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STRIKE AND CAPTURE U.S. hits Venezuela, seizes Maduro, wife President Trump says U.S. to run country

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO, ONSTANTIN TOROPIN and ERIC TUCKER Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALEX BRANDON

President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Fla., on Saturday. Trump said that the United States would run Venezuela at least temporarily and tap its vast oil reserves to sell to other nations.

Louisiana leaders react to U.S. military operation

“a decisive and justified operation Johnson calls it ‘justified’; dent that will protect American lives.”

Maduro is responsible for Carter says it’s ‘reckless’ the“Nicolas deaths of hundreds of thousands

of Americans after years of trafficking illegal drugs and violent cartel members into our country — crimes for which he’s been properly indicted in Staff writers U.S. courts and an arrest warrant duly Speaker of the House Mike Johnson issued — and today he learned what on Saturday called the U.S. military ä See REACT, page 8A operation to capture Venezuela’s presi-

BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT and CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

President Donald Trump posted this picture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro on his Truth Social platform with the caption ‘Nicolas Maduro on board the USS Iwo Jima.’

PHOTO PROVIDED

By TRUTH SOCIAL

CARACAS, Venezuela — Hours after an audacious military operation that plucked leader Nicolás Maduro from power and removed him from the country, President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States would run Venezuela at least INSIDE temporarily and tap its vast oil reserves to sell ä Ouster of to other nations.

Maduro sparks The dramatic action celebrations capped an intensive Trump administration among some pressure campaign on Venezuelans in the South American na- South Florida. tion and its autocratic PAGE 4A leader and months of secret planning resulting in the most asser- ä How the tive American action to U.S. captured achieve regime change Venezuelan since the 2003 invasion leader. PAGE 7A of Iraq.

Legal experts immediately raised questions ä Legal about whether the op- questions arise eration was lawful. Ven- over capture of ezuela’s vice president Maduro. PAGE 8A Delcy Rodríguez demanded in a speech that the U.S. free Maduro ä World and called him the coun- leaders react try’s rightful leader, to U.S. action before Venezuela’s high in Venezuela. court ordered her to assume the role of interim PAGE 9A president.

Speaking to reporters ä U.S. military hours after Maduro’s operation in capture, Trump revealed Venezuela his plans to exploit the leadership void to “fix” disrupts the country’s oil infra- Caribbean structure and sell “large travel. PAGE 9A amounts” of oil to other countries.

Maduro and his wife, seized overnight from their home on a military base, were first taken aboard a U.S. warship on their way to face prosecution for a Justice Department indictment accusing them of participating in a narcoterrorism conspiracy.

ä See VENEZUELA, page 6A

Edwards visiting Detroit to learn from city’s turnaround Ideas sought on fixing blight, budget woes

Edwards

WEATHER HIGH 65 LOW 44 PAGE 8B

the past decade reversing decades of blight and rebuilding the city’s finances — a turnaround East Baton Rouge Parish Mayor-President Sid Edwards wants to study up close.

On Sunday, Edwards and his staff

BY PATRICK SLOAN-TURNER will head to the Motor City for a few Staff writer days to meet with leaders who they Once synonymous with abandon- say helped turn the city into a model ment and decay, Detroit has spent for urban transformation.

“Detroit has seen really a revolution over the past 12 years,” said Mason Batts, executive director for Edwards’ office. “Just since 2021, they’ve been able to tear down 8,000 blighted properties and put another 3,000 back into commerce.”

In 2014, Detroit had roughly 47,000 abandoned homes owned by the city’s land bank. That number has since fall-

Business ......................1E Deaths .........................3B Opinion ........................6B Classified ..................... 2F Living............................1D Nation-World ................2A Commentary ................7B Metro ...........................1B Sports ..........................1C

en to just 942, former Detroit mayor and Michigan gubernatorial candidate Mike Duggan said before leaving office Thursday.

Though Duggan is now out of office, many officials involved in tackling the city’s blight problems — as well as lifting Detroit out of bankruptcy

ä See EDWARDS, page 8A

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Officials probe managers after Swiss bar fire

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Rain, high tides cause flooding in California

CORTE MADERA, Calif. — Heavy rain and high tides believed to be the most severe in two decades caused flooding in parts of Northern California on Saturday, prompting road closures and rescues of residents trapped in their cars.

Roadways through a 15-mile stretch from the Sausalito area to San Rafael were flooded after a downpour coincided with record-breaking “king tides,” Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said.

No injuries were reported but authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in floodwater as high as three and four feet, he said.

“There is a lot of water in the roadways,” Dobbins said, adding the tides were reportedly the highest in more than two decades. “Along with heavy rains, it just created the perfect storm for flooding on the streets.”

Authorities in the communities near San Francisco asked residents to stay home wherever possible until waters recede.

Some residents kayaked along what normally would be city streets. Others waded out in water that passed their knees.

A flood warning was in place for the San Francisco area until 2 p.m. Saturday and an advisory until 2 p.m. Sunday, according to the National Weather Service in San Francisco.

King tides occur when the sun, moon and Earth are in alignment and the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.

Dozens missing in Gambia boat capsizing

BANJUL, Gambia — Dozens are missing after a boat carrying more than 200 migrants on their way to Europe capsized off the coast of Gambia, the West African nation’s leader said late Friday, setting off a frantic search and rescue operation.

At least 102 survivors have been rescued and seven bodies recovered from the boat that capsized on New Year’s Eve in northwest Gambia’s North Bank region, Gambian President Adama Barrow said in a state broadcast.

The emergency services were joined by local fishermen and other volunteers in searching for the victims, days after Wednesday’s incident near the village of Jinack, he said.

Thousands of Africans desperate for better opportunities in Europe risk their lives traveling on boats along the Atlantic coast, one of the world’s deadliest migrant routes that connects the West African coast across Gambia, Senegal and Mauritania.

Kenyans mourn death of ‘super tusker’ elephant

NAIROBI, Kenya — Kenyans are mourning the death of a beloved “super tusker” elephant whose long life in the wild came to symbolize the country’s increasingly successful efforts to protect the mammals from ivory poachers.

The bull elephant who died on Saturday was named Craig.

He lived in Amboseli National Park, a protected area in southern Kenya that is a favorite of safari tourists, the Kenya Wildlife Service said in a statement.

“Craig, the legendary super tusker famed for its immense, ground-sweeping tusks and calm, dignified presence, passed on at the age of 54,” the statement said.

The Amboseli Trust for Elephants said Craig had died of natural causes. The conservation group said it was grateful to everyone who worked to help the animal “live out his life naturally.”

Local broadcaster NTV aired a segment on the death of Craig, saying of the elephant that it was a rare creature as “one of the last remaining elephants identified as super tuskers in Africa.”

The term describes a bull elephant with tusks that weigh more than 100 pounds each.

Tusks that size are so long that they scrape the ground as the elephant walks, according to the Tsavo Trust, a nonprofit conservation group in Kenya. Females that grow long tusks are called iconic cows, the group says.

BY JOHN LEICESTER and JAMEY KEATEN Associated Press

PHOTO PROVIDED By OFFICE OF THE IRANIAN SUPREME LEADER

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei speaks Saturday in a meeting in Tehran, Iran. Khamenei said that ‘rioters must be put in their place’ after a week of protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, likely giving security forces a green light to aggressively put down the demonstrations.

Iranian leader decries ‘rioters’ amid protests

enemy are getting behind the tradesKhamenei says they ‘must the men and shopkeepers and chanting slogans against Islam, Iran and the Islamic be put in their place’ Republic,” he said. “This is what matters as deaths hit at least 15 most.”

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary

BY JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Iran’s supreme leader insisted Saturday that “rioters must be put in their place” after a week of protests that have shaken the Islamic Republic, likely giving security forces a green light to aggressively put down the demonstrations.

The first comments by 86-year-old Ayatollah Ali Khamenei come as violence surrounding the demonstrations sparked by Iran’s ailing economy has killed at least 15 people, according to human rights activists. The protests show no sign of stopping and follow President Donald Trump warning Iran on Friday that if Tehran “violently kills peaceful protesters,” the United States “will come to their rescue.”

While it remains unclear how and if Trump will intervene, his comments sparked an immediate, angry response, with officials within the theocracy threatening to target American troops in the Mideast. They also take on new importance after Trump said Saturday that the U.S. military captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, a longtime ally of Tehran.

The protests, have become the biggest in Iran since 2022, when the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in police custody triggered nationwide demonstrations. However, the protests have yet to be as widespread and intense as those surrounding the death of Amini, who was detained over not wearing her hijab, or headscarf, to the liking of authorities.

State television aired remarks by Khamenei to an audience in Tehran that sought to separate the concerns of protesting Iranians upset about the rial’s collapse from “rioters.”

“We talk to protesters, the officials must talk to them,” Khamenei said. “But there is no benefit to talking to rioters. Rioters must be put in their place.”

He also reiterated a claim constantly made by officials in Iran that foreign powers like Israel or the United States were pushing the protests, without offering any evidence. He also blamed “the enemy” for Iran’s collapsing rial.

“A bunch of people incited or hired by

Guard ranks include the all-volunteer Basij force, whose motorcycling-riding members have violently put down protests like the 2009 Green Movement and the 2022 demonstrations. The Guard answers only to Khamenei.

Hard-line officials within the country are believed to have been pushing for a more-aggressive response to the demonstrations as President Masoud Pezeshkian has sought talks to address protesters’ demands.

But bloody security crackdowns often follow such protests. Protests over a gasoline price hike in 2019 reportedly saw over 300 people killed. A crackdown on the Amini protests of 2022, which lasted for months, killed more than 500 people and saw over 22,000 detained.

“Iran has no organized domestic opposition; protesters are likely acting spontaneously,” the Eurasia Group said in an analysis Friday. “While protests could continue or grow larger (particularly as Iran’s economic outlook remains dire), the regime retains a large security apparatus and would likely suppress such dissent without losing control of the country.”

Two deaths overnight into Saturday involved a new level of violence. In Qom, home to the country’s major Shiite seminaries, a grenade exploded, killing a man there, the state-owned IRAN newspaper reported. It quoted security officials alleging the man was carrying the grenade to attack people in the city, some 80 miles south of the capital, Tehran.

Online videos from Qom purportedly showed fires in the street overnight.

The second death happened in the town of Harsin, some 230 miles southwest of Tehran. There, the newspaper said, a member of the Basij, the all-volunteer arm of Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, died in a gun and knife attack in the town in Kermanshah province.

Demonstrations have reached over 170 locations in 25 of Iran’s 31 provinces, the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency reported early Sunday. The death toll had reached at least 15 killed, it added, with over 580 arrests. The group, which relies on an activist network inside of Iran for its reporting, has been accurate in past unrest.

WISCONSIN

Judge convicted of obstructing arrest of immigrant resigns

BY JOSH FUNK Associated Press

Embattled Wisconsin Judge Hannah Dugan, who was convicted of obstruction last month for helping an immigrant evade federal officers, has sent her resignation letter to the governor.

The letter was sent Saturday.

Republicans had been making plans to impeach her ever since her Dec. 19 conviction. A spokesperson for Gov. Tony Evers, a Democrat, said his office received Dugan’s letter, and he would work to fill the vacancy without delay.

Dugan wrote that over the past Dugan decade she handled thousands of cases with “a commitment to treat all persons with dignity and respect, to act justly, deliberately and consistently, and to maintain a courtroom with the decorum and safety the public deserves.”

But she said the case against her is too big of a distraction.

“As you know, I am the subject of unprecedented federal legal proceedings,

which are far from concluded but which present immense and complex challenges that threaten the independence of our judiciary. I am pursuing this fight for myself and for our independent judiciary,” Dugan said in her letter.

Last April, federal prosecutors accused Dugan of distracting federal officers trying to arrest a Mexican immigrant outside her courtroom and leading the man out through a private door. A federal jury convicted her of felony obstruction.

The case against Dugan was highlighted by President Donald Trump as he pressed ahead with his sweeping immigration crackdown. Democrats insisted the administration was trying to make an example of Dugan to blunt judicial opposition to the operation.

Republican Wisconsin Assembly Speaker Robin Vos praised Dugan’s decision.

“I’m glad Dugan did the right thing by resigning and followed the clear direction from the Wisconsin Constitution,” Vos said.

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland — Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the managers of the bar where a fire at a New Year’s party left 40 people dead, authorities said Saturday.

The two are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, the Valais region’s chief prosecutor, Beatrice Pilloud, told reporters. She said the investigation was opened on Friday night and that it would help “explore all the leads.” The announcement of the investigation did not name the managers.

More than 100 other people were injured in the blaze that broke out about 1:30 a.m. on Thursday at Le Constellation bar in the Alpine resort town of CransMontana. Police have said many were in their teens to mid-20s.

The process of identifying the dead and injured continued on Saturday, leading to an agonizing wait for relatives.

Investigators said Friday they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles ignited the fire when they came too close to the ceiling of the crowded bar.

Authorities planned to look into whether sound-dampening material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar. Officials said they would look at other safety measures on the premises, including fire extinguishers and escape routes.

The Valais region’s top

security official, Stéphane Ganzer, told SRF public radio Saturday that “such a huge accident with a fire in Switzerland means that something didn’t work — maybe the material, maybe the organization on the spot.” He added: “Something didn’t work and someone made a mistake, I am sure of that.”

Nicolas Féraud, who heads the Crans-Montana municipality, told RTS radio he was “convinced” checks on the bar hadn’t been lax, the broadcaster reported.

Asked whether the tragedy could have been avoided, Swiss Justice Minister Beat Jans replied that officials could not yet answer and “we know that the world needs an answer on this question.”

The severity of burns has made it difficult to identify the dead and injured, requiring families to supply authorities with DNA samples. In some cases, wallets and any identification documents were turned to ash.

On Saturday, regional police said the bodies of four victims — a boy and a girl, both 16, an 18-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, all of them Swiss — had been identified and handed over to their families.

Several injured people still haven’t been identified.

Swiss officials said Friday that 119 people were injured and 113 had been formally identified.

On Saturday, Italy’s ambassador to Switzerland, Gian Lorenzo Cornado, told reporters he had just been briefed by local authorities that the number of injured stood at 121, with five not yet identified. He said 14 Italians were being treated in hospitals.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

People lay flowers Saturday at the sealed-off Le Constellation bar in CransMontana, Swiss Alps, Switzerland, after a deadly fire.

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Security advisers discuss peace proposals in Ukraine Meeting comes before leaders’ summit

BY VOLODYMYR YURCHUK Associated Press

KYIV, Ukraine — National security advisers from Europe and other allies visited Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support as a U.S.led diplomatic push to end the nearly 4-year-old war in Ukraine intensifies.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, preparing to travel to Paris for a meeting with partners, said work on the peace proposals could now accelerate as Ukraine has shared all documents under discussion with the 18 national security advisers, including those on security guarantees.

“We expect that this further work will now take place in the capitals of European countries as well as Canada, Japan and other representatives of the Coalition of the Willing,” he said, referring to the approximately 30 countries

Ukraine’s deputy prime minister, Taras Kachka, said international partners have reached consensus on an economic support package of about $800 billion for Ukraine over the next decade.

The package, based on calculations by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Union, would cover damage compensation, reconstruction, economic stability and a $200 billion growth “booster” and is tied to Ukraine’s EU accession reforms.

Specific funding sources have not been identified, economy minister Oleksii Sobolev said, though roughly $500 billion is expected from public grants and conASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DANyLO ANTONIUK cessional loans, with details European countries’ national security advisers attend a security forum on Saturday in Kyiv, to be worked out over the next two weeks.

Ukraine.

Also on Saturday, Zelenwho support Kyiv’s effort to Paris, followed by a meet- Oleksandr Bevz said Kyiv is skyy announced further end the war with Russia on ing Tuesday of European coordinating security guar- changes to the government, acceptable terms. leaders, where he said he antee plans with European saying he had proposed “We are not allocating a hoped documents on secu- partners that would include Denys Shmyhal to become great deal of time for this rity guarantees would be a multilateral framework energy minister and first process,” Zelenskyy added. finalized. He said there also agreement involving Ukrai- deputy prime minister.

He said representatives would be meetings with U.S. nian forces as the first line Shmyhal, who served from Ukraine’s General representatives in Paris. of defense, European-led most recently as defense Staff and military sector In a briefing earlier in the troops deployed in Ukraine minister and formerly as would meet on Monday in day, Ukrainian negotiator and U.S. “backstop” support. Ukraine’s longest-serving

prime minister, is well respected. His proposed replacement in defense is Mykhailo Fedorov, who is widely credited with leading the introduction of drone technology into the army in his role as digital transformation minister.

Zelenskyy on Friday appointed the head of Ukraine’s military intelligence as his new chief of staff. The president framed the appointment of Gen. Kyrylo Budanov as part of an effort to sharpen the focus on security, defense development and diplomacy.

Meanwhile, the death toll from a Russian missile attack on the city of Kharkiv on Friday increased to two, including a 3-year-old boy, Kharkiv regional head Oleh Syniehubov wrote on Telegram.

An overnight Russian drone attack on the Mykolaiv region targeted critical infrastructure and left some communities without electricity, according to regional head Vitalii Kim. He said engineers spent the night working to restore power and there were no casualties reported.

Trial to begin for officer in Uvalde shooting response

BY JIM VERTUNO Associated Press

Families who lost loved ones in the 2022 attack on an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, have sought for nearly four years to hold accountable the police who waited more than an hour to confront the shooter while children and teachers lay dead or wounded in classrooms.

Now one of the first officers on the scene is about to stand trial on multiple charges of child abandonment and endangerment.

Former Uvalde schools police officer Adrian Gonzales is accused of ignoring his training in a crisis with deadly consequences. His attorney insists he was focused on helping children escape from the building.

The trial that starts Monday offers potentially one

of the last chances to see police answer for the long delay. The families have pinned their hopes on the jury after their gun-control efforts were rejected by lawmakers, and their lawsuits remain unresolved. A few parents ran for political office to seek change, with mixed results.

The proceedings will provide a rare example of an officer being criminally charged with not doing more to stop a crime and protect lives.

Jesse Rizo’s niece was one of 19 children and two teachers killed by the teenage gunman in one of the deadliest school shootings in U.S. history. Nine-yearold Jackie Cazares still had a pulse when rescuers finally reached her, Rizo said.

“It really bothers us a lot that maybe she could have lived,” he said.

Only two of the 376 officers from local, state and federal agencies on the scene have been charged — a fact that haunts Velma Lisa Duran, whose sister, Irma Garcia, was one of the teachers gunned down.

“What about the other 374?” Duran asked through tears. “They all waited and allowed children and teachers to die.”

The charges reflect the dead and wounded children, but not her sister’s death or that of the other teacher who was killed.

“Where is the justice in that?” Duran asked. “Did she not exist?”

Prosecutors will likely face a high bar to win a conviction. Juries are often reluctant to convict law enforcement officers for inaction, as seen after the Parkland, Florida, school massacre in 2018.

Musk company bot apologizes for sharing sexualized images of children

BY NILESH CHRISTOPHER Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Grok, the chatbot of Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company xAI, published sexualized images of children as its guardrails seem to have failed when it was prompted with vile user requests.

Users used prompts such as “put her in a bikini” under pictures of real people on X to get Grok to generate nonconsensual images of them in inappropriate attire. The morphed images created on Grok’s account are posted

publicly on X, Musk’s social media platform.

The AI complied with requests to morph images of minors even though that is a violation of its own acceptable use policy.

“There are isolated cases where users prompted for and received AI images depicting minors in minimal clothing, like the example you referenced,” Grok responded to a user on X. “xAI has safeguards, but improvements are ongoing to block such requests entirely.” xAI did not immediately

JOIN THE

respond to a request for comment.

Its chatbot posted an apology.

“I deeply regret an incident on Dec. 28, 2025, where I generated and shared an AI image of two young girls (estimated ages 12-16) in sexualized attire based on a user’s prompt,” said a post on Grok’s profile. “This violated ethical standards and potentially US laws on CSAM. It was a failure in safeguards, and I’m sorry for any harm caused. xAI is reviewing to prevent future issues.”

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Sheriff’s deputy Scot Peterson was charged with failing to confront the shooter in that attack. It was the first such prosecution in the U.S. for an on-campus shooting, and Peterson was acquitted by a jury in 2023.

Police and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott initially said swift law enforcement action killed Uvalde gunman Salvador Ramos and saved lives. But that version quickly unraveled as families described begging police to go into the building and 911 calls emerged from students pleading for help.

The reality was that 77 minutes passed from

the time officers first arrived until a tactical team breached the classroom and killed Ramos.

Multiple reports from state and federal officials cataloged cascading problems in law enforcement training, communication, leadership and technology, and they questioned whether officers prioritized their own lives over those of the children and teachers.

Gonzales was charged two years later in an indictment that alleged he placed children in “imminent danger” of injury or death by failing to engage, distract or delay the gunman and by not fol-

lowing his active shooter training.

The indictment said he did not advance toward the gunfire despite hearing shots and being told where the shooter was.

The only other officer to be charged is former Uvalde schools Police Chief Pete Arredondo. His trial on similar charges has not yet been set.

Uvalde County District Attorney Christina Mitchell did not respond to requests from The Associated Press for comment on the indictments or whether a grand jury considered charging other officers.

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Some Venezuelans in South Florida celebrate Maduro’s capture

BY VANESSA A. ALVAREZ, TIM REYNOLDS and BRUCE SCHREINER Associated Press

DORAL,Fla.— Revelers chanted “liberty” and draped Venezuelan flags over their shoulders in South Florida on Saturday to celebrate the American military attack that toppled Nicolás Maduro’s government — a stunning outcome they had longed for but left them wondering what comes next in their troubled homeland.

For some Venezuelan natives, the military action — culminating months of stepped-up U.S. pressure — brought their dreams of reuniting with loved ones closer to reality after years of heartbreaking separations.

People gathered for a rally in Doral, Florida — the Miami suburb where President Donald Trump has a golf resort and where roughly half the population is of Venezuelan descent — as word spread that Venezuela’s nowdeposed president had been captured and flown out of the country.

Outside the El Arepazo restaurant, a hub of the Venezuelan culture of Doral, one man held a piece of cardboard with “Libertad” scrawled with a black marker. It was a sentiment expressed by other native Venezuelans hoping for a new beginning for their home country as they chanted “Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!”

“We’re like everybody — it’s a combination of feelings, of course,” said Alejandra Arrieta, who came to the U.S. in 1997. “There’s fears. There’s excitement.

There’s so many years that we’ve been waiting for this.

Something had to happen in Venezuela. We all need the freedom.”

For David Nuñez, the regime change offered hope for a long-awaited reunion with loved ones.

Nuñez said he fled to the United States six years ago after being persecuted in Venezuela for his political activism. He hasn’t seen his daughters — ages 8 and 17 — since then.

“The most important thing is that we’re going to be able

Meléndez immigrated to New York City, where she co-founded the group Venezuelans and Immigrants Aid, which strives to empower the lives of immigrants. She became a steadfast advocate for change in her home country, where she said her countrymen faced a humanitarian crisis.

Now, she hopes those hardships will fade away.

“For us, it’s just the start of the justice we need to see,” Meléndez said in a phone interview.

Her homeland had reached a “breaking point” due to forced displacements, repression, hunger and fear, she said. Now there’s a need for international humanitarian support to help in Venezuela’s recovery.

“Removing an authoritarian system responsible for these crimes creates the possibility, not a guarantee, but a possibility, ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEN GOLBECK for recovery,” she said. “A future without criminal People celebrate after President Donald Trump announced Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro had been captured and control over institutions is flown out of the country, in Doral, Fla., on Saturday. the minimum condition for rebuilding a country based to be with our families soon,” their sights on the United tourist visas, seek asylum from Venezuela in 2015, said on justice, rule of law, and Nuñez said. “At least for me, States, walking through the or have some form of tem- Saturday she’s hopeful that democratic safeguards.”

I haven’t seen my daughters jungle in Colombia and Pan- porary status.

Schreiner reported from Maduro’s ouster will imin six years so I have a lot of ama or flying to the U.S. on Shelbyville, Kentucky.

Niurka Meléndez, who fled prove life in her homeland. mixed feelings. I’ve cried a humanitarian parole with a lot. I’m really happy because financial sponsor.

I know that I’m going to be In South Florida, deepable to return to Venezuela seated concerns in the Venvery soon.” ezuelan community about Trump insisted Saturday Trump’s tough immigrathat the U.S. government tion policies gave way to would run the country at celebrations after Maduro least temporarily and was was deposed in the Amerialready doing so. The action can military operation early marked the culmination of Saturday. an escalating Trump adminIn Doral, upper-middleistration pressure campaign class professionals and enon the oil-rich South Ameri- trepreneurs came to invest can nation as well as weeks in property and businesses of planning that tracked when socialist Hugo Chávez Maduro’s behavioral habits. won the presidency in the After Trump’s news con- late 1990s. They were folference about U.S. actions in lowed by political opponents Venezuela, people still gath- and entrepreneurs who ered outside of the Doral set up small businesses. In restaurant sang, danced and recent years, more lowerwaved flags. A percussion- income Venezuelans have ist drummed along with the come for work in service industries. singing crowd.

They are doctors, lawyers, About 8 million people have fled Venezuela since beauticians, construction 2014, settling first in neigh- workers and house cleaners. boring countries in Latin Some are naturalized U.S. America and the Caribbean. citizens or live in the counAfter the COVID-19 pan- try illegally with U.S.-born demic, they increasingly set children. Others overstay

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6A ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

VENEZUELA

Continued from page 1A A plane carrying the deposed leader landed around 4:30 p.m. Saturday at an airport in New York City’s northern suburbs. Maduro was escorted off the jet, gingerly making his way down a stairway before being led across the tarmac surrounded by federal agents. Several agents filmed him on their phones as he walked.

He was then flown by helicopter to Manhattan, where a convoy of law enforcement vehicles, including an armored car, was waiting to whisk him to a nearby U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration office.

A video posted on social media by a White House account showed Maduro, smiling, as he was escorted through that office by two DEA agents grasping his arms.

He was expected to be detained while awaiting trial at a federal jail in Brooklyn.

Congressional approval The legal authority for the incursion, done without congressional approval, was not immediately clear, but the Trump administration promoted the ouster as a step toward reducing the flow of dangerous drugs into the U.S. The president touted what he saw as other potential benefits, including a leadership stake in the country and greater control of oil.

Trump claimed the U.S. government would help run the country and was already doing so, though there were no immediate signs of that.

Venezuelan state TV continued to air pro-Maduro propaganda, broadcasting live images of supporters taking to the streets in Caracas in protest.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago news conference where he boasted that this “extremely successful operation should

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from the hangar of a military base in Caracas, while another military installation in the capital was without electricity.

Under Venezuelan law, Rodríguez would take over from Maduro. Rodriguez, however, stressed during a Saturday appearance on state television that she did not plan to assume power, before Venezuela’s high court ordered that she assume the interim role.

PHOTO PROVIDED By VANTOR “There is only one presiThis satellite image provided by Vantor shows, from left, the Fuerte Tiuna neighborhood of dent in Venezuela, and his Caracas, Venezuela, on Dec. 22 and the same neighborhood after U.S. strikes on Saturday. name is Nicolás Maduro Moros,” Rodríguez said.

Gen. Dan Caine, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Some Caracas streets fill up U.S. forces had rehearsed Venezuela’s ruling party their maneuvers for months, has held power since 1999, learning everything about when Maduro’s predecessor, Maduro — where he was and Hugo Chávez, took office, what he ate, as well as details promising to uplift poor peoof his pets and his clothes. ple and later to implement a “We think, we develop, we self-described socialist revotrain, we rehearse, we de- lution.

Maduro took over when brief, we rehearse again and again,” Caine said. “Not to get Chávez died in 2013. His 2018 it right, but to ensure we can- reelection was widely connot get it wrong.” sidered a sham because the Early Saturday, multiple main opposition parties were explosions rang out and low- banned from participating. flying aircraft swept through During the 2024 election, ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATIAS DELACROIX Caracas. Maduro’s govern- electoral authorities loyal Smoke rises from a dock after explosions were heard at La ment accused the U.S. of to the ruling party declared Guaira port, Venezuela, on Saturday. hitting civilian and military him the winner hours after installations, calling it an “im- polls closed, but the opposiserve as warning to anyone a major buildup of American perialist attack” and urging tion gathered overwhelming who would threaten Ameri- forces in the waters off South citizens to take to the streets. evidence that he lost by a The assault lasted less than more than 2-to-1 margin. can sovereignty or endanger America and attacks on boats In a demonstration of how in the eastern Pacific and Ca- 30 minutes, and the exploAmerican lives.”

Maduro and other Venezu- ribbean accused of carrying sions — at least seven blasts polarizing a figure Maduro is, elan officials were indicted drugs. Last week, the CIA — sent people rushing into people variously took to the in 2020 on “narco-terrorism” was behind a drone strike at the streets, while others took streets to protest his capture conspiracy charges, but the a docking area believed to to social media to report and celebrate it.

At a protest in the VenezuJustice Department released have been used by Venezu- what they saw and heard. a new indictment Saturday elan drug cartels — the first Some Venezuelan civilians elan capital, Caracas Mayor of Maduro and his wife, Cilia known direct operation on and members of the military Carmen Meléndez joined a Flores, that painted the re- Venezuelan soil since the U.S. were killed, said Rodríguez, crowd demanding Maduro’s the country’s vice president, return. gime as a “corrupt, illegiti- began strikes in September.

Maduro had decried prior without giving a number.

“Maduro, hold on, the peomate government” fueled by a drug trafficking operation military operations as a thin- Trump said some U.S. forces ple are rising up!” the crowd that flooded the U.S with co- ly veiled effort to topple him were injured but none were chanted. “We are here, Nicokilled. caine. The U.S. government from power. lás Maduro. If you can hear Video obtained from Ca- us, we are here!”

Taking place 36 years to the does not recognize Maduro day after the 1990 surrender racas and an unidentified as the country’s leader.

Earlier, armed people and Trump posted a photo on and seizure of Panama leader coastal city showed trac- uniformed members of a social media showing Mad- Manuel Antonio Noriega fol- ers and smoke clouding the civilian militia took to the uro wearing a sweatsuit and lowing a U.S. invasion, the landscape as repeated mut- streets of a Caracas neigha blindfold on board the USS Venezuela operation unfolded ed explosions illuminated borhood long considered Iwo Jima. under the cover of darkness the night sky. Other footage a stronghold of the ruling early Saturday as Trump said showed cars passing on a party.

Early morning attack the U.S. turned off “almost highway as blasts illuminatIn other parts of the city, The operation followed a all of the lights” in the capital ed the hills behind them. The the streets remained empty monthslong Trump admin- city of Caracas while forces videos were verified by The hours after the attack. Some areas remained without powistration effort to push the moved in to extract Maduro Associated Press.

Smoke was seen rising er, but vehicles moved freely.

Venezuelan leader, including and his wife.

“How do I feel? Scared, like everyone,” said Caracas resident Noris Prada, who sat on an empty avenue looking down at his phone. “Venezuelans woke up scared, many families couldn’t sleep.”

In Doral, Florida, home to the largest Venezuelan community in the U.S, people wrapped themselves in Venezuelan flags, ate fried snacks and cheered as music played. At one point, the crowd chanted “Liberty! Liberty! Liberty!”

Questions of legality Some legal experts raised immediate concerns about the operation’s legality.

The U.N. Security Council, acting on an emergency request from Colombia, planned to hold a meeting on U.S. operations in Venezuela on Monday morning, according to a council diplomat, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a meeting not yet made public.

Lawmakers from both political parties in Congress have raised reservations and flat-out objections to the U.S. attacks on boats suspected of drug smuggling near the Venezuelan coast.

Congress has not specifically approved an authorization for the use of military force for such operations in the region.

Connecticut Rep. Jim Himes, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he had seen no evidence that would justify Trump striking Venezuela without approval from Congress and demanded an immediate briefing by the administration on “its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”

Toropin and Tucker reported from Washington.

Associated Press writers Jorge Rueda in Caracas, Venezuela, Lisa Mascaro, Michelle L. Price, Seung Min Kim and Alanna Durkin Richer in Washington, Farnoush Amiri in New York and Larry Neumeister in South Amboy, New Jersey, contributed to this report.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 7A

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How the U.S. captured Venezuelan leader

BY MEG KINNARD and MICHELLE L. PRICE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — For months, the U.S. military had been amassing a presence off Venezuela’s coast and conspicuously blowing up alleged drug trafficking boats and killing the occupants.

At the same time, U.S. intelligence agencies were carefully studying the country’s authoritarian President Nicolás Maduro, learning minute details such as his eating habits while special forces secretly rehearsed a plan to forcibly remove him.

Months of covert planning led to the brazen operation overnight, when President Donald Trump gave an order authorizing Maduro’s capture. The U.S. their extraction on a repplunged the South Ameri- lica building.

“They actually built a can country’s capital into darkness, infiltrated Madu- house which was identical ro’s home and whisked him to the one they went into to the United States, where with all the same, all that the Trump administration steel all over the place,” planned to put him on trial. Trump said.

Trump said in the teleTrump, during a news conference Saturday at his vision interview that U.S. Florida home, laid out the forces held off on condetails of the strike, after ducting the operation for which he said Maduro and days, waiting four days for his wife, Cilia Flores, were cloud cover to pass. Caine flown by helicopter to a said that on Friday night, U.S. warship. “the weather broke just The operation termed enough, clearing a path “Absolute Resolve” un- that only the most skilled folded under the cover of aviators in the world could darkness, with U.S. forces move through,” adding that holding fast in the region, helicopters flew low to the awaiting the ideal weather water to enter Venezuela conditions to give pilots and were covered above by clear routes into Caracas. protective U.S. aircraft.

Trump said the U.S. opThe extensive planning included practice on a eration “was dark and it replica of the presiden- was deadly,” adding that tial compound, as well “the lights of Caracas were as U.S. service members largely turned off due to a armed with what Trump certain expertise that we have,” but giving said were “massive no further details. blowtorches” in The attack, which the event the steel Defense Secrewalls of a safe room needed to be cut tary Pete Hegsopen to extract the eth described as pair. part of “massive “He didn’t get joint military and that space closed. law enforcement He was trying to Rodríguez raid,” lasted less get into it, but he than 30 minutes. got bum-rushed right so At least seven explosions fast that he didn’t get into were heard in Caracas, and that,” Trump said an in- Venezuela’s Vice President terview earlier Saturday Delcy Rodríguez, who unmorning on “Fox & Friends der law takes power, said Weekend.” some Venezuelan civilians and members of the miliCarefully rehearsed mission tary were killed.

In a televised address Gen. Dan Caine, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later Saturday on state said at Trump’s news con- television, she demanded ference that U.S. forces that the U.S. free Maduro and called him the had rehearsed their country’s rightful maneuvers for leader. But Rodrímonths, learning everything about guez also left open Maduro — where the door for a diahe was at certain logue with the U.S. hours as well as dewhen she said, “We are willing to have tails of his pets and respectful relathe clothes he wore. Caine “We think, we tions.” develop, we train, we reYanire Lucas, a Caracas hearse, we debrief, we re- resident whose house sits hearse again, and again,” pressed up next to a VeneCaine said, saying his forc- zuelan military base struck es were “set” by early De- overnight, said she began cember. “Not to get it right, to hear explosions next to but to ensure we cannot get her house around 1:50 in the morning. it wrong.”

Trump said a few U.S. Trump said on Fox that U.S. forces had practiced members in the operation

Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, wave after his swearing-in ceremony for a third term at the National Assembly in Caracas, Venezuela, on Jan. 10, 2025.

the people of Venezuela.”

The Republican president left open the possibility that U.S. troops would have a presence in the country.

“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground if we have to,” he said, adding, “We had boots on the ground last night.”

The U.S. will now “run” the country until a new leader can be chosen, Trump said.

“We’re going to make sure that country is run properly. We’re not doing this in vain,” he said. “This ASSOCIATED PRESS is a very dangerous attack.

This is an attack that could FILE PHOTO By have gone very, very badARIANA CUBILLOS ly.”

Kinnard reported from Chapin, South Carolina.

Associated Press reporters Regina Garcia Cano and Juan Arraez in Caracas, were injured, but he be- him, including Hegseth, State Marco Rubio, will “be Venezuela, contributed to this report. lieved no one was killed. Caine and Secretary of a team that’s working with Caine said one helicopter was struck by fire as it closed in on Maduro’s compound but it was able to safely fly on its return.

Escalating actions Trump said Maduro and Flores were flown by helicopter to a U.S. warship and would go on to New York to face charges. He posted on Truth Social a photo of the Venezuelan leader, wearing a gray sweatsuit, protective headphones and blindfold.

The raid was a dramatic escalation from a series of strikes the U.S. military has carried out on what Trump has said were drug-carrying boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean since early September. On Dec. 29, Trump said the U.S. struck a facility where boats accused of carrying drugs “load up.” The CIA was behind the drone strike at a docking area believed to have been used by Venezuelan drug cartels, the first known direct operation on Venezuelan soil since the U.S. began its strikes in September.

Few details about future T h o u g h Tr u m p h a d warned for months that the U.S. might conduct strikes in Venezuela, he gave little hint on Friday what was coming.

He spent the morning posting on social media defending his health and complaining about the impact of wind turbines on birds before he went shopping for marble and onyx for the ballroom he’s building at the White House and a visit to his golf club.

Privately, he was readying to give the go-ahead for a military mission that already has generated criticism in the U.S. and abroad.

Now, the president said the U.S. will direct the path forward for Venezuela, as questions have emerged about the legality of both those plans and Maduro’s capture.

Trump said at his news conference that the group of officials standing behind

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8A ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Legal questions arise over capture of Maduro

BY LISA MASCARO, JOSHUA GOODMAN and BEN FINLEY Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s capture of Venezuela’s president and claims that it will “run” the country are raising stark new questions about the legality of the U.S. actions and its future operations in the South American nation.

The middle-of-the-night seizure of Nicolás Maduro, who was transported with his wife on a U.S. warship to face narco-terrorism conspiracy charges in New York, is beyond even the most high-profile historical examples of aggressive American actions toward autocratic governments in Panama, Iraq and elsewhere, legal experts said.

It came after a surprise U.S. incursion that rocked the Venezuelan capital with overnight explosions.

“This is clearly a blatant, illegal and criminal act,” said Jimmy Gurule, a Notre Dame Law School professor and former assistant U.S. attorney.

The stunning development caps months of aggressive U.S. military action in the region, including the bombing of boats accused of trafficking drugs and seizures of oil tankers off the coast of Venezuela. The Trump administration has conducted 35 known boat strikes against vessels, killing more than 115 people since September, and

REACT

Continued from page 1A accountability looks like,” Johnson, a Republican from the Shreveport area, said in a statement.

But U.S. Rep. Troy Carter, D-New Orleans, said the attack was “reckless” and unconstitutional, since it was carried out without Congressional approval.

“Congress cannot stay silent while this president ignores the rule of law,” Carter said in a statement.

President Donald Trump ordered the operation to capture Maduro within Venezuelan territory. Multiple explosions rang out and lowflying aircraft swept through the Venezuelan capital. Maduro’s government accused

EDWARDS

Continued from page 1A — are still there, Batts said.

Edwards and his team will be meeting with a handful of them.

Council member Jen Racca is also joining Edwards’ team on the trip. The group is set to meet with the Detroit Land Bank Authority, an agency that played a key role in acquiring, demolishing and reselling previously blighted properties.

The group will also meet with the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and several city agencies that helped improve Detroit’s fi-

positioned an armada of warships in nearby waters.

The bigger debate than legality is yet to come, said John Yoo, an early architect of the George W. Bush administration’s policy in Iraq and now a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley.

“It’s easier to remove a dictator,” he said, based on his experience in the Iraq War. But ensuring the transition to a stable democratic government is “the harder part.”

Maduro’s arrest on anniversary Maduro’s arrest came 36 years to the date of the surrender of Panama’s strongman Manuel Noriega, a notable milestone in American involvement in the Western Hemisphere. The U.S. invaded Panama in 1989 to arrest Noriega on drug trafficking charges.

In Panama, however, U.S. national security interests were directly at stake in the form of the Panama Canal as well as the safety of American citizens and U.S. military installations in the country.

By contrast, Congress has not authorized any American military strike or law enforcement move against Venezuela.

“The President will claim that this fits within a vast body of precedent supporting broad executive power to defend the United States, its citizens, and its interests,” Matthew Waxman, a Columbia Univer-

sity law professor who was a national security official in the Bush administration, said by email.

“Critics will charge that this exceeds the bounds of presidential power without congressional authorization.”

While U.S. agents have a long history of snatching defendants abroad to execute arrest warrants without authorization, federal courts have long deferred to the White House in foreign policy and national security matters.

For example, U.S. bounty hunters, working under the direction of the Drug Enforcement Administration, in 1990 abducted in Mexico a doctor accused of killing DEA agent Enrique “Kiki” Camarena.

“Courts give great deference to the president on issues related to national security,” said Gurule, who led the prosecution against Camarena’s killers. “But great deference does not mean absolute deference and unfettered authority to do anything.”

Congress yet to authorize actions Trump’s administration has declared the drug cartels operating from Venezuela to be unlawful combatants and has said the United States is now in an “armed conflict” with them, according to an administration memo obtained in October by The Associated Press.

The memo appears to represent an extraordinary assertion of pres-

the United States of attacking civilian and military installations, calling it an “imperialist attack” and urging citizens to take to the streets.

“We’re going to run the country until such time as we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said at a Mar-a-Lago news conference where he boasted that this “extremely successful operation should serve as warning to anyone who would threaten American sovereignty or endanger American lives.”

The operation follows months of controversy over the Trump administration’s campaign of bombing ships it says were carrying drugs bound for the U.S. Some members of Congress have said that military action should require authorization from Congress.

The attack carried out Saturday on Venezuelan soil was a dramatic escalation, those critics Johnson said.

“Trump’s military actions against Venezuela last night were unconstitutional. Period,” Carter said. “This was reckless and risked American lives with no plan for the aftermath. I voted for a war powers resolution to end hostilities against Venezuela without congressional authorization, which failed on a near-party-line vote.”

Johnson said in his statement that briefings will be scheduled for when Congress returns to work this week.

“Our brave military per-

nancial state.

“We want to understand how they were able to rise out of bankruptcy and into the stable financial position they’re in now,” Batts said.

Once the global center of auto manufacturing, Detroit saw decades of job losses and population decline that weakened city finances and eventually led to the city filing for bankruptcy in 2013.

With an estimated debt of about $18 million to $20 million, it was the largest municipal bankruptcy filing in U.S. history.

Since then, Detroit has achieved 11 straight years of balanced budgets and is currently touting an $105 million surplus at the start of 2026.

East Baton Rouge Parish

has seen its own financial woes recently, being forced to cut about $50 million from its budget over the past two years due to lost tax revenue now in the hands of the newly incorporated city of St. George.

The situation prompted Edwards to impose 11% cuts to nearly every city-parish department for 2026, triggering layoffs of about 200 workers.

With blight, Edwards has made early progress in his first year as Baton Rouge’s mayor, tearing down 200 condemned properties in 2025.

But those demolitions appear to be just a drop in the bucket, as local officials estimated there were around 6,000 blighted homes in the parish last spring.

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idential war powers, with Trump effectively declaring that trafficking of drugs into the U.S. amounts to armed conflict requiring the use of military force. That is a new rationale for past and future actions.

Congress, which has broad authority to approve or prohibit the president’s war powers, has failed to do either, even as lawmakers from both political parties grow increasingly uneasy with the military actions in the region, particularly after it was revealed that U.S. forces killed two survivors of a boat attack with a follow-up strike.

Congress’ Democratic leaders, Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, demanded immediate briefings for the “gang of eight” leaders on Capitol Hill, which includes top members of the Intelligence committees, as well as for other lawmakers. Congressional leaders were not notified of the actions until after the operation was underway.

“The idea that Trump plans to now run Venezuela should strike fear in the hearts of all Americans,” Schumer said. “The American people have seen this before and paid the devastating price.”

Michael Schmitt, a former Air Force lawyer and professor emeritus at the U.S. Naval War College, said the entire operation — the boat strikes as well as the apprehension of Maduro — clearly violates international law.

sonnel who executed a precise, successful operation deserve our gratitude and congratulations,”

Johnson said.

U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy on Saturday in a statement praised the country’s armed forces and said Maduro is “not the elected head of Venezuela” and that “he stole the election.” “(Maduro) has been heavily involved with transnational criminal organizations, drug running and Iran-backed ter-

“Lawyers call it international armed conflict,” Schmitt said. “Lay people call it war. So as a matter of law, we are now at war with Venezuela because the use of hostilities between two states clearly triggers an internal armed conflict.”

War powers vote ahead House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, said the administration “is working to schedule briefings” for lawmakers next week.

Republican lawmakers in Congress largely welcomed the capture of Maduro as ridding the region of a leader they say is responsible for drug trafficking, but Democratic lawmakers warned that in veering from the rule of law, the administration is potentially greenlighting other countries such as China or Russia to do the same.

“Beyond the legality, what kind of precedent does it send?” asked Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee. He said in an interview that the rebuilding plan ahead has echoes of the Iraq War as the Trump administration promises to use Venezuela’s oil revenue to pay the costs.

Waxman, the Columbia University law professor, said seizing control of Venezuela’s resources opens up additional legal issues: “For example, a big issue will be who really owns Venezuela’s oil?”

rorists like Hezbollah.

The targeted extraction addresses U.S. national security concerns,” Cassidy wrote in Landry a statement.

Other Louisiana state leaders including Gov. Jeff Landry and Attorney General Liz Murrill also released statements praising the Trump administration’s operation.

Landry said he was grateful to “see a president finally take real action in the war on drugs.”

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Murrill also thanked the president and said that “Maduro is an indicted, illegitimate leader who ran a narco-terrorist regime that flooded Louisiana and the United States with deadly drugs and gangs for decades.”

U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, D-Baton Rouge, said in a statement, “I have serious concerns about President Trump’s decision to take military action against Venezuela without informing congressional leaders, and there is absolutely no excuse for not doing so!”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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World leaders react to U.S. action in Venezuela

BY JACQUELINE CHARLES Miami Herald (TNS)

The overnight attacks in Venezuela and the subsequent capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife in a U.S. military operation on Saturday triggered sharp international reactions, ranging from European Union calls for de-escalation to condemnations from some of Latin America’s most outspoken leaders, who described the use of force as “unacceptable.”

“The Government of Mexico condemns and strongly rejects the military actions unilaterally carried out in recent hours by the armed forces of the United States of America against targets in the territory of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela,” a statement posted by Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said.

The statement called for “an end to any act of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people” and said the actions were in clear violation of Article 2 of the United Nations charter. The charter, among other things, calls for disputes among nations to be settled peacefully.

“Latin America and the Caribbean is a zone of peace, built on the foundation of mutual respect, the peaceful settlement of disputes, and the prohibition of the use and threat of force. Therefore, any military action seriously jeopardizes regional stability,” the Mexican government said, urging the U.N. “to act immediately to help de-escalate tensions.”

The spokesperson for U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres said the U.N. chief is “deeply alarmed by the recent escalation in Ven-

AFP/GETTy IMAGES/TNS FILE PHOTO By LEONARDO MUNOZ

Colombian President Gustavo Petro speaks Sept. 23 during the General Debate of the United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New york. Petro was the first regional leader to denounce the U.S. attacks in Venezuela that resulted in the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his wife. ezuela,” which has potential worrisome implications for the region.

“Independently of the situation in Venezuela, these developments constitute a dangerous precedent,” spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said. “The Secretary-General continues to emphasize the importance of full respect — by all — of international law, including the U.N. Charter.

He’s deeply concerned that the rules of international law have not been respected. The Secretary-General calls on all actors in Venezuela to engage in inclusive dialogue, in full respect of human rights and the rule of law.”

On Saturday, President Donald Trump said U.S. forces had entered Venezuela and removed Maduro, who is the subject of a U.S. indictment since 2020. Maduro was captured by U.S. forces and taken onboard the USS Iwo Jima.

While most U.S. allies remained mute, Argentina President Javier Milei celebrated the capture of Maduro “as a decisive advance against narcoterrorism in

the region.”

In a nationwide address, Trump described the raid as “an extraordinary success overnight with breathtaking speed, power, precision and confidence.

“If you would have seen what I saw last night, you would have been very impressed,” he said describing the operation as the U.S. military acting to support the Justice Department. “It was an incredible thing to see. Not a single American service member was killed, and not a single piece of American equipment was lost, that many helicopters, many planes, many people involved in that fight.”

He also announced that following the extraction that involved more than 150 U.S. aircraft launched from 20 different bases across the Western Hemisphere, “we are going to run the country” and “stay until such time as the proper transition can take place.”

engulfed Venezuela’s closest Caribbean neighbors, where Trump’s ramped-up campaign has been fueling tensions and public disagreements among regional leaders. In Guyana, which shares a land border with Venezuela and has been in a decadeslong dispute, President Irfaan Ali said his nation has activated its “security architecture.”

“The Guyana Defense Force and the security forces are monitoring the situation and Guyanese should be reassured that the government is working to ensure the safety and security of our citizens,” Ali said.

In Trinidad and Tobago, Prime Minister Kamla Persad-Bissessar moved quickly to distance her twinisland nation from the operation. She is one of Trump’s closest allies in the region, where ongoing U.S. boat strikes off the Venezuelan coast in the southern Caribbean had been sparking tensions for months.

Addressing citizens in an early morning post on X, Persad-Bissessar said: “Trinidad and Tobago is Not a participant in any of these ongoing military operations.

Trinidad and Tobago continues to maintain peaceful relations with the people of Venezuela.”

The country’s People’s National Movement leader, Pen-

ny Beckles, said that “while some information remains unclear and unconfirmed, any such development in our immediate geographic space is a matter of serious concern” and “deeply troubling.” Beckles echoed the calls for de-escalation, which were also made by Spain’s prime minister and European Union leaders.

Condemnations Some South American leaders offered some of the strongest and swiftest denunciations, alongside Iran and Russia.

The first regional leader to denounce the operation was Colombian President Gustavo Petro, who took to X as the night sky lit up and explosions could be heard over Caracas.

Colombia’s government, he said, was alarmed by “reports of explosions and unusual aerial activity” in Venezuela and reaffirmed its commitment to the principles of the U.N. Charter, including respect for sovereignty, the prohibition of the use of force and the peaceful resolution of disputes.

“The Colombian government rejects any unilateral military action that could aggravate the situation or put the civilian population at risk,” Petro said, urging all parties to de-escalate and

prioritize diplomatic channels.

Ahead of Saturday’s extraction of Maduro, Trump warned that Petro should watch his back. On Saturday, he repeated the warning following comments by Petro that he was not concerned about anything happening to him in the aftermath of the Venezuela operation.

The two leaders have been involved in public disputes on social media since Trump began his second term, and Petro has since had his U.S. visa revoked.

“He has cocaine bills, yes, factories where he makes cocaine,” Trump said about Petro. “I stick by my first statement. He’s making cocaine. They’re sending it into the United States. So he does have to watch his ass.“ As the region and the world woke up to the news, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva also announced his displeasure.

“These acts represent a most serious affront to Venezuela’s sovereignty and yet another extremely dangerous precedent for the entire international community,” he said. “Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism.”

Caribbean leaders react After the attacks, concerns

Operation disrupts Caribbean travel Hundreds of flights canceled

BY MATT O’BRIEN, JOSH FUNK and AUDREY MCAVOY Associated Press

The U.S. military operation that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and flew him out of the country early Saturday has also disrupted Caribbean travel at a busy travel time for the region.

No airline flights were crossing over Venezuela on Saturday, according to FlightRadar24.com. And major airlines canceled hundreds of flights across the eastern Caribbean region and warned passengers that the disruptions could continue for days after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed restrictions.

Flights were canceled to and from Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, Aruba and more than a dozen other destinations in the Lesser Antilles island group that lies north of Venezuela. The airlines are waiving change fees for passengers who have to reschedule their

flights this weekend.

At the Queen Beatrix airport in Aruba, a popular holiday destination for U.S. vacationers just 15 miles off Venezuela’s coast, officials said they expected operations to resume normally on Sunday after a day of canceled flights that stranded travelers or blocked them from flying to the island Saturday.

In Barbados, Prime Minister Mia Mottley said at a news conference that “the consequences of the conflict have been exceedingly disruptive to both of our ports of entry,” an airport as well as a seaport from which cruise ships sail.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a social media post that “the FAA restricted the airspace in the Caribbean and Venezuela to ensure the SAFETY of the flying public.”

“When appropriate, these airspace restrictions will be lifted,” he said on the social platform X. “Please work with your airlines directly if your flight has been impacted.”

This weekend was already past the peak 13-day holiday period when AAA projected 122.4 million Americans

would travel at least 50 miles from home, but there were plenty of travelers still trying to squeeze in some more time on tropical beaches and resorts before heading back to colder temperatures.

“The Caribbean is a top destination this time of the year,” said AAA spokesperson Aixa Diaz. “We do have a lot of people who are trying to get back home this weekend ahead of work and school on Monday.”

Diaz said “it’s understandable we want to unplug” but travelers should keep track of what’s going on and allow airlines to send them phone alerts.

The FAA had earlier said it imposed a temporary airspace restriction on Puerto Rico’s international airport and surrounding regions.

An announcement by Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico, that was posted on X said restrictions were put in place because of the “security situation related to military activity” in Venezuela.

As a result most commercial flights to and from the airport that are operated by U.S. airlines were suspended or canceled.

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EDUCATION U.S. companies want to build pipeline of skilled workers Tradespeople needed to keep conveyor belts moving and more

BY ANNE D’INNOCENZIO AP writer

BENTONVILLE, Ark. — As the number of skilled tradespeople dwindles in the United States, Walmart is trying to build up its own workforce to keep conveyor belts moving, refrigerated grocery cases cold, and drains and parking lots flowing.

The nation’s largest retailer and private employer revamped its training program last year to increase the pipeline of maintenance technicians who do everything from repair equipment to electrical work at Walmart’s distribution centers and stores — jobs that have become increasingly difficult to fill because of a shrinking labor pool.

The shortage has opened opportunities for people like Liz Cardenas, 24, who started at Walmart in May 2023 as an automation equipment operator at a distribution center in Lancaster, Texas, making sure boxes were securely taped and went through a conveyer belt upright. Today, she is responsible for fixing conveyor belts and other equipment when they break at distribution centers.

Cardenas, who nearly doubled her hourly pay to $43.50 per hour, said she plans to pursue more training, which will mean an even higher salary and more responsibility. It also means financial freedom.

“I was able to move out of my parents’ house,” she said. “I have my own apartment. I was able to get a car, and I’m able to give more to my 401(k).”

A surge of retirements, along with a slowdown in immigration that began during the pandemic but now is accelerating with President Donald Trump’s aggressive deportations, are among the main

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHARLIE RIEDEL

Maintenance technician Liz Cardenas completes a task on an electronics test platform at a training area in a Walmart distribution center in Bentonville, Ark. factors behind labor shortages that bedevil some employers, analysts say.

But in skilled trades, the problem is even more acute. Consulting firm McKinsey analyzed 12 types of trade job categories, including maintenance technicians, welders, and carpenters, and predicted an estimated imbalance of 20 job openings for every one net new employee from 2022 to 2032.

McKinsey noted “the extraordinary rate of churn” could cost companies more than $5.3 billion every year in talent acquisition and training costs alone.

The shortages are happening as some companies are also laying off workers amid rising operational costs from new tariffs, shifting consumer spending and increased spending on artificial intelligence.

Business Roundtable, a lobbying group of CEOs from roughly

150 companies representing millions of employees nationwide, launched in June a new initiative to address worker shortages in skilled trades, including maintenance technicians.

The initiative, co-championed by home improvement retailer Lowe’s, entails working with elementary, middle and high schools to raise awareness.

“While technology continues to evolve, it cannot replace plumbers, electricians, construction workers, maintenance and repair pros, or other tradespeople,” said Marvin Ellison, chairman and CEO of Lowe’s.

For its part, Lowe’s in 2022 started a 90-day online training program for employees who want to pursue jobs like carpentry and utility maintenance.

Separately, its charitable arm has invested $43 million since 2023

to 60 organizations including technical colleges and nonprofit groups to help recruit and train skilled tradespeople like maintenance technicians and plumbers.

Mervin Jebaraj of the University of Arkansas’s Walton College of Business in Fayetteville, Arkansas, noted these programs will help ease the shortages, but they won’t eliminate the gap, particularly given Trump’s clampdown on immigration.

“For as long as somebody physically needs to fix this, the shortage will persist, even though on the margins it’ll mitigate some of the shortage,” he said. “We don’t have enough people.”

Walmart CEO Doug McMillon recently told The Associated Press he believes part of the reason for the shortages is “lack of awareness.”

“I think most Americans prob-

ably don’t know what a tech makes that helps take care of our stores and clubs and that we can help them learn how to be a tech,” he said.

“So we have a need to get the word out so that people know there are some great jobs.”

Walmart revamped its training program in the spring of 2024, focusing on its own workers with a tuition-free training initiative in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. This year, it added new training sites in Vincennes, Indiana, and Jacksonville, Florida.

The initiative combines hands-on instruction and classroom learning in fields like heating, ventilation, air conditioning, electrical work, and general maintenance.

As of mid-November, almost 400 employees had graduated from the program, Walmart said. With its first class of 108 associates who completed the Dallas/Fort Worth pilot program, every graduate secured a technician role, putting them on a path to earn an average of $32 per hour. Walmart said its goal is to put 4,000 workers through the training program by 2030.

R.J. Zanes, vice president of facility services for the U.S. divisions of Walmart and Sam’s Club, said Walmart was able to attract workers from all over the country with different backgrounds, including employees running cash registers.

Maintenance technician roles are crucial to keeping Walmart’s operations running smoothly, but especially so during the holiday season. For example, if a refrigeration system goes down within a Walmart store, it could cost up to $300,000 to $400,000 worth of lost product, according to Zanes.

“We’ve got to stay out in front of that,” he said.

“We have to ensure that we’ve got the right skills there to do preventative maintenance, and when we do have a breakdown, to make sure that we get it back up as fast as possible to minimize that cost of downtime.”

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Mississippi man serving illegal sentence granted clemency His brother was freed last month

BY SOPHIE BATES Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO By JULIO CORTEZ

Camp Mystic is in ruins on July 5 after a flash flood swept through the area.

Camp Mystic’s reopening plans draws outrage steering a slow recov- who were killed at Camp But some families now ery while trying to expedite Mystic last summer, we new flood warning system are deeply hurt but, sadly, want to return to abefore not shocked by yet another campers return. that return- insensitive announcement Texas retreat ing“Weto recognize Camp Mystic carries from Camp Mystic focused

BY SEAN MURPHY Associated Press

Patrick Hotze’s three daughters made it home safe from Camp Mystic after July’s catastrophic floods that killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors. He attended some of the funerals and says he understands the outrage over the Texas camp’s plan to partially reopen next year.

He also intends to send his girls back.

“My heart is broken for them,” Hotze said of the parents whose girls died, including some he described as close friends. “I think it’s different for each kid and each family.”

For the first time since the roaring flood, the 100-yearold all-girls Christian sleepaway retreat plans to sign up campers in January, forging ahead with a reopening that has divided families and stunned some lawmakers.

Campers will start arriving in May, bunking on higher ground than the area where fast-rising waters on the Guadalupe River swept away two cabins.

Some families say the decision to let their daughters return is a vital step in their own healing from the disaster that is still under scrutiny.

The floodwaters that worsened with terrifying quickness during the July Fourth holiday weekend killed at least 117 people in Kerr County alone. Two victims have still not been found, including an 8-year-old Camp Mystic camper.

Promises of extra safety Texas legislators are set to hold investigative hearings into the tragedy but have shown little appetite to assign blame.

Local leaders in Kerr County, including two who were asleep when the waters started rising, remain in their jobs after defending their preparations and evacuation efforts. They are

both hope and heartache,” Camp Mystic’s owners wrote in a letter to families. “For many of your daughters, this return is not simple, but it is a courageous step in their healing journey.”

It is unclear how many girls will return to Camp Mystic when the camp begins enrollment, but a spokesperson said there is “strong interest.” The camp’s owner, Dick Eastland, died in the flood and his family has vowed to enhance safety measures before reopening, including two-way radios in every cabin and new flood warning river monitors.

The devastating July floods were hardly the first to strike the area known as “Flash Flood Alley,” where the limestone hills quickly gather water and funnel it into narrow river banks.

This year was at least the fifth time in a century that flooding near the Guadalupe River has turned deadly.

An attorney for Camp Mystic, Mikal Watts, said he and camp officials have contacted several former campers who witnessed previous floods and who told them they were nowhere near as high or as powerful as the flooding this year.

Outrage and acceptance Those assurances have not quieted some parents of the 27 victims, who say the decision to reopen is insensitive and that the Eastland family has refused to take responsibility for its failures.

Lawsuits filed by some of the families allege camp operators failed to protect the children and even ordered girls and counselors in the cabins closest to the river to stay inside as floodwaters overwhelmed the property.

Hundreds of 911 calls released by authorities this month included a woman who lived a mile downriver and said two of the campers had swept by.

“As parents of children

on enrollment,” the parents of six girls who died said in a public statement.

Some parents say Camp Mystic has played an instrumental role in their children’s personal and spiritual development, and that eased their decision to allow their girls to return.

Liberty Lindley’s 9-yearold daughter, Evie, was among those caught in the flooding.

She was trapped with her campmates in a cabin dubbed Wiggle Inn, adjacent to the low-lying cabins that were quickly inundated by the flooded river.

Many of the girls Evie knew were swept to their deaths.

Yet despite the horror Evie endured, floating on mattresses with her friends in the pitch dark before being evacuated by helicopter, Lindley said her daughter didn’t hesitate when asked if she wanted to return to Camp Mystic.

“I know some people don’t understand that or think that’s crazy,” she said of her decision to allow her daughter to go back.

Some remain unsure Still, not all parents are eager to send their daughters back to Camp Mystic.

John Ball, an attorney in McAllen, Texas, whose daughter was at Camp Mystic during the flood, said he has serious reservations, especially after the poor communication from camp officials about his daughter’s whereabouts.

Ball said he was out of town and didn’t learn that his daughter was safe until more than 12 hours after the flooding, when she was able to borrow a cellphone and call him.

“That was the hardest part, not knowing,” Ball said.

“I think we’re going to take this year off and see how it goes and what these changes look like that they’re implementing,” he said, “and we’ll go from there.”

JACKSON, Miss. — A man handed an illegal prison sentence that was years longer than the maximum penalty for his crime has been granted clemency

by Mississippi’s governor, weeks after the man’s brother received clemency for a similar sentence.

Gov. Tate Reeves announced Wednesday that he was granting clemency to Maurice Taylor after ordering the man’s brother, Marcus Taylor, to be freed earlier last month.

In February 2015, both brothers accepted plea bargains and pleaded guilty to

conspiracy to sell hydrocodone acetaminophen, a Schedule III substance.

Combinations of hydrocodone and acetaminophen are used to treat pain severe enough to require opioid treatment when other pain medicine does not work or cannot be taken, according to the Mayo Clinic.

At the time of the brothers’ sentencing, the maximum penalty for conspiracy to sell a Schedule III substance was five years.

Yet Maurice Taylor was sentenced to 20 years in prison with five years suspended, and Marcus Taylor to 15 years.

“Like his brother, Maurice Taylor received a sentence more than three times longer than allowed under Mississippi law,” Reeves

wrote in his announcement.

“When justice is denied to even one Mississippian, it is denied to us all.”

In May, the Mississippi Court of Appeals had ruled that Marcus Taylor’s sentence was illegal, but did not commute his sentence because Taylor had missed the deadline to apply for post-conviction relief. After rehearing that case in November, the court reversed course and ordered his release.

In Wednesday’s order, Reeves wrote that Maurice Taylor’s post-conviction counsel contacted his office for the first time a few weeks ago, providing legal documents in his case. Maurice Taylor must be released within five days, according to Reeves’ order.

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12A ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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LOUISIANA POLITICS La. remains in state of emergency over cyberattacks

BY MATTHEW ALBRIGHT Staff writer

Throughout Gov. Jeff Landry’s first term, Louisiana has been under a state of emergency for cyberattacks as hackers continuously barrage government agencies throughout the state.

On Dec. 23, Landry again renewed a state of emergency that was first issued by his predecessor, former Gov. John Bel Edwards, in 2023.

“There have been severe, intentional cybersecurity breaches of public entities throughout the State of Louisiana,” Landry wrote in the renewal order.

The state of emergency allows government officials — particularly those in the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness, which leads the response to cyberattacks — to suspend procurement and public bidding laws when necessary to respond to or prevent breaches.

State officials have said for years that they are under more or less perpetual attack from hackers trying to access sensitive information or halt essential services, then seek a ransom to restore them.

The year Edwards first issued the state of emergency was a particularly harsh one for Louisiana That February, a cyberattack crippled Southeastern Louisiana University’s computer system for weeks, knocking out email, the university website, and the system that many classes used to share documents and take tests.

Then, in June 2023, hackers breached MOVEit, a file-sharing system used by the state’s Office of Motor Vehicles and other clients around the world. At least 6 million records were exposed, including information from every Louisiana resident who got a driver’s license, ID or car registration.

There have been a slew of incidents since then, including multiple major attacks in 2025.

Landry pushes for college football intervention

PROVIDED PHOTO

A cyberattack crippled Southeastern Louisiana University’s computer system for weeks in 2023, knocking out email, the university website, and the system that many classes used to share documents and take tests.

Last January, hackers breached PowerSchool, an education software program used by students in Ascension, Livingston and St. Charles Parish school districts — and more than 60 million students in total. The incident exposed information like names, addresses, contact information and Social Security numbers, but the compromised data was eventually deleted, the company that runs PowerSchool said.

In September, the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office was hit, interfering with processing bail, disrupting court proceedings and causing other problems. A ransomware STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK group called Qilin took responsiin June 2023, hackers breached MOVEit, a file-sharing system used by bility for the attack, saying it stole more than 840 gigabytes of data. the state’s Office of Motor Vehicles and other clients around the world.

In October, a “cyberincident” At least 6 million records were exposed, including information from every locked users out of START and Louisiana resident who got a driver’s license, ID or car registration.

K-12 Start, state-run education

cruiting.

The current system, Landry argued, is driving up ticket prices and risks putting taxpayers on the Gov. Jeff Landry last week hook for big coaching buyouts if continued his push for national donors don’t step up. leaders to step in to fix what he “There are great people that calls a broken system for college work real hard football. to go out and In an appearance on CNN, watch college Landry again called for more cenfootball,” Landry tralized governance. In particular, said. “They watch he criticized college it in the rain, in football’s schedule the snow and the for playoffs, rewind. The price cruiting deadlines of college footand transfer portal Landry periods. ball should not be “What you see is placed on their backs as fans or Capitol a calendar that is as taxpayers.”

Buzz unworkable, a timeLandry also repeated a call to STAFF line that is unwork- unify college football’s TV broadREPORTS able,” he said. casting rights, which he argues Landry and othwould allow the sport to bring in ers have blamed the schedule for more money. Currently, individthe drama surrounding LSU hirual leagues, like the Big Ten and the SEC, negotiate those rights ing coach Lane Kiffin away from Ole Miss, which is in the playoffs separately.

The governor has drawn naand in contention for a national championship. He has also said tional attention for his public the schedule contributes to enorcomments about and involvement in LSU’s coaching search. After mous payouts for coaches — Kifformer coach Brian Kelly was fin is set to receive a seven-year, fired, Landry made headlines for $91 million contract — because a fiery speech blasting the size of schools that fire coaches midseason are under pressure to quickly coaching contracts and criticizhire a new one to compete in reing then-Athletic Director Scott

Woodward, who was fired soon after. Landry said he stepped in to ensure taxpayers didn’t pay for Kelly’s roughly $50 million buyout; those buyouts are typically paid by private donors.

Landry has continued call for a national intervention in college football, including an op-ed in RealClearPolicy last month.

On CNN, host Phil Mattingly noted that former LSU and Alabama coach Nick Saban has called for federal action to address problems in college football, and President Donald Trump has issued an executive order calling for changes.

“If there are two people who can fix college football, it would be President Trump and Coach (Nick) Saban,” Landry replied.

Scalise says House will probe Minnesota fraud Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson and the House Majority Leader, said last week that Republicans in Congress will be “very aggressive with our oversight” of fraud in Minnesota.

“The complicity, we think, goes to the highest level,” Scalise said in a Fox News appearance on Wednesday.

savings accounts that help families save for college or private school tuition. About 88,000 active savings accounts held more than $1.8 billion at the time, but parents and students weren’t able to withdraw money for more than a week.

Louisiana is far from the only state that has had to take extraordinary measures to combat cyberattacks.

In July, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz activated the state’s National Guard in response to an attack that forced the city of St. Paul to shut down most of its computer systems.

In November, the University of Pennsylvania fell victim to a cyberattack that exposed the information of students, donors and alumni. The hacker in that case used university addresses to send profanity and slur-laden mass emails criticizing the university.

child care money. This is money to help low-income people, to help seniors, all being stolen and defrauded,” Scalise said. “People need to go to jail.”

Most of the defendants in these cases are part of Minnesota’s large Somali community. President Donald Trump has since launched an immigration crackdown there, saying he “didn’t want them in the U.S.” Trump and other Republicans ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO have also blasted Minnesota Gov. Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Tim Walz, the latest Democratic R-Jefferson. nominee for vice president, for allowing the fraud to happen.

Walz has said his administration Federal authorities are pursumoved swiftly to investigate the ing criminal charges against fraud once it was discovered and more than 90 people accused of is working to implement new, defrauding multiple social weltougher safeguards. fare programs in Minnesota; 57 In his interview, Scalise said, people have been convicted.

“This was all going on right under The largest scheme uncovered Tim Walz’s nose,” and said House so far involves Feeding Our FuRepublicans plan to call the govture. Prosecutors say organizers stole roughly $300 million that ernor in for hearings. was supposed to be spent on feed“When we bring them in, being children during the COVID lieve me, those are going to be pandemic. very tough questions that GoverThe lead prosecutor says the nor Walz himself will be asked,” total losses under investigation, Scalise said. “Did you know which includes multiple different about it? Did people under you welfare programs, could eventuknow about the participation?

Did any of your friends profit off ally total up to $1 billion.

“This is Medicaid money. This is of this?”

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THE GULF COAST Carpet inside refurbished Biloxi theater draws backlash Flooring company says it was installed correctly

BY JUSTIN MITCHELL and ANITA LEE

The Times-Picayune | Sun Herald The city of Biloxi received viral pushback from both residents and at least one city council member after unveiling new, mismatched carpet tiles inside the Saenger Theatre as the historic venue undergoes renovations ahead of its reopening.

Officials paid $73,100 for the carpets and uploaded photos to the city’s Facebook page just before Christmas to update the Mississippi Coast community. The contractor told the Sun Herald this week that the tiles were installed correctly and approved by the city.

The response was plentiful, with hundreds of people criticizing the selection and installation.

“This is a joke, right?” one commenter asked.

“There’s no interior designer working on this project. There can’t be,” another chimed in.

The red carpet with swirl and floral designs chosen for the main seating area received what appears to be the worst criticism.

Many commenters said the pattern was too busy and could lead to headaches.

“It looks like someone threw up spaghetti,” another commenter proclaimed.

Ward 2 Council member Anthony Marshall also chimed in, telling the Sun Herald in late December he would look into the decision after seeing the backlash on social media.

“Just looking at the pictures, I’m not happy with it, but I need to go physically look at it,” he told the newspaper.

The Saenger Theatre in Biloxi is undergoing a $5 million renovation before reopening on the PROVIDED PHOTOS By CITy OF BILOXI/FACEBOOK Mississippi Coast.

The new carpet at the renovated Saenger Theatre in downtown Biloxi, Miss., is drawing criticism for its design.

The carpet tiles cost $73,100. happening in downtown Biloxi. In

tionally produced and installed as broadloom,” the company said in an email to the Sun Herald. “However, after reviewing the available options, the carpet tile format was selected as part of the approved scope.”

The city chose the tiles over the broadloom option, even though broadloom costs less.

Broadloom is woven on a wide loom and generally refers to wallto-wall carpet. Carpet tiles at the Saenger cost $73,100, as opposed to $69,099 for broadloom, bid docuCarpet contract ments show.

Continental Flooring added in While the carpet tiles appear mismatched to many residents, the email that the installation was vendor Continental Flooring Co. of completed correctly in full accorA multi-million dollar renovation Scottsdale, Arizona, says the tiles dance with the contract.

A four-member selection comThe Saenger Theatre, at 170 were correctly installed.

“Large-scale historic patterns mittee was appointed to review Reynoir St. in downtown Biloxi, has been closed since 2018 after it such as the one selected are tradi- and score project bids. Continenwas deemed unsafe, according to the Sun Herald.

Restoration costs were estimated at $5.3 million in 2021. The state Legislature has supplied at least $2 million in BP funds from the 2010 oil spoil for the restoration. The city in May amended its budget to move $200,000 from city economic development to pay for interior work, including carpet, at the Saenger, city records show.

No opening date has been announced.

WEIGHT SCOOTER

the years since the pandemic, new tal was the low bidder on the proj- restaurants, breweries, hair saect, which also included bids from lons, boutiques and even cannabis South Mississippi companies. shops have opened in the blocks near the beach and casinos.

What’s next?

Josette’s, an iconic costume shop Biloxi Mayor Andrew “FoFo” that closed in 2019 after nearly 50 Gilich told the Sun Herald on years in business, was purchased Wednesday that the city intends and transformed into luxury apartto rearrange some of the recently ments. That same year, a $54 milinstalled carpet tiles so the classic lion renovation project kicked off pattern the city selected no longer for an entertainment district on appears so misaligned. It will not Howard Avenue that included lofts be a perfect fix, he said, but it will in the historic Barq’s Building. The hopefully look better than it does project is now about seven years now. in the making, but WLOX-TV re“We’re not satisfied with the out- ported in November that the living come and are looking at ways to spaces were set to hit the market reconfigure the tiles and make it by the end of 2025, with new resacceptable,” Gilich said. taurants and retail to follow.

Downtown Biloxi is also home Downtown Biloxi revitalization to MGM Park and a Ground Zero The Saenger Theatre renovation Blues Club, owned by Morgan is just part of the revitalization Freeman.

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In Alaska’s Arctic, elder passes down hunting traditions As temps warm and ice thins, life is being reshaped

Roswell Schaeffer, an Inupiaq hunter and fisher, visits the cemetery where thawing permafrost has caused grave markers to tilt in Kotzebue, Alaska.

BY ANNIKA HAMMERSCHLAG Associated Press

KOTZEBUE, Alaska — The low autumn light turned the tundra gold as James Schaeffer, 7, and his cousin Charles Gallahorn, 10, raced down a dirt path by the cemetery on the edge of town. Permafrost thaw had buckled the ground, tilting wooden cross grave markers sideways. The boys took turns smashing slabs of ice that had formed in puddles across the warped road.

Roswell Schaeffer, the 78-year-old great-grandfather of James Schaeffer, trailed behind. What was a playground to the kids was, for Schaeffer — an Inupiaq elder and prolific hunter — a reminder of what warming temperatures had undone: the stable ice he once hunted seals on, the permafrost cellars that kept food frozen all summer, the salmon runs and caribou migrations that once defined the seasons.

Now another pressure loomed. A 211-mile mining road that would cut through caribou and salmon habitat was approved by the Trump administration this fall, though the project still faces lawsuits and opposition from environmental and native groups.

Schaeffer and other critics worry it could open the

region to outside hunters and further devastate already declining herds. “If we lose our caribou — both from climate change and overhunting — we’ll never be the same,” he said.

“We’re going to lose our culture totally.”

Still, Schaeffer insists on taking the next generation out on the land, even when the animals don’t come. It was late September and he and James would normally have been at their camp hunting caribou. But the herd has been migrating later each year and still hadn’t arrived — a pattern scientists link to climate change, mostly caused by the burning of oil, gas and coal.

So instead of caribou, they scanned the tundra for swans, ptarmigan and

down those lessons, Schaeffer worries there won’t be enough to sustain the next generation — or to sustain him. “The reason I’ve been a successful hunter is the firm belief that, when I become old, people will feed me,” he said. “My great-grandson and my grandson are my future for food.”

That future feels tenuous

These days, they’re eating less hunted food and relying more on farmed chicken and processed goods from ASSOCIATED the store.

PRESS PHOTO The caribou are fewer, the

By ANNIKA salmon scarcer, the storms HAMMERSCHLAG more severe. Record rainfall battered Northwest Alaska this year, flooding Schaeffer’s backyard twice this fall alone. He worries about the ducks.

“When you’re raised an toll on wildlife and whether Inupiaq, your whole being is his grandchildren will be A lifetime of hunting to make sure the elders have able to live in Kotzebue as the changes accelerate.

Caribou antlers are food,” he said.

But even as he passes “It’s kind of scary to think stacked outside Schaeffer’s home. Traditional seal hooks and whale harpoons hang in his hunting shed.

Inside, a photograph of him with a hunted beluga is mounted on the wall beside the head of a Dall sheep and a traditional mask his daughter Aakatchaq made from caribou hide and lynx fur.

He got his first caribou at 14 and began taking his own children out at 7. James made his first caribou kill this past spring with a .22 rifle. He teaches James what his father taught him: that power comes from giving food and a hunter’s responsibility is to feed the elders.

about what’s going to happen,” he said.

That afternoon, James ducked into the bed of Schaeffer’s truck and aimed into the water. He shot two ducks.

Schaeffer helped him into waders — waterproof overalls — so they could collect them and bring them home for dinner, but the tide was too high. They had to turn back without collecting the ducks.

The changes weigh on others, too. Schaeffer’s friend, writer and commercial fisherman Seth Kantner grew up along the Kobuk River, where caribou once reliably crossed by the hundreds of thousands.

“I can hardly stand how lonely it feels without all the caribou that used to be here,” he said.

“This road is the largest threat. But right beside it is climate change.”

Scientists identify four main types of autism characteristics

BY KARL HILLE

The Baltimore Sun (TNS) For many years, autism has been identified as a spectrum with differing levels of ability. New research suggests that the age when symptoms first appear may help anticipate the specific traits, behaviors and genetic markers associated with an individual’s specific type of autism.

“Unraveling the complexity of autism is a particularly challenging yet critical task for supporting the needs of autistic individuals and understanding the biology, inheritance, trajectory and phenotypes of the many forms of the condition,” the authors of a July study in Nature Genetics wrote.

Autism affects fewer than 1 in 100 individuals and presents as a diverse group of conditions centering around degrees of difficulty with social and interpersonal interactions and communication as well as unusual patterns of activities and repetitive behaviors, according to the World Health Organization.

People with autism may have difficulty transitioning from one activity to another, focus intently on small details or have unusual reactions to

sensory stimulus. The abilities and needs of autistic individuals vary greatly and can evolve over time — some live more or less independently while others require lifelong care and support.

The paper’s authors looked at individual traits, presentations and genetic markers to power an analysis of 5,000 autistic children identified in a database managed by the nonprofit Simons Foundation, which supports science research. Their work revealed four sets of observable characteristics that correspond to a clear set of genetic markers for each group.

The social/behavioral group met early developmental milestones on time, with other conditions posing challenges later in development, including attention defecit / hyperactivity disorder and depression. They tended to be diagnosed later, at 6 to 8 years, and accounted for 37% of participants.

The moderate challenges group showed milder social and communication differences and repetitive habits, and no significant delays in skills like walking or communication. This group included one third of the participants.

The mixed autism spectrum disorder with devel-

opmental delays group included almost 20% of participants, who showed early delays in key milestones but few signs of anxiety, depression or disruptive behavior.

Members varied in how strongly individual social and repetitive behaviors presented.

The broadly affected group was smallest — one in 10 participants — but displayed more challenging traits, including persistent developmental delays, strained communication and social interaction, and more pervasive repetitive behaviors.

An October article in the journal Nature affirmed some of the researchers’ conclusions, matching different ages of diagnosis with specific life trajectories.

“These findings provide further support for the hypothesis that the umbrella term ‘autism’ describes multiple phenomena with differing … developmental trajectories and correlations with mental-health conditions,” that study’s authors wrote.

“Our findings have important implications for how we conceptualize autism and provide a model to explain some of the diversity found in autism.”

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Hospital board agrees to settle suit Architect accused West Ascension panel of nonpayment

BY CHRISTOPHER CARTWRIGHT Staff writer

After nearly two years in litigation, the board of a Donaldsonville hospital agreed to settle with a local architect who sued them over alleged nonpayment for services.

At a special meeting of the West Ascension Parish Hospital Service District Board on Tuesday afternoon, the five-person group unani-

mously approved a settlement for the case. The board’s vote didn’t stipulate the settlement’s amount, and chairperson Bill Dawson declined to give the amount after the meeting.

“I think we’re all relieved that it’s over,” he said.

Assistant District Attorney Kenneth Dupaty, who represents the hospital, declined to state the amount but said it would be

specified in court documents once they’re filed.

Brought in early 2024 by local architect Henry Chauvin, the lawsuit alleged the board didn’t pay Chauvin for more than $790,000 in architectural work. Chauvin’s son, Spencer Chauvin, attended the meeting. In a statement after the meeting, he thanked the hospital for concluding the case.

“I’d like to thank the hospital for

bringing this to an end and finally acknowledging the work Henry Chauvin did for so many years,” he wrote.

Founded in 1966, the hospital provides accessible health care to the rural west bank of Ascension Parish. The parish council appointed a new board in late 2023, and that board intends to construct a new facility near the current structure.

Chauvin, a local architect who helped on projects ranging from the Ascension Catholic Church in Donaldsonville to the Superdome,

sued the board in February 2024 in the 23rd Judicial District Court.

According to the complaint, the hospital contracted with him in 2018 to perform architectural services. He alleged he completed services worth $790,484 and delivered the bill on Nov. 1, 2023, according to the document.

“Those services were performed and the bill for those services was delivered,” the lawsuit stated. “Pursuant to the Contract, the bill was

ä See HOSPITAL, page 2B

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Break by the lake

Med student and LSU graduate Margaret Jeffers walks Friday with husband, Noah Jeffers, a senior mechanical engineering student at LSU, along the oak tree-lined West Lakeshore Drive around the lake where construction is ongoing.

Former Louisiana coastal agency leader honored for years of work

BY MIKE SMITH

Staff writer

Janice Lansing heard the magic words while walking on a sand berm off Louisiana’s coast.

It was in 2010, not long after the massive BP oil spill, the reason the sand berm had been constructed.

She had recently been hired as chief financial officer of Louisiana’s nascent coastal agency and was on a visit to the site along with other state officials.

R. King Milling, the longtime chair of the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration and Conservation, made clear what he believed was needed once he found out Lansing had taken on the job overseeing the agency’s spending.

LSU Vet School saves life of military dog Astra, who has served in combat, diagnosed with Addison’s disease

BY ELLYN COUVILLION Staff writer

PROVIDED PHOTO

Janice Lansing, second from right, the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority’s chief financial officer from 2010-25, is awarded the R. King Milling Distinguished Coastal Service Award alongside CPRA’s Coastal Resources Administrator Greg Grandy, from left, Chair Gordon Dove and ä See COASTAL, page 3B Executive Director Michael Hare.

A military working dog named Astra was recently rushed by helicopter from Fort Polk to the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine for emergency treatment of a life-threatening illness and is now doing well, according to a news release from LSU. Astra, an 8-year-old Belgian Malinois that has served side by side in combat zones with U.S. soldiers in Middle East war zones, became extremely

ill and was airlifted to the Vet School in a Black Hawk on Dec. 10 with symptoms of dehydration, weight loss, elevated heart rate and nausea.

Vet School doctors conducted multiple tests and diagnosed Astra with Addison’s disease, a deficiency of necessary steroid hormones produced by the adrenal glands, according to LSU. The disease can be fatal if not detected and treated quickly, and, while humans can get it, it is more common in dogs.

Army Sgt. Pierce Getner and Staff Sgt. David Tatterson drove to LSU Vet Med to be with Astra in the ICU unit while she was being treated, because military handlers are required to stay with working dogs at all times.

ä See DOG, page 2B

2B ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Excavation complete on discovery in French Quarter No word on resuming construction

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

An excavation of the 600 block of St. Peter Street, where workers replacing underground water mains made a significant archaeological discovery in early November, has been completed, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which is helping fund the $9 million project.

In an email dated Dec. 31, FEMA officials said archaeological work at the site, which contained more than 1,000 artifacts and a layer of burned clay containing clues about two 18th-century fires that devastated the French Quarter, was completed on Dec. 19 and that the artifacts have been sent to a lab for analysis.

It’s not clear, however, whether construction on the project to replace the water main, which has brought foot traffic on the street to a virtual standstill since it began last summer, has resumed or when it might be completed.

On Friday morning, a backhoe stood idle behind large construction fencing near the excavation site — a deep trench roughly five feet deep, six feet wide and several yards long. The trench appeared empty. A couple of workers were visible at the site early in the day, though they did not appear to be working and were not operating any equipment.

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Archaeological artifacts from the 18th century were excavated from a construction site in the 600 block of St. Peter Street in the French Quarter. available for comment. City Hall did not respond to requests for comment.

The discovery, which appears to have halted construction on the project for much of November and December, is the latest headache for merchants in the heart of the French Quarter, who say the project has killed their business during what is typically their best time of year.

“We’re 70% off of what we would usually be,” said David Barton, a tour agent at Haunted History

Tours in the 600 block of St. Peter Street. By noon Friday, while much of the rest of the French Quarter was buzzing with holiday tourists, he’d sold just two tour tickets.

The discovery is one of the occupational hazards of digging up streets in the oldest neighborhood in a city that is more than 300 years old, according to local historians, who say the excavation is the latest of nearly 30 archaeological digs in the French Quarter since 1960.

“It happens all the time,” said Erin Greenwald, deputy director

of the Historic New Orleans Collection. “The entire block is sitting on the city’s historic core. This is some of the oldest property in the city.”

Distinctive fire prints Consultants monitoring the Sewerage & Water Board made the discovery on Nov. 3, according to documents sent by FEMA to more than two dozen merchants, residents and neighborhood associations.

Among the findings were brick fragments, artifacts and a layer of burned clay containing clues about

the fires of 1788 and 1794, which destroyed much of the French Quarter, erasing the colonial French architecture that characterized its earliest years.

The clay deposits contained clues about the intensity of the two fires.

The artifacts recovered at the site included 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.

Greenwald said the findings are extremely significant for a couple of reasons. For one, the two fires were watershed events in the city’s history that defined and shaped, through the rebuilding process in the early 1800s, how the French Quarter looks even to this day.

New Orleans was occupied by the French before the fires. By the time the city was rebuilt, the Spanish owned the city, hence the French Quarter’s Spanish-style wroughtiron balconies, fire-resistant brick and stucco exteriors, and iconic patios.

“Those two fires left very distinct fire prints,” Greenwald said. “That gives us a better understanding of how everyday people — not just the people you read about in history books — lived and how they rebuilt.”

Also, several properties on both sides of the 600 block of St. Peter Street were owned at the time of the two fires by Marianne Dubreuil Brion. A prominent free woman of color, Brion was also ancestor of Henriette Delille, who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family and is a candidate for sainthood.

“She was a very significant and interesting woman in the early history of New Orleans, who owned a building that burned in both fires,” Greenwald said.

Cannabis dispensary opens on South Carrollton in N.O.

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Over the stiff opposition of several neighborhood groups, the metro area’s latest medical marijuana facility has opened on a busy, treelined stretch of South Carrollton Avenue.

Located in a former medical office building near Willow Street, the NOLA Cannabis Co. dispensary opened Dec. 18 with a staff of roughly 40 employees and a brightly colored showroom displaying the various products — cannabis flowers, pre-rolls, gummies, concentrates, vape pens, tinctures, bongs and pipes, among others — that can be filled on-site with a prescription.

At 9:30 a.m. recently, a steady stream of customers trickled into the dispensary and were greeted by staffers wearing red polo shirts bearing the company logo and carrying iPads with product and patient information.

“We meet with them, assess their prescription and explain to them what we have and try to determine what they’re looking for, how they want to feel,” said General Manager Tangela Robinson, explaining the process of filling a prescription for a first-time patient.

The facility is the first of three new dispensaries to come to the metro area as the local cannabis industry continues to expand. Another new dispensary will open later this month on Manhattan Boulevard in Harvey in a former Rite Aid. A dispensary in the 400 block of Bourbon Street is scheduled to open in March.

They join three existing dispensaries in the Warehouse District, Metairie and Kenner.

The outlets, which are owned by two separate investor groups with common, though not identical, memberships, are all managed by an arm of one of the state’s two licensed growers, Good Day Farm, and do business under the brand name NOLA Cannabis Co. The growth in the number of local dispensaries comes nearly a decade after the Louisiana Legislature passed the first set of bills legalizing medical marijuana, laws which have been amended several times

since as acceptance of the drug continues to grow.

In the first quarter of 2025, nearly 98,000 patients made at least one purchase of medical marijuana at one of the nearly two dozen dispensaries currently open in the state — about 70% more than during the comparable period in 2024. In the third quarter of 2025, the number of qualified patients had increased to more than 128,000.

Total year-end figures for 2025 are not yet available from the Louisiana Department of Health, which took over regulating the medical marijuana industry last May from the Louisiana Board of Pharmacy.

“There is greater access, and the prices have come down across the board, about 20% on average,” said John Davis, president of Good Day Farm, which is licensed to grow and manufacture the cannabis products sold in the state.

The company’s subsidiary, Good Day Farm Retail Management, runs the six NOLA Cannabis Co. sites and nine others around the state.

The new outlets, when completed, will bring to 29 the number of dispensaries operating in Louisiana, which allows a total of 30 sites by law. Each of the 10 licensed retail operators is allowed to have three locations.

Most of the locations in the Greater New Orleans area are located along busy commercial corridors like Veterans Boulevard, Airline Highway and Manhattan Boulevard. The South Carrollton location, though commercial, also contains a mix of historic homes, a public library, elementary school and church. Neighborhood opponents argued last fall that converting the long-vacant clinic building to a marijuana dispensary was incompatible with the surrounding area.

In October, they sued the city, claiming it failed to follow zoning regulations by granting the dispensary a license to operate without first requiring the developers to seek a conditional use permit — a process that would have alerted the neighborhood of their plans for the site and triggered a series of public meetings.

At those meetings, neighbors said, they would have raised concerns

about the dispensary’s proximity to the library and school, among other things.

“We are not opposed to medical marijuana,” said Paul Baricos, president of the Central Carrollton Association, one of the associations that filed suit. “We are opposed to the location without some restrictions about parking, hours of operation, noise, loitering.”

The suit was dismissed, though the judge issued her ruling “without prejudice,” meaning, essentially, the groups can try again.

Baricos said the neighbors are currently mulling their options, not with any expectation of shutting the clinic down but in hopes of forcing a hearing before the Planning Commission that would impose more restrictions on how the new outlet can operate.

NOLA Cannabis Co. officials say they haven’t done anything wrong and, contrary to neighbors’ concerns, have cleaned up the former office building, which was vacant for several years and attracted vagrants.

They also have established their own rules to mitigate any potential disruption to the neighborhood, including restricting on-site consumption of products.

“We’re not a bar; we’re not a consumption lounge,” Davis said. “This is where people — qualified patients — purchase their products.”

In the two weeks since it opened, the South Carrollton outlet has done a brisk business, according to Davis, though he declined to provide specific sales figures or customer counts. On a chilly morning last week, several customers appeared to be picking up prescriptions before hurrying off to work. Others casually browsed the inventory, chatting with staff and asking questions. Their ages appeared to range from Gen Z to late boomers, though most were in their 20s and 30s.

Davis said the process is straightforward and transparent, in keeping with state laws. The idea behind the way NOLA Cannabis Co. and its sister dispensaries operate, he said, is to provide high-quality customer service in a regulated facility — and to remove the stigma around marijuana usage.

the hospital to rule that it did not breach the contract after all.

At Tuesday’s meeting, former Hospital Board Vice Chairperson Glenn Price gave public comment.

He asked the board to reject the settlement, alleging the hospital didn’t owe the money to Chauvin.

“I’m asking the board to not agree to pay Henry Chauvin and Spencer Chauvin not one more dollar,” he

said. “We got the documentation to prove that they didn’t deserve the money they already got.”

Price served on the board until mid-August, when the Parish Council removed him shortly after he was arrested in connection with allegedly obstructing justice.

Price also faces felony charges of illegal possession of stolen property over $25,000, money laundering

over $100,000 and illegal transmission of monetary funds. He maintains his innocence.

“It’s predicated on charges — no convictions — charges,” he said earlier this year before his removal. “I always refer to these charges as bogus charges, because these charges were brought upon me when I decided to run for mayor of Donaldsonville.”

Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Splash down

A Canada goose lands in the water of City Park Lake on Friday.

DOG

Continued from page 1B The two, who train and maintain the Army’s dog teams, slept next to her in her kennel to watch her overnight as she recovered.

“We ask a lot of these dogs. Astra was in a bomb shelter for a whole month during hostile fire while deployed in Iraq for nine months. She’s been deployed more than most MWDs, and it’d be hard to imagine her putting in all of that work and not get to reap the rewards of her efforts. We want to see Astra retire, relax and enjoy life knowing she did a good job.

We want the best for her,” Getner, who is the handler of a different working dog, told LSU. “It is impossible to describe the bond you have with your dog. With my own, we were newly partnered and deployed overseas, not yet fully trusting each other. Almost overnight, we both realized, ‘It’s just me and you,’ and everything changed. We rely on each other,” he said.

Astra was discharged from the Vet School hospital on Dec. 12.

She’ll be given three medications daily in the future and is expected to recover fully. Doctors Jack Lee, Leslie Serrano, Gregor Boot and

HOSPITAL

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dr. Patty Lathan with Astra

Patty Lathan treated Astra.

“What’s always amazing is the handlers; they’re more familiar with their dog than some pet owners, because they spend so much time with them,” Lathan said last week. “They catch that something’s wrong quickly.”

“Astra was a good dog; she was super sweet,” Lathan said.

Astra will retire pending her disposition evaluation, which determines a dog’s suitability to transition to a different role, such as retirement.

“Astra should have a good quality of life for the rest of her days,” said Lathan.

Just under three weeks after Chauvin allegedly delivered the Continued from page 1B bill, the Ascension Parish Council replaced the entire former board with most of the current members. to be paid within forty-five days. At the time, the council cited reaHowever, the Defendant did not sons including an audit that found pay within forty-five days and has poorly kept financial books. yet to pay the bill.”

In September, Judge Steven The suit calculated that additional Tureau of the 23rd Judicial Dislegal interest accrues at $189 per day. trict Court denied a request from

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3B

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COASTAL

Continued from page 1B “We need audits,” she recalled Milling bluntly saying.

“I said, ‘Yes sir, we can do that,’ ” she said. “Little did Mr. Milling know, he was speaking my language.”

Fifteen years and many projects later, Lansing is being honored for her behind-the-scenes work keeping a close eye on spending at the state’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. She was recently named the recipient of this year’s R. King Milling Distinguished Coastal Service Award, selected by the chair of the agency’s board from a list of nominees.

Lansing played a pivotal role in the agency’s early years, when CPRA took shape in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, helping set out a mission that was “designed to be different.” She said that meant it would “move quickly, move nimbly, but always be transparent and demonstrate good fiduciary responsibility over those dollars.”

That was why she was glad to hear those words from Milling, the former Whitney National Bank executive who had become an early champion of coastal restoration. She agreed that ensuring the new agency’s accountability and effectiveness in addressing the state’s landloss crisis was paramount.

And the brand-new agency had “to demonstrate to folks that we were going to manage our money well,” she said of Milling’s words that day.

‘Getting the plane built’ Lansing’s role at the CPRA was not one that put her in the spotlight. She was not designing marsh restoration projects or involved in constructing them. But her role was equally, if not more, important.

The same BP spill that put her on that sand berm was also responsible for sending billions of dollars in fines and settlement money to Louisiana for coastal projects. Keeping tabs on that spending — along with the full slate of other accounting, budgeting and contracting — fell under her purview.

Greg Grandy, the CPRA’s coastal resources administrator, remembered the early days of establishing the agency, “when we were building the plane while flying it.” He left his work with the state in 2009, but returned in 2019.

“From a business and leadership standpoint, Janice was responsible for getting the plane built that we fly today,” he said.

CPRA Chairman Gordon Dove said, “She’s the kind of leader who quietly makes things work better for everyone.”

While the CPRA may not be a household name for many Louisianans, it’s difficult to argue against its

Obituaries importance. The state loses around a football field of land every 100 minutes on average, wiping out wetlands the size of Delaware over the last century.

Its annual spending plan has amounted to more than a billion dollars in recent years and includes everything from levee construction to marsh building and ecosystem restoration. It also has a 50-year master plan aimed at salvaging as much of Louisiana’s coast as possible.

Beyond BP funds, the state also receives federal money for coastal projects.

State coastal leaders have stressed the importance of showing that the money is being spent wisely to ensure it continues to flow.

‘Very humbled by that’ That is a vision shared

by Lansing, a Denham Springs native and mother of two who retired in September but continues to work part-time as an executive adviser at CPRA. With a master’s degree in public administration from LSU, she began her career as a fiscal analyst for the Legislative Fiscal Office.

She later was undersecretary at the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, and at the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.

While still in school, employed as a student worker at Wildlife and Fisheries, she would go to the Capitol every day to pick up copies of bills — at a time when they were not yet available on the internet. She was interested in how government worked and began to realize that would be her career.

“I remember standing at the gold elevators in the State Capitol one day, and I said, ‘This is where I will work,’ ” she said. “And I did. I love the public policy aspect of it. I love solving problems. I love getting things done.”

She said she was “shocked” when she found out she was receiving the award, and stressed she was part of a larger team that put the agency on track and kept it there.

“I’m still feeling very humbled by that,” Lansing, 57, said of the award. “Because it was totally a team effort to build this agency.”

Email Mike Smith at msmith@theadvocate. com or follow him on Twitter, @ MikeJSmith504. His work is supported with a grant from the Walton Family Foundation, administered by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation.

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Bourgeois, William 'Billy'

William "Billy" Francis Bourgeois Sr., age 85, passed away peacefully on January 2, 2026.

A native of Gramercy, LA, and a longtime resident of Paulina, LA, Billy was a man whose life was deeply rooted in family, faith, community, and the simple joys that shaped his world. He is preceded in death by his beloved wife of 58 years, Kay Arras Bourgeois, with whom he shared a lifetime of love, laughter, and devotion.

Billy is survived by his children: Seth (Sherry), Mary Ellen Roper (Gerard), William "Bo Billy" (ShooShoo), and Brian (Neta). His legacy continues through his grandchildren: Ross Roper (Courtney), Remy Roper (Megan), Shelby Coleman (Jesse), Seth Bourgeois (Erin), Sutton Bourgeois (fiancé Sara), Chase Bourgeois (Courtney), Hunter Bourgeois (Madison), Dr. Brianna Bourgeois (Shawn Marburger), Noah Bourgeois, and Logan Bourgeois; and through his greatgrandchildren: Theo, Milo, Oliver, Wryn Roper, Landry, Lincoln, Owen, Wes, Rhodes, Nox Bourgeois, Lilah, Ellie, Jude Coleman, and Hughie Marburger.

He is also survived by his siblings Annette Rome, Elaine Brack (C.J.), Linda Monica, and Tommy Bourgeois (Linda); and by inlaws Brenda Bourgeois, Sue Arras Louque (Danny), and Greg Kothmann.

Billy was preceded in death by his parents, Thelma and Oliver Bourgeois Sr.; his brother Oliver "Poochie" Bourgeois Jr.; his brothers-in-law Jean Paul Rome and Anthony "Sugar Boy" Monica; his sister-in-law Ann Arras Williamson; and his parents-in-law Winnie and Frederick Arras.

Billy attended barber school and began his career at Sam's Barber Shop on Main Street. He later went on to work at Colonial Sugars, where he grew up, built lasting friendships, and raised his young family in his cherished community of "New Town." After his time at Colonial, he moved on and eventually retired from Kaiser Aluminum.

A man of fellowship and the outdoors, Billy was proud to be a founding member of both the St. James Boat Club and the Garyville Hunting Club. He was an enthusiastic Sacalait fisherman and was the go to source for anyone seeking a fishing report. Some of his greatest joys came from time spent on the water with his grandchildren.

Billy was also an avid football fan, with a special love for high school football and Tulane athletics.

He was a devoted follower of his favorite high school team, the Lutcher Bulldogs, rarely missing a game.A man of many skills and boundless creativity, Billy was not only known for giving a "mean" haircut, but also for his remarkable craftsmanship.

With a natural gift for working with his hands, he often created beautiful

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pieces of art from metal and Cyprus wood-treasures that will live on as testaments to his talent and heart.

Billy will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. His legacy endures through the family he cherished, the friendships he nurtured, and the simple, meaningful ways he left the world better than he found it.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a Funeral Mass and Visitation on Monday, January 5, 2026, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 2130 Rectory St, Paulina, LA 70763. Visitation will be held from 8:30 a.m. until 12:00p.m. The Funeral Mass will begin at 12:00 p.m., and interment will take place immediately after in St. Joseph Cemetery.

Brown, Stephen Donald

Stephen Donald Brown passed away on Friday, December 19, 2025, at the age of 75. He is predeceased by his parents, Donald Q Brown and Mary Luella Roberts "Mary Lou" Brown.

Stephen is survived by his sister, Vicki Brown Johnston (David). He is remembered by numerous cousins and their children as well as family friends. A lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, he graduated from Broadmoor High School and LSU. Steve was in the Boy Scout Troop 128 and enjoyed annual hiking with family in Colorado for many years. Though shy, he was an avid reader, lifelong learner and collector of books and movies, talking intelligently on many subjects. He was a member of the Broadmoor United Methodist Church beginning when it was a tent on Mollylea Dr. Special thanks to Janice Freeman as well as the staff at Glenncrest at Siegen (formerly Sunrise) for their dedicated care of Steve for many years. Our family can never repay your devotion in making his time there as happy as possible. There will be a private graveside ceremony at a later date.

Cason, Ted Darland

Taylor, Jordan Taylor, Elora Cason, Theodore Cason, Hunter Cason, Eli Cason, Isaac Cason, Kennedy Cason, and Charlotte Cason. Ted's Quote: "The most wonderful experiences and times of my life came with the marriage to my darling and thoughtful wife, Jean "MiMi" and my wonderful, thoughtful, and fun family." He was preceded in death by his parents, Eunice Mary Cason, and Omer Blanchard Cason, and his beloved granddaughter, Lindsey Jean Cason. A proud graduate of Independence High School, Ted was a member of the football, track, and basketball teams and an enthusiastic member of the band. He continued his education at Southeastern Louisiana University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education, a Master's Degree in Education, and a Master's Degree in Administration. Ted lived a rich and active life. He enjoyed training bird dogs for field trials, horseback riding, fishing, playing basketball, bingo, watching old western movies, and spending time with his dear "coffee crew" friends.

Above all Ted was devoted family man who adored his wife and remained deeply involved in the lives and activities of his children, grandchildren, and greatgrandchildren. He was outgoing, talkative, kind, and always ready with a joke.

Loved and respected by friends, colleagues, and community members.

Ted's presence brought warmth and joy wherever he went. The family extends many heartfelt thanks to the North Oaks office and medical staff for their dedicated care, especially Dr. Charles Ducombs, Dr. John Allen, and Dr. Jared Rochelle. They would also like to express deep appreciation to the staff of The Phoenix Living Center and Modern Home Health and Hospice. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home, 2000 N. Morrison Blvd. Hammond, LA. Visitation will begin at 9:00 a.m., followed by a service at 11:00 am. A private burial will take place at Colonial Cemetery in Independence, LA. Arrangements have been entrusted to Harry McKneely & Son Funeral Home and Crematory of Hammond and Ponchatoula. An on-line guest book is available at www.harrymckneely.com.

Chamberlain, JoAnn

With deep love and remembrance, we announce the passing of JoAnn Chamberlain, a beloved mother, family member, and friend. JoAnn passed away on December 26, 2025.

JoAnn was a longtime resident of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and in her final years made her home in Baker, Louisiana.

She found her greatest joy in spending time with her family and friends and took special pride in caring for her plants, which reflected the same love and patience she showed to those around her.

JoAnn was a loving and devoted mother who was deeply cherished by her family. She is survived by her two sons, Wilfred "Will" J. Naquin (and wife Kristen Naquin), and Nicholas J. Naquin; four daughters, Jolene R. Naquin, Elizabeth Naquin, Rebecca Naquin, and Evelyn M. Naquin; along with eleven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James W. Chamberlain and Ila M. Chamberlain; brothers, Michael L. Chamberlain, John A. Chamberlain, and Jackie L. Chamberlain; sister, Nancy "Sissy" C. Chamberlain; and grandchild, Dakota "Cody" J. Naquin.

Honoring her wishes, there will be no formal service. Her ashes will be spread in quiet remembrance, while returning her to the beauty and peace she always cherished.

Corcoran, Mario 'Dwayne'

Mario "Dwayne" Corcoran, a resident of Zachary, passed away on Thursday, Jan 1, 2026. He was 63 years. Visitation will be on

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Ted Darland Cason or "Paw Ted", age 91, passed away peacefully on January 1, 2026, at The Phoenix Living Center in Hammond, LA surrounded by his beloved wife and sons. Born on March 18, 1934, he was a lifelong resident of Tangipahoa Parish and was born and raised in Independence, LA. Ted is survived by his loving wife of 67 years, Jean Shirley Garon Cason; his sons, Kyle Cason (Kim), and Alan Cason (Dawn). He is also survived by his grandchildren: Kristen Cason Taylor (Josh), Kraig Cason (Amanda), Scott Cason (Sophia), Brett Cason (Shelby); and by his greatgrandchildren: Kailey

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TO PLACE A MEMORIAL AD GO TO: obituaries.theadvocate.com, click submit an obituary and select create a memoriam.

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4B ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

Tuesday, Jan. 6, 2026 from 9am until Rite of Christian Burial at 11am. He is survived by his wife of 13 years, Regina Louise Devillier Corcoran. 2 daughters, Cassidy Corcoran and Brookelyn Corcoran, a sister, Tina Corcoran and brother, Roger Corcoran and wife, Windy. 3 grandchildren, Marley Mae Posey, Bruce Boyd, Jr. and Dalton Quinn Franz. Numerous nieces and nephews. He is preceded in death by his father, Patric Corcoran, mother and stepfather, Gwendolyn and Max Davis, grandmother, Lillian Pino, and sister, Rebecka Corcoran.

Honorary pallbearers will be Roger Corcoran, Kyle Masterson, and Bobby Foote. Dwayne was a 1981 graduate of Broadmoor Sr. High. He was a Mason.

Dwayne had a love for fishing with his best friends, Kyle and Bobby. He enjoyed driving the country.

As a kid he loved his days with family at our camp in Norwood. He loved time with his wife, Regina, his best friends, and spending time with his two girls and grandchildren.

He had many early morning wake up calls to his brother, Roger, on birthdays and holidays at 5am to be the first to call. Dwayne was an avid LSU fan. Share sympathies, condolences, and memories at www.Cha rletFuneralHome.com.

Cossich Jr., Philip Francis

Philip Francis Cossich, Jr., a resident of Plaquemines Parish, was born September 23, 1958 and passed away in his home on December 29, 2025, at the age of 67.

Phil was larger than life, and he inspired everyone he met. Always an athlete at heart, Phil approached everything in life as if he were walking onto a playing field. He was only satisfied with his performance if he felt he had left it all on the field—giving up was never an option. He fought and loved in the same way: fiercely, completely, and with everything he had.

Born and raised in Louisiana, Phil grew up on the water and spent most of his life immersed in the outdoors he loved so deeply. The bays, marshes, and coast of his home were not just where he lived—they were part of who he was. His lifelong connection to the water shaped his values, his passions, and ultimately his life's work.

Phil graduated from Tulane University, earning both his undergraduate and law degrees, and went on to become an extraordinarily successful national trial attorney. An incredible storyteller, competitor, and advocate, he devoted his professional life to championing the rights of the powerless and the wronged.

He believed deeply in the cases he brought and in the importance of his work, viewing the law as a way to protect and restore the people, communities, and environments he loved so much.

He represented clients during the most vulnerable and difficult moments of their lives, and each client became a friend for life. In a contentious profession, Phil was respected by both sides of the aisle and by the judiciary alike.

Phil was one of the attorneys responsible for two of the largest national environmental settlements in history: the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill and the PFAS drinking water settlements. Over the course of his career, he successfully represented thousands of individuals, counties, parishes, states, and businesses. In the final year of his life, he helped try a case on behalf of Plaquemines Parish that resulted in the largest jury verdict in the state. He was especially proud that all proceeds from that case will go directly toward coastal restoration in his beloved home parish. In his final months, Phil reflected often on how many people he had helped, taking great pride and comfort in knowing that through his hard work, he was leaving the world a better place.

Even more than his professional accomplishments, Phil was most

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proud of his family. He married his high school sweetheart, Deena, and they shared 50 years together, including 46 years of marriage. They were inseparable and loved traveling the world side by side. Phil's favorite days were spent on his boat with Deena, surrounded by his children and grandchildren. One of his final wishes was to renew their wedding vows, which they did surrounded by their family—a beautiful moment that reflected a love story truly meant for the ages.

Phil cherished time with his children, coaching them, teaching them to fish, and instilling in them a deep love for the water and the outdoors. He never stopped being their father—always offering advice, encouragement, and challenges to be better, even into their adult years.

He was immensely proud of their accomplishments and especially proud of the families they built.

But nothing brought Phil more joy than his grandchildren. To them, he was lovingly known as "the Dude," a name that perfectly captured his largerthan-life spirit and easy warmth. He adored every moment spent with them—on the water, telling stories, teaching life lessons, or simply being present. He followed their lives closely, celebrated their milestones enthusiastically, and bragged about their achievements to anyone who would listen.

Phil believed deeply in showing up, and he showed up for his grandchildren with the same passion and commitment that defined every part of his life. He wanted them to know where they came from, to love the outdoors as he did, and to understand the importance of standing up for what is right. His stories, laughter, guidance, and fierce love will always stay with them.

Phil lived fully, loved deeply, and gave tirelessly of himself to his family, his clients, and his community. His legacy is one of strength, compassion, and unwavering commitment to protecting what he loved and doing what was right. He will be profoundly missed and forever remembered.

He was a devoted and proud father to Christina Cossich (Michael), Philip Cossich III (Sarah), Melissa Myers (Will), and Tiffany Sands (Sam), and a deeply loved grandfather—affectionately known as " the Dude"—to Michael "Mickey" deYoung, Jr., Alexander "Alex" deYoung, Mary "Dory" Cossich, William Myers, Jr., Philip "Ford" Cossich IV, Katherine "Kate" Myers, and Eleanor "Ella" Sands.

He is also survived by his beloved mother, Miriam Mae Cossich; his sister, Joy Lobrano; and his brother, Dimy Cossich. He was preceded in death by his father, Philip Francis Cossich, Sr. The family would like to extend their heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Jonathan Mizrahi for his exceptional care and support.

Family and friends will gather for visitation at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Boulevard, New Orleans, on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at 11 am. A funeral mass will be celebrated at 2 pm. The interment will be private. . Condolences may be expressed at lakelawnmetairie.com

Efferson, Russell 'Wayne'

Russell "Wayne" Efferson passed away on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at the age of 82, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He was born on September 7, 1943, to Russell and Edries Efferson. Wayne was an accomplished business owner of Country Time Clocks, where he created quality products for his customers. In addition to his professional success, Wayne proudly served in the U.S. Navy and was a man of many hobbies. He loved to golf, fish, and hike, and was a member of The Island Golf Course.

Above all, Wayne loved spending time with his

friends and family. Wayne is survived by his loving spouse of 58 years, Betty Efferson; children, Angelique Panepinto (Bobby), and Sean Efferson (Lorri Lagerbloom); sister, Pam Ricks (Will); his cherished grandchildren, Nathan Panepinto, Abby Panepinto, and Dylan Efferson; great-granddaughter, Sophia Panepinto; and niece, Jenny Ricks. Wayne is preceded in death by his parents, Russel Keith Efferson and Edries Saltzman Efferson. Visitation will be held on Monday, January 5, 2026, at Resthaven Funeral Home, located at 11817 Jefferson Hwy, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, from 1:00 to 3:00 PM, with services to start at 3:00 PM. A reception will follow the service at the funeral home. The family would like to thank the Hematology Oncology Clinic and Oncology Infusion Center for their support during this difficult time.

The family would also like to thank the nurses and doctors with Palliative Care of Baton Rouge, Pinnacle Home Health and the Hospice of Baton Rouge for their devotion and care.

Gonzales, Burton William

Hawkins Jr., Jeremiah

Jeremiah Hawkins, Jr., 76, of Baton Rouge, LA, passed away on December 24, 2025. Born March 20, 1949, in Shaw, LA, he was educated in the East Baton Rouge Parish School System and retired from DSM Copolymer after 28 years of service. He is survived by his wife, Vanessa Hawkins; children, Monquel Lamont (Shannon) Hawkins, Shedrick Hawkins, Jeremi (Shannon) Forman, and Jarel Hawkins; bonus daughters, Phala Cavalier (Everett) James, Sherilyn Taylor, Rochalette Moore (Raymond), and Vanisha Cavalier; siblings; 21 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and a host of other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, one sister, and one nephew A funeral service will be held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM on 2026-01-05 at Winnfield Funeral Home, 17221 Plank Rd.

Isadore, Miller

Burton William Gonzales, a resident of St. Amant, passed away at Our Lady of the Lake Ascension on January 1, 2026, surrounded by his family.

He was born on June 14, 1944, in Gonzales LA. Burton was a religious man who is now in the arms of his Lord and Savior. He is survived by his wife, Jane Anne Gonzales, and his 2 sons, Mike Gonzales and his wife Faith, and Greg Gonzales and his wife Laura. Burton requested that no services be held.

Miller Isadore a resident of Baton Rouge, LA transitioned on Friday, December 19, 2025 at Clarity Hospice of Baton Rouge. A Memorial Service is being held on Monday, January 5, 2026 at Hall's Celebration Center, 9348 Scenic Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA at 1:00pm.

Services entrusted to Hall Davis and Son Funeral Services.

Guarino, Angela D.

King, Richard 'Kingfish'

Angela D'Agostino Guarino passed away peacefully on December 31, 2025, surrounded by her loving family, after a long and courageous battle with cancer. She was born on December 11, 1939, in Baton Rouge, LA, Her family was her greatest joy and accomplishment. She was also proud of her 40+ years in real estate, where she was known for her professionalism and kindness to all who knew her. If you were a friend of her children or grandchildren, you were a friend of hers. She was preceded in death by her parents, Sam and Angie D'Agostino, and her brother, Sammy D'Agostino. Angela is survived by her husband of 67 years, Tommy Guarino; her daughters, Carmie Berry and Geri Guarino; her grandchildren, Joseph Berry (Lauren), Jamie Purpera (Jeff), Jasen Berry (Elizabeth), and Kate Peake (Carter); and her beloved great-grandchildren: Cruz Bridges, Gianna Purpera, Andrew Purpera (Sarah), Leslie Claire Purpera, Joey Berry, Michael Berry, Beau Berry, Jeb Berry, Clements Berry, Bryce Peake, and Ella Grace Peake. She is also survived by her sisters, Toni Chenevert and Rose Mary Jeansonne, and many loving nieces and nephews. The family would like to thank Wanda Henderson, Dr. Ralph Millett, Dr. Melissa Love and Dr. William Russell, as well as the staff at Audubon Hospice. A Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, January 7, 2026, at Most Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church, 15615 Jefferson Highway, Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 pm, followed by Mass at noon. Burial will follow at St. George Catholic Cemetery.

Richard King (Kingfish) was born December 29, 1956 and passed away January 2, 2026. He was born to Homer and Ouida King.

He enjoyed fishing, hunting and watching football. He leaves behind two daughters, Brandi Soileau (Frank) and Alicia Chiasson (Richard). Four grandchildren Connor, Carson, Jalynn, Aalyiah and one great grandchild Bradley. Three siblings, Kenny, Brenda and Cheryl. He is preceded in death by his parents, a brother and both paternal and maternal grandparents. Visitation will be held January 6, 2026 at Second Baptist Church in Jackson from 9:30 am until service time at 11:00 am. Burial will be in the church cemetery.

Share sympathies, condolences, and memories at www.CharletFuneralHome. com.

in Nashville and graduated high school in 1973. She then attended Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia where she completed her accounting degree. This is also where she met Glenn and spent time on their first date watching shooting stars laughing and talking for hours on end. Two years later they were married on September 4, 1976, then had their first child, Jennifer, in 1978 and their second child, Stephanie, in 1980. After Marlyn graduated they moved to Baton Rouge in 1981 where she started her career with the Louisiana Department of Education. She always felt very fortunate to be doing work she loved that was meaningful for her and impactful for the children throughout the state. She wholly committed herself to the ideal that every Louisiana school system should be funded in a fair and equitable manner and that every young person should have the opportunity to achieve a quality college education. She completed her Masters in Public Administration from Louisiana State University.

In 1992 she became the first woman Deputy Superintendent of Education over Management and Finance operations, serving until her retirement in 2006. Marlyn loved spending time with her family and researching ancestry.

She took great joy in keeping the pantry stocked with the grandkids' favorites, doting on them often with lots of attention, affection, and amazon packages. She loved family vacations at the beach and her time island hopping with Glenn scuba diving in their younger years. She was always reading books and collected crystal and antiques everywhere she went. She was often the originator of our family's most favorite soundbites and inside jokes and greatly valued laughter and enjoying each other's company. Marlyn was an impressive lady who is dearly loved and deeply admired for who she was and all that she accomplished in her personal and professional life. Marlyn is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 49 years, Glenn Langley; daughter Jenifer Langley; daughter and son-in-law Stephanie Langley Newman and Stuart Newman; grandchildren Graham Newman, Ellie Newman, and Oliver Newman; mother, June Tinsley Fontaine; siblings, Thomas Fontaine, James Fontaine, Roy Fontaine, and Ken Fontaine. Marlyn also leaves behind a large and loving extended family.Marlyn was diagnosed with scleroderma in 2000 with an initial prognosis of mortality within 5 years. She battled the disease for 25 years so that she could spend as much time as possible seeing her family grow. Her doctors say she was by far the longest living scleroderma patient they'd ever seen.

She ultimately passed peacefully in the presence of her husband and children. Donations can be made to National Scleroderma Foundation, P.O. Box 411533, Boston, MA 02241-1533. Donations can also be made online at www.scleroderma.org/donate. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026 from 12:00 pm until 1:00 pm at the Grace Funeral Home (450 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington). Her Funeral Service will be held at 1:00 pm on Saturday, January 10, 2026 at the Grace Funeral Home (450 Holy Trinity Drive, Covington).

Lee, Kathryn Neal

Langley, Marlyn

Marlyn June Fontaine Langley, 70 of Covington, passed away on December 16, 2025. She was born on May 30, 1955 in Nashville, Arkansas to Thomas Fontaine and June Fontaine. She is preceded in death by her grandmother Martha June Tinsley as well as her father and step-mother Thomas Fontaine and Ruby Fontaine. Marlyn grew up

On Christmas Day, Heaven received the most beautiful angel. Kathryn Neal Lee passed away on December 25, 2025 after a sudden decline in health.

She was born in Grenada, MS on January 21, 1944 and lived in Lake Providence, LA before moving to Baton Rouge in 1965. In her 81 years, Kathryn never met a stranger. Her genuine love of people and heart for serving others influenced her life. For many years, she was a licensed cosmetologist at Stefan's Salon and continued to enjoy do-

ing hair the rest of her life.

Kathryn's animated and fun personality shined as a preschool teacher at The Runnels School and University Baptist Church. She was also a loving caregiver to her mother, who lived in her home for 11 years, as well as elderly friends and neighbors. She always put others needs ahead of her own and found purpose in assisting others and making them feel special. The absence of her larger than life personality has left a deep chasm in our hearts.

Kathryn's life was filled with love, family, friends, laughter, fun and many pets. She was the light of our lives, the best Mom/ "Nan Nan" in the world, and our biggest cheerleader and supporter. She taught us to appreciate the little things in life including beautiful music, a good recipe, flowers and plants, Elvis, desserts and coffee.

She loved sweets and was known for her famous pound cake. Kathryn was joyful, loud and full of ideas that she shared freely. She loved talking with her sisters daily and playing Pokeno with her long time friends. Kathryn had a beautiful smile and a sweet spirit. She will be dearly missed by all who knew her. As a long time member of University Baptist Church, she was grounded in Faith so we know she is fully healed and singing with the angels. She is survived by her husband of 60 years, Donald V. Lee; three daughters and sons-in-law, Christy Lee Gandy (William), Karyn Beauchamp (Buzz), Allison Kleinpeter (Lance); four beloved grandchildren Walker Gandy, Anna Lee Beauchamp, Kathryn "Katy" Kleinpeter and David Kleinpeter; sisters Beth Falls (Jim) and Julia Portier, many nieces and nephews, her faithful dog Stella, and those who called her "Mama Lee", especially Kellyn and David Hodge. She is preceded in death by her parents, R.E. Neal and Myrtle Fulgham Neal, brothers Gene Neal and Robert Neal, and nephew David Fields. The family would like to thank Dr. Ray Corona, Dr. Jiha, and the many physicians that provided care. Visitation will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 825 Government Street, on Saturday, January 24 at 1:00 pm followed by a Celebration of Life at 2:00 pm. Expressions of sympathy may be shared by visiting dignitymemorial.com.

Lopez, Randy P.

Randy P. Lopez passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 1, 2026, at the age of 62. He was a retired Millwright with Turner Industries, resident of Addis and native of Plaquemine, LA. Visitation will be held at Wilbert Funeral Home, Plaquemine on Friday, January 9, 2026, from 9:30am until 1:30pm, with Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church at 2pm, celebrated by Father Martin Lawrence. Interment will follow at Grace Memorial Park, Plaquemine. Randy is survived by his son, Dylan Lopez; brothers, Joseph "Joe" Lopez, Jr., and Raymond Lopez (Peggy); brother-in-law, Kevin Hidalgo (Laurie); sister-inlaw, Debra Dwyer (George); and numerous nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his wife, Dayna Hidalgo-Lopez; parents, Joseph and Florence Pollet Lopez; and brothers, Michael and Tommy Lopez.

Pallbearers will be Dylan, Joe, Raymond, and Tommy Lopez, Lance Lorio, and Hillary Gaudet.

Special thanks to Dr. Yegge and Fresenius Kidney Care, Hospice of Baton Rouge

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and the staff at OLOL Medical Center. Please share memories online at www.wilbertservices.com.

Nunez, Harry Miguel

Harry Miguel Nunez, Jr., aged 82, passed away on December 24, 2025, at his home in Covington, LA with his wife and three children by his side.

Born on September 4, 1943, Harry was a revered figure in the realms of education and athletics, dedicating 54 years to coaching and mentoring young minds.

Harry was a standout athlete at his alma mater, Holy Cross High School, but even more importantly, he became a living example of the faith, honesty, and integrity that define the Holy Cross Man. He carried that same passion and commitment to Southeastern Louisiana College, where he excelled in football. He was honored with inductions into the Hall of Fame at both institutions.

While his achievements on the field were remarkable, Harry was most cherished for the way he shaped young lives—encouraging character, self-discipline, and dedication in the countless young men who looked up to him. Those same qualities guided his life beyond the game, whether he was spending time with family, practicing calligraphy, or seeking out football fields whenever his travels took him to new cities. He was also a donor to the Tulane Sport Brain Bank, a final act speaking volumes to his character.

Surviving Harry are his beloved wife of 59 years, Sharon; his children, Kellie Nunez, Harry (Mick) Nunez (Tammy), and Patricia Lobdell (JW); his five grandchildren and one great grandchild, Jack Nunez, Kiernan Nunez, Ella Nunez, Walker Lobdell (Jane) and their son Miles, Alex Lobdell; and his sister, Alma Leonardi. He was preceded in death by his parents, Harry M. Nunez, Sr. and Yvonne Koski Nunez; his brother, John Nunez; and sisters, Joy Nunez and Yvonne Lemoine.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in his honor on Monday, January 5, 2026, at St. Peter Church in Covington, LA. Visitation will begin at 9:30 am, followed by the funeral mass at 11 am. In remembrance of Harry's legacy, donations can be made to Holy Cross School, St. Paul's School, or the Tulane University Center for Sport Brain Bank at (504) 9234826, in lieu of flowers.

Person, Micheal Ewen 'Mike'

Micheal Ewen Person, age 73, passed away on December 30, 2025, at home in St. Amant, LA. Mike is survived by his loving fiancée, Tammy Crotty, of St. Amant; the mother of his children, Mary Jane "Janey" Breaux Nasca, of Baton Rouge; sons, Bryson Michael Person and his wife, Muriel, of Mandeville and William Major Person and his wife, Natalie, of Lafayette, LA; seven grandchildren, Cecelia, Emmeline, Gunnar, Beau, Cora James, Ford, and Dimiceli Person; stepson Sage Newcomb-Rusk and his husband, Estine, of Portland, ME; siblings David (Lisa), Stephen (Jenny), Patrick (Jo Ann), Jeffry (Shelia), Leslie Kathryn "Kitty" Leblanc (Terry), and Paul; and a host of loving friends, future and former in-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews he cherished.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Cynthia Latiolais Person of St. Amant; parents, William Ernest "W.E." Person, Jr and Leslie Ewen Person of Lafayette, LA; and best friend, Jim T. Huff, of Waterproof, LA. Mike was born in Natchez, MS on October 1,

1952, to parents W.E. and Leslie Person. Growing up on Lake St. John and in Donaldsonville and Lafayette, LA, he was a member of the first graduating class of Acadiana High in 1970. One of "the Person boys" known across various communities and decades, he loved his brothers, sister, aunts, uncles, and cousins regardless of time, distance, and whatever water had passed under the bridge of life.

Mike was a proud third generation LSU graduate.

In 1974, he completed his degree in Health, Physical, and Safety Education and student taught at Glen Oaks in Baton Rouge before deciding that teaching and coaching was not for him. He opened a lounge, Lafitte's Landing, in his grandfather's vacant antebellum home at the western foot of the Sunshine Bridge in St. James, LA before moving on to a career in industrial manufacturing and maintenance. In the ensuing 40 years, he would navigate some of the region's lowest lows and highest highs - ultimately finding his place in the occupational health and safety world with PAX, Inc. and Specialized Industrial Maintenance (S.I.M.) where he built and fortified lifelong friendships that he valued and maintained long past his retirement into his last days.

Mike's love for family, friends, animals, and the outdoors was unwavering.

We may never truly know which he loved more - being absolutely alone in a deer stand or surrounded by friends and family around a pot of his famous venison sauce piquant or a batch of fresh Lake St. John fried catfish. He loved a boat ride and a beer after a long day of piddling. He loved sharing Lake St. John with scores of family and friends over the decades, and in his retirement years, he shared many hunts, beers, and boat rides with his best friend and fiancée, Tammy.

A 9 AM visitation will precede an 11 AM memorial service Friday, January 9th at St. Joseph's Catholic Church, 15710 LA-16, French Settlement, LA 70733.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations made in Mike's name to Tunnel to Towers Foundation.

Rabalais, Steven Paul

Steven Paul "Stevie/ Steve" Rabalais (64) entered into eternal rest on December 4, 2025 at his home in Slidell, Louisiana.

Born March 2, 1961 in New Orleans, Steve grew up in Chalmette and graduated from Chalmette High School in 1979.

Steve was a member of the IAM Union during his career as a machinist/millwright.

Steve was preceded in Death by his loving parents James Harding "Rab" Rabalais, Sr and Leona Brouillette Rabalais.

He is survived by his brother James H "Jim/Sonny" Rabalais, Jr (Rosanna), sister Jeanne Rabalais Treuil (Steve), nephew, nieces, loving family and friends.

Memorial Services will be held on Monday January 5, 2026 11:00 AM, mass at 12:00 PM at Our Lady Prompt Succor Church, Chalmette, Louisiana. Inurnment to follow at St Bernard Memorial Cemetery.

Ragusa, Ben P.

Ben P. Ragusa, Jr attended Sacred Heart Elementary School and Baton Rouge High School. He played baseball and football, until all the other guys were bigger than he was.

As a young child, Ben worked in his father's grocery store, eventually working as a butcher in the store.

Ben Jr left high school and enlisted in the Navy, earning his high school diploma while at sea. Ben Jr was stationed on air-

craft carriers as a flight deck signal man. He spent months at sea In the Cuban blockade. Ben was on shore leave in Norfolk, VA when President Kennedy was assassinated...The chaos of MP's rounding up ALL the sailors in the bars and establishments in Norfolk and the resulting flood of ships leaving the docks with or without tugboat assistance was surreal.

Ben returned to Baton Rouge and opened his own neighborhood grocery store.

Ben met Patti Thomas on a blind date and told her that he was going to marry her at the end of their first date.

Ben started to look for a sales career. IBM and Xerox both wanted to hire him, but required a college degree, both offered to pay for the education. Ben could not take time to go to school; he had a growing family to support. Ben took an Interview with a company called Lanier.

The opportunity sounded right! Ben accepted the copier sales job with Lanier in late 1967. Ben quickly became the #2 sales rep for Lanier in the U.S., he never could beat Chuck Foreman, in Florida, they became great friends.

Ben ascended the ranks of Lanier winding up at the Atlanta HQ in the fall of 1977. Ben eventually left the company as Exec VP of Worldwide Sales (#3 in the Company).

In 1988, Ben and George DeBenedetto founded OMNI Business Products, a Toshiba copier dealer, in Atlanta. Jeff dropped out of LSU to Join the family business and Ed Doyle left Lanier and moved from New Jersey to Join OMNI. In 1994, Ben sold OMNI to Toshiba and Ben, Ed, & Jeff founded Applied Business Concepts, (ABC) in Baton Rouge and New Orleans. ABC now employs over 30 people and operates in all of South Louisiana with locations in Baton Rouge, Kenner, and Lafayette.

Ben supported Cure SMA, Tunnel to Towers, Folds of Honor, Wounded Warrior Project, Samaritan's Purse, St. Jude Hospital, and The Cannata Gala, as well as several Local Charities, Churches, and Schools.

Ben is preceded in death by his Beloved Wife, of 59 years, Patricia Thomas Ragusa. His Parents: Ben P Ragusa, Sr and Mary Ann Grasso Ragusa. His Siblings: Peter Anthony Ragusa and Angie Ann Ragusa Cates. Ben is Survived by His Siblings: Phillip Manuel Ragusa and Myrtle Jean Ragusa David.

His Children: Jeffrey Wayne Ragusa, Sr (57) and Stephanie Ragusa Charpentier (54) His Grandchildren: Madeline (28), Elizabeth (28), Jeffrey, Jr (27), Patricia (26), & Megan (24).

Relatives and friends are invited to Sacred Heart Catholic Church on Wednesday, January 7, 2026 for a visitation beginning at 10:00 AM until a Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 AM followed by a committal service at Resthaven Gardens of Memory.

Kennedy. He graduated from Middlesex School in 1967, then received his B.A. from Princeton University in 1971. In 1972, Robert married his wife, Ann Carroll Rooth, in Italy. The couple then moved to New Orleans, where Robert earned his J.D. from Tulane University School of Law in 1977. Upon his graduation, they made New Orleans their permanent home, and Robert began his long career as a highly distinguished attorney at Chaffe McCall, L.L.P. He and Carroll raised two daughters, Carroll Livingston Rooth and Stephanie Schuyler Rooth.

Professionally, Robert was an esteemed senior partner at Chaffe McCall, L.L.P., where he devoted more than 45 years to the practice of law. His acclaimed legal career was marked by significant achievements and awards.

He was a wise and steady presence whose generosity knew no bounds. Robert particularly cherished participating in the firm's Summer Associate Program, where he was known for his meaningful, thoughtful mentorship of students entering the legal profession.

Beyond his outstanding professional accomplishments, Robert was actively involved in many community and civic organizations; he was a charter member of the Louisiana Bar Foundation, a past president of the American Heart Association's New Orleans Chapter, and Secretary for Southern Repertory Theatre.

Robert was a great adventurer and thinker. He was an avid reader, writer, cook, cartoonist, and outdoorsman. He loved to travel and explore. Before calling New Orleans his home, he lived in many places, including New York City and Rome. He loved music, and was always keen to go to Frenchmen Street and Jazz Fest. Like all New Orleanians, Robert loved good food, and he was an excellent cook. He took great joy in sharing his favorite New Orleans haunts with visiting friends and family.

He was also a skilled fisherman and sailor, and had a lifelong fascination with the sea. In 1971, he and a group of friends built a home on Bequia, a small jewel of an island in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The house is part of Moonhole, a private

nature preserve and community, which is situated on the southernmost tip of Bequia.

Robert is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ann Carroll Rooth; his daughter Carroll Livingston Rooth and her husband David Wells; and his daughter Stephanie Schuyler Rooth.

He is also survived by his sister Susan Milliorn (Rooth) and her husband Mark; nieces Lanie Nicholas, Kate Boyle (Rooth) and Nicole Leachman; nephews Daniel Albert, Hunter Leachman, and Josh Leachman; sister-in-law Peggy Rooth; cousin Karen Paris and her husband Byron; cousin Ned Atkins and his wife Sissy; cousin Bob Atkins and his wife Ellen; cousin Kitty (Atkins) Barrand and her husband Steve; and cousin Bill Atkins and his wife Kathleen. He is also survived by his cousins' children: Ned, Sarah, Willy, Bobby, Jamie, Elizabeth, Christopher, Jeremy, Katie, Tali, Owen, Jeffrey, and C.B., along with all of their spouses and children; many members of the Moonhole Company community; and his many friends and colleagues.

Robert was predeceased by his mother Ethelyn Kennedy; his father Stephen Rooth; his brother Scott Rooth; his stepmother Anne Reed Rooth; his stepbrothers Tom and David Leachman; his uncle Edwin Atkins; his aunt Elaine Atkins; his niece Merritt Milliorn; his uncle Frank Kennedy; and his cousin Carol Kennedy.

A Celebration of Life will be held in New Orleans in early 2026.

Walker, Joseph Dave 'J.D.'

Joseph Dave "J.D." Walker, Sr., age 93, entered eternal rest on December 27, 2025. He was a loving husband and father. Visitation will be held on Friday, January 9, 2026, at Word of Truth New Life Center, 57360 CPL Herman Brown

Jr. Street, Bayou Goula, LA 70788, from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Visitation will resume on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. until Funeral Services beginning at 11:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Word of Truth New Life Center Cemetery. Services entrusted to Hall Davis and Son Funeral Services.

Weaver, John Edward

John E. Weaver passed away Saturday, December 27, 2025, at the age of 96.

He was a native and lifelong resident of Baton Rouge, LA. Dad was drafted into the Navy and served in the Korean War where he became an Ariel Photographer. He married Cherry Unbehagen and had two girls, Wendy and Terre. Dad was employed

by Boating Inc., Coopers Marine, and Plaquemine Marine, where he managed the parts department. Upon retirement, he went back to taking pictures again. You could see him in his boat on our rivers and swamps taking beautiful pictures of our local birds, reptiles and flowers. He also had a talent for woodworking, rebuilding pontoon boats and fishing. He loved his family and was always with us. John is survived by his girls, Wendy Minton (Keith) and Terre Powers (Michael); grandchildren, Taylor and Hannah Powers; and brother, Jay Townsend Weaver. A graveside service will be at Greenoaks Memorial Park, 9595 Florida Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA, on Monday, January 5, 2026, at 1pm. Burial will immediately follow. Family and friends are invited to sign the online guestbook at www.greenoaksfunerals .com

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Rooth, Robert Stephen

Robert Stephen Rooth, beloved husband, father, uncle, cousin, colleague and friend, passed away on December 15th, 2025 in New Orleans, Louisiana. He fought a valiant battle with cancer, and he died peacefully, with his family by his side. He was 76 years old.

Robert, also known as Bob or Bobby, had a vast generosity of spirit, and he was profoundly kind. He moved through the world with a remarkable gentleness and a sparkling wit, both of which made him a friend to everyone he met.

Robert was born February 6th, 1949 in Dallas, Texas to Stephen Rooth and Ethelyn

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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

New Year’s resolutions for Congress Congress convenes tomorrow for 2026, but without any publicly discernible agenda. Allow us, then, to offer some resolutions on its behalf, in hopes that Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, and Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, might take heed.

The resolutions we have in mind transcend mere ideology. They involve a long-term perspective, not immediate political advantages.

Resolution 1: Reassert Congress’ authority. Former presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden both asserted unilateral presidential authority beyond all their peacetime predecessors, but President Donald Trump has blown far past even those examples. On tariffs, on domestic use of the military, in having the government demand part ownership in major corporations, on renaming institutions and agencies and on multiple other fronts, Trump has seized powers from Congress’ rightful hands.

The point here isn’t about whether individual policies are wise or not; it’s about who has the proper jurisdiction to decide the policies. To reestablish the Constitution’s intended balance and sharing of powers, and thus to guard against future presidential quasi-tyrannies, Johnson and Scalise (and all their colleagues) must find the fortitude to push back.

Resolution 2: Reestablish a spirit of bipartisanship.

When major pieces of legislation routinely can be blocked by rump groups of just five or six members of a single party, all because nobody makes serious attempts to find support from the other side, then Congress isn’t working right. Both sides should be willing to compromise and to accept incremental improvements, rather than insisting on all-ornothing, purely partisan or ideological fights.

Resolution 3: Find constructive compromise on health care coverage. Louisiana’s own Sen. Bill Cassidy is assiduously trying to do this, most notably on the issue of Obamacare subsidies. Even if a final bill gives neither side all it desires, Cassidy’s proposal to let people receive “Silver” plan subsidies for the overall-cheaper “Bronze” plans seems at least a useful starting point for something to help patients avoid the massive, sudden increase in premiums they face without COVID-era emergency subsidies.

Bipartisanship is needed on larger health care issues, too. The behavioral model should be that of Republican Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas and Democratic Sen. Patrick Moynihan of New York who, 43 years and one day ago, joined to save Social Security for two more full generations of Americans.

Resolution 4: Pass legislation limiting mid-decade congressional redistricting. Frequent redistricting leads both to instability and to constant, vicious power plays. Enough is enough. A national law saying the district lines must be drawn once and only once each decade, unless otherwise ordered by the courts, is necessary to stop the unseemly political gamesmanship.

Congress should do plenty of other things, too, but if it delivers on those four resolutions, the long-term prospects for our republic will be much brighter.

Here’s to an old and a new year Jeane Mortenson, who would change “What’s past is prologue” wrote Wilher name to Marilyn Monroe. liam Shakespeare in “The Tempest,” Calvin Coolidge, a tax cutter and a thought profound enough to be engraved on the National Archives build- deficit hawk, was president. Unemploying in Washington. ment was just 1.8%, tax rates As America prepares to celwere falling and the national debt was $19.6 billion. The ebrate its 250th anniversary, booming economy helped pay a blip on history’s ledger comdown the debt, something Presipared to many other nations, we would do well to revisit even the dent Trump has said will haprecent past as a guide to what pen again. Will the spendthrifts Cal can provide us a better future. in Congress get the message?

Thomas That’s because even though Robert H. Goddard, who technology changes, other would later become a central things do not. figure in America’s space program, At the end of each year, I enjoy exlaunched the first liquid fuel rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts. It achieved a ploring the events of a century ago, a period in which my parents and grand- height of 41 feet in its 2.5-second flight.

John Logie Baird demonstrated the parents lived. first television. Given the low quality When it comes to political unrest, of much of today’s TV shows, I wonder 2026 has nothing on 1926. There were protests, coups, invasions and changes if he would regret it?

Henry Ford inaugurated the 40-hour in governments all over Europe. In work week.

Britain, a general strike paralyzed America celebrated its 150th birththe nation and was front-page news for months. Poland, Portugal and day with a World’s Fair in Philadelphia.

Lithuania had their governments over- Not enough people came and the fair thrown. In Italy, future dictator Benito organization went into receivership.

Its assets were sold at auction the folMussolini increased his power and influence despite, or perhaps because of, lowing year. That’s unlikely to happen numerous assassination attempts. in 2026.

The future Queen Elizabeth II and The U.S. and Panama sign a treaty.

Fidel Castro were born. So was Norma During the Carter administration that

Email Cal Thomas at tcaeditorstribpub.com.

Taking stock as the calendar changes

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would again become controversial as ownership of the Panama Canal was turned over to the country. (President Trump says he wants it returned to American control and ownership.)

A category 4 hurricane hits Miami.

Hundreds die and damage is estimated at $100 million. Later, The HavanaBermuda hurricane kills more than 600 people. No one blames “climate change.”

Thomas Edison, inventor of the light bulb and so many other things in use today, declares the radio a commercial failure.

Babe Ruth becomes the first player to hit three home runs in a single game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

This and much more occurred in 1926. Politics, celebrity, sports, technological innovations like AI and media continue to gain our attention.

Bad things will continue to happen for the next 100 years (if we survive that long as a nation). That’s because while many things change, human nature remains the same.

As for the good, that too is up to us and those yet to be born. May they learn from history.

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also because his contribution reflected The final weeks of the year are some of the larger themes of always hectic, with holiday the year — such as migration shopping and parties as well as and race. And as I like to note, finishing up projects at work he made a splash this year in and at home. such a particularly Louisiana But it’s also a time to take way — tracing the heritage of stock of what the year has the pope’s people. taught us before turning over a Arnessa It reminded me of the title new leaf in the new year. That’s Garrett of food writer Marcelle Bienwhy we have several features that we like to run at the end of venu’s classic, “Who’s Your the year, such as our Louisianan of the Mama? Are You Catholic, and Can You Year pick.

Make a Roux?” based on three quesIt’s a project the Editorial Board tions every Louisianan will invariably started last year as a way to recognize ask a new acquaintance. Well, while the top newsmakers and some of the we don’t know if the pope can make a themes that were important throughroux, we’re quite certain he’s Catholic, and thanks to Honora, we definitely out the year. There were several worknow who his mama was. thy candidates in 2025, and we had a But we had several good candidates spirited debate on whom we should from all walks of life. It’s likely that choose.

2026 will have an entirely different As you know, we decided that histomix. rian Jari Honora, who identified the Going to our letters inbox, we have pope’s Louisiana roots, is the person from our state who had the most signif- finished tallying up letters for the end icant impact in 2025. Part of it was due of the year, so I can give you numbers for December. to his scholarship. But part of it was

And it wasn’t even close; no topic prompted as many letters as immigration for the month. From Dec. 4-11, we received 86 letters, with the ongoing immigration enforcement action Catahoula Crunch being the No. 1 topic. We received 17 letters about the operation.

From Dec. 11-18, we received 60 letters, with 10 of them on immigration enforcement. From Dec. 18-25, we received 53 letters, and again, immigration topped your list of concerns, with eight letters on the subject. That week, we also received seven letters bidding farewell to retiring cartoonist Walt Handelsman. And from Dec. 25-Jan. 1, we received 43 letters, and the immigration arrests prompted 10 of them.

It’s clear this is a topic our readers are following closely, so we’ll look for ways to make sure we give you a variety of perspectives on the Opinion pages this year.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 7B

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COMMENTARY Louisianans dominate national politics graduated from Tulane UniverAs this new year dawns, consider how Louisiana, in the words sity, where she took classes from of famed Democratic consultant Carville.

James Carville, “punches Carville, a Louisiana way above its weight” in native and probably the national politics and politimost famous political guru in the nation, has lived cal discussion. for years in New Orleans It has been this way for with wife Mary Matalin, decades, and surely will the campaign director for continue in 2026.

Quin President George H.W. This observation isn’t Hillyer Bush and key aide to Presijust about the truly remarkable fact of Louisident George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney. ana Republicans Mike Johnson Like Carville, Kenner native and Steve Scalise simultaneously Donna Brazile reached the top holding the posts of U.S. House rungs of the Democratic Party, speaker and majority leader, twice serving as acting chair of although we’ll return to that situation shortly. The Louisiana domi- the Democratic National Commitnance is more all-encompassing tee; she’s still a commentator for than that.

ABC. Another frequent network Consider, first, one small exguest is The Bulwark’s Tim Millample, namely the Dec. 17 “Morn- er, a onetime Republican strateing Joe” show on MS NOW. It gist and now leading voice of the featured guests Walter Isaacson, resistance to Donald Trump, who Jonathan Martin and Ali Vitali, all frequently streams his popular with Louisiana bona fides. podcast from his New Orleans The near-ubiquitous biographer home.

Isaacson, of course, is a native Less well-known publicly, New New Orleanian, former CEO of Orleans native Adam Magnus is CNN and editor of Time. Marperhaps the hottest consultant for 2026 Democratic campaigns tin, columnist for Politico and across the country. Former New frequent TV analyst, lives in the Central Business District with his Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu locally raised wife, Betsy Fischer and former congressman Cedric Richmond co-chaired the 2024 Martin, former lead producer of NBC’s Meet the Press. Vitali, host presidential campaigns of Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. of MS NOW’s “Way Too Early,”

Shalanda Young, raised in Clinton, was until last year, the director of the federal Office of Management and Budget. Linda Thomas-Greenfield of Zachary spent 2021-25 as ambassador to the United Nations.

On the right, Jay Lapeyre of Laitram Industries is board chairman of the nation’s foremost libertarian think tank, the Cato Institute, and of the Atlas Society, a libertarian educational outfit.

Social conservative Tony Perkins, a two-term member of the Louisiana state House, is the longtime president of the powerful Family Research Council and served as chairman of the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom. Morton Blackwell, raised in Louisiana and a College Republican state chairman way back in the early 1960s, is considered the premier organizational leader of the national conservative movement and still, at age 86, actively heads the Leadership Institute that trains tens of thousands of young conservatives each year for roles in campaigns and media.

Journalist and author Rod Dreher, raised in St. Francisville, has a massive online following for his traditionalist and neo-nationalist views.

And that’s just a sampling.

Per capita, surely that’s more

national political influence than any other state comes close to boasting.

For Louisiana, though, it’s not unusual. In this century’s first decade, Louisianans essentially controlled national energy policy with Republican Rep. Billy Tauzin chairing the big-money Energy and Commerce Committee while Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu served on two different committees handling energy matters. In the 1990s, Louisiana Republican Bob Livingston chaired the massively powerful House Appropriations Committee, setting the stage for four straight balanced budgets, while moderate Democratic Sens. John Breaux and J. Bennett Johnston were the essential “go to” guys for breaking legislative logjams.

Before that, Democratic Rep. Lindy Boggs was so beloved that even crotchety speaker Tip O’Neill was described as “putty in her hands” if she just whispered a legislative request in his ear.

Her husband Hale had been on a sure path to the speakership before disappearing in a plane over Alaska — and, together with Sen. Russell Long, was so powerful that they forced a reluctant National Football League to locate an expansion team in New Orleans.

And in political media, few

figures enjoyed respect so longstanding as the Boggs’ daughter, Cokie Roberts.

Now we have Johnson and Scalise heading the House while our Sen. Bill Cassidy faces the most intriguing reelection battle in the nation — even as he offers the only solutions for health care policy that have any chance at truly bipartisan support. (Note: In 2025, Cassidy engineered a tiny amendment on Medicaid that will save Louisiana hundreds of millions of dollars.)

And don’t forget perhaps the most powerful Louisianan in government of them all, Supreme Court Justice (and Metairie native) Amy Coney Barrett.

By now, it’s clear: Something in our state’s political culture — or maybe just our culture writ large, particularly our natural gift of gregariousness — produces especially acute politicians and aptitudes for political insight.

Whatever the reason, especially in an election year, these power positions, combined with media advocates doing some “home cooking,” really ought to produce significant policy victories for Louisiana interests in Washington. Let’s watch, and hope.

Email Quin Hillyer at quin. hillyer@theadvocate.com

The Louisiana Senate race is one to watch

With so many lists flying around suming, as I wrote in my recent this time of year, the ones that New Year’s prediction column, stand out to me aren’t those that that the House will flip Democonfirm my opinion but those that cratic and Benton’s man in D.C., I think miss the mark.

Mike Johnson, will have to Indeed, I’ve found a few hand the speaker’s gavel to that have crossed my variHakeem Jeffries). So exous news feeds in recent pect to hear plenty about weeks pretty confounding.

Republican Susan Collins’ They generally fit the cateseemingly perpetual fight gory of “elections to watch Stephanie to keep representing a state where the president in 2026.” And they often Grace is unpopular, and whether omit what I’m expectDemocrats can hold seats ing to be one of the most in Georgia and Michigan and fascinating races in the country: maybe flip North Carolina.

Louisiana’s contest for the U.S. Louisiana doesn’t fit that catSenate seat held for two terms by Bill Cassidy. egory. No matter who wins, the Am I missing something, I’ve seat will stay in Republican hands wondered while reading about all- unless something truly bizarre important showdowns elsewhere? happens. And the fact that DemoActually, I think the list makers crats have no major candidate are. and no real prospects of one It’s of course a given that the speaks volumes. top spots will go to swing states But then I read further down whose voters will determine con- some of these lists and see Texas, trol of the Senate, and thus wheth- I start to wonder.

Though it’s only marginally er President Donald Trump can still have his way with one branch more competitive by party, our of Congress, as he has for the last much larger neighbor makes the “to watch” lists in large part due year to shocking effect (I’m as-

to a major Republican-on-Republican showdown. Sound familiar?

In Texas, there are multiple candidates competing in both party primaries, but the presence of several recognizable names seems to be upping the intrigue.

Among those threatening to unseat longtime establishment Republican John Cornyn is Ken Paxton, the state’s headlinegrabbing attorney general, whose politics and ethical transgressions make him a pretty good avatar of Trumpism. Vying to take on the winner of that primary is U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, an entertainingly sharp-tongued rising Democratic Party star and Trump critic. So, even giving Republicans the advantage, a general election could be a barnburner.

Louisiana has nobody like Crockett on the Democratic side, and it doesn’t have a figure of Paxton’s notoriety in the large field of challengers lining up against Cassidy in the newly created Republican primary. But what we do have — far more than Texas, where Cornyn is an

influential but somewhat low-key player — is a compelling main character.

I’ve written much here about Cassidy’s dramatic arc — his first win against Democrat Mary Landrieu in 2014 on a promise to be a reliably Republican vote; his bold, fearless vote in 2021 to convict Trump in his second impeachment; his nakedly fearful embrace of the returned president this past year, as embodied by his support for the supremely unqualified Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who immediately set about undermining much that Cassidy and his fellow physicians understand to be best for people’s health.

As a comeuppance, it’s hard to think of something more on the nose.

And if Cornyn is trying to fend off other big names, Cassidy is threatened not by any of the particular lesser-knowns competing against him but by a dominant national question: Is it still possible for a Republican to act indepen-

dently — or to have done so even once — and survive in the party of Trump?

He’s got a ton of money to spend, a record of bringing home the bacon and a powerful committee chairmanship overseeing health, education, labor and pensions.

Still, Louisiana Republicans rewrote the rules to force him into a two-stage party primary that, by design, greatly lessens his odds.

And it’s hard to see who will be eager to ride to his rescue, given that pretty much everyone is mad at him for caving on something they find important, be it unquestioning loyalty to Trump or safeguarding Americans’ health (yes, that’s somehow a contest).

Intentional or not, Cassidy’s done the sort of things that draw attention.

No matter what the list makers say, I think that in 2026, he’ll get plenty of it. Probably more than he’d like.

Email Stephanie Grace at sgrace@theadvocate.com.

A podcast put new eyes on a small town La. murder Tucker Simmons didn’t start out attempting to solve murders.

The 33-year-old has spent most of his career just trying to make TV shows. After graduating from Franklinton High School in 2010, Simmons immediately headed for Los Angeles, determined to make a career in the entertainment Faimon industry.

He started as a Roberts personal assistant and moved up into development and production.

That’s how, several years ago, he found himself working on a show that was looking into a cult in North Carolina.

“I fell in love with the investigative aspect of it,” Simmons, who never considered himself a journalist, told me this week.

And that brought him back to his hometown. As a native, Simmons had long heard stories of deeply rooted shady dealings, especially among the political class. But the more he dug in, the more he zeroed in on one case: the death of Donna Arceneaux.

Arceneaux had been married to Simmons’ uncle.

“We just loved her so much, she was so fun,” he recalled, laughing

PROVIDED PHOTO

A billboard across the street from the Washington Parish Courthouse in Franklinton was seeking information about Donna Arceneaux’s murder. that she “introduced” Simmons to the music of Kanye West.

But in the early morning hours of Oct. 24, 2017, Washington Parish Sheriff’s deputies were called to Arceneaux’s house. There, they found her dead with a gunshot wound in her chest.

The death was first ruled unclassified. Months later, thenSheriff Randy Seal told a local newspaper that he believed it had been a suicide.

But Arceneaux’s family, including Simmons, didn’t buy it. They eventually asked for the case to be transferred to Louisiana State Police, which it was in 2019.

Again, it seemed to stall.

That’s when Simmons decided to act. And drawing on his realityTV roots, he chose to be provocative. He hung a billboard up across the street from the sheriff’s office. “There’s a murderer among us,” it blared in big black letters. It included a website and a phone number where folks could submit anonymous tips.

“The tip line blew up,” he said.

Then, through the website, someone sent in pages of investigative records, including crime scene photos and other documents.

“I still don’t know who it was,” Simmons told me. But with those in hand, Simmons knew he could do something.

Hiring a camera crew to follow him around would be very expensive, so he turned to audio.

Then, working with a small team, he produced an eight-part series called “Freeze Frame” that debuted on Oct. 1, 2024.

The podcast was generally wellreceived. But in Franklinton, it was huge. Around that time, the case got another boost when Seal lost a bid for reelection to newcomer Jason Smith. Smith quickly announced that his office would take a new look at the case.

Smith pointed to Simmons’ podcast as the reason.

“We wouldn’t be looking into this if not for him,” he said. “For us to focus on an eight-year-old case, there needs to be some interest.”

Simmons’ podcast drove that interest, he said. Smith also credited Simmons for presenting the case in an “interesting and understandable” manner and for his fairness.

Smith assigned two veteran detectives to the case. Those investigators took the earlier work that had been done and were quickly able to zero in on a suspect, Scott Jordan, a former romantic partner of Arceneaux who had been named in the podcast.

“The other potential suspects

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had been discounted or excluded by previous investigations,” Smith told me. But they still had to build a case.

“There’s a difference in knowing who did it and having a case where you can get to an arrest,” he said.

On Dec. 23, deputies arrested Jordan as he was leaving his job at a Franklinton hospital. He was booked on a count of seconddegree murder and, as of Wednesday, remained in the Washington Parish jail with a $2 million bail.

For Simmons, the arrest was a surreal moment.

“I don’t think I spoke for 30 minutes,” he said. “It’s like an outof-body experience.”

And even though the podcast has done well and there has been interest from documentary and scripted TV folks, Simmons doesn’t feel triumphant. Like all arrestees, Jordan is presumed innocent until proven guilty; the judicial process must still play out. And Simmons still misses his aunt.

“Yes, it’s a success, but Donna is still dead,” he said. “How do you really celebrate when the outcome is still negative?”

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

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.

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Baton Rouge Weather TODAY

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

Mostly sunny

Mostly sunny

Partly sunny

Partly sunny

Isolated showers - 30%

Isolated t-storms - 40%

HIGH

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65° 44°

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72° 52°

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76° 57°

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ALMANAC

LOW

78° 61°

Weather News by Meteorologist Balin Rogers

LOW

76° 60°

AROUND THE REGION

THE NATION

BATON ROUGE THROUGH 5 P.M. SATURDAy

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

78°/64° 62°/42° 81° in 2023 17° in 1979

24 hours through 5 p.m. Sat. Month to date (normal) year to date (normal)

0.00” Trace (0.60”) Trace (0.60”)

PRECIPITATION

YESTERDAY

TODAY

MODERATE

MODERATE

READING 65 MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SOURCE: LOUISIANA DEQ AND AIRNOW.GOV

RIVER STAGES FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE Memphis 34 -2.34 +0.47 Vidalia-Natchez 48 15.62 -0.48 Red River Landing 48 19.00 -0.20 Baton Rouge 35 6.90 -0.60 Donaldsonville 27 4.32 +0.32 Reserve 22 2.60 -0.01 New Orleans 17 2.14 +0.28 MISSISSIPPI

OHIO 40

13.83

-0.46

19

-1.42

+0.01

18 29 8

-0.97 10.12 0.67

+0.01 -0.01 +0.25

13 15

2.70 0.84

none -0.01

47 34 29 20 12 6

6.71 4.41 4.32 3.24 3.00 2.82

+0.44 +0.32 +0.43 +0.35 +0.70 +0.47

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

-10

Monroe 60/41

Shreveport 63/46 Longview 64/46

0s

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

Hattiesburg 67/46

Alexandria 64/44

Many 64/45

Baton Rouge 65/44

Lafayette 66/49

Beaumont 66/53

New Orleans 63/52

Lake Charles 65/49

Port Arthur 65/55

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

Houma 67/51

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

TIDES HIGH

FT.

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 7:50a 0.7 Shell Beach 1:41a 1.5 South Point, Marsh Island 1:26a 1.5 Cypremort Point 9:52p 1.2 Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) 10:32p 1.0 Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 9:42p 1.4 Wine Island 11:40p 1.3

LOW

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7:50p -0.4 1:35p -0.7 8:36a -1.3 12:41p -0.9 9:03a -0.8 7:16a -1.0 10:05a -0.9

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12:00p 5:45a 12:34a 6:47a 1:33a 7:46a 2:28a 8:39a 3:18a 9:29a 4:04a 10:14a 4:46a 10:57a

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

MONDAY

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49 s 59 s 58 s 30 c 53 pc 30 c 43 pc 45 s 53 sh 61 s

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41 s 26 s 31 r 41 pc -4 s 18 sn 43 pc 25 s 49 sh 10 c 39 s

63 36 43 74 9 23 64 36 58 19 55

41 pc 24 s 26 pc 43 pc 5 sn 10 c 45 pc 25 sn 48 sh 12 c 41 pc

THE WORLD

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

Today Mon. Tue. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat.

Lo W

76 60 pc 24 23 pc 75 57 pc -8 -11 sn 79 71 sh 76 64 s 62 45 pc 56 45 pc 80 64 s 30 28 c

SOLUNAR TABLE

7:02 a.m.

5:17 p.m.

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8:19 a.m.

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

37 87 51 32 35 67 36 35 79 68 55

29 sn 71 s 41 c 26 pc 26 s 48 pc 27 s 23 pc 60 pc 60 s 44 c

36 89 44 31 34 70 36 31 81 72 56

25 c 72 s 34 r 22 c 24 sn 50 pc 29 s 24 s 59 pc 56 s 44 s

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

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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S u n d ay, J a n u a ry 4, 2026

1Cn

Time for LSU to stop playing nice “Blazing Saddles” and say, “No more, Mr. Tigers should recall assistants from Ole Miss CFP run Goodbar.”

No one who signed on to coach

From reports out of Oxford, Mississippi, on Saturday, it looks like the only LSU assistant coach who still will be coaching the Rebels in the College Football Playoff going forward will be offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr. It actually should be zero coaches still with Ole Miss at this point. Zero, like the Scott of Southeastern Rabalais number Conference titles the Rebels have won since 1963.

For all of the criticism hurled at Kiffin and LSU since his arrival, both have shown good sportsmanship to this point. Both

ä EYE OF THE TIGER Check out the latest

portal news for LSU football, Page 5C

have been nice enough, complimentary enough to Ole Miss as the Rebels have made their impressive run through Tulane and now Georgia in the Sugar Bowl to the College Football Playoff semifinals. Kiffin and LSU have allowed six of the coaches he brought with him to Baton Rouge to coach Ole Miss in its CFP wins. Ole Miss will play in the semifinals Thursday in the Fiesta Bowl against Miami.

But the time has come for Kiffin and LSU to quote the nefarious Hedley Lamarr in

‘Extremely tough’ stretch awaits LSU

LSU in 2026 needs to coach in that game, including Weis.

The decision, I understand, is all up to Kiffin. He wanted to coach Ole Miss in the CFP and would have been allowed to do so, according to LSU athletic director Verge Ausberry. I figure deep down Kiffin has felt badly all along about leaving his now former team as he did on the cusp of what may turn out to be its greatest season ever.

He wants to help the Rebels as they chase what he also should hope will be their greatest season as long as he’s coaching at LSU. But this was not an amicable divorce.

ä See RABALAIS, page 5C

Lane Kiffin

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

SAINTS AT FALCONS • NOON SUNDAy • FOX

Three top-12 SEC teams on slate in next 2 weeks

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

The nonconference games could teach coach Kim Mulkey only so much.

She knew in December that she would have to wait until January to figure out exactly what her new-look LSU team was made of — and how close it really was to competing for a national title.

Now Mulkey has some answers. Kentucky dug them up for her Thursday ä LSU at when it dominated the glass Vanderbilt and stole a win at the buzzer, 4 P.M. SUNDAy, showing her Tigers exactly what lies ahead.

ESPN “We got five games that are gonna be extremely tough here,” Mulkey said. “We know that.”

Mulkey is right. The No. 5 Tigers (14-0, 0-1 SEC) have begun arguably the toughest stretch of regular-season games they’ve encountered across the past five seasons. In the first four years of Mulkey’s tenure, LSU didn’t play a single game against an SEC team not named South Carolina or Texas that was ranked in the top half of the AP Top 25 poll.

As things stand now, the Tigers will play three of those contests this year, and they’re all packed into the first five matchups of the SEC slate.

The No. 11 Wildcats kicked off that stretch.

Next up is a road game against No. 12 Vanderbilt set to tip at 4 p.m. Sunday on ESPN. After that game, LSU will play unranked Georgia on the road, then return home to face No. 2 Texas before going back on the road to meet No. 8 Oklahoma on Jan. 18.

Under Mulkey, the Tigers are 0-7 against South Carolina and Texas. They’re also 10-2 against the other ranked SEC opponents they’ve faced, but only one of them was a top-12 team — the Kentucky squad that beat them on Thursday.

ä See TOUGH, page 3C

Ball distribution Moore has no problem spreading the love after a Saints’ win

BY MATTHEW PARAS Staff writer After a win, New Orleans Saints head equipment manager John Baumgartner has his staff round up any leftover game balls — usually between eight and 12 — so that coach Kellen Moore can hand them out in the locker room as part of the team’s celebration.

Lately, Baumgartner has had to scramble to find a few extra.

“A couple of times, it was getting a little hairy in there,” Baumgartner said with a grin. “We gonna run out or what?” ä See SAINTS, page 7C

A couple of times, it was getting a little hairy in there.

We gonna run out or what?”

JOHN BAUMGARTNER, Saints equipment manager

Without its PG, LSU drops SEC opener to Aggies

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU guard Flau’jae Johnson walks on the court late in the fourth quarter of the SEC opener against Kentucky on Thursday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

LSU basketball was nowhere near its best during its first Southeastern Conference game of the season.

The team missed point guard Dedan Thomas’ presence, who was out of Saturday’s game against Texas A&M because of an injury.

Without its offensive engine, who leads the SEC with 7.1 assists per game, LSU lost 75-72 against the Aggies at Reed Arena in College Station, Texas.

“I really admire the courage and fight that our players showed today,” LSU coach Matt McMahon said on the LSU sports radio network. “I thought our intentions were pure

and the effort was tremendous. Unfortunately, we didn’t execute a couple of things as well as was required to win.”

LSU had possession as it trailed 71-68 with 17.4 seconds remaining. Rashad King drew a foul and made both free throws.

The Tigers intentionally fouled Texas A&M’s top shooter, Ruben Dominguez, who made 1 of 2 free throws. LSU trailed 72-70 with nine seconds remaining.

Without timeouts, freshman point guard Jalen Reece dribbled around a full-court press but threw an ill-advised pass from half court to Mike Nwoko at the basket.

The ball was thrown too hard and high and went out of bounds.

Texas A&M took a 74-70 lead after Pops Isaacs made two free throws with

4.2 seconds remaining. LSU threw a deep pass on the baseline inbounds and the Aggies’ Rashaun Agee fouled Nwoko before the pass arrived. The junior made both free throws to make it 74-72.

LSU had one final chance after Texas A&M split two free throws. With 3.7 seconds left, LSU executed a full-court play that created a 3-point chance for freshman Mazi Mosley, who missed the gametying shot as time expired.

Nwoko had 21 points and five rebounds for LSU (12-2, 0-1 SEC). Max Mackinnon had 20 points, five assists and five rebounds.

Replacing Thomas, who the ESPNU broadcast said suffered a foot injury, in

ä See LSU, page 3C

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 11 a.m. Creighton at Seton Hall Peacock 11 a.m. Richmond at Fordham USA Noon Florida Atlantic at Tulane ESPN2 Noon UAB at South Florida ESPNU 1 p.m.

Marquette at UConn NBC 4 p.m.

Bradley at Murray St. ESPN2 7 p.m.

Washington at Indiana BTN WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 11 a.m. Notre Dame at Duke ACCN 11 a.m. Illinois at Michigan St. BTN 11 a.m. George Mason at VCU CBSSN 11 a.m. Missouri at Kentucky SECN Noon Stanford at North Carolina ESPN 1 p.m.

Virginia at Florida St. ACCN 1 p.m.

Rutgers at Ohio St. BTN 1 p.m.

California at NC State CW 1 p.m.

South Carolina at Florida SECN

2 p.m.

Baylor at Iowa St. ESPN 2 p.m.

Mississippi at Texas ESPN2 3 p.m.

Virginia Tech at Louisville ACCN 3 p.m.

Penn St. at Wisconsin BTN 3 p.m.

Villanova at Marquette Peacock 3 p.m.

Tennessee at Auburn SECN 4 p.m.

LSU at Vanderbilt ESPN 5 p.m.

Pittsburgh at Boston College ACCN 5 p.m.

Indiana at Maryland BTN DIVISION III FOOTBALL CHAMPIONSHIP 7 p.m.

North Central vs. Wis.-River Falls ESPN HORSE RACING 1:30 p.m. America’s Day at the Races FS1 IIHF BOYS HOCKEY 3:30 p.m. Sweden vs. Finland NHLN 7:30 p.m. Canada vs. Czechia NHLN NBA 5 p.m.

New Orleans at Miami WAFB NBA G-LEAGUE 2 p.m.

Santa Cruz at Oklahoma City NBATV

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NFL Noon Indianapolis at Houston CBS Noon New Orleans at Atlanta Fox 3:25 p.m. L.A. Chargers at Denver CBS 3:25 p.m. Detroit at Chicago Fox 7:20 p.m. Baltimore at Pittsburgh NBC, Peacock MEN’S SOCCER 5:55 a.m. Coventry City at Birm. City CBSSN 6:30 a.m. Man. United at Leeds United USA 8:55 a.m. Wrexham at Derby County CBSSN 9 a.m.

Liverpool at Fulham USA 11:15 a.m. Al Hilal at Damac FC FS2 SPEED SKATING 1 p.m.

ISU: U.S. Winter Olympic Trials USA 3 p.m.

ISU: U.S. Winter Olympic Trials NBC TENNIS 5 a.m.

United Cup; ATP/WTA Tennis 5:30 p.m. United Cup; ATP/WTA Tennis

MEN’S TOP 25 ROUNDUP

Acuff, Arkansas top Tennessee

By The Associated Press

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Freshman Darius Acuff scored a career-high 29 points, including a key 3-pointer with just over two minutes left in the second half, to help No. 18 Arkansas to an 86-75 win over No. 19 Tennessee on Saturday in the Southeastern Conference opener for both teams.

Arkansas (11-3) used an 18-5 run midway through the second half to turn a five-point deficit into an eight-point lead with 5:40 left. Tennessee shot just 2 for 10 from the field during Arkansas’ run, missing eight shots in a row before finally scoring.

The Volunteers (10-4) took advantage of an Arkansas coldshooting spell — the Razorbacks picked up 12 of their 18 points during the run from the freethrow line — to close within two points with under four minutes to play. Acuff made a 3-pointer from the wing with 2:09 remaining to give the Razorbacks a 79-68 lead.

SMU 97, NO. 12 NORTH CAROLINA 83: In Dallas, Boopie Miller had 27 points and 12 assists and SMU beat No. 12 North Carolina, giving the Mustangs their first win over a ranked team for second-year coach Andy Enfield.

Corey Washington added 23 points, while B.J. Edwards scored 15 points and had six assists for the Mustangs (12-2), who are in their second Atlantic Coast Conference season. Jaron Pierre had 13 points and Jaden Toombs 12.

NO. 1 ARIZONA 97, UTAH 78: In Salt Lake City, Tobe Awaka and Jaden Bradley each scored 18 points and Arizona cruised past Utah to remain undefeated.

Brayden Burries had 17 points and 11 rebounds, Koa Peat also scored 17 and Ivan Kharchenkov 13 for the Wildcats (14-0, 1-0 Big 12 Conference), who extended their best start to a season since beginning the 2013-14 campaign with a 21-0 mark.

Terrence Brown scored 26 and Don McHenry and Keanu Dawes each scored 15 for Utah (8-6, 0-1).

NO. 5 PURDUE 89, WISCONSIN 73: In Madison, Wisconsin, Braden Smith became the Big Ten’s career assists leader, Fletcher Loyer scored 20 points and No. 5 Purdue defeated Wisconsin.

Smith had 12 assists to increase his career total to 893 and break the record held by Cassius Winston, who compiled 890 career

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MICHAEL WOODS

Arkansas guard Darius Acuff shoots over Tennessee guard Amaree Abram on Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark. The Razorbacks won 86-75. assists with Michigan State from 2017-20.

NO. 6 DUKE 91, FLORIDA STATE 87: In Tallahassee, Florida, Isaiah Evans scored a career-high 28 points to lead Duke to a victory against Florida State.

The sophomore guard shot 6 of 14 from 3-point range, surpassing his career-best 23 points set in the opener against Texas on Nov. 4.

Evans’ six 3-pointers were also a career-high.

Cameron Boozer had 17 points and season-bests in assists with nine and steals with four for Duke (13-1, 2-0 ACC).

NO. 8 HOUSTON 67, CINCINNATI 60: In Cincinnati, Milos Uzan scored 18 points, including a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 2:48 remaining, and Houston rallied in the second half for a victory over Cincinnati in the Big 12 opener for both teams.

Kingston Flemings led Houston with 19 points as it won its seventh straight. The Cougars (13-1) extended Division I’s longest active road winning streak to 15 games.

NO. 10 BYU 83, KANSAS STATE 73: In Manhattan, Kansas, A.J. Dybantsa had 24 points to offset seven turnovers in his Big 12 debut, Robert Wright added 18 points and BYU held off Kansas State to extend the Cougars’ longest winning streak since 2010.

Richie Saunders had 13 points and Keba Keita pulled down 16 rebounds for the Cougars (13-1, 1-0), whose 10th win since a twopoint loss to fourth-ranked UConn in late November is their best unbeaten stretch since Jimmer Fredette’s senior season.

NO. 11 VANDERBILT 83, SOUTH CAROLINA

71: In Columbia, South Carolina, Tyler Tanner had 19 points and a career-high 14 assists, AK Okereke scored 17 and Vanderbilt improved to 14-0 with a victory over South Carolina.

The Commodores (1-0 SEC) are off to their best start since the 2007-08 team opened 16-0. They did it against the Gamecocks (9-5, 0-1) without leading scorer Duke Miles, who missed his second straight contest with an undisclosed injury.

NO. 14 ALABAMA 89, KENTUCKY 74: In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, Aden Holloway tied a career-high with 26 points and Labaron Philon added 17 as Alabama beat Kentucky.

Kentucky fought back from a 21-point deficit, cutting the lead to single digits with 5:38 to play. But the Wildcats were outscored 12-6 down the stretch, with all but two of the Crimson Tide’s points being scored by Holloway and Philon.

NO. 15 TEXAS TECH 102, OKLAHOMA STATE 80: In Lubbock, Texas, JT Toppin had 23 points and 14 rebounds for his 39th career double-double, Christian Anderson had 19 points and a career-high 13 assists, as Texas Tech beat Oklahoma State.

The Red Raiders (11-3, 1-0 Big 12) never trailed after the game’s opening minute.

UCF 81, NO. 17 KANSAS 75: In Orlando, Florida, Riley Kugel had 19 points and a crucial three-point play with less than 10 seconds remaining to lead UCF over No. 17 Kansas.

Themus Fulks had 16 points and Jordan Burks scored 14 for UCF (12-1, 1-0 Big 12), which is

off to its best start since 14-0 in 2010-11.

Kansas (10-4, 0-1) played most of the second half without star guard Darryn Peterson, who scored 23 of his 26 points in the first half. Peterson missed the previous two games with cramps and missed seven prior games with a hamstring injury.

NO. 20 ILLINOIS 73, PENN STATE 65: In Philadelphia, David Mirkovic had 13 points and 10 rebounds and Kylan Boswell scored 18 points to lead No. 20 Illinois to a win over Penn State.

Keaton Wagler scored 16 points and Zvonimir Ivisic added five blocked shots for the Illini (11-3, 2-1 Big Ten).

NO. 21 VIRGINIA 76, N.C. STATE 61: In Raleigh, North Carolina, Sam Lewis matched his career high with 23 points, Thijs De Ridder took over after halftime as Virginia beat N.C. State.

Lewis had 20 points on 7-for-8 shooting by halftime for the Cavaliers (12-2, 1-1 ACC), who never trailed three days after losing in triple overtime at Virginia Tech.

Lewis helped Virginia go up 20 by halftime, then De Ridder took charge after the Wolfpack tried to rally.

NO. 23 GEORGIA 104,AUBURN 100, OT: In Athens, Georgia, Jeremiah Wilkinson scored 31 points, including two 3-pointers in overtime, and Georgia kept up its high-scoring pace as the Bulldogs held off Auburn in the SEC opener for each team.

Auburn’s Keyshawn Hall made two of three free-throw attempts with 0.7 seconds remaining in regulation. Kevin Overton rebounded the missed third attempt and sank a buzzer-beating jumper to send the game to overtime Marcus “Smurf” Millender scored 24 points for Georgia (131, 1-0), which began the day leading the nation with 99 points per game.

The Bulldogs blocked eight shots, including five by Somto Cyril, who had 15 points. Georgia’s 7.9 blocked shots per game entering the game also led the nation.

NO. 25 IOWA 74, UCLA 61: In Iowa City, Iowa, Bennett Stirtz scored 27 points and No. 25 Iowa held off a comeback attempt by UCLA. The Hawkeyes (12-2, 2-1 Big Ten) led by as many as 24 points in the first half and 20 points early in the second half before the Bruins (10-4, 2-1) stormed back.

Onetime NBA draft pick booed in Baylor debut

BY SCHUYLER DIXON Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas — James Nnaji, a 2023 NBA draft pick making his college debut for Baylor, was booed when he entered the game at TCU and every time he touched the ball after that.

The jeers were loud the couple of times the 7-foot center tried to protest a call, and Baylor coach Scott Drew made sure to get Nnaji out of the game after the 21-year-old Nigerian picked up a fourth foul with 4:42 remaining in the Horned Frogs’ 69-63 victory in their Big 12 opener Saturday.

Imagine the delight of the TCU fans — and the chagrin of the solid Baylor contingent among them in a meeting of conference rivals — if Nnaji had been forced to make the walk to the bench with a fifth foul.

It was enough that Drew and TCU coach Jamie Dixon weren’t quite sure what to make of the crowd’s visceral reaction to Nnaji, whose signing was announced on

wrong, and I know he’s human and just making sure he doesn’t feel that. If James was an NBA player today, he would be in the NBA.” Nnaji spent four years playing professionally in Europe before Detroit drafted him as an 18-yearold with the first pick of the second round (31st overall) 2 1/2 years ago.

His draft rights have since been traded to Charlotte and New York.

Since Nnaji never signed an NBA contract, Baylor’s move prompted the NCAA to issue a statement saying any players who have signed NBA deals won’t be eligible. A handful of players who AP PHOTO By CHRIS JONES spent time in the developmental Baylor center James Nnaji dunks G League without some version against TCU on Saturday in Fort of an NBA deal have turned up at college programs.

Worth, Texas.

Nnaji has four years of eligibilChristmas Eve and led to criti- ity because he hasn’t attended a cism from coaches across college U.S. college, and Drew said he and his family simply want to see him basketball.

“James did nothing wrong,” get a degree. Nnaji wasn’t made Drew said after Nnaji finished available to reporters after his with five points and four rebounds first college game.

Most of the coaches who quesin 16 minutes. “Baylor did nothing

tioned the signing of Nnaji, including Arkansas’ John Calipari, have said they don’t blame Drew or any other coach. They blame the lack of standards in the rapidly shifting landscape of college sports.

College basketball has long toed the professional line more closely than football because of plentiful international talent and the many U.S. athletes who attend college for just one season. The money involved with name, image and likeness has further destabilized the system.

“Call it what it is,” Dixon said.

“We have professional basketball with no cap, no draft, no rules, no interpretation. It’s not in writing.

You can be as good as you want to be. You’ve seen that in football.

You’ve seen it in basketball. Put the resources into it.”

Nnaji’s first college points came on a putback dunk — the one time fans didn’t have a chance to boo him until he had already slammed the ball through the hoop and was running down the court.

Kiffin lands first 2027 pledge as LSU head coach

LSU landed a commitment Saturday from five-star edge rusher Jaiden Bryant, the first recruit in the 2027 class to commit to the school since Lane Kiffin became head coach.

Bryant is the No. 34 overall player and the fifth-best edge rusher in the country, according to the 247Sports composite rankings. He picked LSU over Texas A&M, Miami and South Carolina.

Bryant is from Irmo, South Carolina. He told 247Sports that his relationship with new LSU defensive line coach Sterling Lucas made a difference in his decision. Lucas was South Carolina’s defensive ends and outside linebackers coach until LSU hired him last month.

LSU now has two players committed in the 2027 class. Bryant joins four-star Shreveport quarterback Peyton Houston.

Okamoto, Blue Jays agree to $60M, 4-year contract

TORONTO — Infielder Kazuma Okamoto and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $60 million, four-year contract, two people familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Okamoto will get a $5 million signing bonus, a $7 million salary this year and $16 million in each of the following three seasons.

A six-time All-Star, Okamoto has a .277 average with 248 homers and 717 RBIs in 11 Japanese big league seasons, leading the Central League in home runs in 2020, 2021 and 2023. He homered off Colorado’s Kyle Freeland to help Japan beat the U.S. 3-2 in the 2023 World Baseball Classic final.

Under the posting agreement between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball, a deal must be finalized by 4 p.m. Sunday.

Boxer Joshua returns to Britain after deadly crash

LONDON — Former world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua has reportedly flown back to Britain several days after a fatal car crash that killed two of his friends in Nigeria.

Sina Ghami and Latif “Latz” Ayodele died after the vehicle they were traveling in along with Joshua struck a stationary truck on a major road near Lagos on Monday. Joshua suffered minor injuries and was released from a hospital on Wednesday.

British media reported on Saturday that Joshua has returned home ahead of the funerals of Ghami and Ayodele.

Ghami was Joshua’s strength and conditioning coach while Ayodele was a trainer.

Speedskater Stolz falls but recovers in 1,000m

MILWAUKEE — Star speedskater Jordan Stolz shockingly stumbled to the ice right after the start of the men’s 1,000 meters at the U.S. Olympic trials for long track speedskating on Saturday but still finished with the third-fastest time and will head to the Milan Cortina Winter Games.

Stolz caught the toe of one of his skates on the slick surface, lost his footing and tripped after fewer than five strides at the Pettit National Ice Center.

In women’s action, Erin Jackson won the 1,000 meters by finishing faster than her good friend and world record-holder Brittany Bowe to qualify in that event for the Milan Cortina Winter Games, where she also will defend her gold medal in the 500.

Wawrinka’s farewell tour starts with comeback win

PERTH, Australia — Stan Wawrinka’s 40-year-old legs didn’t let him down over three-plus hours in his first singles match of a 2026 farewell tour on Saturday.

Three-time Grand Slam singles champion Wawrinka beat Arthur Rinderknech of France, who is ranked 29th to Wawrinka’s 157th, 5-7, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (5).

Wawrinka announced in December that this year would be his last on the ATP tour.

“Today was a tough battle. ... It’s amazing to come here for the first time, to have so much support,” Wawrinka said Saturday. “Twenty years on tour, you kind of always play in the same place and tournaments. So for me it’s amazing to have this opportunity this year to play in Perth.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3C

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Defense keys Southern women’s win over TSU

BY CHARLES SALZER Contributing writer

The Southern women’s basketball team was sluggish on offense, but its defense was on point all game long on Saturday as the Jaguars posted a 64-45 Southwestern Athletic Conference win over Texas Southern at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

The game was close for most of the first half, but Southern (6-7, 2-0) used a 12-4 run at the end of the second quarter to take control. The Jaguars moved out to a 14-point lead in the third quarter and never let Texas Southern back into the game in the fourth.

“I thought coming into the game we could hold them to around 50 points,” Southern coach Carlos Funchess said. “(Texas Southern) does a lot of ball screening, and defending that is our strength.”

Texas Southern (5-9, 1-1) came into the game with two players, Daeja Holmes and Aaliyah Henderson, averaging double-figure scoring. Holmes scored nine points while Henderson finished with two.

Southern got a typical all-around performance with 11 players logging 10 or more minutes. Zaria Hurston led Southern with 11 points and eight rebounds as 10 Jaguars scored in the game.

Demonnie Lagway added nine points, and Jaylia Reed and Mykayla Cunningham each scored eight.

Southern made 22 of 60 shots (36.7%) but TSU fared no better, making 16 of 48 (33.3%). Southern forced 26 turnovers and outrebounded the Tigers 41-38.

The Jaguars led 32-25 at halftime and stretched it to 42-30 after Jocelyn Tate’s three-point play early in the third quarter. The Jaguars led by as many as 14 points, but the lead could have been larger if not for misses at the free-throw line.

Southern made just 5 of 15 free throws in the quarter.

“I was disappointed with the way we shot free throws, especially in the third quarter,” Funchess said.

“We did a good job getting to the line, but in close games, that will come back to bite you.”

On Thursday, Texas Southern rallied from seven points down in the fourth quarter to defeat

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Southern guard Michael Jacobs goes to the hoop against Texas Southern forward Duane Posey on Saturday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. Jacobs scored 27 points in the win.

Jacobs scores 27 as Southern men hold off Texas Southern STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Southern guard Zaria Hurston blocks a shot by Texas Southern player Taliyah Logwood on Saturday at the F.G. Clark Activity Center. The Jaguars won 64-45.

Grambling 61-58. On Saturday, Southern led 50-36 and scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to make sure there was no TSU comeback.

Southern took its largest lead at 60-38 following Hurston’s two free throws with five minutes left.

Southern concentrated on running the clock in the final minutes.

The first quarter included a stretch of nearly eight minutes where Southern went without a field goal. Somehow the Jaguars survived that and took a lead into the second quarter.

Fueled by 3-pointers from Reed and Hurston, Southern took an 8-0

lead to open the game. After that, Southern managed only one free throw until Reed’s scoop shot in the lane with less than a minute to go, but the Jaguars led 13-12 after one.

There were six lead changes in the second quarter before Southern finished strong. D’Shantae Edwards’ putback basket gave the Jaguars a 22-21 lead, and they went on to score on all four of their remaining possessions in the half.

The final points came from Lagway, who was fouled on her shot with less than one second left.

She made both free throws to give Southern a 32-25 halftime lead.

LSU

Continued from page 1C the starting lineup was Reece. The backup point guard finished with four points, seven assists and three turnovers.

In the postgame news conference, McMahon was asked about Thomas’ status.

“A lower leg injury, will be dayto-day,” McMahon said. “We were hopeful, as you saw, we listed him as doubtful last night. We were hoping he would wake up and respond well, but there was just no way he was going to be able to play.

So we’ll keep him in treatment and see how he responds here when we get back to Baton Rouge and need to get him back on the floor healthy as soon as possible.”

Texas A&M (11-3, 1-0) specializes in forcing turnovers and played its usual full-court press defense for the entirety of the contest. The Aggies entered tied for 15th in the country in forced turnovers per game (16.4), which is second in the SEC behind only Georgia.

Reece didn’t turn the ball over when he faced intense pressure and double teams. His backcourt mate, Mackinnon, consistently delivered inbounds passes as he is among the best decision-makers on the team.

The Tigers had a season-high 16 turnovers, but they did a good job of forcing Texas A&M into mistakes as it had 15 giveaways.

Back-to-back 3-pointers put Texas A&M up 14-8. At that point, LSU was 2 of 9 from the field, with most of its possessions stalling and ending in difficult looks.

LSU’s half-court offense was as choppy as it has been this season. The Tigers took almost all of their shot attempts late in the shot clock over contests and had poor turnovers.

LSU shot 41% in the first half as Mackinnon and Nwoko had 13 and 11 points, respectively.

One of the team’s best possessions was a right-corner 3-pointer for Mackinnon after a cross-court pass by Nwoko, who drew help defenders. LSU trailed 24-20 after the score with 7:34 left before halftime.

LSU took a 34-31 advantage after it went on a 7-0 run. The Aggies

Team effort lifts Jaguars in SWAC opener

BY CHARLES SALZER Contributing writer

Some of the key moments of the Southwestern Athletic Conference opener between the Southern men and Texas Southern came at the end of the first half, and they went Southern’s way.

Michael Jacobs scored seven points in the closing minutes of the half, including a buzzer-beating 3-pointer, and Southern held off every Texas Southern rally in the second half on its way to an 84-73 win at the F.G. Clark Activity Center.

Southern (5-9, 1-0) stretched a 13-point halftime lead to as many as 21 points in the second half before Texas Southern fought its way back into the contest.

The Tigers put together a 15-4 run and got as close as 69-61 with five minutes left, but Southern righted itself behind the play of Jacobs and Malek Abdelgowad.

Jacobs matched his career high with 27 points and added six rebounds and six assists. Abdelgowad grabbed seven rebounds, and made 8 of 11 shots on his way to 20 points.

“I’ve got to give credit to my teammates,” Jacobs said. “They made the right decisions. They were driving the gaps, they were passing the ball and being unselfish.”

Unselfish play helped Southern finish with 20 assists for the game. The Jaguars had only 12 turnovers and edged the Tigers 33-32 in the rebounding battle.

“I saw a lot of team basketball in this game,” Southern coach

TOUGH STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

Continued from page 1C

post player to the wing, but that’s the first time in his life he’s ever faced something like that,” McMahon said. “I thought it disrupted his rhythm a little bit, but he’ll learn from it and get better.”

LSU took a 64-63 lead with 5:33 left in the game thanks to back-toback layups by the 6-10 sophomore Miller to cap a 12-1 run.

Texas A&M had a strong response of its own as it forced three straight turnovers in the backcourt that involved Reece. The freshman was credited with two of the giveaways, and King with one that was a pass to Reece. The turnovers led to free throws that allowed the Aggies to take a 69-66 lead with 1:58 left.

“Those were really painful,” McMahon said about the consecutive turnovers. “We’ll learn a lot from it. They kind of just took our ball, quite frankly, and just ripped it away from us.”

LSU’s next game is against South Carolina at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

“That’s just a taste of the SEC,” LSU junior guard Mikaylah Williams said. “It’s physical. People jump higher than you. They’re bigger than you. They’re stronger than you. You just have to figure out ways to get your job done, and I think that’s something that (LSU’s younger players) can take away from this game. Keep their head high and continue to keep working.”

LSU wrapped up its nonconference slate with the nation’s best rebounding margin and most productive bench. As the calendar flipped to 2026, the Tigers were outrebounding their opponents by about 24 boards per game, and they were receiving roughly 50 points from their reserves each night.

Against Kentucky, LSU lost the rebounding battle 45-29 and scored only seven bench points.

Transfer center Kate Koval tallied just two points and two boards. Transfer guard MiLaysia Fulwiley missed five of her six shots. The two freshmen who cracked Mulkey’s eight-player rotation — forwards Grace Knox and ZaKiyah Johnson — com-

LSU guard Jalen Reece makes a pass against UNO in the second half Nov. 10 at the PMAC. Reece replaced injured point guard Dedan Thomas in the starting lineup and finished with four points, seven assists and three turnovers in LSU’s loss to Texas A&M on Saturday. closed strong, taking a 37-34 lead at halftime.

Texas A&M had its best scoring spurt at the 15-minute mark of the second half after a couple of lapses by LSU’s 3-point defense and a turnover that resulted in a threepoint play. The Aggies enjoyed a 9-0 run to go up 50-40 with 14:52 left in the game.

Nwoko picked up his third foul at the 13:52 mark after an illegal screen. The Mississippi State transfer had 17 points at that point.

Texas A&M’s pressure defense intensified, giving the Tigers more issues with inbounds passes and advancing the ball in the second half. The team had a 10-second violation with Reece bringing the ball up, and Mackinnon threw an inbounds pass off the backboard.

Even with those mishaps, LSU punched back even with Nwoko in foul trouble and Marquel Sutton struggling, who was 0 of 4 overall from the field.

“Marquel has done an incredible job making this transition from a

Kevin Johnson said. “Usually, teams that share the basketball come out on top.”

For Texas Southern (2-10, 0-1), Zaire Hayes led three players in double figures with 12 points.

Hayes scored 10 of his points in the second half, when the Tigers cut into Southern’s lead.

The final blow to TSU’s comeback chances came with less than two minutes to play. Trailing 80-70, the Tigers forced turnovers on consecutive Southern possessions, but missed jumpers both times. Abdelgowad made an elbow jumper on Southern’s next possession, and the Jaguars went on to close out the double-digit win.

“I didn’t think we had the defensive intensity in the second half that we had in the first half, and that’s an area where this team has to grow,” Johnson said.

“Once we got that focus, we were able to keep that lead.”

The first half was closely contested for 16 minutes and featured three ties and six lead changes. The Jaguars led 32-23 with 4:32 left in the half after DaMariee Jones made 1 of 2 free throws.

Texas Southern closed to within 33-29, but Southern came up with a 9-0 run to finish the half.

Abdelgowad scored five points and Jacobs capped the half with a 3-pointer from the top of the key as time ran out.

“They made a big run, but we should have done a better job possessing the basketball and taking the last shot of the half,” TSU coach Johnny Jones said. “We gave up a three at the buzzer, so we’ve got some things that we need to clean up. I’m still proud of our guys for continuing to fight after we got down by 21.”

Next up, Southern will host Prairie View at 6 p.m. Monday.

bined to shoot only 1 of 4 from the field. Flau’jae Johnson finished with just one rebound.

“We’ve got to get more production from a few other players,” Mulkey said, “and they know who they are. I’d like to tell you that they were closely guarded, and they were really tough on them.

“No, they just didn’t play good tonight.”

LSU can start to play better basketball by grabbing more rebounds. Only two Mulkeycoached teams ever have finished a game with fewer offensive boards than the Tigers did Thursday against the Wildcats (four). Kentucky, on the other hand, pulled 17 rebounds off the offensive glass, which is tied for the most LSU has allowed one of its opponents to grab across the past five seasons.

“We got to rebound,” Mulkey said, “and we got to get in the film room, and we got to get better. You don’t have time to feel sorry for yourself and have a pity party.”

Not in the thick of such a tough stretch of games.

Email Reed Darcey at reed. darcey@theadvocate.com.

For more LSU sports updates, sign up for our newsletter at theadvocate.com/lsunewsletter

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ALL-METRO VOLLEYBALL

LARGE SCHOOLS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

FILE PHOTO By PATRICK DENNIS

SMALL SCHOOLS MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

STAFF FILE PHOTO By HILARy SCHEINUK

St. Joseph’s Gracie Mann gets a dig during a match against St. Thomas More on Sept. 13 at St. Joseph’s. Mann finished the year with 426 kills, 368 digs, 21 blocks and 17 aces in helping the Redstickers to the Division I semifinals.

Parkview’s Jana Thymes leaps high for a kill against Hannan on Sept. 23 at Parkview Baptist. A Liberty commitment, Thymes closed out an impressive senior season with 612 kills, 106 blocks, 29 aces and 22 assists in leading Parkview to the Division III state title.

GRACIE MANN ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY, SENIOR • OUTSIDE HITTER

JANA THYMES PARKVIEW BAPTIST, SENIOR • OUTSIDE HITTER

After a two-season absence, St. Joseph’s Academy returned to the LHSAA state tournament, and Redstickers outside hitter Gracie Mann was a catalyst to the team’s return to the Cajundome in Lafayette.

Mann finished the year with 426 kills, 368 digs, 21 blocks and 17 aces. She helped St. Joseph’s reach the Division I semifinals and finish the year with a 24-12 record and was named The Advocate All-Metro volleyball Most Valuable Player.

She was also named the district’s Most Valuable Offensive Player and was part of the Louisiana High School Coaches Association All-Star team.

St. Joseph’s had to overcome adversity as it faced a seven-game losing streak early in the season, but that didn’t deter Mann.

“Honestly, when we fail and we lose, that’s when we push ourselves harder,” Mann said, “which is what has gotten us to this point.”

Parkview Baptist senior Jana Thymes closed her high school career in dream fashion with a state championship.

The middle back/outside hitter led her Eagles to a Division III state title win over St. Michael.

Parkview Baptist won the match 3-1 with 19 kills and eight blocks from Thymes.

Thymes, a Liberty commitment, earned District Offensive MVP and Division III state tournament MVP honors.

She finished the season with 612 kills, 218 digs, 106 blocks, 29 aces and 22 assists.

Beyond the stats and accolades, she said she was most proud of the championship.

“This is basically what every girl has ever wanted playing this sport,” Thymes said. “For me personally, it feels like a fulfillment of everything that I’ve worked toward.”

In the championship match against St. Michael, the two sides were tied 1-1. In the third set, Parkview Baptist led 25-24, and

The Redstickers gpt hot at the right time and won 12 of their last 13 matches in the regular season and had a 10-game win streak in October.

At the state tournament, St. Joseph’s trailed 12-5 against Northshore in the quarterfinals.

Mann had a kill to spark a 5-0 run to flip momentum. The Redstickers went on to sweep the match.

Mann has played volleyball since she was 11 years old. The sport has been her main passion and a way to relieve stress.

“I just love getting in the gym and working hard,” she said, “getting to set goals for myself and just really pushing myself to be the best.”

She called the 2025 St. Joseph’s team the closest group she was a part of during her high school career. Mann will continue her volleyball career at the collegiate level at Southeastern Louisiana.

Jackson Reyes

LARGE SCHOOLS COACH OF THE YEAR DONNA PIXLEY ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY Pixley returned to high school coaching after she took two years off to watch her daughter Caylin compete in college.

After 21 seasons at Dunham, Pixley became the coach at St. Joseph’s Academy. She led the team to a 24-12 record and guided

the Redstickers to their first trip to the state tournament in two seasons.

St. Joseph’s made it to the Division I semifinals at the Cajundome before falling to No. 1 Dominican.

Jackson Reyes

Thymes had the deciding kill to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead.

Her team won the final set 25-17 to set off a celebration.

She said she wanted to use her talent to help her team achieve its goal of winning a state title.

“Most importantly, this is a team sport — probably the most connecting team sport that there is,” she said. “That’s really what drives me.”

Thymes played in the state tournament all four years of her high school career, but fell short in years past. Her team defeated Archbishop Hannan 3-1 in a hard-fought semifinal to advance to the championship match against St. Michael.

“This has been everything to me,” Thymes said of playing for a state title, “ever since I was young.”

Jackson Reyes

SMALL SCHOOLS COACH OF THE YEAR ALLISON DIDIER LEAKE PARKVIEW BAPTIST Allison Didier Leake won her first state title as a coach after Parkview Baptist defeated St. Michael for the Division III state title.

Leake led her team to a 34-9 record in 2025.

The state title marks Parkview Baptist’s second overall and first since 2005. Leake joins her

father, Chip Didier, in winning a state title. Didier won two state titles with H.L. Bourgeois in Gray.

Parkview Baptist defeated No. 2 Archbishop Hannan in the semifinals before topping rival and No. 1 St. Michael in the title match.

Jackson Reyes

LARGE SCHOOLS ALL-METRO TEAM

SMALL SCHOOLS ALL-METRO TEAM

ADDISON GUY Central, Sr. 326 kills, 124 digs, 86 blocks, 52 aces

SOFIA LARENAS Baton Rouge High, Sr. 359 kills, 257 digs, 42 aces

KATERNIA PERNICIARO Prairieville, So. 257 kills, 233 digs, 60 aces

KATHERINE McDONALD Dunham, Jr. 1,028 assists, 262 digs, 134 kills, 95 aces

AVA RODRIGUE St. Michael, Sr. 348 digs, 79 assists, 46 aces

ZADI HUGGINS Dunham, Jr. 367 kills, 244 digs, 68 blocks

HAYDEN HERRING Dutchtown, Sr. 419 kills, 76 blocks

JERMANY OLINEY Liberty, Jr. 193 kills, 49 blocks, 39 digs

CAROLINE BURKHALTER St. Joseph’s Academy, Sr. 408 assists, 184 digs

SKYLAR TOWNER St. Michael, Jr. 343 kills, 71 blocks

MACKENZIE CHUILLI St. Joseph’s Academy, Jr. 471 digs, 50 assists, 32 aces

AU’BREI McCOY Dutchtown, Jr. 347 kills, 64 blocks

ADDYSON SIDES Central Privvate, Sr. 356 kills, 202 digs, 58 aces.

ALLY FRAZIER St. Amant, Jr. 330 digs, 257 kills, 41 aces, 30 blocks

McKENSIE CHUSTZ East Ascension, Jr. 365 digs, 71 aces, 50 assists

ASIA STERLING Zachary, Sr. 387 kills, 186 digs, 54 aces, 41 blocks

AADYN POLK Parkview Baptist, Sr. 1,168 assists, 206 digs, 101 kills, 74 aces

Note: The All-Metro selections are made

by Baton Rougearea coaches.

LARGE SCHOOLS HONORABLE MENTION Bella Bourdreaux, Brusly; Zoe Fabre, Brusly; Sydney Veal-Harden, Brusly; Lori Morris, Central; Kynlee Rheams, Central; Caroline Johnson, Dutchtown; Khloe Jordan, Liberty; Da’miaya Dunn, Live Oak; Peyton Shields, Live Oak; Callie Hargrave, St. Amant; Emmy Neumann, St. Joseph’s Academy; Alyssa Albert, Zachary.

KENNEDI OWENS Dunham, Jr. 382 digs, 342 kills, 49 aces JULIANNE ARRUDA University, So. 349 assists, 270 kills, 195 digs, 50 aces

BELLA BRAVATA St. Michael, Sr. 339 kills, 303 digs MONET TEMPLE University, Fr. 351 kills, 207 digs, 56 aces

YAHNI OLIVIER Episcopal, Fr. 188 kills, 124 digs Note: The All-Metro selections are made

by Baton Rougearea coaches.

SMALL SCHOOLS HONORABLE MENTION Rory Forbes, Central Private; Isa Richardson, Dunham; Kennedy Otwell, Parkview Baptist; Marin Price, Parkview Baptist; Marielle Gary, St. Michael; Aubrie Jefferson, Slaughter Community Charter; Hannah LaGarde, Southern Lab; Alleyiah Martin, Southern Lab.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 5C

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Leading LSU rusher enters transfer portal

BY WILSON ALEXANDER

Staff writer

LSU sophomore running back Caden Durham is entering the transfer portal, he confirmed on his Instagram account Saturday, marking one of the most notable departures from LSU so far this offseason.

Durham was LSU’s leading rusher the past two seasons with a combined 251 carries for 1,258 yards and nine touchdowns.

LSU has retained freshman running back Harlem Berry amid the transition to head coach Lane Kiffin and his new offensive staff, but with Durham’s departure, it will rebuild the rest of the position room.

A four-star recruit and top-100 overall prospect in the 2024 class, Durham was the fifth-highest ranked running back in the country coming out of Duncanville High in Texas. He quickly became a factor in the offense, but it became unlikely that he would return when LSU replaced running backs coach Frank Wilson.

Wilson left to become the senior associate head coach and running backs coach at Ole Miss. LSU hired running backs coach Kevin Smith, who spent eight of the past nine seasons with Kiffin at Florida Atlantic and Ole Miss.

Durham earned Freshman All-SEC honors when he rushed for 753 yards and six touchdowns in 2024. He

LSU NOTEBOOK

played most of the season with a plate in his shoe after dislocating multiple toes on his left foot.

Though voted secondteam preseason All-SEC in the fall, Durham ran for only 505 yards and three touchdowns as the LSU offense struggled. He said at one point he was playing through an injury, which he declined to discuss further.

LSU finished 126th in the country and last in the SEC with 104 yards rushing per game.

LSU lacks running back depth after Durham, junior Kaleb Jackson, sophomore Ju’Juan Johnson and freshman JT Lindsey decided to transfer. Berry will be the only returning scholarship running back as LSU restocks the position with multiple transfers.

QB enters portal LSU sophomore quarterback Michael Van Buren plans to enter the transfer portal, a source told The Advocate on Saturday.

Van Buren said twice near the end of the season, most recently after the Texas Bowl, that he wanted to stay amid the coaching change. Van Buren said he had talked to Kiffin and his staff, but it had not been determined at the time whether he would return to LSU. “Things are good right

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

LSU running back Caden Durham takes a hit from Arkansas linebacker Stephen Dix on Nov. 15 at Tiger Stadium. now,” Van Buren said Dec. 27 after the Texas Bowl, “so I’mma go home, I’mma sit on it, and we’re going to see.”

LSU planned for Van Buren to redshirt this season behind senior Garrett Nussmeier, giving him an extra year of eligibility after he transferred from Mississippi State. He played in seven games instead, starting the last four, when Nussmeier was sidelined because of an abdominal injury that he originally suffered in preseason camp.

Van Buren completed 62.3% of his passes for 1,010 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions. He also ran for 129 yards and one score.

With his departure, LSU does not have a scholarship quarterback set to return next season. Nussmeier exhausted his eligibility, and redshirt freshman Colin Hurley plans to enter the transfer portal. LSU has not signed a high school quarterback in the past two recruiting classes.

Kiffin and his staff are

expected to sign multiple transfer quarterbacks as they rebuild the position.

They are set to host Cincinnati transfer Brendan Sorsby this weekend after he finishes a trip to Texas Tech. Sorsby, one of the top available players on the market, would be the projected starter next season.

Plenty of visits As LSU began to host transfers this weekend, former Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman was on

a visit Saturday, sources confirmed. Coleman, an Ohio native, was a fourstar recruit in the 2025 class who’s listed at 6-foot4 and 220 pounds.

Coleman recorded eight tackles, three tackles for loss and one sack while playing in nine games as a freshman this past season.

He has three more years of eligibility.

ESPN ranked him as the No. 9 overall player in the transfer portal.

Former UC Davis redshirt freshman running back Carter Vargas also visited LSU on Saturday, The Advocate learned. Vargas rushed for 445 yards and five touchdowns in eight games this year before he suffered a season-ending injury. He added 10 catches for 177 yards and two touchdowns.

Clemson defensive lineman Stephiylan Green has a visit scheduled Sunday to LSU, sources confirmed.

After redshirting as a freshman, Green played in 22 games with six starts over the past two years.

He has made 34 tackles, five tackles for loss and 31/2 sacks in his career.

UAB transfer wide receiver Iverson Hooks has a visit scheduled to LSU for Wednesday and Thursday, his agent confirmed. Hooks, a redshirt junior listed at 5-10 and 175 pounds, broke out this year with 72 catches, 927 yards and seven touchdowns.

Indiana, Oregon to meet again in the Peach Bowl

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

PASADENA, Calif. — Curt Cignetti’s perpetual seriousness has become a big part of the Indiana coach’s burgeoning lore. His everglowering face on the sideline has sparked countless memes and has come to personify the sharp-eyed, no-nonsense manner in which these Hoosiers have rocketed through the sport in just two seasons.

With a couple of minutes left in Indiana’s 38-3 thrashing of Alabama in the 112th Rose Bowl on Thursday, Cignetti allowed himself a broad smile that was captured by TV cameras. He showed a few teeth again on the podium while the Hoosiers celebrated their first bowl victory since 1991 with confetti and roses.

Receiver Elijah Sarratt said it was “just about” the biggest smile he’d ever seen from his coach.

“You won’t be getting too much of those from coach Cig, so anytime you get one, you’ve got to appreciate it,”

RABALAIS

Continued from page 1C You can see that in the comments of players such as Rebels defensive tackle Zxavian Harris after Ole Miss beat Georgia 39-34 in a 24-carat thriller in the Caesars Superdome.

“Yeah, he was just trying to steal our shine,” Harris said. “That’s all he’s trying to do. That’s all he’s been trying to do is steal our shine.”

Harris doubled down by saying Kiffin’s departure was “Like a slap and the backhand. He was trying to be a troll. We’re going to troll him. We’ve got something for him.”

Kiffin has by comparison been complimentary, even tweeting right after the Sugar Bowl: “What a great finish!!! So much fun!!”

Reacting to the brash statements and emotions of a 22-year-old like Harris is no foundation for developing a long-term policy. But Kiffin has done plenty to help Ole Miss at this point, a point where he clearly is no longer appreciated there. He has allowed multiple coaches to help craft an offense that has carried the Rebels within a game

ä Indiana vs. Oregon,

Sarratt said with a laugh.

But just a few minutes later, Cignetti had his business face back on. He was already thinking about the season-defining test presented to his Hoosiers (14-0, No. 1 CFP) by Oregon (131, No. 5 CFP) in the College Football Playoff semifinal at the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on Friday.

“We’ll have a very big challenge ahead of us next week,” Cignetti said. “It’s very hard to beat a really good football team twice.

There’s no doubt about that.”

Indeed, Indiana is responsible for the only blemish on the Ducks’ record. The Hoosiers won 30-20 in Eugene on Oct. 11, physically trouncing the defending Big Ten champions in one of the landmark wins of Cignetti’s incredible tenure.

The Hoosiers are the Big Ten champions now after they knocked off Ohio State last month. They’ve added their school’s first Rose Bowl

victory and its first Heisman Trophy since that trip to Autzen Stadium.

But the Ducks have also grown and matured in the past three months, and the quarterfinals left them as clearly the biggest threat to stop Indiana’s march toward history. They earned that opportunity with an impressive 23-0 victory over Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl on Thursday.

“That team in that locker room has shown time and time again that they’re ready for big moments,” Oregon coach Dan Lanning said.

Lanning smiles and laughs a whole lot more than Cignetti, in public at least. But the coaches share a deep respect for what they’ve both built at two schools that have never won a national title in football.

With Mississippi and Miami surprising most of the sport by advancing from the other two quarterfinals, it’s clear the winner of the Peach Bowl will be a significant favorite to claim an in-

of a CFP title shot AND given them a huge grudge to sharpen their steel on besides. A talented, wellcoached team with someone to focus its anger on is a formidable team indeed.

I love the narratives now that have sprung up saying Ole Miss is winning because Kiffin is no longer there, a program that suffered through four straight non-winning seasons before he arrived in 2020. Ryan Clark, the former LSU defensive star turned ESPN analyst, said it perfectly: “Ole Miss should be thanking Lane Kiffin,” he said. “They should be thanking him for so many different things.”

Those thanks should include Kiffin’s FDR-inspired Lend Lease plan.

But the time has come to end that generous program.

It’s time for LSU to put LSU first, and that includes keeping Weis in Baton Rouge where he now belongs because the Tigers are in the midst of the all-important, two-week transfer portal window. Weis needs to be totally focused on helping LSU land a quarterback — or two — plus other key offensive players among what could be a massive haul of 25-30 transfers that completely

will remake this roster.

Trying to set the Tigers on course for the CFP is the focus now, not helping Ole Miss anymore. You could make the argument that LSU has gotten tons of publicity off of the Rebels’ run, but you could make the counter-argument that Ole Miss playing for or winning the national championship will make the Rebels a more dangerous and difficult rival to contend with in the future.

As for worries about Weis possibly getting swayed by an offer to be a head coach somewhere before he even calls one play in Baton Rouge, his contract tells you he’s locked in at LSU. All of the term sheets for LSU assistant coaches and staff members include a clause that says they must pay 300% of their current salary if terminating their agreement with the school before April 1. In Weis’ case, that would mean a staggering $7.5 million.

It’s time Weis started earning his salary. All of it. It’s time LSU and Kiffin stopped being so nice to Ole Miss.

If the Rebels indeed got this far in the CFP because Kiffin isn’t there, they should try to continue to win without help from his coaches.

6:30 P.M. FRIDAy, ESPN

augural national title in the championship game on Jan. 19 in South Florida.

And while Oregon is on an eight-game winning streak after throttling Texas Tech’s high-priced roster, Indiana has done nothing to

suggest it shouldn’t be the favorite to cap this unprecedented two-year transformation by winning the biggest trophy of all.

A 35-point win the Rose Bowl was the latest improbable feat by Indiana, which

had been in this stadium roughly 15 months earlier for the first Big Ten road game of Cignetti’s tenure.

The Hoosiers beat UCLA that weekend, and they’ve transformed into a powerhouse since then.

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SAINTS GAMEDAY

ROSTERS

FOUR THINGS TO WATCH

SAINTS

No. Player Pos Ht Wt Exp College 0 Ugo Amadi SAF 5-9 201 7 Oregon 1 Alontae Taylor CB 6-0 199 4 Tennessee 2 Spencer Rattler QB 6-0 211 2 South Carolina 3 Jake Haener QB 6-1 200 3 Fresno State 4 Kool-Aid McKinstry CB 5-11 199 2 Alabama 6 Tyler Shough QB 6-5 219 0 Louisville 7 Taysom Hill QB 6-2 221 9 ByU 11 Dante Pettis WR 6-1 195 7 Washington 12 Chris Olave WR 6-0 187 4 Ohio State 19 Nyheim Miller-Hines RB 5-8 198 6 N.C. State 20 Pete Werner LB 6-3 242 5 Ohio State 21 Justin Reid SAF 6-1 207 8 Stanford 25 Rejzohn Wright CB 6-2 193 2 Oregon State 26 Terrell Burgess S 5-11 202 5 Utah 27 Isaac yiadom CB 6-1 188 8 Boston College 28 Danny Stutsman LB 6-3 236 0 Oklahoma 29 Quincy Riley CB 5-11 195 0 Louisville 30 Audric Estimé RB 5-11 227 2 Notre Dame 31 Jordan Howden DB 6-0 209 3 Minnesota 32 Kai Kroeger P 6-3 213 0 South Carolina 33 Jonas Sanker SAF 6-1 210 0 Virginia 34 Evan Hull RB 5-10 209 2 Northwestern 39 Charlie Smyth K 6-4 210 1 Int. Path. Prog.

40 Fadil Diggs DE 6-4 257 0 Syracuse 41 Alvin Kamara RB 5-10 215 9 Tennessee 44 Isaiah Stalbird LB 6-1 215 1 SD State 49 Zach Wood LS 6-3 255 9 SMU 51 Cesar Ruiz OL 6-4 316 6 Michigan 53 Jaylan Ford LB 6-2 240 2 Texas 54 Jonah Williams DE 6-5 275 5 Weber State 56 Demario Davis LB 6-2 248 14 Arkansas State 58 Chris Rumph II DE 6-2 244 5 Duke 66 William Sherman G 6-4 300 1 Colorado 68 Torricelli Simpkins III OG 6-5 312 0 South Carolina 71 Kelvin Banks Jr. OT 6-5 315 0 Texas 72 Asim Richards OL 6-4 307 3 North Carolina 74 Xavier Truss OL 6-7 320 0 Georgia 75 Taliese Fuaga OT 6-6 324 2 Oregon State 77 Dillon Radunz OL 6-6 301 5 ND State 79 Luke Fortner OL 6-4 307 4 Kentucky 80 Moliki Matavao TE 6-6 263 R UCLA 81 Kevin Austin Jr. WR 6-2 200 2 Notre Dame 82 Treyton Welch TE 6-4 240 1 Wyoming 83 Juwan Johnson TE 6-4 231 6 Oregon 85 Ronnie Bell WR 6-0 192 3 Michigan 89 Samori Toure WR 6-1 196 3 Nebraska 90 Bryan Bresee DT 6-5 305 3 Clemson 92 Davon Godchaux DT 6-3 330 9 LSU 93 Nathan Shepherd DT 6-4 315 8 Fort Hays State 94 Cameron Jordan DE 6-4 287 15 California 95 John Ridgeway III DT 6-5 321 4 Arkansas 96 Carl Granderson DE 6-5 261 7 Wyoming 97 Khristian Boyd DT 6-2 320 2 Northern Iowa 98 Jonathan Bullard DE 6-3 290 10 Florida 99 Chase young DE 6-5 264 6 Ohio State

KEEP SHOUGHING

STOPPING BIJAN

NEXT MAN UP

PLENTY OF MOTIVATION

1

2

3

4

Saints QB Tyler Shough has generated plenty of buzz lately after leading the Saints to four consecutive wins.

He’s 5-3 since taking over as the starter.

He’s been so good that the Vegas odds have him as one of the two favorites for Offensive Rookie of the year. Carolina receiver Tetairoa McMillan is the other.

This is a chance for Shough to make a last impression on voters.

He’s coming off back-to-back games where he has thrown for more than 300 yards. He’s also done a good job of taking care of the ball, tossing four touchdowns and no interceptions over the past three weeks. He’ll need to do it again.

This was one of the factors listed in the first game. If you watched the Falcons beat the Los Angeles Rams on Monday, you understand why it still is a factor.

Robinson rushed for 195 yards, including a 93-yard touchdown run. He also caught five passes for 34 yards, so Brandon Staley’s defense will have to find a way to at least slow him down.

Robinson is fourth in the league in rushing (1,445 yards) and his 5.3 yards per carry also ranks fourth. He rushed for 70 yards against the Saints in November, his lowest total in the last eight games. Can the Saints find a way to somewhat keep him in check again?

In years past, the Saints wouldn’t have been able to overcome so many injuries on offense. But Shough has found a way to elevate everyone, regardless of who he is handing the ball off to or throwing passes toward. Now he’s down another playmaker with Chris Olave being ruled out.

The Saints again will need some of the others to step up. Last week in the win over the Titans, the Saints got big games from RB Audric Estime (14 carries, 94 yards, 1 TD) and WR Kevin Austin (4 catches, 52 yards, 1 TD). If the Saints can get that type of productivity from the “others,” it would make things easier.

Forget the losing records both teams sport. Forget that neither team is going to the playoffs.

This game still means something.

It’s the Falcons, so of course bragging rights are at stake.

The Saints haven’t been swept by the Falcons since 2016, and they’d love to keep that streak going. And who knows whether it’s the final game in a Saints uniform for guys such as Cam Jordan, Demario Davis and Taysom Hill? The Saints have a chance to end the season with a win over their biggest rival, which would mean ending the year on a five-game winning streak. It would be a heck of a way to go into the offseason.

Rod Walker

FALCONS 0 Divine Deablo 1 Darnell Mooney 3 Jessie Bates III 5 Drake London 7 Bijan Robinson 8 Kyle Pitts Sr. 9 Michael Penix Jr. 11 Jalon Walker 12 Easton Stick 13 Bradley Pinion 17 Arnold Ebiketie 18 Kirk Cousins 20 Dee Alford 24 A.J.Terrell Jr. 25 Tyler Allgeier 27 James Pearce Jr. 28 Mike Ford Jr. 31 Xavier Watts 34 Jammie Robinson 35 Natrone Brooks 36 Ronnie Harrison 37 Cobee Bryant 38 Nathan Carter 39 C.J. Henderson 40 JD Bertrand 42 Josh Woods 45 Zane Gonzalez 49 Liam McCullough 52 Jovaughn Gwyn 54 Brandon Dorlus 55 Kaden Elliss 56 Leonard Floyd 63 Chris Lindstrom 64 Ryan Neuzil 65 Matthew Bergeron 68 Kyle Hinton 69 Jack Nelson 70 Jake Matthews 71 Elijah Wilkinson 72 Michael Jerrell 74 Tyrone Wheatley Jr. 76 Kaleb McGary 77 Storm Norton 81 Dylan Drummond 82 Casey Washington 83 Deven Thompkins 84 Feleipe Franks 85 Teagan Quitoriano 86 Malik Heath 87 David Sills V 88 K.J. Osborn 89 Charlie Woerner 90 David Onyemata 91 Elijah Garcia 92 Khalid Kareem 93 Kentavius Street 94 LaCale London 98 Ruke Orhorhoro

LB 6-3 223 5 WR 5-11 180 6 SAF 6-1 210 8 WR 6-4 215 4 RB 5-11 215 3 TE 6-6 250 5 QB 6-3 220 2 DE 6-2 245 0 QB 6-1 224 6 P 6-5 265 11 DE 6-2 250 4 QB 6-3 205 14 CB 5-11 180 4 CB 6-1 200 6 RB 5-10 225 4 DE 6-5 243 0 CB 6-0 199 8 SAF 6-0 203 0 SAF 5-11 195 3 CB 5-11 175 2 LB 6-3 214 8 CB 6-0 180 0 RB 5-10 202 0 CB 6-1 205 6 LB 6-1 230 2 LB 6-1 235 6 K 6-0 202 8 LS 6-2 245 3 OL 6-2 310 3 DT 6-3 295 2 LB 6-2 240 7 DE 6-3 240 10 G 6-4 310 7 OL 6-3 305 4 OL 6-5 315 3 OL 6-2 315 3 OL 6-7 314 0 T 6-5 310 12 OL 6-6 310 9 OT 6-5 309 2 T 6-6 320 2 T 6-6 330 7 OL 6-7 310 6 WR 6-0 190 1 WR 6-0 205 2 WR 5-8 155 4 TE 6-6 241 3 TE 6-6 259 4 WR 6-2 213 3 WR 6-3 211 3 WR 5-11 203 6 TE 6-5 250 6 DL 6-4 310 10 DL 6-5 302 2 DE 6-4 255 4 DL 6-2 315 7 DL 6-3 297 2 DT 6-4 295 2

Virginia Tech Tulane Wake Forest USC Texas Florida Washington Georgia North Dakota St. Clemson Penn State Michigan State Tusculum Clemson ByU Tennessee SE Missouri St. Notre Dame Florida State Southern Miss Alabama Kansas Michigan State Florida Notre Dame Maryland Arizona State Ohio State South Carolina Oregon Idaho Georgia Boston College App. State Syracuse Washburn Wisconsin Texas A&M UMass Findlay Stony Brook Washington Toledo E. Michigan Illinois Utah State Arkansas Oregon State Ole Miss West Virginia Miami (FL) Georgia Manitoba (CAN) Rice Notre Dame N.C. State Western Illinois Clemson

INJURY REPORT SAINTS OUT: DT Bryan Bresee (knee), RB Alvin Kamara (knee/ankle),WR Chris Olave (illness), DT Nathan Shepherd (ankle/knee).

QUESTIONABLE: QB Spencer Rattler (right finger), G Dillon Radunz (knee), LB Demario Davis (calf).

FALCONS OUT: DL Brandon Dorlus (hamstring), CB Clark Phillips III (triceps/illness).

QUESTIONABLE: WR Darnell Mooney (knee), S DeMarcco Hellams (hamstring),WR Drake London (knee),TE Kyle Pitts Sr. (knee), DL Sam Roberts (knee/ankle).

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough throws against the Atlanta Falcons at the Caesars Superdome on Nov. 23.

Motivation abounds in Saints’ season finale against Falcons The scoreboard at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta won’t even acknowledge the Falcons’ opponent on Sunday.

It never does when the rival New Orleans Saints come to town.

Instead of “Saints,” that side of the scoreboard will simply say “Visitors.”

That level of pettiness is how things are supposed to be in a rivalry.

Despite their losing records — the Saints are Rod 6-10 and the Falcons are Walker 7-9 — this isn’t just some meaningless game between two teams looking to get to the finish line of the season and start their vacations.

It’s Saints vs. Falcons.

That’s all the motivation needed, right?

“Absolutely,” Saints tight end Juwan Johnson said. “We don’t like those guys, and we know they don’t like us. They beat us in our house a couple weeks ago, and now we have to try to return the favor.”

Neither team is going to the playoffs.

The Saints haven’t been since the 2020 season, Drew Brees’ final year. The Falcons haven’t been since the 2017 season, when Matt Ryan was playing quarterback. The Falcons underachieved this season. The Saints, at least down the stretch, have overachieved. But both teams have played well lately. The Saints have won four straight and are 5-3 since rookie Tyler Shough took over for Spencer Rattler. The Falcons are 4-2 since Kirk Cousins replaced the injured Michael Penix. That includes Monday’s eye-opening win against the Los Angeles Rams.

Saints coach Kellen Moore would like nothing more than for his team to finish the season with a fifth consecutive win.

“It’s real important (to finish strong),” Moore said. “It’s our last opportunity to finish. A division game. Atlanta. A lot of variables here. We are excited to finish this thing off the right way.”

That’s been Moore’s message all week.

Finish the right way. A team that started 1-8 has a shot at getting to seven wins, which is about three more wins than the oddsmakers in Vegas predicted when the season started.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Saints quarterback Tyler Shough runs the ball against the Atlanta Falcons on Nov. 23.

“It shows the character of these guys in the locker room and shows the character of the coaching staff,” Johnson said. “It’s just the fight in the guys that are here.

Just staying with it. I know it’s not always easy, especially losing the way we were losing games. We can now go into next season with a lot of high morale. A lot of optimism.”

Much of that optimism is because of the emergence of Shough. The Saints have found their future at quarterback and can look for other pieces to put around him during the offseason.

Shough is a rookie, but he already understands how much the rivalry means to the fan base. He got a sense of it after the Saints lost to the Falcons 24-10 in his first start in the Superdome.

“I said after the first game that it stinks, because you know how much it means,” Shough said. “I think it’s going to mean even more because it’s the last game of the season. Both teams have been playing really well. They’ve been playing really hot. We have to do our job and get it done because it means so much.

We’re not in the playoffs right now, but what an opportunity to go to their place and get a win.”

The Saints are looking to avoid being swept by the Falcons. The last time the Saints lost twice in the same season to them was 2016.

For Shough, this game also is one last closing argument in the Offensive Rookie of the Year race. He and Carolina Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan entered the weekend neck and neck as the favorites. Being without Chris Olave (blood clot in his lungs) will make things more challenging. Shough will throw to Johnson and a receiving corps made up of guys you probably didn’t even know were on the roster. Shough’s receivers Sunday will be Kevin Austin, Dante Pettis, Ronnie Bell and Samori Toure. If he can win with those weapons, it only strengthens his case.

But he’s more focused on the big picture.

“I don’t care about anything else but finishing strong this week,” Shough said.

That simply means making sure he puts more points on his team’s side of the scoreboard — the side that simply will say “Visitors.”

Email Rod Walker at rwalker@ theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 7C

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SAINTS at FALCONS

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OFFENSIVE LEADERS Saints

Falcons

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Tyler Shough Spencer Rattler

198-292-67.8 174-256-68

2125 1586

9 8

RUSHING

Player

Att

Alvin Kamara Devin Neal Taysom Hill Kendre Miller

Net

131 57 52 47

5 5

Avg TD

471 206 114 193

3.6 3.6 2.2 4.1

1 1 1 1

PASSING

Player

Cmp-Att-Pct Yds TD Int

Michael Penix Jr. 166-276-60.1 Kirk Cousins 135-217-62.2 1

RUSHING

Player

100 74 44 33 25 19

1163 828 499 186 293 165

11.6 11.2 11.3 5.6 11.7 8.7

9 3 2 0 2 0

KICKING Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Charlie Smyth

11

Net

250 126 21 9 10 1

9 8

3 4

Avg TD

1250 475 70 60 6 5

5.0 3.8 3.3 6.7 0.6 5.0

6 8 1 0 1 0

RECEIVING

Rec Yards Avg TD

Chris Olave Juwan Johnson Rashid Shaheed Alvin Kamara Devaughn Vele Brandin Cooks

Att

Bijan Robinson Tyler Allgeier Michael Penix Jr. Nathan Carter Kirk Cousins Deven Thompkins

RECEIVING Player

1982 415

11

7

11

Player

Rec Yards Avg TD

Kyle Pitts Sr. Drake London Bijan Robinson Darnell Mooney David Sills V Casey Washington Tyler Allgeier

80 63 71 27 14 6 13

854 837 776 388 143 94 93

10.7 13.3 10.9 14.4 10.2 15.7 7.2

5 6 3 1 2 0 0

KICKING Player

XPM XPA FGM FGA

Zane Gonzalez Parker Romo

13 12

14 13

13 11

15 14

DEFENSIVE LEADERS ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN AMIS

Saints head coach Kellen Moore shakes hands on the field before a game against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday in Nashville, Tenn.

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C Moore is perfectly fine with testing the limit.

Across six victories, the Saints coach has handed out 40 game balls — more than half (22) of which have come in the last two weeks.

No contribution is too big or too small for the first-year coach to recognize. He hasn’t exactly channeled his inner Oprah Winfrey, but perform well enough for the Saints and well, you get a game ball! You get a game ball! Everybody gets a game ball!

Moore knows it can be a bit silly. He joked after beating the New York Jets that the list of players was so long that he’d have to speed through it to get it done quickly. A week later after a win over the Tennessee Titans, Moore quipped he was going to “get in trouble” for how many game balls he was handing out. It turns out, general manager Mickey Loomis teased Moore for giving out a few too many as of late.

But he has no plans to stop. In his first year, which ends Sunday when the Saints take on the Falcons in Atlanta, the wide distribution of game balls has become a key part of Moore’s tenure. While it’s easy to joke about, the handouts not only reflect how well the Saints — winners of four straight — have played down the stretch but also how the 37-year-old coach has closely connected with players over the course of a trying season.

Moore didn’t hand out his first set of game balls until Week 5. His second giveaway didn’t come until Week 10.

So what’s wrong with enjoying the wins and having a little fun?

“It’s something I’ve always wanted to do,” Moore said. “It took a little while before we actually got to start doing it. So I was a little excited. I said, ‘Hey, let’s make sure we acknowledge as many guys as we can.’ ” Funny enough, the process — one of Moore’s favorite words — didn’t start the same way it unfolds now. Back in October, when the Saints finally got in the win column by beating the New York Giants, Moore rattled off a slew of honorable mentions before handing out just two game balls — one to cornerback Kool-Aid McKinstry for his two interceptions and another to quarterback Spencer Rattler for his first career win. Moore also received a ball from running back Alvin Kamara for his first win as a head coach.

Since then, Moore has expanded the parameters. Victories over the Carolina Panthers and Tampa Bay Buccaneers each yielded five game balls from Moore. When New Orleans beat Carolina again in Week 14, it crept up to six.

It was the next game, though, that was truly out of the ordinary. Moore, reprising his days as a quarterback, tossed out game balls left and right for the dominant win over the Jets.

Thirteen — eight on defense, four on offense and one kicker — received the mementos.

“I think what he’s just kind of realized is like, instead of doing just honorable mentions is that these are impactful guys who are making impactful plays,” said cornerback Alontae Taylor, whose four game balls this season trail only quarterback Tyler Shough.

“What’s the difference between who you’re giving an actual game ball to and who you’re saying as an honorable mention? I think he realized there’s not a big difference.”

“There’s no shortage of game balls to go around, so why not let the whole team understand the contribution?” Shough said.

Moore receives help throughout the game, so that if the Saints manage to win, he’s ready to present them in the fast-paced turnaround of a postgame locker room. Mike Martinez, assistant to the head coach, and vice president of communications Doug Miller will keep track of stat lines and significant achievements that Moore may want to note after a win. And if there somehow aren’t enough game balls left over from the 24 the Saints bring to a contest, Baumgartner will have his staff dip into the bag of 45-50 practice balls.

Players also later receive a more formalized game ball, with the date of the game,

TACKLES Player

Demario Davis Alontae Taylor Peter Werner Jonas Sanker Kool-Aid McKinstry Justin Reid Danny Stutsman Nathan Shepherd Carl Granderson Chris Rumph II Cameron Jordan Davon Godchaux Bryan Bresee Chase Young Jordan Howden Quincy Riley Jonathan Bullard Isaac Yiadom

TACKLES

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk 137 79 79 78 73 71 50 47 47 45 38 43 37 32 28 27 25 24

63 55 49 45 56 37 22 23 30 24 29 14 15 19 17 23 12 18

74 24 30 33 17 34 28 24 17 21 14 29 22 13 11 4 13 6

6 6 4 3 3 2 0 4 8 3 13 2 5 9 1 0 4 1

0.5 2 2 0 0 0.5 0 3 4.5 2 9.5 0 2.5 8.5 0 0 0 0

INTERCEPTIONS Player

Tot Yards Avg

Kool-Aid McKinstry 3 Alontae Taylor 2 Jonas Sanker 2 Justin Reid 1 Quincy Riley 1

0 21 29 49 0

0.0 10.5 14.5 49.0 0.0

TD PD 0 0 0 1 0

10 7 6 4 8

Player

Tot Solo Ast TFL Sk

Kaden Elliss Jessie Bates III Xavier Watts A.J. Terrell Jr. Dee Alford Divine Deablo David Onyemata Mike Hughes Arnold Ebiketie Jalon Walker JD Bertrand Ronnie Harrison Jr. Brandon Dorlus Billy Bowman Jr. LaCale London Zach Harrison Ruke Orhorhoro James Pearce Jr. Sam Roberts Kentavius Street

98 88 84 57 56 55 54 51 36 33 32 27 26 26 22 22 22 22 18 17

56 51 51 40 48 30 27 40 17 22 12 19 14 15 15 9 11 14 6 8

42 37 33 17 8 25 27 11 19 11 20 8 12 11 7 13 11 8 12 9

10 7 0 1 5 5 7 2 5 4 1 2 10 1 6 5 3 8 1 2

3.5 2.5 0 0 2 1 1 0 2 5.5 0 2 7.5 1.5 4 4.5 2.5 8.5 1 1

INTERCEPTIONS Player

Tot Yards Avg

Xavier Watts Jessie Bates III Dee Alford Kaden Elliss Mike Hughes

3 2 2 1 1

0 20 0 16 6

0.0 10.0 0.0 16.0 6.0

TD PD 0 0 0 0 0

7 5 10 4 7

TEAM STATS OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 311.9

OFFENSE PER GAME Yards gained: 340.9

Plays: 60.4

Plays: 60.4

PASS 218.5

RUSH 93.4

PASS 34.8

AP PHOTO By JEFF HAyNES

Saints defensive end Cam Jordan, right, and cornerback Alontae Taylor celebrate after a sack against the New york Jets on Dec. 21 at the Caesars Superdome. their accomplishments and their name painted onto the ball. Taylor, for instance, plans to hang those up in his home office. He said he still keeps the actual postgame balls that he receives so he can train with them when away from the facility.

“I always had a hard time in past places where you say, ‘Who’s the player of the game?’ ” Moore said. “It’s like one player, and you’re like, ‘OK, I’ve got seven names I can give you right now.’ ” Added Baumgartner: “It’s not a big deal on our end.”

The approach may not be for everyone.

As much as Moore has borrowed from his past coaching stops to lead the Saints, the former offensive coordinator said his last team, the Philadelphia Eagles, handed out only one or two game balls per outing. The Dallas Cowboys didn’t do it at all. Even Moore’s father, his biggest influence, opted to put stickers on helmets for personal achievements when he coached the Prosser High School Mustangs — something that isn’t allowed in the NFL. On the Saints, former coaches Sean Payton, Dennis Allen and Darren Rizzi distributed game balls — but not to the same degree. The sudden change can be jarring.

“I’m not a big fan of participation trophies,” defensive end Cam Jordan deadpanned, later adding, “If that’s what it takes to win, I will accept 35 game balls all day.”

At 37, Moore grew up in an era when millennials were taunted for having so-called participation trophies. But Moore sees a key difference: The Saints are actually winning.

His players earned the victory, and Moore wants to make sure no meaningful contribution goes unnoticed.

“We don’t give out game balls if we lose,” he said.

But with each win, Moore will single out players for their contributions. Isaiah Stalbird received the first of his two game balls this season for “setting the tone” with notable specialteams tackles against the Panthers.

In the postgame locker room videos released by the team, there is one notable group, however, that hasn’t been rewarded with a game ball all year.

Pointed out that it was the offensive line, the coach gave a polite correction. The Saints save those game balls for the Wednesday meeting once the film review is completed.

“We acknowledge a few more,” Moore said.

“There’s definitely been a few more for them.”

Email Matthew Paras at matt.paras@theadvocate.com

RUSH 25.6

Turnovers: 1.38 INTERCEPTIONS 0.69

FUMBLES 0.69

PASS 21O.3

RUSH 130.6

PASS 32.1

RUSH 28.3

Turnovers: 1.07 INTERCEPTIONS 0.44

FUMBLES 0.63

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 305.5

DEFENSE PER GAME Yards allowed: 325.8

Turnovers forced: 1.19

Turnovers forced: 1.29

PASS 180.4

RUSH 125.1

INTERCEPTIONS 0.56

FUMBLES 0.63

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

22.8

18.1

SCORED ALLOWED

RUSH 127.4

INTERCEPTIONS 0.94

FUMBLES 0.35

SCORING PER GAME

SCORED ALLOWED

23.4

19.9

2025

PASS 198.4

24.0

20.9

2024

SCORED ALLOWED 24.9

22.9

2025

2024

CONVERSION SUCCESS

CONVERSION SUCCESS

Third down

Third down

Fourth down

59.9%

Fail

33.7%

35.5%

40.1%

66.3%

65.5%

Convert

Fail

Convert

Fail

Convert

Fourth down

51.8%

Fail

48.2%

Convert

STAFF PREDICTIONS JEFF DUNCAN

SAINTS 20, FALCONS 19: The Falcons are the more talented team, as they showed in their Week 12 win over the Saints in the Dome. But they’re also the more inconsistent team. And right now, the Saints are playing with purpose and confidence. It’s hard to go against the Tyler Shough show right now.

LUKE JOHNSON

FALCONS 20, SAINTS 18: I love everything about Tyler Shough and the way he’s elevated the team in the closing stretch of the season. But it’s asking quite a lot out of him to continue that this week without his top pass catcher. I still can see New Orleans winning this game, but I’m leaning toward Atlanta.

MATTHEW PARAS

SAINTS 20, FALCONS 17: The Saints are trotting out wide receivers who weren’t on the roster in Week 1. And yeah, the Falcons are coming off a huge win over the Los Angeles Rams.

But it would be a very Falcons-like move to lose in embarrassing fashion to end the season, and Tyler Shough can elevate those around him.

ROD WALKER

FALCONS 27, SAINTS 20: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. I picked the Saints to beat the Falcons the first time. As well as Tyler Shough is playing right now, I’m tempted to do it again. But I can’t. Especially after seeing what Bijan Robinson did Monday night against the Rams.

8C ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

WEEK 18

ON TV THIS WEEK SUNDAy Colts at Texans noon, CBS

SUNDAy Saints at Falcons noon, FOX

SUNDAy Chargers at Broncos 3:25 p.m., CBS

SUNDAy Lions at Bears 3:25 p.m., frox

SUNDAy Ravens at Steelers 7:20 p.m., NBC

STANDINGS, SCORES & SCHEDULE AFC East

W L y-New England 13 3 x-Buffalo 11 5 e-Miami 7 9 e-N.Y. Jets 3 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .813 .688 .438 .188

PF 452 446 337 292

PA Home Away 310 5-3-0 8-0-0 357 6-2-0 5-3-0 386 5-4-0 2-5-0 468 2-7-0 1-6-0

AFC 8-3-0 8-3-0 3-8-0 2-9-0

NFC Div 5-0-0 4-1-0 3-2-0 3-2-0 4-1-0 3-2-0 1-4-0 0-5-0

W L x-Jacksonville 12 4 x-Houston 11 5 e-Indianapolis 8 8 e-Tennessee 3 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .750 .688 .500 .188

PF 433 366 436 277

PA Home Away 329 6-2-0 6-2-0 265 6-2-0 5-3-0 374 6-3-0 2-5-0 437 1-8-0 2-5-0

AFC 9-2-0 9-2-0 6-5-0 2-9-0

NFC Div 3-2-0 4-1-0 2-3-0 4-1-0 2-3-0 2-3-0 1-4-0 0-5-0

W L 9 7 8 8 6 10 4 12

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .563 .500 .375 .250

PF 371 400 396 259

PA Home Away 363 5-3-0 4-4-0 372 3-6-0 5-2-0 472 3-5-0 3-5-0 361 3-6-0 1-6-0

AFC NFC Div 7-4-0 2-3-0 3-2-0 5-6-0 3-2-0 3-2-0 5-6-0 1-4-0 3-2-0 3-8-0

W L y-Denver 13 3 x-L.A. Chargers11 5 e-Kansas City 6 10 e-Las Vegas 2 14

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .813 .688 .375 .125

PF 382 365 350 227

PA Home Away 308 7-1-0 6-2-0 321 6-3-0 5-2-0 314 5-4-0 1-6-0 420 1-7-0 1-7-0

AFC 8-3-0 8-3-0 3-8-0 2-9-0

W L y-Philadelphia 11 5 e-Dallas 7 8 e-Washington 4 12 e-N.Y. Giants 3 13

T 0 1 0 0

Pct .688 .469 .250 .188

PF 362 454 332 347

PA Home Away 301 5-2-0 6-3-0 477 4-3-1 3-5-0 434 2-6-0 2-6-0 422 2-5-0 1-8-0

AFC NFC Div 3-2-0 8-3-0 3-2-0 3-2-0 4-6-1 4-1-0 2-3-0 2-9-0 2-3-0 2-3-0 1-10-0 1-4-0

Tampa Bay Carolina e-Atlanta e-New Orleans

W L 8 9 8 9 7 9 6 10

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .471 .471 .438 .375

PF 380 311 334 289

PA Home Away 411 4-4-0 4-5-0 380 5-3-0 3-6-0 384 3-4-0 4-5-0 364 3-5-0 3-5-0

AFC 2-3-0 2-3-0 1-4-0 2-3-0

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 Home Away 396 6-1-0 5-4-0 344 5-3-0 4-3-1 330 3-4-0 5-4-0 397 5-3-0 3-5-0

AFC NFC Div 4-1-0 7-4-0 2-3-0 2-3-0 7-3-1 4-1-0 2-3-0 6-5-0 3-2-0 3-2-0

W L *-Seattle 14 3 x-San Francisco12 5 x-L.A. Rams 11 5 e-Arizona 3 13

T 0 0 0 0

Pct .824 .706 .688 .188

PF 483 437 481 335

PA Home Away 292 6-2-0 8-1-0 371 5-3-0 7-2-0 326 6-1-0 5-4-0 451 1-7-0 2-6-0

AFC 5-0-0 3-2-0 5-0-0 0-5-0

South

North

Pittsburgh Baltimore e-Cincinnati e-Cleveland West

NFC East

South

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ERIN HOOLEy

Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett sacks Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams in the second half on Dec. 14 in Chicago. Garrett needs one sack Sunday to set a new NFL record.

5

TOP TOPICS FOR WEEK 18

Garrett tries to sack Burrow

The Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals look to end the season on a winning note when they meet for the second time. Cleveland surpassed its win total from last season with last week’s 13-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati has won its past two, including a 37-14 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. Browns All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett has 22 sacks and needs one to set the single-season record. He has sacked Bengals QB Joe Burrow 11 times in nine games. Burrow has completed 49 of 63 passes for 614 yards with six touchdowns and no interceptions in the past two games.

1

Bears QB aims for franchise first

While Caleb Williams tries to become Chicago’s first 4,000-yard passer, the Bears hope to secure the No. 2 seed in the NFC when they host the Detroit Lions in the regular-season finale. With 3,730 yards, Williams needs 109 to surpass Erik Kramer’s 3,838 in 1995. Chicago is the only team in the NFL not to have a 4,000-yard passer. Detroit, which came into the season as a Super Bowl favorite, could go from capturing the No. 1 seed in the NFC last season to finishing last in the NFC North. The Lions are tied with Minnesota in the division, with the Vikings winning both meetings.

2

Broncos shoot for No. 1 seed

The Denver Broncos can clinch their first No. 1 playoff seed in a decade Sunday when they face the Los Angeles Chargers’ bevy of backups. Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh is resting several starters, including quarterback Justin Herbert. Trey Lance will start at quarterback for the Chargers.

Denver already has clinched a playoff spot and can earn a firstround bye with a win. Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is close to tying an NFL record for wins in his first two seasons.

3

Texans set sights on AFC South The Houston Texans have secured a playoff berth

Jags attempting 8th win in row

4

5

but need a win over Indianapolis on Sunday and a loss by Jacksonville to the Tennessee Titans to win the AFC South title for a third straight season.

The Texans have won eight straight games to become the fifth team since 1990 to make the postseason after opening a season 0-3. The Colts were eliminated from playoff contention last week. Rookie QB Riley Leonard is expected to make his first NFL start Sunday after coach Shane Steichen announced Wednesday that Philip Rivers would not play. The Colts have lost six in a row.

The Jacksonville Jaguars can clinch the AFC South and reach 13 wins for the second time in franchise history when they host Tennessee in the regularseason finale. Jacksonville has won seven in a row while outscoring opponents by 119 points over that stretch. Quarterback Trevor Lawrence is playing some of the best football of his career during the winning streak. He needs 80 yards passing to pass Blake Bortles (17,646) for second in franchise history. Tennessee QB Cam Ward is looking to close his rookie season with at least two touchdown passes in five consecutive games. He also hasn’t been intercepted in three games.

GAME OF THE WEEK

Ravens, Steelers meet for AFC North

BY WILL GRAVES AP sportswriter

PITTSBURGH — Mike Tomlin and John Harbaugh have spent nearly two decades staring across the sideline from each other.

At some point, there’s going to be a last time.

There’s a sense that the 40th meeting between them might be it.

On the surface, Sunday night’s showdown between the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7) and Baltimore Ravens (8-8) is for the AFC North title, fitting for two rivals that have played ping-pong with the division crown over a span of nearly two decades.

Yet the outcome might have significant ripple effects for a pair of clubs that haven’t consistently looked like playoff-wor-

thy teams over the last four months.

“I think both teams have their warts,” longtime Steelers defensive tackle Cam Heyward said. “But both teams have a chance to play their best ball late.

And I would like to be the victor in that.”

Tomlin’s 19th season in Pittsburgh has been uneven. A month ago, fans at Acrisure Stadium were calling for his job.

In fitting Tomlin style, the Steelers responded by ripping off three straight victories — starting with a win at Baltimore on the first Sunday of December.

And in fitting Tomlin style, Pittsburgh let a chance to wrap up the division slip away during a three-hour pratfall in the muck at Cleveland last weekend.

The Ravens appeared buried after an injury-

plagued 1-5 start. They got it together enough to briefly join the Steelers atop the division, only to stumble yet again before an emphatic victory at Green Bay last weekend.

Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson plans to play after missing that game with a back injury, though it’s fair to start wondering where the marriage between the two-time MVP and the only head coach he’s ever known might be heading should Baltimore miss the playoffs.

Harbaugh, wrapping up his 18th season with the Ravens, understands the conversation even if he wants no part of it.

“All that stuff makes it all kind of interesting and kind of fun and real,” he said. “It’s sports, and that’s how sports are. And I think that’s part of the

intrigue of it all, so I feel really honored to be a part of that.”

Pittsburgh hasn’t won the division since 2020 and hasn’t advanced in the playoffs since 2016. The Steelers have stressed repeatedly over the last 11 1/2 months the need to put an end to their six-game postseason losing streak.

The notoriously tunnelvisioned Tomlin, whose future beyond the end of this season has become the topic of what to this point remains idle speculation, declined to zoom out on what the fallout might be should the Ravens walk off the field as AFC North champions.

“The winner goes on,” Tomlin said simply.

And the loser will start an offseason that threatens to be more eventful than usual.

North

West

NFC Div 5-0-0 4-1-0 3-2-0 5-0-0 3-2-0 1-4-0 0-5-0 0-5-0

NFC Div 6-6-0 3-3-0 6-6-0 3-3-0 6-5-0 2-3-0 4-7-0 3-2-0

NFC Div 9-3-0 4-2-0 9-3-0 4-2-0 6-5-0 3-2-0 3-8-0 0-5-0

WEEK 18 Saturday’s Games

Tennessee at Jacksonville, noon Arizona at L.A. Rams, 3:25 p.m.

Detroit at Chicago, 3:25 p.m.

Kansas City at Las Vegas, 3:25 p.m.

L.A. Chargers at Denver, 3:25 p.m.

Miami at New England, 3:25 p.m.

N.Y. Jets at Buffalo, 3:25 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 3:25 p.m.

Baltimore at Pittsburgh, 7:20 p.m.

Tampa Bay 16, Carolina 14 Seattle 13, San Francisco 3

Sunday’s games

Cleveland at Cincinnati, noon Dallas at N.Y. Giants, noon Green Bay at Minnesota, noon Indianapolis at Houston, noon New Orleans at Atlanta, noon

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CHRIS O’MEARA

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield throws a pass during the first half of a game against the Carolina Panthers on Saturday in Tampa, Fla.

Bucs remain alive by beating Panthers

BY ROB MAADDI

AP pro football writer TAMPA, Fla. — The winner of the NFC South will have a losing record and be crowned at home watching on TV. Baker Mayfield threw a touchdown pass to Cade Otton, Chase McLaughlin kicked three field goals and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers avoided elimination with a sloppy 1614 victory over the Carolina Panthers on a rain-soaked Saturday.

The Buccaneers (8-9) need New Orleans (6-10) to beat or tie Atlanta (7-9) on Sunday to clinch a fifth straight NFC South title.

If the Falcons win, the Panthers (8-9) will secure their first division championship since coach Ron Rivera and quarterback Cam Newton led them to a 15-1 record and a Super Bowl appearance 10 years ago.

The Buccaneers hold a twoteam tiebreaker over the Panthers, but Carolina holds the

three-team tiebreaker over Tampa Bay if Atlanta also finishes 8-9.

The Buccaneers were 0-8 in games where Mayfield threw an interception before overcoming his ninth pick in the last eight games.

After McLaughlin’s 38-yard field-goal try was blocked with just over five minutes remaining, Carolina got within 16-14 on Bryce Young’s 8-yard TD pass to Jalen Coker with 2:27 left.

Mayfield tossed a short pass to Otton for a 20-yard gain on third and 4 to extend Tampa Bay’s drive and run off more time. The Panthers got the ball back at their 3 with 18 seconds left and no timeouts. The game ended on a desperate series of laterals that resulted in a fumble.

Mayfield connected with Otton on an 18-yard TD pass for a 7-0 lead as the Bucs scored a touchdown on their opening drive for the third straight game. It was Otton’s first TD of the season.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 9C

lll

OUTDOORS

NBA

Losing streak proves Jones’ value for Pels

Ryan Lambert has kept his black Lab, Kinley, busy this waterfowl season, but only when there’s enough water in the marshes off the Mississippi River near his Buras guide’s operation. Lambert is asking the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission to take into consideration the periods of low ‘negative’ tides that affect down-river duck hunters during January when the commission hears the proposed 202627 hunting seasons during Tuesday’s commission meeting in Baton Rouge.

FILE PHOTO

By GARy KROUSE

Hunting seasons on agenda

Discussion likely to center around three-segment season for West Zone hunters

BY JOE MACALUSO

NOTEBOOK

Contributing writer

Hunters, especially waterfowl hunters, and coastal fishermen will be governed by the moves offered on Tuesday’s agenda set for January’s Wildlife and Fisheries Commission meeting.

Yes, it’s Tuesday — a move from the usual Thursday meeting days — and Department of Wildlife and Fisheries’ Wildlife Division managers will present proposed dates for the 2026-27 hunting seasons.

Another agenda item seeks to change how species like speckled trout and redfish can be moved on the water by fishermen.

Current regulations ban fishermen from having filleted speckled trout and redfish on their boats. The ban affects anglers with camps accessible only by water. The proposed regulation will establish new length limits for filleted fish. This move comes after the state Legislature voted in Act 36 of the 2024 legislative session.

It’s likely the seasons on deer, squirrels, rabbits, quail and doves will remain the same with only calendar date alterations.

And, there’s the federally mandated Dec. 18-Jan. 31 woodcock season.

It’s the waterfowl seasons that have been the most contentious issue during the past two years, notably the move of the West Zone seasons as close to the end of January as possible. By federal mandate, Louisiana’s duck season must end Jan. 31.

Up in the air, too, is the length of the special September teal season.

This year, the discussion is likely to center around a possible three-segment season for West Zone hunters.

The issue could help hunters who take to the coastal marshes in January, a period when north winds and the usual extra-low tides make it impossible to get to what usually are prime duck-hunting spots in the marshes.

Ryan Lambert, who runs a guide service from Buras, said this week’s low tidal ranges have put a crimp into trips.

“We haven’t been able to hunt all week (last week),” Lambert said. “The negative

tides mean there is very low or no water in lots of places.

“We’ve had a good season. We’ve had good hunts for teal, but when the negative tides happen the big ducks stay offshore and won’t come in until the tides rise. While the season dates are good for northern hunters, the tide ranges mean we have limited hunting days — sometimes as many as 19 days in January — and hopefully we can get dates (for the 2026-2027 season) that will help us.”

What’s happened, Lambert said, is that his parties will fish in the morning then hunt ducks in the afternoons on incoming tides.

“The water is just too low to hunt in the morning,” he said.

The meeting is set to convene at 9:30 a.m. at state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge.

Also on the agenda is a report on the new electrofishing study conducted in the coastal areas, and the election of the chairman and vice-chairman for 2026.

The meeting will be available via Zoom.

One note about the Buras-Venice area for anglers. Several species of fish are showing up in down-river catches these days.

Largemouth and spotted bass, striped bass, speckled trout, redfish, sheepshead, drum and catfish are taking a variety of artificial lures and live/fresh bait in the Mississippi River and adjacent waters.

Fog was a problem during Christmas week, and like Lambert said, anglers must pay attention when running in low-water locations. And, cold fronts and associated winds can rough up the big river, so be careful if you have to run across or down the river a day or two after a front passes through south Louisiana.

Water Grouper Management Measures.”

In this instance, shallow-water groupers includes yellowmouth, yellowfin and black groupers and scamp.

One of the public hearing is scheduled for 6 p.m. Jan. 13 at the Wildlife and Fisheries office, 200 Dulles Drive in Lafayette.

The others are Thursday at the Recreation Civic Center in Madeira Beach, Florida, and Jan. 12 at the Hilton Island in Galveston, Texas. The virtual hearing is set for 5 p.m. Jan. 21. Details can be found on the council’s website: gulfcouncil.org.

Recent studies have found these four species cannot be managed together. Stock assessments and federal biologists have determined scamp and yellowmouth grouper stocks are decreasing and reduced seasons and limits likely will be required. Yellowfin and black grouper stocks are stable.

Morganza to the Gulf

The Corps of Engineers has set public meetings for Thursday and Jan. 15 to provide information and take public comment on the Draft Supplemental Environmental Impact Statement on the Morganza to the Gulf, Louisiana Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction Project. The EIS was released in early December.

Thursday’s meetings are set to run from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. in the Dularge Gym, 1330 Dr. Beatrous Rd. in Theriot.

The Jan. 15 meetings will be held from 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. inside the Barry P. Bonvillain Civic Center, 346 Civic Center Blvd. in Houma.

The Corps’ New Orleans District indicated the Risk Reduction Project files can be reviewed on its website through Jan. 23 — vn.usace.army.mil/About/Projects/ Morganza-to-the-Gulf/Documents/ — and that public comments will be taken at the meetings or via email: mvnenvironmental@usace.army.mil Shallow groupers Written comments can be mailed to: This week begins a series of three pub- U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Regional lic meeting followed by a single webinar Planning and Environment Division, South meeting by the Gulf Council “to gather New Orleans Environmental Branch, public comments on Draft Reef Fish CEMVN PDS, 7400 Leake Ave., New OrAmendment 58A: Modifications to Shallow- leans, LA 70118.

CALENDAR TUESDAY

LA. WILDLIFE & FISHERIES COMMISSION MEETING: 9:30 a.m., Joe Herring Room, state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, Quail Drive, Baton Rouge. Also: Feb. 5, March 4, April 1, May 7, June 4, July 9, Aug. 6, Sept. 3, Oct. 1, Nov. 5, Dec. 3.

WEDNESDAY

LA. OYSTER TASK FORCE MEETING: 10 a.m., Lakefront Airport, 6001 Stars and Stripes Blvd., New Orleans.

THURSDAY

JUNIOR SOUTHWEST BASSMASTERS MEETING: 7 p.m., Seminar Room, Bass Pro Shops, Denham Springs. Boys & girls age-group bass tournaments for ages 7-10, 11-14 & 15-18 anglers. Also: Feb. 4, March 12, April 9, May 14, June 10, July 9, Aug. 13, Sept. 10, Oct. 8, Nov. 5, Dec. 10 (awards banquet). Special events: June 20-21, Lake Concordia & Oct. 1718, Toledo Bend. Call Jim Breaux (225) 772-3026.

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

NSCA SPORTING CLAYS EVENTS: Cool Clays, Wilderness Club, Lafayette. Also same venue Feb. 13-14, March 6-7, May 29-30, June

19-20, July 3-4, Aug. 21-22, Oct. 2-3, Nov. 20-21 & Dec. 12-13.

HUNTING SEASONS

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Jan. 4, State Deer Areas 1, 3, 4, 7 & 8, with/without dogs.

DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Jan. 5-11, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Jan. 5-18, State Deer Areas 1 & 4, stillhunt only.

RAILS/GALLINULES: Through Jan. 7, statewide.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Jan. 11, State Deer Area 2, with/without dogs.

DOVES: South Zone, through Jan. 11; North Zone, through Jan. 18;.

DEER/PRIMITIVE FIREARMS: Jan. 12-18, State Deer Area 2.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 15, State Deer Areas 3, 7, 8 & 10.

Either-sex take allowed.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Jan. 18, State Deer Areas 5 & 9, with/without dogs, bucks only.

DEER/MODERN FIREARMS: Through Jan. 18, State Deer Areas 6, with/without dogs.

DUCKS/WEST ZONE: Through Jan. 25, includes coots & mergansers.

DUCKS/EAST ZONE: Through Jan. 31, includes coots & mergansers.

DEER/ARCHERY: Through Jan. 31, State Deer Areas 1, 2 & 4. Eithersex take allowed.

WOODCOCK: Through Jan. 31, statewide.

GEESE/WEST ZONE: Through Feb. 1. Includes Canada, blue, snow & Ross’ & specklebellies.

Take of Canada geese prohibited in portions of Cameron & Vermilion parishes.

GEESE/EAST ZONE: Through Feb. 7. Includes Canada, blue, snow & Ross’ & specklebellies DEER/ARCHERY: Through Feb. 15, State Deer Areas 5, 6 & 9, eithersex take allowed.

QUAIL, RABBITS & SQUIRRELS: Through Feb. 28, statewide, private lands only.

SNIPE: Through Feb. 28, statewide.

LOTTERY HUNT

YOUTH RABBIT HUNT: Jan. 30 application deadline for five youth hunters (ages 10-17) on Dewey Wills WMA Feb. 21. Youths must have hunter safety certification, have 20-gauge or .410 shotgun & wear Hunter Orange. Other rules & details, email Cliff Dailey (WMA supervisor): adailey@wlf.la.gov

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Outside waters open statewide; fall inshore season closed in Zones 2 & 3 & portions of Zone 1.

OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Flounder; lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers & wenchmen among other snapper species; all groupers except closed for goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters.

CLOSED SEASONS: Red snapper; greater amberjack; gray triggerfish; bluefin tuna; gag, goliath & Nassau groupers in state/federal waters. Commercial greater amberjack season closed.

LDWF UPDATES

CLOSED: Hope Canal Road/boat launch (Maurepas Swamp WMA, levee construction).

ROAD CLOSURE: Section of La. 975 through Sherburne WMA closed through June 12, 2026 (replace bridge) access from U.S. 190 and I-10 open.

DRAWDOWNS: Underway on Henderson Lake, Lake Bistineau, Saline, Kepler, Iatt, Black & Clear lakes, Clear-Smithport Lake & Lake Martin.

EMAIL: jmacaluso@theadvocate.com

Once upon a time — well, actually just two weeks ago — the New Orleans Pelicans seemed to have figured some things out.

The Pelicans were riding high on a fivegame winning streak. It was the first time they had won five games in a row since the 2022-23 season. Everything seemed to be clicking, which shouldn’t have been much of a surprise with Herb Jones in the lineup.

In the third game of that winning streak, Jones’ stellar play on defense helped dig the Pelicans out of a 25-point hole to beat the Houston Rockets.

Rod It was the Pels’ best win of the season. Jones frustrated Walker one of the greatest shooters of all time (Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant) that night. ä Pelicans Things were trending in the at Heat. right direction.

5 P.M. SUNDAy, Zion Williamson was emWAFB bracing his new role coming off of the bench.

Role players were doing their part.

Shots were falling.

Fans were starting to believe that maybe things were turning around. Perhaps the Pelicans had found the identity that executive vice president of basketball operations Joe Dumars was looking for.

But after Jones sprained his ankle, the Pelicans flipped back to their old ways and have lost six straight games. They’ll try to end their slide Sunday at the Miami Heat.

What will it take to get things turned around?

“Pride,” guard Jose Alvarado said. “We know we are capable of winning. We’ve just got to do the right things. Not talk about it.

Be about it. We are trying to figure it out.”

Based on how things have gone during the six-game losing streak, there is plenty to figure out. The Pelicans (8-28) have lost in every way possible during this recent funk.

Let’s take a look back.

■ Lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 141-118 on Dec. 23.

The 141 points were the second-most points the Pels have given up all season and the most in regulation.

“From start to finish, a poor defensive effort,” Pelicans interim coach James Borrego said after the game.

■ Lost to Phoenix 115-108 on Dec. 26.

This time it was free throws that did the Pelicans in. The Pelicans made just 25 of 42 free throws (59.5%). They missed 17 free throws that night, which will lose almost every time on any level of basketball.

■ Lost to the Suns 123-114 on Dec. 27 The Suns dominated on the offensive boards, grabbing 22 rebounds on that end. It led to 30 second-chance points. Wins don’t come when you get beat on the boards like that.

■ Lost to the New York Knicks 130-125 on Monday.

This was your reminder that the Pelicans aren’t good at finishing games. The Knicks made plays and the Pels didn’t down the stretch. The night ended with Jordan Poole, trying to draw a foul, heaving a shot that had no chance.

■ Lost to the Chicago Bulls 134-118 on Wednesday.

This was your reminder that the Pelicans always will lose a game they have no business losing. The Bulls were without their top two scorers (Josh Giddey and Coby White).

It didn’t matter. The Pelicans gave up the fifth-most points they’ve allowed all season.

■ Lost to the Portland Trail Blazers 122109 on Friday.

It was the first game of the new year and also a reminder of years past. Something Pelicans fans are all too familiar with (the injury bug) started biting. Three starters (Trey Murphy, Saddiq Bey and Derik Queen) watched in street clothes. It was too much to overcome.

If there is a way to lose, the Pelicans have found it.

The most recent losing streak didn’t start until Jones suffered that ankle sprain. That’s often the case. The Pelicans struggle when Jones doesn’t play.

Don’t believe me? Check this stat out: Since Borrego took over as interim coach after Willie Green was fired, the Pelicans have played 24 games. The Pelicans are 5-5 in games that Jones played. They are 1-13 when he doesn’t play. The Pelicans have allowed 127.5 points per game during the losing streak.

“One guy left the lineup, Herb Jones,” Borrego said. “He’s incredible. But that doesn’t excuse our defense.

“If we’ve got to get Herb back to hold people under 130, that’s unacceptable.“ This six-game losing streak is one of many lengthy ones this season. The Pels lost their first six games of the season. They also have losing streaks of nine and seven.

“We’ve been in this place before,” Borrego said. “We found our way out of it. You’ve just got to keep plugging away. Keep chopping. Keep working. The No. 1 thing is stay together. Keep our heads up. Keep spirits up and keep fighting.

“This group has not dropped the sword. We can’t drop the sword. We’ve got to keep fighting and keep believing.”

For now, they have to do it without their best defensive player.

Borrego gave an update Saturday on Jones’ progress.

“We’re moving, we’re getting there,” Borrego said. “I miss him.”

The Pelicans have a losing streak to prove just how much they miss Jones.

10C ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

Dunham QB Haven wins Mr. Football award MR. FOOTBALL WINNERS

BY JACKSON REYES Staff writer

Dunham quarterback Elijah Haven entered the 2025 season with his eyes set on winning a Division III select state championship.

The Tigers fell short in the state title game in 2024 but entered this year with the goal of finishing the job. The junior played a key role, guiding the Tigers to a 13-1 record and their first championship since 2004.

Haven put up massive numbers and shattered state records along the way. He set single-season state records for passing touchdowns (62) and total touchdowns (73). He also eclipsed the state record for career total touchdowns (180).

For his accomplishments, Haven is the recipient of the 2025 Mr. Football award, selected by a panel of sportswriters from across the state Haven joins Derek Stingley, the current Houston Texans corner-

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

Dunham QB Elijah Haven evades a tackle during the Division III select state championship game on Dec. 11 at the Caesars Superdome. back, as Mr. Football winners from Dunham. Stingley won the award in 2018.

The 6-foot-5, 215-pounder, who is regarded as the nation’s top

quarterback in the Class of 2027, finished 240-of-331 passing (72.5%) for 3,929 yards and 62 touchdowns and only seven interceptions.

He also ran for 847 yards and 11

game. Haven diced up the Cavaliers, throwing for 271 yards, three 2025: Elijah Haven, Dunham touchdowns and one interception 2024: Xavier Ford, Leesville 2023: Ju’Juan Johnson, Lafayette Christian on 21-of-29 passing. He ran for 136 2022: Tackett Curtis, Many yards and two touchdowns on 27 2021: Landry Lyddy, Calvary Baptist 2020: Sage Ryan, Lafayette Christian rushes.

2019: Christian Westcott, Lakeshore A key aspect of Haven’s game is 2018: Derek Stingley, Dunham 2017: Anthony “Pooka” Williams, Hahnville his unselfishness.

2016: Keytaon Thompson, Landry-Walker Dunham football coach Neil 2015: Lindsey Scott, Zachary 2014: Deshawn Capers-Smith, Warren Weiner pointed to the numerous Easton times his quarterback looked to 2013: Leonard Fournette, St. Augustine 2012: John Diarse, Neville spread the ball around if one of his 2011: Landon Collins, Dutchtown receivers wasn’t heavily involved 2010: Anthony Johnson, O. Perry Walker 2009: Gavin Webster, Lutcher in a game.

2008: Blake Matherne, Belle Chasse “I don’t think it’s even something 2007: Randall Mackey, Bastrop 2006: Joe McKnight, John Curtis that he has to intentionally think 2005: Charles Scott, Jonesboro-Hodge about,” Weiner said. “I think it’s 2004: Ryan Perrilloux, East St. John 2003: Chris Markey, Jesuit just who he is.”

2002: Robert Lane, Neville 2001: Jason Miller, Iota Against Lafayette Christian in 2000: Byron Robertson, St. Thomas Aquinas the Division III select semifinal, 1999: Brock Berlin, Evangel 1998: Bradie James, West Monroe Haven guided his team down the 1997: Adam McConathy, West Monroe field for a late touchdown and 1996: Travis Minor, Baton Rouge-Catholic 1995: Cecil Collins, Leesville two-point conversion for a 49-48 victory. He threw for 357 yards on 18-of-27 passing with six touchtouchdowns on 127 carries.

Haven’s record-setting season downs in the game. He also ran for culminated in a 34-17 win over 61 yards and a touchdown on 12 Calvary in the Division III title carries.

SCOREBOARD High school basketball Central 62, Destrehan 43 Central 10 13 14 25 — 62 Destrehan 6 6 13 18 — 43 Scoring: CENTRAL: Jalen Thomas 15, Jace Conrad 12, Gavin Douglas 10, Eli Curtrer 8, Sam Giles 7, Luke Comeaux 6, Keith Womack 2, Laken Jones 2, Avery Estess 1. DESTREHAN: S. Williams 13, K. Brown 12, T. Walker 12, B. Broullitte 3, C. Florent 2, I. Megee 1.

3-Point Goals: Central 8 (Douglass 2, Cutrer 2, Comeaux 2, Conrad, Giles); Destrehan 4 (Williams 2, Brown, Broulitte).

Records: Central 12-1; Destrehan 9-6 Junior Varsity: Destrehan 36, Central 14

Dunham 63, Woodlawn 56

Dunham 17 12 18 16 — 63 Woodlawn 14 16 10 16 — 56 Scoring: DUNHAM: Haven 20, Olivier 13, Washington 12, Blanton 10, Myers 9. WOODLAWN: Brandon 14, Jarrell 13, Brown 12, Lafayette 9, Clark 8.

3-Point Goals: Dunham 6 (Blanton 2, Myers 2, Olivier 2). Woodlawn 7 (Brown 2, Brandon 2, Clark 2, Jarrel) Records: Dunham 6-0; Woodlawn 10-5

Odds Sports Betting Line NFL Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN at ATLANTA 5½ at CINC 8½ at HOUSTON 4½ at JAX 4½ at MIN 1½ Dallas 1½ at PHILA 4½ at LA RAMS 4½ at NEW ENG 2½ at CHICAGO 1½ at BUFFALO 9½ at DENVER 2½ Kansas City 6 Baltimore 3

College Football

Fiesta Bowl FAVORITE OPEN Miami (FL) 3

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3½ (52) Ole Miss

Peach Bowl FAVORITE OPEN Indiana 4

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 4½ (46½) Oregon

Sunday FAVORITE at CLEVELAND at ORLANDO Denver Minnesota at MIAMI Oklahoma City Milwaukee at LA LAKERS

NHL

LINE 4½ 7 3½ 10½ 6½ 8½ 6 6½

O/U UNDERDOG (235½) Detroit (226½) Indiana (219½) at BRKLYN (234½) at WASH (240½) N.O. (226½) at PHX (228½) at SAC (239½) Memphis

Sunday

FAVORITE LINE UNDERDOG at DALLAS -221 Montreal at COLUMBUS -133 Pittsburgh Colorado -118 at FLORIDA Carolina -120 at NEW JERSEY Vegas -271 at CHICAGO

LINE +181 +111 -101 +100 +220

Pro basketball NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Atlantic Division New York Boston

W 23 21

15 14 22

.571 .563 .313

3½ 4 12

Miami Orlando Atlanta Charlotte Washington

W 19 19 17 11 9

L 15 16 19 23 24

Pct .559 .543 .472 .324 .273

GB — ½ 3 8 9½

Detroit Cleveland Chicago Milwaukee Indiana

W 25 20 17 15 6

L 9 16 17 20 29

Pct .735 .556 .500 .429 .171

GB — 6 8 10½ 19½

L 9 10 19 23 28

Pct .735 .677 .441 .343 .222

GB — 2½ 10 13½ 18

Pct .857 .676 .618 .429 .364

GB — 6½ 8½ 15 17

Pct .656 .588 .514 .364 .229

GB — 2 4½ 9½ 14½

Southeast Division

Central Division

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Southwest Division W 25 21 15 12 8

San Antonio Houston Memphis Dallas New Orleans

Northwest Division

W 30 23 21 15 12

Oklahoma City Denver Minnesota Portland Utah L.A. Lakers Phoenix Golden State L.A. Clippers Sacramento

Friday’s Games

W 21 20 18 12 8

L 5 11 13 20 21 L 11 14 17 21 27

Washington 119, Brooklyn 99 San Antonio 123, Indiana 113 Cleveland 113, Denver 108 Atlanta 111, New York 99 Chicago 121, Orlando 114 Portland 122, New Orleans 109 Milwaukee 122, Charlotte 121 Phoenix 129, Sacramento 102 Oklahoma City 131, Golden State 94 L.A. Lakers 128, Memphis 121

L 11 12

Pct .676 .636

GB — 1½

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Men’s state scores, schedule Wednesday’s games

Tulane 79, East Carolina 70 South Alabama 63, UL 58 Texas A&M-Corpus Christi 83, UNO 69 Stephen F. Austin 74, Northwestern State 64 Nicholls 71, Texas-Rio Grande Valley 69

UL-Monroe 61, South Alabama 44 Southern 70, Prairie View 55 Troy 80, UL 54 Texas Southern 61, Grambling 58 Kentucky 80, LSU 78

Friday’s game

Arkansas State 89, UL-Monroe 71 McNeese 65, Lamar 57 Northwestern State 50, Nicholls 46 Stephen F. Austin 87, Southeastern 72.

Grambling 85, Prairie View 60 Tulane 70, Wichita State 60 Southern 64, Texas Southern 45 East Texas A&M 72, UNO 63 South Alabama 81, UL 56

SOUTHERN 84, TEXAS SOUTHERN 73

LSU

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Thursday’s games

McNeese 82, Lamar 70 Middle Tennessee 88, Louisiana Tech 51

LSU at Vanderbilt, 4 p.m.

Men’s national scores TEXAS A&M 75, LSU 72

Camara 33:44 4-11 2-3 1-6 4 3 14 K.Murray26:00 1-7 4-5 2-4 3 3 6 Clingan 29:31 5-10 1-2 9-15 1 2 11 Avdija 38:24 10-19 11-14 3-7 11 4 34 Sharpe 30:58 9-18 4-4 2-5 1 1 23 Love 27:33 7-13 2-2 0-2 2 2 22 Cissoko 19:30 2-7 0-0 0-0 3 0 5 Williams III18:29 2-3 0-0 2-6 1 2 4 Rupert 14:16 1-3 0-0 0-1 1 0 3 Hansen 1:35 0-1 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 Totals 240 41-92 24-3019-46 27 17 122 Percentages: FG .446, FT .800.

3-Point Goals: 16-47, .340 (Love 6-11, Camara 4-11, Avdija 3-5, Rupert 1-3, Cissoko 1-4, Sharpe 1-6, Hansen 0-1, Clingan 0-3, K.Murray 0-3).

Team Rebounds: 11. Team Turnovers: None.

Stephen F. Austin 76, Northwestern State 71 Nicholls State 66, UTRGV 56

Sunday’s game

Florida Atlantic at Tulane, noon Louisiana Tech at Western Kentucky, 2 p.m.

FT Reb

Wednesday’s games

Southern Miss 87, UL-Monroe 73

Sunday’s games

Late Friday Portland 122, New Orleans 109

Women’s state scores, schedule

Saturday’s games

Southern Miss 74, UL 67 Texas State 84, UL-Monroe 79 Texas A&M 75, LSU 72 Nicholls 80, East Texas A&M 58 Stephen F. Austin 73, Southeastern 63 Northwestern State 74, UNO 68 Grambling 76, Prairie View A&M 72 Southern 84, Texas Southern 73

Detroit at Cleveland, 1 p.m.

Indiana at Orlando, 2 p.m.

Denver at Brooklyn, 2:30 p.m.

Minnesota at Washington, 5 p.m.

New Orleans at Miami, 5 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Phoenix, 7 p.m.

Milwaukee at Sacramento, 8 p.m.

Memphis at L.A. Lakers, 8:30 p.m.

Lane 25 2-7 0-0 2-5 1 1 4 Isaacs 23 4-9 2-3 1-2 4 1 11 Dibba 16 5-7 0-0 2-3 1 0 12 Clemence 12 1-5 0-0 2-2 2 3 2 Holloway 9 0-0 0-0 0-3 0 1 0 Federiko 6 1-1 0-0 0-1 0 0 2 Vinson 5 1-1 0-0 0-0 0 1 2 Totals 200 26-62 15-2114-37 13 15 75 Percentages: FG .419, FT .714.

3-Point Goals: 8-28, .286 (Dominguez 4-9, Dibba 2-2, Griffen 1-4, Isaacs 1-4, Clemence 0-1, Hill 0-1, Agee 0-3, Lane 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 1. Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 2 (Vinson 2).

Turnovers: 15 (Agee 5, Lane 4, Holloway 3, Griffen 2, Vinson).

Steals: 8 (Griffen 3, Hill 2, Clemence, Dibba, Isaacs).

Technical Fouls: None.

LSU 34 38 — 72 Texas A&M 37 38 — 75 A_7,570 (12,989).

Sam Houston 67, Louisiana Tech 64

College basketball

Saturday’s games

Sunday’s Games

POR

NOLA

McGwns 24:23 4-9 3-4 1-4 0 2 13 Willmsn 30:42 15-26 5-8 3-8 2 1 35 Missi 20:57 2-4 1-1 1-3 2 0 5 Fears 29:10 8-15 2-2 2-5 4 0 18 Poole 29:48 5-16 2-3 1-1 6 5 16 Looney 24:20 2-4 0-0 8-12 2 1 4 Peavy 23:37 1-9 0-0 2-3 2 5 2 Alvarado20:30 0-3 0-0 0-3 4 2 0 Matkovc 20:01 7-8 0-0 1-2 0 4 16 Hawkins 16:32 0-4 0-0 0-1 0 2 0 Totals 240 44-98 13-1819-42 22 22 109 Percentages: FG .449, FT .722.

3-Point Goals: 8-30, .267 (Poole 4-11, McGowens 2-2, Matkovic 2-3, Looney 0-1, Hawkins 0-2, Alvarado 0-3, Fears 0-3, Peavy 0-5).

Team Rebounds: 18. Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 11 (Missi 3, Fears 2, Matkovic 2, Williamson 2, Looney, Peavy).

Turnovers: 15 (Fears 4, Hawkins 3, Alvarado 2, Matkovic 2, Poole 2, Looney, McGowens).

Steals: 8 (Matkovic 2, Williamson 2, Looney, McGowens, Missi, Peavy).

Technical Fouls: None.

Portland 29 34 22 37 — 122 New Orleans 37 18 20 34 — 109 A_16,812 (16,867). T_2:22.

Friday’s games

Minnesota 125, Miami 115 Toronto 134, Atlanta 117 Philadelphia 130, New York 119 Charlotte 112, Chicago 99 Portland 115, San Antonio 110 Dallas 110, Houston 104 Utah at Golden State, n Boston at L.A. Clippers, n

FG

Blocked Shots: 7 (K.Murray 2, Avdija, Camara, Cissoko, Clingan, Williams III).

Turnovers: 9 (Sharpe 3, Avdija 2, Camara, Cissoko, Hansen, Love).

Steals: 6 (K.Murray 3, Cissoko 2, Avdija).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb

Thursday’s game

Saturday’s Games

Thursday

NBA

20 18 10

Pacific Division

TODAY O/U UNDERDOG 3½ (43½) New Orleans 7½ (44½) Cleveland 10½ (38½) Indianapolis 13½ (47½) Tennessee 9½ (37) Green Bay 3½ (49½) at GIANTS 4 (39) Wash 8½ (46½) Arizona 11½ (45½) Miami 3 (50½) Detroit 7½ (37½) NY Jets 13½ (37½) LA Chargers 5½ (36½) at VEGAS 3½ (40½) at PITT

Friday

Toronto Philadelphia Brooklyn

FG

FT Reb

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Nwoko 26 7-10 7-10 3-5 1 4 21 Sutton 29 0-4 3-4 2-5 0 1 3 Tamba 40 2-4 2-2 1-11 2 2 6 Mackinnn 38 7-18 2-2 0-5 5 2 20 Reece 36 2-7 0-0 0-1 7 2 4 King 17 3-6 2-2 0-2 0 5 10 Miller 14 4-4 0-0 1-1 0 2 8 Totals 200 25-54 16-20 7-30 15 18 72 Percentages: FG .463, FT .800.

3-Point Goals: 6-19, .316 (Mackinnon 4-9, King 2-4, Tamba 0-1, Reece 0-2, Sutton 0-2).

Team Rebounds: 0. Team Turnovers: 2.

Blocked Shots: 4 (Miller 3, Sutton).

Turnovers: 14 (Reece 3, King 2, Mackinnon 2, Nwoko 2, Sutton 2, Tamba 2, Miller).

Steals: 12 (Tamba 5, Sutton 3, Mackinnon 2, King, Reece).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb

TX A&M Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS Agee Dominguz Griffen Hill

32 30 20 22

4-10 4-11 1-6 3-5

7-9 6-11 1-2 0-3 4-6 0-1 1-1 1-6

1 2 0 2

2 1 3 2

15 13 7 7

FG

FT Reb

TSU

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

SU

Min M-A M-A O-T A PF PTS

Hupstead 31 1-7 9-11 2-11 3 2 11 Koureissi 28 2-7 2-2 0-3 0 3 6 Hayes 28 5-10 0-0 1-2 0 2 12 Mortle 23 1-7 0-0 0-5 2 5 2 Roberts 37 3-8 2-3 0-1 5 1 10 Anderson 32 6-9 6-8 2-8 0 2 18 Akpovwa 11 2-3 1-2 0-0 0 4 5 Posey 10 2-2 5-6 0-1 0 5 9 Totals 200 22-53 25-32 5-31 10 24 73 Percentages: FG .415, FT .781.

3-Point Goals: 4-19, .211 (Hayes 2-5, Roberts 2-5, Anderson 0-1, Koureissi 0-2, Mortle 0-2, Hupstead 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 1. Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 2 (Akpovwa, Hayes).

Turnovers: 17 (Roberts 5, Hayes 3, Hupstead 3, Koureissi 2, Mortle 2, Posey 2).

Steals: 7 (Roberts 3, Mortle 2, Anderson, Hupstead).

Technical Fouls: None.

FG FT Reb Abdlgwd 23 8-11 4-6 2-7 0 3 20 Dixon 14 1-3 2-2 2-4 2 4 4 Hardy 35 3-9 0-0 0-3 0 1 6 Jacobs 33 7-14 10-15 1-6 6 1 27 Manning 17 2-4 0-0 0-1 2 0 6 Amboree 32 2-7 2-2 0-3 8 2 8 Jones 27 3-3 2-5 0-6 2 5 8 Magee 13 2-2 1-2 0-1 0 0 5 Bell 3 0-0 0-2 0-1 0 2 0 Oshodi 3 0-2 0-0 0-1 0 0 0 Totals 200 28-55 21-34 5-33 20 18 84 Percentages: FG .509, FT .618.

3-Point Goals: 7-19, .368 (Jacobs 3-5, Manning 2-3, Amboree 2-5, Oshodi 0-2, Hardy 0-4).

Team Rebounds: 0. Team Turnovers: None.

Blocked Shots: 3 (Jacobs, Jones, Magee).

Turnovers: 12 (Amboree 4, Jacobs 4, Manning 2, Hardy, Magee).

Steals: 11 (Jacobs 3, Hardy 2, Jones 2, Manning 2, Abdelgowad, Amboree).

Technical Fouls: None.

Texas Southern 29 44 — 73 Southern University 42 42 — 84 A_4,357 (7,500).

College football Bowl glance Friday

Armed Forces Bowl Texas State 41, Rice 10 Liberty Bowl No. 22 Navy 35, Cincinnati 13 Duke’s Mayo Bowl Mississippi St. 43, Wake Forest 29 Holiday Bowl SMU 24, No. 21 Arizona 19

College Football Playoff

Quarterfinals Wednesday At Cotton Bowl, Arlington, Texas No. 10 Miami 24, No. 3 Ohio St. 14 Thursday At Orange Bowl, Miami Gardens, Fla. No. 5 Oregon 23, No. 4 Texas Tech 0 At Rose Bowl, Pasadena, Calif.

No. 1 Indiana 38, No. 11 Alabama 3 At Sugar Bowl, New Orleans No. 6 Ole Miss 39, No. 2 Georgia 34

FCS glance Semifinals

Montana State 48, Montana 23 Illinois State 30, Villanova 14

Final

Monday Frisco, Texas Illinois State (12-4) vs. Montana State (13-2), 6:30 p.m., ABC

Transactions FOOTBALL

National Football League ARIZONA CARDINALS — Signed WR Tejhaun Palmer to the active roster.

BALTIMORE RAVENS — Signed LS Nick Moore to a four-year contract extension.

CLEVELAND BROWNS — Signed LB Edefuan Ulofoshio to the active roster. Placed LB Carson Schwesinger on injured reserve.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Placed G T.J. Bass, RB Malik Davis, and RB Javonte Williams on injured reserve. Activated CB Josh Butler and RB Phil Mafah from injured reserve. Signed LB Justin Barron to the active roster.

DETROIT LIONS — Placed OL Trystan Colon on injured reserve.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Signed WR Jakobie Keeney-James and G/C Lecitus Smith to the active roster. Placed G/T Donovan Jennings and WR Savion Williams on injured reserve.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS — Signed OL Cole Van Lanen to a three-year contract extension.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Signed S Marcus Maye to the active roster. Placed CB Nikko Reed on injured reserve.

LOS ANGELES RAMS — Activated TE Tyler Higbee from injured reserve. Waived DE Larrell Murchison.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Activated T Will Campbell and DT Milton Williams from injured reserve. Released DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS — Signed TE Treyton Welch to the active roster.

NEW YORK GIANTS — Signed CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse, WR Xavier Gipson, and RB Dante Miller to the active roster. Placed CB Cor’Dale Flotts, DL Rakeem NunezRoches, and WR Wan’Dale Robinson on injured reserve.

NEW YORK JETS — Signed QB Hendon Hooker, DL Kingsley Jonathan, and OL Kohl Levao to the active roster. Placed TE Mason Taylor, RB Isaiah Davis, and G Xavier Newman on injured reserve.

TENNESSEE TITANS — Placed WR Van Jefferson and CB Jalyn Armour-Davis on injured reserve.

SUNDAY’S FAIR GROUNDS ENTRIES Post Time: 12:45PM First Race, Purse $14,000, Claiming $5,000, 4 yo’s & up One Mile-Dirt 01 My Dad’s Guitar (M Pedroza, Jr.) 8-1 02 Hudson’s Day (H Rea) 9-2 03 Byathread (J Ramirez, Jr.) 20-1 04 Contraband Early (E Nieves) 3-1 05 Triple Four (J Mudd) 8-1 06 Saucy Argument (J Inirio) 12-1 07 Regatta Bay (I Castillo) 6-5 Second Race, Purse $14,000, Claiming $5,000, 4 yo’s & up One Mile Seventy Yards-Dirt 01 Battleoflexington (D Magnon) 7-5 02 License to Steal (H Rea) 12-1 03 Steel Venom (I Castillo) 9-2 04 Concentration (E Nieves) 8-1 05 Lil Bro Coop (A Concepcion) 6-1 06 Crecencio (D Cannon) 15-1 07 Dr. Niko (P Lopez) 3-1 Third Race, Purse $54,000, Maiden special

weight, 3 yo’s & up Seven And A Half Furlongs-Turf 01 Alwaysfreaky (J Riquelme) 20-1 02 Victory Prince (D Magnon) 10-1 03 Thebabeslayer (J Graham) 8-5 04 Metairie (M Murrill) 15-1 05 Global Honor (S Vives) 10-1 06 Eskenforave and Ak (B Curtis) 9-2 07 Musical Band (I Castillo) 9-2 08 Jus Surprise Me (B Hernandez, Jr.) 15-1 09 Temple of Peace (H Rea) 15-1 10 Zong’s Favor (J Mudd) 20-1 11 Lil Central (J Loveberry) 12-1 12 Reach for the Aces (J Mudd) 30-1 Fourth Race, Purse $54,000, Maiden special weight, 4 yo’s & up, F & M (fillies and mares) Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 Miz Chris (B Curtis) 4-1 02 Sister Lily (P Lopez) 3-1 03 Texas Queen (A Concepcion) 2-1

04 Olympic Star (J Graham) 8-1 05 Cloud Number Nine (J Loveberry) 8-1 06 Relevate (B Hernandez, Jr.) 3-1 Fifth Race, Purse $19,000, SOC $10,000$5,000, 4 yo’s & up, F & M (fillies and mares) One Mile-Turf 01 Deal’em and Weep (M Murrill) 5-1 02 April’s Gem (S Vives) 10-1 03 True Blue Sky (M Pedroza, Jr.) 5-1 04 Irish Kitten (J Riquelme) 20-1 05 Reimagine (D Cannon) 12-1 06 Im Singled Up (J Mudd) 12-1 07 All About Me (A Concepcion) 20-1 08 Roar of Silence (J Loveberry) 5-2 09 Gypsan (I Castillo) 12-1 10 Talksalot (C McMahon) 20-1 11 Start Singing (B Curtis) 4-1 12 Desert Glow (P Lopez) 4-1 13 Spicy Italian (E Nieves) 15-1 14 Blueberry Eyes (C McMahon) 5-1

15 Berlaine (D Magnon) 5-1 Sixth Race, Purse $30,000, Maiden optional claiming $50,000, 3 yo Six Furlongs-Dirt 01 S S Radio (A Concepcion) 6-1 02 Straitshootinlarry (C Hernandez) 8-1 03 Awesome Magic (J Graham) 20-1 04 Chicanery (M Murrill) 8-1 05 Outlaw Empire (B Hernandez, Jr.) 8-1 06 Halo Music (I Castillo) 8-1 07 Emancipation (J Loveberry) 7-2 08 Rudie Won’t Fail (E Nieves) 12-1 09 Kazoom (P Lopez) 9-2 10 A Cab On the Rocks (M Pedroza, Jr.) 9-2 Seventh Race, Purse $22,000, Maiden Claiming $30,000, 4 yo’s & up One And One Sixteenth Miles-Turf 01 McGinnis (I Castillo) 7-2 02 Royal Irish (D Cannon) 8-1 03 Where Y’at (A Concepcion) 10-1 04 Rivage (B Curtis) 20-1

05 Greasepaintgroucho (H Hernandez) 20-1 06 Film At Eleven (J Riquelme) 12-1 07 Don Pablo (H Rea) 8-1 08 Denizen (P Lopez) 3-1 09 Carc Brothers (F Geroux) 8-1 10 Zun Reyder (M Pedroza, Jr.) 9-2 Eighth Race, Purse $54,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, F (fillies) One Mile-Dirt 01 Rainy Day (J Mudd) 30-1 02 Our Castle Queen (J Riquelme) 20-1 03 Stella Guitar (A Concepcion) 12-1 04 Bistineau Beauty (J Graham) 30-1 05 Lost Art (C McMahon) 15-1 06 Simple Spice (H Rea) 15-1 07 Restless Mind (I Castillo) 6-1 08 What’s Love (C Hernandez) 10-1 09 Braken Poppa (P Lopez) 5-2 10 Fade to Gold (B Hernandez, Jr.) 8-5 11 Sweet Aurora G (M Pedroza, Jr.) 12-1

SATURDAY’S FAIR GROUNDS RESULTS First Race - $54,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, Six Furlongs Chariot (J. Ortiz) $4.00 $2.80 $2.40 A G’s Charlie (C. Hernandez) $28.80 $11.20 Hear Thunder (I. Castillo) $5.40 Finish Time: 1:12.59 Exacta (8-5) $50.40; Superfecta (8-5-1-3) $63.95; Trifecta (8-5-1) $138.95 Second Race - $55,000, AOC $125,000, 3 yo, Five And A Half Furlongs Ketchum (J. Loveberry) $13.20 $6.60 $4.00 Tedder (J. Graham) $5.60 $4.00 Archimedes (I. Castillo) $3.00 Finish Time: 1:03.17 Daily Double (8-4) $15.70; Exacta (4-2) $42.60; Superfecta (4-2-5-7) $53.31; Trifecta (4-2-5) $80.80 Third Race - $116,170, Stakes, 3 yo, Six

Furlongs Little Miss Curlin (Lvbrry) $2.10 $2.10 $2.10 Wickedwithbourbon (B. Curtis) $3.40 $2.10 Liteupthenite (J. Ortiz) $2.10 Finish Time: 1:10.64 Daily Double (4-4) $8.30; Exacta (4-2) $3.30; Superfecta (4-2-5-6) $1.01; Trifecta (4-2-5) $2.25; Pic 3 (8-4-4) $9.00 Fourth Race - $55,000, AOC $125,000, 3 yo, One Mile Bohemian (J. Ortiz) $5.40 $3.20 $2.40 Coach Mazzula (A. Concepcion) $5.20 $3.00 Noshametohergame (B. Curtis) $2.60 Finish Time: 1:37.20 Daily Double (4-5) $3.70; Exacta (5-7) $13.30; Superfecta (5-7-2-6) $19.93; Trifecta (5-7-2) $22.30; Pic 3 (4-4-5) $9.95 Fifth Race - $22,000, Maiden Claiming

$30,000, 3 yo, Six Furlongs Election Night (P. Lopez) $5.20 $3.00 $2.40 Props (J. Graham) $5.20 $3.00 Zip to Zap (J. Ortiz) $2.80 Finish Time: 1:11.92 Daily Double (5-1) $11.70; Exacta (1-3) $10.00; Superfecta (1-3-5-7) $15.11; Trifecta (1-3-5) $15.45; Pic 3 (4-5-1) $5.80; Pic 4 (4-4-5-1/6/8) $36.95; Pic 5 (8-4-4-5-1/6/8) $88.30 Late Scratches: Impavido, Brock’s Boy Sixth Race - $54,000, Maiden special weight, 3 yo, One And One Sixteenth Miles Alone Time (J. Ortiz) $8.20 $5.20 $3.20 High Street Pizzaz (P. Lopez) $11.40 $6.40 Ontology (B. Curtis) $6.80 Finish Time: 1:43.56 Daily Double (1-2) $14.70; Exacta (2-4) $34.60; Superfecta (2-4-8-1) $295.27; Trifecta (2-4-8)

$122.35; Pic 3 (5-1-2) $20.50 Late Scratches: Real Drama Seventh Race - $119,570, Stakes, 3 yo, Six Furlongs Mor Force (I. Castillo) $22.40 $4.40 $2.60 Our Moneyman (A. Concepcion) $2.10 $2.10 Golden Mane (J. Ortiz) $3.60 Finish Time: 1:10.41 Daily Double (2-1) $56.30; Exacta (1-8) $19.20; Superfecta (1-8-2-6) $23.47; Trifecta (1-8-2) $39.00; Pic 3 (1-2-1) $58.05 Late Scratches: Guitar Guy Eighth Race - $55,000, AOC $125,000, 3 yo, Five And A Half Furlongs The Town Tempter (Pdrza) $6.40 $4.20 $2.80 $23.40 $9.20 Candy Talking (J. Graham) Velcamp (A. Concepcion) $4.40 Finish Time: 1:03.40

Daily Double (1-2) $45.10; Exacta (2-4) $100.20; Superfecta (2-4-7-8) $1,213.88; Trifecta (2-4-7) $272.75; Pic 3 (2-1-2) $140.05 Late Scratches: Unfaithful Rose Ninth Race - $15,000, Maiden Claiming $12,500, 3 yo’s & up, One Mile Traitour (P. Lopez) $4.00 $2.80 $2.20 Max S (O. Chavez) $13.60 $4.80 Gold Gunner (C. McMahon) $2.40 Finish Time: 1:40.25 Daily Double (2-7) $8.30; Exacta (7-5) $32.40; Superfecta (7-5-1-8) $23.72; Trifecta (7-5-1) $37.55; Pic 3 (1-2-7) $64.60; Pic 4 (2-1-2/10-7) $302.75; Pic 5 (1/6/8-2-1-2/10-7) $910.65; Pic 6 (5-1/6/8-2-1-2/10-7) $2,871.20

LIVING

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

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S u n d ay, J a n u a ry 4, 2026

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Danny Heitman AT RANDOM

Some thoughts on hope as a new year arrives

“

As a journalist, I often get to connect with people throughout the year who are smart and thoughtful, and I treasure what they say about their life and work. Their ideas about hope come back to mind each January as I try to cultivate a brighter view of the future. A new year can renew our sense of possibility, though that kind of confidence might be hard in such an anxious world.

Here are some pearls of wisdom I encountered last year, words that have helped me keep things in perspective.

Last October, I attended an evening program with Essie Chambers, winner of the 2025 Ernest J. Gaines Award for Literary Excellence.

Now in its 18th year, the award honors the legacy of Gaines, the Louisiana author best known for Chambers “The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman” and “A Gathering of Old Men.” I’ve worked in a small way as a volunteer for the awards program, which is curated by the Baton Rouge Area Foundation, so meeting Chambers was special for me.

She was honored because of her debut novel, “Swift River,” which has gotten widespread acclaim since it was published in 2024. As Chambers pointed out when she discussed her novel at the Baton Rouge ceremony, success as an author came slowly for her. For a long time, Chambers recalled, she was known as one of those people always trying to finish a novel.

“It took me almost 10 years to write ‘Swift River,’” she told listeners. “I do think there can be courage in small steps.”

The point is that progress moves so slowly at times that it can seem almost imperceptible.

But steady effort over time can eventually pay off, as Chambers and her debut novel make clear. It’s a good point to keep in mind in this season of New Year’s resolutions, when so many of us get discouraged if results don’t come instantly.

The important thing, Chambers suggested, is to make a start somewhere and chip away at it, even when the finish line seems elusive.

“Beginning is a messy business,” she said, “full of doubt and stubborn hope.”

“

To see the core stage of the rocket we had been building for years rolled out of Michoud, led by a New Orleans-style second-line parade, and then to give the iconic ‘Go’ command over the radio when we tested it — I’ll never forget those moments.

AMANDA GERTJEJANSEN

PHOTO PROVIDED By ERIC BORDELON

Boeing senior production manager Amanda Gertjejansen is coordinating efforts among various departments to build one of the Artemis rocket’s most important components.

ROCKET SCIENCE Meet the La. native helping NASA send astronauts back to the moon

BY MATTHEW HAINES Contributing writer

In as soon as six weeks, NASA plans to send four astronauts back to the moon.

Not to land on it just yet, though that’s set to take place on the following mission. This time, they aim to travel in a wide orbit around the moon’s dark side — the first time humans will have left the Earth’s gravitational pull since the Apollo missions more than 50 years ago.

It’s a huge moment for United States and its newest space program, named Artemis, after the Ancient Greek goddess of the moon and — not coincidentally — Apollo’s twin sister. The stated goals of the program are to send the first woman and first person of color to the moon, to establish a permanent base on the lunar surface, and to build toward future missions to Mars.

ä See ROCKET, page 4D

PHOTO PROVIDED By NASA

Amanda Gertjejansen stands in front of the Artemis rocket as it is rolled out of NASA’s Michoud facility.

ä See AT RANDOM, page 4D

Was N.O. the first American city to have an opera house?

This image, originally published in 1872 in Appleton’s Journal, shows New Orleans’ old French Opera House. Built in 1859, it stood out among its French Quarter neighbors as a particularly elegant, imposing and modern structure.

PROVIDED PHOTO

BY RACHEL MIPRO Contributing writer

New Orleans, always known for a vibrant music scene, was the first to usher in the dramatic art form of opera to an appreciative young nation.

One reader’s question: Was New Orleans the first American city to have an opera house?

Philadelphia is commonly credited with the oldest existing opera house in the United States — the Academy of Music opened in 1857 and is still operating today.

However, OperaCréole founder and Artistic Director Givonna Joseph turned to the longdestroyed Théâtre d’Orléans to credit New Orleans with the first opera house in the U.S.

back in 1815.

Joseph, whose organization is dedicated to uplifting and reviving Black opera traditions in New Orleans, discussed the popularity of the music in New Orleans.

“Opera in New Orleans was like pop music,” she said. “It was for everybody.”

The earliest documentation of a New Orleans opera performance was in 1796, the opera “Sylvain,”

by Andre Gretry. Joseph and other researchers believe opera was almost certainly performed earlier, based on other correspondence and research from the time period. She credits New Orleans with popularizing the art form.

ä See CURIOUS, page 4D

2D ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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COMMUNITY

PROVIDED PHOTO

Mike Raby was named PGA of America Golf Professional of the year.

BREC official is Golf Pro of the Year

Mike Raby, a PGA of America golf professional and director of golf at BREC Golf, is the 2025 Gulf States PGA Golf Professional of the Year — the highest honor awarded by the section.

“This prestigious recognition celebrates Raby’s exemplary service as a PGA professional and his outstanding contributions to the game of golf and the golf community throughout the Gulf States Section,” a news release states.

Raby was formally recognized at the 2025 Gulf States PGA Awards Gala on Dec. 7 at Reunion Golf & Country Club in Georgia.

PROVIDED PHOTO PROVIDED PHOTO

Polar Express Club Helping set up the Polar Express train set at The Claiborne Baton Rouge are, from left, Jim Mire, Bob Schilling, Max McElroy and his daughter Laura McElroy.

WBR Garden & Civic Club Members of the WBR Garden & Civic Club enjoyed a Christmas coffee hosted by Steele Loubiere in Plaquemine on Dec. 9. Shown are, from left, Dana Fairchild, Beth Kleinpeter, Nancy Perkins, Loubiere, Kali Marionneaux, President Kim Callegan, Ruth Stanley, Dena Culpepper and JoAnn Newchurch.

All aboard as Polar Express is displayed The Polar Express made its annual holiday appearance at The Claiborne at Baton Rouge.

Henry “Max” McElroy started the tradition of setting up the Polar Express Lionel train set in the lobby of the facility three years ago. Over time, mini community buildings, train tracks and other donations of tiny trees, human figures and animals started coming in from residents and other admirers.

St. Joseph’s Academy students painted a mural that McElroy uses for the background. As the town continued to grow, a room was designated for McElroy to set up his display for the enjoyment of residents.

“I start setting up the week of Thanksgiving,” McElroy said.

Fellow residents Jim Mire and Bob Schilling have assisted McElroy setting up the village along with his daughter Laura McElroy, a resident of Ottawa, Canada, who coordinates family visits to Louisiana in time for the train set-up. In 2004, Laura McElroy purchased a Polar Express train set for her home.

“It was a limited-edition set, and it was all the rage, so I had to have one too,” Max McElroy said.

Schilling has been a longtime member of the Greater Baton Rouge Model Railroaders club and has set up a separate display of his model and toy train items in hopes of encouraging others to take up the hobby and join them in the Polar Express club.

“It’s never too late to start a hobby,” Max McElroy said.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Altar Society

PROVIDED PHOTO

Members of the St. Patrick Catholic Church’s Altar Society held their annual Christmas party on Dec. 13 at City Cafe on O’Neal Lane. Shown are, from left, Deacon Alex Campbell, Priscilla Oliver with Santa’s elf Bella, Betty McDaniel, Eddie Dimaio, the Rev. Michael Miceli, Katherine Higgins and Rosie Blancett.

Cangelosi Dance Project The Cangelosi Dance Project held its annual Holiday Nutcracker Clara party at the City Club of Baton Rouge on Dec. 18. Shown are, from left, Kris Cangelosi, Nicole Crochet, Emmy Wesley, Daniel Therrien, Maddie Kucensky, Angelqiue Francois and Courtney David.

PROVIDED PHOTO

COMMUNITY GUIDELINES The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors.

Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. Because of space limitations, organizations that meet monthly or more are limited to one photo per month. If submitting digitally, we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger. If taking a photo of a group, have them stand or sit shoulder-to-shoulder. If more than six people are in the photo, arrange them on multiple, distinct rows. Avoid strong background light sources.

Identify those pictured by first and last names as viewed from left to right, row by row. We prefer emailed Community column submissions to features@theadvocate.com. We also accept submissions by mail at P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge LA 70821. A phone number must be included.

Harness Club Members of the Harness Club held a Christmas cocktail buffet at the Baton Rouge Country Club on Dec. 9. Gathered are, from left, Bettsie Baker Miller, President Cheryl Kirchoff, Chairwoman Joanne Roberts, Susan Miller, Donna Munson, Brownie Jeffries and Kathy Mullins.

‘Three Decades of Change’ exhibit opens

PROVIDED PHOTO

The Old Governor’s Mansion will open ‘Three Decades of Change,’ noon to 4 p.m.

Jan. 4, at 502 North Blvd. The exhibit examines the tenures of the nine governors who called the mansion home and their impact on Louisiana’s development as a modern state.

The Old Governor’s Mansion, at 502 North Blvd., will open “Three Decades of Change,” a new historical exhibition that examines the tenures of the nine governors who called the mansion home and their impact FYI BR on Louisiana’s development staff as a modern reports state. “Three Decades of Change” is free and will be open from noon to 4 p.m. today, as part of the mansion’s participation in the Free First Sunday initiative.

“Three Decades of Change” aims to highlight significant moments in Louisiana’s emergence on the national stage. In just 30 years, the state underwent a massive transformation under the leadership of nine governors. These men, regardless of the length of their terms of office, guided Louisiana through some of the most challenging days in the

state’s and the nation’s history.

events/arbor.php.

Celebrate Arbor Day at Tiger Artesian Spring Burden Museum Water now in cans Celebrate Arbor Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Jan. 17, at the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens at Burden Museum and Gardens, 4560 Essen Lane.

Baton Rouge Green will host its annual tree giveaway at Arbor Day. One giveaway tree per household while supplies last. Guests can also plant a tree, enjoy a scavenger hunt, meet Smokey Bear and more.

Families can learn about native trees, take home a free tree and plant a tree to watch it grow for generations using your tree’s GPS coordinates in the Burden Woods. All trees planted help to reforest the state’s native trees lost during previous hurricane seasons.

The event is free and open to the public. Visitors should wear rubber boots, gloves and dress warmly. Local food trucks will also be on-site.

For more information, visit lsu.edu/botanic-gardens/

LSU fans across Louisiana now have a bold new way to show their Tiger pride — all while helping reduce plastic waste. Tiger Artesian Spring Water is sold in eco-friendly, reusable and recyclable aluminum cans. MSPFLA, Inc., the Pensacola, Florida–based, women-owned company is behind the launch. Hi Nabor grocery stores in Baton Rouge have Tiger Artesian Spring Water cans in stock.

Tablescapes Tea, Flower Show Enjoy the pairing of fine art and floral designs. Baton Rouge Garden Club and the Art Guild of Louisiana will host a Tablescapes Tea and Flower Show from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Feb. 21 and 23, at 7950 Independence Blvd. There will be a $5 entrance donation to help fund the scholarship program.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3D

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TRAVEL Mississippi nature trail is hidden in plain sight Crosby Arboretum feels like a secret forest

BY JUSTIN MITCHELL Staff writer

My idea of camping is driving through the woods and up a hill — to the nearest four-star resort with restaurants, a spa and room service for late-night chicken tenders and fries.

I have never been one with nature. When my cousins all played tag and hide-and-go-seek in our grandparents’ front yard, I’d stay inside to rewatch “Rugrats” episodes, write sentences at my toy desk or pretend I was a character on “Clarissa Explains It All.” My first canoe trip at 7 years old resulted in bug bites, tears and a pledge to never paddle a boat or stay in a tent ever again.

I’m 36 now and am proud to say that I’ve never camped or given up the simple pleasures of a running toilet or air conditioner since that traumatic weekend.

But in my elder millennial age, I vowed that I’d spend more time outdoors. For one, I want to be healthier and more active, and walking and jogging is an easy way to kick-start that journey.

My adventures started when I moved to New Orleans in late 2023 and began spending time at Audubon Park.

With an audiobook and Owala bottle full of flavored water, I started trekking down the paved path, admiring the mossy trees, squirrels running about, cute pups out for evening strolls and the ducks and birds near the water. The sunsets were breathtaking, as were the 2-mile jogs.

Audubon Park has become a place of peace and comfort for me over these past 21/2 years, and I vowed to spend more time in nature in 2025, with one very im-

A view of the Pinecote Pavilion at Crosby Arboretum in Picayune, Miss.

Mushrooms on a walking trail at Crosby Arboretum in Picayune

STAFF PHOTOS By JUSTIN MITCHELL portant caveat: day trips only.

I started simple and found fun stuff around the city: the Rusty Rainbow walking path, connecting the Bywater and French Quarter, and City Park became two instant favorites.

Right before Thanksgiving, some friends asked if I’d be interested in doing a short hike at the Crosby Arboretum, a nature trail right in Picayune near Interstate 59.

Despite growing up in Kiln and going to Picayune often as a child, I had only ever seen the sign right off La. 49 pointing

folks to it.

You can’t see it from the main roads, and it’s cleverly hidden behind a strip of businesses near Walmart.

But the Crosby Arboretum, dedicated to preserving nature and plants, feels like a secret forest full of tall grass, pine trees, mushrooms, butterflies and even bees.

Dubbed the Great Mississippi Nature Trail, my friends and I spent two hours there on a sunny Sunday morning, exploring the property and reading up on all of the nature.

We stopped for pictures at the large pond, standing on a summit across from the architecturally stunning Pinecote Pavilion where family-friendly events are often held.

We took pictures for Instagram, read all of the signs explaining why some grass had been burned, or why the plants we had come across were vital for the environment, and enjoyed many of the walking paths around the property. At the beginning of the nature trail is a small welcome center where you can buy swag or leave a small donation.

The Crosby Arboretum is a great place to explore and get your steps in, all while being close to civilization, as it is about an hour from New Orleans. The drive is mostly interstate. And remember to bring water, sunscreen and a few snacks — and take all of your trash back with you.

If you want to make a weekend out of it, stay at The Henry Smith House in town or drive 20 minutes down to The Pearl Hotel on the Bay St. Louis beach.

Eat at Fatty’s in Picayune or Dempsey’s in Kiln for casual Southern fare, or go to The Thorny Oyster inside the Pearl for something more upscale and modern.

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By Christopher Elliott

Passenger still waiting for Orbitz refund after flight mix-up I was on a 16-night cruise when my niece called to say my brother was dying. I booked a flight home through Orbitz but accidentally chose the wrong airport. By the time I reached the correct airport, my Aer Lingus flight had left. I panicked and rebooked for the next day, but missed precious days with my brother Christopher before he passed.

Since December, I’ve Elliott been trapped in a loop: Aer Lingus says Orbitz must issue the refund, while Orbitz claims Aer Lingus needs to approve it. I’ve sent my brother’s death certificate five times, but Orbitz keeps asking for “clearer” copies or more documents.Aer Lingus finally told me Orbitz must handle it, but Orbitz still won’t do anything.

All I want is a final answer — or the $715 refund — after five months of stress during my grief.What can I do? — Brenda Stopay, Northampton, Pa. I’m so sorry about your brother.

Orbitz should have coordinated with Aer Lingus to resolve your refund request promptly and compassionately.

While neither the airline nor the online travel agency is obligated to refund a nonrefundable ticket, it’s common practice to issue a full refund when a passenger, or a passenger’s companion, dies.

When it comes to a passenger’s relative, refunds are handled on more of a case-by-case basis. You booked your ticket after your brother fell ill but before he died,

and then you no-showed for your flight, which is an even grayer area.

But it looks like both Orbitz and Aer Lingus suggested you might qualify for a refund, so you were not wrong to expect some consideration after you showed your online agency and airline a death certificate.

And you did show them a death certificate — five times! I’m not really sure why they didn’t review it the first time you sent it and give you an answer to your refund request.

If I had to guess, I’d say there’s a customer service chatbot on the loose somewhere, ignoring completely valid claims like yours and making you wait months for

Transform Your Windows.

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an answer.

One more thing: Orbitz is supposed to be your travel agent and advocate for you — not put you in a holding pattern. A good travel agent, whether it’s electronic or human, will always help you get through a difficult situation like this.

Your case shows the importance of double- and triple-checking your flight itinerary. Your urgency was understandable, but at a time like this, you might have asked a friend or travel adviser to help you with your reservation.

Always keep a paper trail — which you did meticulously — and escalate your case as soon as possible. I’ve published executive contacts for Orbitz (owned by Ex-

pedia) on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.

I reached out to Orbitz on your behalf to find out about the status of your case. A few days later, Aer Lingus offered you a $715 flight credit, which you accepted.

“I certainly learned a lesson,” you added.

By sharing your story, I hope you can help others avoid a painful and unnecessary wait for a refund.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org or get help by contacting him at elliottadvocacy. org.

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ROCKET

Continued from page 1D But the upcoming Artemis missions aren’t only a big deal for NASA, they’re a massive milestone for New Orleans, home to the 832-acre Michoud Assembly Facility. The facility is nicknamed “America’s Rocket Factory,” thanks to its important role in the enormous rockets that powered the Apollo, Space Shuttle and now Artemis adventures.

As many as 3,500 employees work at the facility in New Orleans East, but perhaps no one exemplifies the Crescent City’s role in the future of space exploration more than senior program manager Amanda Gertjejansen. She works with Boeing, a NASA partner at Michoud. Her leadership role on the Integrated Product Team means she is coordinating efforts among various departments to build one of the Artemis rocket’s most important components.

For the past eight years, Gertjejansen’s career trajectory has mirrored that of Michoud’s role in the Artemis program.

“Amanda’s career is the story of how to build a rocket,” said Patricia Soloveichik, a former member of Boeing’s space and launch systems communications team. “She was there to turn on Michoud’s lights when the Artemis program began, and she’s still there now leading the teams that are assembling the very rockets sending our astronauts back to space. Amanda has been a big part of it all.”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Amanda Gertjejansen and Ashley Guidry stand in front of the second Artemis rocket during a 2022 tour at NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans. The third Artemis rocket, which is also being assembled in New Orleans, plans to land on the moon in 2026.

A curious mind Gertjejansen, 38, grew up in Gentilly. She said she was aware of NASA’s work even then.

“I was a kid when Michoud’s big external tanks were powering the Space Shuttle program and helping to build the International Space Station,” she said, “I’ve always loved science and math, so I was interested.”

At Ben Franklin High School, Gertjejansen said she was “just fine” at subjects like reading comprehension and writing, but her love of science flourished.

She remembers quarterly projects in physical science class sparking her interest.

“One project I’ll never forget was we had to take this ping pong ball and, with just a single motor that had to turn off by itself, we had to get it to drop something like 60 centimeters in 3 minutes,” she said. “Solving challenges like that were really fun for me, and they still are.”

It doesn’t take much imagination to draw the connection between those projects and the work being done at Michoud. But Gertjejansen said an equally important influence was her role as Ben Franklin’s yearbook editor, where she was responsible for pulling sections together from various teams.

“Overseeing big projects and integrating the different sectors of work is exactly what I am responsible for as an industrial engineer,” she said. “It’s part of what drew me to that major at LSU.” An engineering degree also represented financial security, something she said she watched her mother struggle with. Even as an adolescent, Gertjejansen vowed to choose a career path that would provide her enough money to support herself.

Mission accomplished. She landed an internship with Boeing at Ridley Park, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. Her team was on the assembly floor, building Boeing

CURIOUS

Continued from page 1D Opera quickly became a growing presence in the local theater scene, and a proper space was needed to house these performances. The Théâtre d’Orléans, located on Orleans Avenue between Royal Street and Bourbon Street, opened to the public in 1815, according to the research of Henry Arnold Kmen, in his book, “Music in New Orleans: The Formative Years, 1791– 1841.”

The building, which had taken years to build due to constant funding and construction struggles, was soon destroyed by fire in 1816. Rebuilt and reopened in 1819, the theater became a lodestone for U.S. opera. A flood of theater spaces would follow, including the Camp Street Theatre, the St. Charles Theatre and the New American Theatre.

“We were first in the country on many levels,” Joseph said. “We debuted over 200 operas in America for the first time. Sometimes we had two or three opera houses going at a time, and free people of color had the money to support

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRETT DUKE

NASA’s Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans is nicknamed ‘America’s Rocket Factory,’ thanks to its important role in the enormous rockets that powered the Apollo, Space Shuttle and now Artemis adventures.

CH-47 Chinook helicopters during the aircraft’s 50th anniversary.

It was a pivotal time for Gertjejansen.

“My housemate’s manager was a flight test manager, and he invited us to join him on a Chinook test flight,” Gertjejansen remembered.

“We had the headphones on and could hear the startup commands over the radio. I was just blown away. Like, ‘Wow, we do some very cool stuff at Boeing!’ ” The internship turned into a job, and Gertjejansen was having a blast — in her 20s and far from home.

Unfortunately, the good times were tragically interrupted.

Gertjejansen learned her mother had become sick and was given just six months to live.

“I decided to leave my job and return home to take care of my mom,” she said. “Unfortunately New Orleans didn’t have a lot of jobs in science and math with Michoud closed since the end of the Space Shuttle program. I thought

my dream career was over.”

Coming home That was 2012, when Boeing had recently landed the contract at Michoud to help build the largest segment of the longest, most powerful rocket ever made. This “core stage” section would occupy 212 feet of the 322-foot-tall Space Launch System (SLS) rocket tasked with sending humans back to the moon and beyond.

When Gertjejansen informed Boeing that she would be returning home to care for her mother, they offered her a position on the company’s Michoud team.

“Against all odds, my mother lived for another five years, and I can’t thank Boeing enough for giving me that time with her,” she said.

“And,” she added, “it didn’t hurt that I got to come home to a city I love and build a rocket in my backyard.”

New Orleans to the moon Gertjejansen remembers turn-

ing the lights on at Michoud in those early days.

“It had been years since anyone had worked in these spaces,” she said, “so when I flipped on the lights for morning meetings, you’d have stray cats running out of who knows where. It was wild and showed it would be a long road for us.”

Like Soloveichik said, Gertjejansen’s career followed that same road as Artemis. She was part of the small team that prepared the empty facility and then installed the first large welding tools that would one day build a rocket. By 2018, she had become an industrial engineering manager, responsible for the rocket’s engine section and its vital system of fueling tubes.

An industrial engineer, Gertjejansen said, is responsible for the efficiency of a project. How are each of the teams balanced, where are the bottlenecks, and where and how should resources be deployed to solve those bottlenecks?

As she moved through Boeing’s

Many of these theatre spaces were destroyed by fire; the Théâtre d’Orléans fell prey to flame in 1866 and the French Opera House went ablaze in 1919.

“Unfortunately, some of these beautiful opera houses burned down,” Joseph said. “As I tell people, when you have to use real flame to light the stage, it becomes problematic.”

While the spaces disappeared, the impact of opera in New Orleans reJoseph mained, including in the city’s most famous musical genre. Joseph discussed the STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER legacy of musicians of color, who, A plaque commemorates the site of the old French Opera House at when barred from mainstream performances, found their own Toulouse and Bourbon streets in the French Quarter. performance spaces and styles. great acclaim. Created in the “We ended up being kicked them. style of European opera houses out of the classical and operatic “We also learned that someon the corner of Toulouse and arena,” Joseph said. “Many of times enslaved people who could Bourbon, the building had an orour musicians found work in Stohire themselves out on a Sunday —making money as iron workers chestra pit, four tiers of seating ryville, and they came together and plasterers and all that and with musicians who were experts and a gallery. would use that money to buy their in African rhythms and Caribbe“There will be, we are confreedom — also bought a ticket to vinced, no such elegant and coman sounds. All of those structures the opera.” came together, and that’s what modious theatre in the country,” The city’s French Opera House, reads a Daily Picayune report on created jazz. People don’t realize one of the grandest opera spaces that opera and classical music the near completion of the opera in the city, was built in 1859 to had this role of creating jazz.” house, dated Oct. 25, 1859.

ranks, Gertjejansen proved talented at answering these questions.

“Amanda is reliably able to convert ambiguity into executable plans, which is why she is consistently assigned to high-priority and technically challenging work,” said Mickey Bennett, manufacturing director for the entire Space Launch System program.

In 2019, Gertjejansen’s efforts were rewarded, as she was promoted again — this time to senior operations manager, responsible for the final assembly of the entire 212-foot core stage for Artemis’ initial mission, Artemis I. The following year she moved with the core stage to the John C. Stennis Space Center in Hancock County, Mississippi, where she helped lead testing efforts.

“By then, I had been working on Artemis for years,” Gertejansen said. “To see the core stage of the rocket we had been building for years rolled out of Michoud, led by a New Orleans-style secondline parade, and then to give the iconic ‘Go’ command over the radio when we tested it — I’ll never forget those moments.”

The Boeing team is now working on core stages for several Artemis missions simultaneously.

Today, Gertjejansen is coordinating efforts to build those rockets.

She travels frequently to Florida’s Kennedy Space Center, where she is helping integrate the vehicle with the rest of its components including boosters, the second stage of the rocket and the Orion spaceship that will carry the astronauts as part of the upcoming Artemis II mission.

“The vehicle is stacked vertically and almost ready to go,” Gertjejansen said, “and it’s amazing to think that this thing I have been working on in various capacities for the last eight years is about to send four astronauts around the moon for the first time in a halfcentury.”

“It’s all the sweeter that we’re building some of its most important components — for this mission and the many more to come — in the city I call home.”

AT RANDOM

Continued from page 1D For a magazine story last year, I interviewed Arthur C. Brooks, who writes and lectures about the best way to achieve happiness. His latest book, “The Happiness Files,” elaborates his thinking on the subject.

I asked Brooks how he finds hope these days.

“I understand that wellbeing trends are moving in the wrong direction, and I’m not incredibly optimistic about those trends making a full Uturn,” Brooks told me. “But I’m not hopeless. The reason I research, write, speak and teach about happiness is because I think — notwithstanding the data in front of me — that I can make a difference. That’s what gives me hope.”

His comments reminded me that hope isn’t only something you feel but something you do.

It’s a truth I’ll try to embrace as 2026 unfolds.

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 5D

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Baton Rouge Symphony League honors 20 at ball Twenty young women were honored at the Baton Rouge Symphony League’s annual Bal de la Symphonie at Crowne Plaza on Dec. 20.

The honorees are members of Les Jeunes Amies de la Symphonie, a service organization comprised of daughters and granddaughters of league members. During their four years in high school, the students have completed volunteer service benefiting the BRSO and the Louisiana Youth Orchestra, and have promoted the league’s mission of fostering music education through the league’s summer camp program, Symphony on the Geaux.

The seniors wore traditional white ballgowns and carried silver tussie mussies filled with red roses that were presented to them

by Marshall Carby, the executive director of the BRSO. Symphony League President Bridgette Coleman welcomed guests. The 2025 Bal de la Symphonie Chair was Angelique Manne, and co-chair was Lisa Gilly. Victor C. Howell Jr. emceed.

Presented at the ball were: n Davis Emily Aucoin, a student at St Joseph’s Academy and the daughter of Tara Nackley Aucoin, Brian Berkeley Jones and Richard Arthur Aucoin Jr. n Adeline Touchet Bonner, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Allyson and Dr. Everett James Bonner Jr. n Victoria Elizabeth DeKeyzer, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Holly and Justin Jerome DeKeyzer. n Elizabeth Claire Dowling, a student at The Dunham School, and the daughter of Patti and Ronald D. Albin and Liz and Dustin Scott Dowling.

PROVIDED PHOTOS By KLEINPETER PHOTOGRAPHy

Honorees at the Baton Rouge Symphony League’s annual Bal de la Symphonie include, front row, from left, Kinsey Mahler, Annabelle LeBlanc, Grace Schellack, Sofia Leo and Morgan Henry; middle row, Morgan Murphy and Victoria DeKeyzer; back row, Madison Teague, Madison Rambo and Elizabeth Dowling. n Linde Grace Gautreau, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Melanie and Barry Joseph Gautreau. n Morgan Shelly Henry, a student at University Laboratory School, and the daughter of Brandie and Brandon Bub Henry. n Lily Ruth Hyde, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Shannon and Thomas Michael Hyde. n Madison Ryan Larussa, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Chantelle and Ryan Joseph Larussa. n Annabelle Kate LeBlanc, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Lyndsi and

Jon Michael LeBlanc. n Sofia Michele Leo, a student at the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, and the daughter of Kathleen and Ronald Anthony Leo. n Gentry Elizabeth Litel, a student at Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, and the daughter of Kimberly Brown Litel and Timothy James Litel. n Kinsey Michelle Mahler, a student at Parkview Baptist School, and the daughter of Tessa and David Charles Mahler Jr. n Hailey Agnes Morris, a student at Pensacola Catholic High School, and the daughter of Sheila Melancon Morris and James Charles Morris.

Also honored at the Bal de la Symphonie are, front row, from left, Madison Larussa, Kayla Nussbaumer, Lily Ruth Hyde, Cecilia Pickering and Hailey Morris; middle row, Adeline Bonner and Davis Aucoin; back row, Linde Grace Gautreau, Gentry Litel and Holden Peterson. n Morgan Kay Murphy, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Jennifer Prather Murphy and Peyton Patrick Murphy. n Kayla Marie Nussbaumer, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Janette and Dr. David Paul Nussbaumer. n Holden Elizabeth Peterson, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Christina and David William Peterson II. n Cecilia Brielle Pickering, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Zoe and Justin Alex Pickering. n Madison Michelle Rambo, a student at St. Joseph’s Academy, and the daughter of Keshia Murray-Rambo and Clarence Paul Rambo III.

n Grace Hanner Schellack, a student at The Dunham School, and the daughter of Kathryn and Jonathan Van Schellack. n Madison Allyne Teague, a student at the Episcopal School of Baton Rouge, and the daughter of Amy and Travis Drake Teague.

A Baton Rouge Symphony ensemble provided music, which included the traditional waltz to “Moon River,” choreographed by Tranane Lissard, for the debutantes and their escorts. Following dinner and the presentation, guests danced to the music The After Party Band.

For more information about the Baton Rouge Symphony League, visit www.brsymphonyleague.org or email br.symphony.league@ gmail.com.

Country star Jelly Roll is ready to win a Grammy

BY MARIA SHERMAN AP music writer

NEW YORK — Jelly Roll is catching his breath.

It’s not a metaphor. He’s running up a hill in South Texas when he answers The Associated Press’ phone call, part of his ongoing health transformation journey. “Endorphins are flying. I feel great,” he cheers. “It’s time to win a (expletive) Grammy!”

He’s got a lot to train for: He was invited to become a member of the Grand Ole Opry.

And last month, Jelly Roll learned that he was nominated for three Grammys in 2026, marking his third year in a row receiving nods. Two of those are new territory for him.

He’s up for his first contemporary Christian music (CCM) award, for “Hard Fought Hallelujah,” his collaboration with Christian singer Brandon Lake. He is also up for his first award in the inaugural contemporary country album category. That’s for “Beautifully Broken.”

“It’s definitely the greatest honor,” he says. “Everybody wants to be nominated for a Grammy.”

Since its release in 2024, Jelly Roll’s album “Beautifully Broken” has connected with his passionate audience, those who view his music as both representational and aspirational.

“God wanted people to know you can still be beautiful and broken,” he says of the album’s Grammy recognition. “It’s truly my most meaningful album.”

Much of his work has become associated with overcoming adversity. Take, for example, the song “Winning Streak,” which tells the story of someone’s first day sober, which he debuted on “Saturday Night Live.” Or the direct-and-to-the-point, “I Am Not Okay.”

Even though his life looks pretty great right

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Jelly Roll performs ‘Heart of Stone’ at the 60th annual Academy of Country Music Awards in May. now, Jelly Roll’s no stranger to struggle.

He’s been incarcerated a few times, most seriously at age 16 when he was tried as an adult for aggravated robbery. At 23, he was arrested for drug dealing.

“I’m never disconnected from it,” he says of his past. It has informed his philanthropic efforts, which often focus on mental health, recovery efforts and include not infrequent

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performances in prisons.

“When I first started doing this, I was just telling my story of my broken self,” he says of his career. “By the time I got through it, I realized that my story was the story of many. So now I’m not telling my story anymore. I’m getting to pull it right from the crevices of the people whose story’s never been told. Right from them.”

He jokes, “I have a nobody cries alone policy.”

Jelly Roll says God has been the force driving his year and receiving a Christian music Grammy nomination is just further proof that “He’s got my back,” the singer says. And while Jelly Roll rejects the idea of crossing over into CCM — “I definitely live a little too secular to be releasing Christian music” — the recognition of “Hard Fought Hallelujah” with Lake is just further proof that “God knows my heart,” he says.

“Country is largely about faith, freedom and family, and those are all things I believe in,” Lake said. Collaborating with Jelly Roll, an artist he loves, was natural. “I believe we can change even more millions of people’s lives through these songs.”

Jelly Roll agrees, “It’s well intentioned.”

Beyond that, he sees a world that is searching for messages of hope — in his work, in country music, in Christian music and beyond. “I think there really is a revival happening in America right now where people are being re-presented the gospel in a digestible way. And it doesn’t seem as finger waggy and ‘You’re all going to hell,’ you know?”

“I really don’t care when the organized religions wave their finger at me,” he continues. “I’m just glad to see the message, the gospel getting presented.”

At the end of the day, he says, “I’m a broken dude that came from a broken place and like Humpty Dumpty, they put me back together, baby.”

He hopes his music can help others do the same.

The 68th Grammy Awards will be held Feb. 1 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The show will air on CBS and stream on Paramount+.

6D ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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BOOKS BETWEEN THE PAGES WITH LINDSEy DUGA

Author spills the Royal-tea on ‘Heirs Academy’ series

BY JOY HOLDEN

Staff writer

Baton Rouge author Lindsey Duga’s day job is the vice president of operations at Gatorworks, a local digital marketing agency.

But she has another life as a successful middle grade and young adult author. Her newest book, “Royal Liars,” is the sequel to her book “Royal Heirs Academy.”

The “Royal Heirs Academy” series features four distinctly different heirs to the throne of Ashland who were raised away from royalty. They converge at an elite boarding school in the south of France, where they must prove themselves and compete for the throne of Ashland. The characters go on dynamic journeys across the two novels — from plotting against each other to joining forces against a common enemy.

Each of the four has their chance to share their side, and the multiple points of view adds a layer of believability. ”Royal Heirs Academy” came out Jan. 7 and “Royal Liars” comes out Jan. 6. Duga will be at Red Stick Reads for a launch party from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Jan. 8 at 3829 Government St., Baton Rouge.

How did “Royal Heirs” get started?

My debut book, “Kiss of the Royal,” was a royal fantasy romance, and that one came out in 2018. Royals are kind of my first love. My publisher wanted a fictionalized version of this real school called United World College, off the coast of Wales, that is set in a real castle.

I pitched the idea of “Princess Diaries” meets “Succession.” I

had been watching “Succession,” which really is about characters who are winning their father’s love. I liked the idea of having royals at a school, so I came up with the idea of kids having never known that they’re royal, having been sent away to live away from the public side. They’re gonna be from different walks of life, too.

I came up with Emmeline, who’s like the mean girl; Sadie, who’s my adorable nerd; Alaric, my delinquent bad boy; and then Titus is the golden prince. Those personas were very locked in my head whenever I came up with this pitch.

I want this to be about friendship, finding your alliances when you’re younger and realizing you can have a found family rather than the ones that you’re stuck with. I decided to make the parents the bad guys, and I think it paid off, especially when creating more deep emotional issues.

You have said that this is a “characterdriven story.” What were your priorities in character development?

I wanted to show that they are students.

School life is what they do. Because I didn’t want to just have kids hooking up right and left and all that kind of stuff. When Sadie and Titus have a philanthropy project together, that was a fun way to sort of weave their coursework into the plot.

One of the things that helped me keep their voices separate is knowing exactly what their goals were. Each one of them just had such different goals to become the successor.

Can you describe why the king doesn’t give the heirs any requirements or guidelines for how to win the crown?

The competition wasn’t him deciding anything. It was more like them deciding for themselves who was really going to get ahead, who’s going to do what’s necessary to earn the crown,

because that’s always been what Ashland is.

It’s because it’s been a warring country, and whoever’s the strongest is the one who is able to get the crown. There are no rules.

All four of these kids are abandoned in one shape or another, so how did you draw upon all of these different stories?

I had a golden childhood, but I’m a huge nerd, and I love anime. There’s a particular manga, “Fruits Basket,” and I got a lot of inspiration from those stories and fed them into those characters.

It’s pitched as a love triangle romance, but it’s really not. It’s more of a psychological drama about this really messed up family with a lot of expectations and mental health issues that are that are never addressed.

Because this is a young adult series, how did you decide on what to include to push the content and where to pull back the content?

I really wanted to get across the reality issues, whether it be chronic illness or dealing with the aftermath of somebody who died by suicide — all the issues going on in the world.

We feel kind of powerless to impact anything. I wanted to show that you may feel powerless, but there are things you can do and learn and take an interest in and care about, whether that be economics or the environment. How can I create a lasting impression before harming or before doing too much?

You reveal some big secrets in the sequel, “Royal Liars.” Why did you save them for the second book?

This was actually going to be maybe three or four books. I had always planned that because I was writing on the references

Lindsey Duga that they’d given me, like “Gossip Girl,” and I was basing it off “Succession.” It’s such a characterdriven plot that you can do a lot to prolong storylines and see where they go.

I was going to have Sadie’s identity revealed at the end of book two. I’m glad where it is in the prologue, so it does feel very contained in two books. This was just sort of like a way to jump readers in.

What can people look forward to in the sequel?

I have a writers’ group, and they gave the idea of a really good team-up. That’s what “Royal Liars” should really be at the end of the day. All these rivals who were at each other’s throats team up.

There’s so much contention and issues that they have to work through, but there becomes a common enemy. Really, it’s about protecting each other, their school and their country from outside forces.

La. author explores winding relationships, sisterhood Fortunes, fates intertwine in debut novel

BY RIEN FERTEL Contributing writer

“Sister Creatures” by Laura Venita Green, Unnamed Press, 236 pages.

In Greek myth, sisters often come in supersized sororities: the Muses numbered nine, the Pleiades seven and the Fates three, the same sum as Medusa and her Gorgon siblings.

To the pile of innumerable stories that owe a debt to the ancient Greeks, add Laura Venita Green’s debut novel, “Sister Creatures,” Review an unsettling and striking series of interconnected, folk/horror-tinged stories in which sisters, real and figurative, take center stage.

Set in the west-central Louisiana town of Pinecreek, presumably a close approximation of Green’s native Rosepine, in Vernon Parish, the novel opens with Tess Lavigne. On the cusp of 21, she’s just dropped out of community college and been dropped by her best friend.

Tess takes comfort in vodka and stacks of gothic horror checked out from the public library, stories of “malfunctioning women,” as she calls them, “women who lose control or lose their minds”: “The Yellow Wallpaper,” “The Turn of the Screw” and “Carrie.”

Lost and alone, she’s content to kick back on an extended babysitting stint, minding the Thompson siblings, whose mother recently and mysteriously “got taken away” — just another malfunctioning woman.

Tess and the kids are frequently visited by a teenage girl, who silently peeks out

from the piney woods that surround the Thompson home. Sister Gail, as she’s known around town, is the subject of numerous rumors. Her family, the Liebrechts, are Pentecostal, only speak German, live off-grid, have no electricity or running water and are “the most Jesus people in all of Pinecreek.”

Tess reluctantly invites her in for pizza dinner and a viewing of “The Little Mermaid” — two experiences new to Gail.

But it’s the Thompson daughter’s toy doll, named Thea, that captivates her.

“I’ve never once in my life had anything of my own,” she says. “Not once. I’ve never been permitted.”

Thea is also the name of Gail’s long-dead

twin sister, she confides, before disappearing into the pines, doll in hand. She leaves behind a cryptic note, in German.

“It is almost impossible to find me,” she writes. “Actually it is not possible, not safe, to explain, so do not worry. Thank you for a good night and the pizza, and sorry for what I will do.”

In Gail, Tess has found her twin — and vice versa.

Throughout Green’s novel, their fortunes and fates intertwine. They become sister selves, Ingmar Bergman-esque doppelgängers, and, over time, psychically conjoined agents of chaos.

Their lives echo and deviate. Together apart, they extricate themselves from Pinecreek, build families and careers, hurt their loved ones and hurt themselves.

Their stories are linked with that of other paired Lara Green personas that inhabit this small Louisiana town, fellow sister doubles in suffering. Characters flee from home. Once inseparable siblings become unmoored. Friendships crumble.

Families split. Mothers raise daughters who love them, avoid them and file restraining orders against them.

These sisters resemble the characters in Tess’ own literary canon. They lose control and lose their minds. A lucky few put themselves back together again.

Green imbues “Sister Creatures” with Southern Gothic scenes and sensibilities.

Creepy triplet brothers coax intimate stories from strangers, rendering them into a cappella songs that become surprise underground sensations. A walk in the woods reveals a troupe of characters

reminiscent of the infamous hillbillies from “Deliverance.” Gail, it’s revealed, survived her childhood by locking herself in a shed for two years to escape the torment of a grandfather who declared her to be evil personified.

And then there’s the titular sister creature, Thea, who might be the missing mother of the Thompson children.

Looming in the book’s background, she’s a shape-shifter who transforms into a trio of animalistic avatars: a timber rattlesnake slithering through the Kisatchie pines, a hawk hungry for a mate and a red fox searching the forests of Germany for a reason to live.

Each time, Thea adds a bit of gore to the proceedings.

“Sister Creatures” is an eerie puzzle of a book, an exploration of shared traumas and the promise of the bonds of sisterhood.

One scene is liable to haunt me for some time. A father asks his two daughters, separated by two decades of separation, to reconnect. The vagaries of time have initially rendered face-to-face contact unwelcome, so they meet on either side of the Louisiana-Texas border, across the Sabine River, talking, hesitantly at first, via walkie-talkies. Green ends the scene with the sisters waiting to wade into the water to reunite.

There are few things in life, “Sister Creatures” shows, more beautiful and more painful than a long and winding relationship.

Rien Fertel is the author of four books, including, most recently, “Brown Pelican.”

THIS WEEK’S BESTSELLERS FROM PUBLISHERS WEEKLY HARDCOVER FICTION

1. “The Widow” by John Grisham 2. “The Secret of Secrets” by Dan Brown 3. “The Correspondent” by Virginia Evans 4. “Always Remember” by Charlie Mackesy 5. “Alchemised” by SenLinYu 6. “Mona’s Eyes” by Thomas Schlesser 7. “Return of the Spider” by James Patterson 8. “Nash Falls” by David Baldacci 9. “The Intruder” by Freida Mcfadden 10. “Twice” by Mitch Albom

HARDCOVER NONFICTION

1. “The Let Them Theory” by Mel Robbins 2. “Stop, in the Name of God” by Charlie Kirk 3. “1929” by Andrew Ross Sorkin 4. “How to Test Negative for Stupid” by John Kennedy 5. “Guinness World Records 2026” by Guinness World Records 6. “The Miracles Among Us” by Marc Siegel 7. “Puzzle Mania!” by Joel Fagliano 8. “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: The Essential Recipes” by Ree Drummond 9. “The Look” by Michelle Obama 10. “The Gales of November” by John U. Bacon

TRADE PAPERBACK

1. “Theo of Golden” by Allen Levi 2. “Murder at Holly House” by Denzil Meyrick 3. “The Atomic Habits Workbook” by James Clear 4. “The God of the Woods” by Liz Moore 5. “Housemaid” by Freida McFadden 6. “My Blade, Your Back” by K.M. Moronova 7. “The 2026 Old Farmer’s Almanac”

by Old Farmer’s Almanac 8. “Merry Murdle” by G.T. Karber 9. “Merry Christmas, You Filthy Animal” by Meghan Quinn 10. “Remarkably Bright Creatures” by Shelby Van Pelt

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 7D

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AT THE TABLE

2025 turned out to be a great year for wine

BY ELIN MCCOY

erally down, and wines in many regions will be excellent, but disaster struck in Galicia. Catastrophic fires charred vineyards and poured out thick clouds of smoke in Valdeorras, Bierzo and trendy Ribeira Sacra. Some wineries, like Alvaredos-Hobbs, won’t release any 2025 wines.

Parts of Rioja faced a difficult growing season, with some hail, but at CVNE, Irene Bonilla, head of viticulture, describes the harvest as “ideal,” with ripening and reds with deep color and firm tannins, fresh and expressive.

In Catalonia, the home territory of Familia Torres, rainfall in the spring was welcome after three years of severe drought. Torres sees reds with promising red fruit flavor profiles, length, freshness and good acidity, compared to previous years. And in Ribera del Duero, Vega Sicilia reports 2025 is outstanding.

Bloomberg News (TNS) On Aug. 28, 2025, in Saint-Emilion, France, pickers fanned out into the vineyard at Château Troplong Mondot. It was the earliest harvest start in the estate’s history.

Record-breaking early picking was a key feature of harvest 2025.

In Alsace, the date was Aug. 19, 2025; in Champagne, Aug. 20, 2025; for the white grapes in the Rhône Valley, mid-August, two weeks earlier than 2024. In Germany’s Rheingau region, some grapes were picked at the end of August 2025, three weeks earlier than the longterm average.

In most European wine spots, harvests were speedy too. At firstgrowth Château Mouton Rothschild in Bordeaux, the first red grapes came in on Sept. 5, 2025, and picking wrapped up historically early, on Sept. 20, 2025.

It’s clear that rising temperatures and the extreme weather of climate change are compressing the growing season and shifting the harvest timetable. The good news for 2025 is that winemakers from France to Germany to Spain (with some exceptions) are excited by the promise of high-quality wine, even though yields are lower than they would like.

For that, blame the extended heatwaves, drought and destructive wildfires .

According to a global study released in May 2025 by two French agricultural research institutes and the University of British Columbia, wine-growing regions have warmed, on average, by the equivalent of nearly 100 extra growing degree days over the past 70 years. Growing degree days are a measure of the cumulative heat vines are exposed to, which influences growth and ripening. Europe has felt the biggest impact.

In every vintage the effects can be uneven. .

Extremely hot, dry conditions help fires spread faster, burn longer and rage more intensely, as they also did last year in northwestern Spain, on Napa’s Howell Mountain and in Portugal’s Douro Valley. Winemakers worry that wines from vines that didn’t burn will be affected by smoke taint and end up with ashy flavors.

The roller-coaster of what happens during harvest is why it’s a high-emotion season for winemakers.

Oregon winemaker Maggie Harrison of Antica Terra described the stress this way: “I didn’t sleep a wink last night. But I always know that when I step up to the sorting table, there is a reserve of energy, a switch-on kind of magic that happens, and I can’t flipping wait.”

Translation: Deep down winemakers are always optimists.

Climate change isn’t the only challenge for harvest 2025. Consumption is down, and tariffs promise price hikes. Vineyards are being pulled out everywhere from Sonoma to Bordeaux. Even if the wines from 2025 are excellent, the big question is: Will people buy them?

United States TRIBUNE NEWS SERVICE PHOTOS

The good news for 2025 is that winemakers from France to Germany to Spain (with some exceptions) are excited by the promise of high-quality wine, even though yields are lower than they would like.

ling bode well for rich, collectible wines.

Italy

In England, no frost and a long, even summer meant perfect ripening for both chardonnay and pinot noir. and abundant quantity, a far cry from 2024.

France

Bordeaux “The growing season unfolded with remarkable serenity,” said Veronique Sanders of Château Haut Bailly in Pessac-Léognan over e-mail. “A dry hot summer resulted in small berries with a striking concentration of aromas and structure.”

Jean-Philippe Delmas of firstgrowth Château Haut-Brion cited the wines’ vibrant acidity and remarkable balance. It’s a sharp contrast to 2024, with its spring frosts, mildew and the lowest level of production since 1991.

Beaujolais and Jura In Jura, the mood is upbeat because of a 200% quantity rebound after 2024 when the region experienced devastating frosts.

The tale in Beaujolais is the reverse: Heat waves, drought and mildew cut yields to their lowest level in 35 years. What’s left is good, though.

Champagne Talk about enthusiasm! Producers are hailing 2025 as the best England vintage in 30 years. It was so rapid No frost and a long, even sum- that chef de cave Jean-Baptiste Lémer meant perfect ripening for caillon, who presided over Chamboth chardonnay and pinot noir. pagne Louis Roederer’s 250th harThe warmest summer on record vest, refers to it as “the Formula brought both exceptional quality One vintage” and had presses go-

ing around the clock.

“The year (2025) will remain etched in the memory of great winegrowers and winemakers,” crows Sébastien Le Golvet, chef de cave at Champagne Henri Giraud. “The first wines are extraordinary.”

The excellent ripeness of pinot noir and pinot meunier suggests great potential for rosés in 2025, according to Taittinger’s vineyard director.

Loire Valley “What a vintage!” says Loic Cailbourdin of Domaine Cailbourdin in Pouilly-Fumé, who calls the quality in this record early harvest “superb,” a huge improvement over 2024.

Nights and mornings were cool, afternoons not too hot. In PouillyFumé and Sancerre, sauvignon blancs have good acidity, freshness and that salty mineral character aficionados love, while cabernet franc is also a success, with production up 26% over last year.

Germany High quality, but the smallest vintage since 2010, reported the German Wine Institute. Earlier yield predictions were more optimistic, but heavy mid-September rains reminded winemakers that harvest isn’t over until it’s over. A high level of ripeness and concentration in both pinot noir and ries-

Great expectations of exceptional quality from north to south.

Some regions produced 10% less than 2024, but in quantity, Italy is the leading wine producer this year, surpassing France.

Prosecco Franco Adami, president of the Conegliano-Valdobbiadene Consortium, the premium subregion for prosecco, says the vintage is exceptional in terms of quality, one of the three or four best of the last three decades, especially when it comes to aromas.

Tuscany A very good vintage of high quality, thanks to slow ripening and striking contrasts between hot days and cool nights. Expect wines with brightness and freshness, subtle floral hints, delicate fruit notes and elegance.

And at Ornellaia in Bolgheri, winemaker Marco Balsimelli said over Zoom, “I’m very happy. The character of the vintage is a lot of concentration, merlot with freshness, lots of elegance and silky, velvety tannins.”

Piedmont A great vintage, perfectly balanced.

It started as an early vintage, but winemakers were able to wait for perfect ripeness and achieve elegance and precision, along with gorgeous rose petal aromas.

Speaking to Italian website WineNews, enologist Gianlucca Torrengo at Prunotto said, “The grapes are of a quality we haven’t seen in years.” This will be a vintage to collect.

Sicily Antonio Rallo of Donnafugata winery sees “2025 as a return to normalcy.” He adds: “It’s better than last year, and the quality of the grapes looks promising.”

Along with good rainfall, Rallo cites no prolonged heat extremes or drought. It was a vintage that didn’t require an early harvest.

Spain It’s complicated. Quantity is gen-

Napa An unusually cool growing season and no extreme heat spikes resulted in bright but rich wines with complex flavors and aromas.

But the year was still brutal.

The lack of demand means some grapes will rot on the vines.

And on Howell Mountain, the August Pickett Fire damaged grapes with heat or smoke at more than a half a dozen wineries.

Sonoma “The 2025 vintage is a special one,” says Jesse Katz of Aperture.

He says cooler weather — the coldest July since 2010 — resulted in whites with incredibly complex flavors and aromas, and cabernets with balance and elegance. And on the Sonoma coast, pinot maker Jamie Kutch of his eponymous winery explains that a cool, foggy summer slowed ripening and preserved freshness and acidity.

Paso Robles A plentiful vintage from one of the coolest growing seasons on record, yet an early harvest. At Tablas Creek, picking started on Aug. 24, 2025, and by mid-October only about 15% was left to bring in, mostly unusual varieties like counoise and terret noir.

“The fruit that’s come in looked terrific,” winemaker Jason Haas posted on his blog. The consensus: Multiple varieties benefited from the long, slow ripening.

Oregon Optimism reigns for a spectacular vintage. Early and fast made for a crazy-busy harvest. A warm dry summer, then a series of 95Fplus days pushed things along quickly. Winemaker Piper Underbrink of Sealionne Wines and Privé Vineyards sees the perfect concentration, balance and excellent acidity needed for a vintage to age.

Think rich, ripe wines. The biggest challenge: shortage of labor.

Washington State Sarah Hedges Goedhart, director of winemaking at Hedges Family Estate in Red Mountain AVA, predicted, “This could be one of those vintages that people talk about for decades. We’re seeing deep color, high acidity, balance and great flavors across a range of varietals.” Winemakers talk about near-perfect growing conditions. The wines, says David Merfeld of Northstar winery in Walla Walla, will be lush, soft, jammy and fruity.

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8D ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Sunday, Jan. 4, the fourth day of 2026. There are 361 days left in the year.

Today in history: On Jan. 4, 2007, Nancy Pelosi was elected the first female speaker of the House as Democrats took control of Congress.

Also on this date: In 1853, New Yorker Solomon Northup regained his freedom after being kidnapped in Washington, D.C., and forced into slavery in 1841; he would later tell his story in his memoir, “Twelve Years a Slave.”

In 1896, Utah was admitted as the 45th U.S. state after The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints officially ended the practice of polygamy.

In 1948, Burma (now known as Myanmar) marked its independence from Great Britain.

In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson delivered his State of the Union address in which he outlined the goals of his “Great Society” initiative.

In 1974, President Richard Nixon refused to hand over tape recordings and documents subpoenaed by the Senate Watergate Committee.

In 1999, Europe’s new currency, the euro, got off to a strong start on its first trading day, rising against the dollar on world currency markets.

In 2006, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon suffered a significant stroke; his official powers were transferred to his deputy, Ehud Olmert. (Sharon remained in a coma until his death in January 2014.)

In 2010, the Burj Khalifa, the tallest structure in the world at 2,717 feet tall, opened in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

Today’s birthdays: Actor Dyan Cannon is 89. Guitarist John McLaughlin is 84. Author-historian Doris Kearns Goodwin is 83. Country singer Patty Loveless is 69. Singer Michael Stipe (R.E.M.) is 66. Actor Julia Ormond is 61. NFL running back Derrick Henry is 32.

Singer-actor Coco Jones is 28.

NBA center Victor Wembanyama is 22.

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Are you sure you’re friends with this person? at a total of $10 at best. Most of Dear Miss Manners: I have a friend this stuff I have to throw away, from childhood who is a wealthy, though sometimes (rarely) I’m narcissistic hoarder. This means able to find someone who wants she spends all her time buying some of it. needless crap from the To me, this isn’t true givbargain bins of every box store you can imagine. For ing, it’s just poaching ranexample, she’ll buy several dom junk from her hoard blenders just because they and mailing it to me so that are on sale — not because she can get the “I’m a good she needs one. person” high from it.

Judith Her house is filled with This is really annoyMartin ing, verging on passivethis junk. I have politely MISS mentioned therapy, but aggressive. I’ve told her MANNERS that just gets radio silence. many times she should not She insists on sending send me gifts, that a card me Christmas and birthday gifts, is fine (or nothing at all). I even and sometimes even half-birthday stopped properly thanking her gifts. (I do not send gifts.) These for these “gifts” — something my presents are always worthless etiquette-conscious mother would junk she has purchased — plastic absolutely have a fit about! kitsch, novelty sticky notepads, I’ve tried to just go along with it paper napkins with idiotic sayand toss the stuff, but it really anings on them, graph paper, plastic noys me on several levels — the toothpicks that look like toilet sheer waste being the main issue plungers (TWICE I’ve received a for me. box of those), random computer Is there a polite way to end this, connection cords, and more. or should I just be blunt and say, She just paid $36 to mail me a “I toss out almost everything you Christmas gift containing this send, so quit wasting your money. junk, all of which I would value The next box you send, I’m mark-

ing ‘return to sender’ and it’s coming back to you”?

Gentle Reader: And a Merry Christmas to you, too.

Yes, this practice is annoying and yes, it is a waste. But since your friend fills her own house with these items, she must think they are worth something. It is impolite for you to suggest otherwise, especially when they are given as presents.

Rather than rudely send them back, just donate them and be done with it. Your friend is not listening to even your most blunt condemnations, so why waste your energy on anger and resentment? Use it, instead, for holiday cheer and a little grace. Miss Manners will use hers, meanwhile, to get the image of toilet plunger toothpicks out of her head.

Dear Miss Manners: Is it considered rude to take photos of the interior of a friend’s home (the living room), just to show my family how pretty the house was? My friend told me I was being very rude by taking pictures of her

house. I was not going to post them.

Gentle Reader: It is only considered rude if you get caught. And you were.

Dear Miss Manners: The owners of a business for whom I did some work threw a company barbecue and asked guests to sign up to bring a dish.

I was stunned, and did not attend for a few reasons: 1. The staff creates the owners’ income for them. 2. A sign-up sheet?

Really?? And 3. The owners are VERY wealthy. A caterer would have been very accessible.

Gentle Reader: This company may want to solicit more effective ways to thank their employees.

Miss Manners suggests they put up a sign-up sheet.

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.

What to do with greeting cards after holiday Dear Heloise: What I do with my greeting cards, including and mostly Christmas cards, is to cut off the fronts of the cards and give them to a preschool at my church. They can use them to make all kinds of different projects.

Hints from Check with preHeloise schools in your area to see if they would like yours as a donation. — Joanne Baird, in Salem, Ohio

Snow and garages Dear Heloise: For all of you who live in snowy areas and put your car in the garage each evening, here are ways to keep the garage floor clean from slush, snow and melted ice.

Kick off snow under car before garaging. After you remove the car, shovel out any snow residue on the floor.

Put old newspapers over the

slush melt and after a few hours, remove the now-saturated papers.

Evaporation will now take up the remaining moisture. Sweep out any grit.

Do this and you’ll have a clean garage floor — until next time it snows. — Carol J. Holm, via email

List of medications Dear Heloise: This is in response to Parker, who keeps a list of his medications in his wallet at all times. I have a list showing all current doctors, surgeries (with dates), medications (including name of prescribing physician), allergies, and current medical conditions.

I just give the check-in person at the doctor’s office this list to either keep or scan so that I don’t have to write all that information in the spaces when checking in.

At my age and with my lengthy medical history, there’s no way I can remember all of this information. — Mary R., in Virginia

A savings hint

Dear Heloise: Finding an easier or faster way to do things is great, and you are helping us do that!

I found a way to avoid throwing money away! I have begun using a face cream that comes in a tube and is not cheap. When I thought the tube was empty, I let it rest on its cap until the next day. I did this again and again, because each morning more cream came out.

It lasted almost two additional weeks. And to think I might have thrown it out! Thanks, Heloise, for sharing all the best ways to live. — Mary Jane Becker, via email

Taco shells Dear Heloise: Store-bought taco shells are most times a bit stale/ not crunchy. I put them in the oven for 10 minutes, but first I put little balls of aluminum foil in them to help keep their shape.

Roll up pieces of foil into 1-inch balls and shove into the shell or

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Older people and technology Dear Heloise: I read with sadness the letter from a senior seemingly proud that she doesn’t use a cellphone or any of that “newfangled technology.” Computers have been around since the ’90s; that’s over 30 years! It’s so sad to think about these seniors missing out on so much, because they are too afraid, embarrassed, stubborn (?) to learn something that would change their lives! I’ve seen plenty of 80- to 90-year-olds texting their friends, looking up something on Google, checking their calendar and researching new places to eat! Don’t be afraid!

Anyone can learn at any age!

There are places, all over, that can teach an old dog new tricks! — Kaynella W., Omaha, Neb. Send a hint to heloise@heloise. com.

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TALKING Civil engineer Roy Glapion BUSINESS on his roots and love of work 3E

ONE BIG QUESTION 7E

4 experts reflect on La.’s biggest economic challenges of 2025

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

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S u n d ay, J a n u a ry 4, 2026

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SECRETIN THE

SAUCE

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Todd Graves, Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers founder and CEO, poses with a group of students who received free bicycles during a charity event at A.C. Lewis yMCA on Dec. 17.

Founder Todd Graves says keeping Raising Cane’s rooted in Louisiana culture fuels the fryers of his success

BY IANNE SALVOSA Staff writer

In the three decades since its founding, Raising Cane’s has grown from a single restaurant selling fried chicken fingers in the shadows of the LSU campus into a quick-serve success story, with 1,000 outlets in 43 states, the Middle East and Canada.

Its brand, named for the yellow Lab that was the beloved pet of company founder and CEO Todd Graves, now graces storefronts in iconic, high-pro-

file locations, including the Las Vegas Strip and Times Square.

And Graves has ascended the ranks of the nation’s business elite. With a net worth of an estimated $22 billion, he is now the richest person in Louisiana and the 46th wealthiest in the nation, according to Forbes. He also ranks as the richest restaurateur in the country.

As Graves prepares to celebrate Cane’s 30th anniversary in August, the company, which posted sales last year of more than $5 billion, is on track to

continue its meteoric rise. In 2026, it will expand into the United Kingdom and Mexico and open 100 new locations in the U.S., which is on par with the rate at which the company has been opening new restaurants since 2024. Beginning in 2027, Graves plans to pick up the pace.

“I love opening new restaurants, new communities,” Graves said in an interview shortly before Christmas at the A.C. Lewis YMCA in Baton Rouge, following a bike giveaway with Saints and Pelicans owner Gayle Benson. “I

love hiring all the crew that come, all the customers that we touch and being involved with the community.

“We’re going to keep scaling up and growing as many as we can to still deliver those great restaurants.”

Graves also vowed to keep the company’s corporate headquarters in Baton Rouge, where he was raised and still lives with his family.

“The company is here. I’m here. The dog is here,” he said.

ä See GRAVES, page 2E

State’s custom suit industry is sizing up with new shops

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

IDEAS &

INNOVATION

It was the day after Christmas, and master tailor Manuel Martinez was bringing holiday cheer to a customer who owns a business on Royal Street in the French Quarter.

Martinez wasn’t dressed in red and carrying a bag full of wrapped presents. Instead, he was rocking an impeccable blue wool double-breasted suit, and he was toting yards of fabric and a case filled with measuring tape and others tools he will use to design a similar custom garment for

his client.

It’s a craft that Martinez has finetuned over the last 45 years from his Baton Rouge base, where he’s dressed governors, celebrities, sports stars and others willing and able to pay a premium for well-made clothes with a flattering fit.

Lately, he’s got a lot more competition.

Thanks to technological advances and evolving consumer tastes, custom men’s suits are rising in popularity nationwide, and in Louisiana,

ä See CUSTOM, page 6E

Master tailor Manuel Martinez drapes a fabric over Bill Rau’s shoulder at M.S. Rau on Royal Street. Thanks to technological advances and evolving consumer tastes, custom men’s suits are rising in popularity.

STAFF PHOTO By ENAN CHEDIAK

2E ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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PEOPLE IN BUSINESS Staff report

tors named Tulane University bioPollstar named Raising Cane’s River medical engineering professor J. Businesses and nonprofit orga- Center as one of the Top 200 Arenas Quincy Brown as a 2025 fellow for his work developing nizations across south Louisiana Worldwide, ranked by ticket sales, MAGIC-SCAN, recently announced the following in the trade publication’s 2025 which aims to give year-end report. honors and recognitions. doctors immediBaton Rouge The Society of Voice Arts and ate confirmation post-surgery as Louisiana Association of Stu- Sciences named Baton Rouge acto whether they dent Financial Aid Administrators tor Ricky Bartlett as a 2026 nominee. have removed all named Brittany Terrio, Bartlett, a SAG-AFTRA actor, is remnants of candirector of finan- up for an award at the 2026 Voice Brown cial aid for River Arts Award Gala set for January in cer. Brown, the Parishes Commu- Beverly Hills. inaugural Mark and Diana Tipton Endowed Professor at Tulane’s nity College, as the The National Academy of Inven- School of Science and Engineer2025 Woman of the Year. Terrio, who tors named LSU Executive Vice ing, also holds 27 patents and cowas honored at the President and Chancellor James founded the cancer imaging comorganization’s con- Dalton and professor of mechanical pany Instapath Inc. Terrio ference in Novem- engineering Guoqiang Li as new NAI Modern Healthber, was also recently elected as its fellows.

Dalton’s work has led to multiple second vice president. care magazine recdrug patents, licensed technoloognized Ochsner Louisiana Healthcare Connec- gies and commercial products.

Health President and CEO Pete NovemLi, who has 19 U.S. patents to his tions has awarded six community organizations a total of $12,000 in name, researches “shape memory ber as one of the 100 grants to projects aimed at build- polymers” — special plastics that Most Influential People in Healthing healthier communities. Recipi- can be manipulated and then re- November ents include The Walls Project, Team Ca- turn to original form. care of 2025. Nopables, WeHelpNOLA, The Highland Center, vember’s roles at Ochsner prior HellfightersWest Monroe LA Unit and Gifted New Orleans to becoming CEO in 2022 included Smiles.

The National Academy of Inven- executive vice president of digital

health, chief financial officer and chief administrative officer.

Eventex Awards named Elaine Williams, the chief commercial officer for the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, to the 2025 Eventex Powerlist of the 50 Most Influential Venue Professionals.

ConventionSouth magazine sepaWilliams rately named the Convention Center as among 35 Louisiana winners of its Reader’s Choice Awards.

The American College of Healthcare Executives named Jomel Whittington, president of the AVALA Physician Network, as a fellow.

Whittington is one of fewer than 8,700 health care executives to have received the certification.

The Louisiana Bar Foundation announced its slate of 2025 distinguished honorees, who will be recognized in April at the foundation’s 40th anniversary gala.

Douglas

Patterson

Wallace

Pitcher

Judge Dana Douglas, of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, is the distinguished jurist of the year; Michael Patterson, of Long Law Firm, is the distinguished attorney; Monica Hof Wallace, of Loyola University, is the distinguished professor; and retired Judge Freddie Pitcher is the 2025 Calogero Justice Award recipient.

Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas for our business coverage? Drop us a line at biztips@theadvocate.com.

61% of young adults trust social media GRAVES Continued from page 1E tips for investing. But should they?

Based in Baton Rouge

You’ve probably heard this expression: “Information is power.”

But what if that information is wrong?

Social media has the Michelle become main source Singletary of investing THE COLOR advice for OF MONEy millions of young adults.

That is very troubling.

Sure, some of the information that financial influencers share on YouTube, TikTok or Instagram is appropriate, such as encouraging people to keep savings in a highyield, insured bank or credit union account, but many tips could harm your long-term wealth.

“Finfluencers” run the gamut, and they may not adhere to the same standards or code of conduct as regulated financial professionals.

The Finra Investor Education Foundation recently released data on U.S. retail investors’ attitudes, behaviors and knowledge. It found that young adults are increasingly turning to social media for investment advice. A quarter of people surveyed said they use recommendations from social media finfluencers in making investment decisions; among those 35 and younger, it’s 61%.

I am encouraged that so many young adults are trying to learn about investing.

However, extreme caution is necessary when making financial decisions solely based on recommendations in an online video.

Here are the key reasons seeking investment advice from social media influencers is inherently risky.

sight.

I have a presence on social media, but my work links back to credible sources. I also have years of experience teaching financial literacy through this column, with nonprofits and through my church.

If you come across a video or recommendation that interests you, fact-check it against a reliable independent or government source, such as the Federal Trade Commission, Securities and Exchange Commission or Finra.

You will find a lot of good advice at investor.gov, where you can search for a firm or an individual investment adviser’s registration status and background, including any disciplinary actions. The site links to Finra’s BrokerCheck database.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. has a section on its website (Money Smart for Young Adults) dedicated to providing basic financial information for young adults ages 16 to 24.

For personalized advice, consider working with a professional financial adviser, especially one who operates under a fiduciary standard, meaning they are legally required to act in your best financial interest.

Planners with certain designations must meet specific educational and employment requirements and agree to abide by a code of ethics. Other credentials to look for: chartered financial consultant or certified public accountant with a specialty designation as a personal financial specialist.

It’s a paid ad

Finfluencers can earn money through sponsorships, They aren’t qualified affiliate links and commisMany finfluencers lack ex- sions for promoting specific financial products, services, perience to provide recomstocks or cryptocurrencies. mendations.

They frequently fail to It’s not until you have spent hours poring over someone’s disclose these payments, so their “advice” is often a paid budget that you understand advertisement intended to how financial advice works benefit them, not necessarily in practice. you.

Unlike financial professionals, who are regulated, Advice is simplistic you may be following the advice of finfluencers who Finfluencers squeeze comoperate with little to no over- plex topics into short videos,

Fool’s School: Do your research

We often recommend that beginning investors and those without the skills or inclination to study the universe of stocks simply Motley invest in a low-fee broadFool market index fund, such as one that tracks the S&P 500.

However, if you seek returns higher than those of the S&P 500, you may want to research and select individual stocks.

As you dig into any company, here are some questions you might ask: What’s its business model? In

other words, how, exactly, does it make its money?

Many favor “capital-light” models, which don’t require lots of cash to operate and grow (such as online marketplaces or software companies), versus capital-intensive ones (such as railroads or manufacturers) that do.

Is the company’s industry growing?

Is the company also growing, and how does it compare with competitors?

What sustainable competitive advantages does it have? These could include a valuable brand, patented technology, economies of scale or a big multinational presence.

Does management communicate candidly, such as in annual letters to shareholders? Is it executing smart strategies?

What risks does the company

often oversimplifying investment strategies. They either gloss over or entirely ignore the significant risks involved.

I have watched dozens of videos promoting the benefits of homeownership in building generational wealth.

Rarely does the finfluencer balance this advice with the pitfalls of buying a home before you are financially ready to handle such a big responsibility.

Can you tell the difference between good advice and foolish financial recommendations? Here’s a link (wapo. st/financial-advice-quiz) to find out.

Too much hype Social media thrives on short, engaging content.

The influencer’s primary goal is often to produce viral content to boost views and expand their follower count.

This encourages them to use sensational claims and manipulate your emotions.

For instance, they make people feel like fools if they aren’t investing in cryptocurrency. But the volatility of cryptocurrency makes it unsuitable for many investors.

It has also become a favorite for fraudsters because it’s so hyped online and attracts investors, especially young adults, who fear they will miss out on the next great investing opportunity.

Fear-driven decisions are not the way to make sound financial choices.

It might be a scam In the worst-case scenarios, some finfluencers are involved in “pump-and-dump” schemes.

They aggressively promote a stock, for example, to inflate its price. Their goal is to drive up the share price before quickly selling their own holdings in the security.

Treat any advice you encounter online as suspect until it is proved trustworthy.

Your best defense against bad investment strategies, scams and poor advice is being informed and skeptical.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com.

face? Does it rely heavily on one customer? Is a deeppocketed rival entering its sphere? (Companies’ annual 10-K reports typically feature a long list of risks.)

Does the company pay a dividend?

If so, what does it currently yield, and how quickly have payouts been growing over the past few years? (Stocks without dividends can be solid investments, but reliable income from a solid dividend payer is a big plus.)

Does the stock seem overvalued or undervalued? Valuing a company is a subjective endeavor, but undervalued stocks typically have price-to-earnings ratios below their own fiveyear averages and below those of their competitors.

In general, favor stocks that seem undervalued.

The story of Cane’s founding has become a common tale in business school lore. Graves and business partner Craig Silvey concocted a plan to have a restaurant with chicken fingers as its sole menu item. The concept received the lowest grade in the class after submitting it to a professor. Determined to succeed, Graves worked as a boilermaker and fisherman to earn money to open the restaurant, eventually setting up shop at the north gates of LSU. The rest is history.

The significance of one of Louisiana’s most successful brands maintaining its corporate presence in Baton Rouge cannot be overstated. In the years since Graves founded Raising Cane’s, Louisiana has lost most of the national companies that once were headquartered in the state.

Today, just two remain: Entergy and Lumen Technologies, the latter of which has maintained its corporate presence in Monroe but has shifted most of its operations to Denver.

By maintaining a corporate presence in the state where it was founded, Cane’s is demonstrating its symbolic commitment to Graves’ home state.

In reality, though, much of Cane’s operations is located at its Restaurant Support Office in Plano, Texas, near Dallas, the hub of the nation’s $290 billion quick-service restaurant industry.

Cane’s opened its Plano office in 2009, where, according to the company’s LinkedIn page, it conducts most of its hiring, training and development. In 2024, the company announced it was building a new 400,000-square-foot facility, also in Plano, nearly four times the size of its existing support office.

The $6 million project will be completed this year.

Of Cane’s 70,000 U.S. employees, which includes both restaurant and corporate staff, 65 corporate employees live and work in Baton Rouge. Graves said building a business with a corporate office in Baton Rouge has meant creating a unique organizational model, with a network of nerve centers in key locations across the country like Los Angeles, New York, Las Vegas, Denver and Phoenix, totaling 120 “business unit teams.”

Having dispersed teams around the country makes it easier to attract talent, Graves said, because it means that potential employees do not have to uproot their families to move to Baton Rouge for work.

The model is more costly, however, due to the expense of operating multiple regional offices and travel.

Graves said it’s worth the investment and that he sometimes brings non-Louisiana employees to Baton Rouge for crawfish boils to

PROVIDED PHOTO By RAFAEL GAMEZ

According to a news release from Raising Cane’s, a Texas restaurant location pays homage to Post Malone’s career and Dallas Cowboys history. Part of CEO Todd Graves’ strategy has been to tap into celebrity fanbases to build demand for expansion. give them a taste of the state culture and build an “affinity” for Louisiana’s capital city.

“They have this resonated knowing it’s Louisiana culture that goes out, and they know it’s why I’m here,” he said. “And they have respect for that.”

With an outmigration of restaurateurs and other companies, Graves cited high state income tax as a challenge for Louisiana businesses, though he believes companies should pay their fair share to support public education and services. When asked if the state can alleviate any pressures restaurateurs face, Graves said it’ll take more restaurant headquarters to station themselves in Louisiana for the business environment to improve.

“You just need more founders that are dedicated to Louisiana,” he said.

Building the brand Restaurateurs have battled inflation, tariffs and waning consumer spending on food in the past few years, with average food costs up 30% from 2019 to 2024, according to a National Restaurant Association report. Cane’s was not immune to those headwinds and saw a slight decrease in traffic. But Graves said the restaurant’s fixed menu of chicken fingers, Texas toast, fries and coleslaw has helped insulate the company from market pressures. Much of its ingredients are sourced in the United States, sparing it from tariff troubles.

Part of Graves’ strategy to expand and keep his brand on top is to secure high-profile, highly desirable real estate.

Restaurants in visible locations like Times Square and Washington, D.C.’s Union Station are both key for attracting locals and tourists, who will return to their respective homes and spread the word about Raising Cane’s.

Graves said the company gets requests for locations from Sydney to Bangladesh.

Graves has also tapped into celebrity fanbases to build demand for expansion. He’s often seen with “Caniacs” like country singer Megan Moroney and rapper Snoop Dogg, promoting the restaurant in advertisements where the stars are working the drive-thru. The promotions, which Graves says are initiated by the stars most of the time, humanize them and ring in their fan base.

“It’s something different that they can’t do anywhere else,” he said. “I actually teach them how to fry chicken.”

Graves and Snoop Dogg are longtime friends, collabo-

rating on philanthropy and appearances on TV shows.

They’ve appeared in commercials together; in one instance, Snoop Dogg helped give out chicken fingers on National Chicken Finger Day, a company-made holiday, after Graves woke up sick in bed. He said his own presence in his advertisements shows his customers that he’s working hard for his brand.

Growing up, he saw commercials for Wendy’s on TV, where founder Dave Thomas served customers, traveled the world only to crave a Wendy’s burger and set up Christmas decorations.

Graves said the commercials showed Thomas cared about his business, and he wanted to do the same.

“I want them to see that face, because it’s a dying thing,” he said. “What most restaurant founders do. They work their butt off, they keep all the money in the business, they grow and grow, then private equity comes in and either buys it all or they buy the majority stake, and then they control the business, and then there’s not those founder principles that follow through.”

His dream collaboration is to blend the sports, entertainment and fashion industries he’s tapped into, he said, naming Louis Vuitton as a brand he’d like to mingle with the Caniacs. He may not be far from that goal — this year, Cane’s made its runway debut with a fashion show part of New York Fashion Week, featuring some locally loved celebrities like Livvy Dunne and Brooks Nader.

Keeping it close Despite its size and success, Graves has resisted calls to take his company public. Instead, he continues to own more than 90% of the company, according to industry reports. Keeping Cane’s private enables Graves to maintain tight control of the business and remain free of pressure from stakeholders. He said his presence in branding and his ownership of the company remind customers of where he started in Baton Rouge.

Cane’s posted $5.1 billion in revenue for 2024, according to Forbes, and is set to surpass $5 billion again this year. Graves has said his goal is to reach $10 billion in sales by 2030.

“What matters is all the good things we do,” he said.

“Hire a great crew, give them growth opportunities, great customer service. There’s a family that really cares behind it, and then the family gives back into all the communities we do business in.”

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3E

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TALKING BUSINESS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Change a driving force for civic-minded entrepreneur

BY ANTHONY McAULEY Staff writer

Roy Glapion has never strayed far from home — by design. A lifelong New Orleanian, the civil engineer and entrepreneur recently stepped away from a decadeslong professional career and is now turning his attention more fully toward civic work that he believes will help shape the city’s next chapter.

Glapion co-founded Citywide Testing & Inspections in 1995 with his business partner, Dennis Engen, building the firm into a significant regional construction materials testing operation. In 2007, the company was sold to Professional Service Industries for an undisclosed sum. Engen chose to retire, but Glapion stayed on, continuing to work for PSI and successor firms for another 17 years, until his retirement in December.

“I stayed because I still wanted to,” Glapion said. “I liked competing. I liked winning work. At some point, you just know it’s time to do something different.”

That “something different” now includes a deepening commitment to civic engagement and philanthropy. Among the most visible projects he has helped shepherd is the long-delayed effort to fund and build a $15 million stadium at George Washington Carver High School — an initiative he has worked on for more than half a decade. He is also deeply involved in nonprofit work, including leadership within the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation, which focuses on mentorship and opportunity for young people.

Glapion’s sense of obligation to the city is inseparable from his family history. His roots in New Orleans stretch back to the 19th century, tracing directly to Marie

Q&A WITH ROy GLAPION

STAFF PHOTO By ANTHONy McAULEy

Longtime civil engineer and entrepreneur Roy Glapion retired in December to focus more on his civic involvements and, maybe, on politics.

Laveau II (1827-97), daughter of the famed Voodoo Queen Marie Laveau. His father, Roy E. Glapion Jr., was a longtime educator, New Orleans City Council member and for decades a respected leader of the Zulu Social Aid & Pleasure Club. His sister Désirée Glapion Rogers is a nationally prominent executive who has served as White House social secretary under President Barack Obama, CEO of Johnson Publishing Co. and, since 2019, CEO of Black Opal Beauty.

A decade ago, Glapion himself entered electoral politics, running for a state Senate seat ultimately won by Troy Carter, a close friend.

These days, he says, his focus is less on office-holding than on helping the city’s next generation — and next administration — succeed.

Interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You describe yourself as a “traditional New Orleans family.” What does that mean to you?

It means the roots run deep. My

parents grew up here. I grew up here. My sister grew up here. We are direct descendants of Marie Laveau de Glapion — Marie Laveau II. We don’t wear it on our sleeves, but it’s part of who we are. I’m a New Orleanian, born and bred. I’ve never lived anywhere else.

Your father left a strong legacy in education and politics. How did that shape you?

My father was an educator first.

My mother was an educator, too.

At some point, my dad decided he could make a bigger difference by running for office, and he won the first time out. He did a great job, and his reputation speaks for itself. But what really shaped us was how we were raised: Excuses were unacceptable. If you failed, it was because you accepted failure.

That mindset guided everything I’ve done.

You had football scholarships, including to LSU, but chose engineering instead. Why? My father asked me a simple question: “Do you want to play pro football?” I said no. He said, “Then

why play in college?” I studied civil engineering, graduated from UNO and eventually was named Alumnus of the Year. Engineering made sense to me. Math made sense to me.

But you didn’t stay a traditional engineer.

I got bored, honestly. I was designing highway beds, sitting at a table with calculations everywhere, watching a bird outside the window and thinking, this isn’t it. I wanted something different.

That led to Citywide Testing & Inspections?

Yes. A friend suggested construction materials testing. I didn’t know much about it at first, but there were fewer competitors, and every construction project needs testing.

My wife (Inez, whom Glapion has been with since high school at St. Augustine) was pregnant with our second son when I quit my job. I told her I was unemployed. She said, “No, you’re self-employed.”

That was the start.

How did you build the business?

By solving problems. We couldn’t work in Orleans Parish because of my father’s political role — too many conflicts — so we went to Jefferson Parish, St. John, St. Charles, Baton Rouge, Mississippi.

People talk about obstacles. Everybody has obstacles. The question is whether you go around them, under them or over them.

Did race present barriers in that era?

Of course there were obstacles.

We knew exactly what we were up against. But business is business.

If you know what you’re doing and you have a good product, people will work with you. I walked in as a businessman, not as anything else.

When Citywide was sold in 2007, your partner retired. You didn’t. Why? I still wanted to work. I liked the chase. I stayed with PSI and successor firms for years, putting strategies together to win big contracts. Eventually, the people I trusted retired or passed away, and the structure changed. At some point, you just get tired of doing the same thing.

So what does retirement mean to you now?

Retirement is being able to do what you want every day. I’ve probably been retired for a long time in that sense. I don’t have a job now, but I’m very busy.

Much of that busyness is civic. What are you focused on?

Giving back. “To whom much is given, much is required.” I mentor younger professionals, especially in engineering. I give information freely — no strings attached — so they don’t have to reinvent the wheel.

You’re also deeply involved in nonprofit work.

Yes. I’m serving as president of the New Orleans Police & Justice Foundation. We work with 21 kids who have drive and at least one committed guardian. Watching those kids succeed — and even come back as alumni — is incredibly gratifying.

And Carver High School’s stadium?

That’s been six years of work. I like planting seeds. When that stadium gets built, I’ll know I helped plant one.

Looking ahead, what gives you hope for New Orleans?

Change. We have new leadership coming in, younger people with different ideas. Different isn’t bad — it’s good. The city’s problems are longstanding, but losing hope is a defeatist attitude.

What should be the city’s priorities?

First, make it easier to do business — fix permitting, pay people on time, cut red tape. Second, focus on where the city can grow, which is Eastern New Orleans. That’s where the footprint is. If we get those right, more people will come, and the city will move forward.

Do you see yourself running for office again?

Never say never — but right now, I’m focused on helping however I can. I love this city. My family has been here forever. If I can help plant seeds that grow into something better, that’s enough.

Email Anthony McAuley tmcauley@theadvocate.com.

Louisiana’s Fisheries Are Complex.

Let’s Base Decisions on Science, Not Assumptions.

Brought to you by the Louisiana Commercial Fisheries Coalition, LLC A recent Advocate/Times-Picayune article examined what Louisiana anglers caught in 2025 and what those numbers could suggest about the health of our most popular sport fish. It highlighted an important truth that every policymaker, fisherman, and coastal resident needs to recognize: Louisiana’s fisheries challenges are real, complex, and cannot be reduced to simple narratives or blamed on convenient villains.

Speckled trout remain the most popular recreational catch in Louisiana. Red drum and white trout continue to define our coastal identity. At the same time, state biologists and anglers are watching long-term trends closely and evaluating how environmental conditions, fishing pressure, and policy changes are affecting populations.

Here is what the science and experts continue to point to: • Louisiana’s ongoing coastal land loss crisis • Loss of nursery habitat critical to juvenile fish survival • Storms, freezes, and environmental variability • Water quality conditions • Declining angler participation, which affects funding and data reliability • New management measures that require time and rigorous assessment to fully evaluate Notably, the article did not identify the Gulf menhaden fishery as a driver of declines in speckled trout or red drum. If scientific evidence clearly linked menhaden harvest to those issues, Louisiana biologists, federal fisheries experts, and responsible journalists would say so. Instead, the discussion continues to focus where the strongest science points: habitat loss, environmental stress, and longterm ecological cycles.

Data Quality Matters Fisheries management works best when decisions are based on verifiable, audited data. There is a key difference in how commercial and recreational fisheries are monitored in Louisiana.

Every menhaden vessel must log each set, its location, and estimated harvest. These numbers are verified and reported electronically each month to NOAA, the Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission, and LDWF. This ensures the commercial menhaden fishery operates under actual, documented catch, not projections.

Recreational harvest is estimated through survey sampling. These surveys provide only estimated insights and do not capture actual catch or effort. They are influenced by regulatory changes and reporting biases. And not every angler participates. Strong policy must prioritize verified, audited data, especially when making decisions that affect multiple user groups, to ensure fairness and reliability in management.

Responsible resource management must weigh multiple factors, including habitat, environmental variability, harvest levels, and long-term population trends. It should not be influenced by one user group seeking to shift blame or policy outcomes onto another, such as attempts to demonize the menhaden fishery. In Louisiana, this principle ensures that regulations are based on evidence, not anecdote, perception, or sector rivalry, and that all users – from commercial fisheries to recreational anglers – are treated fairly.

Independent Science and Ongoing Review The menhaden fishery is among the most closely monitored in the Gulf. It is assessed annually by panels of scientists including NOAA and LDWF and independently peer-reviewed. The most recent Gulf States Marine Fisheries Commission assessment confirmed the stock is healthy. The fishery also holds Marine Stewardship Council sustainability certification, an internationally recognized benchmark for responsible management. A $1 million state-funded bycatch study confirmed compliance and demonstrated that investments in safer, more sustainable technology are producing measurable results.

This is not an industry resisting accountability. It is

an industry actively improving and reporting results.

Even federal scientists have acknowledged that red drum assessments are limited. The last federal Gulf-wide red drum assessment in 2016 was considered data-limited and not suitable for definitive management advice. This reinforces why caution, strong data, and science-based decision making are critical for both commercial and recreational fisheries.

Aligning Policy with Evidence The Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission’s recent Notice of Intent to adjust the menhaden buffer zone reflects this same science-driven philosophy. After reviewing multiple years of data, operational experience, evolving technology, and improved safeguards, the Commission concluded that buffer adjustments were justified. This is not a rollback of protections. It is a measured, evidencebased correction to ensure regulations reflect the best available science.

Responsible Management Means Patience and Investment LDWF has stated that it will take time to understand fully the effects of recent regulatory changes and environmental conditions on trout and red drum.

That approach is appropriate. Sound management is

deliberate, careful, and evidence-driven.

The state’s biggest challenge remains coastal habitat loss. As wetlands disappear, nursery habitats that support red drum, speckled trout, and other species also vanish. Policy changes alone cannot restore these critical ecosystems. Supporting coastal restoration and the scientists who monitor fisheries is essential. When funding erodes, data quality suffers, and policymaking risks becoming political rather than scientific.

Louisiana Thrives When We Follow Science Louisiana succeeds when decisions are based on facts, respect for expertise, and a commitment to fairness. The Advocate/Times-Picayune article underscores what fisheries professionals already know: management is complex, long-term, and must remain grounded in the most reliable, verified science, not assumptions or anecdotal evidence.

By recognizing the credibility gap between commercial and recreational data, investing in coastal restoration, and adjusting regulations like the LWFC menhaden buffer NOI based on evidence, Louisiana can protect its fisheries, its coastal communities, and the families who rely on them.

Our state’s future on the water, along the coast, and in our communities depends on getting this right.

4E ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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AROUND THE REGION RNGD touts benefits of ‘innovative’ modular construction Firm tasked with building state’s new Harvey office

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

RNGD, Wes Palmisano’s fastgrowing Metairie-based construction firm, has been selected

by Louisiana to deliver a new $84 million office building in Harvey that will replace the existing state office building on the Westbank Expressway.

The two-story building, which will encompass 116,000 square feet, will be constructed, at least in part, using modular, or prefabricated, construction — a method that RNGD has increasingly utilized in residential and commercial projects over the past five years because it saves time and money.

“Through innovative approaches like offsite manufacturing and prefabrication, we’re able to deliver a higher-quality building more cost-efficiently and on an accelerated timeline,” said Joe Yenni, RNGD executive vice president-building.

The state contract is the latest of several positive developments for RNGD. The company started 2025 with a move to its new 14-acre campus on L&A Road near the Earhart Expressway and saw record growth in the months that followed. It opened a Mississippi office — in addition to offices it already has in Alabama and Tennessee — and snagged a contract to work on the site of the Meta artificial intelligence data center in Richland Parish.

It finished the year with a backlog — the total dollar value of work a company has but has not completed yet — of more than $500 million.

Among RNGD’s signature projects of the past 12 months was the completion of a five-story office

including wall panels, frames, sheaths and exterior coverings offsite in a factory. The components are digitally tracked through each stage of production, allowing quality control and productivity data to be captured and analyzed. That data is then used to ensure proper building component performance and better design for future projects, company spokesperson Michael Fulkerton said.

Once components are ready, they’re flat packed and transported to a jobsite.

It’s too soon to say how much of the new state office building in Harvey will be constructed using modular components.

“As part of preconstruction, we of construction projects in the U.S. is relatively small, at just will be assessing opportunities for offsite prefabrication over 10%, according to where appropriate and the Construction Industry effective in driving value Training Board. for the project,” Fulkerton Palmisano is trying to said in a statement. change that. As he has In the coming months, grown the family conthe company will be evalstruction company started by his grandfather Warren uating whether prefabriPalmisano, he has increas- Wes Palmisano cating parts of the Harvey office building in Metairie ingly focused on modular building, changing the company’s will improve schedule certainty, name nearly three years ago to quality control, jobsite safety and PROVIDED RENDERINGS By TRAPOLIN-PEER ARCHITECTS RNGD — pronounced renegade cost management.

The building, being designed by — to reflect the shift in focus. At ABOVE and TOP: Mock-ups show the exterior and interior of a new $84 Peer Trapolin, is expected to be the same time, he bought the Memillion state office building planned for Harvey being built by Metairietairie campus to have more space completed by December 2028. based constsruction firm RNGD. for manufacturing and training facilities.

Email Stephanie Riegel at The process involves prefab- stephanie.riegel@theadvocate. building in Huntsville, Alabama’s in Harvey, where it is managing historic downtown, where it is de- the preconstruction phase of the ricating building components, com. project and is expected to lead veloping a mixed-use district.

RNGD The company completed the in the construction phase once it construction five-story, 75,000-square-foot gets started.

“This project represents our building in just two months using installs a modular building methods that ongoing commitment to advancmanufactured involved shipping more than 450 ing Louisiana’s infrastructure and steel wall tons of structural steel and nearly serving the communities where panel at a 200 exterior wall panels from its we live and work,” Palmisano said jobsite in May 90,000-square-foot manufactur- in a prepared statement. ing facility in Metairie to the jobin Huntsville, Building-in-a-box site.

Ala. In all, the method shaved nearly Amid rising construction costs PROVIDED four months off the construction and a housing affordability crisis, PHOTO timeline, the company said. modular building has become a RNGD intends to bring the same hot topic of late and is growing in kind of efficiencies to the project popularity. Still, its overall share

Built on principles.

Committed to progress.

Each year brings new opportunities to lead with purpose — and our values continue to define how we show up.

From safety and integrity to excellence and accountability, we hold ourselves to the highest standard in every operation, every decision, and every partnership.

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The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 5E

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NATION & WORLD Toys are talking back thanks to AI, but are they safe?

BY QUEENIE WONG

Los Angeles Times (TNS)

Stuffed animals that talk back.

Chessboards with pieces that move on their own. And a chatty holographic fairy in a crystal ball.

Your next toy purchase might be powered by artificial intelligence and able to converse with your kids.

Chatbots and AI-powered assistants that can quickly answer questions and generate texts have become more common after the rise of OpenAI’s ChatGPT. As AI becomes more intertwined in our work and personal lives, it’s also shaking up playtime.

Startups unleashed AI toys in time for the holidays. More are set to hit the shelves for both kids and adults in the new year.

Some parents are excited to test the toys, hoping that the chatty bot interactions will educate and entertain their children. Others don’t want the seemingly sentient tech near their loved ones until it has more guardrails and undergoes further testing.

Researchers at the U.S. PIRG Education Fund say they have already found problems with some of the toys they tested. Among the issues: an AI teddy bear that could be prompted into discussing sexual fetishes and kink, according to the group.

Toy makers say AI can make play more interactive, and they take safety and privacy seriously.

Some have placed more limits around how chatty some of these products can be. They say they are taking their time figuring out how to use AI safely with children.

El Segundo-based Mattel, the maker of Barbie and Hot Wheels, announced earlier this year that it had teamed up with OpenAI to create more AI-powered toys. The initial plan was to unveil their first joint product in 2025, but that announcement has been pushed into 2026.

Toys have featured the latest technology for decades.

LOS ANGELES TIMES PHOTO By BRIAN VAN DER BRUG

A shopper walks past fully stocked shelves in the toy department at a Walmart Supercenter in Burbank, Calif.

Startups unleashed toys using artificial intelligence in time for the holidays, and more are set to hit the shelves for both kids and adults in the new year.

“What does it mean for young kids to have AI companions?

We just really don’t know how that will impact their development.”

As technology has advanced, toys have also gotten smarter.

Now, toy makers are using large language models trained to understand and generate language that powers products such as ChatGPT. Mattel sells a game called PictionRORy ERLICH, toy tester and author of ary vs. AI, in which players draw U.S. PIRG Education Fund’s artificial pictures and AI guesses what they intelligence toys report are.

Equipped with microphones and connected to WiFi, AI toys are Introduced in the 1980s, Teddy pricier than traditional ones, are Ruxpin told stories aloud when a marketed as companions or educatape cassette was inserted into the tional products and can cost $100 animatronic bear’s back. Furbys — or even double that. fuzzy creatures that blinked their From inappropriate content to large eyes and talked — came privacy concerns, worries about along in the ’90s, when digital pets AI toys grew this holiday season. like the Tamagotchi also were all U.S. PIRG Education Fund rethe rage. searchers tested several toys. One

that failed was Kumma, an AIpowered talking teddy bear that told researchers where to find dangerous objects such as knives and pills and conversed about sexually explicit content. The bear was running on OpenAI’s software.

Some toys also use tactics to keep kids engaged, which makes parents concerned that the interactions could become addictive.

There are also privacy concerns about data collected from children. Some worry about how these toys will impact kids’ developing brains.

“What does it mean for young kids to have AI companions? We just really don’t know how that will impact their development,” said Rory Erlich, one of the toy

testers and authors of PIRG’s AI toys report.

Child advocacy group Fairplay has warned parents not to buy AI toys for children, calling them “unsafe.”

The group outlined several reasons, including that AI toys are powered by the same technology that’s already harmed children.

Parents who have lost their children to suicide have sued companies such as OpenAI and Character.AI, alleging they didn’t put in enough guardrails to protect the mental health of young people.

Larry Wang, founder and chief executive of FoloToy, the Singapore startup behind Kumma, said in an email the company is aware of the issues researchers found with the toy.

“The behaviors referenced were identified and addressed through updates to our model selection and child-safety systems, along with additional testing and monitoring,” he said.

The company welcomes scrutiny and ongoing dialogue about safety, transparency and appropriate design, he said, noting it’s “an opportunity for the entire industry to mature.”

OpenAI said it suspended FoloToy for violating its policies.

Skyrocket, a Los Angeles-based toy maker, sells Poe, the AI story bear. The bear, powered by OpenAI’s LLM, comes with an app where users pick characters like a princess or a robot for a story.

The bright-eyed bear, named after writer Edgar Allan Poe, generates stories based on that selection and recites them aloud.

But kids can’t have a back-andforth conversation with the teddy bear like with other AI toys.

“It just comes with a lot of responsibility, because it greatly increases the sophistication and level of safeguards you have to have and how you have to control the content because the possibilities are so much greater,” said Nelo Lucich, co-founder and chief executive of Skyrocket.

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“If the man has no waist, we give him a waist. If he has sloped shoulders, we make him look stronger. For lack of a better word, we’re artists for making garments.”

MANUEL MARTINEZ, master tailor

CUSTOM

Sam Connan makes a cocktail at the new Tweeds Custom Suit showroom on Magazine Street. The Florida-based chain debuted in New Orleans in December.

Continued from page 1E plenty of new businesses are emerging to meet the demand.

In New Orleans, at least a halfdozen custom suit designers and showrooms have launched over the last 15 years. The most recent, a new outpost of the Florida-based chain Tweeds Custom Suits, debuted on Magazine Street in December.

Baton Rouge, Lafayette and other Louisiana cities have seen similar new arrivals. And established men’s clothing stores, both local and national, now provide more custom offerings.

After decades of American men choosing to buy clothes mostly off the rack, this internet-fueled pivot to buying custom has created new opportunities for entrepreneurs to launch businesses with high margins, low overhead, minimal inventory and flexible hours.

If done right, Martinez said, the suits they sell can be transformational.

“If the man has no waist, we give him a waist,” he said. “If he has sloped shoulders, we make him look stronger. For lack of a better word, we’re artists for making garments.”

The rise of custom For decades, custom clothes were reserved for wealthy people who could afford to pay tailors to hand sew garments, a process that can take months.

These days, the internet allows salespeople to capture measurements digitally and send them to faraway factories in an instant.

Manufacturers can make and modify patterns using software instead of fabric or paper, and their production lines can crank out custom clothing at scale. Modern supply chains transport goods more affordably than in the past, although tariffs have raised prices in some cases.

Kenny Rubenstein, owner and Rubenstein general manager of the 101-year-old Rubensteins men’s

STAFF PHOTOS By RICH COLLINS

Tailor Dmitriy Chernikov works on a suit at Luca Falcone on Magazine Street. Luca Falcone was arguably the first of the ‘new wave’ of custom suit makers in New Orleans when it debuted in 2011. clothing store in downtown New Orleans, said customers bought off the rack for most of the store’s history, using onsite tailors to make adjustments as needed. But now custom clothes are the store’s third biggest-selling category, doubling in volume since the pandemic.

The new efficiency is a big reason.

“I used to write an order on paper, fax it to the vendor, hoping to get confirmation of receipt a few days later,” Rubenstein said. “Then, after I verified the information, we’d receive the finished product in three months. Now, when I click send on the computer, by the next day, I can’t change it because it’s being made.”

Rubensteins and its competitors offer custom apparel at a range of price points. A few vendors offer “bespoke” garments made completely from scratch and by hand.

Most sell “made to measure” items that are created by modifying existing patterns using a client’s measurements.

The more handmade a garment is, the more expensive it will be.

That’s why finished products can range in price from below $1,000 to well above $10,000, depending on fabrics and construction method.

Luca Falcone, arguably the first of the “new wave” of custom suit makers in New Orleans when it debuted in 2011, offers customers

several high-end options from its stylish showroom on lower Magazine Street.

The store offers options that are either machine sewn or handmade in Italy. Its most premium product is a “full bespoke” suit made onsite in New Orleans.

“Each of those takes 80 hours of hand stitching, so we only produce five or six per month,” said Joe Rotolo, the company’s founder, who discovered his love of custom clothing while studying in Europe.

Several years Rotolo ago, Rotolo doubled down on higher-end options and built out a showroom with a lounge on the second floor, accessible through a secret door hidden behind a sliding mirror. It’s a place for clients to smoke a cigar, have a drink and take in the view from the balcony.

“I want this to be a true destination in the same way people fly to Napoli or to London,” he said.

Brittany Nickolyn, of Harper + Jones, a Dallas-based clothier that came to Magazine Street in 2018, said her company also focuses on high-end garments, and it has created efficiencies to cut down on the time it takes to complete a job.

“American consumers aren’t go-

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ing to wait months for a suit,” she there,” said Batiste, who estimates said. “That’s not how we’ve been he’s designed at least 1,000 suits taught to shop.” since.

Although she didn’t launch her Low barrier own brand, New Orleanian Erica The evolution of custom clothing Reiss has joined the ranks of the has created business opportunities state’s fashion entrepreneurs by for fashion-minded entrepreneurs representing the Dallas-based cuswho want to launch businesses with tom clothier J.Hilburn for the last high margins, low-upfront costs 13 years. and lots of flexibility. Some get She brings her measuring tools started with little more than mea- and fabric samples to clients’ homes suring tape, fabric samples and a or businesses or she hosts them at her home office. relationship with a manufacturer.

She said New Orleans has been a Slidell resident Cortez Jackson, a former sales manager for a dis- good market for her because it is tributor of tobacco home to a limited number of presproducts, launched tigious department stores. Instead, Lavoisier Suits she primarily competes — and in 2016 from the sometimes collaborates — with dining room of local clothiers like Perlis, Rubenhis home. Now he steins and George Bass, along with schedules appoint- the custom suit shops on Magazine ments with clients Street.

“I operate like a luxury store, but at a building he Jackson purchased on a it’s just me,” she said.

Reiss said technology continues quiet Lower Garden District street.

“The job allows you to work when to make her job easier. Videoconyou want, travel where you want ferences cut down on travel. Artiand meet a lot of people,” he said. ficial intelligence has helped make Jackson took classes and made measurements more accurate. And connections at New York City’s social media has changed the way Custom Tailors & Designers Asso- her company gets the word out.

“We’ve gone from advertising in ciation, which also helped launch the fashion career of former oil- airline magazines to working with field worker Harold Batiste, who influencers,” she said.

All the technology adds up to more founded Bespoke Batiste in 2020 in people experiencing the power of a carefully crafted garment, and Lafayette.

Batiste said his Kenny Rubenstein is glad to see it.

“Once you get a custom suit, you first client hired him to create a pink won’t buy off the rack,” he said. and navy blue tux “You’ll have all these options in your closet, and you’ll grab that one evfor a wedding. “ A t f i r s t , I ery day because it makes you feel Batiste thought he was jok- the best.” ing, but he liked the finished suit so much that he invited me to the Email Rich Collins at rich. event, and I got a few more clients collins@theadvocate.com.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 7E

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ONE BIG QUESTION What was the biggest challenge of 2025 for Louisiana?

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

In 2025, Louisiana’s economy notched some impressive wins, with economic development officials announcing a steady stream of industrial megaprojects throughout the year that promise to bring billions of dollars in investments and thousands of new jobs to the state.

Experts who study the economy and work with local businesses and organizations across the state, however, say the optimism has been tempered by the difficult realities on the ground that have come with uncertainty around tariffs, supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages and inflation.

Now, at the start of 2026, we wondered what lessons could be learned by looking back. For our latest edition of One Big Question, STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD we asked four experts from differ- Experts who study the economy and work with local businesses and organizations across the state say ent corners of the state to weigh in: optimism has been tempered by the difficult realities on the ground that have come with uncertainty around What was the single biggest chaltariffs, supply chain disruptions, workforce shortages and inflation. lenge for business in 2025?

The following answers have been if Meta hires every electrician see companies saving for a rainy to businesses, especially small edited for brevity. in Louisiana to go up to Richland day. They are uncertain because businesses. They usually only do RICHARD NELSON Parish, then where does that leave of tariffs, interest rates, the stock short- to medium-term planning.

President, Louisiana Community the rest of us? When you have this market, AI. Pick your industry, pick They don’t have the ability to reand Technical College System, huge imbalance between supply your uncertainty. arrange their supply chain. They former secretary of revenue and demand, it can trickle down The companies that seem to be don’t have a lot of the large-scale Finding a skilled workforce. I to somebody just trying to get the getting through that are the ones demand for inputs that allows think we’ve somewhat remedied plumbing done in their house. If that are taking stock of where they them to have some degree of marthe problem of how to bring invest- all the plumbers are in Richland are, reminding themselves of what’s ket power or to be able to hedge ment to our state. At least on the Parish, they can’t get it done. So I positive. They’re looking in the rear away some of this tariff uncersurface, we’ve had these huge in- think that’s an emerging problem view to see the forward progress tainty.

In Louisiana, about 56% of our lavestment announcements through- this year, and I think next year, it’ll they’ve made, and they are investing in their future, not necessarily bor force is made up of businesses out this entire year. Now, we’re in be even worse. wasting money or even spending that hire 10 workers or less. When the position of having to find the money, but shoring up their resourc- we have a large-scale recession, people to staff this. And that has JACI RUSSO Co-founder and strategist, happened across the state. es, leaning into cross-training, iden- yes, it’s going to be the company Everything I go to, they’re telling brandRUSSO, Lafayette-based tifying opportunities for growth into that lays off 2,000 workers that’s branding agency me they need “this many hundred new markets or new sectors. They going to be the story, because electricians” or “this many hunThe biggest challenge is uncer- are planning, some of them for the that’s the easiest story to report. dred welders.” All these projects tainty. This crosses political par- first time ever. And they’re start- We’re not going to report the 2,000 are incredibly capital-intensive. ties, geographies, socioeconomic ing to see that they can be confident businesses that laid off four workThey’re going to be incredibly lines. Uncertainty has people con- again and aggressively grow again. ers on average. But that’s the tidal demanding, especially in these cerned, which makes them pull wave. That’s where we hurt the skilled trades, construction trades, back. When they pull back, they’re PATRICK SCOTT most. and we just don’t have the skilled not investing, they’re not spending, Economics professor, director of Import prices are up. We’re workforce right now to do that. not surprised by that. But export they’re not hiring, and that’s kind Center for Economic Research, That impacts things besides of what makes the world go around Louisiana Tech University prices are, oddly enough, slightly just these megaprojects, because from an economic standpoint. We Tariffs are the biggest challenge down. From a retaliatory perspec-

tive, our trading partners are not retaliating to our tariff policy nearly as forcefully as what we’re imposing, and they’re buying less.

That tells me that we’re actually exporting marginally less, and most likely, what we’re going to see in the coming years is a complete re-scrambling of supply chains internationally to avoid the United States, if these tariffs stay in place.

JILL ROSHTO

Executive director, Louisiana Alliance for Nonprofits

Funding is the biggest challenge. That doesn’t really change from year to year. But this year, the added pressure of governmental changes on the federal level, and the loss of federal funding for a variety of nonprofits has added an extra wrinkle. And so we’ve had a rocky year for nonprofit support, both on the federal and state levels.

The overall trend for the last few years has been the shift in how people give, an aging philanthropic population, and what does that look like for the organizations going forward? In our trainings, one of the first things we tell organizations is “501c(3) is just that federal tax status.” You want to operate as if you are a business, but you’re a business that gets that tax break only because you provide extremely valuable services in and fill the gaps in our communities that need those gaps filled. But you need to operate as if you are a for-profit business in terms of efficiency, effectiveness, financial responsibility and looking forward.

And I think just like any businesses right now, the change is constant. So nonprofit organizations have to be innovative. Our world’s changing so quickly and nonprofit organizations have to change quickly to keep up.

Email Jonah Meadows at Jonah.Meadows@theadvocate. com.

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8E ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Gallagher: Lessons in Resilience An article from Gallagher

On the recent 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the Gallagher team has been looking back at the experience and how it shaped today’s insurance industry.

Nancy Sylvester is an area executive vice president at Gallagher, based in Baton Rouge. She recently shared her story of Hurricane Katrina, the challenges the insurance industry faced and how resilience shaped the path forward.

With damages exceeding USD200 billion, Katrina not only altered

Blackhawk helicopters were constantly flying overhead,

the city’s physical landscape but also reshaped global

transporting the injured from New Orleans to Louisiana State

perspectives on disaster preparedness and response. Today,

University (LSU), where the athletics department became a

20 years after Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, its impact

makeshift emergency hospital. The LSU student body even

remains deeply felt across the affected communities as the

donated clothing to those in need, and you could see people

costliest and one of the five deadliest hurricanes in US history.

wearing purple and gold, the colors of the university. It was a touching display of humanity after Hurricane Katrina, with

Q: Take us back to August of 2005. How did you experience the

everyone welcomed and cared for as best as possible.

landfall of the hurricane?

I live in Baton Rouge, 70 miles from New Orleans. That weekend, my oldest son was fishing in the Gulf of Mexico and when we

Q: How have your clients’ perspectives on extreme weather risks evolved since Hurricane Katrina?

urged him to come back inland, what should have been an hour’s

Before Katrina, redundancies were often viewed as unnecessary

drive took about 12 hours due to the worsening conditions. The

expenses. Today, having backups is understood as essential.

news reports initially said things were under control, but by

Clients now prioritize strengthening buildings to ensure their

lunchtime on Monday, the levees began breaking and things

facilities can endure severe weather, addressing all potential

quickly spiraled out of control.

exposures on supply chains or backup power, for example.

Everyone is focused on preventing business interruption claims

Q: What were the first days like when family and friends sought shelter at your home, far from the most affected areas?

and avoiding closing their doors because, once they do, they may never open again. We know that FEMA [Federal Emergency

I welcomed my family from New Orleans, expecting it to be

Management Agency] has stated 40% of companies don’t reopen

manageable, but soon found myself hosting 26 people. I slept

after a disaster, and another 25% fail within one year.

under my dining room table, the only private space left.

Wandering into the kitchen at night, I’d meet strangers saying,

As a community, we’re also massively investing in roof resilience

“I work for your cousin. He said it would be OK.” I reassured

to withstand strong winds and prevent piercings. When damage

everyone, “Yeah, everything’s fine.”

or loss occurs, my clients aren’t interested in just rebuilding what was there before; they’re focused on constructing to newer codes

Q: How was daily life impacted in the aftermath of

and following the highest building standards

Hurricane Katrina?

My usual 15-minute drive to the office would take hours due to the crowds seeking refuge in Baton Rouge and just trying to get somewhere else. Schools also faced a sudden surge in students, and the school offices would announce where people could

CHECK OUT THE VIDEO OF NANCY’S FULL INTERVIEW

find food.

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S U N D AY, J A N U A rY 4, 2026

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Beyond the Scale Addressing Louisiana’s obesity epidemic

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

PROVIDED PHOTO

Alex Cohen, a licensed clinical psychologist at LSU. and other LSU researchers are now using AI to show that everyday speech patterns may help detect cognitive decline earlier, and that they can measure how patients change over time.

SEEING SIGNS

LSU researchers say AI could detect Alzheimer’s speech patterns early

BY EMILY WOODRUFF Staff writer

For decades, scientists have known that subtle changes in speech can signal changes in the brain. Using so-called “filler words” such as “um” and “you know” or long pauses are sometimes a quirk of speech, but can also indicate lurking neurological problems.

As far back as the 1950s, researchers studying dementia and other neurodegenerative diseases observed that pauses and word-finding struggles often appeared before more obvious memory loss. Linguistic analyses of former President Ronald Reagan, for example, found that subtle changes in speech over his two terms could be linked to the onset of dementia years before his official diagnosis, five years after he left office.

But despite years of research — and frequent speculation and analysis of famous figures’ remarks — speech has remained largely outside routine clinical diagnosis for dementia. It is expensive, time-consuming and complicated to track one person’s speech over time, said Alex Cohen, a licensed clinical psychologist at LSU. But artificial intelligence to help track speech among individual patients could change that. Cohen and other LSU researchers are now using AI to show that everyday speech patterns may help detect cognitive decline earlier, and that they can measure how patients change over time.

In a recent study published in The Clinical Neuropsychologist, LSU researchers

analyzed audio recordings from cognitive and memory tests administered to more than 100 older adults. Using artificial intelligence, the team examined subtle features of speech, like pauses, to see whether they differed between healthy adults, people with mild cognitive impairment and those with early Alzheimer’s disease.

Longer pauses during memory-heavy tasks were strongly associated with early cognitive decline, even when participants were still able to recall the correct information.

The researchers also conducted a large analysis of more than a dozen published studies. They confirmed that speech pauses and speech rate during memory tasks consistently set apart people with Alzheimer’s disease or mild cognitive impairment from healthy adults.

Detecting disease earlier with speech Early detection remains one of the biggest challenges in dementia care. By the time memory problems are obvious to patients or family members, Alzheimer’s disease is often already advanced, with irreversible damage to brain cells that disqualifies them from new medications that can slow the progression of the disease.

Traditional screening tools, such as word-recall exercises, can miss early changes and a pattern of decline over time.

Speech, Cohen said, is uniquely suited for this kind of work because it is constant, easy to collect remotely and closely tied to day-to-day functioning.

But a word of caution: Simply often using filler words such as “like” or “uh” doesn’t mean someone has dementia. Any app that offers a diagnosis after one conversation is a red flag, Cohen said.

What’s telling is when someone is asked to carry a “heavy memory load,” Cohen said, such as recalling a story with detailed information. At that point, subtle differences can emerge, such as more hesitation, that may not be noticeable in everyday conversation.

The researchers see the greatest value in tracking individuals over time, potentially building a personalized baseline and watching how speech changes over weeks, months or years.

That approach could help clinicians and caregivers monitor disease progression and pinpoint when someone starts to decline. It could also help measure whether treatments are working.

Dr. James Rini, a neurologist at Ochsner Health who was not part of the LSU study, said that an Alzheimer’s diagnosis is increasingly based on biological markers that can be measured within the brain. But tools that track symptoms remain essential, said Rini, especially with a shortage of neurologists and neuropsychologists to do the time-consuming work of testing and evaluating patients.

“There’s just not enough of us to go around,” Rini said.

Cognitive evaluations can take hours and are stressful for patients. Automated tools that help monitor changes over time could ease that burden and improve care, he said.

In 2026, Louisiana Health will launch “Beyond the Scale: Addressing Louisiana’s obesity epidemic.” This series will shine a spotlight on one of Louisiana’s biggest wellness issues and the efforts required to build healthier communities.

Throughout the year, we’ll look at successful ways communities across the state and country have faced the obesity challenge. We’ll address questions about weight, community resources, health outcomes, new medicines, technologies and more.

When it comes to getting healthier or improving one’s body image, finding the motivation to start or knowing how to begin can be tough.

This project will work to answer questions like: n Why is weight so hard to talk about? n What inspires different people to get healthier? n Where can Louisiana communities provide more? n Where are the community resources that already exist? n Where in the nation have they addressed obesity effectively? n Can we adopt those practices in Louisiana?

Community projects At the policy level, some parishes are tackling obesity rates head-on with new urban planning: walking paths, walkable downtowns and green spaces.

Baton Rouge and Lafayette city councils are sponsoring walking events and group exercise sessions.

Louisiana has the third highest obesity rate among U.S. states.

From 2022 to 2023, 30 parishes in Louisiana had decreases in obesity rates among adults, with St. Landry Parish leading the way with a decrease of 16% in obesity rate. In the nation, 11 counties were able to decrease their obesity rates by over 20% in one year.

One county in California decreased obesity 4% by organizing “walk audits,” establishing a safe route to school to encourage kids to walk or bike to school and bridging the gap between low-income families and local farmers.

There are thousands of stories from around the nation about communities who stood together.

ä See SCALE, page 3X

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

By JONEL ALECCIA

A man uses measuring tape on his waist in California on Jan. 9.

Inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities ochsner.org/community

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HEALTH MAKER N.O. doctor works to eliminate cardiology deserts in La.

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Dr. Keith Ferdinand is a native New Orleanian from the 9th Ward. He has spent his 40-year career as a cardiologist, working to eliminate disparities in heart disease — on the streets and in the communities that raised him.

In August of 2005, Ferdinand and his family packed their bags and spent four years working in Atlanta, Georgia, at Emory University after Hurricane Katrina flooded their home and heart clinic, Heartbeats Life Center. He and his wife, Daphne Ferdinand, founded the clinic in 1983. Daphne Ferdinand, a registered nurse, is executive director of the Healthy Heart Community Prevention Program.

“I returned home to service my community,” Ferdinand said.

Now a professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine, Ferdinand is a career-long member of the Association of Black Cardiologists, a national group dedicated to achieving health equity.

Ferdinand is recognized nationally and internationally as a leader in cardiovascular medicine. He has published over 350 peerreviewed publications and lectures and received the 2025 American College of Cardiology Distinguished Service Award at the 75th Annual Scientific Meeting.

Ferdinand received his medical degree from the Howard University College of Medicine in Washington, D.C., in 1976, his residency in internal medicine and cardiology at LSU School of Medicine New Orleans in 1980 and his fellowship in cardiology from Howard University in 1981.

He is board-certified in internal medicine and cardiovascular disease, certified in the subspecialty of nuclear cardiology, and a specialist in clinical hypertension.

When, and why, did you start work with the Association of Black Cardiologists?

As a child growing up, I did not necessarily want to be a doctor. In fact, my first professional education was in history. When I went to

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dr. Keith Ferdinand is a professor of medicine at the Tulane University School of Medicine and former chair and chief science officer for the Association of Black Cardiologists.

college, I felt that history was important. I came into adulthood after the civil rights issues. I knew the struggles that people had just gone through, and I wanted to be able to tell the stories with more granularity and detail.

However, as I learned more about medicine and its ability to directly service people in the community, I gravitated to that.

Not out of some love of cardiology or medicine, but out of recognizing that being a physician, I would be able to deal with those disparities directly.

Once I entered into medical school, it was obvious that the number one cause of death and disability was cardiovascular disease — heart disease, stroke, kidney disease.

It also became evident that there was, and is, a disparity with high rates in certain populations including African-Americans.

Therefore, my desire was to approach the disparities in heart disease and strokes and kidney disease. One of the vehicles to do so was the Association of Black Cardiologists, which I joined in my training years. I have remained a loyal member for my lifetime in cardiology.

As a leader in the ABC, I participated in their instrumental programs to educate other cardiologists and internal medicine specialists about how best to treat cardiovascular disease. That included partici-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Cardiologist Dr. Keith Ferdinand, professor at Tulane University Medical School, holds a heart as he explains blood flow to Carolyn Johnson at Tulane Medical Center in New Orleans on March 15, 2019. Patients of Dr. Ferdinand agreed to participate in clinical trials for a drug called Firibastat, which helps treat high blood pressure. pating scientific statements and guidelines for the major organizations.

More importantly, the ABC has always been interested in community work. Some of the pioneer concepts of going into barbershops and churches to identify patients who need blood pressure evaluation, cholesterol and diabetes.

Our commitment has not just been through the science and professional aspects of being a cardiologist , but our goal to make a difference in the community.

What makes Louisiana different when it comes to cardiologist deserts?

If you look at the degree of heart attack, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and kidney disease, it tends to cluster in the southeastern part of the United States — specifically those areas where there are a large number of people who are economically disadvantaged. The Southeast also has a large degree of African-Americans who, based

on the social determinants of health — where people work, live and pray — tend to have less insurance, less health-seeking behavior, less testing and less referral to specialists.

Primary care clinicians are the bedrock of cardiac care. They’re the first person to see patients and often check for blood pressure, lipids, glucose, kidney disease.

Beyond just those differences, health deserts, where people don’t have access to a specialist, are a factor.

Some patients, even when identified as being highrisk, may have difficulty finding referrals to a cardiology specialist because they are not located in an area where they are easily accessible.

The Association of Black Cardiologists specifically targets areas in Louisiana, Mississippi, Arkansas and Georgia as areas to initiate and expand the cardiology desert initiative.

What are some resolutions to

solve the problem of cardiology deserts?

There is no easy solution to the ongoing disparities in care we see based on rural status and disadvantaged populations. We are suggesting that we can partner with these communities and use community-based approaches in primary care clinician settings, hospitals, state institutions and through local medical societies.

Our job is to enhance the capacity for achieving cardiovascular health and to help establish referral networks often in telehealth support and transportation, a major issue in rural communities.

But even more importantly, our job is to assist in getting access to appropriate testing and evaluation to empower the primary care clinicians and the community itself to have better health status.

Perhaps one of the best sources to increase cardiovascular availability is to have more cardiologists

in rural areas and in those communities directly. Realistically, to be a cardiologist means four years of medical school, three years to follow in internal medicine, then two to four years of specialty training. We just won’t ever have enough cardiologists available.

What we therefore recommend is that we can empower patients by education and appropriate testing. We want patients to have access to health assessments and other critical health metrics that then they can seek care with their primary clinician and have a network of physicians that will be available.

Telehealth was a big leap forward. When available, telehealth can be a window of opportunity for a person to speak to and integrate their various health outcomes with a physician who may not be physically available to go out into the area.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

HEALTH NOTES

$50K raised to support early psychosis care

n outpatient services like imaging and labs, n physician practices, n and physical therapy.

Early Psychosis Intervention The hospital opening is planned Clinic New Orleans, or EPICNOLA, and its early detection for fall 2027. campaign, Clear Answers to Louisiana’s Mental Health, both affiliated with the Tulane Department of Psychiatry, announced that the fourth annual In My Mind benefit Touro Infirmary LCMC Health and awareness event raised nearly hosts a neuro rehab caregiver sup$50,000. port group in New Orleans every The proceeds will support the third Wednesday of each month. clinic’s life-changing early psy- The group is open to all caregivchosis intervention services and ers interested in supporting, sharcommunity education across Loui- ing and learning from one another.

The meetings provide a “compassiana. sionate space to connect with others who understand the caregiving journey” and offer guidance, encouragement and resources Manning Family Children’s Hos- available.

The next support group meeting pital appointed Dr. David Yu as senior vice presi- will be at 11 a.m. Jan. 21 at 3700 St. dent and chief Charles Ave. in New Orleans. All medical officer. participants should meet in the Yu has served on lobby of Touro Infirmary. the medical staff at the hospital for 25 years in many roles. He is replacing Dr. Mark In December, Ochsner LSU Yu Kline, who is retir- Health announced the move of its ing after four and a half years as Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Inchief medical officer. Yu will begin stitute to a newly renovated, statehis new role on Feb. 1. of-the-art clinic at 9091 Ellerbe Road Suite 400 in Shreveport.

Patients will continue to have access to dental extractions, wisdom teeth removal, dental implants, faBaton Rouge General begins cial cosmetic surgery, corrective construction on a new hospital and jaw surgery and treatment of TMJ emergency room, located on Juban conditions. The team also specialRoad and Powell Lane off of Inter- izes in managing facial trauma, state 12 in Denham Springs. The congenital malformations, malig40,000-square-foot, $50 million fa- nant and benign pathology of the head and neck and head and neck cility will include: n a 14-bed emergency room, reconstructive surgery following n a 13-bed inpatient hospital, trauma and cancer treatments.

Support group helps navigate caregiving

N.O. children’s hospital announces new CMO

Two Shreveport clinics relocate to new facility

BRG breaks ground on Livingston Parish hospital

PHOTO PROVIDED By LSU HEALTH SHREVEPORT

In December, Ochsner LSU Health announced the move of its Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Institute to a newly renovated, state-of-the-art clinic at 9091 Ellerbe Road Suite 400 in Shreveport.

St. Tammany hospital starts diabetes prevention St. Tammany Health System’s Diabetes Education Department announced a new initiative aimed at helping patients reduce their risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

The PreventT2 program is for adults who have been diagnosed with prediabetes or who are at increased risk for developing the condition. PreventT2 focuses on sustainable lifestyle changes shown to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

The first one-hour session is at 10 a.m. Jan. 19 at First Baptist Church of Covington, located at 16333 La. 1085 in Covington.

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU The Louisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state. This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to live well.

Health editions will also profile people who are advancing health for the state of Louisiana.

Do you have a health story?

We want to hear from you.

Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3X

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Eat Fit Live Fit

Molly Kimball RD, CSSD

B R O U G H T TO YO U BY

Celebrate King Cake season, Eat Fit-style

K

ing’s Day on January 6 marks the official start of king cake season here in South Louisiana, but let’s be honest, celebrations start long before the first slice hits the table, and they don’t slow down until the last parade rolls by.

Life is filled with parties, music, beads and, of course, king cake.

So. Much. King cake.

For many of us, king cake is an occasional treat we savor a few times in the season. But for a true king cake enthusiast — the person who happily grabs a slice anytime one appears in the break room or at a parade party — it can be worth adding a nutritious option into the mix.

Eat Fit has you covered with an option that makes it easier than ever to enjoy king cake that’s festive and fun, without the sugar crash.

Eat Fit King Cake + Eat Fit King Cake Cupcakes

Our sweet little Eat Fit king cake is back for 2026, and it continues to check all the boxes for people looking for a cleaner option. It’s naturally gluten-free, grain-free, dairy-free, sugar-free and low in carbs, with no artificial colors or sweeteners. Think king-cake-meets-bundtcake — moist, a little dense, subtly sweet and full of that classic cinnamon-vanilla king cake flavor.

I like to note that it’s not meant to replace your favorite king cake. But for those with specific nutritional needs or preferences, it’s a game-changer.

Now in their second year, our Eat Fit king cake cupcakes are also back.

These little cuties quickly became a crowd favorite last season, iced with creamy white frosting with

natural zero-calorie plant-based sweetener. Each serving has just 110 calories, 3 grams net carbs, 2 grams fiber and zero sugar.

And one of my favorite parts of this partnership is that Unrefined Bakery donates $1 per cake back to the Eat Fit nonprofit, which directly supports our work with local restaurants, schools, festivals and community wellness initiatives.

Where to Find Them

the traditional purple, green and gold toppings. They are ideal for built-in portion control and easy to bring along to parades, office celebrations or school parties.

How It All Started

Our Eat Fit team partnered with Ben McLauchlin (formerly of Swerve Sweetener) to develop a homemade Eat Fit-style king cake recipe. It came out

Whether you’re stopping by your local Associated Grocers store (such as Robert’s and Breaux Mart in New Orleans, Alexander’s and Matherne’s in Baton Rouge, and Champagne’s Market in the Lafayette area) or picking up a coffee at your favorite coffee shop, chances are the Eat Fit king cake or cupcakes are close by. Visit EatFitKingCake.com to find a location near you. Eat Fit king cakes and cupcakes are also available for nationwide shipping.

delicious, and it’s featured in the Eat Fit Cookbook, but let’s be real. Most of us aren’t baking king cake from scratch in the middle of parade season.

Now you can buy both Eat Fit king cakes and cupcakes already made, thanks to Unrefined Bakery, a dedicated glutenfree bakery. They use quality ingredients like cage-free eggs, non-GMO almond flour, coconut flour and coconut milk, and the cakes are sweetened with a

Why This Matters

For me, this isn’t just about creating a healthier king cake. It’s about having an option for everyone during one of our most joyful, tradition-filled seasons of the year. Carnival is about connection, celebration and community. Food is a big part of that, and our goal is to help people enjoy those traditions in a way that feels good for their body and their lifestyle.

However you celebrate, there’s room for all of it.

So here’s to a festive Carnival season.

Catch the beads, dance with the marching bands, share something sweet with friends, and enjoy every bite of king cake, whatever version you choose.

Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD, is a registered dietitian with Ochsner Health and founder of Ochsner’s Eat Fit nonprofit initiative. For more wellness content, tune in to Molly’s podcast, FUELED Wellness + Nutrition, and follow @MollykimballRD and @EatFitOchsner on social media.

Email nutrition@ochsner.org to connect with Molly or schedule a consult with her team.

BY THE NUMBERS

HEART DISEASE LEADING CAUSE OF DEATH FOR LOUISIANIANS Heart disease, cancers, accidents, strokes, chronic lower respiratory disease, Alzheimer’s and diabetes were the leading causes of death in the U.S. in 2024.

There was no change in the top 10 causes of death from 2023 to 2024, according to CDC data.

In 2024, 17,711 females died and 20,795 males died in Louisiana, according to newly released data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The top 15 causes of death for females in Louisiana in 2024 include: n Diseases of the heart with 5,390 deaths; n Malignant neoplasms (cancers) with 4,112 deaths; n Cerebrovascular diseases (strokes) with 1,464 deaths; n Alzheimer’s disease with 1,414 deaths;

SCALE

n Chronic lower n Malignant neoplasms respiratory disease with (cancers) with 5,021 1,102 deaths; deaths; n Accidents with 975 n Accidents with 2,114 deaths; deaths; n Diabetes mellitus with n Cerebrovascular 695 deaths; diseases (strokes) with n Nephritis, nephrotic 1,289 deaths; syndrome and nephrosis n Chronic lower with 561 deaths; respiratory disease with n Septicemia with 554 999 deaths; deaths; n Diabetes mellitus with n Influenza and 814 deaths; pneumonia with 310 n Alzheimer’s disease deaths; with 603 deaths; n Nutritional n Nephritis, nephrotic deficiencies with 293 syndrome and nephrosis deaths; with 530 deaths; n Chronic liver disease n Assault with 515 with 242 deaths; deaths; n Essential hypertension n Intentional self-harm and hypertensive renal with 498 deaths; disease with 227 n Septicemia with 464 deaths; deaths; n Parkinson’s disease n Chronic liver disease with 204 deaths; with 404 deaths; n and COVID-19 with n Influenza and 168 deaths. pneumonia with 306 The top 15 leading deaths; causes of death for n and essential males in Louisiana in hypertension and 2024 include: hypertensive renal n Diseases of the heart disease with 205 with 6,674 deaths; deaths.

resilience and hard work.

When obesity is effecContinued from page 1X tively addressed, communities improve. Studies link obesity to heart health, Who walked together. Who more than 13 types of canate together. Who fought cers, sleep patterns, mental obesity together with joy, health, diabetes and more.

TOP 15 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH The leading causes of death in Louisiana in 2024, according to provisional 2024 data from the CDC.

TOP 15 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FOR FEMALES: 5,390

Diseases of the heart

4,112

Malignant neoplasms (cancers) Cerbrevascular diseases Alzheimer's diesase Chronic lower respiratory disease Accidents Diabetes mellitus Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis Septicemia Influenza and pneumonia Nutritional defecencies Chronic liver disease Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease Parkinson’s disease COVID-19

1,464 1,414 1,102 975 695 561 554 310 293 242 227 204 168

TOP 15 LEADING CAUSES OF DEATH FOR MALES: 6,674

Diseases of the heart

5,021

Malignant neoplasms (cancers)

2,114

Accidents Cerbrovascular diseases Chronic lower respiratory disease Diabetes mellitus Alzheimer's diesase Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome and nephrosis Assault Intentional self-harm Septicemia Chronic liver disease Parkinson’s disease Influenza and pneumonia Essential hypertension and hypertensive renal disease

1,289 999 814 603 530 515 498 464 404 359 306 205

weight, but about health, stress, food and life. As we move through 2026, we are inviting readers to come Join us along a health journey with Do you want to start a us.

We start our project by health journey? We want to hear from you — not about exploring the nationwide

Louisiana ranks in the top 10-highest rates for each in the U.S.

TOTAL DEATHS: 17,711

boom of weight loss drugs.

We pose one question to our readers: If you’ve used GLP-1s (or weight loss drugs) like Ozempic, Wegovy or Mounjaro, how was your experience?

Email your answers,

TOTAL DEATHS: 20,795

Staff graphic Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

comments or questions to Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com.

4X ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

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Healthy ways to st p smoking We all know that habits are hard to break. Smoking may be one of the hardest. Studies show that nearly 70% of smokers say they want to quit, and many make numerous attempts to do so each year. The good news is that quitting is possible, and Ochsner’s free Smoking Cessation Program is a great way to do it.

The start of a new year is a good time for smokers to break free from tobacco and make a commitment to a healthier 2026.

Visit ochsner.org/quit to learn about our program.

How does smoking become an addiction?

Smoking addiction doesn’t happen overnight. Often, it progresses in three stages:

1

2

3

Experimental use

Recreational or social use

Dependent or compulsive use

You try cigarettes out of curiosity or during social events.

You smoke occasionally in specific settings, like bars or gatherings.

Smoking becomes a regular part of your day. You rely on it not just for pleasure, but to feel “normal” and to avoid withdrawal symptoms.

Nicotine, a highly addictive chemical in cigarettes, rewires your brain, dragging you further into dependency. By the time dependency fully develops, smoking no longer feels like a choice. It transitions from a learned habit to a compulsive addiction that’s hard to quit without intervention.

Addiction is treatable, no matter how long you’ve smoked. The path isn’t easy, but the rewards are immeasurable.

Is vaping safer than smoking?

E-cigarettes, commonly known as vapes, are battery-powered devices that can heat a nicotine-infused liquid (and sometimes other substances), turning it into an inhalable aerosol. Vaping isn’t exactly smoking, but it’s not without its own health risks.

Can certain foods help smokers quit?

While more studies need to be done on the full longterm effects of vaping, early research points to issues like lung scarring, weakened immune function, and chronic respiratory problems. The evidence is clear — vaping is not a harmless alternative to smoking.

Nicotine withdrawal is usually an issue for those trying to stop the unhealthy habit. When you stop smoking, your body and brain must get used to not having nicotine. Irritability, insomnia, increased appetite and a constant urge to smoke can be the result.

In 2024, e-cigarettes were the most commonly used tobacco product among middle and high school students in the United States, with 1.63 million (5.9%) students using e-cigarettes, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The nicotine in cigarettes depletes your body of essential vitamins and minerals. This can cause a nutrient deficiency, resulting in fatigue, weakened immunity and other side effects.

But here’s some encouraging news — the food you eat can help ease withdrawal symptoms, reduce cravings and repair the damage caused by smoking.

Proper nutrition restores nutrients, curbs cravings and regulates mood and energy.

Here are science-backed nutritional tips and foods to help make your smoking cessation plan more effective:

1

Combat nicotine cravings with small, balanced meals.

2

Replenish vitamin C levels by eating fruits like oranges, kiwis, grapefruit and berries.

Vegetables like broccoli, cauliflower and dark leafy greens are also high in vitamin C.

Try Ochsner’s Smoking Cessation Program Ochsner’s Smoking Cessation Program can help people quit smoking or vaping for good, even those who have failed in numerous previous attempts. A combination of counseling and medications is used to create a personalized plan for each participant.

3

Stay hydrated to flush out toxins. Drinking a glass of cold water can distract you from the urge to smoke. Aim to consume at least eight glasses a day.

The program lasts six weeks, but you can sign up for additional time as needed. After an initial visit, you’ll have follow-up appointments either in-person, virtually or over the phone to discuss your progress and any challenges you may be facing.

4

Boost your mood with serotonin-enhancing foods like poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, beans and dark chocolate.

Your body responds almost immediately when you stop smoking, almost like it’s trying to thank you.

5

Keep your hands and mouth busy. One of the hardest habits to break is the hand-to-mouth routine developed while smoking. Substituting cigarettes with healthy snacks like fruit, vegetables and nuts is recommended.

Within minutes, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease. Over time, you’ll experience many more health benefits, including:

6

Enhance energy with whole grains like whole-grain pasta, brown rice or quinoa.

7

Use dairy to deter smoking. Interestingly, some studies suggest consuming milk or yogurt before smoking may make cigarettes taste unpleasant.

Better lung function Improved circulation Less coughing and shortness of breath Lower risks of heart disease and various types of cancer.

Visit ochsner.org/quit to learn more about Ochsner’s free smoking cessation program.

Ochsner Health is the leading nonprofit healthcare provider in Louisiana, Mississippi and across the Gulf South, delivering expert care at its 47 hospitals and more than 370 health and urgent care centers. Ochsner is nationally recognized for inspiring healthier lives and stronger communities through unmatched expertise, quality and digital connectivity. In 2024, Ochsner’s more than 40,000 dedicated team members and 4,900 employed and affiliated physicians cared for 1.6 million people from every state in the nation and 63 countries. To learn more about how Ochsner empowers people to get well and stay well, visit www.ochsner.org.

GOODNESS | HOPE | SOLUTIONS

INSPIRED

Q&A: Fitness class for seniors PAGE 2y

LOUISIANA

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

|

S U N D AY, J A N U A rY 4, 2026

1 1N

Jan Risherr LONG STORy SHORT

Phillips-head screwdriver required

PLAY ON The Encore Symphony Resale Shop on Maple Street in New Orleans

Upscale consignment shop raises money for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra

BY LEE CUTRONE Contributing writer

Long before resale clothing was the big business that it is today, the Encore Shop, a local women’s consignment boutique owned and run by Symphony Volunteers Inc., was a destination for quality preowned clothing at affordable prices.

Nearly 60 years since it opened its doors, the shop’s mission of donating financial support to the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra, as well as its merchandise — which includes cashmere cardigans, Italian leather shoes and luxe cocktail dresses and formal gowns, still have legs.

“They were way ahead of their time,” said Laura Claverie, whose mother-inlaw, Viola Claverie, is credited with proposing the idea for the shop after meeting a Philadelphia couple who supported a similar consignment shop in the City of Brotherly Love.

Terms like upcycling and sustainable fashion weren’t yet part of the popular lexicon, yet Encore was an early exemplar of today’s clothing-with-aconscience movement. Resale clothing cuts down on the harmful carbon footprint of fast fashion. And by operating as a nonprofit supporting the LPO, Encore gives back to the community.

The original concept for the shop, opened in 1966 on Arabella and Perrier streets, was to sell preowned ballgown at discounted prices to raise money for

what was then The New Orleans Symphony. Members of the Women’s Committee of the symphony donated the gowns, and volunteers from the committee staffed the shop.

According to Laura Claverie, the Claverie family’s involvement with the launching of the shop extended to her father-in-law, Louis, who bought an air conditioner for the shop “so the ladies wouldn’t perspire” and to her husband Philip, who worked with his father to refresh the Uptown building that was its original home.

The shop later moved to the current location on Maple Street and over time expanded its inventory to include casual clothing, jewelry, handbags, scarves and belts.

Barbara Sands, who has dedicated years of service to the LPO, chairing events, volunteering at the Encore Shop and archiving its history, has a log of the proceeds that the shop raised for the LPO since its inception. Its initial donation in the $6,000 range grew steadily to more than $70,000 in each of the past ten years.

Sands says the store has a firm footing with loyal longtime shoppers. As 2025 was coming to a close, veteran Encore shopper Bennetta Addison popped in for one of her weekly visits. Her attire included turquoise earrings, an Escada handbag and ankle strap shoes, all purchased from the shop. In no time, she snapped up a terry sweatsuit-inspired set for traveling, a pair of black

Customers browse the store for ideal bargains on quality clothes.

STAFF PHOTOS By CHRIS GRANGER

cigarette pants and a cotton poplin top.

Addison’s favorite find in her years of shopping at Encore was an Alexander McQueen dress that fit like a glove and was priced within her means.

“This is the only way I’d have an Alexander McQueen dress for sure,” said Addison.

The same day, Angela Poulton and Colleen Perniciaro, both from Baton Rouge, headed to the shop in search of ballgown. In less than an hour, Perniciaro purchased a burgundy taffeta evening gown with overlayers of tulle, a one-shoulder black gown with gold floral applique, and a strapless black gown with a rhinestone-embellished bow at the bust, all for about $300, considerably less than the cost of similar gowns at retail.

Perniciaro likes that the store carries multiple things in her size and that what may be old to a consignor’s closet is new to hers.

“We were laser focused,” said Poulton, with a mock-serious note that was counter to the fun the two had while trying dresses on.

Encore takes new consignments daily and adds to the rotation as they come in. Everything must be in good condition. And although not every piece has a designer label, there are plenty of those. A quick browse revealed Hermes scarves, Valentino heels, a vintage Victor Costa gown with a dramatic ruffled slit, a suede Gucci bag with bambooadorned handles and a stunning, mint condition pair of 1970s inspired suede boots by Louis Vuitton, to name a few.

Occasionally consignors bring in unworn items that are new with tags.

A display case holds a tray of $4 jewelry, and there are purses and dresses for as little as $30. On the higher end, the showstopping Vuitton boots are marked at $600 for the selective shopper — still much less than the initial retail.

Each consigned piece is researched to determine its original price and marked down accordingly. Merchandise that doesn’t sell is reduced in price. Consignors get 50% of the sale, and the rest goes to the LPO. Sands says the shop “goes with the times in terms of what people are looking for.” In the 1980s, she observed that customers were purchasing workwear.

Relaxed office attire and remote work later gave way to greater demand for pants and tops. More recently, she says Encore shoppers, like women in general, are seeking dresses.

The dedication of the staff has been another key to Encore’s success. Volunteers tend to stay on for years and develop friendships. Sands has been

ä See ENCORE, page 2Y

For the better part of three decades, I’ve received a Linnea poster calendar as a Christmas gift — 12 gorgeous posters, one for each month of the year.

Early on, I had a beautiful gold frame specially made to hold the calendar posters. I try hard to change them on the first day of each month, which isn’t as simple as one might think. The task requires a Phillips-head screwdriver. I value efficiency to an almost absurd measure, which is why I adore the time required to change my calendar each month.

The opposite of efficient requires me to clear off space on my crowded desk, twist the screws, loosen the brackets, and lift out one poster to replace it with the next.

I slow down on purpose. I breathe.

I pay attention.

When I see the design for the coming month, I almost always gasp at its beauty. I love studying the posters as I place them in the frame in January, flipping ahead and imagining the year as something I can understand in advance. But by the time April rolls around, they usually surprise me.

I’m already excited about the 2026 March image, the bud of a Japanese magnolia bloom. Growing up, we had a Japanese magnolia in our front yard. Year after year, I watched those buds appear in the weeks before my birthday and then, as if to celebrate with me, the blooms were in their full glory on my birthday — every year.

Our Baton Rouge home has a Japanese magnolia right outside what was my office window. Being further south than my childhood home in central Mississippi, it blooms earlier, but I still get a flutter in my heart watching those buds form, the flowers bloom and the petals fall.

Since we are rebuilding our home after an August house fire, I’m aware that I won’t be sitting at my desk watching the spring Japanese magnolia come into its glory this year.

We have no idea what the clean slate holds.

We can’t hold that much time in our hands.

Even with a calendar stretching ahead, full of blank squares and good intentions, recent years remind us all that we don’t know what’s coming.

I think I know who I’ll be by spring.

By April, I almost never do.

We’re not very good at understanding time, even though we spend our lives swimming in it.

Sometimes we overestimate what we can plan and underestimate what will change us. We forget how much can happen between one month and the next, even from one day to the next — how quickly joy, grief, fatigue, love and loss work together to rearrange our expectations.

A new calendar plants the brief illusion that time will behave. The blank pages and empty squares give us permission to pause before the ink arrives.

Life picks up a pen almost immediately. Appointments crowd in.

Birthdays claim their rightful place.

The calendar fills because living fills it.

And that’s not a failure. That’s the point.

Which is why I keep the Phillips head.

In a life full of things designed to make life faster and easier, this small act of friction feels like resistance. It insists that time deserves my attention. It asks me to use my hands, to slow my body, to be present for the passing of one month into the next.

For a brief moment, sitting at my desk with screwdriver in hand and the next month waiting patiently beside me, time pauses and the world is full of possibilities.

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INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS A S K T H E E X P E RT S

Fitness class for seniors improves strength, balance Gatherings foster community, friendships

Q&A WITH DEBBIE SANDERS FITNESS COACH

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Debbie Sanders, originally from Mobile, Alabama, has been involved in sports and fitness her entire life — participating and later coaching at a high school in Mobile after earning a degree in physical education. She retired from teaching and moved to China to teach English at a small university. There, she volunteered in an orphanage and helped with special needs babies.

After the pandemic, she returned to the States in 2021 and relocated to Baton Rouge to be near family.

Sanders, 75, teaches a Fit for Life workout class at Max Fitness, 7347 Highland Road, Baton Rouge, with an average age range of 80. The class focuses on improving participants’ strength and balance, but it has also fostered a community and friendships.

How many people usually participate in your Fit for Life classes, and what’s the age range?

We have about 35 people enrolled in the program, and this is an extra program that they have to pay for if they want to participate. We meet twice a week, 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Mondays and Thursdays.

Our average age is 80. We have three that are in their 90s and two or three who are in their 60s and 70s.

What inspired you to start teaching this class?

I was a P.E. major in school and taught P.E. all my life. I moved to Baton Rouge, and a friend from church invited me to a class. I started going ever since. One of the guys who was teaching the class left, and I offered to teach it.

I didn’t want to be a trainer,

ENCORE

Continued from page 1y involved for more than 30 years. Jennifer Fonseca started as a consignor and shopper, then managed the shop for a decade.

Unlike online resale shoppers, Fonseca says Encore’s customers have the advantage of being able to come in regularly and “touch and feel and try on.”

“That’s the fun of Encore,” said Fonseca. “You never know what’s going to be in there. You snooze, you lose.”

Milliner Maria Etkind is one of several paid staff members in the shop (the rest are volunteers), where she styles displays and encourages customers to have fun with fashion.

“There is something for everyone,” said Etkind.

While the majority of Encore’s clientele are in the 35 to 55 age bracket, Etkind says college students also come in to scoop up jeans, denim jackets, tops and boots.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

Debbie Sanders moved back to the United States from China to be near family.

but I told them, “Trust me. I can teach this class. I taught P.E. for 25 years.”

It developed from there, and I’ve been doing it for three years.

How do you design workouts that are both safe and challenging for the wide age range?

One of our participants uses a walker, and another one uses a cane, so they’re very limited on what they can do. About half of our exercise is seated, and the other half is standing for the ones who can. I try to switch it back and forth.

I originally got a lot of exercises that I use from Silver Sneakers.

Once I got into the routine of what they do and don’t do, I was able to develop my own plan.

What changes do you often see in participants after a few months, physically and emotionally?

We’re a really close-knit group, kind of like a little family. We do potlucks two or three times a year, and people bring their spouses with them. Most of the people in the class are women, so these extra things we do gives everyone a chance to get to know each other’s spouses.

“They break all the rules and make their own rules,” said Etkind, highlighting an Indian blanket jacket with a Ralph Lauren feel that may appeal to students thanks to the western wear trend.

Other on-trend finds: leopard pumps, Mary Jane flats, platform sneakers, a Tory Burch tote and Kate Spade loafers.

True to its trailblazer roots, The Encore shop is still finding ways to be resourceful in its efforts to raise funds for the LPO. They market on Instagram and Facebook regularly. Manager Cat Conner is also looking for ways to utilize garments that don’t sell instead of putting them into the waste stream.

One idea is to donate them to organizations that will reuse the fabric.

A local pioneer in the field of resale, the Encore Shop continues to keep the LPO well-funded by keeping locals well-dressed.

“What sets us apart” from other resale clothing sources, said Sands, “is that we support the LPO and that we’ve been here so long.”

The Fit for Life program at Max Fitness in Baton Rouge focuses on improving participants’ strength and balance.

With old people, you’re going to the doctor all the time, having aches and pains. We have a group chat where we keep up with each other. I have a class roll that I check every week, so I know if someone hasn’t been in a while.

This is a social event for a lot of people.

There’s one little lady, 95 years old, who we pick up every week.

This is the only time she gets out of her house during the week, for this one-hour class, and she loves to talk. It’s kind of hard to get her away from everybody in the gym.

We just had one lady who has been coming for about three months. She’s from my church, and her husband died last year.

I’ve been encouraging her to

come to the gym, and she has. Her physicality has increased tremendously.

When she first came, she couldn’t stand up one time by herself for the first three weeks.

I would go and help her. Now, she can get up and down by herself.

The class increases flexibility, along with strength. We do cardio and balance. I’ve showed them what to do if they fall and how to get back up.

With your P.E. background, you know the importance of health and fitness, but have the success stories of these people changed your perspective or inspired you?

Being a P.E. major, I knew how critical our physical bodies are.

In China, I saw other foreigners come and go. It was a lot of walk-

ing and riding bicycles. A lot of people couldn’t handle the physical part of living in another country without all the niceties of air conditioning and elevators.

I personally knew how important it was to keep your body strong. You’ve got to exercise your joints and keep moving.

In the class, I try to encourage them not to get into some of these aging ailments. We have to get out, socialize and keep the mind sharp.

Being able to share that to these people who haven’t come from the same background is what encourages me for sure.

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

STAFF PHOTO By CHRIS GRANGER

Formal gowns hang for sale at Encore shop on Maple Street recently in New Orleans. Sales help raise money for the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra.

Healthcare with us, FMOLHealth.org

ALL THINGS, GREAT LOVE As the largest pediatric network in Louisiana, we care for the smallest patients with the greatest needs — and we do it all with great love. Because providing the best care isn’t a job. It’s our calling.

FMOL HEALTH OUR LADY OF THE LAKE | FMOL HEALTH OUR LADY OF LOURDES | FMOL HEALTH ST. FRANCIS | FMOL HEALTH ST. DOMINIC

The Advocate ■ theadvocate.com ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ 3Y

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THERE’S GOOD NEWS, TOO STORIES OF GLOBAL PROGRESS, COMPILED By FIX THE NEWS

These are stories of global progress, compiled by the media group Fix the News and shared in partnership with The Advocate/The Times-Picayune.

Each story overview is linked to an original report or story with more information.

DIGITAL IDS

The World Bank’s latest Identification for Development (ID4D)–Global Findex Database 2025 shows that the number of people worldwide without official proof of identity has dropped to 800 million — down from 850 million in 2021 and just over 1 billion in 2017. Foundational ID coverage for adults is now near universal in most regions, and access to digital IDs has improved. According to the data, “of the adults living in countries with online digital IDs, around 32% reported owning one and 23% reported having used it.” Compared to the numbers in 2021, 400 million more people are now covered. In Louisiana, residents can store their driver’s license in the LA Wallet app.

TOOLMAKING

Scientists excavating at the Namorotukunan site in Kenya have uncovered nearly 1,300 stone tools dating from about 2.75 to 2.44 million years ago, according to 404 Media, an independent media company founded by technology journalists. The discovery shows a continuous Oldowan toolmaking tradition spanning roughly 300,000 years — far longer and more sustained than previously documented. The findings suggest early humans likely passed knowledge across generations, indicating early social learning and cultural continuity.

Oldowan tools were made from highquality materials and used for tasks like cutting meat from large animals and digging for food.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

EPA’S CLEAN SCHOOL BUS PROGRAM

In the United States, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean School Bus Program invests $5 billion (FY 2022–2026) to help school districts replace older, polluting diesel buses with zero-emission and cleaner school buses, including electric models, and the infrastructure needed to support them. Through rebates, grants and planning awards, the program funds new buses and charging or fueling equipment — prioritizing high-need, low-income, rural and Tribal communities. Eligible applicants include school districts, state/local governments, tribes, nonprofits and contractors selling or servicing clean buses. Replacing diesel buses improves air quality, reduces health risks, reduces greenhouse gas emissions, saves money and can provide power to the grid or buildings during power shutdowns.

FOREST CLEARING

Indigenous Penan and Kenyah communities in Sarawak, Malaysian Borneo, achieved a temporary but significant victory in the fight against deforestation, nonprofit conservation news platform Mongabay reported.

The palm oil company Urun

Plantations agreed to pause forest clearing activities in a disputed area of their ancestral land following sustained legal and grassroots pressure. Villagers had filed a lawsuit and complaint alleging the company was clearing natural forest within its concession along

the Belaga River without their free, prior and informed consent and in violation of Malaysia’s sustainability standards. Urun Plantations halted new land clearing and is now working on a sustainability plan with an environmental group.

Fixthenews.com is a solutions journalism newsletter that finds stories of progress and shares them with readers from across the world. Acclaimed author Steven Pinker calls Fix the News “the best source for positive news on the internet.”

Helping Small Businesses Thrive

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4Y ■ Sunday, January 4, 2026 ■ theadvocate.com ■ The Advocate

lll

FAITH & VALUES Catholic order to help revive historic Quebec church

BY VICTOR GAETAN

Contributing writer

The largest church in Quebec City, Saint-Roch, gives its name to a hip neighborhood on the St. Lawrence River where shipyards once drew a population of workingclass Catholics. The church, the fourth to occupy the site, was built on medieval architectural lines in 1811, and the vast stone structure is still grand, though it now houses a homeless shelter in its basement where several community organizations also find shelter. St. Roch’s last full-time priest left 30 years ago.

For the last few years, Saint-Roch had been open for just one Mass a week, drawing complaints on tourist websites from visitors. “I came on a Wednesday and was disappointed that it was only open a few hours on Sunday,” wrote one, “so missed my chance of seeing inside the church where my ancestors worshipped.”

But lately, hope has arrived in the form of a group of priests and brothers from a faraway mission field that has little to do with SaintRoch’s gentrified cafes and bars.

On Dec. 17, Cardinal Gérald Cyprien Lacroix, archbishop of Quebec, will announce that the church’s new custodians will be the Missionaries of Africa, a 157-yearold Catholic order dedicated to planting peace and church communities in undeveloped places.

Though its first recruits came from Europe, beginning in 1901 its ranks were filled by Quebecois.

“Hundreds of vocations came from Quebec to serve in Africa. Some are still living, although older now and most retired,” Lacroix told Religion News Service.

In thanks for the city’s dedication, the cardinal explained, “the Missionaries of Africa’s international office (in Rome) offered to come back and establish themselves here in Quebec,” saying, according to Lacroix, “You helped us so much.

You helped us train priests, form priests, work with the poor, establish parishes in many countries of Africa. Now we know you need help, and we want to come and work with you. Whatever you need, wher-

PROVIDED PHOTO By VICTOR GAETAN

he Rev. Serge St-Arneault is seen in the Missionaries of Africa offices in Montreal. St-Arneault is one of three Missionaries of Africa who will move to Quebec City to take over as guardians of Saint-Roch Church. ever you need us, we are available.”

Founded by French Cardinal Charles Lavigerie in 1868 while he was serving as bishop of Algiers, Missionaries of Africa were among the first Catholics to systematically evangelize east and west Africa.

The cardinal was a huge personality of his time, adviser to Napoleon III, then emperor of France, and Popes Pius IX and Leo XIII. Lavigerie was passionate about evangelizing Africa while ending the slave trade, buying freedom for untold thousands while lobbying the Vatican for increased antislavery commitment.

Lavigerie dressed his priests in white robes, similar to kaftans worn by Muslim imams in North Africa. A black and white rosary worn around their necks signaled Catholic identity. The missionaries were known as les pères blancs (the white fathers) and most were, indeed, white.

Today, the majority of active white fathers are Black, serving across Africa as well as in Mexico and Asia. While seminaries in France and Canada have closed, in countries such as Burkina-Faso, Ghana and Kenya their classes are full. In Uganda, in 1911, the missionaries established the first modern Catholic seminary south of the Sahara, which continues today.

The Rev. Barthélémy Bazemo, provincial of the Americas for the Missionaries of Africa, based in Washington, D.C., who helped shepherd the Saint-Roch project, explained that the order is also responsible for two other churches, in Brooklyn, New York, and Queretaro, Mexico.

Staffing up at Saint-Roch is especially important because Quebec’s Catholic community is experiencing a resurgence in faith: Between 2023 and 2025, the number of baptisms in the archdiocese increased

more than 500%, mainly of adults under age 30. The majority of those baptized were born in Africa or Latin America.

“We have a lot of migrants, a lot of people from different countries, and among them many Africans from different countries,” explained Lacroix, who served as a missionary to Colombia for eight years as a young priest. He calls the rash of baptisms one of the city’s “signs of hope” because “many newcomers are fervent, giving a good witness and helping us.”

Immigration is a major demographic driver in the province of Quebec. Permanent immigration increased in 2024 over 2023, with more than 15% of new permanent residents last year coming from the central African nation of Cameroon, according to the Institut de la Statistique du Québec.

“What gives me a lot of hope is to see what the Lord is doing, through

the work of the Holy Spirit, in different areas of our diocese,” said Lacroix. “We have some parishes that are growing. Young people are discovering the faith. We are seeing more youth groups. This year we had more than double the number of catechumens, during the Easter season.” Currently, 17 seminarians are studying for the priesthood in Quebec City.

“We crossed some very difficult years. There are still many challenges, but I see hope, I see hope.

We also have more seminarians than we have had in the last decade,” the cardinal said.

Just as Lavigerie sent missionaries in groups of three, a team of three Francophone missionaries, Lacroix said, “will be a pastoral and compassionate presence at Saint-Roch for the people in Quebec City’s Lower Town, a historic area where there is a lot of need.

So, we are very, very happy. We’ve been wanting to do this for a long time, but we just didn’t have the personnel.”

Two of the three are Canadianborn and currently based in Montreal: the Rev. Serge St-Arneault and Brother Dennis Walsh. The third, the Rev. Jean Paul Guibila, served as a missionary in Congo and is currently working at the Missionaries of Africa headquarters in Rome. He’s expected to arrive in Quebec City early next month.

St-Arneault helps lead Montreal’s Centre Afrika, which provides support ranging from employment advice to choir practice space for diverse African communities. He said he and his confreres have minimal material needs. In terms of housing, he said, “Whatever the diocese provides is fine for us.”

(Saint-Roch’s rectory was sold off years ago.) “We will feel at home as long as we are able to serve the church and the pastoral needs of the community.”

Bazemo, born in Burkina-Faso, explained to RNS: “We feel strongly that we must open up to ministry in the Global North. In the past we were geared toward Africa but now the African world has gone beyond.

There’s a need for our charism worldwide.”

Old Bateman Causeway salmon barrier finally being removed

BY NATHAN GILLES

Contributing writer

This story, created by Nathan Gilles for Columbia Insight is part of the Solutions Story Tracker from the Solutions Journalism Network, a nonprofit organization dedicated to rigorous reporting about responses to social problems. Louisiana Inspired features solutions journalism stories that provide tangible evidence that positive change is happening in other places and in our own communities — solutions that can be adopted around the world.

After more than 80 years of impeding the migration of salmon, the Bateman Island Causeway at the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia rivers was scheduled for removal beginning Dec. 22.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Walla Walla District announced that Dec. 21 was the final day of public access to the island before contractors begin installing safety fencing in preparation for the causeway’s removal, which is expected to start Jan. 5.

The demolition of the Bateman Causeway follows decades of science demonstrating the structure’s negative impact on local salmon and steelhead populations. It marks a significant victory for local tribal nations and salmon recovery efforts in central Washington.

The 550-foot-long, 40-foot-wide earthen causeway connects the central Washington city of Richland to Bateman Island, a naturally occurring island once visited by explorers Lewis and Clark. The island sits in a shallow delta at the mouth of the Yakima River where the river flows into the Columbia.

The causeway is believed to have been built between 1939 and 1940, mostly likely illegally by a local farmer wanting access to Bateman Island in order to graze cattle.

Later, when the island and the causeway were opened to the public, both became popular among local residents as the causeway allowed them easy access to the island. However, while allowing for the flow of people, the causeway has restricted the flow of water to the detriment of native fish.

Positioned in the delta at the southern end of Bateman Island, the earthen structure prevents the warmer waters of the Yakima

PROVIDED PHOTO By NATHAN GILLES

At the confluence of the yakima and Columbia rivers, the causeway to Bateman Island creates a slack water trap for migrating fish.

River from mixing with the cooler waters of the Columbia.

This has created a stagnant pool of warm, oxygen-depleted water dangerously unsuitable for both inmigrating adult and out-migrating juvenile salmon and steelhead. The conditions are ideal, however, for invasive predatory fish that prey on juvenile native fish waylaid by the delta’s slow, warm waters on their journey to Pacific Ocean.

The causeway also created conditions for mosquitos and harmful algal blooms to flourish.

In November, the Corps of Engineers awarded a $1.2 million contract to Pipkin Inc., an East Wenatchee-based company, to remove the artificial structure.

The project is being undertaken in partnership with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation, the Washington Department of Ecology and the Mid-Columbia Fisheries Enhancement Group.

of disruption in the water flows, and the result of that has been the warm water, the increased predation, mosquitoes and the algae growth,” Blodgett told Columbia Insight.

“Now everything’s going to benefit and start functioning as a normal system again.”

The Yakama Nation and the State of Washington have invested heavily in restoring salmon populations throughout the Yakima River Basin.

Sitting at the mouth of the river, the Bateman Causeway has long hampered these upstream efforts, said Mike Livingston, regional director for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“This causeway is a bottleneck for fish,” Livingston told Columbia Insight. “They have to pass through the area [around the causeway] twice in their life history, once as juveniles and then as adults when they return. For the juveniles it’s a predatory factory. For the adults it artificially increases the water temperature.

“All of the investments that we’ve Victory for Tribes done in the upper basin are hinging “We’re excited and not just for upon the fish being able to successour fishery efforts, but the whole fully get to and from the Columbia.” ecological benefits it [removing the causeway] is going to bring,” said Science and inaction Joe Blodgett, who leads the Yakama As Columbia Insight reported Nation’s Yakama/Klickitat Fisher- in 2023, the path from recognizies Project. ing the Bateman Causeway as an “The causeway has caused a lot ecological problem to its removal

has been long and fraught, mixing compelling science with decades of inaction followed by slow public deliberation.

The first study suggesting Bateman Causeway was creating a “thermal barrier” for migrating fish was published in 1986.

In the mid-1990s, scientists commissioned by the Bureau of Reclamation flew over the Yakima River Delta aiming infrared sensors at the waters below. This led to the 1997 publication of a detailed heat map showing how warm waters were pooling around the island, providing visual confirmation of what migrating salmon were enduring.

Seven years later, in 2004, the Army Corps of Engineers published its own report that reached the same conclusion. The report called for the causeway’s removal.

The report, however, largely gathered dust. Another decade slipped by before the publication of the next significant study on the causeway.

That study was led by the Yakama Nation, Mid-Columbia Fisheries and Benton Conservation District.

It also concluded the causeway had to go, as did a follow-up study in 2016.

These two studies kicked off a lengthy public comment period between local residents and govern-

ment and tribal officials about how best to remove the causeway. That work led to the current removal effort.

“It’s been a really long effort and lot of people have contributed to it,” said Livingston, who spent nearly a decade involved in the effort to remove the causeway. “I’m just happy we’ve finally reached this point where we can improve the ecosystem for fish and for people.”

The lengthy public comment period, while frustrating to many, appears to have helped resolve local opposition to the causeway’s removal.

“Well, obviously, during this whole process there was frustration because things don’t ever move as fast as you’d like them to,” said Blodgett.

But, Blodgett says, the process was necessary for both listening to the concerns of local residents and government officials, as well as helping explain how removing the causeway would help fish and the local ecosystem.

“We know that things take a while,” said Blodgett. “But we’ve definitely done a lot of studies and understand the benefits that this [removing the causeway] is going to bring. So, we’re looking forward and being optimistic and thinking that this is going to be a big advantage to a lot of our efforts here in the Yakima Basin.”

For millennia before European contact, Bateman Island served as a vital fishing and trading hub for the region’s original inhabitants.

Evidence for human occupation of the island dates back 16,000 years, according to a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers report.

Today, the island is considered culturally significant by the Yakama Nation, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation, Wanapum Band, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation and Nez Perce Tribe.

The Yakama Nation became comanagers of the Yakima Basin’s fisheries with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife following the landmark 1974 Boldt Decision, which re-affirmed Washington Tribes’ treaty reserved rights to half the catch of salmon and steelhead fisheries, with the Tribes and state co-managing the fisheries.

SUNDAY, JANUArY 4, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr.

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE / by Stephan Pastis

wonderword

scrabble grams

word game

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row. Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus.

“Blanks” used as any letter have no point value.

All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

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 — coALition: ko-uhLIH-shun: A temporary alliance of distinct parties for joint action.

Average mark 34 words Time limit 60 minutes Can you find 52 or more words in COALITION?

For more information on tournaments and clubs, email NASPA – North American SCRABBLE Players Association: info@scrabbleplayers.org. Visit our website: www.scrabbleplayers.org. For puzzle inquiries contact scrgrams@gmail.com.

Hasbro and its logo SCRABBLE associated logo, the design of the distinctive SCRABBLE brand game card, and the distinctive letter tile designs are trademarks of Hasbro in the United States and Canada. ©2026 Hasbro. All rights reserved. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

cryptoquote AxyDLBAAxR iS LONgFELLOW One letter stands for another. in this sample, A is used for the three L’s, x for the two O’s, etc. Single letters, apostrophes, the length and formation of the words are all hints. Each day the code letters are different.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Sudoku

ken ken instructions: 1 - Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 through 4 (easy) or 1 through 6 (challenging) without repeating.

2 - The numbers within the heavily outlined boxes, called cages, must combine using the given operation (in any order) to produce the target numbers in the top-left corners.

3 - Freebies: Fill in the single-box cages with the number in the top-left corner.

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 Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

hidato directions: Complete the grid so that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally.

AnsWers to ALL PuZZLes Are on inside BAcK PAGe

Los angeLes Times sunday Crossword puzzLe — Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis “ConFounded” By doug peTerson aCross 1 Geyser output 6 Cause to blush 11 Some Caribbean exports 15 “Goldberg Variations” composer 19 Blender button 20 Marisa who plays Peter Parker’s aunt 21 Cookie with six Thanksgivinginspired flavors 22 Crass 23 Dined at home 24 Massage 25 Annapolis sch.

26 “For All Mankind” side: Abbr.

27 Bistro where diners rarely get what they order?

31 Bullpen stat 32 Get into 33 Poke bowl choice 34 Vassals 37 One who makes a huge profit in the gaming industry?

44 Branch of Islam 47 Part to play 48 Give off 49 Chaney of classic horror 50 Museum employee who specializes in topographic maps?

55 Marvel superhero with martial arts expertise 57 Road beneath a freeway 58 Uncomfortable spot 60 Layers 61 TV actress Susan 62 Understood 63 Parts of quotes 66 Black stone 67 Well-secured garden vines?

72 Word in classic mystery novel titles 75 Kumquat shade 76 Concert piece 77 Long-running CBS drama 80 Part of a vague threat 83 Nail art brand 84 Row of stores 87 Sunday planning that makes weeknight dinners easier, say 89 Inflatables ridden in a river race?

92 Shiba __ 93 Maximum or minimum 95 Shoddy 96 The Hawkeye State 97 Inchworm with a successful YouTube channel?

103 “Goosebumps” series writer 104 Retro hip beer, for short 105 Coconut __ 106 Hosts, for short 109 Remodel of a badly designed airport terminal?

117 Storyline 119 River of northern Spain 120 Made manageable 121 “The Studio” actress Catherine 122 In short supply 123 Corporate image 124 “Judge Mathis” event 125 Election Day figure 126 Doesn’t rent 127 Abound (with) 128 In a suitable way 129 Clear down 1 __ bar

2 Teach privately 3 Two-time WNBA MVP __ Delle Donne 4 “Ew! No!” 5 Mexican soup made with tripe 6 Guitarist Chet who helped create the Nashville sound 7 Pro __: at no charge 8 “Right on!”

9 Cook the surface of 10 Sleeper sofa 11 Ordinary 12 __ Major 13 OpenTable link 14 Skyrocket 15 Country surrounded by the Malaysian state of Sarawak 16 Like koalas 17 IRA options 18 See 29-Down 28 Daughter’s brother 29 With 18-Down, pronoun pair 30 Way up 35 Extremely unfriendly 36 Sentence structure 37 Blanchett with two Oscars 38 Agcys.

39 Singers Reed and Rawls 40 Yale student 41 Left 42 Dog coat 43 Rite words 44 Skim along, as clouds 45 Sharpen 46 Memorial Day weekend race, casually 51 Chem class for premeds 52 “__ further reflection ... “ 53 “Midnight Cowboy” hustler

54 Online mag 56 Curly hairstyles, informally 59 Zamboni surface 63 Freak out 64 Semi 65 Trades barbs 67 Minesweeper unit 68 Torrid Zone boundary 69 Sharp knock 70 Give off 71 Spot on a sked 72 Stand-up

goren Bridge

individuals?

73 “We __ alone” 74 Narwhal 77 Baja resort, familiarly 78 Whole lot 79 The “kid” in “Here’s looking at you, kid” 81 Organ near the pancreas 82 CNN anchor Burnett 84 “Enough!”

85 Actress Polo

wuzzLes

86 ABC News anchor David 88 First aid pro 90 “The Mikado,” for one 91 Scand. kingdom 94 Place to make draft picks 98 IRA options 99 Network that airs “TBBT” reruns 100 Imperious 101 Tell tales 102 Cozy spot 106 Mazda two-

seater 107 Apple centers 108 Drum kit piece 110 Saxon foe 111 Wind with keys 112 Hankering 113 Complain querulously 114 Conveniently leave out, maybe 115 Word in some Spanish team names

116 Hammerwielding god 117 __ rata 118 Brief topic

super Quiz

Great play

Take this Super Quiz to a Ph.D. Score 1 point for each correct answer on the Freshman Level, 2 points on the graduate Level and 3 points on the Ph.D. Level.

Today’s deal is from a tournament in Europe. Thirteen NorthSouth pairs reached four spades, making four or five, sometimes doubled, 12 times. The defense typically started with two rounds of hearts. Declarer ruffed the second round and led a diamond, usually won by West. Declarer was threatening a cross-ruff. The defense wanted to play trumps to prevent this, but the ace and another was no good. Declarer just ran his clubs. He didn’t need any more ruffs. No other suit play would fare any better. Say West played another heart. Declare would ruff in hand, ruff a diamond in dummy, and ruff the last heart from dummy with the 10 of spades. Another diamond ruff would get him back to dummy to lead the king of spades and all would be well.

At the one table where four spades was defeated, West was a player not known to us, last name Groemoller, from Germany.

South led the diamond queen at trick three. Groemoller won with the king and made the brilliant shift to a low spade away from his ace! He retained trump control while limiting the ruffs in

SUBJECT: NICKNAMES

7. The Great One

Who was known by the

Answer________

nickname? (e.g., Hon-

8. The British Bulldog

est Abe. Answer: Abraham Lincoln.)

9. Tricky Dick Answer________

FRESHMAN LEVEL

10. Ike

1. Scarface Answer________ 2. The Lone Eagle Answer________ 3. The Iron Lady Answer________

declarer’s hand. Four spades was usually played by North, with that powerful club suit on display in dummy. Groemoller’s play was made with the club suit hidden in declarer’s hand. A fine play indeed.

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny. 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

Answer________

4. The Iron Horse Answer________ 5. Broadway Joe Answer________

Answer________

PH.D. LEVEL 11. The Godfather of Soul Answer________ 12. Mr. October Answer________ 13. Saint of the Gutters Answer________ 14. The Greatest

GRADUATE LEVEL

Answer________

6. The Little Corporal Answer________

15. Blackbeard Answer________

ANSWERS TO ALL PUZZLES ARE ON NEXT PAGE

zodiaC CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Reconfigure and fine-tune your plans according to your options. Once you have a clear direction, you’ll find it easier to confront anyone standing in your way.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Contemplate your future . A lifestyle change may be the best way to get back on track and off the routine that is dragging you down.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Keep track of what everyone around you is doing and aim to do your part — plus a little extra. An opportunity will arise if you work hard and make a difference.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Avoid conflict, excess and indulgent behavior. Relax, take a little “me time” and unwind. Put your energy into self-improvement projects and revamping your budget to meet demands.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) You have options, so don’t let mixed emotions and manipulative people get in your way. Know when to say no and distance yourself from others. Discretion is in your best interest.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Explore the possibilities. Attend a trade show that offers insight and options into

how you can use your skills efficiently. Honest communication and finishing what you start are essential.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) It’s time to rethink your lifestyle. Pay attention to meaningful relationships and cater to those you cherish.

Make plans that give you something to look forward to.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Think twice before you initiate change or donate to something you cannot afford. Letting others guilt you into participating or contributing your time, money or skills will lead to dissatisfaction.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Participate in events you enjoy and that encourage you to connect with people who share your beliefs.

New surroundings will spark your imagination and inspire you to make a positive move.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Domestic situations will require patience, tolerance and serious thought.

You are best off taking a waitand-see approach. A premature move will leave you in a vulnerable position and force you to backtrack.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Welcome change into your life. Try some-

thing new, explore possibilities, expand your mind and let your emotions lead the way. Take responsibility for your happiness.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Put more thought into setting up a new budget and managing your money wisely. Reconsider how you earn your money and what’s most important to you regarding your lifestyle.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

dustin / by Steve Kelley & Jeff Parker

Answers to puzzles super quiz 1. Al Capone. 2. Charles Lindbergh. 3. Margaret Thatcher. 4. Lou Gehrig. 5. Joe Namath.

6. Napoleon Bonaparte. 7. Wayne Gretzky.

8. Winston Churchill. 9. Richard Nixon.

10.Dwight D. Eisenhower. 11. James Brown.

12. Reggie Jackson. 13. Mother Teresa.

14. Muhammad Ali. 15. Edward Teach.

SCORING: 24 to 30 points — congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points — honors graduate; 13 to 17 points — you’re plenty smart, but no grind; 5 to 12 points — you really should hit the books harder; 1 point to 4 points — enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0 points — who reads the questions to you?

Cryptoquote Answer Saturday's Cryptoquote: I never eat December snowflakes. I always wait until January. — Lucy, "A Charlie Brown Christmas"

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nail

sudoKu Answer jumble Answer

Crossword Answers

jeFF mACnelly’s shoe / by Gary Brookins & Susie MacNelly

sCrAbble Answers

FoXtrot / by Bill Amend

wuzzles Answers

Ken Ken Answers

hidAto Answers