The Acadiana Advocate 01-20-2026 by The Advocate

Enduring legacy

With the theme “Living the Dream: Together, We Shall Overcome,” the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Committee of Lafayette hosted a celebration marking the 40th Martin Luther King Jr. Day on Monday at the Martin Luther King Jr. Multipurpose Center on Cora Street in Lafayette

U.S. Supreme Court weighs coastal case trial location

Justices wonder about ripple effects from lawsuit

BY ALEX LUBBEN Staff writer

The U.S. Supreme Court waded into a landmark lawsuit last week that seeks to hold oil companies to account for allegedly damaging the Louisiana coastline, but the justices’ eventual ruling may not be as clear cut as either side hopes. A ruling in Chevron U.S.A. Inc v. Plaquemines Parish is expected by this summer There are likely four distinct ways the ruling could play out following Jan. 12 oral arguments, according to attorneys involved in the case and law professors watching it.

A rusted oil pipeline in the Bayou Gentilly oil field has been abandoned, according to lawyers representing Plaquemines Parish in their lawsuit against oil and gas companies. ä See COASTAL, page 4A

Report: Louisiana greenhouse emissions were flat in 2025

But influx of new industry could outpace improvements

BY JOSIE ABUGOV Staff writer

Louisiana has been among the nation’s biggest greenhouse gas emitters due to its heavy industry, but new data shows the state may be at least temporarily bucking a trend.

While climate-warming emissions increased nationwide last year, Louisiana’s share has slightly declined over the past few years and was relatively ﬂat in 2025, the preliminary data from an independent research group shows. Any reduction in greenhouse gases classiﬁes

ä See EMISSIONS, page 4A

10 sex abuse lawsuits involve Lake Charles-area clergy

BY MEGAN WYATT Staff writer

Ten lawsuits have been filed in Lake Charles’ 14th Judicial District Court against churches and schools in southwest Louisiana since the state’s “lookback window” law went into effect in 2021, allowing survi-

vors of sexual abuse to ﬁle decadesold lawsuits. The recent law change from the Louisiana Legislature opened the floodgates for childhood sexual abuse survivors to file civil suits that otherwise would have been barred through the state’s statute of limitations. Still, in some cases, survivors can no longer pursue criminal charges when the statute of limitations has lapsed or their alleged abuser has died. The lookback window was initially set to expire in 2024, but state lawmakers extended the deadline to ﬁle lawsuits until June 14, 2027.

Not every clergy member named in a lawsuit previously appeared on a list of credibly accused clergy members the Diocese of Lake

Charles released in 2019. The clergy members named in the lawsuits include: n the Rev Michael Barras of St. Paul Catholic Church in Elton n the Rev Mark Broussard of Our Lady Queen of Heaven Roman Catholic Church in Lake Charles n the Rev James Burke of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lake Charles n Sister Thelma Dexheimer of Our Lady Immaculate School in Jennings n Deacon Saunier of Our Lady of Prompt Succor Roman Catholic Church in Sulphur n the Rev Herbert Schuster of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Lake Charles n the Rev Charles Soileau of St. Joseph Church in Vinton

ä See CLERGY, page 5A

ABOVE: Attendees bow their heads in prayer during the prayer breakfast at the Martin Luther King Jr Center in Lafayette.

RIGHT: Saxophonist Jeremy Benoit and piano player Joseph Breaux perform during the prayer breakfast.

Members of Boy Scout Troop 100 and Cub Scout Pack 100 prepare to raise the American flag Louisiana flag and the MLK flag to signal the start of events.

STAFF PHOTOS By BRAD KEMP

Gerald Boudreaux, left, chair of the Martin Luther King Jr Holiday Committee, presents a plaque to Patricia Colbert-Cormier who was among the 2026 Dr King Award recipients, amid a celebration marking Martin Luther King Jr Day on Monday

FILE PHOTO By MATTHEW HINTON

‘60 Minutes’ airs report on Trump deportations

“60 Minutes” on Sunday aired its story about Trump administration deportations that was abruptly pulled from the newsmagazine’s lineup a month ago, a move that had triggered an internal battle about political pressure that spilled out into the open. Correspondent Sharyn Alfonsi made no reference to her dispute with CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss in the story about deportees who had been sent to El Salvador’s notoriously harsh CECOT prison. When the segment was struck from the Dec 21 episode on Weiss’ orders Alfonsi told her “60 Minutes” colleagues that it “was not an editorial decision, it was a political one.” Weiss had argued that the story did not sufﬁciently reﬂect the administration’s viewpoint or advance reporting that had been done by other news organizations earlier

The story shown Sunday included no on-camera interviews with Trump administration ofﬁcials. But it did include statements from the White House and Department of Homeland Security that were not part of what Alfonsi had used before her story was pulled. Some of statements, which were carried in full on the “60 Minutes” website, were dated prior to Dec. 21.

“Since November, ‘60 Minutes’ has made several attempts to interview key Trump administration ofﬁcials on camera about our story,” Alfonsi said. “They declined our requests.” Alfonsi did not immediately return a message Sunday

Death toll in Spanish train crash rises to 40 ADAMUZ, Spain Regional Spanish ofﬁcials said Monday that at least 40 people are confirmed dead in a high-speed rail collision the previous night in the country’s south when the tail end of a train jumped the track, causing another train speeding past in the opposite direction to derail.

Juanma Moreno, the president of Andalusia, the southern Spanish region where the accident happened, confirmed the new death toll in an afternoon news conference. Efforts to recover the bodies from the two wrecked train cars continued, he added.

The impact tossed the second train’s lead carriages off the track, sending them plummeting down a 13-foot slope Some bodies were found hundreds of feet from the crash site, Moreno said earlier in the day, describing the wreckage as a “mass of twisted metal” with bodies likely still to be found inside. Authorities are also focusing on attending hundreds of distraught family members and have asked for them to provide DNA samples to help identify victims.

Hackers target Iran state TV’s transmission DUBAI,UnitedArab Emirates Hackers disrupted Iranian state television satellite transmissions to air footage supporting the country’s exiled crown prince and calling on security forces to not “point your weapons at the people,” online video showed early Monday, the latest disruption to follow nationwide protests in the country

The hacking comes as the death toll in a crackdown by authorities that smothered the demonstrations reached at least 3,941 people, activists said. They fear the number will grow far higher as information leaks out of a country still gripped by the government’s decision to shut down the internet Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi had his invitation to speak at the World Economic Forum at Davos, Switzerland, withdrawn over the killings.

Meanwhile, tensions remain high between the United States and Iran over the crackdown after President Donald Trump drew two red lines for the Islamic Republic — the killing of peaceful protesters and Tehran conducting mass executions in the wake of the demonstrations. A U.S. aircraft carrier which days earlier had been in the South China Sea, passed Singapore overnight to enter the Strait of Malacca — putting it on a route that could bring it to the Middle East.

Trump ties Greenland stance to not getting Peace Prize

Norway’s leader releases message from U.S. president

BY AAMER MADHANI, GEIR MOULSON and EMMA BURROWS Associated Press

NUUK, Greenland President Donald Trump linked his aggressive stance on Greenland to last year’s decision not to award him the Nobel Peace Prize, telling Norway’s prime minister that he no longer felt “an obligation to think purely of Peace,” in a text message released on Monday

Trump’s message to Jonas Gahr

Støre appears to ratchet up a standoff between Washington and its closest allies over his threats to take over Greenland, a self-governing territory of NATO member Denmark. On Saturday, Trump announced a 10% import tax starting in February on goods from eight nations that have rallied around Denmark and Greenland, including Norway

Those countries issued a forceful rebuke

Many longtime allies of the U.S remained resolute that Greenland was not for sale but encouraged Washington to discuss solutions. In a statement on social media, the European Union’s foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc had “no interest to pick a ﬁght” but would “hold our ground.”

The White House has not ruled taking control of the strategic Arctic island by force. Asked whether Trump could invade Greenland, Danish Foreign Minister Lars Løkke Rasmussen said on Monday that “you can’t leave anything out until the president himself has decided to leave anything out.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also sought to de-escalate tensions on Monday “I think this can be resolved and should be resolved through calm discussion,” he said, adding that he did not believe military action would occur

In a sign of how tensions have increased in recent days, thousands of Greenlanders marched over the weekend in protest of any effort to take over their island. Green-

land Prime Minister Jens-Frederik

Nielsen said in a Facebook post Monday that the tariff threats would not change their stance.

“We will not be pressured,” he wrote

Meanwhile, Naaja Nathanielsen, Greenland’s minister for business,

minerals, energy, justice and equality, told The Associated Press that she was moved by the quick response of allies to the tariff threat and said it showed that countries realize “this is about more than Greenland.”

“I think a lot of countries are afraid that if they let Greenland go, what would be next?”

Trump’s Sunday message to Gahr Støre, released by the Norwegian government, read in part: “Considering your Country decided not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize for having stopped 8 Wars PLUS, I no longer feel an obligation to think purely of Peace.”

It concluded: “The World is not secure unless we have Complete and Total Control of Greenland.”

The Norwegian leader said Trump’s message was a reply to an earlier missive sent on behalf of himself and Finnish President Alexander Stubb, in which they conveyed their opposition to the tariff announcement, pointed to a need to de-escalate, and proposed a telephone conversation among the three leaders.

“Norway’s position on Greenland is clear Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark, and Norway fully supports the Kingdom of Denmark on this matter,” the Norwegian leader said in a statement.

“As regards the Nobel Peace Prize I have clearly explained, including to President Trump what is well known, the prize is awarded by an independent Nobel Committee and not the Norwegian Government.”

The Norwegian Nobel Committee is an independent body whose ﬁve members are appointed by the

Norwegian Parliament.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent defended the president’s approach in Greenland during a brief Q&A with reporters in Davos, Switzerland, which is hosting the World Economic Forum meeting this week.

“I think it’s a complete canard that the president would be doing this because of the Nobel,” Bessent said, immediately after saying he did not “know anything about the president’s letter to Norway.”

Trump has openly coveted the peace prize, which the committee awarded to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado last year Last week, Machado presented her Nobel medal to Trump, who said he planned to keep it, though the committee said the prize can’t be revoked, transferred or shared with others.

In his latest threat of tariffs, Trump indicated they would be retaliation for last week’s deployment of symbolic numbers of troops from the European countries to Greenland though he also suggested that he was using the tariffs as leverage to negotiate with Denmark.

European governments said that the troops traveled to the island to assess Arctic security, part of a response to Trump’s own concerns about interference from Russia and China.

They are now looking at setting up a more permanent military presence to help guarantee security in the Arctic region, a key demand of the United States, Swedish Defense Minister Pål Jonson said Monday

100 vehicles pile up in Michigan crash as snow sweeps across U.S.

By The Associated Press

HUDSONVILLE, Mich. — More than 100 vehicles smashed into each other or slid off the interstate in Michigan on Monday as snow fueled by the Great Lakes blanketed the state.

The massive pileup prompted the Michigan State Police to close both directions of Interstate 196 Monday morning just southwest of Grand Rapids as while officials worked to remove all the vehicles, including more than 30 semitrailer trucks.

The State Police said there were numerous injuries, but no deaths had been reported Pedro Mata Jr said he could barely see the cars in front of him as the snow blew across the road while driving 20-25 mph before the crash. He was able to stop his pickup safely, but then decided to pull his truck off the road into the median to avoid being hit from behind

“It was a little scary just listening to everything, the bangs and booms behind you. I saw what was in front of me. I couldn’t see what was behind me exactly,” Mata said

The crash is just the latest impact of the major winter storm moving across the country The National Weather Service

issued warnings about either extremely cold temperatures or the potential for winter storms across several states starting in northern Minnesota and stretching south and east into Wisconsin, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York.

A day earlier, snow fell as far south as the Florida Panhandle and made it harder for football players to hang onto the ball during playoff games in Massachusetts and Chicago. Forecasters warned Monday that freezing temperatures are possible overnight into Tuesday across much of north-central Florida and southeast Georgia.

The Ottawa County Sheriff’s ofﬁce in Michigan said multiple crashes

and jackknifed semis were reported along with numerous cars that slid off the road. Stranded motorists were being bused to Hudsonville High School, where they could call for help or arrange a ride.

Officials expected the road to be closed for several hours during the cleanup.

One of the companies helping remove the stranded cars, Grand Valley Towing, sent more than a dozen of its trucks to the scene of the chain-reaction crash. Several towing companies responded in the brutally cold weather “We’re trying to get as many vehicles out of there as quickly as possible, so we can get the road opened back up,” manager Jeff Westveld said.

Source: Fed chair to attend Cook case arguments

Fed governor’s firing lawsuit to be heard by Supreme Court

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP economics writer

WASHINGTON Federal Reserve

Chair Jerome Powell will attend the Supreme Court’s oral argument Wednesday in a case involving the attempted firing of Fed governor Lisa Cook, an unusual show of support by the central bank chair

The high court is considering whether President Donald Trump can ﬁre Cook, as he said he would do in late August, in an unprecedented attempt to remove one of the seven members of the Fed’s governing board. Powell plans to attend the high court’s Wednesday session, according to a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity It’s a much more public show of support than the Fed chair has previously shown Cook But it follows Powell’s announcement last week that the Trump administration has sent subpoenas to the Fed, threatening an unprecedented criminal indictment of the Fed Chair Powell appointed to the position by Trump in 2018 — appears to be casting off last year’s more subdued response to Trump’s repeated attacks on the central bank in favor of a more public confrontation.

Powell issued a video statement Jan. 11 condemning the subpoenas as “pretexts” for Trump’s efforts to force him to sharply cut the Fed’s key interest rate. Powell oversaw three rate cuts late last year, lowering the rate to about 3.6%, but Trump has argued it should be as low as 1%, a position few economists support. The Trump administration has accused Cook of mortgage fraud, an allegation that Cook has denied. No charges have been made against Cook. She sued to keep her job, and the Supreme Court Oct. 1 issued a brief order allowing her to stay on the board while they consider her case.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MADS CLAUS RASMUSSEN

Danish soldiers disembark Sunday at the harbor in Nuuk, Greenland

IMAGE FROM WZZM VIDEO

Multiple cars are crashed Monday after a major wreck in Ottawa County, Mich., leading Michigan State Police to shut down an interstate south of Grand Rapids.

U.S. marks 40th observance of MLK Day amid tensions

BY TERRY TANG Associated Press

As communities across the country on Monday hosted parades, panels and service projects for the 40th federal observation of Martin Luther King Jr Day, the political climate for some is more fraught with tensions than festive with reﬂection on the slain Black American civil rights icon’s legacy

In the year since Donald Trump’s second inauguration fell on King Day, the Republican president has adopted a scorched earth stance against diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and targeted mostly Black-led cities for federal law enforcement operations, among other policies that many King admirers have criticized.

One year ago Trump’s executive orders, “Ending Illegal Discrimination And Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity” and “Ending Radical And Wasteful Government DEI Programs and Preferencing,” accelerated a rollback of civil rights and racial justice initiatives in federal agencies, corporations and universities. Last month, the National Park Service announced it will no longer offer free admission to parks on King Day and Juneteenth, but instead on Flag Day and Trump’s birthday

A.R. Bernard, founder pastor and CEO of the Christian Cultural Center in Brooklyn, told an audience gathered at King’s home church in Atlanta Sunday that the Trump administration is attempting to rewrite history

“We are living in a moment where America is being tempted to forget the pain-

ful truth of its Black history Slavery being renamed as labor, segregation reduced to a footnote, racial terror explained away as exaggeration,” Bernard said speaking at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. “This is irresponsible, historical revisionism.”

Urgent calls to unite against injustice were interspersed with energetic gospel at Ebenezer, where King preached. A sense that civil and human rights are at stake infused the comments by many speakers there Monday.

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, a Georgia Democrat and Ebenezer’s senior pastor, invoked a story about King ﬁghting for the Voting Rights Act after Congress passed the Civil Rights Act. He urged the crowd to keep pushing against Trump’s policies, sweeping immigration enforcement and what he described as attempts from the “Trump-Vance regime” to sow division.

“They are trying to weaponize despair and convince

us that we are at war with one another,” Warnock said.

The fatal shooting this month of an unarmed Minneapolis woman in her car by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents sent there to target the city’s Somali immigrant population, as well as Trump recently decrying civil rights as discrimination against White people, have only intensiﬁed fears of a regression from the social progress King and many others advocated for Still, the concerns have not chilled many King holiday events planned this year Some conservative admirers of King say the holiday should be a reminder of the civil rights icon’s plea that all people be judged by their character and not their skin color Some Black advocacy groups, however, are vowing a day of resistance and rallies nationwide.

In a recent interview with The New York Times, Trump said he felt the Civil Rights Movement and the reforms it helped usher in were harm-

The political climate for some is more fraught with tensions than festive with reflection during the 40th federal observation of Martin Luther King Jr Day.

ASSOCIATED

JOSE LUIS MAGANA

ful to White people, who “were very badly treated.” Politicians and advocates say Trump’s comments are what are harmful, because they dismiss the hard work of King and others that helped not just Black Americans but other groups, including women and the LGBTQ+ community.

“I think the Civil Rights Movement was one of the things that made our country so unique, that we haven’t always been perfect, but we’ve always strived to be this more perfect union, and that’s what I think the Civil Rights Movement represents,” Gov Wes Moore, Maryland’s ﬁrst Black governor and only the nation’s third elected Black governor, said last week in an interview with The Associated Press.

Maya Wiley, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, one of the nation’s oldest and largest civil rights coalitions, said the Trump administration’s priorities

make clear it is actively trying to erase the movement.

“From health care access and affordable housing to good paying jobs and union representation,” Wiley said, “things Dr King made part of his clarion call for a beloved community are still at stake and is even more so because (the administration) has dismantled the very terms of government and the norms of our culture.”

The White House did not respond to a request for comment.

In Washington Monday, hundreds of people marched along Martin Luther King Jr Avenue, braving cold weather to honor the civil rights leader The parade began decades ago as part of the effort to establish a national holiday in King’s honor

Sam Ford, a retired broadcaster and member of the Martin Luther King Jr Day Parade Committee, helped bring the parade back in 2012.

“We got to continue to do this because not just of Dr King, but of what he stood for,” Ford said. “The struggle continues.”

Parade participant Harold Hunter echoed that sentiment.

“It’s not just a White thing or Black thing. This is a people thing,” he said.

The conservative Heritage Foundation think tank encouraged the holiday’s focus to stay solely on King himself. Brenda Hafera, a foundation research fellow, urged people to visit the Martin Luther King Jr National Historical Park in Atlanta or reread his “I Have a Dream” speech delivered on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in

Washington nearly 63 years ago. Using the holiday as a platform to rally and speak about “anti-racism” and “critical race theory” actually rejects King’s ambition for the country, Hafera argued.

“I think efforts should be conducted in the spirit of what Martin Luther King actually believed and what he preached. And his vision was a colorblind society right,” Hafera said. “He says very famously in his speech, don’t judge by the color of your skin, but the content of your character.”

The NAACP, the nation’s oldest civil right organization which had a myriad MLK Day events planned for Monday, asserted that the heightened fears among communities of color and in immigrant communities mean King Day observances must take a different tone. People will have to put their safety ﬁrst, even if their government isn’t, said Wisdom Cole, NAACP senior national director of advocacy

“As folks are using their constitutional right to protest and to speak out and stand up for what they believe in, we are being faced with violence. We are faced with increased police and state violence inﬂicted by the government,” Cole said. The Movement for Black Lives, a coalition of organizations afﬁliated with the Black Lives Matter movement, had planned its events under the banner “Reclaim MLK Day of Action.” Organizers planned demonstrations in Atlanta; Chicago; and Oakland, California, among other cities, over the weekend and Monday

Protecting worshippers’ rights urged after protesters interrupt service

BY GIOVANNA DELL’ORTO Associated Press

Several faith leaders called urgently for protecting the rights of worshippers while also expressing compassion for migrants after anti-immigration enforcement protesters disrupted a service at a Southern Baptist church in Minnesota.

About three dozen protesters entered the Cities Church in St. Paul during Sunday service, some walking right up to the pulpit, others loudly chanting “ICE out” and “Renee Good,” referring to a woman who was fatally shot on Jan. 7 by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ofﬁcer in Minneapolis.

One of the church’s pastors, David Easterwood, leads the local ICE ﬁeld ofﬁce, and one of the leaders of the protest and prominent local activist Nekima Levy Armstrong said she’s also an ordained pastor

The Minnesota-Wisconsin Baptist Convention called what happened “an unacceptable trauma,” saying the service was “forced to end prematurely” as protesters shouted “insults and accusations at youth, children, and families.”

“I believe we must be resolute in two areas: encouraging our churches to provide compassionate pastoral care

to these (migrant) families and standing firm for the sanctity of our houses of worship,” Trey Turner, who leads the convention, said Monday Cities Church belongs to the convention.

The U.S. Department of Justice said it has opened a civil rights investigation.

The recent surge in operations in Minnesota has pitted more than 2,000 federal immigration officers against community activists and protesters. The Trump administration and Minnesota ofﬁcials have traded blame for the heightened tensions.

“No cause political or otherwise — justiﬁes the desecration of a sacred space or the intimidation and trauma inﬂicted on families gathered peacefully in the house of God,” Kevin Ezell, president of the North American Mission Board, said in a statement. “What occurred was not protest; it was lawless harassment.”

Jonathan Parnell, the pastor who led the disrupted service, is a missionary with Ezell’s group and serves dozens of Southern Baptist churches in the area. Cities Church, housed in a Gothic-style, century-old stone building next to a college campus on one of the Twin Cities’ landmark boulevards, has not returned AP requests for comment.

Christians in the United States are divided on the moral and legal dilemmas raised by immigration, including the presence of an estimated 11 million people who are in the country illegally and the spike in illegal border crossings and asylum requests during the Biden administration.

Opinions differ between and within denominations on whether Christians must prioritize care for strangers and neighbors or the immigration enforcement push in the name of security White evangelicals tend to support strong enforcement, while Catholic leaders have spoken in favor of migrant rights.

The Southern Baptist Convention is the largest Protestant denomination in the U.S. and has a conservative evangelical theology

Miles Mullin, the vicepresident of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, said faith leaders can and often have led protests on social issues, but those should never prevent others from worshipping.

“This is something that just shouldn’t happen in America,” Mullin said. “For Baptists, our worship services are sacred.”

On Facebook, Levy Armstrong wrote about Sunday’s protest in religious terms:

Fashion designer Valentino dies at 93

BY JENNY BARCHFIELD

and COLLEEN BARRY Associated Press

MILAN Valentino Garavani, the jet-set Italian designer whose high-glamour gowns — often in his trademark shade of “Valentino red” — were fashion show staples for nearly half a century, has died at home in Rome, his foundation announced Monday. He was 93.

first name, Valentino was adored by generations of royals, ﬁrst ladies and movie stars, from Jackie Kennedy Onassis to Julia Roberts and Queen Rania of Jordan, who swore the designer always made them look and feel their best.

“Valentino Garavani was not only a constant guide and inspiration for all of us, but a true source of light creativity and vision, the foundation founded by Valentino and his partner Giancarlo Giammetti said in a statement posted on social media. Universally known by his

“I know what women want,” he once remarked. “They want to be beautiful.”

Though Italian-born and despite maintaining his atelier in Rome, he mostly unveiled his collections in Paris, and spoke French with his Italian partner Giammetti, an entrepreneur Alessandro Michele, the current creative director of the Valentino fashion house, wrote in Instagram that he continues to feel Valentino’s “gaze” as he works on the next collection, which will

be presented March 12 in Rome, departing from the usual venue of Paris. Michele remembered Valentino as “a man who expanded the limits of the possible” and possessing “a rare delicacy, with a silent rigor and a limitless love for beauty.”

Another of Valentino’s successors, Pierpaolo Piccoli, placed a broken heart emoji under the announcement of his death. Former supermodel Cindy Crawford wrote that she was “heartbroken,” and called Valentino “a true master of his craft.” Condolences also came in from the family of the late designer Giorgio Armani, who died in September at the age of 91, and Donatella Versace, who posted two photos of Valentino, saying “he will forever be remembered for his art.”

“It’s time for judgment to begin and it will begin in the House of God!!!” But Albert Mohler, the president of The Southern

Baptist Theological Seminary called the protesters’ tactics unjustiﬁable. “For Christians, the precedent of invading a congregation at worship should be unthinkable,” Mohler said in an interview “I think the political left is crossing a threshold.”

Valentino

The high court is ruling not on the merits of the case itself, but on ajurisdictional question: whether the case belongs in federal or state court. That ruling will likely impact the 41 lawsuits that Baton Rouge law ﬁrm Talbot, Carmouche &Marcello have ﬁled on behalf of coastal parishesagainst oil companies, each of which is seeking millions for damage to the coast.

“I still think we are going to prevail,” said VicMarcello, one of the attorneys for the parish es. “Wehave as trong case.”

Chevron spokesperson Bill Turenne likewise said that the company “remains conﬁdent that afederal court is the proper forum for these cases.”

The companies argue the cases belong in federal court, avenue seen as friendlier to their interests, on the grounds that the companies were producing oil for the wareffort during World WarII, and so were operating under federal orders.The parishes, meanwhile, contendthat the cases should be tried in state court, where local juries with direct knowledge of the impacts of oil production on their localities can decide.

The ruling could alsoaffect a$745 million jury verdict, rendered after athreeweek trial that took place in Plaquemines Parish court last year

What to expect

One possible outcome: The Supreme Court’srul-

EMISSIONS

Continued from page1A

as good news. But industry andenvironmentalanalysts caution that Louisiana’sﬁguresshouldbetaken witha heavy doseofcaution.

The uptick in nationwide emissions reverses atrend of decreases over the past two years, note analystsat the Rhodium Group, which used U.S. Environmental Protection Agency data for its report. Much of the increase was duetoutilities burning more coaltohelp meet the growing power needs of artificialintelligencedata centers and residents heating their homes during cold winterweather, the analysts say. But some of the underlyingfactorsare differentin

Louisiana

At the national level, power generation drives greenhouse gasemissions, said David Dismukes, professor emeritus at the LSU Center for Energ y Studies. But nearly 60% of Louisiana’scarbon emissions came from industry as of 2023.

“Wehavea muchhigher industrial base than the average state, and we also have alower population,” saidDismukes. “Where industry goes is where our greenhouse gas emissions are going to go in the state.” It is precisely for that reason that the reductions may come as asurprise to some.

The state has welcomed a variety of industrial plants in recent years, from a booming liquefied natural gas export sector to continued petrochemical production along the Mississippi Rivercorridor. Arange of projects are also slatedto begin operations in thecoming years, such as anearly $6 billion Hyundai steel mill and Meta’spower-hungry AI data center

Dismukes attributes Louisiana’sdecreasing emissions to improvedefﬁciency when it comes to both power generation and industry.He highlighted utilities phasing out old generators and

Timeline of oiland gas lawsuits

Since lawsuits were first filed in 2013, oil companieshaveappealed them to federalcourtrepeatedly.

July 2013: NewOrleans leveeauthority fileslawsuit seekingtorecoupdamages from oil firmsfor thedamagetheydid to coastalwetlands. Thelandmarklawsuit is the firstofits kind to seek restitutionfromoil companiesfor coastallandloss. Nov. 2013: Plaquemines fileslawsuit,represented by Talbot,Carmouche and Marcello,against oilcompanies.They're immediately 'removed'tofederal court.

Dec. 2014: Federaljudge sendsPlaquemines lawsuitbacktostate court. Feb. 2015: Afederal judgedismisses New Orleans' leveeauthority lawsuit.

Oct. 2017: TheSupreme Courtdeclines to hear appeal on New Orleans' levee authoritylawsuit,dealingita finalblow.

May2018: Oilcompanies appeal parish casestofederal courtfor asecondtime, alleging that oiland gasactivitywas conductedunder federaloversight during WWII

May2019: Federaljudge sendsparishlawsuitsbacktostate courtfor asecond time.Oil companies will appeal

Sept.2019: Talbot,Carmouche,and Marcello settle with oilcompany Freeport McMoRan for$100million

Aug. 2020: U.S. FifthCircuit Courtagain sendsthe parish lawsuits back to state court.

Aug. 2021: Oilcompanies appeal thecases to federalcourt forathird time Dec. 2022: Afederal courtofappeals againdeterminesthe casesbelonginstate court.

Jan. 2023: Oilcompanies appeal ruling to theU.S.Supreme Court, whichdeclines to take thecase, settingthe stagefor thetrial in PlaqueminesParish.

Dec. 2023: Oil firmssettlewithCameron Parish,the firstofthe 42 lawsuits to settle.Details of thesettlementare notmadepublic.

Mar.2025: Trialbeginsinone of thelawsuitsbrought by PlaqueminesParish, the firsttrial in the42cases filedsince 2013

ing could straightforwardly sidewith Chevron. If it does so, afederal judge could vacate last year’sjury verdict andretry thecaseinfederal court.

Or,the justicescould side with the parishes, rulingthat the cases belong in state court. In that case, last year’sjury verdict would stand.

In alast-minute development before last week’s oral arguments, Justice Samuel Alito recused himselffrom thecase because he holds stock in ConocoPhillips,a subsidiary of which is involvedinthe lawsuit That means the justices —including Louisiana native Amy Coney Barrett, who asked technical questions that demonstrated a deep knowledge of thecase

—could render asplit, 4-4 ruling.Ifthathappens, the lower court’s ruling that the cases belong in state court will stand, as will last year’s jury verdict.And theother cases couldalsoproceed in state court.

Another possible outcome is that the justices could developa legaltesttodeterminewhether the cases belong in state or federal court,but allow the U.S. CourtofAppeals for the5th Circuit to apply thattest to the speciﬁcs of the coastal lawsuits.

To Marcello,thatmay be thelikeliestoutcome.

“If yougobythe nature of the questions the justices asked, that seemed to be adistinct possibility,”he said. “The Supreme Court reviews and decides on is-

STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVIDGRUNFELD

Over the past twodecades, carbon emissions dropped 9% in Louisiana, according to theRhodium Group,mirroring a largernational trend to aless dramatic degree. Across the country as awhole, emissions declined by 18%inthe same period

“When power demand is growing substantially,both thingscan be true: Youcan be bringing arecord amountofrenewables online, but at the same time you’re not really reducing emissions.”

MICHAELGAFFNEy,lead author of areport from Rhodium Group

replacing themwithnewer, less polluting, models.

“Even though it’s natural gasand it’snot renewable, we’reemitting far less greenhouse gas emissions forthat power generation,”

Dismukes said.

Thesame is true on the industrial side, Dismukes said, asLouisianaexpands itsproductive capacity without making substantialchanges in emissions at ammoniaplants, methanol plants and reﬁneries. Greg Upton, thecurrent director of the LSU Center for Energy Studies,alsonoted that manyindustrial plants are tryingto connect tothe grid, which could reduce emissionsifthe energy being transmitted thereis cleaner

“It’snot just about reducing carbon emissions,” said Justin Carr,acarbon captureasset managerfor ExxonMobil. “It’sabout consuming less energy and natural gas to savecost, too. There’salways apush to make the products with less input.”

Amixed result

Carr argued that Louisianahas theopportunityto decrease emissions“withoutsacriﬁcingits abilityto be amanufacturing powerhouse” through carbon capture—but that technology is highly controversial and

it is unclear howintensively the state will pursue it in the future.

Carboncapture involves piping C02 emissions deep underground for permanent storage, but it has faced heavy opposition in rural areas.

Another concernisthatan inﬂux of new industry could outpace improvements.

“On one hand, you’ll have the emissions intensity of productsdecline, but on the other hand,you have these billions of dollarsofinvestment in facilities that are going to come online,” Upton said. “Even if they’re producing avery low carbon product …that can actually increase thetotal amount of emissions.”

Kimberly Terrell, aresearch scientist at the Environmental Integrity Project, said that even asingle large facilitycan change theoverall picturefor the state’semissions. She pointed to year-to-year changes in state emissionsdata, noting that2023 emissions ﬁgures were similartonearly adecade prior Decreasing emissions from 2023 to 2024 largely came fromreductions in natural gas pipeline transport, she said, even as other sectors increased their emissions.

“If we removethat one source of natural gas trans-

might not explicitly side with eitherparty,but rather put forward akind of legallitmus testtoallowthe lower court to rule on the speciﬁcsofthe case.

Indeed,some of the justices wondered aloud whether,ifthey were to side with Chevron, how far the ripple effects of the decision would extend. Would any company or person doing anykind of business for thefederalgovernment only be subject to prosecutioninfederal court?

guardrails on their decision if theyside with Chevron.

“If aplaintiff washurt while using alawn mower andthe lawn mower manufacturer said, ‘Well, we sold somelawn mowersto the Army,’I don’tthink the court would want that case removed to federal court,” he said. “They want there to be some limit.”

sues of law. Theydon’t determine facts.They were, Ithink,moreinterested in howyou shouldstructure the lawonapplying the ‘relating to’ test.”

‘Butterflyeffect’

Many of the justices’ questions during oral arguments focusedona2011 amendment to alaw that governs when acasecan be moved to federal court, known as the federal ofﬁcer removal law

That law allows defendants, includingpeopleor companies acting under a federal ofﬁcer,toremovea case to federal court when thelawsuit is related to acts takenunder theofﬁcer’s authority

To Marcello, thosequestionsindicated that they

port, that takes away most of the decrease,” Terrell said. “Individualsectors in Louisiana have been remaining steadyorincreasing slightly.”

Overthe last two decades, carbon emissions dropped 9% in Louisiana, according to the Rhodium Group, mirroring alarger national trendtoaless dramatic degree. Across thecountry as awhole, emissionsdeclined by 18% in the same period as thecountry phasedout coal power in favor of mostly natural gas and somerenewable energy

Butthere arewarnings thatthe Trump administration’s opposition to renewable energyand embrace of coal could reverse many gains

Thenationallevel

Competing forces are also playing outonthe national level, the Rhodium Group’s estimates show Last year, solar power was the fastest growingsource of electricity.But higher demand in the power sector, largelyfueled by AI datacenters, and the resurgenceofcoal due to high natural gas prices —inpart spurred by liqueﬁed natural

“It’shardtosee where youstop,”saidChiefJustice John Roberts. “Is it abutterfly effect? Youknow,a butterﬂy ﬂaps its wings and it hasanend result halfway around the world?”

JusticeNeilGorsuchlater quipped that the Big Bang was “related to” Chevron’s attorney’spresenceinthe courtroom.

If thejustices do create a testand send thedecision back to the lower court, that could create further delays in litigationthat has already dragged on for over adecade. Theﬁrst of thecoastal lawsuits wasﬁledin2013.

Keith Hall, the director of theEnergy Law Center at LSU, said he believed that those statements indicate thatthe justices will put

gasexports —ultimately trumped the surge in solar, the researchersfound.

“Whenpower demand is growing substantially,both things can be true: Youcan be bringing arecord amount of renewablesonline,but at the same time you’re not really reducing emissions,” said Michael Gaffney,alead authorofthe report.

Gaffney noted that Louisiana has seen some emissions reductions in the power sector,asnaturalgas has reduced the grid share of coal. Conversely,emissions from LNG exportshave increased as more capacity for the facilitiescome online. Louisiana is the global epicenter of the carbon-intensive industry,and President Donald Trump haspushedtoexpand the sector further

The three existing LNG export terminals in Louisiana were all among the top 10 carbonemitting facilities in thestate as of 2023 according to data from Upton. There aremorethana dozenmoreterminals approved or proposed for Louisiana.The othertop emitters were chemical plants andreﬁneries.

Terrell noted that Rho-

To Hall, there’sa compelling argument forremoving the casetofederal court. In his view,the oil production thecompanies were engaged in wascloselyrelated enough to the production of aviation fuel during World WarIItojustify doing so. Blaine LeCesne,alaw professor at Loyola University New Orleans, took the opposite view. “Selling oilthathappens to be used for aviation fuel is not the material component of their business. They would’ve been in Louisiana tearing up the marshlands regardless,”hesaid. “The legal conclusion should be crystal clear: This is nota case that needstobeheard in federal court. The federal government’sinterestis notthe predominant issue.”

EmailAlex Lubben at alex.lubben@theadvocate. com.

dium’slow,medium and high emissions predictions forLouisiana allproject a “massive increaseinemissions from LNG,”evenas the state’s holistic emissions ﬁguresare more varied.

The Rhodium Group found that someofthe national emission changes resulted from Trump repealing climate regulations and curbing clean energytax credits passed under the Bidenadministration. More effectsofpolicychanges maybefeltinthe coming years, Gaffney said. Upton and Dismukes similarly pointed to theimpact of the shutteredtax credits, buttheycautionedagainst giving too much weight to some domestic political changes.

“I know broadly where the policy is going, and it doesn’tmatter who it is,” Dismukes said. “It’sgoing to be more efficient and having lower emissions and delivering product and commodity at the lowest cost, both environmentally andeconomically.”

EmailJosie Abugov at josie.abugov@ theadvocate.com.

Staffgraphic

PHOTO PROVIDED By LA’SHANCE PERRy,THE LENS Canals carvedbyoil and gascompanies over the past 100 years, likethese in Plaquemines Parish, have eroded into open water and contributed to the Louisiana coastal land loss crisis

Dismukes

Marcello

Board of Peace prompts questions from invited leaders

BY SAMY MAGDY and JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press

Israel has been asked to join President Donald Trump’s new Board of Peace that will supervise the next phase of the Gaza peace plan, an Israeli ofﬁcial said Monday, while France is holding off accepting for now It’s not known whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accepted the offer said the Israeli official who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing a behind-thescenes diplomatic matter Russia, Belarus, Slovenia, Thailand and the European Union’s executive arm also were among the latest to receive invitations.

It’s unclear how many leaders have been asked to join the board, and the large number of invitations being sent out, including to countries that don’t get along, has raised questions about the board’s mandate and decision-making processes. Also unknown is Israel’s potential role on a board in charge of implementing the ceaseﬁre agreement that directly involves them.

A Trump reference in the invitation letters saying that the body would “embark on a bold new approach to resolving global conﬂict” suggested it could act as a rival to the U.N. Security Council, the most powerful body of the global organization created in the wake of World War II.

France, though, does not plan to join the Board of Peace “at this stage” despite receiving an invitation, a French ofﬁcial close to President Emmanuel Macron said Monday The issue is raising questions, particularly with regard to respect for the principles and structure of the United Nations, said the ofﬁcial, speaking anonymously in line with the French presidency’s customary practices.

Morocco’s King Mohammed VI accepted a spot Monday, becoming the ﬁrst Arab leader and at least the ﬁfth world leader to join. Vietnam, Kazakhstan, Hungary and Argen-

CLERGY

Continued from page 1A

n A teacher named David of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Lake Charles Burke, Barras Dexheimer Soileau and Schuster have died. Broussard has been incarcerated since 2016 after being convicted of aggravated rape, among other child sexual abuse-related counts.

The status of Saunier and the teacher named David are unclear

Two of the lawsuits do not identify the accused clergy members by name One of the unnamed clergy members worked as a priest in Calcasieu Parish in 1993 when the alleged sexual abuse took place, according to court records. Another worked as a priest at Immaculate Conception Church in Jefferson Davis Parish in 1993 when the alleged abuse took place.

Kathryn Robb, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse and an attorney who serves as national director of Enough Abuse, helped to write Louisiana’s lookback window law. She said such lawsuits send a warning message to institutions.

“Obviously, the justice piece really matters,” Robb said. “But when we open up revival windows, we effectively say to bad actors and institutions that look the other way or don’t have good training or policies or procedures, ‘Look, you’re going to be on the hook.’ The fear of liability is profound.”

Two named by diocese

Of the identified clergy members accused in the lawsuits, Soileau and Broussard are the only ones who were also named in a list of credibly accused clergy that the Diocese of Lake Charles released in 2019 and updated in 2024. In their list, the diocese said they received an allegation of abuse in 1999 against Soileau and removed him from ministry the same year Soileau died in 2011. The diocese said it received allegations of abuse in 1994 and 2009 against Broussard. He was removed from ministry in 1994, defrocked in 2013 and incarcerated in 2016 in cases involving two victims who were children.

tina also have signed on.

Russian President Vladimir Putin received the invitation, and the Kremlin is now “studying the details” and will seek clarity of “all the nuances” in contacts with the U.S., said Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov

Belarus President Alexander Lukashenko is ready to take part, according to the country’s Foreign Ministry The Thai Foreign Ministry said it was invited and reviewing the details.

European Commission spokesperson Olof Gill said that Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the commission, would be speaking to other EU leaders about Gaza. Gill didn’t say whether its invitation had been accepted, but that the commission wants “to contribute to a comprehensive plan to end the Gaza conﬂict.”

Israel’s objections

Israeli far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich on Monday dismissed the Board of Peace as a raw deal for Israel and called for its dissolution.

“It is time to explain to the president that his plan is bad for the State of Israel and to cancel it,” Smotrich said. “Gaza is ours, its future will affect our future more than anyone else’s We will take responsibility for what happens there, impose military administration, and complete the mission.

He is currently serving two life sentences, plus 50 years, after a jury found him guilty of two counts of aggravated rape and one count each of molestation of a juvenile, aggravated oral sexual battery and oral sexual battery

As the lawsuits play out in court, James Sudduth III, attorney for the Diocese of Lake Charles, has ﬁled a number of exceptions in court to prevent them from proceeding. So far, those requests have been denied by 14th JDC judges. In one lawsuit, which alleges that a teacher by the name of David sexually abused a 5-year-old student at Sacred Heart Elementary School in Lake Charles in 1996 and 1997, the venue changed to federal court because the victim now lives out-of-state. Despite a previous ruling from the Louisiana Supreme Court on the constitutionality of the law, attorneys for the diocese in 2025 asked a federal judge to dismiss the case, saying it was ﬁled after the legal deadline and the lookback window law was unconstitutional. U.S. District Court Judge James Cain Jr denied the motion, allowing the case to proceed.

The Louisiana Supreme Court initially ruled in 2024 that the lookback window law was unconstitutional, but the court reversed the decision later that year

When reached by phone, Sudduth said the diocese cannot comment on active, pending litigation.

Forgery in one case

In the lawsuit against Soileau, diocese attorneys entered a 1999 agreement into evidence that said the victim would not pursue further action against the priest in exchange for $15,000. Fourteenth JDC Judge Michael Canaday ruled last November that signatures on the document were forged after hearing sworn statements by the victim and a witness whose name appeared on the document.

The lawsuit alleges that Soileau began abusing the victim, a 10-year-old altar boy at St. Joseph Church in Vinton, in 1990. Soileau allegedly asked for the victim to accompany him on a drive to Houston, Texas, with the priest saying he did not like to drive alone. Soileau stopped at a mo-

Smotrich, a hard-liner who opposed the Gaza ceaseﬁre, even suggested that Israel renew a full-scale offensive on the territory to destroy Hamas if it doesn’t abide by a “short ultimatum for real disarmament and exile.”

Netanyahu said later on Monday that while there are differences with the U.S. about the composition of the advisory committee accompanying the next phase in Gaza, it would not harm his relationship with Trump.

“There will not be Turkish soldiers and Qatari soldiers in the (Gaza) Strip,” he said.

Netanyahu’s office earlier said the formation of an executive board that will work to carry out the vision of the Board of Peace wasn’t coordinated with the Israeli government and “is contrary to its policy” without clarifying its objections. Turkey, a key regional rival, is among those invited to join the committee.

The final list

The U.S. is expected to announce its official list of members in the coming days, likely during the World Economic Forum meeting in Davos, Switzerland.

Board members will oversee an executive committee that will be in charge of implementing the tough second phase of the Gaza peace plan that includes the deployment of an international security force, disarmament of Hamas and reconstruc-

tel during the trip where he sexually abused the victim, the lawsuit alleges. The abuse continued for approximately six years until the victim was 16, the lawsuit said.

In another case, the state’s highest court in December declined to hear arguments in a case accusing the diocese of negligent inﬂiction of emotional distress involving Broussard. That case, which an appeals court has allowed to go forward, alleges Broussard groomed a 6-year-old boy by reading and discussing comic books with him in 1987 before eventually taking the child into his ofﬁce and sexually abusing him a year later

And another suit involving Schuster is set for a hearing Wednesday to consider a trial date. That lawsuit alleges Schuster sexually abused an altar boy beginning when he was 13 in 1966, telling the teen “This is what God wants.” Nun, deacon allegations

Two of the lawsuits include allegations that are less common in sexual abuse cases filed against the Catholic Church.

One lawsuit alleges that a Dexheimer, a nun, sexually abused a 7-year-old boy in her second-grade classroom at Our Lady Immaculate School in Jennings beginning in 1966.

The other lawsuit alleges that Saunier a deacon at Our Lady of Prompt Succor in Sulphur, grabbed a 10-year-old girl while she volunteered to tidy the church chapel and rubbed himself against her clothes on three occasions in 1970. The victim in that case has died since ﬁling the lawsuit.

In the cases involving Dexheimer and Saunier, diocese attorneys have ﬁled motions to dismiss but details are sparse in court records. Gil Dozier, attorney for the Diocese of Lafayette, is handling those cases because the abuse allegations predate the formation of the Diocese of Lake Charles in 1980. Dozier did not return calls for this story Dozens of similar legal proceedings across Louisiana are coming at a high cost to the Catholic Church.

Last December a federal judge approved a $230 million settlement between the Archdiocese of New Orleans and hundreds of survivors of clergy sex abuse as part of a bankruptcy case that began

tion of the war-devastated territory

A $1 billion contribution secures permanent membership on the board, with the money going to rebuild Gaza, according to a U.S. ofﬁcial who spoke on condition of anonymity about the charter as he wasn’t permitted to speak publicly about details of the board, which hasn’t been made public. A threeyear appointment has no contribution requirement.

According to the World Bank’s Gaza and West Bank Interim Rapid Damage and Needs Assessment report released last year, it’ll take $53 billion to rebuild the strip.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Monday the United Kingdom is talking to allies about the Board of Peace.

Running Gaza

Egypt’s top diplomat on Monday met with the leader of the newly appointed committee of Palestinian technocrats who will be running Gaza’s day-to-day affairs during the second phase.

Foreign Minister Bader Abdelatty met with Ali Shaath, a Palestinian engineer and former ofﬁcial with the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, who was named last week as chief commissioner of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza.

Abdelatty expressed the Egyptian government’s “complete support” of the committee and afﬁrmed its role in running Gaza’s daily affairs until the Palestinian Authority takes over the territory, said a statement from the Egyptian ministry

Gaza humanitarian situation

The U.N. World Food Program on Monday said it has “significantly expanded” its operations across Gaza 100 days into the ceasefire, reaching more than a million people each month with hot meals and food parcels. But it warned the situation remains “extremely fragile.”

It noted that malnutrition has been prevented for 200,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women, as well as children under 5.

Still, the most recent Integrated

Food Security Phase Classiﬁcation analysis in December indicated that 77% the population is facing crisislevel food insecurity

Israeli forces move into Hebron

Israeli military and security forces launched what they called a large-scale counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron to dismantle “terrorist infrastructure, eliminating illegal weapons possession and strengthening security.”

The Israeli military said Monday the operation is expected to continue for several days. Israeli armored vehicles and soldiers patrolled city streets and put up barriers where operations were being conducted.

Hebron Mayor Khaled Dudin said Israeli forces targeted the area that’s home to 80,000 people because it obstructs the construction of additional Israeli settlements.

Three Palestinians killed Israeli forces on Monday killed three Palestinians, including a teenager, in southern Gaza, hospital authorities said.

Two men crossed into Israelicontrolled areas east of Khan Younis before being shot dead, while 17-year-old Hussein Tawfiq Abu Sabalah was shot and killed in the Muwasi area of Rafah, according to the Nasser hospital. It wasn’t immediately clear whether the teen had crossed into or came close to the Israeli-controlled area.

More than 460 people were killed by Israeli fire and their bodies brought to hospitals since the ceaseﬁre went into effect just over three months ago, according to the Gaza Health Ministry

The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Associated Press writers Josef Federman and Sam Metz in Jerusalem, Jill Lawless in London, Sylvie Corbet in Paris, Vladimir Isachenkov in Moscow and Grant Peck in Bangkok, Thailand contributed to this report.

in 2020.

In October, the Diocese of Alexandria ﬁled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

“The public has to be educated on this,” Robb said. “No one wants to talk about it. It’s a tough topic, but because it’s such a serious topic, we are called upon to speak of it because if we don’t speak of it, it will continue.”

JanRisher

LOUISIANA AT LARGE

Playingfor thehome crowd

Every now and then, the stars align and something akin to magic happens. Not ﬁreworks magic. Not headlinemagic. The quieter kind —the kind that sneaks up. There were moments Wednesday night at the Pete Maravich AssemblyCenter that felt like when the Kentucky Wildcats came to Baton Rouge to play the LSU Tigers. Years ago, Ilived in Lafayette and worked with Keler Williams Mitchell. When we ﬁrst met, she had two elementary-school-aged sons, Greg and Kam. We spent alot of time together working on projects as her sons grew up —the way kids do when the adults are busy working. Back then, basketball was already part of the picture, butitwasn’tthe whole story Greg was older and already stood out. Iwent to see him play in high school at Lafayette Christian Academy.Even backthen, he was somethingspecial. Kam, the younger brother,did what younger brothers do. He followed closely.Hewatched. He waited his turn. After games, he’d be on the side of the court, shooting and mimicking whatever he’d just seen his big brother do. Like Little Kam, as Iused to call thenow 6-foot, 8-inch young man back then, I’ve lovedbasketball since Iwas in elementary school. Iloved playing it. Ilove watching it now.Maybe that’s why Itend to notice what comes before and after the game, not just what happens during it how basketball stretchesacross years, families, cities and seasons.

Greg Williams’ basketball path took him from LafayettetoSt. John’sinNew York City,then back to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and eventually to Denmark and Cyprus, where he plays professionally.Kam Williams graduated from Lafayette Christian Academy in 2024. He played at Tulane last year. This year,he’splaying for Kentucky But this isn’tacolumn about recruiting or transfers or stats.

It’sacolumn about84people whodrove to BatonRouge from Lafayette on aweeknight to cheerfor ayoung man they love —ayoung man they watched grow up.

Eighty-four people. Not fora championship. Not for aweekend trip. Just because it mattered. Inside the PMAC, the game unfolded the way college basketball games do —loud, fast, full of momentum swings. LSU played well. It felt, for most of the game, like they had it won. Then came the ﬁnal seconds. With 1.6 secondsleft, LSU was up one point and Kentucky got theball. Somehow,the Wildcats got the ball all the way down the court and scored at the buzzer Fromone perspective, it was a miracle —from another,a nightmare. Iknow what it feels like to win, and Iknow what it feels like to lose. My heart went out to the players and coaches on both sides. Moments like that don’tbelong solely to the highlight reel. They belong to the people living inside them —who will likely relive them for years to come, even after the details fade.

When the shot went through the net, the 84 people from Lafayette lost their minds. They eventually made their way outside the chaos of the PMAC, where all of them waited for “Little Kam.”

The Kentuckyplayers slowly trickled out, carrying neatly packed, prepared postgame dinners. When Kam Williams emerged, family and friends ran to greet him.

His mother presented him with agiant box of food she prepared

Broussardsidewalks approved

Fundingtocomefrominfrastructure bond

BY JOEL THOMPSON Staff writer

BroussardCity Council mem-

bers unanimously approvedan additional 2miles of sidewalk on portions of South Bernard Road, West Fairﬁeld Driveand Albertsons Parkway

Theproject is worth around $1.2 million, and according to Broussard Mayor RayBourque,itwill be funded through leftover money from an $8 million bond the city issued for infrastructure projects. “There’scurrently $3 million

left from the bond, and this is one of those projects we’ve been looking into using that money for,” he said.

The resolution called for asidewalk to be built from St. Bernard’s intersection with West Fairﬁeld Avenue up to its intersection with Albertsons Parkway,withanadditional stretchtobebuilt along West Fairﬁeld. It was later amended to include an additional stretch of Albertsons Parkway from its intersectionwithSouth Bernard Road to theentrance of the Southfield subdivisionatGroveland

Drive.

“We’ve had somerequests by residents of the Southﬁeld subdivision to connectthese sidewalks for awhile now,” Bourque said. The mayor wentontosay that the estimated cost of the additional section of sidewalk was$32,000.

The area near the intersection of Bernardand Fairﬁeld has grown substantially in recent years, with newer subdivisions necessitating asharp increase in the amount of money the city has spent on infrastructure projects. Aminor point of contention was

howthe city should handle the bridge located near Cane Row Nursery &Landscaping, as the space for afuture sidewalk narrowssignificantly.Options floated include awidening of the bridge, asmaller bridge to the side built solelyfor the sidewalkorbarricades between the sidewalk andtraffic lanes with pedestrian handrails.

The council ultimately decided in favor of the barricade, but did not decide to move forward with asimilarproposaltoplace guardrails along the Albertsons Parkway portion of sidewalk put forward by council memberDavid Bonin.

Astepatatime

Lafayetteseeks

$840,000 in federal HUD money availablenow

BYSTEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

Lafayette Consolidated Government is inviting nonproﬁts to apply for theremaining $840,000 in federal Housing and Urban Developmentdollars.

Theopening of applications was discussed at ameeting last week inLafayette. Speakers at the meeting also requested continued communityfeedback throughoutthe process to better meet residents’ needs.

LCG has $300,000 inCommunityDevelopmentBlockGrant funds and an additional$540,000 in federal funding forstrictly housing-relatedprojects.CDBG funds can be used for housing andeconomic development.

The greatestneed in Lafayette at the moment is affordable housing, saidJenni Moreau, aplanner at LCG’s Community Development Department

Despiteaslight drop in Lafayette’smedian rent in 2025, rates remain stubbornlyhigh at $982, according to previous reporting. The market has only gotten more competitive since the pandemic.

In Lafayette Parish, an individual wouldhavetomake $20 an hour to rent astandard twobedroom apartment at $1,052, according to theNational Low Income Housing Coalition.

To putthatinperspective, that individualwould have to earn $42,000 annually or work 112 hoursper week at minimum wage.

Additionally,the department highlighted the need to rehabilitate existinghomes andtoprovide transitional and emergency housing forindividuals experiencing homelessness.

“Theyhave to be quick, fast, lets-get-it-done type projects,” Moreau said.

Asecond public hearing is scheduled for 6p.m. on April 2.

Email StephenMarcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

Lafayettemoves forward in fire chiefselection

Civilservice test scores ratified

BYSTEPHEN MARCANTEL Staff writer

The Lafayette Municipal Fire andPolice CivilServiceBoard ratified the civil service test scores last week. Next, candidates will proceed to the interview stage. Final interviews andselection will be madebythe mayor-president. Alistofcandidates has not been released

The interview panel comprises community leaders and members of the Lafayette City Council.

Members include: n City Council memberKennethBoudreaux

n City Council Vice Chair Liz Hebert

n City Council member Elroy Broussard

n City Council member Thomas Hooks

n City Council member Andy

Naquin

n Damon Broussard, retired Milton ﬁre chief

n DustinDenais, deputy fire chief of Broussard Fire Depart-

ment n Dr.Deaidra Garrett, boardcertified pediatric general surgeon n CliffGuidry,local developer n Terry Landry Sr., retired superintendent of the Louisiana State Police n Mike Neustrom,former Lafayette Parish sheriff n PastorSean Walker,EastBayou Church.

Lafayette has been without an appointed fire chief since Robert Benoitretired in August, following 32 years at the helm of the Lafayette Fire Department. Mayor-President Monique BouletappointedthenDeputyFire Chief John Bourgeois as interim chief until apermanent position is selected. “Thisdecision carries tremendous weight,” said Boulet. “As we lookahead,itiscritical that we choose astrongleaderwho can bring innovation, modernize operations, and ensure our firefighters have the tools, training, and support they need to keep our community safe.”

Email StephenMarcantel at stephen.marcantel@ theadvocate.com.

PHOTO By ROBIN MAy

Northeast ElementaryTiger cheerleaders march through downtown Opelousas during the Martin Luther King Jr.Day paradeon Monday.

La.tops thenation in road rage; we should work to reduce it

To drive on many Louisianaroads is to know frustration. To have to share them with other Louisiana drivers can pump adrenaline into that sentiment, turning it from everyday irritation into something much worse: road rage.

In Louisiana, roadrageisaseriousissue.In fact, for the second year in arow,Consumer Affairs has rated the state as theworst in the nation for road rage, adubious distinctionthat nonetheless will be unsurprisingfor many of us

The publication, which conductsresearch across aspectrum of consumer-focusedissues and products, studied dataonfatal crashes in which careless or reckless driving wasa factor, violations issued for dangerous drivingand trafﬁc incidents that involved gun violence. What they found was notencouraging

In Louisiana, approximately 57% of fatalaccidents were linked to aggressive or careless driving, the highestsuch rateinthe nation. Louisiana’s per capita numbers were alsothe nation’shighest

And the statehas the second-highestrateof trafﬁc violations issued for aggressiveorcareless driving and speeding. One bright spot, if it can be called that, is that Louisiana ranked 18th in therate of trafﬁc incidentsinvolving gunviolence per 100,000 people.

The states that rounded out theTop 5were, in order: New Mexico, Colorado, Arkansas and Montana.

As we stated above, these ﬁndingsare likely not asurprise. Louisiana canbeatough place to be amotorist. But we are more perplexed at the lack of public urgency to address theseissues. Louisiana already has some fairly tough laws on the books: Those convicted of reckless driving can spend up to 90 days in jail fora ﬁrst offense. Asubsequent convictioncan netthe offender six months, the Consumer Affairs report noted.

We suspect that these sortsofpenaltiesare rarely imposed, and that’s understandable. Most road rage incidentsare not likely criminal matters, thoughsome certainly endintragedy Efforts to reduce it, therefore, can’tbe solely throughthe threatoflengthyjail sentences Road rage is, however,aquality-of-life issue Reducing its occurrence is good forall of us We’d like to see amore robust education and information around this issue and thepotential harm it cancause. It also would behoove police at all levels to increase trafﬁc-enforcement deployment,especially on highway stretches where recklessness is rampant.

More importantly,it’suptous, Louisianadrivers,tosimply slow down anddecide to de-escalatetense confrontationsonthe road.To do so, experts suggest deciding toremain calm, physically distancing yourself from theother driver and reporting any problems when necessary Reducing Louisianans’ levels of roadragewill require some public or institutionaleffort. But largely,it’suptousto control ourselves. In this case, losing our No. 1rankingwould bea good thing.

LETTERSTOTHE EDITOR ARE WELCOME. HERE AREOUR GUIDELINES: Letters are published identifying name, occupation and/or title and the writer’scity of residence

TheAdvocate |The Times-Picayune require astreet address andphone number for verification purposes, but that information is not published. Letters are not to exceed 300 words. Letters to the Editor,The Advocate, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821-0588, or email letters@ theadvocate.com. TO SEND US A LETTER, SCANHERE

Immigration

wasalwayscomplex, even in thepast, even

Arecent writer from Port Allen asserted “facts” that we should consider when discussing themistreatment of immigrants. One assertion was that mostimmigrantsentered the United States through Ellis Island. Ellis Island opened in 1892, so from 1565, when the Spanish founded St.Augustine until then, immigrants from Europe entered the country at whatever ports accepted them. They followed no vetting process,and, in thecase of my Irish ancestors, some wereimmediately admitted to local hospitals with typhus, dysentery and other maladies.There was no legal inspection, no interview no detention and no exclusion. Irish immigrants who earned money in the U.S.sent part of their earnings back to their families:“theAmerican letter.” The same can be said for every nationality or ethnic group that has entered the country,including today’s. Such remittances aren’tagainst thelaw,and it would be tellingifthe

forEuropeans

author’sancestors didn’tparticipate in the practice. The assertion that illegal immigrants(not acrimebut a civil violation) don’tpay local, state or federal income taxes avoids their payment of stateand local sales taxes or property taxes. The withholding of taxes belongs to theemployers who hire, knowing fully wellthat they may be undocumented. The contention that undocumented immigrants receive “health care, education, housing and other protections of the law free of charge” might also include the author’sneighbors, especially the protections of law.When the Acadianswere evicted from Nova Scotia andAcadia and entered the United States, none of the restrictions that we have today were in place. The author might consider that Native Americans looked upon our ancestors as he does these immigrants, as invaders.

MIKEFITZWILLIAM Picayune, Mississippi

Citizens sidelinedindebateoverdatacenters

Recently Caddo Parish Commissioner Ken Epperson hosted ameeting about placing adata center on what somecall the“wealthy side of town.”

Butmoving aproject across aZIP code does not change its impact. Extractive industry is either accountable to thepeople, or it isn’t.

Recently,the Shreveport CityCouncil unanimously approved aspecial use permit for adata center.Yet even after that vote, some pro-data center voices continue tospread false claims andinsinuations about the very people who raised concerns.

That should concern us all. If a project is truly safe, transparent and beneﬁcial, why the need to discredit community members after thedecision is made?

This behavior reveals adeeper issue. The questions raised about water use, electrical strain, tax incentives, environmental risk and long-term accountability were never fully answered. Smear tactics are not aresponse to those concerns; they are an attempt to silence dissent Louisianahas seen this before. Fence-linecommunities in the south-

ern part of the state werepromised jobsand progress. What followed was pollution, illness and abandonment. Those communities now serve as warnings —not models. North Louisiana should not repeat that history This momentisnot just about data centers. It reﬂects abroader pattern of rushed approvals and decisions madewithout meaningful public engagement —from school closures to industrial siting. Over time, this breedsapathy,not because people don’tcare, but because they are punished forcaring. At All Streets, All People and through theElla Jo Baker Movement School, we seek tohelp address the work of healing our communities without harming them further We do this,inpart, by ensuring people have thetools to analyze power and organize for our own protection.A unanimous vote does not end accountability.The call to action is simple: Stay engaged.

OMARI HO-SANG founder,All Streets, All People Shreveport

Greenlandaffair raises so many questionsfor Trump, Landry

Iread with great interest the article concerning President Donald Trump’sappointment of our illustrious governor as the envoy to promote our takeover of Greenland. My interest was in determining if Gov. Jeff Landry would have to give up his governorship by taking on a second public ofﬁce role, which Ibelieve Louisiana’sconstitution doesn’t allow.What really caught my eye wasLandry’sstatement that Trump had called him about taking on the position and Trump’squote asserting, “I didn’tcall him;hecalled me.” Either Landry or Trumpisaliar, braggadocious or forgetful. Any one of those qualities does not makefor good leadership. By the way,how does Trump’s desire to take over Greenland, a territory of one of our allies, differ from Xi Jinping’sdesire forTaiwan and Vladimir Putin’sdiabolical attacks on and annexation of parts of Ukraine? I’msure Xi and Putin can also use supposed security needs to justifythe takeover of their democratic neighbors, but that doesn’t makeitright; it is despotic.

ERINL.LEBLANC NewOrleans

LSUwomen’s basketball needs to getits sparkleback

The reasons whyLSU’s women’s basketball team lost somerecent games are varied: Notenough spinning, turning, twisting, bulldozing, etc.? Perhaps the reason is because Coach KimMulkey’sclothing lacks its funappeal. Suggestion: Get rid of the classic look, coach! Return to colorful, artistic threads.

KAREN POIRRIER Lutcher

Slightly less disgusting midterms

This year’spolitical struggle concerns control of alegislative branch that controls not much (presidentialismthrough executive orders predominates) or even itself (see its slapdash budgeting) Voters should be disgusted by the empty ritual of choosing every two years, from apool of potential legislatorswho do not seem to mind that they do not matter In the 2006, 2010, 2018 and 2022 off-year elections, voters ended an arrangement that theyfrequently forget is usually unfortunate: thepresident’sparty controlling both housesof Congress. Now,after 12 months with a president unconstrained byhis party’s supine congressional majorities, chastenedvoters might, come November restore asemblance of checks and balances: divided government. Party loyalty now eclipses legislators’ institutional pride. So, only divided government can make its Madisonian architecture the separation of powers; what writer Yuval Levin calls “the deliberate recalcitranceofour system of government” —work. Judging by recent decades of presidential politics, divided government would be representative government: It would represent the nation’s disposition. There has not been apresidential landslide since 1984, when Ronald Reagan defeated former vice president Walter Monday by 18 points. This was just 12 years after Richard M. Nixon defeated Sen. George McGovern by 23.2points,which occurred just eight yearsafter President Lyndon B. Johnson defeatedSen. Barry Goldwaterby 22.6 points.

George Will

dential candidatehas won more than Barack Obama’s53% of the 2008 vote. In 1972, in the Democratic convention roll call of delegates nominating McGovern, the states were called in ascrambled order to prevent theinjustice of alphabetism, discrimination on the basis of placement in the alphabet. Thecountry,not being weird, decidedthe Democrats were.

Today, Democrats have pronoun fixations,and Republicans believewhatever the president purportstobelieve at the moment, including that trade deficits (present for 50 years) suddenly threaten the nation’s existence. Sothe parties’ craziness quotients arecomparable. This is one reason why this year’selections probably will again reflect electoral parity —anational shrug. Although midterm electionsare usually referendumson theincumbent president,and although hisnegatives exceed his positives generally,and on key issues (theeconomy immigration), a“blue wave” is unlikely

In the 2018 midterm elections, Democrats gained 40 seats. Just eight years later,sophisticated gerrymandering andthe rigidities of polarization, cause Erin Covey of theCook Political Report to note that only three House Republicansrepresent districts won in 2024 by Kamala Harris. Andjust 10 represent districtsthat Donald Trumpcarried by 5points or less.

In the 1980s, about two dozen states had asenator from each party.Today just three do (Maine, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin).

tism, areonly rhetorically,not actually, antagonistic.

Julia R. Cartwright of theAmerican Institute for Economic Research notes that many self-designated conservatives —she calls them the New Right —have “mastered populism’ssimple moral drama.” Progressives have long inﬂamed ordinary political tussles by characterizing them with Manichean rhetoric: thewicked “oppressors” and thevirtuous “oppressed.” Now,faux conservatives are paying progressives thecompliment of plagiarism, celebrating the virtuous “people” against thecorrupt “elites.” Voters’ choice is between these binary moral dramas. Somechoice.

As Cartwright says, “Many of the New Right’s current policies would have been familiar to theLeft adecade ago: tariffs and industrial policy; ﬁxation on the trade deﬁcit as anational scoreboard; agrowing willingness to police speech in thename of public morality or national cohesion; and an eagerness to bend independent institutionstoexecutive will. This is apolitically marketable package because it translates frustration into concrete action: use thestate. The rhetoric is crisp, the villains are named, and the time horizon is now.”

For prudent voters and actual conservatives (andtheir congenial cousins, classical liberals), the proper time horizon is tomorrow. They are, Cartwright says, “less concerned withwho wields power today and more with designing constraints that minimizedamage when power is inevitably misused tomorrow.”

Is Greenland theway to go as icemelts?

Donald Trump andhis top lieutenants believe there is no such thing as climate change. Donald Trump andhis top lieutenants are worriedsick abouthow the melting of theArcticpolar icecap is opening anew Northwest Passage that is adeveloping national-security threat.

Oneofthe moreperplexing riddlesofthe age: How can there be an emerging sea routethrough theArcticthatposes adefense threat to theUnited States if there is no Arcticmelting that creates a fresh sea route?

Since 1984, the largestmargin of victorywas President BillClinton’s8.5 points over Sen. Bob Dole in 1996, and the average victorymargin has been just 4.6 points. Since 1988, nopresi-

The nation has sorted itself into apeculiar political stasis: ideological convergence during intensifying polarization.The rhetoricalferocity from each party’smost incandescent faction is disguising what has becomeapolitics of emulation.Traditional progressives, andthose conservatives who now are contemptuousoftraditional conserva-

This year,voters can produce the constraint of divided government. And can seed Congress with members of bothparties disgusted by what it has become.

Email George Will at georgewill@ washpost.com

Trump’sragemachine runs on distraction

Froma Harrop

Surely,Ihave plenty of company in wanting to jump off the Donald Trump distraction express. Rageisits fuel.A weekend isn’tshort enough to contain the demands on attention.Justthis last two-day break encountered: The cinematic ICE raids in Minneapolis Threats against Exxon for itsskepticism over Trump’splans forVenezuela. Astated willingnessto bombIran. His vow to take over Greenland “one way or another.” Apatently sham investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell. Angst over thesocial unrest in Minneapolis took centerstage with the fatal shootingof Renee Good thefocus of back-and-forth anger Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem declared that the ICE officer fired at Good out of self-defense: “I saw the tapes. Iknow what happened.”But she didn’t. An investigation of thetapes is still in progress. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey didn’tknow either,thoughheinsisted that Good was an innocent mother murdered in cold blood. “I’m biased becauseI got two eyes,” he said.“Anybody can see thesevideos. Anybody can see that this victim is not adomesticterrorist.” Experts in law enforcementkept sayingthatthey must waitfor an investigation before reaching for aconclusion. What happened could have been an ICE officer being run down or an ICE officer acting out of self-defense There’sanother interpretation of the tapes that might muddy the waters WasGood reallyjust asweet mother with stuffed animals in theback of her SUV?That ignoresthe possibilitythat she was invoking White privilege. You see her wife is holding thephone in theICE agent’sface and taunting him, “You wanna come at us?” Then there’s the part where Good refusesorders to get out of thecar.She smiles at the officer,under her halo of strawberry blonde hair,and says, “That’sfine, dude, I’m not mad at you.” Then she starts driving off. ICE critics swallow the presentation whole. They don’tsee the hintofmockery—anair of “you wouldn’tdosomething to anice White lady like me.” It would seem unlikely that aperson of color,male or female, and in alesser vehicle would have flipped off the police like that.

My twoeyesadded that scenario to the others. It didn’t follow that the ICE officer had to shoot Good, but informed lawenforcement opinion seems right: An investigation is in order Both sides on such emotional confrontationsensure Trump’scontrol of thenews. Trump needs Americansto keepfighting one another.The fight is theobjective. It’smoreimportantthan winning thefight. “I bring rage out,” Trumphas said. “I do bring rage out. Ialways have. Idon’t knowifthat’s an asset or liability,but whatever it is, Ido.” Trumphas conceded that enraging people is thesecret sauce in his political effectiveness. After all, that is how he managed to put together aviolent attack on the

Capitol based on proven lies of astolen election. Sure, he’dpassed them off to his low-information followers, some mentally unbalanced, manywith rap sheets. Butthey were people whom he’d already pumped up over avariety of grievances. Some beefs were real, but thephony ones worked, too. Andhow easy inventing new conﬂictshas become now that seemingly everybody has avideo camera on their cellphones —and Trumpissupplying daily new “footage” for their social media feeds.

Alas,wecan’tdepend on aclever opposition to deny him thedramatic street scenes he gins up, directing attention away from what he doesn’t want spotlighted. Imean, who is talking about the Epstein ﬁles these days?

Froma is Harrop on X, @FromaHarrop.

Washington isn’ttaking on that question,whichwemight callthe Great Contradiction.But it does explain another mystery,stoked by the American adventureinVenezuela: Trump’s obsession withobtaining Greenland, nowcontrolledbyDenmark.

The stakes of wrestling withthe climate change/ national-security contradiction are high.

There’sthe forbiddenact of questioning the president’s viewonanything, especially his conviction globalwarming is a“hoax.” There’s the cost of ignoring thethreat, coming notonly from Russia, which sits as littleas2.4 miles from the U.S. across theBering Strait, butalso fromChina, which sits farfrom the Arcticand cannot— here comes another riddle —plausibly describe itself as an Arcticcountry theway Canada, Russia,and the Scandinaviancountries do.

Instead,China considers itselfa “near Arctic” power raising yetanother riddle.How closedotwo entities have to be to be “near?” China’sapparent answer: about 930 miles

It considers theArcticpart of its“Silk Road,” a metaphor morethana highway;the real Silk Road wasatraderoute between Chinaand theWest. One unavoidableconclusion, alongwiththe threat thatChinese naval vessels, including nuclear submarines, pose to theUnited States and Canada,isthatBeijing views theArcticaspartof efforts to create traderelations with, andmaybe militaryadvantageover, Europe.

Here’sthe contradiction writ large:Though defensesecretary Pete Hesgeth in Mayorderedthe endofPentagon “references to climate change and related subjects,” he also expressed support for “assessing weather-related impacts on operations, mitigating weather-related risks[or] conducting environmental assessments.”

It’s minus 8degrees FahrenheitinIqaliut,the capital of Canada’sNunavut territory,asthis is being written. So there’s notmuchofa Northwest Passage— the phrase comes from thesix-centuryoldfascination withasea lane from theAtlanticto thePaciﬁc,apreoccupation that bedazzledEuropean explorers in thecolonialperiod —toworry about, andwon’tbefor several months.

But militaryofﬁcialsinboth Canada andthe UnitedStates are worryingnow,especially because Chinawas abletosenda“research submarine”beneath theArcticOcean this summer. Nowanother riddle:Whatexactlywerethe Chinese researching? Very likely nothow foxesand ravensfeast on thecarrion remains frompolar bears’ feeding habits. Could they be examining whetherglobal warming provides them accesstoa potential staging area foranattack on NorthAmerica, especially giventhe sparse population in the area? (Nunavut hasapopulation of density of about one-tenth of aperson persquare mile. Wyoming, the least dense of the continental American states, is 600 times denser than that.)

Physicsand chemistry knownoequationsremotelylikethis:(Meltingice +increasing big-power activityinthe region) ÷climate-change denial= increased national-security threat.

At thesame time, Russia’sexpansionist impulses (see Ukraine,invasion of) only addtothe need for themilitary buildup that theUnited States and Canada are undertaking— even as thetwo countries spar over tariffs andasCanada, withits new burst of nationalism, is less and less amenable to American inﬂuenceand commerce. There may be no Kentucky bourbon beingsoldinCanadianliquor outlets, but there’snolack of interestincooperation withthe United States on Arcticdefense

The twocountries monitor Arcticmovements, particularlythe oceanographicsurvey ships and submarines that China have deployed, but their own national security isn’tthe only concern. Another: thepotential of China using theArcticfor swift passageofnaval battleships or submarines from Asia to Europe.

Urgencyover theArctichas come andgone many times.“Such interest is usually ephemeral, andmarked by clashes of interest between indigenouspeoples, non-indigenous settlers, external commercial interests, andgovernments,”according to an October report by theArcticInstitute’s Center forCircumpolar Security Studies.

It’s oneofthe many regional hazards. “Getting sensors in place to see what is happening in our territory andthe approaches to ourterritory,”General Wayne Eyre, chiefofthe CanadianDefense Staff from 2021 to 2024, saidinaninterview, “is part of this.”

So,the Trump team insists, is an American Greenland.

EmailShribman at dshribman@post-gazette. com.

David Shribman

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JULIA DEMAREENIKHINSON

President Donald Trumpspeaks to reporters while in flight on Air Force OnetoJoint Base Andrews, Md.

UnicornmuleisaFrenchQuarter star

Claudiaand her dedicateddriver delighttourists

BY JENNA ROSS Staff writer

As Claudia trotted through the French Quarter on arecent night, heads turned, phones ﬁlmed and a girl tugged her mom’sarm.

“Unicorn,” she whispered, her eyes wide.

Othermules,pulling carriages, passbyJackson Square withlittle fanfare. Butwithawhite hornon herhead, glowingwings on herback and purple glitter on her hooves, Claudia inspires stares, paintings and Instagram posts

That’sthanks to her driver,Kaliecia Smith. As akid, she dreamed of aﬂying unicorn and now,each night, she guides one through New Orleans’ historic streets with carrots, kisses and voice commands that sound more like songs.

“Claudia,” Smith intonedasthey ambled downDumaine Street, “step right, please.”

Each year for Krewe du Vieux, Smith dresses up Claudia the Muliecorn in an extravagant, exuberant costume. This year’sensemble is still secret, but several years ago, as Big Bird, her face was framed by yellow feathers. Smith, in turn, wore ablue Grover tee. But the pair matches most nights as they entice tourists in Jackson Square to take acarriage tour.

“This is how you know Ibelong to her,” Smith said, pointing asequined boot beside Claudia’ssparkly hoof. It’smore than aglittery gimmick. Smith, 44, has driven Claudia for 13 years. The mule has been there while her driver,known as “Sparkles,” has struggled with lupus, been injured in two car wrecks and had ahysterectomy.(AkickfromClaudia also led to fourrootcanals,but Smithisquick to explain: “She didn’t mean to.”)

With each setback and each surgery,Smith works to return to her mule.

“I’m ﬁghting so hard to be with my girl,” she said.

Last year, Smithmade adealto adopt Claudia after she retires. The owner of Mid-City Carriages commissioned amassiveartwork from Smith, an artist, of hisbeloved horse.

“It’ll be $10,000,” she told him, “or one mule.” Smith framed the resulting paperwork, displayingitinher living room on “my Claudia wall,” filled with paintings, photosand drawings.

“She’smyeverything,”Smithsaid. “She’smylove.”

Since she could pick up acrayon, Smith has been drawing horses. Unicorns, at ﬁrst, but her father,acomputer programmer,made clearthey weren’treal. “So from avery early age, Ithought, ‘Well,I’m just gonna have to settle for ahorse.’” She asked for ahorse for “every birthday,every Christmas, every everything.”

Before moving to New Orleans from Salt Lake City,Utah, she visited, drawn in partly by adocumentary about the city’sartists.

“There was somethingabout her that said she belongs in New Orleans,” said Dawn Kesslering, a friend who met her on one of those visits. “Or,tobemore speciﬁc, New Orleans wanted her “CertainpeopleNew Orleans just

RISHER

Continued from page1B

—smothered pork steaks, rice and gravy,along with his grandmother’smac and cheese. It’shis favorite meal and exactly what he had asked for.His mother also added in some Louisiana treats, including Billy’s boudin. The heft of the Louisiana care package was unmistakable. It required both of his arms to carry it. That box was homeand heart, made portable. These days, Kam Williams is the epitome of cool. His deep voice bears no resemblance to the one Iremember.But between the PMAC and the Kentucky bus, he greeted old coaches, old friends, mothers of old friends, cousins, aunts, uncles, ministers and high school administrators. Then, he patiently posed for pictures with everyone who wanted one. No rushing. No eye-rolling. Just time and kindness. Watch-

fallsinlovewith, andshe’s oneof them.”

Ajob with Marriott allowed her to make themove. Later,she began driving amulenamed Claude, afﬁxing butterﬂy wings to his back.

She switched companies, and afterﬁnding out she’d worked with amule named Claude, they introduced her to Claudia. Kismet, she ﬁgures.Smith didn’tknow that this white mule didn’t like having her ears touched. She brushed them while putting on her bridle. Claudia“pickedmeupwithher head and threw me intoapole,” she said, laughing.

Then, Claudia ran to her stalland stuck her head intoacorner. “She knew she had done wrong,”she said.

Smith fell in love.

Now,she lists her mule’slikes and dislikes with great affection.

Claudia hatesmotorcycles, metal grates and pumpkin spice cupcakes She loves alfalfa cubes and apples, sliced with cinnamon.

She’ssweet with kids.For acarrot, shewill give youa big, toothy kiss. Andshe doesn’tseem to mind the horn, Smith said. It sits in her blind spot and,importantly, never touches herears

When Smith startedwiththe glitter and the glam,somefolks ob-

jected, saying it was disrespectful, said Kesslering,general manager of the VampireCafeinthe French Quarter.But Kesslering had seen howSmith cared forClaudia.How she showed up at the barn even on her days off. How she scooped and cleaned her stall. Howshe ﬁlled her home’sfridge with carrots.

“Whatshe showed them is that she wasn’tdressing herupout of disrespect,”Kesslering said, “but out of love.”

On aquiet Thursday night, the carriages lined up along Decatur Street,their drivers on thelookout for tourists. Most mules were brown, most buggies black.

But fortheir tour,Jenny Hawkes and her husband Beau Baez had picked thewhite mule hitched to the white-and-green carriage. They laughed as they steppedoff, an Aunt Sally’sbag in hand, bantering with Smith.

The couple, in townfrom Ohiofor aconference, had remembered seeing Claudiaonaprevious trip.

“With herunicornhorn and all, she’shard to forget,” Hawkes said.

They were charmed by Smith’s offbeat approach and loved that, along the way,tour guides and people who workinFrench Quarter shops greeted Claudia, some-

More than 80 people drove to Baton Rougefrom Lafayette to supportKentuckyWildcats playerKam Williams on Wednesday.

inghim, Icouldn’thelp but remember when he wasn’t tallatall —when he came ﬁshing in my backyard, curious about everything, gentle by nature, already paying attention to the world around him. Wednesday night wasn’t Kam Williams’ best game He did, however,come up with apivotal steal andfollowed it with abeautiful dunk —one of those momentsthat makes acrowd gasp before they cheer

Kentucky came away with amiraclewin, and KamWilliams headed back to Kentuckywith a plate full of home and a heart that hadtohavebeen heavywith love.Not everyonegets to leave agym that way. Every nowand then, the stars align, and sports become something else entirely —a reminderof whoweare to one another, long after theﬁnalbuzzer sounds.

times stopping to feed her acarrot.“There’s afan club, Ithink,” Hawkes said Claudia is now partofFrench Quarter lore. Portraits of the pair appear in photo books. Apainting of her hangs in the Royal Frenchmen Hotel. Areal estatelisting, taped to brick wall, includes aphoto of the mule Afterthe Ohiocouple left, the sidewalk on this comfortable January eveningwas empty.Itwas a slow time of year,between theholidays and MardiGras.

Fortwo weeks, over the holidays, Smith picked up dayshifts, trying to sock away some money for the land she’dlike to buy for Claudia, someday.(She figuresshe needs about 10 acres.) But, partlybecause lupus symptoms are triggered by sunlight, her body rebelled.Her skinbroke out in rashes. Her joints swelled so much she couldn’tclose her hands

She’sstill in pain from past injuries, too. “Every single day,” she said,brightly, “all thetime.”But she shows up for Claudia: “As long as there’sabreath in my body,Iwill be with that mule.”

Around8 p.m.,Smith stepped back onto the carriage, leading

Claudia outofthe line andonto the street.

“Easy,love,” shecalled to her Heading back to the barn, they exchanged cues,Smith watching the directionofClaudia’s ears. Smith encouraged each tour group shepassedto“tipyourterriﬁc tour guide!” She joked with tourists: “I see you checkingout my ass!” In the barn, between carrots, she began removing thejanglingequipment from Claudia’sback, neck, head. She dabbed zinc oxide on a bare patchofskin. She tickled one hoof, applying cream, then another Shespreadfresh hay in Claudia’s stall, and Claudia, now naked, came running.

Then thetwo stood together in the barn’swarm light,Smith chatting aboutthe night andClaudialeaning in for kisses.

18, 2026

STAFF PHOTO By JANRISHER

Ahornglows in front of Claudia the Muliecorn.

Kaliecia Smith’ssequin shoes match Claudiathe Muliecorn’sglittered hooves.

STAFF PHOTOSBySOPHIA GERMER

Kaliecia Smithstandswith Claudia the Muliecorninfront of Jackson Square on aquietevening recentlyinNew Orleans.

BY TOYLOYBROWN III Staff writer

David Patrick didn’t hesitate to answer the call of one of his former playersand aclose friends.

Before thecurrent LSUassociate head coachembarked on hisﬁrst season leading Sacramento Statein2022, Todd Golden visited him. He soughtadvice on assembling acoaching staffafter leaving San Francisco to take over at Florida “I shared about whowould complement him,” Patrick said. “Ultimately,Todd made hisright choices, buthedeﬁnitely leanedonmeonwho he should talkto, who he should connect with in this region. Because when you come from the west coast, you know,it’shard toadapt quickly in the southeast, where he’snever liveda long portion of his life.”

Golden’scoaching originsbegan during his playing days at St. Mary’s(2004-08) The CaliforniaCatholic school with fewer than 3,000 enrolleeswas wherehemet

Patrick, aSt. Mary’sassistant(2006-10) and coaches who taught him what it takes to win games.Patrick watched the future national championship-winning coach go from awalk-on to starting point guard.

Patrick, 49, views Golden, 40, like a little brother. Their friendship extends beyond the basketball court, with Patrick attending Golden’swedding and Golden attending the birthday party of Patrick’s 1-year-old daughter

Their bond will pause for acouple of hours when LSU (13-5, 1-4 SEC) plays Florida (13-5, 4-1) at 6p.m.Tuesday at the O’Connell Center in Gainesville, Florida.

This willbethe third time they have competed against each other as coaches.

“He won’tbetalking to me, and Iwon’t be talking to him game day,” Patrick said.

Patrick said competingagainst aclose friend and aformer player is tricky because he normally enjoys seeing others’ success. He also views the opportunity

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The expectations for softball coach AlysonHabetz’ssecondseason with the UL Ragin’ Cajuns are much higher than the 29-25 ﬁnish ayear ago. Improvements areexpected in many areas, butnoneismore

needed thaninthe batter’s box. New hittingcoachBill Shipman is thenew man in charge to make sure those batting numbers soar in ahurry

“The fanbase downhereis somethingelse,” Shipman said. “It is absolutelyinsane. It’sveryfun

BY REED DARCEY Staff writer

Before the LSUwomen’s basketball team beat OklahomaonSunday, someoneasked associate head coach BobStarkeywhetherheand the rest of coach Kim Mulkey’sstaff knew that Jada Richard could play as well as she is now Starkey knew the answer.Hehas for awhile. Whenitcomes to thenew LSU lead point guard,what maynot have been obvious to folks outside of the programwas clear to those inside of it.

“She’sthe type of player right now,” Starkey said, “that we thought she wasgoing to be.”

Lastseason,whenRichard wasa freshman, she couldn’tget off the bench. NowMulkeycan’t take heroff of the floor.She’sbecome one of the No 6Tigers’ mostindispensable players. The sophomore from Opelousas is playing morethan 30 minutes per game against SEC opponents.She loggeda team-high 37 minutes Sunday in a91-72 win over Oklahoma, tallying acareerhigh 21 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. LSU outscored the No.16Sooners by 20 points when she wasinthe game. That kind of showing was routine for Richard whenshe was at Lafayette Christian.She wasaGatoradeLouisianaplayerofthe year,and she scored nearly 3,000 career points. But because Richard is just 5-foot-7, andbecause she didn’tplayAAU basketballonone of thenation’spremier circuits, she flew under the national recruiting radar ESPN said she wasonly the 90th-best prospect in her class. LSU didn’tmind. Mulkey and her staff made her their lone 2024 freshman signee anyway “She was avery,very competitive defensive player in high school,” Starkey said, “and also quick off the bounce that couldshoot thebasketball.Itwas just amatter of her transferring that to the collegiate level.” Richard has notched at least 10 points in four of the five league conteststhe Tigers (17-2, 3-2SEC) have played so far

BY MATTHEWPARAS Staff writer

The New OrleansSaints did not make the playoffs this season, but there were reminders of the franchise across thedivisional round. This pastweekend saw anumber of former Saints— from coaches to players who were on the rosterasrecently as November —featured in big moments in thepostseason,for better and worse. Here’s alook at how former Saintsswung the games.

Sean Payton,Broncos coach Let’sstart withthe obvious. In his third season in Denver,the former Saints head coach has guided his new teamtothe AFC championship game thanks to a33-30 overtime win over the Buffalo Bills. Payton has the chance to become the ﬁrst coach to win theSuper Bowl with two differentteams, but firsthe’ll have to pull off one of the ﬁnest coaching jobs in his career with backup Jarrett Stidhamat quarterback when Denvertakes on the New England Patriots on Sunday.Payton announced after Saturday’swin thatquarterback Bo Nixsuffered aseason-ending ankle injury.The Saints received a2023 first-round pick and a2024 second-round pick in exchangefor Payton anda 2024 third-round pick after he came out of retirement following their split in 2021. MalcolmRoach,Broncos DT

ä LSU at Texas A&M, 8P.M.THURSDAy,SECN

STAFF PHOTOSByHILARy SCHEINUK

LSU associate headcoachDavid Patrick yells instructions against SouthernMiss on Dec.29atthe Pete MaravichAssembly Center.Patrick used to coachFloridahead coach Todd Golden.

PHOTO By BENJAMIN R. MASSEy NewULsoftball hitting coach Bill Shipman hopes tobring the power element back to the lineupthis spring

Iowa breaks into top 10

Hawkeyes achieve highest ranking since Clark left; women’s top six remain unchanged

BY DOUG FEINBERG

basketball writer

Iowa cracked the top 10 for the ﬁrst time in two years and UConn remained the unanimous No. 1 choice in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll. The Hawkeyes last were ranked this high in the ﬁnal poll of Caitlin Clark’s senior year They had been as high as 11th a few times this season.

UConn received all 30 firstplace ballots from a national media panel as the top six teams in the poll were unchanged from a week earlier The Huskies have won 34 consecutive games dating back to last season UConn hosted former Big East rival Notre Dame late Monday; the Fighting Irish fell out of the poll this week No. 2 South Carolina and No. 3 UCLA were next. Texas remained fourth despite losing to South Carolina 68-65 last week. Vanderbilt and LSU were next while Michigan moved up a spot to seventh with Louisville, TCU and Iowa rounding out the top 10. Each team climbed one place after Kentucky lost to Mississippi State on Sunday The Wildcats fell four spots to 11th.

Soaring Blue Devils Duke vaulted back into the poll at No. 21 after winning its 10th consecutive game last week. The team was seventh in the preseason Top 25 before dropping six

of its first nine games including to LSU, to fall out. Duke has been on a hot streak over the last month to get back in the poll.

Rising Tigers

Princeton moved up to No. 20 this week, the team’s best ranking since the Tigers were 13th in the ﬁnal poll of 2015. They had a 13-game winning streak heading into Monday’s game against Harvard. The lone defeat on the season came against Maryland.

Falling Cyclones

Iowa State dropped out of the poll for the ﬁrst time this season after losing its ﬁfth consecutive game on Sunday The Cyclones were 10th on Dec. 22, but have steadily fallen down the rankings since.

Conference supremecy

The SEC has nine teams in the Top 25 for the second straight week. The Big Ten is next with seven as Washington re-entered

the poll this week and Illinois fell out. The Big 12 has ﬁve ranked teams after West Virginia returned to the rankings. The ACC has two while the Big East and Ivy League each have one.

Game of the week No. 5 Vanderbilt at No. 2 South Carolina, Sunday The Commodores will put their undefeated SEC record on the line against the Gamecocks in a key SEC matchup. Vanderbilt is off to its best start in two decades.

Arizona unanimous No. 1 for ﬁrst time

Clemson climbs four spots; North Carolina drops eight BY

JOHN MARSHALL

AP sportswriter

Arizona is the unanimous No. 1 in The Associated Press Top 25 men’s college basketball poll for the first time. The Wildcats received all 61 votes from a media panel in Monday’s poll, a week after picking up all but one first-place vote. Arizona (18-0) won both of its games last week to remain among the three undefeated Division I teams and earn the program’s first unanimous No. 1 ranking — according to Sportradar — after Iowa State lost twice. The Cyclones, who received one first-place vote last week, dropped seven spots to No. 9 after their undefeated season ended. Arizona has been ranked No. 1 for six straight weeks, its longest run since eight straight in 201314 when the Wildcats opened 210. UConn, Michigan, Purdue and Duke rounded out the top five. No. 7 Nebraska (18-0) won both its games last week to remain undefeated and moved up a spot this week to notch its highest ranking ever No. 24 Saint Louis (17-1) is ranked for the first time since reaching No. 22 in 2021 after stretching its winning streak to 11 straight.

In and out

No. 25 Miami (Ohio) is ranked for the ﬁrst time since a threeweek stint in the AP Top 25 in 1998-99. The Red Hawks blew out Central Michigan on Tuesday, but needed overtime to beat Buffalo 105-102 on Saturday pulling it out on Pete Suder’s 3-pointer with just over a second remaining.

Rising/falling

Hafley, Dolphins reach agreement for coaching job

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — The Miami Dolphins and Jeff Hafley have reached an agreement to make the former Boston College head coach and Packers defensive coordinator their coach, a person with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday Hafley replaces Mike McDaniel, who was fired after going 35-33 in four seasons. The Dolphins also fired longtime general manager Chris Grier during the season. Hafley, who spent two seasons in Green Bay, met with the Dolphins for a second interview earlier Monday before he was offered the job. He will rejoin new GM JonEric Sullivan in Miami. The 46-year-old Hafley left his job at Boston College in 2024 to become defensive coordinator in Green Bay

Seashawks RB Charbonnet out for playoffs with injury

SEATTLE Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet will miss the remainder of the playoffs with a knee injury that requires surgery coach Mike Macdonald said in a local radio interview on Monday

Charbonnet injured his knee during Saturday night’s 41-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC divisional round.

During the regular season, Charbonnet led the Seahawks with 12 rushing touchdowns, as well as added 730 yards, which trailed only Kenneth Walker III for the team lead.

Charbonnet became the first Seahawks running back since Marshawn Lynch in 2014 to rush for at least 10 touchdowns in a season

Falcons coach Stefanski will retain DC Ulbrich

ATLANTA Atlanta Falcons defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich has been retained on new coach Kevin Stefanski’s staff, the team announced Monday The decision to keep Ulbrich came two days after Stefanski was named as the replacement for ﬁred coach Raheem Morris. Ulbrich carried the endorsement of Falcons owner Arthur Blank, who had said when Morris and general manager Terry Fontenot were ﬁred that he would recommend but not mandate the new coach keep the defensive coordinator

In Ulbrich’s ﬁrst season as defensive coordinator, the Falcons set a team record with 57 sacks, one year after ﬁnishing next-tolast in the league with 31.

No. 5 Vanderbilt women hold off No. 7 Michigan

NEWARK, N.J Freshman guard

Aubrey Galvan hit a late free throw and ﬁnished with 20 points as No. 5 Vanderbilt beat No. 7 Michigan 72-69 on Monday as part of a doubleheader played at the Prudential Center on Martin Luther King Jr Day

Galvan was 7 of 14 from the ﬁeld and Mikayla Blakes and Justine Pissott, both New Jersey prep stars, scored 14 points apiece for Vanderbilt (19-0), which ran its season-opening winning steak to 19 games.

No. 18 Clemson made the biggest move among teams already in the poll, climbing four places with wins over Boston College and Miami Texas Tech moved up three places to No. 12 following wins over Utah and then-No. 11 BYU. No. 22 North Carolina had the week’s biggest drop, losing eight places after being swept by the ACC’s Bay Area schools No. 9 Iowa State lost seven spots following losses to two unranked teams, Kansas and Cincinnati. No. 15 Vanderbilt dropped five places after seeing its undefeated season come to an end with losses to Texas and No. 16 Florida.

No. 19 Kansas returned to the poll after being left out last week after handing Iowa State its ﬁrst loss and beating Baylor by 18. Saint Louis and Miami (Ohio) were the only other teams to join this week’s poll. Tennessee dropped out from No. 24 after blowing a 17-point lead in an 80-78 loss to Kentucky Utah State’s road loss to Grand Canyon knocked the Aggies out of the poll from No. 23. Seton Hall didn’t receive a sin-

forward Berke

on Saturday.

gle vote and dropped out of the poll from No. 25 after losses to UConn and Butler Conference watch Kansas’ return to the poll gives the Big 12 Conference a

nation’s best six ranked teams. The Southeastern Conference, Big Ten and ACC each have ﬁve ranked teams. The Big East, West Coast, Atlantic-10 and Mid-American conferences have one each.

Syla Swords and Kendall Dudley each scored 16 points for Michigan (15-3). Olivia Olson added 14 points as the Wolverines had their fourgame winning streak halted. Vanderbilt leads the series against Michigan, 4-1.

Thunder guard Williams out with

hamstring strain

Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams has a right hamstring strain and will be reevaluated in a couple of weeks, a signiﬁcant loss for the defending NBA champions.

The 6-foot-6 Williams was named an All-Star last season for the ﬁrst time and was selected all-defensive second-team and All-NBA third-team. He is averaging 16.8 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists this season and has helped the Thunder compile a league-best 35-8 record. He was hurt during the second quarter of Saturday’s 122-120 loss at Miami. The team said then that he had right

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NICK ROHLMAN owa guard Addison

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NAM y. HUH Nebraska

Buyuktuncel, top left, blocks a shot by Northwestern forward Tre Singleton, top right, during a game in Evanston, Ill.,

Bills fire McDermott after latest playoff miss

BY JOHN WAWROW AP sportswriter

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y Sean McDer-

mott arrived in Buffalo in 2017, envisioning the day of looking out his ofﬁce window and seeing a throng of fans celebrating a Super Bowl victory That possibility ended Monday when McDermott was fired by team owner Terry Pegula after a nine-year tenure in which the coach transformed the Bills into perennial contenders but fell short of reaching the Super Bowl.

The move came two days after a heart-wrenching 33-30 overtime loss at Denver in the divisional round of the playoffs.

“Sean helped change the mindset of this organization and was instrumental in the Bills becoming a perennial playoff team,” Pegula said ”But I feel we are in need of a new structure within our leadership to give this organization the best opportunity to take our team to the next level.”

The new structure features general manager Brandon Beane being promoted to president of football operations. Beane will oversee

LSU WOMEN

Continued from page 1C

She hit that mark only twice last year, and neither was against SEC teams. This season, she needed only two conference matchups to tally more points (26) than she did in 16 SEC games last season A year later, Richard has a much larger role. She now can score at all three levels, as she showed against Oklahoma. She drained floaters around the rim, pull-up jumpers from the mid-range and she even nailed a step-back 3-pointer in the ﬁrst quarter, which helped LSU climb out of an early nine-point hole. Richard also drew the primary assignment of defending star freshman Aaliyah Chavez, who shot only 3 of 14 from the ﬁeld “I would say she did a great job of just controlling the tempo on

PATRICK

Continued from page 1C

another way

“One, it means I’m getting older,” he said with a laugh. “Two, it means you been part of the right programs to see your former players or former colleagues go on to have success as a coach. As much as it sucks, it means that you’re keeping good company in your journey.”

Another connection Patrick has at Florida is associate head coach

Korey McCray, who was an assistant at LSU during the 2013-14 season that coincided with Patrick’s ﬁrst stint with the Tigers from 2012-16 under head coach Johnny Jones. Patrick and Golden come from the coaching tree of St. Mary’s head coach Randy Bennett, who is in his 25th season with the Gaels. The West Coast Conference program, which has gone to four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, was an early adopter of using analyt-

Continued from page 1C

to play here.” Shipman came to UL from Western Michigan, but he has been around the softball scene for a long time. One daughter, Maddi, played in two Women’s College World Series with Tennessee and her sister, Ally, played at both Tennessee and Alabama when Habetz was coaching in Tuscaloosa.

“We’re a competitive family,” Shipman said. “My two daughters have been to the World Series, and I need to get to the World Series now. So, I believe this is the place that we’re going to do it.”

The UL coaches know that can’t happen without a drastic upgrade at the plate. A year ago UL produced only 229 runs, a .374 onbase percentage and a .389 slugging percentage.

Those were the worse numbers since the ﬁrst season under Gerry Glasco in 2018 when UL settled for 263 runs, a .354 on-base and a .380 slugging percentage.

The best season under Glasco was 2022 with 416 runs, a .422 onbase percentage and a .601 slugging percentage.

“I won’t say we’re going to be trying to hit the long ball,” Ship-

sas City in the 2020 and 2024 seasons.

Buffalo became the league’s ﬁrst team to win a playoff round in six consecutive years but not reach the Super Bowl.

McDermott was aware of the shortcomings and addressed them in August.

“We take a lot of pride in what we’ve done here And nobody has more internal drive and internal expectations than I do or we do. And very confident in who we are,” McDermott said. “There’s one thing that remains. We know what that is. But you can’t get there tomorrow.” Tomorrow never came.

The Bills went 12-5 in the regular season and had their ﬁve-year run atop the AFC East end, ﬁnishing second behind the New England Patriots.

rick Mahomes had to complete two passes for 44 yards to set up Harrison Butker’s tying, 49-yard ﬁeld goal on the ﬁnal play of regulation. McDermott, otherwise, led a team that won 10 or more regularseason games over seven straight seasons.

his ﬁrst coaching search since arriving in Buffalo ﬁve months after McDermott, who replaced Rex Ryan after two seasons in Buffalo. Beane is expected to target an offensive-minded coach to spur an offense in which quarterback Josh Allen was too often asked to carry

defense,” Flau’jae Johnson said, “getting back in transition. We had a couple of lapses in transition, but overall, Jada controlled the pace. She really controlled the whole dynamic on defense, so I would say it was her really dictating what Oklahoma did on those actions.”

That responsibility is an important part of the job description for Mulkey point guards. They’re in charge of defending the point of attack. They have to prevent opposing ballhandlers from dribble penetrating and drawing help defenders — something Richard can do because she has quick feet and a low center of gravity

“She has a voice on the floor now,” Starkey said. “She doesn’t have a problem saying something to Flau’jae or Mikaylah (Williams) or any of our players, in terms of getting them in the right place or telling them something that they need to do or some area they need to pick up upon.

ics to inform coaching decisions.

The advanced metrics frontier helped the staff decide on Golden as the starting point guard.

“The ‘Moneyball’ stats that everyone does now, back in the early 2000s, that was not en vogue,” Patrick said. “Coach would always say ‘Man, Todd’s playing better than this guy, just doesn’t look the part.’ And so when we inserted him, our wins went up.”

During the 2007-08 season, St. Mary’s earned a victory against rival WCC powerhouse Gonzaga in the ﬁrst meeting of the regular season before making the NCAA Tournament Golden, a senior, had 19 points and made all six of his 3-pointers in the 89-85 overtime win against Gonzaga

“He was a guy that did more with less,” Patrick said of Golden.

“He looked exactly the same as he does now, probably with less hair and a young baby face, going out there competing at a high level So you could tell he was always going to be, probably a businessman before you thought coach because he’s very smart.”

man said “I’m more of a guy that says, ‘Let’s get more barrels, let’s get line drives.’ The home runs will come in the game when we get a little more backspin. But yeah we have been emphasizing driving the ball with more power.”

The leading returning hitter is sophomore Emily Smith at .362 with 12 homers and 43 RBIs.

“We’re not a cookie-cutter program where we say, ‘Hey, do this, this and this,’ especially in the beginning stages,” Shipman said. “I take every hitter and look at their strengths and weaknesses. Body types are different and swings are different.”

Shipman sees plenty of potential among the newcomers to help Smith out in the power game. One is redshirt freshman outﬁelder Lily Knox.

“She really impressed me this fall,” Shipman said of Knox. “I’m looking for big things from Lily She’s such a great kid and a hard worker She can hit the ball a long way I’m looking forward to seeing what she does during the season.”

Another new bat that could boost the lineup’s power output is Alabama transfer Kennedy Marceaux, who likely will play catcher this season, but the Kaplan High product is capable of

the burden. Despite a seven-year playoff run and Allen setting many franchise passing and scoring records and earning MVP honors last season, the Bills advanced no further than the AFC championship game, which they lost both times to Kan-

“So that voice has been, I think, the biggest change.”

Richard’s emergence is especially notable because LSU has struggled for the last two seasons to ﬁnd someone whose skills ﬁt the role that Mulkey wants her point guards to play Alexis Morris knew how to run the system, but she exhausted her eligibility after the Tigers’ national title run in 2023.

Hailey Van Lith wasn’t the right fit in 2023-24. Neither was Shayeann Day-Wilson or Last-Tear Poa or Mjracle Sheppard last season.

Some of them could move the ball, defend the point of attack or shoot off of the dribble.

But none of them could master all three of those skills the way Richard has this season, giving the Tigers the production from point guard they’ve been trying to ﬁnd for the past two seasons.

“She’s everything that we thought she was gonna be,” Starkey said.

The pull toward coaching was helped by his competitive streak as someone who was “tougher than he looks” on the court, Patrick said. The analytical approach Golden uses today is inﬂuenced by his and Patrick’s time with the Gaels. The Florida coach’s ﬁrst assistant job at Columbia was under coach Kyle Smith, who was an assistant for Bennett at St. Mary’s (2001-10) and now leads Stanford.

When Patrick watches Florida, he sees the St. Mary’s “DNA.” He even has a good idea about who will be substituted after timeouts when he watches the Gators because he knows Golden’s values. When their battle concludes, Patrick will continue cheering for his friend’s success.

“That’s what you coach for,” Patrick said. “Leave your players or your student-athletes better than you found them. It’s a blessing to be a piece of his life and still be involved in it. It’s great to see that the foundation laid by coach Bennett and our staff is set with him, and he’s put his own twist on what he’s learned.”

playing any inﬁeld position.

“Very impressed,” Shipman said of Marceaux. “She’s got a ton of power in there, but also a very good contact kid She’s very cerebral at the plate. She understands what’s going on there.”

A returning player capable of bigger and better things is sophomore Gabbie Stutes, who hit 243 with nine RBIs last season.

“We’ve definitely seen some of that pop in the fall, and we’ve actually seen her hit already in January, too,” Shipman said of the former St. Thomas More standout. “With her, we’re just going to keep a good mental approach. I think the mechanics are there and the power is there. It’s just about staying with the plan.”

Stutes came to UL as a middle inﬁelder, but she is an option in the outﬁeld as well.

Another potential weapon is Brooke Otto at third base, who suffered a season-ending injury in the preseason a year ago.

“She’s one of those kind of hitters you don’t notice all the time,” Shipman said, “but all of a sudden, it’s like, ‘Brooke is 3 for 4 with a homer.’ She has potential to hit double-ﬁgure homers too, but also continue with a high average.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

Each of Buffalo’s past three playoff losses have been decided by three points. And three of McDermott’s playoff losses ended in overtime.

That includes a 42-36 loss to Kansas City in the 2021 divisional round that’s become dubbed “13 seconds” — the amount of time Pat-

He also was credited with guiding the Bills through some difficult moments. The worst came in January 2023 when safety Damar Hamlin nearly died after collapsing and needing to be resuscitated on the field during a game at Cincinnati. Hamlin was one of several current and former players to express their support for McDermott after his firing. He posted a note on X referring to McDermott as “A True Leader of Men.” Defensive tackle Jordan Phillips described the firing as “stupid honestly sickening.” Former center Eric Wood posted a note that read: “Sean is a great man and will be a great hire for another organization, and I hate we couldn’t get over the hump with him as HC in Buffalo.” McDermott moved up the NFL ranks as a defensive specialist and was hired by Buffalo after six seasons as Carolina’s coordinator

SAINTS

Continued from page 1C

defensive end Cam Jordan tweeted. The Broncos signed Roach as a free agent in 2024 and then gave him a three-year extension worth up to $29.25 million in November

Wil Lutz, Broncos kicker

Released in 2023 after losing a training camp competition against Blake Grupe, Lutz has rebounded nicely in Denver He hit all four of his field goals in Saturday’s victory, including the 23-yarder that gave the Broncos the win in overtime Lutz spent his ﬁrst six seasons with the Saints.

Lil’Jordan Humphrey, Broncos WR Humphrey never was a star for New Orleans, but he was a useful role player The same role has emerged in Denver Despite a crucial drop early in Saturday’s game, Humphrey later caught a 29-yard touchdown to give the Broncos a 17-10 lead in the ﬁrst half. He stepped up after wide receivers Pat Bryant (concussion) and Troy Franklin (hamstring) exited with injuries.

Brandin Cooks, Bills WR Cooks asked for his release from the Saints after the trade deadline in part because he was conﬁdent he could still contribute to a team in a meaningful way The Saints granted that request, and Cooks almost had his signature moment against the Broncos. But Cooks was on the wrong end of a controversial interception that saw Denver defensive back Ja’Quan McMillian rip the ball out of the wideout’s hands as he went to the ground, despite many arguing Cooks should have been down by contact. If it had been ruled a completion, Buffalo would have been in a great spot to kick a game-winning ﬁeld goal. Instead, Denver went on to win.

Rashid Shaheed, Seahawks WR The Shaheed trade has turned out to be a win-win for the Saints and Seahawks. New Orleans received a fourth- and ﬁfth-round pick from Seattle, while the Seahawks received a game-changer Shaheed opened Saturday’s lopsided win over the San Francisco 49ers with a 95-yard touchdown kickoff return, his third specialteams touchdown since joining Seattle. Shaheed’s latest score

even caused a seismic spike, reminiscent of the 2011 “Beast Quake” Marshawn Lynch run that took place against the Saints. Sheldon Rankins, Texans DT Rankins, a 2016 ﬁrst-round pick who spent his first five seasons with the Saints, didn’t have quite the performance he did the previous week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, when he returned a fumble for a touchdown. But the 31-year-old defensive tackle was part of a line that kept the Texans competitive in their loss to the Patriots, despite an ugly showing from quarterback C.J. Stroud. Rankins had four tackles against New England.

Dennis Allen, Bears DC

Say what you want about Allen’s skills as a head coach, but the man can coach a defense. Utilizing a game plan that saw Chicago send a number of blitzes from the slot and edge, his defense was able to harass MVP candidate Matthew Stafford and the Rams. Los Angeles had trouble moving the ball for large parts of Sunday’s game. But the Rams prevailed in overtime, kicking a game-winning ﬁeld goal to pull off a 20-17 victory

D’Marco Jackson, Bears LB Jackson not only latched onto Chicago’s roster after he was cut this summer by the Saints but he also ended up in a starting role because of numerous injuries at linebacker Jackson played well when given the opportunity, even winning an NFC Defensive Player of the Week award during the season. He was again thrust into a starting role against the Rams, recording seven tackles.

C.J. Gardner-Johnson, Bears DB Gardner-Johnson, who spent his ﬁrst three seasons with the Saints, enjoyed a bit of a resurgence when he reunited with Allen this season. He thrived in the slot and was part of Allen’s blitz-heavy game plan against the Rams. Gardner-Johnson recorded four tackles and also had a key pass breakup on third down in overtime to prevent a game-winning touchdown. Unfortunately for him and the Bears, the Rams then drilled a 42-yard ﬁeld goal for the win.

Email Matthew Paras at matt. paras@theadvocate.com

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON LSU guard Jada Richard moves the ball around Texas guard Jordan Lee in the third quarter on Jan. 11 at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By RJ SANGOSTI

Buffalo Bills head coach Sean McDermott reacts during the second half of a divisional round playoff game against the Denver Broncos on Saturday in Denver.

STM wrestling makes noise at Louisiana Classic

BY ERIC NARCISSE Staff writer

One week after winning the Ken Cole Invitational, the St Thomas More Cougars nearly claimed the crown of a second prestigious wrestling tournament.

St. Thomas More finished second at the Louisiana Classic held in Gonzales last weekend

“The guys competed well,” STM coach Kerry Boumans said. “We did a good job. I mean, they all stuck to the game plan of staying in good position and when there’s an opportunity, taking advantage of it. I was extremely pleased with how they competed.”

The Cougars, who ﬁnished seventh a year ago at the same tournament, scored 230 points to ﬁnish behind only Catholic High of Baton Rouge with 237 points.

STM was the lone Acadiana area team to ﬁnish in the top ﬁve Last year’s winner Teurlings Catholic placed ninth with 163 points and Acadiana was 12th with 120 points.

“I knew there was a long shot, but as the tournament progressed and towards the end there, it was like, well, we have a really good shot at placing pretty high,” Boumans said. “So, it got exciting at the end for sure.”

Foster Peterson, Jonas Rebstock and Zach Cestia all took ﬁrst place for the Cougars in their respective divisions. Peterson, who ﬁnished fourth last year at 132 pounds, defeated Anthony Oubre of Holy Cross in a 7-0 decision in the same weight division.

Rebstock, who placed third at 126 last year, won the 144-pound division by defeating Matthew Krail of Holy Cross via decision 2-1. Cestia defeated Rylee Reeves of Holy Cross via ultimate tiebreaker to win the 175-pound division

“Yeah, what an amazing job by all three of those guys,” Boumans said. “They have all made some major gains, and it is a testament

Holy Cross, helped the Cougars claim a second-place finish at the Louisiana Classic on Saturday.

to all of their hard work.”

The Acadiana area had four other individual winners at the Louisiana Classic, including Alex Rozas, who inched closer to making state history Rozas, the Teurlings Catholic wrestler who defeated Catholic High of Baton Rouge’s Caleb Kirk with a technical fall at 126, now has won Ken Cole and Louisiana Classic titles in four consecutive years. If Rozas wins the state championship, he would become the first wrestler in state history to be a four-time winner of the state title, Ken Cole and Louisiana Classic, according to Rebels coach Kent Masson

“That would be pretty impressive,” Masson said about Rozas after the Ken Cole. “He would leave Louisiana as the most decorated wrestler in Louisiana history, and that’s pretty substantial when it comes to wrestling in Louisiana.”

Acadiana’s Ozias Gray won the 138-pound division at the Louisiana Classic. Gray ﬁnished second at the tournament a year ago in the 126-pound division.

On the girls side, Lafayette High

had a pair of Louisiana Classic winners in Ryleigh Blanchard and Quetzicalli Guevara-Tapia, both of whom improved to 38-0 on the year

“They had a lot of competition,” Lions coach Shawn Arnold said. “They showed up and performed well when the lights got the brightest. They trusted their instincts. All season they’ve been hungry, dedicated and determined.”

Blanchard, a junior, repeated as the 120-pound division champion by defeating Niceville’s Mora Penberthy via a 7-3 decision.

“We pushed her and told her she was going to be ﬁne,” Arnold said. “Ryleigh wrestled tough and set the tone early She is very technical, and she did a good job of ﬁnishing all of her shots.”

Guevara-Tapia, a senior who placed third last year, defeated Benton’s Audrina Wade via an 8-3 decision to win the 126-pound division.

“I am extremely proud of Calli,” Arnold said. “Through all of the challenges and adversity, she stayed resilient. That was the best I ever saw her wrestle.”

Swiatek overcomes ‘rust’ as Djokovic sets records

BY JOHN PYE AP sportswriter

MELBOURNE, Australia Iga Swiatek knows she has plenty to work on in her bid for a ﬁrst Australian Open title and a career Grand Slam.

The No. 2-ranked Swiatek never got comfortable in a 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over No. 130-ranked Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue in the first round on Monday night.

Novak Djokovic already has a record 10 titles in Australia among his 24 major championships, and he just keeps racking up the records.

He equaled two all-time tennis marks by starting his 21st Australian Open and his 81st Grand Slam tournament and he added another milestone in the last night match Monday with his 100th win at Melbourne Park.

The 38-year-old Djokovic had a 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 first-round win over Pedro Martinez to become the ﬁrst man to win 100 or more matches at three Grand Slam tournaments.

“I like the sound of it,” he said.

“Centurion is pretty nice.”

Swiatek won Wimbledon last year to go with her four French Open titles and her victory at the 2022 U.S. Open, leaving the Australian Open as the only major missing from her collection. She has twice reached the semiﬁnals.

Yuan was swinging freely and riﬂing winners as she took a 5-3 lead, and wi tek had to switch things up.

“I was a bit rusty at the beginning,” she said “Many ups and downs, but overall I have some stuff to work on. I’ll just focus on that.”

From 5-3 down in the ﬁrst, she held a service game at love to force Yuan to serve for the set.

wi tek broke back to level and then, in the tiebreaker she remained composed and converted on her second set point.

“I started a bit tight I needed to get my legs moving. Go after my shots. Be brave with the de-

SCOREBOARD

High schools

Boys basketball

Tuesday’s games Acadiana at Acadiana Renaissance, Comeaux at Lafayette, Beau Chene at Livonia, Breaux Bridge at Cecilia, Jennings at Eunice, North Vermilion at Iota, Northside at Ville Platte, Lafayette Christian at Rayne, St. Martinville at Abbeville, Erath at Kaplan, Franklin at Catholic-NI, Delcambre at Loreauville, Baker at Lafayette Renaissance, Midland at Basile, Highland Baptist at Vermilion Catholic, Centerville at Jeanerette, Berchmans at JS Clark, North Central at St. Edmund, Opelousas Catholic at Sacred Heart, Lake Arthur at Westminster-LAF, Pine Prairie at Northside Christian. Girls basketball Westgate at Acadiana, Carencro at Northside, Southside at Bunkie, Beau Chene at Livonia, Breaux Bridge at Cecilia David Thibodaux at Church Point, North Vermilion at Iota, Lake Charels Prep at Rayne, St. Thomas More at Berwick, Teurlings at Dunham, St. Martinville at Abbeville, Erath at Kaplan, Franklin at Catholic-NI, Welsh at Lafayette Christian, Lake Arthur at Lafayette Renaissance, Centerville at Jeanerette, Merryville at JS Clark, North Central at St. Edmund, Opelousas Catholic at Sacred Heart, Pine Prairie at Northside Christian Boys soccer Westminster-LAF at Lafayette Christian Acadiana Renaissance at Kaplan St. Martinville at Cecilia, Erath at Sam Houston Dunham Springs at Teurlings, Lafayette at Southside. Girls soccer Sam Houston at Episcopal of Acadiana, Highland Baptist at Opelousas Catholic, Acadiana Renaissance at Kaplan St. Martinville at Cecilia,

9 p.m. Tuesday’s Games Minnesota at Montreal, 6 p.m. Ottawa at Columbus, 6 p.m. San Jose at Tampa Bay, 6 p.m. Boston at Dallas, 6:30 p.m. Buffalo at Nashville, 7 p.m. St. Louis at Winnipeg, 7 p.m. N.Y. Rangers at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. New Jersey at Edmonton, 9 p.m. Tennis

Australian Open Results

Monday At Melbourne Park Melbourne, Australia Purse: AUD111,500,000 Surface: Hardcourt outdoor Results Monday from Australian Open at Melbourne Park (seedings in parentheses): Men’s Singles First Round Quentin Halys, France, def. Alejandro Tabilo, Chile, 6-2, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Nuno Borges, Portugal, def. Felix Auger-Aliassime (7), Canada, 3-6, 6-4, 6-4, 0-0, ret. Hamad Medjedovic, Serbia, def. Mariano Navone, Argentina, 6-2, 6-7 (3), 6-4, 6-2. Tommy Paul (19), United States, def. Aleksandar Kovacevic, United States, 6-4, 6-3, 6-3. Reilly Opelka, United States, def. Nicolai Budkov Kjaer, Norway, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4. Alexander Shevchenko, Russia, def. Elias Ymer, Sweden, 3-6, 7-5, 6-4, 6-1. Daniil Medvedev (11), Russia, def. Jesper De Jong, Netherlands, 7-5, 6-2, 7-6 (2). Andrey Rublev (13), Russia, def. Matteo Arnaldi, Italy, 6-4, 6-2, 6-3. Fabian Marozsan, Hungary, def. Arthur Rinderknech (24), France, 6-3, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-4. Juncheng Shang, China, def. Roberto Bautista Agut, Spain, 6-4, 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-0. Alex de Minaur (6), Australia, def. Mackenzie McDonald, United States, 6-2, 6-2, 6-3. Alejandro Davidovich Fokina (14), Spain, def. Filip Misolic, Austria, 6-2, 6-3, 6-3. Jordan Thompson, Australia, def. Juan Manuel Cerundolo, Argentina, 6-7 (3), 7-5, 6-1, 6-1. Thiago Agustin Tirante, Argentina, def. Aleksandar Vukic, Australia, 7-5, 6-2, 6-2. Learner Tien (25), United States, def. Marcos Giron, United States, 7-6 (2), 4-6, 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-2. Marin Cilic, Croatia, def. Daniel Altmaier, Germany, 6-0, 6-0, 7-6 (3). Stan Wawrinka, Switzerland, def. Laslo Djere, Serbia, 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4). Kamil Majchrzak, Poland, def. Jacob Fearnley, Britain, 7-6 (2), 7-5, 3-6, 7-6 (3). Denis Shapovalov (21), Canada, def. Yunchaokete Bu, China, 6-3, 7-6 (3), 6-1. Botic Van de Zandschulp, Netherlands, def. Brandon Nakashima (27), United States, 6-3, 4-6, 7-6 (1), 7-6 (3). Rinky Hijikata, Australia, def. Adrian Mannarino, France, 6-3, 6-3, 6-1. Francesco Maestrelli, Italy, def. Terence Atmane, France, 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (4), 6-1, 6-1. Valentin Vacherot (30), Monaco, def. Martin Damm Jr, United States, 6-4, 6-4, 6-4. Arthur Gea, France, def. Jiri Lehecka (17), Czechia, 7-5, 7-6 (1), 7-5. Jaume Munar, Spain, def. Dalibor Svrcina, Czechia, 3-6, 6-2, 6-7 (5), 7-5, 6-3. Casper Ruud (12), Norway, def. Mattia Bellucci, Italy, 6-1, 6-2, 6-4. Novak Djokovic (4), Serbia, def. Pedro Martinez, Spain, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.

cisions,” she said of the change up. “It’s not hard to win matches when everything is going well. Today it wasn’t, but I was able to win.”

Swiatek had a disrupted preparation for the year’s ﬁrst major, losing two singles matches at the United Cup but helping Poland win the title for the ﬁrst time.

One of those losses was to No. 3 Coco Gauff, who also had some struggles before beating Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2, 6-3 on Monday Gauff has won two Grand Slam titles but, like Swiatek, never has gone past the semiﬁnals at Melbourne Park.

She had six double faults in the ﬁrst set against Rakhimova, but she found her range in the second. It’s not a new issue she had a tour-high 431 double faults last year but is something Gauff is working on.

“I mean, it was just the first set,” Gauff said. “I had like three doubles in the first game, and once I got through that game, I mean, it was pretty much smooth sailing.” No. 4 Amanda Anisimova, runner-up at the last two majors, and No 6 Jessica Pegula won in straight sets, advancing along with No. 8 Mirra Andreeva, No. 17 Victoria Mboko and No 25 Paula Badosa.

Soﬁa Kenin, the 2020 champion, had her fifth consecutive firstround exit at Melbourne Park after a 6-3, 6-2 loss to fellow American Peyton Stearns, and No. 15 Emma Navarro lost in three sets to Magda Linette.

On the men’s side, Stan Wawrinka kicked off his farewell season at the Grand Slams with a 5-7, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6 (4) win over Laslo Djere. The 2014 champion announced last month that 2026 will be his last year on the elite tour

“It is my last year It’s been too long that I’m coming back,” he said. “The passion is still intact. Today was amazing. I’m so happy that I won. I have a chance to play one more here.”

Alexandre Muller, France, def. Alexei Popyrin, Australia, 2-6, 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5), 7-6 (4). Women’s Singles First Round Magdalena Frech, Poland, def. Veronika Erjavec, Slovenia, 6-1, 6-1. McCartney Kessler, United States, def. Emiliana Arango, Colombia, 6-3, 6-2. Peyton Stearns, United States, def. Soﬁa Kenin (27), United States, 6-3, 6-2. Anna Bondar, Hungary, def. Elizabeth Mandlik, United States, 6-0, 6-4. Petra Marcinko, Croatia, def. Tatjana Maria, Germany, 6-3, 7-5. Storm Hunter, Australia, def. Jessica Bouzas Maneiro, Spain, 6-4, 6-4. Magda Linette, Poland, def. Emma Navarro (15), United States, 3-6, 6-3, 6-3. Coco Gauff (3), United States, def. Kamilla Rakhimova, Russia, 6-2, 6-3. Ann Li, United States, def. Camila Osorio, Colombia, 6-4, 6-7 (5), 7-5. Linda Klimovicova, Poland, def. Francesca Jones, Britain, 6-2, 3-2, ret. Priscilla Hon, Australia, def. Marina Stakusic, Canada, 1-6, 6-4, 5-3, ret. Jessica Pegula (6), United States, def. Anastasia Zakharova, Russia, 6-2, 6-1. Clara Tauson (14), Denmark, def. Dalma Galﬁ, Hungary, 6-3, 6-3. Amanda Anisimova (4), United States, def. Simona Waltert, Switzerland, 6-3, 6-2. Alycia Parks, United States, def. Alexandra Eala, Philippines, 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. Karolina Muchova (19), Czechia, def. Jaqueline Cristian, Romania, 6-3, 7-6 (6). Oksana Selekhmeteva, Russia, def. Ella Seidel, Germany, 6-3, 3-6, 6-0. Linda Noskova (13), Czechia, def. Darja Semenistaja, Latvia, 6-3, 6-0. Iva Jovic (29), United States, def. Katie Volynets, United States, 6-2, 6-3. Victoria Mboko (17), Canada, def. Emerson Jones, Australia, 6-4, 6-1. Paula Badosa (25), Spain, def. Zarina Diyas, Kazakhstan, 6-2, 6-4. Ajla Tomljanovic, Australia, def. Yuliia Starodubtseva, Ukraine, 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-1. Marie Bouzkova, Czechia, def. Renata Zarazua, Mexico, 6-2, 7-5. Moyuka Uchijima, Japan, def. Solana Sierra, Argentina, 6-3, 6-1. Mirra Andreeva (8), Russia, def. Donna Vekic, Croatia, 4-6, 6-3, 6-0. Iga Swiatek (2), Poland, def. Yuan Yue China, 7-6 (5), 6-3. Diana Shnaider (23), Russia, def. Barbora Krejcikova, Czechia, 2-6, 6-3, 6-3. Elise Mertens (21), Belgium, def. Lanlana Tararudee,

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS

St. Thomas More wrestler Jonas Rebstock, front, shown here battling Matthew Krail of

Steps for success

Plantblueberries nowtohelpthem establishroots before summer

In Louisiana, fall through early spring is the perfect time to plant ahost of trees and shrubs —including blueberries. While these plants won’t bear their delicious fruit for afew more months, it’sbest to get them in the ground (or containers)while the weather is cool. This gives them plenty of time to establish beforethe arrival of stressful summer heat.

Blueberries are among the easiest fruit crops home gardeners can grow. But there are afew things you should know before you purchase and plant the shrubs.

Mary Helen Ferguson, an LSU AgCenter horticulture agent, offers thesetips for blueberry success

By OLIVIA McCLURE

Choose plants carefully

Most people in Louisiana growone of two kinds of blueberries: rabbiteye or Southern highbush. Ferguson generally recommends rabbiteye blueberries, which ripen between May and July.They are more disease resistant and more forgiving when it comes to soil requirements.

“Rabbiteye varieties arewell suitedfor most places in Louisiana,” Ferguson said. “Along the coast and in the New Orleans area might be abit of an exception.”

In those areas, Southern highbush varieties —some of which require fewer chilling hours than rabbiteyesand ripen earlier —may be abetter choice.

Regardless of which type of blueberry you decide to grow be sure to purchasemore than one plant. Cross pollination between different varieties is important for fruit production. Trytoget two to three varieties, which helps improve yields and quality Ferguson has had the highest yields with Tifblue, Brightwell, Ochlockonee, Premier and Austin —all rabbiteye varieties —inademonstration at the AgCenter Hammond Research Station.

Site selection, soil preparation

“When we plant rabbiteye blueberries, site selection and soil preparation are important,” Ferguson said. “Wewant to choose alocation that has fullsun, ideally,and is well drained andhas relatively acidic soil.” Blueberries prefer apHbetween about 4.5 and 5.2 (upto 5.5 is OK for rabbiteye plants).

MuchofLouisiana has soils that naturally fall within this range, but in some areas, the ä See BLUEBERRY, page 6C

STAFFPHOTOSByROBIN MILLER

MikeWeary, curator of the Shell Galleryinthe Cary SaurageCommunity Arts Center,put together the exhibit, ‘TheGreat Reunion:Exploring the GreatMigration Through ContemporaryArt.’

Arts

CouncilofGreater BatonRouge explores

20th-century

BY ROBIN MILLER

AStaff

writer

GreatMigration of BlackAmericans

ndre Guichard’sancestors left Louisiana for Chicagointhe early 20th century They were part of the Great Migration, amovementof more than 5million Black Americanswho moved from the rural Southtothe urban Northbetween 1910 and 1970.Guichard’sancestors, like so manyothers, landed in Chicago. It’s where Guichard and hiswife, Frances,now own and operate Gallery Guichard.

The gallery is aplace where they canshow their own artwork, some of which is now hanging in Baton Rouge in theCary Saurage Community Arts Center’sShell Gallery as part of theArtsCouncilof Greater Baton Rouge’snew exhibit, “The Great Reunion: Exploring the Great Migration Through Contemporary Art.”

The showruns through Feb. 21 in the gallery at 233 St. Ferdinand St Atruereunion

For curator MikeWeary, this show really is areunion of the Guichards and their fellow Louisiana artists. “Andre Guichard grew up in Chicago, but his family is still based in Louisiana,” Wearysaid. “Bringing

The work of Frances Guichard,

his workhere is part of an ideaI hadwhenI ﬁrst came on as acurator in the middle of last year

Thefirst thing on my mind was theShell Gallery’sBlack History Month show,and Ithought about how, after Katrina,myfamily evacuated.”

Weary’sfamily was one of many in New Orleans’ Black community that relocated throughout the country

“We’dnever really leftNew Orleans before that,” he said. “I mean, we left afew times forvacations here and there, but overall, our families were alltogetherinNew Orleans

Exploring the GreatMigration Through ContemporaryArt.’

BY MADDIE SCOTT Staff writer

ä See EXHIBIT, page 6C

whopaints under the monikerMarlene Campbell, features African people in their homeland before theywere enslavedand shipped to the United States

Baton Rougeartist Keith ‘Cartoon Man’ Douglas’ work is featured in the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’sexhibit, ‘The GreatReunion:

LSU AGCENTERPHOTO

Blueberry shrubs at the LSU AgCenter Hammond Research Station

Otherpeople’stattoos:Noone askedyou

Dear Miss Manners: Iamstill not inured to the rampant trend of women tattooing their hands, feet, arms,backs and even faces. Idon’t believe at all that Iamoldfashioned, but defacing one’sbody willnever be attractive. What am Itosay to a woman —“What apretty tattoo. It really enhances your daintyfeet”?

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Gentle reader: Andwhat sarcastic remark wouldyou like that lady to make while critically assessing your appearance?

Dear Miss Manners: Ilive in alarge city and take publictransportation almost daily.Iam80years old.The buses and trains have seats up front that are clearly

marked for seniorsand people with disabilities. Butthey areoften ﬁlled with young people who appearquite ﬁt andhealthy They are also occupied by peoplewith babies or childreninlargestrollers that take upmultiple seats. Thebus driversdonothing to enforce the rules, and we seniors are left trudgingdown the bus aisle while the people in the seats smirk, look at their phonesand talk to each other Any suggestions? When traveling with ayoungchild, Iused to bring asmall collapsible stroller, which Ifolded upand put my child on my lap. No one does that where Ilive anymore.

Gentlereader: It was another Gentle Reader who once came up with the polite way to handle this situation. The idea is totarget a passenger who is young and unencumbered; approach them, smile and say,“Thank you so much for saving that seat for me.”

Miss Manners hates to encumber this delicious solution, but must add somecaveats. First,not all disabilities are clearly visible. There may be young people who are legitimately occupying those seats. Secondly,please grant some leeway to people with small children. It may not be easy tokeep control of acollapsible stroller,let alone a small child.

Dear Miss Manners: There is alovely couple in their30s in my com-

munitywho have gone through fertility struggles. They have just posted an online campaign with the goal of raising money to go towardadoption costs. Although Iunderstand their desire to have achild, Iﬁnd this very inappropriate. I’ve seen jars looking fordonationsfor honeymoons, money to offset the cost of awedding, trips abroad and now adopting ababy!

Frankly,I am appalled.

Gentlereader: Indeed, begging thehumiliating last resource of desperatepeople —has now become commonplace among those who want help with their bills or luxuries they cannot afford. Not that Miss Manners considers having children aluxury.Itshould be available to all, but it is highly

expensive,and the enormous cost of adoptionfees (orfertility treatments) would be just the beginning. Will this couple go on to beg formoney forthe child care, education, medical attentionand other necessitiesthe child will require? She can understand why people sympathize with this couple. But others have their own expenses, and cannot be expected to subsidize those who are presumably capable of managing their own lives.

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

—and that’sboth sides of my family.Wewere all withinno more than a10-minute drive from each other.”

And Weary was among them, eventually making his home in BatonRouge. This experience made it easy for him to identify with the BlackAmericans who left their Southern homes looking for better opportunities in the 20th century

“After that, it was hard for us to stay together because of distance, and my mindalways wonders back to thinking about what happenedto all of those families during the Great Migration,” Weary said. This experience and reﬂectioninspired “The Great Reunion,” which, Weary said, will be the ﬁrst in an annual Black History Month contemporary art series exploring the Great Migration.

The inaugural exhibit tracesBlack Americans’ movement up the MississippiRiver to Chicago.The Illinois metropolis was one of the main hubs of Black resettlement, which eventually enhanced the city’s artistic and musical production.

Chicago’sjazzcommunity

The contributionswereespecially strong in Chicago’s jazz community,where so many Black New Orleans musiciansfounda home. Louis Armstrong was among them.

“Andre Guichard’suncle was ajazz musician,” Weary said. “He playedwith a lot of bands, and Ithink he even played with Louis Armstrong.”

Which was one reasonGallery Guichard’sworks were an easy fit with Weary’s theme. Andre Guichard’s paintings are inspired by jazz, speciﬁcally focusing on the musicians. Meanwhile, hiswife,Frances Guichard, whopaints under the moniker Marlene Campbell, portrays the forced migration of enslaved Africans just be-

BLUEBERRY

Continued from page5C

pH will need to be adjusted. Typical potting mixes also are not acidic enough for blueberries’ liking. So, how do you make soil more acidic? When the pH only needs to be reduced a little bit, an easy way is to incorporate a2-to-4-inch layer of aged pine bark into the ground before planting. This helps improve drainage, too. Where pH needs to come down more, elemental sulfur can be applied based on soil test results.

“If you’re planting in a container,use agedpine bark or acombination of this and other materials instead of using astandard potting mix since these usuallyhave lime,” Ferguson

BURRITO

Continued from page5C

Baton RougeartistBrandon Lewis’ work is featuredinthe Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge’sexhibit,‘TheGreat Reunion: Exploringthe Great Migration ThroughContemporaryArt.’

fore leaving their homeland for theUnited States.

TheGuichards’worksjoin pieces by Wearyand fellow Baton Rouge —based artists Keith “Cartoon Man” Douglas, Brandon Lewis, Ashli Ognelodh Curry and Bryson Boutte.

Differentperspectives

All works tackle the“Great Migration”theme from different perspectives,with Boutte painting his as aworkin-progress in the gallery

“Bryson isamuralist, and he’sbeen working on his painting allweek in the gallery ”Weary said, pointing to awall-lengthpieceofunstretched canvas. Bryson’s unﬁnished piece is oneamong12in theshow, most of them large.

“Ifyou notice, warm colors dominatethese works,” Wearysaid. “You’llsee alot of yellows andoranges. It wasn’tplanned, it justhappened this way.”

Still, theGuichards’ piecesdominatethe space Both artists work on large canvases, each usingtheir own methods of impasto, or raised texture, to emphasize their subjects. ForAndre Guichard, that method is achieved through cutand rolled piecesofcanvas that are glued on to astretched canvas.

“He improvises his pieces,”Weary said. “And he also

said.

Givingthe plantsenough room to grow is crucial. When planting in the ground, space rabbiteye blueberries 5to6 feet apart. Southern highbush plantscan bespaced 4feet apart. Select adequately sized pots for containergrown blueberries Finally,mulcharound the plantswith more pine bark to maintain moistureand reduce competition with weeds for nutrients and water

“Blueberries are shallow rooted, so weed management is important,” Ferguson said. What next?

After you’ve planted your blueberries,keep them well watered —but notsoggy Consider installing adrip irrigation system if you’re planting alargenumber

uses rusted pieces of metal.” Instruments played by Andre Guichard’smusicians are made of chains, symbolizing the chains that once were usedinthe capture and holding of slaves.

Frances Guichard’sworks feature lines of people waiting on ashore in their homelandbeneath adeep blue sky.The people are small, whichsomehow places them in the spotlight “Andre has never lived in Louisiana, yet he has these Louisiana roots,”Weary said. “And thelong-term vision of this exhibit series is to build asustained exchange between Baton Rouge artists and galleries in other cities. Iwould like this to foster reciprocal relationships thatexpand opportunity across regional art communities.”

Though “The Great Reunion” closes on Feb. 21, the gallery will host aclosing reception from 6p.m. to 8p.m. on Feb. 19. Gallery hours are 9a.m. to 4p.m. Monday through Friday.The gallery also will be open from noon to 4p.m. Feb.1for Free First Sunday Admission is free. For more information, call (225) 3448558 or visit artsbr.org.

Email RobinMiller at romiller@theadvocate. com.

of bushes in fast-draining, sandy soil.

Newly planted blueberries aresusceptible to overfertilization. Wait until leaves are fully expanded in the spring before making alight fertilizer application using something such as 1tablespoon of 13-13-13 or 2tablespoons of cottonseed meal, Ferguson said. Spread fertilizer in acircle, keeping it several inches away from the base of the plant

Up to three more fertilizer applications can be made, at least 4to6weeks apart, during spring and summer

Alternative fertilizers include 1/2 tablespoon of 33-0-0 or 2teaspoons of ammonium sulfate.

Plants in pots likely will need fertilizer that contains secondary and micronutrients as well, Ferguson said.

Womanghostsfriend whohelpedher in need

Dear Harriette: Lastyear, Ihelped my close friend through atough time when she was struggling ﬁnancially and feeling lonely,but now that she’s in abetter situation, she has completely stopped talking to me. Iwas not only afriend who was there for her emotionally,Ialso supported her ﬁnancially.She had recently gotten divorced and lost her job, so Isent her money to help pay her rent,with no expectation that she would pay me back. Ialso spent alot of time helping her look for jobs. She landed awell-paying job through aconnection of mine, andshe is now also dating again. As aresult of her newfound success, she doesn’tcare to talktome anymore. It feels like she used me when she needed help, and now that her life has improved, she has forgotten about me. I’m hurt and confused, and Idon’t know if Ishould confront her,let her go or try to be understanding. WasIignorant to be so generous, or is this just part of friend-

ship sometimes? How do Imove forward without feeling bitter? —Forgotten Dear Forgotten: Trytoseparate your feelings of abandonment from this friend and what you did forher.Since you wanted to support her financially and also help her get ajob, allow those things to sit without judgment around them.You helped her to the best of your ability during atough time. Nowthat she has healed from the emotional and financial shock that hit her system, she is putting herself out there and living her life. Be happy that she is bouncing back and finding ahealthy rhythm. At the same time, you can feel sad. Rather than loading her up with the baggage of her not thinking about you now that things are good —even though you were there for her when she was in need —let her know that you miss her.Ask her —directly but without reproach —ifshe will make alittle time to spend with you. Dear Harriette: Iwas in an intense relationship for

about ayear,but I’ve been single again forafew months. Iwant to date again, but Iﬁnd myself analyzing every movea new guy makes as Iworry about whether he will turn out to be like my ex in the worst of ways. Ifeel like Iamassuming bad intentions from anybody who gets near me thanks to him.How can Ifree myself of the past? —Not Him DearNot Him: Go back to basics. Write out the qualities that you appreciate in a partner and those that you do not. Be clear about what you hope your next partner will behave like and what is unacceptable. When you meet new people, measure them against your values —not your ex’sfaults. Assume the positive, even as you move slowly If you need to work through any of the baggage from your past relationship, invest in a therapist.

Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/oAndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St.,Kansas City,MO 64106.

What is thereasonbehinda gift?

Dear Heloise: In your column, Iquiteoften see complaintsfrom people who do not receive athankyou notewhen they send someonea gift.According to thedictionary,agift is “something that is given voluntarily without expecting anything in return.” While it is nice to receive athank-you note, this should not be our reason for sending agift. We give agift to acknowledge aperson’sachievement, wedding, graduation,

ByThe Associated Press

birthday,etc. The important thing we need to remember is not to cut these people off because they did not send a thank-you. We hurt both people when we do this. —Bobbie Prentice,inSanta Ana, California

Cleaning jars

Dear Heloise: Asimple method forcleaning out peanut butter jars and similar itemsisusing the spray nozzle on your sink if you have this attachment. Iuse hot water and

TODAYINHISTORY

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 20, the 20th day of 2026. There are 345 days left in the year

Todayinhistory: On Jan. 20, 1981, Iran released 52 Americans it had held hostage for 444 days, minutes after Ronald Reagan was sworninaspresident of the United States succeeding Jimmy Carter

In 1937, President Franklin D. Roosevelt wassworn in forhis second of four termsaspresident, becoming the ﬁrst chief executive to be inaugurated on Jan. 20; prior to the adoption of the 20th Amendmentin1933, presidential termsbegan on March 4.

angle the nozzle toward all sides of the jar,and then it’squickly ready to recycle. —Pam S.,inSt. Louis Removing coffee stains

Dear Heloise: Here’sa sure-ﬁre coffee cup stain removal method: Make a thick paste of baking soda (that is almost dry) in the mugand wipe it around on the stain with your ﬁngertips. Then rinse. It only takes 2minutes to clean a cup. —Phil Flach, via email

Sendahinttoheloise@ heloise.com.

TheAirline Highway locationwill be in Bluebonnet Square at 10330 Airline Highway,which is in an outdoor shopping mallnear

is right next to Barnes & Noble. According to anews releasefromPerkinsRowe, this spot spans 1,580 square feet and will open in spring 2026.

Costco. The spot will open in early summer,Johnson said. Johnson said that he’scurrently lookingtoworkwith morefranchisees in Louisiana and Alabama, envisioning about 50 locations across bothstates

Also on this date: In 1841, theisland of Hong Kong was ceded by China to Great Britain.It returned to Chinese control in July 1997. In 1936, Britain’s King George Vdied after his physician injected the mortally ill monarch with morphine and cocaine to hasten his death. The king was succeeded by his eldest son, Edward VIII, who abdicated the throne 11 months later to marry American divorcee Wallis Simpson.

In 1961, in his inaugural address, President John F. Kennedy urged Americans, “ask not what your country can do foryou ask what you can do for your country.”

In 1986, the United States observed the ﬁrst federal holiday in honor of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr In 2009, Democrat Barack Obamawas sworn in as the ﬁrst Black president of the United States.

In 2011, authorities orchestrated one of the biggest Maﬁa takedowns in FBI history,charging 127 suspected mobsters and associates in the Northeast with murders, extortion and other crimes spanning decades. In 2017, Republican Donald Trumpwas sworn in as the 45th president of the United States as protesters clashed with police blocks from the inaugural parade. Today’sbirthdays: Former astronaut Buzz Aldrin is 96. Olympic ﬁgure skating gold medalist Carol Heiss Jenkins is 86. Rock musician Paul Stanley (KISS) is 74. Comedian Bill Maher is 70. Olympic swimming

Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

Hints from Heloise

STAFF PHOTO By ROBINMILLER

AQuARIus (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Start home improvementprojectsthatareconducive to the lifestyle you want to live. Whatever you desire, it's up to you to make it happen. Reach out and make plans with people you enjoy being around.

PIscEs (Feb. 20-March 20) An event that takes you to a new location will inspire you. The change to your surroundings will offer insight into how you can improveyourday-to-dayliving.Lookinto the possibilities and initiate change.

ARIEs (March 21-April 19) Think before you spend money. Pay attention to the cost of living and seek solutions to lower your overhead.Choosetodotheworkyourself instead of hiring someone to do something you can handle on your own.

tAuRus (April 20-May 20) You may gravitate toward personal or professional change, but you must proceed carefully. Find out if there are any regulations or rules to address before you begin a project.

GEMInI (May 21-June 20) Cautionary measures will help you dodge scammers, users and abusers. Let your intuition, experience and intelligence ward off anyone trying to take advantage of you. Spending time with a loved one is favored.

cAncER (June 21-July 22) Yourperspective will be out of whack. Hold off on making decisions involving investments, health and legal matters. Gather information and search for a simple solution.

LEo (July 23-Aug. 22) You'll have to juggle your time, money and personal needs

wisely to avoid falling behind. Refuse to let anyone monopolize your time by convincing you their journey is more important than yours.

VIRGo (Aug. 23-sept. 22) If you feel left out, do something about it. Socializing go better than you expect. The people you encounter will encourage you to explore new possibilities.

LIBRA (sept. 23-oct. 23) Don't let anger set in when action is required Let your emotions and intuition to lead the way, and surroundyourselfwithpeoplewhomake you think and inspire you to follow your creative dreams.

scoRPIo (oct. 24-nov. 22) Tieuplooseends and prepare to move on. Venture out into your community, and you'll discover all sorts of opportunities to better and more efficiently use your skills and experience. You are overdue for a change.

sAGIttARIus (nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't overlook the obvious Ignoring what you must do will slow you down, not help you excel. Deal with issues head-on so you can move forward freely. It's time to use your imagination.

cAPRIcoRn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Put more energy behind your ideas, and see what happens. Turn an opportunity into additional income or cut your overhead. Get rid of what you don't use or refocus your goals to suit your needs.

Cipher cryptograms are created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letter in the cipher stands for another. toDAy's cLuE: B EQuALs M

FAMILY CIrCUS

CeLebrItY CIpher

For better or For WorSe

SALLY Forth

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Sudoku

InstructIons: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a9x9 grid with several given numbers. The object is to place the numbers 1to9inthe 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

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

By PHILLIP ALDER

RobertOrben, acomedywriter and occasional magician, said, “There are days whenittakes all you’ve gotjust to keep up with thelosers.”

At the bridge table, everyday you should be keeping up with—i.e., counting —yourlosers, even during the bidding. Takealook at today’s deal, which occurredinasocialgame.Howwouldyou critique the auction? North’sresponse of twono-trump was the Jacoby ForcingRaise, showing at least game-going valueswith four or morespades. South’s three-club rebid indicated asingleton or void in that suit.

First, although North’s hand has only nine high-cardpoints, withthree firstround controls,itisworthagame-force in spades. (Thehand has only seven losers: twospades, two diamonds and three clubs.) It is notnormal to start with the JacobyForcingRaise when having a short suit.

It is typicaltorespondwitha splinter bid, but North and South were treating afour-heart response as natural, not showing heart shortness and spade support. On this deal, though, twono-trump should have worked well because North heardthat his sidehad at mostone club loser, not the three he was initially worried about. Now he should have controlbid three diamonds or made afour-heart

splinter bid. North’s jump to four spades was discouraging. (Yes, he was worried that he had only nine points, but the auction had told him that his hand was worth far more.)

Sixspades made easily,Southtaking sixspades, fivediamonds and aheart ruffinthe dummy.

Previous answers:

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four lettersbythe 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’sWoRD REALMs: RELMS:Kingdoms.

Averagemark18words

Time limit 25 minutes

Canyou find 22 or more wordsinREALMS?

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