The Acadiana Advocate 02-14-2026 by The Advocate

withCatholic

HOUSEHELPERS

OrderofMalta andCatholicCharities work on Lafayettehome

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

One north Lafayette homeowner is set to enjoya fullyrenovated home,thanks to volunteers from Lafayette and across the country with Catholic Charities and the Order of Malta.

This week, adozen workers were at ahomeonLilly Street,in aquiet area near Heymann Park and the airport. Thehomeowner,a womaninher 50s, has lived in the house herentirelife —but it was fast becoming uninhabitable, with major repairs needed for theroof, electrical, plumbing, ﬂooring and walls. On Thursday,volunteers were cutting flooring, scraping paint, installing fans and cabinets and adding back the bones of the house, on atime frame that rivals an HGTV renovation show

“Four days turnaround is pretty incredible, but there’s still so much left to getdone,” said Grant Aasen, an Order of Malta volunteer from Atlanta. The lay religiousorderhas been sending volunteers to theAcadianaregion since 2017 to work with Catholic

ä See HOME, page 5A

LSUfootballlegend BillyCannonpardoned

Trumpacts on 1980s counterfeiting conviction

BY MARK BALLARD Staff writer

WASHINGTON —The family of thelateLSU footballlegend

Billy Cannon didn’t ask for it, butthey’re delighted that President Donald Trump pardoned him for his 1980s counterfeiting conviction. His daughter,Bunnie Cannon,

saidthe White House phone call came out of the blueThursday night

“My mom and sisters and brotherwere ecstatic,” Cannon said.

Her mother and four siblings were aware that some friends had reached out to theWhite House, she said, but the family hadnever asked for apardon.

“Wenever thought it would ever come to fruition.So, none of us pursuedit,”saidBunnie Cannon, acting as the family’s spokesperson.“Ijustthink he wouldbethrilledthathegot this clemency because inhis mind and inour mind, people saw him beyond thecounterfeiting.”

Once the ofﬁcial certiﬁcate arrives, Cannon said, she’ll have it framed for hermother,Dorothy “Dot” Dupuy Cannon, who had been by Billy’s side sinceboth attendedBaton Rouge’sIstrouma High School in themid1950s. They married while both were freshmen attending LSU.

“It’sher story too,” Cannon said. “She wentthrough everythingwith him.” Cannon said her fatherand his family never shied away from the fact that he committed acrime but regretted how the conviction seemed to blot out everything else he did that was positive,even his football career,his daughter said.

Anyone whohas lived in Baton Rouge knows the Halloween tradition, apart fromcandy and costumes, of repeated showings of Cannon’s89-yard punt return against OleMiss in 1959.

ä See PARDONED, page 6A

No chargesfor officials in spoil bank case

DistrictAttorney’sOffice declines to pursue prosecution

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Former Lafayette officials, including former Mayor-President Josh Guillory, will not be prosecuted by the District Attorney’sOfficefor allegations like malfeasance and public bidlaw violations relatedtothe 2022 removal of aspoil bank in St. Martin Parish. In aFeb. 9letter to the Louisiana legislative auditor,Frederick Welter,first assistant district attorney,said the 15th Judicial District Attorney’sOffice underDon Landry “declines to pursue any criminal prosecution of any public officials or public employees of Lafayette Consolidated Government” over the findings in an Aug. 13, 2025, investigative report by the legislative auditor In December 2021, LCG awarded acontract to the lowest bidder,Rigid Constructors, for as-needed excavation anddisposalworkacrossthe parish.

ä See CHARGES, page 6A

BYALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

If there were any doubts that this year’sRepublican primary election for U.S. Senate is going to be aslugfest, the ﬁnalday of candidate qualifying on Friday dispelled them As U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow,R-Baton Rouge, arrived at the Louisiana Secretary of State’sOfﬁce in Baton Rouge on Fridaytosign up to run, she hadtowalk past avan witha giant billboardonits side blasting “Liberal Letlow.” The ad, which accused Letlow of trading hundreds of stocks “like her pal Nancy Pelosi”and callingher a“champion of DEI policy” said it waspaid for by the campaign of incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge. Theattackads highlighthow ferociously Cassidy,Letlow and Treasurer John Fleming are battling forthe mantle of “most conservative” as they seek the GOPnomination in Louisiana’snew

ä See ELECTION, page 5A

STAFF PHOTOSByLESLIE WESTBROOK

Volunteers John Koury, from left,Bill Turpin andJeanPaul De Santolo, of the OrderofMalta,partner

Charities of Acadiana on Thursdaytogut and repair ahome on Lilly Street in Lafayette.

Sheila McManus scrapes old paint away Thursday as she and other volunteers with theOrderofMalta partner withCatholic Charities of Acadiana to gutand repaira home on Lilly Street in Lafayette.

Guillory

Cannon Trump

Shooting at S.C. State kills 2 and wounds 1

Two men are dead and another was wounded after a shooting in a dorm room at a South Carolina State University just four months after another deadly shooting at the college campus.

Henry L. Crittington, 19, died at the scene of the Thursday night shooting at the Hugine Suites housing complex and Terrell Thomas, 18, died at the hospital, authorities said. The condition of the third man in the hospital was not known and his name was not released.

The Thursday night shooting happened a little over four months after two shootings during homecoming celebrations on Oct 4. One, which happened near the same residential complex, killed a 19-year-old woman. A man was injured in the other shooting. School officials announced new safety measures afterward.

Kaya Mack had just ﬁnished making a food delivery on campus when she heard gunshots and saw lots of police ofﬁcers coming through a gate. She said she wasn’t sure where the shots were coming from “Their loud sirens kind of shook me,” she told WLTX-TV “We were looking around, me and other people on campus, we’re all looking around like ‘What’s going on?’”

The school founded in 1896 is South Carolina’s only public historically Black university, and has more than 2,900 current students, according to its website. Paris police fatally shoot knife-wielding man

PARIS A man wielding a knife and scissors was fatally shot by police in Paris on Friday when he tried to attack an ofﬁcer during a ceremony at the city’s Arc de Triomphe monument, officials said.

The suspect, a French national born in 1978 who had previously been convicted in Belgium on terrorist-related charges, died at a hospital from his injuries, the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said. Authorities did not release the suspect’s name. The attacker targeted an officer who was guarding the ceremony for relighting the eternal flame honoring unknown soldiers at the Napoleon-era landmark, according to a Paris police official. Another officer shot the attacker, the official said. No bystanders or police officers were injured in the incident, the official told The Associated Press.

Before the suspect had died, the French counterterrorism prosecutor’s office said it had opened an investigation on charges of attempted murder “in connection with a terrorist enterprise.”

The assailant had been sentenced to 17 years in prison by a court in Brussels in 2013 for attempted murders in connection with a terrorist enterprise against three police ofﬁcers in the Belgian city of Molenbeek the previous year, according to the prosecutor’s ofﬁce.

First incarcerated in Belgium, he was then transferred to France in 2015 to serve the rest of his sentence. He was released from prison on Dec. 24, 2025, and had since been subject to judicial supervision and surveillance measures, the statement said.

After 88 years, Gallup ends presidential poll

Gallup has scrapped its presidential approval tracking polls for good after 88 years

The venerable public opinion ﬁrm announced Wednesday that it would no longer publish any approval or favorability ratings of any political ﬁgures, but suggested the decision has nothing to do with President Donald Trump’s second-term slump

“Leadership ratings have been part of Gallup’s history,” Justin McCarthy a spokesman for Gallup, said in a statement. “At the same time, (they) no longer represent an area where Gallup can make its most distinctive contribution.”

Trump’s approval rating from Gallup peaked at 47% last February before plunging to just 37% in the December 2025 survey that the company now says will be its last.

Trump: Maduro raid showed ‘military might’

‘We are feared by the entire globe’

BY WILL WEISSERT and ALLEN G BREED Associated Press

FORT BRAGG, N.C. President Donald Trump celebrated the special forces members who ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, saying last month’s audacious raid means “the entire world saw what the full military might” of the U.S. can do and ensured “we are feared” by potential enemies around the world

Addressing soldiers and their families at Fort Bragg, one of the world’s largest military bases, Trump declared, “Your commander in chief supports you totally.”

Then, drawing on one of his own campaign slogans, he implored them, “When needed, you’re going to fight, fight, fight. You’re going to win, win, win.”

The president and ﬁrst lady Melania Trump also met privately with military families. Trump said afterward that “we saw a lot of heroes” and that he is “going to be giving one person” a Congressional Medal of Honor for participating in the raid in Venezuela.

But the visit felt more like a political rally than an ofﬁcial visit to

celebrate the U.S. armed forces.

Trump’s lauding of the raid that toppled Maduro came only after he called to the stage Michael Whatley, a former Republican National Committee chair who has the president’s endorsement as he now runs for Senate in North Carolina.

Whatley thanked Trump and suggested that the president “is giving me an opportunity to represent you” even though the election isn’t until November

Later, Trump said of the raid on Jan. 3 that whisked away Maduro to face U.S. drug smuggling charges, “It was a matter of minutes before he was on a helicopter being taken out.” He called the forces involved “some of our greatest soldiers to ever live, frankly,” while dismissing Maduro as an “outlaw dictator.”

“That night, the entire world saw what the full military might (of) the U.S. military is capable” of, the president said. “It was so precise, so incredible.”

Trump also vowed, “As long as I’m president, we will be the best led the best trained, the best equipped, the most disciplined and the most elite fighting force the world has ever seen” and noted of would-be U.S. adversaries, “Everybody knows it.”

“They know exactly what they would be up against. Hopefully, we’ll never have to test them and, be-

cause of our strength, and because of what we do, we probably won’t have to be tested,” Trump said.

“America’s respected again,” he said. “And, perhaps most importantly, we are feared by the enemies all over the globe.”

“I don’t like to say fear,” he said. “But, sometimes, you have to have fear because that’s the only thing that really will get the situation taken care of.”

Trump lately has traveled more frequently to states that could play key roles in November’s midterm congressional elections. The White House has been trying to promote Trump’s economic policies, including attempts to bring down the cost of living at a time when many people are growing frustrated with his efforts to improve affordability

The president didn’t spend a lot of time on his economic policies on Friday though he did mention how a White House-backed tax and spending package is increasing funding for military housing.

As he left the White House to make the trip, meanwhile, Trump cheered data released Friday showing that inﬂation fell to nearly a ﬁve-year low last month.

“The numbers were surprising, except to me they weren’t surprising,” Trump said. “We have very modest inﬂation, which is what you want to have.”

Trump says regime change in Iran ‘would be the best thing’

BY KONSTANTIN TOROPIN, AAMER MADHANI and JON GAMBRELL Associated Press

WASHINGTON President Donald Trump said Friday that a change in power in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen” as the U.S. administration weighs whether to take military action against Tehran.

Trump made the comments shortly after visiting with troops in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and after he conﬁrmed earlier in the day that he’s deploying a second aircraft carrier group to the Mideast for potential military action against Iran

“It seems like that would be the best thing that could happen,” Trump said in an exchange with reporters when asked about pressing for the ouster of the Islamic clerical rule in Iran. “For 47 years, they’ve been talking and talking and talking.”

Trump said earlier that the USS Gerald R Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier is being sent from the Caribbean Sea to the Mideast to join other warships and military assets the U.S. has built up in the region The planned deployment comes just days after Trump suggested another round of talks with the Iranians was at hand Those negotiations didn’t materialize as one of Tehran’s top security ofﬁcials visited Oman and Qatar this week and exchanged messages with U.S. intermediaries.

“In case we don’t make a deal, we’ll need it,” Trump told reporters about the second carrier. He added, “It’ll be leaving very soon.”

Gulf Arab nations have warned any at-

tack could spiral into another regional conflict in a Mideast still reeling from the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Iranians are beginning to

hold 40-day mourning ceremonies for the thousands killed in Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests last month, adding to the internal pressure faced by the sanctions-battered Islamic Republic.

The Ford, whose new deployment was ﬁrst reported by The New York Times, will join the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided-missile destroyers, which have been in the region for over two weeks.

It is a quick turnaround for the Ford, which Trump sent from the Mediterranean Sea to the Caribbean last October as the administration built up a huge military presence in the lead-up to the surprise raid last month that captured thenVenezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.

It also appears to be at odds with the Trump administration’s national security and defense strategies, which put an emphasis on the Western Hemisphere over other parts of the world.

The Ford strike group will bring more than 5,000 additional troops to the Middle East but few capabilities or weapons that don’t already exist within the Lincoln group. Given the Ford’s current position in the Caribbean, it will likely be weeks before it is off the coast of Iran.

Trump has repeatedly threatened to use force to compel Iran to agree to constrain its nuclear program. He also threatened to use force over Tehran’s bloody crackdown on nationwide protests.

Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Oman a week ago, and Trump later warned Tehran that failure to reach an agreement with his administration would be “very traumatic.”

Asked by a reporter about the new negotiations, Trump said Friday that “I think they’ll be successful. And if they’re not, it’s going to be a bad day for Iran, very bad.”

9 detained in Louvre ticket scheme

BY SYLVIE CORBET Associated Press

PARIS The Paris prosecutors’ office on Thursday said that nine people were being detained as part of an investigation into a suspected decadelong, $11.8 million ticket fraud scheme at the Louvre, the world’s most visited museum.

The arrests took place on Tuesday as part of a judicial investigation opened after the Louvre ﬁled a complaint in December 2024, the prosecutors’ ofﬁce said.

Those detained include two Louvre employees, several tour guides and one person suspected of being the mastermind, according to the prosecutors’ ofﬁce.

The museum alerted investigators about the frequent presence of two Chinese tour guides suspected of bringing groups of Chinese tourists into the museum by fraudulently reusing the same tickets multiple times for different visitors. Other guides were later suspected of similar practices.

The prosecutors’ office said surveillance and wiretaps conﬁrmed repeated ticket reuse and an apparent strategy of splitting up tour groups to avoid paying the required “speaking fee” imposed on guides. The investigation also pointed to suspected accomplices within the Louvre, with guides allegedly paying them cash in exchange for avoiding ticket checks, it said.

A formal judicial investigation was opened in June last year on charges including organized fraud, money laundering, corruption, aiding illegal entry in the country as part of an organized group, and the use of forged administrative documents.

Investigators believe the network may have brought in up to 20 tour groups a day over the past decade.

Suspects are believed to have invested some of the money in real estate in France and Dubai. Authorities have seized more than $1.13 million in cash. The prosecutors’ ofﬁce mentioned a similar ticket fraud is also suspected to have taken place at the Palace of Versailles, without providing further details.

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ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By MATT ROURKE

President Donald Trump dances as first lady Melania Trump watches after speaking to soldiers and their families Friday at Fort Bragg, N.C.

Feds investigating if ICE officers lied under oath

All charges dropped against Venezuelan man shot in leg

BY MICHAEL BIESECKER, JIM MUSTIAN and JACK BROOK

Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Federal authorities

have opened a criminal probe into whether two immigration ofﬁcers lied under oath about the shooting of a Venezuelan man in Minneapolis last month.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Todd Lyons said Friday that his agency had opened a joint probe with the Justice Department after video evidence revealed “sworn testimony provided by two separate ofﬁcers appears to have made untruthful statements.” The announcement came as a federal judge ordered all charges dropped against Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was shot in the leg by an immigration ofﬁcer, as well as another Venezuelan man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna.

The officers, who were not named, have been placed on administrative leave pending the completion of an internal investigation, he said.

“Lying under oath is a serious federal offense,” said Lyons, add-

ing that the U.S. Attorney’s Ofﬁce is actively investigating. Lyons said at the conclusion of the investigation, the ofﬁcers may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal prosecution

“The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct,” Lyons said “Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated. ICE remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the fair enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws.”

The dismissal of the charges against Aljorna and Sosa-Celis follows a string of high-proﬁle shootings involving federal immigration agents in which eyewitness statements and video evidence have called into question claims made to justify using deadly force. Dozens of felony cases against protesters accused of assaulting or impeding federal ofﬁcers have also crumbled

In a highly unusual motion to dismiss ﬁled Thursday U.S. Attorney for the District of Minnesota Daniel N. Rosen said “newly discovered evidence” was “materially inconsistent with the allegations” made against Aljorna and SosaCelis in a criminal complaint and

at a hearing last month.

U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be resubmitted.

A lawyer for Aljorna and SosaCelis said Friday that they are “overjoyed” that all the charges have been dismissed. Had they been convicted, the two immigrants would have faced years in federal prison.

It is unclear whether the men could still be deported.

An FBI investigator said in an affidavit that U.S Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop in Minneapolis on a vehicle driven by Aljorna on Jan. 14. He crashed the vehicle and fled on foot toward the apartment duplex where he lived.

An immigration officer chased Aljorna who according to the government — violently resisted arrest.

The complaint alleges Sosa-Celis and another man attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle as the officer and Aljorna struggled on the ground. The officer fired his handgun, striking Sosa-Celis in his right thigh. The men ran into an apartment and eventually were arrested.

After the shooting, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem attacked Minnesota Gov. Tim

Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing the Democrats of “encouraging impeding and assault against our law enforcement which is a federal crime, a felony.”

“What we saw last night in Minneapolis was an attempted murder of federal law enforcement,” Noem said in a Jan 15 statement.

“Our officer was ambushed and attacked by three individuals who beat him with snow shovels and the handles of brooms. Fearing for his life, the ofﬁcer ﬁred a defensive shot.”

The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests Friday asking whether Noem stands by those statements.

Rosen’s motion seeking to drop the charges did not detail what new evidence had emerged or what falsehoods had been in the government’s prior filings, but cracks began to appear in the government’s case during a Jan. 21 court hearing to determine whether the accused men could be released pending trial.

In court, the ICE officer’s account of the moments before the shooting differed significantly from testimony from the two defendants and three eyewitnesses.

The ICE ofﬁcer’s account that he was assaulted with a broom and snow shovel was also not corroborated by available video evidence.

Aljorna and Sosa-Celis denied assaulting the agent with a broom or a snow shovel. Neither video evidence nor testimony from a neighbor and the men’s romantic partners supported the agent’s account that he had been attacked with a broom or shovel or that a third person was involved. Frederick Goetz, a lawyer representing Aljorna, said his client had a broomstick in his hand and threw it at the agent as he ran toward the house. Attorney Robin Wolpert, representing Sosa-Celis, said he had been holding a shovel but was retreating into the home when the officer fired, wounding him. The men’s attorneys said the prosecution’s case relied wholly on testimony from the agent who fired the gun. Neither Aljorna and Sosa-Celis had violent criminal records. Both had been working as DoorDash delivery drivers at night in an attempt to avoid encounters with federal agents, their attorneys said.

Aljorna and Sosa-Celis retreated into their upstairs apartment and barricaded the door so federal ofﬁcers used tear gas to try to force the men out, the FBI agent said. Concerned about the safety of two children under 2 inside the home, Aljorna and Sosa-Celis surrendered.

Lemon pleads not guilty to civil rights charges in church protest

BY STEVE KARNOWSKI Associated Press

ST PAUL, Minn.

— Former CNN host turned independent journalist Don Lemon pleaded not guilty to federal civil rights charges Friday, following a protest at a Minnesota church where an Immigration and Customs Enforcement ofﬁcial is a pastor Four others also pleaded not guilty in the case.

Lemon insists he was at the Cities Church in St. Paul to chronicle the Jan 18 protest but was not a participant. The veteran journalist vowed to ﬁght what he called “baseless charges” and protect his free speech rights.

“For more than 30 years, I’ve been a journalist, and the power and protection of the First Amendment has been the underpinning of my work. The First Amend-

ment, the freedom of the press, are the bedrock of our democracy,” Lemon said outside the courthouse after his arraignment. “And like all of you here in Minnesota, the great people of Minnesota, I will not be intimidated, I

will not back down.”

Dozens of supporters gathered outside the courthouse, chanting “Pam Bondi has got to go” and “Protect the press.”

Civil rights attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong was

among the other defendants who pleaded not guilty Friday The prominent local activist was the subject of a doctored photo posted on ofﬁcial White House social media that falsely showed her crying during her arrest.

Levy Armstrong echoed Lemon’s deﬁant words after the hearing.

“We the people have to stand for our rights We have to stand for the Constitution. We have to stand for our First Amendment rights to freedom of the speech, some freedom of assembly, and freedom of the press,” she said.

Protesters interrupted a service at the Southern

Baptist church last month, chanting “ICE out” and “Justice for Renee Good,” referring to the 37-year-old mother of three who was fatally shot by an ICE ofﬁcer in Minneapolis. In total, nine people have been charged under the 1994 Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act in relation to the church protest. The FACE Act prohibits interference or intimidation of “any person by force, threat of force, or physical obstruction exercising or seeking to exercise the First Amendment right of religious freedom at a place of religious worship.”

BY CLAIRE RUSH Associated Press

PORTLAND, Ore. — Multiple residents of an affordable housing complex in Portland, Oregon, have bought gas masks to wear in their own homes, to protect themselves from tear gas fired by federal agents outside the immigration building across the street Others have taped their windows or stuffed wet towels under their doors, while children have sought security by sleeping in closets.

Some are now telling their stories to a federal judge Friday as they testify in a law-

suit seeking to limit federal ofﬁcers’ use of tear gas during protests at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building following months of repeated exposure.

The property manager of the apartment building and several tenants ﬁled the suit against the federal government in December, arguing that the use of chemical munitions has violated residents’ rights to life, liberty and property by sickening them, contaminating their apartments and confining them inside. They have asked the court to limit federal agents’ use of such munitions unless needed to re-

spond to an imminent threat.

“They’re simply trying to live their lives in peace in their homes,” Daniel Jacobson, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, said during the hearing. “Yet our federal government is knowingly putting them through hell, and for no good reason at all.”

The defendants, which include ICE and the Department of Homeland Security and their respective heads, say ofﬁcers have deployed crowd-control devices in response to violent protests at the building, which has been the site of demonstrations for months.

Renee Carlson, an attorney with True North Legal, which is representing Cities Church, said in a statement that by pleading not guilty Lemon and others are “doubling down on their claim that the press can do whatever they want under the auspices of journalism.”

“The First Amendment does not protect premeditated schemes to violate the sanctity of a sanctuary, disrupt worship services, or intimidate children,” Carlson said. “There is no ‘press pass’ to trespass on church property or conspire to invade religious worship.”

Penalties can range up to a year in prison and up to a $10,000 ﬁne.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By TOM BAKER

Journalist Don Lemon speaks to the media Friday outside the U.S District Courthouse in St. Paul, Minn.

U.S. lawmakers limp to security summit

Johnson cancels House trip to Munich Security Conference

BY STEPHEN GROVES and MATT BROWN Associated Press

WASHINGTON Dozens of U.S lawmakers were trying to make their way this weekend to the Munich Security Conference to assure allies of America’s reliability, but burdened with political crises at home, their entrance to the annual gathering of international leaders was more of a limp than a stride.

Some didn’t make the trip at all.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, RBenton, canceled an ofﬁcial delegation of roughly two dozen House members who had planned to attend the event, leaving those lawmakers either to ﬁnd their own way to Germany or send their regrets.

While two bipartisan delegations from the Senate still made the trip, they departed amid bitter ﬁghts over how U.S. immigration agents are carrying out President Donald Trump’s sweeping crackdowns on illegal immigration, which have included fatal shootings of two people protesting the raids, as well as the Trump administration’s recent

BY KEN SWEET Associated Press

NEW YORK — Goldman Sachs general counsel Kathy Ruemmler has had a storied legal career As a federal prosecutor, she helped successfully prosecute Enron executives including Ken Lay and Jeffrey Skilling. She was part of President Barack Obama’s administration, working in various roles for much of his two terms in ofﬁce, including as White House Counsel. She was even brieﬂy considered by President Barack Obama as a candidate for attorney general.

On Thursday, Ruemmler, 54, announced that she plans to resign from the top legal post at Goldman after a trove of emails and correspondence between her and

failed effort to indict six Democratic lawmakers who produced a video urging U.S military members not to obey “illegal orders.”

“It is a little bit, you know, depressing to be here with what we have to deal with at home,” Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly, who was among those investigated by the Department of Justice, said in a live interview with Politico in Munich.

For over six decades, the annual conference has gathered world leaders in pursuit of cooperation for shared security, with the United State often playing a leading role. But Trump has upended his nation’s posture toward the rest of the world, especially Europe And while many lawmakers who attended tried to assure European counterparts that the U.S. still wants a seat at the table, it was clear they were still grappling with the rapidly changing political environment at home.

“I expect to have a number of challenging conversations with friends and allies about their concern and alarm about what they’ve seen federal law enforcement under this administration do in Minneapolis and the attempt to indict six of my colleagues and other steps that frankly have more of the hallmarks of authoritarian societies than democracies,” said Sen.

Chris Coons, D-Del. Senate’s traditions are slipping

The security forum in recent years has been a reinforcing event for the coalition of nations backing Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s invasion — a cause that once enjoyed strong support from Republicans. But several GOP senators who have participated in years past and hold spots on committees overseeing the U.S. military and foreign affairs decided this year to stay home. The delegations that did attend included signiﬁcantly more Democrats.

As lawmakers exited Washington on Thursday, Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt of Missouri ripped Democrats for heading to Munich while the Department of Homeland Security faced a shutdown during an impasse in Congress over funding the agency that oversees immigration enforcement.

“How do you justify getting on a plane and going to Europe when you’re shutting down DHS?” Schmitt told reporters. “They’re making a decision that their travel to Munich to cozy up with the Euros is way more important than funding DHS.”

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, responded on social media, noting that he and Schmitt had both gone

to Munich the year prior and that it “continues to be an important bipartisan trip.”

Still, Schatz also said this year is different in light of the Department of Justice attempting to indict two senators.

Articulating Trump policy

Some Republicans who attended the Munich gathering came not to offer reassurances, but to herald the changing world under Trump. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby were among the top Trump administration ofﬁcials participating.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican who is close to Trump, led one of the delegations of senators. He presented a bullish argument that European security is better off with Trump’s willingness to break up the traditional roles of Western allies. He argued the U.S. needs to keep up pressure on Iran with the goal of toppling the regime, as well as build pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin to reach a peace deal.

Ocasio-Cortez makes first trip

Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, the progressive from New York, made her ﬁrst trip to

the conference to discuss the rise of populism and the shifting role of American power in the world. Her attendance at the conference, she said, was meant to show support for international liberal values.

“We are ready for the next chapter, not to have the world turned to isolation, but to deepen our partnership on greater and increased commitment to integrity to our values,” she said at a roundtable.

Ocasio-Cortez said she identiﬁed with voters who had defected from traditional left-of-center parties in Europe and the United States for populist hard-right parties. She said her frustrations with a Democratic Party “that championed special interests, the elite” is what had pushed her to run for ofﬁce.

“Domestically and globally, there have been many leaders who’ve said ‘We will go back’. And I think we have to recognize that we are in a new day and in a time,” she said, adding “That does not mean that the majority of Americans are ready to walk away from a rules-based order and that we’re ready to walk away from our commitment to democracy.”

disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein showed the two individuals were especially close, years after Epstein’s 2008 conviction on sex crimes charges, when he became a registered sex offender Ruemmler previously downplayed her relationship with E pstei n. She called him a “monster” and said she regretted ever knowing him. Ruemmler has repeatedly described their relationship as professional, citing her job as a private defense attorney before she ever joined Goldman Sachs. But documents released in recent weeks and reviewed by The

Brazilian au pair gets 10 years

Associated Press depict a deeper relationship than had previously been characterized by Ruemmler and Goldman Sachs. These included intimate email exchanges, social plans and gifts that went beyond formal legal work.

Roughly 8,400 documents involved Ruemmler or referenced her Some correspondence shows that Ruemmler was aware of the extent of the allegations that Epstein had faced involving underage girls in Florida. In some instances, she advised Epstein on how he might go about trying to repair his image and defend himself publicly against new claims of misconduct

The gifts Epstein gave to Ruemmler have been documented in news reports: the spa treatments, the handbags from Hermes, an

for plot to kill lover’s wife and another man

BY OLIVIA DIAZ Associated Press/ Report

for America

FAIRFAX,Va.

— An au pair who schemed with her employerturned-lover to kill his wife and another man received a 10-year prison sentence on Friday

Prosecutors had recommended Juliana Peres Magalhães walk free after she pleaded guilty to a downgraded manslaughter charge in the February 2023 killing of Joseph Ryan Instead of being tried for second-degree murder, she became their star witness, testifying that she had fatally shot Ryan as Brendan Banfield was fatally stabbing his wife, Christine, in the couple’s bedroom.

Brendan Banﬁeld was convicted by a jury this month of aggravated murder in the

deaths of his wife and Ryan.

“I know my remorse cannot bring you peace,” Magalhães told the victims’ families on Friday, wiping away tears and mufﬂing sobs. “I hope you can someday understand that I really did not believe his plan would actually happen.”

Instead of sentencing her to time served, Judge Penney Azcarate delivered the maximum possible sentence to the woman from Brazil.

“Let’s get it straight: You do not deserve anything other than incarceration and a life of reﬂection on what you have done to the victim and his family May it weigh heavily on your soul,” the judge said.

At Banﬁeld’s trial, Magalhães testiﬁed that she and the IRS agent created an account in the name of his wife, a pediatric intensive care nurse,

on a social media platform for people interested in sexual fetishes. Ryan connected with the account and agreed to meet for a sexual encounter involving a knife.

Magalhães, then 22, said she and Brendan Banfield took the couple’s 4-year-old child to the basement, and then found Ryan surprising Christine Banﬁeld with a knife in the couple’s bedroom. She said Brendan Banﬁeld shot Ryan and then began stabbing his wife in the neck. When she saw Ryan moving, Magalhães said, she fired the second shot that killed him.

The au pair wasn’t arrested until eight months later, and hasn’t left jail since. Prosecutors raised concerns that if she were to be allowed bail, she would ﬂee to Brazil or be deported by immigration ofﬁcials.

Apple Watch, a Fendi coat, among many others. But some of the interactions between Epstein and Ruemmler described throughout their correspondence indicates that Epstein and Ruemmler did not simply have a lawyer-client transactional relationship, as Ruemmler previously attested to.

“It makes him happy to see you happy,” Epstein’s assistant wrote to Ruemmler in 2016, after Epstein prepaid for a spa treatment for her In October 2018, Epstein directed one of his assistants to send ﬂowers and chicken soup to Ruemmler because she has “not been feeling well.” It would not be the ﬁrst time that Epstein would send her a small token of appreciation when she was sick They talked about dating issues, made jokes about both the

wealthy and everyday people, and shared laments about their careers and dating lives.

During her time in private practice after she left the White House in 2014, Ruemmler received several expensive gifts from Epstein, including luxury handbags and a fur coat. The gifts were given after Epstein had already been convicted of sex crimes in 2008 and was registered as a sex offender Ruemmler

Ocasio-Cortez

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Charities on mission projects for the “poorest of the poor,” according to Catholic Charities chief of external affairs Ben Broussard.

“Someone asked, ‘Do you guys get to do a big reveal at the end?’ It’s not quite done yet,” said Aasen. “We know that we’re making a huge impact, and there’s going to be so many other people involved to bring it to completion. There’s a real humility in saying, ‘I did my part. I’m part of the body of the church in a small way.’”

The Order of Malta, established in the 12th century as a sovereign military order for the Catholic Church, has a primary commitment of service to the poor and sick around the world

Volunteers worked on the Lilly Street home and one in Crowley as part of a Catholic Charities home preservation program called Rebuilding Together, focused on critical repairs to housing where the occupant is elderly or disabled, or both.

“We have a waiting list that far surpasses our capacity to respond,” said Catholic Charities CEO Kim Boudreaux. “We can’t let

that prevent us from doing the work. The homeowner has lived here all her life, and we want her to be able to continue living here in the neighborhood she’s always been in.

“Her neighbors have stopped by throughout the week to express how happy they are to see her getting repairs to her home, that they’ve all been trying to help her out with over the years. This is a beautiful example of how volunteers can make a meaningful difference in someone’s life.”

Email Joanna Brown at joanna.brown@ theadvocate.com.

closed party primary elections.

“I loathe the negativity that has to take place in campaigns,” Letlow said after qualifying Friday, when asked about the attack ads right outside. “I wish that we all could run positive campaigns on our records and our vision and our dreams for Louisiana.”

Letlow said that “President Trump would never endorse someone who is not a true America-ﬁrst conservative,” and that she has battled against diversity equity and inclusion programs as a member of Congress.

Lindsay “Rubia” Garcia of Walker; Dan McKay of Bunkie; and Tania Nyman of Baton Rouge.

Other U.S. House races Incumbents are expected to hold Louisiana’s ﬁve other U.S. House seats.

U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-Jefferson, signed up to seek reelection in the 1st Congressional District. Three people signed up to run against him: Randall Arrington, a Republican of Ponchatoula, Lauren Jewett, Democrat of Metairie, and Jim Long, another Democrat from Metairie.

President Donald Trump last month unexpectedly endorsed Letlow prompting the Congress member to launch her Senate bid and shake up the race. Candidate qualifying for spring prima ry election s ended Friday, which means the fields are also set for importa nt races like the U. S. House, the Louisia na Supreme Court, Public Service Commission and state educat ion board. But the Senate race is drawing the ﬁeriest action so far Cassidy also officially joined the Senate race Friday During remarks to reporters in Baton Rouge, he didn’t directly address Letlow Rather, he said the contest is “about who has a proven track record of delivering for our state, and my track record is far better than anyone else running for this ofﬁce.”

“The endorsement that matters is the endorsement of the people of Louisiana,” he said when asked about Trump’s decision to back Letlow Fleming also has gone on the offensive in his Senate campaign. When he signed

up to run on Wednesday, he said he was running against “two liberal candidates” and accused Cassidy of ﬂip-ﬂopping on key issues He also claimed Gov Jeff Landry had schemed to get Letlow into the race to further his own political ambitions.

Landry later fired back at Fleming, saying “anyone who makes stuff up like that may not be ﬁt for ofﬁce.”

Now on the campaign trail, Letlow has thrown her own political punches.

On Thursday, she seized on a Fox News story about a Louisiana judge who ordered Immigration and Customs Enforcement to release four detainees from custody.

“The Middle District in Louisiana is one of the most liberal in the country and Bill Cassidy has selected many similar judges during his time in the Senate,” Letlow posted on social media “It is unforgivable that this radical judge forced ICE to release four criminal illegals, already convicted of murder and child sex crimes.”

Landry joined that line of attack on Friday adding that Cassidy spent his time listening to the Never Trumpers and voting to impeach.”

Cassidy responded that Landry should “check his facts,” and that he is “proud of ﬁghting for conservative results for Louisiana.”

Asked Friday if Landry intended to endorse Letlow for U.S. Senate, a spokesperson for the governor said “he intends to follow the president.”

Three Democrats also signed up this week to run in a separate closed party primary They include Nick Albares, who is from New Orleans and was a policy ad-

viser for Gov John Bel Edwards; Gary Crockett, who owns an aerospace defense business and is from New Orleans; and Jamie Davis, a farmer from northeast Louisiana.

Republican primaries and Democratic primaries are each scheduled for May 16. If no candidate gets over 50% of the vote, primary runoffs will be held June 27. The eventual Republican and Democratic nominees will compete against each other in the Nov 3 general election.

5th Congressional District

With Letlow running for Senate, the Republicanleaning 5th Congressional District that she currently represents and which covers the Florida parishes, part of the Baton Rouge metro area, Monroe and northeast Louisiana drew a competitive ﬁeld of candidates.

State Sen. Blake Miguez, a Republican from Acadiana, is running with an endorsement from Trump.

So are Republican state Sen. Rick Edmonds, a Baton Rouge pastor who pushed for the creation of the city of St. George, and GOP state Rep. Michael Echols, a businessman from Monroe.

Misti Cordell, another Monroe Republican, is also running. She has strong personal and political ties with Landry, a close friend.

A handful of other Republican candidates are also running: Austin Magee of Franklinton, Michael Mebruer of Francisville and Sammy Wyatt of Denham Springs

A number of Democratic candidates also signed up to run in the 5th District: Jessee Fleenor of Loranger; Larry Foy of Winnsboro;

Democratic U.S Rep. Troy Carter, of New Orleans, will seek reelection in the 2nd Congressional District. Just one opponent, Renada “Honey” Collins of New Orleans, signed up to run there.

U.S. Rep. Clay Higgins, RLafayette, is running again in the 3rd Congressional District. He faces three Democratic challengers: John Day of Lake Charles, Tia LeBrun of Sulphur, and Caleb Walker of Lafayette.

U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, will again seek to represent the 4th Congressional District.

Four candidates signed up in Johnson’s district: Joshua Morott, Republican of Benton; Mike Nichols, Republican of Pitkin; Conrad Cable,

Democrat of Farmerville; and Matt Gromlich, Democrat of Greenwood.

Democratic U.S. Rep. Cleo Fields, of Baton Rouge, signed up in the 6th Congressional District.

No Democrats signed up to challenge Fields. But four Republicans did. They are: Monique Appeaning of St. George; Larry Davis of Livingston; Christian “Chris” Johnson of Greenwell Springs; and Peter Williams of Lettsworth.

Other races

The ﬁeld was also set for several other races of statewide interest Friday

Two sitting justices on the state Supreme Court will be reelected by default after no one ran against them. They are Justice Cade Cole, whose district covers western Louisiana and Jay McCallum, whose district includes north and central Louisiana.

Both are Republicans. There will be a competitive race in the Supreme Court district that Will Crain vacated to become a federal judge. The 1st District includes Livingston, Tangipahoa, Washington and St. Tammany parishes. Blair Downing Edwards, an appeals court judge from Independence, and William Burris, a trial court judge from Franklinton, are both

Republicans.

A crowded ﬁeld of candidates joined the race for the New Orleans-area District 1 seat on the Public Service Commission, which regulates utilities. Democrat Connie Norris of Slidell is running alongside five Republicans:

n Wallace “Wayne” Cooper II, of Robert

n State Rep. Stephanie Hilferty, of Metairie

n “Big John” Mason, of Metairie

n State Rep. Mark Wright, of Covington n John Young, of Metairie. The race for the District 5 seat on the commission, which covers the Shreveport region will have three candidates:

n John E. Atkins, a Republican from Shreveport n James Edward Green, a Democrat from Shreveport n Aiden C. Joyner, a Republican from West Monroe n Austin Lawson, a Democrat from Bossier City Four candidates qualiﬁed for a seat on the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education. They include: n Angela Hershey, a Democrat from Madisonville n Former U.S. Rep. Joseph Cao, a Harvey Republican n Michael Hollis, a Republican from New Orleans n Elle Schroder, a Republican from Abita Springs.

STAFF PHOTO By LESLIE WESTBROOK

Volunteers with the Order of Malta partner with Catholic Charities of Acadiana to gut and repair a home on Thursday on Lilly Street in Lafayette.

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

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His was the only touchdown in the matchup between the top-ranked Tigers and the third-ranked Rebels. The punt return alsoisthe cornerstoneofthe intense football rivalry between the twoschools. Cannon in 1959became LSU’sfirst Heisman Trophy winner.Hewas integral to the school’sfirst national championship in 1958 and was first LSU footballplayer to be the topNFL draft pick. He played for the Houston Oilers, Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs and was atwo-time All-Pro. Cannon was the first professional player to earn $100,000. Afterretiringfromprofessional football in 1970, he became apopular orthodontist in Baton Rouge. He ran into financial difficulties and in 1983 pleaded guilty to printing $6 million in $100 bills. He servedhalf of afive-yearsentenceina minimum-security federal prison in Texarkana, Texas. In granting the pardon, the White Housepointed to work Cannon did after his release in 1986. In 1995, Cannon contracted to providedental care for

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The contract was amended in February 2022 expanding the scope of the contract and adding millions of dollarsto it. Rigid, at night and without permits from the Army Corps of Engineers or permission from St. Martin Parish, removed about six feet of earth from aspoil bank on the Vermilion River andplacedthe materialin LafayetteParish. The project, which was supposed to reduceﬂooding in Lafayette Parish, drew backlash from St. Martin Parish ofﬁcials.

An LLA investigation concluded in August 2025 that Guillory and his administration likely violated state and federal laws and Lafayette’s home-rule charter, including public bid laws. The auditor’s findings

were sent to Landry’sofﬁce and the U.S. Attorney’sOfﬁceinLafayette. In theFeb.9 letter,Welter said he reviewed the audit to determine whetheritprovided anybasis for criminal prosecution, even though the District Attorney’s Officehas not receivedany complaint or investigation from law enforcement Statutes of limitationfor some of the alleged criminal violations will expire in the next few weeks,henoted.

Welter concluded there is lack of sufﬁcient evidence in the LLA reporttoprosecute anyoneinLCG formalfeasance in office foralleged violation of aSt. Martin Parish ordinance because St Martin Parish isoutside his jurisdiction andthere is evidencecallinginto question the validity of the ordinance.

TheDistrictAttorney’sOfﬁce also refused to charge anyoneatLCG with malfeasance in ofﬁce, hewrote,

prisoners inside the LouisianaState Penitentiary at Angola.Nootherdentists would treat the inmates.

Then-Warden Burl Cain

over allegations that removal of the spoil bank violated thefederal Clean Water Act, again for “lack of sufﬁcient evidence.”

In order to chargeany public ofﬁcial or employee with malfeasance in office for violation of thefederal Rivers and HarborAct, Welter wrote, they would have had to build something such as awharf, bulkhead, jetty or other structure in theVermilion River Additionally,hesaid, both acts are federal laws, which are not in thedistrict attorney’sjurisdiction.

Regardingallegations of violationsofpublic bid law,Welter said they are not punishable by criminal penalties. Someone could be prosecuted for malfeasance in office, he said,but he would have to find apublic official —fromthe Public Works director toformer Mayor-President Josh Guillory —“blatantly abused the

later put Cannon in charge of the prison’smedical system. He was able to reopen the pharmacy,animportant step becausemedications

authority of hisofficeand violated the public trust by hisdirect, personal acts or failure to act.”

The Louisianalegislative auditor,Welter wrote, said mistakes weremade but he would not be able to prove withoutareasonable doubt that anyone acted with criminalintent requiredtoobtain aconviction.

“I findnoevidence from what has been presented to my ofﬁce that anyone gained personallyinany way,” he wrote.

The discretion of theDistrict Attorney’sOfficeto prosecutesomeone, he said, may be usedtoavoid starting acriminal prosecution when all the elements of the case can’tbeproven beyond areasonable doubt and “in asituation such as found in this case,” Welterwrote, where amistake may have (been)madebypublic officials and employees in a complex, highly technical

could take weeks to arrive at the prison. Cannon reduced the number of inmates who had to be transported to Baton Rouge formedical care. Cannon worked at Angola until his death in 2018 at the age of 80.

Cannon was nicknamed “Legend” by the inmates. His number 20 jersey was retired. There’sastatue of Cannonoutside LSU’sTiger Stadium

“This past week, as millions of Americans watched the Super Bowl, we were reminded that second chances are woven into the gameitself —and into our national character,” Trump’spardons czar Alice Johnson said in a statement.“ThePresident affirmed asimpleAmerican truth: that accountabilityand mercycan stand together,and that when secondchances are earned and extended, families are restored andthe common good is strengthened.”

Bunnie Cannonsaidthe pardon shows “thatsomeonesomewhererecognized that he’sbetter than just his failures.”

“They’re recognizing him, not just for his prowess on the ﬁeld, but for doing good

in spite of messing up,” she said. “And that’shuge.” BunnieCannon, assistant dean for outreach and strategic initiativesatthe LSU School of Veterinary Medicine, noted that her father would have been “thrilled” to learn that laws denying the right of convicted felons to vote have been changed. She and herfamily are raising money forafilm about Billy Cannon that will open withthe counterfeiting episode andgothrough the rest of his life.

“Itisnot afootballﬁlm,” she said.

They’re also working to create anational award in his namefor the mosttransformational play in acollege football season. Meanwhile, Louisiana Public Broadcasting is producingadocumentaryabout Billy Cannon’slife.

“It is so important that people know who he truly was andnot who the media has madehim out to be,” she said. “And this clemency is one step to getting to that point.”

Email Mark Ballard at mballard@theadvocate. com.

STAFF FILE PHOTO By IRByAUCOIN

Billy Cannon races past Ole Miss defenders on his legendary89-yard punt returnfor the lone touchdown in LSU’s 7-3 victoryonOct. 31, 1959, at TigerStadium

STAFFFILE PHOTOByBRAD KEMP

Former Lafayette officials, including former Mayor-President Josh Guillory,will not be prosecuted by the DistrictAttorney’s Office forallegations likemalfeasanceand public bid law violations related to the 2022 removalofa spoilbank in St. MartinParish.

MINI MARDI GRAS

ABOVE: Students reach for beads andcandyduringthe PrairieElementary pre-kMardi Grasparade at the school in Lafayette on Friday LEFT: HoganStafford hands outbeads during the parade on Friday BELOW: Students throw beads and other treats during their Mardi Grasparade.

STAFF PHOTOSByLESLIEWESTBROOK

BY ASHLEY WHITE

Staff writer

Get out those rainboots, as it’s going to be awet Mardi Gras weekend. Asystem is expected tomove

through the area Saturday afternoon andSunday,bringingshowers and thunderstorms, according to the National Weather Service in Lake Charles.Someofthose storms couldbesevere, and heavy downpours are likely. The good newsfor revelersis that dryand mild weather is expected for Lundi and Mardi Gras. There is amarginal risk forsevere thunderstorms on Saturday, which means there’sa14%, or

between 5and 15 times greater chance, of damaging wind gusts, hail or tornadoes, according to the weather service.

The greatest chances of rain in the Acadiana area is between 6p.m. Saturday and3 a.m. Sunday. Rainispossible between noon Saturday and3 p.m.Sunday.Lightning is likely nottobeinthe area untilaboutmidnightonSunday, according to the weather service.

From FridaytoSunday, Lafay-

ette and New Iberia are forecast to receive betweenahalf and an inch of rain, with ahighest reasonable amount of 1.2 inches. Higher totals are forecast in northern Louisiana. Winds areforecast to reach up to 20 mphinLafayette andthe highest wind speeds are expected between 6p.m. Saturday and 3a.m. Sunday. It’s unclear if or howthe weather will impact Saturday’s parades.

The Youngsville parade starts rolling at 11 a.m., and in Lafayette, the Children’sParade rolls at 12:30 p.m. andthe Krewe of Bonaparte at 6:30 p.m. Information about changes to the children’sand Bonaparte parades will likelybeannounced by theGreater SouthwestLouisiana MardiGras Association Contact AshleyWhite at ashley. white@theadvocate.com.

BY ADAM DAIGLE Acadiana business editor

BY CLAIRE TAYLOR Staff writer

Sheriffrefuses ‘unprecedented’ICE requests

Nine inmates may be in countryillegally, officialssay

BY JOSEPH CRANNEY Staff writer

Since President DonaldTrump’s administration began its immigration crackdown in New Orleans last year,the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has refused more than twodozen requests from immigration officials to turnoverinformation on undocumented people in its custody,escalating afight over the jail’s sanctuary policies that’s still being waged in federal court U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement hasidentified nine men at the Orleans Parish lockup who may be in the country illegally.After OPSO rejected “detainer” requests —agreements tohold detainees past their release datesso

ICE can arrest them —for each of them, ICE took the rarestep of issuing subpoenas to compel OPSO

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trafﬁc from Johnston Street to Souvenir Gate and are expectedtoremain thatway until March. The closure, coupled with barricades along Johnston Street for Mardi Gras, havemade it challenging, Murphree said. Customers can still access the restaurant from Congress and St. Landry streets.

“It’snot fun, but our traffichasn’tdecreased any, he said. “It’sjust alittle bit different.Last weekend and

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General Liz Murrill’sofﬁce.

Lafayette police contacted other law enforcement agencies and the case developed into ajoint investigation with the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and the Acadia Parish Sheriff’s Ofﬁce. Menard was re-arrested on Feb. 12 by the Louisiana

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Christians in Jennings and then enrolled at Catholic University in Washington, D.C., where he earned a bachelor’sdegree in theologyinMay 1967. He was ordained on June 7, 1969, at St. John Francis Regis Catholic ChurchinArnaudville by Bishop Warren Boudreaux.

Anative French speaker, he was known as an upbeat individual who often wore smiley-face T-shirts Schexnayder served as an assistant pastor at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in New Iberia and as pastor of St. Landry Church in Opelousas from 1979 to 1989. He was chaplain for the diocese’sCatholic Committee on Scouting for many years, which involved celebratingMassatScout camps, events and activities, especially the Bishop’s Awards Mass for Adult Scouters.

to turn over the men for questioning, court records show Thesubpoenas also seek jail records documenting the men’s addresses andgovernment ID, among other paperwork. ICE has also sought lists of other jail detainees who, upon booking, didn’t have governmentID“to ascertain the identities of potential aliensin (OPSO) custody who have not yet beenencountered by immigration officials,” governmentlawyers wrote in acourt ﬁling.

Mary Yanik, directorofTulane University’sImmigrant Rights Clinic,calledthe subpoenas “unprecedented.” She described ICE’s tactics as an attempt to compel OPSOtohand over custody of the mensotheycan be deported.

ICEbegan sending the subpoenas in October and continued doing so throughout“Operation Catahoula Crunch,” the government’s name forits Border Patrolled operation in south Louisiana in December,court records show The subpoenas,written by ICE, aren’tsigned by ajudge, but are

allowedunderfederal law. ICE has occasionally deployed them in other parts of thecountrywith sanctuary policies, including in Oregon, California and New York, according to the American Immigration Lawyers Association.

After OPSOrejected ICE’slatest requests lastmonth, ICE ﬁled apetition in the Eastern District of Louisiana asking afederal judge to order OPSOtofulﬁll them.

“We’ve never seen anything like this,” said Yanik, whoco-representsthe plaintiffs from a2013 consent decreethat overhauled the jail’s immigration policies. Thejail is also under aseparate, 13-yearold consent decree covering many other aspects of its operations.

Thecasethatled to theconsent decree over immigration policies was brought by apair of former OrleansParishdetainees who said they were illegally held for months at therequest of immigration ofﬁcials.The settlement from that case prohibits OPSOfrom complyingwith ICEdetainerrequests undermostcircumstances, andit

also forbids OPSO from allowing ICEtoconduct immigration investigations at the jail. Under adetainerrequest, ajail would hold adetaineefor up to 48 hours aftertheir releasesofederal immigration agents can take them intocustody. OPSO’s policy is to reject thoserequests unless the personischargedwith murder, rape, kidnapping, armedrobbery or treason.

ICEhas sent 170detainer requestsinthe past four years, and OPSO hasrejectedall but1%of them, lawyers forthe federal government said in court ﬁlings. In rejecting ICE’slatest batch of subpoenas, OPSO’s lawyers said in acourt ﬁling this week that the agency is bound by the consent decree’spolicies, which are overseen by afederal judge. Afederal magistrate on Wednesday scheduled ahearing on the matter for mid-March. Louisiana Attorney GeneralLiz Murrill is waging herown court battle in an attempt to erase those policies, which she sayscontradict

a2024 state law that effectively bannedso-called“sanctuarycities” in Louisiana.A federaljudge hasn’truled on those arguments yet. In thelatest twist, theNew OrleansPolice Departmenthas repealed its owndecade-old policy that restricted itscooperation with federal immigration agents. Now, NOPD ofﬁcers who encounter people with an outstanding immigration warrant must transfer them into federal custody if the Orleans Parish jail won’ttake them,The Times-Picayunereported this week.

That’sled to anew wave of concern amongimmigration advocates, who worry that OPSO’s refusals to honor detainers will be less of ashield.

“If OPSO says, ‘Why would Itake this person? They’re notaccused of any crime,’ then they go back to NOPD,and NOPD holds them for ICE,” said Jeremy Jong, aNew Orleans-based immigration attorney Staff writer James Finn contributed reporting.

this weekend, they’regoing to come ﬁnd us anyway.But thenext couple weeks, we’ll know more about how this may impact us.” Olde Tyme is next door to thesitewhere LCGwill install amajor sewer station to provideadditional sewer capacity fordowntown and adjacent areas. Road closuresbegan about twoweeks ago and areexpected to continue until mid- to late March, LCG officials said. On Friday, crewswereoutsideworking near the lift station, and alarge hole was dugout on St.Mary behindthe Taco Bell.

Murphreehopes it ends on time since that will be in the middle of Lent, the restaurant’sbusiestseason. It usually sells about1,000 shrimp po-boys on aregularFriday,but that jumps to about2,000 during Lent, he saidlast year

“It’s going on literally in the busiest time of year,” he said. “It’sthe worst time forittohappentome, but we’ve had afew real candidconversations with the city and they understand our concerns. We’re makingthe best outofatough situation.”

The road closures come just after OldTymeex-

panded itsparking capacity followinga land swap with officialsatthe University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Murphree said. The staff has also tried to be active on social media to raise awareness of the situation with some interactive maps.Itisalsooffering curbside pickupfor customers along Brook Avenue.

“A lotoftimes when there’sroad work, it can be demoralizing to abusiness,” he said. “Thisisnot goingto stop us. We’re notgoing to act any different.”

Email Adam Daigleat adaigle@theadvocate.com.

Bureau of Investigation on 25 counts ofpossession of sexual abuse materials of children under the age of 13,all felony chargesand allinLafayette Parish, according to anewsrelease. In addition, agentswith theLouisiana Bureau of Investigation obtained an arrest warrant for Menard in AcadiaParish for seven felonies, including one count of sexual battery,one count of indecent behavior with juveniles and ﬁve counts of production of

child sexual abuse material underage 13. Menard was booked into theLafayette Parish Correctional Center andwas re-arrested by the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation.

Awarrant for his arrest will remain active at this time, according to the release. His bonds include: n $100,000 Lafayette Police Department n $100,000 Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (La-

fayette Parish charges) n $325,000 Acadia Parish activewarrant.

Woman charged with indecent behavior

Calcasieu Parish Sher-

iff’s Office detectives arrested an Iowa woman on charges of indecentbehavior with juvenilesfollowing an investigation that began earlier this month.

Detectives with the Sher-

iff’s OfﬁceSpecial Victims Unit received areport Feb. 6involving alleged indecentbehavior. During the investigation, authorities determinedthatErin E. Guidry,39, of Iowa, had sent text messages to avictim younger than 16, some of which were sexual in nature. Investigators obtained a warrant for Guidry’sarrest Wednesday.She was located and arrested Thursday

andbooked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center Guidry was charged with indecent behavior with juveniles. Judge Tony Fazzio set her bond at $150,000.

He was serving as pastor of St. Michael Church in Crowley in 2004 when ground wasbroken on an expansion of the school Funeral services were not available.

BRIEFS

FROM WIRE REPORTS

Wall Street steadies after AI-induced selloff

NEW YORK U.S. stocks steadied on Friday after an encouraging update on inﬂation helped calm a Wall Street that’s been wracked by worries about how artiﬁcial-intelligence technology may upend the business world.

Stocks got some help from easing Treasury yields, which fell after a report showed inﬂation slowed last month by more than economists expected “It’s still too high, but only for now, not forever,” said Brian Jacobsen, chief economic strategist at Annex Wealth Management.

Stock prices steadied for several companies that investors had earlier targeted as potential losers from AI disruption Trucking and freight companies tumbled Thursday after a small company, Algorhythm Holdings, said its AI platform helps customers scale freight volumes by up to 400% “without a corresponding increase in operational headcount.” After sinking 14.5% Thursday, C.H Robinson Worldwide rose 4.9% on Friday

Such drops have been rolling through the market recently targeting industries that investors decide are under threat for disruption by AI. The reactions have been so aggressive and so quick that analysts have likened it to a “shoot ﬁrst, ask questions later” mindset.

On the losing end of Wall Street was DraftKings, which dropped 13.5% even though its proﬁt for the latest quarter topped analysts’ expectations It gave a forecast for revenue this year that fell short of expectations.

Nvidia fell 2.2%. Because it’s the largest stock on Wall Street, its moves carry more weight on the S&P 500 than any other company’s Wendy’s closing sites, focusing on value

Wendy’s is closing several hundred U.S. restaurants and increasing its focus on value after a weaker-than-expected fourth quarter

The Dublin, Ohio-based company said Friday that its global same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, fell 10% in the October-December period.

Wendy’s said it already closed 28 restaurants in the fourth quarter and ended 2025 with 5,969 U.S. locations. It expects to close between 5% and 6% of its U.S. restaurants — or 298 to 358 locations — in the ﬁrst half of this year

Those actions come on top of the closure of 240 U.S. Wendy’s locations in 2024 At the time, the chain said many of its locations are simply out of date.

In January, Wendy’s introduced a permanent “Biggie Deals” value menu with three price tiers: $4 Biggie Bites, $6 Biggie Bags and an $8 Biggie Bundle.

Logistics giant replaces chair in Epstein files CAIRO Dubai has announced a new chair for DP World, one of the world’s largest logistics companies, replacing the outgoing head who was named in the Jeffrey Epstein documents.

The announcement by the government’s Dubai Media Ofﬁce did not speciﬁcally name Sultan Ahmed bin Sulayem. However, it said that Essa Kazim was named DP World’s chairand Yuvraj Narayan was named group CEO. Those were positions held by bin Sulayem.

DP World is a logistics giant that runs the Jebel Ali port in Dubai and operates terminals in other ports around the world.

The announcement comes a day after financial groups in Canada and the United Kingdom said they’ve paused future ventures with DP World after newly released emails showed a yearslong friendship between bin Sulayem and Epstein

The emails do not appear to implicate bin Sulayem in Epstein’s alleged crimes.

decision” for the cancellation.

Ring and Flock said last year they were planning on working together to give Ring camera owners the option to share their video footage in response to law enforcement requests made through a Ring feature known as Community Requests.

dedicated to supporting law enforcement agencies with tools that are fully conﬁgurable to local laws and policies.”

By The Associated Press

Amazon’s smart doorbell maker

Ring has terminated a partnership with police surveillance tech company Flock Safety

The announcement follows a backlash that erupted after a 30-second Ring ad that aired during the Super Bowl featuring a lost dog that is found through a network of cameras, sparking fears of a dystopian surveillance society. But that feature, called Search Party, was not related to Flock. And Ring’s announcement doesn’t cite the ad as a reason for the “joint

“Following a comprehensive review, we determined the planned Flock Safety integration would require signiﬁcantly more time and resources than anticipated,” Ring’s statement said.

“The integration never launched, so no Ring customer videos were ever sent to Flock Safety.”

Flock reiterated that it never received Ring customer videos — and that ending the planned integration was a mutual decision that allows both companies to “best serve their respective customers.” In a statement, Flock added that it “remains

Flock is one of the nation’s biggest operators of automated licenseplate reading systems. Its cameras are mounted in thousands of communities across the U.S., capturing billions of photos of license plates each month. The company has faced public outcry amid the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement crackdown But Flock maintains that it does not partner with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, or contract out with any subagency of the Department of Homeland Security for direct access to its cameras.

The company paused pilot programs with Customs and Border Protection and Homeland Security Investigations last year

Still, Flock says it doesn’t own

the data captured by its cameras its customers do. So if a police department, for example, chooses to collaborate with a federal agency like ICE, “Flock has no ability to override that decision,” the company notes on its website.

Beyond the Flock partnership, Amazon has faced other surveillance concerns over its Ring doorbell cameras.

In the Super Bowl ad, a lost dog is found with Ring’s Search Party feature, which the company says can “reunite lost dogs with their families and track wildﬁres threatening your community.” The clip depicts the dog being tracked by cameras throughout a neighborhood using artiﬁcial intelligence.

Viewers took to social media to criticize it for being sinister, leaving many wondering if it would be used to track humans and saying they would turn the feature off.

BY CHRISTOPHER RUGABER AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON A key measure of inflation fell to nearly a five-year low last month as apartment rental price growth slowed and gas prices fell, offering some relief to Americans grappling with the sharp cost increases of the past five years. Inflation dropped to 2.4% in January compared with a year earlier down from 2.7% in December and not too far from the Federal Reserve’s 2% target. Core prices, which exclude the volatile food and energy categories, rose just 2.5% in January from a year ago, down from 2.6% the previous month and the smallest increase since March 2021.

Friday’s report suggests inﬂation is cooling, but the cost of food, gas, and apartment rents have soared after the pandemic, with consumer prices still about 25% higher than they were ﬁve years ago. The increase in such a broad range of costs has kept “affordability,” a topic that helped shape the most recent U.S. presidential election, front and center as a dominant political issue.

And on a monthly basis, consumer prices rose 0.2% in January from December, while core prices rose 0.3%. Core inﬂation was held down by a sharp drop in the price of used cars, which fell 1.8% just in January from December. “Inﬂation continues to decelerate and is not threatening to move back up, and that will enable more rate cuts by the Fed,” said Luke Tilley, chief economist at Wilmington Trust.

There were signs in the report that retailers are passing on more of the costs of President Donald Trump’s tariffs to consumers for goods such as furniture, appliances, and clothes. But those increases were offset by falling prices elsewhere. In other areas, Trump has delayed, scrapped, or provided exemptions to his duties.

Furniture prices jumped 0.7% in January from the previous month and are up 4% from a year ago Appliances rose 1.3% in January though are only slightly more expensive than a year earlier Clothing price rose 0.3% in January from December and have increased 1.7% in the past year

Some services prices also rose: Airline fares soared 6.5% just in January, after a 3.8% jump in November, though they rose only 2.2% from a year earlier Music streaming subscriptions increased 4.5% in January and are 7.8% higher than a year ago. Yet those increases were largely offset by

BY DEE-ANN DURBIN Associated Press

Cocoa prices have fallen nearly 70% since last Valentine’s Day, but that won’t make heart-shaped boxes of chocolate or even chocolate Easter bunnies more affordable this year

Chocolate prices at U.S. retail stores rose 14% between Jan. 1 and the first week of February compared to the same period last year, according to market research company Datasembly.

That’s on top of a 7.8% increase for the same period in 2025. Europe has seen even steeper price increases. In Germany, chocolate prices rose 18.9% in 2025, according to government ﬁgures.

price declines, or much slower price growth, in other areas, including many that make up a greater share of Americans’ spending. The cost of used cars, for example, plunged 1.8% in January the biggest decline in two years. Gas prices fell 3.2% last month, the third drop in the past four months, and are down 7.5% from a year earlier Grocery prices rose just 0.2% in January, after a big 0.6% rise in December, and are up 2.1% from a year ago. Hotel prices ticked down 0.1% in January and have fallen 2% from last year

Rental prices and the cost of owning a home, which make up a third of the inﬂation index, both rose just 0.2% in December, while rents increased only 2.8% from a year earlier That is much lower than during the pandemic: Rents rose by more than 8% in 2022.

The tariffs have increased some costs and many economists forecast companies will pass through more of those increases to consumers in the coming months. A study released Thursday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that U.S. companies and consumers are paying nearly 90% of the tariffs’ costs, echoing similar ﬁndings in studies by Harvard and other economists.

Yet the increases haven’t been as broadbased as many economists feared.

Tilley said that the higher tariffs have pulled some consumer spending away from other services, which has forced companies to keep those prices a bit lower as a result.

“We don’t think consumers are in a place to

Cocoa prices more than doubled in 2024 due to insufﬁcient rainfall and crop diseases in West Africa, which supplies more than 70% of the world’s cocoa. Cocoa, which is made from the dried beans of the cacao tree, is the main ingredient in both dark and white chocolate.

Weather conditions have improved since then in Ivory Coast and Ghana, and cocoa production is increasing in Ecuador and other countries, according to an analysis by J.P Morgan. The resulting supply increase is one reason cocoa prices are coming down.

But they’re also dropping because of lower global demand. Chocolate getting more expensive has turned off consumers, so manufacturers have cut the amount

take on price increases across the board, so you’re not seeing those price increases,” he said. Hiring was particularly weak last year, slowing wage growth, and many Americans remain gloomy about the economy

Some economists note that the rental figures were distorted by October’s six-week government shutdown, which interrupted the Labor Department’s gathering of the data. The government plugged in estimated figures for October which economists say have artificially lowered some of the housing costs. Companies are still grappling with the higher costs from Trump’s duties, though some have benefited from tariffs being delayed or scrapped.

If inﬂation gets closer to the Federal Reserve’s target of 2%, it could allow the central bank to cut its key short-term interest rate further this year, as Trump has repeatedly demanded. High borrowing costs for things like mortgages and auto loans have also contributed to a perception that many big-ticket items remain out of reach for many Americans.

Inﬂation surged to 9.1% in 2022 as consumer spending soared as supply chains snarled after the pandemic. It began to fall in 2023 but leveled off around 3% in mid-2024 and remained elevated last year

At the same time, measures of wage growth have declined as hiring has cratered. With companies reluctant to add jobs, workers don’t have as much leverage to demand raises.

of chocolate they use or shifted to other products like gummy candies to keep prices in check, said Chris Costagli, a food thought leader at the market research company NIQ.

In the U.S., annual retail sales of chocolate rose 6.7% in 2025 compared to the prior year, largely because of price increases, according to NIQ data. But the number of individual products sold was down 1.3%, as consumers bought less chocolate overall.

The Trump administration’s tariffs were another reason U.S. chocolate prices increased last year

The administration put a tariff averaging 15% on cocoa-producing countries last February which raised the price of U.S. cocoa im-

ports, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. In November, the administration removed tariffs on cocoa and other commodities that can’t be grown in the U.S., including coffee, spices and tropical fruit. But tariffs of 15% or more on products from the European Union, including chocolates, remain in place. So far, declining cocoa prices haven’t necessarily let chocolate lovers pay less.

Costagli compares the situation to gas prices. Even when the cost of oil goes down, prices at the pump don’t immediately follow because companies need to use up the oil they bought at a higher price.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By NAM y. HUH Shoppers browse at a grocery store in Schaumburg, Ill., on Monday Americans are starting to see relief from the sharp cost increases over the past five years.

OPINION

Sixpaths to fiscal disaster

As the national debt is afew monthsfromreaching$39 trillion, andperhaps $40 trillion by the end of this year, it is puzzling how unperturbed the political classis. Or perhapsnot.Writerand politicalagitatorUpton Sinclair (1878-1968)said: “It is difﬁcult to geta mantounderstand something, when his salary depends upon hisnot understanding it.” Or pretending not to. Abipartisancongressional consensus, more alarming thanpartisan rancor,is: There are no long-term ﬁscal gains without intense short-term politicalpains. So, becausetoday’scongressional careers do not yet seemlikely to coincide with coming direconsequences,let them come In 2016, abudgetexpertwas allotted20 minutes to brief Donald Trump onthose possible consequences. After5 minutes, Trump said, “Yeah, but I’ll be gone.” He was perfectly in sync with the politicalmainstream he professes to supplant.

Nevertheless, the undiscourageable Committeefor a Responsible Federal Budgetpersists. Although few others think mere information cangalvanize congressional action to forestall adarkening ﬁscal future, the committee recently described six possible crisis scenarios.Five are dramatic. The sixth is lessso, butmostalarming, and most likely

Upwardly spiraling debt could provoke afinancialcrisis.Investors anxiousabout the U.S. fiscaloutlookwould demand sharply higher interest ratestoenticethem to purchaseTreasurys. This would ignite aself-reinforcing debt spiral: Higher interest rateswould slow economic growth, reducing government revenue whileincreasing government spending on debt service.Higherinterest ratesonnew debt wouldreduce the value of the much larger amount of existing debt. This would weakenthe balance sheets of banks andother financialinstitutions. Because these would be deemed“too big to fail,” bailouts and spending to stimulatethe sputtering economy would exacerbate the financial crisis

An Everest of debt is an incentive for an inflationcrisis to reduce the value of existing debt by paying lenders with debased dollars. But inflation wouldbecomebaked into the expectations of investors, who would demand higher interest rates. ThenR&G would bite: Wheninterest rates paid on debt exceedthe rate of economic growth, acrisis intensifiesasrising interestrates depress economic growth.

An austerity crisis would occur with alarge andabrupt combination of tax increases and spending reductions Unemployment would increase,and the Federal Reserve would have little ability to combat economic contraction by reducing interest rates. Austerity is, however,rare in nations accustomed to assuming its opposite —anunendingexpectation,indeedentitlement,toopulence. The Economist says that “only onceinthe eraofuniversal suffrage has aG7economy” —aleading developed nation —“achieved abig fall in debt primarily by tightening its belt” (Canada in the 1990s).

Acurrencycrisis would result from adepreciating dollar incentivizingforeign governments andprivate investors to diversify away from U.S.debt. Adefault crisis, although unlikely, would have the merit of bluntness: continuing to repay principalbut notinterest, or “restructuring,”which is government-speakfor notrepaying some debt.

The most probable, and mostominous, outcome would be agradual crisis. In 2021, debt serviceconsumed less than 10% of federal revenue. In 2025: 18%. By being gradual, aprotractedcrisis wouldmean ademoralized nation slowly accommodating perpetualeconomic sluggishness, waning investments in researchand development, social stagnation, diminished contribution from the entrepreneurial energiesoftalented immigrants, and waning U.S. geopolitical inﬂuence.

Agradual crisis would be anesthetizing, rather than an action-forcing, cymbal-crash event that could stimulate recuperative reforms of U.S. politicalculture. Instead, this culture would become more toxic. Political power would be fought for,and wielded, with the desperate ruthlessness of azero-sumcompetition in whichone faction’sgains must equal otherfactions’losses

So, government would simultaneously become more powerful, more divisive and less legitimate. The currency is how everyone meets the government everyday through the unstated —becausepresumablyobvious government promise that the currency it issues is trustworthy.Nothing unsettles amiddle-class nation more rapidlythaninﬂation,acomponent of allofthese crises. By it, people are reminded daily that the currencyisfailingasastore of value. This unnervesthe public as much as crime, today’sdeportation mayhem and other disorders. Inﬂation is disorder.Its quiet ubiquity is especially sinister,making everyone feelpowerless. “Dystopian” is the antonym of“utopian.” “Utopia” was derived from Greek roots to denotesomething imaginary —“nowhere.” The dystopian consequencesofU.S. debt could someday be everywhere

Email George Will at georgewill@washpost.com.

Southeast Louisianaislosing land as fast as anywhere in the world, with communities facing greater risks every year.The state’slatest coastal funding plan is akin to ﬁddling while Rome burns.

This plan should have centered around two science-backed, publiclysupported, and, until recently,stateendorsed riverre-introduction projects: Mid-Barataria and Mid-Breton.

The cancellation of these projects and their removal from this year’s spending plan leaves communities at risk and wastes two things in short supply: time and money

The state spent around $700 million on Mid-Barataria before its cancellation last year —achunk of the

Many of Louisiana’sresidents are having to leavework or stop working altogether to take care of their children.

This has resulted in the loss of income revenue to our state of over $1 billion ayear

In arecent commentary in this newspaper,Walter Isaacson talks about “the commons,” which is aconcept that says certain things in our societyneed to be available toall of us commoners, like schools, libraries,

“Why deny theobvious child?”

Likethe lyrics of Paul Simon’ssong, Quin Hillyer’scolumn recently articulated what has been disturbing many of us.

After seeing graphic videos from virtually every angle of asenseless killing, how can anybody deny the obvious? After hearing theSecretary Kristi Noem and Greg Bovino’scomments,would you trust them?

Ourcongressional delegation is supposed to provide checks and balances for other branches of government. I thinkU.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy’simmediate call for afull investigation is certainly in order.But Hillyer should not single out Congressman Steve Scalise. Where was therest of our Republican delegation? Has U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow

one-time Deepwater Horizon oil spill funds to throw down thedrain. But what’sworse is the years we’ve lost as our coast continues to erode. In Plaquemines Parish, we see this land loss with our eyes and we feel it in our wallets. We’ve watched our favorite ﬁshing spots disappear and driveways ﬂood after alight rain. The wetlands built by these twoprojects would have protected communities from Empire to NewOrleans. The new plan also wastes timeand money we don’thave by focusing solely on building land with dredges instead of utilizing the power of the Mississippi River

These decisions weren’tmade with us in mind. These canceled projects

were developed with public input but canceled behind closed doors at the behest of asmallgroup who put short-term proﬁts over our parish’slongevity.Moreover,Gov.Jeff Landry and CPRA Chair Gordy Dove continue to promote alternative projects that are simply not as effective and years away

The state needs to ﬁll this gaping hole in its plan. At aminimum,we deserve transparency on how the loss of these two keystone projects affects our safety and future. Youcan comment on the draftannual plan until Feb. 17.

MICAH

DENESSE Coastal Conservation Association STAR tournament director

ﬁre departments and police departments.Ithink that early childhood education should be in ”the commons” because it is in the common good to provide for it It pays for itself over timeinmoney, healthcare and decreased poverty, as shown in the North Carolina study called The Abecedarian Project. OurLegislature needs to fully fund early childhood education now CLAUDE TELLIS Baton Rouge

or any other Republican congressperson had the courage to go on record? Pleasepublish their statements, even if alittle late. Scalise and Speaker Mike Johnson have done an amazing job working with thesmallest majority to pass transformative legislation and they deserve our thanks forthat. But these are very volatile times in our country and the world. Trust is ascarce but critical commodity.Itis, however,the glue that holds our democracy together.Silence is not leadership and does not engender trust Truthbuilds trust and when it is obvious, it is hard to deny BYRON LEBLANC Metairie

Iamwriting in response to Ellen Holliday’sFeb. 2guest column on pluralism.Holliday claims pluralism is a morerealistic and durable framework than one in which individuals workintheir own self-interest (aka capitalism). She does not recognize that capitalistic Western societies have been the mostsuccessfulthe world has ever seen and that the standard of living of our poorest exceeds that of their pluralist society counterparts. Collectivism has reduced the quality of lifefor tens of millions of Russians, Chinese and North Koreans. Ithink her mistake is in assuming that humans will makeasmuch of an effort in their workifthere is no linkage between their effort and their reward. She berates a“hierarchical, ruthless individualist” approach while failing to recognize that the pluralist societies are also hierarchical and have areputation of ruthlessness characterized by punishing and disappearing individuals who do not conform.

PETERGAMBEL NewOrleans

George Will

BY KOKI RILEY Staff writer

Jay Johnson had never lostonopening day as ahead coach.

During four seasons at LSU, sixatArizona, two at Nevada and one atPointLoma Nazarene, Johnson’steam alwayshas started witha 1-0 record. That streak was in jeopardy Friday at Alex Box Stadium,the beginning of his fifth season in charge of LSU. The Tigers trailed Milwaukee 5-2 heading into the sixthinning, andtheir offense ﬂailed the previous twoinnings.

Then Johnson turned to his bench, summoningKansas State transfer Seth Dardar to hit for Brayden Simpson with one out anda runner at third base. Dardar fell behind in the count 1-2, but he jumped on the next pitch— a fastball up and in —and deposited it overthe right-center fence to cut the LSU deﬁcit to 5-4

The blast was the spark LSU needed. After putting up two runs in thesixth, the Tigers scored six more in the seventhtotake the lead. They never lookedback, earning a15-5 win in eightinnings by invoking the 10-run mercy rule after aﬁve-run eighthinning.

“I don’tthink this says aton about our character,actually,” Johnson said, reﬂecting on the comeback win. “Ithink some good, talented players did what they were supposedtodoorwhat they’ve beentrainedto do. And because the talentwas in our favor in that situation, we won thegame.” Johnson’sundefeated streak issafe, and thevictory marked LSU’s25th straight opening day win. The last time theTigers lost came in 2001, a9-8 defeat to Kansas

Cajuns’bats

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

TheULpitchingstaff struggledearly and late Friday,but the bats were silent all dayfor the Ragin’ Cajuns in an 8-2 loss toMissouri Stateinthe season opener at Russo Park

“I saw some good things today,” UL coach Matt Deggs said. “Weﬂashed some good pitching anddefense. We just have to string some stuff together offensively.” The twoteamsare scheduled to play again at 2p.m Saturday

“I think our team gave alittle glimpse of what we can be pretty good at,and that’s pitching it and defendingit,” Deggs said.“I think we did apretty goodjob on theday with that.”

UL ace left-hander Ty Roman gave up an RBI double to Taeg Gollert after asingleand awalktostartthe game, and it looked like hisDivision Idebut might be ashortone.

SPORTS

ORTS

| Saturday, February 14, 2026 1CN

‘Amazing theater’

IBY REED DARCEY Staff writer

t’sbeen three monthssince MiLaysia Fulwiley grabbeda smoothie, retreated to anearby corner and explained at atable inside thePete Maravich Assembly Center’strainingannex— herLSU practice jersey still damp withsweat —why she washere.

Fulwiley knew sheneededtoget better. That if she really wanted to make it to theWNBA, she needed to step outside of her comfort zoneand challenge herself.After she decided to enter thetransfer portal, she wanted to ﬁnd ateam that would helpher become amore complete player.Just notatthe expense of her desires to command an uptempo system andcompete fora national championship

“I feltlike this was one of those programs,”Fulwiley said then. Now the annual LSU-South Carolina showdown arriveswith even more intrigue. Fulwiley,anathletic guard known for dazzling fast breaks, decided last Apriltoleave herhometownGamecocks andjoin their top adversary,putting herself at the center of the ﬁercest rivalry in

women’scollege basketball. When theseries’ latest installment tips off at 7:30 p.m. Saturdayinthe PMAC, all eyes will turn to Fulwiley She’splaying for theNo. 6Tigers (213, 8-3 SEC) now,though she’ssettled into arole that’slargely the sameas the one she ﬁlled in the two seasons she spent at SouthCarolina. Coach KimMulkeyisgiving the

aturday’sLSU-South olina women’sbasketball mewill be morethan a me. will be ahappening. hePeteMaravich AssemCenter is ahard sellout. ksare online asking for dreds of dollars on the secary market —inatleast case more than$2,300 —someg unthinkable for an LSU womgameeven ahalf-decadeago SPN’s“College GameDay” show omingtodoalive broadcast, and 7:30 p.m. showdown will not be ESPN2 or theSEC Network, but C.The LSUplayers are wearspecial black uniforms (even ugh one of SouthCarolina’s mecolors is black) andthere will

5-foot-10juniorsome ballhandling responsibilities, but she’sstill bringing her off of the bench, putting her on the wing and helping her ﬁgure outhow to minimizethe mistakes she tends to make.

Careless turnovers. Needless fouls. Mindless defensive lapses.

be commemorative black Tshirts draped on all the lower bowlseats sure to be ﬁlled brimming with fanscome tipoff. Youknow those other T-shirts, the ones that say

“Everyone watches women’s sports”?

Better believe it, mister

Especially this Saturday

One night after the premiere of adocumentary on legendary LSU gymnastics coach D-DBreaux, chronicling her 43-year ﬁght to build and sustain what is now a national-powerhouse program,Kim Mulkey and her Tigers get the spotlight.

PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL center fielder Maddox Mandino lays down abuntagainst Missouri State on FridayatRusso Park. UL lost its seasonopening game 8-2.

7:30

7:30 p.m.

7:30

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LSU aims to right spiraling season

BY TOYLOY BROWN III Staff writer

LSU’s 29-point home loss to No.

21 Arkansas on Tuesday was its most lopsided defeat of the season With LSU (14-10, 2-9 SEC) desperate for wins, coach Matt McMahon’s team was down by as many as 36 points and was within 10 points for less than ﬁve minutes of the game.

LSU’s first field goal from a starter arrived with 10:14 left in the first half. Graduate student Pablo Tamba said in the postgame news conference that conﬁdence is what the team needs to improve the most.

“Obviously there’s great disappointment in where we’re at from a record standpoint in SEC play,” McMahon said after LSU’s 12-point home loss to Georgia last Saturday.

“Certainly not where we envision being at this point.”

LSU, which is tied for last in the Southeastern Conference, now faces Tennessee (16-7, 6-4) at 5 p.m. Saturday at Thompson-Boling Arena in Knoxville, Tennessee

LSU’s situation is the product of poor execution in winnable games and costly injuries. McMahon entered the season saying how much he loved his team. The fourth-year coach also said the program’s “North Star” was reaching the

ä LSU at Tennessee.

5 P.M. SATURDAy. SECN

NCAA Tournament, a goal it has not achieved during his tenure.

“I get an opportunity to build this team essentially from scratch and max it out, become the very best we can be,” McMahon said at SEC media day “I’m all in on that, and I believe in it with all of my heart that we’re going to have a successful year.”

The early returns were impressive.

The Tigers won by at least 25 points in four of their first five games and ﬁnished nonconference play with a 12-1 record. LSU played four high-major opponents before the SEC slate — DePaul, Boston College, Texas Tech and SMU — and won three of those games.

LSU failed its ﬁrst test against Texas Tech, falling 82-58 at a neutral site in Fort Worth, Texas The team’s next game was an 89-77 victory over SMU in New Orleans.

Outside of the Texas Tech loss, the only down moment in the nonconference was the second straight season-ending injury for forward Jalen Reed The redshirt junior injured his left Achilles tendon in the sixth game He averaged 11 points on 60.6% shooting and 6.0 rebounds before going down.

LSU’s spiral began the day before the SEC opener at Texas A&M. Dedan Thomas, the team’s top player and crown jewel out of the transfer portal, injured his left foot in practice Jan. 2. The 6-foot-1 point guard from UNLV was averaging a teamhigh 16.2 points on 49.3% shooting, an SEC-high 7.1 assists and only 1.8 turnovers at the time.

In the next ﬁve games that Thomas missed, LSU dropped the ﬁrst four before beating Missouri 78-70 at home. After a three-point loss to the Aggies, the Tigers had a winnable home game against South Carolina, the lowest-rated team analytically in the SEC still. LSU performed far below its standard, trailing 24-5 before losing 78-68. LSU had another head-scratching home loss against Mississippi State 80-66 on Jan. 28 as part of a three-game losing streak. McMahon said his team’s preparation was good prior to both losses.

“For whatever reason, I didn’t have them ready to go,” McMahon said after the South Carolina loss.

Another costly defeat was a heartbreaking 75-74 loss to Kentucky at home on Jan. 14. With 1.6 seconds left, the Wildcats executed a successful full-court pass, and 7-foot freshman center Malachi Moreno drained a game-winning

mid-range jumper as time expired

The ﬁrst SEC win against Missouri followed, and LSU’s chance for a turnaround seemed more feasible as Thomas returned to play the next game at then-No. 16 Florida.

He played 17 minutes in the 18-point loss to the Gators, followed by an encouraging 85-81 road loss to then-No. 20 Arkansas. But Thomas reaggravated his foot during his third game back against Mississippi State, and LSU’s only win since was at South Carolina 92-87 in overtime.

McMahon was asked where he ﬁnds optimism after the latest Arkansas loss.

“I think when you’re in coaching, it’s a lot of fun when you’re 12-1 at new year’s as we were and everything seems to be rolling smooth,” he said “But this is also a part of coaching. And so working to keep our players connected, stick together

“While we’re disappointed in the results, find ways to get better, come back to practice and move on to the next most important thing, which is preparing for our game on Saturday And that’s the only way I know to do it. Just to have a laser focus on those things, helping our players navigate these challenging times from a basketball standpoint.”

UL men fail to come back against Coastal

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

Time and again down the stretch Thursday night in the Cajundome, the UL men’s basketball team had chances to tie the game or take the lead. Each time, a missed shot or sloppy turnover thwarted the Cajuns’ efforts.

The result was a 69-65 loss to Coastal Carolina in a game UL never led.

“We just got right there,” UL coach Quannas White said. “I kept telling our guys right there in the timeout that, ‘Listen if we can get to where we take the lead, I think we can ﬁnish this thing out.’ We talk a lot about getting three stops in a row, and we just couldn’t quite get there so again, disappointed.” UL dropped to 9-17 overall and 6-7 in league play while the Chanticleers improved to 16-11 and 8-6

“The last three games, including this one, we’ve been playing from behind and you can’t continue to do that,” White said. “So we got to ﬁx that. That’s on me and I’ll get it adjusted.”

Another problem was UL had no answer for Coastal Carolina guard Joshua Beadle. He poured in 29 points to lead all scorers behind 8-of-17 shooting overall and 11 of 12 at the free-throw line.

“I would say his craftiness,” De’Vion Lavergne said about the difficulty of defending Beadle “We’ve got to take more pride on the defensive end. We usually do a good job of minimizing the team’s best players, but tonight, he just had a night.” Despite shooting only 27.3% from the ﬁeld in the ﬁrst half, UL trailed only 36-29 with Beadle having 15 points.

ä UL at Old Dominion.

4 P.M. MONDAy ESPN+

“Anytime he wasn’t shooting a 3 or mid-range shot, he got the ball all the way to the basket, and he got fouled,” White said of Beadle. “You know, he got to the free-throw line, so I’m really disappointed in our defense.”

In the second half, Dariyus Woodson’s 3 at the 15:25 mark cut UL’s deﬁcit to 40-38, and Lavergne’s 3 made it 43-41

Over the next ﬁve minutes, the Chanticleers turned it over multiple times, but UL didn’t take full advantage of those openings

Then Jaxon Olvera’s fast-break layup off of a Karris Bilal block got UL to within 54-52 with 7:39 left to play.

A bucket in any of the Cajuns’ next three possessions would have tied it or taken the lead. Instead, they had two missed shots and a careless turnover

Two minutes later, Dorian Finister missed the front end of a 1-and1 that could have tied it with 5:27 left

Finister’s jumper with 4:02 left cut it to 58-56, and his two free throws with 1:43 left made it 62-61.

Olvera’s 3-pointer with 15.2 seconds left made it 67-65.

But UL never could get over the hump.

“The last past few games we’ve been moving the ball,” White said.

“We’ve been having really good ball movement and we’ve been getting good shots. I thought in the ﬁrst half, we were rushing shots, and that’s not what we want to do.”

Beadle hit four clutch free throws in the ﬁnal 23.6 seconds to ice the win, while UL missed three free throws in the ﬁnal 5:27.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL guard Dorian Finister, right, drives to the basket against Coastal Carolina forward Reggie Hill, left, during the Cajuns’ 69-65 loss in the Cajundome.

Finister delivered his normal steady performance with 19 points and seven rebounds, while Olvera also had 19 points on 7-of-11 shooting and ﬁve boards. Lavergne added 15 points, three rebounds and three assists. The Cajuns finished the game

35.7% from the ﬁeld and 25% from 3-point land out of 20 attempts.

UL had 10 turnovers to Coastal’s 19, but the ﬁnal three giveaways greatly hampered the Cajuns’ comeback attempt.

“We just didn’t guard the ball,”

White said. “I talked to our guys about being disciplined. We were not tonight.”

The Chanticleers shot 46.7% from 3-point land as well as 87% at the line.

“We’ve got to do a better job of staying down, being the second one off the ﬂoor,” Lavergne said. “We got to keep teams off the freethrow line. All year, that’s been our kryptonite.”

Email Kevin Foote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

Early deficit too much for LSU softball to overcome

The LSU softball team got in an early hole it couldn’t climb out of Friday afternoon in a 5-3 loss to No. 22 Duke at the Children’s Clearwater Invitational.

The No. 12 Tigers (7-2) fell behind 4-1 after two innings to drop the second of three games at the tournament in Clearwater, Florida. Duke (6-1) scored two in the top of the ﬁrst and added two in the second to win its sixth straight game.

Highlighted by Alix Franklin’s solo homer, LSU got as close as 5-3 with a two-run fourth inning.

Jalia Lassiter led the Tigers at the plate by going 3 for 4.

Jayden Heavener went the distance, allowing ﬁve runs on 10 hits with four walks and ﬁve strikeouts. LSU will next play Central Florida at 9 a.m. Saturday The game will be televised on the SEC Network.

Rebels QB Chambliss given injunction for extra eligibility

PITTSBORO, Miss. — In saying “the NCAA ignored its own rules,” a Mississippi judge granted Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss a preliminary injunction Thursday against college athletics’ governing body, allowing him to receive an extra year of eligibility

The NCAA denied Chambliss’ waiver request Jan. 9, and after Chambliss appealed, the organization’s Eligibility Subcommittee upheld the denial on Feb. 4 Judge Robert Whitwell explained his decision that he agreed with Chambliss’ argument that the player’s medical history was not properly considered by the NCAA. The 23-year-old Chambliss has been in college for ﬁve years, but was healthy enough to play just three years.

Judge allows Flores suit vs. NFL to head to open court

NEW YORK The Brian Flores-led discrimination lawsuit against the NFL can proceed to open court and avoid the league’s arbitration process, a federal judge ruled Friday Flores, who is joined in the lawsuit by Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, sued the league and three teams in February 2022 after he was ﬁred the previous month by the Miami Dolphins. Now the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, Flores alleged in his original suit that the league was “rife with racism” regarding its hiring practices when it comes to Black coaches.

The NFL argued Flores should go through the league’s arbitration process rather than the legal system, but Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York sided with the plaintiffs.

Former NFL head coach Fox joining Buffalo Bills

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y Former NFL head coach John Fox has joined the Buffalo Bills’ staff as a senior assistant coach, the team announced Friday

The 71-year-old Fox will be the most experienced member of ﬁrstyear head coach Joe Brady’s staff in Buffalo. Fox served 16 seasons as a head coach with the Carolina Panthers (2002-10), Denver Broncos (2011-14) and Chicago Bears (2015-17). He reached the Super Bowl with Carolina in 2003 and with Denver in 2013.

Having been an assistant coach in the NFL for 17 seasons before becoming a head coach, Fox most recently worked as a senior assistant with the Detroit Lions in 2023, and in the same role with the Indianapolis Colts the previous season.

Toronto trades OF Loperfido for Houston OF Sánchez

DUNEDIN, Fla. The Toronto Blue Jays acquired outfielder Jesús Sánchez from the Houston Astros for outfielder Joey Loperfido on Friday

The 28-year-old Sánchez, a tradedeadline acquisition last July, hit .237 with 14 home runs and 48 RBIs in 134 games last season between Miami and Houston. The left-handed hitter has 73 home runs in 580 games over the course of six major league seasons. Loperﬁdo, 26, is going

The

‘Point God’ Paul retires after 21 seasons

BY TIM REYNOLDS AP basketball writer

Chris Paul, the “Point God” who was a 12-time All-Star selection and two-time Olympic gold medalist, announced his retirement on Friday in the capper of a 21-season career that will surely merit induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Paul made the announcement on the ﬁrst day of the NBA’s All-Star weekend at the home of the Los Angeles Clippers in Inglewood, California. Paul spent his ﬁnal season — an abbreviated one — with the Clippers, who sent him home in December and wound up trading him to Toronto earlier this month.

The Raptors knew Paul would never play in Toronto, and that begged the question about whether the Wake Forest legend would try to finish the season with another team in pursuit of the thing he nev-

er got — an NBA title

The answer came Friday He’s done. He said last summer that he has hated missing events with his children over the last few years, and now he can devote himself much more to his family and other interests

“It’s time for me to show up for others and in other ways,” Paul wrote on a social media post, announcing the decision.

He strongly hinted earlier this season that this year was going to be his last Paul was a four-time AllNBA ﬁrst team selection, and he ranks second in NBA history with 12,552 assists and 2,728 steals. He was the ﬁrst player to score at least 20,000 points while recording at least 10,000 assists; LeBron James and Russell Westbrook have both since done that as well.

“It feels really good knowing that I played and treated this game with the utmost respect since the day

my dad introduced me to it,” Paul wrote. “It was the very ﬁrst relationship I ever knew.”

Paul played for New Orleans, Houston, Oklahoma City Phoenix, Golden State, San Antonio and the Clippers during his career, spending the last four years with four different teams. He also was a past president of the National Basketball Players Association — instrumental in getting the league through the bubble season when the pandemic struck in 2020 — and championed the NBA establishing better ties with Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

“From the moment he entered the league, Chris distinguished himself with his savvy playmaking skills, elite competitiveness and intense work ethic,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement, in which he called Paul “one of the greatest point guards in NBA his-

Jokic gets Nuggets teammate Murray at All-Star weekend

BY ARNIE STAPLETON

AP sportswriter

DENVER Nikola Jokic will ﬁnal-

ly see a very familiar face at the NBA All-Star Game.

The Denver Nuggets superstar center was named an All-Star for the eighth consecutive season and will start for the sixth straight year. And for the ﬁrst time, he’ll have a teammate tagging along as Jamal Murray earned the ﬁrst AllStar berth of his nine-year career thanks to career-high averages across the board.

“It feels really good,” Jokic said. “He’s been playing at a really high level the last two years. It’s good for him to be there because he’s supposed to be there.”

Jokic, a three-time NBA MVP, is again in the midst of an historic season. He’s the ﬁrst player in NBA history to reach the AllStar break having hit the following marks: 1,000 points, 475 rebounds, 400 assists, 250 converted free throws, 75 3-pointers and 30 blocks.

And he did it despite missing 16 games with a knee injury and often having to wrap and ice his aching right hand after games like he did Wednesday night following Denver’s 122-116 win over Memphis in which he posted another triple-double.

Murray is having a career year, himself, averaging career bests in points (25.8), assists (7.6) and rebounds (4.4) per game He’s also had 13 30-point games and 11 times he’s dished out double digits in assists.

The Nuggets went into the AllStar break in third place in the Western Conference at 35-20 despite an injury-riddled season that has seen all ﬁve starters miss time and six of their top rotation players go out for signiﬁcant stretches. After losing to eventual champion Oklahoma City in seven games in the playoffs last year the Nuggets bolstered their depth, which has been tested way beyond what they could have imagined back in October.

“We’ve had everybody on our roster contribute at some point this season,” Jokic said. “Some guys won us a couple of games that don’t play big minutes right now. Injuries deﬁnitely hurt us, but I think they gave us something too.”

tory.” Paul is 15th all-time in regularseason games played and 36th in points, was a six-time steals champion, ﬁve-time assists champion, a nine-time All-Defensive team pick, 11-time All-NBA selection and was part of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team. He’s one of six players in NBA history to have reached $400 million in career earnings.

“I’ve been playing basketball since I was 4 years old, and there’s nothing other than my family that brings me more joy than the hard work and all that stuff that goes into it,” he said in 2024. “Yeah, that’s why we get to play a child’s game and say it’s my way of life.” Paul became arguably the most accomplished player in Clippers franchise history while leading the team to six winning seasons from 2011-17, including the Clippers’ ﬁrst two Paciﬁc Division titles and

three playoff series victories. Paul returned to Los Angeles as a free agent last July, rejoining a franchise where he is loved by fans — but it went bad quickly and Paul’s last game with the Clippers was Dec. 1. It turned out to be his last NBA game, period.

“While this chapter of being an ‘NBA player’ is done, the game of basketball will forever be engrained in the DNA of my life, spanning three decades,” Paul wrote. “It’s crazy even saying that!! Playing basketball for a living has been an unbelievable blessing that also came with lost of responsibility I embraced it all.”

Paul is one of seven players to have an NBA career span at least 21 seasons. And he’s already in the Hall of Fame: the 2008 Olympic ‘Redeem Team’ was enshrined as part of the 2025 class. It won’t be long before he goes in on his own as well.

LeBron becomes the oldest player to have triple-double

BY GREG BEACHAM AP sportswriter

LOS ANGELES Deep in the 23rd season of the longest career in NBA history, LeBron James is still dropping triple-doubles — on the Dallas Mavericks and on Father Time. James became the oldest player to have a triple-double Thursday night, accomplishing the feat at 41 years and 44 days old during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124-104 victory over the Mavs. James had 28 points and 12 assists when he grabbed his 10th rebound with 2:06 to play He got a standing ovation from the Lakers’ crowd when he checked out moments later with his 123rd career triple-double, the ﬁfth-most in NBA history James broke the record held for the past 22 years by Karl Malone, who recorded his ﬁnal triple-double for the Lakers when he was 40 years and 127 days old.

in NBA

since Feb. 1, 2025, in New York. That day is better remembered for the late-night breaking news of the seismic trade that brought Doncic to the Lakers.

Malone had held the record as the oldest player with a tripledouble since he had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Nov 28, 2003, during his ﬁnal NBA season. James recorded the next 15 triple-doubles on that list, and he repeatedly came close to setting the record over the past year, but didn’t quite reach it until the Lakers’ ﬁnal game before the All-Star break.

Of course, Jokic and Murray are at their best when they’re on the court together, especially in the fourth quarter where their twoman game is one of the best since Karl Malone and John Stockton.

“We deﬁnitely help each other throughout our careers and deﬁnitely made each other much better,” Jokic said. Murray has long said that if he were to make an All-Star Game, he’d take it competitively and seriously, suggesting he’d rather vacation than play in the game if it’s just a no-defense display of teams burning up the nets.

“I’m down to play 1-on-1, I don’t care, I’m just a competitor,” Murray said. “So I want to be known as one of those guys who’s going to play hard every time he steps on the court.”

The All-Star Game is nothing new for Jokic but Murray is a novice on this stage

“Just the experience,” coach David Adelman said when asked what he hoped Murray would get out of

the festivities. “I’ve gotten to do it as an assistant coach. I think it’s just the experience being around the other guys. They have the gloriﬁed practice but you really get to know these other people that you competed against at a really high level in the playoffs and all those other things. I’ll be interested to see what the new format’s like, but just for him to get the notoriety of what it is and he deserves it.”

The new format pits international players and Americans.

“It’s an honor to go and represent your team,” Adelman said, “Represent the league and now represent the world, it’s cool the way they’re doing this, I hope it works out, I hope the guys are competitive but it’s just so deserved.

“I’m just happy for him to go get the experience, I think Nikola’s not as excited. It’s cool for two of our guys to go. It really says a lot about what our season’s been. Those guys go and they represent these other players, what these other players did for them during the ﬁrst half of the season to get us to where we’re at, to put us in position to be a part of the conversation.

“I guess I’m more appreciative of moments like this in my career understanding where I’m at, at the later stage of my journey,” James said. “You definitely take it in a little bit more.”

While mere statistics and longevity records don’t do much for James at this stage in his historic career, he respects triple-doubles as a particularly good measure of the high level he is maintaining on the court

Although he has missed 18 games this season due to injury, James was no charity case when he was chosen for his 22nd AllStar Game this weekend, and he proved it by dominating the Mavs while Luka Doncic was out with a hamstring strain.

James’ play has remained largely outstanding when healthy this season, and he repeated his belief that he could continue almost indefinitely at this level.

James entered this game averaging 21.8 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds, and the Lakers are in the thick of the Western Conference playoff race despite playing only 10 games with James, Doncic and Austin Reaves simultaneously healthy.

But the top scorer in NBA history hadn’t had a triple-double

With Doncic out when his former team visited, James was aggressive and active from the opening tip as he returned from his own injury absence during the Lakers’ loss to San Antonio on Tuesday After dancing gleefully in pregame warmups and screaming his way down the tunnel when he took the court, James put up 14 points and six assists in the ﬁrst quarter alone against Dallas. He factored into the Lakers’ ﬁrst 23 points of the game.

James had 18 points, eight assists and four rebounds by halftime. He topped double digits in assists during the third quarter but he didn’t come out of the game during the fourth quarter before he grabbed the three rebounds necessary to get the triple-double. He almost had it a few possessions earlier, but Reaves beat him to a board — and got an earful from the rest of the Lakers.

“Everybody on the team yelled at me,” Reaves said. “I don’t catch myself looking at the stats during the game, so we went to the bench and everybody let me know about it. He didn’t, but everybody (else), and I looked at him and said, ‘Shoot, my fault.’”

After his streak of 20 straight All-Star Game appearances ended due to injury last year, James will be back in the midseason showcase Sunday at Intuit Dome. James is ineligible for inclusion on his 22nd All-NBA team this season because of his missed games, including the ﬁrst 14 of the season while dealing with sciatica.

James has 152 career tripledoubles when the playoffs are included.

Bhatia, Hisatsune share Pebble Beach lead despite no Swift

BY DOUG FERGUSON AP golf writer

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — Far removed from the false hopes Taylor Swift would make an appearance at Pebble Beach, Akshay Bhatia and Ryo Hisatsune went about their business quietly at Spyglass Hill and wound up with a share of the lead Friday in the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-am.

Bhatia was bogey-free over two days at Pebble Beach and Spyglass Hill, both dry days with a mild breeze and soft greens that allowed for good scoring on both courses. He had six birdies and chipped in from 50 feet for eagle on the 14th hole on his way to a 64. Hisatsune, who opened with a 62 at Pebble Beach, stumbled in the middle of his round with consecutive bogeys, which he offset with enough birdies (and one eagle) before and after for a 67. They were at 15-under 129, the

lowest 36-hole since the tournament moved to a two-course rotation in 2024 as a signature event. Rickie Fowler (64) and Sam Burns (67), both at Spyglass Hill, were one shot behind. Xander Schauffele, Jordan Spieth and defending champion Rory McIlroy were lurking. Scottie Scheffler

ﬁnally got it going by playing his last seven holes in 5 under for a 66, though the world’s No. 1 player was still nine shots behind going into the weekend.

“I’d say ‘inched’ would be the operative word there,” Schefﬂer said of his progress. “We’ll see how it shakes out at the end of the day I mean, it’s going to take two pretty special rounds, really three special rounds, but you’re never out of it. We’ll see what happens with the weather.”

The big speculation Friday was not so much the weather, but if Swift was going to show up to watch her fiancé, Kansas City

Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, playing at Pebble Beach.

There was a big crowd. There was a big buzz. There was no Swift, who is said to be in town, but not on the golf course. She still led to a spike in ticket sales — $60,000 worth when Kelce was announced as part of the amateur ﬁeld, $21,000 in the 12-hour window before he played Pebble.

“It was busy without her,” said Mackenzie Hughes, who played in the group. “With her, I think it would have literally been pandemonium.”

The only pandemonium was keeping track of who was going low and where. The best of the weather was Thursday, and it’s no surprise the leading four players played Pebble Beach that day

“I thought that yesterday was a good day to be out here,” Spieth said after he wrapped up a 68 at Pebble Beach. “Got decently challenging towards the end here

today, but the greens are so receptive and they’re not super fast out here right now

“Pebble’s going to show more of its teeth the next two days.”

There is no 36-hole cut at this signature event, except for Kelce, Pau Gasol, Florida Gov Ron DeSantis and the rest of the amateurs.

Bhatia, who tied for third in the Phoenix Open last week, now has gone 44 holes without a bogey over his last three rounds.

“Bogey-free around these golf courses is great,” Bhatia said.

“Greens can get bumpy, you can get some really tough putts with how much slope’s on the greens.

So I’ve been really steady inside 5 to 6 feet. It’s just fun when you feel like you’re in a groove.”

McIlroy has been trying to get there in his ﬁrst U.S. start this year.

He had a pair of three-putt double bogeys from the 4-foot range that slowed him at Spyglass Hill. He started well and was trending

early on the back nine at Pebble Beach until he shanked a chip into a bunker from an awkward spot right of the green on the par-5 14th, leading to a bogey

“I feel like I’ve been a little bit wasteful the last two days and maybe not capitalized on those great starts,” said McIlroy, who was six shots behind.

Schefﬂer felt he wasn’t scoring very well Thursday, and he got more of the same at Spyglass Hill until a string of good shots, good putts and a chip in for eagle on the par-5 seventh hole. He was nine shots behind, with another challenge trying to extend his streak of 17 straight ﬁnishes in the top 10. He was in a tie for 33rd.

They all head to Pebble Beach for the ﬁnal two rounds, and Hisatsune ﬁgures he might not see the same course where he shot 62 on Thursday “Hopefully no wind,” Hisatsune said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By DAVID ZALUBOWSKI

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray, left, blocks a shot by Memphis Grizzlies guard Scotty Pippen Jr during a game on Wednesday in Denver.

MI LA N CO RT IN A OL YM PI CS

Disaster strikes‘Quad God’

U.S.WOMEN’S CURLING TEAM

BEATS CANADAFOR FIRST TIME IN OLYMPICS: In Ortina D’ampezzo, Italy, theU.S.women’scurling team was surprised to learnthat its victoryover Canada on Fridaymarked an Olympic first.

“If that’strue,”said Minneapolis nativeTaylor Anderson-Heidesaid after the 9-8 nail-biter,“Ithink we just playedareally good game.They’re No. 1inthe world.”

Tara Peterson (above photo) of Shoreview, Minnesota, chimedin: “It justalways feels really good to beat (Canada captain) Rachel Homan. So anyteam to beat them, that’spretty impressive.”

Until Friday, the American women had neverbeaten Canada —a perennial favorite thathas medaledin everyWinter Games since curlingwas added to the Olympics in 1998.The U.S. men beat the Canadiansfor the first time in the 2018 round-robin and again in the semifinals en route to their gold medal victoryinPyeongchang

WESTON GETS FIRST OLYMPIC

SKELETON GOLD: In Ortina D’ampezzo,Italy,Matt Weston doesn’t always win. It only seems that way. And at the Milan Cortina Olympics, the28-year-oldsliderfrom Britain left no doubt —he’sthe best skeleton racer in the world.

Capping afour-year runthat featured one remarkable finish after another,Weston wonthe men’s skeleton gold medal on afrosty Fridaynight in Cortina d’Ampezzo. He finished four runs over twodaysin 3minutes, 43.33 seconds, posting atrack-record timeinall four of those heats and building an almostinsurmountable lead going into a final slide that became avictorylap

“I expect everytime Istand at the top of the startline, I’m goingthere for onereason and one reason only,” Weston said.“And that’stowin.”

FINLAND EARNS FEISTY WIN OVER SWEDEN: In Milan, Finland showed plenty of fight in reviving its Olympic campaign.

Joel Armia scored ashort-handed goal and the Finns outmuscled archrival Sweden in a4-1 group-stage victoryFriday—20years after the sides squared off in the gold medal game at theTurin Games. Finland’swin —after losing its opener at the Milan Cortina Games to Slovakia —leavesthe group’s quarterfinal spot up for grabs Saturday.

“Everybodywas fired up for this, andI’m sure theywere,too,”Finland defenseman Olli Maatta said.“These are unbelievable games to playin, and I’mveryhappywith the win today. We’vejust gottobuild off that.”

VONN HOPES TO GO HOME AFTER ANOTHER SURGERY: In Cortina D’Ampezzo, Italy,LindseyVonnwill have another surgeryonher broken left leg Saturdayatthe Italian hospital treating her “and thenI can potentially leave and go back home.”

Vonn posted avideo messageon Instagram on Fridayfollowing her horrificcrash in the Olympicdownhill race at the Milan Cortina Games. Vonn is being treated at ahospital in Treviso. —TheAssociatedPress

Ilia Malinin of the United States competes during the men’s free skate program on FridayinMilan, Italy.The 21-year-oldfrom Virginiafell twice duringhis freeskate routine to allowMikhail ShaidorovofKazakhstan to claim astunning gold medal

Free skatefavoritefromUnitedStatesfalls twice, slipstoeighth place ASSOCIATEDPRESS

BY DAVE SKRETTA AP sportswriter

MILAN Ilia Malinin, theAmerican figure skatingsensation known as the “Quad God,”proved to be amere mortal after all.

The 21-year-old from northern Virginia fell twice during adisastrous free skate at theMilan Cortina Olympics on Fridaynight sending him tumbling all the wayoff the podium andallowing MikhailShaidorov of Kazakhstan to claim astunninggold medal.

“I blew it,” Malinin said afterward, poised and magnanimous in defeat.“That’s honestly the ﬁrst thing that cametomymind.”

Malinin led by acomfortable margin after the short program andmerelyhad to delivera mediocre performance Friday night to add individual gold to his team gold medal.Instead, thetwo-time reigning world championwas trying to hold back thetearsafter oneofthe worst nights of his career,one that left astar-packed crowdinsideMilano Ice Arena sitting in stunned silence.

“Honestly,yeah, Iwas not expectingthat,” Malinin said. “I felt going into this competition Iwas so ready.I just felt ready goingon

“I blew it.That’shonestly the first thing that came to my mind.”

ILIA MALININ, United States skater

that ice. Ithink maybe that might have been thereason, is Iwas too conﬁdent it was going to go well.”

Shaidorov finished with acareer-best 291.58 pointstogive his nation itsﬁrstgoldmedalofthe Winter Games, while Yuma Kagiyamaearned his second consecutive Olympicsilvermedal and Japanese teammate Shun Sato took bronze.

Then there was Malinin, who dropped all the way to eighth place.Hefinished with 264.49 points, his worst total score in nearly fouryears, andone that ended atwo-plus year unbeaten streakthat covered 14 full competitions around the world.

“The nerves just went so overwhelming,” Malinin said, “and especially going intothatstarting pose, Ijust felt like all the traumatic moments of my life really just started ﬂooding my head,and there’sjustlike, so manynegative thoughts that just flooded into there and Ijust did not handle it.”

Much of Malinin’sjourney in theMilan Cortina Games had felt alittle bit off. Butbythe timeofhis individual short program Tuesdaynight, Malinin’s fearless swaggerand unrivaled spunkseemed to be back. He took afive-point lead over Kagiyama and Adam Siao Him Fa of France that seemed insurmountable going into Friday night Malininhad decided to practice early in the day at U.S. Figure Skating’salternate training base in Bergamo, just outside of Milan, allowing him to escape the Olympic bubble and avoid sitting in the arena allnight.And he wasthe essence of calmthroughout his warmup, never once falling in all of his practice jumps while wearing his familiar glittering black and gold ensemble. Then came aperformancethat might wellhaunt Malinin forthe rest of hiscareer As theatmospheric musicwith

his own voice-over began to play, he opened with aquad ﬂip, one of arecord-tying seven quads in his plannedprogram, then appeared to be going after thequadaxel only he has ever landed in competition and had to bail out of it. Malinin recovered to land his quad lutz before his problemsreally began. He only doubleda plannedquad loop,throwing his timing off. He fell on aquadlutz, preventing him from doing the second half of the quad lutz-triple toe loop combination that would have earned him big points. And in his ﬁnal jumping pass, which was supposed to be ahigh-scoring quad salchow-triple axel,Malinin only could muster adouble salchow and he fell on that. By the time the music stopped, Malinin was left trying to mask his sorrow for acrowd that included NathanChen, the 2022 Olympic champion, along with seven-time Olympic gold medal gymnast Simone Biles, actor Jeff Goldblum and his wife,Emilie.

“I’ve been through alot,” Malinin said.

“Being the Olympic gold hopefulisreally just alot to deal with, especially formyage.”

U.S. routsItaly to advancetowomen’s semis

BYJOHNWAWROW AP hockey writer

MILAN Kendall Coyne Schofield scored twiceand top-seeded United States routed Olympic host Italy 6-0 in alopsided, festive and sometimes chippy women’shockey quarterfinal at the MilanCortina Games on Friday night Megan Keller,Laila Edwards, Hannah Bilka and Britta Curl-Salemme also scored in an outingduringwhich theU.S. had five goals in thesecondperiod. GwynethPhilipsfinishedwithsix savesas the Americanspostedtheir fourthstraight shutout. The Group A-winning U.S. has outscored its opponents by acombined 26-1 in winning all five games, with the lone goal allowed in a5-1 tournament-opening win over Czechia. With Coyne Schofield, Lee Stecklein and Grace Zumwinkle making thescoresheetFriday,the U.S.has only two skaters —defenders Cayla Barnes and Rory Guilday —without apoint

The tournament-favored Americans ad-

7:45 a.m.Women’s7.5km SprintNBC CROSS-COUNTRYSKIING

5a.m. Women’s4x7.5 KM relayUSA 6a.m. Women’s4x7.5km Relay NBC 11:30 a.m. Women’s4x7.5km Relay NBC CURLING

6:30 a.m.Great Britain vs.Canada (W)USA

7:30 a.m.Italy vs.China (W)CNBC Noon Germanyvs. USA (M) CNBC

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER Britta Curl-Salemme, left, of theU.S.celebrates with Megan Keller after Curl-Salemme scored against Italy on FridayinMilan.TheU.S.won 6-0.

vance to thesemifinal roundonMonday

They’ll play either Sweden, after the Group Bwinner upset Czechia 2-0 earlier in the day, or Germany,should theseventh-seeded team knock off Canada in itsquarterﬁnalonSaturday

Finlandfaces Switzerland on Saturday in a

TV HIGHLIGHTS

4:30 p.m.Japan vs.USA (W)CNBC 7p.m.Italy vs.Sweden (W)CNBC FREESTYLE SKIING 9a.m.Women’sdual mogulsNBC HOCKEY

5a.m.Germanyvs.

matchup of Group A’sfourth- and ﬁfth-place teams.

The game featured dueling chants, with each chorus of “USA! USA! USA!” met with an even louder “EEE-TA-LIA!” And Italian fans kept their spirits up even as the score gotout of hand by cheering foreach andevery scoring opportunity Italy stood littlechance whilemaking its second Olympic appearance, each timeas thehost team. Advancing to the knockout round was consideredanaccomplishment for the Italians, who went 2-2 in the preliminary round, andafter going 0-4 at the 2006 Turin Games Goalie Gabriella Durante stole the show by stopping 19 of 20 shots through the opening period, and 45 overall. Her best save came with 14 seconds leftin the ﬁrst periodbyreaching back andusing the paddle of her stick to deﬂect away Abbey Murphy’sone-timer from the leftcircle. Keller opened the scoring with arising shot from the top of the right circle, beating Durante on the stick side 13:31 in.

PHOTOByASHLEy LANDIS

RABALAIS

For all of her detractors,Mulkey is an unquestioned champion of women’ssports. As aplayer she pre-datedNCAA women’sbasketball, helping Louisiana Tech win an AIAWnational title in 1981 before being the point guard on theLady Techsters’ team that won the ﬁrst NCAA women’scrown ayear later

To saythe excitement, buildup and anticipation for this version of Saturday night live does her heartgood is an understatement.

“I’m so happyfor everybody,” Mulkey said. “I’m happy forthe recognition it brings to LSU. Certainly happy for what it brings to our program.

“But it’snot the ﬁrsttime.It’sbecoming aregular occurrence and Ilove it. Ilove that it’snot aﬂy-bynight deal. We’ve builtaprogram that has sustained excellence.”

For some reasonthe networks always pre-select games for the entire college basketballschedule before the season begins, unlike college football where most of the slots are ﬁlled on aweek-to-week basis. That means ESPN/SEC Network whiffed on Thursday night’s top-ﬁve matchup betweenTexas and Vanderbilt, which could have been viewed online only

The folks in Bristol nailed this one, though. How could you not?

Both the Tigers and Gamecocks

LSU

Continued from page1C

They can all undo the effects of the spectacular plays Fulwiley frequently creates on bothends of the ﬂoor

“I think she’sgrown,” Mulkey said afterLSU beat Arkansason Jan. 29. “I thinkshe’scome along way Some of the things she does, you do live with, but not until you continue to make herbetterincertain areas

Youdon’tjust look the otherway and let it cost you agame.”

The thing aboutFulwiley isthat she can almost singlehandedlywin games. She tallied18points, four blocks and two steals in a21-point winoverGeorgiaonJan.8.Then,two weeks later,she nailed three 3-pointers in just a90-second ﬁrst-quarter stretchatTexasA&M,propellingthe Tigers to a44-point victory.

Fulwiley has scored more than 10 points in seven of the 11 league games LSU has played so far.She’s had multiple steals in all buttwo of those matchups. Sheblocked a shot in all butthree of them

This season, the Tigers are scoring 29.1 points per game off of turnovers —the second-highest average any Division Iteam has posted across the last 10 years, according to ESPN.

Fulwiley is alarge reason why. She can turn defense into offense in the blink of an eye.

ESPN executives likely envisioned her making those kinds of plays when they scheduledthis year’sLSU-South Carolina clash Play-by-play commentatorRyan Ruocco is calling the game, and he’s been chomping at the bit to take on that assignment since at least October,when he discussed the matchup on aconference call with reporters.

“Welooked at our programmers,” Ruocco said then, “and said, ‘Make sure that’sata quality time, at abig programming slot.’ ” SEC women’steams usually play on Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays, but this game is on aSaturday. Thenetwork paired it with two

Continued from page1C

State. “I don’twant to discredit coming back because Idothink it builds conﬁdence,” Johnson said,“but I don’twant to sit here and say we have that part ﬁguredout.”

LSU’sbig seventh inning began on consecutive doubles from juniors Steven Milam and Jake Brown to tie thescore. Twobatters later, sophomore Cade Arrambide broke the dam with a106 mph three-run blast into the Left Field Landing.The homergave LSUan8-5 leadbefore the Tigers added two more runs in the inning on an error

“You can make an argument(Arrambide) was the best player on the ﬁeld,” Johnson said.“Andthat’s not asurprise to me.” It was aslow start for LSU, but theTigersstill finished with 15 hits, including nine extra-base knocks and three homers. Along with his homer, Dardar doubled and drove in three runs. Arrambide went 3for 4, andBrown had apair of doubles. Freshman Omar Serna entered the game as apinch hitter in the eighth inning and hit arun-scoring double.

were preseason top-ﬁve picks (Vandy,tobefair,was 19th), and theheat andintensity for this rivalry rivals anything going in the women’sgame. Neither side has much lovefor theother

Thatsaid,for arivalry to truly hit allofthe right notes, both sides have to win— at leastonce in awhile.SouthCarolina, aprogram that had anonexistent women’s basketball pedigree before Dawn Staley arrived, has won awhopping 17 straight games against LSU since 2012,including ﬁve straight onMulkey’swatch since 2022.EvenTennessee, theformer belle of the women’sbasket-ball in the Southeastern Conference, can “only” claim a14-gamewinning streak over the Tigers. That was backinthe daywhen the team was known, if youyounger folks can believe it, asthe Ben-Gals. Fortunately,alot of things have changed in women’sathletics,like that nickname. Unfortunately for LSU, one thing has not lately,and that is beatingSouth Carolina.

“I don’treally know the deﬁnition of arivalry anymore,” Mulkey said. “They’realways goodgames (with SouthCarolina). Ilook at it as they’re one of thetop teams in the country.I feel we’re one of the top teams in the country

“If arivalry is supposed to be two teams playing extremely hard andrespecting each other,I guessit’sarivalry.”

There will be intensity and

ranked men’srivalry matchupsto formaspecialValentine’sDaytripleheader onABC. LSU-South Carolina gotthe prime-time slotinstead of the men’s games, even though one of them is atop-10 clash between Kansas and Iowa State.

“For (Fulwiley) to go to LSU with theway that rivalry has been over the last couple of years,” Ruocco said, “from an entertainment standpoint, it’samazing theater.”

AndFulwiley is the lead actress. She’s playing adifferent part now though most of herlines are the same.

In two years at South Carolina, Fulwileyscored 12.5 ppg on 42% shooting in the 20 minutes she played, on average, against SEC opponents.

Now,atLSU, Fulwiley is logging 23 minutes anight,and she’s still scoring only 11.1ppg on 39% shooting.Her assist,steal and block averages areup, but so is her turnover rate. She gave away 1.6 possessions per game with the Gamecocks, and now she’sturning the ball about2.6 times each night for the Tigers.

FulwileytransferredtoLSU,in part, because she wantedtoplay more point guardthanshe would haveatSouth Carolina. Mulkey’s handing her the reins to her offense, but onlywhen Jada Richard comes off the ﬂoor.Richard is the Tigers’ clear-cut lead ballhandler, ajob she earned in preseason practices andnonconference play

“(Fulwiley’s) never ever said anything ugly about South Carolina,” Mulkey said. “She doesn’t have abitterness. She’sanswered y’all’squestions. She just wanted to go somewherewhere she would have an opportunity to learn the point guard position. She liked our style of play,and Idon’t think there wasany animosity or hard feelings.

“If there is, Idon’tknow about it.”

Thelast timeshe spoke to reporters, Fulwiley said she wasn’t having a“perfect”season but that she was “proud” of theways she’s improved. Most of her growth, she said, won’tshowuponastat sheet

“I thinkthe depthiskindofthe strength of our team,” Dardar said. “It’sbeen up to this point, alot of competition,kind of ironsharpens iron. Andnow that we ﬁnallyget to play somebody else,wekinda get to showcasehowmuchdepthwehave.”

Sophomore left-hander Cooper Williams struck out fivehitters and allowed just one hitin22/3 inningsof relieftoallowLSUtocomeback.The only mistake he made cameinthe fifth inning when he allowed asolo home run on ahanging slider that extended Milwaukee’s lead to 5-3. Redshirtjunior right-hander Gavin Guidryreplaced Williams in theseventh.Hestruck outthe first fivebatters he faced in his first appearance since June 2, 2024 —the Chapel Hill RegionalagainstNorth Carolina— and finished the day with just one hit allowed in two innings.

Aback injury suffered during the ﬁrst week of theseason forced Guidry to sit out all of 2025.

“I was tryingto soak it in, slow my heartbeat down and take some deep breaths,”Guidry said. “Yeah, really just alot of gratitude, just gratefultobeback out there.”

Sophomore right-hander Casan

Evans started for LSU after postinga 2.05ERA in 522/3 innings a year ago,but he struggled in his fourth career start. Afterstriking

emotion by thebucket full in the PMAC, especially between LSU guard MiLaysia Fulwiley and her former team.Not only did she play theprevious two seasons at South Carolina but she’salso from Columbia. Herhigh school is about 10 miles from theGamecocks’ home court. Something always will happen when Fulwiley is in the game. She can make adazzling move, an over-the-head shot, adisruptivesteal or turn the ball over in trafﬁc or transition with little or no pressure. Despiteall that’sinvolved, Mulkey said she isn’tworried about trying to keep her top reserve’semotions in check.

“What can Isay?” Mulkey asked. “I can’tsay anything to calm her down or make her play better or worse. Just go play.”

ESPN analytics gives LSU a54% chance of winning Saturday,but because of SouthCarolina’slong winning streak it feels like the Tigers are theunderdog regardless.

That said, LSUdoesn’thave to play aperfect game to win. The Tigers do have to cut down on theturnovers (19 in each of the past two games at Texas and at Auburn),ﬁnish around the basket and get astrong offensive gamefrom at least two of their four backcourt stars: Fulwiley, Flau’jae Johnson, Mikayla Williams and Jada Richard.

It’swomen’sbasketball’stime to shine, for sure. Will it be LSU’stime as well?

That appearance was two weeks before Fulwiley turnedinanuneven performancelast Thursday in LSU’sroad loss to No. 4Texas. In thefirst quarter,she forced twoturnovers, assisted aFlau’jae Johnson 3-pointer and banked in a difﬁcult, euro-stepping layup past Longhorns star RoriHarmon. Fulwiley madethosewinning plays, which sparked an 11-2 ﬁrst-quarterrun thatLSU used to take an early lead, throughoutthe game. Butshe also threw three errant passes, missed awide-open layup and committedacouple of needless fouls. One gave Texas apairoffreethrows late in the third.Another compounded one of herturnovers earlyinthe fourth, leading Mulkeytopull heroff of thefloor right before theLonghorns went on their decisive run.

Fulwiley finished withnine points, ﬁveassistsand two steals Shealsoturnedthe ball overa career-highsix times. Texasoutscored the Tigers by ﬁvepoints in the23minutes she played.

“She was trying to makethings happen,”Mulkey said. “She’strying to play two positions. Oneminute,I’vegot heratthe point, and the next minuteIhave her on the wing. I’m glad Iget to coach her.”

Fulwiley next needs to ﬁgure out how she can play her best basketball against SouthCarolina. If she can provide astrong, clean scoring punch off thebench, then she’ll boost LSU’schances of snapping its 17-game losing streak in the series.

The Tigers last beat theGamecocks in 2012. TenSEC teams have knocked offSouth Carolina more recently than they have.

Fulwiley played arole in LSU’s last three losses. Now she stands at the center of therivalry, where she’ll ﬁndher ﬁrst, best chance to show whyshe made hermove— not explain it

“(Fulwiley)willbeﬁne,” Mulkey said, “except she’sprobably internally going to be alittlebit excited, have butterﬂies. But she’sreally a valuable part of our team, and she’s really allowing me to teachher a little bit about bothpositions.”

out seven batters and not allowing arun through the first three innings, he hit abatter,surrendered three singles and gave up adouble as Milwaukeetook a4-2 edge.Evans musteredjust one out in the inning before Williams replaced him and escaped the jam. None of the sixhitsEvans allowed were hit particularly hard.

“I don’tthink it was like apoor outing or anything,” Johnson said of Evans. “I think maybe he missedsome pitches that he would like to (getback).Ithink theycompeted in the game, too. Ifeltlike we needed to change the look, and Cooper did that.”

The Tigersrecorded 17 strikeouts overall and gave up just two hits after the fourth inning. The home run was the onlyballthe Panthers hit hard all day

“I thought (Williams) found another gear,and Idon’tknow how many outs he got after that (homer),” Johnson said, “but there was agood run of at least like ﬁveinarow.”

LSU’sﬁrst run and homerun of the season came in the second inning when Grand Canyon transfer Zach Yorkelifted aball 378 feet intothe Diamond Deck in right ﬁeld. The blast gave LSUa1-0 lead that it turned into a2-0 advantage thenext inning.

STAFFPHOTO By BRAD KEMP UL startingpitcher SageHooverthrewacomplete game butgaveup five runs in a5-2 loss to OleMiss on Friday.

Clutch hits propel OleMisspastUL

BY KEVIN FOOTE Staff writer

The pitching still wasn’twhat it needs to be, and neither was the hittingonFriday Consequently,the UL softball team suffered a5-2 loss to No 21 Ole Missinthe Ragin’ Cajuns Invitational on Friday at Lamson Park. TheCajuns fell to 3-2onthe seasonheading into agame against Texas A&M-CorpusChristi later Friday Ole Miss, which split adoubleheader Thursdayagainst McNeeseState,improved to 6-3. The twoteams are scheduledtoplay again at 1:30 p.m.Saturday UL starting pitcher Sage Hoover pitched acomplete game but had afew rockymoments along the way OleMiss second baseman MackenziePickens wasamajor thorn in Hoover’sside. In the ﬁrst inning, Pickens hit aone-out solo homerun fora1-0 lead. Then in the fourth inning, the Rebels gotapairofclutch twoout hits fora4-2 edge. First, Taylor Malvin got an inﬁeld single to load the bases with twoouts, and Pickens kept the decisive inning alivewitha RBI single to knot the gameat2-2.

Persy Llamas thenadded atworunsingle to left-center for a4-2 cushion.

Ole Miss added an insurance run in thesixth when Malvin dou-

bled and Madi George delivered an RBI single. The Cajuns had taken a2-1 lead in thebottom of thethird.Mia Liscanowalkedand reached third on aground out and apassed ball. After Kennedy Marceaux walked,Haley Hart came through with an RBI single, and Lily Knox duplicated thatfeat with abouncer through the left side fora2-1 lead.

UL had four hits and leftsix runners on base. The Rebels produced nine hits and stranded 10. After arough first weekend with an 8.25 ERA and hitters batting .382 against her,Hoover —a junior right-hander who didn’t pitch over the last two seasons while injured —allowed ﬁve runs on nine hits, ﬁve walks and three strikeouts in seveninnings. She threw 134 pitches.

Ole Miss starting pitcherKyra Aycock really bounced back Friday.Aycock gave up six runs in just one-third of an inning in Thursday’s12-11 loss to McNeese. On Friday,she improved to 3-1 on the season with two unearned runsonfourhits, four walks and four strikeouts over seven innings. She threw 102 pitches. Offensively,ULshortstop Cecilia Vasquez, who missed the ﬁrst weekend while in concussion protocol, was2for 3with adouble.

Email KevinFoote at kfoote@ theadvocate.com.

CAJUNS

Continued from page1C

Butthe San Jacinto Junior College product retired 16 of the next 18 batters he faced. After throwing35pitches in the ﬁrst inning, Romanended up throwing 84 during ﬁveinnings in which he allowed two runs on three hits, one walk and struck out four

“He’sacool customer,” Deggs said of Roman. “I mean, his intent was there, andhewas able to execute pitches when he had to. And we madesome plays behind him. It would have been good to seewhatwecould get going offensively,just never could get on track.”

The second run for Missouri State was asolohome run from nine-holehitter Charlie Carter to lead off the ﬁfth.

UL relief pitcher Garrett Carter was effective during three innings in which he needed only 27 pitches to complete. But the two hits he allowed were both solo homers —byCaden Bogenpohl and Bobby Atkinson in the eighth —togive the visitors a4-0 lead.

The winning pitcherfor the Bears was Michael Yusypchuk, who tossed sixshutout innings while allowing just threehits, two walks and striking out four

“I thought he did areally good job of commanding his secondary stuff, especially whenhegot down andgot in trouble,” Deggs

saidofYusypchuk. “He hada go-tobreakingballand agood change-up, and then he could cut that fastball. So he did anice job.

“He had anice year ayear ago. That’satough team to face openingday.That’sa really gritty, good team.”

After having just three hits over the ﬁrst seven innings, UL’s fourth wasa two-outRBI double in theeighthfromfreshman catcher Colt Brownfor his ﬁrst collegiate hit. Blaze Rodriguez then addedanRBI ground out to trim the lead to 4-2.

Rodriguezhit theﬁrst pitch he saw in his collegiate career up the middle forabase hit.

“I thought the two freshmen handled themselvesextremely well, especially defensively,” Deggs said of Brown and Rodriguez. “Both of them had aknock, very competitive at-bats. Ithink we got alot to build on.” Maddox Mandino and Steven Spalitta had UL’s other two hits. UL true freshmanpitcher BryceWilson allowedfourruns in the ninth when twowalks and abunt single followed aleadoff single as the inning spiraled out of control.

“We’ve got some good arms down there(bullpen),” Deggs said. “It’sgood to get this ﬁrst one under our belts, so we can come out tomorrow and play alittle bit better.”

Email KevinFoote at kfoote@theadvocate.com.

STAFF PHOTO By BRAD KEMP

UL infielder Rigoberto Hernandez slides safely into second to steal a base ahead of the tag by Missouri State infielder BryceCermenelli on FridayatRusso Park.

Southern professor offers Black History Monthlesson

Black History Month is as ﬁt-

ting atime as any to remind ourselvesthat God is still in control, even when political headlines leave us unsettled.

That’snothing new to the Black American faith experience, said Albert Samuels, professor and chairmanofthe Political Science and Geography Department at Southern University

“All of this can make us feel overwhelmed, pessimistic. It’s hard to take.Sometimes you just want to turn the news off,” Samuels said. “As Black people and, most importantly,asBlack Christians, we have to think about,at these times, is what is God trying to tell us.”

Samuels’ remarks came during the ﬁrst of four weekly Wednesday night Black History Month presentations at Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church. It marked the third year that Samuels has presented the thought-provoking lessons to challenge and encourage listeners with historical insight grounded in faith.

The Rev.Errol Domingue, pastor of the Elm Grove Baptist Church, is scheduledtopresent the last two Wednesdays of the month at 6:30 p.m. at Shiloh, 185 Eddie Robinson Sr.Drive, Baton Rouge.

And what exactly is God’smessage to warybelievers who have ahard time believing some of the political turmoil, violence and injustice happening before their very eyes?

“Our faith must be in God. Ilift my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from?,” he said, referring to Psalms 121:1-2. “It didn’tsay my help comesfrom the Declaration of Independence. It didn’tsay that it came from the Constitution or the Bill of Rights. Ididn’tsay it came from my education. It doesn’tcome from our social status or your Greek letter afﬁliation. My help comes from the Lord. The maker of heaven and earth.”

Even as someone who is heavily involved in political talk, Samuels said it would be easy to lose perspective.

“When you study this as much as Idosometimes, it gets depressing, especially these times,”

ä See FAITH, page 8C

Some love storiesbegin WITH A GLANCE. This onebegan with ashift AT MAXWELL’S MARKET.

BY LAURENCHERAMIE Staff writer

When young people createchecklists for their ideal partners, the boxesusually include physical traits, character traits, behaviors and lifestyle goals. One such listmight include preferences for attributes like height, eyecolor,mannerisms or a preferred career path.

As ateenager,MaryClaire Towns Stickle didn’t have “work ethic”atthe topofher list fora potential boyfriend, but it’s atrait of herhusband’s that has paid off in the long run—one that shewitnessedﬁrsthand when the two metwhile working at Maxwell’sMarket on Corporate Boulevard. She was 19 and he was 24.

“I would saythat 19-year-old Mary Claire just wantedtohavefun, just wanted to have agood time,” Stickle said.

“Will is alot of fun, butheisdeﬁnitelya very hard worker.Maybe that’snot what initially,at19years old, was my priority in someone, but now he works so hard for his family.”

Workplace environments arefertile ground for romantic attraction.

ä See MAXWELL’S, page 8C

LSUMuseumofArt to host fundraiser with chefs

Food andwine

sampling part of March21event

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE

Staff writer

Forthe LSU Museum of Art’s

ﬁrst fundraiser,Southern Palette will blend food, art and community in downtown Baton Rouge. In atime of shrinking public funding for the arts, the event will celebrate educational programs, exhibitions and access initiatives at the museumwhilealso promoting established and emerging chefs. Scheduled for 6p.m. March 21 at Lafayette Park inBaton Rouge, Southern Palettewill feature chef-to-guest interactions,

tastings,mixologists, live demonstrations andlive music.

LSU Museum of Art executive director Mark Tullos says SouthernPalette has been two yearsin the making, and they’re anticipating 2,500 people for theﬁrst year

“Another part of it is broadening the audience for these chefs and making sure that people understand you don’thavetobeofacertain class to go to these restaurants and enjoy somethingand appreciate it,” Tullos said. “It’sfor everybody.”

He gives credit to the volunteer committee, chaired by Claire Major,and membersofthe Friends of theLSU Museum of Art andadvi-

sory board for planning theevent, which is centered on celebrating various chefs as artists.

Over 30 chef tents, ﬁne wine stations and top-shelf spirits stations will be situated underthe oak trees in the park for people to sample.

Locals mayrecognize afew names, including Baton Rouge chefs Celeste Gill, Jay Ducote, Kevin Foil, Justin Lambert, William Wells, JimUrdiales, Ciara Finley,Daniel Dreher,Cordell Walker,Jordon Ramirez, Jon Jackson, Reid Hendersonand mixologist Alan Walker.But theevent is also hosting chefs and mixologists from Mississippi, Florida,Alabama, Colorado and California. Chefs from New Orleans, Lafayette, Covington, Slidell and Lake Charles will also be in attendance, showcasing their dishes.

“We’re challenging themtobring somethingtothe tablethatpeople may have nevertriedbefore, or a reinterpretation of foods from the Souththat they’ve never seen before,” Tullos said.

The LSUMuseumofArt, located on the ﬁfth ﬂoor of theShawCenter for the Arts, features 14 galleriesand awide range of media with roughly 6,000 works. It is one of the South’slargest universityaffiliatedart collections and accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.

Tullos says he wants the event to become an annual staple in Baton Rouge —with hopes to bolster the tourism industry and host more chefs from around the South. Learn more about Southern Palette at southernpalette.org.Tickets range from $50 to $225.

Samuels

STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

MaryClaire Stickle and Will Stickle stand Sunday in Maxwell’sMarket,where theymet over twodecades agowhile working there.

PROVIDED PHOTO SouthernPalette is scheduled for 6p.m. March21atLafayette Park in Baton Rouge.

PROVIDED PHOTO

MaryClaire Stickle, top left, and Will Stickle met while working at Maxwell’sMarket in Baton Rouge. Nowthey have 10-year-old twins Bennett and Eliza.

Partnerjustnot that into Valentine’sDay

DearHarriette: Yes, it’sValentine’s Day,but Idon’tlike to buyintoit. Expectations seem ridiculously high for this manufactured holiday Ihave arelatively new girlfriend. I like her alot, but I’m not into this day.Ihavetoldher as much,and she seems disappointed. Iabsolutely hate that Ibecome the bad guy if Idon’twant to bow to this nonsense. Howcan I let her know Icare abouther without falling into this consumerist trap?

—Not aFan

Dear Not AFan: This is atough one, as expectations are through the

roof for this holiday. Ahuge industry supports it, somostpeople feel the pressure— regardless of their relationship status. No matter whatyou saytoyour girlfriend, shewill be thinking about this day Youcan’t totally ignore it. That won’t make it goaway.Why not do somethingwithyour girlfriend so that you are together? Remind herthat you don’tcelebrate the holiday,but you do celebrateher Have fun together.Make ameaningful moment so that she has pleasant memories of how you spent the day

Dear Harriette: My boyfriend just lost hismom suddenly and tragically.Hehas barely been able to function during this time, so I took on theresponsibility of mak-

ing the arrangements to honor her life. Iknew his mom,too,soit was hardhaving to stow away my grief, but Iknow he was grateful. My boyfriend’sexshowed up to thefuneral. His entire family is familiar with her,soatthe repast, she was greeting everyone, ﬁxing plates for aunts and uncles, thanking people on the mic and checking on my boyfriend alltoo often. Iwas occupied with making sure all things weregoing as they weresupposed to. Ihate to be so jealous and self-centered during atime like this, but her behavior felt inappropriate. Idon’twant to make afuss about it withmyboyfriend because he’salready dealing with so much, but his ex didn’t mind using this sensitive time as

an opportunity to worm her way back in. Whyshould Ihave to keep quiet whileshe tries to parade herself back into his life in the most distasteful way? —Griefand Jealousy Dear GriefAnd Jealousy: Some of the worst behavior shows its face at funerals and during times of grief. Some people probably saw this woman for who she is, while othersmay noteven know they aren’t together anymore. Youcannot worry about those perceptions. It is OK,though, for you to make a comment to your boyfriend. Without belaboring it, youcan admit thatyou felt uncomfortable when his ex took on such abig role during the funeral. Tell him the truth: Youwere feeling jealous. You don’tlike that this happened, but you wanted to share it with him

Youare allowed to have feelings at this moment. He should be aware of how you wereimpacted by his ex’sdisplay.Make sure he knowsyou aren’tasking him to do anything beyond acknowledging how you feel. Duringthis tender period,lean on each other.You can share stories withhim of memoriesofhis mother andhow sheimpacted you. Be agreat listener.Invitehim to talk abouther as much as he needs and wantsto. Be there foreach other Sendquestions to askharriette@ harriettecole.com or c/o AndrewsMcMeel Syndication, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.

Outside of work, Stickle said many of the Maxwell’s employees spent time together,which can aid in attraction over time. She notes that she and her husband are not the only couple who met at the market and are now married.

“It’savery ﬂirtatious environment,” Stickle said. “You spend so much time together,sothere’salot of time and opportunity.”

Zhang

Don Zhang, Ph.D., and associate professor of industrial-organizational psychology at LSU, says proximityis one of the three factors th at makes workplaces favorable environments forromance. Though, the caveat to proximity is that it’sa double-edged sword —the closer someone is in physical proximity,the more opportunity for disdain to form. Research also shows that when the brain experiences psychological distress or overstimulation, it can lead to misattribution of arousal, and the brain misunderstands the sourceof arousal in aromantic way, Zhangsaid.

“Wecould attribute arousal that comes from stress that’srelatedtowork to attractiontoanother person,” he said. Zhang callsthe second factor the“mereexposure

By The Associated Press

Today is Saturday,Feb. 14, the 45th day of 2026. There are 320 days left in the year.This is Valentine’s Day

Todayinhistory: On Feb. 14, 2018, aformer student opened fire with asemiautomatic rifle at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, killing 17 people in the nation’sdeadliest schoolshooting since the Sandy Hook Elementary School attack in Newtown, Connecticut,more than five years earlier.(Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty to murder in October 2021 and was later sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.)

Also on this date: In 1779, English explorer James Cook was killed on theisland of Hawai’i during aconfrontation after Cook’s attempt to kidnap Hawaiian monarch Kalaniopu’u as leverage to recover a boat stolen from one of

FAITH

Continued from page7C

hesaid. “Jesus Christ is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords.” We must be reminded that it’sGod, not political leaders, who holds the power, Samuels said.

“God is always at work Even when it doesn’tlook like God is doing something, God is at work,” he

PROVIDED PHOTO

MaryClaireStickle and Will Stickle gotmarried in 2010. Theymet while workingatMaxwell’sMarket in Baton Rouge.

effect.” He says repeated exposure toastimulus (like asong,person or product) increases preference for it. He pointedto a 1992 study fromresearchersRichard Moreland and ScottBeach, whichinvestigatedthe mere exposure effectby bringing different female students into aclassroom at varyingnumbers of times without interactingwith students.

At theend of thesemester,the women who attended more often were rated significantly higherinattractiveness.

“The workplace naturally ampliﬁesall the good traits foreveryone,” Zhangsaid. “For that reason,ifyou’re meeting each other at work, you are seeing aversion of that person presented for the workplace —asopposed to howclean they keeptheir roomorhow often they do theirdishes.”

Zhangcalls the third factor the“similarityeffect.” People tendtobeattracted to those whoare similar to them. Zhangsays that workplaces tend to draw in employees with similar backgrounds, economic

TODAYINHISTORY

Cook’s ships. In 1876, inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied separately for patentsrelated to thetelephone.(TheU.S. Supreme Court eventually ruled Bell therightful inventor.)

In 1929, the“St. Valentine’sDay Massacre”took place in aChicago garage as seven rivals of Al Capone’s gang weregunneddown. In 1984, 6-year-old Stormie Jones became the world’sﬁrst heart-liver transplant recipient when the surgery was performed at Children’sHospital of Pittsburgh. She died in 1990 at age 13. In 1989, Iran’sAyatollah Khomeini issued afatwa calling on Muslims tokill Salman Rushdie, author of “The Satanic Verses,” anovel the ayatollah condemned as blasphemous against Islam.

In 2013, double-amputee Olympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius shot and killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, at his home

said. “His kingdom is notof this world.” Samuels’ praiseworthy reﬂectionswere aperfect way to conclude what was largely asoberingand reﬂective lesson titled,“The Chickens HaveCome Home to Roost: TheConsequences of Ignoringthe Lessonsof Black History.” He also spoketothe growing idea among some Christian nationaliststhat America has aunique, divinelyfavored role compa-

in Pretoria, SouthAfrica, saying he mistook her for an intruder; he was later convicted of murder and served nearly nineyears of asentence of 13 years and ﬁve months before being released from prison in January 2024.

In 2017, aformer store clerk, PedroHernandez, was convicted in New York of murder in one of the nation’smosthaunting missing-child cases, nearly 38 years after 6-year-old Etan Patzdisappeared while on the way to aschool bus stop. In 2023, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced thatmorethan 35,000 people died in Turkeyasaresult of an earthquake on Feb. 6, making it thedeadliestsuch disaster since the country’s founding 100 years earlier (The combined deathtoll in Turkeyand neighboring Syria would surpass 50,000 people).

Today’sbirthdays: Former New York City mayor and businessman Michael Bloomberg is 84. Saxo-

rable to biblical Israel.

“America is really more like Egypt than it is like Israel,” he said, adding that enslaved Africanssaw America through the lens of bondage and Pharaoh. “When they had theplaque of darkness, everywhere Israel went, there was light.Egypt was in darkness.”

ContactTerry Robinson at terryrobinson622@gmail. com.

placements, ages and demographics.

Stickle said she and her husband are similar in theway they bothliketo have agoodtimeand not take themselves too seriously. But the work ethic she didn’tnotice at first is something that hassustained their relationship as they’vegotten older and grown their family

“Meeting at such ayoung age, we’ve gone through so many parts of life together,” she said. “I deﬁnitely don’t have all the answers, but I’ve learnedthat it’simportantnot to take yourselftoo seriously.”

Stickle and her husband Will were engaged in 2009 at Maxwell’s. He asked hertogopick up lunch, and, when she arrived, he walked out wearing an apron with, “Willyou marry me?” written in mustard real mustard to reﬂect their relationship’sdeli roots. Today, they live in Prairieville andhave10-yearold twins Eliza and Bennett. Through yearsofinfertility followed by their son’s eventual autism diagnosis, MaryClairesays humor has helped her and her husband getthrough difficult situations. As the two have grown through the years, they have witnessedeach others evolutions while also being each others cheerleaders.

“It’s verydifﬁcult not to compare yourself and your relationship to others, but you have to stay focused on your own goals and your own path,”she said. “Remember that you’re on the same side andthe same team.”

phonistMaceo Parker is 83. Journalist Carl Bernsteinis82. Magician Teller (Pennand Teller)is78. Opera singer Renée Fleming is 67. Actor Meg Tilly is 66. Football HallofFamer Jim Kelly is 66. Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio is 59. Actor Simon

Dear Miss Manners: Iama widow with manyacquaintances and activities. Iam physically and verbally affectionate with family members and close friends, and am generous with hugs and “I love yous.”

Judith Martin MISS MANNERS

Agentleman friend and Ihave become close, and feel affection for each other

But since we are both averse to a serious relationship, the words “I love you” are not warranted and would be off-putting.

Can you suggest another term to express my feelings? “I like you” seems inadequate and awkward.

Gentle reader: “I love spending timewith you”?

Just be sure, Miss Manners suggests, not to sneeze or cough between the words “love” and “spending.” Apparently that would be off-putting.

Dear Miss Manners: Itake the bus to and from work.

As Istepped off the bus recently,the bus driver (whom Isee once or twice aweek) handed me anote, in which he expressed his admiration formeand a wish to get to know me better

Although he seemslike a nice young man,I’m happily married and really have no interest in getting to know him.What is the proper waytorespond? In another note, in person or just by politely ignoring the whole thing?

Gentle reader: Could you take another bus?

Perhaps this is too drastic, but anote feels too intimate, saying something in-person abit confrontational and ignoring it only temporary —eventually he will follow up. It might be fun, however,toask

Dear Miss Manners: Imoved in with my boyfriend and discovered he has, in my opinion, arather unusual habit. Not only does he say “bless you” in response to sneezes, but he does so in response to burps and flatulence as well! When Iasked him about it, he said he wastaught it was polite. (He is from the South, while Iamnot.) Is this true? Saying “bless you” in response to flatulence seemsrather rude to me, though Ican’t put my finger on why. I would love to know if this is anormal custom that I’mjust unaware of, or if it is as strange as it feels.

Gentle reader: There is no real logic as to why ﬂatulence and burping are rude and sneezing is not, presuming they are all unintentional. Still, saying “bless you” after anything other than asneeze seems like admonishment —as if asneeze is what the person meanttodo, and it just came out wrong. Miss Manners seemsto have put her ﬁnger on it. Although she would have been just as happy not to have done.

Dear Miss Manners: My husband thinks it is acceptable to go out in public with atoothpick in his mouth. This includes stores, restaurants and other people’shomes. When Itell him it is lowclass and disrespectful, he responds that Iamwrong. What should one do?

GENTLE READER: Feed him only softfoods. Email dearmissmanners @gmail.com.

HOME-DELIVERED EVERYDAY

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Keep your finger on the pulse, and you'll notlosesight of your goal.Balance and equality are your best choices if yourequire outside acceptance, help or funding.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) To make a difference, follow through. Network, socializeand share your thoughts with people who can contribute to whatyou aretrying to achieve. Let your charm kick in andattract those you want by your side.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Engaging in physical activity will help quell the emotional anxiety that's brewing. Discipline, willpower andusing your strengths to navigate your way forward will benefit you the most.

TAURUS(April 20-May 20) Cozy downtime will invite talks that offer something to look forward to. Opportunity is more readily available than yourealize. Asuggestion will tweak your imagination.

GEMINI (May21-June 20) Lenda helping hand, offer your skills or donate to a foundation thatsupports something you believe in. Don't hold back if someone you come across interests you; make the first move.

CANCER (June 21-July 22) You'll find what others say or do misleading. Don't hesitate to be bold and ask direct questions. Personal connections, love and romance areall favored, so dig deep and see what transpires.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Areunion will lead to romantic sparks. Explore the possibilities andengage in social events that

interest you, and something magical will unfold. Agreater show of affection will play in your favor.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Sort outmixed emotions through honest communication. You are overdue forachange, a commitment or something that inspires you to get on with your life and longterm plans.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct.23) Get in the mood, socialize andtakeyoursparkle to the party. Engage in talks, make your movesand bask in themagic of theevening. Live in the moment and see what transpires.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov.22) Negativity will lead to unwanted change. Bring your lighter side to any conversation that develops, and you'll avoid feeling vulnerable. It's atime to be considerate, not forceful or demanding.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Don't overload your plate with promisesyou'll never keep. It's OK to take aback seat and let someone else make the first move. Be fun to be around, and everyone will want to hang out with you.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Your charm will captivate anddraw attention if youhosta gathering or participate in activities you enjoy. Love and romance are looming. Live in the moment and enjoy.

Celebrity Cipher cryptogramsare created from quotations by famous people, past and present. Each letterinthe cipher stands foranother.

TODAy'SCLUE: SEQUALS G

CeLebrItY CIpher

better or For WorSe

beetLe bAILeY

Mother GooSe And GrIMM

SherMAn’S LAGoon

bIG nAte

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

THewiZard oF id

BLondie

BaBY BLueS

Hi and LoiS CurTiS

Bridge

BY PHILLIPALDER

Ed Koch, former mayor of NewYork City,said,“In action, be primitive; in foresight, astrategist.”

Itrequiresforesighttoseethestrategy necessary to make this six-spade contract. What should South do afterWest leadsthe club king?

When North raised to three spades, promisingsomepoints(usually 4to7), SouthusedRomanKeyCardBlackwood. Northshowedonekeycard(anaceorthe spadeking).ThenSouthaskedforspecific kings, Northdenying any.(Note that theheart king would make agrand slam sure, but the club king would not.)

South has twopossible heartlosers. He also has only 11 top tricks: seven spades, one heart, two diamonds and one club. So at first glance it looks as if declarer needs theheart finesse to work.However, assuming Westhas the club queen behindhisking-lead,heisacandidatefor an endplay.

South, though, must have the foresight to ruff aclubattrick two, and not to ruff withthe spade two. South needs three dummy entries (two forclub ruffs and one for the endplay), which mustbethe club ace and two in trumps.

After the club ruff, declarer takeshis spadeace,overtakesamiddlespadewith dummy’s jack, ruffs another club high, cashes his top diamonds,and plays the spadetwotodummy’sfour.Withthepreliminariescomplete, Southcalls forthe club jack and discards his heartfive Westistrapped, forced either to lead away fromthe heart king or to concede aruff-and-sluff (South ruffs on the board and sluffs his heartqueen). ©2026 by NEA,Inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

wuzzles

Each Wuzzle is aword riddle which creates adisguised word, phrase, name, place, saying, etc. For example: NOONGOOD =GOOD AFTERNOON

Previous answers:

word game

InstRuctIons: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the additionof“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,

or vulgar or sexually explicit words are notallowed.

toDAY’s WoRD PHYsIcAL: FIZ-ih-kul: Having material existence.

Average mark 29 words

Time

or more words in PHYSICAL?

YEstERDAY’s WoRD— FLIPPAncY