The Acadiana Advocate 12-16-2025

DESTINATION UPGRADE

Parc International improvements include painting, electrical and restrooms

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Improvements are underway at downtown Lafayette’s Parc International, which serves as a main venue for Festival International, the city’s largest festival that draws thousands every April

“Parc International brings together our community and visitors from around the world and our administration is proud to reinvest in such an important space at the heart of our city,” said Jamie Boudreaux, chief communications officer with Lafayette Consolidated Government. “These upgrades help ensure the park remains a premier destination and a strong economic driver for Lafayette for years to come.”

“These upgrades help ensure the park remains a premier destination and a strong economic driver for Lafayette for years to come.”

JAMIE BOUDREAUX, chief communications officer with Lafayette Consolidated Government

Some work was done just before Festival, including pressure washing, repainting the Festival logo and painting the stage area, Boudreaux said. Since then, additional work has been undertaken.

The list of improvements at the park this year includes painting and rewiring concession pavilions; recoating all fencing; painting all elements under the stage, which had not been done in 20 years; and repainting international flags on the top of the stage, Boudreaux said.

Some stone pavers were pulled up so electrical lines could be passed underground, and the entire park received an electrical overhaul, she said. That included installing new panels at the main stage as well as connections for food trucks and new receptacles.

Workers are also actively replacing light poles in the interior of the park, she said, with each having new receptacles.

Finally, Boudreaux said, existing restrooms were renovated, and two private handicap restrooms were added near the breezeway at the Garfield Street entrance to the park.

The renovations and upgrades are expected to cost $1.63 million and are expected to be completed in February

LSU

Workers

stage rafters

angers lawmakers

They see threat to Shreveport medical school

BY HALEY MILLER Staff writer

Just how big of a change is the restructuring at LSU?

System President Wade Rousse has said it amounts to title changes to “push the LSU system to new heights.” But, for institutions not in Baton Rouge or New Orleans, some fear it means a loss of independence and funding in an increasingly centralized system. Shreveport Sens Thomas Pressly, a Republican, and Sam Jenkins, a Democrat,

ä See LSU, page 7A

Rob Reiner, wife fatally stabbed at home

Son of filmmaker, producer booked in deaths

By The Associated Press/Los Angeles Times LOS ANGELES Rob Reiner the son of a comedy giant who became one himself as one of the preeminent filmmakers of his generation with movies such as “The Princess Bride,” “When Harry Met Sally …” and “This Is Spinal Tap,” has died. He was 78. Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, 70, were found fatally stabbed Sunday at their home in the Brentwood neighborhood of Los Angeles. The Los Angeles Police Department on Monday arrested the Reiners’ 32-year-old son, Nick Reiner, and booked him on suspicion of killing his parents. Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell said officers responded to the Reiner home about 3:40 p.m. Sunday Detectives from the Robbery-Homicide Division “worked throughout the night” and took Nick Reiner into custody Family friends told The Los Angeles Times that Rob and Nick Reiner got into an argument Saturday evening at a party at Conan O’Brien’s home and that many people noticed Nick acting strangely at the party Nick Reiner, who had struggled with addiction for years, was living in a guesthouse on his parents’ property family friends told the Times, and his mother had become increasingly concerned about his mental health in recent weeks.

The family friends, who did not want to be identified because of the nature of the crime, said the Reiners’ daughter found her parents Sunday afternoon.

Nick Reiner was taken into custody at 9:15 p.m. Sunday and booked at 5:04 a.m. Monday, jail records show He is being held on $4 million bail. Rob Reiner had a five-decade-long film career and had become a leading political

New light fixtures and poles await installation at Parc International. ä See REINER, page 7A

BY JAMES FINN Staff writer

Federal authorities arrested a suspect over the weekend near Lafayette who they accuse of being in an extremist group and planning a New Year’s Eve attack, officials said Monday

The FBI director, Kash Patel, on social media said the Louisiana arrestee was part of a “radical subgroup” of the Turtle Island Liberation Front, a pro-Palestinian “anti-government” organization, prosecutors said. Federal officials also announced Monday the arrests of four alleged members of the group in Los Angeles who are accused of hatching their own bombing plot on the West Coast. The Louisiana suspect

ä See FBI, page 7A

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Rob Reiner and his wife, Michele Singer Reiner, arrive at the Kennedy Center Honors gala dinner in Washington in 2023.

STAFF PHOTOS By LESLIE WESTBROOK

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

State Sen. Thomas Pressly, R-Shreveport, has condemned a recent reorganization at LSU that removed the position of chancellor from LSU Health Shreveport.

Pope

denounces ‘antisemitic violence’

ROME — Pope Leo XIV on Monday denounced the “antisemitic violence” behind the Sydney Hanukkah massacre as he prayed for the victims and the “gift of peace and fraternity” this holiday season.

Leo also issued a strong antiabortion message during an audience with the donors of the Vatican’s Christmas decorations, which he said were a sign of “faith and hope.”

“We pray for those who suffer from war and violence, in particular today I want to entrust to the Lord the victims of the terrorist attack in Syndey against the Jewish community

“Enough of these forms of antisemitic violence!” he said. “We must eliminate hatred from our hearts.” At least 15 people died in the attack on Sydney’s Bondi Beach, where hundreds had gathered for a “Chanukah by the Sea ” event celebrating the start of the Jewish festival. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called the massacre an act of antisemitic terrorism

Leo echoed his prayers in an official telegram of condolence sent to the archbishop of Sydney, Most. Rev Anthony Fisher He prayed “with renewed hope that those tempted to violence will undergo conversion and seek the path of peace and solidarity,” said the telegram signed by the Vatican secretary of state.

Louvre workers vote to go strike

PARIS Workers at the Louvre Museum voted Monday to strike over working conditions and other complaints, dealing another blow to the Paris landmark and home of the “Mona Lisa” after an embarrassing jewelry heist in October

The CFDT union said the vote was taken at a meeting of 400 workers on Monday morning and that they decided to strike for the day Striking workers with flags, banners and placards blocked the museum’s iconic glass pyramid entrance.

The world’s most-visited museum didn’t open as scheduled and turned people away. An updated notice on the Louvre’s website said it was “exceptionally” closed for the day and that ticket holders would be reimbursed.

“It’s really sad, because I was really looking forward to this,” said Lindsey Hall, a bitterly disappointed would-be visitor from Sacramento, California. She had been planning to enjoy the museum’s huge collection of art and artifacts with a friend, describing it as “one of those life experiences you crave.”

“This is just an epic collection of art and something that every human should see,” she said “I can see the other side of it, like if you are the person that works in the museum and how that can be, like day after day after day.

Interstellar comet keeps its distance

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A stray comet from another star swings past Earth this week in one last hurrah before racing back toward interstellar space. Discovered over the summer, the comet known as 3I/Atlas will pass within 167 million miles of our planet on Friday, the closest it gets on its grand tour of the solar system.

NASA continues to aim its space telescopes at the visiting ice ball, estimated to be between 1,444 feet and 3.5 miles in size. But it’s fading as it exits, so now’s the time for backyard astronomers to catch it in the night sky with their telescopes. The comet will come much closer to Jupiter in March, zipping within 33 million miles It will be the mid-2030s before it reaches interstellar space, never to return, said Paul Chodas, director of NASA’s Center for Near Earth Object Studies.

An article Saturday on changes to wetlands regulation misstated the title of Mark Davis. He is the director of Tulane University’s Center for Environmental Law The Advocate regrets the error CORRECTION

BUKATy

Brown University shooter sought

Authorities resume search as questions swirl about campus security

BY KIMBERLEE KRUESI and LEAH WILLINGHAM Associated Press

PROVIDENCE,R.I. Authorities knocked on doors Monday searching for any video there might be of the Brown University gunman, who could be seen in grainy footage walking away from the weekend attack that killed two students and wounded nine others.

During a Monday afternoon news conference that got testy at times, authorities released three new videos of the man they believe carried out the attack In the videos, which were shot about two hours before the shooting, the man was wearing a mask and a dark two-tone jacket.

Although his face wasn’t visible, the videos provided the clearest images yet of the suspect.

“We want to identify the individual and bring them to justice,” said Providence’s police chief, Col. Oscar Perez, noting that police responded within minutes of getting the initial 911 calls on Saturday He urged the public to call a tip line with any information about the man in the videos.

Attorney General Peter Neronha described the day’s work as “making steady progress.”

“The sooner we can identify this person, the sooner we can blow this case open,” he said Police renewed their search after releasing a person of interest Sunday once they determined the evidence pointed elsewhere. Meanwhile, details began to emerge about the students who were killed.

The lockdown order for the Ivy League school was lifted Sunday after authorities said they’d detained a person of interest in the attack. But hopes for a quick resolution were dashed when they announced hours later that they had released the man because the evidence pointed elsewhere.

The abrupt change of direction marked a setback in the investigation as questions swirl about campus security, the apparent lack of school video evidence and whether the focus on the person of interest gave the attacker more time to escape.

Colin Moussette, who has friends at

Brown and is considering enrolling next fall, said while visiting the campus Monday that he felt uneasy knowing the suspect hadn’t been caught.

“How someone got away, like in the middle of the day is, to me, not only heartbreaking but very concerning,” he said. “How they got access to the building is concerning.”

Before Monday’s news conference, police released a second video showing someone dressed in all black walking along a city street minutes after the shooting. The video — like an earlier one released the day of the shooting — didn’t show the suspect’s face.

In a neighborhood near the university, a line of officers scraped their feet through a snow-covered yard looking for evidence. Meanwhile, agents identifying themselves as U.S. marshals asked locals if they had security cameras.

Neronha told reporters Sunday that there weren’t many cameras where the shooting happened.

Law enforcement on Monday appeared to still be performing the most basic of investigative tasks: tracing the suspect’s movements in the minutes after the attack and searching for physical evidence near the crime scene.

“I was really glad to see that they were doing something,” said Katherine Baima, who lives in the area. “This is the first time any of us in my building, as far as I know, had heard from anyone. We hadn’t gotten alerts and we were really surprised that there hadn’t been anyone searching, let alone knocking on doors, on the first night.”

The shooting happened in an auditorium-style classroom where students in a study group were preparing for an upcoming exam.

Ella Cook, a 19-year-old sophomore who was vice president of the Brown College Republicans and beloved in her church in Birmingham, Alabama, was one of the students killed, according to her pastor at home.

In announcing her death Sunday, the Rev R. Craig Smalley described Cook as “an incredible grounded, faithful, bright light” who encouraged and “lifted up those around her.”

The other student who was killed was MukhammadAziz Umurzokov, an 18-year-old freshman majoring in biochemistry and neuroscience He was helping a friend at a review session for an economics final when he was shot, his sister said.

Crews use sandbags to shore up levee breach near Seattle

BY MANUEL VALDES and CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press

TUKWILA, Wash. — Crews used sandbags to shore up an earthen levee south of Seattle on Monday after a small section of it failed following a week of heavy rains, prompting an evacuation order covering parts of three suburbs, an official said.

The evacuation order from King County in Washington state was sent to about 1,100 homes and businesses east of the Green River in parts of Kent, Renton and Tukwila, said Brendan McCluskey, the county’s emergency management director The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning that initially covered nearly 47,000 people, but was reduced within a few hours to an area covering 7,000 people. No one was injured, McCluskey said. Authorities in Renton and Tukwila said Monday afternoon the flooding was confined to small, industrial areas and that no residents were being evacuated.

The spokesperson for the city of Renton, Laura Pettitt said the breach was minimal and was being addressed by

sandbagging, including the use of large bags, about 3 feet tall and filled with about a ton of sand.

“What we understand is that the area is being managed and the breach has been controlled,” she said. “However, that’s not to say that there wouldn’t be future impact with any changing situation.”

The levee breach followed days of heavy rain and flooding that inundated communities, forced the evacuations of tens of thousands of people and prompted scores of rescues throughout western Washington state.

The failure occurred on the Briscoe Desimone levee adjacent to the Green River in an area where officials had been concerned about a possible breach, John Taylor, director of the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks, told a news conference Monday With high water levels in the past week, workers began installing a “seepage blanket” — a permeable material that can remove water from a cut slope — in an effort to reduce the flood risk, and crews were present Monday when the breach occurred.

CALIFORNIA

Officials: 4 accused of plotting New Year’s Eve attacks

BY JULIE WATSON and CHRISTOPHER WEBER Associated Press

LOS ANGELES Federal authorities said Monday that they foiled a plot to bomb multiple sites of two U.S. companies on New Year’s Eve in Southern California after arresting members of an extremist anti-capitalist and anti-government group. The four suspects were arrested Friday in the Mojave Desert east of Los Angeles as they were rehearsing their plot, First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said during a news conference. Officials showed reporters surveillance aerial footage of the suspects moving a large black object in the desert to a table. Officials said they were able to make the arrests before the suspects assembled a functional explosive device.

In the criminal complaint, the four suspects named are Audrey Illeene Carroll, 30; Zachary Aaron Page, 32; Dante Gaffield, 24; and Tina Lai, 41. They are all from the Los Angeles area, Essayli said.

Officials did not describe a motive but said they are members of an offshoot of a group dubbed the Turtle Island Liberation Front. The group calls for decolonization, tribal sovereignty and “the working class to rise up and fight back against capitalism,” according to the criminal complaint.

The term “Turtle Island” is used by some Indigenous peoples to describe North America in a way that reflects its existence outside

of the colonial boundaries put in place by the U.S. and Canada. It comes from Indigenous creation stories where the continent was formed on the back of a giant turtle.

Officials also found “Free Palestine” flyers at the desert campsite where the suspects were working with the bomb-making materials.

The charges against each suspect include conspiracy and possession of a destructive device. Essayli said additional charges were expected in coming weeks. It wasn’t immediately clear if the suspects had attorneys, and The Associated Press was unable to reach family members. AP also sent Turtle Island Liberation Front’s social media accounts messages asking for comment but did not get a response. Essayli said Carroll last month created a detailed plan to bomb five or more business locations across Southern California on New Year’s Eve. He declined to name the companies but described them as “Amazon-type” logistical centers.

“Carroll’s bomb plot was explicit,” Essayli said “It included step-by-step instructions to build IEDs... and listed multiple targets across Orange County and Los Angeles.”

The plan included planting backpacks filled with complex pipe bombs that were set to be detonated simultaneously at midnight on New Year’s Eve at five locations, according to officials and the criminal complaint.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROBERT F

Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team search for evidence Monday near the campus of Brown University in Providence, R.I.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAMIAN DOVARGANES Photos of suspects of a terror plot are shown on a screen Monday during a news conference in Los Angeles.

Australian leaders promise to tighten gun laws

Push comes after at least 15 killed in Hanukkah massacre

BY CHARLOTTE GRAHAMMCLAY, ROD MCGUIRK and KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press

SYDNEY Australian leaders promised on Monday to immediately overhaul alreadytough gun control laws after a mass shooting targeted a Hanukkah celebration on Sydney’s Bondi Beach. At least 15 people died in the attack, which has fueled criticism that authorities are not doing enough to combat a surge in antisemitic crimes.

Among the new measures proposed would be a limit on the number of guns someone can own and a review of licenses held over time. Those and other actions would represent a significant update to the landmark national firearms agreement, which virtually banned rapid-fire rifles after a gunman killed 35 people in Tasmania in 1996, galvanizing the country into action.

“The government is prepared to take whatever action is necessary Included in that is the need for tougher gun laws,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said.

The violence erupted at the end of a summer day when thousands had flocked to Bondi Beach, an icon of Australia’s cultural life. They

included hundreds gathered for the Chanukah by the Sea event celebrating the start of the Jewish festival with food, face painting and a petting zoo. Albanese called the massacre an act of antisemitic terrorism that struck at the heart of the nation.

Police shot the two suspected gunmen, a father and son.

The 50-year-old father died at the scene. His 24-year-old son remained in a coma in hospital on Monday, Albanese said. Police won’t reveal their names.

Health officials said Tuesday that 25 people were still being treated in hospitals, 10 of them in critical condition. Those receiving care include children.

Also among them is a man who was captured on video appearing to tackle and disarm one apparent assailant before pointing the man’s weapon at him, then setting the gun on the ground.

The man was identified by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke as Ahmed al Ahmed.

The 42-year-old fruit shop owner and father of two was shot in the shoulder.

Al Ahmed, an Australian citizen who migrated from Syria in 2006, underwent surgery on Monday, his family said. Al Ahmed’s parents, who moved to Australia in recent months, said their son had a background in the Syrian security forces.

“My son has always been brave He helps people. He’s like that,” his mother, Malakeh Hasan al Ahmed, told Australian Broadcasting

Corp through an interpreter. Albanese confirmed that Australia’s main domestic spy agency the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, had investigated the younger suspected gunman for six months in 2019.

The ABC reported that the agency had examined the son’s ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State group cell. Albanese did not describe the associates, but said the agency was interested in them rather than the son.

“He was examined on the basis of being associated with others and the assessment was made that there was no indication of any ongoing threat or threat of him

engaging in violence,” Albanese said.

The horror at Australia’s most popular beach was the deadliest shooting in almost three decades since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre. The removal of rapid-fire rifles has markedly reduced the death tolls from such acts of violence since then.

Albanese’s proposals to limit the number of guns someone can own and review licenses were announced after the authorities revealed that the older suspected gunman had held a gun license for a decade and amassed his six guns legally Leaders of the federal and state governments on Mon-

day also proposed restricting gun ownership to Australian citizens, a measure that would have excluded the older suspect, who came to Australia in 1998 on a student visa and became a permanent resident after marrying a local woman. Officials wouldn’t confirm what country he had migrated from.

His son, who doesn’t have a gun license, is an Australianborn citizen.

The government leaders also proposed the “additional use of criminal intelligence” in deciding who was eligible for a gun license. That could mean the son’s suspicious associates could disqualify the father from owning a gun.

Chris Minns, premier of New South Wales where Sydney is the state capital, said his state’s gun laws would change, but he could not yet detail how

“If you’re not a farmer, you’re not involved in agriculture, why do you need these massive weapons that put the public in danger and make life dangerous and difficult for New South Wales Police?” Minns asked.

Among those hospitalized are two police officers. Those killed included a 10-year-old girl, a rabbi and a Holocaust survivor

While none of the dead or wounded have been formally named by the authorities, the identities of those killed, who ranged in age from 10 to 87, began to emerge in news reports Monday

Among them was Rabbi Eli Schlanger, assistant rabbi at Chabad of Bondi and an organizer of the family Hanukkah event that was targeted, according to Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish movement that runs outreach worldwide. Israel’s Foreign Ministry confirmed the death of an Israeli citizen, but gave no further details. French President Emmanuel Macron said a French citizen, identified as Dan Elkayam, was among those killed. Larisa Kleytman told reporters outside St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney that her husband, Alexander Kleytman, was among the dead. The couple were both Holocaust survivors, according to The Australian newspaper

Officials: U.S. has agreed to give Ukraine security guarantees

BY STEFANIE DAZIO and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

BERLIN — The U.S. has agreed to provide unspecified security guarantees to Ukraine as part of a peace deal to end Russia’s nearly four-year war, and more talks are likely this weekend, U.S. officials said Monday following the latest discussions with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Berlin.

The officials said talks with President Donald Trump’s envoys, Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, led to narrowing differences on security guarantees that Kyiv said must be provided, as well as on Moscow’s demand that Ukraine concede land

in the Donbas region in the country’s east. Trump dialed into a dinner Monday evening with negotiators and European leaders and more talks are expected this weekend in Miami or elsewhere in the United States, according to the U.S. officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to comment publicly by the White House. “I think we’re closer now than we have been, ever,” Trump told reporters at an unrelated White House event. He added, “We’re having tremendous support from European leaders. They want to

get it ended, also.”

The U.S. officials said the offer of security guarantees won’t be on the table “forever.” They said the Trump administration plans to put forward the agreement on guarantees for Senate approval, although they didn’t specify whether it would be ratified like a treaty, which needs the chamber’s two-thirds approval.

In a statement, European leaders in Berlin said they and the U.S. committed to work together to provide “robust security guarantees,” including a European-led “multinational force Ukraine” supported by the U.S.

Brian Walshe found guilty of murdering his wife

BY MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

BOSTON Brian Walshe

was found guilty Monday of first-degree murder in the grisly death of his wife, whom he was accused of killing and dismembering nearly three years ago while he awaited sentencing in an art fraud case relating to the sale of two fake Andy Warhol paintings. Ana Walshe, a real estate agent who immigrated from Serbia, was last seen early Jan. 1, 2023, after a New Year’s Eve dinner at the couple’s home. There was no reaction in the courtroom or from Walshe as the verdict was

read. Walshe, who faces life in state prison without parole, is scheduled to be sentenced Wednesday He was handcuffed and shackled before being led out of the courtroom. Last month, Walshe plead guilty to lesser charges of misleading police and illegally disposing of her body

“It’s not about winning or losing It’s about getting the right answer and this was the right answer,” Norfolk County District Attorney Michael Morrissey told reporters outside court “We don’t look at cases as wins or losses. We look at getting justice for someone, so let’s not lose sight of that fact.” Morrissey said his office had heard from Ana

Walshe’s sister, who told them “justice had been served.”

Prosecutors leaned heavily on digital evidence in presenting their case against Brian Walshe, including online searches such as “dismemberment and best ways to dispose of a body,” “how long before a body starts to smell” and “hacksaw best tool to dismember” that were found on devices connected to him.

Investigators also found searches on a Macbook that included “how long for someone missing to inherit,” “how long missing to be dead,” and “can you throw away body parts,” prosecutors told the jury

They said the force’s work would include “operating inside Ukraine” as well as assisting in rebuilding Ukraine’s forces, securing its skies and supporting safer seas. They said Ukrainian forces should remain at a peacetime level of 800,000. Witkoff and Kushner were accompanied by U.S. Air Force Gen. Alexus Grynkewich, who heads NATO’s military operations and the U.S. European Command, as talks honed in on the particulars of what the U.S. officials described as an “Article 5-like” security agreement. Article Five in the NATO treaty is the collective defense clause stating that an attack on one member is an attack on all.

The U.S. side presented the Ukrainians a document that spelled out in greater specificity aspects of the proposed U.S. security guarantees — something that Ukrainian officials said was missing from earlier iterations of the U.S peace proposal, according to U.S. officials.

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz called it a “truly far-reaching, substantial agreement that we did not have before, namely that both Europe and the U.S. are jointly prepared to do this.”

Questions over Ukraine’s postwar security and the fate of occupied territories have been the main obstacles in talks. Zelenskyy has emphasized that any Western secu-

rity assurances would need to be legally binding and supported by the U.S. Congress. Meanwhile, Russia has said it will not accept any troops from NATO countries being based on Ukrainian soil. Zelenskyy on Monday called the talks “substantial” and noted that differences remain on the issue of territory Zelenskyy has expressed readiness to drop Ukraine’s bid to join NATO if the U.S and other Western nations give Kyiv security guarantees similar to those offered to NATO members. But Ukraine’s preference remains NATO membership as the best security guarantee to prevent further Russian aggression.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK BAKER

A woman kneels and prays Monday at a memorial to shooting victims of Sunday’s deadly attack on a Hanukkah celebration outside the Bondi Pavilion at Sydney’s Bondi Beach.

Zelenskyy

Trinidad and Tobago to open airports to U.S. military

BY ANSELM GIBBS Associated Pres

PORT-OF-SPAIN,Trinidad

The government of Trinidad and Tobago said Monday that it would allow the U.S. military to access its airports in coming weeks as tensions build between the United States and Venezuela.

The announcement comes after the U.S. military recently installed aradar system at the airport in Tobago. The Caribbeancountry’s government has said the radar is being used to fightlocal crime, and that the small nation wouldn’tbeused as alaunchpad to attack any other country

The U.S. would use the airports for activity that would be “logistical in nature,facilitating supply replenishment and routine personnel rotations,” Trinidad andTobago’sMinistry of Foreign Affairs said in astatement It did not provide further details. Trinidad’sprime minister previously has praisedongoing U.S. strikes on alleged drug boatsinthe Caribbean

Only 7miles separate Venezuela from the twin-island

Caribbean nation at their closest point. It has two main airports: PiarcoInternational Airport in Trinidad andANR RobinsonInternational Airport in Tobago.

Hours afterthe announcement, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodríguez said her country was immediately canceling any contract, dealornegotiation to supply natural gas to Trinidad and Tobago.

She claimedthatthe government of Trinidad and Tobagoparticipatedinthe recent U.S. seizure of an oiltanker off the country’s coast, calling it an “act of piracy.”

She also accused Trinidad and Tobago Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar of having a“hostileagenda against Venezuela, noting that the U.S. military installedanairport radar in Tobago.

“This official has turned the territory of Trinidad and Tobago into aUSaircraft carrier to attack Venezuela, in an unequivocalact of vassalage,” Rodríguez said.

Persad-Bissessartold The Associated Press that shewasn’tbotheredbythe

The USS Gravely destroyerarrives to dock for military exercises on Oct. 26 in Port-of-Spain,

statement, describing it as “simply false propaganda.”

“They should direct their complaints to President Trump, as it is the U.S military that has seized the sanctioned oil tanker.Inthe meantime, we continue to have peaceful relations with theVenezuelan people,”

Persad-Bissessar said.

Theprime minister asserted that her nation has “never depended” on Venezuela for naturalgas supplies: “We have adequate reserves within our territory.”

Trinidad and Venezuela had previously reached a deal over the development

of agas field in Venezuelan waters, near the maritime border separating the two countries.

In December 2023, Venezuela granted alicense for oilgiant Shell andTrinidad andTobagotoproduce gas from the field. In October the U.S. government grant-

ed Trinidad and Tobago permission to negotiate the gas deal without facing U.S. sanctions placed on Venezuela.

Amery Browne, an opposition senator and Trinidad and Tobago’sformer foreign minister,accused the Trinidadian government on Monday of being deceptive in its announcement.

Browne saidthat Trinidad and Tobago has become “complicit facilitators of extrajudicial killings, crossborder tension and belligerence.”

“There is nothing routine aboutthis. It hasnothing to do with the usualcooperation andfriendly collaborations that we have enjoyed with the USA and all of our neighbors for decades,” he said. He saidthe “blanket permission” with the U.S. takes thecountry “a furtherstep down the path of asatellite state” and that it embraces a “‘might is right’ philosophy.” American strikes began in September and have killed more than 80 people as Washington builds up afleet of warships near Venezuela, including thelargest U.S. aircraft carrier

Army names2 Iowa Guardmembers killed in attack in Syria

BY BEN FINLEY and HANNAH FINGERHUT Associated Press

WASHINGTON The two Iowa National Guard members killed in aweekend attack in Syria that the U.S. military blamedonthe Islamic State group were identified Monday and rememberedas dedicated soldiers. The U.S. Army named them as Sgt. Edgar Brian Torres-Tovar,25, of Des Moines, and Sgt. William Nathaniel Howard, 29, of Marshalltown.

The Pentagon’s chief spokesman, Sean Parnell, hassaida U.S.civilianworkingasaninterpreteralso was killed. Three other Guard members were woundedin the attack, the Iowa National Guard said Monday, with two of them in stable condition andthe otheringood condition.

The attackwas amajor test for the rapprochement between the United States and Syriasince theouster of autocratic leader Bashar Assad ayear ago, coming as theU.S.military is expanding its cooperation with Syrian security forces. Hundreds

Iowa Gov.Kim Reynolds ordered all flags in Iowa to fly at half-staff in their honor, saying that, “Weare grateful for their serviceand deeply mourn their loss.”

of American troops are deployed in eastern Syria as part of acoalition fighting IS.

Theshooting Saturday in theSyrian desert near the historiccityofPalmyra also woundedmembersofthe country’ssecurity forces, andthe gunmanwas killed. The assailant had joined Syria’sinternalsecurity forces as abasesecurity guardtwo months ago and recently was reassignedamidsuspicions thathemight be affiliated withIS, aSyrian official said.

The man stormed ameeting between U.S. andSyrian security officials who were havinglunch together and opened fire afterclashing with Syrianguards, Interior

Ministry spokesperson Nour al-Din al-Baba said Sunday. Al-Baba acknowledged that it was “a majorsecurity breach” but said thatin the year since Assad’sfall, “there have been many more successes than failures” by securityforces

The Army said Monday that the incident is underinvestigation. Military officials and President Donald Trump have blamed the attack on an IS member “Our hearts go outtotheir families, and we lift them up in prayer for strengthand comfort during this time of grief,” Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said Monday on social media. “The Unit-

ed States of America will avenge these fallen Americans withoverwhelming force.”

Trump reiterated his promiseofretaliation from over the weekend, telling reporters at the White House on Monday that IS will “behit hard.”

He also reaffirmed his support forSyrianPresident Ahmad al-Sharaa, saying the Syrian government is not to blame for the deadly attack.

“Our focus now is providing unwavering support to their families through this unimaginable time and ensuring the legacy of these twoheroes is neverforgotten,” Osborn said.

“This hadnothing to do with him,” Trump said of alSharaa. “This is apart of Syria that they really don’thave muchcontrol over.And it was asurprise. He feels very badly aboutit. He’s working on it. He’sastrong man.” Trumpwelcomed alSharaa, wholed thelightning insurgency that toppled Assad’srule, to theWhite House for ahistoric meeting last month. Meanwhile, Torres-Tovar andHoward wereremembered as dedicated soldiers and“cherishedmembers” of the IowaNational Guard family,Stephen Osborn, adjutantgeneral,saidina statement.

WhiteHouse says ballroom construction matter of national security

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON

The Trump administration said Monday in acourt filing that the president’sWhite House ballroom construction project must continue for reasons of national security

The filing came in responsetoa lawsuit filed last Friday by the National Trust for Historic Preservation askingafederal judge to halt the project until it goes through multiple independent reviews and wins approvalfrom Congress

In its filing, the administra-

tion included adeclaration from thedeputy director of theU.S.Secret Service saying more work on the site of theformer White House East Wing is still needed to meet the agency’s“safety and security requirements.”

The administration has offered to share classified details with the judge in an in-person setting without the plaintiffs present Thegovernment’sresponse to thelawsuitoffers themost comprehensive look yetatthe ballroom constructionproject,including awindowintohow it was so swiftly approved by the

Trump administration bureaucracy andits expanding scope.

Thefilings assert that final plans for theballroom have yet to be completed despite the continuing demolition and other worktoprepare thesitefor construction. Below-ground work on the site continues, wrote John Stanwich, the National Park Service’s liaison to the WhiteHouse, and work on the foundations is set to begin in January.Abovegroundconstruction“is not anticipated to begin until April2026, at theearliest,” he wrote.

The National Trustfor Historic Preservation did not immediately respond to emailmessages seeking comment.

Theprivatelyfunded group last week asked the

By The Associated Press

ORLANDO,Fla. Aman convicted of trying to assassinatePresident Donald Trump on aFlorida golf course last year has decided to use an attorney during the sentencing phaseinstead of representinghimself ashe did for most of the trial.

Thesentencinghearing for Ryan Routh in Fort Pierce, Florida, was pushed back from this week to early February after he requested andwas granted an attorney to represent him during the sentencing andappealphases of thetrial. The federal courtroom erupted into chaos in September shortly after jurors found Routhguilty on all counts, including attempting to kill apresidential candidate andseveral firearm-related charges. Routh tried to

stab himself in the neck with apen,and officers quickly dragged him out.The pen Routh used wasflexibleto prevent people in custody from using it as aweapon. Prosecutorssaid Routh, 59, spent weeksplotting to kill Trumpbeforeaiminga rifle through shrubbery as thethen-Republican presidential candidate played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach countryclub.

U.S. DistrictCourt to block Trump’sballroom addition until it goes through comprehensive design reviews, environmental assessments, public comments and congressional debate

andratification. Trumphad the East Wing torn down in October as part of the project to build an estimated $300 million, 90,000-square-foot ballroom before his term ends in 2029.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILEPHOTO ByT ROBERT TAyLOR

Trinidad and Tobago

voice in Hollywood. Michele Reiner was a photographer and producer

Reiner grew up thinking his father Carl Reiner didn’t understand him or find him funny. But the younger Reiner would in many ways follow in his father’s footsteps, working both in front and behind the camera.

After starting out as a writer for “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour,” Rob Reiner’s breakthrough came when he was, at age 23, cast in Norman Lear’s “All in the Family” as Archie Bunker’s liberal sonin-law, Michael “Meathead” Stivic

As a director Reiner helmed a string of hits including When Harry Met Sally .” “The Princess Bride” and “This Is Spinal Tap.”

His work took a dramatic turn when he directed “Stand by Me,” the 1986 adaptation of a Stephen King novella.

Reiner was nominated for an Academy Award for 1992’s “A Few Good Men,” which starred Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise, though the movie lost to Clint Eastwood’s western “Unforgiven.”

For the next four decades, Reiner, a warm and gregarious presence on screen and an outspoken liberal advocate off it, remained a constant fixture in Hollywood

The production company he cofounded, Castle Rock Entertainment, launched an enviable string of hits, including “Seinfeld” and “The Shawshank Redemption.”

By the turn of the century, its success rate had fallen considerably, but Reiner revived it, and this fall released the long-in-coming sequel “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues.”

LSU

Continued from page 1A

condemned a recent reorganization at LSU that removed the position of chancellor from LSU Health Shreveport and renamed the head of the health sciences university “senior vice chancellor.”

“It’s incredibly disappointing that LSU chose to take away the Chancellor position of the Health Sciences Center in Shreveport without any conversation at all with the community, elected officials, business leaders, and even their own students and faculty about doing so,” Pressly said in a Monday news release.

Under leadership changes approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors last week, the senior vice chancellor now reports to Executive Vice President James Dalton, who is also the chancellor of the flagship campus in Baton Rouge. Leaders at the LSU AgCenter, LSU Health New Orleans and the Pennington Biomedical Center

FBI

Continued from page 1A

was “planning a separate violent attack,” Patel said, without naming the person on social media. It is unclear whether that attack was planned for California, Louisiana or elsewhere. Officials have not identified any signs of coordination between the suspects in Louisiana and Los Angeles

A spokesperson for the FBI’s New Orleans Field Office confirmed agents had arrested a “sub-

All the while, Reiner was one of the film industry’s most passionate Democrat activists, regularly hosting fundraisers and campaigning for liberal issues. He was cofounder of the American Foundation for Equal Rights, which challenged in court California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8. He also chaired the campaign for Prop 10, a California initiative to fund early childhood development services with a tax on tobacco products. And Reiner was an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump.

“Beneath all of the stories he produced was a deep belief in the goodness of people and a lifelong commitment to putting that belief into action,” former President Barack Obama said in a statement

Reiner enlisted help in the effort from Steven Spielberg, Robin Williams and his own father, comedy legend Carl Reiner

have also been named senior vice chancellors placed under Dalton. Previously, those jobs all reported to the president, who was in charge of both the system and the flagship campus. The Board of Supervisors last month split the job into two, with Rousse as system president and Dalton as Baton Rouge campus chancellor

“My understanding from the administration is that the goal is to enhance the ability for the LSU system to get more research dollars, being grants and other opportunities,” Pressly said in an interview “The question is how will that be divided up? Will LSU Baton Rouge get the first dibs at that?”

LSU spokesperson Todd Woodward said the amendments to the organizational chart have been the plan “right from the beginning,” and that the composition and compensation for the jobs are not changing

“This was an acknowledgment that one person trying to do two jobs at the same time needed to change,” Woodward said, adding that the system’s bylaws say a

ject” Saturday in the investigation in New Iberia. The spokesperson referred additional questions to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Louisiana.

Vicki Chance, a spokesperson for the Western District Prosecutor’s Office, said charges had been filed against the suspect but that they remained under seal.

Local and federal officials have not named the suspect In a news conference Monday describing the foiled plot in Los Angeles, Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, of the Central District of California, said the suspect

Personal life

Reiner was married to Penny Marshall, star of “Laverne & Shirley,” from 1971 to 1981.

After their divorce, Reiner at a lunch with Nora Ephron, suggested a comedy about dating. In writing what became “When Harry Met Sally …” Ephron and Reiner charted a relationship between a man and a woman (played in the film by Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan) over the course of 12 years.

Along the way, the movie’s ending changed, as did some of the film’s indelible moments. The famous line, “I’ll have what she’s having,” said after witnessing Ryan’s fake orgasm at Katz’s Delicatessen, was a suggestion by Crystal — delivered by none other than Reiner’s mother, Estelle.

The movie’s happy ending also had some real-life basis. Reiner met Michele Singer, a photographer, on the set of “When Harry

chancellor cannot report to a chancellor “The title and the reporting structure are all that is changed.”

The title revisions allow LSU to report its aggregate research numbers, according to Woodward.

“We have been focused on growing our research enterprise at LSU and to be in that game we need all the research dollars to roll up into one area,” Woodward wrote. “I would add they are reporting to an amazing Chancellor.”

The senators called the reorganization an “abrupt decision” that endangers leadership autonomy at LSU Health Shreveport. The new structure raises concerns about potentially being sidelined in favor of the Baton Rouge campus and LSU Health New Orleans, they said.

LSU Health Shreveport generates $600 million in direct economic impact on the Shreveport region and $3 billion overall in north Louisiana, according to its website.

“If anything were to happen to the Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, it would be catastrophic for our region,” Pressly said.

in New Iberia had “threatened” agents serving a search warrant.

“The person arrested in Louisiana is not directly tied to (the Los Angeles) incident, but he is a member of this group,” Essayli said. “When they executed a search warrant out there, he posed a great threat to the agents. He threatened the agents, and so that’s why he’s under arrest.

The arrest marks the second in just over two months in the greater Lafayette area of people accused of participating in terror plots. The Justice Department in mid-October announced the arrest of a Gaza man accused of partici-

Met Sally …” In 1989, they were wed. They had three children together: Nick, Jake and Romy Michele Reiner began producing films over the past decade, including “Shock and Awe,” “Albert Brooks: Defending My Life” and “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues,” all directed by her husband. She also produced “God & Country,” a look at Christian nationalism in the U.S.

Troubled son’s past In interviews, Nick Reiner has described cycling in and out of rehab centers and experiencing bouts of homelessness as a teenager By 2015, he had gotten clean, working with his father on “Being Charlie,” a semi-autobiographical film about addiction and recovery Rob Reiner directed and Nick Reiner co-wrote the film about a successful actor with political ambitions and a son addicted to drugs.

At the time of the premiere, The Los Angeles Times reported that Rob Reiner and his wife, at their worst moments “wondered if there was an end in sight, and whether it would be the tragic one that a voice in the back of their heads kept telling them was coming.”

Rob Reiner has said the filming brought up tough memories.

“It was very, very hard going through it the first time, with these painful and difficult highs and lows,” he said. “And then making the movie dredged it all up again.”

But he said the process of making the movie was therapeutic, allowing them to work through a lot of past trauma and develop a closer relationship.

Celebrity reaction

Artists and sports figures took to social media to share grief and

The senators said the move clashes with the Louisiana Legislature’s intent when it created LSU Health Shreveport as an autonomous entity They said it recalls past administrations’ favoring of institutions in Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

“In the past, we saw LSU disproportionately send resources and funding to the main campus in Baton Rouge and the Health Sciences Center in New Orleans, while LSU’s institutions in Shreveport and elsewhere in the state didn’t receive their fair share,” Jenkins said in the release. “While we’ve made tremendous progress since then, it’s safe to say that we will always be vigilant, because the mission of this campus is too critical not to be a top priority for our region.” Woodward said LSU legal counsel does not believe the system is statutorily required to maintain the position of chancellor at LSU Health Shreveport.

In response to questioning at the LSU Board of Supervisors meeting on Thursday Rousse disagreed with Pressly’s characterization of

pating in the Hamas-led Oct. 7 attack on Israel, then traveling to the U.S. on an illegal visa.

The man accused in that case, Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, was living in Lafayette at the time of his arrest, officials said.

Saturday’s arrest in New Iberia also comes just under a year after an attacker inspired by the Islamic State terror group drove a pickup truck down Bourbon Street in New Orleans in the early hours of New Year’s Day, killing 14 people.

Few details were available Monday about the plot Patel said FBI agents had foiled in Louisiana.

memories after the deaths of Rob and Michele Reiner

Producer, singer and actor Rita Wilson posted on Instagram that it was “impossible to reconcile the tragedy of their deaths with the beauty they offered the world.”

Actor John Cusack, who starred in the Rob Reiner-directed film “The Sure Thing,” posted on X that he was “shocked” by the death of “a great man.”

Author Stephen King said he was “horrified and saddened.” “Misery” was also adapted into a movie directed by Rob Reiner “Rest in peace, Rob. You always stood by me,” King said.

Political reaction

Trump, in a post on his social media network, said the Reiners were killed “reportedly due to the anger he caused others through his massive, unyielding, and incurable affliction with a mind crippling disease known as TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME.”

He said Rob Reiner “was known to have driven people CRAZY by his raging obsession of President Donald J. Trump, with his obvious paranoia reaching new heights as the Trump Administration surpassed all goals and expectations of greatness.”

The president did not mention his personal connection to Rob Reiner’s wife, who was a photographer Peter Osnos, the original publisher of “The Art of the Deal,” confirmed Monday that Michele Reiner took the cover image of Trump’s 1987 bestseller

U.S. Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, posted on X that regardless of how one felt about Rob Reiner “this is inappropriate and disrespectful discourse about a man who was just brutally murdered.”

the restructuring as a “seismic shift.” He insisted the changes are necessary for LSU to realize its ambitions for robust state and federal funding and recognition as a Top 50 research university “Shifts in titles and clear lines of reporting should not be viewed as threats,” Rousse said at the meeting. “They should be viewed as opportunities.”

Rousse and Dalton will meet with the senators on Wednesday about the future of LSU Health Shreveport, Pressly said. A statement Monday from LSU Health Shreveport said the institution is confident in its “position and relevance within the LSU System.” “It has always been the goal, no matter structure or title, to help LSU become a Top 50 Research University, and this new organization alone moves us up 18 spaces in that ranking,” spokesperson Lisa Babin wrote in an email. “We look forward to and anticipate further communication from LSU leadership as to the implementation of the newly announced structure and its statewide impact.

In a complaint filed against the four suspects in Los Angeles federal court and unsealed on Monday an FBI agent described communicating with confidential informants and staking out the alleged plotters’ movements before swooping in to arrest them at a makeshift bomb-testing site they had constructed in the desert.

The investigation “crossed the entire country,” Akil Davis, FBI assistant director in charge of the bureau’s Los Angeles Field Office, said in Monday’s news conference. The arrest in Louisiana came “in support of this investigation,” Davis said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By BRIAN ACH

Writer-director Rob Reiner

HONG KONG

BY KANISLEUNG

Associated Press

HONG KONG Jimmy Lai,the pro-democracy former Hong Kong media mogul and outspoken critic of Beijing, was convicted Monday in alandmark national security trial, which could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Three government-vetted judges found Lai, 78, guilty of conspiring with others to collude with foreign forces to endanger national security and conspiracy to publish seditious articles. He pleaded not guilty to all charges Lai was arrested in August 2020 under aBeijingimposed national security law that was implemented following massive anti-government protests in 2019.

Laihas spent five years in custody,much of it in solitary confinement, and his family said his health has declined rapidly.Hewas previously convicted of several lesser offenses related to fraud allegations and his actions in 2019.

Lai’strial, conducted in a Hong Kong court without a

jury,has been closely monitored by theU.S., Britain, the EuropeanUnion and political observers as abarometer of mediafreedom and judicial independence in the formerBritishcolony, which returned to Chineserulein 1997

Hisson Sebastien Laisaid thefamily hadexpected aguilty verdict, “but that doesn’tmake it any less devastating

“In the 800-page verdict they have there is essentially nothing, nothingthatincriminates him,” he told reporters in London. “This is aperfect example of how thenational securitylaw has been molded and weaponized against someone who essentially said stuff that theydidn’tlike.”

His daughter Claire said shedreamsofbeingreunited with her father without being watched over by guards

“But Ithink what today has proven is that that reunion that Idream of, it won’tbe through the once extremely promising but now very, very highlycompromisedHong Konglegal system,” shesaid in Washingtonwhereshe has

By The AssociatedPress

Anthony Geary,who rose to fame in the 1970s and ’80s as half the daytime TV super couple Luke and Lauraon “General Hospital,” has died. He was 78.

“Weare deeply saddened by the passing of Anthony Geary,whose portrayal of LukeSpencer helped define General Hospital and daytime television,” ABC said in astatement confirming his death.

Geary died Sunday in Amsterdam of complications from asurgical procedure three days prior

Ex-pro-democracy mediamogul JimmyLai convicted

ASSOCIATED

Retired Chinese cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-Kiun, from left, Jimmy Lai’s wifeTeresa Lai and Jimmy Lai’sson Augustin Lai arriveMonday at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts ahead of the verdict for Hong Kong

Kong

been rallying support for her father’scase.

Reading from the 855-page verdict, Judge Esther Toh said Laihad extended a“con-

stant invitation” to the U.S.to help bring down the Chinese government with the excuse of helping Hong Kongers. Lai’slawyersadmitted

during the trial that he had calledfor foreign sanctions before the national security law took effect, but insisted he dropped these calls to

comply with the law

Butthe judges ruledthat Lai had never waveredinhis intention to destabilize the ruling Chinese Communist Party,“continuing though in aless explicit way.”

Tohsaid the court wassatisfiedthatLai wasthe mastermind of theconspiracies and that Lai’sevidence was at timescontradictory and unreliable. The judges ruled that theonly reasonable inference from theevidence was that Lai’s onlyintent, both before andafterthe security law,was to seek the downfall of therulingCommunist Party even at the sacrifice of the people of China and Hong Kong.

“This was the ultimate aimofthe conspiracies and secessionist publications,” they wrote. His verdict is atest for Beijing’sdiplomatic ties. President Donald Trumpsaidhe hasraised thecase with China,and U.K. PrimeMinister Keir Starmer hassaid his government has madeit aprioritytosecure the release of Lai, who is aBritish citizen.

Geary’sfirst appearance on TV wasasTom Whalom on an episode of “Room 222.” He went on to appear in “All in the Family,” “The Partridge Family,” “The Mod Squad,” “Marcus Welby,M.D.,” “The Streets of San Francisco” and “Barnaby Jones.” AnthonyGeary,who

“The entire ‘General Hos-

pital’ family is heartbroken over the news of Tony Geary’s passing,” Frank Valentini, executive producer of the ABC show,saidina statement Monday.“Tony wasa brilliant actor and set the bar that we continue to strive for. In acareer spanning more than 40 years, Geary earned eightDaytime Emmy awards as Luke Spencer after joining thesoap in1978. Luke’s pairingwithGenie Francis’ Laura Webber Baldwin (as shewas known at the time) propelled the two onto magazine covers and into the culturalmainstream

The 1981 wedding of Luke and Laura was apop culture phenom done in two parts, drawing guestappearances thatincluded Elizabeth Taylor.A record30million viewerswatched.

“He wasa powerhouse as an actor.Shoulder to shoulder withthe greats.Nostar burned brighterthan Tony Geary. He was one of akind. As an artist, he was filled with apassionfor the truth, no matterhow blunt, or even alittlerude it might be, but always hilariously funny,” Francis said in astatement.

In addition to his role as Luke, Gearyhad numerous TV and stage credits,including stints on other soaps: “The Young and the Rest-

less” and “Bright Promise.” Gearyplayed Luke on and off until 2015, though he returnedfor acameo in 2017. He lived aquiet life with husband Claudio Gama in Amsterdam.

In a1993 interview, Geary spoke of the many highs and lows of playing Luke.

“I felt like Ihad to be Luke 24 hoursa day or people would be disappointed,” he said. “As far as I’m concerned, theyare mythic creatures. They come from two sides of theuniverse together andhave amutual connection, which is basically lust andappreciation for individuality. Theylovethe eccentricityineach other.” Geary’sLuke began as a

small-time hit manrecruited to dismantle the relationship of Laura andher firsthusband,ScottyBaldwin.Their story arc turned darker when Luke sexually assaulted Laura.The assault led to aredemption trailfor Luke, who evolved into ahero and even served as mayorof theshow’ssmall town, Port Charles.

“He was notcreated to be aheroiccharacter,” Geary told ABC’s“Nightline”in 2015. “He was created to be an anti-hero,and Ihave treasured the anti-side of the hero and pushed it for along time. He’snot awhite hat or ablack hat, he’sall shades of gray.And that hasbeen thesaving grace of playing

him all these years.” Gearywas born to Mormon parents in Coalville, Utah. He was discovered while attending the University of Utah and performing on stage. He joined atouring company of “The Subject was Roses,” which broughthim to Los Angeles. Over the years, he appeared frequently in stage productions alongside his screen work.

Geary

JanRisher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Diggingup

Shreveport’s past

Within minutes of walking into Shreveport’sSpring Street Museum, Iknew Ihad met someone who loved his work. Marty Loschen, the museum’s curator, didn’thave to say it —his passion for local history showed in the way he moved through the space andwhat he couldn’twait to show me.

The museum, located at 525 N. Spring St. in Shreveport, is housed in an old bank building, completed in 1866. When Iopened one of the display drawers to find dozens of coins, buttons, rings, belt buckles,Louisiana chauffeur tags and more, Isaid, “This drawer looks like someone is ametal detectorist.”

With that one line, Imade a connection with Loschen, who spends much of his free time metal detecting —looking for artifacts that, piece by piece, tell a bitmore of Shreveport’sstory I, too, love metal detecting, but Iusually go with friends who know much more than Idoand are able to direct me to one Louisiana cane field or another “Trips to Egypt are cool, but that never tripped my trigger,” he said. “Local history is more personal. Youcan see it. Youcan touch it. In my case, Ican dig it.” Treasure in theprivy pit

Unlike my metal detecting friends, Loschen has avery different target.

He loves to dig in what’scalled “privy pits” —asin, places where old outhouses used to stand.

“That’swhere people dropped things,” he said. Back then, rarely did they go looking for the things they dropped in the privy Loschen, who earned adegree in archaeologyatLSU in Shreveport, says old outhouses are treasure troves of items lost to time —where, at least in one case, he’sfound literaltreasure.

As he was climbing out of what acentury earlier had been an outhousehole, he was pulling himself up using abrick near the surface. The brick came loose and revealed $10,000 worth of silver. As exciting as striking gold can be, if the afternoon I spent with Loschen is an indication, he gets excited about buttons, buckles, old coins and letter openers, too.

“I love unearthing things that haven’tbeen seen by anyone else in 150 years —it’sathrill. It really is,” he said. He told me about metaldetecting on the site of along-ago Shreveport brothel whereheand friends found “an unusual number of buttons.” He said at first they laughed, envisioning buttons popping off clothing.

“Well, come to find out, about ayear later,wefound out that one of the madams was aseamstress,” he said with achuckle.

Metal detecting dominated the first 30 minutes of my visit to the Spring Street Museum, located in one of Shreveport’soldest buildings, but we eventually moved on to some of the museum’sstories about Shreveport’searliest inhabitantsand leaders, including Larken Edwards (1790-1841).

Shreveport’s dueling firstmayor

Owned by the LSU Shreveport Foundation, LSUS history students work in the museum and go on archaeological hunts to uncover artifacts. The museum’s three stories include abasement accessible only by atrapdoor, where Loschen’soffices are.Upstairs, there are more displays and aroom used for meetings.

“Shreveport’shistory has been based on the river,ofcourse,” Loschen said. “Its history is just likeany other river town— the Wild West.”

Enrollment open forfarmaid

BY MARKBALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON, D.C. Enrollment began latelast weekfor Louisiana farmers of soybeans, rice,cotton and other row crops to receive a portion of the $12 billion one-time paymentsthe federal government has set aside in response to marketdisruptions and increased productioncosts, saidMikeStrain, Louisiana’s commissioner of agricultural andforestry

The Farmer Bridge Assistance Program application process is largely online with the U.S. De-

partment of Agriculture through localFarm ServiceAgency offices. To obtain an application contact the nearest FarmService Agency location or email farmerbridge@usda.gov

Farmershaveuntil Fridayto verify their 2025 acres planted reports with the local Farm Service Agency office. Theacreage reports will be used to calculate howmucheach applicantwill receive. Eligible farmers must have adjusted gross incomes of less than $900,000 annually Paymentswill be released Feb. 28 and are capped at $155,000 per

producer President Donald Trump earlier this month announced the $12 billion aidpackagefor farmers impacted by the trade warwith China.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins said the Farmer Bridge Assistance Program “ensures American farmers can continue to planfor thenextcropyear.It is imperative we do what it takes to help our farmers, because if we cannotfeed ourselves, we will no longer have acountry.”

Theideaistoprovidefinancial relief until October, when provi-

sions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act kick in to increase reference prices 10% to 21% for some row crops. The money will be available to farmers who grow barley, chickpeas, corn, cotton, lentils, oats, peanuts, peas,rice, sorghum, soybeans, wheat,canola, crambe, flax, mustard, rapeseed,safflower, sesameand sunflower

Richard Fontenot, president of the Louisiana Farm Bureau and asoybean farmer, praisedthe Trumpadministration.

“Asweanticipatebetter days throughtrade dealsand deregulation, their leadership to bridge this economic season through this assistance is critical for our industry,” Fontenot said.

MERRy&BRIGHT

Ridersfinishrodeo with topstandings

BY JA’KORI MADISON Staff writer

ABOVE: Mikeand Karen Alvarez ride as king and queen in the Queen City Christmas Parade on SaturdayinNew Iberia Christmas floats, dancing groups, marching bands and SantaClauswere all in the parade organizedbyBayou Traditions.

LEFT: SantaClauswaves to theparade crowd.

BYJA’KORI

Acadiana was awinter wonderland in January when aonce-ina-lifetime 6to11inches of snow spread across lawns and streets in thearea. The rare occurrence left some to wonder,“Will it ever happen again?”

The record-breakingsnowfall fell in south LouisianaonJan.20, with Lafayette seeing 9.5inches, south Lafayette 10.5 inches, Church Point 11 inches, Breaux

Bridge 10 inchesand Abbeville 6inches.

Temperaturesduring the storm dropped to singledigits andprompted the first blizzard warning issued by the National Weather Service Lake Charles office, which was based on sustained winds of 35-40 mph and low visibility along the coast, according to Andrew Tingler,meteorologist with theweather

MADISON Staff writer

OUR VIEWS

Proceed with cautionas wetlands protections rolled back

We cannot say we do notunderstandthe concerns of developers seekingtobuild on or near federally protectedwetlands. Therules for permitting have been onerous for many decades now.But aproposed ruletoreduce thenumber of acres considered as protected by thefederal government comes with itsown setofconcerns. The Environmental Protection Agencyand the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers are seeking to update regulations so that only wetlands witha “continuous surface connection”towatersthat are “relatively permanent” are subject to federal oversight. In Louisiana, that meansthatwhile construction on our coastal wetlandswould still be under strict rules, millions of inland acres that arehome to estuaries and vital ecosystems could potentiallyface fewer obstaclestodevelopment At atime when housing affordability is a watchword on everyone’slips, we understand the need for clearer rules that don’t deter developersfrom building where it’s needed. Butwe would like to issue awordofcaution amid the push to undo decades of wetlandsprotection The proposed rule comes after the 2023 Supreme Court ruling in U.S.inSackettv.Environmental Protection Agency,acasewhich sought to define what are “waters of the United States” protected under theClean WaterAct. EPAAdministratorLee Zeldin hasa point when he says that the term has been usedtoo broadly to include some areasfar from the coast. But to us, that doesn’tmean many of theseareas don’tdeserve any protection.It nowfalls to the states to ensurethat regulations areinplace to make sure that what needsprotectingremains protected. In Louisiana, theNational Resources Defense Council estimates thatroughly half, or 3.9 million acres, of Louisiana wetlands could lose federal protection under the new rule. And millions of dollars that developersare required to spend to mitigate harmful effects to wetlands could go away

Another area of concern is that thenew rule excludes interstatewaters from automatic federal jurisdiction unlesstheymeet other criteria in the law.Aswewell know in Louisiana, water follows its own boundaries, and what happens farawayfromuscan affect ourwater quality and flood risk.

That’swhy we would urge thestate to join with others to implement common-senseprotectionsfor wetlands that allow for development within reason. But it appears instead thatitis rushing headlong into this brave newworld Last session, with Act 105, Louisiana became one of thestates that limited thedefinitionof wetlandsinaccordancewiththe Sackett decision but ahead of new EPArules. It is alsonot encouraging that anew report bythe Environmental Integrity Project shows that the state has slashed funding to itsDepartmentof Environmental Quality by 26%overthe past 15 years and has reducedstaffing by nearly a quarter Act in haste, repent at leisure, theold saying goes.But if we destroy ourwetlands, it will be future generations paying the penance.

GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Hard-workingimmigrants should notbehunted

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement creates more chaos than it resolves The vastmajority of crime is committed by United States citizens. The “illegal” immigrantsare not theproblem.

Iwalk 4-5 miles in New Orleans every day.Isee unhoused people on thestreets everywhere, andatthe risk of being accused of “profiling,” not aone appearstobeanimmigrant of Hispanic descent, or other ICE-targeted nationalities. Know why? Because they are working. Isee Hispanics and others who might be immigrantswith tools on theirbelts or in their hands, be it asaw,ahammer,apaintbrush or a broom. Isee them at the hotels and bus stopsintheir housekeeper uniforms. Isee them entering homes, condos and residential buildings with mops, vacuums and cleaning supplies.Isee them behind the counter at convenience stores and other retailestablishments. Isee them making purchases at local

restaurants and businesses. Isee them in church. Mostofthesepeople camehere for thesame reasonsour families came here: to provide abetterlife for theirfamilies. Unlike original immigrants, they arenot looking to displace those who are here, but to join them. Many arerunning from oppression by gangs and politicians, fleeing poor living conditions, poverty and hunger.They come here like so manyothers before them, as refugees seeking asylum, which in mostcases was temporarily granted while their individual cases could be adjudicated by the process established by our government. It is not theirfault that Congress refused to fund the immigration courts to alevel necessary to provide hearings in atimely manner, even when they hadthe opportunity to do so just 18 months ago. God calls upon us to love our neighbor,all of them.

DANIEL WEDGE NewOrleans

Time to root outthe badactors, restoreintegrity to trucking industry

Across America —and in Louisiana —bad actors exploit gaps in our regulatorysystem. They obtain commercial licenses without proper training, manipulate electronic logs,fake safety records, steal identities and reopen under new names to avoid accountability Theseschemes cost legitimate carriers millions and put everyone on theroad at risk

The scopeofthe problem is alarming.

Many carriers operate without reliable safety ratings due to outdated data systems. Asignificant number of commercial driverslack the Englishproficiency needed to understandbasic safety instructions. Meanwhile, fraudulent brokersand double-brokering schemes continue to siphon money from hardworking carriers and shippers.

To address these vulnerabilities, theTrucking Association Execu-

tive Council has developed anational plan focused on practical, technology-driven reforms using dataalready collected. Key solutionsinclude modernizing safety systems, integrating databases to verify driver qualifications, cracking down on fraudulent brokers, ensuring drivers meet communication requirementsand stopping manipulation of electronic logging devices

This effortisn’t about more red tape. Good carriers follow the rules.Thesereforms ensure everyoneelsefollows them too.

America’strucking industry is thebackbone of our economy.It’s time to protect companies and professional driverswho play by the rules —and eliminatethose who don’t.

RENEE AMAR executivedirector,Louisiana Motor TransportAssociation

Sometime back, Iwas called aBlue Dog Democrat in reference to people who would vote forablue dog before voting for aRepublican. Having said that, it has become clearer every day that we must take notice of our elected politicians.

The GOP has given President Donald Trump the role of dictator; House Speaker Mike Johnson thinks he should have the title of God. It would notbe asurprise if he totes aTrump Bible Lying Clay Higgins says he has evidence of government agents dressedas Trump supporters on buses to storm the capital on Jan. 6. He said on TV that he had the evidence (two white busesfull), and he would show it soon. Nothing. Steve Scalise is still standing in the back row,trying not to be seen. In Trump’ssecond term,they voted with their silence as Trump set out to destroy the good values we were founded on, that made us the beacon the rest of the world likes to be —like fair play and law and order From starving children around the globe to the blackmailing of colleges, to the dismantling of the U.S. to the betrayal of our friends, his goal is to be king of the world and with the assistance of Louisiana politicians’ “go along just to get along” approach, he has almost done it. Letting children starve while the food we bought rots in warehouses is the Trump waytobea big man. He is the biggest con manof our time, and our officials make it easy for him. Any blue dog would be better than an orange con man. The politicians need to remember what Liz Cheney said: “There will come aday when Donald Trump is gone, but your dishonor will remain.”

CARL CRAIN Baton Rouge

Lane KiffinhireatLSU seemsdestined

Igraduated in 1979 from Robert E. Lee High in Baton Rouge. Iwas so excited about LSU hiring Bo Rein from North Carolina State. His replacement was no other than Monte Kiffin, his first head coaching job. Is it possible that those twogot together in gridiron heaven to make all this happen? Iamexcited forLSU football.

JOE GOSSEN Lafayette

Astark lesson aboutwar powers

Warisgovernment’sgravest undertaking, but defining war is difficult, declaring it is rare, and makingconstitutional values and procedures pertinent to it is problematic. This has been made more so, and more urgent, by the untethering of the modern presidency from restraintsother than the occupant’s constitutional conscience.

During the Revolutionary Warand until the Constitution’s ratificationin1788, the national government had no distinct executive branch. The Articles of Confederation’sweakness,and knowledge that George Washington would be thefirst and office-defining president, resulted in Article II’sinherent permissiveness regarding expansions of presidential power In “The President Who Would Not Be King: Executive Power Under the Constitution,” Michael W. McConnell, Stanford law professor andformer federal judge, writes that Article Ivests in Congress legislative powers “herein granted” and enumerated.Article II simply assumes the presidentshall exercise all powers executiveinnature Those powers were negligible in 1789, when theexecutive bureaucracy was smallerthan Congress.Today,executive power is everywhere.

George Will

1942 (against German allies Bulgaria, Hungary,Romania), many wars ago. Congress has, however,passed authorizations for uses of military force. Citing decisions of selfrestraint by presidentsWashington (dealing with Native American tribes), John Adams (theQuasi-War withFrance) and Thomas Jefferson (the Barbary War),McConnell concludes that an originalist understanding of war powers is that “congressional authorization is required before thePresident mayemploy the armed forces in offensive military operations that constitute acts of war.”

Beyond occasional, optional and broad authorizations for the use of military force, Congress nowadays chooses to tolerate avast area of presidential “prerogative,”asJohn Locke defined it: the“power to act according to discretion”and “without theprescription of thelaw.”

Secrecyincollege sports mega-deals makestaxpayers thelosers

The Constitutional Convention changed Congress’s power from “to make war” to “to declare war,” thereby expanding presidential war power.The Convention worriedthat ifthe power to “make” war belonged to Congress (which often was out of session), the president could not repel suddenattacks. Also,the power to declare war was already almostanullity: Most wars then (and since) were declaredby beginning them —waging warbefore, or rather than, declaring war. In Federalist 25,Alexander Hamilton noted that “the ceremony”offormally declaring war “has of late fallen into disuse.” Congress has not declared warsince

More recently,however,the Justice Department’sOffice of Legal Counsel has, McConnell says, “repeatedly” said that amilitary operation that is not“sufficiently”extensive in “nature, scope,and duration”does not constitute “war” requiring congressional approval. “This interpretation,” McConnell tartly notes, “slips theconstraints of founding-era understanding based on objectivequestions of the law of nations, and substitutes aGoldilocks-like question about ‘sufficient’extent ” In the Founding era, Congress could control thepresident by not raising an army or maintaining anavy.(State militiaswere much larger than the national military.) Today,presidentswield huge permanent armed services, and have no “practical need” (McConnell’s carefulphrase)toseek Congress’s permission to employ them. McConnell notes, however,that Congress’sappropriation power is “almost unlimited,” and was wielded to end U.S. involvement in Vietnam. In “Imperial from theBeginning: The Constitution of the Original Executive,” University of Virginia Law School professor Saikrishna Bangalore Prakash says“whatever militarydiscretion Congress chooses not to exercise, it must leave for the president.”

The lesson is stark. Do not expect the Constitution’slanguage and structure to impede what decades of presidential practices have madenormal: presidentsdoing what they choose regarding warmaking. The current president has pushed prerogative to absurdity (e.g defining war as somethingwaged by suspected drug smugglers).In domestic affairs (e.g., abogus “emergency” justifying tariffs;anexecutive order amending the 14th Amendment regarding birthright citizenship),the Constitution probably soon will restrain him Regarding warmaking, however, theConstitution, Congress and norms are cobwebs inadequate for lassoing a presidential locomotive.

So, voters arelearning theConstitution’s limited abilitytomitigate the consequences of their choices. Neither thelanguage of the law (constitutional or other), nor what are now shadows of norms, can substitute for what is indispensable: an occupant of the presidency whose constitutional conscience causes him or her to distinguish the proper from themerely possible.

Given what the foreword of McConnell’sbook calls today’swidespread sense of “constitutional degradation,” it might seem quaint to speak of apresident’sconstitutional conscience. In a few years, however,there can again be presidential self-restraint grounded in personal humility,and in uncodified principles —moral and prudential —requiring decent respect from the decent

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

Pregnancyresourcecenters help

women; they don’t‘torture’ them

No matter how you cut it, trying to shut down pregnancy resource centers is not agood look. Yetgovernment officials in some blue states are targeting such centers, claiming they lure pregnant women who think they’re entering an abortion clinic and then, presumably, talk them into keeping their babies. What fresh hell is this?

The future of college sports, even at public universities, is asecret.

Or rather,anever-growing collection of secrets.

That’sthe waythings are headed these days, judging by recent events at Louisiana’sflagship university in Baton Rouge.

On Dec.11, LSU and footwear giant Nike jointly announced a 10-year extension of their longrunning partnership. The new deal will run through 2036 and include a Name,Image, Likeness component that will see money going directly to athletes under aprogram Nike terms “Blue Ribbon Elite.” It also will keep LSU athletes adorned with the swoosh for the next decade.

Presumably,this new deal will be worth more than the several millionper year Nike hasbeen paying to LSU under the current arrangement. Isay presumably because we don’tknow how muchthe deal is worth. LSU’sprevious contracts with Nike have been considered public records and provided as part of records requests. They have also been published on the LSU Sports website.

But not this one. When this newspaperaskedfor acopy of the new deal, areporter was told the university did not have it, and that the Tiger Athletic Foundation was the custodian of the records.

So, Nike’snew deal is not with LSU perse, but rather with TAF, which, of course, is aprivate entity that does not fall under the public records laws.

Nevermind that the release announcing the deal described it as between “Tiger Athleticsand Nike,” and included astatement attributedto Verge Ausberry,LSU’sathletic director.Inother words, apublic entity,LSU Athletics, announced by apublic employee, Ausberry But it’snot public.

This is just the latest in what has been, foryears now,anexpansion of secrecy around howpublic university athletics work. The tail is wagging the uh, Tiger And university officials are more thanhappy to be wagged, it appears.

In another example, check LSU’snew arena project, which seems to be picking up steamagain after along period of silence in the wake of the indictment of the developer’sfounder. (He was pardoned this month by President Donald Trump.) The entire evaluation of potential developers washandled by TAF, behind closed doors and in secret. The list was whittled down from at least six to two, whose names were released, including Oak View Group, the eventual winner.

All questions on that were directed to TAF, too Or look at the advertising on the field in Death Valley.That deal is with TAF, and notthe school. TAFisliterally renting space on public land with officials’ consent.

Kathleen Parker

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said in 2022 that pro-baby centers shouldn’tbeallowed to “torture apregnant person” and introduced legislation to “crack down” on them.New York Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani has said he would protect the city against “false or deceptive” information from pregnancyresourcecenters. AndNew Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin, aDemocrat, issued asubpoena against First Choice Women’s Resource Centers Inc., demanding 10 years of confidential internal records, including donor,volunteer and staff information, without cause or evidence of wrongdoing.Indeed, such centers have been offering life-affirming support to expectant mothers and families fordecades.

First Choice shot back with alegal challenge that was argued before the U.S. Supreme Court. Plaintiffs’ lawyers said the centers should be able to defend their constitutional rights in federal court when state officials target them because of theirbeliefs. Although the case was strictly procedural,the rulingcould have wideranging implications for nonprofits facing government intimidation, as the American Civil Liberties Union argued in an amicus brief. Cutting through the pettifoggery,itseems that the New Jersey attorney general wants to thwart donor support through exposure and implied threats of contempt. Wherever one stands on thereversal of Roe v. Wade, one can’tpossibly think it’swrong to help women who want to carry their babies to term but lack support and resources. If it’sthe faith-based motivation of providers that rankles, then you might want to

STAFF PHOTO By BLAKE PATERSON

The nonprofitCommunityCenter for Life, Inc. operatesthe Pregnancy and Family ResourceCenter in Gretna

brush up on religious liberty andthe Constitution.Some argue that the centers are legal but unethical. In the American Medical Association’sJournal of Ethics, two doctors write: “Although crisispregnancycenters enjoy First Amendment rights protections, their propagation of misinformation shouldberegarded as an ethical violation that undermineswomen’s health.”

Theauthors contendthatwhile seeming to be medicalcenters, the pregnancy resourcecenters are not subject to the licensure requirements and credentialing oversight of medical facilities. Not so.Any facilityperformingmedical procedureswould face appropriate laws and oversight. While these legalmaneuvers have kept lawyers, doctors, nurses and laymen busy defending their mission to help women andbabies, the war on thecountry’sroughly 2,600pregnancy centers has become violent. Accordingtoatally by the Family Research Council, more than100 of these centers, pro-lifeorganizationsand churches were attackedwith arson,firebombingand vandalism after theMay 2022 leak of theruling that reversed Roe v. Wade. Jane’sRevenge,a pro-choiceactivistgroup, claimedresponsibility for more than adozen of those incidents. Whatever compelspeople to donate timeormoney to help the less fortunatewhen they’re most vulnerable should be reasonfor celebration, not punishment. If apregnant woman seeking an abortionwanders intoa

pro-life clinic,itisn’tasthough she’ll be tackled, shackled intoabirthing chairand forced to recitethe Nicene Creed. She can leave. Instead,such “misguided” women more often find helpful staff members, in many cases anurse,doctor,radiologist or sonographerwhose mission isn’ttomisinform but to help women in distress make informed decisions.

Most of thecenters offer long- and short-term support to mother andchild and, in some cases, the father.Alot of these young women are unmarriedand saythey’d have their babies if they hadfamily or other support. Many pregnancyresourcecenters offerjust that —diapers, formula,babyclothes, strollers, cribs, as wellasreferralsto other services. Some even provide job trainingand housing.

So,what’sthe beef?The answer should be obvious. If the government will no longer support Planned Parenthood through reimbursements —more than abilliondollars in payments from 2019 to 2022 across theorganization’s affiliates fromMedicare,Medicaid andthe Children’sHealth Insurance Program —thenpregnancy centers, whichare nonprofit and largely but not solely subsidizedbyprivate donors, shouldn’tbeallowed to exist. Some centers nowreceive state and federal funds, as wellastax creditsfor donations in states such as Missouri.

Criticssee thecenters as the next frontierinthe war on abortion,a conservative Christian movementtoreplace abortion clinics.

This seems lessa hostile takeover than an adaptation to newcircumstances, filling avoid that’snot been addressed. If feminism hastaught us anything, it is that women have agency.Itseems preposterous that someone as smart as thesenator fromMassachusetts would assume that apregnant woman can’t read signs or makephone calls to figure outwhere she wants to go.Who thesedays says that womencan’tthink for themselves? Only thepurveyors of choice,itseems.

Email Kathleen Parker at kathleenparker@washpost.com.

Or look at how revenue share funds, whichare paid to athletes, are doled out. LSU is paying more than $20 millionaspart of the plan.

That money comes into apublic university and is paid out by apublic university to athletes. But LSU officials declined to reveal how muchisgoing to individual players.

It’sworth noting that every other public university in the state also declined to say. And that schools like Tulane and Loyola are private, so not subject to the same public records laws. This is not just aLouisiana problem: Public universities in other states are also working to keep thatinformation secret.

This is just the way things are done now. Secrecy and backroom deals are necessary,theytell us, for LSU to remain competitive for revenue,top coaches and players. The Alabamas, Ohio States and Clemsons are also in on this moneyed arms race.

YetifLSU is such astrong brand and the business opportunities are so good, then why is transparency such an insurmountable hurdle?

The state has public bid laws and the like on the books for areason: Public entities are ownedby the taxpayers. And the taxpayers deserve to know how business is being conducted on their behalf. All of this should enrage regular,taxpaying Louisiana residents. LSU is shifting more of its athletics business to aprivate entity to avoid public scrutiny.Because with scrutiny comesaccountability,the type that should stretch farther than the results on the scoreboard.

I’m sure there are fans who disagree,and as long as the Tigers, Cajuns or Bulldogs win, they’re fine with the secrecy I’m not one of them.Ibelieve in knowing what my government is doing. And running more and more dealings through foundations is nothing more than an end run around the good government rules the state has in place. Because whenitdoesn’tgowell on the field —as eventually will happen—the secrecyisgoing to ensure that those truly responsible escape public accountability Then, the real losers are us.

EmailFaimon A. RobertsIII at froberts@ theadvocate.com.

Faimon Roberts

Bourbon Street installation a memorial to Jan. 1 attack

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE Staff writer

For the next seven weeks, visitors to Bourbon Street will look up to find a poignant reminder of the New Year’s Day terror attack — nearly 1,000 handcrafted flags, suspended above the famous street in honor of those who were killed there nearly a year ago.

Gov Jeff Landry Mayorelect Helena Moreno, other officials and French Quarter leaders gathered on Monday to light the memorial for its first night, commemorate the attack and commit to preventing similar killings in the future.

The memorial, which was conceptualized by Katy Casbarian, owner of Arnaud’s Restaurant, and designed by Studio West, will be up until Jan. 18. It was paid for through contributions

RISHER

Continued from page 1B

Then he paused and told me that there was a story upstairs about Shreveport’s first mayor that he thought I might be interested in learning more about. He was correct.

Shreveport’s first mayor, John O. Sewall, was elected to the office in 1839, a time when Shreveport was on the edge of the Wild West. After a dispute with the town’s first sheriff, Alexander Sterrett, about an invoice discrepancy, the two agreed to duel. Sewall killed the sheriff, accounts say, in broad daylight. The next year he got in another duel and things didn’t end his way Shreveport’s first mayor died at the age of 34. It’s easy to forget, walking the streets of modern towns and cities, that beneath our feet are layers of lives — some celebrated, some forgotten, details lost down old outhouse holes.

Before I left the Spring Street Museum, I thought again about those drawers full of buttons and buckles, the coins and rings that once belonged to people who never imagined they’d

from organizations like the French Quarter Management District, New Orleans & Co. and the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Casbarian declined to say how much the installation cost.

Spanning the first three blocks of Bourbon Street, the installation, known as “Second Line in the Sky,” features images and the names of many of the 14 people who were killed in the attack, along with photos of brass band musicians and Mardi Gras Indians taken at second-lines over the years.

“Those individuals were bright lights to their families, to their friends, bright lights in their communities, and they will always shine here in the city of New Orleans,” Moreno said. “But one of the best ways that we can honor those who we have lost is to also ensure

that something like this never happens again.”

The lighting ceremony of the privately created memorial comes as the French Quarter Terrorism Attack Memorial Commission, which was established by Landry through an executive order in April, is still in the planning stage for a permanent memorial, according to Joey DiFatta, a French Quarter resident and business owner who was appointed to serve on the commission by Lt Gov Billy Nungesser

Fourteen people died and many others were wounded in the early morning hours of Jan. 1 when ShamsudDin Jabbar barreled down Bourbon in a rented pickup truck, running down revelers who had been celebrating the new year

Jabbar was killed by police officers after he was

old

maps that help document the city’s

be on display in a museum. I appreciate the way history doesn’t always announce itself with monuments or markers. Sometimes it’s just something small that slipped out

of a pocket, fell into the wrong place and waited for someone like Loschen, who knows where to look.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

SNOW

Continued from page 1B

“This is a very rare combination,” Tingler said. “Most of the time, cold air and moisture don’t line up long enough for snow to accumulate. Last January conditions were just right.” With the cold air in place and moisture from the Gulf arriving at the same time, the unusual winter weather landed in Louisiana. Snowfall is uncommon in south Louisiana due to the region’s rare experiences of the precise combination of deep cold air and Gulf moisture needed for snow, Tingler said. Even when surface temperatures dip below freezing, warmer air often turns precipitation into rain, sleet or freezing rain.

Historical snow events highlight how rare it is for

Lafayette to see accumulation. The heaviest recorded snow was 14 inches in 1895, while Crowley holds the state record at about 2 feet. More recent events, such as in 2010 and 2017, brought only small total amounts.

Global temperatures continue to rise with 2024 being the warmest year on record globally, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

But “cold snaps still occur locally,” Tingler said “Snow can still happen here, but the combination of conditions has to be just right.”

While snow in Lafayette is possible, forecasters caution that significant events are unlikely without the perfect alignment of cold air and moisture. Meteorologists watch for Arctic or northern air masses moving from Alaska, Canada or even Siberia into the central United States. If that aligns

able to drive down three city blocks that didn’t have security barriers deployed. The attack sparked concerns about gaps in security plans for the world-famous street and has prompted heightened law enforcement there in recent months.

In the days after the attack, visitors and residents flocked to a makeshift memorial at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon streets that featured crosses and handwritten messages to the victims, their families and the city

Currently that memorial sits outside The Presbytère on Jackson Square. It was moved there by Louisiana State Police in February

Officials have since vowed to erect something more permanent.

The state commission has until April to make its recommendation to the gover-

RIDERS

Continued from page 1B

Association Bareback Horse of the Year for 90.75 points to win the 10th and final round. “There’s only one word that truly describes that horse, and that’s electricity,” Sonnier said. “That’s a special animal.”

That round earned Sonnier $36,668, and he added another $60,325 by finishing fourth in the average standings, which combines scores from all 10 rounds. He left Las Vegas with $199,057 in National Finals Rodeo earnings and finished the season fourth in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association world standings with $360,564. Earlier in the week, Sonnier battled what publicist Ted Harbin described as “unlucky draws,” facing several difficult horses that limited his ability to place despite staying qualified each night “I turned everything loose

nor on the design and location of a permanent tribute, according to Landry’s executive order

The group, which has its fourth meeting scheduled for Wednesday, is considering a plan to create two memorials in different parts of the French Quarter, DiFatta said.

One could be a plaque or archway at the intersection of Canal and Bourbon with the victims’ names, he said.

A second memorial could be located in a calmer part of the French Quarter, like in Jackson Square, where people would be able to stop and reflect.

“Let’s face it, Bourbon Street is going to be loud, boisterous it’s probably not the most conducive place for that,” DiFatta said.

He said the group has yet to discuss any concrete proposals for either memorial

going into that round,” Sonnier said. “I knew I was riding for a bigger purpose. I’ve got a little girl to provide for and a lot of goals to accomplish.”

Bourgeois, competing at the National Finals Rodeo for the first time, also put together a strong showing.

The Church Point cowboy earned his final rodeo paycheck Friday night, posting an 85.75-point ride aboard Penthouse Pro Rodeo’s Cosmic Stardust horse to tie for second in the ninth round and collect $25,431.

He entered the National Finals Rodeo ranked No. 12 in the world and earned $96,000 through seven rounds, totaling 502.25 points after six qualified rides. Although, he did not place among the top six in Saturday’s final round, which is required to earn money on a given night, his earlier consistency paid off.

He finished the National Finals Rodeo with $131,044 in earnings and climbed from 12th to sixth in the world standings, closing the

and that the process would likely take longer than a year

“We want to get it right; we want to make sure we truly honor the folks who gave their lives to this horrid event,” he said. Melissa Dedeaux, whose daughter Ni’kyra was killed in the attack, said she appreciated the efforts behind the installation and planned permanent memorial.

“Even through all of this grief that we’re going through, this is special to us,” Dedeaux said. Dedeaux supported the idea of a memorial in Jackson Square, rather than on Bourbon Street.

“I think it needs to be at a place of peace,” Dedeaux said. “A better place.”

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

season with $258,907.

“This is the pinnacle of our sport,” Bourgeois said earlier in the week. “It’s a blessing to be out here in Las Vegas.”

Despite competing individually, both Sonnier and Bourgeois shared a locker room and supported one another throughout the finals, according to Ted Harbin, the publicist for both riders.

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

with Gulf moisture, snow becomes possible.

“It’s rare, and exact amounts are impossible to predict more than a few days in advance,” Tingler said, also noting that weather in the region naturally fluctuates, which is normal, so forecasters continue to monitor conditions closely rather than making early predictions.

This week, Tingler said, a cold front will remain over Acadiana through Wednesday, with another expected Thursday, continuing the cycle of fluctuating temperatures.

The direct answer from Tingler: It’s possible but difficult to tell this early, and any snow event depends on very precise conditions coming together

Email Ja’kori Madison at jakori.madison@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF FILE

PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Cafe Habana City owner Rafael Garcia, center his son Javier left, and David Uribe use shovels and pots to clear snow from their parking lot after re-opening on Jan. 23 in Lafayette.

STAFF PHOTO By JAN RISHER

Marty Loschen, curator at the Spring Street Museum in downtown Shreveport looks through

Sanborne

history.

Buckets

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The 16 games that will determine the LSU women’sbasketball team’s NCAA Tournament seedingare rightaround the corner But first, the No. 5Tigers (11-0) must play three more nonconference contests that should each shakeout like mostofthe first 11 did.

ä Morgan State at LSU, 11A.M.TUESDAy,SECN+

LSU scored at least 100 points in each of thefirst eight games it played, setting an NCAA record in theprocess, and picked up acome-from-behind road win over Duke. The Tigers lead the nation in several offensive categories, and they’vewon seven matchupsby at least 50 points. Thecaveat is that the Tigers have played one of the country’slightest schedules. Things will getmoredifficultfor LSU starting Jan. 1against No.12Kentucky The Wildcats areone of eight SEC teamsranked in the latest edition of The Associated Press Top25Poll. Here are three things to watch for in the Tigers’ last three nonconference games. The first is ameeting with Morgan State that will tip off at 11 a.m Tuesdayinthe Pete MaravichAssembly Center (SEC Network+).

Defense

Scott Rabalais

In the waning days leadingtoChristmas (no,I haven’tfinished my shopping), mostofthe spotlight on LSUathletics continues to be on the football program and itsfuture under new coach Lane Kiffin. Butsome of that light is justifiably startingtoshineonthe LSUbasketball programs, about whom twothoughts come to mind: 1. TheLSU women’s team has talent, depth and, of course, superior coaching. But does ithave what it takes to break through the Elite Eight levelofthe pasttwo seasons and returntothe FinalFour?

Saints defensive end Chase young sacks Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryceyoung at the CaesarsSuperdomeonSunday.

Saintswinning 7games

no longer crazytalk

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Whenthe Sun Belt Conference’s suspension came down afterthe Nov.8postgame fight with Texas State, senior safety Tyree Skipper received the harshest penalty

He was toldhecouldn’tplay another game for UL —ineligible for the final tworegular-season games anda potentialbowlgameifhis Ragin’ Cajuns won theirfinal two regular-season games.

Skipperwas heartbroken.

“It was definitely devastating,” saidSkipper,who now will join the Cajuns at 7:30 p.m. We dne sday against Delaware in the 68 VenturesBowl in Mobile, Alabama. “Itwas ahard time.”

Skipper was reinstated last week by the Sun Belt after UL’s bowl game was announced,but that neverwas agiven

LSU is one of the most dangerous offensive teamsinthe nation. The Tigers solidified that standing on Dec.4,when they became only the second team to score at least 90 points against the Blue Devils across the last six seasons. But is LSU also one of the country’s best defensive teams? Coach Kim Mulkey is still trying to answerthatquestion. She’s been emphasizing the need to see the Tigers improve on that end of the floor ever since they played Duke.

The Blue Devils have faced four rankedteams —No. 3South Carolina, No.4UCLA, No.5LSU and No.15Baylor—and theirbestoffensive showing in those games cameagainst the Tigers.

he’s finishing his schoolwork. He’s already graduated.He’sdoneeverything the way that you want a guy to do.”

To aplayerwho lovesfootball and his team, it was the only way to respond.

“It was ano-brainer for me,”

prepared for the Delaware offense.

“You wouldn’thave known he wassuspended,” defensive coordinator Jim Salgado said.

IfIhad told you six weeksago that the New Orleans Saints had achance to go 7-10 this season, you probably would have suggested I get drug tested. The Saints had just suffered a beatdown against the Los Angeles Rams that left them with just one win in theirfirst nine games. The Saints hadn’tstarted a season that bad since 1980, eight years before their first-year coach

Kellen Moore even was born. Fast-forward six weeksand things have changed. A7-10 record is well within reach for the Saints, fresh off backto-back wins overthe toptwo teams in the NFC South. One week after knocking off the Tampa BayBuccaneers, the Saintsfollowed it up with acomeback victory over the Carolina Panthers to leavethose two teams

Despite the shock and disappointmentafter the initial suspension, the New Orleans native didn’tchange his schedule much at all. He kept comingtopractices andgoing to the games.

He couldn’t play,but he could cheer on his teammates andhelp instructthe youngersafeties who were thrown into the fray

“He hasn’tmissed onething, hasn’tbeen late for onething,”UL coach Michael Desormeauxsaid “He’sbeen at practice every day. The workouts, he’sbeen at D’s(Suzanne Dupuy) office, makingsure

Skippersaid. “There was no question knowing thatIwas going to be here and still practice formy guys to give them those looks and stuff like that.

“I just love the game, so Iwas going to be here regardless, man, put in the work, no matter what happens further down the line.”

Skipper said he wasa bitsluggish in his first few practices back, but as he got going, he was back to his oldself.

In fact, Skipper received scout team player of the week recognitionfor last week as the Cajuns

“OnceIgot outofmyhead, I’m like, ‘Man, Igot to get my guys moving,’ so Istarted moving around kind of fast and just enjoying the moment with the team,” Skipper said.

Desormeaux personally contacted Sun Belt commissioner Keith Gilland suggested Skipper had earned the right to play in his last collegiate game.WhenGillagreed and reinstated Skipper last week after he missed twogames, his bitter emotions transformed into tears and gratitude.

“Itwas the greatest news Igot allyear,man,” Skippersaidwith

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

LSU guard Dedan Thomas pivots with threeSMU players near him during the first half at theSmoothie King Center on Saturday.

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

LSU forward AmiyaJoyner goes up for ashotagainst UNO forward Chenai Mushore duringa game at Lakefront Arena on Dec. 7.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Rod Walker

Undefeated UConn keeps top spot

LSU moves to 11-0 and stays at No. 5 in the AP poll

BY DOUG FEINBERG Associated Press

UConn went to California and blew out USC to keep its undefeated season intact and maintain its hold on the top spot in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll released Monday.

The Huskies received 24 firstplace votes from a 32-member national media panel. UConn has now been ranked 646 weeks in the poll to tie Stanford for third most in the 50-year history of the poll, trailing only Tennessee (801 appearances) and Texas (649)

The second-ranked Longhorns

garnered the other eight firstplace ballots. South Carolina, UCLA and LSU remained the next three teams in the poll. Michigan was sixth with Maryland seventh. Oklahoma flipped places with TCU to move up to eighth after beating rival Oklahoma State last week. Iowa State rounded out the top 10. The Cyclones beat rival Iowa 74-69 last week. The Hawkeyes remained 11th

Louisville made the biggest jump this week, climbing six spots to No. 16 after an overtime victory over then-No. 12 North Carolina on Sunday The Tar Heels fell six places to 18th.

In and out

Princeton moved into the poll at No. 25 as the Tigers earned a ranking at least once in four of the past five seasons. Carla Beru-

be’s squad has only lost once this season (Maryland). The Tigers replaced Oklahoma State, which fell out.

Conference supremacy

The Big Ten once again had nine teams in the poll while the Southeastern Conference was next with eight. The Big 12 and ACC each had three The Big East and Ivy each have one ranked team.

Games of the week

The second annual women’s Champions Classic will take place in New York on Saturday with No. 17 Tennessee playing No. 16 Louisville in the opener and topranked UConn facing No. 11 Iowa in the second game of the doubleheader The women’s doubleheader started last season. These two games are the only ones between ranked teams this week.

Arizona, Michigan stay 1-2 in rankings

Wildcats receive 42 of 61 first-place votes

By The Associated Press

No. 1 Arizona and No. 2 Michigan remained locked in place atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll released Monday while No 15 Nebraska jumped to its highest Top 25 ranking in nearly 35 years

The Wildcats had 42 of 61 firstplace votes to hold the top spot while the Wolverines received 15 to keep the teams at 1-2 for a second consecutive week.

The Wildcats (9-0) rallied from a halftime deficit Saturday to claim a 21-point win against then-No. 12 Alabama in the Crimson Tide’s home state, adding to a list of victories against ranked opponents that includes reigning national champion Florida, at UConn and Auburn.

The Wolverines (10-0) have won their past seven games by at least 18 points, a run that includes romps against Auburn (102-72) and Gonzaga (101-61) And Michigan sits atop analytics rankings by KenPom, Evan Miyakawa and Bart Torvik. LSU (9-1), which defeated SMU (9-2) on Saturday 89-77 at the Smoothie King Center, continued to receive votes in the poll for the third straight week.

The top tier

The top 10 was largely unchanged, with No. 7 Gonzaga and No. 8 Houston swapping spots from last week the only new wrin-

Arizona guard Brayden Burries shoots and hits a 3-point shot

kle. No. 3 Duke (three) and No. 4 Iowa State (one) were the only other teams to earn first-place votes. UConn and Purdue were next after the Cyclones, and Michigan State and BYU rounded out the top 10.

Rising

The Cornhuskers (11-0) had the week’s biggest jump of eight spots after Saturday’s win at thenNo. 13 Illinois on a buzzer-beating 3-pointer Nebraska has not been ranked this high since it was No. 11 in March 1991 for the final poll of that season Nebraska had been ranked just 15 times in more than three decades since, then jumped in at No. 23 last week No 14 Arkansas climbed three spots after beating then-No. 16

Texas Tech over the weekend, while No 12 North Carolina, No. 13 Vanderbilt and No. 17 Kansas each rose two spots. In all, seven teams moved up from last week.

Sliding

The now-No. 18 Illini and 23rdranked Florida had the week’s biggest slides, with each falling five spots. Alabama fell four spots after losing to Arizona and Texas Tech slid three, joining Houston as the week’s five teams to drop. Comings and goings

Georgia was the lone new addition to the poll, moving in at No. 25 to replace UCLA. This marks the third time the Bulldogs have been ranked since the 2002-03 season, the others coming in January 2011 (No. 24) and last January (No. 23).

Conference watch

The Southeastern Conference has the most ranked teams with seven, though none higher than Vanderbilt at No. 13. The Big 12 was next with six ranked teams, including four in the top 10 and two in the top five, followed by the Big Ten with five and the Atlantic Coast Conference with four Each of those three leagues have at least three teams ranked

than anyone in the SEC. The Big East

Scheffler wins 4th straight PGA Player of the Year

Scottie Scheffler earned another comparison with Tiger Woods on Monday joining him as the only players to win PGA Tour Player of the Year at least four times in a row

Scheffler made an easy case to pick up another Jack Nicklaus Award. His tour-leading six victories were twice as many as anyone else and included two majors, the PGA Championship and the British Open, to leave him on the cusp of a career Grand Slam.

He became the first player since Woods in 2000 to lead the PGA Tour with the lowest scoring average in each of the four rounds and had 15 consecutive tournaments in the top 10 to end his remarkable season.

Scheffler was on the ballot with Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood and Ben Griffin.

Pavia apologizes for rant after losing Heisman vote

Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia apologized on Sunday night for his comments after finishing second in Heisman votes behind Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.

The competition wasn’t particularly close. The Indiana quarterback earned 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. Pavia was next with 1,435.

After the ceremony Pavia reposted an Instagram story of himself and his offensive line captioned “F-ALL THE VOTERS, BUT.....FAMILY FOR LIFE.” He also reposted comments from Skip Bayless on social media, stating the Vanderbilt QB should’ve won the award and seemingly throwing a jab at Mendoza’s six-minute acceptance speech.

Oft-injured Florida QB Lagway entering

portal

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is entering the transfer portal. Lagway announced his intentions on social media Monday, saying “I am truly grateful for the opportunity to have been part of such an incredible program here at the University of Florida.”

The oft-injured Lagway completed 63% of his passes this season for 2,264 yards, with 16 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. He also ran for 136 yards and a score. He missed most of the offseason program while recovering from core-muscle surgery, a sore throwing arm and a strained calf. The Gators fired coach Billy Napier in October and hired Tulane’s Jon Sumrall, who will go in a different direction at the QB position.

Former South Carolina QB Taneyhill dies at 52

Steve Taneyhill, a record-setting quarterback for the South Carolina Gamecocks best known for his distinct long-flowing mullet and his home run swing after touchdown passes, has died. He was 52. The South Carolina athletic department confirmed Monday through a close friend of Taneyhill’s that he died overnight in his sleep. No cause of death was provided.

Taneyhill led South Carolina to its first bowl win in program history as a junior in 1994, defeating West Virginia in the Carquest Bowl.

Taneyhill, from Altoona, Pennsylvania, set school career records with 753 completions and 62 passing TDs and was second with 8,782 passing yards and seventh with a 60.5 completion percentage.

Sabalenka repeats as WTA Player of the Year

Aryna Sabalenka won her second consecutive WTA Tour Player of the Year award on Monday, getting nearly 80% of the vote from a media panel after winning the U.S. Open, reaching the finals of two other Grand Slam tournaments and closing the season ranked No. 1. Sabalenka joined Serena Williams and Iga Swiatek as back-toback winners of the honor over the past 25 years.

Sabalenka, a 27-year-old from Belarus, led women’s tennis in match victories (going 63-12), titles (four) and finals reached (nine) in 2025 and set a tour record by earning $15 million in prize money She spent the entire year at No. 1. At the majors, Sabalenka was the runner-up to Madison Keys at the Australian Open and

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ETHAN SWOPE

UConn guard KK Arnold drives the ball against Southern California during the second half of a game Saturday in Los Angeles The Huskies stayed at No 1 in the AP Top 25 rankings this week

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By VASHA HUNT

Fourth RB Estime comesupbig forSaints

BY LUKE JOHNSON and ZACH EWING Staff writers

While the New Orleans Saints have avoided major injury losses this season, they found themselves in atough spot Sunday afternoon in the Caesars Superdome.

Their regular starting running back, Alvin Kamara,was inactive because of knee and ankle injuries. His primary backup, KendreMiller, was lost for the season in October

Promising rookie Devin Neal had done an admirable job filling in, but he injured his hamstring in the second quarter against the Carolina Panthers.

With the game on thelinelate in the fourth quarter, it was option No. 4who came through with two of the biggest plays of thegame.

Audric Estime joinedthe Saints in mid-October shortly afterMiller’s injury.The 2024 fifth-rounder out of Notre Dame was on his third team of the season, having spent training camp with theDenver Broncos and most of the 2025 season on the Eaglespractice squad.

With less than aminute remainingina tiegame,backed up near their own goal line, the Saints called his number on awell-timed, well-executed screen pass.

“It was atricky situation,”coach Kellen Moore said. “They hadtwo timeouts, second down …I felt like we really neededsome positive yards there.”

Tyler Shough dumpeditoff to Estime near the right tackle, and the second-year back ran for 19 yards

RABALAIS

Continued from page1C

2. The LSU men clearly are improved over last season. But do they have what it takes toget back to the NCAA Tournament for thefirst time since 2022 and secureMatt McMahon’sjob for another season?

First, let’stalk about the women’steam, which improved to 11-0 on Saturday in New Orleanswith an 87-61 victory against Louisiana Tech. It’sevidence of howgood of ateam Kim Mulkey’sTigers are that they could turn in asomewhat lackluster performancein terms of scoring (their lowest total yet this season) and perimeter defenseyet stilleasilyroll past aLady Techsters team picked to win Conference USA. Despite having only one Quad 1 win so far —a93-77 victory at 4-6 Duke,which is still No. 38 in the NET despite its record —LSU is No. 4inthe NET itself. This with astrength of schedulethat ranks only 289th nationally, perWarrenNolan.com.

The Tigers’ other numbers are staggering. The only team in the nation averaging more than 100 points per game —LSU is at 109.3 ppg, Oklahoma is second at 94.2 —the Tigers are also firstnationally in field goal percentage (55.6%), marginofvictory (53.1 ppg) and even 3-point percentage (42.6%). Those aren’tnumbers likely to take a significant hit as LSU is sureto roll into Southeastern Conference play 14-0 with home wins at 11 a.m. Tuesday over Morgan State (0-10), Sunday against Texas-Arlington (5-5) andDec

LSU

Continued from page 1C

That night, they scored 77 points on 50% shooting, becoming just the third Mulkey-era LSUregularseason nonconference opponent to convert at least half of itsshots

“We’re not naïvetothink that we’re agreat team right now,” Mulkey said last Thursday According to Her Hoop Stats, LSU is allowing 70.4 points per 100 possessions —the seventhbest mark in the country.But it’s played only onegameagainst a team with one of the nation’s top 50 scoring averages (Louisiana Tech).

“You’re not agreat team, in my opinion,” Mulkey said, “until you dominate on the defensive end. Andyou may never dominate in our league, but you’ve got alot of great teams you’re gonna have to guard in our league, and I’ll hold my remarks until Isee us against those great teams in the SEC.” Frontcourt rotation

Mulkey is still tinkering with her frontcourt rotation. On Saturday against Louisiana

Saints running back Audric Estimeruns the ball during the second half at the CaesarsSuperdome on Sunday.The Saints defeated the Carolina Panthers20-17.

to give New Orlenssome life.

On the very next play,Shough found Estimeover themiddle of the field for a9-yardgain on a check-down pass.Those 28 combinedyardsrepresented nearly half of the yards gained on the game-winning drive.

28 against Alabama State (3-6). Butthe tests will come quickly enough.LSU opensSEC play New Year’sDay at home against 11-1 Kentucky, followed by road trips to currently unbeaten (butalso fairly untested) Vanderbilt and Georgia. Then comes the season’s first majorshowdown: Jan. 11 against No. 2-ranked Texas in the first half of ahome-and-home series this season. Thebackcourt of Flau’jae Johnson, Mikayla Williams and MiLaysia Fulwiley (who still comes off thebench)may bethe nation’s best.And noteventhe greatest Mulkey teamsatLSU or Baylor could likely match this team’s depth, with seven players currently scoring in double figures. Can LSU matchupinside with 6-foot-5 Kate Koval, the transfer from Notre Dame, freshmen ZaKiyah Johnson and Grace Knox, and senior AmiyaJoyner against the SEC’smost bruising teams? How will LSU’shigh-octaneoffense perform against Texas’ suffocating defense or South Carolina’swaves of players?

Mulkey publicly has said she likes this team, whose chemistry andlack of off-the-court drama hasbeen ahuge upside. But it will takethe SECgauntlet for us to knowwhetherthis is ateam that can hanga national championship banner next to theone obtained in 2023.

No one is expecting or asking the LSU men’ssquad to reach the Final Four,something that has become theannualgoal of the women’sTigers. Just get back in theNCAA Tournamentand see where thingsgofrom there is the men’smission.

The LSU men similarly were untested by their nonconference

While Estimefinishedwith pedestrianrushing numbers, gaining 11 yards on threecarries, his39 yards receiving were essential in the winning effort. The227-pounder appreciated thechancetoshow he’s more than just abruising runner.

slateuntil thepast two games.

The first testresulted in afailing grade, as the Tigers took an 82-58 thumping on Dec. 7from Texas Tech in Fort Worth, Texas. ButLSU rebounded strongly for its first Quad 1win on Saturday turning back SMU89-77 at the Smoothie King Center

TheTigerscertainly have a huge losstoovercome after forward Jalen Reed went down with an Achillestendoninjury late last month.But the stellar play of point guard Dedan Thomas —hehad an impressive double-double with 16 points and 12 assists against SMU —as well as forward MarquelSutton (he had23points and12 rebounds against the Mustangs) lookslikeitcould carry LSUfar The 9-1 Tigers are outrebounding opponents by 8.6 boards per game, though their assist-toturnover ratio (1.42 per game, 90th nationally) could bear some improving.

As for LSU’sNCAA hopes, it’s definitely …hopeful. ESPN’sJoe Lunardi had theTigers in his first four out of the field of 68 last week, though awebsite called HoopsHQ.com on Monday had them as aregional No. 9seed. DRatings.com has LSUasa No. 11 seed, and that was before the SMU win. The point being, McMahon’sTigers are clearly worthy of NCAA conversation. The SEC also is not quiteasfierce as last year,giving LSUachance at more upward mobility.Aswith the women, we’ll start to learn alot more when the Tigers open SEC play Jan. 3atTexas A&M.

Email Scott Rabalais at srabalais@theadvocate.com

“You’re not agreat team,inmyopinion, until you dominate on the defensive end. And you maynever dominate in our league, but you’ve gotalot of great teamsyou’re gonna have to guard in our league, and I’ll holdmyremarks until Isee us against those great teamsinthe SEC.”

KIM MULKEy,LSU coach

Tech,she tested out her fourthdifferent combination of front-line post players thisseason. FreshmanGrace Knox started at the 4, sophomore Notre Dame transfer Kate Koval started at the 5and ZaKiyah Johnsoncame off the bench for thefirst time this season. Johnson started each of LSU’s first 10 games —one alongside Knox, four next to Amiya Joyner and fivenext to Koval.

“All fourofthem are starters in my eyes,” Mulkey said, “but I can’tstart all four of them. Every game,itcouldbeadifferent combination. They produce. They’re coachable. They bring different things to the floor.”

In the nextthree games, look to see whether Mulkey sticks with onestarting lineup If she does,itcould be asign that she’ssettled on arotation for SEC play.Ifshe doesn’t, then she may

“I like to show that I’mathreedown back and Ican play in any style of offenseasneeded,” Estime said. “I’m definitely abruising back, but Idon’tlike to limit myself andsay that’sthe only thing that is apartofmygame.”

Shough ROY?

After leading the Saints to three victoriesintheir past five games, Shough is starting to garnersome national attention.

Themost tangible way of measuring that? HisNFL Offensive Rookie of the Year odds, which improvedbyleapsand bounds after he passedfor 272 yards on Sunday in a20-17 victory over the Carolina Panthersatthe Superdome.

Shough was listed with 250-1 odds before thegame, an extremelongshot number that implied a0.4% chance he would win the award.

But afterward, his odds have improvedmore than tenfold. They’re as low as 18-1 at FanDuel Sportsbook, 22-1 at Caesars Sportsbook, and 25-1 at DraftKings andBetMGM.

Shough is still nowhere near the favorite —thatstatus belongs to New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson —and the newoddsstill implyonlybetweena 4% and5%chance of him winning theawardwhen it’sannounced during SuperBowlweek. Still, it’snotable movement for the second-round draft pickwho didn’tsee meaningful action until thesecondhalfofa Week 8game against the TampaBay Buccaneers on Oct. 26, and didn’tstart agame

WALKER

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deadlocked atop the division with 7-7records. The Saints have been eliminated from the playoffs but are doing their part to eliminate everyoneelse they can.

“If we can’tgo(to the playoffs), I’m going to scoot over on this couch,” Saints defensive end CamJordan said. “Come sit beside us. Where we are as ateam, we are trying to be everybody’s worst nightmare right now.”

There was atime when the only nightmare was the way the Saints’ season was unfolding. But the schedule lightened up a bit, the defense hit its stride and TylerShough put on his Superman cape to get things turned around. The Saints are 3-2 since that trip to L.A. and have three very winnable games remaining. Theyhost the New York Jets (3-11) on Sunday,then end the season with trips to Nashville to face the Tennessee Titans (2-12) andthe finale against the Atlanta Falcons (5-9).

Ateam just afew weeks removed from being in the conversation for having the No. 1overalldraft pick is all of asudden in striking distance of winning two more games than it did last season.

Aseven-win season would be 21/2 wins more than most everyonefrom Vegas oddsmakers to me had predicted. The over/ underonwins was 41/2 when the season began.

Thattop-five draft pick isn’t quite as important now that the Saints seem to have found their quarterback of the future. Shough is 3-3 since taking over as thestarter

“How you finish (a season) is alwaysreally important,” Moore said last week. “For individuals and for the team collectively,we

until the next week against the Los Angeles Rams.

Sincethen, Shough has helped the Saints sweep thePanthers anddefeat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on the road. He has completed 66.7% of his passes for 1,484 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions, and also has run for 138 yards and two TDs.

Behind Henderson (+190 at FanDuel), the other top contenders are Panthers wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan (+270), Buccaneerswide receiver EmekaEgbuka (+310), New York Giants quarterback JaxsonDart (+430) and Indianapolis Colts tight end TylerWarren (+2200).

Jets makemove

The NewYork Jets will have a new defensive play-caller when they visit the Saints on Sunday Jets head coach AaronGlenn announced Monday that he’d fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks after New York’s48-20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. ChrisHarris will take over the role.

The loss dropped the Jets to 30th in the NFL in scoring defense. New York has allowed at least 30 points in six gamesthis season, tied for the fourth most in the league. Through 14 games, the Jets remarkably have notrecordeda single interception.Theyare the first team in the Super Bowlera to not record at least one interception through thefirst 14 games of aseason.

EmailLuke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

are creating habits. We are creating habits every day,and we are creating an environment to be areally successful program. Youdothat by winning football games ultimately.That’swhat culture is all about.”

Credit to Moore and the veteran leadership on the team for keeping the ship afloat after the rocky start.

Defensive end Chase Young, who was so instrumental in Sunday’swin, recalls the words linebacker Demario Davis gave to the team afew weeks ago.

“How are you going to respond when everything isn’tgoing your way?” Davis asked his teammates. Well, they responded with a pair of wins.

“I feel like if you look at our team, regardless, we never stop fighting,” Young said.

The Saints now have achance to end the season on afive-game winning streak. That would have sounded outlandish afew weeks ago. The last time the Saints won even four games in arow within aseason was in 2020, Sean Payton’slast year

“It’slike what I’ve been saying all season,” Jordan said. “Weare aresilient team.You don’tsee anybody’shead down.”

Ateam that had nothing to play for afew weeks ago somehow found something to play for anyway: pride.

“We’re hitting stride,” Jordan said. “But we needed to hit strides alittle bit earlier.We don’thave any agenda now.Now our agenda is to wreck other people’sagenda.”

The Saints did that the past two games with apair of surprise wins.

Going 7-10 would be an even bigger surprise, especially considering where the Saints were six weeks ago.

EmailRod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

have somemore experimenting to do beforeKentuckycomes to town

Gilbert’sstatus

Kailyn Gilbert starred in LSU’s first few SEC games last season, butit’sunclear whether she’ll rejoin the Tigers in time for this year’sslate of league contests. Gilbert, aseniorguard, last played on Nov.17inLSU’s win over Tulane. Mulkey said she stepped away from the team because she was “dealing with family issues.” Gilbert is an off-the-dribble shotcreator who took on more ballhandling duties in thefirst five games of this season than she did last year.Her absence, if it extendsintoJanuary,could free up moreminutesfor freshmanguards Bella Hines and Divine Bourrage.

Continued from page1C

asmile. “I even shed some tears.” Skipper was summonedto Desormeaux’soffice and spoke to Gill on the phone.

“He asked me acouple of questionsand Ianswered those questions,” Skippersaid. “He was really shocked Iwas still with the team practicing and just coaching my guys up.”

Throughthe painofwatchingthe last twogames from the sidelines andULgetting the bowl berth thinking he wouldn’t be able to playinthat one either, Skipper saidhis mother Erica helped him get through it with daily phone calls and texts.

“Like every hour of the day,” Skipper said. “She was with me, because she knows howmuch love I’ve got forthe game, and she was even sadderthanme

finding outthe news.” With childrenofhis own, Salgado shared in the emotions of Gill’sdecision.

“I’m just gladhegets achance to do that, because I’madad, right? Nobody wants that for their kid,” he said. “He’s done a lotfor this place, so it’sbig.” Skippernow is focused on football. Even though he missed twogames, he’sstill theteam’s fourth-leading tackler with 52 stops, 1.5 sacks, an interception anda pass breakup.

“I’mextremely hyped,”Skippersaid. “I’mgoing to have those guys extremelyhyped. To win fivegames straight, it’s going to give these guys momentum going into nextseason,like thespring andfall camp andstuff like that. So I’m really happy to getthis onefor theprogram.”

EmailKevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETTDUKE

Thegift that keeps on giving

Long-lived holiday cactuses canbe enjoyedyear-round

The joy of the holiday season can feel fleeting. There’s ablur of get-togethers, cooking, shopping —and then, suddenly,it’s all over Aplant that’scommonly used for decorating this timeof year,however, is one of those gifts that keeps on giving. We’re talking about the holiday cactus —aplant that fits in perfectly with festive decor.But it’sso much more: It offers year-round visual appeal as either ahouseplant or an outdoor specimen, has along life span and is easy to propagate and share. Garden centers arefullof all sorts of unique holiday cactuses cultivars right now.You can find awide range of flower colors, from white to various pinks to red, as wellasdifferent growth habits and foliage characteristics.

There are two main kindsof holiday cactuses: Christmas cactus (Schlumbergera xbuckleyi), which begins flowering in December,and its earlierblooming cousin, Thanksgiving cactus (Schlumbergeratruncata). Both are native to the rainforestsofSouth America.

Holidaycactuses are afavorite for seasonal decorating

While there are features that distinguish the two —Thanksgiving cactus has amore upright growthhabit, and its leaf segments have toothlike protrusions that Christmas cactus lacks —many people use their namesinterchangeably or simply refer to the plants generically as holiday cactuses. Care forboth plantsissimilar As succulents, holiday cactuses store asignificant amount of moisture in their fleshy leaves. That means it’s important to not overwater them. Let the top inch or soof potting mix dry out before you water Overwatering can lead to limp stems and dropped flower buds. So can too much or too little light

Holiday cactuses don’tlike directsun. Instead, place them in the filtered light of awindow or in apartially shaded outdoor location, like apatio. If you use theplants for aparty display in adimly lit area of your home, be sure to return them to asunnier space soon afterward

Because they are tropical plants, holiday cactuses are sensitive to cold temperatures. They must be protected or brought inside when afreeze is predicted. Holiday cactuses can provide many years of enjoymentif you take good care of them. Once they finish flowering, the cactuses move into aphase of ä See CACTUSES, page 6C

Supportive souvenirs

BY LAURENCHERAMIE Staff writer

With alittle effort,shopping local in Baton Rouge yields many options. From homestudios to brick-andmortar shops, BatonRouge makers produce awide range of goods locally,often spending months preparing inventory ahead of the holiday season This list highlightsfive Baton Rouge-based businesses creating items in thecapital city,spanning mediums that include jewelry,pottery,books, paintings and soap

If you know of other Baton Rouge-made items that make great gifts, sendamessage to lauren.cheramie@theadvocate.com.

Mimosa Handcrafted

Mimosa’s“jewelry laboratory” in BatonRouge makes hundreds of pieces of jewelry by hand each week,mainly focusing on the ancient art of lost wax casting. Owners Madeline andDawson Ellis have yearsofexperimenting withceramic jewelry,glass beads,

enamel andmore. Madeline Ellis is inspired by local and regional landscape, cultureand thehuman experiencetodraw and designher pieces. The shop offers bronze, sterling silver and 14-carat gold jewelry in the formofearrings, rings, bracelets, necklaces and other products. Visitmimosahandcrafted.com to shoponline or visit the store. The Mimosa Shoppe, at 541 S. Eugene St., Baton Rouge, is open 10 a.m. to 5p.m. Tuesday through Saturday TreeHousePottery

As aretired physician, Bill Moore began working with pottery in 2016, which opened anew world of creativity forhim. Still, he uses hisscience backgroundfor glaze mixing and problem solving. His work is wheel thrown and fired in an electric kiln at Cone ä See LOCAL, page 6C

SeveralBRrestaurants to open forChristmas

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Avariety of Mimosa Handcrafted bronze cuffs

Bill Moore’sTreeHouse Potteryoffers cups,

LSU AGCENTER PHOTO By OLIVIA McCLURE

Let’sstopasking‘Whyaren’tyou drinking?’

Dear Miss Manners: How does one handle being offered alcohol whenyou choose not to drink?

Igot aDUI two years ago, and Iwill NEVER drink and drive ever again. I’ve been in numerous situations where I’ve declinedakind offer of a drink, but have been pestered as to why Out for ahappy hour with co-workers, Iwilljust drink water,but Ioften get asked, “So, why aren’t you drinking?” InitiallyI just shrugged it off, but after awhile, Ihad to make up an excuse, so I lied that it would interfere with my medication. Oops —now I’m

6–7, with many of his glazes resembling atmosphere effects.

TreeHouse Pottery,based in Baton Rouge, offersfunctional stoneware pottery in products such as vases, pitchers, teapots, serving bowls, cups, storage vessels and goblets. Moore is amember of the Louisiana Crafts Guild,and his work is on display for sale at the LouisianaArt and Science Museum. Shop online at treehousepottery.bigcartel.com.

Paintingsby

CassidyBreaux

Artist Cassidy Breaux

captures the culture of southLouisiana throughhis art, which depicts marsh landscapes, crawfish boils, sunsets, fishermen, cypress trees, duck hunting and Louisiana commodities like oysters, crabs and more He works outofhis studio in Baton Rouge in oilon board or canvas. He alsooffers prints and abstracts. Shop online at cassidybreauxart.com.

‘Let’s Meet on Government Street’

Baton Rouge artist Ashtin McNicoll wrote and illustrated “Let’s Meet on Government Street” as alove letter and time capsule for the city McNicoll, who moved to Baton Rouge in 2014, wanted to capture all the ways that the city has grown and changed before her.She highlights small businesses on the long stretch of Government Street in the Mid City neighborhood.

The story followsKason

vegetative growth. They need regular watering and fertilization during this time, which lasts through about August.

To get your cactus to bloom againintime for next year’sholiday season,move it to ashady location outside in October (if you’ve been keeping it indoors). Holiday cactuses are short-day plants, so they have to be exposed to long nights (at least 12 hours) and cool temperatures to set their flower buds. Theplant willprefer to be alittle drier during this time. Youcan bring it back into your homeonce you see buds forming at the branch tips. Over the years, your cactus will probably grow quite large and become topheavy.Plantinginashort,

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

asked what kindofmeds I’m on! With extended family,Iget thesame inquiry.I just makeup some excuse: Idon’tfeel like it, Ihave ahangover I’m goingout tomorrow, whatever Iwon’t even have one drink —and have found it quite rudeofpeople to question why.There are so many potential reasons why people choose not to drink! Ifeel like Ihave to explain myself, and Iam sick of it. How do Iproperly address this issue?

Gentle reader: Not byexplaining yourself —nor bymaking up excuses. Thequestion is not only

intrusive but silly,asitpresumes that alcohol is such astaple of life that aspecial exemption is needed. Butasyou keep socializing with people who believe otherwise, Miss Manners suggeststhat you treat this as the opening of atwosided conversation. It is always tactfultoshow an interest in the other person. So you could say, with apleasant show of interest, “What about you? Tell me —why do you drink?”

Dear Miss Manners: Iwould like to know if it’s proper for one person to hand another person abirthday card/Christmas card personally —not one attached to agift. It seemstomethat acard should be

and his family on aSaturday morninginBatonRouge, stopping at real-life businesses like Counterspace, Barracuda Taco Stand,Elsie’sPlate andPie andmore. Every page was handdrawnand painted,and the book is available in paperback orhardback. Aside from the book, McNicoll also has art prints available for gifting. Shop online at iammadetopaint.com.

Fern Meadow Soap

The soap from Fern Meadow is madeinsmall batches

using thecold-process soapmaking method with oils, butters, fragrances and other additives.

Many customers appreciate Fern Meadow’sintricate designs such as stripes,flowers,honeycomb, marble effects in thebars of soap Some of the Christmas collection soaps include scents like alpine frost, candy cane and winter berry Shop online at fernmeadowsoap.com.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@ theadvocate.com.

Holiday cactusesare characterized by flattened leaf segments, which sometimes have serrated edges, and flowers that appear during the shortdaysand cool weather of late fall and winter

widepot can help keep the plant balanced Youalso can trim the cactustodownsize it as needed.Don’t throwaway thestem cuttings; pass them on to afriendoruse

tions): Thediner chain is open 24/7, 365 daysofthe year,and Christmaswaffles arenoexception. n Sullivan’sSteakhouse (5252 Corporate Blvd.): The steakhouse will be open both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day,serving its full menu. Reservations can be made online.

n TheGregory (150 Third St.):The annual holiday buffet,open 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., will feature charbroiled oysters, lobster and gruyere mac and cheese, gumbo, prime rib andmore.

them to start new plants of your own. Just separatethe individual stem segments, allow them to callus for a couple of days and plant them in well-draining pottingmix

n Veganish Vibes(4608 Bennington Ave.): This spot will be open 11 a.m. to 3p.m. on Christmas Eve and 10 a.m. to 4p.m. Christmas Day

n L’Auberge Casino and Hotel (777 L’Auberge Ave.): From11a.m. to 8p.m., aholidaybuffet will be servedat BonTemps Market on Christmas Day.Ticketsare $34.99, andguestsmustbeatleast 21

n Asian Seafood House (11294 Florida Blvd.):The Asianbuffet will serve its usual spread 11 a.m.to 9p.m. ChristmasEve and Christmas Day

sent in themail. I’m ahairdresser,and it surprises me howoften aclient will hand me abirthdayorChristmas card. These cards do not include money,but arejust “good wishes.”

It makes me feel uncomfortable and almost seemsthat I’mnot worth astamp. Could you please tell me if this is proper and in good taste?Has it always been?

Gentlereader: Always? How far back do you want to go? It was once considered better to have mail delivered by hand, from your footman,than to use the postal service.

ButMiss Manners would not exactly call it moreproper or in

Dear Heloise: My husband is in an assisted living facility.I keep an erasable white board in his room. When avisit or trip is planned, Iwrite it on the board. It helps him remember,and the staff loves it This way,they make sure he’sready.I also writesport schedules. In addition, Ikeep the sametype of board in the

By The Associated Press

better taste, because it used the samecrass standard that you do: How much did the sender spend to get it to you? And maintaining afootman cost considerably more than astamp. Isn’tthat amean waytojudge good wishes? But even if you do, surely apersonal delivery is worth morethan astamp—ora footman.

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

Today is Tuesday, Dec. 16, the 350th day of 2025. There are 15 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Dec. 16, 1773, the Boston TeaParty took place as American colonistsboarded Britishships in Boston Harbor and dumped morethan 300 chests of tea overboard to protest tea taxes.

Also on this date: In 1907, 16 U.S. Navy bat-

TODAYINHISTORY

tleships, which came to be knownasthe “Great White Fleet,” set sail from Hampton Roads, Virginia, on a 14-month, round-the-world voyage to demonstrate American sea power In 1944, the World WarII Battle of the Bulge began as German forces launched asurprise attack against Allied forces through the Ardennes Forest in Belgium and Luxembourg.

Today’sbirthdays: Artist Edward Ruscha is 88. Actor Liv Ullmann is 87. CBS

Hints from Heloise

LSU AGCENTER PHOTO By OLIVIA McCLURE

PROVIDED PHOTO Baton Rougeartist Ashtin McNicoll wroteand illustrated ‘Let’sMeet on Government Street.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Direct your energy wisely. How you use your strengths and skills will be a testament to who you are and what you can do. Focus, dedication and timing will play a role in what you achieve.

CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan 19) Put yourself in the driver's seat and head in a direction that satisfies your needs. Network, socialize and share what inspires you with forward-thinking people.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb 19) A change will spark your imagination and point you in a creative direction. Put thoughts and plans on paper, and consider how to take advantage of any subsidies or offers that could apply to you.

PIsCEs (Feb. 20-March 20) A commitment and personal lifestyle adjustments require attention You can count on your heart and emotions to kick in and reflect what's best for you. Embrace change, and opportunity will unfold.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) You can learn by doing something repeatedly. Set your sights on what you enjoy doing and focus on how you can utilize your skills to bring in extra cash.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Don't hold back; work quietly behind the scenes until you complete your mission. Push to tie up loose ends so you can start to enjoy the festive season. Keep tabs on money spent and owed.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) A change of plans will be costly if you don't act fast. Discipline will be necessary when shop-

ping for unnecessary items or gifts. Set a budget that offers peace of mind, and avoid the stress of debt.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Keep your emotions out of any financial decisions you make. You can't buy love, but you can use kindness and hands-on help to draw others into your circle. A confident, polished presentation will open doors.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Letting your emotions take charge will lead to trouble. Focus on how you look, feel and present yourself to your associates. Choose health over indulgent temptations and peace over chaos.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) A change of scenery will adjust your perspective. Don't let what others do alarm you. Choose to head in a direction that offers an agenda to follow, and you will achieve what you aspire to do.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Talks will give you the lowdown regarding any change or gamble you consider. Be aware of timelines and year-end deadlines. Speak up, follow through and enjoy the ride.

sCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Go easy when personal situations that arise. Be ready to back away from anyone trying to get something for nothing from you. When in doubt, say no.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

CeLebrItY CIpher

SALLY Forth

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

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

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS

CurTiS

By PHILLIP ALDER Bridge

If you have not been playing the game long and would like to check that you have basic declarer play down pat, buy “Declarer Play at Bridge: AQuizbook” by Barbara Seagram and DavidBird (Master Point Press).

The book starts with suit contracts. There are four pages of basic instruction, then40quiz questionsinwhich the reader is shownthe dummy and declarer’shand(“singledummy,”asitiscalled) and asked to choose aline of play. Each answer also includes auseful point to remember.

Next, thereare sixpages about notrump contracts, followed by 20 singledummy problems. There arefewer examples because no-trump contracts are muchlesscomplicated than suit contracts.

In this example from the book, how shouldSouth play in six hearts?West leads thespade jack

Yes,South’s jump to slamisa tad optimistic.But the play’sthe thing.

Southhas two losers: one diamond and one club. He has only 11 winners: two spades, six hearts, two diamonds and one club. He mustestablishdummy’s clubsuit.Butifitissplitting4-2,thatwill require three dummy entries. Luckily, there are three: the heartking, heart 10 and diamond king.

After taking the first trick, cash the club ace and play another club. Suppose

East wins and shifts to thediamond queen. South wins withhis ace, cashes theheart ace, plays aheart to dummy’s 10, ruffs aclub, leads aheart to the king, ruffsanother club,plays adiamond to dummy’s king, and happily discards a minor-suit loseronthe club jack, which is now awinner ©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 ALIMony: AL-ih-mo-nee: An allowance paid to one spouse by another after divorce.

Average mark19words Timelimit 25 minutes

Can you find 22 or morewords in ALIMONY?

the wages of

is death; but the gift of God is eternal

through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 6:23

wuzzles

loCKhorNs

marmaduKe

Bizarro

hagar the horriBle

Pearls Before swiNe

garfield

B.C.

PiCKles hidato

mallard

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

U.S. stocks drift ahead of Tuesday’s jobs report

NEW YORK Wall Street drifted through a quiet day of trading on Monday, ahead of economic reports this week that could drive where interest rates go.

The S&P 500 slipped 0.2%, though the majority of stocks within the index rose. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 41 points, or 0.1%, and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.6%.

Helping to keep indexes in check were stocks in the artificial-intelligence industry, which were mixed following last week’s scary swings Nvidia, the chip company that’s become the face of the AI boom, added 0.7%. It was one of the strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500 after dropping 4.1% last week

But Oracle sank another 2.7% following its 12.7% tumble last week, which was its worst in more than seven years. Broadcom fell 5.6%. AI stocks have been shaky on worries that the billions of dollars flowing into chips and data centers may not produce a big-enough payoff to make it worth it. The doubts are causing cracks for the industry, whose earlier surges was the main driver for the U.S. market’s rally to records

On Tuesday will come the jobs report for November, and economists expect it to show employers added 40,000 more jobs than they cut during the month. Thursday will bring an update on the inflation, and economists expect it to show U.S. consumers paid prices that were 3.1% higher in November than a year before.

Ford scraps F-150 Lightning amid losses

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. is pivoting away from its onceambitious electric vehicle plans amid financial losses and waning consumer demand for the vehicles in lieu of investment in more efficient gasoline-engines and hybrid EVs, the company said Monday The Detroit-based automaker which has poured billions of dollars into electrification along with most of its industry peers, said it will no longer make the F-150 Lightning electric pickup truck, instead opting for an extended range version of the vehicle. Ford will also introduce some manufacturing changes; its Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center — part of the BlueOval City campus and once the future of Ford’s EVs and batteries is being renamed the Tennessee Truck Plant and will produce new affordable gas-powered trucks instead. Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant will produce a new gas and hybrid van

The company has lost $13 billion on EVs since 2023 and said it expects to take a $19.5 billion hit largely in the fourth quarter due to the EV business.

Airbnb fined $75M by Spain for tourist rentals

MADRID Spain’s government has fined Airbnb $75 million for advertising unlicensed tourist rentals, officials said Monday. The move is the latest government action in Spain against short-term rental companies such as Airbnb and Booking. com as the country grapples with a housing affordability problem, particularly in city centers.

The consumer rights ministry said the rentals didn’t include license numbers — a requirement in many regions in Spain — or listed license numbers that didn’t match what authorities had. Other had incorrect information about hosts, it said.

Airbnb said it plans to challenge the fine in court. The company said it was working with Spanish authorities to comply with a new national registration system for short-term rentals, and that more than 70,000 listings on the platform had added a registration number since January Spain’s leftist government and many Spaniards across the political spectrum see shortterm rental companies as bearing responsibility for driving up housing costs.

said. “Whether you come in or not, we want to make sure that we’re spreading that holiday joy.”

cautious spending this year,” she said.

BY MAE ANDERSON AP business writer

NEW YORK The Ah Louis Store in San Luis Obispo, California, turns into a winter wonderland every holiday season.

Green garlands, giant nutcrackers, baubles and bows go up in early November on the historic downtown building that houses the gift shop. Inside, customers can choose from over 500 different types of ornaments and a variety of holiday gift baskets.

“We really just make it a magical spot,” co-owner Emily Butler

But Butler says she and her twin sister-business partner had to work harder this year to turn browsers into buyers and to make a profit. Many of the decorations and stocking stuffers they sell are made overseas and either did not arrive or got more expensive when President Donald Trump imposed unusually high taxes on imported goods, she said.

In response, the sisters focused their selection on more profitable items like nutcrackers and gift baskets. They’ve also noticed customers cutting back, selecting a $100 gift basket over the $150 version, or buying one ornament instead of several, Butler said.

“We’re definitely seeing more

Along with the unpredictable tariffs, stubborn inflation and weak hiring have shaken consumer confidence in the U.S. economy 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 a December poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

A Gallup index that summarizes Americans’ assessments of current economic conditions fell to a 17-month low in November Consumers also indicated less enthusiasm for spending money on holiday gifts; their estimated gift budgets decreased $229 between October and November, the largest drop Gallup has recorded at that point

of the holiday shopping season. The survey was conducted in November, partially during the government shutdown, which might have tempered spending plans. However, the worst-case impact on consumer prices that many economists foresaw from the Trump administration’s tariff policies hasn’t materialized. Some products have been affected more than others.

Game and toys were particularly susceptible to tariff-related price increases since the majority of the ones sold in the U.S. are made in China, according to industry trade group The Toy Association. The tariff rate the Trump administration imposed on Chinese goods became a rollercoaster that started at an additional 10%, peaked at 145% and ended up at 47%.

High-end car sales sink in China as its economy slows

BY CHAN HO-HIM AP business writer

HONG KONG Chinese demand for foreign

luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models, often sold at big discounts, catering to their taste for fancy electronics and comfort

That is bad news for European carmakers like Porsche, Aston Martin, Mercedes-Benz and BMW that have long dominated the upper reaches of the world’s largest auto market.

A prolonged property downturn in China has left many consumers with little appetite for big purchases. Meanwhile, the well-to-do are becoming increasingly shy about publicly displaying their wealth, said Paul Gong, UBS head of China Automotive Industry Research.

Many car buyers have been swayed by a $2,830 trade-in subsidy offered by the Chinese government for purchasing electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles People tended to purchase cheaper, entry-level cars where the discount will count more and those cars are mostly Chinese made, Gong said.

“Slowing economic growth is one key driver behind weaker demand for premium cars,” said Claire Yuan, director of corporate ratings for China autos at S&P Global Ratings, referring to a segment that typically counts car brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW

The market share of premium car sales in China, usually priced above $42,400, more than doubled between 2017 and 2023 to about 15% of total sales, S&P said.

That trend is now reversing. The share of premium car sales fell to 14% in 2024 and to 13% in the first nine months of 2025, S&P said.

Chinese automakers take a bigger bite

While luxury auto sales have slowed, Chinese manufacturers, including electric vehicle maker BYD, have become more aggressive than many Western brands in technological innovation, frequently rolling out new electric vehicles and hybrids at cheaper prices, including premium vehicles, analysts said.

“Their (Chinese carmakers’) products are more competitive and more affordable even in the premium segment,” Yuan said. “That’s why these foreign brands are gradually losing momentum.”

The Chinese brands’ share of passenger car sales climbed to almost 70% in the first 11 months of this year, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers. It

reported Thursday that German brands held a 12% share, Japanese brands around 10% and U.S. brands nearly 6%.

BYD already has overtaken Volkswagen as the biggest car seller in China in recent years. BYD is so far the best-selling car brand this year in China for “new energy vehicles,” which include electric vehicles and hybrids, according to the China Passenger Car Association BYD had cut prices of its electric and plug-in hybrid models by up to 34%, putting pressure on major rivals like Geely and Leapmotor Mercedes-Benz’s sales by units in China fell 27% from a year earlier in the JulySeptember quarter, according to its latest earning report. The number of BMWs and its subsidiary-brand Minis sold in China dropped 11.2% year-on-year in the first nine months of 2025. Porsche and Aston Martin also cited pressure from weaker demand in China. Italian luxury carmaker Ferrari reported a 13% year-on-year drop in car shipments to

mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in January-September. It was the only region where sales declined during that time.

Ola Källenius, CEO of Mercedes-Benz, told investors in late October that “hypercompetition in China is not going away anytime soon.”

The “market situation in the premium and luxury segment in China remained tense,” the carmaker said.

Used luxury cars going for cheaper

The downturn in interest in luxury vehicles is hitting dealerships hard.

Li Yi, a salesperson in charge of secondhand cars at a Beijing Porsche center, said a 2024 Panamera 2.9T with a mileage of about 12,400 miles was priced at $134,300. The previous owner bought it for about $198,454.

“It’s mainly due to the sluggish economic situation,” Li said. “(It’s) not only Porsche. Benz, BMW, Bentley and Rolls-Royce all face the same situation.” Porsche and Bentley are part of the Volkswagen group.

BY MICHAEL R. SISAK Associated Press

NEW YORK UPS stole tens of millions of dollars in pay from seasonal workers who help the shipping giant deliver packages during the busy holiday season, forcing some to clock in well after their shifts started and deducting pay for lunch breaks they never took, New York Attorney General Letitia James alleged in a lawsuit Monday Filed in state court in Manhattan, the lawsuit accuses UPS of “repeatedly and persistently” failing to properly compensate driver helpers, who assist with deliveries,

and seasonal support drivers, who use their own vehicles to make deliveries.

James estimated that in the past six years, UPS has deprived tens of thousands of seasonal workers of wages totaling about $45 million. The lawsuit seeks back pay and penalties, plus a court order requiring UPS to end off-the-clock work and change its timekeeping and payroll practices. The company, known for its brown trucks and uniforms, delivered an average of 22.4 million packages a day and =brought in $91.1 billion in revenue last year according to its website.

“We oftentimes don’t think of these workers when we’re opening up our gifts for the holidays,” James said at a news conference announcing the lawsuit. “And these individuals are struggling each and every day to make ends meet.”

In a statement, Georgia-based UPS said it was aware of the lawsuit, “takes all accusations of wrongdoing seriously and denies the unfounded allegation of intentionally underpaying UPS employees.”

“We offer industry-leading pay and benefits to our more than 26,000 employees in New York, and we remain committed to fol-

lowing all applicable laws,” the statement said. James, a Democrat, said she started investigating UPS in 2023 after an employee union, Teamsters Local 804, raised concerns about the company’s treatment of seasonal workers. Those workers are employed on a temporary basis from October to January Josh Pomeranz, the union’s director of operations, said that while there isn’t evidence that the company’s top management was involved in, aware of or condoning alleged wage theft, “these are just certain practices that you have to actively ignore, not to see it happening.”

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANDy WONG Chinese demand for foreign luxury cars is waning as customers opt for more affordable Chinese brand models.