The Advocate 12-13-2025

EPAplans to reduce wetlandprotections

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

Aproposedfederalrule could dramatically reducethe number of wetlands in Louisiana that qualify for protection under the Clean Water Act, amove that could expose millions of acres to development

Under the proposal from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, only wetlandswitha“continuous surface connection” to waters that are “relatively permanent” —meaning they hold water year-round or with only brief interruptions would remain federally protected. Wetlandsthatare seasonal,intermittent or connected only after storms would likely fall outside federaljurisdiction.

The changeisintendedtoconform with the U.S. Supreme Court’s2023 ruling in Sackettv.Environmental

Protection Agency,which sharply restricted how wetlands can be regulated

But the new proposed rule, issued lastmonth, goes furtherbyremovingseveral long-standing categories of protected water, such as interstate waters, andbyformally definingterms that arelikely to make federaloversightevennarrower

“This rule would turn the Clean Water Act on itshead,” saidMark Davis,the director of Tulane University’sInstituteonWater Resources

Law andPolicy Areport from theNatural Resources Defense Council, an environmentaladvocacy nonprofit,estimatesthatupto3.9 millionacres of Louisiana wetlands—roughly half of the state’sremaining wetlands —could lose protection under the proposed rule. Nationally,the group projects that as muchas84% of wetlands protectedbefore theSackett ruling, or 55 million acres, could fall outside federal authority

Since the1930s, Louisiana has lost morethan 2,000 square milesofwetlands.

TheEPA,led by Administrator Lee Zeldin,said theproposal is designed to provide legal clarity by defining a“Water of the United States,” or area protectedunder theCleanWater Act.

“Democrat Administrations have

Border Patrol presence increases in BR area

Nonprofitorganizerssay 60-75 people detained sinceTuesday

BY QUINN COFFMAN Staff writer

TheCapitalRegionsaw itsfirstwaveofimmigration arrests by Border Patrol agents this week, as the “Catahoula Crunch” operationspread from the New Orleans area. Border Patrol agents have detained more than 250 people since the operation started Dec. 3, the Department of Homeland Security said Thursday But the agency did not elaborate on how manyof those arrests havebeeninNew Orleans compared to Baton Rougeand itssurroundingcommunities. While immigration detainments have been happening in the Capital Region since May,there has been adrastic increase in arrests starting this week, according to the Mision Migrante Coalition, agroup that organizer Rachel Taber described as alooselyorganized group of citizen volunteers, community leaders and attorneys aiming to educate immigrants about their rights. Organizers saybetween 60 and75people have been detained since Tuesday,mainly in areaswith largeHispanicpopulations,including neighborhoodssuchasBelaire,Sherwood Forestand Gardere.

page 5A

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

Louisiana hasagreed to settle two lawsuits against CVSHealth that werefiled earlier this year over thecompany’streatmentofindependent pharmacies and its general business practices, court records show

The terms of the settlement were not immediately available. On Friday,a spokesperson forAttorney General Liz Murrill said he could not yet provide details.

Aspokesperson forCVS declined to comment. The cases represent two of three actions Murrill

CVS, page 5A

Shot Guard member

moved to rehabilitation

A West Virginia National Guard member who was shot last month in the nation’s capital is being transitioned from hospital acute care to inpatient rehabilitation, a doctor said Friday Staff. Sgt. Andrew Wolfe was airlifted to MedStar Washington Hospital Center with a critical gunshot wound to the head on Nov 26. Wolfe and Spc. Sarah Beckstrom were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House. Beckstrom died the next day Wolfe has “made extraordinary progress,” Dr Jeffrey Mai, a MedStar neurosurgeon, said in a news release “He is now breathing on his own and can stand with assistance — important milestones that reflect his strength and determination. Based on these improvements, he is now ready to transition from acute care to inpatient rehabilitation as the next step in his recovery journey.” Wolfe’s family chose not to disclose the location of his rehabilitation. His parents, Melody and Jason Wolfe, expressed gratitude to the hospital, its doctors, nurses and staff.

“The care has been remarkable, and they have told us Andy’s progress is miraculous,” the couple said in a statement released through the hospital.

Georgia woman suffers chemical attack burns

SAVANNAH, Ga. — A Georgia woman has been hospitalized with severe burns after someone poured a corrosive chemical onto her head while she was walking at a public park in Savannah, the victim’s son and a close friend said Friday Savannah police confirmed they are searching for a suspect in the chemical attack at Forsyth Park, one of the historic city’s landmark green spaces that attracts runners, picnickers, playing children and sightseeing tourists. Police said the woman appears to have been attacked by a stranger

The victim, 46-year-old Ashley Wasielewski, was being treated for second- and thirddegree burns at a burn center in Augusta, her son, Westley Wasielewski, told The Associated Press. He said the injuries cover roughly half her body including her scalp, face, hands and legs.

“We don’t know who did it,” he said. “She doesn’t have any enemies. She is a friend to everyone.” Westley Wasielewski said his mother was walking laps at the park on Wednesday night after attending a Christmas program at a nearby church. He found out about the attack in a call from a bystander who came to his mother’s aid. He said he could hear her agonized screams over the phone.

Pope urges ethics to Italian secret agents

ROME Pope Leo XIV met Friday with members of Italy’s intelligence services and warned them not to use confidential information for blackmailing or other nefarious purposes Leo urged the 007s, as the Italian agents are popularly known, to do their work professionally and ethically, always respecting the human dignity of those caught up in their investigations.

The audience was unusual, believed to be a first between a pope and Italy’s intelligence services, which are celebrating their centennial this year Italy’s secret agents work closely with Vatican law enforcement, particularly during this Holy Year when some 30 million pilgrims have flocked to Rome to visit the Vatican.

Leo thanked the agents for their work and acknowledged the difficulty and delicacy of their responsibilities. But he also reminded them of the limits of their authority and the need to keep a moral compass, warning them against falling to temptations He said they must remain “vigilant to ensure that confidential information is not used to intimidate, manipulate, blackmail, or discredit politicians journalists, or other actors in civil society.”

DOJ wants contempt probe blocked

Feds want judge’s inquiry into mass deportation case halted

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Justice Department asked an appeals court Friday to block a contempt investigation of the Trump administration for failing to turn around planes carrying Venezuelan migrants to El Salvador in March.

The department also is seeking Chief Judge James Boasberg’s removal from the case, accusing him of a “radical, retaliatory, unconstitutional campaign” against the Trump administration.

It marks a dramatic escalation in the Justice Department’s lengthy feud with the judge appointed to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, setting the stage for a showdown over the judiciary’s

power to serve as a check on an administration that has pushed the boundaries of court orders.

The department wants the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to rule on its requests before Monday, when Boasberg is scheduled to hear testimony from a former government attorney who filed a whistleblower complaint Department officials claim Boasberg is biased and creating “a circus that threatens the separation of powers and the attorney-client privilege alike.”

“The forthcoming hearing has every appearance of an endless fishing expedition aimed at an everwidening list of witnesses and prolonged testimony That spectacle is not a genuine effort to uncover any relevant facts,” they wrote.

Boasberg has said that a recent ruling by the appeals court gave him the authority to proceed with the contempt inquiry The judge is trying to determine if there is sufficient evidence to refer the matter for prosecution.

Boasberg, who has been chief judge of the district court in Washington, D.C., since March 2023, has said the Trump administration may have “acted in bad faith” by trying to rush Venezuelan migrants out of the country in defiance of his order blocking their deportations to El Salvador

In an April 16 order, the judge said he gave the administration ample opportunity to rectify or explain their actions” but concluded that “none of their responses has been satisfactory.”

“The Constitution does not tolerate willful disobedience of judicial orders — especially by officials of a coordinate branch who have sworn an oath to uphold it,” Boasberg wrote.

The Trump administration has denied any violation, saying the judge’s March 15 directive to return the planes was made verbally in court but not included in his written order

Trump called for impeaching Boasberg in March. In July the Justice Department filed a miscon-

Wash. flooding triggers rescues, evacuations

BY CEDAR ATTANASIO and CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press

BURLINGTON, Wash. — Record floodwa-

ters began slowly receding in Washington state on Friday after triggering evacuations, inundating communities and prompting dramatic rescues from rooftops and vehicles. But authorities warned that waters would still be high for days, and that danger from potential levee failures remained.

“This is not just a one- or two-day crisis,” Gov Bob Ferguson said at a news briefing. “These water levels have been historic, and they’re going to remain very high for an extended period of time.”

President Donald Trump has signed the state’s request for an emergency declaration, Ferguson said.

An unusually strong atmospheric river dumped a foot or more of rain in parts of western Washington over several days and swelled rivers. No deaths have been reported, Ferguson said.

Authorities have yet to estimate the costs, but photos and videos show widespread damage, with entire communities or neighborhoods flooded around western and central Washington. Officials have conducted dozens of water rescues, debris and mudslides have closed highways, and raging torrents have washed out roads or bridges.

Officials issued “go now” orders Wednesday to tens of thousands of residents in the Skagit River flood plain north of Seattle, including the farming city of Burlington, home to nearly 10,000 people. By Friday morning, muddy water overflowed a slough and rushed into homes, prompting more urgent warnings for Burlington.

National Guard members knocked on hundreds of doors in Burlington early Friday to tell residents about the evacuation notice and help transport them to a shelter if needed By late morning the evacuation order was lifted for part of the city and waters were slowly receding. But the river remained high, and flash flooding remained a risk due to prolonged pressure on the levees.

The Skagit River drains a wide swath of the rugged Cascade Range before winding west across broad, low-lying farmlands and tulip fields on its way to Puget Sound. Cities like Burlington sit on that delta, leaving them especially vulnerable to floods.

The river crested overnight at 37 feet in the valley’s biggest city Mount Vernon, surpassing the previous record by

a few inches. A flood wall completed in Mount Vernon in 2018 held fast and protected the downtown area.

About 1,000 Burlington residents had to evacuate in the middle of the night, Ferguson said. The water was reportedly 2 to 3 feet deep in certain areas as it flooded homes, police department spokesperson Michael Lumpkin said.

Mario Rincón had been staying at a hotel with his family, including a week-old infant. They returned to their Burlington property Friday but couldn’t get inside to assess the damage, as murky floodwaters reached partway up the first floor He had moved some items upstairs in anticipation.

“It’s going to be a few days before the water recedes,” he said. “We’re going to be looking where to stay in the meantime, and it’s kind of difficult because my mom and my mother-in-law are visiting from Mexico until the end of December for the holidays.”

The heaviest rain is over in the region, but the impact remains widespread.

“It’s going to take a while for the floodwaters to recede,” said Robert Ezelle, director of the Washington Military Department’s emergency management division. “There’s a lot of water that fell in the mountains and it’s gonna take its time to work through the river drainages.”

More rain is expected beginning Sunday That will cause rivers to rise again, Ezelle said.

Near the U.S.-Canada border, Sumas, Nooksack and Everson — which together have about 6,500 residents were inundated. The border crossing at Sumas was closed.

Sumas Mayor Bruce Bosch said much of the city had been “devastated” — just four years after a similar flood. In a social media message, he acknowledged the community was anxious to return to their homes.

“Hang in there,” he wrote.

In King County, crews worked through the night to fill a sinkhole on a levee along the Green River in the Seattle suburb of Tukwila, county executive Girmay Zahilay said Friday Another county wastewater employee got trapped inside a treatment facility during flooding but continued to work for days to keep critical plant operations running, Zahilay said.

“That commitment protected public health for millions of people,” he said.

Authorities across Washington state in recent days have rescued people from cars and homes.

duct complaint accusing Boasberg of making improper public comments about Trump and his administration.

In a social media post Friday, Attorney General Pam Bondi accused Boasberg of engaging in “lawless judicial activism.”

“This radical, retaliatory, unconstitutional campaign against the Trump Administration will not stand,” Bondi wrote.

Boasberg has scheduled a hearing Monday for testimony by former Justice Department attorney Erez Reuveni, whose whistleblower complaint claims a top department official suggested the Trump administration might have to ignore court orders as it prepared to deport Venezuelan migrants.

The judge also scheduled a hearing Tuesday for testimony by Deputy Assistant Attorney General Drew Ensign. The Justice Department has said Ensign conveyed Boasberg’s March 15 oral order and a subsequent written order to the Department of Homeland Security

Thai and Cambodian leaders agree to renew ceasefire, Trump says

BY AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said on Friday that Thai and Cambodian leaders have agreed to renew a truce after days of deadly clashes had threatened to undo a ceasefire the U.S. administration had helped broker earlier this year Trump announced the agreement to restart the ceasefire in a social media posting following calls with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet.

“They have agreed to CEASE all shooting effective this evening, and go back to the original Peace Accord made with me and them, with the help of the Great Prime Minister of Malaysia, Anwar Ibrahim,” Trump said in his Truth Social posting.

Thai and Cambodian officials offered no immediate comment following

Trump’s announcement Anutin, after speaking with Trump but before the U.S. president’s social media posting, said he reiterated to Trump that Thailand’s position was to keep fighting until Cambodia no longer poses a threat to its sovereignty Trump, a Republican, said that Ibrahim played an important role in helping him push Thailand and Cambodia to once again agree to stop fighting.

“It is my Honor to work with Anutin and Hun in resolving what could have evolved into a major War between two otherwise wonderful and prosperous Countries!” Trump added. The original ceasefire in July was brokered by Malaysia and pushed through by pressure from Trump, who threatened to withhold trade privileges unless Thailand and Cambodia agreed. It was formalized in more detail in October at a regional meeting in Malaysia that Trump attended.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By STEPHEN BRASHEAR Eric Gustin paddles to dry land after rescuing one of several chickens from a flooded coop on Friday in Burlington,Wash.

Johnson unveilsGOP health care plan

Republicans scramble after Senate billsfail

BY KEVIN FREKING and LISA MASCARO Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Senate failed to get anywhere on the health care issue this week. Now it’sthe House’sturn to showwhat it can do.

Speaker Mike Johnson unveiled aRepublican alternative late Friday,alast-minute sprint as his party refusesto extend the enhanced taxsubsidies for those who buypolicies through the Affordable Care Act, also called Obamacare, which are expiring at the end of the year.Those subsidies help lower the cost of coverage.

Johnson, R-Benton, huddled behind closed doors in the morning —ashedid days earlier this week— working to assemble the package for consideration as the House focuses the final days of its 2025 work on health care.

“House Republicans are tackling the real driversof health care costs to provide affordablecare,” Johnson said in astatement announcing the package. He said it would be voted on next week.

Time is running out for Congress to act. Democrats engineered the longest federal government shutdown ever this fallina failed effort to forceRepublicans to the negotiating table on health care. But after promising votes, the Senate failed thisweek to advance both a Republican health care plan and the Democratic-offered billtoextend the taxcredits for three years.

Now,with just days to go, Congress is about to wrapup its work with no consensus solution in sight.

Republican proposal

The House Republicans offered a100-plus page package that focuses on long-sought GOP proposals to enhance access to employer-sponsored health insurance plans and clamp down on so-called pharmacy benefit managers. Republicans proposeexpanding access to what’s

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton, prepares to speak Wednesday following astrategy session withHouse Republicans at theCapitol in Washington.

referred toasassociation health plans, which would allowmoresmall businesses andself-employedindividuals to band together and purchasehealth coverage.

Proponents say such plans increase theleverage businesses have to negotiatea lower rate. But critics say the plansprovide skimpier coveragethan what is required under theAffordable CareAct

TheRepublicans’ proposal would also require more data frompharmacybenefit managers, or PBMs, as away to help control drug costs. Critics say PBMs have padded their bottom line and made it more difficult for independent pharmacists to survive. Additionally, theGOP plan includes mentionofcostsharingreductions for some lower-income people who rely on Obamacare, but those do nottakeeffect until January 2027.

The emerging package fromthe House Republicans does not include an extension of an enhanced tax credit formillions of Americans who get insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act. Put in place during the COVID-19crisis,that enhancedsubsidy expires Dec. 31,leaving mostfamiliesin the programfacing more than doubletheircurrent out-of-pocket premiums, and in some cases, much more.

What Trumpwants PresidentDonaldTrump, speaking at aholiday party

at the White House, saidhe believes Republicans are going to figure outa better planthanObamacare something he has promised for years —but he offered few details beyond his idea for providing Americans with stipends to help buy insurance.

“Wemakebeautiful, big paymentsdirectly to the people and they buytheir own health insurance,” Trumpsaid at Thursday night’s reception.

The president had touted his proposal for sending money directly to Americans to help offsetthe costs of healthcarepolicies, rather than extending the tax credits for those buyingpoliciesthrough Obamacare. It’sunclear howmuch money Trump envisions

The SenateGOP proposal that failed to advance would have provided payments to newhealth savings accounts of $1,000 ayear for adult enrollees,or$1,500 for those ages 50 to 64.

It appeared therewere no such health savings accounts in the newHouse GOP plan.

Politicalpressurebuilding

Going Johnson’sroute has left vulnerable House Republicans representing key battleground districts in a tough spot

Frustratedwith the delays, agroup of more centrist GOP lawmakers is aligning with Democrats to push their own proposals for continuing the tax credits, for now, so that Americans don’tface rising health care costs. They arepursuing several paths forpassing atemporary ACA subsidy extension, co-sponsoring ahandful of bills. They are alsosigning onto so-called discharge petitions that could force a floor vote if amajority of the House signs on.

Such petitionsare designed to getaroundthe majority’s control andare rarely successful, butthisyearhas proved to be an exception. Lawmakers, for example, were able to useadischarge petition to force avote on the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files held by the Department of Justice.

Immigrationofficials blocked from holdingAbregoGarcia

Federaljudge issues orderincaseofpreviously wrongfully deported man

BY MICHAEL KUNZELMAN Associated Press

BALTIMORE Afederal judge blocked U.S. immigrationauthorities on Friday from re-detaining Kilmar Abrego Garcia, saying she feared they might take him into custody again just hours after she hadordered his releasefromadetention center.

The order came as Abrego Garcia appeared at ascheduled appointment at an Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office roughly14hours after he walked out of immigration detention facility in Pennsylvania.

His lawyers had sent an urgent requestto thejudge,warning thatICE officials could immediately place him back into custody.Instead, Abrego Garcia exited thebuilding aftera short appointment, emerging to cheers from supporters who had gathered outside Speakingbrieflytothe crowd, he urged others to “stand tall” against what he described as injustices carried out by the government Abrego Garcia becameaflashpoint of theTrump administration’s immigration crackdown earlier this year whenhewas wrongly deported to anotorious prisonin El Salvador.Hewas lasttaken into custody in August during asimilar check-in.

Officials cannot re-detain him until the court conducts ahearing on the motion for the temporary restraining order,U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis in Maryland said.

Shewrote that Abrego Garcia is likelyto succeed on themeritsofany further request for relief from ICE detention.

“For the public to have any faith in the orderly administration of justice, the Court’s narrowly craftedremedycannot be so quickly and easily upended without further briefing and consideration,” she wrote.

Abrego Garcia on Friday stopped at a news conferenceoutside the building, escorted by agroup of supporterschanting “Weare all Kilmar!”

“I stand before you afree manand Iwant you to remember me this way, with my head held up high,” Abrego Garcia said through a translator.“Icome here today withsomuch hope and Ithank Godwho has been with me since the start with my family.” He urged people to keep fighting.

AfterAbregoGarciaspoke,hewent through security at the field office, escorted by supporters. When Abrego Garcia’s attorney,Simon Sandoval-Moshenberg, announced to the crowd assembled outside that his client would walk back out the field office’sdoors again, he stressed that the legal fight was not over

Theagency freed him just before 5p.m. on Thursdayinresponse to aruling from Xinis,who wrote federal authorities detained himafter hisreturntothe United States without any legal basis.

AbregoGarciaisaSalvadoran citizen with an American wife andchild who haslivedin Maryland foryears. He immigrated to the U.S. illegally as ateenager to join his brother, whohad becomeaU.S. citizen. In 2019, an immigration judge granted him protection from beingdeported back to hishome country,where he faces danger from agangthat targeted his family

BY KATE PAYNE Associated Press/ Reportfor America

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla.

Florida officials are plowing ahead with aproposal to roll back certain vaccine mandates for the state’s schoolchildren, after Republican Gov.Ron DeSantis called for the state to become the first in thenation to eliminate all schoolvaccination requirements.

Pediatricians, infectious disease physicians and teachers have decried the push to undermine vaccines, which for generations have been a cornerstone of public health policy for keeping children and adults safe from potentially deadly —but preventable —diseases.

Experts have warned that doing away with the mandates could allow for adan-

gerousresurgenceofpreventable childhooddiseases and deaths, amounting toa reversal of one of the greatest advancements in public health history

Dozens of parents, physicians, educators and advocates crowded into ahotel conference room in Panama City Beach on Friday to testify on arule change proposed by the Florida Department of Health thatwould eliminate requirements that Florida children receive the hepatitis B, varicella andHaemophilusinfluenzae type b or Hibvaccinesinorder to attendpublic or privateK-12 schools. The proposal also doesaway with arequirement forthe pneumococcal conjugatevaccine for childrenattendingchild care facilities.

Otherstatemandates relatedto vaccines for polio,

mumps, tetanusand other diseases are enshrined in Florida law and would require legislative action tobe rolledback.

Pediatrician Eehab Kenawy,who practices in Panama City, detailed twounvaccinated childrenhis hospital has cared for in the past six months,both of whom contracted Hib, which can cause severe infections andbrain swelling.

“One child unfortunately succumbed at fourmonths of age. No vaccines,” Kenawy said.

Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo, who has long clashed with the medical establishment, has cast current requirements in schools and elsewhere as “immoral” intrusions on people’s rights thathamper parents’ability to make health decisions for their children.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

House Democrats release photos from Epstein estate

Images include Trump, Clinton and Andrew

BY STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON House Demo-

crats released a selection of photos from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, including some of Donald Trump, Bill Clinton and the former Prince Andrew

The 19 photos initially released by Democratic lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee were a small part of more than 95,000 they received from the estate of Epstein, who died in a New York jail cell in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. They released roughly 70 more photos later Friday, including images of his home, Epstein taking a bath, a photo of him with a swollen lip, and a photo of him posing with a book about the scandal

The photos released Friday were separate from the case files that the Department of Justice is now under compulsion to release, but anticipation is growing as the Trump administration faces a deadline next week to produce the Epstein files that have been the source of conspiracy theories and

speculation for years. The photos were released without captions or context and included a black-andwhite image of Trump alongside six women whose faces were blacked out.

Rep. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, did not say whether any of the women in the photos was a victim of abuse, but he added, “Our commitment from day one has been to redact any photo, any information that could lead to any sort of harm to any of the victims.”

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson accused Democrats of “selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative” and called it part of a “Democrat hoax against President Trump.”

Many of the photos have already circulated in the public. Democrats pledged to continue to release photos in the days and weeks ahead, as they look to pressure Trump over his Republican administration’s earlier refusal to release documents in the Epstein probe. Garcia said his staff had looked through about a quarter of the images it had received from Epstein’s estate, which included photos that were sent to him or that he had in his possession.

nied wrongdoing. The photo release also included images of the rightwing political operative Steve Bannon, billionaires Richard Branson and Bill Gates, filmmaker Woody Allen, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and law professor Alan Dershowitz

The men have denied any wrongdoing in their associations with Epstein, who kept many high-profile figures in his circle of friends.

Amid an earlier release of emails between Summers and Epstein, Summers stepped away from his teaching position at Harvard University and faced other fallout to his standing in academic circles. Allen has faced allegations from his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, of molesting her as a child. He has denied the allegations.

Trump, once a close friend of Epstein, has said that he parted ways with him long before he faced the sex trafficking charges. Clinton, too, has minimized his relation-

“Donald Trump right now needs to release the files to the American public so that the truth can come out and we can actually get some sense of justice for the survivors,” Garcia added.

ship with Epstein, acknowledging that he traveled on Epstein’s private jet but saying through a spokesperson that he had no knowledge of the late financier’s crimes. Clinton also has never been accused of misconduct by Epstein’s known victims. However, Republicans on the House committee are pushing him and Hillary Clinton to testify in their investigation.

Some lawmakers, however, believe that other high-powered figures could be implicated in Epstein’s abuse if the full case files from the Justice Department are released.

A spokesperson for the Republican-controlled committee also said that nothing in the documents the committee has received shows “any wrongdoing” by Trump. Andrew lost his royal titles and privileges this year amid new revelations of his ties to Epstein, though he has de-

Rep Thomas Massie, a Kentucky Republican who was instrumental in passing a bill to require the public release of the files, said it was a good sign that the Department of Justice has sought to have grand jury material released from several courts.

Trump sued by preservationists over ballroom project

BY BILL BARROW Associated Press

President Donald Trump was sued on Friday by preservationists asking a federal court to halt his White House ballroom project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approval from Congress.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, a privately funded group, is asking the U.S. District Court to block Trump’s White House ballroom project, which already has involved razing the East Wing, until it goes through comprehensive design reviews, environmental assessments, public comments and congressional

debate and ratification

Trump’s project has prompted criticism in the historic preservation and architectural communities, and among his political adversaries, but the lawsuit is the most tangible effort thus far to alter or stop the president’s plans for an addition that itself would be nearly twice the size of the White House before the East Wing’s demolition. “No president is legally allowed to tear down portions of the White House without any review whatsoever — not President Trump, not President Biden, and not anyone else,” the lawsuit states “And no president is legally allowed to construct

a ballroom on public property without giving the public the opportunity to weigh in.” Additionally, the Trust wants the court to declare that Trump, by fast-tracking the project, has committed multiple violations of the Administrative Procedures Act and the National Environmental Policy Act, while also exceeding his constitutional authority by not consulting lawmakers. No more work should be done, the Trust argues, until administration officials “complete the required reviews — reviews that should have taken place before the Defendants demolished the East Wing, and before they began construction of the

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt did not immediately respond to Associated Press questions about the lawsuit and the project, including whether the president had any intention of consulting Congress. Trump, a Republican, has emphasized since announcing the project that he’s doing it with private money, including his own. But that would not neces-

sarily change how federal laws and procedures apply to what is still a U.S. government project.

The president already has bypassed the federal government’s usual building practices and historical reviews with the East Wing demolition He recently added another architectural firm to the project.

Trump has long said a White House ballroom is overdue, complaining that

events were held outside under a tent because the East Room and the State Dining Room could not accommodate bigger crowds. Trump, among other complaints, said guests get their feet wet if it rains during such events.

The White House is expected to submit plans for Trump’s new ballroom to a federal planning commission before the year ends, about three months after construction began.

By The Associated Press

WASHINGTON The U.S. removed Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes from its sanctions list on Friday after initially adding him over his role in leading the trial against former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.

De Moraes’ wife and the Lex Institute, which she leads, were also taken off the list, according to documents from the Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control. Brazil’s government celebrated the move,

which came after a weekend phone conversation between President Donald Trump and President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The Trump administration had sanctioned the judge in July, accusing him of using his position to authorize arbitrary pretrial detentions and suppress freedom of expression in Brazil.

A senior Trump administration official said the sanctions were lifted since the U.S. saw the passage of an important amnesty bill by Brazil’s lower house as a signal that lawfare condi-

tions in Brazil are improving. The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the administration’s views on foreign policy interests. The move represents a thawing of sorts in the frosty relationship between the two governments and follows a number of meetings and calls that both have described in positive terms Trump had seen Lula’s predecessor Bolsonaro as an ally, with the Brazilian leader even dubbed the “Trump of the Tropics” when he came into office.

PHOTO PROVIDED By HOUSE OVERSIGHT COMMITTEE

An undated photo released by Democrats on the House Oversight Committee shows former President Bill Clinton, Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein with Clinton’s signature at the top of the photo.

Ballroom.”

weaponized the definition of navigable waters to seize more power from American farmers, landowners, entrepreneurs, and families,” Zeldin said in astatement.

“No longershouldAmerica’slandowners be forced to spendprecious money hiring an attorney or consultant just to tell them whether a Water of the United States is on their property.”

Amap produced by NRDC from federal data illustrates the potential impact in Louisiana. Coastal wetlandsthat are continuously connected to the Gulf of Mexico are likely to remain protected. But inland wetlands includingwetlands areas in parishes such as Avoyelles, Concordia and St. Tammany —could lose federal safeguards Other parts of the state, including deep marshes in lower Terrebonne Parish and wetlands near the mouth of the Mississippi River,appear as gaps on the map because water thereis considered sufficiently deep and permanent to retain federal protections. The map focuses on areas whereprotection status is likely up for debate.

Even so, the analysis is only an estimate. Determining whether awetland is protected requires asitespecific assessment, which can be time-consuming and costly.That’sone reason the homebuilding and agricultural industries have pushed for anarrower federal rule.

CVS

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brought against CVS in June after state leaders clashed with the health care giant because it owns both apharmacy benefit manager,orPBM, and apharmacy retail chain. PBMs actasmiddlemen between pharmacies,health care plans and drug manufacturers by negotiating drug prices. They are supposed to create lower prices, but critics say they have too much control over the drug market,drive outcompetition and limit where people can fill their prescriptions.

BORDER

Continued from page1A

Thefirst two confirmed detainmentsinthe Baton Rouge area were Tuesday, whenBorder Patrol agents were seen arresting Candido Cano Castro, 19, and Cristal Cano Castro, 21,around noon in front of the Sabor A La Mexicana food truckin Walker Agents bashed the front driver’sside and passenger’sside windows of acar whiledetaining the pair, Mayra Moreno,the owner of the food truck, said. Later Tuesday evening, another detainmentwas made outside the Ideal Market on

But environmental groups saythe proposalwould leave large portions of the state vulnerable.Wetlandsact as natural storm-surge buffers, slow the flow of floodwaters, filter pollution and provide crucial habitatfor fisheries. Those functionscould be compromised if protections are lifted.

“Itwill reduce the number of streams,wetlands and other waters that the Clean WaterAct protectsfrompollution and destruction,” said Matthew McKinzie, asenior director with the NRDC. “Even for those waters that remain technically protected, it will makeitharder to enforcethe lawagainst illegal polluters.”

Davis arguesthatthe rule’s lack of clarity means it could makepermitting decisions moredifficult.

The agency says awetland must be connected to a relatively permanent water body at least during thearea’swet season,though the rule does not define when that season occurs.

“When the Clean Water Act passed, it wasthe best thingthateverhappened. We neededit,” said Randall Noel, the president of Reve Inc., ahomebuilding company in Laplace, and

aformer president of the National Homebuilders Association,which supports theproposed rule. Butin theyears since it wasfirst passed, Noel said thelaw’s scope has expandedpast its

original intent.

“A quarter of Americans can’t afford ahouse,inpart due to thecosts required for wetlands determinations at the beginning of aproject,” he said. Noel pointedtoa

sugar cane field he hoped to build on thatwas initially classified as awetland, adecision he disputed.Hesaid the new rulewouldmake the permitting process more predictable.

“Whatisthe ‘wet season’? Nobody knows,” Davis said. “For something that’ssupposed to eliminate confusion, it creates alot of confusion.”

The EPAand ArmyCorps publishedthe proposalon Nov.17and are accepting publiccommentsthrough Jan.5.After thecomment period closes, the agencies will decide whethertofinalize the rule, revise it further or reopen it foradditional review

Email AlexLubben at alex.lubben@theadvocate. com.

two separateDec. 10 orders by afederal judgewho dismissed thecases.The parties can seek to reopen them if they do notfinalize asettlementagreement.

CVS disputed thoseclaims, arguing it deliveredbetter value to patients and easier access to care.

“By combining health care delivery,pharmacy, health care benefits, and pharmacy benefit management,we makeiteasier for people to have what they wantthe most: aconnected careexperience,” the company said in astatementatthe time.

Murrill’soffice and CVS have agreed to settle both those cases,according to

Abill that sparked afierce fight betweenCVS and Gov Jeff Landry’sadministration in June wouldhavebarred companies from owning both PBMs andpharmacies, which criticsdescribedas an unfair practice. Ultimately,House Bill 358 failed, and the Louisiana Legislature instead passed adifferentbillestablishing new rules around how PBMs can operate. Butin the following weeks, Murrill took theissue to court, filing three separate lawsuits,all allegingunfair tradepractices. One lawsuit argued CVS used its size and control of insurers, PBMs and drug stores to edge outcompetition and drive up drug costs. Another alleged the company exacted unfair fees on and systematically under-reimbursed independent pharmacies.

La.30inGonzales. Employees at theIdeal Market,who requested not to be named, said they saw multiple Border Patrol agentsinvestsand masks get outofvehicles in the grocerystore’sparking lot before making the arrests around5:30 p.m. In multiple videos taken of theincident and posted to Facebook, agents can be seen running in front of the store aftera man, while another agentholdsasecond maninhandcuffs. On Wednesday morning, oneman was detained by BorderPatrol agents outside the Major Discount Food Market in Gardere, employees with the convenience store said.

But reports of more detainmentsand sightings of Border Patrol agents have popped up this week across Facebook groups and neighborhood forums in East Baton Rouge, Ascension and Livingston parishes Several of those pages are operated by Mision Migrante, wherechapters in BatonRouge, Denham Springs, Gardere, Port Allen and Gonzales have worked this past week to document as manydetainments or Border Patrol sightings as possible, either by collecting videofrom witnesses or by dispatchingtheir own volunteers to filmthe arrests. Taber described it as the “ojos”oreyes program

The cases were originally filed in St. Landry Parish but transferred to federal court in theWestern District of Louisiana.

The thirdcase came in re-

sponse to abarrageoftext messages CVS sent to customersasHB358 was being debated in the finaldaysof the spring legislative session.The messagesurged opposition to the bill, which CVSsaidwould force it to close 119 stores in Louisiana, affecting about 1million patients across the state.

The state accusedCVS of improperly using its customers’datatosendthose messages. CVS argued the texts werelegal and were an important way to alert customers to the legislation, whichemerged abruptly in the last days of the session. That case remains pending in the 27th Judicial District, which is based in St. Landry Parish.

Staffgraphic by DANSWENSON

European Unionindefinitelyfreezes Russianassets

BY LORNE COOK Associated Press

BRUSSELS The European Union on Friday indefinitely froze Russia’sassets in Europetoensure that Hungary and Slovakia, both with Moscow-friendly governments, can’t prevent the billions of euros from being used to support Ukraine.

Using aspecial procedure meant for economic emergencies, the EU blocked the assets until Russia gives up its war on Ukraine and compensates its neighbor for the heavy damage that it has inflicted for almost four years.

EU Council President António Costa said European leaders had committed in October “to keep Russian assets immobilized until Russia ends its war of aggression against Ukraine and compensates for the damage caused. Today we delivered on that commitment.”

It’sakey step that will allow EU leaders to work out at asummit next week how

to use thetens of billions of euros in RussianCentral Bank assets to underwrite ahuge loantohelpUkraine meet its financial andmilitary needs over the next two years.

“Nextstep: securing Ukraine’sfinancial needs for 2026-27,” added Costa, who will chair the Dec. 18 summit.

The move also prevents the assets, estimated to total around $247 billion,from beingusedinany negotiations to end thewar without Europeanapproval.

A28-point plan drafted by U.S. and Russian envoys stipulated that the EU would release the frozen assetsfor use by Ukraine,Russiaand the United States.That plan, which surfaced last month, was rejected by Ukraine and its backers in Europe.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot wrote on X that the EU decision means that “no one will decide in place of the Europeans the use of these funds.”

said that Hungary “will do everything in its power to restore alawful order.”

In aletter to Costa, Slovak PrimeMinister Robert Fico said that he would refuse to back anymovethat “would include covering Ukraine’s military expenses forthe coming years.” He warned“that the use of frozen Russian assets could directly jeopardize U.S. peace efforts, which directly count on the use of these resources for the reconstruction of Ukraine.”

The vastmajority of the funds —around $225 billion at the end of September are held in Euroclear,a Belgianfinancialclearing house

The moneywas frozenunder sanctions thatthe EU imposed on Russia over thewar it launched on Feb. 24, 2022, but these sanctions must be renewed everysix months withthe approval of all 27

member countries. Hungaryand Slovakia oppose providing more support to Ukraine, but Friday’s decision prevents themfrom blocking the sanctions rollover and make it easier to use the assets Hungarian Prime MinisterViktor Orbán—Russian PresidentVladimir Putin’s closestally in Europe —said on social media that it means that “the rule of law in the European Union comes to an end, and Europe’sleaders are placing themselves above the rules.”

“The European Commission is systematically raping European law.Itisdoing this in order to continuethe war in Ukraine, awar that clearly isn’twinnable,” he wrote. He

But the commissionargues that the war has imposed heavy costs by hiking energyprices andstunting economic growth in the EU, whichhas already provided nearly $235 billion in support to Ukraine. Belgium, where Euroclear is based, is opposed to the “reparations loan” plan. It says that the plan “entails consequentialeconomic, financial and legal risks,” and has called on other EU countries to share the risk.

King CharlesIII says hiscancertreatment is beingreduced

BY DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

LONDON King Charles III

life evenwhile undergoing treatment,” headded.

reaches thewidest possible audience.

saidFriday that early diagnosis and treatment will allow doctors to reducehis cancer treatment in the new year as he encouraged others to take advantageof screening programs that can detect the disease early when it is easiest to treat.

Charles, 77,revealed the positive outlook in a recordedmessage broadcast on British television as part of acampaign to promote such screening, whichincreases the likelihood of successful treatment.

“Early diagnosis quite simply saves lives,” the king said.

“I know,too, what adifference it has made in my own case, enabling me to continue leading afull and active

Buckingham Palace said histreatmentismoving to a “precautionary phase”and his condition will be monitored to ensure his continued recovery Friday’smessage isthe latest example of howCharles hasused his ownstory to promote cancer awareness and treatment since he announcedhis diagnosis in February 2024. That seems to have paid off, with British cancer charities saying the number of people seeking information aboutcancer jumped after thekingrevealed he was undergoing treatment. Butthe king hasnever revealed what typeofcancer he has or thekind of treatment he is receiving. The palacesaid this was an intentional decisiondesigned to ensure his message

“The advicefrom cancer experts is that, in his determination to support the whole cancer community,it is preferable that HisMajesty does notaddress his own specific conditionbut ratherspeaks to thoseaffected by allforms of the disease,” thepalace said in astatement.

The king’scancer was discovered after treatmentfor an enlarged prostate. While doctors ruled out prostate cancer,tests revealed “a separateissue of concern,” palace officials saidlast year

Charlessuspended his public appearances for about twomonths after his diagnosissohecould focus on his treatment and recovery.But he continued with state businessand retained his constitutional role as head of state.

Thekingreturnedtothe public eye in April of last

year withavisit to acancertreatment center at UniversityCollege Hospital in central London, where he met

with staff and shared stories with fellow cancer patients.

“It’salways abit of a shock, isn’tit, when they tell

you,” he said, sympathizing with one patient as chemotherapy drugs dripped into her arm.

BY JOSH FUNK AP transportation writer

New York routinely issues commercial driver’slicenses to immigrants that may be valid long after they are legally authorized to be in the country,U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said Friday and he threatened to withhold $73 million in highway funds unless the system is fixed and any flawed licenses arerevoked.

State officials said they are following all the federal rules for the licenses and have been verifying drivers’ immigration status.

New York is the fourth staterun by aDemocratic governor Duffy has targeted in his effort to make sure truck and bus drivers are qualified to get commercial licenses. He launched the review after atruck driver who was not authorized to be in the U.S. made an illegal U-turn and caused acrash in Florida that killed three people in August. But the rules on these licenses have been in place for years.

TheTransportation Departmenthas said it is auditing these nondomiciled licenses nationwide, but so far no states run by Republican governors havebeen targeted. But Duffy said Friday that this effort is not political, and he hopes New York Gov. KathyHochul will take responsibility and work withhim.Hesaiditis about making sure everyone behind the wheel of an 80,000-poundtruck is qualifiedand safe.

“Let’sholdhands and sing Christmasmusic and fix your system,” Duffy said. Instead, he said theresponse appears to be trying to “dodge, divert and weave” withouttaking responsibility for the problems Duffy said federalinvestigators found that more than half of the200 licenses they reviewed in New York were issued improperly with many of them defaulting to be valid for eight years regardless of when an immigrant’swork permit expires. And he said thestate couldn’t proveit had verified

these drivers’ immigration status for the 32,000 active nondomiciled commercial licenses it hasissued. Plus, investigators found some examples of New York issuing licenses even when applicants’work authorizationswere already expired.

“When more than half of thelicenses reviewed were issued illegally,itisn’tjust a mistake—itisa dereliction of duty by state leadership. Gov.Hochul mustimmediatelyrevokethese illegally issued licenses,” Duffy said.

New York has 30 days to respond to theseconcerns.

State DMV spokesperson WalterMcClure defended thestate’spractices.

“Secretary Duffy is lying aboutNew York State once again in adesperate attempt to distract from the failing, chaotic administration he represents. Here is the truth: Commercial Drivers Licenses are regulated by the Federal Government, and New York StateDMV has,and will continue to, comply withfederal rules,” McClure said.

Charles III

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO By VIRGINIA MAyO

The European Union and Ukrainian flags flyonFeb.24outside EU headquarters in Brussels.The EU on Fridayindefinitely froze Russia’sassets in Europe.

| Saturday, december 13, 2025 1bN

BATON ROUGE

Council sued over district spending

Suit says it illegally used Entergy franchise fee funds

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER

Staff writer

A lawsuit filed Tuesday against all 12 East Baton Rouge Metro Council members alleges they violated the state constitution when they created an Entergy franchise

fee last year and spent some of the money on projects in their individual districts.

The lawsuit, filed in Baton Rouge court, seeks to halt one use of the franchise fee the council placed on Entergy last December, which has since produced about $4.6 million

for the city-parish general fund.

Three plaintiffs are listed on the suit including Gold Enterprises LLC — a company owned by former Metro Council member Darrell Glasper

“This lawsuit is about protecting the public treasury and lawful

governance,” said the plaintiffs in a joint statement Tuesday. “No elected official has the authority to personally distribute public funds, especially for purposes not authorized by law.” Glasper co-chaired Mayor-President Sid Edwards’ transition team late last year as Edwards prepared to take office. Entergy officials unsuccessfully fought the fee last year It applies only to customers in the parish’s unincorporated areas, and the company has since passed the cost on to consumers. The cost which amounts to about $4 added to a customer’s monthly bill, applies to about 32,000 residents.

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLY

Attorney Gordon McKernan hosted his annual Christmas bicycle giveaway in Baton Rouge on Thursday morning. More than 100 bikes were given to children from across the area.

TOP: Laiken Waguespack, an employee at Gordon McKernan, helps Christian Owens and her son Sylas pick out a bike for Sylas’ seven-yearold sister Aleyah.

LEFT: Attorney Tim McCrary, right, helps Cyleigh Williams, 6, and his father Christopher Williams pick out a bike.

STAFF PHOTOS

By JOHN BALLANCE

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

Another major shift came this week in the ongoing legal dispute involving Baton Rouge Metro Council member Cleve Dunn, his gazebo and his former neighbors. Dunn had a “cabana-like” enclosure built near his backyard pool more than five years ago. He also widened his driveway and erected a fence behind his home. The renovations caused a rift with Donna and Eugene Joseph Michelli, his

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

Bogalusa official summoned foraltercation

Fiscal administrator facessingle count of simple battery

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

The accountant who was appointed by ajudge nearly ayear ago to fix the city of Bogalusa’stroubled finances has been issued asummons followinga “physicalaltercation” at aBogalusa restaurant in September Robert “Bob” Neilson, 78, is now scheduled to appear in court on Dec. 16 on one

DISPUTE

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But the couple sold their Sherwood Manor homein August 2023.District Judge Beau Higginbotham determined that in doing so, they relinquished their right to sue for an injunctive order that would force the Dunns to remove their cabana or take down their fence.

Higginbothamdid preserve Donna Michelli’s rightstoseek damages from Dunn when aJan. 29 bench trial begins. Donna Michelli purchasedthe homebefore she and Eugene Joseph Michelli got married, and Dunn’slawyers convinced the judge the husband had no ownership that entitled him to take legal action.

“The property in question, that they allege Mr Dunn damaged, has always been Mrs. Michelli’sproperty,” said Edmond Jordan Dunn’s attorney.“Eugene Michelli has no interestin it. It’sher separate property He doesn’tco-own it or anything like that.”

“He can’tact as aplaintiff any more than you or Icould act as aplaintiff in this mat-

count of simple battery, according to court records. The misdemeanor charge stemsfromanaltercation that occurred on Sept.11 at La Sabrosa, a Mexicanand Honduran restaurant on South Columbia Street in Bogalusa, according to police records

Neilson

Neilson, an accountant with offices in Bogalusa and Covington, was appointed by astate judge in FebruarytoserveasBogalusa’s fiscal administrator,after the state found the city had insufficient revenue to cover its expenditures.

ter,” Jordan toldthe judge later.“The fact that he’s married to herisofnoconsequence, because thisisher separateproperty.”

Higginbotham agreed and ruled to remove Eugene Joseph Michelli’sclaims from the civil complaint. Now allthat is left to settle is whether Dunn owes Donna Michelli money forany damages resulting from his yard improvements “Wemaintainthat what he did didn’tcause any damages to her home,” Jordan said outsidethe courtroom following Wednesday’shearing. “But in theevent that that’sher argument,that’s theonlyclaim that shehas. And we don’tthink she’sgoing to survive on that claim either.”

Higginbotham finedDunn nearly$58,000and ordered him to tear down the cabana in March 2023. He didsoat theend of anevidentiary hearingatwhich the Michellis testifiedthe storm runoff flooded their house on multiple occasionsand causeddamages to indoor walls and floors.City-parish inspectors testified that the Dunns refused to remove the structures even though theirrenovationsviolated

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Neilson has reshaped government since taking over, terminating around adozen positions,making emergency repairs to the sewer system and promising to complete the city’s audits going back to 2022. He has also publicly feuded with Mayor TyrinTruong anddrawncriticism fromsomestate legislators forboxing Truong out of the process.Hetold The TimesPicayune |The Advocate in June that he had been ignoring Truong’semails Bogalusa Police officers weredispatched to La Sabrosaat12:35 p.m.on

buildingcodes.

In issuing his injunction order,the judge determined the cabana was built illegally andencroached on the Michellis’ property

But neither Dunn or Jordan, his attorney, were present forthe March2023 hearing. Jordan, amember of theLouisianaHouse of Representatives, had filed for alegislative continuance days beforethe pivotal evidentiaryshowdown, citing his roleasastate legislator State law at the time allowed attorney-lawmakers to petition forpostponements in cases theyhandled, if the proceedings interfered with their legislative duties.

Higginbotham denied the continuance motion and ruled in the plaintiffs’ favor

But the 1stCircuitCourt of Appeal nixedthe damages he awarded and overturned hisinjunctive order in aSeptember 2024 ruling.

The state Supreme Court struck down Louisiana’s legislative continuancelaw in October2024, determining it gave legislatorstoo much latitude in setting judicial calendars and“usurpedthe courts’ power.” The Legislature subsequently enacted a replacement measurethat

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Sept. 11 in “reference to a physical altercation that occurred,” according to police records.

The incident came three days after Neilson and Truongappearedinfrontofa slate of statelegislatorsat the Capitol in Baton Rouge, wherethey faced questions about their working relationship and agroup of residents called forNeilson’sremoval

Neilson was issued asummons for simplebattery on Sept. 17 by Assistant Police ChiefTroyTervalon at Hoppen Place, according to police records. Neilson’saccounting office in Bogalusa is on Hoppen Place, astreet next to CityHall.

retooled theold statute and removed many of the unconstitutional elements.

Following Wednesday’s hearing, Jordan said he looked forwardtodefending Dunn against the Michellis’ claims and pointedtothe judge’slatest ruling as a promising sign forthe upcomingtrial.

“This is what we’ve always said,” he said. “What we said threeorfour years ago, it’s finally coming to light. And we’ll finish it out.”

Seth Dornier, aBaton Rouge attorney who joined theplaintiffs’ legal team in July,said he wasn’t deterred by thejudge’sdecision to remove Eugene Joseph Michelli from thecase and strip away the injunctive and declaratory judgment claims.

“These exceptions had the effect of clearingup thepleading,” Dornier said. “We’re going to go to trial justliketheydid before, seeking damages. And we will prevail when it comes to trial. This was notanimpediment in anyway to Mrs. Michelli’scause of action It may have actually been helpful, because it clears everything up andmakes it morestreamlined, more simple for the judge.”

No one else was issued asummons in connection with theincident. Tervalon declined to comment, citing an ongoinginvestigation. Neilson didnot respond to requests for comment.

OctaviaPique, 62, whois listed as one of the witnesses in thepolice report, said in an interviewthatshe was getting lunch at La Sabrosa with her father-in-law and 9-year-old daughter when she sawtwo older mengetting into a“loud shouting match”and “calling each other idiots.” They arguedabout whether one of themen, who had aveteran’scap on,had been served acorn or flour tortilla and also about his bill, she said. Awoman joined the argument,she said. The dispute between the two menlater picked up outside the restaurant, she said, and from inside she heard a loud commotion It was not immediately clear from the police report if there were injuries. A911 dispatcher wrote that someonehad a“minorhandinjury”but was “not asking for EMS,” accordingtorecords The maximum penalty for asimple batterycharge under Louisiana state law is a fine of $1,000 or six months imprisonment, but such charges often lead to no jail time.

DAVE’S

Continued from page1B

Work on thebuilding began at the endofNovember after apermit wasissued in early October, according to the contract. BecauseDave’sistaking over asite that held arestaurant, the project is mainly a remodel, including minor kitchen anddining space improvements,the contract said.

TheLivingstonParish planning departmentsaid it does not have ascheduled opening date forthe restaurant. Dave’s opened its first Louisiana restaurant in June in

BatonRouge.The chain has rapidly expandedwithabout 150 new locations across the country opening in 2025.

Dave’slaunchedin2017, when three friends brought folding tables and portable fryers to aparking lot in East Hollywood, California, to feed the late-night crowd. Rapper Drake is an investor

DEC. 11, 2025 PICK 3: 0-7-9

Haynes sentenced to 7 years in bribery scheme

Ex-assistant district attorney got kickbacks from program

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Former Lafayette Assistant District Attorney Gary Haynes was sentenced Friday to seven years in a federal prison and was immediately taken into custody after he was found guilty on six federal charges related to a bribery scheme in the pretrial intervention program of the 15th Judicial District Attorney’s Office.

U.S. District Judge David Joseph, who presided over Haynes’ September trial by jury determined the sentence based on federal guidelines.

Haynes’ attorney, Todd Clemens, asked Joseph to postponed the day Haynes had to report to prison, allowing him to spend the Christmas holidays and his 68th birthday with family.

“I submit he is a flight risk,” federal prosecutor John Luke Walker replied, noting Haynes has business connections in other countries including Panama, and could choose to leave the country even though federal officials took his passport.

Haynes previously requested a new trial based on allegations of improper exclusion of evidence, improper admission of evidence, prosecuto-

Continued from page 1B

Reached Tuesday evening, Mayor Pro Tempore Brandon Noel declined to comment on ongoing litigation.

This year, the council used the funds it generated to give $500,000 each to the District Attorney’s Office and the 19th Judicial District Court and $250,000 each to the Baton Rouge Police Department and the parish attorney’s office. But the lawsuit focuses on $1.2 million that the council distributed evenly across each district. Council members individually chose how the money was spent in their district.

“These funds were mislabeled as ‘contractual services,’ ” the court filing says. “... These funds were used for the illegal provision of donations and ‘sponsorships,’ which are an illegal form of donation.”

Each district was allocated $105,000 from the fee, which Glasper and other plaintiffs say was used to pay for events and payments to private entities that lacked a public purpose. In one case, the lawsuit says that a council mem-

rial misconduct and statements, and judicial bias. Joseph recently declined to open a new trial.

A federal jury on Sept. 18, following a 10-day trial, unanimously found Haynes guilty on two counts of using a cellphone in interstate commerce in aid of a bribery

He also was found guilty on single counts of conspiracy to engage in bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds, conspiring to commit money laundering and obstruction of justice.

Haynes’ attorney, Todd Clemens, argued during the trial that Haynes was a pawn in the bribery scheme despite audio and video recordings and emails that suggested otherwise.

The scheme apparently began in 2021.

When Don Landry took office as district attorney in January 2021, he put Haynes in charge of the pretrial intervention program that allowed qualified people with pending charges to take assigned classes or therapy, which they paid for, and have the charges removed from their criminal records.

Landry, whose office faced a backlog of pending cases that accrued during the COVID-19 pandemic, encouraged Haynes to push more people into pretrial intervention to reduce the backlog of cases from the docket. Haynes, along with non-

ber used the money to buy a trailer and put their name on it.

The only council district with a trailer like the suit describes is Darryl Hurst City-parish records show that the trailer was purchased about a month before the franchise fee was instituted The city-parish invoice for Hurst’s District 5 trailer is dated Oct 25, 2024, and a check was written for $48,233.25 on Nov 12, 2024.

Hurst did catch criticism, though, for the purchase of an off-road vehicle in February this year which happened after council budgets received extra money from the franchise fee.

The fee came up during discussion about the parish budget at a Metro Council meeting Tuesday evening Council member Cleve Dunn Jr., who worked with colleague Jen Racca to institute the fee, said the fee supports valuable public services.

“Yes, we gave $1.2 million to the council members, $105,000 to each council person to bolster their staff, utilize technology and basically have a greater impact in their districts,” Dunn said. “Some of us hired staff members. Some of us supported and sponsored events in our districts. Some of us financed infrastructure

attorney Dusty Guidry, who worked on contract in the pretrial intervention program, loosened the entrance guidelines and began admitting more people, including some whose serious criminal charges should have disqualified them.

They pressured defendants to take online classes and therapy from companies owned by businessman Leonard Franques, who kicked back money to Haynes and Guidry for increasing his business.

The FBI started an investigation, which they named Operation Cajun Hustle, in July of 2021.

The investigation began after a local defense attorney reported that Carencro gym owner Joseph Prejean, a formerly incarcerated individual who had a contract with the District Attorney’s Office, said he could have the client’s charges dropped for $30,000.

The FBI bugged Prejean’s phone, which led them to Guidry, who split the money with Prejean FBI officials bugged Guidry’s phone, too, and started building a case that led them to Franques and Haynes.

Guidry Franques and Prejean pleaded guilty Guidry and Franques cooperated with the investigation. Franques allowed the FBI to record conversations he had with Guidry and Haynes.

Audio and video recordings, as well as emails and text messages, were present-

projects and studies in our district. So the funds were put to great use.”

Dunn told company officials at a public meeting last year that if customers end up paying for the fee, it would be because Entergy — which brought in $12.1 billion in revenue in 2023 — decided to do so.

“They can absorb this, and they should absorb it. They should not pass it on to the customer,” Dunn said.

The suit filed by Glasper and others also argues the council violated state law by using public funds to pay for meals, which it claims are only allowed when provided to attendees of public meetings held during a mealtime.

It requests a judicial ruling that the expenditures were unlawful, repayment to the city-parish for any improper use of funds and an order preventing council members from making such discretionary allocations going forward.

“Taxpayers have a right to expect their government to follow the law,” the plaintiffs said. “This lawsuit aims to ensure that public funds are used only for public purposes, not political or personal discretion.”

Email Patrick SloanTurner at patrick.sloanturner@theadvocate.com.

ed as evidence in Haynes’ tri-

al. Guidry spent considerable time on the witness stand for the prosecution at Haynes’ trial.

Guidry is considered the architect of the bribery scheme in Lafayette and another involving Jack Montoucet, the former secretary of the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

In March 2023, Guidry pleaded guilty to three federal charges: one count of bribery and two counts of conspiracy, one each for the wildlife and fisheries scheme and one involving the pretrial intervention program.

He was sentenced Oct. 1 to four years in prison.

Franques also was involved in the LDWF bribery scheme. He pleaded guilty to one felony count of conspiracy to de-

fraud the United States. Joseph sentenced Franques to 12 months and one day in prison. He was ordered to report to prison by Jan. 6.

Prejean pleaded guilty in 2023 to one count of conspiracy to defraud the federal government. Joseph sentenced him to 18 months in prison. He also must report by Jan. 6. Haynes’ wife, Barna, spent time in a federal medical facility after she pleaded guilty in 2015 to one count of conspiracy to commit bribery A federal judge sentenced her to 18 months in prison. Joseph prohibited federal prosecutors in Gary Haynes’ trial from telling the jury about the previous bribery conviction of Haynes’ wife. Barna Haynes was the longtime executive secretary for then-District Attorney

Mike Harson. She allegedly accepted gifts and cash from a private investigator Robert Williamson, to transfer defendants he “represented” for money from city court to district court. She then allegedly enrolled them in an “immediate 894” program where they could pay to have their cases resolved and expunged from court records quickly The scheme, which Williamson ran from March 2008 to February 2012, also involved representatives of at least one business and one nonprofit who accepted gifts to verify the defendants represented by Williamson served community service work when they did not. Email Claire Taylor at ctaylor@thadvocate.com.

Haynes

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Hebert,Sylvia St.BenildeCatholic Church,1901 Division Street in Metairie,atnoon.

Holiday,Janie Star of BethlehemBaptist Church 6274 Scenic Highway,Baton Rouge LAat 11am

Jones, Ernest ShilohMissionary BaptistChurch 185EddieRobinson, at 11 a.m. Landry, Genevieve Ascension Catholic Church at 12pm LewisSr.,Howard Sweet Home ChristianCenter, 434 JacksonSt.,Kenner, LA70062 at 10am Menard,Laura St.AndrewsUnitedMethodist Church, 17510MonitorAve.inBaton Rouge at 3pm Mitchell, Mervin Pilgrim'sRestCemetery, 8896 Myrtle Hill DriveinSt. Francisville,at2 p.m Wilson, Jeredean

Mt.Calvary BaptistChurch, Norwood, LAat 12pm. Obituaries

Brian, Wayne

It is with deep love and sadness that we announce the passing of our rock, our anchor, Wayne Brian Wayne slipped away peacefullyinto to the arms of Jesus on December3 2025. Acelebration of life will be held at Wholly Ground Church (27988 Walker South Road, Walker, Louisiana)onSaturday, December 13th. Agathering of family and friends for aTime of Remembrance willbegin at 2:30 pm. In lieu of flowers please consider makinga

Cothern,Kerry Lynn

KerryLynn Cothern,70, passed awayonSaturday, December 6, 2025.Heis survived by his wife, Shae Walk Cothern;his children, HeatherCothern Musial (Rob), ChaseCothern (Amanda), and Kalynn Cothern; and his grandchildren, Gavin, Colton, and Nora.

Funeral services will be held Monday, December 15, 2025, at Zoar Baptist Church, with visitation from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00p.m. and servicesatnoon.

Afullobituaryisavailable on the ChurchFuneral Services website. https://www.churchfun eralservices.com/obituarie s/kerry-cothern

Cummings, Norris 'Blue'

Norris "Blue"Cummings age74, aresident of Port Allen, LA passedaway Thursday, December 4, 2025.Heissurvived by his daughter,Tonya Cummings;grandchildren, ShamyraWilliams and Norrise' Cummings; greatgrandchildren, Kelan Jai', Nylah Dior, and Na'Lynii Danae; andotherrelatives and friends. Visitation will be held Saturday, December 13, 2025,from1 p.m. until funeral servicesat2 p.m. at Hall's Celebration Center,9348 ScenicHwy., Baton Rouge.Entombment at Heavenly Gates Cemetery, BatonRouge. Services entrusted to Hall Davis and SonFuneral Services

Louisiana, thefirst daughterofVerdie Reece Perkins and PeggyMoore Perkins. She passed peacefullyon December 7, 2025, after a short illness, at Our Lady of theLakeHospital.She is survivedbyher beloved husband of 64 years, Donald LeonDavid,and three daughters, L'Reece David Butcher, Rebecca David Paradise, and Rachael Blake David,and grandchildren Sarah Levine, Melissa Easley, MarjorieSanford, Leon Sanford, and Georgia Paradise, as well as many beloved great-grandchildren.She is also survived by her sisterLauradel Perkins and very close cousins EugeneOverton "Osie" MooreIII andPeggy Moore Eldridge.She was preceded in deathbyher parents and her brother, Edward Overton Perkins. Peggy, or "Miss Peggy" as she was calledby dozens of children, was devotedtoteaching children how to swim and spent many summersmaking sure they were safe around thewater. She also worked at theYMCAfor many years in adapted aquatics programs. Her first and never flagging love and devotion was to her husband Don, and to her family and friends. She was atalented decorator and creator of allthings beautiful,and themagic she added to theworld will be missed by all.

Visitation willbe Wednesday, December 17, beginning at 9:00 a.m.,with amemorial serviceat11:00 a.m.,atRabenhorst Funeral Home,825 Government Street,Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Donations in her memory may be madeto The Shepherd's Market, TunneltoTowers Foundation, or St.JudeChildren's Research Hospital. The family givesspecial thanks and much appreciation to her caregivers over the past years, Patricia Bearden, VirginiaRoss, and Teressa Richardson.

Dr. WilliamOliver"Bill" HamiltonIII,Professor Emeritus of Physics, died on December 3, 2025, in the comfort of his home,as was his long-held wish. A belovedhusband, father, grandfather, uncle, and honored as the"father of gravitational physics at LSU", Billwas born September 5, 1933, in Lawrence,Kansas, to F.C Hamiltonand Bernraine (Winegar) Hamilton.

In theDepressionthe family moved to LosAngeleswhere his father found

work withDouglas Aircraft.

At age14, Billwas awarded an academicscholarship to Middlesex School in Concord, Massachusetts, an opportunity he later credited with shaping much of his life

Bill attendedStanford University on aNaval ROTC scholarship,where he met his future wife, Mary Helen Kelson, and formed many lifelong friendships. Bill graduated in 1955 and in 1956 he and Mary Helen married.They spent their honeymoon driving to Hutchinson, Kansas, for multi-engineflight training.Billserved threeyears flying P2VNeptune aircraft with Patrol Squadron11.

Upon completing his service, Billand Mary Helenreturned to Stanford forgraduateschooland started their family.Vacations often took them to a family cabin in theSierras near Mineral King. Bill earnedhis PhDinPhysics in 1963 and remained at Stanford as an NSF Postdoctoral Fellowand assistant professoruntil joining theLSU faculty in 1970.

At LSU, Billbuilt aworldclass researchprogram, taught and mentored students at alllevels, and—withMaryHelen—raised their family in BatonRouge.Anavidrunner, he was well known for hisnoonruns on thelevee in allseasons.

In 2016, Billwas inducted into theLSU College of Science Hall of Distinction. He was honored for "seminal contributions to lowtemperature experimental physics",noting that his pioneering work helped attract theLaserInterferometricGravitational Wave Observatory(LIGO) to Louisiana and that his leadership in cryogenic detectordevelopment and theALLEGRO gravitational wavebar detector placed LSUatthe forefront of gravitational research. He served on theFaculty SenateExecutive Committee, chaired theGraduate Council, and was associate dean of AcademicServices. Billwas aFellowof theAmerican Physical Society.

Billand Mary Helen were avid world travelers, often joined by MaryHelen's brotherRichard and hiswife Lynn,including on many Stanford Travelprograms. They especially lovedtrips to theGalápagosIslands, Antarctica, Africa, and walking tours in Europe,sharing and passing down that love of exploration. They madeita prioritytospend holidays with their childrenwherever they livedand took greatjoy in their grandchildren.They delighted in hosting family forMardi Gras, includingmemorable ridesinthe Spanish Town parade.

Billissurvivedbyhis childrenEric(Mary), Chris (Susan), and Ann (Jeremy); his grandchildrenJeff (Mati), Laura(Andrew), Jennifer (Adam), Melissa, David,and Emma; two great-grandchildren; and

numerousnieces, nephews, and theirfamilies

Aservice in celebration of Bill'slifewillbeheld at University United Methodist ChurchonJanuary 10th at 11am.

Penn Jr., Claude

Claude M. Penn Jr affectionately known to most as "Papa," passed away peacefullyathis home in McComb, Mississippi on Tuesday, December9,atthe age of 87, surroundedbythosewho lovedhim most. Arespected andinfluential businessman, Claude's entrepreneurial spirit,vision, andunwavering work ethic made hima true self-made success. Aboveall hisaccomplishments, hisdeepest devotion wasalways to hisfamilyand thepeople he loved.

Born on December 30, 1937, in Shidler,Oklahoma, to Claude M. Penn Sr.and Millie CrossPenn, Claude grew up with strongOsage roots and an even stronger sense of purpose. He graduated from Istrouma High School in 1956 and later attended Louisiana State University, proudlyearning hisBachelor of Arts degree from theLSU Business School as amember of the Class of 1961.

Claude's businessendeavors spanned decades andindustries,but what remained constantwas his belief in people. Beginning in the1960s, Claude and hisbrother founded CM Penn &Sons, Inc.,a heavyequipment construction companythatwould grow to become oneofthe largest privately owned transportation andremediation companiesinthe southernUnited States. In theearly 1990s, he expanded hispursuits into the Louisiana gaming industry, eventually becoming the largest individual owner of video-poker truckstops in thestate.

Hisentrepreneurialvision ledhim further into commercial andresidential real estate development. He played akey role in shaping several communitiesthrough projects such as Paradise Lakes, LakesatBluebonnet, ShadowbrookEstates, Carter Plantation Golf Course—DavidToms' signaturecourse—and ChatsworthPlantation

(L'Auberge Baton Rouge). From gaming to remediation,constructiontodevelopment, Claude'sdetermination andleadership left alastingmark on thecommunities andonthe many people whose careersheguided Whetheryou knew him as Claude or Papa, you knew aman whotook pride in hard work and whose charismatic presence had aremarkable wayofbringing people together.His ability to form lastingbonds in business, friendship, andfamilywas unmatched. Claude is survivedby hisdevoted wife of 68 years, JaniceMorris Penn; hisdaughters,Tammy Lea Penn and Debra"LuAnn" White(Tony); andhis grandchildren; LeaAnn Johnson(Blake), Lainie A. Penn (Barry), NicholasC Penn (Lauren), Jessica W. Ard(Toby), Karsyn W. Garon (Jackson), and Skylar White. He is also survived by eightgreat-grandchildren—Parker, Piper Blakelea, Jaxen, AdaGrace, Jay, Miles, and Zora—as well as his nephew, Tanner Gahn.Claudewill also be remembered by daughterin-law Linda A. Penn and hissisters, Patty Pennand ShirleyThompson He wasprecededin death by hisparents, Claude M. Penn Sr Millie CrossPenn; his daughter, Marla P. Penn;his son, Claude M. "Jay" Penn III; hissisters, PeggyP.Seale andSally P. Gahn; andhis brothers, JoeF.Pennand Freddie R. Penn Claude "Papa" Penn will be remembered for his vision,generosity, and the legacyhebuilt with his ownhands—but most of all,for thelove he poured into hisfamily. Hisinfluence will continuetolive on in themanylives he touched.

Relativesand friends are invited to join thefamily at Abundant Life Church, 206 Edgewood Dr, Denham Springs, Louisiana on Monday, December 15, 2025 for avisitation startingat9:00 AM untilthe funeral service at 1:00 PM. Graveside service will follow at EvergreenMemorialParkMausoleum. Areception will follow after gravesideat Carter Planation.

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Hamilton, William O. 'Bill'

David, Peggy ReecePerkins

Peggy ReecePerkins Davidwas born October30, 1941,inBaton Rouge,

ChatGPT’s allegedly involved in deadly crime

SAN FRANCISCO

The heirs of an 83-year-old Connecticut woman are suing ChatGPT maker OpenAI and its business partner Microsoft for wrongful death, alleging that the artificial intelligence chatbot intensified her son’s “paranoid delusions” and helped direct them at his mother before he killed her Police said Stein-Erik Soelberg, 56, a former tech industry worker, fatally beat and strangled his mother, Suzanne Adams, and killed himself in early August at the home where they both lived in Greenwich, Connecticut. The lawsuit filed by Adams’ estate on Thursday in California Superior Court in San Francisco alleges OpenAI “designed and distributed a defective product that validated a user’s paranoid delusions about his own mother.” It is one of a growing number of wrongful death legal actions against AI chatbot makers across the country OpenAI did not address the merits of the allegations in a statement issued by a spokesperson.

Airlines won’t cover expenses amid recalls

The U.S. Department of Transportation has issued new guidance telling airlines they do not have to cover passenger expenses, such as meals or hotel stays, when flight cancellations or long delays are caused by aircraft recalls.

The guidance, released on Wednesday, comes after widespread disruptions last month amid the busy Thanksgiving travel period in the U.S stemming from inspections and software updates that carriers had to perform immediately for safety reasons on a widely used Airbus commercial aircraft. About 6,000 planes were impacted. Airlines worldwide scrambled to fix a computer code issue that may have contributed to a sudden drop in altitude on a JetBlue plane in October, which injured at least 15 people. Airbus said an examination of the JetBlue ordeal found a software glitch that could have affected flight-control systems on its A320 family of aircraft, the primary competitor to Boeing’s 737 planes.

In the U.S., airlines must provide full refunds when they cancel a flight, regardless of the reason. But the Transportation Department does not require them to cover lodging or meals for stranded passengers — even when a disruption is the airline’s fault.

Italy strike disrupts transportation, schools

ROME A national strike called on Friday by Italy’s largest trade union in protest against the government’s budget plans widely disrupted transportation, health and school services across the country

The protest which targets the 2026 budget bill proposed by the conservative government of Premier Giorgia Meloni, comes just two weeks after another general strike organized by smaller trade unions, with the same motivations. The strike mainly hit railway transportation, with cancellations and delays registered for both long-distance and regional trains. Public schools across the country canceled classes, forcing students to stay home because of a lack of local public transportation in many cities. The CGIL union listed the reasons for the strike in a statement, including demands for greater investments in health care, education and housing rights, along with measures to tackle workplace safety

CGIL secretary-general Maurizio Landini, who led a rally in Florence on Friday morning, criticized the budget as “unfair, wrong and dangerous.” He said that the main social emergency is now represented by low wages, and that government measures don’t address that.

Tens of thousands of workers took to the streets on Friday as demonstrations and rallies supporting the strike took place from north to south.

BUSINESS

Wall Street sees worst day in 3 weeks

Tumbling tech stocks drag market down

BY STAN CHOE AP business writer

NEW YORK More drops for superstar artificial-intelligence stocks knocked Wall Street off its record heights on Friday

The S&P 500 fell 1.1% from its all-time high for its worst day in three weeks. The weakness for tech stocks yanked the Nasdaq composite down by a marketleading 1.7%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average gave back 245 points, or 0.5%, after setting its own record the day before.

Broadcom dragged the market lower and tumbled 11.4% even though the chip company reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. Ana-

lysts called the performance solid, and CEO Hock Tan said strong 74% growth in AI semiconductor revenue helped lead the way

But investors may have been concerned with some of Broadcom’s financial forecasts, including how much profit it can squeeze out of each $1 of revenue. The AI heavyweight may also have simply run out of momentum after its stock came into the day with a surge of 75.3% for the year so far, more than quadruple the S&P 500’s gain.

Broadcom’s drop added to worries about the AI boom that flared a day before. That’s when Oracle plunged nearly 11% despite likewise reporting a bigger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected.

Questions remain about whether all the spending that Oracle is doing on AI technology will produce

the kind of profits that make it worth the expense, along with how the tech giant will pay for it. Such doubts are dogging the AI industry broadly, even as many billions of dollars continue to flow in.

Broadcom was the heaviest weight on the S&P 500 Friday, followed by Nvidia. The chip company that’s become the poster child of the AI boom fell 3.3%. Oracle fell another 4.5%.

The stock market also felt some pressure from the bond market, where the yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.18% from 4.14% late Thursday Higher yields can discourage investors from paying high prices for stocks and other investments, particularly when critics say they already look too expensive.

Friday’s drops for AI superstars continue a jagged return toward Earth after they earlier had been

the main engine lifting Wall Street higher Other stocks that used to struggle with uncertainty about the U.S. economy’s strength and what the Federal Reserve will do with interest rates, meanwhile, have been doing better

The stocks in the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which has much less of an emphasis on tech, rose 1% this past week. That’s much better than the Nasdaq composite’s drop of 1.6%.

Notwithstanding Friday’s rise in yields, investors have been feeling more optimistic about interest rates. The Fed earlier this week cut its main interest rate for the third time this year and indicated another cut may be ahead in 2026. Wall Street loves lower rates because they can boost the economy and send prices for investments higher, even if they potentially make inflation worse.

Holiday shopping not so merry

Poll reveals gifts are not as affordable

BY JOSH BOAK and AMELIA THOMSON-DEVEAUX Associated Press

WASHINGTON — This holiday season isn’t quite so merry for American shoppers as large shares are dipping into savings, scouring for bargains and feeling like the overall economy is stuck in a rut under President Donald Trump, a new AP-NORC poll finds.

The vast majority of U.S. adults say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries, electricity and holiday gifts in recent months, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Roughly half of Americans say it’s harder than usual to afford the things they want to give as holiday gifts, and similar numbers are delaying big purchases or cutting back on nonessential purchases more than they would normally

It’s a sobering assessment for the Republican president, who returned to the White House in large part by promising to lower prices, only to find that inflation remains a threat to his popularity just as it did for Democrat Joe Biden’s presidency The poll’s findings look very similar to an AP-NORC poll from December 2022, when Biden was president and the country was grappling with higher rates of inflation. Trump’s series of tariffs have added to inflationary pressures and generated anxiety about the stability of the U.S. economy, keeping prices at levels that many Americans find frustrating.

The president has insisted there is “no” inflation and the U.S. economy is booming, as he expressed frustration that the public feels differently

“When will people understand what is happening?” Trump said Thursday on Truth Social. “When will Polls reflect the Greatness of America at this point in time, and how bad it was just one year ago?”

Most U.S. adults, 68%, continue to say the country’s economy is “poor,” which is unchanged from December 2024, before Trump returned to the presidency White House officials plan to send Trump barnstorming across the country in hopes of bucking up people’s faith in the economy be-

fore next year’s midterm elections But the president this week in Pennsylvania defended the price increases tied to his tariffs by suggesting that Americans should buy fewer dolls and pencils for children. His message is a jarring contrast with what respondents expressed in the poll, even among people who backed him in the 2024 election.

Sergio Ruiz, 44, of Tucson, Arizona, said he is using more buy now, pay later programs to spread out over time the expense of gifts for his children He doesn’t put a huge emphasis on politics, but he voted for Trump last year and would like to see lower interest rates to help boost his real estate business He believes that more Americans having higher incomes would help to manage any affordability issues.

“Prices are up. What can you do? You need to make more money,” Ruiz said.

The poll found that when they do shop, about half of Americans are finding the lowest price more than they would normally About 4 in 10 are dipping into their savings more than at other times.

Democrats are more likely than Republicans to say they’re cutting back on expenses or looking for low prices, but many Republicans are budgeting more than usual as well.

About 4 in 10 Republicans are looking for low prices more than they usually would, while a similar share are shopping for nonessential items less than usual.

People felt similarly dismal about holiday shopping and the economy when Biden was president in 2022. Inflation had spiked to a four-decade high that summer Three years later, inflation has eased substantially, but it’s still running at 3%, a full percentage point above the Federal Reserve’s target as the job market appears to have entered a deep freeze.

The survey indicates that it’s the level of prices — and not just the rate of inflation — that is the point of pain for many families. Roughly 9 in 10 U.S. adults, 87%, say they’ve noticed higher than usual prices for groceries in the past few months, while about two-thirds say they’ve experienced higher prices than usual for electricity and holiday gifts. About half say they’ve seen higher than normal prices for gas recently

The findings on groceries and holiday gifts are only slightly lower than in the 2022 poll, despite the slowdown from an inflation rate that hit a four-decade peak in the middle of that year

Fed officials split over risks to U.S. economy in 2026

BY JONNELLE MARTE, CATARINA SARAIVA and ENDA CURRAN

Bloomberg News (TNS)

Federal Reserve officials — in-

cluding two who will become voters in 2026 — offered strongly opposing views Friday on what to do with interest rates, continuing a debate that will grip the U.S. central bank into the new year

Three policymakers focused in their comments on inflation risks, though one of them suggested he was advocating only a temporary pause to rate cuts to confirm inflation is subsiding. A fourth emphasized risks to the labor market as the bigger concern

The remarks were the first since Wednesday, when the Fed cut its benchmark rate by a quarter percentage point for a third consecutive meeting in response to rising unemployment. Dissenting votes

against the decision indicated the string of cuts has become increasingly contentious amid lingering inflation, and projections showed the median official only expects one reduction in 2026. “Part of the committee would prefer to be more cautious. They want to see more data on inflation, more data on the labor market,” said Marco Casiraghi, a senior economist at Evercore ISI. With a new Fed chair coming in and expected to push for lower rates, “it’s going to be a bit of a bargaining process over how many cuts might be reasonable in 2026,” he said.

Two officials — Chicago Fed President Austan Goolsbee and his Kansas City counterpart, Jeff Schmid — issued statements Friday outlining the rationale for their dissents against Wednesday’s rate cut. It was Goolsbee’s first dissenting vote since joining the Fed in 2023, while

Schmid’s followed a dissent against the previous rate reduction in October

The Chicago Fed chief said in his statement he “felt the more prudent course would have been to wait for more information” before cutting rates again after a government shutdown delayed several key economic reports in October and November, given some “concerning” data on inflation prior to the shutdown.

Speaking later in the morning on CNBC, Goolsbee added that he projected more rate cuts in 2026 than most of his colleagues: “I’m one of the most optimistic folks about how rates can go down in the coming year,” he said.

Schmid was less equivocal.

“Inflation remains too high, the economy shows continued momentum and the labor market — though cooling remains largely in balance,” he said in his statement. “I

view the current stance of monetary policy as being only modestly, if at all, restrictive.”

The Chicago and Kansas City Fed presidents will rotate off the Fed’s voting panel in 2026. Two of their incoming replacements also spoke Friday — one emphasizing concerns about inflation and the other warning of risks to the labor market.

Cleveland Fed President Beth Hammack, at an event in Cincinnati, said the central bank should keep rates high enough to continue putting downward pressure on inflation.

Philadelphia Fed President Anna Paulson, who with Hammack will rotate into the FOMC’s voting ranks next year, was the only one of the four officials speaking Friday who emphasized ongoing risks to the labor market despite the central bank’s recent efforts to adjust rates toward a more neutral setting.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MEGAN VARNER

Shoppers browse through Kohl’s department store for Black Friday deals in Woodstock, Ga.

OPINION

American institutions face confidencecrisis

Founded on bedrock principlesofdemocracy,natural rights andfreedom, Americaisuniquely shaped by its institutions. They provide stability,innovation, economic dynamism and global influence

But with populist uprisings on the rightand left taking aim at established power centers, America’s institutions have lost public confidence to adangerous degree.

Apoll from the Partnership for Public Service found thattrust in government has declinedfrom alow 35% in 2022 to adismal 23% in 2024. Only 15%ofthose polled believegovernmentis transparent (down six points) and awhopping 66% think it’s incompetent (up 10 points). Shockingly,only 29% said democracy is working and 68% said it’snot.

Publicconfidencehas fallen during both Democratic and Republican administrations. The latest Pew Research survey found, for example,that only 17% of Americans now say they trust government in Washington,down from 77% in 1964.That’snot justadrop, it’s acollapse.

The institution in the worst shape,accordingtothe Economist/YouGov survey,isCongress. Just 10% of Americans express high levels of confidenceinit. What does this say about the 9out of10citizens who feel otherwise?

Among the three branchesofnational government, the presidency rates 30% and the U.S. Supreme Court 24%—bothlow,but betterthanCongress. Theseresultsshould set off alarm bells.Yet Americanshavegrown so accustomedtopolls showing low levels of trust in government that bad numbers areno longer ajolt.

But tumbling confidenceisnot limitedtoprimarily political institutions. The Economist/YouGov poll tests institutions in multiplesectors.The military is theonly onethatdraws aclear majority of Americans (54%) expressing high confidenceinit.

Republicans think much betterofthe military than do Democrats; Whites think betterofitthandoBlacks and Hispanics. There is awide generationaldivide: U.S. adults 45 andolder are farmorelikely than those under 45 to have strong confidence in the military Coming in second in confidencerankings is small business. It does best among men, Republicans, seniors and Whites. While small businessranks well compared to other institutions, it still wins this trust from only 50% of Americans surveyed.

Second to last on the list of institutions is bigbusiness, with only 14%expressing high confidence in it. As you cansee, size matters. Inthe public mind, small business is associatedwith localmom-and-pop shops struggling to stay afloat. Big business conjures images of rich, remote corporations andtheir lavishly paid executives. This distinctiongoes to theheartof populist unrest; it explainswhy voters, by a57% to 25% margin, think the federalgovernment should try to reduce the gap in wealth between the richestand poorest Americans.”

Notably,banks (32%) and organizedlabor (26%)rank above big business and belowsmall business

Of all institutions assessed, police rank third at 38%. But group divides are substantial: 55% of Republicans and 31% of Democrats have high levels of confidence in police —asdo44% of Whites, 29% of Hispanicsand 19% of Blacks.

Only 21% of U.S. adultshave high confidence in the criminal justice system —substantially less than in police. Interestingly, atad moreHispanics(24%) than Blacks(21%) or Whites (19%)have confidence in the entire system. Nextisthe medicalsystem, at 35%. Democrats have much more confidence in it than do Republicans. Publicschools follow at 32%; Blacks,morethan Hispanics and Whites, have high confidence in them. Democrats also have more confidence thanRepublicans in public schools.

The church, or organized religion, scores28%,and draws its highest levels oftrust from astriking coalition —Republicans, Blacks and 18 to 29 year olds. How about the media? Newspapers do better (23%) than television news(17%), but both measure low. Higher-income Americans have the mostconfidence in newspapers, while lower-income earners havethe most confidence in television news.

“Weare at apunctuationpoint in humanhistory,” wrote business and technology guru Don Tapscott, arguing that our institutions have “essentially run out of gas.” Most Americans would probably agreewith this sentiment —and that, in itself, is athreattothe foundation of our democracy

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

Well, folks, we survived the 1960s and early 1970s, but now we are faced with another prospect of a president involving our country in another unnecessary war.Wedon’t need to provoke Venezuela intoa conflict just to appease someofour leaders’ desire to show thepowerful might of our military

Ican’tbelieve we are blowing boatsout of the water and not using our Coast Guard to stop and apprehend these individuals. We cannot andshould not allow our military to act as judge and executioner when dealing withthese accused drug traffickers.

What would we do if some country

Quin Hillyer should be absolutely ashamed of himself for his recent “opinion” piece discussing theelection of Zohran Mamdani in New York City. He shamelessly and baselessly describes Mamdani as a “near-radical Islamic” and “proto-socialist” (whatever that even means) Having an opinion on the killings of innocent people in Gaza does not makeyou aradical Islamist. And having adesire to make the most expensive cityinAmerica alittle more affordable for 8.5 million people does not makeyou atraitor toyour country

This is pure and simple, unmasked right-wing fear-mongering and propaganda, theexact kind of harmful rhetoric that even Marjorie Taylor

Iamintrigued by your recent sportscolumn starting, “Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter,members of the football team and even the state’stop public safety officer are challenging theveracity of Lane Kiffin’sportrayal of the events surrounding his departure to LSU.”

Iwish that James Gill, your late columnist, was still with us. Iknow

decided to bombaboat coming out of Texas just as it got into international waters? Could they justifyit by saying they felt like the boat was running illegal substances out of the U.S. and into their country? When are themembers of Congress going to come forward and retake their appropriate position within our government?

Don’tallow our president to send troops into another conflict without justification and proof.I’m aproud Vietnam veteran whodoesn’twant our military subjected to the same lies that we had to deal with. RICHARD STAGNOLI Central

Greene now acknowledges needs to stop. Ihave no issue whatsoever with giving space for right-leaning views. Iamwell aware that we live in Louisiana.

AndifMamdani had been elected mayor of New Orleans or Baton Rouge, Imight even be alittle moretolerant of the criticism. But Mamdani’selection has absolutely nothing to do with Louisianaatall. New Yorkers elected him,and if he fails, they will pay the price. But if he succeeds, then maybe Mamdani’s approach may start to gain traction elsewhere. Andthat, of course, is what really frightens them. MATT FRASER NewOrleans

that he would havesomething humorousand sardonic to say about theLSU coachingsituation. Perhaps your regrettably retiring editorial cartoonist, Walt Handelsman, could give us one more cartoon contest using this subject? The humor level would be at an all-timehigh. QUIN BATES Marrero

Immigration enforcement targetsthose whocamewhen help wasneeded

Gov. Jeff Landry’sapproval of President Donald Trump’scall for National Guard and U.S. Border Patrol to New Orleans is apolitical decision. It is not justified by the facts on the ground.

Trumpannounced this whole initiative to makesure that undocumented criminal elements were not staying illegally in the U.S. The recent footage of an ICEoperative punching amother while she sits in her car,defending her minor children whoare in the back, is not AI.Itisreal. Samewith people holding valid green cards or other valid citizenship proof being detained, treated inhumanely and then released without apology If you walkalong Crescent Park in NewOrleans, you will find a statue, erected in 2018, dedicated to the significant contributions of workers from Latin America to the successful rebuilding of New Orleans and the area after the devastating events of 2005. There are so manysectors of the economy of this state and New Orleans that benefit from our Hispanic neighbors. This “round up everyone who looks Latino” approach is abhorrent and results in terrifying innocent people, increasing tension and wrenching lives apart.

We are hearing reports that people whohave been released from detention because they are Louisiana residents (i.e., Landry’s constituents), are not getting their personal belongings back, including things like cellphones and engagement rings. Nobody deserves that treatment. Even federal prisons do better than that with their convicted inmates, and these people were only “guilty” of looking Latino. So, when the risks of such a “shock and awe” approach are this high, Ifind myself asking: “Where’sthe emergency? What’s the big danger?”

SALLIE DAVIS NewOrleans

Ron Faucheux

SPORTS

of agame on Nov. 9inCharlotte, N.C.The Saints will host thePanthers on Sunday at

Collectivefocus

Saints can play spoilerinNFC South, butmore’satstake

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer

The New Orleans Saints have longbeenout of the running forthe NFC South. Buttheystill have achance to impact the race. Heck,they already have. New Orleans’ win over theTampa Bay Buccaneers last weekend threw awrench into whathas surprisingly been acompetitive division. The loss movedTampaBay into a tie for first with theCarolinaPanthers,who justsohappentobethe team theSaints host Sundayatthe Caesars Superdome.

And after the Atlanta Falcons pulled offanupset over Tampa Bay on “Thursday Night Football,” the Panthers nowlead thedivisionoutright, increasing the stakes of Sunday’sgame even further.New Orleans,too, beat Carolina earlier this season When eliminated fromthe playoffs, almost every team embraces the opportunity to playspoiler.But for the rebuilding Saints, swinging therace would takeon

“WAIT,WHAT?”

cut that prompted similarresponsesthat went alittle something likethis “Coach wasaHeisman finalist?”asked receiver MasonTipton.

“I didn’teven realize he was young enough to have played at the sametime as CamNewton,”saidcornerback Isaac Yiadom.

Many of the Saints players weren’t even teenagers 15 years ago, when Kellen Moorelooked more like oneofthe Beatles than he looked like one of thebest college

extrasignificance. Beatingteamsatthe topofthe division would be another important sign that coach Kellen Moore’svision is actually taking hold.

“Our focuscan go alot of different ways this time of year,and so Iappreciate the way our guys have handled this,” Mooresaid. “Ultimately,it’sa collective focus of what we’retrying to accomplish week in andweekout And we want to play meaningful December football.

“We’ve got to createthose habits this year and moving forward.

The Saints have madestrides in creating those habits. On defense, players regularly echo defensive coordinator Brandon Staley’s message and after arough slateofopponentstobegin theyear, theunit is close to ranking in the top10—and has been playing at atop-five level for the last month. Onoffense, rookie quarterback TylerShough hasshown plentyof promise and has won two of his firstfive starts.

Shough said he’sless concerned about impacting

ä See SAINTS, page 5C

Tigers coachtoface alma materfor firsttime since2009

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Theopportunitytoplay aroad game against Louisiana Tech has presented itself to coach KimMulkey before, but she has always turned it down.

5P.M. SATURDAy ESPNU

Mulkey is willing to put the Lady Techsters on one of her nonconference schedules. She has already done so during her timeatBaylor,and she did againahead of this Tigers season. However,the LSU women’sbasketballcoach will never stage agamein Ruston— the small town in North Louisiana where she playedher college hoopsand launched her Hall-of-Famecoaching career “There’stoo manyemotions there,” Mulkey said. “There’stoo many.Icouldn’t walk in that gym and be agood coach.” So,a neutralsite will have to suffice instead. At 5p.m.Saturday(ESPNU),the Smoothie King Centerwill host only the secondmatchup between oneofMulkey’steams and her almamater,Louisiana Tech. The No. 5Tigers (10-0) and the Lady Techsters are set to meet in the Compete 4Cause Classic —a doubleheader that also featuresa 7:30 p.m. men’sgamebetween LSU and SMU. Mulkey is aLouisiana Tech legend. She played point guard for the Lady Techsters from 1980-84, then worked as an assistant coach forthe next 16 seasons. Tech reached the Final Four 11 times in the 19 total seasons Mulkey spent there and took home three national titles (in1981, 1982 and 1988). ID b2009 Mlk’ Bl ä LSU vs: Louisiana Tech

In December 2009,

The holidays are here andsoisbowl season. Make that bowl/playoff season.

The College Football Playoff may be takingupmostofthe postseason oxygen, but there are still plenty of bowlgames to be played.That includes LSU’sfinal destination in theTexas Bowl, Dec.27 against Houston. Apair of teams with huge regional interest also maketheir first foray into the CFP when Tulane plays Dec.20 at Ole Miss. The whole epic show begins Saturday withapair of bowlgames, followed by thestartofthe CFP next Friday,running through the CFP national championship game on Jan. 19 in Miami. Here’sa look at the whole schedule, with facts and predictions about all the matchups currently set Enjoy thepostseason, everyone. CFP first-roundgames

FRIDAY,DEC.19 No.9 Alabama(10-3) at No.8 Oklahoma (10-2) 7p.m.,ABC/ESPN

Extrapoint: Sooners won23-21 in Tuscaloosa OU,20-17. SATURDAY,DEC. 20 No. 10 Miami (10-2) at No. 7Texas A&M(11-1) 11 a.m.,ABC/ESPN

Extrapoint: Aggies’ MarcelReed has thrown six interceptions in the past five games… The U, 32-29. No. 11 Tulane (11-2) at No. 6Ole Miss(11-1) 2:30 p.m.,TNT/TruTV

Extrapoint: Rebels’Trinidad Chambliss outpassed Green Wave’s JakeRetzlaff307-56 on Sept. 20 UM,31-21. No. 12 James Madison (12-1) at No. 5Oregon (11-1) 6:30 p.m.,TNT/TruTV

Extrapoint: Ducks were one-and-done in CFP last year as No. 1seed …UO, 41-18. CFPquarterfinals

WEDNESDAY,DEC. 31 Cotton Bowl (Arlington,Texas) Miami-TexasA&M winner vs. No. 2Ohio State (12-1) 6:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Buckeyes trying to join 2021-22 Georgia as repeat CFP champs. Diving into postseason football onebowl, CFPmatchup at atime

See RABALAIS, page

Mulkey’s Baylor

Scott Rabalais

HILARy SCHEINUK

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JACOB KUPFERMAN

Saints cornerbackAlontae Taylor celebrates intercepting apass intended for Carolina Panthers wide receiverTetairoa McMillan during the second half

the Superdome.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARySCHEINUK Heisman Trophy finalists, from left, LSU’s JoeBurrow, Ohio State’sJustin Fields, Oklahoma’sJalen Hurtsand Ohio State’s Chase young pose with the Heisman Trophy on Dec. 13, 2019, in Newyork.

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS

LSU junior RB Jackson to enter transfer portal

LSU junior running back Kaleb Jackson plans on entering the transfer portal, he announced on social media Friday.

Jackson had 331 rushing yards on 82 carries across three years with the Tigers. He burst onto the scene as a freshman, scoring four touchdowns and averaging over 5 yards per rush, but struggled from that point on Jackson had a chance to establish himself in LSU’s backfield, given the Tigers’ relative youth heading into the season. Sophomore Caden Durham had returned, but besides him, LSU had just two freshmen and a sophomore with little experience. Johnson announced on Wednesday that he was planning on entering the portal. LSU did not sign any running backs in its 2026 recruiting class.

Clark returns to court after injury-filled season

LSU looks to fix scoring against SMU

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Adding weight to any game isn’t something Matt McMahon is going to do.

Entering LSU’s contest against SMU, its final high-major foe before Southeastern Conference play, the fourth-year coach said Thursday that he wants his team to play with a purpose every game, regardless of the opponent. However, he knows his players have extra motivation this time after they were “disappointed” with an 82-58 loss to No. 16 Texas Tech last Sunday That was the Tigers’ first game against a team ranked in the top 100 by the analytics website KenPom.com.

“Our players understand the importance of not only bouncing back from Sunday,” McMahon said, “(but) playing against a Quad One opponent in the computer rankings and another Power Five game against a really good team. So we approach every game the same way, but I do think our players have a sense of urgency to respond the right way.”

The response LSU (8-1) has against SMU (9-1) will happen in the Compete 4 Cause Classic at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at the Smoothie King Center. Before Friday’s games, SMU was ranked 40th on KenPom, one spot below LSU. McMahon called the Mustangs a top-25 caliber team that will likely be in the NCAA tournament. He wants to add an impressive win to his team’s résumé.

To do that, the Tigers will need to remedy their offense.

“When you look at our last 60 minutes of basketball, excluding the overtime period in Boston, we have struggled to score,” McMahon said. “It’s just the reality I think the number that probably jumps out to everyone would be that we have not shot the ball well from 3. That is clearly a concern.”

LSU went 4 of 24 from beyond the arc in its last game. The game before that, it went 3 of 19 in a 7869 overtime win at Boston College. LSU is last in the SEC in made 3-pointers at 6.7 per game. McMahon also highlighted a need for more efficient two-point scoring, as the Tigers went 7 of 22 in the first half against Texas Tech McMahon said he has confidence

LSU

Continued from page 1C

team defeated the Lady Techsters 77-67 in Waco, Texas.

Mulkey hasn’t faced her alma mater since, not even after she left the Bears in 2021, so she could revive LSU’s women’s basketball program. The Tigers faced almost every other Louisiana school — from Grambling and UL-Monroe to McNeese and Tulane — in her first four seasons, but not the storied program that plays its home games about 200 miles north of Baton Rouge.

“The history of women’s basketball in this state doesn’t belong to LSU,” Mulkey said “It belongs to Louisiana Tech. (The) Seimone Augustus era was outstanding. Our little five-year era here is outstanding, but when you take the cumulative history of women’s basketball in this state, go look at what Louisiana Tech was able to accomplish.”

The Lady Techsters were a national power under legendary coaches Sonja Hogg and Leon

LSU guard Dedan Thomas, right, drives past Florida International

13.Thomas is one of LSU’s main 3-point shooters.

ä LSU vs. SMU 7:30 P.M. SATURDAy SECN

in his shooters and is “not worried about that.” The Tigers’ 3-point shooters are Dedan Thomas, Marquel Sutton and Max Mackinnon in the starting lineup and Rashad King, Ron Zipper and PJ Carter off the bench

If a 3-point shot isn’t falling for a wing player, McMahon said he’ll be willing to make changes sooner in games.

“There’s not great separation in the wing rotation,” McMahon said. “So I think some of it right now is for the first time in several weeks we’ve had some opportunity to practice and have more competitive practices versus just preparing for the next game. So I think there’s opportunities available there for other guys to step forward

“Certainly, there’s a lot more that goes into it than just the ability to shoot the 3, but we also understand the importance of that in today’s game. We’ve got to be able to space the floor, and it’s on myself to make sure, from a scheme standpoint and design, that we’re creating

high-percentage 3s,” he said.

With the additional practice time, McMahon said he has also had a chance to make internal adjustments without redshirt junior Jalen Reed, who injured his left Achilles tendon on Nov 28 and will be out for the remainder of the season. Reed, who was averaging 9.5 points and 5.7 rebounds in 18 minutes, will be missed for the scoring versatility as a forward and center McMahon said the loss is devastating, especially after he missed last season with a torn right ACL in the eighth game.

McMahon said Reed is committed to coming back once more from this latest injury and will travel with the team to New Orleans. The first two weeks after the injury, he wasn’t around in person since his movements were limited after surgery SMU is a team that heavily relies on its starters, as all five average double-figure points. The top two players are point guard Boopie Miller and wing Jaron Pierre, a New Orleans native. Each player averages about 20 points, and Miller is tied for first in assists per game (6.8) in the At-

Barmore. Hogg guided them to a pair of national championships and more than 300 wins across nine seasons, then turned the program over to Barmore, who led

them to another national title and 11 30-win campaigns. Hogg and Barmore were co-head coaches from 1982-85. Mulkey almost took over for

lantic Coast Conference. LSU’s Thomas, who averages 15.2 points and leads the SEC with 6.3 assists, likely will be assigned to Miller LSU most recently struggled against an elite primary playmaker in Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, who had 27 points and 10 assists.

“I think we learned a lot from it, from film study,” McMahon said. “So we’ll have to do a much better job individually and as a team in defending elite point guards like that.”

Preparing for challenges like the one SMU presents and learning from the only loss of the year is what LSU needs as the year progresses.

“We know the games like Texas Tech, the games like SMU prepare you for the 18-game gauntlet that you’re going to go through when you get to SEC play,” McMahon said. “I think our players understand; they know what their goals are in the long term for the season and understand the importance of games like this. So I expect we’ll be locked in and ready to go on Saturday night.”

Barmore in 2000. She had turned down head coaching offers before to stay in Ruston, but when it came time to choose between her alma mater and Baylor, she decided on coaching the Bears. Louisiana Tech, at the time, wouldn’t offer her the five-year deal and the extra job security — she wanted. Their paths then diverged Mulkey won three national titles at Baylor and one at LSU, while Louisiana Tech hasn’t made it back to the Final Four The Lady Techsters haven’t even advanced past the first round of the NCAA Tournament since 2004, and they’ve cracked that field of teams only twice in the last 20 seasons. Mulkey, on the other hand, has spent those two decades chasing championships. The fifth of her head coaching career could come as soon as this season — a year that includes a rare matchup with the program that shaped her “I’ve been here five years now,” Mulkey said, “but your memories last forever, and the memories I have of my 19 years at Louisiana Tech will never dissolve.”

DURHAM,N.C.— Caitlin Clark had to remind herself to smile, have fun and not be so self-critical.

The opening day of USA Basketball camp Friday was her first time playing competitively in nearly five months after the Indiana Fever All-Star missed most of the WNBA season with a variety of injuries.

Clark said she gained a greater appreciation for basketball after only being able to play in 13 games this past season. This was Clark’s first time playing with the senior national team. The 23-year-old had been invited to camps when she was in college, but the timing didn’t work out for her to attend.

Clark is one of about a dozen first-timers at the camp, including Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese.

Steelers LB Watt has a ‘successful surgery’ on lung PITTSBURGH Steelers star T.J. Watt had a “partially collapsed lung” following a dry needling treatment and underwent surgery to treat it, his brother J.J. posted on social media Friday Steelers coach Mike Tomlin ruled Watt out for Monday night’s game against the Dolphins, but J.J. Watt indicated that the Steelers’ pass rusher was at least well enough to leave the hospital.

“Yesterday TJ had successful surgery to stabilize and repair a partially collapsed lung suffered Wednesday after a dry needling treatment session at the facility,” the elder Watt wrote on social media. “Recovery timeline is still TBD, but all went well and he is being released from the hospital today.”

Vonn wins first World Cup downhill since 2018

In her 125th career World Cup downhill start, 24 years after her debut and eight years since her last major win, Lindsey Vonn sped to a stunning victory in St. Moritz, Switzerland, on Friday

It was as if Vonn announced to the world that not only is she back after a six-year retirement, the 41-year-old American slopes legend is ready to rule downhill skiing again at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in February

Vonn is the only American woman to win an Olympics gold medal in downhill, having done so at the 2010 Vancouver Games. She also won bronze medals in the super-G 2010 and downhill in 2018.

Vonn will take part in another downhill race Saturday and a super-G on Sunday

Royals, 3B Garcia agree to 5-year, $57M contract

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia and the Kansas City Royals have agreed to a five-year, $57.5 million contract that includes a club option for a sixth season, a person familiar with the deal told The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract is pending a physical. Garcia was arbitration-eligible for the first time in 2026, so the deal essentially buys out his arbitration years and potentially his first two years of free agency The 25-year-old Garcia is coming off a breakout season both in the field, where he won his first Gold Glove playing alongside All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., and at the plate, where he hit .286 with a career-high 16 homers and 74 RBIs.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU head coach Kim Mulkey talks with guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and guard Bella Hines during a timeout in the third quarter of a game against Southeastern on Nov 6 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

guard/forward Corey Stephenson on Nov

ASSOCIATED

Heisman Trophyfinalists fromleft, Boise Statequarterback Kellen Moore, Stanford quarterbackAndrewLuck, Auburnquarterback Cam Newton and Oregon running backLaMichael James pose for aphotowiththe HeismanTrophyduring anewsconference on Dec.10, 2010, in Newyork.

HEISMAN

Continued from page1C

andAndrewLuck(Stanford)and running back LaMichael James (Oregon). All four were vying for the most coveted award in all of college football.

Newton won it.

Moore, who threw for 3,845 yards and 35 touchdowns for a Boise State team that went12-1, finished fourth.

Although he didn’twin it, he relishes that weekend in the Big Apple.

“Itwas acoolexperience,” Moore said. “It was the first time aguy from Boise State had ever been to anythinglikethat, so it wascool to represent the schooland be apart of that moment. It was fun.”

The following year,Moore threw for 3,800 yards and 43 touchdowns as the Broncoswent 12-1 again. He finished eighth in the Heisman voting that season, three spots behind LSU star and future Saints safety Tyrann Mathieu. Baylor’sRobertGriffinIII won it that year

Another winner will add his name to the prestigious list Saturday night. Best guess hereisthat

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

THURSDAY,JAN. 1

Orange Bowl (Miami)

James Madison-Oregon winner vs. No. 4

Texas Tech (12-1)

11 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: RedRaiders allowedmore than 20 points only once in 2025.

Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.)

Alabama-Oklahoma winner vs. No. 1

Indiana (13-0)

3p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Hoosiers have second-most losses ever (715), Bama third-most wins (984)

Sugar Bowl (Caesars Superdome)

Tulane-Ole Miss winner vs. No.3 Georgia (12-1)

7p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Bulldogs lost Sugar Bowl to Notre Dame in January, 23-10.

CFPsemifinals

THURSDAY,JAN. 8

Fiesta Bowl (Glendale,Ariz.)

6:30 p.m., ESPN

FRIDAY,JAN. 9

Peach Bowl (Atlanta)

6:30 p.m., ESPN

CFPNationalChampionship

MONDAY,JAN. 19

6:30 p.m., ESPN (Miami)

Otherbowlgames

SATURDAY Celebration Bowl (Atlanta)

South Carolina State (9-3) vs.Prairie View (10-3)

11 a.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: PrairieViewhas allowed10 points or less in fiveoflast sevengames

PVU,24-17.

LA Bowl (Inglewood,Calif.)

Boise St.(9-4) vs.Washington (8-4)

7p.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: BoiseState coming off third

it’ll be Indianaquarterback FernandoMendoza.The otherfinalists are Vanderbilt quarterback DiegoPavia,OhioState quarterbackJulianSayin andNotre Damerunning back Jeremiyah Love.

All four are guaranteed to enjoy their time in New York, said Saints defensiveend ChaseYoung.

Sixyearsago,Youngwas afinalistafter recording 161/2 sacks at Ohio State.

“It wascrazyand ahelluva environment with alot going on,” Young said. “It was surreal. I wouldn’tsay growing up Idreamed about going to the Heisman,because that wasn’tsomething Iever thought about. It was one of those things that just happened. Iwas just blessedtobethere.”

Young, like Moore, finished fourth behind LSU’sJoe Burrow, Oklahoma’sJalen Hurts and Ohio State teammateJustinFields. Youngwould have been the first defensive player to win it since Michigan cornerback Charles Woodson in 1997. Young still remembers the wordsWoodson told himthatnight

“You know if you didn’tget suspended, youwould have wonthis thing,” Woodson said. Young got suspended for two

straight Mountain West title …BSU,33-29.

TUESDAY SalutetoVeterans Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.)

Troy (8-5) vs. Jacksonville St. (8-5)

8p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: One of twobowlmatchups of in-state rivals (Alabama) …JSU,26-20.

WEDNESDAY

Cure Bowl (Orlando,Fla.)

Old Dominion (9-3) vs. South Florida (9-3)

4p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: ODU QB Colton Joseph in transferportal, as didUSF coach Alex Golesh (Auburn) …USF 28-24.

68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile,Ala.)

UL (6-6) vs. Delaware (6-6)

7:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Eighth straight bowl for Cajuns, first for Blue Hens …UL, 27-23.

THURSDAY Xbox Bowl (Frisco,Texas)

Missouri St. (7-5) vs.Arkansas St.(6-6)

8p.m., ESPN2

Extrapoint: Game being playedatThe Star,Dallas Cowboys’ indoor facility …MSU, 35-24.

FRIDAY

Myrtle Beach Bowl (Myrtle Beach, S.C.)

KennesawState (10-3) vs.Western Michigan (9-4)

10 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: WMUtop 15 in scoring and total defense …WMU,28-14

Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, Fla.)

Memphis (8-4) vs. NC State (7-5)

1:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Memphis lost four of past six andcoach Ryan Silverfield (Arkansas) NCSU,38-20.

MONDAY,DEC.22

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise,Idaho)

Washington St. (6-6) vs. Utah St.(6-6)

1p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Wazzu lost coach Jimmy Rogers to Iowa State …USU,27-22.

TUESDAY,DEC.23

Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton,Fla.)

Toledo (8-4) vs. Louisville (8-4)

1p.m,, ESPN

games that season for getting an unauthorized loan from afamily friend.

“I could have had six more sacks withthosetwo games,” Young said. “I was unblockable that year.”

Chances are, it wouldn’thave been enough to beat thevideo game numbers Burrowput up during LSU’snational championship season. But if Young had somehow won it, he would have joined alist of Saints players who have hoisted the trophy Former Saints to win the honor areEarlCampbell, George Rogers, Danny Wuerffel, Ricky Williams, Reggie Bush, Mark Ingram and Jameis Winston. Winning theHeisman, of course, doesn’tguarantee success in the NFL. But being one of thefinalists is something Young doesn’ttake for granted.

“I tell people this all the time,” Young said. “Itdoesn’tmatter if you spend threeyearsinthe league, two years in theleague or oneyear in theleague. Thefact that we made it to the Heisman ceremony, you’re alegend.” Young’shead coach would probably agree. Evenifsome of his playersare tooyoung to remember it

Extrapoint:Toledolost its coach and DC to twodifferent schools …UL, 34-14. NewOrleans Bowl(Caesars Superdome)

W. Kentucky (8-4) vs. SouthernMiss(7-5)

4:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: USM went from one to seven wins butlost coach Charles Huff (Memphis) …WKU,38-19.

Frisco Bowl (Frisco,Texas)

UNLV(10-3) vs. Ohio (8-4)

8p.m., ESPN

Extra point: DanMullen’sUNLVteam trying to tie school record for wins …UNLV, 37-24.

WEDNESDAY, DEC. 24

Hawaii Bowl (Honolulu)

California (7-5) vs. Hawaii (8-4)

7p.m., ESPN

Extra point: Cal QB sensation JaronKeawe Sagapolutele is from Oahu …UH, 33-32.

FRIDAY,DEC.26

GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit)

Central Mich. (7-5) vs. Northwestern(6-6)

Noon, ESPN

Extra point: Wildcats aiming for sixth straight bowl win …NU, 28-10.

Rate Bowl (Phoenix)

NewMexico (9-3) vs. Minnesota (7-5)

3:30 p.m ESPN

Extra point: Golden Gophers have won eightstraight bowls, but… UNM, 26-24.

First Responder Bowl (Dallas)

FIU(7-5) vs. UTSA(6-6)

7p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Roadrunners race to a winning record …UTSA, 37-24.

SATURDAY,DEC.27

Military Bowl (Annapolis, Md.)

Pittsburgh(8-4) vs.East Carolina (8-4)

10 a.m.,ESPN

Extrapoint: Tougher team, bigger conference …UP, 34-27.

Pinstripe Bowl(New York)

Penn St. (6-6)vs. Clemson (7-5)

11 a.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: Penn State was ranked No. 2 in preseason, Clemson No. 4. CU,23-20. Fenway Bowl (Boston)

BY LARRYLAGEAND ED WHITE AssociatedPress

ANN ARBOR, Mich. FiredUniversity of Michiganfootball coach Sherrone Moore “barged his way” into the apartmentofawoman with whom he hadbeen having an affair and threatened to kill himself after she reported therelationship to the school and he lost his job, prosecutors said Friday.

Moore wascharged with three crimes,including felony home invasion and stalking.

As he watched by video from jail, authorities laid out extraordinary allegations againstMooreand provided details that answered a keyquestion:What led Michigan to suddenly oust the 39-year-old coach Wednesday after his second season at the helm of the storied football program?

Mooreand thewoman had been having an affair“for anumber of years” before she ended the relationship Monday,said Kati Rezmierski, Washtenaw County first assistant prosecutor Moore repeatedly called the woman andtexted her,but sherefused to respond, Rezmierski said.

“Eventually she presented herself to the University of Michigan. Cooperatedinsomeformofan investigation. As we allnow know (Moore)was fired fromhis employment,” the prosecutor said.

Moore was dismissed for an inappropriate relationship with astaff member,the school said Wednesday without offering details.

Shortly after losinghis job, Moore stormed into thewoman’s apartment, “thenproceeded to a kitchen drawer,grabbed several butter knivesand apair of kitchen scissors. And begantothreaten his own life,” Rezmierski said.

The prosecutor quoted Moore as telling the woman: “I’mgoing to kill myself. I’mgoing to make you watch. My blood is on your hands

UConn (9-3) vs.Army (6-5)

1:15 p.m., ESPN

Extra point: UConn vying forfirst 10-win season butwithout coach Jim Mora Jr (Colorado State)… UC,27-26.

Pop-TartsBowl (Orlando, Fla.)

Georgia Tech (9-3) vs. ByU (11-2)

2:30 p.m ABC

Extra point: This would have been Notre Dame’sbowlifthe Irish had not opted out ByU,25-20

ArizonaBowl (Tucson,Ariz.)

Miami, Ohio (7-6) vs. Fresno State (8-4)

3:30 p.m.,The CW Network

Extrapoint: Snoop Dogg’snameisonthis bowl, so go with Bulldogs …FSU,24-19.

NewMexico Bowl (Albuquerque, N.M.)

North Texas (11-2) vs. SanDiegoSt. (9-3)

4:45 p.m., ESPN

Extra point: North Texaslost AACfinal to Tulane to miss CFP.Bummer …SDSU, 31-29.

Gator Bowl (Jacksonville,Fla.)

Virginia (10-3) vs. Missouri (8-4)

6:30 p.m.,ABC

Extra point: CanCavaliers contain Mizzou’sAhmad Hardy?No… UM,22-20.

Texas Bowl (Houston)

LSU (7-5) vs. Houston (9-3)

8:15 p.m ESPN

Extrapoint:Tigers 6-1 in pastseven bowls only loss in 2022Texas Bowl to Kansas State …UH,20-16.

MONDAY,DEC. 29

Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Ala.)

Ga.Southern (6-6) vs.App. State (5-7)

1p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Georgia Southernwon regularseason meeting 25-23 …GSU,26-24.

TUESDAY,DEC. 30

Independence Bowl (Shreveport)

Coastal Carolina (6-6) vs. La.Tech (7-5)

1p.m., ESPN

Extra point: Close to home-field advantagefor the Bulldogs… LT,34-17.

Music CityBowl (Nashville,Tenn.)

Tennessee (8-4) vs. Illinois (8-4)

4:30 p.m ESPN

Extra point: Expect points aplenty in this one… UT,38-34.

You’ve ruined my life.”

“She was terrorized,” Rezmierski said.

Anot-guilty pleawas entered on Moore’sbehalfbyDistrict Court Magistrate Odetalla Odetalla,and he was released from jailafter meeting the $25,000 bond. Moore saidvery littleincourt besides acknowledging thathemusthave no contact with the woman, among other conditions.

The courthearing was held just4 miles (6.4kilometers) fromMichigan Stadium where Moore, who is married and hasthreechildren, coached his last gameagainst rival Ohio State in front of more than 100,000 fans on Nov.29.

Defense attorney Joe Simonsaid Moorewas taken to ahospital for amental health evaluation after his arrest Wednesday and then returned to the jail.

He said Moorewould “absolutely comply” with the judge’sorder for an additional evaluation. Moore must wear aGPS trackingdevice, stay in Michigan and abstain from alcohol. The next court hearing was set forJan. 22.

“There’s no evidence to suggest he’s athreat,”Simon said.

Mooresigneda five-yearcontract with abaseannual salary of $5.5million last year.According to theterms of hisdeal, the university will nothave to buy out the remaining years of his contract because he was firedfor cause.

Moore, the team’sformer offensive coordinator,was promoted to lead the Wolverines after they won thenational title. He succeeded Jim Harbaugh, who returned to theNFL to lead the LosAngeles Chargers. Michigan is set to play No. 14 TexasonDec. 31 in the Citrus Bowl.Biff Poggi, who filled in for Moore when he was suspended earlierthis season in relation to a Harbaugh-era sign-stealing scandal, will serve as interim coach.

Alamo Bowl (SanAntonio)

USC(9-3) vs.TCU(8-4)

8p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Trojans’ star WR Makai Lemon among opt outs, still …USC, 31-28. WEDNESDAY,DEC. 31

ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Fla.)

Iowa (8-4) vs.Vanderbilt (10-2) 11 a.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Commodores seeking first final AP top-10 ranking ever. VU,31-17. Sun Bowl (ElPaso,Texas)

Arizona St. (8-4) vs. Duke(8-5) 1p.m., CBS

Extrapoint: SunDevils or Blue Devils? Back the blue …DU, 26-23.

CitrusBowl (Orlando, Fla.)

Michigan (9-3) vs.Texas (9-3) 2p.m.,ABC

Extrapoint: Howwill Wolverines respond afterSherrone Moorefiring? Not well …UT, 28-16.

Las VegasBowl (LasVegas)

Nebraska (7-5) vs. Utah (10-2)

2:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham contemplating retirement UU,38-17.

FRIDAY,JAN. 2

Armed Forces Bowl (FortWorth,Texas)

Rice (5-7) vs.TexasState (6-6) Noon, ESPN

Extrapoint: Rice gotindespiterecord because of opt-outs,APR …TSU,35-24. LibertyBowl (Memphis,Tenn.)

Navy (9-2) vs. Cincinnati(7-5)

3:30 p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: BlakeHorvath, Midshipmen weighanchor on the Mississippi …USNA, 30-24.

Duke’sMayoBowl (Charlotte, N.C.)

Wake Forest (8-4) vs.Miss.State (5-7)

7p.m., ESPN

Extrapoint: Demon Deacons forthe win —and the mayo dump …WF, 31-28. HolidayBowl (SanDiego)

Arizona (9-3) vs. SMU (8-4)

7p.m., Fox

Extrapoint: Exciting end to bowl season with this one …SMU,27-25.

PRESS FILE PHOTO By ANDREWBURTON

THE VARSITY ZONE

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Dunham coach’s new mindset, team’s effort lead to a state title

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Dunham coach Neil Weiner received a phone call on Wednesday night, the day before the Tigers’ state title game against Calvary Baptist.

The call was from his father, Dale Weiner, who led Catholic to its first state title in 2015

“My dad, you know, physically is struggling more and more,” Neil Weiner said. “He can’t talk a whole lot but he called last night to make sure that I knew that he loved me.”

Fast forward to Thursday night, Dunham defeated Calvary Baptist 34-17 in the Division III select state title. The win marks the Tigers’ first state title since 2004, and Neil Weiner’s first state title win

He said the victory was special, but knowing he has a mom and dad who love him is what he thinks about when he thinks about his team.

“That’s what’s great about these guys,” he said “They’ve got a coach who loves them no matter what. I’m excited for these kids to win a championship, but I don’t need a championship to validate me.”

Doing all you can

Weiner’s shift in mindset sprouted from Dunham’s second-round loss to Catholic-NI in 2018.

Early in his coaching career, Weiner sought validation in winning games. In 2018, the Tigers had former LSU and current Houston Texans DB Derek Stingley Dunham went undefeated in the regular season but fell 35-7 in the playoffs to Catholic-NI.

“We lost that game, I just said to

myself, ‘If I can’t win a state championship with Derek Stingley I’ll never do it,’” Weiner said. “There was a part of me that felt like I’m doing the wrong thing.”

Three days after that loss, Weiner remembered a quote from one of Catholic High School’s founders:

“When you’ve done all that you can, you’ve done all that you must.”

“It occurred to me, if I was telling my kids that to believe that, I need to stop being a hypocrite, and I need to start believing that,” Weiner said.

He shifted his mentality from results on the field toward honoring God in everything he does.

“After that 2018 season, we’ve been to the semifinals four years,” Weiner said. “We’ve been to the Dome three years, and tonight, goddang, we’re the state champs God is good all the time, and all the time God is good.”

How it happened

Calvary Baptist scored first, less than two minutes into the game.

Dunham stayed composed and ripped off 20 straight points across the first two quarters. Tigers quarterback Elijah Haven used his legs and ran for two touchdowns in the first half. Two-way senior Trevor Haman also nabbed a first-half interception that led to a Tigers touchdown

The Cavaliers trailed 20-7 and ran a fake punt near midfield on fourth and 11 late in the second quarter The play caught Dunham off guard, and the Cavaliers picked up 41 yards to reach the red zone.

The Tigers held strong after the play and held Calvary Baptist to a field goal attempt that went wide left.

“Our kids are awesome,” Weiner said “They just don’t flinch, they really don’t. It’s been that way the last several years.”

Receiver Jarvis Washington caught a slant and took it 77 yards for a touchdown on Dunham’s first drive of the second half for a 27-10 lead. Washington finished with 10 catches for 168 yards and two touchdowns. He said the title was a testament to how hard the team worked all year

“The work we’ve been putting in in the dark, it’s coming out in the light,” Washington said. “I’m glad everybody gets to reap the benefits because none of us gave up.”

Calvary Baptist scored a touchdown with 10:16 left in the third quarter, but it would be its last points of the game. The Dunham defense held the Cavaliers to just 222 yards of total offense. Calvary Baptist mustered just 13 rushing yards on 19 attempts and had two turnovers.

The Cavaliers’ offense crossed midfield just once in the second half on four drives. Dunham chewed 9:21 of the clock in the fourth quarter to put the game away With less than two minutes left in the game, Calvary Baptist fumbled, and Tigers defensive lineman Eliot Trahan pounced on the ball.

Trahan tallied five tackles, two tackles for loss and one sack. Trahan praised the defensive game plan they have every week but said the game came down to effort.

“It comes down to heart,” Trahan said. “We worked the technique every single day no reps off, but at the end of the day, it’s who wants it more, and we wanted it more.”

Haven cements legacy with stellar season, title

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Seconds after the clock hit zero and the result was final, Dunham quarterback Elijah Haven pointed to his ring finger The 2025 season was over, and the Tigers claimed their second state championship to go with their first title, won in 2004. Dunham defeated Calvary Baptist 34-17 in the Division III select state title on Thursday in the Caesars Superdome. Haven dazzled in the game, slicing the Cavaliers’ secondary apart and running through defenders. He threw for 271 yards, three touchdowns and one interception on 21-of-29 passing. He also ran for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. He was named Most Outstanding Player, and the title served as the perfect bookmark to close out one of the best statistical seasons for a quarterback in Louisiana high school football history

Legendary quarterbacks have come through the state, like Peyton and Eli Manning, Brock Berlin and Jake Delhomme. Haven is only a junior but has a case already to be put up with the best. Haven’s laundry list of accolades and recruiting rankings speaks for itself. He’s the No. 2-ranked QB in the nation for the class of 2027, per 247Sports. Haven also was named the Louisiana Gatorade Player of the Year He set state records for the most passing touchdowns in a single season (62), total touchdowns in a career (180) and most total touchdowns in a single season (73).

The junior finished with 3,909 yards, 62 touchdowns and only seven interceptions in 14 games. Haven also ran for 832 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Haven can now add one more accolade: state champion. If the numbers don’t already represent the season Haven achieved, just ask the coach who went against him in the state title game on Thursday

“He’s going to play on Sunday,” Calvary Baptist coach Rodney Guin said. “I can promise you that. He’s the No. 1 quarterback for a reason.”

Guin, who coached Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott in high school, said there were similarities in both having the ability to throw and run.

Haven stuffed the stat sheet every week with one goal in mind — winning a state title.

Dunham came close last year

The Tigers reached the state

title but fell to Catholic-NI 31-28.

Heading into the 2025 state title game, the team preached one message all week: Finish the job.

“I was going to do everything in preparation to get the job done,” Haven said.

Another aspect of his game that exemplifies his ability is his poise under pressure.

Dunham coach Neil Weiner was asked when he knew his team could be a state championship-caliber team. Despite several dominant wins, Weiner pointed to the team’s lone loss.

The Tigers trailed early against St. Charles in Week 3 of the season after Haven threw two interceptions.

“The way that Elijah responded,” Weiner said, “when I saw him come out and completely take over, busted a 60-yard run, he hits Trevor on a touchdown. I saw the way that we responded to that. I knew we had something pretty special.”

Despite the big numbers and accolades, Haven has always stayed focused on doing whatever it takes to help his team win.

Weiner recalled times when Haven has looked to get receivers touches when they haven’t recorded a reception in a game.

His selfless nature isn’t forced; it’s built into his DNA.

“I don’t think it’s even something that he has to intentionally think about,” Weiner said. “I think it’s just who he is.”

His top receiver, Jarvis Washington, echoed similar sentiments.

“I just love playing with the guy,” Washington said. “I love the guy outside of football. Just someone I can go to and just talk to whether it’s related to sports or not.”

Haven has already built one of the greatest legacies in Louisiana high school football history He’s sought after by nearly every college football program in the nation. With the season over, Haven will look to see what he can improve and avoid becoming content.

While replicating his gaudy numbers may be difficult, the quarterback has shown he’s not one to let challenges affect him in his pursuit of winning. Attention will turn to whether Haven can lead his side back to a state title in 2026, but for now, he’s focused on the present.

“We just won a state championship,” Haven said after the game. “I’m worried about going to celebrate with my guys after this.”

(Rauch kick)

(Blanchard

goal

Mendoza looking to add Heisman win for Indiana to college ride

BY MICHAEL MAROT Associated Press

On Saturday, he’ll be on stage for the real deal. Mendoza enters this weekend having won the Associated Press Player of the Year Award and as the favorite to win college football’s most prestigious individual award. He would be the first winner from Indiana University and the third with Hispanic roots — titles not lost on the once lightly recruited Miami native who started contemplating this storybook ending a few months ago.

“At the beginning of the year, I

saw the list of the top 10 Heisman contenders and evidently (my name) wasn’t there,” he said. “I was like, ‘Wow, I want to make a goal for myself.’ I prayed about, like, if I could make it to the ceremony, how cool that would be. Now that it’s come to fruition, I’m able to share that moment with people who appreciate it. It’s such a cool moment.”

For Mendoza, his first and likely only season in Bloomington has been filled with memories.

As fans watched him throw winning touchdown passes late in games against Iowa, Oregon and Penn State what he did behind the scenes — bonding with teammates, embracing family time and savoring special celebrations helped deliver program-changing victo-

ries like Saturday’s 13-10 victory over No. 1 Ohio State that gave Indiana its first Big Ten title since 1967, a 13-0 mark and the No. 1 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Along the way, Mendoza cherished his time studying film with his younger brother, Alberto, meeting with coaches and hearing students serenade him with chants of “HeisMendoza.”

The funny thing is Fernando Mendoza never sought the spotlight. He just wanted to win.

“He’s just the ultimate professional and a wonderful teammate,” starting center Pat Coogan said.

“He prepares like no one I’ve ever seen. He works his butt off like no one I’ve ever seen. He’s just an awesome locker room guy on top of that.”

When Mendoza entered the transfer portal last winter, he could have gone essentially anywhere. He chose Indiana because he knew coach Curt Cignetti would push him hard to improve. Mendoza knew of Cignetti’s reputation for developing quarterbacks. At North Carolina State, Cignetti worked with Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist Philip Rivers and helped recruit Super Bowl champ Russell Wilson. Then as Cignetti guided the most successful transition from the Football Championship Subdivision to the Football Bowl Subdivision he helped three quarterbacks win conference player of the year awards in five seasons. Last year, his first at Indiana,

Cignetti brought in 2023 MidAmerican Conference Player of the Year Kurtis Rourke, who led the Hoosiers to a school record 11 victories and their first playoff bid while earning second-team all-Big Ten honors.

When Cignetti did his homework on Mendoza, he saw something different from the late-bloomer “Being the film junkie I am, and making all the different cutups, occasionally I’d see plays from Fernando at Cal,” Cignetti said. “When he went in the portal, obviously we watched a lot of game tape on him and just really liked his stuff — the quick release, the arm, the mobility He’s a great person. He really prepares. He’s really smart, and he’s developed quite a bit since he’s been here.”

The Dunham football team poses with the trophy after winning the Division III select state championship on Thursday at the Caesars Superdome.

Baton Rouge Weather

BY TIMREYNOLDS AP basketballwriter

LAS VEGAS AllShai Gilgeous-Alexanderdid last season was lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to the NBA title, win ascoring crown, claim the league’sMVP award and cap it all off by winning NBA Finals MVP Only one thing was missing. Silly as it might sound for ateam that went 68-14inthe regularseason and won the NBA titleand is off to a record-tying 24-1 start this season, the NBA Cup is very much amotivator for the Thunder.They played in the Cup final last year and lost. They’re back in Las Vegas for the Cup semifinals this season, knowing the only trophy that got away last year is just two wins away.

“It would be phenomenal,” said Gilgeous-Alexander, whose Thunder are astaggering 88-17, including playoffs, since losinglast season’sCup final to Milwaukee. “Every game Iplay,weplay as ateam, we wake up in the morning and before the game starts wewant to win the game. Whenever you get achance to playfor something andwin, it’salways the goal to win. It’salways the same feeling. So it would be phenomenaltowin, that’s forsure.” The semifinals are Saturday: NewYork vs. Orlando from the Eastern Conference side of the bracket, San Antonio —withVictor Wembanyama back— vs. Oklahoma City on the WesternConference side.

“Their record is that forareason,” Spurs coach Mitch Johnson said. “Anduntil someoneknocks them off, obviously they are the champs.”

The winners will play Tuesday in the title game,one that won’tcount in the season’sstats or standings.

“You’ve got to give the NBA credit,” New York coach Mike Brown said. “Everybody naturally fights change or wantsto say somethingagainst change. I was one of those guys whenthey came up with the Cup idea, Iwas like, ‘Oh, man, for what? In the middle of the season? We are try-

ForThunder, theCup is thetrophythatgot away

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By KyLE PHILLIPS

Oklahoma CityThunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shoots during the second halfofanNBA Cupgameagainst the Oklahoma CityThunder on WednesdayinOklahoma City

ingtodothis and that andpractice and blah,blah, blah.’ Initially I doubted them on the Cup, initially Idoubted them on the play-in games, and they are both phenomenal. So, Ireally don’tknowwhat the hell I’m talking about.”

Brownlauded Commissioner Adam Silver for the innovations like the NBA Cup and the Play-In Tournament,bothofwhich have been widely considered as smashing successes.

Themotivatorfor the play-in games is simple:A spotinthe playoffs is on the line. The motivator forCup games is also simple: There’smoney upfor grabs. The teams that are here have clinched $106,187inprize money per player (half that amount fortwo-way players) so far. Semifinal winners seetheir totalpushedto$212,373 and for winningthe Cup, thenumber goes to $530,933. So, no, Tuesday nightwon’tcount in the standings, but more than $300,000 per player is at stake.

“When youare playing for something extra like that, you wanttogoafter it,” Orlando forward Paolo Banchero said. “And then Ithink as far as besidesthe money,I think it’sjust theatmospherethatiscreated when it’sa Cup game, whether it’s at home

or on theroad Iwouldn’tsay it’s aplayoffenvironment,but it’s definitely not anormal regularseason gameenvironment.Stuff is alittleelevated. Teams play a little harder.” It’s asmall sample size —this is only Year 3ofthe Cupevent but teams that have made it to Vegasinthe past have insisted that there were tangible, positive benefits. Indiana made it to the final against the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023-24 and thePacers saidthat fueled that runtothe Eastfinals in each of thefollowing two postseasons. Andthe Thunder said losing to Milwaukee provided valuablelessons on theirroadto last season’stitle

The Spurs haven’tbeen to the NBA Finals since2014. The Magic, not since 2009. The Knicks,not since 1999. The Cup isn’tthe finals, but seeds could be planted here to give some sort of glimpseofwhat that level looks like.

“I think it’s great for our guys thebright lights, thestakes,” Orlando coach Jamahl Mosley said. “I think these guys understand what is at stakeand theintensity, thefocus, the game planning that you have to go through. Thoseare such great pieces for us to experience.”

FeverstarClark says CBA negotiations arethe ‘biggest moment in WNBA history’

BY DOUG FEINBERG AP basketball writer

DURHAM, N.C.

Caitlin Clark understands the gravity of the WNBA’scurrent collective bargaining negotiations, calling it the “biggest moment in the history” of the league.

“It’snot something that can be messed up,”the Indiana Fever All-Star guard said after USABasketball camppractice Friday. “We’re going to fight for everything we deserve, but at the same time we need to play basketball. That’swhat ourfans crave. Youwantthe producton the floor.Inthe end of the day that’show you’re marketable, that’swhat the fans want to show up for.“

Players and owners are currentlyinnegotiations and meeting regularly.They extended aNov.30deadline until Jan 9afew weeks ago. Increased salaries andrevenue sharing are twobig areas that the sides aren’t close on.

Theleague offered amax salarythat would have aguaranteed a$1millionbase, withprojected revenue sharing pushing total earnings for max players to more than $1.2 million in 2026, according to aperson familiarwiththe negotiations. The personspoke to The Associated Press on Nov 30 on conditionofanonymity because of the sensitivity of the negotiations. The person confirmed Fridaythatthe numbers were still accurate but could go up in thenegotiations.

“It’s business, it’sanegotiation.There has to be compromise on both sides. It’sstarting to get down to the wire alittle bit. Obviously Iwant to help in anyway I can,” Clark said. “There are different things that we can say ‘we deserve that’ and aren’tgoing to compromise that, andother thingsthat we can probably compromise on.Like Isaid, this is the biggestmomentinthe history of theWNBA and Idon’twant that to be forgotten.” Clark, who has helped bring so muchattention to the league since getting drafted No. 1in

2024, hasbeen educating herself on key issues as wellastalking to members of the negotiating team, including Fever teammate Brianna Turner.Clarkwent to ameetingduringAll-Starweekend,but hasn’tbeen to one since.

USAteammateAngel Reese, who hasalso helpedbring more attention to the league since she wasarookie in 2024, appreciates what the union negotiators are doing.

“The vets have done agreat job speaking up forus. Nneka(Ogwumike), Satou (Sabally), (Napheesa Collier),all of them have done a great job,” Reese said. “They are doing it for our generation and the next to come. It’sgoing back and forth, but it’sreally important forustocontinue to be involved, collectively coming together and being one and not stopping until we get everything we want.”

Kelsey Plum is part of that executive committeefor the union and has been active in the negotiations. She’s been abit disappointed by the lack of progress.

“Tobehonest, it’sbeen disheartening, frustration in the negotiation and how farawaywe are,” shesaid. “WhatI’m proud of is we play with agroup of women who are united and are standing on something. It’snot just about us, it’sabout the future and women in general. Fighting for what needstobedone.Stand on that and chip away and hopefully get to something thatwe’rereally proud of.”

AP PHOTO By MATT KELLEy

Caitlin Clark dribbles the ball upcourtduring atraining camp for the U.S. women’snational team on Friday in Durham, N.C.

TerryRobinson

Hospice chaplain tellsstory of faith, trauma andrenewal

Don’texpect along read when you pick up Gracie Shavell’s first book, “Beauty Over Ashes: AMemoir of Love.”

But do expect apowerfulone as the BatonRouge hospice chaplain and Bethany Church member sharesher deeply personal journeyfrom child trauma to her strong faith.

Though concise at amere45 pages, “Beauty Over Ashes” packs apunch, beginning with the impactful opening chapter titled “El Nehekumah: The God Who Gives Comfort.” Shavell quickly takes readers to that fateful day of March 1996, when her mother sufferedwhat turned out to be afatal seizure.

That was also the day that young Shavell showed the instincts that now guide her work with hospice patients

“I vividly remember comforting my older cousins who were in my bedroom awaiting the final verdict of my mother’s status,” Shavell writes. “I went to them to comfortthem. I remember hugging them and tellingthemthat ‘Everything is going to be okay.’ It was at that momentthatfour-year-old me acted like acaregiver and the caregiving hasn’tended.”

JOHNSON

BORN BY THERIVER

Before theChristmas Evebonfi

Shavell’sroad to caregiver wasn’twithout its challenges and pain.

It wasn’tuntil her early teen years that growing up without amother caused Shavell to have bitterness, anger andresentmenttoward God. More family deaths only compounded her resentment.

“As life begantochange for me, the older Ibecame, I battled withhow alovingGod would allow me to go through such an early age,” writes Shavell, anative of Starkville, Mississippi. Her world grew dark. She became rebellious and suicidal. Sheexploreddemonic activities and engaged in “sexual sin.” The trauma of losing her mother so young affected her until she was30, Shavell writes However,through school and street ministry workinNew Orleans, Shavell found purpose and arelationshipwith God though she had grown up in the church —that has remained unwavering.

“My surrender to the Lord on December 31, 2009, was only the beginning of my transformation into being a‘new creation in Christ.’ The more Isurrendered to the Lord, the more my life began to reflect that surrender,” Shavell wrote. She devotes the remainder of the book to sharing her spiritual and professionaljourneys, including her entry into social work, her studies at New Orleans Baptist Theological

ä See CHAPLAIN, page 2D

howLutcher andGramercygot

BY RICHARD CAMPANELLA Contributing writer

On Christmas Eve, thousands of people will enjoy the annual spectacle of bonfires on the levee in theSt. James Parish towns of Lutcher and Gramercy

These River Road communities exude asense of history,one in which colonistsfrom France and Germany,aswell as enslaved West Africans and French Acadian refugees, settled over the course of the1700s and created a plantationeconomy still discernible today

Butagriculturedevelopment andtown formation aretwo different processes, and historically alongthe RiverRoad,the latter was rather scarce. Only two sizable townsemerged between Baton Rougeand greater New Orleansbefore theCivil War: Plaquemine and Donaldsonville, both of whichformed at bayous

(Plaquemine and Lafourche) forking off from theMississippi River. Most otherantebellum River Road communities were littlemore than hamlets or enclaves gathered around courthouses, churches or intersections.

This paucity of urbanism may be attributedtothe plantations themselves, which, by forcing and coercing Black families to liveon-site, usurped social forces

People taketheir time to gettheir last photos of the traditional Christmas Evebonfires along theMississippi River in Lutcher.| STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL

BY MADDIE SCOTT

PROVIDED PHOTOByRICHARD CAMPANELLA

The former Lyon Cypress Lumber Companyheadquarters in Garyville

Couple pondersreal estateinvestment

Dear Harriette: Ilive with my boyfriend. We rentan apartment together and split all of our expenses. I’ve been able to save up, and now Iaminterested in investing in real estate. Idon’tknow what that means for me and my boyfriend, though. Imentioned my interest to him a few months back to see what he thinks, and he thinks real estate would be greatfor “us.” At this time, Idon’tintend to purchase property with my boyfriend. It doesn’tfeel wise to me. If we were married or at least engaged, I’d feel differently

RELIGION BRIEFS

St. Luke’shosts

LongestNight Service

lighting, and stillness invite participants to honor loss,seekpeace, andremember thathoperemains,even during life’s darkest seasons. All are welcome.

Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

My boyfriend has brought it up afew times since our first conversation, so Iexplained my stance, and he doesn’tthink our relationshipstatus should be what hindersusfrom making a good investment together He said he’shappy to do things separately if that’s what Ireally want, but now Ifear I’ve thrown awrench in our relationship. Am I seeing this all wrong? Is purchasing ahome together much different from being on alease together? —Major Investment Dear Major Investment: It

sounds like you two needto have adifferent conversation.What do youwantfor the future?Doyou want to be in acommitted relationship with each other? Do you want to get married? Does he? What does your future look like in your mind’seye? Yes, amortgage is morepermanent and serious than alease, but many couples buy propertytogether withoutbeing married. Youtwo need to deal with thefuture of your relationship before tying up more resources together. Dear Harriette: My husband has recently been talking nonstop about moving out of Los Angeles andstarting over in the suburbs He says he’stired of the traffic, the noise, the cost of living— basicallyall the things that makeL.A. what it is —and he wantsmore space, ayard and what he calls a“calmer life.” The problemis, Ilove where we live. My job is here, my friendsare here and,honestly,I’m energized by the city.Igrew up in asmall town, and theidea of going back to suburbiamakes me feel likeI’m losinga piece of myself. We’ve gone back and forth aboutit, but every

conversation turns into an argument. He keeps saying I’m being stubborn, and I feel like he’snot hearing how big of achange this would be for me. Iworry that if Igive in, I’ll resent him later,but if he stays, he’ll resent me. We’ve even started avoiding the topic because we’re afraid of another blowup, which feels unhealthy.How do we find common ground when we want completely different lifestyles? What happens if neither of us is willing to compromise? —ToMove or Not To Move Dear To Move or Not To Move: This is atough one. Someone is going to need to compromise. Onething Iknow is that there are many suburbs around Los Angeles, and you may be able tofind aneighborhood that you bothlike, one that is not too far away but that affords a bit morespace and comfort It is worth driving around and looking. If you at least offer to consider his idea, it may open him up to reconsidering yours. Send questions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o Andrews McMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

St. Luke’sEpiscopal Church, 8833 Goodwood Blvd., Baton Rouge, invites the community to its annual LongestNight Service on Dec. 21, at 6p.m. in Witter Hall.

This service is designed for anyone grieving, struggling, or feeling overwhelmed during the holiday season.Often referred to as a“Blue Christmas” service, it offers space for reflection, comfort,and hope, regardlessofone’schurch background.

Gentle hymns, candle

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday, Dec. 13, the 347th day of 2025. There are 18 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Dec. 13, 2003, Saddam Hussein was captured by U.S. forces while hiding in ahole under afarmhouse in Adwar,Iraq, near his hometown of Tikrit

Also on this date: In 1862, Union forces led by Maj. Gen. Ambrose Burnside launched failed frontal assaults against entrenched Confederate soldiers during theCivil WarBattle of Fredericksburg; thesoundly defeated Northern troops withdrew two days later after suffering heavy casualties.

Downtown Christmas Pilgrimage returns

The annual Downtown Christmas Pilgrimage returns on Dec. 23, offering afestive walking tour of several downtown Baton Rouge churches. At each stop, guests will enjoy seasonal music presented by the host congregation.

The evening begins with

TODAYINHISTORY

in Florida; Democrat Al Gore conceded, delivering acall fornational unity

In 2001, the Pentagon publicly released acaptured videotape of Osama bin Laden in which the al-Qaida leader said the deaths and destruction achieved by the Sept. 11 attacks exceeded his “most optimistic” expectations.

In 2014, thousands of protesters marched in NewYork, Washington and other U.S. cities to call attention to the killing of unarmed Black men by White police officers.

Dear Heloise: Overthe years, Ihave sent many wedding and graduation giftsinthe form of cash tucked into cards. About 1in20gifts resultedinathank-you note. And Iknow why.The envelopes are opened, the cash is separated from the card, and no note is made as to who gave what and how much. Now some people simply don’thave the good manners to respond, and others don’t know to whom or how to respond. Inow give personal checks. My name and address are embossed on the checks. And, of course, the dollar amounts arereadily apparent. Hence, there are no excuses for bad manners.Even so, the recipients’ check endorsement signatures are usually the only acknowledgments that Ireceive.

Cleaning outjars

Dear Heloise: It’s best to remove all thefood remnants from jars and bottles before recycling, but getting jars of peanut butter clean can beespecially challenging. Irecently tried this: Fill thecontainer halfwaywith hot water, then pour in a“spritz” of liquid dishwashing detergent.Next, pourin aheapingteaspoon of uncooked rice (or any small, gritty particles). Replace thelid andshake vigorously. Thecombination of rice pieces, detergent and hot water should clean outthe jar —Jerry Laub, in Ohio

Placemat hint

Atrue bonus is the occasional “thank you” scrawled beneath the check endorsement. —Charles Tibbals, via email

CHAPLAIN

Continued from page1D

Seminary,her work in various ministries and her eventual calling into chaplaincy. Each of the first seven chapters is titled with a name of God, culminating in Chapter 7: “Yeshua, Lord of My Salvation.” Shavell pauses to offer an invitation to salvation for readers

Dear Heloise: Some time ago, Ibought some place mats that lnever used This morning, Iused them to line the drawerwhere I keepmybaking pans.Neat! Also, in preparation for another snowy winter,I

searching for hope. She then closes thebook with awisdom-packed bonus chapter titled,“What IWish They WouldHave Told Me.” An inspiring memoir, “Beauty Over Ashes” reminds readers that Godcan indeed bring beauty from ashes.

Contact Terry Robinson at terryrobinson622@gmail. com.

purchased amat to go under my car in the garage, which will, in theory,catch theslush and salt from the roadways on mycar.Inorder to linethe car up properly,Iuse thecamera on thedash to guide my entry into thegarage. —Madeline C., in Rutland,Vermont Peaches

Dear Heloise: My husband and Ilove local peaches. We anxiously await the new harvest in theearly summer.The season ending is hard on us. We learned that sometimes thepeaches at theend of the season have been in cold storage for too long and don’ttaste very good. Cooking them into a sauce solves the problem! The peaches seem to taste great as asauce. Iadd a tablespoon of sugar to five or six peaches and ashake of cinnamon. It is afavorite of ours, especially with cottagecheese. —Pam R., in St. Louis

Send ahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

In 1937, during theSecond Sino-Japanese War, Japanese soldiers captured theChinese cityofNanjing and began what would be aweekslong massacre of an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 citizens, war prisoners and soldiers

In 1996, theU.N. SecurityCouncil chose Kofi Annan of Ghana tobecome theworld body’sseventh secretary-general.

In 2019, the House Judiciary Committee approved twoarticles of impeachmentaccusing President Donald Trumpofabuse of power in his dealings with Ukraine and obstruction of Congress in the investigation that followed. He would later be acquitted by the Senate.

In 2022, President Joe Biden signed the Respect forMarriage Act providing federal recognition and protection forsame-sex and interracial marriages, calling it “a blow against hate in all its forms.”

Today’sbirthdays: Actor-

Places of Worship Directory

is 83. Rock musician Jeff “Skunk” Baxter is 77. Rock musician TedNugent is 77. Country singer-musician Randy Owen (Alabama) is 76. Actor Wendie Malick is 75. Country musician John Anderson is 71. Actor Steve Buscemi is 68. Singer-actor Morris Dayis 68. Football Hall of Famer Richard Dent is 65. Actorcomedian Jamie Foxx is 58.

star NeNe Leakes is 58. Hockey Hall of Famer Sergei Fedorov is

Rock singer-musician TomDelonge (Blink-182) is 50. Rock singer Amy Lee (Evanescence) is 44. Singer-songwriter

Thecaseofthe slippery,sliding salmon

Dear Miss Manners: Ifrequently attend luncheons at which the entree consists of bagels, lox (smoked salmon) and cream cheese. Bagels have grown in size substantially since my childhood. Nowadays, awhole bagel is too much for me, so Icarefully take one half with the tongs provided. Ispread it with cream cheese,then lay a slice or two of lox on top. But no matter how carefully or slowly or seemingly thoroughly Ibite into this open-faced sandwich, it is inevitable that theslice of lox slides off the top with my teeth embedded in it —dangling there, despite the gluey nature of the cream cheese

This is very unattractive. I cameupwith asolution that worksfor me: Ihold the bagelinone hand and a fork in theother.Ipress down with the fork near where Itakeeach bite, thus anchoring the slice of lox.Success! Am Ihorriblyoff base?

that otherwise would have spawned nucleated communities. Plantations effectively replaced villages and towns, “providing” everything from housing and food production to light industry and alanding on the river This is why plantations had names —just like towns. Which brings us to Lutcher and Gramercy,the two communitiesmost associated with the bonfire tradition, as well as nearby Garyville. None of these incorporated towns existed in antebellum times; rather,they were products of northern industrialists of the Gilded Age who saw lucrative opportunities along the bucolic River Road.

They speak to the fact that much of the blossoming of Louisiana’svillages, towns and smallcities occurred after theCivil War, in what the historian Lawrence N. Powell has describedas “post-emancipation micropolitanization.” That spurtof community formationcame in part from the liberation of enslaved families,asthey moved off former plantations, and in part from out-ofstate industrialists,who saw new investment opportunities in post-bellum Louisiana.

In 1877, Pennsylvaniatimber tycoons Henry Jacob Lutcher and G. Bedell Moore built amill in Orange, Texas, to processcypress trees from the Sabine River basin. In the infamous tactic that would come to be known as “cut and run,” Lutcher and Moore soon depleted this natural resource and sought anew supply elsewhere. They found one 200 miles to the east, in the Maurepas Basin, access to which could be gained by laying railroad tracks along the River Road and digging canal networks into the swamp.

In 1889, the Lutcher-Moore Company bought the Chenet Plantation in St. James Parish, and in 1892, established

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Gentle reader: Well, the lox is staying on base, so we are halfway there. Youcould also use adiscreet finger to hold it in place, as long as you find aplace to wash offany lingering fish smell afterward

Athird option would be to take thelox off of thebagel and cut it on yourplate —preferably with afish knife —and then return it

to thebagel, matching bite sizes with lox pieces. Butreally,the fork method is acceptable, as long as you do it discreetly —and, Miss Manners warns, as long as you promise not to turn your head too quickly, stabbing yourself in thecheek in theprocess. Dear Miss Manners: Iwonder if there is aproper way to greet people you never speak to, but see all the time, when you suddenly run intothem in an entirely different setting. Irefer to them as the “SNOW” people: those you see regularly at work, school, thegym,church or around the neighborhood, with whom you always exchange a friendly Smile, Nod Or Wave. Then one day,you see them

at the supermarket. Your initial reaction is surprise (as if they don’texist outside the sphere you know them from), followed by joy and adesire to embrace them like along-lost friend …until you recover yoursenses and realize, with acute embarrassment, that you don’teven know their first name!

It seems silly to say,“What are you doing here?” since the answer is obvious, but to ignore them seems equally rude. Do you exchange another friendly SNOW greeting andmove on? Or does etiquette require actually speaking to them —for perhaps the first time ever?

Gentlereader: Another friendly SNOW. This necessitates, however,athird reaction in your reper-

adepot in collaborationwith the MississippiValleyRailroad.The company then constructed what aPicayune journalistin1895 described as “the largest and most complete sawmill plant in the state… furnishing the beautifulcrimson-heart Pontchartrain cypress to every state in the union, upinto Canada.”

In an adjacent parcel, the company laid out “wide, regular streets and shaded avenues lined withpretty and commodious houses,” all with “theair of athriving village,” and named it after cofounder Henry Jacob Lutcher.The quintessential company town,Lutcher became home to over700 people employed atthe ever-growing complex of factoriesproducing lumber,shingles, sashes, doors and blinds. While the workers and theirfamiliesgot by,the company andits investors prospered.“If we rich men of Louisiana did not show herwealth of products to the world,” asked HenryJacob Lutcher,“whowould?”

As would happen elsewhere inLouisiana, however,the old-growth timber eventually grew scarce and inaccessible.The company shutteredits mill in 1931, leaving residents to return to farming or fur-trapping, else find jobs in the emerging oil-processing industry. Today,what remains of Lutcher’stimber-townorigins is anumber of oldcompanyhouses, many still occupied,and awood hatchet on thetown logo.

As Lutcher grew,competingcompanies also eyed

Maurepas timber andsurveyedthe RiverRoad for industrialperches.In1903, the Illinois-based Lyon Lumber Company acquired the Glencoe, Emilie and Hope plantations in St. John the BaptistParish, whichtogether extended deep into theMaurepas Basin

Claimingitowned thefinestcypress tract in the world, the Lyon Cypress Lumber Companybuilt asawmill equal to the task of harvesting it, located five miles downriver from Lutcher Likeits competitor,Lyon also built housing for its workers and their families and named the town after its director,JohnW.Gary Featuring stores, abank, theater,hotel, meeting hall, church and threetrain stations, Garyville exemplified the planned company town andrather quickly surpasseda thousand residents. Butaswould happen in Lutcher,the boom soon turnedtobust. After Lyon’s cypressstands wereall felled by 1915, thecompany switched to harvesting yellow pine on the northern side of the Maurepas Basin, whereitestablishedanother companytown calledLivingston.

As the pine began to dwindle, aseries of fires destroyedstacks of stored lumber, further undercutting profits. Operations ceased on both sides of the lake in 1931, same year as in Lutcher,and today,all thatremains of Garyville’s raisond’être is theold Lyon Lumber Companyheadquarters, recently amuseum

As Pennsylvaniaindustrialistsestablished Lutcher and gave it aGerman name, and as Illinois magnates founded Garyville and gave it an Anglo name, New York tycoonsestablished another industrial town in between and named it after,ofall things, their tony Manhattan neighborhood. Their firm, ColonialSugars,specialized in building centralized rail-linked sugar plantstoreplace thesmall plantation-based mills from antebellum times. They teamed with the Illinois Central Railroad, which ran its trains on theYazoo &Mississippi Valley tracks through the sugar parishesfrom Baton Rouge down to New Orleans

In 1894, Illinois Central executives acquiredthe Golden Grove Plantation in St.James Parish and collaborated with Colonial Sugars in building amodernsugar plant to process cane raised on regional plantations. Because the president and vice president of Illinois Central —both of whom were majorstockholdersinColonial Sugars— lived in Manhattan’sGramercy Park, they named theirLouisiana investmentafter theirfaraway urban neighborhood. In 1902, Colonial Sugars greatlyexpanded its Gramercy operation by openinga full-scale refinery to granulate sugar for nationaldistribution, for whichitbuilt workerhousing, aschool, churchand recreational facilities. As Gramercy grew, the refinery changed hands, becom-

toire, which is asomewhat deflated, but still polite, realization that you are only acquaintances. The person will likely mirror your reaction and be similarly content to movealong.

But if you are ready to transition to afull-on greeting and nameexchange, Miss Manners assures you that that is an option —provided you are able to muster mutual consent from the other party

Send questions to Miss Manners at herwebsite,www missmanners.com; to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail.com; or through postal mail to Miss Manners, Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City,MO 64106.

ing the Cuban-American Sugar Company,Savannah Foodsand Industry andImperial Sugar Now jointly operated by Cargill and Louisiana Sugar Growers and Refiners,Inc., the Gramercy plant is now second in size to the Domino refinery in St. Bernard Parish —which, incidentally played asimilar role in catalyzing Arabiand Chalmette following its opening in 1912. Unlike the long-gone timber mills of its neighbors, Gramercy’sraisond’être still dominates the townscape andremains an important part of the local economy.

The stories of Lutcher, Gramercy and Garyville, now home to over 8,000 people, serve to remind that River Road historical narratives often tend to elide thegritty circa-1900 industrialperiod, emphasizing instead the antebellum plantation era.

The communities of Avondale,Norco, Reserve and White Castle also trace their origins to industry (shipbuilding, oil processing, sugar processing and timber milling), while Plaquemine, establishedin1819 as a transshipment point, reinvented itself in the 1890s by also becoming atimber town.

Thelate-1800s period of “micropolitanization”(town formation) also demonstrates that industry along the River Road did notbegin

with the modern petrochemical sector,but rather with prior investments in railroads, electrification, mass production and nationalization of consumer markets. Like the petrochemical plants of today,these past industries also had their share of environmentalimpacts. Next time you fly out of MSY look westward toward Pass Manchacand the Maurepas Swamp. Youcan still see the hub-and-spoke patterns of the timber-extraction canals, amid amorass of secondgrown vegetation and the occasional stump. Cut and run. Industry-drivenmicropolitanization may nottella particularly romantic story, nor is it as poignant as the antebellum plantations or as spectacular as the Christmas bonfires. But it is amajorpartofour history and geography,along the River Road and statewide.

Richard Campanella, ageographer with theTulaneSchool of Architecture and Built Environment, is theauthor of “Crossroads, Cutoffs, and Confluences:Origins of Louisiana Cities, Towns, and Villages”; “Draining NewOrleans”; “Bourbon Street: AHistory”;and other booksfrom LSU Press. He maybereached at richcampanella.com, rcampane@tulane.edu, or @nolacampanella on X.

PROVIDED PHOTO By RICHARD CAMPANELLA Sugar mill in Gramercy

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Let your charm lead the way, and you'll dazzle. Focus on personal gain, growth and quality of life. Your confident attitude will make onlookers gravitate toward you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) A change in routine or pastimes will broaden your outlook and encourage you to get out and meet interesting people. Check out what's available in your community, and personal growth will sprout

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Mental and physical interaction will encourage you to share your thoughts and strive for a richer, fuller everyday routine. Improve your life without spending money.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Take a step back and a moment to recognize what's working for you and what isn't. Distance yourself from takers and people who drain and deplete you mentally, physically and financially.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Pay attention, nurture meaningful relationships and update your appeal and pastimes to suit your mood and schedule. Change begins with you. Take the initiative and don't look back.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Homeimprovements and open discussions with loved ones will pave the way to a better environment. Honesty is necessary if you want to reach common ground.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Beonthelookout for opportunities. Make a difference by donating your time and offering your

skills, knowledge and experience to a cause that motivates you.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Take a serious look at what you've accomplished and what's left undone. Thoughts followed by actions will lead to new beginnings; they're never easy, but they're always rewarding.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Socializing will be a blast if you stick to what you can afford and handle. Indulgence may tempt you, but the best results will come from dedicating your time, patience and expenses to something that makes you feel good.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Take a moment to rejuvenate. Consider what's working for you and let go of what isn't It's time to explore the possibilities, make changes and fulfill your long-term desires.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Travel, consider options and initiate change. Don't rely on others or settle for living someone else's dream. Be the master of your destiny.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) A change of scenery will alter your perspective and help you explore your dreams from various angles. Realizing that you don't need to overspend or indulge to be happy will help you pay off debt and ease stress.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2021 by NEA, Inc., dist.

By Andrews McMeel Syndication

FAMILY CIrCUS

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

TODAy'S CLUE: K EQUALS B

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

And erneSt

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

bIG nAte

Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. Theobject is to place the numbers 1to9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. Thedifficulty level of theSudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

nea CroSSwordS La TimeS CroSSword

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIP ALDER

After the opener bids one of asuitand the next player makes atakeout double, if the responder redoubles, it shows at least 10 high-card points and often a desire to try to penalize the opponents. So, if fourth hand (the advancer) bids a suit, the opener (unless he can double with length there) typically passes to give his partner achance to double.

In contrast, what does it mean if the opener bids immediately, in front of his partner?

The answer is that the opener has a minimum or subminimum opening bid with offensive, not defensive, values.

An exampleisthe North hand in the diagram. He has only 11 high-card points and ahand that is built for declarer play, not defense. South, atad disappointed, signs offinthree no-trump.

West leads the heartthree, and East putsinthe eight.Afterwinning withhis king, how should declarer proceed?

Southstartswith only five top tricks: onespade,twoheartsandtwodiamonds. However, he can hope to win at least six diamondtricks,ifnotseven.Buthemust be careful not to play adiamond to dummy’s jack. Then he wouldfallfoul of the foul 4-0 split

Instead,declarer must finessedummy’s nine on thefirst round. Here, he ends with 11 tricks: onespade, two hearts,sevendiamondsandoneclub.But even if East could take the first diamond trick, the contract wouldbesafe. Finally, notethat many expertsplay an immediate jump rebid by opener also indicates abare11or12points,witha hand having even more winnersand scant defensive values. ©2025 by NEA,Inc dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

Each Wuzzle is awordriddlewhich creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIOns: 1. Words must be of fourormore letters. 2. Words that acquire fourletters 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 wordsare not allowed tODAY’s WORD OARsMEn: ORZ-men: Thosewho row, especially in aracing crew.

YEstERDAY’s WORD —ADMIRER

Average mark37words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 51 or morewords in OARSMEN? admire aide

mire

rearm ride rider rime emir

wuzzles

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles

hidato

mallard fillmore

1.

3.

4. LOG ATTENDANCE

The following members wererecorded as being present: Messrs. Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Gary Joseph, and Mrs. Katherine Andre.

Absent: Mr.Kirk Allain Also present were, Mr.Jason Manola, Parish President, Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne, Executive Assistant, Mr.Chance Stephens, Director of Finance, Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne, Director of Public Works, Ms. Kristen Canezaro, and Mrs. Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk.

5. MINUTES APPROVAL

A. Approval of Minutesfromthe Regular Meeting of October 23, 2025, and Budget HearingsofOctober 27th and 28th 2025. Amotion was made by Council Member Brady Hotard, seconded by Council Member Kenneth Gordon to approve the Minutes from the Regular Meeting of October 23, 2025, and Budget Hearings of October 27th and 28th 2025.

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:1 Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

6. CONSIDER ANY AMENDMENTSTOTHE AGENDA Therewerenoitems to consider at this time.

7. PARISH PRESIDENT’S REPORT

Parish President Jason Manola was recognized and covered the following items: Recent Parish President Meeting, at which DOTD Sec. Ledet spoke brieflyabout the 415-connector project; Update on Jail funding; BRAC recent meetings on Regional Focus; Recent Veterans Day Celebration; Reminded everyone about the November 15th Renewals.

8. PUBLIC COMMENTS

Mr.Brent Callais was recognized to speak brieflyonthe Carbon CaptureSequestration Injection Wells which arebeing proposed for the local areas between Iberville and West Baton Rouge Parish.

Mr.Callais informed everyone about the upcoming Town Hall meeting at the Island Golf Course on December 2nd.

9. COMMUNICATIONS WITH COUNCIL MEMBERS AND/OR ELECTED OR APPOINTED OFFICIALS

Mr.Chance Stephens was recognized and brieflyreviewed the updated year-to-datebudget to actual numbers through October 2025. Said numbers can be found at the end of these minutes. Mr Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and reviewed the following projects: 190 Bridge, re-pavement of 190 from bridge to overpass, La 1rework, with no updated from DOTD,Court St.project to let on the 10th, Addis sidewalk project update, La1/415 connector project down to final alternatives, Lukeville Drainage study,and Addis drainage study updates. Ms. Tamie Martin, Parish Librarian was recognized and reminded everyone about the upcoming millage renewals.

10. PUBLIC HEARING ON PREVIOUSLYINTRODUCED ORDINANCES

A. An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances, Part II (General Code of Ordinances), Chapter 70 (“Roadsand Drainage”),Section 70-5 (“Bridge Standards and Permitting)

The Chairman opened apublic hearing for the purpose of receiving comment regarding the aforementioned item.

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and asked the Council to deny this proposed ordinance as it is written, noting thereare a few changes that in his opinion need to be made before adoption. Mr.Larry Johnson, was recognized and expressed his opinion as adeveloper on the bridge standards that he feels would be adequate, and also mentioned afew things for the Councilto consider when making this decision.

No further public comments for or against said ordinance were presented. No written protests opposing the ordinance were received. The Council Chairman at this point declared the Public Hearing closed.

Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, seconded by Council Member Katherine Andreto deny An Ordinance To Amend And Reenact The West Baton Rouge Parish Code Of Ordinances,Part II (General Code of Ordinances), Chapter 70 (“Roads and Drainage”), Section 70-5(“Bridge Standards and Permitting),atthe request of the administration.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:1 Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

11.RESOLUTIONS

A. AResolution To Authorize The Parish President To Execute The Entity-State Agreements Between The Parish Of West Baton Rouge And The Louisiana Department Of TransportationFor Funding And Responsibility of CourtStreet Sidewalk Project (State Project Number H.016450, LA 76:Multi-Use PathAnd Sidewalks Phase 2, WBR Parish)

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained the reason for this resolution. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, therewerenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Kenneth Gordon, seconded by Council Member Gary Joseph to approve A Resolution To Authorize The Parish President To Execute The Entity-State Agreements Between The Parish OfWest Baton RougeAnd The Louisiana Department Of Transportation For Funding And Responsibility of Court Street Sidewalk Project (State Project Number H.016450, LA 76:Multi-Use Path And Sidewalks Phase 2, WBR Parish).

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph) NAYS: 0(None) ABSENT:1 Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresultofthe votes, the motion Passed. Resolution 30 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

B. AResolution Authorizing The Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Hawthorn,Waymouth&Carroll, LLP For Council Annual Audit And AUP (Agreed Upon Procedures) AuditFor TheYear 2025.

Mr.Stephens was again recognized and explained the reason for this resolution. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, therewerenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl Turf” Babin, seconded by Council Member Katherine Andretoapprove AResolution Authorizing The Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Hawthorn, Waymouth &Carroll, LLP For Council Annual Audit And AUP (Agreed Upon Procedures) Audit For The Year 2025.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph) NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 1Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Resolution 31 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

C. AResolution Authorizing The Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Ericksen Krentel, LLP.For Annual Audit Of West Baton Rouge Parish Natural Gas And Water Systems For The Year 2025

Mr.Stephens was again recognized and explained the reason for this resolution. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, there werenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Kenneth Gordon, seconded by Council Member Gary Joseph to approve A Resolution Authorizing The Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Ericksen Krentel, LLP.For Annual Audit Of West Baton Rouge Parish Natural Gas And Water Systems For The Year 2025.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 1Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Resolution 32 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

D. AResolution Authorizing The Parish President To Enter Into An Agreement With The Louisiana Housing Corporation In Order To Comply With The Requirements Of The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grant

Mr.Chance Stephens was recognized and explained the reason for this resolution. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, therewerenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Gary Joseph, seconded by Council Member Kenneth Gordon to approve AResolution

Authorizing The Parish President To Enter Into An Agreement With The Louisiana Housing Corporation In Order To Comply With The Requirements Of The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) Grant

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 1Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed. Resolution 33 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

E. AResolution Authorizing The Parish President To Enter Into ACooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Department of Treasury

Mr.Stephens was again recognized and explained the reason for this resolution. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, therewerenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Brady Hotard, seconded by Council Member Kenneth Gordontoapprove AResolution

Authorizing The Parish President To Enter Into ACooperative Endeavor Agreement with the Louisiana Department of Treasury

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 1Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

Resolution 34 of 2025 can be found at the end of these minutes.

12. CONSIDER STATUS REPORT, CHANGE ORDER AND/OR OTHER MATTERS AS REQUIRED ON CURRENT PROJECTS

A. Consider Approval of Change Order No1 for Pickle Ball Court Project.

Mr.Phillip Bourgoyne was recognized and explained the reasons for the Change Order of $47,400.00 being proposed and answered afew questions from the Council.Chairman Denstel asked if there wereany further comments, therewerenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Katherine Andre, seconded by Council Member Gary Joseph to approve Change Order No1inthe amount of $47,400.00 dollars and a30-day extension for the PickleBall Court Project.

The vote was recorded as follows:

YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel, Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT: 1Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None)

As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

13. INTRODUCTION OF ORDINANCES Mrs. Tullier,Council Clerk read by title the below proposed ordinance/s being introduced and publicized by title, and considered for adoption following apublic hearing as specified below,at5:30 pm in the Council Chambers, located at 880 North Alexander Avenue, Port Allen, La.: A. An Ordinance Adopting An Operating Budgets Of Revenues And Expenditures For WBR Parish Council For The Fiscal Year Beginning January 1, 2026 And Ending December 31, 2026, For The 2026 Budgets, Capital Road Program, FireProtection District No. 1And Five Year Capital ExpenditureBudget (Including The Department Of Utilities) As Reviewed At The 2026 Budget Meetings Of October 27, 2025 &October 28, 2025. Public Hearing Date: December 11, 2025

14. CONSIDER SUBDIVISIONPLATS, CONDEMNATIONS, WAIVERS AND MATTERSRELATED THERETO A. File #2025-25: FINAL PLATSHOWING THEBOUNDARY SURVEY AND COMBINATION OF THREE SEPARATE PARCELS OF LAND INTO ONE LOT THEREBY CREATING NEW LOT BEING DESIGNATED AS TK-1 THIS SURVEY LOCATED IN SECTION20, TOWNSHIP 8SOUTH, RANGE 12 EAST,S.E. LAND DISTRICT,WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER,WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, STATEOFLOUISIANA FOR TERENCE T. KELLYAND PATTI JACKSON KELLY6512 S. RIVER ROAD PORT ALLEN, LA 70767with Waiver Lot Width

Mr.Brandon Bourgoyne was recognized and explained the reasons for the aforementioned Final Plat coming beforethe Council,heexplained the reasons for the waiver for lot width being that these lots arealready existing, and this actually combines the lots and makes the situation better in his opinion. Chairman Denstel asked if therewereany further comments, there werenone at this time.

Amotion was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, seconded by Council Member Atley Walker to approve with waiver/s File #2025-25: FINAL PLATSHOWINGTHE BOUNDARY SURVEYAND COMBINATION OF THREE SEPARATEPARCELS OF LAND INTO ONE LOT THEREBY CREATING NEW LOT BEING DESIGNATED AS TK-1 THIS SURVEY LOCATED IN SECTION20, TOWNSHIP 8SOUTH,RANGE 12 EAST,S.E. LAND DISTRICT, WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH, STATEOFLOUISIANAFOR TERENCET.KELLYAND PATTI JACKSON KELLY6512 S. RIVER ROAD PORTALLEN, LA 70767WITH WAIVER LOT WIDTH

The vote was recorded as follows: YEAS: 8(Daryl “Turf” Babin, Atley Walker,Brady Hotard, Kenneth Gordon, Carey Denstel,Alan Crowe, Katherine Andre, Gary Joseph) NAYS: 0(None) ABSENT:1 Kirk Allain ABSTAIN: 0(None) As aresult of the votes, the motion Passed.

15. CORRESPONDENCE REPORT Correspondence Report from CouncilClerk, Mrs. Michelle Tullier included the following items: Next Planning and Zoning Meeting is December 2, 2025 at 5:30pm; Next Council Meeting is December 11, 2025 at 5:30pm.

AResolution To Authorize The Parish President To Execute The EntityState Agreements Between The Parish Of West Baton Rouge And The Louisiana Department Of Transportation For Funding And Responsibility Sidewalk Project (State Project Number H.016450, La 76 Multi-Use Path And Sidewalks Phase 2, Court Street)

WHEREAS West Baton Rouge Parish Government has sought and successfully secured partial funding for the Court Street sidewalk project, in order to securesaid funding, the Parish is required to enter into various Agreements with the funding agency (DOTD) AND

WHEREAS

agreement being between West Baton Rouge Parish Government and the State of Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development. NOW THEREFORE BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,tothe extent that prior resolutions or acts of this council which conflict with this resolution, those prior resolutions and actions aresuperseded by this

AMOTION

YEAS:8 (Gordon,

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:1 (Allain)

ABSTAIN:

Day of November,2025

CERTIFICATE

I, Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk of the West Baton Rouge Parish Council do hereby certify that the above and foregoing is true and correctcopy of aresolution adopted by said body at its Regular Meeting of November 13, 2025 at which meeting amajority of the members werepresent and voting.

RESOLUTION 31 OF 2025

AResolution AuthorizingThe Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Hawthorn, Waymouth &Carroll, LLP For Council Annual Audit And AUP (Agreed Upon Procedures) Audit For The Year 2025.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the West Baton Rouge Parish Council does hereby authorize the Parish President to sign the commitmentletter with Hawthorn, Waymouth &Carroll, LLP for the annual audit and AUP audit for the year 2025.

The foregoing resolution was considered, and, after public discussion, amotion to approve was made by Council Member Daryl “Turf” Babin, which was seconded by Council Member Katherine Andre.

The resolution having been submitted to avote, the vote thereon was as follows:

YEAS:8 (Gordon, Joseph, Walker,Denstel,Babin, Crowe, Hotard, Andre)

NAYS: 0(None)

ABSENT:1 (Allain)

ABSTAIN: 0(None) AND the resolution was declared adopted on this 13th Day of November 2025

CERTIFICATE

I, Michelle Tullier,Council Clerk of the West Baton Rouge Parish Council

do hereby certify that the above and foregoing is atrue and correct copy of aresolution adopted by said body at its Regular Meeting of November 13, 2025 at which meeting amajority of the members werepresent and voting.

RESOLUTION 32 OF 2025

16. ADJOURN Therebeing no further business, amotion to adjournwas made by Council Member Brady Hotardand was adopted by acclamation at 06:04 PM RESOLUTION 30 OF 2025

AResolution AuthorizingThe Parish President To Sign The Commitment Letter With Ericksen Krentel, LLP.For Annual Audit Of West Baton Rouge Parish Natural Gas And Water Systems For The Year 2025. NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the West Baton Rouge Parish Council does hereby authorize the Parish President to sign the commitmentletter

NAYS:

ABSENT:1

ABSTAIN:

CERTIFICATE

30 of Louisiana Revised Statutesof1950 and Statewide OrderNo. 29D-1,the followingnotice isgiven: Please be advisedthat TexasPetroleum Invest‐ment Company hasmade applicationfor authority tocommingle in their WEEKSISLANDCOMMIN‐GLINGFACILITYNO. 2 (936600),hydrocarbons producedfromthe WeeksIslandCommin‐glingFacilityNo. 7 (936940),WeeksIsland Field,IberiaParish, Louisiana,withproduc‐tionpreviouslyapproved for commingling by the DepartmentofConserva‐tionand Energy Order No. 29-D-26, effectiveJan‐uary31, 1992, WeeksIs‐landField,IberiaParish, Louisiana.The same methodofmeasurement and allocation of produc‐tionasapproved by said Order shallapplytothe above Applicationreviewbythe DepartmentofConserva‐tionand Energy indicates thatall requirements of Statewide OrderNo. 29D-1,which governsthe authority to commingle gas and/or liquid hydro‐carbons andtouse methods otherthan gauge tanksfor theallo‐cationofproduction havebeen met. Should anyinterested party feel that this appli‐cation forauthority to i l h d

y commingle hydrocar‐bonsshouldnot be ap‐proved, he is afforded the opportunitytomake his objections known, in writing,tothe Depart‐mentofConservation and Energy,P.O.Box 94275, BatonRouge,LA 70804-9275, within the ten(10) calendar daype‐riod followingthe date this notice is mailedby theapplicant.Inthe ab‐sence of the filing any letterofobjection during saidten (10) calendar day period,anapproval letterwillbeissuedau‐thorizing commingling as requested by theappli‐cant. With respecttothe computation of said ten (10) calendar dayperiod oftimeallowed forre‐ceiving writtenobjec‐tions,the date of this Legal Notice andthe ap‐provaldateshall notbe included. In theevent the lastday of said ten(10) calendarday period falls ona Saturday,Sundayor a legalholiday,itshall be understood that thelast day of said ten(10) cal‐endar dayperiodwill thenbeconsideredtobe the followingMondayor the date followingthe legal holiday. Acopyofthisapplication isavailable forinspec‐tioninthe Department of Conservationand Energy BatonRouge andShreve‐port,Louisiana Allparties having inter‐est thereinshall take no‐ticethereof BY ORDEROF: DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND

Notice is hereby given thatJohnBartethas ap‐plied fora 401 Water Quality Certification to install abulkhead, back‐fill behind thebulkhead, and constructa resi‐dence andboathouse witha boat hoistand slip along an

further notice Notice to United Compa‐nies LendingCorpora‐tion: If youare working with an attorney,they will guide youonthe f g y next steps. If youare going to representyour‐self in this action,goto thecourt's website: www.courts.state.nh.us select theElectronicSer‐vicesiconand then se‐lect theoptionfor aselfrepresentedparty.Com‐pletethe registration/log in processthenselect"I am filingintoanexisting case”. Enterthe case numberabove andclick Next.Followthe instruc‐tionstocompleteyour filing. Once youhavere‐spondedtothe Com‐plaint,you canaccess documentselectronically filedthrough ourCase Access Portal by going to https://odypa.nhecourt. us/portaland following theinstructionsinthe User Guide. In that processyou will register validate your email, re‐questaccessand ap‐proval to view your case Afteryourinformation is validatedbythe court, youwillbeabletoview case informationand documents filedinyour case If youdonot comply with theserequirements, you will be considered in de‐faultand theCourt may issueordersthataffect youwithout your input. Send copies to: TracyA.Kish, Esq. Korde& Associates,P.C 900 Chelmsford St Ste3102, Lowell, MA 01851 BY ORDEROFTHE COURT December 1, 2025 AmyM.Feliciano ClerkofCourt (126954) 169452 Dec. 6, 13, 20, 3t $1,136.38