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Venezuela says at least 24 killed in attack

FIRST CLASS

Acting president pushes back on threats by Trump

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO, AAMER MADHANI and MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press

break. Middle school math and science teacher Beth Hall, who’s been a teacher at the school for 10 years, said she’s thrilled to be in the new

CARACAS, VENEZUELA — At least 24 Venezuelan security officers were killed in the dead-of-night U.S. military operation to capture Nicolás Maduro and spirit him to the United States to face drug charges, officials said Tuesday.

Venezuelan officials announced the death count as the country’s acting president, Delcy Rodriguez, pushed back on President Donald Trump, who earlier this week warned she’d face an outcome worse than Maduro’s if she does not “do what’s right” and overhaul Venezuela into a country that aligns with U.S. interests. Trump has said his administration will now “run” Venezuela policy and is pressing the country’s leaders to open its vast oil reserves to American energy companies.

“Personally, to those who threaten me,” Rodriguez said “Personally, in an address before governto those who ment agricultural and industrithreaten al sector officials. “My destiny is not determined by them, but me, my

by God.” destiny is not Venezuela’s Attorney Gendetermined by eral Tarek William Saab said them, but by overall “dozens” of officers God.” and civilians were killed in the weekend strike in Caracas and DELCy that prosecutors would investiRODRIGUEZ, gate the deaths in what he deacting president scribed as a “war crime.” He of Venezuela didn’t specify if the estimate was specifically referring to Venezuelans.

In addition to the Venezuelan security officials, Cuba’s government had previously confirmed that 32 Cuban military and police officers working in Venezuela were killed in the raid. The Cuban government says the personnel killed belonged to the Revolutionary Armed Forces and the Ministry of the Interior, the country’s two

ä See FIRST, page 5A

ä See VENEZUELA, page 4A

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

First Baptist Church Senior Pastor James Pritchard, center, gives the thumbs-up after cutting the ribbon during opening ceremonies for the new upper school building at First Baptist Christian School on Monday.

First Baptist School opens new building in Lafayette

BY ASHLEY WHITE Staff writer

First Baptist Christian School students and teachers opened a late Christmas present on Monday — a new building for its middle and high schoolers in downtown Lafayette.

The newly renovated 16,500-square-foot facility, formerly the Davidson Meaux Law Office, sits across the lower school’s entrance on West Convent Street. The $5.5 million project took more than a year to complete and wrapped up Monday when students moved in.

“A lot of different partners have come alongside us to work on this and we’re very thankful for what God has done,” First Baptist Senior Pastor James Pritchard said during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday.

“This is a God thing for sure. We’re excited about this building.”

First Baptist School opened in 1986 and expanded to include eighth grade. In 2015, the school welcomed its first class of ninth graders, and it celebrated its first graduating class in 2019. The upper school was in a building likely built in the 1800s and needed upgrades, Pritchard said.

The new addition was purchased in April 2024 and renovations began

Visitors get a look at the new upper school building after Monday’s ribboncutting ceremonies. in October 2024. Diverse Studio led the architectural and interior design with Kent Design Build as the contractor.

Teachers moved from the old building to the new over winter

DeSoto school desegregation case closed

BY PATRICK WALL A federal judge closed a long-running school desegregation case in DeSoto Parish on Monday, less than a week after the U.S. Department of Justice, the Louisiana Attorney General’s Office and the DeSoto Parish School Board asked the court to dismiss the case and release the schools from federal oversight.

It is the second decades-old desegregation case in Louisiana brought to a swift end by the Trump administration and state Attorney General Liz Murrill, who last year had a case in Plaquemines Parish dating back to the 1960s dismissed. Murrill and Gov. Jeff Landry, both Republicans, have vowed to fight for other remaining desegregation orders to be

ä See DESOTO, page 5A

PAGE 10C

Governor gets invite to dogsledding event

BY ALYSE PFEIL

Staff writer

WEATHER HIGH 78 LOW 65

Landry has a plan to court Greenland Staff writer

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry said Tuesday he plans attend a major dogsledding event in Greenland this March as he works to convince people there to side with the United States in his role as President Donald Trump’s special envoy.

“I’m interested in talking to STAFF FILE PHOTO Greenlanders,” Landry told Brian Gov. Jeff Landry says he is interested in talking Kilmeade during an interview Tuesday morning on Fox News Rato Greenland residents rather than government dio.

“I got invited to, I think it’s the officials as he works to convince them to side world’s largest dogsled event, that with the United States. goes up in March in Greenland.

Business ......................6A Commentary ................3B Nation-World ................2A Classified .....................4A Deaths .........................7A Opinion ........................2B Comics-Puzzles .....7C-9C Living............................5C Sports ..........................1C

I’m going.”

Landry said he’s much more interested in talking to Greenland residents than government officials.

“I don’t want to talk to someone in Denmark,” he said. Greenland is a sovereign territory of that country.

“I’m more interested in talking to Greenlanders. I’m not interested in going to an embassy and talking to diplomats,” he later added.

Landry also threw his support behind the territory becoming independent from Denmark.

“That’s what I think the deal should be, with Greenland staking their claim on independence,

ä See GREENLAND, page 5A

101ST yEAR, NO. 191

2A ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

U.S. nearly triples list of visa bond countries

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is nearly tripling the number of countries whose passport holders will be required to post bonds of up to $15,000 to apply to enter the United States.

Less than a week after adding seven countries to the list of nations subject to visa bonds, bringing the total to 13, the State Department on Tuesday added 25 more. The bond requirement for the latest additions will take effect Jan. 21, according to a notice posted on the travel.state. gov website.

The move means that 38 countries, most of them in Africa but some in Latin America and Asia, are now on the list, which makes the process of obtaining a U.S. visa unaffordable for many.

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2K deployed to Minnesota

Trump administration launches ‘largest immigration operation ever’

BY REBECCA SANTANA and MIKE BALSAMO Associated Press

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has launched what officials describe as the largest federal immigration enforcement operation ever carried out, preparing to deploy as many as 2,000 federal agents and officers to the Minneapolis area for a sweeping crackdown tied in part to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents.

The surge dramatically expands the federal law enforcement footprint in Minnesota amid heightened political and community tensions. Immigration and Customs

Enforcement Acting Director Todd Lyons, during an interview with Newsmax, called the crackdown the agency’s “largest immigration operation ever.”

Neither Lyons nor Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said how many officers were involved.

A person briefed on the operation told The Associated Press the Department of Homeland Security plans to dispatch as many as 2,000 officers to the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. The person was not authorized to publicly discuss operational details and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

Immigrant rights groups and elected officials in the Twin Cities reported a sharp increase Tuesday in sightings of federal agents, notably around St. Paul. Numerous agents’ vehicles were reported making traffic stops, outside area businesses and apartment buildings.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was also present and accompanied ICE officers during at least one arrest. A video posted on X showed Noem wearing a tactical vest and knit cap as agents arrested a man in St. Paul. In the video, she tells the handcuffed man: “You will be held accountable for your crimes.”

The Department of Homeland

DOJ says Brown shooter planned attack for years

Pamela Smart seeks to overturn conviction BOSTON — Pamela Smart, who is serving life in prison for orchestrating the murder of her husband by her teenage student in 1990, is seeking to overturn her conviction over what her lawyers claim were several constitutional violations.

The petition for habeas corpus relief was filed Monday in New York, where she is being held at the Bedford Hills Correctional Facility for Women, and, in New Hampshire, where the murder happened.

“Ms. Smart’s trial unfolded in an environment that no court had previously confronted — wall-to-wall media coverage that blurred the line between allegation and evidence,” Jason Ott, who is part of Smart’s legal team, said in a statement. “This petition challenges whether a fair adversarial process took place.”

Report: On-duty officer deaths decrease 25% Deaths of on-duty law enforcement officers in the U.S. decreased by nearly 25% in 2025, according to an annual report.

The report from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, shared with The Associated Press ahead of its release Tuesday, shows a drop in all categories of fatalities, from 148 total deaths in 2024 to 111 last year.

Officer firearm fatalities dropped to 44, a 15% decrease from 52 in 2024 and the lowest number in at least a decade, according to the Fund’s previous annual officer fatality reports.

“I always like to see that firearms deaths are down. They are the tip of the spear for egregious acts,” said Bill Alexander, the chief executive officer of the Fund, a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit that works to memorialize fallen officers, educate the public about the profession and improve officer safety.

Traffic-related deaths also decreased nearly 23% between 2024 and 2025, including both fatal traffic accidents and officers killed after being struck by a vehicle — usually during traffic stops.

BY LEAH WILLINGHAM and MICHAEL CASEY Associated Press

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By yOAN VALAT

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff, front from left, Jared Kushner and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte arrive Tuesday for a meeting of the Coalition of the Willing at the Elysee Palace in Paris.

Ukraine allies praise progress on guarantees

BY SYLVIE CORBET and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press

PARIS — Ukraine’s allies said they made major progress Tuesday toward agreeing how to defend the country if a peace deal is struck with Russia, saying they were ready to provide international guarantees to deter Moscow from attacking its neighbor again.

Plans discussed at a key meeting in Paris included having the U.S. lead an effort to monitor any ceasefire — which could give Washington a direct role in keeping any peace with Russia.

Leaders from 27 European countries and Canada, as well as U.S. representatives and top officials from the European Union and NATO, said they would provide Kyiv’s front-line forces with equipment and training and back them up with air, land and sea support to deter any future Russian attack.

This was the 15th and largest meeting of the so-called “coalition of the willing” — involving more heads of state and governments than ever and U.S. envoys in person for the first time.

The post-ceasefire architecture would also include beefing up Ukraine’s war-

battered army, including by replenishing its weapons stocks, so it could act as the country’s front-line deterrence against a resumption of fighting.

There was no immediate comment from officials in Russia on Tuesday, which was the eve of Orthodox Christmas.

The size of the supporting forces was not made public, and many of the details of the plan — which would only apply if a ceasefire enters into force — remain unclear.

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the meeting made “excellent progress” but cautioned that “the hardest yards are still ahead,” noting that Russian attacks on Ukraine continue.

Moscow has revealed few details of its stance in the U.S.-led peace negotiations. Officials have reaffirmed Russia’s demands and have insisted there can be no ceasefire until a comprehensive settlement is agreed.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has ruled out any deployment of troops from NATO countries on Ukrainian soil.

Starmer added that there can only be peace if Russia compromises, and added: “Putin is not showing that he is ready for peace.”

Israel clears final hurdle to Woman found alive in body bag to receive $3M start settlement construction A Detroit suburb has agreed to a $3.25 million settlement with the family of a young woman who had been declared dead at home but then gasped for air and opened her eyes when her body bag was unzipped at a funeral home.

Southfield paramedics were accused of gross negligence in how they responded to Timesha Beauchamp after a 911 call in 2020. The 20-year-old, who had cerebral palsy, was eventually rushed to a hospital and died two months later.

“We recognize that no resolution can undo the profound tragedy that occurred on August 23, 2020, or ease the pain experienced by Ms. Beauchamp’s family,” Southfield said in a statement. “This case involved extraordinarily difficult circumstances that arose in the complex world of a global pandemic.”

Beauchamp was struggling to breathe when her family called 911. A medical crew tried to resuscitate her and also consulted a doctor, who declared her dead over the phone without going to the home.

Security said in a news release that the man was from Ecuador and was wanted in his homeland and Connecticut on charges including murder and sexual assault. It said agents arrested 150 people Monday in enforcement actions in Minneapolis.

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, a Democrat, criticized the federal enforcement surge as “a war that’s being waged against Minnesota.”

“You’re seeing that we have a ridiculous surge of apparently 2,000 people not coordinating with us, that are for a show of cameras,” Walz told reporters in Minneapolis on Tuesday, a day after announcing he was ending his campaign for a third term.

Development would cut West Bank in two

BY JULIA FRANKEL and ABBY SEWELL

Associated Press

JERUSALEM — Israel has cleared the final hurdle before starting construction on a contentious settlement project near Jerusalem that would effectively cut the West Bank in two, according to a government tender.

The tender, which seeks bids from developers, would clear the way to begin construction of the E1 project.

The anti-settlement monitoring group Peace Now first reported the tender. Yoni Mizrahi, who runs the group’s settlement watch division, said initial work could begin within the month.

Settlement development in E1, an open tract of land east of Jerusalem, has been under consideration for more than two decades, but was frozen due to U.S. pressure during previous administrations.

The international community overwhelmingly considers Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank to be illegal and an obstacle to peace.

The E1 project is especially contentious because it runs from the outskirts of Jeru-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JEHAD ALSHRAFI

Palestinians walk Tuesday amid buildings destroyed by Israeli air and ground operations in Gaza City.

salem deep into the occupied West Bank.

Critics say it would prevent the establishment of a contiguous Palestinian state in the territory.

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right politician who oversees settlement policy, has long pushed for the plan to become a reality.

“The Palestinian state is being erased from the table not with slogans but with actions,” he said in August, when Israel gave final approval to the plan. “Every settlement, every neighborhood, every housing unit is another nail in the coffin of this dangerous idea.”

BOSTON — The man identified by law enforcement as the shooter who killed two Brown University students and an MIT professor had been planning the attack for years and left behind videos in which he confessed to the murders but provided no motive, according to information released Tuesday by the U.S. Department of Justice.

Claudio Neves Valente, 48, a former Brown student and Portuguese national, was found dead in a New Hampshire storage facility after he killed two students and wounded nine others in an engineering building on Dec. 13. Two days later, he killed MIT professor Nuno F.G. Loureiro in his home in the Boston suburb of Brookline.

Justice Department officials said Tuesday that during the search of the storage facility where Neves Valente’s body was found on Dec. 18, the FBI recovered an electronic device containing a series

of short videos made by Neves Valente after the shootings.

In the recordings, the shooter admits in Portuguese that he had been working out details for at least six semesters. He did not provide a motive for targeting Brown or the MIT professor, with whom he attended school in Portugal decades ago.

In an English-translated transcript provided by the Justice Department, Neves Valente said he felt he had nothing to apologize for. He also complained in the videos about injuring his eye in the shootings.

“I’m not going to apologize because during my lifetime no one sincerely apologized to me,” he said.

He explicitly addressed baseless claims spread by conservative influencer Laura Loomer after the attack that the Brown shooter had spoken in Arabic, saying something like “Allahu akbar” upon entering the auditorium.

Neves Valente said he didn’t speak a word of Arabic or intend to make any kind of statement.

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Fire safety inspections Leaders push back on Authorities: lapsed for years at Swiss resort bar Greenland comments

BY GEIR MOULSON Associated Press

Fire safety inspections hadn’t been carried out since 2019 at the Swiss bar where a fire at a New Year’s party left 40 people dead and over 100 injured, local authorities said Tuesday.

Investigators have said they believe sparkling candles atop Champagne bottles

Trump seeking U.S. takeover of country

BY CLAUDIA CIOBANU and STEFANIE DAZIO Associated Press

Several European leaders pushed back Tuesday on U.S. President Donald Trump’s comments about seeking an American takeover of Greenland.

The leaders issued a statement reaffirming the strategic, mineral-rich Arctic island “belongs to its people.”

The leaders of France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom joined Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen in defending Greenland’s sovereignty in the wake of Trump’s comments about Greenland, which is a selfgoverning territory of the kingdom of Denmark and thus part of the NATO military alliance.

“Greenland belongs to its people,” the statement said. “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed his support and announced a visit to Greenland early next month by Canada’s

RITZAU SCANPIX PHOTO By OSCAR SCOTT CARL

Greenland Prime Minister Jens Frederik Nielsen speaks at a Monday news conference in Nuuk, Greenland.

Governor General Mary Simon, who is of Inuk descent, and Foreign Minister Anita Anand.

“The future of Greenland and Denmark are decided solely by the people of Denmark,” Carney said, standing next to Frederiksen at the Canadian Embassy in Paris.

Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff, said Monday that Greenland should be part of the United States in spite of a warning by Frederiksen that a U.S. takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of NATO. “The president has been clear for months now that the United States should be the nation that has Green-

land as part of our overall security apparatus,” Miller said during an interview with CNN Monday afternoon.

His comments came after the Danish leader, together with Greenland’s prime minister and other European leaders, firmly rejected Trump’s renewed call for the island to come under U.S. control in the aftermath of the weekend U.S. military operation in Venezuela.

Trump has argued the U.S. needs to control Greenland to ensure the security of the NATO territory in the face of rising threats from China and Russia in the Arctic.

“It’s so strategic right now,” he told reporters Sunday.

ignited the fire at Le Constellation in the resort town of Crans-Montana when they came too close to the ceiling. Authorities are looking into whether soundproofing material on the ceiling conformed with regulations and whether the candles were permitted for use in the bar.

Swiss authorities have opened a criminal investigation into the bar managers.

The two are suspected of involuntary homicide, involuntary bodily harm and involuntarily causing a fire, according to the Valais region’s chief prosecutor.

The regulations in Valais call for annual fire safety inspections of buildings that are “accessible to the public,” and regional authorities say they are the responsibility of the municipality.

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President Donald Trump speaks Tuesday to House Republican lawmakers during their annual policy retreat in Washington.

Trump tries to rally GOP at retreat

BY SEUNG MIN KIM and DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump insisted Tuesday that Republicans have “so many good nuggets” to campaign on this year as they try to hold onto their razorthin margin in the House.

But the president’s nearly 90-minute speech before House Republicans had little in the way of a fresh policy agenda or a cohesive new message to guide the year.

Instead, he meandered from defending his actions during the Capitol riot five years ago to joking about being liberalminded to win the votes of transgender people to making head-scratching references to Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s use of a wheelchair.

As he promised political “ammunition” to help Republicans, Trump emphasized the success of his 2024 presidential campaign, reminding the audience that he carried every swing state as he pondered why voters tend to turn against the party in power during midterm elections.

“They say that when you win the presidency, you lose the midterms,” Trump said in remarks at the Kennedy Center, the performing arts venue that his allies recently renamed for him. “I wish you could explain to me what the hell is going on with the mind of the public.”

He warned that if Democrats regain control of Congress, “they’ll find a way to impeach me.”

Trump’s appearance at the GOP’s policy forum was meant to ensure House Republicans and the White House were aligned ahead of the November midterms.

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4A ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

VENEZUELA

Continued from page 1A main security agencies.

Seven U.S. service members were also injured in the raid, according to the Pentagon. Five have already returned to duty, while two are still recovering from their injuries. The injuries included gunshot wounds and shrapnel injuries, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to comment on the matter publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

A video tribute to the slain Venezuelan security officials posted to the military’s Instagram features faces of the fallen over black-andwhite videos of soldiers, American aircraft flying over Caracas and armored vehicles destroyed by the blasts. Meanwhile, the streets of Caracas, deserted for days following Maduro’s capture, briefly filled with masses of people waving Venezuelan flags and bouncing to patriotic music at a state-orga-

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nized display of support for the government.

“Their spilled blood does not cry out for vengeance, but for justice and strength,” the military wrote in an Instagram post. “It reaffirms our unwavering oath not to rest until we rescue our legitimate President, completely dismantle the terrorist groups operating from abroad, and ensure that events such as these never again sully our sovereign soil.”

Trump on Tuesday pushed back against Democratic criticism of this weekend’s military operation, noting that his Democratic predecessor Joe Biden had also called for the arrest of the Venezuelan leader on drug trafficking charges.

Trump in remarks before a House Republican retreat in Washington grumbled that Democrats were not giving him credit for a successful military operation, even though there was bipartisan agreement that Maduro was not the rightful president of Venezuela.

In 2020, Maduro was indicted in the United States, accused in a

decades-long narco-terrorism and international cocaine trafficking conspiracy. White House officials have noted that Biden’s administration in his final days in office last year raised the award for information leading to Maduro’s arrest after he assumed a third term in office despite evidence suggesting that he lost Venezuela’s most recent election. The Trump administration doubled the award to $50 million in August.

“You know, at some point, they should say, ‘You know, you did a great job. Thank you. Congratulations.’ Wouldn’t it be good?” Trump said. “I would say that if they did a good job, their philosophies are so different. But if they did a good job, I’d be happy for the country.

They’ve been after this guy for years and years and years.”

Trump’s latest comments came after Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other top officials briefed leaders in Congress late Monday on the Venezuela operation amid mounting concerns that the Republican administration is embarking

on a new era of U.S. expansionism without consultation with lawmakers or a clear vision for running the South American country.

Democratic leaders said the session lacked clarity about the Trump administration’s plans for Venezuela. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., an Iraq War veteran, said there is no dispute with Trump that Maduro was a “brutal dictator.”

“But the problem we have is the fact that yet again we have now entered into a war where there is no known off-ramp,” Duckworth said.

Americans are split about the capture of Maduro — with many still forming opinions — according to a poll conducted by The Washington Post and SSRS using text messages over the weekend.

About 4 in 10 approved of the U.S. military being sent to capture Maduro, while roughly the same share were opposed. About 2 in 10 were unsure.

Nearly half of Americans, 45%, were opposed to the U.S. taking control of Venezuela and choosing Public Notices Bids/Proposals p tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

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Public Notices Bids/Proposals

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Public Notices

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 10:00 am Central Time on the 5th day of February, 2026 for the following: 2026 Water Stock Mater‐ ial and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders may at‐ tend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/83972405817? pwd=K4h6sDIiJQANsAF NIaLJUhGXrtmgTI.1.

In accordance with RS 38:2212 Louisiana electronic Bids may be submitted on Vendor Ac‐ cess (https://lafayettecs dgovla.tylerportico.com/ va/vendor-access/ registration).Official Bid Documents are available Vendor Access on (https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/ registration). For ques‐ tions related to the elec‐ tronic bidding process, call Morgan please Broussard at 337-2918263. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Morgan Broussard at mcbrous‐ sard@lafayettela.gov.

Vendors submitting bids are re‐ electronically quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 291(Attn: Morgan 8263 Broussard). Bidding doc‐ uments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive alter‐ nates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

CATS RAGAMUFFIN & RAGDOLL KITTENS www.CatsByFrancy.com/kittens $700up! Reg. Shots & Guaranty 337-230-3150

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the quotation form provided with the speci‐ fications.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which business are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling (337) 291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 01-07-26, 01-11-26 DPR 1003523 172650-JAN 7-11-2T $98.26 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 9:00 am Central Time on the 29th day of January, 2026 for the following: 2026 Distribution Trans‐ formers Stock Material and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders may at‐ tend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/87086780970? pwd=9Tubl08GoRBP9v6 CpW6J6lOVdcEkyH.1.

In accordance with RS 38:2212 Louisiana electronic Bids may be submitted on Vendor Ac‐ cess (https://lafayettecs dgovla.tylerportico.com/ va/vendor-access/ registration).Official Bid Documents are available Vendor Access on (https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/ registration). For ques‐ tions related to the elec‐ tronic bidding process, call Morgan please Broussard at 337-2918263. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Morgan Broussard at mcbrous‐ sard@lafayettela.gov.

Vendors submitting bids are re‐ electronically quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through h il il

Public Notices Bids/Proposals g g the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 291(Attn: Morgan 8263 Broussard). Bidding doc‐ uments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive alter‐ nates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the quotation form provided with the speci‐ fications.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which business are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling (337) 291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 01-07-26, 01-11-26 DPR 1003522 172556-jan 7-11-2t $98.26

CLASSIFIEDS WORK

Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 11:00 am Central Time on the 27th day of January, 2026 for the following: 2026 Fiber to the Home Stock Material and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders may at‐ tend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/85601667161? pwd=PQW6CGdk61Zz0i9 IrmnhAPB2kRfMcx.1.

In accordance with RS 38:2212 Louisiana electronic Bids may be submitted on Vendor Ac‐ cess (https://lafayettecs dgovla.tylerportico.com/ va/vendor-access/ registration).Official Bid Documents are available Vendor Access on (https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/ registration). For ques‐ tions related to the elec‐ tronic bidding process, call Morgan please Broussard at 337-2918263. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Morgan Broussard at mcbrous‐ sard@lafayettela.gov.

Vendors submitting bids are re‐ electronically quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 291(Attn: Morgan 8263 Broussard). Bidding doc‐ uments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive alter‐ nates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the quotation form provided with the speci‐ fications.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B.

surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which business are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling (337) 291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 1-7-26, 1-11-26 DPR 1001677 172069-jan 7-11-2t $97.82 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 11:00 am Central Time on the 5th day of February, 2026 for the following: 2026 Wastewater Stock Material and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders may at‐ tend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/84229404207? pwd=LC2J1pf8yinpRwq TpsGUBTPxgIboP0.1.

In accordance with RS 38:2212 Louisiana electronic Bids may be submitted on Vendor Ac‐ cess (https://lafayettecs dgovla.tylerportico.com/ va/vendor-access/ registration).Official Bid Documents are available Vendor Access on (https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/ registration). For ques‐ tions related to the elec‐ tronic bidding process, call Morgan please Broussard at 337-2918263. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Morgan Broussard at mcbrous‐ sard@lafayettela.gov.

Vendors submitting bids are re‐ electronically quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ tificate of Authority au‐ thorizing the person signing the bid is re‐ quired to be submitted with bid. Failure to sub‐ mit a Corporate Resolu‐ tion or Certificate of Au‐ thority with the bid shall be cause for rejection of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 291(Attn: Morgan 8263 Broussard). Bidding doc‐ uments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive alter‐ nates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the quotation form provided with the speci‐ fications.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which business are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling (337) 291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 01-07-26, 01-11-26 DPR 1003524 172710-jan 7-11-2t PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO BIDDERS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 9:00 am Central Time on the 27th day of January, 2026 for the following: 2026 Distribution Pole Stock Material and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Bidders may at‐ tend the bid opening in person, but are highly encouraged to virtually join the bid openings via Zoom using the following https://us02web. link: zoom.us/j/84763646361? pwd=KpEmzLxP16llwtw H9Ud5E8OjgkZX3L.1.

In accordance with RS 38:2212 Louisiana electronic Bids may be submitted on Vendor Ac‐ cess (https://lafayettecs dgovla.tylerportico.com/ va/vendor-access/ registration).Official Bid Documents are available Vendor Access on (https://lafayettecsdgov la.tylerportico.com/va/ vendor-access/ registration). For ques‐ tions related to the elec‐ tronic bidding process, call Morgan please Broussard at 337-2918263. Bidders may re‐ quest the electronic bid package from Morgan Broussard at mcbrous‐ sard@lafayettela.gov.

Vendors submitting bids are re‐ electronically quired to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LRS Title 38:2212(B)5. A Cor‐ porate Resolution or Cer‐ ifi f h i

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the Purchasing Office located at 705 West Uni‐ Avenue, versity Lafayette, LA 70506. Tele‐ phone number (337) 291(Attn: Morgan 8263 Broussard). Bidding doc‐ uments shall be available until twenty-four (24) hours before the bid opening date.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consolidated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive alter‐ nates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana and counter‐ signed by a person who is under contract with re‐ siding in this state. The certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No bidder may withdraw his bid for at least fortyfive (45) days after the time scheduled for the opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the quotation form provided with the speci‐ fications.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprise) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which business are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling (337) 291-8410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 01-07-26, 01-11-26 DPR 1003521 172185-jan 7-11-2t $130.44 PUBLIC NOTICE --NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given that sealed bids will be received either electroni‐ cally at https://lafayet tecsdgovla.tylerportico. com/va/vendor-access/ registration or in the of‐ fice of the Purchasing Di‐ vision at the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment Building, located at 705 West University Av‐ Lafayette, enue, Louisiana, until 10:30AM Central Time on the 5th day of Feburary, 2026 for the following: MAIN LIBRARY ELEVATOR MODERNIZATION and will, shortly there‐ after, be opened and read aloud in the Office of Purchasing located at 705 West University Av‐ enue, Lafayette, LA. Bids received after the above specified time for open‐ ing shall not be consid‐ ered and shall be re‐ turned unopened to the sender. Sealed bids may hand carried or be mailed to the address listed above.

The bid opening will be available to attend via zoom. Attendance is not mandatory. The pass‐ code is 781992, and the invite link is https:// us02web.zoom.us/j/ 88095273613?pwd=18T 6sZD5YYkSQp8pP8PsO5D DJgYebv.1 .

The meeting will be at the time of the bid open‐ ing.

Scope of Services Scope of work includes, but is not limited to, modern‐ ization of 3 existing Ele‐ vators and Controls, re‐ placement of wall fin‐ ishes in Elevator Lobbies,

a new government for the country.

About 9 in 10 Americans said the Venezuelan people should be the ones to decide the future leadership of their country.

Maduro pleaded not guilty to federal drug trafficking charges in a U.S. courtroom on Monday.

U.S. forces captured Maduro and his wife early Saturday in a raid on a compound where they were surrounded by Cuban guards.

In the days since Maduro’s ouster, Trump and top administration officials have raised anxiety around the globe that the operation could mark the beginning of a more expansionist U.S. foreign policy in the Western Hemisphere. The president in recent days has renewed his calls for an American takeover of the Danish territory of Greenland for the sake of U.S. security interests and threatened military action on Colombia for facilitating the global sale of cocaine, while his top diplomat declared the communist government in Cuba is “in a lot of trouble.”

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

Installation of new spray foam insulation at exist‐ ing Penthouse roof deck interior perimeter. All work to be completed within 420 days from is‐ suance of Notice to Pro‐ ceed.

In accordance with LA R.S. 38§2212, vendors may submit their bid electronically at the web‐ site listed above. Bidding Documents are available to view only at the web‐ site. Contractors wishing to submit their bid elec‐ tronically must first be registered online with Lafayette Consolidated Government as a poten‐ tial supplier at the web‐ site listed above. Vendor may obtain an electronic copy of the bid docu‐ ments from Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@ lafayettela.egov 337-2918034.

Bidders submitting bids are re‐ electronically quested to provide the same documents as bid‐ ders submitting through the mail as soon as avail‐ able. Only a bid bond, check or certified cashier’s check shall be submitted as the bid se‐ curity. Electronic copies of both the front and back of the check or bid bond shall be included with the electronic bid.

Bids must be signed in accordance with LA R.S. 38§2212(B)5. A Corporate Resolution or Certificate of Authority authorizing the person signing the bid is required to be sub‐ mitted with bid. Failure to submit a Corporate Resolution or Certificate of Authority with the bid shall be cause for rejec‐ tion of bid.

Copies of the bidding documents are available at the ZILER ARCHITECTS, CALCO BLVD., 101 LOUISIANA LAFAYETTE, 70503, 337-269-6326 upon payment of $ 79.90 per non-refundable. set, NOTE: NO CASH WILL BE ONLY ACCEPTED CHECKS OR MONEY OR‐ DERS MADE PAYABLE TO CONSOLI‐ LAFAYETTE DATED GOVERNMENT. Bid shall be Documents available until twentyfour hours before the bid opening date. Questions relative to the bidding documents shall be ad‐ dressed to Keirston St. Amant at kstamant@ lafayettela.egov 337-2918034.

Contractors are re‐ quested to attend a prebid meeting which will be held on January 21, 2026 at 10:00AM Central Time at the Main Library - 301 W. Congress Street, Lafayette, LA 70501 in the 3rd Floor Directors Con‐ ference Room.

Each bid shall be accom‐ panied by a certified check, cashier’s check, or bid bond payable to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government, the amount of which shall be five percent (5%) of the base bid plus additive al‐ ternates. If a bid bond is used, it shall be written by a surety or insurance company currently on the U.S. Department of the Treasury Financial Management Service list approved bonding of companies which is pub‐ lished annually in the Federal Register, or by a Louisiana domiciled in‐ surance company with at least an A-Rating in the latest printing of the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide to write individual bonds up to ten percent (10%) of policyholders’ surplus as shown in the A.M. Best’s Key Rating Guide, or by an insurance com‐ pany in good standing li‐ censed to write bid bonds which is either domiciled in Louisiana or owned by Louisiana resi‐ dents. The bid bond shall be issued by a company licensed to do business in Louisiana. The certi‐ check, cashier’s fied check, or bid bond shall be given as a guarantee that the bidder shall exe‐ cute the contract, should it be awarded to him, in conformity with the con‐ tract documents within ten (10) days.

No contractor may with‐ draw its bid prior to the deadline for submission of bids. Withdrawal of bids thereafter shall be allowed only pursuant to LA R.S. 38§2214.C. Other‐ wise, no bidder may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the bid opening of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided within the specifications. The successful bidder will be required to execute per‐ formance and labor and material payment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid docu‐ ments. No contractors may withdraw his bid for at least forty-five (45) days after the time scheduled for the open‐ ing of bids. Each bid shall be submitted only on the bid form provided with the specifications. The contractor successful will be required to exe‐ cute performance and labor and material pay‐ ment bonds in the full amount of the contract as more fully defined in the bid documents.

Bids will be evaluated by the Purchaser based on the lowest responsible and responsive bid sub‐ mitted which is also in compliance with the bid The documents.

Lafayette Consolidated Government reserves the right to reject any and all bids for just cause in ac‐ cordance with LA R.S. 38§2214.B. Contractors or contract‐

Public Notices Bids/Proposals

ing firms submitting bids the amount of in $50,000.00 or more shall certify that they are li‐ contractors censed under Chapter 24 of Title 37 of the Louisiana Re‐ vised Statutes of 1950 and show their license number on the front of the sealed envelope in which their bid is en‐ closed. Contractors shall be licensed for the clas‐ sification of “BUILDING CONSTRUCTION”. Bids in the amounts specified above which have not bid in accordance with the requirements, shall be rejected and shall not be read. Additional informa‐ tion relative to licensing may be obtained from the Louisiana State Li‐ censing Board for Con‐ tractors, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

The Lafayette Consoli‐ Government dated strongly encourages the participation of DBEs (Disadvantaged Business Enterprises) in all con‐ tracts or procurements let by the Lafayette Con‐ Government solidated for goods and services and labor and material.

To that end, all contrac‐ tors and suppliers are encouraged to utilize DBEs business enter‐ prises in the purchase or sub-contracting of mate‐ rials, supplies, services and labor and material in disadvantaged which businesses are available.

Assistance in identifying said businesses may be obtained by calling 2918410.

PURCHASING DIVISION Lafayette Consolidated Government PUBLISH DATES: 1/7, 1/11, 1/18 DPR 1000480 Affidavit of Publication 172892-JAN 7-11-18-3t $228.63 PUBLIC NOTICE --REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS Notice is hereby given that Electronic Proposals will be received by the City of Scott, Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, until 2:00 P.M., February 11, 2026, for: DISASTER DEBRIS MONITORING RFPs received after the above specified time and date will not be consid‐ ered.

Complete RFP packets may be viewed at www. cityofscott.org. No RFP may be withdrawn for at least ninety (90) days after the scheduled due date of the RFP. The Owner shall have the right to reject any and all proposals for just cause in accordance with State of Louisiana Public Bid Law and shall reject any proposal not accompa‐ nied by any information required in the RFP docu‐ ments, or a proposal in any way incomplete or ir‐ regular. /s/ Jan-Scott Richard, Mayor PUBLICATION DATES: January 7, 14, 28, 2026.

170969 Jan. 7, 14, 28, 3t $73.66

Legal Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE --Please be advised we are now accepting Federal Form SF-330 for the 2026 calendar year. Any firm interested in providing professional services to the Lafayette Consoli‐ dated Government (LCG) during this year should submit Federal Form SF330 by January 31, 2026, however, forms will also be accepted at any time thereafter. Professional services shall include, but not be limited to, ar‐ chitectural, engineering, abstracting, appraisal, geotechni‐ advertising, cal, environmental, labo‐ ratory testing or con‐ struction inspection. The Form SF-330 Federal questionnaire can be ac‐ cessed on LCG’s website https://lafayettela. at gov/docs/default-source/ pw-documents/cid/sf330.pdf?sfvrsn=f42f23f2_ 2. The completed ques‐ tionnaire should be for‐ warded to the attention of: Professional Services Review Committee Lafayette Consolidated Government – Public Works Attention: Leigh Ann Vallot PO Box 4017-C Lafayette, LA 70502 Firms are encouraged to identify if they are quali‐ fied as a Small and Emerging Business. Only firms engaged in the law‐ ful practice of their pro‐ fession and are willing to provide proof of insur‐ ance as required by LCG need apply. These ques‐ tionnaires shall remain on file for the 2026 calen‐ dar year indicating inter‐ est of firms in handling projects for the Lafayette Govern‐ Consolidated ment.

New Federal Form SF-330 should be submitted each calendar year.

171568 Jan. 7, 11, 18, 3t $58.44

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 5A

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FIRST

The newly renovated First Baptist Christian School’s upper school building is a 16,500-squarefoot facility that was formerly the Davidson Meaux Law Office.

and can work with more families and students, which Hall said she’s most excited about. The school has about 300 students, with 107 of those enrolled in the upper school.

With the new building, the upper school capacity has grown to about 300 students.

Student Braden Benoit, who offered a scriptural reading and devotion during the ribbon-cutting, said the new building represents more than just a place for learning.

“It is a place where students will grow in wisdom, character and faith,” he said. “Every class taught here, every lesson learned and every relationship formed matters because God is at work through them.”

Continued from page 1A

space.

“When I walked in, I felt like our surroundings finally matched what these students get to experience,” she said. “At FBCS, we have strong academic offerings, and our students graduate really well prepared for college. But we were teaching in a building that didn’t reflect that.”

The space includes eight new classrooms, a science lab, collaborative spaces, a multipurpose room, a worship room and chapel space, a teacher’s lounge and technology resources.

The new building also means Contact Ashley White at ashley. the school has more space to grow white@theadvocate.com.

DESOTO

Continued from page 1A lifted, with Landry assuring school systems last year that “there is an end in sight.”

About a dozen Louisiana school districts remain under longstanding desegregation orders, which often require them to submit regular compliance reports and seek court approval for changes, such as school closures or new attendance zones, that could affect schools’ racial balance. Historically, the Justice Department has monitored districts’ compliance with the orders and, in some cases, opposed efforts by Louisiana school boards to have the cases dismissed.

But the federal government has done an about-face since President Donald Trump returned to office last year, pressing courts to wind down several of the cases. State and federal officials say the deseg-

GREENLAND

Continued from page 1A with an assistance and a better agreement than they’ve got with Denmark with the United States,” Landry told Kilmeade.

“I think that Greenland is in the most unique position,” he said. “They’ve got an opportunity. They can claim their independence. They can govern themselves. And they can get a great ally and partner.”

Tr u m p announced Landry’s appointment as special envoy in a Truth Social post last month, saying “Jeff understands how essential Greenland is to our national security.”

Since then, Landry said the specifics of what exactly the role entails are still being worked out, though he has emphasized it won’t affect his job as governor.

“It’s still to be determined,” he said of the job while speaking to Louisiana radio talk show host Moon Griffon on Monday.

This week, President Donald Trump rattled European leaders with comments about Greenland he made a day after U.S. military forces bombed Venezuela and captured its president, Nicolás Maduro.

“It’s so strategic right

regation orders are no longer necessary because the school districts long ago stopped discriminating against students by race, adding that the ongoing oversight drains school resources and undermines local control.

“The school boards are deprived of their ability to actually govern when a federal judge is supervising an old consent decree,” Murrill said Tuesday. “I’m grateful to the Trump administration’s Department of Justice for being willing to really look at this and join us in ending cases that need to be ended.”

Civil rights groups have opposed efforts to lift the remaining orders, arguing that persistent racial disparities in some Louisiana schools — in areas such as student discipline, building quality and access to advanced courses — suggest the indirect effects of past segregation have not been fully addressed. They argue that courts should examine the present-day conditions in each school district

now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump said in a huddle with reporters on Air Force One on Sunday. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”

During an appearance on the CNBC television program “Squawk Box” early Tuesday morning, Landry rejected the idea that Trump is planning to take over Greenland through force.

“Is President Trump actually ready to seize Greenland?” host Joe Kernan asked Landry.

“No, I don’t think he is. I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about,” Landry replied.

He added: “I think that the president supports an independent Greenland with economic ties and trade opportunities for the United States.”

Host Becky Quick pressed Landry on the United States’s endgame.

“So this is just us going over there and doing deals with them, or is this us taking it over?” she asked.

“Because President Trump has spoken very differently about it.”

Replied Landry: “I think that the president is one of those people that says everything is on the table.”

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

before agreeing to dismiss the cases.

“Even when the parties jointly move to say there’s no more discrimination, the court has its own obligation to look at its orders and say, ‘Did they comply with everything they’re supposed to do?” said Deuel Ross, litigation director at the Legal Defense Fund, a New York-based nonprofit representing the plaintiffs in several of the Louisiana desegregation cases, but not DeSoto Parish.

Until this week, DeSoto Parish schools, a small district south of Shreveport, had operated under desegregation orders for nearly 60 years.

The U.S. Department of Justice sued the school board in 1967 for maintaining racially segregated schools for more than a decade after the U.S. Supreme Court outlawed the practice in its 1954 ruling in Brown v. Board of Education. The orders required the district to eliminate any “vestiges of segregation,” including in how

Landry said he is personally interested in having conversations with Greenlanders about what the U.S. can offer Greenland that Europe can’t.

The prime ministers of both Greenland and Denmark have blasted Trump for his approach. Greenland’s prime minister, Jens Frederik Nielsen, on social media called the remarks “unacceptable” and “wrong.”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said Monday a U.S. takeover of Greenland would amount to the end of NATO. On Tuesday, leaders from several European countries issued a statement saying that, “It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters concerning Denmark and Greenland.”

Increasing international tensions, global warming and the changing world economy have put Green-

students are assigned to schools and where new schools are constructed.

The Justice Department and the Shreveport-based federal court overseeing the case have closely monitored the district’s actions over the years, including when it shut down a historically Black high school in 2013 and when some families were allegedly sending their children to schools outside of their attendance zones, according to court documents. As recently as 2024, Justice Department officials toured all nine of DeSoto Parish’s schools and interviewed administrators.

About 40% of the district’s students are Black and 50% are White, but most schools don’t reflect that diversity, according to state enrollment data. Three schools in Mansfield are around 90% Black, while schools in North DeSoto are majority White. District officials have said the school enrollments reflect where families live, not district policies.

Last June, the DeSoto Parish

land at the heart of a debate over global trade and security.

The island, 80% of which lies above the Arctic Circle, is home to about 56,000 mostly Inuit people.

Its location off the northeastern coast of Canada has made it crucial to the

School Board brought on Murrill’s office as co-counsel in hopes the state would pursue a quick resolution to the case as it had in Plaquemines Parish. At the time, Superintendent Clay Corley said the federal monitoring created extra work for the district, which had to produce annual compliance reports.

“It’s a stack of stuff, a box full of data we send every year,” he told the news station KTBS, adding that “everything has to be blessed” by federal officials. Corley did not respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

On Dec. 30, the Justice Department, Murrill’s office and the school board’s private attorneys filed a joint motion asking U.S. District Court Judge S. Maurice Hicks Jr. to dismiss the case. Hicks, who was nominated by former President George W. Bush, granted the motion Jan. 5.

In less than a week, without any public hearing or fanfare, the nearly six-decade-old case was closed.

defense of North America since World War II. The U.S. Department of Defense operates a remote space force base in northwestern Greenland that supports missile defense and space surveillance operations for the U.S. and NATO. Greenland is also a rich

source of so-called rare earth minerals that are a key component of mobile phones, computers, batteries and other hi-tech gadgets that are expected to power the world’s economy in the coming decades.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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BUSINESS T H E A D V O C AT E.C O M/news/business

DOW 49,462.08 484.90 0.99%

NASDAQ 23,547.17 151.35 0.65%

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Musk AI chatbot faces global backlash

LONDON — Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok is facing a backlash from governments around the world after a recent surge in sexualized images of women and children generated without consent by the AI-powered tool.

On Tuesday, Britain’s top technology official demanded that Musk’s social media platform X take urgent action while a Polish lawmaker cited it as a reason to enact digital safety laws.

The European Union’s executive arm has denounced Grok while officials and regulators in France, India, Malaysia and Brazil have condemned the platform and called for investigations.

The problem emerged after the launch last year of Grok Imagine, an AI image generator that allows users to create videos and pictures by typing in text prompts. It includes a so-called “spicy mode” that can generate adult content.

It snowballed late last month when Grok, which is hosted on X, apparently began granting a large number of user requests to modify images posted by others. As of Tuesday, Grok users could still generate images of women using requests such as, “put her in a transparent bikini.”

Alaska Airlines hero pilot sues Boeing over blame The Alaska Airlines pilot who has been universally praised as a hero for safely landing a jet after a door plug panel flew off shortly after takeoff is suing Boeing because he believes the plane maker wrongly tried to blame him and the rest of the crew.

Capt. Brandon Fisher was commended by the heads of the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration and even Boeing executives for helping ensure none of the 177 people aboard Flight 1282 were killed when the blowout happened in January 2024.

But Fisher’s lawyers say Boeing’s attempts to deflect liability in past lawsuits, despite what the NTSB investigation found, led to the pilot being sued by some passengers and caused him great distress. Still, experts say it’s unusual for a pilot to sue like this.

“Boeing’s lie infuriated Captain Fisher as well, as he was being castigated for his actions as opposed to being lauded,” Fisher’s lawyers, William Walsh and Richard Mummolo, wrote in the lawsuit filed in an Oregon court. “Because he had flown Boeing aircraft for the entirety of his employment with Alaska Airlines, Boeing’s attempts to blame him felt like a deep, personal betrayal by a company that claimed to hold pilots in the highest regard.”

Four flight attendants previously sued Boeing over the incident last summer.

The NTSB investigation of the blowout found that four bolts securing what is known as the door plug panel were removed and never replaced during a repair as the Boeing 737 Max 9 aircraft was being assembled. Boeing and key supplier Spirit Aerosystems, which has since been acquired by Boeing, were both implicated.

China bans exports with military potential to Japan BEIJING — China on Tuesday banned exports of dual-use goods that can serve military purposes to Japan, a move that comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two countries over Taiwan, a selfruled island Beijing claims as its sovereign territory.

The Chinese commerce ministry said in a statement that exports of such items, which can serve both civilian and military purposes, to Japanese military users and all other end-users that could help enhance Japanese military power are prohibited.

Any individual or organization that violates the rule by transferring or providing these made-inChina products to Japanese groups and people would face legal consequences, regardless of where they are from, it said.

The notice did not identify or describe specific items, but some exports — particularly in the technology sector such as drones and navigation systems — could be adapted for military use. There was no immediate reaction from Japan.

S&P 500 6,944.82 42.77 0.62%

EURO 1.1688 0.0001 0.01%

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GOLD 4,482.20 45.30 1.02%

6-MO T-BILLS 3.59 0.0 0.0%

30-YR T-BONDS 4.86 0.01 0.29%

Big Tech drives Wall Street to more records

BY DAMIAN J. TROISE

AP business writer

NEW YORK — Broad gains led by technology stocks pushed Wall Street to more records on Tuesday.

The gains mirror much of the action from the previous year, when big technology stocks often drove the market to a series of records.

Technology stocks led the gains, but several other sectors assisted in the broader market’s advance.

Health care companies, retailers and industrial firms broadly gained ground. Roughly three out of every four stocks in the benchmark S&P 500 index rose.

The S&P 500 rose 42.77 points, or 0.6%, to 6,944.82, setting a record on just the third trading day of the year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 484.90 points, or 1%, to 49,462.08, hitting a record for a second-straight day. The Nasdaq composite rose 151.35 points, or 0.6%, to 23,547.17.

Small company stocks outpaced their larger counterparts. The Russell 2000 jumped 1.4% and is now just below its record set in December.

The most notable action remained in the tech sector. Amazon, which has reach into both retail and technology, surged 3.4%. It is one of the most valuable companies in the world and its outsized stock valuation helped counter losses elsewhere in the market, including a 1.8% loss from Apple.

Micron Technology surged 10%, also helping to lift the market. Microsoft rose 1.2% Nvidia, which is often the biggest force behind the market’s direction, wavered throughout the day and finished 0.5% lower.

Sandisk surged 27.6% for the market’s biggest gain. The stock’s value has jumped more than 800% since spinning off from Western Digital last February. The gains have been driven by artificial in-

telligence and the resulting demand for data-storage hardware.

Western Digital rose 16.8%.

Technology companies, especially those focused on artificial intelligence, are being closely watched this week during the industry’s annual CES trade show in Las Vegas.

AI advances helped propel the broader market to a series of records in 2025. Investors will be watching companies for any updates that could shed more light on the big corporate investments in AI technology.

The price of benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2% to $57.13 per barrel, pulling back from sharp gains a day prior when the market reacted to U.S. forces capturing Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a weekend raid. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 1.7% to $60.70 per barrel.

Treasury yields rose in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year

Treasury climbed to 4.16% from 4.15% late Monday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which moves more closely with expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, rose to 3.46% from 3.45% late Monday.

Gold prices rose 1% and silver prices rose 5.7%. Such assets are often considered safe havens in times of geopolitical turmoil. The metals have notched record prices over the last year amid lingering economic concerns brought on by conflicts and trade wars.

Markets in Europe gained ground.

Outside of company announcements, Wall Street is preparing for several updates on the U.S. labor market this week, along with reports on the services sector and consumer sentiment. They will help paint a clearer picture of how vital parts of the economy closed out 2025 and the direction they could take in 2026.

Third Little robots steal Coast hit the show at CES ’26 with $9.6M fine after Gulf spill

BY JOSH FUNK

AP transportation writer

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO

By ABBIE PARR

Lego introduced smart bricks, which are able to sense light and distance, and can provide an array of responses, essentially lights and sounds, when they are used in unison.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN LOCHER

Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang kneels in front of a robot Monday during a Nvidia news conference ahead of the CES tech show in Las Vegas.

BY SHAWN CHEN and RIO YAMAT Associated Press

LAS VEGAS — Nvidia, AMD and Intel all had important chip and artificial intellligence platform announcements on the first day of CES 2026, but all audiences wanted to see more of was Star Wars and Jensen Huang’s little robot buddies.

CES is a huge opportunity annually for companies both large and small to parade products they plan to put on shelves this year. As predicted, artificial intelligence was anchored in nearly everything as tech firms continue to look for AI products that will attract customers.

Here are the highlights from Day 1: Nvidia gets physical: The biggest buzzword in the air at CES is “physical AI,” Nvidia’s term for AI models that are trained in a virtual environment using computer generated, “synthetic” data, then deployed as physical machines once they’ve mastered their purpose.

CEO Jensen Huang showed off Cosmos, an AI foundation model trained on massive datasets, capable of simulating environments governed by actual physics. He also announced Alpamayo, an AI model specifically designed for autonomous driving. Huang revealed that Nvidia’s next generation AI superchip platform, dubbed Vera Rubin, is in full production, and that Nvidia has a new partnership with Siemens. All of this shows Nvidia is going to fight increased competition to retain its reputation as the backbone of the AI industry.

But once Huang called for two little, waddling, chirping robots to join him on stage, that’s all the audience wanted to see more of.

The chips are back in town: AMD CEO Lisa Su announced a new line of its famed Ryzen AI processors as

the company continues to expand its footprint in the world of AIpowered personal computers.

For gamers, AMD also showed off the latest version of its gaming-focused processor, the AMD Ryzen 7 9850X3D. Meanwhile, Intel announced its new AI chip for laptops, Panther Lake (also known as the Intel Core Ultra Series 3), and said the company has plans to launch a new platform to address a growing market for handheld video gaming machines.

Intel, a Silicon Valley pioneer that enjoyed decades of growth as its processors powered the personal computer boom, fell into a slump after missing the shift to the mobile computing era unleashed by the iPhone. It fell further behind after the AI boom propelled Nvidia into the spotlight.

President Donald Trump’s administration stepped in recently to secure a 10% stake in the company, making the government one of Intel’s biggest shareholders.

Federal officials said they invested in Intel to support U.S. technology and domestic manufacturing.

Uber dives back into the robotaxi game: Uber is giving the public a first look at their robotaxi at CES this week. Uber, along with luxury electric vehicle manufacturer Lucid Motors and vehicle tech company Nuro, introduced an autonomous vehicle with an Uberdesigned in-cabin experience.

Uber calls it the most luxurious robotaxi yet. It features cameras, sensors and radars that provide 360-degree perception and a lowprofile roof “halo” with integrated LEDs that will display riders’ initials to help them spot their car and track their ride status. Inside, riders can personalize everything from climate and seat heating to music, while real-time visuals show exactly what the vehicle is seeing on the road and the route

it plans to take.

Autonomous on-road testing began last month in San Francisco, led by Nuro, marking a major step toward what the companies said is a planned launch before the end of the year.

StarWars and Lego announce a new partnership: When Lucasfilm chief creative officer David Filoni brought out an array of X-Wing pilots, Chewbacca, R2D2 and C-3PO, he won the Star Wars fandom for Lego.

Lego announced its Lego Smart Play platform on Monday, which introduces new smart bricks, tags and special minifigs for your collection. The new bricks contain sensors that enable them to sense light and distance, and to provide an array of responses, essentially lights and sounds, when they are used in unison.

Combine this with a newly announced partnership with the Star Wars franchise and now you can create your own interactive space battles and lightsaber duels.

LG reveals a new robot to help around the home: File this one under intrigued, for now.

The Korean tech giant gave the media a glimpse Monday of its humanoid robot that is designed to handle household chores such as folding laundry and fetching food. Although many companies have robots on display at CES, LG certainly is one of the biggest tech companies to promise to put a service robot in homes.

What’s new with lollipops?: Music you can taste was on display Monday at CES: Lollipop Star unveiled a candy that plays music while you eat it. The company says it uses something called “bone induction technology,” which lets you hear songs — like tracks from Ice Spice and Akon — through the lollipop as you lick it or bite it in the back of your mouth, according to spokesperson Cassie Lawrence.

Pipeline safety regulators on Monday assessed their largest fine ever against the company responsible for leaking 1.1 million gallons of oil into the Gulf off the coast of Louisiana in 2023. But the $9.6 million fine isn’t likely to be a major burden for Third Coast to pay.

This single fine is close to the normal total of $8 million to $10 million in all fines that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration hands out each year. But Third Coast has a stake in some 1,900 miles of pipelines, and in September, the Houston-based company announced that it had secured a nearly $1 billion loan.

Pipeline Safety Trust Executive Director Bill Caram said this spill “resulted from a company-wide systemic failure, indicating the operator’s fundamental inability to implement pipeline safety regulations,” so the record fine is appropriate and welcome.

“However, even record fines often fail to be financially meaningful to pipeline operators. The proposed fine represents less than 3% of Third Coast Midstream’s estimated annual earnings,” Caram said.

“True deterrence requires penalties that make noncompliance more expensive than compliance.”

The agency said Third Coast didn’t establish proper emergency procedures, which is part of why the National Transportation Safety Board found that operators failed to shut down the pipeline for nearly 13 hours after their gauges first hinted at a problem. PHMSA also said the company didn’t adequately assess the risks or properly maintain the 18-inch Main Pass Oil Gathering pipeline.

The agency said the company “failed to perform new integrity analyses or evaluations following changes in circumstances that identified new and elevated risk factors” for the pipeline.

That echoed what the NTSB said in its final report in June, that “Third Coast missed several opportunities to evaluate how geohazards may threaten the integrity of their pipeline. Information widely available within the industry suggested that land movement related to hurricane activity was a threat to pipelines.”

The NTSB said the leak off the coast of Louisiana was the result of underwater landslides, caused by hazards such as hurricanes, that Third Coast, the pipeline owner, failed to address despite the threats being well known in the industry.

A Third Coast spokesperson said the company has been working to address regulators’ concerns about the leak, so it was taken aback by some of the details the agency included in its allegations and the size of the fine.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 7A

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Obituaries Carter, LaRhonda 'Lulu'

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTO

Rep. Doug LaMalfa, R-Calif., died Monday after a medical emergency.

Longtime California politician LaMalfa dies at 65 Vacancy narrows GOP’s House margin

BY TRÂN NGUYEN, MIKE CATALINI and KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Republican Doug LaMalfa, a California rice farmer who served seven terms in the U.S. House and was a reliable vote on President Donald Trump’s agenda, has died at age 65.

His death trims the Republicans’ narrow margin of control of the House to 218 seats to Democrats’ 213.

The congressman experienced a medical emergency Monday night and was taken to a local hospital, where he died during a surgical procedure, the Butte County Sheriff’s Office said Tuesday. Officials haven’t disclosed the cause of his death.

Trump expressed “tremendous sorrow” over LaMalfa’s death as he addressed a meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday, lamenting the loss of a lawmaker he championed as an ally for his agenda. He said the late congressman “wasn’t a 3 o’clock in the morning person” like other lawmakers he would call in the wee hours to lobby for their votes.

“He voted with me 100% of the time,” Trump said.

“With Doug, I never had to call.”

LaMalfa, a fourth-generation rice farmer, was elected to Congress in 2012 after serving in the state Legislature. He represented California’s 1st District, which covered a vast portion of the state’s rural North, spanning from the Oregon border down to just north of the capital, Sacramento.

He was a regular presence on the House floor, helping GOP leadership open the chamber and frequently offering his view on local and national affairs. He served on the House Agriculture Committee and as the chairman of a subcommittee with jurisdiction over forestry issues. He also served on committees dealing with transportation and natural resource issues.

LaMalfa had planned to run for reelection despite his district being dramatically redrawn under a ballot measure passed

by California voters in November. The measure, backed by Democrats, was designed to make it harder for LaMalfa and four other Republicans to win reelection.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, must call a special election to replace LaMalfa, his office said. The election could happen as late as June, when California will hold its primary for the 2026 midterm.

LaMalfa’s colleagues, staff members and friends said he cared deeply about his district, often driving far distances to check in with constituents and working on key local issues such as wildfire prevention and water storage.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at 11:00 am in Zion Travelers Baptist Church in New Roads, Louisiana, for LaRhonda "LuLu" Carter, age 40, who passed away on Tuesday, December 30, 2025.

The family requests that visitation be observed at Zion Travelers Baptist Church on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:00 am until the time of service. Interment will follow in Mason Chapel Cemetery, where she will be laid to rest with her family.

Reverend Larry J. Oliver, Sr., Pastor of Royal Oak Baptist Church in Lettsworth, Louisiana, will conduct the funeral service, joined by Reverend Isiah Nelson, Pastor of Zion Travelers Baptist Church in New Roads; Reverend Kelvin Morris, Pastor of Mt. Mariah Baptist Church in Batchelor; Reverend Dr. Lionel Davis, Pastor of Fairlane Baptist Church in New Roads; and Reverend Willie Morris, Pastor of New Bethel House of Hope in Houston.

She leaves to cherish her memories her beloved son, Kingston J. Carter; her parents, Mr. Herbert Carter, Sr. and Mrs. Florence Hartford Carter; three brothers, LeRone Carter, LeRonger Carter, and Marlcom Carter; her sister, Tameka Jordan; three aunts, Bernice (George) Keller, Viola (John) Greenhouse, and Janice (Richard) Morris; ten uncles, Leon (Margaret) Carter, Napoleon (Betty) Carter, Isiah (Gale) Carter, Clement (Judy) Carter, Larry Hartford, Lonary Hartford, Earnest Hartford, Darnell Hartford, Sr., Leslie (Bessie) Hartford, and William Hartford; seven nieces, Ebone, Tyrianna, Trinidy, Raela, Kennedi, India, and Diamond Carter; one great-niece, Tiana; one great-nephew, Titan; her godparents, Huey and Angela Pursley; two godchildren, Mikaiyah Joseph and Iyana Brown; a very good friend, Jalessa Dixon; siblings-in-love, Joel Lemoine and Destine Woods; and a host of cousins, relatives, friends, and employees.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Herbert Carter, Sr. and Mattie Carter, and Eddie Hartford, Sr. and Harriet Hartford; four uncles, Forest Carter, Eddie Hartford, Jr., Alton Hartford, and Alvin Hartford; and five aunts, Beatrice Carter, Patsie Hartford, Lola Hartford, Marion Hartford, and Pearl Hartford.

LaRhonda "LuLu" Carter was born on March 29, 1985, in Metairie, Louisiana, to Herbert and Florence Carter, Jr. She departed this life and entered eternal rest on December 30, 2025, at the age of 40.

Though her life was far too brief, LuLu's impact was deep, lasting, and filled with purpose.

LuLu accepted Christ at an early age and was baptized at St. Mary Baptist Church in Lettsworth, Louisiana. She was a member of Royal Oak Baptist Church and frequently visited Our Savior's Church in Lafayette. Much of her childhood was spent surrounded by family-moving joyfully from house to house, especially those of her grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins whom she deeply loved. She shared a special bond with her grandmothers, Harriet and Mattie, and cherished time with her cousins Darren and Carolyn Wells.

From an early age, LuLu's creativity was evident. She loved fashion and styling, often dressing and styling her Barbie dolls, and she developed a lifelong love for sports, especially basketball, spending countless hours practicing and preparing for the next opportunity.

LuLu was a 2003 graduate of Pointe Coupee Central High School, where she excelled both academically and athletically. She was a standout student and athlete, serving as captain of the dance team and the basketball team, while also participating in volleyball and track and field. Her talent earned her a basketball scholarship to LSU Eunice and a track and field scholarship to the

University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She chose to continue her education at LSU Eunice, where she continued to shine as a determined and driven young woman.

An adventurous spirit at heart, LuLu loved to travel and explore the world. She visited many countries, always seeking inspiration, meaningful connections, and new ventures. Her travels reflected her love for beauty, culture, and life itself.

Family was the center of LuLu's world. She shared her home with her parents, caring for them with love and devotion, ensuring they enjoyed comfort, joy, and full lives. She shared an unbreakable bond with her twin, LeRone, united by creativity, fashion, and trends, and a close bond with her younger brother, LeRonger, through their shared passion for luxury cars and time spent together. LuLu opened her heart and home to family, played an active role in caring for loved ones, and spoiled her nieces with love, gifts, and travel. She was deeply loved, and she loved just as deeply in return.

Those who knew LuLu will always remember her radiant presence. She was described as a light in every room-warm, genuine, and welcoming. To her family, she was loyal, protective, and the heartbeat of every gathering. To her friends, she was trustworthy, steadfast, and always present. Her ability to make others feel seen and valued was one of her greatest gifts.

Above all, LuLu's greatest joy was her son, Kingston. Motherhood was her proudest role, and she devoted her heart to creating a life filled with love, adventure, and unforgettable memories for him.

Together, they traveled near and far, celebrated life's milestones in grand ways, and shared countless everyday moments made special by her care.

Her love for Kingston was unwavering and remains her most cherished legacy.

LuLu was a successful entrepreneur whose vision shaped businesses and community spaces throughout Louisiana. Her ventures included clothing boutiques, hair salons, barbershops, social establishments, and real estate investments. One of her most well-known businesses, Bliss Cocktail Lounge-affectionately known as "Bliss"-became a beloved gathering place in the community. The phrase "Bliss Me," meaning "Blessed Me," was commonly used by patrons to describe the joy and connection they experienced there. She later opened French 75 in the Lafayette area, another popular venue where people came together to celebrate life's milestones.

In addition to her hospitality ventures, LuLu was a dedicated real estate investor known for her eye for design and renovation.

Most recently, she was appointed coordinator for Hub City Plaza, formerly Northgate Mall in Lafayette, where she was entrusted with helping restore and reimagine the space into new opportunities for local businesses.

She was a passionate advocate for entrepreneurs, working to support fair policies and mentoring others toward success. Her leadership, creativity, and generosity left a lasting mark on her community.

LuLu's life was one of vision, love, and light.

Though gone too soon, her legacy lives on through her son, her family, the businesses she built, and the countless lives she touched. Her memory will forever remain a source of inspiration and strength to all who knew and loved her.

Pallbearers will be Earnest Hartford, Darnell Hartford, Jr., Eddie Franklin, Kiniski Morris, Rogerick Gill, Delvin Herbert, and Antonio Senegal.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Kingston J. Carter, Herbert Carter, Jr., LeRone Carter, LeRonger Carter, Joel Lemoine, Marlcom Carter, Titan Epps, Leon Carter, Napoleon Carter, Isiah Carter, Clement Carter, Ervin Hartford, Larry Hartford, Lonary Hartford, Darnell Hartford, Sr., Leslie Hartford, William Hartford, Richard Morris, Terrence Hartford, Paris Honore, Sr., Brandski Baldin, Titan Hartford, Develin Hartford, Eric Hartford, Saveion Long, Donovan Franklin, Isiah Carter, Jr., Kennan Ivory, Clement Carter, Jr., Peyton Beckley, Cameron Hartford, Desean Hebert, Delvin Hebert, Christopher Hebert, DeWayne Hartford, Travon Prater, Shane Ellis, Ben Brown, Jadale Guillory, John Greenhouse, George

Keller, Sr., and George Keller, Jr. "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, shall give me at that day; and not to me only, but unto all them also that love His appearing."

-2 Timothy 4:7-8 View the obituary and guestbook online at www.mourning.com Martin & Castille Funeral Home SOUTHSIDE, 600 E. Farrel Road, Lafayette, Louisiana 70508, 337-984-2811

Harmon, Larry Ray

Larry Ray Harmon, at the age of 77, peacefully passed away on January 1, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. He graduated from USL with a BA in Sociology/Social Welfare.

He dedicated 21 years working at the Hammond Developmental Center as a teacher and later a supervisor and a safety coordinator. When he wasn't working, Larry was an avid and lifelong hunter. Above all his family meant everything to him. Larry leaves behind a legacy of memories to be held in the hearts of everyone that loves him. Larry is survived by his loving wife of 54 years, Mary Alice Harmon; daughters, Melissa Ann McCormick and husband Brian Patrick McCormick of Albany, LA, and Sandra Lee Mataya and husband Armand Joseph Mataya of Ponchatoula, LA; and grandchildren, Allen Joseph Mataya of the U.S. Navy. Larry is preceded in death by his father, Charles Henry Harmon; mother, Ruth Geesey Harmon Sonnier; Stepfather, Earl Anthony Sonnier; and brothers, Jerry Harmon, Bryan Sonnier, and Marc Sonnier.

A short graveside service will be held on Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at the Louisiana National Cemetery in Zachary.

Rollow, Mattie Holmes 'Mitzie'

A celebration of life service will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026, at 11 am at Amana Christian Fellowship in Maurice, LA for Mattie H. Rollow, 87, who passed away peacefully on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, at her home in Sun City Center, FL. A luncheon will be held following the service at The Petroleum Club of Lafayette. She had resided in Lafayette, LA for many years before a recent move to Florida to live near her family.

She was born on March 2, 1938, in Abbeville, LA at the Palms Hospital and lived her young life in Mouton Cove with her seven siblings. Her parents owned a grocery store there. As the last of eight children, she spent most of her time with her two brothers, Andy and Louis, and her beloved caregiver, Bay. Her father called her Mitzie and her family followed suit.

Mattie made a profession of faith in Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior at eight years old. That faith was revived and grew stronger as she regularly attended a BSF class in Lafayette led by Kay Davidson. As she shared her faith, her family also came to stronger faith in Christ.

Mattie was formerly married to L J Broussard of Abbeville, LA and was the widow of Dean H. Berry of Lafayette, LA. She later met and married Thomas A. Rollow in 1976 and they had a joyous life together.

In earlier years, they loved to travel. They took many trips to Israel, the Caribbean, Europe, ski trips to Vail, Colorado, and their vacation refuge for many years was on Captiva Island, FL. They felt very fortunate to have visited many of the places they wanted to experience, but really their favorite

place was at home together.

For most of her adult life, she was a happy housewife. She was also a very competitive B league tennis player and enjoyed the company of the women's team who played with her. Many will recall her great taste in clothing and that she was always stylishly dressed. She had a fun sense of humor and very dry wit, was a wonderful gardener and became a very good cook.

She was an avid reader mostly of Christian books.

When Tom was alive, they had their devotion and prayer time together each morning. She also was a committed prayer warrior and many people called on her over the years to pray with them. In the early evening, she enjoyed game shows such as "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" which she and Susan faithfully watched here in Florida.

Mattie is survived by her eldest daughter, Sharon Kay Broussard Newsom, who everyone calls Kay, and her husband Michael of Sun City Center, FL; granddaughters Kellie N. Albert and Cassie M. Stoutenborough, and four great granddaughters; a grandson, Marcus A. Maldonado, and many nieces and nephews.

She is also survived by stepdaughter, Terry Lynn Rollow Dunavant and her husband Pete of El Paso, TX; stepdaughter-in- law, Paula Rollow of Fairfax Station, VA; grandchildren Thomas Dunavant and Aimee Lynn Dunavant and Stephanie Rollow and Thomas A. Rollow, III as well as three great grandchildren.

Mattie was preceded in death by her parents Evalina Mills Holmes and James Whitfield Holmes; her sisters Mary LeBlanc, Dolly Johnson, Julia Shaw and brothers "D.H." Holmes, James Holmes, Louis Holmes and Wendell Holmes. It is easy to envision a sweet Holmes sister and brother reunion as most had made professions of faith in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

She was also preceded in death by her beloved daughter, Suzette Maria Broussard Maldonado, whom she was so looking forward to being reunited with in Heaven; and her stepson Thomas A. Rollow, Jr. Most of all, her heart longed to be reunited with her wonderful husband of 42 years, Tom, who passed away January 25, 2019.

Her final days were spent residing two minutes down the road from her daughter Kay's home in a lovely condo overlooking a beautiful lake with her live in companion and caregiver, Susan Mire. They both enjoyed living here in Florida. The entire family would like to thank Susan for her very excellent care of Mattie. They enjoyed one another's company and companionship with the Lord.

In lieu of floral tributes, please consider a donation in Mattie's name to Samaritan's Purse Ministry, P. O. Box 3000, Boone N.C. 28607

Trahan, Antonina Marilyn Piazza

Antonina Marilyn Piazza Trahan, 91. Visitation will be observed at Fountain Memorial Funeral Home in Lafayette on Thursday, January 8, 2026, from 9:00 am until the Catholic Funeral Service at 11:00 am. Online obituary and guest book may be viewed at www.fountainmemorialf uneralhome.com. Fountain Memorial Funeral Home and Cemetery, 1010 Pandora St. 337-981-7098 is in charge of arrangements.

Zehnder, Dr. James L. 'Jim'

Cross Catholic Church.

Father Andrew Schumacher will serve as celebrant.

Inurnment will follow the Mass at St. John Cemetery in Lafayette.

Dr. Zehnder, affectionately known as "Jim" to his family and friends, is survived by his devoted wife of 58 years, Rosemary Nixon Zehnder, whom he deeply loved; his sons, Jimmy Zehnder (Elisa) and Todd Zehnder (Jennifer); and his daughter, Tiffany Zehnder Vanderlick (Michael), all of Lafayette.

He also leaves behind seven beloved grandchildren: Lindsey, Grace, Claire, Bailey, Caroline, Kaitlyn, and Henry. He is further survived by his sister, Kay Lee Benoit, and her husband, Andrew, of Houston, as well as his nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul Richard Zehnder, Sr. and Catherine Watson Zehnder, and by his brother, Dr. Paul Richard Zehnder, Jr. Born on April 25, 1941, in San Francisco, California, Dr. Zehnder spent his early years moving with his family to Great Falls, Montana, before settling in Lake Charles, Louisiana. A man of deep faith, he began his education at Holy Redeemer Seminary and later graduated from Landry High School in Lake Charles. He earned his undergraduate degree from McNeese University and went on to attend Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in New Orleans, where he served as student body president from 1966 to 1967. During his residency, he served as Chief Resident. Following his medical training, he proudly served his country during the Vietnam War as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force, attaining the rank of Captain.

Dr. Zehnder devoted 45 years to the practice of obstetrics and gynecology, compassionately caring for generations of women and delivering countless babies. A pioneer in the field of infertility, he helped innumerable families realize their dreams of parenthood. He will forever be remembered for his many years at Hamilton Medical Group and as a founding physician of Women's and Children's Hospital. After retirement, he donated his time to Hospice of Acadiana.

An avid LSU fan, Dr. Zehnder loved duck hunting with his sons and spent countless peaceful hours tending to his gardens.

Above all else, his greatest joy and true passion in life was his family.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Dr. James Zehnder's memory may be made to Hospice of Acadiana.

Honorary pallbearers will be Paul Zehnder, Jeff Zehnder, Henry Vanderlick, Dr. Scott Benoit, Dr. John Storment, Taylor Evans, Jim McCoy, and Danny McCoy. Visitation will be held on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:00 AM until 12:30 PM at Martin & Castille Funeral Home, SOUTHSIDE location, 600 E. Farrel Road, Lafayette, Louisiana.

The Zehnder family extends heartfelt gratitude to all of Dr. Zehnder's caregivers for their compassion and friendship, especially Derek Robichaux of NSI, and the doctors and nurses at Lourdes Hospital and Lourdes Heart Hospital.

View the obituary and sign the guestbook online at www.mourning.com Martin & Castille - 600 E. Farrel Road, Lafayette, LA 70508 | 337-984-2811

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James Louis Zehnder, MD, peacefully passed away on January 2, 2026, surrounded by his loving family. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 1:00 PM on Saturday, January 10, 2026, at Holy

TO PLACE A MEMORIAL AD GO TO:

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8A ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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1Bn

Judge does not appeal suspension

Supreme Court punishes Colbert following review

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR

Staff writer

Fifteenth Judicial District Judge Royale Colbert, of Lafayette, did not request a rehearing on a six-month suspension ordered by the Louisiana Supreme Court.

The order was handed down Dec. 11 following a Louisiana Judiciary Commission hearing in

August at which Colbert testified.

It was followed by a Supreme Court review.

Dec. 19 was the deadline for Colbert to request a rehearing on the Supreme Court decision to suspend Colbert for six months without pay.

Trina Vincent, deputy judicial administrator of the Louisiana Supreme Court’s community relations department, said Monday

that Colbert did not request a rehearing.

The judiciary commission recommended a 30-day suspension without pay, anger management classes and $2,639.56 for the commission’s costs.

The Supreme Court, however, imposed a six-month suspension along with anger management classes and court costs. In a split decision, the court concluded

Colbert violated canons of the code of judicial conduct and the state Constitution.

Chief Justice J o h n We i m e r wrote that he beColbert lieves the suspension should be longer. Two other Supreme Court justices supported 90-day suspensions.

On a Saturday about six months after he took office in 2021, Colbert received a call about city of-

ficials and police trying to stop a rap concert at a Lafayette venue that night because of a shooting at a rap concert the previous weekend.

The city attorney had police officers post a notice on a Friday after the court was closed for the weekend so the concert promoters could not get an injunction to stop city officials from prohibiting the concert.

Colbert intervened, allegedly

ä See JUDGE, page 4B

La. again receives top economic honor Landry: State ‘setting a new standard’

BY RICH COLLINS Staff writer

For the second year in a row, Louisiana has received top honors for one of its business deals from a leading economic development publication — a sign that the state’s economy is heading in the right direction, Gov. Jeff Landry said.

Hyundai Steel’s nearly $6 billion steel mill planned for Ascension Landry Parish was named the nation’s top development project of 2025 by Business Facilities magazine, a nearly 60-yearold provider of news, data and analysis related to corporate site selection, expansion and relocation.

Last year, Louisiana won the same award for Meta’s $27 billion Hyperion data center being constructed in Richland Parish near Monroe. The state is the first to win consecutive “Platinum Deal of the Year” honors from the industry publication.

“In 2025, Louisiana set a new standard for ourselves,” Landry said in a statement. “This year, we are setting a new standard for the nation. Louisiana is a force in the industries that power America’s economy.”

Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois, who has announced $76 billion in capital investments since Landry took office, said the industry recognition helps her sell the state to more potential investors.

“I can’t stress enough how differently people are looking at us, from site consultants to CEOs to decision makers,” Bourgeois said in a phone interview Monday. “It’s undeniable that there’s something different about Louisiana. That goes a really long way in making my job easier.”

Bourgeois said 2025 set records for investment and job creation in Louisiana. In December, her agency closed out the year with news of five deals, including a $7 billion Hut 8 data center in West Feliciana Parish. She said more “multibillion-dollar” announcements are coming in the first quarter of 2026.

“It’s the result of a ‘whole of government’ approach,” Bourgeois said. “A lot of people are pulling on the rope in the same direction, from the Legislature changing the tax code to improvements in our educational system.”

The Business Facilities award highlights projects that demonstrate significant capital investment, job creation, innovation and community impact. The

ä See HONOR, page 4B

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

A newly installed utility pole stands next to a damaged utility box following a traffic crash that left three people dead early on Tuesday at the intersection of East Broussard Road and Johnston Street in Lafayette.

3 killed in crash ID’d One victim was Lafayette High student

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Police released the identities of the three people killed in a Tuesday morning crash at the intersection of Johnston Street and East Broussard Road in Lafayette.

The deceased include Cherita Washington, 36, and Chase Washington, 17, both of Duson, and Joseph Prejean, 21, of Lafayette, according to Lafayette police.

The three-vehicle crash occurred about 5:13 a.m. According to the latest police report, the preliminary investigation suggests the vehicle

driven by Prejean was headed west and speeding in the 100 block of East Broussard Road.

There was heavy fog in the area Tuesday morning.

The Washingtons’ vehicle was stopped at a red light on East Broussard Road waiting to turn right onto Johnston Street when Prejean’s vehicle struck the Washingtons’ vehicle from behind, police Sr. Cpl. Ashley Wood said in a news release.

The force of the impact pushed the Washingtons’ vehicle into a third vehicle, which was stopped on Johnston Street waiting to turn left onto East Broussard Road, officials said.

After the initial collisions, Prejean’s vehicle continued traveling through the intersection and hit a wooden electrical pole, police said.

The driver of the third vehicle sustained minor to moderate injuries, police said. They were taken to a local hospital and are listed in stable condition.

The intersection where the crash occurred was revamped sometime after 2017. It was part of a state Department of Transportation and Development project to address safety concerns along that section of the U.S. 167 corridor, according to DOTD documents.

The Lafayette Parish school system issued a statement about the death of Chase Washington, a Lafayette High School student, and her mother.

“Our hearts are with the family, friends, classmates and the entire Lafayette High community as they grieve this devastating loss,” officials said in the statement. “To support students and staff during this difficult time, additional counselors will be available on the Lafayette High campus for anyone who may need support or a space to talk. LPSS extends its sincere condolences to all who are mourning this loss.”

Authorities said the investigation is ongoing.

Beer garden project set to move forward Owners pay $2.25M for property

BY ADAM DAIGLE

Acadiana business editor Construction could start in the coming months on a beer garden planned for the property next to the Trader Joe’s site in Lafayette.

Igloo Properties LLC, which is registered to Eric Macicek and Braden Eddy, of Lafayette, closed on a deal last week to buy 2.872 acres along Bluebird Drive just south of the Camellia Boulevard intersection, land records show.

Sale price was just over $2.25 million. The Saloom family was the seller.

Macicek, who has been in the bar business for several years, will operate the business. Eddy led the investment group behind the purchase.

Eddy said the group had been eying for the property for some time and wanted to duplicate the business concept of bars with an indoor and outdoor setup found in other large cities.

Construction will start in the coming months, he said.

“Everywhere you go it’s indoor, outdoor patios no matter what, and we’ve seen that concept work really well,” he said. “It’s a safe place to go, and people of all ages are there. We wanted to be able to bring that to Lafayette.”

In June, the project got the

OK from Lafayette Consolidated Government’s city zoning commission for the project with a stipulation that it will not feature outdoor music.

Commissioners had to rezone the property to commercial mixed and grant it a conditionaluse permit to operate as a bar or lounge.

Plans at that point included food truck vendors on-site, projecting 70% of its sales to be liquor and 30% food that will be offered by food trucks and vendors. The building will not have a kitchen.

It also indicated it would seat 388, which includes outdoor seating, and stay open until midnight during the week, 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and 11 p.m. Sun-

days.

That stretch of Camellia Boulevard has had a mix of commercial development in recent years, including the Rouses Market that opened early last year.

Trader Joe’s closed on its property last month, and Red River Bank will break ground on its location across Bluebird Drive next to the Rouses.

“Everything is there, and we’re really excited that it’s right in the center of all that,” Eddy said. “You can kind of think of us as that common backyard for everyone that lives, works and kind of plays around there.

Our goal is to be the anchor that kind of connects that corridor together.”

OPINION

2B ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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

OUR VIEWS

Farm payments are welcome, but serious solutions required Louisiana’s agriculture producers are living in unsettled times. Tariffs, volatile markets, conflicts and more are creating uncertainties unlike any in recent decades.

That’s why we are glad to see that help is on the way in the form of one-time payouts approved recently by the Trump administration.

The payments, part of the Farm Bridge Assistance Program, will see about $12 billion in federal dollars flow down to farmers across the country.

The lion’s share of the money, about $11 billion, will go to farmers of row crops, which include soybeans, corn, cotton and rice. The remaining $1 billion will be used for specialty crops, including sugar cane.

Louisiana’s farmers have been especially hard hit by recent economic turmoil. In protest of tariffs imposed by the Trump administration, China stopped buying U.S.-grown soybeans.

Soybeans are Louisiana’s largest row crop by acreage, with about 1 million acres.

Other major Louisiana crops, including rice and corn, have also faced significant market pressures over the last several years.

Those troubles come on top of years of low commodity prices and rising prices for the things farmers need, like equipment, seed, fertilizer and pesticides.

“We’re struggling,” Louisiana Commissioner of Agriculture and Forestry Mike Strain told reporter Mark Ballard after a trip abroad trying to drum up new business. Half of Louisiana’s farmers, he added, face “significant challenges.”

The compounding problems have fueled a steady decrease in the number of farms around the state, which stood about 25,000 in 2022, the last year for which Census data was available.

The money paid out in this latest program will begin going out in February, just in time for planting season. But little of it will stay in farmers’ hands. Most of them will likely use the disbursements to pay down debts already incurred.

Under the terms of the program, federal officials will use a formula to determine how much each farmer will get. That formula will be based on national data and paid out according to the amount of acreage and type of crop.

The need for these latest payments underscores the growing appetite for a more comprehensive and sustainable long-term farm policy.

Some stronger agricultural protections were included in the One Big Beautiful Bill, but more is needed.

We have noted the blinding speed with which the current administration and Congress have taken up a host of new issues. But some problems, including the nation’s agricultural woes, resist quick and easy fixes.

Rather, the situation facing farmers requires serious, thoughtful, nonpartisan legislation that respects both the needs of farmers and the duty to be responsible with taxpayer dollars.

Only in that way can a sustainable national agricultural policy take effect and preserve the industry for the next generation of farmers and ranchers in Louisiana and around the country.

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

The Advocate | The Times-Picayune require a street address and phone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor, The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com.

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YOUR VIEWS

Work of family court unfairly maligned The recent interventions in the family court in Baton Rouge have served mostly to hurt the credibility of the institution and the lawyers practicing there without good cause.

Family court has a special responsibility, which is successfully carried out in most of the cases before the judges there. Every litigant in the family court is dealing with matters which are generally the most important to any of us — our children, our livelihoods, our property, all between parties who have predetermined to at least dislike one another. Many parties are disgruntled.

The matters polarizing all of society are litigated many times, first in family

court. Nearly every lawyer practices at one time or another in family court, and only a few endeavor to practice there on a regular basis because of the difficulty of the practice. Hard cases make bad law, and a few select difficult cases with recalcitrant litigants should not color the public view of the judges in family court or the lawyers who practice there. Some of the comments made are very certainly provably untrue.

There is no lawyer who practices in the family court of East Baton Rouge Parish who “wins every case” before “a certain judge.” There are always lawyers in any locality or area of prac-

Disingenuous arguments on immigration displayed On Dec. 12 your paper ran a guest column by Laura Cannizzaro Rodrigue. It is filled with faulty reasoning, misinformation and a barely concealed self-righteousness.

Her first paragraph associates New Orleans Mayor-elect Helena Moreno’s concern with constitutional policing by Border Patrol with a lack of concern over the apprehension of those committing murder, rape and serious crime in general. In so doing, she not only impugns the integrity of a public official who is establishing a community-supported administration, she implicates immigrants as grossly responsible for this type of lawlessness.

In fact, your paper reports that only 10% of those arrested in our area have criminal records. This is not an exception. In Chicago, only 2.6% of those arrested had a criminal record. Further, immigrants are statistically less likely to engage in crime than the population as a whole.

In contrast, the White House’s establishment of a daily arrest quota has resulted in the illegal arrest, detention and deportation of long-

term residents, green card holders, legal alien residents, U.S. citizens and other established contributing community members. Administration officials have been threatened with contempt of court for ignoring court orders, including those of the Supreme Court. For a lawyer, Rodrigue seems to have little interest in the law.

Additionally, Rodrigue alleges that immigrants are a drain on our community’s social services and that they contribute nothing to support such services. In fact, immigrants do pay taxes whether through their employment or their payment of sales tax and rent. Most immigrants are renters meaning commercial level property taxes are recouped through rental prices.

Additionally, many local businesses are dependent on immigrant labor to fulfill their labor demands and keep our economy running and support local services.

Strong borders are essential, and so is a society reflecting our heterogeneous democracy, not a dictatorship.

BILL KAPPEL New Orleans

Police should not be above the law in Louisiana Appearances are important.

When Louisiana allows state prosecutors to give all police officers who have committed felonies near absolute immunity from prosecution, it appears that the preference of the executive branch of government in the state of Louisiana is to have police officers who have committed felonies employed

as police officers.

Only 1% of police felonies are prosecuted. Less than 3% percent of internal affairs investigations produce prosecutions.

Several departments, thousands of officers. These stats are amazing.

DAVID OUFNAC Terrytown

tice who are intimidating to younger or less experienced lawyers because of their level of experience, their judgment and their ability to choose those cases where they have a good chance of prevailing.

Judge Pam Baker has been an exemplary judge throughout her career and is certainly not corrupt. I could write a point-by-point rebuttal to nearly every observation made, but it would not fit the word limit of this publication. I will rephrase a popular saying to remark that politics rushes in where angels fear to tread.

JEFF WITTENBANK Baton Rouge

Rouses showed how to be a good corporate citizen After reading David Waldron Anderson’s guest column, “What if corporate America learned from Scrooge?” I reflected on my Christmas Eve shopping experience at Rouses on Carrollton.

There were no parking spaces in their lot. Customers were parking on Bienville Street. Once in the parking lot, you had to find a basket.

In the store, there were no more than two people in any of the lines. There were no long lines because every cash register in the store had a cashier checking you out.

Rouses made a commitment to all of the people who work in the store. They are primarily college and high school kids. Of course, they could save money by having self-service checkout lines. They choose to have people, including some who are disabled, instead of machines. Thank you, Rouses, for making a commitment to people.

Thank you to Anderson for bringing this thought to our collective attention.

JUDGE CALVIN JOHNSON New Orleans

Hegseth’s incompetence surpassed by lack of integrity The issue is not only Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s inexperience. He, like most of President Donald Trump’s appointees, are not even minimally qualified — intellectually, morally, psychologically — for the lofty positions they occupy. In this respect, they mirror Trump himself, who degrades our nation every day in the world’s eyes.

MICHAEL MELANCON Auburn, Alabama

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The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 3B

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COMMENTARY The heart of Trump’s deportation push

STAFF PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick talks about the final 2025 crime statistics for the city with members of the NOPD command staff and council member Eugene Green, District D, during a news conference on Monday

Trump ignores N.O. crime dip

Tell me again why we need more National Guard troops, U.S. Immigration and Customs agents, U.S. Border Patrol agents and other federal agency officers in New Orleans.

Oh, yeah.

Our nation is a “laughing stock,” according to a Trump social media post after a man killed and injured people as he drove Will truck along Bourbon Sutton Suttton aStreet in the early morning hours of New Year’s Day 2025. Trump immediately claimed that the terrorist attack was proof that there was a grave need for the immigration crackdown that he promised during his 2024 campaign.

That rhetoric helped win him support, votes and an election.

I believe Trump decided then that New Orleans must be on his developing immigration hit list, regardless of the facts. The Bourbon Street perpetrator, 42-year-old Shamsud-Din Jabbar, was identified as “an American citizen, born in Texas.”

Trump kept his eyes on New Orleans without good reason as the year went on. February. March. April. May. June.

By mid-July, the city had seen only 53 murders.

Surely the president has access to reliable crime data from the FBI and other government sources. Surely that would be enough to back off.

But nooooo.

After August, September came and the president mouthed off again about the Crescent City.

“We’re making a determination now: Do we go to Chicago, or do we go to a place like New Orleans, where we have a great governor, Jeff Landry, who

wants us to come in and straighten out a very nice section of this country that’s become quite tough, quite bad,” Trump told journalists during a September meeting at the White House.

Only weeks later, the president sent in ICE and Border Patrol officers to capture “the worst of the worst” of our criminal immigrants. You know, those like the dastardly Texas native who caused so much harm.

Why? Because New Orleans is such a bad, crime-ridden place with far too many citizens, residents and immigrants who commit illegal deeds far too regularly.

Yes, there are ongoing hot spots of criminal activity in parts of the city.

Interestingly, there was a violent crime drop in New Orleans East and Central City seems to be the biggest crime hot spot.

New Orleans Police Department crime data released Monday shows that citywide, there was a year-over-year crime reduction in 2025 compared to 2024. Plus, it marks a three-year crime reduction streak.

In sports, we call this a three-peat.

My regular readers know that I sometimes point out when the city and the state make national news, sometimes for not-so-good reasons. I’m happy to point out that this crime reduction got national attention. Though there has been a crime reduction nationally, ABC News, Axios, The Associated Press and The New York Times took note of what’s happened in New Orleans — and for good reason.

In 2024, the city had 125 murders. In 2025, there were 121 murders. That’s a 3% drop. As NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick reported earlier this week, without the 14 deaths in a

single New Year’s Day terror attack, we would’ve seen a 14% decrease in murders.

And there’s more good crime news: n Nonfatal shootings declined by 3% n Armed robberies fell by 28% n Carjackings dropped by 35% Looking back at 2022, when some designated New Orleans as the murder capital of the nation, we’ve had a 55% homicide rate decrease since.

When I asked NOPD Director of Communications Reese Harper about the news, he shared that he’s “encouraged, but I’m not celebrating — because one life lost is too many, and our work is to make this progress hold.”

Asked how we can help, Harper made three requests: n Share information early and often.

Crimestoppers takes tips at (504) 8221111. n Lock it up: cars, guns, routines.

Leave no valuables. n Strengthen your block. Know your neighbors, stay connected and support credible community groups.

As we look forward to the rest of 2026 and the coming years, let’s aim to grow our three-peat into an even longer string of wins. Let’s go for the equivalent of the six NBA championship wins by the Chicago Bulls during two threepeats, 1991-1993 and again 1996-1998.

That was special.

We can do this, Team New Orleans.

Each of us can do our part. Immediately, let’s focus on a fourth straight year of crime reduction. But let’s aim higher.

I can’t wait for another year of success, another three-peat and recordsetting years of crime reduction.

Email Will Sutton at wsutton@ theadvocate.com.

To drink or not to drink. Wrong question.

Recovering alcoholics or others who hol as the default beverage on a nature trip. don’t drink at all have it easier, in one small way. Their intimates get to know For several of the above reasons, Dry that they do not imbibe — not beer, not January was born. This is a monthlong wine, not liquor — and so don’t push pledge to skip alcohol with the option alcohol in their direction. of coming back as a more moderate Those who want a drink now and drinker. Dry January is especially then — in some cases, every night — helpful for those feeling socially prescan come up with rules for 2026. They sured to drink more than they’d considcan establish stronger barriers er ideal. They can tell a host or dividing OK drinking and not bar mate, “I’m doing Dry JanuOK — always considering body ary” and be quickly understood. size or other physical traits tied Let’s stay mindful, however, to capacity. that alcohol does do some sociThat should get easier as the etal good. Bars help inject life culture shifts: Younger people to downtowns after dark. Lively Froma Froma are drinking less than their elHarrop street scenes often prompt shops to stay open later. ders, and plenty aren’t drinking Alcohol taxes fund a lot of at all. government, and in many places a But advertising keeps pressing raised glass is part of the local culture. glasses in people’s hands, even if the Think of beer in Milwaukee, which product itself has nothing to do with markets itself as Brew City. Or in Tenalcohol. Wine, especially Champagne, is portrayed as the undisputed symbol nessee, a Whiskey Trail consisting of of a good time. more than 30 distilleries.

You see bubbly in ads for casinos, Again, the other hand: There are all for cruises, for jewelry, for premium those health warnings that tie alcohol hotels, even candlelit spas. I recall a to various cancers. Some have been whale watching trip in Mexico where challenged. crew members handed plastic cups of Meanwhile, social isolation may be a fizzy wine to embarking tourists withmajor health risk factor comparable to smoking 15 cigarettes a day, according out asking first — and before noon. Of to a National Institutes of Health study. course, anytime a passenger waved it Bars along with cafes and bookstores off, they would immediately withdraw the cup. Still, it seemed odd to see alco- are “third places” — not work or home

— where individuals can mix with others.

Happily, there has been a change in the cocktail culture leading bars to offer alternatives to booze.

Mocktails are nonalcoholic drinks and often more inventive than mixed cocktails. I recall a good friend and recovering alcoholic who loved bar action. He’d sit at one almost every night and nurse a club soda.

Gwen, a Michelin-starred restaurant in Los Angeles, offers a water tasting menu. You can order an East Coast water, such as Saratoga, or go continental with a French Evian. The menu describes a Georgian sparkling water called Borjomi as salty and complex.

The restaurant offers recommendations for water pairings with food.

Speaking of California, much has been said about a concept called California Sober.

That involves not drinking or drinking very little alcohol and turning to legal cannabis for a mood lift. We’re still waiting, however, for the resort ad that pictures its elegant guests socializing over a joint.

To drink or not to drink. That clearly depends.

Froma Harrop is on X, @ FromaHarrop. Email her at fharrop@ gmail.com.

You’ve probably heard commentators say that under President Donald Trump, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or ICE, is arresting and deporting a huge number of illegal immigrants who have no criminal record. The first response to that is: If they crossed illegally into the United States, they have a criminal record. Plus, they’re still in the country illegally.

Second, the numbers just don’t support the commentators’ claim.

A new report by The Washington Examiner’s Anna Giaritelli notes that, “The Trump administration arrested 595,000 illegal immigrants between Jan. 20 and Dec. 11, according to the Department of Homeland SeByron curity. ICE revealed that 70%, York York or about 416,000, have ‘criminal convictions or pending criminal charges just in the U.S,’ an agency spokesman said in a statement.”

An ICE spokesman told Giaritelli that beyond those criminal convictions and pending criminal charges, there are some illegal immigrants who have committed few, if any, crimes in the United States but are wanted for serious crimes in their home countries. For example, Giaritelli writes that “ICE arrested Antonio Israel Lazo-Quintanilla, whose only offense in the United States was driving without a license. However, he is wanted in El Salvador for aggravated homicide, extortion, possession of drugs, and other felonies.” Obviously, LazoQuintanilla, who sports a huge “666” tattoo on his forehead, should never have been allowed to enter the United States and should never be allowed to enter again, once he is deported.

In any event, according to the ICE numbers, the great majority of those arrested have been involved with the justice system. And those whose only crime is crossing into the United States illegally are still ... criminals.

That has long been a point of contention in media circles, where some commentators refuse to believe that crossing illegally into the U.S. is a crime. But it is. Recently, the argument was rekindled when Fox News’ Bill Melugin, who covered the massive incursion of illegal border crossers during the Biden era more extensively than anyone, noted an exchange earlier this year on CNN. The subject was the Trump administration’s drive to deport illegal immigrants. Anchor Abby Phillip said that the large number of deportations “means that they’re not just going after criminals.” To that, commentator Scott Jennings responded, “Well, they’re going after people who are in the country illegally, right?”

Phillip said that the number of deportations “is a much bigger universe.” Jennings asked, “Doesn’t that make you a criminal?” Phillip said, “No, it doesn’t.” Jennings asked, “To come across the border illegally?” Phillip said, “Coming into the country illegally is a civil offense.

It’s not a criminal offense.”

Wrong. “Crossing the border illegally is a federal criminal offense,” Melugin noted. “A first-time illegal crossing is a misdemeanor via 8 USC 1325. An illegal entry after deportation is a federal felony via 8 USC 1326. Overstaying a visa is a civil offense. All of the above makes one deportable.”

The exchange is important because, in the sometimes angry conversation over immigration law enforcement, there is often an unspoken assumption that illegal border crossing is not a terribly serious matter. It is not unusual to hear commentators decry the arrest of illegal border crossers who are said to have “committed no crime.” In fact, their presence in the United States began with the crime of crossing the border without authorization.

That applies to an estimated nine million people who crossed illegally into the United States during the presidency of Joe Biden. How to deal with those illegal crossers is one of the most intense debates of the second Trump administration. It seems obvious that authorities should focus on those who entered illegally and have then committed additional crimes. But it’s also obvious that crossing illegally into the U.S. should have serious consequences — like, if you do it, you don’t get to stay.

That is the message the Trump administration is sending. In the long run, it is the only way for a nation to operate. In 2005, when he was still in the U.S. Senate, Barack Obama said, “We simply cannot allow people to pour into the United States undetected, undocumented, unchecked and circumventing the line of people who are waiting patiently, diligently and lawfully to become immigrants in this country.” That was true 20 years ago, and it’s true today.

Email Byron York at byork@washingtonexaminer.com.

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4B ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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N.O. zoo accepting Christmas light donation Funds being raised for African lion conservation

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

If you have old or broken string lights cluttering your home after the holiday season, you can donate the decorations to the Audubon Zoo for a good cause on the other side of the world.

Every string of lights donated to

Audubon will help raise funds for lion conservation efforts in Africa.

Those interested can bring their lights to the “Lights for Lions” donation box outside the front gates of the zoo until Jan 12. Audubon requests that people only drop off string lights and do not place bags or boxes in the bin.

The zoo will sell all donated lights to Southern Recycling, a local scrap metal yard in New Orleans, and send the proceeds to the Lion Recovery Fund, an organization in partnership with the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation that funds conservation projects in nearly two dozen African countries. The recovery fund serves

as a conduit between organizations like Audubon and field partners in Africa.

String lights contain metals that can be recycled, said Melissa Lee, an Audubon spokesperson. The zoo has recycled the lights to raise funds for the lions in recent years, Lee said.

“In addition to sending funds to help lions in the wild, these recycling efforts also keep these old unwanted lights out of landfills or being tossed out where other wildlife could get tangled in them,” Lee said. “So it’s a win-win.”

The donations for the initiative have been modest in the past. Andrew Haertzen, assistant curator

of Africa at Audubon Zoo, said the initiative has generated up to $700 in recent years, but the zoo wants to increase the figure now that it has lion cubs.

Over the past 25 years, Africa has lost half its lions, the Lion Recovery Fund says, from threats such as poaching, habitat loss, climate change and conflict with humans.

The decline has led to the species being vulnerable to extinction, Haertzen noted, with less than 25,000 lions living in the wild.

The Lion Recovery Fund aims to double the number of lions in Africa to make up for the substantial losses. The conservation fund will

give Audubon options for specific projects to allocate donations.

One past project in Zimbabwe that Audubon donated to strives to improve coexistence between people and wildlife, such as by providing tools to livestock herders that make goats and sheep less vulnerable to lion attacks.

“When we are looking for a project to donate to, there’s a major community aspect,” Haertzen said. “Will this money support people who are really facing the challenges of living around lions? Because we know that that’s where lion conservation is going to be most effective and most needed.”

New Orleans seeks to bid on another Super Bowl the favorites to host the 2029 During postgame reviews, NFL Commissioner of Administration Benson, Landry meet sonThesaid.invitation to bid on the 2031 ered and 2030 games. officials expressed concern about Taylor Barras, R-New Iberia, met Super Bowl came after a meeting New Orleans officials have tar- the city’s relative lack of high-end with Silver to lay out plans to rewith NFL, NBA Tuesday with Goodell at NFL of- geted the 2031 game because con- hotel room inventory and luxury develop the Smoothie King Center fices in New York. flicts with Mardi Gras and conven- event space, along with the Louis and Superdome area into a sports commissioners

BY JEFF DUNCAN Staff writer

Pro sports in New Orleans received a major boost this week, including another potential Super Bowl.

Summit meetings between SaintsPelicans owner Gayle Benson, Gov. Jeff Landry, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and NBA Commissioner Adam Silver greased the skids for a potential windfall for the city’s sports scene.

Among the results: n The NFL invited New Orleans to bid on Super Bowl 2031, an olive branch after the city missed the official deadline to submit its proposal last fall. n The endorsement of a potential major renovation of the Smoothie King Center that would include the transformation of the arena and Superdome area into a reimagined sports and entertainment complex. n A long-term commitment from Silver to New Orleans as an NBA city.

“We had a very positive and productive meeting, and I am thrilled that we will have the opportunity to bid on the 2031 Super Bowl,” Ben-

JUDGE

Continued from page 1B on behalf of the promoters, cursing city officials. He met with representatives in a courtroom and mediated a resolution while wearing workout clothes and without a court reporter present to record the meeting, leaving no official record.

The other incident was

The Saints had planned to submit New Orleans’ bid for the 2031 game in September, when the league’s Engagement & Major Events Advisory Committee met to consider proposals for future Super Bowls.

But the team was unable to do so because a lease extension with the state of Louisiana, which owns the Superdome, had not yet been finalized beyond 2030. As such, New Orleans wasn’t on the original shortlist of potential host cities.

The Saints and the state reached a deal on a long-term lease extension for the Dome in November, clearing the way to be reconsidered for the Super Bowl.

“We appreciated the opportunity to meet with Gov. Landry and Mrs. Benson,” NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. “It was a very productive meeting, and while our immediate focus is on the upcoming Super Bowls, we can confirm that New Orleans will be part of the consideration process for the Super Bowl to be played in 2031.”

The next three Super Bowls — next month and the 2027 and 2028 games — are scheduled for San Francisco, Los Angeles and Atlanta, respectively. Las Vegas and Nashville, Tennessee, are consid-

in 2023 when Colbert was stopped by a Lafayette police officer and was ticketed for running a red light.

He allegedly berated the officer, cursed him and threatened to bad-mouth him to other judges, possibly ruining his reputation as a witness in court cases.

While the two instances are unrelated, they “reflect a lack of appropriate judicial demeanor,” Associate Justice William Crain

HONOR

an “ultra-low-carbon” steel mill on a 1,700-acre site in Continued from page 1B the RiverPlex MegaPark in Donaldsonville. LED said the state’s workforce partHyundai Steel project was ners — including the River found worthy because of Parish Community College its national importance — are preparing residents and the coordinated state- for advanced manufacturwide efforts that make it ing jobs at the facility. happen.

As announced last March, Email Rich Collins at rich.

Hyundai Steel plans to build collins@theadvocate.com.

tion schedules would likely prevent the city from hosting Super Bowls between 2032 and 2037, leaving 2038 as the next possible target year if 2031 stays off the table.

Denver; Cleveland; Jacksonville, Florida; and Washington, D.C., are expected to have new stadiums constructed in the next several years, which could potentially increase the competition for New Orleans to host Super Bowl LXV in 2031.

Owners are expected to have a full vote on the 2031 game sometime later this year.

“Louisiana has successfully hosted Super Bowls with our unparalleled hospitality,” Landry said.

“The opportunity for Mrs. Benson and I to showcase all that Louisiana has going economically was an invaluable experience for our state.

Given a chance, we look forward to rolling out the welcome mat once again.”

Super Bowl LIX, held in New Orleans last year, was the recordtying 11th Super Bowl hosted by the city and generated an estimated $1.25 billion in economic output in Louisiana, according to an LSU research study. That was more than double the previous time the game was held here, in 2013.

wrote in the Supreme Court decision.

Weimer, who said the suspension was too lenient, suggested Colbert had an infliction young judges are warned of, called “Black Robe Fever,” in which they become pompous, self-righteous and believe themselves to be above the law.

Armstrong New Orleans International Airport’s capacity to handle the unprecedented influx of out-oftown visitors for the weekend.

To that end, Landry and Benson detailed plans for the expansion of Louis Armstrong and construction plans for new hotels that will eventually increase the city’s inventory to 45,000 rooms available in the metro area, with 27,000 rooms downtown.

“The Governor and I shared with Commissioner Goodell our plans not only for upgrading Champions Square and the Smoothie King Center, but also further renovations to the Caesars Superdome that are ongoing,” Benson said. “In addition, we showed the commissioner plans that are already underway for nearly $1 billion in hotel investment in the city; that includes the new Omni as well as many new renovations to existing hotels. We were also excited to share that the airport will be realizing nearly a billion dollars in major upgrades that include adding 15 new gates and access roads.”

The NFL meeting came one day after the New Orleans contingent, which included House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, and

N O R T H A M ER I CA’S

and entertainment complex. Headlining the project would be a major renovation of the Smoothie King Center and a redesign of Champions Square and the surrounding area that includes the old New Orleans Center and Macy’s parking garage.

The plans, which have been in the works for more than a year, would be part of a long-term lease agreement between the Pelicans and the state at the Smoothie King Center, which opened in 1999 and is one of the oldest venues in the NBA. “I am extremely grateful for Adam and the governor for having this meeting with me,” Benson said.

“We had a very positive meeting.

Gov. Landry shared with him the positive news on Louisiana’s tremendous growth in business and economic development. The commissioner acknowledged the need to have the Smoothie King Center upgraded, and Governor Landry was very open to what was discussed. We look forward to continuing with the due diligence on seeing this renovation get completed.”

The Pelicans’ lease at Smoothie King Center expires in June 2029.

The franchise is in the midst of its 24th season in the arena.

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Boise safety, two others latest LSU transfers

BY WILSON ALEXANDER and REED DARCEY Staff writers

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL coach Michael Desormeaux faces a big transfer portal visiting weekend as the Cajuns look add some offensive and defensive linemen along with linebackers. The portal window closes on Jan. 16. The Cajuns are also trying to limit their transfer portal losses.

Looking to the weekend UL’s transfer portal success rate will be determined by end-of-week visits

The first educated guess on how the transfer portal has treated UL’s program remains at least a week away, but so far the Ragin’ Cajuns are holding pretty strong.

As encouraging as the fewer initial wave of departures seemed to be, there have been some recent additions that will affect the depth chart.

In the cases of departing defensive linemen Fitzgerald West and wide receiver Charles Robertson, it was quality over quantity. Both players were rotational performers for the Cajuns this past season, but both delivered highlight-film plays in some of UL’s most exciting victories.

West was in the middle of multiple goal-line stands that helped UL become bowl-eligible, including the big win at Arkansas State.

Kevin Foote For Robertson, one could argue he made receptions on the two biggest offensive plays of the season for the Cajuns. They were a pair of critical long third-down connections to keep UL’s shrinking hopes alive in home wins over Marshall and Texas State.

Both West and Robertson have one year left wherever they land.

The portal window ends Jan. 16, so UL’s coaching staff will hold its breath

no other starters or key depth performers decide to leave before school starts again.

The others leaving the program include running backs Zylan Perry and Bill Davis, cornerback Lorenzell Dubose, offensive tackle Bryant Williams, linebacker Drenon Fite and deep snapper Carter Milliron.

If there are no additions, the Cajuns should survive this scary stage of the football calendar, but it’s definitely not time for UL fans to exhale just yet.

Williams’ spot on the offensive line will likely be replaced by a younger talent in 6-foot-3, 320-pound Jayce Mitchell from Tulane with three years of eligibility left.

This weekend will be a critical time

ä See FOOTE, page 3C

Former Boise State safety Ty Benefield decided to sign with LSU, a source confirmed to The Advocate on Tuesday, becoming the first defensive transfer to commit to the Tigers since the transfer portal opened.

Benefield was named first-team AllMountain West this past season after recording a team-high 107 tackles, 81/2 tackles for loss and two interceptions.

He has played in 41 games during his career and started 33 times, adding needed experience to the LSU secondary. Benefield has one more season of eligibility. He was ranked as the No. 2 defensive back in the transfer portal by 247Sports.

LSU wanted to find safeties even though it brought back sophomore starter Tamarcus Cooley and sophomore Dashawn Spears, a potential starter next season. Defensive coordinator Blake Baker and his staff have to replace senior AJ Haulcy, who exhausted his eligibility, and they need a new starter at Star, a hybrid position filled by linebacker Harold Perkins this past season that usually gets played by a defensive back.

Benefield, a native of Altadena, California, is listed at 6-foot-2 and 205 pounds. He was a three-star recruit coming out of high school who quickly turned into a starter at Boise State.

During his career, Benefield has recorded 235 tackles, 18 tackles for loss, three sacks, five interceptions, 16 passes defended and two forced fumbles, adding proven depth to the back end of Baker’s defense.

Entering coach Lane Kiffin’s first season, LSU is in the process of signing a large transfer class. Before they added four transfers on Tuesday, the Tigers had landed Hawaii wide receiver Jackson Harris, Old Dominion wide receiver Tre Brown, Utah running back Raycine Guillory and Pittsburgh tight end Malachi Thomas.

LSU still has needs at linebacker and defensive end — in addition to the holes it has to fill at quarterback, along the offensive line and in the re-

ä See TIGERS, page 3C

Clutch Shough, woeful special teams defined Saints’ season

COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF SEMIFINAL

Peach Bowl coaches not exactly opposites

PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD Nine stats summarized N.O.’s year Saints wide receiver ChrisSTAFF Olave celebrates a

BY LUKE JOHNSON Staff writer

In terms of what was at stake for the 2025 season, the only number that really mattered for the Saints was 6-11.

With that record, New Orleans ensured its second consecutive lastAnalysis place finish in the NFC South and its fifth consecutive season without a playoff berth.

But there were a lot of underlying metrics that led to that 6-11 number, some of which should inspire some optimism for the future, and some of which should inform the team’s direction this offseason as it looks to right the ship.

Here are the nine statistics that defined the Saints 2025 season.

Tyler Shough category There’s no doubt about it: The Saints were a different team once Shough took over as the starting quarterback for the team’s Week 9 game against the Los Angeles Rams.

There may still be some out there who will point to the quality of the competition for Shough’s starts versus those games started by Spencer Rattler — and there is some merit to that argument. Rattler faced four eventual playoff teams, including the Nos. 1 and 2 seeds in the NFC and No. 2 seed in the AFC, while Shough only faced two (the Rams and the 8-9 Panthers, twice).

touchdown reception from quarterback Tyler Shough against the New york Jets on Dec. 21 at the Caesars Superdome.

But that shouldn’t discount much of what Shough did, especially as the roster around him significantly deteriorated toward the end of the season because of injury. The rookie delivered a different quality of quarterback play, which should drive plenty of excitement for what should be in store for the franchise.

103.3: One of the most encouraging things about Shough’s play was the way he turned it on in big moments. He finished third among all NFL passers (minimum 30 attempts) with a 103.3 passer rating on third downs, trailing only Brock Purdy and Joe Burrow. Five of Shough’s passing touchdowns came on third down — as many or more than former NFL MVPs Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes this season. For what it’s worth, Rattler’s 79.0 passer rating on third downs ranked 27th out of 46 qualifying passers. +0.65: The numbers were not inflated by easy throws: Shough was one of the most dangerous passers in the NFL on intermediate passes, defined by Next Gen Stats as throws that traveled 10-19 yards in the air. The rookie accumulated +0.65 Expected Points Added per dropback on such throws, ranking No. 5 in the NFL. His 118.5 rating and 11.8 yards per

ä See SAINTS, page 3C

Former Alabama assistants to match wits in Peach Bowl

BY MICHAEL MAROT and ANNE M. PETERSON AP sportswriters

Oregon coach Dan Lanning and Indiana coach Curt Cignetti look like opposites.

Lanning is the flashy budding star who wins by defying conventional wisdom. The blunt-spoken Cignetti takes a decidedly oldschool approach.

The two former Alabama assistants will soon find themselves back in SEC country, sharing mutual admiration for their very different styles, as they chase one goal — reaching the national championship game. “(He’s) one of the young superstars in the coaching profession,” Cignetti said of his Peach Bowl opponent in the College Football Playoff semifinals on Friday night.

When he was introduced as Oregon’s new coach in December 2021, Lanning was asked about his lack of head coaching experience. The former defensive coordinator at Georgia responded with a wisecrack.

“Well, I hate to cut you off, but I’ve been a head coach before,”

Lanning

Cignetti

ä Peach Bowl: Indiana

vs. Oregon. 6:30 P.M. FRIDAy, ESPN Lanning said. “When I was in high school, I coached the third-grade basketball team, and we were damn good. I mean, we were good.”

Lanning pledged the Ducks would be relentless in their pursuit of excellence. He hasn’t disappointed.

In four seasons with the Ducks, Lanning has lost only seven games. Oregon won the 2024 Big Ten title during its first year in the conference and was unbeaten until losing to Ohio State in the CFP quarterfinals.

This season, there’s just one blemish, the 30-20 home loss to Indiana in October.

Like Lanning, Cignetti also has been relentless. In two years, he did what few thought possible by turning the Football Bowl Subdivision’s losingest program into the undefeated Big Ten champ,

ä See PEACH, page 3C

2C ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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BROADCAST HIGHLIGHTS On TV

MEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 4 p.m.

Furman at Chattanooga CBSSN 5:30 p.m. Indiana at Maryland BTN 6 p.m.

Stanford at Virginia Tech ACCN 6 p.m.

Saint Louis at VCU CBSSN 6 p.m.

Missouri at Kentucky ESPN2 6 p.m.

Miami at Wake Forest ESPNU 6 p.m.

Xavier at Marquette FS1 6 p.m.

UConn at Providence PEACOCK 6 p.m.

Oklahoma at Mississippi St. SECN 6:30 p.m. Creighton at Villanova PEACOCK 7 p.m.

Iowa St. at Baylor PEACOCK

7:30 p.m. Washington at Purdue BTN 8 p.m.

California at Virginia ACCN 8 p.m.

Davidson at Loyola of ChicagoCBSSN 8 p.m.

Alabama at Vanderbilt ESPN2 8 p.m.

SMU at Clemson ESPNU 8 p.m.

Kansas St. at Arizona FS1 8 p.m.

Arizona St. at ByU PEACOCK 8 p.m.

Arkansas at Mississippi SECN 10 p.m. Grand Canyon at Boise St. FS1 WOMEN’S COLLEGE BASKETBALL 6:30 p.m. St. John’s at UConn TRUTV FIGURE SKATING 7 p.m.

Winter Olympic Trials USA

IN BRIEF

FROM STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS

NBA 6:10 p.m. Denver at Boston ESPN 8:35 p.m. L.A. Lakers at San Antonio ESPN NHL 6 p.m.

Dallas at Washington TNT 8:30 p.m. St. Louis at Chicago TNT MEN’S SOCCER 1:50 p.m. Barcelona vs. Athletic Club ESPN2 2:15 p.m. Manchester at Burnley FC USA TENNIS 6 p.m.

United Cup TENNIS WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL 5 p.m.

Nebraska at Austin USA

NFL MVP debate continues

BY ROB MAADDI

AP pro football writer The NFL regular season has ended and the MVP debate continues.

It could be another close race with no clear front-runner. Matthew Stafford and Drake Maye have the best odds, according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Playoff results won’t matter because it’s a regular-season award.

Winners of the AP NFL awards will be revealed at “NFL Honors” on Feb. 5.

Stafford had an outstanding season for the Los Angeles Rams, leading them to a 12-5 record and the NFC’s No. 5 seed. Maye led the New England Patriots (14-3) to a 10-win turnaround and the AFC’s No. 2 seed in just his second season.

Stafford was first in the NFL with 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns. His passer rating of 109.2 was second only to Maye, who finished at 113.5. Maye had 4,394 yards passing and 31 TDs. Both quarterbacks threw eight interceptions. Maye had the higher completion percentage, 72% to 65%.

Christian McCaffrey also belongs in the conversation after an outstanding do-it-all season in which he helped the injurydepleted San Francisco 49ers (125) overcome losing several key players and going long stretches without QB Brock Purdy. The Niners even reached Week 18 with a chance at the No. 1 seed before Seattle’s defense shut them down in a 13-3 win.

A running back hasn’t won the MVP award since Adrian Peterson in 2012.

Micah Parsons is worthy of consideration. Parsons tore his ACL during Green Bay’s loss to Denver in Week 15. The Packers were 9-31 in games he finished; 0-4 in the others, including last week when they rested starters.

Quarterbacks have won the MVP award 12 straight seasons.

Those QBs have played for a No. 1 seed nine times in that span and a No. 2 seed the other three.

Only three quarterbacks have ever won MVP on a team that didn’t win its division. Peyton Manning did it in 2008, Steve McNair as a co-MVP in 2003 and Johnny Unitas in 1967, when the Colts went 11-1-2 but missed the playoffs.

Last year, Josh Allen edged Lamar Jackson for MVP. However, Jackson was the first-team AllPro. It was the first time a firstteam All-Pro didn’t win the NFL MVP award since 1987, when John Elway was the MVP and Joe Montana received All-Pro honors.

The MVP award is given to a player who had the most valuable season while All-Pro is a statistical recognition. All-Pro rosters will be announced this week and the debate will still continue until next month.

Coordinators Kliff Kingsbury and Joe Whitt Jr. are both gone from head coach Dan Quinn’s staff with the Washington Commanders after a 5-12 season, a team official with knowledge of the moves told The Associated Press on Tuesday.

The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the staff changes had not yet been announced.

Kingsbury, the offensive coordinator, and Whitt, who had been in charge of the defense until being stripped of play-calling duties during the season, both arrived in Washington with Quinn before the 2024 season.

According to the person who described Tuesday’s decisions to the AP, Quinn and Kingsbury then mutually agreed to part ways.

Cowboys fire defensive coordinator Eberflus

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JESSIE ALCHEH

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford looks to pass during a game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday in Inglewood, Calif. teams with the better records are just 2-6 in those games.

McCarthy for seven games and backup Carson Wentz started five games, playing the final 2 Defense needs help 1/2 games with a shoulder that Two of the teams with the NFL’s required season-ending surgery.

The Browns started veteran top four defenses didn’t even Joe Flacco for four games, rookie make the playoffs.

The Vikings (9-8) were third, al- Dillon Gabriel for six and rookie lowing 282.6 yards per game. The Shedeur Sanders the last seven.

Houston and Denver finished Browns (5-12) finished fourth, 1-2. The Broncos earned the giving up 283.6.

Both teams had quarterback is- AFC’s No. 1 seed. The Texans got sues. Minnesota lost starter J.J. the No. 5 seed.

Season of the kicker unravels Sunday Steelers narrowly defeat the Ravens after a dramatic ending Sunday night

BY ARNIE STAPLETON

AP pro football writer

Wouldn’t you know it? The season of the kicker came down to two missed kicks.

Pittsburgh Steelers kicker Chris Boswell shanked the extra point after Aaron Rodgers threw a 26-yard touchdown pass with 55 seconds left Sunday night against the Baltimore Ravens in a win-or-go-home final regular-season game.

That left the Steelers clinging to a 26-24 lead and when Lamar Jackson connected with Isaiah Likely for a 26-yard gain on fourth-and-7 from the 50-yard line, it looked like Rodgers would be missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season.

He sat on the Steelers bench looking forlorn as Jackson took the next snap and shuffled toward the right hashmark to set up rookie kicker Tyler Loop for the 44-yard gamewinner Ravens coach John Harbaugh called timeout with 2 seconds left and Loop trotted out to send the Ravens into the playoffs and end the Steelers’ season.

He hadn’t missed inside of 50 yards all season.

The snap was good, the hold was good but Loop didn’t kick the ball cleanly. He said he knew as soon as it came off his foot funny that he’d pushed it to the right.

Maybe Harbaugh should have tried to get Loop a little closer, but 44 yards is a gimme for kickers nowadays.

“It was a close kick,” said Har-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GENE J. PUSKAR

Baltimore Ravens kicker Tyler Loop reacts after missing a field goal in the second half of a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday in Pittsburgh. baugh, who put his arm around Loop as they walked off the field and into the tunnel afterward.

“We wanted to center the ball. We wanted to make sure we got the (chance to) kick. We didn’t want something bad to happen on the run. I don’t think that was a bad decision.”

Field goals of 40- to 50-yards are now considered short kicks. Fiftyplus is medium.

Sixty-plus tries used to be unheard of. Not anymore.

Kickers have enjoyed unprecedented success with long-distance field goals of 60 or more yards the last two seasons thanks to rule changes favoring the specialists, such as the new K-ball, and more trust from coaches, leading to game strategy shifts and historic accuracy.

Jacksonville kicker Cam Little kicked the two longest field goals

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — John Harbaugh is leaving the Baltimore Ravens after 18 seasons as their coach, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press.

The move comes after the Ravens were one of the league’s most disappointing teams this season, going 8-9 and missing the playoffs after entering Week 1 as one of the Super Bowl favorites. Baltimore’s season ended Sunday night when Tyler Loop missed a last-second field goal, allowing Pittsburgh to hold on for a 26-24 victory in the game that decided the AFC North title.

Harbaugh went 193-124 including the postseason. He led the 2012 Ravens to a Super Bowl title and reached the AFC championship game on three other occasions.

Kingsbury and Whitt gone from Commanders staff

Playoff seeding The Detroit Lions proposed last season that playoff seeding should be based on winning percentage instead of automatically placing division winners in the top four spots.

NFL owners voted against it in May because a majority value the importance of teams winning their own division.

“I’m a division purist,” Steelers coach Mike Tomlin said.

The league will likely revisit this idea after a second straight season in which three teams with better records will play on the road during wild-card weekend.

The 49ers (12-5) play at the Philadelphia Eagles (11-6). The Rams (12-5) play at the Carolina Panthers (8-9). The Houston Texans (12-5) play at the Pittsburgh Steelers (10-7).

Last year, the teams with the better records went 1-2.

The Rams-Panthers matchup will be the ninth time a road team in the playoffs has at least four wins more than its opponent. The

Source: Harbaugh leaving Ravens after 18 seasons

in NFL history this season, nailing a 68-yarder at Las Vegas in Week 9 and splitting the uprights with a 67-yarder Sunday against the Tennessee Titans.

Sixty-yard field goals are no longer a big risk but a realistic expectation for today’s kickers. Dallas’ Brandon Aubrey made three field goals from beyond 60 yards this season, and overall kickers were 12 for 22 on field goals of 60-plus yards in 2025.

Denver Broncos kicker Wil Lutz said the tweaks in the kickoff rules in 2025 allowed kickers to save their legs by not having to blast every kickoff out of the back of the end zone like they used to.

That, in turn, has allowed them to have more oomph on field goal attempts in the fourth quarter or overtime.

“Anytime your body feels better it helps,” said Lutz, whose five

game-winning field goals helped the Broncos (14-3) earn the top seed in the AFC playoffs and the first-round bye that goes with it.

“Yeah, you feel fresher, you feel good, feel strong. I would say most kicker injuries probably came from full-speed kickoffs and you’re not seeing that.”

Loop had plenty of length Sunday night, it’s just that he didn’t kick the ball like he had on all the other 29 field goal attempts he’d made from inside 50 yards this season.

“The operation was great,” Loop said in the sullen locker room afterward. “It was a great situation, exactly what we wanted. And unfortunately, I just mis-hit the ball.

We call it ‘hitting it thin,’ it spins fast and goes off to the right.

“I love this team and I love these guys. I wish it would have ended different.”

FRISCO, Texas — The Dallas Cowboys fired first-year defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus on Tuesday after they allowed the most points and intercepted the fewest passes in franchise history.

It’s the second consecutive season in which Eberflus has been fired. He was let go midseason in 2024, his third year as head coach of the Chicago Bears.

Eberflus made it to the end of the season in his return to Dallas.

The departure of Eberflus means the Cowboys will have their fourth defensive coordinator in four seasons, following Dan Quinn in 2023, Mike Zimmer last year and Eberflus. Dallas’ past five defensive coordinators have been former NFL head coaches.

A’s relocation faces block with trademark denial

LAS VEGAS — The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has for now denied the A’s request to trademark the names “Las Vegas Athletics” and “Vegas Athletics.”

The club, which intends to move to Nevada in 2028, has three months from when the refusals were issued Dec. 29 to ask for an extension to file a new application within a six-month period.

The A’s were told the nickname “Athletics” was too generic and could be confused with other activities even if associated with Las Vegas.

The A’s relocated to West Sacramento, California, last year to play the first of three planned seasons in the city’s Triple-A ballpark. The team is going solely by “Athletics” while playing in Northern California.

Cavaliers’ Strus out for another month after surgery

CLEVELAND — Cavaliers forward Max Strus will be sidelined for at least another month as he continues to recover from surgery on his broken left foot, the team announced Tuesday.

Strus suffered a Jones fracture — a break of the bone that connects the pinkie toe to the base of the foot — during offseason training and underwent surgery on Aug. 26.

The Cavaliers said a recent evaluation and imaging showed additional time was required for the fracture to fully heal. When Strus originally had the surgery, it was expected he would resume basketball activities in three to four months.

Strus will have a follow-up evaluation with Dr. David Porter, who performed the procedure.

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 3C

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Whistling ducks season offered in 2026

BY JOE MACALUSO

Contributing writer

Louisiana took an important second step to a first special season on black-bellied whistling ducks when the Wildlife and Fisheries Commission voted for a nine-day opportunity for 2026 during its meeting Tuesday in Baton Rouge.

The season will run Oct. 3-11.

The first step was applying to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a season in this expanding species in Louisiana’s marshes.

The season dates needs to be approved by the USFWS, which

appears to be a formality at this point.

Duck hunters also paid attention to a second straight nine-day special teal season scheduled Sept.

19-27 this year, and learned the West Waterfowl season segments will run Nov. 14-Dec. 6 and Dec. 19-Jan. 24, which means the 20262027 season will close days ahead of the Jan. 31 federally mandated close. The youth- and veteransonly special weekend is set for Nov. 7-8.

East Waterfowl Zone hunters will have Nov. 21-Dec. 6 and Dec. 19-Jan. 31 segments with youth-

and veterans-only special hunts set for Nov. 14 and Feb. 6.

Otherwise, in the presentation of the proposed 2026-2027 season, there were only calendar adjustments in resident-game seasons from the current seasons (deer, squirrel, rabbit and quail) and other migratory species like geese, rails, gallinules, mourning doves and snipe, and the customary Dec. 18-Jan. 31 woodcock seasons.

State wildlife managers worked for the past four years for the special whistling ducks season. The species is growing in numbers in Louisiana and hunters were pro-

hibited from taking them during the teal season, but faced the bird moving south by the time the bulk of the main 60-day duck season.

The only amendments offered in the proposal package came when commission member Jonathan Walker sought moving the ban on using “internal combustion engines” from a 2 p.m. to a noon deadline on wildlife management areas except Pass a Loutre and Atchafalaya Delta WMAs. A second amendment came from commissioner Andy Brister, who sought a plan to improve the age structure of bucks in State

Deer Area 1.

Brister offered a one buck, one either-sex deer and four antlerless deer to the hunting package (to change from a three-buck, three antlerless allowance.)

Both amendments passed.

The commission also passed a notice to change the on-the-water regulations on speckled trout and redfish fillets.

Current rules ban water transportation of filleted fish in the coastal area, a rule that kept camp owners from processing their catches at camps accessed by water.

TIGERS

Continued from page 1C ceiver room.

Benefield began a visit to LSU on Sunday, a source said.

The Tigers also hosted Penn State edge rusher Chaz Coleman over the weekend and Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt on a visit that kicked off Monday.

Kansas State WR commits ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By LyDIA ELy

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MARK J. TERRILL

Oregon coach Dan Lanning calls to his team during the first half of a College Football Playoff first-round game against James Madison on Dec. 20 in Eugene, Ore.

Indiana coach Curt Cignetti talks to his players before the Rose Bowl College Football Playoff quarterfinal game against Alabama on Thursday in Pasadena, Calif.

PEACH

“Obviously, it was, shoot, 20 years ago-plus, but really smart, had a mind for the game and a great way of teaching,” Rivers said. “You see that, you’ve seen that on full display, really, his whole career. But as he’s come up through the head coaching ranks, his last four stops, he’s won everywhere he’s been. So it’s been fun to see, and I’ve always rooted for him.”

Cignetti’s latest win was very Saban-esque, a 38-3 CFP quarterfinal victory over Alabama at the Rose Bowl that extended Indiana’s perfect record to 14-0.

“If you were serious about your career and wanted to be a head coach one day, you took great notes or great mental notes,” Cignetti said. “So, I felt like after one year with coach Saban, I had learned more about how to run a program and maybe did the previous 27 as an assistant coach, and stayed with him for three more years. There’s a lot of disciples out there doing well, and that’s why he’s the greatest of all time.”

Lanning, 39, served as a graduate assistant under Saban in 2015, when Alabama won a national championship. He had been working at Sam Houston but took a pay cut to work with Saban.

“When anybody asked me why, I said, I’m going to get my doctorate in football. That’s what it felt like working for coach Saban,”

Lanning said. “Just like coach the 2011 BCS title game then fell to (Cignetti) said, you learn so much Ohio State in the 2015 CFP cham— things I thought I knew, I real- pionship — there will no doubt be more chatter about Lanning’s fuized I didn’t know anything.” ture.

Old school Lanning has repeatedly said he’s Cignetti has often said he’s a not going anywhere. He signed an more traditional coach, following extension in November that keeps in the footsteps of his father. He him at Oregon through January emphasizes preparation and ac- 2032.

“Like I’ve said for a long time, as countability, while also preaching unrelenting aggressiveness on the long as I win, I get the opportunity to be here. That’s on me, right?” field.

He summed up his philosophy Lanning said. “So this is where I’ll be as long as I do that. What I can following the win over Alabama.

“It’s a great vehicle that helps speak to is that my situation is so people, used properly, become good that I feel really comfortable more successful in their life’s saying that, right? I love this place. work later on and raising a family. And more than that, I love the comA lot of great lessons there about mitment that they’ve given to me.” teamwork, leadership, overcomCignetti seems content where ing adversity, meeting challenges, he’s at, too. He’s signed extensions preparation, commitment, disci- each of the past two years and in pline, work ethic, toughness,” he October talked about finishing his said. “We’ve got a lot of the guys career with the Hoosiers.

For now, however, it’s all about that have the right stuff.”

Lanning is more showy, much results.

“It all starts with him,” Hoosiers like the array of uniforms the Ducks wear. He showed his will- center Pat Coogan said after the ingness to take chances with a suc- Rose Bowl. “The complacency cessful fake punt on fourth-and-3 factor, the afraid to death of comin the second quarter of the team’s placency, the never-ending jour23-0 CFP quarterfinal victory over ney of improving, taking it day by Texas Tech in the Orange Bowl. day, taking each day as the most important day in the history of the The future program.

“He makes sure all of our eyes Should this be the year the Ducks finally win a national champion- are focused forward and we’re all ship — Oregon lost to Auburn in thinking alike.”

side linebacker Jamonta Waller of Picayune, Mississippi. He was a redshirt freshman at Auburn this past season but didn’t play after undergoing foot surgery. He had 111/ 2 sacks his junior year at Picayune High School and was an Under Armour All-American.

UL is also trying to grab some talented players from smaller schools, much like the portal successes the Cajuns have had with cornerback Keyon Martin and linebacker Jaden Dugger.

Donquarius Parker had 51/ 2 sacks at North Carolina Central last season, and there’s a pair of defensive linemen from Division II Harding College on the radar.

The concentration on just a few positions is both a reflection of the program’s philosophy of filling unexpected gaps in the depth chart with the transfer portal, as well as a sign UL’s still strong in other positions where departures occurred.

For instance, the Cajuns should be good at running back with the young group of Steven Blanco, JJ Garner and Darrell Smith, also from Picayune. The Cajuns also signed a Ke’Rynn Smith, a freshman from Holy Cross.

UL even added a highly touted deep snapper in the December signing class in Parkview Baptist’s Jackson Villaume.

The wide receiver scenario may be the most interesting as the spring season approaches.

Naturally, UL is hoping Shelton Sampson stays, but either way, Robertson leaving will only speed up the process of a new kind of target in the Cajuns’ receiving room with smaller, faster players like Trenton Chaney and Russell Babineaux ready to make defenders miss in the open field.

With that said, the Cajuns also signed 6-foot-2 receiver Kristion Brooks of Zachary last month.

the best single-season mark by a Saints defense since 1997 and the No. 25 overall mark by any NFL team in the past 10 seasons, according to Pro Football Reference. New Orleans allowed 55 plays of 20 or more yards, which was about league average, but it represented a roughly 25% decrease from the 2024 season (74 plays). +27.3: In his eight games playing alongside Shough as the starting quarterback, wide receiver Chris Olave accumulated +27.3 Expected Points Added as a receiver compared to his -0.6 total in the first eight games of the season.

Olave also totaled 660 receiving yards on 275 routes with Shough under center (2.4 yards per route run) compared to 503 yards on 303 routes in the first eight weeks (1.7 yards per route run).

That is encouraging for the future.

Only the Las Vegas Raiders (31) managed fewer, and both the Baltimore Ravens (71) and the Buffalo Bills (68) doubled the Saints’ total. In fact, five individual players accounted for more explosive runs than New Orleans did as a team. Quarterbacks Shough and Rattler accounted for a third of those runs.

The run game as a whole was disappointing throughout the year, but adding some explosiveness should be near the top of the wish list.

-30%: The Saints converted only 44.4% of their goal-to-go situations this year. That is a whopping 30% below the league average (74.4%). Expanding this further, New Orleans converted just 29 of its 49 attempts (59.2%) when needing a yard or less on third or fourth down.

15: Remarkably, opponents scored first in 15 of the Saints’ 17 games this season. That is tied with the 2024 Bears for the most such games in a single NFL season, according to Pro Football Reference. New Orleans did not

have a single passing touchdown in the first quarter of a game this season.

This year’s Saints were outscored 122-29 in the opening period. In the past 15 NFL seasons, only five teams scored fewer points in the first quarters of their games than the Saints did in 2025.

Continued from page 1C the CFP’s top seed and the nation’s No. 1 team.

The 64-year-old Cignetti leaned heavily into his head coaching experience at Indiana-Pennsylvania, Elon and James Madison to quickly establish a new mindset inside a program where mediocrity and near-misses had become the norm.

Known for soundbite-perfect quotes, Cignetti left no doubt he was the right hire.

“It’s pretty simple. I win. Google me,” he said.

Saban disciples Both coaches perfected their craft while working under coach Nick Saban, although not at the same time.

Cignetti joined Saban in his first year with the Crimson Tide, spent three more years there as the receivers coach and recruiting coordinator before leaving to coach IUP, the same school where his Hall of Famer father, Frank Sr., coached.

By then, Cignetti had already developed a reputation as a quarterback guru in stops at Pittsburgh, Rice and Temple before producing his prize pupil, Philip Rivers, at North Carolina State.

FOOTE

Continued from page 1C for how UL fares overall in the transfer portal. With a heavy emphasis on the offensive line, defensive line and linebacker, as many as seven potential transfers are expected to visit Lafayette.

Regardless on how many commitments UL gets in the trenches this weekend, remember the Cajuns signed five offensive linemen and three on defense in December.

Perhaps the most intriguing prospect is former five-star out-

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C attempt on such throws ranked second, behind Jared Goff in both categories.

5-4: Shough’s record as a starter is the most important and noteworthy statistic from his debut campaign.

Remember, this was a franchise that had won just six of its previous 25 games when he took over.

Three of those wins featured a fourth-quarter comeback, and Shough nearly authored a fourth against Miami.

Quarterback wins are a controversial statistic, but in this case, it’s hard to argue against Shough’s impact.

The good 4.84: There are a lot of ways to quantify the successes of the defense in its first year under Brandon Staley, but this one is my favorite: New Orleans allowed opponents to gain 4.84 yards per play this year, which represented

The bad 34: As a team, the Saints managed just 34 runs of 10 yards or more during the 2025 season.

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

The ugly -55.89: That is the Expected Points Added contribution from the Saints’ special-teams units this year. Even if advanced numbers aren’t your thing, that should stand out as really bad.

The other advanced metric didn’t like it either, as FTN’s DVOA formula ranked New Orleans as its second-worst special teams unit in the NFL this season.

Every part of that group had major breakdowns this season, and it felt fitting that Atlanta’s only touchdown in Week 18 came right after a blocked punt deep in Saints territory.

Email Luke Johnson at ljohnson@theadvocate.com.

Former Kansas State wide receiver Jayce Brown announced in an Instagram post on Tuesday that he’s transferring to LSU. Brown, a rising senior, has 115 career catches for 1,972 yards and and 13 touchdowns.

In the 10 games he played this past season, he caught 41 passes for 712 yards and five touchdowns, becoming one of the 34 FBS wideouts who averaged at least 17 yards per reception.

The Tigers have now landed three of those receivers. Both Harris and Tre Brown finished the 2025 season ranked top 10 nationally in yards per catch.

Jayce Brown has one more season of eligibility left.

Clemson DT commits Former Clemson defensive lineman Stephiylan Green announced Tuesday that he had committed to LSU. Green, a 6-foot-4, 290-pound transfer defensive tackle, started 14 games across the three seasons he spent with the Tigers. In 2025, he recorded 18 tackles and 21/ 2 sacks as a sophomore.

Six of those tackles came in Clemson’s Week 1 home loss to LSU. LSU is losing three of its top four interior defensive linemen. Rising junior Ahmad Breaux hit the portal and committed to Kentucky, while both Bernard Gooden and Jacobian Guillory exhausted their eligibility. Former five-star recruit Dominick McKinley can return for his junior season.

Each of the Tigers’ four most highly rated 2026 freshman signees are defensive linemen, and two of them line up on the interior.

Former Edna Karr standout Richard Anderson is a five-star recruit and the top defensive lineman in the country, per 247Sports composite rankings.

Georgia native Deuce Geralds is a fringe top-50 national prospect.

Green has two more seasons of eligibility left. He signed with Clemson in 2023 as a fourstar recruit ranked among the 200 best prospects in his class, according to 247Sports composite rankings.

Charlotte RB commits Charlotte running back Rod Gainey is transferring to LSU, his agency confirmed Tuesday.

Gainey is a 6-foot, 175-pound tailback who just wrapped up his redshirt freshman season.

In 2025, he took 74 carries for 260 yards and a touchdown for the 49ers, while also adding 16 catches for 44 yards and a touchdown through the air.

Kiffin and his LSU staff have now picked up two running backs through the transfer portal. The first tailback to commit was Utah running back Raycine Guillory — a former three-star recruit who redshirted the 2025 season.

The Tigers retained five-star freshman Harlem Berry this offseason, but they lost all four scholarship running backs behind him on the depth chart.

Caden Durham, Ju’Juan Johnson, Kaleb Jackson and JT Lindsey each decided to enter their names into the transfer portal.

Ole Miss running backs coach Kevin Smith followed Kiffin to LSU, but star Rebels running back Kewan Lacy will not. He announced Tuesday that he had agreed to return to Ole Miss for his junior season.

4C ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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Montana State wins FCS title in OT thriller Bobcats beat Illinois State for first national championship since 1984

loss like that, there’s probably 10, 15, maybe 20 plays in the game if you make just one of them, you win. Wasn’t able to do that, and we came up short.”

Lamson finished with 280 yards passing and two TDs. He also ran for two more scores. Dowler had eight catches for 111 yards.

Rittenhouse finished with 311 yards passing and four TDs. Victor Dawson ran for 126 yards, and Lord had 13 catches for 161 yards receiving and two TDs.

BY TERESA M. WALKER

Associated Press

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Montana State finally found a way to answer when it mattered most for the program’s first national championship since 1984.

A year ago, Montana State missed winning its first title in 40 years when a slow start doomed it in a shootout loss to North Dakota State. Two years ago, the Bobcats’ season ended in Bozeman in the quarterfinals on a blocked extra point in overtime against the Bison.

They started this season losing the first two — at Oregon and a double- overtime loss at home to South Dakota State.

So when Myles Sansted’s extra point went through the uprights in overtime for a 35-34 victory over Illinois State on Monday night in the Football Championship Subdivision title game, the Bobcats chucked helmets in the air while sprinting around with a heavy contingent of Montana State fans celebrating with them.

“To be able to clear that hurdle and know that yes, this ’25 group accomplished what hadn’t been done in a long time ...,” said coach Brent Vigen, who’s already thinking ahead with a young, Montanaladen team featuring only nine seniors. “You know, we’re building for more.”

The Bobcats (14-2) capped a season that featured not one but two wins over in-state rival Montana over a four-week span. Beating Montana in the semifinals put Montana State back into the title game for the second straight sea-

The takeaway

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By GEORGE WALKER IV

Illinois State made big defensive plays to give the Redbirds a chance. They forced Montana State to three-and-out on consecutive drives in the fourth for a chance at the win and had three sacks.

Montana State won its 14th straight game despite too many self-inflicted mistakes. The Bobcats were flagged 14 times for 93 yards. “We offensively showed flashes, but it was one step forward, maybe sometimes two steps back,” Vigen said.

Blocked kicks

Montana State players celebrate after winning the FCS championship game against Illinois State on Monday in Spack said he thought ball-hanNashville, Tenn. dling issues might be why both the son, third in five years under Vigen and the fourth berth overall.

Montana State topped that accomplishment with its 14th straight win in a thrilling finish in the first overtime in the 48 years of this title game. The Bobcats led 21-7 at halftime and 28-14 in the third. They needed Jhase McMillan’s block of Michael Cosentino’s 38-yard field-goal attempt with 57 seconds left in regulation to keep it tied at 28.

In overtime, Justin Lamson tied it with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Taco Dowler on fourth and 10. Hunter Parsons blocked the extra-point attempt after Tommy Rittenhouse threw a 10-yard TD

pass to Dylan Lord to give Illinois State its only lead at 34-28 to open overtime.

Stansted’s kick started the celebration of the end of a long title drought. Along with the 1984 I-AA championship, Montana State also won the 1976 NCAA Division II title and 1956 NAIA championship.

“What a hard-fought game, and these things aren’t supposed to come easily, I guess,” Vigen said.

Lamson, who didn’t join the Bobcats until June, said the OT touchdown was a great play call.

“Taco was wide open,” Lamson said. “I got hit so I was just trying to give him a chance, and the rest is history, and Myles did his thing

and that was the game.”

Illinois State (12-5) already made history as the first FCS team to win four straight road games to advance through the playoffs to this championship game. That included a win over this postseason’s No. 1 seed and North Dakota State — winners of 10 of the past 14 FCS championships, including last year.

This was the Redbirds’ first time in this game since 2014, and they left empty-handed.

“Just couldn’t find one more play,” Illinois State coach Brock Spack said. “We needed to make one more play to win. When you look at a game that’s a one-point

field goal and extra-point attempts were blocked. Cosentino has the ability to get the ball up in the air, which is why Spack decided to go for the lead with the field-goal attempt.

“It’s very disappointing,” Spack said.

Up next Illinois State has to replace Rittenhouse. Leading tackler Tye Niekamp has another season to play for his father, Travis, the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach.

Montana State should get Lamson back. He joined the Bobcats after stints at Syracuse and Stanford.

SCOREBOARD Holes-in-one Derek Roddy Course: Pelican Point, Lakes Course Hole, yardage: No. 4, 128 yards Club selection: 9-iron Witnesses: Dave Lemoine, Carter Merrill, Don Hebert

Tom Waguespack

Course: University Club Hole, yardage: No. 8, 150 yards Club selection: 6-iron Witnesses: Chumpy Lanoix, Payne Lanoix

Reynold Welch

Course: Santa Maria Hole: No. 17 Club selection: 7-iron Witnesses: Chester Davis, Bruce Walker

NFL Wild-card playoffs Saturday

L.A Rams at Carolina, 3:30 p.m. (FOX) Green Bay at Chicago, 7 p.m. (PRIME)

Sunday

Buffalo at Jacksonville, noon (CBS) San Francisco at Philadelphia, 3:30 p.m.

(FOX) L.A Chargers at New England, 7 p.m. (NBC/ Peacock)

Monday

Houston at Pittsburgh, 7 p.m. (ESPN/ABC)

Divisional playoffs

Indiana 8½ at MARYLAND at KENTUCKY 11½ Missouri at MARQUETTE 4½ Xavier UConn 9½ at PROVIDENCE at MISSISSIPPI STATE 1½ Oklahoma at VIRGINIA TECH 5½ Stanford at NORTHERN IOWA 2½ Belmont at VCU 1½ Saint Louis Miami (FL) 1½ at WAKE FOREST at VILLANOVA 6½ Creighton at UAB 2½ Florida Atlantic Iowa State 5½ at BAYLOR South Florida 4½ at NORTH TEXAS at PURDUE 16½ Washington at VIRGINIA 12½ Cal at VANDERBILT 4½ Alabama Arkansas 3½ at OLE MISS at CLEMSON 4½ SMU at COLORADO 10½ Utah Davidson 1½ at LOYOLA CHICAGO at ARIZONA 20½ Kansas State at BRADLEY 6½ Drake at BYU 17½ Arizona State at BOISE STATE 8½ Grand Canyon

NHL

Wednesday

FAVORITE LINE at WASHINGTON -143 at MONTREAL -155 St. Louis -123 at UTAH -122 at LOS ANGELES -290

UNDERDOG LINE Dallas +119 Calgary +129 at CHICAGO +103 Ottawa +102 San Jose +232

Pro basketball NBA Glance EASTERN CONFERENCE

Jan. 17-18

Detroit Boston New York Toronto Philadelphia Orlando Miami Cleveland Chicago Atlanta Milwaukee Charlotte Brooklyn Washington Indiana

W 27 23 23 22 19 20 20 20 17 17 16 13 11 9 6

Pct GB .750 — .657 3½ .639 4 .595 5½ .559 7 .556 7 .556 7 .541 7½ .472 10 .447 11 .444 11 .361 14 .333 14½ .265 17 .167 21

Super Bowl LIX

WESTERN CONFERENCE

L 9 12 13 15 15 16 16 17 19 21 20 23 22 25 30

Feb. 8

Oklahoma City San Antonio L.A. Lakers Denver Houston Minnesota Phoenix Golden State Portland Memphis L.A. Clippers Dallas Utah Sacramento New Orleans

W 30 25 22 24 22 23 21 19 17 15 13 13 12 8 8

L 7 10 11 12 11 13 15 18 20 20 22 23 23 28 29

Pct GB .811 — .714 4 .667 6 .667 5½ .667 6 .639 6½ .583 8½ .514 11 .459 13 .429 14 .371 16 .361 16½ .343 17 .222 21½ .216 22

AFC lowest remaining seed at Denver, TBD NFC lowest remaining seed at Seattle, TBD AFC two remaining seeds at higher seed, TBD NFC two remaining seeds at higher seed, TBD

Conference championships Jan. 25 AFC

AFC lowest remaining seed at AFC highest remaining seed

NFC

NFC lowest remaining seed at NFC highest remaining seed

At Santa Clara, Calif.

Conference championships winners, 5:30 p.m. (NBC/Peacock)

Odds NFL Saturday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG LA Rams 10½ 10½(46½) at CAROLINA at CHICAGO 1½ 1(45½) Green Bay

Sunday

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U UNDERDOG Buffalo 1½ 1½(52½) at JAX at PHIL 3½ OFF(44½) San Francisco at N. ENGLAND 3½ 3½ (46) LA Chargers

Monday

FAVORITE Houston

OPEN TODAY O/U 3 3(39½)

College Football

UNDERDOG at PITT

Thursday

Fiesta Bowl Glendale, Ariz.

FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U Miami (FL) 3 3½ (52)

Friday

Peach Bowl Atlanta FAVORITE OPEN TODAY O/U Indiana 4 3½(46½)

NBA

UNDERDOG Ole Miss

UNDERDOG Oregon

Wednesday

College Basketball

Wednesday

LINE 1½ 5½

Detroit 121, New York 90 Boston 115, Chicago 101 Toronto 118, Atlanta 100 Charlotte 124, Oklahoma City 97 Houston 100, Phoenix 97 Denver 125, Philadelphia 124, OT Portland 137, Utah 117 L.A. Clippers 103, Golden State 102

Tuesday’s Games

FAVORITE LINE O/U UNDERDOG at CHARLOTTE OFF (OFF) Toronto at PHILADELPHIA OFF (OFF) Washington at BOSTON OFF (OFF) Denver at DETROIT 10½(232½) Chicago at ATLANTA OFF (OFF) New Orleans at BROOKLYN OFF (OFF) Orlando 5½(223½) LA Clippers at NEW YORK at MEMPHIS OFF (OFF) Phoenix at OKLAHOMA CITY OFF (OFF) Utah at SAN ANTONIO OFF (OFF) LA Lakers at PORTLAND OFF (OFF) Houston OFF (OFF) Milwaukee at GOLDEN STATE

FAVORITE Furman at WOFFORD

Monday’s Games

UNDERDOG at CHATTANOOGA UNC Greensboro

Cleveland at Indiana, n Orlando at Washington, n L.A. Lakers at New Orleans, n Miami at Minnesota, n San Antonio at Memphis, n Dallas at Sacramento, n

Wednesday’s Games

Chicago at Detroit, 6 p.m.

Denver at Boston, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Washington at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at New York, 6:30 p.m.

New Orleans at Atlanta, 6:30 p.m.

Orlando at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Phoenix at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Utah at Oklahoma City, 7 p.m.

L.A. Lakers at San Antonio, 8:30 p.m.

Houston at Portland, 9 p.m.

Milwaukee at Golden State, 9 p.m.

Thursday’s Games

Indiana at Charlotte, 6 p.m.

Cleveland at Minnesota, 7 p.m.

Miami at Chicago, 7 p.m.

Dallas at Utah, 8 p.m.

Friday’s Games New Orleans at Washington, 6 p.m.

Philadelphia at Orlando, 6 p.m.

Toronto at Boston, 6 p.m.

L.A. Clippers at Brooklyn, 6:30 p.m.

Oklahoma City at Memphis, 7 p.m.

Atlanta at Denver, 8 p.m.

New York at Phoenix, 8 p.m.

Houston at Portland, 9 p.m.

Sacramento at Golden State, 9 p.m.

Milwaukee at L.A. Lakers, 9:30 p.m.

Pro hockey NHL EASTERN CONFERENCE Detroit Tampa Bay Carolina Montreal N.Y. Islanders Washington Philadelphia Pittsburgh Florida Buffalo Boston New Jersey N.Y. Rangers Toronto Ottawa Columbus

GP 44 41 42 42 42 43 40 41 41 40 42 42 44 41 41 41

W 25 25 25 23 23 22 21 20 22 21 22 22 20 19 20 18

L OT Pts GF 15 4 54 136 13 3 53 142 14 3 53 141 13 6 52 141 15 4 50 120 15 6 50 142 12 7 49 124 12 9 49 135 16 3 47 129 15 4 46 125 18 2 46 133 18 2 46 114 18 6 46 116 15 7 45 137 16 5 45 136 16 7 43 127

WESTERN CONFERENCE

GA 141 110 128 141 120 125 116 131 130 126 136 124 120 138 134 137

GP W L OT Pts GF GA Colorado 41 31 3 7 69 165 93 Dallas 42 25 9 8 58 146 117 Minnesota 44 25 11 8 58 140 119 Vegas 40 17 11 12 46 124 126 Edmonton 42 20 16 6 46 139 143 Seattle 40 19 14 7 45 108 116 Los Angeles 41 18 14 9 45 111 113 Anaheim 42 21 18 3 45 143 153 San Jose 41 20 18 3 43 127 146 Utah 43 20 20 3 43 130 124 Nashville 41 19 18 4 42 118 136 St. Louis 43 17 18 8 42 107 146 Chicago 42 17 18 7 41 118 134 Calgary 42 18 20 4 40 112 126 Vancouver 41 16 20 5 37 117 143 Winnipeg 40 15 21 4 34 115 126 NOTE: Two points for a win, one point for overtime loss. Top three teams in each division and two wild cards per conference advance to playoffs.

Monday’s Games

Utah 3, N.Y. Rangers 2, OT Washington 7, Anaheim 4 Detroit 5, Ottawa 3 Seattle 5, Calgary 1 Los Angeles 4, Minnesota 2

Tuesday’s Games

Anaheim at Philadelphia, 6 p.m.

Colorado at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m.

Dallas at Carolina, 6 p.m.

Vancouver at Buffalo, 6 p.m.

Florida at Toronto, 6:30 p.m.

New Jersey at N.Y. Islanders, 6:30 p.m.

Vegas at Winnipeg, 7 p.m.

Nashville at Edmonton, 8 p.m.

Boston at Seattle, 9 p.m.

Columbus at San Jose, 9 p.m.

Wednesday’s Games

Dallas at Washington, 6 p.m.

Calgary at Montreal, 6:30 p.m.

Ottawa at Utah, 8:30 p.m.

St. Louis at Chicago, 8:30 p.m.

San Jose at Los Angeles, 9:30 p.m.

College football College Football Playoff Semifinals

Thursday Fiesta Bowl, Glendale, Ariz.

No. 6 Mississippi vs. No. 10 Miami, 6:30 p.m.

(ESPN) Friday Peach Bowl, Atlanta No. 1 Indiana vs. No. 5 Oregon, 6:30 p.m.

(ESPN)

National Championship

Miami Jan. 19 Semifinal winners, 6:30 p.m. (ESPN)

FCS glance

National Championship

Monday Frisco, Texas Montana State 35, Illinois State 34

College basketball Men’s state schedule, scores Monday Southeastern 60, Lamar 52 Prairie View A&M 89, Southern 85 McNeese 66, Stephen F. Austin 64 Nicholls 74, NW State 72 Grambling 84, Texas Southern 67 UNO 83, East Texas A&M 73 Tuesday South Carolina at LSU, n

Thursday Liberty at Louisiana Tech, 6 p.m.

UL-Monroe at UL, 7:30 p.m.

Saturday Troy at UL, noon LSU at Vanderbilt, noon UL-Monroe at Southern Miss, 2 p.m.

Delaware at Louisiana Tech, 2 p.m.

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi, 3:30 p.m.

Southeastern at McNeese, 4 p.m.

Tulane at Texas-San Antonio, 4 p.m.

Grambling at Bethune-Cookman, 4:30 p.m.

Southern at Florida A&M, 5 p.m.

Nicholls at UNO, 5 p.m.

Women’s state schedule, scores Tuesday

Tulsa at Tulane, n

Thursday

UL-Monroe at UL, 5 p.m.

Louisiana Tech at Delaware, 5:30 p.m.

LSU at Georgia, 5:30 p.m.

UNO at Southeastern, 6 p.m.

Southern at Bethune-Cookman, 6 p.m.

Nicholls at McNeese, 6:30 p.m.

UTRGV at Northwestern, 6:30 p.m.

Grambling at Florida A&M, 6:30 p.m.

Saturday

Texas A&M-Corpus Christi at Northwestern State, 1 p.m.

Southeastern at McNeese, 1 p.m.

North Texas at Tulane, 2 p.m.

Nicholls at UNO, 2 p.m.

UL-Monroe at South Alabama, 2 p.m.

Grambling at Bethune-Cookman, 3 p.m.

Texas State at UL, 3 p.m.

Southern at Florida A&M, 3 p.m.

Tennis WTA ASB Classic results Tuesday

At ASB Tennis Centre Auckland, New Zealand Purse: $283,347 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Women’s Singles Round of 32 Elina Svitolina (1), Ukraine, def. Varvara Gracheva, Russia, 6-3, 6-1.

Alexandra Eala (4), Philippines, def. Donna Vekic, Croatia, 4-6, 6-4, 6-4.

Women’s Singles Round of 16 Iva Jovic (3), United States, def. Sara Bejlek, Czechia, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Women’s Doubles Round of 16 Jesika Maleckova, Czechia, and Renata Zarazua, Mexico, def. Asia Muhammad, United States, and Erin Routliffe (1), New Zealand, 3-6, 6-2, 12-10.

WTA Brisbane International results

Tuesday

At Queensland Tennis Centre Brisbane, Australia Purse: $1,691,602 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Women’s Singles Round of 32 Madison Keys (5), United States, def. McCartney Kessler, United States, 6-4, 6-3.

Aryna Sabalenka (1), Belarus, def. Cristina Bucsa, Spain, 6-0, 6-1.

Diana Shnaider (12), Russia, def. Anastasia Potapova, Russia, 6-1, 6-3.

Ekaterina Alexandrova (7), Russia, def. Sofia Kenin, United States, 7-6 (2), 6-3.

Sorana Cirstea, Romania, def. Jelena Ostapenko (14), Latvia, 6-2, 7-6 (5).

Karolina Muchova (11), Czechia, def. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, 4-6, 6-1, 7-6 (5).

Elena Rybakina (3), Kazakhstan, def. Zhang Shuai, China, 6-3, 7-5.

Paula Badosa (15), Spain, def. Marie Bouzkova, Czechia, 6-7 (4), 6-4, 6-2.

Women’s Doubles Round of 16 Alexandra Panova and Irina Khromacheva (4), Russia, def. Clara Tauson, Denmark, and Linda Noskova, Czechia, 7-6 (6), 6-1.

Lyudmyla Kichenok and Nadiia Kichenok, Ukraine, def. Miyu (1994) Kato, Japan, and Fanny Stollar, Hungary, 2-6, 6-2, 10-7.

Women’s Doubles Quarterfinals Aleksandra Krunic, Serbia, and Anna Danilina (2), Kazakhstan, def. Ekaterina Alexandrova and Mirra Andreeva, Russia, 6-1, 6-3.

ATP Hong Kong Open Results Tuesday

At Victoria Park Hong Kong, China Purse: $700,045 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Men’s Singles Round of 32

Alexandre Muller (7), France, def. Miomir Kecmanovic, Serbia, 7-5, 6-4.

Lorenzo Sonego (5), Italy, def. Rei Sakamoto, Japan, 6-2, 7-6 (4).

Tomas Martin Etcheverry, Argentina, def.

Valentin Royer, France, 6-4, 7-5.

Coleman Wong, Hong Kong, China, def.

Mariano Navone, Argentina, 6-3, 7-5.

Gabriel Diallo (6), Canada, def. Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, 6-4, 7-6 (7).

Michael Mmoh, United States, def. Alejandro Tabilo, Chile, 7-5, 6-4.

Marcos Giron, United States, def. Laslo Djere, Serbia, 6-2, 6-0.

Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, def.

Jan-Lennard Struff, Germany, 6-3, 1-6, 6-1.

Juncheng Shang, China, def. Francisco Comesana, Argentina, 6-4, 6-4.

Men’s Doubles Round of 16 Karen Khachanov and Andrey Rublev, Russia, def. Patrik Rikl and Petr Nouza, Czechia, 6-7 (5), 6-3, 11-9.

Transactions MLB American League

BALTIMORE ORIOLES — Agreed to terms with LHP Eric Torres on a minor league contract.

BOSTON RED SOX — Agreed to terms with RHP Kutter Crawford on a one-year contract.

Agreed to terms with C Jason Delay, INF Vinny Capra, RHPs Osvaldo Berrios, Hobie Harris and Devin Sweet and LHPs Alec Gamboa and T.J. Sikkema on minor league contracts.

DETROIT TIGERS — Traded RF Justyn-Henry Malloy to Tampa Bay for cash considerations.

National League

ST. LOUIS CARDINALS — Acquired LHP Justin Bruihl from Cleveland in exchange for cash considerations.

WASHINGTON NATIONALS — Named Jason Sinnarajah president of business operations.

NFL

CAROLINA PANTHERS — Reinstated WR David Moore from injured reserve. Designated G Chandler Zavala to return from injured reserve. Waived WR Hunter Renfrow and S Demani Richardson.

CHICAGO BEARS — Designated CB Kyler Gordon and OT Braxton Jones to return from injured reserve.

DALLAS COWBOYS — Fired defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus.

GREEN BAY PACKERS — Promoted QB Desmond Ridder from the practice squad to the active roster. Signed WRs Julian Hicks and Kisean Johnson and TE Messiah Swinson to the practice squad. Released QB Clayton Tune.

LOS ANGELES CHARGERS — Signed WR Luke Grimm to the practice squad. Released TE Tanner McLachlan from the practice squad.

LOS ANGELES RAMS — Reinstated S Quentin Lake from injured reserve. Placed ILB Shaun Dolac on injured reserve. Signed LB Ben Niemann to the practice squad. Released S Nate Valcarcel from the practice squad.

MIAMI DOLPHINS — Signed WR AJ Henning, DT Alex Huntley, LBs Derrick McLendon and K.C. Ossai and OLs Josh Priebe and Kion Smith to reserve/futures contracts.

NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS — Signed DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. to the practice squad.

Released CB Brandon Crossley from the practice squad.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS — Signed G Tyler Cooper and WR Nick Nash to reserve/ futures contracts.

NHL

ANAHEIM DUCKS — Waived F Nikita Nesterenko. Recalled G Ville Husso from San Diego (AHL).

BOSTON BRUINS — Placed D Hampus Lindholm on injured reserve. Reinstated D Henri Jokiharju from injured reserve.

BUFFALO SABRES — Placed G Alex Lyon on injured reserve. Recalled D Zachary Jones from Rochester (AHL). Placed D Michael Kesselring on injured reserve.

CALGARY FLAMES — Sent F Owen Say to Calgary (AHL). Placed F John Beecher on injured reserve.

EDMONTON OILERS — Placed G Tristan Jarry on long-term injured reserve.

NEW YORK RANGERS — Placed G Igor Shesterkin on injured reserve.

OTTAWA SENATORS — Recalled G Mads Søgaard from Belleville (AHL). Sent G Hunter Shepard to Belleville (AHL).

SAN JOSE SHARKS — Recalled F Michael Misa to the active roster. Placed D Shakir Mukhamadullin on injured reserve.

TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING — Recalled D Simon Lundmark from Syracuse (AHL).

LIVING

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

|

W e d n e s d ay, J a n u a ry 7, 2026

5Cn

‘I find the sound bath brings you to another level of existence.’

Faith leaders embrace new healing method

BY DEEPA BHARATH Associated Press

LOS ANGELES — With eyes closed and a small mallet in hand, the Rev. Kyohei Mikawa gently struck the bronze Himalayan singing bowl resting in his palm and bathed the Buddhist sanctuary in a resonant hum.

Mikawa spent the next 45 minutes skimming bowls, playing a tongue drum and chanting to create an immersive experience called a sound bath as he sat facing a dozen people relaxing or meditating on yoga mats.

Sometimes known as sound healing or sound meditation, sound baths have surged in popularity over the past decade, driven by growing public interest in mental health and wellness. But sound baths are no longer confined to yoga centers, crystal healing studios or other new age spaces. They have crossed over to mainstream worship spaces, including churches, temples and synagogues.

Faith leaders like Mikawa, who oversees Rissho Kosei Kai Buddhist Center in Los Angeles’ largely Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights, are increasingly embracing sound baths. They see it as a way to reach out to their neighbors who may not be affiliated with a religion, but still want to be in community with others seeking spiritual experiences. They have also found ways to make this practice mesh with their respective faith traditions.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Acadiana has long participated in its own fried dough traditions, even while the classic beignet (dusted with powdered sugar) was largely popularized in urban, bustling quick-service cafes in the city.

Deep dive Looking for a beignet in Cajun country? These Lafayette spots have great fried dough.

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

In the popular imagination, New Orleans is the queen city of beignets. Tourists from around the world descend on a daily basis, seeking a baptism by powdered sugar at renowned spots like Café du Monde or Morning Call.

Lafayette, better known as a culinary destination for Cajun favorites such as boudin and dark roux gumbos, is also a beignet-loving town, with cafes, diners and donut shops serving the sweet, crispy squares of fried dough — without the long lines.

According to Vermilionville food historian and historic interpreter Jay Steiner, Acadiana has long participated in its own fried dough traditions, even while the classic beignet (dusted with powdered sugar) was largely popularized in urban, bustling quick-service cafes in the city.

“Beignets are actually our official state donut,” said Steiner.

“Their rise in New Orleans coincided with an influx of AngloAmericans and the popularity of coffee shops, starting to hit a high around the 1820s and ’30s. Coffee shops had been a trend on the East Coast, and much like taverns, you wanted to give people something to keep them there.”

AP PHOTO By ALLISON DINNER

People partake in a sound bath at Temple Emanuel on Dec. 6 in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Practice and sound baths The sounds that punctuated Mikawa’s session emanated from centuries of Buddhist tradition and practice, energizing and calming the mind at once, he said. A chant at the end of the sound bath, he said, means: “Seek refuge in the true spirit of who you are.”

“The goal is not to become a Buddhist, but a Buddha — the best version of who we are,” he said.

Rabbi Jonathan Aaron, who leads Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills, a Reform synagogue, performs a sound bath the first Saturday of each month at the end of the Shabbat service, during a ceremony called the Havdalah. As part of this ritual, blessings are offered over wine, sweet spices and a multi-wicked candle while participants reflect on the difference between the sacred and the ordinary.

Aaron says a rejuvenating sound bath fits perfectly with the sensory nature of the Havdalah, preparing attendees for the week ahead. The rabbi works with a practitioner who uses crystal bowls, gongs, rain sticks and an ocean drum, which mimics the sound of waves, to create a relaxing, meditative atmosphere.

ä See HEALING, page 6C

Beignets from Black Cafe in Lafayette While beignets were popularized as a coffeehouse treat in New Orleans, Acadiana residents were also frying dough, more likely using whatever ingredients on hand for a slower, homemade treat.

“Out here there were no restaurants, no cafes, people made things at home. You may use a sourdough, you may use cornmeal. You might make it leavened, or use baking powder instead of yeast, and sweeten it with molasses or syrup,”

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN he said.

“Eventually we became as urbanized as other places, with similar donut shops and cafes and places making things in big batches. The powdered sugar thing is definitely a New Orleans thing — it’s fast, it’s quick.”

Today, a majority of beignets found in Lafayette can be considered “New Orleans style,” dusted

ä See BEIGNETS, page 6C

THE BEST THINGS WE ATE THIS WEEK

Fulfill savory, sweet needs with our recent favorites Chili Cheese Dawg from Frankie’s Dawg House

STAFF PHOTO By MADDIE SCOTT

Staff report

ber. My buddy and I hijacked the TV remote to play the Miami and Texas A&M football game, and somewhere between n Frankie’s Dawg House, 2318 the rustic surroundings, college Cedardale Ave., Baton Rouge football and American specialty sustenance (hot dog), my soul This was my second trip to Frankie’s after praising their Chi- was touched.

It’s a dish where, to be honest, cago Dawg, where I said my next would be the chili cheese classic. the atmosphere matters just as much as taste. The dog was And there I was, two months a vessel for a good time, and later, on a Saturday afternoon.

I ordered my hot dog with a ä See BEST, page 6C side of fries and an Abita Am-

Chili Cheese Dog

6C ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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TODAY IN HISTORY

By The Associated Press Today is Wednesday, Jan. 7, the seventh day of 2026. There are 358 days left in the year.

Today in history: On Jan. 7, 2015, masked gunmen stormed the Paris offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French newspaper that had caricatured the Prophet Muhammad, methodically killing 12 people, including the editor, before escaping.

(Two suspects were killed two days later.)

Also on this date: In 1955, Marian Anderson became the first African American to sing with the Metropolitan Opera in New York, in Verdi’s “Un Ballo in Maschera.”

In 1979, Vietnamese forces captured the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh, overthrowing the communist Khmer Rouge government whose brutal policies are blamed for the deaths of 1.7

million people, including the killing of thousands of Vietnamese villagers in crossborder raids.

In 1999, President Bill Clinton’s Senate impeachment trial began on grounds of perjury to a grand jury and obstruction of justice.

The Republican-controlled House voted in October 1998 to start proceedings after months of controversy over Clinton’s relationship with White House intern Monica Lewinsky, with whom he denied having a sexual relationship. The Senate acquitted Clinton on Feb. 12, falling far short of the 67 votes needed to convict on each charge.

In 2022, three White men convicted of murder after Ahmaud Arbery was chased and killed while jogging in a south Georgia community were sentenced to life in prison. The judge denied any chance of parole for the father and son who

BEST

homemade.

— Lauren Cheramie, features coordinator

Continued from page 5C as I lounged in Frankie’s shack-like dining room and languidly picked off the last few fries from the red checkered basket paper with good company next to me, it occurred to me that I won exactly what I sought after. I felt like a rich woman.

— Maddie Scott, features writer

Boudin, egg and cheese biscuit

n Billy’s Boudin & Cracklins,

24467 U.S. 190, Krotz Springs

Sometimes the best food in life is had on the go.

Such was the case with the boudin biscuit from Billy’s.

I’ll set the scene.

I was on the road to go to a concert in Irving, Texas, and I stopped at Billy’s for breakfast. While perusing the menu, my friend noticed that they had a breakfast biscuit, which she ordered. It’s a good

HEALING

Continued from page 5C He believes that while a sound bath might not be inherently Jewish, it lends itself well to Jewish heritage, thought and prayer. Aaron points out that the first chapter of Genesis describes God creating the world through sound by speaking the words: “Let there be light.” Hearing, listening, and sacred sounds, including the call of the shofar that heralds the Jewish new year, are all important aspects of the faith, he said.

“I’m not trying to make the sound bath Jewish,” he said.

“But I’m trying to bring Jewish energy and an experience by creating this environment that has a sound bath as part of it.”

Anna Reyner, a member who attended the sound bath, said the synagogue is a perfect space for it because it builds community — often a main purpose of a house of worship.

“When you are in this intricate sound wave experience with others, you feel a sense of community and a connection to the source of holiness,” she said.

Connecting with neighbors The Rev. Paul Capetz, pastor of Christ Church by the Sea, a United Methodist congregation in Newport Beach, California, said their monthly sound bath sessions, performed by a local practitioner, are drawing people “who would never otherwise darken the door of a church.”

“I find the sound bath brings you to another level of existence,” Capetz said.

“It’s almost hypnotic, but it’s not a drug. You’re experiencing it in real time that leaves you with a feeling of such serenity.”

The goal of having practices like sound bath and meditation in the church is not to convert, but to relate to others in the community who may be spiritual but not

armed themselves and initiated the deadly pursuit of the 25-year-old Black man in 2020 after spotting him running in their neighborhood in Brunswick.

In 2023, Republican Kevin McCarthy was elected speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in a historic post-midnight 15th ballot, overcoming holdouts from his own ranks after a chaotic week that tested the new GOP majority’s ability to govern.

Today’s birthdays: Musician Kenny Loggins is 78. Actor David Caruso is 70. TV journalist Katie Couric is 69. Republican Sen. John Thune of South Dakota is 65. Republican Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky is 63.

Actor Nicolas Cage is 62.

Actor Jeremy Renner is 55.

Country singer-musician John Rich is 52. Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton is 41. NFL quarterback Lamar Jackson is 29.

Specialty chocolate

n Poupart Bakery, 1902 W.

Pinhook Road, Lafayette

When nothing else but fine pastry will do, Poupart Bakery should be your first stop for cakes, cookies, cannoli, petit fours and almost anything else your STAFF PHOTO By JOANNA BROWN sweet tooth can handle. A classic French bakery ofChocolate mousse, fering breads, sandwiches, clockwise from top left, a cakes and pastries, Poupart mini chocolate doberge is probably busiest during cake and chocolate petit king cake season, when the fours from Poupart Bakery in bakery offers both a classic Louisiana-style king cake Lafayette and a traditional French king cake with puff pastry thing I heard her, because and almond filling.

I followed suit, along with On this trip, I filled a ordering the red beans and box with super-chocolatey rice ball. But the biscuit treats for savoring in this was the star of the show. quiet post-Christmas seaAt the base, there was egg and cheddar cheese, son. The chocolate mousse, then the boudin patty was mini doberge cake and petit placed on top, all of its fours were each uniquely contents meshing well in special, with a rich flavor a perfect bite. The boudin that belied their mini size. was perfectly greasy, and — Joanna Brown, the biscuit was noticeably staff writer

religious, the pastor said.

Churches are naturally conducive to sound baths because of their sense of history, sanctity, reverence and, often, pristine acoustics, said Lynda Arnold, a longtime sound healer who has performed at Episcopal churches in Los Angeles.

“We talk about wanting to bring people into a state of deep listening, contemplation, prayer and intention,” she said. “In this church environment, there is an endless amount of creativity that can happen with sound and music.”

While sound baths are a more recent phenomenon, the power of sound has been harnessed for healing and spirituality for millennia.

Alexandre Tannous, a New York-based sound researcher and sound therapist who has done these sessions around the U.S. and abroad, said many religions and cultures believe in the primordial nature of sound.

In Eastern religions, “aum” is believed to be the primordial sound or vibration from which the entire universe was created and is sustained. In Egyptian mythology and the Hermetic tradition, the universe is believed to have been created through the power of the spoken word, also known as Logos. The concept of the universe being “sung” into existence or created by sound is a common motif found in several ancient and Indigenous traditions and mythologies.

“In Western science, how do we believe the universe started?” Tannous said.

“With a Big Bang, right?”

The instruments used in a sound bath — such as gongs, singing bowls, bells, chimes, didgeridoos — all provide vibrations and grounding harmony that help a person quiet the mind and become focused, he said.

“Those notes between the notes have the power to quiet the multitasking monkey mind,” said Tannous, referring to the unadulter-

STAFF FILE PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

Nicholas Miller, of Poupart’s Beignets, sprinkles powered sugar on some beignets during Festivals Acadiens et Créoles at Girard Park.

BEIGNETS

Continued from page 5C with heaps of powdered sugar and available at places that know how to fry in quantity, like donut shops.

Like a donut, your favorite beignet is a highly subjective choice — you may prefer one pocket of fried dough to another, but it’s hard to find a bad one.

If I really had to name a favorite beignet, I’d probably go with “beignet fries,” a version of a beignet where the dough is cut into long, thin fingers and fried till crispy, then dusted with the requisite portion of powdered sugar.

Sometimes called beignet fingers, this treat is popular

at local festivals (I always grab the beignet fries from Mandez’s Seafood at Festival International) thanks to their shareable nature, and similarity to fair foods like funnel cakes.

It’s a testament to what makes a beignet great — whether long, square or round, fried dough is delicious all the time. And Lafayette’s profusion of beignets, all unique and tasty in their own ways, proves it.

Try these spots for fresh beignets in Lafayette: n Another Broken Egg Cafe, 112 Rue Promenade n Black Cafe, 518 S. Pierce St. n Caffe Cottage, 1013 E. St. Mary Blvd. n Cajun Market Donut Company, 1812 W. Pinhook Road

n Dwyer’s Cafe, 323 Jefferson St. n Hub City Diner, 1412 S. College Road n Parish Biscuit Company, 1120 Coolidge St. n Poupart Bakery, 1902 W. Pinhook Road n Ricky Meche’s Donut King, various locations n Ruby Slipper, 4701 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. n Sunday’s Soda Fountain, 431 Jefferson St. n Tasty Cream Donuts, 415 Jefferson Blvd. n T-Coon’s, 1900 W. Pinhook Road n The French Press, 3822 Ambassador Caffery Pkwy. n Ton’s Downtown, 500 Jefferson St.

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

ated harmonics produced by these instruments.

The science of sound Ramesh Balasubramaniam, professor of cognitive science at the University of California, Merced, has looked into how the brain resonates with and responds to sounds — particularly in some frequencies that could induce a deep, meditative state. A sound bath, he says, is one of the routes to get there.

“When you hear a sound wave that oscillates four times a second, you’re going to facilitate brain waves in the same frequency range by a process known as entrainment,” Balasubramaniam said. “We have 100 billion neurons and they all sing in concert in the same frequency, producing this collective effect like a crowd chanting in a football game.”

Jazmin Morales, who lives near the Rissho Kosei Kai Buddhist Center, has been attending Mikawa’s weekly sound baths for several weeks. She doesn’t know the science behind it. She just knows it works for her.

“I’ve always had trouble focusing when I meditate,” she said. “But a sound bath helps me focus. It’s helped me sleep when I was unable to sleep. It’s helped me let go of emotion. It’s even sparked my creativity.”

For Ridge Gonzalez, who practices yoga and meditation, it was her first time in a sound bath.

“It was amazing,” she said.

“I could visualize the sound as if it were being sprinkled.

I could see and feel it. When you’re meditating, you feel a sense of clarity. The sound bath feels like just another way of extending that practice.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

The American Red Cross of Louisiana is here all year.

Local support. Local impact.

The American Red Cross in Louisiana

serves 4.65 million residents across all 64 parishes and extends hope to communities across the nation and around the world. When you support your local Red Cross, you make a direct impact in your community.

Powered by generosity.

The Red Cross is not a government agency. We are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that relies on the power of volunteers and the generosity of donors to carry out our humanitarian mission.

Red Cross supporters provide a beacon of hope. From helping during disasters, to providing lifesaving training and supporting military communities, the Red Cross is there when help can’t wait.

Be the help Louisiana needs. redcross.org/louisiana

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 7C

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FrAnK And erneSt

bIG nAte

zItS

zodIAC CAPRICoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Ask questions, research and focus on maintaining better health and wealth management.

You have more choices than you realize.

Don't sit on the sidelines dreaming. It's up to you to make things happen.

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Focus on what you can do, not what you can't. Adjust your surroundings to accommodate your lifestyle or help incorporate the changes you want to make into your daily routine. Opportunity begins with you.

PIsCEs (Feb. 20-March 20) Open your heart, volunteer your services and do your best to make others feel good about themselves. How you impact others will reflect how you feel about yourself.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Take care of your responsibilities, but don't sign up for additional jobs or cover for someone else. Letting others take advantage of you will lead to stress. tAuRus (April 20-May 20) Start the ball rolling. Share your concerns and offer solutions. Use your connections to help bring about change. Prepare to take advantage of whatever comes your way.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Pick and choose your allies carefully. Not everyone will push your agenda. Rely on your experience to point you in the right direction.

Don't share secrets or personal information.

CAnCER (June 21-July 22) Stick close to home and spend time with loved ones.

A kind gesture will make a difference to

both you and the person you help. Personal relationships will prosper if you strive for equality.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) Don't overthink what you can do. Actions speak louder than words. How you treat others will determine how they treat you in return.

Offer encouragement, not criticism, and you will get others to support your efforts.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) Join in and be part of the solution. Share your thoughts, skills and whatever else you have available. Your contributions will make you feel just as good as those on the receiving end.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Keep tabs on what everyone around you is doing. Situations will change quickly if you aren't careful.

Accountability and compassion will help you make the right choice. sCoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Take advantage of a chance to make a difference. Be a leader, ask direct questions and pull together a plan that resonates with those around you. You'll gain experience and personal accomplishment. sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Proceed with caution. Choose your words wisely and promise only what you can deliver.

You'll fall under scrutiny if you let your emotions filter into your conversations or decisions. Do what's best for you.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

For better or For WorSe WonderWord

peAnUtS

SALLY Forth

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

toDAy's CLuE: G EQuALs H

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon FAMILY CIrCUS

dooneSbUrY

8C ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

CurTiS

Hi and LoiS

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Sudoku InstructIons: Sudoku is a number-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 grid with several given numbers.

The object is to place the numbers 1 to 9 in the empty squares so that each row, each column and each 3x3 box contains the same number only once. The difficulty level of the Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday.

Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

BaBY BLueS

BLondie

THe wiZard oF id

nea CroSSwordS

La TimeS CroSSword

The Acadiana Advocate ● theadvocate.com ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● 9C

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B.C.

Bridge

By PHILLIP ALDER Judith Viorst, a novelist and poet, said, “Strength is the capacity to break a chocolate bar into four pieces with your bare hands — and then to eat just one of the pieces.”

Strength at the bridge table is the capacity to stop an opponent with four good trumps from winning more than one trick with them. However, doing that may require imagination.

In today’s deal, South is in six hearts.

West leads the spade queen. South takes the trick with his ace and cashes the heart ace. East’s spade discard is a bad blow. How can South recover?

It is unusual to bid a slam after a single raise, but the South hand has few losers.

His three-club rebid was a help-suit game-try. And when North jumped to four hearts to say that he had club assistance, it was a fair gamble for South to bid the slam.

There seem to be two unavoidable trump losers. However, if South can get his trump length reduced, he might be able to endplay West. This requires finding the West hand with exactly 3-4-4-2 distribution.

Declarer plays a diamond to dummy’s ace, ruffs a diamond in his hand, cashes the spade king, ruffs his last spade on the board, trumps another diamond, cashes

garfield

Pearls Before swiNe

hagar the horriBle

the club ace, leads a club to dummy’s king, and ruffs the last diamond.

Everyone is down to three cards. South retains the king-jack of hearts and a low club. West has three trumps. So, when declarer leads his last club, West is forced to ruff and play away from his heart queen. Six hearts bid and made! © 2026 by NEA, Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles Each Wuzzle is a word riddle which creates a disguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOON GOOD = GOOD AFTERNOON

PiCKles

Previous answers:

mallard fillmore

word game InstRuCtIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3.

Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

toDAy’s WoRD — HItHERto: HIH-ther-too: Up to this or that time.

Bizarro

marmaduKe

Average mark 19 words Time limit 35 minutes Can you find 27 or more words in HITHERTO? yEstERDAy’s WoRD — sERIAL sail

rail

lair

sale

raise

lase

sari

rale

laser

seal

real

liar

sear

rile

sire

rise

slier

isle

earl

aisle

loCKhorNs hidato Yesterday’s Puzzle Answer

today’s thought “While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:18 The Lord gives us the wisdom to know what really counts. — G.E. Dean

10C ● Wednesday, January 7, 2026 ● theadvocate.com ● The Acadiana Advocate

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ALMANAC

AIR QUALITY

LAFAyETTE THROUGH 5 P.M. TUESDAy

YESTERDAY

TEMPERATURE

High/low Normal high/low Record high Record low

MODERATE

78°/58° 62°/43° 80° in 1894 18° in 1924

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

READING 53

TODAY

PRECIPITATION

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

GOOD

0.00” Trace (1.15”) Trace (1.15”)

MAIN POLLUTANT Particulates

SUN AND MOON Sunrise today Sunset tonight Moonrise today Moonset today

LAST

7:05 a.m.

5:23 p.m.

10:09 p.m.

10:10 a.m.

JAN 10

SOURCE: AIRNOW.GOV

NEW

FIRST

FULL

JAN 18

JAN 25

FEB 1

THE NATION AND WORLD Today City

LOUISIANA FORECAST

RIVER STAGES MISSISSIPPI

Monroe 74/61

Shreveport 76/65

Jackson 77/60

Longview 78/63

Many 77/63

Hattiesburg 79/60

Alexandria 77/64

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

Cairo COMITE

Near Olive

Baton Rouge 81/64 Beaumont 78/65

Port Arthur 75/66

Lafayette

AMITE

Near Darlington Denham Springs Port Vincent

New Orleans 79/63

Lake Charles 77/64

TICKFAW

Montpelier Holden

Houma 81/63

ATCHAFALAYA

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

TIDES HIGH

First FT. LOW

Lake Pontchartrain (Tchefuncte River) 10:08a 0.4 Shell Beach 4:34a 1.0 South Point, Marsh Island 5:01a 1.0 Cypremort Point 6:03a 0.6 Grand Isle (Barataria Pass) ----Mississippi River (Southwest Pass) 11:26p 0.5 Wine Island 1:02a 0.8

FT.

9:24p -0.1 2:17p -0.2 11:02a -0.3 3:58a 0.6 10:40a -0.2 8:50a -0.2 11:42a -0.3

HIGH

Second FT. LOW

--------8:20p 1.1 10:36p 0.8 -------------

FT.

------------2:53p -0.3 -------------

Forecasts and graphics, except KATC forecasts, provided by AccuWeather, Inc. ©2026

Simmesport Melville Krotz Springs Butte La Rose Bayou Sorrel Morgan City

FLOOD STAGE 24-HOUR STAGE CHANGE

34 48 48 35 27 22 17

-2.40 14.60 17.50 6.10 4.00 2.19 2.70

-0.14 +0.18 none -0.40 -0.10 -0.10 +0.03

40

12.95

-1.02

19

-1.43

none

18 29 8

-0.99 10.09 1.64

-0.02 -0.01 +0.29

13 15

1.61 0.80

-0.02 -0.01

47 34 29 20 12 6

5.88 3.87 3.77 2.67 2.40 2.09

-0.09 +0.06 +0.13 +0.14 -0.60 +0.17

Austin Boston Dallas Fairbanks Honolulu Las Vegas Louisville Miami Nashville

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

Thursday

Hi

Lo

W

Hi

Lo

W

City

79 38 77 -12 82 59 55 81 65

67 33 64 -39 66 43 42 69 50

c r pc c sh pc s pc s

80 44 78 -35 82 54 64 82 70

64 33 53 -42 69 38 60 68 65

sh s r pc pc pc r pc r

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

37 85 49 27 36 76 40 30 83 63 63

34 68 40 12 32 56 34 27 63 53 47

sn s s s sn pc c sn s s pc

39 83 58 26 39 78 39 37 86 65 65

34 65 51 21 36 59 33 33 65 54 49

c s c pc r pc c sn s s pc

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

Hi

Today

W

Hi

Lo

W

79 78 56 60 43 72 61 67 77

63 57 36 51 33 40 46 55 61

pc pc pc r c pc s pc pc

79 82 53 61 52 67 64 66 80

67 62 38 41 47 51 45 45 64

sh pc pc sh pc pc r s s

69 42 45 76 32 25 61 36 48 23 46

44 35 29 46 29 15 41 34 31 16 36

s pc pc pc sn sn pc sn pc sn pc

72 45 45 76 34 19 60 48 49 31 52

42 36 40 45 31 9 43 41 40 23 38

pc r c pc pc c pc r pc c s

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

-10

-0s

0s

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

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

Today Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue.

Major

Minor

2:32a 8:43a 3:22a 9:33a 4:08a 10:18a 4:50a 11:01a 5:31a 11:42a 6:12a 12:23p 6:54a 12:42a

Major

Minor

2:55p 9:06p 3:43p 9:54p 4:28p 10:39p 5:11p 11:21p 5:53p ---6:35p ---7:17p 1:06p

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

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Thursday

Lo

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