The Acadiana Advocate 11-14-2025

Front-runner forULpost gets interimappointment

Boardtohold presidential search amid turmoil

BY ASHLEY WHITE and MEGAN WYATT Staff writers

The University of Louisianasystem board announced Thursday that it will form asearchcommitteetofind the next president of the UniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette, capping speculationthat the board would forgo asearch and install a president without anyinput fromfaculty or students.

The announcement came at aspecial meeting of the UL system board after backlash from professors and others involved on campus who pushed back against initial planstoinstallRamesh Kolluru, UL’s vice president for research, innovation andeconomic development, into the job without asearch. The board spent an hourina closed-door,executive session to discuss the search before emerging and announcing theywould

“Asyou know,we’ve all been through alot. Let me be clear—it’snot our people who have failed oursystems. It is our broken systems, in some part, that have failed ourpeople. But Ibelieve in this university,I believe in you, and Ibelieve in us as one UL.”

“Weare going to confirm agreat group of community leaders and individuals that have avested interest in seeing this university succeed,” said BoardChair MarkRomero, “and thatare committed to serving theinterestsofsupporting the selection of thefuture president of this university.

Romero and otherboard members did not offer specifics on the timeline forthe search or namethe members whowill be joining thesearch committee.

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

form asearch committee.

Still, the board alsonamed Kolluru as the university’sinterim president. The appointment cameatthe recommendation of Jaimie Hebert,who hadbeenservingasinterim president since Aug. 1, and whoasked to return to his former jobof provost.

The school has been without apermanent president sinceJosephSavoie stepped downinJuly and Hebert took over as interim. Savoie was serving in an advisory role andexpected to takea faculty position next year,but announced this week that he would instead officially retire at the end of the year

raMeSH KOLLUrU,interim president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette ä See INTERIM, page 5A

Attorney General Liz Murrill’s decision to seek an indictment of former House Speaker Clay SchexnayderinBaton Rouge prompted aseries of legal questionsThursday

Thebiggestone is this: Can she prosecute him withoutknowing thelocationofanancient cypress wood boardatthe heart of the case that was lastseen 18 months ago in what was then his legislative office in Gonzales?

Wednesday’sindictmentcharges that Schexnayder “knowingly and intentionally committedtheft of arareLouisiana stateartifact.”

Schexnayder servedasspeaker of the 105-member House from 2020-24, during

thesecond term of then-Gov.John Bel Edwards.

Murrill’s office has released few details on the indictment, saying it does not comment on pending criminal cases. But she has said thecase is straightforward.

“You don’tget to keep State property,”she saidina statement Wednesday.“It doesn’tbelong to you.”

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana Gov.Jeff Landry said Thursday that somepeoplewho getfood stamp benefits may ultimately seea little extraintheir accounts with theend of thefederal governmentshutdown —and everyone on the program will get the full benefit amount forNovember

“I think the elderly andthe disabledmay geta little extrafor Thanksgiving this year thanks to their governor and their Legislature,” Landry said during aradio interview on WBOK

Thefederal government stopped paying benefitsfor theSupplemental Nutrition Assistance Program this month due to the shutdown, leading Louisiana officials to step in and cover part of the benefits for elderlyand disabledresidentswho use the program Legalchallengesspurredthe Trump administration to begin paying partial benefits. With the government reopened,residents will geta full month’sworth of payments.

Landry told Will Sutton, aWBOK host and columnist forThe TimesPicayune |The Advocate, thatelderly and disabled recipients had alreadybeen issued85% of their typicalbenefitpayment,and they

Murrill could not be reached for comment on Thursday

People involved in the case saidher office interviewed them to gather facts and collect documents. Both she andSchexnayderare Republicans. Attorneys contacted Thursday,

StaFFPHOtO By BraD KeMP

ramesh Kolluru, center,turns and addresses the faculty and staff of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette after being appointed thenew interim president during aspecial meetingofthe UL system board on thursday.

Israel: Militants returned remains of hostage

JERUSALEM Israel said Thursday that militants have handed over the body of one of the last four remaining hostages taken during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that launched the war in Gaza.

Israel identified the returned body as that of Meny Godard, who was abducted from Kibbutz Be’eri in southern Israel. His wife, Ayelet, was killed during the attack.

The armed wings of Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad said Godard’s body was recovered in southern Gaza.

Since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began on Oct. 10, the remains of 25 hostages have been returned to Israel. There are still three more in Gaza that need to be recovered and handed over.

Godard was a professional soccer player before enlisting in the Israeli military and serving in the 1973 Mideast War, according to Kibbutz Be’eri. He served in a variety of different positions in the kibbutz, including at its printing press.

Israel has been releasing 15 Palestinian bodies for the remains of each hostage as part of the ceasefire agreement. The Gaza Health Ministry said the total number of remains received so far is 315.

Hamas has said recovering bodies is complicated by the widespread devastation in Gaza Israel has pushed to speed up the returns and in certain cases has said the remains were not those of hostages.

Jesse Jackson in hospital for neurological disorder

CHICAGO The Rev Jesse Jackson, who has been receiving around-the-clock care at home, has been hospitalized with a rare neurological disorder, according to his Chicago-based organization.

The civil rights leader was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease about a decade ago But his Rainbow/PUSH organization said Thursday that the 84-year-old remained under observation for progressive supranuclear palsy, a neurodegenerative disorder he has been “managing for more than a decade” and received a diagnosis for in April.

“The family appreciates all prayers at this time,” the organization said in a statement late Wednesday Jackson had suffered from symptoms consistent with Parkinson’s and disclosed a diagnosis in 2017, but during a Mayo Clinic visit in April, doctors confirmed a diagnosis of PSP, which can have similar symptoms to Parkinson’s.

After disclosing he was receiving outpatient treatment in 2017, Jackson continued to make public appearances, including at the 2024 Democratic National Convention in Chicago The two-time presidential candidate stepped down as leader of his Rainbow/PUSH organization in 2023 and his son, Yusef Jackson, took over as chief operating officer last year

Detained Chicago day care worker released

CHICAGO A Chicago day care center employee who was detained by immigration agents at work as children were being dropped off last week has been released, according to her attorney Diana Santillana Galeano was detained Nov. 5 at the Rayito de Sol Spanish Immersion Early Learning Center on the north side of Chicago. A video showed officers struggling with her as they walked out the front door Her attorneys said in a statement Thursday that she was released from a detention center in Indiana on Wednesday night.

“We are thrilled that Ms. Santillana was released, and has been able to return home to Chicago where she belongs,” attorney Charlie Wysong said in the statement. “We will continue to pursue her immigration claims to stay in the United States. We are grateful to her community for the outpouring of support over these difficult days, and ask that her privacy be respected while she rests and recovers from this ordeal.” Her case reflects the Trump administration’s increasingly aggressive enforcement tactics But her detention at a day care was unusual even under “Operation Midway Blitz,” which has resulted in more than 3,000 immigration arrests in the Chicago area since early September

Airlines optimistic about quick recovery

Firms await end of Faa cuts, prepare for thanksgiving travel

BY JOSH FUNK aP transportation writer

Airlines are optimistic they can resume normal operations just a few days after the government lifts its order to cut some flights at 40 busy airports, but it’s not clear how soon that will happen even though the federal shutdown is over

The Federal Aviation Administration did announce Wednesday night that airlines won’t have to cut more than 6% of flights at those airports because air traffic controller staffing has improved significantly in the last few days. Originally the order that took effect last Friday called for those flight cuts to increase to 8% Thursday and top out at 10% on Friday

A number of air traffic controllers missed work while they were going without pay during the shutdown, and the spike in understaffing at airport towers and regional control centers prompted the flight cut order due to concerns about safety The existing shortage of several thousand controllers is so bad that even a small number of absences in some locations caused problems.

Officials at FAA and the Transportation Department didn’t offer any updates Thursday morning about when they will decide to lift the order Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has said the decision will be based on the safety data that experts at the FAA are watching closely

The airlines say they will be ready and expect that normal operations will resume within three or four days after the order is lifted. Some experts have suggested that problems might linger longer than that and could affect Thanksgiving travel, so it is difficult to predict whether the airlines will be able to recover from this as quickly as they do after a major snowstorm disrupts their operations and leaves planes and crews out of position. Airlines focused cuts on smaller regional routes to minimize the impact on main hubs. By late Thursday afternoon, only a little over 1,000 flights had been canceled across the country Aviation

analytics firm Cirium said nearly 95% of all flights nationwide Thursday were on time.

“We are eager to resume normal operations over the next few days once the FAA gives clearance We look forward to welcoming 31 million passengers — a new record — to our flights during the upcoming Thanksgiving travel period, beginning next Friday,” the Airlines for America trade group said Thursday Duffy has said that controllers and other FAA employees should receive 70% of their back pay within 24-48 hours of the end of the shutdown with the rest to come over the next couple paychecks. The financial pressure on controllers drove some of them to seek out side jobs to help make ends meet and call out of work while they dealt with the stress.

Last Saturday, the staff shortages peaked when 81 different FAA facilities warned they were running low on workers, forcing the airlines to cut additional flights. On Thursday morning, the FAA didn’t list any staffing warnings at airports and other radar facilities across the country

There was talk of offering both air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration officers $10,000 bonuses for working during the shutdown. Duffy has suggested the bonuses might go only to controllers who never missed a shift during the shutdown, but Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said she planned to give the bonuses to any officers who went “above and beyond” while working without pay She handed out a couple of dozen checks to officers at a news conference Thursday

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom and Chief Operating Officer David Seymour told employees in a letter Thursday that they are already seeing improvements as controller staffing stabilized over the last day or so even though more flight cuts will be needed until FAA lifts the order But travelers should already be seeing fewer delays and cancellations on the day of their flights.

The two executives said they believe American Airlines’ planning and efforts to minimize disruptions will help the carrier bounce back fast and “deliver a strong Thanksgiving operation,” noting that millions of travelers “deserve the certainty.”

Next immigration crackdown to target Charlotte, N.C., sheriff says

BY ALLEN G. BREED and ERIK VERDUZCO associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. The latest city bracing for the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown is Charlotte, North Carolina, which could see an influx of federal agents as early as this weekend, a county sheriff said Thursday

Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden said in a statement that two federal officials confirmed a plan for U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents to start an enforcement operation on Saturday or early next week in North Carolina’s largest city His office declined to identify those officials. McFadden said details about the operation haven’t been disclosed, and his office hasn’t been asked to assist.

Department of Homeland Security

Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin declined to comment, saying, “Every day, DHS enforces the laws of the nation across the country We do not discuss future or potential operations.”

President Donald Trump has defended sending the military and immigration agents into Democratic-run cities like Los Angeles, Chicago and even the nation’s capital, saying the unprecedented operations are needed to fight crime and carry out his mass deportation agenda.

Charlotte is another such Democratic stronghold. A statement of solidarity from several local and state officials estimated

a

the city is home to more than 150,000 foreign-born people. The city’s population is about 40% White, 33% Black, 16% Hispanic and 7% Asian.

The Trump administration has used this summer’s fatal stabbing of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutskahas on a light-rail train in Charlotte as proof that Democratic-led cities fail to protect their residents from violent crime. A man with a lengthy criminal record has been charged with murder Activists, faith leaders, and local and state officials say they already started preparing the immigrant community for a crackdown, sharing information about resources and attempting to calm fears. Nearly 500 people participated in a call organized by the group CharlotteEAST on Wednesday

DOJ sues to block Calif.redistricting

Clash could tip control of Congress

BY ALANNA DURKIN RICHER and MICHAEL R. BLOOD associated Press

LOS ANGELES The Justice Department on Thursday sued to block new congressional district boundaries approved by California voters last week, joining a court battle that could help determine which party wins control of the U.S. House in 2026.

The complaint filed in California federal court targets the new congressional map pushed by Democratic Gov Gavin Newsom in response to a similar Republican-led effort in Texas backed by President Donald Trump. It sets the stage for a high-stakes legal and political fight between the Republican administration and the Democratic governor, who’s seen as a likely 2028 presidential contender

“California’s redistricting scheme is a brazen power grab that tramples on civil rights and mocks the democratic process,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in an emailed statement. “Governor Newsom’s attempt to entrench one-party rule and silence millions of Californians will not stand.”

Newsom spokesperson Brandon Richards said in a statement, “These losers lost at the ballot box and soon they will also lose in court.”

The legal move against heavily Democratic California marks the first time the Justice Department has sued over a flurry of unusual, mid-decade House map revisions across the country that were drawn to maximize partisan advantage in advance of next year’s elections.

Three Republican-led states — Texas, along with Missouri and North Carolina — have not faced federal legal action after revamping district lines following Trump’s call for new maps to expand GOP numbers in the House.

Civil rights advocates have argued that the new boundaries in Texas and Missouri illegally disadvantage minority communities at the ballot box.

California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 50, a constitutional amendment changing the congressional boundaries to give Democrats a shot at winning five seats now held by Republicans in next year’s midterm elections.

The Justice Department is joining a case challenging the new map that was brought by the California Republican Party last week. The Trump administration accuses California of racial gerrymandering in violation of the Constitution by using race as a factor to favor Hispanic voters with the new map. It asks a judge to prohibit California from using the new map in any future elections.

“Race cannot be used as a proxy to advance political interests, but that is precisely what the California General Assembly did with Proposition 50 — the recent ballot initiative that junked California’s pre-existing electoral map in favor of a rush-job rejiggering of California’s congressional district lines,” the lawsuit says. Prop 50 was Newsom’s response to Trump’s maneuvers in Texas, where Republicans rejiggered districts in hopes of picking up five seats of their own ahead of the 2026 midterm elections, when House control will be on the line. Democrats need to gain just a handful of seats next year to take control of the chamber, which would imperil Trump’s agenda for the remainder of his term and open the way for congressional investigations into his administration. Republicans hold 219 seats, to Democrats’ 214. The showdown between the nation’s two most populous states has spread nationally, with Missouri, North Carolina and Ohio adopting new district lines that could provide a partisan advantage. Other states are considering similar moves.

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aSSOCIateD PreSS PHOtO By NaM y. HUH an airplane descends Wednesday to land at O’Hare International airport in Chicago

aSSOCIateD PreSS PHOtO By Matt KeLLey

sign in Spanish that reads at top ‘Know your rights’ is posted thursday outside of a restaurant in Charlotte, N.C.

Blue Origin launches huge rocket to Mars

Craftcarries twin NaSa spacecraft

BY MARCIA DUNN aP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. Blue Origin launched its huge New Glenn rocket Thursday withapair of NASA spacecraft destined for Mars.

It was only thesecond flight of the rocketthat Jeff Bezos’ company and NASA are counting on to get people andsupplies to themoon— anditwas acompletesuccess. The 321-foot New Glenn blasted into the afternoon sky from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, sending NASA’s twin Mars orbiters on adrawn-out journey to the red planet. Liftoff was stalledfour days by lousy local weather as well as solar storms strong enough to paint the skies with auroras as far south as Florida. In aremarkable first, Blue Origin recoveredthe booster following its separation from the upper stage and the Mars orbiters, an essential step to recycle and slash costs similarto SpaceX.Company employees cheered wildly as the booster landed upright on abarge 375miles offshore An ecstatic Bezos watched the action from Launch Control.

“Next stop, moon!” employees chanted following the booster’sbull’s-eye landing. Twenty minuteslater,

PHOtO By JOHN raOUX

aBlue Origin NewGlenn rocketlifts off thursdayfrom LaunchComplex 36 at the CapeCanaveral Space Force Station in Cape Canaveral, Fla.

the rocket’supper stage deployedthe two Mars orbiters in space, the mission’s main objective.

New Glenn’sinaugural test flight in Januarydelivered aprototype satellite to orbit, butfailed to land the boosteronits floatingplatform in the Atlantic.

TheidenticalMars orbiters, named Escapade, will spend ayear hanging out nearEarth,stationingthemselves 1million miles away Once Earth and Mars are properlyaligned next fall, theduo will get agravity assist from Earthtohead to

the redplanet, arriving in 2027.

Once around Mars, the spacecraft will map the planet’s upperatmosphere and scattered magnetic fields, studying howthese realms interact with the solar wind. The observations should shed light on theprocesses behind the escaping Martian atmosphere,helping to explain how the planet wentfrom wet andwarm to dry anddusty.Scientists will also learn how best to protect astronautsagainst Mars’ harsh radiation environment

U.S. carriernears Venezuela

BY BEN FINLEY,REGINA

CANOand

GARCIA

KONSTANTIN TOROPIN

associated Press

WASHINGTON The most advanced U.S. aircraft carrier is expected to reach the waters off Venezuela in days, aflex of American military power not seen in Latin America for generations Experts disagree on the possibility that American warplanes will catapult off the USS Gerald R. Ford to bomb targets insideVenezuela and further pressure authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro to step down. Still, whether it may servethat purposeoronlypatrols the Caribbean as the U.S. blows up boatsitaccuses of trafficking drugs, the presence of the 100,000-ton warship alone is sending amessage

“This is the anchor of what it means to have U.S.military power once againinLatin America,” said Elizabeth Dickinson, the International Crisis Group’ssenior analyst for the Andes region.“And it has raised alot of anxieties in Venezuela but also throughout the region. Ithink everyone is watching this with sort of bated breath to see just how willing the U.S. is to really use military force.”

TheFord’simpending arrival is amajor moment in the Trump administration’s campaign in South America, whichit describes as acounterdrug operation. It escalatesthe already massive buildup of military firepower inthe region, with added pressure frombomber trainingruns nearthe Venezuelan coast, CIA operations thathave been publiclyauthorized insidethe country and boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific Ocean that have killedover 75 people.

TheU.S.has longused aircraft carriers as tools of deterrence to pressure and influence othernations, often without employing any force at all. They carry thousands of sailors and dozensofwarplanes that can striketargets deepinside anothercountry.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio insists that President Donald Trump is focused on stopping drugsfromentering the U.S. by combating “organized criminal narcoterrorists.”

“That’s what he’sauthorized. That’s what the military’sdoing. That’s whyour assets are there,” he told reportersWednesday after meetinghis counterparts from theGroup of Seven de-

BBCapologizestoTrump over misleading speech edit

BY BRIANMELLEY associated Press

LONDON The BBC apologizedThursdaytoPresident Donald Trumpover amisleading edit of his speech on Jan. 6, 2021, but saidithad not defamed him, rejecting the basisfor his $1 billion lawsuit threat.

The BBC said Chair Samir Shah sentapersonal letter to the WhiteHouse saying that he and the corporation were sorry for the edit of thespeech Trumpgave beforesome of his supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol as Congress was poised to certifyPresident-elect Joe Biden’svictory in the 2020 election thatTrump falsely allegedwas stolen from him.

The publicly funded broadcaster said thereare no plans to rebroadcast the documentary,which had spliced together partsofhis speech that came almost an hour apart

“Weaccept thatour edit unintentionally created the

impression that we were showing asinglecontinuous section of the speech, rather than excerpts from different points in the speech, and that thisgave themistaken impression that President Trump had made adirect call for violent action,” the BBC wrote in aretraction.

Trump’slawyer had sent the BBC aletter demanding an apology and threatened to file a$1billion lawsuit for the harm the documentary caused him. It had set aFriday deadline for the BBC to respond.

While the BBC statement doesn’trespond to Trump’s demand that he be compensated for “overwhelming financial and reputational harm,” the headline on its news story about the apology said it refused to pay compensation.

The disputewas sparked by an edition of the BBC’s flagship current affairs series “Panorama,” titled “Trump: ASecond Chance?”

broadcast days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election. The third-party production company that made the film spliced together three quotes from two sections of the2021 speech into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporters to march withhim and “fight like hell.”

Among the parts cut out was asection where Trump said he wanted supporters to demonstrate peacefully Director-General TimDavie, along with news chief Deborah Turness, quit Sunday, saying the scandalwas damaging the BBC and “as the CEO of BBC News and Current Affairs, the buck stops with me.” The letter fromTrump’s lawyerdemanded an apologytothe president and a “full and fair” retraction of the documentary along with other “false,defamatory, disparaging, misleading or inflammatory statements” about Trump.

Pakistan says Afghan nationals carriedout twosuicide attacks

comment from Kabul.

BY MUNIR AHMED associated Press

ISLAMABAD Pakistan’sinterior minister said ThursdaythatAfghannationals carriedout two fatal suicide attacks this week —one targeting acadet college near the Afghanborder andthe other outside acourt in the capital, Islamabad.

mocracies in Canada.

But Rubio alsosays the U.S. doesn’t recognize Maduro, who was widely accused of stealing lastyear’selection, as the leader of Venezuela andcalledthe government a“transshipment organization” that openly cooperates with thosetrafficking drugs towardthe U.S.

Some expertssay deployingthe Fordappears tobe geared moretoward agovernment change in Venezuela thandrug trafficking.

“There’snothing that an aircraftcarrier brings that is useful for combating thedrug trade,” Dickinson said. “I think it’sclearly a message that is much more geared toward pressuring Caracas.”

BryanClark, aformer Navysubmarinerand defense analyst at theHudson Institute, aconservative think tank, said the Trump administration would not have deployed theFord “if theydidn’tintend touse it.”

“I think this administration is very open to using military force to accomplish particular objectives,” Clark said. “I think they’re going to want to actually do somemilitary operationsunlessMaduro steps down in the next month or so.”

“In bothofthe suicide bombings,Afghancitizens were involved, andthey carried out the attacks,” Interior MinisterMohsin Naqvi said. Therewas no immediate

On Tuesday asuicide bombing outside adistrict court in Islamabad killed 12 people andwounded 27 others. Separately on Monday, three soldiers were killed when asuicide bomber and four other militants tried to storm the Cadet College Wana in northwestern KhyberPakhtunkhwaprovince, triggering agunbattle.

The attacks underscored Pakistan’sworsening security situationasthe government faces growing militancy,tense relations with Kabul and an increasingly

fragile trucealong theborder. Until Tuesday’sattack, the capital had largely been considered safecompared with the country’sconflicthit northwest. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday offeredtalks to Afghanistan’s Taliban government in arenewed peace overture.His call in atelevised speech on Wednesday followed the collapse of peace negotiations in Istanbul last week. It raised fears that aceasefire brokeredbyQatar and Turkey could unravel and trigger new border clashes.

aSSOCIateDPreSS

INTERIM

Continued from page1a

Kolluru pitched hisvisionfor campus during the meeting Thursday after he was appointed interim president

“As you know,we’ve all been through alot,” Kolluru said. Let me be clear— it’s notour people whohave failed our systems. It is our broken systems,insome part, that have failed our people.

“But Ibelieve in this university, Ibelieve in you, and Ibelieveinus as one UL.”

His comments aboutbroken systems appeared to be in reference to a$25 million budgetdeficit that Hebert announced shortly after becoming interim president.

SNAP

Continued from page1a

will receive an additional35% for this month.

“Wedon’twant to load the card and take anythingback,” Landry said. “I don’tthink it’sright if we penalize people if we give them something and then justtake it back.”

Landry explained that, with the end of the shutdown this week, the federal government will issue 100% of SNAP benefits to states, resulting in surplus benefit payments for some recipients.

“It would be aone-timedeal just

citing other cases, said that Murrill doesn’thave to actually locate the giant piece of woodtoprosecute Schexnayder

In one famous local case, thekillers of Gary Kergan, who owned achain of Sonic Drive-Ins in Louisiana, were convicted of his 1984 murder in Baton Rouge years later even though hisbody was never found.

Several defense attorneys said Murrill made an aggressive move against Schexnayder,who told WAFB-TV in Baton Rouge on Wednesday,“I’m willing to work with them to find it, but there has onlybeen one phone call with the Attorney General’sOffice. I’m very shockedand would have thought they would have followed up with me or had asit-down meeting.”

James Boren, aveteran criminal defense attorney in Baton Rouge, said Murrill will need stronger proof to convict Schexnayder than showing that he was simply the last person who possessedthe board.

“They must have evidence that he wasresponsible for taking the board and intending to deprivethe state permanently,” Boren said.

Sincehis indictment, Schexnayder has not returned phone calls to The Advocate |The Times-Picayune, which first reported in September that the ancient board had been displayed in theState Capitolfor decades before Schexnayder had it in his officefor about

Hebert has eliminated more than 70 positionsatthe school in his attemptstoget costs under control.

Heberttold theboard that he was honored to have the chance to serve his alma mater

“I feel likeI’ve given my skill set to assist the university as best as I possibly can in these tryingtimes,” he said

He asked that the board name Kolluru as the next interim because Kolluruwas a“key player” in the work done towardfiscal stability

“Dr.Kolluru also has abroad and deep understanding of our research enterprise, andright now, we need that continuity,” Hebert said. “Weneed to be able to continue through this transition and not lose pace with what we were accomplishing in apositive way.”

because of thegovernment shutdown,” he said. Everyone else will get their normal,fullbenefit amount, Landry said.

SNAPprovides monthly benefits to low-income people to help cover the cost of groceries and is funded by thefederal government and administeredbystates. Over 40 million Americans get food benefits through SNAP,including nearly 800,000 people in Louisiana. The governor said he hopes things will be back to normal for the program “within theweek,” thoughthatmay be thecaseeven sooner

TheLouisianaDepartmentof Health, which administers SNAP

adecade. Schexnayder told the newspaper thenthat he didn’tknowthe board’s current whereabouts.

“I’d like to know if the AttorneyGeneral’sOffice made anattemptto resolve this before indictment,” said Franz Borghardt,adefense attorney in Baton Rougefor most of thepast 20 years

“She’snot obligated to do that, but you’d hope shedid that first, unless shewanted to publicly embarrass him, which has been accomplished.”

Aidan Shah, acriminal defense attorney in Gretna, zeroed in on the question of whoowned the board

Words etched intothe board said it was “presented”byWalter Stebbins,who worked in thelumber business, in 1955.

JuliusMullins, aretired Baton Rougedoctor who is a grandsonofStebbins, is the person who has raised the alarm about the board’sdisappearance. He is not claiming ownership.

State officials believe the board belongs to the state since it hung in the Capitol for so long, but no one has provided documents showingthis. Officialsatseveral state agencies have said they were not sure exactly what department was responsible for it.

“Didthe state have an insurancepolicyonit?”Shah asked. “Was it archived?”

The second charge accuses Schexnayder with malfeasance in office for “intentionally refusingtoperform aduty required of him as a public officer or employee.”

Joe Marino III, acriminal defense attorney in Gretna who served in the state

After the meeting, Kolluru told reporters he was not made aware of his potential appointment as interim president until Hebert suggesteditduring themeeting, reading from what appeared tobe aprepared speech.

Kolluru told board members he was glad “we are going through a process that will engage ourfacultyindeciding our future leadership.”

He said he would execute aplan that focuses on “service, accountability and innovation” and told meeting attendees to remember the acronym “S-A-I.”Kolluru told boardmembers he would come back to them at the end of November withadraft for growth.

Email Ashley White at ashley white@theadvocate.com

here, on Nov.7announced it began distributing benefitstoresidents here using federalfunding at about 65% of the usual amount. That would continue to be thecase until it gets updated guidanceon the availabilityoffull program funding from theU.S. Department of Agriculture, theHealth Departmentsaid last week.

“Oncethe Department receives that guidance, and federal funding is received, LDH will administer 100% of SNAP benefits as soonas possible,”the news release from theHealth Department said.

Benefits are distributed on arolling basis over the course of the month, and recipients have been gettingthosefunds on thetypical

House with Schexnayderas apolitical independent, focused on that second charge.

Marino noted that the charge saysSchexnayder committed the malfeasance sometime between 2012 and 2024, the year he left office.

“That’sa bigrange of time,” Marino said. “The indictment lacksspecificity. What dutydid he fail to perform and when?”

AddedShah: “I think he has agood defense. Ithink they’ll have problemsproving this case beyond areasonable doubt to ajury. Getting an indictment is much easier than securing a guilty verdict. Ihaveaton of questions, very few of which have been answered at this point.”

Murrill had the right to charge Schexnayder thanks to an agreementher office has with East BatonRouge Parish District Attorney Hillar Moore III thatgives her wide authority to take such actions, Moore said.

In September, SchexnaydertoldThe Times-Picayune |The Advocate that then-Speaker Chuck Kleckley,R-Lake Charles, asked him in 2013 toput theboard

day they’re distributed,the Health Department said in the release.

ThestatusofSNAP funding hasbeeninlimbo forweeksfollowing the Oct. 1shutdown of the federalgovernment,whichtranspired afterlawmakers in Congress couldn’tagree on atemporary governmentfundingbill. Thelongest shutdowninU.S.historyended Wednesday night after 43 days.

Federal funding forfood stamps ran out on Nov.1

Beforethat date arrived,Landry andthe Legislature began putting together aplan to fund the program from state coffers, though coming up withavailable cash proved to be acomplicated maneuver

in his district office because it came from atree in AscensionParish. Kleckley has questioned that account.

Schexnaydersaidthen that he didn’ttake the board from his district office when his legislative termended because of term limits in January 2024.

Schexnayder told theUSA Today NetworkonWednesday that he thought state officials picked up theboard when they collected other state property from his office.

“When Ileft the board was

Legislative leaders had said it takes about $150 milliontocover the cost of the program in Louisiana.

Landry,duringa Wednesday radio interview on KMLB, said Louisiana “ended up only spending about$12 million,” and he said “it looks as though we’re going to get that $12 million back.” In lateOctober,over20states sued the Trump administration in aMassachusetts court,arguing it was legally required to continue to fund SNAPaslongasthe money was available. Separately, acoalition of nonprofit organizations and citiesalso suedthe Trump administration in federal court in Rhode Island over the lack of funding.

still there; Iturned over my keys andnever wentback into the office,” Schexnayder said. “I definitely didn’t steal the board.” House records show that Schexnayder exercised his right to buy at adiscount his desk and several other stateowned properties that had been in his office. Those records also show that athirdparty company retrieved an all-in-one printer and copier on Dec. 27, 2023, and that an aide returned acomputer component to the Capitol on Jan. 4.

The records do not show state officials collecting the objects from his office. While Schexnayder’sterm ended in January 2024, a text exchange with state Rep. Dixon McMakin, RBaton Rouge, showed that Schexnayder still inhabited his now-former legislative office amonth later The leasing manager for his office says his team did not remove the board. Email TylerBridges at tbridges@theadvocate. com.

StaFF PHOtO By BraD KeMP

ramesh Kolluru,right, shakes hands with UL interim President Jaimie Hebert, left, before Kolluruwas appointed interim president on thursday.

Average mortgage rate rises again, to 6.24%

The average rate on a 30-year U.S. mortgage edged higher for the second week in a row, though it remains near its low point so far this year

The average long-term mortgage rate ticked up to 6.24% from 6.22% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday A year ago, the rate averaged 6.78%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners refinancing their home loans, edged lower this week. The rate averaged 5.49%, down from 5.5% last week. A year ago, it was 5.99%, Freddie Mac said.

The 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans, was at 4.10% at midday Thursday, up slightly from a week ago.

Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank last year to their lowest level in nearly three decades. Sales have been sluggish this year, but accelerated in September to their fastest pace since February as mortgage rates eased.

AT&T reaches $177M data breach settlement

NEW YORK AT&T has reached a combined $177 million settlement over two data breaches. Impacted consumers have a little over a month left to file a claim for their chunk of the money

Several lawsuits emerged across the U.S. — and were later consolidated — after AT&T notified millions of customers that information ranging from Social Security numbers to call records were compromised in these breaches last year Plaintiffs alleged that the telecommunications giant “repeatedly failed” to protect consumer data. While AT&T has continued to deny wrongdoing, it opted to settle earlier this year Eligible consumers have until Dec. 18 to file for a settlement payment — which will still need a judge’s final stamp of approval early next year

The settlement covers two different breaches. Both were disclosed in 2024.

AT&T disclosed the first of these breaches in March 2024, after the company said it found that customer information from 2019 or earlier had been released on the “dark web” weeks earlier At the time, AT&T said the breach impacted roughly 7.6 million current and 65.4 million former account holders — with leaked data including some sensitive information like Social Security numbers and passcodes The other breach involved call and text records of nearly all AT&T customers from May through October 2022, as well as a small subset from Jan 2, 2023 AT&T said it learned that data was “illegally downloaded from our workspace on a thirdparty cloud platform” in April of last year — and began notifying customers in July 2024, after launching an investigation. According to the settlement administrator’s website, consumers impacted by the first breach may be eligible to up to $5,000 Those affected by the second breach may be eligible for up to $2,500.

Doritos, Cheetos dial back the bright orange Doritos and Cheetos are getting a makeover PepsiCo said Thursday it’s launching toned-down versions of its bright orange snacks that won’t have any artificial colors or flavors. Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will hit store shelves on Dec. 1.

It’s part of a broader shift underway at PepsiCo, which announced in April that it would accelerate a planned transition to using natural colors in its foods and beverages Around 40% of its U.S. products now contain synthetic dyes, according to the company Dye-free doesn’t mean Doritos and Cheetos Simply NKD will be colorless. Instead, they’re just a lighter color like a tortilla chip.

Worries about AI stocks hurt markets

BY STAN CHOE aP business writer

NEW YORK The U.S. stock mar-

ket tumbled Thursday to one of its worst days since its springtime sell-off, as Nvidia and other AI superstar stocks kept dropping on worries their prices shot too high. Also hurting the market were questions about whether coming cuts to interest rates that Wall Street has been banking on will actually happen

The S&P 500 sank 1.7% and pulled further from its all-time high set late last month. It was the worst day in a month for the index at the heart of many 401(k) ac-

counts and the second-worst since April’s plunge after President Donald Trump shocked the world with his “Liberation Day” tariffs. Nvidia was the heaviest weight on the market after the chip company fell 3.6%. Other stocks swept up in the artificial-intelligence frenzy also struggled, including drops of 7.4% for Super Micro Computer, 6.5% for Palantir Technologies and 4.3% for Broadcom.

Questions have been rising about how much higher AI darlings can go following their already spectacular gains. At the start of this month, Palantir was sporting a stunning rise of nearly 174% for the year so far, for example.

Such sensational performances have been one of the top reasons the U.S. market has hit records despite a slowing job market and high inflation. AI stock prices have shot so high, though, that they’re drawing comparisons to the 2000 dot-com bubble, which ultimately burst and dragged the S&P 500 down by nearly half.

In the meantime, stocks outside of AI also fell across Wall Street as traders worried that the Federal Reserve may not deliver another cut to interest rates in December as many had been expecting.

Wall Street loves lower interest rates because they can goose the economy and prices for invest-

ments, even though they can also worsen inflation. A halt in cuts could undercut U.S. stock prices after they already ran to records in part on expectations for more reductions.

Expectations have come down sharply that the Fed will cut its main interest rate for a third time this year Traders now see roughly a coin flip’s chance of that, 51.9%, down from nearly 70% a week ago, according to data from CME Group.

The Walt Disney Co. helped lead the market lower after falling 7.7%. The entertainment giant reported profit for the latest quarter that topped analysts’ expectations, but its revenue fell short.

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN associated Press

More than 1,000 unionized Starbucks work-

ers went on strike at 65 U.S. stores Thursday to protest a lack of progress in labor negotiations with the company

The strike was intended to disrupt Starbucks’ Red Cup Day, which is typically one of the company’s busiest days of the year

Since 2018, Starbucks has given out free, reusable cups on that day to customers who buy a holiday drink. Starbucks Workers United, the union organizing baristas, said Thursday morning that the strike had already closed some stores and was expected to force more to close later in the day Starbucks Workers United said stores in 45 cities would be impacted, including New York; Philadelphia; Minneapolis; St. Louis; Dallas; Columbus Ohio; and Starbucks’ home city of Seattle. There is no date set for the strike to end, and more stores are prepared to join if Starbucks doesn’t reach a contract agreement with the union, organizers said.

Starbucks emphasized that the vast majority of its U.S. stores would be open and operating as usual Thursday. The coffee giant has 10,000 company-owned stores in the U.S., as well as 7,000 licensed locations in places like grocery stores and airports. Around 550 company-owned U.S Star-

bucks stores are currently unionized. More have voted to unionize, but Starbucks closed 59 unionized stores in September as part of a larger reorganization campaign.

Striking workers say they’re protesting because Starbucks has yet to reach a contract agreement with the union. Starbucks workers first voted to unionize at a store in Buffalo in 2021. In December 2023, Starbucks vowed to finalize an agreement by the end of 2024. But in August of last year, the company ousted Laxman Narasimhan, the CEO who made that promise. The union said progress has stalled under Brian Niccol, the company’s current chairman and CEO.

Workers’ demands

Workers say they’re seeking better hours and improved staffing in stores, where they say long customer wait times are routine. They also want higher pay pointing out that executives like Niccol are making millions and the company spent $81 million in June on a conference in Las Vegas for 14,000 store managers and regional leaders.

Dochi Spoltore, a barista from Pittsburgh, said in a union conference call Thursday that it’s hard for workers to be assigned more than 19 hours per week, which leaves them short of the 20 hours they would need to be eligible for Starbucks’ benefits. Spoltore said she makes $16 per hour

“I want Starbucks to succeed. My livelihood depends on it,” Spoltore said. “We’re proud of our work, but we’re tired of being treated like we’re disposable.”

The union also wants the company to resolve hundreds of unfair labor practice charges filed by workers, who say the company has fired baristas in retaliation for unionizing and has failed to bargain over changes in policy that workers must enforce, like its decision earlier this year to limit restroom use to paying customers.

Starbucks’ position

Starbucks says it offers the best wage and benefit package in retail, worth an average of $30 per hour Among the company’s benefits are up to 18 weeks of paid family leave and 100% tuition coverage for a four-year college degree. In a letter to employees last week, Starbucks’ Chief Partner Officer Sara Kelly said the union walked away from the bargaining table in the spring.

Kelly said some of the union’s proposals would significantly alter Starbucks’ operations, such as giving workers the ability to shut down mobile ordering if a store has more than five orders in the queue. Kelly also said surveys showed that most employees like working for the company, and its barista turnover rates are half the industry average.

BY ALEX VEIGA aP business writer

Americans will be allowed to contribute more of their money to 401(k) and similar retirement saving plans next year

The IRS said Thursday the maximum contribution that an individual can make in 2026 to a 401(k), 403(b) and most 457 plans will be $24,500. That’s up from $23,500 this year

People aged 50 and over who have the option to make additional “catch-up” contributions to 401(k) and similar plans, will be able to contribute up to $8,000 next year, up from $7,500 this year That’s means a 401(k) saver who is 50 or

older will be able to contribute a maximum of $32,500 to their retirement plan annually, starting in 2026. Workers between the ages of 60 and 63 will be allowed catch-up retirement plan contributions of up to $11,250 annually, unchanged from this year

The IRS also raised the 2026 annual contribution limits on individual retirement arrangements, or IRAs, to $7,500, up from $7,000 this year The IRA “catch-up” contribution limit will include an annual cost of living adjustment of $100, increasing it to $1,100 in 2026. The changes, among others announced by the IRS, make it easier for retirement savers who

use these types of tax-advantaged plans to set aside more of their income toward building their nest egg.

Boosting the contribution rate on a 401(k) or IRA plan, even by 1%, can make a big difference over 10 or 20 years, assuming the saver remains employed and making contributions the entire time.

The IRS also increased for 2026 the income ranges for determining whether someone is eligible to make deductible contributions to traditional IRAs, Roth IRAs or to claim the “saver’s credit,” also known as the retirement savings contributions credit. Taxpayers can deduct contributions to a traditional IRA if they

meet certain conditions. If during the year either the taxpayer or the taxpayer’s spouse was covered by a retirement plan at work, the deduction may be reduced, or phased out, until it is eliminated, depending on filing status and income, the IRS said.

The IRS has outlined the details on these and other retirement-related changes for 2026 on its site.

The average balance on a 401(k) account was $137,800 in the second quarter up 8% from a year earlier and 32% from the same quarter in 2020, according to Fidelity Investments.

The increase reflects recordhigh savings rates and strong stock market gains so far this year

aSSOCIateD PreSS PHOtO By Matt SLOCUM

JamesComey,Letitia Jamesseekdismissal of cases

Both challenging prosecutor’s appointment

BY ERIC TUCKER associated Press

ALEXANDRIA,Va.— Lawyers for former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James asked ajudge Thursday to dismiss the cases against them, saying the prosecutor who secured the indictments was illegally installed in the role.

U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie said she expects to decide by Thanksgiving on challenges to Lindsey Halligan’sappointment as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. That decision could help determine the fate of the politically charged cases, which were both shepherded by the hastily installed Halligan and together have amplified concerns that the Justice Department is being usedas aweapon to target President Donald Trump’sperceived adversaries.

Currie also disclosed in court that arecord of grand jury proceedings in the Comey case that she reviewed was missing aportion,which she said raised questions aboutwhether AttorneyGeneral PamBondi could have properly ratified the indict-

aSSOCIateD PreSS FILe PHOtO By JaCQUeLyN MartIN

LindseyHalligan speaksonaug.20outsideofthe White House in Washington. Lawyers for

former FBIDirector James Comeyand Newyork attorney General Letitia James asked a judgethursdaytodismiss the cases against them, saying Halligan wasillegally installed as interim U.S. attorneyfor the easternDistrict of Virginia.

ment as theJustice Department says she did.

Halliganwas installed in the job at Trump’surging by Bondi inSeptember,just daysbefore Comey was indicted, in what defense lawyers say was an end-run aroundthe constitutional and statutory rules governing the appointmentofU.S attorneys. Theysay the maneuver was designed to ensure indictments against thepresident’spolitical opponents afterthe prosecutor

who had been overseeing the two investigations,but had not brought charges, was effectively forced out.

“Ms. Halliganwas the sole prosecutor in thegrand jury room, andwhenthe sole prosecutor lacks the authority,” said Ephraim McDowell, one of Comey’sdefense lawyers, “that’snot going to be aharmlesserror.”

U.S. attorneys, top federal prosecutors whooversee regional Justice Department outposts across thecountry,

aretypically nominated by the president andthenconfirmed by theSenate. Attorneys general do have the authoritytoname an interim U.S. attorneywho can serve for 120 days, but lawyers for Comey and James argued that once that period expires, the law givesfederal judges the exclusive sayofwho gets to fill the vacancy After then-interim U.S.attorneyErik Siebert resigned in September while facing Trumpadministration pres-

sure to bring chargesagainst Comey and James, Bondi installed Halligan, aWhite Houseaidewithnoprior prosecutorialexperience.

The appointmentfollowed aTrump post on Truth Social in which he complained to Bondi aboutthe lack of prosecutorial action against his political enemies and said, “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

Siebert had been appointed by Bondi in January to serve as interimU.S.attorney Trump in Mayannounced his intention to nominate him, and judges in the Eastern District unanimously agreed after his120-dayperiod expiredthatheshould be retained in the role.

But after the Trump administrationeffectively pushed him out in September,the JusticeDepartment again opted to make an interim appointment in place of the courts, something defense lawyers say it was not empowered under the law to do.

“Ifthe governmentwere to prevail here,” McDowell said, then it “would never need to go through Senate confirmation again forU.S. attorneys.” He said any dismissalofthe indictment must be permanent, with no opportunity to bring the case again, to avoidrewarding the government for aviolation.

TheJustice Department maintains that the law does notexplicitly prohibit succes-

sive appointments of interim U.S. attorneys by the attorney general. Henry Whitaker, alawyer forthe department, arguedthatthe indictment was properly returned by agrand jury and shouldnot be dismissed over whathe describedasatmosta paperwork or clerical error.

“Thegrand jurymadea decision based on the facts and thelaw,and they followed their oath,” Whitaker said. He also said that even if there were questions about Halligan’sappointment, they wereresolved by the fact that Bondi hadpersonally ratifiedthe indictment and reviewed the grand jury proceedings. But Currie, the judge, questioned whether that was possible given that a section of the grand jury proceedings that wereproduced to her was, for unexplained reasons, missing asection. Comey haspleaded not guiltytocharges of making a false statement andobstructingCongress, andJames, a Democrat, has pleaded not guilty to mortgage fraudallegations. The challenges to Halligan’sappointment are part of amultiprong effort to getthe prosecutions tossed before trial. Their lawyers have separately argued that the prosecutions are improperly vindictive and motivated by the president’spersonal animus toward their clientsand should therefore be dismissed.

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV associated Press

KYIV,Ukraine European Union officials warned Ukraine on Thursday that it must keep crackingdown on graft in the wake of amajor corruption scandal that could hurt the country’sability to attract financial help. But they also offered assurances that aid will continue to flow as Kyiv strains to

holdback Russia’sinvasion. German Ch ancellor FriedrichMerzstressed European concerns about corruption when he spoke by phone withUkrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyy,whose administration hasbeenengulfedbythe scandal involving embezzlement and kickbacks at the state-owned nuclear power company. It’sfast becoming one of the most significant

government crises since the full-scale invasion, with media reports implicatinga close associate of Zelenskyy Merz “underlined theGermangovernment’sexpectation that Ukraine press aheadenergetically with fighting corruption and furtherreforms, particularly in the area of the rule of law,” hisoffice said in astatement. Zelenskyy,the statement said, promised “full trans-

parency,long-term support for the independent anticorruption authorities and quick further measures in order to win back the confidenceofthe Ukrainian population, European partners and international donors.”

At thesametime, aEuropean Commissionspokespersonsaid that uncoveringthe allegedkickback scheme demonstrated that Ukraine’sefforts to fight

corruption are working as the country strives to meet the standards for EU membership.

“This investigationshows that anti-corruptionbodies are in place and functioning in Ukraine,” Guillaume Mercier said in Brussels.

“Let me stress that the fightagainstcorruption is key foracountry to join the EU.Itrequires continuous efforts to guarantee astrong

capacity to combat corruption anda respectfor the rule of law.”

After Zelenskyy’sjustice and energy ministers quit Wednesdayamid the investigation into energy sector graft, the government fired the vice president of Energoatom,the state-owned nuclear power companybelieved by investigators to be at the center of the kickback scheme.

Judge denies new trial for Haynes

Sentencing in kickback scheme is Dec. 17

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Gary Haynes, the former Lafayette assistant district attorney who was convicted on six federal charges including bribery, has

been denied a new trial.

In September, a federal jury, after hearing eight days of testimony, convicted Haynes on six charges related to a kickback scheme involving the pretrial intervention program in the 15th Ju-

dicial District Attorney’s Office, which he ran. Haynes was found guilty on two counts of using a cellphone in interstate commerce in aid of bribery and on conspiracy to engage in bribery concerning programs

Haynes

receiving federal funds, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiring to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice.

While he was the assistant district attorney running the pretrial intervention program for District Attorney Don Landry, Haynes conspired with others to divert defendants to the pretrial intervention program and assign them to cooperating businesses for classes and counseling. The businesses split the profits with him.

BLESSED DEVOTION

the rosary House in New Iberia might be the only place in Louisiana that makes religious candles for churches. Having been in business for more than 80 years, it makes 360 to 600 candle jars every week. It also cleans and refills glass candle jars. the store, founded in 1947 by robert Minvielle, offers statues and gifts among other religious items. today, the third and fourth generations of the Minvielle family run the business.

ABOVE: Shelly Nugent examines some of the rosaries available at the New Iberia store. FAR LEFT: a sterling silver rosary was handcrafted by an in-house expert for a grandmother, using different colored beads to represent her grandchildren. LEFT: Jimmy Berard tops off jars of candle wax.

PHOtOS By Lee BaLL

‘Red mud’ waste from plant prompts lawsuit environmental group says atalco violated permits

BY DAVID J MITCHELL Staff writer

A long-troubled bauxite refinery along the Mississippi River near Gramercy hit with a compliance order and threat of fines earlier this year is now facing a lawsuit in federal court from a regional environmental group over its ponds of so-called “red mud” waste. The Louisiana Environmental Action Network claims the series of problems identified by state regulators at Atlantic Alumina, also known

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

Lafayette’s queer community is gathering for its annual Pride “block party” in downtown Saturday, although it looks a little bit different this year While pride events normally take place in June, Acadiana Queer Collective, the organization responsible for putting on the event, announced earlier this year that it would be moved to November to avoid the summer heat, AQC board member Brandi Comeaux explained. “June

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

Redistrictingcaseshouldbedecided on 15th Amendment

Remember when IndianaJones nonchalantly chose to hip-shoot his way out of aduel with a threatening swordsman? It was pragmatism over pageantry.Simple versus struggle. Bullet beats blade. Redistricting lawsuits by their nature rarelyoffer judges opportunities to be Indy and swagger off with finality.Louisiana’s congressional map gives the Supreme Court one of those moments this term.

An amicus brief filed by the Public Interest Legal Foundation and several Louisiana legislators argues that the state’snew congressional map must be struck down under the Fifteenth Amendment because it was drawn “on account of race.”

Our argument is simple: the court doesn’tneed to wadeinto complex 14th Amendmentbalancing tests or Voting Rights Act details. The 15th Amendment is the Court’strusty revolver

After the Civil War, thenation adopted three constitutional amendments to secure freedom and equality.The 13thended slavery.The 14thpromised equal protection. The 15th madea direct,powerfulrule:Voting rightscannot be denied or abridged because ofrace. This was meanttostop governments from using race to allocate political power,period. In Louisiana, theLegislature passed amap that added asecondmajority-Black congressional district. Lawmakers openly said the purpose was to create a“Black district.”

Ourbrief quotes floor debates where sponsors and supportersdescribed themap’sgoal as achieving two majority-Black districts. Thedistrict court found that race hadagreater influence on drawingthe linesthan politics. That is exactly what the15th Amendmentforbids.

Whynot rely on the 14th Amendment’sequal protection

clause or the VotingRightsAct? Because those paths are needlessly messier.Under the 14th Amendment,courts apply strict scrutiny,ask about compelling interests and assess narrow tailoring.

Under Section 2ofthe Voting RightsAct, courts apply the Gingles testand “SenateFactors” to decide if amap dilutes minority votes. Those are complex, factheavy inquiries. If that sounds confusing, don’tworry: Your average political science professor can’teasily explain them either The Supreme Court doesn’teven need to go there. That’sswordtwirling in thebazaar

The 15th Amendment is straightforward: If race was a purpose behind an election policy or map,itviolates the Constitution.Bang. Ourbrief cites asimilar case from Guam, where the 9th Circuit helped strike down a “native inhabitant”voting rule under the15th Amendment and didn’tbother with other claims. There are also cases from North

Theway to help is to empower communities, nottakethemover

President Donald Trump placed the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police under federal control this past summer in the name of safety,stating the move would “rescue our nation’scapital from crime, bloodshed, bedlam and squalor.”

Carolina (Shaw v. Reno) and Hawaii (Rice v. Cayetano) to support therecord.

PILF doesn’t debate that raceconscious mapscan help fix Voting Rights Act violations. If lawmakershad clearly said the map was drawn to remedy aproven problem under the VRA, the central question before the court would be different. The 15th Amendmentstill forbids maps drawn with race as apurpose, rather than as aremedy

Louisiana’smap wasdesigned to ensure that two congressional districtswould elect the “candidates of choice” of Black voters.

PILF andour clients consider that amodern version of allocating power by race. This is exactly what the post-Civil Wargeneration fought to end.

The Supreme Court can avoid along, complicated analysis and ground itsdecision in the Constitution’sclearest rule like it was confronted with circus-style swordplay.The district court already found racial motivation

based on direct statements. That should end the matter under the 15th Amendment. No strict scrutiny balancing. No Gingles checklist. Just the Constitution’sflat ban on race-based voting rules. Bang.

PILF’sarguments do not undermine the Voting Rights Act. There is areal difference between a carefully justified remedy for proven vote dilution and amap drawnwith race as an end in itself.When legislators are explicit about racial goals, they cross a constitutional red line.

The 15th Amendment was written to stop governments from picking winners and losers based on skin color.InLouisiana, that is exactly what happened. The SupremeCourt should say so, and it should do it the simple way:by enforcing the 15th Amendment’s clear command.

LoganChurchwell is the research director anda spokesmanfor the Public Interest LegalFoundation

Life-savingtreatment forPTSDneeds backing

Andre Perry GUeSt COLUMNISt

Many long-term residents ofneighborhoods with the highest crime rates have accepted the presence ofthe National Guard after yearsofunsuccessfullygetting similar support and solutions to ahistorically durableproblem. There is an argument for an intervention.

But this isn’tjust aD.C. problem —rural America isn’tsafe either.According to the Centers forDisease Control and Prevention, people living in ruralareas are more likely to die early from the five top causes of death than theirurban counterparts.Furthermore, another study by the Center for American Progress found that between 2021 and 2024, rural counties made up the majority of counties with the highest rates of gun violencein the country and that many of our country’slargest cities have far fewer gun homicides thanrural areas. Again, there is an argument for an intervention.

Rural America: Would you want abunch of big-city police chiefs and California National Guardsmen or doctors and health care workers swooping in from thousands of miles away,telling you how to fix yourhealth problems or gun violence, imposing solutions withoutunderstanding your community,yourresources or your way of life?

So why on earth would you support your representatives doing exactlythatto D.C. residents— sending in the National Guard like some occupying force to “solve” crime, as if Washingtonians can’t address their own challenges?

There is aright and wrong way to solve community problems in our cities and small towns. The wrong way has been laid bare by its repeated use. First, cut funding and electoral power to districts, counties and cities.Then

shineaspotlight onthe resulting problems.Blame local officials for theconditiontheydidn’tcreate. Next, justify removing selfgovernancethrough takeovers. Take credit for any short-term gains. Rinseand repeat.

Of course,we’ll readily suspend our notions of local control as the heart of democracy when it comes to majority-Black cities, school boards,city councils and policeforces.However,rural America has similarproblems that we aren’tsending in the troops for.Wehaven’t— yet strippedthemoflocal decision making.

I’ve seen the stripping oflocal authority firsthand as aformer educator in New Orleans —a districtthathas historically struggled to educate itsyouth. In theaftermath of Hurricane Katrina, closingthe achievement gapbecame the justification or excusefor firing local teachers, more than 70% of whom were Black, disempowering the elected board and expelling students en masse. These “gap-closing” methods arenot things thatultimately strengthenacommunity. Test scores areup in New Orleans, but economic mobilityamong Blackfamilies is down. Firing Blackteachersfromunion jobs andremovingauthorityfromlocalboardscouldn’t have helped. Ican easily arguethat people in poverty areless prepared for a disaster thanbefore Katrina the real measureofeducation reform in thecity Undermining localautonomy

whether in health careorpublic safety—never servesthe people it claims to help. Communities know their problemsbetter than outsiders ever will, and top-down interference is no substitutefor empowering people to solve their own challenges

The right way to solve problems is to empower people at the local level whether their cities areBlack, White, urban, rural, big or small. Whether to reduce crime in D.C., improve schools in New Orleans,correct budgets in Detroit, these takeovers scapegoat elected officials while funneling contracts, jobs and decision-making power to outsidersinstead of investing in local residents.

And while elected officials have strippedpower from Black jurisdictions, theyhave alsoallowed many White areas to worsen. In the end, the rightway to ensure that all of our communities —rural, urban and in-between —have the resources that they need to thrive is to support local leaders’ agency and democratic decision-making —the very foundation of American selfgovernance. Local controland residents’ agency wereonce championed by Republicans. Now thatthose values have faded from theGOP, the duty to defend them falls to all of us

AndrePerry is aformer New Orleans educator,aprofessor at Washington UniversityinSt. Louis and asenior fellow at the Brookings Institution.

After 20 years in the Air Force, I’ve seen the invisible wounds of war up close and personal. I’ve watched brothers and sisters in arms grapple with post-traumatic stress disorder PTSDhits hard: hypervigilance, crippling anxiety,flashbacks and insomnia that can turn nights into hell. Traditional fixes like counseling therapy and SSRI antidepressants help some folks. But remission rates are adismal 30%-40%.

Toomany warriors are still left in the fight, resulting in 17 to 22 veteran suicides aday That’swhy I’mtouting the stellate ganglion block procedure as atransformative breakthrough in the fight against trauma and suicide in the veteran community. This isn’tsome wishful theory; it’sagame-changer that’s been hiding in plain sight.

SGB started as apain managementtool, but it has proven its mettle against PTSD. It’s aquick injection of local anesthetic right into thestellate ganglion, that nerve cluster in your neck running thesympathetic nervous system —your body’sfight-orflight engine.

Trauma cranks the system into overdrive, locking in the PTSD symptoms.SGB hits the reset button,dialing it back without a single pill or endless couch sessions.

Andrelief is immediate. We’re talking minutes to hours postshot.Veterans report asudden lift in emotional burden, reduced anxiety and improved sleep. Many describe it as “turning down the volumeontheir inner alarm system.” For someone on theedge, perhaps with suicidal ideation knocking at the door, this can be the difference between defeat or victory It’sa minimal intervention: one shot or aseries of two, tailored to your specific needs. Administered by apain management physician or anesthesiologist, theshot is ultrasound-guided and thefull procedure takes 15-30 minutes.

Safetyisakey advantage; complications are rare, occurring in less than 1% of cases, typically minor like temporary hoarseness or bruising, and the proce-

dure avoids the systemic side effects of medications such as weight gain or sexual dysfunction common with SSRIs. Now,the metrics: SGBhas an 80%-85% success rate in slashing PTSD symptoms. When administered alongside mental health therapy,the procedure rebuilds emotional control, mends relationships and boosts resilience. For veterans and first responders, it tackles the guilt and constant hyperarousal that no pill can touch. Clinical programshave treated over 5,000 patients, reporting sustained benefits when SGBisintegrated with traumafocused psychotherapy,helping individuals reconnect with family and reintegrate into civilian life. According to Armyveteran Grant Rogers, “SGBhas been a lifechanger forme.”

The cost varies from about $800 to $2,000 depending on the provider.However,most health insurers deem it “experimental” forPTSD and do not cover it. Youmust either go out-of-pocket or seek financial assistance through veteran assistance nonprofit organizations. And the VA?Abipartisan bill to mandate VA/DoD coverage —the TREATPTSD Act —has been stuck in congressional mud forover five years, currently languishing in the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Introduced in 2019 and reintroduced in subsequent sessions, the bill has garnered support from veterans’ advocates and lawmakers across the aisle, but bureaucratic hurdles and funding debates continue to delay progress.

Bottom line: SGBoffers immediate relief,amazing success rates and asuper simple procedure. Pair it with therapy,and you’re not just surviving; you’re thriving. If you are aveteran or first responder battling PTSD, don’twait another day —this single step could restore peace, save alife, and honor the service of those who’ve given so much.

Chad Carter is an attorney andretired Air Force judge advocate. He is also the Executive Director of Bayou Veterans Advocacy

Chad Carter GUeSt COLUMNISt

aSSOCIateD PreSS FILe PHOtO

Members of the Louisiana National Guard patrol the groundsofthe Washington Monument in September

after Democrats prevailed in elections around the country, someare asking what it means for the future of the party.the victoryofZohran Mamdani in the Newyork mayor’sraceemboldened theparty’s progressive wing.the gubernatorial wins of abigail Spanberger in Virginia and Mikie Sherrill in NewJersey were seenasa sign that amessageappealing to centrists is awinning strategy.Both parties are trying to decipher what theresults portend for theupcoming midterm elections.What lessons shouldbelearned from these off-year elections, and what arethe stakes for the future? Here are twoperspectives:

Warnings forbothparties emerge from recent vote

Virginia and New Jersey,the two states that voted for governor in 2025, both voted for then-Vice President Kamala Harris over then-candidate Donald Trumpby 52%-46% margins in 2024. Democratsran significantly better in both states last week. One reason isthat Trump Republicans,asanincreasingly downscale party,see their turnout sag in off years compared to when the presidency is up. But that wasn’ttheir onlyproblemthis time.

yearaftertheir side wins, as Republican pollster Patrick Ruffini suggests?

why. It doesn’tmake sense.”

In Virginia, Democrat Abigail Spanberger,aformer CIA officer andcongresswoman, won 58%-42%, well ahead of her standing in most polls. Republicans who dismiss this result as reflecting the weaknessofnominee WinsomeEarleSears should note thatDemocrat Jay Jones beat incumbent Attorney General Jason Miyares 53%-47%, despite theOct. 3revelation of Jones’ textmessages that he’d like to murder acolleagueand see his children die in their mother’sarms. The most significant swing from 2024 was in northern Virginia, part of metropolitan Washington, which cast 33%of the state’svotes. That’sahighly educated, upscale community with ahigh percentage of federal and governmentcontractor employees,but Republicans wouldbe unwise to dismiss the Democratic gains as just aresponse to the government shutdown. It could be aforecast of what’s in store for them in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania; Oakland County,Michigan; and Waukesha County,Wisconsin

In New Jersey,Rep. Mikie Sherrill aNavy veteran,beat Republican Jack Ciatarelli 56%-43%,a big improvement on incumbent Gov.Phil Murphy’s51%48%squeaker against Ciatarelli four years ago. Sherrill’smajority looked much likethe 57%-41% Democratic advantage in the 2012, 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, which caused it to seem asolid bluestate

The big difference is that Ciatarelli was unable to duplicate the biggainsthat Trump made among Hispanic voters. Trump carried heavily Hispanic Passaic County with 50% —itvoted only 42%Republican this year.Similarly,inVirginia, even Miyares, despite his Hispanic ancestry,won only 37% in heavily Hispanic Prince William County

Has the Trump administration’s roughand-readyimmigration enforcement hurt his fellow Republicans? Or are we just seeing sags in turnout from low-propensity voters in low-propensity constituencies, as we have in previouscontests a

Then there is New York City, similarly sized (8 million-plus) to New Jersey and Virginia, whose record (since 1969) turnout of 2million-plus was nonetheless lower than each of those states’ 3million-plus. Since he won the June primary, the young socialist Zohran Mamdani —heturned 34 last month— has led therace. Hischeerful demeanor and clever ads, plus his emphasis on cost-of-living issues (free buses, city-owned grocery stores), have naturally produced sympathetic coverage from most media.

For months,hehad wide leads in the polls thanks to split opposition from widely disliked former Gov.Andrew Cuomo and Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa.

In acity that voted 68%-30% for Harris over Trump, Mamdani led Cuomo by a decisivebut far from overwhelming 50%42%, with just7%for Sliwa.

While Democratsimproved on Harris’ performance in Virginia and New Jersey,Mamdani far underperformed Harris in New York City. One-quarterof New York’s Harris voters supported the Republican or thecandidate endorsed by Trump.

Mamdani’sweakness among some Democratic constituencies does not represent adanger for the party across the country generally.But it does suggest that the socialist wingofthe party, and those Democrats whose antipathy to Israel can verge on antisemitism, are far from amajority force nationally

In the meantime, Trumpfaces atough constituency: the Supreme Court. Will the justices, including those he appointed, accepthis claim that the gauzy language of a1977 law gives him thepower to raise andlower his beloved tariffs singlehandedly?

ASupreme Courtrebuff to Trump could turn out to be apolitical gift to the Trump Republican Party.Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariffs in April thrust his job approval downward, and 3% inflation, which, though low,can be plausibly linkedtocontinuing tariffs, provides a basis, as Mamdani has shown, for Democratic campaigns. Also,should Trump acquiesce to an adverse Supreme Court decision, as Truman did 73 yearsago, voters’ fears of an authoritarian presidency will be mitigated.

MichaelBarone is on X, @MichaelBarone.

The off-year elections last week marked thebeginning of aferocious 12-month battle for control of the House of Representatives, abattle that will have an indelible impact on President Donald Trump’sfinal two years in office.

The Democrats have won the first skirmish, withdecisive victories in Virginia, New Jersey andCalifornia, but it’sa long war.And the stakes are huge.

If Republicans lose their minuscule three-votemargin, Trump’slegislative program would stop dead. More important, aDemocratic majority would control all theHouse committees, giving them the power to hold hearings, conduct investigations, subpoena witnesses and —above all —possibly impeach the president.

Actually,itdoes. Magnetic candidates like Trumplure manymarginal voters to the polls that don’tshow up when their charismatic leader is no longer on the ballot. Moreover,all successful candidates makepromises that they cannot keep. Acertain sense of disappointment inevitably sets in, and that’sexactly what’shappening with Trump.

“The president is obsessively focused on the midterms,” asenior Trumpadviser told CNN. “He remembers what happened thefirst time he was in office.”

During his initial tenure, Democrats won 41 seats in 2018 and reclaimed the majority for the first time in 10 years. They then impeached Trumptwice, and while the Senate acquitted him both times,he’s“obsessively” determined to avoid that humiliation again.

That’swhy he’striggered an unprecedented escalation of partisan warfare in state legislatures around the country bullying Republicans to redraw Congressional districts to favor their candidates and forcing Democrats to retaliate in the states they control. California voted overwhelmingly to alter the state constitution and help Democrats win as manyasfive new seats.

“This redistricting war is the opening salvo of abattle that must be won,” Stephen Bannon, alongtime Trumpadviser, told theNew York Times.“We must have these victories. If Trumpdoesn’thold the House, they will impeach him.Itwill be a nightmareand abloodbath.”

Speaking of nightmares, the Democrats have been living one since Trumptook office again. Few presidentshave used their powers so effectively todominate the political world, exciting his supporters and exiling his enemies. In the latest ABC/ Washington Post poll, 68% callthe Democrats “out of touch” with most Americans. Butlast week’sresults show that the partystill has afighting chance next year, and one explanation is simply history: In 20 of the last 22 midterm elections, the president’s partyhas lost ground. “For somereason, you lose themidterms,” Trumpmused recently.“Idon’tknow

While he won 49.8% of the popular vote last year,his favorable rating has dropped to 41% in the ABC/ Post poll and to 37% in the latest CNNsurvey Aprimary explanation forTrump’s slumpisone word: prices. The Biden administration failed to curb inflation, especially the cost of gas and groceries, and Trumpcapitalized by making this promise: “Under my leadership, we are quickly going to turn this economic nightmare into an economic miracle.”

Yes, the stock market is booming, but ordinary Americans, including many Trumpvoters, simply haven’tfelt any improvement, let alone a“miracle.” In the ABC/Post survey,only 37% view Trump’s handling of the economy positively,while 62% are negative. For 52%, their economic situation has actually declined since he took office, while only 27% say it’s gotten better.InanNBC poll, two-thirds of Americans say Trump’srecord has “fallen short of expectations” regarding the cost of living.

Exit polls tell asimilar story.Voters in all the contested states called the economy their biggest concern, and many blamed Trump. For many families, the government shutdown has only aggravated their economic woes.Nearly 42 millionAmericans —12.3% of the United States population— depend on SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps, and those payments were set to be cut in half this month. Millions of others face sharp increases in their insurance premiums as subsidies adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic have been allowed to expire. Trump airily dismisses the problem, saying these programs “largely” benefit Democratic voters, but that’sflat-out false.

The samegloomypessimism and economic discontent that helped propel Trumpinto the White House ayear ago now threatens to turn his tenure into a nightmare.

Email Steven Roberts at stevecokie@ gmail.com.

Michael Barone

Steve Roberts

abigailSpanbergerinrichmond, Va left, Zohran Mamdani in Newyork, center,and Mikie Sherrill in east Brunswick, N.J

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Photographer Amy James

thought about her latest exhibition upon receiving the news of A.J. Meek’s death.

Meek died on Saturday He had been her photography professor at LSU, and she had maintained a friendship with him since.

“He was in my June exhibit at Baton Rouge Gallery, which honored photographers I had worked with, studied with, collaborated with or were my mentors,” James said. “So, he was in that exhibit. I photographed him in May, so I was really shocked to get the news that he had passed away.”

Meek, a nationally acclaimed photographer, author and scholar who began documenting Louisiana’s landscapes and people, died in his Baton Rouge home at age 84.

“He was so spiritual,” she said.

“And I don’t know if he knew it,

HAYNES

Continued from page 1B

Haynes’ attorney Todd Clemons of Lake Charles, in October filed a request for a new trial, alleging improper exclusion of evidence, improper admission of evidence, prosecutorial misconduct and statements and judicial bias.

Prosecutors who tried Haynes opposed the arguments for a new trial.

U.S. District Court Judge David Joseph on Monday denied the motion for a new trial.

Joseph said he did not allow the defense to introduce 48 audio and video

AWARD

Continued from page 1B

Pilot company, which operates travel centers across North America, to recently name him their 2025 Road Warrior of the year

“We received thousands of entries,” said Jordan Spradling, who serves as Pilot’s senior vice presi-

LAWSUIT

Continued from page 1B

as Atalco, indicated a lack of care about the impact of its operations in St. James and St. John the Baptist parishes.

The group says it wants to ensure the state forces an effective remedy to alleged problems that include seepage of bright red caustic liquid into the Blind River Swamp. The suit is being brought under provisions that allow citizens to bring legal action to enforce federal clean water and solid and hazardous waste laws.

LEAN alleges its members own property along waterways affected by the discharges or use them for recreation.

The 17-page suit recounts the findings of state Department of Environmental Quality inspectors from a series of visits between September 2024 and June 2025 documenting problems with storage ponds holding “red mud,” as well as dozens of Atalco’s own self-reported violations of its water discharge permit

With a highly alkaline quality, red mud can be contaminated with trace amounts of naturally occurring heavy metals, like mercury, and has slight radioactivity from elements like uranium and its decay isotopes, past company testing has shown. The suit noted that red mud would be treated as a hazardous waste if not for a specific federal exemption.

“In the aggregate, this litany of violations demonstrates that defendant’s lack of care for the proper operation of the facility has been reckless and with egregious disregard for the environmental and human

but I included a cross in the background for that photo.”

Meek wouldn’t have minded at all. He was a regular at Sunday morning services at First Presbyterian Church, where he and fellow Baton Rouge artist Rosemary Goodell often shared a pew and conversation long after the service’s end Artist and friend Rob Carpenter remembers that Meek had even considered training to be an Episcopalian lay minister

Meek’s work in her former exhibition space, Caffery Gallery “You could keep going back to look at his photographs and see something different in them each time.”

Meek was a senior professor of photography in the LSU School of Art, retiring as professor emeritus in 2005.

“When he came here in 1988, he helped in setting up the photography department at LSU,” longtime friend Clay Fourrier said. “He arranged for all of the darkrooms and everything.”

linda Van Dyk, and their daughter Patricia.

“He had a wicked sense of humor,” Carpenter said. “And his wife, Belinda, and daughter, Tricia, were his anchors.”

“I don’t think that came through,” Carpenter said. “But he did consider it.”

Still, as almost all who knew him most remember, Meek’s passion was in creativity

“He had insight, and he was able to make you see what he saw that insight — in his photographs,” said fellow artist Mary Ann Caffery who hosted solo shows of

exhibits of co-conspirators obtained via wiretaps because the defense failed to lay a foundation for the introduction of impeachment evidence.

Specifically, every time the defense tried to impeach witness Dusty Guidry, a co-defendant who pleaded guilty, Guidry did not deny making the statements, Joseph wrote.

Prior to the trial, the court ruled that prosecutors could not bring up the federal conviction more than 10 years ago of Haynes’ wife Barna, in a similar bribery scheme in the District Attorney’s Office under former District Attorney Mike Harson. Prosecutors in the trial mentioned

dent of transportation “Stacy’s hard work, dedication to the profession, commitment to safety and service stood out.”

Batiste, who is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, got his start by hauling sugar cane in rural Acadiana. He now works as an independent owner-operator He accepted the award alongside his family, who surprised him at the Baytown

impacts of its mismanagement,” the LEAN lawsuit alleges.

Clay Garside, an attorney for LEAN, said the suit mirrors the state’s allegations because, if not for the inspectors, no one would have known about many of the problems because they weren’t reported by Atalco, as they should have been.

But he said the DEQ compliance order, which was issued Aug. 22, only raises the prospect of penalties and LEAN wants to ensure there is follow-through.

“We want to make sure it gets cleaned up and that they have to pay for what they’ve saved in running the place poorly over all those years,” he said.

In a statement Atalco officials said that the issues raised in the lawsuit “are being fully and thoroughly enforced by LDEQ” through the compliance order Company officials have previously said they began making repairs to stop seepage from the red mud ponds before the compliance order was issued on Aug. 22. In later regulatory papers, they told DEQ they were working to address the other alleged violations and developing required work plans.

Alumina process

The suit asks a federal judge to declare that Atalco has violated the terms of its state permits as well as federal water and solid and hazardous waste laws. It also asks that the judge order Atalco “to take all actions necessary, including the installation of appropriate treatment technology to prevent” future violations and award civil penalties based on the number of days the violations occurred.

Marylee Orr, executive

Fourrier forged a friendship with Meek some 30 years ago, which resulted in the creation and management of Meek’s website, ajmeek.com.

Meek taught for five years at the University of Utah before moving on to LSU in 1977, where he taught for 28 years while making Baton Rouge his home with late wife Be-

the prior scheme and investigation, but did not specifically mention his wife. Joseph said that was allowed In addition, Joseph said potential jurors who knew of Barna Haynes’ conviction were excluded from the jury

Joseph also wrote that it was not prejudicial in the eyes of the jury when prosecutors asked him to strike a defense counsel comment about the absence of Michelle Franques, the wife of co-defendant Leonard Franques who pleaded guilty Michelle Franques, who was involved in the bribery scheme but was not prosecuted, pleaded the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination when

truck stop.

The award came with a custom-built Kenworth truck and a $50,000 check. It came courtesy of the “Diesel Brothers,” a Utahbased duo known for starring in a reality television series of the same name on the Discovery Channel between 2016 and 2022.

“The man is the definition of keeping America moving,” said David

director of LEAN, said anyone who lives near Atalco or has driven past it has seen the problems for years and has had enough.

“This has been an eyesore in the state for a really long time,” she said.

Through the years, some environmental groups have criticized the size of fines and settlement payments DEQ has levied against often large national and multinational companies for past environmental violations. Often those fines are in the thousands to tens of thousands of dollars and can be well below the agency’s statutory authority In settlements, DEQ officials apply a decision matrix with set penalty ranges that aim at balancing the seriousness of a violation with its impact on people and property

DEQ officials did not respond to a request for comment, but typically, under agency policy, it doesn’t speak about pending litigation. The LEAN suit was filed Oct. 31 in U.S. District Court in New Orleans.

Founded in the late 1950s by Kaiser Aluminum the refinery extracts alumina from red bauxite ore mined in Jamaica. Alumina is used by smelters elsewhere to make aluminum and by other companies for chemical products.

Atalco is the only refinery of its kind in the United States and provides the key feedstock for aluminum, a metal critical for military and aerospace applications.

But the standard process of extracting alumina leaves behind 1 to 1.5 pounds of waste red mud for every pound of alumina produced, according to the company and industry estimates. The red mud is held in leveed impoundments known as “lakes” or “ponds,” which, at Atalco,

Meek was born Albert James Meek on Aug. 29, 1941, in Beatrice, Nebraska. He began working in photography while in the U.S. Air Force, then earned his bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles. He was later awarded a teaching assistantship at Ohio University, where he earned his master of fine arts degree. He was known for his seleniumtoned, silver gelatin contact prints not only of Louisiana landscapes but the American West, all photographed with his 8-inch by 20-inch banquet camera. The result was a balance of documentary photography and fine art.

Meek also authored five published books, including “Clarence

subpoenaed to testify for the defense.

Defense attorneys argued that they did not have time to properly prepare for the trial, filing a motion two weeks before the trial, which was nine months after receiving initial discovery evidence. Joseph ruled against the defense.

He also ruled against the defense’s arguments that the weight of evidence did not support the jury’s guilty verdict and against arguments of judicial bias and animus.

Haynes is scheduled for sentencing on Dec. 17.

Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@theadvocate. com

Sparks, who represents one half of the duo.

The Pilot Company has held its Road Warrior contest for more than a decade, with a stated purpose of recognizing “determined, dedicated and hardworking” truckers from across America.

For more information about the contest visit pilotcompany.com/roadwarrior

stretch out for hundreds of acres.

Among the allegations raised against Atalco, the suit notes state inspectors found erosion channels in the earthen levees that hold back the red mud. Other sections were bare of protective grass or, conversely, too overgrown, which is a problem for spotting erosion.

Inspectors also found seepages from the levees funneling down erosion channels and flowing into nearby ditches or the Blind River Swamp north of the company’s land, the suit alleges. Those liquids had a bright red or orange color The swamp empties into the Blind River

PRIDE

Continued from page 1B

John Laughlin: Prophet Without Honor,” a biography of the Louisiana photographer considered to be the father of surrealist art; and “Sacred Light: Holy Places in Louisiana,” a compendium of photographs of the interiors of churches and synagogues.

“A.J was so endearing, because he always wore his heart on his sleeve,” said fellow artist Kathy Scherer, who met Meek while studying photography at LSU in the 1990s. “Whether making observations about life or the state of the world with his usual stoic humor, or processing the loss of his dear Belinda, he freely shared his feelings.

Meek is survived by his daughter, Patricia. Seale Funeral Home of Denham Springs is in charge of arrangements, which are pending. Email Robin Miller at romiller@ theadvocate.com.

The grand marshal will be drag performer and Lafayette native “Martini Bear,” who self-describes as a “bearded burlesque beauty.” Roxie C. Black, who serves on AQC’s board and was the grand marshal for the first parade put on by AQC, will serve as the master of ceremonies.

Saturday’s festivities will feature a live drag show beginning at 4 p.m., including performances from “Martini Bear,” as well as Mr Pride Acadiana Jabari Glamazon and Miss Pride Acadiana Scarlett Black. There will also be live music performed by the all-queer Gais Do Do Cajun Band, set to begin at 1 p.m. Additionally, AQC has announced that drag queen Trinity K. Bonet, best known for being on Season 6 of “RuPaul’s Drag Race,” will attend the event as a special guest.

The event will also boast 46 vendors ranging from businesses selling arts and crafts to health care organizations, local political party affiliates and religious congregations. A full list of businesses, organizations and vendors can be found on AQC’s website at acadianaqueercollective.org/ pride.

(23) Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

UL looking to rebound vs.rival McNeese

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

First-year coach QuannasWhite gets to experience oneofthe Ragin’ Cajuns longtime rivals for the first time at 6p.m. Friday whenULtravels to meet McNeeseat the Townsley Law Arena in LakeCharles

The Cajuns are 1-2 coming off a66-62 loss to Tulane on Tuesday

“Wegot another quick one hereagainst McNeese,” White said. “We’ve got aturnaround very quickly,sowegot to turn a page and move forward.” UL largely came up short becauseof11-of-21 shootingfromthe free-throw line, whileTulane made 21 of 27 attempts

“You’ve got to step up and make your free throws,”White said. “You’ve got tohave confidence—just getupthere atthe line and sink them. You’ve got to keep working at that.”

The Cajuns are hoping to shoot better than a36.2% clip from the field.ULwas alsolimited to 30% shooting from 3-point land out of 30 tries.

“I’ve been doing this for along timeincollege basketball and in AAU,” Whitesaid “Guys are going to miss shots, but I’mconfident in our guys, because they put the work in. “So Ialways want those guys to take good shots —not bad shots —but again, we didn’t do agood job of moving theball.”

forward Kyran ratliff shootsovertulane forwardtyler ringgold during their game tuesdayatthe Cajundome.

SAINTS ROUNDTABLE

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Officials issued five technical fouls 49 common fouls on Wednesdayinthe women’sbasketball team’s117-59 blowout win over Charlotte. And aTikTok post mayhaveinspired extra-curriculars that necessitatedt tighter whistle. On Tuesday,49er guard Princess Andersonpos asince-deleted vide herself and one of her t mates dancing behind ac tion that said the No. 5Tigers (4-0) we about to “play some competition” fort first time this season. Coach Kim Mu said LSU used the post as “bulletinb material” ahead of the win.

“Wehad too many technicals,” Mu said, “but Iwanna give you alittle ba ground, OK? They took it real personalw all the stuff that was on socialmedia. And leave it at that. And so, they were fired up.” LSU was given three of the technical fouls, all for taunting.

LO G

Breaking down QB Shough’s play so far, predicting Saints’ finalrecord

The Saints are 2-8 entering an open date. It’sa perfect time for The Times-Picayune Saints writers to sit at theroundtableand give their thoughtsonthe season so far

Assess quarterbackTyler Shough

Jeff Duncan: It’seasy to see why theSaints werehigh on Shough in thedraft.Hehas thetraits and intangible qualities you look for in aquarterback. He has NFL arm talent and plays with poise and confidence. His command of the offense inspires confidence in his teammates.You could see thebody language of his teammates change as he started to make plays against thePanthers. His performance against Carolina was encouraging, but Ineed to see him continue to improve and string together afew similar games before I’m ready toanoint him thequarterback of the future.

LukeJohnson: Iliked what Isaw from Shough even when theSaints mostly scuffled during his first twoextended looks, because at that point you were just looking for traits that you could build upon. In losses to the Buccaneers and Rams,you saw some decisiveness within the offense and arare ability to rip difficult throws deep to thesideline. Obviously thePanthers game just added to

that feeling because so much came together.Itismuch tooearly to say he’sThe Guy, but he’sonthe right track. Matt Paras: I’ve been not only impressed with Shough’s play,but Kellen Moore’splan to foster his growth. The rookiehas madeclear strides in handling the pocket, and Idon’tthink that would have been the case if he had played right away this season. That said, Ithink he’s going to have to show alot moredown the stretch for theSaints to avoid taking aquarterback next year.The Panthers gamewas agreat performance, but he needs to stack them RodWalker: Let me first start by saying Iwish Spencer Rattler could have had better luck as astarter.IfJuwan Johnson is able to haul in that touchdownpass against theCardinals in the opener,maybe this season goes in an entirely different direction. His growth from last season to this season should be commended. But you also should commend the growth of Tyler Shough from

LSU QB Michael VanBuren StaFFPHOtO By HILary SCHeINUK ä See SAINTS, page 3C

LSU f tball layers ha

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

LSU football is in themi With the Brian Kellyer mirror, the Tigers are tu a new regime before th But with three games regular season, ther players who can us contests to showca the incoming coac Here are 10 pl prove their worth gime MICHAEL VAN BUREN

The Mississippi State tra more quarterback has sud into a starting battle with Garrett Nussmeier Inter Wilson said Van Buren wi day against Arkansas, but would start If Van Buren takes adva

ransition. erearview the page to the year ning in the ll several pcoming talent for f. poisedto snext reand sophobeen thrust ar senior oach Frank on Saturtsay who of his op-

portunity,there’s achancehecould start next season for the Tigers, or at least for someone else in the Southeastern Conference. Whathappens this weekend could go alongway to determinewhetherhe’d be willing to forgo his chance to redshirt this season.Evenifa potentialbowlgame wouldn’tcount toward his future eligibility, VanBuren’salready played in three games. KYLE

Saints quarterback tyler Shoughlooks to make apass during agame against the Carolina Panthers on Sundayin Charlotte, N.C. aP PHOtO By JaCOB KUPFerMaN

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Georgia was on his mind

Former Bulldogs recruit Manning to lead No. 10 texas in SeC showdown

BY CHARLES ODUM

sportswriter

aP

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia fans finally will have their chance to see Arch Manning play at Sanford Stadium. He won’t be wearing Georgia’s red and black, though. No. 5 Georgia (8-1, 6-1 Southeastern Conference, No. 5 College Football Playoff) will face Manning and No. 10 Texas (7-2, 4-1, No. 10 CFP) on Saturday night Each team will be looking to protect its hopes of making a repeat trip to the SEC championship game.

Gunner Stockton replaced the injured Carson Beck and led the Bulldogs to a 22-19 overtime win over Texas in last year’s SEC championship game in Atlanta Beck transferred to Miami and Stockton has kept the starting job this season, using his dual-threat talents to win over fans who once dreamed Manning would make Athens his home.

Manning acknowledged this week he came close to signing with Georgia.

“They’re a good team. I was considering them until the end,” Manning said Monday

Manning, the preseason Heisman Trophy favorite, and the Longhorns, who were No. 1 in the preseason AP Top 25, have a four-game winning streak after a 3-2 start.

Manning claimed his first SEC offensive player of the week honor after Texas’s win over Vanderbilt He has passed for 674 yards with six touchdowns and one interception over the past two games.

It’s the kind of production Georgia coach Kirby Smart anticipated when he recruited Manning, the latest in the line of Manning football players that includes his father, Cooper, grandfather Archie and uncles Peyton and Eli.

“It really wasn’t about the celebrity nature,” Smart said Monday adding “the tape” was his motiva-

tion to recruit Manning.

“I have a good relationship with their family,” Smart said. “I’ve known his dad for a while, his uncle for a long time, and his grandfather They’ve got a wonderful family, but it has nothing to do with his recruitment. His recruitment was based on he’s athletic, he’s fast, he’s tall, he’s intelligent, he’s got composure, he’s got an arm. He can do it all. He can run the ball, he can throw the ball. In this day and age, you got to have a quarterback that can do both and he can.”

Smart added Manning has “great composure” and is “not really affected by many things, even the way he’s managed the hype and expectations of what he was supposed to be this year.”

Return visit

This won’t be Manning’s first visit to Sanford Stadium He said he attended a Georgia home game against South Carolina when he was a recruit.

“It’s a big-time atmosphere,” Manning said “I’m excited.”

Thanks to that visit, Manning said he knows what to expect to hear on Saturday night.

“It’s my first time preparing for barking,” he said. “It should be fun.”

Ancient history

Georgia won two games against Texas last season. In addition to the SEC championship game victory, the Bulldogs beat then-No 1 Texas 30-15 in Austin.

Players from each team agree last year’s games will have no effect on Saturday night’s contest.

“It’ll have no carryover,” Georgia safety KJ Bolden said. “Those are two different teams, a lot of different players on each team. You know it’s going to be a great game.”

SEC hopes

Texas and Georgia do not control their hopes of returning to the SEC title game. No. 3 Texas A&M and No. 4 Alabama have no SEC losses. The Bulldogs and Longhorns are playing to remain in position to enter a possible

tiebreaker scenario if either Alabama or Texas A&M lose.

CFP hopes

Georgia and Texas also will be playing to protect their playoff hopes. The Bulldogs are motivated to play for a first-round bye.

With two losses, the Longhorns may have a greater sense of urgency Texas defensive end Ethan Burke says that’s nothing new

“I think every week we know what we’ve got to do,” Burke said. “We know how much has been on the line the last five games or so. Every game has been huge.”

Texas pass rush

The Longhorns have been on a tear getting to the quarterback.

Texas ranks No. 1 nationally in sacks per game at 3.78 and has 34 overall. The leaders are edge rushers Colin Simmons and Burke. Simmons has eight sacks.

“He draws a lot of attention, it’s a benefit for the whole front,” Burke said of Simmons. “The quarterbacks have to keep him in their vision.”

Pelicans seek end to disappearing act

N.O. has seen leads vanish in third quarter

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

A magician performed at halftime of the New Orleans Pelicans’ home game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night

If only he could sprinkle some of his halftime magic on the Pelicans Not long after the magician left the court, the Pelicans returned from the locker room and did what is becoming the norm this season: they disappeared for a part of the third quarter

The Blazers went on a 15-2 run in the quarter and ended up handing the Pelicans their ninth loss of the season. Once again, it was a third quarter lull that did them in.

“We’ve got to finish third quarters,” forward Trey Murphy said.

“We’ve got to come out and start third quarters very well. We’re not starting third quarters well and teams are continuing to go on runs. It’s the same old song and dance.”

Pelicans coach Willie Green talked to his team at halftime about being the aggressors in the third quarter

points per game in the third quarter, which also ranked just ahead of the 76ers for last in the league.

Center Kevon Looney is in his first season with the Pelicans. He spent his first 10 NBA season with the Golden State Warriors, a team that had plenty of success in the third quarter of games during their championship years. So this probably feels like unfamiliar territory to him.

“We just have to play better defensively,” Looney said “Sometimes we have some letdowns in the third defensively

Former Cleveland State coach Mackey dies at 80 CLEVELAND Kevin Mackey, who coached Cleveland State to an improbable victory over Bob Knightled Indiana in the 1986 NCAA Tournament on the way to a berth in the Sweet 16 but whose college coaching career ended abruptly under the cloud of drug abuse, has died. He was 80. Mackey died of a sudden heart attack Tuesday according to his son, Brian. Mackey, who earlier coached at the high school level in Boston, had been an assistant at Boston College where he was known as a master recruiter when he was named coach of Cleveland State in 1983. He went 14-16 his first season with the Vikings, then had six straight winning years. He compiled a seven-year record of 144-67 at the school.

L.A. officials seek to halt proposed stadium gondola

LOS ANGELES A proposal to build a gondola from downtown Los Angeles to Dodger Stadium hit some turbulence this week when the City Council voted overwhelmingly to urge transportation officials to ground the project.

The estimated $500 million aerial tramway would connect fans between the stadium about a mile away to Union Station, the heart of Los Angeles’ rail system.

Supporters say the gondola would help fans of the World Series champions avoid nightmarish traffic. But critics worry that it would do little to keep cars off the roads. In a 12-1 vote, council members on Wednesday approved a resolution to advise the L.A. County Metropolitan Transportation Authority to kill the project.

Alcaraz seals year-ending No. 1 ranking with victory TURIN, Italy When it came down to it, Carlos Alcaraz needed less than 90 minutes to secure the year-ending No. 1 ranking in men’s tennis. Alcaraz needed one more win at the ATP Finals to beat Jannik Sinner to the No. 1 spot and the Spaniard duly got that as he eased to a 6-4, 6-1 victory over Italian Lorenzo Musetti on Thursday to sweep his group at the season-ending event for the top eight players. It is the second time in his career that the 22-year-old Alcaraz has ended the year at the top of the rankings. The Spaniard became the youngest player to finish a year at No. 1 when he achieved the feat as a 19-year-old in 2022.

Colo. AD George, who hired Sanders, set to step down DENVER Rick George, the athletic director at Colorado who hired football coach Deion Sanders, is stepping away from his role at the end of the academic year

The university announced his decision Thursday with the football team on an open date. George plans to move into an advisory role to the chancellor and serve as athletic director emeritus. He will help raise money for the department. George was brought on as Colorado’s athletic director in July 2013. One of his biggest moves was in December 2022 when he hired Sanders, the former NFL star known as coach Prime, who has revitalized a downtrodden football program George also oversaw the transition of the school from the Pac-12 Conference back to the Big 12.

“Based on our history of struggling in the third, we kind of get down on ourselves when teams go on a run. It’s the NBA and teams are going to go on runs.”

When asked Wednesday if he has been able to pinpoint anything to lead to the third quarter droughts, Green had this to say

MLS owners vote to shift soccer season in 2027

Major League Soccer owners voted Thursday to shift the league’s season to a summer-tospring calendar in 2027, bringing it more in line with its international counterparts.

“We knew they were going to make some adjustments ” Green said. “We just didn’t do enough in that quarter to make sure we weathered the storm of that first quick run that they had. I had to take a timeout and keep going from there. But it was three quarters of good basketball. We’ve just got to correct the third quarters.”

“Not yet,” Green said “I think that’s what we are continuously looking at. How can we get off to a better start in the third quarter when teams make an adjustment?”

The Pelicans host the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday They follow that up against the Golden State Warriors (Sunday), Oklahoma City Thunder (Monday) and the Denver Nuggets (Wednesday). All four of those teams rank in the top 11 in the league in third quarter scoring. In order for the Pelicans to have a chance against any of those teams, they will have to stop them from going on a scoring binge.

It’s been an issue since the season began In the opener against the Memphis Grizzlies, the Pelicans got outscored 41-22 in the third quarter

The Pelicans are averaging 24.5 points this season in the third quarter That ranks next to last in the league, only ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers. They are also being outscored by an average of 6.8

“When stuff starts happening, we’ve just got to be more resilient in adversity,” Looney said. “And keep playing solid basketball.”

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

The move aims to put MLS in a more competitive position for player transfers, while also freeing up players for national team duty during the summer, when many major international tournaments take place.

This season the league started play in late February, with a break for the Club World Cup over the summer

The MLS Cup championship game is set for Dec. 6. Under

Jaxon Olvera again led the Cajuns in scoring with 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting, along with four rebounds. Meanwhile, the Cowboys had blowout wins over Champions Christian 127-65 and 132-50 over the College of Biblical Studies, before falling 79-67 at Santa Clara.

In the loss, the Cowboys were led by Larry Johnson with 18 points on 10-of-10 shooting at the line, as well as 11 points each from DJ Richards and Tyshawn Archie. McNeese shot 45.1% from the field, 25% from 3-point land and made 17 of 23 free throws. McNeese was outrebounded 47-28, but outscored Santa Clara 38-26 in the paint and both teams had 17 second-chance points UL leads the all-time series 6226, but the Cowboys have won the last two games 74-72 two years ago in Lake Charles and 64-56 last season in Lafayette to snap an eight-game losing streak to the Cajuns. For the second straight game, the Cajuns will be playing without starting point guard Jamyron

Keller, who suffered a foot sprain in practice Monday

“To lose him the day before the game, that kind of shakes the team up,” White said of Keller’s loss. He’s the leader of the team. I hate to make any excuses, but that’s like a quarterback in football.”

In the loss to Tulane, UL led 4125 five minutes into the second half, but then struggled to score the rest of the way

“I feel like as a team, we just had to be more poised,” said De’Vion Lavergne, who had 11 points and seven rebounds. “Basketball is a game of runs. Teams are going to make runs, but those turnovers are the things we’ve got to work on as a group. We can’t have that.”

The Cajuns also need to find more balanced scoring. For example, UL’s three post players — Jeremiah Evans, Kyran Ratliff and Todd Jones — combined for zero points in the last two games.

Defensively, Tulane ended up shooting 45.7% percent from the floor

“We’re usually a pretty good defensive team,” Lavergne said.

“It was just one of those nights. I think we’re sticking with our principles. We trust in the system, trust the coaches and I think that’s going to get it done for us.”

StaFF PHOtO By HILary SCHeINUK LSU guard Mikaylah Williams works the ball around Charlotte guard Imani Smith on Wednesday at the Pete Maravich assembly Center

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In the first half, Mikaylah Williams picked one up when she drained a corner 3-pointer and exchanged words with Charlotte coach Tomekia Reed. Then freshman guard Bella Hines drew the second when she hit a 3-pointer of her own and pointed at the 49ers bench to celebrate.

Freshman forward Grace Knox was given the third technical late in the fourth quarter when she blocked a shot and stared down the Charlotte player who took it. Mulkey said when her teams pick up that many technical fouls, she usually either “loses it” or pulls the guilty players out of the game.

“If you’re gonna play great teams,” Mulkey said, “you can’t have that. But I wasn’t surprised “I think we probably laughed about it, and I probably trashtalked them and cut up with them and do what we do. We have personalities, but it wasn’t like that’s the most important thing in a scouting report. They were all aware of it.”

On Wednesday, LSU won in convincing fashion for the fourth time in as many games. The Tigers have beaten their first four opponents — Houston Christian, Southeastern Louisiana, Georgia Southern and Charlotte — by an average margin of 62 points.

They’ve also scored at least 100 points in all four matchups — a feat that only one LSU team has accomplished before. In 2022, the

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experienced steady playing time at defensive tackle. But if the sophomore wants to prove that he’d be indispensable for LSU’s incoming coaching staff, a disruptive finish to the year will be needed Breaux has seven quarterback pressures and nine tackles this season, according to Pro Football Focus.

DAVHON KEYS • LB Keys has become a starter since Whit Weeks’ injury, and though the sophomore linebacker hasn’t made many glaring mistakes, the downgrade in speed from Weeks

Westminster reaches semis for fifth consecutive season

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

It’s not arrogance, but more so confidence for the Westminster Crusaders’ volleyball program. Understanding that they have grown into a program expected to reach the state Division V semifinals, the Crusaders accomplished that feat Thursday for the fifth consecutive season by defeating the Northside Christian Warriors 25-15, 25-13 and 25-11.

“I thought we played pretty good,” said Crusaders head coach Keith Leon, whose team will face Central Catholic Morgan City/ ESA winner at 10 a.m. Thursday on Court 3 in the Cajundome. “We had some nerves and with the first game, you are going to have those nerves. But I thought we played good to a point, but Northside Christian did a good job. They haven’t been there since 2008, but they did a good job. They are very scrappy.”

The Crusaders, who improved to 35-9 on the year were led by Laila Gauthier (11 kills), Sophia Wiltz (8 kills), Ana-Camille Melancon (4 aces), Jules Angelle (16 assists, 8 digs), Aidan Magee (10 assists), and Isabella Guy (21 digs).

“(Thursday) was a slow game,” Leon said “I think our energy level was there and that was really important. When you get to the dome, your energy level is what gets you to the next one.”

In the losing effort, the Warriors were led by Emily Abshire, Khyra Abshire, Jade Guidry, Lauren Hebert and Heaven Williams. Emily Abshire finished with five kills and one ace, Khyra Abshire five blocks, Guidry 11 assists, Hebert 17 digs and Williams 12 digs.

“It’s hard because it has become expected of us to be here,” Leon said. “Our girls know that this is likely Country Day’s last year in Division V, so they want to give them another shot. They have said, ‘This may be our year.’ I just tell

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them to take it one game at a time, because we have to get there.”

DUNHAM 3, NOTRE DAME 1: Under first-year head coach Emily Boggetto, the Notre Dame Pios were hoping to avenge last year’s loss to Dunham.

Despite a valiant effort, the Pios fell short as they lost in four sets to the Tigers (31-10), who are the defending state champions, in the Division IV quarterfinals Thursday

The Pios won the second set 2624 after falling 25-20 in the first set, but Dunham bounced back to 25-15 and 26-24.

The Pios (17-16) were led by Valerie Brown (10 kills, 13 digs), Katie Trahan (34 assists, 3 blocks), Mary Ellen Trahan (4 kills, 3 blocks), Anna Francis (5 blocks), Lillian Guidry (4 kills), and Isabella Wimberly (16 digs).

NEWMAN 3, LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN 0:

The Lafayette Christian Knights couldn’t pull off the upset Thursday against Newman, whom they

were swept by 25-20, 25-16 and 25-22.

In the losing effort, the Knights were led by Grace Alexander (13 kills, 18 digs), Demi Barrett (12 kills, 1 ace), Katlyn Hicks (17 assists), Dimi Batiste (11 assists) and Reese Landry (10 digs, 1 ace).

NORTHLAKE CHRISTIAN 3, CATHOLICNI 1: The Catholic High of New Iberia Panthers’ season came to an end Thursday, after falling to Northlake Christian in four sets in the Division IV quarterfinals. After winning the first set 25-22, the Panthers couldn’t maintain the momentum and dropped the next three sets 25-20, 25-14, and 25-21. The Panthers, who ended the season 28-17 overall, were led by Amelie Trappey (17 kills, 35 digs, 2 aces), Mackenzie Batiste (9 kills, 21 assists), Renee Frederick (18 assists, 1 ace) and Addisyn Derouen (19 digs). Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Tigers who went on to win the 2023 national championship, strung together five consecutive 100-point outings to begin their season.

LSU has now scored at least 115 points seven times in program history

Three of those outings have come this season Against Charlotte, South Carolina transfer MiLaysia Fulwiley caught fire from 3-point range and scored a season-high 22 points. Williams added 18 points, while Flau’jae Johnson mixed in 16. Four other contributors scored in double figures.

LSU, as a team, shot 49% from the field and 10 of 20 from beyond the arc.

This season, the Tigers are shooting a hyper-efficient 56% from the field and a red-hot 48% from 3-point range. Anderson, the Charlotte player who posted the TikTok, scored a game-high 27 points against the Tigers in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center But she may have also inadvertently lit a fire under her opponent, fueling the 58-point drubbing it handed to her and her teammates on Wednesday

“It fired them up,” Mulkey said.

“If I was a player, I’d be fired up too. I always look for ways to motivate If you can find things to put on a bulletin board or say to kids to motivate them to get them just a little bit more pumped up, do it.”

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com. For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

to Keys has been noticeable But if Keys can show his value as a strong tackler and smart player, perhaps LSU’s next regime will want him back as a steadying presence for the defense.

JU’JUAN JOHNSON • RB The next staff may covet Johnson’s versatility, as the sophomore has experience at safety and quarterback, along with being third on the team in rushing attempts as a running back However, he may need to turn things around over the next three games for the incoming regime to recognize his potential. Johnson has just 4 yards rushing on six attempts over the last three games. DOMINICK McKINLEY DT

his first start last week against the Rams to his second one against the Panthers. I know it’s just one game, but I think I saw enough to believe the Saints finally found QB1. Looking forward to seeing what the rest of the season holds for him.

Predict Saints’ final record

Jeff Duncan: I picked them to go 4-13 in preseason, and I see no reason to stray from that prediction now This team simply lacks the elite talent and star power necessary to beat good teams. Even games against cellar dwellers like the Jets, Dolphins and Titans can’t be taken for granted.

A 2-5 finish feels right.

Luke Johnson: This is that weird moment where you look at the Saints schedule and see a couple of potential wins, only to realize other beat writers are looking at their teams schedule and seeing the Saints as a potential win. I like enough of what I’ve seen from Shough to believe they can go 3-4 down the stretch, so put me down at a 5-12 finish, but know that I don’t feel good about it.

Matt Paras: I went into the season predicting 4-13, and I’m sticking with it. Give me one more NFC South win and then either the Titans or the Jets. They have the potential to go on a run, but they’d have to start playing consistently better down the stretch.

Rod Walker: It’s crazy how much my answer to this question has changed. If you had asked me this the day before Sunday’s game

McKinley was a five-star recruit and at one point appeared to be the future of LSU’s defensive tackle room. But, thus far, his sophomore season has been a bit underwhelming. McKinley has only seven quarterback pressures and five tackles. He’ll need a couple of big performances at the end of the year to raise his stock.

COEN ECHOLS • LG Echols has earned the starting nod over redshirt sophomore Paul Mubenga at left guard over the last four games. The redshirt freshman has shown promise as a run blocker and has allowed just one sack this season, furthering himself from being the core of LSU’s issues on the offensive line.

aP PHOtO By JaCOB KUPFerMaN Saints quarterback tyler Shough runs the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the first half of their game on Sunday in Charlotte, N.C.

against the Panthers, I probably would have said maybe one more win. I thought the Saints were done. But seeing the way the defense played and Shough’s growth, I’m willing to give them three more. That would put them at 5-12, which is one more win than I predicted before the season started.

Other areas of concern?

Jeff Duncan: The Saints need elite playmakers on both sides of the ball. There’s not one single area that concerns me. They ALL concern me. They’re looking at a top 5 pick in next year’s draft and after using so many recent picks on linemen, it’s time to invest in an offensive playmaker

Perhaps Echols can earn a starting role next year with a couple more good performances.

CARIUS CURNE OL Curne has been thrust into a starting role at left tackle, a position Kelly previously suggested may not be suited for him. But if the freshman shows signs of improvement over the last few games, perhaps a starting role at guard could be waiting for him in 2026. The former four-star recruit is an SEC-level talent despite his struggles at tackle.

or difference-maker on defense. Either one would help accelerate the club’s rebuilding plan.

Luke Johnson: Do the Saints have the correct people in place in the front office to get the rebuild on track? New Orleans has a ton of experience in its front office, and those people have had a lot of collective successes that you can’t just wave away But you also can’t ignore the state of the roster at this point and the reasons it’s gotten there. The Saints have not drafted well, and they’ve made some decisions to retain players that have either backfired or aged poorly These next two offseasons will be absolutely crucial, and New Orleans can’t afford the same mistakes. Matt Paras: The Saints need to draft better for this rebuild to be a success. Their 2025 class, for now, seems promising, but one of the main reasons the Saints have ended up at this point is because they haven’t hit on nearly enough young players. As Luke said, do they have the right people in place?

Rod Walker: Going into the season, I really thought the offensive line was figured out and the Saints could finally start looking to fill some of their other holes. But the decision to draft Trevor Penning ended up being an awful move. The injuries on the line have continued. So the Saints will still have to build a line But there are concerns everywhere. There aren’t many players on the roster that another team would look at and say

“Oh, I’d love to have him.” The Saints seemed to have hit on some draft picks this year, but they need to string together another draft or two like that.

DASHAWN SPEARS S It may be difficult for Spears to earn a lot of playing time over the next three games with AJ Haulcy and Tamarcus Cooley still healthy and producing at safety But another performance like the one the sophomore had in Week 3 against Florida wouldn’t hurt his chances of earning an elevated role next season.

TYLEN SINGLETON LB Singleton has only played 13 snaps on defense against SEC competition, but the redshirt freshman could earn a bigger role over the next few weeks if Keys struggles and/or Whit Weeks doesn’t return from injury The former four-star recruit has the speed and size to be a difference-maker at weakside linebacker Email Koki Riley at Koki.Riley@theadvocate.com.

StaFF PHOtO By LeSLIe WeStBrOOK Westminster Christian’s Murphy Goudeau attempts a kill during the Crusaders’ state quarterfinal volleyball win over Northside Christian on thursday at the Cajundome.

Yetanother rematchset

Carencro,acadiana set to meet in playoffs again

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

For the third time in the past four seasons, there’sarematch between longtime rivals Acadiana High and Carencro.

While that might seem like abit much for most, Carencro coach Gavin Peters prefers to look on the bright side even after last week’sheartbreaking 21-14 loss to the Wreckin’ Rams lastFriday

“Wemight as well do it one last time,” said Peters, whose No 19-seeded GoldenBears travel again to meet No. 14 Acadiana at 7p.m. Friday at Bill Dotson Stadium in the Division Iselect first round.

“One last time.”

Carencro will move downto Class 4A next season and will onlyplay the Rams in nondistrict games in the future.

“Wemight not ever be in 5A again,” he said.

The Rams have won eight of the 11 meetingsbetween the twoteams over the past decadewith most of

the games going down to thewire.

In 2023, the Rams won27-26 in the regularseason, before winning 14-7 in theplayoffs. The year before that,the Rams won21-20 in the regular season, beforeCarencro won the rematch 27-17.

“My viewpoint on it is it’snot goodfor the district, because only one of us has achancetomove forward,” AcadianacoachDoug Dotson said. “It’scrazy how often this hashappened.”

AfterCarencrosuffereda hum-

bling 70-35 loss to Southside in Week 9, the Bearstook Acadiana to thewire, beforefalling 21-14 on a touchdown pass from Ty Lamartina to Collin DiBetta with 32 seconds left. It was obvious howmuchCarencro’sknowledgeofthe veer,with such former Rams’ assistant coaches Kyle Seibold and Jordan Romero nowonthe Bears’ staff, aided in limiting Acadiana to 233 yards rushing and286 overall Carencro’s offense led in first

downs18-14 andtotal yards with 363.

“Wejust didn’thaveenough drives that ended in points,” Peters said. “We’ve just have to find away to getinthe endzone.”

Peters urged his team not to expect avirtualrepeat game.

“You have to be careful about looking too muchinto the previous game,” he said. “This game is going to be abrand-new game. Look at LSUand Alabama in 2011; those two games were completely different.

“In the first tworematches with Acadiana, allthe games were dogfights, butthe games were very different.”

Dotson said he is hoping hisRams can solve Carencro’sdefensive strategy to be more explosive this time around.

“Ingames like this, every possession is magnified,” Dotson said. “We’vegot to make the best of each possession.”

With running back Troy Kennerson (95 carries for 769 yards, 11 TDs)back, Acadiana’s backfield is as healthywith DionSimon(96-731, 10 TDs) and SyrianJoseph(79-513, six TDs)readyaswell.

“We’ve leaned alot on Troy and Dion, so Ithink Sy (Joseph) and Jaevien Lawrenceare going to have to

give us something this week,” Dotsonsaid.

If hisRamscan winitwithout a big contribution fromLamartina, Dotson will take it, but he’salso grown usedtohis productioninthe big moments.

“I’mproud of him,”Dotsonsaid. “He’sanswered the call. He’s played quarterback, receiver, even running backwhenneeded. His blocksonthe perimeter have been big.

“We’vehad bigdrives at opportune times and nobody cares where they’re at. That’swhat I love about this group, (they are) just unselfish.

The Bears got 244 yards passing from Carson Gurzi on 13-of-22 passing, but only managed two touchdowns.Thatcame onegame after scoring 35 points.

“Any time youholdanoffense to 14 points, it’sthe offense’sjob to makesure youscore morepoints,” Peters said. “We’re definitelykind of taking it hard on the offensive side, no different than the defensive side took it hard the week before

“The roles kind of flipped (from Southside game). Hopefully we can put both of themtogetherand come outvictorious this Friday.”

Lafayettefaces bigchallenge againstSt. Thomas More

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

When LafayetteHigh’sStephen

Hearen accepted the football coaching position with the Mighty Lions in May,hedid so with the confidence he could turn the Lions into aconsistent winner

He’soff to agood start.

In his first year at the helm, Hearen has ledthe Lions to a6-4 record, securing the program’s first winningregular seasonsince 2020 when they were 5-1 in the shortened campaign becauseof the coronavirus pandemic.

The Lions, who are in the playoffs for the second consecutive

season,will look to endanother drought by winning their first playoffgame since 2020 when they defeated East Jefferson 43-6.

Accomplishingthat feat won’t be easy, as theLions will travel to face perennial power St. Thomas More at 7p.m.inthe first round of theDivision Iselect playoffs.

“STM is themodel of consistency,” Hearen said. “Year in andyear out, they execute well offensively, defensively and on special teams. They are so consistent as aprogram, andthey do so many things well.”

The10th-seeded Cougars(7-3), who have won seven of their past eight games after starting 0-2, are

led by quarterbackCole Bergeron. Bergeron, whoisaVirginia Tech commitment, hascompleted 159 of 328 passes for 2,346 yards with 27 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

Among his favorite targets is Christian Breaux, whoisthird in thearea in yardsreceivingwith 56 receptions for 910 yards and 13 touchdowns. “Theyjust have agood scheme, andI think they are really underrated as far as their rungame goes,” Hearen said. “Their offensive line is really good, andtheir running backsrun theball hard, so youhavetokind of just pickyour poison. But they are going to take advantage at whatever you’re giv-

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ing them.”

Offensively, the Lions are led by quarterback Richmond Saunier, running back XzabanWilliams and receiverJamieon Brown.Saunier has completed 60 of 102 passes for 1,105 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions, while Williams hasrushed for 985 yards and13 touchdowns on 141 carries. Brown, abig-play threat on offense and special teams, is eighth in the area in yards receiving with 38 catches for662 yardsand nine TDs.

Despite athree-gamestretch in whichthey lost to Carencro, Acadiana and Barbe, Hearen said he likes the way the Lions have

playedinconsecutive wins over NewIberia and Sulphur

“I feelgoodabout where we are offensively,” Hearensaid. “We played just about as bad of agame all-around,not just offensively against Carencro and since then Ifeel like we have been moving forward.

“Against Acadiana, we missed someopportunities, but theirdefensive line is about as good as you’re going to see. Since those two games, we’ve beengetting healthier and so Ifeel good about where we are.”

Email Eric Narcisse at enarcisse@theadvocate.com.

Division I No. 1Dominican vs.No. 8Fontainebl.,n No. 4St. Joseph’s vs.No. 5Northsh., n No. 3Slidell def. No. 6Southside,3-0 No. 2Mou. Carmel vs.No. 10 Chapelle, n Friday’s Semifinals

No. 3Slidell vs.TBA,3:30 p.m. FINALS: 7p.m. Saturday Division II No. 1St. Thomas Morevs. No. 8Kenner Discovery,n No. 4S.Lafourche vs.No. 5Natchitoches Central, n No. 3Acad. of Our Lady vs.No. 6Teurl. Cath., n. No. 2St. Scholastica def. No. 7S.Houst., 3-1 Friday’s Semifinals No. 4South Lafourche vs.TBA,1:40 p.m. No. 2St. Scholastica vs.TBA,1:40 p.m.

College basketball State men’s schedule, scores Wednesday’s game Valparaiso 68, Nicholls 63 Thursday’s games Southern Miss at Grambling, n FIU at LSU,n UL-Monroe at Houston Christian, n Friday’s games UL-Monroe at Ole Miss, 6:30 p.m. Nicholls at Eastern Illinois, 7p.m. Southeastern at UL, 7:30 p.m. McNeese at Santa Clara, 9p.m. State women’s schedule,scores Wednesday’s games Tulane 77, North Florida 54 Florida State 89, Nicholls 64 New Mexico 99, UNO 65 Ole Miss 94, Southern 44 LSU 117, Charlotte 59 Thursday’s games None scheduled. Friday’s games UL at Nicholls, 6:30 p.m. LATE WEDNESDAY No. 5LSU 117, Charlotte 59 CHARLOTTE (2-2) Nicholson 3-10 2-2 8, White 1-2 2-4 4, Anderson 9-24 7-9 27, Best 1-8 0-0 2, Hayes1-8 2-4 4, Gage

0-10-2 0, Staley2-3 0-04,Cornish2-5 0-0 6, Henderson 0-2 0-0 0, Nimo 0-3 0-0 0, Smith 0-3

4-4 4, Thiel 0-0 0-0 0, Totals19-69 17-25 59 LSU (4-0) Koval2-3 6-8 10, ZaKiyah Johnson 5-100-0 10, Flau’Jae Johnson 5-10 4-4 16, Richard0-8 0-0 0, Williams 5-7 6-6 18, Joyner 3-4 9-1015, Knox4-6 2-4 10, Yarnevich 0-0 1-2 1, Bourrage 0-0 2-2 2, Fulwiley 8-11 1-1 22, Gilbert 0-6 6-6 6, Hines 3-6 0-3 7, Totals 35-71 37-46 117 Charlotte 12 51725— 59 LSU 36 26 28 27 —117 3-Point Goals—Charlotte 4-30 (Anderson 2-10, Best 0-5, Hayes0-4, Cornish 2-5, Henderson 0-1, Nimo 0-3, Smith 0-2),LSU 10-20 (F Johnson 2-3, Richard0-2, Williams 2-4, Fulwiley 5-6, Gilbert 0-3, Hines 1-2) Assists—Charlotte 5(Hayes2), LSU 14 (Richard3). Fouled Out—Charlotte Hayes, Gage, Smith,LSU Yarnevich.Rebounds— Charlotte 37 (Nicholson 9),

PREP VOLLEYBALL

FINALS: 4:30 p.m. Saturday DivisionIII No. 1St. Michael vs.No. 8Lutcher,n No. 4Haynes def. No. 5University, 3-1 No. 3Parkview Baptistdef. No. 6E.D.White, 3-1 No. 2Hannan def. No. 10 Van. Catholic,3-0 Friday’s Semifinals No. 4Haynes Academyvs. TBA, 11:50 a.m. No. 3Park. Baptist vs.No. 2Hannan, 11:50a.m. FINALS: 2p.m. Saturday DivisionIV No. 1Country Daydef,No. 9Riverside,3-0 No. 5Ascension Cath. def. No.4McGehee, 3-2 No. 3Central Catholic vs.No. 6Episcopalof Acadiana, n No. 2Westminster Christian def. No. 7Northside Christian, 3-0 Friday’s Semifinals No. 4John Curtis vs.No. 1Dunham, 10 a.m. No. 2Newman vs.No. 3NorthlakeChristian 11:50 a.m. FINALS - Saturday, 11:30 a.m. DivisionV No. 1Country Daydef,No. 9Riverside, 3-0 No. 5AscensionCatholic def. No. 4McGehee, 3-2 No. 3Central Catholic vs.No. 6Episcopalof Acadiana, 3:40 p.m. No. 2Westminster Christian def. No. 7NorthsideChristian, 3-0 Friday’s Semifinals No. 1Country Dayvs. No. 5Ascension Catholic, 10 a.m. No. 2Westminster vs.TBA FINALS: 9a.m. Saturday

StaFF PHOtO By rOBINMay

Carencroquarterback Carson Gurzi tries to escapeanacadiana High rusher during the rams’ 21-14 win over the Bears last Friday.

TRUE STORY

4new documentariesto watchbeforethe Christmas rush

BY JUDYBERGERON Staff writer

Enjoy the brief lull between now and Thanksgiving, when the switch is flipped on forthe 2025 holiday season. Pop some popcorn and settle in for one of these new documentaries or make anight of it and binge all four

PrOVIDeD PHOtO FrOM NetFLIX

‘Being eddie’ leads fans on an insightful journeythrough Hollywood titan eddie Murphy’s careerand life

“BeingEddie”(Netflix)

When it comes to comedy,he’s among the best of the best. With an unforgettable laugh of his own, Eddie Murphy has cracked us up since those early “Saturday Night Live” days as memorable charactersMr. Robinson, Velvet Jones and Alfalfa. Murphy jumped to featurefilms including the “BeverlyHills Cops” franchise, “Coming to America,” “Shrek” and many others. And it all started with stand-up comedy

“Being Eddie” leads fanson an insightful journeythrough the Hollywood titan’scareer and life.Including exclusive interviews and perspectives from his fellowentertainers, expect to find out more about what makes Murphy tick, and why he can still bring the laughs. (Rated R)

PrOVIDeD PHOtO By BeN rOSS aND

LeONOraGOLBerG

John Lennon and yoko Ono’s first year in Newyorkunfolds in PBS’‘One to One: John &yoko.

“One to One: John &Yoko” (HBO Max)

From the Beatles’ invasion to his later work as asolo artist, John Lennon forever left his mark on music. With his muse and eventual second wife, Yoko Ono, their influence broadened to art and social activism.

“One to One: John &Yoko” dissects thecouple’sfirst year in New York City in the early 1970s,delivering “an immersive, cinematic experience that brings to life achapter of explosive creativity and political activism in their lives,” according to the synopsis.

ä See TRUE, page 6C

SCHOOL FUN

theBaton rouge-shot indie comedy film “SeniorPrank” will have ascreening and Q-and-a with the filmmakers at 5p.m. Sundayatthe Manship theatre, 100 Lafayette St. “When their senior prank goes wildly offthe rails, four students scramble to fixthe mess, dodgeauthority and survivethe high school chaos.” $12.50. manshiptheatre.org

the all-female band artemis’ Wednesdayshowatthe

JAZZING THINGS UP

BY JOHN WIRT Contributingwriter

Theacclaimedjazzgroup Artemis beganwith aspecial request. In 2016, aFrenchpromoter asked pianist Renee Rosnes to organize an allfemale jazz band to perform in Paris and Luxembourg. Rosnes immediately realized that theall-starbandshe pulled together for concertstimed to International Women’sDay deservedanencore

“Wehad agreat time playingtogether and we wanted to continue,” theNew York City-basedRosnes said last week.

Theband continued in summer 2017 with performances in 14 European countries.The following summer,Don Was, president of Blue Note Records signed the group tothe legendary jazz labelafterattending the band’sdebut at

the Newport Jazz Festival.

“Although each individual member of this supergroup is abona fide jazztitan,” Wassaid in aBlue Note media release, “these incredible musicians dwell in the rarefiedair of bands whose whole is greater than the sumofits already sublimeparts. Their musical conversation is sophisticated,soulful andpowerful.”

Artemis—named after the Greek goddess of nature, hunting and wild animals —will follow fivenights at New York City’sBirdland jazz club withtwo deep South performances in Baton Rouge and Oxford, Mississippi. Thegroup’s Wednesdayshowatthe Manship Theatreispart of the River CityJazz Masters concert series.

As the10thanniversaryyearofArtemis’ foundinglooms, thebandcan look back at avery good 2025. High points include aDownbeat magazinecoverstory;

ARTEMIS

7:30 p.m.Wednesday ● Manship theatre, 100 Lafayette St Baton rouge ● $56-$71 ● manshiptheatre.org and artemisband.com

afeature story in The NewYork Times; the group’sVillage Vanguard debut; summer and fall tours of Europe; and thereleaseofathirdBlue Notealbum “Arboresque.”

Rosnes, pianist and musical director, andtrumpeter Ingrid Jensen have been in Artemis sinceits formation. Saxophonist NicoleGlover joined shortly after the band formed, andbassist Noriko Ueda anddrummer Allison Miller have been members since 2018.

ä See ARTEMIS, page 6C

Louisianaartists fill 2026 Grammysballot

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Music’sbiggest night will be full of Louisiana flair

The2026 Grammy nominations were announced last week, with several categories featuring artists with Louisiana ties. Baskin native Lainey Wilson, 33, has three nominations, while the best regional roots music album category is nothing but New Orleans Wilsonrecently brought her “Whirlwind” tour to BatonRouge and BossierCity. Also in September,she receivedsix Country Music Association nominations, including the entertainer of the year Now she’supfor thefollowing Grammys: n Best countrysoloperformance for “Somewhere Over Laredo” n Best countryduo/group perfor-

and singer whoattendedhigh school in BatonRouge and worked as acustodian at LSU, is nominated for best traditional blues album for“Ain’tDoneWith The Blues.” AndLouisiana native Addison

Batiste Guy Wilson

PrOVIDeD PHOtOByJOHNaBBOtt

Manship theatre is partofthe riverCityJazz Masters concertseries.

WEEKEND’SFAIRS &FESTIVALS

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

ALLEN PARISH FAIR: Allen Parish Fairgrounds, Tiger Lane, Oberlin. Fridayevents include a10a.m. parade, 7p.m. youth rodeo andmusic by Morgan Lemelle &the Zydeco Playmakers. Thechili cook-off begins at 9a.m. Saturday, with judging at noon followedbyPeople’s Choice tasting ($5); rodeostarts at 7:30 p.m. Fair midway by Midwest Rides. Followthe fair’s Facebook page.

SATURDAY-SUNDAY; NOV. 22-23; 28-30; ANDDEC.6-7

LOUSIANA RENAISSANCE

FESTIVAL: 46468 River Road, Hammond. Travelback to 14th- through17th-century Europe, an experiencewith over600 artisans, entertainers and educational demonstrations. Tickets startat

By the associated Press

Today is Friday,Nov.14, the 318th day of 2025 There are 47 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.14, 1970, achartered Southern Airways planecrashed whiletrying to land in West Virginia, killing all 75 people on board, including the Marshall University football team and its coachingstaff Also on this date:

In 1851, Herman Melville’snovel “Moby-Dick; Or,The Whale” was published in the United States, almost amonth after being released in Britain.

In 1889, journalist Nellie Bly began an attempt to travel around the world in 80 days; she would successfully complete the journey in alittle more than 72 days via ships, trains and other means of transport.

In 1910, Eugene B. Ely became the first aviator to take off from aship as his Curtiss “Pusher” biplane lifted off the deck of the

TRUE

Continued from page5C

The couple’sson, Sean Ono Lennon, and Brad Pitt are among the documentary’sexecutive producers. (Rated R) “Love+War”(Disney+)

From Oscar-winning filmmakers Chai Vasarhelyi and Jimmy Chin comes this look at the life and career of Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Lynsey Addario. Well-known war photographer Addario has turned her lens to not only the U.S., but also South America, India, Afghanistan, Pakistan,

GRAMMYS

Continued from page5C

has gone to artists like Chappell Roan,Chancethe Rapper,Sam Smith, Adele, Amy Winehouse and Zac Brown Band. Other Grammy nominees with Louisiana ties include:

JON BATISTE: Best American roots performance for “LonelyAvenue,” bestAmerican roots song for “Big Money” and bestAmericana albumfor “Big Money”

COREY HENRY& THE TREME

FUNKTET: Best regional roots

FILePHOtO By rOBINMay

Worlen Stoute prepares some cooked cracklins to cool beforethe final step in the popper pot during the 2024 Port Barre Cracklin’ Festival.

$20. larf2023.org

FRIDAY-SUNDAY PORTBARRE CRACKLIN FESTIVAL: VeteransMemorial Park, 129 Park St Port

TODAYIN HISTORY

cruiser USSBirmingham off Hampton Roads, Virginia. Theflight by the civilian pilot marked the beginningsofnaval aviation.

In 1940, during World War II, German bombing raids destroyed much of the Englishcity of Coventry. In 1960, 6-year-old Ruby Bridges, under escort by federal marshals,became the first Black child to desegregate anall-White elementaryschoolinNew Orleans.

In 1965,the U.S. Army’s first majormilitary engagement of the Vietnam War beganwith thestart of the five-dayBattle of Ia Drang. In 1969,Apollo 12blasted off for themoon, three months after Apollo 11 becamethe first mannedmission to land onit.

In 1972,the Dow Jones IndustrialAverage closed above the 1,000level for the first time, ending the dayat1,003.16.

In 1993, Miami Dolphins coach Don Shula became theNFL’s winningest

Iraq, Haiti, thenUkraine and more, often focusing on conflicts and human rights issues.She also was one of thefour NewYork Times journalists held captive and released five days later by the Libyanarmy in 2011. The film also touches on thechallenges of juggling being awifeand mother while working in some of the world’smost dangerous places. (Rated R) “KingofThemAll:The Story of King Records” (PBS) Cincinnati-based King Records was founded by Syd Nathan in the early 1940s, an underdog label and one of the few racially integrated ones, and led American

music album for “Live At Vaughan’s” PRESERVATION BRASS &PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND: Best regional roots music album for “For Fat Man” KYLE ROUSSEL: Best regional rootsmusic album for “Church of New Orleans” TROMBONE SHORTYAND NEW BREED BRASS BAND: Bestregional rootsalbum for “Second Line Sunday” A.J. HAYNES,CJCHENIER,SONNY LANDRETHAND OTHER VARIOUS ARTISTS: Best regional roots musicalbum for “A Tribute To The King Of Zydeco”

SULLIVAN FORNTER: Best jazz instrumental album for

Barre.First held in 1985, this multidayevent hosts astreet fair, pageantand parade while raising money for the Port Barre Lions Club.cracklinfest.com.

coach with avictory over thePhiladelphia Eagles. Including an earlier stint coaching the Baltimore Colts, Shula finished his 33-year career with 347 victories, 19 of them in postseason play

In 2020, supporters of Republican President Donald Trump—unwilling to accept Democrat Joe Biden’selection victory rallied around the country, including Washington, D.C., where thousands turned out.

Today’sbirthdays: Britain’s King Charles III is 77. Filmmaker ZhangYimou is 75. Musician Yanni is 71. Five-time Tour de France winner Bernard Hinault is 71. Basketball Hall of Famer Jack Sikmais70. Rapper Joseph Simmons (Reverend RunofRunDMC) is 61. News anchor Bill Hemmer is 61. Actor Josh Duhamel is 53. Rock drummer Travis Barker (blink-182) is 50. Actorcomedian Vanessa Bayer is 44. Tennis player Sofia Kenin is 27.

music and culture in new directions.

“’King of Them All’unfolds like alistening session withhistory.From James Brown’ssoul to the Stanley Brothers’ bluegrass, King Records shaped genres thatstill echo today,” PBS synopsis states. “Guides by voices like Stein, Vince Gill and Christian McBride, the film restores alost legacy.”

King Records continued releasing original material until 1975. In 2008, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame placed ahistorical marker at the former King Records headquarters. (RatedPG)

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

“Southern Nights”

GREER GRIMSELY: Best operarecording for “Tesori: Grounded”

CARTER LANG: Album of the year forco-write on Justin Bieber’s “SWAG”

JOHNAYE KENDRICK: Best arrangement, instruments and vocals for “Big Fish”

KENNY WAYNESHEPHERD: Best traditional blues album for “Young Fashioned Ways”

The68th Grammy Awards air Feb.1onCBS

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

FRIDAY “WILD KRATTS LIVE 2.0”: Heymann Performing Arts Center,Lafayette, 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m.

DAVE BRUCE: Adopted Dog Brewing, Lafayette, 6p.m

AUDREY BROUSSARD: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Naq’s-n-Duson, Duson, 6p.m.

MARLON G: Prejean’s,Broussard,6p.m.

PHI MU’SCHILDREN’SMIRACLE

NETWORK FUNDRAISER: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 6p.m.

BUTCH TINKER &RICHARD

COMEAUX: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

THECAST: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m.

MAJOR HANDYBAND: Whiskey &Vine,Lafayette, 7p.m.

ISAACLEJEUNE: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m.

HIGH NOTES FEATURING THE GOOD DUDES: ChezLaFête, Lafayette, 7p.m.

IN HONOR OF JEAN-MICHEL

BASQUIAT: The Theatre at Baranco, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m.

CHÈRE ELISE: Hideawayon Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: The Barrelof Broussard, Broussard, 8p.m.

NIK-L BEER: Rock ’n’ Bowl Lafayette, 9p.m

SATURDAY

JEFFERYBROUSSARD &THE

CREOLE COWBOYS: Buck & Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 8a.m

CAJUN JAM: Moncus Park Lafayette, 9a.m

SATURDAY MORNING JAM

SESSIONS: Savoy Music Center, Eunice, 9a.m

CAJUN JAM: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

CAJUN FRENCH MUSIC JAM: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m

JAMMIN’ ON THE BAYOU: St Landry Visitor Center, Opelousas, 1p.m

SUGAR JAMFEATURING AL-

LIGATOR BLUE: Sugar Mill Pond, Youngsville, 6p.m

ROUGAROU STOMP: Adopted DogBrewing,Lafayette, 6p.m

JACK WOODSON: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

LIVE MUSIC: Jim Deggy’s,Lafayette, 6p.m

CLIFF BERNARD: Prejean’s, Broussard, 6p.m

KENHOLLOWAY: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m

MEAGAN &CLAUDIA: Buck &Johnny’s, Breaux Bridge, 6:30 p.m.

BAYOUBEATS: Pat’sAtchafalaya Club, Henderson, 7p.m

JILL BUTLER COMBO: Whiskey &Vine, Lafayette, 7p.m

DOYLE TAUZIN: Silver Slipper, Arnaudville, 7p.m

ANDREW DUHON: The Sidecar, Lafayette, 7p.m

HIGH PERFORMANCE: La PoussiereCajun Dancehall,

ARTEMIS

Continuedfrom page5C

Rosnes’ requisite forArtemis membership simply is “nicepeople, excellent players,”she said. “Life is too shorttonot havenice people in theband, but they must also be excellent musicians, whichall of these women are.”

Rosnes’ work as bandleader includes making setlists, honing repertoire and arranging musicnot composed by thegroup’smembers.

“With everybody’soriginal music, it’sa democratic process,” shesaid.“Whoever’scomposition it is leads the band. And Idon’t recall atime when we said, ‘We don’twant to play that.’ If somebody brings in apiece that they think is great for theband, we work on it and play it.”

After performing together foryears,the group’s membersknow each other’s playing well enough tocomposetotheir strengths.“We

BreauxBridge,8 p.m

JULIAN PRIMEAUX: Gloria’s Bar &Grill, Lafayette, 8p.m.

OEUVAL CAJUN BAND W/BEAU

THOMAS: Hideaway on Lee, Lafayette, 8p.m.

POCKET CHANGE WITH SOL ROSA: Artmosphere, Lafayette, 8p.m.

REPTILIAN WARMACHINE, THORNPRICK &GHOST

PRISM: Freetown Boom Boom Room, Lafayette, 8p.m.

DUKES’N’ BOOTS: O’Darby’s Pub&Grill, Carencro, 8p.m.

JAMIE BERGERON &THE

KICKIN’ CAJUNS: Lakeview Park, Eunice,8 p.m

SPANK THE MONKEY: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 9p.m.

ONE TRICK PONY: Toby’s Lounge,Opelousas, 8:30 p.m

SUNDAY

GLENN ZERINGUE: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 11 a.m.

LIVE MUSIC: Tante Marie, Breaux Bridge, 11 a.m.

LES FRERES MICHOT: Prejean’s, Carencro, 11:30 a.m.

CICO’SSONGWRITING CIRCLE: NUNU Arts&CultureCollective, Arnaudville, noon

BALDUDIMANCHE –HORACETRAHAN &THE OSSUN EXPRESS: Vermilionville, Lafayette, 1p.m

CAJUNJAM WITH TOMMY MICHOT: BayouTeche Brewing, Arnaudville, 2p.m

WAYNE TOUPS,JAMEY BEARB &FRIENDS: Cypress Cove Landing, Breaux Bridge, 3p.m

FORET TRADITION: Pat’s Atchafalaya Club, Henderson, 4:30 p.m.

RUSTYMETOYER: Rock ’n’ Bowl, Lafayette, 5p.m

JAKE SPINELLA: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m

DOUG BROUSSEAU: Silver Slipper,Arnaudville, 7p.m

MONDAY PATRICIO LATINO SOLO: Café HabanaCity,Lafayette, 11 a.m.

SAMSPHAR: Charley G’s Lafayette, 6p.m.

BLUEGRASS JAM: Cité des Arts,

compose for this band and these players,”Rosnes said.

While excellent female jazz instrumentalists, such as brass,woodwind, bassists anddrummers, areeasier to find now than ageneration ago, an all-female jazz band is still uncommon “Art forms transcend gender,” Rosnes said. “It’s about time that jazz caught up, andnot aweird thing that there’sall-women bands. Yes, we arewomen but by the time the first selection ends,audiences aren’tthinking about that anymore.They’re just digging the music.”

Lafayette, 6:30 p.m

TUESDAY

TERRYHUVAL &FRIENDS: Prejean’s Restaurant, Lafayette, 6p.m.

JAZZ TRIO –PAULTAUSSIN, TREYBOUDREAUX&GINO

VALLENCILLO: Charley G’s Lafayette, 6p.m.

ROB SAXY: Whiskey &Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.

WEDNESDAY

DULCIMER JAM: St. Landry Visitor Center,Opelousas, 10 a.m.

PAUL PIAZZA: TheTap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m

SAMSPHAR: Charley G’s Lafayette, 6p.m.

T’MONDE: Park Bistro, Lafayette, 6p.m.

ANDREW WAIN JAZZ: Whiskey &Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.

LIVE MUSIC: TheTap Room, Youngsville, 6:30 p.m

CAJUN JAM: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 8p.m.

GEESCOTT’SBIRTHDAY JAM!: Gloria’s Bar &Grill, Lafayette, 8p.m.

THURSDAY

PAUL TASSIN: Charley G’s, Lafayette, 6p.m.

DUSTIN SONNIER: SHUCKS!, Abbeville, 6:30 p.m

LAYLA LEVERGNE: Whiskey & Vine, Lafayette, 6p.m.

UL HODGEPODGEEVENT: Blue Moon Saloon, Lafayette, 6p.m.

PAUL SIMON’S“GRACELAND” WITH SCOTT MULVAHILL: AcadianaCenter for the Arts, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

GRAYWALKER: Rock ’n’Bowl, Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

“DOLLYPARTON’SSMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS CAROL”: HeymannPerforming Arts Center,Lafayette, 7:30 p.m

Compiled by Marchaund Jones. Want your venue’s music listed? Email info/ photos to showstowatch@ theadvocate.com. The deadline is noon FRIDAY for the following Friday’spaper

“Thatfeelsgood,” Rosnes said. “When we perform anddomasterclassesat universities, young women and, actually,men, come to hear us. It’s gratifying when these young musicians tell us that we’vemade them feel like they can do this, too. We are an inspirational band for young musicians, especiallyyoung female musicians. They’re the genuine thing, too, just as much as the menare. We all have the capacity to createand be part of this thing we call jazz.”

Email John Wirt at j_wirt@ msn.com.

Rosnes movedtoNew York from Vancouver,British Columbia, in 1985. She soon wastouring and recording withWayne Shorter,Joe Henderson, Bobby Hutcherson, James Moody andmore jazzgreats.She’s recorded 10 solo albums for Blue Note,the latest being the Brazilian-themed “Crossing Paths.”She’salso won many Canadian Juno awards and is aguest on the Grammy-winning 2015 album by Tony Bennett and herpianist husband, Bill Charlap, “The SilverLining: The Songs of Jerome Kern. All of Artemis’ members moved to New York and its jazz scene from somewhere else. Like Rosnes, Jensen is from British Columbia; Ueda is Japanese; Miller comesfromWashington, D.C.;and Gloverisfrom Portland, Oregon. Besidesbeing international, Artemis is multigenerational.

StaFF PHOtO By BraD BOWIe

Jamie Bergeron and the Kickin’ Cajuns play LakeviewPark in eunice at 8p.m. Saturday.

SCORPIO(Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Trust your instincts. It's yourprecisionand detail thatwill standout and give you an advantage in competitive situations Attend social events, and your charisma will inviteromance

SAGITTARIUS(Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Pay attention to what's changing around you. Focusonsensitiveissues and observe how others react.Not everyone will be truthfulorhave stellar motives

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Keep an eye on your expenditures and avoid joint ventures or sharedexpenses. Your best course of action is to invest in yourself andyour talents andtomove forward alone.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) It's up to you to initiatechange and to make thefirst move. Let your imaginationwander and your talents lead theway.Step into thespotlight and shine

PISCES (Feb.20-March 20) Refuse to let what otherssay or any criticism you receivedaunt yourdesire to pursue what or whoyou love. Consider what things cost, seta budget and stick to it

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take notes, keep tabs and measureeveryaspect of whatever you consider doing. Prioritize intelligence and timing in your plans, and something good will transpire.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Invest in yourself and your surroundings, and enjoy thebenefitsthat comewiththe

choices you make. Maximize your time and energy, and sticktoanaffordable budget

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Be cautious aboutwho youlisten to and howyou respond. You'll receive falseinformation that can push you in thewrong direction.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Anew look will boost your confidence and encourage you to be forthright regarding your feelings and intentions. Love is in the stars,and adventureiswithin reach.

LEO(July 23-Aug.22) Be smart whenit comes to money matters, taking arisk, gamblingorany other indulgent behavior. Recognize when someone is taking advantage of you or using emotional manipulation.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept.22) Youare in abetterposition than you realize. You know what's best for you. Standtall, useyour experience to guide you forward and refuse to letwhat others do influence your decisions

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) Chitchat and charmyour wayforward.A change at home will improve your lifestyle and give apositive spin to how you look feel and present yourself to the world Keep themomentum flowing.

Thehoroscope, an entertainmentfeature, is not based on scientific fact. ©2025 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

bIG

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place thenumbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box containsthe samenumber onlyonce. The difficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer

THe wiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

Our manA.N. Other continues in good form:“Anybodycouldgetrichifhecould guess theexact moment at which apiece of junk becomes an antique.”

Any bridge player could get rich if he could workout theexact moment to make an unusualplaythat is correct.

In this deal, West leads his heart six againstthreeno-trump:jack,king,seven. East returnsthe heart three, covered by South’s four. How should West analyze the position?

North was right to blaze straight into three no-trump. Presumably, he is putting eight winners down in thedummy. He needsonlyfor partner to be able to wina trick before the defenders have takenfive. Admittedly, here South rates to have club length because he did not show amajor or raise diamonds, and five diamonds might makewhen three no-trump fails. But do not spend your life lookingfor that distribution. It will arise only rarely If this deal were played in atournament,almosteverydeclarerwouldmake his contract.West wouldautomatically takethesecondtrickwithhishearteight, cashtheheartace,andfindhimselfstuck on lead after takingthe fourth trick with hisheart 10. South would winthe last nine tricks.

The bidding marksSouth with at most three hearts because he did not respond one heart. So it cannot hurt West to take the second trick with his heart 10. Then after cashing the ace, he can continue with his eight,which East can overtake with his nine to cash the five to defeat the contract. ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. Forexample:NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of four or moreletters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” suchas“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 cEPHALIc: sih-FAL-ik: Of or relating to the head.

Average mark 26 words Time limit 45 minutes

YEstERDAY’s WORD —DRAGOns

Can you find39ormore words in CEPHALIC? dang darn

goad gonad grad grand groan organ osar sand sang sarong snag soar soda sonar song sora

Puzzle Answer today’s thought

magnify theLord with me, andlet us exalt hisname together. Isought theLord, andheheard me, anddelivered me from all my fears.” Psalms 34:3-4

wuzzles

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard

Shown