The Acadiana Advocate 12-18-2025

THE

ACADIANA

ADVOCATE

T H E A C A D I A N A A D V O C AT E.C O M

C A J U N S

13

|

T h u r s d ay, d e c e m b e r 18, 2025

B L U E

20

H E N S

JUST SHORT

$2.00X

Trump touts his first year In speech, president pledges $1,776 bonuses for military

By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump delivered a politically charged speech Wednesday carried live in prime time on network television, seeking to pin the blame for economic challenges on Democrats while announcing he is sending a $1,776 bonus check to U.S. troops for Christmas.

The remarks came as the nation is preparing to settle down to celebrate the holidays, yet Trump was focused more on divisions within the country than a sense of unity. His speech was a rehash of his recent messaging that has so far been unable to calm public anxiety about the cost of groceries, housing, utilities and other basic goods.

ä See TRUMP, page 7A

PHOTO By BENJAMIN MASSEy

University of Louisiana at Lafayette quarterback Lunch Winfield tries to avoid Delaware defenders during the first half of the 68 Ventures Bowl Wednesday in Mobile, Alabama. The Blue Hens jumped on top early and then held off a fourth quarter rally by the Cajuns to claim a 20-13 victory. ä Complete coverage in Sports, 1C.

NEW yORK TIMES PHOTO By DOUG MILLS

President Donald Trump speaks during an address to the nation from the White House on Wednesday.

Former IberiaBank executives acquiring M C Bank Move expected to shake up banking across Gulf South

City-based M C Bank, a move that promises to shake up the banking industry across the Gulf South.

MC Bancshares, the holding company for M C Bank & Trust Company, announced the deal on Wednesday. A sale price was not

BY RICH COLLINS disclosed.

Staff writer M C Bank has nearly $480 milLouisiana banker Daryl Byrd, lion in assets and 10 branches who grew IberiaBank over two around south Louisiana. It will redecades from a small Lafayette- tain its name and its Morgan City area lender into a regional pow- headquarters, though most of its erhouse, has assembled a team of top executives will be based in former IberiaBank executives and New Orleans.

Byrd, 71, said in an interview finalized a deal to acquire Morgan

WEATHER HIGH 78 LOW 46 PAGE 8A

Tuesday that he plans to grow the bank quickly by targeting small and mid-sized business customers across the Gulf South and also through potential acquisitions. “ We b e l i e v e there’s an absence in the market for Byrd a relationshiporiented commercial bank,” Byrd said. “We’re proud of the client-oriented focus we had at Iberia and believe we can create that magic

again.”

Byrd and his team will be squaring off against a host of competitors with a presence in south Louisiana, including major money-center banks like JPMorgan Chase and Capital One, along with regional rivals like Hancock Whitney, First Horizon, Gulf Coast Bank and b1Bank.

“We’re going to pay a certain premium over their tangible book value, part cash and part stock,” Byrd said. “We’ll raise the money to do that over the next 100 days, and we’ll close the transaction

Business ...................10C Commentary ................3B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................6A Living............................5C Opinion ........................2B Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

once we get regulatory approval.”

Byrd said M C Bancshares’ existing shareholders will wind up owning about 25% of the new franchise, and the new shareholders will own the rest.

He estimates the deal will close in the first quarter of next year.

The acquisition comes a little over five years after IberiaBank, where Byrd spent two decades as CEO, was acquired by Memphisbased First Horizon Bank in a $3.9 billion deal.

ä See BANK, page 7A

101ST yEAR, NO. 171

2A ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Isaacman confirmed as NASA administrator

WASHINGTON — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman to be NASA administrator on Wednesday, placing him atop the agency after a monthslong saga where President Donald Trump revoked his nomination as part of a feud with tech billionaire Elon Musk.

Isaacman, who has promised to bring a business-minded approach to the space agency, Isaacman was confirmed in a bipartisan vote, 67-30.

He will take over after an unusual confirmation process upended by the Republican president’s oscillating and at times tumultuous relationship with prominent tech leaders who backed his campaign, most notably Musk, the Tesla CEO who is a close ally of Isaacman.

Trump picked Isaacman last year but withdrew the nomination in May after feuding with Musk over the administration’s policies on issues such as electric vehicles and the performance of Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency.

Energy watchdog will audit cuts of grants An internal watchdog in the U.S. Department of Energy will investigate the Trump administration’s termination of $7.6 billion in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects across 16 states that voted for former Vice President Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election.

The move is especially welcome for Democrats who said that the cuts — part of broader attacks from President Donald Trump on climate programs and clean energy funding — would slash projects boosting the electric grid, threaten thousands of manufacturing and construction jobs, and send Americans’ energy costs soaring.

Sarah Nelson, assistant inspector general for the Energy Department’s Office of Inspector General, said in a letter to members of Congress on Wednesday that the audit of the canceled funds will review “whether those cancellations were in accordance with established criteria.”

In October, the Energy Department announced that 321 funding awards across 223 projects were terminated, saying that after review, they “did not adequately advance the nation’s energy needs, were not economically viable, and would not provide a positive return on investment of taxpayer dollars.”

Doctor sentenced in Perry overdose death LOS ANGELES — A doctor who pleaded guilty in a scheme to supply ketamine to actor Matthew Perry before his overdose death was sentenced Tuesday to eight months of home confinement.

Judge Sherilyn Peace Garnett handed down the sentence that included three years of supervised release to Mark Chavez in a federal courtroom.

Chavez, 55, acquired ketamine and gave it to Dr. Salvador Plasencia, who was sentenced to 2½ years in prison earlier this month for selling ketamine to Perry in the months leading up to his death.

Chavez’s attorneys emphasized the difference between the two doctors and said that Chavez “accepted responsibility early” by cooperating with investigators and voluntarily giving up his medical license ahead of his detention hearing.

Perry had been taking the surgical anesthetic ketamine legally as a treatment for depression. But when his regular doctor wouldn’t provide it in the amounts he wanted, he turned to Plasencia.

Plasencia texted Chavez that Perry was a “moron” who could be exploited for money, according to court filings.

Chavez admitted to obtaining the ketamine from a wholesale distributor on false pretenses and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to distribute ketamine. He has not been in custody.

lll

FBI’s Bongino says he will resign

BY ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

WASHINGTON — FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino said Wednesday that he will resign from the bureau next month, ending a brief and tumultuous tenure in which he clashed with the Justice Department over the handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and was forced to reconcile the realities of his law enforcement job with provocative claims he made in his prior role as a popular podcast host.

Bongino announced his departure, which had been expected, in a post on X. in which he said he was grateful for the “opportunity to serve with purpose.” He did not reveal his future plans, but Presi-

dent Donald Trump, in response to a question earlier in the day about Bongino’s fate, said: “Dan did a great job. I think he wants to go back to his show.”

Bongino was installed in the role in March by Trump after years as a conservative podcast host, where he used his platform to repeatedly rail against FBI leadership and to encourage conspiracy theories related to the Epstein sex-trafficking case and pipe bombs discovered in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021.

Once in the job, he used social media to communicate directly to Trump supporters restless over a perceived lack of action by the new FBI leadership to address their concerns. He reassured them the FBI under his watch was giv-

ing renewed attention to issues like the pipe bomb case, the leak of a draft Supreme Court opinion in 2022 and the discovery of cocaine in the White House during the Biden administration.

Yet he struggled to placate elements of Trump’s base who expected him to quickly deliver the reform he had long said was needed at the FBI and to uncover the truths he claimed had been hidden by the federal government.

On the Epstein case, for instance, he had previously challenged the official ruling that the wealthy financier had taken his own life in a New York jail soon after his 2019 arrest. But after his arrival in the bureau, he said in a Fox News interview: “I’ve seen the whole file.

He killed himself.”

Bongino had separately speculated as recently as last year that the pipe bombs placed on the eve of the Jan. 6 Capitol riot were an “inside job.” He was presented with those same comments when the FBI earlier this month arrested a 30-yearold Virginia man with no evident connection to the federal government, promoting skepticism from some that investigators had actually arrested the right person.

“I was paid in the past, Sean, for my opinions, that’s clear,” Bongino said in a Fox News interview with Sean Hannity. “And one day, I’ll be back in that space but that’s not what I’m paid for now. I’m paid to be your deputy director and we base investigations on facts.”

Guard deployment in D.C. can continue for now

BY GARY FIELDS Associated Press

WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Wednesday ruled that the National Guard deployment in the nation’s capital can continue for now, staying a lower-court ruling that had ordered an end to the troops’ presence.

The three-judge panel for U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled that Donald Trump may prevail in his argument that the president “possesses a unique power” to mobilize the Guard in Washington, which is a federal district.

The ruling stops the implementation of U.S. District Court Judge Jia Cobb’s Nov. 20 opinion and order, and reaffirms that residents and visitors to Washington will routinely see Guard members well into 2026.

Cobb had ruled that the deployment illegally intrudes on local officials’ authority to direct law enforcement in the District of Columbia.

Wednesday’s unanimous 32-page ruling went on to say that other factors also favored the Republican administration, including the “disruption to the lives of thousands of service members,” as well as what it said was the president’s interest “in the protection of federal governmental functions and property within the Nation’s capital.”

The judges found that the district “has not identified any ongoing injury to its statutory interests.”

The ruling acknowledged that the administration has a strong case for its appeal.

The deployment began in August after Trump issued an executive

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RAHMAT GUL

National Guard members patrol on the Mall near the Capitol in Washington on Dec. 11. order declaring a crime emergency in Washington. Within a month, more than 2,300 National Guard troops from eight states and the district were patrolling the city under the command of the Army secretary. Trump also deployed hundreds of federal agents to assist.

The city’s attorney general, Brian Schwalb, sued to challenge the Guard deployments. He asked that the White House be barred from deploying Guard troops without the mayor’s consent while the lawsuit played out.

A spokesperson with Schwalb’s office said the stay was a “prelimi-

nary ruling that does not resolve the merits.”

In a posting on X, Attorney General Pam Bondi praised the ruling, saying, “Our federal surge in D.C. has saved countless lives, removed hundreds of illegal guns off the streets, and led to a dramatic drop in crime in our nation’s capital city.”

Cobb had found that while the president did have authority to protect federal functions and property, he could not unilaterally deploy the D.C. National Guard to help with crime control as he saw fit or call in troops from other states. She called for the troops to

Survey: Teen drug use remains low

BY MIKE STOBBE Associated Press

NEW YORK — Teen use of alcohol, nicotine and marijuana remains at record lows, according to national survey results released Wednesday.

They consume a lot of energy drinks, though. And there are slight, but concerning, increases in heroin and cocaine use.

But overall, the findings indicate teens are drinking, smoking and using substances at much lower rates than in the past.

Two-thirds of 12th graders this year said they hadn’t used alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes or electronic cigarettes in the previous 30 days. Thirty years ago — before the advent of e-cigarettes — the figure was closer to about one-third.

Among 10th graders, 82% said they hadn’t used any of those substances recently. Among eighth graders, 91% didn’t use any of them. Both are records for those ages in the annual survey.

The findings also seem to echo other surveys that show continued declines in teen sexual activity, which experts say is at least partly due to teens connecting through smartphones and social media instead of in person.

“Online connections don’t create the same opportunities for experimenting with sex, alcohol or marijuana as unsupervised time face-to-face,” said Laura Lindberg, a Rutgers University professor who researches adolescent sexual behavior.

Douglas Smith, a University of Illinois researcher, noted earlier generations seemed more likely to “go to the woods and drink, or go to a party where there were no parents” to socialize. “Now teenagers can be in constant communication with their friends and can live a life with their friends in virtual space — without using substances,” Smith added.

The new results come from the federally funded Monitoring the Future survey, run by the University of Michigan. The annual survey has been operating since

1975 and has long been considered a top source of national data on teen substance abuse. This year’s findings are based on responses from about 24,000 students in grades 8, 10 and 12 in schools across the country. It was conducted from February to June this year.

Teen drug use has been gradually declining for decades, and fell dramatically at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, when students across the country were told not to go to schools and to avoid parties or other gatherings.

Experts expected at least a bit of a rebound as pandemic restrictions eased, but that hasn’t happened.

The 2025 results show no increases in teens’ use of alcohol, marijuana, cigarettes or nicotine vapes in any of the three grade levels. In 2024, researchers had noted an uptick in the use of nicotine pouches, but that too held steady this year, the survey found.

Energy drinks are as popular as ever, with daily consumption reported by 23% of 12th graders, 20% of 10th graders and 18% of eighth graders.

The survey also found a striking increase in heroin use.

Use by 12th graders in the previous 12 months rose to 0.9% in 2025, from 0.2% the year before. Use by 10th graders hit 0.5%, up from 0.1%. And use by eighth graders also rose to 0.5%, up from 0.2%.

Cocaine use held steady for 10th graders, but rose for eighth graders — to 0.6% — and 12th graders — to 1.4%.

Teen heroin and cocaine use are “leagues below what they were decades ago,” but the increases warrant close monitoring, said Richard Miech, survey team lead at the University of Michigan.

There are other possible factors for the overall decline in teen substance use: efforts to curb youth vaping, taxes on some substances, and the fact that teenagers are less likely to drive than in the past.

“Adolescents’ lives are complicated, and these changes don’t have a single explanation,” Lindberg said in an email.

be sent home after her ruling but put her order on hold for 21 days to allow the appeal by the administration.

The appeals court issued an administrative stay of Cobb’s ruling Dec. 4. Wednesday’s action lifts that order.

The court action comes three weeks after two members of the West Virginia National Guard were ambushed as they patrolled a subway station three blocks from the White House.

The administration has called for an additional 500 National Guard members to be deployed to Washington as a result of the shooting.

GET IN TOUCH Customer Service: HELP@THEADVOCATE.COM or 337-234-0800 News Tips / Stories: NEWSTIPS@THEADVOCATE.COM Obituaries: 225-388-0289 • Mon-Fri 9-5; Sat 10-5; Closed Sun Advertising Sales: 337-234-0174 • Mon-Fri 8-5 Classified Advertising: 225-383-0111 • Mon-Fri 8-5 Subscribe: theadvocate.com/subscribe E-Edition: theadvocate.com/eedition Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com The Acadiana Advocate (USPS # 25-866) is published daily by Capital City Press, LLC at 203 W. Third St., Lafayette, LA 70501. Periodicals postage paid at Lafayette, LA ISSN 2643-7252 and additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Acadiana Advocate, Circulation Accounting, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821. Newspaper carriers are independent contractors and not employees of Capital City Press.

All home delivery subscription sales are non-refundable. Should you discontinue your subscription during term, the subscription will end with the expiration date on your subscription, and there will not be a refund of a prorated amount. Subscribers who purchased their subscription before Feb. 1, 2023 and wish to cancel can request a refund of a remaining balance at https://www.nola.com/app/forms/refund-request-form/. Refunds are considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of Capital City Press, LLC or its designee. All subscriptions purchased that include a special edition will have the special edition value deducted prior to any refund provided to subscriber upon cancellation of service. Standard subscription rates may be effective upon renewal. All standard subscriptions include digital access and e-Edition, a digital replica of the printed Advocate edition(s). The apps are free for tablets and smartphones. Smartphone apps may not be supported on all devices. The Advocate standard subscription rate is $71.22 per 4-week period, plus tax. The Acadiana Advocate standard subscription rate is $68.48 per 4-week period, plus tax. Standard digital subscriptions include e-Edition with the rate of $31.15 per 4-week period, plus tax starting 1/1/26. Special editions included in home delivery subscriptions are 1/30/26, 3/11/26, 4/15/26, 5/27/26, 7/8/26, 8/19/26, 9/30/26 11/26/26, 1/22/27, 3/10/27, 4/14/27, 5/26/27, 7/14/27, 8/18/27, 9/29/27 and 11/25/27 and are billed at $5.99 each. The Thanksgiving Day edition will be billed at your regular Thursday rate plus $5.99. To opt out of special edition delivery, email help@theadvocate.com or call 225-388-0395. By opting out of special editions you will not receive that day’s newspaper. Thanksgiving Day is not a special edition and opting out for that edition isn’t permitted. Prices shown are in U.S. dollars. Prices subject to change. Other restrictions may apply. We no longer provide credit for temporary delivery stops of 14 days or less. During a temporary delivery stop donations are made to our News in Education program. This program provides newspapers and digital access to schools across Louisiana. This program is paid for by sponsors and temporary stops so that students may use the newspaper for educational purposes in the classroom. During a temporary delivery stop of the print edition subscribers have unlimited digital access to theadvocate.com, nola.com and the apps for tablet and smartphone. Seasonal delivery times from August 2025 through February 2026 will extend to 8:00 a.m. on weekends. Subscribers may also choose to access our digital replica e-Edition of the printed Advocate, Times Picayune | New Orleans Advocate and Acadiana Advocate only. As a highly valued customer, we also value your privacy. All personal information collected by The Advocate will be used for administration and customer verification; it may be used for promotional purposes in accordance with The Advocate’s privacy policy. Please refer to our policy located at https://www.theadvocate.com/new_policy/ for information regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information.

By providing your phone number and email address you agree that we can call or email you to confirm delivery service, satisfaction and/or sales promotions as they may occur from The Advocate.

The Acadiana Advocate: 203 W. Third Street, Lafayette, LA 70501

lll

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 3A

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 5A

lll

Centrists force House vote on ACA subsidies

BY KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON — Four centrist Republicans broke with Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday and signed onto a Democratic-led petition that will force a House vote on extending for three years an enhanced pandemic-era subsidy that lowers health insurance costs for millions of Americans.

The stunning move comes after House Republican leaders pushed ahead with a health care bill that does not address the soaring monthly premiums that millions of people will soon endure when the tax credits for those who buy insurance through the Affordable Care Act expire at year’s end. The action sets the stage for a renewed intraparty clash over health care in January, something Republican leaders had been working to avoid, just weeks before another government funding deadline at the end of that month.

The moderate Republicans were able to force the issue by signing a petition, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y.,

to vote on a bill that would extend the subsides for three years.

Republican Reps. Brian Fitzpatrick, Robert Bresnahan and Ryan Mackenzie, all from Pennsylvania, and Mike Lawler of New York signed on Wednesday morning, pushing it to the magic number. A vote on the subsidy bill could come as soon as January under House rules.

“Unfortunately, it is House leadership themselves that have forced this outcome,” Fitzpatrick said in a statement.

Johnson told reporters Wednesday that “I have not lost control of Johnson the House” and he noted that Republicans have a razor-thin majority that allows a small number of members to employ procedures that would not usually be successful in getting around leadership.

“These are not normal times,” said Johnson, R-Benton.

The revolt against GOP leadership came after days of talks cen-

tered on the health care subsidies.

Johnson had discussed allowing more politically vulnerable GOP lawmakers a chance to vote on bills that would temporarily extend the subsidies while also adding changes such as income caps for beneficiaries. But after days of discussions, the leadership sided with the more conservative wing of the party’s conference, which has assailed the subsidies as propping up a failed marketplace through the ACA, which is widely known as “Obamacare.”

House Republicans pushed ahead Wednesday on a 100-pluspage health care package without the subsidies. Instead, the measure focused on long-sought GOP proposals designed to expand insurance coverage options for small businesses and the selfemployed. The bill passed on a mostly party-line vote of 216-211.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., joined with Democrats in voting against the measure.

Fitzpatrick and Lawler tried to add a temporary extension of the subsidies to the bill, but were denied.

Lawler, in a social media post, similarly said that “the failure of leadership” to permit a vote had left him with “no choice” but to sign the petition. He urged Johnson to bring the plan up for an immediate floor vote.

Jeffries, for several weeks, had called on Republicans to sign his discharge petition. He particularly challenged Republicans in competitive congressional districts to join the effort if they really wanted to prevent premium increases for their constituents.

The GOP holds a 220-213 majority in the House, which means defections from just a sliver of the conference can upend leadership’s plans. Johnson has been able to negotiate that challenge largely by making accommodations to the more conservative wing of his conference. This time, it was the moderates who revolted.

The defectors largely represent districts that Democrats have targeted in their bid to retake the majority, with Democrats promising to make health insurance costs a central issue in next year’s midterms.

Even if the Democrats’ subsidy bill were to pass the House, which is far from assured, it would face an arduous climb in the Republican-led Senate.

Republicans last week voted down a three-year extension of the subsidies and proposed an alternative that also failed. But in an encouraging sign for Democrats, four Republican senators crossed party lines to support their proposal.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., argued against the Democratic extension as “an attempt to disguise the real impact of Obamacare’s spiraling health care costs.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that the 218th signature for the Democrats’ bill showed that the demand from the American people for an extension is undeniable, but “the damage has now been done, no matter what happens.”

House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, said leadership would continue to have discussions with members “about a few different options.”

Senate passes $901B defense bill that pushes for boat strike video

BY STEPHEN GROVES Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Senate gave final passage Wednesday to an annual military policy bill that will authorize $901 billion in defense programs while pressuring Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide lawmakers with video of strikes on alleged drug boats in international water near Venezuela.

The annual National Defense Authorization Act, which raises troop pay by 3.8%, gained bipartisan backing as it moved through Congress. It passed the Senate on a 77-20 vote before lawmakers planned to leave Washington for a holiday break. Two Republicans — Sens. Rand Paul and Mike Lee — and 18 Democrats voted against the bill.

The White House has indicated that it is in line with President Donald Trump’s national security priorities.

However, the legislation, which ran over 3,000 pages, revealed some points of friction between Congress and the Pentagon as the Trump administration reorients its focus away from security in Europe and toward Central and South America.

The bill pushes back on recent moves by the Pentagon. It demands more information on boat strikes in the Caribbean, requires that the U.S. keep its troop levels in Europe at current levels and sends some military aid to Ukraine.

But overall, the bill represents a compromise between the parties. It implements many of Trump’s executive orders and proposals on eliminating diversity and inclusion efforts in the military and grants emergency military powers at the U.S. border with Mexico. It also enhances congressional oversight of the Department of Defense and seeks to overhaul how the Pentagon purchases weapons as the U.S. tries to outpace China in developing the next generation of military technology.

“We’re about to pass, and the president will enthusiastically sign, the most sweeping upgrades to DoD’s business practices in 60 years,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, the Republican chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

Congress also is writing a closing chapter to the war in Iraq by repealing the authorization for the 2003 invasion.

Now that Iraq is a strategic partner of the U.S., lawmakers in support of the provision say the repeal is crucial to prevent future abuses.

The bill also repeals the 1991 authorization that sanctioned the U.S.-led Gulf War. Still, the sprawling bill did face objections from both Democratic and Republican leadership on the Senate Commerce Committee and the head of the National Transportation Safety Board.

That’s because the legislation could allow military aircraft to obtain a waiver to operate without broadcasting their precise location, as an Army helicopter had done before a midair collision with an airliner over Washington, D.C., in January that killed 67 people.

To address those concerns, the Senate advanced a bill to require all military and civilian aircraft to broadcast their locations. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz, the chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said the tragedy might have been avoided had the Black Hawk been broadcasting its location before the crash.

That bill will now go to the House. Cruz said the White House supports it.

Boat strikes Republicans and Democrats agreed to language in the defense bill that threatened to withhold a quarter of Hegseth’s travel budget until he provided unedited video of the strikes, as well as the orders authorizing them, to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services.

Hegseth was on Capitol Hill Tuesday ahead of the bill’s passage to brief lawmakers on the U.S. military campaign in international water near Venezuela. The briefing elicited contrasting responses from many lawmakers, with Republicans largely backing the campaign and Democrats expressing concern about it and saying they had not received enough information.

The committees are in-

vestigating a Sept. 2 strike — the first of the campaign — that killed two people who had survived an initial attack on their boat. The Navy admiral who ordered the “double-tap” strike, Adm. Frank “Mitch” Bradley, also appeared before the committees shortly before the vote Wednesday in a classified briefing that also included video of the strike in question.

Several Republican senators emerged from the meeting backing Hegseth and his decision not to release the video publicly, but other GOP lawmakers stayed silent on their opinion of the strike.

Democrats are calling for part of the video to be released publicly and for every member of Congress to have access to the full footage.

Diversity, climate cuts Trump and Hegseth have made it a priority to purge the military of material and programs that address diversity, anti-racism or gender issues, and the defense bill would codify many of those changes. It will repeal diversity, equity and inclusion offices and trainings, including the position of chief diversity officer. Those cuts would save the Pentagon about $40 million, according to the Republican-controlled House Armed Services Committee.

The military has long found that climate change is a threat to how it provides national security because weatherrelated disasters can destroy military bases and equipment. But the bill makes $1.6 billion in cuts by eliminating climate-change related programs at the Pentagon.

Start Your Move Today

U.S. military says strike on alleged drug boat kills 4

By The Associated Press WASHINGTON — The U.S. military said Wednesday that it attacked a boat accused of smuggling drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, killing four people on the same day the House rejected efforts to limit President Donald Trump’s power to use military force against drug cartels.

U.S. Southern Command stated on social media that the vessel was operated by narco-terrorists along a known trafficking route.

The military didn’t provide

evidence behind the allegations but posted a video of a boat moving through water before there was an explosion.

The attack brought the total number of known boat strikes to 26 while at least 99 people have been killed, according to numbers announced by the Trump administration.

Trump has justified the attacks as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States and asserted the U.S. is engaged in an “armed conflict” with drug cartels.

House Republicans rejected a pair of Democraticbacked resolutions Wednesday that would have forced the Trump administration to seek authorization from Congress before continuing attacks against cartels. They were the first votes in the House on Trump’s military campaign in Central and South America.

A majority of Republicans in the Senate had previously voted against similar resolutions, and Trump would almost certainly veto them if they were to pass Congress.

addresslafayettela.com

Get your FREE accurate home evaluation today.

DRE#01901536 This website is a marketing and information program that sends all inquiries to state-licensed real estate professionals.

6A ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT TWENTY-SIX (26) OF SUGAR TRACE SOUTH, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMENSIONS, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ SUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY COMEAUX ENGINEERING AND CONSULTING, DATED APRIL 12, 2005, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2005-00017723 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE PART HEREOF BY REFER‐ ENCE THERETO ("PROP‐ ERTY"). MUNICIPAL AD‐ DRESS: 237 BARKSDALE DR., BROUSSARD, LA 70518

.theacadianaadvocate.com Announcements Advertising Looking to promote your services or find a new hire? Deliver your classified message statewide for as little as $265 per week through the Louisiana Press Association’s Classified Network. Pre-payment required. To learn more, email advertising@lapress.com or call 225-344-9309.

Miscellaneous We Buy Houses for Cash AS-IS! No repairs. No fuss. Any condition. Easy process: Call, get cash offer and get paid. Call today for your fair cash offer: 1-225-545-1983 Struggling with debt? If you have over $15,000 in debt we help you be debt free in as little as 24-48 months. Pay nothing to enroll. Call Now: 1-877-773-1742 Donate your car, truck, boat, RV and more to support our veterans!

Schedule a FAST, FREE vehicle pickup and receive a top tax deduction!

Call Veteran Car Donations at 1-844-742-5188 today!

Health and Wellness Attention: VIAGRA and CIALIS USERS! A cheaper alternative to high drugstore prices! 50 Pill Special - Only $99! 100% guaranteed. CALL NOW: 1-877-305-0196 DENTAL INSURANCE from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company.

Coverage for 400 plus procedures.

Real dental insurance - NOT just a discount plan. Do not wait! Call now!

Get your FREE Dental Information Kit with all the details!

1-855-268-0108 www.dental50plus.com/morning #6258

looking and longest lasting material…steel from Erie Metal Roofs! Three styles and multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer. Up to 50% off installation + Additional 10% off install (for military, health workers & 1st responders.) Call Erie Metal Roofs: 1-855-582-6043

Merchandise

Pets

Prepare for power outages with Briggs & Stratton® PowerProtect (TM) standby generators - the most powerful home standby generators available.

Industry-leading comprehensive warranty - 7 years ($849 value.) Proudly made in the U.S.A. Call Briggs & Stratton 1-844512-5930.

Prepare for power outages today with a Generac Home Standby Generator. Act now to receive a FREE 5-Year warranty with qualifying purchase. Call 1-844-3352962 today to schedule a free quote.

It’s not just a generator. It’s a power move.

Home Services PEST CONTROL: PROTECT YOUR HOME from pests safely and affordably. Roaches, Bed Bugs, Rodent, Termite, Spiders and other pests.

Locally owned and affordable. Call for service or an inspection today! Have zip code of property ready when calling! 1-877728-0264 DIRECTV- All your entertainment.

Nothing on your roof! Sign up for Directv and get your first three months of Max, Paramount+, Showtime, Starz, MGM+ and Cinemax included. Choice package $84.99/mo. Some restrictions apply.

Call DIRECTV 1-866-734-0452 Dish Network: Get DISH Satellite TV + Internet! Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-855-654-8207

Home and Garden No more cleaning out gutters.

Guaranteed! LeafFilter is backed by a no-clog guarantee and lifetime transferrable warranty. Call today 1866-846-0785 to schedule a FREE inspection and no obligation estimate. Get 15% off your entire order. Plus, Military & Seniors get an additional 10% off. Limited time only.

Restrictions apply, see representative for warranty and offer details.

Home Improvement BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs.

Senior & Military Discounts available. Call: 1-877-496-0371

7 DAYS A WEEK

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $700up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150 WANT TO BUY I buy old bourbon bottles. Wild Turkey, Weller, Old Grand Dad etc.

Call or text $300 (225)456-3434

DOGS Bluetick Coonhound - Old-Fashioned Bluetick Coonhound puppies. Should meet Gascon standards. Born 9/27/2025. Available 1st week in De‐ cember. $400 /512-228-6073

The Classified Advertising Department will be closed on Thursday, December 25 to observe the Christmas holiday

EARLY DEADLINES FOR OUR ADVERTISEMENTS

DEADLINE..........RUN DATE Thurs., Dec 18 - 3pm .......... Wed., Dec 24 Fri., Dec 19 - 3pm............... Thurs., Dec 25 Fri., Dec 19 - 3pm............... Fri., Dec 26 Tues, Dec 23-3pm ............... Sat/Sun Dec 27, 28 Wed., Dec 24 - 3pm ............ Mon., Dec 29 Fri., Dec 26 - 3pm............... Tues., Dec 30

DISPLAY ADS 24 HOURS EARLIER

You may place your ad 7 days a week, 24 hours a day online at www.theadvocate.com or call Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

225-383-0111

Replace your roof with the best

Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that sealed bids (one original) will be received by the Lafayette Parish School System Purchas‐ ing Department, located at 202 Rue Iberville, Lafayette, Louisiana, 70508 and electronic bids will be received at www. centerlinebidconnect. com. Delivery to any de‐ partment other than the Purchasing Department is unacceptable and may result in non-considera‐ tion of the bid. Bids will be received until 10:00 a.m., CST on January 22, 2026, for construction of the following project as described in the Bidding Documents and listed on the Bid Form: BID #31-26 Cooler Replacement at: Broussard Middle School 1325 S Morgan Avenue Broussard, Louisiana It is further understood and agreed that the work under this contract shall be completed by July 31, 2026, subject to reim‐ bursement to the owner of liquidated damages in the amount of one thou‐ sand dollars ($1,000.00) per consecutive calendar day beyond the comple‐ tion time stated above.

Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the above stated time and date in the Confer‐ of the ence Room Lafayette Parish School System Central Office Building.

Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments for this project are also available in elec‐ tronic form and may be obtained without charge and without deposit from www.centerlinebidco nnect.com.

Printed copies are not available from the Project De‐ signer but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most re‐ prographic firms. Plan holders are responsible for their own reproduc‐ tion costs. Electronic bids may be submitted online at www.centerl inebidconnect.com.

Each bid must be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or Bid Bond using the Owner’s form payable to the Lafayette Parish School System, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the amount of the proposed Base Bid plus all Alter‐ nates. Money Orders will not be accepted.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract on the forms provided by the School Board and written in accordance with Louisiana law.

Bids shall be accepted only from contractors who are licensed by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors for the classification of Building Construction. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of La. R.S. 38:2214.

Mandatory Pre-Bid A Conference will be held Broussard Middle at School, at 3:00 p.m. CST, January 7, 2026.

The owner reserved the right to reject any and all bids for just cause.

The Lafayette Parish School System strongly encourages the partici‐ pation of minority busi‐ ness enterprises in all contracts or procure‐ ments let by the Board for goods and services.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize mi‐ nority business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, and ser‐ vices in which minority owned businesses are available.

LAFAYETTE PARISH

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

SCHOOL SYSTEM Kristie Sam, Purchasing & Procurement Coordinator Advertising dates: 12/18/25 12/25/25 01/01/26 170670 Dec. 18, 25, 2025, Jan. 1, 2026, 3t $103.65 PUBLIC NOTICE --Advertisement for Bids Notice is hereby given that sealed bids (one original) will be received by the Lafayette Parish School System Purchas‐ ing Department, located at 202 Rue Iberville, Lafayette, Louisiana, 70508 and electronic bids will be received at www. centerlinebidconnect. com . Delivery to any de‐ partment other than the Purchasing Department is unacceptable and may result in non-considera‐ tion of the bid. Bids will be received until 10:30 a.m., CST on January 22, 2026, for construction of the following project as described in the Bidding Documents and listed on the Bid Form: BID #32-26 Cooler Replacement at: Lafayette Elementary School 1301 W University Ave. Lafayette, Louisiana It is further understood and agreed that the work under this contract shall be completed by July 31, 2026, subject to reim‐ bursement to the owner of liquidated damages in the amount of one thou‐ sand dollars ($1,000.00) per consecutive calendar day beyond the comple‐ tion time stated above.

Bids will be publicly opened and read aloud at the above stated time and date in the Confer‐ ence Room of the Lafayette Parish School System Central Office Building.

Complete Bidding Docu‐ ments for this project are also available in elec‐ tronic form and may be obtained without charge and without deposit from www.centerlinebidco nnect.com.

Printed copies are not available from the Project De‐ signer but arrangements can be made to obtain them through most re‐ prographic firms. Plan holders are responsible for their own reproduc‐ tion costs. Electronic bids may be submitted online at www.centerl inebidconnect.com .

Each bid must be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or Bid Bond using the Owner’s form payable to the Lafayette Parish School System, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the amount of the proposed Base Bid plus all Alter‐ nates. Money Orders will not be accepted.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond in an amount equal to 100% of the Contract on the forms provided by the School Board and written in accordance with Louisiana law.

Bids shall be accepted only from contractors who are licensed by the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors for the classification of Building Construction. No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except under the provisions of La. R.S. 38:2214.

Mandatory Pre-Bid A Conference will be held at Lafayette Elementary School, at 1:00 p.m. CST, January 7, 2026.

The owner reserved the right to reject any and all bids for just cause.

The Lafayette Parish School System strongly encourages the partici‐ pation of minority busi‐ ness enterprises in all contracts or procure‐ ments let by the Board for goods and services.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize mi‐ i b i

Public Notices Bids/Proposals g nority business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, and ser‐ vices in which minority owned businesses are available.

LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM Kristie Sam, Purchasing & Procurement Coordinator Advertising dates: 12/18/25 12/25/25 01/01/26 171029-dec 18-25-jan 1-3t $103.02

PUBLIC NOTICE --Advertisement for Request for Proposal Notice is hereby given that a sealed Request for Proposal (RFP) will be re‐ ceived by the Lafayette Parish School System Purchasing Department located at 202 Rue Iberville, Lafayette, LA 70508. Delivery to any de‐ partment other than the Purchasing Department is unacceptable and may result in non-considera‐ tion of the proposal.

Sealed proposals will be received until January 13, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. CST for: Wide-Area Network Service RFP # 30-26 The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) is accepting proposals from qualified E-Rate telecommunication ser‐ vice providers who can provide high-speed Inter‐ net connectivity at 10 Gb/s. Proposals will be accepted for services to be provided under a multi-year contract with terms not to exceed 6 years -- a three-year con‐ tract with the possibility of up to three voluntary one-year extensions.

A Request for Proposal package may be ob‐ tained from the Purchas‐ ing Department website at https://www.lpssonline. com/departments/ business-services/ purchasing or via Central Auction House (registra‐ tion required) at https:// www.centerauctionho use.com . Specifications will be available on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

The Lafayette Public School System strongly encourages the partici‐ pation of minority busi‐ ness enterprises in all contracts or procure‐ ments let by the Board for goods and services.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize mi‐ nority business enter‐ prises in the purchase of sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, and ser‐ vices in which minority owned businesses are available.

The owner reserves the right to reject any bids for just cause.

LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM Kristie Sam Purchasing & Procurement Coordinator PUBLISH DATES: December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 170062-dec 11-18-25-3t $79.41 PUBLIC NOTICE --Advertisement for Request for Proposal Notice is hereby given that a sealed Request for Proposal (RFP) will be re‐ ceived by the Lafayette Parish School System Purchasing Department located at 202 Rue Iberville, Lafayette, LA 70508. Delivery to any de‐ partment other than the Purchasing Department is unacceptable and may result in non-considera‐ tion of the proposal.

Sealed proposals will be received until January 13, 2026, at 11:00 A.M. CST for: Internet Service RFP # 29-26

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

The Lafayette Parish School System (LPSS) is accepting proposals from qualified E-Rate telecommunication ser‐ vice providers who can provide high-speed Inter‐ net connectivity at 10 Gb/s. Proposals will be accepted for services to be provided under a multi-year contract with terms not to exceed 6 years -- a three-year con‐ tract with the possibility of up to three voluntary one-year extensions.

A Request for Proposal package may be ob‐ tained from the Purchas‐ ing Department website at https://www.lpssonline. com/departments/ business-services/ purchasing or via Central Auction House (registra‐ tion required) at https:// www.centerauctionho use.com . Specifications will be available on Thursday, December 11, 2025 The Lafayette Public School System strongly encourages the partici‐ pation of minority busi‐ ness enterprises in all contracts or procure‐ ments let by the Board for goods and services.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize mi‐ nority business enter‐ prises in the purchase of sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, and ser‐ vices in which minority owned businesses are available.

The owner reserves the right to reject any bids for just cause.

PUBLISH DATES: December 11, 2025 December 18, 2025 December 25, 2025 LAFAYETTE PARISH SCHOOL SYSTEM Kristie Sam Purchasing & Procure‐ ment Coordinator 170052-dec 11-18-25-3t $79.41

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SHERIFF'S SALE CADENCE BANK Versus No. 20255699 LASHALL R. WILLIAMS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***, the following described property, to wit: THOSE THREE CERTAIN LOTS OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS AND THE COMPO‐ NENT PARTS THEREOF, SITUATED IN SECTION 100, T9S, R5E, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOTS 354, 355 AND 356 OF GOLF COURSE ADDITION, SAID LOTS HAVING SUCH MEA‐ SUREMENTS, BOUND‐ ARIES, CONFIGURATIONS AND DIMENSIONS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN AND DESCRIBED ON THAT CER‐ TAIN PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY A. R. YAN‐ DLE DATED NOVEMBER 19, 1949, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT FILED UNDER ENTRY NO. 236535, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, PARISH, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 203 ATLANTA DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70501 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $33.47 SHERIFF'S SALE CITIBANK, N.A., NOT IN ITS INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY BUT SOLELY AS TRUSTEE OF EFMT 2025-NQMl Ver‐ sus No. 20255516 ADAM BROUSSARD 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***, the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND ALL AP‐ PURTENANCES THEREOF, BEING KNOWN AND DES‐ IGNATED AS LOT THREE (3) OF MAGNOLIA PARK, EXTENSION NO. 4, A SUB‐ DIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM, DIMENSION, BOUNDARIES AND MEA‐ SUREMENTS AS ARE MORE FULLY SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 1956-344959 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF BY REF‐ ERENCE THERETO; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 917 MARILYN DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70503 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P. M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.04 SHERIFF'S SALE FARMERS-MERCHANTS BANK AND TRUST COM‐ PANY Versus No. 20256650 KORI DE‐ WAYNNE GOINS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN CONDO‐ MINIUM PARCEL, BEING CONDOMINIUM UNIT

PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.90 SHERIFF'S SALE

HAPPY HOLIDAY

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

SEVEN HUNDRED NINE (709), OF BUILDING SEVEN (7), PLAZA VIL‐ LAGE CONDOMINIUMS, PHASE I, TOGETHER WITH ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING AND SPECIFI‐ CALLY INCLUDING AN UN‐ DIVIDED ONE-FIFTYSECON (1/52) INTEREST IN AND UNTO THE COM‐ MON ELEMENTS OF PLAZA VILLAGE CONDO‐ MINIUMS, PHASE I, AC‐ CORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY DOMINGUE, SZABO & AS‐ SOCIATES, INC., C.E., DATED MARCH 5, 1981, REVISED JANUARY 11, 1982, ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 1982-1831 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO; SAID "CONDOMINIUM PARCEL" BEING SITUATED AND CONTAINED WITHIN THAT CERTAIN TRACT OR PARCEL OF GROUND LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 4, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 4 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, AND HAVING SUCH SHAPE, FORM DI‐ MENSIONS AND BOUND‐ ARIES AS SHOWN ON THE AFOREMENTIONED PLAT OF SURVEY. BEING THE SAME PROP‐ ERTY ACQUIRED BY SHEILA FONTENOT CON‐ TELLA, BRISTOL J. FONTENOT AND DARREL FONTENOT FROM EVELIE B. FONTENOT BY THAT CERTAIN ACT OF QUIT‐ CLAIM DATED OCTOBER 25, 2010, RECORDED IN FILE NUMBER 2010-42799, AS CORRECTED BY ACT OF CORRECTION TO THE QUITCLAIM DEED DATED DECEMBER 1, 2011, RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 2011-49032 BOTH OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT. BEING THE SAME PROPERTY AC‐ QUIRED BY KORI DE‐ WAYNNE GOINS FROM SHEILA FONTENOT AND DARREL FONTENOT VIA CASH SALE RECORDED ON APRIL 25, 2017 UNDER ENTRY N0.2017-00016212.

THE MUNICIPAL ADDRESS OF THE ABOVE DE‐ SCRIBED PROPERTY IS 101 WILBOURN BLVD, #709, LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA 70506-5173.

ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY PURCHASE THE FULL AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $45.05 SHERIFF'S SALE FREEDOM MORTGAGE CORPORATION Versus No. 20253512 SANDY VONGBOUNEMY A/K/A SANDY BOUDSAVATH VONGBOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY B. VONGBOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY VONG‐ BOUNMEY A/K/A SANDY VONSEG A/K/A SANDY VONDBOUNEMY A/K/A SANDY V. VONBOUNEMY

LAKEVIEW LOAN SERVIC‐ ING, LLC Versus No. 20254225 BARRY J. MECHE AKA BARRY JOHN MECHE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, WITH ALL IM‐ PROVEMENTS SITUATED AND TO BE CON‐ STRUCTED THEREON, LO‐ CATED IN SECTION 26, TOWNSHIP 10 SOUTH, RANGE 3 EAST, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, CONTAINING 0.43 ACRES, MORE OR LESS, HAVING A FRONTAGE OF 125 FEET ON MONTE ROAD AND A DEPTH BETWEEN PARAL‐ LEL LINES OF 150 FEET AND BOUNDED NORTHERLY BY MONTE ROAD, SOUTHERLY, EAST‐ ERLY AND WESTERLY BY LANDS OF BUNNELL MARTHA VILLIEN, ET ALS, SAID PARCEL BEING DES‐ IGNATED AS "CARROLL L. & DEBRAH VILLIEN, P.O. BOX 608, MAURICE, LA 70555 AREA= 0.43 ACRES LOT 1" AND MORE FULLY LOCATED, DESCRIBED AND BOUNDED ON PLAT OF SURVEY BY WIL J. GUIDRY, DATED OCTOBER 31, 2011 AT ACT NO. 201148754, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. THE NORTHEAST CORNER OF SAID O. 43 ACRES BEING 527.08 FEET FROM THE SOUTHWEST CORNER OF THE INTERSECTION OF MONTE ROAD AND LAGNEAUX ROAD, SAID PLAT TO CONTAIN AP‐ PROVAL STAMP OF THE LAFAYETTE PLANNING AND ZONING COMMIS‐ SION; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 115 MONTE ROAD, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $38.19 SHERIFF'S SALE LLACG COMMUNITY IN‐ VESTMENT FUND Versus No. 20246554 GLORIA GAGO BREAUX AKA GLO‐ RIA GAGO-ARIAS BREAUX 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of AMENDED SEIZURE AND SALE issued in the here‐ inabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, appraise‐ ***WITH*** ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: LOT 3, UNIT 3, ST. JOSEPH TOWNHOUSES, AS SHOWN BY REFERENCE TO A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RICHARD G. SPIKES, DATED JULY 6, 1983, RECORDED JULY 28, 1983, UNDER ENTRY NO. 83-27618, RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, BEING THAT CERTAIN LOT OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO BELONGING OR IN ANY‐ WISE APPERTAINING, SIT‐ UATED IN THE SECTION 64, TOWNSHIP 9 SOUTH,

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

RANGE 4 EAST, PARISH, LAFAYETTE LOUISIANA, FRONTING 47.73 FEET ON CURTIS STREET, AND HAVING SUCH OTHER METES AND BOUNDS AS ARE SHOWN ON THAT CERTAIN PLAT OF SURVEY BY CRAIG P. SPIKES, RLS, DATED MARCH 24, 1992, A COPY OF WHICH IS ANNEXED TO AN ACT RECORDED AT ENTRY #92- 010306; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 200 C-CURTIS ST., LAFAYETTE, LA 70506 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.69 SHERIFF'S SALE MORTGAGE ASSETS MAN‐ AGEMENT, LLC Versus No. 20255007 THE SUCCES‐ SION OF CHARLES DEAN PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES DEAN PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES D. PIERCE A/K/A CHARLES PIERCE 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN PARCEL OF GROUND, TOGETHER WITH ALL BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREUNTO BELONGING, SITUATED IN DEMANADE PARK SUBDIVISION, EX‐ TENSION ONE, IN THE CITY AND PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AND ACCORDING TO A PLAT OF SURVEY OF SAID SUBDIVISION ON FILE IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA, IS KNOWN AND DESIGNATED AS LOT NO. 218 AND THE NORTHERN THREE (3) FEET OF LOT 219; SAID LOT HAS A FRONTAGE OF ONE HUN‐ DRED THREE (103) FEET ON EAST DEMANADE DRIVE BY SUCH OTHER MEASUREMENTS AND DI‐ MENSIONS AS ARE SHOWN ON SAID PLAT, AND IS BOUNDED NORTH

BY LOT NO. 217, SOUTH

BY REMAINDER OF LOT NO. 219, EAST BY THE VERMILION RIVER AND WEST BY EAST DEM‐ ANADE DRIVE. FOR DI‐ VERSION OF TITLE SEE ACT NO. 587676 OF THE RECORDS OF THE CLERK OF COURT OF LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA. MU‐ NICIPAL ADDRESS: 421 EAST DEMANADE DRIVE, LAFAYETTE, LA 70503 PURCHASING ANYONE PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $36.69 SHERIFF'S SALE PENNYMAC LOAN SER‐ VICES, LLC Versus No. 20256345 VANTAZIA MAR‐ TICE MASON AND COR‐ NELIUS OCATAVIUS MOR‐ RIS AKA CORNELIUS OC‐ TAVIUS MORRIS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: LOT 59, A CERTAIN PAR‐ CEL OF GROUND IN ACA‐ DIAN LAKES SUBDIVI‐ SION, PHASE 1 "A RESI‐ DENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD DEVELOPMENT", TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON, AND ALL OF THE RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVILEGES, SERVITUDES, APPURTE‐ NANCES AND ADVAN‐ TAGES THEREUNTO BE‐ LONGING TO OR ANYWISE APPERTAINING, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, AS SHOWN ON PLAT RECORDED AS FILE NUM‐ BER: 2020-00043600, OF THE CLERK OF COURT'S OFFICE FOR LAFAYETTE PARISH, LOUISIANA; SUB‐ JECT TO RESTRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OFWAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AFFECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 313 ACADIAN LAKE DRIVE, DUSON, LA 70529 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2:00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED

Public Notices Sheriff Sales

FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $34.11 SHERIFF'S SALE PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Versus No. 20255517 MENDRELL J. ROBERTS AND EMELDA L. ROBERTS 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: ONE (1) CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL THE BUILDINGS AND IM‐ PROVEMENTS THEREON, SITUATED IN THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, STATE OF LOUISIANA, IN THAT SUB‐ DIVISION KNOWN AS SUGAR RIDGE, PHASE V, AND BEING DESIGNATED ON THE OFFICIAL PLAT OF SAID SUBDIVISION, ON FILE AND OF RECORD IN THE OFFICE OF THE CLERK AND RECORDER OF SAID PARISH AND STATE, AS LOT NUMBER 190, SAID SUBDIVISION, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH SIZE, SHAPE AND DIMENSIONS AND BEING SUBJECT TO SUCH SERVITUDES AS ARE SHOWN ON SAID MAP; SUBJECT TO RE‐ STRICTIONS, SERVITUDES, AND RIGHTS-OF-WAY OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 105 MEADOW CREST WAY, YOUNGSVILLE, LA 70592 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $33.47 SHERIFF'S SALE PLANET HOME LENDING, LLC Versus No. 20256366 MICKIE MILLER AND MICHELLE MILLER 15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITH*** appraise‐ ment, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL EASE‐ MENTS, RIGHTS, APPUR‐ TENANCES, BUILDINGS AND IMPROVEMENTS THEREON OR THEREUNTO BELONGING, BEING KNOWN AND DESIG‐ NATED AS LOT SIXTY-ONE (61) OF GOLDEN MEADOW SUBDIVISION, A SUBDIVISION OF THE PARISH OF LAFAYETTE, LOUISIANA, SAID LOT HAVING SUCH MEASURE‐ MENTS, DIMENSIONS AND BOUNDARIES AS SHOWN ON A PLAT OF SURVEY PREPARED BY RICHARD C. SPIKES DATED MAY 14, 1982, A COPY OF WHICH IS ATTACHED TO THAT CERTAIN ACT RECORDED UNDER FILE NUMBER 1982-17227 OF THE RECORDS OF LAFAYETTE PARISH CLERK OF COURT, WHICH PLAT OF SURVEY IS MADE A PART HEREOF

BY REFERENCE THERETO; SUBJECT TO RESTRIC‐ TIONS, SERVITUDES, RIGHTS-OF-WAY AND OUTSTANDING MINERAL RIGHTS OF RECORD AF‐ FECTING THE PROPERTY. MUNICIPAL ADDRESS: 111 RICE CIRCLE, SCOTT, LA 70583 ANYONE PURCHASING PROPERTY AT SHERIFF'S SALE IS GIVEN UNTIL 2: 00 P.M. ON SALE DAY TO PAY THE FULL PURCHASE AMOUNT BY CERTIFIED FUNDS PUBLISH ON: DECEMBER 18, 2025 & JANUARY 15, 2026 LAFAYETTE PARISH SHER‐ IFF'S OFFICE MARKT. GARBER, SHERIFF $34.97

7 DAYS A WEEK

SUBSCRIBE TODAY

15TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT---PARISH OF LAFAYETTE STATE OF LOUISIANA Notice is hereby given that by virtue of a writ of SEIZURE AND SALE is‐ sued in the hereinabove entitled and numbered cause I have seized and taken into my possession and will offer for sale and sell for cash, ***WITHOUT*** ap‐ praisement, to the last and highest bidder, at public auction, at the LAFAYETTE PARISH GOV‐ ERNMENT BUILDING, 1010 LAFAYETTE STREET, 2ND FLOOR in Lafayette, Louisiana, between the legal sale hours com‐ mencing at 10:00 A.M. on WEDNESDAY, ***JANUARY 21, 2026***,the following described property, to wit: THAT CERTAIN LOT OR PARCEL OF GROUND, TO‐ GETHER WITH ALL BUILD‐ INGS AND IMPROVE‐ MENTS THEREON, AND ALL RIGHTS, WAYS, PRIVI‐ LEGES, SERVITUDES, AP‐ PURTENANCES AND AD‐ VANTAGES THEREUNTO

For the latest news, sports and entertainment, download the Acadiana Advocate app

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 7A

lll

TRUMP

Continued from page 1A Trump has promised an economic boom, yet inflation has stayed elevated and the job market has weakened sharply in the wake of his import taxes. Trump suggested that his tariffs — which are partly responsible for boosting consumer prices — would fund a new “warrior dividend” for 1.45 million military members, a payment that could ease some of the financial strains for many households. “The checks are already on the way,” he said of the expenditure, which would total roughly $2.6 billion.

“We made a lot more money than anybody thought because of tariffs, and the bill helped us along,” Trump said, referring to the GOP’s major tax cuts legislation it passed earlier this year. “Nobody deserves it more than our military, and I say congratulations.”

Presidential addresses to the nation carried on network television are traditionally less partisan than rally speeches, but Trump gave a condensed version of his usual political remarks.

Flanked by two Christmas trees with a portrait of George Washington behind him in the White House’s Diplomatic Reception Room, Trump sought to pin any worries about high inflation on his predecessor, former President Joe Biden.

“Eleven months ago, I inherited a mess, and I’m fixing it,” Trump said.

His holiday wishes came at a crucial time as he tries to rebuild his popularity. Public polling shows most U.S. adults are frustrated with his handling of the economy as inflation picked up after his tariffs raised prices and hiring slowed.

Trump brought charts with him to make the case that the economy is on an upward trajectory. He made claims about incomes growing, inflation easing and investment dollars pouring into the country as foreign leaders, he claimed, have assured him that “we’re the

BANK

Continued from page 1A Now, Byrd will serve as CEO and chairman of M C Bank’s holding company.

Other former IberiaBank executives joining the M C Bank team include: Mark Tipton, who will serve as president; Michael Brown, chief operating officer; and Scott Price, chief financial officer; as well as Jack Deano, Ben Dupuy, Cleland Powell, Tommy Westervelt and Rob Worley.

M C Bank’s board members will remain on the board of directors. CEO Chris LeBato will serve on the executive committee as vice chairman and chief of staff.

Most of the team will be based in greater New Orleans, but Tipton will live and work in Atlanta and Price will be in Birmingham, Alabama.

Byrd said he, Brown and Tipton started thinking about starting another southeastern banking franchise after the expiration of their noncompete clauses with First Horizon.

“I badly failed at retirement,” Byrd said. “I thought I could go back to playing tennis and I wouldn’t be bored, but that didn’t work. I missed the engagement, relationships and excitement of being CEO, and I feel like I have a lot of energy left to spend.”

Gradual expansion M C Bank began in 1955 in Morgan City, the energy and seafood industry hub 70 miles southwest of New

NEW yORK TIMES PHOTO By DOUG MILLS

President Donald Trump finishes his remarks in an address to the nation from the Diplomatic Reception Room at the White House on Wednesday. hottest country anywhere in the world,” a statement he has frequently repeated at public events.

If the argument seemed familiar, that’s because it has echoes of the case that Biden made about the U.S. economy with little success. He, too, in the face of inflation pointed to the enviable rate of U.S. economic growth compared to other nations.

But the hard math internalized by the public paints a more complicated picture of an economy that has some stability but few reasons to inspire much public confidence.

The stock market is up, gasoline prices are down and tech companies are placing large bets on the development of artificial intelligence.

But inflation that had been descending after spiking to a fourdecade high in 2022 under Biden has reaccelerated after Trump announced his tariffs in April.

The consumer price index is increasing at an annual rate of 3%,

up from 2.3% in April.

The affordability squeeze is also coming from a softening job market.

Monthly job gains have averaged a paltry 17,000 since April’s “Liberation Day,” when Trump announced import taxes that he later suspended and then readjusted several months later.

The unemployment rate has climbed from 4% in January to 4.6%.

Trump sidestepped continued inflation but is insisting that his tariffs are working and will deliver more benefits soon.

“My favorite word,” he said of “tariffs,” the levies that he has put on various foreign products from China, Canada, Mexico and other U.S. trading partners across the world.

“Nobody can believe what’s going on here,” Trump said. “It’s not done yet, but boy are we making progress.”

Trump said that investment commitments for new factories will

Orleans. The bank gradually expanded to its current number of locations, only moving into the New Orleans metro area this decade. It has two branches in Jefferson Parish and one in Lakeview.

M C Bank executives and the bank’s shareholders are betting the deal announced Wednesday will usher in an era of growth. The bank has a relatively small share of deposits in Louisiana, ranking 50th among banks doing business in the state, according to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

“The combination of our associates and the DMMS Equity team creates a powerful alignment of talent, experience and vision that will propel the bank forward,” said LeBato, the M C Bank CEO, in a statement that referred to the corporate entity Byrd is using for the purchase.

The bank is planning three new branches, including a second location in Covington, its first in Uptown New Orleans, and one in Houma.

Under the terms of the deal, M C Bank’s roughly 100 employees have all been invited to stay in their current positions, and all existing locations will remain open.

Iberia moved into the New Orleans market by acquiring Omni Bank.

“When I came to Iberia, we had around $1 billion in assets, 300 people and a market cap of $80 million,” Byrd said. “At the end, we had 3,500 people in markets all over the South.”

Over that same period, south Louisiana lost several of its major bank headquarters, including three in New Orleans.

In 2005, New Orleansbased Hibernia Bank was acquired by Capital One. Six years later, Mississippibased Hancock Bank acquired Whitney Bank. First NBC Bank was closed by regulators in 2017.

As his team gets to work, there will be a “David and Goliath” dynamic at work, as they lead a bank with less than $500 million in assets and about $380 million in deposits. By comparison, Capital One, the bank with the largest market share in New Orleans, has nearly $9 billion in deposits.

Tulane business professor Peter Ricchiuti said all those lenders are dealing with weak demand because of low oil prices and an uninspiring housing market, but if the new M C Bank is looking to make acquisitions, it will be able to find favorable History of acquisitions terms.

“There are a bunch of little The M C Bank acquisition is a continuation of what banks that will say, ‘Quick, Byrd has done for the past grab the doughnuts! Daryl Byrd is walking through the 25 years.

After taking the reins door,’” he said.

Like many smaller banks, at IberiaBank in 1999, he oversaw roughly two M C Bank will have to grapdozen bank buyouts that ple with the added technolotransformed a small, cen- gy costs of modern banking, tury-old institution into a where fraud protection is a multistate lender. In 2011, major expense and custom-

ers expect conveniences like mobile accounts, 24/7 account access and real-time payments.

“The capital needed to operate and grow a bank is greater than it used to be because of demands of technology,” said Gay LeBreton, managing director of investment banking firm Chaffe & Associates. “Regulators’ requirements for certain tech are higher than they used to be.”

But small banks have advantages, especially their ability to forge personal relationships with customers,

REASON 89

The hard truth is that small town news isn’t a profitable endeavor for news organizations. Your support helps us fill that gap.

boost manufacturing jobs and that consumer activity will improve dramatically as people receive increased tax refunds next year.

The president barely paused to take a breath as he made his way through his prepared remarks, much of which contained complaints about conditions in the country under Biden.

“One year ago, our country was dead. We were absolutely dead,” Trump said. “Our country was ready to fail — totally fail. Now we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.”

Trump used a chunk of the address to stress his immigration record, including tightening the border to deny entry to immigrants without legal authority to be in the U.S. He made a passing reference to mass deportation, saying his administration is removing criminals. Independent analyses have shown that some people without criminal records have been de-

ported.

Trump also talked about making some of the “most dangerous cities” in America safe again as a result of his aggressive approach to illegal immigration.

Trump’s mass deportations of immigrants have proved unpopular even as he is viewed favorably for halting crossings along the U.S. border with Mexico. The public has generally been unmoved by his globe-trotting efforts to end conflicts and his attacks on suspected drug boats near Venezuela.

Trump sought to blame Democrats for the likely increase in health insurance premiums as the subsidies tied to the 2010 Affordable Care Act are expiring. Democratic lawmakers have sought to address that issue, while Trump has suggested with scant details that any government aid should go directly to the families buying the insurance instead of the insurance companies.

The president said he will put forward “some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history,” but he offered no details.

Energy prices, including for gasoline, have dropped, and they will continue to drop more, Trump says. But they aren’t at the levels he claims.

Trump said the national average gas price of $2.50 per gallon.

The AAA average nationally is $2.90. Without providing evidence, Trump also said household energy costs have dropped by $3,000.

Trump promised that “within the next 12 months” the U.S. will have opened 1,600 new electrical generating plants — reversing what he again called “the Democrat inflation disaster.”

The president sought to end the address on a high note, noting the Olympics and World Cup soccer matches that will take place in the United States next year.

Trump made an appeal to patriotism by noting that 2026 is the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and closed his speech by wishing viewers a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

said Guy Williams, president of Gulf Coast Bank.

“As New Orleans has become less of a headquarters city, there is a growing desire among local businesses to deal with a main office,” Williams said. “This is good news for New Orleans because it will lead to more local hiring.”

New York City-based Investment bank Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc., a Stifel Company, and Chicagobased Performance Trust Capital Partners are serving as co-advisers in an equity capital offering of up to

$250 million.

KBW also is serving as financial adviser on the deal, and Troutman Pepper Locke in Atlanta is a legal adviser to DMMS in the merger transaction.

The law firms Sterlington PLLC and Jones Walker LLP are also serving as legal advisers to DMMS. PT is serving as financial adviser and Baker Donelson as legal adviser to M C Bank in the merger transaction.

Email Rich Collins at rich. collins@theadvocate.com.

WHEN YOU WANT

– MAKES A –

GREAT GIFT

THE BEST YOU WANT OMAHA STEAKS

Butcher’s Deluxe Package

61% OFF

79797ZCN separately $227.94 SPECIAL INTRODUCTORY PRICE

$

4 Butcher’s Cut Top Sirloins (5 oz.)

4 Air-Chilled Chicken Breasts (4 oz.)

4 Boneless Pork Chops (5 oz.)

4 Individual Scalloped Potatoes (3.8 oz.)

4 Caramel Apple Tartlets (4 oz.)

1 Omaha Steaks Seasoning (3 oz.)

8 FREE Omaha Steaks Smash Burgers (3.2 oz.)

You’ll love it or your money back!

8999

ORDER NOW! OmahaSteaks.com/Deluxe2775 1.888.215.0848 | Ask for Offer 79797ZCN Savings shown over aggregated single item base price. 8 free 3.2 oz. burgers will be sent to each shipping address that includes SKU 79797.

Limit 2 on select items at these exclusive prices. While supplies last. Items may be substituted due to inventory limitations. Standard shipping rates will be applied and are subject to change. Minimum purchase and other restrictions may apply. Some products may not be available for sale in your area. Sales are subject to OmahaSteaks.com/terms-of-useOSI. Expires 12/31/25. | 25M8656 | Omaha Steaks, LLC

100 reasons in 100 days to support our public service journalism SUPPORT OUR WORK

LOUISIANAJOURNALISMFUND.ORG

DONATE

You can also mail your donation to the Baton Rouge Area Foundation: 451 Florida St, Suite LL100, Baton Rouge, LA 70801

8A ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

Acadiana Forecast TODAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

lll

SUNDAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

ALMANAC

AIR QUALITY

LAFAyETTE THROUGH 5 P.M. WEDNESDAy

YESTERDAY

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

MODERATE

67°/50° 64°/45° 82° in 1924 22° in 1901

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

READING 58

TODAY

PRECIPITATION

A t-storm in the area HIGH

LOW

Sunny and not as warm HIGH

78° 46°

Local Summary

Partly sunny

LOW

HIGH

66° 44°

A shower

LOW

76° 62°

HIGH

LOW

77° 60°

Some sun with a shower HIGH

Sun and some clouds

LOW

HIGH

77° 59°

LOW

78° 59°

Partly sunny and warmer today with a stray thunderstorm. Winds south-southwest 6-12 mph. Cooler tonight. Winds northwest 6-12 mph. Not as warm tomorrow. Winds northeast 6-12 mph. Clear tomorrow night.

National Summary

Heavy rain is expected from the Mississippi Valley and the Great Lakes to Virginia today. Thunderstorms will also occur at the Gulf Coast. High winds can be damaging and as colder air moves over the Plains and Midwest. High winds will reach the I-95 Northeast

by Friday morning. Flooding rain will focus on Oregon as snow falls on the Upper Midwest.

LOUISIANA FORECAST

RIVER STAGES MISSISSIPPI

Monroe 69/39

Shreveport 71/39

Jackson 72/40

Longview 72/35

Many 72/36

Hattiesburg 74/44

Alexandria 74/41

Memphis Vidalia-Natchez Red River Landing Baton Rouge Donaldsonville Reserve New Orleans OHIO

Cairo COMITE

Near Olive

Baton Rouge 79/45 Beaumont 78/45

Port Arthur 74/47

Lafayette

AMITE

Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent

New Orleans 77/52

Lake Charles 77/44

TICKFAW

Montpelier Holden

Houma 78/51

ATCHAFALAYA

Shown is today’s weather. Temperatures are today’s highs and tonight’s lows.

TIDES HIGH

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 5:49a Shell Beach --South Point, Marsh Island 5:09p Cypremort Point 7:55p Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 8:08p Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 7:26p Wine Island 9:16p

First FT. LOW

0.6 --1.7 1.7 1.0 1.4 1.3

FT.

5:44p -0.2 11:07a -0.3 6:50a -0.7 10:42a -0.1 6:55a -0.4 5:10a -0.5 7:57a -0.5

HIGH

Second FT. LOW

FT.

---------------

---------------

---------------

---------------

Forecasts and graphics, except KATC forecasts, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2025

Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

-7.10 13.40 17.80 6.40 3.60 2.57 1.80

+0.71 -0.49 -0.61 -0.46 -0.42 -0.56 +0.04

40

9.48

-1.37

19

-1.30

-0.27

18 29 8

-0.28 11.22 1.44

-0.26 +0.07 -0.22

13 15

2.27 1.55

-0.14 +0.15

47 34 29 20 12 6

5.26 3.54 3.37 2.67 1.80 2.52

+0.08 +0.19 +0.03 +0.14 -0.10 +0.15

GOOD

24 hours through 5 p.m. Wed. 0.00” Month to date (normal) 7.01” (2.54”) year to date (normal) 71.84” (60.39”)

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

6:59 a.m.

5:11 p.m.

5:55 a.m.

3:56 p.m.

SOURCE: AIRNOW.GOV

NEW

FIRST

FULL

LAST

DEC 19

DEC 27

JAN 3

JAN 10

THE NATION AND WORLD Today City

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

The World Amsterdam Bangkok Barcelona Berlin Brussels Cairo Dublin Frankfurt Havana Hong Kong Jerusalem

Friday

Hi

Lo

W

Hi

Lo

W

City

77 45 68 -31 80 69 59 81 59

40 40 37 -38 70 46 26 70 31

s pc s pc sh s r pc r

68 57 62 -30 80 65 35 85 44

50 28 50 -37 71 49 30 68 30

s r s sn sh pc s pc s

New Orleans Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Raleigh St. Louis San Diego Tampa

54 89 61 47 54 69 51 47 84 76 56

49 74 45 37 50 50 41 36 69 66 41

r pc pc pc c s r c c s s

53 90 60 50 53 70 48 48 84 74 58

39 72 53 42 41 54 43 41 67 67 43

pc pc c pc r pc s pc sh s pc

Kuwait City London Madrid Mexico City Montreal Moscow New Delhi Paris Rome Stockholm Tokyo

Hi

Today

Friday

Lo

W

Hi

Lo

W

77 82 48 76 54 59 57 69 80

52 66 45 51 33 56 24 49 69

t pc pc s c r r pc t

64 80 59 80 40 62 38 70 76

47 53 29 54 23 29 33 53 51

s c r s sf s s s pc

58 54 53 70 38 35 68 58 65 43 55

51 43 42 47 34 29 50 50 46 41 42

sh r c pc c c pc c pc c s

63 52 51 69 46 34 68 53 63 46 53

47 40 43 45 13 30 49 44 45 40 46

pc s r pc r c pc sh s r pc

Weather (W): s-sunny, pc-partly cloudy, c-cloudy, sh-showers, t-thunderstorms, r-rain, sf-snow flurries, sn-snow, i-ice.

-10

-0s

0s

10s 20s 30s 40s 50s 60s 70s 80s 90s 100s 110s

SOLUNAR TABLE The solunar period schedule allows planning days so you will be fishing in good territory or hunting in good cover during those times. Major periods begin at the times shown and last for 1.5 to 2 hours. The minor periods are shorter.

Today Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue. Wed.

Major

9:29a 10:18a 11:10a 11:34a 12:32a 1:27a 2:20a

Minor

Major

3:17a 9:54p 4:05a 10:44p 4:57a 11:36p 5:50a ---6:45a 12:57p 7:39a 1:51p 8:32a 2:43p

Minor

3:42p 4:31p 5:23p 6:16p 7:10p 8:03p 8:55p

Shown are areas of precipitation and high temperatures for the day.

15 counts of murder issued in Australia shooting Accused gunman faces 59 charges overall

BY CHARLOTTE GRAHAMMCLAY, KRISTEN GELINEAU and ROD MCGUIRK Associated Press

SYDNEY — An accused gunman in Sydney’s Bondi Beach massacre was charged with 59 offenses including 15 charges of murder on Wednesday, as hundreds of mourners gathered in Sydney to begin funerals for the victims.

Two shooters slaughtered 15 people on Sunday in an antisemitic mass shooting targeting Jews celebrating Hanukkah at Bondi Beach, and 17 people are still being treated in hospitals. All of those killed by the gunmen who have been identified so far were Jewish.

Health authorities said Thursday that one patient remained in a critical condition.

As investigations unfold,

AAP PHOTO By MICK TSIKAS

Swimmers gather for a morning vigil in Sydney on Wednesday following Sunday’s shooting at Bondi Beach.

Australia faces a social and political reckoning about antisemitism, gun control and whether police protections for Jews at events such as Sunday’s were sufficient for the threats they faced.

Naveed Akram, the 24-year-old alleged shooter,

was charged on Wednesday after waking from a coma in a Sydney hospital, where he has been since police shot him and his father at Bondi.

His father Sajid Akram, 50, died at the scene.

The charges include one count of murder for each fa-

tality and one count of committing a terrorist act, police said.

Akram was also charged with 40 counts of causing harm with intent to murder in relation to the wounded and with placing an explosive near a building with

intent to cause harm.

Police said the Akrams’ car, which was found at the crime scene, contained improvised explosive devices.

Akram’s lawyer did not enter pleas and did not request his client’s release on bail during a video court appear-

ance from his hospital bed, a court statement said.

He is being represented by Legal Aid NSW, which has a policy of refusing media comment on behalf of clients. Akram is expected to remain under police guard in hospital until he is well enough to be transferred to a prison.

The news that the suspects were apparently inspired by the Islamic State group provoked more questions about whether Australia’s government had done enough to stem hate-fueled crimes, especially directed at Jews.

In Sydney and Melbourne, where 85% of Australia’s Jewish population lives, a wave of antisemitic attacks has been recorded in the past year.

After Jewish leaders and survivors of Sunday’s attack lambasted the government for not heeding their warnings of violence, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese vowed Wednesday to take whatever government action was needed to stamp out antisemitism.

Putin: Russia will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if talks fail

By The Associated Press Russian President Vladimir Putin warned Wednesday that Moscow will seek to extend its gains in Ukraine if Kyiv and its Western allies reject the Kremlin’s demands in peace talks.

U.S. President Donald Trump has unleashed an extensive diplomatic push to end nearly four years of fighting following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, but Washington’s efforts have run into sharply conflicting demands by Moscow and Kyiv.

Speaking at an annual meeting with top military officers, Putin said Moscow would prefer to achieve its goals and “eliminate the root causes of the conflict” by diplomatic means, but he added that “if the opposing side and its foreign patrons refuse to engage in substantive dialogue, Russia will achieve the liberation of its historical lands by military means.”

Putin was referring to Ukrainian

territory seized by Russia — action widely condemned in the West as a violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and an unprovoked act of aggression.

Putin claimed that “the Russian army has seized and is firmly holding strategic initiative all along the front line” and warned that Moscow will move to expand a “buffer security zone” alongside the RusPutin sian border.

“Our troops are different now, they are battlehardened and there is no other such army in the world now,” he said.

Putin praised Russia’s growing military might and particularly noted the modernization of its atomic arsenal, including the new nuclear-capable intermediate range Oreshnik ballistic missile that he said will officially enter combat duty this month.

Russia first tested a conventionally armed version of the Oreshnik to strike a Ukrainian factory in November 2024, and Putin has boasted that it’s impossible to intercept.

At the same time, he rejected European officials’ statements about Moscow’s purported plans to attack European nations as “lies and sheer nonsense ... driven by shortsighted personal or group political interests, not by the interests of their people.”

Putin’s tough statements follow several rounds of talks this week between Ukrainian, American and European officials on a U.S.-drafted peace plan.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said after meeting with U.S. envoys in Berlin that the document could be finalized within days, after which U.S. envoys will present it to the Kremlin.

Putin wants all the areas in four key regions captured by his forces, as well as Crimea, which was illegally annexed in 2014, to be recognized as Russian territory.

He also has demanded that Ukraine withdraw from some areas in eastern Ukraine that Moscow’s forces have not captured yet.

The Kremlin also insists that Ukraine abandon its bid to join NATO and warns it won’t accept the deployment of any troops from NATO members and will view them as “legitimate targets.”

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.

At the same time, Zelenskyy has rejected Moscow’s demands that it pull back its troops from other areas that Russia has not been able to take by force.

The Ukrainian leader described the draft peace plan discussed with the U.S. during talks in Berlin on Monday as “not perfect” but

“very workable,” noting that Kyiv and its allies were very close to a deal on “strong security guarantees.”

But he also emphasized that the key issue of control over territory remain unresolved and rejected the U.S. push for Ukraine to cede control over the eastern Donetsk region.

Putin on Wednesday again praised Trump’s settlement efforts and seconded Trump’s repeated claims that the war in Ukraine wouldn’t have erupted under his watch.

He charged that the previous U.S. administration and some of the European allies he contemptuously called “piglings” had vainly expected Russia’s collapse.

The Russian leader said a dialogue with Europe “is unlikely to become possible with the current political elites, but in any case, it will be inevitable as we grow stronger if not with the current politicians, then with a change in political elites in Europe.”

METRO

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, d e c e m b e r 18, 2025

1bN

Entertainment complex rezoning denied Gas station project decision deferred

to make way for a Roman-styled entertainment complex and also deferred a decision on a gas station planned for the corner of Dulles Drive and Foreman Drive.

The council on Tuesday rejected a request to rezone a property from commercial mixed use to commercial heavy for the

BY STEPHEN MARCANTEL 50,000-square-foot live music Staff writer venue dubbed “The Colosseum” The Lafayette City Council de- planned for the 800 block of Verot nied a request to rezone a property School Road. The request would

have allowed the location to host large live music events.

The actual proposed building for the site can be built under its current zoning designation, said Tammy Luke, Lafayette Consolidated Government’s Community Development and Planning Department director.

The council received 37 calls and emails opposing the request. Two people spoke in opposition at Tuesday’s meeting.

“It looks like an empty plot of land that can be someone’s field of dreams, but the rezoning request goes too far,” Julie Gauthe said.

“It asks for the heaviest level of commercial development for a small piece of land in the middle of neighborhoods. There’s really no capacity to handle a sudden surge in major traffic.”

The building would accommodate 3,600 people and require 331 parking spaces. If approved, it

would offer live performances, several bars and a pool hall.

LCG’s planning and zoning department recommended that the council deny the request. Reports stated that it could be a “disruptive influence on the surrounding neighborhoods” and “not conducive to the relative quiet and peace expected in a neighborhood.”

Council members also deferred

ä See REZONING, page 4B

COMMAND PERFORMANCE Drill team evaluations are held during the annual inspection of the Ovey Comeaux High School NJROTC Program in Lafayette on Tuesday.

The inspection included a review of cadet performance, leadership and program operations.

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD BOWIE

Lafayette schools plan crackdown on vaping System staff to randomly search classrooms, students’ property

BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer

The Lafayette Parish school system is cracking down on vaping when students return to campus after winter break.

Starting Jan. 6, school system staff will randomly search classrooms and students’ property using existing weapons detection systems with adjusted sensitivity settings, district spokesperson Tracy Wirtz said in a news release.

Vaping devices, as well as other tobacco products, are prohibited from school campuses and buses.

Students who are found with vaping products will face disciplinary consequences.

“Student safety includes physical health,” Superintendent Francis Touchet Jr. said in a statement.

“When something threatens students’ well-being, we have a responsibility to respond so they can stay healthy, focused, and ready to learn.”

“Vaping devices do not belong on our campuses,” Touchet added.

“Setting firm boundaries helps create a safe learning environment for everyone.”

Louisiana was among the states with the highest youth cigarette

ä See VAPING, page 4B

Ruling upheld in D.R. Horton moldy home case Lawsuit to remain in state court

BY MATT BRUCE Staff writer

An East Baton Rouge appellate court has upheld the decision to keep a Youngsville family’s moldy homes lawsuit against one of the nation’s largest developers out of arbitration.

For the past 31/2 years, Alicia and West Dixon have fought to win damages from D.R. Horton, a Texas-based company that touts itself as America’s No. 1 homebuilder.

The Dixons claim the four-bedroom home they purchased from D.R. Horton in 2014 had a faulty

HVAC system that was not built to withstand Louisiana’s relentless summer humidity.

The legal battle has largely played out in the 19th Judicial District Court since March 2022, when the Dixons filed their lawsuit.

In July, the Dixons won a key victory when 19th JDC Chief Judge Donald Johnson ruled that the case should remain in state court instead of being litigated in arbitration court as D.R. Horton’s attorneys insisted.

The 1st Circuit Court of Appeal upheld that ruling, rejecting D.R. Horton’s bid to overturn Johnson’s decision.

1st Circuit judges Mitchell Theriot, Allison Penzato and Kelly

Balfour unanimously agreed to deny the company’s writ and issued their Dec. 11 order without a written ruling.

It is unclear if D.R. Horton intends to appeal the decision to the Louisiana Supreme Court.

“This ruling matters because thousands of Louisiana families are living in homes that are making them and their kids sick,” said Lance Unglesby, one of the Dixons’ attorneys. “These homes are unlivable. I’ve walked through hundreds of them. There’s mold everywhere. Anyone who could see it for themselves would be outraged. I’ve seen conditions so hazardous they threaten the health

ä See D.R. HORTON, page 4B

OPINION

2B ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/opinions

OUR VIEWS

A strong message against hazing, but are students listening?

There is no joy in seeing young lives irrevocably altered due to poor decisions, but the indictments handed down in the hazing death of Southern University student Caleb Wilson send a strong message, one that we hope other young people are paying attention to.

Wilson died on Feb. 27 after a night where pledges from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Inc were lined up at a warehouse and fraternity members put on black boxing gloves and took turns punching them in them in the chest, according to police reports.

After Wilson, 20, a Kenner native, collapsed, fraternity members didn’t call 911 right away, waited to take him to a hospital and told authorities the medical issue happened at a local park.

Following an investigation, three people — Isaiah Earl Smith, 29, Caleb McCray, 24, and Kyle Thurman, 25 — were arrested in March.

Last week, an East Baton Rouge grand jury weighed in. Smith, McCray and Thurman, all of Baton Rouge, each face felony hazing charges.

In addition, McCray was indicted on a charge of manslaughter; Smith was indicted on charges of principal to manslaughter and obstruction of justice, and Thurman was indicted for obstruction of justice.

Two other fraternity members — Winston Craig Sanders, 22, of Monroe, and Jaydn Landrum, 24, of Grand Prairie, Texas, were indicted on principal to felony hazing and obstruction of justice.

We applaud the fraternity for swiftly expelling members who participated in the hazing.

Wilson’s family also deserves praise for its advocacy against hazing in the midst of tremendous grief and was honored by the Legislature earlier this year for their work. In June, the governor signed the Enough is Enough Act, which went into effect this fall and requires college students in Louisiana to take an anti-hazing course.

But it remains a mystery to us why hazing continues to be so hard to stamp out on college campuses. The last time Louisiana saw this much activity related to addressing the problem was after the 2017 death of LSU freshman Max Gruver. Gruver’s family helped pass the law that made criminal hazing a felony in Louisiana with increased penalties, including up to five years in prison for serious injury or death, which Wilson’s alleged attackers now face.

Wilson was a mechanical engineering student and member of the Southern University “Human Jukebox” band. He had a bright future ahead of him. But so did all of those now facing charges in his death.

It’s terrible to watch this story repeat every so often. So many lives ruined, so much pain inflicted, and for what? To join a group that claims to be a brotherhood or sisterhood. No one watching this tragedy play out can say they don’t understand the true costs of hazing. We shouldn’t have to relearn the same lessons each time a young person dies.

Let this be the last time.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published

identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’s city of residence.

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone 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, SCAN HERE

YOUR VIEWS

Tulane’s historic football season brings back good memories

When leaders create uncertainty, there’s a method to making us mad Edwin H. Friedman, discussing leadership, wrote that when anxiety is high, reason becomes ineffective.

True leaders work to bring anxiety down, so that thought, listening and complex problem solving can take place.

The current political environment is fostering anxiety, fear and reactivity through constant chaos. And citizens see daily anxiety-producing methods like demeaning and intimidating people, institutions and communities — through labeling, shouting, namecalling, sending in forces, threatening financial or other measures against some and sometimes acting on those threats when those threatened do not act as commanded.

Some heads of state use these tactics because they want citizens to listen only to them. When tariffs hurt the economy, citizens are directed to believe: “Not true. It is a con.” “We the People” are not supposed to observe reality and think independently.

What is greatness? Not gold and power, not vindictiveness and hatred.

Is it peace and defense or lethality and war?

Does it affirm citizens so that they want to give their best or demean them, causing hopelessness and then call them losers?

Does it produce leaders open to ideas and solutions from differing viewpoints or produce leaders who refuse to communicate because they are in power and can win even if the citizens lose?

Is America a place where aspiring citizens are considered in their totality or as net assets? (The greatest person I have ever known was materially poor.)

Are we a country that wants no allies unless they offer us wealth or resources along with military support?

In our peace negotiations, are we hurrying to close the deal or assessing the whole picture in light of history and considering if lasting peace is possible with one who is bent on absorption and war?

Not the way. Don’t walk it.

I am writing to congratulate the Tulane Green Wave team for rolling again to so many victories this year on their way to the CFP. What a revival!

And it brings back fond memories of the Foley Boys, Charlie Hall and when Tulane finally beat LSU after 25 years in 1973, 14-0!

And with LSU just having an underperforming season but now a hopeful future with Lane Kiffin, it is so cool to have a state team to root for.

And I love how they lately have turned up the green lights shining on the Superdome for both the Greenies and for the Christmas season.

It may be time now to schedule a renewed rival LSU v. Tulane game — like in the past — at the end of the year in the future?

My late dad was a Tulane grad and a perennial supporter of the Greenies.

How can I forget all those games I used to go with him at the old Tulane Stadium and in the Superdome, enjoying being with my late Uncle Vic Landry and others, especially at the Westfelt Club in the Dome for fun and fellowship.

Last year, it was so great to go to a Tulane Greenie game with my then VA social work supervisor, Michael Frederick, in the new Tulane Yulman Stadium, and I was able to go to the new Westfelt Club.

How can I forget the many years ago as a kid making some money parking cars for attendees of football games at the old famous Tulane Stadium when I lived uptown on Broadway and Spruce?

Roll Wave Roll!

And let’s hope your “waves” spill over into good luck for both Lane Kiffin and da Bayou Pussycats, as well as for Kellen Moore and da ’Aints!

ANN GONZALES Baton Rouge

Hegseth’s inexperience rapidly becomes a liability The latest fiasco involving the poor judgment of the Secretary of War Pete Hegseth can’t really be a surprise to anyone who knows anything about the military and leadership. Hegseth was clearly unqualified for this hugely important office.

Hegseth’s mistakes won’t stop. His most recent — the order to “kill everyone” in another attack on a boat in the Caribbean — has gone too far.

If reports are correct and a “second attack” was conducted on helpless people after the initial attack, everyone from the person who gave the order, to the person who fired the shots are guilty of war crimes.

The America I served doesn’t kill helpless people — combatants or noncombatants.

But we are different now. This is what happens when you elect or appoint the incompetent.

Who can truly be surprised at these repeated missteps by Pete Hegseth?

Would anyone be surprised if Delta Air Lines put the person loading the snacks on a 757 into the captain’s seat and the aircraft crashed on the next flight?

I’m embarrassed by what we have become.

RICHARD WESTMORELAND New Orleans

Kiffin’s sweet deal with LSU more of the same I saw where Lane Kiffin’s contract with LSU includes a provision that will pay him a $1 million bonus if Ole Miss wins the CFP National Championship this year.

KEITH HORCASITAS Baton Rouge

I sure am glad Gov. Jeff Landry promised that LSU wouldn’t enter into any more stupid contracts.

BILL NEVILLE Metairie

WINNER OF THE PULITZER PRIZE FOR LOCAL REPORTING

KEVIN HALL

JERRY DICOLO

FRED KALMBACH

JENNIFER BROWN

ARNESSA GARRETT

KRISTIN ASKELSON

EMMA DISCHER

President & Publisher

Deputy editor/News

RENE SANCHEZ

Deputy editor/Opinion

VP/News, Executive Editor

KARYN KEARNEY EVP/Strategic Partnerships

JUSTIN MITCHELL

Deputy editor/Audience

Managing editor

Managing editor, Acadiana

BARBARA LEADER Managing editor, Shreveport

Senior Editor Senior Editor

ANDREA GALLO Senior Editor/ Investigations

JESSICA WILLIAMS Senior Editor

ROGER HOLMES Executive VP, Operations

LOU HUDSON

VP/Majors & Nationals

JIM MYERS

VP/Finance

ROBERT STOLL

VP/Distribution

ASHLEY WHITCHER IT Director

KYLE WHITFIELD

VP/ Consumer Sales

ROBERT YOUNG

General Manager/ Advertising

G

GEORGES MEDIA GROUP JOHN D. GEORGES Owner

JUDI TERZOTIS

Chief Executive Officer Editorial Page

DAN SHEA

Chairman

ARNESSA GARRETT STEPHANIE GRACE WILL SUTTON QUIN HILLYER FAIMON ROBERTS

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 3B

lll

COMMENTARY Wise legislators secure reprieve for 333K Medicaid patients After trying to attack the messenger, Gov. Jeff Landry capitulated both to legislators and to common sense on Dec. 16 by reversing his administration’s reckless cancellation of a major Medicaid contract.

Legislators deserve credit for forcing his hand.

I had written last week about the bizarre nonrenewal of a contract with the state’s second-largest Medicaid insurance provider, UnitedHealthcare of Louisiana. On Nov. 20, Louisiana Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein argued at Quin length before a legislaHillyer tive committee that United and five other providers all should have their contracts renewed. Just 11 days later, after Attorney General Liz Murrill lost a court decision in a procedural fight connected with her lawsuit against a pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) also run by United, she suddenly said United was not in compliance with state law.

Immediately, the Landry administration, through Greenstein and Louisiana Medicaid Director Seth Gold, completely reversed course and announced that United’s contract — the one for which they had just argued in favor — would be pulled.

There was no reason for the Medicaid contract to be tied to the suit related to PBMs. And it was stunningly rash to pull the contract so late in the process, leaving Gold and his Medicaid agency just two weeks to move a whopping 333,000 people from United to another provider. As not all providers have agreements with all the same doctors and pharmacies, this could leave patients without their accustomed health care professionals, or even without any such professionals nearby.

And all with just weeks to figure out other arrangements — all during the Christmas season, no less.

The blowback against the sudden shift was fierce. Landry didn’t take kindly to the messenger (me) or to the blowback, as he used several social media outlets to attack me by name as “a shill for big corporations that prey upon consumers.” The Louisiana Republican Party followed up with multiple attacks on me in the same vein.

For the record, the question isn’t whether to support UnitedHealthcare or any other corporation (for which I care not at all). The question, as was amply noted by multiple advocates for the disabled and for indigent pa-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Gov. Jeff Landry speaks during a news conference at the State Capitol. tients, is how the last-minute cancellation — of a company that Landry’s own team had supported just 11 days earlier! — would affect more than 333,000 patients.

It wasn’t just left-leaning groups that expressed widespread alarm about “gaps in coverage” that could result. President Donald Trump’s own first-term Commissioner of the Administration on Disabilities, Melissa Ortiz — a frequent representative of conservative organizations on Fox News, no less — described to me at great length the problems, even lifethreatening ones, which could arise because of the Landry administration’s precipitous decision.

As it was, the attempt to deflect attention to alleged corporate shilling did not work. Showing admirable diligence and thoughtfulness, legislators of both parties continued to question the abandonment of United. Senate health committee chair Patrick McMath, R-Covington, and insurance committee chairman Kirk Talbot, R-River Ridge, pushed for a hearing about “the termination of these contracts and the potential impacts.”

Both Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, and Senate President Pro Tempore Regina Barrow, D-Baton Rouge, expressed grave concern. So did numerous others, including key, longtime members of health and insurance committees.

After a Dec. 16 hearing, the admin-

istration finally backed down. In what amounted to a double reverse — approval of United on Nov. 20, cancellation on Dec. 2, and now reapproval on Dec. 16 — Greenstein announced that United’s contract would be renewed after all for at least 90 days, through March of 2026, at a cost of $561 million.

Hooray — sort of.

Greenstein and Murrill told the Louisiana Illuminator that if Murrill is able to reach a settlement of her suit against UnitedHealthcare during those 90 days, the contract might be extended for the full year.

Again, though, Murrill’s fight about PBMs should have nothing to do with the overall Medicaid contracts. Nor should her anger over losing a round in her lawsuit against United’s operation of a PBM. If United’s Medicaid coverage itself isn’t satisfactory, then use the next year to fix it or carefully plan how to replace it. But don’t hold patients hostage to Murrill’s only semi-related legal wrangling.

Repeat after me: What matters are the patients. What matters are the patients.

Meanwhile, kudos to the state legislators who showed there are some administration power plays for which they have no patience.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin.hillyer@ theadvocate.com

Potential residents of Lockdown, U.S. “Just FYI if you’re seeing the news But there were the mayor and police right now, I’m totally safe,” a son enchief and governor — guys that you’d rolled at Brown University texted me. see at Starbucks — dominating na“I’ve been home for a few hours now tional TV. Furthermore, the media reand wasn’t there when stuff garded their news conferences started to happen. Seems to as so urgent that they broke off be some crazy shooting near commercials. brown.”

Americans, wherever reportWhat?! I turned on CNN and ers descend by parachute, must saw the quaint streets of Provialso note how often they get minor things wrong. They just dence’s College Hill — lined Froma don’t know the culture. with front porches — pulsing Harrop Several hours after the shootunder emergency lights that washed the cold night sky an ing in a Brown engineering eerie red. Nothing like this ever hapbuilding, which killed two students, a “person of interest” was in police cuspens around here.

Brown was put in lockdown, and so tody and the lockdown quickly lifted. were those of us living a few blocks Come late Sunday, the person of interaway on Providence’s East Side. est was deemed not the killer, and the “Shooter seems to be still at large search was back on. so lock your doors and turn off the When that POI “from Wisconsin” lights,” our student wrote. And we did, was identified at a motel in Coventry, as apparently did others on our treea semi-rural old mill town, a reporter lined street of single-family houses. noted that it was near the airport, It was so odd to see the world’s meimplying that he might be planning to flee. dia fixed on this compact city in the Coventry may be near the airport tiniest state. Rhode Island has one of

by Atlanta standards, but not in this the nation’s lowest homicide rates.

The relatively small number of violent village-oriented state. The joke goes: “In Rhode Island, a five-minute drive crimes is doubly remarkable in that is a road trip.” The Hampton Inn in Rhode Island is largely urban.

Some Brown shooting reports noted Coventry is a 15-minute drive from that Providence had only two murders the T.F. Green Airport.

With the perpetrator still at large, this year. They were both across town from College Hill. Having had a home the news anchors are hanging in. And in the East Side police district for over the story out of Providence continues to loop alongside the horrific mass 25 years, I can recall only two murders, and both were domestic killings. shooting of Hanukkah celebrants in

Sydney, Australia.

Brown students were sent home early for the holidays, and there was no new lockdown. The gunman is out there somewhere, but Rhode Islanders calculating their risks know that he seemed to target a group of students, not random people on the streets.

Sometimes law enforcement takes a while to capture the perpetrator.

Meanwhile, dogs must be walked.

Trash must be picked up. Holiday shopping and celebrations must resume, and they are, in low-key ways.

Public schools are open, and light traffic has returned to Thayer Street, a strip of pizza joints, cafes and chain stores that serves as Brown’s main street.

There have been shelter-in-place orders in bigger places: Austin, San Francisco, Boston. And smaller places: Ledgeview, Wisconsin, and Highlands Ranch, Colorado. They have now arrived in a nothing-terrible-everhappens place like the East Side of Providence.

And if they come here, they could come to most any city, town or hamlet in the country, or nowadays in the world.

Given the horrendous wave of mass shootings, we are all potential residents of Lockdown, USA. Froma Harrop is on X, @FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@gmail.com.

Taking a closer look at MIT

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is unlike other large universities, and not just because, according to its inexplicably ebullient president, Sally Kornbluth, the football players “thank you for coming to the games.” (Yes, MIT has a team. Division III. So MIT does not play Texas Tech.) MIT’s nature and governance suggest that the Trump administration was not at its most lucid when it made the school a target of its blunderbuss animus against elite universities.

In October, MIT was one of nine such that the Education Department ordered to sign the Trump administration’s “Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education.”

George Kornbluth made MIT the first to reWill fuse to do so. She was in Washington trying to mitigate the damage that can be done to America’s meritocracy by policies motivated by hostility toward institutions vital to it.

The compact mandates promoting “equality in admissions” by having “all undergraduate applicants take a widely-used standardized test,” such as the SAT and ACT. After pausing this requirement during the pandemic, MIT in 2022 became the first university to restore it. MIT has never had legacy admissions. And two years ago, in Kornbluth’s second year as president, MIT ended the practice of requiring applicants for faculty positions to submit political statements pledging allegiance to diversity, equity and inclusion orthodoxies.

The compact correctly says that “too many young adults have become saddled with life-altering” student debts. MIT admissions decisions are “needblind,” and students from families with annual incomes under $200,000 pay no tuition. Almost 88% of the graduating class in 2024 left MIT with no debt, according to Kornbluth. Enrollment of undergraduates from other nations is capped at 10 percent.

Ninety-four percent of MIT undergraduate degrees are in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) fields. This explains the university’s astonishing economic multiplier effect: MIT graduates have founded companies that have generated almost $1.9 trillion in annual revenue (a sum almost equal to Russia’s GDP) and 4.6 million jobs.

MIT sits alongside Boston’s Charles River. Sixty years ago, the Charles was said to flow into the Potomac River because, beginning in the 1960s, many academic luminaries (Arthur Schlesinger Jr., John Kenneth Galbraith, McGeorge Bundy, Henry Kissinger, Daniel Patrick Moynihan and more) moved south to Washington. Perhaps the most consequential single move came, however, more than 80 years ago.

Vannevar Bush, with an electrical engineering joint doctorate from MIT and Harvard, was an MIT professor and dean before he was blown to Washington by the winds of World War II. There, he became crucial to laying the foundation for science-based modern warfare and national security. Having reviewed a 1942 Bush memo urging acceleration of a particular program, Franklin Roosevelt sent this memo: “V.B.: OK — returned — I think you had best keep this in your own safe.” The Manhattan Project was born.

This Trump administration originally favored the elimination of the Education Department, a defensible fate for something created in 1979 by Jimmy Carter as a gratuity for the National Education Association, the teachers union, which in 1976 gave him its first presidential endorsement. Now, however, Donald Trump’s Education Department is even more muscular toward universities than Barack Obama’s was in 2011.

Then, a menacing “Dear Colleague” letter pressured schools, under the threat of financial punishment, to adopt policies regarding sexual harassment accusations that eviscerated due process protections for the accused. Many people who today oppose financial threats coercing schools into compliance with Trump’s priorities applauded Obama’s actions.

The 8% tax on MIT’s endowment will cost the university $240 million annually that will not be available to make up for reductions in government research grants. Universities’ endowments fuel upward mobility and combat the stagnation of elites.

Taxing endowments mocks conservatism by enfeebling private sector alternatives to government’s domination of social resources.

Finally, it is almost sublimely hilarious that Trump’s compact forbids universities to “belittle” — wait for it — “conservative ideas.” Such as? Civility? Free trade? Fiscal continence? The separation of powers? The rule of law? Keeping the public and private sectors distinct by not conscripting corporations (Intel, U.S. Steel and others) into the public sector? Government too modest to decree that universities must be “safe spaces” for conservatives (who used to be proud of not being snowflakes)?

The Trump administration is today’s comprehensive belittler of conservative ideas. Its solicitude for “conservative ideas” will not encompass this one: Many things are beyond government’s proper scope and actual competence. Watching today’s politics toy with an institution of MIT’s complexity and importance is like watching a toddler play with Sèvres porcelain.

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE ARE OUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the

writer’s city of residence. The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone 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, SCAN HERE

4B ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Lawsuit challenges tax tied to new LSU arena Former official says district was illegally created

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER Staff writer

A former East Baton Rouge Parish Metro Council member has filed a lawsuit in Baton Rouge court seeking to block a new tax tied to the proposed LSU arena because it was created without voter approval.

The suit, filed by former council member Darrell Glasper Sr. on Wednesday, calls for a judge to block the new sales and hotel taxes approved earlier this year in the LSU Economic Development District and a subdistrict at the site where university officials hope to build a new arena.

Glasper alleges that LSU “deceived the public” by crafting the taxing district in a way that sidestepped voter approval and misled taxpayers about how the tax revenue would be spent.

“This effort to secretly give millions of dollars of taxpayer money to private developers without voter approval or knowledge is illegal and unconstitutional,” wrote Glasper’s attorney, William Most.

Charles Landry, a lawyer who was involved in creating the district, called the lawsuit “frivolous”

D.R. HORTON Continued from page 1B

of children, the elderly and the immunocompromised.

And I’ve listened to story after story, like the Dixons’, of families trapped in homes that make them sick.”

Plaintiff attorneys have teed the Dixons’ case up to become a class-action lawsuit involving hundreds of other homeowners who purchased homes from D.R. Horton in Louisiana with mold and water intrusion issues.

The Dixons’ legal team claims D.R. Horton knew the ventilation systems were faulty and would cause microbial growth and leakage issues. The company still built scores of homes with defective designs along the Interstate 10 corridor from Lake Charles to Slidell, the plaintiffs contend.

D.R. Horton refutes the allegations and continues to defend the integrity of its homes. During a Dec. 8 hearing in the 19th Judicial District Courthouse, an attorney for the company said D.R. Horton has built more than 18,000 homes in Louisiana since 2007.

James Brown, the New Orleans attorney representing D.R. Horton against the Dixons’ lawsuit, has insisted that the dispute should be settled

REZONING

Continued from page 1B action on a conditional use permit necessary for a convenience store with gas sales proposed for the corner of Dulles and Foreman, which is currently home to the Corner Pantry.

The council received 14 calls opposing and a petition signed by 131 people in favor.

Speakers opposing the Grab-N-Geaux gas station raised concerns about increased traffic, safety and crime issues, pollution and impacts to property values.

Those in favor included the current Corner Pantry owner, Connie Dubose, as well as representatives of the prospective property owners and their attorney.

They brought assurances

VAPING

and said it included several inaccuracies. LSU Athletics did not respond to a request for comment.

The LSU EDD was created by the Louisiana Legislature in 2023 with the power to levy sales taxes.

Louisiana law generally requires voter approval for new taxes. But LSU has said no one lives in the district where the tax will be collected, so no voter approval is required.

The lawsuit argues that the claim is flawed and misleading. It says LSU and the taxing district wrongly claimed there were “no voters” in the area to avoid an election.

The plaintiffs argue that voters could still legally live in the area — including students, new residents or homeless individuals — and that Landry relied on a shaky claim from LSU’s president at the time that no one lived in the area rather than producing ironclad evidence that no voters were present.

Landry — who noted he does not represent the LSU EDD or subdistrict — acknowledged that the registrar found voters in the district but said it doesn’t matter, as the legislation excludes them, which was intentional.

“There’s specific language that provides that if the boundary … inadvertently contained a registered voter or included a registered voter, as a result of the legislation, that area is removed from the EDD,” Landry said.

But Most and Glasper argue that

in arbitration, and argues that the court has no legal jurisdiction over the matter.

He has pointed to a sales contract that the Dixons signed twice as they prepared to close on the home — in April and June 2014. It included a binding arbitration clause that delegated any legal disputes into mediation to be settled under construction industry arbitration rules.

Arbitration is a forum with more restrictive evidentiary rules of disclosure and one that could cost the Dixons well over $10,000 in fees and filing costs to pursue, according to the plaintiff attorneys.

But the Dixons and other homebuyers testified during a July 8 evidentiary hearing that D.R. Horton sales reps pressured them to sign the contracts with the arbitration agreements when they were just looking to buy.

The homeowners said sales agents told them they were simply purchase agreements to secure the homes with a $1,000 deposit, because the houses were selling fast.

The Dixons testified that D.R. Horton representatives never mentioned the arbitration or delegation clauses, or explained to them that the contract could later prevent them from taking legal action in court.

LSU law professor Kenya Smith testified that it was an adhesion contract

that they would have no greater impact on traffic or crime and that modern gas stations use advanced safety features to prevent gas leaks.

Council members deferred a decision to facilitate a compromise and set conditions around the proposed location.

“We’ve heard a lot of good arguments tonight,” said council member Thomas Hooks, who proposed the deferral. “I’m just wondering if there needs to be more time to discuss what those concessions are and if we’re to put those into the conditional use permit.”

Council member Andy Naquin said traffic will likely not increase because of the gas station and noted that traffic is already established in the area. He said he was concerned that denying the permit would leave the

Vaping and e-cigarette use pose health risks to young people, including disrupting Continued from page 1B brain development and increasing the risk of long-term use rates in the nation and addiction, according to the tied with Kentucky for No. U.S. Department of Health 3 in the nation with the most and Human Services.

Gen Z vapers, which encompasses teens and those in Email Ashley White at their early to mid-20s, accord- ashley.white@theadvocate. ing to data released last year. com.

if there are truly no voters within the boundary, the district has no authority to levy taxes anyway.

“Democracy does not come with loopholes,” Most said in a statement. “If the LSU president wants to raise local taxes, he has to ask voters to approve it — because that is what the law requires.”

Landry said there is no loophole, and an opinion issued by the state’s chief legal authority backs that up.

“If Mr. Glasper had been in any way careful in his allegations, he would have found out that the registrar of voters sought an opinion from the attorney general on this language and the enforceability of the language, and received a finding that it is enforceable,” Landry said.

Landry said it’s not unusual for economic development districts to be drawn in a way that minimizes the number of residents in its boundaries so they are not subject to the additional tax. He added that he found it interesting that Glasper was seeking to invalidate LSU’s EDD but not Southern University’s EDD, which is structured the same way under the same law.

A deal with Oak View Group, the sole finalist to develop the facility, has yet to be inked. LSU officials have given no updates on the status of the proposed arena since July, after the development company’s then-president Tim Leiweke was indicted on federal bid-rigging

charges.

President Donald Trump pardoned the developer last week.

According to Glasper’s suit, the two taxes at the arena could raise more than $160 million over 30 years.

At an August Metro Council meeting, both Landry and John Engquist, an LSU EDD board member, said the taxes’ use had not been determined and “would not automatically go to Oak View Group.”

“But privately, they acknowledge that the public story is false,” Most wrote.

The lawsuit points to an August 2025 email Landry wrote saying the arena project “gets both cents of new taxes. That has been the deal from day one.” Most said Landry was emphatic that the public not learn about that plan, writing: “PLEASE DO NOT SHARE THIS WITH ANYONE AT LSU. WE CANNOT EXPOSE THIS TO A PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST.” According to the lawsuit, Robert Stuart Jr., then a board member of the district, sent text messages to the then-incoming interim LSU President Matt Lee shortly after those public statements, saying the tax revenue was “anticipated” to be rebated to the developer.

“In other words, Stuart told the public that the sales tax money would go to the operation of the public entity,” Most argues. “But he secretly told the incoming LSU

president something different — that the money would be rebated to the developer.”

It is the second lawsuit filed in a week involving Glasper.

On Dec. 10, Glasper and two other plaintiffs sued the Baton Rouge Metro Council, accusing them of illegally imposing a franchise fee and improperly spending taxpayer money.

In filing the lawsuit against LSU’s EDD, Most said Glasper is “not seeking to stop anyone from building the arena” but rather pointing out that “if a private arena is going to be built, it should not be secretly funded with non-voter-approved tax increases.”

Though LSU and Oak View Group have not yet reached an agreement for development, if constructed, the facility will be called “Our Lady of the Lake Arena.”

Officials confirmed that the hospital system will pay $50 million over 10 years for naming rights.

With a capacity around 12,000, the arena would host LSU men’s and women’s basketball games, gymnastic meets and live concerts.

“I’m confident that the boards of each EDD will retain competent counsel to aggressively defend, and I believe, get this lawsuit dismissed,” Landry said.

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

that swayed heavily in D.R. Horton’s favor. Adhesion contracts exist when there is such disproportionate bargaining power between the two parties that there is no way the weaker side could negotiate a variation.

Unglesby argued that the Dixons were duped into the signing the sales contracts, and their signatures shouldn’t lock them into arbitration, claiming D.R. Horton uses the tactic to ward off lawsuits.

In his July 22 written ruling, Johnson determined neither of the contracts the Dixons signed were legally binding or enforceable, citing material differences between the two. He found credence to testimony that D.R. Horton and its representatives led the Dixons to be-

lieve the two contracts were “merely to reserve the home” they had paid a $1,000 deposit for in anticipation of buying.

He ruled that the terms lacked mutuality and found no “clear and unmistakable evidence” that it was the Dixons’ intent to delegate their legal claims to an arbitrator.

“Across Louisiana, no matter the subdivision, no matter the year, the stories are the same,” Unglesby said after last week’s appellate court ruling. “For almost two decades, these homes are being built the same way, failing the same way, and the company building them has shown little regard for the people living in them. My team has spoken with thousands of homeowners. I’ve been inside hundreds of their houses. And I can tell you:

This isn’t an accident. It’s not negligence. It’s a pattern.”

Johnson presided over the case until Aug. 11, when he swapped sections with Judge Eboni Johnson Rose and took over her largely criminal docket. Rose quickly recused herself, and the case was allotted to Judge Tiffany Foxworth-Roberts.

Foxworth-Roberts presided over a lengthy hearing Dec. 8 and listened to testimony from four more homeowners and two expert witnesses. She was set to listen to more witnesses Thursday, but in a rare move, the Louisiana Supreme Court booted Foxworth-Roberts from the judicial bench Dec. 11 over misconduct.

It is not clear which judge will preside over the case now.

“The 19th Judicial District Court respects the ruling of our state’s highest court,” Johnson, the chief judge, said in a statement Friday from the district court. “Court operations continue as normal.

Every case will be heard by a duly assigned judge, and every person who comes before this Court can be assured that their matter will receive the full attention and impartial consideration that justice requires.”

Ebony Walker was one of the homeowners at this month’s hearing. She told the judge she had hesitations to

building abandoned.

“Personally, I am for this,” Naquin said.

It’s the third time in recent years council members made decisions on whether or not to allow a convenience store with gas sales in a residential area. Plans at the former Flowers Etc. building and the former Chase Bank building — each on neighboring blocks — were denied by city officials in recent years.

The Flowers Etc. request initially got the OK from the council but was vetoed by Mayor-President Monique Boulet. Planning officials with LCG recommended denying the request when it went before the Zoning Commission.

The Chase Bank gas station denial was appealed to the Louisiana Supreme Court, which denied the owner’s writ application,

leaving the council’s decision as final.

LCG’s planning department received 10 calls from residents in opposition to the Foreman gas station.

Staff indicated in their ear-

lier report that they were reluctant to support the request, citing its proximity to single-family homes and schools.

The staff recommended including restrictions such

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

Crews work on the roof of a new construction build by D.R. Horton on West Worthey Street in Gonzales in 2023.

buy from D.R. Horton, but a sales rep assured her there would be no mold issues. She had a two-story house built at a subdivision in Zachary and dreamed that it would be a staple for her family.

“I wanted them to have a foundation for generations to come,” she testified.

Walker and her husband picked their two sons up from school and surprised them with the new house after closing on it in 2022. The children reveled in the larger residence, which afforded the family enough space for a game room and for the kids to have their own bedrooms.

“The excitement was on their faces, because they’d never had that,” she said.

“And then within six months, we had to take that excitement from them.”

Mold began to grow and has swarmed the second floor of the Walkers’ home. The family now crams together in the same bedroom to sleep at night.

D.R. Horton denied the couple’s warranty claim, Walker testified. Both her sons became sick from the mold allergens. Walker said her husband had to pick up a night job so the family could afford to move into a rental property while they continue to pay their mortgage.

as reduced nighttime lighting, limited hours of operation, a ban on outdoor speakers and noise limits. A convenience store without gas sales would be allowed by right.

Email Matt Bruce at matt. bruce@theadvocate.com.

Inogen® Portable Oxygen Concentrators

Leave the tanks at home.

LOTTERY

TUESDAY, DEC. 16, 2025 PICK 3: 2-5-7 PICK 4: 8-5-3-9 PICK 5: 2-0-5-4-8 MEGA MILLIONS: 20-24-46-59-65 MEGA BALL: 7 Unofficial notification, keep your tickets.

Convert the air around you into medical-grade oxygen.

At just under 3 lbs.*, Inogen® lightweight and compact portable oxygen concentrators easily deliver your prescription oxygen on-the-go. * Inogen Rove 4 weighs 2.9lbs. with a standard battery

CALL US NOW 1-877-760-2294

SM250015 EN_EX_USA | Rx Only. © 2024 Inogen, Inc. 859 Ward Drive, Suite 200, Goleta, CA 93111. Inogen® is a trademark of Inogen, Inc. The usage of any Inogen, Inc. trademark is strictly forbidden without the prior consent of Inogen, Inc. All other trademarks are trademarks of their respective owners or holders.

OFFICIAL NEWS PARTNER OF THE LOUISIANA RAGIN’ CAJUNS

SPORTS

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

|

T h u r s d ay, d e c e m b e r 18, 2025

20

1cN

13

HENS PECKED DELAWARE

UL

UL linebacker Cameron Whitfield makes a stop against a Delaware offensive player during the 68 Ventures Bowl on Wednesday in Mobile, Ala.

PHOTO By BENJAMIN MASSEy

UL can’t take advantage of early play in bowl loss to Delaware

BY KEVIN FOOTE

Trailing 20-3 in the third quarter, the Cajuns got the ball down by one score twice in the final three minutes of the game but couldn’t score on either drive in MOBILE, Ala. — The UL Ragin’ Cajuns kept fighting, a 20-13 loss to Delaware.

The Cajuns finished the season 6-7 and with a fourth like they have all season, when things didn’t look promising in the 68 Ventures Bowl on Wednesday consecutive bowl loss.

The first critical drive ended with a fumbled snap night at Hancock Whitney Stadium.

Staff writer

in the shotgun on fourth and 5 from the UL 47 with 2:08 left to play.

After the defense forced a punt from the UL 42 with 1:50 remaining, the Cajuns got the ball on their own 7 with 1:41 left and no timeouts. UL reached the

ä See UL, page 3C

Olave responds to dropped pass with dominant closing stretch

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

LSU center Mike Nwoko runs across the court during the second half of a game against SMU at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday.

Nwoko has increased his playing time and production in his first season at LSU.

Nwoko’s presence starting to match size

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

Leonard Nwoko was shocked by the scene at the YMCA outside of Houston.

His 7-year-old son Mike Nwoko, a newcomer to basketball, was booed in his first game.

“He was getting all the re-

ä Southeastern at LSU, 7 P.M. FRIDAy, SECN+

bounds, (but) he didn’t have any skills,” Leonard Nwoko said.

“Parents, mothers were aggressive. They were mean. They’re

ä See LSU MEN, page 3C

As the New Orleans Saints were mounting their comeback against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Chris Olave was missing in action.

The Saints’ top receiver had been targeted just twice in the first three quarters, catching one of them for 7 yards. New ä Jets at Saints, Orleans was pushing the NOON SUNDAy, CBS ball into scoring range, and CBS commentator Robert Griffin III began speaking about Olave’s lack of opportunity in the game as New Orleans lined up for a second and 10 from the Panthers’ 32-yard line.

Right on time, Olave accelerated downfield and snapped off his route toward the sideline. Quarterback Tyler Shough threw the ball his way, with the pass sailing just high enough for Olave to leave his feet. It looked like they’d finally connected for a big play — until cornerback Mike Jackson arrived and jarred the ball free with a hard hit.

The play seemed to sum up Olave’s season, in which the many big plays he’s made often have

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints wide receiver Chris Olave breaks free of Carolina Panthers cornerback Jaycee Horn to score a late touchdown during the second half at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday. been overshadowed by plays he did not make. That drive stalled out when Shough was stopped for no gain on a fourth-down scramble two plays later, further magnifying Olave’s drop.

What ended up being important is what happened next.

“I told him I’d come right back to him,” Shough said.

Olave came to life in the closing minutes of the fourth quarter. On the drive after his drop, with the

Saints needing a touchdown to tie the game, Shough threw the ball his way on three consecutive plays, gaining 17, 18 and 16 yards. To cap it off, Olave beat inside leverage from premier cover cornerback JayCee Horn with a slant route to tie the game with a 12-yard touchdown on third and 6.

“We just had to make a play at the end of the day,” Olave said. “(Horn

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

2C ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 4 p.m.

Hampton vs. Jackson St. ESPNU 6:30 p.m. Norfolk St. vs. Grambling St. ESPNU WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6 p.m.

S. Dakota St. at Duke ACCN 6 p.m.

South Carolina at S. Florida ESPN2

COLLEGE FOOTBALL Missouri St. vs. Arkansas St. ESPN2 WOMEN’S COLLEGE VOLLEYBALL 5:30 p.m. Texas A&M vs. Pittsburgh ESPN 8 p.m.

Wisconsin vs. Kentucky ESPN BOYS HIGH SCHOOL BASKETBALL 12:30 p.m.Paul VI Catholic vs. Garfield NBATV NBA 8 p.m.

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

7 p.m.

7 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City NBATV Rockets at Pelicans KNGC NFL 7:15 p.m. L.A. Rams at Seattle PRIME MEN’S SOCCER 1:55 p.m. Kuopion PS at Crystal Palace CBSSN TENNIS 10 a.m. Next Gen Finals TENNIS

UL men set for Sun Belt play

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

After a 1-10 start to the season and riding a nine-game losing streak, any glimmer of hope is a good one.

That’s the way UL men’s basketball coach Quannas White sees it when his Ragin’ Cajuns open Sun Belt play against Southern Miss at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.

“This is an opportunity,” White said. “I put all my faith in God. I believe me and God is a majority.

I tell our guys that. Anything can happen. You’ve just got to trust it and you got to believe. We’ve been dealt the hand that we’ve been dealt. Hey, so what? You know, life isn’t easy.”

The Golden Eagles are off to a 6-5 start, including 3-0 in home games.

“This is probably the most physical team that we’re going to face,” White said. “This is a really, really tough team, talented team.

I watched them early on when they were at South Carolina. They should have won that game. So it’s a really good team.”

Southern Miss is shooting 47.4% from the field for the season but has settled for 30% from 3-point land. The Eagles also are averaging 38.2 rebounds a game.

“A thousand percent,” White said when asked whether rebounding is the biggest concern in the matchup.

Offensively, the Eagles are led

by Tylik Weeks (17.7 pts, 6.2 rebs) and Isaac Taveras (17.0 pts, 7.1 rebs).

“He’s extremely talented,” White said of Taveras. “He’s at his best when he’s in the open floor.

Tough kid. They’ve got a really good team.”

Despite the long losing streak, UL played well in two straight games — first a 65-55 road loss to Lamar and then a 70-63 home setback to UNC-Wilmington. Then

AP sportswriter

RENTON, Wash. — Sam Darnold was far from his best the last time he and the Seattle Seahawks squared off against his hometown team and he is amply aware he will need to perform better than when he tossed four interceptions against the Los Angeles Rams on Nov. 16.

Darnold and the Seahawks’ rematch Thursday night with the Rams carries significant NFC West title implications. The Seahawks (11-3) and Rams (11-3) are tied atop the division and a game ahead of the 49ers, and a win for either team would put them in the driver’s seat to secure the title and potentially the No. 1 seed in the playoffs.

“We’re excited about this challenge,” Darnold said. “Obviously, it’s a divisional game, and playing these guys last time wasn’t my best effort. I feel like as an offense, we’ve just got to continue to do what we’ve been practicing, stay on the details. But again, this team has a very good defense.”

The Rams defense, which ranks 13th in the NFL in total yards allowed, caused all sorts of issues for Darnold in November. The Seahawks offense has struggled at times since that game and hasn’t scored a first-quarter touchdown since Nov. 9.

Still, Seattle has a top-five defense and has allowed 25 total points over its last three games.

The way Rams coach Sean McVay sees it, Los Angeles will be challenged just as much as the Seahawks will be.

“There’s no weakness,” McVay said. “This is as complete of a football team as there is.”

Such an assessment wouldn’t be off base for the Rams, either, a team that has won eight of its last nine games and scored at least 40 points in three of its last seven games. The Seahawks may have the NFL’s leading receiver in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but Los Angeles’ Puka Nacua isn’t far behind with

NEW YORK — The New York Knicks will not raise a banner at Madison Square Garden to commemorate their NBA Cup championship, a person with knowledge of the decision said Wednesday.

The Knicks do plan to celebrate the title in front of their fans Friday, when they play their first home game since winning the championship Tuesday night in Las Vegas.

But they won’t join the previous winners of the Cup in marking the achievement with a banner, the person told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity due to lack of public announcement.

The Los Angeles Lakers and Milwaukee Bucks both hung banners after winning the NBA Cup. However, the person said the Knicks are proud of the achievement but focused on bigger goals.

Ohio fires coach Smith over ‘professional misconduct’

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD BOWIE

UL post player Todd Jones, center, may become more involved in the Ragin’ Cajuns’ rotation as Sun Belt play arrives. ä UL at Southern Miss. 7:30 P.M.

THURSDAy, ESPN+.

came Saturday’s 65-44 road loss to Louisiana Tech.

“I just think we got a little down when we missed shots,” White said of the loss to UNC-Wilmington. “That’s kind of been the story all year. Once again, we’ve got to flip the page. I thought we took two steps forward into the Lamar game being up at 11, and I think we got up as much as 11 in the first half.

“I think we took a step back in the La. Tech game. You’ve got to keep playing with confidence and freedom and trust your work.”

UL is led by two double-figure

scorers in Jaxon Olvera (12.4 pts, 4.5 rebs) and Dorian Finister (11.5, 4.5 rebs). The Cajuns are shooting 37.6% from the field and only 28.8% from 3-point land.

The other problem has been defense, with UL forcing 10.7 turnovers a game while committing 13.9.

“Just because you miss a shot, it’s not the end of the world, right?” White said. “Believe it or not, losing 10 games — which I’ve never, never had this happen in my life — is still not the end of the world, right? You wake up, you continue to go, you continue to fight and you get better. And so I’ve got complete confidence in all of my guys.”

One way to improve the of-

fense is to get the post players more involved. It’s been done some with sophomore Jeremiah Evans, who struggles to stay out of foul trouble.

Now White thinks it’s time to get 6-foot-8 sophomore Todd Jones more involved.

“We have to give Todd more opportunities, right?” White said.

“Jeremiah, we’ve had him throwing the ball into him and balancing it out once he’s out there on the floor. We’re making a concerted effort to try and get him the ball. I think that would help Todd, trying to give him some of those same opportunities.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

Stakes high for Rams, Seahawks matchup

BY ANDREW DESTIN

Kincks won’t hang their championship banner

ä Los Angeles at Seattle. 7:15

ATHENS, Ohio — Football coach Brian Smith was fired Wednesday by Ohio University, which cited “serious professional misconduct.”

Smith had been placed on indefinite leave on Dec. 1. The university said it terminated Smith’s contract for cause following an administrative review that found him “engaging in serious professional misconduct and participating in activities that reflect unfavorably” on the school. It did not provide specifics.

The 45-year-old Smith was named the head coach on Dec. 18, 2024.

Defensive coordinator John Hauser will serve as interim coach for the Frisco Bowl on Dec. 23 against UNLV. The search for a permanent coach is underway.

Jacksonville State wins Salute to Veterans Bowl

MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Caden Creel threw a touchdown pass, Deondre Johnson had six receptions for 101 yards, and Jacksonville State beat Troy 17-13 on Tuesday night to win the Salute to Veterans Bowl.

Andrew Paul’s 1-yard run off a direct snap gave the Gamecocks a 17-13 lead with 5:44 remaining. With about a minute left, Tucker Kilcrease drove Troy past midfield but his passattempt to DJ Epps on the final play was knocked down in the end zone.

Troy had won the last seven games between the teams but it was the first meeting since 2001 for the schools located just 162 miles apart. The Trojans are 33-29-2 in the series that dates to 1924.

Jacksonville State has played in a bowl game in each of its three seasons at the FBS level.

P.M. THURSDAy, PRIME.

second-year defensive tackle “probably singlehandedly won us the football game on defense.”

Murphy, a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft, has taken significant steps forward in 2025, tying for the team lead in sacks with seven and is tied for fourth in tackles for loss.

Defensive coordinator Aden Durde said he thinks Murphy has been playing at an elite level, especially on early downs.

“When he’s on,” Durde said, “he’s pretty much unblockable.”

Suspect secondary The Rams’ four-interception performance in their first meeting with the Seahawks was an unusually good game for a Los Angeles secondary that has frequently seemed to be this team’s weakest link. Cornerbacks Cobie Durant and Emmanuel Forbes Jr. couldn’t do much to slow the Lions’ star ASSOCIATED PRES PHOTO By LINDSEy WASSON receivers last week, and veteran Ahkello Witherspoon was Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold warms up before a game a healthy scratch. The Rams’ against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday in Seattle. pass rush frequently makes the secondary’s job easier, but the second-most receiving yards partly because McVay has em- it couldn’t sack Darnold in the in the league. braced three-tight-end sets to a teams’ first meeting, and it “They’ve been winning games surprising degree, but receivers struggled to touch Jared Goff and playing at a really high level, Tutu Atwell and rookie Konata until the Lions fell behind last as good as anybody in the league,” Mumpfield should get a bump in week.

McVay said. “Like I said, it’s going their meager playing time if Adto be a great challenge for us.” ams sits. The Seahawks are the Anemic run game only 10-win team that has thrown The Seahawks’ run game was No third wheels to its tertiary wide receivers even nearly nonexistent last week as If Davante Adams’ hamstring in- less than the Rams this season, they totaled just three yards on jury keeps him out Thursday, the but Rashid Shaheed’s role has in- nine carries before halftime.

Rams will be without the league creased since his midseason arriv- Seattle finished with a seasonleader in touchdown receptions al, and Darnold frequently targets low 50 yards rushing; Kenneth Walker III had 17 yards on nine and quarterback Matthew Staf- his tight ends as well. carries, both figures his fewest ford’s favorite short-yardage tarof the season. get. Even worse, the Rams don’t Immovable Murphy “I think it’s got to improve really have a third wide receiver, Byron Murphy II drew high with Stafford throwing just 58 praise from coach Mike Macdon- pretty quick,” said Seahawks times all season to wideouts not ald after Sunday’s game, with offensive coordinator Klint named Adams or Nacua. That’s Macdonald saying he thought the Kubiak.

Dolphins waive veteran Judon, sign LB Woodard

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins waived pass rusher Matthew Judon and signed linebacker Jackson Woodard to the active roster off Houston’s practice squad on Wednesday.

Miami also signed linebacker Andre Carter II to the practice squad and released tight end Tanner Conner from it.

With the Dolphins being eliminated from postseason contention with Monday night’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, waiving Judon figures to give the veteran a chance to sign with a contender while allowing the Dolphins to turn their focus to the future with an eye toward younger talent.

Miami fell 28-15 at Pittsburgh, closing the door on its playoff hopes with three games left in the season.

Alcaraz ends seven-year partnership with coach

Top-ranked Carlos Alcaraz is parting ways with his longtime coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero, the man who guided him to the pinnacle of men’s tennis during a remarkably successful seven-year partnership.

Alcaraz announced the decision to end their collaboration on Wednesday in a message on his social networks. Ferrero, in a separate statement, thanked his protege and said he wished they “could have continued.”

With Ferrero, who has coached the Spaniard since he was 15 years old, Alcaraz claimed six Grand Slams: two French Open titles, two Wimbledon crowns and two U.S. Opens.

With Ferrero, Alcaraz became the youngest player to reach No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 3C

lll

Saints won’t have 2 offensive cogs Sunday Rookie battle

BY MATTHEW PARAS AND LUKE JOHNSON

Shough won’t be the only rookie quarterback to start Sunday between the Saints and New York Jets.

Jets coach Aaron Glenn said Wednesday that undrafted rookie Brady Cook would earn his second straight start. Glenn did not say which veteran, Tyrod Taylor or Justin Fields, would serve as the backup.

Cook had a rough debut as a starter last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing three interceptions in a 48-20 loss. Negative plays have been a theme for him in his limited playing time this season, as he’s thrown five interceptions and taken nine sacks while playing 120 offensive snaps.

His only other playing time came against the Miami Dolphins in Week 14, when he completed 14 of 30 pass attempts for 163 yards.

Cook played college football at Missouri, where he threw for 8,591 yards and 46 touchdowns in his three seasons as a starter.

Staff writers

The New Orleans Saints have been relatively healthy this season, but the injury bug might be catching up to them.

Coach Kellen Moore ruled out running back Devin Neal (ankle) and wide receiver Devaughn Vele (shoulder) ahead of Sunday’s game against the New York Jets as five players in total missed practice Wednesday.

Among them, running back Alvin Kamara still has not returned after missing the last three games with a knee and ankle injury. Guard Cesar Ruiz (ankle) and tackle Asim Richards (ankle) were also absent.

If Kamara cannot return this week, the Saints be espeNotebook would cially shorthanded at running back.

With Neal out, the team would be left with only two rushers (Audric Estime and Evan Hull) and utilityman Taysom Hill to run the ball against the Jets.

Vele’s injury is also notable as the second-year wideout had emerged as a key target for quarterback Tyler Shough in recent weeks. Dating back to a breakout performance in Miami, the 28-year-old has 16 catches for 202 yards in the last three games. But Vele got hurt in Sunday’s win over the Carolina Panthers and left the locker room in a sling.

Ruiz’s injury affects the offensive line. If the guard misses time, the Saints likely would turn to William Sherman, who has worked his way up the depth chart in recent weeks.

Safety Justin Reid (knee) and defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd (ankle/knee) were limited.

Coach Ginn STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints wide receiver Devaughn Vele warms up before the start of the game against the Carolina Panthers at the Caesars Superdome on Sunday. The Saints have ruled Vele out of Sunday’s game against the New york Jets.

Davis now has another entry into the fold.

Former Saints linebacker D’Marco Jackson — who was most recently with the team in August — won NFC Defensive Player of the Week thanks to his performance against the Cleveland Browns. Now with the Chicago Bears, Jackson recorded seven tackles, two passes defended, a sack and an interception in a 31-3 win Sunday.

In Chicago, Jackson is playing again under Dennis Allen — the former Saints coach who is now the defensive coordinator for the Bears. Jackson joined the Bears in late August when they claimed him off waivers after he failed to make the Saints’

53-man roster.

The Saints drafted Jackson in the fifth round of the 2022 draft. He appeared in 27 games, mostly on special teams. Like Baun, he was stuck behind Davis and Pete Werner on the depth chart. He also dealt with injuries last year, as a calf and ankle injury limited him to 10 games. He finished the season on injured reserve, missing the last four games.

This summer, Jackson got lost in the shuffle in a deep linebacker room. The team opted to keep rookie Danny Stutsman, Jaylan Ford and Isaiah Stalbird as the options behind Davis and Werner. Stutsman and Stalbird have carved out utility role while Ford is Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@ theadvocate.com. a key special-teams contributor.

him a chance — and I’ve got to continue to give him more chances. He made a huge play, a great route and a great catch. We got the look that we wanted on that, and it was just an unbelievable, unbelievable job.”

Olave has proven he can stay healthy this year, which was the big question coming into 2025 after his 2024 season was cut short by multiple concussions. But while he’s stayed on the field, his play has been defined by peaks and valleys.

He needs six more catches to eclipse his career high and just 104

yards in the final three weeks to record his third 1,000-yard season of his career. He is without question the top playmaker for the Saints.

But Olave also has had his share of drops this year. By Pro Football Reference’s charting, he’s dropped five passes. By Olave’s personal standards, that number is higher.

Which makes Shough coming right back to Olave after the drop so important. It is an example of what coach Kellen Moore calls “getting back to neutral.”

“There’s good plays, there’s bad

plays, now you’ve gotta get back to neutral; you’ve got to reset yourself each play,” Moore said. “It didn’t work out on second down, and then he responds a few plays later and gives him an opportunity as the next drive progresses.”

Olave had one catch on three targets through the first 55 minutes of game time. When the Saints needed him late, he delivered five big receptions for 78 yards and a touchdown to help propel the winning effort. Afterward, the drop was an afterthought.

an alley-oop magnet for LSU goes back to Nwoko’s days playing in the cold of Canada and his dad’s garage workouts.

He returned to the United States in eighth grade and didn’t play much during his high school freshman and sophomore seasons at St. Thomas More in Connecticut because of growing pains and the COVID-19 pandemic. He kept training and grew 5 inches to 6-foot-8 during that time frame.

A bigger Nwoko retained his explosiveness. Leonard Nwoko said foods such as fufu and jollof rice that he ate in his formative years in a Nigerian household might have helped. He also said that the strength to bully opponents probably comes from his maternal grandmother.

“My wife’s mom, she’s very strong. I heard when she was in high school, she used to beat up the boys,” Leonard Nwoko said with a laugh.

Mike Nwoko compiled more than 40 Division I offers, mostly during his junior year at The Burlington School in North Carolina and senior season at Prolific Prep in California after he followed his coach to his new job.

Nwoko’s college career before LSU did not allow him to show he’s more than a dunker.

“I felt like I had a lot more to show in my game than what I was able to show last year,” Nwoko said. “I definitely wanted to come to somewhere where they believed in me. And that’s all (LSU has) done, just instill confidence in me.”

LSU assistant coach Jalen Courtney-Williams has long been a fan of Nwoko. CourtneyWilliams, a former LSU player, recruited Nwoko in high school when he worked at Creighton.

He recruited him twice more in the transfer portal and landed him last offseason, believing Nwoko could be an important piece of an NCAA Tournament puzzle.

Nwoko is still learning how to avoid foul trouble.

“It’s not lost on us that it’s a brand-new role,” Courtney-Wil-

liams said. “Up until now, he’s been a role player, rebounder, dunker.

“He wasn’t always relied on to be a game finisher ... and now, it’s the complete opposite. So that’s requiring different parts of him that he’s still kind of getting used to. And it’s a challenge that he’s really doing a good job at embracing.”

Music, who has worked with Nwoko since December of his high school junior season, knows that Nwoko is prepared for the moment.

The 31-year-old, who also trains other Canadian products such as Florida’s Xaivian Lee and Xavier’s Jovan Milicevic, said he thought Nwoko was capable of doing more early in his career. That belief was reinforced by a strong performance at the 2023 Nike Hoop Summit, a prestigious high school allstar game featuring some of the best American and international players.

Nwoko had 17 points and eight rebounds for the world team.

Some current NBA players he shared the court with were Ron Holland, Isaiah Collier, Yves Missi and Zaccharie Risacher, the fi rst pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.

“I kind of did myself justice, just going out there, just competing the hardest I could,” Nwoko said. “I just showed myself that I could compete with anyone in this world.”

When Music visited Nwoko at Miami and Mississippi State, he reminded Nwoko that he has the ability to thrive against elite competition. That pep talk will happen again later this season and be accompanied with the usual unfiltered truth about his game.

Leonard Nwoko also will tell his son the truth, but their daily conversations center more on his son’s enjoyment in Baton Rouge.

“Every time he calls, he talks about the team, coaches, he’s extremely happy with his teammates,” the older Nwoko said.

“When you’re happy, good things happen.”

Much like coaches get credit for having assistants hired away and thrive elsewhere, the New Orleans Saints linebacker has seen the same happen with his backups and those who have played beside him. There was Alex Anzalone, who stars for Detroit. Kaden Elliss became a consistent starter in Atlanta. And of course, there is Zack Baun — the former Saints third-round pick who became an All Pro and finished as a Defensive Player of the Year finalist last year with the Philadelphia Eagles.

“Look at that linebacker tree, it’s pretty extensive,” Davis said with D’Marco-no! a grin last month. “I’d be willing Demario Davis believes he has a “line- to put that resume up against anybody.” backer tree.”

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C had) inside leverage, but (Shough) still threw the ball and he trusted me to win. He threw a great ball, a great placement. We made the play.”

Shough said he had “full confidence” Olave would make the play.

“That’s my guy — that’s our guy,” Shough said. “He’s going to win one-on-one no matter what, if I give

LSU MEN

Continued from page 1C like, ‘Oh, he’s too big. He can’t be 7, 8 years old.’ ” Frustrated spectators didn’t rattle Mike Nwoko. His passion for the sport already was cemented by watching a Phoenix Suns and Houston Rockets game.

When his family moved from Houston to Canada when he was in the fourth grade, his basketball love followed. He begged his dad to drive him to the court on holidays. When temperatures were below freezing when the family lived in Calgary and Toronto, that’s when the most competitive basketball was played.

Nwoko’s passion for the game feels larger than his 6-foot-10, 261-pound presence on the court for LSU. The former four-star recruit’s confidence wasn’t shaken when he played just 8.9 minutes per game during his first year at Miami.

“I’m kind of delusional that way,” Nwoko said. “I still thought I was way better than what I was portrayed to be.”

That self-belief existed throughout his sophomore season at Mississippi State, where he started 32 games but played the ninth-most minutes (15.4).

Now Nwoko’s talent has met opportunity in his junior year at LSU (9-1). Everything he’s practiced with the help of his basketball skills trainer, Filip Music, has led to career bests at 15.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and shooting a Southeastern Conferenceleading 70.8% from the field in 19.9 minutes.

“Great size and physicality, but he’s more skilled than I expected, quite frankly,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “He finishes well around the basket, finishes with either hand. He’s been a great rim threat as a ballscreen-and-roll player. You can’t say this about every player, but he really can be as good as he wants to be.”

The journey to becoming an ambidextrous jump-hook artist and

Ted Ginn Jr. is adding a new chapter to his football career.

The former Saints receiver was named the head coach of the Columbus Aviators, who will embark on their inaugural UFL season in March.

“Today marks a new milestone in my football journey,” Ginn said in a statement. “When I heard that the United Football League was going to have a football team in Columbus, I wanted to be a part of creating a new winning tradition in this city that is such an important part of my life.”

Ginn spent three of his 14 NFL seasons in New Orleans. A 2007 firstround pick, Ginn caught 100 passes for 1,417 yards and eight touchdowns from 2017-19 with the Saints.

UL

Continued from page 1C

The start of the game was tough, Olave said, but he made a conscious effort not to let his emotions get in the way of his performance.

The goal was to attack every play as if the ball was designed to come his way.

Eventually, it did. And Olave delivered.

“Somebody had to make a play,” Olave said. “I’m glad he kept coming to me.”

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

ing to keep the Cajuns’ hopes alive.

In a season filled with frustration, the first half might have been the most frustrating of all.

The Cajuns dominated most of the half but never led.

On UL’s first drive, the Cajuns drove 53 yards on nine plays in 4:44. A 40-yard completion to Caden Jensen got the Cajuns to the 24, but Sterner missed a 39-yard field goal.

On the Cajuns’ second drive, UL drove 48 yards on 12 plays in 6:03 to reach the Blue Hens’ 4.

The Cajuns converted three third downs on the drive, but Winfield was intercepted in the end zone

by Nate Evans on a fourth-andinches play with 2:46 left in the first quarter.

There wasn’t much relief on the third drive when UL drove 70 yards on 16 plays in 8:13 but only got a 22-yard field goal to cut Delaware’s lead to 7-3 with 7:05 left in the second quarter. Winfield was injured on the drive, and Walker Howard played the next possession.

At the end of the third drive, UL had run 35 offensive plays to eight for Delaware yet still trailed. At the time, the Cajuns had 10 first downs to two and led in total yards 157-83. Even worse, 61 of those 83 yards came on one play — Silver’s 61-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the first quarter.

The UL defense even forced a turnover on downs after the Cajuns fumbled a punt at their own 34.

The Blue Hens put together a 12-play, 49-yard drive in 3:29 late in the first half to get a 33-yard field goal from Reed with 28 seconds left until intermission for a 10-3 lead.

That final drive cut UL’s edge in total yards to 157-127. The time of possession in the first half was 20:24 to 9:36 in favor of UL. Averaging 302 yards passing on the season, Minicucci settled for 50 yards in the air on 8-of-15 passing in the first half.

Delaware 7 after five first downs.

With one play left and only two seconds remaining, quarterback Lunch Winfield’s pass in the middle of the end zone fell incomplete as the Blue Hens prevailed.

Winfield finished the game 21of-34 passing for 231 yards and one touchdown.

Delaware quarterback Nick Minicucci finished 19-of-30 passing for 176 yards and a touchdown. Running back Jo Silver rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown on 13 carries for Delaware.

Sean Wilson led the Blue Hens with eight grabs for 81 yards and a score.

After the Cajuns trailed 10-3 at halftime, the Blue Hens came out of intermission on fire.

First, Wilson caught a 35-yard touchdown pass for a 17-3 lead at 12:40 of the third quarter. That capped a six-play, 70-yard drive in 2:14.

After a three-and-out by UL, the Blue Hens marched 62 yards on 10 plays for a 27-yard field goal from Nate Reed for a 20-3 lead with 6:59 left in the third.

The Cajuns started their response with a 39-yard Tony Sterner field goal for a 20-6 deficit with 2:31 left in the third.

That field goal ended a 10-play, 53-yard drive.

Just when it appeared Delaware was putting the Cajuns away, though, Jordan Lawson blocked a 52-yard field goal try with 12:50 left in the game to set up UL with great field position.

This time, UL finished a drive in the end zone, getting an 8-yard TD pass from Winfield to Shelton Sampson to trim Delaware’s lead to 20-13 with 7:49 left to play. It took 10 plays and 5:04 off the clock, but it made it a one-score game.

Delaware looked to be running out the clock with two first downs, but the Cajuns forced an incomplete pass on fourth and 1 Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ from the UL 41 with 3:04 remain- theadvocate.com.

4C ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Abbeville hires Indest as head football coach

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Brent Indest is coming home.

After enjoying four successful seasons at Lakeshore High in Mandeville, the longtime Acadiana area football coach is going to be the next football coach at Abbeville High.

“It’s really about family,” Indest said. “Tina (wife) and I really miss our family and friends back home. We’re just excited to get back home.”

Indest said there were times he enjoyed “the anonymity of going into a grocery store and nobody has any idea who I am” at times, but he said there’s nothing like being home.

On the football field, Indest led Lakeshore to a 32-14 record, including two state quarterfinal trips.

“I’m really proud of the kids,” Indest said. “We competed at a very high level for four years. We just got a horrible draw in the second round this year (Cecilia).”

Not only is Indest coming back to

the Iberia/Vermilion Parish area, but he’s returning to a school he knows very well. Indest coached at Abbeville High for 12 years as an assistant and head coach.

“When I saw that the job came open, I just got a chuckle … you know, the good old days,” Indest said. “That’s where I grew up as a coach. So I made a couple of calls and I had seen them on file earlier in the year and thought, ‘Hey, there’s some talent there,’ so I thought that maybe it was doable.”

The nostalgia got even thicker when Indest learned several sons of former players he coached at Abbeville are now on the team. He hopes to bring back former players to help him rejuvenate the program.

Indest went to Lakeshore after two years of not coaching after a 72-13 run at his alma mater Catholic High of New Iberia. He’s also made stops at Carencro and Kaplan, and he arrives at Abbeville with a career record of 226-104.

Another big selling point was the direction of the school under

principal Jenni Frick, as well as familiarity with the Vermilion Parish school board’s top bass Tommy Byler and Marc Turner.

“I always pay close attention to the administration,” Indest said.

“During my career, I’ve seen what can happen to a school when you’re not on the same page with the administration.”

Indest will stay at Lakeshore for the remainder of the season but plans on running a spring practice in May at Abbeville.

“I’m going to be putting a lot of miles on my truck,” Indest said with a laugh.

The Wildcats were 3-8 this past season, losing in the first round of the playoffs to Franklin Parish.

Abbeville is moving down to Division III or the next two seasons as one of the larger schools in that division.

“That’s also one of the things that made this job more appealing,” Indest said.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By SCOTT THRELKELD

Brent Indest is returning to the Acadiana area to be the new head football coach at Abbeville High after spending four years at Lakeshore in Mandeville.

PREP REPORT Southside Tournament

Saturday’s Games

(Boys at Southside High)

Thursday’s Games

5 p.m. – Evangel vs. St. Martinville-Zachary winner 6 p.m. – Captain Shreve vs. PlaquemineLafayette winner (Aux. gym) 6:30 p.m. – St. Louis vs. David ThibodauxEllender winner 8 p.m. – Thibodaux vs. Southside-Franklin winner

Friday’s Games

5 p.m. – Plaquemine-Lafayette loser vs.

Game 8 loser 5 p.m. – St. Martinville-Zachary loser vs.

Game 7 loser (Aux. gym) 6:30 p.m. – David Thibodaux-Ellender loser vs. Game 6 loser (Aux. gym) 8 p.m. – Southside-Franklin loser vs. Game 5 loser (Aux. gym) 6:30 p.m. – Winners bracket semifinals 8 p.m. – Winners bracket semifinals

Saturday’s Games

2:30 p.m. – Losers bracket semifinals 4 p.m. – Losers bracket semifinals 5:30 p.m. – Third place game 7 p.m. – Championship game

Teurlings Round Robin (Boys at Teurlings Catholic)

Thursday’s Games

2 p.m. – Teurlings vs. Westminster-Lafayette 3:15 p.m. – Parkview Baptist vs. Church Point 4:45 p.m. – Opelousas Catholic vs. North Vermilion 6 p.m. – East Iberville vs. Acadiana Renaissance 7:15 p.m. – ESA vs. Loreauville 8:30 p.m. – Comeaux vs. Mamou

Friday’s Games

12:45 p.m. – Westminster-Lafayette vs.

Loreauville 2 p.m. – Jeanerette vs. Family Christian 3:15 p.m. – Mamou vs. Ascension Episcopal 4:45 p.m. – North Vermilion vs. East Iberville 6 p.m. – Acadiana Renaissance vs. Teurlings 7:15 p.m. – Notre Dame vs. ESA 8:30 p.m. – Catholic-NI vs. Church Point

11:30 a.m. – Loreauville vs. Family Christian 12:45 p.m. – East Iberville vs. Comeaux 2 p.m. – Ascension Episcopal vs. Jeanerette 3:15 p.m. – Mamou vs. North Vermilion 4:45 p.m. – Acadiana Renaissance vs. Church Point 6 p.m. – Parkview Baptist vs. Catholic-NI 7:30 p.m. – Teurlings vs. Opelousas Catholic 8:45 p.m. – ESA vs. Westminster-Lafayette

Coca-Cola Classic (Boys at Lafayette Renaissance)

Friday’s Games

2 p.m. – Liberty vs. Patterson 3:20 p.m. – Westgate vs. Donaldsonville 4:40 p.m. – Terrebonne vs. Abbeville 6 p.m. – Hannan vs. Marksville 7:20 p.m. – Rayne vs. Lafayette Renaissance

Saturday’s Games

1:20 p.m. – LRCA-Rayne vs. TerrebonneAbbeville losers 2:30 p.m. – Hannan-Marksville vs. LibertyPatterson losers 4 p.m. – East St. John vs. Westgate-Donaldsonville winner 5:20 p.m. – EG3-Texas vs. Liberty-Patterson winner 6:40 p.m. – McKinley vs. Hannan-Marksville winner 8 p.m. – LRCA-Rayne vs. Terrebonne-Abbeville winners

Sunday’s Games

3 p.m. — Lafayette High vs. Buckeye 4:20 p.m. — Liberty vs. New Iberia 5:40 p.m. — Acadiana vs. Central Lafourche 7 p.m. — West Monroe vs. Woodlawn (Lafayette Christian games) 4:20 p.m. — Barbe vs. E.D. White 5:40 p.m. — Karr vs. Alexandria 7 p.m. — Lafayette Christian vs. Zachary

Midland Spectacular

(Acadiana High games) 9 a.m. — Lafayette High vs. West Monroe 10:20 a.m. — Zachary vs. Barbe 11:40 a.m. — Acadiana vs. East Iberville 1 p.m. — Buckeye vs. Karr (Lafayette Christian games) 9 a.m. — New Iberia vs. E.D. White 10:20 a.m. — Tioga vs. Liberty 11:40 a.m. — Lafayette Christian vs. Woodlawn 1 p.m. — Central Lafourche vs. Cecilia

3:45 p.m. – Welsh vs. St. Amant (girls) 5 p.m. – Lacassine vs. Welsh (boys) 6:15 p.m. – Midland vs. Lacassine (girls) 7:30 p.m. – Midland vs. South Beauregard (boys)

Saturday’s Games

St. Landry Parish Tournament (Boys, girls at Beau Chene High)

Thursday’s Games

3 p.m. – JS Clark-Port Barre vs. NorthwestEunice losers (girls) 4:30 p.m. – Beau Chene vs. North Central (girls) 6 p.m. – Opelousas-Port Barre vs. Beau Chene-Eunice losers (boys) 7:30 p.m. – JS Clark vs. North Central (boys)

Friday’s Games

2 p.m. – Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser (girls) 3:30 p.m. – Opelousas vs. Beau Chene-North Central winner (girls) 5 p.m. – JS Clark-Port Barre vs. NorthwestEunice winners (girls) 6:30 p.m. – Opelousas-Port Barre vs. Beau Chene-Eunice winners (boys) 8 p.m. – Northwest vs. game 7 winner (boys)

2 p.m. – Losers bracket semifinals 3:20 p.m. – Fifth place semifinals 4:40 p.m. — Fifth place semifinals 6 p.m. – Winners bracket semifinals 7:20 p.m. – Winners bracket semifinals

Monday’s Games

3 p.m. – Losers bracket finals 4:20 p.m. – Fifth place game 5:40 p.m. – Third place game 7 p.m. – Championship game

Saturday’s Games

Acadiana Tournament (Girls at Acadiana High&Lafayette Christian)

Friday’s Games

(Acadiana High games)

12:30 p.m. – Game 8 loser vs. Game 7 winner (boys) 2 p.m. – Girls third place game 3:30 p.m. – Boys third place game 5 p.m. – Girls championship game 7 p.m. – Girls championship game

Thursday’s games

(Boys, girls at Midland High)

Thursday’s Games

3:45 p.m. – Lacassine vs. Crowley (boys) 5 p.m. – Lacassine vs. Breaux Bridge (girls) 6:15 p.m. – Midland vs. Breaux Bridge (boys) 7:30 p.m. – Midland vs. Northside (girls)

Friday’s Games

Saturday’s Games

11 a.m. – Welsh vs. Breaux Bridge (girls) 12:15 p.m. – Welsh vs. Breaux Bridge (boys) 1:30 p.m. – South Beauregard vs. Crowley (boys) 2:45 p.m. – Midland vs. St. Amant (girls)

Boys Basketball

Acadiana 49, Eunice 45 Carencro 60, Lake Arthur 38 Beau Chene 63, Church Point 48 North Vermilion 72, Ville Platte 62 Lafayette Renaissance 75, Opelousas Catholic 41 Comeaux 51, Acadiana Renaissance 50 Northside 52, Opelousas 40 St. Martinville 54, Rayne 52 Iota 50, DeQuincy 40 Midland 68, Fairview 64 Mamou 63, JS Clark 42 Istrouma 70, Westminster 65 Notre Dame 48, Northside Christian 35 North Vermilion 72, Ville Platte 62 (OT) NORTH VERMILION (72) Jayvin Gage 10, Zarian Gage 17, RJ Conway 6, Jose Sotomayor 17, Cooper Trahan 5, Mason Dauterive 17.

Totals: 19 (7) 13-17.

VILLE PLATTE (62) A. Bias 10, C. Seraille 7, R. Gallen 21, T. Thomas 14, J. Thomas 6, E. Pleasant 2, L. Arvie 2. Totals: 18 (7) 5-10.

North Vermilion 14 12 12 21 13 — 72 Ville Platte 20 11 12 16 3 – 62 3-pointers – NV: Z. Gage 3, Trahan 1, Dauterive 3, VP: Gallen 5, T. Thomas 2. Total Fouls: NV 17, VP 18.

Acadiana at Lafayette Christian, Highland Baptist at VB Glencoe, Westminster at Dunham, Hackberry at Northside Christian.

Girls Basketball Acadiana 51, Eunice 11 Lafayette High 52, Northwest 38 St. Martinville 32, Breaux Bridge 30 Southside 68, Central Catholic 18 Church Point 42, Beau Chene 41 David Thibodaux 60, DeRidder 40 North Vermilion 50, Ville Platte 47 Opelousas 48, Rayne 25 Westgate 55, Ellender 29 Comeaux 36, Acadiana Renaissance 27 Acadiana 51, Eunice 11 ACADIANA (51) Brooklyn White 16, Jayla Carmouche 14, Izzy Ledet 6, Destini Fondong 11, Antoniette-Marie Sitting 4. Totals 18 (2) 9-12.

EUNICE (11) H. Chavis 3, K. Frank 2, K. Monday 2, A. Richard 4. Totals: 3 (1) 2-4.

Acadiana 21 17 7 6 – 51 Eunice 4 0 4 3 – 11 3-pointers – ACAD: Carmouche 2, EUN: Chavis 1. Total Fouls: ACAD 11, EUN 11.

Thursday’s games

Carencro at Washington-Marion, Westgate at New Iberia, Cecilia at St. Martinville, Tara at Comeaux, Barbe at North Vermilion, Kaplan at Rayne, Lake Charles Prep at Church Point, Franklin at Jeanerette, Opelousas Catholic at Pine Prairie, Hackberry at Northside Christian.

Boys soccer Comeaux 7, Highland Baptist 0 North Vermilion 2, Lafayette Christian 1 Westminster-Lafayette 2, Houma Christian 2 Barbe 4, Acadiana Renaissance 0 David Thibodaux 2, Erath 1 Carencro 6, Opelousas 3

Girls soccer Highland Baptist 4, Comeaux 0 Lafayette High 1, Sulphur 0 Lafayette Christian 2, St. Martinville 0 Beau Chene 2, Opelousas Catholic 0 New Iberia 2, Erath 0

SCOREBOARD Odds

at TCU

NFL FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U LA Rams 1½ 1½ (44½)

College Football

UNDERDOG at SEATTLE

Thursday

XBox Bowl Frisco, Texas FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Arkansas St 2½ 1½ (54½) Miz St

Friday

Myrtle Beach Bowl Conway, S.C. FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG W. Michigan 1½ 3½ (49½) Kenne. St Gasparilla Bowl Tampa, Fla. FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG NC State 1½ 4½ (58½) Memphis College Football Playoff First Round — Game 1 Norman, Okla.

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Alabama 2½ 1½ (40½) Oklahoma

Saturday

College Football Playoff First Round — Game 2 College Station, Texas FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Texas A&M 3½ 3½ (51½) Miami(FL) College Football Playoff First Round — Game 3 Oxford, Miss.

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Ole Miss 16½ 17½ (56½) Tulane College Football Playoff First Round — Game 4 Eugene, Ore. FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Oregon 20½ 21½ (49½)J. Madison

Monday

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl Boise, Idaho FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Utah State 1½ 2½ (52½) Wash. St

Tuesday

Boca Raton Bowl Boca Raton, Fla. FAVORITE OPEN Louisville 9½ New Orleans Bowl New Orleans FAVORITE OPEN W. Kentucky 3½ Frisco Bowl Frisco, Texas FAVORITE OPEN UNLV 3½

Wednesday

NBA

Thursday

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 7½ (44½) Toledo TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 4½ (55½) Sou. Miss TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 4½ (62½) Ohio

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 1½ (54½) Hawaii

FAVORITE LINE Atlanta 5½ New York 4½ Miami 6 at OKC 15½ at S. ANTONIO 15½ Toronto 5½ Houston 9½ Detroit 5½ 6½ LA Lakers 1½ Golden State at DENVER 7½ at PORTLAND 9

O/U UNDERDOG (236½)at CHARLOTTE (224½) at INDIANA (227½) at BROOKLYN (223½) LA Clippers (241½) Washington (220½) at MILW. (233½) at NO (230½) at DALLAS (243½) at UTAH (230½) at PHOENIX (235½) Orlando (238½) Sacramento

COLLEGE BASKETBALL Thursday

FAVORITE LINE at C. SOUTHERN 10½ at APP. ST. 3½ Bradley 3½ at DAVIDSON 5½ at GEORGIA 35½ at MURRAY STATE 7½ at OKLAHOMA STATE 28½

UNDERDOG North Florida Coas. Car. at INDIANA ST. Temple W. Carolina Drake UMKC

Oral Roberts

FAVORITE LINE Minnesota -120 at WASHINGTON -161 at OTTAWA -180 at MONTREAL -191 Edmonton -144 at TAMPA BAY -189 at BUFFALO -137 New York -143 at CALGARY -171 Dallas -217

UNDERDOG at COLUMBUS Toronto Pittsburgh Chicago at BOSTON Los Angeles Philadelphia at ST. LOUIS Seattle at SAN JOSE

LINE +100 +135 +149 +158 +120 +156 +115 +120 +143 +178

Pro football

Jacksonville Houston Indianapolis e-Tennessee North Pittsburgh Baltimore e-Cincinnati e-Cleveland West x-Denver L.A. Chargers e-Kansas City e-Las Vegas

W 11 10 6 3

L 3 4 8 11

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .786 .714 .429 .214

PF 382 411 296 276

PA 276 324 324 397

W 10 9 8 2

L 4 5 6 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .714 .643 .571 .143

PF 376 323 392 225

PA 292 228 303 394

W 8 7 4 3

L 6 7 10 11

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .571 .500 .286 .214

PF 336 335 314 226

PA 326 320 437 332

W 12 10 6 2

L 2 4 8 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .857 .714 .429 .143

PF 342 315 328 196

PA 261 284 268 363

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

East

W 9 6 4 2

L 5 7 10 12

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .643 .464 .286 .143

PF 320 407 291 300

PA 271 420 375 396

W 7 7 5 4

L 7 7 9 10

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .500 .500 .357 .286

PF 327 264 281 226

PA 354 317 341 332

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .714 .679 .571 .429

PF 365 348 428 289

PA 338 281 345 307

W L T x-L.A. Rams 11 3 0 Seattle 11 3 0 San Francisco 10 4 0 e-Arizona 3 11 0 e-eliminated from playoffs x-clinched playoff spot

Pct .786 .786 .714 .214

PF 420 405 344 302

PA 261 242 293 388

Philadelphia Dallas e-Washington e-N.Y. Giants South Tampa Bay Carolina e-Atlanta e-New Orleans North Chicago Green Bay Detroit e-Minnesota West

San Francisco at Indianapolis, 7:15 p.m.

Pro basketball

W 10 9 8 6

L 4 4 6 8

Monday’s game

Pittsburgh 28, Miami 15

Thursday’s game

L.A. Rams at Seattle, 7:15 p.m.

Saturday’s games

Philadelphia at Washington, 4 p.m.

Green Bay at Chicago, 7:20 p.m.

Sunday’s games

College football Tuesday’s game

Salute to Veterans Bowl Montgomery, Ala. Jacksonville State 17, Troy 13

Wednesday’s game

Cure Bowl Orlando, Fla. Old Dominion 24, South Florida 10 Xbox Bowl Frisco, Texas Arkansas State vs. Missouri State, 8 p.m.

AMERICAN CONFERENCE New England Buffalo e-Miami e-N.Y. Jets South

North Dakota State 82, UT Rio Grande Valley 60 Utah Tech 69, Chicago State 55

Thursday’s game

NFL East

Pittsburgh at Detroit, 3:25 p.m.

New England at Baltimore, 7:20 p.m.

Monday’s game

Thursday

Thursday

Hawai’i Bowl Honolulu FAVORITE OPEN Cal 1½

24½

NHL

Buffalo at Cleveland, noon Cincinnati at Miami, noon Kansas City at Tennessee, noon L.A. Chargers at Dallas, noon Minnesota at N.Y. Giants, noon N.Y. Jets at New Orleans, noon Tampa Bay at Carolina, noon Atlanta at Arizona, 3:05 p.m.

Jacksonville at Denver, 3:05 p.m.

Las Vegas at Houston, 3:25 p.m.

College basketball State men’s schedule Tuesday’s games

California Baptist 75, Southern 67

Wednesday’s games

Nicholls 79, Houston Christian 64 Tulane 61, Louisiana Tech 53 South Alabama 96, UL-Monroe 92, OT

Thursday’s games

UL at Southern Miss, 7:30 p.m.

Grambling vs. Norfolk State at Atlanta, 7:30 p.m.

Friday’s games

Grambling vs. Hampton, at Atlanta, GA., 4 p.m.

Southeastern at LSU, 7 p.m.

Men’s national scores Thursday’s games MIDWEST

Northern Iowa 60, UIC 54

SOUTHWEST

Ark-PB 138, Champion Christian College 73 Central Arkansas 102, Kansas Christian 47 Rice 94, Southwestern Christian 47

State women’s schedule Tuesday’s games

LSU 91, Morgan State 33 Incarnate Word 54, Nicholls 52

Wednesday’s games

Arkansas State 79, UL-Monroe 58 Rice 71, Grambling State 47 Alabama 81, Tulane 52 Texas State 62, UL 55 Louisiana Tech 70, Central Arkansas 55 Northwestern State at Texas, n

Thursday’s games

UIW at UNO, 6:30 p.m.

Houston Christian at Nicholls, 6:30 p.m.

Southern at Baylor, 7 p.m.

Women’s national scores EAST

La Salle 65, Delaware 48 Marshall 75, Appalachian State 62 New Hampshire 69, Central Connecticut 66 Stony Brook 75, Georgian Court 50

SOUTH

Charlotte 81, Winthrop 58 Clemson 78, Charleston Southern 52 East Carolina 80, Wofford 59 Florida 76, Florida A&M 51 Louisville 76, Eastern Kentucky 51 Mercer 91, Erskine 37 North Carolina Central 61, Queens 51 Ole Miss 102, Mississippi Valley State 34 Rice 71, Grambling State 47 Troy 81, Old Dominion 59 USC Upstate 112, Agnes Scott 39 West Georgia 116, Wesleyan College 21

MIDWEST

Saint Louis 74, Jacksonville State 54

SOUTHWEST

Texas Tech 76, Jacksonville 40

FAR WEST

NBA Conference glance EASTERN CONFERENCE W 21 18 16 15 15 14 15 15 14 11 10 8 7 6 4

L 5 7 11 11 11 11 12 12 12 16 15 18 18 20 20

Pct .808 .720 .593 .577 .577 .560 .556 .556 .538 .407 .400 .308 .280 .231 .167

GB — 2½ 5½ 6 6 6½ 6½ 6½ 7 10½ 10½ 13 13½ 15 16

W Oklahoma City 24 Denver 19 L.A. Lakers 18 San Antonio 18 Houston 16 Minnesota 17 Phoenix 14 Golden State 13 Memphis 12 Utah 10 Portland 10 Dallas 10 Sacramento 6 L.A. Clippers 6 New Orleans 5

L 2 6 7 7 7 9 12 14 14 15 16 17 20 20 22

Pct .923 .760 .720 .720 .696 .654 .538 .481 .462 .400 .385 .370 .231 .231 .185

GB — 4½ 5½ 5½ 6½ 7 10 11½ 12 13½ 14 14½ 18 18 19½

Detroit New York Toronto Boston Orlando Philadelphia Cleveland Atlanta Miami Milwaukee Chicago Charlotte Brooklyn Indiana Washington

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Tuesday’s games

New York 124, San Antonio 113 (Championship Game)

Wednesday’s games

Chicago 127. Cleveland 111 Memphis 116, Minnesota 110 Atlanta at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

New York at Indiana, 6 p.m.

Miami at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Houston at New Orleans, 7 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

Toronto at Milwaukee, 7 p.m.

Washington at San Antonio, 7 p.m.

Detroit at Dallas, 7:30 p.m.

Golden State at Phoenix, 8 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at Utah, 8 p.m.

Orlando at Denver, 8 p.m.

Sacramento at Portland, 9 p.m.

Pro hockey NHL Conference glance Carolina Detroit N.Y. Islanders Philadelphia Washington Boston Tampa Bay Montreal Pittsburgh New Jersey Florida N.Y. Rangers Toronto Ottawa Columbus Buffalo

GP 32 34 34 32 33 34 33 33 32 33 32 35 32 32 33 32

W 21 19 19 17 18 20 18 17 14 18 17 16 15 15 14 14

L OT Pts 9 2 44 12 3 41 12 3 41 9 6 40 11 4 40 14 0 40 12 3 39 12 4 38 9 9 37 14 1 37 13 2 36 15 4 36 12 5 35 13 4 34 13 6 34 14 4 32

Colorado Dallas Minnesota Anaheim Vegas

GP 33 34 34 34 31

W 24 22 20 20 16

L OT Pts 2 7 55 7 5 49 9 5 45 12 2 42 6 9 41

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Tuesday’s games

Vancouver 3, N.Y. Rangers 0 Columbus 4, Anaheim 3, OT Detroit 3, N.Y. Islanders 2 Toronto 3, Chicago 2 Boston 4, Utah 1 Philadelphia 4, Montreal 1 Edmonton 6, Pittsburgh 4 Minnesota 5, Washington 0 San Jose 6, Calgary 3 Colorado 5, Seattle 3

Wednesday’s games Florida 3, Los Angeles 2 Utah 4, Detroit 1 Carolina at Nashville, n Winnipeg at St. Louis, n New Jersey at Vegas, n

Thursday’s games

Chicago at Montreal, 6 p.m.

Edmonton at Boston, 6 p.m.

Los Angeles at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m.

Minnesota at Columbus, 6 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Ottawa, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Washington, 6 p.m.

Philadelphia at Buffalo, 6:30 p.m.

N.Y. Rangers at St. Louis, 7 p.m.

Seattle at Calgary, 8 p.m.

Dallas at San Jose, 9 p.m.

Transactions BASEBALL

Thursday’s games

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Edmonton 34 16 12 6 38 116 118 Los Angeles 32 14 9 9 37 84 86 San Jose 34 17 14 3 37 102 113 Utah 35 16 16 3 35 107 105 Winnipeg 32 15 15 2 32 98 99 Chicago 33 13 14 6 32 93 101 St. Louis 34 12 15 7 31 86 123 Seattle 31 12 13 6 30 77 98 Nashville 32 13 15 4 30 92 111 Calgary 34 13 17 4 30 87 103 Vancouver 33 13 17 3 29 92 112 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs.

GF 108 107 102 96 106 113 106 106 103 97 103 89 105 101 100 98

GA 90 111 96 89 88 106 88 117 102 103 101 95 104 104 115 109

GF GA 133 77 115 90 104 87 121 112 96 90

Major League Baseball American League BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Sent C Maverick Handley outright to Norfolk (IL). Agreed to terms on 2026 minor league contracts with RHP Albert Suarez and INF Willy Vasquez.

CHICAGO WHITE SOX — Named Bobby Hearn assistant pitching coach, Jose Leger first base and outfield coach, Chris Denorfia major league field coordinator, Bennett Markinson bullpen catcher and Tony Medina major league assistant.

DETROIT TIGERS — Agreed to terms with RHP Kenley Jansen on a one-year contract.

National League CHICAGO CUBS — Agreed to terms with LHP Caleb Thielbar on a one-year major league contract.

COLORADO ROCKIES — Named Jeff Pickler major league bench coach.

NEW YORK METS — Claimed C Drew Romo off waivers from Baltimore.

BASKETBALL

National Basketball Association HOUSTON ROCKETS — Fined Coach Ime Udoka $25,000 for public criticism of officiating.

FOOTBALL

National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Released DT Justin Jones from injured reserve.

BUFFALO BILLS — Designated WR Mecole Hardman to return from injured reserve.

CAROLINA PANTHERS — Designated WR David Moore to return from injured reserve.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed G Wesley French to the practice squad.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Designated DE Payton Turner, RB Phil Mafah and CB Josh Butler to return from injured reserve.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Placed DL Micah Parsons on injured reserve.

LIVING

T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M

Sweet and spicy Korean fried chicken will fire you up

BY GRETCHEN McKAY

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Bold, spicy flavors have never been more in demand, especially when they add a global element to a dish. One of my favorite foods these days is Korean fried chicken, which I ate twice on a recent trip to New York City.

Celebrated for its crispy exterior and tender interior, Korean fried chicken has been a staple late-night snack in South Korea since the late 1970s and early ’80s. It’s typically known as “drinking food,” or anju, though Koreans also enjoy the crispy pieces of meat with non-alcoholic drinks.

Sticky, gotta-lick-your-fingersafter-you-eat-it yangnyeom dak is especially popular. It’s glazed in a spicy-sweet sauce made with Korean chili paste, golden (corn) syrup, ketchup and sugar that give Korean fried chicken its fireworks.

It’s one of those dishes you order as an appetizer for the table, and after the first saucy taste, wish you could keep it all for yourself.

In Korea, the dish is most often made with bone-in chicken thighs or wings that have been coated in a cornstarch mixture.

Traditionally, the chicken is fried twice to take it to the next level of crunchiness.

I’ve adapted this recipe from my son Dan’s favorite cookbook, “The Korean Cookbook” by Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi

|

T h u r s d ay, d e c e m b e r 18, 2025

FROM THE KITCHEN SIMPLE BROCCOLI CHEDDAR FRITTATA

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

ä See CHICKEN, page 6C

Herb and Shallot Compound Butter

Looking for a last-minute holiday gift? Look to your oven

BY APRIL HAMILTON

Fun cutting boards are a wonderful gift. Add a paring knife, cheese slicer or bread knife to go a little more upYou are not alone if your holiday gift scale. I scored the map of Louisiana list remains unwritten. cutting board — a popular trade at a Fear not, a gift for or from the kitch- neighborhood “white elephant” and en is always the first to get snapped up came out the winner. I use the underin the round robin gift exchange. I am side of the board for small chopping here with tried and true gifts for evjobs and display The Boot as wall art.

It’s hard to beat a dual-purpose gift, eryone, from the five-star chef to the and for a homemade accent, include a friend who is afraid to boil water. The ribboned roll of compound butter. bonus is that none of these will break the bank and can be purchased locally ä See KITCHEN, page 6C and in many cases in just one stop.

Contributing writer

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE/TNS PHOTO

By GRETCHEN MCKAy

Sweet and Spicy Korean Fried Chicken

5cN

This gift, flecked with festive pink and green, will delight the recipient at the holidays as a spread for toast, an addition to steamed potatoes or melted for sauteed mushrooms. The options are endless, and you can tuck in a note with serving suggestions.

1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves 1 small shallot, finely minced 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt 1. Grate the butter into a large bowl using the large holes of a cheese grater. Add the thyme, shallot and salt and mix to blend using a rubber spatula.

2. Transfer the butter onto a sheet of parchment paper and roll it into a log, about 5 inches long and 11/2 inches in diameter. Roll it up in the paper to enclose, leaving a 1-inch allowance for tying the ends with ribbon of your choice.

3. Keep the butter refrigerated until gifting time. It can be made one week ahead.

Sheet pan snapper filet with broccoli, potatoes a quick fix

BY LINDA GASSENHEIMER Tribune News Service (TNS)

Here’s a quick and easy sheet pan dinner that’s ready in just 10 minutes. Snapper filets broil alongside potatoes and broccoli for a complete meal.

To cut down on cooking time, I give the potatoes a quick head start in the microwave before transferring them to the pan to finish cooking and crisp up. The snapper is topped with a colorful mix of red bell peppers and onions, then drizzled with a tangy balsamic, horseradish, and garlic sauce that gives the dish a bold, flavorful finish.

Helpful hints: n Any type of fish filets such as tilapia, flounder or mahi mahi can be used instead of snapper. n Small red potatoes can be used instead of yellow potatoes.

Sheet Pan Snapper Filets, Broccoli and Potatoes Yields 2 servings. Recipe is by Linda Gassenheimer.

11/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided use 1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish 1 crushed garlic clove 1/4 cup diced onion 1/4 cup diced red bell pepper Olive oil spray 3/4 pound snapper fillets 3/4 pound small yellow potatoes, washed, unpeeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (about 21/2 cups) 4 cups broccoli florets Salt and freshly ground black pepper 1. Preheat broiler. Mix 1/2 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, horseradish and garlic together until smooth.

2. In another small bowl, mix onion and red bell pepper together.

Spray a sheet pan with olive oil spray. Place snapper fillets, skin side down, on one side of the sheet pan.

Spread the pepper onion mixture on top of the fish and then the horseradish mixture.

3. Add potatoes to a microwave safe bowl and microwave on high 2 minutes. Add the potatoes and broccoli to the other side of the sheet pan. Broil 8 inches from heat for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove sheet pan from broiler.

4. Divide ingredients into two portions and place on two dinner plates.

Spoon the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil over the potatoes and broccoli. Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Nutrition info per serving: 458 calories (30 percent from fat), 15.5 g fat (2.2 g saturated, 6.7 g monounsaturated), 60 mg cholesterol, 43.5 g protein, 39.1 g carbohydrates, 7.2 g fiber, 213 mg sodium.

TNS PHOTO By LINDA GASSENHEIMER

Sheet Pan Snapper Filets, Broccoli and Potatoes

6C ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

Opting out of using perfume Dear Heloise: I am writing in response to your question regarding perfumes.

People are affected by smells differently, so I don’t use perfumes or scented lotions or soaps.

Having a history of Hints from migraines, Hints Heloise I know that perfumes can truly set one off. My husband has a different reaction to perfumes.

Many give him a horrible metallic taste in his mouth. I like your method of a spritz on a cotton ball tucked away in your bra.

However, I also tend to think that many keep and use bottles for years after the perfume has gone “bad.” When people can react so differently, why risk it? Especially at work! Please be considerate of others. — Unscented Linda, via email

Two-in-one hint Dear Heloise: I watched a hospice nurse do this to dispose of medications: Take a gallon-sized zip-close plastic bag. Fill about one-third with cat litter. Pour liquid medication directly into litter.

Pull the capsules apart and dissolve them in water, then add them to the litter. Tablets can be crushed, dissolved and added. She then sealed the bag and placed it in the trash.

Also, if you have to drink a lot of liquid or something nasty-tasting, try using a straw. You can drink more and won’t taste it as much. — Charlotte Ervine, via email

Simple Broccoli Cheddar Frittata

STAFF PHOTOS By HILARy SCHEINUK

Pick up a small kitchen tool at Red Stick Spice and a set of their beautiful measuring spoons and/or a bottle of spice.

KITCHEN

MORE FUN GIFT IDEAS

Continued from page 5C The new local bookstore TBR Books and Tea on Highland Road has become my go-to for alloccasion gifts. No surprise here, cookbooks are always on my giving list. “The Vegetable Eater” by Cara Mangini is an award-winner and a delight of grand proportions. When I thumb through its pages, I am transported to the farmers market and into my kitchen, inspired to create magical dishes for family and friends.

Whip up Mangini’s broccoli frittata in a small cast-iron skillet and you have a gift that keeps on giving.

Handwrite the recipe on a notecard and include instructions for castiron care and your recipient will be all set.

On that note, the Red Stick Farmers Market is a one-size-fits-all emporium where you can gift one of their fun shopping totes with any amount of market tokens for a future shopping experience.

Their newly reopened Main Street Market also features a coffee shop

n Fresh herb plants, potted in handmade local pottery n Bookstore date invitation n Herb-infused salt in a pretty jar n Handmade pottery coffee mug n Garlic press and a head of fresh garlic n Bench scraper n Small kitchen scale n Gift card for a local coffee date n Favorite cookbook with pages marked with Post-it notes with kitchen gadgets, coffee beans and a reach-in fridge housing market produce all week long. My favorite coffee date is to stroll the market with a friend and it doesn’t cost extra.

Sharing the love of cooking is a perennial gift for anyone on your list and will be forever cherished.

Pick up a small kitchen tool (hello microplane) at Red Stick Spice and a set of their beautiful measuring spoons and/or a bottle of spice and pop the question: “When can we

An array of locally curated holiday gift ideas is seen at the home of April Hamilton. cook together?”

The recipient will glow and together you will create lasting memories. A printed towel makes reusable gift wrap and further perpetuates the fun.

In this era of one-click shopping, a leisurely visit to a local shop pays dividends, and you get to enjoy the holiday spirit in the process.

Their twinkle lights and festive tunes make the season bright. Happy Holidays to all, and especially happy gifting!

Serves 4. Recipe is adapted from “The Vegetable Butcher” by Cara Mangini. Gift this breakfast/brunch treat in a cast-iron skillet for the gift that keeps on giving. NOTE: I reduce some of the quantities in her recipe to make the 7-inch size skillet for gifting. I also topped mine with thinly sliced colorful sweet peppers from the farmers market to add a festive touch.

6 eggs 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk 1/4 teaspoon baking powder 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided use 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Pinch of cayenne pepper 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup coarsely grated cheddar cheese 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic 3 cups chopped broccoli florets 1 tablespoon water Thinly sliced small sweet peppers for topping, optional 1. Heat the oven to 350 F with a rack positioned in the middle.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, cream, baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, black and cayenne pepper and the Parmesan and cheddar cheeses.

3. In a 7-inch cast-iron skillet, heat the oil and garlic over medium heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.

4. Add the broccoli and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes until just tender. Add the water to prevent burning and encourage steaming, and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes more until the broccoli is tender and browning in places and all liquid has evaporated.

5. Give the egg mixture a stir and pour it into the skillet.

Reduce the heat to mediumlow and gently stir the top to evenly distribute the broccoli.

Scatter the sliced peppers on top, if using.

6. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake until the frittata puffs up, the edges are set, and the middle is just slightly firm, about 15 to 18 minutes.

7. Serve hot or cooled to room temperature.

The check engine light Dear Heloise: A while ago, your column mentioned what to do if the check engine light comes on in your vehicle. This is my experience: I have a vehicle with over 150,000 miles on it that runs very well, except when the check engine light came on. I made the assumption that it needed servicing but read in my owner’s manual to be sure to tighten the fuel cap at least three clicks.

With the vehicle in the garage, I opened the fuel cap, left it open for a few seconds, and tightened it at least three clicks. After using the vehicle a couple of times, the check engine light went off and has stayed off for many miles.

I feel like I have found at least one culprit to the problem. — Jim, via email Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

CHICKEN

Continued from page 5C (Phaidon Press, $54.95), to use chunks of boneless, skinless chicken breast instead of bone-in, skin-on pieces for easier eating. In a break from tradition, it’s only fried once before being tossed in the sauce.

So how did I achieve the thin, crispy texture that defines the dish? The coating is made with a packaged, cornstarch-based fried chicken mix commonly sold in Korea, which I bought on Amazon (but should also be available in well-stocked Asian markets).

You also can make the batter from scratch by mixing 1/ 2 cup cornstarch with 1/ 2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/ 2 cup allpurpose flour and 2 teaspoons kosher salt in a large bowl and whisking until it’s well-combined. Then, add enough cold

water (1/ 2 to 1 cup) until it has the consistency of thin paint.

My local grocery doesn’t stock Korean soy sauce, which is a little lighter and saltier than Japanese or Chinese soy sauce. But no worries, my trusty bottle of all-purpose Kikkoman is always at the ready.

The cookbook’s authors suggest eating half the chicken naked and the other half tossed in the sauce to enjoy the dish two different ways.

If you like, you can garnish it with toasted sesame seeds and serve it alongside kimchi, pickled radishes or a spicy cucumber salad.

At restaurants, Korean fried chicken is often served as an appetizer; for dinner, it’s great on a bed of steamed white rice.

Your mouth may burn a little after you take that first saucy bite, but it’s so good you’ll forget about it before reaching for another chunk.

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Thursday, Dec. 18, the 352nd day of 2025.

There are 13 days left in the year.

Today in history: On Dec. 18, 2019, the U.S. House impeached President Donald Trump on two charges, sending his case to the Senate for trial (It was the first of two Trump impeachment trials that would end in acquittal).

The articles of impeachment accused him of abuse of power to investigate Democratic rival Joe Biden before the 2020 election and obstructing Congress’ investigation of the matter.

Also on this date: In 1865, the 13th Amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery was declared in effect by Secretary of State William H. Seward.

In 1892, Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s ballet “The Nutcracker” publicly pre-

miered in St. Petersburg, Russia; although now considered a classic, it received a generally negative reception from critics.

In 1916, the Battle of Verdun, World War I’s longest at 10 months, ended between French and German forces; it led to nearly 1 million casualties.

In 1917, Congress proposed an amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibiting alcohol; the 18th Amendment was declared ratified in 1919 (Prohibition was repealed in 1933 by the 21st Amendment).

In 1972, with peace talks stalled, the U.S. launched Operation Linebacker II, its heaviest bombing of North Vietnam in the Vietnam War. The operation lasted 11 days (an agreement known as the Paris Peace Accords was signed in January 1973.

In 2011, the last convoy of heavily armored U.S. troops left Iraq in the final

moments of a nearly nineyear war.

In 2023, Pope Francis approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples under certain conditions, a radical shift in policy that aimed to make the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage.

Today’s birthdays: Chef Jacques Pépin is 90. Rock musician Keith Richards is 82. Filmmaker Alan Rudolph is 82. Filmmaker Steven Spielberg is 79. Filmmaker Gillian Armstrong is 75. Actor Brad Pitt is 62.

Singer Alejandro Sanz is 57. Tennis Hall of Famer Arantxa Sanchez Vicario is 54. Pop singer Sia is 50.

Country singer-songwriter Randy Houser is 50. Actor Katie Holmes is 47. Singer Christina Aguilera is 45.

MLB outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is 28. NFL quarterback Jayden Daniels is 25. Singer Billie Eilish is 24.

Sweet and Spicy Korean Fried Chicken

Recipe is adapted from “The Korean Cookbook” by Junghyun Park and Jungyoon Choi.

For the sauce: 3 tablespoons corn syrup 2 tablespoons ketchup 2 tablespoons gochujang (red chili paste) 2 tablespoons ganjang (Korean soy sauce) 1 tablespoon minced garlic 1/2 tablespoon fine gochugaru (red chili powder) 1 tablespoon sugar For the chicken: 2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into chunks 1 tablespoon MSG 1 teaspoon sugar 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper Neutral cooking oil for deep frying 11/2 cups Korean seasoned fried chicken mix 1. In a small saucepan, combine corn syrup, ketchup, gochujang, soy sauce, gochugaru, garlic and sugar.

2. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring often. Once it’s boiling, reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 minutes before removing from heat.

3. Pat chicken dry with paper towels. In a bowl, sprinkle chicken with MSG, sugar and black pepper and mix well. Let sit 15 minutes.

4. Pour 3 inches neutral oil into a large deep pot or deep fryer and heat to 355 F. 5. In a small bowl, stir together 61/2 tablespoons of the fried chicken mix and 4 tablespoons water to make a batter. Mix well until uniform. Add chicken pieces, and stir to combine.

6. Place the remaining 1 cup fried chicken mix in a large plastic bag.

Place half the chicken in the plastic bag and shake until well coated.

Let settle for 30 seconds before removing from the bag, shaking off any excess. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.

7. Set a wire rack in a sheet pan.

Once oil is up to temperature, reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chicken pieces and fry for 3-4 minutes, or until cooked through. Remove and set on the rack to cool for 3 minutes.

8. Sauce the chicken with the desired amount of sauce and toss well in a bowl.

Plate and serve immediately.

12 HOLIDAY WINES PLUS BONUS GIFTS

only $7999

SAVE

155

$

Our experts handpicked this highly acclaimed collection to pair perfectly with your favorite dishes from Omaha Steaks. Uncork 12 bottles with bonus gifts for just $79.99 (plus shipping and tax) as your introduction to the Omaha Steaks Wine Club – saving you $155.

Then, look forward to 12 new selections every three months and enjoy a $30 Omaha Steaks E-Reward Card with each future club case. You’ll also save 10% on every 12+ bottle purchase and get free delivery every time you order. There’s no commitment to continue and every bottle comes with our 100% guarantee.

Order now at GetOSWine.com/Sip318 or call 1.833.981.0063 and mention code AHNE001 Savings off retail price. Offer subject to availability and club enrollment. Omaha Steaks Wine is operated independently from Omaha Steaks, LLC. Full terms and conditions online. Void where prohibited by law.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 7C

lll

FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

For better or For WorSe

zodIAC sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Leave nothing to chance or up to others, and you will avoid disappointment. Trust, loyalty and progress go together when it comes to home, family and your closest associates. Read the room.

CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Refuse to let other people's obligations become your problem. Offer suggestions, but don't step in and take charge. The best lessons in life are those learned by doing things yourself.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Pick up the slack and do what you do best. Spontaneity mixed with a genuine attitude and input will trigger positive results.

Be the glue, the enforcer and the comforter.

PIsCEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Focus on what needs to be done, and don't stop until your mission is complete. Refuse to let pettiness or emotional manipulation deter you from reaching your destination.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Don't let anger set in when action is required. Strive to surpass your own and others' expectations. Live, learn and laugh, and you'll find the happiness you desire. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Pay attention to cash flow. Rethink your festive strategy; kindness and respect will have positive impacts and lead to lasting memories. Your time is more valuable than any trinket.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Don't ignore the signs and signals you are receiv-

ing from people close to you. Be openhearted with relationships, shared expenses and promises you make to others.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Tidy up loose ends and call it a day. Forward thinking and a positive attitude will lead to fulfilling relationships and good times.

Change begins with a smile and a kind gesture.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Arrange a social get-together and spread joy to those you love without going into debt or expecting anything in return. Let your actions dictate your feelings.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Take a waitand-see approach and avoid situations that put you in a vulnerable position.

Examine what concerns you and make changes that put your mind at ease.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Attend events and take every opportunity to market your expertise. The fundamentals that accompany progress will help you recognize who is in your corner and who is not. sCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Foolish spending or overpaying for something will cause worry and debt. A change of attitude that reflects peace of mind will help set you on the right path.

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

WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

toDAy's CLuE: s EQuALs F

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

lll

Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● 9C

lll

B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Classic bridge books are usually republished, some several times. One such book that has reappeared was first printed in 1969. It is “The Secrets of Winning Bridge” by Jeff Rubens (Bridge World Books).

The book gives advice on hand evaluation in various situations, then considers the forms of the game: rubber bridge, Chicago, pairs and teams, and ways to be more successful in them, almost regardless of the bidding system being employed.

This deal highlights different declarerplay approaches. Look at just the North and South hands.

How would you plan the play in three no-trump if you care only about winning nine tricks, or you would like to maximize the overtricks?

Note North’s three-no-trump response.

With a probable seven winners, no singleton or void or thought of slam, it is right to go straight for the nine-trick game.

If nine tricks are sufficient, South should win the first trick, lead a low diamond, and, when West follows, play low from the board. This is necessary if diamonds are 4-0.

However, in a pairs event, where overtricks can be valuable, it is wrong to play for this 5 percent possibility. Instead, South should lead a diamond to dummy’s jack. Here, when the finesse wins,

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

declarer should take a heart finesse. It is highly unlikely that West has both heart honors, given his spade lead. And then South is in a position to take 12 tricks: two spades, two hearts, seven diamonds and one club. But even if the diamond finesse loses, the contract is still safe with at least one overtrick. © 2025 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InstRuCtIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — ECCEntRIC: ek-SEN-trik: Unconventional.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 21 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 29 or more words in ECCENTRIC? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — GnAtHIC gain gait ghat giant gnat nigh night aching acing acting anti

antic tang than thin thing ting hang hating hint inch itch

cant chai chain chant chat chia chin china chit

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “But God commends his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” Romans 5:8-9 Don’t doubt that God loves you. He loved us when we were very unlovable. — G.E. Dean

10C ● Thursday, December 18, 2025 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

lll

BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

DOW 47,885.97 -228.29 -0.47%

NASDAQ 22,693.32 -418.14 -1.81%

BRIEFS

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

Raising Cane’s set to expand to Mexico in ’26

Raising Cane’s will expand to Mexico, a move that will give the restaurant a presence in every North American country.

The Baton Rouge-based chicken tender company will open a restaurant in Monterrey, Mexico in late 2026. The expansion is through a franchise agreement with Mexico-based restaurant operator Alsea, whose portfolio includes other American chains including Starbucks, Chili’s and Burger King.

Raising Cane’s did not disclose how many restaurants it plans to open in Mexico. The company runs nearly 1,000 restaurants in 43 U.S. states and two in Ontario, Canada.

It’s the company’s second international endeavor it’s announced this year. In September, the chain said it will start opening restaurants in the United Kingdom next year, beginning in London’s Piccadilly Circus.

Raising Cane’s has operated restaurants in the Middle East for a decade, which cofounder and CEO Todd Graves said taught him how to operate the brand internationally. The company launched a Kuwait City restaurant in 2015, later expanding to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, which amount to about 60 restaurants with restaurant operator Alshaya Group.

“We’re ready to go to the U.K. We’re ready to go to Mexico,” Graves said. “For me, it’s just having Cane’s down there influencing communities in a positive way. It’s just exciting.”

S&P 500 6,721.43 -78.83 -1.16%

EURO 1.1741 0.0001 0.01%

CRUDE OIL 55.94 0.67 1.21%

GOLD 4,347.50 43.00 1.00%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.6 0.0 0.0%

30-YR T-BONDS 4.83 0.01 0.21%

AI stocks drag down Wall Street

more stocks rose within come Wall Street’s most influential lysts, though the rate continues to U.S. market has worst theSlightly S&P 500 than fell, but they got stock because of its tremendous rise. drowned out by the drops for com- size, fell 3.8% and was the day’s Progressive, meanwhile, fell 2% day in nearly a month panies after the insurer based in Mayfield in the artificial-intelligence heaviest weight on the S&P 500.

BY STAN CHOE

Associated Press

NEW YORK — More drops for AI stocks dragged the U.S. market lower Wednesday, and Wall Street sank to its fourth straight loss.

The S&P 500 fell 1.2% for its worst day in nearly a month, though it’s still not far from its all-time high set last week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 228 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite dropped 1.8%.

industry.

Questions continue to dog the former superstars about whether their yearslong dominance of Wall Street meant their prices shot too high, as well as whether all the investment in AI will produce enough profit and productivity to prove worth the cost. Worries are also rising about the debt that some companies are taking on to pay for it all.

Broadcom dropped 4.5%, Oracle fell 5.4% and CoreWeave sank 7.1%.

Nvidia, the chip company that’s be-

Power companies that jumped earlier in the year on expectations for stronger demand from electricity-sucking data centers also lost some of their shine. Constellation Energy fell 6.7%.

Only 17% of respondents in a survey of relatively big businesses by UBS said they’re in production at scale with their AI projects. That could be “a reminder for tech investors to remain sober about the likely 2026 revenue growth uplift from AI products,” according to UBS ana-

Village, Ohio, said that its net income for November fell 5% from its year-ago level.

On the winning side of Wall Street were oil companies, after President Donald Trump ordered a blockade of all “sanctioned oil tankers” into Venezuela. It’s Trump’s latest escalation against Venezuela, which may be sitting on more oil than any other country.

That sent the price of a barrel of benchmark U.S. crude higher by 1.2% to $55.94.

Warner Bros. board backs Netflix’s offer NEW YORK — Warner Bros. Discovery is recommending its shareholders reject an unsolicited buyout offer from Paramount Skydance in favor of a rival bid from Netflix it said will better serve their interests and the entertainment company’s audiences.

The Warner board said in a letter to shareholders on Wednesday that Paramount’s “inferior” offer carried “significant risks and costs,” in large part because it relies heavily on borrowed money — whereas the Netflix offer is backed by a company worth more than $400 billion.

Warner, which owns the Warner Bros. Pictures movie studio and HBO, agreed earlier this month to a cash-and-stock offer from Netflix valued at $72 billion. As part of that deal, Warner would first spin off its cable TV assets, including CNN and Discovery. Days later, Paramount made a hostile, all-cash offer for all of Warner’s properties valued at $77.9 billion.

Paramount has argued that its offer — coming from a smaller company — would face an easier road with regulators. Warner’s board disputed that claim in its letter to shareholders, who ultimately have the power to decide which offer to accept.

USPS plans to expand delivery network access The U.S. Postal Service said Wednesday it intends to open its “last-mile” delivery network, the most expensive part of the shipping process, to large and small shippers, expanding beyond current arrangements with giants such as Amazon and UPS. The goal is to diversify and boost revenue through the postal carriers’ final leg of delivery to millions of individual homes and businesses.

The postal service expects to accept bids in late January or early February from other shippers, which will propose their own mix of volume, price and delivery timing. The agency will award contracts later in 2026, based on where it can provide same- and next-day delivery service at a profit.

Under the new plan, shippers would have access to more than 18,000 postal service “delivery distribution units,” entry points throughout the network where mail and packages are sorted for delivery to a local area.

GETTy IMAGES/TNS FILE PHOTO By JON CHERRy

Lana Provost, a UPS package handler, loads packages into a truck at a hub in Louisville, Ky. UPS will deploy Pickle Robots in multiple facilities in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, said sources who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to share the details publicly.

UPS buys hundreds of robots to unload trucks in automation push

BY SPENCER SOPER and CAILLEY LAPARA

Bloomberg News (TNS)

United Parcel Service Inc. will invest $120 million in 400 robots used to unload trucks, according to people familiar with the matter, revealing new details on the logistics giant’s $9 billion automation plan that aims to boost profits by decreasing labor costs.

Unloading trucks and shipping containers at warehouse docks is mostly done by people and remains a key bottleneck in the shipping industry. The UPS order puts a spotlight on Pickle Robot Co., a Charlestown, Massachusetts-based startup already working with UPS that’s raised about $97 million since it began in 2018, according to Pitchbook.

Pickle makes a robotic arm on a mobile base that can drive into a shipping container, lift boxes weighing up to 50 pounds using suction and place them on conveyor belts. One robot can unload a typical truck in about two hours and the robot typically pays for itself in about 18 months through labor savings, according to Pickle’s website. The robots can be deployed in existing warehouses, which is a key selling point since the automation doesn’t require specially designed

facilities or extensive upgrades.

UPS will deploy Pickle Robots in multiple facilities in the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity since they were not authorized to share the details publicly. It’s common for large companies to experiment with automation through pilot projects and prototypes by startups eager to prove their technology works in the field.

The UPS purchase from Pickle follows years of experimenting to demonstrate the robots can help reduce labor costs, one of the people said.

UPS says its relationships with Pickle and other automation and robotics companies “helps reduce repetitive tasks and physical stress while promoting safety for UPS employees.” Additional purchases often depend on successful testing outcomes, the company said in an emailed statement, adding that contract details are private.

Through a spokesperson, Pickle declined to comment on the purchase.

In 2024, UPS announced a four-year plan to invest $9 billion in automation projects at more than 60 U.S. facilities with the goal of achieving $3 billion in cost savings by 2028.

The courier is taking on its biggest network reconfiguration in history as it seeks to lessen its dependency on labor, trim fixed costs and boost margins. The company has closed daily operations at 93 facilities and eliminated 34,000 jobs this year as part of the consolidation, driven by a move to reduce the number of low-profit e-commerce packages it handles for online retailer Amazon. com Inc. Amazon is a leader in warehouse automation. Its 2012 purchase of robot-maker Kiva Systems helped it speed online order fulfillment since the mop-bucket-sized robots can zip around warehouses to fetch products faster than people. Pickle Robot’s technology comes earlier in the flow of products, when trucks stuffed with inventory pull up to warehouse dock doors waiting to be emptied.

Pickle Robot uses artificial intelligence to maneuver in shipping containers and empty boxes, adjusting as the load gets smaller.

Its investors include the packaging materials company Ranpak Holdings Corp. and the venture investment arm of Toyota Motor Corp. Its competitors include Boston Dynamics, which makes a warehouse robot called “Stretch.”

Hyundai, Kia to repair millions of vehicles under deal Automakers to improve anti-theft technology

BY JACK DURA Associated Press

Automakers Hyundai and Kia must offer free repairs to millions of models under a settlement announced Tuesday by Minnesota’s attorney general, who led an effort by dozens of states that argued the vehicles weren’t equipped with proper anti-theft technology, leaving them vulnerable to thefts.

Under the nationwide settlement, the companies will offer a free repair to all eligible vehicles at a cost that could top $500 million, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said. Hyundai and Kia must also outfit all future vehicles sold in the U.S. with a key piece of technology called an engine immobilizer and pay up to $4.5 million of restitution to people whose vehicles were damaged by thieves.

The settlement was reached by 35 states. The vehicles eligible for fixes date as far back as 2011 and as recently as 2022. About 9 million eligible vehicles were sold nationwide.

Thefts of Hyundai and Kia ve-

hicles soared in part because beginning in 2021, videos posted to TikTok and other social media demonstrated how someone could steal a car with just a screwdriver and a USB cable. Minneapolis reported an 836% increase in Hyundai and Kia thefts from 2021 to 2022. Ellison announced an investigation into the automakers in early 2023.

Ellison said the two companies installed engine immobilizers on cars sold in Mexico and Canada, but not widely in the U.S., leading to car thefts, crimes and crashes that injured and even killed people, including teenagers.

“This crisis that we’re talking

about today started in a boardroom, traveled through the internet and ended up in tragic results when somebody stole those cars,” Ellison said at a news conference.

He was joined by Twin Cities officials, a woman whose mother was killed when a stolen Kia crashed into her parents’ vehicle and a man whose car was stolen nine times — as recently as Monday night, and including seven times after a previous software fix.

Under the settlement, Hyundai and Kia will install a zinc sleeve to stop would-be thieves from cracking open a vehicle’s ignition cylinder and starting the car.