Drop in cost of a turkey key factor in overall decrease
BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer
Louisiana families can be thankful for a lower price tag on this year’s Thanksgiving dinner
The average cost of a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in Louisiana is $44.70, a slight decrease from $45.84 last year, according to the American Farm Bureau Federation. The modest drop comes at a time when farmers are struggling with high overhead costs, the national turkey population continues to battle avian flu, and consumers are starting to seek nontraditional Thanksgiving meats.
Each year the American Farm Bureau Federation computes the cost of a typical 11-item Thanksgiving dinner that serves 10 people for its Thanksgiving Dinner Price Survey. Louisiana’s price this year is nearly $10 less than the national average of $55.18, and the second-lowest overall price in the country just behind Arkansas.
The cost decrease was led by a 16.3% drop in the price for a turkey in the past year Nationwide, a 16-pound turkey will go for $21.50
this year, compared to $25.67 last year
The average cost for a turkey in Louisiana is $15.48 this year just 4 cents higher from 2024.
“Things are just generally working themselves out after those COVID highs,” said Neil Melancon, assistant communications director for the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. An all-time high price of $28.96 for turkey was set in 2022, largely due to an avian flu outbreak crippling the bird population. The turkey population is at a 40-year low this year due to the disease, which has affected
Dillard president outlines new vision
Changes aim to boost enrollment efforts at oldest HBCU in La
BY MARIE FAZIO Staff writer
Nearly a year after Monique Guillory officially assumed the presidency of Dillard University the oldest historically Black college in Louisiana and a member of
the so-called Black Ivy League — the headwinds the university faces have only intensified.
Dillard’s enrollment has stagnated at around 1,000 students, while operational expenses have grown. At the same time, the 156-yearold institution can sometimes get overlooked in New Orleans’ crowded higher education market, where students have their pick of six four-year institutions. Meanwhile, like universities nationwide, it is bracing for a “de-
mographic cliff” when the falling birth rate will result in fewer students, and reeling from the Trump administration’s new restrictions to federal financial aid and slashed research funds. Dillard recently lost a $20 million federal grant that would have funded renovations to make campus buildings more energy efficient and resilient to natural disasters. Guillory, a New Orleans native
ä See DILLARD, page 6A
Guard joins security for Bayou Classic
Agencies to launch French Quarter security zone
BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer
The Louisiana National Guard will be in New Orleans this week as visitors arrive for the annual Bayou Classic, providing security help to state and local police agencies in what officials called “event-based support” unconnected to the longer-term deployment being sought by Gov Jeff Landry In what has become a new standard for securing sections of downtown during major events, the National Guard, Louisiana State Police and local law enforcement will implement an ”enhanced security zone” from Friday through Sunday that includes checkpoints, bag searches and a ban on coolers, according to Jacob Pucheu, a spokesperson for the Louisiana State Police.
Similar checkpoints in the French Quarter were put in place during Mardi Gras and Super Bowl LIX earlier this year after the deadly Jan. 1 terrorist attack on Bourbon Street exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s event security plans. The activation of the Guard comes as New Orleans is bracing for the arrival of a federal Border Patrol deployment that has put immigrant
Judge tosses Comey, James indictments
Rulings say prosecutor was illegally appointed
BY ERIC TUCKER Associated Press
WASHINGTON A federal judge on Monday dismissed the criminal cases against former FBI Director James Comey and New York Attorney General Letitia James, concluding that the prosecutor who brought the charges at President Donald Trump’s urging was illegally appointed by the Justice Department.
The rulings from U.S. District Judge Cameron McGowan Currie halt at least for now a pair of prosecutions that had targeted two of the president’s most high-profile political opponents and amount to a sharp rebuke of the Trump administration’s legal maneuvering to install an inexperienced and loyalist prosecutor willing to file
ä See JUDGE, page 4A
STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Nick Hudson looks at turkeys while shopping at a Rouses Market on Monday Rouses CEO Donny Rouse said the grocery chain works with its local and national suppliers to keep prices as consistent as possible
Shoppers search the shelves at Rouses Market on Monday
Monique Guillory, president of Dillard University in New Orleans, has taken steps to stabilize the university in her first year at the helm.
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Melania Trump welcomes tree to White House
WASHINGTON First lady Melania Trump on Monday welcomed this year’sofficial White House Christmas tree, awhite fir from afarm in Michigan that arrivedbyhorsedrawn carriage.
The tree, which came from Korson’sTree Farms, arrivedonthe North Portico. It was deliveredby apair of Clydesdales named Logan and Ben in acarriagedriven by one of three men, all wearingtop hats, who were on board
“It’sabeautiful tree,”the first lady said as she circledthe carriage and posed for pictures.
The 181/2-foot tree will be displayed in the Blue Room.
Korson’s Tree Farms secured thehonor by winning theNational Christmas Tree Association’snational tree contest.The winner of that contest has produced the official White House Christmastree since 1966.
15-year-oldstuck on crane in Jerusalem rescued
JERUSALEM Fire teams on Monday rescued ateenager who wasstuck dangling for seven hours from a crane hanging 36 stories above Jerusalem.
The 15-year-old boy told rescue teams that he had climbed up the crane around midnightbecause he wanted to “see the view,” according to Israel’sFire and Rescue Service Videos showed the teentrapped on atinyplatform connecting metal cables and the crane’shook hanging precariously over ahigh-rise building. Fire teams arrivedinthe morning and scaled the side of the crane, after being alerted by abystander whosaw the boy,and pulledhim to safety.Eyal Cohen, afire official, said it was one in anumberofcases in which young people in the city have been caught scaling tall buildings.
“This is aserious incident that ended in amiracle,” Cohensaid. Long-dormant volcano erupts in northernEthiopia
ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia Along-dormant volcano erupted in northern Ethiopia over the weekend, sending ash plumes across theRed Sea toward Yemen and Oman.
The Hayli Gubbi volcano in the Afar region of Ethiopia erupted on Sunday,leaving the neighboring village of Afdera covered in dust.
Alocal administrator,Mohammed Seid, said there werenocasualties, but the eruption could have economic implications for the local community of livestock herders.
Seid told The Associated Press that there was no previousrecord of an eruptionbythe Hayli Gubbi volcano, and that he fears for the livelihoods of residents.
“Whilenohuman livesand livestockhavebeenlost so far, many villages have beencovered in ash and as aresult their animalshave little to eat,” he said.
Thai woman bound for cremation found alive
BANGKOK Awoman in Thailand shocked temple staff when she started movinginher coffin after being brought in for cremation.
WatRat Prakhong Tham, aBuddhist temple in the province of Nonthaburi on the outskirts of Bangkok, posted avideo on its Facebook page, showing awoman lying in a white coffininthe back of apickup truck, slightly moving herarms and head, leaving temple staff bewildered.
Pairat Soodthoop, the temple’s general and financial affairs manager,told The Associated Press on Monday that the65-year-old woman’sbrother drove her from the province of Phitsanuloktobe cremated.
He said they heard afaint knock coming from the coffin.
“I was abit surprised, so Iasked them to open the coffin,and everyone was startled,” he said. “I saw her opening her eyesslightly and knocking on the side of the coffin. She musthave beenknockingfor quite some time.”
According to Pairat, the brother said his sister had been bedridden for about two years,when her health deteriorated and she becameunresponsive, appearing to stop breathing two days ago. The brother then placed her in acoffin and made the 300-mile journey to Bangkok.
The temple manager said he was explaining how to get adeath certificatewhen they heard the knocking. They then assessed her and sent her to ahospital.
ANDREWHARNIK
‘Peace ... won’t come overnight’
Ukraine,allies warn U.S. against rush to endRussia’swar
BY OLESIA SAFRONOVA, VOLODYMYRVERBIANYI and MICHAEL NIENABER Bloomberg News (TNS)
Ukraine and its European allies signaled that key sticking points remained in U.S.-brokered peace talks even as senior officials hailed progress in winning more favorable terms for Kyiv from a proposalbackedbyPresident Donald Trump. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz lauded ameeting in Geneva on Sunday, whereUkrainian and U.S. negotiators came closer together,for resolving “some issues.
Still, he cast doubtonan initial Trumpadministration demand forKyiv to cede territory and scale back its military —and said he foresaw no breakthroughthisweek.
“Peace inUkrainewon’t come overnight,”Merz told reporters in theAngolancapital Luanda on Monday as European Unionleadersmet with counterparts in the African Union. “Ukraine must not be forced into one-sidedterritorialconcessions—Ukraine must also beable to effectively defend itselfagainst aggression.
An initial draft of a 28-point plan caught Kyiv and Ukrainian alliesoff guard with its demands
thatthe war-battered na-
tiondrop its ambition to join NATO andsurrender territory in theeastern Donbas regions, includingareasRussiadoesn’t yet control.
But U.S.and Ukrainian officials said theyhad worked over details of apeace blueprint. It has now been narrowed down to anew list of 19 proposals, aperson familiar with the matter said.
Trumphimself signaled progress.A dayafter assailing the Ukrainian leadershipfor failing to show gratitude,Trump said in aTruthSocial post Mondaythattalks may be gaining traction. “Don’t believe it until you see it but something good just maybehappening,” he posted.
Anydiscussions involving territorial issues, which are at the crux of apotential settlement, will likely be tackled at the meeting between the Ukrainian and U.S. presidents, Ihor Brusylo, the deputychief of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s office, told Bloomberg Televisioninaninterview
Monday
The country’sNATO membership wasn’toff thetable —and “is one of theprovisions that can be asecurity guarantee for Ukraine,” Brusylo said.
Zelenskyy said Monday
that talks hadreached a“critical moment” as he signaled thatdiscussions over territory and sovereignty would prove difficult
“Putin wants legal recognition of what he has stolen —tobreak the principles of territorial integrity and sovereignty —and this is the main problem,” the Ukrainian leader said in aspeech distributed by his office. Russia on Monday balked at the new proposal.Putin’sforeign policy aide, Yuri Ushakov said his country “learned this morning about the European plan, which, at first glance, is completely unconstructive anddoesn’t suitus,” accordingtothe Interfax news service.
Putin on Monday discussed the U.S. proposals with TurkishPresident Recep Tayyip Erdogan, theKremlin said in a statement. Turkey has played theroleofintermediary at various points in the conflict, including by hosting talks between Ukrainianand Russian officials.
Putin told Erdogan that theproposals in principle could form the basis for a peace agreement,according to the Kremlin.
Any agreementwould require sign-off by Zelenskyy,Trumpand Russian President Vladimir Putin.
U.S. labels Cartel de los Solesa terror organization
BYREGINA GARCIACANO Associated Press
CARACAS,Venezuela President DonaldTrump’sadministration has ramped up pressureon Ve nez uela n President Ni co lá s Maduro by designatingthe Cartel de los Soles as aforeign terrorist organization. Butthe entity that the U.S. government alleges is led by Maduroisnot acartel perse. Thedesignation,published Monday in theFederal Register,isthe latest measure in the Trump administration’s escalating campaign to combat drug trafficking into the U.S. In previewing the step about aweek ago,Secretary of State Marco Rubio ac-
cused Cartel de los Soles, or Cartel of the Suns, of being “responsible for terrorist violence” in the Western Hemisphere.
Themovecomes as Trump evaluates whether to takemilitary action against Venezuela, which he hasnot ruledout despite bringing up the possibility of talkswith Maduro. Land strikes or other actions would be a major expansion of the monthslong operation that has included amassive military buildup in theCaribbean Sea and striking boatsaccused of trafficking drugs, killing morethan 80 people.
Venezuelans began using thetermCartel de los Soles in the 1990s to refer to high-ranking military officers who had grown rich from drug-running As corruption expanded nationwide, first under the late President Hugo Chávez and then under
Pentagon says it’s investigating Sen. Mark Kelly
Former Navy pilotjoinedinvideo urging troops to defy ‘illegal orders’
BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN and BEN FINLEY Associated Press
WASHINGTON ThePentagon announced Monday it is investigating Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona over possible br each es of military law after the former Navy pilotjoineda handful of other lawmakers in a video that called for troops to defy “illegal orders.”
The Pentagon’sstatement, posted on social media,cited afederal law that allowsretired service members to be recalled to activeduty on orders of thedefense secretary for possible court martial or other measures.
It is extraordinary for the Pentagon,whichuntil President Donald Trump’ssecond term had usually gone out of its way to act and appear apolitical,todirectlythreaten asitting member of Congress with investigation. It comes afterTrump ramped up therhetoric by accusing the lawmakers of sedition “punishable by DEATH” in asocial media post days after the video wasreleased last week
In itsstatementMonday, the Pentagon suggested thatKelly’sstatements in the video interfered with the“loyalty, morale, or good order and disciplineofthe armed forces” by citing the federal law thatprohibits such actions.
“A thorough reviewof these allegationshas been initiated to determine further actions, which may includerecall to active duty forcourt-martialproceedings or administrative measures,” thestatement said.
Kelly saidheupheld his oath to theConstitutionand dismissed the Pentagon investigationasthe work of “bullies.”
“If this is meant to intimidate me andother members of Congress fromdoing our jobs and holding this administration accountable, it won’twork,”Kelly saidina statement.
Kelly was oneofsix Democratic lawmakers whohave served in the military or intelligence community to speak “directly to members of the military.” The other lawmakersare Sen. Elissa Slotkin andReps. Jason Crow,Chris Deluzio, Maggie Goodlander and Chrissy Houlahan, whoare seen as possible futureaspirants for higheroffice andelevated theirpolitical profiles with thevideo’swide exposure.
Kelly,who wasa fighter pilot before becoming an astronaut and then retiring at the rank of captain, told troops that “you can refuse illegal orders,” while other lawmakers in thevideosaid they needed troops to “stand up for our laws our Constitution.”
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saidKelly wasfacing investigation because he is the only oneofthe lawmakers who formally retired from the military and is still under the Pentagon’s jurisdiction.
Troops, especiallyuniformed commanders, do have specific obligations to reject orders that areunlawful, if they make that determination. While commanders have military lawyers on their staffs to consult with in makingsuchadetermination, rank-and-filetroopswho are tasked with carrying out those orders are rarely in asimilarposition andoften have to rely on their superiors. Broad legal precedence also holds that just following orders —colloquially known as the “Nuremberg defense,” as it was used unsuccessfullybysenior Nazi officials to justifytheir actions underAdolf Hitler— doesn’t absolve troops.
Maduro, itsuse loosely expanded to police and government officials as well as activitieslike illegalminingand fuel trafficking. The“suns” in thename refer to the epaulettes affixed to the uniforms of high-ranking militaryofficers.
Theumbrellatermwas elevated to aMaduro-led drug-trafficking organization in 2020, when the U.S. JusticeDepartment in Trump’sfirsttermannounced the indictmentof Venezuela’s leader andhis inner circle on narcoterrorism and other charges.
“It is not agroup,”said AdamIsaacson, director for defense oversight at the Washington Office on LatinAmerica organization. “It’snot likea group that people would ever identify themselves as members. They don’t have regular meetings. They don’thave ahierarchy.”
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, left, attendsa lunch meeting in October withPresidentDonald Trumpatthe White House.
White House circulates plan for subsidies
Trump pledges health care fix
BY SEUNG MIN KIM
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON The White House is circulating a proposal that would extend subsidies to help consumers pay for coverage under the Affordable Care Act for two more years, as millions of Americans face spiking health care costs when the current tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year
The draft plan suggests that President Donald Trump is open to extending a provision of the health care law sometimes called Obamacare, as his administration and congressional Republicans search for a broader policy solution to a fight that has long flummoxed the party
The White House stresses that no plan is final until Trump announces it.
The subsidies were at the heart of the Democrats’ demands in the government shutdown fight that ended earlier this month. Most Democratic lawmakers had insisted on a straight extension of the tax credits, which expire at the end of the year as a condition of keeping the government open.
Eligibility for the health law subsidies, which were put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic to help people afford health care coverage, would be capped at 700% of the federal poverty level, according to two people with knowledge of the proposal.
The people spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss a White House proposal that is in draft form.
The baseline tax credits that were originally part of the Affordable Care Act were capped at 400% of the federal poverty level, but that cut-off was suspended because of the temporary COVID-era credits that allowed middleand higher-income people to benefit from subsidies, too.
Feds renew bid for transcripts release
Grand jury indictment of Epstein sealed
BY MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press
NEW YORK The Justice Department on Monday renewed its request to unseal grand jury transcripts from Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s sex trafficking cases, arguing they should be made public under a new law requiring the government to open its files on the late financier and his longtime confidante.
U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton cited the Epstein Files Transparency Act passed by Congress last week and signed into law by President Donald Trump — in court filings asking Manhattan federal Judges Richard M. Berman and Paul A. Engelmayer to reconsider their decisions to keep the material sealed.
The Justice Department interprets the transparency act “as requiring it to publish the grand jury and discovery materials in this case,” said the eight-page filings, which also bear the names of Attorney General Pam Bondi and her secondin-command, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche.
The filings are among the first public indications that the Justice Department is working to comply with the transparency act, which requires that it release Epstein-related files in a searchable and downloadable format by Dec. 19.
The Justice Department asked Berman and Engelmayer for expedited rulings allowing the release of the grand jury materials, which contains testimony from law enforcement witnesses but no victims, arguing that the new law supersedes existing court orders and judicial policies that “would otherwise prevent public disclosure.”
In its filing Monday, the
30, 2008.
Justice Department said any materials made public could be partially redacted to prevent the disclosure of things like victims’ identifying information.
In an order late Monday, Engelmayer invited Maxwell and victims of Maxwell and Epstein to respond by Dec. 3 to the government’s request. The government must respond to their filings by Dec. 10. The judge said he will rule “promptly thereafter.”
The transparency act compels the Justice Department, the FBI and federal prosecutors to release the vast troves of material they’ve amassed during investigations into Epstein’s decades-long sexual abuse of young women and girls
The law mandates the release of all unclassified documents and investigative materials, including files relating to immunity deals and internal Justice Department communications about whom to charge or investigate.
Berman has previously said that the grand jury transcripts in Epstein’s case amount to about 70 pages, along with a PowerPoint slideshow and call log
The only witness to testify was an FBI agent who “had no direct knowledge of the facts of the case,” Berman noted in his prior ruling.
The FBI agent testified on June 18, 2019, and July 2, 2019. The July 2 session ended with grand jurors
Former Democratic Sen. Doug Jones announces run for Alabama governor
BY KIM CHANDLER
Associated Press
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Former
U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, whose 2017 election renewed hope for Alabama Democrats, announced Monday that he is running for governor of Alabama in 2026.
Jones announced his campaign Monday afternoon, hours after filing campaign paperwork with the Secretary of State’s Office. His gubernatorial bid could set up a rematch with U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, the Re-
publican who defeated Jones in 2020 and is now running for governor Both candidates have party primaries in May before the November race.
“I am running for governor of Alabama,” Jones said in a campaign video posted on social media. “Folks in Alabama deserve a governor who is going to fight for them.” He will do an official campaign kickoff next month.
Jones’ entry into the race
comes after weeks of speculation and teasing about a possible run as Jones worked to promote Democrats in the Deep South state.
Jones, a lawyer and former U.S. attorney best known for prosecuting two Ku Klux Klansmen responsible for Birmingham’s infamous 1963 church bombing, was elected to the Senate in 2017. Jones was the last Democrat elected to statewide office in Alabama.
Memo: Administration plans to review refugees
BY REBECCA SANTANA and ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press
WASHINGTON The Trump administration plans a review of all refugees admitted to the U.S. during the Biden administration, according to a memo obtained Monday by The Associated Press.
The review is likely to sow confusion and fear among the nearly 200,000 people who fled war and persecution to come to the United States during that period.
all refugees admitted from January 20, 2021, to February 20, 2025.”
Advocates of the refugee program say that refugees are generally some of the most vetted of all people coming to the United States and that they often wait years to be able to come to America.
voting to indict Epstein. He was arrested on July 6, 2019 and found dead in his jail cell on Aug. 10, 2019.
The same FBI agent testified before the Maxwell grand jury, which met in June and July 2020 and March 2021, the Justice Department has said. The only other witness was a New York City police detective.
The Justice Department first asked Berman to unseal the grand jury material in July, doing so at Trump’s direction as the president sought to quell a firestorm after he reneged on a campaign promise to open up the government’s so-called Epstein files.
Engelmayer who presided over Maxwell’s 2021 sex trafficking trial, ruled first.
In an Aug. 11 decision, he wrote that federal law almost never allows for the release of grand jury materials and that casually making the documents public was a bad idea. And he suggested that the Trump administration’s real motive for wanting the records unsealed was to fool the public with an “illusion” of transparency
The memo, dated Nov 21, said that during the Biden years, “expediency” and “quantity” were prioritized over “detailed screening and vetting” and that warranted the comprehensive review and “re-interview of
The memo, signed by the director of U.S Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow, also immediately suspended green card approvals for refugees who came to the U.S. during the stated time period. People admitted to the U.S. as refugees are required to apply for a green card one year after they arrive in the country and usually five years after that can apply for citizenship.
Appeals court hears AP access case
BY DAVID BAUDER AP media writer
WASHINGTON The Associated Press and the Trump administration renewed their argument Monday over a president’s ability to limit media access to journalists he disagrees with, resuming a courtroom dispute with potential First Amendment implications that began last winter when the president announced that he had renamed the Gulf of Mexico.
President Donald Trump restricted the AP’s access to events in smaller spaces like the Oval Office and Air Force One, leading the news outlet to sue. A lower federal court ruled that Trump improperly retaliated against the outlet because it did not follow and refer to the body of water as the Gulf of America.
The U.S District Court of Appeals in Washington prevented the ruling from taking effect effectively leaving it up to the White House to determine the AP’s access. A a three-judge panel from that court, two of them Trump appointees who voted against AP as part of a separate appellate panel last spring, heard arguments Monday on an appeal of the lower court’s ruling. No immediate ruling was issued. Since the dispute began, the White House has given Associated Press writers sporadic access to limitedspace events at the White House. AP photographers have received much more frequent access. The AP reports and produces for thousands of news outlets and other organizations around the world.
FILE PHOTO By THE PALM BEACH POST
Jeffrey Epstein, center, appears in court in West Palm Beach, Fla., on July
Jones
DINNER
183 million of allbirds in the country.Wholesale pricesare up 40% for turkey,according to theU.S Department of Agriculture.
Melancon said consumers aren’t seeing the market pressures on turkey this year since muchof the stock was stowed awayinpreparation for Thanksgiving this year
Shoppers may feel asqueeze on turkey prices next year when the low population of turkeys makes itsway through the slaughterhouse. But demand may fall for thebird as consumers turn their attention toward more affordable types of meats.
“What generally happens is, when prices for one meat climb high, people tend to look for oth-
JUDGE
the cases. The orders do not concern the substance of the allegations against Comey or James but instead deal with the unconventional mannerinwhich the prosecutor,Lindsey Halligan, was named to her position as interim U.S. attorney for the EasternDistrictofVirginia. Defense lawyers said the Trump administration had no legal authority to make the appointment. In apair of similar rulings, Currieagreed and said the invalidappointment requiredthe dismissal of the cases.
“All actions flowing from Ms. Halligan’sdefectiveappointment,” includingsecuring andsigning the indictments, “were unlawful exercises of executive powerand are hereby set aside,” she wrote.
AWhite House spokeswoman said the rulings will“notbe the finalword on the matter” andAttorney General Pam Bondi vowed at an unrelated news conferencethat the Justice Department would pursuean“immediate appeal.” The department may alsolook to bring the cases again.
GUARD
Continued from page1A
communities on edge. Some 250 Border Patrol agents are expected to beginoperating in the New Orleans area in coming days. Moreover,two months ago Landry requested afederally funded deployment of 1,000 National Guard troops in Louisiana cities to support law enforcement. Landry has said that he hoped troops would arrive in New Orleans ahead of Thanksgiving.
But at anews conference on Monday,MayorLaToya Cantrell and New Orleans Police DepartmentAssistant Superintendent Hans Ganthier emphasized that the National Guard has long assisted local law enforcement during major events and stressedthat they would be in townfor event security only
“Weare aware that residents may have some concerns about National Guard presence and we want to be clear that the National Guard will not be here for immigration enforcement,” Ganthier said. There has been no word from the state or President Donald Trump’sadministration about when or whether Landry’srequest willbeapproved. New Orleans Homeland Security andEmergency PreparednessDirector Collin Arnold said the Bayou Classic activation will be paid for by the state. Noel Collins, aspokesperson for the Louisiana National Guard, said it was considered “event-based support, which is routine.” Collins declined to comment on whether troops were expected to assist with security during any other events or whether they would remain in New Orleans following the Bayou Classic.
It’s notclear howmany troops would be deployed to help with the enhanced security zone, whichwillextend from Canal Street to St. Ann Street, between Royal and Dauphine streets. Collins declined to share details about the number of guardsman that willbe activated. Landry’soffice declined to comment on the activation.
er sources of protein to mitigate that,” he said.
Grocers tend to use turkey as a “loss leader,” or an item thatthey know may not garner alot of revenue, so they price it lowtoboost sales ofother items in their store,
Associated Grocers CEO David Politz said.
“We’ve done alot of aggressive promotion this pastmonthand will continue throughout the end of the year to make sure that we are very, very lowpriced on all those staples that peopleneed,” Politz said.
Associated Grocers provides procurement and accountingservices to retail partners alongthe Gulf Coast,including local grocers Calandro’s Supermarket, Hi Nabor and Matherne’sMarket.
Hi Naborisoffering aGrade A frozen turkey up to 14 pounds at $0.69 per pound —cashing in at about$9.66 forthe bird —witha
The challengestoHalligan’s appointment arejustone facet of amultiprongassault on the indictments by Comey and James, whose multiple other efforts to dismiss the cases were stillpending at the timeofMonday’s rulings. Both have separately assertedthat the prosecutions were vindictive and emblematic of a weaponized Justice Department. Comey’slawyers last week, in movingtoget his case tossed out, seized on ajudge’s findings of aconstellation of grand jury irregularities and missteps by Halligan. James likewise has cited “outrageous government conduct”preceding her indictment.
“I am grateful thatthe court ended the case against me, which was aprosecution based on malevolence and incompetence and areflection of whatthe Justice Departmenthas become under DonaldTrump, which is heartbreaking,” Comey, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of making
Ganthier said that while the NationalGuard is not typically activated for Bayou Classic, they would assist this year inlight of the BourbonStreet attack
“They realized it’sabig event and we really don’t want any of what happened Jan. 1tobeanissue,” Ganthiersaid. He noted that the National Guard was also activated during the Sugar Bowl this year, which it typically does not participate in.
Alaw enforcementofficial who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said that joint public safetyplans callfor additional National Guard activationsduring NewYear’sand Mardi Gras
“There is no indication thatthey will remain in between theevents,” the official said
Whilethe FrenchQuarter Enhanced Security Zone marked an unprecedented level of security whenitwas first established by locallaw enforcement ahead of the SuperBowl —justweeks after theterror attack —it appears to have become the newstatus quo security protocol for large events
Visitors to the French Quarter alsoencountered bagsearches and checkpoints from the Friday before MardiGras through Ash Wednesday this year Cantrellsaidresidents should expect heightened enforcementfor upcoming holidays.
“This will be ourprocess,” Cantrell said. She also emphasized that theNational Guard’s involvement in enforcement wasnot connectedto the planned BorderPatrol sweeps. Cantrell, who has remainedquiet about the immigration crackdown, interspersed commentsabout it into her messageabout the city’s readiness to host Bayou Classic on Monday “Wewant to follow the law we wanttocalm anxietyand again rely on trusted information,” Cantrell said. “This is notour first time in terms of movingthrough events. We know we’re adestination city andwewelcome people from all around the world and again we’re doing that for the 52nd annual Bayou Classic.”
$75 purchase of other food.Oak Point FreshMarket is offering a free HoneysuckleorFood Club turkey up to 14 pounds with aminimum$75 purchase.
For years, customers who purchased aHormel Cure 81 Spiral Ham at RousesMarket got afree Butterball frozen turkey. Prices are holding steady at similar costs to last year for most items including fresh Butterballturkeys, Bruce’sYams, hams,mirlitons and Kitchen Basics stocks. CEODonny Rouse saidthe grocerychain works with its local and national suppliers to keep prices as consistentaspossible. Somecategories such as poultry have had strong supply and stable costs, which helped the store hold prices again this year.“Afew fresh items have seen tighter availability or higherwholesale costs,” Rouse said in astatement.
afalse statementand obstructing Congress, said in avideo statement.
In aseparatestatement, James, aDemocratwho has pleadednot guiltytomortgagefraud allegations, said, “I am heartened by today’svictory andgratefulfor theprayers and support Ihave received from around the country.” She said she remained “fearless in the face of these baseless charges as Icontinue fighting for New Yorkers every single day.”
At issueinCurrie’srulings is the mechanism theTrump administration employed to appoint Halligan, aformer White Houseaide with no prior prosecutorial experience, to lead one of the Justice Department’smostelite andimportant offices.
Halligan was named as areplacement for Erik Siebert, a veteran prosecutor in theoffice and interim U.S. attorney who resigned in September amid Trump administration pressure to file chargesagainst both Comeyand James. He stepped aside after Trumptold reporters he wanted Siebert“out.”
The following night, Trumpsaid he would be nominating Halligan to the role of interimU.S.attorneyand publicly imploredBondi to take action against his political
The farmer’sshare of every dollarspent on aThanksgiving dinner in Louisiana is about $5, according to the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation. That’sabout $4 morethan the average farmer’sshare yearround.
Butfarmers may not seethe high return on the holiday meal Overhead costs forneeds like fertilizer and fuel have risen, and thereturns from consumer spending will have to fund productions costs, squeezing their margins for farmers.
Fertilizer costs jumped to record highs in 2022, according to USDA data.Commonly used nitrogen fertilizers anhydrous ammonia and urea peaked at $1,600 per ton and $1,000 perton,respectively, that year
“Eventhough there’salot more money being passed around, that’s not necessarily getting back to the
opponents, saying in aTruth Social post that, “Wecan’tdelay any longer,it’skilling our reputation and credibility” and “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!” Comey wasindicted three days after Halligan was sworn in by Bondi,and Jameswas chargedtwo weeks after that.
Though attorneys general do have theauthority to nameaninterim U.S. attorney whocan serve for120 days, lawyers forComey and James arguedthat once that periodexpires, thelaw givesfederal judges in the district the exclusive say of who gets to fill the vacancy. By makingasuccessive interim U.S. appointment and bypassing the role of courts, defense lawyerssaid, theJustice Department did an end-run aroundwellestablished law
“The 120-dayclock beganrunning with Mr.Siebert’sappointmentonJanuary 21,2025. When that clock expiredonMay 21, 2025, so toodid the Attorney General’s appointment authority,” Currie wrote. “Consequently,I conclude that the Attorney General’sattempttoinstall Ms.Halliganas InterimU.S.Attorney forthe EasternDistrictofVirginia wasinvalid and that Ms. Halligan has been unlawfully serving in that role since September 22, 2025.”
farm,” Melancon said. While thecost forturkeys dropped, other Thanksgiving stapleshaverisen in price.Sweet potatoes have typically been associated with holidaymeals but have growninversatility and increased demand for the crop. Coupled with ashrinking number of sweet potato producers, thepriceisclimbing. In Louisiana, a3-pound bag of sweet potatoes costs $2.89 on average, up from $2.75 last year
Farmers have struggled with suboptimalweatherconditions and a labor-intensive process to harvest the crop, according to the LSU AgCenter
“The issue is that you have a highly perishable commodity, so small changes in harvest and environmentalconditions can play acan have agreat deal of impact on the available supply,” Melancon said.
The Justice Department had defended Halligan’s appointment but revealed last month that it also given Halligan aseparate position of “Special Attorney,” presumably as away to protect the indictment fromcollapse.But Currie said such aretroactive appointment could not save the cases.
“The implications of acontrary conclusion are extraordinary,” the judge wrote. “Itwould mean the Government could send any private citizenoff the street attorney or not —into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as theAttorneyGeneral gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law.”
Though the defendants had askedfor the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the Justice Department would be barred frombringing them again, Currie instead dismissedthem without prejudice.
Comey was indicted just days before the statute of limitations in hiscase expired, whichcould complicate anyeffort to refile the case. One of his lawyers, Patrick Fitzgerald, saidina statementthat Currie’sdecision “further indicates that because theindictment is void, the statute of limitations has run and there can be no further indictment.”
sacrifice for$5000. 337-277-6381.
y donot attend the MandatoryPre‐Proposal Conference will be re‐jected SOQRespondents,their consultants, sub‐consul‐tants, or other parties representing thepro‐posedteamfor this solic‐itationmay notcontact any LPSB CMAR Selection Committee members concerning this project from thedateofthe so‐licitation until after the date of theselection LPSB andthe LPSB CMAR SelectionCommittee, re‐servethe righttoreject anyorall timely submit‐tedSOQsinresponseto this RFQfor just cause andwaive any informa‐tion with anyproposals received 167096-nov18-25-dec3-3t $98.52
terlinebidconnect.com
Theoriginaland SIX(6) copies of theSOQ,per Section4 of theSOQ datedNovember18, 2025 shallbedelivered to the Lafayette Parish School Board(LPSB)atthe Of‐fice of Purchasing,202 RueIberville, Lafayette Louisiana70508.
TheSOQ submissionsfor this projectwillbeac‐cepted until 10 A.M. on Thursday,December18, 2025. SOQsubmissions that have notbeen received by theaforementioned deadline date andtime will be rejected.Addi‐tionally,failure to submit allofthe information stipulated perSection 4 –Response Instructions of theRFQ,dated November 18, 2025, shallbeconsid‐ered non‐responsive and will result in theSOQ submission beingre‐jected
AMandatory Pre‐Pro‐posalConferencewillbe conductedat10:30 am on Thursday,December4 2025 at 202 RueIberville, Lafayette,LA70508 in the LPSS School Boardroom All firmsinterestedin submitting aSOQ in re‐sponse to theRFP arere‐quired to attend.SOQ’s
Comey
James
DILLARD
who has spent her career in higher education,has taken some initial steps over the past year to stabilize theschooland,she hopes,put it on an upward trajectory.She has restructuredsomepositions and added new services to bolster the student experience.
Now,asshe tries to attract more students to the university and elevate its profile, she wantstoreinvigorate Dillard’sacademic programs, better prepare students for the changing job market andtell the school’sstory to abroaderaudience.
“We’re reimagining the future for this institution like so many institutions are having to do now,” she said. “This is abit of an existential crisisfor higher education.” Guillory would seem well positioned to carry Dillard into the future while honoring its New Orleans roots.
Dillard was formed from the merger of twouniversities established in New Orleans after the Civil Wartoeducate newly freed slaves and other Black residents
As achild, Guillory rode her bike under the campus’sgrand oak trees and pastits stately white buildings when visitingher aunt, who lived around the corner in Gentilly.She attended St. Mary’s Academy,aCatholic school that has historically servedBlack girls and young women, and Tulane University.After graduating, shespentmost of the next three decades working at institutions across the country,including several historically Blackcolleges and universities. In April,she returnedtoher hometown to become Dillard’s provost. Just six weekslater,the university’spresident, Rochelle Ford, abruptly stepped down and Guillory was handed the reins at a crucial moment for the university Its finances had faltered after years of declining enrollment and rising operational costs. It took another hit this year after the Trump administration canceled a $20million “CommunityChange Grant” Dillard was settoreceive through theEnvironmentalProtectionAgency,part of awave of fundingcuts About$11 million wassupposed to go toward partsofthe campus infrastructurethat haven’tbeen substantially updated in two decades since Hurricane Katrina,
Guillory said. U.S.Rep.Troy Carter,D-New Orleans,saidlast month that he is fighting to revive the grant, saying thegovernment mustsupport HBCUs, which he called “theheartbeat of our communities.
At acampus ceremonylast monthcelebratingGuillory’snew presidency,she acknowledged the uncertainty and “unprecedented chaos” that has rattledmany college campusesrecently, butsaid theDillardcommunity will make it through.
“Letustake solace in realizing we as apeople have enduredfar worse,” she said, “and ourpresence here today is atestament of that resilience.”
Guillory hasstarted making changes she hopes will strengthen the school, but it is still awork in
progress. Over the past year,she hasreplacedmostofthe university’s topadministrators, most recently hiring anew chieffinancialofficer.Tocut costs, she merged some staffpositions and redefined job descriptions. She also added some new positions,including adigital media specialist.
To increase revenue,muchof which comes from tuition, the university will have to attract more students.
Dillard’senrollment has steadily declined from about 2,200 studentsbefore Hurricane Katrina, to around 1,300 students before the pandemic, to roughly 1,000 studentstoday.Guillory said she wants to grow thatnumberbya few hundred students.
But as morepeople question thereturnoninvestment of aliberal arts degree, Guillory hasto convince students that Dillard is worth the $20,000 annual tuition.
One way she plans to do that is by requiring every student to be trained in the use of artificial intelligence, part of her broader vision of modernizing theuniversity’s general education requirements. She said somefaculty members might haveresisted incorporating AI into their courses in the past, but now they recognize that studentswill need to be AI literate to thrive in the evolving economy
“There is no field that is not going be impacted by machine learning and AI,” she said, adding that universities need to do better at “staying ahead of technological trends.”
Guillory,who is also trying to ramp up fundraising, said she is “cautiously optimistic” aboutDillard’sfinancial stability
Meanwhile, her administration is re-evaluating the school’sacademicprogrammingwithaneye toward the future.She wants the university to lean into New Orleans culture, which could mean expanding arts programsand building deeper ties with the community.Nextfall, the university will begin offering scholarships to music, theater and choir students.
She’salsofollowing aliberal arts college playbook, touting the school’s smallsize as aselling point.
“Studentsare drawntothe closeknit community Dillard has,” Guillory said.
In hopesofretaining more students, Guillory has bolstered mentalhealth services andotherstudent supports. Freshmen arerequired to meet with amental health counselor for an assessmenttodetermineifthey arestruggling withanxiety or depression. They also are placed on “careteams”ofabout 20 freshmen whoreceive support and outsidethe-classroomlearningexperiences from assigned faculty and staffmembers.
LucineFlores, president of Dillard’sStudent Government Association and asenior criminal justice studies major,said mostofGuillory’schanges are helping movethe university in the right direction. Many issues remain, such as low attendance at campus events and desperately neededinfrastructure work, Flores said. But she feels certainDillard’s tight-knit community of students and faculty will stay committed to the school.
“Tobeastudent at Dillard is like being fromNew Orleans,”she said. “Wejust have to persevere with everything going on.”
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
Monique Guillory, right, presidentofDillard University,speaks withJason Brown, of Houston, as he talks about his son’senthusiasm for attending theschool on Friday.
Cold fronttousher in chilly weather
BY MARCOCARTOLANO Staff writer
Thanksgiving weekhas started and some south Louisianathunderstorms are possible early in the week before acold front comes in for achilly Turkey Day
This week’sweather willbe a “roller coaster ride” with higher temperatures and days closer to fall, WWL-TV meteorologist Payton Malone said. Most of the state
will see anear 20-degree drop in temperatures before Thursday Accordingtothe NationalWeather Service’sforecast, thechanceof showers sitsaround50% on Tuesday with ahigh near 82 degrees. At night, there is aslight chance of rain and alow near 62,according to the weatherservice for New Orleans.
Theriskofrainshould drop Wednesday as acold front begins to lower thetemperature to ahigh
Ambulance causes scareat horsetrack
Jockeysavoid collisionwith wrong-wayvehicle
BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer
An ambulance drivingthe wrongway nearly caused acollision withjockeysand horses Saturday duringthe eighth raceat Evangeline Downs in Opelousas.
Avideo circulating on social media shows eight jockeys dramatically swerving their horses out of the way,narrowly avoiding the oncoming ambulance. No injuries were reported.
“Weare committed to thesafety of every jockey and equine athletethat races at our track,” said DavidStrow,spokesperson for Boyd Gaming,the operatorsofEvangeline Downs. “Weare working closely with the ambulance company andthe Louisiana RacingCommission to thoroughlyinvestigate this incident.”
Evangeline Downs is known for having more horses per racethanany other track in the country
According to mediareports, jockey Kody Kellenbergert finished first in therace, but not all of the jockeys were abletofinish because of the midrace incident involving the ambulance. The race was declared “no contest” by stewards, with all bets beingrefunded.
“I guess there’safirst for everything,”
ä See AMBULANCE, page 4B
In-law arrested in man’sdeath
AMamou man is dead and his brother-in-law hasbeenarrested,according to theMamou Police Department. The victim has beenidentified as Kiyochi Shaw,officials said. Quintin Webb, Shaw’sbrother-in-law,was booked with second-degree murder.Heis being held on $200,000 bail, according to authorities.
BLOTTER Advocate staff reports
Police said the shooting, which happened about 6:15 p.m. Saturday on 9th Street near Mulberry Avenue in Mamou, followed an argument between Shaw and Webb. TheysaidShaw wasshot in theneckand was taken to ahospital,wherehewas pronounced dead. The gunbelieved to be themurder weapon was found at the scene and is believedtohave been stolen, police said The investigation is ongoing Twojuveniles injuredinGrand Coteau shooting; one hospitalized Police in Grand Coteau are investigating aweekend shooting that left twojuveniles wounded, one of whom remainshospitalized Authorities said the incident happened in theearly morning hours of Sunday on Church Street. One juvenile was taken toahospital where they are listed in stable condition.The other injured juvenile did not require hospitalization. “Weare actively investigating this case to
ä See BLOTTER, page 4B
Jan Risher is on vacation. Her column will returnnext week.
near 71 and an evening low around 48 degrees Thanksgiving should be sunny but chilly with ahighnear 63 degrees andanevening low around 49. The chilly weather should continue intoFridaywith ahigh near 63 degreesand an evening low around 54.
There is asmall risk of severe weather in the Baton Rouge and Hammond areas such as thunderstorms anddamagingwindgusts
mainly into Tuesdaymorning, StateClimatologist Jay Grymes said. It will also cool downWednesday andThursday,withthe Thanksgiving high forecasttobe63, witha low of 43.
Acadiana and Lake Charles will see similar weather patterns, with asmall chance of severe storms headed into Tuesday and temperaturesdropping forThanksgiving Day.
North Louisiana has ahigher chance of isolated severe storms going intoTuesdaymorning. The Shreveport area saw rain Sunday night andthe rainwas forecast to continue through Monday,according to theNationalWeather Service in Shreveport. Thereisa slight chance of damaginggusts of wind andbrief tornadoes, mainly north of Interstate 10, according to the weather service.
ABOVE: The FeastofChrist theKingEucharistic Procession travelsdown St.PeterStreet at St.PeterCatholic Church on Sunday in Carencro.The procession is apublic act of faith whereapriest carries theconsecrated Eucharist (thehost) in amonstrance through thestreets while the congregation walkswhile singing and praying.
LEFT: Flower girlsspread rose petals duringthe procession.
OPINION
OUR VIEWS
Congress can’t punt on expiring ACAhealthcare subsidies
Since it was passed 15 years ago, theAffordable Care Act has provided apath formillions of Americans, including hundreds of thousands here in Louisiana, toobtain healthinsurance. Yetdebatesabout the program and its costs have periodically roiled Congress, as they did again during the budget negotiationsearlier this year that led to the longest shutdown in the nation’shistory
The key issue this timewas latepandemicera enhanced tax credits that madepremiums for policies purchased on theACA exchanges far more affordablethan they would have been otherwise.Those credits, which cost the federal government about$35 billion per year, areset to expireatthe end of December.
The shutdown hinged on whether they would be extended, as Democrats wanted, or ended, as most Republicans prefer The credits are utilized by some 24 million Americans, including nearly 300,000people in Louisiana.Ifthey weretoexpire,many customers’ insurance bills would morethandouble, andsomewould triple or even quadruple;The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, which favors extending the program, says that premiums for a60-year-old couple in Acadianaearning $85,000 would rise from $7,225 to $36,539 if Congress doesn’tact. TheCongressional Budget Office estimates that about four millionAmericans wouldbepushed off of insuranceentirely Even though the government has reopened, the issue remains unresolved.
Louisiana Republican andSenateHealth committee chair BillCassidy is pushing an alternate plan that would allow low-income workersand small businesses who now get these credits to instead direct the money intotax-freeaccounts anduse the fundsasthey choose, either to purchase acheaper policyand pay the highercosts of health insurance or purchase ahigher-cost plan. There are other optionsonthe table, including several proposed by Republicans. President Donald Trump has said he’sopentosending more of the money directly to individuals but has not gotten behind aspecificplan to accomplishthatgoal.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, has committed to holding avoteonextending the credits by themiddle of nextmonth The House has made no such commitment. We are glad to see Cassidyworkingtocome up with asolution to what is aknotty problem We also must note, however,thattimeisrunning very short to make significant policychanges before customers’ bills come due. Aone-year extension of the credits would give Congress time to explore alternativeswithout leaving constituentsinthe lurch.
We urge Cassidy’scolleagues in theSenate andour delegationinthe Housetoworktoward asolution that allows people to maintain access to health care they can afford, without interruption. Any potential legislation will have to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senateand alsopass the House before headingtothe White House. Butwecan think of few more important issues, especiallyheading into theholiday season, than makingsureLouisianansdon’tstart thenew year withoutaccessto health care.
LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR
GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence
TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE
Hyundai Steelcommitted to historic preservation
On behalf of Hyundai Steel, The TJC Group would like to address concerns regarding thehistorical structures on theMulberry Grove.
The Mulberry property is part of the 1,700-acre site designated for Hyundai Steel’sLouisiana Steel Mill project. The former Mulberry Grove is still privately owned, pending thesale of theland.
Until recently,four historic structures remained on the property. Recently,two of these structures were demolished by thecurrent landowner
As thecultural significance of the buildings has yet to be determined by theappropriatefederal and state agencies, Hyundai requested that the landowner halt the demolition of the remainingtwo structures. The Mulberry landowner agreed and has been acooperative partner
“Wetake historical and cultural preservation seriously,” said Charles Jang, president of Hyundai Steel Louisiana.
“Hyundai Steel will develop and implementamitigation plan that appropriately addresses any identified cultural
As the Louisiana Legislaturegathered for an extraordinarysession to adjustelection timelines,qualifying fees and procedures ahead of the2026 cycle, the moment was about morethan logistics. It was about who holds power, who is represented, and who risks being written out of democracy Louisiana is one-third Black. That’s not politics— it’s math. Yet, despite twocourts affirming the need for fair representationthrough twomajorityBlack congressionaldistricts, the fight for equityhas reached the steps of the U.S. Supreme Court. With Gov.Jeff Landrycalling this special sessionas Louisiana v. Callais is being weighed, it’sfair to ask: Arethese legislative adjustments about preparation —or preemption?
Proposals to delay Louisiana’sspring primaries by amonthweredescribed as routine,but timing matters. When lawmakers shift qualifying periods and election dates while redistricting decisions hang in the balance, theyrisk confusing voters, weakening participationand eroding public trust. Election integrity is not only about counting ballots; it’sabout ensuring every Loui-
or historical resources. We appreciate thelandowner agreeing to help protect this site in thebest way possible.”
In compliance with federal and state laws and regulations, Hyundai Steel must apply for several environmental permitsbefore theproject can move forward. In accordance with these applications, Hyundai is currently conducting acultural survey as required by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, as amended. Under this statute, theUnited States Army Corps of Engineers must consider theeffects the project may have on significant historic properties and seek ways toavoid, minimize, or mitigateany adverse effects. Further,the USACE will consult with Louisiana’s State Historic Preservation Office and other stakeholders prior to the issuance of afederal permit needed for construction. Hyundai Steel is committed to open communication with the community and will provide updates as information becomes available.
TIM JOHNSON president, TJC Group
sianancan accessthe process freely and fairly
The National Coalition of 100 Black Women –MetropolitanBaton Rouge Chapter calls on Louisiana legislators to uphold threecommitments:
n Protect fair representation. Maintain at least two congressional districts where Black voters have afair and equal opportunity to electcandidates of their choice.
n Preserve transparency.Conductall election adjustments openly,with full public explanation of intent and impact
n Prioritize stability.Keep election laws consistent and predictable to safeguard voterconfidence and participation. Adjusting themachinery of democracy without clear cause is notpreparation—itisinterference. Louisiana’s voters, particularly those whose representationhas been hard-wonthrough decades of struggle,deserve better When our maps arefair,our future is fair.That is thelegacy worthy of this moment DENAGE PIPER president, National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc. –Metropolitan Baton Rouge
Born and raised in Louisiana, Iappreciate our rich culture of family and community values. For many, homehealth embodies those values, helping folks remain at homeasthey grow older
But right now,access to Medicare homehealth is at risk. The federal government has proposed a9%paymentcut to homehealth providers that, if finalized, will leave families scrambling to find care while stuck in higher-cost hospital or nursing homesettings.
Since 2019, 14 homehealth agencies have already shut downinour state, leaving morethan 34,000 patients without access to care. And it’s not just aLouisiana problem.Across the country,more than 1,000 home health agencies have closed in that time, and over 1.5 million patients have lost access to the home-based care their doctors ordered.
But there’sstill timefor the administration to act and halt these cuts. And if not, Congress must step in and pass the bipartisan HomeHealth Stabilization Act (H.R. 5142), which would postpone these cuts fortwo years.
Recently,I wasproud to welcome homehealth leaders from across the country to my homestate as we gathered to discuss how we can fix this broken system and ensure we’re protecting patients forthe long term Homehealth gives seniors independence while saving Medicare money and supporting families. It’s timefor Washington to protect these benefits forLouisianans and patients across the country whoput family and community first. SCOTT LEVY chief government affairs officer, National Alliance for Care at Home
If illegal immigrants are deported, “Who will pick our crops?” was asked by aprevious letter writer
They should be picked by the millions of healthy adults whoare living on the taxpayers’ hard-earned money BUTCH POLITO Hammond
(Black) American history from the Netherlands
Fornearly two years,those who paused before the 8,301 graves of Americans who died freeing Europe from Nazi rule encountered acommemorative panel honoringthe Black military personnelburied in the American Cemetery in Margraten who foughtfor freedom abroad while being denied it at home.
spoke of the incongruity of Blacks fighting for freedom in Europe while beingdenied freedom at home.
them in the past?”
He went on to argue thefollowing: “I want to know,and Ibelieve every colored American,who is thinking, wants to know.”
Until it was quietly removed, almostcertainly as part of the Trump administration effort to cleanse American history from conflict andnegativism andto play down the separate contributions of minorities.
The removal sparked areaction that is anything but quiet. The development hasbeen front-page news in theNetherlands, lawmakers are beseeching American officials to returnthe panel, and relatives of those buried in the cemetery in the southernpart of the Netherlands are angry —and heartbroken.
The removalofthe commemoration —like an article on baseball pioneer Jackie Robinson’smilitary service record that was initially removed from aPentagon website —isconsistent with the administration’seffort to erase what it called “illegal DEI and ‘diversity,equity, inclusion and accessibility’ (DEIA) programs.”The article about Mr.Robinson, who desegregated major-league baseballin1947, was restored —exactlythe treatment officials in the Netherlandsare hopingto winwith the Margraten panel, which speaks of how the Black soldiers were “fighting on two fronts.”
That phrase is adirect reference to an effort, prominent in black circles yetall but unknown among whites, called the “Double-V,” or “Double Victory”campaign.Itbegan witha1942 letter to theeditor of the Pittsburgh Courier,the leading Black newspaper andone with anational audience, that
Thedrivetostrip references to the achievements of various groups, especially minorities,iscongruent with theWhiteHouse offensive to removeany scent of negativismorsingle-interest matters in portrayals of American history.“The exhibitions in Margraten are not intended to promote an agenda critical of America,” American Ambassador JoePopolo, who visited the cemeteryMonday,said on the Xsocial mediaplatform. He donated $827,900 to the Trump2024 campaign. But the record of Black involvement in World WarII, including digging gravesatMargraten,and the irony of Blacks’commitment to foreign freedom while lackingitdomestically,isnot solely part of African-American history, nor is it inherently negative. It is immutably part Americanhistory more broadly, especially since theDouble-V campaign is considereda precursor to thecivilrightsmovement,which is indisputably amajor,and now widely celebrated, element of the country’shistory
The Double-V campaign came after James Thompson, a26-year-old Courier reader from Wichita, Kan., wrote the newspaper posing Six Questions, which we mightregard as Black analogues to the Four Questions Jews ask at Passover,itself amoment of reflection aboutfreedom:
“Should Isacrifice my life to live half American? Will things be better for the next generation in the peace to follow? Woulditbedemanding too much to demand full citizenship rights in exchangefor the sacrificing of my life? Is thekindofAmerica Iknow worth defending?WillAmerica be atrue and pure democracy after this war? Will Colored Americans suffer still theindignities that have been heaped upon
Mr.Thompson, who eventually was awarded the Soldiers Medal, thehighest honor for non-combat situations, for his service in thesegregated QuartermastersCorps in theIndia-Burma theater,died 26 years ago.
It took six years after the Thompson letter,and an order from President Harry Truman, todesegregatethe armed forces. It took adozen yearsfor theSupremeCourt to issue itsschooldesegregation decision. It took 22 years, marches,and sit-ins around the Southfor Congress to pass thelandmarkCivil Rights Act.
Butthe involvement of Black Americans in World WarII, despite having no answers tothe Six Questions that Mr.Thompson posed in his letters, remainsone of the most poignant parts of the liberation of Europe from Nazi tyranny
The Dutch today remain grateful for the Allied effort, but also mindful of thesacrifice of Blackswho fought for liberty for others without possessing it themselves.
“The panels that no longer have a place in thevisitor center of the American Cemetery in Margraten tell the story of astruggle by Black American soldiers on two fronts: against the enemy and against racism,” said Bas Albersen, spokesman for Emile Roemer, governor of the southernmostDutch province. “They fought for afreedom they themselves did not have.”
Oneofthe tragedies of our time is that Americans, about to celebrate 250 years of freedom,have to be told this from someone 3,750 miles from Washington.
Email DavidShribman at dshribman@post-gazette.com.
Tech makespie crustaseasyas... pie
COLUMBUS, Ohio —The month they areborn, all Ohio children can be enrolled in aprogram that sends abook (“The Little Engine That Could”) addressed to them personally.This introduction to an indispensable ingredient of success and happiness —reading —isapublic-private collaboration with Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library,embraced by Gov.Mike DeWine and some other governors. The 400,000 children currently in the program will receive 59 more books, one amonth, until at age 5they receive “Look Out Kindergarten, Here ICome!”
Thanksgiving is the best of all holidays, marrying the festivity of Christmas with the patrioticspirit of July Fourth. Also, Thanksgiving is the premier celebration of my favorite food in the world: the American pie. Ilove it so much that I start celebrating weeks early,carefully rolling out my pie crusts and freezing them so Ican pop them into the oven on the morning of the Big Day
Four years ago, Iwrote along essay lamenting the decline of adish that was once so fundamental to our tables that it spawned the phrase “As American as apple pie.” These days, if we haven’tgone low-carb, we’re more likely to bring out cake, brownies or ice cream than agood old-fashioned pie. But at Thanksgiving, it still retains pride of place, even if some despicable quislings have defected to pumpkin cheesecake. The pie, like many fine traditions, wasavictim of technological change. For centuries, it was undemanding compared with other desserts hence the saying “As easy as pie.” A brownie needed expensive chocolate; acake required exact proportions of ingredients and agreat deal of muscle to creambutter and sugar by hand or whip egg whites into aleavening foam.
Apie needed minimal ingredients: salt, flour,water and fat.You could throw acrust together in afew minutes, roll it out and fill it with practically anythingyou had on hand, in whatever amounts you had available.
Acentury of rising incomes, global supply chains and technological change upended those calculations. Today,even anovice can make acheap and reliably excellent cake from scratch in under 20 minutes thanks to innovations such as commercial baking powder,standardizedmeasures and electric mixers. Good pie crust is
Whether it’s store-bought or homemade, topping off some pie with freshwhipped creambrings it to the next level.
comparatively fiddly and uncertain. Addtoo little water,and it won’thold together; add too much,and thegluten in your flour will become overexcited, giving your pie crust the consistency of well-used cardboard. Then there’s rolling the thing out,which is awhole other adventure.
Allthis takes skill and experience, and those talents atrophied as more people took the easy way out. This Thanksgiving, many cooks will use alistless store-bought crust or buy abakery pie that will have begun to stale before it is served. It’savicious cycle: The less often people make pie crust, the less ability they have to make them, and the less reason they have to do so, becauseatthis point, many Americanshave never had a gloriously tender,sublimely flaky homemade pie crust. They don’tknow what they’re missing. My last two columns have been about romanticizing the past and the impossibility of recapturing some imaginedgolden age. Butwhile nostalgia politicsisadead end, nostalgia itselfisnot
We should rue the good things that have been lost, pie crust among them. Better yet,weshould rescuethem whenever we can The happy ending to this story is thattechnological change has made
pie crust easier —not as easy as cake, maybe, but still something acompetentbeginner can master with asmall amount of effort. Food processors simplify thelaborious process of cutting fat intoflour,and chef J. Kenji Lopez-Alt has developed not one but two foolproof pie crust recipes for novices who own such amachine. I’d encourage readers who think pies are too difficult to give one atry,roll them out (videos on the internet will show you how to do this), then put them in thefreezer to await Thanksgiving morning.
ButI’d also ask them to think about how technology might be used to recapture other things they miss. Childhood foods you’velost, for example.At theend of my father’slife, Imanaged to reproduce his beloved snow pudding, anow-forgotten lemon dessert that turnsout to be delicious and easy to makewithanelectricstandmixer. Then think bigger:Could safer selfdriving carsrevive theonce-common sight of children playing in thestreet? Could aproductivityboom driven by artificial intelligence give us more time to investinour communities? Could manufacturedhousing make it easier to form families, or might robotsreverse our demographic decline by taking over thedreary housework that kids generate?
Ican feel the technology skeptics chafing at such optimism —what about all the downsides of technological change we can see everywhere? Why should the next round of “progress” be any different?Fair enough; I’m not claiming that further innovation will give back some of the things technology has taken from us. I’m only suggesting that it could. Whether it does will depend on how we choose to usethe next round of inventions just as thefutureofAmerican pie depends on what you and Ichoosetoput on our table this Thanksgiving. MeganMcArdle in on X, @asymmetricinfo.
In 15 of the poorest Ohio counties, where health care can be distant, aDeWine programsends to schools abus equipped for eye examinations for children. Three weeks later,glasses arrive and some children suddenly see the blackboard clearly Such granular-level government, touching people directly,began in 1976 for 29-year-old DeWine whenhewas elected county prosecutor, 10 presidential administrations ago. Gerald Ford was president. When 33-year-old DeWine wona state Senate seat in 1980, Democrat Jimmy Carterwas president, having carried Texas while defeating Republican Ford, who wonIllinois. The past really is another country Ohio was, and for ageneration remained, a swing state and bellwether.In28of30presidential elections, 1896 through 2012, it favored the winner.Today it is bright red, having beencarried three times by Donald Trump. DeWine, whose fatherhad aseed business nearby,grew up in Yellow Springs, asmall, hyper-progressive college town (Antioch) —the Paris Commune of the Midwest. He began, as he remains, aconservative Republican. At age14in 1961, he named his puppy Barry to honor Arizona Sen. Barry Goldwater,the GOP’s1964presidential nominee who blazed Ronald Reagan’strail. Donald Trump, DeWine says, has been an accelerant, not an ignitor,ofthe rightward drift of working-class Ohioans, whichbegantwo decades before Trump entered politics. Ohio wasanearly cauldron of U.S. industry: Standard Oil created by Cleveland’sJohn D. Rockefeller; tires from Akron (Firestone, Goodrich, Goodyear); steelmills in Ohio’snorth, consumer goods in the south (Cincinnati’sProcter &Gamble, Kroger groceries). But people and capital are mobile, and DeWine says his primary task today is “bringing in people.” He lately has been reassuring Cleveland’sSherwinWilliams, the paint people, that the state will produce sufficient chemistry and other PhDs. DeWine does not speak ill of today’spresident. Some unspoken inferences are, however,unavoidable. Nationally,there are more than 400,000 unfilled manufacturing jobs, while ICE warriors, dressed for combat on Iwo Jima, swarm U.S. communities, deporting workers. Education is the health of any state,soDeWine has emulated Mississippi’ssuccess with “science of reading” instruction. He made himself the villain by doing what many local officials flinched from: banning smartphones in schools, where suddenly screen-deprived students began talking together during lunch. Every Ohioan is eligible for some state school-choice aid. DeWine, too,has noticed that some poor counties have high-performing schools because they have high percentages of intact families: for example,Ohio’sAmish. After serving as Ohio’slieutenant governor, four terms in the U.S. House, two terms in the U.S. Senate, two terms as Ohio’sattorneygeneral, and now asecond term (he is term-limited) as governor,DeWine and his wife, Frances—they metinfirst grade —will soon retire.Theymight, however,continue hosting ice cream socials because they have Midwestern DNA.
In his congressional years, he and Francesliked living in suburban Washington with Republican and Democratic legislators as neighbors, before neighborliness became politically risky.The DeWines missed 4-H and Little League,sothey returned to achanging Ohio.
In the past 30 years, its cities have become bluer,and small towns and rural countieshave becomeredder,which DeWine does not ascribe primarily to economics —deindustrialization. Much of that occurred in the 1970s and 1980s “without,” he says, “changes in voting patterns.”
“Wehave sorted ourselves out politically,” he says, because “the culture of Democrats became offensive.” House Speaker TipO’Neill, who died in 1994, wasinoffensive, but blue-collarDemocrats “can’trelate to those they see on TV now.” Ohio has produced, loosely speaking, seven presidents, eight if you count, as some Ohio chauvinists do, UlyssesS.Grant, an Ohioan until leaving at age 17 for West Point. But before bracing for that bleak future, savor DeWine’s almost half-century in politics. It has been, unlike today’s politics of schoolyard snark and empty gestures (see: today’svice president), adignifiedpolitical vocation.
Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com
PHOTO By BHOFACK /GETTy IMAGES
George Will
David Shribman
ega McArdle M n
Zach Bryan to kick off Tiger Stadium concert series
Multiplatinum artist is first of ‘Death Valley Live’ marquee shows
Staff report
Multiplatinum artist and Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter Zach Bryan will perform in Tiger Stadium on March 28, LSU announced.
Bryan will kick off LSU Athletics’ “Death Valley Live” series
inside legendary Tiger Stadium, marking the first show there since 2022 when Garth Brooks played the venue in front of a crowd of more than 100,000. Announced last week, “Death Valley Live” will include a series of marquee shows at the 100,000seat stadium, according to a news release Opening acts for the Bryan show include Caamp, an American folk band, and J.R. Carroll. Bryan is set to embark on an international tour from March to Oc-
tober of next year, with 40 concerts planned across Europe and North America.
The prospect of another Tiger Stadium show after three years without one came about earlier this month, when the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council approved a tax deal to give city-parish sales tax dollars collected on March 28 and May 23 at the stadium back to entertainment promoters. The two dates are the only known ones mentioned for potential acts at the venue.
According to a news release Thursday, LSU Athletics said “Death Valley Live” was put together in partnership with the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, Visit Baton Rouge and the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership — formerly known as the Baton Rouge Area Chamber “Stadium shows are one component of the music ecosystem that we are building together to make the Capital Region a more attractive place to live, work, and play,” Greater Baton Rouge Economic
Partnership President and CEO Lori Melancon said last week. Bryan is known for his hits including “Something in the Orange,” “Dawns” with Maggie Rogers, and “I Remember Everything” featuring Kasey Musgraves. More recently, his song “Pink Skies” has gone viral on TikTok. This won’t be Bryan’s first headlining show in a Louisiana football stadium. In July 2024, he made a tour stop at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans for a concert that attracted about 40,000 fans.
Tennis star Coco Gauff makes a surprise appearance in N.O.
BY JONI HESS Staff writer
The kids gathered in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East, tennis shoes laced tight and rackets in hand, unaware they’d soon get a chance to share the court with a champion.
Coco Gauff, the world No. 3-ranked women’s tennis player and winner of the 2023 U.S Open and 2025 French Open, arrived at the park Monday afternoon
She surprised dozens of players from A’s & Aces, a year-round tennis and tutoring program that partners with the New Orleans Recreation Development Commission, as she worked with them in a tennis clinic and celebrated the refurbishment of the courts through a U.S. Tennis Association program created after her 2023 U.S. Open victory
“If it bounces, you’re safe,” Gauff told the younger kids during a game where they tried to catch a ball hit from the other side of the net. Gauff moved through three different courts, eventually making her way to a group of older kids who were powerfully zipping the ball back and forth.
“Oh, y’all are hitting for real,” she said, jumping in to join them. Kids in the background cheered her on.
“Oh, my God!” some yelled as she hustled around, whisking a ball back over to score a point. Joe Brown Park has 10 outdoor
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Kellenberger posted on Facebook later Saturday night. “Thank God we all made it back safe.
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determine the circumstances surrounding this event and ensure the safety of our community,” Police Chief Michael Buck said in a statement Monday The shooting remains under investigation, and police said more information will be released as it becomes available.
Texas man wanted in big-rig burglaries
Police in Duson have obtained arrest warrants for a Texas man accused of stealing critical engine components from two semi-trucks last week, rendering the vehicles inoperable and causing thousands of dollars in damage.
Duson Police Chief Kip Judice said 25-year-old Jalen Purnell Green, of Missouri City, Texas, is wanted on two counts of burglary of a vehicle after investigators linked him to the theft of engine control modules from Freightliner tractor trucks parked in the 3000 block of Daulat Road on Friday
The modules, which cost between $3,000 and $5,000 to replace, are essential for a truck’s operation.
Investigators, working with the Lafayette Parish
tennis courts and the USTA program, through the Open Legacy Initiative, spent $110,000 to resurface them and provide new nets and other trappings. The work was completed in May and the courts have been used by adults and kids who are offered free tennis lessons through NORD’s partnership with A’s & Aces.
“It’s an amazing day for the A’s and Aces community that someone like Coco Gauff is coming here to see us and play with the kids. They’ll have this experience for the rest of their lives,” said A’s & Aces co-founder Anna Monhartova.
“This just adds to the importance of the program, making sure that our kids have an opportunity in New Orleans East to play on first class tennis courts,” NORD CEO Larry Barabino Jr said.
Gauff, who has won 11 tennis titles, including the two majors, earned $3 million in prize money from her U.S Open victory It was matched by the USTA to rehabilitate tennis courts at schools, parks and other public facilities across the U.S., in a nod to Gauff who grew up playing in the community courts of her native Delray Beach, Florida.
Jim Ewers, A’s & Aces co-director, lauded Gauff for her in-person visit.
“Not only is she a world-class tennis player she’s a world-class human being. For her to take time out of her schedule and be here, holy mackerel,” he said.
Not to mention these were nearly all stakes horses.”
Acadian Ambulance, which provides standby service at Evangeline Downs, confirmed the unit was “traveling on the track to reposition” while a
Sheriff’s Office Real Time Crime Center, tracked the suspect’s rented 2025 black Hyundai Palisade with Texas plates through several Louisiana towns before it crossed the state line within hours of the burglaries. The next morning, the vehicle was spotted in Beaumont, Texas, where Beaumont police stopped it for a traffic violation and detained Green and two passengers. A search of the SUV turned up engine control modules, but all three occupants denied being in Louisiana. Initial surveillance footage was too poor in quality to confirm an
New Orleans is one of more than 100 facilities chosen by Gauff’s family to receive improvements, starting with her hometown last spring. Gauff on Monday said New Orleans holds a special place in her heart, it being the birthplace of
race was in progress. The company says it is working with track officials to investigate what happened and strengthen communication and protocols “to ensure this type of incident does not occur in the future.”
identity
Judice said further review of license plate reader and security camera footage showed the suspect vehicle stopping at a Texaco station just 7 miles west of Duson minutes after leaving the crime scene, with Green as the sole occupant. Police said his clothing in that video matched what was seen in the burglary footage.
Warrants were issued in Lafayette Parish, each carrying a $50,000 bail with a $10,000 cash requirement due to Green’s out-of-state residence and denial of being in Louisiana.
her father and former coach Corey Gauff. Her mother, Candi Gauff, attended Xavier University A host of extended family live in the River Parishes.
“New Orleans is an important community to me,” Coco Gauff said. “I grew up coming here I
love the food.”
The event closed out with a brass band and Coco Gauff danced with a group of kids before the Kinfolk Brass Band proceeded around the tennis court. Coco Gauff followed, umbrella in tow
STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER
player Coco Gauff shows Vyom Chilveoy, 8, where to hit the ball during her visit to a New Orleans
Commission tennis clinic at Joe Brown Park in New Orleans on Monday
SPORTS
TEAR IT DOWN
BY MATTHEW PARAS and LUKE JOHNSON Staff writers
The New Orleans Saints will host kickerJustin Tucker fora tryout Tuesday as the team exploresits options over whether to moveonfrom Blake Grupe, coach Kellen Moore confirmed
Monday
The invite marks the 36-year-old’s firstworkoutwithanNFL team sincehe serveda 10-game suspensionafterallegations that he acted inappropriately during massage-therapy appointments.
Saints at
In January 2025, the Baltimore Banner reported that six different women accused Tucker of inappropriate behavior during massage sessions from 2012-16. Weeks later,10more women cameforward with additionalaccusations, which they said included Tucker exposing himself intentionally andleaving ejaculate on the massage table. Moore said he and the team would need to have “further conversation” with Tucker about the allegations which the kickerhas denied —before deciding whether to offer him acontract.
If it was not clear already,the first thing thenew LSU head coach has to do became obvious over the past month. Whether it’s LaneKiffin or someone else in charge, theoffense needs to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt LSU’soffensive issues stood out more thanever in a13-10 win Saturday nightover WesternKentucky.LSU had not scored less than 21 points against anon-power conference opponentsince 2000, when it lost 13-10 to UAB during NickSaban’s first season. With one regular-season game and a bowl left, LSU still hasnot scoredmore than 25 points against an FBS team this season. It has not gone through anentire season without doing that since at least theDivisionI split in 1978, andthe chances of exceeding that mark are low against No.8Oklahoma on Saturday Maybe LSU will get afavorable matchup in thebowl game, butitdoes not have one against the Sooners. Oklahoma has
BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer
For afew weeks, theinjury news concerning the UL offensive line had gotten better Th ose days were shortlived. UL coach Michael Desormeaux confirmed during Monday’s weekly news conference that
starting center Cooper Fordham and veteran reserve Mackey
Maillho are both outfor the rest of theseason Fordhamsuffered akneeinjury and Maillho afoot injury in the first quarter of theCajuns’ 34-30 road win over Arkansas StateonThursday That now means nine offensive linemen are outfor theseason.
“No, I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Desormeaux
said. “I don’teven know how you could ever even anticipate anything like this happening. I’ve been in seasons where youmight losetwo starting linebackersand that sucks… butthis is nine guys out for the year.Imean, that’s morethan atwo-deep. That’s absurd. Much like the depleted safety positiona week agobecause of the SunBelt-imposed suspensions, Desormeauxsaidit’sun-
clear who will be preparedto playonthe offensive line for Saturday’scritical 2p.m.game against UL-Monroe at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium. Fordham’s replacement is expected toberedshirt sophomore Andrew Martinez. He was pressed into duty at guard for the Troy gameand showed improvement on film
“You just want to get to know the people and get to know maybe the circumstance here and there,” Moore said. “Certainly,hehad asuspension in the league. He servedthat suspension.Obviously,there’ssomeinformation to collect. This will be aworkout, andwe’ll see all that stuff that takes place.” Tucker’ssuspension endedNov.11 after being handeddown in June. His agenttoldESPN thenthatTuckerwas “disappointed” in the punishmentbut would not appeal the suspension to “put this difficult episode behind him.” “Justin has always strived to carry himself in away that would make his family and community proud,” said Robert Roche, Tucker’sagent. “He stands by his previous statements.” Moore saidnodecision hasbeen made on Grupe’sfuture after the Saints kicker missed twocrucial kicks in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. But the team is exploring other alternatives, which Moore saidwillinclude Tucker,free
Staff report
The LSU soccer team’srecordbreaking season came to aclose with a1-0 loss to Vanderbilt in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament on Monday in Nashville, Tennessee. Both Vanderbilt and LSU entered the game hoping to earn afirst-ever trip to the Elite Eight. Thanks to a goal by Melania Fullerton in the 65th minute, the No. 1-seededCommodores are riding a12-game winning streak into aquarterfinalcontest against No. 2-seededTCU, with
the game to beplayed eitherFriday or Saturday at theVanderbilt Soccer Complex. The Horned Frogs advanced Mondaybytopping NorthCarolina in agamedecidedbypenaltykicks in Fort Worth,Texas. On asoggy afternoon in Nashville,Vanderbilt broke the scoreless tieafter Grace Freeman sent aheader past apairofLSU defenders, the balllandinginfront of the goal.Fullerton was there to take advantage with awell-placed shot, sending the ball into theback of the
net for her first goal of the season. Courtney Jones also was credited with an assist on thegoalfor hercross toward the backpost, connecting with an unguarded Freeman. LSUappeared ready to tie the matchinthe
was quicktothe ball and cameupwith asave toward the bottom left of the goal. Wojdelko, who proved to be the hero in penaltykicks forVanderbilt in theSEC Tournament title game winoverLSU earlier this month, tallied four saves Monday
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Dolphins, NOON SUNDAy,FOX
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU quarterback Michael VanBuren is tripped up trying to escape thepocket in the third quarter of thegame against Western Kentucky on Saturday at TigerStadium.
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Emerybreaks up apass intended for
Brown in the end zone
Stadium.
Wilson Alexander
Huskies still No. 1 after narrow win
BY DOUG FEINBERG
AP basketball writer
UConn passed its first test of the season to remain No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll on Monday
The Huskies received 30 of the 32 first-place votes from a national media panel after beating No. 6 Michigan 72-69 last Friday in the Naismith Hall of Fame Women’s Showcase.
South Carolina, UCLA and Texas followed UConn. That trio heads to Las Vegas this week for a Thanksgiving tournament that will have the Bruins and Longhorns facing each other The Gamecocks play Duke in the other game Wednesday. The second day of the tournament is the next day LSU remained fifth with Michigan staying in the sixth spot after the close loss to the defending
champions. Maryland, TCU, Oklahoma and Iowa State rounded out the top 10. The Cyclones are in the top 10 for the first time this season.
Rising Hawkeyes
Iowa made the biggest jump in the poll this week, climbing eight places to No. 11. The Hawkeyes knocked off then-No. 7 Baylor in the WBCA Showcase in Florida to remain unbeaten. It’s the team’s best ranking since Caitlin Clark led them to the NCAA championship game in 2024.
Falling down
North Carolina State, Baylor, Southern California and Oklahoma State all dropped in the poll after losses. The Wolfpack were stunned by Rhode Island and fell nine places to No. 25. The Bears fell eight spots to 15th after losing
to Iowa. The Trojans dove seven places to 18th after a two-point loss to Notre Dame. The Cowgirls dropped to 24th after a loss at St. John’s.
Conference supremacy
The Southeastern Conference has eight teams in the rankings again this week, including three of the top five The Big Ten has seven schools in the poll, the Big 12 five and the Atlantic Coast Conference four The Big East has one. Game of the week
No. 3 UCLA vs No. 4 Texas, Wednesday A top five showdown in Las Vegas with two teams that made the Final Four last season. The Bruins have a size advantage with Lauren Betts while the Longhorns have one of the top players in the country in wing Madison Booker
Arizona jumps to No. 2 behind Purdue
BY AARON BEARD AP basketball writer
Purdue remained at No. 1 in
The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll, while Arizona jumped to No. 2 to continue its opening-month rise after another impressive win against a ranked opponent.
The Boilermakers (6-0) earned 46 of 61 first-place votes in Monday’s poll to remain at the top after beating then-No. 15 Texas Tech by 30 to win the Baha Mar Championship in the Bahamas.
The Wildcats (5-0) earned 11 first-place votes to jump two spots. That came after last week’s win at then-No. 3 UConn, part of a run that began with a victory over reigning NCAA champion Florida in Las Vegas and a win against a ranked UCLA team in Los Angeles.
Arizona was ranked No. 13 in the preseason AP Top 25, but jumped to No. 5 after the Florida win before inching up to No. 4 last week
The top tier
Houston, which spent a week at No. 1 earlier this month, slid a spot to No. 3 to make room for the Wildcats, while Duke and UConn rounded out the top five. Louisville, Michigan, Alabama, BYU and Florida rounded out the top 10, with the Crimson Tide rising from No. 11 after its win against then-No. 8 Illinois in Chicago.
Rising No. 11 Michigan State had the week’s biggest jump, climbing six spots after beating Kentucky in the Champions Classic.
No. 17 Tennessee climbed three spots, while No. 16 North Carolina and No. 23 N.C. State each rose two spots In all, 11 teams moved up from
ASSOCIATE PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL
Arizona guard Jaden Bradley, left, is guarded by UConn guard Malachi Smith in the second half of a game Wednesday in Storrs, Conn. last week’s poll.
Sliding
Kentucky’s 17-point loss to the Spartans triggered the week’s biggest fall of seven spots to No. 19, while the 13th-ranked Illini and 20th-ranked Red Raiders each tumbled five spots. In all, six teams fell from last week’s poll.
Status quo Six teams stayed locked in last
week’s position, including five of the top 10 teams and No. 14 St. John’s.
Comings and goings
No. 24 Vanderbilt and No. 25 Indiana were the new additions to the poll, replacing Wisconsin (No. 23 last week) and Kansas (24th) The Commodores spent one week at No. 24 last season, which before Monday stood as the only AP Top 25 ranking for the program since December 2015.
Bengals receiver Chase apologizes for spitting
CINCINNATI Ja’Marr Chase apologized Monday for spitting on Jalen Ramsey during the fourth quarter of the Cincinnati Bengals’ loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov 16.
Chase was suspended by the NFL for Sunday’s game. His statement of apology was addressed to his team, the Bengals and Steelers organizations and the NFL community but the star wide receiver did not mention Ramsey by name. According to the NFL Players Association database, Chase was docked at least $448,333 in base salary as a result of the suspension.
Chase is fourth in the league with 79 receptions and fifth in receiving yards with 861. He led the NFL in catches, receiving yards and touchdown catches last season.
Sanders to make second NFL start against 49ers
Shedeur Sanders will make his second NFL start on Sunday when the Cleveland Browns host the San Francisco 49ers.
Dillon Gabriel is expected to be Sanders’ backup after he cleared concussion protocol.
Sanders is the first Browns rookie QB to win his first start since Eric Zeier in 1995. It was the 11th time that a rookie has started for Cleveland since its return in 1999.
Sanders said after the game that he felt very relaxed.
Sanders took his first NFL snaps during the second half of Cleveland’s 23-16 loss to the Baltimore Ravens on Nov 16. He came into the game when Gabriel suffered a concussion late in the first half
Georgia’s Daniels released from team after his arrest
Georgia offensive lineman Nyier Daniels has been dismissed from the team following his weekend arrest on multiple charges resulting from a high-speed police chase in the city of Commerce.
According to the Jackson County, Georgia, jail log, Daniels was booked at 10 a.m. Sunday on three felony charges, including fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, and 10 misdemeanor charges.
Georgia coach Kirby Smart said Monday that Daniels was no longer on the team.
Daniels, a 6-foot-8, 240-pound redshirt freshman from Newark, New Jersey, has appeared in three games this season. Georgia’s final regular-season game is Friday against No. 23 Georgia Tech.
Mets trade OF Nimmo to Rangers for INF Semien
The Texas Rangers and the New York Mets have agreed on a trade to send Gold Glove second baseman Marcus Semien to New York in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo.
Nimmo, who has played all 10 of his big-league seasons with the Mets, just completed the third season of the $162 million, eight-year contract he got after becoming a free agent for the first time after the 2022 season.
Semien has three seasons and $72 million remaining on the $175 million, seven-year contract he signed with the Rangers in December 2021. That was at the same time they also in free agency added World Series MVP shortstop Corey Seager on a $325 million, 10-year contract.
It is the second straight year the Jayhawks, who lost to Duke in the Champions Classic last week, have fallen out of the poll at least once. Before last season, Kansas had been ranked in every poll but one — missing one week during the 2020-21 season played amid the COVID-19 pandemic — dating to the 2009-10 season. Conference watch
DENVER The Colorado Rockies have promoted Warren Schaeffer to full-time manager, the team said Monday Schaeffer assumed the role on an interim basis after the Rockies fired Bud Black, the winningest manager in franchise history, in May following a 7-33 start.
The Rockies finished the season 43-119 and in last place in the NL West.
Schaeffer becomes the eighth full-time manager in club history. The 40-year-old has been a member of the Rockies organization for over a decade.
Black initially found success with Colorado when he led the Rockies to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2017 and ’18. They haven’t finished with a winning record since.
ASSOCIATES PRESS PHOTO By STEVEN SENNE
UConn forward Sarah Strong, center, celebrates with guards Azzi Fudd, left, and KK Arnold in a game against Utah on Sunday in Uncasville, Conn. The Huskies have been No. 1 all season.
LSU baseball sees transfer as ideal Jones’ replacement
BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer
The departure of Jared Jones left a big hole in the middle of LSU baseball’s lineup, but Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorke has no intention of trying to be the next Jones.
“I’m not really trying to replace him,” Yorke said Monday “I’m just going to try to be myself and help my team win as much as I can.”
But LSU coach Jay Johnson is still betting on Yorke to be a major contributor and Jones’ replacement at first base ahead of its 2026 season opener against Milwaukee on Feb. 13. Based on what Johnson saw during the fall, he is confident in Yorke becoming that kind of player
“He has plenty of power, and that’s the thing that grabs everybody’s attention,” Johnson said. “But he doesn’t have to sell out to hit with power, and I
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“I thought he played a lot better against Arkansas State than he did against Troy,” Desormeaux said of Martinez. “He played really hard against Troy, and he went out there and gave us a chance I thought he played really well against Arkansas State.
“The reality of it is he’s been in the fire a little bit this year.”
Desormeaux said Martinez’s clutch performance off the bench against Arkansas State to replace Fordham earned him individual recognition after the victory
“To not have one snap issue in that game, I mean, that’s almost a miracle,” Desormeaux said.
“When you put a center in there who hasn’t played a whole lot — he’s got to snap every ball back there in a high-pressure situation, make the IDs he did a really good job and he played really well. He was a player of the game for us whenever we went back and watched it because of the role he had to step in and the way he had to step in and play.”
While safety Tyree Skipper won’t
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agent and former LSU kicker Cade York and practice squad kicker Charlie Smyth. Grupe has missed a league-high eight kicks in 2025. Before the allegations, Tucker was regarded as one of the best kickers in the NFL. He spent 13 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens and was named to seven Pro Bowls. He was released in May 2025 in what Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta classified as “a football decision.” Tucker struggled in 2024, missing 10 total kicks — three more than his previous worst season. He made 22 of 30 field goal attempts last season and missed two extra points.
“He’s been a really good kicker for a really long time,” Moore said when asked why the Saints would consider signing Tucker. “He’s had a ton of success. He’s been a leader for Baltimore for a long time He’s been one of their leaders for an extended period of time, with a very
be back, cornerback Courtline Flowers and safety Kody Jackson are expected to play against ULMonroe.
The Warhawks are 3-8 overall and 1-6 in Sun Belt play but they have shined on the defensive side in spots throughout the season. For instance, Texas State got 103 fewer total yards at home against UL-Monroe than it did on the road against the Cajuns.
The Cajuns (5-6, 4-3) must win Saturday to gain bowl eligibility
As nerve-racking as the end of the Arkansas State win was, Desormeaux was glad it played out that way because it showed the TV audience the gutsy approach his team has displayed throughout this trying season.
“It’s been a fun group all year, but I’ve never been more proud of their resolve and kind of their resilience,” he said. “It’s just kind of speaks to what they’ve been all year I told them after the game, I’m glad the game went the way it did. I’m glad everybody got to see what this team is about, you know, because it’s been week after week. It’s been challenge after challenge, and they’ve attacked them all.”
Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com
successful team.
“So obviously, there’s been some stuff that’s been unfortunate. He’s gone through an experience, and I think it’s about collecting what that experience was, and we’ll evaluate the football aspect of it, and we’ll evaluate everything else as well.”
The Saints’ exploration of Tucker comes three years after the team also tried to trade for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who served an 11-game suspension after more than 20 women accused him of inappropriate sexual conduct during massagetherapy sessions.
Asked whether the Saints plan on reaching out to the women who accused Tucker of misconduct, Moore said the team would do “due diligence” on the situation.
Moore also was asked what he would need to hear from Tucker to feel comfortable enough for the Saints to sign him.
“(There’s) going to be some personal dialogue between myself and (general manager) Mickey Loomis,” Moore said. “We want to
think that allows you to make a really positive contribution no matter what type of game (is being played).”
Yorke’s power is obvious when he steps onto the diamond. He is 6-foot-2 and 295 pounds. He’s also Grand Canyon’s all-time leader in home runs and RBIs since the program made the transition to Division I, and last season he blasted a career-high 13 homers and posted a 1.079 on-base plus slugging percentage.
Like with Jones, Yorke is a proven middle-of-the-order bat and, as he noted Monday, knows how to pull the ball in the air to generate that power
A major difference between him and his predecessor is the amount of swing and miss in their games. Jones struck out in more than a quarter of his plate appearances in each of his three seasons at LSU Yorke has struck out no more than 13.7% of the time in a single campaign at
Grand Canyon. The Lopes don’t play in the Southeastern Conference, but the contrast in styles at the plate is still stark.
“That type of hitter can be successful in a small ballpark, in a big ballpark,” Johnson said, “on a day the wind’s blowing in, the wind’s blowing out.”
Yorke credits his bat-to-ball skills to his summer baseball days in high school, when his coaches would have him try to hit pinto beans with a wooden bat.
“I kind of have always been good at slapping the ball the other way when I need to,” Yorke said, “and then in certain situations, trying to do more on the pull side. But yeah, I feel like I learned how to hit for the whole field and have an approach before I learned how to hit for power.”
Yorke pairs his strong contact skills with a patient approach at
the plate. He had more walks than strikeouts in each of his three years at Grand Canyon Jones’ on-base percentage was north of .400 last season.
Yorke’s patience is a trait that also stands out to Johnson
“I just have always understood that (with) my skill set, I can manipulate the ball that I can hit,” Yorke said. “If I can’t hit it, I don’t swing at it. So usually it’s a ball.” York is the power-hitting first base/designated hitter who LSU added to help fill the power void left by Jones, who finished third all-time in career home runs at LSU. But even if he doesn’t blast 22
go through that process and have those conversations. And again, we were not in Baltimore. We were not part of that process
“So it’s about having those conversations as you go through this thing. We’ll keep that private as we go through it.”
Fuaga’s ankle
When he lined up as a member of the scout team in practice last week, Taliese Fuaga could tell his ankle still wasn’t right.
The Saints right tackle has been dealing with a high-ankle sprain for the past three weeks, and even though returning to the field was a positive step, the pain was still sharp enough that Fuaga knew he wasn’t going to be able to play in Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons
“It was very achey,” Fuaga said. “Certain movements didn’t feel so good.”
This week will require a waitand-see approach.
Fuaga said he’s feeling better but plans to get reps in practice and “see how it goes” before determin-
ing whether he can play Sunday against the Miami Dolphins. The Saints have missed the former first-rounder, who has missed two straight games because of the ailment and three overall in 2025.
Recovering from a high-ankle sprain isn’t uncharted territory for Fuaga. He said he dealt with a similar issue at Oregon State, which he said has helped him in rehabbing this time around.
At practice last week, Fuaga participated on a limited basis. He said he mostly worked out on the side of the field but got a few team drills at the end of the week.
Though he’s usually a starter, Fuaga said he worked with the scout team so he could go against pass rushers such as Carl Granderson and Cam Jordan so he could “get some good reps in.”
Fuaga also was spotted with a notable wrap around his ankle, which he joked was a “big old boot.” He said he’s using a newer kind of brace that has become more apparent around the league when treating high-ankle sprains.
“I feel like this is a faster recov-
ery than I had in college,” he said. Kamara TBD Moore did not have much of a substantive update on running back Alvin Kamara who exited Sunday’s game against Atlanta in the first quarter with a knee injury and did not return.
“We’ll see how that progresses,” Moore said. “We’ll get more detail tomorrow.”
The injury occurred when former Saints linebacker Kaden Elliss tackled Kamara near the sideline, causing Kamara’s lower half to twist awkwardly as he landed on the turf. Kamara had been dealing with an ankle injury for several weeks that had left him limited in practices.
Devin Neal handled the majority of the snaps in Kamara’s absence, recording 61 yards from scrimmage (43 receiving, 18 rushing) on 12 touches.
“We’ll see if (Kamara’s) available this week,” Moore said. “If he’s available, awesome. If not, Devin I thought did an awesome job hopping in there and competing.”
STAFF
PHOTO By BRAD KEMP
UL center Cooper Fordham, shown here during a practice drill, suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Cajuns’ road win at Arkansas State on Thursday.
STAFF
PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
LSU head coach Jay Johnson thanks the fans during the championship ring ceremony on Oct. 25 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center
LSU NOTEBOOK
LSU not ruling Nussmeier out of finale yet
BY WILSON ALEXANDER and REED DARCEY Staff writers
LSU interim coach Frank Wilson on Monday left the door open for quarterback Garrett Nussmeier to play this week and updated the status of several other injured starters ahead of the regular-season finale against Oklahoma.
“We’re going to try to see what he looks like (Tuesday) in practice,” Wilson said. “He was good in treatment this weekend. Real early on this Monday to project, but we’ll give him a go at it and see how he feels and probably midweek be able to give you a better answer to that.”
Nussmeier has not played since Nov 8 against Alabama after he aggravated an abdominal injury Wilson has said. According to multiple reports Sunday, Nussmeier is doubtful to play LSU faces No. 8 Oklahoma at 2:30 p.m. Saturday Michael Van Buren is in line to start for the third straight game. He completed a combined 63% of his passes for 423 yards with two touchdowns and one interception in one-score wins over Arkansas and Western Kentucky the past two weeks.
I’m hopeful that he’ll be able to play his best from a health standpoint in this upcoming game.”
Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman TyreeAdams, who started the first seven games before suffering a high-ankle sprain, is “progressing,” Wilson said. Though he has a “chance” to return against Oklahoma, it’s unlikely he will play until a bowl game.
Kiffin quiet on future
Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin declined to answer almost every question related to his future at a weekly news conference Monday
“You can keep going,” Kiffin said at one point. “I’m not going to answer them. That’s three of them. You got another one?”
Special kickoff unit
Wilson said Monday that LSU used a special coverage unit Saturday for the opening kickoff of its win over Western Kentucky
The whole 10-man group, Wilson said, was comprised of senior walk-ons “who had played little or had never played at all” in their collegiate careers.
“We wanted to do (them) the honor,” Wilson said, “of giving them a chance to set the tone for the day.”
Kickoff specialist Aeron Burrell booted the ball out of the end zone for a touchback, giving the group of walk-ons a chance to run toward the LSU student section. Wilson said he didn’t publicize the move before the game because he didn’t want the Hilltoppers to take advantage of it.
LSU had a long list of other injuries Offensive linemen Braelin Moore and Ory Williams are “doubtful,” Wilson said. Moore has been the starting center all season, and Williams started the past two games at tackle. They both suffered lower leg injuries in a 13-10 win over Western Kentucky Wilson said he felt “hopeful” about linebacker Whit Weeks (ankle), running back Caden Durham (neck), wide receiver Aaron Anderson and cornerback Mansoor Delane (core muscle) being able to play against the Sooners. After missing four games, Weeks played in a limited capacity against Western Kentucky He changed out of his pads at halftime and spent the rest of the game with a walking boot on his right leg.
Kiffin is considered the top target in coaching searches at LSU and Florida. An announcement on his future is expected Saturday, the day after No. 6 Ole Miss plays Mississippi State in the Egg Bowl. The only question Kiffin answered was about how important it is to him to finish out the season with Ole Miss, which could reach the College Football Playoff for the first time.
“Very important,” Kiffin said.
“I’ve never thought of anything different than that.”
“Whit came out of the game feeling good,” Wilson said. “We wanted to limit his opportunities so he could be at his best in this game
Kiffin declined to answer other queries, including what he will consider in his decision, his thoughts on a meeting last Friday with the Ole Miss athletic director and chancellor, and whether he had made a choice already
SCOREBOARD
p.m. Monday N.Y. Giants at New England, 7:15 p.m. LATE SUNDAY L.A. Rams 34, Tampa Bay 7 Tampa Bay0700—7 L.A. Rams141703—34 First Quarter LAR—Adams 1 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 4:32. LAR—Durant 50 interception return (Mevis kick), 1:42. Second Quarter LAR—Parkinson 5 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 10:46. TB—T.Johnson 14 pass from Mayfield (McLaughlin kick), 5:03 LAR—Adams 24 pass from Stafford (Mevis kick), 3:10. LAR—FG Mevis 40, 1:02 Fourth Quarter LAR—FG Mevis 52, 13:35 A—75,545. TBLA
Rushes-yards
Sacked-Yards Lost
Punts
Fumbles-Lost
Penalties-Yards
Time of Possession
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Tampa Bay, Tucker
White 7-38, Mayfield 4-19, T.Johnson
Bridgewater 1-6, Wright 3-6. L.A. Rams,
12-46, Corum 7-24. PASSING—Tampa Bay, Bridgewater 8-15-062, Mayfield 9-19-2-41. L.A. Rams, Stafford 25-35-0-273. RECEIVING—Tampa Bay, Otton
Allen 3-29 Whittington 3-17, Mumpfield 2-25 K.Williams 1-2. MISSED FIELD GOALS—None. Pro basketball NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division
p.m. MIDWEST W. Michigan (7-4) at E. Michigan (4-7), 6:30 p.m. Thursday’s games
Tuskegee (0-1) at Alabama St. (9-2), 2 p.m. Navy
“They got a chance to go out there and play in Tiger Stadium,” Wilson said, “and they’ll forever be able to say that to their children for years to come. ‘I ran out. I played in that stadium,’ and not just in a warm-up fashion but in an actual game.
“So that was our gift that our senior walk-ons earned through their preparation. I’m just very proud of them.”
allowed an average of 14 points and 81 yards rushing per game, both the best marks in the SEC. Its 41 sacks and 110 tackles for loss lead the country, and the LSU offensive line could be down multiple starters.
“I don’t know if they have a weakness on their defense for sure,” LSU interim coach Frank Wilson said. LSU has to face that on the road with a College Football Playoff berth on the line for Oklahoma. Wilson said LSU will keep trying to find ways to score, but even he called it “a tall task.” The offense
has averaged 22.6 points per game, lacks a clear identity and has scored touchdowns on only 50% of its red-zone trips. It is what it is at this point. One’s time would be better spent trying to figure out what the next coach has to work with going into next year
There are some players who LSU can build around. Running backs Harlem Berry and Caden Durham have shown promise, and they could form a productive tandem with better blocking. Sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green emerged this year with a team-high five touchdown catches so far Redshirt junior center Braelin Moore has played well. Aaron Anderson is a reliable receiver when healthy and even though he was honored
on senior night, he has another year of eligibility After that, LSU may not have another proven starter However, there are others who LSU might retain in order to keep developing them and see what they become. Multiple offensive linemen fit that description even though the unit has not played well this season. So does sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren and redshirt sophomore wide receiver Kyle Parker, as well as several other young players. But LSU clearly has to fill a lot of holes through the transfer portal. First and foremost, LSU needs a quarterback. It has only two on scholarship who can return next season, and it doesn’t have a quarterback committed in the
2026 recruiting class. The Tigers must find a transfer who can start right away Van Buren has been inconsistent in limited action, and although he could improve over the offseason, LSU needs another option to compete with whoever returns. An elite quarterback can cover up a lot of deficiencies. However, as LSU showed this year, an offense can’t do much without better blocking upfront. It’s unclear at this point how many transfer offensive linemen LSU will try to sign. The only player without another year of eligibility who received regular playing time this season is right guard Josh Thompson. Everyone else could return, but with how much the offensive line struggled, LSU likely will try to find a few imme-
diate starters. At the skill positions, LSU needs a physical running back and another tight end. It also will need to revamp its wide receiver room. The two leading receivers, Barion Brown and Zavion Thomas, are seniors. Anderson and Parker could return, but they both play in the slot. Otherwise, LSU has a group of unproven players who would need to take an offseason leap. The Tigers may need two or more transfer receivers. It will not be cheap to rebuild the offense, which could complicate things as LSU competes for transfers. A lot of these are premium positions. But a construction project such as this has to be done right, and that’s where
STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK
LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier left, walks the sidelines during a game against Western Kentucky on Saturday at Tiger Stadium
gotten our first frost or freeze of the season under our belts. That’sa good sign that it’stime to overhaul your garden with colorfulflowers that will thrive this fall and winter —ifyou haven’talready.And there are plentyof options to choosefrom.
“We’re lucky in Louisiana that we can basically grow color 365 days ayear,” said LSU AgCenter horticulturist Jason Stagg. “But there is a completelydifferent palette when it comes to cool-season landscaping. This time of year, you’ll find amajority of pinks and purples at the garden center and in landscape beds around town.” If you’re in the mood for mixingthings up in this year’s cool-season garden, Stagg suggests incorporating whiteblooming varieties to help break up similar shades andto add brightness to gray winter days. He also offerstheserecommendations for some lesscommon plants and new colors of familiar species
LSU AGCENTERPHOTO By OLIVIA McCLURE Cool Jazz is anew color in the Supertunia series of petunia hybridsand agreat choice for cool-season gardens.
Petunias
With their incredible flower power,ability to withstand winter temperatures and lowmaintenance nature, petunias are apopular choice. Freezing temperatures may temporarily halt their bloom cycle, butthe plants will quickly rebound.
Many gardeners are partial to the Supertunia series of petunia hybrids, and the AgCenter has bestowed the titleof Louisiana Super Plant on two members of this series:Supertunia Vista Bubblegum, with its bright pink flowers, and Supertunia Mini Vista Indigo, which has smaller bloomsina bluish-purple colorway.Stagg is excited about anew color in the series called Supertunia Vista Cool Jazz, apale, pinkish lavender with hints of blue. Vigorous petunias can quickly fill in large spaces in beds while working just as well in container plantings, where they tend to trail over the edges. Their longevity is impressive, with plants often continuing to bloom through May.
Violas Violas are another coolseason favorite, and for good reason. They can survive temperatures well below freezing and are heat tolerant enoughto last until mid-May.Their low, mounded growth habit looks greatatthe fronts of beds and in container mixes.
ä See GARDEN, page 6C
Traysoffood are lined up before being servedatSt.Vincent De Paul’s2024
GIVING A BIGHAND
TBY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer
hanksgivingDay is quickly approaching, andsoon it’ll be aday of thepast.
From multicourse brunchestodinner buffets,turkeyday in BatonRouge will have no shortage of dining options. This listcovers restaurants that will be open Thursday, Nov.27.
n Sullivan’sSteakhouse (5252 Corporate Blvd.): Open 11 a.m. to 8p.m., Sullivan’soffersthe full menu in addition to athree-course Thanksgiving special menu. Reservations are recommended.
n Al Noor Kitchen (14241 Coursey Blvd.): Thelunch buffet anda la cartemenuisavailable 11 a.m. to 3p.m.
n Asian Seafood House (11294 Florida Blvd.): This seafood buffet will be open 11 a.m. to 9p.m. servingits usualbites like lobster, dim sum and more.
n L’Auberge Casino &Hotel (777 L’Auberge Ave.): The Thanksgiving buffet returns 11 a.m. to 6p.m., running at $34.99 per person. The buffet will feature herbroasted turkey,shrimp and mirliton dressing, andouille stuffing and more.
n The Queen BatonRouge (1717 RiverParkBlvd.): 1717 Kitchen will serveits Thanksgiving menu until 11:30 p.m., featuring aselection of classics like Cajunfried turkey and casseroles in addition to steak and burgers
n Jubans Restaurant& Bar (3739 Perkins Road): AThanksgivingDay brunch is availablefrom 10 a.m. to 2p.m.Reservations can be made online.
n BRQ Seafood and Barbeque (10423 Jefferson Highway): A three-course meal with salad, Thanksgiving sides, turkey or ham and pecan pie with ice cream runs at $34 per person.Reservations can be madeonline.
n The Gregory(150 Third St.):
The Thanksgiving buffetwill be open 11 a.m.to2 p.m., running at $68 for adults and $28 for children ages 4-12. The menufeatures turkey,citrus salmon, classic sides, soup, pecan pie and lots more.
n The Crowne Plaza (4728 Constitution Ave.): With areservation, folks can enjoy the return of this Thanksgiving buffet from 11 a.m to 3p.m.which includes gumbo, salad, turkey,sides and desserts. The mealis$65 for senior citizens, $75 for adults, $40 for children and $30 for ages 6and under
n Little Village (14241 Airline Highway): Open from 11 a.m. to 3p.m., Little Village will serve its regularlunchmenuand specials. The Little Village Downtown location will be closed.
n Fleming’sPrime Steakhouse and Wine Bar (7321 Corporate Blvd.): Open at 11 a.m., Fleming’swillserve atwo-course
page
BY MADDIESCOTT Staff writer
STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON
Thanksgiving dinner in Baton Rouge.
Family lovescritiquingbride’s choices
Dear Miss Manners: My 30-yearold cousin is getting married, and my relatives believe she is doing everything wrong. In fact, agrowing list of the bride-to-be’s “inappropriate” wedding choices has become the family’sfavorite topic, especially among the 65+ ladies (all discussed behind my cousin’sback, of course). The specific crimes my cousin has committed include: investing tens of thousands of dollars into her bachelorette party, wedding and honeymoon (instead
By The Associated Press
Todayinhistory:
Judith Martin MISS MANNERS
of saving for ahouse and future children);holding the event on a Thursday; inviting out-ofstate relatives, but forbidding their children from attending; requesting thatguests RSVP using a QR code,included on the mailed invitations; holding the rehearsal the morning of the wedding, in her wedding dress (which her groom will therefore see before the ceremony); and choosing anonreligious ceremony andofficiant.
There are many more alleged faux pas, including thecut of the
TODAYINHISTORY
CIA officerJohnny “Mike”
Today is Tuesday,Nov.25, the 329th day of 2025. There are 36 days left in the year
On Nov.25, 1963, the body of President John F. Kennedy was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery after afuneral procession through Washington, D.C. An estimated 1million people lined the somber procession route.
Also on this date:
In 1783, following the conclusion of the Revolutionary War, the last remaining British troops in the United States were evacuated from New York City
In 1961, the USS Enterprise was commissioned; it was the first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier and remains the longest naval vessel built, at 1,123 feet
In 1986, the Iran-Contra affair erupted as President Ronald Reagan and Attorney General Edwin Meese revealed that profits from secret arms sales to Iran had been diverted toNicaraguan rebels.
In 1999, Elian Gonzalez, a 5-year-old Cuban boy,was rescued by two sport fishermen off the coast of Florida, setting off an international custodybattle that eventually sawhim repatriatedtohis father in Cuba.
In 2001, as the war in Afghanistan entered its eighth week,
BUN’S
Continued from page5C
burgers, brisket, chickenwings, Philly steak and salad. There’s also an appetizer menu witheggrolls, chili dog or cheesesteak fries, crab balls, cheese curds and more fried delights.
The building has been under construction for the past four months, Mousa said, and the owners are shooting for asoft opening in December.This is thefirst itera-
Spann was killed during aprison uprising in Mazar-e-Sharif thaterupted while he was interviewing detainees, becoming the first American combat casualtyofthe conflict.
In 2016, Fidel Castro, who led his rebels to avictorious revolutionin1959, embraced Sovietstyle communism and defied the power of 10 U.S. presidents during his half-century of authoritarian rule in Cuba, died at age 90.
In 2020, Argentine soccer great Diego Maradona died of aheart attack at age 60. Maradona led Argentina to the1986 World Cup title before later struggling with cocaine useand obesity.
Today’sbirthdays: FootballHall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs is 85. Actor John Larroquette is 78. Dance judge Bruno Tonioli (TV: “Dancing with the Stars”) is 70. MusicianAmy Grant is 65. Football Hall of Famer Cris Carteris60. Rapper-producer Erick Sermonis57. Actor Jill Hennessyis57. Actor Christina Applegate is 54. Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb is 49. Televisionpersonality Jenna Bush Hager and twin sister Barbara Pierce Bush, daughters offormer President George W. Bush, are 44. Soccer manager and former player Xabi Alonsois44. Actor Stephanie Hsu is 35.
tion of Buns, but Mousa hopes to open morelocationsinthe future.
On Nov.20, theinterior was filled with construction workers andequipment, and the walls were covered in hand-painted cartoons of personified burgers, fries and shakes.
The bathrooms are adorned with even more art.The inside of thewomen’srestroom has asmoldering buns mascot withtext, saying, “You are so gorgeous.” And outside, anew sign says “Opening soon —Bun’srevolution is here.”
bride’sgown and the schedule of the hotel shuttle, but these are themost discussed.
I’ve argued that most of these decisions areuptothe bride. But becauseI’m only 44, amember of an unfortunately “ignorant” generation, my opinions have been ignored. Andso, Iappeal to you, Miss Manners— arespectable lady who specializes in etiquette —to determine if these complaints are valid or not.
Gentle reader: The expression “It’stheir day,and they can do whatever they want” has done incalculable damage. It posits
that thebridalcouple is granted licensetoignore the normal consideration due to their relatives and guests. Butyour family is having far too much fun critiquing choices that may be silly (oh, dear,now MissManners is doing it) but do not impose on others. How thecouple spends their money and chooses an officiant are surelynoone’s concern but theirs. Holding the wedding on a Thursday may be inconvenient for some, but it might enable others to get cheaper airfare As for the QR codeand the children, you could just letthem
receive the consequences of unanswered anddeclined invitations. Or atactful relative —is there one? —could suggest that an alternative way of responding could be added, andthat ababysittercould be found to watch anychildrentheir parents must bring.
Sendquestions to Miss Manners at herwebsite, www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mailtoMiss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.
GARDEN
Continuedfrom page5C
Violas look like smaller versions of pansies. These two flowers are closely related, as both are members of the Viola genus. Violas typically are moreprofuse bloomers and stronger performers in Louisianalandscapes.
Look for theSorbet series of violas at your local garden center.A Louisiana Super Plant, this series boasts uniform, compact plants with flowersina wide range of colors and patterns
Snapdragons can be found in shades of yellowand orange, helping break the monotony of coolseason gardens,which often are dominated by pinks and purples.
gardens. Their foliage can add textural contrast to flower beds. Plus, intermingling edible and ornamental plants is asmartway to makethe mostofsmallgardening spaces.
Consider greens with colorful leaves such as red varieties of mustard greens and cabbage as well as Redbor kale, aLouisiana Super Plant. For ablue-green accent, plant dinosaur kale. For showier foliage, you can use ornamental kale and cabbage varieties, which are bred fortheir looks moresothan taste.
Trusty standbys
Continued from page5C
Thanksgiving meal with astarter, entree and sides,starting at $59. The dinner menu is also available. Reservationscan be madeonline.
n Texas de Brazil (10155 Perkins Rowe):This spot will be open 11 a.m. to 9p.m., serving it’s regular dinner menu. Do you know any other restaurantsopen on Thanksgiving? Let us know,and we’ll add it to the list. Email madison.scott@theadvocate.com. THANKSGIVING
n Cracker Barrel (10250 Plaza Americana Drive): Cracker Barrel is open at 11 a.m. Thanksgiving Day,but joining the waitlist onlineisrecommended for shorter wait times.
Youwon’tberestrictedtopinks andpurpleswith Sorbet violas. Stagglikes acoupleoflesserknown introductions in theseries: TigerEye,whichisperfect for LSUfans with its yellow flowers anddeep purple to black stripes, and Black Delight, aunique purplish-black selection.
“Combine both of theseincontainers for an unexpected,eyecatching contrast,” Stagg said. Snapdragons
Snapdragons are another species withalternatives to theubiquitous pink-and-purple winter gardening theme. Youcan find snapdragons of various sizes with yellow and orange flowers.Their tallbloom
spikescan offer some height variation for beds and containers.
Cyclamen
This flower is astaple in florist shops, but you can plant it in the garden, too. It’s afantastic coolseason plantthat does especially well in containers, Stagg said.
Cyclamen can fulfill an importantrole in the landscape: bringing asplash of color to shady areas, where it performs best. Blooms come in white, magenta and red hues that complement the sturdy plant’sfoliage, which has unique, silvery variegations.
Greens
Greens aren’tjust forvegetable
It never hurts to include some classics to contrast with new and unique flowers.
For adependable foliage plant, try dusty miller,which has whiteto-silver,velvety leaves. It’s one of the newest additions to the Louisiana Super Plant family And what’scool-season gardening without alittle pink? You’ll be hard pressed to find anything better than old-fashioned pinks —better knownthese days as dianthus and one of the mostcoldhardy bedding plants around. Stagg suggests the Amazon and Jolt dianthus series, both of which are Louisiana Super Plant selections and feature various vivid shades of pink to purple.
LSU AGCENTER PHOTOS By OLIVIA McCLURE
Sorbet series violas are aLouisiana Super Plant. Anew,unique color in the series is TigerEye,whichisyellow withdeep purple stripes.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Use your resources, ask questions, learn new skills and master the art of acceptance and change. An open mind and heart will lead to personal and financial victory.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Observation will help you zero in on possibilities. Ask questions and consider what you need to add to your roster to turn your plans into something tangible.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Turn the dial up, speak and act on your own behalf, gather information and set a reasonable budget.Onceyougainmomentum,you'll discover how quickly doors open.
PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Put your finances, health and any legal matters first and foremost. Neglecting to pay on time or to deal with issues that can lead to complications or loss will come back to haunt you.
ARIES (March 21-April 19) Take initiative instead of complaining. Travel or educational pursuits will help you find answers and discover the best way to reach your goal.
TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Make changes for a good reason, not out of anger, emotional frustration or to one-up someone. You owe it to yourself to recognize what's best for you and to take the path that offers the highest returns.
GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Learn from your experience and make better choices. You are overdue for a change that offers the freedom to discover what's possible.
You have two choices: follow or lead the way.
CANCER (June 21-July 22) Opportunities are prevalent if you look for them. Stop waiting for things to come to you; actively seeking what makes you happy will boost your ego and encourage selfsufficiency.
LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Take charge and follow through on your promises. Include loved ones to ensure you maintain good relationships and receive the support necessary to reach your goals.
VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Refuse to let ego or anger compromise what you hope to gain or achieve when dealing with others. Pay more attention to selfimprovement and compromise, and less to getting your way.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Put some effort toward increasing comfort and convenience. Fixing up your space to stimulate personal or professional growth will be energizing. Your happiness is in your hands, so make it happen.
SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Keep the fire burning. Keeping an open mind, engaging in conversation with like-minded people and embracing new beginnings will lead to a world of promising options.
Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.
TODAy'S CLUE: F EQUALS G
CeLebrItY CIpher
For better or For WorSe
And erneSt
SALLY Forth
beetLe bAILeY
Mother GooSe And GrIMM
SherMAn’S LAGoon
dooneSbUrY
bIG nAte
Sudoku
InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers1 to 9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.
Yesterday’s PuzzleAnswer
THe wiZard oF id
BLondie
BaBY BLueS
Hi and LoiS
BY PHILLIP ALDER
G.C. Lichtenberg, an 18th-century German physicist and philosopher, wrote, “The greatest events occur without intention playing any part in them; chancemakesgood mistakesandundoes the most carefully planned undertaking. The world’s greatest events are not produced — they happen.”
That assertion would not meet with universal agreement. However, at the bridge table, missing a chance to make a contract can be a bad mistake. Let’s see if you can produce the winning line in today’s deal.
South is in three no-trump. West leads the spade queen. How should declarer play?
South’stwo-no-trumpresponseshowed a balanced 10-12 points with no four-card major. (South might have made a limit raise in diamonds, especially if via a twodiamond inverted minor-suit raise, but we much prefer no-trump to a minor. Yes, I have noticed that five diamonds is laydown.)
First, a defensive point. East must either signal encouragement with his seven or, even better, throw the king onto the table. West would not have led the queen without the jack and nine.
South starts with seven top tricks: one spade threehearts,onediamondandtwo clubs. But given that his spade ace will have evaporated by trick two, he cannot afford to lose the lead until he is home.
Thenaturalinstinctistotakethediamond
finesse. But there is a second, admittedly unlikely,chance.Beforegamblingonthe diamonds, cash dummy’s club ace and king. Here the queen drops and declarer has nine winners via one spade, three hearts, one diamond and four clubs If the club queen does not appear, South crosses to his hand with a
Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer today’s thought
Jesus is Lord! He is coming back and all will bend the knee to Him. G.E. Dean
marmaduKe
Bizarro
hagar the horriBle
Pearls Before swiNe
garfield
B.C.
BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS
Boeing won’t carry astronauts on flight
Boeing and NASA have agreed to keep astronauts off the company’s next Starliner flight and instead perform a trial run with cargo to prove its safety Monday’s announcement comes eight months after the first and only Starliner crew returned to Earth aboard SpaceX after a prolonged mission Although NASA test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams managed to dock Starliner to the International Space Station in 2024, the capsule had so many problems that NASA ordered it to come back empty, leaving the astronauts stuck there for more than nine months.
Engineers have since been poring over the thruster and other issues that plagued the Starliner capsule. Its next cargo run to the space station will occur no earlier than April, pending additional tests and certification.
Boeing said in a statement that it remains committed to the Starliner program with safety the highest priority
NASA is also slashing the planned number of Starliner flights, from six to four If the cargo mission goes well, then that will leave the remaining three Starliner flights for crew exchanges before the space station is decommissioned in 2030.
Skechers investors say they got a bad deal
Skechers investors are suing company executives and Skechers owner 3G Capital over what they say was an unfair sale price in an acquisition earlier this year 3G Capital took the Manhattan Beach-based sneaker company private in a $9.4 billion deal that closed in September and reflected a share price of $63 per share.
In a class action complaint filed this month in Delaware Chancery Court, hedge funds and other large Skechers investors accused the company and 3G Capital of arranging a non-independent deal that shortchanged minority shareholders.
The deal undervalued the company as its shares were taking a beating because of a volatile federal tariff policy, the complaint said.
The deal also benefited Skechers President Michael Greenberg and other controlling shareholders, according to the plaintiffs.
Plaintiffs seeking a higher share price were unable to reach an early settlement with Skechers after the company made an offer that was slightly higher than the original price, Bloomberg reported this week According to court documents, 3G Capital had offered a price of $73 per share in March this year, but lowered its offer after Trump’s tariff “liberation day” on April 2. Investors are now pressing ahead with the case, according to Bloomberg.
Skechers said it would not comment on pending legal matters Sinclair makes bid to buy E.W. Scripps
NEW YORK Sinclair has submitted a bid to buy out E.W Scripps for $7 per share, in a deal that could bring further consolidation across America’s local TV news landscape. Under the proposal which Sinclair disclosed Monday, the broadcast giant would acquire all of Scripps’ outstanding shares that it doesn’t already own. Sinclair has already upped its stake in Scripps recently — accounting for nearly 10% of the company’s class A common stock as of Nov 17, per regulatory filings. The proposed $7 per share price tag would consist of both cash and stock. If approved, the deal would give Scripps’ shareholders about a 12.7% stake of the combined company upon closing. Sinclair is requesting a response from Scripps by Dec. 5.
Alphabet rally boosts stock market
BY STAN CHOE AP business writer
The U.S. stock market rallied on Monday, at the start of a week with shortened trading because of the Thanksgiving holiday
The S&P 500 climbed 1.5% for one of its best days since the summer and added to its jump from Friday, finding some strength following a shaky few weeks. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 202 points or 0.4%, and the Nasdaq composite jumped 2.7%.
Stocks got a lift from rising
hopes that the Federal Reserve will cut its main interest rate again at its next meeting in December, a move that could boost the economy and investment prices.
The market also benefited from strength for stocks caught up in the artificial-intelligence frenzy Alphabet, which has been getting praise for its newest Gemini AI model, rallied 6.3% and was one of the strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. Nvidia rose 2.1%.
Monday’s gains followed sharp swings in recent weeks, not just day to day but also hour to hour,
caused by uncertainty about what the Fed will do with interest rates and whether too much money is pouring into AI and creating a bubble. All the worries are creating the biggest test for investors since an April sell-off, when President Donald Trump shocked the world with his “Liberation Day” tariffs. Despite all the recent fear, the S&P 500 remains within 2.7% of its record set last month.
“It’s reasonable to expect that stocks will experience periods of pressure from time to time, which, historically, is quite healthy for
longer-term strength,” Anthony Saglimbene, Ameriprise chief market strategist, wrote in a note to investors.
Several more tests lie ahead this week for the market, which could create more swings, though none loom quite as large as last week’s profit report from Nvidia or the delayed jobs report from the U.S. government for September One of the biggest tests will arrive Tuesday, when the U.S. government will deliver data showing how bad inflation was at the wholesale level in September
TRAVELERS ON EDGE
BY RIO YAMAT Associated Press
The turbulence caused by the longest U.S. government shutdown may still be fresh on the minds of travelers this Thanksgiving, but experts say preparing for the usual holiday crush of winter weather heavy traffic and crowded airports can help ease the jitters.
“I think the shutdown at this point is history for air travel. The airlines understand this time of year so well. They know exactly what they need to do,” said Sheldon H. Jacobson, an airport and airlines operations expert. “The real challenge is making sure travelers can help themselves.”
Travel forecasts point to packed airports, roads and trains.
A week after lifting the unprecedented flight restrictions it placed on commercial airlines during the shutdown, the Federal Aviation Administration is preparing for its busiest Thanksgiving week in 15 years, with more than 360,000 flights scheduled between Monday and next Tuesday That’s more than 17.8 million people who will be screened at airports, according to the Transportation Security Administration.
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Monday at a news conference that air traffic controller staffing levels have stabilized in time for what he says will be the busiest Thanksgiving on record for travel, while the head of the FAA reassured passengers that they can “fly with confidence” this week.
AAA projects 1.3 million more travelers will be on the roads than last year, pushing the total number of people traveling by car to at least 73 million.
Winter weather
You can’t control the weather, but you can control how prepared you are if a storm hits. If your flight is canceled or delayed, will you drive instead or postpone or cancel your trip? Knowing your options ahead of time can reduce stress if a storm leaves you stranded
The Weather Channel offers a Thanksgiving weekly forecast highlighting major airports and highways that could be affected by bad weather including snow ice and rain — along with a free online tool in the Weather Channel app that shows how or if your travel route might be impacted.
Forecasters on Monday warned of flooding rain and the possibility of severe thunderstorms from Texas to Arkansas and Louisiana into Mississippi that could cause problems for airports in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and Houston.
By Monday afternoon, over 750 flights into and out of Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport were delayed and about 100 canceled while at Love Field more than 100
BY JAMES POLLARD Associated Press
NEW YORK One of the most storied American philanthropies is teaming up with the internet’s biggest creator to instill young people with a concern for what they call the world’s “most vulnerable” populations. Beast Philanthropy, the charitable organization started by MrBeast founder Jimmy Donaldson, and the Rockefeller Foundation announced a strategic partnership Monday The idea is to pair Donaldson’s unique ability to capture youth attention spans with
flights were delayed and nearly 70 canceled, according to the flight-tracking website FlightAware.
On Tuesday, the FAA’s busiest day with more than 52,000 flights scheduled, forecasters say rain is expected in the Pacific Northwest and in much of the eastern U.S. Airports in Atlanta, Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, Seattle and Washington, D.C. could be impacted, according to the Weather Channel.
Another winter storm in the central U.S. could also take shape late Friday into Saturday
“The details will come into better focus over the next few days, but anyone traveling home after Thanksgiving should check in on the evolving forecast and be ready for changing conditions,” said Matt Sitkowski, science editor-in-chief at the Weather Channel.
What to pack
Jacobson, whose research contributed to the design of TSA PreCheck, recommends starting your packing by unpacking.
Check every pocket in case TSA-restricted items, like full-sized bottles, were left behind from a previous trip. This simple scan can help you get through security faster, especially when airports are crowded.
If you’re traveling with gifts, Jacobson suggests wrapping them at your destination because TSA agents may need to open them.
When deciding which clothes and shoes to pack, James Belanger vice president of
meteorology at the Weather Company, said to check the “feels like” temperature for a better sense of the weather, especially for those not used to the cold. And don’t forget a REAL ID is required to fly within the U.S., or bring another accepted form of ID, like a passport or military ID. People with iPhones can now also add their U.S. passport details to Apple Wallet, which can be scanned at participating airports if travelers don’t have a REAL ID. More than a dozen states already accept some form of a mobile ID at airport checkpoints, and travelers can go to the TSA website for more details.
Road trip ready
Whether driving is your top choice or backup plan, AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz suggests checking your tires, car battery and fluids, then hitting the road with a full tank of gas as early as possible to avoid traffic Last year, AAA said, it responded to nearly 600,000 emergency roadside assistance calls during the Thanksgiving travel period to help drivers stranded by dead batteries, flat tires and empty tanks.
According to an analysis by Google Maps:
n Traffic on Wednesday is expected to be 14% heavier than usual between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. with peak traffic from 1 p.m to 3 p.m
n On Thanksgiving Day, the roads will be busiest between noon and 3 p.m.
n When it’s time to head home, avoid driving from noon to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday when traffic is heaviest.
clean water wells.
the foundation’s 112-year history of using its resources and technology to tackle global problems. Speaking together ahead of a Nov 21 video shoot at MrBeast’s Greenville, North Carolina, studio, the partners complimented the respective strengths they hope to exchange with each other
“I’ve spent my entire life making YouTube videos. They’ve spent their entire lives helping people,” Donaldson told The Associated Press. “Obviously, they have a team who’s way more experienced than me in helping people, but being able to pull on their knowledge and wisdom is amazing.”
“I just want to download their
brains into our team’s brains,” he added. Dr Rajiv Shah, the president of the Rockefeller Foundation, said the philanthropic sector has long failed to capture the hearts and minds of hundreds of millions of young people.” He said MrBeast can help them engage young people, inspire hope and communicate their work more accessibly Most people have a natural desire to help others, according to Shah, but we teach ourselves that world problems are “too big and too complicated” to solve. He pointed to MrBeast’s video in Zambia, where they provided a village with solar-powered electricity and
“What Jimmy’s already done is show that you can change that dramatically,” Shah said “If we can get people believing that they can make a difference through this collaboration, we will have achieved something really unique and really special.”
The move signals Donaldson’s continued attempts to evolve an organization with sprawling interests that include an entertainment studio, food brands, his own James Patterson book deal and, most recently, a limited time theme park in Saudi Arabia.
He brought on venture capitalist Jeff Housenbold as CEO last year and then hired more new executives as a series of controversies threatened his ambitions ahead of his Amazon Prime reality game show’s release.
