The Advocate 06-28-2026

EL EC TI ON 20 26

EBRvoters pass tax proposals by wide margin

Allrenewalsapproved by more than 60%

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD

Staff writer

Seven months after voters rejected a plan to change how property taxes for some East Baton Rouge Parish agencies are spent, property tax renewals for three parish agencies were approved by wide margins on Saturday For the East Baton Rouge Parish Library,64% of voters approved its property tax continuation of 9.5 mills.For BREC, 63% of voters approved its property tax renewalof3.96 mills. For Council on Aging,68% of voters approvedits property tax renewal of 2mills,with all 329 precincts reporting

Morethan 74,000 parishresidentscast votes for eachofthe threetax renewals on the ballot.

For the library system, the propertytax will collect around $59.6 million annually for the next 10 years to fund all library operations. The previous tax millage, which expired at the end of 2025, was set at ahigher rate of 9.89 mills. The balloting comes after voters last fall rejected Proposition 1, which would havefunded the system throughan11.1mill annual tax, with 2.8 ofthose mills going to the parish’sgeneralfund as apart of Mayor-PresidentSid Edwards’ Thrive plan to rededicate taxes to fixahole in the general fund.

The issue on this month’sballot garnered strong support from librarygoers, but it also faced opposition that had significant funding.

With the millage approved,library leadership said the system canrestore complete fundingfor books andmaterialsand move forward with branch improvement projects.

“I wish to express our gratitude to our community.Wegreatly appreciate your approval of our 10-year dedicated millage, as you have every 10 years since 1986,” library director KatrinaStokes said in astatement. “Thank youfor providing us with themeans to continue

ä See TAX, page 6A

LETLOW ADVANCES

BY TYLER BRIDGES Staff writer

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow fended off a toughcampaign from state Treasurer JohnFleming to win the Republican runoff for theU.S. Senate on Saturday and become the prohibitive favoriteto be Louisiana’snext senator

Letlow captured theRepublican Party nomination Saturday with the strong support of President Donald Trump his endorsement of her in January to defeat Sen. Bill Cassidy prompted her entry into the race —and Gov.JeffLandry, who raised millions of dollarsfor asuper PACthat relentlessly attacked Fleming.

With thevictory over Fleming, Letlow advances to the Nov.3 general election ballot,where she will face Jamie Davis, afarmer from northeast Louisianawho overwhelmingly won the Democratic Party runoff Saturday over business

LawmakersquestionifLa.

Billthatwas rejected wouldhavefundedearly

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

As Louisiana pours millions into making LSU afootballjuggernaut, some state lawmakers have start-

ed to raise concerns that the state is too often puttingfootballahead of other priorities.

Thedebatecomes after alegislative session during which the Louisiana House killed abill thatwould

owner Gary Crockett. The victor in that race will replace Cassidy,a Republican from Baton Rouge whoran afoul of Trump andwas eliminated in the May 16 Republican primarywhile seeking athird term Letlow will be heavily favored in November because no Democrat has been elected to the Senate since 2008, and Republicans hold all statewide offices in Louisiana. Dav is, however, vowed to runacompetitivecampaign.

Letlow took an early lead Saturday night when the first returnswere posted —from early voters —and never relin-

have given moremoney to early childhood education programs; instead,collegesports programs will get that money Asecondbillexacerbated tensions by shielding from thepublic

INSIDE

ä Stephanie Hilferty wins Republican PSC primary. PAGE 6A

ä Joseph Cao poised to keep BESE seat. PAGE 6A

quished her advantage.

The Associated Press called the race at 8:44 p.m., 44 minutesafter the polls closed. The AP called Davis’ victory at 8:09 p.m.Davis won 80%-20%.

Letlow spoke to ajubilant crowd at Duplantis Design Group in Baton Rouge at 9:15 p.m., surrounded by her parents, her two children, her fiance Kevin Ainsworth and campaign aides.

She thankedTrump, calling him “the greatest president this country has ever

ä See LETLOW, page 6A

details of how state universities spend funds generatedbyathleticsprograms, including howthey divide themoney among different sports and top athletes.

“I don’tknow if I’d call it asacred cow. Butitpretty much is asacred cow,” state Sen. Beth Mizell, R-

STAFFPHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlowaddresses the crowd at awatch partyinBaton RougeonSaturday after winning the Republican primary runoff for U.S. Senate.

Israeli drone strike kills Palestinian siblings

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip An Israeli drone strike on Saturday killed two Palestinian siblings, including a 15-year-old girl in southern Gaza and wounded at least seven others, according to Nasser hospital, where the casualties were taken.

The strike targeted tents sheltering displaced Palestinians in the sprawling camp of Muwasi, killing 15-year-old Islam Moussa and her 30-year-old brother, Abdullah Moussa

The Israeli military acknowledged it had struck the area of Muwasi, saying it had targeted a Hamas militant but did not immediately provide more information.

In the hospital’s courtyard, relatives wept over the bodies covered in white burial shrouds. Also on Saturday, Palestinians reported hearing a loud boom in Gaza City

The Israeli military struck a tent sheltering displaced Palestinians in western Gaza City, wounding at least 12 people, according to Shifa hospital. The ambulance service of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society said two people were critically wounded and the majority of those hurt were women.

The Israeli military said it struck a Hamas militant and that it was not aware of uninvolved civilians being harmed Strikes continued Saturday evening in central Gaza, with no immediate word of casualties. Israel’s military said it was checking on the reports.

BRIEFS FROM WIRE REPORTS Death toll reaches 1,430

2 tropical storms

pound Japan, killing 1

TOKYO Two major storm systems pounded Japan on Saturday, causing landslides and floods and leaving one dead and several injured, media and officials said.

The storms, Mekkhala and Higos, have dumped heavy rain and damaged roads as Japan experiences its annual rainy season A man in his 70s died and three others were injured after a house collapsed in a landslide in Yamaguchi prefecture on Friday, Japan’s Kyodo News agency reported.

Footage from Kyoto showed the Kamo River swollen with churning, muddy water. A flooding alert was issued in parts of Kyoto, Osaka and other areas in western Japan.

The Fire and Disaster Management Agency said more than 30 homes were flooded in Nara and Hiroshima on Friday Heavy rain also disrupted some train operations and flights in the area.

Serbia’s president says he will resign BELGRADE, Serbia Serbia’s populist President Aleksandar Vucic said Saturday he will resign his post within weeks, paving the way for early elections following youth-led protests that shook his tight grip on power Vucic did not specify exactly when he would resign or when an election, either for Parliament or for a new president, could be held. He has said in the past that he could leave the post amid speculation that he would try to switch to the formally more powerful position of prime minister of the Balkan country Vucic, who is currently serving his second term, cannot run again for president, according to Serbia’s election law Both regular presidential and parliamentary elections are due next year “I will be president for several weeks more and then I will submit my resignation,” Vucic told thousands of his supporters in downtown Belgrade. He said he will help his right-wing Serbian Progressive Party at upcoming elections.

CORRECTION

A story in Saturday’s edition of The Advocate incorrectly stated that Maurice Parms has been indicted on a charge of first-degree murder in the death of Ja’Derrius Minnieweather; he has only been charged at this time. It also had an incorrect spelling for the name of FBI Special Agent Charles Koger The Advocate regrets the error

U.S. says it struck more targets in Iran

Second day of attacks strains ceasefire

BY JON GAMBRELL and KONSTANTIN TOROPIN Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

The U.S military said Saturday it had struck multiple targets in Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction, continuing a string of attacks that have shaken the war’s uneasy ceasefire. U.S. Central Command, in a post to social media, said that U.S. military aircraft targeted Iranian military “surveillance infrastructure, communication systems, air defense sites, drone storage facilities, and minelayer capabilities” following an attack on a merchant vessel early on Saturday morning.

The ongoing strikes in the

Persian Gulf show the danger of the Iran war again spinning out of control, even after Iran and the U.S. reached an interim deal to try and agree on a final accord to end the conflict

In a social media post, Trump said the U.S. had “struck Iranian missile and drone storage locations, and coastal radar sites, for violating the Cease Fire Agreement, AGAIN!” He warned of a point where the U.S. may no longer be able to be reasonable “and will be forced to militarily complete the job.”

“If that happens, the Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

The incident follows a similar back and forth that occurred just days prior when an Iranian drone struck a merchant vessel off the coast of Oman on Thursday and the U.S. military retaliated with strikes

the next day

U.S. Central Command said that in this latest attack Iranian forces attacked the oil tanker Kiku with a oneway drone. The tanker was laden with more than two million barrels of crude oil and sailing through the Strait of Hormuz.

According to ship tracking websites, the Kiku left a Qatari oil field in the middle of the Persian Gulf earlier in the week and was bound for a port in the United Arab Emirates that sits on the Gulf of Aman, just on the other side of the Strait of Hormuz.

It appeared to be attempting to use a route that was established near the coast of Oman that is serving as an alternative to the route sanctioned by Iran that runs through its own waters.

A multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Saturday that it would expand the Omani

route to allow for both inbound and outbound traffic, likely setting up a new flashpoint with Tehran, which sees the strait as a key source of leverage in ongoing talks with the U.S.

The U.S. military said that “Iran had a chance to honor the ceasefire agreement” but “elected not to” when its forces attacked the Kiku. Iran state TV reported explosions in an area just north of the Strait of Hormuz.

Earlier on Saturday, a statement from Bahrain’s Foreign Ministry said a “number of Iranian drones” targeted the country It called the attack “a flagrant threat to the security of citizens and residents.” There were no immediate reports of damage.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard earlier issued a statement carried by the state-run IRNA news agency saying it had tar-

geted several locations “of the U.S. terrorist army in the region.” It did not name what areas were targeted. Bahrain has been one of the strongest critics of Iran and is home to the U.S. Navy’s 5th Fleet. It just hosted U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council’s foreign ministers, which ended with a call for an end to Iran’s attacks and for the strait to be completely open.

Overnight into Saturday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said it had struck Iranian missile and drone locations and coastal radar sites.

Vice President JD Vance, who has led the negotiations with Iran said on social media Friday night that Iran should “pick up the phone” if there are disagreements about the ceasefire agreement, “but violence will be met with violence.”

Frustration grows after earthquakes in Venezuela

BY REGINA GARCIA CANO, ANDRY RINCÓN and MEGAN JANETSKY Associated Press

LA GUAIRA, Venezuela Tensions flared Saturday as desperation grew in Venezuela’s state of La Guaira as rescuers and civilians searched for earthquake survivors and the death toll rose sharply to 1,430.

Venezuela’s government said families reported at least 68,900 people missing, three days after the one-two punch of 7.2 and 7.5 magnitude earthquakes devastated the South American nation.

Venezuelans looking for loved ones and neighbors used shovels, heavy equipment, ropes and bare hands atop mounds of toppled concrete throughout La Guaira, one of the hardest-hit states.

Tensions peaked over what many Venezuelans viewed as an inadequate response by the government, whose soldiers, firefighters, police and military cadets were evidently underprepared to respond to the scope of the tragedy

search through the

struck Catia la Mar, Venezuela.

Frustration was amplified by efforts to project the image of a robust state response. “There’s a pile of bodies over there from last night. Newborn babies,” said Mileidy Romero, who was among those searching in the seaside town of Caraballeada. “At 8 p.m. (yesterday) there were people alive down there, and they haven’t bothered to rescue them. We’ve located several bodies, and they haven’t helped us recover

them either What are they waiting for?”

Aid agencies consider the first 48 to 72 hours as crucial for retrieving people alive, though that can be extended if they have access to food and water

A growing number of international rescue teams were joining the effort.

Venezuelan officials said 17 flights carrying more than 1,600 rescue team members had touched down by Saturday Acting President Delcy

Hezbollah’s leader criticizes Lebanon’s deal with Israel

BY BASSEM MROUE and SHLOMO MOR Associated Press

BEIRUT Hezbollah’s leader on Saturday criticized a framework agreement that Israel and Lebanon signed a day earlier to end months of conflict between the Iran-backed militant group and Israel, raising concerns about its effectiveness.

The agreement signed Friday in Washington links Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon to Hezbollah’s disarmament, something the group rejects.

Several previous ceasefire agreements that Lebanon has negotiated with Israel since the outbreak of the latest IsraelHezbollah war were never implemented on the ground. More than 4,000 people in Lebanon have been killed in Israeli strikes since March, when Hezbollah fired at Israel two days after the Iran war began.

In a statement Saturday Hezbollah leader Naim Kassem said his group will keep fighting until Israel is forced to leave Lebanon. The group’s supporters protested in the streets of Beirut following the announcement of the agreement

Despite the deal, the Lebanese state news agency reported an Israeli drone strike near the southern city of Nabatiyeh. It also reported that Israel’s military released three Lebanese and three Syrian workers who were taken near the southern village of Ain Arab on Friday

The talks between Israel and Lebanon were separate from the interim deal signed earlier this month by the U.S. and Iran.

Details of the deal that the U.S. State Department released Saturday say Lebanon and Israel aim to eventually end the

state of war between them that began when Israel was created in 1948.

The deal says Israel will withdraw from Lebanon, provided Hezbollah disarms.

It calls for Israel to initially withdraw from two small areas, called pilot zones. It did not say where they will be The Lebanese army will gradually assume full security responsibility over those areas. The countries will agree to future pilot zones for Israel’s withdrawal in the future, the agreement says.

The deal has a security annex that includes details of the deployment of the Lebanese army and redeployments of Israeli troops. The security annex was not made public.

As part of the deal, Israel stresses that Hezbollah’s disarmament throughout Lebanon and additional security measures to be agreed upon between the countries will eliminate any future need for the Israeli army’s military action or presence in Lebanon.

Rodríguez said on state television that more than 14,000 members of the military and police are patrolling the area, where access is now blocked and special permits are required to enter

Some people climbed the remnants of buildings and cried out names, hoping for any proof of life Dust coated coastal communities. In punishing heat, more people wore masks as the stench of

decomposition spread. With the absence of hard hats, rescuers and civilians used motorcycle helmets as they searched piles of debris that were once people’s belongings: Eddie Murphy and Nemo DVDs, a kitchen sink, mattresses and shoes.

Some, frustrated by the government’s response, blocked an excavator from leaving the site of a collapse and pulled the operator from its cabin shortly after state workers took selfies in front of flattened buildings and left without helping. The ruling party’s officials often take selfies to show participation in government-related events.

A few feet away, at least five bodies lay wrapped in blankets.

A member of the crowd, Yeison Marcano, said those searching had received some assistance from an investigations unit but neither police nor the National Guard helped.

“They came to eat arepas and take pictures to make it look like they were working,” Marcano said. “They didn’t even get their uniforms dirty like we have. We’ve been here for three days.”

theadvocate.com/eedition Archives: theadvocate.newsbank.com

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By FERNANDO VERGARA Rescue workers

rubble on Saturday, three days after earthquakes

Utah residentsonnoticeas fire blackens forestland

BY TY ONEIL and SUSAN MONTOYABRYAN Associated Press

MARYSVALE, Utah The larg-

est fire in the United States is marching through deep canyonsand over steep mountainsides, blackening an already parched landscape in Utah as residents of sparselypopulated areas wait for word in case they have to evacuate.

The Cottonwood Fire already has severely damaged theEaglePoint ski resort in Beaver County and forced campground closures in Fishlake National Forest Other public lands in the area have been closed as a precaution.

Utah Gov.Spencer Cox, in asocial media post early Saturday,asked forprayers for firefighters and “the rains we desperately need.”

“More property destroyed.

It’sasbleak as it’sever been and yet there wereseveral miraculous stops and saves,” Cox said, referring to the work of the hundreds of firefighters assignedto the blaze.

They are among the crews that have been pouring into Utah as more wildfires in the arid state gain steam thanks to consecutive days of what forecasters call critical fire weather,ordangerouslylow humidity levels, warm temperatures and gusty winds.

Utah is coming off arecord-low snowpack and the warmest winter on record, which helped to elevate the fire danger.Much of the West is grappling with similar conditions, according to the National Interagency

Fire Center,whichreported that the lack of snow over the winter resultedinunusual fireactivity early in theseason

Nationally,nearly 3million acres have burnedsince the start of the year,pushingthe U.S. ahead of the 10year average. From Alaska to Florida, crews werebusy Saturday working to corral dozens of fires, including three dozen that wereclassified as large anduncontained

Airtankers and helicopters took to theskiesagain Saturday, hoping to put a dent in the flames before afternoon winds kicked up again. On Friday,they were grounded because of weather conditionsthat prompted weather forecasters to issue ararewarning that highlighted a“particularlydangerous situation.”

“Weather conditions are slightly better for fire behavior today,but extreme fire behavior may occur in the afternoon as temperatures and wind speeds increase,” theU.S.Forest Service said Saturday in astatementon Facebook.

The fire balloonedtomore than 144 squaremiles on Saturday.

The blaze prompted Cox to declare an emergency, andthe state on Friday restricted fireworks, saying Utah is experiencing one of themost severe wildfire seasons in recent historyand thatthe recent blazesare stretching the state’swildland firefighting capabilities.

“These fires are starting closertohomes andcommunities,” said State Forester

Jamie Barnes. “One humancaused fire is one too many.”

The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined,but state officials say themajority of those sparkedsofar this year have been humancaused. Forecasters also notethat lightning strikes aroundthe West have resulted in fires.

Elsewhere in Utah, evacuations were ordered Friday for several small communitiessouthwest of Salt Lake City, including in Eureka, with apopulation under 1,000, and the Vernon Reservoir area, officials said. Highwaysrunning through thearea have been closed. Twowildfiresinthat area —the Ironand Cherry fires

—cover acombined 111 square miles, fire officials said.

Thetoweringcolumnof smoke from the Cottonwood Fire was visible Friday from miles away,even from Bryce CanyonNational Park to thesouth and Colorado to theeast. It washazySaturday as the smoke drifted to thenortheast, leaving air quality in places like Bryce and other popular vacation spots to the south unaffected.

BobMiller was staying at an RV park in Marysvale and was prepared to evacuate if needed. He said the evenings especially have

been smoky,but he and his family have still be able to enjoy the area, where they have vacationed for almost twodecades.

“It’s still gorgeous,” said Miller,who lives in Yucaipa, California.

“Fires happen around here. When you come every year,you kind of get used to that,” Miller said.

“After you’ve been through burnedareas afew times, you look at it and you understand what nature can do,” he added. Conditions including low humidity andstrong winds triggered red flag warnings across awide swath stretch-

ing from California to southern Arizonaand NewMexico. Some forecasts forthe weekend predicted winds of 25 to 35 miles an hour,with the worst conditions expected from northernArizona into central and southern Utah. At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, visitors were metwitha poweroutage Saturday.The utility that serves the area initiated asafety outage in hopes of lessening wildfire risk in that area.

Visitors will be able to purchase park passes at entrance stations as long as backup powersystems remain operational, but park officials said people should comeprepared. That means downloading maps before arriving and ensuring that phones and other devices are fully charged.

Power shutoffs have becomemore commoninthe West as wildfire risk has expanded. It is usually alast resort after utilityforecasters weigh factorslike sustained wind and gust speeds, available fuels and topography With extremefire conditions persisting in Utah, RockyMountainPower said power lines serving Beaver, Garfield, Iron, Millard, San Juan and Washington counties were shut off Saturday Montoya Bryan reported from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Associated Press writersJamie Stengle in Dallas; Julie CarrSmyth in Columbus, Ohio; and Ed White in Detroitcontributed to this report.

By The Associated Press

MINNEAPOLIS Authorities say aMinnesota man charged with helping to orchestrate a$250 million fraud scheme has been taken into custody in Somalia.

Abdikerm Abdelahi Eidleh, 42, of Burnsville, Minnesota, was taken into custody Thursday in Mogadishu, U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen said in anews release. Court documents do not show if Eidleh has obtained an attorney,and he has not yet hadan opportunity to enter apleain the case.

Eidleh is one of dozensof people who were indicted in 2022 in connection with what prosecutors said was amassive scheme to defraud afederal meals program.

Accordingtocourt documents, Eidleh was an employeeofFeeding OurFuture, an organization that claimed ithelped provide millions of mealstochildren in need during the pandemic undera federal childnutrition program. But prosecutors say just asmall portion of the federalmoney went toward feeding kids, with the rest laundered through shell companies and spent on property,luxury cars and travel.

Eidleh is accused of creatingfakechild nutritionprogramsites, falsely claiming they werefeeding thousands of children aday and creating shell companies that purported to be meal vendors at the sites. Theindictment chargeshim with 31 counts

of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to commitfederal programs bribery,federal programs bribery,conspiracy to commit money laundering and money laundering.

AssistantAttorney General Colin M. McDonaldof theDepartment of Justice’s National Fraud Enforcement Division said Eidleh was acentral figure in “one of the largest fraud schemes in Minnesotahistory.”

“He notonly stole taxpayer dollars, but he also robbedvulnerable children of critical resources they desperately needed.Rather than answerfor hiscrimes in the United States, he fled to Somalia in afutile attempt to evade justice,” McDonald said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByNOAHBERGER

Ahelicopter drops water on the Cottonwood Fire, which is burning Saturdaynear Beaver, Utah.

Central Europe sizzles as heat records are smashed

BY KIRSTEN GRIESHABER, SYLVIA HUI and JOHN LEICESTER Associated Press

BERLIN Temperatures

soared to record highs from Switzerland to the Czech Republic and Denmark on Saturday, as a heat wave that baked western European countries this week moved to central and eastern parts of the continent.

Unusually high temperatures were recorded even in the Nordic countries not known for sweltering summers. Denmark’s Meteorological Institute reported a record 98.6 degrees in Ødum north of Aarhus — the warmest day since records there began in 1874.

In Switzerland, a record 101.8 was set in the city of Basel.

Germany’s famous Autobahn was overwhelmed, too, as temperatures were expected to hit 104 In two places outside Berlin, the concrete of the A2 burst due to the high temperatures and the highway had to be closed. Other highway damage was reported across the country, according to the German daily Bild.

Train operator Deutsche Bahn and other rail companies advised against all nonessential train travel this weekend.

“Germany’s transportation infrastructure is being severely affected by the record-breaking heat this weekend,” Deutsche Bahn said in a statement.

The Czech Republic also saw its hottest day on record, with 105.4 in the northern town of Doksany Forecasters said it may still rise.

In the western German city of Dormagen, dozens of residents of a nursing home were evacuated for medical care due to dangerous heat conditions in the building

The local fire department reported that temperatures inside the home had reached 95. Air conditioning is not

widespread in Germany and many countries in Europe because the continent is largely unused to such oppressive heat.

A resident at the home died overnight, but it was not yet clear whether the heat was the cause, a city spokesperson told German news agency dpa.

In France, multiple towns in the east of the country saw their highest-ever temperatures Saturday, with some above 104 even though the worst of the heat wave was starting to pass in some regions.

Paris and 36 other regions, stretching from the center to the east and northeast, remained in the extremeheat red zone on Saturday, down from a peak on Thursday of 72 regions that were under such warnings The capital continued to see unrelenting pressure on its hospitals, with a second consecutive day of nearly 3,000 people seeking care in public hospital emergency rooms, about a third more than normal.

The Paris public hospital authority, AP-HP, said it activated its emergency response plan across all 38

hospitals to cope. Phone calls to its medical dispatch centers were up nearly 80% compared with the same period in 2025, it said.

Concerns that hospitals could be overwhelmed prompted the postponement of the Paris Pride march for LGBTQ+ rights on Saturday and a three-day music festival was canceled.

The temperatures this week have been higher than those during a historic 2003 heat wave that was blamed for 15,000 heat-related deaths, many of them older people. The AP-HP’s director, Nicolas Revel, said he doesn’t expect as many deaths this time, at least in Paris hospitals, in part because treatment for overheating has since improved.

During another exceptionally hot summer last year, more than 5,700 deaths were attributed to heat, according to France’s public health authority “I think we’ll be situated, clearly, between 2025 and without necessarily reaching the catastrophic level of 2003. But we have to expect that there will still be many deaths,” he said. In the U.K., sweltering

conditions are expected to gradually ease this weekend though an amber warning — one step down from red remained in place until Saturday night.

Britons struggled to cope this week as the record June temperature was smashed three days in a row Friday was confirmed as the country’s hottest June day on record, with a provisional temperature of 99 recorded in eastern England.

It was more than 1 C hotter than the long-standing record for June heat in the U.K., set in the summer of 1976.

On Saturday, police said the bodies of a 22-year-old man and a 15-year-old boy were recovered from a lake

People line up to refill their water bottles on a hot Saturday in the city center of Vienna, Austria.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By HEINZ-PETER BADER

and a river The deaths bring the total number of U.K. heat-related fatalities this week to four Authorities in the U.K. have warned people to take extra care when swimming in unsupervised areas following the deaths of around 40 people in France over the past week.

In Italy’s capital, which remains under a red heat alert, tourists tried to cool off seeking shade near buildings and dunking their heads under public fountains. Street vendors were doing a brisk business selling bottled water, hats and sun umbrellas.

Some turned to Italian classics for relief.

“Gelato, pasta, because it’s tradition, but also fresh

fruit, and ice cold drinks, that’s the best for this temperature,” said Isabella Dold, a tourist from Kempten, Germany On Saturday Italy’s health ministry said 18 cities — including the most popular tourism hubs like Venice, Florence, Bologna and Milan were on red alert due to danger posed by the high temperatures.

A new study from the World Weather Attribution, a Europe-based collaboration of scientists, reported Friday that the recordbreaking heat and humidity in Europe this week would not have been possible without climate change. The rapid study found that the heat would have been virtually impossible just five decades ago, and is 200 times more likely today than it would have been 20 years ago.

André Corrêa do Lago, the president of the U.N. climate talks known as COP30, said the heat wave has “helped strengthen the perception of urgency of fighting climate change.”

“The fact that we are living with this amazing heat in London is a strong argument, we need to agree, that we have to take action as soon as possible,” do Lago told The Associated Press. Hui reported from London and Leicester from Paris. Associated Press journalists Trisha Thomas in Rome, Suman Naishadham in Madrid and Karel Janicek in Prague contributed to this report.

that youare continuously overextendingyourmonthly budget anddipping into savingsoryouremergency fund follow up with thequestion, ‘Why is this happening? Ricksand histeamofwealthadvisorsbelieve that financial health begins with living within your means. Avital part of that is beingsuretoeliminate theuse of revolvingconsumerdebt.

Planners,to-do lists, sticky notes, calendar reminders—for some,eventhe thoughtofthese organizational toolscan make stress levels rise.But when it comestofinancialwellness, asimplechecklist canbeahelpful waytomeasure progress andrevisit goals, as well as make timely adjustments. Amid-year check-in offersanopportunity to take stockofyour financial pictureand stay alignedwithlong-term plans beforesmall oversights becomelargerconcerns.

“Don’t panic, startsmall,” said GregoryRicks, founder, CEO, andwealthadvisor at GregoryRicks TotalWealth. “Small yetconsistentsavings and awarenesstruly matter.”

Step One–Determine &ReviewGoals

To devise abudget, long-termand short-term goals must first be clearlydefined. Whilebudgeting canoften getabad rap, it is thepartofthe processwheredreams anddesires areweighed anda plan to attain them is setinmotion.

At GregoryRicks TotalWealth, understandingthe lifestylegoals andobjectivesofclients is aguiding forceinthe financial planning process. In preliminary meetings, clients meet with awealthadvisor to discuss theins andoutsoftheir financial picture, as well as the vision of wheretheywanttobe. Planningfor achild’s education, saving forretirement, building an adequate emergencyfund, starting or sellinga business,going on afamilysummervacation, estate planning,buying ahome—financial objectives canreach farand wide

It is also of greatimportancetoplanfor the unexpectedsurprises life canbring.Thiscould look like majorhomerepairs,unexpectedmedical expenses jobloss, hurricanes,car accidents, etc. Having an emergencyfundpreparedcan help bridge thegap in thesescenarios

“Manyfolks want to travel in retirement,and we encourageour families to setgoals that they areexcited about,”saidRicks.“Butyou need to be able to plan for it,ensuringthatifyou areona fixed income,thatyour income willcontinuetosustain youasyou continue workingtowards your goals.

“For individualswho areonafixedincome, we also look at whethertheir assets andincomesources appear sufficienttosupport theiranticipated spendingneeds over time,” Rickscontinued.“We arelooking at 5, 10 and30years down theroadtosee howfar thefunds canstretch.”

Step Two–AssessYourFinances Reviewingbankand credit card statements,aswell as investment accounts,ona regularbasis is essential to maintainingfinancialhealth. Merelytakingalook canhelpmotivatepositivefinancialsteps,while not beingaware of what is coming in or goingout canhinder progress towardskey financial goals. If mistakes occur, they arelesslikelytoberectifiedina timely fashion.

“It’skindoflikegoing to themechanicfor a diagnostic check. They take alookateverythingand getbacktoyou with theitems that need to be tweaked or fixed,” said Ricks.

“A good question to askyourselfwhenlooking throughyourmonthly statements is ‘Whatare my monthlyexpenses?’,”Ricks continued. “Ifyou find

It’s also importanttobeintouch with your accountant abouttax estimation forretireesand quarterlytaxes whichare required forbusinessowners. If youworka job that issues aW-2,you cancheck on your W-4withholdingstoensureitreflects your current circumstances,soasnot to be withholdingtoo much or toolittleeachyear. Goingthrough insurancecosts andcoveragefor homeowners, car, flood,lifeand other insurancepolicieswillalsohelptopaint thefullpicture Step Three –AdjustasNeeded After goalshavebeenidentifiedand finances reviewed,the next step is making adjustments whereneeded. That couldmeanrevisinga household budget, cuttingbackinareas that no longer alignwith priorities,orallocatingmoremoney toward savings anddebtreduction

“You need to ensure youare puttingawaysome moneytowards retirement savings, everymonth,as much as possible,” said Ricks. “The earlieryou begin saving andinvesting, themoretimeyourmoney hasthe opportunitytogrowthrough compounding. AccordingtoRicks,evenifyou areworking to buildanemergency fund or payoff consumer debt consistent saving should be prioritized. Even small amountssaved mayhavea meaningful impact on long-termfinancial outcomes Step Four –BeAware of Deadlines Mid-year is also agreat time to payattention to deadlines. Required minimum distributions(RMD) inheritedretirementaccountrules,quarterly tax payments andother time-sensitive itemscan carry costly consequences if overlooked Families areencouragedtouse this pointinthe year to confirm what needstobewithdrawn,deposited or submittedbeforeyear-end. If youreceive an RMDby check, be sure to deposititbeforethe deadline Step Five –StayAccountable Thefinalstepisstaying accountable. Financialplans aremosteffective when they arerevisited regularly, especially when life changes. At GregoryRicks Total Wealth,thatmeans ongoingconversations with clients throughquarterly check-insand toolslikethe firm’s GPSportal, whichhelps keep importantinformation andnextsteps in view In-personand virtualmeetingsare also achance to askpractical questions: What majorlifechanges have occurred in thelastyear? What financial tasks arecurrently incomplete?Whatcould be coming next? “Havingawealthadvisor givesyou someonetotalk to aboutfinancialdecisions,” said Ricks. “Wecan help identify gaps in your financial frameworkand remind youofmatters as they arise. Objectivefeedbackcan preventcostlymistakes. Formoreinformation on GregoryRicks Total Wealth,visit:www.gregoryricks.com. This articleismeant to be generaland is not investment or financial advice or arecommendation of anykind.

Ukraine strikes industrial facility in Russia’s Volgograd

By The Associated Press

Ukraine struck a major industrial facility in the Russian city of Volgograd, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Saturday, while a Russian drone attack killed a man in Ukraine’s northeastern Sumy region overnight.

Ukraine has stepped up its long-range aerial attacks on Russian military industries and energy facilities, aiming to cut Moscow’s revenue for the war and make Russians feel the consequences of the invasion, now in its fifth year

The campaign, which Zelenskyy has said aims to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table, has choked Russian fuel supplies and military deliveries, stalling Moscow’s efforts on the battlefield and heaping pressure on Putin, Western officials and analysts say

Writing on X, Zelenskyy said that FP-5 Flamingo missiles hit the Titan-Barrikady facility in Volgograd in southwestern Russia, describing it as a “major industrial complex” where Russia “produces artillery systems and specialized military equipment, including components for missile launch systems.”

According to Ukraine’s General Staff, the facility manufactures equipment for missile systems, including self-propelled launchers and transport-loading vehicles for the Iskander-M missile system, which it said is “the same system Russia regularly uses to strike Ukrainian cities.” Volgograd Gov Andrei Bocharov confirmed an attack on a business in the region’s Krasnooktyabrsky district, saying 10 people had been wounded and taken to a hos-

Small plane crashes into high-rise in Beijing

Authorities say pilot was killed, 13 others hurt

By The Associated Press

The authorities of the Chaoyang district, a vibrant business area, said a twoseat light sport aircraft collided with a high-rise building near the East Third Ring Road at 5:55 p.m. on Friday and caused the casualties The short statement on WeChat did not identify the building or the pilot, who the authorities said was the only person on the craft.

The global flight-tracking service provider Flightradar24 on Friday said the plane crashed into the CITIC Tower, also known as China Zun, which rises more than 1,700 feet, just east of a major ring road in a cluster of skyscrapers.

The 108-story CITIC tower, shaped like an ancient Chinese wine vessel, is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers in Beijing and is the tallest building in the city.

Flightradar24 posted on social media the path of the plane, a Sunward SA 60L Aurora, which took off from an airport about 30 miles east of Beijing It headed westward and ended just east of the East Third Ring Road.

Associated Press photos showed on Saturday apparent marks of the crash on the glass facade on one side of the CITIC Tower A hole there had been covered up. It was not immediately known what caused the crash in a city with strict airspace controls, including a recent ban on drones. An investigation is underway into the situation, the authorities said.

It was also unclear whether the injured were in the building or were hit by debris, but the statement said they were receiving treatment.

The CITIC tower is just a roughly 20-minute drive from Zhongnanhai, a former imperial garden that now serves as headquarters of China’s top leadership, and a 15-minute drive from the Forbidden City, a popular tourist attraction.

Social media posts about the crash were scrubbed from China’s walled-off internet on Friday though footage has made its way outside of China’s firewall and is circulating on overseas sites such as X A report by financial news platform Caixin about the crash’s casualties soon became inaccessible on Saturday Chinese authorities consider such incidents to be a sensitive matter.

Images and videos shared on social media appeared to show debris from a small aircraft near the skyscraper While the images were consistent with the location, it was not possible to independently confirm their authenticity One image of the wreckage shows a partial registration number of “B-12.” The full registration number of the aircraft is B12PP

According to Flightradar24, the aircraft was operated by Shuangyue General Aviation, an apparent reference to Dongshi Shuangyue (Beijing) General Aviation, whose website was not accessible on Saturday The firm provides services ranging from private pilot training to aerial sightseeing tours, said an online platform citing official data SA 60L is a product of Starair Aircraft, based in China’s central Hunan province. According to Starair’s website, the single-engine aircraft accounts for more than 70% of China’s light sports aircraft market.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ANDRII MARIENKO

A Ukrainian serviceman of Khartia brigade controls an interceptor drone on Friday in a command center in Kharkiv region, Ukraine.

Hilferty wins Republican PSCprimary

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

State Rep. Stephanie Hilfertyof New Orleans has aclearpath to becoming the next Public Service Commissioner for District 1after soundly defeating former Jefferson Parish President John Young in the Republican primary on Saturday With 592 of 608 parishes reporting at 10 p.m. Saturday,Hilferty got 62% of the vote to Young’s 38%, according to unofficial results on theLouisiana secretary of state’swebsite.

Caopoised

to keep BESE seat

BY MEGHAN FRIEDMANN Staff writer

JosephCao, the interim member of theBoard of Elementary and Secondary Education, was poisedto keep his seat and narrowly defeat Ellie Schroder in the Republican primary runoff on Saturday. With 368 of 389 precincts reporting as of around 10:15 p.m., Caohad roughly 52% of the vote to Schroder’s48%.

Cao will face Angela Hershey,a Democrat, in theNovember general election. He is runningtorepresent District 1, which heavily favors Republicans.It includesSt. Tammany Parish and parts of Orleans, Jeffersonand Tangipahoa parishes Cao is aMetairiebased attorney who formerly served as aU.S. congressman representing an Orleans-based district. He was appointed to BESE by Gov. Jeff Landry after former BESE member PaulHollis stepped downtorun the U.S. Mint. Landry endorsed Cao in the runoff.

Whoever wins the general election will serve out the remainder of Hollis’ term, which ends in 2028 Schroder,Cao’sopponent in the runoff, is aretired public schoolteacher and administrator.She is married to former state Treasurer John Schroder Cao and Schroder faced Mike Hollis, Paul Hollis’sson, in athreeway primaryinMay.Neither got the50% of the vote neededtowin the race outright, though Caocame closewith 47%, according to results on the Louisiana secretaryofstate’s website. Schroder got 31% of thevote, while Mike Hollis got 22%. All three candidates preached conservative values, andthey voiced support for LA GATOR, a voucher program that gives taxpayer dollars to familiestopay for private school expenses.Landry has championed the program, though he has not won enough support from the Legislature to expand it. BESE, which has 11 members, sets the formula that determines how much state money public schools receive. That formula is currently in contention after Landry and the Legislature voted to cut $168million from the total school funding amount, so thatthatmoney could pay for teacher stipends. Their plan is currently being held up by acourt order,and school districts have complained about having to cutother areas.

Hilferty, 40, willface Democrat Connie Norris and no-party candidate Chris Justin in the November general election, but she has the odds in her favor in the Republicanleaning district.

The PSC is apowerful board that regulates public utilities in Louisiana, dealingwithmajor issues like plans to build datacenters in thestate andEntergy’spurchase of a$1.8 billion power plant in Texas.

Hilferty, whohas worked in commercial real estate for nearly

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had.” She said laterthatshe had received congratulations calls from Trumpand Fleming Fleming gave aconcession speech surrounded by family shortly after9 p.m.toacrowd of supporters chanting his name after theprimary race was called for Letlow “I’mgoing to be just as happy tomorrow as if Ihad won the election because myhappinessdoes notdependongetting elected to office,” Fleming said. “Myhappiness depends on serving you, the people of Louisiana and thepeople of theUnitedStates.”

Saturday’selections concluded anew closed primary systemput in place by Landry and the state Legislature in 2024 that calls this year for aprimary, arunoff and a general election—unlike theopen primary system still in place for statewide and legislative races, wherethe toptwo finishers advance to awinner-take-all runoff if no one wins at least 50%.

The new closedprimarysystem allowedno-party voters to vote in either the Republican or Democratic primaries. Theoverall election turnoutof registered voters was expected to be about 15%,downfrom 28% on May16.

Fleming andLetlowspent far more time toutingtheir pro-Trump and MAGA credentials than outlining their stanceonthe issues.

Letlow,ofcourse, had astrong card to play there because she had Trump’sendorsement.

Trump recorded at leasttwo videospraisingher that were the first things displayedonher campaign web page.

Trump also held atele-rally on Thursday where people who called atoll-freenumber heard thepresident say, “She’s been akey vote in stopping the invasion of our southernborder.”

But Fleming had his own card to play: aphotoofhim and Trump together,thumbs-up, that he splashed onto TV ads, mailers and on abillboard on I-110 in Baton Rouge. Fleming workedfor Trump’sfirst administration,including the final 10 months as the president’s deputychief of staff. Letlow,45, is serving her third

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keeping the promises we made for the past 40 years.”

Parksand recreation taxrenewal

BREC’stax will collect about

20 years,becameamemberofthe state House in 2016. She is in her thirdconsecutive term, meaning shewillnot be allowed to run for another under term-limit rules

The state representative haslongshownaninterest in public utilities. She hassaidshe would fight for ordinary ratepayers, rather than shareholders of utility companies.

Hilferty called affordability andreliability of thepower grid her top issues,and shesaid ratepayers should not have to bear the

costsofnew power generation used by data centers.

“People wantaccountability andtransparencyabout where theirmoney goes, andthey’re not getting it from the good ol’ boy systemthat’srun the PSC for too long,” Hilferty previously told TheAdvocate| The Times-Picayune. Young, 68, heropponent, lives in Metairie andwas Jefferson Parish president from 2010 until 2016. He is an attorney witha civil litigation practice.

Like Hilferty,hesaidhewould prioritize protecting ratepayers

per, aretiredmechanical engineer said after voting on Saturday at HynesCharterSchool in NewOrleans. “Butshe hasaperspective on lifethat is different from the rest of us andwill benefither after recovering from losing her husband.”

andkeeping utilitycosts down. He said he ran because Louisiana’s economy is at aturning point, and the PSC will play acritical role as businessesseektoinvestbillions in the state ThePSC’s District 1covers the parishes of Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa and Washington. It also includes portions of Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans and St. Charlesparishes.

The district seat has avacancy because current Commissioner Eric Skrmetta is leaving due to term limits.

James Carville, the famedDemocratic political pundit, noted. If enough Republican voters in Louisiana were unhappy with the state’sdirection, they would vote forFleming as adisruptor of the status quo, Carville said.

term in the House representing the5th Congressional District, which stretchesfromMonroe to Baton Rouge, where she now lives, and includes the Florida parishes Letlow risesinthe ranks

With aPh.D. from theUniversity of SouthFlorida,Letlow hadbeena senior administrator at the UniversityofLouisianaatMonroe —and expected to remaininacademia —until tragedy propelledher into politics

Herhusband, Luke, won an open seatfor the 5th Congressional District in December 2020, contracted COVIDand died five days before he was to takeoffice.

Letlow ran for the seat, saying shewanted “to pickupthe torch that my husband leftbehind.”

She won thespecial election and then won reelection in 2022 and 2024. She gave up certainvictory again this year to runfor the Senate seat.

“It was nip-and-tuck,”Jim Kep-

$24.8 million annually beginning in 2027.This property tax was first approved in 1987. This propertytax funds the park agency’s operationsand maintenance, which can range from staffing lifeguards to installing park security measures.

Mostpolitical observers thought Letlow would coasttovictoryinthe runoff aftercapturing 44.8% in the Republican Party primary on May 16,comparedto28.3% forFleming and 24.8%for Cassidy.She not only held a17-point advantage over the treasurer,but she had the support of Trump andLandry In the aftermath of the election, Fleming andhis chiefpolitical strategist, Roy Fletcher,seemed unsurewhether Flemingought to remaininthe race.

They then hadtheir pollster, John Couvillon, surveythe race.

“Wehoped we were within 10 points,” Fleming told apreelection gathering Thursday night in Metairie. “Itwas dead even.”

Still, mostpolitical players poohpoohedthe finding. Couvillon, after all, workedfor Fleming.

Twodays after theprimary,Letlow revealed her strategy for the runoff whenshe held apress availabilitywith U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, the Republican majority leader: He endorsed her, andshe would roll outendorsements from amajority of state House and Senate legislators, as well as othersitting U.S. senators. Letlow wasrunning as the safe pick of the Republican political establishment.

Abarrage of adsattackFleming

Thatstrategy carried risks, as

One of the most recentconversations surrounding Baton Rouge parks hasn’tbeen thetax renewal, but rather the future of theCityBrooks Community Park,and morespecifically,the future of its golf course. In June, hundreds of parish residents packed into atense community meeting to address the future of the park, causing BREC to schedule anothercommunity meeting for public commenton thepark in July

CouncilonAging taxrenewal

Aweek out from election day,independent surveys from New Orleans-based pollster Greg Rigamer clearly showed that Fleming hadclosedthe gapwith Letlow. He seemed to have momentum and more committed followers forhis campaign, especially because of his implacable opposition to carbon capture andsequestration, anew technology to take carbondioxide fromindustrialplants and send it via pipelines to other areas of the state whereitwould be injected deep underground. Fleming also benefited from Cassidy’sincessant attacks on Letlow during the primary that drove up herunfavorable rating with voters. In the final week,withFleming heavily outspent, Letlow flooded the airwaves withpositive ads, while The Accountability Project, asuper PACbackedbyLandry, assaulted him with negative TV ads, radio spots, texts and mailers aimedatpulling voters offofthe treasurer “It’slike whathappens for riders in the last two blocks of a Mardi Grasparade,” Rigamer said. “You throw everything you still have from the float.” Davispromisescompetitive race Davis, 55, hails from tiny Tensas Parish. After dropping out of LSU —hesaid in one interview that he majored in “partyology” —hereturnedtothe family farm andbegan to expand its operation. Today he oversees a3,200-acre operation thatgrows cotton, soybeans and corn in four northeast Louisiana parishes.

Davis served one term on the TensasPoliceJury but lost his reelection campaign. He also lost a 2023 race to the state House. Davis hasbeen endorsed by the Louisiana Democratic Party,New OrleansMayor Helena Moreno and various chapters of the grassroots group Indivisible.

“He has agood business with his farm, andheseems honest,” said Clair Tanguis, asoftware quality analyst, just after voting at aMidCity New Orleans firehouse. Staff writer Haley Miller contributed to this story.

Amajority of voters approved this property tax for 2.25 mills in 2016. For the past twoyears, the millage has collected 2mills after it wasrolled backfollowing atax assessment year showing rising property values.

Thetax revenuefundsCouncil on Aging services such as meals and transportation forseniors.

For the East Baton Rouge Council on Aging, its tax will collect around $12.5 million annually for 10 years, beginning in 2027.

To continue to levy the 10year, 3.96-mill property tax generating an estimated $24,800,000 ayear, for BREC’s public parks, recreational properties and facilities, and for the agency’soperating budget. YES ....................................... 63% NO 37%

ZACHARYCOMMUNITY SCHOOL SYSTEM PROPERTY TAX To levya20-year, 24-mill property tax, estimated to generate $8.4millionayear, to provide additional support to the system’s public elementary and secondary schools and for anylawful school purposes, including salaries and benefits of school system personnel. In no event shall the tax, together with any other property tax levied for debt service, exceed 24 mills in anytax collection year YES. 62% NO 38% CITY OF BAKER PROPERTY

Hilferty

STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

U.S. Rep. Julia Letlowaddresses the crowd at awatchparty in Baton RougeonSaturday after winning the Republican primaryrunoff forU.S Senate.

STAFF PHOTO By JAVIER GALLEGOS State Treasurer John Fleming gives his concession speechathis election party at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Baton RougeonSaturday

Burnhamtakes over as U.K. primeminister

Economic challenges face newleader

BY BRIAN MELLEY and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press

LONDON Britain looks set to get a change of tone at the top, replacing stolid, unpopular Prime Minister Keir Starmer with popular,affable Andy Burnham.

But the charismatic Burnham mayhavedifficulty— at least initially —distancing himself from policies set in motion by his predecessor Burnham, the former mayor of Greater Manchesterwho was sworn into Parliament hoursafter Starmer announced his resignation on Monday,will be constrained by the platform the center-left Labour Party was elected on thatdecisively ended 14 years of Conservative rule in 2024.

It’snot entirely clear howhe’ll navigate those limits andbring his unique brand of politics to therevolving-door post that would make him the seventh prime minister in adecade. He’lllay out his economic vision in aspeech this week

“At the moment, Andy Burnham is being almost hailed and held up as afolkherothatwillsave British politics,” said Matthew Flinders, politics professor at the University of Sheffield. “Thetide is changing and the big issue for Andy Burnham is that whenthe world suddenly moves against him andhebecomes afolkdevil,willhe sustain the pressure?”

Boosting asluggisheconomy

Burnhamiscurrently theonly contestant for the job of leading the Labour Party and the country, and will likely take over July 17 if no one else enters the race. His return to the House of Commonsfollows adecade leading the region around the U.K.’sthird-largest city,birthplace of the Industrial Revolution, which has enjoyed an

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is allocated. Currently,25% of that revenuegoes to an early childhood education fund, while 25% goes to an account that supports college athletics known as theSPORT fund.

According to state law,the moneyinthe SPORTfundisdistributed evenly among Louisiana’s public colleges that play Division Ifootball. Schools may spend it on scholarships, insurance andmedicalcoverage for student athletes, and to enhance facilities andsettle lawsuits.

The early childhood education fund is capped at $20 million,but theSPORTfund has no cap. SB135 would have moved the cap to the SPORTfund, allowing the early childhood educationfund to continue collecting revenue over$20 million.

The change would have generated an extra $3.4 million annually forthe latter fund, according to a fiscal note attached to the legislation.

That fund is used to create more seats in Louisiana’sChild Care Assistance Program, which helps families pay to putkids in early childhood education programs.

The initiative has received

economicrevival during his tenure

Hismainchallenge will be to overcome Starmer’sinability to deliverpromised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease thecost of living.

Burnhamhighlightedthose issues— alongwithhousingand creatingopportunitiesfor young people— in apost on social media after Starmer said he was quitting.

“The country expectsstability, seriousness and acontinued focus on theissues that matter most and that is what it willget,” he said on X.

Burnham,who is widely regarded as sitting to the left of Starmer in the party,has said he’ll revive asluggisheconomy without going beyond the current government’s spending and borrowing plans. That pledge hashelped reassure markets traumatized in 2022 after Prime MinisterLiz Truss announcedunfundedtax cuts and thenwithdrew them, leading to her 49-day record as Britain’s shortestserving leader

“If you are aLabourprime minister from the soft left of the party, themarkets don’tneed that much

praise not only from education advocates but also from thebusiness lobby; supporters say early childcare helpsensure parents can get to work andimproves educational outcomes for kids.

But some lawmakers note that college footballisaneconomic boon to the state.

State Rep.DixonMcMakin,RBatonRouge,who is also thePA announcer at TigerStadium, said strong athletics programs help generate visitors to the state who, in turn, spend money at local businesses.

“There’sno denying theeconomic impact that athletics has on all universities across thestate when teamsare performing well,”McMakin said,calling college sports programs“economic engines.”

Supporters of athletics

Mizell’sproposal easily passed theSenate, butitdied in the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee when none of that panel’smembers would make amotion on the bill. No one spoke publicly in opposition to SB135duringthat meeting, nor didany lawmakers explain whytheydid notwantto move it forward

Like many other Louisianans, Mizell saidshe lovesfootball—but she also wants single moms in the poorerparts of her district to have access to childcare so that they can

invitation to panic,” saidMark Goodwin, apolitics lecturerat Coventry University.“Theywill start from aposition of skepticism. So he’dhave to be very,very careful.”

He saidBurnham will face a challenge “to convince people that this is something different, without the markets reading that as ‘This is too different.’”

Burnhamfaces bigquestions

Burnhampromotes what has been called “Manchesterism,” abusiness-friendly socialist approach thatinvolves harnessing private investment for majorprojects anddecentralizinggovernment to give communitiesmore control of housing, utilities, transportation and education.

In apossible previewofhow he would move powerfromthe capital, he is reportedly planning to move some of the prime minister’s operation closer to home, about 200 miles north of 10 Downing St., theLondon office andhomeofthe U.K.’sleader He has said he would not raise taxes on workers —sticking to a Starmer pledge —and suggested

go to work.

“(The colleges) would still be getting$20 million,”Mizellsaid. “I thought we were readytoacknowledge thatOK, maybe we’ve given football enough money.”

Mizell noted thatformerhead LSU football coach Brian Kelly received a$54 million buyout after LSU ousted him.The school then made Kelly’sreplacement, Lane Kiffin, oneofcollege football’sthreehighestpaid coaches, with an annual salary of $13 million.

Supporters of the athletics programs say most of the money for sports is generated by theprograms themselves or comes from donors.A single donorreportedly paid for most of Kelly’sbuyout

Tensions rise

policies that include easing the tax burden on businesses, and possibly reversing an increase in atax employers pay to fund pensions, public health care and welfare.

The big question is how he will fund programs, if he’ll scrap existing priorities, and how he’ll meet demands for higherdefense spending, said Jill Rutter, senior fellow at the Institute forGovernmentthink tank.

Starmer’sgovernment pledged to meet aNATOtarget of spending 3.5% of GDP on the military by 2035. But JohnHealey stepped down as defense secretary this month after complaining that Starmer was not moving fast enough to meet the target.

Comfortablewithissues

Burnham’slack of experience on the world stage could present a challenge improving the so-called special relationship with the U.S. after President Donald Trump turned on Starmer Trumpdescribed Burnhamthis week as a“town” mayor and said he heard he was“extremelyliberal” and probably wouldn’texpand North Sea oil drilling —one of his frequent gripes about Starmer Starmer madea priority of forging cordial ties with Trump despite their political differences, and wasrewarded with aU.S.-U.K. tradedeal. Butitcameatthe cost of angering some in Labour’sliberal voterbase, andthe president soured on Starmer after the British leader criticized his designs on Greenland and declined to enter theIran war.

Burnham hasnot always said nicethings about Trump. After Trump’sfollowers stormedthe U.S.Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, Burnham postedonX that “any politician who gave Trump the time of dayshouldbeashamedright now.”

Starmer wonpraise from many for his international role, especially in bolstering European support for Ukraine. But he was criticized by some for being distracted by

HB608 easily passedthe House with only four no votes, but it picked up opposition from acoalition of senators from across the political spectrumwho said it was ablow to government transparency

Aweekafter SB135died, another sports-relatedbill stirred debateinthe Senate.

House Bill 608 by state Rep. Tehmi Chassion,D-Lafayette, which was billed as away to protect student-athletes, exempts records that detail how colleges allocate so-called “revenue sharing” funds to individual sports and athletes. That is money paid directly from the budgetsofathletic departments

In addition to Mizell, state Sen. Greg Miller R-Norco, andstate Sen. Thomas Pressly,R-Shreveport, spoke against the bill when it was debated in the Senate on May 26.

“We’ve got ‘studentathletes’thatare getting paid $1 million,$2million, $3 million, $4 million ayear.Wehavelost sight of our priorities. We have jumped the shark on this,” said Miller. “Who arewe really trying to protect? What we’re doing here has just gone too far.

HB608 passed the Senate 22-13.

Revenue sharing is just one sourceofmoney for student athletes.They often obtain lucrative name, imageand likeness, or NIL, deals, which generally involve advertising campaigns.

ChassionsaidHB608, nowAct 818, was necessarytoprotect athletes from being targeted fortheir money.Healso said it would make Louisianasports teamsmore competitive, preventing other schools

foreign affairs, Rutter said. She doesn’texpect the same from Burnham and he could farm out someofthose duties by choosing an experienced hand as foreign secretary,the U.K.’s top diplomat.

“I don’tthink Andy Burnham will want to be ‘never-here Andy’ in successionto‘never-here Keir,’” Rutter said in reference to Starmer’sglobetrotting moniker Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said on Wednesdaythat she spoke with Burnham about policy issues and said “he’s100% behind our unwavering support forUkraine” and ”is afundamental believer in NATO and in our shared deterrence and in the multilateral partnerships that we have.”

Playingitsafe

An early priority for Burnham will be something Starmer struggled with: crafting aclear and convincing narrative that people understand about the direction he wants to take the country,Flinders said. That plays to Burnham’s communications skills and the popularity he has achieved by presenting himself as an amiable northern everymanwho favors T-shirts over suits andties, plays soccer forkicks and is known for spinning 1990s tunes during DJ battles.

So far, he has played it safeand tried nottoraise public expectations too high. But if he can prove himself to be acompetentleader andwin public support to survive theremaining threeyears before ageneral election must be held, he can lay out abolder vision for another terminhis own manifesto. Burnham has spoken of reshaping the political system, such as replacing the House of Lords with an elected senate and introducing proportional representation in voting. He also said he’d like to seethe U.K. rejoin the European Union in his lifetime, though he backed away from that during hiscampaign in aconstituency that voted 2-to-1 in favor of Brexit.

from learning aspecificstudent athlete’s salary andusing it to poach that athlete.

“This is aprotectionfor student athletes. Folks tend to think of these as rich college kids, when these are regular kids that happen to be able to playa sport so well,” Chassion said. “It’snot anyone’s business what an individual athlete is making.”

Scott Sternberg, aFirst Amendment expert and attorney who is representing agroup of journalists suing LSU for revenue-sharing records, said the exemption marks the firsttimethe stateisallowing theexpenditure of public dollarsto remain confidential.

Chassion argued that the revenue-sharing money should not be considered“taxpayer”dollars because it comes from funds that are “self-generated” by athletic departments.

Sternberg disputed that notion, saying taxpayer dollars make it possible forinstitutions like LSU football to generate revenue.

“If atollbooth collects atoll, that’spublic money,” Sternberg said. “If LSU sells an advertisement or aticket to thegame, how is that not public money?”

Sternberg also represents The Advocate |The Times-Picayune in somelegal matters. The newspaperisnot aparty to thelawsuit filed against LSU.

Kelly Kiffin

PHOTO PROVIDED By HOUSE OF COMMONS

Andy Burnham,front left, is sworn in as an MP in the House of Commons in London, England, on Monday.

Data: Millions drop Obamacare health coverage

Decrease comes after subsidies expire, costs rise

BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press

NEW YORK About 3 million fewer people in the United States had Affordable Care Act health insurance plans in February compared with the same time last year, according to new federal data.

In the report released Friday, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services suggested the 13% drop in enrollment from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million this year could be attributed to a federal crackdown on fraudulent or “phantom” enrollment. But health analysts said it was more likely related to the Jan. 1 expiration of federal subsidies, which caused a surge in plan costs that resulted in many people being unable to pay their premiums.

President to tap ex-Oklahoma state trooper as ICE chief

BY ALI SWENSON Associated Press

NEW YORK President Donald Trump on Saturday said he is nominating Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, as the next director of Immigration and Customs and Enforcement.

Trump said on his Truth Social platform that his new pick for the immigration enforcement agency is a former U.S. Marine and a “PATRIOT with real operational experience.” He called Schroyer a “proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst.”

The nomination comes after former ICE director Todd Lyons resigned at the end of May David Venturella, a former executive at a private prison operator has been serving as the acting head of the agency If confirmed, Schroyer will lead ICE at a time when the public mood has soured on Trump’s immigration crackdown, which sent surges of federal immigra-

tion officers into American cities to round up immigrants Those raids sent tensions soaring and prompted clashes between protesters and law enforcement, leading to the fatal shootings of two U.S citizens in Minneapolis earlier this year

Trump returned to the White House on a promise of mass deportations, and ICE has been a central executor of that vision. The agency is undergoing massive growth from a one-time injection of $75 billion last year, which has allowed for the hiring of 12,000 officers and increased detention capacity Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, also from Oklahoma and a former congressman for the state, is still settling into his role atop the Cabinet agency overseeing ICE. Mullin has promised to keep his department out of the headlines and has indicated a softer tone on immigration, although he is expected to align with the president’s priorities on mass deportations.

“We know that real people lost their health insurance coverage,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president and director of the ACA program at the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, citing survey findings on people who had left their plans. “This coverage loss happened at the same time millions of people faced double or even triple digit increases in their premium payments.”

The new data, compiled in April but showing coverage in February, represents

the government’s first official look at how people’s inability to pay their first bills this year affected total enrollment. That is because the figures capture the marketplace after a nonpayment grace period expired.

A federal estimate in January showed that about 800,000 fewer people had signed up for ACA plans compared with the same time last year, marking the first time in the past four years that enrollment had been down from the previ-

ous year at that point in the shopping window Cox said KFF expects the total number of people in the government healthcare program to continue to decline throughout the year, potentially to a low of about 17.5 million. That would be a significant drop for the government’s flagship subsidized health insurance program for working-age people who do not qualify for Medicaid. In recent years, ACA plans have become a popular choice for gig workers,

farmers, ranchers, hairstylists and others without health coverage through an employer

The ACA subsidies that expired this year were at the center of a bitter fight in Congress last fall, with Democrats and some Republicans calling for their renewal. Sharp increases in health costs across ACA and other health insurance programs come as voters in the approaching November elections say affordability is among their top concerns.

Reflecting Pool gains police scrutiny

BY STEVEN SLOAN Associated Press

WASHINGTON The Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool is many things.

Murky Peaceful. Stinky

The backdrop for protests, vigils, celebrations and stunning sunrise photos. Beset by gnats and algae. Scenery for a run. A key part of the capital’s carefully designed monumental core. The location of an iconic scene in “Forrest Gump.”

One thing it’s generally not: a strictly enforced police zone.

Entering the pool has always been illegal, but, in general, the most someone wading into the water might expect is a direction from a police officer to get out.

But that has changed since President Donald Trump insisted last weekend, without providing evidence, that vandals were responsible for damage to the pool’s liner, undermining his renovation efforts after he blamed previous presidents for ignoring deterioration. Court documents filed this week show that the National Park Service reported to the U.S. Park Police a June 9 incident in which a sharp knife or razor cut the pool’s

new liner National Guard members and Park Police have patrolled the deck around the pool The Associated Press

verified that one man was arrested after touching the already-peeling paint. He said he wanted to examine the new coating, briefly touch-

ing a still-attached chunk, then letting go shortly after a park worker told him to. At one point this week, crews were seen adding fencing near the area, which the administration attributed to preparations for July Fourth celebrations.

The scrutiny belies the fact that the Reflecting Pool has always been enticing to visitors.

During the Poor People’s Campaign in 1968, the pool offered relief from the summer heat. And during the bitter cold of winter, it has become an unlikely urban skating rink. Now, it is home to mobile surveillance towers and increased law enforcement foot patrols, while the hum of nanobubblers punctuates the June air

HowEntergy uses technology, stronger infrastructureand year-roundstorm strategies to

Therecenteffects of Tropical StormArthurhavebeenastark reminder thatany weathersystemcan causedamage. Arthur wasa weak tropical storm, butcausedsignificant flooding in severalLouisiana communitiesand tornadodamageinparts of NewOrleans andAvondale.

“Evenwithouthurricane-force winds, thecombinedimpacts of heavyrainand flooding canbesignificant,requiring careful monitoring andaswift,coordinated response,” said Nyka Scott, EntergyLouisiana vice presidentofCustomerService,noting that floodwaterscan limitaccesstocrews navigating thearea.

Yet, as Entergycrews worked to ensure equipmentwas workingproperlyand restoringpower as needed,the company was also usingArthurasalessononhow to continue itsyear-round preparationfor stronger storms

“Evensmaller or early-seasonsystems allow teamstotest forecastingtools,validateplanningassumptions andassesshow well logistics, staffing andcommunicationsprocesses perform underrealconditions,”Scott noted. “Byanalyzing howthe grid respondsand howcrews mobilize,wecan refine response strategies,enhance coordination andensureresources arein theright placeatthe righttimefor more significant storms.”

Building AStrongerGrid

In 2021,Hurricane Idacausedlengthy poweroutages for hundreds of customersonGrand Isle.Entergy soon began significant grid-hardening effortsonthe island.The resultswere evidentwhenHurricane Francine struck in 2024 –Grand Isle didnot lose asinglelight as aresultofthe storm. Thecompany’s new, hardened equipmentalsowithstood windsand flooding from Tropical StormArthur.

Now, Entergyisinthe midstofa broader, five-yeargrid resilience plan thatisexpectedtoresultinabout $1.2billion in avoidedrestoration costs andfasterpost-stormrecovery. Its investmentswillinclude upgrades to approximately3,240 miles of powerlines andnearly62,000structuresacrossLouisiana

Additional Entergyprojectsinrecent yearshaveincluded elevatingor flood-proofing critical equipment, replacingolder infrastructure with more resilientmaterials andexpanding vegetation management to reduce tree-related outages.

Thehopeisthatthese improvements will help keep thepower on formoreEntergy customerseveninharsh weatherconditions, andthatrestoration timeswillbeshorter if thereare outages.

“Our goal is to deliverthe same type of resilience thatwe sawinGrand Isle afterHurricane Francine to allcustomers across Louisiana,”Scott said.“Theupgradesare data-driven, includingstrongerpoles that aredesignedtowithstand up to 140miles perhourwinds or higher,smarter stormmodeling andtargetedimprovementsinhigh-risk areas. Thisworkwill save customersmillionsofdollars in avoidedstorm costs and meansfewer andshorter outageswheninterruptions do occur. Technology Changing RestorationWork Entergyisembracing newtools,enhancedcapabilitiesand refineddatatohelpitserve customersbefore, during andafter a storm. Anytimea significant weathersystemdevelops, Entergy monitors thesituation 24/7, usingthe latest predictive modeling software andforecasting toolstoanticipatepotential impacts andpositionresources aheadoftime.

During theheart of asevereweather event, advanced sensors, smartmetersand automated switchingdevices help Entergy

teamsgatherreal-time informationabout whereoutages are happeningand what caused them

“Thismeans we canoften pinpoint problems instantly withoutwaiting for fieldinspections,” Scottsaid. “Thishelps crewsprioritizethe most urgent issues anddispatchthe right resourcesmorequickly.”

Once astorm haspassed, high-resolutiondronesand mobile assessmenttools help Entergyteams evaluate damage,especiallyin hard-to-reachareas,and developrestoration plansmorequickly “Combinedwithdataanalytics andimprovedcommunication platforms, we cancoordinatecrews more effectivelyand restore powermorequickly andaccuratelythaneverbefore,”Scott said. “These improvements reflecta continuous commitment to learningfromeachevent andadaptingtothe increasingly complexchallengesofsevereweather.”

Mutual Assistance NetworkProvidesAdded Support Entergy’sstandingasaFortune 500energycompany has positioned it to preparefor andrespond to majorweather events across theGulfSouth.The companyhas theability to coordinate complex, multi-statelogistics operations,including staging sites, supply chains,lodging,fuel, equipmentand restoration resources. It canalsodeploythousands of workers, equipment andmobilebasecamps within 24 hoursofastorm

That meansEntergy is readytorespond if astorm directly impactsits customers, or if Entergyteams areneededtohelp those served by otherutilities in Louisianaand beyond.Entergy’s work hasmadeitanindustryleader, earning51EEI Emergency Response Awards,including crew supportfollowing hurricanes Helene andMilton, andthe Recovery Assistance Awardfor powerrestoration work during andafter Hurricane Francine “Weparticipate in four majormutual assistance organizations, allowing thousandsofutility workersfromacrossthe countryto mobilize quicklywhenadditionalsupportisneeded,”Scott said “Large-scale stormresponserequiresmorethanlineworkers; it also dependsonlogistics,planning, supply management communications andcoordination, all of whichare builtinto ouryear-roundstorm response framework.

HelpingCustomers Prepare Safety is oneofEntergy’s core values,and part of itsmission is to help Louisianafamiliesprepare theirpropertiesbeforesevere weatherstrikes.Asthe heartofhurricane seasonnears,there areseveral stepspeoplecan take nowthatmakeabig difference if theweather turnssevere:

•Makeaplanfor your family before astorm hits.Discuss what youwill do during an evacuation or shelter-in-place order. •Assembleanemergency kitwithbasic firstaid supplies.Check expiration datesregularly andreplace anyexpired items. •Secureoutdoor items, cleangutters,trimtrees near your home andprotect your windows. Thesepreparationscan prevent damage to your home or your neighbors

•Practicegenerator safety ensuring thatportablegenerators arenot near doorsorwindows

•Stayawayfromdownedpower linesand report them to 1-8009OUTAGE(1-800-968-8243).

EntergyLouisiana

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By CAROLyN KASTER Signs are posted Friday on a chain-link fence around the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington.

By Amanda McElfresh | amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

This articleisbrought to youbyEntergy

Some states push to lowerdrugprices

Proposalsemerge

Pharmacy benefit managers, particularly CVSand twoother large companies, handle mostU.S. prescriptions.

BY JOHN HANNA Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. As consumers worry about medication costs, states are trying to lower drug prices by reining in big companiesthat oversee prescription coverage for health insurers.

Some of those companies, called pharmacy benefitmanagers, also own pharmacies, and oneofthem, CVS, has spent millions of dollars fighting theregulations.

Affordability is akey issue ahead of this year’s midterm elections. Legislators in at least adozen states passed laws this year to limit compensation to thecompanies, set minimum payments from the companies to pharmacists and require thecompanies to disclose more information to their clients states and the public.

ATennessee law will barpharmacy benefitmanagers from operatingretail pharmacies as of July 1, 2028, though CVS Health Corp. has filed afederal lawsuit to avoid having to close its 136 pharmacies there. About 6in10U.S. adultssaid in apoll conducted earlier this year by healthcare research nonprofit KFF that they were at least somewhat worriedabout being able to afford their prescriptions. About 4in10said costs had led them not to take medications as prescribed within thepreviousyear, either by taking less than the prescribed dose,using over-the-counter substitutesornot filling prescriptions.

Lawmakers in at least 26 states introduced morethan 120 bills this yearonPBMs,according to an Associated Press search using the bill-tracking software Plural, with about aquarter of the bills clearingatleast onechamber

Thecompanies manage pharmacy claims for health insurersand negotiatewith manufacturers over drug prices and what medications willbecovered.Critics concede thatthe size of the topcompanies gives them leverage thathealth plans wouldn’thave on their own.

Thebenefitmanagersargue that they’rethe only player in the drug supplychaincreated to help push drug costsdown and they claim credit for an increased usedof less-expensivegeneric drugs, now 90% of U.S.prescriptions.

“If PBMs already didn’texist, you’d need to invent one,”said Prem Shah, president of theCVS Health group overseeing its pharmacy and PBM operations, in a recent interview.“BlamingPBMs for high drug prices is like blamingumbrellas for therain.”

CVS fights restrictions

Drugcompanies, PBMsand theirallieshave spent at least $24 milliononopposingbroadcast and digitaladvertising sincethe start of 2025 to influence public opinion, according tothe ad-tracking firm AdImpact. CVS spent $4 million this year on ads opposing Tennessee’snew law

CVSsuedArkansaslastyearafter it enacted similarlegislation, and afederal judge blocked its law

CVSalsosettled three lawsuits in which Louisianaaccused it of unfair tradeand deceptive practices

in lobbying againstlegislation there lastyear, agreeing to pay $45 million without acknowledging wrongdoing.

The CVS lawsuit in Tennessee allegesthatthe company, which operates 9,000 pharmacies nationwide,isfacing “nakedprotectionism”from lawmakers who operate independent pharmacies —including the law’smain sponsor,state Sen. Bobby Harshbarger and cosponsor Sen. Shane Reeves.

Independentpharmacies

In Knoxville, Seth White, who manages aCVS pharmacy,will have to find anewjob if theTennessee law stands, and he’salso worried about hundreds of its customershaving to go elsewhere for their medications.

Some900 miles away in Cold-

water,Kansas, Lisa Gales is on theopposite side of the debate She andher husband operate the Main Street Pharmacy,and she said theyrelyheavily on salesof non-pharmacy items to offset low reimbursements from pharmacy benefitmanagers. Gales calculates she lost money on 86% of theprescriptions she filled last year.Anew Kansas law will requirePBMstopay a$10.50 dispensing fee per prescription Gales called it a“great win,” even though,“It’sstill wayunderwhat it’s costing us.”

Anew Louisianalaw imposes an $11.81 dispensing fee. Another saysPBMs must operate for the benefitoftheir health-insurer clients andpeople enrolled in health plans.

Critics deride each mandatory

dispensing feeasanextra “pill tax” that will drive up consumers’ costs. Backers dispute that, saying the lawsalso limit what PBMs charge health plans forthe cost of medications themselves —sothat it’soften well below wholesale prices.

Pharmacy benefit managers push drugmakers to give big discountsonthose wholesaleprices but face criticism forkeeping any portion of them.Somestates now require PBMs to pass along all discounts.

Patients watchthe debate

It allworriesconsumers, particularly in small towns, who fear it could becomeharder to get their medications if PBMs squeezeindependent pharmacies on reimbursements to the point of endangering their businesses.

In southeastern Kansas, Faith Sanders,a79-year-old retired nursing home administrator, said thepharmacy in herhometown of CedarValeisimportant because without it people would have to drive 35 miles “to go out of town to get anything.”

For her many elderly neighbors, she said, “Weget to the point where it’shard forustoget out of town.”

Meanwhile, even somePBM critics question whether states can effectively regulate them. In Tennessee, state Rep. Robert Stevens, aNashville-area Republican, told colleagues during adebate that cracking down on PBMs “needs to be done by Congress and not by us.”

Congress did pass newPBM regulations in February.One lawwill preventPBMsfrom keeping any rebates they’venegotiated on drug prices for health plans that supplement federal Medicare coverage forAmericans over 64.

Militant rams explosive-ladenvehicle into paramilitary headquartersinPakistan

By The Associated Press

KARACHI, Pakistan Amilitant rammed an explosivesladen vehicle into the provincial headquarters of theparamilitary Pakistan

RangersinKarachi on Saturday,triggering an intenseexchange of gunfire with security forces, police and witnesses said. Ambulances rushed to thesceneassecurity forc-

es responded to the assault in the capitalofsouthern Sindh province. Alittle-known militant group, Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, claimed responsibility. Localmedia reported

that three troops and at least threemilitants were killedinthe attack andthe ensuing shootout. Pakistan haswitnesseda surge in militant attacks targeting police and securityforces

in recent years. Authorities have blamed thePakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP,and alliedmilitant groups formostofthe violence.

The TTP is aseparate militant group fromthe Afghan Taliban, although the two areallies. The Afghan Taliban returned to power in neighboring Afghanistan in 2021.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOByJOHNHANNA Of

National Mall hostsGreat American StateFair

BY GARYFIELDS Associated Press

WASHINGTON Adinosaur rib

cage. A7,000-pound sandcastle made with Jersey Shore sand. Tworockingchairs in an unstaffed booth as well as anumber of empty spaces.

This is the Great American State Fair

The fair kicked off this week and is arun by Freedom 250, an organization created by President Donald Trump to run his administration’sofficial events.Its creation caused tension with America250, acongressionally created groupthat was designed to plan the nation’s 250th anniversary.The event on the National Mall will run into July

Crowds came in small numbers early Friday, spending little time at security.The entryway led straight to a110-foot tall Ferris wheel, the lone ride at the fair,and asmaller arch, similar to the onesthat the Republican president has used to adorn other events.

Theconsensus among people who were interviewed was that the fair was agreat idea —and perhapsanopportunitymissed.

Familiar to anyone who has ever attended afair were thegoats,sheep anda calfwhose mooing could be

heard across theMall, all courtesy of the Washington High School Future Farmers of America from Jefferson County,West Virginia. Baby chicks, resplendent in alloftheir downy softness, were ahuge draw, andthere was the promise of acowboy performance with bucking broncos to highlight the rise of theAmerican cowboy

Visitors wereunited by their enthusiasm for states to cometogether and show off theirunique characters, famous natives, industries and history and geographicaldiversity.Theywere also drawn by adesire for a nonpartisan celebration of American unity

“There’snice people, nice events, nicefamily events,” said Sharyn Bovat, whosaid shelivedinFlorida but has remained in the Washington area since having aheart attack this year.“Halfthe country is divided with the other half. Iwish they would create aUSA 250 for allthe people. I’m tired of thepolitics.”

She said the arch wasthe

main thing thatgave the event apolitical overtone. “It makes me think of Germany,”she said.

Thefairbooths, allinside structures that resembled theneoclassical architecture of the nearby National Gallery of Art, offered snippetsofAmericanatovisitors.

Among the items representing Montana wasa gigantic rib cage,ascaledup versionofapatosaurus, whichisa cousin to the better-known brontosaurus.

Virginia’sbooth offereda journey through the state’s role in American history For the District of Columbia,

there was ahuge banner for visitors tosign, along witha tree filled with cherry blossoms. South Carolina invited people to enjoy aputting green.

Texas included aspace capsule, afacade of theAlamo and astatue—Big Tex. Theone placewhere there was aline outside was for Arizona’sexhibit,which had an interactive thatallowed visitors to put themselves in terrain from thestate.

Visitors to NewJersey’s booth saw an ornate sandcastlemadefrom 7,000 pounds of sand brought fromthe Jersey Shoreand built over the course of four

days by an artist.

Andy Walters and his wife, Kirsten,werethere with theirthreechildrenfrom Wapakoneta, Ohio, the boyhood hometown of Apollo 11 astronaut Neil Armstrong. “I think it’snice.I wish all the states wereparticipating,” Andy Walters said. “It’sa little underwhelming but it’s agreat idea.”

Kirsten Walters said she wishedsomething similar wouldbeheld more often, without the overtones.

“We’reexcitedtobehereand participate,” she said.

Most states participated, treating the fair almost like atourism opportunity.But

therewas not full representation.

Maine, Massachusetts andPennsylvania optedto not send delegations, citing costs, scheduling or politicizationconcerns. Pennsylvania’ssenators John Fetterman, aDemocrat, and Dave McCormick, aRepublican, said Saturday they had gottentogether with several business trade organizations to “make sure the Keystone State would have ashowcase worthy of its singular place in our nation’shistory.”

Some booths, including those for Hawaii and Alaska, were unstaffed. Hawaii’sdid feature acouple of rocking chairs, whichtiredvisitors put to good use.

Alonzo Lewis Jr.and Kelly Domizio, from Rome, New York, took advantage to take aload off.

“This was really pretty cool,” she said. “Been going to all the different states.” But herhusband had adifferent view “Was it necessary,Idon’t think so,” Lewis said. “It feels forced. There’ssomuch separation.”

Domizio said she remembered the bicentennial in 1976.

“There was asense of pride” and togetherness she said. “Weare enjoying the day but it feels forced.”

Gunmen attack farmingcommunity,killing at least15innorthwest Nigeria AMERICA

BY DYEPKAZAH SHIBAYAN Associated Press

ABUJA, Nigeria Gunmen attackeda farming community in apart of northwestern Nigeria that has been no stranger to violence killing at least 15 people, an official said Saturday

The assault took place Friday in the Talata Mafara area of conflict-battered Zamfara state. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack in the region, which has experienced recurring violence. AbdullazizYari,alawmaker representing the district at the national level, described the assault on the community asa “terrorist attack”ina statement on social media. Yahaya Yari, no relation to AbdullazizYari, is the electedlocal government chairman overseeingthe area. He appeared in aviral video during the victims’ funeral on Friday evening, where he made an emotional appealtoPresident

BolaTinubu and thejunior defense minister,who hails from the area, to intervene andend thewidespreadkillings

Earlier this month, gunmen killed 17 farmers and wounded at least 13 others as they worked in their fields in Goron Namaye in another part of Zamfara state.

An insurgency in northern Nigeriahas killed thousands of people and displaced millionsoverthe years, according to the United Nations.

Armed gangs whokidnap for ransom, tax farming

It’s nevereasyfor afamilytodiscuss the consequencesofaging,healthconcernsand illness, whichiswhy many delaydecisions untila crisis arises.Yet,the attorneysat Losavio& DeJean LLC, TheLouisiana ElderLaw Firm,are expertsathelping people navigate thoseconversations before they encounteranemergency

Thefirm’scommitmenttoelder law, estate planning andspecial needsplanninghas earned it 2026 Gold Best of Baton Rougehonorsfor Best Real Estate Trust Lawand Best Elder Law.

“I thinkwhatsetsusapart is that we specialize in onelegal area.Thatmeans we bringalot of specificknowledge and experience in elder lawtoclients,” said Attorney Kent DeJean.“When aclient comesin, we have them fill outavery detailed questionnaireabout theirestate, assets,family, health conditions andwhat documentstheyalready have in place. That helpsusmakethe best decisionsfor them on afactual basis.”

AssociateAttorneyMeghanConques said some of thefirm’s most sought-after services includeestateplanning, trusts powers of attorney,Medicaidplanning andsuccessions.

“Weput alot of care andworkintoeach clientevery single day,”Conques said “These discussionscan be uncomfortable, butit’simportant to have them when you stillhavethe capacity to make decisions. If not, it canleave alot up forinterpretation andyourwishesmay notbefulfilledifthey arenot properly documented.”

Conquesadded that many elderlaw documentscan be changedoramended if theneedarises. Thefirm advisesclients to review them everyfiveyears,since relationships, laws,assetsand future planscould have changed.

“Lifeeventsdosometimes require people to make adjustments,”she said “That’ssomethingweworkclosely with people on.Wills canberewritten.Powers of attorney canberevoked or reassigned Certaintrustscan be changed, depending on howitisset up.”

DeJean said he advisesadultstobegin lookingattrustsand otherelder law documentswhentheyturn65years old if they areingoodhealth. If someone hasserious medicalconditionsand/or significant assets,futureplanningshould beginevensooner.

“Oftentimes, people come to us with one issueand we findout they have another issuethatcould presentbiggerproblems, DeJean said.“We look notjustatwhat people thinktheyneed, but theoverall picture. It’s very importanttolookatthe totality of asituation andtalkabout some hidden issues that mightcause problems down theroad. At Losavio& DeJean,someofthe most rewarding momentscomewhenyears of planningsuccessfully guides families throughdifficult life transitions.

“Our work brings families peaceduring challengingand difficult timesand gives them thesecurity they need.Manyclients expressgratitude forthe planningwe’ve helped them putinplace,” DeJean said “I’d like to thinkthatwhatwetruly provideispeace of mind andasense of security forfamiliesthattheymight not otherwisehave.”

Losavio& DeJean LLC, TheLouisiana ElderLaw Firm,islocated at 8414 Blue-

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByCAROLyN KASTER

Christine Bayly, right, and Jason Brown takeaphoto as theyeat lunchFriday on the National Mall in Washington during the GreatAmericanState Fair

Vespas swarm Rome to mark scooter’s 80th anniversary

BY DAVID BILLER and TRISHA THOMAS Associated Press

ROME More than 10,000 Vespas putt-putt-putted around the Colosseum and past the Roman Forum on Saturday, marking the 80th anniversary of the iconic scooter Enthusiasts came from all over; the AP spoke to people from across continental Europe, northern England, San Francisco, Australia’s Gold Coast, the Philippines and more. Vespa-borne visitors converged on the Eternal City’s cobblestone streets to celebrate a brand they likewise view as timeless. If for only a day, Ferrari and Ducati were forgotten as the little Vespa left them in its dust.

“The passion for Vespa is for the Italian style, freedom, the ’60s,” said Natalie Dunand, a retiree from France who was celebrating her own 61st birthday too. “I love it.”

Made world-famous by the film “Roman Holiday” in 1953, when Gregory Peck gave Audrey Hepburn a romantic lift through Rome’s center, Vespas have since featured in others, including “The Talented Mr. Ripley” and more recently the animated “Luca.” With curved lines evoking a bygone era, plus an ability to produce smiles among onlookers, Vespa — which means “wasp” in Italian — is to two-wheeled transport what the Volkswagen Beetle is to cars. Its invention was a bit of

chance as Italy rebuilt from the rubble after World War II. Piaggio, a major aircraft manufacturer that saw its Pontedera factory destroyed by bombings, had to change gears. Downshifting considerably, Piaggio started churning out scooters.

Women were among initial target clients, according to Davide Zanolini, Piaggio’s executive vice president of marketing, since they could ride them while wearing long skirts and without showing their legs. That’s reflected in the Vespa’s design.

“The shape, the elegance. This very charming attitude of Vespa is much more of a lady than a man,” Zanolini told The Associated Press in an interview

That little two-wheeler helped kickstart Italy’s economy and soon enough they were everywhere.

An AP article from 1950 said that Vespas had become so prevalent that their “staccato exhaust racket” had downtown Rome sounding like the Indy 500.

“There probably isn’t a noisier scooter in all the world,” it said. “Scooters darting loudly around Rome are said to impress motor-minded Americans as strongly as St. Peter’s or the Colosseum. The scooter quickly teaches visitors to look four ways at once at street crossings.”

Such scenes have again become commonplace since Vespa aficionados started arriving on Thursday, flooding streets all over the city and with traveling groups making their presence known in

80th

matching T-shirts.

The parking lot outside Rome’s Stadium of the Marbles on Thursday had rows upon rows of Vespas of all makes from the past eight decades. It was like a motorcycle rally — except adorable. Some Vespas featured flowers and stuffed animals.

Dunand’s Westie terrier rode behind her, its fur cut short to cope with the heat. A man from Tokyo, with his 8-year-old daughter behind him, swapped his hometown club’s banner with an Italian. Others traded stickers. And the Vespa logo tattooed on a German man’s meaty left calf appeared next to three words in flowery cursive: “La Dolce Vita” — The

Sweet Life.

Aficionados spoke about how the brand taps into nostalgia for a certain time, even among those who weren’t alive then. Many also noted that they traded bigger motorcycles for nimbler and more manageable Vespas because they’re lighter and automatic, with the accelerator on the hand grip.

“You get on, twist, go.

Doddle. Easy,” said Andrew Walton, a 59-year-old truck driver who bought his first Vespa almost 20 years ago and never looked back. He had just spent eight days riding from Newcastle, first with a ferry to Rotterdam then following the Rhine River through Germany to Austria’s “Romantic Road,”

and finally down along Italy’s coast.

Once Rome’s mayor cut the ribbon at the Stadium of the Marbles, visitors streamed in singing, chanting, waving flags. Many made a beeline for the gift shop, where they could snap up anything from Vespa jackets and hats to Vespa blankets, Vespa water bottles and Vespa umbrellas. But most early comers had their eyes on the limited-edition helmet, with “80 Years of an Icon” emblazoned on its side.

A photo retrospective showed Vespas in classic scenes — couples picnicking in a flowering field, seaside escapes with bikinis and a beachball, road trips under the Mediterranean sun —

plus others one might not imagine, like explorer Soren Nielsen reaching the Arctic Circle on a Vespa in 1963. There were also pristine Vespas from Piaggio’s collection displayed like posing models to admire, and soaking up attention usually directed toward the nearby marbles with idealized physiques.

The company has sold about 20 million Vespas worldwide since 1946, and today sells in 110 countries, Zanolini said In the U.S., they’re popular in Florida and California and gaining traction in some other places like Austin. But it’s still a niche product in America, he said.

Burke Sandman, whose family owns a 108-year-old car dealership in Indiana, told the AP in Rome that he bought his first Vespa about two decades ago captivated by its sidecar He quickly realized there were no resellers around and got in touch with Vespa to get in the game. He has since moved about 1,000 of them across the U.S., snagging 15 for himself.

“No one ever says anything bad about a Vespa. You know, it’s crazy,” Sandman said inside the Vespa Village “Everyone that trades other brands for a Vespa, they never go back It’s just something about it. And everyone likes Italian stuff. I get a lot of people that come back from Europe, and they’ve got the bug.” AP corporate archivist Sarit Hand contributed to this report.

5.9 magnitude earthquake shakes Pakistan and Afghanistan

By The Associated Press PESHAWAR,

Pakistan A magnitude 5.9 earthquake struck parts of Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan on Saturday, sending panicked

residents across Pakistan rushing out of their homes, authorities said There were no immediate reports of damage or casualties. The epicenter was in the Hindu Kush region of Af-

ghanistan, according to the Pakistan Meteorological Department. The U.S. Geological Survey measured the quake at magnitude 6.1. Tremors were felt in Islamabad, as well as in the

eastern province of Punjab and the northwestern province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which borders Afghanistan. It was also felt in Pakistan-administered Kashmir Emergency services in

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said district administrations were placed on alert.

Anwar Shahzad, a spokesperson for the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, said that initial assess-

ments had found no reports of casualties or damage. In Afghanistan, the quake jolted Kabul and other parts of the country, the Afghanistan National Disaster Management Authority said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ALESSANDRA TARANTINO

Vespa enthusiasts parade in front of the Colosseum on Saturday during celebrations for the

anniversary of the Vespa scooter in Rome.

LOUISIANAPOLITICS

Battle over SAVE ActstallsMikeJohnson’s agenda

WASHINGTON —This past week, U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson ran into stormier waters than usual and ended up sending the House home early Thursday, then visited President Donald Trump for help getting the legislative agenda back on track.

Mark Ballard

Johnson has afull slate of bills he needs to move relatively quickly, including funding for the military.But right-wing members of his caucus used procedural rules to block floor votesonany bill with close margins until the Senate takes up the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act, which the House passed three times already The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenshiptoregister vote, picture IDs to cast ballots and asweeping rollbackofmail-in ballots.

“I don’twant to voteonanything else until this is passed and attached to the bills coming forward,” Rep. Ralph Norman, R-South Carolina, told reporters during aconservative House Freedom Caucus news conference Thursday Senate leaderssay the votes aren’tthere and senators should spend their remaining time focused on passing other bills before the Nov.3midtermelections that will decide which party controls Congress.

Trump argues the SAVE America Act would address undocumented immigrants casting illegal votes.

Democrats,and some Republicans, say the problem of illegal immigrants votingisexaggerated. It’salready illegal to voteand, when it does happen, it’susually because of amisunderstanding, they say Denise Migliore,anAustralian

who lives in Franklinton and voted in 2022 and 2024, said shewas unaware of the law

TheLouisiana Secretary of State’sOffice saida review of the state’svoter registration rolls found 403 noncitizens, 83 of whom have cast ballots in the past. Louisiana has 2.9 million registered voters.

In the House, where Republicans hold 218 seats to the Democrats’ 212, Johnson needs near-total GOP buy-in to passany legislation that Democrats oppose. Not easy Trump had refused to sign abill reauthorizing agencies to spyon foreigners, which intelligence

officials say is critical in fighting terrorism. He then canceled aWednesday morning signing ceremony for abipartisan housing bill that GOP candidates hoped to includeintheir campaigns to show they’re working on affordability issues.

Getting senators on board with theSAVEAct was the reason for aclosed-door meeting Wednesday with the53GOP senators. But it turned into ashouting match between Trump and Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-Baton Rouge, over the war in Iran. Sen. John Kennedy, R-Madisonville, likened thetenseness of the meeting to “Euphoria,” HBO’s

Cassidy

Cassidy changes Iran stance after Vance briefing Hours after an angry encounter with President Donald Trump over his vote directing an endto hostilities inIran, U.S. Sen.Bill Cassidy changed his position on the issue,voting against advancing anotherresolution urgingan end to the war Cassidy on Tuesday joined three other Republicansand Democratsin passing asymbolic resolution urging the president to withdraw troops. Then, on Wednesday,Cassidy had ashouting match with Trump about that vote during aclosed-door meeting at the Capitol.

The Baton Rouge Republican said he told the president that the U.S. bombed Iran to changethe theocracy running the country, eliminate the ability for Iran to acquire nuclear weapons, disable Iran’smilitary and end hostilities in about four weeks.Noneof those goals were accomplished and Trump had failed to explain clearly what was going to happen,

Cassidy said After the meeting, Cassidy met with Vice PresidentJDVance and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff on wherepeace talks stand, the senator said. Cassidy then flipped hisvotelater in the evening on aseparate but similar resolution.

Capitol Buzz STAFF REPORTS

“I want to thank Vice President Vanceand Special Envoy Witkoff for the thorough briefingthis afternoon on Iran. Iappreciate thequickinvitation to the White House to address manyof my concerns,” Cassidy wrote on Xafter the vote.

Theresolution on Wednesday night was adifferent but nearly identical instrument to theone passed Tuesday that asks Trump to remove troops until Congress votes on whether to authorize military action. Cassidy voted in favor of Tuesday’s resolution, but on Wednesday voted against the similar measure.

Thelegislation failed 47-50-1 just before midnight on Wednesday,and theSenatethen left town for atwo-week recess.

Landry vetoes bills passed by Legislature

As of Friday,Gov.Jeff Landry had vetoed six bills passed by the LouisianaLegislature, in addition to line-item vetoes to three budget bills canceling statespending for individual local projects.

The budget vetoes mainly targeted projectsinDemocraticleaning areas, especially in New Orleans. Landry’soffice said he was fulfilling apromisetorein in state spending on non-governmental agencies;Democrats accused him of retaliating against them for opposing him on congressional redistricting, budget cuts to New Orleanscourts and a plan to trim education spending to pay for teacher stipends, among other issues.

Landry also vetoed House Bill 688, by Rep.Joseph Orgeron, R-CutOff, which would classify Atlantic tarpon as asaltwater game fish. The governor said the designation was unnecessary and could lead to more regulations.

The governor also vetoed House Bill 950 by Rep.Delisha Boyd, DNew Orleans, which would have created aprogram in theOffice of Elderly Affairstohelp protect retirees’ pensions and retirement

award-winning but hard-to-watch series about high schoolers dealing withaddictions and toxic relationships. Kennedy told Fox News Thursday that he’sunsure if any minds were changed about theSAVEAct at the meeting but noted that Trumpwas “pretty worked up about it.”

Both Kennedy and Cassidy support the SAVE Act, but not enough Republican senators do to get it passed with asimple majority —51votes —let alone avoid a filibuster,which requires 60 votes.

Kennedy favors attaching the language to someother bill, such as an extension of the Foreign In-

funds. His veto message said lawmakers did not allocate any funding for the program,soits responsibilities could not actually be carried out.

He gave asimilarargument for vetoing House Bill 1194, by Rep.Terry Landry,Jr.,D-Baton Rouge, whichwould have created a financing program to help build grocery storesinfood deserts.

Landry also vetoed Senate Bill 125, by Rep. Gerald Boudreaux, D-Lafayette, that would have increased the cap on compensation for people whoare wrongfully convicted; Senate Bill 283 by Sen ReginaBarrow,D-Baton Rouge, that created new special taxing districtsinthe city; and Senate Bill 384 by Sen. Jimmy Harris, DNew Orleans, which would have created pilot innovation hubs with exceptions to government procurement rules.

Kennedy pushes for crackdown on tech exports

U.S. Sen. John Kennedy,R-Madisonville, is pushing forharsher penalties forpeople and companies that illegally export sensitive American technology to foreign adversaries.

telligence Surveillance Act, called FISA, which lapsedonJune 12, or to athird budget reconciliation package, as Johnson has suggested. That procedure would end-run the need for 60 votes and allow passage with a51-vote majority Reconciliation is time-consuming and complex. Just tacking on SAVE language to areconciliation bill doesn’tqualify

So, Johnson would attach the language as asort of incentive package for states that voluntarily address the procedures outlined in SAVE.

“Webelieve that if you create agrant program that ties it to reconciling the budget, and you allow blue states, if they cometo their senses and they want to avail themselves of election integrity proposals and ideas and policies, they can draw down from afederal fund and use those funds,” Johnson told reporters.

But not everyone is sold on that strategy

“My message is to the speaker, and generally: Don’tthink that we’re going to just add sometoken measures,” said Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas. Johnson ended up sending the House homeThursday afternoon —the Senate had left Wednesday —then heading to the White House Thursday afternoon to persuade Trumptoback off a little bit.

Trumpdid, alittle, asking hardliners via social media to stop “grandstanding” by blocking votes on other bills, thereby giving control of the House agenda to the “Dumocrats.”

“We’ve got to be able to move forward on legislation,” Johnson told reporters after the visit. “This is the process in an era with small margins, but we’ll get the job done.”

Email Mark Ballardat mballard@theadvocate.com.

Kennedy has sponsored legislation with Sen. Andy Kim, D-N.J., that would increase the civil penalty forviolating the Export Control Reform Act from $300,000 to $1.2 million per violation. It would also double the penalty that is based on the value of the illegal transaction from twice the value to four times the value.

“America’s enemies are not stealing our technology so they can build better toasters. They want our chips, software and sensitive technology to strengthen their militaries, spy on Americans and undercut our national security,” Kennedy said in anews release.

“Ifa company or individual illegally hands over American technology to our adversaries, a slap on the wrist will not cut it. This bill ensures the punishment fits the threat.”

Kennedy and other lawmakers have raised concerns about the Chinese government and other actors obtaining proprietary technologies like surveillance, drones and artificial intelligence.

Kennedy

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTOByALEX BRANDON

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Benton, arrives at the White House ahead of theUFC Freedom 250 on the South Lawn on June 14 in Washington.

Rockwell sketches on public display at White House

Iconic artist famously people-watched in the West Wing lobby

BY DARLENE SUPERVILLE Associated Press

WASHINGTON For more than 40 years, sketches by American illustrator Norman Rockwell of scenes from the White House visitor’s lobby graced the walls of the West Wing, where every president from Jimmy Carter to Donald Trump had seen them.

Now they’re going on public display for the first time after a nonprofit organization paid a whopping sum of more than $7 million for the sketches after they ended up on an auction block following a family dispute over their ownership.

The four 1940s-era sketches titled “So You Want to See the President!” show people from all walks of life waiting to see President Franklin D. Roosevelt during World War II. They depict U.S. senators, members of the military, the press and even a Miss America biding their time in the West Wing reception area, as they wait to be shown to the Oval Office.

The White House Historical Association spared no expense for the sketches to prevent them from being “lost forever,” such as to a private art collection, its president Stewart McLaurin told The Associated Press. The public will be able to see them through June 2027 at the historical association’s “The People’s House” education center near the White House he said.

“And since they had been seen by the eyes of so many presidents and first ladies and senior White House staff and important visitors from around the world, we wanted the American people to see them,” McLaurin said. “So we acquired them.”

The sketches had been put up for sale by a grandson of the White House official who received them as a gift from Rockwell. Scenes of American life Rockwell, who became famous for his illustrations of everyday

American life that graced cov-

ers of the Saturday Evening Post, spent hours at the White House people-watching from a chair in the West Wing lobby, McLaurin said. But after his sketches were consumed by a fire that destroyed Rockwell’s art studio in Vermont, he went back to the White House to collect more material.

“So it’s really a combination of his memories from that first visit, the memories of the second visit,” McLaurin said. “And it is an array of these people representing the military and White House staff and members of Congress and the press corps and all kinds of people that literally, to this day, go through that space in the West Wing.”

The first of Rockwell’s colorful sketches opens with scenes of the entrance gate, photographers waiting outside the White House entrance on West Executive Avenue and Stephen Early, a former AP journalist who became the third White House press secre-

tary under Roosevelt, in a huddle with a group of journalists.

Seated on red leather chairs and reading papers are members of the press and Rockwell, with a pipe in his mouth and legs outstretched.

The next scene shows Miss America identified as Rosemary LaPlanche, the 1941 titleholder — in a yellow dress and her sash, sitting on a red sofa alongside her publicity man. A kilt-wearing Scottish officer also sits nearby as a Secret Service agent hovers.

U.S. Sens. Tom Connally, DTexas, and Warren Austin, R-Vt., face each other in conversation as they sit on a red couch in the third sketch while a U.S. Navy “WAVES” officer looks on from a nearby chair Gens. Joseph W. “Vinegar Joe” Stillwell and Edwin M. “Pa” Watson shake hands while being photographed, and an aide pushing Roosevelt’s lunch cart is chased by Fala, the president’s dog. The final sketch shows more

uniformed U.S military members

huddled in conversation and, finally, an aide opening the door to the Oval Office, where the president is glimpsed.

“It’s such a little aquarium of these people and we’re like a fly on the wall as to what it was like at that particular period of time,” McLaurin said of the sketches.

Gift for Roosevelt’s secretary Rockwell made the sketches for Early and gave them to him after they appeared in The Saturday Evening Post in November 1943, during World War II, McLaurin said.

Early, who died in 1951, had displayed them on the wall in his West Wing office and then kept them for many years after In 1978, a family member turned the sketches over to the White House, where they were on display throughout the West Wing for more than four decades, sometimes in a hallway between the press offices that are mere steps from the Oval Office.

The family’s ownership dispute began in 2017 when Thomas Early, one of the press secretary’s sons, saw them on a wall in the White House while watching a television interview with President Donald Trump, according to court records.

William Elam III, a grandson of Stephen Early, said his mother received the drawings as a gift from her father, the press secretary, before he died, and that ownership had later passed to him.

The illustrations had gone to the White House in 1978 under an agreement that required they be returned to Elam upon request

The White House gave back the drawings in 2022.

A federal appeals court settled the dispute in May 2025, upholding a lower-court ruling in favor of Elam, according to court records. Elam put them up for sale

Sketches are ‘priceless’

Historians at the association have researched the people in the drawings to learn their stories, McLaurin said, and the exhibit will include a digital component that uses modern technology to bring the characters in the sketches to life.

The association is still figuring out what happens to the sketches after the exhibit ends in June 2027.

They may be shown in other venues, and may eventually end up back in the White House, McLaurin said.

When the association learned the sketches were for sale, “our board affirmed that this is an acquisition that we should make,” he said.

McLaurin said the privately funded association, which was founded in 1961 by first lady Jacqueline Kennedy and receives no taxpayer dollars, had feared the sketches would sell for even more than the $7.25 million it paid for them. That is the most the association has ever paid for a work of art for the vast collection it holds as part of its mission to help the White House collect and display artifacts that represent American history and culture

“In our view, these are priceless works,” McLaurin said.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JOHN MCDONNELL

Luke Boorady, of the White House Historical Association, arranges a suite of four interrelated paintings by Norman Rockwell titled, ‘So you Want to See the President!’ at the association’s offices in Washington.

LauraCassidy workstosupport La.’sdyslexickids

more Louisianachildren could be dyslexicwithout theirschools or families knowing.

Q&A WITH LAURA CASSIDy FOUNDER OF LOUISIANA

BY ELYSE CARMOSINO

Staff writer

Thousands of Louisianastudents who have troublereadingand writing might have dyslexia, butmany never get aformal diagnosis or the help they need. Laura Cassidy has made it herlife’s missiontochange that.

Atrained surgeon whose daughter was diagnosed with the disorderasa first grader,Cassidy is the founder of LouisianaKey Academy,the state’s first charter networkexclusively for dyslexic students. Since opening its first campus in Baton Rouge in 2013, the network has grown considerably: It now enrolls 440 students acrossthree campuses, with a fourth siteslated to open in Jefferson Parish in August. Meanwhile, Cassidy has worked to raise public awareness about dyslexia and advocated for students to get the support they need. Children with the disability should “walk away from school knowing that they’re smart,” said Cassidy,who is the wife of U.S Sen. Bill Cassidy,R-BatonRouge. Dyslexia is aneurodevelopmentaldisorder that can make it more difficult to read, spell andwrite.

About 13,800 Louisiana students —or2%ofthe public school population —were identified as dyslexic during the 2023-24school year, according to areport from the state education department. That number is considerably lower than some national estimates that suggest between 15% and 20% of students have thedisorder,leading Cassidy and other advocates to suspect that thousands

In 2023, Louisianapassed a law requiringschools to screen studentsingrades K-3 for signs of thelearningdisability.But the law doesnot require schools to actually test students for dyslexia, leaving it up to families to seek formal testing

Simply flagging studentsas beingatriskof dyslexia isn’t enough,Cassidywarned. To reach their full potential, they also need proper testing and services.

Cassidy spokewithThe TimesPicayune |The Advocate about whysomedyslexicstudentsdon’t get thesupport they need, how to spot signsofthe disorder,and howcertain interventions can help dyslexicchildren thrive.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity

Who do you thinkonlyabout 2% of Louisiana children havebeendiagnosedwith dyslexia?

Ihopethe new screenershelp, but Ithink dyslexia is complicated for people to understand because there are alot of myths outthere. And it can be hard for teachers who have28other childreninthe classroom to spot it

Parents also often just don’t know.I’vetalked to parentswho were embarrassed they didn’t know their kidcouldn’tread, but it’sbecause they’d never heard their child read out loud, and that’swhere you’re going to see it

Whydodyslexic students tend to struggle in traditional classrooms?

If you havemoderate to severe dyslexia, youlearn to read using what we call an “inefficient system.”

Nondyslexic readers read from the left sideoftheir brain, while dyslexicreadersread from the right.It’saslower system, and for information to be processed, you

must repeat lessons and go over thesame material several times to really get thememory down.

The gold standard for dyslexic children is 90 minutes of smallgroup instruction that emphasizes repetition every day.For atraditional school, that’shard to provide, and most don’thave teachers trained to give that kind of instruction. Do you think the new dyslexia screening has ledtomore students getting the resources they need?

Idon’t. Ascreener just says whether you’re at risk or you’re not at risk. The screener shows

that ateacher is seeing things that are concerning regarding language acquisition skills fora child of that age.

The law says schools have to give thescreener,and if achild is at risk, they have to send aletter to parents. But being aware of the problem andgetting help forit are two different things.

Idothink it’shelping parents and schools have awareness, but we’ve got along waytogo.

What are some signs of dyslexia?

Dyslexic children sometimes have aslight speech delay that can start around 2years of age.

WE’RE ASKING EXPERTS ACROSS THESTATEHOW TO TACKLE THEBIGGEST CHALLENGES FACINGLOUISIANA SCHOOLS.

They usually cannot rhymewords and have difficulty learning the alphabet, meaning they may know it one day and then forget it the next.

Whentheyget older, theymay read andknowa word or afew words in oneparagraph, but then in the next paragraph, they’ll struggle with the same words. They’re notslowthinkers, but they’re slowreaders. And their spelling is usually terrible. They typically spell things phonetically

Dyslexic people often have good reasoning. They’re big-picture thinkers, but they’re usually terrible with memorizing language details.

Howcan schools better supportdyslexic students?

Self-esteem is very important. At LKA, we really wanttohelp kids with their strengths, so we give them opportunities to do what they’re good at, whether it be STEM or the arts or sports.

Ithink if ateacher suspects a child is dyslexic, the best thing forthem to do is makesure the parents know.That goes along way.

And sometimes, teachers just don’tknow.I gave atalk recently, and at the end, a(special education) teacher said, “I think this child in my class probably had dyslexia and Inever realized.”

So Ithink awareness is abig part of it.

We’ve passed laws, which is great. But if people don’thave that understanding and knowledge, then lawsaren’tgoing to fully take care of the problem

That’swhy Ihelp people understand dyslexia. Then, when someone sees achild struggling in the classroom, instead of thinking, “Oh, this child’sjust not trying,” they’ll think, “Maybe this child has dyslexia.”

PHOTO

Laura Cassidy, wifeofU.S.Sen.BillCassidy, receives ahug froma student while visiting witha class eating lunch in the cafeteria at the Louisiana KeyAcademy

Fire tracking app expands to help monitor flooding

BY GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA Associated Press

When a fire broke out a few miles from his Altadena, California, home the evening of Jan. 7, 2025, Matt Blea and his family needed to make a crucial decision: Should they stay home, or evacuate?

A friend who did mountain rescue told Blea to download a free app called Watch Duty On the app, he could see the fire’s perimeter track evacuation orders and read updates about the emergency response. “It influenced me to leave the home sooner than later,” said Blea, who left with his wife and son that evening, before the Eaton Fire destroyed their home.

Blea was one of more than 2.5 million people who used Watch Duty to track fires burning across Los Angeles County that week. The information was collected, vetted and disseminated by about two dozen Watch Duty staff and over 100 volunteers who monitored emergency radio traffic, aircraft reports and local agency communications.

The service proved vital, said David Hertz, a Malibu resident and captain of his community’s fire brigade, especially when some areas received little-to-no warning

about the Eaton and Palisades fires that killed 31 people. “It’s like a democratization of data that empowers people.”

This month, Watch Duty began helping people track another deadly and destructive climate hazard: flooding.

The expansion comes as peak flash flood season begins in the U.S. and nearly one year after last July’s deadly Texas floods that killed more than 130 people, prompting outcry over why Texas Hill Country residents and visitors didn’t receive better communication about the impending danger

“This is painful that this keeps happening,” said John Mills, CEO

and co-founder of the donor-supported nonprofit behind the app. “We’re not spreading enough information fast enough on as many channels as humanly possible.”

App built after close calls

Mills founded Watch Duty in 2021 after not receiving official alerts or evacuation instructions when a fire burned near his Northern California home.

It’s a problem seen in many recent disasters. While the U.S. has systems for sending alerts by text, radio, and other means, the process to issue a specific warning or evacuation order can get tangled in bureaucracy and often depends

on humans making difficult decisions under pressure.

Often the information people need to understand their risk is out there, Mills said, but it is hard to find and use. “The systems are really struggling to meet people where they are.”

On fire days, Mills found himself relying on volunteer radio operators who monitored scanners during emergencies and posted updates on social media. The posts helped, but social media had downsides — including how misinformation and unrelated content could drown out life-or-death updates.

A software engineer and entrepreneur, Mills recruited some of those volunteers and fellow engineers to build an answer He made Watch Duty a nonprofit, which has helped build trust with its more than 20 million users. It received nearly $6 million in grants and donations in 2025.

Emergency info in one place

Watch Duty now has about 300 volunteer “reporters” who collate and vet information from radio scanners, cameras, satellites, usergenerated content and public announcements. Information is available in five languages and pushed out through maps, text feeds, and push notifications that can sound even when phones are silenced.

“You’re not going to have to go to multiple other entities, to the weather service, emergency man-

agement website, county website,” said Watch Duty meteorologist Pete Curran. “It’s in one place, in plain language, and it’s going to wake you up if you’re asleep.”

Watch Duty can sometimes push out information faster than local agencies in part because its reporters have only one role to fill, said Curran, a retired firefighter “Our only responsibility is to watch and listen. We’re not in charge of the incident.”

The nonprofit took on flooding next because of its widespread impact. “We are seeing crazy rainfall in places that it’s not normal for them,” said Dr Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator under President Joe Biden and longtime data scientist who is now a Watch Duty board member “Maybe it’s never happened before, but it’s happening now, so you need to be aware.”

The app pulls weather modeling and other data from the National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and U.S. Geologic Survey Users can view NWS flood warnings and watches, river gauge levels, and notices of possible dam or levee failures.

Users can also better understand their risk ahead of time. They can see whether they’re

Bank card program aids moms in government housing

Funds to help needy families

BY COREY WILLIAMS Associated Press

One of the few Blackowned banks in the United States is introducing a debit card aimed at helping single mothers who live in government-subsidized housing escape poverty The Bank King Card debit card, offered last week in honor of Juneteenth by Redemption Bank, will donate from every account opened to nonprofits that will steer the funding to needy families.

“Bank King Card represents a new regenerative banking model that starts with investing in mothers who are a few hopeful dollars away from breaking out

of poverty and opening up America’s vaults of opportunity that have been closed to too many for too long,” Redemption Holding Co. chair and Chief Executive Ashley Bell said

A 2026 report by the Urban Institute and the Jeremiah Program says households led by single mothers experience widespread economic and caregiving hardship.

Redemption Bank, based in Holladay, Utah, says it intends to make fixed-amount donations based on new Bank King Card account openings. The amount will be determined annually by the bank’s board of directors and will not be based on the amount of card purchases, according to Redemption Bank.

Nonprofits that provide direct-cash services would apply for grants through

a foundation developed to make sure the money gets to those who need it most.

“What we’ve seen is these guaranteed income programs have been a jolt out of poverty for women around the country, including many women of color,” Bell said.

Money given directly to needy mothers and children is overwhelmingly spent to cover necessary goods or services, according to Chastity Lord, president and chief executive of the Jeremiah Program, which works to improve economic mobility for single mothers

But it also does so much more, she said.

“It provides dignity,” Lord continued. “It ensures summer learning, not leaving kids at home. It increases nutrition. It allows the mom to make powerful decisions

that benefit their children and their families instead of making decisions to just get by.”

A pilot program through the Ohio Mother’s Trust funneled $500 each month for a year to 32 single mothers in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

For Juanita Amakor of Columbus, the cash she received through the Ohio Mother’s Trust allowed her to catch up on bills and pay rent.

“It’s the breathing room it gives you, knowing there is something extra coming in.

It relieves a lot of anxiety,” said Amakor, 36, who has a 7-year-old daughter “This help goes a long way, even if it was for something as little as being able to take my child to the grocery store, to the clothing store.”

In Michigan, Rx Kids gives women a one-time allocation of $1,500 during pregnancy, followed by $500 per month throughout the child’s first months. The $1,500 can be used on food, prenatal care, rent, cribs or other needs. The $500 monthly stipend

can be spent on formula, diapers or childcare.

Kinea Wright and her family received funding through the Rx Kids program in Flint. It helped with some bills, diapers for her newborn daughter and other needs, especially after her husband was injured in a forklift accident.

“Initially, (the money) was put up for a rainy day,” said Wright, 46. “I didn’t know the rainy day would come sooner than we thought. It was a blessing in disguise.”

THE GULF COAST

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

Six Gulf Coast cities made aranking of best “bucket list” beach destinations compiled by Southern Living this month.

The magazine ranked 30 cities in total and named Pensacola, Florida, secondon its list. Southern Living writerTaraMassouleh McCaypraised theU.S.Navy Blue Angels, which are based at Pensacola’s Naval Air Station and host two annual airshows on the coastline.

“When youdon’t have your face turned toward thesky,you’ll have just as much to look at between the sugar-whitesands and turquoisewaters,” McCay wrote.

Grayton Beach andRosemary Beach, both quaint towns on Florida’sScenic Highway 30A, ranked sixth and 10th, respectively. Themagazine applauded both towns’ timeless vibe.

Orange Beach andGulfShores, Alabama, ranked 12th. “Alabama’sbeaches oft get overshadowed by the Floridapanhandle but these sister cities demand attention of

Pensacola,Fla., takesthe second spot on SouthernLiving’sbest ‘bucket list’ beach destinations. STAFF

BaySt. Louis restaurant to close afterstorm damage

BY POETWOLFE Staff writer

Thesummerrush at Field’s Crab Shack was interrupted after heavyrains flooded the seafood restaurant in downtown Bay St. Louis earlier this month.

Ocean

McCay

and

and 25th,

destinations to explore. The full list includes vacationspots from North Carolina’sOuter Banks to the Florida Keys, and highlights several destinations that are popular with generations of

tors from Louisiana.

Summer mosquito infestationworse than usual

Remnants of Arthur dumpedrainonregion

BY MARTHA SANCHEZ Staff writer

Neighbors across several Alabama Gulf Coastcities awoke thisweektoa new and troubling nuisance —mosquitoes. Andthe biting bugs were everywhere.

“I couldn’tstay out in the yard, evenwith insect repellent,” one frustrated resident

told WKRG-TV in Mobile.“Iwas just assaulted.”

Thepopular vacation hotspotalong the eastern shore of Mobile Bayisconfrontingasurge of mosquitoes after heavy rain flooded parts of the region as theremnants of Tropical Storm Arthur thundered throughlast week.

Several cities—including Spanish Fort, Daphneand Fairhope —have issuedpublic service announcements promising to spray pest control more frequently.Local leadersare also pleading that residents help by emptying standingwaterfrom bird baths

and flower potswhere mosquitoes can breed.

“Weare upping our spraying for the areas,”Daphne Mayor Robin LeJeune said in avideoposted to thecity’ssocial media pagesthis week.“We will getthroughthis.”

The city of SpanishFort saidthe pests are salt marsh mosquitoes —aspecies whose larvae develop rapidly in puddles produced during high tides and heavy rainfall.

Spanish Fort and other cities are also asking neighbors to clear gutters and keep grass andplants trimmedtoreduce the swarms.

The restaurant wasforced to close indefinitely on June 7afterrainbroke through the roof and several inches of water collected on the floors, according to co-owner Jourdan Nicaud. He called arestoration company and filed an insurance claim,but the reopening date remains uncertain.

“This is our busy time,”Nicaudsaid, “Which really sucks.”

The heavy rain flooded some streets in Bay St. Louis, but the damage at Field’s Crab Shack was unrelated to the remnants of Tropical Storm Arthur andtornadoes that hit the Gulf Coast over the weekend. Those stormsbrought heavy rains that raised rivers, flooded roads and dumped about afoot of water in someparts of south Mississippi. Nicaud said he did notknowifthe storms causedadditional floodingatField’s Crab Shack.

The indefinite closure also comes as local restaurants across the Coast face challenges beyond the region’sunpredictablesummer weather: rising food and labor costs. Earlier this year,Tripletails Restaurant closed after morethanadecade in downtown. Nearby,Murky Waters shut down after serving barbecue at its Bay St. Louis location for five years. New businesses, however,continue to emerge, including Field’sCrab Shack, which opened in October 2025. The restaurant took over thesame building that housedToro Sushi, another restaurant owned by Nicaud andhis brother,Field. Thebrothers owna seriesofrestaurants, resorts and upcoming hotels across the Mississippi Coast.

Greece bets on spacetechto containdangerous wildfires

BY DEREK GATOPOULOS Associated Press

ATHENS,Greece In the searing Mediterranean summer, wildfires turn dangerous in minutes.

Greece has learned that at aterrible cost. In 2018, a blaze east of Athensmoved with ferocious speed, killing more than 100 people. Five years later,amassive fire tore througharemote nature reserve; it was the largest wildfire ever recorded in the European Union.

Greece is looking to the heavens for help, with adedicatedsatellite constellation that monitors for fires. It’s amodel for the continentas Europe races toward broader independence in space technology

Four satellites, each smaller than apiece of carry-on luggage, were launchedinto low orbit in May

That made Greece the first nation in the world to integrate adedicated satellite array intoits national firefighting system.

Built by German company

OroraTech, the satellites carry thermal sensors designed to flag new blazes as small as 13 feet wide, beating traditional satellites that can only spot fires the size of acruise ship.

Manage multiple wildfires

As Europe struggles with its latest blistering heatwave, the high temperatures foreshadow the wildfire season.

Fires pose aunique challenge in Greece with its tinder-dry mountainous mainland andover100 inhabited islands.

If afire ignites, AI-processed satellite data is sent as an alert to commanders withthe location,sizeand intensity already calculated. If multiple fires are burning at once, real-time data is crucial to determining response.

“For example, if you have 10 fires all over Greece and the fire radiative power is lower in some cases, you will not give priority to those ignitions; you will give priority to other ones,” Fire Service

Col. Zisoula Ntasiou,vice president of theInternational Association of Fire and Rescue Services, said.

Thermal sensors alsopick up solarpanels, hot factory roofs and sunbaked rock faces, but AI models are built to filter out those false alarmsbefore alerts reach emergency services, according to officials involved in the program.

Better AI models

Greece recordedits hottest summeronrecord in 2024 andits third-hottest lastyear

“The global temperature is going up. Thatcauses fires to change in intensity and ferocity,”Ioannis Lantouris, head of OroraTech’sGreek operations, said. “Our models havetochange and adjust to that.”

Lantouris spoke in his office in Athens, while engineers worked on fire behaviormodels. Near their desks, they keepa life-sizedreplica of the satellite.

Thermal satellites add a layer of detection to drones and ground sensors, and Greece has expandedboth since the 2018 disaster forced an overhaul of wildfire response.

The constellation helps fill coverage gaps from international satellites, spot fires in remoteterrainand build more detailedmodels of fire behavior.

Multiple countries use thermal satellitesbut Greece is the first to fully integrate them into its firefighting system. The satellites themselves mark an early stage of abroader Europe-backed effort.

Greece is building awider observation network with three Europeancompanies, combining thermal satellites, radar satellites capable of seeingthrough clouds and smoke, and optical satellites that capture highly detailed imagery of the ground.

That network carries atotal price tag of $227 million andisfundedbythe EU Fallingcostsfor launch and manufacturing have made the expansionpossible Additional satellite deploy-

ments are planned by theend of the year

Future ideas

Planners in Athens and across Europe already envision applying the same kind of network far beyond fire detection. Future systems will support bordersurveillance, crop management, disaster response and heatwave planning.

One priority is identifyingurban “heat islands,” allowing authorities to target cooling centers and emergency services moreeffectively

Theambitions followa strategic shift to seek greater technologicalindependence. Rattled by Russia’s war in Ukraine and strained trans-Atlantic ties,European governments are reducing dependence on foreign technology

Space infrastructure has become apillarofthateffort.

“Thesetechnologies support civil protection, security and, where necessary, defense-relatedapplications,” Dimitris Papastergiou, Greece’sminister of digital governance, said.

“The knowledge generated through these investmentsshould remain in Europe and be combined with other European capabilities, including telecommunications andAIinfrastructure,” he said.

Papastergiou announced Fridaythatthe EU is planning to furtherboostfundingfor theGreek programs with an additional 350 million euros.

Greece’ssatellite network is part of aEuropeanpush linking launchvehicles, navigation systems, Earth observationnetworksand secure communications into amore sovereign technological ecosystem.

Thegoal, officials say,is to movebeyond satellite imagery as apassive tool and develop near-real-timedecision systems thathelp governments managecrises as they happen.

Theblazing Greek summer will offer an initial test.

BY DEREK GATOPOULOS and THANASSIS STAVRAKIS Associated Press

ATHENS,Greece Fishermen in Greeceare getting cash payoutstocatch toxic fish migrating northinto the Mediterranean Sea due to climatechange.

The silver-cheeked toadfish is atorpedo-shaped species with prominent,humanlike teeth. Its skin and organs contain apowerful neurotoxin that cancause heartfailure in humans if consumed.

Authorities say the fish have notbeen sighted in bathing areas at Greek island resorts. Butinrecentweeks, the fish have wreaked havocfor fishermen off thecoast of Creteand severalother Greek islands, chomping

through nets.

“It’sgot to the point where we might go out fishing one day and then spend the next three days fixing our nets,” GiorgosKyriakakis,ofa Cretan fishermen’sassociation, said.

“They eat our catch and damage our nets —that’s very costly,” he said.

Thefishare believed to have traveledupthe Suez Canal and into the Mediterranean, attracted by warming waters. The invasion prompted Cyprus to launch asimilarcatch program earlier this year

Greece’sgovernment is offering about $2.75 per poundfor catchesofthe fish, whichisnormally found in tropical waters.

“It’sthe firsttime that such ameasure has been taken in Greece,” Agricul-

ture Minister Margaritis Schinas, aformer European Commission vice president, said. The fish —a member of the puffer fish family —will be frozen and incinerated at local government facilities, Schinas said. He added that the measure would likely be expandedfrom thecurrently affected islands to all Greek waters. Public concern has been stoked in Greece by online videos posted by Greek fishing crews, showing the fish sinking their teeth into soda cans or pieces of wood. The Greek Red Cross has issued apublic health warning about the fish, outlining first-aid protocols for bleeding causedbypotentialbites and warning of the deadly neurotoxin in the fish’sorgans.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By PETROSGIANNAKOURIS

Michel Farah, an OroraTech softwareengineer,works on areplica of awild

True blue no more; La. officially a red state

Registered Republicans now outnumber Democrats

BY ALYSE PFEIL Staff writer

Louisiana has been a solidly red state for years, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at voter registration numbers.

Even though Louisiana has voted for the Republican presidential candidate in every election since 2000, and even as the GOP has swept all the statewide offices and holds superma-

jorities in the Legislature, Democratic voters continued to outnumber Republicans on paper But that changed last month.

Voter registration data from June from the Secretary of State’s Office shows there are now 1,062,897 registered Republicans and 1,062,861 registered Democrats.

“This is the first time in the state’s modern history

Livingston Parish Council

OKs pay raises

$400 increase goes into effect in 2028

BY CLAIRE GRUNEWALD Staff writer

The next batch of Livingston Parish Council members taking office will get a bigger paycheck than their predecessors, after the council approved the first raises in decades. On Thursday night, the council unanimously approved an ordinance raising council members’ monthly compensation by $400 a month. The raise from $1,200 to $1,600 will take effect in 2028, following the next election cycle. The council last approved a raise in 2000, increasing the monthly pay from the charter-set rate of $800 to the current rate of $1,200 That raise went into effect in 2004. The parish’s Home Rule Charter allows the council to raise its pay by ordinance, but prohibits that vote from taking place during the final year of a council term and that a pay change won’t be effective during the current term of the council members adopting the ordinance.

Council member Ricky Goff spoke to the parish’s rapid growth and size regarding the raise in compensation and said he hopes the increased pay will attract more people to run for council in the future

“We are the seventh largest parish out of 64 in the state,” Goff said.

“Any individual that takes this seat in the future is still underpaid.

Council members in neighboring parishes like Tangipahoa receive $2,000 a month, and St. Helena Parish Police Jury members make $1,600 plus up to $200 for expenses.

BY AVERY

that the Republican Party has the most registered voters,” said Secretary of State spokesperson Trey Williams.

The numbers have been trending that way for decades.

Monthly voter registration data going back at least 20 years has consistently shown Republicans gaining voters and Democrats losing them, said John Couvillon, a Louisiana pollster and

political consultant.

Couvillon said this year’s closed primary for U.S. Senate — a major Republican showdown that first saw the ouster of incumbent Sen. Bill Cassidy and now a fierce runoff between U.S. Rep. Julia Letlow and Treasurer John Fleming finally tilted the numbers in the GOP’s favor Under the state’s new closed party primary system, people who are registered Democrats cannot vote in Republican primary elections.

“When you have party primaries for the Senate and other top-of-the-ballot races, I think that accelerated the final shift to where Republicans got the plurality,” Couvillon said.

He said two big changes brought Louisiana to this point. The first “crack in the armor” was Louisiana’s switch in 1975 from closed primaries to open jungle primaries after a century of Democratic dominance.

“What happened is Republicans got to participate in the same primaries as

Democrats did, which basically put them on technically equal footing,” he said. And in recent years, as Louisianans began voting for Republicans in presidential elections, voting and running as a Republican became more culturally acceptable and politically viable, he said. Even before Bill Clinton, a former Arkansas governor with a Southern drawl, won Louisiana in the 1990s, Republican presidential

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FESTING WITH PRIDE

BY ANNAKATE FREELAND Staff writer

Nearly every meaningful memory Donna Gaignard has begins around her grandmother’s kitchen table. It was there, sitting with her grandmother, Laura Gaignard, that she learned hospitality, conversation and the importance of making people feel welcomed. Now, decades later, she is turning those memories into a business. At 63, the Donaldsonville

Speculation abounds on sheriff’s race

Resignation shakes up political landscape

BY WILLIE SWETT Staff writer

St. Tammany Parish Sheriff

Randy Smith resigned from office effective at 1 p.m. on Wednesday

But by that time, the race to replace him had long been underway.

And not long after Smith’s guilty plea and resignation became public, the public’s attention became focused on potential candidates.

In a 10-minute video posted to Facebook at 3:46 p.m. on Wednesday, interim Slidell Police Chief Daniel Seuzeneau, long rumored to be a possible candidate, described some of the factors he was weighing as he decides whether to run.

He’s a young father, he isn’t independently wealthy, and, unlike some other possible candidates, he’s in the middle of his career, Seuzeneau said. Plus, he’d be leaving the security of a position at the Slidell Police Department for a grueling campaign.

“If I do this, I arguably have more to lose than anybody else. The only thing they have to lose is pride, so there’s a lot on the line in the decision that I am about to make,” Seuzeneau said in the video.

During an interview with WWL Radio a few hours before Smith officially resigned, former New Orleans Police Department Superintendent Ronal Serpas, who lives in Covington and currently teaches criminology at Loyola University New Orleans, said that if Smith re-

signed he’d give a run for sheriff a “consideration.”

And reached by text on Thursday, Sammy O’Keefe, a deputy chief in the St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office who has been rumored to be considering a run for sheriff, said that he will “have an announcement in the coming days.”

Smith, the three-term sheriff, pleaded guilty to one count of se cond-degree battery a felony and one count of disturbing the peace through intoxication at the St. Tammany Parish courthouse in Covington on Wednesday

He was sentenced to two years of supervised release and admitted to beating up Bobby Couvillion, a vocal online critic of his, at Keith Young’s Steakhouse near Madisonville.

A special election to fill the remainder of Smith’s term will likely be held Nov 3, joining a ballot that includes the U.S. Senate race. Approval of the Nov 3 election, with any runoffs set for Dec. 12, is on the agenda of a special St. Tammany Parish Council meeting set for Monday night.

Political consultant James Hartman, who has run numerous northshore campaigns, said the outcome of this race could influence who wins a full-term in the fall of 2027,

which is the next regular sheriff’s election.

“It improves the chances for reelection, given the general incumbent’s advantage and name recognition through holding office,” Hartman said “But it also gives an incredible opportunity for failure if elected by a population that didn’t know you very well.”

While Smith had not been expected to run for a fourth term, his resignation on Wednesday, and the abrupt resignation of Jeff Boehm, Smith’s second-in-command the day before, has dramatically shaken up the political landscape of the parish.

For now, Brett Ibert, who has nearly 30 years in the agency, is serving as interim sheriff. He has indicated he doesn’t plan to run for the office, saying in a statement on Wednesday, “my role here is not to begin a political campaign.”

Because Smith resigned more than a year before his term expires on June 30, 2028, state law requires a special election for someone to be elected to fill the remainder of the term.

As an alternative to an election in the fall, the Parish Council could opt for one in spring of 2027. If for some reason the council doesn’t vote on election date by July 8, the election would default to April 2027.

Hartman said the election date

could affect who ends up running, how they shape their campaign, and how much money they can raise.

Sheriff’s campaigns are often some of the most expensive in the parish, he said, with candidates sometimes spending close to $500,000.

“Raising that kind of money in a short of amount of time just creates an extra layer of challenge,” Hartman said.

Chris Bell, a former sheriff’s deputy and DEA agent who says he plans to run for office, said he thinks a November election is best to get new leadership over the agency as soon as possible. But, he added, “If it’s an April election, you probably have more people that would run.” Bell, who now works for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, was among the six candidates listed on a poll sent to some St. Tammany Parish residents via text message on Wednesday asking for their preferences. Also among them was the former head of Louisiana State Police, Col. Robert P. Hodges, who plans to retire from State Police in the fall. Reached by phone Thursday Hodges, who lives in St. Tammany Parish, declined to comment, noting he is still a colonel with State Police.

Serpas and Seuzeneau also did not respond to a phone call and text message on Thursday Another person on the poll, Heath Miller a lieutenant with State Police assigned to

the Covington office, could not immediately be reached for comment.

It would cost the parish government an estimated $12,300 to put the sheriff’s race on the November ballot, and $130,700 to be on the December ballot if there is a runoff. The parish will have to pay for the election out of its beleaguered general fund, Council Administrator Mary Burckell said.

But the cost to put it on the November ballot is likely less than an April 2027 race, said John Long, a spokesperson for the Secretary of State’s Office. Because there are a number of constitutional amendments on the November ballot, the state will share much of the cost.

The lower cost was one reason St. Tammany Parish President Mike Cooper said he supports the fall date.

Parish Council member Impastato said he was also leaning toward a November date, but said he was not yet decided.

“You want to have elected officials — the accountable people in office as soon as possible.” Impastato said. At the same time, he said, “What if people who are running for sheriff haven’t had enough time for it?”

Northshore District Attorney Collin Sims declined to comment about his preference of an election date or candidate. But, he said, “It’s important Considering the track record of things, it’s time to start getting these things right.”

Email Willie Swett at willie. swett@theadvocate.com.

New Orleans East property owners seek help

Developers are looking to address urban blight

BY JONI HESS Staff writer

Liberty Bank’s longtime headquarters in New Orleans East is easy to see from Interstate 10, its gleaming six stories rising near Plaza Drive. But plopped right in front is the lower-slung former headquarters of the Regional Transit Authority with broken exterior panels, hints of graffiti and a damaged roof. Across the street are the cracked parking lots that once surrounded Lake Forest Plaza before the mall was razed.

“Looks like a bomb or something went off there They really ought to do something about it,” said David Roth on a recent afternoon as he stood outside the Liberty Bank building, where he works at a nonprofit.

Blight is a problem across New Orleans, one that each of the last three city administrations has made a priority In New Orleans East, despite being the focus of decades of studies — and showing some recent signs of progress — the issue remains an oft-cited stumbling block to hopes of reviving the area.

A 2024 study commissioned by the City Planning Commission said New Orleans East had over 220 vacant commercially zoned tracts of land and more than 40 vacant storefronts listed for sale. The vacancies were particularly acute near Morrison and the I-10 Service Road and stretches of Chef Menteur Highway, a commercial corridor that studies going back even before Hurricane Katrina have recommended as areas of investment. Some developers have successfully invested in the sprawling district. But others who own blighted or vacant commercial property said in interviews that lowball offers, worries about storms and a lack of public investment have made it challenging to redevelop buildings and draw commercial tenants.

Now, Mayor Helena Moreno is taking on the issue. Last week, she designated her Deputy Mayor of External Affairs Renee Lapeyrolerie as a point person for the area, where she’ll oversee and help to push forward economic development initiatives

“New Orleans East remains one of my administration’s top priorities,” Moreno said while announcing her new focus on the district “We are committed to unlocking the tremendous potential of New Orleans East and ensuring it receives the attention and investment it deserves.”

Redevelopment woes

The East may be a priority of the new administration in City

Hall, but developers say the issues plaguing the area since Katrina haven’t changed. They are looking for help on blighted properties that sometimes carry ambiguous ownership, long-running lawsuits and a lack of funding to make redevelopment projects happen.

The white building marring Plaza Drive near Liberty Bank was once home to RTA workers until it was severely damaged in post-Katrina floodwaters. The city gutted and weatherproofed the building before selling it in 2013, though nothing much happened in the years that followed. Hurricane Ida in 2021 damaged the building further, and it accumulated numerous city code enforcement violations.

The owner, an entity known as 6700 Plaza Drive LLC, is fighting 13 of those violations, arguing that the city failed to sign remediation permits, among other claims in a lawsuit filed last month.

Ida also dealt a blow to some business owners because of the insurance issues it spawned during a time of rising construction costs and interest rates. Many badly damaged commercial condo units on Lake Forest Avenue, for example, sat vacant for years, with one building ultimately demolished for public safety reasons.

Brian Turner, a psychology professor at Xavier University who co-owns one of the units with his fraternity organization, said the buildings deteriorated over time as they searched for solutions.

Turner argued that it’s been difficult for an average citizen to access resources or guidance on how to move forward with renovating the property

“We have not been able to crack the code of what resources are available to us to put this property back into commerce via redevel-

opment,” he said.

Lowball offers

John Schwegmann said other issues have kept him from improving on properties owned through a family trust. Along Bullard Avenue sit the graffiti-covered shells of a former Toys ‘R’ Us, Circuit City — which later became a Big Lots — and Schwegmann’s Brothers Giant Supermarket. All but the supermarket are owned by the Schwegmann trust, which was spawned from the family’s pioneering chain of lowcost, one-stop supercenter stores.

In a wide-ranging interview, Schwegmann, now 80, said he’s constantly looking for buyers or tenants for those properties and several others. Just keeping them tidy has cost him millions of dollars. He’s decided against making any repairs after thieves ransacked the former Big Lots’ ceiling tiles to get to lighting wires inside and stole new heating and air-conditioning units.

“I am not going to go out and repair all of that without a tenant secured,” he said.

At the same time, Schwegmann said he believes the properties’ condition, as well as poor perceptions of the East, keep resulting in lowball offers from investors.

“They think. ‘Oh, there’s graffiti on the thing, let me give you $50,000,’” he said.

It’s also financial issues that are keeping the Lake Forest Plaza site, farther down Plaza Drive, from seeing any redevelopment, according to its owner, Gowri Kailas, who said last year that he’s trying to settle millions owed in back taxes and other obligations barring him from redeveloping the space.

Perception versus reality

Of course, other developers of commercial properties have had more success in the East. Business owners Aaron and Pystia Jordan

were told no by lenders when they first applied for a loan a decade ago to purchase an abandoned commercial building on Lake Forest Avenue. He asked to speak to the bank’s higher-ups about why he was denied and after days of review, they reversed the decision he said

“They don’t think a business would make it here, that’s the perception versus reality,” he said, pointing to his Universal Printing business of 15 years. Supported by a federal tax break, the Jordans bought and renovated an empty row of offices at the site, bringing in a workers’ union, a law practice and an event venue.

On Chef Menteur Highway, the former hotel known as the “Caveman” building remained a highprofile symbol of blight for 15 years until developer Peter Gardner bought it 2017. Utilizing state and federal historic building tax credits and armed with the support of elected officials, Gardner spent $10 million to redevelop the property in 2022, turning it into a sleek 144-unit apartment complex targeting lowto-middle income residents. Without that support, Gardner said the project wouldn’t have happened.

More support

Last year, the City Council set aside $1 million for a study to provide recommendations later this year on how to revive the area. The funding was cut amid the city’s budget crisis.

“How can you expect a renaissance in New Orleans East if you’re not willing to fund a renaissance plan?” said Oliver Thomas, the area’s former council member who championed the plan.

Developer Christy Verges, whose late father built a massive real estate portfolio in the East starting in the 1970s, said the family is committed to reinvesting in the area and helping entrepreneurs open small

Brian Turner, Patrick Thompson, Robert Mitchell Jr and Jeff Benjamin pose in front of a property they want to fix up and use on Lake Forest Drive in New Orleans on June 10.

businesses. But more support from the city and state is key

The Verges own five active strip malls and three small office buildings in the area, as well as a vacant six-story medical building across from the New Orleans East Public Library on Read Boulevard.

“It’s going to take a commitment from the city and the state to invest dollars there for people to believe it’s a wise investment,” Verges said “I think the new mayor understands this, and I think that’s what people are waiting for.”

Many agree that the city needs to do more to incentivize new businesses, enforce penalties on absentee landowners and maintain city-owned property District E City Council member Jason Hughes did not respond to an interview request, but he’s previously succeeded in passing legislation that revoked tax exemptions from nonprofit slumlords. And he’s taken city officials to task over a lack of headway on New Orleans East projects such as the revival of Lincoln Beach and the Lake Forest Plaza site.

During her campaign, Moreno maintained that the East would be a top priority She’s also pledged to commercialize blighted properties, crack down on dumping and litter and to recruit new businesses to the area.

Turner, who owns the condo unit on Lake Forest Avenue, said much of the work of revival will nevertheless fall on local residents.

“The East was built to be an extension of New Orleans with a lot more space and opportunities to grow,” Turner said. “Now it’s a question of how can motivated folks living in the East access support to invest in our community, versus waiting on others to see the potential that’s out here.”

Email Joni Hess at joni.hess@ theadvocate.com.

TAMMANY

Ibert

STAFF

“Everybody wants a brandnew road in their neighborhood, but we’ve got to make sure we have a fair criteria so it’s no biases or anything of that nature,” Metro Council member Anthony Kenney said. “It’s a fair process, fair rating system, so we know where to prioritize our resources and programs.”

The parish’s Sales Tax Street and Road Rehabilitation Program was introduced in 2023 under former Mayor Sharon Weston Broome.

Every year, a list of roads is selected and approved by the Metro Council. It usually is a mix of projects, but last year was focused largely on major roadways. This year’s selection looks to rehab various subdivisions and roadways, and Brentwood Place is among the 133.8 miles slated for construction this year said Fred Raiford, parish director of transportation and drainage

“We’re going to kind of break it up a little bit so we can help people within their subdivision that say, ‘Hey, I need to get my street redone because it’s falling apart.’ In most cases, they’re absolutely correct,” Raiford said.

Brentwood Place is the next North Baton Rouge neighborhood selected for the program. Construction on the Banks neighborhood in the Scotlandville area began early this year; no street in the neighborhood was rated above a 5 on the scale from 1 to 10 at the time of selection, Kenney said.

Construction on the Brentwood Place roads will not be immediate. Announcement of the project means the subdivision has been added to the list for repaving within the next 18 months.

Contracts for the projects will be put out to bid next month, after which the process for contract awards and approval will begin. Work on the roads slated for rehab will likely start in around August or September, and contractors will work their way down the project list, Raiford said.

Residents say the Brentwood Place project is a long time coming, noting they have been raising concerns about the subdivision streets for years, asking the city to do more permanent work rather than patching potholes.

“It’s just needed to happen. It’s been a long road for us. We pay good taxes, and we want to see our taxes at work,” said Stacy McCray, a Brentwood Place resident of 20 years “I think they just weren’t paying attention. You call and then they come patch and patch and patch, and you know, it’s just ridiculous.” Streets in Wimbledon, Rouzan and Harveston are among some of the other roads selected for repaving and restriping this year “The only thing I wish I had was more money,” Raiford said “Because if I had more money, I could do more roadwork.”

This story was reported and written by a student with the support of the nonprofit Louisiana Collegiate News Collaborative, an LSU-led coalition of eight universities funded by the Henry Luce and John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur foundations

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candidates won Louisiana in the 1980s. And in 2000, George W Bush captured 53% of the Republican vote to the Democratic ticket’s 45%. In 2008, Republican presidential candidate John McCain captured almost 60% of the vote, as did President Donald Trump during his presidential bids in 2016, 2020 and 2024.

This year, as of June, Louisiana has a total of 2,969,683 registered voters, with Republicans having a razorthin advantage.

There are 819,203 unaffiliated no-party voters who are allowed to decide whether they want to cast a ballot in either the closed Republican primary or Democratic primary

Lafayette chef crowned seafood king

Crab-stuffed flounder tops cook-off

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

Lafayette chef Kris Allen has been crowned the 2026 King of Louisiana Seafood after winning the 19th annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off.

Allen executive chef at Pamplona Tapas Bar and Restaurant, earned the title by preparing a crab-stuffed flounder that bested dishes from 12 other chefs during the competition presented by the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board

The cook-off was held in Jefferson Parish for the first time in conjunction with the Visit Jefferson Parish Foodie Feast Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off Edition.

Born and raised in southwest Louisiana, Allen said his passion for cooking began while spending time on his father’s shrimp boat

and learning in the kitchen with his grandmother

“We put a lot of work into this dish, and a lot of work into the components as well,” Allen said in a statement. “Louisiana seafood is simply the best seafood in the world to cook with. The freshness, quality and incredible variety inspire every dish, and it’s an honor to showcase the hardworking

fishermen and producers who make our seafood second to none.”

Chef Kris Allen, of Pamplona

Bar and Restaurant in Lafayette, was crowned the 2026 King of Louisiana Seafood, beating 12 other chefs to win the 19th Annual Louisiana Seafood Cook-Off.

BOARD

As the 2026 King of Louisiana Seafood, Allen will represent the state at the 22nd annual Great American Seafood Cook-Off on July 25 in New Orleans He will also serve as a Louisiana seafood ambassador during the coming year Chef Chris Vazquez of Ralph’s on the Park in New Orleans finished second, while Chef Jared Heider of Juniors on Harrison in New Orleans placed third.

The competition featured chefs from across Louisiana representing restaurants in Lafayette, Thibodaux, Lake Charles, Shreveport, Slidell, Baton Rouge, Metairie, New Orleans, Des Allemands, Ponchatoula and Mangham.

2 charged in jail drone smuggling attempt

BY KRISTIN ASKELSON Staff writer

Two men who are Mexican citizens have been charged in federal court after authorities say they attempted to use a drone to smuggle methamphetamine into the Federal Correctional Complex in Pollock before leading deputies on a chase that ended in two crashes.

Federal prosecutors charged 25-year-old Gustavo MendozaAlvarez and 28-year-old Osvaldo Lopez-Sanchez with conspiracy to

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massages, but last year, she had the vision of turning it into a tea room

“Everything that happened that was meaningful to me and my life happened around that kitchen table at my grandmother’s house,” she said. “She created a kind of experience for me, and I want to mimic that in my tea room where people come there and linger and don’t want to leave.”

The building, which previously housed a sandwich shop, has undergone extensive renovations.

Gaignard said she replaced ceilings, removed drywall and remodeled much of the interior while preserving the character of the historic space. When the business opens, likely between mid-July and August, the tea room will offer a small selection of teas along with pastries.

Gaignard said she may eventually

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One public commenter, Adrienne Bordelon, of Denham Springs, didn’t have an issue with the raise but questioned some of the language in the ordinance. Bordelon read out loud the portion of the ordinance that said council compensation would be “automatically adjusted hereafter as the Legislature allows ad-

distribute and possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine If convicted, each faces up to life in prison.

According to court documents, the investigation began June 14 after the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office received reports of a drone flying near the federal prison in Pollock.

Detectives responding to the area found fresh footprints and spotted a vehicle with Texas license plates that attempted to evade law enforcement, prosecu-

tors said. Authorities said LopezSanchez, who was driving, struck a marked Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office patrol vehicle during the pursuit before colliding head-on with a Ford F-350. Both men were taken into custody Investigators said a search of the defendants’ cellphones uncovered images of a drone, THC wax and what appeared to be methamphetamine.

A subsequent search of a nearby hotel room uncovered about 446 grams of methamphetamine, 114

grams of marijuana, THC vape products, 21 cellphones, assorted ammunition, spare drone propellers, a drone operator harness and a wallet containing MendozaAlvarez’s Mexican voter identification card, according to court documents. The case was investigated by the FBI’s Alexandria Resident Agency, the Grant Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana State Police and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Assistant U.S. Attorney Danny Siefker is prosecuting the case.

expand the menu to include soups and salads, but does not envision the business becoming a full-service restaurant.

“No cooking steaks or any of that,” she said. “That’s not my vision.”

Gaignard spent much of her professional life in social work, teaching at Southern University and now operates Cypress Solutions LLC, a federal contracting com-

ditional compensation.”

“Y’all automatically get a pay raise, but it never comes back to the public to hear that you are seeking to raise the pay for this council again, and I think that is wrong,” she told the council. “I’m opposed to automatic pay raises.”

Some council members like John Mangus said that section of the ordinance was added to be more closely aligned with state law and emphasized that any raise would still not take effect until the following council term.

Laura Gaignard will open Miss Laura’s on the Avenue at 210 Railroad Ave. in downtown Donaldsonville later this summer Gaignard said the business is a longtime dream fulfilled and a way to honor her grandmother

pany she founded in 2015. But she describes the tea room as something different. In many ways, she said, the business is “a love letter” to her grandmother Gaignard’s business contributes to the growing investment in downtown Donaldsonville, but she began her journey years before Hyundai announced plans for its $5.8 billion steel mill in Ascension Parish. “It’s very rewarding to see that interest and belief in this community now being shared by others,” she said. “I look forward to sitting down over a cup of tea with friends, neighbors and new residents alike, talking about the changes, the opportunities and all that’s happening in our corner of the world.”

“If the state then raises it, it wouldn’t take place, that new raise, until the next election,” he said. “We just want to bring it in line with what the state has. I don’t really foresee the state raising parish councils’ (compensation).”

The discussion was in reference to a parish ordinance that took effect in 2020, which says the council’s monthly pay depends on what the state Legislature sets as the maximum. The ordinance, approved in 2017, sets

council members’ pay at 75% of the state limit.

Some council members said they would be OK with taking out the debated wording. Mangus said the new ordinance could be amended, or the council could reject a proposed raise in the future.

“We would have to come back and ask for it again,” he said about future compensation changes.

The council voted 7-0 to approve the raise. Council members Erin Sandefur and Ryan Chavers were absent.

Party member thoughts

Republican Party of Louisiana Chair Derek Babcock said the milestone is a reflection of the GOP’s commitment to “conservative, common-sense values.”

“We kind of expected this would come this year, and so we’re happy that is has,” he said. “A lot of people worked very hard to get to this.”

Babcock said the party has been anticipating the change, which he said is a cause for both celebration and continued efforts to grow further

The Louisiana Democratic Party said the latest shift in voter registration figures doesn’t accurately reflect the political moment.

“I think that Republican support in Louisiana is diminishing as a result of the reckless and harmful Republican agenda, both state and nationally,” said party

There are also 14,567 members of the Libertarian Party, 2,711 members of the Green Party and 7,444 voters registered with a slew of other parties.

Chair Randal Gaines. “I expect these numbers to be quite temporary due to the fact that the Louisiana Democratic Party has initiated a very effective and proactive statewide voter registration initiative.”

Republicans have undertaken a coordinated effort to depress voter turnout and disenfranchise voters, said Louisiana Democratic Party Executive Director Dadrius Lanus.

“People in Louisiana are fed up,” Lanus said.

LOTTERY

FRIDAY, JUNE 26, 2026

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STAFF PHOTO By MICHAEL JOHNSON

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Obituaries

Bennett,Pattye Haynes Barksdale

Pattye Haynes Barksdale Bennett passed away on June 26, 2026, surrounded by her loving family. She was born in Eupora, MS on July 17, 1938, grew up in Clinton, LA, and was alongtime resident of Zachary, LA. She was preceded in death by her husband of thirty-three years, Jerald Lee Barksdale, her parents, Allen Darlin Haynes and Othella Bowen Haynes, her sister,Jettye Haynes Goudeau, and a granddaughter, Emily Blair Sessions. She is survived by two daughters, Eugena B. Sessions, and husband Jody, and Shannon B. Schmidt, and husband Rim. She is survived by several grandchildren:Caleb Schmidt, Shelby S. Willis, Mark Ryan Schmidt, Bonnie S. Zumbro, and Shannon S. Felder. She is also survived by numerous great-grandchildren: VivianJoSchmidt, Jackson Roy Schmidt, Rimi Elizabeth Schmidt, Bailee Blair Willis, Hailee Camille Willis, Amelia Grace Zumbro, Rowan James Zumbro, Corban Gale Zumbro, and ParkerSessions Felder. She is also survived by two sisters, Othella Allene Haynes Freeman and Joyce Haynes Gant. Pattye was valedictorian of the Clinton High School Class of 1956, andshe then attended Louisiana State University. While at LSU, she waschosen as the 1958 SugarBowl Queen. She then worked for many yearsatLane MemorialHospital. She was happiest when she was surrounded by family and friends and truly enjoyed simply being at home. She had aquiet, yet resilient, faithinChrist and wasactive for many years with First Baptist Churchin Zachary, LA, where she was amember fornearly sixty yearsand taught Sunday School for many years. She also loved to travel with Dr. Wayne Barns and his travel agency. Visitation will be Monday, June 29, 2026, at First Baptist Church in Zachary, LA from9:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. with aservice to follow at 11:00 a.m. officiated by Caleb Schmidt. She will be laidtorest at the Masonic Cemetery in Clinton, LA.Pallbearerswillbe Rim Schmidt, Jody Sessions, Caleb Schmidt, Mark Ryan Schmidt, Derrick Willis, Dr. Caleb Zumbro, and Alex Felder. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any donations be made to First Baptist Church in Zachary, LA or St. Jude'sChildren Research Hospital. The family also wishes to thank The Lodge at Lane for all of the care it provided the past fewyears and Hospice of Baton Rouge for its care these past few weeks Share memories at www.CharletFuneralHome @gmail.com

Blanda,Casmier

Joseph'C.J.'

ACTUAL Obituary of Casmier Joseph Blanda (C.J.)

C.J. Blanda wasborn to Josephine (Centanni) and Anthony Blanda on November 24, 1929 in New Orleans, LA. His father Anthony wasborn in Poggioreale, Italy,his motherwas born in theUStoItalian immigrants. He is survived by his only sister, Amelia Mae"Boo" Blanda Gerstner. Throughouttheir lifetimethey were very close as they were only 18 months apart. He is also survivedbyhis only niece Deborah and two great nieces,Michelle and Courtney and agreat-great nieceand nephew. He was predeceased by his brother-in-law, Terry P. Gerstner,Sr. and hisnephew, Terry P.Gerstner, Jr. He was 95 at thetime of his death on July 3, 2025.He was agraduate of Jesuit High School. He graduated fromTulane University4 years later earning aBAin Art. During his career he worked for Fireman's Fund and later retiredfrom Aet-

na InsuranceCompany C.J.was alifelongBachelor,however he had numerous long-lifetime friends, manyofwhom he traveled abroadwith and shared the cultural aspects of operaand symphony. C.J.a proud owner of his restored historic home on Esplanade Avenue that was decorated in the historic First Empire period, making it ashowcase and gave annual multiple tours for numerous organizations. C.J. was a dedicatedpreservationist. In his lifetime C.J. was engaged with numerous preservation organizations such as the New Orleans Historic Collection, Spring Fiesta Association, Patio Planters,Vieux CarreCommission and BeauregardKeyesHome. Hiscivic contributions to philanthropy and preservation of the French Quarter and aresident of the French Quarter since 1961werehonored in the ceremony.

In Loving Memory of TaraDaigle Braconnier, January 29th, 1957- May 24th, 2026. It is with deep sadness and loving remembrance that we announce the passing of Tara D. Braconnier, 69, of Carrollton, Texas. Adevoted wife, mother,grandmother, sister,aunt, family member, andbelovedfriend,Tara passed awaypeacefullyat her home on May24, 2026, at 8:33 PM. Born Tara Ann Daigle on January 29, 1957,inBaton Rouge, Louisiana, she was the second daughterof Myrtle Glynn Pageand Joseph CharlesDaigle, Jr. ShegrewupinBaton Rouge,enjoyingsummers with her aunts,uncles, siblings, and cousins atthe family camp in Pierre Part, Louisiana.Taraattended Broadmoor High School and workedincustomer service at Godchaux'sDepartment Store.Commuting daily to Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond,Louisiana,she self-financed her education and earneda bachelor's degreeinfinance

Tara moved to Dallas in 1980and began her career at Fina, where she quickly made an impact in the payroll department and was promoted to supervisor withintwo years. She later joined EDS, expanding her talentsand collaborative skillsalongside management and peers across the financialorganization.

Throughout corporate mergers and transitions—from EDS,GM, HP, Veritas, and ultimately Peraton, alongsideher new teammembers integrated fromNorthrop Grumman—Tara brought a sense of family andcamaraderietoa diverse,geographically separated team.

While mergersand acquisitions brought complex new financial tools and structural challenges, Taraquickly mastered them. Shedevelopedspecializedworkflows and integrated theminto her own custom Excel "Smart spreadsheets, which she used to cross-reference the "book ofrecord." Her meticulousness ensured absolute accuracy before numberswererolled up to managers and stakeholders. Shededicated over30 years of hercareer to ensuring every financial "close" was completed on time,seamlessly transitioning the verynextday to preparing forecasting reports for the nextcycle Above all, Tara was a devoted wifeand asteadfast rock for 43 years—a beautiful time thatpassed way tooquickly. As asister,mother, grandmother, and aunt,she foundimmense joyinspending time with herextended family and friends. She loved traveling to see her twograndsons, who deeply adoredtheir "Mimi."

Herwarm presence,loving spirit, and uniqueabilitytobring people together shone brightly during large family gatherings,where the focus quicklyshifted from delicious foodto competitive board games, and then to planningthe nextbig meal.

Sheislovingly remembered by her mother,Myrtle Page; step-mother-inlaw, Frederika Braconnier; husband, ScottBraconnier; daughter, Erin Braconnier; and two grandsons, Adrian Moye and Jude Moye. She also leaves behind her sib-

lings, Karen Johnson, CecileKemp,Jamie Kallgren, Charles Daigle, and Gary Daigle, as wellasmany dear friendswho willforever cherish thememories they created together. Though Tara is no longer with us in person, her spirit,compassion, and legacy of love remain foreverinthe heartsofall who knew her.

Memorial Service:Friday, July10, 2026, at 11:00 AM, Prince of Peace Catholic Church, 5100 W. Plano Parkway, Plano, Texas 75093.

Areception and gathering of family and friends will follow theserviceto continue celebrating the vibrant light that was Tara and thelegacy she left behind

In Lieu of Flowers memorial donations may be madeinTara's honor to:St. JudeChildren's Research Hospital

BrooksIII, Corporal Walter

Corporal Walter Brooks III transitioned on June 15 2026, at theage of 56.Wal‐terproudly served as a BatonRouge Police Depart‐ment UniformPatrolOffi‐cerinthe 1stDistrictfor 15 yearswithhonor anddedi‐cation.Heissurvivedby hisbeloved wife of 31 years, Tayaneka S. Brooks; threechildren, WhitneyA Brooks, TaniaA.Brooks, andWalterBrooksIV; and onegrandchild, Leah Tem‐ple.Heisalsosurvivedby onesister, MelanieMooreJones; threenieces, Kiana Scott, JessicaMoore, and JasmineJones;one aunt DoloresB.Dickerson;and a host of relativesand friends. Walter waspre‐cededindeath by hispar‐ents,WalterBrooksJr. and Rosemary Webb Brooks, andhis brother, Keith Jerome Scott. ACelebra‐tion of Life Servicewillbe held in hishonor.Pastor Jonathan Everett, officiat‐ing. Intermentwillfollow at Mount Olivet Cemetery Linear BrooksBoydand DonavinD.BoydOwn‐ers/FuneralDirectors (504)282-0600.

She passed at home on June 17, 2026. Visitation willbeheldfrom 9-11 AM on June 30, 2026 at St.Jude Catholic Church, 9150 Highland Rd.Baton Rouge, LA Mass willfollow withburial at St.GeorgeChurch Mausoleum. www.dignity memorial.com/obituaries/ baton-rouge-la/joan-clark12933842

Ann Jean Hayes Cleveland passed away peacefully on June 22, 2026 In Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Jean was born July20, 1930 in Manchester ,England.Her journey in life took herfrom London, England to Crowley Louisianawhen she married WilliamJCleveland Jr. Her wit and beauty took theSouth by storm. They moved to Baton Rougein 1968 and she livedon Shawn Dr untilFebruary 2026. Jean was avoracious reader and alover of all forms of art and artistic expression. Shelovedto travel and garden. She was an excellent card player and much sought after bridge partner. Puzzles and mystery's were her forte. Second to her family was her love foranimals. She allowed and encouraged her childrentobring home any strays.Our home was amenagerieof cats, dogs, bunnies,ger-

bils, fish, etc. She didput her footdown at snakes! Jean is preceded in death by her parents, Josephand AnnieHayes of England. Her husband, William JCleveland Jr. Her son, WilliamJ Cleveland III. Her granddaughter, Christine Cleveland. Her sister, Margaret Lemmonand her brothers Harold and JosephHayes. She is survivedbyher children Steven (Stacy) Cleveland of Walker, Louisiana, Mark (Cindy) Cleveland of Slidell, Louisiana, Margaret (Luis) deAlcuaz of Modesto, California, 11 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildrenand 4great, greatgrandchildren. Our family is extremely grateful to Shun Marshall (our Angel on Earth), Nautyca Clark, thestaff at GardenViewassisted living and Hospice of Baton Rouge. We cannotthank Shun and Nautycaenough for their dedicationand kindness to help mom transitionwith dignity and grace. The family willholda privateburial at theCleveland cemetery in Lena, Louisiana In lieu of flowers please send donations to CAWS of Baton Rouge,EBR libraryPatronsofthe public libraryorLouisiana Public Broadcasting. "Perhapsthey are not stars in thesky, butrather openingswhere our loved onesshine downtolet us know they arehappy" an InuitProverb

John "Bill" WilliamConleywas bornonSeptember 28, 1947, in Hammond,LA, and passed away on Monday, June 15, 2026, in Baton Rouge, LA,atthe ageof78. He was aresident of Atlanta, GA, for over 25 years. John graduated from Catholic High School in 1965, then went to UNOto earn abachelor's degree in both civil and mechanical engineering.Healso was a veteran of the US Army. John is survivedbyhis wife, Gail;children, Jennifer Anderson(Tim), and Justin Conley (Abby); grandchild,Townes; sisters, JaneConley, LizWalker (Charlie),Gwen Bizette (Mark), and ColleenConley; niecesand nephews, HeidiBergeron (Allen), Kevin George, and Aubrie Tierney (Courtney); and numerous great-nieces and great-nephews. He is precededindeath by his son, Tim Conley; and his parents, John and Clara Conley. Visitationwillbeat Our LadyofMercy Catholic Church, 445 Marquette Ave.,Baton Rouge, LA,on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, from9am until theMemorial Mass at 10am. The rosarywillberecitedat 8:30am. In lieu of flowers, donations may be madein John's name to Alzheimer Servicesofthe Capital Area at www.alzbr.org Greenoaks Funeral Home handledarrangements.

Jacqueline

Jacqueline "Jackie"

Fournet Daughtry peacefully passed away and entered Heaven on Monday, June 15, 2026, at theage of 88. She was born on July 29, 1937, in St.Martinville, Louisiana. She attended St. Anthony CatholicSchool and graduated from Baton Rouge High School.After marrying her high-school sweetheart, Jimmy Daughtry, she devoted her life to creating awarm and welcoming home where they raised their five daughters, centered on faith and strong family values. She was afaithful member of St.PatrickCatholicChurch. Jackie was known forher colorful hats, flashy outfits, and carefully chosen accessories.She was never afraid to stand out in a crowd.She loveda little sparkle,a little flair, and wasn't shy about making an entrance. Nevermeet-

inga stranger, Jackiefilled everyroom withpersonality, spunk, and livelyconversation. Friends and neighborswerealways welcome for ahomecooked meal. Herlove extended beyond herfamily to herbeloved Cedarcrest family, whereshe built lastingfriendships and touched countlesslives Shewill be remembered for herlove of dance,vibrant spirit,devotion to hergrandchildrenand great-grandchildren,and for always reminding everyonethatshe wasthe "glue" of thefamily. Adevotedfan of LSUsports, theChicago Cubs, and the NewYorkYankees, Jackie wasawalking encyclopediaofsportsstatistics, trivia,and randomfacts. Whetheritwas agame of Trivial Pursuit or settling a friendlydebate, she was everyone'sfirst call. Jackie is survived by herdaughters, Dale Oufnac (Mike), Teddy Brumfield (Joey), MarciaBlanchard (Chuck), Beth Ellis (Chuck), and Tootie Lee(Ricky); sisters, Kathy Hains (Johnny) and Suzanne Sexton (Gray); brother, Marc Fournet (Karen); grandchildren Chris Oufnac (Sheila), Amanda Thrasher(Zeb), Jennifer Oufnac, Victor Brumfield (Holly), Kendra Leger (Ryan), Madeline Gugich(George), Charles Blanchard (Hillary), Brooke Sabadie (Chad), Chase Ellis, Hunter Lee(Garret), and HannaNaquin (Tyler); andgreat-grandchildren: Amalee,Lucy,Leela and JennyThrasher, Britton andBradyBrumfield,Ainsleyand ClayGugich, Grace Blanchard,Ellis, Brynn and Carsyn Sabadie, Christian, Anna-Kate, Emery andLayla Ellis, HarrisLee,Hayes andKikiNaquin.She is precededindeathbyher cherished husband of 46 years, Jimmy RoyDaughtry; parents, Pearl and WalterFournet,Jr.; brother,Walter Fournet, III; nephew,Michael Fournet; niece, EileenHains Lonergan;father-in-law and mother-in-law, James Daughtryand Rosalie Daughtry;and sister-inlaw,Mary Whittle.The familywould like to extend special thanks to Lake Sherwood Village Community and Audubon Home Health, especially Jennifer, Jade, Gerri,and Ebony. Relatives andfriends are invited to celebrateJackie's life on Saturday, July 25, 2026, at St.Patrick Catholic Church.Visitationwillbegin at 9:00 AM,followed by aFuneral Mass at 10:00 AM,officiated by Father EddieMartin, acherished member of theCedarcrest family. Followingthe Mass, familyand friends are invited to gather at the Church Activity Center Thefamilyrequeststhat attendees honor Jackie by wearing bright and upliftingcolors. Aprivate family burialwilltake place at ResthavenGardens of Memory.

Bernadina"Dina" Musson Dias, devoted wife, mother,grandmother, great-grandmother, and faithfulservantofJesus Christ,was welcomedinto thepresence of herSavior on Sunday, June 21, 2026, in Baton Rouge,Louisiana at theage of 90. "Welldone,goodand faithfulservant." Matthew 25:23 NIV Born in San Francisco, California, on June 9, 1936, Dina wasthe daughterof Charles Musson; Myrtle Belle Musson, hermother; andNaomi Musson, her stepmother. Dina spent her early years in California before fate intervenedin 1954 when she met a young U.S. Navy sailor Donald Edward Dias, while he washome on leave. What began as achance meeting quicklyblossomedintoa lifelonglove story. Dina and Donald were marriedonFebruary 19, 1955, beginninga marriage that wouldspan more than 67 years and carry them from California to Louisiana, theMidwest, and backagain.Together they built ahomegrounded in faith, love,and devotion to family. Along the way, they became the proudparents of four sons andcreated alegacythat nowextendsthrough mul-

tiple generations. For many years, Dina enjoyed asuccessful career with theLouisianaHigher Education Assistance Commission,helpingstudents pursueeducational opportunities andbrighterfutures. Shewas known for her strongworkethic,caring spirit,and willingness to help others. Dinawas known for herindependence, quietstrength, and caringheart.Though born andraised in California, she grew to love Louisiana andoften spoke of the kindness andrespectshe foundthere.She enjoyed life'ssimple pleasures—gardening,reading, playingcards, crafting, listeningtomusic, spending time with familyand friends, andsharinglaughterwith those around her. Dina approached life's challengeswith resilience andgrace, always grateful for God's blessings. She believedthata happy life anda lastingmarriage were built on love,faith, andcaringcompletely for oneanother,valuesthat guided theirlifetogether In theirlater years, she andDonald foundfriendship, community, andcaringsupport at Garden View Assisted Living wheretheyenjoyed many happy momentstogether Dina is survived by her four sons and daughters-in -law,Gary (Cherisse)Dias of Prosper, Texas; Don (Tina) Dias of Lewisville Texas; Darrel(Deb) Dias of MountHolly, North Carolina;and John (Darleen) Dias of Baton Rouge, Louisiana; herhalf-sisters, Barbara Lighthill,Karen Kushner andJamie Hussey; nine grandchildren,Ashley, Kyle, Morgan, Karin,Michelle (Lance), Chris (Tricia), Jay (Alexanda), Nicholas, and Chloe; andseven great-grandchildren,Bailey,Cooper,Ellie, Mackenzie, Marie,Owen, andJames. Shewas precededindeathbyher belovedhusband, Donald Edward Dias; herparents, CharlesMussonand MyrtleBelle Musson; herstepmother, Naomi Musson; herbrothers, Keithand Charles Jr.; hersister,Bernice;and herhalf-sister, Bonnie.Thoughher family grievesher absence,they rejoiceinthe assurance that Dina has been reunited with herbeloved Donald,the love of herlife, in thepresence of theLord she faithfully served throughout herlife. Visitation willbeheldat Greenoaks Funeral Home on Monday, June 29th from noon until2:00 PM.The funeralservice will follow immediatelyafter with interment at Greenoaks Memorial Park. To view andsignthe online guestbook, please visit www.gre enoaksfunerals.com

Firesheets passedaway on Tuesday June 23, 2026, at theage of 71. Karlwas aresident of thegreater Baton Rouge area for thevast majority of hislife. He wasanavid supporterofLSU sports and Saintsfootball.Heenjoyed gardening, cooking, andrelaxing at home in Greenwell Springs. He was agrocery manager at Our Daily Bread for 20+ years prior to retirement. He also workedfor 10+ years as an electricaldesigner and cabinetry estimator.Karl wasa loving husband and father, and he will hold a special place in thehearts of hisfriends andfamily. Karlissurvived by hisson Austin Firesheets andwife Allie,his sistersBeth Strange andMelissa Siefken,and husband Tom, andhis brotherBill Firesheets,and wife Rene. Karlisprecededindeath by hisparents, W. T. Firesheets andRuth Patton Firesheets,aswell as his wife Deborah Thrasher Firesheets.The family sends aspecial thanks to the Ochsner MedicalCenterofBaton Rouge,aswell as CompassusHospice for all of theircare and support.Friends andfamily are invited to attendthe visitation on Thursday, July 2, 2026, at Blackwater Methodist ChurchinCentral at 10AM.A memorial service willbeginat 10:30AM.

Braconnier, Tara D.

Conley, JohnWilliam'Bill'

Clark, Joan Cecile

Firesheets, KarlDavid

KarlDavid

Dias, Bernadina Musson'Dina'

Cleveland, AnnJean

Daughtry,

Fournet'Jackie

Harvey, Robert Wayne

We are mourning the death of Robert Wayne Harvey, adear father, grandfather, great-grandfather and longtime friend. He was born in Baton Rouge on July 18, 1942 and had to leave us from here on June 19, 2026, almost84 years old. He was agraduate of Baton Rouge High School and later also LSU He served 10½years in the US Army, first as amedic and then as alab-technician. He spent 4years of that time in Germany and one tour in South Korea; the remainder stateside. He was preceded in death by his parents, Dorothy Nora Harvey (Douglas) from Oakdale, Louisiana,and George McGehee Harvey from Liberty, Mississippi, his brother James "Jimmy" L. Harvey with wife Marlene Smith Harvey, also his son-in-law Robert Lamar Johnston. He is survived by his son Christoph Robert Harvey, daughter-in-law Annette Harvey, grandson Richard Allan Harvey and great-granddaughter Kylie Lynn Harvey, his daughter Diana Christina Harvey along with Jared Perkins, and his granddaughter Michelle Martina Harvey Johnston, as well as agood friend of 61 years, Mary Andrews. He is greatly missed.Visitation will be at 11am on June 30 at Rabenhorst Funeral Home, 11000 Florida Blvd. and at 12 noon we willproceedto Louisiana National cemetery in Zachary. Our heartfelt gratitude goes to the staff of the ICU palliative care, at Our Lady of the Lake Hospital, for their great care and concern.

Higdon, Robert Garland 'Bob'

Robert"Bob" Garland Higdon, abelovedhusband, father, grandfather; great-grandfather,and great-great-grandfather, passed awayonThursday, June 25, 2026,atthe age of 96. Bob was anative of Greenville, MS and aresident of Baton Rouge, LA He wasa memberofOur LadyofSorrows Church, where he livedout his Catholicfaith.Heworked at TurnerIndustries as a planning department head. He enjoyedgolf, fishing, and spending time with his family. Visitation will be held at Resthaven Funeral Home, 11817Jefferson Hwy. Baton Rouge, LA 70816, on Sunday, July 5, 2026,from5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. with recitation of the Holy Rosary at 6:00 p.m. Visitationwill continue at Our Lady of Sorrows CatholicChurch, 3475N SherwoodForest Dr,Baton Rouge, LA 70814, on Monday, July 6, 2026,from10:00 a.m. until the Requiem Mass at 11:00a.m.Interment willfollow at St George CatholicChurch Cemetery. He is survived by his daughters: Mary Anne Higdon Bourgeois, Susan W. Higdon Brocato, Therese C. HigdonGibilterra and MargaretM.Higdon Miller;sons:JamesC.Higdon, John A. Higdon, George P. Higdon and Paul A. Higdon; 41 grandchildren; 82 great-grandchildren; and 9great-greatgrandchildren. Hewas precededindeath by hiswife MaybelleDerouen Higdon; parents, Albert and Wilhelmina "Willie"Nelson Higdon;sons, RobertGerardHigdon and Joseph

madetoOur LadyofSorrows Church Building Fund

CarolynS.Knoxwas born on June 10, 1951. Entered intoeternal rest on June 24, 2026. Survivedby her loving husband,Joseph Knox; 1sister; nieces and 1 nephew; 1great niece. Preceded in death by her parents, Lois B. Sams and Wilbert Sams. Visitation Tuesday, June 30, 2026, Immaculate Conception CatholicChurch, 1565 CurtisStreet,Baton Rouge, LA., 10:00 am until religious serviceat12:00 pm. Father Thomas Clark,SJofficiating.Interment Louisiana NationalCemetery, Zachary, LA.Service Entrusted to Hall Davis and SonFuneral Service. www.halldavisandson.com

neers.(AIChE) He enjoyed skiingand fishing forrelaxationand was amemberofthe Methodist church. Ralphwillbe deeply missed by his family and friends. Left to cherish hismemory are his wife Patricia, hischildren Brian Pike (Deanna) and Charlene (Joe) Pryor and hissister,Macey Risk. He was predeceasedbyhis parents. AVisitation will be held on Friday, June19, 2026 from 5pmto7 pm at Taylor &ModernFuneral Home,250 Center Street, Jupiter, FL. He willbelaid to rest at Good Shepherd MemorialGardens, Ocala FL.

Russell, Nina Claire

Reverend Nina Claire WilsonShapley Russell,a native of Magee, Mississippi,passed away June 17, 2026, at 84 years of age. Born on January 19, 1942, in Magee, Mississippi,she wasthe daughterof Irie Wilsonand JaneInez Doughty. During herchildhood, hersurname was changedtoShapley followingher mother'smarriage to JackFloyd Shapley, and shewas known throughout herlifeasNinaClaire Wilson Shapley.She married Louis Hart Russell on June 19, 1964, in Baton Rouge Louisiana.

Christina andKevin Colbert of Houston, Texas; her son and daughter-in-law

Clifford andJulie Russell of Baton Rouge;her grandchildren, Luke andNoah Russell,and Shannaand CharlotteColbert; hersister, Mary JaneShapley; andher brothers, Jack Floyd Shapley, Jr.and Calvin HarlowShapley. Shewas preceded in death by herhusband, Louis H. Russell; herfather, Irie Wilson; hermother JaneInezDoughty; and her stepfather, Jack Floyd Shapley Nina wasknown for her deep faithand compassionate spirit,and dedication to herministry. She touchedthe lives of many through herguidance and care Celebration of Life to occurat11:00 AM,July 3rd at the UnityChurchofBaton Rouge,15255 Jefferson Hwy. In lieu of flowers, please make adonation to your preferredcharity.

Agraduate of Gulfport High School, Nina continuedher education at PerkinstonJuniorCollege andLouisianaState University. Shedevoted much of herlifetoher faithand spiritual calling.She attended and graduated from theUnited DivineScience Ministerial School in San Antonio, Texas, and Brooks DivinitySchool in Denver,Colorado, andwas ordainedbyboth ministerial schools. Shealso graduated from theUnitySchool of ReligiousStudies in Unity Village,Missouri. Nina is survivedbyher daughterand son-in-law,

JanRay recently died in BatonRouge.She was95. ShegrewupinGeorge‐town,Texas andlived in BatonRouge formany years. Sheretired from LouisianaState University afterworking as an Admin‐istrativeAssistantfor the School of Social Work.Jan is preceded in deathbyher mother Mabel, herfather George,her husband Richard, andher sonKent. Sheissurvivedbyher sons Carl andAlan, her three daughters-in-law Mary, Annand Pam, alongwith hersix grandchildrenand twogreat-grandchildren Services will be held July 11 at St.Luke'sEpiscopal Church on Goodwood Blvd in BatonRouge.Visitation will beginat9 a.m.,fol‐lowedbya funeralservice at 10 a.m. Shewillbein‐terred in thenew St.Luke’s EpiscopalChurch when it is completedlater this year.

Duetothe 4thofJulyHoliday ouroffices willbeclosedFriday, July 3, 2026

Pike,Ralph Webster RalphWebster Pike,Jr., 90, of Jupiter, FL passed away on June 16, 2026 with belovedfamily by his side. Ralphwas bornonNovember10, 1935 to Ralphand MaceyPike in Tampa, FL He was agraduateofGeorgiaTech, earning aBSin 1957 and aPhD in 1963. He married his wife, Patricia (Pat). on August 23, 1958 and soonthereafter welcomed two children, Brian and Charlene. Ralphwas (ACS) and theAmerican Institute of Chemical Engi-

Knox, Carolyn S.

Ray, Jan

OPINION

Themessof cleaning up orphan wells needsstricter scrutiny

The growing spotlight on theproblem posed by the thousands of orphan wells scattered acrossour state is no doubt agood thing.These wells, abandoned by companies and potentially leaking chemicals into our groundwater,are a serious environmental threat.Weurged greater efforts by the state to identify andcap these wells. It seemed even though millions have been dedicated to the cause over the years, little progresshas beenmade.

Nowwe are getting aclearer pictureofone reason why that might have been the case. The LouisianaLegislative Auditorrecently released a72-page report outlininghow an effortto plug the wells was rife withconflicts andselfdealing.

The Louisiana Oilfield Restoration Association and its affiliated companies shutdownlast year amid scrutiny of the group’scontractwith the state to provide financial security to oil well operators, who paid them afee in exchange for taking responsibility for plugging wells. Johnny Adams, aformer deputy commissioner of the Office of Conservation, reportedly helped LORA getthe contract with the agency.Inreturn, auditors said, Adamslater received abelow-market loanonhis Baton Rouge home and his children were employed by associates of the company Adamsand attorneys forLORA havedenied wrongdoing Auditors say Adams helped LORA owners VanMayhallIII, Chad Lottand Jacob Dickinson structure the company in away that would make it harder for regulators to trace transactions. Mayhall said the company has cooperated with the investigation and plugged 120 wells with privatemoney

The state last year filed acivil suit to secure the funds that companiespaid to LORA.Now Attorney General Liz Murrill says shewill look at potential criminal charges. But whatever happens with this case, thelesson here is clear: Greater oversight is needed if the statehopes to tackle these tough problems. Toooften,wesee programs established withloose guidelinesand no internal mechanisms to thwart abuses.

We were supportive of theLouisiana Natural ResourcesTrust Authority, created by a2024 law,asanattempt to be more aggressive in righting the ship. We again urge legislators and state officials to give it theresources and authorities it needs to takeonthischallenge We are glad the LegislativeAuditoristaking on the challenge of getting to thebottomofwhy we can’tseemtomake adent in our orphanwell problem despite decades and millionsofdollars poured into the effort. We can no longer acceptthat programs like thiswill drag on for years withlittle to show for it. Louisianamustlearn how to quickly identify problems and change course when needed. Otherwise, the past will continue to hold ourstate back.

Deathcan be ashock,and clarifying

In thewee hours of the morning on April 24, Irealized Ihad missed the anniversary of the death of my dear friend KateO’Beirne.

I’ve been thinking about her alot lately,asItypically do, but Ididn’tdoanything special or different to markthe occasion. Andso, Ifelt like Idid somethingwrong. Kate died on a Sunday in 2017.

Grief is amultifaceted mystery. It never fully disappears, but it will turn its own volumedown now and again, only tospring back onto theforefront of your life when it is mostunexpected. It seemstocome andgo, but it is truly omnipresent. It’sinescapable. Many of us fear it, deny it,reject it. If we face it, though, we may just come to learn something about the depths of our hearts and how they reflect and are healed by thecreator of the universe.

Straying

While we hope ourreader forum on the letters pages prompts you to discussour original reporting and columns,weknow some readers also want to talk about issues they have seen on television or other media, or issues they have seen in theircommunities. We do allow some letters about these issues, especially if thereporting has been widely circulated.

Death is likely still ashock, even if you knew it was coming. I first met Kate at the HeritageFoundation; she wasvice president for government relations, and Iwas aCatholic University of America undergraduateinterning there when Ididn’thave classes. That eventually led to ajob at National Review and oneofthe mostimportant friendships of my life. Kate loved Pope John Paul II. Inever told her this, but Kate reminded me abit of him. There was acoolness about them both—they madeCatholicism chic, but never in apretentious way Recently,I’ve become beleaguered by deathfatigue. Life feels like if one moreperson dies —and they will —I will break. Even with faith in Godand an eye on eternity daily,it’shard. It’s painful. It

can be agonizing.

Death, of course, is also clarifying. How manythings do we do throughout the day that don’tmatter in the end? What are we prioritizing that is distracting us from love and virtue, faith and family,service and mercy? We’ve gotresponsibilities —some of them arduous, someofthem mundane. We can choose to do them in aspirit of gratitude and glory to Godfor the opportunity to live.

We can offer our crosses in the workplace and everywhere else to our God. Isay “our” because it is personal, our relationship with the divine. Next year will be 10 years since Kate died. I’mlooking forward to planning something big to introduce KateChic to anew generation.

Email Kathryn Jean Lopez at klopez@ nationalreview.com.

laneous topics.Weare notsostrictas to requireeveryone stayontopic at all times.

Butpleasenote that we do not allow serious accusations of wrongdoing that are thesubject of investigative reporting elsewhere to be aired on our pages. Without verification through our own reporting, we would not print such claims.

However,reports by established nonprofitresearch groups,government agencies and similar organizationsare often used to supportthe pointsthat writersare making. Reports from social media, independent websites or less established sources are less likely to pass our test.

We also know that some of you like to write to us about your life experiences, vacations and other miscel-

Some levity in the letters is always welcome. But we do want to emphasize that this is aforum for the community, and letters should have abroad audience.Ifthe topic pertains to only aniche group, letter writers should be clear about why others should care. If aletter doesn’tpertain to our state at all, it is less likely to get published.

Thereare so many sitesonthe internet wherepeople discuss very narrow topics in themost minute detail. We prefer letters that are accessible to everyone, whether you have cursory interestinatopic or aPh.D. in it. What mattersisthe ideas conveyed, not footnotes and citations.

Some writers link to sites where readers can go for more information, and online, we do include those links when possible. We also link to previous articles that writers mentionin theirletters. Putting URLs in print has proven to havelimited benefit,

though, as notmanypeople use the print publication in that way. Turning to ourletters inbox for June 4-11, we received 41 letters. That’s fewer thanusual, but it seems that aside fromthe party runoffs on June 27, it’sbeen pretty quiet on the political front. The topic that prompted the most letters was local —aproposed revamp of City-Brooks Park in Baton Rouge.Six of youwrote about that. Thenthe miscellaneous category accountedfor five letters. The TenCommandments in schools, which was the subject of two letters, rounded out the topthreetopics. We hope thatasAmericaprepares to celebrate its 250th birthday,we allappreciatethe freedoms we have to express ourviews thanks to our country’sfounding principles. That all Americanscan share their opinions on everything andnothing in so many forums is truly nottobetaken for granted.

Arnessa M. Garrett is Managing Editor |OpinionPageEditor.She canbereached at arnessa.garrett@ theadvocate.com

Arnessa Garrett

STAFF FILEPHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Orphan wells rise above thegroundnear Lettsworth.

COMMENTARY

Americansdesperately need to capture‘Spirit of ‘76’

As early as February1765, John Adams had his eye on the ball.

Complaining of British officials who “treated us like servants” while insisting the colonists had no “rights” but instead owedthe mother country “a filial duty and submission,” Adams, in an essay,remindedhis readers of the hardships faced by early settlers “Recollect …their bitter sufferings –the hunger, the nakedness, the cold… amidst dangersfrom wild beastsand savage men,”hewrote. “Letus recollect it was liberty,the hope of liberty for themselves and us and ours, which conquered all discouragements, dangers, andtrials.”

ideas of right and the sensations of freedom.”

Laterthat year, in his own diary, describing reactions to the Stamp Act tax imposed upon the colonies, Adams wrote that “the people, even to the lowest ranks,have become more attentive to their liberties …(and) more determined to defendthem.”

in that same 1765, was that “No laws bind the people but such as they consent to be governed by.”

words, anew,unique, and heroic “learning [and] spirit.”

Result: “Innumerable have been themonuments of wit, humor,sense, learning, spirit, patriotism, and heroism, erected in theseveral colonies and provinces.”

This this —was theessence of what became theUnited States of America.

He insisted, 11 years before the Declaration of Independence, that “many of our rights are inherent and essential,agreed on as maxims,and established as preliminaries, even beforeaparliament existed.”

He then called on colleges and public discourse to “become the instruments of impressing upon the tender mind, and of spreading and distributing far and wide, the

All throughout the colonies, consistently through those 11 years, even themost loyal subjects of Great Britain —ofall walksoflife —insisted that they possessed certain“natural rights” that government must respect Crucially,the people themselves hadthe right tocontrol their own government,not the other way around.The central, unassailable principle, as expressed by Connecticutlawyer Roger Sherman

This is why Thomas Jefferson explained that the Declaration of Independence, which he drafted as amember of acommittee consisting of himself, Adams, Sherman, Benjamin Franklin, and Robert Livingston, was not original to him, but instead was “an expression of the American mind.”Jefferson crystallized the colonists’ understandings that had been developing for years.

The key clause of theDeclaration combined Adams’ idea of unassailable rights with Sherman’s declarative point:“To secure these rights, governments are instituted among men,deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

To all of which, far too many of today’sAmericans merely shrug. The indifference is both ignorant and maddening. Nowhere else in the world back then, not even in England itself, was there such asense (ifany sense at all) of humans as self-governing, rightsowning individuals, not mere subjects.This was, to apply Adams’

Fifty years ago, during a 15-month-long bicentennial commemoration, every schoolchild was led to understand the magic and miracle of how these seminal ideas actually wereeffectuated. Very few Americans took these achievements forgranted. And thenear universal belief,anentirely accurate belief,was that this nation’sadherence to these ideals —and indeed, its evergrowing manifestation of the ideals, slowly but steadily eradicating earlier flaws—was astonishingly admirable and worth major celebration.

In 1975 and 1976, we got it right. We started in April 1775 by feeling the fear and commending thecourage of the militia who fired the“shot(s) heard round the world” at Lexington and Concord. We relished thestory of how the “loss” of Bunker (and Breed’s) Hill was considered amoral victory. We learned of Washington’s remarkablevictory in the siege of Boston,and of his army’smiraculous escape from the loss on Long Island.

And finally,ofcourse, came the exuberance on the Bicentennial itself,anational joy-fest of epic proportions, proving the truth of Adams’ immediate predictions that forcenturies afterward, the Declaration would be celebrated with “pompand parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations.”

The exuberance and joy were neither fake nor misplaced. Despite what too manyschools teach too manychildren these days, the United States, over time, has come farcloser than not to living up to the Declaration’sideals. Plenty of other columns have and will makethat case, but for now,asweenter the week of our semiquincentennial, let us belatedly but enthusiastically rediscover the “sense, learning, spirit, patriotism,and heroism”ofwhich Adamswrote.

Freedom is both our heritage and our gifttothe world. That heritage and giftare wondrous blessings. We must sustain them and consecrate them forever Email Quin Hillyer at quin hillyer@theadvocate.com

Bill Cassidyand theart of theflip-flop

My

first reaction —and that of many others, judging from the townsquare that is the modern internet —was that U.S. Sen Bill Cassidy’sheated Wednesday showdown with President Donald Trump must have felt cathartic. The outgoing two-term senator, ousted by his own party’s primary voters after Trump put agreat bigtarget on his back, finally let the president have it duringa testy closed-door lunch meeting,according to multiple sources, Cassidy included.

hostilities with Iran —reportedly called them “losers” who gave aid and comfort to theenemy Cassidypushedback, challengingTrumpfor thewar’sdisastrousoutcome

“I stood andsaid,‘Youhave not told the American people what’s goingon. It wassupposed to last four weeks; it’slasted four months. Ouroriginal objectives have notbeen achieved, and I want to know what’s going on, Cassidy told reporters.

I’m not talking about the sort of indirect shaming that Cassidy served up in May when he failed to make this weekend’srunoff between Trump-endorsed U.S Rep. Julia Letlow and equally Trump-worshiping state Treasurer John Fleming. Back then,Cassidy took the high road andtalked of the importance of accepting an election loss with grace. He didn’tsay Trump’sname, but you couldn’tmiss the intended contrast with the man he had voted to convict five years earlier for incitinganattackonthe U.S.Capitol rather than accepting defeat. No, this time the confrontation was personal.

Trump made clear his displeasure with Cassidy and three other Republicans who, aday earlier, helped Democrats pass alargely symbolic measure calling on the administration to withdraw from

He said Trump interrupted him and “I didn’tcare to be interrupted.Ifelt likeIwas trying to get answers for theAmerican people andI’m not goingtobebullied when I’m tryingtoget answers for theAmericanpeople.”

Thingsescalated.Trumpreportedly called Cassidya“lunatic.”

Cassidyreferred to Trumpashis “brother,” prompting the president to denysuch arelationship. The senator eventually calmed down and said he shouldn’thave let his“Irish” get thebetter of him.

And then camethe headspinning part. Cassidy reversed himself

After beingsummoned to the White House to meet withVice PresidentJDVance and special envoySteveWitkoff, he said he now understands the strategy; never mindthat his initial complaint wasn’t aboutstrategy but aboutTrump’slack of communication with thepublic and the failure to landthe promised outcome. Andthen, whenthe Senate

brought up anearly identical measure to theone he’d opposed, he voted yes.

So what,exactly,are we supposed to makeofhow this story started, and where it ended?

You’dthink Cassidy would own his new freedom,after having done nearly everything Trump wanted since his return to office, to no avail. Remember when he let political ambitions override his professional medical judgmentand helped give conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr thepower to undermine much of what he spent his prepolitics career fighting for? Those hoping for better out of him do.

Sure, he still sometimes pushes back against thepresident’s

countless transgressions. The sameeventful day all this happened, he joined with New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker to demand that acting Attorney General Todd Blanche explain the“extraordinary” immunity he granted the Trumpfamily from civil and criminal liability Butthen he turns around and falls in line, just as he did when he still hoped to stop Trumpfrom coming after him

Maybe hisabout-face Wednesday was asign he’d succumbed to the flattery of getting acoveted WhiteHouse invitation. Perhaps he was trying to smooththings over after the public outburst, hoping to winsupport for the substantive policy ini-

tiatives he still wants to achieve in his last months —even if it meanslying downwith those who forced him into his impending unwanted retirement. It could be that he’ssimply exhausted from having to navigate the depressing environment that all responsible Republicans in Washington find themselves in these days, caught between their own best judgment and a president whobrooks no dissent no matter how bad his ideas or behavior

It’s even possible that he was actually convinced that the rebuke from Congress hurts the country’sposition as it tries to negotiate details of the conflict from what he well knows—and basically came out and said —isa position of weakness.

He’snot the only one who finds himself veering between trying to be ateam player and going full resistance. John Cornyn of Texas, also taken out by aTrumpendorsed challenger in aGOP primary,and Thom Tillis of North Carolina, whoisnot seeking reelection, are also pretty much in the sameboat these days. But insisting he would not be bullied by the president and then turning around and giving him exactly what he wants?

That’ssome next-level flipflopping —the kind I, forone, had hoped Cassidy had finally put behind him

Email Stephanie Graceat sgrace@theadvocate.com.

We should vote on ideas, notphysicallikeness

MS NOW commentatorAli Velshi was not alone in complainingthat women are “underrepresented” in Congress. It is true that women account for 51% of the U.S. population but only 29% of the House members. To which Isay,“So what?”

Basing the notion of fair representation on racial, genderorethnic identity needs to be put in afolder —apaper folder stored in adusty steel file cabinet. Most of us have additional identities —aselectricians, teachers, environmentalists, grandparents, bus drivers, stock investors, union members. Who would represent me under this broader definition? Someone with brown hair who streams a lot of true crime, has too many opinionsand used to playthe flute. That perfect human being has yet to appear on my ballot If she did, Imight not vote for

her anyway if we disagreed on tariffs, green energy and immigration.

TheFounders designed arepublic in which representatives would debateideas, not their reflection in abathroom mirror.Besides, people of similar physical identities disagree on lots of things, including matters tied to identity

This DNA-based notion of “fair representation” comes up in the thorny matter of redistricting, thatis, the redrawing of House districts in ways that would allegedly help one party.Donald Trump kicked off the latest round. Panicky that Democrats might swamp the midterms, he’s pushed Republican-controlled states to change thelines to remove “safe” Democratic districts, or so he thinks.Democratic-controlledstatescountered with their own gerrymandering.

Trump was responding to arecent Supreme Court ruling, Louisiana v. Callais, which weakened limits in theVoting Rights Act on race-based redistricting. He apparently believes thatdividing Black voters among majorityWhite districtswould leave them toosmall ashare of the vote to elect their preferred candidate. The assumption under thatassumptionisthat Black voters agree on who should represent them.

Consider the lively primary race in anewly redrawn South Florida district. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, aDemocrat,decided to run in alargely Black district after Gov.Ron DeSantis helped eraseher own district lines

“A lot of people in thecommunityare angry,” saysDale Holness, aformer Broward County commissioner whoisAfrican American. By community,weassume he means the“Black community.”

Buthedoes notentirely speak for “thecommunity,” even by his definition. Many of these constituents have interests beyond therace of their representative. Issues like Social Security,medical coverage,abortion, the war with Iran, gasoline prices. John Beckford, aBroward businessleader originally from Jamaica, is Black.Hesaidthat Schultzhas “always been apart of the African American,Black community,the Caribbean community.It’snot like she’snow a stranger trying to make herself known.”

Business owners andother votersofall colorsmight want to retaina repwho is asenior member of the powerful House Appropriations Committee, which sends federalmoney to thedistricts. That interest might double in the likely event that Democrats take control of the House in the midterms. Opponents of the current Re-

publican leadership tactics hold thatthe redistricting mania will lead to less “representation” of Black voters. But others argue the exact opposite,and they include Republicans. The partisans who think they arecleverly scattering Black voters into White-majority districts would also be increasing the Black voters’ clout in those same districts. Thatcan make adifference in closeraces,especially as political allegiances continue to splinter. History should also have its say. ABlack man waselected U.S. president twicebyamajority White electorate. There are reasonstosupport acandidate otherthanresemblance to self. And those tend to be the better reasons.

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

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By J. SCOTT APPLEWHITE

U.S. Sen.Bill Cassidy, R-Baton Rouge, headstoaclosed-door Republican policy meetingatthe CapitolinWashington on Tuesday

Froma Harrop Quin Hillyer

Stephanie Grace

time Kamara, Saints separate

They say all good things must come to an end

TheBeatles broke up.

“Seinfield” eventuallybecamereruns.

The once-idyllic marriageofTom Brady and Gisele Bundchen ran itscourse. And it would not be shocking if something similar happened with Alvin Kamara and theNew Orleans Saints. In fact,you could argue that parting ways might be in thebest interests of the starrunning back and theteam that drafted him nineyears ago. Through arelease or trade Kamara would get achance to end his stellar career bychasing aring with aSuper Bowlcontender and finding a larger role on the field.

With Kamara out of the picture, the Saints could hand the backfield keys to Travis Etienne and give more snapstotheir stable of young reserve backs —Devin Neal,KendreMillerand Audric Estimé It mightnot be the ending eitherside envisioned two years ago when Kamara signed atwo-year,$24.5 million contract extension, but there are certainly worse ways for arelationship to end Irealize this will not be apopular opinion. Kamara is the leading rusher in Saints history and one of the most popular players to wear the black and gold.He’sbeen voted ateam captain twice by hispeers and inspired ageneration of New Orleans

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Saints running backAlvin Kamarawalks off the field after aloss to the New England Patriots on Oct. 12 at the Caesars Superdome. Kamara’sfuture withthe Saints remains uncertain.

NO AD BLOOD ‘

STAFFPHOTO By BRETT DUKE

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss gives instructions to campers at the Manning Passing Academy on Fridayat Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

OleMissQBChambliss

cool with Kiffin,

despiteone difference of opinion

BY JON BLAU Staff writer

Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chamblissprides himself on playing the game like apoint guard, distributing the football with quick passes and, when necessary,using his legs to scramble and extend plays.

As theRebels quarterback and Manning Passing Academycounselor sat for an interview withreporters on Friday in Thibodaux, he stared down an expected onslaught of questions about former Rebels coach Lane Kiffin. He barely sidestepped them, gracefully threading the needle with each answer

“There’snobad blood between me and Kiff,” Chambliss saidofhis former coach,who left forLSU priortoOle Miss’ playoff run. “Supergrateful for him giving me the opportunity at OleMisstoplay under his system.But yeah, me andKiff, we’re still cool.”

Chambliss, theex-Division II quarterback from Fer-

ris State, owes muchtoKiffinand offensive coordinator Charlie Weis Jr.for where he sits now

Ayear ago, he wasn’tamong the echelon of quarterbacks invited to the Manning family’scamp. He couldn’t joke about how he’sexpecting to boost his 93 out of 99 rating in the EA Sports college football video gamethis fall.

The 6-foot, 205-pound quarterback wasn’teven expected to be the Ole Miss starter going into last season but found hisway onto the fieldand produced 3,937yards passing, 22 touchdowns and just three interceptions on his wayto aCollege Football Playoff semifinal game.

Chamblissdid that last part withoutKiffin, but there continuedtobeloudchatter,tinged with hostility, about thecoach’sexit.

Profanities were hurled at Kiffinasheboarded aplane for Baton Rouge, but he stoked the fireshimself in May when he commented in Vanity Fair that it wasdifficult to

Assessingwhere Pels standafter low-keydraft

The NBA draft has come and gone. While the New Orleans Pelicansprovided afeel-good story in the second round, the remainder of the draft left their fans cravingsomethingto feel good about heading into the season.

the Pelicans at thisyear’sdraft.

Thedraft pick

One thingisclear: Joe Dumars andassistant Troy Weaver still have plenty of work to do to improve aroster that failed to win 30 games in each of the past two years.

Here are five things we learned about

This is theobvious place to start considering the Pelicanshad just onepickin the draft. They hadtowaituntil almost theveryend,selecting SMU guard Jaron Pierre with the No. 58 overallpick

TheNew Orleans native played his high school ball at St.Augustine and became the first homegrown player ever drafted by the franchise, but don’tget it twisted: ThePelicans didn’t draft him becausehe’s from here. They selected him because he can flat out play He averaged 17.7 pointslast season at

SMU and 21.6pointsthe yearbefore at Jacksonville State. He can shoot. He can jump out of the gym. He doesn’t mind defending. He has just thetype of toughness Dumars covets His pathtothe NBAwasn’t easy,with him playing at four different colleges in six years. Butitshows just how determined he was tomake it, and thePels may have found asecond-round gem who can stick around. Pierre will have his introductory news conference

Rod Walker

Jeff Duncan

Hovland takes lead at Travelers

BY DOUG FERGUSON Associated Press

CROMWELL,Conn.— Viktor Hovland feels he is headed in the right direction, and Saturday at the Travelers Championship was a big test He played alongside Scottie Scheffler on a course that features plenty of water and shots that can cause some stress.

A two-shot swing on the 18th hole — Hovland made a 6-foot birdie, Scheffler three-putted from 25 feet on the fringe for bogey — gave the Norwegian star a 6-under 64 and a one-shot lead over the world’s No. 1 player

“Just had a great time,” Hovland said. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in this position. To go headto-head against the best player in the world and pull off some great shots, it was just a lot of fun.”

The pleasant surprise was the support he had in the crowd

Scheffler is enormously popular, and the TPC Highlands had a vocal gallery Hovland had plenty of support from a Norway contingent that drove over from Boston following a World Cup loss to France. Hovland gave them plenty of opportunity to do the “row” that has become so popular in the stadium and subway stations and wherever they gather Hovland knows it well. Oddly enough, it was the first time he

Viktor Hovland watches his shot land near the pin on the 15th green on Saturday during the third round of the Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn.

had seen it live.

“I mean, we’re Vikings, so it’s kind of in our DNA,” Hovland said.

“It’s kind of funny, that’s the first time I’ve ever seen it I think that’s the first time we’ve ever done it, especially in the World Cup. So yeah, it took us 1,000 years to figure it out. I think it’s pretty cool.”

“Ro, ro, ro!” they chanted as Hovland approached the 18th green.

It was the second straight year

Scheffler, whose bogey gave him a 67, fell from the top of the leaderboard going into the weekend at the TPC River Highlands, though this was no cause for alarm A year ago, he opened with a triple bogey, shot 72 and fell nine shots behind.

This was one hole, and he was only one shot behind as Scheffler tries to win for the first time since the start to his season in the California desert.

Hovland was at 20-under 190

and gets another afternoon with Scheffler on Sunday The next closest players were Patrick Cantlay (64) and Akshay Bhatia (67), who were five shots behind.

“This is a golf course where you can see some numbers be shot. You know, guys can shoot pretty low,” Scheffler said. “Going into tomorrow just try to execute, have a good round, and see where that puts me.”

Hovland started two shots behind and it took him four holes to catch Scheffler From there it was a bit of a pillow fight as they matched mostly pars, two birdies and one bogey to remain tied.

Scheffler regained the lead with a lob wedge to 2 feet on the 14th. Both got up-and-down from the front of the green on the reachable par-4 15th and exchanged pars going to the 18th.

That’s where it flipped, giving Hovland the lead.

There was separation, but this is not a duel given the nature of this course that allows for low scoring and dynamic finishes because of the closing hole.

“The beauty of this golf course is that I think Scottie and I have separated ourselves from the rest of the field, but at the same time, 14 or 15 under is still very much in this thing if they go and shoot a very low score tomorrow,” Hovland said.

Top players’ prize-money protest continues

BY KEN MAGUIRE Associated Press

LONDON — Tennis star Jessica

Pegula said a protest by top players over prize money at the French Open was “productive and worked well.”

Seemed to be, because Wimbledon then increased its prize money by 20%.

But several players are continuing the protest by limiting media appearances — this weekend and in the first week of the grasscourt Grand Slam, which starts Monday, arguing that they deserve a bigger share of revenue.

“We’re very grateful that Wimbledon has raised the prize money, but again it’s not really answering the questions that we’ve been asking,” Pegula said Saturday, when she limited her time with the press. “I don’t know if the point is just not getting across.”

And the No. 4 player is already looking ahead to the last major on the calendar — the U.S Open.

“We’ll see how it progresses

after doing this today and over the next week and then going into obviously the next Slam, which is the U.S. Open,” the 32-year-old American said. “I think we’ll kind of get a good grasp about where we’re really standing with the Slams and see what we can get out of that with talking to them.

Wimbledon’s total prize money including player per diems will be $85 million, the biggest annual increase, by sum of money in the tournament’s history The increase in 2013 represented a 40% hike over the prior year.

The singles champions at the All England Club will each get $4.75 million — which also represents a 20% hike.

The protest began at the French Open, where players complained the total prize money only made up 14.3% of the clay-court tournament’s revenue.

Novak Djokovic has not been a part of the protest.

“I have no views on that, to be honest. I’m not part of it. Just I’ll stay neutral on that,” the seven-

time Wimbledon champion said Saturday.

Top-ranked Aryna Sabalenka described the 20% increase as a “great start.”

“I really hope we can finally get to the table and really get it done, come to a conclusion that everyone going to be happy with. Hopefully we’ll never have to do it again,” she said. “Once again, I hope we’re not going to get to this boycotting again.”

Jannik Sinner limited a media appearance and deflected questions about the protest.

“It’s getting better even though we are not at the point where we are 100% happy,” the Italian said.

Sinner said it’s “not only about the money,” citing the need for improvements in player welfare. But he declined to engage in a question about Wimbledon’s offer to work on creating a player council.

“I just think it’s better if we don’t discuss here, I don’t like to talk about this at the moment,” he said.

Serena in spotlight ahead of Wimbledon return

BY KEN MAGUIRE Associated Press

LONDON Iga Swiatek is the reigning champion. Aryna Sabalenka is the No. 1 women’s singles player Serena Williams is the star, though, at Wimbledon.

The 44-year-old Williams’ presence has been emanating throughout SW19 — the famous post code of Wimbledon as she prepares to play her first singles match at the event in four years Tuesday when she faces No. 53 Maya Joint in the first round.

Mirra Andreeva, who just won the French Open, was basically crossing her fingers when the Wimbledon draw was announced.

“I was watching like this because I don’t think anyone in the draw would have wanted to play against Serena,” the smiling Russian teenager said Saturday

“I’m going to speak for myself.

I wouldn’t want to play against Serena. I would be just very nervous.” Williams had been away from the sport since her farewell at the 2022 U.S. Open, but she accepted a wild-card entry to play women’s doubles with her sister Venus,

who is 46. And then she accepted another to play singles.

Serena Williams’ most recent appearance at Wimbledon was in 2022 when she lost in the opening round to Harmony Tan, who was then ranked 115th The American great walked away from tennis — she described it as “evolving” away after losing in the third round to Ajla Tomljanovic at Flushing Meadows Her second daughter was born in 2023. Williams, a seven-time Wimbledon singles title winner could meet Swiatek in the third round.

Sisterly motivation

Serena Williams officially returned to tennis earlier this month in a doubles match with 19-yearold Canadian Victoria Mboko at the Queen’s Club grass-court tournament.

“Unexpectedly, before her first match she asked me did I have any motivational quotes I use for myself,” Venus Williams said Saturday “I told her what I was using at the time. I don’t know if that helped or not She did win the match.”

Djokovic inspired by Serena Novak Djokovic calls Serena Williams’ tennis comeback “inspirational” and “epic.”

“That’s what I told her,” Djokovic said Saturday “I see her in the gym more than I have, I think, seen her when she was at her prime,” Djokovic a 24-time major champion, said of Williams, a 23time major winner in singles. “It tells me that she really wants this to work out the best way possible.”

Djokovic added: “I always admired her career, her journey, her story Of course, Venus’, as well.” Gauff and Sabalenka, too

Ryu leads Women’s PGA by a shot; Korda is 4 back

CHASKA, Minn. — Haeran Ryu shot a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a one-shot lead over Brooke Henderson after three rounds of the Women’s PGA Championship. Ina Yoon, who entered the day with a five-shot lead, struggled early but settled down to finish with a 3-over 75 and is two shots off the pace.

Dewi Weber the 210th-ranked player in the World Golf Rankings seeking her first career LPGA win, birdied three of the final four holes and is three shots back after a 4-under 68. A Lim Kim joins her there. Nelly Korda, chasing a historic third straight major championship win, shot a 1-under 71 on a sunny, windy day at Hazeltine National Golf Club outside Minneapolis. She and Alison Lee are four shots off the lead.

Osaka retires in second set of Bad Homburg final BAD HOMBURG, Germany Naomi Osaka’s Wimbledon preparations received a setback when she retired at the start of the second set in Saturday’s Bad Homburg Open final because of a foot injury

The fourth-seeded Japanese player, in her first grass-court final, was trailing 6-1, 1-0 to Karolina Muchova of the Czech Republic when she pulled out.

Osaka had taken a medical timeout in the first set. Then, after gesturing she could not continue, she walked over to shake hands with Muchova and the umpire.

“I just want to say thank you to everyone who came to watch the match,” Osaka told the crowd during the trophy ceremony “I apologize for not being able to finish, but this atmosphere was incredible the whole week.”

OKC, Hartenstein agree to 3-year, $75 million deal

Isaiah Hartenstein has agreed to a three-year $75 million contract to stay with the Oklahoma City Thunder, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday

The 7-foot center has been a two-year starter for the Thunder, which has gone 88-16 in the past two regular seasons when he plays. He averaged 9.2 points and 9.4 rebounds per game this past season and started 20 of the 23 Thunder games in the 2025 playoff run that ended in an NBA title. Hartenstein has been well traveled in his career with stints in New York, Houston, Denver, Cleveland and the Los Angeles Clippers before coming to Oklahoma City

Royals left-hander Ragans to undergo elbow surgery

Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans will undergo elbow surgery on Wednesday that will determine the degree of repair needed, manager Matt Quatraro said Saturday

A 2024 All-Star Ragans went on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement on May 8. He left his May 6 start against the Cleveland Guardians after three innings and was diagnosed with valgus extension overload. He was placed on the 60-day injured list on June 17.

“They’re not going to be clear on the extent of it until they get in there and understand what they see,” Quatraro said.

A three-time opening day starter for Kansas City Ragans (1-4, 4.84 ERA) missed most of last season due to a left groin strain and rotator cuff strains.

Cubs place reliever Milner on IL with appendicitis

MILWAUKEE The Chicago Cubs’ injury-riddled pitching staff suffered another blow when lefthanded reliever Hoby Milner was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday with appendicitis.

Milner was 1-0 with a 3.55 ERA in a team-high 38 appearances.

The Williams sisters will play their first-round doubles match against Colombia’s Camila Osorio and Solana Sierra of Argentina. Serena and Venus have won 14 Grand Slam titles together in doubles, including six at Wimbledon. Their first two doubles titles at the All England Club, in 2000 and 2002, came as wild cards.

Coco Gauff, the No. 7 seed at Wimbledon, said Serena and Venus were the “biggest” inspiration for her

“I played the sport because of them, believed that I could do things because of them. I look up to them a lot,” she said.

“For us it was about the titles, we wanted the Grand Slam titles. We just wanted to bring them home,” Venus said. “We did pretty good.”

Sabalenka added: “It’s amazing what she’s doing. Also it’s Serena Williams, everyone was talking about that. She’s bringing more eyes on tennis. It’s a good thing for tennis. I’m really excited to see her play.”

“He woke up in the middle of the night and had major stomach pain,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said before Saturday’s game against the Brewers. “He Ubered himself to the emergency room and had surgery this morning.”

“We’re fortunate that he’s OK,” Counsell said. “We’re probably looking at four to six weeks.” Right-hander Tyler Ferguson was recalled from Triple-A Iowa for the third time since being acquired May 7 in a trade with

Athletics.

AP PHOTO By KIRSTy WIGGLESWORTH

Jannik Sinner smiles during a training session at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club ahead of Wimbledon on Thursday in London.

AP PHOTO By JOHN WALTON

Serena Williams smiles during a practice session ahead of the Wimbledon Championships on Saturday in London.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By JESSICA HILL

recruit Black athletes to Oxford, Mississippi.

“He said what he said,” Chambliss said. “Me personally, I don’t agree with it. When I came down for my (recruiting) visit, (Kiffin) showed me nothing but love. The people in Mississippi Oxford, showed me nothing but love.

“I asked my family what they thought about the visit, what they thought about the people, if they trusted what they were actually saying, if they were going to be true to their word. And they said, yeah, they feel like this is the right place.”

Chambliss, who is returning for a sixth college season thanks to a court order, said he’s a loyal person and had no thoughts of playing anywhere but Ole Miss for his final season. Oxford, he said, is “home.”

His football household is now led by a defensive-minded head coach, Pete Golding, but new offensive play-caller John David Baker is running essentially the same system as Kiffin and Weis, just with slightly different terminology

Chambliss said he expects LSU’s Week 3 visit to Oxford to be a “chess match” between his former and current coaches.

“They obviously run our offense that we did at Ole Miss and they got a great DC there as well,” Chambliss said of LSU defensive coordinator Blake Baker. “So I’m just super pumped up and excited to play them again. And I’ll give coach Weis a big hug when I see him.”

Weis, the 33-year-old son of the former Notre Dame head coach and Patriots assistant of the same name, remained with Ole Miss during its playoff run but eventually accepted a three-year contract worth $2.5 million per year to join Kiffin at LSU.

Chambliss said Weis is a “great guy.”

“On my visit, he was one of the reasons why I committed (to Ole Miss),” Chambliss said. “Just gotta give him so much thanks and just super grateful for him, for giving me the opportunity, for sticking with me through the ups and downs this last year.”

with campers

One of the biggest ups or downs of next season will undoubtedly be the LSU game He’s been getting stopped in public, constantly, by Ole Miss fans wanting to talk about Week 3.

Chambliss said he’s hoping to treat that game like any other, like a “regular” Saturday, but he expects it will be very different

“Honestly, wilder and crazier than any game we had last year,” said Chambliss, who joked that Oxford’s S.W.A.T team might be in attendance to beef up security “Yeah, Oxford is going to be electric.”

It promises to be an unimaginable scene, a scenario Chambliss couldn’t have fathomed a year ago while fresh off a transfer from Ferris State.

Things have changed drastically but the quarterback wasn’t shy about tossing his former coaches love. Nor was he ducking his excitement for Sept. 19.

He delivered his thoughts, decisively and comfortably, as a quarterback should.

“Super grateful for coach Weis and the staff that was at Ole Miss that’s now at LSU, Kiff,” Chambliss said. “They gave me an opportunity, they gave me a shot. Super excited to go against them.”

Continued from page 1C

kids. His No. 41 jersey is ubiquitous at home games.

But as Demario Davis, another Saints legend, noted earlier this year, the good times roll for only so long and sometimes it’s best to move on. That time feels like it’s come for Kamara and the Saints, just as it did for so many other great NFL partnerships such as Brady and the Patriots, Aaron Rodgers and the Packers, and Peyton Manning and the Colts. The road to reach this point has been complicated.

After signaling a changing of the guard by signing Etienne at the outset of free agency, the Saints were careful to give Kamara his space and have since treated him with the respect due a player of his profile and pedigree. As of last week, they had yet to approach him about a pay cut and it’s unclear whether they will do so before training camp starts next month. The Saints always could do nothing and elect to live with Kamara’s deal, which makes him the ninth-highest-paid back in the league, above even Etienne, the man he is slotted to back up Kamara’s $10.5 million salary-cap hit is the sixth-highest among backs in the league and has led multiple outlets to rank him as one of the most overpaid players in the league this offseason.

While the Saints never have cared about optics they rarely overlook fiscal profligacy That said, they might be willing to make an exception in the case of Kamara, who certainly outearned his contract in the early years of his career So far everyone has played nice publicly and maintained a respectful, professional approach to the situation But there’s no denying the vibe between the sides has been off throughout the offseason A quiet disconnect has brewed behind the scenes creating an undercurrent of uncertainty Kamara’s decision to — again — not participate in the offseason program only exacerbated things. He was largely out of communication with team officials, unlike Nathan Shepherd, who kept in constant contact with the team after being excused from workouts because of a personal matter. While the conditioning program and organized team activities are technically “volunteer work,” Kamara’s absence was conspicuous on a team where 54 players had 100% participation in the offseason program and an “all-in” mindset has been

In-Season Challenge starts engine at Sonoma

The Associated Press

SONOMA, Calif. — Ty Dillon sat down with a thousand-yard stare beside an equally stone-faced Denny Hamlin, and both were clad in black to promote their In-Season Challenge matchup.

For the second consecutive year, the NASCAR Cup Series drivers face off in the first round, and their joint interview Saturday at Sonoma Raceway came off with the feel of a heavyweight weigh-in — absent the verbal jousting.

They’re leaving the trash talking to their daughters, who have become best friends at the racetrack but will be “competing as much as we will,” Hamlin said.

“Behind the scenes, they’re probably more invested in this than anybody,” Dillon said with a laugh.

The last road course of the Cup Series season will mark the start of the In-Season Challenge, a five-race, bracket-style tournament with $1 million at stake for the winner

There are 16 head-to-head matchups Sunday at Sonoma, with the highest finisher advancing to the next round.

In the event’s debut last season, the breakout star was Dillon. As the 32nd and last seed, the Kaulig Racing driver made an improbably flamboyant run to a runnerup finish while upsetting Hamlin and 2012 champion Brad Keselowski.

Dillon is ranked 31st with a best finish of 12th this season, but the In-Season Challenge looms as another chance to garner some headlines and unlikely fans.

“When he knocked me out last year, I became the biggest Ty Dillon fan,” Hamlin said. “I certainly love their story and have a ton of respect for him.“

Dillon is a 34-year-old journeyman who has raced in the Cup Series for more than a decade without a win or playoff appearance.

The grandson of championship team owner Richard Childress showcased a devilishly overlooked wit in last year’s InSeason Challenge on the way to losing to Ty Gibbs in the final round at Indianapolis. Dillon lightheartedly called out each opponent he vanquished, starting by stealing Hamlin’s “I beat your favorite driver” line when he shocked the top seed.

“We put in a lot of effort each week, and our story doesn’t always get told,” Dillon said. “The In-Season Challenge isn’t always focused on the top five in points, but it’s focused on the teams like ours who are grinding. Most weeks, we beat one or two or three of the megateams. So it was great that our story got told, not only for me being able to show a little bit of personality, but for our

sponsors and our race team, too.”

His plan was to stay within striking distance of his weekly opponents until the final restart. Three times, he made the winning pass after the last green flag, including a bump on Alex Bowman in the final turn of the last lap at Sonoma.

“Our goal is to be the best version of us,” Dillon said. “That’s to execute every single phase, and if they make one mistake, be there to attack when the opportunity comes. Of all the racetracks, this one gives us a shot to do that, so it’s going to be fun.”

Dillon has posted a better finish than Hamlin in the past three races at Sonoma, but he is cautiously optimistic about beating the Joe Gibbs Racing star who has four wins this year

“They’re kicking butt,” Dillon said. “If they put together a perfect weekend, it’s going to be a challenge for us to keep up. Past records don’t really mean anything for this weekend. Hopefully, we’re there to just put pressure on him. That’s all we want to do.” During last year’s In-Season Challenge opener, Hamlin was one of eight higher seeds who were eliminated at Atlanta, a 1.5-mile track known for big wrecks that is third in this year’s lineup. Hamlin likes his odds better at Sonoma. “Our car’s got a lot of speed, and the types of tracks this time will be a little bit more indicative of the guys moving on that you would expect,” said Hamlin, who lobbied NASCAR to implement the In-Season Challenge as an attention-grabbing break from the summer doldrums. “But for a road course, anything still can happen. There’ll be battles for 16th that matter, and that normally no one would ever care about. That’s the beauty of the bracket system and headto-head is that you’re creating storylines and matchups.”

adopted in Year 2 of the Kellen Moore era. It’s noteworthy that the other team captains — Erik McCoy, Justin Reid and Zach Wood have all been active participants this offseason. (As an unrestricted free agent, Cam Jordan was not under contract with the Saints at the time.)

Kamara’s surprise one-day visit during the final week of OTAs caught many in the building off-guard and was seen as a publicity stunt by some. To no one’s surprise, Kamara was gone the next day

This approach works fine when you’re the lead back and making Pro Bowls, but not so much when you’re a backup and coming off the kind of injury-plagued, nonproductive campaign Kamara had in 2025.

Kamara told reporters he wants to play for the Saints this season and he has “no beef” with the team, but his actions have indicated something different.

It’s all led to the awkward song-and-dance routine we’ve watched play out this offseason.

Nowhere was it more pronounced than at the team’s recent minicamp, where Kamara was held out of team drills as part of the team’s “ramp-up” process, a curious strategy given he’s presumably healthy and should be fresh from his offseason sabbatical. He watched team drills from the sideline while Etienne took the firstteam reps, and Estimé and Ty Chandler subbed with the reserve units.

Seeing Kamara excluded from the offensive rotation looked odd and felt strange. It brought to mind Charles Jefferson, the football star in “Fast Times at Ridgemont High,” whose classmates thought he didn’t attend school and “just flew in for football games.”

In a way, Kamara’s career is already in the lagniappe stage. His nine-year tenure already has wildly exceeded expectations, especially when you consider his modest third-round draft status. He’s the only running back of the 27 selected in the 2017 NFL Draft still with his original team, and one of just five from the group still in the league. Former draft classmates Leonard Fournette and Dalvin Cook have been out of the league for years.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Kamara situation plays out. It’s possible the sides get together and reach an amicable resolution, allowing Kamara the chance to finish his career in New Orleans.

It’s also possible the Saints part ways before or during camp. As noted, that might not be the worst outcome in the world. Neither side is to blame. It just feels like it’s time. Everything has a shelf life. Ask Tom Brady.

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER Saints running back Alvin Kamara puts on a helmet during minicamp on June 16 in Metairie.

STAFF PHOTO By BRETT DUKE Ole Miss quarterback Trinidad Chambliss, right, talks

before a drill at the Manning Passing Academy on Friday at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux.

AP PHOTO By DERIK HAMILTON

Denny Hamlin celebrates in Victory Lane after winning a NASCAR Cup Series race on June 14 at Pocono Raceway in Long Pond, Pa.

WORLDCUP 2026

Kane makes historyfor Englandinwin

By The Associated Press

EAST RUTHERFORD,N,.J.—

Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane scored early in the second half, lifting England over Panama 2-0Saturday and into what appears to be amorefavorablebracket forthe knockout phase of the World Cup.

On arainy afternoon before avocal pro-England crowd that made MetLife Stadium seem like Wembley,Panama held the European powerscorelessthrough

a first half in which Kane had10 touches, the fewest of anyplayer Bellingham putthe Three Lions ahead in the 62nd minute from Bukayo Saka’scorner kick.Heldina bear hug by Jorge Gutiérrez at the top of the 6-yard box, Bellingham stuck out his left leg and stabbed theball past goalkeeper Orlando Mosquera for his third World Cup goal, his second this year

Five minuteslater,Bellingham crossed from theleft flank and Kane outjumped AndrésAndrade to head the ball in for his 82nd international goal. Kane became England’srecord World Cup scorer with his 11th goal, one more than Gary Lineker.

“Our first job achieved,” Bellingham said. “Just agood combination of play.Togive it to Harry again, who just continuestoraise his level, is incredible.”

CROATIA2,GHANA 1: In Philadelphia, Croatia earned aspot in the knockout round, getting goals from Nikola Vlašic andLukaSucic to beat Ghana.

HarryKane celebrates after scoring England’ssecond goal in aWorld Cupmatch against Panama on Saturday in East Rutherford,N.J.Kane became England’s record WorldCup scorer withhis 11thgoal.

Ghana had already clinched a spot in the round of 32 forthe first time since 2010. Vlašicheaded home Luka Modric’scorner in the 83rd minute to score thewinner and putCroatia back in contention after it finished third in 2022. The win means Croatia finished second behind England in Group L, with Ghana third.

Sucic scored in the 31stminute for Croatia on an absolute rocket from outside the box for his second career international goal.

Derrick Luckassen scored the equalizerthat—after abrief review —sent thousands of fans wearing yellow into afrenzy.Luckassen, brother of the Netherlands’ Brian Brobbey, found the bottom right corner in the73rdminute to make it 1-1 and the first of the five group stage games in Philadelphia where both teams scored.

Canada-South Africa match kicksoff knockout roundplay

BY STEVE REED Associated Press

No more ties.

From here on out, the World Cup knockoutroundsmean only oneteam will emerge as the victorand advance to the next round, while the other heads home.

Single-elimination play begins on Sunday when Canada faces South Africa in Inglewood, California, in the first of 16 matches after the fieldof48 was trimmed to 32 with the completionofgroupstage matches late Saturday night.

The Canada-South Africa match features alittle bit of history

Both teams will be making their first appearances in aWorldCup knockout match. Both finished second in their respective groups with 1-1-1 records over three matches. They will havethe stage to themselves as the only match of theday.Three more matches are

scheduled for Monday: BrazilJapan, Germany-Paraguay and Netherlands-Morocco.

“Every moment matters,”

Canada coach Jesse Marschsaid of the single-elimination match

“And certainly when youget to the knockoutphase the ability to have full concentration on the task at hand,tounderstandthe opponent andtilt things in our favor is very important. And the discipline, to make sure you don’tget yourself in trouble withcards or badpenalties.”

Thatsaid, Marsch wantshis team to open the game aggressively,unlikeits 2-1 loss to Switzerland in group play

“Weare clear on the qualities (SouthAfrica) has, and we are very clearonwhat to expect,” Marsch said.“And this is also a moment where we wanttobeat ourbest.”

Canada expectsDaviesback

Marsch said teamcaptain and star left back Alphonso Davies will makehis 2026 World Cup de-

but on Sunday Davies has not played in a match since early May due to a hamstring injury he sustained playing for Bayern Munich in a Champions League semifinal.

“Wetalked about from aphysical perspectivegettingstronger as the tournament went on, and now thatwehave Alphonso back andready to perform,itisa big momentfor theteamand abig boost for theteam,” Marsch said. Marschtold reporters he expected Davies to play in the team’s group-stage finale against SwitzerlandinVancouver, but thatturned out just to be gamesmanship. He had no plans to play Davies.

Davies had askedtobring a personal trainer to join him at the World Cup andMarsch agreed.He has been working on the side with the trainer at recent practices.

Davies said there hasbeen “open communication” between himself, the trainerand the team during therehab process and he feels ready to go.

Soccer meetsnatureatwatch party

BY DREW RENNER Associated Press

NORTH VANCOUVER, British Columbia

World Cup fans in Vancouver took to the great outdoors Saturday with amountaintop watch party accessed by gondola. The match between England and Panama was shown on abig screen atopGrouse Mountain, a4,100-foot mountain that’s part of the PacificRanges with asweeping view of British Columbia.

Some 300 people attended the event, which was part of Destination Canada’seffort to blend the nation’snatural attractionswith theWorld Cup. When JudeBellingham scored England’sbreakthroughgoalinthe secondhalf, the fans roared.

“It makes it much more immersive, right, in the sense that you’ve got multiple layers. You’ve gotthe game going on, and then all of the sudden, as you then look at thebackground and look around, it’sincredible,

Afan cheersafter

incrediblewiththe view,” event volunteerStephan Lukac said.

“This is what it’sall about.” Both Toronto and Vancouver arehostingmatches during the tournament. An earlier watch partywas held in the Toronto IslandsinLake Ontario. Fans were encouraged tokayakorferry for agroup-stage match between

Germany and Ivory Coast.

“Tostandona mountain or paddle on one of the Great Lakes theseexperiences arecapturing something that is uniquely Canadian,” Gloria Loree,seniorvice president of marketing strategy and chief marketing officer for Destination Canada, saidbefore theevent

Verde as anothersurprise qualifier forthe round of 32. Uzbekistan ledthrough Eldor Shomurodov’s first-half strike that looked set to end Congo’shopes. But Sébastien Desabre’steam fought back after the break. Trailing to Shomurodov’slobbed goal in the10thminute, Congo equalized in the 68th when Wissa was brought down by Abdukodir Khusanov in the box forapenalty Wissa picked himself up and sent Uzbekistan goalkeeper Abduvohid Nematov the wrong way by rolling the ball into the bottom corner to spark adramatic finale.

COLOMBIA 0, PORTUGAL 0: In Miami Gardens, Florida, Colombia finished the World Cup’sopening roundasthe GroupK winnerafter playing Portugal to ascoreless draw

CONGO3,UZBEKISTAN1: In Atlanta, Congo advanced to the knockout stage for the first timebyrallying past Uzbekistan. The African nation was playing in soccer’sbiggest tournament for only the second timeinits history after a52-year absence. Twosecond-half goals from Yoane Wissa andone fromFiston Mayele sealed the win and saw Congo join Cape

Both squads had already secured spots in the knockout stage before thematch,needing only to learn their opponents forthe next round. Both squads put forth lively efforts. Bruno Fernandez came close to putting Portugalahead in the first half,but was denied by Camilo Vargas. Portugal’sDiogo Costo had six saves, more than in the team’s first twomatches combined. The match playedatthe home stadiumofthe NFL’s MiamiDolphins took place in front of asellout crowd of 64,478 that included former Colombia soccer star Carlos Valderrama, FIFApresident Gianni Infantino —who satina suite with FBI director KashPatel and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio —NFL quarterback Jameis Winston,NBA playerJimmy Butler,actor Matt Damon and former NFLreceiver Chad Johnson.

ASSOCIATED PRESS PHOTO By ABBIEPARR

agoal is scored by England on SaturdayatGrouse Mountain in North Vancouver,British Columbia,Canada.

CLASSES4A, 5A PLAYER OF THEYEAR

Catholic senior MillsRichardson pitches against BrotherMartin during Game 2oftheir Division Iselectseries on May15atMcMurry Park in Sulphur.Richardson finished with a10-1 pitching record and hit .310 in leadingthe Bears to their third straight state title.

MILLSRICHARDSON CATHOLIC,SENIOR • UTILITy

Mills Richardson entered his final high school season with one goal: tohelp Catholic High win its third straight state championship. Richardson did what it took to makethat dream areality.Onthe mound,the righthander finished with a10-1 record and 1.60 ERA. He had a1.00 WHIP and a.200 opponents’ batting averageover672/3 innings. Richardson also playedshortstop and batted .310 with a.453 on-base percentage.Hehit three home runs and had 15 RBIs. His talent and fortitude took center stagein the Division Iselect state title seriesagainst Brother Martin in May. In Game 2ofthe series, Richardson threw115 pitches over nine innings.

The senior held the Crusaders at bay, allowing one earned runonsix hits.The Bears went on to a3-2, 15-inning victorythat ended in another title celebration.

It was the longest state championship baseball game in LHSAA history and Richardson was named the state championship’smost outstanding player. “I’ddoanything forthisteam,”hesaidafter the game.“IknewIneeded to do that, and just threwmyguts on the line.”

ForRichardson’soutstanding season on themound and at the plate, he was named TheAdvocate’sAll-Metro playerofthe year for classes 4A and 5A.

Jackson Reyes

CLASSES4A, 5A COACHOFTHE YEAR CHRISSCHEXNAYDRE DUTCHTOWN

During the postseason, Schexnaydre dubbed histeam the “Gritty Griffins.” It was a fitting name for ateam that entered the DivisionI nonselect playoffs as the No. 8seed His Griffins defeated top-seededBarbe which was ranked as atop-five teaminthe nation, in the quarterfinals. Dutchtown won

KASON JOHNSON Dutchtown, Sr Pitcher

8-1with1.22ERA

DANE BODIN Lutcher,Sr. Pitcher

8-0with2.12ERA

MAXWELL SANCHEZ Prairieville, Sr Pitcher

6-0with1.29ERA

NOAH SULLIVAN Zachary, Sr Pitcher Nine wins with 2.01 ERA

AUBREY ST.ANGELO Brusly,Sr. Pitcher

7-1 with 0.82 ERA

MASON ROGILLIO West Feliciana, Jr Catcher Hit .360

HAYES

SEGER Catholic, Sr

Infielder Hit .376

JADEN ARD

Walker,Sr. Infielder Hit .396

the best-of-three series 2-1.The Griffins then defeated No.4 Zacharyinthe semifinalsto reach their first state title series since2009. For his efforts, Schexnaydre was named The Advocate’sAll-Metro coach of the year for classes 4A and 5A.

Jackson Reyes

MADDEN McCLURE Zachary, Sr Infielder Hit.376

ISAIAH DALEY Brusly,So. Infielder Hit.413

TATE TASSIN Brusly,Jr. Outfielder Hit.449

COOPER TEMPLET St.Amant, So Outfielder Hit.408

HARRISON KIDDER Catholic, Sr Outfielder Hit.403

MILLS RICHARDSON Catholic, Sr

Utility 10-1, 1.60 ERA; hit .310

BRAYDEN RAY Brusly,Sr.

Utility 7-0with 2.02 ERA; hit.417

BRADEN SANDERS Zachary,Sr. Utility Hit.346

PHOTOByMICHAEL

U-Highshortstop Shepherd Gammon chases down afoul ball against ParkviewBaptist during aDivision III select quarterfinal game on May2atU-High. Gammon was amajor threat at the top of the lineup, hitting .384 with 19 doubles,four triples and twohomers.

Inaseason filled with big hits, Cubs junior Shepherd Gammon provedtobea handful foropposing pitchers.

He finishedthe 2026 season with a.384 average and a.503 on-base percentage. He hit19doubles, four triples and twohome runs. Gammon also totaled 24 RBIs, 49 runs and sevenstolen bases.

The junior was athreat at thetop of theCubs lineupand akey piece in U-High reaching the Division III select state title series. His postseason was filled with big atbats,including the home runhehit against

Episcopal in thesecond round of the playoffs.

“Shep’sbeen one of our guys all year long,” coach JonRamseysaid April 23 after the Episcopal game.

In the state title seriesagainst Newman, Gammonsmacked twodoublesand had an RBIinthe Game 1victory.

For his consistency at the plateand biggame performances, Gammonwas named The Advocate’s All-Metro classes3Aand below playerofthe year Jackson Reyes

CLASSES3AAND BELOW COACHOFTHE YEAR JONRAMSEY UNIVERSITY

BRAYLEN MONTGOMERY

Walker,Sr. Utility Hit.323

COLE

GUIDROZ Central, Sr

Utility 6-2, 1.75 ERA; hit.488

TRE

DALEY Brusly,Sr. Utility Hit.419

CAMERON DEROCHE Lutcher, Sr Utility 5-0with 1.46 ERA; hit .334

ZANT GURNEY Live Oak, Sr

Utility 6-3-1, 2.80 ERA; hit.275

ELI

FREEMAN

Dutchtown, Sr

Utility Hit .357

University High has become thedefinition of consistencyunder coachJon Ramsey He guided the Cubs to their third straight DivisionIII select state titleappearance while developinganother talented teamthat earned thetop seedinthe postseason.

LOGAN SORREL Parkview Baptist, Sr Pitcher

Hada1.51ERA

BRODY

MAYEUX University High, Sr Pitcher Went 7-2with1.58ERA

JAKE

WOOTEN Parkview Baptist, Jr Pitcher

Hada1.54ERA

LUKE

BECNEL St. James,Fr. Pitcher Went 7-1with1.62ERA

GAVIN

BLANTON Dunham,Sr. Pitcher Went 4-1with1.57ERA

NATHAN BURLEIGH St. John, Sr Catcher Hit.310

SHEPHERD GAMMON University High, Jr. Infielder Hit .384

Whetherthrough blowout winsorcomebacks, U-High continued to stack up victoriesin 2026. For anothergreat season that ended in Sulphur,Ramseywas named The Advocate’s All-Metro coach of the year Jackson Reyes

TYLER EDWARDS St. John, Sr Infielder Hit.460

CALEB ORTIZ Albany, Sr Infielder Hit.410

TREY SOTILE University High, Sr Infielder Hit.367

JARIS HAMILTON University High, Sr Outfielder Hit.366

JACKSON PEYTON Dunham, Jr Outfielder Hit.341

MYKA NIPPLE Catholic-PC, Jr Outfielder Hit.425

HENRY BECKERS Parkview Baptist, Sr. Utility Hit .442; 2.20 ERA HENRY KUCHARCHUK Episcopal,

STAFF FILE PHOTO By JACKSON REyES

STAFFFILE

JOHNSON

OUTDOORS

BY JOE MACALUSO Contributingwriter

Judging by freshwater, nearshore and offshore catches during thepast week,itappears thetropical storm didn’taffect the coastalareas as much as it did in Avoyelles Parish and theFlorida Parishes.

The storm’s heavy rainfall alongwith continued showers earlierlast week forced state Wildlife and Fisheries managers to close roads in five wildlife management areas.

Yet, the talk around the southeastern part of the state continues to be arun on sac-a-lait in Verret Basin and Lac des Allemands waters, afair take of speckled troutinthe Venice and Terrebonne areas andthe always productive offshore depths.

Just Friday,word came about tarpon moving in much earlier than expected in thewatersbetween themouth of theMississippi River and Grand Isle That’sa change from the past three or foursummerswhen thegiant “silver kings” migrated into the area east of theMississippi River in the Breton and Chandeleur areas.

Still, the persistenceof rough seas showed up Friday when winds, now shifting from the south, forced mid-sizedand smaller boats to turn around at the passes andseek calmer andsafer fishing waters.

Now,with the Fourth of July celebration ahead this week, thousands of fishermenwillbeonthe water And, while fishing is hot,so arethe conditions,soplease hydrateand stay safe.

TheFourth

If youplan to be on the water this week, especially Friday through next Sunday,then know Wildlifeand Fisheries Enforcement Division agents are partnering with other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies for another Operation DryWater weekend.

These menand women will be on the water across Louisiana —it’spart of a nationalevent —toengage in patrols “tolookfor impaired vessel operators during the holiday weekend,”according to theagency’sannouncement.

Thelast Operation Dry Water on Memorial Day weekend nabbednearly twodozen boat drivers who were determined to be “under the influence” while operating their boats. After arrest andconviction, the guilty faced the same DWI penalties as vehicle drivers.

Thecommission

The Wildlife and Fisheries Commission has moved its July meeting to 9:30 a.m Wednesday at state headquarters on Quail Drive in Baton Rouge. Topagenda items include: n Presentation of the annual Theophile Bourgeois MemorialAward to Enforcement Division Sgt. SheaSchexnaydre; n Introduction of DukeLowrie,anewlyappointed commissioner;

n Consideringa notice to change rulesfor hunting turkeyonwildlife managementareas;

n Updates from Ducks

Unlimited and Delta Waterfowlonhow each group spent the funding from Louisiana hunters on waterfowl breeding grounds; n Hearing an update on newno-fee recreational bowfishing permit; n And, for offshore fishermen, apresentation on the possibilityofthe stategetting an exempted permit for taking greater amberjack. The meeting’slive audio and video will be available via Zoom.

Ride theBull

Theevent billed as “The World’sLargest Kayak Fishing Tournament” is set forGrand Isle on Aug. 28-29 —Ride the Bull XV It’stwo months away,but if you’re planning to fish forredfish in Caminada Pass, it’stimetomake your accommodations,because rooms fill fast.

Redsnapper

Tropical StormArthur cutintothe recreational red snapper catch in the first week of June, so much so that LA Creel’s estimate of the catchturnedout to be thelowest one-week catch since the season beganMay 1. After coming through May with atotal estimated catch of 203,000 pounds, rough seas allowed only 7,474 pounds taken from June 1-7. The next week’s catch reboundedtoa more robust number, and LA Creel’s count through June 14 stands at 266,420 pounds. That’salittle more than 30% of our state’s 882,439-pound 2026 allotment for theprivate recreational sector

AROUND THECORNER

rodeo

Dardis

rodeo with anglers and

of

19 &older; Division II, 18-and-younger anglers: DIVISION II Speckled trout: 1, James Breaux, 3.29 pounds. 2, Colton Moncrief, 2.48. 3, William Bonifacie, 1.82. Redfish: 1, Colton Moncrief, 7.98.2 Jack Schaefer, 7.75. 3, Moncrief, 7.72. Redsnapper: 1, MartinBreaux, 13.36. 2, William Fernandez,10.42. Sheepshead: 1, James Breaux, 8.06. 2, Michael Wydert, 6.56. 3, Drew Fallo, 5.5. Black drum: 1, Julien Rougelot,3.62. 2, Cody Brown, 3.22. Flounder: 1, Aiden McGlone, 1.58. 2, Jacob DePaula,1.52. 3,Colton Moncrief, .68 Bass: 1/2/3, WillMcPhail, 3.02, 2.52, 1.88. Freshwater catfish: 1/2, Tristan Rude, 8.24, 4.32. 3, Logan Rude, 2.12 DIVISION I Speckled trout: 1, Matthew McMahon, 3.22.2,MichaelMcMahonJr. 3.04.3,Michael McMahon Sr 2.92. Redfish: 1, Jeff Fernandez, 6.96. 2, Chris Petty,6.68. 3, Chad Moncrief, 5.94. Redsnapper: 1/2/3,Joe Piacun, 14.0, 12.2,12.0. Sheepshead: 1, DavidBoyd,5.7. 2, Chris Petty,5.34. 3, Boyd,5.24. Black drum: 1, StevePetty,6.48. 2, Carl Griffin, 3.08.

Flounder: 1, Casey Stavinoha, .28. Bass: 1, Colleen Rude, 1.58. 2/3, Kerry Redmann, 1.44 88. Freshwater catfish: 1, Eric Ehrensing, 3.9. 2, David Boyd,3.36. 3, Casey Stavinoha, 1.2. SPECIAL DIVISION Biggestfish: Vaughn Leopold, 28.5 (gar). 5-trout stringer: Team Puckett, 18.66. BrotherMartin rodeo Final leaderboard from the Brother Martin High School fishng rodeo with categories, teamnames andweights of their catches in pounds: 5-trout stringer: 1, Phinns &Pheathers, 23.05 pounds. 2, Finatic, 18.95. Speckled trout: 1/2/3, Phinns& Pheathers, 6.15, 4.95, 4.2. Redfish: 1, Team Campo, 7.75. 2, Finatic, 7.55. 3, Jayden Brennan,7.5 Black drum: 1, Hooks of Havoc, 22.15. 2, Spec Ops, 20.65. 3, Gar Fathers, 8.15. Sheepshead: 1, Team Campo, 5.95 2, Next Gen Hookers, 5.05. 3, Scales &Ales, 4.45. Flounder: 1, Next Gen Hookers, 2.15. 2, Neaux Limits, 1.8. 3, Finatic,1.2 Bass: 1, Team Campo, 1.55. 2, Jayden Brennan, 1.15. 3, Brennan 85. Largest fish (non gar): 1, Jayden Brennan, 20.65. Largest fish/Br. Martin Student (non gar): 1, BlakeSanders, 22.15. 2, Jayden Brennan, 20.35. 3, Team Campo, 1.55.

Largesttwo redfish: 1, Finatic, 14.55. 2, Neaux Limits,13.9. 3, Phinns & Pheathers, 13.35. Most spots/redfish: 1, Neaux Limits, 11. 2, Scales &Ales, 7. 3, St. Aloyfishish, 4. Smallest 5-trout stringer: 1, Phinns &Pheathers, 5.05 No entries in snapper nor gar. Junior SW Bassmasters FERRIDAY Results from the Junior Southwest Bassmasters-Denham Springs June tournament held on LakeConcordia with anglers, their hometowns (when available), number of bass weighed in parentheses (5-bass daily limit), total weight in pounds and big-bass winners: 15-18 age group: 1, BlakeLeRay, Brusly (10) 19.42 pounds.2,Parker Richsrd, Port Allen (9)13.92. 3, Landin Sholty,Denham Springs (7) 13.42. Big bass: Aiden Giluso, Hammond, 4.93 pounds 11-14 age group: 1, JaseRussell Greenwell Springs (8)16.56. 2, Lane LeRay, Brusly (9)13.51. 3, Brantley Broussard, St. Francisville (8)12.45. Big bass: LeRay, 3.61. 7-10 age group: 1, Nathaniel Watts, Livingston (10) 13.96. 2, Charles Leonard, New Roads (4)5.45. Big Bass: Watts,3.58. Adult division: 1, Matthew Watts, Livingston (10) 22.81. 2, JakeRichard, Port Allen (10) 21.76. 3, Cody Morgan, New Roads (10) 20.29. Big bass: Watts,4,27.

WEDNESDAY

LA. WILDLIFE&FISHERIES COMMISSION

MEETING: 9:30 a.m.,state Wildlife and Fisheries headquarters, 2000 Quail Dr., Baton Rouge.

THURSDAY-SATURDAY

76TH GOLDEN MEADOW-FOURCHON TARPON

RODEO: FourchonMarina &Pavilion, Port Fourchon. Benefits South Louisiana High students. Fishing begins daylight Thursday. Weigh-in open Friday&Saturday. King of the Catch cooking contest.Inshore, BigGame, Shoreline, Kayak, Spearfishing &Children’s divisions. Website: fourchontarpon.com

FRIDAY-SATURDAY

NSCASPORTING CLAYS EVENTS: Wilderness Club,Lafayette.

ONGOING STATEWIDE TOURNAMENT &ANGLERS

RODEO/S.T.A.R.: Through Sept. 7, Coastal Conservation Association’ssummer-long fishing event. Tagged redfish, coastal/offshorespecies categories &youthdivision. CCAmembership required. Website: ccalouisiana.com/star

JULY8—BUGS &BEERS: 6:30 p.m., Skeeta Hawk Brewing, 455 N. Dorgenois St., NewOrleans. Casual fly-tying. Open to public. Email A.J. Rosenbohm: ajrosenbohm@gmail.com. Website: neworleansflyfishers.com

FISHING/SHRIMPING

SHRIMP: Spring inshoreseasonopen;all outside watersopen OPEN RECREATIONAL SEASONS: Private recreational redsnapper;graytriggerfish; flounder;lane, blackfin, queen and silk snappers& wenchmenamong othersnapper species; all groupersexcept closed for goliath&

STAFF PHOTO By JOHN BALLANCE

Lap length: 1.99 miles (Car number in parentheses)

1. (54) Ty Gibbs, Toyota, 95.738 mph.

2. (77) Carson Hocevar, Chevrolet, 95.706 3. (5) Kyle Larson, Chevrolet, 95.686

4. (71) Michael McDowell, Chevrolet, 95.677. 5. (1) Ross Chastain, Chevrolet, 95.631. 6. (97) S. Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 95.630. 7. (19) Chase Briscoe, Toyota, 95.540.

8. (16) AJ Allmendinger, Chevrolet, 95.463.

9. (11) Denny Hamlin, Toyota, 95.454.

10. (22) Joey Logano, Ford, 95.412. 11. (45) Tyler Reddick, Toyota, 95.393.

(12) Ryan Blaney, Ford, 95.025. 17. (88) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 94.996. 18. (9) Chase Elliott, Chevrolet, 94.836. 19. (60) Ryan Preece, Ford, 94.727. 20. (42) John H. Nemechek, Toyota, 94.712. 21. (7) Daniel Suárez, Chevrolet, 94.590 22. (48) Alex Bowman, Chevrolet, 94.472. 23. (2) Austin Cindric, Ford, 94.465. 24. (38) Zane Smith, Ford, 94.452.

25. (35) Riley Herbst, Toyota, 94.415.

26. (23) Bubba Wallace, Toyota, 94.404. 27. (41) Cole Custer, Chevrolet, 94.359. 28. (21) Josh Berry, Ford, 94.315. 29. (34) Todd Gilliland, Ford, 94.164

30. (3) Austin Dillon, Chevrolet, 94.103.

31. (10) Ty Dillon, Chevrolet, 93.902

32. (43) Erik Jones, Toyota, 93.889. 33. (47) R. Stenhouse Jr, Chevrolet, 93.605. F1 Austrian Grand Prix Lineup After Saturday qualifying; race Sunday At Red Bull Ring Spielberg, Austria. Lap length: 4.33 kilometers Third session 1. George Russell, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1 minute, 06.113 seconds. 2. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:06.349.

3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Ferrari, 1:06.408. 4. Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Italy, Mercedes 1:06.414. 5. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing, 1:06.475 6. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren, 1:06.502. 7. Oscar Piastri, Australia, McLaren, 1:06.511.

played in 44 games for the Hawks, averaging just 5.2 points and 2.2 rebounds

with the local media on Monday morning, but he really needs no introduction around here.

First-round silence

The Pelicans didn’t have a first-round pick this year There was plenty of speculation that they may try to make a trade to move into the first round. Because of that, Pelicans fans were fully tuned into the first round. Every five minutes, NBA commissioner Adam Silver came out to the podium in Brooklyn and announced picks. And as those five minutes turned into three hours, reality set in that the Pelicans weren’t making a move. While many fans were disappointed, they shouldn’t have been. Dumars listened to numerous phone calls for teams making trade offers. But he wasn’t going to make a trade just for the sake of making one He went into any negotiations knowing what he wanted in return and if teams weren’t willing to give that, Dumars stood firm. That’s a good thing.

Revisiting Queen trade

Some people won’t want to hear this one, but the trade Dumars made with the Atlanta Hawks on draft night of 2025 to get Derik Queen didn’t end up being quite as bad as it looked a year ago.

Yes, Dumars should have at least protected the 2026 pick. The Hawks ended up with the No. 8 pick and used it Tuesday night to draft Houston guard Kingston Flemings. So in summary, the Pelicans got Queen and the Hawks got Flemings along with last year’s 2025 pick Asa Newell.

Queen played in 81 games, averaging 11.7 points and 7.1 rebounds with a pair of triple-doubles. He was also voted second team on the All-Rookie team, meaning he had somewhere between the sixth-to10th best season in the 2025 class. Newell

How well Queen, Newell and Flemings do in the future will decide who won the trade, but the early returns favor Queen. Especially if his defense improves

Now what?

The Pelicans still need to fill that giant hole in the middle of their lineup. Priority No 1 for Dumars should be finding a center to play alongside Zion Williamson and Queen. Since the Pels didn’t address it in the draft, they’ll have to either trade for one or sign one in free agency A pair of guys with Louisiana ties (North Caddo alum Robert Williams and Chalmette High alum Mitchell Robinson) are among the guys out there in free agency Milwaukee Bucks center Myles Turner is also a name to watch if Dumars decides to take the trade route Who’s going? Who’s staying?

Unless Dumars thinks first-year coach Jamahl Mosley can turn water into wine, the Pelicans can’t just run it back with the same team that won just 26 games last season. It would be ideal for Mosley to get the pieces he needs, especially the aforementioned big man. Outside of Williamson, the players most wanted by other teams are Trey Murphy and Herb Jones. Expect their names to continue to come up in trade talks. Despite his lofty contract, Jordan Poole didn’t contribute much last year in his first season in New Orleans. His name will be one to watch over the next few weeks. The Pelicans, according to a Friday report from NBATV, are expected to decline the $8 million team option on Kevon Looney The veteran center, who rarely played in his one

8. Isack Hadjar, France, Red Bull Racing, 1:06.632.

9. Liam Lawson, New Zealand, Racing Bulls, 1:06.955. 10. Arvid Lindblad, Great Britain, Racing Bulls, 1:07.007. Eliminated after second session

11. Pierre Gasly, France, Alpine, 1:07.223. 12. Gabriel Bortoleto, Brazil, Audi F1 Team, 1:07.293.

13. Oliver Bearman, England, Haas, 1:07.523. 14. Nico Hulkenberg, Germany, Audi F1 Team, 1:07.611. 15. Esteban Ocon, France, Haas, 1:07.817. 16. Franco Colapinto, Argentina, Alpine 1:08.171. Eliminated after first session 17. Carlos Sainz Jr., Spain, Williams, 1:08.252. 18. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Williams, 1:08.509. 19. Sergio Perez, Mexico, Cadillac, 1:08.945. 20. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Cadillac, 1:09.030. 21. Fernando Alonso, Spain, Aston Martin, 1:09.942. 22. Lance Stroll, Canada, Aston Martin, 1:10.363.

NASCAR-O’Reilly Pit Boss FoodMaxx 250 results

Saturday At Sonoma Raceway Sonoma, Calif. Lap length: 1.99 miles (Start position in parentheses)

1. (1) Shane Van Gisbergen, Chevrolet, 79 laps, 0 points.

2. (30) Connor Zilisch, Chevrolet, 79, 0. 3. (2) Brent Crews, Toyota, 79, 50. 4. (4) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet,

4 for 11 laps. Lead Changes: 8 among 6 drivers. Lap Leaders: S.Van Gisbergen 0-17; A.Alfredo 18-22; H.Burton 23-24; S.Van Gisbergen 25-32; J.Love 33; S.Van Gisbergen 34-42; C.Zilisch 43-46; B.Crews 47; S.Van Gisbergen 48-79 Leaders Summary (Driver, Times Led, Laps Led): S.Van Gisbergen, 4 times for 66 laps; A.Alfredo, 1 time for 5 laps; C.Zilisch, 1 time for 4 laps; H.Burton, 1 time for 2 laps; B.Crews, 1 time for 1 lap; J.Love, 1 time for 1 lap. Wins: J.Allgaier, 5; C.Day, 2; A.Hill, 2; S.Creed, 1; T.Gray, 1; W.Sawalich, 1. Top 16 in Points: 1. J.Allgaier, 847; 2. J.Love 623; 3. C.Day, 609; 4. S.Creed, 607; 5. A.Hill, 591; 6. B.Jones, 572; 7. C.Kvapil, 567; 8.

LIVING

TheNew York Knicks keep the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ stepping

On June 13, the New York Knicks won their first NBA championship in 53 years. What’s the first thing the team did to celebratethe historic moment? The“Cupid Shuffle.” Still in uniform or donning their new NBA Champions T-shirts, Knicks players sang and danced the shuffleinthe locker room. A YouTube video of the celebration has more than 318,000 views. Most players were toddlers or in elementary school when the song andline dance broke out of Lafayette and became aworldwide phenomenon.But the Knicks’ celebration adds another step in the Shuffle’sstoried history

Knocking on the door of 20 yearssince its debut, the Shuffleremains acherished party song across the globe. It’sno exaggeration to say the songis played every day somewhere on the planet, whether it’sa birthday party,sports event, festival, bar mitzvah, cruise, family reunion, prom, teen dance, corporate conference, movie or TV show Numbers back that up.The first “CupidShuffle” video, which landed on YouTube 19 yearsago, has 106 million views. Fan and instructional videos add another 100 million, althoughIdon’tunderstandthe need forhow-tovideos.The “Tothe right, to the right …” directions are in the lyrics.

Families dance to the ‘Cupid Shuffle’ during the annual Algiers HolidayBonfire & ConcertinNew Orleans in 2024.

YouTube evenhas avideo of afamily shuffling after afuneraland apatient boppinghis head in ahospital bed. In 2007, agroup of 17,000 participants gatheredtoperform the dance. It made the Guinness Book of World Records for the largest assembled linedance.

“The largest Cupid Shuffle dance involved 17,000 participants who performed the dance for 8minutes at the Ebony Black FamilyReunion Tour organised by the Coca Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia,” according to guinnessworldrecords.com Tiger Stadium roared in 2022 when the LSU and Southern University bands had ahistoric halftime shuffletogetherwhen the football teams played for the first time. Add another 130 million Spotify streams, and it’seasy to see that the shuffleis firmly entrenched in pop culture. Cupid, akaBryson Bernard of Lafayette, and DJ/producer Brandon “Mr. Phat” Neazy, first hoped their collaboration might get a few people on the dance floor at parties on the UL Lafayette campus. But the tune spread to local clubs and radio stations before catching fire across the South Cupid signed with Atlantic Records, which brought the single to No.21onBillboard’sHot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs and No. 66 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Billed as the “Line Dance King” two decades later,Cupid has follow-up dances and songs that include “Flex” (with 22

PROVIDED PHOTO By USS KIDD VETERANS

ABOVE: Augusto Ferrer-Dalmu’s2018 painting,‘La Marcha de Gálvez,’depicts Bernardo de Gálvez and his ragtag army marching through Louisiana’sswamp areas from NewOrleans to clear theBritish from Baton Rouge RIGHT: The map,‘Plan of Point Ibberville’ is a1760s finished, colored topographical copybyBritishLt.T. Pittman from William Brasier’smap. Fort Bute can be seeninthe southernmost point on the map.

IMAGE By UNIVERSITy OF MICHIGAN DIGITAL COLLECTIONS/WILLIAML.CLEMENTS LIBRARy IMAGE BANK

MARCH OF TIME

BY

TROBIN MILLER Staff writer

hree years of planning andfundraising to commemorate an obscure but major piece in America’s 250th celebrationwas wipedout in just three days.

The story starts beforethe American Revolution. The Britishbuilt Fort Bute at theconfluence of Bayou Manchac andthe Mississippi River in 1766, exactly 10 yearsbefore thesigning of the Declaration of Independence in the PennsylvaniaState House, nowknown as Independence Hall. Baton Rouge’sGeneral PhilemonThomas chaptersofthe Sons and Daughters of American

ShelbyBordelon, 24, of Sunshine, takesher first walk as Miss Louisiana during thepageant in Monroe.

Revolution spentthree yearsresearching and fundraising to installthe historical marker near thesiteofthe British’s FortBute in thesouthernmostcorner of East Baton Rouge Parish.

The sign, erected on May 30, was settostand just in time for America’s250th celebration. And thetimingwas important, because the 1779 battle thatplayed outatFortButewas apivotal point in the American Revolution.

ImportantBritish post FortButewas an important strategic post for theBritish, not only for defensebut shipping and trade, and with subsequent forts

PROVIDED PHOTOByTHE PHILEMON THOMAS CHAPTEROFTHE SONS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

The PhilemonThomas chapters of the Sons and Daughters of the AmericanRevolution erected a Louisiana State HistoricalMarker commemorating Fort Bute along River Road near the East Baton Rouge-Iberville parish lineintimefor the America 250 celebration. Adriver plowed into the sign afew days later The sign has sincedisappeared.

BYJUDYBERGERON Staff writer

Iberville Parish native and SoutheasternLouisiana Universitygraduate student Shelby Renee Bordelonisthe newMiss Louisiana. Bordelon, 24, competed in the June 20 pageant in Monroe as Miss Port City.She was Miss Southeastern in 2024 andMiss Slidell in 2025. She bested 28 other contestants from around the state to

MUSEUM

STAFF PHOTO By SOPHIA GERMER

Herman Fuselier

GLAD Red Hatters

Members of the GLAD Red Hatters met for lunch on June 16 at Jasmines On The Bayou, and discussed the history of Father’s Day in America.

Shown are, from left,

GUIDELINES

The Community column runs Sundays in the Living section and accepts submissions for news of events that have taken place with civic, philanthropic, social and religious auxiliary organizations, as well as academic honors.

Submissions should be sent by noon Monday to run in the upcoming Sunday column. If submitting digitally we prefer JPG files 300KB or larger Photographs that do not meet our size guidelines, are of poor quality or are AI generated or edited will be rejected. Email Community column submissions to features@ theadvocate.com.

Garden of the Month Business

Lou Anna Canella’s Plaquemine Beauty Salon on Railroad Avenue, with its welcoming entrance, was recognized for Garden of the Month Business by the Plaquemine Garden Club

Cypress debs honored at summer social

Staff report

Nine debutantes for the Krewe of Cypress of Plaquemine were guests of honor at a summer social at Kitty and Dean Martin’s St. Francisville home on June 20. Following a brunch for the debutantes, their mothers and grandmothers, Krewe President Ragan Pruitt spoke to the debutantes about their presentation ball on Nov. 28 at the Carl F Grant Civic Center, Plaquemine. The ball is being chaired by Suzanne Aucoin, Michelle Noel and Trisha Rawlinson. Special guests were Susie Burns, Brenda Zito, Jeanette Elliott, Robin Durand and Pat Comeaux, all grandmothers of debutantes. Also enjoying the social were past debutantes Suzanne Burns Aucoin, Jaymee Ourso Burleigh, Courtney Zito Elliott, Aimee Burleigh Jumonville, Joey Wilbert LeBlanc and Michelle Koch Noel.

The nine debutantes honored are:

n Lilla Camille Aucoin daughter of Suzanne and Timmy Aucoin; n Bella Boudreaux, daughter of Annie and Cecil Boudreaux;

n Sara Ryan Elliott, daughter of Courtney and Ryan Elliott;

n Mackenzie Erin Geier, daughter of Callie Hollier Geier and the late Robert Joseph Geier Jr ;

n Catherine Elise Murthy, daughter of Heddie Carville Murthy and the late Bob Murthy; n Margaret Logan Murthy, daughter of Heddie Carville Murthy and the late Bob Murthy; n Gabrielle Renee Noel, daughter of Michelle and Neal Noel; n Isabella Rawlinson, daughter of Trisha and Mark Rawlinson; and

n Olivia Ann Sanchez, daughter of Kimberly and Keith Sanchez.

These young women will also serve as maids in the krewe’s annual Carnival ball. Highlighting the gathering was the announcement of the 2027 ball theme and costume designs. Ball captains are Jaymee and Stephen Burleigh, Aimee and Trent Jumonville, Haley and Mason LeBlanc, and Joey and Tommy LeBlanc.

The ball is scheduled for Jan 23, also at the Civic Center

The Krewe of Cypress was founded in 1979 by a group of friends in Plaquemine and hosts a presentation ball each

PROVIDED PHOTO

Gathered at the Krewe of Cypress’ summer social are seated, Lilla Camille Aucoin, left, and Gabrielle Renee Noel; standing, from left, Bella Boudreaux, Isabella Rawlinson and Olivia Ann Sanchez. Not shown are Sara Ryan Elliott, Mackenzie Erin Geier, Catherine Elise Murthy and Margaret Logan Murthy.

year in the fall to introduce their young daughters and granddaughters into society

Three weeks prior to Mardi Gras, members gather to create a magical, mystical fantasy in a ball featuring the same young women as royalty

‘We the People’ exhibition is at Capitol Park Museum

FYI BR staff reports

The Louisiana State Museum is hosting “We the People: America in the 21st Century” at Capitol Park Museum, 660 N. Fourth St., Baton Rouge, until Jan. 27. Featuring an immersive amphitheater of photographs by Pulitzer Prize–winning photographer Steven G. Smith, the exhibition presents a portrait of American identity through everyday people, places, landscapes and shared experiences.

LSU Vet Med announces fifth artist-in-residence

The LSU School of Veterinary Medicine announces its fifth artist-in-residence, Emily Ward Bivens, a visual artist and educator whose work is inspired by the intersection of art and science.

Bivens, distinguished professor of humanities and director of graduate studies in the School of Art at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, will be in residence July 13 through Aug. 7.

Bivens will meet with members of the LSU Vet Med community and create sketches, drawings and paintings that she will develop into larger pieces. She will donate one piece of art from her residency to LSU Vet Med’s growing permanent collection generated by its artists in residence.

Her residency will culminate with a public art exhibition and presentation. More information about the exhibition to take place in the LSU Vet Med Library will be announced soon.

Bivens works in a wide array of materials and techniques, including but not limited to film/video, sound, animation, printmaking, ceramics, installation and performance. Bivens studied biology at the University of Oregon, an experience that influenced her artistic practice. She holds a BFA from Colorado State University and an MFA from the University of Colorado, Boulder She is a certified Tennessee naturalist. Her writing has been published in Feminist Art Practices and Research and Feminist Formations.

To explore Bivens’ work, visit www.emilywardbivens.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Good Ole Boys

The North Baton Rouge Good Ole Boys attended a luncheon with their wives on June 18 at Rudy’s Seafood & Steakhouse in Watson. Shown are, from left, seated, Lester Mayer, Betty Hernandez, Johnette Mayer, Michelle Rayborn, Kathy Stewart, Cathy Braud, Ron Stewart, Betty Stangelo, Laura Landry, Phyllis Price and Cisco Landry; standing Earl Newman, Lisa Newman, Gene Hernandez, Davis Rayborn, Johnny Braud, Mike Stangelo, Winston Vass, Wayne Price, Lena Vass, Mary Langlois, Barry Langlois, Gerald Bello and Dorothy Bello.

PROVIDED PHOTO

seated, Gilda McDowell, Linda Crane and Beverly Grant; standing, Liz Walker, Gerri Cornett and Carol LaRouche. PROVIDED PHOTO

PROVIDED PHOTO

PEO Chapter C

PEO Chapter C member Nancy Murrill was honored on June 5 as a ‘golden girl member’ at the organization’s state convention in Lafayette. The honor recognized her 65 continuous years of membership in PEO Shown are, from left, Tina Lamb Barbara Brown, Linda Talbot, Bridget Damratowski, Murrill, Linda Chauviere, Connie Shaver and Lyn Taylor

BY CHERÉ COEN

Contributing writer

What do lower stresslevels, Vitamin Dand abetter mood have in common? The great outdoors. Research from the American Psychological Associationshows that spending time in nature has cognitive benefits and improvementsinmood, mental health and emotional well-being. In turn, green spaces can have benefits, such as public parks,community gardens and naturereserves.

This year,the mental health organization AMission for Michael conductedastudy to find the best “green getaways” in the UnitedStates. They surveyed 3,006 adults of various ages, genders and geographiclocationsto find the best publiclocations that allowed visitors to “feel calm, grounded, and able to switch off” —whether it’sawalking path shaded urban space or larger park.

Hawaii had three locations in the top 10, along with California, Virginia, North Carolina, Massachusetts, Washington andNew Jersey.Louisiana made the list with three greenways, withNew Orleans’ Audubon Park clocking in at No. 16.

AudubonPark, NewOrleans

Noted American landscapearchitect Frederick Law Olmsted created many of the nation’s city parks, including Central Park in New York City and the Biltmore Estate in Asheville, North Carolina.His nephew,John Charles Olmsted, took on Audubon Park of New Orleans as his first solo project of the family’s firm,trans-

TRAVEL TROUBLESHOOTER

By ChristopherElliott

TRAVEL

forming aswamp environment into 340 landscaped acres available to thepublic for recreation.

Today, this sprawling property that stretches from St. Charles Avenuetothe Mississippi River still contains those ancient live oak trees in addition to open lawns, riding stables and a1.8mile paved loop known to locals as “The Fly.” Interspersed throughout the park are lagoons, quiet picnicareas, tennis courts and agolfcourse.

On the river sidelies the awardwinningAudubon Zoo, which nabs its own place on competitions, such as being No. 8inthe 2025 USAToday 10 BestReader’s Choice Awards, theninthconsecutive year that AudubonZoo has landed atop 10 spot in the voting.

What’sNew: The zoo’sJaguar Jungle River’sEdge showcases the animals and life in Mesoamerica, such as capybara, guanaco, cavies and Baird’stapirs, plus arope skyway for spider monkeysto scamper over visitors’ heads.

Don’tMiss: In themiddle of theAudubon ParkLagoon is a birder’sparadise. Known as Bird Island, look for egrets, herons, double-crested cormorantsand anhingas.

BettyVirginiaPark, Shreveport

Shreveport’s Betty Virginia Park, a23-acre public park where visitors may enjoy strolls or jogs along the paved and shaded walking trail, lands at No. 120 on the list.

Betty Goldstein and Virginia

Steere were thedaughters of Albert Colwell(A.C.) Steere and his partner,Elias Goldstein. When A.C. Steere donated the property to thecity,henamed the park in his daughters’ honor.Steere’s homewas located in the South HighlandsAnnex area at 910 Ockley,overlooking the park. Although Betty Virginia is located inside the city’sSouth Highlandsneighborhood, the public park invites all to share in its wooded areas, playground, picnic gazebos, pavilions and open spaces. Themostpopular aspect of the park is the paved walking and jogging trail that winds over theproperty,crossing adrainage canal on little bridges and weaving over slight elevations. It’s just less than amile, and visitors usu-

ally complete the loop in about 15 minutes.

What’sNew: Theplayground separated by small and very small tykes recently received amakeover Don’tMiss: Leased pooches are welcome.

Moncus Park,Lafayette

The award-winning Moncus Park in the heart of Lafayette was years in the making, mostly pushed by the community in 2005 —bythose whowere eager to save the once working “Horse Farm”ofthe University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The city purchased the property and developed the land into a100-acre multi-use park with walking paths beneath live oak trees, open green spaces and avariety of outdoor attractions. The organization named it No.132 on the list.

“Residents often comehere to decompress after work, stretch out awalk, or spend time outdoors without distraction —amodern urban park that prioritizes ease and breathing room,” the organization said in its determination.

Moncus Park includes alake, an amphitheater,playgrounds, splash pads, native gardens and spots to rest, relax or have a picnic. The park hosts events weekly,including the Lafayette Artisans &Farmers Market held every Saturday,which supports morethan 120 local vendors and small businesses annually

What’sNew: The3,000-squarefoot Paul A. Doerle Sr.Farmers Market Pavilion opened in April, allowing farmers market vendors aprotected space from the elements.

Don’tMiss: Free events forseniors, children and music lovers are offered throughout the summer.For acalendar of events, visit moncuspark.org.

United Airlines changedflightbut neverinformedpassenger

Irecently experienced what canonlybe described as atravel nightmare with United Airlines.

disconnected,leaving me stranded.

things right? —Krupa Singampalli, Union City,Calif.

Christopher Elliott

Ihad booked flights from SanFrancisco to Auckland, New Zealand, and back through Cairns,Australia, formyfamily of four.Wepurchased business class upgrades using 30,000 miles and a$600 copay per passenger.The outbound trip went smoothly, but our returnbecame adisaster At 1a.m. in Cairns,I checked theUnited app and discovered my 74-year-oldmother’s statusonthe Cairns-Brisbane flight had changed to “wait-listed.”I immediately called United customer service.Arepresentative told me the flight was “not operating” and rerouted all four of us through Sydney instead. When we arrived at Cairns Airport,Virgin Australia, whichoperated the first legofour return flight, told us that only my mother had aconfirmed ticket.The rest of us had nothing.I called United again.An agent said Qantas had my ticket but couldn’t explain what that meant. Qantas couldn’t find anyreservation without aconfirmation number,which Ididn’thave. Unitedthen offered athree-way call with Qantas but

While Iwas on the phone trying to sort this out,the flight departed without us.The next Unitedagent claimedwehad seats on a flight fromSydney,but couldn’texplain howweweresupposedtoget there from Cairns. Qantas staff at the airportwere dismissive and refused to help.

Feeling unwell and desperate to get home, Ipurchased four one-way tickets on Virgin Australia from Cairns to Sydney for nearly $890, plus $60 in baggagefees. When we reachedSydney, Ilearned United had canceled our tickets because we didn’t boardthe assignedQantas flight —which never appeared in my app, email or texts.

The Sydney United staff were helpful and rebooked us,but our business class upgrades were gone.

United claims theysent aschedule changenotification weeks before to the emailaddresses on file.I never received it.When Icontacted United’scustomer service, arepresentative offered $100 travel certificates andsaid the matter was closed. United refuses to refund the $1,800 in upgrade fees or reimburse the tickets I had to buy I’ve been aloyal Unitedcustomer for years. How canthey change my itinerary, fail to properly communicate it, forceme to buy new tickets and then refuse to make

Youpaid United for aservice it didn’tdeliver.That’s thebottom line here. When an airline makes aschedule change, it has alegal obligation to notify passengers. United claims it sent an email before your flight

Butasingle email sent six weeks before departure —especially for acomplex international itinerary involving partner airlines —isn’tenough. Airlines should send multiple notifications as the departure date approaches, and they should require you to acknowledge them.

According to theDepartment of Transportation, when a flight is significantly changed and a passenger doesn’taccept the new itinerary, theairline must provide arefund. United rerouted you through Sydney on partner airlines without ensuring you actually had confirmed seats. That’sa massive breakdown in coordination between United and its partners.

The situation at Cairns Airport was absurd. Youbought aUnited ticket. Unitedshould have been responsible for getting you home —not Qantas, not Virgin Australia. Instead, yougot caught in ablame game between three airlines, with United pointing to Qantas, Qantas asking for information you didn’t have and Virgin Australia washing its hands of the situation.

Could you have been moreproactive in monitoring your reservation? Maybe.

On acomplicated itinerary like this,you’ll wanttocheck your itineraryfrequently in the weeks before departure. Sign up for textmessage alerts in addition to email notifications. Save screenshotsofyour original booking and anychanges.

Youcould have escalated this to aUnited supervisor when the first agentcouldn’thelp. Ipublish executive contact information for United on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org.These contacts often have moreauthority to resolve complex issues than frontline agents. Youdid an excellent job docu-

menting your case with confirmation numbers, timestamps and the names of agents you spoke with. That paper trail is so important when you’re fighting fora refund. After my advocacy team got involved, United refunded the $600 copays —astart, but farfrom what you deserve. The airline still refuses to reimburse your Virgin Australia tickets. United maintains that because it had rebooked you on aQantas flight you knew nothing about, the case is closed. This is exactly the kind of runaround that drives travelers crazy.Airlines hide behind their contracts of carriage and partner agreements while passengers get stuck with the bill. Youpaid United foracomplete journey.United didn’tdeliver.I recommendyou contact your credit card company to see if you can recover the rest of your expenses.

Christopher Elliott is the founder of Elliott Advocacy,anonprofit organization that helps consumers solve their problems. Email him at chris@elliott.org.

Thebeloved $100 basset houndwewon’t ever forget

BY GUY C. WOOD

Contributing writer

Stump was abasset hound the saddest, droopiest-eyed, longest-eared, shortest-legged dog in the animal kingdom. (The breed is also supposedly the dumbest breed in the dog family.)

Human Condition

Ihad acrazy beagle once, but she still wasn’tas great-looking as Stump. We had to drive across Lake Pontchartraintoget him. He was therunt of the litter,and there was some problem with his American Kennel Club status, so the owners sold him for $100! This was still alot of money to me, but Iwas told that if he had papers, his cost would have been more like $300. We brought an empty shoebox with us and Stump rode home in that, with my 10-year-old son holding the box the entire trip. Stump became housebroken pretty quickly,but he did have some trouble walking —hekept stepping on his ears!Whenmy wife brought him to his first doctor visit, the veterinariansaid, “Well, we know who wins the ‘cute award’ for this week!”

As he got alittle older,Stump’s

hormoneskicked in anditwas time for him“to get fixed.”

My wife willingly took him to the vet while Istayed homewith thekids. Istill regret that decision. When he gotout of the car,he gave me asorrowfullook that said,“Why did youlet them do this to me?” Ifeltsosorry for the dog. It wasa “For Whom theBell Tolls” moment for me.Mywife saw nothing wrong with it,but then again, shehad nothing to relate to Time passed, however,and he grewtobealarge adultbasset hound with agreat nose. On walks, we’d havetostop while he sniffed the various patches of grass,usuallyleaving his mark

Stepping back without endingfriendships

Dear Harriette: Do youthink it’s possible to outgrow certain people and friendships? Recently,I’ve been feeling like I could move on from some childhoodfriendships. Imoved away for college, and Ican’t relate to some old friends who stayed in our small hometown. I’m growing at arapid pace, living on my own in New York and navigating problems on my own; people from my hometown can’teven believe it. Some of the conversations Ihave with people Ionce felt so close to now lack nuance, leaving me uninterested in talking.It’s almost as if I’ve grownupwhile at college, and they’ve stayed in their same high school mindset. Ifeel like it’ll be cruel if Icompletely stop talking to them,but Ialso have no desire to make an effort to reach out. Do you have any advice on how to navigate this? —Evolution of Friendship Dear Evolution of Friendship: Not everybody stays close forlife. It is natural that as you have new experiences and your world expands, your interests may change. That doesn’t mean you have to let your childhood friends go, but you will likely talk with them less. The best thing you can do is acceptthem for who they are. Don’tjudge them —oryourself. Just bewith them when the moment calls for it. Listen to learn what they are interested in discussing, andbe fully presentin thoseconversations. When you are aroundothers who want to explore other topics, engage them in that way. Go withthe flow Dear Harriette: One of my closest friends is currently dealingwith

BORDELON

Continued from page1D

the topstep, Iwould pick him up by his butt and lift him the rest of the way.Hewould always try to save face by giving ahalf-hearted growl, as if to say,“I’ll let you lift me up, but Idon’treally need it.”

on top before we started walking again. Since he was ahound, he also had this wonderful howl he used when we ignored him or when he wanted to go outside. Stumpwas agreat dog for the kids, and he would roughhouse with them without biting or hurting them. The kids grew up while Stumpgrew older When he was 15 years old, the end was obviously near.Hewas starting to go blind and his hind legs were giving out.Hecould still go down theback steps to do his business, but couldn’tmake the tall last step intothe house. He could still lifthis front legs but not his back ones. When he was at

The last timehetried to go down thesteps to the backyard, he actually fell downall four of them. God bless him,hestill tried, but thepoor thing just couldn’tdo it anymore. When he grew cancerous tumorsonhis body,weknew,sadly that his timehad come. On his final day,mywifeand I put him into ourvan without any argument from him.I wonder now if he knew where he wasgoing or if he thought he wasjust going for aride. Like all dogs, he loved to stick his head out of the window,and in his case, those long ears would really flap in the wind. Butonthis trip, he could only lie down on the back seat.

The veterinarian’splace had stables on-site, as she took care of horses as well as the other animals. After discussing his situation, the vet agreed that his quality of life had sunk to alevel that madehim miserable. My wife and Icried likebabies when we gave theOKtoput him to sleep. She took him from us, leash and all,

and told us to go home. She would take care of him With tears in our eyes, we left Stumpsmelling all the great scents from the horses. His nose wasasgood as ever,and he was so engrossed in the smells that he didn’teven notice us leave. By this time, he was almost completely blind. Afew days later,wereceived several things from the vet. She first sent anote assuring us that Stump didn’tfeel any pain. She gave him the injection as he was sniffing up astorm and he eventually just laid down and passed away.Besides his collar and leash, she sent his ashes in acontainer and aplaster of paris mold of one of his huge paws. We still have those more than 20 years later He wasthe best dog we ever had, and Istill miss him —Wood lives in Jefferson.

Advocate readers may submit stories of about 500 words to TheHuman Condition at features@theadvocate.com or The Advocate, Features, 10705 Rieger Road, Baton Rouge, LA 70809. There is no payment, and stories will be edited.Authors shouldinclude theircityof residence.

so many family issues it’s hard to count. At thebeginning of thesemester,her parents separated and filed for divorce due to her fatherhavinganaffair that spanned herparents’entire marriage. After finding outaboutthe affair,her mother,arecovering alcoholic, relapsed and had to be hospitalized. My friend keeps blaming herself for everything going wrong in her family,and she won’tlisten to herfriends when we try to console herand let her know herfamily drama isn’ther fault. Recently,she’s begun to feel physically sick due to everythinggoing on in her life andissharing with us that she’s beenstruggling withgetting up, eatingand other simple, everydaythings.I’m starting to get concerned for her and her wellbeing. Do youhaveany advice for me on how to let her know that Iamhere for her if she needs anything? —Friend in Need

Dear Friend in Need: It probably seems like the world is crashingall around your friend, and it’s natural that it is difficult for her to manage. Youcan be a good friend to her in two ways: Make yourselfasavailable as is comfortable for you by checking in on her regularlyand spendingtimetogether when you can; and bystrongly encouraging hertosee atherapist.A mental health professional can help her navigatethischallenging time andhelp her access the tools she needs to surviveand perhaps even thrive.

Send questions to askharriette@harriettecole. com.

Claire’sPromise Inc. aims to raise awareness of the impact of impaired driving, advocate for victims and their familiesand support survivors, according to the nonprofit’swebsite.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Late Baton Rougesculptor Frank Hayden’sfountain, ‘Marcha de Gálvez,’ in GalvezPlaza,commemorates BernardodeGálvez’smarch from NewOrleans to Baton Rougetoexpel the British.

FORT BUTE

Continuedfrom page1D

along the Mississippi RiverinBaton Rouge and Natchez, they were well entrenched.

That is,until Spain’scolonial governor for the Louisiana territory BernardodeGálvez, and his mixed ethnic collection of 1,400 Spanish, Acadianand German troopsmarched from NewOrleans to stage an attack on Sept.7,1779, andsent the Britisharmy running to Baton Rouge.

Today,most drivers along River Road would never know thata fort filledwith red-coated Britishsoldiers once stood at the East BatonRouge-Iberville parish line. Which is why the local chapters of Sons and Daughters of theRevolutionspent three years raising more than $4,000 for the historical marker’screation andinstallation.

The sign notonly concisely told the story of what happened at the site but alsoincluded the “America 250” logo.

PROVIDED IMAGE FROM THE LOUISIANA STATEMUSEUM ‘Bernardo de Gálvez’ by an unidentified artist ca.1900, based on an earlierpainting by José de Alfaro

“Engineer Archibald Robertson supervised the planning and construction of Fort Bute, whichconsistedofa ‘blockhouse with asmall stockaded fort,’”Meyers writes. “It housed50men andone officer, but,inanemergency, it couldbe madetoaccommodate 200.”

Namedfor Britishearl

The fort was named for John Stuart,3rd Earl of Bute, whoserved as primeminister of Great Britain under King George III from 176263,and whilethe British were establishing trade dominance, theAmericans triedbut failedto persuadeWest Florida to jointheir cause.

fulfillment of adream. It is the beginning of amission.” With the title comes a$15,000 scholarship. Bordelon is pursuing amaster’sdegree in strategic communication and received the $1,000 Women in Mass Communication scholarship at the pageant. Before being crowned winner Bordelon wonthe healthand fitness and evening-wear preliminaries Bordelon founded Claire’s Promise in honor of her lifelong friend, ClaireZeller,who died in 2024 after getting into acar with an impaired driver.Zeller was24.

‘SHUFFLE’

Continued from page1D

million YouTube views), “Cornbread and Greens” and “Love Slide.” Upcoming gigs stretch from Opelousas to Oslo, Norway Cupid hosts an all-white attire, Rock the Boat cruiseaboard the Creole Queen on July 3during Essence Fest in New Orleans.

“It was born out of unimaginable heartbreak,” Bordelon explained in asocial media post.“Ipromised myself that if Iwas ever given this opportunity,I would use it to serve with my whole heart, and that is exactly what Iplantodo.”

Bordelon will vie for thetitle of Miss America 2027 on Sept. 6in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Other Miss Louisianafinalists were Katherine McCullars, first runner-up; LaurynVernon, secondrunner-up; De’Ahmya Whaley,third runner-up and Anna Claire Lemoine, fourth runner-up.

“Now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick, nowwalkitbyyourself.” Shuffleon, Cupid.

Herman Fuselier is executive director ofthe St. LandryParish Tourist Commission. Alongtime journalistcovering Louisiana music and culture, he lives in Opelousas. His “Zydeco Stomp” show airs at noonSaturdays on KRVS 88.7 FM.

“BetweenMay 30 andJune 2, a careless driverplowed straight into themarker and destroyed it,” said Paul Bledsoe, secretaryfor the Sons of the American Revolution chapter

The marker has since disappeared. Bledsoe said thetwo chapters aren’toffering areward for its return.

“Rightnow,we’re working on getting thedriver’sinsurance company to compensate the cost of the sign,”hesaid. “And we’re working withthe stateand theCityofSt. George on getting it replaced.”

The chapters receivedthe sign last September, but there was some confusion as to who would be responsible for installing it —the Louisiana Department of Transportationand Developmentorthe City of St. George.

“The stretch of the River Road fromGardere Lane to theIberville Parishline, which is about 21/2 miles, changed from state ownership to ownership by theCity of St George,”Bledsoe said.

Butthe chapters’ initial agreement forthe installation process was made with the state, which eventually placed themarker

“I believe thatthrough working

with the state, the marker will be replaced,” Bledsoe said. Importance remains Still, thesign’sabsence devalues neitherthe organizations’effort commemorating the site northe story of what happened there.

Bledsoe said people have been talking about putting amarker there for years.

“But untilrecently,the evidence that is necessary to prove the fort’s location wasn’teasily available,” he said.

RoseMeyers’ 1976 book, “A History of Baton Rouge, 1699-1812,” is an often citedsource forthe Fort Bute story.Meyerswas the head librarian for the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’sDowntown Branch, now called the River Center Branch.

Herbook was published by LSUPress for the Baton Rouge Bicentennial Corp. and includes chapters chroniclingLouisiana’s capital city under both British and Spanish rule, beginning with King GeorgeIII’sproclamationofGreat Britain’s 1763 takeover of West Florida following the French and Indian War. Meyerswritesthatthe British anchored their frigates there until theycould build a“strong new fort in West Florida.”

Fort Bute also became important in Britain’sdefensive strategy

The British sent more troops to Fort Bute and theirother fortified posts at Baton Rouge and Natchez, establishing ablockade on the river In 1779, Meyers points out, though Gálvez was young, he proved to be acompetent governor for Spain, having anticipated impending warand striking first by marching his troops from New Orleans up the Mississippi River in August, with relentless sun, thick humidity and merciless insects. Frenchartist Augusto FerrerDalmau offers what is considered oneofthe most realisticdepictions of Galvez and his troops tromping through aswamp in his 2018 painting, “La Marcha de Gálvez.” Closertohome, late BatonRouge sculptor Frank Hayden created a more impressionistic viewofthe samescene in his bronze “Marcha de Gálvez,”fountaininGálvez Plaza at North Boulevard Town Square. Both artworks tell the story of the troops who arrived at Fort Bute on Sept. 6, then attackedatdawnon Sept.7,forcing theBritish’s retreat to BatonRouge.The BritishsurrenderedtoGálvez on Sept.21, 1779, at the Baton Rouge fort.

The markerstood forthreedays. The site of Fort Bute is unmarked again.

To contact the General Philemon Thomas Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution with any information about the missing marker,visit lassar.org/generalphilemon-thomas/ or email info@ gbrsar.org.

Email RobinMilleratromiller@ theadvocate.com.

Harriette Cole SENSE AND SENSITIVITy

LSU museum awarded grant inspired by Folk Art Gallery

Staff report

The LSU Museum of Art has been awarded a $25,000 Learning and Engagement Grant from Art Bridges, a national nonprofit foundation dedicated to expanding access to American art.

The grant will support five interconnected wellness and community engagement programs accompanying the LSU Museum of Art’s new Folk Art Gallery, opening June 30.

The gallery will feature works on loan from the American Folk Art Museum in New York through Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network, including works by Jimmy Lee Sudduth, Mose Tolliver, David Butler, Sam Doyle, Purvis Young and Mary T. Smith.

Established in 2017 by philanthropist Alice Walton, Art Bridges works to expand access to American art across the U.S. by supporting partnerships between museums of many sizes The Art Bridges’ Partner Loan Network supports museums in lending and

its role as a community-centered cultural space, bringing restorative arts experiences into the museum’s galleries, as well as classrooms, hospitals and campus environments.

Collectively, the art programs will provide free, hands-on programming designed to support emotional well-being and reduce barriers to arts participation, serving communities across the Baton Rouge area.

The grant will support five interconnected wellness and community engagement programs inspired by the self-taught artists featured in the Folk Art Gallery, with programming running from Sept. 2026 through April 2027:

n Art Break at the Museum — A monthly drop-in wellness series for teens and adults inspired by works on view

ing experiences for patients, caregivers and healthcare workers at Baton Rouge General Mid City in partnership with the hospital’s Arts in Medicine Program.

n Tiger Chill Night A dedicated evening for LSU students featuring guided art activities and live performances designed as a creative break from academic pressures.

n Educator Chill Nights — A two-part program supporting the creative and professional renewal of K–12 and university educators.

borrowing works from one another’s collections, activating objects that might otherwise remain in storage and increasing public ac-

cess through exhibitions and community-centered programming. Through this initiative, the LSU Museum of Art will be expanding

n Art Break: LSU Campus Outreach — Creative pop-up programs delivered to academic departments on campus.

n Art Break: Baton Rouge General Hospital Outreach — Artmak-

“These programs allow us to bring the stories and resilience of self-taught Southern artists into direct conversation with the real lives of our neighbors — students under pressure, patients in recovery, educators who give so much of themselves,” said Mark Tullos, the museum’s executive director “We are deeply grateful to Art Bridges for this investment in our community and for their belief that great art belongs to everyone.”

For more information, visit lsumoa.org.

‘Obsession’

And everyone is trying to figure out what that means

BY JAKE COYLE AP film writer

NEW YORK Days before

“Obsession” opened in theaters, its 26-year-old director Curry Barker made a bet with his manager and agent. They said if the movie opened above $20 million, they would all get tattoos.

“Obsession” fell just short. It debuted with $17 million. They were still thrilled. Barker made the horror film with just $750,000. It was enormously successful. But then something unexpected happened. The following weekend, “Obsession” easily cleared $20 million. And then it did again and again and almost a fourth time — an almost unheard-of staying power

“It was just like: Holy cow I didn’t think that was an option,” Barker says. “Now we’ve said if it hits $300 million, we’ll all get the tattoo. We had to make a new milestone. And I think we’ll reach it.”

“Obsession” has sent shock waves through Hollywood. Barker’s microbudget thriller has grossed $286 million worldwide, and it’s still going. In North America, it has outgrossed “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu.” It’s the biggest hit in the 24-year existence of Focus Features, which has had to postpone the videoon-demand release. It ranks among the most profitable movies ever made.

Barker, who built a following making sketches and short films on YouTube, is living out the dream of every aspiring filmmaker

“My day-to-day is pretty much the same. It’s just that when I go out in public, it’s a lot different,” he says, laughing. “I actually feel a little unsafe sometimes.”

sends shock waves through

That’s an ironic development for someone whose twist on an old Monkey Paw story has frightened moviegoers. In “Obsession,” Bear Bailey (Michael Johnston) wishes on an antique toy called a One Wish Willow that his crush, Nikki (Inde Navarrette), loved him. The spell — loosely inspired by an old “Simpsons” Halloween episode works disturbingly well.

The astonishing success of “Obsession” has been hotly debated throughout the industry. Coupled with the A24 hit “Backrooms,” by 20-yearold Kane Parsons, it’s been a coming-out party for YouTube as a breeding ground for the next generation of filmmakers.

It’s also brought waves of Gen Z moviegoers who already make up a promisingly robust percentage of frequent ticket buyers — into theaters. Summer has historically been dominated by legacy franchises, but “Obsession” may represent a sea change.

“If there’s a lesson from ‘Obsession,’ I think it’s about audiences,” says Peter Kujawski, chairman of Focus Features. “We have a generation that grew up online, approaches culture with enormous curiosity and playfulness, and is far less concerned with where a filmmaker comes from than whether the story connects. They’re engaged, incredibly film-literate and eager to champion new voices and original stories.”

From YouTube to multiplex

Barker, who grew up in Mobile, Alabama, before moving to Los Angeles at 18, says he feels as though he’s writing for his generation. The response to “Obsession,” he says, taps into a collective need

“I get it because I think we’re a little tired of being at home. Our generation is the COVID generation,” says Barker “I was fortu-

nate enough to have all four years of high school experience. My brother, Riley, lost two years of that. We’re sick of the phones.”

Barker wanted to be an actor before he wanted to be a filmmaker And while his early exposure to “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” at age 11, helped set him on a horror path, he didn’t begin that way “I was a huge Harry Potter fan growing up. Huge. I was obsessed,” Barker says, smiling. “I had all the wands. I would dress up.”

Barker attended film school in Los Angeles for a year, where he met Cooper Tomlinson, a co-star and producer on “Obsession.” The two soon forged their own path, though, on YouTube and TikTok. Their comedy sketch series, “That’s a Bad Idea,” found a footing online. Barker wrote and directed the 2023 short “The Chair,” which attracted the interest of Tea Shop Productions. Producer James Harris approached Barker about a feature of “The Chair,” but he instead wanted to make a film — “Obsession” — that drew on many of the same ideas. Meanwhile, Barker also made an $800 foundfootage horror film, “Milk & Serial.” After failing to secure distribution, he simply uploaded to YouTube. It went viral and landed him an agent.

“Obsession” was selected to premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last year, giving it an enviable platform. After a bidding war, Kujawski and Focus acquired it for $15 million.

“What stands out about Curry is that he isn’t working from an inherited playbook,” says Kujawski. “Whether you look at his earlier work or ‘Obsession,’ there’s a consistency of vision and a confidence in his storytelling that immediately sets him apart. He knows exactly what he wants to say while being absolutely committed to making every minute of his work as entertaining as possible, and he’s willing to take real risks in service of that vision.”

Other projects first

Barker’s swift but hardearned rise has made him the poster boy for a new brand of filmmaker, one who has honed his craft as a digital creator and arrives with an established fan base.

Jason Blum, the chief executive of Blumhouse Productions, has compared Barker and company to the 1970s wave of American auteurs, “making edgy movies that are connecting in theaters in a crazy way.”

“When you really step back, my journey is not really that different than Christopher Nolan or David

Fincher or Steven Spielberg,” Barker says. “You can watch their early short films and see their work before they were given a chance.”

Now, Barker is one of the most in-demand filmmakers. He has already shot his next feature, “Anything But Ghosts,” starring Aaron Paul and Bryce Dallas Howard, for Blumhouse Two months ago, A24 announced that he will write and direct a reboot of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre.”

All the attention has taken some getting used to. Filmmakers like Ari Aster and Zach Cregger and even Spielberg have reached out to compliment Barker on his film.

“That’s when you start to feel this impostor syndrome of like: What? It’s not that good,” Barker says, laugh-

ing. “All I see when I watch ‘Obsession’ is the problems.” An “Obsession” sequel is, naturally, a certainty “A sequel isn’t hard for this movie,” grants Barker He sketches out how new wishes by other characters on One Wish Willows could lead to entirely different stories, all revolving around some new vice: greed, fame, whatever But as much as it’s tempting to see “Obsession” as the product of Barker’s own wish, it’s more like the opposite. In the film, Bear’s profound mistake is putting off confessing his feelings to Nikki, thinking there’s plenty of time to do it. (The movie immediately cuts to a dead cat.) Barker, on the other hand, had no timidity about realizing his dreams. He wanted to make movies, so he did.

PROVIDED PHOTO By ADAM REICH

Hazlehurst, Miss., folk artist Mary T. Smith’s 1967 untitled painting will be featured in the LSU Museum of Art’s new Folk Art Gallery. The paintings is part of the Collection of the American Folk Art Museum in New york.

PROVIDED PHOTO By MANNy LIOTTA ‘Obsession’ director Curry Barker discusses filming a scene.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

FARLEFT: TheBilleaudSugar Factory in the late 1960s; ABOVE: Theiconicgears in front of the Billeaud Companies Office in Broussard; LEFT: Martial F. Billeaud Sr immigrated to the Broussard area with hisparents when he was 3in1840.

SWEETHISTORY

BY JOANNA BROWN Staff writer

Today,Broussard is thebustling crossroad of Lafayette Parish, transporting people and goods along the U.S. 90 corridor amid wavesofneighborhoods,shops, industrial sites and farm land

But 100 years ago, it was all sugar cane.

Martial Billeaud planted his first crop in 1866, 25 years after his family immigrated to Louisiana from France. He worked as ablacksmith beforeenlisting in the Louisiana 26th Infantry during the Civil Warand turned his attention to agricultural concerns after the war —beginningwith cotton and corn before transitioning to sugar cane and building a sugar mill

The enterprise proved profitable, helpedbythe arrival of the railroad, and by 1893, Billeaud SugarFactoryhad grown to a large, modern concernthat would shape the areafor generationsto come.

“We’re all sixth generation,” said Paul Eason, who serves as chairman of the board of directors for Billeaud Companies. “We knew it, we remember it. We went to the sugar factory as kids, seeing it operating, and Ihopeour next generation can enjoyour storiesaboutit. That’swhy we chose to do abook, because it has changed aroundhere.”

In order to preserve their history, membersofthe Billeaud family whosit on theboard of directors commissioned abook that spansoveracentury of the company, including amajor shift in 1979. Stockholders(members of thegrowingBilleaud clan) votedtoclose the factory and go into commercial real estate, seeinganopportunity to moveout of the struggling agricultural sector

and into land development.

Lafayette writer and editor LanaHenry documented the story of how BilleaudSugar Factorybecame BilleaudCompanies in “From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: AHistory of BilleaudCompanies,” released by theUniversityofLouisiana at Lafayette Pressthis year

The book is afascinating read for Lafayette Parish residents who interact daily with places like

Martial F. Billeaud Sr.ElementarySchool, shop at businesses in developments like Sweetland Centre in Broussard, or handle business at thePinhook Office Courts —amongother developments that Billeaud Companies has handled over thedecades.

“Chuck Billeaud (former board chairman) was my right-hand man,” saidHenry.“He wasa walking encyclopedia of knowledge about the industry,this company,the family,the community—and introduced me to so manypeople whoall had some sort of lived experience with the company.Itgave me such adepth and richness, and that’swhat I’m mostinterested in. Ilove oral historyand being able to write about something that has several generations to it.”

BilleaudCompanies held a book signing at their Broussard

headquarters last month, in the historic homeat106 St. Nazaire Road that has housed generations of family members and workers at the company,asthe community around it grew and changed.

District Attorney DonLandry attended the signing, both to show support forahomegrown business and foramore personal reason —getting to see the house where he grew up.

“I have manymemories here,” he said, pointing out where his bedroom was.

Landry’sfather managed the surrounding sugar cane operations —asea of fields that are now hometoacres of commerce. The Walmart and HomeDepot across the street from Billeaud Companies on St. Nazaire Road were built on Billeaud land, pointing the way for population growth in south Lafayette Parish. The topic of legacy is afrequent one at board meetings, Eason said.

“At our meeting, we werejust saying how much we all treasure this,” he said. “Wehope the next generation thinks as much of it as we do. We’re sure trying to instill it in them.We’ve been blessed.”

Learnmore about “From Sweetening the Table to Sweetening the Deal: AHistoryofthe Billeaud Companies” on the UL Press website.

VisittoJackson’s LemuriaBooks ‘a sweetdevouring’

In acolumn acoupleof weeks ago, Iwrote about my recent road trip to Jackson, Mississippi, whereIvisited the home of the late novelist and short story writer Eudora Welty,which is now open as amuseum. There are books everywhere in Welty’shouse, atestament to her passion for reading.

Jackson offers visitors another monument to Welty’s reading life at Banner Hall, a shopping venue that includes a huge sign bearing Welty’s love letter to the written word. It’s aquote from “One Writer’sBeginnings,” the Welty memoir in which she celebrates reading as afeast for the senses. Here’swhat Welty saidabout her passion for books:“Icannot remember atime when Iwas not Ilove with them —with the books themselves,cover and binding and the paper they were printed on, with their

smell andtheir weight and with their possessioninmyarms, captured and carried off to myself.”

The sign hangsoutside LemuriaBooks, which just marked its 50th anniversary as an independent bookstore in Jackson.

“WeatLemuria believe in the valueofthe physical book,”the management proclaims on its website. “With floor-to-ceiling shelves, that quintessential book smell, and alittle bit of Southern hospitality, you’ll feel right at home.”

An extensivecollection of first-edition collectible volumes underscoresLemuria’senthu-

siasm for books as physical objects.

New books are part of the mix,too, with an emphasis on regional authors. Portraits of Southern writers hang among theshelves, areminder that authors suchasRoy Blount, Lewis Grizzard and Rick Bragg have madeLemuria adestination. Louisianaisrepresented well in theinventory,which includes arange of titles about New Orleanshistory and avariety of photography books by C.C. Lockwood Ibought acopy of “The Complete Stories of Truman Capote,” amasterwork by the gadflyauthor who was born in New Orleans. Lastyear,to fill agap in my reading life, I’d picked up Capote’s“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” at Baton Rouge’s TBR Books& Tea. I’d somehow never gotten around to tackling that popular novel, and thanks to thegood folks at TBR, it’s

now off myto-be-read list. Reconnecting with Capote through theshort stories Itook homefrom Lemuria has been a highlight of mysummer reading so far.I’d made ahead start on that reading project while sittingonasofa at Lemuria, where ample seating encourages customers to stay awhile, indulging books as an immersive pleasure. Lemuria takes its namefrom amythical lost continent where, as the story goes, the locals gave birthtobooks as away to connect with each other.At their best, summer books are their own continent, aseparate world where we can get lost for aspell.

Welty called it aform of possession, and in this, as in so manyother things, she was surely right

Email Danny Heitman at danny@dannyheitman.com

By

LemuriaBooksinJackson,

alargecollectionofworksbyregional authors. The store recentlymarked its 50th anniversary.

TRADEPAPERBACK

1. “TheoofGolden”byAllenLevi 2. “The Divorce” by Freida McFadden 3. “Dungeon CrawlerCarl” by Matt Dinniman 4. “Atmosphere” by Taylor Jenkins Reid

5. “Dolly All theTime”byAnnabel Monaghan

6. “Jujutsu Kaisen,Vol. 30” by Gege Akutami

7. “Want to KnowaSecret?”byFreida McFadden

8. “Murder TakesaVacation” by Laura Lippman

9. “Field Guidefor theFormerly Villainous”byAutumn

England 10. “Dandadan, Vol. 19” by YukinobuTatsu

Danny Heitman DannyHeitman

PHOTO

DANNy HEITMAN

Miss.,features

STAFF PHOTO By BRADBOWIE

AuthorLana Henryvisits withGeorgeBilleaud while signing acopyofher book that profiles the Billeaud Companies.

AT THE TABLE

Corn andshrimpchowder asummertimetable treat

Bounty of fresh, seasonal ingredients makes foraneasydish

BY DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN Contributing writer

Iwas asked to select acouple of recipes from the cookbook, “Cooking Up AStorm: Recipes Lost and Found from TheTimes Picayune of New Orleans,” to cook and writeabout

As Iglanced over the recipes, Ikept in mind the seasons and what Icould make that represented summertime. Ithought back to childhood summers when my father would bring home apickup truck loadoffresh-pickedcorn and we would workall daytoprocess that corn to make corn macque choux forfreezing. It was alot of labor involvingthe wholefamily but it did guarantee that we would havecorn on the Sunday dinner table. (Thatmeal was eaten at noon, and yes, we called it dinner.)

Ialsorecalledsummervisitstoour camp on Pecan Island. Those involved cleaningshrimp and crabbing. As Ihave written before,cleaning shrimp meant cleaningand freezing a whole ice chest of the crustaceans. Nothing was really done on asmall scale with us, but this was true for many families. Having food reserves in thefreezer was common,especially locallysourced food

So, with that in mind, Iselected Mrs. Francis Toomy’sFresh Corn and Shrimp Chowder. It’sarecipe that includes items that arein season and easily found fresh in my area. In fact, as Ilook over the recipeand think back to my youth, all that Iwould have needed to buyatthe store was acan of cream-style corn. Iwould have had the rest of theingredients on hand, fresh from the garden or fromthe freezer

Icould have even used ourfrozen corn macque choux in place of the fresh cornand cream style corn, as macque chouxhas a creamy andchunky consistency

Idid buy fresh cornand acan of cream-style corn for the recipe today.Friendsgaveme wonderful shrimp that they had cleaned and frozen. If Iwere having guestsover,I would serve this as astarter and then fried catfish, smothered potatoes and coleslaw

Givethisrecipe atry while these ingredients are at their peak of flavor.Also,always remember that arecipe is justa guide.Makeit your own by adding or subtracting ingredients to suit you andyourfamily’s taste. Happy cooking!

PHOTO By DEBRA TAGHEHCHIAN

Mrs. Francis Toomy’sFresh Corn and Shrimp Chowder

By The Associated Press

Today is Sunday,June 28, the179thday of 2026. There are 186 days left in the year

Todayinhistory:

On June 28, 1914, in an act that helpedtrigger World WarI,Archduke FranzFerdinand of Austria and his wife, Sophie, were shot to death in Sarajevo by Serb nationalist Gavrilo Princip. Alsoonthis date:

In 1863, during the Civil War, U.S.President AbrahamLincoln appointed Maj. Gen.George G. Meade as the new commander of the Army of the Potomac, following the resignationofMaj. Gen. Joseph Hooker

In 1919, the Treaty of Versailles was signedin France, formally ending the First World War. In 1940, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed theAlien Registration Act, alsoknown as the Smith Act, which required all noncitizens ages 14 and older residinginthe U.S. to be registeredand fingerprinted

In 1969,riots broke out followinga policeraid at the StonewallInn, an LGBTQ+ bar in New York’sGreenwichVillageneighborhood,leading to six days of violent proteststhat servedasa watershed moment in theLGBTQ+ rights movement.

In 1997, boxerMike Tyson was disqualified in his rematch with WBA heavyweight titleholder Evander Holyfieldafter Tyson bit Holyfield twiceinthe third round, including biting offa portion of Holyfield’sright ear In 2000, sevenmonths after hewas found adrift in the Straits of Florida, ElianGonzalez was returned to his native Cuba.

In 2017, aman armed with ashotgun attacked the offices of The Capital newspaperinAnnapolis, Maryland, killing four journalists and a staffer before police stormed thebuilding and arrested him; authoritiessaid JarrodRamos had along-running grudge against thenewspaper for its reporting of aharassmentcaseagainst him. (Ramos wouldbeconvicted and sentenced to six life sentences plus 345years in prison.)

In 2019, avowed White supremacistJames Alex Fields, who deliberately drovehis car into acrowd of counterprotesters during a“Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia,killing ayoung woman and injuringdozens, apologized for his actions before being sentenced to life in prison on federal hate crime charges In 2022, British socialite GhislaineMaxwell was sentenced to 20years in prison forhelping lure teenage girls to be sexually abusedbythe late American financier Jeffrey Epstein. Today’sBirthdays: Filmmaker-comedian Mel Brooks is 100. Diplomat and politicianHansBlix is 98. Actor Bruce Davison is 80. Actor Kathy Batesis78. Football HallofFamer JohnElway is 66. Actor John Cusack is 60. Actor Mary StuartMasterson is 60. Actor Tichina Arnoldis57. Filmmaker-actorMike Whiteis56. Billionaire entrepreneur Elon Muskis55. Actor Alessandro Nivola is 54. Country singer-TV personality KelliePickler is 39. Olympic track gold medalist Elaine Thompson-Herah is 34.

ADVERTISEMENT

Dear Miss Manners: My dear mother told me that oneshould never clap for the speakers at Memorial Day observances, and that one should depart in silence to mark the solemnityof the occasion. At aMemorial Day event, Inoticed that everyone clapped for the speakersand chatted casually at the end of the event. Wasmydear mother mistaken?

supposed to be serious (althoughthis did not apply tothe reception). Music performed in houses of worship was thought to be intended forthe glory of God, not forthe pleasure of the congregation —now often actually referred to as the audience.

GentleReader: No. Well, she is mistaken only in thinking that other people know thedifference between respect and approval. It hastodowith theshow-business mentalitythat has prevailed for some time. Everyone is either aperformer —preferably astar —oranaudience member.And audiences clap toshow their appreciation for the effort made to entertain, educate or enlighten us. But as your mother remembers, not everything is done “for” us. Sometimes we are present at solemn or ceremonial occasions, which are not subject to our approval.

Clapping was not done at funerals and memorial services,nor even at weddings, where theceremony was

Miss Manners is not surprised that the previous attitudes have all but disappeared. People are used to stamping “like” on pretty much everything,and clapping is thein-person version

Dear Miss Manners: What should be done when someonewho works foryou, such as ahouse cleaner,gives your child an exceedingly generous cash graduation gift?

It was not solicited in any way,not even implicitly by sending an announcement. Ithanked her before the card was even opened, telling her she shouldn’t have; after it was opened,I sent atext thanking her and telling her it wastoo generous.

My child is, of course, sending ahandwritten thank-you as well. But it feels really inappropriatefor us to accept such agenerous gift.

GentleReader: Returningpresents to

their donors is an insult, however kind your motives are. But Miss Manners would think that such avaluable and devoted employee deserves abonus. To makeitclear that the twotransactions are unrelated, you should waita short time, makethe amount different (preferably larger) and accompany it with astatement of appreciation.

Dear Miss Manners: Ihave inherited about twodozen tiny cotton napkins, about 12 inches square. They have lovely embroidery in one corner and scalloped hems, making them meditative to iron. Ihave occasionally used them under alamp on aside table as they are so pretty Since they are so small, Ican’timagine how they are used at the table. I have plenty of linen dinner napkins. Gentle Reader: And now you have luncheon napkins —or, if you don’tgive dainty luncheons, large cocktail napkins. The advantage of the latter is that you do not have to keep ironing them because, Miss Manners notices, everyone gives them back unused.

Sendquestions to Miss Manners at her website, www.missmanners.com or to her email, dearmissmanners@gmail. com.

Dear Heloise: Reneerecently commented about tryingtoread impossibly small print against similar colored backgrounds. This has been athorn in my side for years! Additionally, the location, color and font size of aproduct’sexpirationdate is aproblem.

explained the issue,and Isaid that I wouldn’tbuy it again.

Expiration dates should be clearly stamped in contrasting ink on the topof the product, whether it’s a jarlid or abox top.

Idon’tknow about anyone else, but Iselect products by looking at thefront of the label because this is what’s visible on the shelf. The presentation of the topofthe package doesn’t matter. Idon’tknow why manufacturers won’tmake this simple change.

Like Renee, I’ve stopped using some products because of this.Ihad apositive outcomebycalling acustomer service department about their impossible-tofind and read date. It was amajor brand of spaghetti sauce thatcomes in aglass jar.The sauce is dark red, and theyused atiny dark blue print on the shoulder of thejar.Until the jarwas empty, I couldn’tsee the date. Icalled and politely

Many Americans are fortunate to have dental coverage fortheir entire working life, through employer-provided benefits. When those benefits endwith retirement, paying dental billsout-of-pocket cancome as a shock,leading peopletoput off or even go without care

Simply put —without dental insurance, there may be an important gap in your healthcare coverage.

When you’re comparing plans ...

 Look forcoverage that helps pay formajor services. Some plans may limitthe number of procedures —orpay forpreventive care only.

 Look forcoverage with no deductibles. Some plans may require you to payhundreds out of pocket before benefits are paid.

 Shop forcoverage with no annual maximum on cash benefits.Some plans have annual maximums of $1,000.

Medicare doesn’tpay for dental care.1

That’s right. As good as Medicare is, it was never meanttocover everything. That means if youwant protection, you need to purchase individual insurance.

Early detection canprevent small problems from becoming expensiveones.

The best way to preventlargedental bills is preventive care. TheAmerican DentalAssociation recommends checkupstwiceayear.

Previous dental work canwear out.

Even if you’vehad qualitydentalwork in the past,you shouldn’t take your dentalhealth forgranted.Infact,your odds of havinga dental problem only go up as youage.2

Treatment is expensive especiallythe servicespeople over 50 often need.

Consider these national averagecosts of treatment. $274for acheckup. $299 for afilling $1,471 foracrown.3 Unexpected bills likethiscan be areal burden, especially if you’re on afixedincome.

“Medicare&You,”Centersfor Medicare &Medicaid Services,2025. 2 “Aging changesinteeth and gums”, medlineplus.gov,4/17/2022. 3 FairHealth, Inc. National average dental fees.Datacurrent as of July 2025;subject to change

“Absolutely love” “I absolutelylove my dental insurance. My dentaloffice files the claims,leaving me with very littlebalancetopay.” DorothyP TN

Maybe mine wasn’tthe only complaint because theystartedputting the date on the lid afew months later, and Istarted buying the sauce again. —Linda D.,via email

Shortermattresses

Dear Heloise: When Ipurchased anew bed, the mattresswas 16 inches, and the box platform was 11 inches. I’m 60 inches tall, so I’d have to climb into my bed. The salesperson then notified me that theyhad a“half box size” (5-6 inches). This worked perfectly for me and was alittle less expensive. So,ask the salesperson if they carry shorter (half-box) platforms when buying your next bed.

Nancy McF via email

Leavinga burner on

Dear Heloise: This idea cametomeas away to help me from unintentionally leaving aburner on. Whenusing aburner,position the knob slightly off the vertical or horizontal line at whatever setting you’re using it.This way,after you are done using therange, all you’ll need to do is quickly scan thestove to check that all the burners are off.

Iwas prompted to do this after my spouse unintentionally left burners on, and Icould smell that something wasn’t correct. —Jim, via email Jim,thank you for this hint. It’ssoeasy to forget to turn the burners off, but it’s very dangerous to leave them on and unattended after we use the stove. —Heloise

Broken spaghettistraps

Dear Heloise: Ihave two dresses with spaghetti straps that Ilove wearing during along, hot summer day.I hung up both dresses on hangers over the winter,but when Iremoved them from the garment bag, Isaw that the straps werebroken. How should Ihang these twodresses when Iget done repairing them? —Brianna, in NiagaraFalls, New York Brianna, if the dress manufacturer didn’tsupply the dresses with side loops so that you could hang up your dresses, then either hang them over apants hanger (usually at the waist), or clip the bodice to askirt hanger.Ifyou clip these dresses, be sure to use foam under the clips to avoid crushing or marring velvet, silk or satin. —Heloise Sendahinttoheloise@heloise.com.

Hints from Heloise

Retail adviser has brought over adozen brands to Magazine Street 3E

REALITYCHECK

Virtual film production technology hasmade it to Louisiana

BY RICH COLLINS Staffwriter

Fans of the Disney+ TV series “TheMandalorian,” whichdebuted in 2019,appreciateits family-friendly take on thespace Westerngenre.

Film production nerds hail the show for an entirely differentreason: its groundbreaking “virtual production” process. Most scenes for shows andmoviesare either filmed in real-life locations or in climate-controlled soundstages, wherecrews construct elaborate physical sets to replicate the realworld.Filmmakers also shoot in frontofgiantpaintedorfabric “green screens” thatcan bereplaced with other images duringthe post-production process.

But“The Mandalorian” producerstriedsomething new,shooting themajorityof the show’s scenes inside agiant, wraparound LED screen

ä See VIRTUAL, page 2E

What’s

and CEO of GNO

Chamber of Commerce legislativebreakfast. Hechtisstepping

BY STEPHANIE RIEGEL Staff writer

As thepresident and CEO of GNOInc., Michael Hecht averages about six media interviews and two groundbreakings or ribbon cuttings aweek, plus ahandful of keynote speeches and panel discussions. And that’snot including the actual work of doing economic development—pitching site selectors on the advantages of southLouisiana, lining up incentive packages for potential companies and closing big deals.

“I actuallydid apie chart of my current job, anditcame outto 115%,”Hecht said. Now,after 18 years as themetro

area’sdefacto ambassador, chief salesperson andtop economicdevelopment leader,Hecht, 55, announced last week that he is stepping down at the end of the year andwill assume thenewly created position of CEO emeritus —arole designedtoensure asmooth transitionwith his successor,while enabling himtocontinueworking on “big picture” projects that have defined his tenure at GNO,Inc. of late. Hechtsaidthe decision to step back from the day-to-daygrind of TV morningshow interviewsand late-night strategy sessions was his alone, at atime in his life in career when he is seeking more “personal flexibility.” It also will free him up to launch his own governmental relationsand consulting business, which he said will not present aconflictofinterest with his new emeritus roleatGNO, Inc. “Wewill be carefulhow we struc-

ture it,” Hechtsaid. “But Ithinkthe realityofitisIwillbeina position to drive alot of business to the city, regionand thestate.”

Hecht insists he is not leaving his native NewOrleans, at least notimmediately. As CEO emeritus, he will be apaidemployee of GNO,Inc. for up to three years. Still, it will be asignificant change foranorganizationthatisnow on the fast-track to fill his position by theend of theyear,when hisnew rolebecomes effective.

Twosources familiar with the search committeeprocesssaid the names of apotential replacementare already floating around andthatthe organization is seeking in its next leader someone who is from the city or theregion, or at least, very familiarwithits quirks, strengths, weaknesses andthe key people whomake things happen.

BRETTDUKE

Asia Gagnon, left, and KennyMorrison work behindan‘extended reality’ screen in the studio at WyES The technologycan displayeverything from theexterior of an exotic planet to the inside of aspaceship allowingactors to inhabit virtual worlds.

STAFFPHOTOSByENAN CHEDIAK

Kenny Morrison demonstrates howthe ‘extended reality’screen works at WyES in NewOrleans.

that can display everything from theexterior of an exotic planetto the inside of aspaceship, allowing actors to inhabit virtualworlds during their performanceand saving producers time and money by not having to create digital backgrounds during postproduction

Sevenyears ago, thatprocess was revolutionary.Today,ithas become anothermoney-saving tool forproducersofmovies,TVshows, commercialsand allformsof filmed media.

In Louisiana, astate once dubbed “Hollywood South” becauseofgeneroustax incentives that spawned abustling film and TV industry,at least two companies and one university have invested in high-definition LED screens, special camera-tracking hardware, powerful computers and software to support “Mandalorian”-style virtualproduction on asmaller scale.

They’re hoping that the new technology will help rekindle interest in the state’sdigital entertainment sector,which has dwindled due to increased competition worldwide and aslowdown in TV and movie production overall.

LSU’sXRStudio (the XR is short for “extended reality”) functions as aclassroom while alsoserving paying clients. Afacility in New Orleans operated by astartup called LucyXR helps make TV shows, commercials, music videos, movies and other content. And FoxDogStudios, ayear-old Baton Rouge venture, just assembled its own XR system andis putting it to use this summer Jason Jamerson, an associate professor who runs LSU’sfacility, said the high-tech screens give producers another reason to work in the state.

“In the past, you would come to Louisiana to film bayous or live oaks,” he said. “But when we come out ofthe global slowdown, we will be more well-roundedand attractive because we’ll be abletoreproduce any location through virtual production.”

Building digitalsets

It was abusy scene on aWednesday in mid-Juneatthe WYES TV headquarters as New Orleans-based visual effects expert Kenny Morrisonand severalcrewmembers were building sets for an indie feature film called “Exalted.”

But there were no saws, hammers, two-by-fours or paint cans in sight. Instead, Morrison and his team tapped on computer keyboards, set up lights, and calibrated abillboardsized curved LED wallthat, at 13 feet high and 38 feet wide, dominatedthe room. The sets they were building were virtual, existing only on screen but capable of mimicking real places when combinedwith actors, props and furniture and then filmed using special equipment.

Crew members arranged booths, tables and other props on the soundstage’sconcrete floor in front of the screen,which displayed aphotorealistic image of adiner interior Morrison wasoverseeingthe work on behalf of his clients, the producers of a$5million psychological thriller targeting a2027 release. The movie started filming last fall in St. Francisville and came to New Orleans to finish up.

For Morrison, aNew Orleansbased director and cinematographer who has made more than 2,000 commercials over amultidecade ca-

reer,the “Exalted” gig is achance to show off the power of the extendedreality production technology he has assembled in the three years since he formedhis tech-focused company LucyXR closeda$500,000fundraising round last year,and Morrison spent about twice that on the modularLED walland related equipment, which now stays in use at WYES, apublic television station thatrents Morrison space and uses his gear for several of itsshows.

Before the indie movie, theXR studio hosted three other projects over the last two months.

In May,New Orleans musician

Jon Batiste shot amusicvideo in the space,and New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough appeared in TV commercialsfor aLouisiana law firm. Morrison himself filmed several commercials for acredit union in oneday by using theextended reality screen to simulate multiple locations.

“That kind of efficiency would have beenimpossiblefiveyears ago,” he said.

More high-techstudios

Louisiana’s first virtual production studiodebuted in 2021 in the College of Art +Design building on LSU’s Baton Rouge campus.

The school secured a$1.25 million state grant to build the facility, which has been used for hundreds of projects, includingmusic videos, interviews, classes andsports marketing videos. Clients include NBC News and Fender, themusical instrument manufacturer

Jamerson, the associate professor whoruns the space, saidthe keyto making the virtual sets seem real to viewers is software and hardware —originally developed by video

five-yearperiod.

“Weare starting the selection process almost immediately,and we want it to be as efficient of a processaspossible so Iwillhave time to work withthe newperson,” Hecht said.

Models fortransition

As envisioned, the CEO emeritusrole will be modeled after the monthslong transition that occurred between the tenureof longtime New Orleans &Co. CEO Stephen Perry and his successor Walt Leger,accordingto one board source. The existing model at the Audubon Nature Institute is another example. After longtime CEO Ron Forman retired in 2025, he moved into arole as CEO of the Audubon Foundation, leveraging his relationships in the community to focus on fundraisingwhile his successor Michael Sawaya took over day-to-day operations.

Hecht said as an emeritus, fundraising will be akey priorityas will be supporting the new CEO with introductionsand knowledge transfer

He’ll also be working on anew “5x5” initiativefocused on growing the region’sstagnant population. Its goal is to increase the region’spopulation 5% ayear over a

And he’ll continue to focus on the large, special projects that became his signature during the previous mayoral administration, when GNO Inc. stepped up to fill what many in the business community felt was apolitical leadership void.

Looking back onit, Hechtsays those projects—spearheading efforts to readythe city forthe SuperBowl in 2025,trying to unite competing ports in supportofthe Louisiana InternationalTerminal Project, helping form the NOLA Coalitiontolower the city’scrime rate in 2022 and seeking solutions to catastrophicinsurance rates —have been the highlights of his tenureasCEO BatonRouge also searching

ThechangesatGNO Inc. come as the Greater Baton Rouge Economic Partnership, formerly the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, is also lookingfor anew leader In May,GBREP President and CEO Lori Melancon was removed after ashort and rockytenure at the agency.Since then, Trey Godfrey and Jayson Newell have been sharing duties as interim co-CEOs. Thechanges also come as Gov. JeffLandry’s administration is playing amore active and aggressive roleineconomic development than thestate didunder Gov.John Bel Edwards. Under Landry’sLouisiana Eco-

game makers —that work together to change the imageonthe screen to reflect different points of view

“The cameraisawindow into a fakeworldthat might have nearby trees and distant mountains, so if the camera moves across the room, those background elements should move at different speeds,”hesaid.

“It’scalled parallax.

Jamersonestimates that more than half of allTVshows use some form virtual production now —and, starting this summer,contentcreatorswill have another option in BatonRouge, where the year-old startup FoxDog Studios is applying finishing touches to its own setup.

“Wereceived thedelivery on Mardi Gras Day and have been poking everything withastickever since, gettingthings calibrated and ready to go,” saidDoug Dominguez, aLafayette nativeand oneofthe studio’s threeco-owners.

Thebusiness opened lastfall in a retail space near the Mall of Louisianatoprovide productionservices for small- to medium-sized projects that don’tnecessarily need a huge soundstage like Celtic Studios, the nearly 30-acre facilityin BatonRouge that recently hosted a$50 million Amazon feature film “Brandedcontent,” aformofmarketing common in the era of social media, is one of the studio’s areas of focus.

Dominguezand hispartners converted their 10,000-square-foot space into three separate production studios for use by clients like Taryn Klothand Kristen Nuss, the Louisiana-based beach volleyball superstars. The athleteswill soon break in thenew videowall, shooting apromotional video set on aCalifornia beach.

“The technology gives us access

nomic Development,the state has landed megadeals that include AI data centersinnorth Louisiana, Hyundai’splannedsteel mill near Donaldsonville, and moreLNG export facilities in southwest Louisiana.

LED Secretary Susan Bourgeois said bringing in two new leaders at the same time at thestate’stwo largest economic development organizations opens for the groups to reestablish aclose working relationship that had flourished for several years before cooling more recently

“This really presents an incredible opportunity to focus on the super region again,”Bourgeois said. Alittle over adecade ago, GNO Inc.and the BatonRouge Area Chamber,the former nameofthe economic development agency,beganjointly marketingthemselves as a“superregion.”With just 80 miles between them, their relativeproximitymade them natural partners.

Besides, even withnearly two dozen parishes and acouple of millionpeople between them, they were still much smaller together than mega-metro areas like Houston, Dallas and Atlanta, with which they were competing.

Together,theytook canvass trips to Tampa-Orlando in 2013, and Tucson-Phoenix in 2015, bothofwhich offered practical lessons on how to collaborate in order to improve economic competitiveness.

Fool’s Take:VivaVeeva

to places we couldn’tnormally be,”

said Dominguez, who emphasized the best way to use thescreens is to make theminvisible

“If you notice it, it’sbad VFX and somebody messed up,” he said.

Dominguez said thepriceofthe extendedrealityscreensand other hardware has droppeddramatically over the past four years, so more people will likelyinvest.

Waitingfor ‘action’

Investments in virtual production fromLSU, Lucy XR andFoxDog comeasthe Louisiana film industry hasslowed down after apost-pandemic boom in 2021 and2022, when at one point there were 28 TV shows or features shooting simultaneously according to Simonette Berry,business agent forthe IATSELocal 478, aunion representing 1,400 film industry workers in theregion.

Adecade earlier,Louisiana’s film production activity briefly topped California’s,but timeshave changed.

Agenerous two-decade-oldfilm production taxcredit still offers producers rebates up to 40% on qualified expenses, butcompeting incentives from other states have leveled the playing fieldwhile the entire country has ceded ground to global locations.

“We’re notjustcompeting with GeorgiaorCalifornia anymore,” Berry said. “We’recompeting with the UK, Ireland, Saudi Arabia and, of course, Canada. The U.S. used to have 60% roughly of production globally and nowwehave morelike 40%.

Anotherfactor leading to the nationwide slowdown is Hollywood is simply makingless content.

Evidence of theslump can be seen at thestate’sbig soundstages, where an encouraging start to the year was followed by quieter months headlined by “Ally Clark,”the Amazon movie that shot at Celtic in Baton Rouge and other locations.

Investments in XR technology from LSU, LucyXRand FoxDog represent afraction of that one film’sbudget, but Berry said infrastructure improvements at any scale could helpbring morework to the state,where experienced crews are hungry forwork.

“As the industry changes, people will continue to need stage space, skilled workers andvendors whether they’re filmingfor Netflix or YouTube,” she said.

Email Rich Collinsatrich. collins@theadvocate.com.

They also jointlytraveled to Panama in 2016, after Louis Armstrong New OrleansInternational Airport landed direct airserviceto Panama City,where they focused on opportunities in shipping and logistics. Looking back on it adecade later, it’snot clear what, if any,concrete business deals resulted from the trips. But Hechtsaidtheywere opportunities to build relationships across the region and to broaden the way locals think about south Louisiana.

Those ties also helpedforge the collaboration that came afew yearslater,whenthe twoorganizations teamed up to seek federal andstate funding for passenger rail service between New Orleans and Baton Rouge. Though the goal has yet to be realized, both organizations learned what canbedone when they work together, Hecht said.

Under the organization’snew leadership, he hopestoreaffirm those ties.

“Wehad an amazing relationship with BRAC underAdamKnapp (the longtimeheadofBRACwho stepped down in 2023),” said Hecht.“Iwould hope andexpect in the nextiteration of GNOand BRAC that this tight relationship will continue.”

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

VeevaSystems(NYSE:VEEV) designscloud solutions forlife sciences companies, aniche whereit’saleader It’s embedded in theday-to-day activitiesofsome of thetop life sciences companies. It also has a competitive advantage, as it’s not easy forits clients to jump ship, at least notwithout riskingbusiness disruptions Veevahas hitsignificant challengesoverthe past fewmonths, withmanyinvestors increasingly fearing that competition will erodeits marketshare. The company’sstock was recentlydown morethan 45% over the past year —makingVeevaSystems’ shares nowlook moreattractive forlong-term investors.

For onething, thecompany continuestoadd newcustomers to itsecosystem,and as of Jan 31, it boasted 15 of the top 20 biopharmacompanies as itsclients. Veevaisalsoinvesting in ways that could pay off downthe road, notably in artificial intelligence. VeevaSystemshas launched VeevaAI, an initiative allowing agenticAItoolsthatcan boost productivity by fast-tracking andautomating taskssuchasreviewing clinical data andensuring regulatory compliance.

VeevaSystems’ shares look cheaper than they have in a while, witha recentforwardlooking price-to-earnings ratio of 17, near multiyear lows.(The Motley Fool owns shares of and recommendsVeevaSystems.)

Askthe Fool:IPOs

Are initialpublicofferings (IPOs) good investments?

—H.S.,Santa Maria,California

Sometimes, but many times, they lose investors’ money Usually,it’swell-connected or wealthyinvestors who gettoinvest in an IPOatits initialprice. Most others will have to buy shares once they start trading often at much higherprices, as many IPO shares rise quickly in their first fewhours or days ConsiderGroupon, which had itsIPO in 2011 andsaw itsshares climb almost31% on their first day. Fast-forward to mid-2026, andthe stock was recentlydown 97% from itsall-time high two weekspost-IPO. There are successfulIPOs, too, of course, such as Nvidia’s

What’sa“current ratio”? —J.D.,Portsmouth,New Hampshire It’s away to assess how much liquiditya company has— how easily it can convert assets into cash.The ratioiscalculated by dividing currentassets by currentliabilities, both of which you’ll typically find listed on the company’s balancesheet. The currentratioreflects whetherthe business hassufficientshort-term assets (such as cash andexpected incoming payments) to cover itsshort-term obligations(such as payments due). Amore precise measureis the“quickratio,” as it subtracts assets harder to convert to cash —suchasinventories andprepaid expenses —before dividing by currentliabilities.

Both measures ignore longterm debtand assets, such as thevalue of production plants andequipment.Whenevaluating anycompany,besuretoassess other factors, such as revenue andearningsgrowth rates, profit margins, inventory levels,competitive advantages and valuation metrics.

My DumbestInvestment: Financialadvisers

My worst financial decision wasemployingthe services of a financial adviser W.O.,online

That’stoo bad, as many people seem to have better experiences with financial advisers than you. The 2026 State of Retirement Planningstudy from Fidelity found that 3out of 4respondents valued“professional guidance forfamily conversationsabout retirementwishes.” A2024 Vanguard survey found“Whether they workwithahuman financial adviser or adigital-only adviser,86% of advised investors report having morepeace of mind related to their finances as aresult of advice.”

Agood adviser can be invaluable at turning pointsinyour life,suchaswhenyou getmarried,havekids, wanttobuy a home, getdivorced or need to do someestate planning.They may cost morethan you’dlike to pay, but they can morethanmakeup forthatbyensuring that you’re investing effectively andhave allyour financialducks in arow We especially like fee-onlyadvisers, and youmight find one near youvia NAPFA.org or GarrettPlanningNetwork.com

STAFFPHOTOSByENAN CHEDIAK

Filmmakersbuild an ‘extended reality’set in LucyXR’sstudio at WyES TV in NewOrleans.

Samuel Macaluso, from left, Asia Gagnon and DanJones look at the computer

Motley Fool

TALKING BUSINESS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Meet the ‘Queen of Magazine’

BY JONAH MEADOWS Staff writer

Behind the growing cluster of national retailers hanging their shingles at the center of Magazine Street’s Uptown commercial corridor is a Tennessee native who fell in love with New Orleans while attending grad school and who has continued to market the city after moving to New York.

Retail adviser Carly Ibach started her career in Dallas at the corporate buying office for Neiman Marcus after majoring in public relations. Seeing the writing on the wall for the department store business, she pivoted to pursue an MBA from Tulane’s Freeman School of Business That led to an internship at the local firm SVN Urban Properties, bolstering her understanding of the nexus between brand identity and store location.

In 2024, Ibach moved to New York to join Capricorn Retail Advisors as a director, but she’s remained involved in the New Orleans retail scene — where her focus has been on pitching locations on Magazine Street to national brands, earning her the nickname “Queen of Magazine” from the founder of her new firm Ibach has closed about 16 deals on the street, both before and after her move, including Reformation, Le Labo and Tecovas, where she also brokered the sale of the buildings. Most recently, she leased the same storefront for the second time, bringing Hill House Home to the former location of Stoney Clover Lane. The following interview has

been edited for length and clarity

What’re currently the big trends in the retail market?

A lot of the direct-to-consumer brands are really hot. You’re seeing the stuff that emerged on Instagram now finding physical spaces, and they’re usually starting in neighborhoods like Bleecker Street and Nolita in New York, Abbot Kinney in L.A., then becoming more mainstream and coming to smaller markets. It’s a buzzword that’s used a lot, but the ‘experiential’ part of shopping really is a thing. If they’re going

to spend money people want to feel like it was a special experience, and that can be achieved in a multitude of ways. Reformation is really cool because in the fitting room, they have a screen, and you can tap a shirt that you want and they’ll bring it to you, so it combines the online shopping that a lot of people love to do with going into a physical store. How does that trend affect store designs and which locations are most appealing?

From one point of view if you’re going to offer that much more inventory, you need to have

Q&A WITH CARLy IBACH DIRECTOR AT CAPRICORN RETAIL ADVISORS

larger stock rooms. Every brand kind of has its own ideal footprint, and that’s a sliding scale depending on the market and how much rents are. New Orleans rents are a lot less than they are in New York or Dallas, so a lot of brands can afford a larger space, even if they don’t necessarily need it. But pretty much every brand kind of has it down, like ‘We operate best out of 1,000 to 1,250 square feet.’ So when I’m working with a brand I go into it having a number in mind.

Is New Orleans already on the radar of brands thinking about choosing their next spot to expand?

I’m definitely putting it on their radar I’m getting in a lot of brands’ ears that probably weren’t necessarily thinking about New Orleans. The deal that I’m working on right now, that I’m down here for, they have stores in Nashville and Charleston and New York. To me, it seemed like they understood the southeastern consumer, so why not ask them? People also have an emotional attachment to the city, and if they’ve had good times here, when I pitch them on the city, they’re like, ‘I love New Orleans.’ It pulls at the heartstrings for so many people. A lot of brands wouldn’t look at it otherwise, but if they relate it to a fun time they had, they’re like, ‘Yeah, actually, let me look at it.’ I don’t think the same thing happens in Cincinnati. Is there anything about pitching sites here that makes it especially challenging or appealing? Weather is something for a lot of people, especially people from far away looking in. They hear

about these hurricanes and they hear that Louisiana is sinking and these alarmist kind of things. And then people do hear about crime. People also hear that it’s a party city Maybe some of it’s accurate, but for someone who doesn’t live it it might be a harder sell. On the flip side, the tourism is so strong here. The culture is amazing. Architecturally, it’s unique. A lot of the stores that I’m working on, people see them and they think, ‘Wow, I’d love to activate my brand in a unique shell like this’ — a double shotgun, it’s such a cool thing and so unique to the city So I think you can set your store apart here versus just something more sterile in another city Does it ever take convincing? How do you convince them? I have a lot of hard data related to the deals that I’ve

Email

STAFF PHOTO By JONAH MEADOWS

Mailingapaper checkisrisky

We’ve become so used to high-tech cybercrime that we may sometimesforget about the vulnerability of our mailboxes.

taxpayment and now owed $12,000 plus interest and penalties.

Uniform Commercial Code. If you miss the window,the liability usually falls on you.

BatonRouge

But an oldschool, lowtech scam is surging and is more than enough reason to avoid or limit writing paper checks altogether And the recent predicament faced by aCalifornia couple who reached out to me showshow challenging it can be to retrieve money after acheck’sbeen altered.

According to ajoint warning from the FBI and the U.S. Postal Service,check fraud is skyrocketing. Federal data shows that reports of check fraud nearly doubled from 350,000 in 2021 to 680,000 in 2022.

It’sgotten so bad that the agencies recommend considering e-checks, ACH automatic payments and other electronicormobile payments.

In 2010, there were just over 2,200 high-volume mail theft attacks, and by 2023, that number had skyrocketed to over 49,000, a“2,000% explosion,” Frank Albergo, president of the Postal Police Officers Association, said last summer during testimony before aHouse subcommittee.

“This is not about lost birthday cards anymore,” Albergo said. “We’ve entered an era of organized postal crime.” Criminals use everyday household chemicalslike acetone or bleach to “wash” away the payee’sname and dollar amount, allowing them to rewrite the check to themselves.

The California couple recently learned this the hard way after getting a notice from the Internal Revenue Service that they had missed their quarterly

The couple, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to protect theirprivacy, were shocked and puzzled. Theyknew they had paid on time “Welooked at our online Chasestatement, and the check had cleared,” the wife said in an email.

Butwhen they pulled up the scanned image of the cleared check, they saw that someone had changed the “pay to the order line,” erasing the IRS as the recipient and replacing it with an individual’sname.

This isn’t limitedto personal checkbooks.

Fraudsters are going after business payments, tax refunds and checks related to government assistance programs, such as Social Security and unemployment benefits, according to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network.

If your taxrefund from thegovernment is stolen andcashed, there’saprocess to report the theft.

However,recovering from a stolen personal check can be much harder

Once they realized what had happened, the California couple contacted Chase. Butthey were told they had missed the deadline to report the fraud. The check had been stolen and depositedayear earlier

Still, they persisted and found thatthe check had been deposited by another Chasecustomer

“Wefeel the bank was negligent in this transaction and owes us reimbursement,” the wife said. “I feel we could make agood argument, 60 days or not.”

Theyreached out to ask if Icould help.

Chase’sinitial refusal was technically legal. The deadlinesfor reporting and recovering funds are primarily governed by your bank’s deposit agreement and the

However,given how pervasive fraud is, financial institutions should do whatever theycan to do the right thing, even when theyaren’t in the wrong.

AfterIinquired about the case, Chase reinvestigated the situation. The bank was able to trace the fraudulent account to which the stolen money had been routed. It turnedout there was still about $11,000 sitting in that account,enough to almost entirely reimburse the victimizedcouple.

This couple was incredibly fortunate. Most of the time,the money is long gone before acustomer or bank discovers the scam.

“We’re pleased we were able to resolve this matter,” Chase spokesman Jerry Dubrowski said in an email. It was awin for this couple, but awarning for the rest of us.

“Weencourage customers to avoid mailing checks and to use safer payment methods, such as electronic transactions,” Dubrowski said. “If acustomer must use acheck, theyshould review their monthly statements to ensure payments are properly recorded.

The primary reason washed checks clear successfully is that modern bank processing relies heavily on automation and speed. Unless acheck is manually inspected for evidence of tampering —such as chemical staining, discoloration or amismatch between the signature’shandwriting and the payee line —afraudulent check can clear,and the funds will be transferred directly to the thief.

If you still choose to write acheck, the FBI and the PostalService offer these tips.

Protectyourmail

n Get your mail as soon as you can. Definitely don’t

letitsit in your mailbox overnight. Andavoid leaving outgoing mail in unattended homemailboxes with the red flag up.

n Use thePostal Service hold mail service if you are heading out of town.

n Buysecurity envelopes so thieves can’tsee there’s acheck inside.

n Go inside the post office to drop off outgoing mail. If you absolutely must use an outdoor blue box, don’tdeposit acheck after the day’s final pickup time.

Protectyourcheck

n Writechecks withpermanent, indelible black gel ink. Standardballpoint pen ink washes off easily; gel ink traps itself in the paper fibers.

n Don’tleave blank gaps on the payee or dollar amount lines where athief can sneak in extra words or numbers.

n Don’tjust check your bank balance online. Look at the actual digital image of your cleared checks to confirm the payee’sname wasn’taltered.

n Check your online banking activityfrequently.Verify everything about it.

n If acheck you wroteis takinglonger than usual to clear,orifyou spot any missing funds, contact your bank immediately

n Order checks that have securityfeatures, such as microprinting, watermarks or chemically reactive paper that bleeds when touched by bleach or acetone.

It’sunfortunatewehave to becomeforensic investigators just to pay our bills. Butascriminals continue to exploit old-school vulnerabilities, we must be overzealous in protecting ourselves.

Email Michelle Singletary at michelle.singletary@ washpost.com.

fices at EisnerAmper Partner She will also continue in her roles as advisory partner and practice group leader of risk and compliance services, titles she has held since joiningthe accounting andconsulting firm in 2023.

NewOrleans

Collins TheBrand, amedia organization founded by former president of the BatonRouge NA AC P chapter Eugene Collins, announced five newhires. Nicole Tate-Alvarez hasbeen named the nationalvoice, andshe will cover national issues that impact underrepresented communities. Shepreviously workedasanevents coordinatoratMasteryPrep,anACT andSAT prepcompany. Ronald Haley has been hired as thejustice voice, and he will cover civil rights, courts and incarceration,amongother topics. Haleypreviouslyworkedasa civil rightsattorney SkylarHaley has been appointed as the nextgen voice, and will cover education,youth culture and social media. Lael Montgomery, aformer council member on theZacharyCityCouncil, joins as the community voice. Mia Ayleen Crawford Johnson hasbeen namedthe political voicetocover electionsand voting rights.She previously worked as a disaster case ma nager with Workforce Group.

LauraSoileau has been appointed partner-incharge of the Gulf Coast of-

LoyolaUniversity New Orleansmadefourjob announcements. Patricia Nugent hasbeen promoted to dean of the University Library.She previously worked as theassociate dean of engagement, research and special collections. Mark Harrington has been hired as senior assistant provost, where he will oversee thestudent success center andretention initiatives. He previously held various faculty andleadership roles at Canisius University Kearney Gay has joined as assistant vicepresident of development. He previously worked as thedirector of development at the Preservation Resource Center of New Orleans. Julia LeBlanc has been named director of communications.LeBlanc, who founded JLA Communications in New Orleans, previously worked as thecommunications director of The Sulzer Group, awomen-owned consulting firm

Do you have personnel changes to share or other ideas forour business coverage? Drop us aline at biztips@theadvocate. com.

Nugent Harrington

Gay LeBlanc

S. Haley Montgomery Johnson

PLANOFSTEEL

SouthKorea-basedHyundaiSteelisbuildingitsfirstU.S.steelmill, a$5.8Bfacilityon1,700acresinDonaldsonville.Whencomplete, thefacilitywillcreateadomesticsupplychainforHyundaiand Kiaautoplantsnationwideandresultinmorethan5,400newjob opportunitiesintheCapitalRegion.

HyundaiSteelchoseLouisiana becauseweofferthe certainty, partnership, andexecutionglobalcompanies need.Thatinvestmentiscreatinglastingopportunities forLouisiana businesses,workers, andcommunities.

AROUND THE REGION

50 Cent’s plans for Shreveport taking shape

Work to begin soon on planned entertainment venue

BY LIZ SWAINE Staff writer

Rapper Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s plans to turn downtown

Shreveport into an entertainment district that will serve as the headquarters of his film and television production empire are beginning to take shape.

Earlier this month, Jackson was in Shreveport for a ceremonial shoveling of dirt at the site of the G-Dome, a planned 14-story, entertainment venue that will take up a city block downtown.

Activity there will start happening soon, said Jackson attorney Steven Savva at a meeting of the Shreveport Film & Entertainment Economic Development Corporation a week earlier

The

first order of business will be to create a public park with kiosks, concession stands and bathrooms. The full plans for the G-Dome are expected to be sent to the State Fire Marshal for approval in late fall.

It’s the latest of several pieces of Jackson’s ambitious plans that recently have fallen into place, according to Savva, who is responsible for the legal, business and financial side of Jackson’s businesses.

Those pieces include an incentive deal from the state that was approved in January and repairs to flood damage and drainage at Millennium Studios, which were completed in May

Jackson’s G-Unit Film & Television company and its affiliates have purchased a number of buildings in downtown Shreveport, and have already spent “approximately $10 million as a capital investment in the project,” Louisiana Economic Development said in the agreement.

“My vision for Shreveport is that success for Shreveport is aligned with my success as a producer.”

CURTIS ‘50 CENT’ JACKSON

Since announcing his plans in 2023-24 for the revival of Millennium Studios as G-Unit Studios, Jackson has been adding to his portfolio of downtown properties.

The cumulative total of the 13 purchases is more than $4.6 million.

To date, G-Unit has purchased 13 individual properties downtown.

In addition to the purchased

properties, Jackson and G-Unit have entered into long-term leases with the city of Shreveport for Millennium Studios and the former Stageworks studio.

In the signed cooperative endeavor agreement with LED, promises were made on when production and events at G-Unit Studios, the G-Dome and G-Stage would need to start. Productions must begin this year “Our goal for Stageworks is to have production up and running by the end of November of this year,” Savva said Over a five-year period, G-Unit has agreed to at least 24 productions that will carry a cumulative production budget of $420 million

Beyond Prepared

Disasters come in many forms. Butstories of preparation, response,and recovery arecountless,and Jones Walker LLP is here to help at everystep. From awidespreadevent such as ahurricane,a cyberattackordatabreachtoaworkplace accident or adeveloping health threat,businessesrelyon Jones Walker forguidance.

Ourcross-disciplinarydisasterpreparedness&recoveryclient team advisescompanies,not-for-profit organizations, and individualsastheyprepare for, respond to,and recoverfrom crises.Withdeepexperience in preparing forand responding to majorevents, ourattorneys help clientsimplementeffective plansand move quicklytowardrecovery.

Ourgoalistoget clientsbackinbusinessassoon as possible

and 26 live performances at the G-Dome.

At the recent groundbreaking, Jackson said he wants to move quickly on both the state-incentivized projects and his personal properties. Savva said that at the same time work will be happening on Jackson’s film and TV properties downtown, people will see Jackson’s private buildings take shape. It’s one thing to open film and television studios, but in order to bring in actors and producers to work on Jackson’s movie and TV projects, more work needs to be done Savva said He noted that “you can’t buy a toothbrush in downtown Shreveport.”

That, said Savva, prompted the purchase of multiple properties in really bad shape. “(Jackson) knows if he takes those on, it’s going to be easier for people to come after him to go into the spaces that are a lot easier to open new businesses moving forward,” he said. Varied business background

Jackson, 50, burst onto the rap scene in the early 2000s, when he was discovered by Eminem and Dr Dre. His debut album, “Get Rich or Die Trying,” established him as one of the industry’s biggest stars.

He co-founded the rap group “GUnit” short for Guerrilla Unit — starred in movies, produced video games and netted a reported $100 million from the sale of Vitaminwater to Coca-Cola.

Along the way he filed for bankruptcy in 2015, emerging two years later to ink a $150 million deal with premium cable network Starz, for which he produced the popular “Power” franchise. He has since gone on to own his own streaming television channel, premium liquor brand and clothing label.

At the groundbreaking, Jackson surprised the audience with some announcements. He said he wants to bring boxing to Shreveport, as well as a pro gym. He also said he is talking to WWE wrestling, Dana White with Ultimate Fighting Championship, and Scott Coker with Mixed Martial Arts about potential deals.

And he told a comedian in the audience that he is opening a comedy club in Red River District, and that “there may be a pathway” for Jackson to run or own the entertainment district, which is close to his downtown holdings.

“My vision for Shreveport is that success for Shreveport is aligned with my success as a producer,” said Jackson.

Email Liz Swaine at liz.swaine@ theadvocate.com.

Proactivedisasterplanninghelps workplaces protectemployees,ensurecontinuity

Naturaldisasters such as hurricanes,floods andwildfirescan haltoperationsand disrupt employees’lives.Employers must protect people,maintainproductivity, andensure compliancewhile navigatinguncertainty

To ensureaneffective disaster response, employers should:

•Determinecrisismanagement responsibilities Identify essentialemployees, plan foron-site needs,and communicate rolesand accountability

•Prepare forremote work Revisitpolicies, enable rapidtransitions,and ensure employees have thenecessary tools.

•Communicatewithemployees Shareplansbefore, during, andafter events andclarifycommunicationchannels

•Train managers Help them recognizeemployeestressand refertosupport resources.

•Knowapplicable laws andaddress hazards. Implement safety measures andtrainingwhile supporting employees with flexibility

Thebottomline is to plan ahead.Clear policies reduce confusionand supportafasterrecovery.

William H. Hines Managing

Partner

bhines@joneswalker.com 504.582.8000

201St. CharlesAvenue NewOrleans, LA 70170-5100 joneswalker.com

Attorney Advertising. No representation is made that thequality of legal services to be performedisgreater than thequality of legalservices performedbyother attorneys.

LA-26-20650

PHOTO By JONATHAN PLAZA

Curtis ‘50 Cent’ Jackson and elected officials celebrate the ceremonial start of work at the site of his new G-Dome entertainment complex in Shreveport on June 17.

JacobPritt

Jane Heidingsfelder

BY JONAH MEADOWS and GRACE MAYER Staff writers

The midpoint of the year is upon us. The days are at their longest, the heat index is rising and thunderstorms are falling.

For some, the start of the third quarter marksthe beginning ofa new fiscal year.For others,itsignals the season for summer vacations. And for many, it’sanopportunity to reassess NewYear’s resolutions, take stock of what the previous six months have brought and make plans to finish the year strong.

So for this month’sOne Big Question feature, we asked business and nonprofitleaders from acrosssouth Louisiana: What’s at thetop priority of your to-do list forthe rest of 2026?

TREY GODFREY

Actingco-CEO,Baton RougeEconomic Partnership

The biggest priority Ihave is finishing the year withreal moment um at the partnership. We’re navigating an important leadership transition. It’s incumbent upon our board to put together aprocess that nets us a leader —and that could take two months, or it could be nine months. So with Jason Newell, the other co-CEO, the top focus is keeping our team aligned and very disciplined on executing ourplan for the year,strengthening investor confidence and ensuring that our core work continues with excellence so that we’re in a great position for ahandoff tothe permanent CEO, whenever that might be.

ANNEDELMAN

Vice president, Zehnder Communications, Baton Rouge

The No. 1goal is getting all of my clients straight on artificial intelligence. What are the new emergingrisks? What are the

ONEBIG QUESTION

advantages andall theminefields that go alongwith it?What is our policy on HR usage? Do we use it for fact-checking, social media, marketing, all internaland external comms? How do we balancetransparencyabout how we’re using it? Priority onefor my clients is to have thosequestions answered and added to their process and messaging playbooks,which will help save time as acrisis hits or apotential crisisemerges.What we may have done afew years ago to increase mentions or increase reach for earned media has changed because of GEO —generative engine optimization.Companies need to understand what that means and how to amplify their message throughAI. Youneed to communicatewith the different platforms,

just like what we usedtolook at SEO, search engine optimization, theevolution is GEO

LAUREN GIBBS

CEO and owner of Gibbs Construction, New Orleans Lately,we’ve added alargerthan-normal pool of outside hires Many of ouremployees stay with us forover10 years —somethingI’m very proudof—but a fewretirements created opportunitiesfor ourteam to bring on new hireswho are onetofive years into their construction careers. So with these changes, forthe second half of 2026, I’m focused on investingmoreinour employee trainings,especially around AI use,and mentoring ournewest hires. I’m spending alot of time

thinking about how we can continue to developour 65-personteam andfoster thenextgeneration of leaders, especially since we’re currently celebrating 50 years in business. I’m excited about what thenext generation is shaping up to look like because, as abusiness owner,I’m always lookingatsuccessionplanning: Who is going to be the next president? Who’sgoing to be the next vicepresident?

WALT LEGERIII

President and CEO of New Orleans &Company, New Orleans We have areally strong meeting calendar in the fourth quarter. Now it’stimefor us to execute. In December,we’ll host an international meeting for theAmerican SocietyofHematology,the largest

of the events we’re hosting during the second half of this year The eventissobig andinfluential in the medical field thatitbrings in twoAir France charter flights filledwithhematologists andexhibitors. In the fall, we’re also hosting FICP,anannual financial and insurance professionals conference that will draw around 1,500 attendees to the city —all of whom representcorporations that could bring future meetings to our city.Our teamisalways focused on what’snext, booking meetings into the 2030s and 2040s, andhow do we continuetobuild this meeting calendartoprovide opportunityfor thebroader community for yearstocome?

JAREDQUOYESER

Co-founder and managing partner,Louisiana Impact Fund, Lafayette Our toppriority is the launch of thecXo Leadership Program. It’s the Louisiana Impact Fund’snew business leader initiative and it’s designed to identify and develop the next generation of executives across thestate. The inaugural cohort kicks off at aface-to-face retreat in September in Lafayette and there’safollow-up session in Shreveport in December We’re also focused on facilitating the second close of the Louisiana Impact Fund, targeted for the fourth quarter,which will expand our pool of in-state capital and strengthen our ability to back Louisiana-based businesses through growth, recapitalization andsuccession.And ourthird focusisexecuting on that strategy by activelyclosing new deals in thesecondhalfofthisyear, deploying capital into established Louisiana companies so ownership, jobs and long-term economic value stay rooted in communities across the state.

Email JonahMeadowsatjonah. meadows@theadvocate.com.

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Finally,a moment in the Finally, amomentinthe

Only good vibrations

BY SHANTELL GOMEZ Contributing writer

Mini trampolines and vibration plates are back withavengeance, as influencers andwellness gurus alike hopontothe devices at home foraworkout. But do they really work?

Clinicaltrial helped La.man with rare conditionembrace theoutdoors

BY MARGARET DeLANEY | Staff writer

AsAs SUN SUN

a2-year-old, Pierre Mouledoux could not make it through boat trip with his fatherorhis brothers. His skin couldn’ttakethe sun. He could last three hours before his skin would pucker,turnred and burn.

As he grewup, he coveredupfrom necktoankle. Covered his hands Wore scarvesand wide-brimmed hats. Highsocks, no flip-flops. When he turned10, Mouledoux andhis family finally got their answers from ageneticist.Hewas allergic to thesun.

Therare condition, affecting two to five people per 1million, called erythropoietic protoporphyria, causes severe and painful photosensitivity The severity of theconditionvaries.For Mouledoux, too long in the sun andhis skin begins to shiver, tingle and turn red. Then the inflammationhits. “God-awful miserable,”

Mouledoux sits on the deckof hisDulac camp

‘I was missing alot,’he said. ‘But I’m not missing out anymore.

Mouledoux said.“It feels like my nerves are radiating.” Since his diagnosis,Mouledoux had to change his life. He puts atimer on if he needstomow thelawn. He schedules drives from Mississippi to drive away from the sun. Instead of fishing, he picked up duck hunting —a much more sun-averse activity

ä See SUN, page 2X

Standing (or sitting or lying) on a vibration plate stimulates “wholebody vibration,” which studies have showncan offer somehealth benefits, butit’snot clear if it’s as good forhealth as regular exercise, according to the Mayo Clinic As themachinevibrates, it transmitsenergy to the body,forcing muscles to contract and relax dozensoftimeseach second.

Mini-trampolining, or “rebounding,”was coined in 1969 to introducelow-impact andminimal-risk exercise that can improvebalance, neurological rehab,musculoskeletal rehab andcardiovascularconditioning, according to a2024 study publishedinthe NationalLibrary of Medicine

Dr.Brian Broussard,a therapy andwellness coach from Lafayette, answered common questionsabout vibration plates andmini trampolines.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

What do mini trampolines and vibration platforms claim to do for the body —and what does the science actually support?

Mini trampolinesand vibration platformsofferalternative options to neural andphysical stimulation during exercise. The main focus of exercise is to give thebodya stimulus in whichyour body’snatural adaptation increases the fitness levelofthe body

Example: If youwalkorrun a mile, then your body will adapt both physically andneurologically andasyou continue to walk amile, it should becomeeasier.When focusing on musclestrength or size, exercise through thefull range of motionand resistance givesthe best results.

Mini trampolinesofferalowimpact option.Ontrampolinesyou can simply start bouncing; thiswill be easier on thejointsthan hopping on solid ground. In addition, users may enjoy or have morefun bouncing on themini trampoline, and enjoymentwill increase auser’s adherence to aconsistent program Vibration platformscreate the simulationofa vibrating surface. This is considered alow-impact option for fitness training. Youcan

La.doctorsays vibrationplatesand trampolines aregood forexercise ä See VIBRATIONS, page 3X PROVIDED PHOTO

Mini trampolines offer alternatives forneural and physicalstimulation during exercise.

STAFFPHOTOSByBRETT DUKE

Pierre Mouledoux reacts toanarea of sunlight as rain showers surround him near Dulac. Mouledoux wasbornwith Erythropoietic Protoporphyria, adisorder that causes sensitivity to sunlight.

HEALTH MAKER

Miss. doctor develops new class of imaging dyes

Development could let surgeons see tumors in real time

BY MARGARET DeLANEY Staff writer

Dr Colleen Scott, of Mississippi State University is developing a new class of imaging dyes that could transform cancer surgery by helping doctors see tumors in real time, enabling more precise removal while preserving healthy tissue.

A native of Kingston, Jamaica, Scott earned her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and her doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh.

Since joining Mississippi State in 2015, she has mentored students, integrated hands-on learning for K-12 students through her “Science with Dr Scott” outreach program and contributed to research that enhances both technology and education in Mississippi and beyond.

The Bayh-Dole Coalition’s American Innovator Award recipients are profiled in the coalition’s annual Faces of American Innovation report and recognized at a congressional briefing and advocacy conference in Washington, D.C., in June.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity What brought you to cancer research?

I was always a curious child. I didn’t know I was curious. I thought everybody was. I didn’t realize I was probably different from other children, because you don’t normally realize that when you’re a kid.

SUN

Continued from page 1X

He has tinted windows on all sides of his car, including the front windshield, which still gets him an odd look from traffic officers who think his car isn’t street legal. Now 42, he has new hope as a participant in a clinical trial.

A rare disease

Erythropoietic porphyria, first defined in 1961, is a rare genetic metabolic disorders caused by enzyme deficiencies in red blood cell development, leading to the toxic buildup of porphyrins Porphyrins are organic compounds essential for cellular respiration.

Mouledoux has erythropoietic protoporphyria, also called EPP This subset of the condition is caused by a deficiency the mitochondrial enzyme ferrochelatase due to a genetic mutation. With EPP exposure to sunlight triggers immediate, severe skin burning, tingling and redness that can last for days.

“The burning pain sensation may be severe and cause children to lose sleep for nights,” said Dr Carl Anderson, a translational scientist at the Porphyria Laboratory and Center, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, and Mouledoux’s doctor “It’s a difficult nature of diagnosis Changes can be subtle and easily missed.”

Porphyria conditions affect males and females in equal numbers with the disorder occurring in about 1 in about 74,300 individuals, according to the American Porphyria Foundation The onset of symptoms affecting the skin usually occurs in infancy However, in some cases, onset may not occur until adolescence or adulthood

The American Porphyria Foundation says there is considerable confusion about which test to order to diagnose the condition Sometimes laboratories measure only zinc protoporphyrin and report results incorrectly Like Mouledoux, cases of EPP have been known to evade or at least delay diagnosis, leading to unnecessary suffering by the patient, according to a 2010 study published in the Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology.

Since finding Anderson, Mouledoux has made over 40 trips to Texas to be treated for his condition. In 2023, he started his third clinical trial — Phase 2 of a clinical trial from Disc Medicine called Aurora. Patients received a once-daily oral pill, bitopertin, for 17 weeks, either 60 milligrams, 20 milligrams or a placebo. Results of the trial, published in December, said bitopertin showed

I was always interested in science, and I excelled at science. It just made sense. I didn’t get into this research until after I was working. I was at Southern Illinois University doing a part-time postdoc and part-time teaching position. I was in the lab of another professor His name was Daniel Dyer

He was working on these fluorescent dyes Unfortunately, he got sick with brain cancer It was during that time that I decided to carry it forward. He was always interested in using the dyes as a way of cellular imaging, more specifically, for imaging cancer cells.

The dyes were passed on to me. I would say I inherited them

How do the imaging dyes work?

We can do deep-tissue imaging.

We ultimately want to be able to put a patient in a machine where we can shine a light on a cancerous area. Noninvasively, we will be able to image organs or tissues — to do that we need the light to be able to get in deep into the tissue.

We started developing short wave infrared dyes, or swear dyes, that allow low energy light to penetrate tissues easier

Now the challenge is how we use those dyes to be able to detect selective cancer cells over healthy cells

Our goal is to help surgeons during surgery to identify the margin of tumors

Currently, there’s no good way to do that. Typically surgeons will estimate where the cancer ends and begins, and they will cut away a little extra, healthy tissue around the margins.

They don’t know if they get all of the cancer until biopsies, chemotherapies and radiation. Hopefully,

using the imaging dyes during surgery will help identify the margins of tumors clearer Then, if there’s any “escapees,” or cells that have started to metathesize away from the tumor, hopefully we’ll be able to see those with the imaging dyes as well.

We’re just getting it done in test tubes, and then we have test the dyes in animal models. We’re not even at the finished product, but we’re on our way

What are some of the challenges in your

research?

I’ve never done surgery or been a doctor for people, so there could be obstacles and challenges that I’m not aware of. We are aware of some of the challenges that we’re currently addressing. For example, we’re looking at the stability of the dyes: When they go in the body, could they expand in different areas of cells? Could they flow improperly between cells? How well is the dye absorbed by tis-

sues?

There are a lot of little details that we want to make sure we address at the same time in order to get to our big picture. There are a lot of little problems that we have to solve along the way but we’re super excited about doing this. I really believe we can do it — it’s just a matter of time.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

improved measures of sunlight tolerance and “had a favorable safety profile in patients with erythropoietic protoporphyria.”

After Phase 2 results were favorable, Disc Medicine submitted its new drug application to the Food and Drug Administration, where it is under review Phase 3 of the trial, named Apollo, enrolled 183 patients to determine whether bitopertin increases pain-free sunlight exposure after six months of treatment in participants 12 years or older The trial is available in 27 locations in 12 countries and nine states. Mouledoux is no longer an active participant in the clinical trial, but can continue using biopertin as an “open-label” user The

Even though he missed out on painless fishing trips with his father, he’s learning to fish again. Although he’s not quite as good at catching bass as his sons.

“They’ve had more practice out on the bayou in the sun,” he said.

sun

For now Mouledoux rarely keeps his boat docked. He takes his wife, Alyse, and his four sons from their home in Metairie on boating and fishing trips at Four Point Bayou in Dulac in shorts and flip-flops, no less.

He’s been to the beach. Twice. He got his first tan line ever

“I was missing a lot,” he said. “But I’m not missing out anymore.”

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Dr Colleen Scott, at Mississippi State University, is developing a new class of imaging dyes that could transform cancer surgery by helping doctors see tumors in real time, enabling more precise removal while preserving healthy tissue.

STAFF PHOTOS By BRETT DUKE

Pierre Mouledoux stands recently at his camp in Dulac. Mouledoux was born with Erythropoietic Protoporphyria, a disorder that causes sensitivity to sunlight

Mouledoux fishes from his boat, which he rarely keeps docked now after a lifetime of avoiding the sun.

Mouledoux walks down the stairs of his camp

Eat FitLiveFit

EatFit and eatfresh: Summer Melon Salad

SimpleSubstitutions

Whensummertemperatures climb,fewingredientsare asrefreshingassweet,juicy melon.InthissaladfromYeOldeCollege Inn,sweetcantaloupeandwatermelon providetheperfectbackdropfordelicate lumpcrabmeat,tangygoatcheeseand asimplebalsamicdressing.Everybite deliversacontrastofflavorsandtextures thatfeelsdistinctlyGulfCoast-inspired.

Whetherservedasastarterforadinner partyorenjoyedasalightlunchona warmafternoon,thiscolorfulsaladcomes togetherinminutesandshowcasessome ofsummer’sfreshestingredients.Bestof all,it’sanutritiousoptionpackedwith proteinandnaturallysweetfruit.

SummerMelonSalad Makes4servings

½cantaloupe,cutinto4slices 2cupswatermelon,cutinto2-inchcubes Pinchofseasalt Pinchoffreshlygroundblackpepper 8ounceslumpcrabmeat 4tablespoonsgoatcheese,crumbled 2tablespoonsbalsamicvinegar 4teaspoonsextravirginoliveoil

Onservingplates,dividecantaloupe slicesandcubedwatermelon.Sprinkle withsaltandpepper.Topeachserving with2ouncesofcrabmeatand1 tablespoonofgoatcheese.Drizzlewith balsamicvinegarandoil.Servechilled.

PERSERVING:160calories,7gramsfat, 2gramssaturatedfat,260mgsodium,13 gramscarbohydrate(12gramsnetcarbs), 1gramfiber,11gramssugar(0added sugar),12gramsprotein.Gluten-free.

Thisrecipehighlights howsmalltweakscan haveabignutritional impact.ToalignwithEat Fitnutritionalstandards, YeOldeCollegeInn swappedthefetacheese initsoriginalrecipefor goatcheese,reducingthe sodiumcontentbyabout 75%ounceforounce.

It’sasimplereminder thathealthyeating doesn’thavetomean majorchanges.Thoughtful substitutionsgiveusa biggerpunchofnutrition whilealsopreserving theflavorsthatmakea dishmemorable.

Findthisrecipeandmore in“TheEatFitCookbook,” availableforpurchaseat localretailersoronlineat EatFitCookbook.com.Be suretousepromocode ADVOCATEatcheckout for10%off

MollyKimball,RD,CSSD,isaregistereddietitian withOchsnerHealthandfounderofOchsner’sEatFit nonprofitinitiative.Formorewellnesscontent,tuneinto Molly’spodcast,FUELEDWellness+Nutrition,andfollow @MollykimballRDand@EatFitOchsneronsocialmedia Emailnutrition@ochsner.orgtoconnectwithMollyor scheduleaconsultwithherteam.

BY THENUMBERS

AMERICAN FERTILITyRATES DECLINEAMONG WOMENINTHEIR 30S

Since the 1980s, fertility rates in the UnitedStatesamong women over30, particularly those 35 andolder,havegenerallyincreased. However, the fertilityrate for women ages 30 to 34 decreased 8% from2015 to 2024, from 101.4birthsper 1,000 women to 93.7,according to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

During the same period,fertility rates forwomen youngerthan 30, whostill account formost births, decreased.As aresult, the overall number of U.S. births has declined, according to data analyzed by the CDC.

The fertility rate for women in their early 30s decreased in 37 states from 2015 to 2024; 13 of those states and theDistrict of Columbia sawdecreases between at least 10% and as much as 21%.Inanother24states, decreases ranged from 2% to 9%

Louisiana’sfertility rate decreased 4% between 2015 to 2024, from 89.1births per 1,000 women to 85.7

These states had the largest decreases in fertility rates among women ages 30 to 34 from 2015 to 2024:

n D.C. with a 21% decrease;

n Oregon with a 17% decrease; n Utah and Washingtonwith a 16% decrease; n California and Nevada with a 15% decrease; n Alaska with a 14% decrease;

n Delaware and Montana with a 13% decrease;

n Hawaii, Illinois, Rhode Island and Vermont with a 12% decrease.

These states hadnosignificant changeor increasesinfertilityrates among women ages 30 to 34 from 2015 to 2024:

n Nebraska and Mississippi with a 3% increase;

n Alabama, Connecticut, Iowa, Kentucky,Tennessee and West Virginia with a 1% increase;

n and Indiana, South Dakotaand Wisconsin had no change

Additional CDC data reported that the U.S. fertility rate for women ages 35 to 39 increased 5% to 54.3 birthsper 1,000 women in 2024 from 51.6in2015.The

VIBRATIONS

Continued from page1X

initial sessions. However,the best use of vibration systems is to complete an exercise routine while on avibration plate. You’re not making the best use of avibration plate by simply standing on it. Are there real benefits for circulation,lymphatic drainage,balance or bone health? Completing exercises on both

devices will increase circulation while toningmuscles. This increase in blood flow is similar to exercise on solid ground. The biggest difference is that individuals who are overweight or have back or hip problems will be able to moveeasier on trampolines, allowing them to move more. An exercise program on the vibration plate will stimulate the bodymore than the sameexercise on the ground, which can help users who are overweight get more results withoutdoing moresets. However,exercise sessions on either of these devices must still

Thepercent changefor fertility rate forwomenages30to34ineachstate from

fertilityrate for women 40 and older increased 24% from 5.8 births per 1,000 women in 2015 to 7.2 in 2024.

Provisional birth datafor 2025, according to the CDC, suggest that declines in births to women younger than 35 and increases in births to women 35 and older continue.

This reportuses data from the 2015 and 2024 natality file of the National Vital Statistics System.The vital statistics natality file is based on information from U.S. birthcertificates and includes information for all births occurring in the United States.

be challenging enough to stimulate the body Who stands to benefitmost from these tools—and who should avoid them?

Beforestartinganexercise program, it is important totalk to your doctor.Individuals who benefit the most are those who need lowimpact exercise, which can include those who are overweight or have injuries or conditions thatcause pain during exercise.

People withback issues should be apprehensive and consult with their doctor before starting exercise routines withmini trampolines

or vibration plates. How muchtime and frequency are needed to seemeaningfulresults?

Forsomeone to see results from using these devices, aconsistent schedule of three to four days per week of exercising 45 minutes per day is suggested.Ifyou are a beginner,both your time and intensity should be lessened forthe first twotothree weeks

Forbest results, afull-body exercise program is suggested Additionally,apersonal traineror coach can help withlong-term success. Acommitment of 90 days of

consistentexercise can result in a transformation Can these tools realistically replace traditional exercise,or are theybest usedasa supplement?

It is importanttoremember that these exercise toolsare agood way to elevate your exercise routine, but they shouldnot replace traditional exercise. To getthe full effect of mini trampolinesand vibration plates, they mustbecombined withatraditional exercise routine. Margaret DeLaney contributed to this story.

Molly Kimball RD,CSSD

EmilyEickhoff,forTheEatFitCookbook

Whyeat junk on acamping trip?

Tips andrecipes fornutritiousfood on thetrail

BY ALBERT STUMM Associated Press

Few things feelbetterthan along hike in the woods, exhausting yourself as you soak in the fresh air and tranquility Then, back to camp, where you chip away at those health benefits with packaged hot dogs slapped into awhite-bread bun with aslice of plastickyprocessed cheese food. It doesn’thave to be that way, said Aaron Owens Mayhew, a dietitian and long-haul trekker in Orcutt, California.

“It always made me sadthat people who train so hard, they exercise, they eat well at home, and then they go backpacking and pick up honey buns,”Owens Mayhew said.

Getting outside generally improves mental and physical health.But toooften,campers and hikers resort to the convenience of processed foodshigh in saturated fat, salt and sugar

Here’show to rethink campsite cooking to eat healthy while acting healthy

Eatwhatyou eatathome

Many people rightly assume that alittle processed food is fine,especially when you’re exerting outsize energy that can help counter excess calories.

The problem lies in theway the body processes it, said Owens Mayhew,who founded Backcountry Foodie, awebsite dedicated to bringing nutrition to the trail

Simple carbohydrates like sugary baked goods and candy bars can cause rapid blood glucose spikes followed by asharp drop, leaving hikers more fatigued than before. Meanwhile, heavily processed foods tend to be dense in caloriesbut lacking the vitamins, minerals and protein the body needs to perform well.

Ahealthy diet can provide consistent energy throughout the day and improvedrecovery

“I liketothinkoffoodasone variable that can be controlled, unlike asprained ankle or bad weather,” Owens Mayhew said.

She said the best way to eat in the wilderness is to find ways to continue eating the food you normally do at home. Instead of frying bacon and eggsonthe fire because that’swhat you did at camp as akid, have that bran cereal you eat every morning,

this time with powdered milk (find it in the bakingaisle).

Many of therecipes on Owens Mayhew’s websiteare healthier versions ofher family’s classic recipes,including tuna casserole, garlic-Parmesan noodles and sweet potato casserole.As asupplement to grilled meat or fish, she suggested packing instant brown rice, quinoa and couscous, which arelightweight, healthy and require only boiled water

To boost flavor,add fresh ginger, herbs or garlic or onion powder. Adding nuts, dried mushrooms,grated Parmesan, sun-dried tomatoes or dried fruit turnsthe starch intoa meal of its own.

Prep mealsathome

Cookingatcampismuch harder than when you’re comfortably home in your kitchen, so winging it is usually abad idea, said Rashad Frazier, founder of CampYoshi, agourmet adventure outfitter Well before atrip, take time to planmeals and prep as many ingredients as will stayfresh in zip-top bags or containers.

Chopping onions or grating fresh ginger at home frees time to enjoythe sunset andspend time with familywhenyou’re outdoors. “There’snoextra bonus pointsfor cutting onions and making mango chutney at camp,”hesaid. Frazier’s cookbook, “Cook Out,”devotes asection to pantry ingredientsthatcan be preppedathome.His universal spice mix, salsa verde, chutneys, curry paste, pickled onions and other flavor boosterspack apunch without adding many calories. They can be mixedand matched,hesaid, with whatever meat, vegetables or grains you have.

Also, alwayshaveanemergencybackup meal forwhen bad weather or other factors ruinyourplans, Frazier said. His is aBolognese sauce that he keeps in thefreezer until leaving.

But ahomemade pureed soup or even peanut butter andjelly can be alifesaver

“Have that one dish that’salways like, in the event of emergency,break glass, eat this,” he said.

HEALTH NOTES

Rashad Frazier’sUniversal Camping Spice Mix

From the cookbook “Cook Out”

1tablespoonkosher salt

1teaspoon fresh crackedblack pepper

1teaspoon smoked paprika

1teaspoon thyme

⁄2 teaspoongarlic powder

⁄2 teaspoononion powder 1⁄2 teaspooncayenne (adjust to spice preference)

1. Mix at home and put into asealed container.Rub onto any meat, fish or vegetable before cooking on awell-oiled grill.

Backcountry Foodie’sParmesan Pesto Ramen

One serving 1package ramennoodles

2tablespoons pine nutsoralmonds

1tablespoon dried basil (or2tablespoons fresh,if available)

1⁄8 teaspoongarlic powder

1⁄8 teaspoontable salt

2tablespoons grated Parmesancheese

3tablespoons olive oil

6ounces water

1. At home,discard theramen’s high-salt seasoning packet. Create apestopacket by putting thenuts, herbs,garlic andcheeseintoa small baggie. At camp, boil water to cook thepasta, discardthe waterwhen tender,and stirinthe pesto packet andoil. Tear fresh basil if you have it and stir it in.

Swimming lessons?

Doctor says: Designatea ‘kid-watcher,’ invest in floats

BY MARGARETDeLANEY

Staff writer

Health Notes is an occasional listing of health happenings around Louisiana. Have something you’d like to share? Contact usat margaret.delaney@theadvocate.com

Hospital graduates first one-year residency class

The North Oaks Health System in Hammond graduated seven students recently in its first class of the TransitionalYear Residency Program, an expansion of the hospital system’sgraduate medical education initiative to strengthen the northshore’shealthcare workforce

The one-year program is designedtoprovide broad clinical training beforeadvancing into specialty residencies and other areas of advanced medical education. The students began their residencies in July 2025 and received clinical training at NorthOaks Medical Center and other facilities across the North Oaks Health organization By 2030, the North Oaks Health GME program is expected to train up to 80 physicians at any given time, with additional residency programs in emergency medicine and family medicine planned in the coming years.

LakeviewHospital names newchief medical officer

Dr.Dewitt Bateman, a25-year hospitalleaderand anesthesiologist by trade,isthe new chief medical officer at Lakeview Hospital in Covington. Bateman was formerly the AssociateChief Medical Officer and Medical Director of Perioperative Services at Woman’sHospital inBaton Rouge.

lowing surgery

The workisanchored by a$3.5 millionNational Institutes of Health grant supporting research on spinalcordregeneration led by Dr.Sina Pourtaheri.

The project builds on earlier studies showing that aproteinbased“nanocapsuletherapy” can restore movement in paralyzed mice. Current effortsaim to improve thattechnology to enhance nerve regeneration andfunctional recovery

complex conditions.

Ochsnertoopen behavioral hospital in Acadiana

Ochsner Lafayette General and OceansHealthcarewill open Ochsner Behavioral Health AcadianaLafayette, anew behavioral health hospital in July.The 62-bed facility,at310 Youngsville Highway, will have inpatient and outpatient behavioral health services.

Oceans Behavioral Health Acadiana is apartnership between Ochsner Lafayette General and Oceans Healthcare to bring behavioralhealth services for adolescent, adult and geriatric patients, addressing acritical and growing need in the community

Coinciding with theLafayette facility opening, Oceans Behavioral Hospital Broussard will become Ochsner BehavioralHealth Acadiana-Broussard, expanding the totalinpatient capacity of OchsnerBehavioral Health Acadiana to 100.

Email Margaret DeLaney at margaret.delaney@theadvocate. com.

In hisnew role at Lakeview, Batemanwill“further strengthen our medical staff partnerships, support our care teams andcontinue advancing the high-quality careour community expects and deserves,” saidBen Richaud, CEO of Lakeview Hospital in ahospital news release.Batemanbegan as CMOonJune 1.

Tulane researchers advance therapies

ATulane University researcher is developing therapies to restore function after spinal cord injuries and prevent serious infections fol-

The research was recentlypublishedinthe International Journal of Pharmaceutics, and for this project,Pourtaheri was chosen as one of three recipientsofTulane’s Provost Proof of Concept Fund, acompetitive grant programto help turn early-stageresearch into market-ready,impactful and commercialized discoveries.

The lab is continuing to expand, with plans to pursue additional federal funding and explore future clinical and commercial applications.

The work is part of agrowing effort to translate advances in biomaterials and drug delivery into new treatmentoptions for patients with spinal cord injuries and other

TheLouisiana Health section is focused on providing in-depth, personal accounts of health in the state.This section looks at medical innovations, health discoveries, state and national health statistics and re-examining tried and true methods on ways to livewell.

This is acolumn in aseries from Dr.Scott Hamilton, director of the Pediatric Emergency Department at Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, offering practical guidanceon preventing and treating illnessesand injuriessokids canstay healthy and out of the emergency department. Walt is afellowemergency room doctor who had been an Air Forcepararescue jumper, or PJ.This elite team rescues downedpilots, particularly in water.Thus, Walt’sa strong swimmer One dayatthe beach,heand his 8-year-old sonwereswept outtosea by a riptide.Hundreds of yards out, Walt spottedacurrent thatcould carry them back to shore,but the stream he wasin preventedhim fromswimming to it. Afterhours of trying to break through while holding up his son, exhausted, he resignedhimself to throwing his sontothe beachbound current before he himself would drown. Just thenarogue wave slappedtheminto thatgood current andtheymadeitback Walt neverwenttothe beach againwithout numerous flotationdevices Louisiana ranks third in the nationfor child drownings. It’s no wonder: We have beaches, bayous, lakes, pools and the heat to drive us into those waters. Acommonscenario involvespool parties. The adults arechatting, drinking andpaying little attention. As things wind down, someone realizesa child is missing and finds them at the bottomofthe pool.No onewas watching carefully enough, andkids don’tmake a fuss when theydrown. Instead of splashing andhollering, theysink quietly Avoidthis tragedy by designating akid watcher.That personwearsa lanyard to remind themand others of their duty: Remain soberand avoid distractions like conversation or phones. Also,nonswimming childrenshould wearlife jacketsfrombeforethe first guests arrive until the last one leaves Poolsshould be fenced on all four sidessothattoddlers don’tsneak into the water party or not.

Preventing teen drownings is athornierissue.Not all teens aregreat decisionmakers. To illustrate,about 10 years agoIbehaved like ateenager andalmost drowned at Grand Isle. My kids andsome friends were on alarge raft about 40 yards offthe beach.After finishing abeer,I decidedto join them. However,the waves were rough, andthe wind and current were driving into the beach.Istartedswimming and made little headway. Stretching my feetdown,Ifound I was toofar outtostand. Like Walt, Iwas running out of gas. Unlike Walt, Iwas notastrong swimmer.Iyelledfor help, and fortunately,myfriend Dayle was on the raft. Aformer lifeguard andcollegiate swimmer, he wasatmyside in seconds, buoying me up. The lessonfor teens is clear: No drinking, swim in guarded waters in good conditions, have throwable flotation devices or life jacketsavailable for weaker swimmers. And as for me, Itook swimming lessons to become safer in the water

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU

Health editions will also profile people whoare advancing health forthe state of Louisiana. Do youhavea health story? We want to hear fromyou. Email margaret.delaney@ theadvocate.com to submit health questions, stories and more.

PHOTO PROVIDED By NORTHOAKS HEALTH SySTEM

TheNorth OaksHealth System in Hammond graduated sevenstudents recently in its firstclass of the Transitional year Residency Program.

PROVIDED PHOTO By JIMMAHJOUBIAN ResearchersinDr. Sina Pourtaheri’slab aredeveloping and testingnew therapies to support spinal cord regeneration.

PROVIDED PHOTOByALEX FORESTIER

Rashad Frazier prepares food on abeach on Manatí, Puerto Rico

By Amanda McElfresh amcelfresh@theadvocate.com

Thisstory is brought to you by

OchsnerHealth.

Long days at the pool, ball games in the heat, andweekends on the waterare staples of summerinsouth Louisiana,but Ochsner Health experts saythe season alsobringsa spikeinpreventableinjuries,dehydration, skin damageand medical emergencies

According to Benjamin G. Guevara, MD, sports medicine and orthopedic surgeon, Ochsner Therapy&Wellness-Slidell Memorial Hospital East,summer injuries typically fall into twobroad categories

“One category includes critical emergencies such as boating accidents,waterskiinginjuriesorpeople slipping on wetsurfaces and either breaking abone or hitting their head,”Dr. Guevara said. “The other category includes muscle strains or tears. Often, theseare overuseinjuries.Weprobably seea fewmoreissues with teens and young adults but we certainly seeproblems in people of all ages.”

Dr.Guevara advises seekingimmediate medical attention forserious injuries or symptoms likehead trauma,breathing difficulties,severepain or swelling, confusion or disorientation, or signs of dehydration.If mild injuries persist forseveral days,they should be evaluatedbya physiciantoprevent long-term complications

While sports injuries arecommon during the summer months,water-relatedaccidents alsoremain atop concernfor physicians.Drowning incidents canhappen quickly and quietly,often withoutsplashing or yelling forhelp.Children canbeespecially susceptible to waterdangers, and Dr.Guevara recommends thatadults supervisekids at all times,install barriersand alarms around pools andensurechildren wear properly fitting lifejackets,especially on open bodies of water.

“It’ssoimportanttobeaware of your environment. The waterconditions will not be the same every time, even if you’re in a lakeorariver thatyou’vebeeninbefore,”Dr. Guevaraexplained. “Manyinjuries happen becausepeople overestimate their swimming ability, underestimate waterconditions or aredistracted around the water.

Away from the water, longer daylight hoursand warmer weather often encourage people to become more active, but suddenly increasing activitylevels can put extrastrain on the body

Christopher Tosino,DO, primary care sports medi-

cine physician, Ochsner Lafayette General AndrewsOrthopedics and Sports Medicine Institute, said manypeople jump tooquickly into intenseexerciseroutines or recreational leagues after weeksofloweractivity.

“Some of the most common injuries include sprains,muscle strains,tendonitis,shin splints,fractures,jointpain and swelling, heatexhaustion, dehydration and concussions.The knees shoulders, hips and lower legsare among the most commonly affected areas,” Dr.Tosino shared.

One of the best ways to preventinjuries and burnout is to start slowly in termsofintensity,duration and frequency

“You want to pair that with agood warmup and cooldown each time you exercise. The activities youdobeforeand after aworkout arejust as importantasthe workout itself,” Dr.Tosino said. “Your activityshouldn’tsuddenly stop as soon as you areoff thetrack or outofthe weight room. Gradually ramping up and cooling down each time is akey part of taking care of your body.”

Proper hydration is alsocrucial to staying healthy. Dehydration canhappen quickly and lead to fatigue, muscle cramps,dizziness, poor reaction time,and in the worst cases, heatexhaustionorheatstroke. As Dr Tosino said, manypeople underestimate howmuch fluid theyloseduring outdoor activities, especially when spending time in the water, since theymay not feel sweaty

“If youwait until youfeel thirsty, youare already mildly dehydrated,”heexplained.

“You want to drink adequate fluids before an activityand replenish afterwards with fluids,electrolytes and food.

Aside from high temperatures and humidity, the summer sunalsocreatesdangersfor the skin without proper precautions

Christina K. Rowley, PA-C,dermatology, Ochsner Medical Complex–The Grove,said most peopleunderestimate thedamagethat sun exposurecan cause.

“UVdamagecan occur in as little as 15 minutes, even on cloudy days,” she said. “It cancertainly happen if youare outside forseveral hours, but it canalsooccur as aresult of cumulativesun exposureeach dayasyou go about your normalroutine.Thatexposureadds up and cancauseskin

Movementismedicine.But restandrecoveryarealso criticalbecausefatigue anddelayedreactiontimes canincreaseinjuryrisk Listentoyourbodyand recognizewhenit’ssaying youneedtotakeiteasy foradayortwo.

ChristopherTosino,DO PrimaryCareSportsMedicinePhysician OchsnerLafayetteGeneral AndrewsOrthopedicsand SportsMedicineInstitute

damage, prematureaging and an increased risk forskin cancer.”

Skin cancer is the most common cancer in the United States, but Rowleyshares howitisalsopreventable and easier to detect early becauseofits visibility. The three main types of skin cancer arebasal cell carcinoma (often appearing as askin-colored bump or pink patch), squamous cell carcinoma (usually ared bump scaly patchorsorethat heals and reopens) and melanoma (the most severe form because it can spread quicklytoother parts of the body).

ChristinaK.Rowley,PA-C

The sun canalso causeother problems Rowleysaid.

“Any changefrom your baseline skin color is considered damagetothe skin. There’snosuch thing as a healthytan,”she explains.“Thosechanges in the structureofthe skin canincreasea person’srisk forpre-cancer,skin cancer and prematuresigns of aging. We alsoencourage people to monitor forage spots and lesionsespecially if theyappear in clusters-textural changes,dilatedbloodvessels and redness.

Rowleyrecommends everyone usea broad-spectrum, water-resistantsunscreen with SPF 30 or higher,and reapply it every twohours, or after swimming or sweating.

“Mineral sunscreens work by deflecting sun rays,and chemical ones work as a sponge,”Rowleysaid. “Mineral sunscreens aremoresheer and cosmetic.Theytend to be

betterfor peoplewith sensitiveskin, babies andchildren,but theyhavelesslong-term absorption than chemical versions.”

The most importantstepistofind asunscreen that worksfor youand apply it repeatedly and generously, making suretocover easy-to-skip areas likethe ears, neck, knees and feet,Rowleyshares.Adults should use about 1.5ounces per application, or about the sizeofa shot glass, whileanickel-sized dollop is the ideal amountfor the face.

In additiontosunscreen,people can reduce UV exposurebywearing widebrimmed hats,large sunglassesand sun-protectiveclothing with an SPF of at least 55

“Wewantpeople to do thethingsthey enjoy, but be smart about it.Thereare alot of optionsfor sunscreens,clothingand accessories to accommodate differenttypes of activities.When youare outside, find some shade andtakebreaksfromthe sun when youcan. With the rightprecautions,you can enjoybeing outside as partofahealthylifestyle,”Rowleysaid.

Dr.Guevara and Dr.Tosino agreed that the same balanced approach applies to nearly every aspect of summer activity. Dr Guevara encourages people to moderate their alcohol intake, since excessivedrinking is often acontributing factor in summer accidents and canlead to an increased dehydration risk.

Anychangefromyour baselineskincoloris considereddamageto theskin.There’snosuch thingasahealthytan

ChristinaK.Rowley,PA-C Dermatology OchsnerMedicalComplex

Dr.Tosino added thatgetting moreactivityinthe summer canhelp people improve their endurance, strength, cardiovascular health and abilitytotackle daily tasks. Allowing the body time to rest,hesaid, canhelp reduce fatigue and lowerthe risk of injury

“Movement is medicine.But,restand recovery arealsocritical becausefatigue and delayedreaction times canincreaseinjury risk,” he said. “Listen to your body and recognize when it’s saying youneedtotakeit easyfor aday or two.” OchsnerHealth

Leading careto keep youmoving

AttheOchsnerAndrewsOrthopedicsandSportsMedicineInstitute,every decisionwemakeisfocusedonhelpingourpatientsmoveforward.Fromthe latesttechnologytothedepthofourexpertise,ourteambringselitecare, cutting-edgeresearch,andadvancedtrainingtothecommunitiesweserve. Yourrecovery,goals,andqualityoflifedriveeverythingwedo—andwe moveforwardwithyou,everystepoftheway.

Learnmoreorscheduleanappointmentatochsner.org/BRortho

SandraA. | ShoulderSurgeryPatient

SECRET RECIPE

At Southern’s cookingcamp, goingfrom‘I gottabehere’ to

BY JOYHOLDEN Staff writer

On arecent Wednesday,20children between the agesof9 and 12 bustled around the Southern Universitykitchen laboratory, chopping vegetables and filling canning jars with spices and apple cider vinegar

It was Day 3ofthe Southern UniversityNourishEDKIDS(Knowledgeof Ingredients forDaily Success) Youth Summer CookingCamp—anannual hands-on, skills-building experience designed to introducestudents to the fundamentals of preparing simple, nutritious meals and learning kitchens essentials, such as safe food handling, measuring, following recipes and basic techniques.

Evan Egana,aSouthern University outreach extension agent, stood at the front of the kitchen and explained to the campers how to go about measuring their ingredients for pickling. About four or five campersapproached her for closer attention

“You use the big glass measuring cups for the water and the vinegar,and then you’re goingtouse the measuring spoons for theother ingredients,” Egana said.

She picked up vegetables— fresh from gardensand CapitalCityProduce —toshowthe kids,explaining that they could choose whichever combination for their pickles.

“Y’all are more than welcome to come getthe cucumbers up here,” Egana instructed, “but be mindful everybody needs cucumbers, so only one for your station.Wehavebellpeppers, red onions, carrots, so youare more than welcometouse whatever you want.”

The campers rushed to grab their vegetables and askquestions about how to make their pickles spicier or withmore dill flavor Egana, whoholds aBachelor of Sci-

ence and aMaster of Public Administration from Southern,teaches cooking classes to the BatonRouge communityasher day job

“I love doing food demonstrations,” Egana said. “I usually do foods or recipes that are accustomed to Louisiana, and Imake them more healthy.”

Shepaused to help acamper tell the difference between ateaspoon anda tablespoon. She said look for the letter “p” or the “b” in theabbreviation.

“It’smore science-based instead of just cooking,”Egana said. “We’redoing the science of fermenting today So they’regonna learn how acids help preserve thefoods.”

Thescience behind cooking

Each day of the NourishED KIDS camp focused on specificingredients and their scientificreactions.Egana used the Edible Education curriculum, which focuses on real food and

CAMP, page 2Y

JanRisher

Becoming shepherd foraweek

In Kristyn Carver’sphone, he is saved as “Tim the shepherd.” When she and Imet in mid-June, she had yet to meet him in person. But on her 50th birthday afew days later,she flew across the country to help him movea flock of sheep up amountain in Navajoland in Arizona. Details weresparse. As best she could figure, part of the climb would be by truck, but the last 9 miles would be on foot.

This Mandeville mother was going to be ashepherd foraweek. Herhusband andthree daughters, ages 13, 15 and16, would make it aweek without her. Carverisa counselor and professor at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.She does notcamp.She does not hike. She hadnever moved sheep. Forweeksbeforeher grand adventure, she gotready the way apersonprepares for something she cannotpicture:Six miles a daythrough herneighborhood in aweightedvestand acute hat. She hasbeen drawn to the shepherd of the Bible for decades —the gentle shepherd of Isaiah, the Lord of the 23rd Psalm, the oneinthe Gospelof Johnwho calls himself the good shepherd andlaysdownhis life for the sheep

“FromwhatI’velearned about sheep andtheir connection with the shepherd, it’sthat being in the presence of the shepherd is whatsettlesthem,” she said.

“The presenceofthe shepherd is whatbrings calmand peace andthat’swhatIthink prayer is for me, intentionally being aware of God’spresence around me.” She hasread aboutsheep the way travelers study countries before they visit. She knowsa sheep flipped onto its back cannot always right itself.She knows shepherds oil their flock’sheads to keep flies away.She knows sheep are not fast, cannot defend themselves and will not find water on their own. She said she sees herself in sheep.

“Prone to wander,” she said. “Prone to get myself into big messes Ican’tget out of.”

The flock she wasgoing to help movewas smaller than expected. Aram brought in to build the herd produced no lambs this year

The family wasdown to around 25 animals from the 50 it should have had.

The bad year wastheirs to absorb, but they welcomed her anyway

TimBenally grew up between worlds —now working in Washington, D.C., while staying

See RISHER,

CoreyHoskins, center,and other campers enjoytheir chocolate chip cookies

STAFF PHOTOSByJAVIER GALLEGOS

Syncere McKee, second from left, reaches over Colin Northern, center,tograb brown sugarfromGekoryWickerduring the NourishED KIDSyouth Summer Cooking CampatSouthernUniversity

STAFF PHOTO By JOyHOLDEN Camper Ry’Lee Johnson holds her jar of pickles.

INSPIRED DISCUSSIONS

ASK THE EXPERTS

Jibber-Jabber Night prohibits jibber jabber

BY LAUREN CHERAMIE Staff writer

Nancy Nicholson is the founder of Acadiana Talent, a platform that serves performers of all ages in Acadiana. A Recording Academy member, Nicholson collaborates with local music professionals to cultivate and elevate talent in the area, offering artist development and management, booking services and artist consultations.

Acadiana Talent emphasizes networking, collaboration, mutual support and continuous learning with the mission to offer opportunities for artists to grow, perform, learn, connect and cre-

ate Since its 2017 debut at Warehouse 535, Acadiana Talent has hosted showcases featuring hundreds of young artists, including some who have pursued professional paths. Youth showcases are currently held periodically, and performers under the age of 30 can share original music or covers. The organization runs an annual High School Battle of the Bands, with winners earning a slot at Festival International. In June 2020, Nicholson began hosting Storytellers, a songwriter open mic at the Blue Moon Saloon in Lafayette that’s held on the first and third Tuesdays of the month For more information, visit www.acadianatalent. com.

This interview was edited for length and clarity

How did Acadiana Talent get its start?

My son was writing music, and

CAMP

Continued from page 1y

the science behind the cooking

Over the week, campers learned how to make pancakes from scratch, pickle vegetables, bake cookies and observe how different amounts of butter affected the fluffiness of foods They cooked omelets, melted chocolate and whipped up a chocolate mousse.

“All of the recipes that we’ve done this week have the science behind them. The campers know exactly why things happen — like, if you add yeast to bread and what it does,” Egana said.

Later that day when the campers made cookies, she said they learned that if you add more sugar, the cookies will be more dense, but if you add more butter, they will be

fluffier Another part of the camp included the children going out to the Southern AgCenter demonstration garden to learn how to grow their own food.

Ry’Lee Johnson, a rising fifthgrader, said she chose to do the camp because she wanted to help her mom in the kitchen, “so she won’t be the only one cooking.”

Johnson said that making pancakes was her favorite activity, and she was pretty proud of how her fluffy pancakes turned out.

Passion for nutrition

Joshua McDonald, program leader for the Family and Human Sciences Cooperative Extension Program of the Ag Center and program director for Southern’s nutrition education program, circulated from group to group, offering a hand or guidance.

“As the program director for the last seven years,” McDonald said, “I truly understand the impact that we have on young minds, especially as it comes to the kitchen It helps them be a little bit more independent in the kitchen with small skills like the utilization of knives or small quick recipes, whether it be healthy snacks or healthy meals. It’s just a passion of mine, as well as my team.”

Nutrition is not McDonald’s background, but as a political scientist who is currently a Ph.D. student for public policy at Southern, he understands the value of a healthy food culture in a community He said that because many of the youth who come to the camp live around Southern University, which is in a food desert — a geographical area that lacks sufficient supply of fresh vegetables, fruits and affordable whole foods the camp helps show them healthy options and inspiration.

“Our program is very big on creating community in school gardens

Q&A WITH NANCy NICHOLSON FOUNDER OF ACADIANA TALENT

you’re going to participate in this creative endeavor Acadiana Talent lets you do your thing and is supported by a community of like-minded individuals.

Why is it important for a community to have spaces where musicians can perform, experiment and grow?

My kids did some work with Simone Foreman, owner of Images Model & Talent Agency

She does Expo twice a year and she takes a small group of kids to Dallas, where they meet with 50-60 agents who are looking for new talent.

My son and daughter went, and I could see how all of these kids had so much fun sharing their gifts with each other and celebrating it with like-minded individuals. I thought, “Wow We could really use that back home, because we have a lot of talent here.”

he was in a band. They couldn’t find a place to play

When I saw that, that’s when I started Acadiana Talent. I saw there was a need for them to have the opportunity, if they were in formal lessons, to do something different. And if they weren’t in any program, they could participate in this one for free.

There are programs in schools, private lessons and great places like School of Rock and CYT, but all of those things dictate how

I got involved with the South Louisiana Songwriters Festival at Blue Moon Saloon, and then I started a songwriters night. For kids, it supports the fact that they’re good. It also helps to let their parents know that they’re good, too — and they’re not wasting their time. Because other parents come up, saying, “Oh, your kid is so awesome.” It’s a little validation time, too.

For the adults at songwriter night, it’s a validation time too. They get to try out new music, see how the crowd responds, and

they get to meet each other

Then I started Jibber-Jabber Night, where you’re not allowed to talk during open mic nights. It’s original music, so it’s like a listening room. We live in a world where people so often feel like they have to fill the silence.We’re constantly worrying about ourselves, and rarely do we stop to sit down with our own thoughts in silence but especially in the company of others in silence.What impact do you think those silent open mic nights have?

It’s true. We think we have to fill the silence, and we don’t. Music is a healer Music is a connection. When you hear the lyrics of someone’s song, you might connect with it — even though you didn’t have the same experience, you feel like you did because of what they just expressed.

I really think that, in the silence, you’re able to connect even deeper because it’s not interrupted by words. It’s all thoughts. It’s amazing, that space, and it’s become very open, welcoming and nonjudgmental. It comes down to connecting — the connection that people want to make with others.

When a musician does step on the stage for the first time, no matter how old they are, what do you hope they feel?

That adrenaline. I hope they feel like they got bit by the bug. I hope they feel like the audience received what they were trying to share.

I hope they have a feeling of

Gekory Wicker carefully pulls melted butter out of the microwave as Shariah Washington closely watches.

and creating a farm-to-table experience with students and adults in several different settings,” McDonald said “So, at this camp, to show them how you can use those fresh ingredients and make multiple meals in a short amount of time brings everything full circle.”

Although the youth summer cooking camp has been operating for 10 years, McDonald and his team had to rebrand the name this year because of cuts to Southern’s SNAP-Ed program, which used to be called CHEF Camp for “Creating Healthy Enjoyable Foods,” to NourishED KIDS Camp.

The kitchen changes things Over the week, children change from being hesitant to engaged,

McDonald said While they have kids who are passionate from the beginning, some are forced to go by their parents, and they have mixed emotions.

“As they get into the kitchen, and as they’re actually able to touch, measure, scale things themselves,” McDonald said, “you really start to see a build of passion, or even excitement. We get to see the transformation from ‘I gotta be here’ to ‘What are we cooking today?’”

The cooking camp also helps the campers build on communication, coordination, teamwork and confidence, McDonald says.

“My favorite thing,” Egana said, “is just seeing them actually enjoy cooking, and their parents come in

Program director Joshua McDonald pats Corey Hoskins on the shoulder and praises him for taking initiative on washing the dishes.

telling me, ‘Oh, they’re so excited about camp.’ I try to make it interactive for all of the ages, so they’re not getting bored They were just so excited on Monday that they could make their own applesauce and eat if for a snack.”

The NourishED KIDS Youth Summer Cooking Camp was also held in Avoyelles, Union and West Carroll parishes in June.

Email Joy Holden at joy.holden@ theadvocate.com.

accomplishing, because it is a big accomplishment to get on that stage and perform.

In a place like Lafayette, how does music contribute to the city’s identity?

Mostly, we’re identified by having Cajun, zydeco and Creole music. That’s wonderful, because it is a huge part of our identify and a lot of music stems from those genres, but we aren’t just that.

We have so much music here.

We have metal bands, indie bands, rap. It’s amazing, the different genres of music that we have. In fact, we have a supply and demand problem here in Lafayette. We’ve got more supply than we have demand, and that’s why some of our musicians leave.

Is there a solution to that?

The city has done a study the Lafayette Music Census Report, on the music economy here. That was led by Sami Parbhoo, project lead for the Lafayette Consolidated Government.

What came out of it was a couple of things. The music business structure, as far as recording studios and management, we have all of those elements. But it’s not as marketed.

The other point they made was our youth programs. We do have a lot of youth programs, but they noted that the youth could be more supportive. We have great programs here, and Acadiana Center for the Arts does a lot in the school system to bring the arts out.

Email Lauren Cheramie at lauren.cheramie@theadvocate. com.

RISHER

Continued from page 1y

connected to his family’s sheep and land. The other shepherd is his uncle, a man in his 70s, who tends the flock day after day Before she left, Carver didn’t know his name, but she was looking forward to seeing how a shepherd moves among his sheep. She packed a journal and her best friend met her there. Some of her “sheep talk” was familiar My husband, who is not a religious man, is fascinated by a nomadic shepherd in Iran, who moves his flock through one season into the next. My husband watches the shepherd daily on YouTube and talks about that man with something close to reverence. He is enthralled with the way the nomad in Iran cares for those sheep, more than he cares for himself. While my husband has not reached for a Bible verse to explain it, I believe he understands the thing Carver is reaching for Carver who is the wife of state Rep. Kim Carver, R-Mandeville, did not arrange this grand adventure so much as receive it. A student of hers met Benally at an event in Washington. When she learned he is a shepherd, she mentioned that a professor wanted to know what shepherding was really like.

Benally said to put them in touch.

With that, a stranger opened his family’s mountain to two people he had never met. When Carver asked him why, he told her he likes to show people the land, that it’s healing, that he and his wife had prayed over whether to do this kind of thing at all.

Carver did not know how the week would go. She did not know how she would sleep at night under the stars on the side of a mountain. She did not know whether the uncle would do the hard climbing or whether Benally would take the worst of it. She did not know what she would find — or whether the presence of God she hoped for would meet her there.

She booked the ticket anyway She trained anyway She went. For one week, a woman who has spent 25 years studying sheep and shepherds left home to stand beside them. She did what we do when we are seeking something bigger than ourselves. She went on faith.

Email Jan Risher at jan. risher@theadvocate.com.

PROVIDED PHOTO

Acadiana Talent owner Nancy Nicholson stands in front of the gramophone trophy at a mix and mingle event for the Memphis Chapter of the Recording Academy held at New Orleans Jazz Fest.

STAFF PHOTOS By JAVIER GALLEGOS

Danae Franklin, from left, Sharon Washington and Nathan Howard sit down while waiting for the oven to preheat before baking their cookies during the NourishED KIDS youth Summer Cooking Camp at Southern University.

Extension outreach agent Evan Egana hands vanilla extract to Shariah Washington.

THERE’S GOOD NEWS,TOO

HEALTHCARE SPENDING SLOWSINU.S

The United States appears to have significantly slowed the growth of healthcare spending,accordingto a new Brookings analysis, part of the spring 2026 edition of the Brookings Papers on Economic Activity.While healthcare costs continue to rise, they have grownmuch more slowly than experts predicted adecade ago.

In 2024, the U.S. spent more than $5 trillion on healthcare, representing 18% of its gross domestic product well belowthe 21.2% shareprojected in 2010.

“The slowdown in medical spending growth is not only largesubstantively, it is unprecedented historically,” write the authors, David M. Cutlerand Lev Klarnet of Harvard University.“Since …1960, no 14-year period has seen as slowgrowth of medical spending relativetoGDP as was realizedover the 2010-2024 timeperiod.”

Several factors have contributed to this trend, likethe shift to generic drugs and price declines in medical imaging.Brookings also highlights cost-saving technological change, such as ashift to outpatientsurgery and the wider diffusion of drugs that “prevent costly illnesses, such as statins to reduce cholesterol.”

While the healthcare cost curve has bent,additional reforms are needed to makethe system more efficient andaffordable.

NEWREPORTREVEALS

DRAMATIC EXPANSIONIN

GLOBAL EDUCATION

The Global Education Monitoring Report, hosted and published by United Nations Educational, Scientificand Cultural Organization, tracks the world’sprogress toward Sustainable Development Goals. It’s 2026 Global Education Monitoring Reportfound thateducational access has expanded dramatically

since2000,with 327 million studentsinprimaryand secondary enrollment between 2000 and 2024. However, 273million children were outofschoolin2024.

While progresshas stalled on that front,thereisgoodnews. School completionisrising,and higher education participation has more than doubled in ageneration. Primary school completionrose from77% to 88% since 2000, while upper secondary educationincreased from 37% to 61%.

“Lookingathistoricalratesof progress, the worldwouldachieve 95%uppersecondary completion by 2105 in the averagescenario, by 2081inthe fastexpansion scenario

STEAM

(atthe 75th percentile), and by 2062 in the fastest expansion scenario (averageoftop 25%),”according to the report.

Ultimately,UNESCO reports that progress doesn’t comefrom asingle measure but from “coordinated action across sectors, sustained political commitment, implementation capacity and adaptation to local contexts.

INDIAGOING GREEN FASTER THAN CHINA

Cheap solar,wind and batteries are enabling India to bypass a fossil-heavy growthphase that was previously taken by China and the West. Data fromthe WorldBank for GDP,Ember forelectricity and the IEA

forenergybalancesreveals that India is fueling economic growth by using cheapsolar power, batteriesand electric vehiclesinstead of relying heavily on coal and oil.

Ember reports that India is reaching milestoneswith lowerfossil fuel consumption than China did at a similar incomelevel.The data shows that solar poweraccounted for9% of India’s electricity in 2025, and electric vehicle use is expanding “In 2012, China had almost no electric vehiclesonthe road. By mid2025, EVs accounted foraround 5% of car salesinIndia and the country is theglobal leaderinelectric threewheeler sales,”Emberreported. Thecostofelectrotech likeEVs,

solar panels and batteries has decreased, so theyare able to build newinfrastructure at afaster rate.In contrast, in 2004, coal wascheaper than nascent solar photovoltaics (PV), so coal “made up nearly 70% of the growth of China’selectricity generation.

This means India could possibly avoid a“detour” into deep dependency on fossil fuels.

Fixthenews.com is asolutions journalism newsletter that finds stories of progressand shares them withreaders from across theworld. Acclaimed author Steven Pinkercalls Fix theNews“thebestsource forpositivenewsonthe internet.”

STEAM

HarryHurst’s Advanced STEAMLab PreparesStudentsfor Real WorldCareers

At HarryHurst Middle School,students aregaininghands-on experience in engineering, broadcasting,journalism, and technology throughthe school’sAdvanced STEAMLab.Theydesignprojects likecircuitboards and mechanicaldeviceswhilealsoproducing news broadcasts,podcasts,videos,and theschool newspaper

Principal Sean Dwyercredits thelab’ssuccess to communitysupport, includingfunding from Shell. “Whatour students do is amazing,” Dwyersaid. “Shell askedhow it could help,encouraged us to think bigger when we answered, and that support transformed ourSTEAMclassroomintoaninnovative Advanced STEAMLab.”

Throughthese uniquelearningopportunities, studentsare discoveringnew passions and preparing forfuturesuccess.Shell’sinvestment is helping open doorsfor thenextgenerationofengineers, creators,and innovators

“I see studentsproblem solvingand accepting taskstheynever thought they could do.Theyare growingasleadersand taking riskslikespeaking in frontofthe entire school or interviewing our principal.”

LINDSAY MAXIE STEAMCoordinator

HarryHurst Middle School

GETTy IMAGESPHOTO

While U.S. healthcare costs continue to rise, theyhavegrown much more slowly than experts predicted adecadeago,a recent studyfound

LAB

ADVA NCED

Don’t forget pets when preparing for natural disaster

By The American Kennel Club (TNS)

skills. Training your dog to be comfortable around people outside of their immediate family can be a lifesaving skill when in an emergency Practicing this skill will help your dog be less stressed if a stranger needs to care for them. Crate training and teaching your dog to settle are also important tools for your pup to know in case of an emergency They will help prepare your dog for stressful situations and know how to relax at your feet while your attention is elsewhere.

n Contact your local emergency management office, animal shelter or animal control office to get additional information if you’re unsure how to care for your pet in case of an emergency For more tips on responsible dog ownership, visit the AKC at www akc.org.

BY KAREL JANICEK Associated Press

PRAGUE Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral had its new organ inaugurated this month, giving the 700-year-old building, the largest in the Czech Republic, a proper instrument to accompany religious services and concerts.

Prague archbishop Stanislav Pribyl was set to bless the organ at a ceremony as part of a mass, with music played by the Czech Philharmonic and featuring “The Lužany Mass” by Antonín Dvorák and works by Georg Friedrich Händel, Camille Saint-Saëns and Joseph Haydn.

“St. Vitus Cathedral has gained a new voice,” Pribyl said in a statement. “A voice that will not speak with words but will still speak to the heart.”

The instrument with four keyboards was build in the workshop of Gerhard Grenzing in El Papiol near the Spanish city of Barcelona.

The renowned German organ builder has constructed almost 140 organs and reconstructed more than 90 historical instruments in many countries.

Once completed in Spain, the new

organ was disassembled and its parts were gradually transported to Prague on trucks.

It was reassembled at the cathedral a year ago, followed by the monthslong voicing and tuning of the pipes.

The organ contains some 6,000 pipes, ranging in length from 0.28 inches to over 23 feet.

The previous organ was completed in the early 1930s, but turned out to be too small for its monumental space and frequently broke down. There was no interest in fixing the organ during World War II and more than 40 years of communist rule.

Efforts to build a new organ started some 14 years ago. A crowdfunding campaign launched in 2017 collected more than $6.5 million from thousands of donors.

The cathedral, a major tourist attraction, is linked to Czech statehood. It’s a place where the Czech kings were coronated and buried, and the Czech crown jewels are stored inside.

The funeral Mass for Václav Havel, the Czech Republic’s

president,

STAFF FILE PHOTO By DAVID GRUNFELD

Dogs walk down a cold, rainy New Orleans street. Every household should include pets when planning for a natural diaster.

first

was celebrated in the cathedral on Dec. 23, 2011.

A worker adjusts cables during the installation of a new organ at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral.

ASSOCIATED PRESS FILE PHOTOS By PETR DAVID JOSEK

A worker adjusts scaffolding during the installation of a new organ at Prague’s St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague, Czech Republic.

SUNDAY, JUNe 28, 2026

CURTIS / by Ray Billingsley

SLYLOCK FOX / by Bob Weber Jr

GET FUZZY / by Darby Conley

HAGAR THE HORRIBLE / by Chris Browne

MOTHER GOOSE AND GRIMM / by Mike Peters

ZIGGY / by Tom Wilson

ROSEBUDS / by Supr Dee

ZITS / by Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman

SALLY FORTH / by Francesco Marciuliano & Jim Keefe

PEARLS BEFORE SWINE /byStephan Pastis

grams

directions: Make a 2- to 7-letter word from the letters in each row Add points of each word, using scoring directions at right. Finally, 7-letter words get 50-point bonus. “Blanks” used as any letter have no point value All the words are in the Official SCRABBLE® Players Dictionary, 5th Edition.

word game

instructions: 1. Words must be of four or more letters. 2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed. 3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. 4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.

todAY's Word — AMortiZe: AM-ortize: To gradually reduce the cost or value of.

Average mark 49 words Time limit 60 minutes

Can you find 60 or more words in AMORTIZE?

ken ken

instructions: 1 -Each rowand each column must contain thenumbers 1through4 (easy) or 1through6 (challenging) without repeating 2 -The numbers within the heavily outlinedboxes, called cages, must combine using thegiven operation (inany order)toproduce the target numbersinthe top-left corners. 3 -Freebies: Fillinthe single-boxcages withthe numberinthe top-left corner

instructions: Sudoku is anumber-placing puzzle based on a 9x9 gridwith several given numbers. The object is to placethe numbers 1to 9in theempty squares so that each row,each column and each 3x3 boxcontains the same number only once. The difficultylevel of the Conceptis Sudoku increases from Monday to Sunday

directions: Complete thegridso that numbers 1–132 connect horizontally, vertically or diagonally

Sudoku

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis

wuzzLes

Bright Norwegian lights

Good young players have been coming from Norway for several decades. Norway has become one of the world’s leading bridgeplaying nations. East and West in today’s deal were young ladies from Norway’s current junior ranks. West was Erleta Plana and East was Sofie Sjodal.

super Quiz

Tannah Hirsch welcomes readers’ responses sent in care of this newspaper or to Tribune Content Agency inc., 2225 Kenmore Ave., Suite 114, Buffalo, Ny 14207. E-mail responses may be sent to gorenbridge@ aol.com. © 2026 Tribune Content Agency

Plana led the ace of hearts, saw the encouraging nine from partner and shifted to the four of diamonds. South had to decide what to play from dummy It is safer for a defender to lead from the ace in this situation as that is not likely to give away a trick. Leading from the queen will cost a trick when South has the 10, but it is the right play when partner has the ace and the 10. South, an experienced male player, played low from dummy and came to regret it. Sjodal took her queen and returned the two of hearts to the 10 and jack. Plana cashed the ace of diamonds and led a third roundofhearts.Southruffedwith dummy’s jack, but Sjodal overruffed with the queen and led a diamond to give Plana a ruff. The defense had taken the first six tricks for a great result and the declarer had a headache Very well done!

CANCER (June 21-July 22) Stick to facts, and push forward with plans that don’t rely on outside influences or input. Look at the big picture and decide what’s best for you. Put your energy into presentation

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) Participate in events or activities that challenge you. A unique approach to life, love and learning will open doors that lead to greater opportunities. Positive change is within reach

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23) Pay attention to what’s happening around you. Don’t be oblivious to someone’s interest in what you do or in spending more time with you. Partnerships will deepen.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 22) Be forward with your rhetoric and spell out what’s important to you. Set high standards and boundaries, make clear what your intentions are and what you are willing to contribute, and find out where you stand.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 23-Dec. 21) Indulge in personal upgrades, home

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) Reach out and lend a helping hand, but don’t let anyone take advantage of you Emotional issues will surface, and discipline, paying attention to detail and setting boundaries will be in your best interests.

improvements and using your creative talents to bring about positive changes to your daily routine. Consider how you can turn something you enjoy doing into additional income.

CAPRICORN (Dec 22-Jan. 19) You’ll face opposition or limitations if you try to sneak something past someone today Keep your conversations light but factual, encouraging and meaningful, not negative or critical.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 19) Put your energy into home projects, domestic relationships and putting a little pizzazz back into your love life. Par-

ticipate in events or activities that allow you to show off your talents.

PISCES (Feb. 20-March 20) Spend more time socializing or participating in activities that offer mental or physical challenges. Stretch your imagination and embrace new adventures.

ARIES (March 21-April 19) Put yourself and your ideas out into the universe, and the feedback you receive will be revealing. The confidence you gain from what you hear will make it easy to elaborate and collaborate.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Don’t nix something you want to pursue to

please someone else Follow your heart, negotiate on your behalf, socialize and network with people who are as helpful as you are.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Pick up the pace, and rely on your curiosity and intelligence to lead you down the right path. Those you connect with will offer a different perspective, but before you take their word as gospel, validate the information.

The horoscope, an entertainment feature, is not based on scientific fact. © 2026 by NEA, inc., dist. By Andrews McMeel Syndication

goren Bridge

1. Russia-Ukraine war.2.Artificialintelligence. 3. California. 4. Texas. 5.Israel. 6.Canada. 7. Pope (Pope LEO XIV).8.Iran.9.Philadelphia Eagles. 10. Los Angeles Dodgers. 11. Venezuela. 12.Brazil,Russia,India, China,SouthAfrica. 13. "Anora." 14. Archbishop of Canterbury 15. Taylor Swift

SCORING: 24 to 30 points —congratulations, doctor; 18 to 23 points—honorsgraduate; 13 to 17 points —you’replenty smart, but no grind; 5to12points —you really shouldhit the booksharder;1point to 4points —enroll in remedial courses immediately; 0points who reads thequestions to you?

Saturday's Cryptoquote: There are two kinds of music. Good music,and the otherkind. —Duke Ellington

jeFF mACnelly’sshoe/ by Gary Brookins &Susie MacNelly

by BillAmend