The Acadiana Advocate 11-30-2025

build strong international connections to provideopportunities to artists.

Connecting culture

FestivalInternational de Louisianecreates ‘market’ forLouisiana,Acadianmusicians

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Festival International de Louisiane will celebrate an importantanniversary in the spring. Forthe past 40 years, Lafayette’sbiggest festival has steadily expanded in size and reputation based on afoundational mission: connectingLouisiana’s Francophone culture, andthe region’sdiverse music, with the world. Last week, the festival board of volunteers announced it was starting afundraiser to help offset the rising costs of booking international talent —bands hailingfrom places like Ukraine, France,Mexico, Jamaica and Canada,that define Festival’s vibeand setthe stage forits musical, cultural and economic impact.

Scott Feehan, executivedirector of Festival International de Louisiane, speaksduring anewsconference to presentthe newFestival 40th Anniversarybook at CityHall in Lafayette on Oct. 31.

La.veteranspushing for psychedelic-assisted treatment

BY SAM KARLIN Staff writer

Retired Maj. Gen.Glenn Curtis spent adecadeslong career climbing the ranks of the Army,deploying in 2004 to Iraq and returning home to eventually serve as the leader of the Louisiana National Guard undertwo governors during major hurricanes, floods and other disasters. But he found himself in unusual territory earlier this year,ashetrekked alongside other veterans to aclinic in Mexico. They all sought the sameopportunity: achance to ingest apowerful psychedelic from Africa called ibogaine, which is illegal in the U.S. Curtis and his son had traveled to Tijuana as part of an ongoing pilgrimage of military veterans, many of themformer special forces operatives who face debilitating symptoms from traumatic braininjuries, post-traumaticstress disorder and other conditions. Former NFL players and other armed forces membershavealsosought outpsychedelics like ibogaine, aroot long used in religious rituals in Gabon, Africa.

STAFFPHOTO By JILL PICKETT KevinMurnane, fromleft, Frances Vest and Dr Shawn McNeilstand in the room where participants in astudyinvestigating psilocybinasatreatment formethamphetamine addiction receive their dose and are observedatthe Treatment Resistant NeuropsychiatricIllness LaboratoryinShreveport.

Andit’sa concerning state of affairs forexecutive director Scott Feehan, who said, “Weare not anormal festivalthat just puts music on astage.”

“Weare the gateway for these bands to come to theUnited States, andweare the gateway for our talent to theworld,”Feehan said.

“As thelargest international music and arts festival in thecountry

According to Festival International, its budget for securingperformers each year is $300,000. The fees associated with bookinginternational acts, such as visa applicationsand tax withholding agreements with the IRS, have ballooned to roughly 30% of that budget. It’sa cost that has become unsustainable in recent years —particularly since visa processing times are also longer,and more uncertain, than they’veever been. It all adds up to aprecarious and expensive dance for Festival International programmingdirector Lisa Stafford, who saidshe is limitedin therangeofinternational acts she is able to host due to these conditions.

Shoppersturnedout in big numbersfor BlackFriday

BYWYATTE GRANTHAM-PHILIPS

Associated Press

NEW YORK Despite widereconomicuncertaintyhovering above this year’sholiday season, shoppers turned out in big numbersfor Black Friday —spendingbillions of dollars both in stores and online.

Adobe Analytics, which tracks e-commerce, said U.S. consumers spentarecord$11.8 billion onlineFriday,markinga9.1% jumpfromlast year. Traffic particularly piled up between the hoursof10a.m. and 2p.m. local time nationwide, when $12.5 million passed throughonline shopping carts every minute. Consumersalsospent arecord $6.4 billiononline on

we’re themost importantstop for these bands.And as we’ve seen other festivals come and go —not just in theinternational music world, but in general —it’sclear thatit’spretty special what we have.”

Feehan pointed out that the festival is also apremiereopportunity for themany Louisiana acts that share the festival’sdowntown Lafayette

BY HALEYMILLER Staff writer

In the Information Age, even cows aren’tsafe from data collection.

Researchers at theSouthern University AgriculturalResearch Station monitorcalves using a hard plastic pill containing sensors, which sits in the animal’sstomach, tracking heart rate, temperature and the amount of time it takes forthe bovine to regurgitate and reswallow its food.

The work is part of the Ag Center’s“smart ranching” approach to raising what it calls Southern University NaturalBeef, or SUN Beef.Researchers track the cattle’shealth with key data points, paying special attention to nutrition in the first 60 days of life,toproducebeef forthe Southern campus that they say is free from hormones and growth implants.

“Ifyou want to owncows, you’re notthere every day,” Dr.Mallory Tate, aveterinarian with the Ag Center,said about the goal of the project. “You

ä See BEEF, page 9A

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

FILEPHOTO By ROBINMAy

The band Son De Madera,ofMexico, performs at Festival International de Louisiane in downtown Lafayette on April 24.Festival officials saytheyfacechallenges in booking international artists to come to the U.S. Theyare working to

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MEGANVARNER

Shoppers browse through Kohl’sdepartment store for Black Fridaydeals in Woodstock, Ga., on Friday

See FESTIVAL, page 5A

See VETERANS, page 8A

African Union suspends Guinea-Bissau after coup DAKAR, Senegal The African Union suspended Guinea-Bissau following a military coup, saying it won’t tolerate unconstitutional changes.

In a resolution adopted by the AU Peace and Security Council on Friday, the organization reiterated it has “zero tolerance on unconstitutional changes of government.” It moved to “immediately suspend the Republic of Guinea-Bissau from participating in all activities of the Union, its organs and institutions, until constitutional order is restored in the country.”

Speaking to The Associated Press on Saturday evening, former President Umaro Sissoco Embaló’s chief of staff said the ousted leader traveled to the Republic of the Congo overnight and arrived Saturday morning Embaló had previously arrived in neighboring Senegal on Thursday on a flight chartered by the Senegalese government.

On Saturday, the president of the Transitional Republic, Gen. Horta Inta-a, appointed a new 28-member government, most of whom are allies of the ousted president.

The military takeover Wednesday came after presidential and legislative elections on Sunday Incumbent President Embaló and opposition candidate Fernando Dias each claimed victory.

Airlines adopt software fix for Airbus A320

An aircraft heavily used by commercial airlines around the world needs a software fix to address an issue that contributed to a sudden drop in altitude of a JetBlue plane last month, the manufacturer and European aviation safety regulators said Friday.

Airbus said an analysis of the JetBlue incident revealed intense solar radiation may corrupt data critical to the functioning of flight controls on the A320 family of aircraft.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued a directive requiring operators of the A320 to address the issue. The agency said this may cause “short-term disruption” to flight schedules.

Mike Stengel, a partner with the aerospace industry management consulting firm AeroDynamic Advisory, said the fix could be addressed between flights or on overnight plane checks.

“Definitely not ideal for this to be happening on a very ubiquitous aircraft on a busy holiday weekend,” Stengel said.

Diplomatic efforts to end war continue

U.S. officials meet in Florida with their Ukrainian counterparts

BY ISOBEL KOSHIW Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine Russian drone and missile attacks in and around Ukraine’s capital killed at least three people early Saturday, officials said, as the country’s representatives traveled to the U.S. to work on a renewed push to end the war

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy wrote on X that the delegation, headed by national security chief Rustem Umerov, was on its way to “swiftly and substantively work out the steps needed to end the war.” A U.S. delegation is then expected to travel to Moscow for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the second half of next week.

The Kyiv City Military Administration said two people were killed in the strikes on the capital, and a woman died, and eight were wounded in a combined missile and drone attack on the broader Kyiv region, according to the regional police.

Mayor Vitali Klitschko said that 29 people were wounded in Kyiv, noting that falling debris from intercepted Russian drones hit residential buildings. He also said the western part of Kyiv had lost power

U.S. President Donald Trump last week released a plan for ending the nearly fouryear war The 28-point proposal heavily favored Russia, prompting Zelenskyy to quickly engage with American negotiators. European leaders, fearing for their own future in the face of Russian aggression, scrambled to steer the negotiations toward accommodating their concerns.

Trump said Tuesday that his plan to

end the war had been “fine-tuned” and that he’s sending envoy Steve Witkoff to Russia to meet with Putin. He suggested he could eventually meet with Putin and Zelenskyy, but not until further progress has been made in negotiations.

Trump administration officials were meeting in Florida this weekend with their Ukrainian counterparts. The meeting was set to include U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, according to a U.S. official who requested anonymity to describe meeting details not made public

Zelenskyy will travel to Paris on Monday for talks with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Macron’s office said the two leaders will “discuss the situation and the conditions for a just and lasting peace, in continuity with the Geneva discussions, the American plan, and in close coordination with our European partners.”

In Russia, a major oil terminal near the port of Novorossiysk stopped operations Saturday after a strike by unmanned boats damaged one of its three mooring points, according to a statement from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium, which owns the terminal.

Andriy Kovalenko, head of the Center for Countering Disinformation at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, confirmed that Ukraine had carried out the attack.

“Naval drones managed to destroy one of the three oil tanker berths of the Caspian Pipeline Consortium in the Novorossiysk area,” he wrote on Telegram.

Meanwhile Kyiv and its western allies say Russia is trying to cripple the Ukrainian power grid and deny civilians access to heat, light and running water for a fourth consecutive winter, in what Ukrainian officials call “weaponizing” the biting cold.

Marines in Haiti face gangs that have U.S. guns

BY JIM WYSS Bloomberg News (TNS)

Additional U.S. Marines being sent to Haiti to defend the embassy from gang attacks face a grim reality: They’re increasingly being targeted by American-made, militarygrade firearms.

Haiti doesn’t manufacture weapons and has been under an arms embargo since 2022, but it’s awash in guns. And the Government Accountability Office says 90% of all weapons in Haiti used in a crime were U.S. sourced.

It’s not just handguns.

During a chaotic shootout on the outskirts of Haiti’s capital this month, police killed seven gang members and captured a Barret M82 .50-caliber sniper rifle, which is manufactured in Tennessee.

“That is a true military weapon,” said Jonathan Lowy, president of Global Action on Gun Violence, which has been working with foreign governments to try to stem the flow of U.S. weapons. “It has a range of a mile. It can shoot down helicopters and can pierce reinforced concrete. It can cost around $10,000. That is not a weapon that a law abiding gun owner protecting their home or hunting deer is looking to buy.”

And yet any 18-year-old with a clean record can purchase one in most U.S. states. Homeland Security Investigations in Miami flagged a “substantial increase” in gun trafficking to Haiti and the Caribbean earlier this year including sniper rifles, .308 rifles — considered “battle rifles” — and at least one belt-fed machine gun. The agency didn’t respond to requests for comment.

The chaos in Haiti — where gangs now control more than 85% of the capital and have forced 1.4 million to flee their homes — comes as Washington is flooding the southern Ca-

ribbean with military assets in what it claims is a push to stop drug trafficking and put pressure on Venezuela.

But for many leaders in the region, it’s U.S. weapons that are the worry Of the 10 nations and territories with the highest per-capita murder rates globally eight are in the Caribbean, according to World Bank data. That’s no coincidence, Lowy said in an interview

The U.S. “is the one country in the world that is both the major manufacturer and seller of civilian small arms and combines that with some of the weakest gun laws in the world,” he said. “You have this perfect storm that makes it easy for gun traffickers.”

Joseph Harold Pierre, an economic and political analyst in Haiti, was stuck in Cap-Haitien last week because domestic air travel was shut down after gangs shot a local airliner He said that many Haitians blame the U.S. for allowing guns to flow into the country, but he said local authorities are also complicit.

On Monday, the U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions on Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti’s transitional presidential council, “for supporting gangs and other criminal organizations.” Jean has denied those accusations, but he’s just one of several private sector and political actors who have been sanctioned in recent years for allegedly working with criminal groups.

“The main problem is not the guns themselves but that there is no political will to control them,” Pierre said.

On Nov 13, U.S Marines guarding the American embassy exchanged fire with suspected gang members. None of the soldiers were injured, but the Embassy said it was bringing in more Marines to secure the diplomatic compound, which has been attacked in the past.

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BY WAFAA SHURAFA and SAMY MAGDY Associated Press

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip — The Palestinian death toll has surpassed 70,000 since the Israel-Hamas war began, Gaza’s Health Ministry said Saturday, while a hospital said that Israeli fire killed two Palestinian children in the territory’s south.

The toll has continued to rise after the latest ceasefire took effect Oct 10 Israel still carries out strikes in response to what it has called violations of the truce, and bodies from earlier in the war are being recovered from the rubble.

The Health Ministry says the Palestinian toll is now 70,100. The ministry operates under the Hamas-run government. It is staffed by medical professionals and maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community

Staff at Nasser Hospital, which received the bodies of the children in southern Gaza, said the brothers, ages 8 and 11, died when an Israeli drone struck close to a school sheltering displaced people in the town of Beni Suhaila Israel’s military said it killed two people who crossed into an Israelicontrolled area, “conducted suspicious activities” and approached troops. The statement didn’t mention children. The military said it also killed another person in a separate but similar incident in the south.

At least 352 Palestinians have been killed across the territory since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants.

Israel says its strikes are aimed at

militants violating the truce. Both Israel and Hamas have accused the other of violating the deal Hamas again urged mediators on Saturday to pressure Israel to stop what it called ceasefire violations in Gaza.

A U.S blueprint outlining the future of Gaza, which has been devastated by more than two years of war, is still in the early stages The plan to secure and govern the territory authorizes an international stabilization force to provide security, approves a transitional authority to be overseen by U.S. President Donald Trump and envisions a possible future path to an independent Palestinian state. The war began with the Hamas-led attack on southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, in which around 1,200 people were killed and more than 250 others were taken hostage. Almost all of the

hostages or their remains have been returned in ceasefires or other deals.

The remains of two hostages, one Israeli and a Thai national, are still to be returned. Israelis rallied again Saturday night in Tel Aviv for their return. Israeli forces have pushed forward on a number of other fronts in the region in recent weeks.

Syrian officials said that Israeli forces raided a Syrian village on Friday and opened fire when they were confronted by residents, killing at least 13 people. Israel said it conducted the operation to apprehend suspects of a militant group planning attacks in Israel, and that the militants opened fired at troops, wounding six. Israel also has escalated strikes in Lebanon, saying it’s targeting Hezbollah sites and asserting that the militant group is attempting to rearm.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By EFREM LUKATSKy People hide in an underground pedestrian crossing during Russia’s night missile and drone attack Saturday in Kyiv, Ukraine.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABDEL KAREEM HANA

A girl carries bread as she walks past destruction left by Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City, Gaza Strip, on Saturday

TrumpsaysVenezuelanairspaceshouldbeviewedasclosed

Countryaccuses

U.S. presidentofmaking a‘colonial threat’

BY JOSH BOAK and GABRIELA MOLINA Associated Press

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. President

Donald Trump on Saturday said that the airspace “above and surrounding” Venezuela should be considered as “closed in itsentirety,” an assertion that raised more questions about the U.S. pressure on VenezuelanleaderNicolás Maduro. His government accused Trump of making a“colonial threat” and seeking to undermine the South American country’ssovereignty

The White House did not respond to questions about what Trump posted on his Truth Social plat-

form, and it was unclear whether he was announcing anew policy or simply reinforcing the messaging around his campaign against Maduro, which hasinvolved multiplestrikesinthe CaribbeanSea andeastern PacificOceanonsmall boatsaccusedofferrying drugs as well as abuildup of naval forces in theregion. More than 80 people have been killed in suchstrikes since early September

TheRepublican president addressed his callfor an aerial blockade to “Airlines, Pilots,Drug Dealers, and HumanTraffickers,” rather than to Maduro.

Venezuela’sgovernment said it “forcefully rejects” Trump’sclaim about closingthe airspace and that it was a“colonial threat” intended to undermine thecountry’s“territorial integrity,aeronautical security and full sovereignty.”

The Foreign Ministry said “such declarations constitute ahostile,

unilateral and arbitrary act ”

The statement also said that U.S. immigration authorities hadunilaterally suspended biweekly deportation flightsofVenezuelan migrants. Following negotiations between thetwo governments, more than 13,000 Venezuelans have been deported toVenezuela this year on dozens of chartered flights, the latest of which arrived late Friday in Caracas, the capital, according to flight-tracking data. International airlines last week began to cancel flights to Venezuela after theFederal Aviation Administration told pilots to be cautious flying around the country because of heightened military activity

The FAA’sjurisdiction is generally limitedtothe United States and its territories. The agency does routinely warnpilotsabout the dangers of flying over areas with ongoing conflicts or military

activity around the globe, as it did earlier this month with Venezuela. The FAAworks with other countriesand the InternationalCivil Aviation Organization on international issues. The FAAand ICAO did not immediatelyrespond to requestsfor comment Saturday Trump’sadministration has sought to ratchet up pressure on Maduro. The U.S. government does notviewMaduroasthe legitimateleader of the oil-rich but increasingly impoverished South American nation and he faces charges of narcoterrorism in the U.S.

U.S. forces have conducted bomber flights near Venezuelaand the USS Gerald R. Ford, America’s most advanced aircraft carrier, wassenttothe area. The Ford rounds offthe largest buildup of U.S.firepower in the regionin generations. With its arrival, the “Operation Southern Spear” mis-

sion includes nearly adozen Navy ships and about 12,000 sailors and Marines. There arebipartisancalls for greater oversight of the U.S. military strikes against vessels in the regionafter The Washington Post reported that Defense Secretary PeteHegseth issueda verbal order forall crew memberstobekilled as part of the Sept. 2attack on suspected drug smugglers.

Republican Sen. Roger Wicker of Mississippi, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and its top Democrat, Rhode Island Sen. Jack Reed, saidina joint statement late Friday that the committee “will be conducting vigorous oversight to determine the facts related to these circumstances.”

Trump’steam has weighed both military andnonmilitaryoptions with Venezuela,includingcovert action by the CIA.

By The Associated Press

Northwestern University has agreed to pay $75 million to the U.S. government in a deal with the Trump administration to end aseries of investigations and restore hundreds of millions of dollarsin federal research funding

President Donald Trump’s administrationhad cutoff $790 million in grants in a standoff that contributed to university layoffs and the resignation in September of Northwestern president Michael Schill. The administration argued the school had not done enough to fight antisemitism. Under the agreement announced Friday night, Northwestern will makethe

payment to the U.S. Treasury over thenextthree years. Among other commitments it also requires the university to revoke the so-called Deering Meadow agreement, whichitsigned in April 2024 in exchange for pro-Palestinian protesters ending their tent encampment on campus. During negotiations, interim university president Henry Bienen said Northwestern refused to cede controlover hiring, admissions,orits curriculum. “I wouldnot have signed this agreementwithout provisions ensuring that is the case,” he said. The agreement also calls for Northwestern to continue compliance withfederal anti-discrimination laws, developtraining materials

Trumpwants to terminate Biden’sautopen directives

BY MICA SOELLNER Bloomberg News (TNS)

WASHINGTON President Donald Trumpsaidheisterminating every document former PresidentJoe Biden signed with an autopen in his latest move to eradicate his predecessor’slegacy

In aTruth Social post Friday,Trump accused Biden of signing “approximately 92%” of documents through theuse of an autopen. The president threatened perjury charges against Biden if he claims he consented to the use of the mechanical pen to sign papers

“The Autopen is not allowed to be used if approval is not specifically given by the President of the United States,” Trumpsaidinhis post.

Trump allegedBiden’s staff used the autopen illegally and that the former president wasn’tincontrol of his own presidency when the tool was being used.

It isn’tclear what legal pushback Trump could receive from trying to nix Biden’spast orders or how federal agencies that have been impacted by the former president’spolicies will respond.

Trump has ramped up his attacks on Biden’suse of the autopen sincehetook office in January.House Republicans also unveiled areport earlier this year regarding Biden’suse of the autopen, saying it showed he wasn’t mentally fit to be president.

This week, Trumpjoked apair of Thanksgivingturkeyspardoned by Biden

were “null and void” because of hisuse of an autopen.The president also replaced Biden’sportrait in theWhite House’spresidential “WalkofFame” with a photo of an autopen signing adocument.

to “socializeinternational students” with thenorms of acampus dedicatedtoopen debate, and uphold acommitmenttoTitle IX by “providing safe and fair opportunities for women,including single-sex housing for any woman, defined on the basis of sex,who requests such accommodations and all-female sports, locker rooms, and showering facilities.”

Education SecretaryLinda McMahon said the dealcements policy changes that will protect peopleoncampus from harassment and discrimination.

“Thereformsreflect bold leadership at Northwestern andtheyare aroadmapfor institutionalleaders around the country that will help

EVERY DAY

rebuild public trust in our collegesand universities,” McMahon said. Trumphas leveraged government control of federal research money to push for reformsatelite colleges he has decried as overrun by “woke” ideology

The fine agreed to by Northwestern is thesecondlargest behindColumbia, which agreed in July to pay the government $200 million to resolve aseries of investigations and restore its funding. Brown and Cornell also reached agreements with thegovernment to restore funding following antisemitism investigations.

Harvard remains in negotiations with the federalgovernment over itsdemands for changes to campus policies and governance. The IvyLeague school sued over the administration’s cutsto itsgrant money andwon acourt victoryinSeptember when afederal judge orderedthe government to restore federal funding, saying theTrump administration“usedantisemitism as asmokescreen.”

Local support. Local impact.

TheAmerican RedCross in Louisiana serves4.65millionresidentsacrossall64parishesandextendshopeto communitiesacrossthenationandaroundtheworld.Whenyousupportyour localRedCross,youmakeadirectimpactinyourcommunity Poweredbygenerosity. TheRedCrossisnotagovernmentagency.Wearea501(c)(3) nonprofitthatreliesonthepowerofvolunteersandthegenerosity ofdonorstocarryoutourhumanitarianmission. RedCrosssupportersprovideabeaconofhope.Fromhelping duringdisasters,toprovidinglifesavingtrainingandsupporting militarycommunities,theRedCrossistherewhenhelpcan’twait.

FESTIVAL

Continued from page1A

stages withglobal bands.

“Festivalislikeaninternational music exchange wherebookers seethisincredible talent, and they realize, ‘Oh my gosh, the talent in and around Acadiana is also incredible.’ Ican give thousands of examples of our artists being booked around the world. It’sbeen extremelysuccessful.”

As aproven springboard for bringing global soundsto theUnited States, and Louisiana talent to the world,the goal of the fundraiser is to give FestivalInternational acushion for booking more international acts for next year’s40th anniversary celebration, taking placeApril 22-26. In the meantime, Stafford and Festival partners in Canadaare working now to develop anew program that willamplify opportunities forLouisiana andAcadian musicians at the 2026 event.

Strengtheningconnections

“Connexion Acadie-Louisiane” will connect Louisiana French artists, and Acadian bandsfrom Canada, with music industry professionals through “showcases,” ensuring that Festival International remains ahigh-value stop forboth bands and buyers, even with ongoing challenges and rising costs in the in the global booking market.

SHOPPERS

Continued from page1A

Thanksgiving Day,per Ado-

be. Topcategories that saw an uptick in sales across both days included video game consoles, electronics and home appliances. Shopping services poweredby artificial intelligence and social mediaadvertising have also particularly influenced what consumers choose to buy,the firm said. Meanwhile, software company Salesforce estimated that BlackFriday online sales totaled $18 billionin the U.S. and $79 billion globally.And e-commerceplatform Shopify said its merchants raked in arecord$6.2 billion in sales worldwideon Black Friday.Atits peak, sales reached $5.1 million per minute —with top categories includingcosmetics and clothing, according to the Canadian company MasterCard SpendingPulse,which tracks in-person and online spending, reported that overall Black Friday sales excludingautomotive rose 4.1% from a year ago. The retailsalesindicator,which is notadjusted for inflation, showed online sales jumped by double digits (10.4%), while in-store purchases inchedup1.7%.

Michelle Meyer,chief economist at the MasterCard Economics Institute, said consumers are “navigating an uncertain environment” this holiday season “by shopping early,leveraging promotions, andinvesting in wish-list items.”

Carol Doucet,booking agentand directorofthe Le Grenier musicagency in Moncton, New Brunswick, is organizing Connexion Acadie-Louisiane with Festival International. She said themarket will function similarly to the former Louisiana International MusicExchange, aprofessional showcase component of Festival International that ceased operating after 2019 because oflack of funding. “I’ve always found that the marketaspectofa public musicfestival is very,very

Black Fridayisfar from thesales eventthatcreated midnight mall crowds or doorbuster mayhem just decades ago. More and more consumers have instead turned to online deals to make post-Thanksgiving purchases fromthe comfort of their own homes —or opt to stretch out spending across longer promotions nowoffered by retailers.

In-store traffic has dwindledoverthe years. Initial data from RetailNext, which measures real-time foot traffic in physical stores, found that U.S. BlackFriday trafficfell 3.6% compared to 2024. Still, the firmnoted that was “notably better” than asharper 6.2% decline it saw in the daysleading up to Thanksgiving Sensormatic Solutions, which also tracksstore traffic,found that in-storeretail visits dipped 2.1% —but said that was in line with expectationsand trendsalready seen this year.Traffic over the week of Black Fridaywas up nearly57% compared to theweek prior,per Sensormatic.

“Black Friday has really turned into like afull week event, or even further,” said Grant Gustafson, head of retail consulting andanalytics at Sensormatic Solutions. And “Black Friday is really thestart of just areallyand critical stretch forretailers,” he added —noting that the weekend following Thanksgiving, as well as the days leading up to Christmasnext month,will also be some of the busiest in terms of in-store traffic.

Meanwhile, in terms of e-

“The artists from Louisianawho will be showcasing, they will get the chance to playinfrontofbuyers from theUnitedStates, butalso Canada and Europe —so France, Belgium,Switzerland,” Doucet said. “When I try to sell ashow to acertain festival, theymay notalways know the artist, but if we say they’re good, they’ll takethem. Andnow,that festivalcan also come down in April andsee the artist showcases forthemselves.”

Feehan said this latest chapter in Festival International’s 40-year history has reminded him not to take

the experience for granted. It was “always here,” he said—and it took traveling to other places to realizethatLafayette hadbuilt something unique “Wehavethis incredibly unique and rich culture in the form of ourmusic, food and joie de vivre, that doesn’texist anywhere else,” he said. “Weare the vehicle to highlight that to the world. It’ssoimportant to nurture that,aswehave for40years now.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

important,” Doucet said. “We’ll have showcases just for the professionals,and a second event where theartists showcase at the festival with the public, so thebuyerswill be able to seethem in amore intimate way,and then with alarger crowd.”

While industry professionals alreadyattend FestivalInternational yearly andconductbusiness there, these showcases will be a platform for specifically highlightingFrancophone bands to interestedbuyers.

Doucet said music show-

commerce, Adobe expects U.S. shoppers to spend another $5.5 billionSaturday and $5.9billion on Sunday —beforereaching an estimated $14.2 billion peak on CyberMonday, whichwould markyet another record. Still, rising prices could be contributing to some of those numbers. U.S.President Donald Trump’sbarrageoftariffs on imports have strained businesses and households alike over the last year.And despite spending more overall, Salesforcefound U.S. shoppers purchased fewer items at checkout on Black Friday (down 2% fromlastyear). Order volumes also slipped 1%, the firm noted, as averageselling prices climbed 7%.

This year’sholiday spending rush arrives amid heightened economic uncertainty for consumers. Beyond tariffs, workers across public and private sectors arealso struggling withanxieties over jobsecurity— amid both corporate layoffs and the after-effects of the43-daygovernment shutdown.

An uptick in budget-conscious behaviorcan also be seen in store traffic. While Sensormatic doesn’t track spending, “we do track consumer footsteps,” Gustafson notes —and “consumers are thinking alittle bitharder abouttheir purchases” this year,heexplains, “to make sure that they’re getting their very best deals.”

For the November-December holidayseason overall, the National Retail Federation estimates U.S

cases are easiertoconduct across borders, as they just requirethat presenters obtaina B-1 visa for temporary business visitors, instead of themuchmore costly “P” visas for entertainers and touring groups, or thedifficult-to-obtain O-1 visa for artists of “extraordinary ability.”Assuch, musicmarkets can’taddress the festival’scurrent booking woes, but they do help build and maintain the international connections that people value Festival Internationalfor

shoppers will spend more than $1 trillion for the first time this year.But the rate of growth is slowing —with an anticipated increase of 3.7% to 4.2% year over year, compared to 4.3% in 2024’s holiday season. At the same time, credit card debt and delinquencies on other short-termloans havebeen rising.And more and more shoppers are turning to “buy now, pay later” plans, which allows themto delay paymentsonholiday décor,gifts and other items.

FILEPHOTO By ROBINMAy

The band Son De Madera, of Mexico, performs at Festival International de Louisiane in downtown Lafayette onApril 24.

Curtis said he had an intense experience while on the psychedelic,which he described as watching someone “weld” his neck back together.The next day, at the Ambio Clinic that offers “psychedelic-assisted treatment,” he tookanother hallucinogenic: DMT

By theend of the trip, he said he felt dramatic improvements to his PTSD and traumaticbrain injury symptoms, whichheheard from others who also traveled to the clinic this spring. He formed anonprofit to help Louisiana veterans accessthe same treatment. And by October,hetolda state Senate task force about his experience.

“You get anew lease on life you neverhad before,” Curtis said.

“There’sso much peace and tranquillity associated with it, it’shard to even describe.”

An unlikely coalition of veterans, former professional athletes and government officials, including former Texas Gov.Rick Perry, have pushed for access to psychedelics like ibogaine The movement recently culminated in Texas lawmakers setting aside $50 million to study the drug,inhopes of receiving approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for use to treat addiction and other ailments.

Now,Louisiana maybe next in line.

Earlier this year,state Sen. PatrickMcMath,RCovington, formed atask force to explore “alternative therapies” for veterans. At a meeting last month, Curtis and ahost of other combat veterans told lawmakers that ibogaine and other psychedelics gave them results that traditional pharmaceuticals never did.

Some concerns about the drugs remain. Academic researchers in a2024 study warned that ibogainerequires “careful patient screening and monitoring because of significant safety issues.” They said that while studies show “promising” findings, ibogaine carried potential for heart damage and poor reactions with other drugs, particularly with opioids.

And another 2021 review of studies involving ibogaine found that while the drug showed beneficial impacts on trauma-related psychological problemsand sub-

stance use disorders, data also showed somesevere medical complications and deathassociatedwith its use. Researchers arestudyingwhether administering magnesium alongside ibogaine can stem the heart problems, but many say more research is needed.

The Louisiana Legislature could debate the topic as soon as next spring,deciding whether to join agrowing list of states that arefunding research on psychedelics or otherwiseexpanding access to arange of drugs,includingpsilocybinand MDMA, commonly knownasecstasy Researchers at LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport arealready running trials to see ifpsilocybin, ahallucinogen found in certain mushrooms, can treat methamphetamine addiction It took yearsofadvocacy before theRepublican-dominated Legislature agreed to setupa medical marijuana program.Advocatesfor psychedelic treatments acknowledge that expanding access to those therapies maysimilarly facealong road to becomingreality.

“I knowit’snot going to be an easy pull to get it across thefinishline,” Curtissaid in an interview.“I’dlike to seesome typeoflegislation comein, at least for trials.”

‘Verypromising’

Ibogaine advocacy took offinthe United States after Howard Lotsof, then 19, ingested it in 1962 while trying to get high.He’d been living in New York andaddicted to

heroin, and reported an experiencesopowerful he said it cured his addiction. He spent therest of his life trying to expand access to the drug as amedical treatment.

Butwhile thefederal government at onepoint approvedits use in clinical trials in the1990s,ibogaine has not becomewidespread. The potential for heart issues hasled to alack of studies on its use. Ahandful of people have died over the years from cardiacproblems brought on by the drug.

“It was looking very promising as apossible therapeutic,” said Jennifer Mitchell, aneurology professor at the University of San Francisco and an expert on psychedelics. “It’sjust every once in awhile, you’d have adeath.”

Psychedelicshaveshown “incredible”efficacy,Mitchell said, but thefederal government has hesitated to approve them for clinical use.

The U.S. classifies ibogaine as aSchedule Inarcotic, meaning it has no medicinal value and is in the same categoryasheroin. That label hasalsolimited clinical trials on it.

In arecent Stanford Universityobservational study, researchers monitored patients at Ambio, theclinic in Mexicowhere Curtiswent. The study’sauthorsreported dramatic improvements in the patients, while suggesting magnesium administered alongside ibogaine could help prevent heart arrhythmia concerns.

While the federal government hasn’tembraced psy-

chedelics, some states have.

And Mitchell said they’ve largely been left aloneby thefeds when it comes to studying and even opening access to certain drugs. In the case of ibogaine, Mitchell said the Stanford study was encouraging, but the drug needs moretrialswhere participants are screenedortreated forcardiac issues.

“This is aremarkably bipartisan issue,” she said. “Both sides seem to be into this ideathatthere should

McMath said.

Psilocybin,inparticular, may face fewer hurdlesto access in Louisiana.

That’sbecause researchers are already studying the drug in trials at LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport.

Researchers there have recruited study participants from addiction treatment centers in theregion. The participants, who are addicted to methamphetamine, go through aseries of screenings before entering adosing room andtaking a25mgdoseofpsilocybin, sourcedfrommanufacturers in Canada.

Dr.Kevin Murnane, who is leading the study,said three participants are currently enrolled, and he aims to enroll 10 to 20 in the coming months as apilot phase.

Eventually,heplans to expand to a100-person clinical trial.

“It’svery early in theprocess,” Murnane said. “But very early results are incredibly encouraging.”

LSUHealthisamong many research institutions studying psychedelics. Researchers all over the country have conducted ahost of clinical trials on the drugs, many of them with encouraging results.

Murnane said he’s especially interestedinthe potentialfor psychedelics to help people addicted to meth, whichisagrowing

problem in Shreveport, where his labfound meth is ubiquitous in wastewater Meanwhile,ibogaine faces significantbarriers to federal approval because of the heartrisks, Murnane said. And while morestudy is needed, Murnane said early indications arethatpsilocybin may offer similar results without the cardiac risk.

Last year,psychedelic proponents were hopeful the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was finally preparedtoapprove MDMA as atreatment for PTSD, which would have been alandmark momentinexpanding access to the drug.

But the FDA, in something of asurprise, decided not to approve the drug, citing problems with the ability to have alegitimate placebo groupand conflicts of interest, among other things. Murnane said there are legitimateconcernsaround approval of such drugs. It canbedifficult to conducta truly double-blind study because it is difficult to simulate the drug’seffects on a placebo group. But given the crisis faced by many veterans, he questioned whetheritmatters if positive results from the drug are placebo effects or not.

“Many veterans are not getting theirmental health needs met,” he said. “We have to find away to do that.”

STAFF PHOTO By JILLPICKETT

Germanfar-right partysetsupnew youthwing

Protesters convergedon westerncity of Giessen

BY DANIEL NIEMANN and GEIR MOULSON Associated Press

GIESSEN, Germany— Aconfi-

dent far-right Alternative for Germany set up its new youth organization on Saturday even as thousands of protesters converged on the western city of Giessen, where the party held its meeting, some of them clashing with police.

Aconvention of the antiimmigrationparty,known by its German acronym AfD, started more than two hours late after groups of protesters blocked or tried to block roads in and around the city of around 93,000, delaying many delegates’ arrival

Officers used pepper spray after stones were thrownat them at one location, police said. They also used water cannonstoclear ablockade by about 2,000 protesters after they ignored calls to leave. They did so again Saturday afternoon as agroup tried to breakthrough barriers toward the city’sconvention center Police said up to 5,000 officers were deployed. They put the total number of demonstrators at more than 25,000 andsaidthata largepartof the various protests went peacefully. They said they knew of 10 slightly injured officers.

AfD’sleaders assailed the protests as the meeting

BEEF

Continued from page1A

can manageitfrom your laptop.”

The researchers are experimentingwith artificial intelligence and health monitoring technology to improve calf nutrition and empower consumers to know more abouttheir food.

So far,SUN Beef provides steaks, roasts andground beef for the university cafeteria, with plans to eventually sell beef products locally

Students get involved in the project by helping raise the cattle. Clyde Bagley,the Ag Center’svice chancellor of research, saidhealso would like to start processing the beef at Southern’s meat plant when renovations are complete.

“You eat our beef in the Southern University cafeteria, that’s the farthest it’s ever been from its mama,” Bagley said.

In addition to medical information gleaned from the sensor placed in the cows’ stomachs, the scientists track the cattle’slocations with ageotag and employ AI to analyzedifferent camera angles and estimate their weight. About 80 animals are con-

alternativefor Germany’snew youth organization is set to kick offits founding convention.

opened. “What is being done outthere —dear left-wingers, dear extremists, you needto look at yourselves —issomething thatis deeplyundemocratic,”party co-leaderAlice Weidelsaid.

She said that one AfDlawmaker was attacked.Police saidthat alawmakerhad been injurednearGiessen but didn’tgive details

Generation Germany

Thenew youth organization’spredecessor,the Young Alternative,alargely autonomous groupwith relatively loose links to theparty,was dissolvedatthe end of March afterAfD decided to formally cut tieswith it.

AfD wants to have much closer oversight over the newgroup,namedGeneration Germanyand open to all party members under 36, whose statute wasapproved Saturday.

AfD finished second in

Germany’snational election in February with over 20% of the vote and is now thebiggestopposition party

The party,with whichmainstream parties refuse to work,has continuedtorisein polls as Chancellor Friedrich Merz’scoalition government has failed to impress voters.

Germany’sdomestic intelligence agency had concluded that theYoung Alternative was aprovenrightwing extremistgroup. It later classified AfD itself as such agroup, but suspended thedesignation after AfD launched alegal challenge. In aruling last year rejecting acall for an injunction against the Young Alternative designation, aCologne court argued thatpreserving an ethnically defined German people and the exclusion if possible of the“ethnically foreign” was acentral political idea of the group. It also pointed to agitation

Acalf stands in a field withcowsthat are grazing at the SouthernUniversity Agricultural Station in Baton Rougeon Monday.

sidered SUN Beef cows, Bagley said.

“The No. 1factor that’s related to beef tenderness is age,”Bagley said.“Because we do such agood job raising them, these calves are being harvested at 14 months of age.”

The data collected also gives researchersa window into stress factors, Bagley said. Acalf that runs fast out of the chuteindicates distress, which translates to lower weight and less tendermeat

“Weknow when to look

for those kind of things and try to reduce those stress factors,” Bagley said.

Critical to SUN Beef is theall-naturallabel, which meansthe cows are locally raisedand are hormoneand antibiotic-free, Bagley said. He envisionsshoppers scanning aQRcode at the grocery store to learn about thesource of theirbeef, down to thehealth data for aspecific cow

“Everybody wants to knowmore aboutwhere theirthingsare coming from,” Bagley said. “The

againstmigrantsand asylum-seekers, andlinks with extremistgroups suchasthe Identitarian Movement. In June, ahighercourt ended the appeal process, noting thatthe Young Alternative had been dissolved.

AfD’sotherco-leader,Tino Chrupalla, saidthe party must learnfrom pastmistakes.

“Some benefitedfrom the young, from theirability to mobilize, but didn’t have the well-being and future of this youth sufficiently in sight,” he said.“We should have taken more care of the young new hopes in our party;itwill be different in thefuture.” He addedthatthe young activists must“put themselves at the party’sservice.”

Anti-establishment force It’stypical for German partiestohaveyouth wings, whichare generallymore politically radical than the parent parties. It remains to be seen whetherthe new AfD youthorganization will be more moderate than its predecessor,withsignificant continuity expected.

Jean-Pascal Hohm,a 28-year-old state lawmaker from the eastern region of Brandenburg, waselected unopposedasGeneration Germany’sleader.Hetold delegates he hadbeen the “proud chairman” of the Young Alternative in his home state. Hohm is considered aright-wing extremist by the regional branch of the domestic intelligence agency,adesignation he rejects as politically motivated, German news agency dpareported.

nice thingabout it is if you know that Iwas aproducer, it makesmemore sensitive, becauseIonly want to produce good stuff if you’re going to know my name and where my farm is. There’s alot of good parts to allof this.”

Kevin Dorow,a delegate from northernGermany, saidhealsowas previously active in hislocal YoungAlternative branch. “The newformation means aboveall continuing what the Young Alternative started being atraining ground, attracting young people and aboveall bringing theminto politicsfor the good of the party,” in which they could take on offices at some point, he said.Hesaidhehadn’t seenany “drift in aradical

direction” in the Young Alternative. AfD portrays itself as an anti-establishment forceat atime of lowtrust in politicians. It first enteredthe national parliamentin2017 following the arrival of large numbers of migrants in the mid-2010s. Curbing migration remains its signature theme, but it has shown atalent forcapitalizing on discontent about other issues too. That was reflected in leaders’ confident tone Saturday

ASSOCIATEDPRESS PHOTO By BORIS ROESSLER Police officers and demonstrators clashinGiessen,Germany, on Saturdayasthe far-right

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

La.seniors should bracefor higher Medicare costs

WASHINGTON Soaring health care costs willbetop of the agenda when Congress returnsto work Monday afternoon aftera weeklong Thanksgiving holiday Lawmakers will mostly be trying to find some path to avoid doubling insurance premiumsinthe AffordableCare Act marketplace for 24.3 million working Americans, 292,994 of whom live in Louisiana. The extended credits expire on Dec. 31. Republicanswant to revamp Obamacare, which they claim has failed to lower health care costs. Democrats favor extending tax creditsthat help low-income workersand small businesses pay for insurance before wading into needed fixes.

Meanwhile, workerswho buy their insurance through their employers are likelytosee their 2026 policy costs climb by about 7%, according to most reports. One rising healthcare cost that apparentlyisnot receivingattention is the coverage relied upon by almost everyone older than65, and some people withdisabilities. Last week, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services announced that the cost of Medicare premiums would increase by 9.7% in 2026 for 67.6 million beneficiaries —949,495 of whom live in Louisiana.

This year’sMedicare openenrollment period continues through Dec. 7, and the data suggestsLouisiana’s seniorswill face steep challenges paying those increased costs.

Standard Medicare Part B, which covers outpatient and phy-

Bill Cassidyquestioned about RFK Jr.’sactions

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidyhas spent the last week on the political media circuit hawking hishealth care proposal.

sician services, will cost $17.90 more in 2026, rising to $202.90 per month. Thedeductible Part Bbeneficiariespay before benefits kick in is increasing to $283, which is $26 more. CMS blamesinflation and increased demandfor medical services. Health carecosts Americansabout8%more in 2024 than the previous year,the federal datashows. Increases in Medicare premiums, which help fund theentitlement’s expenses, are not new —it hashappened just about every year sincethe beginningin1970 when manyoftoday’sseniors begantheirworking life and started contributingtoSocial Security and Medicare. Part Bthen cost $4

amonth.

Annual increases are so common that few Louisiana elected officials and senior advocates would venture apublic comment

This year’sprice hike is noteworthy because 2026 will be the second-largest annual spike in history,and the biggest since 2016. For seniors, mostofwhom live on fixed retirement incomes, this year’shigher costs will significantly cut into the annual cost of living adjustment, called COLA, that better aligns Social Security benefitswith inflation. PartBincreases will turn the$56 average monthly COLA increase for 2026 to $38.10. About 7million people last

year spent 10% of theirincome on Medicare Part Bpremiums, reported KFF, aSan Franciscobased health care policy analysis group begun by the Kaiser shipbuilding family in 1947, but independent of the Kaiser Family Foundation’s holdings since 1985. The increased costs forMedicare premiumsand higher deductibles effectively lowers theannual COLA way below the current inflation rate, putting a financial strainonthe elderly, particularlythose with low and middle incomes, KFFsays. It will hit Louisiana seniors harder

About 14.2% of the state’spopulation over the age of 65 —the national averageis10% —lives in

poverty,making less than $21,150 annually foracouple, according to America’sHealth Rankings, areport compiled by the United Health Foundation, aprivate health care study group based in Minnesota and associated with the insurance giant, UnitedHealth Group Inc.

As manyas6%ofLouisiana adults older than 65 simply went without medical care because of the cost, according to the 2025 State Medicare Scorecard released in October.That is the highest rate in country and nearly four times morethan the 1.6% in Vermont.

That report card is published by the Commonwealth Fund, a NewYork City-based foundation that studies health care and supports manyhospitals and medical schools. The Commonwealth Fund was formed in 1918 by principal investors in what then wascalled Standard Oil of New Jersey

Millions of seniors in 2026 will struggle to payfor food, transportationand utilities, according to National CommitteetoPreserve Social Security and Medicare. NCPSSM is aWashingtonbasedadvocacy group founded in 1982 by thenU.S. Rep. James Roosevelt, D-N.Y., the eldest son of Franklin andEleanor Roosevelt.

“An almost $18 premium increase may not sound huge on paper,but forpeople on fixed incomes, it’sabig chunk of their limited budgets,” Anne Montgomery,NCPSSM health policy analyst, said in ablog. “This premium jumpwill really pinch older Americans where it hurts.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate.com.

But reporters are taking the opportunity to question Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, about his reaction to recent actions of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr As chair of the Senate Health Education Labor & Pensions committee, Cassidy helped confirm Kennedy, aprominent opponentofvaccinations. He did so based on aseries of promises —several of which RFK Jr.has failed to fulfill. Agastroenterologist, Cassidy strongly supports vaccines. Cassidy didn’tcall out Kennedy or even mention his name when the nation’shealth chief canceled $500 million in fundingtodevelop mRNAvaccines or when Kennedy ruled only the elderly and people at high risk should get the COVID vaccine. Whenever asked about Kennedy straying from of his pledgesnot to undermine vaccinations, Cassidy advocates parents and patients consult with their physicianabout the need for aparticular vaccine.

The latestoath that went sidewayswas theCenters for Disease Controland Prevention, which is part of Kennedy’sDepartment of Health& Human Services. The CDC lastweekposted on its website that despite well-established science,vaccines might cause autism.

“Helied to you,” CNN’sJake TappersaidSundayto

Cassidy

“You want meto be on the record saying something negative,” Cassidy responded. “I don’tthink the tit for tat is what peopleare allabout.”

Cassidy told POLITICO: “Vaccines have no role with autism.”

Cassidy wrote on X: “Weneed to understand the real causes of autism. Studies show there’sagenetic predisposition when amom who’s pregnant is exposedtoenvironmental toxins whichcan increase achild’sriskofautism. It’sdeeply troubling that, according to HHS officials, they appeared to have canceledhundreds of millions in research on autism genetics. Redirecting attentiontofactorswe definitely knowDONOT causeautism deniesfamiliesthe answers

theydeserve.”

On Tuesday,the healthdepartment tapped Louisiana Surgeon General Ralph Abrahamtobethe CDC’ssecond-highestranking official. Aformer congressmanand gubernatorial candidate, Abraham forbade theLouisiana Department of Health from promoting vaccinations and has said he’d support investigating thelink between vaccines and autism Cassidy noted Wednesday that he’sknown Abraham for along time.

“I am hopeful that thetwo of us as doctors can continue to engage in science-based conversations to protect children, including vaccinating children to prevent measles, whooping cough and hepatitis,” Cassidy said.

Garret Graves co-chairs newAIindustry group

Former Baton Rouge U.S. Rep. GarretGravesisco-chair of a newly launched AI Infrastructure Coalition.

AIIC is pushing artificial intelligence policies and supporting President Donald Trump’sAIActionPlan.

Released in July,Trump’splan is aroad map of targeted incentives and streamlined regulations to help build the emerging industry around computerslearning and performing tasks on their own without specifically being pro-

grammed by humans.

“America faces acritical choice: win the AI race against China and reap the rewards —orallow China to exportthe technology of the future,” Gravessaid in astatement withco-chair formerArizona U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema. “Victory demands an all-hands effort to securethe energy and regulatory environment needed for continued prosperity.”

ensure that we can power (data centers) in away that’sreliable and affordable.”

Meta is building a$10 billion artificial intelligence data center on 2,250-acres of Richland Parish. Project Hyperion is expected to create about 500 well-paying jobs in the northeast Louisiana region, where more than half the population struggles to afford basic necessities.

The Coalition’s membersare companies from semiconductor manufacturers, datacenter operators, developers and other aspects needed to cultivate artificial intelligence. The idea is for the companies to work together to shape the future of AI policy Entergy,ExxonMobil are part of the group as is Google and Meta.

AIIC also aimstorespond to growing criticism about how the nascent AI industry is being formed.

Twodays after the group’s launch at an exclusive soiree near the White House, Graves was on FoxNews saying: “The Trump administration is exactly right. They have put an AI Czar in place, they’ve got executive orders in place, and are aggressively pursuing areversal of the flawed Biden administration energy policies to

But the effort also has drawn sharp questions.

To attract the project, Louisiana legislators reworked tax incentives without producing an official cost estimate. Entergy is building new electricity generators to service the facility,for which all its utility customers will be expected to pay

During his decade representing south Baton Rouge and environs, Graves developed areputation for getting in the weeds of complex issues. AWhite Republican, he stepped down in January after choosing not to run for reelection in 2024.

The Louisiana Legislature chose to redraw his 6th Congressional Districtwith amajority of Black voters who tend to favor Democratic candidates.

The U.S. Supreme Court is considering whetherthe Legislature’s redistricting complied with the Constitution. The high court will decide the redistricting case by June.

Pope visits Istanbul’s Blue Mosque without praying

BY NICOLE WINFIELD, ANDREW WILKS and SUZAN FRASER Associated Press

ISTANBUL, Turkey

Pope Leo

XIV visited Istanbul’s iconic Blue Mosque on Saturday but didn’t stop to pray, as he focused more on bolstering ties with Orthodox patriarchs and promoting courageous steps for Eastern and Western churches to be united.

Leo took his shoes off and, in his white socks, toured the 17th-century mosque, looking up at its soaring tiled domes and the Arabic inscriptions on its columns as an imam pointed them out to him.

The Vatican had said Leo would observe a “brief moment of silent prayer” in the mosque, but he didn’t. An imam of the mosque, Asgin Tunca, said he had invited Leo to pray, since the mosque was “Allah’s house,” but the pope declined.

Later, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said: “The pope experienced his visit to the mosque in silence, in

a spirit of contemplation and listening, with deep respect for the place and the faith of those who gather there in prayer.”

Leo, history’s first American pope, was following in the footsteps of his recent predecessors, who all made high-profile visits to the Sultan Ahmed Mosque, as it is officially known, in a gesture of respect to Turkey’s Muslim majority

Site visits raise questions

But the visits have always raised questions about whether the pope would pray in the Muslim house of worship, or at the very least pause to gather thoughts in a meditative silence.

When Pope Benedict XVI visited Turkey in 2006, tensions were high because Benedict had offended many in the Muslim world a few months earlier with a speech in Regensburg, Germany that was widely interpreted as linking Islam and violence.

The Vatican added a visit to the Blue Mosque at the last minute in a bid to reach

out to Muslims. He observed a moment of silent prayer, head bowed, as the imam prayed next to him, facing east.

Benedict later thanked him “for this moment of prayer” for what was only the second time a pope had visited a mosque, after St John Paul II visited one briefly in Syria in 2001.

There were no doubts in 2014 when Pope Francis visited the Blue Mosque: He stood for two minutes of silent prayer facing east, his head bowed, eyes closed and hands clasped in front of him. The Grand Mufti of Istanbul, Rahmi Yaran, told the pope afterwards, “May God accept it.”

With Leo, though, even the Vatican seemed caught off guard by his decision not to pray The Holy See had to correct the official record of the visit after it originally kept the planned reference to him pausing for prayer

Speaking to reporters after the visit, the imam Tunca said he had told the pope: “It’s not my house, not your house, (it’s the) house

Tom Stoppard, playwright who won Oscar for ‘Shakespeare in Love,’ dies

BY JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON British play-

wright Tom Stoppard, a playful probing dramatist who won an Academy Award for the screenplay for 1998’s “Shakespeare in Love,” has died. He was 88. In a statement Saturday, United Agents said the Czech-born Stoppard — often hailed as the greatest British playwright of his generation — died “peacefully” at his home in Dorset in southwest England, surrounded by his family.

“He will be remembered for his works, for their brilliance and humanity, and for his wit, his irreverence, his generosity of spirit and his profound love of the English language,” they said. “It was an honor to work with Tom and to know him.”

Brain-teasing plays

Over a six-decade career, Stoppard’s brain-teasing plays for theater, radio and screen ranged from Shakespeare and science to philosophy and the historic tragedies of the 20th century Five of them won Tony Awards for best play: “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead” in 1968; “Travesties” in 1976; “The Real Thing” in 1984; “The Coast of Utopia” in 2007; and “Leopoldstadt” in 2023.

Stoppard biographer Hermione Lee said the secret of his plays was their “mixture of language, knowledge and feeling. It’s those three things in gear together which make him so remarkable.”

The writer was born Tomás Sträussler in 1937 to a Jewish family in Zlín in what was then Czechoslovakia. His father was a doctor for the Bata shoe company, and when Nazi Germany invaded in 1939 the family fled to Singapore, where Bata had a factory In late 1941, as Japanese forces closed in on the city state, Tomas, his brother and their mother fled again, this time to India. His father stayed behind and later died when his ship was attacked In 1946 his mother married an English officer, Kenneth

Stoppard, and the family moved to threadbare postwar Britain.

Tragedy and humor

He wrote plays for radio and television including “A Walk on the Water,” televised in 1963, and made his stage breakthrough with “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” which reimagined Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” from the viewpoint of two hapless minor characters. A mix of tragedy and absurdist humor, it premiered at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1966 and was staged at Britain’s National Theatre, then run by

Laurence Olivier before moving to Broadway

A stream of exuberant, innovative plays followed, including meta-whodunnit “The Real Inspector Hound” (first staged in 1968); “Jumpers” (1972), a blend of physical and philosophical gymnastics, and “Travesties” (1974), which set intellectuals including James Joyce and Vladimir Lenin colliding in Zurich during World War I. Stoppard also had a sideline as a Hollywood script doctor, lending sparkle to the dialogue of movies including “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and the Star Wars film “Revenge of the Sith.”

of Allah.” He said he invited Leo to worship “But he said, ‘That’s OK.’” “He wanted to see the mosque, wanted to feel (the) atmosphere of the mosque I think. And was very pleased,” he said.

Declaration on Easter talks In the afternoon, Leo prayed with the spiritual leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Patriarch Bartholomew, at the patriarchal church of Saint George. There, they prayed the doxology, a hymn of praise and glory to God, and signed a joint declaration vowing to take courageous steps on the path to unity including to find a common date for Easter

Eastern and Western churches split in the Great Schism of 1054, a divide precipitated largely by disagreements over the pri-

macy of the pope. While ties have warmed, they remain divided and other schisms have formed.

“It is our shared desire to continue the process of exploring a possible solution for celebrating together the Feast of Feasts every year,” the joint statement said, referring to Easter

The Vatican said in his remarks to the patriarchs gathered Leo pointed to the next Holy Year to be celebrated by Christians, in 2033 on the anniversary of Christ’s crucifixion, and invited them to go to Jerusalem on “a journey that leads to full unity.”

Leo’s final event was a Catholic Mass in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena for the country’s Catholic community, who number 33,000 in a country of more than 85 million people, most of whom are Sunni Muslim.

Renato Marai was among a group of 26 visitors from Florence, Italy, who traveled to Istanbul to see the pope.

“It’s wonderful to see him on his first foreign trip, a really important moment for our group,” he said.

Tarcin Unlu, meanwhile, was among many Turkish attendees, a recent convert to Christianity from Islam.

“I became Christian because I thought it was the best religion for me but my family is definitely not happy,” Unlu said.

Her friend, Rodrick Nuel, originally from Nigeria’s Biafra region but now living in northern Cyprus, said the papal visit sent a “a powerful message for the global Christian community.”

“Also, as Turkey is 99.9% Muslim and just 0.1% Christian, it shows the pope is reaching out to other religions as well,” he added.

PelicanCreditUnionmarkedamilestoneonNovember 20,2025,asleaders,members,andlongtimesupporters gathered in Downtown BatonRouge to celebratethe grandopening of thenewly renovatedPostalBranch— thefirstlocationtoproudly showcase Pelican’sfully refreshedbrandidentity.Theribbon-cuttingceremony honoredboththe branch’s legacy andthe evolutionof Pelicanasitcontinues to grow,innovate, andserve communitiesacrossLouisiana ABranchwithDeepRoots andaBrightFuture PostalCreditUnionofBatonRougewasestablished in 1931 andholds thetitle as thefirstcreditunion to servethe BatonRouge community. Whilethe branch is nowenteringanew eraunder Pelican’sumbrella, its name andheritageremainintentionally preserved. “It’simportant for us to keep pieces of whowe areand ouridentityaswemoveforward,” said Jeff Conrad,Chief ExecutiveOfficerofPelican Credit Union. “Wenever want to become an institutionso largethatweforgetour roots.

Acommemorative photocollage of thePostal Credit Unionisondisplay in thebuilding’smain lobby, alongwithanAmericanflag that wasgifted to thecreditunion in 2003 by Hewitt Townsend,a formerPresident of theBoard of Directors. ANew Look foraCreditUnion in Motion

ThePostalBranchisalsothe very first Pelican location to fullydebut theorganization’snew logo andbrand colors.Pelican takesanintentional and active approach to creating positive impact in the communitiesofLouisiana andlooks forwardto servingunder abannerthatresonates with thecredit union’sdynamic spirit

“Our previous logo showed abirdperched,but being themoversand shakersthatweare,werecognize a pelicaninflight is much more representative of our personalityand whereweare going,”saidLeigh Porta, Chief Growth Officer. Technology,Convenience &the HumanTouch

In addition to beautifulnew interiors, thePostal Branch offersBaton Rougemembers thesameup-todate accesstotechnologythatPelican provides statewide—includingonlinebanking,the MyPelican mobile app, andITMs(InteractiveTellerMachines) whichextendbranchservice hours. Keepingatthe forefrontofmodernconvenience is paramountfor Pelicanbut so is preserving genuine humanconnection.

“Ifit’s2AM andyou want to transfer moneyto your grandchild,you candothat. Butifyou want to come into abranchand greetour beautifulpeople, you canstill do that,” Conrad said.“We also have acall center where youcan call andreach astaff member.”

ForPelican andits members, thesechanges are welcomed with open arms.Asthe wheelofprogress turns, credit unions like Pelicanunderstandthe value of theservice they provideand adapttofitthe needs of thecommunity.Creditunionsare member-owned not-for-profitfinancialinstitutionsand areled by an

electedBoard of Directorswho volunteertoserve theirfellowmembers

“Nothingismorerewarding than hearingthe Postal Credit Union’sBoard of Directorssay this hasbeena positive change andthatthe members andemployees arehappy,” said Porta. “That’sthe wholepoint—topreserveservice to themembers.” ACreditUnion CommittedtoLouisiana With 19 branches across thestate—and more to come—Pelican’s leadersemphasized that this launch is anotherstepinamuchlargervision.

“Our goal is to servethe entire stateofLouisiana,” said Porta. “Every newbranch, everynew parish everynew relationship is just astepinthatdirection.” PelicanwelcomesbothlongtimePostalmembers andnew faces to experience thebeautifully updated space, thecomfortingfamiliarity of itsstaff,and the expanded benefitsavailable

Andofcourse, thenew Postal Branch also shares in thebelovedPelicantraditionofhavingcomplimentary hotcoffee available everyday,withthe additional treat of freshlybaked chocolatechipcookies on Fridays. Thelobby is open from 8:30AM to 4:30PM,Monday throughFriday.

“We’re here, we’reopen, please come checkitout,” said Porta, welcomingall to stop by Formoreinformation on PelicanCreditUnion, visit: www.pelicancu.com

Earlyeducation centersstruggling

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO Staff writer

Rochelle Wilcox has long touted theimportance of early childhood education.

Anearly 30-year veteran in the industry,Wilcox opened herfirst day care inside her house in New Orleans’ Lower9th Ward in 2004. After Hurricane Katrina devastated the city,her husbandused his retirement savings to finance anew center, which the couple opened in New Orleans’ Gentilly neighborhood ayear later under the name Wilcox Academy

Since then, Wilcox has managed to open two more day care centers in the areafor children as young as 2months and afterschoolcare to kids up to 10 years

The expansion is ararefeat in Louisiana, which has seen the number of child care options for local communities dwindle in recent years.

The majority of the state’s child care centers face afinancial crisis,with nearly8in10providers saying in arecent survey that they are unsure if they can keep their doors openfor the nextsix months, according to arecent report by the Louisiana Policy Institutefor Children. Most pointed to arapid rise in insurance and supply costs as the reason why.

Wilcox says her own premiums have more than tripled in just a few years, forcing her to reduce the maximum pay she offers her most experienced staff.

“Centers are closing,” said Wilcox, who co-foundedFor Provid-

ers By Providers, which supports andadvocates for early education providers. “Parents arenot gettingwhatthey need and our children are not entering school prepared.”

To ease theburden on providers, Wilcox argues,Louisiana must direct more state funding to early childhood education. That would help providers hire more workers, raise salaries and expand the number of children they can serve, she said The Advocate|The Times-Picayune recently spoke with Wilcox aboutwhy affordable early child care is vital for families and how to better supportproviders.

Thisinterviewhas been edited and condensed for clarity

Whyisearly educationsoimportant for young children?

Early care and education is about social emotional learning and skills. You’re giving them the

tools,the language they need to managetheir feelings. You’re reacting to what they need socially as well as academically

It’simportantthat when kids get to K-12 (schools), they’re good citizens. They understand boundaries. They can talk and tell somebody when they’re frustrated. They can be advocates for themselves instead of using their hands because they don’thave the words to articulate how they’re feeling.

Providers can also let parents know if their children aren’t meetingtheir milestones.Wecan catch it early,and early intervention is key.The earlier we get them that intervention, theless likely they are to need it when they get to K-12. Sometimes akid is behind but it isn’tcaught until they’re in kindergarten, and at that point, theintervention they need can take longer

What are the biggest challenges you’re currently facing as an early education provider?

(Ourcenters) used to pay $16$25 an hour,but we had to lower that to $16-$23 an hour because we just can’tafford it, mostly because our insurance has tripled. Across our three early learning centers, our general liability insurance alone went from about $6,700 ayear to $21,000. It’sunmanageable.

In New Orleans, we’re blessed because there are several public funding sources, including amillage tax (passed in 2022) that generates about $21 million annually for early childhood education. We’realso part of the Early Head

Start program (federally funded early education forchildren under 3from low-income families), and we take private pay,soI’m able to make it work by using all of that funding to subsidize thethings we need inside of our centers.

Other parishes don’thave that kind of funding. There are some that literally just survive on privatepay and Child Care Assistance (a state program that helps low-income parents pay forchild care).

How are earlyeducationproviders being impactedbyrising costs?

What we’re seeing is that providers are not paying themselves. They’re paying their staff, then they’re trying to pay all of their bills. If there’sanything left, then they’ll take maybe an owner’s draw or asmallstipend forthemselves.

Isay all the time, “What business do you go into that you are expected to still live in poverty?”

Most of our providers across thestate are living in poverty because they see the need in the community and wanttohelp. They know this is about brain development. They know this is somethingthat’sgoing to get our economy working, yet nobody respectsthat.

Whyisstate funding forearly education so crucial?

There arecenters that are struggling because they can’t charge families what they need to because families can’tafford it.

The true cost of care foran infant is about $20,000 ayear Sometimes it’seven morethan

what it would cost forasemester in college. But on average, we can’tcharge that. We might charge $12,000 ayear or $10,000 or $8,000, but you can’trun an early learning center off those margins.

Child care, in someinstances, can be over 50% of aparent’ssalary.It’sone of the highest expenses forafamily.And so, without financial help, parents have to decide: Do Istay homeand educate my little person, or do Igoback to work and see half my salary taken by child care?

What can be done to ease the burden on child care centers?

We need money.Iwould love to see us funded the way K-12 is funded. Iwould love to see early care and education treated like a right at birth. If you want, if you need, you should be able to send your little person to your neighborhood early learning center

It takes alot of work to do what early learning teachers do, and yet Louisiana is paying our early child care teachers an average of $9.77.

At Wilcox, we start our teachers at $16 and go up to $23 an hour.Weofferbenefits.

Rochelle Wilcox

THE GULF COAST

LIGHTING UP THE NIGHT

Mississippi Coast’s largest Christmas lights display opens for business

BY POET WOLFE Staff writer

The day after Thanksgiving, nearly 2 million lights will illuminate Gulfport’s Jones Park and its nearby harbor in a show billed as Mississippi’s largest holiday display

The annual Harbor Lights Winter Festival runs through Dec. 31, closing only on Christmas Eve, with hours from 5:30 to 10:30 p.m.

Launched in 2015, the event has grown in both scale and attendance, reflecting the Mississippi Gulf Coast’s broader tourism boom in recent years And this year, the city is expecting even larger crowds, especially now that Gulfport the state’s second largest city — is one of five stops along the Amtrak Mardi Gras Line that debuted this summer

The festival has long drawn in locals and tourists from nearby cities like New Orleans, about a 90-minute drive away But in recent years, it’s attracted visitors from as far as northern Mississippi and Mobile, Alabama, according to Ravin Floyd Nettles, the community and marketing manager for the City of Gulfport.

“It’s an attraction not only for Gulfport, but for the entire Coast,” Nettles said, “Families really just taking the opportunity, especially on a weekend, with kids to come and celebrate that Christmas magic.

Since October, the city has been building out the display, filling Jones Park with glittering red and green tunnels, a new light figure shaped like a crab, a massive glowing ornament and “dancing”

Christmas trees that move in sync to holiday music. There will also be carnival rides, warming booths and food and beverages made by local vendors, including a pizzeria, a mobile coffee bar and a candy shop.

The event plays a significant role in the local tourism economy, draw-

ing visitors to boutique hotels and downtown restaurants, as well as other seasonal attractions at the Mississippi Aquarium and TrainTastic, a train museum, in Gulfport.

“There’s just things for everybody to do to enjoy,” Nettles said, “And let that little magic go throughout the night after you leave the festival as well.”

Because of its regional draw she recommends visiting Monday through Thursday to ease parking headaches and to bypass the long lines of children waiting to meet Santa.

Free parking is available at the Coast Transit Authority parking garage, where shuttles will take guests to and from the show every 15 to 30 minutes at no cost. Tickets must be reserved online. Admission is $15 for adults on weekdays and during the week after Christmas; $5 for children ages of 4 and 12; and free for children 3 and under Adult tickets cost $20 on Fridays and Saturdays, except after Christmas.

Email Poet Wolfe at poet. wolfe@theadvocate.com.

Two popular Miss. Coast restaurants close for good

BY MARY PEREZ Sun Herald

Two family-run Southern eateries closed this month after years of feeding po-boys and catfish to generations of hungry diners.

“After nearly 35 years of serving the Coast, I have made the difficult decision to close the Deli,”

Rena’s Deli owner Rena Simmons posted on Facebook. Her last day was Nov 20 at the sandwich shop tucked downtown near Biloxi City Hall at 131 Lameuse St.

Thirty minutes away in Jackson County, Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin on Mississippi 57 in Vancleave closed Nov 3. The restaurant moved in 2022 from a small place on Ball Park Road to the big log cabin on the highway, about a 10 minute drive from Ocean Springs.

People in south Mississippi say they want more family restaurants with good, Southern cooking. But keeping them going is a challenge, with new restaurants opening every week to add to the competition and food prices high. Rena’s Deli was open for lunch only Monday through Thursday, and Crazy Sisters was open Thursday through Sunday

Rena’s Deli

It was a hard decision to close, the owners said, and many of their fans stopped in for one last meal and to say goodbye.

Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” Gilich saluted Rena (pronounced Rene) Simmons with a proclamation that spelled out how important her business was to the city

“Rena’s Deli was more than a lunch spot — it was a slice of Biloxi’s story,” he said. “In a city that’s changed and rebuilt time and again, Rena’s Deli remained steady — a reminder that good food, good people and a little Gulf Coast charm never go out of style.” Simmons opened in 1991 and “thought to myself, if I can just make it 10 years, I would be so happy,” she said recently on Face-

book “I would’ve never guessed that my tiny little restaurant would become a Biloxi staple for the next 34½ years.”

More than 100 people replied to her announcement, talking about their favorite sandwich and the red beans and rice special on Monday

“Not only has Rena’s Deli had the best lunch but the most wonderful people,” one person commented.

“It’s simple, it’s small, but a lot of love is shown in this place,” another said.

Rena’s Deli was described as “a word-of-mouth” place with 25 seats and a Biloxi lighthouse mural on the wall in a 2003 Biloxi Sun Herald article.

“My philosophy is quick-andeasy,” the owner said. “We’re here for people in a hurry because most people who work downtown have only a half-hour for lunch. It’s about 50-50 for those who take out and those who eat in.”

Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin

Tara Herrin said she waited too long to increase prices on the menu at Crazy Sisters Catfish Cabin as food costs continued to rise.

“That’s one thing I didn’t want to do. The economy is so bad,” she said, “and I want everyone to be able to afford to come in and enjoy a night out.”

Still, Herrin had to make the “emotional” decision to close as food costs continue to rise.

Herrin is leaving her log cabin eatery behind to focus on her other job.

“ It’s hard to manage a full-time job and the restaurant,” she said. “So I made the decision to close the restaurant.”

The community commented on how the restaurant gave local teens their first jobs and made a difference in their lives. They talked about going to the restaurant after Sunday church, the gumbo and “the best salad bar around.”

“It has been a true blessing serving all of you,” Herrin said.

SUN HERALD PHOTO By HANNAH RUHOFF

The Gulfport Harbor Lights Festival is the largest holiday lights show in Mississippi.

thatforgeourbeliefthatreportingthetruth–forourreaders, forourcity–isaresponsibilitywemustfulfillnomatterthecost.

Lafayette native named Rhodes scholar

JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

For the first time in adecade, the Pelican State has aRhodes scholar.It’sthe latest in alonglist of achievements for Lafayettenative Anil Cacodcar

The Harvard University senior became one of only 32 American students picked forthe prestigious honor,and one of only six to come from Harvard. With that honor comes theonce-ina-lifetime opportunity to study for two years at England’shistoric Oxford University.

Cacodcar’ssuccess isn’tnew

While graduatingfrom the Episocpal School of Acadiana in Broussard in the Class of 2022, he became 1of3Louisianans to be named aU.S. Presidential Scholar

From there, he attended Harvard University,wherehehas interned for the Council on Foreign Relations focusing on global health, economics and development, as well as the chair of the Harvard Public Opinion Project during his junior year.The Public Opinion Project conducts atwicea-year survey on youth attitudes and opinions. The position gave Cacodcar the opportunitytoextensively research young Americans’ attitudes on the 2024 presidential election at atime when the youth vote was seen as being uncharacteristically volatile.

Cacodcar’sinterest in public opinion polling was first sparked during his time growing up in a culturallyblended family in south Louisiana.

“I come from aunique background,” Cacodcar said. “My mom

ä See SCHOLAR, page 2B

Teen charged in Bayou Vista stabbing

A17-year-old from Patterson has been charged with attemptedmurder after astabbing in Bayou Vista, according to police. AmiyaPeveto was arrested at 3:30a.m. Friday on awarrant for the chargesof attempted seconddegree murder, criminal trespassing and possession of marijuana.

CRIME BLOTTER Advocate staff reports

On Thursday adetective was called out to alocal medical facility in reference to astabbing that occurred on Cane RoadinBayouVista, officials said.

Upon arrival, thedetective made contact witha victim who had laceration wounds, authorities said. The detective began an investigation and determined Peveto had come to aresidence,and aconfrontation between the suspect and the victim had occurred. During the incident, the victim received the lacerations from what was believed to be aknife. Peveto was developed as the suspect, and the Patterson Police

STRETCHING into thespotlight

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

Zoosiana recentlywelcomed anew member to the zoo’sever-growing family

On Nov.13, the crew celebrated the birth of Cabrini, afemale baby reticulated giraffe. And she’salready makingwaves, bringing acrowd of curious children and parentstoget aganderatthe long-necked mammal.

Cabrini’sbirth comes about ayear after the Broussardbased zoo introduced two baby pygmy hippos. The hippos,bythe way,are doing great,said Zooisana Director Matt Oldenburg. The baby giraffe is the first of the third generation of giraffesbornatthe zoo andisa daughter of longtime

resident Josie, wholearned she was having agirl after Cabrini’sfather,George, was given apaintbrush and created amakeshift pink gender reveal painting. Cabrini was named after a

30-year crew member,Cabrini Broussard, who goes by Ms. Bea, Oldenburg said. “Tohavemyname carried by suchabeautiful, gentle newadditionisa tributeI will cherish forever,” Broussard

told her team.“It reflects not just my yearshere, but the relationships, the memories andthe sharedcommitment that make this zoo feel like home.”

Cabrini’sbirth wasflawless and required no intervention, said Oldenburg. weighing about 150pounds and standing 6feet, 5inches. Mom and daughterevenshare similar heart-shaped spots on their coats.

“Babyhit every milestone she was expected to hit on time andperfectly,” Oldenburgsaid. “You wantthe baby to stand up within about an hour or two of being born. Shestoodupat90minutes Youwant baby to start nursing within about twohours

Pilotkilled in crash‘went aboveand beyond’

Flight instructor hadbig influence on

BY ANITALEE Sun Herald

on oth-

Skyhawk shewas aboardplunged into

LakePontchartrain. Shehad worked since June 2024 as acontract flight instructor withApollo Flight Training and Aircraft Management, based at Million Air terminal at theGulfport-Biloxi International Airport Dickey and

in

where they were headed, lost track of the Cessna about 4 miles north of the airport. Asearch for the plane wassuspended Wednesday afternoon. It is unclear whether Dickey or the student was piloting the plane because they trade seatsduring training flights.

Thestudent, aNavy Seabee, also had built up aconsiderable numberofhours, said Mark Carastro, Apollo’sowner Dickey movedtoBiloxi to go to workasacontractor at Apollo in June 2024. Herparents also relocated from North CarolinatoBiloxi, said Dickey’s friend andfellowpilotAliceFurr,ofOcean Springs.

STAFFPHOTOSByLESLIE WESTBROOK

Cabrini, an 11-day-old giraffe, shares amoment with her mother,Josie, on MondayatZoosiana in Broussard

Dickey

Guestsvisit the giraffe enclosure.

Cacodcar

N.O.’s Audubondoubles annual membership price

Some decryzoo’s ‘tonedeaf’ statement defending increase

BY CHAD CALDER Staff writer

The Audubon Nature Institute is facing abacklash from some members after doubling the price of its annual membership, which allows families to visit the zoo, the aquarium and other attractions throughout the year Audubon issued astatement on social media Thursday morning defending the increase, whichhad come to light as membersbecame aware of the changes as they showed up on Audubon’s web page for its 15% off holiday sale.

The priceofafamily membership is now $425 for two

adults and two children and $500 for two adults and up to fourchildren.Individual and dual memberships are $125 and $240, respectively and it nowcosts$625 for a krewe membership

Thechanges applyfor gift memberships and take effect upon renewal.

Thepreviouspricingisno longerindicatedonthe site, though members saidthe priceoftheir family memberships doubledwithout notice.

Megan Olsen, who lives in the French Quarter with herhusband and three children, said her family have been membersfor adecade and last paid $247, including taxesand fees,for amembershipthat wouldnow cost $527 with taxes andfees.

Olsensaidher family has prioritized their membership as a“well-loved expense” andused it to bring visiting family and friends to Audubonattractions,

calling it “part of our traditions.”

“The insane price hike is unexpected and their messaging is tonedeaf,” she said. “Better,more highly rated zoos costsignificantly lessand offer straightforward benefits: fair-costaccess to aday at thezoo or aquarium.”

Audubon saidinits statement thatthe increase reflectscurrent economic realities and will improve members’ experience, noting the price has been largely unchanged for adecade.

Audubonsaid criticalexpensesincluding insurance, animal careand nutrition, veterinary care, medical supplies andhabitat maintenance have increased considerably during this time. And memberships cover more than half of animal care costs.

“These changes will help better support operation of ourfacilities andanimal

The

care and will offer more benefits forAudubon members,”the statementsaid.

Commenters to Audubon’s post announcing the changes, while understanding of the costtocare for animals andpay theirkeeper andzoo

staff, were frustrated about the lack of warning and just howsteep theincreaseis.

Somecomplained of high salaries on the upper end of management at Audubon.

One commenter,who said her family would not be re-

newing, notedfamiliesused to be able to have one free guest come withthem, which now costs an extra $100.

“On top of the massive increase in cost,” Olsen agreed,“Audubonisnickeland-diming the addition of a grandparent or babysitter to the tune of an additional $100. It’s outrageous.”

Audubon said thenew membership costpaysfor itself within two visits, though another commenter noted it shouldn’tcost afamily of four that muchtogotothe zoo for asingle visit, “especially in acitywith notoriously low wages.”

Audubon couldn’tbe reached to answer additionalquestions Saturday morning.

Audubon’smemberships provide free year-round admittance to the zoo, the Audubon Aquarium and Audubon Insectarium,plus access to morethan 30 member-exclusive events.

Manallegedly attacked for raping relative of thearraigned

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

Twoexecutives of Smitty’s Supply plant were recently arraigned with two other men for a2024 incident

SCHOLAR

Continued from page1B

is Lithuanian and my dad split time between Mozambique and India growing up. That led to me asking myself abouthow Ifit into my community.The culture we’re brought up in defines so much about how we think, and because mine was so different, that sparked my interest in figuring out others.”

It was when he served on the Louisiana Legislative Youth Advisory Council that he said he got his first taste of public opinion research.

“The council decided to run arudimentary survey on the attitudes of Louisiana teens, which we then had the opportunity to present to the Legislature. It was aprocess Ireally enjoyed, and it gave me the experience Ineeded to be able to conduct the oth-

BLOTTER

Continued from page1B

Department located the vehicle, made contact with Peveto and detained her,police said. As the investigationprogressed, Peveto was transported to theSt. MaryParish Law Enforcement Center for booking. Bail has not been set at this time.

Fire at abandoned hotel claims one life

Afire at an abandoned hotel on Evangeline Thruway has resulted in one fatality, according to the Lafayette Fire Department.

At 11:23 p.m. Friday,firefighters responded to afire

where they allegedly beat aman theday before his arrest in arapecase involving oneoftheir relatives.

Thecourt appearance camethree months after the TangipahoaParish oil and lubricantplant exploded and caught on fire, causing the evacuationofhundreds of residents andbringing on accusations of environmental violations. Agroup of men, including the president and vice

president of theRoseland plant, werearraignedNov 18 in the Tangipahoa Parish Courthouse after agrand jury indictment from the Louisiana Attorney General’sOffice.

Chad Tate,Edgar Smith andJeremy Hudson were indicted on charges of aggravated batteryand false imprisonment with adangerous weapon. Thegrand jury also indicted Seth Tate for simple battery for the

FILE PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Anil Cacodcar sits in front of ascreen as his video is projected behind himon Sept. 17, 2021, at Episcopal School of Acadiana in Cade. The Lafayette native, nowa senior at Harvard University,was one of 32 Americans honoredasa Rhodesscholar

er researchI’ve worked on,” Cacodcarsaid. Someofthatresearch includes his senior thesis, which focuses on news coverage of fentanyl overdoses

at thevacantLaQuinta Hotel at 2100 NE Evangeline Thruway.Multiple callers reported flames coming from the roof of the hotel. Firefighters arrived on scenedescribingheavy flames comingfrom the second floor in aback section of thevacantbuilding. Suppressioncrews battled theengulfed section of the hotelfor approximately 30 minutesbefore gettingthe fire under control. At least 10 roomssustainedfire damage, officials said. Fire officials determined the fire originated in one of the rooms on the secondfloor Homeless individuals were sleeping in several rooms at the vacant hotel, accordingtoanews release.

Firefighters searched the damaged roomsfor possible

victims. Search crews discoveredone male victim in one of the rooms. The identity of the victim is unknown at this time. Investigation into the fatality andfire, including the cause of theblaze,isbeing conducted by Lafayette fire investigators, theLafayette Police Department and the Coroner’sOffice.

LOTTERY

FRIDAY,NOV.28, 2025

PICK 3: 6-7-9

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MEGA MILLIONS: 6-7-13-39-48

MEGA BALL: 4

Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

same reported incident, according to court documents.

The LouisianaSecretary of State’sOffice website reportsChad Tate as Smitty’s president andSmith as vice president. Allfourmen are TangipahoaParish residents.

The indictmentstems from an October2024 incident involving alleged battery victim Terry Boyd,a Roseland resident,court

andhow it relatestohuman decision-making and fear

“My research studies why over the pastyear we saw a decrease of 24% in fentanyl overdose deaths,” Cacodcar said. “Weknowthathuman behaviorcauses people to make adjustments. The cruxofmyresearch is asking whether people who see these news articles see local deaths, process thatinformationand thenmake less risky decisions.”

Cacodcar said he hopes to joinsome of his past research efforts in therealm of public polling withhis studies into public health issues during his time at Oxford.

“I really want to unify some of my research into public

documents report.

Boyd faces chargesof first-degreerapeaswellas sexualbatteryofa minor under15yearsold in acase involving arelative of one of the men accused of beating him, according to parish court documents. The reported beating occurred the day before Boyd wasarrested.

Boyd, who is still going through criminal court proceedings on thosecharges,

opinionand public health,” he said. “There’s alot of distrust in the American health care system right now.It’sa fantasticopportunitytocoordinatemytwo somewhat disparate interests” Cacodcar continues to have an impact on themany teachers and professors who have taughthim over the years. Oliver Hart, aNobel Laureate and professor of economics at Harvard who conducted aseminar Cacodcar attended in his freshman year,said following his recentachievement: “I leave my meetings with Anil wowedbyhis almost superhumanenergy as well as his talent. How can anyone do so muchwhile achieving

fileda civil lawsuit in early October seeking damages against the group of men Thecivil lawsuitclaims Boyd’sinjuries included fracturestothe eyeand nose, lacerationstothe scalp and face, an abrasion to the chest and more. Aspokesperson withthe Attorney General’sOffice said it would not be providing commentonthe indictments of the four suspects in the beating.

straight A’sinchallenging courses, and remain calm and good-humored? Anil is therarekindofpersonwho has the potential to make the world abetter place.”

For his ownpart, Cacodcar has said that one of the best parts of being named aRhodesscholar hasbeen the opportunity to hear from past mentors and friends. “It’s been areal treat to reconnect with all of the people who have invested in me over allthese years,” Cacodcar said. “I’ve gotten so much love and support from people back home. It’s really humbling, and it’sa great privilege to be able to represent my community in this way.”

STAFF

STAFF FILE PHOTOByJOHNMcCUSKER

AudubonNature Institute in NewOrleans is facing backlash from some members after doubling the priceofits annual membership.

Ex-LSU PresidentJenkins dies at 88

BYQUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

WilliamJenkins, who twice served as LSU president including during a crucial transition period in 2012, has died at 88. In addition to being alongstanding leader of both the Baton Rouge campus and the larger LSU system, Jenkins was an academic who served as thedean of the SchoolofVeterinary Medicine and co-authored more than 60 scientific articles.

ASaturday social media post from LSU announced Jenkins’ death,describing him as a“consummate Tiger,avisionary leader and abeloved member of the LSU family whose life and career shaped our university for decades.”

“Today,weremember and celebrate aremarkable life defined by service, compassion, leadership, and unwavering dedication to LSU and to the people of Louisiana. Mayhis legacy continue to inspire future generations of Tigers,” LSU’sstatement read.

Born in 1937 on afarm in South Africa, Jenkins earned hisveterinary medicine degree at the University of Pretoria before comingtothe U.S. to earn his Ph.D. fromthe University of Missouri in 1970.

He first came to LSU in 1988 to serve as dean of

PROVIDED PHOTO

FormerLSU President William Jenkins has died at 88, the school announced Saturday.

theSchool of Veterinary Medicineafter years as an educator at Texas A&M, according to the School of Veterinary Medicine.

Duringhis time as an educator,Jenkins lectured more than 200 times nationally and internationally.He specialized in veterinary pharmacology,therapeutics and physiology.

In additiontoJenkins’ articles, he co-authored atextbook on veterinary pharmacology.

In 1993, Jenkins became provost andvice chancellor for academic affairs before eventually servingaschancellor in 1996.

As chancellor,Jenkins led the strategic reorganization of themaincampus administration to make it more efficientand responsive, effortsthat were major factors in thelater crafting

of LSU’sFlagshipAgenda, according to theveterinary school.

In 1999, Jenkins became the fourth systempresident of LSU. His tenure was markedbychallenges, includingthe destruction of LSUinstitutions in New Orleansinthe aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

While faced with afiscal crisis and deep budget cuts that disruptedacademic programsand forced the furloughs of thousands of LSU employees, Jenkins pressed forcalm and reflectiveresponses to the calamities from state educationofficials,according to abio from theSchool of Veterinary Medicine.

These actionsled to the rapid reopening of the university system’surban researchcampus and its health care professional schools in New Orleans.

While retiring as president emeritus in 2007, Jenkins returned to assistthe universityasinterim president and chancellor during the“crucial transitional period” of 2012 to 2013 when theschool faced millions of dollars in budget cuts.

Jenkins earned anumber of academic, charitable and public service awards during his tenure: n Communicator of the Year awarded by thePublicRelationsAssociationof Louisiana

n Distinguished Alumnus givenbythe University of Missouri

n Communicationand Leadership Award, presented by the regionalchapter of Toastmasters International

n Vision of Excellence Award 2000 by the New Orleans RegionalChamber of Commerce and the New Orleans ChapterofMetroVision n Honorary doctorate from his almamater,the University of Pretoria, bestowed on Jenkins in September 2000

n Volunteer of the Year Award by theSouthern Economic Development Conference in 2004.

“Dr.Jenkins was amentor, abridge-builder,and abeliever in the power of higher education and its abilitytotransform lives, theuniversity’s Saturday statement read. “He leaves behind alegacy visible in the strength of LSU’sinstitutions, the excellenceof its academicand veterinary medicine programs, and the countlessstudents, faculty, andstaff whose livesheinfluenced.”

Jenkins is survived by his wife Peggy,his four childrenand theirgrandchildren.

Email Quinn Coffman at quinn.coffman@ theadvocate.com.

years old,reaching around 10 feet tall within ayear

of being born. She stood up and immediately started nursing. Flawless execution.” Shewill nurse from her mother over the next six months, as mom slowly begins to wean her off, zoo officials said. She’sexpected to reach maturityat5to6

PILOT

Continued from page1B

Both Dickey and her parents, Randy and Peggy Dickey,shared her strong Christian faith, said Apollo owner Michael Carastro, who verified her identity with their permission.

Her parents were too grief-stricken to speak Friday.But Randy Dickey, who is also apilot, senta text message that he said Carastro could share: “Weknow that God is good, even when we have to walk through the valley Taylor lovedflying. She loved seeing God’sbeauty flying over the ocean and bays. Seeing the sunsets and thesun rises. Peggy loved hearingher tell us about it.

“… Best of all, knowing that she trusted Jesus brings us great peaceand greathope, and knowing

Josie has been agreat mother,Oldenburg said, adding that mom has been very attentiveand is slowly showing Cabrini the ropes But for the time being, Cabrini appears far more comfortable sticking close by to mom, only taking brief momentstotrot around.

“She’sgoingtoget more independent, more and more confident, and so

that we will see her again …”

TaylorDickey wasall about sharing the profession she loved, especially with otherwomen andgirls.

“Taylor didsome great things, and she was really loved,” saidAlice Furr,who metDickey throughApollo.

“She made an impact.”

She said that Dickey always stepped up to volunteer for aviation events and was afoundingmember and chapter president of the Bayou BeaconsChapter of WomeninAviation International.

“As adedicated certified flight instructor,” shewrote on her LinkedIn profile, “I focus on supportingthe growth anddevelopment of aspiringpilots.”

Dickey had recently organizedthe chapter’sGirls in Aviation DayatTrent Lott Airport. Shealso helped outfellow Apollo instructor Furr,who servesasthe NOLA Chapter president of

you’ll seeher venturing around the big yard alittle bitmore. Right now,she’s kind of staying close to that barn. That’sher comfort zone,” Oldenburgsaid.

Femalegiraffes tend to stick together in the wild, usually withone male present,forming tight familial units. Giraffes live much longerincaptivity,reaching up to 30 years old, compared to around 8to10 years in thewild.

TheNinety-NinesInc.International Organization of Women Pilots

Dickey,achapter member, volunteered in the spring for the organization’sLet’sFly Now! event thattook on free flights women and girls interested in aviation.

“I could always count on her to volunteer for any events,” Furr said. “Taylor always went above and beyond forher students and for anyone in aviation.”

Furr described Dickey as “passionateand dedicated.”

Dickey even took students on tours of theairport’s airtraffic control tower,althoughshe was not paid to do so.She was easygoing and afriendtoeveryone she met, Furr said.

Carastro is also devastated over losing Dickey

He said that she and her family are just “very special people.”

Carastro realized that Dickey andher student did

Ancona Sr., FrankJ

Frank J. Ancona, Sr 84. Visitation will be observed at St.Edmond Roman Catholic Church in Lafayette, LA on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 10:00 am until the Memorial Mass at 11:00 am. Online obituaryand guest book may be viewed at www.fountainmemorialf uneralhome.com. Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery,1010 Pandora St.337-981-7098 is in charge of arrangements.

Obituaries parents, DonnaDieu Breaux andEladaStoute Breaux; and son,Mark Domingue. Grandma to hergrandchildren, Grandma Elsieto hergreat-grandchildren Tante Lou Lou or Aunt Elsie to hernieces and nephews, and Mamaor Momtoher children-she wasloved by all.She was well known for hermany talents, whichincludedher love forcooking,particularly herdelectable stewed chicken; sewinghandcrafted clothingfor hergrandchildren; andfilling Christmas tins with handmade millionairesand other candies into whichshe pouredher love Hergreatest joywas havingall of herchildren andgrandchildren present for holiday meals and gatheringsasoften as possible.She made and delivered cakestothe nursing home and prepared meals for others whenever the need arose. Elsiewas afaithfulservantofGod and acherished role model to herextended family.

Domingue, Elsie Breaux

AMass of Christian Burial will be held on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 1:30 PM in Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Scott for ElsieBreaux Domingue, age 95, who passedawayonFriday, November 28, 2025 at Cedar CrestMemoryCare in Lafayette. Entombment will be held in Sts. Peter &Paul Mausoleum. Survivors include her children, Randall Domingue andhis wife Marsha, Billy Domingue andhis wife Joy, Nikki Rhodes andher husband David, VickyDomingue, KeithDomingue, and Simone Metzdorff andher husband John; thirteen grandchildren, Benjamin Domingue, Sarah Khalid, Pierre Domingue,Adele Domingue, Scott Domingue, Bryan Rhodes, Anna Rhodes, Joshua Domingue, Beau Domingue, Lance Domingue, Jeff Metzdorff, SamanthaShimota, and Sophia Metzdorff; fourteen great grandchildren, Kyleigh Brown,Mayssa Harrati, NaylaHarrati, Lillian Domingue,Ramona Domingue, Frances Domingue, Abigail Rhodes, David Bryan Rhodes III, Thomas Domingue, Patrick Domingue, JuliaDomingue, Austin Khalid, Sydney Khalid, and Lily Domingue. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband, Willie George Domingue;

Pallbearers will be BenjaminDomingue, Pierre Domingue, Scott Domingue, Beau Domingue, Josh Domingue, Lance Domingue andBryan Rhodes. ARosarywillberecited on Tuesday, December 2, 2025, at 11:30 AM in Martin &Castille's SCOTT Location Thefamilyrequeststhat visitation be observedon Tuesday, December 2, 2025, from 10:00 AM untiltimeof services. The familywould like to extendspecial thanks to Elsie'scaregiver,Robbi Foreman,for the love and care given to Elsieand her family. In lieu of flowers, donationscan be made in Elsie'sname to National MS SocietyP.O. Box 91891, Washington, D.C. 200901891. View theobituaryand guestbook online at www.mourning.com

Martin& Castille Funeral Home -SCOTT,802 Alfred Street,Scott, Louisiana 70583, 337-2342320

“You can expect amom, daughter,auntsand cousins, allout in anatural environmenttolive together indefinitely ”Oldenburg said. The giraffes have become afan favorite of the zoo, Oldenburgsaid, with Cabrini certainly sure to steal some of thespotlight for awhile.

Email Stephen Marcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

not survive the plunge into Lake Pontchartrain when U.S. Coast Guard searchers showed him aphotographof thedebris field late Monday evening. He also knew from markings on the debris that theplane was Apollo’sCessna.

The CoastGuardsuspended its search on Wednesday afternoon, having received assistance from multiple agencies. The Federal AviationAdministration and National Transportation Safety Boardare investigating the crash.

“Tohave such abright future gone is just absolutely devastating to everyone in theApollo family and toher family,” Carastro said. The Sun Herald, based in Biloxi, coversthe Mississippi GulfCoast and is anews partner withNOLA.com| The Times-Picayune. Read more at www.sunherald. com

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIEWESTBROOK

Guests visit the enclosure of 11-day-old giraffe Cabriniand her mother,Josie, on MondayatZoosiana in Broussard.

OPINION

OUR VIEWS

Hurricane season ends, butFEMAstill needsmajor attention

The official hurricane season ends today, blessedly without asinglesuchstorm making landfall in the Gulf region. In future years, though, we maynot be so unexpectedly lucky,which means thecurrent aimlessnessofthe Federal Emergency Management Agencyisofdeepconcern

FEMA merits awell-designed, well-provisioned mission, along with strongleadership.Alas, we have some reservationsabout President Donald Trump’snewest choice to lead FEMA

As his administration began, Trump worried many of us in hurricane country by repeatedly suggesting that FEMA should be disbandedentirely,with the states expected to take up emergency responses on their own. The very idea is ludicrous. We’re allfor devolving authority to states and localities when practical, but disaster relief ranks almost as high asnational defense in terms of being the properprovinceofthe national government.

No matter how well astate prepares for contingencies that anatural disaster might bring, the disaster itself obviously can destroythe very infrastructure and equipment on which states would rely for relief efforts. The nationalgovernment, operating from outsidethe disaster zone so that its preparations themselveswon’t be affected by the calamity,should be organized andready to provide emergencyassistancefor justsuch eventualities.

To his credit, Trump hassomewhat softened his anti-FEMA tone recently.Betteryet,a commissionheappointed to review FEMA operations actually suggested elevating FEMA’s statusby making it astand-alone, Cabinet-level agency rather than asometimes-ignored subsetof a Department of Homeland Security that’smore obsessedwith immigrationenforcement.

Still, Trump’sFEMA haslacked strong leadership. Its first acting director, CameronHamilton, left the job after onlyfourmonths, andhis replacement, David Richardson, resigned on Nov.17after just six months. Richardson’sterm wasmarkedbya widely criticized responseto deadly floods in Texas and by his admission that he didn’teven know such athing as“hurricane season” existed.

Trump’snew choice, Karen Evans,isworrisome in her ownway.Atleast shehas solid management experience asFEMA’s former chief of staff, but her record indicatesshe is more interestedinslashingpersonnel and spending than in the actual, positive rolewith whichFEMA is tasked. Indeed, her nickname is “the terminator” for eliminating grants and worker positions

Granted, FEMA long has been known forwaste and inefficiencies and for bureaucratic slowness in times when dispatch is required. If Evanscan make aleaner FEMA alsowork fasterand more effectively,morepowertoher Still, FEMA’s focus should be less on saving money than on savinglives and helping survivors recover.Wenote thatthis year was thefirst since 2015without ahurricane making landfall. Because experience says the next hurricane season is unlikely to spare us, the whole country needs aFEMAthateffectivelyterminates human distress.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND US A

Carbon captureopponents won’tgoaway

The carbon capture insurgency just won’tdie.

Earlier this month,agroup called Save My Louisianafiled alawsuit in Baton Rouge, arguing that the process amounts to a“egregious and overt trampling” of property rights.

AndonNov.17, the Vernon ParishPolice Jury reversed an earlier decision and passed a resolution opposing thepractice.

These latest salvos are an indication of how carbon capture has scrambled conservative and Republican Party politics in this state, because much of theopposition to theprocess comes not from left-wing environmental justice types (though many of them oppose it, too), but from rock-ribbed conservatives in someofthe reddest regions of Louisiana.

thousands of feet underground and is performed by something knownasa carbon injection well, is safe, and that there is no danger of the CO2 leaching upward through theground into water supplies or to the surface.

Butthe opponents, including manylandowners, aren’tbuying it.

They worry about the potential for pipeline failures, or that thecarbon could find its way into local aquifers. Someconservatives say carbon capture is unneeded because climate change is overblown.

Many of those who oppose it are clustered in the central part of the state, where there are anumber of proposed carbon storageareas.

To understand what is going on here, it’simportant to know what exactly is being proposed. Carbon capture and sequestration is an industrial process by which CO2and greenhouse gases produced as byproductsare captured and stored rather than released into theair

Proponents,including industry and business groups, argue that this makes production greener by releasing less CO2. They also contend that thestorage, which typically happens

As theyear comes to aclose, you will often see lists of thetop news stories and personalities. On theOpinion pages last year,westarted afeature called “Louisianan of the Year” to recognize someofthe biggest newsmakers from our state. Andaswedid last year,weare inviting you to participate. We will welcome your letters on thetopic of “Who should be Louisianan of the Year?” until themiddle of December.Feel free to nominate someonewell known or someone who perhaps works behind thescenes. Ourcriteria as we deliberateon this weighty question is fairly broad. The person must have strong ties to Louisiana. That meansitdoesn’thave to be anative Louisianan —someone who has long lived and worked in the statewould qualify.And Louisiananatives who have madeanimpact in the wider world would also be worthy of consideration even if they no longer live here. Then there is thequestion that has arisen this year about people

Earlier this year,itseemed that those who favored expansionofcarbon capture had theupper hand. Following a 2024 federal government decision that gave the state “primacy” in permitting carbon captureprojects, the Legislature rejected Republican-authored bills thatwould have givenlocal governmentsthe righttoveto injection wells, though lawmakers did tighten some rulesinlandowners’ favor Butthe opposition wouldn’tgoaway.

Lastmonth, in response, Gov.Jeff Landry issued amoratorium on new carbon capture permits. Ahandful already in the process werenot affected.

“Local government and citizens, through their local government, have aright to be heard to ensure safety, transparency,and local input,” Landry wrote in his order Notsurprisingly,carbon capture boosters werenot pleased. The movesends the “wrong message,” said David Cresson, of the Louisiana Chemical Association. Others warned of “obstacles” the state was putting in the way of expansion. So what we have here is apitched fight between, essentially,two different conservative constituencies who are both dug in. On the one hand, you have business, industry and economic development types whosee the potential forgrowth. On the other,citizens and officials in manyofLouisiana’sreddest parishes who, in anotable development, echo manyofthe concerns that environmentalists have uttered foryears —and also assert traditional conservative values like property rights and local control. It’s too early to see how it will all play out. But if this oil and gas state ever turns on its biggest and most powerful industry,wemay point to carbon capture as the spark that ignited the flame.

Email Faimon A. Roberts III at froberts@theadvocate.com.

who may have strongLouisiana ancestrywho perhaps may or may not have been to thestate, sayacertain head of theCatholic Church. That remains an open question. We welcome your opinions on this issue. This is not aposthumous recognition. We know there are manyLouisianans we have lost throughout the year whohave madeimportant contributions to our state, nation and world. However,wevery much want to recognize someone living who has made an impact in the current year.The biggest question is perhaps whether that impact has to be for good. We take the position that apositive impact is preferable but not required, recognizing one person’s view of positive impact may not be another’s.

Lastly,inorder to keep it fresh, we have decided that someone previously recognized as our Louisianan of theYear cannot be considered in the current year.That meansGov.Jeff Landry,who we deemed madethe big-

gest impact last year,won’tbeonthe list this year We welcomeyour feedback on this question. Surprise us. We want to know whohas been making adifference in your community.Itdoesn’thave to be apolitical or civic leader.Itcould be an artist, entrepreneur,educator or pastor.Wewill publish the best of your nominees alongwith our selections at theend of theyear

Turning to our letters inbox, Ican give you the count forthe week of Oct. 30-Nov.6.Wereceived 69 letters in our inbox during the period. As this wasthe week after LSU’sloss to Texas A&M, it’snot surprising that LSU football wasthe hottest topic of conversation, prompting 10 letters. Next the government shutdownwas aconcern, with four letters on the topic. And because SNAP benefits were in jeopardy during the shutdown, we had an additional four letters on that subject.

Arnessa Garrett is Deputy Editor | OpinionPageEditor.Emailher at arnessa.garrett@theadvocate.com.

Arnessa Garrett

Faimon Roberts

COMMENTARY

Oillawsuitsshouldbetaken from statecourts

The interminable lawsuit by Plaquemines Parishagainst the Chevron Oil company,part of an evenmore interminable set of lawsuitsseeking money from oil companies to pay for wetlands loss, will reach yet another inflection point soon, this time at the U.S. Supreme Court. Even this inflection point, though, won’tbe the end of the ceaselesslawfare. What awaste of time. While oil companies absolutely should help pay to mitigate wetlands loss, asignificant portion of which has resulted from oilproduction activity, these lawsuits are the wrong way to make them do it. And this particular lawsuit against Chevron should lose. Moreover,win or lose, anew study says thesuit in the meantime has been really bad for Louisiana’seconomy On Nov.20, the SupremeCourt announced that it would hold oral arguments Jan. 12 in Chevron v. Plaquemines Parish. At issue

Quin Hillyer

are not theactual merits of the plaintiffs’ claims against theoil companies, butthe procedural issue of whether thecases should be adjudicated in federal courts instead of the state courts that so far have ruled against the energyproducers. Still, if Chevron persuades theSupremeCourt to “remove” thecase to federal court, thepracticalresult —inthe words of a Harvard LawReviewarticle —“would be the immediate wipeoutofthe $745 million judgment” that Plaquemines won in astate jury trial in April. The parish would then need to prove itscase all over again in federal court. The rules for “removal” to federal courts are technical and somewhat complicated. The oil companies argue that thecase should have federal jurisdiction because theoil work began under national government instructions to produceand refineoil for use in World WarII. Suffice it to say that Ithink Chevron’sargument is solid —and thatitalso has even

morepersuasive arguments both procedurally and on the merits in their appeal to the Louisiana FourthCircuit Court of Appeal even if the Supreme Court decides the case should remain in statejurisdiction.

In what Iadmit is an overly simplified form, the argument on themerits itself is that oil companies are being asked to pay for activity that was both legal at the time and, in some aspects, specifically approved by government authorities.

The procedural argument, which to me seems compelling, is that the state trial court judge repeatedly prohibited Chevron from even showing to the jury all theactual documents —permits, inspection reports and approvals —that should serve as evidence that it acted legally

In one major instance, thetrial judge completely reversed with neither written analysis nor change in facts —his earlier, sensible, lawful ruling that activities prior to a1980 state law were exempt from one line of legal attack.

How,pray tell, could Chevron’s defense be understood by the jury when thejury wasn’tallowed to see thedocuments supporting thedefense?

Meanwhile, as this case and other similar ones drag on (and on and on and….), anew study commissioned by the conservativePelican Institute think tank says thesuits are bad forLouisiana itself.

The report says the attempts to gain money forstate and parish governments (andfor the trial lawyers whokeep pushing these suits) are actuallycosting the statebothmoney and jobs.

The report by Gavin Roberts, a Ph.D. economist of Weber State University,says the lawsuits have driven oil business away from Louisiana. Production offLouisiana’scoast is downfar more than in the nation as awhole, as is employment, and state mineral revenues have been cut by more than half, meaning aloss of $2.3 billion to state coffers since the suitsbeganinearnest in 2013.

The report, issued Nov. 6, follows a2019 study by the same

economist that laid out an econometric model that, he said, would provide neutral measurements of whether,and how,the suits were affecting the economy Granted, such “what if”scenarios are hard foralayman to adjudge. When does correlation (lawsuits coinciding with diminished economic activity) becomecausation (with the lawsuits actually being the genesis of the slowdown)? Logic, though, does tend to support the reports’ conclusions, and from alayman’s perspective, the actual econometric analysis seems sound. Either way,asI have argued for morethan adecade, the fairest waytomake oil companies pay forcoastal protection and restoration, and the surest way for the state to actually know the money will come in, is forasmall, forward-looking tax or feefor which both sides dependably can plan, rather than the jackpot justice of dubious lawsuits that never,ever seem to end.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Immigration crackdownisnot conservative

Icould fill this column several times over with reasons why the Trump administration’simmigration policies are cruel, unproductive and unfair.

live in our country,the land of the free.”

Stephanie Grace

Reading about widespread fears over the U.S. Border Patrol’simminent incursion into Louisiana last weekend, my mind focused on yetanother description for the unprecedented domestic crackdown by those self-describedconservatives in Washington: It’sactuallyanything but conservative.

At least in terms of the values that I’ve always heard conservatives claim to espouse. For one thing, the crackdownis anti-business.

My colleague James Finn recounted an infuriating anecdote about asmall businessman —an entrepreneur who fits the mold of the people the Republican Party says it wants to help —losing abrand-new restaurant and struggling to keep an existing one functioning. In both cases, Julio Machado said hisproblems directly resulted from behavioral changes in response to President Donald Trump’spunishingpolicies in immigrant communities fullof people who work hard and don’t harm anyone.

Machado opened arestaurant to serve alarge such community in Kenner; it lasted less thana year,

U.S. Border Patrol agents detain atruck driver during an immigration enforcementoperationatatruck stop in Illinois.

as job applicantsand customers —whatfew therewere—told him theyare avoiding places that might get raided or saving money forimmigration lawyers or costs associated with deportation of family members. He’salso having trouble filling dishwasher jobs at an existingrestaurant in New Orleans.

“Thelackoflabor,it’skilling me,” Machado said. The crackdownalso harms the sort of community institutions that conservativesbelieve should be strengthened, not weakened. In schools that serve alarge Hispanic population, Finn reported, fewerkids are coming to class. That’sentirely understandable, considering the real possibility

NewOrleans

During the New Orleansmayoral campaign, we learned that the citywas facing adeficit of about $65 million. That wasn’tgood.The city’sfiscal health became an important issue, especially for mayoral and City Council candidates —and ultimately for the state, which was looked at as abackstop for its largest city As time went on, however,there were guesses, grumblings and rumors that the deficit might be even larger In time, the estimate climbed, and it’snow $160 million

The city is not healthy

The city is not just sick

anddealing withdisease, illness andsickness whenthey arise.

of studentsand theirparents being targeted there, or of students coming home to find theirparents gone without any information.

At Our Lady of Guadalupe, which boasts asignificant Central American presence in itscongregation and where New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno worships, fewer people are showing up to Spanish-speaking services —again, perfectly understandable given the images we’ve all seen of families rippedapart by pumpedup masked men, and of people being detained on the vaguest of pretenses.

“They’re afraid to leave their homes, to go shopping,” the church’spastor,the Rev.Tony Rigoli, said. “That is not away to

Like thecustomers and workerswho’ve ghosted Machado’s restaurants, these are mostly participants in our economywho are statistically less likely to commit crimes than citizens, who often pay taxes and who don’teven qualify for some of the benefits that those who labelthem adrain claim theyget.When the Border Patrol descended on Charlotte, North Carolina, for asimilar,far-fromthe-actual-border crackdown, CBS News reported, fewer than athird of the people arrested were classified internally by the Department of Homeland Security as “criminals.”

Of all the infuriating developmentsasthe administration has targetedimmigrant communities, one of the worst is the practice of grabbing people who show up to courtorimmigration appointments. Keeping official appointmentswith the government is, on its face, evidence of the person’s attempt to comply with the rules, however confusing and contradictory theymay be. That, back in the day,was another conservative value. Or so Ithought.

Earlier in this wrongheaded escapade, we saw afew reversals around here,when the people targetedwere so sympathetic that someone with the Trump administration’sear intervened. So good for U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise for helping widely loved constituent Donna Kashanianand for U.S. Sen.

John Kennedy forworking to secure arelease from detention for Paola Clouatre, amilitary spouse and momoftwo small children

Yetthese interventions are not proof that the system works but evidence that it doesn’t. Such consideration and sympathy seem available only to the few who manage to find their wayinto the headlines, not the many who are caught up in this mess, knowing that the rule of law might well not apply to them. That’sone more supposedly conservative casualty of this disgraceful chapter in our country’s history

That the Border Patrol is now headed our way hits particularly hard, because Louisiana is aproud melting pot that, on its best days, welcomes all who make life more interesting, more flavorful and more productive. Indeed, as recently as two decades ago, locals celebrated as heroes the immigrant workers who did so muchto put their lives back together after Hurricane Katrina,and in many instances stayed.

Louisiana maybeared state, but turning our backs now,for nothing more than awrongheaded political agenda, isn’tconservative in the least.

In fact, it’sradical. And hypocritical. And downright un-American. And if anyone should get that, it’sthe people who call our kind, welcoming state home.

EmailStephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

Will Sutton

The city needs major surgery New Orleans doesn’tneed a visit to the doctorand aprescription for amedicine that will make it feel better.Itneeds ascheduled hospital stay with emergency surgery and atreatment plan. Still, part of being healthy means doing things that continuetomake us healthy,making healthy choices

New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno has received a disturbing yet realistic report from Mayor LaToya Cantrell’sadministration laying out more details about thetroubles we’ve seen andtroubles on the horizon. In the 422-page report, some of theitems identified as needing immediateattention include theobvious —budget constraints andsanitation contracts —and some significant needs,including emergency and hazard responses, dealing with state and federal government actions and adecliningpopulation as well as “vulnerable” buildingstock and assets. With thestart of anew year comingsoon,there’salso the matter of how to pay for all of the extra law enforcement help New Orleans needs during the Carnival season. That is achallenge. If you’veever wanted to know more about how New Orleans op-

erates, this is your chance. Youcan get agood overview of the report and some pressing needs by reading astoryreported by this newspaper’sBlake Paterson and Sophie Kasakove afew days ago. If you want toknow more, call up thetransition report and dig in. It’sa lot todigest.I really want toknow more, much more, aboutwhat’s going on, so I used my old Evelyn Wood reading approach to look at the overall subject matter,tolook at the subsections and to determine how long it might takemetoread the report On average, for most of us, reading withregular pacing, it would take at least eight to 10 hours to read the entire document. I’m sure someofyou did better than Idid with Evelyn Wood, so maybe you can read it in as little as five or six hours. If you want touse thefastest path to finish, it might takeyou two hours to adequately skim theentire document If you want ashortcut toget

somekey insights, read the executive summary,read Cantrell’s accomplishments section for memories about somegood times, glance at thefirst pages of each department summaryand jump to projects summary. Warning: There are details such as names, titles,departmentnames, email addresses, street addresses, committee names andzeros where there is no money available for somethings. It’sgoing to take me sometime to get through this thing, but I thought I’d give you my preliminary impressions. Moreno and her 300-person-plus transition team have been hard at work digging into the city’sfinancial health woes, and now they have an extensive inside analysis. This is no Band-Aid situation. Cantrell handed off atroubled patient in need of an experienced budget and deficit specialists. Unfortunately,that’snot Mayor-elect Moreno. Fortunately,Moreno knew before she got the report that she’d have to build ateam

of specialists whocould jump into the report as soon as it was received so they can provide the chief surgeon with painful, toughto-swallow options to avoid permanent amputations.

This is going to hurt.

The city is in fordeep cuts, a reduction of already poor city services and more. Major surgery must be scheduled to remove all or someof what is causing pain and to repair or replace damaged tissue or organs.

Moreno’sproviding her own diagnosis, immediate triage to stabilize the city through the end of the year and asurgery plan to get it into and through the next budget year One of the best things Moreno can do is to be honest, open and specific about what it’sgoing to take forustoget better —and, if she can, prescribe someanesthesia to limit the pain.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Acadiana Forecast

Showers and aheavier thunderstorminthe morning; otherwise,cooler withsomesun

highways.Winds north-northeast 7-14 mph. Cloudytonight.

National Summary

As astormprogresses eastward today, snowwill fall from theGreatLakes

side of thestorm,warmer air will supportrain and storms from

Utah, westernColorado,southernIdaho and southernWyoming

Shown is today’sweather.Temperatures are today’shighsand tonight’slows.

KiffinWatch dominatesday despitenonews SPORTS

NORMAN, Okla. In the longhistory of LSU football, there may never havebeensuch an “Awshucks” tag attached toadisappointing come-from-ahead defeat as what took place Saturday with theTigers’17-13 loss at No. 8Oklahoma

That’sbecause while LSU lost a bruising, blustery battle withOklahoma, Tiger fans everywhere had their attention fixated on trying to win the war for Lane Kiffin.

I’m just surprised theinternet didn’t crash from everyone clicking on their refresh buttonsfrom Tioga to Tupelo and well beyond,trying to figure out if there was word on Kiffin’sdecision.

Yes, LSU had one more crash and burn in it in aseasonmarred by them, an enormous coveragebust on a58-yard John Mateer to Isaiah Sategna touchdown pass with 4:16left that sealed theTigers’ fate on aday when they pushed the Sooners’ College Football Playoff hopes to the edge of extinction

In theinterest of full disclosure, Ijusthit the refresh button on my computer as well. AndI’m checking every social-media notification on my phone just in case it’s The Kiffin Notification.

postseason if h go to LSU. All of this m but exhaustin we all wonder might be some from Kiffin af after his son K gameFriday n meeting(after with Ole Miss er that got pus Then perhaps between Alab relevant set p drama, becau Bowl would pu Scott Rabalais

After Ole Miss’38-19 victory Friday in the Egg Bowl at Mississippi State, theRebels punched their ticket to the CFP.The question du jour morphed into whether Kiffin would stay on full timetocoach the Rebels in the postseason andthe seasons beyond, or whether Ole Miss would allow him to coach the

Oklahoma’s bigplay thwarts LSU’s upsetbid

BY WILSON ALEXANDER

Staff writer

NORMAN, Okla. TheLSU defenseplayed well for so long Saturday night, butitmade acritical mistake late in the fourth quarter as it tried to upset No. 8Oklahoma Oklahoma wide receiver Isaiah Sategna slipped past the defense to get wideopenfor a58-yard touchdown pass, and LSU could not come back in a17-13 loss in the regularseason finale.

Oklahoma (10-2, 6-2 SEC) likely secured aspot in the College Football Playoff, while LSU (7-5, 3-5) will wait tofind out its bowl destination.

LSU held a13-10 leadmidway through the fourth quarter before it gave up the touchdown to Sategna. LSU drove into Oklahoma territory on the ensuing possession, but sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren’spass was knocked away on fourth down.

Oklahoma played “Set It Off”overthe stadium loudspeakers after it sealed the game. It wasatoughlossfor ateamthatcame well shortofits goalsthisseason.Playing its fourth game under interim coach Frank Wilson, LSU had chances toknockthe Sooners out of playoff contention on the road and end the regular seasonona high note. It interceptedOklahoma quarterback John Mateer three times and made it difficult for Oklahoma to sustain drives.

Playing what has been thebest defense in the SEC without multiple startingoffensive linemen, LSU had just 198 total yards. It went 2for 14 on third downand averaged 3.6 yards per play.Van Buren went 14 of 25 for 96 yards with one touchdown andaninterception.

Tied 3-3 at halftime, LSUtook the lead after an interception by senior safety AJ Haulcy.Haulcy stepped in front of athrow over the middle by Mateer as Oklahoma

edeclared his intention to ade for enthralling gtheater.Atfirst ed whether there announcement ter the Egg Bowl.Then nox’shigh school playoff ight. Then after ascheduled hot yoga) Saturday morning athletic director Keith Carthed to Saturday afternoon after Saturday night’sgame ama and Auburn,asuddenly iece in this slowly evolving se aBama loss in the Iron tOle Miss in its

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

It was afitting conclusion to theregular season for the UL Ragin’Cajuns. After all, nothing has come easily forULthis season, with Saturday’s30-27 overtime winoverUL-Monroethe latesttriptothe dentist’soffice at Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium Fortunately forcoach MichaelDesormeaux’s club,there was agiant treat at the end of the visit.

Kicker Tony Sterner booted a19-yardfield goal on fourth downinovertimetosecurethe win after theCajuns trailed in the fourth quarter

“I don’tknowhow else you thought that game was going to end,”Desormeaux said. “You know,itwas just kindofpar for the course this year with what we’ve been through.”

Backup quarterback Walker Howard ranfor 20 yards on thefirst play of UL’s overtime possession, and Sterner came on for the game-winner on fourth and goal from the 1.

Thedefense putthe Cajuns in great positionwhenfreshman cornerback BrentGordonintercepted UL-Monroe quarterback AidanArmetta on third andgoal fromthe 6 to denythe Warhawks of any overtime points before UL’s possession

“I wasreally paying attention to my keys, and Isee the quarterback waskind of rollingout, so Ijustkeptmyvision on him thewhole time,” Gordon said.“Isaw that he threw it kind of out of the receiver’sway,and Ijust made aplay on the ball.” The victory pushes UL’s winning streak to four games andmakes theCajuns bowl eligible for theeighth consecutiveseason.

AP PHOTO By ALONZO ADAMS Oklahoma defensiveback Peyton Bowen intercepts apassfrom LSU during

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Ohio Stateremains unbeaten

By The Associated Press

ANN ARBOR, Michigan Julian Sayin

threw three touchdownpasses, including a35-yarder to Jeremiah Smith on afourth down in the second quarter,and No. 1OhioState beat No. 15 Michigan 27-9 in a dominant performance on Saturday The defending national champion Buckeyes (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten, No.1 CFP) likelyearned afirstround bye in the College Football Playoff. They can keeptheir top seed with awin against No.2Indiana (12-0, 9-0,No. 2CFP) in the conference championship game Saturday night in Indianapolis. Ryan Day shouldsleep well, a year after losing The Gamewhen his team was favored by about three touchdowns. Theupset extended his losing streak in the series to four games and sparked speculation he might also lose his job.

“We’re going to win with humility,” Day said, choking up, on the field in an interview withFox

The Wolverines (9-3, 7-2) started strong with two field goals andan interception on the firstthreepossessions of the game, butcouldn’t generate pressure when Ohio State wanted to pass No. 12 VANDERBILT45, No.18TENNES-

SEE 24: In Knoxville, Tennessee, Diego Pavia threw for 268 yardsand atouchdown and ran for165 yards and another score to lead Vanderbilt to awin over Tennessee.

Sedrick Alexander rushed for 115 yards and three touchdowns and Vanderbilt (10-2, 6-2 SEC, No. 14 CFP) generated582 yardsof totaloffenseagainstits in-state rival while keeping its hopesfor a berth in the College Football Playoff alive.

Joey Aguilar threw for 299 yards and aTDfor the Volunteers (8-4, 4-4, No. 19 CFP). DeSean Bishop had 97 rushing yards and two scores.

NO.13MIAMI 38, NO.24PITTSBURGH

7:InPittsburgh, Carson Beck passed for 267 yards with three touchdowns and an interception as MiamibeatPittsburghtokeep itsslimhopes foraspotinthe ACC title game alive,atleast for afew hours.

The Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2 ACC) need several other outcomes across the league to go their way later Saturday to earna spot in the conference championship next week in Charlotte. Beck connected on 23 of 29 passestofinish the regular season with a74.7% completion percentage, tops in the FBS and anew program record.

No. 11 BYU 41, UCF 21: In Provo, Utah, Bear Bachmeier threw for 289yards andatouchdowntohelp BYU beat UCF

LJ Martin added 95 yards and

UL

three touchdowns on the ground for the Cougars (11-1, 8-1 Big 12, No.11CFP) who clinched aspot in the Big 12 championship game next Saturdaywhere they will face Texas Tech for asecond time this season.Parker Kingston added 181 all-purpose yards and two touchdowns.

BYUisplaying in aconference championshipgame for thefirst time since battling Air Force for theWAC title in 1998.

No.8 OREGON 26, WASHINGTON 14: In Seattle, Malik Benson hada season-long 64-yardtouchdown catch with 7:55 to go in regulation and Oregon beat Washington to all but cement aspotinthe CollegeFootball Playoff.

The wide receivercaught apass from DanteMoore around midfield, split twoHuskies defenders and raced to the end zone to give Oregon (11-1, 8-1Big Ten, No. 6 CFP) a26-14lead.

DemondWilliams Jr.threw a 13-yard touchdown pass to Denzel Boston with 8:54 remaining in the fourth quarter to cut thedeficit for Washington (8-4, 5-4) to 19-14. But the Ducks responded quickly with Benson’scatch-and-run.

No.7TEXASTECH49,WESTVIRGINIA 0: In Morgantown, West Virginia, Behren Morton threw for310 yards and three touchdowns, linebacker Jacob Rodriguez scoredhis second

offensive TD in as many games, and Texas Tech beat West Virginia in theRed Raiders’ finaltuneup before the Big 12 championship game.

Texas Tech (11-1, 8-1Big 12, No 5CFP) hadalreadyclincheda spot in the title game against No. 11 BYU in Arlington, Texas, when Arizona State lost to Arizona on Fridaynight. But the Red Raiders had plenty of motivation, needing awin over theMountaineers to continue their trajectorytoward at leasthosting afirst-round home game in theCollege Football Playoff TexasTech was dominant from thestart, scoring touchdowns on four of their first five drives.

Late Friday

No.2 INDIANA 56, PURDUE 3: In West Lafayette, Indiana, KaelonBlack had two touchdown runs and Fernando Mendoza and RomanHemby each ran for scores as Indiana beat rival Purdue, completing the first perfect regular season in school history andsecuring aBig Tenchampionshipgame berth.

Indiana celebrated by hoistingthe OldOaken Bucket in the series’ 100th trophy game,while Curt Cignetti became thefirst Indianacoach since Bo McMillin in

1934-35 to winhis first twomatchups against Purdue. Purdue (2-10, 0-9) endured more misery in the coldest gameever played at Ross-Ade Stadium, witha kickoff temperatureof24 degrees Fahrenheit. The Boilermakers closed coach Barry Odom’sfirst season with a10th straight loss andpostedtheir second straight winless season in conference play,the first since 1919-20.

No. 16 TEXAS 27, No.3 TEXAS A&M 17: In Austin, Texas, ArchManning threw atouchdown pass andran for the clinching score late in the fourth quarterand Texasbeat TexasA&M to spoil the Aggies’ undefeated season and knock themout of theSoutheastern Conference championship game. Manning’s29-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Wingo in the third quartergave Texas (9-3, 6-2 SEC, No, 16 CFP) a13-10 lead in what had been atight, defensive game. His35-yard run up the middle on third down with 7:04 left to play putthe Longhorns up 27-17. Texas, which startedthe seasonNo. 1and at one point was unranked, beat atop-10opponent for the third time this season to keep alive any faint hopes of making the College Football Playoff for the third consecutive time.

Lions centerRagnow fails physical, won’t play in ’25 FrankRagnow’sseasonisover before it started. The four-time Pro Bowl centerfailed aphysicalbecause of a hamstring strain, days aftercoming out of retirement, the team announced Saturday

The Lionssay Ragnowreported to the team’straining facility Friday and an exam showed he has an injury that will prevent him from playing this season.

The29-year-old Ragnow wasreinstated off the retirement list on Wednesday in amovewelcomed by theLions, whohavemissed him on the offensive line this year.His replacement, Graham Glasgow, was ruledout withakneeinjury forthe gameagainst the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving, a gameDetroit lost. Ragnow stepped away from the gamelast June.

Steelersput LT Jones on injuredreserve list

The Pittsburgh Steelers placed left tackle Broderick Jones on injuredreserve Saturdayahead of a visit from the Buffalo Bills. Pittsburgh alreadyhad ruled Jonesout witha neck injury suffered in the fourth quarter of last week’sloss to the Chicago Bears. Jones now will miss at least the next four gamesfor Pittsburgh(6-5). Andrus Peat will start in place of Jones and will be in charge of protecting Aaron Rodgers’ blindside against the Bills (7-4). Pittsburgh also elevated cornerback AsanteSamuel Jr.tothe 53manroster. TheSteelerssignedthe four-year veterantotheir practice squadearlierthismonth. Samuel had been afree agent after undergoing neck surgery in the spring.

Ramswaive kicker Karty, want him on practice squad

TheLos AngelesRams have waived kicker Joshua Karty,who held the starting job for 11/2 seasons before being replaced by Harrison Mevis earlier this month.

The Rams (9-2) made the move Friday before traveling to face Carolina on Sunday Los Angeles replaced Karty with Mevis three games ago, and Mevis has made13straight extra points and twofield goals without amiss, stabilizing the Rams’ chaotic kicking unit.

The Rams arehoping to re-sign Karty to their practice squad, coach Sean McVay said Friday He missed only three of his 34 field-goal attempts last season, but Karty missed five of his 15 fieldgoal attempts and missedthree extra-point attempts, sometimes because of pressure and blocks, before gettingbenched this season

Orioles acquire reliever Helsley on two-year deal

The Baltimore Oriolesadded Ryan Helsley to theirbullpenon Saturday,agreeingtoa two-year contract withthe free agent reliever

The 31-year-old Helsley has an opt-out after one season.

Baltimore has been active as it looks to bounce back from alastplacefinishinthe AL East this year.The Orioles wonthe division in 2023 and madethe playoffs as a wild card in 2024. Outfielder Taylor Ward wasacquired in atrade with the Los Angeles Angels on Nov.18.

Helsleybecame oneofbaseball’s best relievers while spending his first six-plus seasons with St. Louis. The right-hander went3-1 with a3.00ERA and21saves with the Cardinals last year before he was traded to the Mets.

NICK FONTENOT

Contributing writer

Thefrustratingbeginningof the Quannas White era continued Friday night for theULRagin’ Cajuns in the Cajundome.

The Cajuns fell to 1-7 on the season after a51–45 loss to previously winless Jackson State. Neither team was overly effective offensively,but White’s squad once again found itself on thewrong end of the scoreboard.

“Really disappointing,”White said. “Weshouldhave won this game. (Jackson State) wanted it more. That’sthe part that’shard to accept.”

The numbers back up thefrustration. UL shot just 31% from the field and 19% from beyond the3-point line. The first half was brutalfor UL with 6-of-26 shootingand a29–18 deficit.

“It comes downtocompeting,” White said.“Defenseiseffort andwantto. (Jackson State)

didn’tplaygreat andwedidn’teither.Neither side was lighting it up. But they made the plays late. We didn’tdefend well enough. Theywanted it more and that leaves abad taste.”

TheCajunsclawed back in thesecond half, even taking a 36-35 lead with 10:19 to play.

White said the 12-2 run behind a scoring burst from Darius Woodson was welcomed,but he said a more consistenteffortisneeded throughout thegame.

“Itwas attitude andmindset (in thesecond half),” he said. “Wetalk aboutbeing afamily, playing for the guy next to you, playing for the name acrossyourchest. We have to have eachother’s backs and empty the tank.

“Our guys have to let it sink in and carryitover fora full 40 minutes,not just in spurts. Mistakes are going to happen, but we need more consistency. We didn’t do that tonight.”

Theloss marksthe sixth in a

row for UL. White said he knows he can point to aplethoraofindividual issues with the Cajuns, but he said the turnaround will happen when the players prepare andexecute at ahigher level.

“We’re facing real adversity right now,” he said. “We’ve lost at home, we’vedropped six straight. OK, what now? Youdon’tsit around and feel sorry foryourself. Youshow up the next day, you practice theright way,you learn. Youkeep working until it changes.” White didn’thide from the larger picture. TheCajunsare banged up, but White hammered thesame point he’sbeenpreaching throughout this skid —the effort can’tslip, film hastomatter andpractice has to translate to the floor

“This league is aone-bid league,” White said.“Conferenceplay hasn’tstarted. We’ve got time but only if we want to fix it.”

Hawks guard Young set to miss two more weeks

Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young is expected to missatleast twomoreweeksashecontinues his recovery from asprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee.

The Hawks on Saturday said Young continues to makegood progress after missing one month after the injury on Oct. 29 in a117112 win at Brooklyn. The team said Young will be reevaluated in two weeks. At the time of the injury,the Hawks said an MRI showed Young avoidedananteriorcruciate ligament injury Young alreadyhas missed 15 games. He would miss at least seven additional games if his rehabilitation continues two more weeks.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL basketball coach Quannas White makes apoint fromthe sideline earlier this season. The Ragin’ Cajuns lost their sixth in a rowFridaynight to Jackson State 51-45.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByRyANSUN

Ohio State widereceiver Carnell Tate, left, runs past Michigan defensiveback Jaden Mangham for a touchdown on SaturdayinAnn Arbor,Mich.

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C

SEC championship game next week. After the Oklahoma game, there was no sense of panic from the LSU camp about Kiffin, but no sense of certainty, either Dispatches from national sports media outlets kept floating out on the chilly November air, but collectively this is all they said: “Lane is leaving Ole Miss, unless

LSU

Continued from page 1C

drove into LSU territory and returned it for 42 yards, setting up the offense outside the red zone. Two plays later, Van Buren gained 23 yards on a third-down keeper He got knocked out of bounds just short of the goal line. LSU used some tricky pre-snap motion to help get senior wide receiver Zavion Thomas wide open in the flat on the next play, and he scored the game’s first touchdown.

LSU couldn’t protect the lead for long. Its offense struggled to move the ball most of the game, and after giving up a 35-yard punt return, LSU allowed a 45-yard game-tying touchdown on a screen to wide receiver Deion Burks But halfway through the fourth quarter, LSU finally put together a drive. Sophomore tight end Trey’Dez Green

SCOREBOARD

Totals 200 16-60 9-1412-30 10 15 53

Percentages: FG 26.667, FT .643. 3-Point Goals: 12-38, .316 (Henry 4-8, Tarul

3-10, Corsentino 2-4, Escanillas 2-5, Piddock 1-3, Fischer 0-3, Williamsen 0-4, Bruschuk 0-1) Blocked Shots: None. Turnovers: 28 (Piddock 7, Fischer 5, Tarul 5, Henry 4, Bruschuk 3, Williamsen 2, Corsentino 1, Egan 1) Steals: 5 (Tarul 2, Bruschuk 1, Fischer 1, Williamsen 1) Technical Fouls: None Marist 5 9 20 19 — 53 LSU 21 37 31 24 113

A_2,224

Officials_Jeffrey Smith, Rod Creech, Cynthia Do Men’s state schedule Thursday’s games None scheduled. Friday’s games Southeastern 76, Garner-Webb 68 Tulane 82, Nicholls 72 Jackson State 51, UL 45 LSU v71, Drake 62 Saturday’s game LSU 96, DePaul 63 Southeastern 69, Navy 65 Louisiana Tech 83, Alcorn 58 Southern 75, Northwestern State 73 Men’s national scores EAST Army 81, Manhattan 78, OT Bowdoin 75, MIT 68 Bowie State 70, District of Columbia 63, OT Buffalo 71, Canisius 53 Colgate 85, SUNY-Oneonta 50 Columbia 92, Sarah Lawrence 44 Daemen 74, Clarion 64

he isn’t.”

And on and on and on it went. I’m fairly certain the folks in Punxsutawney are going to rename Groundhog Day to Lane Kiffin Day That is if he makes a decision by Feb. 2, of course. (Hit refresh button, internet just froze, but still no word). This is what appears to be the hangup: Kiffin wants the LSU job, but he wants to coach Ole Miss in the postseason almost as much. Ole Miss would rather never utter the words “Hoddy

Toddy” again rather than do that, but even a compromised Kiffin probably would give the Rebels their best hope to advance in the CFP and, if they’re in the game, win next Saturday’s SEC championship tilt in Atlanta.

As uncertain as things can be, I still think Kiffin will be LSU’s next coach. When that will be, as of Saturday night, I have no clue. (Hit refre no, I’d better not).

As for the Oklahoma game, the Tigers put the appropriate

coda on this season that started with the promise of a 17-10 win at then-No. 4 Clemson and ended up going nowhere. LSU players never gave up, never just mailed it in, but never could quite put it all together either The offense scored three points on its first two trips to the Oklahoma 10-yard line, but later took advantage of a John Mateer interception to set up its lone touchdown of the day The LSU defense picked off Mateer two other times but couldn’t pick up Sategna when it counted.

on Saturday in Norman, Okla.

LSU isn’t an awful team, but at 7-5, the record is telling. For the first time since the NCAA Division I-A/I-AA split in 1978, LSU has gone and entire regular season without scoring more than 25 points against a I-A/FBS opponent. That says as much about the Tigers’ flaws as anything. And how much they need Kiffin Let me just click that refresh button one more time.

Email Scott Rabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com

There were no answers as of the end of the game, but the Tigers will have a new head coach next year Some of the LSU seniors lingered on the field, taking in the scene from their last game. Defensive end Jack Pyburn waited for Sharp, and they walked off together Sixth-year defensive tackle Jacobian Guillory waited at the entrance to the tunnel and hugged everyone who came off the field.

AP PHOTO By ALONZO ADAMS Oklahoma quarterback John Mateer runs the ball ahead of LSU linebacker Harold Perkins during the first half

SAINTS GAMEDAY

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH

ESTABLISHTHE RUN

ROSTERS INJURY REPORT

OUT: RB Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle)

QUESTIONABLE:

QUESTIONABLE:

FIXRED-ZONEWOES

Nothingelsewillmatterifthe Saints don’t solvetheir issues in thered zone.OrshouldI saythe dead zone,since theoffense seems to dieonceinside the20-yard line.The Saints havescored touchdowns just 34.5%ofthe timesthey’ve reachedthe red zone,which easily rankslastin theleague. They scored 58% last season,sothe drop-off has been significant under first-year coachKellenMoore.The Saints missed on aTDfromthe 1-yard line on twodifferent drives in last week’s loss againstthe Falcons. That can’thappenand beat the Dolphins.

Thisone maybeeasier said than done for aSaints offense that averages just 91.5 yardsrushing per game. It’ll be even more difficult since Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle)will be out. The Saints will have to rely on rookie Devin Nealwith adoseofTaysom Hill. Thegoodnewsisthe Dolphins aren’t greatatstopping the run, yielding 142.6 yards rushing per game, which also ranks 29th.Theygaveup172 yards on the ground in their last game twoweeksago againstthe Washington Commanders.But theyheld Bills RBJames Cook to just 53 yards the week beforethat

STOP THERUN

Miamirunning back De’Von Achane is theNFL’s fourth-leading rusher with 900yards.His 5.5yards per carryaverage ranks thirdinthe league.It’ll be averylongday for theSaintsifAchane is gettingyards in chunks like that.BackupRBOllie Gordon came in andrushedfor 45 yardsinthe Dolphins’last game to go with Achane’s 120 yards. TheSaintsdid adecent jobagainst AtlantaRBBijan Robinson (14carries,70yards) last week andanevenbetterjob againstCarolinaRBRicoDowdle (18carries,53yards)the game before that.They’ll need asimilar effort Sunday.

CREATE TURNOVERS

Snatching turnovers is possible against Miamiquarterback Tua Tagovailoa, whoistied with Raiders QB Geno Smithfor the league lead with 13 interceptions Saintssafety Justin Reid gotapick-six against the Falcons, the Saints’ lone touchdown of the game.The struggling offense coulduse all the help it can getfrom Brandon Staley’sdefense.Winning the turnoverbattle and giving the offense favorable field position would makethings easier.It’ll help if Saintsedgerushers Cam Jordan and Chase young can spend some time in Tagovailoa’sface and force him to makebad throws

1 2 3 4 Rod Walker

Saints offenseneeds leader in worstway

If you’ve been watching theNew Orleans Saintsthis season, you know their offense is less than stellar.

It’sthe holidayseason,soI’m trying to be kind here.

The Saints rank last in the NFL in scoring andhavemanaged to score just onetouchdown in the first quarterall season. Never have we felt further away from theDrew Brees-Sean Payton days than we do now.

Myriadreasonsexist as to why the unit is so bad, starting with thepersonnel. Thequarterbacks are inexperienced,and the skill-position players lack explosiveness. Throw in an inconsistent interior offensive line,some shoddy execution andcurious play-calling by coach Kellen Moore, and, well, you have arecipe forananemic offense.

Butthere’sanother,less conspicuous issue that hasconspired to undermine the unit. It’scalledleadership, andthe Saints havestruggled to find it on offense.

It’snot that theSaints don’thavegood people on that side of theball. There are plenty of them there. It’sjust that that Saints’ best offensive playershavenot always been their best leaders. And their best offensive leaders have not always beentheir best players. It tends to work best when youhaveboth,withBrees beingthe shining example. Truth be told, this hasbeen an issue forthe Saints for acoupleofyears now. While the defense has enjoyed stalwart leadership from DemarioDavis,Cam Jordan, Tyrann Mathieu andnow Justin Reid, the offense has struggled to find like-mindedleaders.

Chris Olave is aterrific player,but he’s quiet, more of alead-by-example type Ditto TaysomHill andAlvin Kamara. They’ve never been vocal, rah-rah guys. They lead with their play,production and daily presenceatpractice andingames What’smore, Hill andKamara have suffered through subpar seasons andare on thewrong side of 30 with their best years likelybehind them.

Injuries to Kamara andErikMcCoy andthe recenttrade of BrandinCooks has exacerbated the situation.Those were the three offensive captains. Now, they’re allout. Cook was released.McCoy is out for the season with atorn pectoral muscle. And Kamara is sidelined by a balky knee.

Thatleaves agapingvoid in leadership andexperience. Tight end Juwan Johnsonisthe only offensive starter olderthan27, andhejustturned 29 in September.The offensive starting lineup against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday is expected to have three rookies and three second-year players.

But opportunity often exists in chaos, and the unusualcircumstances could force some of theyoung Saints to step up andgrow up in ahurry Rookie quarterback Tyler Shough and young tackles Kelvin Banks and Taliese Fuaga were captains in college. All three have been leadersontheir respective teams at previous levels. It’stheir time at this level.

“It’sall aboutopportunity for these guys,”Moore said. “... The voices are starting to rise, andI think that’sagood thing. Those guys are finding their space, howtheycan lead,and their ownpersonality andtheir own situation. Obviously, it’s going to be an important development thing for ourroster as we continue to grow.”

The obvious choice is Shough. One of the reasons the Saints liked Shough so much as adraft prospect was his strong leadership traits. Behind the scenes, he’s quietly asserting himself with teammates and coaches. With Kamara, McCoy and Cooksout of thepicture, he should become even morecomfortable in a leadership role. It’stime for him to take command.

To this point, Shough admirably has

been ago-along, get-along guy.Hefully understands and appreciates the hierarchy of the locker room and his place in it as arookie. But the offense is in desperate need of someone to take command. He might not feel ready,but the offense needs him to take charge.

“You have to (lead) in your ownway,” Shough said. “That’ssomething Ireally believe in, just being yourself. I’m hoping to do everything Ican to kind of voice all those things (as aleader). I’ve just been trying to take advantage of every opportunity and communicate the best Ican.” Shough’solder teammates say he has started to earn their respect with his confidence and comportment.

“You feel his presence,” Hill said. “You feel confident with him in the huddle. He knows what’sgoing on. He has put the time and energy into learning the system and understands the intricacies of what’sgoing on. He has areally positive, great presence in the huddle and at the line of scrimmage. As afan base, you can feel that. As ateammate and in the locker room, you feel that as well.”

Improving the leadership on offense should be atop priority in the offseason. Ideally,the Saints will find aveteran player or twoinfree agency to fill the void the way Davis and Reid have done on defense. It should also be top of mind in the draft.

Shough, Banks and Fuaga are anice core to build an offense around, but it can’tstop with them.

LUKE JOHNSON

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD Saints quarterback

Shough throws apass against the Atlanta Falcons at the

DIVING IN

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GERALD HERBERT

Saints safety JustinReid runs an interception backfor atouchdownasAtlanta Falcons wide receiver

David Sillstries to make atackle in the first half of agameNov.23atthe Caesars Superdome.

Prairieville native Reid hasemerged as ‘anincredibleleader’ with Saints

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

In three seasons with the Kansas City Chiefs, Justin Reid won two straight Super Bowls. He made athird. The safety won so many games duringthose years that he became well-versed on the standardittakes to perform at such ahigh level week in and week out. In those three years,the Chiefs lost only 11 regular-season games.

Reid’sfirst season with the New Orleans Saints has been decidedly different.

“I’ve always been aguy who likestodive in where I’m at,” Reid said

That dive is why Reid hasn’tregrettedsigning with the Saints, monthsafterheinked athreeyear,$31.5million deal to join his hometown team. Yes, the losses —alreadynineofthem ahead of Sunday’sgame against the Miami Dolphins —have frustrated the Prairieville native. Andsure, the money probably helps. But in his eight years in the NFL, Reidhas realized he finds enjoyment in the journey.His four seasons with the Houston Texans might have, insome ways, provided as many valuable lessonsashis three with the Chiefs.

And he’sready to share with whoever’swilling to listen.

“Justin is an incredible leader,” coach Kellen Mooresaid.

“He’sveryvocal, very passionate,” rookie JonasSanker said. During aseason thathas been as rough as many on theoutside expected,Reidhas emerged as an important voice in the team’s locker room.The 28-year-old captainhas not let the whiplash of goingfrom adynastytoa rebuild affect how he approachesmaking an impact for his new teammates. Instead, Reid is focusedonthe momentsthatshape games Take last week’sloss to the Atlanta Falcons.As fast as NewOrleans’ defensestartedagainst its divisional rival, Reid said he could tell that the Saints were “flyingaround so quickly”thatthe Falcons would eventually try ascreen passto gash the unit. And so, Reid warnedthose around him —and sure enough, he was right. In the fourth quarter,Atlanta’sBijan Robinsonbroke free on second-and-23 fora32-yard gain that helped ensure the Falcons neverlostthe lead. To Reid, the Robinson play wasn’ta reflection of the Saints failing to listen to him. It was more of an example of how the Saints can use themoment to grow

“The NFL is the toughest sport in theworld, man,”Reidsaid.“IthinkIbringsomeperspective, because I’ve lived almost everysideof the coin. Having areally good team that didn’tmake it through theplayoffsmy first two years, to ateam that struggled in my thirdand fourth year,to a dynastic team those next three years, to the season we’re in right now

“I felt that gives me alot of perspective on wherewe’re at and what we need to work on and continue to build. Ijust try to share that with the guys.”

This is where Reid wanted to be. During free agency, he seriously considered offers from three teams: The Saints, the TennesseeTitans and the Eagles. Of those, the Eagles would have provided Reid an opportunity to contend for another

championship. Philadelphia, after all, beat KansasCityinthe SuperBowl andislooking to go back-to-back.

But theallure of theSaintswas too much to pass up. It wasn’tjust that the money was right, or that his family memberstexted him to come home. Rather,asReid mulled the decision, he discussed hischoicewithhis brotherEric— a former LSU star who went on toplay for seven years in the NFL.

They lovedthe ideaof“having the whole state on lock,” Justin said. Therewas anostalgia playing forthe black andgold, andReidalsoloved theidea that his newborn daughter could grow up around hercousins andthe rest of the family

“It just made sense,” Reid said.

Thesentimental value of the move hasn’tquieted Reid’simpact —especially on the field. As much as the safetyhas provided as aleader this season, Reid has reinforced those words with his play.Hescored NewOrleans’ lone touchdown against theFalcons on apick-six, displaying an impressivecutback afterthe interception to get into theend zone.

Defensive coordinator Brandon Staley said Reid’sperformance was the fourth straight game in which thesafety hasplayedata“really high level.” That also provides an example for Sanker and therest of the safeties on how to play, Staley said.

“He’s just oneofthese glue intangible guys that every defense would love to have,”the coordinator said.

Sanker agrees. By playing across from Reid, therookie said he’sable to learn so much from watching how theveteran “doesn’thesitate” on plays. He said he’s seen how Reid will recognize plays pre-snap andthentry to limitthose. Reid’s warning of Atlanta’seventualscreen was the kind of thing that happens every week with the safety,Sanker said.

Reid said playerscan’t be effectiveleaders without earning it with their play.But this, too, explains why his signing has been so crucial for the Saintsthis season.

Beforethe season,the Saints namedeight captains. In thelast two weeks, two —Brandin Cooks and Blake Grupe —have been released during unproductive campaigns. Anothertwo, AlvinKamaraand Erik McCoy,are sidelined with injuries. Thatleaves Reid, alongsnapper (Zach Wood)and twolong-time staples (Cam Jordan, Demario Davis). Jordan andDavis have also played well in 2025 but could be in their last year withthe Saints. In his first year with the franchise, Reid has perhaps provided aglimpse of thenext era.

Andif, for whatever reason, Reidis somehownot on the roster by thetime the Saintshave turned things around, he’ll still have helped get them there.

“His focus, his details, the way he plays, theway he prepares it’sreally,really special,” Mooresaid.

“He’s aguy that you just want to show alot of young guys,justsay,‘Hey, watch this guy.’ …He is the perfect example of what it means to be.

STAFF PREDICTIONS

JEFF DUNCAN

DOLPHINS 20,SAINTS16: Amonth ago, this looked like a winnable game,but theDolphinshave come aliveinrecentweeks andare playingwellonbothsides of theball. TheSaintstookamajor step back againstthe Falconslastweekand will need to create some turnoverson defensetopulloff theupset

LUKE JOHNSON

DOLPHINS 23,SAINTS14: It wouldnot surprise me if rookie TylerShoughplays well enough to netthe Saints theirthird winof theyear. This is awinnablegame, even fora team goingthrough a season likethe onethe Saints are, butI’m still notgoing to pick New Orleans. Ilearned my lesson last week

MATTHEWPARAS

DOLPHINS 16,SAINTS10: Dolphins defensive coordinatorAnthony Weaver interviewedfor theSaints’ coaching joblastoffseason,and he hashis unit playingextremely well as of late —evenafter theteamtradedone of itstop pass rushersinJaelanPhillips. That should be enough to swingthis one.

RODWALKER

DOLPHINS 24,SAINTS13: It’s hard to pick theSaintsafter watching the performanceagainst theFalcons TheDolphins, winnersofthree of theirlastfour, aretrendinginthe rightdirection

Saints took

Saints safety Justin Reid STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

PREP REWIND

GAME OF THE WEEK

Notre Dame holds off Lafayette Renaissance

Duplechin, Bourgeois play heroic roles in Pioneers’ win

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Truthfully, Notre Dame senior linebacker Wes Duplechin isn’t the best person to ask for a full description of his heroics after leading the Pioneers to such victories as Friday’s dramatic 27-19 state quarterfinals win over Lafayette Renaissance at Gardiner Memorial Stadium.

He’s too busy making plays to worry about such details

“You kind of blank out,” Duplechin said with a laugh. “I don’t even remember, but I think my brother Jude stripped it. I just picked it up and started running.”

At the time, the No 2-seeded Pioneers were clinging to a 20-19 lead over the visiting Tigers, who had the ball on the Pios 36 with less than a minute left.

And yes, Duplechin’s hunch was correct. His brother Jude got the sack and Wes scooped it up and returned it 58 yards for a touchdown with 33 seconds left on the clock.

“Oh, I’ve never felt it before,” Duplechin said of the return “That was my first time and it was a damn good feeling.”

Notre Dame’s coaching staff would have preferred Duplechin down the ball to run out the clock

“That’s Wes,” coach Lewis Cook said. “That’s what makes him such a good player He just doesn’t slow down. He doesn’t have but one speed.”

Duplechin capped off the game with a sack at the end. Now, Notre Dame (10-2) will host Calvary Baptist next Friday in the Division III select semifinals.

“I was thinking this could be the last few plays of my career,”

Duplechin said. “Why not just give it everything I’ve got, and I gave everything left in my tank and it worked.”

Duplechin was right in the middle of Notre Dame’s final offensive touchdown as well. Facing a fourth-and-3 from the LRCA 40, Duplechin caught a 30-yard pass to the 10 to eventually set up a Joachim Bourgeois 2-yard TD plunge to give the Pios the lead for good at 20-19 with 2:20 left.

Duplechin, who was only playing offense because of injuries to the Pios’ fullbacks, used his athletic ability to help his team win.

“I would get in there, and if I didn’t know the play, (quarterback) Drew (LeJeune) would just tell me and I’d do what he told me to do, and it worked,” Duplechin said.

“(On the fourth-down play), I don’t even know what it’s called, to be honest. ‘Waggle Right’, that’s all I heard I just ran right behind the defenders and Drew just tossed it out to me.”

As big as those plays were, big plays certainly weren’t the norm for the Pios in this showdown.

For the sixth time this season, Notre Dame workhorse back Bourgeois scored on the first play from scrimmage. This time, it was on a 42-yard run up the middle after Maddox Morgan recovered a game-opening onside kick.

After that, though, it was 3 yards here and 4 yards there over and over for the Pios. In the second quarter, there was a 15-play drive that ended with a fumble at the 5.

In the third quarter, Bourgeois powered a 14-play, 65-yard drive in 6:49 to regain the lead at 14-13.

Bourgeois slashed in from the 7 for the touchdown with 3:27 left in the third

“They (Lafayette Renaissance defense) brought everything they had,” Bourgeois said. “Three yards was really good That’s all we could really do, run it up the middle.

Three yards and then 3 yards and then 3 yards — that’s going to get you a first down.”

By the end of the night of executing that patient approach, Bourgeois finished with 200 yards on 34 carries.

“This is special,” Bourgeois said. “When you win a close game, it’s the greatest feeling ever It is really awesome.”

The loss was an agonizing one for Lafayette Renaissance, which lost 38-19 at Notre Dame late in the regular season.

“That game was deceiving,” Cook said. “All of our scores came on big plays. You know it’s just one guy out of position. We never had

Teurlings’ postseason climb thwarted by John Curtis

BY MIKE COPPAGE

Contributing writer

Regardless of record, ranking or seeding, John Curtis is never a team an opponent wants to see in the playoffs.

The seventh-seeded Patriots, who have won more state titles than any program in Louisiana, scored touchdowns in the final minutes of the first and second quarters, then added a third TD from quarterback London Padgett to end No. 2 Teurlings Catholic’s perfect season by a 21-7 score in a Division I select quarterfinal playoff game on Friday

“Our defense played great,” Patriots coach Jeff Curtis said. “We basically shut them out when they were averaging over 40 points per game.” Rebels quarterback Alex Munoz, who had thrown only one interception all year was picked off by Curtis defenders Jewellz Tapp, Prentice Mackyeon and Craig Connor Lane Lecron had a fumble recovery and threw a long pass to freshman Jaden Turner on a fake punt on fourth and 9 to set up a touchdown from Jacobi Boudreaux, who ran for 63 yards with the first two TDs.

“What a turning point in the game that was,” Curtis said of the fourth down conversion. “Our defense played outstanding. They’re battletested in our (Catholic) league and California and against some of the best quarterbacks there are to offer That showed tonight with the schedule we’ve played.” After Boudreaux’s first TD on fourth and goal from the 1, Mackyeon intercepted Munoz, but the Patriots lost the ball and 15 yards on a fumble on the next play The Rebels (11-1) marched to the red zone, but Munoz was stopped on fourth down.

“We made mistakes, and they made us pay,” said first-year Rebels coach Michael Courville. “And when they made a couple, we didn’t really capitalize. They did a very good job up front of getting off blocks Their linebackers had a heck of a game I think that was the best secondary we saw all year They made plays. Tonight they were just better than us.”

Padgett a sophomore who is second on the team in rushing behind Boudreaux, completed five passes for 98 yards (two to DJ Horton for 50 yards). The Patriots rotated four running backs, including Gavin Ledet (77 rushing yards on 15 carries), Isaac Hrabovsky, Kolston Martinez and Boudreaux, who had a big catch on a wheel route.

For the Rebels, Ian Schwander and Spencer Meche combined for 47 yards rushing on 15 carries. Nicholas Celestine caught two passes for 27 yards. Andrew Viator had one catch for 16 yards. Tight end A.J. Price, who also played defense with end Andrew Fruge out, caught four passes for 48 yards and scored a TD on a reception from Munoz late in the fourth quarter

“I’m really proud of the defense,” Courville said “We had some turnovers and fourth-down stops. I failed the kids on that fake punt. That’s something that’s going to haunt me for a bit. That was a great call and great execution.”

In his first season as a head coach, Courville went up against the three winningest coaches in Louisiana history in Lewis Cook (Notre Dame), Jim Hightower (St. Thomas More) and J.T Curtis Jr., who departed immediately after Friday’s game to return to New Orleans for his television show

The Patriots (9-2) will get a rematch against No. 3 St. Augustine, which erased an early 14-0 deficit with ease in the regular-season meeting of the Catholic League foes. “I feel really great about the opportunity to be able to play those guys with the opportunity to go to the Dome,” Curtis said of the seminal game. “They had a receiver get injured, but they’re really good. They have a tremendous amount of depth at receiver They’re really explosive with Vashon Coulon. He’s been their guy making throws at quarterback.” Curtis won the opening toss and elected to receive, which isn’t the case for most games. The Patriots drove to the Rebels 28 but were stopped for no gain on third and fourth down.

“Our defense played really lights-out,” Courville said. “They kept us in the game.

“My heart goes out for Alex because this is going to bother him, but he’s one of the best football players and kids I’ve been around. We won 11 games behind his leadership. He went 21-3 as a starting quarterback. That’s pretty darn good. He made us look good and look smart. Just a really incredible high school football player He’s not highly recruited or anything, but he should be.”

to drive the ball.

“Four weeks down the road, it’s playoff time. It’s a different mindset when you get in the playoffs.”

The Tigers took a 13-7 lead with 10:16 left in the third quarter on a 29-yard touchdown pass to Ja’Courey Duhon.

It looked like the visitors might pull off the upset when they forced a Pios fumble at the LRCA 25 with 6:58 left to play They led 19-14 after a Jaydon Polk 2-yard touchdown run on the final play of the third quarter

But on the next play from scrimmage, Griffin Doucet picked off quarterback Kennan Brown to set up Notre Dame’s game-winning touchdown drive.

“Bad play call,” LRCA coach Hunter Landry said. “You give a good team that many opportunities, they’re going to make you pay for it, so hats off to them.

“Hats off to our defensive staff. They kept us in the game. We tackled better this time.”

Brown finished with 180 yards and two touchdowns passing.

Da’Marion Green led the Tigers on the ground with 50 yards on six carries.

“I thought our defense played lights-out tonight,” Cook said.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

Westminster Christian overwhelms St. Edmund to reach state semifinals

Crusaders advance to semis for first time

BY RHETT MANUEL Contributing writer

Westminster Christian Academy didn’t just make history Friday night. It did it in every way a football team can. Behind explosive plays in all three phases, the top-seeded Crusaders overwhelmed district rival St. Edmund 52-22 at Crusader Field, securing the program’s first berth in the state semifinals.

The win also completed a season sweep of the Blue Jays, whom WCA defeated in Week 10, but this one carried far greater weight. With a trip to the Division IV select semifinals on the line, Westminster left no doubt.

“We coach our kids to be explosive in all three phases,” Westminster coach Byron Porter said. “When you have success like we did, it makes it an easier night. But we give the message to our kids that it’s never good enough. We just stay even keeled and do a great job of staying focused.”

The statement began early On the game’s third play, quarterback Steven George dropped a perfectly placed deep ball to Damien Thomas for a 46-yard strike, igniting a 20-point first quarter that immediately seized momentum. Just three minutes later, Evan Lemon fielded a St. Ed’s punt and darted 33 yards untouched to the end zone, giving the Crusaders a two-score lead before the Blue Jays could settle in.

After St. Edmund momentarily closed the gap with a quick-hitting 34-yard touchdown from Nathan Zaunbrecher to Max Smith to cut the lead to 16-8, WCA responded with a Kyle Horde 18yard run to make the lead 21-8. Every time St. Ed’s scored, WCA found a score on the next possession.

The Crusaders’ ability to answer every Blue Jay score set the tone for the rest of the night.

Defensively, the biggest moment came early in the second quarter With St. Edmund attempting to build momentum, WCA defender Cayden Brown caught a tipped pass and weaved 75 yards down the sideline for a pick-six. The stadium roared as the lead ballooned to 28-8, and the Blue Jays never recovered. Special teams, defense, offense Westminster authored the full script. The Crusaders piled up explosive plays throughout the first half. George added an 11-yard touchdown run to give the Crusaders a 35-8 lead.

George finished with 185 passing yards and another 148 on the ground and four total touchdowns.

“He’s been here all three years I’ve been here,” Porter said of George. “He’s a triple threat. He can hurt you with his arm, legs and his high football IQ. He exhibited that IQ tonight. I’m glad he’s on our team.”

St. Edmund continued to fight behind a 132-yard rushing effort from Nathan Driggs and a late fourth-quarter kickoff return score from Hudson Simon, but Westminster’s early dominance had already sealed the outcome.

The Crusader def ense swarmed throughout the night, limiting St. Ed’s to just six completions and forcing three turnovers, including Brown’s interception return and a late takeaway that extinguished any hope of a fourth-quarter rally

By night’s end, Westminster had scored through offense, defense, and special teams, embodying the completeness that has carried the Crusaders to a 12-0 record and the doorstep of a championship appearance.

“It means a lot because this is a team of seasoned veterans,” Porter said. “But you’ve got to play the games. I attribute our success to our district. We’re in an extremely tough one that made a lot of guys grow up.”

With history made, the Crusaders turn their focus to next week’s semifinal one win away from the Superdome.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

Notre Dame running back Joachim Bourgeois, center fights for extra yardage during the Pioneers’ 27-19 home win over Lafayette Renaissance on Friday in Crowley.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

John Curtis defender Jeffery Curtis, left, tackles Teurlings Catholic quarterback Alex Munoz during the Rebels’ state quarterfinals loss Friday

PREP REWIND

Big third quarter lifts LCA in blowout of Catholic High

BY BRANDON COMEAUX

Contributing writer

A dominant third quarter by Lafayette Christian Academy turned a close contest into another Knights rout as LCA knocked off reigning state champion Catholic of New Iberia 49-14 in the quarterfinals of the Division III select playoffs on Friday at Knight Field.

For the first two quarters, the teams traded blows. LCA started the scoring following the opening kickoff as UL commit and senior Braylon Walker scored on fourth and goal from inside the 1 on a drive that was highlighted by a 55-yard Caiden Bellard run.

Catholic matched LCA on the ensuing drive when senior running back Owen Morris, who played quarterback for most of the game in place of usual starter senior Xander LaBauve, found senior wide receiver Khylan Edwards on fourth and 12 from the 20-yard line to tie the game at 7-7.

The sophomore Bellard then found the end zone for the first of his three rushing touchdowns on an 8-yard run that gave the Knights a 14-7 lead near the end of the first quarter

However, the Panthers would match the Knights again on another fourth-down conversion pass from Morris to Edwards, this time on a fourth-and-4 from the 6. That tied the score up at 14 with nine minutes left in the second quarter On the ensuing drive, Walker fumbled as he was attempting to convert on fourth down near the red zone. Then the LCA defense began to shine.

After getting its first stop and after Walker scored on a 6-yard touchdown run to put LCA up 2014, the Knights defense did not surrender another point and began causing turnovers

The Knights defense set the tone at the beginning of the third quarter as senior WR/DB Draylon August’s interception and return set the Knights up at the Panthers 8. Bellard then picked up his second rushing touchdown and Oklahoma commit Brayden Allen caught Walker’s pass in the end zone for the two-point conversion to put LCA up 28-14.

The Knights defense held the Panthers to 25 yards of offense in the second half.

“All glory to God,” LCA defensive coordinator Mitch Craft said. “If it wasn’t for him… every ounce of strength that we get and everything we do is all through him. Our kids are relentless, tough and smart. We probably got a little rattled early on. We were dictating our play worry-

win Friday.

ing about what they (Catholic) do, and I think we had our guys thinking a little too much… and that’s on me.

“When we made our adjustments in the second half, I could tell on that first drive the weight was lifted off their shoulders and we got back to playing Knight football.”

August, junior linebacker Kaleb Simon and senior linebacker/ defensive end Jayden Arceneaux each recorded an interception for the Knights. Senior linebacker Kaydin Paul, who turned 18 on Friday, was in the backfield throughout the night as he finished with six tackles, including a sack

“It was a hard-fought battle,” Paul said. “I want to thank my teammates for opening up the holes that allowed me to hit the gaps and get in the backfield. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to make those plays. I really appreciate them.”

“Defensively, we did a great job making adjustments and we eliminated the big play,” Standiford said. “We capitalized on some big turnovers, and our offense took advantage of it.”

That LCA offense kept scoring, and Bellard’s runs became more bruising as the Knights offensive line wore down the Panthers.

“I felt good and I felt confident going up against this good defense,” said Bellard, who rushed for 169 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries and caught two passes for 23 yards. “My offensive line did a great job and opened holes for me that gave me the ability to do what I do.”

“Coming into this game, everybody talked about how good their offensive line and running game was, and they showed it at times tonight,” said coach “Chop.” “But our offensive line took that per-

sonal. We ran the ball effectively tonight, and I thought our linemen played one of their best games.”

Bellard’s 9-yard touchdown run, senior fullback Gary Braxton’s 1-yard scoring run and August’s sensational one-handed grab in the end zone capped off LCA’s offensive explosion in the second half.

“Bellard and Walker did a great job creating chaos in the backfield, and we hit some timely throws,” Standiford said. “And Draylon August made the best catch I’ve ever seen in person.”

Walker finished the night with 193 passing yards and a passing touchdown on 14-of-19 passing while rushing for 86 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries.

Allen led all Knight receivers with 102 yards on seven catches

“The heart, grit and fight in our guys is truly an amazing sight to see,” LCA running backs coach Ty Fenroy said.

The Knights advance to the semifinals to take on a familiar foe: the Dunham Tigers.

“I remember that bus ride coming back from Dunham last year,” said Bellard, who as a freshman suffered a heartbreaking defeat to the Tigers in the quarterfinals last season after the Knights blew a 17-point fourth-quarter lead. “It was miserable. Getting to play them again, it’s great. They’re next on the clock.”

Dunham is the final team on LCA’s “Revenge Tour” as the Knights have been able to avenge last year’s losses to Archbishop Rummel, Westgate, Central, Notre Dame and Evangel.

“We are excited about the rematch with Dunham,” Standiford said. “We are excited to get another game at home and we are looking forward to the opportunity to compete for a chance to go to the state championship.”

Ascension Episcopal stuns unbeaten Hamilton Christian

Blue Gators force six turnovers to advance to semifinals

BY STEVE PELOQUIN

Contributing writer

The Ascension Episcopal Blue Gators were prepared for a close contest in their Division IV select state quarterfinals matchup against the Hamilton Christian Warriors on Friday night. After all, Ascension Episcopal was playing on the road against third-seeded Hamilton Christian, a team that entered the game with a perfect 10-0 mark. Instead, the Blue Gators played arguably their best game of the season, capturing a surprisingly easy 38-7 win over the Warriors in a quarterfinal game at Washington-Marion High School in Lake Charles.

Ascension Episcopal scored on three plays of at least 40 yards while forcing six turnovers to earn a berth in the semifinals for the first time since 2016.

“I thought we played really well, and I think the man coverage they played gave us a few opportunities early, and our guys did a good job of taking advantage of it,” Ascension Episcopal coach Jay Domengeaux said. “Our defense

really did a great job in the first half, playing with intensity and coming up big for us.”

The Blue Gators, as they normally do after winning the coin toss, elected to receive before capping off the opening drive with a Branon Mitchell 1-yard touchdown plunge, which gave them a 7-0 lead at the 8:23 mark of the first quarter

“I like to control the clock,”

Domengeaux said of his decision to take the ball after winning the toss “If we can sustain drives and put points on the board early and keep their offense off the field, I think that’s always a good way to start the game if you can.”

The Blue Gators defense got into the act next when Austin Adams returned an interception 48 yards for a touchdown, extending their lead to 14-0 at the 6:17 mark of the first period.

Ascension Episcopal then used three big offensive plays to take complete command, including a 61-yard touchdown run by Mitchell, a 56-yard touchdown pass off of a halfback pass from DJ Kelly to Mitchell, and a 44-yard touchdown pass from Mitchell to Preston Peebles, which widened its advantage to 35-0, a lead it would take into the halftime break.

“Their (Hamilton Christian)

man coverage allows them to make some big plays, but it also

gives you a chance to make some big plays, and we were able to do that,” Domengeaux said. “And if you win the turnover battle, like we did tonight, then you have a good chance of success.”

Hamilton Christian scored its only points on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Javon Vital to Javonte Vital at the 9:49 mark of the third quarter to make it 35-7, before Andrew McCormick kicked through a 30-yard field goal at the 9:00 mark of the fourth quarter to give the Blue Gators a 38-7 lead and the eventual 31-point triumph. Mitchell led the way for Ascension Episcopal with two passing touchdowns, along with a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown, while Adams recorded three of the five Blue Gator interceptions.

The Blue Gators, who rushed for over 170 yards as a team, improved to 11-1 with the victory, while Hamilton Christian’s season ended at 10-1. Ascension Episcopal will travel to Reserve next Friday to meet Riverside Academy in the semifinals.

“This is exciting for the players, the parents and the whole community,” Domengeaux said. “We talk every week about playing well enough to earn another week, and we earned the right to play another week.”

FOOTBALL PLAYOFF REPORT

Friday’s scores Calvary Baptist Academy 14, Sumner 7 Neville 42, Barbe 0 Ouachita Parish 28, Parkway 22 Ruston 40, Southside 28 Zachary 31, Central — B.R. 27 Belle Chasse 39, West Feliciana 16 Iowa 28, Lutcher 21 North DeSoto 51, Franklinton 37 Plaquemine 47, Cecilia 28 Jena 44, Mansfield 20 St. James 57, Oak Grove 13 Sterlington 44, Loreauville 6 Union Parish 20, Kinder 14, OT Haynesville 48, Jonesboro-Hodge 12 Jeanerette 36, Logansport 8 Mangham 49, East Feliciana 16 South Plaquemines 27, North Iberville 12 Baton Rouge Catholic 44, Alexandria 6 John Curtis Christian 21, Teurlings Catholic 7 Karr 49, Evangel Christian Academy 20 St. Augustine 35, Rummel 10 Shaw 38, Loyola Prep 7 St. Charles Catholic 31, E.D. White 0 University 32, Madison Prep 30 Vandebilt Catholic 31, Lake Charles College Prep 28 OT Dunham 48, Newman 22 Lafayette Christian 49, Catholic-NI 14 Notre Dame 27, Lafayette Renaissance 19 Ascension Catholic 50, Catholic-PC 42 Ascension Episcopal 38, Hamilton Christian 7 Riverside Academy 38, Ouachita Christian 14 Westminster Christian 52, St. Edmund Catholic 22

Lafayette Christian 49, Catholic-NI 14 Team Catholic-NI LCA First Downs 12 19 Yards Rushing 141 268 Yards Passing 41 202 Passes (C-A-HI) 7-18-4 14-19-0

Punts-avg 3-37 1-32

Fumbles-lost 0-0 1-1

Penalties-yards 5-60 13-130

SCORINGSUMMARY

Punts-avg 3-37 3-37.7 Fumbles-lost 5-2 2-0

Penalties-yards 2-20 7-74

SCORINGSUMMARY St.Edmund 0 8 8 6 22 Westminster 7 28 7 10 —52 WCA Damien Thomas 46 pass from Steven George (Mac Proffitt kick) WCA — Evan Lemon 33 punt return (Profitt kick) STE — Max Smith 34 pass from Nathan Zaunbrecher (Wyatt Dubois run) WCA — Kyle Horde 14 run (Proffitt kick) WCA — Cayden Brown 75 INT return (Proffitt kick) WCA — George 11 run (Proffitt kick) WCA — Brandon Ray 51 pass from George (Proffitt kick) STE — Dubois 1 run (Dubois

Rushing 69 222

Passing 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

SCORINGSUMMARY

LRCA 0 6 13 0 19

NotreDame 7 0 7 13 —27

ND — Joachim Bourgeois 42 run (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 7 run (Savant kick)

LRCA — Jaylon Polk 2 run (pass failed)

ND — Bourgeois 2 run (pass failed)

ND — Wes Duplechin 58 fumble return (Savant kick) Belle Chasse 39, West Feliciana 16 Team WestFeliciana BC First Downs 10 21 Yards Rushing 14 371 Yards Passing 157 33 Passes (C-A-HI) 17-27-0 2-2-0

Punts-avg 3-30.3 0-0.0

Fumbles-lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-yards 7-45 3-30

SCORINGSUMMARY WestFeliciana 0 0 8 8 —16 BelleChasse 14 13 12 0 39

BC: Amari Ambrose 17-yard run. (Landon LeBlanc kick)

BC: Dillan Carter 6-yard run (LeBlanc kick)

BC: Khai Wallace 15-yard run (LeBlanc kick)

BC: Ambrose 23-yard pass to Savion Barthelemy. (Kick blocked)

BC: Ambrose 25-yard run (Kick blocked)

BC: Carter 10-yard run (Run failed) WFHS: Ean Hills 1-yard run (Hills pass to Tonio Sullivan) WFHS: Hills 8-yard run (Hills pass to Sullivan) Catholic 44, Alexandria 6 Team Alexandria Catholic First Downs 16 17 Yards Rushing 35-70 41-126

STATE SEMIFINAL PAIRINGS

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Lafayette Christian quarterback Braylon Walker leaps over a Catholic High defender during the Knights’ blowout

CAJUNS 30,WARHAWKS27OT

GUTSY PERFORMANCE

1

UL-Monroe looked likethe better teamfor most of UL’s 30-27 overtimewin Saturday, butthe Cajuns just hung in there.All year long, things have been astruggle.Wetalked all week about howdangerous the UL-Monroe defensive front was against abanged-up UL offensiveline, and it was astruggle.At one point, UL-Monroe had379 total yards to just 163 for UL.TheCajuns evenhad to getaspark off the bench from backup quarterback Walker Howard, whoplayed the fourth quarter and overtime session. He led UL to three scoring drives to help pull out the win.

DEFENSE SURVIVED

2

The truth is the UL coaching staff was hoping for the defense to carry the biggest load in this matchup. For one, the UL-Monroe offense has been the worstinthe Sun Belt all season long, averaging just 15 points pergame for the season. The Warhawks posted 29 first downs and 516 total yardsinthe game.Secondly,the Cajuns’ offensive line justdidn’t match up with the UL-Monroe defensiveline at all. For the first three quarters, it was likepulling teethfor the UL offense to getmanyyards at all, averaging 5.0 yards perplaycompared to 6.8 yardsaplayfor the Warhawks

SPECIAL TEAMS DELIVER

3

With the offense and defense both struggling mightily for most of the game, special teamsplayedahugerole in theovertime victory. For starters, Ja’Corian Norris opened the game with a96-yard kickoff returnfor ascore.With as little as theULoffense contributed over the first three quarters, it’sverypossible the Cajuns don’t force overtimewithout that play.Secondly,TonySterner made field goals of 55, 30 and 19 yards, while ULMonroe kicker Jacob Chambliss missed a37-yard fieldgoal and an extra point.Without that hugegap in the kicking game,UL-Monroe likely wins.

UL kick returner Ja’Corian Norris runs into the end zone on the opening kickoff of the game against UL-Monroe on SaturdayatOur Lady of Lourdes Stadium. UL won30-27 in overtime.

CAJUNS

Continued from page1C

UL-Monroe’sseason ends at 3-9, despite dominating much of Saturday’s game. The Warhawksoutgained UL 516338 and collected 29 first downs to only 17 for the Cajuns.

Armetta finished 19-of-31passing for 311 yards and three touchdowns

“I didn’tknow if we had enough,truthfully,tobeable to goout there and finda way to win, and it’sjust whatthese guys are, man,” Desormeaux said.“They scratch andtheyclaw, and, you know Ithink it was really important for them to send the seniors outwitha win,some way, somehow.”

LunchWinfield was only 10-of-21 passing for 82 yards, as well as carrying the ball nine times for 36 yards. But he was injured in the fourthquarterand replaced by Walker Howard, wholed UL to three scoring drives. Howard was 6-of-9 passing for 44 yardsand also ran it five timesfor 33 yards.

Running backBill Davis enjoyed the best day for the Cajuns with 15 carries for 126 yards and ascore.

“So really shout out to those guys (blocking receivers, linemen) because like Isaid, you know,ifthose guys aren’t doing their jobs to the best of their abilities, Iprobably won’thave thegameI have today,oritmight be alittle tougher,” Davis said.

After avirtual stalemate in the third quarter, the offenses wokeupinthe fourth period.

The Warhawks threw a68-yard touchdown pass to Jonathan Bibbs on the first play of the fourth quarter for a20-17 lead. Four plays later,ULdecided to go forit on fourth and 1from its own 24, and Davis busted loose for a76-yard touchdown run to regain the lead 24-20 with 12:50 left to play.Howard was the quarterback on that four-play,85-yard drivethattook less than two minutes

“I was thinking, ‘We’ve got to get this first down,’ ”Davis said. “I knew it’sgoing to be tight,and Ireally didn’texpect it to hit that big, butI’m seeing how they lined up and I’m like, ‘Oh yeah,I know Fitzgerald West …he’sgoing to make a big hole,’ and Ijust sawdaylight.” The UL defense continuedtohave

UL 30, UL-Monroe 27, OT

UL-Monroe 13 00 14 0— 27

UL 14 30 10 3— 30

First Quarter

UL—Norris96kickoff return(Sterner kick),14:47.

ULM—Trujillo 25 pass from Armenta (kick failed) 13:19.

ULM—Palmer-Smith 7run (Chamblisskick), 8:59

UL—Blanco 4run (Sterner kick),4:01

Second Quarter

UL—FGSterner 55,8:04 Fourth Quarter

ULM—Bibbs 68 pass from Armenta (Ryankick), 14:50. UL—Davis 76 run (Sterner kick), 12:49 ULM—Trujillo 43 pass from Armenta (Ryan kick), 9:32.

UL—FGSterner 30,3:36 First Overtime

UL—FGSterner 19,:00

A—16,270 ULMUL First downs 29 17

Total Net Yards516 338 Rushes-yards43-205 38-212 Passing 311 126 Punt Returns 2-01-1 Kickoff Returns 0-05-121 Interceptions Ret. 0-01-0 Comp-Att-Int 19-33-1 16-30-0 Sacked-YardsLost3-150-0 Punts4-40.0 5-33.2 Fumbles-Lost 1-1 0-0

Penalties-Yards 8-523-25

Time of Possession30:0829:52

INDIVIDUALSTATISTICS RUSHING—ULM, Palmer-Smith 20-114, McReynolds 11-49, Bibbs 2-30, Armenta 8-11, Lewis 2-1.UL, Davis 15-126, Winfield 9-36, W.Howard 5-33, Perry 6-20, Blanco 2-7, (Team) 1-(minus 10). PASSING—ULM, Armenta 19-31-0-311, Hu.Herring 0-2-1-0. Louisiana-Lafayette, Winfield 10-21-0-82, W.Howard 6-9-0-44. RECEIVING—ULM, Trujillo 4-133, McReynolds 3-22, Palmer-Smith 3-22,Bibbs 2-79, Nixon 2-10, R.Green 1-23, Sullivan 1-11, T.Griffin1-5, Coulter 1-4,Lewis 1-2. UL, Davis 4-33, Jensen 4-21,Sampson 2-18, Robertson 2-17,Blanco1-29,T.Miller 1-4,Chappell 1-2, R.Williams 1-2 MISSEDFIELDGOALS—ULM, Chambliss37. UL, Sterner 44.

zero answers for the SunBelt’sworst offense, giving up a43-yardtouchdown pass to NicTrujillo on third and13for a27-24 UL-Monroe lead with 9:32 left to play With Howard still at quarterback, UL drove65yardson11plays in 5:50 to tie the game. Anifty 26-yard completion to Davis was the big play on the drive, as well as a19-yard run fromDavis to set up agame-tying 30-yard Sternerfield goal to tieitat27-27 with 3:36 left. While it was arough day overall for the UL defense, the unit forced apuntand turnover on downs on UL-Monroe’sfinal two possessions of regulation.

The Cajuns returned theopening kickoff of thegame fora touchdown when Jacorian Norris escaped for 96 yards. But very little cameeasy for UL the rest of the way

UL running back Bill Davis,right, celebrates his touchdown runagainst ULM withoffensivelineman Bryant Williams on Saturday.

TheWarhawks showed rightaway theywere serious about being athorn in UL’s side by responding with afourplay, 75-yard drive in 1:28.Trujillo did the honors with a25-yard touchdown catch with 13:19 left in the first quarter, but theextra point was blocked to allow UL to keep a7-6 edge. Later in thefirst quarter,UL-Monroe was back at it with aseven-play,70-yard drive in 3:28 to take the lead at 13-7 on Zach Palmer-Smith’s7-yard touchdown run with8:59 left in the first quarter

The UL offensefinally got its first score of thegame on a4-yard Steven Blanco runwith 4:01 left in the first quarter.The 43-yard scoring drive after afumbled snap by UL-Monroe gave the Cajuns a14-13 lead.

The only scoring in the secondquarter was a55-yard field goal from Sterner midway through the period for a17-13 Cajuns’ lead that stood through halftime. UL-Monroe’sseason-long offensive woes weren’tapparent in this game. The Warhawks had 16 first downs to eightfor UL in the firsthalf and244 totalyards to 132.

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The offense wasstruggling and starting quarterback Lunch Winfield was hurting.

On the first play of the fourth quarter,UL-Monroequarterback AidenArmetta connected with Jonathan Bibbs fora68-yard touchdownpass to take a20-17 lead. So UL coach MichaelDesormeaux decidedtoinsert Walker Howard at quarterback.

“Lunch was hurting pretty bad,” Desormeau x said.“Early in the game, he tweaked something. Idon’t know if it’s aseriousthing.I think it’ssomethinghe’llbeOK.Hewanted to go, and he deserved theopportunity to go, but he just couldn’t. Ahuge part of hisgame was gone

“I justfeltlikethere wasno question the right thing to do was to go withWalker. He’s practiced really well.”

On Howard’sfirst drive,he connectedwith tight end Kaden Jensen for11yards to get to fourth and 1from UL’s own 24. ThatleftDesormeaux withanother huge decision.

“Certainly,ifwedon’tconvert,it’s areal problem,”Desormeaux said. “I don’tknow,Ijust believe in these guys in my gut. There was no questionthat’swhatweneededtodoand no question we needed to run it.” Theresult of that confidencewas Bill Davis breaking loosefor a76yard touchdown run to regain the lead 24-20 with12:49 left to play Then on Howard’ssecond possession, he connected with Davis foracritical 26-yard gain to midfield on UL’s waytogetting a Tony Sterner 30-yard field goalto tiethe game at 27-27 with3:36 lefttoplay

“Man, it was funny,” Davis said. “I just remember him (Howard) telling me,‘Hey Bill, just get open.’ Iwas like, ‘All right.’ Iend up going left and (the cornerback) ended up sitting down right there.I just played backyard football.” Theninthe overtime session, Howard ran 20 yards around the right side to get the Cajuns inside the10for theeventual game-winning, 19-yard field goal by Sterner “I was kind of expecting him to just kind of be chill, but he was firedup,” Davis said aboutHoward. “He gotinthe huddleand said, ‘Let’sgoboys.’Hehad abunch of adrenaline. It was kind of funny Shout out to that guy,man with everything he’sbeen through.” Desormeauxwas extra proud Howard made his decision pay off. “What he didthere at the endwas gritty andtough,” Desormeaux said of Howard “For akid wholovesthisplace andwanted to come back so bad to have things go as poorly as they didwith himgettinghurt in Week One, he’sbeen nothing short of an unbelievable teammate.

“He sat there every day and he worked and he encouraged his teammates. He goes to work every day.Heembodies what you want your team to be about. So for him to get amoment there…togofinish thegameforuswasprettyspecial.” Dugger stepsup

Seniormiddlelinebacker Jaden Dugger had ateam-high16tackles with two sacks and3.5 stops behind thelineagainst theWarhawks.

“He’sanincredibly smart player,”Desormeaux said of Dugger. “He plays really hard. He’sareally good athlete, and he’saheck of aleader.” Dugger’ssackonUL-Monroe’s first drive of the secondhalf forced apunt. Then he had abig stop for a1-yard gain to force apunt on UL-Monroe’ssecond drive of the second half Later in the game when the Warhawksweredriving for apotential win, Dugger forced a2-yard loss on second down that contributed heavily to aUL-Monroe punt with 1:42 left in regulation. Then on the Warhawks’ final drive of regulation,itwas Dugger again with atackle for a 2-yard loss back to the UL 36 to help force overtime.

STAFF PHOTOSByBRAD KEMP

DannyHeitman AT RANDOM

Decluttering makesme feel holiday abundance

One of my favorite holiday stories is “Good Housekeeping,” aBailey White public radio commentary fromsome yearsback. It’sabout White’s comic struggle to clean up her elderly mother’s house for Thanksgiving, achallenge complicated by the elder White’spassionfor savingeverything.

Over the course of an exhausting weekend, the house slowly surrenders itsstrange keepsakes, which includea turtle skull, “some deadly appliancesfrom the early days of electricity,and an old mechanical milking machinewith attachments for only three teats.”

Idon’tthink of myself as a pack rat in the White family tradition, although hoarders rarely recognize their worst tendencies. All of this came to mind as Thanksgiving approachedthis yearand nudged me to look around our own house with fresh eyes. Visitors were coming, and it wouldn’tdotohavean avalanche whenanin-law openedabroomcloset —ora trip to the emergency room if aguest tripped on astack of paperbacks on theway to the dinner table.

In advance of the holidays my wife and Itook acouple of days off to declutter Clearing cabinets, bookshelves andnightstands, Iwas struck by the odd sediment that settles within ahome as the river of time flows through its rooms. Ithought about White’smother —and my mother,too, who was what you might call an accumulator.After she died in 2008, we found 32 pairs of scissorswhen we emptied her house.

She’d lose one pair within the tangle of herhousehold, then buy areplacement, which would eventually sink into the multitude of her belongings and require yet another pair of scissors in its place.

Am Ithis bad? Ihope not, although Idid come across four sets of pliers in our broom closet when my wife and I were tidying things up. Adozen rolls of Scotch tape surfacedfrom the dim corner of akitchen cupboard, along with other artifacts. Ifound three dog brushes for our terrier,who died in 2020.It was surprising to learn that Iown seven bottlesofglue, nine flashlights (each one broken), acoach’swhistle, eight switch plates, nine padlocks (four with keys), three balls of twine and 14 house keys, all for property no longerin the family.Also, six rulers, two yardsticks and five power

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

Thequiet arrivalofaLouisiana fall, seen throughthe places we love most

SCENES OF THESEASON

Whichcamefirst,

FortSt. Jean Baptiste State Historic Site commemorates the fortcommissioned by French commandant and Natchitoches founder Louis Antoine Juchereau de St. Denis. The fort’s construction was completed in 1716.

BY JANRISHER | Louisiana culture editor

Louisianafall doesn’tshow up with fanfare. There are no dramatic leaf shows, no sweater weather on command. But for those payingattention, there’sa moment —a singlemorning, usually —whenyou step outsideand think, “Oh. It’s happening.” Suddenly, thesun feels kinder. The sky looks bluer.The breeze remembers its manners. Even thosewho avoid theoutdoors emerge to gather on porches, docks, trails and tailgates.

This is the season whenLouisiana breathes again. Gumbo is in theair —and thestate feelsmostlike itself.

The newspaper’sphotographers worked to capture that slow, subtle shift: fishermen testing thewater,birds changing their patterns, families reclaiming parks and backyards. They’re ordinary scenes, but each holds alittlespark of the season proof that even in aplace where fall tiptoes in, it still changes everything.

SamArvie, of IDI Workspaces, fillsa bowl with gumbo during the second annual Superintendent’sGumbo

BY ROBIN MILLER Staff writer

Had it been arace, Louis Juchereau de St. Denis would have won thegold. The people of Natchitoches know him as St.Denis, the founder of their city.Abust of theFrench commandant can be found on theCane River side of Natchitoches’ bricked Front Street directly across from the LouisianaSports Hall of Fame. In 1714, St. Denis set up

atrading post, marking the official beginning of the settlement that would becomethe City of Natchitoches. Still, the date 1714 piqued Walker Lasiter’squestion. “Does Natchitoches predate

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

A fishermanheads out on LakeMartin under thelight of anearlyfull moon just before sunrise in St.Martin Parish.

STAFFPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS Apairoflonghorns graze at Sagrera Farms.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Abald eagle lands at its nest located on River Road in Baton Rouge.

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

KaelynChiavillier,8,hangsout in his covered wagonwith his blanket to keep out the chill as his parents listen to the music of the RustyMetoyerZydeco bandatCypress Cove

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Cookoff in Lafayette.

FOOD

Tryshrimpand corn soup forcozyseason

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

One of my favorite soups to order in town is shrimp and corn soup. When Igot “Chef Celeste’s Louisiana Kitchen” cookbook by Celeste Gill, Iturned to the first recipe, shrimp and corn soup, and Ifelt it was time to finally try it on my own.

I’m also hoping that, by cooking this recipe, I’ll coax the weather into some cooler temperatures that call for arich and creamy soup.

Detroit native chef Gill came to the “soulful kitchens”ofBaton Rougeand integrated Louisiana flavors into her growing repertory of culinary dishes. In addition to cooking professionally,owning restaurants and conducting cooking demonstrations, Gill loves to teach and mentor younger chefs, including students in East Baton Rouge Parish public schoolsand inmates at local prisons.

“Through the simple act of preparingand sharing ameal, connections are forged, stories are exchanged and bonds are woven,” Gill wrote in her cookbook’sintroduction.

For 20 years, until 2023, Gill coordinated the Main Street Marketcooking demonstrations in downtown Baton Rouge. She also closed her two bistros in 2024 to shift into teaching through media.

This cookbook is one of her media ventures to spreadher cooking knowledge. In the introduction, she writes, “I want to empower cooks of alllevels to recreate in their own kitchens what Iconsider remarkable dishes.”

Gill’sshrimp and corn soup recipe is fairly simple.

The only thing Idid differently was substitute chicken stock instead of the shrimp stock because Idid not have anyon hand, nor did Ihave time topeel any shrimp. Iadded asmidge of the water Iused to defrost the shrimp to thechicken stock for a little depth of shrimp flavor.

One other small departure from Gill’srecipe: Iused more

garlic than she called for and added some garlic salttothe seasonings.

Ilearned from this experience to prep the shrimp and cut the vegetables before starting to melt the butter in the pot

Doing acouple of stepssimultaneouslyispossible, but Iwould advise giving yourself about 30 minutes of set up prior to heating up your pot. This way,you can give each task your full attention. Istronglyrecommend using fresh sweet corn off the cob for thatextra sweetness, but canned corn could work in apinch. The

recipe calls for one cup, and I used two full corn cobs, but I could have used one more, honestly

Here’stohoping this recipe yields some sweater weather Shrimp andcornsoup Serves 6

RecipeisbyCelesteGill, featured in “Chef Celeste’sLouisiana Kitchen”

2tablespoons vegetable oil or butter

1cup freshly cut cornoff the cob

1/4 cup chopped celery

2tablespoons chopped yellow onion

2tablespoons chopped green bell pepper

2tablespoons chopped green onion

When hintsfail, be direct

2tablespoons roasted garlic 4cups heavy cream 1pound shrimp,cleaned and chopped

2tablespoons all-purpose flour or 1teaspoon cornstarch 1/4 cup shrimp stock 1/2 pound whole31/35 shrimp,cleaned 1teaspoon blackpepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cayenne pepper

Forserving: crackers or toast

1. Heat oilorbutter in astockpot setover medium-high heat. Add corn,celery,onion, bell pepper, green onionand garlic. Cook until everything is tender, about seven minutes.

2. Stir in cream and chopped

shrimp and cook on medium heat 20 minutes, stirring constantly 3. Thoroughly whisktogether theflourand shrimp stock,then whisk into the soup. Add the 1/2 poundwhole shrimp.Cook an additional10minutes.

4. Add seasonings and cook an additionalfive minutes. Serve hot with crackers.

Tip: Cooked diced potatoes make aniceadditiontothis soup. Youcan also use this soup to top pasta or abakedpotato. This shrimpand cornsoup is savory,creamy and alittle sweet. For more spice, feel freetoadd alittle heat to the soup.

Checkout tips on travelingsolo

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Dear Miss Manners: Itook a long cross-country flight, during which Iwas assigned the middle seat. The gentleman seated by the window insisted on asking me about my relationship with Jesus, showing me photos on his cellphone and trying to engage me in conversation, whileI was very pointedly trying to watch amovie.

The flight was full, so moving to adifferent seat was not an option. Iprovided short, politeresponses and tried to focus on my movie without encouraging further conversation, but kept getting interrupted. What response would be best to effectively shut down conversation without offending the other person?

Gentle reader: Whenyou say you were very pointedly watching the movie, Miss Manners understands you to mean that, in spite of the brevity of your answers, your lack of engagement and the unspoken revolt inside your head, you were still relying on awell-inten-

tioned person to takea hint. This man was not, anddid not.The next stepwould therefore havebeen to say, “Please excuse me, but I would liketowatch the movie.” While this maynot comenaturally to the demure who are wary of being explicit, it is sometimes necessary Dear Miss Manners: Iwas taught from ayoungage that when aclose friend or family member has experienced aloss, theappropriate thingtodoistobethere for support. Depending on theperson,this might include sharing storiesabout the deceased, bringing over acasserole, helping with child care,holding their hand while they cry, or whateverthe griever needs. Ihave tried to be there for my friends,not only becauseofthislesson,but because Igenuinely wantto help them ata difficult time. However,whenIexperienced aloss, Iwas shocked that othershad verydifferentreactionstomy situation.Though there were afew friendswho did support me, many made it clear from dayone that they weren’temotionally available. One had experienced

her own recent loss, and I understood she was emotionally taxed herself. But theothers’ lack of support shocked me. These were close friends I’d known for years who seemingly had no interest in supporting me.

Iwas told that what Iwas asking was presumptuous, unkind and insensitive; that Ineeded to recognize that everyone has their own burdens and do not want the responsibilityofmine; that Ineeded to seek out aprofessional’shelp, asupport group and maybe medication to “get over it.”

Iwasn’tasking for hourslong phone conversations or for friends to become my therapist. Isimply wanted a little support now and again. Is thattoo much to ask?

Gentle reader: New (and unpleasant)asisyour realization, you need only look to the many cliches about fair-weather friends to recognizethat theproblemitself is ancient —soancient, in fact, it may even predate the idea thatone couldpay aprofessional to listen to one’sproblems.

Send questions to dearmissmanners@gmail com

ByThe Associated Press TodayisSunday,Nov.30, the 334th day of 2025. There are 31 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Nov.30, 1999, an estimated 40,000 demonstrators clashed with police as they protested against the World Trade Organizationasthe WTO convened in Seattle.

Also on this date: In 1782, the United States and Britain signed preliminary peace articles in Paris for ending the Revolutionary War; the Treaty of Paris

was signed in September 1783. In 1936, London’sCrystal Palace exhibition hall was destroyed by a massive fire. In 1993, President Bill Clinton signed the Brady Bill, which required afive-day waiting period for handgun purchasesand background checks of prospective buyers. In 2004, “Jeopardy!” fans saw KenJennings end his 74-game winning streak as he lost to real estate agent Nancy Zerg. Years later, Jennings becamethe host of “Jeopardy!”

Dear Heloise: In response to theperson who was wondering about traveling solo, there are several online groups on Facebook for people who travel solo, as well as tour groups that cater to solo travelers. There is one group that specifically offerstourstowomen traveling solo for both domestic and international travel Also,the tours offered by Road Scholars often include solo travelers. Ihope this encourages thosewho want to step out on their own but areinneed of a “safetynet.” —Ann Edgecombe, in Jacksonville, Florida

Travelingintentionally

Dear Heloise: Itravel all over the world, and I’ve discovered two very important things: The first is to take your time when traveling. Don’trush through theplaces you visit.Enjoy the sightsby takingtime to sit and observe aplace, amonument, thepeople, and the beauty of what you’re looking at in this moment. If you

ventured off the beaten path and are away from the tourist areas, you can observe the nuances of a different culture.

The second thing is to bring moremoney than you planned to spend. It’s very common forthings to cost morethan you anticipated or to see something you want to take home with you as amemento of anice vacation. Don’tgo homeafter atrip and say, “I wish Ihad bought that painting.” —A Reader, via email

Cursivewriting

Dear Heloise: In response to Sharon, whofeels it is atragedy kids today are not taught cursive writing in school, Iwould like to come at it from my perspective as an old guy and retired educator.Educators have been tasked with moresophisticated demands on what is expected in written work. The shape of the letters is less significant than the organization andclarity of thethought thestudent is expressing Avariety of writing tasks (expository,persuasive and narrative) require differing methods to construct an effective text. Perhaps Sharon (as well as myself) need to

recognize that the“tragedy” hasanother cure. Can Sharon use social media to connect to hergrandchild’s inbox? We don’tteach studentshow to useaslide rule either.The ship hassailed. Peter Jacoby,in Bozeman,Montana Pick up abook

Dear Heloise: Please inform your readers of Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library at Imaginationlibrary.com. Once registered,children receive afree book that is appropriate fortheir age each monthfrom birth through age5.Although it’s notavailableeverywhere, it’s worth checking out. It putsbooksinhomes that may nothaveany —Becky G., via email

Canyou hear me?

Dear Heloise: If Ianswer the phone andget the“Canyou hear me?”reply from the other person, Ireply witha Northern Norwegian dialect andsay,“Ka sa dokker?” (“What did yousay?”) They often hang up —RolfT.,via email Good idea. Never say “yes” in this situation. —Heloise

Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

In 2012, Israel approved the construction of 3,000 homes in Jewish settlements on occupied lands, drawing swift condemnation from Palestinians aday after their successful bid for recognition by the United Nations. In 2013, actor Paul Walker,starof the “Fast &Furious” movie series, was killed in asingle-car accident north of LosAngeles; Walker’s friend RogerRodas, who was driving the car,also died. Walker was 40 years old. In 2018, former President George H.W.Bush, aWorld WarIIhero

who rose through thepolitical ranks to the nation’s highest office, died at his Houston home at the age of 94; hiswife of morethan70 years, Barbara Bush, had diedin April In 2024, Syrianinsurgentstook over most of Aleppo,the country’s largest city,facing littleornoresistance from government troops. The insurgents would capture the capital of Damascusdays later in December as President Bashar alAssadfled thecountry,ending his family’sdecades-long rule of Syria Today’sbirthdays: FilmmakerWoody

Allenis90. Filmmaker Ridley Scott is 88. Historian andscreenwriter Geoffrey C. Ward is 85. Filmmaker Terrence Malickis82. Playwright David Mamet is 78. Actor Mandy Patinkinis73.

García Bernal is

Cuthbert is 43. Actor Kaley Cuoco is 40. Model Chrissy Teigen is 40.

STAFFPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Shrimp andcornsoup

Hints from Heloise

TRAVEL

Ride therails forthe holidays

9historictrain journeys in theSouth

BY CHERÉ COEN Contributing writer

It’salways fun to ride the rails of ahistoric train, especially during themed rides where robbers board in old western attire or there’s a mystery to be solved during the two-hour excursion. This time of year,it’sall about the North Pole and Santa. Here are nine Southern train rides that transportpassengers on exuberant holiday outings.

DollywoodExpress:Pigeon Forge,Tennessee

Family friendly Dollywood isa joy any time of year but especially magicalatChristmas duringits SmokyMountain Christmas. Visitors may wander througha winter wonderland glowing with more than six million lights —sometimes with snow Plus,Santa pays avisit,theatrical performances have aholiday theme, and visitors may ride the adorned Dollywood Express and sing asong or two. Theauthentic coal-fired steam enginepulls the open-air passenger carsthrough afive-mile excursion around the park. Learn more at dollywood. com.

Grapevine, Texas

The Christmas CapitalofTexas, with its1,400 holiday-inspired events from now until NewYear’s, includes Santa’sNorth PoleExpress that rolls from the town’s depot and back for atwo-hour holidayride.

Grapevine Vintage Railroad includes Christmas singalongs, specialmoments with Santaand his elves and visits withMrs. Claus during boarding. The train rolls through Dec. 30,except for Dec. 24, 25 and 26. Find out more at grapevinetexasusa.com/christmas-capital-of-texas/north-poleexpress.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

Americus,Georgia

The Savannah, Americus &Montgomery railroad cars have been restored for aridefrom the train’s originalroutefromCordeletoPlains with astopinAmericus,Georgia

Passengers relax in climate-controlled carsfromGeorgia Veterans State Park, across Lake Blackshear, through Americus and on to Plains, where passengers mayenjoy atwohour exploration of Pres.Jimmy Carter’s hometown.

On Dec. 5-6, the train becomes the Candy CaneExpress.For aone-hour holiday ride, the SAM Shortline offers its Cordele Holiday Train with Santa and hot chocolate. For more information,visit www.samshortline.com.

BlueRidge,Georgia

TheBlue Ridge Scenic Railway leaves the quaint town of Blue Ridge, about two hours northofAtlanta,totravel through the Appalachian foothills of North Georgia to McCaysville,Tennessee.

ThroughDec. 24, thehistoric rail cars turn festive forthe annual onehour Holiday Express. Passengers listen to holidaymusic and areading of “The Night Before Christmas,” visit with Santa Claus and enjoy hot chocolate and other snacks available for purchase inside the concession car.For information, visit brscenic.com/holiday-special-rides.

BransonScenicRailway: Branson, Missouri

The Branson Scenic Railway transformsintoThe Polar Express during theholidays, traveling from downtownBranson and back on select dates from through Jan. 3. The special holiday excursion is arecreation of the children’s storyinwhich passengersreceive goldentickets for theride and enjoy hot chocolate from dancingchefs, areading of the ChrisVan Allsburg book and aspecial gift from Santa. For tickets and

AerLinguswithholds

information,visit bransontrain.com/ the-polar-express/ GreatSmoky MountainsRailroad: Bryson City,North Carolina

The Great Smoky Mountains Railroad rolling outofBryson City hosts its Polar Express Train Ride through Dec. 31. Kids —and perhaps parents, too —don pajamas andenjoytreats, dancing and, of course, avisit with gift from Santa. The train routinely runs through the Great SmokyMountains National Park, Nantahala National Forest and over Fontana Lake with sights to seesuch as historic trestlesand structuresand roaring rivers. Find out more at gsmr.com.

TennesseeValleyRailroad: Chattanooga, Tennessee

The Tennessee Valley Railroad

takes passengers on historic routes throughout the Chattanooga area and during the holidays offers numerous special railroad excursions. There’saChristmas Dinner Train, a Nightcap withSt. Nick for adults, an afternoon Christmas Tea, rideswith Santa andmore. There’s even train rides for NewYear’s.

See the full listattvrail.com.

HeartofDixie Railroad Museum: Calera,Alabama

The official railroad museum of Alabama, located in the center of the state,features trains,two restored depots, railroad artifactsand memorabilia and outdoor railroad cars, locomotives and cabooses. During theholidays, themuseum runs thehour-and-a-half PolarExpress with sweettreatsand Santa and Mrs. Claus on weekends through Dec. 20. For tickets and in-

formation, visit hodrrm.org/northpole-express.

WesternMarylandScenic Railroad’sPolar ExpressTrain

Ride:Cumberland, Maryland Cumberland’sScenicRailroadoffersaPolar Express ride andtries to tie the experience as much to the popular Christmas movie that’s based on the children’s book. There’s asceneinthe film in which the train races down steep, roller coaster-like tracks that hug mountaincliffs, andMaryland’s train ride likens it to the Cumberland Narrows. During the film’s rooftop scene whenthe tunnel appears, riders along the train route can experience the “Brush Tunnel.” The one-hour train ride rolls through Dec. 23. For more information, visit wmsr.com/the-polarexpress-train-ride.

Christopher Elliott

After Aer Lingus cancels James Jones’ flight from Paris to Philadelphia, he requests afull refund. The airline shorts him by $744 and then it stops respondingtohis emails. What can he do to get the money back?

Q: My wife andIwere scheduledto flyfrom Paris to Philadelphia. Aer Lingus canceled the flight due to “operational issues” and told me to request a refund.I paid $5,246 for the tickets,but the airline only refunded $4,502.

I’ve emailed repeatedly about the missing $744 and keep getting new case numbers with promises to “contact me soon.” It’s been weeks with no resolution.What can I do? —James Jones, Naples, Fla.

A: When an airline cancels a

flight forreasons within its control, passengers are entitled to afullrefundunder European consumer regulations. ButAer Lingus left you in afinancial holding pattern. EU Regulation 261/2004, the European consumerprotection law, requires an airlinetofully refund you within seven days if you paid by creditcard.Aer Lingus’ partial refund andradio silence violate bothits contractual obligations and EU consumer protections.

Here’swhat should have happened: Aftercanceling your flight,Aer Lingusneeded to promptly refundthe full $5,246 withoutyou havingtoask. Instead, it shortchanged you by $744 and ignored your follow-ups —aclassic airline runaround. Airlines often bank on travelers

giving up, but EU rules don’tlet them off the hook. When you pay with acredit card, achargeback for themissing amount could pressure Aer Lingus to act (a step worth considering if this happens again).

Ican’tbelieve the airline would do this to you. The tickets you purchased were pricey businessclass fares. Aer Lingus should have bent over backward to help you, considering your value as a customer

Youdid the right thingbydocumentingevery interaction. Paper trails are critical. Still, when companies stonewall, escalating to executives is key.I’ve published contact details for Aer Lingus’ leadership team on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. Apolite but firm email tothese decision-

makersoften breaks the logjam It looks like you tried the contacts,but they ignored you.

I’ve reviewed the correspondence between you and Aer Lingus, which, frankly,I find frustrating. The airline offered you afull refund, which you accepted, and then it failed to follow through. Instead of acoherent answer to your repeated question,itjust kept sending you new form responses with new case numbers.

If anything, your case is a reminder to always check your airline refund. Never assume that just because theairline offered you arefund that you will receive all of it —orany of it. Check your credit card statement to make sure you received everything. So why did Aer Lingus short you by $744? Based on the emails it sent you, it looks like it might have broken out taxes into a separate charge. Aer Lingus might have also recalculated your refund based on currency fluctuations. It’s difficult to know for certain. Iasked Aer Lingus about your refund, but it would not tell me whyitwithheld the $744. What it would say —orrather do —isfixthis foryou. After I reached out to Aer Lingus on your behalf,itrefunded the $744 it owed you.

Christopher Elliott is the founderofElliott Advocacy,a nonprofitorganization that helps consumers solvetheirproblems. Email himatchris@elliott.org or get help by contacting himon hissite.

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Polar Express Train Rideroutinely rides through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Nantahala National Forest and over Fontana Lake.

SCENES OF THE SEASON

PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Apaddleboarder makeshis way overthe surface of the water as the sunrise glowilluminates the morning fog on LakeMartin

CURIOUS

Continued from page1D

Moyne, Sieur d’Iberville) were all part of France’soriginal expedition coming up the Mississippi River from Mobile in 1701,” said Logan Schlatre, director of programming for the Cane River Creole NationalHistoric Park in Natchitoches.

When they got to the mouth of the Mississippi River,Sieur d’Iberville Bienvillewent back to France to get more supplies and left his youngerbrother andSt. Denis to make the restofthe trip St. Denis eventually brokeaway to travel up the Red River At that time, the Natchitoches area was inhabited by the Natchitoches Indians, who made up what Schlatre calls a“confederacy,loosely based on aseries of Native American tribes.”

“The way that we try to interpret things here is that this is the traditional or the originalCreole colony for Louisiana, whichmeans that we have to start backwith the Native American peoples who make up alarge portion of the culture,” Schlatre said. “The people that live here are part of whatwe call ‘the Caddo’ in culture, dating back to about 700 or 800 AD.And by about 1000 AD, they have their own solidified culture.” Schlatre explained that the Caddo people had contactwith the French through St. Denis as apart of the

performina morning Cajun music jaminMoncusPark on Nov. 15

and Artisans Market.

expedition to explore Louisiana.

While the Natchitoches Tribe inhabitedthe northwest Louisiana territory settledbySt. Denis,such tribesasthe Houma, Bayougoula, Biloxi, Choctaw,Quinipissa, Acolapissa and Pascagoula inhabited the Mississippi River deltaic plain and adjacent coastal regions.

Jean-Baptiste Le MoyneBienville,meanwhile,ran into several obstacles in his exploration many of them spurred by politics backinFrance— before finally establishing New Orleans

“Disillusioned andpreoccupied with othermatters, France grants acommercial monopoly to financier Antoine Crozat for the development of Louisiana(in 1712),”writes New Orleans author Richard Campanellafor the PreservationResource Center of New Orleans. “Crozathopestodiscover gold and silver, raise tobacco and trade with Spain, while theFrench Crowniscontenttounburden itselfofLouisiana.”

Campanella,alsoageographer and associatedean for research with the Tulane School of Architecture, created adetailed timeline of New Orleans’ founding in his article, “What led to the founding of New Orleans in1718?” for the center’sbimonthlyJuly2018 edition of Preservation in Printcommemorating thecity’s 300th anniversary

The timeline pointsout how Crozat becamedisillusionedwith his exploration of Louisiana, opening the way for John Law and his newly formedCompany of the

West’s25-year charter to develop the territory.

“The Company of theWest, according to its ledger,‘resolved to establish, thirty leagues up the river, aburg which should be called La Nouvelle Orléans,where landing would be possible from either the riverorLake Pontchartrain’ (onSept. 9, 1717),” Campanella writes. ”The name of the envisioned cityaimed to flatter the project’sroyal sponsor, Philippe, the Duke of Orleans,without whom Law’sventurewould have been impossible.”

In the winter of 1718, Bienville received orderstomovetothe new destination and began preparing six vessels withsupplies and a crew of 43 men for the voyage.

“In late Marchorearly April, Bienville’sexpedition anchors off today’supper French Quarter to begin work on New Orleans,” Campanella writes. ‘“Bienville cut the first cane,’ recalled one colonistof thatundated moment. Afterward, 30 workers,all convicts,proceeded to clear the ‘densecanebrake’ probably around present-day 500600 Decatur Street,atatimewhen the riverflowed closer inland.” New Orleans sculptor Angela Gregory’smonument of Bienville now stands at 400 Decatur St., only acouple of blocks from the founder’slanding.

Back in Natchitoches,St. Denis began working to establishing trade with the Spanish at nearby Los Adaes.Los Adaes State Historic Site now commemorates the

Spanish fort site along La. 6, some 21 miles west of Natchitoches.

“The French governor (Antoine de la Mothe, Sieur de Cadillac) sent St. Denis to talkwithFather (Francisco) Hidalgo, amissionary who worked withthe Tejas (Texas) Indians, whoinsinuated that he would help open up tradebetween the French and theSpanish,”Schaltre said. “So it wasSt. Denis’job to establish atrading post then go find the Spanish to begin opening up thattrade network.That’swhat led to him arriving in late 1714, and commissioning theconstruction of abarracks forthe 40 soldiers that he has under his command anda storehouse forall the trade goods, their food and things like that.”

Those barracks would become FortSt. JeanBaptiste in 1716. A state historic site within Natchitoches city limits commemorates this fort with afull reproduction of the original, though the historic site doesn’tstand on the original fort site

“The fort moved afew times,” Schlatre said.

Today,according to 2020 census data, more than 37,000 people live in Natchitoches, while New Orleanshas morethan 383,000 residents.

Do you have aquestionabout something in Louisiana that’s got you curious? Email your question to curiouslouisiana@ theadvocate.com. Include your name, phonenumber andthe city where you live.

RANDOM

Continued from page1D

cords forphoneswestopped using adecadeago

Combing through bits of this and that, Iwondered how all this stuff had crossed our threshold and staked its claim amigration of material goods Ishould have noticed. Maybe it’sareminder for me to be more fully present in my own life, an ideal that has particular appeal as the holidays arrive. What Ifeel, after winnowing our roomsofwhat we no longer need, is abundance. In this season of gifts, Ialready have morethan what Icould ever want.

Email DannyHeitman at danny@dannyheitman.com. AT

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Musicians

at the Lafayette Farmers

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Chilly fall weather doesn’t stop people from enjoying the water on LakeBigeaux at CypressCove

STAFF

STAFFPHOTO

By HILARy SCHEINUK LSUtakes the field before kickoff between the Tigers and the Gators on Sept. 13 in Baton Rouge.

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Dancers enjoythe cool fall weather and the music of Chubby Carrier and the BayouSwamp Zydeco band at Cypress Cove on the Henderson levee.

Examining the Gilded Age through eyes of teen girl

BY DOUG GRAHAM Staff writer

“A Girl’s Life in New Orleans: The Diary of Ella Grunewald 1884-1886,” edited by Hans Rasmussen, LSU Press, 161 pages Ella Grunewald’s life as a Louisiana teenager should sound familiar to many: school, church, a large family, membership in several clubs and a busy social calendar including parades and concerts. She was also a talented musician who spent hours practicing piano and often performed in public.

But her life in New Orleans toward the end of the 19th century was far different from her modern peers.

Illness and death were all too familiar in the Crescent City in the Gilded Age, fire was an everpresent danger, travel about town could be more arduous, and communication did not come at the touch of a button.

Ella left behind a gift that reveals a glimpse into that life, which is presented in “A Girl’s Life in New Orleans: The Diary of Ella Grunewald 1884-1886.”

The book includes a diary of her last two years of high school, as well as a log of her family’s trip to Europe in 1890 when she was 22 years old.

She describes all parts of her life as part of an affluent upper-middle-class family Her father Louis Grunewald, was a dealer of sheet music and musi-

cal instruments before opening Grunewald Hall, a combination concert hall and music store near Canal Street. This gave Ella regular exposure to the theater, and she describes the performances of some of the period’s most famous plays, musicals and performers.

Her upbringing also included graduation from the Southern Academic Institute a private school that had four members of its graduating class in April 1886.

It was an unusual level of education for New Orleans teens at the time.

Ella writes about everyday life, including meals with her parents, conducting chemistry experiments at school, meetings of the St. Cecelia Society (a musical club), attending lectures, and experiences like riding tricycles, which apparently was a rare treat for the time

A main event in her life was the World’s Industrial and Cotton Centennial Exposition, which opened in New Orleans in 1884.

She describes making many trips to the event, marveling at displays of fossils, stuffed animals and birds, garments from around the world, as well as works of art.

The second section of the book consists of Ella’s description of her family’s trip to Europe in May and June 1890 The travel diary covers stops in Italian cities like Milan, Pisa Rome Naples and Venice The young

woman gives details of the sites and experiences, including a journey up the side of Mount Vesuvius that sounds fairly arduous. The trip continued into Bavaria, and Ella gives a glowing review of a passion play the family attended in Munich, which she describes as “soul-stirring.”

Tragically, this is the last entry in her diary, as she died less than two weeks later of malaria which she contracted while in Italy It was hinted at with her earlier description of receiving a dose of quinine, a treatment for the disease. She was 22 years old.

The final part of the book includes touching memorials to her in local newspapers and descriptions of her funeral.

The book, edited by Hans Rasmussen, offers comprehensive notes that give readers further insight into the events and people included in Ella’s writing. The notes also offer a few corrections to Ella’s observations without stepping on her writing. The publishers say the transcription reproduces the diary exactly as written, making it feel even more real.

While the history of New Orleans has been well documented, this diary offers a firsthand view from someone who lived it as a teenage girl, making it a rare record and a worthwhile one to experience.

Email Doug Graham at doug. graham@theadvocate.com.

La. setting, strong lead, loads of secrets add up to another page-turner

BY JUDY BERGERON

Staff writer

“Everybody needs a little escape,” says Jennifer Moorhead.

The Louisiana author gladly gifts that to readers in the pages of her second thriller, “Poison Wood.” Shreveport resident Moorhead’s first riveting riddle, “Broken Bayou,” published in July 2024, quickly became an Amazon bestseller Leaning in to that successful formula a Louisiana setting both scenic and sinister, a strong female protagonist and no shortage of secrets — Moorhead crafted “Poison Wood” not as a followup to “Broken Bayou,” but as a companion book. Both stand alone, although the author does elevate a character from the first book, crime reporter Rita Meade, into the lead role for “Poison Wood.”

“I’m nursing a scotch at the sleek, backlit motherof-pearl bar at the Serai hotel in Miami Beach when I first hear whispers of a body being found,” Rita relates in “Poison Wood’s” opening. “I’m always listening for whispers like that. My ears are trained to home in on words like bloody and crime.”

immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of Louisiana every day, and I love sharing those things in my writing.”

JENNIFER MOORHEAD

tivals.

Moorhead says she’s immersed in story inspiration all around her semi-rural north Louisiana homestead.

“I live on a wild piece of property where I get to experience swamps, woods and trails as well as all of the critters that live in those places,” she says. “I’m immersed in the sights, smells and sounds of Louisiana every day, and I love sharing those things in my writing.” Moorhead fell in love with creative writing after taking a poetry class at LSU.

“I didn’t pursue it much then,” she recalled in 2024. “It would be years later, in a continuing education class on creative writing, that I learned my love for writing novels.” When she’s working on a book, Moorhead said she attempts to write every day

“If the words aren’t flowing, I find it’s best to walk away and let my subconscious work on it a little. I like to write in the mornings, and I have an office in my house, but I can write anywhere — the kitchen, a coffee shop, outside on the porch,” she said.

Meanwhile, back in the Bayou State, a local historical preservation society discovers a human skull while cleaning up an abandoned all-girls boarding school, Poison Wood Therapeutic Academy for Girls. Located deep in the Kisatchie National Forest, the school is turning 100 and a celebration is being organized, thus the sprucing up and surprising skull finding.

tually led to its closure.

The news brings Rita right home, on the case, and reliving her unfortunate stint as a student at the school, where her friend had disappeared years before. That was one of the many mysterious occurrences at the boarding school that even-

Researching Louisiana boarding schools for her book was how Moorhead stumbled upon this abandoned girls’ school in the Kisatchie Forest and secured the backdrop for her story The eerie, two-story structure is depicted in the book’s cover illustration. Inside the old

school, the author said she saw writing still on the chalkboards, files strewn about and demolished stairs.

For Rita, suppressed memories, emotions and secrets rise to the surface as she revisits the old school and her past. As

the investigation expands, her own family tree enters the picture, taking a turn readers never saw coming. Will she get to the bottom of all this and finally get some closure on her long-lost friend? Cozy up with this page-turner and find out.

Moorhead, a general studies graduate of LSU, is not only an author but also a filmmaker The three indie short films she’s written and produced have all made the top 20 at the Louisiana Film Prize and won awards at global fes-

“It’s all about word count for me. I have a word count I like to reach every day When I reach it, I’m done for the day.” Moorhead is currently counting words for her third book. And the protagonist this time? Still a mystery.

Email Judy Bergeron at jbergeron@theadvocate. com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Jennifer Moorhead

To that end, allcontrac‐tors andsuppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐prises in thepurchaseor sub-contractingofmate‐rials, supplies,services andlabor andmaterialin which disadvantaged businessesare available. Assistance in identifying said businessesmay be obtained by calling2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISHDATES:11/28, 11/30, 12/7 DPR999026 168116-nov28-30-dec7 $221 p outside floodways and flood zones; mobiliza‐tion;temporary signs andbarricadesas needed;providing mobile sanitary facilities as well as anymiscellaneous work whichwould be re‐quired to matchthe in‐tent of thespecifica‐tions. Thecontractor shallnotethatnowet‐landsmay be disturbed as aresultofactivities associated with this pro‐ject.All work to be com‐pleted within onehun‐dred sixty(160) workings days from theissuance of Notice to Proceed.LCG reserves theright to in‐crease of decrease work within thechannelsat themutualagreement of ownerand vendor and theavailabilityoffunds. Each channelshall be priced separately and apartfromthe others andbedistinguished with aseparateand uniquegroup of bid items.

received

electroni‐callyathttps://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in theof‐fice of thePurchasingDi‐vision at theLafayette Consolidated Govern‐ment Building,located at 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette, Louisiana, until9:45AM CentralTimeonthe 8th dayofJanuary,2026for thefollowing: LOCALISEDFLOOD MITI‐GATION CONTRACT #25 andwill, shortlythere‐after,beopenedand read aloudinthe Council Briefing Room locatedat 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette,LA. Bids received after theabove specified time foropen‐ingshall notbeconsid‐ered andshall be re‐turned unopened to the sender.Bidders areen‐couraged to attend the bidopening virtually by usingthe followinglink https://us02web.zoom us/j/84827613088? pwd=ZuPXdUvUCBBuPNd OGwaSKKap4Rja0I.1 MeetingID: 848 2761 3088 Passcode:749807th ScopeofServices: The

1. BayouPac Perdue (Youngsville HWYto Chemin)(A-39)-approxi‐mately 17,000’ 2. Iles desCannesLateral 4B (B-37)-approximately 2,600’ 3. BayouLaSalle BLateral 6(C-2)-approximately 3,500’ 4. TeljeanOutfall(C-21)approximately3,500’ 5. Isaac VerotCouleeLat‐eral 6D (C-44)-approxi‐mately 4,800’

In accordance with LouisianaRS38:2212. vendorsmay submit theirbid electronically at thewebsite listed above. BiddingDocuments are availabletoviewonlyat thewebsite.Bidders may requestthe electronic bidpackage from HeatherKestler at hkestler@lafayettela.gov Bidderswishing to sub‐mittheir bidelectroni‐callymust firstberegis‐teredonlinewith Lafayette Consolidated Government as apoten‐tial supplieratthe web‐site listed above. Bidders submittingbidselectron‐ically arerequiredtopro‐vide thesamedocu‐mentsasbidders sub‐mittingthrough themail as soon as available. Only abid bond,certified checkorcashier’s check shallbesubmitted as the bidsecurity. Electronic copies of both thefront andbackofthe checkor bidbondshall be in‐cluded with theelec‐tronic bid.

Bids must be signedin accordance with LRS Title38:2212(B)5.A Cor‐porate Resolution or Cer‐tificate of Authorityau‐thorizingthe person signingthe bidisre‐quired to be submitted with bid. Failuretosub‐mita CorporateResolu‐tion or Certificate of Au‐thoritywiththe bidshall be causefor rejectionof bid. Copies of thebidding documentsexceptfor SectionC –“Standard Specificationsfor Roads, Drainage,Bridges and OtherInfrastructure2023 Edition” areavailable at theOffice of Purchasing locatedat705 West Uni‐versityAvenue, Lafayette,LA70502 upon paymentof$35.00 per set, non-refundable NOTE:NOCASHWILLBE ACCEPTED -ONLY CHECKS OR MONEYOR‐DERS MADE PAYABLETO LAFAYETTE CONSOLI‐DATEDGOVERNMENT. Copies of Section“C” Standard Specifications forRoads,Drainage, Bridgesand OtherInfra‐structure” 2023 Edition

areavailable from the Public WorksDepartment at 1515 EUniversityAv‐enue,BuildingA Lafayette LA 70501. Bid Documentsshall be availableuntil twentyfour hoursbeforethe bid openingdate. Questions relative to thebidding documentsshall be ad‐dressedtoHeather Kestlerathkestler@ lafayettela.gov Contractorsare re‐questedtoattend aprebidmeeting, whichwill be held on December 10, 2026 at 9:30 AM in the smallconferenceroom Lafayette Consolidated Government,Public WorksAdministration Building locatedat1515 East University Avenue Lafayette,LA. Each bidshall be accom‐panied by acertified check, cashier’scheck or bidbondpayable to theLafayette Consoli‐datedGovernment, the amount of whichshall be five percent(5%)ofthe base bidplusadditive al‐ternates.Ifabid bond is used,itshall be written by asuretyorinsurance companycurrently on theU.S.Departmentof theTreasuryFinancial Management Servicelist of approved bonding companieswhich is pub‐lished annually in the FederalRegister, or by a Louisianadomiciledin‐surancecompany with at leastanA-Ratinginthe latest printing of theA.M Best’s KeyRatingGuide to writeindividualbonds up to tenpercent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as showninthe A.M. Best’s KeyRatingGuide or by an insurancecom‐pany in good standing li‐censed to writebid bondswhich is either domiciledinLouisiana or ownedbyLouisiana resi‐dents. Thebid bond shall be issued by acompany licensed to do business in Louisiana. Thecerti‐fied check, cashier’s check, or bidbondshall be givenasa guarantee that thebiddershall exe‐cute thecontract, should it be awardedtohim,in conformity with thecon‐tractdocuments within ten(10)days. No contractor maywith‐draw itsbid priortothe deadline forsubmission of bids.Withdrawalof bids thereafter shallbe allowedonlypursuantto LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐wise,nobiddermay withdraw hisbid forat leastforty-five (45) days after thetimescheduled forthe bidopening of bids.Eachbid shallbe submittedonlyonthe bidformprovidedwithin thespecifications. The successfulbidderwillbe required to executeper‐formance andlabor and material paymentbonds in thefullamount of the contract as more fully definedinthe biddocu‐ments. No contractors maywithdrawhis bidfor at leastforty-five (45) days after thetime scheduledfor theopen‐ingofbids. Each bidshall be submittedonlyonthe bidformprovidedwith thespecifications. The successful contractor will be required to exe‐cute performanceand laborand material pay‐ment bondsinthe full amount of thecontract as more fullydefinedin thebid documents. Bids will be evaluatedby thePurchaser basedon thelowestresponsible andresponsivebid sub‐mitted whichisalsoin compliance with thebid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the

righttorejectany andall bids forjustcause in ac‐cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractorsorcontract‐ing firmssubmittingbids in theamount of $50,000.00 or more shall certifythattheyare li‐censed contractors under Chapter24ofTitle 37 of theLouisiana Re‐visedStatutesof1950 andshowtheir license numberonthe frontof thesealedenvelopein whichtheir bidisen‐closed.Contractors shall be licensed forthe clas‐sification of “HIGHWAY STREETSAND BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION”OR “HEAVY CONSTRUCTION Bids in theamounts specified abovewhich have notbid in accor‐dancewiththe require‐ments, shallberejected andshall notberead. Additional information relative to licensingmay be obtained from the LouisianaState Licensing Boardfor Contractors, BatonRouge, Louisiana. TheLafayette Consoli‐datedGovernment strongly encourages the participationofDBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in allcon‐tracts or procurements letbythe Lafayette Con‐

whichdisadvantaged businessesare available. Assistance in identifying said businessesmay be obtained by calling2918410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government

PUBLISHDATES:11/26, 11/30, 12/7 DPR999028 167654-nov26-30-dec7-3t

registration or in theof‐fice of thePurchasingDi‐vision at theLafayette Consolidated Govern‐ment Building,located at 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette Louisiana, until 3:00 PM CentralTimeonthe 23rd dayofDecember, 2025 forthe following: MAINTENANCEMOWING OF I-10 ANDI-49 andwill, shortlythere‐after,beopenedand read aloudinthe Pur‐chasingOffice locatedat 705 West University Av‐enue,Lafayette,LA. Bids received after theabove specified time foropen‐ingshall notbeconsid‐ered andshall be re‐turned unopened to the sender.Bidders areen‐couraged to attend the bidopening virtually by usingthe followinglink https://us02web.zoom us/j/86707724391? pwd=32YcvQRdY853nOE eBh58jjS9jC0m4o.1Meet‐ingID: 867 0772 4391 Passcode:015066 ScopeofServices: The work shallconsist of the ground maintenanceof areasnearintersection

requestthe electronic bidpackage from Thomas Metrejean at tgmetrejean@ lafayettela.gov Bidderswishing to sub‐mittheir bidelectroni‐callymust firstberegis‐teredonlinewith Lafayette Consolidated Government as apoten‐tial supplieratthe web‐site listed above. Bidders submitting bids electron‐ically arerequiredtopro‐vide thesamedocu‐mentsasbidders sub‐mitting throughthe mail as soon as available. Only abid bond,certified checkorcashier’s check shallbesubmitted as the bidsecurity. Electronic copies of both thefront andbackofthe checkor bidbondshall be in‐cluded with theelec‐tronic bid. Bids must be signedin accordance with LRS Title38:2212(B)5.A Cor‐porate Resolution or Cer‐tificate of Authorityau‐thorizingthe person signingthe bidisre‐quired to be submitted with bid. Failuretosub‐mita CorporateResolu‐tion or Certificate of Au‐thoritywiththe bidshall be causefor rejectionof bid. Copies of thebidding documentsare available at theOffice of Purchas‐inglocated at 705 West University Avenue Lafayette,LA70502. Bid Documentsshall be availableuntil twentyfour hoursbeforethe bid openingdate. Questions relative to thebidding documentsshall be ad‐dressedtoThomasMe‐trejeanattgmetrejean@ lafayettela.gov Each bidshall be accom‐panied by acertified

used,itshall be written by asuretyorinsurance companycurrently on theU.S.Departmentof theTreasuryFinancial Management Servicelist of approved bonding companieswhich is pub‐lishedannuallyinthe FederalRegister, or by a Louisianadomiciledin‐surancecompany with at leastanA-Ratinginthe latest printing of theA.M Best’s KeyRatingGuide to writeindividualbonds up to tenpercent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as showninthe A.M. Best’s KeyRatingGuide or by an insurancecom‐pany in good standing li‐censed to writebid bondswhich is either domiciledinLouisiana or ownedbyLouisiana resi‐dents. Thebid bond shall

The successful bidder will be required to executeper‐formance andlabor and material paymentbonds in thefullamount of the contract as more fully definedinthe biddocu‐ments. No contractors maywithdrawhis bidfor at leastforty-five (45) days afterthe time scheduledfor theopen‐ingofbids. Each bidshall be submittedonlyonthe bidformprovidedwith thespecifications. The successful contractor will be required to exe‐cute performanceand laborand material pay‐ment bondsinthe full amount of thecontract as more fullydefinedin thebid documents. Bids will be evaluatedby thePurchaser basedon thelowestresponsible andresponsivebid sub‐mitted which is also in compliance with thebid documents. The Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the righttorejectany andall bids forjustcause in ac‐cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B

Contractorsorcontract‐ing firmssubmittingbids in theamount of $50,000.00 or more shall certifythattheyare li‐censed contractors under Chapter24ofTitle 37 of theLouisiana Re‐visedStatutesof1950 andshowtheir license numberonthe frontof thesealedenvelopein which theirbid is en‐closed.Contractors shall be licensed forthe clas‐sification of “LIMITED SPECIALTYSERVICES” or “LANDSCAPING GRAD‐ING, ANDBEAUTIFICA‐TION.” Bids in the amountsspecified above which have notbid in ac‐cordance with there‐quirements,shall be re‐jected andshall notbe read.Additional informa‐tion relative to licensing maybeobtained from theLouisiana StateLi‐censingBoard forCon‐tractors,Baton Rouge, Louisiana. TheLafayette Consoli‐datedGovernment strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in allcon‐tracts or procurements letbythe Lafayette Con‐solidatedGovernment forgoodsand services andlabor andmaterial. To that end, allcontrac‐tors andsuppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐prises in thepurchaseor sub-contractingofmate‐rials, supplies, services andlabor andmaterialin which disadvantaged businessesare available. Assistance in identifying said businessesmay be obtained by calling2918410. PURCHASING DIVISION

‘HE WASA BIG-PICTURE GUY’

Jim Bernhard changed Louisiana’sbusinesslandscape notonce, buttwice

BY STEPHANIERIEGEL Staff writer

‘‘He focused alot of time andeffort on the state. He could have gone anywhere. He stayedheretotry to makeitbetter for the people who lived here. That will live on foralong time.

’’JerryHebert, CEO of Grace Design Studios

When Jim Bernhard sold TheShaw Group to CB&I in 2013, somethought he might retire. Then nearing 60, Bernhard had grown his companyfrom asmall BatonRougebased pipe fabricationcompany into a publicly traded powerhouse with25,000 employees, $6 billion in annual revenues and aglobal footprint in industrial infrastructure,energy and disaster mitigation services. Already one of thewealthiest andmostsuccessful businessmeninLouisiana, it wouldn’thave been unreasonable if he had opted to kick backinhis retirement —orpursue asecond act in politics, where he was aninfluential Democratic Party donor Instead, Bernard assembled ateamofhis top executives from Shaw and went on to buildBernhard Capital Partners. The private equity firm, with $5.5 billion under management, is now the largest between Houston and Atlanta and one of the fastest growing in the country Over the past decade, the firm has launched five funds,raisingmoney from large institutional investors and amassing aportfolio of 21 companies. Today,Bernhard Capital’scompanies have 20,000 employees, nearly as many as The Shaw Groupdid at itspeak

In the wake of Bernhard’sdeathon Nov.16, those who knew and worked with him have been reflecting on the size and scope of whathe created during acareer that spanned nearly five de-

cades. To build acompany of The Shaw Group’s stature wouldbea feat for anyonetoaccomplish in their lifetime.

Bernhardessentially did it twice.

“He was abig-picture guy,” said Lenny Lemoine, President and CEO of The Lemoine Company,aBaton Rougebased construction firmthatBernhard Capital acquired in 2019 and has since tripled in size. “Whatsomeofusconsider large scale was, to Jim, just what it should be.”

The story of howBernhard builtThe ShawGroup is well known. He founded the company as apipeand steel fabricator in 1986 and it quickly grew,expanding into construction and, eventually, energy services.Inthe 1990s,hetook thecompany public,branching intonew geographic marketsand sectors like di-

saster management and nuclear power

Among its 30 acquisitions over the years were IT Group, Stone &Webster, and Westinghouse Electric Corp.

When he sold the company for$3 billionincashand stock, CB&Ipaida 70% premium relativetothe company’s stock price, which, at the time, was one of the largest premiums everpaid fora public company,records show Less well known is what Bernhard Capital does and how significant its impact is, notably in Louisiana, where10 of its portfolio companies are based and 18 others have apresence. Together, they include nearly7,000 Louisianabased employees.

Bernhard Capitalstarted outa little more than adecadeago with an initial investmentfundand four companies

—Epic Piping, apipe fabricator; ATC Associates, an environmental consulting firm;Bernhard, LLC, acommercial constructionand engineeringfirm; and, Brown and Root, formed when Bernhard Capitalacquired Wink Engineering and the industrialservices group from Houston-based KBR. Thefundexceeded itsinitial $750 milliontarget and its four companies began to grow exponentially.Bernhard LLC, in 2016, acquired four more companies, including the firm founded by Jim Bernhard’sgrandfather in 1919,BernhardMechanical.The new, larger companyprovideda varietyof energy-related services, as wellasmechanical and electrical construction and

ä See BERNHARD, page 2E

GenZshoppersprioritizing sustainability andaffordability

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

Chanel Sellers woreabandana overher noseand mouth to block out the dust and mold. Gloves protected her hands from rusty nails and at least one brown recluse spider as she dug through dusty boxes in ashed at aLafayette estate sale last March. She was about to give up when she spotted the day’sprize:awaddedup but otherwise intact

shirt forafew dollars and resell it for hundreds in her Lafayette store— Frenchy’s HouseofVintage —oronane-commerce platform like eBay

INNOVATION &

M.C. Escher-style Grateful Dead T-shirt from the 1990s. The experience wasn’t as dramatic as, say,Indiana Jones finding theHoly Grail.But in Sellers’ line of work, it was still atriumph. Afteryears of experience, she knew she’d be able to buythe rare

It’sall in aday’swork for Sellers andother vintageclothing dealers during the post-pandemic vintage craze, which has seen usedapparel pricesrise, ways to sell multiply and competition intensify Since2021, theglobal secondhandapparel market has grown from about $150 billion to more than $250 billion, as young clothes shoppersprioritize sustainability and affordability,CNBC recently reported. In 2023 alone, theU.S.apparel resale grew at seven times therate of the retail industryoverall, supporting about 25,000 resale stores in

the U.S. and agrowing number of e-commerce platforms. Social media and technology have fueled the trend. In Louisiana, the vintage clothing boom has helped launch new vintage stores and brought more resellers to estate salesand thrift stores looking for the hidden gems that will fetch big bucks on the resale market Sellers, who left her accounting job at an oiland gascompany to work in vintage, sees her choice as away to make aliving while keeping clothes out of landfills.

“Unlike today’s‘fast fashion,’ all the money is staying here: the original owner of the clothes, the estate sale company,the reseller and members of the vintage community are alllocal,” said Sellers.

“It’slike farming clothes, andI’m

ä

STAFF FILE PHOTO

Jim Bernhard, chief executiveofficer of Bernhard Capital Partners, is interviewedinhis office in downtown BatonRougein2018.

STAFFFILE PHOTOByBRETT DUKE

Former Shaw Group CEOJim Bernhard stands outside the companyheadquarters in Baton Rougein2005.

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy Chanel Sellersarranges racks of clothes in her shop, Frenchy’sHouse of Vintage, in Lafayette on Nov. 21.

Proposed50-year mortgage is aterribledeal

The Trump administration has been exploring the idea of offering a50-year mortgage as away to make homeownership more affordable.

Michelle Singletary

THE COLOR OF MONEy

In asocial media post this month, Bill Pulte, the nation’s top housing official, confirmed that the administration was “indeed working” on the proposal with the potential to be “a complete game changer.” Agreed. But not in agood way True, ahalfcentury mortgage means monthly payments are lower than amore traditional 30-year loan. But there are no real “savings,”asmore of those payments would be earmarked for interest. Meaning it won’thelp families build generational wealth. It’smore like being aperpetual renter

Arecent analysis by LendingTree summarized the trade-offs with stretching mortgage payments over five decades. It would probably carry ahigher interest rate —the typical 30-year loan is now just above6%— and bor-

Continued from page1E

buying fromlocal farmers.

The number of vintage shops in New Orleans has grown from ahandful beforethe pandemic —including stalwarts like Miss Claudia’sonMagazine Street and Glue on Oak Street— to at least 23 today,according to amap of the scene published this month by Carly Turner,owner of Southern Kitsch Vintage.Other cities around the state havewelcomed new vintage stores of their own at asmaller scale.

Many other vintage dealers sell used clothes at pop-up events, in booths at multi-vendor marketplaces or on e-commerce platforms like eBay,Etsy,The RealReal and Whatnot.

In August, the first Louisiana Vintage Fest attracted 40 vendors and more than 2,000 attendees to the House of Blues in the French Quarter.Other national touring thrifting and vintage events are making stops in the state as well.

None of this would be happening without the buyers, who are embracing vintage clothes for a variety of reasons, including nostalgia, rebellion and quality of construction. Still others are buyingsecondhandtosave money or to prevent textile waste.

“Studies show we can stopmaking clothes for acrazynumber of yearsand we wouldstill have tons of clothing,” said Aiden Heap, owner of 90sKid’sCloset, aNew Orleans vendor of Y2K fashion. “There’ssomuch waste.”

Secondhand clothingstores aren’tnew.Shoppers have hunted for bargainsatthrift or consignment stores for generations. The differentiator for vintage stores, their owners say,iscuration.Resellers acquire items from aspecific era or mix items from different decades to evoke amood

“It’snot just about trying to get something cheap,” said Chris Olsen, co-owner of the Vice &Graft and Swamp Rags vintage stores in the French Quarter and organizer

BERNHARD

Continued from page1E

maintenance for clientsthat included state office buildings, hospitals and LSU. (Bernhard Capital sold Bernhard in 2021, which has since rebranded as ENFRA.)

Bernhard Capitallaunchedmore funds and raised more money

It acquired local architecture and construction companies, like Grace Design and Lemoine, both of whichhavesince expanded into newservices and markets.

More recently,ithas branched into regulated utilities. It now ownsseven natural gas, water and wastewater utilities, with another utility deal in New Mexico pending regulatory approval. Among its holdings is Delta Utilities, which purchased Entergy’s naturalgas business earlier this year andnow operates from corporate offices in downtown New Orleans, serving 800,000 customers and employing nearly 900 workers

“We’re anational company,” said Jeff Jenkins, whogot his start under BernhardatShaw and co-founded Bernhard Capitalwith him. “Obviously,weare

rowers would end up paying significantly more interest over the loan’sduration.Asaresult, they would accumulateequitymore slowly than with current mortgage options. “I totally get the allure of lower monthlypayments,” said Matt Schulz, chief consumer finance analyst at LendingTree. “But the truth is, in the long run, thedifference in costs is justsohigh that it’shard to ignore.”

Schulzdid the math on a30yearand a50-year mortgage on a $500,000 loan

To simplify the comparison, LendingTreeusedthe sameunderlying interestrate. Butthe longer the loan term, the more lenders typically charge borrowers to offset thehigher risk of defaultand theeffects of inflation over alonger period.

Let’slook at thenumbers.

Aborrower takes out a30-year mortgagefor $500,000 at 6.1% interest. The monthly payment not including taxes and insurance —would be$3,030, according to LendingTree. The homeowner would pay $590,791 in total interest.

With a50-year mortgage, the paymentswould drop to $2,669.

That $361 difference could be used to help withother financial priorities, such as building an emergency fund or contributing to aretirement account.

However,the total interest paid would amount to astaggering $1.1 million —220% of the original balance.

The same calculation applies regardless of where rates are. At alower rate of 4%, for example, a $500,000 loan over 50 years would cost $657,121 in total interest, compared with $359,348 for a30year loan.

If thatweren’tbad enough, it would take longer to build up any equity. Keep in mind thatinthe early years of your mortgage, most of your monthly payments go toward interest rather than reducing the original loan balance. The longer it takes to build equity,the fewer options you’ll have to access thatmoney if you need extra funds.

After 10 years of a30-year mortgage, LendingTree found, aborrower would have paid off about $80,000 of the $500,000 loan, or 16% of the original balance.

Butwith a50-year mortgage, you would have paid only about $21,000, roughly 4% of the way through paying off that balance.

“Home-owning has been one of the best waystobuild wealth traditionally …and the difference in how quickly you can build that equity between a30-year and 50-year mortgage is really significant,” Schulz said. This also makes abig difference if you want to apply forahome-equity loan, which carries alower rate than acredit card, he added.

“If you don’tbuild that equity you just don’thave that option,” he said.

Another challenge: You’re asking borrowers to foresee their financial situation 50 years from now.The truth is that personal and professional circumstances can change significantly over such along period. A50-year mortgagecan be financially problematic for families whohave to sell their homesooner than they expect because of ajob loss or family reasons. In those cases, manyborrowers might end up upside down on theirmortgage, meaning they owe morethan the homeisworth. Even with aconventional 30year mortgage, it can already takeeight to 10 years to break even on the money spent purchasing the home, said Simon

PamelaWood helps acustomer duringa bag sale at her

of Louisiana Vintage Fest.

At the moment, Y2Kfashion fromthe early 2000s is themost popularcategory, retailers say “The demand is out of control, whether it’sfor fairy girly stuff, or gothlooks, or beaded low-rise jeans,” Sellers said.

Turner at Southern Kitch Vin-

tage also has leaned into turnof-the-centuryfashions along withher collections from earlier decades. She has abootleg Ozzy Osborne/Motley Crue shirt that probablysold in aconcert parking lotfor $20 when itwas first made.

Now it’sgoingfor $500.

Heap started selling Y2K clothes from his parents’ garage in Abita Springs in 2018. Now hisUptown shop,filledwith music and sports

concentrated across thesouth but ourfootprintisnational.”

Doing dealsasa private equity

firm better suited Bernhard than running apublicly tradedcompany.AtShaw,hefamously disliked theshort-term focus on quarterly earnings, the investor calls andthe tiresome questionsabout everydecision.

At Bernhard Capital, he could take alonger-term approach.

“Beingprivate, it is not about quarterly earnings and revenues but building great companiesto lastforever,” Jenkins said.

Granted, private equity firms are justasfocused on creating returns fortheirinvestors as are publicly traded companies; theyjust do it differently.And Bernhard Capital has provenadept at it.Over the past decade, it has “exited” or sold sixofits companies, most recently Brown &Root, with aseventh recently announced Though thesize of theexits are notpublic, PitchBook has ranked its funds among thebest performing in the country in total returns, which have averaged 20% netreturns

Those who knew andworked with Bernhard say oneofthe reasons he was so successful was that

gear,attracts local students, professional athletesand online personalities.

Pamela Wood’s Set aSpell store, meanwhile, takes thecuration to thenext level. Astylistfor TV shows like “Queen Sugar,” she keeps track of her customers’ sizes and style preferences and essentially actsasapersonal shopperasshe combsthrift store bins from coast to coast.

She opens her shop, arenovated corner store in Central City,once amonth for abag sale and vintage celebration.

Allthisdemandfor vintage clothes and other items has changedthe dynamicatestate sales, where retirees are now joined by 20-somethings.

he understood businessesmuch better than most.

“He was one of the smartest guys Iever met,” said Jerry Hebert, CEO of Grace DesignStudios, the Baton Rouge-based architecture anddesign firm that Bernhard Capital acquired in 2022 and subsequently quintupled in size.

Hebertremembers that in 2017, he called Bernhard, whom he knew only casually at the time,seeking to “pick his brain” about growing the firm.They metfor lunch at the City Club in Baton Rouge and Bernhard spent morethan an hour giving Hebert advice.

“Bythe time we weredone, Irealized he thought awhole different way,” Hebert said. “Wewere trying to make aliving. He was trying to grow companies.”

Fiveyears later,Bernhard Capital offered to buy amajority share in the firm.Inthe yearssince, Grace Design has acquired seven more firms around the country andnow has24offices with 480 employees.

“He was focusedonmaking our businessthe bestitcould be,” Hebert said.

Lemoine, who watched Bernhard diversify and grow his Baton Rouge-based construction compa-

Blanchard, adean’sprofessor at Georgetown University’sMcDonough School of Business and an expert in consumer finance.

There’salso the very real possibility that people won’tbeable to take advantage of the monthly savings. Will they save moreor reduce debt? Or will they use it to spend more?

“Tofully leverage the lower payments from a50-year mortgage requires people to be really good with their money and fully anticipate the risks,” Blanchard said. “And if it’shard on a30-year mortgage, it’sgoing to be harder on a50.” And here’ssomething else to consider: Will introducing this extraordinarily expensive product ultimately increase homeownership rates?

“It’simportant to point out that this really delays the point at which you actually start to own your home,” Blanchard said. Despite the longer loan term,a 50-year mortgage isn’tlikely to makeowning ahome any more accessible or affordable.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@washpost. com.

She said there’sbeen an influx of college kids and young couples in her shops and at her sales, which she promotes on Instagram and TikTok.The increased interest meansincreased competition.

“There are so manystores,” she said. “It usedtobemeand Goodwill and the Salvation Army.” All of the state’svintage vendors have twoatleastthings in common:hard workand low margins.

“These are lifestyle businesses,” said Chris Olsen, the Vintage Fest organizers. “You’re not going to get rich off of them.”

He said that’swhy he’sdiversifying,openinghis ownestatesale company and launching the event series.

Chanel Sellers said people sometimescomplain about resellers marking up prices, but they don’t understand the work involved in getting an item onto astore’s shelves.

“I’ll drive threehours there and back,then washclothes, steam them, research them and price them,” she said. “That’sontop of rent,” she said. “You can’timagine thetime it takes —and Iusually leave sales withblack fingernails.”

Rafael Monson, second-generation owner of the Metairie estate sale company Ages Ago, said he usedtodonate unsold clothes to thrift stores, but now he’sgot options. And instead of selling everything at on-site estate sales, he’ll sometimes bring ahouse’s contents to his warehouse,where he can sell items onebyone online. He ships 30 to 40 boxes weekly

Kay Morrison, owner of the Occasional Wife, said thevintage boom helped hergrow herbusiness. Starting in 2007 with adecluttering andorganizing service, she has expanded to running a handful of sales every weekend andoverseeing six consignment stores around the region.

ny from $400 million in revenues in 2019 to about$1.2 billiontoday, saidanother reason forBernhard’s success washis “relentless drive to keep pushing.”

“Most people had no clue of just howambitious and how fearless he was,” Lemoine said. While domineering —intimidating, to some —with abig personality,Bernhard knew where not to tread,and how to let the companies he bought and built continue doing what madethem attractive in the first place. He was an executive, nota micromanager,amentor with sound advice.

“Hehad agreat sense of where he could influence something,” Lemoine said. “He would sitback andwatch you, but when you needed histouch, he loved helping thinkabout puttingorganizations together.”

Bernhard’sdeath, local business leaders say,leaves avoid in a Louisiana economic landscape that haslostseveral corporate headquarters and, by extension,their executives in recentyears. But Bernhard Capital’sJenkins said its companies will continue growing.

“Weare just getting started,” he said. “Weare only 12 years old. We have an amazingteam that

Claudia Baumgarten, owner of Miss Claudia’sonMagazineStreet, has the perspective of someone who has been in business since the 1990s.She’s seen many shops come and go, so she’scheering for this newwaveofoperators even as she worries if they’repreparedfor what’stocome.

“A lot of stores that used to be here have closed because rents are too high and summershere are impossible,” she said. “I have enduredbysellingcostumesand being able to help customers who always seem to need something by tomorrow.”

For her part, Turner at Southern Kitsch said money isn’ther primary motivator

“I’m areally bad capitalist,” she said. “I wanttomake sure my customers have agood experience, andaslongasIcan paythe bills, I’mhappy.”

Email RichCollins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com

has been together since the beginning.”

The firm’slatest fund has a$2 billiontarget, its largest yet, records filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission show Bernhard Capital is small comparedtonational heavyweights like Blackstone, which has more than $1 trillion under management. Butithas establisheditself as a “middle market” player,roughly definedasfirmswithbetween $6 billionand $10 billionunder management —with afocus on energy services and infrastructure.

“Webuild great companiesinthe middle market and the larger PE firmstake them to the next level,” Jenkins said.

As BernhardCapital continues to do that, those who worked with Bernhard said his legacy will live on in thedeals, the investments and the jobs they create.

“He focused alot of time and effort on the state,” Hebert said. “He could have gone anywhere.He stayed here to try to makeitbetter forthe people who lived here. That will live on foralong time.” Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTO By RICH COLLINS

NewOrleans vintagestore Set aSpell

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Growth presents challenges for Wright Group

Future products focus on protein blends

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

Nestled in the flat farmlands of southern Acadia Parish is a company that is responsible for most of the nutrients you’ll find in breakfast cereal, sports drinks and supplements.

The Wright Group has grown to become a global leader in nutritional blends and enriched products 135 years after it was founded in Crowley by an Indiana rice farmer

Ask current president and CEO Salmon L. “Sam” Wright IV about the company’s history, and he’ll show you a museum-type display inside. Wright, the great-grandson of founder Salmon L. “Sol” Wright, bought the company 21 years ago.

“We’re very unique,” Wright said. “We’re actually the last original family with a business like this. All the other families we competed against over the years have sold out to foreign corporations. We’re the last homegrown American company like this.”

The Wright Group has offices in California and Ohio and recently bought the former Wholesale Electric headquarters in Lafayette for $5.5 million. It also has a presence in China, Mexico, Australia, Brazil and across Europe.

The Wright Group is growing and has challenges along with that growth, which is one reason why Wright wants to raise more awareness of what the company does. He recently hosted area mayors, state legislators and other public officials to take a tour of the company

Among the products on the way:

A rice flour that is high in protein and low in sugar and a high-protein sports drink in conjunction with LSU that “could be their next Gatorade,” he said.

In this week’s edition of Talking Business, Wright talks about how

PHOTO By

Salmon L. ‘Sam’ Wright IV is CEO of The Wright Group, a firm founded in Crowley that is a global leader in nutritional blends and enriched products.

finding employees has become a significant hurdle, the protein phenomenon in the U.S. and how he initially did not get involved with the family business after he graduated from college. This interview has been edited for clarity

The company expanded in the 1950s to provide custom vitamin and mineral premixes.Tell me a bit about the nutritional side of the business. In 1994, we were awarded all of the Kellogg (cereals) fortification. We make custom nutrient premixes that these companies add to their product in the process.

So all of those nutrients in (them) come from one of our facilities. Our bandwidth is anything that has nutrients or protein or anything that’s added to food or dietary supplements anything from pet food to pharmaceutical application. What’s been the challenge for you in finding employees? The mayor of Crowley pointed out that 46% of the population here lives in poverty. Most of the housing in Crowley doesn’t (make) code, but the city can’t enforce that because they would have to demolish half the town. Before

they can provide good labor to us, they’ve got to fix that problem but also educate. A lot of these kids can’t make it to school. There’s a big problem in these rural areas where businesses want to provide jobs, but the labor is not meeting the standard. What can you do as an employer to mitigate the issue?

When you get an employee over here, you have to start over and raise them all over again. Or you have migrants that can’t speak English and don’t understand what you’re trying to get them to do. That’s a common complaint from

all the industries in town. The solution that the Legislature came up with was prison labor, where they bus Angola prisoners to work for a day and bus them back. The FDA will not let us do that.

Protein is a big buzzword in prepared foods nowadays.What’s the deal with protein? Why is there such a surge in customer demand? Ozempic and Wegovy the weight loss drugs. What happens is your body loses 60% water and 40% muscle. So you need to hydrate, and you need to consume more protein and fiber. If you just consume protein, you have constipation. You need a fiber element. With our new Wright Pro custom protein blends, we’re mixing protein, fiber and hydration nutrients so that you can take that and add it to any food.

Tell me about your background. How did you take over the business from your dad and mold it to what it is today?

I have a degree in industrial engineering, and I was hired on with UPS in 1984. After about six years, they threw me into operations, and I got a call from my dad. He said, “Look, I need your help.” So I came back in 1989 and just basically learned the business from the ground up. I took it over as president in 2003 and bought the company from the family in 2004. It’s been me and trying to maximize what we have here and then look for opportunities to grow Is your son, Sloan, the next in line to run the company?

He came on this year He’s only been with us for about three months. He’s getting married in March, and he’s got the monkey to have No. 6 (generation).

Email Adam Daigle at adaigle@ theadvocate.com.

AROUND THE REGION

50 Cent betting $50 million on Shreveport

Rap mogul’s investment could shape city’s future

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

After years of unsuccessful attempts at revitalizing Shreveport’s historic downtown, internationally renowned rap artist Curtis

“50 Cent” Jackson is promising to transform the area into an entertainment district that will serve as the headquarters of his film and television production empire.

Over the past two years, Jackson has spent millions buying up historic buildings downtown, negotiated leases for two city-owned facilities for events and film production, secured a special taxing district for his properties and received approval for his planned designs of a strip of nightclubs and venues along the riverfront.

Recently, the public got its first look at some of those plans, which local regulators described as having a “high energy” vibe akin to “casinos, clubs and themed entertainment venues.”

It’s a project that Jackson has said will cost at least $50 million and has already put Shreveport on the map in new ways, bringing big stars to town for an entertainment festival Humor & Harmony that Jackson produced in 2024 and hopes to bring back next year

The rap mogul has also become something of a celebrity ambassador for his new home base, promoting the north Louisiana city relentlessly — he recently encouraged New Yorkers dismayed by Zohran Mamdani’s mayoral victory to consider Shreveport

“I just want to say, in a short period of time, I’ve come to like the people of Shreveport in a different way, like it feels like a home away from home for me, and it will eventually be home, because I have so

much work here,” Jackson told the city council in March. Jackson’s ambitious plans have been broadly met with open arms in a community hungry for new investment. But as the project timeline has slipped in recent months, some have raised questions about over-reliance on a single investor to save the city’s downtown.

State Sen Sam Jenkins, a Democrat whose district includes downtown Shreveport, urged city leaders to “just be careful how far we go and begin to look at some performances based upon what we’ve already pledged or promised to do.”

Jackson, 50, burst onto the rap scene in the early 2000s, when he was discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre. His debut album, “Get Rich or Die Trying,” established him as one of the industry’s biggest stars.

He co-founded the rap group “GUnit” — short for Guerrilla Unit — starred in movies, produced video games and netted a reported $100 million from the sale of Vitaminwater to Coca-Cola.

Along the way, he filed for bankruptcy in 2015, emerging two years later to ink a $150 million deal with premium cable network Starz, for which he produced the popular “Power” franchise. He has since gone on to own his own streaming television channel, premium liquor brand and clothing label.

Since 2023, he’s had his sights set on Shreveport, where his G-Unit Film and Television Louisiana has spent at least $3.4 million acquiring nearly a dozen downtown properties.

G-Unit Film and Television also secured leases for a pair of cityowned properties: Millennium Stu-

dios, a 70,000-square-foot vacant former sound stage, and Stageworks, a 77,000-square-foot sports and event venue. Under the terms of the 30-year leases, G-Unit’s monthly rent for both is $400. Jackson has also said he plans to build a permanent “G-Dome” on property he owns downtown, though Mayor Tom Arceneaux has since indicated the facility may not be complete in time for a second Humor & Harmony festival in March.

In order to support 50 Cent’s ambitions to create a hub for film, television, sports and entertainment — much as Tyler Perry has done in Atlanta — the Shreveport City Council recently established a new special taxing district encompassing G-Unit’s properties. Purchases of goods and services inside the district are subject to

a supplemental 2% tax. That extra revenue goes into a trust fund dedicated exclusively to projects that support the entertainment industry or that create at least $1 million of investment or 10 new full-time jobs.

Mike Busada, a Shreveport bond attorney who helped draw up the district, said there is no guarantee that G-Unit will be successful in rejuvenating the area. But even if the effort fizzles out, taxpayers won’t have to spend anything on it unless they choose to patronize a business inside the new taxing zone.

“He goes and spends $20 million and isn’t able to make a restaurant successful, he gets nothing, but we get a new building,” Busada told the City Council in September “And so that’s the thought process here. If you believe you can do it we will incentivize you.” Jenkins, the state senator, has questioned the wisdom of putting so many of the city’s proverbial eggs in one basket. Jenkins said last year he applauded the city’s relationship with 50 Cent but called for “due care” when it comes to public property

“It may not be prudent to tie up the vast majority of city assets with any one investor,” Jenkins said.

In response, a majority of members of the Shreveport City Council issued full-throated endorsements of G-Unit following Jenkins’ remarks. Jackson also fired back on social media, suggesting Jenkins “must not want things to turn around in Shreveport.”

Jackson’s real estate broker, Gerod Durden, said it’s important to put what Jackson is trying to do in context.

“Without him, we don’t have nobody else in line that even would think about Shreveport,” Durden said. “People’s like, ‘Hey, man, you think one person gonna save Shreveport?’ I was like, ‘Hey he’s not trying to save Shreveport.’”

The Shreveport-Bossier City Advocate staff contributed reporting.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JILL PICKETT

Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson, center, attends a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 8, 2024, in Shreveport to signal the start of the Humor & Harmony Weekend.

NATION & WORLD

McDonald’s losing its low-income customers

Economists

call it a symptom of the stark

wealth divide

BY SUHAUNA HUSSAIN

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

In the early 2000s, after a severe

slump McDonald’s orchestrated a major turnaround, with the introduction of its Dollar Menu

The menu, whose items all cost $1, illustrated just how important it was to market to low-income consumers — who value getting the most bang for their buck.

Coming at a time of flagging growth, tumbling stock and the company’s first report of a quarterly loss, the Dollar Menu reversed the fast-food giant’s bad fortune.

It paved the way for three years of sales growth at stores open at least a year and ballooned revenue by 33%, news outlets reported at the time.

But no longer

Industry-wide, fast-food restaurants have seen traffic from one of its core customer bases, low-income households, drop by double digits, McDonald’s chief executive Christopher Kempczinski told investors earlier this month. Meanwhile, traffic from higher earners increased by nearly as much, he said. The struggle of the Golden Arches in particular — long synonymous with cheap food for the masses — reflects a larger trend upending the consumer economy and makes “affordability” a hot policy topic, experts say McDonald’s executives say the higher costs of restaurant essentials, such as beef and salaries, have pushed food prices up and driven away lower-income customers who already are being squeezed by the rising cost of groceries, clothes, rent and child care. With prices for everything rising, consumer companies concerned about the pressures on lowincome Americans include food,

automotive and airline businesses, among others, analyst Adam Josephson said. “The list goes on and on,” he said.

“Happy Meals at McDonald’s are prohibitively expensive for some people, because there’s been so much inflation,” Josephson said. Josephson and other economists say the shrinking traffic of lowincome consumers is emblematic of a larger trend of Americans diverging in their spending, with wealthier customers flexing their purchasing power and lowerincome shoppers pulling back — what some call a “K-shaped economy.”

A recent earnings report from Delta offers yet another illustration. While Delta’s main cabin rev-

enue fell 5% for the June quarter compared to a year ago, premium ticket sales rose 5%, highlighting the divide between affluent customers and those forced to be more economical.

At hotel chains, luxury brands are holding up better than low-budget options. Revenue at brands including Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton and St. Regis is up 2.9% this year, while economy hotels experienced a 3.1% decline for the same period, according to industry tracker CoStar “There are examples everywhere you look,” Josephson said. Consumer credit delinquency rates show just how much lowincome households are hurting, with households that make less

Beyond Boundaries.

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nomical” rent increases, Bandebo said.

A report released this year by researchers with Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University found that half of all renters, 22.6 million people, were cost-burdened in 2023, meaning they spent more than 30% of their income on housing and utilities, up 3.2 percentage points since 2019 and 9 percentage points since 2001. Twenty-seven percent of renters are severely burdened, spending more than 50% of their income on housing.

As rents have grown, the amount families have left after paying for housing and utilities has fallen to record lows. In 2023, renters with annual household incomes under $30,000 had a median of just $250 per month in residual income to spend on other needs, an amount that’s fallen 55% since 2001, with the steepest declines since the pandemic, according to the Harvard study

“It’s getting tougher and tougher every month for low-income households to make ends meet,” Bandebo said.

than $45,000 annually experiencing “huge year-over-year increases,” even as delinquency rates for high- and middle-income households have flattened and stabilized, said Rikard Bandebo, chief strategy officer and chief economist at VantageScore. After COVID-19-related stimulus programs ended, these households were the first to experience dramatically increased delinquency rates, and haven’t had a dip in delinquencies since 2022, according to data from VantageScore on 60-day, past-due delinquencies from January 2020 to September 2025 And although inflation has come down from its peak in 2022, people still are struggling with relatively higher prices and “astro-

Prices at limited-service restaurants, which include fast-food restaurants, are up 3.2% year over year, at a rate higher than inflation “and that’s climbing,” said Marisa DiNatale, an economist at Moody’s Analytics.

On top of that, price increases because of tariffs disproportionately affect lower-income households, because they spend a greater portion of their income on goods rather than services, which are not directly impacted by tariffs. Wages also are stagnating more for these households compared to higher- and middle-income households, DiNatale said.

“It has always been the case that more well-off people have done better But a lot of the economic and policy headwinds are disproportionately affecting lower-income households, and [McDonald’s losing low-income customers] is a reflection of that,” DiNatale said.

Digitalhealthcareinthe United States is continuously shaped by acomplex patchwork of federaland statelawsand regulations.

Federallawsgovernprivacy,while federal agencies regulate medicaldevices and certainsoftware. Telehealth rulesvaryby state, though Medicare andmanystates have expanded coverage andlicensure flexibility,and oversightcomes from multiple agencies. However, challengespersist regardingthe regulation of AI,cross-state telehealth practices, cybersecurity, anddata notcovered by federallaw,sopolicymakers continue to pursue reformstoensure innovationaligns with patientprotections

Ourfirm is proudtohelpleadthe wayforward forLouisiana healthcare providersand supportcompanies as they undergo digitaltransformationand navigatethisevolving andcomplex legal andregulatoryenvironment.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By GENE J PUSKAR

McDonald’s executives say the higher costs of restaurant essentials, such as beef and salaries, have pushed food prices up and driven away lower-income customers.

AllisonBell Nadiadela Houssaye

Fool’s Take:

Be arealestateinvestor

Realty Income(NYSE: O),which ownsmore than 15,500 commercial properties acrossthe United States and Europe, is one of the world’s largest real estate investment trusts. As aREIT,itleases out those propertiesand shares the rental income with its shareholders.

Motley Fool

REITs are required to pay out at least 90% of their taxable income to investors as dividends, and Realty Income pays those dividends monthly

It has raised its payout 132 times since1994, and its dividend yield was recentlyahefty 5.7%. The company mainly rents its properties to recession-resistant retailers like convenience stores, discount retailers and drugstores. (Its tenants include 7-Eleven, Dollar General, FedEx, HomeDepot, Walgreens, Walmart and Wynn Resorts.)

Rising interestrates in 2022 and 2023 throttled its growthbystirring up economic headwinds for its tenants and making it more expensive to purchase new properties. Those high rates also made its dividends less appealingthan risk-free CDs and Treasury bills. But as interest rates declined in 2024 and 2025, Realty Income has become amore appealing investment again, with arecent forwardlooking price-to-earnings ratioof 35, well below its five-year average of 41. (The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommends Realty Income.)

Fool’s School:

Meet Philip Fisher

If you’re looking to improve how you think about investing and how you evaluate companies, check out Philip A. Fisher’sclassic “Common Stocks and Uncommon Profits,” first published in 1957. Here are some of Fisher’sviews. For starters,hesaid that “The successful investor is usually an individualwho is inherently interested in businessproblems.” That’s true, because if the business world bores you, you likely won’tdelve deep into companies of interest or follow them closely.(If this is you, remember that you can do quite well simply by regularly investing money in alow-fee, broad-market

indexfund, such as an S&P500 index fund.) Fisher was abig fan of “scuttlebutt” research, which involves tapping the grapevine for any company of interest. So for aretailer, you might talk to employees and customers toget their takes on the company’sstrengths and weaknesses. Thendothe same with some of itscompetitors.

While Fisher saw the value in diversification and not having too many of your eggs in too few baskets, he warned against being overly diversified. If you’reinvested in toomany stocks, it can be hard to keep up with them all. Also, shouldone skyrocket,it won’thave as much of an effect on your portfolio’svalue. (Opinions differ on the ideal number of stocks one should own, butour Foolish investing philosophy suggests holding at least 25 stocks for at least five years.) He noted, too, the importanceofdiversifying by industry your portfolio may be put at risk if, say,10ofyour 25 stocksare in one particular industry

Fisher also noted that all investors make mistakes like selling too soon: “Willingness to takesmall losses insome stocks and to let profits grow bigger and bigger in the more promising stocksisasign of good investment management.”

Next week we’ll cover how Fisher evaluated companies, via his list of 15 things tolook for when searching for attractive investments.

Askthe Fool: Stock expectations

Some stocks rise on good news about the companywhile others don’t.Why? —T.H.,Venice, Florida It all depends on what investors have been expecting. For example, if they’ve expected earnings to grow by 12% and the company reports10% growth, the stock might drop.

Some news may already be baked into the stock price, too. Acompany’sshares might jump when it announces plans to enter China, but not move much once it actually does open itsfirst China location. Not all news is really news

Can Igivestock certificates for single shares as holidaypresents to my grandkids? —J.P Lubbock,Texas

Yes, but it’snot necessarily the best move. It’scertainly great to introduce young people to investing by giving them some skin in the game, but these days,many compa-

nies no longer issuepaper certificates, as trading is widely conducted electronically.Ifacompany still produces paper certificates,you might ask it —oryour brokerage, which is usually simpler —for one, but thefee could be several hundred dollars. Andcashing in apaper certificate is ahassle, too. Some websites,such as GiveAShare.com, will sellyou certificates for single shares of stock, but they might charge you much more than the shareactually costs.

Another way to give shares of stock to kids is by transferring one or more shares of stock(s) you own from your brokerage account to an account belonging to them. If they’re minors, they’ll need custodial accounts, with aparent or other adult serving as custodian.

However you go about it, consider starting withcompanies they know and admire—perhaps Apple, Lululemon, Nike, Starbucks,Ulta Beauty or Walt Disney

My Dumbest Investment: Sold Netflix tooearly

My most regrettable stock move happened in the early 2000s. Ibought shares of Netflix for $16 apiece —and then sold them at $21.

Imade up for it by investing in shares of Apple in 1997, when Steve Jobs reappeared at Apple. I’ve kept those shares. —D.E., via email

Youcertainly missed alot of potential gains withNetflix, as it has been one of the best-performing stocksofthe past20years. Indeed, if you’d invested,say,$1,000 in Netflix about 20 yearsago, that stake would be worthclose to $275,000. That’saverage annual growthof more than 32%! (For context, the S&P500 index averaged arespectable 10.7% over that period.)

Don’tkick yourselftoo hard, though, as no one in the early 2000s knew how well Netflix would do, and it didn’tstart offering streaming videos until 2007.

Meanwhile, Apple has alsobeen agreat performer,averaging annual gains of 27.9% over the past20 years.

If you’re no longer confident about acompany’sfuture, it’sright to consider selling. If you’rejust not sure, you mightsell some, but not all, of your shares. Holding on to Apple is agreat example of how you canmake up for missed gains in one stock by gaining in another (Do you have asmart or regrettable investmentmove to share with us? Email it to TMFShare@ fool.com.)

Cajun Industries opens

Port of Iberia plant

Baton Rouge-based Cajun Industries officially opened its facility at the Port of Iberia, amove that will employ about 600.

Company officials and otherscut theribbononits module fabricationfacility, which will build structures forpetrochemical plants.

The facility will encompass 74 acres,with 40 acres developed during the first phase, Cajun officials announced earlier

The company’smodule assembly yard will allow Cajun to offer turnkey engineering, procurement, fabrication andconstruction solutions.

Company officialssaid this is only one of its kind in Louisiana.

The improved access to the Gulf of Mexico via the Acadiana Gulf of Mexico Access Channel was instru-

mental in the company’sdecision to locate at the port. Off The Hook to open Lafayette location South Louisiana-based Off The Hookrestaurant will open its Lafayettelocation next week.

The company announced it will open Tuesday in the formerVivaLaWaffle building at 101 Liberty Ave. Aribboncutting will be heldat10a.m. with aspecial giveaway scheduled for 10:30 a.m The first 15 guests to arrive anddownload theOff The Hook appwill getfree po-boys forsix months.

The brand will also launch asocial campaign with Lafayette creators Koa Melancon and Sarah O’Pry,known as the Cajun Mamas.

Thelocationwillbethe ninth overall for Thibodauxbased OffThe Hook and its first in southwest Louisiana.

108 REDFERN ST.: GSL Homes,

Issued Nov. 19-24

Commercial alterations

INDUSTRIAL: 112 Row1,description, interior renovation for Connector Specialists; applicant,Trahan Architecture and Planning; contractor, ARL Construction; $360,000.

MEDICAL: 4809 Ambassador Caffery Parkway,description, interior renovation for newlinear accelerator for Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center;applicant, David Human; contractor, Blue Pelican; $261,650.

Commercial demolition SCHOOL: 600 Foreman Drive, description, demolition of S.J. Montgomery Elementary School; applicant, AQ Studios; contractor, Manuel Commercial; $450,879.

Newresidential

402 RUE GAMBETTA: Manuel Builders, $305,875.

416 RUE GAMBETTA: Manuel Builders, $284,125.

305 CALDWELL COURT: Brian S. Guidry,$1,048,500.

ONE BIG QUESTION

What are best and worst tax incentives?

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Tax incentives are one of the most controversial tools in the economic development tool kit

Proponents, including economic development officials, business leaders, developers and industry executives, say without tax breaks, it wouldn’t make financial sense to do certain deals, build job-creating plants or revitalize old buildings.

Critics charge that most incentive programs give lucrative tax breaks to private industry and wealthy companies at the expense of tax rolls and the environment. They say the giveaways often haven’t paid for themselves and have mixed job results

In 2023, Louisiana provided more than $500 million in tax incentives including $150 million to the Quality Jobs Program, $134 million to the Motion Picture Investor Tax Credit and $86 million to the Rehabilitation of Historic Structures Tax Credit, according to the Department of Revenue. The return on that investment depends on how you slice the numbers

In this installment of One Big Question, an occasional feature where we pose the same question to experts with diverse perspectives, we ask: What have been the best economic development incentives in Louisiana, and what have been the worst?

The following answers have been edited for brevity

MICHAEL HECHT

President and CEO, Greater New Orleans, Inc

Probably the best example of an incentive that I can think of is the historic tax credits that have allowed downtowns to be rebuilt not just in New Orleans but across Louisiana and across the country — that otherwise would not have been economical to adaptively reuse, because that’s an incentive that definitively passes the “ifnot-but-for” test, and the result is catalytic.

The enterprise zone tax credit, or the EZ program, is an example of an incentive that has not worked, because the income and franchise tax credits and the sales tax rebate was not significant enough to change behavior And so it simply ended up incentivizing investment that would have happened already, and it did not catalyze new investment that was not financially viable otherwise.

JAN MOLLER

Executive director, Invest in Louisiana

The one that I think is the worst is really ITEP the Industrial Tax Exemption Program. We have a nonelected state board giving away local property taxes with little to no input from the local citizens and elected officials, who are, in many cases, losing tens, if not hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue. We are literally giv-

ing tax breaks to companies that make investments that kill jobs. I think the LED Fast Start program is one that is good, because it’s smaller, it’s customized and it’s focused on providing customized training and workforce development for specific needs. In general, the best economic development incentive that Louisiana or any state could have is an educated, highquality workforce, strong reliable infrastructure, safe streets, good schools and the kind of communities where people want to move in.

DANIEL ERSPAMER

CEO, Pelican Institute for Public Policy

We are generally skeptical of economic development programs that put the government in the position of picking winners and losers. However, in analysis of the existing programs, we would say the broadest base and most open

opportunities are the best. And the best investments tend to be things like pre-site selection and efforts that are about identifying the best opportunities for businesses to come here. The worst, I would say is likely the film tax credit. While it is certainly fun to have movies and TV shows filmed in our state — and they likely still would be this is an incentive that has largely gone to out-of-state companies through the trading of these credits. And it’s hard to point to any long term, real economic impact on actual workers and citizens of Louisiana.

PATRICK BUTTON Tulane University economics professor; Connolly Alexander Institute for Data Science executive director

One type of incentive that tends to work well is one that’s very tar-

geted. It could be targeted toward some kind of barrier to being able to enter a market — that could be that you aren’t able to come up with a capital financing, or you’re a small business and you’re trying to manage the paperwork process, anything that can help with some of those barriers can allow people to enter a market when they otherwise wouldn’t be able to. Less effective have been: most incentives in general. My research and other research tend to show that tax incentives to the film industry don’t tend to create a local film industry or lead to significant amounts of jobs. There’s similar research on, say, incentives for million-dollar plants to relocate. It tends to be the case that the only time that those incentives seem to matter might be at the final stage, where the business is deciding between two top places that they would have gone to anyway

SUSAN BOURGEOIS

Secretary, Louisiana Economic

Development

The good and the bad might be two sides of the same coin: our tax policy Prior to November of last year, that was on the bad side. Businesses looked at that and both the complicated nature of our tax policy and then the actual financial burden, was a real deterrent for companies growing, locating and expanding in Louisiana. We can do incentives all day long, but at the end of the day you need to get the fundamentals and that’s a fundamental.

The flip side of that, for the good — and the statistics are bearing this out is the changes that we made last November are moving us dramatically up the rankings, and rankings matter We just moved from 29th to 10th in the country for corporate tax policy and favorability. At the end of the day, I always like to call our incentives sort of like a coupon at the end that pushes a deal over the line, but our tax policy gets us deals.

The Science-Backed Compromise That Protects Louisiana’sCoast and Its Menhaden Industry

Submitted article

Brought to youbythe Louisiana Commercial Fishing Coalition,LLC

Louisiana’scoast has always demanded balance. Our working waters support thousands of families and drivemorethan $419 million in annual economic output At the same time, our state is home to some of America’smost productivecoastal ecosystems.Decisions about howweprotect these waters must be rooted in science, grounded in local experience, and shaped through compromise.

Thatiswhy the Louisiana Wildlifeand Fisheries Commission’snew Noticeof Intent (NOI) to adjust menhaden buffer zones deserves to be understoodfor what it truly is: a science-guided compromise thatstrengthens protections in the most sensitivepartsofourcoastwhilerefiningrules inareaswherefishinghashistoricallyoccurred and cancontinue safely without harming the resource.

Science at the Center of the Commission’s Work

The Commission directed the Louisiana DepartmentofWildlifeandFisheries(LDWF) staff to conduct arigorous analysis of existing buffer areas and identifywhereprotections should be strengthened and wherehistoric fishing accesscould be responsibly restored. The result is aplan that actuallyexpands the buffer zone by morethan 4percent, from 264 to 276squaremiles,while refining boundaries to makethemmoreenforceable and morealigned with ecological needs Under the NOI:

• ProtectionsincreasearoundtheChandeleur

Islands and Isle Dernieres

• Technicalupgrades,including GPS coordinates, clarified language, and reorganized zones,makeenforcement clearer

Open-wateraccessisrestoredinhistoric

fishing areas wherescience showsminimal environmental risk. This is precisionregulation thatexpands protections wheretheymattermost and relies on data,not politics,todetermine where fishing canoccur responsibly

Addressing Concerns with Facts,Not Fear

Some organizations have argued thatany adjustmenttonearshorebuffersrepresents a step backward.But Louisiana’sown data tells adifferentstory

The state’s $1 million taxpayerfunded bycatchstudy shows that:

Reddrumharvestedbythe menhaden

fishery accounts for only 3.4percent of all reddrum landingsinLouisiana Total bycatchacrossall species remains belowthe 5percentstatutory cap established by the Legislature.

•Areas reopened underthe newNOI show no measurable impact on reddrum recruitmentorpopulation health Louisiana canprotect its most sensitive fisheriesandsupportoneofitsmostimportant working-waterindustries at thesame time.

AFleet ThatHas Already Modernized for Today’sChallenges

Louisiana’smenhaden industry has spent the past severalyearsinvesting heavily in safer, moresustainable equipment. Thoseinvestments,totalingmorethan $6.5 million, include:

• Spectraand Plateena net technology, which is significantly moredurable than traditional nets and helps preventtears and accidental releaseevents.

• Hose-endcagesystemsthathavereduced incidentalreddrummortalityby24percent.

• Newprotocols forrapid response, spill containment, crew training, and reporting. Theseactions representone of themost significantvoluntarymodernizationprograms of anycommercial fishery in the Gulf. And theyreflectthe fleet’scommitmentto continuous improvement, even beyond what regulation requires The Commission’sNOI mirrorsthis same philosophy. It improves protections wheretheyare most neededwhile allowing responsible, science-supported fishing where risksare minimal.

ProtectingPeopleand aWay of Life Formanyparishes,the menhaden sector is not an abstract industry.Itisaneconomic backbone. More than2,000 Louisianans work in thefishery and its supply chain. Local businesses,including machinists, truckers,

welders, processors,and equipmentsuppliers, depend on the fleet’soperations

Theseare year-roundjobswith benefits, supporting families in communities that have seen manyother industries disappear Menhaden fishing hasanchored thesetowns forgenerations,providing stable livelihoods while powering essentialsupply chains such as U.S. aquaculture, pet food, and animal feed. ProtectingLouisiana’scoast means protecting thesepeople as well.

Building aPathForwardTogether

The futureofour coast cannot be built on division.Itmust be built on shared stewardship.Weremain committedto working with the Commission, LDWF staff, legislators, conservationgroups, charter captains,recreationalanglers, andscientists to improve transparency,enforcement, and public trust This is howresponsible management works. It is built through dialogue, data,and accountability, not confrontation.

ACoast Protected, ACommunitySustained

The Commission’sNOI is nota victoryfor anyone group.Itisapragmatic step forward thatacknowledges Louisiana canprotect its fragilehabitatsand preserveits workingwaterheritage. It recognizes thatscience, not rhetoric, must guide our choices.And it reflects the realitythatcompromiseisnot weakness. It is howLouisiana has always movedforward Our coast is worth protecting. So are the people who depend on it.This proposal does both.

PHOTO

The crew sets up a scene during filming in Lafayette in 2020.

Gallagherhelps protectbusinesses of all sizesand acrossall sectors —not only through the insurancecoverweprovidebut also by offering arange of risk managementand consultancy servicesthatwecan tailor to your business.

Connect with your local broker today.

STAYING FOCUSED

LSU associate professor uses virtual reality to help students with ADHD

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder can be debilitating for some students. Common symptoms include difficulty staying on task or being organized — making it almost impossible for students to complete assignments on time. In 2023, an estimated 15.5 million of American adults over the age of 18 had a diagnosis of ADHD, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Half of those diagnosis happened in adulthood.

Computer science and engineering associate professor David Shepherd is out to change that — or at least help make completing tasks, assignments and homework easier for students

Nestled in the digital media center at LSU, at the end of a long hallway lined with glass offices chock full of charts, graphs, equations and scribbled ideas in dry-erase ink, sits Shepherd’s virtual reality lab where he works with two doctorate students.

Type 1.5 diabetes

Though lesser known, disease fairly common

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Type 1.5 diabetes isn’t a myth. It shares features of both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes — it develops in adults, like Type 2, but involves an autoimmune process, like Type 1. Because symptoms often appear gradually, it’s commonly mistaken for Type 2 diabetes.

Also known as Latent Autoimmune Disease in Adults, Type 1.5 diabetes an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas causing insulin resistance. It typically develops in adults between 30 and 50.

“Over the past years, it’s become clear that there is a Type 1.5 diabetes in adults that’s a little bit different than Type 2 and Type 1,” said Dr Joseph Heneghan, an internist at Ochsner Health Center in Prairieville.

Even though many people haven’t heard of it, Type 1.5 is fairly common. Studies suggest that between 4% and 12% of people who initially receive a Type 2 diabetes diagnosis end up having LADA. To put that in perspective, about 530 million adults worldwide have Type 2, according to the Cleveland Clinic

Type 1 diabetes, an autoimmune disease that attacks the pancreas that creates insulin, is typically diagnosed in the teenage years or younger Patients with Type 1 lack sufficient insulin, a chemical in the body that tells consumed sugar to go into cells.

When there is excess sugar in the body that can’t go into cells, those sugars stay in the blood vessels, causing damage and inflammation. Typical treatment for patients with Type 1 diabetes are injections of insulin in various forms.

Type 2 diabetes is categorized as insulin resistance, where a patient is producing insulin, but an overconsumption of sugar overwhelms the insulin-producing pancreas and the body cannot produce enough insulin to react to sugars in the body

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON Dr Joseph Heneghan stands in an examination room at the Ochsner Health Center in Prairieville.

STAFF PHOTOS By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ph.D student Fatemeh Jamalinabijan adjusts the Meta Quest 3 virtual reality headset that is being used in the LSU College of Engineering’s study on reducing ADHD symptoms.

BLOWN AWAY

N.O. glassblowers teach doctors, health care workers to make glass hearts, cups and ornaments

BY MARGARET DeLANEY

Staff writer

For more than 60 years, Jean Blair has become very familiar working with doctors in several hospitals around the country But rather than in the hospital setting, Blair takes them to her office, filled with hot furnaces, torches, blowpipes, paddles, jacks and sheers.

Blair is the founder of the New Orleans School of Glassworks and Printmaking Studio two blocks from The National WWII Museum in downtown New Orleans. Whenever the stars align and schedules meld, Blair and her team at the Magazine Street studio host doctors, surgeons, nurses, technicians, physician assistants and more to take a moment out of their busy lives saving people and make some art of their own.

From cups to glass hearts to Christmas ornaments, guests can make it in the studio.

Blair started this project 40 years ago, around the time she opened shop After moving to New Orleans from New York City where she worked for Time Life, she connected with John Ochsner, the founder of the Ochsner hospital system.

“(He) asked me to photograph for his slide lectures in the operating room of his heart surgeries and transplants,” Blair said.

Since that time, Blair has grown to appreciate the health care community and has made it her mission to show that appreciation to health care workers in New Orleans and around the country

“One of our specialties has been inviting doctors and their staffs in to show them that blowing glass is similar to surgery,” Blair said “The use of instruments you use to maneuver the molten glass into shape without touch-

ing it is similar to using medical instruments.”

Blair and her team have hosted Dr Nieca Goldberg, a cardiologist from New York University Lagoon Hospital, who made glass hearts, thoracic surgeons who made glass lungs and other surgeons who have made glass brains and glass livers during their time in the studio.

Depending on availability, Blair hosts health care workers as often as she can

to thank them for their knowledge and “TLC” with patients every day

“Having been involved with hospitals for so many years, I have noticed a tremendous need to thank the doctors and the hospital working staff for the generosity given to so many of the patients,” Blair said. “You only have to be a patient — or relative of a patient — to realize the numerous people that come in and out of your room who are responsible for taking care of you.”

In November, Blair invited eight colleagues and team members of Dr Katrina Wade, a surgical oncologist at Ochsner Hospital.

The doctors and colleagues become captivated with what they are able to create while blowing glass, according to Blair

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

ADHD

Continued from page 1X

This month, the team of three received a total of $1.8 million in grant funding to continue to study how virtual reality spaces can assist students with ADHD in completing their homework and staying on task.

The overall grant is in collaboration with Joshua Langberg, Rutgers University chief wellness officer and Department of Clinical Psychology professor

The study is a clinical trial, combining efforts with the LSU Student Health Center to find 200 students to participate.

Originally from Richmond, Virginia, Shepherd and Langberg came up with the idea to use virtual reality to increase the productivity of software engineers at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2020. It wasn’t until a student with ADHD noted the possible benefits of the program for doing homework and staying focused that the team switched focus.

“Software engineers get interrupted all of the time,” Shepherd said “We thought VR headsets could make it so that even if (software engineers) are working in open cubicles, they’re not that in-

terrupted.”

The virtual reality space was created to reflect a good working environment with a simulation of a computer screen with only the current assignments and tasks visible on the screen. Shepherd brought the program with him to LSU when he joined the university two years ago Now, two doctoral students work with him to sort through new case studies, address glitches in the gaming-like system and compile data from homework sessions. How it works

The virtual reality program uses coding to detect when students are going off-focus in multiple one-hour study sessions. The technology tracks keyboard strokes, mouse activity and eye movement to track productivity

The first 10 minutes of each study session begin with reading comprehension and a series of questions about the content in order to gauge the level of productivity a student has going into the session. For the next 40 minutes, students are doing their actual homework on an uninterrupted screen. No notifications. No popups. No ads No opportunities to get distracted.

According to Shepherd, students cannot use the virtual reality goggles for more than two ses-

sions in one day

“It defeats the purpose,” he said.

Another unofficial symptom of ADHD is hyper fixation an intense focus on one topic activity, food or television show that can cause a person to become oblivious to the passing of time.

It’s also common for students with ADHD to zone out, or daydream, when trying to focus.

“That’s pretty easy to detect because there’s no keyboard, no mouse activity,” Shepherd said. “If you have the headset on, we can detect that nothing is happening. We look for that in order to nudge them back on track.”

At the end of the session, there is a self-reported survey to assess a student’s cvoncentration, motivation and effort.

“We plan to compare the selfreported data to the objective data that we collect on our end,” Shepherd said. Fatemeh Jamalinabijan is the data collector She looks at screenshots taken every minute of each session. The grant’s aim is to get 200 students with ADHD to participate in the clinical trial at the end of a three-year period. That’s 2,400 one-hour sessions and 144,000 screenshots to look over Matheus Costa created the study work environment and finds and fixes bugs in the system if the need arises.

“They both put some blood, sweat and tears into this project,” Shepherd said. Going forward, if the clinical trial proves to be a success, Shepherd predicts that it could become an accommodation provided by some universities for students with ADHD.

“If you are in a dorm room especially you could have one of these VR sets to make your homework situation better,” he said. “The headsets are just going to get lighter and higher-res. I think that’s going to be a legitimate avenue of getting homework done in a noisy place within a year or two.”

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

STAFF PHOTOS By SOPHIA GERMER ABOVE: Surgical oncologists of Ochsner Hospital learn how to glass blow at New Orleans Glassworks Studio. LEFT: Owner Jean Blair helps Paris Wade, 9, hold a pallet for her mother, Dr Katrina Wade.

Dr Katrina Wade heats up glass to make a cup as surgical oncologists of Ochsner Hospital try out glassblowing at New Orleans Glassworks Studio.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Ph.D student Matheus Costa uses hand gestures to demonstrate the computer setup the LSU College of Engineering is using for a study on reducing ADHD symptoms for students using virtual reality headsets.

EatFit LiveFit

Brutti ma buoni: Ugly but good, andperfect forholidaygifting!

Theholidaysareatimeforsharing love,laughterand,ofcourse, cookies!Thisseason,whynottrya treatthat’sascharmingasitisindulgent? bruttimabuoni,Italianfor“uglybut good,”arebite-sizedchocolatedelights withareputationthatfarexceedstheir humbleappearance.Inspiredbythelittle treatsservedafterdinneratDomenica insideTheRooseveltHotelinNew Orleans,thesecookiesareasweetending toanymealorathoughtfulhomemade giftforfriendsandfamily.

Whatmakesthisversionspecial? Made withalmondflourandzero-sugarplantbasedsweeteners,theselittlecookiesare naturallylow-carbandgluten-free,soyou canfeelgoodaboutsharingthemwith everyoneonyourlist(naughtyornice) They’rerich,chocolateyandjusttheright sizeforpoppingintoaholidaygiftbag.

BruttiMaBuoniRecipe Makesapproximately40minicookies

2tablespoonsalmondflour

1tablespooncoconutflour ½teaspoonbakingpowder ½teaspoonsalt

3tablespoonsunsweetenedchocolate (100%cocoa),chopped ½cuprounded,darkchocolate(atleast 70%cocoa),chopped

2tablespoonsunsaltedbutter,softened 1wholeegg+1eggwhite, roomtemperature ½cupSwerveGranular

1tablespoonfinelygroundespresso 1teaspoonvanillaextract ½cupstevia-sweetenedsemi-sweet chocolatechips(suchasLily’s),frozen 2tablespoons SwerveConfectioners,sifted

Siftflours,bakingpowderandsaltinto abowl,andsetaside.

Meltbothvarietiesofunsweetened chocolateinadoubleboiler,taking carenottoburnthechocolateonce itismelted.Whiskinbutter.

Inaseparatebowl,whisktogether eggsandSwerveGranularuntil mixturebecomesverythickandpale incolor,approximately6-8minutes. Slowlystirinmeltedchocolate, occasionallyscrapingthesidesof thebowl.Foldinflourmixtureand scrapethebowlagain.

Addespressoandvanillaextractand mixuntilcombined.Donotovermix orthemixturewillgettoocrumbly. Foldinfrozenstevia-sweetened chocolatechips.Spreadmixture ontoaparchment-linedsheetpan. Coverlightlyandrefrigeratefor12 hoursorovernight.

Rollchilledmixtureintoballsabout oneinchindiameter.Pressgentlyto flatten.Placecookiesinthefreezer foratleastonehour.

Preheattheovento350degrees RollbatterinSwerveConfectioners, thenarrangeonabakingsheet.Bake for10-12minutes,untilthecookies areslightlypuffedandfinelinesor cracksappear.Removefromthe ovenandtransfertoparchmentpaper tocool.SprinklewithadditionalSwerve Confectioners,ifdesired,beforeserving.

Perserving(1cookie):35calories,3grams fat,1.5gramssaturatedfat,40mgsodium, 3gramscarbohydrate(2gramsnetcarbs), 1gramfiber,<1gramsugar(0added sugar),<1gramprotein.

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia. Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

BY THENUMBERS

Findthisrecipeandmorein“TheEat FitCookbook.”Findlocalretailersor purchaseonlineatEatFitCookbook.com BesuretousepromocodeADVOCATEat checkoutfor10%off

NEARLy 10 MILLION HOMESINTHE U.S. ARERUN By SINGLE-PARENTS

Thecurrent population survey estimates there were 9.8 million oneparent households in 2023in the U.S. The percentage of children living in single-parent households nearly tripled between 1960 and 2023,increasing from 9% to 25%.

Almost aquarter of Americanchildren under the ageof18livewith one parent and no other adults —more than three times the rate of children in other countries around the worldwho live under the same circumstances. The global averageofsingle-adult households, excluding the U.S.,hovered at 7% in 2019, according to aPEW Research Center study.

These parishes had the lowest percentageofsingle-parent households, in ascending order: n Cameron, 12% single-parenthomes; n Plaquemines, 14% single-parent homes; n Livingston, 21% single-parent homes;

DIABETES

Continued from page 1X

“That sugar hanging on the blood vessels causes alot of information and damage,which then leads to heart attacks and strokes,” Heneghan said.

Typical treatment for Type 2diabetes in oral medication. Medicinal options, like Metformin, can work for ashort period for patients with Type 1.5, but do not workinthe long runtotreat LADA.

Over time, as theautoimmune process progresses, patients typically lose insulin productionand eventually require insulin therapy, like those with Type 1diabetes.

Symptoms of Type 1.5 aresimilar to Type 1, including:

n being verythirsty n needing to pee more often,

n Beauregard, Jefferson Davis and Vernon, 22% single-parent homes; n Ascension and Lafourche, 25% single-parent homes;

n Grant and St. Martin, 26% singleparent homes.

Theseparishes had the highest percentageofsingle-parent households, in descending order: n East Carroll, 75% single-parent homes;

n Madison, 59% single-parent homes; n Claiborne, 57% single-parent homes; n Concordia, 54% single-parent homes;

n St.Helena and Tensas parishes, 53% single-parent homes; n Orleans, 50% single-parent homes; n Winn, 49% single-parent homes; n West Feliciana, 47% single-parent homes; n Morehouse, 46% single-parish homes.

n losing weightunexpectedly n blurred vision, n fatigue, n or itchy,dry skin.

Diagnosis of Type 1.5typically involves bloodtests that check for diabetes-related autoantibodies and C-peptide levels to measureinsulin production. Doctors may recommend additional lab tests to rule out other causes or confirm autoimmune involvement. If antibodies are present andinsulin levels are low,the patient likely hasLADA rather than Type 2diabetes.

“Autoimmune diseases do run in families,” Heneghansaid. “Ifyour parentshad an autoimmune disease, and someone who’shad any autoimmune disease is then morelikely to get asecond autoimmune disease.”

Astatewide concern

Diabetes, as awhole, is on the

rise in Louisiana. In 2022, there were over half amillion Louisiana adults whohad been diagnosed with diabetes at some point in their lives, according to data from theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention. On average, 13% of Louisiana adults had adiabetes diagnosis —higher than theU.S. average at 11.6%.

People withdiabetes areathigh risk of heart disease, stroke and other serious complications,the CDC says —including kidney failure, blindnessand lower-limb amputations.

Diet, according to Heneghan, is asignificant preventive measure to reduce the risk of developing Type 2diabetes. Both Type 1and Type 1.5 aregenetic, autoimmune disorders.

“There’ssomuchprocessed food these days, so we’re seeing

really highrates of diabetes,” Heneghan said. “I always tell patients, think of George Washington. Can you picture George Washington with aCoke and aTwinkie?

Probably not.”

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

TheLouisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, healthdiscoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing healthfor thestate of Louisiana. Do youhavea healthstory? We want to hear from you. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit healthquestions,stories and more

BROUGH TT OY OU BY

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

Staff reports

Pennington receives $10.9M renewal

Following a competitive review process, the National Institutes of Health funding for Pennington Biomedical’s Metabolic Basis of Disease Center of Biomedical Research Excellence was renewed for an additional five years This Phase II renewal builds on the momentum achieved since the center’s establishment in 2020, enabling continued support for young scientists who are focused on the mechanisms through which nutrition and metabolism contribute to health.

Applications open for 2nd round of HERO Fund

The Louisiana Department of Health announces the application period for the second round of the HERO Fund. Approximately $6 million will be distributed among recipients.

The fund, which provides matching two-year grants to health care training and education programs, helps grow the health care workforce pipeline in Louisiana. The application period will close Jan. 16.

Tulane researcher awarded $2.7M grant

Tulane University School of Medicine researcher Dr Jia Fan has been awarded a $2.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to improve how doctors identify and treat infections caused by nontuberculous mycobacteria, a growing public health concern worldwide.

NTM infections, which can cause serious lung and soft-tissue diseases, are notoriously difficult to diagnose and treat. Treatment varies by species, and delays or inaccuracies in diagnosis can lead to ineffective therapies, drug toxicity or the emergence of drugresistant strains.

Fan’s lab is developing an advanced diagnostic platform called MycoID, which uses mass spectrometry and machine learning to identify NTM species and predict how they’ll respond to antibiotics. The technology analyzes tiny differences in the proteins secreted by bacteria, known as peptide sequence variants, to distinguish between closely related species and even subspecies.

Our Lady of the Lake welcomes new providers

FMOL Health | Our Lady of the Lake Physician Group Urology has welcomed nine new boardcertified providers. The following providers join the group from Baton Rouge Urology and have a combined 181 years of experience:

n Dr Angelo Annaloro Jr

n Dr Henry “Drew” Hollier

n Dr Thomas “Tom” Wills

n Dr Stephen “Randy” Vick

n Dr James “Jimmy” Morris

n Dr Mark P Posner

n Nurse practitioner Michelle Genre

n Physician assistant Johanna De Silvia

n Physician assistant Alicia Vick

LSU recognizes Dr. Neil Maki for critical milestone

Orthopedic history was made in Thibodaux in 1989, when Dr Neil Maki, a clinical associate professor of orthopedics at LSU, developed and performed the first intra-articular arthroscopic Bankart suture repair technique. This groundbreaking advance offered a safer, more effective alternative to existing surgical methods for shoulder instability

Maki presented his pioneering work to the 1990 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, where it drew national attention His technique was later published in Orthopedics Today, Orthopedic & Sports Medicine News and in renowned surgeon Dr Lanny Johnson’s textbook on shoulder arthroscopy

Maki’s suture-based approach demonstrated clear advantages over metal staples, including reduced complications and improved healing potential.

This innovation became the foundation for later advancements in arthroscopic shoulder surgery — paving the way for the use of suture anchors, suture passers and modern arthroscopic knot-tying instrumentation and techniques.

Ochsner LSU Health welcomes specialists

Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport welcomes four new specialists, expanding care in the region and surrounding communities:

n Dr Adam Blancher, an ear, nose and throat doctor joins Ochsner LSU Health’s Ambulatory Care Center at 1606 Kings Highway;

n Dr Chelsea Gertze joins as a board-certified and fellowshiptrained hospitalist and will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center at 1541 Kings Highway;

n Dr Hans-Magne Hamnvag, a pathologist, will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s Academic Medical Center;

n Dr Sara Mohamed, who went to medical school in Alexandria, Egypt, is a neonatologist and will see patients at Ochsner LSU Health’s St. Mary Medical Center at 1 St. Mary Place.

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact us at margaret delaney@theadvocate.com.

Kids with autoimmune diseases find joy at camp

BY SHELBY LUM and LAURAN NEERGAARD Associated Press

A doctor advising sleepaway camp? That’s how a 12-year-old diagnosed with lupus found himself laughing on a high-ropes course as fellow campers hoisted him into the air

“It’s really fun,” said Dylan Aristy Mota, thrilled that he got a chance at the rite of childhood thanks to doctors reassuring his mom that they’d be at this upstate New York camp, too. Dylan felt good knowing if “anything else pops up, they can catch it faster than if we had to wait til we got home.”

It may sound surprising but diseases like lupus, myositis and some forms of arthritis — when your immune system attacks your body instead of protecting it don’t just strike adults. With the exception of Type 1 diabetes, these autoimmune diseases are more rare in kids but they do happen. People often ask, “Can kids have arthritis? Can kids have lupus?” said Dr Natalia Vasquez-Canizares, a pediatric rheumatologist at Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, which partnered with Frost Valley YMCA last summer so some of those youngsters could try a traditional sleepaway camp despite a strict medicine schedule and nervous parents.

“Imagine for an adult, it’s difficult. If you have that disease since you’re young, it’s very difficult to, you know cope with,” she said.

Special challenges for kids

The younger that someone is

when certain illnesses hit, especially before puberty, the more severe symptoms may be. And while genes can make people of any age more vulnerable to autoimmune conditions, usually it takes other factors that stress the immune system, such as infections, to cause the disease to develop.

But genes are more to blame when disease strikes early in life, said Dr Laura Lewandowski of the National Institutes of Health who helps lead international research into genetic changes that fuel childhood lupus.

Symptoms among children can be sneaky and hard to pinpoint.

Rather than expressing joint pain, a very young child might walk with a limp or regress to crawling, Vasquez-Canizares said.

“Before, I looked like everybody else, like normal,” Dylan said Then, “my face turned like the bright pink, and it started to like get more and more red.”

His family thought it must be allergies, and Dylan recalled many doctor appointments before being diagnosed with lupus last January

Treatment has unique challenges, too. Medicines that tamp down symptoms do so by suppressing young immune systems — just as they’re learning to fend off germs. They can also can affect whether kids build strong bones.

Research underway to help kids

But there are promising treatments in development. Seattle Children’s Hospital recently opened the first clinical trial of what’s called CAR-T therapy for pediat-

ric lupus. Those “living drugs” are made by reprogramming some of patients’ own immune soldiers, T cells, to find and kill another type, B cells, that can run amok. Tests in adults with lupus and a growing list of other autoimmune diseases are showing early promise, putting some people in long-term, drugfree remission.

And occasionally a mother’s autoimmune disease can harm her child, such as a rare fetal heart defect that requires a lifelong pacemaker if the baby survives. Dr Jill Buyon at NYU Langone Health is studying how to block that defect — and just reported a healthy girl born to a mom with mild lupus.

“This is a rare example where we know the exact point in time at which this is going to happen,” allowing a chance at prevention, said Dr Philip Carlucci, an NYU rheumatology fellow and study co-author

What happens: A kind of antibody, found in lupus, Sjögren’s and certain other autoimmune diseases, can damage the heart’s ability to beat properly if enough crosses the placenta during key cardiac development. Some treatments can lower but not eliminate the risk. Buyon’s team is testing if a drug used to treat a different autoimmune disease could better shield the fetus.

Kelsey Kim jumped at the experimental treatment in her last pregnancy, “partly in the hopes of saving my own baby and partly in the hopes of saving other people’s babies and saving them from the pain that I had experienced.”

Breaking down fiber, the latest and greatest food fad

Number of new products looking to cash in on trend rises

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press

U.S. consumers who have had their fill of finding protein added to everything from cereal to ice cream are about to meet the next big food fad: fiber Americans have been boosting their protein intake for years; even Pop-Tarts and Starbucks are selling protein-enhanced products. But the number of new products promoted with high or added fiber saw a big uptick in the U.S. this year, according to market research team Mintel. Hundreds of videos on social media celebrate the benefits of dietary fiber and share recipes to help viewers get more of it.

There’s even a term for trying to meet or exceed the recommended daily fiber intake: fibermaxxing

“I think fiber will be the next protein,” PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said during a recent conference call with investors Consumers are starting to understand that fiber is the benefit that they need.” Fiber’s benefits

Unlike muscle-building protein, fiber isn’t sexy It’s a carbohydrate found in plants that your body can’t break down. It helps feed gut bacteria and move food through the digestive system.

“Folks don’t want to talk about it at a dinner party,” said Debbie Pe-

titpain, a registered dietitian and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. There are two main types of fiber Soluble fiber dissolves in water and forms a gel-like material that feeds gut bacteria It’s found in foods like oats, peas, beans, apples and carrots. Insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and moves food through the digestive system. It’s found in whole wheat flour, popcorn, wheat bran, nuts, green beans and potatoes. Studies have shown that fiber lowers cholesterol levels, regulates blood sugar and promotes weight loss, since high-fiber foods tend to make eaters feel more full. It may also protect against heart disease, diabetes, diverticulitis

and colon cancer, according to the American Heart Association. Petitpain said rising use of GLP1 weight loss drugs could be one reason for the renewed focus on fiber, since GLP-1s naturally slow digestion, and fiber can prevent constipation She said fiber has seen similar spikes in interest when people wanted to alleviate symptoms from high-fat diets like Atkins or keto. How much fiber do we need?

Most people in Western countries could use more fiber because their diets are low in vegetables, fruits and whole grains, said Sander Kersten, director of the Division of Nutritional Sciences at Cornell University

Under the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s guidelines, adults should aim for 14 grams of fiber for every 1,000 calories they consume. That’s about 25 grams of fiber for women and 38 grams for men each day Petitpain said Americans generally only get about two-thirds of that amount.

For reference, 1 cup of raspberries contains 8 grams of fiber, while a banana contains 3.2 grams, according to the USDA One-half cup of avocado contains 5 grams of fiber and 1 cup of lima beans contains 13.2 grams. Fiber One, a bran cereal, packs 18 grams of fiber into a serving of two-thirds of a cup.

Good ways to increase fiber

Kersten said long-term studies about the benefits of fiber have looked at the consumption of whole foods and not packaged products with added fiber

“The way it is consumed as an additive and part of a diet that doesn’t contain a lot of fiber may be different than a naturally fiberrich diet,” Kersten said “You can eat a very processed, Western diet and consume foods that are enriched, but we don’t know if it confers the same benefit.”

Whole foods also help the body in other ways, Petitpain said. An apple contains 4.8 grams of fiber as well as water, vitamins and minerals, for example. Here are some recommendations from the Mayo Clinic for adding fiber to your diet:

n Choose a breakfast cereal with 5 grams or more of fiber a serving.

Top it with a sliced banana or berries. n Choose breads with at least

2 grams of fiber per serving and try other grains like brown rice, whole-wheat pasta and quinoa.

n When baking, substitute wholegrain flour for white flour Add wheat bran to muffins and cookies.

n Try to eat five or more servings of fruit and vegetables daily If you eat canned fruit, make sure it’s canned in fruit juice and not syrup, and make sure canned vegetables are low in sodium.

Think twice about fibermaxxing

There is no defined upper limit for fiber intake, Kersten said But increasing fiber can cause painful gas and bloating, especially if it’s done quickly

Petitpain said people should increase their fiber intake gradually and drink plenty of water

“You’re feeding gut bacteria a food, and you can’t break it down. You rely on them, and if you give them second, third and fourth servings, there’s not enough of them to handle the extra load,” Petitpain said.

Certain populations should also be extra careful about their fiber intake, Petitpain said.

People who are sensitive to gluten or allergic to foods like soy, shellfish or psyllium husk should read labels carefully since some foods with added fiber contain those ingredients.

More broadly, Kersten questions the trend of focusing on one nutrient, whether it’s protein or fiber

“We don’t need nutrients, we need foods. Ultimately, what you want to be striving for is a healthy diet, and you should choose foods that are considered to be an important part of a healthy diet,” he said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MATT ROURKE

Ethan Blanchfield-Killeen, 11, center right, of yonkers, N.y who has a form of juvenile idiopathic arthritis plays a game of paint tag at the Frost Valley yMCA sleepaway camp in Claryville, N.y in July

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DEE-ANN DURBIN Cereal bars promoting fiber sit on a shelf at a Kroger grocery store in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Holidayheart health: Ochsner providers outlinesymptoms to watchfor andways to de-stress

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisstory is brought to you by

OchsnerHealth.

The holidays areaseason of joy, connection and celebration, but they canalsobeone of the most stressful times of the year foryour heart.Ochsner Health has tips to followand triggersto avoid thatwill help keep your heart strong this season and beyond.

“The holidays canbehectic forall of us.It’sachangeinroutine. Our stresslevel canbeelevatedwith travel plans,work and family events,and it canlead to an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, which cancauseheart problems,” said Randy del Mundo,MD, FACP,primary care specialist,Ochsner Health Center –Prairieville. “During the holidays,we aresobusy, and individuals maynot be paying attention to heart symptoms,such as being tired or fatigued. Thesesymptoms maybeoverlooked or just chalked up to the busyseason.

RandydelMundo,MD,FACP

Statistics from the Centers forDiseaseControl and Prevention showthatanAmericandies of aheart-relateddiseaseevery 60 seconds Heart diseaseisthe leading causeofdeath in Louisiana,and the state ranksfifth in the nation in heart attack death rates. National research alsoshows thatmoreheart attacks happen in December and January than at anyother time of year

Michael L. Bernard, MD,section head of electrophysiology, Ochsner Medical Center–New Orleans,said his team often sees ariseinheart rhythm disturbances around the holidays,which is sometimes referred to as “holidayheart.”

“Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is the most common arrhythmia in adults.Itistypically triggered by excessstressand pressureput on the heart by triggerssuch as lack of sleep,stress, alcohol and dehydration,”Dr. Bernardsaid. “In addition, holidayfoods areoften high in fat, sugar and salt,which tend to raiseblood pressureand put morepressureonthe heart.Wesee alcohol have an effect,aswell. Alcohol calms the body initially but eventually raises blood pressureand causes fluid retention and dehydration. Some alcohol levels canlead to a transientstunning of the heart —when the heart temporarily weakens due to the direct toxic effects of alcohol— which canlead to other cardiac problems.”

in the jaworleft arm. However, women aremorelikely to experience other symptoms thatcan be mistaken forcommon ailments,likeindigestion or exhaustion.

“Women with heart diseaseoften have fatigue, nausea or aburning sensation in the chestthatcan be mistaken foracid reflux,”Dr. Williams said. “Thesesymptoms areoften non-specificormimic other diseases.”

MichaelL.Bernard,MD

Dr.Williams said anyone who experiences commonheart attack symptoms should seek medical care immediately.Iftheir symptoms areatypical, she urged people to consider whether theyoccur during times of heightened activity.

“If someone notices that they don’tfeel well, have aburning sensation, become nauseous or sweat profusely when they do an activity, thatcan be asign of aserious heart problem and is something theyshould be concerned about,” she said. “Also, if you have tried treating acid reflux with overthe-countermedications and don’tsee any improvement, thatisanother sign thatit mightnot be acid reflux. It maybesomething else.

Dr.Williamsalsosuggested practicing gratitude, journaling, going forwalks and carving out quiet time as ways to reduce stress.

weeks, thosehormones persist.Theycan increaseblood pressure and blood sugars, which put astrain on the heart.”

Dr.Fontenot said he encourages people to stick to the basics during the holidays in order to maintain wellness. That means adhering to aregular sleep schedule, staying well-hydrated, limiting alcohol, eating smaller portion sizes and practicing mindfulnessand restful hobbies Exerciseisalsoimportant, even if it is not especially vigorous

Dr.Bernardsaid the good news is that there areseveral steps people cantaketo keep their hearts healthyduring the holidayseason. Moderation is key, especially when it comes to alcohol. Dr.Bernardrecommends limiting alcohol to no morethan twodrinksper dayorabstainingaltogether and choosing creativealcohol-freedrinks instead. Scheduling time forphysical activityand rest is alsoimportant. People who strugglewith mental health areurged to keep their provider’s contact information closeby, so it is easily accessible if needed.

Dominique Williams,MD, director of the Women’sCardiovascular Clinic at Ochsner Medical Center –NewOrleans,said part of the challengeisrecognizing symptoms early,especially among women, who mayexperience different warning signs than men. Dr.Williams said women maynotice classicsymptoms of heart problems, such as chest pain, shortness of breath or pain

“Wetreat the holidayseason as aspecial time, but don’tforgetyour normal health routines,” Dr.Bernardadded.

JeffreyD.Fontenot,MD, primary care specialist,Ochsner Health Center -Broussard,said one of the most common mistakes people makeistossing out healthyhabits entirely once theholidayseason starts and telling themselves they’ll getback on track after the newyear.Dr. Fontenot said prolonged periods of excessiveeating and drinking, lessexerciseand ahectic schedule canhaveboth short-term and long-term effects on aperson’sheart health.

“Sometimes we getsohung up on trying to makesureour holidays look likea Hallmark movie,”hesaid. “Thatexpectation canput alot of stresson people. Cortisol is one of our stresshormones,and we know thatincreased cortisol levels raiseblood pressure. When stresspersists forseveral days or

“Yoga, Pilatesorbody weightexercises aregoodfor our physical and mental health, and theycan be done indoors,”hesaid. “You don’thavetobeoverly ambitious.Even lightexercisehelps.”

As the leading healthcareprovider in Louisiana,Ochsner professionals areprepared to provide the best cardiac care in the state.Dr. del Mundo said seeking medical treatmentevenfor mild symptoms gives doctorsmoretime to assess heart disease and risk factors. It alsoprovides an opportunitytodiscusslong-term lifestyle changes relatedtoweight, exerciseand keeping blood pressure,blood sugarand cholesterol in check. If necessary,areferraltoacardiologist canbeeasily facilitated.

“We[primary care specialists] arethe quarterbacksofheart health,”hesaid. “Talk to us about symptoms you have been experiencing. We canguide you, as well as make individual assessments concerning heart disease.”

Dr.Williams said thatcareisincreasingly

Theholidayscanbehectic forallofus.It’sachange inroutine.Ourstress levelcanbeelevated withtravelplans,work andfamilyevents,and itcanleadtoanincrease inheartrateandblood pressure,whichcancause heartproblems.

RandydelMundo,MD,FACP PrimaryCareSpecialist OchsnerHealthCenter-Prairieville

informed by the latest research, including howcardiovascular problems aredifferent between men and women, and the role that hormones playinheart health.

“Everyone at Ochsner has an increased awarenessabout heart diseaseand apassion fortaking care of all patients,” she said. “Our doctorsare very well-aware of everything thatcomes with the holidayseason, as well as whatthe most recentresearch tells us.Weare heretohelp.”

Formorethan100years,OchsnerLafayetteGeneralMedicalCenterhascaredfor Acadiana-notjustashealthcareprofessionals,butasneighbors,friendsandfamily. We’vegrownbutourvisionremainsthesame:todeliverexceptionalcare,closeto home.Now,forthethirdyearinarow,U.S.News&WorldReporthasrankedusthe No.1hospitalinSouthwestLouisiana-andnamedusBestRegionalHospitalfor CommunityAccess.Thisrecognitionreflectsthecompassion,expertiseand dedicationofourentireteam.Weareproudtocontinueraisingthebarfor healthcareinAcadiana-andhonoredbythetrustyouplaceinuseveryday.

Formoreinformation,visitochsner.org/lafayette

SarahW. | OrthopedicPatient

OchsnerLafayetteGeneralMedicalCenter

FACE TO FACE

youngadultslookbeyondcomputerscreens to meet newpeople

BY LEECUTRONE

Contributing writer

Some young adults are trading digital platforms and algorithms for old-school, in-person ways to meet people.

Nationwide, participation in adult sports leagues and speed dating events are on the rise in Louisiana, too.

In New Orleans at 7p.m. on aWednesday in October,dozens of women from Playnola’sLadies Kickball League were on thefieldatWisnerPlayground. The league has 120 members, primarily in the 20sto40s agerange. The evening’s attendance also included significant others, kidsand spectators, some ensconced in folding chairs near the infield.

After severalhours of play,Wisner Wednesdays end across the street at Grits Bar for postgame drinks.

“Thereare competitive peopleout there, and there are people putting on tennis shoes for the first time,” said Caitlin Carrère, agregarious millennial and longtime league player.“It’smore about the camaraderie, and you meet new people.”

Millennial Caroline Charbonnet, proprietor of the recently openedDa Weenie’s hotdog barlocatedinMick’s IrishPub in MidCity, said theeventsare an outlet for socializing and sports.

“Weput our phonesinour bags and have funonthe field andatthe barafter,”Charbonnet said.

The same week, coed soccer,men’s flag football, coed softball and volleyball wereamongthe adult leagues scheduled at locations around theCrescentCity. Weekly games are at night toaccommo-

date players’ work schedules and other adult responsibilities.

Camp Kent, co-ownerofPlaynola,a sports and social club with the marketingtag “WeDoSocial,” saysthe growth of adultsports leaguesinNew Orleans is on parwithother cities in theUnited States. Kent noted that the number of participants“exploded” after the pandemic as peoplewere eager to get back out into the world and socialize.

Away fornewbies to meet

More recently,numbers have leveled off as some playersage out of the organization’starget demographic —postcollege adultsages 23 to 45 —and as the metro area’spopulation has declined. Butparticipation remains strong.

Playnolaisthe largest of theadult sports league companies in NewOrleans with roughly 4,000 participantsannually andaroster of leagues in all four seasons.Itoffersmen’s,women’sand coed leagues and has arange of sports, all of which emphasize inclusivity and fun.

“Thirty percent of our players are new to New Orleans,” saidKent, alifelong New Orleanian. “A lot of people use (league sports) to meet people.”

League sports deliver the mind-body benefits of physical activity along with themental and social benefits of human connection. Participants say friendships,datingrelationships,businesscontacts, clientsand even marriages come out of the leagues. Engaging in ashared interest makes them aprime source for meeting potential partners andgives new meaning to “playing thefield.”

Sarah Jane Lowery, editor of the La-

dies Kickball newsletterand amemberofmultiple leagues over the years, met her boyfriendoffive years through ClubWAKA’s coed dodgeball. Steven Galliotoand Kerry Portie, both members of volleyball leagues, met on opposing teams randomly selected through atournament at Coconut Beach Sand Volleyball Complex in Kenner

They began playing on the same team and are now engaged. Gallioto says unlikedating apps,which often dead-endin onlineinteraction, leagues “give you an opportunitytomeet face to face.”

“It’sahuge community,” said Gallioto, who knows of many couples who met through volleyball. “You’vegot to seeit to understand.”

Sevencouples metplaying Pickleball

The Exchange Pickleball +Bar owner Renée Melchiode sees thesame thing happening at herfacility where drinks are servedcourtside.

The Exchange holds “open play,” which brings together everyone from locals to tourists. The venue has seen the sport expand beyond theover 50 crowd to younger players. Their largest growing age demographic is 25 to 35.

“I have seven couples who met playing pickleballatThe Exchange,” Melchiode said. “I think it’sthe ideal opportunity to meet people in real time rather than swiping left and right.”

While some leagueorganizations head to neighborhood bars for after-party mingling, afew have on-site watering holes. Coconut Beach,the largest sand sports complex in the country in Kenner, hasa restaurant/bar with tropical island mojo. Of thefacility’s20volleyball courts, 13 are used forleagueswhichplayfive nightsa week during thespring, summer and fall seasons

Volleyball director Mick Stein says Coconut Beach has adouble advantage for socializing: it’s home to an easy-to-learn, fun sport where players can “talk face to face across thenet,” as well as arestaurant/bar where spectators can watch and where“people stick around” after In thecapital city

In Baton Rouge,Mango’sBeach Volleyball, now in its 30th year,offers a similar combination: sand, sun, palm trees, 13 beach volleyballcourts, friendly league sports anda beachy bar with an outdoor deck overlooking the courts. Owners Timand Tina Bourgeois say 11 skill levels and afamily-friendly,laidback atmosphere draw everyone from Olympic team playersKristen Nuss and

See FACE, page 2Y

Skipping the chaosthis December

Last week, shortly after Ihad been negotiating with my own calendar like it wasahostage standoff, Istumbled on the idea of aholiday “not-to-do list.” In the days since, Ihaven’tbeen able to shake the idea out of my mind. I’ve been considering what I could cross off my season before it even begins. The key,I decided, is to get specific. Saying “I will not overplan” sounds nice, but it doesn’tchange anything. Saying “I will not make plans forTuesday,Wednesday or Thursday evenings” is something Ican actually follow.I’m claiming that one forDecember with the only exception of Dec. 31, when we have our annual Long Dinner with friends.

With the guiding question of “What specific choices will make the next month better?,” afew itemspresented themselves quickly:

n On my days off, Iwill not plan anything to do before 10 a.m. n Iwill not wearuncomfortable shoes simply because they are cute.

n Iwill not play kickball.

n Iwill not keep buying gifts forone or the other of our daughters just because Iwant to make sure things are even. (I’m not sure they notice —I just sleep better believing the scales are balanced.)

Curious about how others dealt with the sametug-of-war between expectations and sanity,I asked friends what they were cutting out this year

In NewOrleans, Amanda Self said, “I will not rush everyone into the car after breakfast to travel house to house forChristmas dinners to appease the masses.”

Angi Davis, in Lafayette, said, “I will not buy any gifts from Amazon.”

In Baton Rouge, Kathy Perry said, “I will not waituntil Christmas Eve to wrap all the presents.” Idecided to ask the samequestion to folks in the newspapers’ newsrooms: Joy Holden said, “NoElf on the Shelf.”

Matthew Albright said, “My notto-do list is to do Christmas at the beach. Iwas told ‘Hey,wegot a great deal on abeach house,’ and responded, ‘Yes, and you know whyyou got agreat deal on a beach house in December?’”

Jennifer Brownsaid, “I will not talk politics with anyone.”

Matt Bruce said, “I will not go into debt. And forthe love of God, no matching onesie jammies this Christmas.”

Jerry DiColo said, “I will not wake up before 6a.m. Christmas morning.”

STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER

People gather at the ExchangePickleball +Bar for aFriendsgivingand pickleball open playrecently in NewOrleans.

Friends MichelleLeonard and TiffanyDelcour celebrate apoint as theyplaypickleball.

JanRisher

ASK THEEXPERTS

Habitatleaderworks toward ‘front porchculture’

Building newhomes, saving older ones

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Melinda Taylor began her Habitat for Humanity career in 1993 as executive director of the Hattiesburg Area Habitat for Humanity in Mississippi. Since 2000, she has been the executive director of Lafayette Habitat for Humanity

Under her leadership, Lafayette Habitat has built or rehabilitated more than 150homes in partnership with local first-time homebuyers who would otherwise have been unable to purchase ahome of their own.The organization is dedicated to creating vibrant neighborhoods and supporting resident-led revitalization initiatives in Lafayette’surban core. Taylor believes that thelongterm solutions forpoverty,health disparities and economic inequality are rooted in healthy and resilient communities.

This interview was edited for length and clarity

Beyond building homes, what programs does Habitat for Humanity Lafayette offer?

Homeownershipisour key focus with Habitat,but we’re moving into home preservation. In addition to building new homes, we have been repairing homes as we are able to get differentsources of funding to cover repairs.

This year,wegot alargegrant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to repair up to 65 homesoverthe

Continued from page1y

Taryn Kloth Brasherto“people who’ve never held avolleyball before.”

They’ve seen an uptick in the number of young adult players.

“We’re usuallythe 25- to 60-year-olds, butweare getting more and more of the 20-yearolds,” TimBourgeois said.

Other ways that adults ditch their screens in favorofin-theflesh meet ups are bike social clubs, which organize group rides and events. Baton Rouge has multiplebike social resources with events throughout the month, and bartrivia nights where teams take part in friendly competition.

Speed dating, enjoying asurge of renewed interest in the United States, is also gaining traction at the local level. Content creator and entrepreneur Hannah Wilson started Nola Speed Dating in April 2024, hosting events for a variety of demographics at locations around the city.The business has thedistinction ofbeing billed as the No. 1attended speed dating in the U.S. on Eventbrite.

Wilson met her boyfriend through Hinge but regularly sought outacross-section of groups and events whensingle andisafierce proponent of tryingthingsoutsideofone’s comfort zone.

“The goal is to give peoplean-

Q&A WITH MELINDATAyLOR

in the realm of homeownership development and preservation is climate change —and we’re increasingly seeing longtime homeowners who are having dramatic increases in their insuranceescrow and arestruggling to make theirpayments.

We’re approachingitinacouple of ways.First, we trytokeepour homeownershipopportunitiesaffordable, and we do that by being the lender for the homeswebuild. We also collect the funds to put in their escrow account to pay their taxes andinsurance. We’re building homes to fortified standards as well, in particular fortified roofs. With anew focus on homepreservation, arethere anynew constructionmethods that Habitat is using that focus on sustainability?

ette Consolidated Government when they do their hazardous wastedisposal days. We receive used paint andsellitatthe store

What volunteeropportunities are you most in need of rightnow?

We have opportunities both at theconstruction site and at the ReStore. We’reespecially interested in getting more volunteer groups andindividuals to help at the store, because it’s amassive undertakingtomanage the volume of goodsthat comethrough.

On our construction sites, we have at least onevolunteer house going most of the time. Those are good opportunities for businesses or organizations thatwant to do a team building day.

“I don’tknowhow theydoit. I couldn’tbalance everything that they’rebalancing withkids and sometimes more than one job.” To come back andsee the house when it’sfinished is another thing. It’sgreat to be able to see, at the endofthe day, thatyou did something. That something is physically on alot thatwasn’tthere before youstarted. Youcan’tbeat thatsatisfaction.

What is theimportanceofafamily living in aneighborhood, surrounded by neighbors who aretheretohelp?

That’s arealstrengthofLafayette’score neighborhoods, their front porch culture

course of the next three yearsto address critical buildingsystems

We’re focusedonLafayette’s urban core neighborhoods —onthe north side of Lafayette in neighborhoods that have been historically disinvested in Our approach is alwaystogoin listening, asking, “Whatdoyou wantto see us do, and what are the things we’re doing that you would like to see us do differently?”

Oneofthe things we consistently hear is, “Why can’tyou help us address some of these deferred maintenance issues with older homes and preserve homeownership?”

One thing thataffects allofus

We’vereallychanged theway we build over thelast 15 years to where thesidingweuse is wind resistant. Again, we’re using that fortified technique in allofour homes. With that certificate, you can get alower rate on homeowners insurance. We operate aReStore location, which is another sustainabilityfocused aspect of our operation. Alot of people need an affordable source for buildingmaterials and home goods if they’re reestablishing themselves in housing, getting anew home or improving an existing one. ReStore exists to serve that market. We also partner with theLafay-

Being apartofbuilding ahouse from startto finish offers an incredible sense of accomplishment.Whathavevolunteers told youabout the experience and what it means to them?

For one, people get to know our homeowners. Whatever thoughts they may have hadabout the neighborhoodswhere we build or thepartners we build with, frequently they comeawaywith a different perspective

Alot of folkshave not been in some of the neighborhoods where we’re building,and when they meet ourhomeowners, they’re consistently impressed with the level of hardworkand dedication they have. Alot of our homeowners are singlemoms, and many of ourvolunteers have told me,

Youhearstories from older folks from when they were growing up —theycouldn’tget away with anything, because as soon as they did something after school, somebody else would telltheir parents. Their parents would knowbythe time they got home because therewas this cohesive culture of people looking out for each other,neighbors helping neighbors.

In the core neighborhoods, you see astrong neighborhood fabric being built thatisgratifying. Thathappens naturally with Habitatbecause we try to build severalhousestogether.Wetry to acquireseveralhomes in the same general area so that we cancreate asetting wherethat alchemycan happen between neighbors.

Email Lauren Cheramieat lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

other way to meet people,” Wilson said.“Online dating is anew landscape for us. It’s always better, in my experience, to broaden your circle as much as you can.”

In an era of remotework and datingapps,Wilson sees speed dating as abetter return on one’s investment of time, effortand money

“I’ve gone on plenty of dates

where Icould tell within five minutes if Iwanted to be there or not,” shesaid. “A speed dating event is five to 15 dates instead of one. It’salittle betteruse of your time.” In October,Wilson, aChicago transplant who attended LSU andnow calls New Orleans home, expanded the business to BatonRouge underthe name

RedStick Speed Dating.The inaugural eventdrew11men and 14 women. Wilson says that the events vary,but even when attendees are nervous, “after one or two dates,they enduphaving fun.”

“Even if youdon’t meet someone, you might makeafriend,” Wilsonsaid. “It’sall aboutgetting out and making connections.”

RISHER

Continued from page1y

After DiColo shared his not-to-do list item,I told him about my own trick forsleeping until asemi-reasonable hour on Christmas morning without missing the magic. When my daughters wereinelementary school —about the same age as his children are now —I started alittle holiday ritual. After bedtimestories and final prayers, I’dmake adramatic show of putting Scotch tape across their bedroom door to the door jam.(Bathroom access remained, of course.) The tape had to stay intact until Ipeeled it off in the morning. It worked every time.

Ihope the DiColo household finds alittle extra rest and maybe even someextra fun because of it. Listening to everyone reminded me that, as full as this season gets, we still get to decide what we carry and what we set down. Anot-todo list won’tuntangle every knot in December,but it might give us back alittle peace, alittle sanity alittle room to movethrough the month like actual humans instead of holiday pack mules.

Turns out, mostofusare protecting the samething: asliver of breathing room,alittle space to be ourselves in amonth that tries hard to swallow us whole. We’re allowed to step out of the current now and then. And you? What are you adding to your not-to-do list this year?

PROVIDED PHOTO

Melinda Taylor has servedas executivedirector ofLafayette Habitatfor Humanity since 2000.

Content creator and entrepreneur Hannah Wilson hosted aRed Stick Speed Dating

at MidCityBeer Garden in Baton Rouge.

Mobile unitsoffer communityoutreach

Vans help residents applyfor assistance in BatonRouge

BY MORGAN KING

Contributing writer

In October,Sharon Stephens drove acommunity outreach van to the retirement office in downtown Baton Rouge to assistsenior citizens with electricitybills.

As the driver of one of the mobile units intended to broaden the reach of social services across East Baton Rouge Parish, Stephens has already seen the impact of her work.

“Arriving at the site, the excitement on people’sfaces when they pull up makes me smile,” Stephens said.

She drives one of the two large vans rolled out about 18 months ago to help BatonRouge residents apply for assistance for payment of rent, mortgages,medical services, utility bills and more.

The mobile units are aproject of the Metro-Parish Division of Human Development &Services and the Office of Social Services

They assist people who don’thave access to the agencies’ officesbecause of transportation or other accessibility challenges

These mobile units provide LowIncome Home Energy Assistance Program for householdsthat are eligible for home energyservices basedonincome. And Community Service Block grant provides sustainabilityresources,including rent,mortgageand medication payments. Applications for assistance are provided by the unit, but recipients must come prepared with required documents

Pamela Stokes, program administrator for the Office of Social Services, said they have received an abundance of applications since thetwo mobile units have served the community “Not everyone has access to community centers,sothesemobile units brought resources directly to them,” Stokes said.“That

impact made possible through CSBG federal grants (Community Service Block Grants) for emergencyassistance is essential to our work.”

Stephens said social mediapromotion has helped spread the word.

Forinstance, one stop at the Main Library of the East Baton Rouge Parish Public Libraryon Goodwood Avenue brought in over 350 applications. Six to eight assistants accompanied themobile unit to help at that event because of the turnout.

“When we place it on socialme-

dia,it’sshareda lot,” Stephens said. “When they see we will be in acertain location, it helps us because they alsosee what documentation they need to bring with them.”

The units are equippedwith WiFi andprinters to help workers verify information while people fill out their applications. Stephens said the workers can even print electronic check stubs, which makes for one less steptoworry about, Stephens said.

The office hasalso partnered with the Gardere Initiative to visit the Gardere neighborhood once

each quarter,Stokes said. MurelleHarrison, Gardere Initiative’sexecutive director,said the lack of regular public transportationmakes the mobile units especially helpful.

Harrison said she hasdiscussed with East Baton Rouge parish representatives how to leverage the resources andfunding in the communities. “Wereally appreciate this collaboration. It’sbeen very helpful forustouse this resource,” Harrison said She said 59% of the Gardere community members are econom-

ically stressed, even though they exceed thefederal government’s poverty threshold. She said energy bills have been high and program assistance helps those whoare low-incomeorona fixed income makethese payments.

To follow the mobile units, visit facebook.com/cityofbatonrouge.

This story was reported and written by astudent withthe support of the nonprofit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the HenryLuce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations.

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STAFFPHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

PamelaStokes, program administrator for the Office of Social Services, and Sharon Stephens, driver,stand together in frontofthe Metro-Parish Division of Human Development mobile unit recently at the EBR Parish Main Library.

FAITH & VALUES

Religious photographer’s work displayed in exhibition

BY ADELLE M BANKS Contributing writer

A new exhibition of the work of Gordon Parks, a photographer renowned for documenting African American life, turns its focus on Parks’ exploration of Black religion and spirituality

“Although Gordon Parks’s personal religious beliefs vacillated across his lifetime, he applied a working knowledge of Black religious culture with a commitment to humanism as an approach to documentary photography and photojournalism,” reads the introductory wall text for “Temples of Hope, Rituals of Survival: Gordon Parks and Black Religious Life” at Howard University in Washington.

The exhibition, which runs through Dec. 1, is a collaboration between the Gordon Parks Foundation and Howard, whose Moorland-Spingarn Research Center acquired a collection of 244 of Parks’ photos from the foundation in 2022.

The more than 40 photos and artifacts on display at Howard highlight the life and leaders of the Black church, the Nation of Islam and broader Black spirituality over the course of Parks’ half-century of work as a photographer, in which he became a chronicler first of Black working people and street life and later of the Civil Rights Movement. Parks, who died in 2006 at age 93, also made his mark as a filmmaker, musician and writer

The exhibition also includes images of Watson, a member of a Spiritualist church in Washington, receiving an anointment in one and, in the other, caring for children in view of a home shrine that features saintly figures and a Bible.

In a recent interview, Melanee C. Harvey, an associate professor at Howard who has made Parks a focus of her scholarship and who curated the exhibition, said that, before his arrival in D.C., Black photographers there, notably those at the Scurlock Studio, preferred posed portraits. Parks, she said, chose “a different approach, of him documenting it as he’s witnessing it, versus the more studio business approach.”

Mostly self-taught, Parks captured the lives of Americans while working for the Farm Security Administration in the 1940s as the agency sought to aid farm-

ers and migrant workers in the wake of the Great Depression. He moved on to work for prominent magazines, including Ebony and Vogue, before he became a staff photographer for Life magazine for more than 20 years.

It was while he was working for Life that Parks produced a 1953 series of photos exploring the ministry of the Rev Ernest Franklin Ledbetter Sr and his Metropolitan Missionary Baptist Church in Chicago, a more than 100-year-old church on the city’s west side. “They had a stately structure, it was filled to the brim every Sunday, and they had a lasting impact in terms of the social gospel ministries,” said Harvey, who edited a book containing the series that will be released in December

Parks’ photos show Ledbetter, known for his dramatic sermons, preaching from the pulpit to the packed sanctuary of the large church. In one, his arms are outstretched as a white-uniformed usher stands at a distance behind him at attention, her left arm tucked behind her “It is a temple of hope to thousands of Negro people caught in the backyard of this vast city,” Parks wrote in an unpublished essay about the church. “It is a haven in a world of unending trouble. It offers leadership and a powerful-preaching minister.”

Harvey said Parks also recorded images of women doing the more prosaic work of ministering to people on Chicago’s streets.

One woman Beatrice Williams, “would go around the community and minister to the drunks, the children, those marginalized in society,” said Harvey, with Parks trailing her with his camera. Ariel Rainey, a visitor to the exhibition from Chicago, said

the images reminded her of decades past in her hometown and stories of church life she heard from her mother “The Malcolm Xes, the Ledbetters and all these different people were actually in our community,” said Rainey, an activist who has supported innercity mothers who have lost their young children to gun violence. “And that’s what these pictures are showing. We have to go to the people.”

Life’s editors had sought for years to get images of the growing Nation of Islam movement, based in Chicago, and Parks was able to get permission from Elijah Muhammad, leader of the racially centered Muslim sect and a mentor to Malcolm X. Muhammad agreed only after Parks declined Muhammad’s offer of half a million dollars to leave Life and instead produce a movie about the movement.

The exhibition includes images from the 1960s of Malcolm X with leaders such as the Rev Adam Clayton Powell Jr., then-pastor of New York City’s Abyssinian Baptist Church, and talking with his hand on the shoulder of a man at Temple No 7 Restaurant in Chicago.

“He becomes so close to Mal-

colm X to the point where Gordon Parks is actually the godfather of one of Malcolm X’s daughters,” Harvey said. “Gordon Parks travels with Malcolm X to Chicago to Brooklyn, to Harlem and also Los Angeles to photograph the Nation.”

Having gained Malcolm X’s trust, Parks used the relationship to gain access to other figures and a wider Black culture. “He had a methodology of connecting with an individual that served as his kind of tour guide through this community,” Harvey said. Watson and Ledbetter served in those roles in the ’40s and ’50s, respectively

Many of the images, Harvey pointed out, are without title, allowing the viewer to discern the story they have to tell by closer examination. She drew attention to a 1956 color photo showing two women talking, with one inside a church and the other standing at its window

“Here we see two women look like they’re maybe gossiping or just exchanging important community information, but then when you look closer, you see that the woman inside the church is actually breastfeeding,” she said. “These very intimate, life-

sustaining things happen in that space.”

The exhibition includes examples of Parks’ films and poetry, such as a 1984 poem titled “Homecoming” with its reference to the divine. “Gordon Parks was a Renaissance man photography, filmmaking, and he also was an avid poet,” said Harvey “He ends this poem by saying: ‘My hope now is that each of us can find what GOD put us here to find – LOVE!’”

The exhibition includes two selfportraits, as well as a group picture outside a Fort Scott, Kansas, church when Parks was 9. Harvey has identified it as an African Methodist Episcopal congregation. Harvey said she appreciated what she called “the serendipity of timing” that the exhibition opened in the current sociopolitical times of the nation.

“At a time where, especially in Washington, D.C, we’re experiencing a lot of gestures to change history, to whitewash history, this type of exhibition is kind of necessary,” she said. “It’s like serendipity or just perfect timing that this is offered as a kind of guidebook or a salve for this kind of moment.”

Libyan biologist collaborates with fishing communities

Scientist’s goal is to protect angel sharks

BY IBTISAM AGFEER

Contributing writer

A mountain headquarters might seem a curious choice for a marine biologist. But to Sara Almabruk, it’s the ideal base from which to work on saving one of the most endangered species in the Mediterranean: the angel shark.

Wearing a sky-blue bracelet painted with images of sharks, Ms. Almabruk enthusiastically shows off the new home of the Marine Biology in Libya Society, where the walls are decorated with fish models and handmade fishing nets. Ms. Almabruk is the general director of the group, which also includes a team of bright young researchers.

“This is where we’ll have the training halls,” she says, smiling as she gestures. “Here’s the office overlooking the balcony so the youth can relax. And here’s the lab — it still needs organizing, but you can see it’s taking shape.”

From this new headquarters, to which the group moved this summer, Ms. Almabruk is strategizing how to ensure the survival of Mediterranean angel sharks. She describes the bottom-dwelling sharks as “custodians of the seafloor” whose robust presence can indicate a healthy ecosystem But they are endangered in Libyan waters because of overfishing, bycatch, habitat loss, weak enforcement of environmental laws, and the species’ low reproduction rate of only six to seven young in a lifetime. Through information reported by divers and commercial fishers on social media and collected from coastal field visits, Ms. Almabruk and her team monitor data on the species and raise awareness

Researcher Sara Almabruk studies an angel shark specimen at the offices of the Marine Biology in Libya Society Ms. Almabruk describes the bottom-dwelling sharks as ‘custodians of the seafloor,’ whose presence is one indicator of a healthy ecosystem.

among fishers that their trawling nets could inadvertently drag up large numbers of sharks. The team’s project focuses on building trust with fishing communities through dialogue and education rather than condemnation.

“When angel sharks disappear, it often signals deeper ecological stress,” Ms. Almabruk says. “Protecting angel sharks means protecting the foundation of coastal livelihoods and ecological integrity.”

An unlikely interest

The sea was never part of Ms. Almabruk’s childhood in the rugged Shahat region of northeastern Libya, and she didn’t plan to become a marine biology researcher In 2003, she enrolled in medical school but left three years later and joined the zoology program at Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Al-Bayda. By 2014, she had com-

pleted her master’s degree in fish biology It wasn’t until 2018 that sharks captured Ms. Almabruk’s research interest A diver reached out to her inquiring about the identity of a group of sharks he had photographed. The image prompted her to contact a friend in Greece, who identified the three fish as Mediterranean angel sharks and expressed amazement that they were sighted in Libyan waters.

“This is where my learning journey about this creature began its environment, behaviors, and classification on the Red List of endangered species,” says Ms. Almabruk, referring to an inventory maintained by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

She discovered that three types of the shark exist in Libya. Fishers refer to them as shakatli, spotted shakatli, and thorny shakatli. They are also called safin in some areas.

Though she lacked financial support or an established formal partnership with other researchers, Ms. Almabruk took her first steps documenting the presence of angel sharks in Libya. “I used social media to connect with fishermen, asking them to share photos and experiences with the species when they encountered it in their nets,” she explains.

In 2019, Ms. Almabruk attended a regional workshop on angel sharks in Tunisia, where she met members of the Angel Shark Conservation Network. A year later she helped start the Marine Biology in Libya Society This enabled her to secure initial funding from the Save Our Seas Foundation, a prominent nonprofit, to conduct what she says was Libya’s first comprehensive research project on angel sharks.

Assembling a team of six researchers and marine field enthusiasts, Ms. Almabruk then formed partnerships with organizations throughout Libya to study the shark’s populations Facebook groups became treasure troves of information as divers and fishers posted images and footage of fish they encountered.

Ms. Almabruk’s team then expanded its data collection to the ports of Benghazi, Tripoli and Misrata. She says that the data has shown notable concentrations of the species specifically in the Gulf of Sidra. “This finding completely contradicted the prevailing belief before 2020 that this species was nearly extinct in the Mediterranean,” she adds proudly After five years of persistent work, Ms. Almabruk and her team identified the gulf as a vital breeding ground for angel sharks and documented more than 50 individuals between 2020 and 2021. A national database has been created to track the sharks.

The project also has taught fishers how to recognize the species and how to release the sharks caught in their nets.

Community engagement

At her Al-Bayda headquarters in the Green Mountains, about 12 miles from the Mediterranean coast, Ms. Almabruk places an angel shark specimen on a table and begins examining it carefully, describing its parts with obvious affection, turning it gently, and then lifting it up with a broad smile. She knows every detail of the specimen by heart. With flattened bodies and winglike fins, angel sharks resemble rays but are truly sharks — ambush predators that lie buried in sandy seabeds, waiting to surprise their prey Local fishers have embraced Ms. Almabruk’s conservation message. Ali Qanabi, a fisherman from Misrata, says that angel sharks have reappeared after years of absence and that local fishers have stopped selling them because of awareness campaigns led by Ms. Almabruk and her team. “Fishermen no longer deliberately target the species, and it’s lost its commercial value due to reduced market demand,” he says. Fawzi Dahan, from the nonprofit Bado Environmental Association for Marine and Wildlife Protection, notes an active partnership that developed with Ms. Almabruk’s team after a seminar. “We’ve made strides in raising awareness, like fishermen throwing back sharks they caught,” he says. “But amateur fishermen continue to use destructive fishing tools.”

Ms. Almabruk retains hope, despite the challenges.

“We achieved a lot with only social media,” she says. “I’m confident we’ll protect those angel sharks.”

PROVIDED PHOTO Photographer Gordon Parks in the late 1980s

PHOTO By ADELLE M. BANKS

Melanee C. Harvey curated the ‘Temples of Hope, Rituals of Survival: Gordon Parks and Black Religious Life’ exhibition at the Howard Museum in Washington, D.C.

PROVIDED PHOTO

SUNDAY, November 30, 2025

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

grams

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the 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's Word — idoLAtrY: eye-DAHLih-tree: The worship of a physical object as a god.

Average mark 50 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 63 or more words in IDOLATRY?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

wuzzLes

The fallback

North’s three-heart bid promised some useful values. It was stronger than four hearts South tried a spade cue bid and then bid slam when North could cue bid four diamonds. South won the opening trump lead and liked his chances. There was no certain entry to dummy, but a 3-2 club split would solve all his problems. He could get to dummy with the fourth round of clubs and discard his low spade on dummy’s ace of diamonds.

super Quiz

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

SUBJECT: BIBLICAL CHARACTERS

(e.g., The central figure of Christianity Answer: Jesus Christ.)

FRESHMAN LEVEL 1. He received the Ten Commandments on Mount Sinai. Answer________

He built an ark. Answer________ 3. He killed the giant Goliath. Answer________ 4. He sinned in the Garden of Eden.

South cashed another heart, drawing trumps, and then cashed the king and queen of diamonds. He cashed the ace of clubs, intending to play three rounds of the suit, but he paused when East played the 10 on the first club. Might clubs be splitting 4-1? Declarer took precautions by leading a low club instead of the king. Should both opponents follow suit, he could claim. West won with the jack but found himself end-played. He had to play a spade or a club, providing an entry to dummy either way It wasluckyforSouththatWestwas

SAGITTARIUS (Nov 23-Dec. 21) Evaluate your home environment, finances and health. Incorporate a positive lifestyle. The time you spend with someone you love will enhance your relationship.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Stop hesitating. Check out the possibilities and enforce positive changes that will make your life easier your relationships better

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Expect to face interference, making it essential to abide by the rules and regulations to avoid financial and physical setbacks. Avoid taking

out of diamonds, but if West had a diamond to play, South would have discarded his remaining low club on the ace of diamonds and fallen back on the spade finesse for his contract.

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2025 Tribune Content Agency

risks that could compromise your physical well-being.

PISCES (Feb 20-March 20) Enforce the changes you want to make, and follow through. Don’t expect everyone to agree with your plans, but be willing to leave detractors behind if necessary

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Energy and enthusiasm will lead to knowledge and better choices. Interact, engage, ask questions and pursue positive change. Say no to temptation and indulgence.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Clearing a space specifically for a project you

want to pursue will encourage you to stop procrastinating. Make an effort to communicate your feelings for someone using both words and gestures.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Indulge in activities that are conducive to meeting new people or developing a closer connection to someone you love.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Participation and interaction will lead to opportunities for positive lifestyle changes. Think outside the box, use your imagination and be the one to make things happen.

This apostle was originally named Simon.

He is considered

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Consider new ways to promote what you have to offer, and you’ll find a way to combat boredom. Social events, romance and challenging yourself physically will boost your ego.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Keep tabs on what’s happening at home and with meaningful relationships. It’s best to nurture any signs of discontent before they grow into something unmanageable.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Focus your energy on rearranging your space to promote better workouts, healthier habits and increased produc-

tivity Make changes that attract positive people and outcomes, fostering love and affection.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Share your story and engage in activities that raise your level of awareness. Personal gain, interaction and initiating change are featured. The effort and energy you put out will pay off.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

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Answers to puzzles

1. Moses. 2. Noah. 3. David. 4. Adam.5.Peter 6. Joshua. 7. Solomon.8.Abraham. 9. Jacob 10. Methuselah. 11. Paul. 12. Isaac. 13. Samson. 14. Jonah. 15. Seth

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer

Saturday's Cryptoquote: People who love to eat are always the bestpeople. —Julia Child

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