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Thanksgiving dinner prices down in La.

a Rouses

Monday

grocery chain works with its local and national suppliers to keep prices as consistent as possible

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 183 million of all birds in the country Wholesale prices are up 40% for

See DINNER, page 7A

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 communities on edge. Some 250 Border Patrol agents are expected to begin operating in the New Orleans area in coming days. Moreover, two months ago Landry requested a federally funded

ä See GUARD, page 7A

Judge tosses Comey, James indictments

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

Rulings say prosecutor was illegally appointed ä See JUDGE, page 6A

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Nick Hudson looks at turkeys while shopping at

Market on

Rouses CEO Donny Rouse said the

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.

‘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.”

Kelly

VENEZUELA

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By ANDREWHARNIK

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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 30, 2008.

U.S.-backedaid groupinGazashuttersoperations

Israel’smilitary, defenseministerclash

BY JULIA FRANKEL and NATALIEMELZER

Associated Press

JERUSALEM The U.S.- and Israelbacked Gaza HumanitarianFoundation,set up to distribute aidto Gaza as an alternative to the United Nations but which Palestinians said endangered thelives of civiliansas they tried to get food, saidMonday it would shutter operations.

The foundation hadalready closed distribution sitesafter a U.S.-brokeredceasefiretookeffect six weeks ago in Gaza. It announced Monday that it was permanently shutting down, claiming it had fulﬁlled its mission. “Wehave succeeded in our missionofshowing there’sabetter way to deliver aid to Gazans,” foundation Director John Acree said in astatement.

The operations of the foundation were shrouded in secrecyduring its short time in operation, and the groupnever revealedits sources of funding and said little about the armed contractors who operated the sites. It said its goal was to deliveraid to Gazawithoutitbeing diverted

by Hamas. Palestinians, aidworkersand healthofﬁcials have said the system forced aid-seekers to risk their lives to reach the sites by passing Israeli troops who secured the locations. Soldiers often opened fire,killing hundreds, according to witnessesand videospostedto social media. The Israeli military says it only ﬁred warning shotsas acrowd-control measure or if its troops were in danger

The foundation saidthere was no violence in theaid sites themselves but acknowledgedthe potential dangers peoplefaced when traveling to them on foot.However, contractors working at the sites, backed by videoaccounts, said the American security guards fired live ammunitionand stun grenades as hungry Palestinians scrambled forfood

Acree saidthat the group would hand off its work to the U.S.-led center in Israel overseeing the Gazaceasefire, called theCivilMilitary Coordination Center

Also on Monday,Israel’sdefense minister clashed publicly with the military’schief of staff over the ar-

BBCleaders grilled over station’sstandards

BY SYLVIA HUI Associated Press

LONDON The BBC’schairman acknowledged Monday that it was too slow in responding over amisleading edit of aspeech by President Donald Trump but rejected claims that the broadcaster’simpartiality was being undermined fromwithin its own board. Senior BBC leaders were quizzed by Parliament’sCulture, Media and Sport Committee amid amajor crisis at the publicly fundedcorporation after its director general and head of news both quit earlier this month and Trump threatened to ﬁle abillion-dollar lawsuit.

The BBC drew Trump’sire and deep public scrutiny —after an internal memocompiled by one of its former external advisers was leaked to the British media. The memocriticized cases of alleged biased reporting overa documentary on Trump that was aired days before the 2024 U.S. presidential election, as well as other BBC coverage including its stance on transgender issues, Gazaand race.

Chair Samir Shah saidthe broadcaster should have acted much quicker in addressing the allegations.

The third-party production company that made the documentary —titled “Trump: ASecond Chance?” —spliced together three quotes from aspeech Trumpgave on Jan. 6, 2021, into what appeared to be one quote in which Trump urged supporterstomarch with him and “ﬁght like hell.”

The editing made it look like Trump was directly encouraging his supporters to storm the U.S. Capitol as Congress was poised to certify President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. Shah hasacknowledged that the documentary gave “the impression of a directcallfor violent action.”

“I think there’sanissue about how quickly we respond why do we take so much time?” he told lawmakers Monday.“We should have pursued it to the end and got to the bottom of it, and not wait, as we did, till it becamepublicdiscourse.”

The BBC said last week that Shah sent aletter to the WhiteHouse saying that he and the corporation were sorry for the edit of the speech. But the broadcaster said it had not defamed Trump and rejected the basis for his lawsuit threat On Monday,Shah also defended

board member Robbie Gibb, anonexecutivedirectorofthe BBC’s board who has been the subject of wide scrutiny because he was the director ofcommunicationsfor former Prime Minister Theresa May’sConservative government.

Criticshave accused Gibb of proConservative Party bias and political interference at the BBC.

“I thinkI’ve become weaponized in terms ofhow I’m perceived,”

Gibb said.

He rejected claimsthat acoup from within the BBC board forced the resignations of senior news leaders as “complete nonsense.”

Last week Shumeet Banerji, a BBC boardmember,also said he was stepping down over “governance issues,” sparking further questions about the corporation’s leadership.

Asked whether his ownposition was in doubt, Shah said his priority was to “steer the ship” and ﬁnd a new director general.

Earlier, lawmakers at the parliamentary session focused on questions about editorial standards raised by MichaelPrescott, aformer journalist and external editorial standards adviser to the BBC Prescott was theauthor of an internal note to BBC bosses that raised concerns about the editing of the Trump speech as well as other instances perceived as showing aleft-leaningbiasatthe broadcaster.Among otherthings, it alleged thatthe broadcaster’sreporters promoteda pro-transagenda and warned about an anti-Israel bias in the BBC’sArabic service.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper published that note in early November,sparking the latest crisis.

In October,Britain’smedia regulatorsanctionedthe BBC for a“materially misleading” documentary on the lives of children in Gaza because it failed to disclose that the father of theteen narrator held aposition in the Hamas administration. Theregulator said theprogram potentially eroded trustinthe broadcaster Prescott said he believed the BBChad “systemic” issues with tackling problems raised anddescribed the corporation as defensive and dismissive of concerns raised about its reporting.

He said ex-BBC director general TimDavie andother managers “had this blind spot on editorial failings.” But he told the lawmakers he didn’tthink there was “institutional bias” at the broadcaster

my’slatest probesofits failuresin the Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Palestinian militants that sparked the Israel-Hamaswar Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz hadsaidearlierthathewould order are-examination of the military’slatestinternal review into what happenedOct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants killed around

1,200 people,mostly civilians, and abducted251 people to Gaza. He also saidhewould be freezing new appointments in the army pending theconclusions of this newreview.

Israel’sgovernment has long resisted theestablishment of astate commission of inquiry into the Oct. 7attack.

In response, military Chief of

Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said in asharply wordedstatement Monday that the defense minister’s move was“puzzling”and “not substantive.” He said that freezing appointments would harm the military’s“capabilities and its readiness forthe upcoming challenges” andclaimedhewould continue to “holdposting discussions as planned,inaccordance with his authority.”

The army “is the only body in the country thathas thoroughly investigated its own failures and taken responsibility forthem,” wrote Zamir.“If anyfurtherexamination is requiredtocomplete the picture,it must take the form of an external, objective and independent commission” that will also probe “the interface between themilitary echelon andthe political echelon.” Moments after Zamirput outthe statement, Katzdoubleddown on his decision, releasing astatement saying he “respects” the military chiefofstaff, “who knows very well that he is subordinate to the prime minister,the defense minister and the governmentofIsrael.” He addedhe“does notintend to argue in the media” andreasserted hisauthority to decide on military appointments.

Sudan’stop generalcalls U.S.-led ceaseﬁre proposal ‘the worstyet’

BY SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

Burhan

CAIRO— Sudan’s topgeneral rejected aceaseﬁre proposalprovidedbyU.S.-ledmediators in a blow to efforts to stop adevastating war that has gripped theAfrican country for over 30 months. In video comments released by themilitary late Sunday,Gen. Abdel-Fattah Burhan said theproposal was unacceptable and “theworst yet,” accusing the mediators of being“biased”in theirefforts to end the war Sudan plunged intochaos in April2023 when apower struggle betweenthe military andthe powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces exploded into open ﬁghting in the capital,Khartoum, andelsewhere in the country

Thedevastatingwar haskilled more than40,000 people, according to U.N. ﬁgures, but aid groups say that is an undercount and the true number could be manytimes higher. It created theworld’slargest humanitarian crisis with over 14 million people forced to flee their homes, fueled diseaseoutbreaksand pushedparts of the country into famine.

Themediators,known as the Quad, have been trying for over twoyears to bring an endto ﬁghting and reestablish apathto democratic transition, which was hampered by amilitary coup in 2021. They are comprisedofthe U.S., Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

This month, President Donald Trump saidthat he plans to put greater attention on helping ﬁnd an endtoSudan’swar after beingurgedtotakeaction by Saudi CrownPrinceMohammedbin Salman during his visit to the WhiteHouse.

On Monday,U.N. SecretaryGeneral António Guterrescalled for an immediate ceasefire and for both themilitary and the RSF to negotiateasettlement.

Writing on socialplatform X, he also called for a“safe &unimpeded deliveryofhumanitarian aid,” as well as an end to arms and ﬁghters transfer toSudan.

“Weneed peace in Sudan,” Guterres said.

Massad Boulos, aU.S. adviser

on Nov. 16.

for African affairs, told The Associated Pressearlierthis month thatthe latest proposal calls fora three-month humanitarian truce followed by anine-monthpolitical process. The RSF said it has agreed to the truce, following global outrage over the paramilitaries’ atrocities in the Darfur city of el-Fasher.In avideo speech late Monday,the paramilitary commanderGen Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo reiterated the group’scommitment to athree-month humanitarian truce and called formediators to pressure themilitary to accept the proposal Burhan, Sudan’stop general, saidhowever that theproposal “is consideredthe worst document yet,” since it “eliminates the Armed Forces, dissolves security agenciesand keeps the militia where theyare”—referring to theRSF

“Ifthe mediation continues in this direction, we will considerit to be biased mediation,” he said.

He lashedout at the U.S. adviser and accused him of attempting to “impose someconditions on us.”

“Wefear that Massad Boulos will be an obstacletothe peace that all the people of Sudan seek,” Burhan said, without given further details about the plan.

In hiscomments, Burhanalso took aim at the UAE. He said that sincethe Quad includesthe Gulf country as amember,the mediation group was “not innocent of responsibility, especially since

the entire world has witnessed the UAE’ssupport for the rebels against the Sudanese State.” In astatementMonday,the UAE’sForeign Ministry said Burhan, through his rejection of the ceasefire proposal, showed “obstructive behavior,” which it said “must be called out.”

The UAE is widely accused by rightsgroups of arming the paramilitaries. The AP reported earlier this month that U.S. intelligence assessments formany months have found that the Emirates, aclose U.S. ally,has been sending weapons to the RSF,according to aU.S. ofﬁcial familiar withthe classifiedreports who spoke on condition of anonymity to share details.

TheUAE denies backing the paramilitaries.

Burhan denied that the military is controlled by Islamists or that it used chemical weapons in its ﬁghting against the RSF —an accusation leveled by theTrump administration in May Burhan said the military will only agree to atruce when the RSF completely withdraws from civilian areas to allowthe return of displacedpeopletotheir homes, before embarking on talks for apolitical settlementtothe conﬂict.

“We’re not warmongers, and we don’treject peace,” he said, “but no one can threaten us or dictate termstous.”

Lee Keath in Cairo contributed to this report.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByMARWANALI

Sudanese women displaced fromEl-Fasher cook meals at a community kitchen inside the newlyestablished El-Afadh camp in Al Dabbah, in Sudan’sNorthernState,

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By OHAD ZWIGENBERG

Piles of humanitarianaid packages from the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation await pickuponthe Palestinian side of the KeremShalom crossing in the Gaza Strip.

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who has spent her career in higher education, has taken some initial steps over the past year to stabilize the school and, she hopes, put it on an upward trajectory She has restructured some positions and added new services to bolster the student experience.

Now, as she tries to attract more students to the university and elevate its proﬁle, she wants to reinvigorate Dillard’s academic programs, better prepare students for the changing job market and tell the school’s story to a broader audience.

“We’re reimagining the future for this institution like so many institutions are having to do now,” she said. “This is a bit of an existential crisis for 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 two universities established in New Orleans after the Civil War to educate newly freed slaves and other Black residents

As a child, Guillory rode her bike under the campus’s grand oak trees and past its stately white buildings when visiting her aunt, who lived around the corner in Gentilly She attended St. Mary’s Academy, a Catholic school that has historically served Black girls and young women, and Tulane University After graduating, she spent most of the next three decades working at institutions across the country, including several historically Black colleges and universities

In April, she returned to her hometown to become Dillard’s provost. Just six weeks later, the university’s president, 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 $20 mil-

JUDGE

Continued from page 1A

the cases. The orders do not concern the substance of the allegations against Comey or James but instead deal with the unconventional manner in which the prosecutor, Lindsey Halligan, was named to her position as interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia. Defense lawyers said the Trump administration had no legal authority to make the appointment. In a pair of similar rulings, Currie agreed and said the invalid appointment required the dismissal of the cases.

“All actions flowing from Ms Halligan’s defective appointment,” including securing and signing the indictments, “were unlawful exercises of executive power and are hereby set aside,” she wrote.

A White House spokeswoman said the rulings will “not be the ﬁnal word on the matter” and Attorney General Pam Bondi vowed at an unrelated news conference that the Justice Department would pursue an “immediate appeal.” The department may also look to bring the cases again The challenges to Halligan’s appointment are just one facet of a multiprong assault on the indictments by Comey and James, whose multiple other efforts to dismiss the cases were still pending

lion “Community Change Grant”

Dillard was set to receive through the Environmental Protection Agency, part of a wave of funding cuts.

About $11 million was supposed to go toward parts of the campus infrastructure that haven’t been substantially updated in two decades since Hurricane Katrina, Guillory said. U.S. Rep. Troy Carter D-New Orleans, said last month that he is ﬁghting to revive the grant, saying the government must support HBCUs, which he called “the heartbeat of our communities.”

At a campus ceremony last month celebrating Guillory’s new presidency, she acknowledged the uncertainty and “unprecedented chaos” that has rattled many college campuses recently, but said the Dillard community will make it through.

at the time of Monday’s rulings.

Both have separately asserted that the prosecutions were vindictive and emblematic of a weaponized Justice Department. Comey’s lawyers last week, in moving to get his case tossed out, seized on a judge’s ﬁndings of a constellation of grand jury irregularities and missteps by Halligan James likewise has cited “outrageous government conduct” preceding her indictment.

“I am grateful that the court ended the case against me, which was a prosecution based on malevolence and incompetence and a reﬂection of what the Justice Department has become under Donald Trump, which is heartbreaking,” Comey, who has pleaded not guilty to charges of making a false statement and obstructing Congress, said in a video statement.

In a separate statement, James, a Democrat who has pleaded not guilty to mortgage fraud allegations, said, “I am heartened by today’s victory and grateful for the prayers and support I have received from around the country.”

She said she remained “fearless in the face of these baseless charges as I continue fighting for New Yorkers every single day.”

At issue in Currie’s rulings is the mechanism the Trump administration employed to appoint Halligan, a former White House aide with no prior prosecutorial experience, to lead one of the Justice Department’s most elite and important ofﬁces

“Let us take solace in realizing we as a people have endured far worse,” she said, “and our presence here today is a testament of that resilience.”

Guillory has started making changes she hopes will strengthen the school, but it is still a work in progress.

Over the past year she has replaced most of the university’s top administrators, most recently hiring a new chief financial officer To cut costs, she merged some staff positions and redefined job descriptions. She also added some new positions, including a digital media specialist. To increase revenue, much of which comes from tuition, the university will have to attract more students.

Halligan was named as a replacement for Erik Siebert, a veteran prosecutor in the office and interim U.S attorney who resigned in September amid Trump administration pressure to ﬁle charges against both Comey and James. He stepped aside after Trump told reporters he wanted Siebert “out.”

The following night, Trump said he would be nominating Halligan to the role of interim U.S. attorney and publicly implored Bondi to take action against his political opponents, saying in a Truth Social post that, “We can’t delay any longer, it’s killing our reputation and credibility” and “JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!”

Comey was indicted three days after Halligan was sworn in by Bondi, and James was charged two weeks after that.

Though attorneys general do have the authority to name an interim U.S. attorney who can serve for 120 days, lawyers for Comey and James argued that once that period expires, the law gives federal judges in the district the exclusive say of who gets to ﬁll the vacancy By making a successive interim U.S. appointment and bypassing the role of courts, defense lawyers said, the Justice Department did an end-run around wellestablished law

“The 120-day clock began running with Mr Siebert’s appointment on January 21, 2025. When that clock expired on May 21, 2025, so too did the Attorney General’s

Dillard’s enrollment has steadily declined from about 2,200 students before Hurricane Katrina, to around 1,300 students before the pandemic, to roughly 1,000 students today Guillory said she wants to grow that number by a few hundred students.

But as more people question the return on investment of a liberal arts degree, Guillory has to 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 the university’s general education requirements. She said some faculty members might have resisted incorporating AI into their courses in the past, but now they recognize that stu-

appointment authority,” Currie wrote. “Consequently, I conclude that the Attorney General’s attempt to install Ms. Halligan as Interim U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia was invalid and that Ms. Halligan has been unlawfully serving in that role since September 22, 2025.”

The Justice Department had defended Halligan’s appointment but revealed last month that it also given Halligan a separate position of “Special Attorney,” presumably as a way to protect the indictment from collapse. But Currie said such a retroactive appointment could not save the cases.

“The implications of a contrary conclusion are extraordinary,” the judge wrote. “It would mean the Government could send any private citizen off the street — attorney or not into the grand jury room to secure an indictment so long as the Attorney General gives her approval after the fact. That cannot be the law.”

Though the defendants had asked for the cases to be dismissed with prejudice, meaning the Justice Department would be barred from bringing them again, Currie instead dismissed them without prejudice Comey was indicted just days before the statute of limitations in his case expired, which could complicate any effort to reﬁle the case. One of his lawyers, Patrick Fitzgerald, said in a statement that Currie’s decision “further

dents will 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” about Dillard’s ﬁnancial stability

Meanwhile, her administration is re-evaluating the school’s academic programming with an eye toward the future. She wants the university to lean into New Orleans culture, which could mean expanding arts programs and building deeper ties with the community Next fall, the university will begin offering scholarships to music, theater and choir students.

She’s also following a liberal arts college playbook, touting the school’s small size as a selling point.

“Students are drawn to the closeknit community Dillard has,” Guillory said.

In hopes of retaining more students, Guillory has bolstered mental health services and other student supports.

Freshmen are required to meet with a mental health counselor for an assessment to determine if they are struggling with anxiety or depression. They also are placed on “care teams” of about 20 freshmen who receive support and outsidethe-classroom learning experiences from assigned faculty and staff members.

Lucine Flores, president of Dillard’s Student Government Association and a senior criminal justice studies major, said most of Guillory’s changes are helping move the university in the right direction. Many issues remain, such as low attendance at campus events and desperately needed infrastructure work, Flores said. But she feels certain Dillard’s tight-knit community of students and faculty will stay committed to the school.

“To be a student at Dillard is like being from New Orleans,” she said. “We just have to persevere with everything going on.”

indicates that because the indictment is void, the statute of limitations has run and there can be no further indictment.”

Judges have separately held that several other interim U.S. attorneys — in New Jersey, Los Angeles and Nevada have served in their positions unlawfully but have permitted cases brought by their ofﬁces to proceed. But lawyers for Comey and James had argued that Currie’s ruling needed to go even further because Halligan was apparently the only prosecutor who presented evidence to the grand juries.

Comey has for years been one of Trump’s chief antagonists. Appointed FBI director in 2013 by President Barack Obama Comey at the time of Trump’s 2016 election was overseeing an investigation into whether the Republican’s presidential campaign had conspired with Russia to sway the outcome of the race. Furious over that investigation, Trump ﬁred Comey in May 2017.

James has also been a frequent target of Trump’s ire, especially since winning a staggering judgment against him and the Trump Organization in a lawsuit alleging he defrauded banks by overstating the value of his real estate holdings on financial statements. An appeals court overturned the fine, which had ballooned to more than $500 million with interest, but upheld a lower court’s finding that Trump had committed fraud.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Monique Guillory, right, president of Dillard University speaks with Jason Brown, of Houston, as he talks about his son’s enthusiasm for attending the school on Friday

Woman in 2014 Slender Man stabbing found after fleeing

BY TODD RICHMOND and KATHY MCCORMACK

Associated Press

MADISON, Wis

The search for a missing Wisconsin woman who almost killed her sixth grade classmate more than a decade ago to please horror character Slender Man ended Sunday night when police discovered her sleeping outside an Illinois truck stop

Morgan Geyser, 23, was found at a truck stop in Posen, Illinois, about 170 miles south of Madison, police said early Monday

The Madison Police Department said Sunday that Geyser had cut off her electronic monitoring device and left her group home on the capital city’s west side. She was last seen about 8 p.m. Saturday with an adult acquaintance, the department said.

Geyser was found with a 42-yearold man who was charged with criminal trespassing and obstructing identiﬁcation, Posen police said He has since been released from custody Geyser was expected to appear in court in Cook County on Tuesday morning for a hearing on extradition to Wisconsin.

Geyser’s attorney, Tony Cotton, had said that he did not know what happened with his client. He told The Associated Press in an email Monday morning that he had not yet spoken with Geyser and did not know what the circumstances of her departure were.

Posen police posted a Facebook statement Monday morning say-

DINNER

Continued from page 1A

turkey, according to the U.S Department of Agriculture.

Melancon said consumers aren’t seeing the market pressures on turkey this year since much of the stock was stowed away in preparation for Thanksgiving this year

Shoppers may feel a squeeze on turkey prices next year when the low population of turkeys makes its way through the slaughterhouse. But demand may fall for the bird 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 other sources of protein to mitigate that,” he said. Grocers tend to use turkey

GUARD

Continued from page 1A

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 a news conference on Monday, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and New Orleans Police Department Assistant Superintendent Hans Ganthier emphasized that the National Guard has long assisted local law enforcement during major events and stressed that they would be in town for event security only

“We are 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’s administration about when or whether Landry’s request will be approved.

New Orleans Homeland Security and Emergency

Preparedness Director Collin Arnold said the Bayou Classic activation will be paid for by the state.

Noel Collins, a spokesperson 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 not clear how many troops would be deployed to help with the enhanced security zone, which will extend from Canal Street to St. Ann

ing ofﬁcers were dispatched to the truck stop for a report of a male and female loitering behind the building. When officers arrived, they found Geyser and the man sleeping on the sidewalk.

Geyser initially gave officers a false name and repeatedly refused to provide her real name, the statement said. She finally told them that she didn’t want to tell them who she was because she had “done something really bad” and suggested they could “just Google” her Officers took her and the man into custody without incident

Geyser pleaded guilty in 2017 to being a party to attempted ﬁrstdegree intentional homicide in connection with the 2014 attack on her classmate, Payton Leutner Geyser claimed, though, that she wasn’t responsible because she was mentally ill. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Bohren ordered her committed to a psychiatric hospital for 40 years, and she was sent to the Winnebago Mental Health Institute.

Wisconsin law allows people who are committed in criminal cases to petition for release every six months. Geyser petitioned four times before Bohren ﬁnally signed off in January Prosecutors urged the judge not to approve the release, saying that she couldn’t be trusted

The state Department of Health Services, which runs the mental health institution and is responsible for Geyser, tried to block Bohren’s decision in March

as a “loss leader,” or an item that they know may not garner a lot of revenue, so they price it low to boost sales of other items in their store, Associated Grocers CEO David Politz said. “We’ve done a lot of aggressive promotion this past month and will continue throughout the end of the year to make sure that we are very, very low priced on all those staples that people need,” Politz said.

Associated Grocers provides procurement and accounting services to retail partners along the Gulf Coast, including local grocers Calandro’s Supermarket, Hi Nabor and Matherne’s Market Hi Nabor is offering a Grade A frozen turkey up to 14 pounds at $0.69 per pound cashing in at about $9.66 for the bird — with a $75 purchase of other food.

Street, between Royal and Dauphine streets.

Collins declined to share details about the number of guardsman that will be activated Landry’s office declined to comment on the activation

Ganthier said that while the National Guard is not typically activated for Bayou Classic, they would assist this year in light of the Bourbon Street attack

“They realized it’s a big event and we really don’t want any of what happened Jan. 1 to be an issue,” Ganthier said. He noted that the National Guard was also activated during the Sugar Bowl this year, which it typically does not participate in.

A law enforcement ofﬁcial who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly said that joint public safety plans call for additional National Guard activations during New Year’s and Mardi Gras

“There is no indication that they will remain in between the events,” the ofﬁcial said.

While the French Quarter Enhanced Security Zone marked an unprecedented level of security when it was ﬁrst established by local law enforcement ahead of the Super Bowl — just weeks after the terror attack — it appears to have become the new status quo security protocol for large events.

Visitors to the French Quarter also encountered bag searches and checkpoints from the Friday before Mardi Gras through Ash Wednesday this year Cantrell said residents should expect heightened enforcement for upcoming holidays.

“This will be our process,” Cantrell said. She also emphasized

Agency officials told the judge that Geyser didn’t tell her therapy team that she had read “Rent Boy,” a novel about murder and selling organs on the black market. They also alleged that she had been communicating with a man who collects murder memorabilia and sent him her own sketch of a decapitated body as well as a postcard saying she wants to be intimate with him.

Cotton, Geyser’s attorney, defended her actions, saying she only read what staff allowed and Geyser cut off communication with the collector last year Prior to that, he had visited her three times, Cotton said.

“Morgan is not more dangerous today,” Cotton said at the March court hearing. The judge concluded that Geyser

Oak Point Fresh Market is offering a free Honeysuckle or Food Club turkey up to 14 pounds with a minimum $75 purchase.

For years, customers who purchased a Hormel Cure 81 Spiral Ham at Rouses Market got a free Butterball frozen turkey Prices are holding steady at similar costs to last year for most items including fresh Butterball turkeys, Bruce’s Yams, hams, mirlitons and Kitchen Basics stocks. CEO Donny Rouse said the grocery chain works with its local and national suppliers to keep prices as consistent as possible.

Some categories such as poultry have had strong supply and stable costs, which helped the store hold prices again this year “A few fresh items have seen tighter availability or higher wholesale costs,” Rouse said

that the National Guard’s involvement in enforcement was not connected to the planned Border Patrol sweeps. Cantrell, who has remained quiet about the immigration crackdown, interspersed comments about it into her message about the city’s readiness to host Bayou Classic on Monday

“We want to follow the law, we want to calm anxiety and again rely on trusted information,” Cantrell said. “This is not our ﬁrst time in terms of moving through events.

We know we’re a destination city and we welcome people from all around the world and again we’re doing that for the 52nd annual Bayou Classic.”

Ganthier said more than 400 NOPD officers would also be deployed for Bayou Classic Weekend.

The event-packed holiday season typically sees the NOPD run up a high bill on overtime hours to staff shifts amid a long-standing officer shortage. But with the city facing a $160 million deﬁcit, it is unclear how the city will manage those expenses in the coming months.

“That is something that was already budgeted for because it was in this year’s budget,” Cantrell spokesperson Terry Davis told reporters Monday

The city didn’t budget for police overtime in its 2025 budget, according to Louisiana Legislative Auditor Mike Waguespack, who has pointed to that budgeting ﬂaw as a major factor in the city’s budget crisis.

Davis did not respond to a follow-up question about how police overtime costs for Bayou Classic would be paid for

Email Sophie Kasakove at sophie.kasakove@ theadvocate.com.

wasn’t trying to hide anything. She was ultimately released after a ﬁnal plan was signed in September and placed in the Madison group home.

The Madison Police Department said Sunday that it was not made aware that Geyser was missing until nearly 12 hours after she left the group home. The state Department of Corrections received an alert Saturday night that Geyser’s ankle monitor had malfunctioned.

The department contacted the group home where she lived about two hours later and was told she was not there and had removed the bracelet, Madison police said.

The Department of Corrections issued an apprehension request just after midnight. The Madison Police Department said it did not learn Geyser was missing until

in a statement. The farmer’s share of every dollar spent on a Thanksgiving dinner in Louisiana is about $5, according to the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation That’s about $4 more than the average farmer’s share year-round.

But farmers may not see the high return on the holiday meal. Overhead costs for needs like fertilizer and fuel have risen, and the returns from consumer spending will have to fund productions costs, squeezing their margins for farmers.

Fertilizer costs jumped to record highs in 2022, ac-

someone from the group home called the next morning.

The state Department of Health Services, which contracts with Corrections to care for convicts undergoing mental health treatment in state facilities such as Winnebago, said in an email responding to the police department’s comments that the apprehension request is an arrest warrant. Once a warrant is issued, all law enforcement in the state is on ofﬁcial notice that the individual must be apprehended, according to the health department.

Authorities say Geyser and her friend, Anissa Weier, also 12, lured Leutner to a suburban Milwaukee park after a sleepover Geyser stabbed Leutner more than a dozen times while Weier egged her on. Leutner barely survived.

The girls later told investigators that they attacked Leutner to earn the right to be Slender Man’s servants and they feared he’d harm their families if they didn’t follow through.

Slender Man was created online by Eric Knudson in 2009 as a mysterious ﬁgure photo-edited into everyday images of children at play He grew into a popular boogeyman, appearing in video games, online stories and a 2018 movie. Weier pleaded guilty to being a party to attempted second-degree intentional homicide but not guilty by reason of mental disease, similar to Geyser’s plea. She was also sent to the psychiatric center and granted release in 2021.

cording to USDA data. Commonly used nitrogen fertilizers anhydrous ammonia and urea peaked at $1,600 per ton and $1,000 per ton, respectively, that year “Even though there’s a lot more money being passed around, that’s not necessarily getting back to the farm,” Melancon said. While the cost for turkeys dropped, other Thanksgiving staples have risen in price. Sweet potatoes have typically been associated with holiday meals but have grown in versatility and increased demand for the crop. Coupled with a shrink-

ing number of sweet potato producers, the price is climbing.

In Louisiana, a 3-pound bag of sweet potatoes costs $2.89 on average, up from $2.75 last year Farmers have struggled with suboptimal weather conditions 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 environmental conditions can play a can have a great deal of impact on the available supply,” Melancon said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MORRy GASH Morgan Geyser appears in court on Jan. 9 in Waukesha, Wis.

Zach Bryan to perform at Tiger Stadium

Multiplatinum artist is first of ‘Death

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, mark-

Girl, 14, accused of killing newborn baby

A 14-year-old girl was arrested and faces charges of ﬁrst-degree murder in the death of her newborn daughter, according to Livingston Parish sheriff’s deputies.

CRIME BLOTTER staff reports

On Friday deputies were called to Our Lady of the Lake Medical Center in Walker after staff reported that a 14-year-old girl seeking treatment had recently given birth at her home, according to a Sheriff’s Ofﬁce release.

According to Sheriff Jason Ard, deputies went to the home in Denham Springs.

“There, it was discovered the teen delivered the baby and then placed the infant in a ‘tote’ to conceal it. When emergency responders located the tote, they discovered the baby inside — deceased with extensive injuries to the neck,” Ard said in the release.

The 14-year-old was originally accused of failure to seek assistance and obstruction of justice in the death of her newborn daughter An autopsy conducted over the weekend conﬁrmed the death was a homicide, according to the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce.

Ard said medical personnel believed the infant was carried to full term, born alive and then killed immediately after birth.

The teen is being held in Florida Parishes Juvenile Detention Center, Ard said in the statement.

“As you can imagine, this has been a difﬁcult case for all First Responders involved. Please keep them — and, the family — in your thoughts as this very sensitive investigation continues. Due to the nature of this case, no further details can be released at this time,” Ard wrote.

The incident occurred less than a month after parents in Opelousas were charged with ﬁrst-degree murder after first responders found their 2-month-old daughter not breathing. The girl was later pronounced dead at a hospital, and after an autopsy, investigators say the baby had signs of “severe neglect and physical abuse.”

Under Louisiana’s “safe haven” law, a parent can legally bring their newborn child (up to 60 days old) to a designated emergency facility or safe haven site for the child to be placed under the care of the Department of Children and Family Services. As long as the parents leave their child with an employee and the baby shows no signs of abuse, “the parent can simply walk away knowing that their baby is safe,” according to Children and Family Services. Safe haven sites include

See BLOTTER, page 2B

Jan Risher is on vacation. Her column will return next week.

ing 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 October 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 po-

tential 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

Giveaway for Turkey Day

ABOVE: Pastor Ronnie L. Williams hands out a turkey during a giveaway from Williams and Power in the Word World Ministries at the Winbourne Avenue Hi Nabor Supermarket on Monday in Baton Rouge.

LEFT: A women leaves with her turkey, walking past the waiting line.

Former longtime WBR Sheriff Mike Cazes dies

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

Mike Cazes, who served five terms as sheriff of West Baton Rouge Parish, died Monday morning.

“Our parish has lost a dedicated public servant and a leader who devoted his life to the citizens of this community,” Sheriff Jeff Bergeron said in a statement.

“Sheriff Cazes cared deeply for his community and he did so with a big heart.” Cazes spent 44 years in public service in West Baton Rouge, the Sheriff’s Ofﬁce said. He began

his career as a reserve deputy in 1979 “and went on to serve as a jailer, patrol deputy, administrative assistant to the sheriff, city marshal for Port Allen and chief deputy.” Cazes, a Democrat, was first elected in 2003 and was returned by voters to the position four more times before choosing not to seek reelection in 2023. The Sheriff’s Ofﬁce said he served “with pride and commitment.” In 2015, as Cazes sought his third term in ofﬁce, he told The Advocate, “As long as I can protect this community and make sure the people of this parish get the best quality of life they deserve, I want to continue being their sheriff.” Cazes, who served as president of the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association from 2011 to 2012, was inducted into the Louisiana Justice Hall of Fame in 2013. “Sheriff Cazes will be greatly missed, and his service to this parish will never be forgotten,” Bergeron said. Tony Clayton, district attor-

Cazes

ney for the 18th Judicial District that includes West Baton Rouge, Pointe Coupee and Iberia parishes, served as assistant district attorney for 30 years before being elected district attorney in 2020.

“I started my prosecutorial career with Mike,” Clayton said Monday “He was the quintessential law enforcement ofﬁcer He ate, drank, bled law enforcement.”

“He treated everybody kindly, sometimes to his own detriment,” Clayton said. “He was an awesome guy.” No details on services were immediately available.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Bryan

AcadianAmbulance vehicle

causes scareathorse track

Jockeysavoid collision at EvangelineDowns in Opelousas

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

An ambulancedriving the wrong way nearly caused acollision with jockeys andhorses Saturday during the eighth race at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas. Avideo circulating on social media shows eight jockeys dramatically swerving their horses out of the way,narrowly avoidingthe oncoming ambulance. No injuries were reported.

“Weare committed to thesafety of every jockey and equine athlete that races at our track,” said David Strow,spokesperson for Boyd Gaming, the operators of Evangeline Downs. “We areworking closelywiththe ambulance company andthe Louisiana Racing Commission to thoroughly investigate this incident.”

Evangeline Downs is known forhaving more horses per race

Eight

thanany other track in the country.

According to media reports, jockey KodyKellenbergert finishedfirstinthe race,but notall of the jockeyswere able to finish becauseofthe midrace incident involving the ambulance. The race was declared “no contest” by stewards,with all bets being refunded.

“I guess there’sa ﬁrst for everything,” Kellenberger posted on Facebook later Saturday night. “Thank God we allmade

it back safe. Not to mention thesewere nearly all stakes horses.”

Acadian Ambulance, which provides standby service at Evangeline Downs, confirmed the unit was “traveling on the track to reposition” while arace wasinprogress. The company says it is workingwithtrack ofﬁcials to investigate what happened and strengthen communication andprotocols “to ensure this type of incident does not occurinthe future.”

Cold fronttousher in chilly weather

BY MARCO CARTOLANO Staff writer

Thanksgiving week has started andsome south Louisiana thunderstorms arepossibleearly in theweek before acold front comes in for achilly Turkey Day

This week’sweather willbea “roller coaster ride” with higher temperaturesand days closer to fall, WWL-TV meteorologist Payton Malone said. Mostofthe state will see anear 20-degree drop in temperatures before Thursday

According to theNational Weather Service’sforecast,the chance of showers sitsaround 50% on Tuesday with ahigh near 82 degrees. At night,there is a slight chance of rain and alow near 62, according to theweather service for New Orleans. Therisk of rain should drop Wednesdayasacold front begins to lowerthe temperature to ahigh near 71 and an evening low around 48 degrees

Thanksgiving should be sunny butchilly with ahigh near 63 degreesand an evening low around 49.The chilly weathershould

continueinto Fridaywithahigh near 63 degreesand an evening low around 54.

Thereisa smallrisk of severe weather in the Baton Rouge and Hammond areas such as thunderstorms and damaging windgusts mainlyintoTuesday morning, State ClimatologistJay Grymes said. It will alsocool down Wednesdayand Thursday,withthe Thanksgiving high forecast to be 63, with alow of 43. Acadianaand LakeCharles will see similar weather patterns, with asmall chance of severestorms headed into Tuesday and temperatures dropping for Thanksgiving Day North Louisiana has ahigher chance of isolated severe storms going intoTuesday morning. The Shreveport area saw rain Sunday night and the rain was forecast to continue through Monday,according to theNational Weather Service in Shreveport.

Thereisa slight chance of damaging gustsofwind andbrief tornadoes, mainly north of Interstate 10, according to theweather service.

Tennis star Coco Gauffmakes asurpriseappearanceinN.O.

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

The kids gathered in Joe Brown Park in New Orleans East, tennis shoes laced tightand racketsin hand, unaware they’d soonget a chance to share the court witha champion.

Coco Gauff, the world No. 3-ranked women’stennis player andwinner of the 2023 U.S.Open and2025 French Open, arrived at thepark Monday afternoon Shesurprised dozens of players from A’s&Aces, ayear-round tennis andtutoringprogram that partnerswiththe New Orleans Recreation DevelopmentCommission, as she worked with them in atennis clinic and celebrated therefurbishment of the courts through aU.S. Tennis Association program created afterher 2023 U.S. Open victory

“If it bounces, you’re safe,” Gauff told theyounger kidsduring agame where they tried to catch aball hit from the other side of the net. Gauff moved through three different courts, eventually making her way to agroup of older kids who were powerfully zipping the ball back and forth.

“Oh, y’all are hitting for real,” shesaid, jumping in to join them. Kids in the backgroundcheered heron.

“Oh, my God!” some yelled as shehustled around, whisking a ball back over to score apoint.

Joe BrownPark has 10 outdoor tennis courtsand the USTAprogram, through the Open Legacy Initiative, spent $110,000 to resurfacethemand providenew nets and other trappings. The work was completedinMay andthe courts have been used by adults and kids who are offered free tennis lessons through NORD’spartnership with A’s& Aces.

“It’sanamazing day for the A’s and Aces community that someone like CocoGauff is coming here to see us and play with the kids.They’ll havethis experience forthe rest of their lives,” said A’s&Aces co-founder AnnaMonhartova.

“This just adds to the importance of theprogram,making sure that our kids have an opportunity in New Orleans East to play on ﬁrst class tennis courts,” NORD CEO Larry Barabino Jr

BLOTTER

Continued from page1B

any licensedhospital,medical clinics (duringoperating hours), and manned ﬁre stationsorpolice departments. Parents unable to travel can also call 911, state they want to use the safe haven law,and afirst responder will transport the baby to ahospital, according to Children andFamily Services

Parents who change their minds can seek reclamation of parental rights for up to 30 days.

Police: Mother and child targeted in drive-by Shots were ﬁred at acar carry-

Tennis playerCoco Gauff shows Vyom Chilveoy, 8, where to hit the ball

clinic at JoeBrown Park in NewOrleans on Monday.

said.

Gauff, who has won 11 tennis titles, including the two majors, earned$3million in prize money fromher 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.,ina nod to Gauffwho grewupplaying in the community courtsofher native Delray Beach,Florida.

JimEwers, A’s& Aces co-director,lauded Gauff for her inperson visit.

“Not only is she aworld-class tennis player,she’sa world-class humanbeing. Forher to take time out of her scheduleand be here, holy mackerel,” he said.

New Orleansisone of more than100 facilities chosen by Gauff’s family to receive im-

ing amother anddaughter followinga ﬁght outside CapitolHigh School last week,according to Baton Rouge police.The pair escaped injury,and two people have been arrested in the case.

Charles Mitchell, 19, wasarrested Wednesday in thedrive-by shooting. Authorities say Mitchell drove ajuvenile shooter as they followed the victims, thensignaled when to open ﬁre.

According to Mitchell’sarrest affidavit, officers responded about 2:45 p.m. Thursday to reports of gunfire on Sherwood Street. They found shell casingsatthe scene andared Honda Accord witha bullet hole on nearby Elm Drive.

The car’sowner toldpolice her teenagedaughterhad been in a physical ﬁght with another juve-

provements,startingwith her hometown last spring.

Gauff on Monday said New Orleans holdsa special placein herheart,itbeing the birthplace of her father and former coach Corey Gauff. Hermother,Candi Gauff, attended Xavier University.Ahost of extended family live in the River Parishes

“New Orleans is an important communitytome,”CocoGauff said. “I grew up cominghere. I love the food.”

Theevent closed out with a brass band and Gauffdanced with agroup of kids before the Kinfolk Brass Bandproceeded around the tennis court.

Gaufffollowed, umbrella in tow

Staff writer RodWalker contributed to this report.

nile at Capitol High School earlier that afternoon.She provided officers with cellphone footage of the altercation, recordssay After thefight,the mother said, Mitchelland ajuvenile gotinto awhite Honda Accord and followed herand herdaughteras theydrove away in the redAccord. Mitchell passed them on ElmDrive,thenpulled into ayard on Sherwood Street, according to the mother’saccount providedin theaffidavit. The juvenile exited withafirearm and, after Mitchellgavea signal, fired several rounds at the victims as they tried to turn their cararound, police said. At least onebulletstruck the front bumper, arrest recordssay PolicearrestedbothMitchell

and thejuvenile thesame day.

Both the mother and daughter identified the juvenile as the shooter

Mitchellfaces six counts of principal to attempted first-degree murderand one count of contributing to the delinquency of ajuvenile

2025 PICK 3: 7-9-6 PICK 4: 5-9-0-9

STAFF

during her visit

STAFF PHOTO By JA’KORI MADISON

jockeysdodgeawrong-wayambulance at Evangeline Downs race trackin Opelousas on Saturday

Instructor Nicholas Crockens, right, tosses atennis ball to hisstudents taking part in aNORDtennisclinic.

Watson Jr., John East Feliciana Steam Academy, 9414 Hwy67, Clinton, La at 11am

Merilyn Williams Black, 82,ofBaton Rouge, Louisiana, passed away peacefully on November 22, 2025. Born in Baton RougeonDecember11, 1942, to Gerald Cire Williams and Lena Grand Williams, Merilyn liveda life defined by love, dedication, and service to others. Merilyn attended Baton Rouge High School before pursuing her educationatthe University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL), where she would meet her soulmate, A. Kelly Black. The two married on September 11, 1965, beginning aloving partnership that wouldspan nearly 60 years. Merilyn graduated with aperfect 4.0 GPA in Accounting and becamea Certified Public Accountant, working alongside Kelly in their accounting firm, A. Kelly Black CPA. WhileMerilyn excelled in her professional life, her greatest passion was her family. She was adevoted wife, mother, and grandmother who cherished every moment with her loved ones. An avid traveler, Merilyn became legendary for her meticulous packing skills, never embarking on aEuropean adventure without her trusty coffee maker, beloved coffee blend, tuna fish, Vienna sausages, and an arrayof other comforts that somehow fit into her famous 200 -pound suitcase. Merilyn's compassionate heart extendedbeyond her family. Having asister and a grandson with Down Syndrome, she was deeply committed to supporting charities that enhanced the lives of individuals with special needs, leaving alasting impact on countless lives. Merilyn also served for over two decades as the House CorporationTreasurer for the LSU chapter of Phi Mu sorority. Merilyn was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Kelly; her parents, Gerald Cire Williams and Lena Grand Williams, and her siblings, Gerald ("Jeff") Williams, Jr and Kristy Lynn Williams. She is survived by her two sons, Brandon Black (Blake) and Barton Black (Esther); eight cherished grandchildren, Patrick, Frances, Clayton, Adele Evan, Kirby, Stewart, and Alex; her sisters, Jane Roussel (John) and Ava Williams Ellis; sister-inlaw, LaDean Dunbar (Robert); and many special nieces and nephews who will treasure her memory. The family willreceive relativesand friends at St. Aloysius Catholic Church on Wednesday, November 26,2025, from 8:30 AM to 10:00 AM, followed by Funeral Liturgy. Interment will be the same day at Legion Memorial Cemetery in Newellton, Louisiana, at 4:00 PM. Pallbearers willbe Patrick Black, Evan Black, Stewart Black, Alex Black, and John Roussel.Inlieu of flowers, please considera donation to St. Lillian Academy for special needs students in Merilyn's name or adonation to St. Joseph's CatholicChurch in St. Joseph, Louisiana.

Coulter,Edward Delane

BatonRouge, LA -Edward D. Coulter,a native of Detroit, Michigan, was born to the late Betty V. and DavidCoulter. He passed awayonNovember 12,2025, at the ageof67. A visitation willbeheld on November 26, 2025, from10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Wilson WooddaleFuneralHome, Baton Rouge,Louisiana. Followedbya private burialinthe Louisiana National Cemetery.

Fryoux,Mary Anne

Mary Anne LeBlanc Langlois Fryoux,90, of Baton Rouge,Louisiana,passed awayonNovember14, 2025. Shewas born on June 12, 1935inBaton Rouge, Louisiana,toArthurJoseph LeBlanc Sr. and Clara Eugenie Cayer LeBlanc Mary Anne graduated fromRedemptoristHigh School in Baton Rouge in 1953. Sheco-owned and operated afamilybusiness, whereshe led the accounting and bookkeeping operations. She was adevoted memberofSt. GeorgeCatholic Churchfor more than 50 years, where she sanginthe adultchoir for more than 20 years. During herhomebound years, she looked forward to receiving the Holy Eucharist on Sundayasher faith was central to her life.

Mary Anne enjoyed gardening and cooking for her family.She was atalented seamstresswho made the wedding dressher daughter Juliewas marriedin. For nearly 50 years, she playedPokeno monthly with agroup of friends. Shebowled weeklyinlocal leagues and enjoyed dancing at the Knights of Columbus. Mary Anne's family enjoyed Christmas Eveevery year featuring her chickensausage gumbo and homemade pecan pralines. With abeautiful smile and awarm, generousheart,she was cherished by her friends and brought joyand laughter with her everywhere. Aboveall,she wasknown for her selflessnature, alwaysconsidering the needs of othersfirst.

Shewas preceded in death by her first husband Ronald Thomas Langlois Sr., and hersecond husband, JulesJoseph Fryoux Sr.; her parents; andher siblings: Bobby LeBlanc, Norman LeBlanc, Elinor (LeBlanc) Poirier,Arthur LeBlanc Jr and Jerry LeBlanc

Mary Anne is survived byher children:Ronald Langlois Jr. (wife Kathleen), Julie (Langlois)Guilbeau (husband Gerald), Richard Langlois (wife Charlotte), and Laurence Langlois (wifeKimberly); her grandchildren: Kristina (Langlois) Samuels (husbandMatthew), Jeremy Langlois (wifeCarmen), Catherine (Langlois)Jason (husband John Sr.), and Brandon Langlois (wife Kristi); Melissa Guilbeau (husband William Polk) Julie (Guilbeau)Bouwkamp (husband Todd),and Blake Guilbeau (husband Brett); Steven Langlois (wife Lacey),Justin Langlois, and Kaitlyn (Langlois) Bermes (husband Owen); and AshleyLanglois (husband Symmes Ingraham) and Aimee Langlois;and 21 great-grandchildren.

Viewing willbeonMonday, December1,2025, at 9:30 a.m. at St. George CatholicChurch,7808St. GeorgeDrive, BatonRouge, LA 70809. Funeral Mass will begin at 11:00a.m. FollowingMass, there willbea procession to Greenoaks FuneralHome and Memorial Park, 9595Florida Blvd, Baton Rouge, LA 70815, for aburial service with areception to follow.

Herbert, AltonWillie

AltonWillie Herbert departed this life on Thursday, November 20, 2025, at his residence in BelleRose, LA.Hewas 34, anativeand resident of Klotzville,LA. Visitation on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, at Williams &SouthallFuneral Home from 2:00pm to 4:00pm. Visitation on Wednesday,November 26, 2025, at St. Augustine CatholicChurch, from 9:00am to Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00am. Interment in the church cemetery. Arrangements by Williams &SouthallFuneral Home,5414 Hwy 1, Napoleonville,LA70390. (985) 369-7231. To signthe guest book or offercondolences, visitour website at www.williamsandsouthall funeralhome.com.

Paul F. Loup,IV, passed away peacefullyonFriday, November 14, 2025, in Pascagoula, MS, after recently being diagnosed withpancreatic cancer.

Paul was born in North Carolina on November 8, 1955, to amilitaryfamily who migrated to Baton Rouge, where he was raised.Heattended Woodlawn High School in Baton Rouge, where his father served as principal.After graduating and attending college,Paulenjoyed acareer as apurchasing agent for international corporations. Hiscareer took him to various locations across theUnitedStates, buthe eventually settled in Hurley, Mississippi, with his wife, Sallie.Paulenjoyed fishing and was an avid Saints and LSUfan. Paul also helpedhis wife, Sallie with her petsitting business and later became her caregiver during her battle with cancer.

Paul was precededin death by his wife of 36 years, Sallie Rowell Loup his father, Paul Felix Loup, III, his mother, Mary Sue Smith Loup,his sister, Pamela Loup Daigre Miller, his brother, Patrick Michael Loup,and his nephew, Jeremiah Paul Daigre.

Paul is survivedbyhis sister-in-law and brotherin-law,LisaRowell Towles and Paul Towles, and his nephews, Matthew Byron (Savannah) Towles, Jacob Thomas Towles, Patrick Michael Loup,II, Jacob Alan Miller, and Billy Brown.

Scott, MaryVirgina

Mary VirginiaScott was born on December27, 1947, to thelateEarl and Louise Williams in St.Francisville, LA,and latermovedtoBatonRouge,LAwhere God called her home on November 13, 2025.

Mary was baptized at an earlyage at Greater Central Baptist Church under theleadership of Pastor Wilbert Scott in Scotlandville,LA. She laterbecame afaithful member of Douglas Avenue Baptist Church in BatonRouge, LA underthe leadership of PastorJesse Ghoram Jr.

Mary was educated in theWestFeliciana Parish School System at John S. Dawson High School. She beganthe fruits of her laborearlyinlife, holding various positions and titles. She worked at Piccadilly Cafeteriafor 8years and at LouisianaFish Fry for 9-years, where she laterretired

Mary was unitedinmarriagetoJoseph Scott and was thelovingmotherof twosons, GeorgeThrasher Jr. and Paul Thrasher. She was adevoted wife, mother, grandmother and sister; alwaystheir number one supporter.

Mary wasa survivor in every essence of theword. Her faith was unwavering. She facedmany challenging days butremained steadfast and never complained.She filledher life with love,strength, conversation,and joy. She especially enjoyed cooking, talking withfamily and watching movies on Lifetime.

Mary leaves an extensive list of lovedones and friends to cherish her legacy: Her faithful and loving husband, JosephScott;her son, GeorgeJr. (Jacqueline)ThrasherofVentress, LA;grandchildrenLamond (Teshara)Thrasher, Paullisha Thrasher, Latoya Robinson, Carla Robinson, Courtney (Christopher) Schultz,Lamar Thrasher, India Richardson, Curtis Jr. (D'Naisjha) Richardson; 17 great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind sixsisters-in-law, Thelma Battieste, AnnieKnox, Ingrid Gourrier, Darlene Duncan, Shirley (Rev. Robert Jr.) Combs and LindaWilliams; twobrothers-in-law, Lionel Scott and Tyrone Scott Mary is precededin death by her parents Earl and Louise Williams; one son Paul Thrasher; twosisters, Emma Lee and Velma Williams; six brothers; Earl Jr., Charles, Willie,Elvin Tom, John, and Arthur Williams; her mother-inlaw, CharlotteScott &father-in-law, James W. Scott;brother-in-law, James C. Scott;a host of other relativesand friends who welcome her into her eternal home.

Final arrangementsare entrusted to Semien-Lewis Mortuary of Jennings, LA

Mary Lucretia Cole Turpin,a beautifullight whose indomitablespirit brightened thelives of both familyand friendsfor 100 years, passedaway from naturalcausesonFri‐day, November 14, 2025, at OurLadyofthe Lake Hos‐pital. Mary Louwas born on November 5, 1925, in BaySprings,Mississippi,to Opal andJackCole. She marriedJoe J. Turpin of Bastrop, Louisiana, in 1944, andthe couplewas blessedwithtwo children: Cherri Turpin Johnson, marriedtoClayJohnson of BatonRouge,and Kim Turpin Davis, marriedto RandyDavis of Alexandria Virginia.Her beautifulfam‐ilyincludesfourgrandchil‐dren:MaryClayton John‐sonCarr, Cole Johnson, KendallDavis Pessala, and Briggs Davis; nephew,Jack Cole;niece,Ellen Cole Welch; sixgreat-grandchil‐dren andextendedfamily. She wasprecededindeath by herhusband,Joe Turpin, andher brotherand sisterin-law,Jackand AnnCole. Herpassing as matriarch of thefamilymarks the transition of averyspecial life andlegacy. Mary Lou’s infectious personalitylit up aroom.Her winning smile,gregariouspersonal‐ity, andgenuine love of people endeared herto everyone.She attended LSUand wasa closecon‐tender for“DarlingofLSU”. During thewar,she re‐turned to Bastrop. Herea‐gernessand enthusiasm were surpassedonlyby herpositiveattitudeand naturalcharisma. Her bright,independent spirit begantoemergeand ﬂour‐ish. Sheaccepteda posi‐tion at theBastrop Daily Enterprise Newspaperand herinnatecreativetalents forwriting andpublicrela‐tionsbecameevident.The year thepaper hosted the LouisianaPress Conven‐tion,she wastappedto sing “You AreMySun‐shine” with Governor JimmyDavis andhis band It wasduringthistimethat shemarried Joe. Theirlife

changedirrevocably when Joecontractedpolio in 1956. Thetwo wouldbein thepolio ward in Shreve‐port formorethannine months as he convalesced from averyvirulentcase. He remained a paraplegic forlife, anda carwreck furtherincapacitated him. As aresult, Mary Loutook over as familybreadwin‐ner. Shefound employ‐ment at International PaperCompany in Bastrop in data processing.Her ca‐reer spannedseveral decades, andshe retiredin 1992. At age85, sherelo‐catedtoBaton Rougeand residedatSt. JamesPlace for15years.MaryLou nevermet astranger. She made friendseasilyand enjoyedthe companyof many newfriends andstaff at St.James Placethrough‐outthe years. Shewas graced with asound mind throughout herlife, and heroutgoing, self-giving spirit wasinfectious. Just before herpassing,her ex‐tended familycelebrated her100thBirthdayonNo‐vember 8th, with aheart‐felt celebrationofher life! Family andfriends arein‐vited to join in celebrating Mary LouTurpin’slifeon Saturday,November29th, at theFirst United MethodistChurch of Baton Rouge, locatedat930 North Boulevard. Avisitationwill be held in OryParishHall from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.,witha ServiceofCel‐ebration in thesanctuary at 11:00 a.m. Thechurch will stream

Turpin,MaryLou Cole

LoupIV, Paul Felix

Black, Merilyn Williams

Obituaries

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 andaccessibility’ (DEIA) programs.” Thearticle about Mr.Robinson, who desegregated major-league baseballin1947, was restored —exactlythe treatment ofﬁcials in the Netherlandsare hoping to 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

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.

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!” 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

quarterback

TEAR IT DOWN

Next LSUfootballcoach facesmajor rebuildonoffense

Saints to tryout embattled KTucker

BY MATTHEW PARAS and LUKE JOHNSON Staff writers

The New Orleans Saints will host kicker Justin Tucker for atryout Tuesday as theteam explores itsoptions over whether to move on from Blake Grupe, coach Kellen Moore conﬁrmed Monday The invite marks the 36-year-old’s ﬁrst workout with an NFL team since he serveda 10-game suspension after allegations that he acted inappropriately during massage-therapy appointments. In January 2025, the Baltimore Banner reported thatsix different women accused Tucker of inappropriate behavior during massage sessions from 2012-16. Weeks later,10more women came forward withadditional accusations, which they said included Tucker exposing himself intentionally and leaving ejaculate on the massage table.

Wilson Alexander

If it wasnot clear already, the first thing the new LSU head coach has to do became obvious over thepast month Whether it’sLane Kiffin or someone else in charge,the offense needs to be stripped down to the studs and rebuilt. LSU’soffensive issues stood out more than ever in a13-10 win Saturday night over Western Kentucky. LSU hadnot scored less than 21 points against anon-power conference opponent since 2000, when it lost 13-10 to UAB during Nick Saban’sfirst season. With one regular-season game anda bowlleft, LSUstill has not scored more than 25 points against an FBS team this season. It has not gone through an entire season without doing that since at least the Division Isplit in 1978, and the chances of exceedingthatmark are low against No. 8Oklahoma on Saturday Maybe LSUwill get afavorable matchup in the bowl game, but it does not have one against the Sooners. Oklahomahas

ä See LSU, page 4C

WesternKentucky

Coachessay ignore recordsinBayou Classic

PHOTO By CHRIS TODD

SouthernInterimheadcoach Fred McNair,center,talks to Cam’Ron McCoy, left, and Ashton Strotherbefore agame againstAlcornState in Lorman, Miss.,onNov.8

BY TOYLOY BROWNIII Staff writer

Southern is in avery different position entering the 52nd annual Bayou Classic compared to last year When the Jaguars arrived to play Grambling lastseason, they alreadyhad clinchedtheir Southwestern AthleticConference West Division crown. This time around, Southern (1-10, 0-7 SWAC)issearching for its ﬁrst conference victory Last year,the program was under thestewardship of ﬁrst-year

ä Southernvs. Grambling, 1P.M.SATURDAy,NBC

coach Terrence Graves, who earned the job after winning the 50th annual BayouClassic ayear earlierasthe interim Southern coach. In 2025, the team will be led by interim coach FredMcNair, whowill lead theJaguars for aﬁfthgamewhenthey face Grambling (7-4, 4-3) at 1p.m. Saturday at the Caesars Superdome.

ä See SOUTHERN, page 4C

Moore saidheand theteam would need to have “further conversation” with Tucker about the allegations which the kicker has denied —before deciding whether to offer him acontract. “You just want to gettoknowthe peopleand get to knowmaybe thecircumstance here and there,” Moore said. “Certainly,hehad asuspension in the league.Heservedthat suspension. Obviously,there’ssomeinformation to collect. Thiswill be aworkout,and we’ll see all that stuff that takes place.”

Tucker’ssuspension ended Nov.11 afterbeing handed down in June.His agent told ESPN then that Tucker was “disappointed”inthe punishment but would not appeal the suspension to “put this difﬁcult episode behind him.”

“Justin has always strived to carry himself in away thatwould make his family andcommunityproud,”saidRobert Roche, Tucker’sagent.“He stands by his previous statements.”

Moore said no decision has been made on Grupe’s future after theSaintskicker missedtwo crucial kicks in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons. But the team is exploring other alternatives, which Moore saidwill include Tucker,free agent and former LSU kicker Cade York and practice squad kicker Charlie Smyth. Grupe has misseda league-high eight kicks in 2025. Before the allegations, Tucker was regarded as oneofthe best kickers in the ä Saints at Dolphins, NOON SUNDAy,FOX

ä See SAINTS, page 5C

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTOByJULIOCORTEZ

Baltimore Ravens kicker JustinTuckeris carriedoff the field by histeammates after making agame-winning fieldgoal against the San Francisco 49ers on Dec 1, 2019, in Baltimore, Md.

Vanderbilt ends LSUsoccer’sbestNCAATournamentrun

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 Fullertoninthe 65th minute, the No. 1-seeded Commodores are riding a12-game winning streak into aquarterﬁnalcontestagainst No. 2-seededTCU, with

thegame to beplayed eitherFriday or Saturday at theVanderbilt SoccerComplex. The Horned Frogs advanced Monday by topping NorthCarolina in agamedecided by penaltykicks in Fort Worth,Texas. On asoggy afternoon in Nashville,Vanderbilt broke the scoreless tieafter Grace Freeman sent aheader pastapairofLSU 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 73rd minutewhen Vanderbilt committed afoul in the box, awarding theTigers apenalty kick. Senior midﬁelder Ida Hermannsdottir —who was 9of10onpenalty kicksinher career enteringthe match —was denied by Vanderbilt

keeper SaraWojdelko,who 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 LSU keeper Audur Scheving, a junior from Iceland, helped keep her team in the contest with atotal of six saves. Vanderbilt produced morescoring opportunitieswithseven shots

on goal along with 13 corner kicks. LSU hadfourshots on goal andonly two corner kicks.

LSU,which never hadadvanced past the second round of the NCAA postseason previously,saw its season ﬁnish witha record of 15-6-4. Vanderbilt rolls on witha markof 18-3-2. The Tigers earned theirfifth consecutive postseason bid under sixth-year coachSian Hudson, who has a61-42-22 markduring hertimeasheadcoach in Baton Rouge

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU

Michael VanBuren is tripped up trying to escape thepocket in the third quarterofthe game against Western Kentucky on Saturday at TigerStadium.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

have been No. 1 all season.

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

ASSOCIATED 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

The Southeastern Conference didn’t have a team ranked higher than eighth, yet posted the biggest overall haul of any conference with

Rockies interim manager Schaeffer gets full-time gig

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.

ASSOCIATED 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

BY EDDIE PELLS Associated Press

The College Football Playoff and ESPN are giving conferences nearly eight more weeks to ﬁgure out what the next version of the postseason tournament will look like. The CFP on Monday announced the extension of the deadline from Dec. 1 to Jan. 23 with the clear hope that the Southeastern and Big Ten conferences can come to some sort of agreement on their vastly

SCOREBOARD

Totals240:00 53-10424-35 19-552821143

Percentages: FG .510, FT .686.

3-Point Goals: 13-35, .371 (Murphy III 4-10, Bey 3-8, Fears 2-3, McGowens 2-3, Alvarado

2-9, Peavy 0-2). Team Rebounds: 15. Team Turnovers: 4. Blocked Shots: 5 (Missi 3, Queen, Williamson). Turnovers: 10 (Alvarado 2, Missi 2, Williamson 2, Fears, McGowens, Murphy III, Queen).

Steals: 13 (Peavy 4, Alvarado 2, Bey 2, Murphy III 2, Williamson 2, Queen).

Technical Fouls: None

Chicago30283537—130 New Orleans37373435143

Penalties-Yards

Time of Possession

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING—Tampa Bay, Tucker 12-42, White 7-38, Mayﬁeld 4-19, T.Johnson 2-12, Bridgewater 1-6, Wright 3-6. L.A. Rams, K.Williams 12-46, Corum 7-24. PASSING—Tampa Bay,

A: 16,690 (16,867).

College football

National schedule

Tuesday’s games

EAST

Bowling Green (3-8) at Umass (0-11), 3:30 p.m. MIDWEST

W. Michigan (7-4) at E. Michigan (4-7), 6:30 p.m.

Thursday’s games

SOUTH Tuskegee (0-1) at Alabama St. (9-2), 2 p.m.

Navy (8-2) at Memphis (8-3), 6:30 p.m.

Friday’s games

EAST Ohio (7-4) at Buffalo (5-6), 11 a.m.

SOUTH Mississippi (10-1) at Mississippi St. (5-6), 11 a.m.

Georgia Tech (9-2) vs. Georgia (10-1) at Atlanta, 2:30 p.m.

MIDWEST Iowa (7-4) at Nebraska (7-4), 11 a.m.

Utah (9-2) at Kansas (5-6), 11 a.m.

Kent St. (4-7) at N. Illinois (3-8), 11 a.m.

Indiana (11-0) at Purdue (2-9), 6:30 p.m.

SOUTHWEST Temple (5-6) at North Texas (10-1), 2:30 p.m.

Texas A&M (11-0) at Texas (8-3), 6:30 p.m.

FAR WEST Air Force (3-8) at Colorado St. (2-9), 2 p.m.

San Diego St. (9-2) at New Mexico (8-3), 2:30 p.m.

Boise St. (7-4) at Utah St. (6-5), 3 p.m.

Arizona (8-3) at Arizona St. (8-3), 8 p.m. College basketball

Men’s state schedule

Sunday’s games East Tennessee State 97, UL-Monroe 55 Tulane 93, Boston College 90, OT McNeese 92, George Washington 86 Monday’s games California-Riverside 83, Grambling 74 McNeese 73, Murray State 60 Mississippi State 81, UNO 78 California-Davis 77, UL 56

Tuesday McNeese vs. Middle Tennessee, 4 p.m. Wednesday UNO at Texas Tech, noon Southeastern at North Carolina-Wilmington, 6 p.m. Indiana State at Louisiana Tech, 6:30 p.m.

Friday McNeese vs. Garner-Webb, at Wilmington, NC., 11 a.m. Nicholls at Tulane, 2 p.m. Jackson State at UL, 7 p.m. LSU vs. Drake, 8:30 p.m. Men’s national scores Monday’s games EAST American 113, Marywood 53 Buffalo 78, VMI 70 Central Connecticut 108, Sacred Heart 106, OT East Texas A&M 70, Fairleigh Dickinson 65 Green Bay 80, Iona 75 Houston 78, Syracuse 74, OT Liberty 79, Vermont 73 Paciﬁc 86, Stony Brook 58 Siena 73, Holy Cross 69 Towson 62, Rhode Island 55 UMBC 102, Notre Dame of Maryland 52 SOUTH Bellarmine 70, The Citadel 58

SUNDAY L.A. Rams 34, Tampa Bay 7

p m.

mpa Bay0700—7 L.A. Rams141703—34

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

differing proposals.

Next season marks the beginning of a six-year, $7.8 billion deal that ESPN made to televise the CFP games. The deal brings with it an opportunity to expand the postseason from the current 12team format. Under provisions that established the playoff, the SEC and Big Ten will decide on its next iteration, but they are far apart.

The SEC has been pushing for a bracket heavy with at-large berths chosen by a selection committee.

zelis 2-5, Williams 2-7, Phillips

Essengue 0-1, T.Jones 0-1) Team Rebounds: 8. Team Turnovers: None. Blocked Shots: 3 (Buzelis 2, Phillips). Turnovers: 17 (Giddey 5, White 5, Buzelis 2 Smith 2, Dosunmu, Phillips, Williams). Steals: 4 (Carter, Essengue, Phillips, White). Technical Fouls: Giddey, 10:02 fourth. FGF

Over the summer a popular idea to come out of the league’s meetings awarded automatic bids to ﬁve teams and made the other 11 at-large. Earlier this season, commissioner Greg Sankey said he has been “amazingly consistent” that he is not a fan of automatic qualiﬁers.

Most other conferences, including the Big 12 and Atlantic Coast, are in favor of this sort of format.

But the Big Ten has advocated for expanding the playoffs to as many as 28 teams, with as many

as seven automatic bids going to its own conference and the SEC. That’s a format that would likely replace league title games with a round of play-in contests for the automatic berths and turn the postseason into a longer, NFL-style affair If the conferences cannot agree on a new format, they would stick with the 12-team bracket in place this year, in which ﬁve conference champions get automatic bids and seven more make it as at-large teams.

The new deadline gives the parties four days after this year’s playoff concludes to reach an agreement.

“While no change to the current format is deﬁnite, this extension will allow the Management Committee additional time to evaluate the second year of the expanded playoff and ensure any potential modifications are carefully considered, fully vetted, and in the best interests of student-athletes, schools, and fans,” said the CFP’s executive director, Rich Clark.

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.

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.

“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.

I’m hopeful that he’ll be able to play his best from a health standpoint in this upcoming game.”

Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Tyree Adams, 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.

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.”

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

“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.

“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.”

Underwood’s solid season can be special with upset

BY LARRY LAGE Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Bryce Underwood stepped onto Michigan’s campus nearly a year ago as the nation’s top-rated recruit, after flipping his commitment to play for LSU, and all eyes have been on No. 19 on the field and on an 18-year-old quarterback off it He even has a documentary ﬁlm crew following him.

Underwood has not quite lived up to the hype and yet, matching it might have been out of reach for anyone. His recruitment involved former Michigan quarterback and seventime Super Bowl winner Tom Brady and one of the world’s richest people, Oracle founder Larry Ellison, leading to him expecting to make more than $10 million in the new era of college athletics.

Underwood has been mostly solid on the ﬁeld, averaging just under 200 yards passing a game with nine touchdowns and five interceptions for the 15th-ranked

SOUTHERN

Continued from page 1C

Despite the contrasting situations, one thing remains unchanged — records don’t matter when these longtime rivals meet Second-year Grambling coach Mickey Joseph will not allow his team to overlook its opponent, which has beaten the Tigers in the previous three seasons.

“You throw the records out the door,” Joseph said at the Bayou Classic news conference Monday

“We won’t look at their record We know they have a really good football team. They ran into some inju-

LSU

Continued from page 1C

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

Wolverines (9-2, 7-1 Big Ten) in a season that has met modest expectations. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound dual-threat player ran for 114 yards in a game and has scored ﬁve times

ries just like everybody else, and they haven’t played their best ball.

But they’re going to play their best ball come Saturday because of the magnitude of this game.”

McNair said his team, which hasn’t won a game since Aug. 30, is excited to play the ﬁnal game of the season He said that when he met with his players Sunday, they “looked locked in.”

When asked whether a victory over a rival would help lift the spirits of the program after a down season, McNair said that it would be a ﬁne way to end the year

“You know, you love to win them all, but you’re gonna have those downfalls, gonna have those rollercoaster rides,” he said. “So as a

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

on the ground. He is coming off one of his better games, completing 70% of his passes for 215 yards with two touchdowns in a 45-20 win over

coach, my job is to get those guys ready to play and play hard each and every week. So a win on Saturday would be a great win for this program.”

A player who will boost the Jaguars’ chances of achieving success is redshirt sophomore running back Trey Holly The LSU transfer was “banged up,” missing his ﬁrst game of the season in Southern’s 35-30 loss to Texas Southern on Nov 15. McNair said that his starting running back practiced during the bye week and will practice harder this week in preparation for Grambling. Grambling is aware of Holly’s explosiveness. He is fourth in the SWAC in rushing yards with 808.

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

Maryland.

“This whole season, we’ve been preaching, ‘Peak at the perfect time,’” Underwood said Saturday “I feel like it’s coming along.”

If he can help Michigan upset rival and top-ranked Ohio State (110, 8-0) in The Game on Saturday at the Big House, his season will be regarded as special.

That won’t be easy

Even though the Wolverines have won four straight games in the rivalry, they are double-digit underdogs, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

The Buckeyes are giving up a nation-low 7.64 points a game with linebacker Arvell Reese and by safety Caleb Downs flashing enough talent to be projected as one of the top picks in the 2026 NFL draft.

“We’ve got another football game ahead of us, so just be the best us every single day throughout this week,” Underwood said.

Underwood kicked off his week of preparation with a late-night ﬁlm session Sunday with receiver

“We have to have gap integrity when it comes to Trey Holly,” Joseph said. “He’s a good player I had the chance to coach his uncle, Bobby Holly, at Louisiana Tech, so it’s a tough-nose family He’s going to run hard, but we’re going to have gap integrity to slow Trey down.”

The Tigers have been missing one of their star players in redshirt sophomore quarterback C’zavian Teasett, a transfer from Southern. He hasn’t played since their 26-24 win over Jackson State on Oct. 25. He took a hard hit with two minutes left in the game and was taken to the hospital via an ambulance.

of OSU

Donaven McCulley and was back at Schembechler Hall early Monday morning to meet with offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey

“He works his tail off,” coach Sherrone Moore said. “He’s so humble about it. He roots for his teammates, and is so close with his teammates. And to me, that’s such an awesome piece.

“In this world today he could be about himself very easily and not think about the team at any point.” Underwood’s fame has made him one of four freshmen to be featured in “5-Star,” a docuseries that will begin streaming on Paramount+ on Dec. 2.

Underwood became the fourth freshman to start at quarterback for college football’s winningest program and despite making much more money than any of his teammates, they appreciate his humility

“He’s a celebrity outside of the building,” senior tight end Marlin Klein said.

And, inside it?

“He’s the most humble 18 year old I’ve ever met,” Klein said.

When Joseph was asked for an update on Teasett, a Grambling spokesperson said, “Next question.”

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 immediate starters.

McNair said he understands this rivalry even more now as the interim coach of Southern, but he will continue to preach to his team to compete on Saturday as if it were any other game. The former Alcorn State coach was asked how much he has been considering his future after the Bayou Classic. He didn’t directly answer whether he has, but he said the focus is on coaching Saturday

“What I’m thinking about now is trying to get these guys together, ready to play here with this Bayou Classic, and get these guys locked in to play this game,” McNair said.

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 the next coach needs to start

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU quarterback Garrett Nussmeier left, walks the sidelines during a game against Western Kentucky on Saturday at Tiger Stadium.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHANIE SCARBROUGH

Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood looks to throw against Maryland on Saturday in College Park, Md.

Pelicans snap 9-game skid

BY LES EAST

Contributing writer

Zion Williamson scored 29 points, Yves Missi and Saddiq Bey had double-doubles, five other teammates scored in double ﬁgures, and the New Orleans Pelicans ended a nine-game losing streak by defeating the Chicago Bulls 143-130 on Monday night in the Smoothie King Center

Missi finished with seasonhighs of 14 points and 13 rebounds, Bey added 18 points and 12 rebounds, Trey Murphy scored 20, Jose Alvarado had 16, Jeremiah Fears scored 15, Bryce McGowens had a season-high 11 and Micah Peavy chipped in 10 for the Pelicans (3-15), who will face the Memphis Grizzlies at 7 p.m. Wednesday at home.

Herb Jones (right calf strain) missed his second consecutive game and will be re-evaluated in approximately one week.

Jordan Poole, who was diagnosed with a quad strain on Nov 7, has been cleared to resume on-court basketball activities, but no timetable has been set for his return.

Ayo Dosunmu scored 26, Coby White had 22, Josh Giddey had 21, Jalen Smith scored 13, Jevon Carter put in 11 and Tre Jones had 10 points and 11 assists to lead the Bulls (9-8).

New Orleans had its highestscoring first quarter, second quarter and third quarter of the season on its way to a seasonhigh point total, surpassing the previous high of 124 in a loss to the Los Angeles Clippers. The

QB Daniels back to practice but unlikely to play on Sunday

BY HOWARD FENDRICH AP national writer

WASHINGTON Jayden Daniels re-

turned to practice for the Washington Commanders on Monday after missing the past two games with a dislocated left elbow, but coach Dan Quinn said the reigning AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year is unlikely to play next weekend against the Denver Broncos.

“He has not been cleared for contact,” Quinn said about his starting quarterback.

Also back on the field were starting receivers Terry McLaurin and Noah Brown. McLaurin has missed seven of the past eight games with a quad injury; Brown has missed all but two games this season and has been on injured reserve since Oct. 15 with a groin injury Washington opened Brown’s 21-day practice window Monday

Daniels hurt his elbow in a loss to the Seattle Seahawks on Nov. 2, when his non-throwing arm bent awkwardly as he braced himself while being tackled in the fourth quarter. Washington already was down by 31 points at the time, and Quinn acknowledged the next day that it was a mistake to still have his starting quarterback in the game.

Tests showed that Daniels tore ligaments in the elbow but did not need surgery Daniels then was absent for defeats against the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, part of a six-game skid that dropped Washington to 3-8 a year after reaching the NFC championship game. The Commanders then had their bye week and will return to action Sunday night by hosting Denver (9-2).

Asked whether there was any thought given to shutting down Daniels for the season, Quinn re-

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

STAFF

Pelicans forward Saddiq Bey, bottom right, recovers a loose ball as he collides with Chicago Bulls player Patrick Williams in the first half of their game at the Smoothie King Center on Monday

Pelicans surpassed that total midway through the fourth quarter on Monday The Pelicans led by 16 points at halftime, but the Bulls twice got within eight points early in the third quarter New Orleans rebuilt the lead to 22 before taking a 108-93 advantage into the fourth quarter Chicago crept within eight points in the final two minutes but couldn’t get any closer

The score was tied ﬁve times and the lead changed hands six times before the Pelicans finished the first quarter with a strong push.

Alvarado came off the bench to score eight points and add six assists, and New Orleans held a 3730 lead at the end of the period. It was the most points scored by the Pelicans in a ﬁrst quarter this season, surpassing the 34 they had at Dallas last Friday night. Williamson and Murphy scored six points each as New Orleans began the second quarter with an 18-3 run to take a 22-point lead their largest of the season. The Pelicans wound up with their highest-scoring ﬁrst half of the season, surpassing the 67 they scored in the season opener at Memphis, and led 74-58 at halftime.

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 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’ onbase 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 homers in 2026 — the same number of long balls Jones hit last season he’s still expected to be a significant piece of LSU’s new-look lineup.

“He’s the exact perfect hitter for us to bring in with the corresponding pieces that (we have),” Johnson said.

plied: “That’s not something we really discussed internally.”

After appearing in 20 of Washington’s games last season, including the playoffs, Daniels already has had to sit out ﬁve starts, nearly half of the schedule. He missed two games with a sprained left knee and one with a bad right hamstring before the elbow problem. Washington is 1-4 with backup Marcus Mariota starting at quarterback. He has thrown for seven touchdowns and ﬁve interceptions. Daniels has eight touchdown passes and two interceptions, completing 105 of 168 passes — 62.5% — for 1,184 yards. He also has run 54 times for 262 yards and a pair of scores. As a rookie, Daniels completed 331 of 480 throws — 69% — for 3,568 yards with 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions He also gained 891 yards on 148 carries with six TDs.

Sunday’s 24-10 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.

“It was very achey,” Fuaga said “Certain movements didn’t feel so good.”

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 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 massage-therapy 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 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

This week will require a wait-andsee approach.

Fuaga said he’s feeling better but plans to get reps in practice and “see how it goes” before determining 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 recovery 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.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NICK WASS Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels is helped off the field after he injured his arm during a play on Nov. 2 in Landover, Md.

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

The Pelicans’ bench stands up after guard Jose Alvarado made several consecutive points against the Chicago Bulls during the first half of their game at the Smoothie King Center on Monday. The Pelicans snapped a nine-game losing streak.

PHOTO

CHRIS GRANGER

Questionspercolate afterSundayNFL games

BY ROBMAADDI AP pro football writer

The Kansas City Chiefs saved their season. The Philadelphia Eagles gave critics more fuel. The Los Angeles Rams made adominant statement. There were more questions than answers Sunday in the NFL.

Patrick Mahomes did just enough to rally the Chiefs to a23-20 overtime victory overthe Indianapolis Colts. Kansas City’sdominant defense gave him the opportunity. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’sunit forcedthe Colts to go three-and-outontheir ﬁnal four possessions. The Chiefs shut down theNFL’s leadingrusher,holding Jonathan Taylorto58yards on 16 carries.Colts coach Shane Steichen inexplicably gave Taylor the ball only once on the last three drives of regulation. Mahomesthrew for 352 yards butdidn’thave any touchdowns. He looked skittish at times under pressure, rushing his reads and hurrying hispasses.

The Chiefs (6-5) couldn’tafford anotherloss as they ﬁght to make theplayoffsafterwinning nine straight AFC West titles, reaching eight consecutive conference championship games and winning

three Super Bowls They’ve got alongway to go and atough gameatDallas (5-5-1) coming up on ThanksgivingDay.Mahomes and the offenseneed to get in sync for Kansas City to have a shot.

“We’re still not where we want to be at but thiswas big,”Mahomes said. “Getting that win againsta really good football teamand kind of proving it to (ourselves)that we can play this kind of football game where it’snot alwayspretty.Ithink nowwejust have to build off that momentum. It’sgoingtobeashort week.We’re playinga goodteam in the Cowboys, and they can score somepointsand they have alot of great players. It’sabout reboundingfast, trying to be better,even better this next week goingintoa big environment, big game andtrying to getthat win.”

TheColts(8-3) have gone from 7-1 to ateam that is goingtohaveto battletowin the AFC South. They’ll face division rivals Jacksonville (7-4) andHouston (6-5) four times over the remaining six games. Their other twoopponents are Seattle (8-3) andSan Francisco (7-4)

Steichen trusted Daniel Jones to winthe game in KansasCity, electing to put the ball in his hands down the stretch instead of giving

Kansas CityChiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes,

Indianapolis Colts linebacker Germaine Pratt

game Sunday in Kansas City,Mo.

it to Taylor to protect alead. Jones couldn’tdeliver.Hewas 3for 9for 17 yards on the ﬁnal four possessions.

“I felt therewas alot of stuffthat Iwanted to get calledthat Ifelt good about in the pass gameand we justweren’tefﬁcient doing it and it starts with me,” Steichen said.

Eagles collapse

The reigning SuperBowlchampions built a21-0lead in Dallas

and looked like they were on their way to snapping Dak Prescott’s 18-game winning streak at home against NFC East opponents.

Jalen Hurts was connecting with A.J. Brownand it seemed Philadelphia would quietsome of thedrama surrounding the two superstars. Butthe offenseregressed,givingPrescottand theCowboys an opportunity to come back andwin 24-21.

The Eagles(8-3) have acomfort-

ablelead over Dallas(5-5-1) and areinpositiontobecomethe ﬁrst repeat champion in the divisionin two decades. But Philadelphia fell behind the Rams (9-2) in the race forthe No. 1seed.

Asluggish offense isn’tplaying up to its standard. Saquon Barkley ran foronly 22 yards on 10 carries, and the passingattackjust hasn’t found its rhythm.

Rams dominate

The TampaBay Buccaneers were no match for Matthew Stafford and the Rams.

Staffordcontinued his MVPcalibercampaign with another stellar performance against an overmatched defense and Los Angelescruised to a34-7 victory over Tampa Bay

The 37-year-oldStafford has thrown 30 touchdown passes and only two interceptions this season.

“I got great teammates.Iget to throwtoa bunchofgreat players, stand behind agood o-line and watch these guys hunt on defense,” Stafford said.

That defenseoverwhelmed the Buccaneers, knocking Baker Mayﬁeld out of the game.

Jared Verseand KobieTurner each hadtwo sacks and Los Angeles is the team to beat in the NFC

Texasdefense struggling goingintoTexas A&M matchup

BY JIM VERTUNO AP sportswriter

AUSTIN, Texas No. 16

Texasﬁnally has its offense clicking. It’sthe defense that is nowcausingconcerns ahead of ahuge rivalry game vs No. 3Texas A&M with slimplayoff hopes on the line.

Aunit that carried ArchManning and Texas through the first half of the season is now giving up big plays and big points. Texas (8-3, 5-2 Southeastern Conference, No. 17 CFP) has surrendered at least30 points in the last four games. The Longhorns will look to clean it up against achallengingopponent in the undefeated Aggies (11-0, 7-0). Texas A&M quarterback Marcel Reed has emerged as alate-season

Heisman Trophy contender as he engineers and offensethatcan grind down opponents with abullishrun game or carve themupwith speedy receivers KC Concepcion andMario Craver

TheAggies are chasing aberthin theSEC titlegame. The Longhorns need awin not forjust state pride, buttokeepalive any hope of makingthe College Football Playoff ﬁeld for the third consecutive season.

“We’re chasing, tryingtomake bigplays,” Texas coach Steve Sarkisian said Monday of his defense, notingseveral games worth of brokenassignments thathave led to big plays and touchdowns.

In last week’s52-37 win over Arkansas,the last-place team in the

SEC, Texas allowed points on the Razorbacks’ ﬁrst four drives. The previous two games, it was fourthquartercollapsesasVanderbilt and Georgiaboth scored 21 points in the ﬁnalperiod

The Commodores scored 21 points in arally that ended after afailed onside kick in the final minute. Georgia scored 21 points to turn a close game into ablowout that put Texas’ playoff hopes on life support.

“It wasalot of veteran players who have playedsomehigh level football forus,” Sarkisiansaid about some of themistakes

Senior safety MichaelTaaffe, a preseason All-America selection owned up to that.

“I’m deﬁnitelyone of those guys,” Taaffe said.“Just do your job, no-

body needs to be super human. A lot of times we hurt ourselves more than theoffense hurtsus.”

Reed and the Aggies have put plenty of hurt on opposing defenses.Herecoveredfrom adismal ﬁrst half againstSouth Carolina to lead asecond-half comeback forthe ages as Texas A&M rallied from a 27-point halftime deﬁcit to win 3130 Texas bottled up Reed lastyear when the Longhorns won 17-7 and didn’tallow theAggies an offensive touchdown. ButTexas players know they face abetter,moremature Reed on Friday Reed has been sacked justnine times thisseason. And Texas has struggledoflate against arun of dual-threat quarterbacks. Vander-

bilt’sDiego Pavia, Georgia’sGunner Stockton and Arkansas’ Taylen Green all moved the ball well against Texas.

Taaffe saidhegot to know Reed when they made acommercial togetherfor ahamburger restaurant chain.

“The quarterback at Texas A&M and thesafety at Texas, youdon’t really want them to be friends,” Taaffe said. “But it was really hard not to like him.” Texas played last week without injured linebacker and leading tacklerAnthony HillJr.,anelite sideline-to-sideline defender who also hasfoursacks andtwo interceptions.His status to return from ahand injury was stillunclear Monday

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByCHARLIE RIEDEL

left, is tackled by

during the second half of a

Time for change

Trysomething differentfor cool-season coloringarden

GARDEN NEWS

After afew false starts, it seems that reliablycool weather has finallyset in across Louisiana. Many of us have even 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 Jazzisanew color in the Supertunia series of petunia hybridsand agreat choicefor 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.

LIVING

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

ThanksgivingDay 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

STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

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).

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

The speciﬁc crimes my cousin has committed include: investing tens of thousands of dollars into her bachelorette party, wedding and honeymoon (instead

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”

By The Associated Press

Today is Tuesday,Nov.25, the 329th day of 2025. There are 36 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

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 page 1D

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-

THANKSGIVING

Continued from page1D

Thanksgiving meal with astarter, entree and sides,starting at $59. The dinner menu is also available. Reservationscan be madeonline.

n Cracker Barrel (10250 Plaza

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 page1D

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

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

spikescan offer some height variation for beds and containers.

Cyclamen

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.

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

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.

Snapdragons can be found in shades of yellowand orange, helping break the monotony of coolseason gardens,which often are dominated by pinks and purples.

BUSINESS

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

After shutdown’s cancellations, delays, Tuesday expected to be busiest day

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

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.

MrBeast, Rockefeller Foundation to spark youth philanthropy

Charitable organizations create strategic partnership

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

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

clean water wells.

“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.

Shah Donaldson

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TONy GUTIERREZ

last

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.

Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

TODAy'S CLUE: F EQUALS G

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe peAnUtS

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; chancemakesgoodmistakesandundoes 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 abalanced10-12pointswithnofour-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.Butthereisasecond,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