the British prime minister for two separate terms said, “I believe the greatest asset ahead of state can have is theabilitytoget a good night’s sleep.” It does not pay to be sleepy at the bridge table, which is why many playersconsumecaffeinateddrinks. Today’s deal, though, is about declarer making themost of his assets, thecards. Southisinfourhearts.Westleadsalow spade. How shoulddeclarer proceed? Northgetsthree points forhis singleton,soitiseasilyworththreehearts.(His hand also haseight losers.)
The North hand has few assets, but it is important to make the most of them. South must notcall for dummy’sspade king at trickone. It is so unlikely that West is underleading theace. And, here, if East does take thefirst trick with his aceover dummy’sking, declarer will losetwo spades, one heartand one diamond.
Instead, let dummy play low.After East wins thefirst trick with his 10, what does he do next?
If East cashes the spade ace, declarer will discard his diamondloser on the spade king, ruff his club threeonthe board, and lose only two spades and one heart. Suppose Eastdoes not takehis ace, shiftingtoaclub. Then declarer wins in his hand; draws one round of trumps;casheshistwotopclubs,sluffing dummy’s remaining spades; and, to get communication between the two hands, plays two rounds of diamonds. Whatever happens now, South can draw asecond round of trumps, ruff his last spade on theboard,ruffadiamondinhishand,and ruff theclub three to get home.
