Students at Baranco Elementary learn love for books in school’s award-winning program
BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer
For the past five Tuesdays, after the rest of the school went home, the library of Dr Raphael Baranco Elementary stayed open to welcome a small group of students and their families.
After dinner and learning about community resources, students gathered cross-legged on the library’s carpet at the feet of Principal Cayce Otwell for a story time. When she finished, they discussed the story to ensure students understood it, its themes and how its central message might show up in their own lives.
It’s the second time Baranco has offered the six-week Prime Time Reading Program The program is designed to bring children and their families together to foster a love for reading and model how to engage with a book. Over the course of the program, families receive 12 free books for their home library
“I hope that families see the importance of reading to their children and how much their children get out of a good story,” Otwell said. “I’m hoping to help families develop lifelong readers in their children.”
The program was the winner of the 2025 American Prize from the Library of Congress, which is awarded to organizations for making a significant and measurable contribution to increasing literacy levels in the United States or the national awareness of the importance of literacy
Hostages, prisoners released
Complex
issues remain for ceasefire between Israel and Hamas
BY MELANIE LIDMAN, SAMY MAGDY and WAFAA SHURAFA Associated Press
JERUSALEM Israel and Hamas moved ahead on a key first step of the tenuous Gaza ceasefire agreement on Monday by freeing hostages and prisoners, raising hopes that the U.S.-brokered deal might lead to a permanent end to the twoyear war that ravaged the Palestinian territory But thornier issues such as whether Hamas will disarm and who will govern Gaza and the question of Palestinian statehood — remain unresolved, highlighting the fragility of an agreement that for now only pauses the deadliest conflict in the history of Israel and the Palestinians.
ä Trump calls for a new era of harmony
For Israelis, the release of the 20 remaining living hostages brought elation and a sense of closure to a war many felt they were forced into by Hamas, although many pledged to fight on for the return of deceased hostages still in Gaza. But with the living hostages freed, the urgency with which many were driven to call for an end to the war will likely diminish, easing pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to advance the next phases of the agreement. Four deceased hostages were returned to Israel on Monday, and another 24 are supposed to be turned over as part of the first phase of the ceasefire, which also requires Israel to allow a surge of food and other humanitarian aid into Gaza. While there was an outburst of joy in Gaza for prisoners returning from Israel and hope that the fighting may wind down for good, the torment
ä See HOSTAGES, page 6A
Former Gov. Edwards won’t
Democrats left searching for candidate
BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer
Former Gov John Bel Edwards on Monday dashed the dreams of Democrats who hoped he would jump into next year’s U.S. Senate race Edwards said he will stay out of an election where Sen. Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, is facing a strong challenge from four other Republicans. Edwards had never shown any
“This year’s winners and honorees, based in various states and countries, have a particular focus on family and community,” acting Librarian of Congress Robert Randolph Newlen said in a September news release. This month, the program will roll out to the four Prime Time Head Start and Early Start centers in Lafayette and Iberia parishes. Prime Time Inc., an initiative of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, oversees those centers. Baranco first hosted the reading
run for Senate
interest in running.
“Most of the energy was not coming from his inclination to run. It was coming from our interest in him running,” said Randal Gaines, the Louisiana Democratic Party chair “That was our first hope.” Edwards acknowledged receiving numerous entreaties to do so, less than two years after ending his two-term governorship.
The New York Times reported earlier this year that U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer, the Democratic minority leader, was among those who wanted him to run.
ä See READING, page 4A
Game day incidents prompt call for action
BY AIDAN McCAHILL Staff writer
Two game day shootings on the LSU campus Saturday — one that wounded two, including a bystander, and another deemed accidental by police — prompted Gov Jeff Landry on Monday to order four law enforcement agencies to improve security for next weekend.
One shooting took place near
Highland Road and Dalrymple Drive near the campus’s north gates. LSU police were dispatched to the scene about 8:30 p.m., and a campus alert went out about 8:40 p.m.
On Monday, Lt. L’Jean McKneely Jr said at least two different people opened fire during the incident, which resulted in two men suffering injuries and being hospitalized. No suspects have been taken into custody and the investigation is ongoing, but one of those injured is believed to be an innocent bystander, McKneely said.
Two shootings on LSU campus left three injured ä See EDWARDS, page 4A ä See INCIDENTS, page 4A
PHOTOS By ROBIN MAy
Baranco Elementary instructional leader Stephanie Dupuis, left, engages with children attending the Prime Time Reading Program on Oct. 7.
Kaislee Mitchell, 6, and her mother, Evangeline Mitchell, check out the door prize box she won during the program at Baranco Elementary.
STAFF FILE PHOTO
Former Gov. John Bel Edwards says he will not run for the U.S Senate next year
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ODED BALILTy People react as they gather to watch a live broadcast of Israeli hostages being released from Gaza at a plaza known as Hostages Square in Tel Aviv Israel, on Monday.
Official: Madagascar’s president fled country
ANTANANARIVO,Madagascar Madagascar President Andry Rajoelina left the country after an elite military unit turned against the government in an apparent coup that followed weeks of youth-led protests, an opposition lawmaker in the Indian Ocean country said Monday
The lawmaker’s comments came shortly before Rajoelina was due to appear on national television and radio to make a speech to the people of Madagascar The president’s office said his speech was scheduled to be broadcast at 7 p.m but was delayed after a group of soldiers attempted to take over the state broadcaster
His office didn’t say if he was still in Madagascar amid reports he had fled on Sunday on a French military plane.
The anti-government protests, which were initially led by GenZ demonstrators, began on Sept. 25 but reached a turning point on Saturday when soldiers from the elite CAPSAT military unit accompanied protesters to a square in the capital, Antananarivo, and called for Rajoelina and several government ministers to step down.
The unit, which helped Rajoelina first come to power as transitional leader in a military-backed coup in 2009, said that it had taken charge of all the armed forces in Madagascar
Naked bike riders protest in Portland, Ore.
PORTLAND,Ore.— Protesters rallying against the Trump administration in Portland put the city’s quirky and irreverent reputation on display Sunday by pedaling through the streets wearing absolutely nothing — or close to it in an “emergency” edition of the annual World Naked Bike Ride.
Crowds that have gathered daily and nightly outside the immigration facility in Oregon’s largest city in recent days have embraced the absurd, donning inflatable frog unicorn, axolotl and banana costumes as they face off with federal law enforcement who often deploy tear gas and pepper balls.
The bike ride is an annual tradition that usually happens in the summer, but organizers of this weekend’s hastily called event said another nude ride was necessary to speak out against President Donald Trump’s attempts to mobilize the National Guard to quell protests.
Rider Janene King called the nude ride a “quintessentially Portland way to protest.”
The 51-year-old was naked except for wool socks, a wig and a hat. She sipped hot tea and said she was unbothered by the steady rain and temperatures in the mid-50s.
Bike riders made their way through the streets and to the city’s U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Authorities there ordered people to stay out of the street and protest only on sidewalks or risk being arrested.
Pakistan, Afghanistan border closure extends
PESHAWAR, Pakistan The closure of border crossings for bilateral trade between Afghanistan and Pakistan entered a second day Monday after deadly weekend clashes between the countries spiked tensions and left hundreds of people stranded, officials said.
The fighting began Saturday night, when Afghan forces struck multiple Pakistani military posts
Afghanistan officials claimed to have killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in response to what they said were repeated violations of Afghan territory and airspace
Pakistan’s military gave lower figures, saying it lost 23 soldiers and killed more than 200 “Taliban and affiliated terrorists” during retaliatory fire along the border Foreign governments, including Saudi Arabia, urged restraint. A ceasefire appeared to be holding.
Pakistan’s Defense Minister Khawaja Mohammad Asif, the country’s powerful army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, and other officials attended a mass funeral for the killed soldiers in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on Monday according to a military statement.
Johnson: Shutdown may be longest ever
BY LISA MASCARO AP congressional correspondent
WASHINGTON Republican Speaker Mike Johnson predicted Monday the federal government shutdown may become the longest in history, saying he “won’t negotiate” with Democrats until they hit pause on their health care demands and reopen.
Standing alone at the Capitol on the 13th day of the shutdown, the speaker said he was unaware of the details of the thousands of federal workers being fired by the Trump administration. It’s a highly unusual mass layoff widely seen as way to seize on the shutdown to reduce the scope of government. Vice President JD Vance has warned of “painful” cuts ahead, even as employee unions sue.
“We’re barreling toward one of the longest shutdowns in American history,” Johnson, R-Benton, said.
With no endgame in sight, the shutdown is expected to roll on for the unforeseeable future. The closure has halted routine government operations, shuttered Smithsonian museums and other landmark cultural institutions and left airports scrambling with flight disruptions, all injecting more uncertainty into an already precarious economy.
The House is out of legislative session, with Johnson refusing to recall lawmakers back to Washington, while the Senate closed Monday for the federal holiday, will return to work Tuesday But senators are stuck in a cul-de-sac of failed votes as Democrats refuse to relent on their health care demands
Johnson thanked President Donald Trump for ensuring military personnel are paid this week, which removed one main pressure point that may have pushed the parties to the negotiating table. The Coast Guard is also receiving pay, a senior administration official confirmed Monday. The official insisted on anonymity to discuss plans that have yet to be formally rolled out.
At its core, the shutdown is a debate over health care policy — and particularly the Affordable Care Act subsidies that are expiring for millions of Americans who rely on government aid to purchase their own health insurance policies on the Obam-
acare exchanges. Democrats demand the subsidies be extended, Republicans argue the issue can be dealt with later
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said with Republicans having essentially shutdown the chamber now for a fourth week, no real negotiations are underway They’re “nowhere to be found,” he said on MSNBC.
With Congress and the White House stalemated, some are eyeing the end of the month as the next potential deadline to reopen government
That’s when open enrollment begins, Nov. 1, for the health program at issue, and Americans will face the prospect of skyrocketing insurance premiums. The Kaiser Family Foundation has estimated that monthly costs would double if Congress fails to renew the subsidy payments that expire Dec. 31.
It’s also when government workers on monthly pay schedules, including thousands of House aides, will go without paychecks.
The health care debate has dogged Congress ever since the Affordable Care Act became law under then-President Barack Obama in 2010.
The country went through a 16-day government shutdown during the Obama presidency when Republicans tried to repeal the Affordable Care Act 2013.
Trump tried to “repeal and replace” the law, commonly known as Obamacare, during his first term, in 2017, with a Republican majority in the House and Senate. That effort failed when then-Sen John McCain memorably voted a thumbs down on the plan.
With 24 million now enrolled in Obamacare, a record, Johnson said Monday that Republicans are unlikely to go that route again, noting he still has “PTSD” from that botched moment
“Can we completely repeal and replace Obamacare? Many of us are skeptical about that now because the roots are so deep,” Johnson said.
The Republican speaker insists his party has been willing to discuss the health care issue with Democrats this fall, before the subsidies expire at the end of the year But first, he said, Democrats have to agree to reopen the government
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy to visit Washington this week
BY HANNA ARHIROVA and DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press
KYIV Ukraine Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday he will travel to the United States this week for talks on the potential U.S. provision of long-range weapons, a day after U.S President Donald Trump warned Russia he may send Kyiv long-range Tomahawk missiles
A meeting between Zelenskyy and Trump could take place as early as Friday, the Ukrainian president said, adding that he also would meet with defense and energy companies and members of Congress.
“The main topics will be air defense and our long-range capabilities, to maintain pressure on Russia,” Zelenskyy said.
He spoke at a meeting with EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas. He said he also would seek further U.S. assistance to protect Ukraine’s electricity and gas networks, which have faced relentless Russian bombardment.
The U.S. visit follows what Zelenskyy described as a “very productive” phone call with Trump on Sunday Trump later warned Russia that he may send Ukraine long-range Tomahawk missiles if Mos-
NIKHINSON
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy listens Monday as High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas speaks during a news conference in Kyiv, Ukraine.
cow doesn’t settle its war there soon. The missiles would allow Ukraine to strike deeper into Russian territory Moscow has expressed “extreme concern” over the U.S. potentially providing Tomahawk cruise missiles to Ukraine.
Russian President Vladimir Putin himself has previously suggested that the U.S. supplying long-range missiles to Ukraine would seriously damage relations between Moscow and Washington.
N.C. GOP announce plans to vote on new House map
BY GARY D ROBERTSON Associated Press
RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina Republican legislative leaders announced plans Monday to vote next week on redrawing the state’s U.S. House district map, making theirs the latest state to embrace President Donald Trump’s call to secure more GOP seats nationwide and resist rival moves by Democrats.
The push to retool already right-leaning boundaries for the ninth-largest state comes amid an emerging mid-decade battle nationally between the major parties seeking advantage in the way House districts are drawn in several states for the 2026 midterm elections.
North Carolina Republicans already created a map in 2023 that resulted in GOP candidates winning 10 of the state’s 14 U.S. House seats in 2024. That division compared to the 7-7 seat split between Democrats and the GOP under the map used in 2022. Now only one of the House districts —- the 1st District currently represented by Democratic Rep. Don Davis —- is considered a true swing district and could be targeted by the GOP for an 11th seat. Davis won a second term last year by less than 2 percentage points, so shifting slightly portions of the district covering nearly 20 northeastern counties could help a Republican candidate in a strong GOP year
A news release from the state’s top Republican legislators said their planned action follows Trump’s “call urging legislatures across the country to take action to nullify Democrat redistricting efforts.” Davis wasn’t mentioned by name.
Trump “earned a clear mandate from the voters of North Carolina and the rest of the country, and we intend to defend it by drawing an additional Republican Congressional seat,” House Speaker Destin Hal
said in the release. Trump has won North Carolina’s electoral votes all three times that he’s been on the presidential ballot. But state House Democratic leader Robert Reives said Monday his GOP colleagues “are stealing a congressional district in order to shield themselves from accountability at the ballot box.”
Trump kick-started the national redistricting battle this summer by calling upon Republican-led Texas to reshape its U.S. House districts so that the GOP could win more seats in next year’s elections.
After overcoming a Democratic walkout, Texas lawmakers redrew the state’s congressional districts to give Republicans a shot at winning five more seats. Democrats in California reciprocated by passing their own redistricting plan aimed at helping Democrats win five additional seats. Then lawmakers in Republican-led Missouri approved revised U.S House districts intended to help Republicans win an additional seat there. Other states also are considering redistricting, including Republican-led Indiana and Kansas.
Some North Carolina GOP lawmakers focused complaints Monday on California Gov Gavin Newsom, who advanced his state’s redistricting effort.
“Picking up where Texas left off, we will hold votes in our October session to redraw North Carolina’s congressional map to ensure Gavin Newsom doesn’t decide the congressional majority,” Senate leader Phil Berger said. North Carolina lawmakers already had planned to return to Raleigh on Oct. 20 for a session lasting up to four days. Republicans hold majorities in both General Assembly chambers and redistricting plans aren’t subject to Democratic Gov Josh Stein’s veto stamp. Candidate filing for 2026 is supposed to begin Dec. 1.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, praises President Donald Trump’s peacemaking efforts leading to a ceasefire pausing two years of war in the Gaza Strip on Monday at the Capitol in Washington.
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREE
Trump urges Mideast leaders to put ‘old feuds’ aside
BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE and CHRIS MEGERIAN Associated Press
SHARM EL SHEIKH,Egypt Pres-
ident Donald Trump called for a new era of harmony in the Middle East on Monday during a global summit on Gaza’s future, trying to advance broader peace in the region after visiting Israel to celebrate a U.S.-brokered ceasefire with Hamas.
“We have a once-in-alifetime chance to put the old feuds and bitter hatreds behind us,” Trump said, and he urged leaders “to declare that our future will not be ruled by the fights of generations past.”
The whirlwind trip, which included the summit in Egypt and a speech at the Knesset in Jerusalem earlier in the day comes at a fragile moment of hope for ending two years of war between Israel and Hamas.
“Everybody said it’s not possible to do. And it’s going to happen. And it is happening before your very eyes,” Trump said alongside Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi.
Nearly three dozen countries, including some from Europe and the Middle East, were represented at the summit. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was invited but declined, with his office saying it was too close to a Jewish holiday Trump, el-Sissi, Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Qatari Emir
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
signed a document that Trump said would lay the groundwork for Gaza’s future. However, a copy was not made public
Despite unanswered questions about next steps in the Palestinian enclave, which has been devastated during the conflict, Trump is determined to seize an opportunity to chase an elusive regional harmony
He expressed a similar sense of finality about the Israel-Hamas war in his speech at the Knesset, which welcomed him as a hero
“You’ve won,” he told Israeli lawmakers. “Now it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East.”
Trump promised to help rebuild Gaza, and he urged Palestinians to “turn forever from the path of terror and violence.
“After tremendous pain and death and hardship,” he said, “now is the time to concentrate on building their people up instead of trying to tear Israel down.”
Trump even made a gesture to Iran, where he bombed three nuclear sites during the country’s brief war with Israel earlier this year by saying “the hand of friendship and cooperation is always open.”
Dozens rescued as remnants of typhoon hit Alaska
Nor’easter brings flooding to East Coast
BY SARAH BRUMFIELD Associated Press
More than 30 people were rescued and three people remain unaccounted for in western Alaska after the remnants of Typhoon Halong brought hurricaneforce winds and flooding strong enough to sweep away entire homes in coastal communities, authorities said.
Elsewhere in the U.S., severe weather killed a woman in New York City who was struck by a solar panel. Rescuers in the Phoenix area, meanwhile, searched for a man whose truck was swept away by floodwaters and crews in southern California prepared for potential mudslides in fireravaged areas.
In Alaska, rescue aircraft were sent to the tiny villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, where there were reports of people possibly unaccounted for, said Jeremy Zidek, spokesperson for the state Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Management.
“We have received reports that people’s homes have floated away and that people were potentially in those homes,” Zidek told The Associated Press In Kwigillingok, at least 18 people were rescued and three people remained unaccounted for, Alaska State Troopers said in a social media post on Sunday evening. In Kipnuk, at least 16 people were rescued and troopers had received secondhand reports of people who were unaccounted for Search efforts were expected to continue overnight as conditions allowed. According to the nonprofit Coastal Villages Region Fund, nearly 600 people in Kipnuk and about 300 people in Kwigillingok were taking shelter in schools.
The area is among one of the most isolated in the U.S., where some communities have few roads and residents use boardwalks, boats and snowmobiles to get around, Zidek said.
“Every effort will be made to help those hit by this storm. Help is on the way,” Gov. Mike Dunleavy said in a statement.
Trump arrived in Egypt hours late because speeches at the Knesset continued longer than expected.
“They might not be there by the time I get there, but we’ll give it a shot,” Trump joked after needling Israeli leaders for talking so much.
Twenty hostages were released Monday as part of an agreement intended to end the war that began on Oct. 7, 2023 with an attack by Hamas-led militants. Trump talked with some of their families at the Knesset
“Your name will be remembered to generations,” a woman told him.
Israeli lawmakers chanted Trump’s name and gave him standing ovation after standing ovation. Some people in
the audience wore red hats that resembled his “Make America Great Again” caps, although these versions said “Trump, The Peace President.”
Netanyahu hailed Trump as “the greatest friend Israel has ever had in the White House,” and he promised to work with him going forward.
“Mr President, you are committed to this peace. I am committed to this peace,” he said. “And together, Mr President, we will achieve this peace.”
Trump, in an unexpected detour during his speech, called on the Israeli president to pardon Netanyahu, whom he described as “one of the greatest” wartime leaders. Netanyahu faces
corruption charges, although several hearings have been postponed during the conflict with Hamas.
The Republican president also used the opportunity to settle political scores and thank his supporters, criticizing Democratic predecessors and praising a top donor, Miriam Adelson, in the audience. The moment remains fragile, with Israel and Hamas still in the early stages of implementing the first phase of Trump’s plan.
The first phase of the ceasefire agreement calls for the release of the final hostages held by Hamas; 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.
Trump has said there’s a window to reshape the region and reset long-fraught relations between Israel and its Arab neighbors.
“The war is over, OK?” Trump told reporters traveling with him aboard Air Force One.
“I think people are tired of it,” he said, emphasizing that he believed the ceasefire would hold because of that. He said the chance of peace was enabled by his Republican administration’s support of Israel’s decimation of Iranian proxies, including Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.
The White House said 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. In February, Trump had predicted that Gaza could be redeveloped into what he called “the Riviera of the Middle East.” But on Sunday aboard Air Force One, he was more circumspect.
“I don’t know about the Riviera for a while,” Trump said. “It’s blasted. This is like a demolition site.” But he said he hoped to one day visit the territory “I’d like to put my feet on it, at least,” he said.
3 researchers win Nobel economics prize
BY KOSTYA MANENKOV, CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, MIKE CORDER and
DAVID MCHUGH
Associated Press
In New York City, a 76-year-old woman was killed Sunday when she was struck by a solar panel that broke off from the top of a carport structure in an outdoor parking lot Strong winds sent the panel flying about 20 feet through the air, the city’s Buildings Department said. Her name has not been released In North Carolina’s Outer Banks, an area that’s seen significant storm damage this season, ocean overwash spread across Highway 12 near Buxton, the Dare County Sheriff’s Office posted online Sunday The North Carolina Department of Transportation said crews were working to clear the highway that was closed on Ocracoke and Hatteras on Sunday The waves were ferocious at the Hatteras Island town of Buxton, where several beachfront homes have fallen into the water in recent weeks. One house was losing its pilings Sunday and appeared close to collapsing. On the East Coast, forecasters warned that major coastal flooding was likely Monday in the mid-Atlantic, particularly from Virginia to New Jersey, with strong onshore winds, high surf and high tides. Coastal flooding was expected to peak Monday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
The nor’easter churned its way up the East Coast over the weekend, washing out roads and prompting air travel delays. There were 384 cancellations and 2,787 delays within, into, or out of the United States by midday Monday with many of those disruptions affecting Boston Logan International and LaGuardia Airport in New York, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks flight disruptions.
The Columbus Day Parade in New York City was also canceled. Dangerous surf conditions were expected to continue Monday bringing strong rip currents and beach erosion along many East Coast beaches, the weather service said. Forecasters said more than 2 inches of rain could fall in some spots. The greatest threat for major flooding was expected
STOCKHOLM Three researchers who probed the process of business innovation won the Nobel memorial prize in economics Monday for explaining how new products and inventions promote economic growth and human welfare, even as they leave older companies in the dust.
Their work was credited with helping economists better understand how ideas and technology succeed by disrupting established ways a process as old as steam locomotives replacing horsedrawn wagons and as contemporary as e-commerce shuttering shopping malls.
The award was shared by Dutch-born Joel Mokyr, 79, who is at Northwestern University; Philippe Aghion, 69, who works at the Collège de France and the London School of Economics; and Canadian-born Peter Howitt, 79, who is at Brown University
The winners were credited with better explaining and quantifying “creative destruction,” a key concept in economics that refers to the process in which new innovations replace — and thus destroy — older technologies and businesses.
The concept is usually associated with economist Joseph Schumpeter who outlined it in his 1942 book “Capitalism, Socialism and Democracy.” Schumpeter called the concept “the essential fact about capitalism.”
The Nobel committee said Mokyr “demonstrated that if innovations are to succeed one another in a self-generating process, we not only need to know that something works, but we also need to have scientific explanations for why.”
Aghion and Howitt studied the mechanisms behind sustained growth, including in a 1992 article that offered a complex mathematical model for creative destruction that added new aspects not included in earlier models.
Examples of creative destruction include e-commerce disrupting retail, streaming services replacing videocassette and DVD rentals and internet advertising undermining newspaper advertising. A classic illustration is horse-cart whip makers put out of business by the automobile.
“The laureates’ work shows that economic growth cannot be taken for granted. We must uphold the mecha-
nisms that underlie creative destruction, so that we do not fall back into stagnation,” said John Hassler, chair of the committee for the prize in economic sciences.
Howitt and Aghion’s model showed that markets with too few dominant companies can hinder innovation and growth — a concern that has been raised about industries such as telecommunications,
social media platforms and airlines. They found it was important to support people who are affected by changes while making it easy to move to more productive workplaces — to protect workers more than specific jobs. They also stressed the importance of social mobility, where a person’s profession or trade is not defined by their parents’ identity Mokyr has long been known as an optimist about technological innovation. About a decade ago, many economists took a more pessimistic view, arguing that inventions such as smartphones or even the internet had less of an economic impact than previous developments such as the airplane or the car
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EVAN VUCCI
President Donald Trump and Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi hold signed documents Monday during a summit to support ending the more than two-year Israel-Hamas war in Gaza after a breakthrough ceasefire deal in Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.
program in the springand about 15 families wereinterested, Otwell said. When they announced its return this fall, more than 40 families wanted to participate.
“The hard work that it takes to put on the program, it made it alot easier that so many families were interested,” shesaid.“NowI have kids passing me in the hall telling me as Iwalk by,‘Iwant to Prime Time,’ ‘When do Iget to Prime Time?’”
The program offers support for families in severalways. Each week, free communityresources are shared with attendees. Representatives from the library and the Lafayette Parish school system’s Family Engagement Center talked about how they workwith students andfamilies. Otherresourceshave included information about Dolly Parton’sImagination Libraryand podcasts that discuss the importance of literacy
The story time,which Otwell said is her favorite part of theprogram, models to parents howto read and engage with their child once they finish astory.Families receive apair of books that havea similar theme such as being courageous or clever After reading“Abiyoyo,” an African folk tale about aukeleleplaying boy and his magician father who save the very town they
EDWARDS
Continued from page1A
“After giving it careful consideration, we have decided that now is not the right time to re-enter public office,” Edwards said in a statement from him and his wife, Donna. “After eightyears in the Governor’sOffice, and with two grandbabies at home, we’re committed to being the best Papa and Nonna we can be.”
The former governor has been practicing law in New Orleans and Hammond.
“Weaccomplished so much to rebuild our state because —unlike Washington,D.C.—weworked with anyone,ofany political party, to Put Louisiana First,” Edwards said. “As acountry,the pathwe’re headed downistroubling, to say the very least. Ihope that in next year’selection, the people of Loui-
INCIDENTS
Continued from page1A
Baton Rouge police have not released any more details on the incident.
Earlier Monday, Landry posted on Xthat he is ordering state and local law enforcement to increase security on campus for the next home game against Texas A&M.
“I have orderedState Police to work with LSU PD, BRPD, and EBRSO to come up with an enhanced security plan for the upcoming LSU/Texas A&M game,” Landry wrote. “Wewillcontinue assessing the security to ensure all future games are safe. The level of violence and disruption will not be tolerated.”
Shortly before Saturday’s kickoff, another incident involving gunfire occurred, police said Monday
About 5:30 p.m., Lawrence Hubbard, an 18-year-old from JeffersonParish, accidentally shot himself in the thigh on South Stadium Drive, just outsideTiger Stadium, according to LSU police. Accordingtohis arrest warrant, witnesses saw Hubbard adjusting his pants before shooting himself.He
wereostracizedfrom, students talked about who they knewin real life who showed courage or amomentthey had to be brave
First grader James Eggins and
his brother,second grader Jitroell Lee, talked abouthow it took courage for them to learn to swim. Andontop of the resources families receive, it’samoment for par-
ents to connect with their students andother families, said the boys’ parent Tanisha Lee.
“It’sawarm place where everybody cancometogetherand social-
ize,”she said.“It’s been positive. It’s been alearning experience.”
Email AshleyWhiteatashley. white@theadvocate.com.
sianawill reject the extremist politicians that have paralyzed progress in this nation. I’m going to do allI can as aprivatecitizen to advance that cause as best Ican.”
It’snot clear yet which Democrat will stepup, with qualifying scheduledtotakeplace in mid-January
State Sen. Jay Luneau, D-Alexandria, said he is stillconsidering whether to run
He declined to identify the factors he is considering butsaidhe will announce his plans “sooner ratherthan later.”
No other major Democrat has expressed an interestinrunning.
“Wehave suitable candidates who are considering it,” Gaines said. “But we don’thave adeep bench onthis. We hope we can find ayoungperson who wants to start offtheir career with areal challenge.”
AnyDemocrat would be an underdog against thewinner of the Republican Senate primary,said
“Wewill continue assessing thesecurity to ensure allfuture games are safe. Thelevel of violence and disruption will notbetolerated.”
GOV. JEFF LANDRy
then limped to anearby Department of PublicSafety and Corrections officer before he was transported to a hospital.
AGlock 21 firearm was found at the scene,which witnesses say Hubbard threwon theground, the warrantsays.
After he was treated for gunshotwounds,Hubbard was arrested later the same nightand booked into the East BatonRouge Parish Prison on one count each of possession of firearm on school property and illegal useofweapons.
Police alsohad tobreak up alarge group of people partying andblocking the roadway on Highland Road betweenState and Chimes streets, though it’sunclear if any arrests were made.
AfterLandry’scallfor better security,LSU released a statement saying “the safety and well-being of theLSU community is ournumber-
one priority.”
JohnCouvillon,aBaton Rougebasedpollsterand political analyst.
“If he as aDemocrat were to run for theSenate, he would suddenly be juxtaposed against Chuck Schumer,”Couvillonsaid. “It would be very difficult to separate him from thenational Democratic Party.I’m not terribly surprised he decided against running.”
Edwards was elected governor in 2015 andreelected in 2019 by focusing on issuesimportant to Louisianavoters and steering clear of divisive national Democratic issues.
Other than those two Edwards victories, Republicans have dominated Louisiana elections.Republicans hold all six statewide offices anda two-thirds majority in the stateLegislature. Logan Wolf,a DemocraticactivistinBaton Rouge,recently attractedattention forhaving “Edwardsfor Senate” yard signs
printed at an Office Depot store.
Wolf saidhewas disappointed that Edwards decided not to make the race but said it clears theway for another Democrat to run.
“No otherDemocrat hasannounced because he was filling a huge void of ‘will he or won’the?’ It’stime for us to chart anew path forward,” Wolf said.
The Republican winner of the April primarywill be heavily favored against any Democrat.
Besides Cassidy,the other Republicansare stateSen.Blake Miguez of New Iberia; Public Service Commissioner Eric Skrmetta; state TreasurerJohnFleming; and, mostly recently,St. TammanyParishCouncilmember Kathy Seiden.
At least one other Republican is expected to jump into the race.
Edwards had signaled that he was unlikelytomakeabid for Cassidy’sSenate seat in aforum at McNeese State in April.
“InLouisiana,it’spretty clear
to me aDemocrat couldn’t win statewide running for governor or any other office if they took the national party platform for the most recentpresidentialelection and said, ‘This is what I’mgoing to do,’ ”Edwards said, according to Times-Picayune |The Advocate columnist Stephanie Grace, who moderated the event.
“I do believe …partisanship comes into play moreina federal election than in astate election, and I’ve seen it with really good friends of mine,” Edwards continued. “(Conservative Democrat) Steve Bullock was avery successful, popularMontanagovernor.Hecouldn’twin the Senate election in aRepublican state. In Maryland, Larry Hoganwas a tremendously successful, popular Republican governor in aDemocratic state. He ran forthe Senate, he could not win. And Ireally think that that samesort of thing is true in Louisiana.”
“In light of recent events we write to assure you that we maintain significant resources to ensure public safety,” LSU Board of SupervisorsChair ScottBallard andLSU interim President MattLee said in anews release. “On game day, we typically have 600 trained on-duty policeofficersrepresenting LSU Police, local law enforcement,and state agencies to safeguard our community.”
Forhigh-profile matchups, LSU’scampus can swell into one of Louisiana’slargest cities,holdingupto200,000 people. During that time, LSU’s force of about 60 officersgrows to between 400 and 600 through partnerships, mainly with theBaton Rouge police, the Louisiana StatePolice and the EastBaton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office.
Morethan200 posts are manned across town, stretching from River Road downtown all the way to Siegen Laneoff Interstate 10. BatonRouge police largely control traffic, while state troopers andsheriff’s deputies handle stadium security
It’s unclear what an enhanced game day security plan or increased involvement from StatePolice
would look like during the next home game Oct. 25. LSU PoliceChiefMarshall Walters said that, forsecurity purposes, officials are unlikely to release specific
details. “Weare reviewing the current plants in place and how we can improve those,” Walters said. “We’re looking at everything.We’ll have an
improvedgameday security forTexas A&M.” Email Aidan McCahill at aidan.mccahill@ theadvocate.com.
PHOTO By ROBIN MAy
at Baranco ElementaryonOct. 7.
Acadiana Forecast
Warmtodaywithplenty
National Summary
Asatropical wind and rainstormmoves away fromthe EastCoasttoday,
coast. Meanwhile, astormmoving into Californiawill spread
traveldisruptions. It willbewarmwith afew showers in the Plains.
and
Shown is today’sweather.Temperatures
HOSTAGES
Continued from page1A
drags on for war-weary Palestinians.Gaza has been decimated by Israeli bombardment; thereislittle left of its prewar economy,basic services are in disarray and many homes have been destroyed. It remains unclear who will payfor reconstruction, aprocess that could take years. President Donald Trump traveled to the region to celebrate the deal. In an addresstoIsrael’sparliament, he urged lawmakers to seize achance for broader peace in the region. In Egypt,he and other world leaders gathered to set thetrickier parts of the deal into motion. Netanyahu, whoaccording to his office did not join the meeting in Egypt because of aJewish holiday,told parliamentthat he was committed to the agreement, saying it “ends the war by achieving all our objectives.”Israel had said it would not end the war until all the hostages were freed and Hamas was defeated.Critics accused Netanyahuofallowing the war to drag on for political reasons, which he denied The war began with Hamas’Oct. 7, 2023, attack, when militants killed 1,200 people and took 251 captives. Israel’s retaliatory campaign killed more than 67,000 people, according to Gaza’sHealth Ministry, which does not differentiate between combatants and civilians in its count. The ministry is part of the Hamasrun government. Its figures are seen as areliable estimatebythe U.N. andmany independent experts
The war has rippled across the Middle East, with conflict erupting between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah, Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen andIran itself. Israelis watched with jubilation in publicscreenings attended by thousands as the 20 living hostages, all male, reunited with their families. Crowds broke into cheers, as tears of joy streamed down relievedfaces.
“You arealive! Twoarms andtwo legs,” Zvika Mor said upon seeing hisson Eitanfor the first time in two years.
When Bar Kupershtein was reunited with his family,his father,Tal, who uses awheelchair after acar accidentand stroke, fulfilled a promise to himself by standing up for afew minutes to embrace his freed son
Unlikepreviousreleases, Hamas held no ceremonies for thecaptives before freeing them. Instead, families receivedvideo callsfrom masked militants who allowed them afirst glimpse at their loved ones before they came home
The plight of the hostages had widespread support in Israel,where thousands would join thefamilies for weeklyprotests demanding Israel secure their release.
The fate of the hostages was acentral driver of a movement in Israel to end thewar.Many Israelis viewed Netanyahu’stwin goals of freeingthe captives and defeating Hamas as incompatible.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said any delay by Hamas in retuning theremaining bodies of deceased hostages wouldbeviewed as aviolation of the ceasefire deal
Large crowds greeted freed prisonersinBeitunia in the Israeli-occupiedWest Bank and in KhanYounis in Gaza.
The prisoners flashed Vfor-victory signs as they descended from buses that took them either to theWest Bank, Gaza or intoexile
“PraisebetoGod,our Lord,who hashonored us with this release and this joy ”saidMahmoud Fayez, whowas returned to Gaza afterbeing detained early last year in an Israeli raid on themain Shifa Hospital
Theprisonersinclude 250 people servinglife sentences for convictionsinattacks on Israelis, in addition to 1,700 seized from Gaza during thewar and heldwithout charge.
The fate of the prisoners is asensitive issue in Palestinian society,where almost
everyone knows or is related to someone who has been imprisoned by Israel. They are viewed by Palestinians as freedom fighters
In hisKnesset speech, Trumptold Israeli lawmakers their country mustnow work towardpeace.
“Israel, with ourhelp, has won all that they can by force of arms,” Trump said “Nowitistime to translate thesevictories against terroristsonthe battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace andprosperity forthe entire Middle East.”
His speech was briefly interruptedwhen twoKnesset membersstaged aprotest and were subsequently removed from the chamber
One held up asmall sign reading, “Recognize Palestine.”
In Egypt,President AbdelFattah el-Sissi andTrump attendedasummit with leaders from morethan 20 countries on the future of Gaza and the broader Middle East. Palestinian leader MahmoudAbbas, who administers parts of theWest Bank, also attended.
Among the most difficult issues left to resolve is Israel’sinsistence that a weakened Hamas disarm Hamas refuses to do that and wants to ensure Israel pulls itstroopscompletely out of Gaza.
So far,the Israelimilitary has withdrawn from much of Gaza City,the southern city of Khan Younisand other areas. Troops remain in mostofthe southern city of Rafah, towns of Gaza’s far north, and along the length of Gaza’sborder with Israel.
The future governance of Gaza remains unclear.Under theU.S. plan, an international body will govern the territory,overseeing Palestinian technocratsrunning day-to-day affairs. Hamas has saidGaza’sgovernment should be worked outamong Palestinians
The plan envisions an eventual role for Abbas’Palestinian Authority—something Netanyahu haslong opposed —but it requires theauthority to undergoreforms.
JanRisher
LOUISIANA AT LARGE
Behind the scenesatSt. Joseph Abbey
DOTD seekstosellbuilding
Coburn’s site sale complicatedbyuse of federalmoney
BY STEPHENMARCANTEL Staff writer
The Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development is asking the FederalHighway Administration if it could letgo of the old Coburn’sbuilding in downtown Lafayette.
The long-abandoned building, located along the railroad tracks at the corner of West Third and
Grantstreets, was purchasedby DOTD in 2009. The property was intended to be converted into a site for on- and off-ramps for the proposedInterstate 49 Connector project Subsequent designsrelocated theconnections, but theproperty remains in limbo along with its historicbrick building.
I’ve always been drawn to the quiet mystery of abbeys —in books,intravel and even here in Louisiana. Until earlier this month Ihad never been to St. Joseph Abbey near Covington. All Iknewabout it was that they made caskets —and that they had won ahardfought legal battletosellthe simple wooden coffins in Louisiana. The fight began in 2007 and reachedthe U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in the abbey’sfavor in 2013. While Iwas visiting,I met DeaconMark Coudrain,who shortly after Hurricane Katrina, suggested that the Benedictine monks andvolunteers begin making simple wooden caskets to generate fundstopay for the medical and educational needs of the Benedictine monks. Coudrain now works full time leading effortsto build the beautiful, simple wooden boxes that sell for afraction of the cost of caskets most funeral homes sell. Anyone picturing monks in robeswith hammers and files building the caskets would be in for asurprise. With the help of capable volunteers, the operation uses some of the latest technology to createthe pieces of elegant wooden beauty madeofeither mahogany or cypress When ordered, they deliver the caskets far and wide. Still, the caskets arejust one piece of amuch largerstory There’salso aseminary with 103 students studying for the priesthood and agift shop that sells honey from abbey bees, homemade candles, cookies, breadand more.
The Right Rev.GregoryBoquet serves as abbot. My visit with him was ahighlight of the trip.ATerrebonne Parish native, he first visited the abbey as a high school senior, then entered the seminary in 1976 —and was elected abbot in 2023.
One of seven children, he planned to become apriest and servecommunities near where
Interpol fugitive arrested in Morgan City
Aman wanted on an international warrant for manslaughter was arrested in Morgan City on Saturday,according to the Morgan City Police Department.
Advocate staff reports
Authoritiessaid 29-year-old Arnoldo Alejandro
Arita-Recinoswas arrested after police responded to areport of adisturbance Saturday He appeared to be intoxicated in a public place, according to police.
As officers attempted to take Arita-Recinos into custody for public intoxication, he begantoresist
The recent DOTD moves were announced by Ryan Morvant, a critical projects manager now managing the I-49Connector project,atanOct.6meeting of the Evangeline Thruway Redevelopment Team committee. DOTD last requested to “dispose” of the property 15 months ago, Morvant said. Anypotential sale of the property is complicated by thefact that federal dollars were used to purchase theproperty, according
to aStewardship and Oversight Agreement.
The Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authoritybegan leasing the property fromDOTD in 2019. Sincethen, theCoburn’sproperty has languished, becoming aspot for amateur graffiti and a 2022 fire along one of downtown’s busiercorridors.
“We’ve been waiting to hear that foryears,” Kevin Blanchard, CEO of Downtown Development
Endlessevents
ABOVE: Spiritbanners painted by student organizations aredisplayed MondayonStudent Union windows during theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette’s homecomingkickoff party. This week, students, alumniand community members can participate in homecomingeventsthatinclude a food truckroundup, car show, pumpkin patch, fashionshow, businessand school decorating, movie night,food donation drive anda parade all leadinguptothe homecominggameat4 p.m.Saturday against Southern Miss.
LEFT: Homecoming court member Avery Toups, center,stands with brother Phillip andmom Mica duringthe kickoff party.
Shooting victim identified as Lyft driver
Lafayetteman arrested in fatalrobbery
BYCOURTNEYPEDERSEN Staff writer
Awoman found dead in aWestlake ditch on Friday has been identifiedasa Lyft driver from Lake Charles, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff Gary “Stitch” Guillory reportedSaturday Authorities in Texashavearrested aLafayette man in the case, whileasecond suspect died afterbeing struck by avehicle while fleeingofficers. Around 11a.m.Friday,a driver
making adeliverytoPhillips66 called to report abody with multiple gunshot wounds tothe head in aditch in the 200 block of Trousdale Road in Westlake. With help from atip,the Sheriff’sOffice was able to identify the woman as 62-year-old Lawanna J. Lewis,Guillory said during aSaturday news conference. Detectiveslearned thevictim was aLyft driver,according to Guillory The location of Lewis’ car was unknown.Detectives put out an alert for thevehicle andlearned it had been stolen, according to a news release from theoffice.
“Later (Friday) evening the car was seen in aparking lot in the Houstonarea, at which time
the Harris County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched,” the release states. “When (theSheriff’s Office) attempted to make contact with thetwo individuals inside the car,they fled on foot.”
During the chase, 23-year-old Ethan Bush, of Lafayette,was struck by traffic while going across the interstate andwas later pronounced dead.
Early Saturday, arelative of Bush, 26-year-old Tristan Bush, of Lafayette,was arrested in Houstonbythe Harris County Sheriff’s Office. He faces acharge of second-degree murder,and his bail was set at $2.5 million.
Guillorysaidother charges likely will be added.
“She wasa Lyft driverworking trying to make money andthese twoguys took advantageofher,” Guillory said.
It is believed the twomen killed Lewis, dumped her body and stole the vehicle, according to Guillory
“We’restill waiting on records from Lyft to actually pinpoint the exact(timeline),” Guillory said “But,wehaveaverygood idea based on the surveillance that was provided to us by Phillips 66, so we’re satisfied that we got the people responsible forthis.” Guillory saidTristan Bush did notcooperate withgiving addi-
STAFFPHOTOSByLESLIE WESTBROOK
Coudrain
Boquet
Astronger Medicaid will strengthen allofLa.
Achange in state health care policy that may have gone unnoticed willmake adifferenceinthe lives of hundreds of thousands of Louisianans. The state Department of Health last weekannounced higher reimbursement ratesfor health care providerswho treat Medicaid patients.In Louisiana,where nearly 1in3residents arecovered by Medicaid, this will mean greateraccessto doctors for some of the neediest families. Andfor hospitals and physicians that operate inruraland underserved areas, it could mean thedifference betweenkeeping the lights on or closingupshop in places where the hospital is often thelargest employer Foryears,Louisiana physicians and other medicalprofessionals have seen their costs rise evenas the share of the tab picked up by Medicaiddwindled.Insome cases,the cost of providing careso exceeded reimbursement rates that some specialists refused to accept Medicaid patients. That’snow changed thanks to abill sponsored by state Sen. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, in 2024. It directed the healthdepartmenttocomeup with aplan on how to fund an increase in rates.In thespring, the state allocated an additional $238 milliontothe Medicaidprogram, using amix of stateand federal funds, including $26millionfrom savings generated by Gov.JeffLandry’s Louisiana DOGE program. That allows the state to reimburse hospitalsand healthcare providers85% of the rate reimbursed by Medicare, the government-run health insurance program for seniors. Previously, theaverage reimbursementratewas at73% of theMedicare rate. It applies to physicians, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, certified nurse midwives andphysician assistants. In addition, the rates for behavioral healthprofessionals are going up by more than 30%. Therates will be applied retroactivelybeginningJuly 1. It is the biggest increase in adecade,and state SecretaryofHealth BruceGreenstein is hopeful that it will prompt doctors to open or expand clinics in ruralareas.LDH Deputy SurgeonGeneral Wyche Coleman IIIcalled it a“game-changer.” We’re glad to see it in astate thathas long grappled with poor health outcomes. We’re also glad to point to it as an example of how government should work. We can’thelp but be troubled by the current federal government shutdown,where funding for health insurance subsidies that thousands Louisianans relyonunder the Affordable Care Act is the key sticking point. Yetinthis instance, we see Louisianaofficials acting to supportaccesstohealth care.While one goal ofimproving governmental efficiencyisto save taxpayers money,another should be to direct more money to people and programs thatneed them the most. We have to give credittoall the stateofficials who seized the chance to makea change that will strengthen families, communities and ultimately our entire state.
Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence
TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone 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 A LETTER, SCANHERE
Business owners canhelpsupport earlyeducation andget taxcredit
Iamwriting in support of Richard Lipsey’srecent lettertothe editor that makes acritical point: Early childhood education is one of the smartest investments Louisiana can make. Our state’s future depends on recognizing it as the foundation of long-term prosperity. When we invest in quality programs for children from birthtoage 5, we don’tjust prepare kids for school —we strengthen families, enable parentsto stay in the workforce and grow Louisiana’seconomy. The evidence is clear.Early childhood education is apowerful investment withproven returns. Research by Rob Grunewald and Art Rolnick, of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, shows thatevery dollar spent on highquality early learning saves taxpayers up to $17 through stronger school performance, lower crimeand welfare costs, higher wages and healthier communities. Fewinvestmentscan match thatkind of impact. The best part is thatLouisiana already
has an effective tool to makethis vision areality: the LouisianaSchool Readiness TaxCredit program.The SRTC offers acompelling incentivefor corporate investment. Businesses withaLouisiana TaxIDcan receive a100% refundable, dollar-for-dollar state tax creditofupto $5,000 for donations to thedesignated Child Care Resourceand Referral agency in their parish. In Greater Baton Rouge,Volunteers of AmericaSouth Central Louisiana serves as this agency allowing businesses to direct theirdonations to support early childhood educationinthe community and reclaimthe investment on their taxes. This is truly awin-win. Businesses can invest confidently in theircommunities, parents gain the supporttheyneed to work and provide, and ouryoungest residents get the strong start they deserve If we want astronger Louisiana tomorrow,the time to invest in earlychildhood education is today
TEDFIRNBERG Baton Rouge
LSU needsto respectstudent callsfor change on presidential search
Asimple civics lesson. For afederal bill to pass, it has to be approved by theHouse and the Senate, then the president. If the president doesn’tapprove it, theHouse and Senate can override.
Senate designed to be bulwark againsttyranny of majority In the ongoing tug-ofwar withour congressional district boundaries, the arguments are presented as twooptions: The first is to maintain the boundaries as they are currently drawn, which slice communities by irrationally grouping voters from different parts of the state.The second option is to go back to the previously approved boundary, which fails to accurately reflect our population.
The U.S. government was constituted to deliver majority rule while protectingminority rights. The Senate is thebody designed to protect minority rights. When partisan legislation fails in the Senate, it’snot because governmentisnot working right. It’sworking exactly the way it is supposed to.
When theHouse passes partisan legislation that it knows won’tpass theSenate, then one party complains it’s theother side that is the problem, that’s thedefinition of obtuse. Maybe we need better representation.
THOMAS
HUMBLE Baton Rouge
Thereare ways to draw fair district boundaries
Thisisafalse dichotomy.Intruth, there are many optionsfor redrawing theboundaries in away that both maintains compactness of communitiesand fairly represents our people The strengthofour democracy liesinboth diversity and unity. This issue could be resolved in the best interest of the people and ourstate, but the key is impartiality.
APRIL NEWMAN Baton Rouge
Republicans had achance to support legal immigration and didn’t
When we send our young people to college, we hope they learn to think independently,get involved in their communities and develop the courage to stand up forwhat they believe. LSU administrators recently showed those qualities will be punished at our state’sflagship university Amid rising tuition, canceled DEI initiatives and detention of students by ICE, it’shard to think of abetter way to lose the respect and trust of the student body than with the heavy-handed, needlessly escalatory decision to arrest astudent merely forspeaking past their allotted time at apublic meeting of the university’spresidential search committee and then arresting six others for peacefully protesting that. Louisiana taxpayers fund LSU to educate our people and develop their potential, not to serve as a vehicle forthe self-aggrandizement and power consolidation of its administrators. If the LSU administration does in fact prioritize the former,they have somework to do to show it. This starts by immediately calling forthe dismissal of all charges against the seven members of Students foraDemocratic Society,and then implementing the following reasonable, commonsense measures to include students in the selection of the next president of their university:
1. Addatleast five student representatives to the presidential search committee.
2. Hold three public townhalls that allow students to question the final candidates.
3. Make final presidential selection by transparent and accountable campuswide vote. The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects citizens from government suppression of their speech. As astate-funded institution, LSU madeaserious error in how it responded to students engaging in the presidential search process. Indivisible Baton Rouge calls on the LSU administration to immediately correct that error by implementing the steps described here.
KEVIN CURLEY NewOrleans
Iagree with the letter writer from Bush who advocated for lawful immigration. Abipartisan bill was effectively killed by then-presidential candidate Donald Trumptoapparently keep the immigration issue as political fuel —ormaybe eventually be able to have mass deportations that some honestly desire. But are these deportations occurring within the rule of law? The courts often rule they don’t, to no lawful result in many cases. Who’sgoing to pick our produce, to be selfish about the issue.
LISA KING member,Indivisible Baton Rouge
COMMENTARY
TrumpshouldsendChadScott home
It’stime to let Chad Scott go home. The former Drug Enforcement Administration agent gainedbroad notoriety beyond drug trafficking circles when he became the focus of a sprawling investigation in southeast Louisianain2016. That investigation culminated in 2021, when he was sentenced to 13 years in prison for perjury,obstruction of justice and conversion of property and other crimes.
Scott is four years into his sentenceinfederal prison forthose convictions. With his good time credits, his release date has been moveduptoNovember 2031, still six years away In hindsight, his sentence was too severe.
Iamnot saying perjury and obstruction are not serious crimes Far from it, especially when we are talking abouta person who hastaken the oath of law enforcement. But the sentence shouldfitthe crime. Scott’sperjury and obstruction counts stemmedfrom
Decades of growing strife between North and South erupted in civil war on April 12, 1861, when Confederate artilleryopened fire on this federal fort in Charleston Harbor FortSumter surrendered 34 hours later.Union forces would try for nearly four years to takeit back.
PROVIDED PHOTO By NORTH WIND PICTURE ARCHIVES
MAXBECHERER
Former Drug Enforcement Administration agent Chad Scott walkstothe Hale BoggsFederal Building in NewOrleans
his zeal to get aconviction in the case of aHouston-based drug trafficker who had moved scores of kilos of cocaineand heroin. DuringScott’strial, the trafficker admitted thiswas his business Scottwas never convicted, charged or even accused of stealing, using or selling drugs. Two members of his team were. Both were Tangipahoa Parish sheriff’s
deputies at the time, and in return for testifying against Scott, they got far lighter sentences thanhe did.
Federal prosecutorsalso dropped charges against thetrafficker Scott was targeting and offered sweetheartdeals to two other traffickersinreturnfor their testimonyagainst Scott. But when it came time to argue for his sentencing, they dropped the hammer,urging U.S. District Judge Jane Triche Milazzo to give him 20 years. She didn’t, but still stunnedScott when she handed down the 13-year sentence.
That decision looks especially harsh in thelight of another notorious DEA case. JoseIrizarry was aMiami-based agent who laundered millions of dollars on behalf of drug cartels, using the funds to fuel athree-continent partytour thatincluded strip clubs, parties, prostitutes and high-profile sports events.Irizarry got12years one fewer than Scott —after pleading guiltyinfederal court.
Right nowmay be Scott’sbest chance to seesome movement on his jailtime. President Donald Trump issued aflurry of pardons and commutations in the early months of his presidency,though
thepace hasslowed in recent weeks.Scott has certainly tried to get his case in front of Trump: He’shired apardon attorney and sought to portray himself as the victim of acapricious and weaponized FBI. But as of now,he’sstill locked up.
He’strying to make the best of it.After acouple of years in the low-security federal prison in Ashland, Kentucky,Scott was moved across the street to the federal prison camp. The security thereismuch more lax; visitors don’teven pass through metal detectors. I’ve visited Scott there afew times.Most recently,inMarch, Scott looked better than I’d seen him before. He spends alot of time exercising, walking loops around the yard and doing hundreds of burpees aday.He’s picked up afew jobs, including training service dogs as part of aprogramcalled Pawsibilities Unleashed. He’salso picked up ajob as a driver.Soafew times aweek, the Bureau of Prisons hands Scott the keys to afederal car and instructs himon, say,where to drive an inmate who is being released.
Fort Sumter hasmuchtosay aboutAmericandivision
drum.
Sometimes these trips are to places afew hours away,meaning Scott can spend most of the day outside the fences and unsupervised.
And he recently wasgranted adaylong furlough that allowed him to spend time with family including his nearly 1-year-old granddaughter I’ve been writing about Scott for nearly adecade, including scores of stories. Idid an eight-part podcast about the case. I’ve explored every aspect of this case and talked to people on every side. Iwas there when those juries delivered their verdicts. Idon’tthink he’sinnocent. But I also don’tthink he deserves to be in prison for the next six years. The four years he’sserved is a more than adequate sentence. That’swhy Iamnot advocating for apardon, but acommutation. That would leave those jury verdicts in place, but shorten his sentence. It would allow him to go home to his wife,sons and granddaughter
And that would be justice.
Faimon A. Roberts III can be reached at froberts@ theadvocate.com.
Thegovernment ‘shutdown’ explained
The partialgovernment “shutdown” is apure political act.Ithas nothing to do with the amount of money the government takesfrom taxpayers, though it does have something to do with howmuch it irresponsibly spends. Democrats areholding the country hostage over Obama-era health insurance subsidiesthatdon’t expire until Dec. 31.
At the heartofitisa narrative created by the Democrat Party thatextends at leasttothe administration of Franklin Roosevelt: Rich people make toomuch money andpeople who don’t make as much areentitled to some of it.
David Shribman
CHARLESTON, S.C. On an artificialisland 4miles from downtown stands an unlikely reminder of the cost of national disunion,a granite monumenttodiscord, both areminder of the price of division and awarning to contemporarypolitical warriors It is Fort Sumter, where the Civil Warbegan and where, 164 years ago, agarrisonof American troops struggledtohold out in the face of the secession of multiple Southern states and the creation of aparallel Americannation, dedicated to the proposition that all men were not created equal.
“There stands Fort Sumter,” the diarist Mary Chesnut, born on a South Carolina plantation and a slaveholder herself, “and thereby hangs peace or war.”
Today,the fort can be reachedby a30-minute ferry ride as dolphins occasionally play at the water line and the cityscape of Charleston melts from view with the miles. Now, as in 1861, its importance is mostly symbolic —tocontemporariesasthe site of the beginning of what Abraham Lincoln would call “a great civil war,testing whether (this) nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated,can long endure”; and to us, fivegenerations later,asareminder that the country has experienced conflict and hostility before.
The mid-19th-century divisions produced the country’sbloodiest war,setting in motion resentments decades long, demonstratedbythe continuing dispute over the name of Fort Bragg, which originally honored Confederate Gen. Braxton Bragg. The contemporary divisions produced the insurrectionatthe Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and threaten to rent the country for years, if not
decades, to come And awarning comes from South Carolina’s Robert Barnwell Rhett, knownasthe “father of secession” and an ardent slavery advocate.
“There exists agreat mistake,” he said just afterLincoln was elected in 1860,“in supposing that thepeopleofthe UnitedStatesare,orever have been, one people.”
Perhaps that is true today.It surely was trueinthe middle of the19th century,which returns us to the centrality of FortSumter constructed byenslaved workers wholabored for 15 years and whose fingerprints remain visible in the bricks usedtobuildit— in America’s story
Shortly after SouthCarolina seceded from the Union, less than sevenweeksafterLincoln’selectionbut more thanthree months before his inauguration, thenewly emboldenedstate seized federal courthouses, post offices and military installations. Maj.Robert Anderson, the Kentuckian who was the commander at FortMoultrie, consideredrelocating his troops to the more secure environs, and more defensible position, of Sumter
But move he did, secretly evacuating his84 men from thepalmettolog fortress on nearby Sullivan’s Island. Once on the exposed island where FortSumter sat,heraised the American flag, further infuriating Charlestonians. No president ever faced an opening challenge as great as Lincoln’s.
The standoff continued. Lincoln and hisadvisers, knowing that provisioning the fort would, in the characterization of James McPhersoninhis 1989 landmark “Battle CryofFreedom, divide the North andunite the South,” considered their alternatives. Those in the fort watched their provisions shrink. All knewthat the impasse in Charleston Harbor was noordinary conun-
The debate over slavery had been conducted for decades and had hardened with the years.
John S. Preston, sometimes considered the “spokesman of the South,” in aspeech before the state’s Democratic convention in 1860: “Slavery is our king. Slavery is our Truth. Slavery is our Divine Right.”
Some 18 days later,Sen. William Howard Seward, of New York, who would become Lincoln’ssecretary of state,gave an addressinRochester, New York, in which he describedthe clash of views on slaveryasan“irrepressible conflict.”
At FortSumter,that conflict could no longer be repressed. The Confederates opened fire in thepredawn hours of April 12, 1861. The barrage continued for 33 hours. In the end, Anderson, aonetime slave owner,surrendered.
Today,the fort is part of the National ParkService, and Charleston is aflourishing city, amagnet for tourists. Nearby is thesetting for quiet afternoons sipping tea in the country’sonly tea plantation.
At war’s end, Sidney Andrews, aNorthernnewspaper correspondent,visited Charleston and wrote, “A cityofruins, of desolation, of vacant houses of widowed women, of rotting wharves,ofdeserted warehouses,ofweed-wild gardens, of miles of grass grown streets, of acres of pitiful and voiceful barrenness —this is Charleston, wherein Rebellion loftily reared itshead five years ago.”
That’sthe standardbywhich we measure our contemporary divisions, and through which we recall the importance of tests of ourdemocratic values and institutions.Fort Sumter speaks to us still.
Email David Shribman at dshribman@post-gazette.com.
Barack Obama promoted this narrative when he ranfor president. Obama promisedto“spread the wealth around,”which is socialism. Many young people have been indoctrinatedwith socialism in their public schools and universities. Democratic socialist ZohranMamdani is the leading candidate for mayor of New York City
President Franklin Roosevelt’sexpansion of big government created dependencyamong the lowerand middle classes. Roosevelt criticizedwealthy people whom he called“economic royalists” for hoarding their money (translation: not willing to give more to the government) andstunting economicrecoveryduring the Great Depression. He declared the richguilty of “economictyranny.”
In 1935, FDR signed“the wealth tax,”whichdramatically raisedfederal income taxesonhigh earners. It also created anew progressive income structure that garnished as much as 75% of those making more than $1 million andraised estate taxesto70%,all to support his NewDeal programs. According to his sonElliott, FDR weaponizedthe IRS to go afterhis political enemies.Sound familiar? All of this, andmore, won him four terms, so it worked in acynical way Modern Democrats continue to embrace his beliefs. President Harry Truman continued his predecessor’scriticism of the rich. In aspeech to the Democratic NationalConvention in 1948, Trumansaid that
year’s electionwas achoice between common people and“the citadelofspecial privilege andgreed.” Again, does this sound familiar? Trumanechoed many of the phraseswehear from today’sDemocrats, including “fairness” and“progressivism.” Is it fair to penalize those who have demonstrated initiative,sacrificed and livedbyeconomicand moral ruleswhile subsidizing those who did not? Is it progress to attack suchpeople who took risks, created small andlarge businesses, andwereable to hire people who thenbought homes andcared for themselves andtheir familieswithout turning to government as afirst resource?These people came to pay higher taxesbecause theymade more money.Asothers have noted, the poor don’tpay income taxes.
Growing up, Inever enviedthe wealthy.Iwanted to knowhow theybecame wealthy so thatImight learnfromtheir example. Irecommendwatching the History Channel series that depicts some of the people who “built America.” The risks theytook andthe valuesinwhichtheybelieved, including thatAmerica is alandofopportunity,not oneofentitlement, is not studiedinmostoftoday’s schools.
Fordecades the Democratshavepromoted the unholy trinity of envy,greed andentitlement. This tells people thatiftheymake badchoices in their personaland professional lives the government will bail themout with money from others who made the right decisions.
People who arepoor through no fault of their ownshould be helped, but the goal should not be to sustain theminpoverty that theymight always vote for Democrats. The goal should be to help themescape poverty andbecome independent, whichhas long been the Republicanand conservative view. Independence would free individuals from relying solely on government. Thatwould lead to less relianceonDemocrats, who arethe party of government. There youhavethe explanationfor what’sbehind the phony government “shutdown.” Any questions?
EmailCal Thomas at tcaeditors@tribpub.com.
Faimon Roberts
Cal
Thomas
STAFF FILE PHOTO By
Authority andformer executive director of the financing authority,said in a Thursday interview
The financing authority had intended to purchase the property forredevelopment in late 2023. Thetrust was ultimately unable to buythe property Prior to that, theauthority hadhopedtofillthe space with atenant —an unsuccessfulventure,as DOTD could kick the Lafayette Public Trust Financing Authority and the tenantout witha30-day notice at anytime, Blanchard said. The current lease basically givesthe financing authority dibs on theproperty if DOTD were to relinquishand sellitone day “It was kind of just a dead weight leasethat really obligated the trust to
take care of theproperty,” Blanchard said. “The lease paymentsthat the trusthas been making will be credited towards the purchase price.”
That area, Blanchard said, will have twoentrances to I-49 when it is built, so it’s importantto think long-termabout what
thecorridorshouldlook like when theinterstateis constructed.
The financing authority owns several properties in the vicinity of the Coburn’s building.
Email StephenMarcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.
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he grew up in the HoumaThibodaux Diocese.
“Growing up, Ididn’t even know about monks,” he said.
Boquet is legally blind, a condition that has progressivelyworsened since he was first diagnosedwith a type of macular degeneration when he was 15. “If, with my handicap, God can use me, God can use anybody,” he said.
The monastic schedule is real.
Previously,hestarted prayerby4 a.m., but these days he starts with prayerslightly later than that. Then, he has vigils at 6a.m., lauds at 7a.m., Mass at 11:15 a.m., vespers at 5:30 p.m. and compline at 7:15 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are worked in between the prayers.
“Monks used to do the cooking many years ago,” he said, “but it’smore manageable to go with Sage Diningnow.” Before becoming abbot, Boquet spent decades in leadership at theabbey, including 25 years as president-rector of its seminary college.
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tional information.
“The biggest surprise when Iwas ayoungmonk was that people are at different levels of their monastic journey,” he said.“I realized how human monks are andthat people are not the same.”
Back then,the finality of becoming amonkhit him hard when he returned to St.Joseph’s.Hefelt more homesick back in Louisiana than hehad in Washington, D.C.
“The finalityofit,” he said, “it is not temporary.”
Boquet rarely leaves the abbey,and even after nearly 50 years, he still misses seeing his family regularly He comes from alarge Louisianafamily.He speaks withhis twin brother often by phone.
“My mom is still alive, and Iwish Icould be with her moreoften,” he said just before our time together was up —and that observation reminded me
of the truth of his earlier words regarding thehuman-ness of monks.
During our conversation,the abbot mentioned that the abbey was getting ready for itsannual gala and fundraiser,Deo Gratias,set for Saturday
When Iwalked outside his office, studentsfrom theseminary were hanging lights in thetrees that dot thebeautiful campus located less than 5miles from downtown Covington.
They werechatting about happenings around the campus and pointed me toward the book and gift store. On my way to buy bread, cookies, honey and someSt. Benedict medals, Ipassed abackpack haphazardly leaning against “The Catholic Study Bible” on abench; the place felt, in someways, like any other school.
In the store, which is open mostdays from 9a.m. to 11 a.m. and from noon to 3p.m., Imet avariety of volunteers and was charmed by the clever names of someofthe items, particularly Monks’ Heavenly Hash and Cloistered Peanuts.
In the quiet bustle of that campus —part prayer, part industry,part community —I was reminded that even lives devoted to stillness hum with humanity
Email Jan Risheratjan risher@theadvocate.com.
LOTTERY
SUNDAY,OCT.12, 2025
“Wefeellikewehave enough information,” Guillory said. “Moving forward, we’re goingtopresentthe (districtattorney) with a pretty substantial case that we are very comfortable with. We’ve recovered a ton of evidence, not only from ourscene,where I think it was, but we recovered aton of evidence in Houston.”
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and fight with officers, authorities said. After abrief struggle, Arita-Recinoswas detained.
Police discovered AritaRecinos was wanted by the international police organizationInterpol on manslaughterchargesoriginating from Honduras, authorities said. The warrant was confirmed with the DepartmentofHomeland Security,who placed adetainer on Arita-Recinos for
While the case is still in the early stages of investigation, Guillory said theprogress
extradition. Arita-Recinos was taken to the Morgan City Police Department, where he is awaiting federal extradition proceedings.
Opelousaswoman sought in shooting Awoman is beingsought in the shooting deathof her girlfriend, according to the Opelousas Police Department Investigators said Kera Vitatoe is wanted on charges of second-degree murder and attempted seconddegree murder in thefatal
made was with the help of community members.
“Whenweneed help in solving crime, we always tend to go to ourpublic and askfor help, and they’realways there for us,”Guillory said. “If youwanttosolve crime, you have to have cooperation from the community.”
shooting of Mareya Henry Policesaidthe two were in arelationship. The shooting occurred SundayonHashim Drive off GeorgeDrive in Opelousas, according to police.
Vitatoe was previously arrested for batteryagainst Henryinanother jurisdiction,police said.
Detectives saidthey gathered evidence during the investigation thatled to an arrest warrant for Vitatoe.
Police said Vitatoe is considered armed and dangerous and is asking for the public’sassistance in locating her
The monastic refectoryatSt. Joseph Abbey, aBenedictine monestary
STAFF PHOTOSByJAN RISHER
Caskets made at St. Joseph Abbey, near Covington, are on displayinthe woodworking shop’s showroom at theabbey. The caskets
mahoganyorcypress.
SPORTS
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
Dylan Stewart seemed unstoppable. Play after play,South Carolina’sstar edge rusher attacked Weston Davis, the LSU redshirt freshmanright tackle who wasmaking just the fifth start of his collegiate career on Saturday night in Tiger Stadium Pro Football Focus counted Davis as allowing three quarterback pressures on 39 pass blockingsnaps on Saturday, but it seemed as if Stewart was beating Davis routinely,even as LSU won the game20-10. It happened often enough that LSU coach Brian Kellywas askedonMondayifhe’s considered moving fifth-year senior right guard Josh Thompson out to right tackle. “Wedid, but we’re willing to live with somemistakes outofright tackle,because we think his future is so bright,” Kelly said. “So whenyou go into that whole process of thinking aboutit, do youthwart his growth of what he needs to see every day?”
Another Sunday.Another tough loss for the New Orleans Saints It’sfast becoming aseason full of them.
Their 25-19 setback to the NewEngland Patriotswas the latest exercise in what has becomeafrustratingly familiar script.The Saintsallowed their fourth consecutive opponent to score touchdowns on theirfirst two drives, andfrom there,the futile game of catch-upwas on. Thistime, theSaintsweren’tthe beneficiaries of five turnovers andfailed to catch the Patriots on thescoreboard, which is usuallythe case.
times Sunday in what has become a familiar lament. Regardless, thereality is, the Saints’ chances of making the playoffs are now exceedingly remote. Only three teams in NFL history have managed to overcome a1-5 start and rally to makethe playoffs: the2020 Commanders, 2018 Colts and 2015 Chiefs.
The Saints are now 1-5, matching their worst sixgame start since the dark Ditka days of 1999. They ownthe worst record in the NFC and can thankthe lowly New York Jetsfor preventing them fromhaving theworst mark in the entire league.
“Weknow that we’re abetterteam than whatour r cord says,” quarterback Spencer Rattlersaid multip
BY RODWALKER Staff writer
For Herb Jones, there’s no place quite like sweet home Alabama. TheNew OrleansPelicans’ forwardcan hardlywait for Tuesday night when he gets achance to suit up in Birmingham, Alabama, for apreseason game against the Houston Rockets.
“I’m super excited,” Jones said. “I don’t know about the rest of the team, but I’m ready to get back.” Beforemakinghis mark withthe Pelicans as one of the NBA’s bestdefensiveplayers, Jones was astar in Alabama. Hale High School, located in Moundville about an hour away fromBirmingham,retired Jones’ No. 2jerseylast December.Jones led Hale to its first state championshipasasenior Then he went on to play at the University of Alabama, where he was namedthe SEC Player of the Year and DefensivePlayerof the Year by the coaches
Andwith adicey road trip to Chicago on deck, followed by difficult matchups against what look to be a pair of playoff teams,Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Rams,the Saints’ chances of kick-starting awin streak seem dubious at best No, this season is what most of us thought it would
He’ll likelyb players on the cour like he always in thearea. This years the team in Birmingham the Pelicans’ GL team (theBirmin Squadron). “Herb is from I’m sure he will loudest cheers floor,” saidPeli “They are big-t they lovesupport excited
TE
lfwaymark, theoutlookfor the season looks alittle better than weeks ago. are still manyareas in need ement, andcoach Michael Desormeaux doesn’t wanthis kids feeling too consoled these days. “I think as the coach, what youhavetodois you have to kind of shape ittle bit andallowthem to see pportunities that are in front of them,” ormeaux, whose Cajuns(2-4, 1-1) hern Miss (4-2, 2-0) at 4p.m ahomecoming game. happened to this point doesn’tmat“We’re still in position to win ivision, andthat’sthe vision ttogoafter,and that’swhat about. That’swhat we’ve got
STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD
Saints coach Kellen Moore, left,tight end Taysom Hill and other players watch athird-downplayagainst theNew England Patriots during the first half of theirgameSunday at the Caesars Superdome.
Latest idea for All-Star Game: U.S. vs. World
BY TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press
Imagine this lineup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama, all on the floor at the same time as teammates.
MVPs. Scoring champions NBA champions. Triple-double machines. Defensive wizards International players, all together in one highly decorated, incredibly accomplished, flat-out-scary lineup the likes of which probably has not been seen too many times in basketball history
The NBA seems on the brink of making it possible.
Changes to the All-Star format are most certainly coming, once again, and the plan that the NBA has settled on is one that has U.S. players going up against players from the rest of the world in a tournament setting. Think Ryder Cup golf or 4 Nations Face-Off hockey, and it just so happens that this season’s All-Star weekend at Inglewood, California, is smack in the middle of another nationalpride sporting event the 2026 Milan-Cortina Olympics
“I talk to a lot of fans, and AllStar Games for whatever reason take on particular interest around basketball,” NBA commissioner Adam Silver said. “I think we should be able to create something that’s fun, exciting, engaging. Not expecting guys to play the way they would in the finals necessarily or even in a playoff game, but yet to go out, play hard, put on a good show for the fans.”
The plan, which isn’t yet finalized, calls for a three-team tournament: two American teams and one international team, all with eight-man rosters. The reason: Roughly two-thirds of NBA players are American and one-
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama, of France, celebrates after a basket by guard David Jones Garcia in overtime during a preseason game against the Utah Jazz on Friday in San Antonio. The NBA is considering changing its All-Star Game format to U.S. vs. World.
third are not, which is why the NBA thinks it’d be fair to give Americans two-thirds of the roster spots.
“Hopefully, it’s going to be better,” said Jokic, the Denver star It has become almost an annual exercise for the NBA: fixing the All-Star Game. Silver and other league officials — and to be fair, some players as well — desperately want the product to be better and more competitive. They tried having captains like LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Antetokounmpo pick the teams for a few years, and not much changed. They tried go back to the standard Eastern Conference
SCHEINUK
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy
Matt McMahon coaches a drill during the LSU men’s basketball practice on Sept. 24 at the PMAC. The Tigers were picked 15th in the SEC preseason media poll.
LSU men land at 15th in SEC preseason poll
BY TOYLOY BROWN III
Staff writer
LSU men’s basketball is predicted to finish 15th in the Southeastern Conference for the 2025-26 season in the league’s preseason media poll released on Monday Fourth-year coach Matt McMahon has an almost entirely new group with only two returning players: redshirt junior forward Jalen Reed and sophomore forward Robert Miller No player on the roster made any of the three preseason AllSEC teams. The other teams without a player were South Carolina, Georgia, Texas, Texas A&M and Vanderbilt.
Last year, the Tigers went 14-18 overall with a 3-15 record in the conference. They finished 15th in the SEC and were predicted to finish 14th in that year’s preseason poll. McMahon hasn’t made the NCAA Tournament in his tenure as coach, and the last time the program made it was in 2022. LSU’s season opener is at 7 p.m. on Nov 5 against Tarleton State at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center The Tigers will play an exhibition game before that against Central Florida at 11 a.m
Oct. 26 at Addition
in Orlando, Florida. Email Toyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com
vs. Western Conference format, and it wasn’t great either Having a final score of 211-186 in Indianapolis in 2024 was the last straw in many respects, so the NBA last season tried a mini-tournament on for size, and few people cared for that.
Golden State’s Stephen Curry was MVP of that All-Star event, a four-teams-of-eight competition that had a 41-25 final score in the title matchup and saw the final game stopped for about 20 minutes for a tribute to TNT and its run as a league broadcaster International players have said they love the idea of a U.S. vs. The World concept. Antetokounmpo,
the Milwaukee star, has talked about it previously and playfully said that the league should give him credit for the idea.
“The NBA’s going to take all the credit. But I love it, man,” Antetokounmpo said.
“I think it’s going to be exciting for people to watch. I’m going to play hard. I’ve always been playing hard, but I think it’s going to put a little bit more juice to the game. All players have ego. Nobody wants to be embarrassed. Guys will play harder because they don’t want to become — I don’t know how you say this they don’t want to become viral. I’m excited for this format.”
LSU women picked to finish third in SEC
BY REED DARCEY Staff writer
The LSU women’s basketball team was picked to finish third in the SEC this season in the league’s preseason media poll.
Senior Flau’jae Johnson was voted onto the SEC’s preseason first team, and junior Mikaylah Williams was given a spot on the second team.
Voters chose South Carolina and Texas to finish ahead of the Tigers, who are beginning their fifth year under coach Kim Mulkey Johnson and Williams form one of the best backcourts in the country
This season, they’ll lead a newlook LSU team. The Tigers signed five freshmen and three transfers, including former Gamecocks guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and Notre Dame center Kate Koval.
LSU’s season opener against Houston Christian will tip off on
Nov 4 in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center Before that game, the Tigers will play two exhibitions, one on Oct. 23 and another on Oct. 30. Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.
Purdue tops preseason AP Top 25 for first time
Purdue is No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the first time.
The Boilermakers earned 35 of 61 first-place votes to top Monday’s poll to begin the 2025-26 season. That put Matt Painter’s squad ahead of the two teams that played in last year’s NCAA title game, with runner-up Houston at No. 2 and reigning champion Florida at No. 3. Purdue started a year ranked as high as No. 2 once before, in 198788 under Gene Keady Todd Golden’s Gators earned eight first-place votes to start this year with their highest preseason ranking since the last time they entered a year as reigning champions in 2006-07, the start of a run to a second straight title.
South Carolina forward out for season with torn ACL South Carolina senior forward Chloe Kitts has announced on social media that she will miss the entire 2025 season after tearing the ACL in her right knee. The injury occurred during a recent team practice, according to a spokesperson for the program. Kitts will have surgery this week to repair the ACL. A two-year starter for the Gamecocks, Kitts was last year’s Southeastern Conference Tournament MVP and NCAA Binghamton Regionals MVP She averaged 10.2 points and 7.7 rebounds per game as a junior last year It’s uncertain if Kitts plans to seek a medical redshirt and return to the Gamecocks next season. She was projected to be a high pick in next year’s WNBA draft.
Eagles pass rusher retires after 5 games with team PHILADELPHIA Za’Darius Smith abruptly announced his retirement Monday five games into his eighth NFL season and first with the Philadelphia Eagles. The 33-year-old pass rusher called it a career in a post on Instagram. The Eagles lost Thursday night at the New York Giants to fall to 4-2 and play at Minnesota on Sunday Smith signed with the reigning Super Bowl champions the day after their Week 1 win against Dallas. He spent last season with Cleveland and Detroit. Smith was a three-time Pro Bowl selection, in 2019 and ‘20 with Green Bay and again in 2022 with Minnesota. He had 10 tackles in five games with the Eagles.
Lions safety gets 1-game suspension for punch
NEW YORK — Detroit Lions safety Brian Branch was suspended for one game without pay by the NFL on Monday for unsportsmanlike conduct after a loss at Kansas City Branch punched Chiefs receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster on Sunday night, setting off a postgame melee. Detroit (4-2) will host NFC Southleading Tampa Bay (5-1) without Branch, another blow for a team with a banged-up secondary After Kansas City beat Detroit 30-17, quarterback Patrick Mahomes extended his hand toward Branch and the third-year pro walked past the superstar SmithSchuster then walked toward Branch. They exchanged a few words and Branch responded by throwing a right hook that knocked Smith-Schuster to the ground.
Texas Tech QB ‘day-to-day’ ahead of Arizona State LUBBOCK, Texas Texas Tech quarterback Behren Morton is considered day-to-day for the seventhranked Red Raiders after coming out of a game for the third time this season, the second because of hurting his right leg while getting sacked.
“That dude’s the toughest kid I’ve ever coached His pain tolerance and just toughness and care factor is really high,” Tech coach Joey McGuire said Monday “So he’s day-to-day We’ll see how he feels.”
The Red Raiders (6-0, 3-0 Big 12) have their highest AP Top 25 ranking since 2008 as they get ready to play Saturday
ABATE
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
Kelly went another step further in Davis’ defense on Monday Instead of critiquing his performance against Stewart, he complimented the young tackle for not allowing a sack to one of the best pass rushers in the country.
Stewart has three sacks and 24 quarterback pressures through six contests this season. Last year, as a freshman, he had 51 pressures and seven sacks.
“He was really good against (Stewart) in pass protection, really good,” Kelly said. “That guy is outstanding. He’s as good as I’ve seen. He’s so quick. He’s got a power move, he’s got an edge move, and (Davis) did a great job.”
Davis has allowed seven more pressures than any other Tiger despite missing the Ole Miss game with a concussion and fractured nose. But Kelly’s point of emphasis for Davis in terms of improvement was not in pass protection.
the start.
Davis’ ailment, and a first-half suspension for targeting levied to Chester during the second half against SLU, resulted in Curne getting his first career start against the Rebels. He allowed just one pressure on 41 pass blocking snaps, leaving some to wonder if he could be a candidate to start at the position moving forward
“I have not had a starting right tackle go out because of an injury in pregame,” Kelly said during his radio show Thursday “That’s kind of like, ‘All right, let’s figure this out as we go. We’re going to build this plane as we’re going here.’ And you know, he went in there and he battled, but it wasn’t a good break for us.”
“We’re going to live with him, and I’m proud of him. He’s growing. He’s learning this game, and that’s a big part of this.”
BRIAN KELLy, LSU coach, on tackle Weston Davis
“We’ve got to get him better in the run game,” Kelly said, “and that’s where, at times, you want to put Josh out there.”
Kelly has defended Davis at various points through his first year as a starter, declaring that there was no competition at right tackle after he was replaced by redshirt sophomore DJ Chester at halftime following a poor firsthalf performance against Southeastern Louisiana.
Davis would have started the following week at Ole Miss, but his pregame injury resulted in freshman Carius Curne earning
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to understand.”
A big part of it is the injury report improving. Starting left guard Kaden Moreau left Saturday’s 24-14 road loss to James Madison with a leg injury, and he isn’t likely to play Saturday
So the depth on the offensive line isn’t getting any help any time soon.
“There’s not much come back there other than hopefully getting Kaden (Moreau) back, hopefully in a week,” Desormeaux said.
Elsewhere, though, UL is optimistic running back Zylan Perry will return to action this weekend and original starting quarterback Walker Howard is expected to return to practice this week, “which is unbelievable.” Desormeaux was quick to state Lunch Winfield remains as the starting quarterback.
“It’s always tough to pull I mean, Lunch is playing well,” he said. “What he did in the Marshall game was unbelievable He’s paying really well right now He made some big throws (at James Madison). He stood in the pocket and took some shots he stood in there and did it over and over and over again.
“You don’t mess with those things whenever you got a guy that’s playing well.” Howard still needs to practice anyway to see how ready he really is after his oblique injury
“Walker was the first one to tell me,” Desormeaux said. “He said, ‘Look I get it, he’s good.’ He goes, ‘I’m just excited to be back and be practicing, which is unbelievable for a kid to say who’s been through everything he’s been through.
“But he’s got to practice. We’ve got to see where he’s at and ev-
But Monday may have been Kelly’s most vocal support of Davis, the former four-star recruit.
Davis was among LSU’s most highly coveted recruits from the 2024 class, decommitting from Texas A&M before arriving in Baton Rouge as the No. 8 offensive tackle in the nation, according to the 247Sports Composite.
Kelly believes in his promise and has made himself clear: LSU is sticking with the kid, growing pains and all.
“We’re going to live with him, and I’m proud of him. He’s growing. He’s learning this game, and that’s a big part of this,” Kelly said. “O-line awareness, O-line instincts. Some have it, some don’t. Some, you’ve got to really give them reps, and that’s what this is about. He needs to play.”
Email Koki Riley at Koki Riley@theadvocate.com.
erything.”
Desormeaux also said wide receiver Shelton Sampson won’t likely play Saturday but could return on Oct. 25 when the team travels to Troy
On defense, Desormeaux also said it’s “very possible” Maurion
Eleam the original starter at star — will return to the field after a hip injury suffered on Sept. 13 at Missouri.
“That would be huge for us,” he said. “If Eleam can go at star, that allows you to put some guys back at corner that that’s really what they are. They’re filling in at star, which allows you to maybe do some more things there in the secondary.”
That’s critical because the secondary is another area in need of an upgrade the rest of the way if UL is going to salvage this season.
So far this season, UL’s opponents are completing 69% of their passes. Overall, the Cajuns’ defense ranks 103rd nationally in passing efficiency defense.
“You got to stay in your thirds and you got to stay in the post, and we didn’t do that with anybody — guys wide open,” Desormeaux said. “You’ve got to play disciplined football and cover — be where you’re supposed to be in coverage.”
Gambling can pay off big on occasion, but there’s a price to pay for it.
“The big one at the end of the game that they hit,” Desormeaux said “That’s not a coverage issue That’s a discipline issue. That’s worried about the wrong things; that’s having your eyes in the wrong spot.
“I don’t know another way to say it. We got guys out there that know what they’re supposed to do. It’s in the heat of the moment. Those are things that kill you.”
Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com
Saints’ youth movement continues with Stutsman
BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer
For most of last week, Danny Stutsman figured his role was going to remain unchanged: He would back up starters Demario Davis and Pete Werner on defense and try to impact the game on special teams.
And then on Saturday the day before the Saints rookie linebacker played against the New England Patriots, his coaches let him know that he was going to play a few series on defense.
“Whatever it is, I was ready to go,” Stutsman said.
The Saints selected Stutsman in the fourth round (112th overall) in the 2025 draft. Before Week 6 against the Patriots, his defensive playing time had been limited to four snaps in garbage time of a blowout loss to Seattle and the preseason.
But he was on the field for a couple of important defensive series Sunday against the New England Patriots, replacing Pete Werner in the lineup while down 14-13 in the second quarter and again while trailing by nine in the third quarter
The sample size is still small Stutsman played only six defensive snaps — but he will gladly take any experience he can get at this stage of his career
“To be able to get out there and build confidence is huge,” Stutsman said “You play in the preseason, but it’s not the same. You take those six snaps and you really have to grow from it and just learn.”
Stutsman recorded two tackles in his six snaps, including one where he ducked under an openfield block attempt by Patriots left guard Jared Wilson to drop running back Rhamondre Stevenson for a short gain.
Coach Kellen Moore said the team saw some value in giving its rookie linebacker some time on the field where he typically wouldn’t get it.
“Danny’s a good player,” Moore said. “When you give these guys some exposure, I think it helps them.”
Right now, Stutsman said his
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transition.
With the present being as bleak as it is, the Saints need to start planning for what they hope will be a more promising future. Tough seasons beget tough decisions, and the Saints have plenty to make on their roster
With the trade deadline looming on Nov 4, the Saints need to strongly consider each and every option presented to them. If that means departing with a popular veteran or two to improve their future, so be it.
It’s never easy to part ways with popular stars and locker room leaders, especially Ring of Honortype players. And there’s a human element to consider with families and schools and mortgages, etc. But the reality is the Saints’ future might depend on it. You have to give something to get something, and the Saints’ few tradable assets are players that rank among the most popular on the team: Alvin Kamara, Chris Olave, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill.
The Saints’ front office has often been loyal to a fault. They tend to hold on to players and coaches longer than other teams, perhaps a nod to the club’s rare
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Pelicans, and the first in over a week. The first two games were played in Australia.
“We needed this rest time to recover from the Australia trip,” Green said. “We’ll get to Birmingham and get after it.”
The Pelicans went 2-0 in Australia, but they will step up in weight class Tuesday against the Rockets. Houston finished second in the Western Conference last season and added superstar Kevin Durant to its roster during the offseason.
“They already had a good team,” Green said. “They are going to be a team that is right in the mix. But our focus is always on us and how can we continue to step on the floor and incorporate our concepts defensively.”
STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE Saints linebacker Danny Stutsman reacts after making a stop against the Denver Broncos on Aug. 23 at the Caesars Superdome.
goal when he gets onto the field is to maintain the defensive standard set by starters Werner and Demario Davis especially in the event that his time on the field is because of injury
The Saints have already leaned heavily on two other defensive rookies in Jonas Sanker and Quincy Riley, who have been pushed into the lineup because of injuries to starters (though Riley may have been starting by now anyway). Another rookie, Vernon Broughton, was part of the defensive line rotation before suffering a season-ending injury
Stutsman views the playing time, limited though it may be, as a crucial step in his development as a player
“It’s putting reps in the bank,” Stutsman said. “Those reps right there will grow with interest, and hopefully in the future, when I have a great career it’ll be due to those six snaps right there.”
Ruiz rebounds
Less than halfway through their first game with the regular start-
connection with its loyal fan base.
The club moved on from former Pro Bowl cornerback Marshon Lattimore last season, and it proved to be one of the best decisions they’ve made in recent years. They should strongly consider similar moves in the days and weeks ahead.
If a 1-5 start (and potentially worse) doesn’t convince you to rip off the Band-Aid, I’m not sure what will.
The future is now, and the Saints need to think and plan for it accordingly In some ways, they already are.
They started three rookies against the Patriots. Left tackle Kelvin Banks, safety Jonas Sanker and cornerback Quincy Riley look like core players going forward, joining Rattler Kendre Miller and Kool-Aid McKinstry among young players who have moved into more prominent roles. A fourth rookie, linebacker Danny Stutsman, started to work into the rotation for the first time against the Patriots. Meanwhile, quarterback Tyler Shough is waiting in the wings for his chance to prove his bona fides.
The youth movement has been overdue for a few years now, and it’s finally happening before our eyes. As they say, better late than never For all intents and purposes,
A main point of emphasis for Tuesday’s game is matching the Rockets’ physical play
“It’s really about us taking all of our film work, concepts offensively and defensively and applying them to a game against a really good opponent,” Green said.
“We know Houston last year was a really good defensive team. Physical. So it will be a good test for us to see how we match up. Can we be as physical or more physical? Can we execute against their physicality offensively?” Green expects his starters to play more minutes than they did in Australia. Zion Williamson, for example, played 15 minutes in each of the two games against Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix.
“We’ll try to bump their minutes up a little more for this third game,” Green said. “And then evaluate our team and see where
ing five along the offensive line, all in the game, right guard Cesar Ruiz was forced to exit after quarterback Spencer Rattler rolled into the back of his legs on a scramble.
“We finally have that (offensive line) group up in Buffalo and it’s like, ‘All right, let’s roll!’ Then something happens, and it’s challenging,” Moore said “You’ve got to deal with the unknown.”
It was a high-ankle sprain for Ruiz — normally an injury that would keep a player out multiple weeks. But Ruiz missed only the Week 5 game against the Giants and was back in the lineup for Week 6.
“I felt good, body felt good, fresh legs you could say,” Ruiz said. “... By the grace of God I was able to get back out there on that field and be out there with my brothers again.”
Moore was impressed with how his right guard performed in the Patriots game — especially considering the injury he was coming off of.
“I thought it was an awesome performance by him, I thought he did a lot of good stuff,” Moore said. “It was a really good rebound game coming off an injury where you don’t know how that timeline is going to take its course. He responded really well, he worked really hard to get back.”
Tipton returns Moore said the Saints had some options to choose from at kick returner this past week after the team released Velus Jones from the active roster, but they ultimately went with backup wide receiver Mason Tipton.
Prior to the Patriots game, Tipton had only returned one kick in his professional career He handled four of them against New England, gaining 89 yards.
“I thought he ran hard, I thought there were some positives in there,” Moore said. “I’m excited to see him grow in that area.”
Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.
this season has always been about the future. Once Derek Carr “retired” in April, the Saints’ chances of salvaging a competitive campaign were severely jeopardized. Publicly, team officials and leaders said the right things about being competitive and challenging for a division title and playoff spot, but privately they understood the reality of the task at hand.
This season might be a tough one, but it shouldn’t be a lost one. The Saints must use it to enhance their future. If that involves trading away a key player or two to acquire future draft picks, then it needs to be done.
Sean Payton taught us there are no sacred cows. He traded Reggie Bush, Jimmy Graham and Darren Sproles in their primes. He dealt away high draft picks Donte Stallworth and Akiem Hicks. The decisions weren’t always right, but no one bats 1.000 in this league. His willingness to boldly do what he thought was necessary to improve the team’s future showed the importance of having vision and conviction.
Trading away stars isn’t always popular, especially in a market where players are often treated as family But tough decisions rarely are. Being right is more important than being popular
we are. We’ll probably dial it down a little bit in the fourth game. It’s an evaluation to see how their bodies feel. But definitely want to get a good run in this next game.”
After the game against the Rockets, the Pelicans will conclude preseason play Thursday in Orlando, Florida, against the Magic. The Pelicans play their regular season opener on the road against the Memphis Grizzlies on Oct. 22. They play their first home game on Oct. 24 against the San Antonio Spurs.
For Jones, his first home game comes Tuesday night in Birmingham. He is ready for the reception he’ll get.
“It’s the crib,” Jones said. “I don’t expect to see anything different. It’s always great to see some family and friends.”
Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.
STAFF
PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Herbert Jones autographs the shirt of Tori-Ashley Beal, 6 during a break in practice at the Smoothie King Center on Friday.
Mariners beat Blue Jays 3-1inALCSopener
BY IAN HARRISON Associated Press
TORONTO— Bryce Miller overcame ashaky first inning and gave the tired Seattle Mariners the start they needed in the AL Championship Series opener.
Miller pitched six sharpinnings, Jorge Polanco hit ago-ahead single in the sixth and the Mariners beat the Toronto Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the ALCS for the first time in 24 years.
“The year, personally,didn’tgo how Ihad planned andhow Ihad hoped for but we’reinthe ALCS and Igot to go out there and setthe tone,” Miller said. “I felt great.”
Seattle slugger Cal Raleigh added atying solo home run, his second homerofthe postseason after leading the major leagueswith 60 in the regular season.
“That was abig lift,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said of Raleigh’sdrive in atwo-runsixth.
George Springer homeredon the first pitch from Miller,who then escaped atwo-on jam in a 27-pitch first inning.
Anthony Santander singled in the second for Toronto’sonly otherhit, andSeattle pitchers retired 23 of the Blue Jays’final 24 batters. Miller,Gabe Speier,Matt Brashand Andrés Muñoz combined to throw just 100 pitches
less than 48 hoursafter the Mariners needed 209pitchestooutlast Detroit over 15 innings.
“Thejob Bryce Miller did tonight wasphenomenal,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “After that first inning, he went into adifferent gear.You saw him gettingahead, using all his stuff.”
Miller,the winner,struck out threeand walked three in sixinnings, throwing 76 pitches. The three relievers each hadeightpitch, 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz
getting the save. Raleigh tied the score in thesixth with his ninth homer in 14 games at RogersCentre. KevinGausman hadheldbatters to 0for 16 on splitters in the postseason before Raleigh’shomer “I was trying to get bat on ball, really just trying to put something in play,” Raleighsaid, wearing a T-shirt withthe words: “JOB’S NOT FINISHED.” “I didn’twantto punchout again.
Polanco hit ago-ahead singlelat-
LATE SUNDAY
er in theinning and addedanRBI single in the eighth.
“He’sbeen huge from both sides of theplate,” Raleigh said AL West championSeattletraveled to AL East winnerToronto on Saturday after a3-2 homevictory over theTigers on Friday to win the Division Series, the longest winner-take-allgame in Major League Baseball history
Seattle, the only MLBteam to neverhost aWorld Seriesgame, held Toronto to two hits after the Blue Jayshad 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game Division Series againstthe New York Yankees.
“We’re areally good offense,” Blue Jays manager JohnSchneider said.“Todayitjust didn’tworkout.”
Toronto’sVladimir Guerrero Jr went9for 17 with three homers and nine RBIs against the Yankees but finished 0for 4Sunday with threegroundouts.
“This is going to be ahard-fought series, man,” Schneider said. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke atie withthe Yankees’ DerekJeter, moving him into sole possession of fifthplace on thecareer list.
Raleigh’shomer washis fourth in 15 at-bats against Gausman, who
took the loss.
“Up to that point, I’d been throwing the ball really well and had the gameright there,” Gausman said. “This one’sonme.”
Gausman allowed tworuns and three hits in 52 3 innings.
“Great hitters capitalize on mistakes,” Schneider said. “Thatsplit from Kev just kind of leaked back over the middle alittle bit.”
Raleighhit aone-out single off Gausman in the first and advanced to third on Julio Rodríguez’sbase hit but was thrown out at the plate by third baseman Addison Barger on Polanco’sgrounder Polanco, whohad thegame-endingsingle Friday,singledagainst Brendon Little to drive in Rodríguez, who hadchasedGausman with atwo-out walk.
Polancoadded anotherRBI single against Seranthony Domínguez.
Eugenio Suárez doubledoff the top of the right-field wallagainst Louis Varland in the seventh. The 395-foot drive would have been a homerin15of30big league ballparks, including Seattle. Toronto outfielder Nathan Lukes left in thefourthinning. Lukes bruised hisright knee when he fouled apitch offitinthe first inning. Schneider saidX-rayswere negative andsaidLukesmight return Monday.
The Associated Press
DETROIT Detroit Tigers general manager ScottHarrissaidheextended manager A.J. Hinch’scontractduring the2025seasonand insisted ownership will provide the resources necessary to sign ace Tarik Skubal to along-term deal.
Harris and Hinch had anewsconference Monday morning, wrapping up their season that endedlast week with a3-2, 15-inning lossat Seattle in Game 5ofthe AL DivisionSeriesand lookingahead to next year and beyond.
“I wish we weren’thereright now,” Harris said. “I wish we were in Toronto, preparing for Game 2of the ALCS.” Harris said he approached Hinch during the season, his fifth in Detroit, about extending hiscontract for asecond time and they reached adeal quickly. Harrisalso signed Hinch to along-term contract in 2023.
“He’sone of the best managers in the game,” Harris said. Harris declined to say how long
Hinch is under contract
“Wewant him tobehere as long as he’swilling to be here,” Harris said. “I want to work with him as long as Ican possiblyworkwith him.”
TheTigers wouldalsolike to have Skubal report to work in Detroitfor yearstocome, but knowthatwill be costly.Hewon the AL Cy Young Award and was theleague’spitchingTripleCrown winner in 2024 He followed that witha career-low 2.21 ERA and acareer-high 241 strikeouts.
“He’sthe best pitcher in baseball,” Harrissaid.“He’shopefully going to wina second Cy Young.”
Skubalsigned a$10.15 million, one-year contract during the last offseason —avoiding salary arbitration—and he’sset to become a free agent afterthe 2026 season.
To keep him off the market,team owner ChrisIlitchwould have to spend many millions Harris insisted Ilitch will support theorganization with what is needed for payroll, including what it would taketokeep the 28-year-old
lefty long term.
“I have no concerns about that,” Harris said.
Harris does have concerns about whythe Tigers collapsedinSeptember,whentheyblewthe biggest lead in divisionorleague history, and their poor performance at the plate in the postseason.
“I deserve to getthosequestions andwedeserve the negative narrative that is swirling around this team,” he said.
Detroit had thebest record in baseball formuchofthe season, then slumped intothe tradedeadline when Harrisdid notmakea major move.
Padres
Manager Shildtannounces retirement after just 2seasons: MikeShildt is retiring after twoseasons as the San Diego Padres manager
The Padres confirmed the 57-year-oldShildt’sdecision Monday.Inalettertothe San Diego
Union-Tribune, Shildt said he is retiring because “the grind of the baseball season has taken asevere toll on me mentally,physically and emotionally.”
Shildt went 183-141 and led San Diego to twopostseason appearances during hisbrieftenure.The Padreswon 90 games this season and finishedsecond in the NL West beforebeing eliminated by the Chicago Cubs this month in atense three-gamewild-card playoff series.
“His dedication andpassion for thegame of baseball will leave an impact on our organization, and we wish himthe best in hisnext chapter,” general managerA.J. Preller said.
Preller will begin looking immediately forhis fifth full-time manager sincetakingoverthe Padres front office in 2014.
BlueJays
Rookie Yesavage says familyhas been subjecttoabuse: Toronto rookie Trey Yesavage says his family has been subjected to abuse since his impres-
sivepostseasondebut last weekend against the NewYork Yankees.
“Living in thisworld where there’ssomanydifferent opinions and feelings which results in alot of hate,it’ssad to seethatpeople close to me are being attacked for my performances on thefield,” Yesavage said Sundaybefore the AL Championship Series opener against Seattle.
“These people have done nothing to warrantnegativityfor my actions, whether that’smyparents, my brothers, my girlfriend, family,” he added. “It’s just really sad. IknowIhavethe platformtoaddress it, so Iam. Ihope that people can realize that those individuals have nothing to do with what happens on the field. If you have aproblem, I’m aman.I can takewhatever opinions anybody hasabout me or my life. So Ijust wantedtoget that out there.”
Yesavage went 1-0 with a3.21 ERA in three September starts. Including his postseason start, he has 27 strikeoutsin191/3 bigleague innings.
Miss 3½ 3½ (54½) at UL at VIRGINIA 16½ 17½ (56½) Wash. St. Oregon 16½ 17½ (59½) at RUTGERS at UCLA 5½ 2½ (51½) Maryland at COLO. STATE1½2½(54½)
Quarter Det—FGBates 28, 5:21 KC—Worthy6pass from Mahomes (kick failed), 1:15 Second Quarter Det—Ja.Williams 22 pass from Goff (Bates kick), 12:56. KC—Mahomes 1run (Butker kick), :37 ThirdQuarter KC—Brown9 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 11:24. Fourth Quarter Det—LaPorta 4pass from Goff (Bates kick) 14:20. KC—Brown3 pass from Mahomes (Butker kick), 9:35. KC—FGButker 33, 2:26 A—73,543.
RECEIVING—Detroit, St.Brown 9-45, J.Williams 6-66, LaPorta 5-55, Montgomery 2-37,Gibbs 1-0. Kansas City,Kelce 6-78, Brown4-45,Smith-Schuster3-57, B.Smith 3-21, Gray 2-25, Worthy2-20, Hunt 1-11, Pacheco 1-0. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None Major LeagueBaseball Postseason glance League Championship Series (Best-of-7) American League (FOX,FS1) Seattle 2, Toronto 0 Sunday: Seattle 3, Toronto 1 Monday: Seattle 10, Toronto 3 Wednesday, Oct. 15: Toronto at Seattle, 7:08 p.m. (FOX/FS1) Thursday, 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: SeattleorDetroit, 7:03 p.m. (FOX/FS1) x-Monday, Oct. 20: SeattleorDetroit, 7:08 p.m. (FOX/FS1) National League (TBS,truTV,HBO Max) LosAngeles vs.Milwaukee Monday: LosAngeles at Milwaukee, n Tuesday: LosAngeles at Milwaukee, 7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Thursday, Oct. 16: Milwaukee at LosAngeles,5:08 p.m.(TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Friday, Oct. 17: Milwaukee at LosAngeles 7:38 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) x-Saturday, Oct. 18: Milwaukee at LosAngeles,7:08 p.m.(TBS/truTV/HBO Max) x-Monday, Oct. 20: LosAngeles at Milwaukee, 4:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) x-Tuesday, Oct. 21: LosAngeles at Milwau-
7:08 p.m. (TBS/truTV/HBO Max) Seattle
ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FRANK GUNN Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleighhits ahomerun in front of Blue Jays catcher AlejandroKirk during the ALCS in Toronto on Sunday
When the tempsdrop, theyard’sfall weedsemerge
It’sfinally beginning to cool off here in Louisiana. The air feels just crisp enough in the mornings and evenings to remind us that we’ve officially entered fall.
Lowernighttime temperatures translate to lower soil temperatures —and guess what that means? Cool-season weedswill soon begin growing. Seeds from last winter’s weed population have been lying dormant in the soil for months. When they sensethe soilaround them cooling,they know it’stime to germinateand kick off their growing season This often happens in shady, moist areas first.
Annual bluegrass, henbit and chickweed are some of the most common weeds you’ll start seeing this time of year Plenty of others thrive in our cool season, including lawn burweed, annual blue-eyed grass, bittercress, shepherd’s purse,annual ryegrassand yellowwoodsorrel.
LSU AGCENTER PHOTO By OLIVIA McCLURE
Preemergence herbicides typically come in granularform and can can be appliedusing a broadcast or handheld spreader.
To get ahead of these weeds, you can apply apreemergence herbicide to your lawn. These products form abarrier in the soil that preventsseed germination —stopping weedsbefore they evenstart growing Because of the way preemergence herbicides work, it’simportant to get an application out on your lawn before seedsbegin germinating. Youneed to do this soon to get the best results.
Bert Hammett, an LSU AgCenter horticulture agent in East Baton Rouge Parish, offers these tips for applying preemergence herbicides:
n Buy the right product Look for aproduct that lists dithiopyr,prodiamine, simazineoratrazine as the active ingredient.Choose something that is labeled for use on the type of turfgrass you have in your lawn. Do not use atrazine inside the drip line of trees and shrubs. Avoid weed-and-feed products; applying fertilizer right now can reduce winter hardiness of your turfgrass. n Be safe. Wear chemicalresistant gloves when working with herbicides and followall productlabeldirections.
n Use aspreader. Mostpreemergence herbicides comein agranular form. To evenly distribute the product acrossyour lawn, use awalk-behind, broadcast spreader.Insmaller spaces, ahandheldspreader can work. Calibrate your spreader in atest strip first. Apply the productatthe rate specifiedon the label. Walk from northto south then from easttowest to ensure uniform coverage. n Water it in. Most granular, preemergence herbicides must be wateredintothe soil within 24 to 48 hours or else they won’twork. Youcan either time your application right beforepredictedrainfallor
ä See WEEDS, page 6C
Owner Lisa Pellissier poses in the ‘Pink Room’ at the Pink Elephant on Wednesday.
STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS
just love junk’
BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer
Coushatta nativeVickie Johnson will be thesubject of Thursday’sepisode of Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s “Behind the Glory” at 8:45 p.m “She
BatonRouge vintage storeowner Likes to seethingschange
BY MARGARETDELANEY | Staff writer
Lisa Pellissier likes junk. Alot of it
But shecurates her junk very carefully
Pellissier is theowner,and one of 18 vintage dealers, at PinkElephant Antiques on Government Street in Baton Rouge. Many will know the spot by itsbright, bubblegum pink exterior and large, pink aluminum bus that sits in the parking lot of the store withamannequin in thedriver seat that dons alab coat and feather boa.
The big van out front doesn’t run, but it serves as abillboard for the store. Pellissierfound the 1940s vanonOld Hammond Highway,and muralist Marc Fresh reinvigorated it so it could remainparked at the storefront Pink Elephant isn’ttechnically an antiques shop, rather a consignmentstore of different vintage collectionsfromvarious dealers. Each dealerhas their own section around the shop, with veryclear vibe shifts between each corner and mini-store.
ä See PINK ELEPHANT, page 6C
Fully dressed taxidermy heads hang overhead at the PinkElephant.
Kitchenware, wall artand clothing fill aroom at the Pink Elephant.
One of Pellissier’s favorite items is a taxidermy feline.
Antiques and other figurines are on display
A1950s-themedice creamparloropens in Central
BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
Afamily-owned business, Happy Scoops Ice Cream Parlor,opened this month in Central with a1950s checkered floor,apenguin mascot and board games.
Angie Hectorco-owns andmanages thebusiness located on Hooper Road with her husband,son and daughter-in-law,and they have a mission to open ahangout spot fit for the whole family
“I love the ’50s era,” Hector said “The decor is ’50s black and white checkered floor,pink and mint green walls, and then we’ll have ‘50s music playing.”
There are no televisionsorpublic Wi-Fi in the shop, so Hector hopes the unplugged environment gives families achance forquality time. A wide variety of games are available to play including checkers, Yahtzee, Candyland, Scrabble and cards.
HappyScoops Ice Cream Parlor,13623
A, Baton Rouge, has a1950s theme.
The parlor is open until 11 p.m. on Fridaysand Saturdays, so she hopes it can be agood, safe envi-
ronment for teenagers.
“There’snot many places for teenagers to go that theirmom
and dad might feel comfortable with them hanging out on aFriday or Saturdaynight,” Hector said “So we extendedthe hours until 11 p.m.”
Customers can grab aseat at the icecream barorthe two or fourseater tables. Thebusiness also hasaprivateroom available for birthday parties.
What’s on themenu
Customers can order ice cream in acup, sugar cone, waffle cone or cake cone. Ice cream scoops can also come in the form of milkshakes, malts, banana splits, root beer or cokefloats.
Hector can list all 12 Blue Bell flavors thatthey offer from memory: n Homemadevanilla n Cotton candy
n Strawberry n Birthday cake n Dutch chocolate n Pecan pralines ’n’ cream
Rememberthe four P’s
Dear Heloise: Recently,someone wrote in to warn about discarding dental floss in the toilet.A plumbingexpertsaid to never put anything in the toilet except the “four P’s,” which are: pee, poop, puke and (toilet) paper No gum, tampons or even facial tissues. And absolutely no flushable wipes! Only toilet paperisspecially made to breakdown sufficiently enough and avoid cloggingthe pipes.
n Cookies ’n’ cream n Butter crunch n Chocolate chip cookie dough n Mint chocolate chip n Krazy Kolors n Orange sherbet.
The menu also hasnachos,hot dogs and sodas.
Grandopening
Agrandopening is scheduledfor noon to midnight on Oct. 18, which will feature balloons, face painting and, of course, icecream galore. Pop-up vendors will sell itemslike permanent jewelry,purses and candied fruit. The Happy Scoops penguin mascot will be in attendance as well.
Happy Scoops IceCream Parlor,13623 Hooper Road,
Ipersonally know aboutflushable wipes. Afew years ago, they caused ablockage in our pipe that required abig plumbing job with our lawn and cement walkway having to get dug up. It was expensive and yucky!
—Kathleen Puglia, in New Orleans Gardeningtips
Dear Heloise: Here’smytwo cents on gardening: Even when Iweargardening gloves, Iget dirt under my fingernails. Inow wear thin single-use“rubber”
gloves undermygardening gloves. No more dirt undermy fingernails! Your handsmight be sweaty when you take them off, but it’smuch easier to wash your hands than it is to clean stained fingernails. How often do we not get to weeds until they’ve gone to seed? When we end up witha seed puff, like on dandelions and others, there is no way to touch the weed without seeds spreading all over.Before touching the weed, Itake acan of old-fashioned aerosol hairspray and spray the seed puffs
Igive it athorough spray,then cut the intact stem without having the weed seeds go all over the place. Since I’ve been doingthis, I have way fewer weeds cropping up everywhere. —Carol Lee, in Vancouver,Washington Send ahint to heloise@heloise. com.
TODAYINHISTORY
By The Associated Press
Today is Tuesday,Oct. 14,the 287th day of 2025. There are 78 days left in the year
Todayinhistory:
On Oct. 14, 1947, U.S. Air Force
Capt. Chuck Yeager became the first person to break the sound barrier as he flew aBell X-1 rocket plane overMuroc Dry Lake in California. In 2012, Yeager,atthe age of 89, marked the 65th anniversary of that flightby smashing through the sound barrier again, this time in theback seat of an F-15.
Also on this date:
In 1066, Normans under William the Conqueror defeated the English at the Battle of Hastings.
In 1586, Mary,Queen of Scots, went on trial in England, accused of committing treason against Queen Elizabeth I. (Mary was beheaded in February 1587.)
In 1910, aviator Claude Grahame-White flew his biplane over Washington, D.C., andlanded it on West Executive Avenue, next to the White House.
In 1944, German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel took his ownlife rather than face trial andcertain execution for allegedlyconspiring against Adolf Hitler
In 1964, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 1964, in one of the greatest upsets in Olympic history,Amer-
WEEDS
Continued from page5C
irrigate your lawn yourself. Aim for a 1/4-to 1/2-inch of water.
n Apply twice. For maximum weed control this winter,make an initial application by early October and follow up witha
‘GLORY’
Continued from page5C
ican Billy Mills, an Oglala Lakota,won the 10,000-meter race at theTokyo Summer Games, setting anew Olympic record.
In 1981, the new president of Egypt, HosniMubarak, was sworn in to succeed the assassinatedAnwarSadat.
In 1986, Holocaust survivor and humanrightsadvocate Elie Wiesel was named winner of the Nobel Peace Prize.
In 2008, agrand jury in Orlando,Florida, returned charges of first-degree murder, aggravated child abuse andaggravated manslaughter against CaseyAnthony in the death of her 2-year-old daughter, Caylee. (She was acquitted in July 2011.)
In 2024, aSpace Xrocket launched the NASA spacecraft Europa Clipper ona mission to Jupiter’smoon Europa to determine whether conditions there couldsupport life; the spacecraft will arrivein2030.
Today’sbirthdays: Former White House counsel John W. Dean III is 87. Fashiondesigner Ralph Lauren is 86. Football Hall of FamerCharlie Joiner is 78. Golf Hall of Famer BethDaniel is 69. MusicianThomasDolby is 67. Fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi is 64. Actor Steve Coogan is 60. TV host StephenA.Smith is 58. Country singerNatalie Maines (TheChicks) is 51. Actor Chang Chen is 49. SingerUsher is 47. Actor-comedian Jay Pharoah is 38.
second application between midNovemberand earlyJanuary
n Know your goals. If you wanttooverseed your lawn with ryegrass for fall andwinter color,skipthe preemergence herbicide.Remember how we said earlier that these products prevent weeds by stopping seeds from germinating? They’ll do thesame to your ryegrass seed.
Fundingfor theprogram is providedbyNatchitoches Convention&VisitorsBureau, celebrating the charm, history andculture of Louisiana’soldestcity, and the Foundationfor Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting.
Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate.com.
stuff, too.’
PINK ELEPHANT
Continuedfrom page5C
One section is entirely pink with fish-shaped vases andfluorescent candlesticks, another is covered floor toceiling with oldtextsand 1930sGumbo editions from LSU, and so on.
At theheart of it all is Pellissier Maximalist/minimalistlove
Originally from New Orleans, Pellissier went to school in Baton Rouge for horticulture.
“Thatjust meansmyplantsare doing great,” she said.
She fell in love withaminimalist whoworks in real estate who loves her enough tosit on benches in antique andvintage shops around the country,waiting for her to fill her cart.
“He likes to find abench in the shops we go to and order lunch,” Pellissier said. “He’smostly thinking about our next meals.”
Nearly 10 yearsago in May, Pellissier and her husband bought the Government Street building that used to be Aladdin’sLamp, where Pellissier worked as adealer.They gutted theshop, and all 7,000 square feet of thespace was cleared out justtobefilled back up again.
Thename, Pink Elephant, was inspiredbywhite elephant salesthat are common at churches or within thecommunity
“Wedecided to go withpink becauseit’sMid City,” Pellissiersaid.
“Pink is in theDNA.”
To make the shop match the novelties storedinside,Pellissier contacted Fresh to paint the walls bright colors, with murals of bamboo and larger-than-life elephants. Customers can spendhours in the store, Pellissier said, andstill find somethingnew at every turn.
“There’sanart to it,” Pellissier said of curating the items in her store. “I’m always dreaming up ways of moving things around, howtomakeall this junkI love look interesting.”
Pellissier moves the objects around often,but she rarely moves adealer’sspot in thestore.
“Most people that sell here have been here along time,”she said. “The only reason they really move is if they are leaving the state or don’twant to work in consignment anymore.”
She tries to keep thingsinteresting, but also adhere to what cus-
tomerswant to buy
Typically,Pink Elephant will always selllamps, dressers and furniture.
“People always need that,” Pellissier said.
Pink Elephantisalso,unexpectedly,astop for manyLouisiana tourists wanting to bring aslice of the city homewith them.Those customers, who often comeon Mondays according to Pellissier, are always looking fora smaller item,like apaintingoratrinket, that reminds them of Louisiana.
More recently, theantiquesbusiness hasbecometrendy among young people. More interest in eccentric glassware, exclusive dishes andvintage clotheshaveflooded themarket at the shop. Always on thehunt
When creating the Pink Elephant, Pellissier sought to make the store moreeclectic, centered moretoward the ’50s, ’60s and ’70s aesthetic rather than traditional antique shopping.
As shoppers walk through the many rooms, they maybeconfronted by mannequins hanging from the ceiling in ’50s flapper dancing costumes or an old Garfield cat PEZdispenser
“There’srhyme or reason to the antiques business,” Pellissier said. “People buy the kookiest things because it speaks to them in some way.”
In amission forthe wacky,tacky andunique, Pellissier succeeds with vintage cameras of all shapes andsizes,old children’s books and ataxidermy bearcat wearing abright pink beret —that item isn’tactually forsale as it is one of Pellissier’smost treasured items.
Pellissier is constantly shopping to fill her store —both apleasure and achore forher and her family
“I just love stuff,”Pellissier said “People always need stuff, and I’m always on the hunt formore stuff, too.”
Themoment she touches down anywhere on atrip or on vacation, shelooks for thenearest consignment, vintage or antique store.
She said she hasalways liked stuff— dragginghomeold records andbooksand knickknacks into her childhood home. It’s atrait she has passed downtoher daughter Coco, who now has her ownroom in the Pink Elephant, where she works with her boyfriend to collect and sell vintage LSU memorabilia, rugs and more.
Trunksales outfront
Afew years ago, Lisa Pellissier started anew venture: the Pink Elephant Trunk Sale.Onceamonth, whenthe weather is nice and cooperative, there are 20 additional vendors situated in the parking lot of thestore underthe cover of white tents selling morevintage itemsand antiques.
Anything from jewelry to clothestopaintingsand shoescan be found out in the parking lot.
“It’salsoaplace whereour existing vendors can try out new things, find whatcustomers like or are turning to,” Lisa Pellissier said.
The next trunk sale starts at 10 a.m. Oct. 18 outside the Pink Elephant Antique Mallat2648 Government St. The sale is free forall and lasts until 5p.m.
Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.
Hints from Heloise
PROVIDED PHOTO
Hooper Road,Suite
GALLEGOS
PinkElephant owner Lisa Pellissier:‘Ijust love stuff. Peoplealways need stuff, and I’m always on the hunt for more
Pellissier decorates for Halloween at the Pink Elephant.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Take achance, putyour best foot forward and dazzle whoever you pitch to withyour enthusiasm. Paintyourvision with color andpossibilities, but don't promise the impossible.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Select your wordswisely.Anger or apushy attitude will not yield theresults you are seeking. Discipline, networking and showcasing your skills and expertise will pave the way to success.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Moremoney is within reach if you are diligent andembrace what you do best. Love, commitment and awareness are on the rise, helping you exceed your expectations.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Check your information for validitybefore passing information along. Protect your reputation and focus on what's possible. Avoid taking risks that could lead to illness or injury.
AQUARIUS(Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Puteverything you encounter in perspective. Take your time and react accordingly. Jumping to conclusions will end up costing you your time, money or reputation.
PISCES(Feb. 20-March 20) Getcreative; embrace life and use your intelligence to turn your attributes into alucrative endeavor. It's timetopursue your dream instead of just living in your imagination.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Think outside thebox.Surround yourself with people
who challenge youtothink andstrive to utilize your talents to enrich your life. Be the force thatleads to peace of mind and happiness.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Youmay resist change,but youshouldrethinkyour hesitation. Opportunity knocks, and it's up to youtotakeachanceifitwill improveyour life. Thought followed by action is thebest routeforward.
GEMINI (May21-June 20) If youcrave change,makeithappen.Look around, and you'll discover what you need to move ahead.It's agood daytonetwork, socialize and expand your interests and circle of friends.
CANCER(June 21-July 22) Use your strengths to convince others to trust and believe in you. Stop hiding out when you should get out and fraternize withpeople who can helpyou.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Keep your opinionstoyourself. Someonewill use your words and vulnerabilities against you. Don't let anger set in when it's better to work toward becoming who you want to be.
VIRGO(Aug. 23-Sept.22) Educate yourself. Thoughtsfollowed by actions will encourage growth and sustainability Walk away from unpredictable situations.Keep life simple and affordable.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present.Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
TODAy'S CLUE:K EQUALS P
CeLebrItY CIpher
SALLYForth
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
LAGoon
bIG nAte
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the samenumber only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
THe wiZardoFid
BLondie
BaBY BLueS Hi and LoiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER Bridge
Edwin Percy Whipple,a19th-century essayist, wrote, “Talent jogs to conclusions to which Genius takes giant leaps.”
Thatisfine as long as Genius isn’t missing the mark,whichcan happen. Slowlyreachingtherightanswerismuch better thanjumping to the wrong conclusion.
In today’sdeal, Southisinthree notrump. West leadshis fourth-highest spade. East wins with his ace and returns the two (lowest of three remainingcards). South wins with his king and cashes the club ace, but East discards aspade. How should declarer proceed from there? Also,whatdoyou think of thebidding?
Takingthose questionsinreverse order,South shouldopentwo no-trump. He has 21 primepoints with so many aces andkings.Toopenone diamond andrebid three clubs would probably work fine here, but it wouldrisk missing aslambecause partner would not expect such apowerfulhand
Thebad club break is bothersome, but might South still take nine tricks?
Yes, if he can collect onespade,three hearts, three diamonds and twoclubs. Thisseems to require the diamond finesse.And thatisafavorite, giventhat West started with five spades and four
clubs. (The odds have gone up from50 to 69 percent.) However, here, if Genius immediatelytakeshisthreeheartstricks endingonthe board and plays adiamond to his jack, he goes down. The talented playercashes his diamond ace first, just in caseWeststarted with asingleton queen.You neverknow!
Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON
Previous answers:
InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the additionof“s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.
toDAY’s WoRD toILER: TOY-ler: Anet to trap game.
Average mark 15 words
Time limit 25 minutes
Canyou find23ormorewords in TOILER?
YEstERDAY’sWoRD— LYMPHoMA
loCKhorNs
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
PiCKles
hidato
mallard
Retailers hiring for the holidays with caution
Uncertainty over the economy and tariffs tempers shopping forecasts
BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP retail writer
NEW YORK Uncertainty over the economy and tariffs is forcing retailers to pull back or delay plans to hire seasonal workers who pack orders at distribution centers, serve shoppers at stores and build holiday displays during the most important selling season of the year
American Christmas LLC, which creates elaborate holiday installations for commercial properties such as New York’s Rockefeller Center and Radio City Music Hall, plans to hire 220 temporary workers and is ramping up recruitment nearly two months later than usual, CEO Dan Casterella said. Last year, it took on 300 people during its busy period.
The main reason? The company wants to offset its tariff bill, which Casterella expects to be as big as $1.5 million this year, more than double last year’s $600,000 “The issue is if you overstaff and then you underperform, it’s too late,” Casterella said. “I think everyone’s more mindful now than ever ” Online behemoth Amazon Inc. said Monday it intends to hire 250,000 full-, part-time and seasonal workers for the crucial shopping period, the same level as a year ago. But job placement firm Challenger Gray & Christmas forecasts overall holiday hiring for the last three months of the year will likely fall under 500,000 positions. That’s fewer than last year’s 543,000 level and also marks the smallest seasonal gain in 16 years when retailers hired 495,800 tem-
porary workers, the firm said.
Among other companies cutting holiday payrolls: Radial, an ecommerce company that powers deliveries for roughly 120 companies like Lands’ End and Cole Haan and operates 20 fulfillment sites It plans to hire 6,500 workers, fewer than last year’s 7,000, and is waiting to the last minute to ramp up hiring for some of its clients, chief human resources officer Sabrina Wnorowski said.
Bath & Body Works, based in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, said it plans to hire 32,000 workers, below the 32,700 a year ago.
“We saw real strong signals that there’s been a cooling in the labor market, even beyond what our expectations were in the first nine months of the year,” Challenger Senior Vice President Andy Challenger said.
Challenger also noted companies are using artificial intelligence bots to replace some workers, particularly those working in call centers. And he’s also seeing companies hiring workers closer to when they need them.
Meanwhile, the list of companies staying mum about their specific holiday hiring goals keeps growing. Target Corp., UPS and Macy’s are declining to offer figures, a departure from years past.
Retailers’ hiring plans mark the first clues to what’s in store for the U.S. holiday shopping season and come as the U.S job market has lost momentum this year, partly because Trump’s trade wars have created uncertainty that’s paralyzing managers trying to make hiring decisions
The Labor Department reported in early September that U.S. em-
ployers — companies, government agencies and nonprofits — added just 22,000 jobs in August, down from 79,000 in July and well below the 80,000 that economists had expected.
The government shutdown, which started Oct. 1 and has delayed the release of economic reports, could worsen the job picture.
In an attempt to exert more pressure on Democratic lawmakers as the government shutdown continues, the White House budget office said Friday mass firings of federal workers have started.
Analysts will be closely monitoring the shutdown’s impact on spending. For now, many retailers say that consumers, while resilient, are selective. Analysts will also be watching how shoppers will react to price increases as a result of high tariff costs in the next few months, experts said.
Given an economic slowdown, holiday spending growth is expected to be smaller than a year ago, according to several forecasts.
Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks spending across all payment methods including cash, predicts that holiday sales will be up 3.6% from Nov 1 through Dec. 24. That compares with a 4.1% increase last year
Deloitte Services LP forecasts holiday retail sales to be up between 2.9% to 3.4% from Nov 1 through Jan. 31. That’s compares with 4.2% last year
And Adobe expects U.S. online sales to hit $253.4 billion from Nov 1 to Dec. 31, representing a 5.3% growth. That’s smaller than last year’s 8.7% growth.
Companies are increasingly wanting to hire workers closer to when they need them, experts said.
“In today’s environment, brands are really looking for us to be agile,” Radial’s Wnorowski said.
Wall Street veers upward after Trump softens on China
BY STAN CHOE Associated Press
NEWYORK And back up goes Wall
Street. U.S. stocks rallied Monday after President Donald Trump said “it will all be fine,” just days after he sent the market reeling by threatening much higher tariffs on China. The S&P 500 jumped 1.6% in its best day since May and recovered just over half its drop from Friday The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 587 points, or 1.3%, and the Nasdaq composite leapt 2.2%.
“Don’t worry about China,” Trump said on his social media platform Sunday He also said that China’s leader, Xi Jinping, “doesn’t want Depression for his country, and neither do I. The U.S.A. wants to help China, not hurt it!!!” It was a sharp turnaround from the anger Trump displayed on Friday when the S&P 500 tumbled to its worst drop since April after he accused China of “ a moral disgrace in dealing with other Nations.”
Trump pointed to “an extremely hostile letter” from China describing curbs to exports of rare earths, which are materials used in the manufacturing of everything from personal electronics to jet engines.
Trump said at the time that he may place an additional 100% tax on imports from China starting on Nov. 1.
For its part, China urged the United States to resolve differences through negotiations instead of threats. “We do not want a tariff
war but we are not afraid of one,” the Commerce Ministry said in a statement posted online.
Hours later, Trump posted his less confrontational talk about China on Truth Social. The backtrack in anger, which also came before trading began on Wall Street, raised hopes that the world’s two largest economies could find a way to allow global trade to continue smoothly
The down-and-up moves for the market echoed its manic swings during April. That’s when Trump shocked investors with his “Liberation Day” announcement of worldwide tariffs, only to eventually relent on many to give time to negotiate trade deals with other countries.
If this time ends up similarly, potentially even after a sharp drop for stock prices, subsiding trade tensions and uncertainty could allow for a rolling recovery to continue into 2026, according to Morgan Stanley strategists led by Michael Wilson.
To be sure, the U.S stock market may have been primed for a drop. It was already facing criticism that prices had shot too high following a torrid 35% run for the S&P 500 from a low in April. The index, which dictates the movements for many 401(k) accounts, is still near its all-time high set last week. Not only did Trump’s backdown from tariffs help stocks soar since April, so did expectations for several cuts to interest rates by the Federal Reserve to help the economy
China’s exports to the U.S. drop in September
Rise in global shipments hits 6-month high
BY CHAN HO-HIM AP business writer
HONG KONG China’s exports to the United States fell 27% in September from the year before, even though growth in its global exports hit a six-month high.
Customs figures released Monday showed that China’s worldwide exports were 8.3% higher than a year earlier, at $328.5 billion, surpassing economists’ estimates. That was markedly better than the 4.4% year-on-year increase in August.
Imports grew 7.4% last month, significantly better than a 1.3% increase by year in August, although a weaker domestic economy and a real estate sector downturn continue to weigh on demand and consumption.
China’s exports to the United States have fallen for six straight months. In August they dropped 33%.
The outlook is cloudy as a truce between Beijing and Washington unravels and both sides hit out with new tariffs and other retaliatory measures. As exports to the United States
have come under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump’s policies aimed at trying to get manufacturers to shift factories to America, China has expanded markets for its products in other regions.
Shipments to Southeast Asia grew 15.6% year-on-year in September Exports to Latin America and Africa were up 15% and 56%, respectively
“Currently the external environment is still severe and complicated. Trade is facing increasing uncertainty and difficulties,” Wang Jun, vice minister of China’s customs agency said at a news conference Monday “We still need to put in more efforts to stabilize trade in the fourth quarter.”
China’s exports “continue to show resilience given the low costs and limited choices for replacement globally despite the higher tariffs,” said Gary Ng, a senior economist at Natixis.
“What is more worrisome is not only tariffs but export controls,” Ng added. “If we begin to see an escalation in export controls halting supply chains, this may have a more prolonged impact.”
OpenAI and Broadcom
partner to design AI chips
SAN FRANCISCO OpenAI said Monday it is working with chipmaker Broadcom to design its own artificial intelligence computer chips.
The two California companies didn’t disclose the financial terms of the deal but said they will start deploying the new racks of customized “AI accelerators” late next year
It’s the latest big deal between OpenAI, maker of ChatGPT, and the companies building the chips and data centers required to power AI OpenAI in recent weeks has announced partnerships with chipmakers Nvidia and AMD that will supply the AI startup with specialized chips for running its AI systems. OpenAI has also made big deals with Oracle, CoreWeave and other companies developing the
data centers where those chips are housed.
Many of the deals rely on circular financing, in which the companies are both investing in OpenAI and supplying the world’s most valuable startup with technology, fueling concerns about an AI bubble. OpenAI doesn’t yet turn a profit but says its flagship chatbot now has more than 800 million weekly users.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the work to develop a custom chip began more than a year ago.
“Developing our own accelerators adds to the broader ecosystem of partners all building the capacity required to push the frontier of AI to provide benefits to all humanity,” he said in a statement.
Broadcom shares surged more than 9% on Monday after the morning announcement.
Broadcom CEO Hock Tan said in
a statement that “we are thrilled to codevelop and deploy 10 gigawatts of next generation accelerators and network systems to pave the way for the future of AI.”
JPMorgan to invest up to $10B in U.S. companies
JPMorgan Chase will directly invest up to $10 billion in U.S companies with crucial ties to national security
The investment plan revealed Monday will focus on four areas: supply chain and advanced manufacturing in critical minerals, pharmaceutical precursors and robotics; defense and aerospace; energy independence, with investments in battery storage and grid resilience; and strategic technologies, including artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and quantum computing.
The investment is part of the bank’s Security and Resiliency Initiative, a $1.5 trillion, 10-year plan to facilitate, finance and invest in industries critical to national security.
“It has become painfully clear that the United States has allowed itself to become too reliant on unreliable sources of critical minerals, products and manufacturing all of which are essential for our national security,” Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon said in a statement. “Our security is predicated on the strength and resiliency of America’s economy America needs more speed and investment.”
Dutch government takes control of Nexperia
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The Dutch government took effective control of Chinese-owned chipmaker Nex-
peria in what it said was a “highly exceptional” move over worries that corporate governance shortcomings pose a potential risk to European economic security In a statement Sunday, the Dutch ministry of economic affairs said it had invoked the rarely used Goods Availability Act to intervene in the business of Nexperia, which makes semiconductors used in the automotiveandconsumertechnologyindustries. Nexperia is based in the Dutch city of Nijmegen but it’s owned by China’s Wingtech Technology Concerns about Nexperia’s governance “posed a threat to the continuity and safeguarding on Dutch and European soil of crucial technological knowledge and capabilities,” the ministry said. “Losing these capabilities could pose a risk to Dutch and European economic security,” it said, without elaborating
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By TED SHAFFREy
A worker sorts items at the Amazon same-day delivery fulfillment shipping center in Woodland Park, N.J. While the shopping behemoth intends to hire 250,000 full-, part-time and seasonal workers for the crucial shopping period the same level as a year ago, economic uncertainties are forcing some retailers to pull back or delay plans to hire seasonal workers.
