The Advocate 11-29-2025

Southern board replacingpresident

Dennis Shields has led both SouthernUniversity’smain campusand the collegesystem sinceearly

Alumni expressconcerns over leadership transition

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

Dennis Shields confirmed Friday

he would be leavinghis job as Southern University’spresident at the end of the year,sayingthe school’sBoard of Supervisors wantedto go in adifferent direction.

Shields said he has been aware of the board’sintentions for thepast five weeks.

“It was indicated to me the board wanted to go in adifferent direction, andIaccept that. It’s notthe way I would have doneit, but that’sthe prerogativeofthisboard,” Shields said at the end of Friday’sBoard of Supervisors meeting held in New Orleans before the Bayou Classic. According to Board of Supervisors

“Itwas indicated to me the board wanted to go in adifferent direction, and Iacceptthat.

It’snot the wayIwould have doneit, but that’sthe prerogative of this board.”

DENNISSHIELDS, SouthernUniversity president

ChairTony Clayton, the selection of an interim president is expected to be made atthe board’sDec. 19 meeting.

Clayton said Shields will “continue to be part of this family,” andwill return to Southernasstaff at thelaw school followinga six-month sabbatical.

Shields’ comments on his departure were drivenbyfourwords, he said: brevity,gratitude, humility and authenticity

But after roughly 10 minutesof thanking ahost of colleagues in the Southern system,Shields began to choke up.

“I’m grateful,” Shieldssaid.Ashe regained his composure, around of standing applause broke out in the crowd.

Shields has led bothSouthern University’smain campus andthe college system since early 2022. Before he was appointed tothe role, he was presidentofthe University of Wisconsin-Platteville for 12 years. Originally from Iowa, Shields

ä See SOUTHERN, page 5A

DI BETES DIABETES

La.dodges hurricanes in 2025 season

Researchersstill consider it aboveaverage foractivity

BY KASEYBUBNASH Staff writer

The 2025 Atlantic hurricane season comes to aclose Sundayasthe latest in along line to see above-average tropical storm activity,but an unusual set of circumstances left Louisiana and much of the nation unscathed.

For thefirst time in 10 years, this season will endwithout ahurricane landfall in theU.S.Only one named storm,Tropical Storm Chantal, hit the country this year,bringing gusty winds, heavy rainfall and millions in damages to the Carolinas in early July.Tropical Storm Barry,whichhit Mexico in June, was this year’sonly system to reach the Gulf Louisiana neverfound itself within aforecast cone.

But despite the quiet in nearby waters and another midseason lull in tropical activity,the hurricanes that wereable to form developedanexplosive strength, eventually bringingthe season

ä See HURRICANES, page 5A

Suspectin National Guard shooting facing murder charge

BY COLLINBINKLEY and BEN FINLEY

Press

WASHINGTON Charges against the man accused of shooting two NationalGuard members have been upgraded to first-degree murderafter one of the soldiers died, the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia announced Friday, while investigatorscontinue to seek amotive andthe U.S. government announced ahalt to all asylum decisions. Spc. Sarah Beckstrom, 20, and Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe, 24 were hospitalizedincritical

ä See SHOOTING, page 7A

152

College student flying to Texas deported instead CONCORD N.H. A college freshman trying to fly from Boston to Texas to surprise her family for Thanksgiving was instead deported to Honduras in violation of a court order, according to her attorney Any Lucia Lopez Belloza, 19, had already passed through security at Boston Logan International Airport on Nov 20 when she was told there was an issue with her boarding pass, said attorney Todd Pomerleau. The Babson College student was then detained by immigration officials and within two days sent to Texas and then Honduras, the country she left at age 7

“She’s absolutely heartbroken,” Pomerleau said. “Her college dream has just been shattered.”

According to U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, an immigration judge ordered Lopez Belloza deported in 2015. Pomerleau said she wasn’t aware of any removal order, however, and the only record he’s found indicates her case was closed in 2017.

The day after Lopez Belloza was arrested, a federal judge issued an emergency order prohibiting the government from moving her out of Massachusetts or the United States for at least 72 hours. ICE did not respond to an email Friday from The Associated Press seeking comment about violating that order Russian authorities ban Human Rights Watch

Russian authorities on Friday outlawed Human Rights Watch as an “undesirable organization,” a label that under a 2015 law makes involvement with such organizations a criminal offense.

The designation means the international human rights group must stop all work in Russia, and opens those who cooperate with or support the organization to prosecution.

The decision by the Russian prosecutor general’s office is the latest move in an unrelenting crackdown on Kremlin critics, journalists and activists, which has intensified to unprecedented levels since Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

In a separate statement on Friday, the office said it was opening a case against Russian feminist punk band Pussy Riot that would designate the group as an extremist organization.

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Russia’s Supreme Court designated the Anti-Corruption Foundation set up by the late opposition activist Alexei Navalny as a terrorist group. The ruling targeted the foundation’s U.S.-registered entity, which became the focal point for the group when the original Anti-Corruption Foundation was designated an “undesirable organization” by the Russian government in 2021

Pro-Palestinian protesters arrested at Apple Store

NEW YORK Cops arrested four protesters who tried to block the entrance of the Midtown Apple Store during a Black Friday sale, police said.

A coalition of about 70 protesters, including pro-Palestinian demonstrators, holding signs reading, “Think before you buy” and “Israel is killing children,” and waving Palestinian flags, stopped outside the Apple Store across from Central Park, where salespersons were offering Apple gift cards of up to $250 for each purchase as part of a Black Friday promotion

Four protesters were handcuffed and detained Charges were not immediately filed, an NYPD spokesman said. The protesters claimed the tech giant benefits from exploitative cobalt mining in the Congo, and also slammed Apple’s ties to ICE and President Donald Trump. The demonstration occurred not far from the Park East Synagogue, where pro-Palestinian protesters on Nov 19 held a tumultuous rally at which participants screamed “Intifada!” “Death to the IDF!” and “Resistance! Take another settler out!” as members of Nefesh B’Nefesh — an organization that assists Jewish immigration to Israel from the U.S. and Canada were holding a program inside.

Death toll hits 128 in Hong Kong fire

8 more arrested over towers’ renovation

BY DAVID RISING and CHAN HO-HIM Associated Press

HONG KONG Hong Kong firefighters found dozens more bodies Friday in an intensive apartment-by-apartment search of a high-rise complex where a massive fire engulfed seven buildings, and authorities arrested another eight people involved in the towers’ renovation The death toll in one of the city’s deadliest blazes rose to 128, and many remain unaccounted for

First responders found that some fire alarms in the complex, which housed many older people, did not sound when tested, said Andy Yeung, the director of Hong Kong Fire Services, though he did not say how many were not working or if others were.

The blaze jumped rapidly from one building to the next as foam panels and bamboo scaffolding covered in netting apparently installed by a construction company caught fire.

Authorities on Friday arrested seven men and one woman, ranging in age from 40 to 63, including scaffolding subcontractors, directors of an engineering consultant company and project managers supervising the renovation, the Independent Commission Against Corruption said in a statement.

On Friday, crews prioritized apartments from which they had received emergency calls during the blaze but were unable to reach in the hours that the fire burned out of control, Derek Armstrong Chan, a deputy director of

Hong Kong Fire Services, told reporters It took firefighters a day to bring the fire under control, and it was not fully extinguished until Friday morning some 40 hours after it started.

Even two days after the fire began, smoke continued to drift out of the charred skeletons of the buildings from the occasional flare-up.

Some 200 people remain unaccounted for, Secretary for Security Chris Tang told reporters That includes 89 bodies that have not yet been identified. Yet more bodies might be recovered, authorities said, though crews have finished a search for anyone living trapped inside.

More than 2,300 firefighters and medical personnel were involved in the operation, and 12 firefighters were among the 79 people injured, Yeung said. One firefighter was also killed, he had said previously Katy Lo, 70, a resident of Wang Fuk Court, was not home when the fire started Wednesday She rushed back roughly an hour later to see that the blaze had spread to her building.

“That’s my home I still can’t really believe what happened,” Lo said on Friday as she registered for government assistance for affected households. “This all still feels like a bad dream.”

Police said they found highly flammable plastic foam panels attached to the windows on each floor of the one unaffected tower The panels were believed to have been installed by the construction company but the purpose was not clear

Louvre to increase ticket price for non-EU visitors

BY SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press

PARIS Paris’ Louvre museum has approved a ticket hike from $25 to $37 for non-European visitors from January to help finance an overhaul of the building whose degradation has been exposed by the Oct. 19 crown jewels heist.

The measure comes as other major cultural sites across the country, including the Palace of Versailles, are considering similar moves to bring extra money needed for costly maintenance and renovation.

The Louvre ticketing changes come as part of a decade-long plan to modernize the museum. Security breaches that allowed the $102 million theft highlighted the urgency of the situation.

On Friday, a suspect in the Louvre robbery was handed preliminary charges of theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy, the Paris prosecutor said Friday meaning all four alleged members of the team caught on camera stealing the jewels are in custody

From Jan. 14, nationals from outside the European Union will have to pay $12 more. The measure was approved Thursday by the Louvre governing board. Nationals from Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, countries that signed up to the European Economic Area agreement, will be exempted from the hike.

In 2024, the Louvre welcomed 8.7 millions visitors, 77% of them foreigners

Top nationalities include people from the U.S (13%), China (6%) and Britain (5%), who will be affected by the price hikes.

Earlier this month, Louvre director Laurence des Cars announced more than 20 emergency measures have started being implemented following the robbery

She said the Louvre’s latest overhaul in the 1980s is now technically obsolete.

The cost for the so-called “Louvre New Renaissance” plan is estimated at up to $933 million to modernize infrastructure, ease crowding and give the famed Mona Lisa a dedicated gallery by 2031.

Some have argued that such a policy could be counterproductive if it leads to a fall in the number of visitors. But other institutions see it as a potential solution.

The new policy, championed by conservative Culture Minister Rachida Dati, could be extended to other major cultural sites across France. The Palace of Versailles is considering a $3.50 hike for non-EU visitors.

Extra fees for international visitors are not unusual in many countries across the world, often driven by the need to increase revenue to match the costs of maintaining heritage sites.

In the United States, the National Park Service announced this week it is going to start charging the millions of international tourists who visit U.S. parks each year an extra $100 to enter some of the most popular sites, like Yellowstone and Grand Canyon.

The announcement declaring “America-first entry fee policies” comes as national parks deal with the strain of a major staff reduction and severe budget cuts, along with recovering from damage during the recent government shutdown and significant lost revenue due to fees not being collected during that time.

In its budget this week, the U.K. government announced that British cities would be able to levy a “tourist tax” on overnight visitors, similar to fees in cities including Paris and New York. The money would help fund services and infrastructure in the cities.

Ally of deposed president named Guinea-Bissau PM

BY ASSANA SAMBU and MARK BANCHEREAU Associated Press

BISSAU, Guinea-Bissau Soldiers in Guinea-Bissau on Friday appointed a close ally of the deposed president as prime minister, after seizing power following disputed national elections earlier this week.

The country’s new military leader, Gen. Horta Inta-a, announced the appointment of finance minister Ilídio Vieira Té as prime minister in a decree.

Vieira Té is a close ally of the deposed President Umaro Sissoco Embaló, having served as his party’s campaign director during the legislative election on Sunday Soldiers seized power on Wednesday, three days after the closely contested presidential election During the ongoing military takeover the president told French media over the phone he had been deposed and arrested.

The opposition claimed that Embaló had “fabricated” the coup to avoid an election defeat in Sunday’s vote. The military takeover and the reported arrest of Embaló were manufactured to disrupt election results, according to his rival Fernando Dias, who, like Embaló, claimed to have won the vote.

The former Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan, who was in GuineaBissau during the military takeover as the head of the West African Elders Forum (WAEF) Election Mission observer group, accused Embaló on Friday of staging a “ceremonial coup” to stay in power

“A military doesn’t take over governments and allow the sitting president that they overthrew to address press conferences and announce that he has been arrested,” Jonathan told reporters.

Guinea-Bissau, one of the world’s poorest countries, has been dogged by coups and attempted coups since its independence

from Portugal more than 50 years ago, including a coup attempt in October The country of 2.2 million people is known as a hub for drug trafficking between Latin America and Europe.

The High Military Command on Friday lifted the curfew it imposed during its military takeover and authorized the movement of people and public transportation across all neighborhoods of the capital, Bissau.

Calm has returned to the capital, with people and vehicles circulating through the city’s streets after army checkpoints were lifted. The main stock exchange and markets in outlying districts, as well as commercial banks, have also reopened.

Embaló, meanwhile, arrived in neighboring Senegal on Thursday with a flight chartered by the Senegalese government.

Senegalese Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko on Friday described the military takeover in Guinea-Bissau as a “scheme,” echoing claims that the coup was manufactured to disrupt election results. He called for the release of arrested opposition members.

“The democratic process must be carried through to the end and the results announced,” Sonko said at a parliamentary session.

Late Thursday, the West African regional bloc known as ECOWAS said it is suspending Guinea-Bissau from its decision-making bodies “until the restoration of full and effective constitutional order in the country.”

The regional bloc said a mediation team, led by the body’s chair and including the presidents of Togo, Cabo Verde and Senegal, will travel to Bissau to “engage the leaders of the coup with a view to ensuring the full restoration of constitutional order.”

The 15-nation ECOWAS was formed in 1975 to promote economic integration in member states.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NG HAN GUAN

Burned buildings are shown after a fire that started Wednesday at Wang Fuk Court, a residential estate in the Tai Po district of Hong Kong’s New Territories, on Friday.

Pope joinspatriarchs at historic Christiansite

BY NICOLE WINFIELD, ANDREW WILKS and MEHMET GUZEL Associated Press

IZNIK, Turkey PopeLeo XIV joined Eastern and Western patriarchs and priests Friday in commemorating an important anniversary in Christian history,gathering at the site in Turkey of an unprecedented A.D. 325 meeting of bishops to pray that Christians might once again be united.

Leo, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew Iand other Christian leaders met on the shores of Lake Iznik, the site of theCouncil of Nicaea that produced acreed, or statementoffaith, that is still recited by millions of Christians today

Standing over the ruins of the site, the men recited the creed, whichLeo said was “of fundamental importance in the journeythat Christians are making toward full communion.”

“In this way,weare all invited to overcome the scandal of the divisions that unfortunately still exist and to nurture the desire forunity for which the Lord Jesus prayed and gave his life,” he said.

CrucialChristian moment

The Nicaea gathering took place at atime when the Eastern and Western

he said.

Aprayerfor unity

Roman Emperor Constantine hadconvenedthe gathering of bishops from around the Roman Empire after he had consolidated control following years of civil war and political intrigues.

Constantine wouldn’tformally convert to Christianity until the endofhis life,in337. Butby325, he hadalready been showing tolerance and favor toward aChristiansect that hademerged from the lastgreatspasmofRoman persecution.

Theversion of thecreed that emerged from the council, and recited today by Catholics, begins: “I believe in oneGod,the Father Almighty…”

excavations of theancient Basilica of Saint Neophytos.

The stone foundations of the basilica, which were recentlyuncovered by the lake’s receding waters, are believed to be on the site of an earlier church that hosted the council 1,700 years ago.

Participantsofthe commemorative service also included priests, patriarchs and bishops from OrthodoxGreek,Syrian, Coptic Malankarese, Armenian, Protestantand Anglican churches.

In his remarks to the men, Leo saidall Christians must strongly reject theuse of religion to justify war,violence “or any form of fundamentalism or fanaticism.”

churches were still united. They split in the Great Schism of 1054, adivide precipitated largelybydisagreements over the primacyofthe pope. Buteven today,Catholic, Orthodox and most historicProtestant groups acceptthe Nicaean Creed,makingitapoint of agreement and the most widely accepted creed in Christendom.

As aresult, celebrating its origins at the site of its creationwith the spiritual leaders of the Catholic and Orthodox churches andother Christian representatives marked ahistoric moment

in thecenturies-old quest to reuniteall Christians.

“The Nicene Creed acts like aseed for thewhole of our Christian existence. It is asymbol not of abare minimum; it is asymbolofthe whole,” said Bartholomew, spiritual leader of the world’sOrthodox Christians

At the start of theprayer service, he told the men they were gathering not just to remember thepast.

“Weare here to bear living witness to thesamefaith expressed by the fathers of Nicaea. We return to this wellspring of the Christian faith in order to moveforward,”

Canada,Alberta leaderssignpipeline deal that couldreverse oiltankerban

BY ROBGILLIES Associated Press

TORONTO— Canadian Prime

Minister Mark Carney and the premier of Canada’soil rich province of Alberta agreed Thursday to work toward building apipeline to the Pacific Coast to diversify the country’soil exports beyond the United States, in amove that has caused turmoil in Carney’sinner circle.

The memorandum of understanding includes an adjustment of an oil tanker ban off parts of the British Columbia coastifa pipeline comes to fruition.

Carney’ssupport for it led to the resignation Thursday of one of his cabinet ministers, StevenGuilbeault, a former environment minister and career environmentalist whohas been serving as the minister of culture.

Guilbeault said in astatement he strongly opposes the agreement with Alberta, noting the pipeline could cross the Great Bear Rainforest and that it would increasethe risk of atanker spill on the coast. But he said he understands why Canada needstoremainunitedand said he will stay on as aLiberal Member of Parliament. Carney said he was glad Guilbeaultisstayingasa Liberal lawmaker Carney has set agoal for Canada to double its nonU.S. exports in the next decade, saying American tariffs are causingachill in investment.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the agreement will lead to more than1 million barrels perday for mainly Asian markets so “our province and ourcountry are no longer dependent on just one customer to buy our most valuable resource.”

Carney reiterated thatas the U.S.transforms all of its trading relationships, many of Canada’sstrengths based on thoseclose ties to America —have become its vulnerabilities.

“Over 95% of all our energy exports went to theStates This tight interdependence —oncea strength— is nowa weakness,” Carneysaid.

Carney said apipeline can reduce theprice discounton current oil sales to U.S. markets. He called theframework agreement thestart of aprocess. “Wehave created some of the necessary conditions for this to happen but there is alot more work to do,” he said.

Carney saidifthereisnot aprivate sector proponent there won’t be apipeline.

The agreement calls on Ottawa andAlberta to engage with British Columbia, where there is fierce opposition to oiltankers offthe coast, to advance that province’seconomic interests.

Former PrimeMinister Justin Trudeau approved one controversial pipeline fromthe Alberta oil sands to the British Columbia coast in 2016 butthe federal government had to build and finish construction of it as it

faced oppositionfrom environmentaland aboriginal groups.

Trudeau at thesame time rejected the Northern Gateway project to northwest British Columbia which would have passed through the Great Bear Rainforest.

Northern Gateway would have transported525,000 barrels of oil aday from Alberta’s oilsands to thePacific to deliveroil to Asia, mainly energy-hungryChina.

The northernAlberta region hasone of the largest oil reserves in theworld, withabout 164 billion barrels of proven reserves.

Carney’sannouncement comes after British Columbia Premier David Eby said lifting the tanker banwould threaten projectsalready in development in the region and consensus among coastal First Nations.

Eby said he knows the federal government could imposethis pipeline if they wished. “Whatthisisabout is the fact thatthis project has no company that’sadvancing it.It’sgot no money It’sgot no coastal First Nationssupport,” he said.

The agreement pairs the pipeline project aproposed carbon capture project and government officials say the two projectsmust be built in tandem

Theagreement says Ottawa and Alberta will with workwith companies to identify by April 1new emissions-reductionprojectsto be rolled out starting in 2027.

The service commemoration, which featured alternating Catholic andOrthodoxhymns, took place at the lakeside archaeological

“Instead,the pathstofolloware those of fraternal encounter,dialogue andcooperation,” he said.

Iznik resident Suleyman Bulut, 35, acknowledged his town’sdeep historical and

spiritual significance for Christians andsaidhehad no issue with them coming to honor their heritage. “Muslims (too) should go and visit places that belong to us in the rest of the world, in Europe,” he said. But Hasan Maral, a 41-year-old shopkeeper said he felt uncomfortablewith visit. “The pope coming here feels contradictory to my faith,” he said. Leo began his first full day in Istanbul by encouragingTurkey’stinyCatholic community to find strength in their small numbers. According to Vaticanstatistics, Catholics number around 33,000 in anation of 85 million, most of whomare Sunni Muslims. He received araucous welcomeatthe Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, where he wasgreetedwithshouts of “Papa Leo” and “Viva il Papa” (Long live the pope).

Death toll from flooding in Thailand reaches 145

By The Associated Press

BANGKOK The death toll from flooding in southern Thailand has reached at least 145, officials said Friday, as receding waters started to reveal devastating damage across the region.

More than 1.2 million households and 3.6 million people have been affected by floods triggered by heavy rains in 12 southern provinces, the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said Friday Government spokesperson Siripong Angkasakulkiat said in a news conference in Bangkok that flooding has killed 145 people in eight provinces, particularly in Songkhla province which recorded at least 110 deaths.

He said search and rescue efforts have become more successful as floodwaters started to recede further Songkhla province recorded a sharp increase in the death toll after flooding began to subside. News reports showed rescuers gained more access to residential areas that had previously been submerged under high water and recovered more bodies, particularly in Hat Yai, the largest city in the south.

The disaster department reported Friday morning that waters have receded in most of the affected areas, but levels remain high in some locations.

Remsringam,

fl

The Meteorological Department said rainfall has decreased in the south but warned of thunderstorms.

The flooding caused severe disruption, leaving thousands of people stranded, rendering streets impassable and submerging low-rise buildings and vehicles.

Videos and photos from the affected areas on Friday show damaged roads, fallen power poles, household appliances and debris washed away by floodwaters piled along the streets. Abandoned cars were overturned or stacked atop one another, apparently swept away by powerful currents.

Telescope in Chile views ‘cosmic butterfly’

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. A telescope in Chile has captured a stunning new picture of a grand and graceful cosmic butterfly

The National Science Foundation’s NoirLab released the picture Wednesday Snapped last month by the Gemini South telescope, the aptly named Butterfly Nebula is 2,500 to 3,800 lightyears away in the constellation Scorpius. A single light-year is 6 trillion miles.

At the heart of this bipolar nebula is a white dwarf star that cast aside its outer layers of gas long ago. The discarded gas forms the butterflylike wings billowing from the aging star, whose heat causes the gas to glow

Schoolchildren in Chile chose this astronomical target to celebrate 25 years of operation by the International Gemini Observatory

Mars rover records what scientists think is sound of lightning

BY MARCIA DUNN AP aerospace writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Scientists have detected what they believe to be lightning on Mars by eavesdropping on the whirling wind recorded by NASA’s Perseverance rover The crackling of electrical discharges was captured by a microphone on the rover a French-led team reported Wednesday

The researchers documented 55 instances of what they call “mini lightning” over two Martian years, primarily during dust storms and dust devils. Almost all occurred on the windiest Martian sols, or days, during dust storms and dust devils.

Just inches in size, the electrical arcs occurred within 6 feet of the microphone perched atop the rover’s tall mast, part of a system for examining Martian rocks via camera and lasers. Sparks from the electrical discharges akin to static electricity here on Earth — are clearly audible amid the noisy wind gusts and dust particles smacking the microphone.

Scientists have been looking for electrical activity and lightning at Mars for half a century, said the study’s lead author Baptiste Chide, of the Institute for Research in Astrophysics and Planetology in Toulouse.

“It opens a completely new field of investigation for Mars science,” Chide said, citing the possible chemical effects from electrical discharges. “It’s like finding a missing piece of the puzzle.”

The evidence is strong and persuasive, but it’s based on a single instrument that was meant to record the rover zapping

rocks with lasers, not lightning blasts, said Cardiff University’s Daniel Mitchard, who was not involved in the study. What’s more, he noted in an article accompanying the study in the journal Nature, the electrical discharges were heard — not seen.

“It really is a chance discovery to hear something else going on nearby, and everything points to this being Martian lightning,” Mitchard said in an email. But until new instruments are sent to verify the findings, “I think there will still be a debate from some scientists as to whether this really was lightning.”

Lightning has already been confirmed on Jupiter and Saturn, and Mars has long been suspected of having it too.

Chide and his team analyzed 28 hours of Perseverance recordings, documenting episodes of “mini lightning” based on acoustic and electric signals.

Electrical discharges generated by the fast-moving dust devils lasted just a few seconds, while those spawned by dust storms lingered as long as 30 minutes.

“It’s like a thunderstorm on Earth, but barely visible with a naked eye and with plenty of faint zaps,” Chide said in an email. He noted that the thin, carbon dioxide-rich Martian atmosphere absorbs much of the sound, making some of the zaps barely perceptible.

“The current evidence suggests it is extremely unlikely that the first person to walk on Mars could, as they plant a flag on the surface, be struck down by a bolt of lightning,” Mitchard wrote in Nature. But the “small and frequent static-like discharges could prove problematic for sensitive equipment.”

BY JOSH BOAK Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH,Fla.— Presi-

dent Donald Trump said Friday that he will be pardoning former Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who in 2024 was convicted for drug trafficking and weapons charges and sentenced to 45 years in prison.

The president explained his decision on social media by posting that “according to many people that I greatly respect,” Hernandez was “treated very harshly and unfairly.”

In March of last year, Hernandez was convicted in U.S. court of conspiring to import cocaine into the U.S. He had served served two terms as the leader of the Central American nation of roughly 10 million people. Hernandez has been appealing his conviction and serving time at the U.S. Penitentiary Hazelton in West

Virginia. A lawyer for Hernandez, Renato C. Stabile, expressed gratitude for Trump’s actions. “A great injustice has been righted and we are so hopeful for the future partnership of the United States and Honduras,” Stabile said.

The post was part of a broader message by Trump backing Nasry “Tito” Asfura for Honduras’ presidency, with Trump saying the U.S. would be supportive of the country if he wins. But if Asfura loses the election this Sunday, Trump posted that “the United States will not be throwing good money after bad, because a wrong Leader can only bring catastrophic results to a country no matter which country it is.”

Asfura, 67, is making his second run for president for the conservative National Party He was mayor of Tegucigalpa and has pledged to solve Honduras’ infrastructure needs. But he has

previously been accused of embezzling public funds, allegations that he denies.

In addition to Asfura, there are two other likely contenders for Honduras’ presidency: Rixi Moncada, who served as the finance and later defense secretary before leaving to run for president for the incumbent democratic socialist Libre party, and Salvador Nasralla, a former television personality who is making his fourth bid for the presidency, this time as the candidate for the Liberal Party Outgoing Honduran President Xiomara Castro has leaned into a leftist stance, but she has kept a pragmatic and even cooperative attitude in dealing with the U.S. administration and she has received visits from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and U.S. Army Gen. Laura Richardson, when she was the commander of U.S. Southern Command.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By SAROT MEKSOPHAWANNAKUL Somsak

owner of a convenience shop, looks at the damaged contents after

oods in Songkhla province, southern Thailand, Friday

PHOTO PROVIDED By NSF NOIRLAB

This image shows NGC 6302, a billowing planetary nebula that resembles a cosmic butterfly.

SOUTHERN

Continued from page1A

earned his undergraduate degree in business from Graceland College, now Graceland University,in Lamoni, Iowa, and his Juris Doctor from the University of Iowa College of Law

Speaking after the applause, Shields talked about howhis upbringing influenced his future career

“You need to understand where I came from,” he said. Borntoan unmarried White mother and aBlack father,Shields spent his formative years in an orphanage andthen in foster care

He said his second foster family washeaded by aBlack doctor who practiced in rural Iowa and who graduatedfrom an HBCU,Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.

“So as a7-and 8-year-old …if

in line with historicalnorms, and —depending how you crunch the numbers —beyond.

Atotal of 13 named storms formed in the Atlantic this year,including five hurricanes. Four of those went on to become major hurricanes of Category3 strength or more.

That’snot far from the historical average, according to data collected by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which shows that from 1991 to 2020, atypical season produced 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

But scientists consider more than just the number of storms that formed when attempting to gauge the severity of the season. Colorado State University hurricane researcher Phil Klotzbach said it was this season’s high number of powerful storms thatpushed it just past the average.

“This year is areally screwy year when you’re looking at the different metrics,” Klotzbach said. “I’ve been calling it basically a year of fairly low quantity but very high quality.”

NOAA rankshurricane seasons based on accumulated cyclone energy,orACE, which considers not just the number of storms in aseason but also the duration and intensity of each system.

Ahurricane season’soverall ACE index is calculated by adding each storm’sin-

notfor them, Iwouldn’thave had any exposure to that level of Black achievement.And from that point forward, IalwaysknewI was goingtogotocollege, because I thought that’swhatyou did.

Shields said this experience carried him through the difficulties of attending apredominantly White university,which had only 50 Black students out of the 1,200-person studentbody.Itled himonthe path to being president of Southern University

“My foster fatherwas, wasthe epitome of that. He came from nothing. When we visit his family, his motherlived in ashack,” Shields said.“AndI’lltellyou, what impressed me is that whole family.Hedrugged that whole family out of poverty,and that’s adirect result of being engaged with us, with aHBCU,and that’s the story of Southern, that’swhy I wanted to lead an HBCU.”

TheBoardofSupervisors did not

dividualscore together.A near-normal season would end on Nov.30with an ACE score of 73 to 126, according to NOAA’s definition.

Aseason with anACE of 126.1orhigher is considered abovenormal, and 159.6orhigher is extremely active. Hurricane Melissa’s 10 days as anamed storm in October helped push the 2025 season just over the threshold,accordingtodata collected by CSU, bringing its ACEupto133.

Nine of the last 10 Atlantic hurricane seasons have beenclassified as either above normal or extremely active, according to Klotzbach, with 2022 being the only exception Melissa wasthis year’s standout storm, dealing a devastatingblowtoJamaica on Oct.28with Category 5winds of 185 mph. One of the strongeststormseverto form, Melissa killed roughly 100 people across the Caribbean and displaced thousands more.

But it wasn’talone. All four of this season’smajor hurricanesunderwentrapid intensification, defined by NOAA as a35mph increase in maximum wind speeds in less than 24 hours, and reached Category 4strength at minimum.

Three of those four hurricanes —Melissa,Erin and Humberto —continued strengthening to Category 5intensity.Only2005, anotoriously active year for Atlantic hurricanes that included both Katrinaand Rita,produced more Category 5storms, Klotzbach said. “It was that kind of ayear where thehurricanes were

vote Friday on an interim president to replace Shields becausea computer error delayed theitem’s placement on the meeting’sposted agenda, Clayton said. Before wordofShields’ firing was madepublic on Friday,the lack of commentfrom Southern hadworried some alumni, two of whom made public comments Friday to express those worries immediately after the announcement that no interimpresident will be selected.

“I’m really disturbed about the future of Southern University and the direction that we’re going, which is unbeknown to thepublic becausetherehas been no public statement,” said Tina Williams, an alumna who founded the Williams Centerfor Undergraduate Student Achievementin2017 alongside her husband, Tony Williams saidalumni have had only rumors to go on for whythe sudden shift in leadership has tak-

really grumpy most of the time and then whenthey found aspot they liked, they just went for it,” he said.

Fortunately, this year’s storms largelyavoided direct hitstoland.

When all is said and done, the 2025 season will wrap up near where NOAA and CSU forecasters predicted it would earlier this spring.

Both teams saidthenthat this year would likely bring above-average tropical activity, though nowhere near theextremeactivity of 2024. In April,CSU predicted an ACEof140, with 16 named storms, eight hurricanes andthreemajor hurricanes. Amonth later,NOAA forecast 13 to 19 named storms, six to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes.

“Sowegot our top-line number right,” Klotzbach said, “but when you break it down,itwas just such a weird year in terms of how those storms played out.”

For thesecond year in a row, abreakintropicalactivity during what is historically the Atlantic’sbusiest time of year threwresearchers for aloop. Despite thewarmerthan-normalwaters that help fuel storm formation, no systems formed betweenAug. 24 andSept. 16 foronly the second time since1939, according to CSU.

TheGulf andCaribbean were quiet this year,too, thanks in part to aBermuda high that allowed amajority of thisyear’sstormstoturn awayfrom the U.S. andback out to sea. Before Melissa’s formation on Oct. 20, the Caribbean was entirely devoid of tropical activity forthe

en place. She asked theboard members if anyofthemcould tell herwhy Shields’ last day is Dec. 31, and what they are looking for in a leader instead.

“Everybody that’sviewing online and that’sinthis room has an interest in our great alma mater.It should be no secret,” she said. Afew commentersonthe meeting’slivestream agreed, asking for “transparency.”

“Ifwedoselecta newinterim presidentinDecember,it’sgoing to take them about three months to figure outwhat’sgoing on,” said Tony Williams, speaking after his wife. “Then we got to select apresident, and wheneverheorshe may show up, it’sgoing to take them about three months to figure out what’sgoing on. …Sonow we’ve got 12 months in ayear,but we done lost six months.”

To Tony Williams, this would mean that Southern would not

first time since 1997.

The Atlantic typically producesanaverageofabout six named stormsthat track through the Caribbean or Gulf each season, whether they’re“homegrown”or systems that start as tropical waves farther east in the Atlantic.Lastyear sawnearly twice the average, with11named storms that either formed over or tracked through the Caribbean or Gulf.

Then theunusual case of theFujiwhara effect between hurricanes Imelda

have secure and knowledgeable leadership until 2027.

“So by the time we get somebody in there, we already lost 2026,” he said. “It’sover.I mean,just do the math.”

Tony Williamsconcluded by saying that he currently doesn’tknow what to tell other worried alumni whocall him

“So allIwould askisthat, can we just communicate on what we doing so we know how to help you all movethe university forward?” he said.

Clayton thanked the Williamses forspeaking and fortheir ongoing support for the university,but said the board could not give them any answers Friday

“Mr. andMrs.Williams, Southernhearsyou,and the lawjust doesn’tallow us to talk about personnel matters,” Clayton said. “But we hear you, andthat’sall I can tellyou,thatwedohear you and thanks again forwhat you do.”

andHumbertoinSeptember brought on another headache forforecasters.

Aphenomenon morecommonly seen in thePacific Ocean, the Fujiwhara effect occurs whentwo tropical cyclones movesoclose together that they begin to rotate around acommon midpoint, making storm trajectories significantly less predictable.

Klotzbach said hurricane researchers will keep an eye out for another peak season lull next year,but he said the biggest question is

whether El Niño conditions will return.Aclimate pattern associated with fewer storms andhurricanes in the Atlantic, the return of El Niño is generally good news forLouisiana.

After astrong El Niño from2023 into 2024, Klotzbach said theoddsofanother El Niño aren’tgreat. But with some early indicators of ashift showing up in the Pacific Ocean, “I would sayit’snot offthe table,” he said.

“We’ll seewhat2026has in store,” Klotzbach said.

BayouClassic unites generations of families

BY DESIREE STENNETT Staff writer

The first time Chantell Wallis brought her son to see Grambling State take on SouthernUniversity for the annual Bayou Classic, he was just 3months old. Still ababy,she wantedD’Vante to don Grambling State University’sblackand gold andget ataste of what she experienced when she played clarinet in the Tiger Marching Band in the ’90s. Decadeslater D’Vante Wallis is now 32, and attending the Classicisstill their tradition.

“I feel like Ineverleft,” hesaid.

“I’m part of the family.”

Since Chantell Wallis moved back to BatonRouge last year after many years in Missouri,she’s only missed two Grambling games. Her support runsdeep, she said, but it’s about more than just whowins. It’s about family, educationand alove for her alma mater

“My sister went to Southern,” shesaid as herfamilyand acollege friend wandered through asea of vendors selling items branded with both universities. “Even though we have the competition, in the endwe’re allgoing to hug becausewe’re all family and that’s what it’sall about.”

Even though neitherschoolis in New Orleans —Southern isin Baton Rouge and Grambling is in northern Louisiana —the annual weekend holds the samesignificance for many families that attend each year.Moststarted out going as children or college students and now attend with their own children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

At aMonday news conference kicking off the 52nd annual Bayou Classic, U.S. Rep. Troy Carter,DNew Orleans, honored “two outstandingschools that areknown for their athletic prowess but also for their academic prowess” and celebrated “what we all know to

be one heck of agood time.”

“Bayou Classic is so much more than just afootball game,” he said.

“It’sa reunion. It’s atimefor people to show up …todemonstrate their pride forthe institutions that gave them the education to make themthe successful people that theyare.”

Every year,fans and alumni flock to New Orleans in the days leading up to Thanksgiving, to catch the holiday parade through downtown New Orleans on Thursday,pack into Caesars Superdome to watch the Battle of the Bands on Friday,thencatch the football game Saturday.And in between thefestivities,theyeat,shop and stumble across old friends to reminisce about what it was like when they walked the campuses of both historicallyBlack universities. Victoria Winters, aGrambling graduate, has been aBayou Classic vendor for the past decade. On one sideofher booth she sells sweat-

shirts, T-shirts, bags and hats from Grambling. On the other side, she’s expandedtosellgame-daywear for Southern fans as well. For the past fiveyears, she’sbeenoperating from thesamespot on Loyola Avenue near Poydras Street.

“Oh my goodness,I love this,” she said, adding that their regulars have come to expect them in their usual spot and stop by every year to see what new itemsare for sale. “There’sjust acamaraderie amongthe people,we’re ableto talk noise to each other.It’sfun. It’s notreally work forusanymore We come out here, we have agood time, we reunite with our fellow classmates,and we gettomeet a lot of new people too.”

Southern University has bested Grambling in football for the past threeyears, but this season,as Southern’s1-10 team has struggled to find its footing, they will face the 7-4Grambling. Southern’s losing record has boosted the confidence of Grambling fans whomilledthrough downtown Fridaymorning.

“Stay humble” was themessage Grambling alumnus Reginald Walker had for Southern fans as he readied forthe game.

Despite Grambling being the favorite to win, Sheila Butler,who has been aseason-ticket holderfor 42 years, will still be there with her daughter,son-in-law,granddaughter andgreat-grandchildren. Butler saidher family has never missed aBayouClassic, except whenthe COVID-19 pandemic madeitimpossible to attend.

Three generations of herfamily have alreadygraduatedfrom Southern. The littlestones, who have been going to theClassic since birth, were decked outinblue and gold sweatshirts on Friday

“I just had to keep the tradition going,” Butler’sgranddaughter HayleyAllensaid. “It’sa family thing. We love Southern and hopefully my children will follow in our footsteps.”

Email Desiree Stennett at desiree.stennett@theadvocate. com.

looksatGrambling

condition afterthe Wednesday afternoon shooting near the White House. Trump announced Thursday evening that Beckstrom had died.

U.S. Attorney JeaninePirro’soffice said the charges against Rahmanullah Lakanwal, a29-year-old Afghan nationalwho worked with the CIA during the Afghanistan War, now include onecount of first-degree murder and two counts of assault with intent to kill while armed Beckstrom and Wolfe were deployed with the West Virginia National Guard as part of President Donald Trump’s crime-fighting mission that federalized the D.C. police force. The president alsohas deployed or tried to deploy National Guard members to other cities to assistwith his mass deportation efforts but has faced court challenges.

Trump called the shooting a“terrorist attack” and criticized the Biden administration for enabling Afghans who worked with U.S. forces during the Afghanistan War to enter the U.S. The president has said he wants to “permanently pausemigration” from poorer nations and expel millions of immigrants from the country

The director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, Joseph Edlow,said in apost on the social platform Xthat all asylum decisions will be paused “until we can ensure that every alien is vetted and screened to the maximumdegree possible.”

In an interview on Fox News, Pirro said there are “many charges to come” beyond the upgraded murder charge. She said her heart goes out to the family of Beckstrom, who volunteered to serve and “ended up being shot ambush-style on the cold streets of Washington, D.C.” Pirro said officials have been working around the clock to determine the suspect’smotive. Investigators are executingwarrants in

the stateofWashington, whereLakanwallived,and other parts of thecountry

Defense Secretary Pete Hegsethvisited National Guard troops in the nation’s capital Friday and led them in aprayer for Beckstrom andWolfe.

“Some of you may have known her,” Hegsethsaid of Beckstrom. “Obviously a beautiful humanbeing and agreat Americanwillingto serve her country brutally targeted.”

Hegseth said he andhis wife briefly visited Wolfe on Thursdaynight “to be there, layhands on him, pray over him.

Wolferemains in“very criticalcondition,” West Virginia Gov.Patrick Morrisey said Friday.Heordered state flags to be flown at half-staff in recognition of Beckstrom’sdeath

“Theircourage and commitment to duty represent the very best of our state,” Morriseysaid Lakanwal has been living in Bellingham, Washington, about 80 miles northofSeattle,with his wifeand five children, saidhis former landlord,Kristina Widman. Mohammad Sherzad, a neighbor of Lakanwal’sin Bellingham, told theAPin aphone interview Friday that Lakanwalwas polite, quiet and spoke very little

English.

Sherzad said he attended the same mosque as Lakanwal and had heard from other members thatLakanwal was struggling to find work. Someofhis children attended thesame school as Lakanwal’schildren, Sherzad said.

“He was so quietand the kids were so polite, they weresoplayful. But we didn’tsee anything bad about him. He was looking OK,” Sherzad said. Sherzad saidLakanwal “disappeared”about two weeks ago.

Lakanwal hadbriefly worked as an independent contractor for Amazon Flex, which allows people to use their own cars to deliver packages, acompany spokespersonshared with The Associated Press. Lakanwal delivered packages from the end of July to theend of August and hadn’t been active since.

Lakanwal entered theU.S. in 2021 through Operation AlliesWelcome, aBiden administration program that resettled Afghans after the U.S. withdrawal from thecountry,officials said. Lakanwal applied for asylum during theBiden administration, but his asylum was approved underthe Trump administration, #AfghanEvac said in astatement.

Lakanwal served in aCIA-

backed Afghan Army unit, known as one of the special Zero Units, in the southern provinceofKandahar,according to aresident of the eastern Afghan province of Khostwho identified himselfasLakanwal’scousin.

He said Lakanwal wasoriginally from the province and that his brother had worked in the unit as well. The cousin spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity forfear of reprisals. He saidLakanwal had started out working as asecurity guard for the unit in 2012 and was later promoted to become ateam leader and aGPS specialist.

Zero Units were paramilitary units manned by Afghans but backed by theCIA that also served in front-line fighting with CIA paramilitary officers. Activists had attributed abuses to the units. They played akey role in the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country providingsecurityaround Kabul International Airport as the Americans and withdrew from the country

On Wednesday night, Trump calledfor the reinvestigation of allAfghan refugees whohad entered under the Biden administration initiative that brought roughly 76,000 people to the

country,many of whomhad worked as interpreters and translators. The program has faced intense scrutiny from Trump andothersoverallegations of gaps in the vetting process, even as advocates say there wasextensive vetting and the program offered a lifelinetopeopleatrisk of Taliban reprisals.

Beckstromhad enlisted in 2023,the same year she graduated high school,and served with distinction as a military policeofficer with the 863rd Military Police Company,the West Virginia National Guard said in a statement.

“She exemplifiedleadership, dedication, and professionalism,”the statement said, adding that Beckstrom “volunteered to serve as part of Operation D.C. Safe and Beautiful, helping to ensure the safety and security of our nation’scapital.”

The president calledBeckstroman“incredible person, outstanding in every single way.”

Baton Rouge Weather

ADVERTISEMENT

Many Americans arefortunate to have dentalcoverage fortheir entire working life, through employer-providedbenefits. Whenthose benefits end with retirement, payingdental billsout-of-pocketcan come as ashock, leading people to put off or even go without care.

Simply put—without dental insurance, there maybe an importantgap in your healthcare coverage

When you’re comparingplans.



services.Some plans may limit thenumber of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.

 Look forcoverage with no deductibles.Some plans may require you to payhundredsout of pocket beforebenefits are paid.

 Shop forcoverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits.Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Vote upcoming on BR budget cuts

Department heads warn of service reductions

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

On Dec. 10, the the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council will decide whether or not to approve Mayor-President Sid Edwards’ 2026 proposed budget. With millions of dollars in tax

revenue now funding the St. George city government, Edwards’ office is proposing to slash more than $15 million from the city-parish’s general fund and would have to lay off hundreds of workers to do it. And as department heads make difficult decisions about who stays

and who goes, they are warning both the public and elected officials to brace for noticeable reductions in the services the city-parish provides.

“We have an ethical obligation; the quality of legal advice we give, it cannot suffer,” Parish Attorney Greg Rome said to his office’s 12

clients — the East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council — last week “But right

BY TAYANNA MASSEY

ABOVE: Clark Johnson Sr. walks with his son Clark Johnson Jr. along the storefronts in the Towne Center at Cedar Lodge shopping center in Baton Rouge on Friday LEFT: Tori Gremillion walks with her daughter Caroline Gremillon while shopping in the Towne Center at Cedar Lodge shopping center STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

State ethics questions arise over contract

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

PHOTO By TAyANNA MASSEy

Lafayette native launches luxury watch brand

Brandon Little crafts timepieces in Detroit

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

Brandon Little always had a love for the arts.

From a young age, Little, who has dyslexia, found that the arts were the best way to convey his ideas.

“Arts was sort of that thing that, naturally, is my easiest way to communicate. I’ve been into the arts since before I could walkish,” Little said. “It’s always been the one constant. I like to joke that the majority of my life has lived through some sort of Pictionary game. It’s easier for me to communicate with a Sharpie marker and a piece of paper versus the written language.”

“They always had beat-up pocket watches. They had one that finally caught my eye, and I finally had enough money to buy it. It was just this lovely old pocket watch,” Little said. “That was the trigger point where I was like, this is fascinating. It had technicality, but it had craft It had engineering, and it had that kind of left-brain, rightbrain component.”

His time in New York would teach him a lot about the fashion industry Not only did he hone his design skills, but he also learned the ins and outs of manufacturing in the fashion industry, taking him to countries like Pakistan and Bangladesh

That love has since brought this Lafayette native across the world, landing him in prestigious work-study programs with luxury brands and leading him to start his own highend watch brand in Detroit.

Little founded his luxury watch brand, Artefkt Watches, about three years ago and recently began delivering the watches following a successful crowdfunding Kickstarter campaign that raised around $131,000 for the fledgling company Little’s journey began in Lafayette, where, in high school, he took his talent for the arts to the studio of a stained-glass maker and carpenter It started with simple projects, but later grew into creating sculptures and jewelry making, he said.

After high school, Little would attend the then University of Southwestern Louisiana before transferring to Louisiana State University, where he majored in fine arts and graphic design He would purchase his first watch, a Fossil, sometime in college, but his love for the intricacies and inner workings of timepieces didn’t begin until he moved to New York, where he worked for a streetwear brand.

Little would check out the flea market near daily while he was in New York, when he came across a vendor selling vintage pocket watches.

ETHICS

Continued from page 1B

contract or employment, nor was Chief LeDuff involved in the drafting or execution of Kelly’s contract,” the Mayor’s Office said in a statement when asked for comment. Two attorneys who handle ethics cases question that explanation, saying state law prohibits such arrangements.

“It does not matter whether the father participated in drafting, executed the contract, supervised his son or had any involvement at all,” said New Orleans ethics attorney and Loyola University law professor Dane Ciolino.

The contract says the work is for “services to be rendered to the Office of the Mayor-President” the same city-parish department that employs Jeff LeDuff. Other city-parish records also list the Mayor’s Office as the contracting department.

“Under the plain text of (Louisiana Ethics Code), Kelly LeDuff’s contract with the Office of the Mayor-President is prohibited if his father is a public employee of that same agency,” Ciolino said.

Alesia Ardoin, a former supervising attorney for the Louisiana Board of Ethics now practicing ethics law in Baton Rouge, echoed Ciolino.

Ardoin said the contract itself is the problem. The extent of a parent’s involvement in a child’s work in such a case doesn’t matter

“The prohibition is entering into a transaction with the agency of your immediate family,” Ardoin said.

The scope of work in the contract for Kelly LeDuff’s company — LeDuff Consulting Group — included “monitoring and reporting results of the compliance and ethics efforts” in city-parish government as a compliance officer Under the contract, Edwards’ office said, Kelly LeDuff developed control systems to prevent or deal with violations of legal guidelines and internal policies related to housing and other development grants As one of Edwards’ assistant chief administrative officers, Jeff

Police: Three killed in crash on Joor Road

Staff report

Three people, including a juvenile, are dead following a twovehicle crash Thursday night on Joor Road, according to the Central Police Department.

But Little had aspirations to work for high-end luxury brands and was also looking for ways to build his own brand. That’s when his then-girlfriend, now his wife, told him to apply to the Richemont Group for its work-study program. Richemont Group owns the luxury brands Cartier and Van Cleef & Arpels, as well as the watchmakers IWC Schaffhausen and Jaeger-LeCoultre.

The program is hard to get into, with the Richemont Group accepting only one applicant from each country

Little was accepted into the program, where he began designing watches and jewelry before eventually moving to Switzerland, a country known for its watchmaking prowess, to further his studies.

He would return to the United States when Fossil reached out to him to come work for the company The decision would eventually lead him to Detroit, where, in 2022, he would begin to think about creating his own brand.

The early stages entailed lining up manufacturing and design for the first year and a half, he said.

“Can you do it by yourself? It was really kind of fun and terrifying at the same time,” Little said. “As soon as I have something worth showing, I started to show it and just get people acquainted with what we’re doing.”

He launched a successful crowdfunding campaign in October 2024 and began shipping out his first watches in August of this year The watches are assembled by hand and hand-finished.

LeDuff oversees public safety-related matters for the administration, and has been in that role since before the contract was executed, according to the Mayor’s Office.

But the scope of Jeff LeDuff’s duties doesn’t factor into the statute, Ciolino said.

“The only question that matters is: Is the contract under the supervision or jurisdiction of the public servant’s agency?” he said. “If yes, the statute bars the transaction.”

Jeff LeDuff stepped into his current role on the first day of Edwards’ mayoralty, Jan. 1.

On Feb. 17, six days after Kelly LeDuff’s company registered with the state on Feb. 11, the Mayor’s Office executed the compliance contract, set to run for six months, through August.

City-parish contracts worth $50,000 or more must be approved by Metro Council. The agreement with LeDuff Consulting was for $49,500, for which Kelly LeDuff received $20,625 in five separate biweekly payments.

When Kelly LeDuff was hired as development director on April 25, records show, the remainder of the contract was terminated.

Officials with the Edwards administration said they did not seek an ethics opinion before the contract’s execution.

“We did seek counsel from the Parish Attorney about the form of Kelly’s contract; but, because there was no direct supervision or management between Chief LeDuff and Kelly, we did not seek an ethics opinion,” the administration said in a statement.

Edwards’ office declined to comment further when asked whether it sought an opinion from the parish attorney on whether the family relationship affected the contract’s legality

In his current role, Kelly LeDuff is not an employee of the Mayor’s Office, as the Office of Community Development is its own agency in city-parish government. Still, the father-son duo currently holding high-ranking positions in Baton Rouge government has drawn criticism on social media in recent weeks.

Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com

A southbound vehicle with one occupant appears to have crossed into the northbound lane in the 7500 block of Joor Road about 9:15 p.m., colliding with a southbound vehicle carrying three occupants, according to police.

CUTS

Continued from page 1B

devote their time to making government as transparent as possible.

“It’s not going to be seamless People are going to notice,” Assistant Chief Administrative Officer William Daniel said. “It’s just physically impossible to get everybody and everything out there in the amount of time that we did before.”

Services spread thin

Daniel oversees public worksrelated initiatives for the Mayor’s Office.

Between transportation and drainage, development, maintenance and buildings and grounds, the 11% cut to public works equates to about $7 million. It is a tough pill for an agency that was forced to cut more than $2.5 million last year too.

They have some flexibility Daniel said, as some contracted work can be moved in-house so that money can pay salaries and a handful of workers can keep their jobs. But that also means a reduction in services as workers are more thinly spread.

For instance, the city-parish pays contractors to cut grass at some lots throughout the parish. In such cases, Daniel says, that is all that contractor is tasked with cutting grass.

“But in canceling the mowing contract and having employees do that, maybe those employees were out cleaning ditches before,” Daniel said “So the time that they’re going to spend mowing, they’re not going to be cleaning ditches.”

The East Baton Rouge Coroner’s Office identified two of the crash victims on Friday: Reginald Hall, 44, and Howard Gross, 58. Central Police Department

Joor Road between Mickens Road and Lovett Road was closed following the accident.

The East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, Central Police Department, Louisiana State Police, Central Fire Department and East Baton Rouge EMS responded to the accident.

Chief Roger Corcoran said the department will not release the identity of the third victim, a 4-month-old baby The baby’s mother a 26-year-old, is in stable condition, he said.

the public expects us to deliver,”

Daniel said.

A reduction in information

The department at the forefront of figuring out how to cut $15 million — finance — is also figuring out how to make reductions of its own.

Through accounting and payroll, budgeting, revenue collection, internal audits and more, 95 finance department employees currently handle the city-parish’s more than $1 billion budget.

But next year, the department will need to figure out how to do the same work with 23 fewer positions, according to the 520-page budget for 2026.

The detailed document itself could be an example of how those cuts might be felt, council member Laurie Adams said at a budget hearing last week, as fewer workers means less labor devoted to providing detailed information.

office does much to save the cityparish money, and a smaller staff could impact that.

The Parish Attorney’s Office played a major role in securing opioid settlement funds for Baton Rouge in recent years. Governments who participated could receive payments from companies blamed for the opioid crisis and use money for addiction treatment prevention and other public health efforts.

“This is a very, very high-quality public budget,” she said. “So are we looking at potentially not being able to offer the same level of, you know information to the public?”

Still, some layoffs will be avoidable. Daniel said employees will be evaluated on their performance, and those that are not performing will be the first to be let go.

“The hope is that we can absorb an 11% cut within our budget and still deliver the services that

NONPROFIT

Continued from page 1B

government shutdown, the fridge has become a valuable resource, community members say Visits to the fridge average about 200 people a day, Red Shoes staff members estimate An increasing number of individual donors and businesses are supplying food for the fridge and helping keep it clean.

“The need is greater than you would ever know, until you witness it,” said Dorcas Brandon, the associate director for Red Shoes Manning Bergeron, owner of House Brew Coffee, located a few blocks away, first heard about the fridge and began helping out when Brandon, one of his regular customers, told him about it.

“I see the community fridge as insurance for food,” Bergeron said. “With no sign-up or bureaucracy to navigate, it allows every member of the community to have access to a resource in crisis.”

Brandon mentioned the fridge to Bergeron because he was donating to another community fridge at the time, which has since closed Bergeron soon got involved with the Red Shoes fridge, too. He added pavers to stabilize the fridge and an awning to help keep it from overheating as people constantly opened and closed it.

“It was just really hot that day,” Bergeron said of what inspired him to make the additions “I got to witness the fridge in action and how many people donate and take items I’m grateful for it.”

Bergeron hosts sandwich-making parties at his coffee shop, a safe place for anyone who seeks community, he said. He donates meals from his kitchen each month to help keep food flowing in the fridge He also gives cus-

The finance staff is looking for ways that technology could be a substitute for the many staff hours that go into gathering information the detailed budget book, Baton Rouge’s open data portal and more said Angie Savoy, the department’s director Still, it is a very real possibility that the amount of information available and regularly provided to the public could be scaled back.

“There is going to be an impact on the service that we provide the citizens and departments, by losing 35% of our workforce,” Savoy said.

Fewer attorneys, more liability?

Though the public rarely interacts with services the parish attorney provides Baton Rouge’s local government, Rome said his

tomers a 10% discount for donating nonperishable foods to take to the fridge, which also has builtin shelves beside it in the shed to store items that don’t need refrigeration.

Brandon, who has worked at Red Shoes for the past two years, was a high school educator before changing careers. She said she has seen firsthand the effects of food insecurity in Baton Rouge and how quickly the food disappears from the fridge. The graband-go foods that don’t need to be cooked are the most popular items since many people have limited access to a stove, she said.

“Dried beans and dried lentils stay in there the longest because people can’t really do anything with that,” Brandon said. “Lately, I love that whole foods, like those ears of corn, have been put in there. That’s not always readily available to the community that comes to the fridge.”

Last summer, Brandon hosted a campaign to fill the fridge every day in July to provide food for children who usually depended on school lunch for a good meal.

Brandon said she noticed that two young girls visited the fridge regularly for food.

Brandon said she is grateful that many of her friends stepped up to help with the summer campaign.

“I’ve read or saw somewhere, when you are looking for donations, maybe that first year, you lean on your immediate circle,” she said. “And that’s exactly what I did.” With an outpouring of donations from locals, the fridge stayed full during the summer, she said. The fridge generates mostly positive feedback from the community, but some people have expressed concerns about food disappearing too quickly from the fridge. Brandon said that is the result of people who are insecure about when and where they will get their next meal, taking what they think they need.

Baton Rouge got its largest sum this year — $3.5 million — which was allocated to the District Attorney’s Office, the public defender and a handful of nonprofits. Lawyers who worked with the Parish Attorney’s Office made that happen, Rome said. When a someone sues the city-parish for something like backed-up sewage on their property or the Baton Rouge Police Department for an officer-involved traffic accident, those civil suits go through the Parish Attorney’s Office.

“Based off of either the amount sought by the plaintiff through the lawsuit itself or through a confidential settlement over the last 10 years on less than 50 cases, we’ve saved the city over $165 million,” Assistant Parish Attorney Michael P. Schillage said. “And I can tell you, we’ve had roughly over 1,000 cases in that 10-year time span.”

Leaders worry that the cuts coming to the parish’s legal authority could open up the cityparish to more liabilities, as fewer attorneys are available to render opinions, defend cases and find extra money for the government.

“These are the people that protect us. These are also the people that find ways to help us fund this very city-parish that we’re running,” council member Jen Racca said. “They’re our first line of defense.”

Email Patrick Sloan-Turner at patrick.sloan-turner@ theadvocate.com.

“We know if we open our fridge, and there’s some strawberries in there, and we close our fridge, those strawberries are still going to be in there,” she said. But many people in our community don’t have that luxury Brandon said she plans to collect enough donations to provide more security for the community that depends on the refrigerator A refrigerator that remains fully stocked will give those in need hope that something is going to be in there the next day, she said. Regular donors, like Baton Rouge resident Misty Roy, help keep that hope alive. Roy said she is just a mom who understands the importance of having help, having once overcome her own struggles. Roy, who discovered the Red Shoes fridge on the organization’s Facebook page, makes weekly donations of canned goods, hygiene products and a variety of protein-rich foods.

“I’m thankful to give back to the community,” Roy said. The fridge has helped to build a culture of community, caring for neighbors in need, Brandon said. There are regular volunteers who wait at the fridge to help her put away the items.

“I don’t have to bend over for a box,” she said “They will bend over for me and hand it to me.” This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the nonprofit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations

Rome

Daniel

Little

Funerals Today

Abraham, Emily Trinity EpiscopalChurch,3552

MorningGloryAvenue,at10:30 a.m.

Bethley, Robert Hall'sCelebrationCenter, 9348 Scenic Highway,at11a.m

Browning, Betty Greenoaks FuneralHomeatnoon.

Calvery, Bobby OurLadyofMercy Catholic Church at 11am

Critney,Brad Immaculate ConceptionCatholic Church,1565 Curtis Street,at11a.m

Hudson, Betty Hall'sCelebrationCenter, 9348 Scenic Highway,at10a.m

Johnson, Vivian

Greater AllenChapelA.M.E.Church

6175 Scenic Highway, at 11 a.m.

Jones, Betty

ResthavenGardens of Memory & Funeral Home,11817 Jefferson Highway,at11a.m

Lee, Shirley Hall Davisand SonofPortAllen

1160LouisianaAvenueinPortAllen, at 11 a.m.

Rey-Cambric, Linda

Rabenhorst FuneralHome, 825 Government St BatonRouge,LAat 10am

Stubbs,Glenda Sandy Creek BaptistChurch Cemetery, 22834 LibertyRd., Zachary, LAto 12:30pm

Turpin,Mary

FirstUnitedMethodist Church of Baton Rouge,930 NorthBoulevard,at 11 a.m.

Zimmerman,Rhonda St.Thomas More Catholic Church 11441 Goodwood Drive, at 9a.m

Obituaries

friends may sign theonline guestbookorleave apersonal notetothe family at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com.

White, MarkSteven

Mark StevenWhite, aretired Captain with theBatonRouge PoliceDepartment,passed away on Wednesday, November 26, 2025. He was 71 years old. Relatives and friends are invitedtoattend theFuneral Mass at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at St. Aloysius Catholic Church, 2025 Stuart Avenue in BatonRouge. A Visitation willbeheldat thechurch beginning at 9:30 a.m. Interment willfollowatResthaven Gardens of Memory. Amoredetailed and specificobituary will be in Sunday'sedition of theBaton Rouge Advocate. Family and friends may signthe online guestbook or leave apersonal note to thefamily at www.resthavenbatonroug e.com

NedJoseph Dufour,born on December 18, 1938, passed awayonMonday, November 24, 2025,atthe ageof86. Ned wasborn in Mansura, Louisiana.He graduated with hisBachelor's degree in civil engineering. He also went on to join the Air National Guard of Louisiana. Nedwas a member of St.Thomas More Catholic Church. Ned is survivedbyhis daughters,D'etteDufour Lowe (Brent) and RachelDufour Ceruti (Ron);son,Todd Joseph Dufour (Erin); grandchildren, Garrett Lowe (Haley), Adele Lowe Doescher (Scott),Christopher Dufour,Nick Dufour, Meredith Lowe Faul (Montgomery), Angela Lowe Nolen (Austin), Mary Therese Lowe, Kate Dufour, and Sofia Ceruti; and 8great-grandchildren.He is preceded in deathbyhis wifeof58years, Irma Denoux Dufour;parents, Louisand Hariette Dufour; son,PaulLouisDufour;and grandchild,Joseph Ceruti. The family wouldliketo give aspecial thanks to GardenviewAssisted Living staff, and Carpenter House and St. Joseph Hospice Staff. Visitation will take place at St.Thomas More CatholicChurchon Tuesday,December2,2025, beginning at 9:00 AM until Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00AM. Burial to follow at Resthaven Gardens of Memory. Family and

Dufour, NedJoseph

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Grounded UPS planes to miss peak of season

A fleet of planes that UPS grounded after a deadly crash isn’t expected to be back in service during the holiday season due to inspections and possible repairs, the company said Wednesday in an internal memo

The airline expects it will be several months before its McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleet returns to service as it works to meet Federal Aviation Administration guidelines, said the memo from UPS Airlines president Bill Moore to employees. The process was originally estimated to take weeks but is now expected to take several months.

A fiery MD-11 plane crash on Nov 4 in Louisville, Kentucky, killed 14 people and injured at least 23 when the left engine detached during takeoff. Cargo carriers grounded their McDonnell Douglas MD-11 fleets shortly after, ahead of a directive from the FAA. The 109 remaining MD-11 airliners averaging more than 30 years old, are exclusively used to haul cargo for package delivery companies. MD-11s make up about 9% of the UPS airline fleet and 4% of the FedEx fleet Boeing, which took over as the manufacturer of MD-11s since merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997, said in a statement that it is “working diligently to provide instructions and technical support to operators” so that they can meet the FAA’s requirements Campbell’s executive accused of rant fired Campbell’s Co. said Wednesday it no longer employs an executive who was allegedly recorded criticizing the company’s food and making racist remarks.

Martin Bally, a vice president of information technology at Campbell’s, said the company’s products were highly processed food for “poor people” and referred to Indian coworkers as “idiots,” according to a lawsuit filed Nov 20 by Robert Garza, a former Campbell’s employee, in Michigan’s Wayne County Circuit Court. The alleged comments were made during a meeting that Garza said he recorded.

“The comments were vulgar, offensive and false, and we apologize for the hurt they have caused,” Campbell’s said in a statement Wednesday Garza claimed Bally said Campbell’s soup contains “bioengineered meat” and that he didn’t want to eat “a piece of chicken that came from a 3-D printer,” Local 4 News in Detroit reported, citing a recording Garza said he made of a conversation with Bally. Bally didn’t respond to requests for comment.

Campbell’s also released a fact sheet defending the quality of its ingredients saying it does not use “3D-printed chicken, lab-grown chicken, or any form of artificial or bioengineered meat in our soup.”

Boar’s Head among cheese brands in recall

Grated cheese sold under four brands has been recalled at various stores nationwide after testing found listeria.

The Ambriola Company’s FDA-posted recall notice said the recall is limited to grated Pecorino Romano cheese made at its facility in West Caldwell, New Jersey

Boar’s Head Grated Pecorino Romano in a 6 oz. cup, expiration dates 03/04/26 and 03/12/2026, is in the recall. Target said it sells the Boar’s Head Member’s Mark Pecorino Romano in a 1.5-lb. bag, expiration dates 03/25/26, 03/30/26 and 04/05/26, is in the recall This is sold at Sam’s Clubs in 27 states including Louisiana and Mississippi.

There’s also the recalled cheese that’s sold by the pound: Pinna Grated Pecorino Romano, expiration date 03/11/26; and Boar’s Head Pecorino Romano Grated bag, expiration dates 03/03/26 and 03/12/26.

15 Medicare drug prices to decrease

Trump admin says change will save taxpayers billions

BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press

NEW YORK Pharmaceutical com-

panies have agreed to slash the Medicare prices for 15 prescription drugs after months of negotiations, reductions that are expected to produce billions in savings for taxpayers and older adults, the Trump administration said.

But the net prices it unveiled for a 30-day supply of each drug are not what Medicare recipients will pay at their pharmacy counters, since those final amounts will de-

pend on each individual’s plan and how much they spend on prescriptions in a given year

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr touted the deals as part of the administration’s efforts to address affordability concerns among Americans. The Medicare drug negotiation program that made them possible is mandated by law and began under President Joe Biden’s administration.

“President Trump directed us to stop at nothing to lower health care costs for the American people,” Kennedy said in a statement Tuesday evening.

The announcement marks the completion of a second round of negotiations under a 2022 law that allows Medicare to haggle over the price it pays on the most popular

and expensive prescription drugs used by older Americans, bringing the total number of negotiated drug prices to 25. The new round of negotiated prices will go into effect in 2027. Reduced prices for the inaugural round of 10 drugs negotiated by the Biden administration last year will go into effect in January The latest negotiated prices apply to some of the prescription medications on which Medicare spends the most money including the massively popular GLP-1 weight-loss and diabetes drugs Ozempic, Rybelsus and Wegovy. Some of the other drugs involved in the negotiations include Trelegy Ellipta, which treats asthma; Otezla, a psoriatic arthritis drug; and various drugs that treat diabetes,

irritable bowel syndrome and different forms of cancer

Dr Mehmet Oz, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, said the administration delivered “substantially better outcomes for taxpayers and seniors in the Medicare Part D program” than the previous year’s deals.

Under the first round of Medicare price negotiations, the Biden administration said the program would have saved about $6 billion on net covered prescription drug costs, or about 22%, if it had been in effect the previous year The Trump administration said its latest round would have saved the government about $8.5 billion in net spending, or 36%, if it had been in effect last year

HOLIDAY HALO EFFECT

Retailers watch Black Friday traffic for economic signs

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO, CATHY BUSSEWITZ and STEPHEN SMITH Associated Press

NEW YORK The economic picture hasn’t looked very rosy: Hiring has been sluggish. Consumers have been dealing with soaring meat prices Layoffs are rippling through companies.

But despite those concerns, shoppers hit the stores in full strength on Black Friday, with some even sipping Champagne as they searched for discounts on the day that traditionally kicks off the holiday shopping season.

Just outside New Orleans, shoppers flooded Lakeside Shopping Center to see what deals they could find. The mall offers Champagne to Black Friday traditionalists while they shop, as long as they have a receipt of at least $50.

“Sipping and shopping is the best, so I feel like that’s a New Orleans thing to do” said Lacie Lemoine, who was shopping with her grandmother, an annual tradition they’ve kept despite the fact that their budgets are shrinking.

“The economy is bad, but you still have to celebrate,” said her grandmother, Sandra Lemoine. “Everybody has to do what they can do on their own budget. That’s it.”

Matt Shay CEO of National Retail Fed-

eration, said in early November that he has seen record levels of spending on holidays — whether religious, secular or bank walled off by other outside factors.

“It’s a sort of a category of spending that has a moat around it,” he said. “Shoppers view them as opportunities for celebration I think that really captures the way the (winter) holiday season goes. People save for it. They plan for it. They prioritize it.”

Both the massive Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, and Westfield Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, reported strong customer traffic on Friday and said Black Friday would once again rank as their busiest day of the year

“We are off to a great start,” said Jill Renslow, Mall of America’s chief business development and marketing officer.

The line to enter the shopping and entertainment center started forming at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Renslow said. About 14,000 visitors entered within an hour of the mall’s 7 a.m. opening, she said.

“We are tracking one of our best Black Fridays ever ” she added.

Many retail executives have reported customers becoming more discerning and increasingly focused on deals while at the same time remaining willing to splurge for important occasions, creating a potential halo effect that might keep financial worries from

discouraging holiday shoppers.

While some are being cautious about this year’s Christmas expenses, others are not.

Metairie resident Denise Thevenot says this year is no different “I wish I could say that I had, but no, we’re just blowing it away just like we do every year We’ll worry about that tomorrow, right? I got the receipts to show you.”

Marshal Cohen, chief industry adviser at Circana, a market research firm, visited several malls on New York’s Long Island and New Jersey He noted strong traffic and said the centers grew busier as Black Friday went on. Cohen said Target drew lines for complementary gift bags for the early shoppers, but overall “gone is Black Friday as we know it,” he said. “There’s no sense of urgency.”

According to Target, which aims to reverse a sales slump, 150 shoppers on average were in line at its stores for the bags filled with what it described as “goodies.” The discounter was giving away the bags for the first 100 customers who showed up for its 6 a.m. opening.

At Macy’s Herald Square flagship store in New York City, customers who streamed in soon after the store opened at 6 a.m. found deep discounts on clothes, shoes, linens and cosmetics. The footwear department discounted everything up to half off.

Nicholas Menasche, 19, from Queens, New York, shopped with his mother for shoes and clothing, and planned to head next to Best Buy for video games. Menasche, an intern at a bank, said he expected to spend around $1,200 this year on his holiday shopping, roughly the same amount as last year

“It’s a great tradition,” he said. “The stores

are open really early.”

Westfield Garden State Plaza let customers in an hour early instead of making customers wait outside in the frigid weather, but stores didn’t open their doors until 7 a.m. as planned, said marketing director William Lewis. Members of Generation Z mostly comprised the early crowd, but older customers came in later, he said.

“People are definitely buying,” Lewis said. “Most people are walking around with a shopping bag.”

Shoppers appeared to have done research ahead of time and “know exactly where they are going,” he said.

Although Black Friday still reigns supreme as a magnet for in-store shopping, the ease of browsing and buying gifts online has eroded the event’s singular significance. Online purchases now account for more than 30% of total holiday sales compared to 15% in 2012, according to the National Retail Federation. The growth in online sales also has been robust so far. From Nov. 1 to Nov 23, U.S. consumers spent $79.7 billion, or 7.5% more than a year earlier, according to web tracking and analysis platform Adobe Analytics. They spent another $6.4 billion online on Thanksgiving Day, a 5.3% increase over last year, while taking advantage of better than expected deals, the firm said.

“Clearly there’s uncertainty,” MasterCard Chief Economist Michelle Meyer said ahead of Black Friday “Consumers feel on edge. But at the moment, it doesn’t seem like it’s changing how they are showing up for this season.”

Smith contributed from Metairie.

Fewer sought unemployment benefits last week

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits declined last week in a sign that overall layoffs remain low, even as several high-profile companies have announced job cuts. U.S. applications for unemployment benefits in the week ending Nov 22 dropped 6,000 from the previous week to 216,000, the Labor Department reported Wednesday The figure is below the 230,000 forecast by economists, according to a survey by data provider FactSet.

Applications for unemployment aid are seen as a proxy for layoffs and are close to a real-time indicator of the health of the job market. The job cuts announced recently by large companies such as UPS and Amazon typically take weeks or months to fully implement and may not yet be reflected in the claims data. The four-week average of claims, which softens some of the weekto-week volatility, dropped 1,000 to 223,750. For now, the U.S. job market appears stuck in a “low-hire, low-fire” state that has kept the unemploy-

ment rate historically low, but has left those out of work struggling to find a new job. The total number of Americans filing for jobless benefits for the week ending Nov 15 rose 7,000 to 1.96 million, the government said. The increase is a sign that the unemployed are taking longer to find new work. Last week, the government said that hiring picked up a bit in September, when employers added 119,000 new jobs. Yet the report also showed employers had shed jobs in August And the unemployment rate ticked up to 4.4%, its highest level in four

years, as more Americans came off the sidelines to look for work but did not all immediately find jobs. On Tuesday, the government reported that retail sales slowed in September after three months of healthy increases. Consumer confidence plunged to its second-lowest level in five years, while wholesale inflation eased a bit

The data suggests that both the economy and inflation are slowing, which boosted financial markets’ expectations that the Federal Reserve will reduce its key interest rate at its next meeting Dec. 9-10.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ADAM BETTCHER

Shoppers browse through stores at Mall of America for Black Friday deals in Bloomington, Minn.

Something for political junkies to bingeon

Tired of bad news and brain-melting reality shows? This holiday season, enjoy agood bingeonastreaming miniseries.

Ron Faucheux

If you likepolitical history,satire or drama, here are four programs worthyour time.Two are new andtwo have been aroundawhile.

”Death by Lightning” (Netflix)

This new four-episodeseries has taken the little-known story of PresidentJames Garfield and turned it into an engagingdrama.

Starring talented actors Matthew Macfadyen (“Succession”), Michael Shannon (“Boardwalk Empire”) and Nick Offerman (“Parksand Recreation”), it provesthat history and entertainmentfitwelltogether.

“Death by Lightning” is acharacter study of threemen: Garfield, thereformist dark horse whowinsthe presidency in 1880 despite not running forit; Charles Guiteau, theunstable, obsessive assassin whostalks thepresidentindesperate quest for ajob; and Vice President Chester AlanArthur, the party hack who improbably becomesvicepresident andthen unexpectedlybecomes president uponGarfield’sassassination. After succeeding to thetop job, Arthur trieswith some success to shed his old, shadyways.

Only 49 years old when he died, Garfield served as president for less than seven months. Hadhelived, historians believe he had the potential to become agreat leader

”The Diplomat” (Netflix)

Many political thrillers are describedas“sharp”and “fasttalking.” This one actually is.

Keri Russell (“The Americans”) playsdiplomatKate Wyler,who’ssent to London as U.S.ambassadortoBritain. International crisis, arocky marriage anda possible vicepresidentialbid whirl around herand herhusband, Hal, who is also aforeign policy heavyweight.

The show juggles scheming, backstabbingand genuinely honest patriotism. It has thesnap of life-changing decisions, the crackle of serious global conflictand thepop of Champagneatfancy receptionswhere smart people talk about savingthe world.

RufusSewell, Allison Janney,DavidGyasi,Ali Ahn, Rory Kinnear and BradleyWhitford roundout acastthat keeps viewersengrossed and makesthe storyfeel at leastsomewhat plausible. The show’sthird seasonisnow running and a fourth is on the way ”Borgen” (Netflix)

Never heard of “Borgen?” Well, now you have —and you no longer have an excuse not to watchit.

This Danish drama follows Birgitte Nyborg, abright, steely,determined politician who becomes Denmark’s first female prime minister. The politics areEuropean,but the themes are instantly recognizable to Americans: ambition, power,ethics, gender strugglesand partyshenanigans.

Throughout its original three seasons(2010-2013) anda 2022 one-seasonrevival,Borgen revolves around the question: Can you have apolitical careerwithout wreckingyour life?

Sidse Babett Knudsen, an award-winningactress, nails the lead role. She’ssoconvincing as prime minister, you’ll wonder why she never ran foroffice in reallife.Mysecond favorite character is afairly minor butfascinating one: Bent Sejro, the wise and aging political strategist splendidly portrayed by Lars Knutzon.

If you find foreign-language films bothersome,don’tworry —Borgen’ssubtitles are so clean andwell-timed you’llforget you’re reading them.

One bone to pick: All political consultants in theshow are called “spin doctors,” which isn’talways accurate and sounds abit odd —but the series is so good it won’tmatter Borgen, by the way,isthe nicknamefor Denmark’sParliamentbuilding.

”Veep” (HBO/Max)

Yes, “Veep” is azany seven-season comedy.It’salso the most accurate portrayal of Washington, D.C. politicsI’ve ever seen. And Iknow.I’vebeen there

Julia Louis-Dreyfus playsVice President Selina Meyer She’sasperfectly cast as she was as Elaine on “Seinfeld.” Her lofty office lurchesfrom pointless spats to looming disasters.Metaphorically, there are lots of bricksflying through the windows andplenty of unsuspectingstaffers thrown under buses Behind the deadpan hilarity, “Veep”captures the brutal truthabout innermost Washington.It’sa world of outsized ambition and preening self-importance, whereone-page briefing papers need one-paragraph summaries. As VP Meyer put it, “Did you know that Ihave my ownflag?” Louis-Dreyfus has ashelf of Emmys, SAG awards anda Golden Globe. If that doesn’t convinceyou she’sa terrific comedicactor,afew episodes of “Veep”will. Lagniappe for history buffs: TryKen Burns’ six-partdocumentary“The American Revolution” on PBS. Well worth the time.

Ron Faucheux is anonpartisan political analyst, pollster and writer based in Louisiana.

Spinning ’21carousel

As LSuisaware,manycoachingmoves in 2021 failed theassignment. others have aced theirtests

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Some things never change. At least that seemstobethe case with LSU coaching searches. There’salways an element of drama, surprise and intrigue. LSU fans wereconvinced TomHerman was coming to Baton Rougein2016 …until he didn’t. Rumors swirled around Lincoln Riley before he flatly statedhewouldnot become thehead coach at LSUin2021. Turns out, he became thecoach at Southern Cal instead. Thedramasurrounding Riley and Herman is similar to what LSUfaces this year in its pursuitofLane Kiffin. The Ole Misscoach has refused to signanextension before the Rebels’ finalregular-season game against Mississippi StateonFriday.His family visited Baton Rougea week ago, aday after aseparate quick trip to Gainesville, Florida, as LSU andFlorida have been vying for his services.

ä See LSU, page 2C

Lane Kiffin

brian Kelly

marcus Freeman

billy Napier

Lincoln riley

LEARNMORE

Jack Pyburn LSU,Defensive End

LSUGAMEDAY

BROADCASTINFORMATION

LSU at Oklahoma

2:30 p.m. Oklahoma Memorial Stadium, Norman,Okla.

TV: ABC | Line: Oklahoma by 10½

Radio: WDGL-FM, 98.1; WWL-AM, 870; WWL-FM, 105.3; KLWB-FM, 103.7

TEAM SCHEDULES

LSU

Date Opponent Time/TV

Oklahoma

Date Opponent Time/TV

8.30 at ClemsonW,17-10

9.6Louisiana Tech W, 23-7

9.13 FloridaW,20-17

9.20 Southeastern W, 56-10

9.27 at OleMissL,19-24

10.11South CarolinaW,20-10

10.18atVanderbiltL,24-31

10.25Texas A&ML,25-49

11.8 at AlabamaL,9-20

11.15ArkansasW, 23-22

11.22Western Kentucky W, 13-10

11.29atOklahoma 2:30 p.m/ABC

DEPTH CHARTS

COACHES

FrankWilson is 2-1since taking over as the interimLSU coach afterBrian Kelly’s firing

8.30 Illinois StateW,35-3

9.6Michigan W, 24-13

9.13 at Temple W, 42-3

9.20 Auburn W, 24-17

10.4 Kent State W, 44-0

10.11 Texas L, 6-23

10.18atSouth Carolina W, 26-7

10.25 Ole MissL,26-34

11.1 at Tennessee W, 33-27

11.15 at AlabamaW,23-21

11.22 Missouri W, 17-6

11.29 LSU 2:30 p.m/ABC

LSU Oklahoma

BrentVenables canposthis second 10-win season in four yearsleading Oklahoma by beating LSU.

Oregon coach DanLanning,center,calls instructions during the

California on Nov. 22 in Eugene, Ore.

LSU

Continuedfrom page1C

Thehoopla surrounding Kiffinsuggests he is viewedas thesaviorforwhicheverschoolhechooses, but history indicates that isn’taguarantee. USC has failed to makethe CollegeFootball Playoff under Riley.Florida moved on from the coach it hired during thesame cycle (2021), and so hasLSU, which will look to end its tumultuous2025 campaign on Saturday at Oklahoma (2:30 p.m., ABC), the programthatlost Rileyduring thesamecarousel and hired current coach Brent Venables. There are success stories from the 2021 cycle. Venablesisonthe cusp of leadinghis teamtothe CFP. Dan Lanning led Oregon there last season, and so did Marcus Freeman at NotreDame, guiding the Irish to the national championship game. It turns out, some of theless ballyhooed hires have worked out the best Here’sa letter grade for each appointment, andcontract extension, that came outofthe 2021 coaching cycle.

LSU •BRIAN KELLY

Aftersnatching BrianKelly away from Notre Dame and signing him to a10-year,$95 million contract, the Tigers failed to reach the CFP andgot progressively worse after surprisingly reaching theSEC championship game in Kelly’s first season. The bare minimum for Kelly at LSU was to reach the CFP by theend of Year 4, as his three predecessors had allwon national championships by theend of their fourth seasons.

Grade: D

FLORIDA• BILLYNAPIER

The Napier era in Gainesville was amajor flop. After signing aseven-year,$51.8 million deal, he led theGators to just one above.500 season in three-and-a-half seasons. Florida never reached double-digit wins, and he was nearly let go during the middle of his third season in charge. It just put off the inevitable thisseason.

Grade: F

USC •LINCOLN RILEY

The Trojans have been disappointing under Riley,who arrived in Los Angeles after winning four Big 12 titles and reaching theCFP three times at Oklahoma. Heading into Saturday’s matchup against UCLA, USC has amiddling 3417 record under Riley and hasn’tmade the CFP despiteinking him to a10-year,$110 million contract.

Grade: D+

OKLAHOMA• BRENT VENABLES

It looked like Venables’ tenure was heading in thewrong direction until this season. The Sooners went just 6-7 in 2022 and 2024. But after remaking their offense, awin Saturday over LSU will put them in the CFP after surviving one of thetoughest schedules in thecountry

Grade: B-

NOTRE DAME •MARCUS FREEMAN

The sudden lossofKelly seemed like ama-

STAFF PREDICTIONS

WILSON ALEXANDER

OKLAHOMA 17,LSU 6

This game couldbedifficult to watchfor LSUfans. This is oneofthe worstoffensesinquite some time,and nowthe struggling offensivelinewill be withoutmultiplestarters. It won’tbeablowout becausethe Oklahoma offense is dysfunctional, butthere’s little reason to predictthe Tigers will getinthe endzoneagainst thebestdefense in theSEC.Atleast LSUmay hire anew coachbySaturday.

KOKI RILEY

OKLAHOMA 20,LSU 6

If LSUgetspastthe 50-yardlinewithout thehelpof aturnoverorstrongpunt/kick returns, that maybea victorythisweek. ESPN’s CollegeFootballPower Index pegs Oklahoma as theNo. 4defense in thecountry andthe topdefense in theSEC.LSU washeldto13 points by WesternKentuckyand stillwill be starting its backup quarterback. Idon’t expect LSUto find theend zone on offensethisweek.

jorblowtothe Irish, but hiring Freeman to replace him hasdonewonders forthe program. Notre Dame reached the nationalchampionship game last season and is awin away from making the CFP againthis year in Freeman’s fourth year.With avictory over Stanford on Saturday, the Irish will earn their third consecutive 10-win season.

Grade: A

MIAMI •MARIO CRISTOBAL

Miamihas improved under Cristobal, turning a12-13 record in his first twoyears into what may becomeconsecutive 10-win seasons if the Hurricanes take downPittsburgh on Saturday But Miamiexpected morefrom Cristobal when it lured the Oregon coach to South Beach. Cristobal hasn’tmade the CFP with Miami—and is on the outside of the CFP picture heading into the last week of this season —since signing a 10-year,$80 million contract.

Grade: C

OREGON •DAN LANNING

Lanning has been the perfect hire forOregon since replacing Cristobal, leading the Ducks to aBig Tentitle and atrip to the CFP last year Oregon is on track to makethe CFP again this season and has wonatleast 10 games in each season he’sbeen in charge.

Grade: A

PENN STATE•JAMES FRANKLIN

After signing a10-year contract extension in 2021, James Franklin led Penn State to the Rose Bowlin2022, the Peach Bowlthe next year and the semifinals of the CFP last season. Even though he was fired after bad losses to UCLA and Northwestern this year,hestill took Penn State to heights it hadn’texperienced since the peaks of the Joe Paterno era.

Grade: B-

MICHIGAN STATE•MEL TUCKER

No decision turned out worse foraprogram during this coaching cycle than Michigan State extending coach Mel Tucker with a10-year,$95 million contract extension. The Spartans were 11-2 in 2021, but they went just 7-7 over Tucker’sfinal 14 games in charge, and Tucker was fired just twogames into the 2023 campaign for allegations of sexual misconduct.

Grade: F

TEXAS A&M •JIMBOFISHER

Jimbo Fisher’sextension at Texas A&M still haunts the Aggies to this day.Fisher,who signed a10-year,$95 million extension after receiving interest from LSU forits open job, was fired in 2023 after leading Texas A&M to just an 11-11 record after putting pen to paper.Hewas let go with twogames lefttoplay in the 2023 season, putting Texas A&M on the hook forhis $76.8 million buyout.

Grade: F

WASHINGTON •KALEN DeBOER

DeBoer led Washington to the national championship gameinjust his second year after getting hired from Fresno State during this coaching cycle. Granted, he leftfor Alabamashortly

REED DARCEY

OKLAHOMA21, LSU 3

LSUmight kick a fieldgoalortwo,but it’s toughtosee howits offensecan do anything else.The Oklahoma defenseisone of thetop unitsinthe nation,and the Tigers aredowntotheir backupsatquarterback,center, righttackleand slot receiver.Itcould getugly. Take the underand turn your attentiontothe coaching carousel, whichcould spin outanew coachfor LSUbeforekickoff

SCOTTRABALAIS

OKLAHOMA17, LSU 0

Ourstaff hasbeenpicking LSUscoressince themid1990s, andinall that time I’ve neverpickedthe Tigers to getshutout.Until now. LSUhas scored just three touchdowns combined in itspastthree gamesagainst defenses notofOklahoma’scaliber.The Sooners offensewon’t do much againstLSU either,but it’s impossible to predictthe Tigers to winwithout a defensiveorspecial-teams touchdown.

ASSOCIATEDPRESS

PHOTOByLyDIA ELy

first half of agame against Southern

after guiding the Huskiestothe title game, but leadingWashington to a25-3 record anda title game appearance can’tbeignored

Grade: A+

TCU •SONNY DYKES

Dykes will be forever etched in TCUhistory after guiding the Horned Frogs to thenational championship game in hisfirst season after leaving SMU in 2021. TCU hasn’t reached that pinnaclesince,but it holds asolid 21-14record under Dykes over the last three years.

Grade: A

SMU •RHETT LASHLEE

Lashlee has proven to bea fantastic hire for the Mustangs. He led SMU to theCFP in its first seasoninthe ACC in 2024 and has the Mustangs on the cusp of reachingthe ACC title game this year.For his success, hewas awarded with atwo-yearcontract extension in October.

Grade: A+

VIRGINIA •TONY ELLIOTT

The beginningofElliott’stenureatVirginia was ugly.The Cavaliers hadan11-23record under the former Clemson offensive coordinator before turning the shiparound this year.Virginia is9-2 and awin away from reaching to ACC championship game heading into this weekend.

Grade: B+

TEXAS TECH •JOEY MCGUIRE

An influx of cash has helped McGuire lead the RedRaiderstoa10-1 record this yearand, likely, aBig 12 championship andaspot in theCFP But even with the help he’sreceived financially, give McGuire credit. He’sdone an excellent job coaching up one of the top defenses inthe sport, and even before this season, Texas Tech was consistently an above .500 team under his command.

Grade: A

VIRGINIA TECH •BRENT PRY

Pry,who was the defensivecoordinator at Penn State before his appointment at Virginia Tech, went just 16-24 with theHokiesand was fired three games into this season. TheHokies moved quicklytoreplacehim by hiring Franklin this month.

Grade: D

DUKE •MIKE ELKO

It turns out that Elko was too good of ahire for Duke. The former defensivecoordinatorat Texas A&M led the Blue Devils toa 16-9record over two seasons before returning toCollege Stationtobecomethe Aggies head coach during the2023coaching cycle.

Grade: A-

OKLAHOMA STATE•MIKE GUNDY

The extension Oklahoma State gave Gundy seemedprudent at the time. He hadled the Cowboysto16 consecutive bowl games,

includingfive trips to New Year’sSix bowls, by the time he signed his contract extension. But things started going sideways two years after signing the deal. The Cowboys won 10 games in 2023, went 3-9 last season and got off to a1-2 start this year before firing the greatest coach the program ever has known.

Grade: C

OLE MISS •LANE KIFFIN

Kiffin has become thebiggest nameavailable in the2025 coaching cycle, but he also signed acontract extension after the 2021 season that lengthened his deal by ayear.The new contract and subsequent extensions have worked out for the Rebels despite theturmoil of the last couple of weeks. Ole Miss is on the precipiceofmakingthe CFPthis year and has won 10 or more games in three consecutive years for the first time in program history

Grade: A

KENTUCKY •MARK STOOPS

Stoops signed acreative extension after the 2021 season,ayear in which the Wildcats went 10-3 and reached the Citrus Bowl.The new deal runs through 2028 but includes a one-year extension for any seven-win season and atwo-year extension for any 10-win campaign.

Sincesigning the deal, Stoops led the Wildcats to bowl appearances in 2022 and 2023 but hasstruggled since then,winningjust four gameslast season and fivethis year heading into Saturday’smatchup with Louisville.

Grade: C

WAKE FOREST •DAVECLAWSON

Clawson signed along-term extension after leading the Demon Deacons to 11 wins and winning the ACC Coach of the Year award. Thenew deal he signed paid off early as Wake Forest won eight games in 2022. Butafter 4-8 campaigns over the next two years,Clawson resigned before this season.

Grade: C+

BOSTON COLLEGE •JEFF HAFLEY

Hafley found success at Boston College, leading the Eagles to six or more wins in threeof hisfourseasons at the helm. He signedanextension after the2021 season that would have kept him in Chestnut Hill until 2026, but he left afterthe 2023 season —inwhich theEagles went7-6 —tobecome the defensive coordinator for theGreen Bay Packers.

Grade: B

MINNESOTA •PJFLECK

After signing acontract extension thatkeeps himwith theGolden Gophers through the 2028 season, Fleck has led Minnesotatoatleast six winsevery year since signing his new deal in November 2021. That includes anine-win campaign in 2022.

Grade: B+

Kiffin says he’llpray before deciding on future

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Lane Kiffin said on the ABC broadcast of the Egg Bowl on Friday that he has “a lotofpraying to do” before he decides whether he wants to stay atOle Miss or accept LSU’svacanthead coaching job.

Kiffinwas then asked in anewsconferenceafter the Rebels’ 38-19 winover Mississippi State if he plans to make afinal decision by Saturday —the deadline that Ole Missathletic director Keith Carter set in astatementhereleased Nov. 21 “I feel like Igot to,” Kiffin said. “It’snot as enjoyable as peopleprobablythink it is. (Georgia coach) Kirby (Smart) sayswhenhewants to complainabout being in the nationalchampionship and missing the portal window,thatthere’s no crying from the yacht. So, I’m not trying to get pity.But it’snot as enjoyable as some people mightthink.” Kiffin, 50, is the primary targetofLSU’s search to replace Brian Kelly,who was fired on Oct. 26. The Florida Gators havefallen out of the running to hire Kiffin, according to Friday reports from ESPN and On3.

Kiffin fought back tears after the game Friday and said he wishes that his late father,Monte, could help him with his decision. Instead, he’ll call Pete Carroll andNickSaban later Friday for advice, he said.

“I miss my dad,” Kiffin said. “I really missedhim this week. My two calls will be theclosest to that for advice, what my dad would say to do on these things. That’ll be coach Carrolland coach Saban. Kindofwishwhenyou have things to do in life, that your dad was there.But it is what it is.”

Kiffin was also asked whether Ole Miss’ win over Mississippi State made it moredifficult for him to leave.

“I think it’sdifficult no matter what,” Kiffin said. “There is areliefthat theyplayedlike I thought theywould today.I did think they would playlike this, but you never know.And so, Iam relieved for that because if they didn’tplay well today,weall know what thestorylinewould be It’d be my fault for having them distracted and stuff.”

Elsewhere, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz and Vanderbilt coach Clark Lea removed themselves from the candidatepool by signing contract extensionswiththeir current schoolson Thursday and Friday,respectively

COLLEGE FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

(3-8), 6p.m. No. 19 Southern Cal (8-3)vs. UCLA (3-8), 6:30 p.m. No. 20 James Madison (10-1)atCoastal Carolina (6-5), 2:45 p.m. No. 25 SMU (8-3) at California (6-5), 7p.m. EAST Miami (9-2)atPittsburgh (8-3), 11 a.m. FCSFirst Round —Game 2atKingston, R.I.: Rhode Island(10-2)vs. CCSU (8-4),11a.m. TexasTech (10-1) at West Virginia(4-7) 11 a.m. FCSFirst Round —Game 3atVillanova,Pa.: Villanova (9-2)vs. Harvard (9-1), 11 a.m. UTEP (2-9)atDelaware (5-6), noon Georgia Southern(5-6)atMarshall(5-6), 12:30 p.m. Boston College(1-10)atSyracuse (3-8), 2p.m. Penn St. (5-6)atRutgers(5-6), 2:30p.m. SOUTH Kentucky (5-6)atLouisville (7-4), 11 a.m. Clemson(6-5) at South Carolina (4-7), 11 a.m. East Carolina (7-4)atFAU (4-7), 11 a.m. FCSFirst Round —Game 4atCookeville, Tenn.: Tennessee Tech (11-1)vs. North Dakota (7-5), noon FCSFirst Round —Game 1atHammond, La.: Georgia St. (1-10) at OldDominion (8-3), 1 p.m. W. Kentucky (8-3) at Jacksonville St. (7-4), 1p.m. Arkansas St. (5-6)atAppalachian St. (5-6),

(9-2) vs.Virginia

(4-7), 2:30 p.m. James Madison (10-1) at Coastal Carolina (6-5), 2:45 p.m. Florida St. (5-6) at Florida (3-8), 3:30 p.m. Virginia Tech (3-8) at Virginia(9-2),6 p.m. Rice (5-6)atSouth Florida (8-3), 6p.m. North Carolina (4-7)atNCState (6-5), 6:30 p.m. Alabama (9-2)atAuburn (5-6),6:30 p.m. MIDWEST FCSFirst Round —Game 8atYoungstown, Ohio: YoungstownSt. (8-4)vs. Yale (8-2) 11 a.m. Colorado (3-8)

THENATION

THINGS TO WATCHINWEEK14

OHIO STATEFACES RIVALMICHIGAN

Top-ranked Ohio State (11-0,8-0 Big Ten)

would not getknockedout of the College Football Playoff if it losestoNo.15 Michigan (9-2, 7-1) on Saturday. But if the Wolverines can pull off another upset, theyhavea chance to playinthe Big Ten championship and possibly contend for anational title. Ohio State redshirtfreshman Julian Sayin leads major collegefootball witha 79.4% completion rate and 185.38 quarterback rating.Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood has nine touchdown passes and five interceptions.

RANKED PITT,MIAMI TEAMSCLASH

The ACCraceissojumbled, the marquee game forthe final week features tworanked teams that can’t simplywin their wayinto the league championship. No. 24 Pittsburgh (8-3, 6-1 ACC) is on the vergeofgetting squeezed out of the league titlegame due to tiebreakers with No. 17 Virginia and No. 25 SMU.None of thatmatters, though, if the Panthers don’t beat the Hurricanes. No. 13 Miami (9-2, 5-2) remainsthe league’stop team in the College Football Playoff rankings (No. 12) to stayinthe runningfor an at-largeCFP bid.

ALABAMACONTROLSITS DESTINY No. 10 Alabama has aberth in theSEC title game and likely a first-round byeinthe College FootballPlayoff at stakewhen it travelstoplay the Tigers on Saturday.The Tide (9-2, 6-1 SEC) controls its destinyinthe SECand theCFP Aloss, however, complicates the picture with No.3Texas A&M, No. 4Georgia and No.6 Mississippi all alivefor aspot in theSEC title game.Auburn(5-6, 1-6), meanwhile,istrying to becomebowleligible under interim coach DJ Durkin.The Tigers have lost six of their past eight. 2

Interest waned, butTigersstayedtofight

LSUfans may have longchecked out on thisfootball season, instead obsessively checking their web browsers to see if thereare any updates in the coaching search and the school’spursuitofOle Miss coach Lane Kiffin. The LSU players and remainingcoaches, to their everlasting credit, arestillinvested. There has been disappointment. Container ships full of it. But it has been trumped so many times by determination

1. TEXASA&M

Record: 11-0 overall, 7-0 SEC

Previous rank: 1

Last week: DefeatedSamford 48-0

Thisweek: at Texas, n

2. GEORGIA

Record: 11-1 overall, 7-1 SEC

Previous rank: 2

Last week: DefeatedCharlotte 35-3

Thisweek: DefeatedGeorgia Tech 16-9

3. OLEMISS

Record: 11-1 overall, 7-1 SEC

Previous rank: 3

Last week: Idle

Thisweek: DefeatedMississippi State 38-19

4. OKLAHOMA

Record: 9-2 overall, 5-2 SEC

Previous rank: 4

Last week: DefeatedMissouri 17-6

Thisweek: vs.LSU,2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

5. ALABAMA

Record: 9-2 overall, 6-1 SEC

Previous rank: 5

Last week: DefeatedEastern Illinois 56-0

Thisweek: at Auburn, 6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

6. VANDERBILT

Record: 9-2 overall, 5-2 SEC

Previous rank: 6

Last week: DefeatedKentucky 45-17

Thisweek: at Tennessee, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

7. TEXAS

Record: 8-3 overall, 5-2 SEC

Previous rank: 7

Last week: DefeatedArkansas 52-37

Thisweek: vs.TexasA&M, n

8. TENNESSEE

Record: 8-3 overall, 4-3 SEC

Previous rank: 8

Last week: DefeatedFlorida 31-11

Thisweek: vs.Vanderbilt, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ESPN)

9. MISSOURI

Record: 7-4 overall, 3-4 SEC

Previous rank: 9

Last week: Lost to Oklahoma17-6

Thisweek: at Arkansas, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (SECNetwork)

Linebacker Whit Weeks revealed earlier this week that he brokethe same ankle he brokeinthe Texas Bowl on Sept. 22 at OleMiss. He finally got back into action for 14 snapsthis past Saturday against Western Kentucky and is hopeful, fervently so, that he can seeabout 30 snaps in Saturday’sregularseason finaleatNo. 8Oklahoma(2:30p.m ABC).

“I just love playing ball,” Weekssaid Tuesday,that ever-present smile on his face despite it all.

Quarterback Michael VanBurenisstartingfor the third straight week in place of Garrett Nussmeier,ruled outagainwith hisreaggravated abdominal injury.When VanBuren took his first snap against WesternKentucky,his fifth game thisseason, he burned the possibilityofredshirting Interim coach Frank Wilson left thedecisionuptohis quarterback, but he madehis minduptoplay this season outtothe end. Cornerback Mansoor Delane, thebest performer on this 2025 LSU team,was named one of the three finalists for the Jim Thorpe Award. It’sgiven to the nation’sbest defensive back,won in the

past by Tiger greatsGrant Delpit (2019), Morris Claiborne (2011) and Patrick Peterson (2010). He is apparently ready to go against OU after sittingout last week’s game despite recently revealing he’s played likeanAll-American all season with hisown core injury Credit too goes to Wilson, who in his interim role with no guarantee Kiffin or whoever is LSU’snext coach will keep him haskept this Tigers team together.He’s kept its recruiting class mostly intact. LSU hasnot had any opt-outs and only acouple of decommitments as thestartofthe early signing period looms on Wednesday It takes abig effort to keep up thespirits of an entire team that ends the season with no shot at any of its preseason goals. LSU looked as though it was on its way with that 17-10 season-opening win at then-No. 4 Clemson.Who knew Clemson would be bad and LSUwould be, well, mediocre?

At thestartofit, if you looked ahead to this game, you probably would have thought LSU would bethe team battling for aberth in the College Football Playoff and Oklahoma would be theteam playing the role of spoiler Instead,ofcourse, it’scompletely reversed. It’sthe Tigers (7-4, 3-4 SEC) trying to spoil ashot at the CFP for the Sooners (9-2, 5-2), who come into theweek ranked No.8inthe mostrecent CFP rankings. It’s OU, not LSU, that has themost at stake

The Soonerscould come out wound super tight or could come out super motivated, with the little matter of atoning for a37-17 loss at Tiger Stadium in the 2024 season finale in their back pocket. Lost in all theLSU losses and the coaching searches andflight tracking of private planes is the fact that there is some history at play Saturday.The Tigers and Sooners

have met only four times in football with LSU holding a3-1 series advantage —and last year’sgame in Baton Rouge was the first time they didn’tplay in abowl game. That makes this LSU’sfirst trip not only to OU but to theentire state of Oklahomafor afootball game.

The Tigers will be up against it. The Sooners have one of the best defenses in America, leading the nation in both sacks and tackles for loss. It’sa scary prospect foranLSU team that has managed to scrape together just three touchdowns in its past three games.

OU’soffense is not Secretariat in the 1973 Belmonteither,and LSU’s defense can be expected to put up afight. But frankly,the Tigers have been playing like aone-handed team mostofthe season, and it’s unrealistic to expect thatwill change now

Butthey will play,and by allrecent accounts should be expected to give their best effort,even if it looks like alost cause going in. Wilson said he would use the spoiler’srole as motivation.

“How do you finish?” Wilson asked. “How do you want toberemembered? We can go out and play to thebest of our ability and seewhere thechips may fall. What is your legacy? 8-4 is alot better than 7-5.”

It is, though in that context, fewwill remember anything great aboutthis LSU season compared to all the championship years theTigers have had.

Butthey should remember those who stayed. There is nobilityinthe effort, the struggle, when thereisevery reason to quit.Sometimes, even these times, there is morethan winning at stake.

Email Scott Rabalaisatsrabalais@ theadvocate.com

10.KENTUCKY

Record: 5-6 overall, 2-6 SEC

Previous rank: 10

Last week: Lost to Vanderbilt 45-17

Thisweek: at Louisville,11a.m. Saturday (ACC Network)

11.AUBURN

Record: 5-6 overall, 1-6 SEC

Previous rank: 12

Last week: DefeatedMercer62-17

Thisweek: vs.Alabama, 6:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

12.SOUTH CAROLINA

Record: 4-7 overall, 1-7 SEC

Previous rank: 14

Last week: DefeatedCoastal Carolina 51-7

Thisweek: vs.Clemson, 11 a.m. Saturday (SECNetwork)

13.LSU

Record: 7-4 overall, 3-4 SEC

Previous rank: 11

Last week: DefeatedWestern Kentucky 1310

Thisweek: at Oklahoma, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (ABC)

14.MISSISSIPPI STATE

Record: 5-7 overall, 1-7 SEC

Previous rank: 13

Last week: Idle

Thisweek: Lost to Ole Miss 38-19

15.ARKANSAS

Record: 2-9 overall, 0-7 SEC

Previous rank: 15

Last week: Lost to Texas 52-37

Thisweek: vs.Missouri, 2:30 p.m. Saturday (SECNetwork)

16.FLORIDA

Record: 3-8 overall, 2-6 SEC

Previous rank: 16

Last week: Lost to Tennessee31-11

Thisweek: vs.Florida State,3:30 p.m. Saturday(ESPN2)

Scott Rabalais

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSUquarterback Michael VanBuren runs the ball against WesternKentucky on SaturdayatTiger Stadium.

SPORTS

SOUTHERN’S RECIPE

Here’s how Jaguars can salvage a dismal season by upsetting Grambling

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Southern has a chance to finish one of its worst seasons on a high note with a win over rival Grambling in the 52nd annual Bayou Classic on Saturday at 1 p.m. in the Caesars Superdome.

While Grambling coach Mickey Joseph said the Tigers (7-4, 4-3 SWAC) won’t overlook Southern (1-10, 0-7), the team that has won this matchup traditionally has had the better record entering the game.

The last time the team with a worse overall record came out victorious in the Bayou Classic was in 2004 when Grambling won. The last time Southern pulled off an upset was in 2002 when it won 4824 under coach Pete Richardson. With the win, it finished 6-6 while Grambling won the SWAC championship and ended the season 11-2 For the Jaguars to pull another surprise Saturday, they will have to play their best game of the season Here are three keys to determining the outcome.

Win line of scrimmage

Grambling has been among the best defenses in the Southwestern Athletic Conference at applying pressure in the backfield. It leads the league in sacks with 31, which is seven more than the next-best team SWAC team despite playing one less game.

Redshirt senior edge rusher Warren Robinson, who is 6-foot-4, 250 pounds, leads the team with 8.5 sacks, which is second in the SWAC Redshirt senior defensive lineman Bryce Cage, a Baton Rouge native, has five sacks and a teamhigh 11.5 tackles for loss.

The Southern offensive line will need to keep starting quarterback Ashton Strother upright, as he is not a natural dual-threat quarterback The junior has 48 rushes for 100 yards on the season.

The Jaguars also will be able to attack Grambling’s backfield as they have senior Ckelby Givens, the best pass

ä See SOUTHERN, page 7C

Bayou Classic coaches once were on same team

BY ROD WALKER Staff writer

Southern University interim

coach Fred McNair and Grambling

coach Mickey Joseph were on the same coaching staff at Alcorn State 12 years ago. McNair wa s the quarterbacks coach and Joseph coached wide receivers.

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

As his rookie season has progressed, necessity has pushed Devin Neal up in the New Orleans Saints’ pecking order

Joseph McNair

For the most part, they always saw eye to eye except for two things.

“He didn’t want to throw certain routes and I wanted to run certain routes,” Joseph jokingly said. And the second thing?

“The only time we didn’t get along was when he broiled some crawfish and they were too hot,” Joseph said “Other than that, he’s a great man and a great coach.” McNair and Joseph will be on opposite sidelines Saturday when the Jaguars and Tigers meet in the 52nd annual Bayou Classic at

1 p.m. on NBC. Joseph, who grew up in Marrero on the Westbank of New Orleans, is in his second season at Grambling. McNair, meanwhile, is just filling in as a lame-duck coach of a Jaguars team that has fallen on tough times this season. He took over after Southern fired Terrence Graves in October after a 1-6 start. Southern, which hasn’t won another game since is expected to name Pro Football Hall of Famer Marshall Fauk its new head coach any day now So for McNair, Saturday’s Bayou Classic will be his chance to stamp his name in the Bayou Classic record books.

Both Grambling and Southern have been unable to find any stability at the head coaching position lately There hasn’t been a rematch of head coaches in the Bayou Classic in five years when Southern’s Dawson Odums and Grambling’s Broderick Fobbs squared off in back-to-back seasons. It’s been musical chairs ever since. So maybe Faulk and Joseph will settle things down

“We have it turned in the right direction,” Joseph said about Grambling.

Here it is happening again: After the Saints ruled starting running back Alvin Kamara out for this week’s game against the Miami Dolph in s, Neal suddenly finds himself as the team’s lead back.

“I’m really excited for him,” quarterback Tyler Shough said. “He’s fully capable of everything we’re asking him to do.” Neal, a sixth-round pick out of Kansas played seven offensive snaps in Week 1, then spent four weeks as a healthy scratch on game day He saw his workload incrementally increase after No. 2 back Kendre Miller was lost for the season with a knee injury against the Chicago Bears, and now another injury leaves him as the top option.

STAFF

PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints running back Devin Neal gets by Atlanta Falcons cornerback Dee Alford at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Southern running back Trey Holly is tackled by a Florida A&M defender at A.W. Mumford Stadium on Oct. 25. Holly is Southern’s leading rusher this season.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Southern wide receiver Cam Jefferson, right, celebrates his touchdown with teammate Malachi Jackson during a game against Texas Southern at A.W Mumford Stadium on Nov. 15.

LSU women establish NCAA record

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The LSU women’s basketball team had its first pedestrian 3-point shooting night of the season Friday, but it didn’t matter

The No. 5 Tigers (7-0) still beat Marist 113-53 in the Paradise Jam Tournament on the U.S Virgin Islands, becoming the first team in NCAA history to score at least 100 points in seven straight games.

The record LSU broke on Friday stood for more than 40 years. Coincidentally, coach Kim Mulkey’s Louisiana Tech team set it in 1982 when she was a player Against the Red Foxes (2-5), LSU hit only four 3-pointers on 16 attempts, but the Tigers pieced together another dominant offensive outing because they turned 28 turnovers into 44 points and scored 36 second-chance points from the 25 offensive rebounds they grabbed. LSU pressed Marist for more than half of the game.

Seven Tigers scored in double figures. Freshman forward ZaKiyah Johnson led the way with 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting and seven rebounds. East Carolina transfer forward Amiya Joyner chipped in 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Notre Dame transfer center Kate Koval added a season-high 17 points and 10 rebounds. Sophomore point guard Jada Richard notched a seasonhigh 11 points.

LSU took control by building an 11-0 run across the last five minutes of the first quarter Two MiLaysia Fulwiley buckets first a sidestepping 3-pointer from the right wing, then a steal and subsequent fast-break layup highlighted that scoring flurry, which the Tigers used to take a 21-5 lead into the second To start that quarter, LSU engaged its full-court press and started forcing turnovers in the backcourt. The aggressive approach helped the Tigers rattle

SAINTS

Continued from page 5C

He chuckled at the phrasing of a question asking about whether he’s been able to “ease in” to his role — there’s no such thing as “easing in” at this level — but he feels prepared to do whatever the Saints ask of him because he never lost sight of how close he was to the spot he’s in now

“Since the beginning of the season, (running backs coach Joel Thomas) and the rest of the guys just told me to keep staying ready, because you never know in this league, especially at my position,” Neal said. “I really focused on that, not treating each week that I wasn’t active or playing as much as a down week, but another chance to keep getting better and keep growing.”

His attention to detail in team meetings was not overlooked.

“I just really love and appreciate his consistency,” Saints coach Kellen Moore said. “He’s really dialed in. He understands his responsibility each and every play Love his energy Love his juice that he provides for us.”

Now he’ll have to show that preparation and energy can translate into production.

Eleven games into his debut season, there’s still not much proof of concept when it comes to Neal as a runner He finished his college career as Kansas’ all-time leading rusher, but he’s logged

LSU guard Jada Richard, right, drives the ball around Alcorn State wing

Pete Maravich Assembly Center Richard scored a career-high 11 points on Friday

over Marist in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

off the first 13 points of the second quarter, then notch 24 more before halftime to put themselves on a 100-point pace.

In the pivotal second quarter, Marist scored only nine points on 3-of-14 shooting. LSU forced the Red Foxes into nine turnovers a bunch of giveaways that turned into 22 points at the other end. Eight LSU players scored in the second quarter, including Grace Knox. The freshman forward finished with 11 points in her first ca-

reer start. Mulkey has used the last two games to toy with her starting lineup. On Nov 20 in a win over Alcorn State, she slotted Joyner next to nightly starters Richard, Flau’jae Johnson Mikaylah Williams and ZaKiyah Johnson. Koval started the Tigers’ first five contests LSU next will face Washington State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday in the Paradise Jam finals (ESPN+). The Cougars (1-6) picked up their first win of the season Friday when

only 17 carries as a pro, rushing for 61 yards. Where Neal has shined is in the other aspects of his game. He prides himself on being an “allaround” running back. Shough, another Saints rookie who has followed a similar trajectory to Neal into the starting lineup, agreed

with that assessment.

“What he does from a mental standpoint, preparation wise, he’s super smart,” Shough said. “(In) protection, running the ball really well and catching passes. That’s kind of his strength, being able to do it all.”

He’s made some impressive

Bears take down Eagles for their 5th win in row

PHILADELPHIA Kyle Monangai rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown, D’Andre Swift ran for 125 yards and a score, and the Chicago Bears finished with 281 yards on the ground to win their fifth straight game 24-15 over the reeling Philadelphia Eagles on Friday night. Led by rookie coach Ben Johnson, the surprising Bears (9-3) are alone in first place in the NFC North heading into a Dec. 7 showdown at Green Bay Last season, the Bears’ Thanksgiving loss at Detroit led to the firing of coach Matt Eberflus and was their sixth straight of what ballooned into a 10-game losing streak. A year later, the Bears bullied Philadelphia’s defensive line for a relatively easy win at the home of the Super Bowl champions.

Georgia

they defeated Miami of Ohio 7167. That game will be the last one the Tigers play before they hit the road to take on Duke in the ACC/ SEC Challenge on Thursday The Blue Devils were a preseason top10 team, but they’ve already suffered four losses to No. 15 Baylor, No. 21 West Virginia, South Florida and No. 2 South Carolina. Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

pickups in pass protection, enough to carve out a role on third downs.

As a receiver, he’s caught 12 of 14 targets for 64 yards.

Last week, after Kamara was sidelined, Neal made two of the better plays in an otherwise forgettable effort by the Saints offense, taking a pair of short passes and turning them upfield for 18yard gains.

“Devin is really savvy,” Shough said. “He’s got some finesse, but he can also lay the boom as he showed in that last game. He’s an all-down back who can do everything that is asked of him, and I’m excited to see what more he can do, because I think he has all those skill sets in him.”

After Kamara went down last week, Neal was the only other true running back on the active roster That should change this week, as Audric Estimé and Evan Hull also likely will make their debuts for the Saints.

Even if the numbers game left him as the only remaining back last week, Neal still appreciated that the Saints trusted him to get the job done. The opportunity is a little bit bigger this week, and he hopes to continue earning their trust.

“It means everything,” Neal said. “I love this game, I love these opportunities; this is what I’ve dreamed of my entire life. I’m excited for it, and I’m going to take every advantage to be out there and playing the game that I love.”

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

The Bulldogs (11-1) have defeated the Yellow Jackets (9-3) eight consecutive times, their longest win streak of the series and equal with Tech’s best run (eight straight from 1949-56). This was the first time the rivalry was hosted at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a decision that financially benefited the Jackets.

Both teams now turn their attention to other results. The Bulldogs need Alabama to lose to Auburn or Texas A&M to lose to Texas (on Friday evening) to earn a spot in the SEC championship game.

Vikings to start rookie Brosmer at quarterback

EAGAN, Minn. — The Minnesota Vikings will start rookie Max Brosmer at quarterback on Sunday at Seattle after J.J. McCarthy’s practice time was limited all week by the concussion protocol. Coach Kevin O’Connell made the announcement after practice on Friday that McCarthy is out against the Seahawks. Journeyman John Wolford, who is on the practice squad, will be the backup to Brosmer. McCarthy reported symptoms during the team’s flight home from Green Bay last week. The 10th overall pick in the 2024 draft, who missed his entire rookie year after knee surgery, sat out five games earlier this season with a sprained ankle His struggles through six career starts have been a burden on the struggling Vikings (4-7).

Stanford hires Pritchard as its new football coach STANFORD,Calif.— Former Stanford quarterback Tavita Pritchard will return to The Farm as head football coach after being hired by general manager Andrew Luck. Luck announced the move to hire Pritchard on Friday, a day before the Cardinal play the final game of their season under interim coach Frank Reich on Saturday night against No. 9 Notre Dame. Pritchard, who was a teammate of Luck’s at Stanford from 200809, will officially start on Monday, a day after spending his final game as quarterbacks coach of the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Pritchard served as an assistant at Stanford from 2010-22 under Jim Harbaugh and David Shaw, before leaving for the NFL in 2023.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints running back Devin Neal warms up before a game against the Denver Broncos at the Caesars Superdome on Aug. 23.

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Kiarra Henderson on Nov 20 at the

in LSU’s 113-53 victory

GAMEDAY

PASSING

Ashton Strother

51.3%, 1010 yards, 3TDs,4INTs

Cam’RonMcCoy

51.3%, 449yards,3 TDs, 2INTs RUSHING

Trey Holly

137carries,737 yards, 5.4avg,7 TDs

Cam’RonMcCoy

43 carries, 242yards,5.6 avg, 4TDs RECEIVING

Darren Morris

26 catches, 430yards,16.5avg,3 TDs

Malachi Jackson

16 catches, 251yards,15.7avg

DEFENSE

Elijah West

67 tackles, 3½ forloss, 1FF

Herman BristerIII

53 tackles, 1½ forloss, 1FF Jamarlo Campbell

51 tackles, 4½ forloss, 2sacks,1INT

AUGUST

LEADERS SCHEDULE

PrairieViewoverachievedthisseason

Previous rank: 6

Last week: Bye

This week: vs. Southern, 1p.m. Saturday

The season has reached the final week of the footballregular season for the Southwestern Athletic Conference, and the 2025 campaign hasbeen anything but predictable.

Programslike Southern greatly underachieved from the first conference rankings to thelast edition, while programs like Prairie View haveoutperformed expectations.

Extrapoints: Grambling is anotherprogram thatmade ajump in the SWAC power rankings after starting the season at No. 9. Coach Mickey Joseph reassured local media on Monday that the Tigers weren’ttaking the Jaguars forgranted in Saturday’sBayou Classic. Winor lose Saturday,Grambling’sseven victories are the mostsince 2017.

5. Bethune-Cookman

One week ahead of Prairie View and Jackson State’sconference championship game on Dec. 6, here is alook at the final SWACpower rankingsof2025.

1. AlabamaState

Record: 9-2overall, 7-1 SWAC

Record: 6-6 overall, 5-3 SWAC

Previous rank: 7

Last week: 38-34 win vs.Florida A&M

This week: Season finished

counting the 2021 spring season Alcorn State forfeitedduring the COVID-19 pandemic, 2025 was the program’slowestwinning percentage (41.7%) since 2012 (36.4%). Coach Cedric Thomas said he’ll be on the recruiting trailto get guys whofithis team’s culture.

9. Arkansas-PineBluff

Record: 4-8 overall, 2-6 SWAC

Previous rank: 9

Last week: 44-13 loss at AlabamaState

This week: No game

23 N. Carolina Cent.* L, 14-31

30 at Miss.ValleyState W, 34-29 SEPTEMBER 6Alabama StateL,7-30 13 at Fresno StateL,7-56 27 JacksonState L, 13-38

PrairieViewA&M L, 3-24

FloridaA&M L, 43-35

PREDICTION

Grambling 27, Southern21: Southern,byall measures,isclearly aworse team than Grambling TheJaguarsare pronetountimely mistakes,allowingtheir opponents to more easily performatahigher level. TheBayou Classicisa major eventthatplayers should be amped up andwell-rested for, butGrambling second-yearcoach Mickey Joseph wantshis firstwin in therivalry and isn’tgoing to allowhis grouptosettle foranythinglessthanavictory Toyloy BrownIII

SWAC STANDINGS

Previous rank: 1

Last week: 44-13 win vs. Arkansas-Pine Bluff

This week: 58-21 win vs. Tuskegee University

Extra points: TheHornets didn’twin the SWAC

East division after losing to Jackson State 3834 on Oct. 11, but coach Eddie Robinson still hadASU climb up from No. 3toNo. 1inthis season’srankings. Alabama State graced the fieldone more time on Thanksgiving before moving onto2026.

2. JacksonState

Record: 9-2 overall, 7-1 SWAC

Previous rank: 2

Last week: 27-21 win vs. AlcornState

This week: Bye

Extra points: JSU lost its No. 1spot in thepower rankings,but coach T.C. Taylor still has his program where he wants it to be this time of year, which is competing for asecond straight Celebration Bowl title. The Tigerspracticed through Wednesday beforeaThanksgiving break andare set to return this weekend.

3. PrairieView

Record: 9-3 overall, 7-1 SWAC

Previous rank: 3

Last week: 59-6 win vs. Mississippi Valley State

This week: Bye

Extrapoints: Prairie View exceeded the high preseason expectations that camewithnew head coach Tremaine Jackson thisseason.The Panthers startedthe yearNo. 6inthe power rankings but havesinceemphatically established themselves as one of the three best programs in the SWAC

4. Grambling

Record: 7-4 overall, 4-3 SWAC

SOUTHERN

Continued from page5C

rusher in the SWAC. Givens leads the conference intackles for loss (17) and sacks (nine). He also has twoforced fumbles, which is tied for fifth in the conference.

Establishrunning game

The bestpartofthe Southernoffense this year has been redshirt sophomore running back Trey Holly.The LSU transfer didn’tplay in theteam’smost recent35-30 loss to TexasSouthern at home on Nov 15 becausehewas “bangedup,” interim coachFredMcNair said. “He’sbeen practicing abit last week,” McNairsaid at the Bayou Classic news conferenceMonday.

Extrapoints: The Wildcatsstarted the season as abottom-three program in theSWACpower rankings. Sincethen, coach Raymond Woodie has led the team to itsfirst .500 or better record since2019 and the firstwinning conference recordsince BCU joined theSWACin2021.

6. TexasSouthern

Record: 6-5 overall, 5-3 SWAC

Previous rank: 8

Last week: 24-7 win vs. Alabama A&M

This week: No game

Extrapoints: The Tigers jumped from their No. 8position in the first SWAC power rankings of theseason. Coach Cris Dishman led the programtoits first winning year since 2010. His goal for nextseason is to win the SWAC and play in theCelebration Bowl.

7. FloridaA&M

Record: 5-6 overall, 4-3 SWAC

Previous rank: 4

Last week: 38-34 loss vs. Bethune-Cookman

This week: at Mississippi ValleyState, 2p.m.

Saturday

Extrapoints: FAMU wraps up theseason with thepreviously postponed matchup against Mississippi ValleyState thisSaturday. The Rattlersslipped from their initial No. 2SWAC power ranking, but 2026 looks promising if redshirt sophomore quarterback RJ Johnson returns to Tallahassee. This was FAMU’s first losing season since 2017.

8. Alcorn State

Record: 5-7 overall, 4-4 SWAC

Previous rank: 5

Last week: 27-21 loss at Jackson State

This week: No game

Extrapoints: The Bravesfell three spots from their opening No. 5SWACpower ranking. Not

“We kind of hada little easypractice lastweek, didn’tdotoo much, and kind of getting theguys familiar withGramblinglast week.So this week he’ll come out and practicehard.”

Having the SWAC’s sixth-leading rusher(808 yards)will elevate the Jaguars’chances of winning. If Hollydoesn’t playorisnot able to be fully effective, they can turn to Barry Remo.The sophomore had 24 carries for 120 yards in his first collegiate start againstTexas Southern on Nov.15.

Grambling is third in the SWAC in rushing defense, allowing 135.9 yards per game.

Quarterbackplay

Grambling and Southernare both likely to rely on quarterbacks who didn’tstart the season opener

Extrapoints: The GoldenLions bumpedupfrom their Week 1No. 11 SWAC ranking. ArkansasPine Bluff’swin percentage (33.3%) was the bestfor the program since the 2021 spring season (80%). UAPB dealt with health issues, and coach Alonzo Hampton said there needstobea focusonstrengthand conditioning to prevent that.

10.Alabama A&M

Record: 4-8 overall, 1-7 SWAC

Previous rank: 10

Lastweek: 24-7 loss at Texas Southern

This week: No game

Extrapoints: The Bulldogs fell fromtheir Week 1 No.7 ranking. This fall’s4-8 record is the worst for the program since 2022, when AAMU went 4-7. Coach SamShade,who just completed his first seasonwiththe program,saidheknows he has to improve his roster talent.

11.MississippiValleyState

Record: 1-10 overall, 0-7 SWAC

Previous rank: 11

Lastweek: 59-6 loss at Prairie View

This week: vs. Florida A&M, 2p.m.Saturday

Extrapoints: The Delta Devils started the season last in the SWAC power rankings, and coach Terrell Buckley has yet to have afull offseason with the program.The one-season win going into the finale is on par with the underresourcedprogram thathas wonmorethantwo games once in the past 13 years.

12.Southern

Record: 1-10 overall, 0-7 SWAC

Previous rank: 12

Lastweek: Bye

This week: vs. Grambling, 1p.m.Saturday

Extrapoints: As NFLlegend Marshall Faulk’s name continues to be connected to the Jaguars, Fred McNair finishes his interim run at Southern at Saturday’sBayou Classic. In afall that resulted in the midseason firingofTerrence Graves, 2025 had Southern’sworst winning percentage in program history

The Tigers have been missing oneoftheirstar players in redshirt sophomore quarterback C’zavian Teasett,atransfer from Southern. He hasn’t played since their 26-24 win over Jackson State on Oct. 25. He took ahard hit withtwo minutesleft in thegame andwas taken to the hospital via an ambulance. When Joseph was asked foran update on Teasett on Monday,a Grambling spokesperson said, “Next question.” In thelast two games, Grambling has started freshman quarterback Hayden Benoit fromLoreauville. Joseph said the freshman joined the team “a week before school started,”which is similar to Strother joining Southern eight days before the season opener on Aug. 23. Benoit completed 16 of 33 passes for 142 yards in a27-16 loss to

Alcorn Stateinthe Tigers’ last game Strother most recently completed11of21passes for aseason-high 191yards,two touchdowns, an interception and one rushingtouchdown. Cam’Ron McCoy replaced him with 10:28 left in the game. McNair said that Strother was “beat up” and was dealing with ahip pointer.McCoy, aJackson State transfer,had 22 yards passing, 53 yards rushing, a rushing touchdown and alost fumble after entering the game. Whether oneorboth quarterbacksplay, Southern needsits signal-callers to manage the game and limit turnovers against Grambling.

EmailToyloy Brown III at toyloy.brown@theadvocate.com.

Zachary scores with 11 seconds left to nip Central

BY CHARLES SALZER

Contributing writer

For the second time in a month

Zachary and Central needed almost every second of their football game to decide the winner

This time, Zachary got the finish it wanted.

Broncos quarterback Michael Kirby scored on a 4-yard keeper with 11 seconds left, and No. 4-seeded Zachary edged No 5-seeded Central 31-27 in a Division I nonselect quarterfinal played Friday night at Central.

The win moves Zachary (9-3) into the semifinals where it will face the winner of Friday’s game between No. 1-seeded Ruston and No. 16-seeded Southside.

“We had some negative things happen and we just kept telling our kids, ‘Just play the next play,’ “ Zachary coach David Brewerton said. “They did that, and our defense pitched a shutout in the second half, which was the difference in the football game. They played really well.”

Central (10-3) got two first-half touchdown runs from Marvin Joseph, and it took a 21-14 lead into halftime.

The second half was a different story as the Broncos defense held the Wildcats to 14 plays and no first downs.

Zachary struck in the third quarter with Kirby’s 1-yard touchdown run and Boston Bentley’s 34-yard field goal accounting for a 24-21 Broncos’ lead. Brody Diel put Central back on top with a 21-yard interception return for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter

Zachary’s ensuing drive stalled on downs inside the its own 30, but the Broncos got one more

chance with three minutes left.

Zachary made the plays it needed to during an 11-play, 71yard drive. Kirby completed four passes for 35 yards before finishing the drive with the go-ahead score.

For the game, Kirby completed 20 of 30 passes for 245 yards and one interception Jeremey Patton led the Broncos on the ground with 102 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

Central was led by quarterback Max Gassiott, who was 13of-20 passing for 149 yards and a touchdown

“This was a great high school football game,” Central coach David Simoneaux said. “We have a lot of respect for Zachary and what they did tonight. They got in the end zone when it counted. It was a tough loss.”

The early part of the game was controlled by Central, which jump-started its offense with a trick play From a punt formation on its first drive of the game, Wildcats punter Diel passed to Tristan Rose on the right sideline for a 22-yard gain. That led to Joseph’s 17-yard touchdown run on the next play for the game’s first score.

Central capped its second possession with another 17-yard score, this one coming on Gassiott’s pass to Keithon Womack.

Zachary tied the score with a pair of second-quarter touchdowns, but Central came up with another score in the final minute of the half. After Rose broke loose for a 65-yard run, Joseph scored on a 6-yard run from the wildcat formation Bentley missed a 29-yard field goal on the last play of the half to leave Central with a 21-14 lead.

Offensive fireworks spark St. James to quarterfinal victory

Villanueva brothers combine for six TDs

BY RICH LOUP Contributing writer

Celebratory pyrotechnics filled

the sky at the end of St. James’ 57-13 playoff victory against Oak Grove on Friday night.

That show of lights was almost as impressive as the offensive fireworks produced by the Villanueva brothers, who combined for six touchdowns, to lead the thirdseeded Wildcats (10-2) to an easy triumph against sixth-seeded Oak Grove in a Division III nonselect quarterfinal game.

Jaden Villanueva rushed for 176 yards, scored four touchdowns, and his brother, Jakias, added two more TDs. St. James (10-2), which rushed for 276 yards and gained 501 total, advances to face second-seeded Sterlington in the semifinals.

“Really good kids,” St. James head coach LaVanta Davis said.

“They represent our program well. They love to compete

“But I want to send a shout-out to our offensive line for sure. We tell our kids ‘explosives’, be explosive, we want to get the ball to our explosive guys and let them be special with what God has blessed them.” Patrick Hill rushed for 94 yards, including a 44-yard touchdown run for Oak Grove (10-3). But the Tigers never could get over the hump after falling behind 19-0 in the first quarter Jaden Villanueva rushed for 106 yards and three touchdowns in the opening 12 minutes as part of a 25-point St. James first quarter Oak Grove (10-3) closed the gap to 25-13 on Bryson Reeves’ 5-yard touchdown pass to Cruise Moreland with 5:41 remaining in the first half.

But Kamon Mitchell took the air out of the Tigers’ balloon

Brown’s last run

U-High defender forces fumble to clinch thriller over Madison Prep

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

University High lineman Lamar Brown was tired, but he knew he had to run.

After playing nearly the entire game on both sides of the ball against Madison Prep, he lined up one more time against the Chargers, who were driving while down two points with less than a minute to go.

Madison Prep reached the U-High 32 when Chargers quarterback Dylan Reed began to scramble. Brown slipped through a double team and chased down Reed, bringing him down from behind and poking the ball out in the process.

U-High defender Bradley Goodson jumped on the loose ball, allowing the Cubs to line up in victory formation and head for the state semifinals.

“We’ve been hungry for this,” Brown said. “We’ve had a chip on our shoulder all playoffs.”

TheNo.4-seededCubs(10-2)defeatedNo.5-seeded Madison Prep 32-30 at the Cub Complex on Friday night in a Division II select quarterfinal matchup. UHighwillfaceSt.Charlesinthesemifinalsnextweek

“I’m excited for our guys,” U-High coach Andy Martin said. “We worked really hard. You saw everybody leave it all on the field.”

The Cubs forced five turnovers in the win.

Madison Prep (10-2) struck first after relying heavily on the run to take an 8-0 lead in the first quarter

ning back Sage Ingram found an opening for a 46yard touchdown to go in front 19-16.

U-High scored on a 27-yard field goal on the final play of the first half to make it 22-16 at the break.

After forcing a punt to start the second half, Madison Prep retook the lead with a 23-yard touchdown run by J’on Profit to make it 24-22 midway through the third.

Later in the third, Madison Prep got the ball with a chance to take a two-score lead, but a fumble by Reed handed U-High possession at midfield. The Cubs drove down the field but settled for a 23-yard field goal to make it 25-24.

with a 69-yard TD return on the ensuing kickoff. Mitchell’s 56yard reception on the next St. James series set up Villanueva’s 2-yard touchdown run for a 3713 lead with 2:20 to play in the first half.

Jackson’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Jakias Williams with 7 seconds to go in the first half gave St. James a 43-13 halftime cushion.

“We knew there was a razorthin margin of error against a team like this,” Oak Grove head coach Ryan Gregory said. “We couldn’t get back into it, and then when we did, we gave up the kickoff return after that and that kind of broke our back.

“Hats off to St. James. What a great team, what a well-coached team, physical team, and they just took it to us tonight.”

Demonte Lamar added two sacks and Myron Jasmin added an interception for the St. James defense.

St. James took the opening kickoff and marched 85 yards in less than 4 minutes. Jaden Villanueva’s 10-yard touchdown run and Hayden Schexnayder’s extra-point kick gave the Wildcats a 7-0 lead.

St. James struck again on Jackson’s 42-yard scoring pass to Kanye Zenon for a 13-0 edge with exactly 6 minutes remaining in the first quarter

Then Jaden Villanueva broke through three different tackle attempts behind the line of scrimmage and sped 66 yards down the left sideline to give St. James a 19-0 cushion.

Jaden Villanueva added his third touchdown of the first quarter on a 2-yard run for a 25-7 Wildcat lead with 1:45 to go in the period.

Jakias Villanueva scored on touchdown catches of 4 and 62 yards.

Xavier Johnson’s 3-yard touchdown run midway through the third quarter punctuated the St James scoring barrage.

After Madison Prep ripped off a 12-play drive the Cubs needed just two plays to respond. On second and 1 near midfield, quarterback Ethan McGlynn found receiver Lawson Dixon. He spun around a defender and ripped off a 57-yard touchdown, but U-High trailed 8-6 after failing on the two-point try.

The Cubs got the ball right back after Reed threw a pick to U-High corner DJ Coleman, who returned the interception 25 yards to the 4-yard line.

McGlynn ran it up the middle on the first play of the second quarter He fumbled the ball, but Brown jumped on it in the end zone for a touchdown

Madison Prep went back in front after running back Harlem Turner broke two tackles for a 61yard touchdown in the second quarter

The Cubs stalled near midfield on the next drive, but a roughing the punter penalty gave U-High new life. On the first play after the penalty, run-

After Madison Prep fumbled again on the first play of the next drive, Ingram ripped off a 40-yard touchdown three plays later to make it 32-24 in favor of U-High.

U-High recovered another fumble on the ensuing kickoff, but the Cubs failed to make it a twoscore game after they fumbled it back.

Madison Prep faced a fourth down after taking over Reed found a crease and exploded for a 64yard touchdown. The Chargers failed to convert the two-point conversion and trailed 32-30.

U-High looked to ice the game when the Cubs faced fourth and 4 from the Chargers’ 31, but Ingram was stuffed short of the line to gain, and Madison Prep took over with less than five minutes left with a chance to go in front.

The Chargers drove into Cubs’ territory, but the Brown’s forced fumble ended Madison Prep’s chances of a comeback.

Belle Chasse handles W. Feliciana from start

BY DARRELL WILLIAMS Contributing writer

Belle Chasse has had five games this season in which the game clock went to running time, including four in the first half.

It didn’t get to that Friday in No. 3-seeded Belle Chasse’s Division II nonselect quarterfinal game against No. 11 West Feliciana, but the Cardinals again dominated for a 39-16 victory Belle Chasse (11-1) advances to the semifinals against the winner of Friday’s game between No. 2 Iowa and No. 10 Lutcher It is the Cardinals’ first time reaching the semifinals since 2008, when they won the Class 4A championship Belle Chasse last reached the quarterfinals in 2021.

The Cardinals methodically steamrolled the Saints (8-5) of St. Francisville, rushing for 241 yards and four touchdowns while taking a 27-0 halftime lead Belle Chasse led 39-0 before West Feliciana scored with 40 seconds left in the third quarter The Cardinals finished with 371 yards rushing.

“When we’re running the ball well, we have a lot of success,” Cardinals coach Stephen Meyers

said. “That’s what we do. We play a physical-type game and that’s what works for us.”

In the first half, Belle Chasse senior running back Dillan Carter rushed for 129 yards, including a 6-yard touchdown run, on 15 carries Quarterback Amari Ambrose, also a senior, gained 96 yards, including a 17-yard scoring run, on 15 carries. Ambrose also threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to 6-foot-2, 290-pound tight end Savion Barthelemy for the final score of the half. The Cardinals’ other first-half touchdown came on a 15-yard run on a jet sweep by junior running back Khai Wallace with 3:56 left in the second quarter Carter rushed for 169 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries, and Ambrose gained 129 yards and two scores on 23 carries. West Feliciana first-year coach Terry Minor said his team simply faced a better team and an advanced program.

“I took the head coaching job in June, so we’ve come a long way,” Minor said. “We practiced against their running offense, but it’s different when the game starts. I’m still very proud of my team.

“We fell behind quickly, and we got in a tough, tough spot. But, all credit to Belle Chasse; that is a very good football team.”

The victory was the Cardinals’ fourth in a row since experiencing their only loss of the season at District 9-4A foe St. Charles (19-7) on Oct 24. In the playoffs, Belle Chasse had a bye before squeaking past No. 19 Opelousas 7-6 in the regional round. West Feliciana upset No. 6 Brusly 27-24 in the regionals.

Until the third quarter when Meyers substituted in young reserves, the Belle Chasse defense held the Saints to 27 yards of offense, including minus-5 rushing.

“Our defense has been playing like that the whole season,” Meyers said. “It’s not one guy; it’s the whole defense. We really did a good job stopping the run, and we defended the pass, also.” After Saints sophomore quarterback Brooks Hebert was held to 32 yards on 6-of-11 passing in the first half, he was sacked six times for 40 yards in the second half.

“We run the ball well, we play solid defense, and we pride ourselves on being a very physical football team,” he said.

University High defensive back DJ Coleman runs the ball back after an interception against Madison Prep on Friday.

STAFF PHOTOS By HILARy SCHEINUK

University High defensive back DJ Coleman, left, intercepts a pass intended for Madison Prep wide receiver Tramel Sanford as University High defensive back Erin Moore looks on in a quarterfinal playoff game on Friday.

THE VARSITYZONE

Catholic storms to winover Alexandria

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS

Contributing writer

Harrison Kidder typified the rabid nature of the Catholic High defense on Friday

One half after limiting Alexandria to apairoffield goals, Catholic exploded fora27-pointthird quarter to fuel astretch of 41 unanswered points in a44-6 Division Iselect state quarterfinal victory at Memorial Stadium.

Kidder’sinterception was part of the defense’sfiveturnovers, whichenabledCatholic’sdefense to set up 27 of the team’spoints in a perfect display of complementary football.

“There’sa lot of dogs on defense,” said Kidder,aUL commitment. “A bunch of guys flying around, making plays.”

No. 4Catholic (10-2), winner of seven straight, advances to next week’sstate semifinal against topseeded Karr,a49-20 winner over Evangel Christian. It will be the Bears’ ninthconsecutive trip to the semifinals.

“Up to this point we have kind of just been on fire in the first halfand the second half hasn’tnecessarily

asked forthattype of intensity,” Catholic football coachHudson Fullersaid.“It’sgreat to see these

guys do that. I’m proud of them.”

Catholic scored on five straight possessions after halftime,open-

inga 37-6lead on Jayden Miles’ inside handoff that went for a32yard touchdown one play after a fumble recovery. Miles, who carried21times for 125 yards, also scored on a7-yard run and hauled in a32-yardpassfromTurner Goldsmithonthe following play after Kidder’sinterception.

Goldsmith, whowas 8-of-10passing for 209 yards and two touchdowns in thesecond half, found Justin Batiste on a5-yard touchdown on third and goal for a16-6 lead at the 6:07 mark. The offense got the ball back after Liam Myers’ fumble recovery

“The dam broke on us in the third quarter,and it created some separation, and you get to pressingand you’ve got to take it one play at atime,” saidAlexandria coach Thomas Bachman, whose fifth-seeded team finished 9-4. “We didn’treally makeenough plays to threaten them when they got that two-scorelead and it kind of separated.Credit to them.”

Catholic’ssecond-half run reached 43 straight points on Ian Locklear’s32-yard interception return with 11:28 to play

“Our defensedid awesome,”said

Goldsmith, whowas 12 of 17 for 256 yards and 2TDs.“Our defense was amazing. They played hard.” Jude Chamberlain led the Bears with six catches for115 yards and Beau Thomasadded three for91 yards.

Catholic’sthree interceptions matched thetotal numberAlexandria quarterback Karsen Sellers hadallowedall season. He passed for 175 yards on 21-of-38 passing. Greg Williams’ 44-yard kickoff return set up Catholic’sfinal drive of the first half and led to Tanner Forbes’ 22-yard fieldgoal on the finalplayfor a6-3 halftime deficit Catholic,which hadlost only three of 10 fumbles this season, lost apairoffirst-half fumbles, the second of which ledtoEli Fung’s21-yard field goaland a 3-0 lead. His 27-yarder made it 6-0with 1:38 left after the Trojans had first down at the Bears’ 3-yard line

“The thing I’mmost proud of for our players wasthere wasnosense of panic,” Fuller said. “Itwas abelief in each other in what got us to this point and what was going to move us forward.I’m just gratefulfor these guys.”

Dunham sets tone earlyasTigerscruisepastNewman

BY JOSEPHHALM Staff writer

Dunham senior Trevor Haman set the tone as he stopped Newmanquarterback Jake Randle on fourthand-1 on the fourth play of the game.

AndTigersAll-America quarterback Elijah Haven did the rest as No. 5Dunham scoredearly and often en route to a48-22 Division III select quarterfinals win over No. 4Newman at Michael Lupin FieldonFriday

“That stop wasbig,” Dunham coach Neil Weiner said. “I think they felt like they were going to have ahard time slowing us down, so they needed to try to steal a

possession if they could. Our defense justdid afantastic job. We really stuffedthe run exceptionally well.”

The Tigers’ offense was simplyunstoppable in the first half as it converted on three fourth downs, and that continued inthe second halfasitracked up480 total yards. Haventhrewfor five TDs and306 yards on 24-of31 passing whilealsorushingfor 79 yards and aTDon 18 carries. But it was morethan just Haven. Haman finishedwith 94 yards rushing andaTD on 15 carries while hauling in 11 receptions for 93 yards. JarvisWashington had five catches for 112 yards and a score, while KhrisThomas

and Jarone Harris hauled in two TDs each.

“It seemslike every week, (Haven)doessomething special,” Weiner said. “He did afantasticjob of just commanding the offense and keeping plays alive. That is averygoodteam that hasn’tgiven up alot of points. I’m just proud of everybody,really.”

Havenwas quickto credit theTigers’ defense thatpicked off apass and stopped the Greenies (7-3) on fourth down three times.

“Our defense has been great all year.They have come up big for us, and they are going to continue to do so. They can trust us, and we cantrust us.It’sagreat

FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS REPORT

SJHS: Jaden Villanueva 2run (pass failed) OGHS: Bryson Reeves 5TDpassto Cruise Moreland (kickblocked)

SJHS: Kamon Mitchell 69 kickoff return(runfailed) SJHS: Jaden Vlilanueva 1run (pass failed) SJHS: Jackson4 pass to JakiasVillanueva(kick failed) SJHS: Jackson62passtoJakias Villanueva(Schexnayder kick)

SJHS: Xavier Johnson 3run (Schexnayder kick) St. Augustine 35, Rummel 10 Team Rummel St. Augustine First Downs 12 21 YardsRushing 30-110 42-273 YardsPassing 53 162 Passes (C-A-HI) 6-12-2 10-12-0

Punts-avg.3-51.3 1-39

Fumbles-lost 2-2 1-0

Penalties-yards 4-40 4-40

SCORING SUMMARY Rummel 37 00 —10

St. Augustine 21 077 —35

relationship we have on the field,” Haven said.

“Wewere just clicking on allcylinders (offensively) We know our wide receivers aregoing to make playsin space, and our offensive line played amazing. We were also able to dominateinthe rungame,which wasreally good for us.”

Leading 27-16 at halftime, the Tigers put the game away in the third quarter as Haven opened the scoring with an 11-yard TD run. After aHarrisinterception, the junior caught a20-yard TD pass to put thegame away

late in the third quarter Randle, aTulane commitment,led the Newmanoffense, passing for293 yards at a24-of-41 clip with a touchdown and an interception. Senior George Loop was his favorite target(12 catches, 143 yards, TD) Collier Villere hauled in five catches for 81 yards and also threw a5-yard TD to Hendrix Hill (75yards receiving). Hill also had a90-yard kickoff return for atouchdown, while Will Pinkerton booted a44-yard field goal. First-year Newmancoach Aaron Vice said his team

never stopped battling.

“Obviously,their quarterback is good, but Ithink that people don’thave enough respect forhow good their defense is,” Vice said. “Their defensive line is very active They are well-coached, and they have somegood players. Elijah(Haven) is great, but it wouldn’twork without the others around him.They were impressive, but we never stopped fighting.” Dunham (11-1) will travel to top-seeded Lafayette Christian in the semifinals. LCA knocked off CatholicNI 49-14 to advance.

Brownfumble recovery (McGlynn pass failed) MPA: Harlem Turner 61 run(Johnson run)

UHS: Sage Ingram 46 run(Mason Melancon kick)

UHS: Melancon 27 field goal MPA: J’on Profit23run (Profitrun)

UHS: Melancon 23 field goal UHS: Sage Ingram 40 run(Melancon kick) MPA: Dylan Reed 64 run(Reed pass failed) Edna Karr 49, Evangel 20 Team Evangel Edna Karr First Downs1115

YardsRushing 17-29 43-236 YardsPassing 236 51 Passes (C-A-HI) 22-46-2 4-13-2 Punts-avg.4-41 6-36 Fumbles-lost 1-1 1-0 Penalties-yards 3-15 9-65 SCORING SUMMARY Evangel 60 68 —20 Edna Karr 22 7146 —49

EK: safety EK: Greg Wilfred 74 kickoff return (Brayan Castellon kick) EK: TreGarrison 18 run(kick failed)

SA:Vashaun Coulon 58 run(Darren Coates kick)

SA:Miguel Whitley 20 pass from Coulon (Coates kick)

RUM: RobertVargas 37 fieldgoal

SA:Derrick Bennett 65 pass from Coulon (Coates kick)

RUM: Coryan Hawkins 1run (Vargas kick)

SA:Christopher Dupuy 5pass from Coulon (Coates kick)

SA:Jaelle Noble 24 run(Coates kick)

NotreDame 27, Lafayette Renaissance 19

Team LRCANotreDame First Downs 11 15

YardsRushing 69 222

YardsPassing 180 44 Passes (C-A-HI) 17-27-1 6-15-1

Punts-avg.3-21 2-38.5

Fumbles-lost 5-2 5-3

Penalties-yards 1-5 1-10

SCORING SUMMARY

LRCA0 6130 —19

NotreDame 70 713—27 ND —Joachim Bourgeois42run (Ty Savant kick)

LRCA—Zion Baptist 20 pass from Kennan Brown(kick failed)

LRCA—Ja’Courey Duhon 29 pass from Brown(Jayden Zeno kick)

ND —Bourgeois 7run (Savant kick)

LRCA—Jaylon Polk 2run (pass failed)

ND —Bourgeois 2run (pass failed)

ND

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

quarterbackTurner Goldsmiththrowsagainst Alexandria during a

Iselectquarterfinals game on Friday at Memorial Stadium

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

Baton Rouge is getting a new all-you-can-eat buffet, and this behemoth of a building spans 13,000 square feet and seats up to 350 diners.

At 9626 Airline Highway, the Buffet of Louisiana has been under construction for the past six months and is set for a December opening.

On Nov 17, drills and hammers still sounded through the building, but the interior’s vision was coming together The modern design includes marble textures and ambient lighting in colors of red, blue and white, giving the place a sleek, upscale feel.

“We want to feed the people and make them full,” said manager Jack Weng. “Feed the people of Baton Rouge.”

Several dining areas with orange booth seats surrounded the buffet area, a space with six buffet islands in addition to a sushi bar, ramen bar and Mongolian grill. A huge, all-you-can-eat buffet nears completion

Brewing opportunities

New Baton Rouge coffee shop hires employees with intellectual and developmental differences

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

A new coffee shop is open in Baton Rouge, and it serves much more than cups of joe to the community.

Stir Coffee House, at 15405 Airline Highway opened Oct. 31 and at least 80% of employees have intellectual or developmental differences. Owner Katie Jenkins also runs a local clinic for children 10 and under with autism, the Grace Therapy Center, which inspired her to start the coffee business.

“I started looking for holes in the community of things that Baton Rouge is really missing out on,” Jenkins said “And employment for all of the babies that I had that grew up is really a struggle.”

Whether customers order a coffee, tea or dirty soda, Jenkins hopes they’ll leave having made new friendships.

Grounds for growth

The 25 employees at Stir passed two rounds of interviews and

trained for a couple of weeks before opening. They learned how to operate Eversys, a user-friendly espresso machine that pulls the shot itself and foams the milk.

“We invested in this machine that pretty much anyone can use,” Jenkins said. “With just a couple of buttons they can get a consistent,

really good cup of coffee and no risks of getting burned or anything like that.”

During training, employees tried several roles to see what they enjoyed doing. Once there was a fit, they learned how to perfect that

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Employee Sage Adams hands a straw to customer Crystal White as her daughter, Amelia, 4, looks excitedly at her frozen chocolate drink at Stir Coffee House on Nov. 22.

Employee Victoria Rogers laughs as she begins to clean up the blender after a spill.

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT

At 9626 Airline Highway, Suite C-2-A, Baton Rouge, the Buffet of Louisiana is under construction.

When leavinga petduringatrip

Dear Heloise: As aprofessional pet sitter,Ihave some advice for people who are leaving for afew (or several) days. Your pets will be OK if you remember the following common-sense things to do:

n If your pet is on medication, write out when and how the medication is to be taken. Make sure that there is enough for the whole time you’re gone.

n Write out instructions on when to walk adog or

whether yourcat is allowed outside. We’llneed asummary of yourpet’s schedule, likes anddislikes, favorite toys and foods it cannot have. Makeabsolutely sure that you have more than enough foodand kitty litter on-hand

n Leave all emergency telephone numbers tapedto the frontofyour refrigerator.Thisincludes your veterinarian’s contact info and howtocontact you should there be aneed to get hold of you

n Never lock apet in a garage, houseor yardand think that by pouring some food in abowl, it’senough

When you return from your trip,you could be facing acharge of animal abuse. Several states now require animal abusers to register and pay astiff fine.

n Ensure that your dog, cat or other animals have up-to-datevaccinations.

Mandy,inTexas Agood mat

Dear Heloise: Awoven, straw outdoor doormat can makeagood bathmat. It is waterproof and durable, and it won’tslide around. KenM., in Louisiana Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

Continued from page1D

role. Since opening the spot, Jenkins enjoys seeing which employees rock and roll with thepressureoflonger customer lines. Or if an employee gets nervous with the rush, sheenjoys seeing who opts to help one another

One of the baristas, Brennan Ferguson, 23, is from St. Francisville, and he heard about the jobthrough Arc Baton Rouge, anonprofit that’sserved childrenand adults with intellectualand developmental disabilities for almost 70 years through advocacy and services.

“I just wanted something to do, and Iwanted to work,” Ferguson said.

Hisfavoritepartofthe job is meeting new people and making drinks, especially lattes. He said the job is anew experience, and it’s something he enjoys.

“This is my first job,” Ferguson. “I feel good because I’m experiencing something Ithought Icouldn’tdo.” Personal victories

Employee Daniel Canaday,33, holds various responsibilities at Stir Coffee, and sometimes he’sthe first friendly facetogreet customers at the door.While he isn’tacoffee or tea drinker, he likes to start his mornings off with his favorite beverage: orange juice.

“I clean up,” Canaday said. “Sort the cups, Iclean the tables and chairs. Itake out the garbage.”

He said he’smet some friends since starting the job and listed afew names, Jenkins beingone of them.

When he’snot at work, Canaday loves to travel, particularly to Houston, andhenoted how thetelephone poles outside the shoplooklike the ones in Texastoo.

He’salso atalented writer and storyteller “Actually,not only am I aworker,not only am Ian employee, but also abook writer,” Canaday said Acorner of the coffeeshop holds afew books forcustomers to flip through, one of thembeing “The Grosse Tete Six,” by Canaday.The picture book follows theadventure of sixanimals in the mid-1990s as they fightagainst the construction of aresort in the Louisiana swamp. Partners,private events Stir Coffee partneredwith Strides, anonprofit encouraging other local businesses to hire employees with intellectual anddevelopmentaldifferences. The mission bridges the gap of employment, and Jenkins hopes Stride is the action piece that makes a difference in the community

Thereare places in town that employ people with special needs, but they don’t display it like Stir Coffee, Jenkins said.

The tablesand chairs make the business agreat spot to hang out or get work done. It also hostsprivate eventsfor up to 40 people after 6p.m., another way to support thebusiness.

“Ifanyone wants to host a Bible study or ameetingora little small Christmas party, we could do that and we can open up thebar,” she said.

At the end of the day,everyone is touched by special needsinsomeway,Jenkins said.

“I think it’savery easy mission to getbehind,”she said. “And who doesn’twant agood cup of coffee?”

Stir Coffee, 15405 Airline Highway,Baton Rouge. Hours are 6:30 a.m.to 6p.m. Mondays through Fridays, 8a.m. to 4p.m. Saturdays. Currently closed Sundays, but that may change soon.

Daughter upsetchildhood bedroomgot repurposed

Dear Harriette: My daughter graduated from college a few months ago. She got her first career joband decided to move out. Iadvised her to stay at my home awhile longer and use the opportunity to save some money, but she wanted to be on her own, so I supported her decision. Recently,I decided thatI might use her bedroom as asewing space. Iset up twodesks and a small shelving unit. Ishared the news withmydaughter, and she was offended. She keeps saying thatshe’s barely left and I’m pushing her out. Ihaven’tremoved any of her furniture; her bed and knickknacks are still in place for whenever she wants to visit Itried to remind my daughter that Inever wanted her to leavein thefirst place, but apparently that doesn’tmean much now that I’ve taken over her room. HowdoI reassuremydaughter that despitethe addition of a sewing table, there will always be room for her

here? —Taking Over Dear Taking Over: Don’tallowyourself to feel guilty Your daughtermadeher decision, andyou have made yours. Honestly,itis even OK foryou to put her knickknacksaway andturn the room fully into your sewing room. Leaving abed there forher to sleep in whenshe visits is practical andkind andwill assure herthatshe is welcome andremembered. Youcan remain asafetynet forher without allowing her to hold your house hostage Youcan do this with compassion. It wasabig deal forher to moveout, and she is showing you her fear of cutting this cord, so to speak. Assure her that you will always be there for her.You are proud of her courage to go out there on her own, and she is always welcome to come home.

Dear Harriette: Ihave twin sons whoare in college at different schools. They are good kids but abit young fortheir age. Idon’tthink either of them has ever

RELIGION BRIEFS FROM

STAFFREPORTS

Church promotes Religious Liberty Day Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church, 5100 Osborne Ave., Baton Rouge, will host its annual ReligiousLiberty Day at 11 a.m Saturday,Dec. 6. This event will spotlight themission of the Seventhday Adventist Church’s Public Affairs andReligious Liberty department, which promotes religious freedom, human rights, interfaithengagement and civic involvement.

TheRev.T.Ron Weegar will speak on thetimely topic: “What Is the Mark of the Beast?” and its connection to thenumber

666 —a subject of great relevance amid growing concerns over national policyand itsimpact on religious liberty Afellowship meal will follow the program.The public is invited. Free gospel concertonDec. 5

TheRev.Mike Vaughn will leada Southern and Country Gospel Fest at 5:30 p.m.Friday,Dec. 5, at Good News Fellowship Church, 13101 La. 442 West, Tickfaw Doorswillopenat

5:30 p.m., and singing will start at 6:30 p.m. with Vaughn, followed by Chron-

dated. Ihave always taught them that they should have enough money to take a womanout on adate, and right now they aren’tworking. Ioffered to give them somecash to help them in case they do wanttotake someone on adate, but so farneither has taken me up on it. Have Idone something wrong as amother? Why are they so delayed?

—Arrested Development

DearArrestedDevelopment: Everyone matures at their own pace. There is nothing you can do to quicken it, nor should you try.Give your sons space to get their education and build their lives. Youcan encourage them to meet people and make friends, but there’s no reason to push them into anyone’sarms until they are ready.Ifthey seem content in their lives, let them be. Keep the conversation open so that you learn if there is someone interesting to either of them.Trust that in time someone special maycomealong.

Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com.

icle with Timand Missy Kinchen at 7:30 p.m This is afree concert, but aloveoffering will be received. Aconcession stand will serve desserts. For further information, contact BarbaraVaughnat (985)974-0507ormvmgoodnews.com Fifth Sunday fellowshipservice Freeman Baptist Church, 4628 La. 955, Ethel, invites thepublictoits fifthSundayfellowship serviceat 8:30 a.m. this weekend. Guest pastor will be the Rev. AllenRowe, of the Rock Zion andGreater Faith Baptist churches.

STIR COFFEE

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Employees Mia Bufkin, from left, Harlee Richard and Alex Hicks help each othercomplete different drinkorders at Stir Coffee House.

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIESCOTT

Employees work hard at Stir Coffee House, 15405 AirlineHighway, Baton Rouge.

Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

Hints from Heloise

Generous friendsduped by knockoff

Dear Miss Manners: My signature perfume is awell-known— and expensive —classic scent.For my last birthday Ireceived not one, but two generous gifts of this perfume: one from adear lifetime friend and another from abeloved cousin. Both live along distance from me; we rarelymeet face to face.

real deal. Iuse it to refresh closets andclothingdrawers.

Do Itell them it’sfake? Their generosity is endearing. Icertainly don’twant to embarrass them, but I also don’twant them to be duped. I’m losing sleep over this one!

The problem is, both were knockoffs. Iknow this scent well, and the fake bottles were easy to detect Both generous gift givers bought the perfume online. Both are financially comfortable andwould never knowingly purchase knockoff anything. The perfume is nice, but not the

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Gentle reader: Having already given you this presentonce, it is unlikely that either person will repeat the mistake. Therefore,itmay not be worth the awkwardness of telling the givers that they were duped. They willhave no choice but to offer to return andreplace it, feel badabouttheir blunder,and be forever paranoid about the authenticity of all futurepurchases.

At somepoint in thefuture, you maybring it up generally as an unfortunatephenomenon —and, if your friends makethe connection, amistake that is easy to make.

Otherwise, Miss Manners suggestsyou chalk this up to the unfortunatestate of retail and go get somesleep.

Dear Miss Manners: Ihired awoman to clean my house. She is very thorough and does awonderful job.Looking ahead to the holidays, Iplan on giving her abonus for ajob well done.

Do Igive her assistant an equal bonus? Or is half as much proper?

Gentlereader: Give alarge bonus to themain housekeeper and tell her it is for bothher and her assistant.This will make the deci-

sion of how to split it her problem

Merry Christmas.

Dear Miss Manners: Iamthe youngest of three brothers, and have always been close to my brother who is three years older than me. My other brother is seven years older,and because of the age gap, we weren’tsoclose growing up. Ijust turned 50, which Iconsider abig birthday.The brother whom Iamclosest to took me out for dinner and gave me a nice birthday present. My older brother simply texted me “happy birthday” (no card, no phone call) and asked me what Iwanted as a gift

It’snow two months later,and still no gift. Iamterribly hurt and disappointed by this. Ican’t stop thinking about it, as it is very

Parentsare thinking localfor Santa’slist

BY KIMBERLEY SINGLETARY

New Orleans mom Lizz

Busquet used to be ahuge big-box BlackFriday shopper “Those peopleyou seeon the news getting up at 4a.m. to get in line at Walmart and fight through the crowds the day after Thanksgiving that was me,” she said. But not anymore.

“I just don’twanttodoit anymore,” she said. “It’s multiple things: For one, the sales just aren’tasgood, but really,with how things are right now in the world,I thinkI’m just experiencing arenewed passion for shopping local. Iwant my money to stay in my communityinstead of going into some big corporation’spocket.”

In the New Orleans Mom Metairie/Kenner Facebook group, Busquet recently posted her intentions to skip Black Fridaythis year in favor of Small Business Saturday on Nov.29. She listed some localstores and asked for suggestions. “I wassosurprised to see so many small business owners reach out aboutwhat they do,” shesaid. “This is what Imean about wanting my money to go where it really matters.”

This year,Busquet said she’ll be heading to Zuka Baby for local themed items and clothing for her 8-monthold daughter,Emberella, that “you can’tget at the big boxes,” along with to Trendz, Purple Tiger Boutique and Fleurty Girl for the tween girls on her shoppinglist.

For theimagination

Shopping local for toys got alittle harder this past July, with theclosing of Magazine Street staple Magic Box Toys after 30 years,but there are still some great options —including aplace that parents of small children likely already frequent.

Youdon’tneed amembership or aticket to visit the Louisiana Children’sMuseum’s gift shop,which specializes in curated, quality toys aimed at encouragingimaginativeplay.Optionshere range from infant toys up through elementary school. For families who love to travel, or grandparents who wantsomethingeasytoset up at their house,a fewfun optionsare the Pop-Oh-Ver Play Stoveand Pop-Oh-Ver Builder Set. These fabric creations popover any regular chairand transform it into playtimefun Both aimedatages3-7,the PlayStoveincludesanoven stovetop and microwave. Youcan get just the stove for $29.95 oradeluxe version thatincludes play food and accessories for $59.95. Forthe buddingbuilder, thePop-Oh-VerBuilder Settransforms achair into aplay workbench.The 39-piece set includes wooden tools andaccessories and atool belt for $59.95. The gift shop also includes an array of items from Pied Piper Crafts, acompany out of Minneapolis, Minnesota, owned bya motherand Waldorf instructor that focuses

on marryingimagination and nature.

Thecompany offers multiple kits using simple materials like wood and fabric to makeasailboat,awind car or atreasure map. The most elaborateoption is the Fairy House Kit,which includes a glue gun andall the natural materials youneed to build andfurnishathree-storyfairy house.Designedfor ages 6 and up, it’spriced at $53.

Thegameoflife?

Another great way to keep kids busy during theholiday break is to teach them anew game, like chess.

Here, the Louisiana Children’s Museum offersa Chess Designer Kitthatencourages kids to use both sides of their brain. Designedfor ages 5and up, the kit includesachess board,a full setofundecorated wood chesspieces and an art spinner with paints and stickers thatthe child uses to customize their own chess pieces.

The set includesdirections on howtoplaychess, andthe spinnercan continue to be used all year long for art activities like decoratingeggs at easter or flowerpots. It’s priced at $40.

While theclientele for French Charter children’s shopNola Kids tends to be more tourists thanlocals, owner KatieGoudeau said she’s been receiving lots of calls about one specific kind of toy

“Weare one of the few stores in the city that still carries Jellycat plush toys,” she said. “A few years ago, these high-qualitystuffed toys exploded on TikTok andInstagram and they’ve been hard to get ahold of ever since.”

Goudeau said she currently hastwo of themost popularnew Jellycat items in stock. The first is Peanut PenguinSnowboarding, a 4.7-inch stuffedpenguin riding asnowboard that retails for$33.The second is Bartholomew Bear “Snow Suit” —a 10-inch stuffed bear that includesaremovable snowsuit that retails for $65. It’s (nearly) Carnival time!

Just up Magazine Street, achildren’sboutique called PippenLanehas been serving areafamiliesfor 27 years. Owner Shane Guidry said she’s been receiving lots of calls and requestsfrom parents looking to spend this holiday season starting to celebratefor the next.

“Mardi Grasissoearly this year that we have had a lot of parents looking to surprise their kids with Mardi Gras themed items, like bows and clothes for the older kids, and stuffed toysand pajamas for the little ones,” Guidry said.

Guidrysaidher most popular pajamas arefrom a family-owned bamboo clothing companycalled Southern Slumber Specifically,the company’s blue “Southern Sweets” pajamas areselling fast. The light blue pajamas— available in sizesnewborn to 24 months —feature colorful depictions of beignets,king cake, taffy andsno-balls They’re priced at $39.

By The Associated Press

hurtful to me. Idid call my older brother twice, and he said abirthday present would be coming. What should Idoatthis point?

Gentle reader: Forget about it. Nagging him is making both the present and the prospect of abetter relationship moredistant. If you really wanttomake him feel bad, Miss Manners suggests getting anice present forhim on his next birthday —big one or not.

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.

Today is Saturday, Nov.29, the 333rd day of 2025. There are 32 days leftinthe year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.29, 1864, aColorado militia launched an unprovoked attack on an encampment of Cheyenne and Arapahoe tribal members, killing an estimated 230 people.

Also on this date:

In 1929, NavyLt. Cmdr Richard E. Byrd, pilot Bernt Balchen, radio operator Harold June and photographer Ashley McKinley madethe first airplane flight over the South Pole.

In 1961, Enos the chimpanzee was launched from Cape Canaveral aboard the Mercury-Atlas 5 spacecraft, which orbited Earth twice before splashing downsafely south of Bermuda.

In 1981, film star Natalie Wood drowned at age 43 while boating off California’sSanta Catalina Island with her husband Robert Wagner and actor Christopher Walken.

In 2001, former Beatle George Harrison died in Los Angeles following a battle with cancer; he was 58.

In 2012, the United Nations voted overwhelmingly to grant Palestine non-observer member state status, avote that came exactly 65 years after the General Assembly adopted aplan to divide Palestine into separate states forJews and Arabs. In 2022, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes wasconvicted of seditious conspiracy forhis role in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol rioting. (Sentenced to 18 years in prison in 2023, he wasfreed in 2025 under President Donald Trump’ssweeping grant of clemency to all 1,500-plus people charged in the insurrection.) Today’sbirthdays: Filmmaker Joel Coen is 71. Actor-TV personality Howie Mandel is 70. Actor Cathy Moriarty is 65. Actor KimDelaney is 64. Actor Andrew McCarthy is 63. Actor Don Cheadle is 61. Pop singer Jonathan Knight (New Kids on the Block) is 57. Baseball Hall of Famer Mariano Rivera is 56. Actor Brian Baumgartner

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Give yourselfthe freedom to explore the possibilities, enjoy the ones you love and let go of what no longer brings you joy. Recognizing what's important will pay off.

cAPRIcORn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Make the effort to adjust your routine to ensure you participateinpastimes that make you happy. Reclaiming your life to suit your needs requiresdedication to embrace what's meaningful to you.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb.19) Take abreather,give yourself achance to reflect and consider your options.Change requires insight into whatstimulates you to follow your heart.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Refusetolet someone else step in and dictate what you can and cannot do.Happiness depends on you doing what's bestfor you.Personal growth and following your heart will be uplifting

ARIEs(March 21-April 19) Multitasking may be your thing, but taking on too muchwill limit you.Take amoment to breatheand to establish what's most valuable and whatyou can discard.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Participate in and initiate your plans. Reach outto like-mindedpeople. Being willing to act on your ideas will keep you ahead of any competition you meet today.

GEMInI (May21-June20) Temper your tone,and don't share personal informationwith others. Less talkand morelis-

tening will help youmove forward with less interference and judgment.

cAncER(June 21-July 22) Keep the momentum flowing. Initiate conversations,socialize and gather information. The interactions you have will point youina direction that motivates and stimulates you.

LEO(July 23-Aug. 22) Bypass interference by putting your head down, focusingonpersonal and physical improvements, and challenging yourself instead of others. Stand firm.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Thinkbefore you act. Gather the facts and useboth disciplineand imagination to find alternative solutions to any householdor relationship problems you encounter LIBRA (sept. 23-Oct. 23) Keep moving forward. Refuse to letwhat othersare doing cloud your vision or point you in too many different directions. You mustfocus on what's important to you and to your physical and emotional well-being.

scORPIO(Oct. 24-nov.22) Participate in events that spark your imagination and encourage you to grow and expand your circle of friends. The encounters you have today will help you map out a path that leads to abrighter you.

Thehoroscope,anentertainmentfeature, is not based on scientific fact ©2025 by NEA, Inc.,dist. By

Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILYCIrCUS

Celebrity Cipher cryptograms arecreated from quotations by famouspeople, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another.

PEQuALs u

beetLe bAILeY

GooSe And GrIMM

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with severalgiven numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

Bob Uecker, who wasgiven thenickname Mr. Baseball by Johnny Carson, said, “When Icame up to batwith three men on andtwo outs in the ninth, Ilooked in the other team’s dugout and they were alreadyinstreet clothes.”

In today’s deal,South must find aninth trickinthree no-trump.Ifhemakes the wrong play, he will strike out. What should he do after West leadsthe diamond queen?

North hoped to find a4-4 major-suit fit, but whenitdidn’t happen, he jumpedto three no-trump. South starts with eight toptricks: one spade,two diamonds andfive clubs. He has two 50-50 shots for his ninth trick: Westmight have the spade king, or East might holdthe heart ace. Which should he try?

Theoddsareequal,butdeclarershould playa heart to his king first. Why?

First, suppose the worst happens: West takesthe king with his ace andreturns a heart, thedefenderstaking fourtricksin the suit. South still hasthe spadefinesse on the back burner.

Second, an expert sitting West with, say, ace-third, might duck, thinking that declarer has K-Q-10 and wanting to give him aguess on the second round of the suit. If declarer tries the spade finesse first, he should failwith this layout. East will win with his king andreturna diamond. When South plays aheart from the board,East grabs the trickand leads anotherdiamond,giving the defenders one spade, one heart and three diamonds ©2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By

AndrewsMcMeel Syndication

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is aword riddlewhichcreates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOONGOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a“d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

tODAy’sWORD cALcuLAtED: KAL-kyoo-late-ed: Planned or contrived to accomplish apurpose.

Average mark39words

Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 51 or more words in CALCULATED?

yEstERDAy’sWORD —IMPORts

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard

PETIT JURYLIST (DIVISIONB)

List of persons drawn by West Baton Rouge Jury Commission for service as Petit Jurors for the term commencing December 9, 2025

ABBOUD, RONALD STEPHENJR

BAILEY,KIRKLAND

BAILEY,KURTL

BAISE, MELISSAW

BESSIE,

BONNIE,

BONO,

JOSEPHIII

BRISTER, HERMAN

BRISTER, HERMAN RENALDO III

BROWN, JUSTIN M BROWN, VELVETTAJACOBS

BUDD, JESSICA MARIE

BURKE, MANDY C BURNSTEIN, WILLIE HERMAN

BUTLER, COLBY JORDAN BYRD, DEBRAA CALLAHAN, TYLER

CAMPBELL, VERNA EMANUEL CANELLA, MARGARET S CANTWELL, NATHAN CAPDEPON, JUSTINKEITH CARLINE, KAYLA LYNN

CARROLL, CYNTHIA H CARROLL, KAREN FAYE POINTER

CATHERINE, ALISHA D CHARLES, TAILER MARIE

CHAUVIN, DARREN MII

CLAYTON, BRITTANY PARKER

CLAYTON, JENE C COLLINS,SHIRLEY A

COMEAUX, TANA R CORNWELL, TYLER RAY

COUPEL, RICKY JOSEPH

CROCKETT,LOUANN G CROSS, TATYONNA CROWE, JASON A

DAMERON, JOHN LAUREN

DAVID, HEATHERF DAVIS, CEDRIC SHAWN

DEVILLIER, RYAN

DICAPO, QUENTIN JOSEPH

DICKERSON, SKYLAR GARRETT

DILLARD, DANIELLE LASHAE

DONATTO, BRIAND

DUNAGAN, FRANK M DUNCAN, EARL R

DWYER, DEBRA H EHRMAN, GERALD JEROME

ENNIS, DANIEL JR EWING, CLYDE EUGENE

FABRE, GINGER J FITZGERALD, GERALD MARTY FLEMING, NEAL P FONTENOT,GARRETT LANE

FOUQUIER, PAUL M FRANKLIN, TAWANTAE FREE, CYDNEY M FREE, SHADICEH FRIOUX, RHETT MICHAEL SR

FUSSELL, ELIZABETHM GARCIA, MAYOLO

GAUDET,RANDALLPAUL GEIER, JOHN P

GENTILE,OWEN

GENUSA, GLORIAJ

GILBERT, THOMAS EJR

GLASER, ANGELA DAWN

GLASER, VICKIE C

GOPINATHANPILLAI, SANTHOSHKUMAR

GRAHAM, SCOTT DARIN

GREIF, ROBERTALLEN

GUERIN, ALBERTC

GUERRERO, CANDYLEE

HADDEN, MICHELLE LEIGH

HARRINGTON, TRAVISJ

HARRIS, MORGAN LEIGH

HAUGE,RYANA

HAYSLETT,KAYLA N

HEAD, TAMARA L

HEBERT, JAMES D

HEBERT, MORGAN

HEBERT, RYLIE NICOLE

HEBERT, SHAWANDAKATRICE

HEHOLT,CASEY NAVARRE

HELMKE, WILLIAM RANDAL

HERBERT, DAVIDLAWRENCE

HESTER, DEBORAH LYNN

HILL, KAELYN MONET

HOFFMAN, HYKASHACREASHAY

HOLLIER, MALINA YVETTE

HOLMES, DELITHA S

HONORE, TONYA HALL

HORN,CINDYPARTIN

HORTON,MELISSA ANNC

HOTARD, NAJOUA

HUBBLE, LISA H

HUGHES, GWENDOLYN PARNELL

JACKSON, JAMIRA

JACKSON, MARVIND

JARREAU,TONYA B

JOFFRION,KATHERINE LYNN

JOHNSON, AIMEE LYNN

JOHNSON, CHARLOTTE BETHLY

JOHNSON, JOHN JOSEPH

JOHNSON, KATHERINE ABROWN

JONES, JAVON L JONES, KAYLA BROOKS

JONES, MELISSA FAYE

JONES, ROSA MARYWILLIAMS JORDAN,DERICK JERALD

JOSEPH, DUSTIN JERMAINE

LAMBERT, RACHEL

LANDRY, ALBERTLOUISJR

LANDRY, MARY T LANGLOIS, BRANDON

LANGLOIS, BRANDY COMEAUX

LANGLOIS, ZACHARYT

LEBLANC, HOLLYRACHELLE JOHNSON

LEBLANC, TAMMYT LEE, AMANDA LAINE

LEMOINE, ZACHARYPATRICK

LEONARD, CRYSTALG LEWIS, KENNETH ADAM

LUCAS, DAVID T MAJOR, JASON S MARTIN, KAMRYN ELISE MAYEUX, EMILY ANN MCDONNER, PAULA F MCNELL, MICHELLE J MICHELLI, JEREMYMATTHEW MILLER, PAULAM MOORE, SARAH A MORGAN,JACQULYNP MUSSO, JOSIE

MYERS, GABRIELLE ANN NELSON,PATRICK J NGUYEN,THANH TIEN NOLAN, CONELIA D OLINDE, MICHAEL REEDE ONEAL, JESSICA ALLEMENT OUBRE, JORDAN M OURSO, LAURIE F OWENS, MICHELLE DEDEAUX PARKER, CARL R PARKER, KELSEY C PATIN, BERNADINE DORGAN PATIN, THERESA BARKER

PEMBLE, MARSHA H PENN, LAKEITHA T PERTUIT,JUNE LASSERRE

PHILLIPS, STEPHANIE

PHILLIPS, TERRELLEMILL PICKENS, JOHNNIE R PIERSON,SANDRA L POPLEON, KENNETH J PORTER, RACHELLE SHENAE PREJEAN, HANNAH N PRIEST,CRYSTAL HUDSON PUGH, BRIANKEITH PURDOM, GAVIN WAYNE RABALAIS, BLAINE MICHEAL RANSOM, DANA C RICHARD, JODY JOSEPH RICHARD, RANDOLPH JIII RILEY,MICHELLE DENISE RIVET,BRYCE ANTHONY RIVET,JENNIFERWILLISTON ROBILLARD, JOHN J RODRIGUE, KEOSHA MONYA ROE, RICHARDALAN ROGERS, JASMAINE MONET ROGERS, TERRELL W ROGERS, WILLIAM JR ROYAL, OTIS DJR RUTLEDGE, CLEASANDRA SALIPURAN SAIZAN, SCOTT W SALPIETRA, DONALD A SCHEXNAYDER, DALE E SCHOOLER, PAMELAHUNT SCHULIN, CODYJAMES SCOTT,ROSALIND D SCOTT,WARREN D SILLS, TAMMY L SIMIEN, BEVERLYP SIMMERS, JOHN Z SIMS, JOSHUA A SMITH, AALIYAH SMITH, COREYLEE SMITH, DAYVIONTAYE SNIPE,SCOTT R ST ROMAIN,TAITEN MCKADE STEIN, SCOTTY A STEWART,PAULA CRITNEY TANNER, PATRICIA WILLIAMS THIBODEAUX, PETE JOHN THOMAS, RICKEY ONEAL THOMAS, SUSAN D THOMSON, WILLIAM E THYMES, BRALON MAKHI TOBON, MONICA TOUCHET,SHEILAMYERS TRAHAN, BRITNEY OLIVIA TRIPLETT,JABAR TULLIER, BARTON JAMES VALIN, PHILLIP C VALLET, JORDAN TANNER VARISTE, VIRGINIA VENTRESS, MARCIA G VESSEL,TAMARA GILLIS VOSBURG, REBECCA TEER WATSON, EMMITT B WELSH, MARVA RENAE WELTON, VICTOR ESHAWN WHEELER, RHONDA H WILLIAMS, ASHLEYRENEE WILLIAMS, DWAYNE KYRON WILLIAMS, LATHISHA M WILLIAMS, PAULA J WILLIAMS, RANDALL KEITH WILLIAMS, SIDNEYT WIRE, MARILYN ELLOIE WITTY,AUTUMNRENEE WITTY,LOUIS GRANT III WOMACK, JONATHAN T WOODS, ADRINNE L WOODS, ONESHIA ROMECIKA YOUNG, TONYAPERRY YOUNG, TRENICA YEVETTE ZIZZI, CHRISTOPHER SCOTT ZUMO, KATHLEEN MERREL