The Advocate 12-30-2025

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Trump warns Iran of more U.S. strikes

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Officials outline N.O. security measures Streets to close, National Guard to be deployed as anniversary of terror attack approaches

BY SOPHIE KASAKOVE

Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

City and state officials said Monday that security plans are in place to keep residents and visitors safe during New Year’s Eve festivities and the Sugar Bowl, as New Orleans marks one year since the deadly terrorist attack on Bourbon Street.

Close to 800 local, state and federal law enforcement officials will be deployed downtown during the events, public safety officials said during a news conference to discuss the security measures.

Members of the Louisiana National Guard will work with state and local law enforcement to close off Bourbon Street in an “enhanced security zone” that will include redirecting traffic and conducting bag searches. Poydras Street will also be closed to vehicles from Claiborne Avenue to Tchoupitoulas Street following the Sugar Bowl on Jan. 1, and officials are prepared to shut down portions of Canal Street as well, depending on traffic levels.

ä See SECURITY, page 4A

President Donald Trump listens as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks after arriving at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach, Fla., on Monday.

Threat comes as president holds talks with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

BY WILL WEISSERT, SAM MEDNICK, SAMY MAGDY and AAMER MADHANI Associated Press

PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump warned Iran on Monday that the U.S. could carry out further military strikes if the country attempts to reconstitute its nuclear program as he held wide-ranging talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his home in Florida.

Trump had previously insisted that Tehran’s nuclear capabilities were “completely and fully obliterated” by U.S. strikes on key nuclear enrichment sites in June. But with Netanyahu by his side, Trump raised the possibility that suspected activity could be taking place outside those sites. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have been quoted in local media expressing concern about Iran rebuilding its supply of long-range missiles capable of striking Israel.

“Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again. And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening.”

PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP “Now I hear that Iran is trying to build up again,” Trump told reporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago estate. “And if they are, we’re going to have to knock them down. We’ll knock them down. We’ll knock the hell out of them. But hopefully that’s not happening.”

Trump’s warning to Iran comes as his administration has committed significant resources to targeting drug trafficking in South America and the president looks to create

fresh momentum for the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire. The Gaza deal is in danger of stalling before reaching its complicated second phase that would involve naming an international governing body and rebuilding the devastated Palestinian territory.

At a news conference with Netanyahu after their meeting, Trump suggested that he could order another U.S. strike.

“If it’s confirmed, they know the consequences, and the consequences will be very powerful, maybe more powerful than the last time,” Trump said.

Iran has insisted that it is no longer enriching uranium at any site in the country, trying to signal to the West that it remains open to potential negotiations over its atomic program. The two leaders discussed

ä See TRUMP, page 5A

Former CEO of Fibrebond explains $240M bonuses Walker looks ahead after sale of Minden-based firm

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

Former Fibrebond CEO Graham Walker is putting his workplace of more than 20 years behind him as he departs the family business.

The Minden-based Fibrebond was sold in April to Eaton, a multinational company with 92,000 employees doing business in more than 175 countries.

On the day after Christmas, Walker spent the morning in his office “getting his last things”

ä See FIBREBOND, page 4A

Director of U.S. Mint has always had love of coins Metairie’s Paul Hollis lands his dream job

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON — At every major life event, Paul Hollis carries a coin his grandmother wore around her neck while she was alive.

It’s not worth much, said the 53-year-old coin expert, who has handled million-dollar sales of rare coins, but it’s his favorite.

The 1925 U.S. Indian Head Quarter Eagle, minted in Denver with a face value of $2.50, is worth

WEATHER HIGH 49 LOW 27 PAGE 6B

about $350 today. The coin was in Hollis’ pocket when he graduated LSU in 1994; when he got married in 1996; when his two children were born in 2003 and 2013; when he was elected to the Legislature in 2011; and then in 2023 when he won a position on the Board Hollis of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Then he held the coin on Dec. 18, when the U.S. Senate confirmed him as the 41st director of the U.S. Mint, the first from Louisiana.

Hollis, of Mandeville, also will be the first mint director who makes his living buying and selling coins.

He wrote a book, published in 2012.

“American Numismatist” recounts the history of coins in context with what was happening in the United States at the time of their production.

After resigning from BESE, he will assume federal office in January.

Hollis says this is his dream job.

When other young boys saw themselves playing center field in MLB, Hollis focused on becoming director of the mint.

“I’ve known what I wanted to do

since I was just a little kid,” Hollis said.

His interest in coins began at the age of 7 when his grandmother, Betty Beasley, of Monroe, gave him a Peace Dollar, engraved with Lady Liberty to remember World War I. “I thought it was the coolest thing,” Hollis recalled. “It started my coin collecting at a very early age.”

Hollis, who will be one of the highest-ranking Louisiana natives in the Trump administration, will be in charge of coins and

PHOTO PROVIDED By PAUL HOLLIS

Paul Hollis holds his favorite coin as the U.S. Senate votes to confirm him as director of the U.S. Mint on ä See COINS, page 4A Dec. 18.

Business ......................6A Commentary ................5B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................6D Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................4B Comics-Puzzles .....3D-5D Living............................1D Sports ..........................1C

101ST yEAR, NO. 183

2A ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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FROM WIRE REPORTS

Families seek answers after Mexico train crash

EL ESPINAL, Mexico — Survivors and families of the victims of a deadly train crash in southern Mexico demanded answers on Monday as the government vowed to investigate what caused a train to derail the day before on a rail line connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Gulf of Mexico.

Thirteen people, including a teenager, died when the Interoceanic Train linking the states of Oaxaca and Veracruz — with 250 people on board — went off the rails on Sunday as it passed by a curve in near a town in Oaxaca. Nearly 110 people were injured.

Videos from the scene show train cars that had fallen off the side of a steep hill into dense jungle below as other cars lay toppled on their side.

In 2023, Mexico’s then-President Andrés Manuel López Obrador inaugurated the train line as part of a government push to expand the railway and connectivity in rural swaths of Mexico.

Hic critics noted that many of the president’s infrastructure projects were quickly constructed, often dodging regulatory bureaucracy and environmental impact studies.

López Obrador’s ally and successor, President Claudia Sheinbaum, told reporters on Monday she was heading to the region and that the train and the infrastructure had been working correctly.

“Our first priority is taking care of the victims,” she said. “The second is rigorously investigate what caused this accident.”

Hector Serrano Garcia, whose 15-year-old daughter Luisa was killed in the crash, was overcome with grief as he gathered with family members in a small funeral home in Oaxaca.

Carmen García, Luisa’s grandmother who was also on the train, begged on Sunday night on social media for help in finding her granddaughter.

Serrano Garcia said the family received the tragic news that Luisa was killed on Monday.

Rain could dampen Rose Parade in Calif.

For the first time in 20 years, rain could be an intruder at the Rose Parade in Southern California, a venerable New Year’s Day event that attracts thousands of spectators and is watched by millions more on TV. Storms caused Christmas week flooding, mudslides and other miseries across the region. Now comes a 90% chance of rain Thursday in Pasadena, according to the National Weather Service.

“We try not to say that word around here,” joked Candy Carlson, a spokesperson for the Pasadena Tournament of Roses, the organization behind the 137th Rose Parade, which precedes the Rose Bowl college football playoff game.

It has rained only 10 times in the parade’s history, she said, and not since 2006.

At the Rose Parade, rare wet weather is unlikely to keep floats, marching bands, entertainers and others from participating.

Carlson said people riding on floats will have rain gear if necessary, and tow trucks will be standing by in case of mechanical problems.

Florida officials suspect bird flu after swans die

ORLANDO, Fla. — A dozen of the iconic swans that live in the heart of downtown Orlando, Florida, have died in recent days of an unknown cause, leading officials to suspect that bird flu is to blame.

The deaths of the swans at Lake Eola don’t appear to be suspicious, Orlando City Commissioner Patty Sheehan said Monday on social media.

About five dozen swans lived at the park before the recent deaths. The last bird flu outbreak in the park was in February 2024.

Because the deaths have taken place during holiday season, the city’s specialized veterinarians weren’t available to do an immediate evaluation. The dead swans were being stored in a secure location so necropsies can be performed and a cause of death determined, the city commissioner said.

“We can’t be certain until tests are completed,” Sheehan said.

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Trump: U.S. ‘hit’ alleged drug boat dock Strike comes amid pressure campaign on Venezuela; few details offered

BY MICHELLE L. PRICE and WILL WEISSERT Associated Press

PALM BEACH, Fla. — President Donald Trump has indicated that the U.S. has “hit” a dock facility along a shore as he wages a pressure campaign on Venezuela, but the U.S. offered few details.

Trump initially seemed to confirm a strike in what appeared to be an impromptu radio interview Friday, and Trump when questioned Monday by reporters about “an explosion in Venezuela,” he said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.”

“There was a major explosion in the dock area where

they load the boats up with drugs,” Trump said as he met in Florida with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. “They load the boats up with drugs, so we hit all the boats and now we hit the area. It’s the implementation area. There’s where they implement. And that is no longer around.”

It is part of an escalating effort to target what the Trump administration says are boats smuggling drugs bound for the United States. It moves closer to shore strikes that so far have been carried out by the military in international waters in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean.

Trump declined to say if the U.S. military or the CIA

carried out the latest strike or where it occurred. He did not confirm it happened in Venezuela.

“I know exactly who it was, but I don’t want to say who it was. But you know it was along the shore,” Trump said.

Trump first referenced the strike on Friday, when he called radio host John Catsimatidis during a program on WABC radio and discussed the U.S. strikes on alleged drug-carrying boats. The attacks have killed at least 105 people in 29 known strikes since early September.

“I don’t know if you read or saw, they have a big plant or a big facility where they send the, you know, where the ships come from,” Trump said. “Two nights ago, we knocked that out.

So, we hit them very hard.”

Trump did not offer any additional details in the interview.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth or one of the U.S. military’s social media accounts has in the past typically announced every boat strike in a post on X, but there has been no post of any strike on a facility.

The Pentagon on Monday referred questions to the White House, which did not immediately respond to a message seeking more details. The press office of Venezuela’s government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s statement.

Trump for months has suggested he may conduct land strikes in South America, in Venezuela or possibly another country, and

in recent weeks has been saying the U.S. would move beyond striking boats and would strike on land “soon.”

In October, Trump confirmed he had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

The agency did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment Monday.

Along with the strikes, the U.S. has sent warships, built up military forces in the region, seized two oil tankers and pursued a third.

The Trump administration has said it is in “armed conflict” with drug cartels and seeking to stop the flow of narcotics into the United States.

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has insisted the real purpose of the U.S. military operations is to force him from power.

China stages military drills around Taiwan

BY KANIS LEUNG Associated Press

HONG KONG — China’s military on Monday dispatched air, navy and missile units to conduct joint live-fire drills around the island of Taiwan, which Beijing called a “stern warning” against separatist and “external interference” forces. Taiwan said it was placing forces on alert and called the Chinese government “the biggest destroyer of peace.”

Taiwan’s aviation authority said more than 100,000 international air travelers would be affected by flight cancellations or diversions.

The drills came after Beijing expressed anger at what could be the largestever U.S. arms sale to the self-ruled territory, and at a statement by Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, saying its military could get involved if China takes action against Taiwan. China says Taiwan must come under its rule.

China’s military did not mention the United States and Japan in its statement on Monday, but Beijing’s foreign ministry accused Taiwan’s ruling party of trying to seek independence

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By WU TAIJING

A Taiwan fighter jet lands Monday at the Hsinchu Airbase in Taiwan. China’s military on Monday dispatched air, navy and missile units to conduct joint live-fire drills around the island. through requesting U.S. support.

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said rapid response exercises were underway, with forces on high alert.

“The Chinese Communist Party’s targeted military exercises further confirm its nature as an aggressor and the biggest destroyer

of peace,” it said.

U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he was not informed of the military exercise in advance but that he was not worried either, because China has been “doing naval exercises for 20 years in that area.”

Touting his “great relationship” with Chinese

Zelenskyy: U.S. offers Ukraine 15-year security guarantee

BY ILLIA NOVIKOV Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — The United States is offering Ukraine security guarantees for a period of 15 years as part of a proposed peace plan, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Monday, though he said he would prefer an American commitment of up to 50 years to deter Russia from further attempts to seize its neighbor’s land by force.

President Donald Trump hosted Zelenskyy at his Florida resort on Sunday and insisted that Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace settlement.

Negotiators are still searching for a breakthrough on key issues, however, including whose forces withdraw from where in Ukraine and the fate of Ukraine’s Russianoccupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, one of the 10 biggest in the world. Trump noted that the monthslong U.S.-led negotiations could still collapse.

“Without security guarantees, realistically, this war will not end,” Zelenskyy told reporters in voice messages responding to questions sent via a WhatsApp chat.

Ukraine has been fight-

ing Russia since 2014, when it illegally annexed Crimea and Moscowbacked separatists took up arms in the Donbas, a vital industrial region in eastern Ukraine.

Details of the security guarantees have not become public, but Zelenskyy said Monday they include how a peace deal would be monitored as well as the “presence” of partners. He didn’t elaborate, but Russia has said it won’t accept the deployment in Ukraine of troops from NATO countries.

Trump on Monday had “a positive call” with Russian President Vladimir Putin about the war, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a post on X. The two leaders had also spoken shortly before Trump’s talks with Zelenskyy on Sunday as the American president tries to steer the countries toward a settlement.

Later, to reporters, the U.S. president similarly characterized the call as “a very good talk” and said “we have a few very thorny issues, as you can imagine” in the negotiations to end the war.

“If we get them resolved, you’re going to have peace,” he added.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Trump is pushing Ukraine

to seek a comprehensive peace agreement and not demand a temporary respite for its military through a ceasefire. Putin has insisted on a full settlement before any truce.

In Monday’s call, Putin told Trump that Ukraine attempted to attack the Russian leader’s residence in northwestern Russia with long-range drones almost immediately after Trump’s Sunday talks with Zelenskyy.

The attack “certainly will not be left without a serious response,” Ushakov said, adding that Moscow will now review its negotiating position.

Zelenskyy denied the Russian claim of an attack, describing it as an attempt to manipulate the peace process. He said it was “another lie” and came about because Moscow is unnerved by progress in peace efforts.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Ukraine launched an attack on Putin’s residence in the Novgorod region overnight from Sunday to Monday using 91 longrange drones.

“I don’t like it. It’s not good,” Trump said of the alleged attack on Putin’s home, confirming the Russian leader informed him of it during their call Monday morning.

President Xi Jinping, Trump suggested he didn’t think Xi was going to attack Taiwan.

Beijing sends warplanes and navy vessels toward the island on a near-daily basis, and in recent years it has stepped up the scope and scale of the exercises.

Senior Col. Shi Yi, spokes-

person of China’s People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command, said the drills would be conducted in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, southwest, southeast and east of the island.

Shi said activities would focus on sea-air combat readiness patrol, “joint seizure of comprehensive superiority” and blockades on key ports. It was the first large-scale military drill where the command publicly mentioned one goal was “all-dimensional deterrence outside the island chain.”

“It is a stern warning against ‘Taiwan independence’ separatist forces and external interference forces, and it is a legitimate and necessary action to safeguard China’s sovereignty and national unity,” Shi said.

China and Taiwan have been governed separately since 1949, when a civil war brought the Communist Party to power in Beijing.

Defeated Nationalist Party forces fled to Taiwan. The island has operated since then with its own government, though the mainland’s government claims it as sovereign territory.

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Bomb cyclone brings blizzards to Midwest Storm system turning east

BY LEAH WILLINGHAM and JEFF MARTIN Associated Press

A strengthening bomb cyclone barreled across the northern U.S. on Monday, unleashing severe winter weather in the Midwest as it took aim at the East Coast.

The storm brought blizzard conditions, treacherous travel and power outages to parts of the Plains and Great Lakes on Monday as sharply colder air, strong winds and a mix of snow, ice and rain swept through.

Forecasters said the storm intensified quickly enough to meet the criteria of a bomb cyclone, a system that strengthens rapidly as pressure drops. The sharp cold front left parts of the central U.S. waking up Monday to temperatures as much as 50 degrees colder than the day before.

All that wind and snow created “a pretty significant system for even this part of the country,” said Cody Snell, a meteorologist with the Weather Prediction Center. Dangerous wind chills plunged as low as minus 30 across parts of North Dakota and Minnesota.

The National Weather Service had warned of whiteout conditions beginning Sunday that could make travel impossible in some places.

In Iowa, blizzard conditions eased by Monday morning but high winds were still blowing fallen snow across roadways, keeping more than 200 miles of Interstate 35 closed. State troopers reported dozens of crashes during the storm, including one that killed a person.

Forecasters expect the storm to intensify, fueled by a sharp clash between frigid Canadian air and lingering warmth across the southern United States.

Nationwide, about 350,000 customers were without power Monday afternoon, more than a third of them in Michigan, according to Poweroutage.us. Airports reported over 6,000 flight delays and around 775 cancellations within the United States.

Snow piled up quickly in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, where as much as 2 feet fell in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. Meteorologist Ryan Metzger said additional snow was expected in the coming days, although totals would be far lighter.

Waves on Lake Superior

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLES KRUPA

Jack, described as a mixed-breed mutt by his owner Shelley, keeps in stride on their Monday afternoon walk in sleet and freezing rain in Manchester, N.H. were expected to reach 20 feet Monday, sending all but one cargo ship into harbors for shelter, according to MarineTraffic.com.

Weather forecasting on the lakes has improved greatly since the Edmund Fitzgerald sank in 1975 after waves were predicted at up to 16 feet.

The fierce winds on Lake Erie sent water surging toward the basin’s eastern end near Buffalo, New York, while lowering water on the western side in Michigan to expose normally submerged

lake bed — even the wreck of a car and a snowmobile.

The National Weather Service said lake levels had risen to just below 8 feet, with the potential to reach 9 feet or more by late Monday, due to the strong southwest wind flow, and predicted “significant lakeshore flooding” along the Lake Erie shoreline of Erie and Chautauqua counties as well as along the upper Niagara River.

Rain and a wintry mix fell farther east across parts of the Northeast. Freezing rain was reported in northern

New York, with the threat extending into Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.

Forecasters warned the ice and wind could strain power lines and trees. More than 57,000 power outages were reported across upstate New York on Monday afternoon, utility officials said. Heavy lake-effect snow and possible whiteouts were forecast Tuesday for the northwestern part of the state, the National Weather Service said.

On the West Coast, the National Weather Service

warned that moderate to strong Santa Ana winds were expected in parts of Southern California through Tuesday, raising concerns about downed trees in areas where soils have been saturated by recent storms. Two more storms were forecast later this week, with rain on New Year’s Day potentially soaking the Rose Parade in Pasadena for the first time in about two decades.

A weekend snowstorm hit Alaska’s northern panhandle with 15 to 40 inches, according to the National Weather Service, keeping the region under a winter storm warning Monday as Juneau braced for up to 9 more inches and possible freezing rain. City facilities were closed and road crews piled snow into towering berms, while communities farther south faced flood watches from snowmelt and heavy rain.

And in central Illinois, an EF1 tornado with peak winds of 98 mph damaged buildings and snapped power poles on Sunday.

Associated Press writers Julie Walker in New York; Corey Williams in Detroit; Margery Beck in Omaha, Nebraska; Susan Haigh in Norwich, Connecticut; and Becky Bohrer in Juneau, Alaska, contributed.

2 N.J. pilots killed in helicopter collision frequented cafe together

BY DAVE COLLINS

Associated Press

Two men who died after their helicopters collided midair in New Jersey over the weekend both earned their private pilot licenses over a decade ago and would often have breakfast together at a cafe near the crash site before taking to the skies from the local airport.

Authorities on Monday identified the two New Jersey men as Kenneth Kirsch, 65, and Michael Greenberg, 71. Witnesses told police that the two helicopters they were piloting Sunday were flying close together just before they crashed in a farm field near the airport in Hammonton, about 35 miles southeast of Philadelphia.

Hammonton Police Chief Kevin Friel said in a statement that Kirsch, of Carney’s Point, was pronounced dead at an area hospital after being flown there, while Green-

berg, of Sewell, died at the crash site.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board were examining the accident site on Monday and determined the debris field is about 100 yards long and contains parts of the main rotors and tail rotors, a spokesperson said. Both helicopters are expected to be removed from the site Tuesday and taken to another location for further review.

A preliminary report is expected in about 30 days, the NTSB said.

Friel said rescuers responded to a report of an aviation crash at about 11:25 a.m. Sunday. Video from the scene shows a helicopter spinning rapidly to the ground. Police and fire crews subsequently extinguished flames that engulfed one of the helicopters.

The Federal Aviation Administration described the crash as a midair collision

between an Enstrom F-28A helicopter and Enstrom 280C helicopter near Hammonton Municipal Airport. Only the pilots were on board.

Kirsch and Greenberg both received their private pilot licenses in 2014, FAA records show. They often stopped at the Apron Cafe next to the airport for breakfast before flying, said the restaurant’s owner, Sal Silipino.

Silipino said Kirsch and Greenberg ate at the cafe shortly before the crash. Patrons watched the helicopters take off from the airport and were stunned when the aircraft fell from the sky, he said.

“It was shocking. Still shaking to see that happen,” Silipino said. “They were just at our cafe having breakfast.

They’re regulars. They come in every week or every other week. They fly in together.

They seem to be very nice people. They were also very kind to the workers and staff

Official says 6 IS militants, 3 police officers killed in clash in Turkey

By The Associated Press ANKARA, Turkey — Islamic State militants clashed with police in northwest Turkey on Monday, leaving three police officers and six militants dead, Turkey’s interior minister said. At least eight other police officers and a night guard were wounded.

The shooting occurred in Elmali district in Yalova province, south of Istanbul, as police stormed a house where the militants were hiding.

Special forces from neighboring Bursa province were dispatched to reinforce the operation.

Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya said the operation in Yalova was one out of more than 100 simultaneous raids

carried out against IS suspects in 15 provinces across the country.

The operation in Yalova was carried out with “great care” because women and children were inside the house where the militants were located, Yerlikaya said. All five women and six children were safely evacuated from the house, he said.

All of the militants were Turkish nationals, the minister told reporters.

The operation began at around 2 a.m. local time and was officially completed at 9:40 a.m, he added.

Meanwhile, the Yalova Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched an investigation, assigning five prosecutors to lead the probe,

Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc said on the X social media platform.

He said five people have been taken into custody as part of the investigation, without providing further information on the suspects.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan offered his condolences for the police officers who were killed and vowed to press ahead with the fight against extremist groups.

“We will continue our fight against the blood-stained killers who threaten our nation’s peace and our state’s security both within our borders and beyond, with determination, comprehensively and without compromise,” he said in a statement posted on X.

PHOTO PROVIDED By WPVI-TV/6ABC

Debris from a helicopter is scattered on the ground Sunday after two helicopters crashed in Hammonton, N.J. and all.”

He said the helicopters’ flights appeared to begin without incident.

“I saw one go down and then I saw the other one go down and there was little bit of disbelief. It’s like, is that really happening?,” Silipino said.

FAA records show Kirsch was the registered owner of one of the helicopters, while

the other aircraft was registered to M&M Charter LLC of Mountville, Pennsylvania. Contact information for M&M Charter could not be immediately found Monday.

Hammonton resident Dan Dameshek told NBC10 that he was leaving a gym when he heard a loud snap and saw two helicopters spinning out of control.

“Immediately, the first

helicopter went from right side up to upside down and started rapidly spinning, falling out of the air,” Dameshek told the TV station. “And then it looked like the second helicopter was OK for a second, and then it sounded like another snap or something ... and then that helicopter started rapidly spinning out of the air.”

Hammonton is a town of about 15,000 people located in Atlantic County in the southern part of New Jersey.

The town has a history of agriculture and is located near the Pine Barrens, a forested wilderness area that covers more than 1 million acres.

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4A ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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SECURITY

normal time of 6:30 p.m. rather than remaining open until 1 a.m., as is typical on New Year’s Eve. “We’re not going to take any chances opening up an entire other venue,” said Collin Arnold, the city’s homeland security chief.

The news conference to discuss security plans comes as New Orleans readies for a moment of reflection and mourning over the at-

tack last year that killed 14 people and injured many others.

Visitors to Bourbon Street in recent weeks have taken in the famous party strip from under a canopy of hand-crafted flags known as the “Second Line in the Sky.” The privately funded memorial is set to remain in place until Jan. 18.

Cantrell administration spokesperson Terry Davis said that the city

is not holding an official memorial service on Jan. 1. But Cantrell and other city officials will be attending a Mass on Sunday hosted by Gov. Jeff Landry at the Immaculate Conception Jesuit Church on Baronne Street. Some church groups and others have also announced events to mark the day.

“We will never forget,” Landry said in a social media post last week, in an announcement of a designated mourning period across Louisiana in the first four days of 2026.

The Sugar Bowl is set to draw tens of thousands of fans to the city this week for the College Football Playoff matchup between Ole Miss and Georgia. While the security plans sought to allay any fears that could arise on the attack’s anniversary, French Quarter residents and leaders have continued to express ongoing concerns about safety and the need for a consistent, long-term solution to draw visitors back to New Orleans’ central tourist district.

The city has yet to install new permanent barriers along Bourbon Street, which officials agree are needed. Instead, officials have relied on temporary steel barriers

the thing that holds a business back is me, you know, the person that’s in charge of leading the business.

So I’ve had to be keenly aware and honest with myself and critical of myself about where or when is the time that I’m the holdback, because the people that work there deserve not to be held back at all.”

By 2024, the family was looking at offers from a dozen possible buyers.

It boiled down, said Walker, to finding the one with the same corporate philosophy and consideration of employees, of one that could help Fibrebond continue to grow and to face the challenges of the market.

Fibrebond’s 12 employees got their start in 1982, building telecommunications equipment in Shreveport.

There were ups and downs, lean years and a devastating fire, but by 2025, as Walker was entering

his 10th year as president/CEO, the company had grown to 540 employees and had launched a $150 million expansion.

The landscape was also continuing to change with the explosive growth of data centers that needed the electrical power modules built at Fibrebond.

In order for the deal with Eaton to fly, Eaton had to be willing to include 15% of the $1.4 billion purchase price as bonuses for the 540 Fibrebond workers.

It followed Fibrebond’s model, said Walker, which had everyone from the CEO to a security guard on the same incentive structure.

“We all won together, we lost together,” he said, and the family was not going to change that at the end.

“The entire family made the decision to have the 15% for employees, a lot of that was grounded in an emphasis on faith and an

emphasis on trying to do the right thing.”

Employees received $240 million. According to The Wall Street Journal, the average bonus was $443,000 to be paid over five years as long as the employee continued to work during that time. Employees who had worked for Fibrebond longer received more.

Walker said employees were told of the sale on March 11, and on March 25, administrative teams began meeting with them in small groups, telling them what the sale would mean to them.

“I had a headache for two days because, you know, I was just constantly on the verge of tears.

But it’s a very emotional thing.

And these are people that you’ve worked with, and you’ve been through just as many hard times as you have been through good times with. I would just say it was really one of the most kind of sacred ex-

Continued from page 1A “We’re leveraging all of our law enforcement resources and public safety partners. ... absolutely taking in what we experienced almost one year ago,” Mayor LaToya Cantrell said. “I believe that we’ve proven, again, since that time, how we have gone the extra mile to ensure the safety again of our residents as well as our visitors.”

The security zone around Bourbon Street has become the new standard for securing sections of downtown during major events since the January 2025 attack exposed vulnerabilities in the city’s event plans.

While the French Quarter has long had a heightened police presence for New Year’s Eve, Carnival and other large gatherings, the measures that the city has put in place for events this year have included additional closures and, notably, the activation of Louisiana guardsmen.

Officials also announced that Crescent Park, a popular spot to watch fireworks over the Mississippi River, will be closed at its

FIBREBOND

Continued from page 1A and walking through the Minden plant, shaking hands and saying goodbyes.

It was emotional, but after several months of assisting with the Eaton transition, it was time.

“It’s a hard thing to step away and to step away graciously, and you know that’s why it doesn’t happen very often. And you know part of it involves making sure your own ego isn’t checking this process and allowing other people to do things that they’re capable of doing.”

Walker began the process of making the tough decision in the early 2020s.

“There comes a point at which, as I told everyone then, and a lot of times since, there’s a point at which

COINS

Continued from page 1A the nation’s gold reserves at Fort Knox, Kentucky.

Facilities in Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco and West Point, New York, press nickels, dimes, quarters and other coins used as currency — but not pennies.

The government minted its last penny on Nov. 12.

President Donald Trump on Feb. 9 ordered Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who will be Hollis’ supervisor, to stop minting pennies because each 1-cent piece, with President Abraham Lincoln’s profile, cost almost four cents to make. Taxpayers were losing about $85 million annually for a little-used coin that most people toss in a bowl at the end of the day.

As Congress has the power to decide coinage, bipartisan legislation was filed to make Trump’s order law.

On Dec. 20, a tongue-incheek funeral was held for the penny at the Lincoln Memorial, which attracted several thousand mourners — many dressed in stovepipe hats like the 16th president favored.

“That decision wasn’t made on my watch, but I wasn’t surprised by it,” Hollis said. “I understand it, and I think it’s the right decision.”

What will be on his watch is the growing imbroglio over whether to engrave Trump’s likeness on a coin.

The Trump administration in October released draft images of the president on a $1 coin.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

New Orleans police officers close reinforced safety barriers along Bourbon Street in the French Quarter on Dec. 23. The barriers are part of heightened security measures implemented to restrict vehicle access and protect pedestrians in the wake of the deadly Jan. 1 Bourbon Street terror attack.

The idea ran into headwinds from political opponents, but more so from a complex web of laws and traditions that forbid putting living presidents on currency.

The mint makes commemorative coins, also legal tender, and the Trump administration hopes that one of those coins remembering the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, will feature the president.

Calvin Coolidge is the only sitting president who had his image on a coin, and it was in celebration of the nation’s 150th birthday.

Senate Democrats filed legislation on Dec. 9 clarifying the rules and to stop Trump from putting his face on a circulating coin.

More controversy arose when Trump discarded plans for the commemorative coins to include images of the abolition of slavery and civil rights. One would’ve shown Ruby Bridges as a 6-yearold girl when she integrated William Frantz Elementary School in New Orleans on Nov. 14, 1960.

New designs are being drafted to depict the more exceptionalist episodes of American history, such as George Washington in the Revolutionary War and James Madison writing the U.S. Constitution.

Hollis wouldn’t comment on these controversies, saying he is not yet in office and hasn’t been briefed. But he is looking forward to visiting people around the country and telling them about the 2026 commemorative coins and their link to American

history.

A lifelong Republican, Hollis is the son of one of the state’s first elected Republicans in modern times, former state Sen. Ken Hollis, of Metairie. He said his late father’s 28 years in public service led him to a similar commitment.

Paul Hollis was born and raised in Metairie, where he graduated in 1990 from Grace King High School.

It was while part of the Louisiana Association of Student Councils that he met Mike Johnson, a student from Captain Shreve High School in Shreveport.

Hollis and Johnson renewed their friendship while both served in the Louisiana House of Representatives.

Johnson, R-Benton, went on to become speaker of the U.S. House.

Hollis said he had shared with Johnson his love of coins over the years. After Trump was elected to a second term in November 2024, Hollis mentioned to Johnson, almost in passing, his lifelong interest in being director.

Upon graduating LSU, Hollis went to work for the Blanchard and Company in New Orleans. One of the nation’s leading numismatic firms, Hollis sold gold bullion and rare coins for about a decade. He then opened Paul Hollis Rare Coins in Covington. He provides coins for the Home Shopping Network and trades with collectors.

His largest sale was a $10 gold coin and a $5 gold coin for $3.75 million in 2021.

Hollis also organized the exhibition of a unique 1844

gold piece that some believe was struck as a special gift to President James Polk, who took office the following year.

“I exhibited my secondfavorite coin at the New Orleans Mint,” Hollis said.

The coin was minted in the building that is now the New Orleans Jazz Museum.

Hollis often visits, but acknowledges that while fascinated by the music created in New Orleans, he rarely goes to the second and third floors where exhibits tell the stories of Louis Prima,

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that can withstand only low-speed crashes, and that are at times shoved aside by Bourbon Street visitors.

A request officials made to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for a higher risk rating for the Sugar Bowl and New Year’s Eve events was denied, Arnold said.

The events have been deemed a “SEAR 3” threat level rather than “SEAR 1” as officials requested, which would have expanded the city’s access to federal resources like bomb-sniffing canine teams, drones, air security and tactical support.

Arnold said that despite the rating, “federal partners” are stepping up with more personnel and law enforcement resources.

“Initially, we were disappointed, but it is what it is,” Arnold said.

“But we have great partnerships with federal authorities here locally ... they’re going to do their part regardless of some ranking on some form.”

Some 350 National Guard members will also remain in the city through Mardi Gras as part of an activation by Landry, who secured approval from the Trump administration that will unlock federal funding.

periences of my life.”

“I can’t imagine I can ever do anything else in my life, certainly in my work career that will top that. That was, that was the best.”

“Eaton was great about (the raises). They’ve been committed to it the entire time. You know, just like they’ve been committed to the business. I mean, a business is only as good as the people there. And so they need the talent that’s sitting in Louisiana to stay engaged in the business. And there’s no better way to do it than this.”

While Walker admits this level of bonus might not become standard operating procedure, he hopes other businesses will see the wisdom in it.

One company contacted him Christmas week to ask questions.

“There are a lot of different ways I think, to accomplish this, to do something really good.”

Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong and the history of jazz.

It’s the first floor that captures Hollis’s attention.

That’s where the exhibits are that show when the building was used to forge coins of every denomination from 1838 to 1909, with a brief lapse during the Civil War. As director, he plans to visit with 1,700 or so employees at operating mints and Fort Knox.

He’ll also attend numismatic shows to discuss coins

and their history as well as the commemorative coins being minted for the nation’s 250th birthday.

“I’ve known what I’ve wanted to do since I was a little kid. And everything has just been me following the cues,” Hollis said. “I’m looking forward to having my office in Washington and hanging a photograph of my dad with (President Ronald) Reagan and a photograph of my grandma when she was young.”

He plans to carry his favorite coin.

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lll

U.S. pledges $2 billion for U.N. humanitarian aid Trump warns agencies must ‘adapt or die’

BY JAMEY KEATEN and MATTHEW LEE Associated Press

GENEVA — The United States on Monday announced a $2 billion pledge for U.N. humanitarian aid as President Donald Trump’s administration slashes U.S. foreign assistance and warns United Nations agencies they must “adapt, shrink or die” in a time of new financial realities.

The money is a small fraction of what the U.S. has contributed in the past but reflects what the administration believes is still a generous amount that will maintain America’s status as the world’s largest humanitarian donor.

“This new model will better share the burden of U.N. humanitarian work with other developed countries and will require the U.N. to cut bloat, remove duplication, and commit to powerful new impact, accountability and oversight mechanisms,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on social media.

The pledge creates an umbrella fund from which money will be doled out to agencies and priorities, a key part of U.S. demands for drastic changes across the U.N. that have alarmed many humanitarian workers and led to severe reductions in programs and services.

The $2 billion is only a sliver of traditional U.S. humanitarian funding for U.N.-coordinated

TRUMP

Continued from page 1A the possibility of taking new military action against Tehran just months after June’s 12-day war.

The Iranian mission to the United Nations did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Trump’s warning.

Trump, with Netanyahu by his side, said he wants to get to the second phase of the Gaza deal “as quickly as we can.”

“But there has to be a disarming of Hamas,” Trump added.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas that Trump championed has mostly held, but progress has slowed recently. Both sides accuse each other of violations, and divisions have emerged among the U.S., Israel and Arab countries about the path forward.

The truce’s first phase began in October, days after the two-year anniversary of the initial Hamas-led attack on Israel that killed about 1,200 people. All but one of the 251 hostages taken then have been released, alive or dead.

The Israeli leader, who also met separately with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, has signaled he is in no rush to move forward with the next phase as long as the remains of Ran Gvili are still in Gaza.

Gvili’s parents met with Netanyahu as well as Rubio, U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-

programs, which has run as high as $17 billion annually in recent years, according to U.N. data. U.S. officials say only $8 billion to $10 billion of that has been in voluntary contributions. The United States also pays billions in annual dues related to its U.N. membership.

“The piggy bank is not open to organizations that just want to return to the old system,” Jeremy Lewin, the State Department official in charge of foreign assistance, said at a news conference Monday in Geneva. “President Trump has made clear that the system is dead.”

The State Department said “individual U.N. agencies will need to adapt, shrink, or die.” Critics say the Western aid cutbacks have been shortsighted, driven millions toward hunger, displacement or disease, and harmed U.S. soft power around the world.

The move caps a crisis year for many U.N. organizations, including its refugee, migration and food aid agencies. The Trump administration has already cut billions in U.S. foreign aid, prompting the agencies to slash spending, aid projects and thousands of jobs.

Other traditional Western donors have reduced outlays, too.

The U.S. pledge for aid programs of the United Nations — the world’s top provider of humanitarian assistance and biggest recipient of U.S. humanitarian aid money —

law, Jared Kushner, in Florida on Monday.

“They’re waiting for their son to come home,” Trump said of the family of the young police officer known affectionately as “Rani.”

The path to implementing Trump’s peace plan is certainly complicated.

If successful, the second phase would see the rebuilding of a demilitarized Gaza under international supervision by a group chaired by Trump and known as the Board of Peace. The Palestinians would form a “technocratic, apolitical” committee to run daily affairs in Gaza, under Board of Peace supervision.

It further calls for normalized relations between Israel and the Arab world and a possible pathway to Palestinian independence.

Then there are thorny logistical and humanitarian questions, including rebuilding war-ravaged Gaza, disarming Hamas and creating a security apparatus called the International Stabilization Force.

Two main challenges have complicated moving to the second phase, according to an official who was briefed on those meetings. Israeli officials have been taking a lot of time to vet and approve members of the Palestinian technocratic committee from a list given to them by the mediators, and Israel continues its military strikes.

Trump’s plan also calls for the stabilization force, proposed as a multinational body, to maintain security.

But it, too, has yet to be formed. Whether details will

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By MARWAN ALI

Women displaced from El-Fasher stand in line to receive food aid at the newly established El-Afadh camp in Al Dabbah, in Sudan’s Northern State, on Nov. 16. takes shape in a preliminary deal with the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA, run by Tom Fletcher, a former British diplomat and government official.

Fletcher, who has spent the past year lobbying U.S. officials not to abandon U.N. funding altogether, appeared optimistic at the deal’s signing in Geneva.

“It’s a very, very significant landmark contribution. And a month ago, I would have anticipated the number would have been zero,” he told reporters. “And so I think, before worrying about what we haven’t got, I’d like to look at the

be forthcoming after Monday’s meeting is unclear.

A Western diplomat said there is a “huge gulf” between the U.S.-Israeli understanding of the force’s mandate and that of other major countries in the region, as well as European governments.

All spoke on the condition of anonymity to provide details that haven’t been made public.

The U.S. and Israel want the force to have a “commanding role” in security duties, including disarming Hamas and other militant groups. But countries being courted to contribute troops fear that mandate will make it an “occupation force,” the diplomat said.

Hamas has said it is ready to discuss “freezing or storing” its arsenal of weapons but insists it has a right to armed resistance as long as Israel occupies Palestinian territory. One U.S. official said a potential plan might be to offer cash incentives in exchange for weapons, echoing a “buyback” program Witkoff has previously floated.

The two leaders, who have a long and close relationship, heaped praise on each other. Trump also tweaked the Israeli leader, who at moments during the war has raised Trump’s ire, for being “very difficult on occasion.”

Netanyahu said Trump during the lunch was formally told that his country’s education ministry will award him the Israel Prize, breaking the long-held convention of bestowing the honor on an Israeli citizen or resident.

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millions of people whose lives will be saved, whose lives will be better because of this contribution, and start there.”

Even as the U.S. pulls back its aid contributions, needs have ballooned worldwide: Famine has been recorded this year in parts of conflict-ridden Sudan and Gaza, and floods, drought and natural disasters that many scientists attribute to climate change have taken many lives or driven thousands from their homes.

The cuts will have major implications for U.N. affiliates like the International Organization for Migration, the World Food Program

“President Trump has broken so many conventions to the surprise of people,” Netanyahu said. He added, “So we decided to break a convention too, or create a new one.”

Trump also renewed his call on Israeli President Isaac Herzog to grant Netanyahu, who is in the midst of a corruption trial, a pardon.

Netanyahu is the only sitting prime minister in Israeli history to stand trial, after being charged with fraud, breach of trust and

and refugee agency UNHCR. They have already received billions less from the U.S. this year than under annual allocations from the Biden administration — or even during Trump’s first term.

Now, the idea is that Fletcher’s office — which has aimed to improve efficiency — will become a funnel for U.S. and other aid money that can be redirected to those agencies, rather than scattered U.S. contributions to a variety of individual appeals for aid.

Asked by reporters if the U.S. language of “adapt or die” worried him, Fletcher said, “If the choices are adapt or die, I choose adapt.”

U.S. officials say the $2 billion is just a first outlay to help fund OCHA’s annual appeal for money.

Fletcher, noting the upended aid landscape, already slashed the request this year. Other traditional U.N. donors like Britain, France, Germany and Japan have reduced aid allocations and sought reforms this year.

“This humanitarian reset at the United Nations should deliver more aid with fewer tax dollars — providing more focused, resultsdriven assistance aligned with U.S. foreign policy,” U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said.

At its core, the changes will help establish pools of funding that can be directed either to specific crises or countries in need. A total of 17 countries will be initially targeted, including Bangladesh, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Syria and Ukraine.

accepting bribes in three separate cases accusing him of exchanging favors with wealthy political supporters.

Trump has previously written to Herzog to urge a pardon and advocated for one during his October speech before the Knesset. He said Monday that Herzog has told him “it’s on its way” without offering further details.

“He’s a wartime prime minister who’s a hero. How do you not give a pardon?”

Trump said.

Herzog’s office said in a statement that the Israeli

president and Trump have not spoken since the pardon request was submitted, but that Herzog has spoken with a Trump representative about the U.S. president’s letter advocating for Netanyahu’s pardon.

“During that conversation, an explanation was provided regarding the stage of the process in which the request currently stands, and that any decision on the matter will be made in accordance with the established procedures,” the Israeli president’s office said.

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Protests erupt in Iran over currency’s plunge

TEHRAN, Iran — Iran’s largest protests in three years erupted Monday after the country’s currency plummeted to a record low against the U.S. dollar, and the head of the Central Bank resigned.

State TV reported the resignation of Mohammad Reza Farzin, while traders and shopkeepers rallied in Saadi Street in downtown Tehran as well as in the Shush neighborhood near Tehran’s main Grand Bazaar. Merchants at the market played a crucial role in the 1979 Islamic Revolution that ousted the monarchy and brought Islamists to power.

The official IRNA news agency confirmed the protests. Witnesses reported similar rallies in other major cities including Isfahan in central Iran, Shiraz in the south and Mashhad in the northeast. In some places in Tehran, police fired tear gas to disperse protesters.

Monday’s protests were the biggest since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Jina Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. She was arrested by the country’s morality police for allegedly not wearing her hijab properly.

Witnesses said traders shut their shops Monday and asked others to do the same. The semiofficial ILNA news agency said many businesses stopped trading even though some kept their shops open.

On Sunday, protests were limited to two major mobile markets in downtown Tehran, where the demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans.

Iran’s rial on Sunday plunged to 1.42 million to the dollar. On Monday, it traded at 1.38 million to the dollar.

Reports about Farzin’s possible resignation had been circulating over the past week. When he took office in 2022, the rial was trading at around 430,000 to the dollar.

The rapid depreciation is compounding inflationary pressure, pushing up prices of food and other daily necessities and further straining household budgets, a trend that could worsen with a gasoline price change introduced in recent days.

New York subway ends its MetroCard era NEW YORK — When the MetroCard replaced the New York City subway token in 1994, the swipeable plastic card infused much-needed modernity into one of the world’s oldest and largest transit systems.

Now, more than three decades later, the gold-hued fare card and its notoriously finicky magnetic strip are following the token into retirement.

The last day to buy or refill a MetroCard is Wednesday as the transit system fully transitions to OMNY, a contactless payment system that allows riders to tap their credit card, phone or other smart device to pay fares, much like they do for other everyday purchases.

Transit officials say more than 90% of subway and bus trips are now paid using the tap-and-go system, introduced in 2019.

Major cities around the world, including London and Singapore, have long used similar contactless systems. In the U.S., San Francisco launched a pay-go system earlier this year, joining Chicago and others.

The humble MetroCard may have outlasted its useful life, but in its day it was revolutionary, says Jodi Shapiro, curator at the New York Transit Museum in Brooklyn, which opened an exhibit earlier this month reflecting on the MetroCard’s legacy.

Before MetroCards, bus and subway riders relied on tokens, the brass-colored coins introduced in 1953 that were purchased from station booths.

When the subway opened in 1904, paper tickets cost just a nickel, or about $1.82 in today’s dollars.

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Market slips as year winds down

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE

Associated Press

NEW YORK — Stocks slipped in quiet trading on Wall Street Monday to kick off another holiday-shortened week.

The losses have little impact on the broader annual gains for major indexes as they close out their final days of the year. There are two trading days left before the year ends. Markets in the U.S. will be closed Thursday for New Year’s Day. The S&P 500 fell 24.20 points, or 0.3%, to 6,905.74. The benchmark index is still up more than 17% for the year and it remains on track for its eighth monthly gain in a row.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 249.04 points, or 0.5%, to 48,461.93. The Nasdaq composite fell 118.75 points, or 0.5%, to 23,474.35.

Big technology stocks with outsized valuations were among the heaviest weights on the market.

Nvidia fell 1.2% and Broadcom fell 0.8%. Investor optimism about the future of artificial intelligence has been driving the sector mostly higher all year and pushing the broader market to a series of records.

Technology stocks have been more unsteady as the year heads to a close, though. They mostly slipped in November and have only notched modest gains through December.

Nvidia and several other companies focusing on AI or benefiting heavily from the developing technology have become some of the most valuable in the world.

Investors have seemingly become more skeptical about whether the eventual payoff will make the hefty investments worthwhile.

Energy stocks gained ground along with rising oil prices. U.S. benchmark crude jumped 2.4% to settle at $58.08 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, rose 2.1% to settle at $61.94 a barrel. Exxon Mobil rose 1.2%.

Gold and silver prices pulled back from their recent sharp gains after the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, one of the world’s largest trading floors for commodities, asked traders to put up more cash to make bets on precious metals.

The price of gold fell 4.6%, though prices for the precious metal are still up about 64% for the year. Silver prices slumped 8.7%, but they have still more than doubled overall in 2025.

Treasury yields fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.11% from 4.13% late Friday.

Treasury yields have fallen significantly from the start of the year.

That’s partly due to initial anticipation for cuts and eventual cuts to interest rates in 2025 from the Federal Reserve. The central bank cut its benchmark interest rate three times later in the year. At the same time, it started facing a more complicated economic situation, where inflation remained stubbornly high while the job market started slowing.

The central bank cut rates with the aim of offsetting the impact on the economy from a slowdown in jobs growth.

That risks heating up inflation that is already stubbornly above the central bank’s target rate of 2%. Interest rate cuts could boost the economy by making loans less expensive, but that benefit could be nullified by rising inflation stunting economic growth.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By GODOFREDO A. VÁSQUEZ

A man records a humanoid robot inside the exhibition room at the Humanoids Summit in Mountain View, Calif.

AI BOOM SPARKS INTEREST IN HUMANOID ROBOTS Conference shows off prototypes, but many still skeptical

BY MATT O’BRIEN AP technology writer

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. — Robots have long been seen as a bad bet for Silicon Valley investors — too complicated, capital-intensive and “boring, honestly,” says venture capitalist Modar Alaoui.

But the commercial boom in artificial intelligence has lit a spark under long-simmering visions to build humanoid robots that can move their mechanical bodies like humans and do things that people do.

Alaoui, founder of the Humanoids Summit, gathered more than 2,000 people earlier this month, including top robotics engineers from Disney, Google and dozens of startups, to showcase their technology and debate what it will take to accelerate a nascent industry.

Alaoui says many researchers now believe humanoids or some other kind of physical embodiment of AI are “going to become the norm.”

“The question is really just how long it will take,” he said.

Disney’s contribution to the field, a walking robotic version of “Frozen” character Olaf, will be roaming on its own through Disneyland theme parks in Hong Kong and Paris early next year. Entertaining and highly complex robots that resemble a human — or a snowman — are already here, but the timeline for “general purpose” robots that are a productive member of a workplace or household is farther away.

Even at a conference designed to build enthusiasm for the technology, held at a Computer History Museum that’s a temple to Silicon Valley’s previous breakthroughs, skepticism remained high that truly humanlike robots will take root anytime soon.

yuka Iwashita, right, interacts with a robotic hand at the AltBionics table.

“The humanoid space has a very, very big hill to climb,” said Cosima du Pasquier, cofounder of Haptica Robotics, which works to give robots a sense of touch.

“There’s a lot of research that still needs to be solved.”

The Stanford University postdoctoral researcher came to the conference in Mountain View, California, just a week after incorporating her startup.

“The first customers are really the people here,” she said.

Researchers at the consultancy McKinsey & Company have counted about 50 companies around the world that have raised at least $100 million to develop humanoids, led by about 20 in China and 15 in North America.

China is leading in part due to government incentives for component production and robot adoption and a mandate last year “to have a humanoid ecosystem established by 2025,” said McKinsey partner Ani Kelkar. Displays

by Chinese firms dominated the expo section of the summit. The conference’s most prevalent humanoids were those made by China’s Unitree, in part because researchers in the

U.S. buy the relatively cheap model to test their own software.

In the U.S., the advent of generative AI chatbots like OpenAI’s ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini has jolted the decades-old robotics industry in different ways. Investor excitement has poured money into ambitious startups aiming to build hardware that will bring a physical presence to the latest AI. But it’s not just crossover hype — the same technical advances that made AI chatbots so good at language have played a role in teaching robots how to get better at performing tasks.

Paired with computer vision, robots powered by “visual-language” models are trained to learn about their surroundings.

One of the most prominent skeptics is robotics pioneer Rodney Brooks, a co-founder of Roomba vacuum maker iRobot who wrote in September that “today’s humanoid robots will not learn how to be dexterous despite the hundreds of millions, or perhaps many billions of dollars, being donated by VCs and major tech companies to pay for their training.” Brooks didn’t attend but his essay was frequently mentioned.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 7A

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Court releases transcript from hearing in Kirk killing Proceedings discussed if defendant must be shackled

BY MATTHEW BROWN and HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A Utah judge on Monday ordered the release of a transcript from a closed-door hearing in October over whether the man charged with killing Charlie Kirk must be shackled during court proceedings.

State District Judge Tony Graf said public transparency was “foundational” to the judicial system before ordering the release of details from the Oct. 24 closed hearing. Attorneys for media outlets including The Associ-

Tyler Robinson with aggravated murder in the Sept. 10 shooting of the conservative activist on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem.

They plan to seek the death penalty. Robinson has not yet entered a plea.

In a 97-page transcript released later Monday, attorneys for Robinson argued that widespread videos and photos of him shackled and in jail clothing could create bias against him among potential jurors. Defense attorney Richard Novak said prohibiting cameras would be “very easy” for the court to THE SALT LAKE TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO By RICK EGAN enforce and could help curb prejudice.

Fourth District Court Judge Tony Graf presides over a hearing visual “We’re not litigating this Dec. 11 for Tyler Robinson, who is accused of fatally case in the press,” Novak shooting Charlie Kirk, in Provo, Utah. said during the Oct. 24 hearing.

The transcript contained ated Press had argued for ac- attorneys suggested a ban cess because they said it was on cameras in the courtroom. limited redactions to reProsecutors have charged move discussions of secualso the first time defense

rity protocols in the closely watched case. Graf also ordered the release of an audio recording of the hearing, again with redactions.

Robinson was not present in court Monday and appeared via audio feed from the Utah County Jail.

Graf has not ruled on the defense’s suggestion to ban cameras, but he has implemented other limitations.

Days after the closed-door hearing, Graf ruled that Robinson could wear civilian clothes in pretrial hearings but must also wear restraints to ensure the safety of court staff and Robinson himself. Utah court rules require defendants who are in custody to be restrained or supervised at all times unless otherwise ordered.

Graf also prohibited media outlets from publishing photos, videos and live broad-

casts that show Robinson’s restraints to help protect his presumption of innocence before a trial.

The judge briefly stopped a media livestream of a hearing earlier this month and ordered the camera be moved after Robinson’s attorneys said the stream showed the defendant’s shackles. Graf said he would terminate future broadcasts if there were further violations.

Lawyers for the media wrote in recent filings that an open court “safeguards the integrity of the fact-finding process” while fostering public confidence in judicial proceedings. Criminal cases in the U.S. have long been open to the public, which the attorneys argued is proof that trials can be conducted fairly without restricting reporters.

No motive revealed in killing of California farmer’s estranged wife

By The Associated Press HOLBROOK, Ariz. — Investigators declined to reveal the suspected motive in the shooting death of a prominent California farmer’s estranged wife in eastern Arizona, but they said the couple’s prolonged divorce case arose in nearly all interviews with family and friends.

Michael Abatti, 63, was arrested last week in El Centro, California, in the shooting death of Kerri Ann Abatti,

59, at her family’s vacation home in Pinetop, Arizona, where she moved after splitting with her husband.

Investigators, who discussed the case at a news conference Monday, say Michael Abatti traveled from El Centro to Pinetop on Nov. 20, carried out the killing and returned to California early the next morning. They declined to say what occurred at the Pinetop house in the last days of Kerri Abatti’s life.

“Different theories will

come up,” Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse said of the motive. “The only thing that’s glaring that I think everybody already knows is there’s a divorce in place and they weren’t able to come to a resolution. But I can’t speak exactly to what the motive would be.”

Owen Roth, one of Michael Abatti’s attorneys, said his client surrendered to law enforcement, agreed to be extradited to Arizona and remains innocent under the

law. “Our client is in his mid60s and has significant health issues, and we continue to worry about his well-being,” Roth said. “We ask the public to respect his privacy and constitutional rights and reiterate that this case will be decided based on the evidence by a jury.” An autopsy report released Monday said Kerri Abatti’s cause of death was a gunshot wound to the head.

The report said she was found unconscious on the floor near her kitchen by her

nephew, who told investigators he heard a loud sound before finding her. When investigators searched the home they found a “circular defect” on a window and determined “a gunshot likely originated from the yard outside the home,” the autopsy report said.

The Associated Press left a message for the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office for further explanation. The medical examiner’s office in Coconino County, which con-

ducted the autopsy, directed questions about the report to a Navajo County official, and the AP also left a message for the official. A descendant of early Latter-day Saints settlers who helped found Pinetop in the 1880s, Kerri had filed for divorce, with proceedings pending in California at the time of her death.

Authorities searched his home in far Southern California on Dec. 2 as part of the investigation into his wife’s death.

Judge dismisses criminal case against streamer held in immigration custody immigration detention.

U.S. District Judge FerLOS ANGELES — A federal nando Olguin issued a ruljudge has dismissed a crimi- ing Saturday dismissing an nal case against a popular Los indictment against Carlitos Angeles TikTok streamer, cit- Ricardo Parias, who is known ing constitutional violations for documenting police and after his lawyers were denied immigration enforcement access to him while he was in activity online. Parias’ rights

By The Associated Press

were violated when federal authorities repeatedly failed to allow his criminal defense lawyers to visit or speak with him in immigration detention so he could prepare for trial this week, Olguin wrote, adding that the dismissal was with prejudice, which pre-

vents the government from refiling the same charges against him again.

“In short, the government’s failure to coordinate the overlapping actions of its separate agencies while relentlessly pursuing Mr. Parias’s criminal proceedings created a sit-

uation from which constitutional violations could — and did — occur,” Olguin wrote.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles said in a statement that the agency is evaluating its options for appeal. “We strongly disagree with the court’s version of the

facts as well as its legal conclusions,” the statement said.

Parias was indicted last month and pleaded not guilty to charges of assault on a federal officer using a deadly or dangerous weapon and depredation of government property.

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Chilly New Year’s Eve in store

But first day of 2026 will be warmer

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

People planning to celebrate New Year’s Eve outside with fireworks in the Baton Rouge area should be prepared for some bone-chilling weather.

While an improvement over Tuesday’s predicted overnight subfreezing low of 30 degrees, Wednesday night will still be cold, dipping to 38.

But a quick warmup is on the way, with a balmy New Year’s Day in store, according to the National Weather Service.

A strong cold front that barreled into the area on Monday brought the freezing temperatures, said Kevin Gilmore, a meteorologist with the weather service.

New Year’s Eve will be sunny, with a high near 58 expected, Gilmore said.

But “you’ll want to grab the jacket if you’re outside watching fireworks” that night, he added.

By New Year’s Day, the cold front will be out of the area and temperatures will bound upward by 8 to 10 degrees, Gilmore said.

The first day of the new year will be mostly sunny, with a high near 67 and a low around 53.

“It will be a really nice day for us,” Gilmore said.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

While an improvement over Tuesday’s predicted overnight subfreezing low of 30 degrees, Wednesday night will still be cold, dipping to 38.

Man on scooter killed in parking lot crash The driver of an electric scooter died Friday after being struck by a car in a gas station parking lot, Baton Rouge police said.

The crash occurred about 9:40 p.m. Friday at the Racetrac at 7648 Perkins Road, the Baton CRIME Rouge Police DeBLOTTER partment said in a staff news release.

The driver of a reports 2020 Nissan Kicks traveling northbound on Staring Lane turned right into the parking lot of the gas station and struck the scooter, police said.

The driver of the scooter, Andrew McMullen, 29, was taken to the hospital, where he later died of his injuries, police said.

The driver of the Nissan consented to field sobriety testing and a blood draw. At this time, impairment is not suspected and blood test results are pending analysis, police said.

Anyone with information about the crash is asked to call Crime Stoppers at (225) 344-7867.

Impairment suspected in fatal collision A head-on crash Sunday in Port Allen that took the life of a 34-year-old woman is suspected to have involved impairment and remains under investigation, State Police said.

Police said Tyesha Banford, of Ethel, was driving a 2013 Chevrolet Malibu south about 6:30 p.m. in the northbound lane of La. 1 near Main Street as a 2013 GMC Terrain was traveling north.

The two vehicles crashed headon, State Police said in a news release.

Banford died at the scene. The other driver was taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Toxicology samples were submitted for analysis, State Police said.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Alyssa Moran adds her tree to the pile at Highland Road Community Park for BREC’s Live Christmas Tree Recycling program on Monday in Baton Rouge.

Cleaning up Christmas Trees create mulch, compost set for parks Christmas trees are coming down, and residents in East Baton Rouge Parish have two options to dispose of them.

Either way, the trees will be turned into mulch and compost to be used for landscaping and community gardens in parks around the parish, officials said.

Residents can take their trees to any of the following BREC parks through Jan. 16: n Flannery Road Park, 801 Flannery Road n Highland Road Community Park, 4024 Highland Road n Memorial Sports Complex, 1702 Foss St. n Scotlandville Parkway, 3200 Harding Blvd. n Plank Road Park, 9550 Plank Road n Zachary Community Park, 20055 Old Scenic Highway.

Or, residents can put their trees curbside to be collected on the regularly scheduled “out-of-cart” trash pickup days, according to the city-parish.

South Louisiana ICE contractor pleads guilty to assault Worker admits to ‘relationship’

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Staff writer

A former detention officer at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile pleaded guilty Monday in federal court in Lafayette to one count of sexual abuse of a ward or individual in federal custody.

David Courvelle, 56, entered a plea deal with prosecutors and pleaded

guilty before U.S. District Judge Robert Summerhays.

Courvelle was a contract detention officer at the facility in Evangeline Parish managed by the GEO Group between Jan. 1 and July 30, according to court records.

Around Jan. 1, Courvelle allegedly began a personal and romantic “relationship” with a Nicaraguan ward at the detention center, Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Johnson said in court.

Johnson said the contact “was not forced.”

Between May and July 30, the document states, Courvelle had sexual contact multiple times with the detainee. He purchased gifts and food for the detainee, and gave her photographs of her daughter.

Courvelle allegedly arranged for other detainees to serve as lookouts while he and the detainee with the initials C.H. met in a janitorial closet, Johnson said in court.

On July 16, Johnston said, staff at the detention center saw Courvelle and C.H. exiting the janitorial closet.

Courvelle was transferred to another

detention block and resigned after learning there were recordings of calls between him and C.H. In a September interview with ICE representatives, Johnson said, Courvelle denied the activity, but about 30 minutes later admitted he had a “relationship” with C.H. Courvelle is set to appear April 10 before Summerhays for sentencing.

He was released Monday on a $10,000 unsecured appearance bond.

Summerhays said Courvelle could face up to 15 years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, supervised release of

up to three years and ordered to pay a $100 special assessment.

A civil-rights complaint was filed in September with the Department of Homeland Security alleging former assistant warden Manuel Reyes, prison officers and ICE employees at the South Louisiana ICE Processing Center in Basile subjected a woman and three transgender people to abuse from 2023 to 2025.

The facility is operated by GEO Group Inc. and houses females and detainees of various gender identities.

2B ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LET THE GAMES BEGIN Suzanne McKamey dances as the Third Line Brass Band performs while Sugar Bowl President Dottie Reese welcomes members of the Georgia football team upon their arrival at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport in Kenner on Monday ahead of the Allstate Sugar Bowl.

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Lafayette Catholic diocese faces more lawsuits At least 13 were filed in 2025 alleging sexual abuse

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

At least 13 lawsuits were filed in 2025, one as recently as Dec. 17, against the Catholic Diocese of Lafayette, alleging sexual abuse by priests and other employees against minors across Acadiana, bringing the total pending lawsuits filed since June 2024 to about 50.

The Louisiana Supreme Court in June 2024 upheld a Louisiana law giving abuse survivors a threeyear window — until June 14, 2027 — to sue for damages.

The Catholic Diocese of Lafayette had challenged a 2021 “look back” law, arguing in court that it violated due process rights. The Supreme Court disagreed, opening the door for victims to file lawsuits against the diocese, churches and

others.

The lawsuits filed in 2025 in the 15th Judicial District, which includes Lafayette, involve allegations of abuse at churches and schools in Church Point in Acadia Parish, Abbeville and Gueydan in Vermilion Parish, East Cameron in Cameron Parish, Grand Prairie in St. Landry Parish, Breaux Bridge in St. Martin Parish, Berwick in St. Mary Parish and New Iberia in Iberia Parish.

One of the lawsuits was filed in August by Ken Seward of Virginia, the husband of a deceased victim who allegedly reported her abuse to diocesan leaders under three bishops. Instead of being fired, her alleged abuser was sent to counseling and later promoted to monsignor. The victim’s entire file with the diocese allegedly disappeared.

Two of the most recent lawsuits allege abuse by former priest Gilbert Gauthe, a defrocked Acadiana clergyman who is believed to be the first priest in the country to be criminally indicted for sexually abusing hundreds of children.

Gauthe pleaded guilty to molesting 34 children and was sentenced

in 1985 to 20 years in prison. He was released after serving only 10 years and today lives in Dickinson, Texas, between Houston and Galveston.

A May lawsuit alleges an altar boy at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in New Iberia in the 1970s was abused by the Rev. Ronald Layne Fontenot every time he attended church between 1975 and 1977.

On one occasion, the victim alleges, he was brought to the bedroom of Gauthe at the church rectory, where he alleges he was raped.

Court hearings are scheduled in several of the lawsuits in 2026.

Seward’s lawsuit goes before 15th Judicial District Court Judge Thomas Duplantier in February.

The diocese is attempting to dismiss the lawsuit because the victim is deceased, because the plaintiff has not produced a certificate of merit from a mental health practitioner and because a lawsuit filed by the victim before her death is pending in the 15th Judicial District.

Fifteenth Judicial District Court Judge Michelle Breaux in Novem-

ber ruled on three motions by the diocese in a case filed in July by a defendant alleging he was sexually assaulted by Stanley Begnaud, a priest at St. Stephen Catholic Church in Berwick in the 1960s.

Breaux denied the diocese’s motion alleging no cause in vicarious liability and negligent infliction of emotional distress in the case.

The judge sustained a defense motion alleging nonconformity and ordered the victim to file under seal his full name. Breaux also sustained a motion of no cause of action, writing that any causes of action based on any Ecclesiastical Doctrine, Canon Law, clergy malpractice or other religious documents are dismissed with prejudice.

In October 2024, 15th Judicial District Judge Thomas Frederick shot down several court challenges by Gil Dozier, attorney for the diocese, but granted one. Frederick ordered the plaintiff to file a document under seal with the victim’s full name, date of birth, Social Security number and current address.

Frederick said the law requires a

name to file a lawsuit. Most of the sex abuse victims file lawsuits under pseudonyms.

Reagan Thomas, an attorney in Florida who represents 12 victims in the Diocese of Lafayette, including two who allegedly were abused

by Gauthe, said it is not necessary to re-traumatize victims and stir up the shame and fear from the abuse by forcing them to identify themselves, even when the file is sealed.

“Judges all over the country allow child sex abuse victims to use pseudonyms” in sex abuse cases, Thomas said.

She said the tactic is meant to intimidate victims and delay the cases.

“The dilatory tactics are extraordinary,” Thomas said. “There’s no forward motion on any of these cases.”

Thomas said she and other attorneys on similar cases against the diocese “are sick of the game. We want to move forward and give our clients their day in court.”

A spokesperson for the Diocese of Lafayette did not return a call for comment on this story.

French Quarter road work halted by archaeological discovery Artifacts found under St. Peter Street were buttons, coins and clues about N.O. fires

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

Construction on a $9 million project to replace water mains running through the heart of the French Quarter came to a halt in early November after archaeologists monitoring the project discovered more than 1,000 artifacts and a layer of burnt clay containing clues about two devastating 18th-century fires.

The archaeological find was located nearly 5 feet below ground on St. Peter Street between Chartres and Royal streets, according to a document the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent on Dec. 23 to more than two dozen city and state agencies, civic associations and neighborhood groups notifying them of the development.

“Assessment is still ongoing,” said the FEMA document, known as an unexpected discovery plan.

“However, the interpretation thus far is that the burn layers represent the Fire of 1788 and the Fire of 1794.”

It is not clear how long construction work was delayed by the find or if work has resumed. In its document, FEMA, which is helping fund the project, said it expected excavation at the site to be completed by Dec. 19.

The findings are significant from a historical perspective, according to the FEMA document. They contain information about the “intensity of burn and level of destruction along the 600 block of St. Peter Street” during the fires, which

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Signs at the corner of St. Peter and Royal streets alert pedestrians to open businesses around road construction in the French Quarter. destroyed much of the known city at the time, as well as “reconstruction efforts implemented in their aftermath.”

But from the perspective of local business owners, the discovery is the latest setback for a project that has already faced delays and has proven to be a major disruption in the French Quarter at the end of what was already a slow year.

“I had not heard a thing about this and all I can do is laugh at this point,” said restaurateur Dickie Brennan, whose family of restaurants includes Tableau in the 600 block of St. Peter near the excavation site. “This project is sloppy and has been dragging on forever.

It is utterly ridiculous.”

On Monday morning, construction was underway at the site, according to several retailers on the block who saw workers. But it was not clear whether the work was related to the archaeological exca-

vation or to the pipe replacements.

FEMA did not respond to multiple requests for comment. The New Orleans Sewerage & Water Board was unable to provide information in response to questions as of Monday afternoon. City Hall did not respond to a request for comment.

Months of disruption Construction on the French Quarter Transmission Main Project began in mid-July and involved tearing up some of the most heavily traveled blocks of St. Peter and Decatur streets to replace 115-year-old water mains.

When the work began, merchants and property owners were told to expect disruptions and were warned the project could take a year to complete.

Still, the reality has been worse than many feared. The street has been reduced to a mess of

dirt, fences and cones, with tall fences obscuring the signage and entrances of businesses. The obstructions have made it hard to attract visitors to the street, and the pace of construction has appeared maddeningly slow.

“I’ve never seen a construction project where five days go by and we won’t see one worker on the site,” Brennan said. “In New York, this would have been done at night, in a week’s time and they would never have shut down the street.

Now, it appears that at least part of the reason for the delay is the archaeological discovery.

According to the FEMA document, the S&WB’s on-site archaeological monitoring firm found evidence of an intact archaeological deposit on Nov. 4.

“Work was immediately halted while the archaeologist began a site assessment and the SWBNO implemented additional security measures,” the document said.

The site is roughly 8.5 feet long and 4 feet wide with cultural deposits consisting of “brick fragments, artifacts and a layer of burnt clay.” Although the site is “heavily disturbed from previous utility work,” according to the report, “intact strata shows two burn events are represented” in the clay.

The 1788 fire destroyed more than 800 buildings representing nearly 80% of the structures in the French Quarter at the time.

Its rapid spread has been attributed, in part, to its timing.

It occurred on Good Friday and priests refused to allow church bells to be rung as an alarm.

The 1794 fire, though smaller, destroyed nearly 300 structures.

In addition to the clay deposits, over 1,000 artifacts have been recovered at the site, according

to the FEMA document. They include a pewter button belonging to a uniform of a British regiment in the late 1700s, nails and other building materials of the time, as well as brass pins, bronze buckles, a copper coin and glass.

The FEMA document said federal officials had several meetings planned with S&WB officials, their archaeologists and the State Historic Office of Preservation in mid-December.

The document also said they planned to issue a news release to notify the public of the findings, though that did not happen before the holidays.

Preservationists on Monday were still trying to piece the whole thing together.

Nathan Chapman, chair of the Vieux Carre Property Owners and Residents Association, said he received the FEMA notice over the holiday weekend and was in the process of gathering more information.

“This has been such a disruptive project and has really hurt French Quarter businesses,” he said. “At the same time, it’s an exciting find about an important piece of our history. We shouldn’t miss this opportunity to look back at the past.”

Email Stephanie Riegel at stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. com.

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Funerals Today Domino, Ann Marie

St. Aloysius Catholic Church at 11:00am.

Singletary, Monica

Immaculate Conception Church at 11:00am.

Catholic

Obituaries Napper II, James 'Jim'

It is with great love and sadness that we announce the passing of our husband, father, and grandfather, James "Jim" Napper II, who left us peacefully at

home surrounded by family on December 27, 2025.

Jim, or "Jimmy" as he was known in his youth, was born in Simsboro, Louisiana, on November 27, 1946, to James "Harold" Napper and LaRue Bailey Napper. Growing up in Simsboro, Jimmy was a gifted athlete who excelled in academics, baseball, and basketball. At Simsboro High School, he was named a National Merit Finalist, earned all-state basketball honors, and graduated as Valedictorian. He later attended Louisiana Tech University, where he was a member of the men's basketball team during the 1964-1965 season. Jim earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration and Economics from Louisiana Tech University and a Juris Doctor degree from the LSU Law Center in 1970. He served on active duty in the United States Army before beginning his legal career. Jim was admitted to practice law before all

Louisiana state courts, the U.S. District Courts for the Western and Middle Districts of Louisiana, the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, and the U.S. Supreme Court. Jim's distinguished career as an attorney and public servant spanned more than five decades. He began practicing law in Monroe with the firm of Shotwell, Brown, and Sperry, later serving as Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Ouachita National Bank.

After relocating to Baton Rouge, he continued his banking career as Executive Vice President, Secretary, and General Counsel of Premier Bancorp and Premier Bank, N.A., later known as Bank One Louisiana. His career culminated in his service as Executive Counsel for the Louisiana Department of the Treasury. In recognition of his dedication to public service, Jim was named a recipient of the 50th Annual Monte J. Lemann Award by the

Louisiana Civil Service League. Upon his retirement, January 15, 2015, was designated James H. "Jim" Napper II Day in the state of Louisiana. In his later years, Jim found great joy in cheering for LSU athletics, especially baseball. He and his wife, Charlotte, were longtime season ticket holders and regulars at LSU baseball games. Jim's faith and his connection to his church played a vital role in his life. He was a devoted member of the United Methodist Church, serving on various committees over the years, and he held his Tuesday Night Men's group especially close to his heart. Jim is survived by his wife, Charlotte Hightower Napper; his daughter, Hillary Napper Greer (Jonathan Nester); his son, James H. Napper III (Lucie); and his grandchildren, Caroline Greer (Rory Charest), James "Bodie" Greer, and James "Boomer" Napper IV. He is also survived by his brother, Marshall T.

Napper (Paula), as well as a niece and many nephews. Jim was preceded in death by his parents, James "Harold" Napper and LaRue Bailey Napper, and his brother Lue Charles Napper. Pallbearers include Rey Abadie, Rory Charest, Robert Dillard, James "Bodie" Greer, Lomax Napper, and Jonathan Nester. Honorary pallbearers include Dr. Tom Foster, Ernie Freeman, Donald Greer Jr, Ron Hensen, Charles "Butch" Hightower, Senator John Kennedy, and Daniel LaFont. The family extends heartfelt thanks to Dr. Louis Minsky and staff, Briuana Robins, and Hospice of Baton Rouge for their compassionate care. Services will be held Friday, January 2, 2025, at Jefferson United Methodist Church, with visitation from 11:00 AM to

1:00 PM, followed by funeral services.

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OPINION

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

OUR VIEWS

Data centers highlight need for water use plan The Meta data center in Richland Parish has, since the announcement of its construction in December 2024, been rightly regarded as a major economic boon to one of the state’s poorest regions.

In addition to thousands of construction jobs, the center is expected to require around 500 permanent workers and will certainly bring further development to the area.

But those benefits don’t come without costs.

Already some have raised questions about the facility’s power use and the costs of new generation facilities required.

And last week, a report in this newspaper detailed the proposed water use for the facility, which is permitted to use as much as 23 million gallons per day. That staggering amount, which will be drawn from the Mississippi River Alluvial Aquifer, the same source for the farmers and other communities in the area, is roughly the equivalent of what 17,000 residents use in a day. Over a year, it would come to about 8.4 billion gallons.

Company and state officials have said, however, that they do not expect the center to use nearly that much per year.

Rather, Meta estimates put the total at around 500-600 million gallons per year once the facility opens in 2028. That’s an average of around 1.5 million gallons per day.

Most of the water use will happen in the warmer months, officials have said. The water will be cycled through a closed-loop system, similar to a car radiator, that also will cut down on water needs.

To help assuage concerns, the company paid for a third-party analysis, which found that its usage would not affect local systems or cause land sinking. And state analyses found that the company’s plans would not have major detrimental effects.

The company has also agreed to submit yearly reports detailing its water use for the first five years of its operation.

We have consistently praised the efforts that brought the Meta data center here, and we have not wavered in our belief that it is a good thing for the region and the state as a whole.

However, we note that while Meta’s water use may not have significant effects, there are at least two other active data center projects in other parts of the state and there is hunger for more.

Each of those will put further stress on Louisiana’s local water supplies, upon which most residents rely. Yet the state lacks a comprehensive plan or program to monitor and regulate its water resources, especially among industrial users.

We call upon state officials to take this matter seriously and work to come up with a plan that prioritizes residents and responsible water usage. We, like many others, are optimistic about what data centers can do for our state in the future. But not if it comes at the cost of one of Louisiana’s greatest assets.

YOUR VIEWS

As anti-vaxxers gain ascendency, follow facts I am appalled at the decisions made by Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his anti-vaxxer politicos who have hijacked Health and Human Services away from physicians and scientists. Removing recommendations for Hepatitis B vaccination for newborns will put many at increased risk of lifelong complications from the chronic disease, including liver cancer.

Louisiana has mirrored this with our governor’s appointment of Surgeon General Evelyn Griffin. She is quoted as saying, “I am very, very skeptical” of the COVID vaccine. Large volumes of data show the risks of these and other vaccine complications to be incredibly low, so this decision is not based on science, but rather the whims of politicians practicing medicine yet ignoring scientific data.

As a child growing up, I frequently saw a woman in the neighborhood in an iron lung because of polio and was then the beneficiary of new polio vaccines, which basically eradicated the disease.

My family and I were the beneficiaries

of the COVID vaccination available in January 2021. As a practicing physician, I witnessed the Delta variant of COVID surge in the fall of 2021, with over 90% of local hospitalizations for severe COVID, including death, occurring in the unvaccinated. These and other anecdotes leave indelible memories. Despite obvious benefits with high safety marks, many more Americans will be making poor medical decisions following only the Make America Sick Again propaganda now being promulgated.

We all should be “very, very skeptical” of heeding poor advice. Consider the above and make intelligent decisions for you and your family based on scientific facts. If in doubt, please discuss this with your physician. If you choose not to hear the facts, please remember what Forrest Gump’s Mama said: “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Prove yourselves better.

DAVID ELIZARDI, M.D. Metairie

It’s no mystery why Republicans have no health care plan The Affordable Care Act was enacted in 2013. Despite their nonstop critiques and attempts to revoke it, Republicans have never put forth their own plan.

Why, you may wonder? Because they do not believe that the government should provide health care.

They believe that citizens need to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and pay for their own.

They don’t really care about those millions who get lost in the process. So, when

the Republicans are asked about the status of their plan, it would be nice if they would just be honest and say, “We want everything to go back to how it was before the ACA.” They don’t believe that the U.S. should provide national health care, even though we are the only developed nation in the world that does not provide it, and it’s overwhelmingly popular with the U.S. public.

GENE SHAPIRO New Orleans

Rebutting arguments for Ten Commandments in class 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

Regarding “Ten Commandments displays are well within American tradition,” the author welcomes posting the Ten Commandments in public school classrooms and the law permitting it. She claims it is not a violation of the “establishment” clause, which prohibits government establishment of religion.

She bases her support on three arguments: The posting is “passive,” not active, moralizing; historical precedent; and religion is a necessary baseline for morality.

The ACLU is challenging the recent Louisiana law. Whatever the outcome of the court case, it is clear that posting (even “passively”) a religious statement in public schools is a violation of the establishment clause. Private schools may be religious, not public schools. A “separa-

tionist” vision permits freedom of religion for everyone. If, as she claims, “passive” displays are not the establishment of a state religion, why is history (permitting state-sponsored religion) relevant? It can’t be both.

She states that since the Ten Commandments covers “Jewish, Catholic or Protestant traditions,” it is nonsectarian.

There are many people here, including Buddhists, Hindus, atheists and agnostics, who do not fall within these traditions.

Research has established that morality exists independent of religion.

This is a slippery slope toward a Christian theocracy. If one religion is government-sponsored, how would you feel if the dominant religion was not yours?

Give facts on how illegal immigrants cheat system A recent letter criticized Americans for the present-day “mistreatment of immigrants.”

Firstly, she failed to mention the words “illegal immigrants.” A large majority of Americans do not object to legal immigrants entering our country and entering our workforce. She pointed to our history but failed to mention the full story of American immigrants, most of whom entered our country through Ellis Island, New York. They had to follow a three-step vetting process before being admitted to our country: medical inspection, legal inspection and interview, detention and exclusion.

Other facts to consider when making conclusions about illegal immigrants: 1. Because they are not citizens, many do not pay the 6.2% FICA tax and employers do not pay the matching 6.2% FICA tax. This results in them not contributing 12.4% to our Social Security coffers.

2. In many cases, illegal immigrants pay no local, state or federal income taxes.

3. A large part of the income they make returns to their country of origin.

When one considers the fact that illegal immigrants receive health care, education, housing and other protections of the law free of charge, it is not fair to other Americans who have to pay their way.

Many of our legal immigrants who followed the law resent the fact that millions of illegal immigrants entered our country illegally in the past four years.

In our history, legal immigrants have always been welcome with open arms; illegal immigrants have not. An added fact is that most civilized countries of the world have a vetting process for immigration and a process of detention and deportation of immigrants here illegally.

JESSIE LEBLANC Port Allen

MARION FREISTADT New Orleans

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 5B

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COMMENTARY 2025 LOUISIANAN OF THE YEAR FINALISTS At the end of the year, the Editorial Board recognizes the Louisianans who made significant contributions to their field, our country and the world in 2025. Today, we unveil our four finalists, and tomorrow, we will feature our choice for Louisianan of the year.

MIKE JOHNSON

FIRST RESPONDERS

The title itself is enough for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, to make him a contender for Louisianan of the Year.

Three other Louisianans in just over 50 years — a remarkable record for a relatively small state — had seemed well in line for the speakership before tragedy (Hale Boggs), resignation (Bob Livingston) and the combination of an assassination attempt and a mercurial president (Steve Scalise) stopped them just short of the third-highest elective position in U.S. government.

Johnson, on the other hand, was on almost nobody’s radar for speaker just over 26 months ago until a series of stalemated leadership votes suddenly resulted in elevating him to a post for which he hadn’t even been running days before. Remarkably, he has not only kept his position atop a notably fractious GOP conference ever since, but until about a month ago had kept the extremely narrow Republican majority together to win every key vote.

For better or worse,

One of the most indelible scenes of 2025 played out when the year was just a few hours old. Ten or so police officers were milling around on a French Quarter corner early New Year’s morning — and then, in a flash, they were on the move, running without hesitation toward an unknown threat.

The world soon learned that they were responding to an unspeakable act of violence, a terrorist attack that took the lives of 14 innocent revelers and injured many more. In that first confusing moment, though, the actions of those officers reminded us of something we should never take for granted: the willingness of first responders to put their own lives on the line to keep us safe.

That certainly goes for three New Orleans Police Department officers who found themselves near Shamsud-Din Jabbar when he opened fire after the pickup truck he’d driven down a crowded Bourbon Street crashed. Sgt. Nigel Daggs and officers Christian Beyer and Jacobie Jordan returned fire and killed Jabbar, who had also planted

House Speaker plays pivotal role on contentious Capitol Hill

STAFF PHOTO By JILL PICKETT

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-Benton Johnson’s deft managing of egos, surely assisted by Majority Leader Scalise’s well-known attention to the personal touch with his colleagues, resulted in the enactment of President Donald Trump’s massive tax- and fiscal-policy package and a set of spending rescissions. Also enacted were a series of more widely supported bills, such as one protecting people from nonconsensual intimate imagery or deepfakes and the HALT Fentanyl Act, authored by Sen. Bill Cassidy.

Johnson’s speakership

may prove even more important for the long term, but not in a good way, because of the way he seems to have kept internal House authority by ceding the chamber’s institutional authority to the executive within the larger government. In doing so, critics say Johnson sets a precedent that upsets the Constitution’s intended balance of powers.

How all this will play out over time is anybody’s guess, but in terms of national political significance, no Louisianan comes close to topping Johnson.

On a horrible New year’s morning, they ran toward danger

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Sgt. Nigel Daggs shakes hands with New Orleans Police Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick as he and officers Christian Beyer and Jacobie Jordan are honored for their response to the Jan. 1 terrorist attack. explosives that did not detonate.

“Everything happened so fast that the training just kicked in for us,” said Jordan, who was shot in the exchange.

“We were meant to be there that day,” Beyer added. “We were supposed to be in that position, and we did what we had to do.”

For their outstanding service, these officers, their colleagues from NOPD and all who responded, including medical personnel and members of the coroner’s

office, are on our list of finalists for Louisianans of the Year.

It’s true that the attack raised serious questions about New Orleans’ preparedness.

But there were no questions about the officers who charged into a situation that, at the time, they could not have begun to comprehend.

Their bravery and their readiness were on full display on an awful morning that would likely have been even worse had they not answered the call.

CADE BRUMLEY

AMANDA JONES

In 2025, Cade Brumley accomplished what many had talked about, but none had done: improved Louisiana’s educational rankings so dramatically as to make the state the marvel of the country.

In January, the National Assessment of Educational Progress, or NAEP, ranked Louisiana 32nd overall, its highest ranking ever. The gains were largely attributed to a massive uptick in reading scores among fourth graders, propelling the state from 42nd to 16th in that metric.

It took vision and leadership to guide changes that led to these gains, and that’s why Brumley is a finalist for Louisianan of the Year.

Five years ago, the year that Brumley took over as the state’s highest education official, Louisiana languished at 49th overall.

Other groups also gained in 2025, including students with disabilities and those considered disadvantaged.

These rankings are important because while internal metrics showed improvement, the NAEP is a national evaluation man-

Libraries have become an unlikely flashpoint in the culture wars in recent years, and librarians have borne the brunt of some vicious attacks. But one Livingston Parish librarian decided she wasn’t going to let supporters of book bans take control of the narrative. And in 2025, she won a rare court victory.

For standing up against censorship and in defense of librarians everywhere, Amanda Jones is a finalist for Louisianan of the Year.

In 2022, conservative groups began challenging books in Livingston public libraries, saying they were inappropriate for children. When Jones, who is a librarian at a Livingston Parish middle school, spoke up against book bans at a meeting, she soon started receiving harassing messages online.

She filed a defamation lawsuit against activists who claimed she was promoting porn. A district court dismissed the suit in October 2022, but this year, the Louisiana First Circuit Court of Appeals reversed the ruling and allowed it to

Education chief helped push state’s students to new heights Livingston Parish librarian led fight against censorship

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Cade Brumley, at right, La. superintendent of education dated by Congress.

Brumley has rightly praised teachers for the improvements, but he deserves credit as well. His data- and science-driven “back to basics” approach, as well as his expanded tutoring and new teacher training initiatives, have certainly helped fuel better scores.

Brumley became state superintendent of education in 2020 in the midst of the pandemic, after first serving as superintendent of rural DeSoto Parish’s schools and then moving to Jefferson Parish, Louisiana’s largest public school

system.

At each stop, he has impressed not just with his policy acumen but with his desire to support teachers and help them do their jobs better.

That’s the approach he has brought to the state’s top office, even as he has navigated notoriously fraught political waters.

But the heart of his work has been a focus on what happens in the classroom.

In 2025, those efforts bore real fruit and, for the first time, made us genuinely optimistic about the future of Louisiana elementary and secondary education.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Amanda Jones works at a Livingston Parish middle school. go forward.

She asked for only $1 and a public apology. And in an online video posted this November, one of the plaintiffs admitted that statements he made about Jones were false.

The case proceeds against the others.

Jones, meanwhile, hasn’t slowed down. She cofounded Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship and wrote a book telling her story. She is featured in the 2025 film “The Librarians,” produced by actress Sarah Jessica Parker, which fol-

lows the library fights popping up across the nation.

And she was recently chosen by Time magazine for its Time100 Next list, which honors emerging leaders around the globe.

Through it all, as cofounder of the Livingston Parish Library Alliance, she remains engaged in making sure her community has a library that serves all residents. At a time when we see a breakdown in civic society, Jones embodies the best of citizenship and the courage it requires to defend our freedoms.

YOUR NOMINATIONS | We asked readers for nominations on who should be Louisianan of the year. Here’s what you sent.

House speaker made the Oil, gas industry leader models excellence every day biggest impact on our country I am happy to have this opportunity to participate in your newspaper’s worthy Louisianan of the Year feature.

I submit that one doesn’t have to look far to see the ways Cut-Off native Garret “Hank” Danos has positively shaped our state.

As leader of Danos LLC, Danos he guides more than 5,000 employees in the oil and gas industry while fostering a culture of safety, excellence and integrity. He supports initiatives that

strengthen Louisiana, from coastal restoration and disaster relief to supporting nonprofits through the Danos Foundation.

At the same time, he empowers employees to volunteer thousands of hours annually.

Though a titan of industry, Hank remains humble and deeply committed to improving the lives of those around him and to the communities he calls home.

For these reasons, I respectfully submit his name for consideration as Louisianan of the Year.

RICK KEEN compliance coordinator, Danos

There is only one person from Louisiana who checks all of the boxes to be Louisianan of the Year: Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson.

He beat out all candidates from the other states to get the job.

Not only is he a leader, but he also understands the responsibilities that come with the job.

Johnson He is trying to control spending at a time when we are $38 trillion in debt, when giving out

“free stuff” would be easier and make him more friends. He has held the line on continuing subsidies for Obamacare, knowing that it is not fair to add a burden to hardworking taxpayers to continue to subsidize a failed health care system that promised affordability when it was rammed down our throats.

Mike Johnson is truthful, intelligent, dedicated and responsible to the citizens of this country and the state of Louisiana.

There is no better choice.

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.

DAVID PALMISANO Marrero

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6B ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Baton Rouge Weather TODAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

Few high clouds

Sunny

Mainly sunny

Mostly cloudy 20%

Partly sunny 10%

Mostly sunny

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

HIGH

LOW

HIGH

49° 27°

LOW

58° 36°

LOW

68° 52°

LOW

75° 60°

ALMANAC

LOW

71° 47°

Weather News by Meteorologist Malcolm Byron

LOW

67° 49°

AROUND THE REGION

THE NATION

BATON ROUGE THROUGH 5 P.M. MONDAy

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

68°/46° 62°/42° 83° in 2021 14° in 1894

PRECIPITATION

Longview 50/34

TODAY

GOOD

GOOD

READING 28 MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

MAIN POLLUTANT Ozone

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

RIVER STAGES FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE Memphis 34 -2.00 -1.30 Vidalia-Natchez 48 15.60 +1.33 Red River Landing 48 18.40 +1.30 Baton Rouge 35 6.30 +0.70 Donaldsonville 27 3.40 +0.40 Reserve 22 2.70 +0.20 New Orleans 17 1.80 +0.22 MISSISSIPPI

OHIO 40

11.51

-0.49

19

-1.41

+0.01

18 29 8

-0.92 10.25 1.16

+0.01 -0.01 -0.26

13 15

2.74 0.90

none -0.03

47 34 29 20 12 6

5.08 3.49 3.14 2.63 2.30 1.86

+0.50 +0.48 +0.26 +0.33 +0.30 +0.24

COMITE

Near Olive AMITE

Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent TICKFAW

Montpelier Holden ATCHAFALAYA

Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

-0s

0s

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

Jackson 45/30

Baton Rouge 49/27

Lafayette 50/30

Beaumont 54/35 Port Arthur 53/38

Hattiesburg 49/29

Alexandria 49/33

Many 49/32

AIR QUALITY YESTERDAY

-10

Monroe 47/33

Shreveport 51/34

24 hours through 5 p.m. Mon. 0.04” Month to date (normal) 6.40” (4.92”) year to date (normal) 59.70” (61.54”)

Cairo

After a near-freezing start across the Capital Area, temperatures will struggle to rise throughout the course of the day. Look for a high in the upper 40s to near 50. A slight northerly breeze will make it feel a few degrees cooler from time to time. The coldest part of the week will come on the morning of New year’s Eve as temperatures drop into the 20s for most. Several hours of subfreezing cold are expected. Temperatures will slowly moderate throughout the rest of the week, with lows climbing out of freeze territory. Meanwhile, highs will rebound quickly, nearing 60 on Wednesday and pushing 70 by Thursday. By Friday, highs will reach the mid-70s. That’s ahead of another front, which could bring a few showers.

New Orleans 50/37

Lake Charles 54/35

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

Houma 51/32

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

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

TIDES HIGH

FT.

LOW

FT.

HIGH

FT.

LOW

FT.

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 3:37a Shell Beach 9:35p South Point, Marsh Island 2:41p Cypremort Point 6:08p Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 5:49p Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 5:10p Wine Island 6:57p

0.5 1.3 1.6 1.8 1.0 1.3 1.2

3:24p 8:28a 4:18a 8:24a 4:23a 2:50a 5:25a

-0.2 -0.3 -0.8 -0.2 -0.5 -0.6 -0.6

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SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

TODAY City

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Houston Las Vegas Louisville Miami Minneapolis

Hi

Lo W

58 33 pc 27 22 pc 54 39 pc -24 -45 pc 78 69 sh 56 35 pc 59 45 s 32 28 s 72 48 pc 32 16 sn

WEDNESDAY Hi

68 41 s 34 23 c 66 43 s -40 -47 pc 79 67 pc 66 43 s 57 46 pc 41 30 pc 68 45 s 18 -6 sn

SOLUNAR TABLE

7:01 a.m.

5:13 p.m.

1:33 p.m.

2:51 a.m.

FULL

LAST

NEW

FIRST

JAN 3

JAN 10

JAN 18

JAN 25

MAJOR

MINOR

MAJOR

7:03a 12:49a 7:32p 7:56a 1:40a 8:27p 8:53a 2:37a 9:26p 9:54a 3:38a 10:27p 10:57a 4:41a 11:29p 12:00p 5:45a ---12:34a 6:47a 1:01p

TODAY City

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

Lo W

Hi

Lo W

37 50 59 34 76 27 41 35 77 58

28 s 37 s 38 pc 27 c 55 pc 21 sf 27 s 28 s 63 pc 41 pc

49 58 59 35 72 30 48 43 69 59

32 s 45 s 43 s 29 c 57 c 11 sf 32 s 26 pc 60 sh 49 s

MINOR

1:18p 2:11p 3:09p 4:10p 5:13p 6:15p 7:15p

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

44 90 58 36 42 69 45 39 78 72 52

36 pc 69 pc 46 s 25 s 29 pc 49 pc 35 c 25 s 62 sh 64 s 46 c

45 90 53 37 41 69 40 37 72 71 54

39 c 70 pc 41 r 34 sf 32 c 50 pc 33 pc 32 c 57 pc 63 s 45 pc

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

63 45 52 63 11 23 72 41 56 30 57

42 s 32 pc 31 s 42 pc 4 c 17 c 47 pc 28 s 42 pc 19 s 41 s

59 40 49 66 9 20 73 39 52 25 54

45 pc 31 pc 29 s 45 pc -3 c 12 sn 51 pc 28 s 37 s 22 pc 38 pc

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

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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.

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Ole Miss coach Golding began his journey in Hammond

BY LES EAST

Contributing writer

STAFF PHOTOS By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU forward Marquel Sutton, left, and forward Robert Miller pressure Southern Miss guard Chiante’ Tramble on Monday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. LSU won 90-62.

BLOCK PARTY

LSU swats 11 shots while suffocating Southern Miss offense

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU played its last game of 2025 against Southern Miss, which also marked the end of the Tigers’ nonconference slate.

The Tigers hoped to fine-tune their defense and, most importantly, leave with a victory before Southeastern Conference play begins. LSU accomplished both of those objectives as it beat Southern Miss 90-62 on Monday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Mike Nwoko had 22 points, six rebounds and a career-high five blocks for LSU. Dedan Thomas had 22 points and 12 assists for his third double-double of the season. LSU (12-1) led by as many as 29 points and had a season-high 11 blocks. The most it had previously was six against Drake and Tarleton State.

“I thought our guys did a good job of taking that challenge tonight,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said. “We hold them to 30% from the floor, 20 (percent) from 3.

I thought (we) played with great unselfishness offensively, 19 assists to only six turnovers. And really, another balanced attack from an offensive standpoint.

“So great win, great way to wrap up 2025 and now excited for the opportunities ahead as we start SEC play.”

Southern Miss (7-7) started the contest playing a zone defense, which led to an LSU turnover on the first possession. After that mishap, the Tigers were in complete control.

All five starters scored at least two points within the first five minutes of the game, and LSU led 19-7 at the 13:35 mark thanks to a 14-3 scoring run.

The sequence that led Southern Miss to call its first timeout started with an emphatic block by Nwoko on a driving layup. On the ensuing possession, Max Mackinnon pump-faked a defender into the air and nailed a 3-pointer near the right wing. The senior transfer from Portland made 3 of 6 3-pointers for 11 points in the first half, and he finished with 15.

Nwoko had a spurt of six straight points with about seven minutes left before halftime. Two of the three field goals were dunks, and both were assisted by Thomas. McMahon was complimentary

LSU guard Max Mackinnon drives to the basket as Southern Miss guard Brewer Carruth defends on Monday at the Pete ä See LSU MEN, page 5C Maravich Assembly Center.

Pete Golding has come a long way from Hammond.

Yet he won’t be far from there when he takes center stage to lead No. 6-seeded Ole Miss against No. 3-seeded Georgia in a College Football Playoff quarterfinal in the Allstate Sugar Bowl at 7 p.m.

Thursday in the Caesars Superdome.

It’s a mere 60 miles from Southeastern Louisiana University, where the Hammond native and Hammond High School alumnus ä Sugar Bowl: cut his teeth as a Ole Miss Division I college assistant coach. vs. Georgia, But Golding has 7 P.M.THURSDAy, ESPN entered a whole different world as he coaches his second game as a head coach in what is arguably the biggest football game in the Rebels’ storied history.

Golding won another really important game just 20 days after he was promoted from defensive coordinator in the wake of head coach Lane Kiffin leaving Oxford to become head coach at LSU. Ole Miss (12-1) routed Tulane 41-10 on Dec. 20 to reach this game against the 12-1 Bulldogs.

It was business as usual under Golding after a tumultuous end to November in which the Rebels beat rival Mississippi State, then lost Kiffin to LSU. The Ole Miss braintrust quickly turned to Golding, 41, not just to guide this team through the CFP but also to continue guiding a program that had four consecutive non-winning seasons before Kiffin began his highly successful six-year run.

Ron Roberts, for whom Golding played and under whom Golding was a graduate assistant and later defensive coordinator at Division II Delta State, hired Golding as the Southeastern defensive coordinator (2012-13).

“Coach Roberts had a huge impact on me as a player and more importantly as a man and as a coach,” Golding said.

“That’s a big piece of who I am.”

In 2013, Golding helped the Lions win their first conference title since 1961.

He went on to coach on the FBS level at Southern Miss, Texas-San Antonio and Alabama (where in five seasons he helped head coach Nick Saban win three SEC championships and a national championship in 2022) before Kiffin came calling.

Kiffin, whose first three Ole Miss

ä See GOLDING, page 3C

LSU women ready for ‘hard part’ of season

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough celebrates after defeating the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.

Arrival of Shough, Moore and surprising departures top 2025 Saints stories You’ve heard the saying a thousand times.

“It’s not how you start. It’s how you finish.”

New Orleans Saints fans would agree after what Rod Walker they have seen over the past 365 days.

As we close the book on 2025, it’s time to take a look back at the five biggest headlines for the Saints this year.

1. Shough’s emergence If you had asked me back in

ä Saints at Falcons,

NOON SUNDAy, FOX

October whether Saints rookie quarterback Tyler Shough would be on this list, my answer would have been an emphatic no.

Shough wasn’t even playing two months ago. He got his first start on the first Sunday in November, but since then he has become the biggest star in town.

Finally, the Saints have what

ä See WALKER, page 3C

In its first 14 games, the LSU women’s basketball team trailed for about 17 minutes.

The No. 5 Tigers (14-0) played a light nonconference schedule, like they have each year since coach Kim Mulkey’s tenure began in 2021. But they dominated their string of tune-ups this season more so than they usually do, buildä Kentucky at LSU, ing confidence that 7 P.M.THURSDAy, SECN+ they can handle their difficult slate of Southeastern Conference matchups that begins Thursday against No. 11 Kentucky in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“There’s nothing else that I can learn about this team in a nonconference schedule,” Mulkey said Sunday after a 109-41 win over Alabama State. “What I’m gonna learn is gonna be through these games in the SEC.” Every AP top-five team has played at least four Quad 1 games except for LSU. As things stand, the Tigers have only one such matchup on their resume — a 9377 road win over Duke on Dec. 4.

The schedule is about to stiffen.

Half of the 16 league games the Tigers are set to play are against teams ranked in the latest edition of the AP Top 25 Poll. Four of them are against current top-10 teams.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Mikaylah Williams pulls up for a jump shot against TexasArlington forward Mila Reynolds on Dec. 21 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

Mulkey usually tightens her rotation for those matchups. But that approach could change this season because she appears to have a deeper, more balanced roster.

In nonconference play, 10 Tigers played at least 13 minutes per night, but none of them played more than 25. Seven scored at least 10 points per game, but none scored more than 16.

LSU also leads the country in bench points. Its reserves are chipping in 50 points per game — about a dozen more than any other Division I team. Stars Mikaylah Williams and Flau’jae Johnson are

playing only 25 and 23 minutes per game, respectively.

“Ready to play competition,” Williams said, “ready to lock in and get to the hard part of the season, get to the postseason and just accomplish all the goals that we want to accomplish.”

Mulkey said Sunday that she isn’t sure how many players will see consistent minutes inside her rotation once SEC play begins. She could have up to 11 Tigers competing for playing time, if senior guard Kailyn Gilbert rejoins the team or if freshman guards Bella

ä See LSU WOMEN, page 5C

2C ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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

Howard at Northwestern BTN 5 p.m.

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Milwaukee at Wisconsin BTN 6 p.m.

Florida St. at North Carolina ESPN2 6 p.m.

Seton Hall at Marquette FS1 7 p.m.

SC State at Tennessee SECN 8 p.m.

Louisville at California ACCN

8 p.m.

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New Hampshire at Nebraska BTN Notre Dame at Stanford ESPN2 Butler at Creighton FS1 San Diego St. at San Jose St. CBSSN New Mexico at Boise St. FS1 COLLEGE FOOTBALL 1 p.m.

Coastal Carolina vs. La. Tech ESPN 4:30 p.m. Tennessee vs. Illinois ESPN 8 p.m.

Southern Cal vs. TCU ESPN BOYS JUNIOR HOCKEY 1 p.m.

Switzerland vs. Germany NHLN

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Philadelphia at Memphis NBC, Peacock 9:30 p.m. Detroit at L.A. Lakers NBC, Peacock NHL 7:30 p.m. N.y. Islanders at Chicago NHLN MEN’S SOCCER 11:15 a.m. Al Nassr at Al Ettifaq FS2 1:30 p.m. AFC Bournemouth at Chelsea USA 1:55 p.m. Celtic at Motherwell CBSSN

Reid plans to return as Chiefs coach next season

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid said Monday that he plans to return next season, batting away any thought of an impending retirement by making a tongue-in-cheek joke about his status with a franchise he has led to three Super Bowl titles.

“I mean, I think I’m coming back, right?” Reid told local Kansas City reporters on a Zoom call.

“If they’ll have me back, I’ll come back. You never know in this business. That’s a tough one. But I plan on it, yeah.”

The 67-year-old Reid, who signed a five-year, $100 million extension with the Chiefs in April 2024, spent his first 14 seasons as an NFL head coach in Philadelphia, where he led the Eagles to 130 regular-season wins and 10 more in the playoffs.

Boxer ‘stable’ after 2 die in car accident in Nigeria

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOS By CAROLyN KASTER

Colts quarterback Philip Rivers throws while under pressure from Jacksonville Jaguars safety Eric Murray, left, on Sunday in Indianapolis.

Rivers happy for 3 ‘bonus games’

BY MICHAEL MAROT Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — Philip Rivers has made the postgame walk to answer tough questions dozens of times over his previous 17 NFL seasons.

This time seemed different.

With the Indianapolis Colts having been eliminated from the postseason for a fifth consecutive year even before Rivers and his teammates took the field Sunday, the 44-year-old Pro Football Hall of Fame semifinalist knows he may have taken his last snap.

“It’s been an absolute blast for three weeks and if I go back now and said, ‘All right, now you know everything that’s going to happen, what are you going to do? I’d do it all again,’ ” Rivers said after the Colts lost 23-17 to Jacksonville.

“So, yeah, if it’s the last one, it’s the last one. I thought the last one was walking off the field in Buffalo (in January 2021), walking up that tunnel and I was fine with that. I had tears those few days after that and I was at peace with that being the last one. So, certainly, if it is (the last one), I got three more bonus games that I never saw coming.”

Rivers provided two elements the Colts (8-8) needed when they brought him out of a five-year retirement. His passion energized the locker room after Daniel Jones suffered a season-ending

Jaguars quarterback Nick Mullens, left, talks with Colts quarterback Philip Rivers after their game on Sunday in Indianapolis. torn Achilles tendon, and he gave the Colts a chance to pull themselves out of a historic secondhalf swoon in which they became just the sixth team since 1970 — and the first in 30 years — to start 8-2 and miss the playoffs.

But Rivers has lost all three of his starts, with the Colts’ overall skid now at six games.

His late interception at Seattle ended the Colts’ bid for a miracle rally. And an interception Sunday on a tipped ball allowed the Jags (12-4) to kick the tiebreaking field goal with 6:58 to play.

While Rivers took accountability for both miscues with his

typical down-home demeanor, he knows he’s not the face of the Colts’ future.

So with one meaningless game remaining next weekend at Houston, the Colts could give Rivers one more start, but it might make sense for them to take a look at Anthony Richardson — the No. 4 overall draft pick in 2023 — or rookie Riley Leonard. Richardson has not been activated from the injured reserve list but has started practicing.

“I’ll figure that out Tuesday,” coach Shane Steichen said.

If Rivers’ career is over, again, five years after he left the first

time, he has no regrets.

He rented a place in Indianapolis, moved his entire family back to Indy for the final month of the season and brought dozens of players from St. Michael Catholic High School in Fairhope, Alabama — where he’s the head coach — to Lucas Oil Stadium to watch his home finale.

In career start No. 423, Rivers surpassed Hall of Famer Warren Moon as the fourth-oldest quarterback to start in the NFL. Rivers played at 44 years, 20 days; Moon was 44 years and eight days.

If he makes start No. 424, Rivers would pass Vinny Testaverde — 44 years and 26 days — as the third oldest, trailing only Steve DeBerg and seven-time Super Bowl champion Tom Brady.

Rivers ranks sixth in league history in TD passes with 425 and is eighth on the career yards passing list with 63,984 — just behind Matthew Stafford and 105 yards away from moving past two-time Super Bowl winner Ben Roethlisberger.

Rivers knows he may not get that chance.

“I’m going to be on board and supportive of whatever the organization, Shane and whoever, however that decision is going to come to be,” Rivers said. “I’m sure I’ll have some conversation. It won’t just be a blind-side Tuesday conversation for me. And I’m going to be on board to do what’s best for the guys.”

Harbaugh hopes Jackson can return for Steelers game

BY NOAH TRISTER

Associated Press

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — John Harbaugh said he had some coaches and players over to watch the Pittsburgh-Cleveland game that could have eliminated his Baltimore Ravens from the playoffs.

When the Browns won, saving Baltimore’s season for now, the reaction was what you’d expect.

“It was uncorked, man. It was raucous,” Harbaugh said. “It was great. Everybody was jumping around and fired up and happy. A lot of hugging.”

Now it’s time to get back to business for the Ravens, who improbably have a chance to win the AFC North on Sunday night when they play at Pittsburgh. To stay alive, Baltimore needed a win at Green Bay last weekend and a loss by the Steelers. Both those results happened.

The Ravens (8-8) managed to beat the Packers 41-24 on Saturday night despite Lamar Jackson’s absence. Jackson has been nursing a back injury, but Tyler Huntley improved to 2-0 as the starting quarterback this season and Derrick Henry ran for 216 yards and four touchdowns.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT LUDTKE

Ravens coach John Harbaugh, right, is shown during a game against the Green Bay Packers on Saturday in Green Bay, Wis. Then the Browns pulled off a 13-6 upset against Pittsburgh on Sunday. Harbaugh said he wasn’t watching that game like a coach.

“I’m in fan mode, to be honest with you,” he said. “I’m complaining about the play calls.”

Harbaugh said he’ll have a better sense Wednesday about Jackson’s status for this next game, but the Baltimore coach shot down the idea that Huntley’s success would make the Ravens at all

hesitant to bring back Jackson.

“The fact that we have a lot of confidence in Tyler is a real big positive, a real plus, but it doesn’t factor into whether Lamar plays,” Harbaugh said. “If Lamar’s ready to go, he’s playing.”

Jackson has missed four games this season because of hamstring and back problems, but he played earlier this month when the Ravens lost at home to Pittsburgh, 27-22.

The rematch will be the final game of the NFL regular season — a major showcase on national TV. “It’s a great opportunity. We’ll be playing a division championship game on Sunday,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve worked hard to get to this position. There’s a lot of different paths in football, and there’s a lot of different paths in life, and this is the path of the 2025 season. So here we are, and our goal is to make the most of it.”

It’s the second straight season the Steelers and Ravens are playing an elimination game. Baltimore beat Pittsburgh 28-14 in the playoffs back in January.

If Jackson is able to play, this will be a chance for him to move past a rocky stretch. He hurt his hamstring in Week 4, and by the time he came back, Baltimore was 2-5.

The Ravens were facing elimination when they went to Green Bay, and Jackson missed the second half against the Patriots. He wasn’t able to play against the Packers, but Harbaugh said there was progress last week with his back injury.

“It was not good at all early in the week, and it improved as the week went on,” Harbaugh said.

“That was cause for optimism.”

LAGOS, Nigeria — Anthony Joshua, the British boxer and former world heavyweight champion, is “stable” in hospital after a car crash that killed two other passengers in Nigeria on Monday.

“Following thorough clinical evaluations, medical professionals have confirmed that both patients (hospitalized after the accident) are stable and do not require any emergency medical intervention at this time,” a joint statement by Lagos and Ogun governments said.

Photos on social media showed the boxer being extricated from a wrecked vehicle while he was wincing in pain.

The Ogun state government said “preliminary reports indicate that two male foreign nationals died on the spot.”

Pitcher Heaney says he is retiring after 12 seasons

Pitcher Andrew Heaney says he is retiring after 12 major league seasons.

“I am now ready to return my focus and energy to being a husband, father, family man and active member of my community,” he wrote Sunday on social media. “I’m retiring from baseball, but I hope to give back more than I received.”

A 34-year-old left-hander, Heaney was 56-72 with a 4.57 ERA in 208 starts and 22 relief appearances for teams including Texas (2023-24) and Pittsburgh (2025), which signed him to a $5.25 million, one-year deal in February.

He was 5-10 with a 5.52 ERA this year in 23 starts and four relief appearances. He was released by the Pirates on Aug. 29, signed with the Dodgers three days later and made one appearance.

Orioles bring back Eflin on $10M, one-year deal

The Baltimore Orioles are bringing back right-hander Zach Eflin on a $10 million, one-year contract.

The Orioles acquired Eflin in a trade from Tampa Bay during the 2024 season, and he pitched well down the stretch that year, but he went 6-5 with a 5.93 ERA during an injury-plagued 2025.

With the Orioles on their way to a last-place finish, Eflin seemed like a candidate to be traded in July, but just before the deadline he went on the injured list with back trouble, and he was eventually ruled out for the season.

After becoming a free agent, the 31-year-old Eflin is returning to the Orioles. He’s set to receive $5 million in 2026, plus a $3 million signing bonus.

Hamlin’s father dies after fire; mom critically injured

The father of NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin died and his mother was critically injured after a weekend fire heavily damaged the North Carolina home where they lived, officials said Monday.

Firefighters in Stanley arrived Sunday night at a two-story home engulfed in fire, the Gaston County Office of Emergency Management and Fire Services said in a news release.

Dennis Hamlin, 75, and Mary Lou Hamlin, 69, were found outside the home, suffering from catastrophic injuries, officials said.

Dennis Hamlin later died from his injuries at a hospital, officials said.

Mary Lou Hamlin was taken to Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist Burn Center in Winston-Salem, where she was being treated Monday, officials said.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 3C

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Indiana fans in heaven after decades of losing

USC coach Riley blames Notre Dame for ending 100-year rivalry series

BY MAURA CAREY

BY RAUL DOMINGUEZ

Bill Murphy has been an Indiana football season-ticket holder for 66 years. He said he rarely has missed a game even though 55 of them have been losing seasons in a historic stretch of bowl-less holidays.

One of those rare misses stands out: The 1968 Rose Bowl, when Indiana lost 14-3 to O.J. Simpson and a USC team that went on to be crowned national champion. Murphy was 15 at the time, and his parents weren’t on board with sending him to California alone.

Neither Murphy nor his parents could have anticipated the bowl drought that followed. The Hoosiers didn’t make another bowl until 1979, and after that, 1986.

Now 77, Murphy wasn’t sure this day would come again. So a backup plan was established in case of an emergency.

“I told my wife, son and daughter, I told them, ‘If I die before we go to the Rose Bowl again, I want you to take my urn and buy a program, buy a seat, set the program and urn on the seat, and I’ll be there with you guys,’ ” he said.

Murphy’s story resonates with any lifelong Indiana football fan, though he warns there may not be many. He grew up a dedicated supporter of Indiana’s losing football team in Bloomington, a city that rallied around the powerhouse and championship-winning basketball team.

The script has since flipped a bit. Hoosiers fans have had more to cheer about the past season or two when it comes to football than basketball. A team that was once an afterthought in its community has a new brand of committed fans who have the chance to head to Pasadena for the program’s biggest game in years: Top-seeded Indiana will play No. 9-seeded Alabama on Thursday in the Grandaddy of Them All for a chance to advance to the College Football Playoff semifinals.

The program has reached new heights over the past two years under back-to-back AP Coach of the Year Curt Cignetti, finally abandoning the title of losingest program in the history of the Bowl Subdivision and handing the unwelcome crown to Northwestern earlier this year. Indiana finished the regular season as the Big Ten

SAN ANTONIO — Notre Dame is responsible for the pause in the nearly 100-year rivalry with USC, Trojans coach Lincoln Riley emphatically stated.

Riley assigned blame Monday in San Antonio as No. 16 USC prepares to take on TCU in the Alamo Bowl.

A joint news conference with Horned Frogs coach Sonny Dykes was the first time Riley had a chance to speak about the discontinuation of the series, and the Trojans coach had a lot to say.

“We took Notre Dame at their word that they would play us anytime, anywhere,” Riley said.

“That proposal was rejected. Not only was it rejected, but five minutes after we got the call, it was announced they scheduled another opponent, which I’ll give them credit, that might be the fastest scheduling act in college football history.”

In place of USC, Notre Dame announced on Dec. 21 that it will play a home-and-home series with BYU in 2026 and 2027.

Regarded as one of the fiercest rivalries in college football history, the Trojans and Irish have played 96 times since the first meeting in 1926. The teams have met every year since with the exception of a pause from 1943 to 1945 during World War II and again in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic when the Pac-12 Conference canceled all nonconference games.

Notre Dame leads the series 51–37–5, including victories in eight of the past 10 matchups.

Riley was eager to join the historic rivalry when he took over at USC on Nov. 28, 2021, after five seasons as the Oklahoma head coach.

“I have a deep respect for college football, been a part of some really great rivalries,” Riley said.

“Obviously, this is right there up at the top.”

So, being one of the only coaches in a century of USC football not to face Notre Dame during the regular season does not sit well with Riley.

“We’re hopeful something can be worked out in the future,” Riley said. “That would be fantastic. We at SC would love for the game to continue. We have no

Associated Press

AP sportswriter

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By OBED LAMy

Bill Murphy points to a wall of framed sports photos in a room at his home on Dec. 17 in Greenfield, Ind. champions with a 13-0 record behind quarterback Fernando Mendoza, the school’s first Heisman Trophy winner.

Longtime fan Kevin Harrell wouldn’t miss the Rose Bowl, even though his last trip to the stadium wasn’t too long ago. When the Big Ten expanded with four West Coast teams in 2024, he took the opportunity to see his team play in the iconic stadium, thinking the mid-September matchup against UCLA could be the closest he’d come to seeing Indiana in the Rose Bowl this century.

“It’s beyond my wildest dreams,” Harrell said, admitting that having this level of confidence in the team is an unfamiliar feeling. “We have always expected the worst. We could always find a new way to lose the game. It’s been kind of weird how quickly I’ve gone from that way of thinking to expecting to win. I expect this team to win every time they take the field, and I think that’s just a testament to the job Curt Cignetti has done.”

Not all fans have earned their stripes like Harrell and Murphy.

The Indiana football bandwagon is filling up.

Memorial Stadium reached the brim with new followers this season. “Heis-Mendoza” chants on Saturdays became common this fall, and for the second straight year, all four home conference games sold out.

Airlines have adjusted accordingly to the high demand. Delta, American and Southwest Airlines added additional nonstop flights from Indianapolis to Los Angeles in the days leading up to the Rose Bowl.

“People get excited because people like winners,” Murphy said. “(There are) not a tremendous amount of people like me that will go support their team win or lose, and I’ve seen a lot of losing football over the years.”

So now, 58 years later, Murphy finally gets the chance to make up for the missed game that has haunted him for decades.

“Fortunately for me, I get to go this year and actually sit in a seat and see the game,” Murphy said.

“I’m still pinching myself, trying to make sure I’m not dreaming.”

AP PHOTO By KyUSUNG GONG

Southern California head coach Lincoln Riley walks on the field during the first half of a game against UCLA on Nov. 29 in Los Angeles.

problem following through on our promises in the future.”

The rivalry between Notre Dame and USC traditionally was contested around Thanksgiving, but always in the final months of the season. This year’s contest was held Oct. 18 with the Irish scoring a 34-24 victory over the then-No. 20 Trojans.

The selection process for the NCAA’s 12-team playoff is causing teams to reconsider who they play in nonconference games, especially late in the season.

Notre Dame failed to make the CFP this season despite going 10-2. The Irish opted not to participate in a bowl game after the NCAA announced its playoff field.

“I know college football has changed a lot, but the fact is very, very clear, this can all be settled very quickly,” Riley said. “Had Notre Dame lived up to their word and played us anytime, anywhere, we would be playing in the next two years, and looking ahead after that, hopefully continuing the series.

They did not follow through on it, thus we are not playing them the next couple years.”

Notre Dame and USC said in a joint statement on Dec. 22 that “our institutions will continue working towards bringing back The Battle for the Jeweled Shillelagh,” and that they “look forward to meeting again in the future.”

WALKER

Continued from page 1C

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ROGELIO V. SOLIS

Tulane coach Jon Sumrall, left, and Ole Miss coach Pete Golding talk before a College Football Playoff game on Dec. 20 in Oxford, Miss.

GOLDING

Continued from page 1C teams finished 5-5, 10-3 and 8-5, needed to upgrade his defense in order to get the Rebels to where they are today. He lured Golding away from Saban, who also was a former boss of Kiffin’s.

Since Golding’s hiring, Ole Miss has gone 11-2, 10-3 and 12-1.

Four of Kiffin’s offensive assistants will be with Kiffin at LSU, but not on a full-time basis until Ole Miss’ season is done.

Finishing one job while beginning another can be a tricky proposition, but Golding’s players praise his ability to communicate his defensive demands in simple terms, and he put that skill to work with the Ole Miss/LSU coaches on his staff.

“We have coaches that are working two different jobs like a lot of teams do right now,” Golding said.

“When it’s not game week, they work in the role in their other job, and when it’s game week, they’re fully vested in where they’re at.”

When announcing Golding’s promotion, Ole Miss athletic director Keith Carter said the coach has “a deep understanding of our culture, values and what it means to be part of the Ole Miss family,” adding that Golding is “one of us.”

The Ole Miss family united

around Golding leading up to the game against Tulane. Archie Manning spoke to the team at practice the day before the game, and Eli Manning embraced Golding on the field prior to it.

Shortly after Golding’s promotion was announced, he canceled the news conference to introduce him as head coach because he didn’t want to draw attention away from the players earning the CFP berth.

Golding, who started playing at Delta State as a walk-on and emerged as a four-year starter at safety, used the same approach that worked for him as a player in his ascension from Division II coaching to a first-time head coach trying to win a national title.

“Regardless of whether I was a walk-on or not,” Golding said, “my mentality was, go outwork everyone else regardless of the position they put me at, regardless of how I got there, who’s on full scholarship. It doesn’t matter.

“Everybody wants to understand how do you get to where you want to go? You’ve got to outwork everybody else. You’re not always going to be the most talented guy or be seen as the most talented guy. You’ve got to be willing to do things that they’re not, and when you have talent and do those things then you have a lot of success.”

what they have been searching for since Drew Brees retired. The list of guys trying to fill the shoes of No. 9 kept getting longer and longer: Jameis, Taysom, Trevor, Ian, Andy, Derek, Jake and Spencer. Shough ended the search.

He didn’t dazzle in his starting debut against the Los Angeles Rams but got his first win a week later against the Carolina Panthers. He hasn’t looked back since. He’s 5-3 as the starter and has jumped into the Offensive Rookie of the Year conversation.

He and Carolina receiver Tetairoa McMillan are neck and neck as the favorites to win it.

In just eight months, Shough has gone from a relatively unknown second-round draft pick out of Louisville to a guy who is now the biggest star in town. Start counting how many No. 6 jerseys you start seeing in the city.

And just wait until Mardi Gras: “Shough me something, Mister!”

The Saints no longer having to wonder who their quarterback will be is easily the franchise’s biggest story of the year.

2. Moore hiring When the search to find Dennis Allen’s replacement began, Kellen Moore wasn’t on most people’s radar.

Ben Johnson, the former Detroit Lions offensive coordinator, was the hottest name out there.

Aaron Glenn, a former Saints player and assistant and the Lions defensive coordinator, was also toward the top of Mickey Loomis’ list. Johnson and Glenn ended up choosing head coaching jobs with the Chicago Bears and New York Jets, respectively. The Saints were even in on former Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy.

When all was said and done, the Saints hired Moore, making him the youngest head coach in

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints quarterback Derek Carr warms up before a game against the Atlanta Falcons at the Caesars Superdome on Nov. 10, 2024. the league. Things didn’t start off well. He went 1-8 in his first nine games. Now things look a bit more promising as the Saints were undefeated in the month of December, something they had done previously in only 1987 and 2011.

Moore should be commended for his ability to keep his team believing when it had every reason not to do so.

3. Carr’s retirement Nobody saw this one coming.

Derek Carr dropped this bomb on the day before Mother’s Day, citing complications from an injured right shoulder. Many fans heard the news and immediately thought “good riddance” for a quarterback who didn’t quite live up to lofty expectations.

Carr arrived in New Orleans from the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023. The change of scenery was supposed to be just what he needed, and his veteran presence was supposed to be just what the Saints needed. The marriage never panned out.

4. Mathieu’s retirement Two months after Carr’s surprising retirement, another veteran hung up his cleats.

Tyrann Mathieu, one of the most beloved football players to ever come out of New Orleans,

surprisingly announced his playing career was over. The former St. Augustine and LSU standout played three seasons with his hometown Saints. He was one of the most respected players in the locker room but decided to stop playing right before the start of training camp.

5. Five in a row?

There were plenty of options for the fifth spot. Brandon Staley’s defense. Cam Jordan and Demario Davis still drinking from the fountain of youth. An Irish kicker with a bionic leg. Trading Rashid Shaheed. The long-term deal to keep Saints in the Dome through 2035. The stellar rookie class.

Owner Gayle Benson’s interview in November.

But the last spot goes to the current four-game winning streak. Like the emergence of Shough, the hiring of Moore and the retirement of Carr and Mathieu, nobody saw this winning streak coming. The Saints have a chance to make it five in a row Sunday when they travel to play the Atlanta Falcons.

That game will be played on the first Sunday of 2026, a year that all of a sudden looks much brighter for Saints fans.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

4C ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Rebounding key for Madison Prep in tournament win

half and got my mind right.

Chargers pull away in ond I came with it on my mind in the half.” second half to beat second The 10-0 run to start the third was sparked by consecutive Woodlawn 3-pointers from freshman point

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Madison Prep coach Jeffery Jones challenged his team at halftime of the EBR boys basketball championship against Woodlawn.

The Chargers held a slim 27-22 lead after being outscored 1713 in the second quarter. Jones knew Woodlawn would come out with toughness in the second half, and he asked his team to do the same.

Madison Prep opened the third quarter on a 10-0 run to take a double-digit lead. The Chargers would lead for the entirety of the second half.

“I challenged our guys to try to meet their level of intensity, and try to exceed it,” Jones said.

“They did.”

The Chargers (9-1) defeated Woodlawn 65-49 to win the EBR tournament on Monday night at Baton Rouge Community College.

“We came in with a certain level of razor-sharp laser focus,” Jones said. “That helped us a lot tonight.”

Madison Prep junior Elijah Garner scored 17 points to lead his side. He also finished with eight rebounds, five assists and five steals.

Garner was named MVP of the tournament. He said it felt good to win the tournament. He started slow but scored 13 of his 17 points in the second half.

“I played a bad first half,” Garner said. “Coach got on me sec-

guard TJ Beaulieu. Garner then scored the next four, including a fast-break dunk sparked from his own steal.

“Just doing what I do,” Garner said about the play. “I’m the leader of this team; they feed off of me. I just do what I have to do.”

Woodlawn (8-6) battled back to cut the deficit to eight points heading into the fourth, down 4234.

Chargers senior Jermaine O’Conner hit a 3-pointer to open the fourth to put his side back up by double figures.

The Panthers took advantage of the charity stripe to stay in the game and cut the lead to six, down 47-41. Madison Prep then rattled off a 10-4 run that included three putback layups to take a 12-point lead late.

Rebounding was key for Madison Prep. Along with Garner’s eight rebounds, Landon Epps and O’Conner each had six rebounds.

“We have to gang rebound,” Jones said. “We don’t want to give out any free lunches. Everybody’s got to earn their dinner.”

Woodlawn failed to fight back after Madison Prep continued to force stops defensively.

O’Conner and Beaulieu were named to the all-tournament team. Beaulieu finished with 12 points, while O’Conner had 11 in the win.

“Just proud of these guys,” Jones said. “Being a team, everybody’s genuinely happy for each other. When you do that, good things happen to good people.”

PHOTO By APRIL BUFFINGTON

Catholic soccer player Luca Boneno tries to maintain control of the ball as Teurlings Catholic’s Luke Breaux tries to take it during their match on Monday at Dale Weiner Field at Catholic High.

Teurlings snags win over Catholic Price, Boneno score for Bears in loss to Rebels

BY WILLIAM WEATHERS Contributing writer

Teurlings Catholic soccer coach Stevan Devine saw enough in the latter stages of Monday’s matinee nondistrict matchup against Catholic High to consider his team’s fate.

The Rebels were playing a man down when the Bears pulled even at 2-2 in the 74th minute on Liam Price’s goal into the upper right of the net.

The match moved into stoppage time when the improbable took place.

Senior Luke Brown, hanging back on Catholic’s end of the field, intercepted a pass and beat the still-retreating CHS goalie, Cam Bilbo, for the game-winning goal and 3-2 victory at CHS’s Dale Weiner Field.

“We talked about what could we do to get a result,” Devine said.

“I didn’t think winning, quite honestly, was in the cards. That kid

makes an uncharacteristic mistake and we’re able to capitalize on it. I couldn’t be happier for our team.”

Teurlings (9-2-1), the No. 2 team in Division II, broke a 1-1 halftime lead on Eden Schlabach’s goal from inside the penalty box in the 63rd minute on an assist by Andrew Viator.

Two minutes later the Rebels lost a player to a red card following his second yellow infraction, forcing them to play the remainder of the match with a one-man disadvantage.

Catholic (8-3-0), Division I’s No. 5 team, benefited from a 13 mph breeze in the second half and increased its attack, with six of its eight shots on goal. The Bears made it 2-2 on Price’s goal, adding to the team’s momentum during that nine-minute stretch when Teurlings lost a player and conceded a goal.

“After they went a man down, I wish we could have pushed on a little bit more,” Catholic coach Jonathan Brunet said. “You’ve put yourself to potentially, maybe win the game. It’s two halves.

Credit to Teurlings. They’re very well coached. They’re a great team. They’ll be very successful

LSWA CLASS 4A ALL-STATE TEAM STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Madison Prep’s Jermaine O’Conner finishes a layup after a Woodlawn turnover in the first quarter of the title game in the East Baton Rouge tournament on Monday at Baton Rouge Community College.

Expect snow in Miami for NHL’s Winter Classic

BY TIM REYNOLDS Associated Press

MIAMI — It’s going to snow in Miami on Friday night.

The NHL — as part of the celebrations planned for the Winter Classic game between the Florida Panthers and New York Rangers at loanDepot Park, home of baseball’s Miami Marlins — is going to make snow fall at the ballpark.

How it’ll happen, well, the NHL is keeping some of the exact details surrounding the plan quiet.

But some fans are going to get at least a few flakes.

“You may get snowed on,” Steve Mayer, the NHL’s president for events and content, said Monday in what essentially was a message to the more than 30,000 fans who are expected for the game. It’ll be the first time the NHL plays an outdoor game in Florida.

The rink is built, the ice is down and the ballpark feels about 20 degrees chillier than usual. The sets are still being built in some cases, but all will be ready when the teams come in for practices on Thursday.

“This is a show,” Mayer said.

“There’s a hockey game that

goes on, and that is so important. I mean, this is a big game.

Panthers-Rangers, you know, when we’re in April, this could be a game that could determine whether a team makes the playoffs or not. But we also know that people are here for an experience, for something different, and we’re going to give it to them — and we’re going to have some fun along the way.”

Which brings us back to snow.

Officially, it hasn’t snowed in Miami since 1977. There were some unconfirmed reports of a few flakes in the air in South Florida in 2010, and the temperature on Friday means the snow won’t be courtesy of Mother Nature. Forecasters expect the temperature in the area of the retractable roof stadium to be in the upper 50s by game time for Panthers-Rangers.

But inside the stadium, with plans for the roof to be open for the game, it’ll be a scene for all seasons. The NHL is planning to have everything from beach chairs to a lifeguard shack and palm trees as part of the backdrop for the game, with some nods to winter as well.

Offense Pos. Player WR Jeremiah Bushnell WR Kervin Johnson WR Terrance Pitre OL Nathan Dubroc OL Kohl Fulton OL Jayden Michael OL Drake Perry OL Sawyer Wells QB Luke Delafield RB J’vien Adams RB Trey Martin RB Aymaud Sykes PK Tyler Milioto ATH Dez Ellis

School Iowa Tioga South Lafourche North DeSoto Iowa Lutcher Teurlings Catholic South Lafourche North DeSoto Iowa Franklin Parish Grant St. Charles Franklin Parish

Ht. 6-3 6-3 5-11 6-1 6-3 6-4 6-1 6-3 6-1 5-9 5-11 6-3 5-7 6-2

Wt. 190 195 170 265 310 300 305 290 175 170 190 195 140 170

Class Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr.

Pos. Player School Ht. DL Chris Addison Franklin Parish 6-4 DL Savion Barthelemy Belle Chasse 6-3 DL Landon Joseph Iowa 6-1 DL Caden Parquette Lutcher 6-0 LB Charlie Diedrich E.D. White 6-1 LB Jaheim Diggs South Terrebonne 6-0 LB Hayden Horton Loyola 5-11 LB Brooks Monica St. Charles 5-11 DB Trandin Benjamin Westgate 5-9 DB Roderick Bingham Plaquemine 6-1 DB Rontrae Carter Shaw 6-1 DB Kaston Lewis Iowa 6-2 P Caden Reeser Comeaux 5-9 ATH Dax Pregeant St. Charles 6-0 RS Braylon Calais Cecilia 6-2 OUTSTANDING OFFENSIVE PLAYER: Luke Delafield, North DeSoto OUTSTANDING DEFENSIVE PLAYER: Brooks Monica, St. Charles COACH OF THE YEAR: Tommy Johns, Iowa

Wt. 245 280 215 250 220 205 188 190 180 170 190 182 145 185 196

Class Sr. Sr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Sr. Jr. Jr. Sr. Sr. Jr.

Defense

Honorable mention Chance Archangel, Westgate; Grant Barbera, E.D. White; Freddie Barra, George Washington Carver; Hayden Bell, North DeSoto; Tavon Bell, Franklin Parish; Cole Bergeron, St. Thomas More; Logan Boudreaux, Teurlings Catholic; Corey Bourgeois, Vandebilt Catholic; Christian Breaux, St. Thomas More; Trel Broom, Leesville; Gaven Brown, Iowa; Jayden Brown, St. Thomas More; Javon Calloway, Minden; Adonis Cannon, Washington-Marion; Jaden Celestine, Comeaux; S’Javien Champion, Tioga; Jacob Crane, Franklinton; Malique Credit, Franklin Parish; Michael Davis Jr., Leesville; Mason Drake, Loyola; Jacob Dunn, Skyler Edwards, St. Charles; Wossman; Andrew Fruge, Teurlings Catholic; Ronald Gardet, Frederick Douglass; Jonathan Hargrove, Peabody; Ethan Heney, Vandebilt Catholic; Rayheinz Henry, George Washington Carver; Logan Himel, Vandebilt Catholic; Lenord Howard, Westgate; Bryceson Fontenot, Iowa; Patrick Gales, Brusly; Ryan Jenkins, Plaquemine; Avery Johnson, Franklin Parish; Jerimiah Johnson, Northwood-Shreve; Kyran Johnson, Northwood-Shreve; Ben Jones, St. Michael; Braylon Jones, Cecilia; Jerimiah Jones, Minden; Tucker Landry, Tioga; Montrevell Lewis, Bossier; Conner McAtee, St. Thomas More; ChrisDon McClain, St. Charles; Charlie McKenzie, Loyola; Krash Menard, Vandebilt Catholic; Brennan Miles, Plaquemine; Parker Millet, St. Charles; Dakerrion Mitchell, Booker T. WashingtonShreve; Vontravious Moore, Booker T. Washington-Shreve; Alex Munoz, Teurlings Catholic; Chase Naquin, E.D. White; Landon Ortte, St. Thomas More; Jacob Pajinag, Leesville; Kenny Ponthier, Tioga; Jonathan Perry Jr., North DeSoto; Bryce Restovich, Loyola; Trenajh Smith, South Terrebonne; Jack Snyder, Teurlings Catholic; Cade Stevens, Lakeshore; Bryce Stigler, Lakeshore; Kenny Thomas, North DeSoto; Justin Thomas, Northwood-Shreve; Reggie Trusclair, Plaquemine; Andrew Viator, Teurlings Catholic; Drake Vincent, Brusly; John Walker, Plaquemine; Ian Wallace, Loyola; Ty Walsworth, Loyola; Miller Warren, North DeSoto; Makai Wells, Westgate; Daniel Whitlock, Wossman; Champ Williams, St. Michael; Amari Willis, DeRidder.

the rest of the season.”

Devine said Brown was simply in the right place. Brown’s quick trigger caught Bilbo off his mark after he had initiated what would have been a possession for his team.

“I told the team afterward that sometimes you have to have some things go your way, and finally we’re getting some of that,” said Devine, who led Teurlings to a state runner-up finish last season.

Catholic scored on its lone shot of the first half with Luca Boneno scoring in the 19th minute from the 6-yard box into the right side of the net past TCHS goalie Braiden Pastor (4 saves).

Teurlings, which had five of nine shots on goal in the opening half, tied the match in stoppage time when Brown found a loose ball after a free kick and scored from 15 yards away past Bilbo (5 saves).

“I think Teurlings was better than us in every phase in the first half,” Brunet said. “I thought we were better in the second half.

I thought we put ourselves in a position to get a result, whether that was a draw or a win. We put ourselves in position to get something from that game.”

Three area seniors get All-State honors

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

The LSWA named three Baton Rouge-area athletes to its Class 4A All-State football team, it was announced Monday.

Two Lutcher seniors, offensive lineman Jayden Michael and defensive lineman Caden Parquette, were selected to the team. Michael is a UL signee who had 32 pancake blocks this season, and Parquette tallied 68 solo tackles, 34 assists, 18 tackles for loss and six sacks.

Plaquemine had one player named to the all-state team, senior defensive back Roderick Bingham. The UL signee finished the year with 65 tackles, five sacks, six tackles for loss, six interceptions, two forced fumbles and two defensive touchdowns.

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Zion’s big game not enough vs. Knicks

BY LES EAST

New york Knicks forward Og Anunoby scores against the Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center on Monday.

Contributing writer Zion Williamson returned to the starting lineup, but the New Orleans Pelicans still lost their fourth consecutive game.

Williamson, who had come off the bench in the previous seven games, scored 32 points, but it wasn’t enough as New Orleans (8-26) lost to the New York Knicks 130-125 on Monday night in the Smoothie King Center Saddiq Bey and Jordan Poole scored 26 points each, and Trey Murphy added 21 for the Pelicans, who finish the 2025 portion of the schedule when they play at Chicago at 6 p.m. Wednesday before facing Portland at 7 p.m. Friday in the Smoothie King Center.

Reserve guard Jose Alvarado served the first game of a two-game suspension for his involvement in a fight with Phoenix center Mark Williams during s 123-114 home loss Saturday.

Jalen Brunson had 28 points and 10 assists, OG Anunoby had 23 points and 11 rebounds, Mohamed Diawara scored 18, Miles McBride chipped in 14, and Karl-Anthony Towns had 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks (23-9).

Williamson scored eight points, Murphy made two 3-pointers and the Pelicans extended their threepoint halftime lead to 93-83 midway through the third quarter. But they went scoreless for more than four minutes, and the Knicks crept within 103-96 at the end of the period.

STAFF PHOTO

By SOPHIA GERMER

Tyler Kolek, Miles McBride and Towns each made a 3-pointer as New York started the fourth quarter with a 13-3 run to take a 109-106 lead.

New Orleans scored seven straight for a two-point lead, and the lead changed hands twice more before the score was tied at 114 and 117. Murphy broke the tie with a la-

yup, and the lead changed hands three times before Brunson’s basket from the lane gave the Knicks a 124-121 edge with 1:06 left.

The Pelicans got within one point twice but couldn’t get a defensive stop. Poole missed a potential tying 3-pointer with seven seconds left.

Bey had 23 points in the first

quarter, the most he has scored in any quarter in his career. The Pelicans made seven 3-pointers, the most they have made in a first quarter this season, and led 41-37 at the end of the period even though only four players scored.

Williamson scored eight points to help New Orleans opened a nine-point lead, but Anunoby

scored eight points and Brunson added seven to help the Knicks pull even at 65-65. Poole made a 3-pointer to break the tie, and the Pelicans took a 75-72 halftime lead.

They scored the most first-quarter points and the most first-half points by a New York opponent this season.

NBA suspends Alvarado two games for throwing punch

BY ROD WALKER Sports writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CRAIG PESSMAN

Illinois forward David Mirkovic looks to pass as DaMariee Jones defends during a game against Southern on Monday in Champaign, Ill.

Balanced No. 20 Illinois cruises past Southern

BY STEVE STEIN Associated Press

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — Jake Davis hit five 3-pointers and finished with 15 points, and Keaton Wagler had 11 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as No. 20 Illinois closed out its non-conference schedule with a 90-55 win over Southern on Monday.

Zvonimir Ivisic had 13 points and three blocked shots, and his twin brother, Tomislav, added 11 points and seven rebounds for the highscoring Illini (10-3), who average nearly 90 points and have five players who average in double figures.

Illinois ranks third in the nation in that category, behind Baylor and Michigan, each with six. David Mirkovic also scored 11 points.

Michael Jacobs scored 11 points for Southern (4-9), which lost its fifth straight and fell to 1-9 on the road. Jacobs was held to nine points under his average and shot 3 for 16 from the floor. Malek Ab-

LSU WOMEN Continued from page 1C

Hines and Divine Bourrage force their way onto the floor.

“That’s a good thing, right?”

Mulkey said. “That means we have depth.

“I’m not afraid to throw some of them in there, even though it’s their first time. I’m not afraid of that. They may be, and they may have a deer-in-the-headlights look when they see how tough it is, but I’ll watch that.”

In its first 14 games, LSU posted the best per-possession offensive and defensive numbers of the Mulkey era. The Tigers lead the nation in both points scored per 100 possessions (131.5) and points allowed per 100 possessions (65.3), according to Her Hoop Stats.

No Division I team is scoring

delgowad scored 10 points for the Jaguars.

Illinois outrebounded Southern 45-26. The Illini lead the nation with seven players averaging more than four rebounds per game.

The Illini led 46-25 at halftime.

They shot nearly 60% from the floor, made eight 3-pointers and were 8 for 8 from the free-throw line in the first half. Illinois finished 14 for 34 from long distance and 16 of 18 at the line.

Brad Underwood’s first game as coach at Illinois was a 102-55 victory over Southern on Nov. 10, 2017.

With Monday’s win, Underwood’s record in nine seasons in charge of the Illini is 175-104. Underwood is 10-0 in his career against the current 12-team membership of the Southwestern Athletic Conference, including 7-0 at Illinois.

The Illini are 19-0 all-time against current SWAC teams, including a 113-55 win over Jackson State on Nov. 3 in their season opener.

“They’re enjoying being together. They’re enjoying winning. They’re enjoying the people who come see them play.”

KIM MULKEy, LSU coach more points, shooting at a higher percentage, rebounding more misses or winning by larger margins than LSU, which showed Mulkey all she needed to see during the nonconference games.

“They’re enjoying being together,” Mulkey said. “They’re enjoying winning. They’re enjoying the people who come see them play.

“I don’t have any drama, so I go to sleep at night happy. I don’t go to sleep at night worrying about drama, and that’s enjoyable, particularly when you get to be my age and you’ve done it for a long period of time.”

New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado was suspended for two games after an altercation in Saturday’s 123-114 loss to the Phoenix Suns.

The league announced the suspension Sunday night, a day after Alvarado punched Suns center Mark Williams.

Alvarado missed Monday’s game against the New York Knicks and also will miss Wednesday’s game against the Chicago Bulls. Williams was suspended for one game.

The fight took place in the third quarter at the Smoothie King Center. Williams set a screen on Alvarado and Alvarado shoved him.

An official called a foul on Alvarado after the shove, and Alvarado turned around to argue the call.

As Alvarado had his back turned to Williams to argue the call, Williams shoved Alvarado.

Alvarado immediately stopped pleading his case to the official

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Pelicans center yves Missi holds back guard Jose Alvarado after a scrum with Phoenix Suns center Mark Williams at the Smoothie King Center on Saturday. and turned back to Williams. After a brief stare down, Alvarado grabbed Williams’ jersey, and the two began to tussle. After Williams hit Alvarado in the head, Alvarado threw a punch at Williams’ jaw.

Alvarado and Williams were separated after Alvarado’s punch.

Both were ejected from the game.

Alvarado, in his fifth season, is averaging 8.4 points and 3.2 assists. He’s played in every game except the season opener against the Memphis Grizzlies.

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

LSU MEN

Continued from page 1C of how Nwoko, a Mississippi State transfer, has been improving throughout the year.

“I think he’s just been terrific for us,” McMahon said. “I was really excited to see his defensive presence tonight. I think that was much needed for our team and will really help our team defense as we move forward. So yeah, I’m really proud of Mike. He’s been an absolute joy to coach.”

LSU played arguably its best defense of the year. The Golden Eagles were 5 of 17 from the field with 9:30 left in the first half. LSU was active and connected on the perimeter, and when there was some dribble penetration, Nwoko, Pablo Tamba and backup center Robert Miller were contesting well at the rim. In the first half, the team had six blocks.

LSU led 41-30 at halftime.

The strong defense was a welcome sight for McMahon, who said after LSU’s most recent win that improvement at guarding opponents’ 3-point shots and defending in one-on-one situations was a priority. In the Tigers’ 14-point win against Prairie View last week, they allowed Prairie View to make 12 of 20 from beyond the arc.

Southern Miss finished the game 3 of 14 from the 3-point line and shot 31% overall.

The top player for Southern Miss was forward Tylik Weeks, who was averaging 17.8 points per game entering the game. He finished with 12 points.

After halftime, it was much of

STAFF PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

LSU guard Dedan Thomas defends against Southern Miss guard Dylan Brumfield on Monday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center. the same dominance for LSU. Marquel Sutton had an early breakaway slam. The team had 12 dunks, with five coming from Nwoko.

Southern Miss came to Baton Rouge having lost against two SEC opponents in competitive fashion. In its 83-79 overtime loss to South Carolina, the Golden Eagles were leading by 11 points with about four minutes remaining in regulation. They also lost 71-67 to Ole Miss.

LSU players feel prepared for what is to come against conference opponents.

“I’m very confident heading

into SEC play, for sure,” Nwoko said. “Being with these guys day in and day out for the summer, the whole season, and I think we know we’re ready, definitely know we’re ready. So I’m excited about that.”

Thomas threw precise passes throughout the night and balanced that with his scoring around the hoop. The 6-foot-1 guard also made his two 3-point attempts, including a step-back 3.

LSU’s next game will open SEC play when it faces Texas A&M (9-3) at 3 p.m. Saturday at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

6C ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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As Tiger turns 50, golf’s greats now can relate

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

Talk to any golfer who played against Tiger Woods and there is sure to be at least one story about one shot so sublime they were certain it could not be hit by them or anyone else.

He was just different. Better.

The 2-iron Woods hit into the par-5 10th hole at the TPC Sugarloaf led Stewart Cink to say, “This is a skill set I don’t have.” Padraig Harrington once saw Woods hit an 8-iron so majestic at Firestone that it got in his head and led to the Irishman making triple bogey.

Nick Price played the opening two rounds with Woods at St. Andrews in the 2000 British Open and felt the tournament already was over. Mark O’Meara played a practice round with him at Pebble Beach before the 2000 U.S. Open and told his wife before the championship started, “Tiger is going to win. And not only is he going to win, he’s going to blow away the field.” Woods won by 15 strokes.

For all those years, so many greats in the game could never relate to Woods. And now, finally, they can.

Not even Woods can beat time.

He turns 50 on Tuesday.

It’s a milestone for anyone, but it’s different in golf because the sport can be played well after the age when athletes have long retired in other sports. Phil Mickelson won a major at 50. Jack Nicklaus made an early Sunday charge at the Masters when he was 58.

With Woods, it’s complicated.

He now is eligible for the 50-and-

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By DAVID J. PHILLIP

Tiger Woods reacts as he wins the Masters golf tournament on April 14, 2019, in Augusta, Ga. older PGA Tour Champions. He also has had more surgeries than the 15 majors he won. This is the first year he didn’t play a single tournament, the result of a ruptured Achilles tendon in March and a seventh back surgery in September.

“I’m probably going to play 25 events on both tours, and I think that should cover most of the year, right?” Woods quipped in the Bahamas when asked about turning 50.

He won the U.S. Open just eight days before reconstructive surgery on his left knee. He won the

Masters two years after surgery to fuse his lower back. But he hasn’t been the same since that 2021 car crash in Los Angeles. Woods has played 11 times in the past five seasons, finished only four of those tournaments and hasn’t been closer than 16 shots to the winner.

“Come back to what point?”

Woods said. “I’d like to come back to just playing golf again.”

And so this celebration is more about looking back than forward.

Ernie Els was most prescient in 2000 at Kapalua when he was on the losing end again — no one finished second to Woods more

than Els. They matched eagles on the 18th in regulation, birdies on the 18th in a playoff, and Woods got him with a 40-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole. Vintage Tiger.

“I think he’s a legend in the making,” Els said that day. “He’s 24.

He’s probably going to be bigger than Elvis when he gets into his 40s.”

That’s up for debate, but Woods’ lasting effect on golf is undeniable.

Popularity soared and prize money skyrocketed. Woods made golf look different and he made it cool.

Perhaps his greatest legacy is he unwittingly trained a generation of players who wanted to be like him. Scottie Scheffler said nothing inspired him more than watching the intensity of Woods when he was out of contention at the 2020 Masters. Woods made a 10 on the 12th hole and followed with five birdies over his last six holes. He tied for 38th.

“Tiger was just different in the way he approached each shot. It was like the last shot he was ever going to hit,” Scheffler said.

It was the only time they played together. Scheffler now is coming up on three years at No. 1 in the world, the longest stretch since Woods.

But it started with that skill set unlike any other.

“He’s the only guy I’ve ever known who continually exceeded expectations,” Tom Lehman said of Woods. “No matter how much you heaped on him, he found a way to exceed them.”

Lehman recalls one moment at the Memorial on the 17th hole, a

green so rock-hard it felt impossible to get it close. Lehman hit 5-iron as high and far as he could and was pleased to see it roll out 25 feet from the cup.

“He hits this shot way up in the air and it was coming down like a parachute,” Lehman said. “Lands by the cup and bounces 2 feet and stops. I figure he must have hit a 7-iron. I said, ‘Tiger, what club was that?’ He said, ‘That was a little, three-finger 5-iron.’ He just filleted it in there.

“When I think of him, that’s what I think of. Only one guy could hit that shot. And he did it often.”

Woods had the career Grand Slam at age 24, the youngest of anyone. He had 50 wins worldwide and 10 majors before he turned 30.

These days, Woods is keeping plenty busy outside the ropes. He was appointed to the PGA Tour policy board without a term limit in 2023 as the tour was in the midst of its battle with Saudi-funded LIV Golf. He now heads up the Future Competition Committee charged with reshaping the tour model.

The next question is when he plays again. Woods is the only player to have won the U.S. Junior Amateur, U.S. Amateur and U.S. Open. The U.S. Senior Open is at Scioto, the Ohio course where Jack Nicklaus learned to play.

April at Augusta isn’t the same without Woods. He set the Masters record in 2024 by making the cut for the 24th consecutive time. How much more? How much longer?

“People want to see him,” golfer Matt Kuchar said. “And if he shoots 76, people still want to see him. He’s unique in our sport.”

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FAVORITE at TAMPA Seattle

Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Dallas 1½ 5½ (52½) at GIANTS at CIN 8½ 7½ (44½) Cleveland at MIN 1½ 6½ (36½) Green Bay at JAX 4½ 12 (47½) Tennessee at HOUSTON 4½ 10 (40½) Ind at ATLANTA 5½ 2½ (43½) N.O. Kansas City 6 5½ (36½) at VEGAS at LA RAMS 4½ 9½ (47½) Arizona at CHICAGO 1½ 2½ (50½) Detroit at NEW ENG 2½ 11½ (45½) Miami at DENVER 2½ 7½ (39½) LA Chargrs at PHILA 4½ 8½ (41½) Wash at BUFFALO 9½ 7½ (39½) NY Jets Baltimore 3 3½ (41) at PIT

College Football Tuesday

Independence Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG La Tech 6½ 9½ (51½) C. Carolina Music City Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Tennessee 8½ 3 (61½) Illinois Alamo Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG USC 5½ 6½ (55½) TCU

Wednesday

ReliaQuest Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Vanderbilt 3½ 5½ (46½) Iowa Sun Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Duke 1½ 3 (49½) Arizona St. Citrus Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Texas 4½ 7½ (48½) Michigan Las Vegas Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Utah 13½ 14 (50½) Nebraska Cotton Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Ohio State 9½ 9½ (40½) Miami (FL)

Thursday

Orange Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Oregon 1½ 2½ (51½) Texas Tech Rose Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Indiana 6½ 7 (48½) Alabama Sugar Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Georgia 6½ 6½ (56½) Ole Miss

Friday

Armed Forces Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Texas State 6½ 14 (57½) Rice Liberty Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Navy 6½ 7 (54½) Cincinnati Duke’s Mayo Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Miss St. 2½ 3 (53½) W. Forest Holiday Bowl FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Arizona 1½ 3 (51½) SMU

COLLEGE BASKETBALL Tuesday

NBA

Tuesday

FAVORITE LINE 1½ Philadelphia Boston 7½ Detroit 2½ 10 at LA CLIPPERS

NHL

Tuesday

FAVORITE at FLORIDA

LINE -145

at TORONTO at PITTSBURGH at CHICAGO at VANCOUVER

-108 +105 +125 +105

Pro basketball

OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3 2½ (44) Carolina 4½ 1½ (49½)at SAN FRAN

FAVORITE LINE Ohio 5½ Wyoming 11 East Tennessee St. 12 at TOLEDO 11 at BOWLING GREEN 4 at WISCONSIN 20½ at CHARLOTTE 1 at MIAMI (FL) 11½ at DAVIDSON 2½ Seton Hall 3½ at UNC 15½ UMass 1½ Buffalo 6½ at TEN TECH 2½ Louisville 5½ Utah State 14½ Saint Mary’s (CA) 20 at CREIGHTON 4½ at STANFORD 3½ at COLORADO ST. 5 Gonzaga 27½ San Francisco 5½ at LOYOLA MARYMNT 4½ Santa Clara 11½ at SEATTLE U 4½ San Diego State 11½ at BOISE STATE 6

-112 -125 -148 -125

UNDERDOG at C. MICHIGAN at AIR FORCE at CITADEL W. Michigan Miami (OH) Milwaukee Temple Pittsburgh Duquesne at MARQUETTE Florida State at E. MICHIGAN at N. ILLINOIS Tennessee State at CAL at FRESNO STATE at PEPPERDINE Butler Notre Dame Nevada at SAN DIEGO at OREGON ST Pacific at PORTLAND Washington St at SAN JOSE ST New Mexico

O/U UNDERDOG (233½) at MEMPHIS (240½) at UTAH (231½) at LA LAKERS (223½) Sacramento

UNDERDOG Montreal

LINE +121

NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division New York Boston Toronto Philadelphia Brooklyn

L 9 12 14 14 19

Pct .710 .613 .576 .533 .345

GB — 3 4 5½ 11

Orlando Miami Atlanta Charlotte Washington

W 18 17 15 11 7

L 14 15 18 20 23

Pct .563 .531 .455 .355 .233

GB — 1 3½ 6½ 10

Detroit Cleveland Chicago Milwaukee Indiana

W 24 17 15 13 6

L 8 16 16 19 26

Pct .750 .515 .484 .406 .188

GB — 7½ 8½ 11 18

Central Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE Southwest Division San Antonio Houston Memphis Dallas New Orleans

W 23 19 15 12 8

L 8 10 17 21 25

Pct .742 .655 .469 .364 .242

GB — 3 8½ 12 16

Oklahoma City Denver Minnesota Portland Utah

W 27 22 20 13 12

L 5 9 12 19 19

Pct .844 .710 .625 .406 .387

GB — 4½ 7 14 14½

L.A. Lakers Phoenix Golden State L.A. Clippers Sacramento

W 20 18 16 10 8

L 10 13 16 21 24

Pct .667 .581 .500 .323 .250

GB — 2½ 5 10½ 13

Northwest Division

Pacific Division

Sunday’s Games

Oklahoma City 129, Philadelphia 104 Toronto 141, Golden State 127, OT Portland 114, Boston 108 Washington 116, Memphis 112 L.A. Clippers 112, Detroit 99 L.A. Lakers 125, Sacramento 101

Monday’s Games

Phoenix 115, Washington 101 Milwaukee 123, Charlotte 113 Miami 147, Denver 123 Toronto 107, Orlando 106 Golden State 120, Brooklyn 107 Minnesota 136, Chicago 101 Houston 126, Indiana 119 Cleveland 113, San Antonio 101 New York 130, New Orleans 125 Oklahoma City 140, Atlanta 129 Dallas at Portland, n Philadelphia at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Boston at Utah, 8 p.m.

Detroit at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

Sacramento at L.A. Clippers, 10 p.m.

Pro football NFL AMERICAN CONFERENCE y-New England x-Buffalo e-Miami e-N.Y. Jets

W 13 11 7 3

L 3 5 9 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .813 .688 .438 .188

PF 452 446 337 292

PA 310 357 386 468

x-Jacksonville x-Houston e-Indianapolis e-Tennessee

W 12 11 8 3

L 4 5 8 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .688 .500 .188

PF 433 366 436 277

PA 329 265 374 437

Pittsburgh Baltimore e-Cincinnati e-Cleveland

W 9 8 6 4

L 7 8 10 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .563 .500 .375 .250

PF 371 400 396 259

PA 363 372 472 361

y-Denver x-L.A. Chargers e-Kansas City e-Las Vegas

W 13 11 6 2

L 3 5 10 14

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .813 .688 .375 .125

PF 382 365 350 227

PA 308 321 314 420

South

North

West

NATIONAL CONFERENCE East y-Philadelphia e-Dallas e-Washington e-N.Y. Giants

South

8 9 9 10

0 0 0 0

.500 .438 .400 .375

297 364 307 289

364 397 360 364

y-Chicago x-Green Bay e-Minnesota e-Detroit

W 11 9 8 8

L 5 6 8 8

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .688 .594 .500 .500

PF 425 388 328 462

PA 396 344 330 397

W x-Seattle 13 x-San Francisco 12 x-L.A. Rams 11 e-Arizona 3

L 3 4 4 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .813 .750 .733 .188

PF 470 434 457 335

PA 289 358 299 451

North

e-Eliminated from playoffs x-clinched playoff spot y-clinched division Thursday’s Games

Saturday’s games Military Bowl

Annapolis, Md. East Carolina 23, Pittsburgh 17

W 11 7 4 3

L 5 8 12 13

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .688 .469 .250 .188

PF 362 454 332 347

PA 301 477 434 422

Pinstripe Bowl

W

L

T

Pct

PF

PA

Pop-Tarts Bowl

Bronx, N.Y. Penn St. 22, Clemson 10

Fenway Bowl

Boston Army 41, UConn 16

Monday’s games

SF 32 496 34-200 296 2-11 4-92 0-0 24-33-1 1-7 2-40.5 0-0 5-55 33:33

Wagler 26 4-8 2-3 2-7 10 1 11 Davis 21 5-6 0-0 0-0 1 2 15 Hmrichs 21 1-6 0-0 2-6 0 3 3 Z.Ivisic 14 5-7 0-0 0-1 0 1 13 Petrovic 10 1-3 2-2 0-0 2 0 4 Lee 9 1-2 3-3 1-3 2 1 5 Jakstys 4 0-0 2-2 2-2 0 2 2 Fagbemi 3 0-0 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Redd 3 0-0 1-2 0-1 0 0 1 Totals 200 30-58 16-18 15-42 22 11 90 Percentages: FG .517, FT .889.

3-Point Goals: 14-34, .412 (Davis 5-6, Z.Ivisic 3-5, Boswell 2-3, Mirkovic 1-2, T.Ivisic 1-3, Wagler 1-4, Humrichous 1-6, Petrovic 0-2, Stojakovic 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 3. Team Turnovers: 1.

Blocked Shots: 7 (Z.Ivisic 3, Davis, Humrichous, Jakstys, T.Ivisic).

Turnovers: 13 (Mirkovic 2, Petrovic 2, Stojakovic 2, T.Ivisic 2, Boswell, Davis, Humrichous, Lee, Wagler).

Steals: 3 (Wagler 2, Humrichous).

Technical Fouls: None.

Southern 25 30 — 55 Illinois 46 44 — 90 A_15,544 (15,500).

State women’s schedule

Nashville, Tenn.

Tennessee vs. Illinois, 4:30 p.m. (ESPN)

Sunday’s games

San Antonio No. 16 Southern Cal vs. TCU, 8 p.m. (ESPN)

Monday’s games

Alamo Bowl

Texas 120, Southeastern 38 LSU 109, Alabama State 41

Dec. 31

UTRGV 87, UNO 81 OT Nicholls 63, Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 57 McNeese 74, Incarnate Word 53 UL 97, Dillard 56

Tuesday’s games

Tulane at UTSA, 1 p.m.

Wednesday’s game

El Paso, Texas Arizona St. vs. Duke, 1 p.m. (CBS)

First downs Total Net Yards Rushes-yards Passing Punt Returns Kickoff Returns Interceptions Ret. Comp-Att-Int Sacked-Yards Lost Punts Fumbles-Lost Penalties-Yards Time of Possession INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS RUSHING_Chicago, Swift 9-54, Monangai 8-38, Ca.Williams 5-18. San Francisco, McCaffrey 23-140, Purdy 6-28, B.Robinson 4-22, Moore 1-10.

PASSING_Chicago, Ca.Williams 25-42-0-330.

San Francisco, Purdy 24-33-1-303.

RECEIVING_Chicago, Burden 8-138, Loveland 6-94, Monangai 3-9, Walker 2-30, Swift 2-25, Kmet 2-16, Smythe 1-11, Moore 1-7. San Francisco, Tonges 7-60, Pearsall 5-85, McCaffrey 4-41, Jennings 2-42, D.Robinson 2-30, Juszczyk 2-14, Bourne 1-25, B.Robinson 1-6.

MISSED FIELD GOALS_None.

Dallas UTSA 57, FIU 20

Houston 21 Houston 38, LSU 35

Sun Bowl

Chicago 14 7 7 10 — 38 San Francisco 14 14 7 7 — 42 First Quarter Chi_Edwards 34 interception return (Santos kick), 14:45.

SF_Tonges 1 pass from Purdy (Pineiro kick), 10:57.

SF_Purdy 10 run (Pineiro kick), 4:52.

Chi_Burden 35 pass from Ca.Williams (Santos kick), 2:58.

Second Quarter SF_McCaffrey 5 run (Pineiro kick), 13:44.

Chi_Loveland 36 pass from Ca.Williams (Santos kick), 12:20.

SF_Purdy 3 run (Pineiro kick), 3:23.

Third Quarter Chi_Swift 2 run (Santos kick), 9:51.

SF_Juszczyk 6 pass from Purdy (Pineiro kick), 4:52.

Fourth Quarter Chi_Swift 22 run (Santos kick), 14:54.

Chi_FG Santos 29, 5:22.

SF_Jennings 38 pass from Purdy (Pineiro kick), 2:15.

First Responder Bowl

Texas Bowl

Tampa, Fla. No. 13 Vanderbilt vs. No. 23 Iowa, 11 a.m.

Late Sunday San Francisco 42, Chicago 38

Phoenix Minnesota 20, New Mexico 17

Jacksonville, Fla. No. 20 Virginia 13, No. 25 Missouri 7

ReliaQuest Bowl

Atlanta 27, L.A. Rams 24

Rate Bowl

Gator Bowl

Music City Bowl

Monday’s Games

Detroit Northwestern 34, Central Michigan 7

Albuquerque No. 23 North Texas 49, San Diego St. 47

Shreveport Coastal Carolina vs. Louisiana Tech, 1 p.m.

(ESPN)

Cincinnati 37, Arizona 14 Cleveland 13, Pittsburgh 6 Jacksonville 23, Indianapolis 17 Miami 20, Tampa Bay 17 New England 42, N.Y. Jets 10 New Orleans 34, Tennessee 26 Seattle 27, Carolina 10 N.Y. Giants 34, Las Vegas 10 Philadelphia 13, Buffalo 12 San Francisco 42, Chicago 38

GameAbove Sports Bowl

New Mexico Bowl

Independence Bowl

Sunday’s Games

Friday’s games

Tucson, Ariz.

Fresno St.18 Miami (OH) 3

Dec. 30

Houston 20, L.A. Chargers 16 Baltimore 41, Green Bay 24

College football

Arizona Bowl

Birmingham, Ala. Georgia Southern 29, Appalachian State 10

Saturday’s Games

Chi 26 440 22-110 330 0-0 4-102 1-34 25-42-0 0-0 3-58.667 0-0 7-39 26:27

Orlando, Fla. No. 12 BYU 25, No. 24 Georgia Tech 21

Birmingham Bowl

Dallas 30, Washington 23 Minnesota 23, Detroit 10 Denver 20, Kansas City 13

A_71,836.

Tuesday’s Games

East

8 7 6 6

West

W 22 19 19 16 10

Southeast Division

Carolina Tampa Bay e-Atlanta e-New Orleans

Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State, 1 p.m.

Thursday’s games

Citrus Bowl

Orlando, Fla. No. 14 Texas vs. No. 18 Michigan, 2 p.m. (ABC)

Las Vegas Bowl

Las Vegas No. 15 Utah vs. Nebraska, 2:30 p.m. (ESPN)

College Football Playoff

Hockey

Quarterfinals At Cotton Bowl, Arlington, Texas Miami at No. 3 Ohio St., 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE

FCS Playoffs Semifinals Illinois St. 30, Villanova 14 Montana St. 48, Montana 23

Atlantic Division

Jan. 5

FCS Championship Nashville, Tenn.

No. 2 Montana St. (13-2) vs. Illinois St. (12-4), 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

College basketball

Carolina N.Y. Islanders Philadelphia Washington New Jersey N.Y. Rangers Pittsburgh Columbus

Kansas State 94, UL-Monroe 85 UL 63, Norfolk State 54

Monday’s games

Illinois 90, Southern 55 Michigan 112, McNeese 71 LSU 90, Sothern Miss 62

Tuesday’s game

Stephen F. Austin at Northwestern State, 3:30 p.m.

Tulane at East Carolina, 11 a.m.

UL-Lafayette at South Alabama, noon UNO at Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3:30 p.m.

Nicholls at Texas-Rio Grande Valley, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday’s games

Southern Miss at UL-Monroe, 4 p.m.

NO. 20 ILLINOIS 90, SOUTHERN 55 Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Abdlgwd 15 5-5 0-0 1-1 1 2 10 Dixon 15 1-1 0-0 0-1 0 2 2 Hardy 21 1-4 0-0 1-1 0 3 3 Jacobs 30 3-16 4-4 0-4 2 1 11 Dobuol 11 0-2 0-0 0-0 0 2 0 Ambree 20 1-4 0-0 0-1 3 1 2 Jones 18 3-9 0-0 3-5 0 1 6 Magee 17 3-9 1-2 3-3 0 4 7 Manning 17 2-4 1-1 1-1 1 1 6 Oshodi 15 2-6 0-0 0-2 1 0 4 Barnes 14 1-4 0-0 2-4 1 1 2 Bell 8 1-2 0-1 1-1 0 1 2 Totals 200 23-66 6-8 12-24 9 19 55 Percentages: FG .348, FT .750.

3-Point Goals: 3-14, .214 (Manning 1-1, Hardy 1-2, Jacobs 1-4, Amboree 0-1, Barnes 0-1, Magee 0-1, Oshodi 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 2. Team Turnovers: 1.

Blocked Shots: 1 (Jones).

Turnovers: 7 (Jacobs 2, Amboree, Bell, Dobuol, Hardy, Oshodi).

Steals: 10 (Hardy 3, Amboree, Barnes, Dixon, Dobuol, Jacobs, Jones, Oshodi).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb

ILL

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Mirkovic 21 T.Ivisic 23 Boswell 23 Stojkvc 23

5-7 4-9 3-5 1-5

0-0 2-2 0-0 4-4

2-6 2-7 2-5 2-3

2 1 3 1

0 0 0 1

GP 37 39 37 38 38 40 37 37

Central Division

Wednesday’s games

SU

GP 40 38 38 37 37 37 39 38

W 23 22 20 20 19 18 20 17

L OT Pts GF GA 14 3 49 125 129 13 3 47 126 101 12 6 46 127 129 15 2 42 119 118 14 4 42 116 118 14 5 41 124 120 18 1 41 123 130 15 6 40 124 129

W 23 21 19 20 20 19 16 16

L OT Pts GF GA 11 3 49 126 108 14 4 46 111 108 11 7 45 112 106 13 5 45 121 106 16 2 42 106 114 17 4 42 104 107 12 9 41 117 122 15 6 38 112 127

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Centenary at Grambling, noon Southeastern at Incarnate Word, 5 p.m

FT

Detroit Tampa Bay Montreal Florida Buffalo Ottawa Boston Toronto

Metropolitan Division

State men’s schedule

Sunday’s games

FG

Northwestern at Nicholls, 1 p.m.

South Alabama at UL – Monroe, 1:30 p.m.

Prairie View at Southern, 2 p.m.

Troy at UL – Lafayette, 4 p.m.

Texas Southern at Grambling, 6:30 p.m.

Kentucky at LSU, 7 p.m.

11 11 8 6

Colorado Dallas Minnesota Utah St. Louis Nashville Winnipeg Chicago

GP 37 39 39 39 39 37 36 38

Pacific Division Vegas Anaheim Edmonton Los Angeles San Jose Seattle Calgary Vancouver

GP 36 38 39 37 38 36 38 37

W 28 25 23 18 15 16 15 14

L OT Pts GF GA 2 7 63 148 85 7 7 57 139 105 10 6 52 121 102 18 3 39 116 112 16 8 38 98 133 17 4 36 105 124 17 4 34 106 111 18 6 34 106 124

W 17 21 19 16 18 16 16 15

L OT Pts GF GA 8 11 45 115 110 15 2 44 130 132 14 6 44 132 131 12 9 41 97 97 17 3 39 115 132 14 6 38 93 108 18 4 36 101 115 19 3 33 106 128

Sunday’s Games

Columbus 4, N.Y. Islanders 2 Tampa Bay 5, Montreal 4, SO Pittsburgh 7, Chicago 3 Detroit 3, Toronto 2, OT Seattle 4, Philadelphia 1

Monday’s Games

Florida 5, Washington 3 Carolina 3, N.Y. Rangers 2, OT Columbus 4, Ottawa 1 Edmonton 3, Winnipeg 1 Buffalo at St. Louis, n Boston at Calgary, n Los Angeles at Colorado, n Nashville at Utah, n Minnesota at Vegas, n San Jose at Anaheim, n Vancouver at Seattle, n

Tuesday’s Games

Carolina at Pittsburgh, 6 p.m.

Montreal at Florida, 6 p.m.

New Jersey at Toronto, 6 p.m.

N.Y. Islanders at Chicago, 7:30 p.m.

Philadelphia at Vancouver, 9 p.m.

LIVING

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

|

T u e s d ay, d e c e m b e r 30, 2025

1dN

Keep it cool Interested in growing fruit trees?

Read this primer on chill hours and why they matter

Late fall and winter are prime time for planting trees in Louisiana. If you’re interested in adding some fruit trees to your landscape, you should first familiarize yourself with the concept of chilling hours.

“Chilling hours is probably the No. GARDEN 1 thing you NEWS need to look at before deciding which fruit tree you want to plant in your backyard,” said Michael Polozola, LSU AgCenter fruit and nut specialist.

Chilling hours, often shortened to chill hours, refer to the number of hours a fruit tree is exposed to temperatures between 32 F and 45 F during its cool-season dormancy. They’re essential to the tree’s ability to produce flowers and fruit in the spring and summer.

Fruit tree species such as peaches, plums and apples, along with blueberry shrubs, all depend on hitting a certain chill hour threshold to know when it’s safe to transition out of dormancy. Chilling needs vary by species and even variety or cultivar. Some must spend several hundred hours in the cold while others need less.

Hometown highlights

I was born and raised in Baton Rouge. My perspective of the city has changed since reporting on it.

BY JOY HOLDEN Staff writer

LSU AGCENTER PHOTO

By OLIVIA McCLURE

Fruit trees with low chill hour requirements, such as these La Feliciana peaches, break dormancy and begin flowering sooner.

“When buying trees, check the tag or ask the nursery about chill hour requirements to ensure success,” Polozola said. “Matching the right variety to your region’s chill hours is one of the simplest ways to enjoy healthy trees and abundant fruit.”

The right amount of chill keeps trees dormant until conditions are ideal for active growth. Too much or too little can lead to disappointment.

If you try to grow a tree that needs more chill hours than you can provide, it may flower late or unevenly and have poor fruit set. In some cases, the tree may not bloom or produce fruit at all. On the other hand, if you plant a low-chill variety in an area that experiences colder, longer winters, it could break dormancy too soon, leaving tender buds and leaves vulnerable to frost damage.

Louisiana can be broken into three regions based on typical chill hour accumulation patterns: n North Louisiana: 600 to 800 chill hours. Good for traditional peaches, plums and apples with high chill hour requirements. n Central Louisiana: 400 to 600 chill hours. Mid-chill choices like rabbiteye blueberries and some peach and apple varieties work well here. n South Louisiana: 200 to 400 chill hours. Stick with varieties

ä See CHILL, page 2D

PROVIDED PHOTO

Joy Holden climbs up one of the ladders on the USS Kidd.

There I was, kneeling on the cold concrete, watching the ribbon-cutting for a new casino opening. The manager of Bally’s, Richard Cannon, hugged Wendie Green, a 31-year employee of the Belle, and the whole crowd erupted in cheers.

Green cut the red ribbon with a giant grin. I got chills — and not from the mild, 65-degree weather we were having in early December. Who knew a casino opening would make me emotional?

After the cheers, “Swag Surfin’” bellowed out of the outdoor speakers, and purple and gold drones lit up the night over the Mississippi River bridge.

“This is so Baton Rouge,” I thought.

The Bally’s grand opening was a night that summed up my surprising year with The Advocate.

As I drove home that night, I was full of thoughts and feelings for my city. I reflected on 2025, my first full year as a reporter at the newspaper.

What exactly does “so Baton Rouge” mean? To those on Facebook and Twitter from other

and religion separate us, even when we pretend otherwise. As bold and sharp as those lines are, though, there are some places that are rubbed into faded gray because of the love between coworkers, families, strangers and classmates.

Love covers a multitude of sins, and in Baton Rouge, both of those things can be found in spades.

What I’ve learned this year is that there is light in this city, and it’s in the form of dedicated people committed to greater callings than themselves.

I was born at the old Woman’s Hospital in 1980. A Baton Rouge girl raised in Shenandoah, off STAFF PHOTO By JOy HOLDEN George O’Neal, in the Country Reporter Joy Holden takes a selfie Club of Louisiana and Santa Maat the top of the Louisiana State ria. I’m a Parkview Baptist Eagle who was voted “Most Likely to Capitol building.

Succeed” and “Miss PBS Class of 1999.” I remember Catfish Town, cities, “so Baton Rouge” is not a the Village Square shopping cencompliment, especially if you’ve been tracking Ole Miss fans’ anter and Fun Fair Park. I’ve seen our city change in many ways. gry social media posts.

Through school, attending mulBut to me, the phrase reflects a city that, when you catch it just tiple churches, teaching at several so, leaves a distinct impression — schools and working at a local a mélange of culture, music, food, magazine, I know people in many history and fascinating people. avenues of life. I thought I knew a Division lines are often drawn ä See HOMETOWN, page 2D around here. Lines of race, class

BR’s dining scene to continue growth in new year The Round the World pizza from Fleur de Lis Pizza is making its return after the restaurant closed in 2022.

PROVIDED PHOTO

By MINH KIET

BY MADDIE SCOTT

Vals

Staff writer

n 7242 Perkins Road

New dining spots are bringing fresh dishes to the tables of Baton Rouge in 2026 — some brand new, others opening second locations.

The city’s bustling dining scene is responsible for the opening of 40 restaurants in 2025, and already, there are six restaurants set to open in the new year.

Here’s what’s coming soon.

With one other location in New Orleans, the popular, Mexicaninfluenced restaurant is bringing a taste to Baton Rouge.

The business hopes to open in February inside the former Rock Paper Taco building at 7242 Perkins Road.

The menu is the same as the

ä See GROWTH, page 2D

2D ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

Sometimes incredulity is the best response

(When I once replied “yes” to this Dear Miss Manners: When I meet new people and tell them where I type of question, the person reearned my bachelor’s degree and sponded by telling me that I was what my plans for the fucocky.)

How do I respond to ture are, I frequently get these inappropriate quescomments and questions such as, “Wow, you must tions without seeming eibe really smart,” or “Did ther rude or arrogant? you do well on the MCAT?” Gentle reader: What house or “What was your GPA?” were you in?

Judith Having been raised to Sorry, just a little joke Martin consider this information from a school where they MISS personal, I am unsure how learn to avoid that tedious MANNERS to respond. It is not inforconversation by answering “Where did you go to colmation I feel comfortable sharing with people I know, much lege?” with “In the northeast.” less people I have just met.

But your questioners are also If the questions are yes-or-no asking about test scores? Miss (such as “Did you always excel Manners would be unable to at school?”), stating “yes” comes resist asking incredulously, “Do across as though I am bragging, you even remember your old test but to say “no” would be a lie. scores?”

And if they say yes, you can say, “Well, you must be really smart.”

Without adding “ … and must not have a life.”

Dear Miss Manners: I’m pleased that our daughter is teaching her children (ages 4 and 7) about thankyou notes. My question concerns the e-card version of this.

With a written note, certainly a parent must stamp and address it, and perhaps hover over the child to inspire them to write. But the results are a delight for both receiver (sweet childish notes, misspellings and all!) and sender (learning to express thankfulness).

With an e-card, one wonders if the child had any role at all, and if so, what they learned from it.

Even if the child could type, does

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Tuesday, Dec. 30, the 364th day of 2025. There is one day left in the year.

Today in history: On Dec. 30, 2006, former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein was executed by hanging after being convicted of crimes against humanity by the Iraqi High Tribunal. Hussein was captured in 2003 by U.S. forces while hiding near his hometown of Tikrit.

Also on this date: In 1860, 10 days after South Carolina seceded from the Union, the state militia seized the United States Army arsenal in Charleston.

In 1896, José Rizal, whose writings inspired the Philippine Revolution, was executed by Spanish army troops after being convicted of rebellion, sedition and conspiracy.

In 1903, more than 600

people died when fire broke out at the recently opened Iroquois Theater in Chicago.

In 1922, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) officially came into existence.

In 2009, seven CIA employees and a Jordanian intelligence officer were killed by a suicide bomber at a U.S. base in Khost, Afghanistan.

In 2015, actor and comedian Bill Cosby was charged with drugging and sexually assaulting a woman at his suburban Philadelphia home in 2004. (Cosby’s first trial ended in a mistrial after jurors deadlocked; he was convicted on three charges at his retrial in April 2018 and sentenced to three to 10 years in prison, but the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned the conviction in June 2021, setting Cosby free.)

In 2020, a large explo-

sion rocked the airport in the southern Yemeni city of Aden soon after a plane carrying the government’s newly formed Cabinet landed there. At least 25 people were killed and 110 wounded, and a later report to the U.N. Security Council attributed the blast to Houthi rebels.

Today’s birthdays: Baseball Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax is 90. TV director James Burrows is 85.

Singer-author Patti Smith is 79. Musician Jeff Lynne is 78. Actor Sheryl Lee Ralph is 69. Country singer Suzy Bogguss is 69. Actorcomedian Tracey Ullman is 66. TV commentator Sean Hannity is 64. Golfer Tiger Woods is 50. TV personality and retired pro boxer Laila Ali is 48. Singer-actor Tyrese Gibson is 47. Actor Eliza Dushku is 45. Actor Kristin Kreuk is 43. NBA star LeBron James is 41.

a mailed birthday card, attached to a package or gift of money, merit only an e-card reply?

This may be an issue the generations view quite differently — that mailed thank-yous, birthday and anniversary greetings may be seen as charming but archaic.

If etiquette suggests we get with the times, I will receive these e-thanks as happily as handwritten ones. (And if so, I assume texting and regular emails also suffice.) At the moment, though, I am slightly disappointed.

Gentle reader: That is because your daughter taught part of the lesson, but not the hard part.

That presents require thanks is the first major lesson, especially as it is no longer universally practiced. So that is valuable.

What she has apparently not taught is that it is not enough to send a mere receipt, such as a rote text, which is probably precomposed. Rather, the expression must be personal. Even toddlers can be urged to say something sincere and specific — about both the present and the donor’s kindness.

That is a lesson that has an even deeper value than the essential social one.

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

Scheduling a doctor’s visit Dear Heloise: I sympathize sive seven-day, two-slot to some extent with the divided pill box. Put your writer in a recent column weekly meds in it. You will of yours lamented how then know if you have taken doctor’s offices will say the your daily medications. appointment is at 10 a.m.

This is a life saver for older but ask that you arindividuals who need to keep medications rive at 9:30 a.m. for safely distributed. — paperwork. HowevDeb Hogan, Montana er, I think it actually makes sense to do it Cursive writing this way. 10 a.m. is the time you could Dear Heloise: A readHints from er says that cursive actually get called Heloise writing is obsolete, back to be seen.

If you arrive late but ignores that for the paperwork appointcursive improves comprement, you could theoretical- hension and retention, as it ly catch up by filling the pa- engages different areas of perwork out quickly. I don’t the brain on a deeper level and enhances fine motor think medical offices really coordination. It also helps expect everyone to arrive students to understand the the full half hour early for paperwork, but you do need structure of words, which to be ready to be seen by the can help with spelling and medical staff on time. — David reading development.

Dependence on electronic J. Kupstas, Henrico,Va. devices can leave a person Taking medication without the ability to comDear Heloise: To Kat B in municate effectively in Phoenix: Buy an inexpenthe written form if they

HOMETOWN

A trip down history lane

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

GROWTH

and renovation from Tiek Byday is complete.

Continued from page 1D Known for its square pizzas, Fleur de Lis opened in 1946 and was one of the New Orleans spot, offering city’s oldest restaurants. tacos, ceviche and salad. The menu will serve a seThere will also be margari- lection of pizzas including tas, cocktails, beers and anchovy, salami, pineapple, onion and more. wines.

Buns

BLDG 5

n 7004 Siegen Lane

n 7515 Guy Ave.

Inside the former Burger King on Siegen Lane, a new burger and bun-centric restaurant is hoping to soft open between Christmas and New Year’s, with a grand opening in early January, according to co-owner Don Mousa.

The gelatin-free, house made bread will be the restaurant’s signature. The menu will have a variety of smash and dry-aged burgers, brisket, chicken wings, fried appetizers and salad.

The rustic restaurant known for its shareable boards announced in midNovember the construction of a second location. There currently isn’t an opening date, but the new location will open in 2026 inside the Jefferson Plaza Shopping Mall at 7515 Guy Ave. BLDG 5 originally opened in 2019, its first location in the Perkins Road Overpass area at 2805 Kalurah St., Baton Rouge. The menu includes bowls, salads, sandwiches, soups and boards.

Fleur de Lis Pizza

n 5655 Government St.

The once iconic Baton Buffet of Louisiana Rouge pizzeria is returning n 9626 Airline Highway to its pink abode on GovernSpanning 13,000 square ment Street after closing feet, this all-you-can-eat in 2022. It’s set to open in Asian buffet at 9626 Airspring after construction line Highway is set to open

CHILL

Continued from page 1D labeled as low chill, which will leaf out and bloom with minimal cold exposure.

Remember that weather, especially in Louisiana,

sometimes has a mind of its own. Mild winters can result in reduced flowers and fruit through no fault of your own. And unexpected lateseason freezes can harm newly set flower buds, even in high-chill varieties.

For a more in-depth look at chill hours, you can read

in late December or early January, once all inspections are passed.

The spread will include a ramen bar, sushi bar, Mongolian grill and six buffet islands. Manager Jack Weng said the food options will also include dishes seen at typical Chinese takeout restaurants like fried rice, egg rolls and beef and broccoli.

Josephine’s

n 5350 Government St.

A new Italian restaurant is coming to Baton Rouge from the owners of Jed’s Local and Eliza Restaurant & Bar, and it’s opening inside the former Roman’s Greek and Lebanese Cafe on Government Street.

The menu will honor family recipes for meatballs, pomodoro and antipasto.

There’ll also be risotto, polenta, lasagna, osso buco, pizza, pasta, a panzanella salad and local seafood. Dessert will include panna cotta and tiramisu.

Did we miss one? Let us know by emailing madison.scott@ theadvocate.com.

an article by Polozola at www.LSUAgCenter.com/ ChillHours. For information on cultivars that are best suited for Louisiana, check out The Louisiana Home Orchard: Deciduous Tree Fruits, a free publication available at www.LSUAgCenter.com/HomeOrchard.

The bats, birds and bees I attended lectures about bats at LSU and bugs at the LSU Hilltop Arboretum.

I learned so much about pollinators and native plants. I interviewed Jane Patterson of Baton Rouge Audubon Society about hummingbirds.

I met Carl Motsenbocker, the Louisiana Farm to School executive director and professor of horticulture and sustainable agriculture at LSU, and I watched as teachers learned how to make grow towers for strawberries that they could take back to their schools.

I picked blueberries and blackberries with my son in Prairieville and found out I went to high school with one of the orchard owners. I visited the Seed Library at the Main

Dear Heloise: For those remodeling or building a home, I suggest incorporating a traditional small shower stall in your plans.

The new larger open designs are spectacular, but they also can be more dangerous for elders, who may have dizziness or balance issues. Having a nearby wall to lean on or a bar close by to grab can be a life saver. — Thanks, from an 81-year-old dizzy elder Send a hint to heloise@ heloise.com.

Only in Baton Rouge

lot about my city.

Through a year of reporting on my hometown, I have learned so much more. These are the experiences and moments that shaped my understanding of Baton Rouge in 2025.

The Mexican Fruit Stand cocktail is pictured alongside the BLDG 5 Mango Strawberry Basil Lemonade used to make it and other house cocktails with different lemonade flavors.

Elder safety

people don’t read books anymore. Our local booksellers have receipts to prove that they do.

Continued from page 1D

In April, I found myself aboard the USS Kidd in a shipping yard in Houma.

I toured the ship with new eyes, taking in all of the renovations and restorations being done while the ship was in dry dock.

USS Kidd ship superintendent Tim NesSmith showed me, a television news reporter and two photographers around the World War II destroyer. I gained a new respect for the ship that I always saw in water.

I talked to people like Butch Gendron, a volunteer at the Rural Life Museum who devotes his time to restoring history by building and fixing structures. I dove into the ownership records of houses in order to discover the truth behind the ”Paul Newman lived on the LSU lakes” rumor and to uncover the history of an old cypress house near the lakes.

are without the devices handy. Phones can get lost or broken. Printing and cursive are basic skills that should be taught before keyboarding, which is also necessary in today’s world. Reduce time on less important tasks before cutting basics. — Elaine Fleeman, Bakersfield, Calif.

STAFF PHOTOS By JOy HOLDEN

Drones form the shape of a purple and gold LSU Tiger face at the Bally’s grand opening on Dec. 6.

Library and left with envelopes of native plants to sow in my own yard.

Independent bookstores This year was a big year for Baton Rouge bookstores, and I was able to be a small part of each story.

TBR Books & Tea opened on Highland Road in April.

Red Stick Reads relocated to a larger store off of Government Street in May. Cavalier House got comfortable in its renovated space in Denham Springs and conducted numerous book fairs at local schools.

Best friends, Courtney Degraw and Nikki Rowland from Watson, opened their mobile bookstore, Chapter Twenty, in September and have showed up at many festivals and local businesses already.

The Louisiana Book Festival was a huge success.

Don’t believe the myth that

Joy Holden takes a selfie in the Cavalier House Book Tent at the Louisiana Book Festival on Nov. 1.

I can’t recount the year without mentioning my experiences that were “So Baton Rouge.” When the LSU baseball team set off for Omaha, I was standing in the Alex Box parking lot waiting for a giant tiger to come rolling down the street.

Mardi Gras Mike — the 13.5-foot Mike the Tiger float — and St. James Place, a local senior residential community, joined forces with the Rocco’s Jell-O shot challenge to raise money for the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank.

Hanging out with some of Baton Rouge’s coolest senior citizens while we all watched the College World Series and took Jell-O shots is a night I will never forget.

The difference makers One more group must be mentioned — the difference makers.

From The O’Brien House, who welcomes those suffering from addiction and helps them start new lives, to the Love Your Neighbor van from First United Methodist that travels the city helping homeless individuals, I was able to encounter kindness, compassion and hope.

From the Islamic Center of Baton Rouge and its devoted teenagers during Ramadan to the United Jewish Synagogue of Baton Rouge and its Yom HaShoah service that honored liberators of concentration camps, I was able to step into other places of worship and participate in small moments of faithfulness.

After a year of reporting, I have come away with this truth about Baton Rouge: It is a complex city but rich in many ways. Layers upon layers of incredible people are working to make it better.

There’s no shame in being “so Baton Rouge.”

Email Joy Holden at joy. holden@theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 3D

lll

FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

zodIAC cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Don't shy away from initiating ideas, concepts and new beginnings. It's best to address money matters with accuracy and discipline. Build on solid ground.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put your energy into self- or home improvements.

Following a path that turns something you enjoy into a profit will bring you satisfaction and gratitude. Make wise life choices.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Look at your options and consult with an expert if necessary. It's best to put your papers in order and to sort through any differences you have with anyone before you initiate a move.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Go about your business. It's what you accomplish that matters, along with consistency and keeping your thoughts to yourself.

Mixed emotions regarding work and money will surface.

TAuRus (April 20-May 20) Focus on home improvement and better relationships with loved ones. Learn from experience and dedicate more time to spicing up your love life.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Gather information, be observant, ask questions and focus your attention on bringing about positive change. Knowledge and participation are the keys to opportunities. cAncER (June 21-July 22) Strike while you can. Your insight will spark your imagination and help you devise ways

to improve your work or whatever you pursue today. Broaden your horizons.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Think twice before you say or do anything that may disrupt your plans or a relationship. Take care of matters that require involvement with institutions or government agencies.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) You are heading in the right direction. Don't secondguess yourself; trust your instincts and initiate positive change. Updating your skills will position you for advancement or help you pursue what you want.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Familiarize yourself with what's unfolding. Misinformation will be at the root of any problem that arises. Seeing is believing, and verification is a necessity. scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Start conversations with well-informed people. Ask questions, show concern and be a part of their lives, and the flow of information will enrich your life. Personal growth will enhance your appeal. sAGITTARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Stop short of exaggeration. It's better to underplay a situation or event than to oversell something or someone. Focus on self-improvement, instead of trying to change others.

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

For better or For WorSe 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: H EQuALs B

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

4D ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The 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 Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 5D

lll

B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Short books that concentrate on one topic have enjoyed considerable popularity. One example is Audrey Grant’s “Five Steps to Simplify the Endplay” (Baron Barclay).

The reader is given the five steps to work through when planning an endplay. There are 31 pages with illustrative deals covering these key aspects.

Then there are 10 problems to solve, so the reader can check that the theory has been grasped. The main snag is that at the table, it can be harder spotting an endplay than executing it once the need is recognized.

In this deal from the book, look at only the North and South hands. The contract is four spades. After West leads the diamond king, how should South plan the play, given that trumps are breaking 3-2?

Three no-trump would have been easy to make, and perhaps North, since he has a strong doubleton, should have eschewed Stayman. But that would have ruined the lesson.

South is in danger of losing three hearts and one diamond. He can hope that East has the heart ace, but better is to give West the lead with his known diamond queen when he must either lead a heart around to declarer’s king or concede a ruff-and-sluff. This requires eliminating all the black-suit cards from West.

South wins the first trick, draws

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

trumps, and cashes his four club tricks.

Then he leads a diamond. West takes declarer’s jack with his queen, but he is endplayed.

In real life, the endplay will be unnecessary half the time, because East will have the heart queen — but not in books, magazines or lessons. © 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 — cAnVAssInG: KAN-veh-sing: Soliciting political support or

Bizarro

marmaduKe

opinions in a district.

Average mark 16 words Time limit 30 minutes Can you find 24 or more words in CANVASSING? yEsTERDAy’s WoRD — BucKRAM back

crumb

mark

bark

curb

muck

buck

rack

murk

burka

ruck

carb

rumba

crab

amuck

cram

marc

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “The Lord is near to them that are of a broken heart; and saves such as be of a contrite spirit.” Psalms 34:18

Brokenness can be a great opportunity for us to lock into God’s peace and love. — G.E. Dean

6D ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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HAPPY HOLIDAY

The Classified Advertising Department will be closed on Thursday, January 1 to observe the New Year’s holiday

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

tance is needed for the Non-Mandatory Pre-Bid Conference.

COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AU‐ THORITY MICHAEL HARE, EXECU‐ TIVE DIRECTOR

y be withdrawn for a pe‐ riod of forty-five (45) days after receipt of bids, except as allowed by requirements of state law.

PUBLIC NOTICE --ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived for the State of Louisiana by the Coastal Protection and Restora‐ tion Authority, 150 Ter‐ race Avenue, 4th Floor Conference Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 until 2:00 P.M., Tuesday, January 27, 2026.

ANY PERSON REQUIRING SPECIAL ACCOMMODA‐ TIONS SHALL NOTIFY THE COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AU‐ THORITY OF THE TYPE(S) OF ACCOMMODATION RE‐ QUIRED NOT LESS THAN SEVEN (7) DAYS BEFORE THE BID OPENING. FOR: Mid Breton Land Bridge Marsh Creation & Terracing Vegetative Planting Project Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana PROJECT NUMBER: BS-0032 Complete Bid Documents for this project are avail‐ able in electronic form.

They may be obtained without charge and with‐ out deposit from http:// coastal.la.gov/resources/ rfps-rsiqs-contracts/ bids/. Printed copies can also be obtained from: COASTAL PROTECTION AND RESTORATION AU‐ THORITY (CPRA) 150 Terrace Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70802 Attn: Kayla Causey E-mail: cpra.bidding@la. gov Phone: (225) 342-9421 Fax: (225) 800-5599 All bids shall be accom‐ panied by bid security in an amount of five per‐ cent (5.0%) of the sum of the base bid and all al‐ ternates. The form of this security shall be as stated in the Instructions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

The successful Bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish a Performance and Payment Bond written as described in the Instruc‐ tions to Bidders included in the Bid Documents for this project.

A NON-MANDATORY PREBID CONFERENCE WILL BE HELD at 10:30 AM on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 at 150 Terrace Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70802.

Contact Shane Faust at (225) 342-4599 if assis‐

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed under LA. R.S. 37:2150-2192 for the classification Heavy Con‐ struction Subclassifica‐ tion: Landscaping, Grad‐ ing and Beautification or Major Category: Spe‐ cialty, Subclassification: Coastal Restoration & Habitat. In accordance with LA. R.S. 37:2165(C), anyone objecting to the classification must send a certified letter to both the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors and the CPRA at the address listed above.

The letter must be re‐ ceived no later than ten (10) working days prior to the day on which bids are to be opened.

Bidder is required to comply with provisions and requirements of LA R.S.38:2212(B)(5). No bid may be withdrawn for a period of forty-five (45) calendar days after re‐ ceipt of bids, except under the provisions of LA. R.S. 38:2214.

The Owner reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause. In ac‐ cordance with La. R.S. 38:2212(B)(1), the provi‐ sions and requirements of this Section; and those stated in the bidding documents shall not be waived by any entity.

When this project is fi‐ nanced either partially or entirely with State Bonds or financed in whole or in part by federal or other funds which are not readily available at the time bids are received, the award of this Con‐ tract is contingent upon the granting of lines of credit, or the sale of bonds by the Bond Com‐ mission or the availabil‐ ity of federal or other funds. The State shall incur no obligation to the Contractor until the Con‐ tract between Owner and Contractor is fully exe‐ cuted.

Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is a participant in the Small Entrepreneurship (SE) Program (the Hudson Ini‐ tiative) and the VeteranOwned and Service-Con‐ nected Disabled VeteranOwned (LaVet) Small En‐ trepreneurships Pro‐ gram. Bidders are en‐ couraged to consider participation.

Informa‐ tion is available from Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority or on its website at http:// www.coastal.la.gov/.

STATE

OF

LOUISIANA,

PUBLIC NOTICE --HOWELL VILLAGE SENIOR Advertisement for Bids Sealed bids will be re‐ ceived by Howell Village Senior, LP until 1pm Cen‐ tral Time on January 30, 2026 mailed or delivered to: GCHP, 1626A Oretha Castle Haley Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70113 Bids for the Howell Village Se‐ nior Project. Bids may also be submitted online www.centerl through inebidconnect.com All bids will be ad‐ dressed to GCHP Project Manager Jenga Mwendo, with the subject line: “Howell Village Senior Project: [Contractor Name] Bid”. The Techni‐ cal Plans and Specifica‐ tions have been prepared by: Multistudio LLC of Louisiana: 1501 Religious Street, Suite A, New Or‐ leans, LA 70130. Bids re‐ ceived after the above time will not be ac‐ cepted.

Any person requiring special accommodation shall notify Howell Vil‐ lage Senior, LP, through the Project Manager by email at mwendo@gchp. net, with “Howell Village Senior Bid” in the subject line and a description of the types of accommo‐ dations required not less than seven (7) days be‐ fore the bid opening.

Bids shall be accepted from Contractors who are licensed by the state in which the Project is lo‐ cated for the classifica‐ tion of the Work speci‐ fied herein. No bid may b i hd f

HOME-DELIVERED

EVERY DAY

NOLA.COM/SUBSCRIBE

The successful bidder shall be required to fur‐ nish the Owner with a performance bond for 100% of the contract amount prior to the is‐ suance of a contract to perform the work.

A Pre-bid Conference will be held on Wednesday January 7th at 1:00 PM Central time at 3800 72nd Avenue, Baton Rouge, LA 70807. Any bids submit‐ ted by a bidder not in at‐ tendance for the entirety of the Pre-bid Conference may be rejected by How‐ ell Village Senior, LP without being opened.

The bidding documents, consisting of drawings, specifications and other Contract Documents for the Project, are available at: www.centerlinebidco nnect.com.

Any hard copies required by the bidder will be at the bid‐ der’s own arrangement and expense.

The Instructions to Bid‐ ders contained in the bidding documents and all requirements con‐ tained therein are incor‐ porated into this Adver‐ tisement to Bid as if herein completely set forth.

Jenga Mwendo, Howell Village Senior, LP 170449 Dec. 16, 23, 30, 2025 3t $874.08

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --(NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE RETIRE‐ MENT BILL – HLS 26RS297) Public notice is hereby given, as provided by Section 29(C), Article X of the Constitution of Louisiana, that there will be introduced at the forthcoming session of the Legislature of Louisiana, to be con‐ vened on March 9, 2026, a bill relative to state and statewide retirement systems; to provide rela‐ tive to legislative staff attendance at executive sessions of any state or statewide retirement system board or commit‐ tee meeting; and to pro‐ vide for related matters.

172043-DEC 29-30-2T $

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --(NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE RETIRE‐ MENT BILL – HLS 26RS302) Public notice is hereby given, as provided by Section 29(C), Article X of the Constitution of Louisiana, that there will be introduced at the forthcoming session of the Legislature of Louisiana, to be con‐ vened on March 9, 2026, a bill relative to the Fire‐ fighters' Retirement Sys‐ tem and the Municipal Employees' Retirement Systems; to provide rela‐ tive to membership in the systems; to provide relative to full or partial dissolution; to provide relative to payment of unfunded accrued liabil‐ ity; and to provide for re‐ lated matters.

172044-DEC 29-30-2T $43.96 PUBLIC NOTICE --(NOTICE OF INTENTION TO INTRODUCE RETIRE‐ MENT BILL – HLS 26RS308) Public notice is hereby given, as provided by Section 29(C), Article X of the Constitution of Louisiana, that there will be introduced at the forthcoming session of the Legislature of Louisiana, to be con‐ vened on March 9, 2026, a bill relative to the Asses‐ sors' Retirement Fund; to provide relative to costof-living adjustments; and to provide for re‐ lated matters.

172016-DEC 29-30-2T $39.96 PUBLIC NOTICE --LOUISIANA DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY (LDEQ) OFFICE OF ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT WATER PLANNING AND ASSESSMENT DIVISION 2026 INTEGRATED REPORT ON WATER QUALITY IN LOUISIANA In accordance with the Louisiana Water Quality Management Plan (WQMP), 30-day notice is hereby given for solicita‐ tion of comments for the update of Volume 5: Water Quality Inventory.

Updates to Volume 5 of the WQMP have been made through develop‐ ment of the 2026 Water Quality Integrated Report and the associated Inte‐ grated Report Rationale.

The Integrated Report Rationale provides a de‐ i i f h

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p scription of the processes used in mak‐ ing water quality assess‐ ment and Integrated Re‐ port category determina‐ tions.

The 2026 Integrated Re‐ port is a two-part report conducted every evennumbered year to meet requirements of the Clean Water Act, §305(b) and §303(d). The first, “§305(b) Report,” is an assessment of all waters in the State and the sec‐ ond part, “§303(d) List,” identifies, lists, and ranks impaired water bodies that require a more in-depth technical analysis to determine the maximum loading of a pollutant a water body can receive and how much reduction in load‐ ing is needed to maintain water quality standards.

This technical analysis is known as a Total Maxi‐ mum Daily Load (TMDL).

These two reports are combined, “integrated,” as one table of assess‐ ment results, along with the Integrated Report Ra‐ tionale.

The 2026 Integrated Re‐ port has been prepared using existing and read‐ ily available water qual‐ ity data and information in order to comply with rules and regulations under §303(d) and §305(b) of the Clean Water Act. The report and associ‐ ated documents may be viewed on the LDEQ Web‐ site under Current Events at: http://deq.louisiana. gov/page/water-quality.

All interested persons are invited to submit written comments for the record on the 2026 In‐ tegrated Report and Ra‐ tionale. Comments must be received no later than 4:30 p.m., January 30, 2026.

All comments should be addressed to Ms. Rachael Mathews, Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, Office of Environmental Assessment, P.O. Box 4314, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, 70821-4314, or Rachael. e-mail to Mathews@la.gov.

Jonathan McFarland, Administrator Water Planning and Assessment Division Office of Environmental Assessment All correspondence should specify: AI Number 169294.

Scheduled for publica‐ tion: December 30, 2025 Advertiser, Advocate, American Press, Courier, News Star, New Orleans Advocate, Times and Town Talk; and the LDEQ Website 171566-dec 30-1t $62.24

Fri, Dec 26 - 3pm................ Wed., Dec 31 Fri., Dec 26 - 3pm............... Thurs., Jan 1 Fri., Dec 26 - 3pm............... Fri., Jan 2 Tues, Dec 30-3pm ............... Sat/Sun Jan 3, 4 Wed., Dec 31 - 3pm ............ Mon., Jan 5 Fri., Jan 2 - 3pm ................. Tues., Jan 6 You may place your ad 7 days a week, 24 hours a day online at www.theadvocate.com or call Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

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DOGS Yorkshire Terrier - Small Yorkie pup‐ pies, $1400-F, $1200-M (225) 304-1045

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It is the responsibility of all potential bidders to visit the Project Site to assess the location, lo‐ gistics, and site condi‐ tions prior to bidding.

ROOMS FOR RENT Furnished Rooms. $125/wk. $500/mo.

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Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --PUBLIC HEARING The Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Insurance hereby gives notice of a public hearing to be held on January 16, 2026, re‐ garding the conversion of Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual Insurance Com‐ pany from a mutual in‐ surance company to a stock insurance com‐ pany pursuant to La. R. S. 22:237.6. The public hear‐ ing is being held for the purpose of hearing evi‐ dence to determine if the Plan of Reorganization submitted by Louisiana Farm Bureau Mutual In‐ surance Company (1) properly protects the in‐ terests of the policyhold‐ ers as such and as mem‐ bers; (2) serves the best interests of policyhold‐ ers and members; and (3) is fair and equitable to policyholders and members as required by La. R.S. 22:237.6. The pub‐ lic hearing shall be con‐ ducted in accordance with La. R.S. 22:237.6, Rule I of the Louisiana Department of Insurance, and the Administrative Procedures Act. The public hearing will be held by the Louisiana Department of Insurance on January 16th, at 10:00 a.m. in the Poydras Hear‐ ing Room, Poydras Build‐ ing, 1702 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. If you are in‐ terested in participating in the public hearing, you have the option to make comments or provide ev‐ idence. You can do this by submitting your com‐ ments or evidence in writing to David Cald‐ well, Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Insurance, P.O. Box 94214, Baton Rouge, LA 70804-9214, by close of business, January 9, 2026, by 4:30 p.m. Com‐ ments or evidence re‐ ceived by January 9, 2026, will be posted on the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Insurance web‐ site at https://www.ldi. la.gov/public-hearingand-rulemaking-notices.

The provided link directs to the public hearing no‐ tices page of the Louisiana Department of Insurance website. This page contains announce‐ ments and information regarding upcoming pub‐ lic hearings conducted by the Louisiana Depart‐ ment of Insurance. Users can access documents, notices, and other rele‐ vant information related to these proceedings. It is recommended to visit the website directly for the most up-to-date in‐ formation from the Louisiana Department of Insurance on this public hearing. Interested per‐ sons may appear at the bli h i id

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

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y pp public hearing to provide comments or evidence as well.

Timothy J. Temple Commissioner of Insur‐ ance Louisiana Department of Insurance 169449-DEC 29-31-3T $117.76

PUBLIC NOTICE --Public Notice: The Iberville Parish Board of Election Supervisors will select commissioners-incharge for 2026 on Janu‐ ary 7, 2026 at 10:00am and will select commis‐ sioners for the February 7, 2026 Election on Janu‐ ary 9, 2026 at 10:00am at the Iberville Parish Clerk of Court’s office in Plaquemine, LA.

y Louisiana, P. O. Box 707, Baker, Louisiana, 707040707, in writing, and an opportunity will be of‐ fered to speak during this public hearing.

In accordance with the Americans with Disabili‐ ties Act, if you need spe‐ cial assistance, please contact Ashley Williams at 225-778-0300, describ‐ ing the assistance that is necessary.

Angela Canady Wall, LCMC, Clerk of Council City of Baker, Louisiana cc: Mayor and Council Members City Attorney Department Heads Advocate 171524 Dec. 30, 2025, Jan. 6, 2026, 2t $28.35

172182-dec 30-1t $5.78

Public Notices Meet/Hear/Min

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING City of Baker, Louisiana In accordance with the Open Meetings Law at R.S. 42:26, et seq.

The Mayor and Council of the City of Baker, Louisiana, will meet on January 13, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. at the Baker City Hall in the Council Cham‐ bers, 3325 Groom Road, Baker, Louisiana 70714 and via www.youtube. com/@bakerforward, at which time a public meeting will be held for adoption of the follow‐ ing: Ordinance 2025-23, an or‐ dinance providing for the levy of a sales and use tax of one percent (1%) within the Baker Main Street Economic Devel‐ opment District for the City of Baker, Louisiana; and for other matters with respect thereto on all taxable property (Murphy) (Introduced 12/16/2025)

Reporting you can trust on stories that matter

Ordinances can be viewed in full at City Hall, 3325 Groom Road, Baker, Louisiana 70714, Monday through Thursday from 7:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

In accordance with the rules of conduct of the Baker City Council meet‐ ings, any person desiring to be heard relative to any of these ordinances and matters for public hearing may contact the Clerk of the Baker City Council, City of Baker, i i

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8D ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

lll

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

West Baton Rouge Parish Fire Department 5 - Year Capital Outlay Plan 2026

2027

$10,000.00

Payment to Parish

$214,588.00

Station rentovations

$200,000.00

Radios

$50,000.00

Ambulance Powerload Strtechers

$280,000.00

ESO Software

$37,000.00

Fire Engine

$950,000.00

Ambulance Remount

$250,000.00

Training Center

2028 2029

2030

SCBA

$200,000.00 $150,000.00

Ladder Truck Air Packs

$300,000.00

Haz-Mat Truck

$700,000.00

Fire Engine

$950,000.00

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET ESTIMATES AND REQUESTS YEAR 2026 FUND: MUSEUM (005)

ACCOUNT NUMBER: DESCRIPTION

PRIOR YEAR Actual 2024

CURRENT YEAR Budget 2025

CURRENT YEAR Estimate REQUESTED 2025 2026

TAXES 3110.00

AD VALOREM TAX (780,000) $ 1,487,579 $ 1,640,000 $ 1,600,000 2MILLS TOTAL TAXES

$ 1,487,579 $ 1,640,000 $ 1,600,000 -------------- -------------- --------------

$ 1,560,000 $ 1,560,000 --------------

INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE 3310.00 3315.15

PAYMENT IN LIEU OF TAXES REVENUE SHARING STATE

TOTAL INTERGOVERNMENTAL REVENUE

3460.00 3450.00 3330.00 3345.00 3600.00 3400.00 3700.00

**********

100-120A 100-150 200-210 200-220 200-230 200-240 200-250 200-260 200-170 200-280 200-290 300-320

300-330 300-340 300-310 400-410 600-630

600-650

600-690 700-730 700-760 700-750

**********

OTHER REVENUE MISC CULTURE & RECREATIONAL GRANTS GRANTS - LOCAL SugarFest Grants INTEREST EARNINGS FEES AND CHARGES **DONATION FROM PRIVATE SECTOR** Advertising Reimbursement TOTAL OTHER REVENUE

TOTAL REVENUE

DISBURSEMENTS OPERATING EXPENSES SALARIES & WAGES EMPLOYEE BENEFITS ADVERTISING, DUES, SUBSCRIPTION PRINTING, DUPLICATION, TYPING POSTAGE UTILITIES EXPENSE COMMUNICATION RENTALS MAINT PROPERTY & EQUIPMENT MAINT. (CONTRACTUAL) PROFESSIONAL SERVICES INSURANCE & SURETY BUILDING INSURANCE (PROPERTY & LIABILITY) OPERATING SUPPLIES GIFT SHOP EXPENSE SugarFest MATERIALS $ - $ SMALL TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT OFFICE SUPPLIES TRAVEL IMPROVEMENTS Juke Joint upgrades, Shed for Sugar Tache ACQUISITION OF EQUIPMENT BUILDINGS & INFRASTRUCTURE OUTLAY WBR PENSION FUND DEDUCTION BOOKS, PUBLICATIONS, LIBRARY RETIREMENT FROM TAX GRANTS PAYROLL PROCESSING CHARGES TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES

TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS BEGINNING FUND BALANCE(CASH & INVESTMENTS) PLUS: REVENUE LESS: DISBURSEMENTS ESTIMATED ENDING FUND BALANCE

$ 6,579

$ 6,227

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

$ 6,227

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

$ 6,227

$ 6,227

$ 6,227

$ 6,579

$ 6,227

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

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

$ 5,000

$ 5,000

$ 6,000

$ 30,500 $$ 3,812 $ 68,818 $ 50,467

$ 20,000

$ 20,000

$ 7,500

$ 5,000 $ 40,000 $ 30,000

$ 5,000 $ 40,000 $ 30,000

$ 5,000 $ 50,000 $ 25,000

$ 1,810

$ 1,000

$ 1,000

$ 1,000

$ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 181,303 $ 121,000 $ 121,000 -------------- -------------- --------------

$ 10,000 $ 104,500 --------------

$ 1,675,109 $ 1,767,227 $ 1,727,579 ========= ========= =========

$ 1,670,727 =========

$ 688,946 $ 224,000

$ 796,000 2 PT to FT $ 249,000

$ 55,124

$ 55,000

$ 55,000

$ 53,707

$ 14,334

$ 5,000

$ 5,000

$ 6,000

$ 823 $ 24,811 $ 18,602 $ 5,893

$ 1,800 $ 25,000 $ 25,000 $ 9,000

$ 1,800 $ 26,153 $ 25,000 $ 9,000

$ 1,800 $ 27,000 $ 20,000 $ 6,000

$ 18,665

$ 45,000

$ 45,000

$ 35,000

$ 60,990 $ 107,126 $ 36,969

$ 60,000 $ 130,104 $ 39,420

$ 60,000 $ 115,625 $ 36,340

$ 60,000 $ 100,000 $ 39,420

$ 75,000 $ 4,000 $ 50,000

$ 70,000 $ 4,835 $ 50,000

$$ 71,675 $ 6,983 $ 43,104

$-

$$ 1,871 $ 25,014 $-

$$ 4,000 $ 20,000 $ 175,000

$ 3,000 $ 20,000 $ 175,000

$$ 51,334

$ 67,500 $ 6,000 $ 40,000

$ 3,000 $ 20,000 $ 80,000

$$ 6,000

$ 6,000

$ 19,300

$$ 49,637

$ 41,000

$ 54,867

$ 40,000

$ 120

$ 500

$ 500

$ 500

4 new computers & Video Kiosk Website Header & Licenses

$$$-

$-

$-

$ 1,441,676 $ 1,723,197 $ 1,676,066

$ 1,670,227

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

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

$ 1,441,676 $ 1,723,197 $ 1,676,066 ========= ========= =========

$ 1,670,227 =========

$ 881,952 $ 1,115,385 $ 1,115,385

$ 1,166,897

$ 1,675,109 $ 1,767,227 $ 1,727,579 $ 1,441,676 $ 1,723,197 $ 1,676,066

$ 1,670,727 $ 1,670,227

$ 1,115,385 $ 1,159,415 $ 1,166,897

$ 1,167,397

$$ 2,500 $ 200,000 $ 30,000 $ 515,436

$$ 10,000 $$ 4,480 $ 110,585

$$ 10,000 $$ 3,000 $-

$$ 10,000 $$$ 645

$$ 10,000 $$$-

$ 1,586,111 $ 1,610,981 ========= =========

$ 1,582,936 =========

$$ 12,000 $$$ 530

$ 50,000 $ 23,000 $$ 15,000 $ 6,000

$ 124,884

$ 200,000

$ 328,455

$ 200,000

$$ 8,535

$$ 8,500

$$-

$$-

$ 226,911 $$ 198,616 $ 20,000 $ 28,785 $ 794,437

$ 200,000 $$ 200,000 $ 20,000 $$ 711,500

$ 200,000 $$ 200,000 $ 10,000 $$ 750,985

$ 200,000 $$ 200,000 $ 10,000

$ 387,372 $ 28,846 $ 81,361 $ 5,618

$ 475,000 $ 35,000 $ 90,000 $ 6,000

$ 362,274 $ 30,771 $ 76,457 $ 10,644

$ 494,000 $ 36,400 $ 90,000 $ 10,000

$ 25,798 $ 37,295 $ 102,895

$$ 40,000 $ 75,000

$$ 44,174 $ 75,000

$$ 45,000 $ 100,000

$ 19,500 $ 41,027 $ 11,586 $ 91,617

$ 20,000 $ 40,000 $ 5,000 $ 80,000

$ 20,000 $ 48,169 $ 17,365 $ 75,780

$ 20,000 $ 50,000 $ 20,000 $ 98,000

$ 210,727 $ 8,049 $ 21,092

$ 200,000 $ 2,000 $ 50,000

$ 200,000 $ 2,000 $ 20,000

$ 250,000 $ 8,000 $ 50,000

$ 2,685 $ 15,000 $ 17,500 $ 90 $ 120 $ 120 $ 444 $ 5,000 $-------------- -------------- --------------

$ 18,000 $ 120 $ 5,000 --------------

$ 1,076,002 =========

$ 1,138,120 $ 1,000,254 ========= =========

$ 1,294,520 =========

-------------- -------------- -------------$$$========= ========= =========

-------------$=========

GRAND TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS

$ 1,870,440

$ 1,849,620

$ 1,751,239

$ 1,998,520

BEGINNING FUND BALANCE ( CASH + INVESTMENTS) PLUS: REVENUES LESS: DISBURSEMENTS LESS: RESERVE FOR DEBT RETIREMENT ENDING FUND BALANCE (CASH+ INVESTMENTS)

$ 3,073,380

$ 3,169,495

$ 3,169,495

$ 3,029,237

$ 1,966,554 $ 1,870,440

$ 1,586,111 $ 1,849,620

$ 1,610,981 $ 1,751,239

$ 1,582,936 $ 1,998,520

$ 3,169,495

$ 2,905,986

$ 3,029,237

$ 2,613,653

***********

$ 719,040 $ 233,333

$$ 2,400 $ 200,000 $ 30,000 $ 515,436

$ 50,000 $ 17,000 $$ 15,000 $ 1,000

TOTAL GENERAL FUND (B)

$ 658,928 $ 189,673

$$ 4,000 $ 200,000 $ 50,000 $ 515,436

$$ 22,612 $$ 8,599 $ 5,198

$$ 5,896

$$ 5,789 $ 334,919 $ 31,269 $ 544,293

$-

GENERAL FUND (B) WAGES AND SALARIES EMPLOYER PAID TAXES RELATED BENEFITS RELATED BENEFITS (OUTSIDE PAYROLL SERVICE FEES) CAPITOL OUTLAYS UTILITIES & TELEPHONE BUILDING/GROUNDS/OFFICE EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE SUPPLIES & POSTAGE INSURANCE CONTINGENCIES AUDIT & ACCOUNTING& BANK CHARGES CONFERENCE CENTER EXPENSES SPECIAL EVENTS TOURIST PROMOTION & ADVERTISING LEASED ITEMS ATM MACHINE COMPUTER & OFFICE EQUIPMENT

REVENUES

ACCOUNT DESCRIPTION NUMBER:

REVENUE BUILDING SETTLEMENT (A) ENTERPRISE FUND (A) HOTEL/MOTEL TAX (B) INTEREST INCOME(A) INTEREST INCOME (B)

PRIOR YEAR Actual 2024

CURRENT YEAR Budget 2025

CURRENT YEAR Estimate 2025

REQUESTED 2026

$ 773,971 $ 111,339 $ 39,911

$ 743,675 $ 50,000 $ 10,000

$ 650,000 $ 79,800 $ 122,700

$ 700,000 $ 50,000 $ 75,000

$ 704,000

2026 WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL 5 YEAR CAPITAL EXPENDITURE BUDGET 2026 EXPENDITURES DESCRIPTION COUNCIL ROOM ADDITIONAL MEETING ROOM AND COUNCIL CHAMBER EQUIP JUDGE’S OFFICE SOFTWARE RENEWAL CORONER COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, ACCESS CONTROLS, CAMERAS, ETC REG OF VOTERS EQUIP UPGRADES ADMINISTRATION COMPUTERS AND SOFTWARES IT EQUIPMENT AND SOFTWARE UPGRADES PLANNING AND ZONNING EQUIP UPGRADES, GIS , PERMIT SOFTWARE, ETC BUILDING MAINTENANCE - TRUCK, TOOLS, DRAIN CLEANER, TRUCK BED, AC CIVIL DEFENSE - COMPUTER UPGRADES ENGINEERING- AUTOCAD AND MONITOR DRAINAGE STUDY ADDIS AREA DRAINAGE STUDY NORTH END ANIMAL CONTROL - VAN, COMPUTERS, CAMERA, TECH, ETC MOSQUITO CONTROL- SPRAY RIG, TECH, CAMERAS, PHONES, ETC KWBRB- MISC EQUIP.

FUND AMOUNT

TOTAL BY FUND

001

$ 80,000

2026

001

$ 15,500

2026

001

$ 36,500

2026

001 001 001

$ 10,500 $ 9,900 $ 620,900

2026 2026 2026

001

$ 63,500

2026

001

$ 97,500

2026

001 001 001 001

$ 1,000 $ 3,000 $ 47,000 $ 70,000

2026 2026 2026 2026

001

$ 81,800

2026

001

$ 66,700

2026

001

$ 2,000 $ 1,205,800 $ 35,000 $ 18,000 $ 4,000 $ 5,500 $ 2,000

2026

TRIMBLE PIN GRABBER COUPLER CLEANOUT BUCKET TRAILER COMPUTER

004 004 004 004 004

STBG PROJECTS ROAD OVERLAYS PANEL CHANGEOUTS/GRAVEL/REPAIRS ADDIS TO CHOCTOAW ROAD COURT STREET PROJECT ACADIAN TRAIL S WESTPORT GUARDRAILS 415/ROSEDALE TURNING LANE NORTHBOUND EMILY DR TURN LANE CAPITAL OUTLAY LA1/415 CONNECTOR

065 $ 150,000 065 $ 306,480 065 $ 200,000 065 $ 1,250,000 065 $ 979,610 065 $ 530,147 065 $ 21,970 065 $ 299,000 065 $ 500,000 065 $ 10,400,000

WATER SECTOR PROJECT SEWER CONSOLIDATION BATHROOM UPDATES SOFTWASH COURTHOUSE ROOF COURTOOM B/C AV EQUIPMENT COURTHOUSE ROOF COURTHOUSE CELLPHONE BOOSTER NEW STORAGE/WORKSHOP BUILDING- OLD FAIRGROUNDS IT ANNEX CELLPHONE BOOSTER NEW ANIMAL CONTROL BUILDING GOVERNMENTAL BUILDING CELLPHONE BOOSER

066 066 066 066 066 066 066

$ 1,254,040 $ 5,100,000 $ 10,000 $ 14,000 $ 50,000 $ 15,000 $ 12,000

066

$ 100,000

2026

066 066 066

$ 9,000 $ 440,000 $ 9,000 $ 7,013,040

2026 2026 2026

TOTAL GENERAL FUND FUNDING WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET ESTIMATES AND REQUESTS YEAR 2026 FUND: WBRCVB

WBR Legal Notices

$ 150,297

ENTERPRISE FUND (A) CONTINGENCIES DUES & SUBSCRIPTIONS STRATEGIC PLANNING MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS SUPPLIES/POSTAGE/BANK CHARGES CAPITAL OUTLAY- GROUNDS AND BUILDING RENOVATIONS COVID-19 SUPPLIES RURAL TOURISM CONFERENCE/LA BYWAYS CONFERENCE ADVERTISING MARKETING SOUTHEAST LA GUMBO GROUP SPECIAL EVENTS GRANT EXPENSES WBRCVB BOND TOTAL FUND (A)

$2,200,000.00

WBR Legal Notices

$ 1,966,554 =========

TOURISM REVIVAL FUND- 3 YEAR FED GRANT

$1,200,000.00

Trucks

WBR Legal Notices

MISCELLANEOUS INCOME (A) MISCELLANEOUS INCOME (B) CONFERENCE CENTER INCOME SPECIAL EVENTS TRANSFER FROM RESERVE (STATE ENTERPRISE FUNDS) LEASE/BUILDING RENTAL GRANTS SOUTHEAST LA GUMBO GROUP RURAL TOURISM CONFERENCE TOURISM REVIVAL FUND- 3 YEAR FED GRANT ************** TOTAL REVENUE *

2026 Computers

WBR Legal Notices

PARK EQUIPMENT PRESSURE WASHER, MOWERS, DRAG MACHINES, GATORS, ROTARIES, SPRAYERS, ETC PORT ALLEN COMMUNITY CENTER OUTDOOR PICKLEBALL FACILITY ERWINVILLE PARK OUTDOOR PICKLEBALL FACILITY WALKING TRACK EXTENSION CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES GRAVEL PARKING LOT NEW BLEACHERS SHADE STRUCTURES RIVAULT PARK SHADE STRUCTURES

$ 64,500

$ 14,637,207

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

$ 22,920,547

008

$ 279,700

2026

061

$ 85,042

2026

061 061 061 061 061 061

$ 85,042 $ 55,000 $ 15,000 $ 50,000 $ 75,000 $ 70,000

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

061

$ 130,000

2026

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ 9D

lll

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES NEW BLEACHERS ALEXANDER PARK OUTDOOR PICKLEBALL FACILITY SHADE STRUCTURES CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES NEW BLEACHERS LUKEVILLE PARK SHADE STRUCTURES CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES W&L PARK BASKETBALL GOAL UPGRADE SHADE STRUCTURES CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES WALKING TRACK EXTENSION MYHAND SHADE STRUCTURES CONCRETE FOR SHADE STRUCTURES NEW BLEACHERS LOBDELL PARK STORAGE BUILDING EXPANSION SOCCER COMPLEX GOAL REPLACEMENTS ARENA PANEL & CHUTE UPGRADES EXISTING SYSTEM TOTAL RECREATION FUND FUNDING

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

061 061

$ 10,000 $ 85,000

2026 2026

061 061 061 061

$ 170,083 $ 100,000 $ 15,000 $ 90,000

2026 2026 2026 2026

061 061

$ 15,000 $ 30,000

2026 2026

061 061 061 061

$ 5,000 $ 20,000 $ 65,000 $ 30,000

2026 2026 2026 2026

061 061 061

$ 125,000 $ 65,000 $ 10,000

2026 2026 2026

061

$ 128,000

2026

061

$ 15,200

2026

061

$ 8,000

ACCESS POINT CAMERAS 6135M TRACTOR CUTTER MINI EXCAVATOR CAT326 ATTACHMENTS ELECTRIC HOIST 12FT CHOPPERS CASE 250LR PLUMBING SMARTBOARD TV PILE DRIVER 2 TRUCKS COMPUTERS TOTAL DRAINAGE FUND FUNDING

010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010 010

$ 1,500 $ 30,000 $ 130,000 $ 12,000 $ 175,000 $ 30,000 $ 15,000 $ 18,000 $ 25,000 $ 7,000 $ 180,000 $ 95,000 $ 2,000

911-EQUIPMENT UPGRADES TOTAL E-911 FUNDING

015

$ 139,000

VFW RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES OR ADDITIONS ERWINVILLE COMMUNITY CTR RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES OR ADDITIONS WILLIAM AND LEE CENTER ADDIS COMMUNITY CTR RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES OR ADDITIONS PORT ALLEN COMMUNITY CTR RENOVATIONS, UPGRADES OR ADDITIONS PORT ALLEN ARTS AND CRAFTS PORT ALLEN PAVILION TOTAL COMMUNITY CTR FUNDING

030

$ 54,000

2026

030

$ 25,000

2026

030

$ 40,400

2026

030

$ 125,000

2026

2026

$ 1,831,066

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

$ 720,500

2026

$ 139,000

030

$ 100,400

2026

030 030

$ 5,000 $ 17,000

2026 2026

PARISH ROAD OVERLAY/CONSTRUCTION TOTAL VIDEO POKER FUNDING

065

$ 1,356,020

CONTROL SYSTEM SOFTWARE & HARDWARE CAMERA SYSTEM UPGRADE WATER PROOFING PARKING LOT AND PERIMTER LIGHTS ELECTRICAL UPGRADE PROCESSING CENTER PAINTING DORMS AND ISOLATION METAL WORK & PAITNING EXTERIOR MULE MISC TOOLS TRANSFER SWITCH 023 $ 72,400 2026 ELECTRONIC MEDICAL RECORD SOFTWARE/ HARDWARE CLEANING MACHINE WELDER UPGRADE 2 PORTABLE BOILERS

023 023 023 023 023 023 023 023 023

$ 310,779 $ 823,260 $ 28,300 $ 32,500 $ 7,500 $ 325,000 $ 5,000 $ 25,000 $ 5,000

023

$ 100,000

2026

023 023 023

$ 35,000 $ 3,500 $ 60,000

2026 2026 2026

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL REVENUE SOURCES:

TAXES AD VALOREM TAX SALES TAX ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE TAX HOTEL MOTEL LICENSES AND PERMITS OCCUPATIONAL BUILDING INTERGOVERNMENTAL STATE REVENUE SHARING SEVERANCE VIDEO POKER FEDERAL GRANTS STATE GRANTS INMATE HOUSING OTHER

TOTAL EXPENDITURES:

SHSP GRANT EMPG GRANT FIRE STATE SURPLUS LAND ACQUISITION- FIRE TOWER FUEL PUMPS GRANT & LOAN FUNDING

$ 35,000 $ 1,500 $ 1,200 $ 11,000

038

$ 291,500

025 025 031 035 035

FUND $ 1,000,000 $ 125,000 $ 100,000 $ 1,800,000 $ 115,000 $ 30,000 $ 175,000 $ 78,000 $ 18,000 $ 45,000 $ 30,000 $ 5,000 $ 3,000 $ 3,000 $ 39,000

YEAR 65 2027 4 2027 10 2027 61 2027 4 2027 10 2027 8 2027 8 2027 1 2027 1 2027 1 2027 1 2027 1 2027 1 2027 8 2027

LA1/415 CONNECTOR 3 SCAG MOWERS TRACTOR W/ MOWERS TRACTOR W/ MOWERS TRAILER- BLD MAINT GENERATOR REPLACEMENTS SPRAY RIG, SIDE BY SIDE, TRAILER, GRANULAR APPLICATOR MOSQUITO LAB REPLACEMENT DART GUN SPRAY RIG TRUCK- MOSQUITO CONTROL TRUCK- ANIMAL CONTROL PARK UPGRADES

$ 1,000,000 $ 30,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 5,000 $ 30,000 $ 38,000 $ 15,000 $ 3,000 $ 14,000 $ 45,000 $ 50,000 $ 200,000

65 8 4 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 61

2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028

LA1/415 CONNECTOR TRACTOR W/ MOWERS TRACTOR W/ MOWERS GENERATOR REPLACEMENTS 3/4 TON PICK-UP MOWERS AND GATORS FORKLIFT TRAILER COMPUTERS SPRAY RIG, SIDE BY SIDE, TRAILER, GRANULAR APPLICATOR, TRAILER DRONE SPRAYING SYSTEM NET GUN KENNELS

$ 1,000,000 $ 100,000 $ 100,000 $ 30,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000 $ 40,000 $ 6,000 $ 25,000 $ 41,000 $ 40,000 $ 5,000 $ 40,000

65 4 10 1 1 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029

$ 140,000 $ 38,000 $ 45,000 $ 80,000 $ 25,000 $ 30,000 $ 100,000 $ 38,000 $ 15,000 $ 125,000 $ 100,000 $ 50,000 $ 50,000

8 8 8 1 1 8 4 1 1 10 10 10 4

2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 2030 203

CENTRAL COMM

FIRE DISTRICT

038

300

30,000# EXCAVATOR 3/4 TON PICK-UP 4X4 50,000# TANDUM AXLE TRAILER DRONE FOR MOSQUITO CONTROL DRONE SURVEY SYSTEM 3 SCAG MOWERS TRACTOR W/ MOWERS SPRAY RIG, SIDE BY SIDE, TRAILER, GRANULAR APPLICATOR KENNELS DUMP TRUCK TRACTORS WITH MOWERS 4X4 TRUCKS 4X4 TRUCKS

2026 BUDGETS

E-911

JUVENILE DET.

CRIMINAL COURT

PUBLIC ALERT

DETEN. CENTER

DEBT SINKING

DEBT RES.

CAPITAL OUTLAY

ROAD TRUST

V.P./LIGHT DIST TRUST

GRANT FUNDS

PUBLIC UTILITIES

2026

001

004

008

010

005

006

030

015

016

017

007

023

097,102

022,035

1,560,000

555,000

1,480,000

009,014,021, 025 031, 032, 037

301

4,588,000

061,065 066

012

2,960,000

086,098 103

34,000

6,227

11,000

33,000

18,629,661 0 2,900,574 4,072,887 200,000 3,057,187 8,146,059 1,499,323 1,025,414 89,577 3,099,136 1,570,927 1,798,520 0 2,592,405 1,811,424 75,000 83,000 3,064,638 23,266,113 0 129,000 28,786 3,610 70,013,484 155,057,909 85,428,060 131,460,901 155,057,909 61,831,052

290,000

50,000

1,587,500 515,436

2,870,000 296,216 100,000

60,000

32,000

70,000

LIBRARY

3,116,000

24,557,747

753,853 3,000,000

8,340,166

290,000

850

700,000

60,000

10,000

0

1,480,000

4,606,662

185,000

2,500

6,200

150,000

45,000

11,000

80,000

200,000

125,000 230,000

88,000

1,000

160,000

168,000

100

60,000

6,700

1,400,000

8,012,400

137,500

6,000

139,000

36,000

2,030,574 64,500

100,000

2,965,074 0 2,965,074

3,334,500 1,106,750 4,441,250

340,000

300,000

11,600

161,396 4,912,000 -107,672 4,804,328

1,670,727 -500 1,670,227

871,000 197,596 1,068,596

1,752,000 444,003 2,196,003

400,850 -39,275 361,575

32,000 118,000 150,000

370,000 -231,000 139,000

11,600 8,946,978 20,400 2,052,618 32,000 10,999,596

161,396 0 161,396

25,097,633 521,636 -5,000 516,636

515,436

0

57,995,546 0 57,995,546

150,000 -150,000 0

1,632,500 763,520 2,396,020

3,764,853 1,118,600 4,883,453

8,213,400 297,834 8,511,234

1,582,936 415,584 1,998,520

3,270,800 63,336 3,334,136

1,640,000 199,098 1,839,098

6,419,662 758,778 7,178,440

1,525,716

6,334,881

313,382 1,839,098 3,098,261 1,640,000 1,839,098 2,899,163

843,559 7,178,440 3,918,679 6,419,662 7,178,440 3,159,901

139,000

1,285,214

200,693 2,900,574

150,000

32,000

8,916,157

185,000

4,072,887

200,000

3,057,187 890,447

608,876

1,025,414

8,146,059

89,577

3,099,136

1,570,927

1,798,520

2,592,405 75,000 83,000 2,548,002 21,714,747

37,415,781 31,268,287 20,841,443 37,415,781 14,693,949

WBR CVB

5,410,762

225,000

80,000

$ 1,923,966

2027 TO 2030 LA1/415 CONNECTOR TRACTOR & MOWER 15,000# EXCAVATOR ALL PARKS LIGHTS 12 YD DUMP TRUCK 3/4 TON PICK-UP TRACTOR TRAILER TRUCK LOWBOY TRAILER SPRAY RIG TRUCK- MOSQUITO CONTROL KENNELS WASHER/DRYER- ANIMAL CONTROL WASHING TUB-ANIMAL CONTROL CORRAL SHELTER REPLACEMENT 3/4 TON 4X4 TRUCK

COMM. CENTERS

137,000

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

$31,431,338

HEALTH UNIT

0

2026

OVERALL 2026 TOTAL CAPITAL OUTLAY

MUSEUM

12,500

2026 2026 2026 2026

$ 1,881,939

$ 32,582 $ 51,384 $ 1,000,000 $ 300,000 $ 540,000

DRAIN. DEPT.

270,000 600,000

WBR Legal Notices

$ 291,500

REC.

1,811,424 0

1,551,366

64,500 2,965,074 0 2,965,074 2,965,074 0

297,479 4,441,250 1,903,824 3,334,500 4,441,250 797,074

731,441 4,804,328 5,360,672 4,912,000 4,804,328 5,468,344

99,300 1,670,227 1,166,897 1,670,727 1,670,227 1,167,397

43,182 1,068,596 1,683,924 871,000 1,068,596 1,486,328

384,579 2,196,003 1,739,965 1,752,000 2,196,003 1,295,962

160,882 361,575 1,297,612 400,850 361,575 1,336,887

150,000 756,769 32,000 150,000 638,769

139,000 2,099,714 370,000 139,000 2,330,714

Utilities 5 Year Outlay

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27

REPLACING EQUIPMENT, UPS SYSTEM, EMD, BADE MACHINE, CALL SYSTEM, ETC TOTAL CENTRAL COMMUNICATION FUNDING

023 023 023 023

ROADS DEPT.

142,950 1,000 0 8,012,400 3,070,187 3,070,187 15,000 15,000 0 282,500 11,600 2,247,700 165,000 0 0 334,800 334,800 0 2,807,406 0 25,376,722 214,589 0 TOTAL REVENUE: 131,460,901 20,841,443 EST. USE OF FUND BAL. 23,597,008 16,574,338 TOT. FUNDING AVAILABLE 155,057,909 37,415,781 EXPENDITURES: LEGISLATURE 540,000 540,000 JUDICIAL 1,285,227 1,146,227 ELECTIONS 345,842 345,842 GENERAL GOVERNMENT/ IT 2,575,484 2,575,484 PLANNING AND ZONING 722,779 722,779 GENERAL BUILDING MAINT. 2,431,852 2,431,852

EST. BEGINNING FUND BAL. EST. REVENUE EST. EXPENSES EST. ENDING FUND BAL.

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026

FOOD CARTS AUTOMATIC ROLLUP DOOR OPENER PORTABLE PLASMA CUTTER PROCESS SHACK 400AMP SWITCH TOTAL DETENTION CTR FUNDING

WBR Legal Notices

GENERAL FUND

MISC. REVENUE PUBLIC WORK FEES PUBLIC UTILITIES REVENUE SOLID WASTE COLLECTIONS WEED & GRASS CUTTING CULTURE AND RECR. RECREATION REVENUES FEES,FINES,CHARGES FEES,FINES,CHARGES,COMM. OFF TRACK BETTING FEE HEALTH & WELFARE HEALTH & WELFARE FEES TRANSFERS OPERATING TRANSFERS -IN CAPITAL TRANSFERS -IN TRANSFER FROM PORT ALLEN

PUBLIC SAFETY PUBLIC WORKS ROADS MAINTENANCE DRAINAGE MAINTENANCE LIGHTING DISTRICTS GARBAGE COLLECTIONS PUBLIC UTILITIES OPERATION HEALTH AND WELFARE HEALTH UNIT OPERATIONS CSBG - OPERATIONS LIBRARY OPERATION MUSEUM OPERATION TOURIST COMMISSION OPER. TOURIST COMM. RIVERFRONT RECREATION COMMUNITY CTR OPERATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PARISH FARM AGENT OPERATING TRANS.-OUT CAP. OUTLAY TRANS.-OUT DEBT SERVICE: PRINCIPLE INTEREST PAYING AGENT FEE CAPITAL OUTLAY EXPENSE

2026

$ 1,356,020

WBR Legal Notices

TOTAL BUDGET

18,343,800 2,604,800 20,265,516 10,248,092 26,000 26,000 0 0 1,150,000 1,150,000 150,000 150,000 0 1,348,227 49,000 610,000 10,000 1,587,500 1,173,853 195,000 29,472,058 1,376,375 2,870,000 8,638,882 0 3,162,200 1,100,000 361,600 131,600 0 0

USE OF MONEY& PROP. INTEREST EARNINGS RENT & ROYALTY REVENUE SALES AT AUCTION

$ 366,800

WBR Legal Notices

Trucks Gas Smart Meters & Skid Steer Meters Computers Cameras Pump Replacements Track Trencher Telemetry Computers Trucks Water Line Upgrades Water Tower Rehab Addis Backhoe Computers Trucks WaterLineUpgrades Gas Smart Meters Trucks Computers WaterLine Upgrades Smart Meter Trencher Water Tower Rehab Trucks Computers Excavator Water Line Uphgrade

AMOUNT

YEAR

$ 80,000 $ 85,000 $ 50,000 $ 20,000 $ 20,000 $ 50,000 $ 25,000 $ 30,000 $ 10,000 $ 125,000 $ 100,000 $ 300,000 $ 80,000 $ 15,000 $ 120,000 $ 125,000 $ 100,000 $ 120,000 $ 15,000 $ 100,000 $ 80,000 $ 85,000 $ 325,000 $ 135,000 $ 15,000 $ 75,000 $ 100,000

2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2026 2027 2027 2027 2027 2027 2027 2027 2028 2028 2028 2028 2028 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2029 2030 2030 2030

516,636

32,000 3,581 11,600 32,000 -16,819

2,083,439 10,999,596 8,094,403 8,946,978 10,999,596 6,041,785

28 29

129,000 28,786 3,610 161,396 0 161,396 161,396 0

516,636 137,904 521,636 516,636 142,904

0

57,995,546 57,995,546 0 57,995,546 57,995,546 0

0 4,725,951 150,000 0 4,875,951

2,196,020 2,396,020 1,313,623 1,632,500 2,396,020 550,103

4,000,000 4,883,453 1,431,658 3,764,853 4,883,453 313,058

365,175 8,511,234 6,764,290 8,213,400 8,511,234 6,466,456

Trucks Backhoe

200,000 1,998,520 3,029,237 1,582,936 1,998,520 2,613,653

235,000 3,334,136 5,632,809 3,270,800 3,334,136 5,569,473

$ 125,000 $ 95,000

2030 2030

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET ESTIMATES AND REQUESTS YEAR 2026 FUND: LIBRARY

DESCRIPTION

PRIOR YEAR CURRENT YEAR CURRENT YEAR REQUESTED Actual 2024 Budget 2025 Estimate 2025 2026

REVENUES AD VALOREM STATE GRANTS STATE SHARED REVENUE PHOTOCOPY FINES & LOST BOOK MONEY INTEREST EARNINGS GIFTS MISCELLANEOUS REVENUE LANDRY INTEREST TOTAL REVENUES

$ 3,043,780 $ 500,000 $ 58,022 $ 9,602 $ 1,094 $ 270,975 $3 $ 1,741 $ 10,628 $ 3,895,845 =========

$ 1,115,275

$ 2,772,000 0 $ 60,000 $ 6,000 $ 700 $ 80,000 $ 100 $ 8,000 $ 2,926,800 =========

$ 3,000,000 $$ 53,825 $ 9,000 $ 700 $ 115,000 $ 5,100 $$ 9,000 $ 3,192,625 =========

$ 3,116,000 0 $ 60,000 $ 6,000 $ 700 $ 80,000 $ 100 $$ 8,000 $ 3,270,800 =========

$ 1,295,936

$ 1,242,774

$ 1,391,236

DISBURSEMENTS SALARIES

10D ■ Tuesday, December 30, 2025 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS OPERATING SERVICES MATERIALS & SUPPLIES BOOKS, ETC. GRANTS TRAVEL & TRAINING INTERGOVERNMENTAL EXPENDITURES CAPITAL PROJECTS TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS

lll

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

WBR Legal Notices

$ 389,150 $ 525,145 $ 60,113 $ 339,045 $ 689 $ 19,137 $ 98,761

$ 436,200 $ 535,500 $ 90,500 $ 203,000

$ 404,100 $ 483,150 $ 71,500 $ 160,000

$ 496,900 $ 563,500 $ 121,000 $ 175,000

$ 17,000 $ 120,000

$ 9,500 $ 99,000

$ 20,000 $ 120,000

$ 796,525 $ 3,343,840 =========

$ 185,000 $ 2,883,136 =========

$ 60,000 $ 2,530,024 =========

$ 235,000 $ 3,122,636 =========

STREET NAME ANTONIO RD NORTH WINTERVILLE RD BURNSIDE RD PARKER LANE RANDALL GAY STREET PAULS LANE SUGGS RD TREUIL RD ADDIS TO CHOCTAW CONNECTING ROAD- ROW ACQUISITION ADDIS TO CHOCTAW CONNECTING ROAD ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION MATCH ON 415 CONNECTOR PECAN STREET WALNUT STREET WILLOW STREET CYPRESS STREET OAK STREET PECAN GROVE STREET ELM GROVE STREET ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION MATCH ON 415 CONNECTOR LANDSDOWN DR ROBIN DR METRO DR LIBERTY DR ROSELAND DR ROSEWOOD CT ROSEPETAL DR ROSEBUD DR ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION MATCH ON 415 CONNECTOR BYRD AVE ASHLAND WESTWOOD BLVD/WESTWIND/WESTDALE CANE BAYOU RD E. HUGH LOOP RD PAYNE RD ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION MATCH ON 415 CONNECTOR BALIS ST COFFIELD ST REV. MANUEL RED HAT RD SMITHFIELD RD ROAD REPAIRS AND CONSTRUCTION MATCH ON 415 CONNECTOR

PRIOR YEAR CURRENT YEAR CURRENT YEAR REQUESTED Actual 2024 Budget 2025 Estimate 2025 2026

NET REVENUE COLLECTIONS

13,607,821 13,607,821

11,000,000 11,000,000

BEGINNING FUND BALANCE* PLUS: REVENUES LESS: DISBURSEMENTS ENDING FUND BALANCE*

$ 4,418,203 $ 3,895,845 $ (3,343,840) $ 4,970,208

11,001,300 11,001,300

11,000,000 11,000,000

6,803,911

5,500,000

5,500,650

5,500,000

6,227,739 13,607,821

4,400,000 11,000,000

4,695,900 11,001,300

4,695,900 11,000,000

13,396,916

10,860,000

10,862,500

10,860,000

1,328,072

2,750,000

2,750,550

2,750,000

67,854 68,647,956 1,292,965 0 785,757

60,000 56,570,000 900,000 0 755,000

67,700 56,881,200 1,170,400 0 689,600

65,000 56,870,900 950,000 0 685,000

148,364

100,000

112,150

103,000

(2,221)

(1,800)

(2,031)

(1,950)

(31,251)

(24,825)

(27,900)

(24,525)

____________

____________ ____________

$ 70,841,571

$ 58,298,375

$ 58,823,419 $ 58,582,425

=========

=========

=========

0.49%

=========

DISBURSEMENTS

484,640

579,960

528,185

609,050 7 EMPL

101,870

138,450

115,933

154,000

1,006 55,220 6,812 0 14146.44 1,191

1,310 63,800 8,410 0 8,500 1,500

1,105 58,100 7,448 0 7,600 1,220

1,360 67,000 8,835 0 8,500 1,500

$ 4,970,208 $ 5,632,809 $ 3,192,625 $ 3,270,800 $ (2,530,024) $ (3,122,636) $ 5,632,809 $ 5,780,973

FUND FOR 2028

FUND FOR 2029

FUND FOR 2030

LAST OVERLAYED

2014 2008 2012 2011 2011 2008

2013 2013 2012 2013 2003 2003 2003

105,000 70,000 70,000 140,000 122,500 245,000 364,000 200,000 200,000 1,000,000

2015

175,000 52,500 52,500 70,000 214,200 35,000 17,500 34,440 200,000

2018 2013 2013 2013

2008 2004

122,500 245,000 171,500 122,500 35,000 70,000 200,000

2008

2013 2013 2011 2011 2011

52,500 52,500 210,000 175,000 157,500 200,000

2,889

3,500

2,990

3,500

12,422 3,248

16,000 12,000

14,300 4,860

16,000 10,000

2,535

6,000

4,050

6,000

2,095 56,984 1,655 13,000 4,852

45,000 55,000 3,000 13,000 10,000

13,780 47,440 2,380 13,000 7,300

45,000 55,000 3,500 13,000 10,000

0

52,000

0

0

5,020 0

5,400 31,000

5,271 26,970

5,850 21,900

$ 769,586

$ 1,053,830

$ 861,932

=========

=========

=========

=========

6,401,610 6,353,951 6,722,120 1,249,070 0 65,634 4,907,837 2,535,324 6,689,759 6,139,588 26,678,850

5,151,250 5,111,655 5,409,159 886,500 58,200 3,950,958 2,039,686 5,383,087 4,309,159 21,496,636

5,170,376 5,112,717 5,429,242 1,152,844 0 65,669 3,990,819 2,036,183 5,406,874 4,624,492 21,578,169

5,152,777 47.61% 5,095,315 47.09% 5,410,762 935,750 0 63,050 3,977,235 2,029,252 5,388,470 4,606,662 21,503,050

1,097,578

2,704,580

2,714,846

2,705,381

773,971

743,675

679,256

674,725

$ 1,039,995 -1.31%

TAX DISBURSEMENTS

TOTAL TAX DISBURSEMENTS $ 69,615,292 * =========

$ 57,244,545

$ 57,961,487 $ 57,542,430

=========

=========

0.52%

=========

GRAND TOTAL DISBURSEMENTS

$ 70,384,877

$ 58,298,375

$ 58,823,419 $ 58,582,425

=========

=========

=========

BEGINNING FUND BALANCE PLUS: REVENUES LESS: DISBURSEMENTS ENDING FUND BALANCE *

$ 4,519,112 $ 70,841,571 $ 70,384,877 $ 4,975,805

$ 4,975,805 $ 58,298,375 $ 58,298,375 $ 4,975,805

$ 4,975,805 $ 4,975,805 $ 58,823,419 $ 58,582,425 $ 58,823,419 $ 58,582,425 $ 4,975,805 $ 4,975,806

=========

=========

=========

OPERATING EXPENSES SALARIES & SEVERANCE PAY HOSPITALIZATION INSURANCE LIFE INSURANCE RETIREMENT MEDICARE/SOC.SEC. TAXES WORKERS COMPENSATION POSTAGE TELEPHONE

$ 4,970,208 $ 2,926,800 $ (2,883,136) $ 5,013,872

WBR Legal Notices

2014

PARISH SALES TAX DISTRICT SALES TAX CORRECTIONS TAX OCCUP. LICENSES OFF TRACK BETTING RIVERVIEW EDD CITY OF PORT ALLEN TOWN OF BRUSLY TOWN OF ADDIS FIRE PROTECTION DISTRICT 1 SCHOOL BOARD 18TH JUDICIAL ENFORCEMENT DISTRICT WBRP TOURIST COMMISSION

$____________

FUND FOR 2027

TOTAL OPERATING EXPENSES * 0.53%

WBR Legal Notices

Approved by the Library Board of Control on September 16, 2025 * Includes Landry account, of which $1,097,860 is restricted principal.

OFFICE SUPPLIES AND FORMS COMPUTER OPERATIONS TRAVEL CONFERENCES & MEMBERSHIPS LEGAL/ COURT COSTS CONTRACT SERVICES MISCELLANEOUS OTHER INTERGOV’T. - OFFICE SPACE OFFICE EQUIPMENT COMPUTER SYSTEM (REPLACE STS) TECNOLOGY - ONLINE FILING IT COST

REVENUE COLLECTIONS PARISH SALES TAX SALES TAX DISTRICT # 1 CORRECTIONAL FACILITIES SALES TAX FIRE PROTECTION SALES TAX SCHOOL BOARD DISTRICT EDUCATION FACILITIES DISTRICT 18TH JUDICIAL ENFORCEMENT DISTRICT RIVERVIEW EDD SUB TOTAL - SALES TAX OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE TAX OFF TRACK BETTING HOTEL MOTEL TAX INTEREST ON BANK ACCOUNT LESS COLLECTION COST FOR RIVERVIEW EDD LESS: COLLECTION FEES FOR OLT,OTB,H-M REPLACE OLT SYSTEM RESERVE FOR REFUND CONTINGENCY RESERVE FOR BOND INDEBTEDNESS

WBR Legal Notices

2026 CAPITAL ROAD PROGRAM ( 5 YEAR PROGRAM) WORK TO FUND FOR BE DONE YEAR LENGTH 2026 2026 0.55 192,500 2026 1.10 385,000 2026 1.20 420,000 2026 0.10 35,000 2026 0.25 87,500 2026 0.55 192,500 2026 0.15 52,500 2026 0.85 297,500 CONSTRUCTION 2026 250,000 CONSTRUCTION 2026 1,000,000 CONSTRUCTION 2026 200,000 CONSTRUCTION 2026 1,260,000 OVERLAY 2027 0.30 OVERLAY 2027 0.20 OVERLAY 2027 0.20 OVERLAY 2027 0.40 OVERLAY 2027 0.35 OVERLAY 2027 0.70 OVERLAY 2027 1.04 CONSTRUCTION 2027 CONSTRUCTION 2027 CONSTRUCTION 2027 OVERLAY 2028 0.50 OVERLAY 2028 0.15 OVERLAY 2028 0.15 OVERLAY 2028 0.20 OVERLAY 2028 0.61 OVERLAY 2028 0.10 OVERLAY 2028 0.05 OVERLAY 2028 0.10 CONSTRUCTION 2028 CONSTRUCTION 2028 OVERLAY 2029 0.35 OVERLAY 2029 0.70 OVERLAY 2029 0.49 OVERLAY 2029 0.35 OVERLAY 2029 0.10 OVERLAY 2029 0.20 CONSTRUCTION 2029 CONSTRUCTION 2029 OVERLAY 2030 0.15 OVERLAY 2030 0.15 OVERLAY 2030 0.60 OVERLAY 2030 0.50 OVERLAY 2030 0.45 CONSTRUCTION 2030 CONSTRUCTION 2030

WEST BATON ROUGE PARISH COUNCIL BUDGET ESTIMATES AND REQUESTS YEAR 2026 FUND: SALES TAX

DESCRIPTION

WBR Legal Notices

=========

=========

171024-597012-Dec. 30, Jan. 6-2t $ 4,615.38

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